12 November 2008
"Sorry Professor, My Cat ATE My Homework..."
oh, stella. she loves to chew on paper, i don't know why. thessie has tried to emulate her, but it's just not the same as my furry, white paper-shredder. she LOVES to rip up paper (computer paper/post it's especially, but also loves magazines and newspapers) and she went to town this morning on my outline for my next paper. LUCKILY she ripped up the part that i wasn't really using so i can still read what it says....
10 November 2008
ha, i forgot about the "6 things i love post"
i knew that if i didnt get it done yesterday i'd forget! but never fear, thanks to yall leaving me comments i remembered that i owed you all this post, and here it is! let's start with 3 things that aggrevate me and then go to 6 things i love:
3 things that make me frown/pull out my hair/plot someone's death:
1- when my prof consistently keeps us late as fuck for our monday night class. it goes from 6 to 8 20, but then he decided it goes until 9 and didnt really tell us. i walked out one day (i wasnt feeling very well AND i was like fuck this, im leaving) but i cant do that every day. some people commute to richmond and dont get home until 10 and then have to turn around the next morning for class! REALLY uncool. and this prof just cant tell time-- i was kept waiting 45 min this past friday for my appointment with him. i dropped my book in the hallway 3 times so he'd wrap it up with whoever was in there, but to no avail. this makes me Furrriousssss! (and yes, this happened tonight, as it does EVERY FREAKING MONDAY AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH)
2- the speed limit in williamsburg is 25, and most people go 25. wtf?! dont they know the add 10 rule? and when i'm on my way to class it's an add 20 rule! it makes my blood pressure rise to an unhealthy degree. people are also mostly tourists and the street signs and directions are confusing, so NO ONE ever does what they're supposed to (yeild here, stop here, etc.) AAARRRRGGGG
3- working a lot (4 days this week) for only $7.25. i know they cant afford to give me more, and i should probably get a job that pays more, but it's fun/i love it/everything's great OTHER than the fact that i make like NO $. i got a $75 paycheck the other day-- i was like are you kidding me?
6 things i LOVE sooo much:
1- fall in Virginia. you've got to be KIDDING me it's so awesome! chilly, crisp, sunny, awesome fall color, not too cold (saratoga springs, i'm looking at you). PERFECT! (this picture was taken out my bedroom window and looks at the ravine that the deer sleep in. it was taken last week)
2- my girls. it's so nice to have animals to hang out with/distract myself with while i'm eyebrow-deep in school stuff. had i only known this in undergrad, i would have been a happier person! seriously! i'm never really afraid at night like i prob. would be living alone in the woods b/c i have them there. its sort of irrational since they're not attack cats or anything but it's so comforting. and NOTHING makes me happier than to wake up and have two sleepy cats hanging out and snuggling. ADORABLE!
3- my favorite websites:
a) jezebel.com is so amazing, i would die without it. it's a total treat now-- i love it so much i never let myself read it until all (or most, or even half) of my work is done for the day. i may not agree with everything they say (megan, sometimes tracie, and i despise moe, thank god she's gone) but i keep abreast of the world through this. the comments are frusterating b/c people comment like effing CRAZY the literal SECOND the post is posted so i never comment b/c the thread is always too long (and archetype has always commented first anyway) but still-- LOVE.
(nessa, what's your jezzie comment name?)
b) nytimes.com i learn so much by reading a couple articles a day that i have no idea why i didnt do this long before. and its awesome b/c most of my friends read the same articles so we can talk about them
c) apartmenttherapy.com i dont have as much time for this one as i'd like, but it's so inspiring and awesome. the comments are where i get the most information and help and it's so cool to have this little community. i've posted many comments and 2 main questions so i feel like im part of it.
4- i have just discovered the beauty that is Itunes Genius tool. holy shit this thing is awesome! y
ou pick a song that you like in your playlist and hit the button and it matches up all the songs in your entire library that it think match with that song and then (apparently) makes suggestions of things to buy based on what you like. it hasnt made any suggestions for me, possibly b/c i have so much music already? no idea. but i only listen to playlists (i have like 800) so having a tool that creates new playlists of songs i already like at the click of a button? GENIUS! oh wait, that was the idea... ;)
5- Houston. i love you houston, and i miss you. i love williamsburg too and am perfectly happy here and not very homesick at all, yet i just cannot WAIT to come home! i cant wait to see all of you and eat all the food (barnaby's, mai's, empire, brasil, mockingbird bistro, WHATABURGER OMG, etc etc) and just enjoy being HOME! get ready kids-- around dec 15th! YAY! (camera phone taken in 2002 or 2003)
6- school. i LOVE school! no matter how stressed out it makes me at times, i absolutely LOVE it here. i love the discussions, the discourse, the sharing of ideas and broadening of horizons/intellects. i LOVE LOVE LOVE it. and on that note, i'd better get back to my work so i dont fail out :) xo!
3 things that make me frown/pull out my hair/plot someone's death:
1- when my prof consistently keeps us late as fuck for our monday night class. it goes from 6 to 8 20, but then he decided it goes until 9 and didnt really tell us. i walked out one day (i wasnt feeling very well AND i was like fuck this, im leaving) but i cant do that every day. some people commute to richmond and dont get home until 10 and then have to turn around the next morning for class! REALLY uncool. and this prof just cant tell time-- i was kept waiting 45 min this past friday for my appointment with him. i dropped my book in the hallway 3 times so he'd wrap it up with whoever was in there, but to no avail. this makes me Furrriousssss! (and yes, this happened tonight, as it does EVERY FREAKING MONDAY AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH)
2- the speed limit in williamsburg is 25, and most people go 25. wtf?! dont they know the add 10 rule? and when i'm on my way to class it's an add 20 rule! it makes my blood pressure rise to an unhealthy degree. people are also mostly tourists and the street signs and directions are confusing, so NO ONE ever does what they're supposed to (yeild here, stop here, etc.) AAARRRRGGGG
3- working a lot (4 days this week) for only $7.25. i know they cant afford to give me more, and i should probably get a job that pays more, but it's fun/i love it/everything's great OTHER than the fact that i make like NO $. i got a $75 paycheck the other day-- i was like are you kidding me?6 things i LOVE sooo much:
1- fall in Virginia. you've got to be KIDDING me it's so awesome! chilly, crisp, sunny, awesome fall color, not too cold (saratoga springs, i'm looking at you). PERFECT! (this picture was taken out my bedroom window and looks at the ravine that the deer sleep in. it was taken last week)2- my girls. it's so nice to have animals to hang out with/distract myself with while i'm eyebrow-deep in school stuff. had i only known this in undergrad, i would have been a happier person! seriously! i'm never really afraid at night like i prob. would be living alone in the woods b/c i have them there. its sort of irrational since they're not attack cats or anything but it's so comforting. and NOTHING makes me happier than to wake up and have two sleepy cats hanging out and snuggling. ADORABLE!
3- my favorite websites:
a) jezebel.com is so amazing, i would die without it. it's a total treat now-- i love it so much i never let myself read it until all (or most, or even half) of my work is done for the day. i may not agree with everything they say (megan, sometimes tracie, and i despise moe, thank god she's gone) but i keep abreast of the world through this. the comments are frusterating b/c people comment like effing CRAZY the literal SECOND the post is posted so i never comment b/c the thread is always too long (and archetype has always commented first anyway) but still-- LOVE.(nessa, what's your jezzie comment name?)
b) nytimes.com i learn so much by reading a couple articles a day that i have no idea why i didnt do this long before. and its awesome b/c most of my friends read the same articles so we can talk about themc) apartmenttherapy.com i dont have as much time for this one as i'd like, but it's so inspiring and awesome. the comments are where i get the most information and help and it's so cool to have this little community. i've posted many comments and 2 main questions so i feel like im part of it.
4- i have just discovered the beauty that is Itunes Genius tool. holy shit this thing is awesome! y
ou pick a song that you like in your playlist and hit the button and it matches up all the songs in your entire library that it think match with that song and then (apparently) makes suggestions of things to buy based on what you like. it hasnt made any suggestions for me, possibly b/c i have so much music already? no idea. but i only listen to playlists (i have like 800) so having a tool that creates new playlists of songs i already like at the click of a button? GENIUS! oh wait, that was the idea... ;)
5- Houston. i love you houston, and i miss you. i love williamsburg too and am perfectly happy here and not very homesick at all, yet i just cannot WAIT to come home! i cant wait to see all of you and eat all the food (barnaby's, mai's, empire, brasil, mockingbird bistro, WHATABURGER OMG, etc etc) and just enjoy being HOME! get ready kids-- around dec 15th! YAY! (camera phone taken in 2002 or 2003)6- school. i LOVE school! no matter how stressed out it makes me at times, i absolutely LOVE it here. i love the discussions, the discourse, the sharing of ideas and broadening of horizons/intellects. i LOVE LOVE LOVE it. and on that note, i'd better get back to my work so i dont fail out :) xo!
09 November 2008
i've been tagged! joy!
hello everyone. good lord, it's been over a month since i last posted stuff on here! well i'm sure none of you are surprised by this news: GRAD SCHOOL IS INSANE. and keeps me busy. and even though i love every minute of it, fuck it's stressful/crazy/intense/hard as hell. there's a lot of things i've been up to lately so even though i had plans to post a pictures blog, i'll try to do that later and just move to handy bullet point format to get all this info out:
-- ive been tagged by cheryl, which is awesome! thank you! i will post my "6 things i love" later in the day because 1) this post is going to be long enough already and 2) if i dont do it today i might not get to it for a while. so that is forthcoming! posthaste!
- the weather here is GORGEOUS. i mean utterly beautiful fall color cold awesome. Kem pugh is visiting me this wkend (well she just left this morning) and we had a BLast-- but back to my weather thing-- on friday when she was here we were really hot and had to wear t shirts and jeans (it was like 78) yesterday it was 60s something, last night it was in the 40s and today its in the what, low 60s? its always colder in my cottage b/c i'm in the woods and right now i have the window open so the sunshine can pour in and i can hear the birds but i have to say, my toes are CHILLY!
- i decided to get a new birth control (Merina, it lasts 5 years and is AMAZING omg just ask me about it) and get off my anti anxiety meds at the same time a couple weeks ago, which was a BAD IDEA. all that at once-- am i insane?! the anxiety meds were making me sleep like insanely (14 hrs a night and still tired) so while i feel like myself again (esp. on this new birth control) i didnt really do the math and think, "even though i'm not really a super anxious person to need this medicine all the time, maybe staying on it in the middle of the most stressful situation ever would be smart" noooo i didnt even think it! so to say im stressed is an understatement. i'm contemplating going back on it but...well...you know, you never WANT to be dependent on pills of any kind, you know? and i know i really dont need them REALLY, but...
unfortunately this has brought out 2 of my worst coping mechanisms: shopping/buying stuff and eating. i have spent so much $ on random crap for myself that i told my parents i didnt want xmas/bday presents this year b/c i bought all the stuff i wanted. this is RIDICULOUS, especially knowing that i am a BROKE college student and all this $ i'm spending are LOANS but for some reason i just cant help it. i do, however, have a really cute new wardrobe for the winter (which i needed! and everything was on the sale rack at Gap or from h&m!)...
and the eating thing? i dont even know what to do about that. i'd love to claim being pregnant like chandra (well ok not really, that would screw up my life plan right now), but really i am just stressed out so i eat a ton of whatever it is that's in front of me (usually pasta b/c im cheap and its easy to make). i barely even taste it anymore! it's just a diversion from all the reading/work/paper writing/etc etc. has anyone ever conquered this bad habit? someone help! i'm definitely not getting skinnier and while i'm pretty good at being happy with my weight this is getting out of hand. i feel like a hippo. help!
- my birthday and halloween were awesome (pls refer to facebook and/or myspace for pics). i went as me circa prom may 2005 (thank god the dress still fit!), my friends looked awesome and one friend (a boy, which makes it funnier) went as ME. weird? yes. a lil' awkward? TOTALLY. but funny? fuck yes! hilarious.
- i met my landlady (she had to come here to put some stuff in the attic) and that was crazytown. she is totally batshit insane but in a nice way-- she kept telling me i had so much positive energy that negated the negative energy that was left by the previous tenant (?). she thought i was awesome (as does everyone) so thats cool, but she's def. a little weird. luckily since we're apparently BFFs now i can be like "hey i dont get my student loans until mid Feb. so can i pay rent for the semester then?" and hope she will be cool with it (she might be? maybe?)
-- shit it's already 11 am and i have SO much work to do. i had this come to jesus moment with my 2 advisors on friday when Kem was here and they were both like "work harder" which makes total sense but sends me into a tailspin of anxiety. basically i took a job at great harvest bread co (my 3rd one-- did i tell yall this already?) and they work me a LOT-- only like 12-16 hrs a week, which would normally be nothing, right? but NOT WHEN YOURE IN GRAD SCHOOL. most people in my program dont work, and if they did they've quit by now (srsly. i asked.) my prof literally told me to stop working so much b/c he could tell it's stressing me the fuck out. and even though i LOVE being at work (its fun to do, i love the product, i work with precious high school kids that are adorable, etc.) its really killing me. actually you know whats really killing me? the fact that i get $7.25 an hour. thats CRAP. i made more than that at my first Harv on 1960 and champion's forest! but they just opened and the owners still havent even taken a paycheck yet...sigh. at least theyre good people. and i get free coffee and bread and stuff like that...
-- ok my last thing that i HAVE to mention esp. b/c chandra and cheryl talked about this: the Twilight series. i am going to be dead honest here and say 1) I've never liked vampire stories, 2) i knew this was sentimental romance novel utter crap that people are freaking out over and 3) i read all of them in a week and while i understand why people love them (hell, i couldnt put the stupid things down) there is SO MUCH in there that is AWFUL. like how bella's so helpless! and she needs either a vampire or a werewolf to take care of her (and can i just say, anyone on team jacob needs a wake up call-- bella was NEVER going to end up with him! hello! who would even think that! and although jacob is awesome, who would like him better than edward! come on!). the author is Mormon and there are some Mormon overtones (unintentional im sure, but the patriarchal stuff is there, as well as the family being the eternal divine unit-- as evidenced by bella, edward and renesmee [WORST. NAME. EVER.] living together forever, etc)
SOOOO what is my point? my point is THIS IS MY NEW THESIS. yes everyone, i am dead serious. i hit a wall when researching Mormon feminism (my previous thesis topic) because i realized all the discourse on this subject had been written by Mormon (mostly former mormon, actually) feminists and what can i add to that as non-LDS (latter day saint)? what angle can i spin on that? it's possible i could come up with someone, BUT
for one of my classes (an english women's studies class) i came up with the idea of talking about Twilight and am comparing these novels to 19th century utopian literature. i dont WANT to b/c i HATE literary criticism but thats the direction im being pushed and you have to move outside your comfort zone in grad school (see? its HARD!). i told my 2 advisors about that paper and they were like, "fuck yeah that sounds awesome! seems like you got yourself a new thesis topic!" so (hypothetically, since everything is subject to change) i will be folding in my comparing Twilight to utopian literature into a broader thesis where i discuss romance novel formulas, why these books are so popular (i dont have an ultimate answer of course, but i will speculate and lean heavily on the Twilight message boards) and hopefully will answer the question many have asked, "what is a nice Mormon girl doing writing about vampires?" (answer: she turned the frightful/erotic/unknown into tame, caring, perfect beings that feed into our fantasies).
OK children! that was a lot of information. leave me comments and please, by all means, expect me to interview you about the Twilight books. xo everyone!
ps- im home for like a month from dec 15-jan 15th. get ready. chandra, i want to see a baby bump!
-- ive been tagged by cheryl, which is awesome! thank you! i will post my "6 things i love" later in the day because 1) this post is going to be long enough already and 2) if i dont do it today i might not get to it for a while. so that is forthcoming! posthaste!
- the weather here is GORGEOUS. i mean utterly beautiful fall color cold awesome. Kem pugh is visiting me this wkend (well she just left this morning) and we had a BLast-- but back to my weather thing-- on friday when she was here we were really hot and had to wear t shirts and jeans (it was like 78) yesterday it was 60s something, last night it was in the 40s and today its in the what, low 60s? its always colder in my cottage b/c i'm in the woods and right now i have the window open so the sunshine can pour in and i can hear the birds but i have to say, my toes are CHILLY!
- i decided to get a new birth control (Merina, it lasts 5 years and is AMAZING omg just ask me about it) and get off my anti anxiety meds at the same time a couple weeks ago, which was a BAD IDEA. all that at once-- am i insane?! the anxiety meds were making me sleep like insanely (14 hrs a night and still tired) so while i feel like myself again (esp. on this new birth control) i didnt really do the math and think, "even though i'm not really a super anxious person to need this medicine all the time, maybe staying on it in the middle of the most stressful situation ever would be smart" noooo i didnt even think it! so to say im stressed is an understatement. i'm contemplating going back on it but...well...you know, you never WANT to be dependent on pills of any kind, you know? and i know i really dont need them REALLY, but...
unfortunately this has brought out 2 of my worst coping mechanisms: shopping/buying stuff and eating. i have spent so much $ on random crap for myself that i told my parents i didnt want xmas/bday presents this year b/c i bought all the stuff i wanted. this is RIDICULOUS, especially knowing that i am a BROKE college student and all this $ i'm spending are LOANS but for some reason i just cant help it. i do, however, have a really cute new wardrobe for the winter (which i needed! and everything was on the sale rack at Gap or from h&m!)...
and the eating thing? i dont even know what to do about that. i'd love to claim being pregnant like chandra (well ok not really, that would screw up my life plan right now), but really i am just stressed out so i eat a ton of whatever it is that's in front of me (usually pasta b/c im cheap and its easy to make). i barely even taste it anymore! it's just a diversion from all the reading/work/paper writing/etc etc. has anyone ever conquered this bad habit? someone help! i'm definitely not getting skinnier and while i'm pretty good at being happy with my weight this is getting out of hand. i feel like a hippo. help!
- my birthday and halloween were awesome (pls refer to facebook and/or myspace for pics). i went as me circa prom may 2005 (thank god the dress still fit!), my friends looked awesome and one friend (a boy, which makes it funnier) went as ME. weird? yes. a lil' awkward? TOTALLY. but funny? fuck yes! hilarious.
- i met my landlady (she had to come here to put some stuff in the attic) and that was crazytown. she is totally batshit insane but in a nice way-- she kept telling me i had so much positive energy that negated the negative energy that was left by the previous tenant (?). she thought i was awesome (as does everyone) so thats cool, but she's def. a little weird. luckily since we're apparently BFFs now i can be like "hey i dont get my student loans until mid Feb. so can i pay rent for the semester then?" and hope she will be cool with it (she might be? maybe?)
-- shit it's already 11 am and i have SO much work to do. i had this come to jesus moment with my 2 advisors on friday when Kem was here and they were both like "work harder" which makes total sense but sends me into a tailspin of anxiety. basically i took a job at great harvest bread co (my 3rd one-- did i tell yall this already?) and they work me a LOT-- only like 12-16 hrs a week, which would normally be nothing, right? but NOT WHEN YOURE IN GRAD SCHOOL. most people in my program dont work, and if they did they've quit by now (srsly. i asked.) my prof literally told me to stop working so much b/c he could tell it's stressing me the fuck out. and even though i LOVE being at work (its fun to do, i love the product, i work with precious high school kids that are adorable, etc.) its really killing me. actually you know whats really killing me? the fact that i get $7.25 an hour. thats CRAP. i made more than that at my first Harv on 1960 and champion's forest! but they just opened and the owners still havent even taken a paycheck yet...sigh. at least theyre good people. and i get free coffee and bread and stuff like that...
-- ok my last thing that i HAVE to mention esp. b/c chandra and cheryl talked about this: the Twilight series. i am going to be dead honest here and say 1) I've never liked vampire stories, 2) i knew this was sentimental romance novel utter crap that people are freaking out over and 3) i read all of them in a week and while i understand why people love them (hell, i couldnt put the stupid things down) there is SO MUCH in there that is AWFUL. like how bella's so helpless! and she needs either a vampire or a werewolf to take care of her (and can i just say, anyone on team jacob needs a wake up call-- bella was NEVER going to end up with him! hello! who would even think that! and although jacob is awesome, who would like him better than edward! come on!). the author is Mormon and there are some Mormon overtones (unintentional im sure, but the patriarchal stuff is there, as well as the family being the eternal divine unit-- as evidenced by bella, edward and renesmee [WORST. NAME. EVER.] living together forever, etc)
SOOOO what is my point? my point is THIS IS MY NEW THESIS. yes everyone, i am dead serious. i hit a wall when researching Mormon feminism (my previous thesis topic) because i realized all the discourse on this subject had been written by Mormon (mostly former mormon, actually) feminists and what can i add to that as non-LDS (latter day saint)? what angle can i spin on that? it's possible i could come up with someone, BUT
for one of my classes (an english women's studies class) i came up with the idea of talking about Twilight and am comparing these novels to 19th century utopian literature. i dont WANT to b/c i HATE literary criticism but thats the direction im being pushed and you have to move outside your comfort zone in grad school (see? its HARD!). i told my 2 advisors about that paper and they were like, "fuck yeah that sounds awesome! seems like you got yourself a new thesis topic!" so (hypothetically, since everything is subject to change) i will be folding in my comparing Twilight to utopian literature into a broader thesis where i discuss romance novel formulas, why these books are so popular (i dont have an ultimate answer of course, but i will speculate and lean heavily on the Twilight message boards) and hopefully will answer the question many have asked, "what is a nice Mormon girl doing writing about vampires?" (answer: she turned the frightful/erotic/unknown into tame, caring, perfect beings that feed into our fantasies).
OK children! that was a lot of information. leave me comments and please, by all means, expect me to interview you about the Twilight books. xo everyone!
ps- im home for like a month from dec 15-jan 15th. get ready. chandra, i want to see a baby bump!
24 September 2008
pictures! finally!
some PICTURES for you!
the first picture is me a couple days ago with my new glasses (and shorter bangs that i cut myself). what do you think?
second picture is on my walk to school. i get to pass those gorgeous morning glories every day.
third picture is my office in my house.
yay!
the first picture is me a couple days ago with my new glasses (and shorter bangs that i cut myself). what do you think?
second picture is on my walk to school. i get to pass those gorgeous morning glories every day.
third picture is my office in my house.
yay!
22 September 2008
an apology and an explanation, of sorts
greetings and salutations, dear friends. i want you all to know that i think of you often, each one of you (cheryl, chandra, nessa, holly, etc etc etc) and hope that you're well. if i'm lucky, i may have a second to read your blogs to see how you're doing (esp. after the hurricane! btw my parents still dont have power and they said it might not be until MID OCT! very uncool).
however.
grad school is awesome, and i love every second of it. but I. AM. SO. BUSY. OMG.
i have so much reading to do, and writing, and even when i have "free time" it's not free b/c i have to organize this or fix that or maybe even nap? because for some reason i AM SO TIRED ALL THE TIME (i think it's the reading) so i sleep a lot. and i wanted to say i'm sorry to those of you i dont get to talk to often-- it's not that i dont want to, or dont care at ALL! it's because holyshitiamsoBUSY!
i also got a job at Great Harvest Bread Company here (harv #3!) and i only work 10 hours a week but it makes me busier. but i love working there SO much! it's really fun. and i love every minute of grad school.
i just prob. wont get to talk to you all until christmas. but FEAR NOT!
i shall be home (most likely) from like Dec 19th to Jan 20th! A WHOLE MONTH! JOY!
so that's the update. gotta go read read read
xo!
ps- but i do want to reiterate that i am SO SO happy and i LOVE grad school and my life here! LOVE it!
however.
grad school is awesome, and i love every second of it. but I. AM. SO. BUSY. OMG.
i have so much reading to do, and writing, and even when i have "free time" it's not free b/c i have to organize this or fix that or maybe even nap? because for some reason i AM SO TIRED ALL THE TIME (i think it's the reading) so i sleep a lot. and i wanted to say i'm sorry to those of you i dont get to talk to often-- it's not that i dont want to, or dont care at ALL! it's because holyshitiamsoBUSY!
i also got a job at Great Harvest Bread Company here (harv #3!) and i only work 10 hours a week but it makes me busier. but i love working there SO much! it's really fun. and i love every minute of grad school.
i just prob. wont get to talk to you all until christmas. but FEAR NOT!
i shall be home (most likely) from like Dec 19th to Jan 20th! A WHOLE MONTH! JOY!
so that's the update. gotta go read read read
xo!
ps- but i do want to reiterate that i am SO SO happy and i LOVE grad school and my life here! LOVE it!
02 September 2008
writing a blog because i'm avoiding homework
it's funny how the old habits come back, isn't it? back in the day i'd avoid homework by talking incessantly on aim, or writing in my livejournal, or watching random videos people had forwarded me (sadly there was no youtube at that time) (saying that makes me feel oddly old). now i'm blogging-- not that i'm totally avoiding reading, but i would like to give you, dear readers, something to read and an update on my life. k? now, onto a handy bullet proof format b/c i really don't have much time (i have like 300 pages to read of random, dry articles for american studies intro class tomorrow, and Wharton's entire House of Mirth to read by Thursday, so I have to get cracking).
-- grad school is awesome. i love my classes, my profs are awesome, i already have a little posse of friends, williamsburg is fucking great, virginia beach is really close so i'm going to the beach with some friends this wkend, going to colonial williamsburg (students get in for free) next week, seeing Hamlet 2 this week with the posse (all aforementioned activities are with the posse). oh and my cottage is AWESOME. i ADORE it. pictures forthcoming, i swear-- my lame computer doesn't want to accept pictures from my camera for no apparent reason, so i'm going to have to figure out another way to do it. (i need to just get a card reader). you guys will swoon-- the office, where i am now, is awesome and pink and pretty and i LOVE it!
-- my posse is great. it consists (so far) of Maggy, who graduated Rhodes College in '06 and is fron NC/Dallas, is very outdoorsy, says awesomely smart stuff in class and is interested i
african american culture in appalachia (sp). Nikki just grad. UNC this May and is a cheerleader type (she was a cheerleader, actually) and is interested in material culture and has this adorable and fun boyfriend that lives in DC and comes here most wkends. Shaun is 26, our only boy so far, and has a master's from one of the SUNYs and and undergrad from...university of rochester? he's from rochester, NY and has the most insane accent. it's like a cross between michigan and jersey-- very odd. he's into literature and when we were watching the House of Mirth movie with Gillian Anderson for class the other day i cried at the end (it's so sad! she kills herself and eric stoltz sobs "I LOVE YOU LILY") he was like "i LOVE this shit! i love misery!" he's a sweet pea.
that's pretty much it so far but we're a very inclusive posse-- anytime we see anyone from our department and especially our class, we invite them to hang but everyone's so crazy shy! there's a few married people and people that live in Richmond/Newport News/VA beach so they commute and dont really hang but thats ok. we're trying to expand our group so i'll keep you posted.
-- my classes are: intro to amer studies for grad students (we all have to take this), 20th century women writers (there's a lot of undergrads in this class! and its VERy heavy on the reading), and an independent study i'm taking with my advisor on African American Religion. that's the one i'm most excited about b/c i have never studied it and it's fascinating. today in class my advisor, Maureen, said, "can you think of a single black leader now that is not involved in religion in some way?" (she said obama, but other than him, who else? and i couldnt think of anyone. can you?). fascinating! maggy's in that class with me and then 3 other girls that are af. american so i'm very interested to hear some of their personal history with the subject. it's going to be effing amazing! hooray!
-- for some reason i'm REALLY into studying to secular music. like in latin, old school choir in a cathedral music that was written in the 1200s. i have always loved it (it sounds so ethereal, and it's so soothing, esp. when they sing "deus" which means god) and it's marvelous study music.
-- virginia is gorgeous. just the other day i was driving around and i saw this beautiful sunset over the trees and thought, this is SO beautiful! there are little public gardens all over town that you can go sit in (one has these HUGE passion flowers and morning glories, it cheers me up so much everytime i walk by) and the weather, while slightly hot (people keep bitching about the 90 degree weather-- im like are you SERIOUS), is lovely. it's actually cold at night! so amazing.
-- williamsburg is really cool. my classes meet right at the front of the campus, where it hits the school (it actually hits Merchant Square, if you know anything about wmsbrg). there's tons of little cafes and shops and stuff right nearby. it's so great! the parking is a nightmare, but luckily i got the insider's tip from Wendy on parking down the street in this parking garage where they never ticket so you can park for free. weee!
-- clearly i'm happy as 800 clams right now. everything is going really well so far (despite the fact that i havent gotten my student loan check...grrr) and i just LOVE it here. hooray!!! :D
-- grad school is awesome. i love my classes, my profs are awesome, i already have a little posse of friends, williamsburg is fucking great, virginia beach is really close so i'm going to the beach with some friends this wkend, going to colonial williamsburg (students get in for free) next week, seeing Hamlet 2 this week with the posse (all aforementioned activities are with the posse). oh and my cottage is AWESOME. i ADORE it. pictures forthcoming, i swear-- my lame computer doesn't want to accept pictures from my camera for no apparent reason, so i'm going to have to figure out another way to do it. (i need to just get a card reader). you guys will swoon-- the office, where i am now, is awesome and pink and pretty and i LOVE it!
-- my posse is great. it consists (so far) of Maggy, who graduated Rhodes College in '06 and is fron NC/Dallas, is very outdoorsy, says awesomely smart stuff in class and is interested i
african american culture in appalachia (sp). Nikki just grad. UNC this May and is a cheerleader type (she was a cheerleader, actually) and is interested in material culture and has this adorable and fun boyfriend that lives in DC and comes here most wkends. Shaun is 26, our only boy so far, and has a master's from one of the SUNYs and and undergrad from...university of rochester? he's from rochester, NY and has the most insane accent. it's like a cross between michigan and jersey-- very odd. he's into literature and when we were watching the House of Mirth movie with Gillian Anderson for class the other day i cried at the end (it's so sad! she kills herself and eric stoltz sobs "I LOVE YOU LILY") he was like "i LOVE this shit! i love misery!" he's a sweet pea.
that's pretty much it so far but we're a very inclusive posse-- anytime we see anyone from our department and especially our class, we invite them to hang but everyone's so crazy shy! there's a few married people and people that live in Richmond/Newport News/VA beach so they commute and dont really hang but thats ok. we're trying to expand our group so i'll keep you posted.
-- my classes are: intro to amer studies for grad students (we all have to take this), 20th century women writers (there's a lot of undergrads in this class! and its VERy heavy on the reading), and an independent study i'm taking with my advisor on African American Religion. that's the one i'm most excited about b/c i have never studied it and it's fascinating. today in class my advisor, Maureen, said, "can you think of a single black leader now that is not involved in religion in some way?" (she said obama, but other than him, who else? and i couldnt think of anyone. can you?). fascinating! maggy's in that class with me and then 3 other girls that are af. american so i'm very interested to hear some of their personal history with the subject. it's going to be effing amazing! hooray!
-- for some reason i'm REALLY into studying to secular music. like in latin, old school choir in a cathedral music that was written in the 1200s. i have always loved it (it sounds so ethereal, and it's so soothing, esp. when they sing "deus" which means god) and it's marvelous study music.
-- virginia is gorgeous. just the other day i was driving around and i saw this beautiful sunset over the trees and thought, this is SO beautiful! there are little public gardens all over town that you can go sit in (one has these HUGE passion flowers and morning glories, it cheers me up so much everytime i walk by) and the weather, while slightly hot (people keep bitching about the 90 degree weather-- im like are you SERIOUS), is lovely. it's actually cold at night! so amazing.
-- williamsburg is really cool. my classes meet right at the front of the campus, where it hits the school (it actually hits Merchant Square, if you know anything about wmsbrg). there's tons of little cafes and shops and stuff right nearby. it's so great! the parking is a nightmare, but luckily i got the insider's tip from Wendy on parking down the street in this parking garage where they never ticket so you can park for free. weee!
-- clearly i'm happy as 800 clams right now. everything is going really well so far (despite the fact that i havent gotten my student loan check...grrr) and i just LOVE it here. hooray!!! :D
24 August 2008
Quick update
ok everyone, i don't have a lot of time b/c my dad's still here and we have a lot of work to finish (he leaves tomorrow and we're still putting up new blinds, outside lights, hanging stuff, etc etc etc etc ad nauseum) . here's the reader's digest version of the past week (has it only been 1 week?)
last sat: picked up liesl and we drove out. driving with a trailer is intense (but i got EVERything in there, thank god). the cats meowed (mainly thessie) a ton so we let them out and viola! they were so happy. they spent the entire trip sleeping in the backseat on liesl's duffel bag.
last monday: got to the cottage. hooray! unpacked, it was so hot in here. we couldnt figure out how to turn on the AC. sucky. we wander the area, get stuff situated, etc.
tuesday: got paint, found the target, found the lowe's, drove around, etc. painted the office pink (where i am now-- so cute!). painted bedroom light gray but its really lavender (grrr) so whatever.
wed- ran into my grad student, wendy, at the ams building totally by accident! crazy. got the AC to work (had a guy come out only to tell me there's a ON switch. yeah i feel dumb. and he charged my landlady $110, but she seems ok with it). also learned my Sprint service doesnt really work in the house. Verizon, however, does, so i may be switching.
thurs- went to the outlet malls nearby (FUN)! took wendy out to dinner!
fri- went to the norfolk mall, h&m was a letdown. picked up my dad, went out to dinner.
sat.-- dad and i spent a ton of $ at lowes, etc. and started fixing up the house
sun- same as yesterday
tomorrow-- orientation!!
wed-- CLASSES START
ahhhHHHhhHHHHHhh!!
my brain still doesnt get the fact that i live in Virginia. so weird. i will be writing more later but have to go now!! xoxo my dears
last sat: picked up liesl and we drove out. driving with a trailer is intense (but i got EVERything in there, thank god). the cats meowed (mainly thessie) a ton so we let them out and viola! they were so happy. they spent the entire trip sleeping in the backseat on liesl's duffel bag.
last monday: got to the cottage. hooray! unpacked, it was so hot in here. we couldnt figure out how to turn on the AC. sucky. we wander the area, get stuff situated, etc.
tuesday: got paint, found the target, found the lowe's, drove around, etc. painted the office pink (where i am now-- so cute!). painted bedroom light gray but its really lavender (grrr) so whatever.
wed- ran into my grad student, wendy, at the ams building totally by accident! crazy. got the AC to work (had a guy come out only to tell me there's a ON switch. yeah i feel dumb. and he charged my landlady $110, but she seems ok with it). also learned my Sprint service doesnt really work in the house. Verizon, however, does, so i may be switching.
thurs- went to the outlet malls nearby (FUN)! took wendy out to dinner!
fri- went to the norfolk mall, h&m was a letdown. picked up my dad, went out to dinner.
sat.-- dad and i spent a ton of $ at lowes, etc. and started fixing up the house
sun- same as yesterday
tomorrow-- orientation!!
wed-- CLASSES START
ahhhHHHhhHHHHHhh!!
my brain still doesnt get the fact that i live in Virginia. so weird. i will be writing more later but have to go now!! xoxo my dears
11 August 2008
Feminist Musings on lady gymnasts
hello hello, good morning, salutations, etc etc. i leave texas for virginia this saturday; i am (mostly) packed and hope to god i can fit all my crap in a 5'x8' trailer and my car. including 2 cats in an AMAZING kennel AMAZINGLY and KINDLY donated by miss Cheryl! (i'm psyched about the kennel, not so psyched about seeing how my cats react to driving 22 hours).
in the meantime, i would like to discuss something: Olympic Gymnast's Fashion. (as seen on China and USA last night). mainly, the scrunchies. WHY, dear god WHY do we have scrunchies?! you dont need all that elastic fabric nonsense, you need a tight ass rubber band to hold your hair back! and why pony tails? why not elegant buns like ballerinas? i feel like the messy pony tails and 800 huge metal clips in the girls from China's hair made them look even younger than their 10 years (i swear they cannOT be at least 16!). They had simple red, long sleeved leotards (can that be comfortable? aren't they hot? why long sleeves?) and some wore a little glitter on their eyelids (again, reinforcing the 6 yr old look). maybe they all love to watch Hannah Montana in their spare time?
USA was better (thankfully not so much glitter on the eyes) in long sleeved (wtf with the long sleeves?) leotards with some sort of stylized starfish/star on the left boob/side (or was it right?). anyway, their hair was much cuter-- a lot of them looked like typical 16 yr old teenagers, with bangs poufed a little in the front held by a bobby pin (a look i rock all the time and actually am rocking right now) and that pony tail thing that you do when you dont care how you look so instead of pulling the hair all the way through the elastic you let it loop. does that have a name? i used to do that crap all the time-- who wants an annoying pony tail flying around your face unless you're going for a cute, sporty '50s era look? not me, thank you (plus i dont have enough hair for a pony tail anyway...). the only scrunchie i noticed was on the girl whose dad was an Olympic gymnast from what, Russia or something? so i figured he made her wear it (and her fall from the uneven bars-- OUCH! that sucked. but she's pretty and kicked so much ass on the balance beam)
their make up looked more natural (china, you can def. wear mascara like USA) and i thought overall they were cute and pretty. HOWEVER
i wonder what makes me think of judging/noticing their make up? do i notice make up on the male gymnasts? no! (and also, i havent seen their event yet). but i think it's more noticable because women gymnasts often have very childish, square bodies-- hardly any boobs, they are short, small, and have powerful (yet small) muscles. when they have make up on, they look older-- almost more like teenagers, since teenagers (in america, at least) tend to almost always wear make up. everyone i spoke to about the gymnasts said "good lord, the chinese girls were BABIES" (and it doesnt help that theyve been accused of lying about girls ages and the girls really are under 16).
the male gymnasts, however, definitely look like "mature" guys-- hugely powerful shoulders, very muscular, etc. i have no idea if it's preferred that they be short or tall, but either way they don't look like children like the girls/women do.
why do we idolize this sport so much? why is it more fun to watch/is so popular than almost any other olympic summer sport? what about it do you love so much? please comment, i'd love to hear your opinions!
ps- can we bring back that ribbon thing on the floor excercise? you know what i'm talking about-- that shit is amazing!
in the meantime, i would like to discuss something: Olympic Gymnast's Fashion. (as seen on China and USA last night). mainly, the scrunchies. WHY, dear god WHY do we have scrunchies?! you dont need all that elastic fabric nonsense, you need a tight ass rubber band to hold your hair back! and why pony tails? why not elegant buns like ballerinas? i feel like the messy pony tails and 800 huge metal clips in the girls from China's hair made them look even younger than their 10 years (i swear they cannOT be at least 16!). They had simple red, long sleeved leotards (can that be comfortable? aren't they hot? why long sleeves?) and some wore a little glitter on their eyelids (again, reinforcing the 6 yr old look). maybe they all love to watch Hannah Montana in their spare time?
USA was better (thankfully not so much glitter on the eyes) in long sleeved (wtf with the long sleeves?) leotards with some sort of stylized starfish/star on the left boob/side (or was it right?). anyway, their hair was much cuter-- a lot of them looked like typical 16 yr old teenagers, with bangs poufed a little in the front held by a bobby pin (a look i rock all the time and actually am rocking right now) and that pony tail thing that you do when you dont care how you look so instead of pulling the hair all the way through the elastic you let it loop. does that have a name? i used to do that crap all the time-- who wants an annoying pony tail flying around your face unless you're going for a cute, sporty '50s era look? not me, thank you (plus i dont have enough hair for a pony tail anyway...). the only scrunchie i noticed was on the girl whose dad was an Olympic gymnast from what, Russia or something? so i figured he made her wear it (and her fall from the uneven bars-- OUCH! that sucked. but she's pretty and kicked so much ass on the balance beam)
their make up looked more natural (china, you can def. wear mascara like USA) and i thought overall they were cute and pretty. HOWEVER
i wonder what makes me think of judging/noticing their make up? do i notice make up on the male gymnasts? no! (and also, i havent seen their event yet). but i think it's more noticable because women gymnasts often have very childish, square bodies-- hardly any boobs, they are short, small, and have powerful (yet small) muscles. when they have make up on, they look older-- almost more like teenagers, since teenagers (in america, at least) tend to almost always wear make up. everyone i spoke to about the gymnasts said "good lord, the chinese girls were BABIES" (and it doesnt help that theyve been accused of lying about girls ages and the girls really are under 16).
the male gymnasts, however, definitely look like "mature" guys-- hugely powerful shoulders, very muscular, etc. i have no idea if it's preferred that they be short or tall, but either way they don't look like children like the girls/women do.
why do we idolize this sport so much? why is it more fun to watch/is so popular than almost any other olympic summer sport? what about it do you love so much? please comment, i'd love to hear your opinions!
ps- can we bring back that ribbon thing on the floor excercise? you know what i'm talking about-- that shit is amazing!
22 July 2008
back from Aspen!
hello everyone, i'm back. all my summer trips have passed, been awesome, and left me more awesome but infinitely more tired (and with less money) in their wake. i got back from my aspen trip last night and realized that i have 18 more days of work until i move. insane! i am also really not into long drives in the car after driving 12 hours yesterday, but i'm sure by aug 15th i'll just be ready to go. i've been getting that stressed/omg is everything done/ahh i'm moving feeling for a while but it just got kicked up to 11 and im not even going for a few weeks! insane. i know that i can never go back to things the way they are right now (living at home, working for my dad, hanging out in spring, etc) so i'm trying to enjoy things but i'm also so ready to have my own, new life...
but enough musing, onto my aspen trip! what really can i say? it was gorgeous and incredible, my cousin jen looked radiant and had a wonderful wedding, i enjoyed seeing my entire extended family (there's only 15 of us, plus 2 new cousins) all together, aspen is incredible and incredibly gorgeous, the weather was perfect, and as i was wandering around the restaurant on top of aspen mountain i literally bumped into Antonio Banderas.
yes, yes i did. no pictures, but he stared at me for a while (the hair must have thrown him off) and his wife, Melanie, was nearby but looked totally busted with too much plastic surgery compared to the gorgeous, perfect Antonio. he was walking with his mother, and as they were trying to pick a table (the restaurant is cafeteria style) he asked her where they should sit, and she didnt answer so he started singing in this operatic voice, "it's a myyyysteryyyy!" SO CUTE. omg.
here are some pictures, for your enjoyment (the rest can be seen on facebook and myspace):
my sisters on their hike around Maroon Bells in aspen
womb buddy and myself at our "romantic" vegan dinner in aspen that was SO EXPENSIVE OMG.
note: drinking at such a high altitude such as aspen means 1 drink= druuunk.
this picture was obviously staged.
on top of aspen mountain
family photo before the wedding!
most gorgeous wedding EVER- the altar was aspen logs that the groom cut himself. so lovely!
a little drunk, very happy at the reception
22 June 2008
on the beach in North Carolina
hello faithful readers, im blogging from a beach house on the coast of north carolina. i just ate like 2 lbs of crab legs and im in a total food coma so this is not going to be super long. but the beach is great, im exhausted, the seafood is fucking amazing and thank god we have internet because i love just sitting here and reading apartmenttherapy.com
so ive been on the road for a long time, blahnblah, and a couple days ago i went to Williamsburg, VA to check out the town adn my cottage. holy shit people! the cottage is more awesome than i thought (pictures forthcoming) and my landlady is getting more awesome! yay! also the town: super great. there's a ton of amazing stores, its wonderful to walk around, the school is gorgeous and i got a ton of W&M paraphanalia (a w&m tote bag, t shirt, sweat pants, decal for my car, decals for my parents, t shirt for my mom, polo shirt for my dad....yeah i went totally overboard). the school bookstore is literally a barnes and noble, which is ridiculous, but whatevs. super cute town
ok im fading here so let's get to the cottage. it's a lot more lodge-y than i realized, mainly b/c you walk into the wood panelled room. i have a bunch of furniture that she already has there; the office is tiny tiny and not the "guest room" i thought at all (which is totes fine) and the bedroom is huge and i have this crazy weird shaped walk in closet with a pretty window. i also have a porch swing! yay! onto the pictures:
02 June 2008
Stuff n' Things
hello muffins, how's it going? i have a few new tidbits for you today, and other than that, i'm just laying low and trying to spend $0 in the next 2 weeks before my vacation starts (Cheryl, this does not apply to you-- i'd love to see you before i leave again!).
I have also been looking at the school newspaper (The Flat Hat) and reading the comics to get a feel for the campus-- it looks like it's a LOT like Skidmore (the town's not super friendly with the students, the bigwigs/school board is NOT in tune with the students's opinions, etc.). here is what to expect for fall weather, i suppose?
you know, i said i had tidbits to share, but i really can't think of anything else of substance. im just getting excited for my Carolinas vacation that's coming up-- oh, i did remember something: Does anyone have any tips for travelling with a dog? Mom and i are taking Baxter with us (75 lb english springer spaniel, well behaved but excitable) on our road trip and i was wondering if anyone had any similar experiences, advice, links to helpful websites, whatever to share. we are staying in Comfort Inns along the way (they allow dogs, although we didnt specify how big Bax is) so that's good. any advice will be GREATly appreciated!! xox everyone, till next time...
so, without further ado, here are the tidbits:
my really awesome grad student friend, Wendy, went by my cottage and snapped some pictures! (i srsly owe her a HUGe dinner). this is what she had to say:
i just drove by your cottage. i'm not completely sure what i think, but i had my camera with me, so i snapped some pictures. it is behind a motel, but you follow down the road until it becomes 
more of an unpaved path, and there are a few houses back there. some are pretty nice. yours is the most overgrown/rundown. i didn't look inside or anything, but i would think it's potentially cute but also potentially really rundown. i could see a couple of ripped screens and the people in there now have taped up newspaper for their curtains. don't know what that's about. part of me thinks it would be really fun to live there, and part of me thinks it looks a little serial killer-ish because it really is in the woods. if it were a 2-bedroom and you had a roommate, i would definitely think it would be cool, but living alone there might spook me out.
so that's my impression. i'm sure it would be a fine place to live, and it's a good location -- i don't want to sound too negative.
more of an unpaved path, and there are a few houses back there. some are pretty nice. yours is the most overgrown/rundown. i didn't look inside or anything, but i would think it's potentially cute but also potentially really rundown. i could see a couple of ripped screens and the people in there now have taped up newspaper for their curtains. don't know what that's about. part of me thinks it would be really fun to live there, and part of me thinks it looks a little serial killer-ish because it really is in the woods. if it were a 2-bedroom and you had a roommate, i would definitely think it would be cool, but living alone there might spook me out.so that's my impression. i'm sure it would be a fine place to live, and it's a good location -- i don't want to sound too negative.
the later she said this:
Hey i passed by today, but the door was open so i didn't look inside or anything. to answer your questions, the area isn't sketchy at all. i mean, the other houses are all nice and have nice cars, 
and today there was an old man outside working on a fence. it's just dark because it's in the woods, like the name says. i think you'd need a flashlight if you were going to walk back there at night.
the motel isn't sketchy either -- williamsburg is largely motels. it looks like some families live there full time from the toys outside, but that's not uncommon since, as you've noticed, williamsburg has crappy housing options.
looking at it again today, i thought it was less weird - maybe i knew what to expect. i wonder if the landlady comes by the weekends. if i pass by during th eweek and the door is closed i'll look inside.
and today there was an old man outside working on a fence. it's just dark because it's in the woods, like the name says. i think you'd need a flashlight if you were going to walk back there at night.the motel isn't sketchy either -- williamsburg is largely motels. it looks like some families live there full time from the toys outside, but that's not uncommon since, as you've noticed, williamsburg has crappy housing options.
looking at it again today, i thought it was less weird - maybe i knew what to expect. i wonder if the landlady comes by the weekends. if i pass by during th eweek and the door is closed i'll look inside.
* so what is your opinion, my loyal blog readers? go for it? i'm actually pretty effing psyched despite the fact that i am a TOTAL scardey cat and would prob. be freaked out at some point living in a cottage alone in the woods. but whatevs. opinions? advice? anyone?
I have also been looking at the school newspaper (The Flat Hat) and reading the comics to get a feel for the campus-- it looks like it's a LOT like Skidmore (the town's not super friendly with the students, the bigwigs/school board is NOT in tune with the students's opinions, etc.). here is what to expect for fall weather, i suppose?
you know, i said i had tidbits to share, but i really can't think of anything else of substance. im just getting excited for my Carolinas vacation that's coming up-- oh, i did remember something: Does anyone have any tips for travelling with a dog? Mom and i are taking Baxter with us (75 lb english springer spaniel, well behaved but excitable) on our road trip and i was wondering if anyone had any similar experiences, advice, links to helpful websites, whatever to share. we are staying in Comfort Inns along the way (they allow dogs, although we didnt specify how big Bax is) so that's good. any advice will be GREATly appreciated!! xox everyone, till next time...
23 May 2008
home, home again. i like to be here when i can
that line in the title is from katie's aim profile when she's in ohio. since she usually is home during the summer, it reminds me of summers (and also makes me happy, because it means i can call her cell phone and reach her pretty much all the time).
anyway. back home. plane ride was perfect (slept from take off to landing, thanks to a shitload of xanax, and was sitting with some VERY nice people. the kindness of strangers is always shocking and happy), getting home was great, and i don't even mind the hot weather. (much). i plan to lay out by my pool this ENTIRE 3 day weekend (and do a little laundry and cleaning, of course, b/c my room is an explosion of random STUFF from my trip). i'm pretty freaking happy too, and it's not hard to see why-- i just had the best vacation of my life with many dear, dear loved ones, i work for like 3 weeks and then i go on another 2 week vacation (road trip with Mom and Baxter to Hendersonville, NC, then onto the Outer Bank beaches for a week with the whole fam minus a womb buddy), then i work for another 3 weeks, have a 1 week vacation (road trip with mom to aspen for cousin's wedding, FINALLY see WB and everyone), then i work for one month and I MOVE TO VIRGINIA!
i know these events have been covered previously in this blog but sheeet, i just have to say it again. LIFE IS GREAT right now.
i still haven't signed a lease on my cottage but that's forthcoming-- speaking of the cottage, let me cut and paste what the lady said when i asked her to describe the place:
" To answer some of your questions, the cottage is approximately ninehundred square feet with about a hundred taken out with my storage/bedroom.There's a double bed & night stand plus two small desks (to use asdressers) in the bedroom I rent (which BTW gets wonderful morning light). Itook out a table & chairs for the living/ dining room & there's two smalltables tucked behind the doors under the built-in bookcases in thatCathedral ceiling wood panel room. There's a separate office with a hugedesk in there. Microwave on small table in kitchen plus old fashioned"Hoosier" in addition to modern cupboards. There's a washer/dryer thatdoesn't work cause a tenant - many years ago - broke the handle & I can'tget a replacement. I'm in no position to provide a new one for someone elseto wreck then skip without paying."
So obvs this lady is a little bonkers but HOLY SHIT 900 SQ FEET YAY! i cant freaking WAIT! everyone is invited to come visit me!
LESSON OF THE DAY: There was a time before built-in cabinets in kitchens; houses were smaller and kitchens were smaller. A typical kitchen might have had a Hoosier cabinet, an ice box, stove, sink and perhaps a pie safe. These Hoosier cabinets were free standing units designed to keep all the essential kitchen items in one place. They were marketed as labor saving devices.
anyway, punkins. time to go. but look at my myspace and facebook to see trip pictures, and later i may update with a webshots album of even more pictures. xo!
20 May 2008
city mumbling in the early morning
hello everyone. it's late and i'm very, very tired but i'm trying to stay awake tonight so i can be REALLY sleepy on the plane tomorrow. in nyc right now; listening to the garbage trucks beep and "mash their dinosaur molars" (or whatever it is that you said today susie that totally makes sense) in the early morning.
speaking of mornings, i was in maine this morning eating a bagel with my dearest kate! then i took a bus to boston (2 hours or so) and the hopped directly onto a bus for nyc (4 hours or so). my tailbone hurts.
luckily mikey carried my heavy bag up the stairs (6 flights) and we walked to a very lovely dinner with good friends. now i'm here, listening to the city mumble at 2 am...
VERY excited for home tomorrow. it's been one of the best vacations of my life but i cant WAIT to see my cats, parents, and MY VERY OWN BED. omg. i am going to lock myself in my room for at least a week. i need some alone time, and im also broke-- did a LOT of shopping.
miss you muffins. xo
speaking of mornings, i was in maine this morning eating a bagel with my dearest kate! then i took a bus to boston (2 hours or so) and the hopped directly onto a bus for nyc (4 hours or so). my tailbone hurts.
luckily mikey carried my heavy bag up the stairs (6 flights) and we walked to a very lovely dinner with good friends. now i'm here, listening to the city mumble at 2 am...
VERY excited for home tomorrow. it's been one of the best vacations of my life but i cant WAIT to see my cats, parents, and MY VERY OWN BED. omg. i am going to lock myself in my room for at least a week. i need some alone time, and im also broke-- did a LOT of shopping.
miss you muffins. xo
07 May 2008
05 May 2008
Updates!
hi muffins. so i feel like i have 8,000,000,094,983,983 things going on right now and it's crazy. let's get to bullet point format because that will calm my frazzled nerves.
- im leaving for the Dr in 20 min because the tiny ativan he gave me are NOT STRONG ENOUGH. i have started freaking out about the plane ride and i want XANAX
- i have a ton of stuff to do to get ready for my NYC/BOSTON/MAINE trip and it's making me crazy. i have to make sure i dont forget anything (UMBRELLA) and that i have enough layering/warm clothes for the Cape, Maine, etc. HOORAY!
- this weekend we had perfect weather and my mom and i had a garage sale. it was great! we're exhausted, but we made $400 and sold so much stuff-- nothing over $2 (most things were 25 or 50 cents) so you can imagine how much crap we got rid of!
- i also got a tan. yay!
- sold a ton of crap on ebay and craigslist also. HOORAY! (to buy some of my randomness on ebay, look for seller Neverwhere2)
- also sold $100 worth of stuff at Buffalo. shocking! they barely took anything but they gave me a lot of $ for it. i'm going to try them again in June
- purging stuff is awesome! i feel like i have a total handle on what i own now (even though i still want to get rid of more stuff) and it's greatness. i feel so productive!
-rachel tanner is in korea and her blog is awesome: http://whatamidoinginkorea.wordpress.com/ read it and be sure to comment~!
- my mom and i celebrated our awesome productive weekend/early mother's day (since i'll be in nyc next week) and i got her an automatic corkscrew for wine bottles! it's so awesome. look it up on target.com (it's oster automatic corkscrew). my mom LOVES it!
- congratulations are in order for Cheryl and Saul buying a house! HOORAY! congrats guys! i will DEFinitely be coming over a lot, especially since you are near me now! yay!
- im leaving for the Dr in 20 min because the tiny ativan he gave me are NOT STRONG ENOUGH. i have started freaking out about the plane ride and i want XANAX
- i have a ton of stuff to do to get ready for my NYC/BOSTON/MAINE trip and it's making me crazy. i have to make sure i dont forget anything (UMBRELLA) and that i have enough layering/warm clothes for the Cape, Maine, etc. HOORAY!
- this weekend we had perfect weather and my mom and i had a garage sale. it was great! we're exhausted, but we made $400 and sold so much stuff-- nothing over $2 (most things were 25 or 50 cents) so you can imagine how much crap we got rid of!
- i also got a tan. yay!
- sold a ton of crap on ebay and craigslist also. HOORAY! (to buy some of my randomness on ebay, look for seller Neverwhere2)
- also sold $100 worth of stuff at Buffalo. shocking! they barely took anything but they gave me a lot of $ for it. i'm going to try them again in June
- purging stuff is awesome! i feel like i have a total handle on what i own now (even though i still want to get rid of more stuff) and it's greatness. i feel so productive!
-rachel tanner is in korea and her blog is awesome: http://whatamidoinginkorea.wordpress.com/ read it and be sure to comment~!
- my mom and i celebrated our awesome productive weekend/early mother's day (since i'll be in nyc next week) and i got her an automatic corkscrew for wine bottles! it's so awesome. look it up on target.com (it's oster automatic corkscrew). my mom LOVES it!
- congratulations are in order for Cheryl and Saul buying a house! HOORAY! congrats guys! i will DEFinitely be coming over a lot, especially since you are near me now! yay!
21 April 2008
excited about the future
so good news everyone: i got my cottage! details and pictures shall be forthcoming. basically the lady who is renting it out (she has the same last name as i do, did i mention that? TOTAL fate) was supposed to rent it to someone else, but they pulled out at the last minute (again, fate). so she's working out a lease for me to sign and i'm getting more info on how big it is, etc. i seriously feel like the world is vomiting rainbows in my face and everything is effortless! now i can't be super super set until i sign a lease, but it's still great! YAY!
this weekend i spent all of yesterday cleaning out every nook and cranny that held my stuff and it was AWESOME (exhausting but satisfying). i ended up with 7 huge black garbage bags of trash, a ton of crap for our garage sale (details on that forthcoming), and a ton of clothes for sale (buffalo exchange, here i come). it feels so great to edit! today i've been making lists (I LOVE LISTS) of what i need, what i have, and what i need from ikea (mmm ikea...). this is so exciting! i can't wait :)
in other news, my amazing nyc/boston/maine trip is approaching quickly and i couldn't be happier. it's going to be so much fun it's ridiculous. HOORAY!
what all is going on with you?
this weekend i spent all of yesterday cleaning out every nook and cranny that held my stuff and it was AWESOME (exhausting but satisfying). i ended up with 7 huge black garbage bags of trash, a ton of crap for our garage sale (details on that forthcoming), and a ton of clothes for sale (buffalo exchange, here i come). it feels so great to edit! today i've been making lists (I LOVE LISTS) of what i need, what i have, and what i need from ikea (mmm ikea...). this is so exciting! i can't wait :)
in other news, my amazing nyc/boston/maine trip is approaching quickly and i couldn't be happier. it's going to be so much fun it's ridiculous. HOORAY!
what all is going on with you?
07 April 2008
I am going to William and Mary
i chose william and mary and just emailed my acceptance to them! HOORAY! there are lots of reasons why i finally chose this one, but the highlights are:
1. it has the best reputation in American Studies of all the schools i applied to
2. there's a prof there doing EXACTLY what i want to do (women in american religion)
3. it's a gorgeous place and i would love to live there
4. i'm thisclose to renting a cottage with cathedral ceilings and wood floors (YAY)
5. it's 1.5 years, so cheaper than any other program (with the exception of UT)
6. my fav prof at skidmore has tons of friends from harvard that teach there
7. i can prob. get into a much better phD program from w&m than anywhere else (unless i stay at w&m, which is possible)
8. i've made friends with a grad student via email, wendy, and she seems really awesome so i already have a friend there!
here's a good story: i was looking at w&m's radio station website when i came across a show that sounded great and the DJ played a lot of music i like. i thought, "hooray! i can make a friend!" and DJ turned out to be my friend Wendy, the american studies grad student! what are the odds? i mean REALLY? i feel like that's a total sign.
so thank you everyone who have offered help, support, a shoulder to stress out on, etc etc. please come visit me in Williamsburg, Virginia! i move in beginning to mid August, so let's hang out before then!
1. it has the best reputation in American Studies of all the schools i applied to
2. there's a prof there doing EXACTLY what i want to do (women in american religion)
3. it's a gorgeous place and i would love to live there
4. i'm thisclose to renting a cottage with cathedral ceilings and wood floors (YAY)
5. it's 1.5 years, so cheaper than any other program (with the exception of UT)
6. my fav prof at skidmore has tons of friends from harvard that teach there
7. i can prob. get into a much better phD program from w&m than anywhere else (unless i stay at w&m, which is possible)
8. i've made friends with a grad student via email, wendy, and she seems really awesome so i already have a friend there!
here's a good story: i was looking at w&m's radio station website when i came across a show that sounded great and the DJ played a lot of music i like. i thought, "hooray! i can make a friend!" and DJ turned out to be my friend Wendy, the american studies grad student! what are the odds? i mean REALLY? i feel like that's a total sign.
so thank you everyone who have offered help, support, a shoulder to stress out on, etc etc. please come visit me in Williamsburg, Virginia! i move in beginning to mid August, so let's hang out before then!
01 April 2008
W&M
i think i may pick william & mary. am feeling faint and sick at the prospect of choosing. scary!!!
25 March 2008
the PROs and CONs of grad school
dear discounted easter candy,
i love you, even though you are not weight watchers approved.
sincerely,
karen
so schools. still haven't heard from umass Boston, got waitlisted at UT women's studies (thank god its not a no) and i have w&m and purdue. I've gotten many opinions, looked at housing, emailed current grad students at each program, etc. here is the pros and cons list, because it helps me a lot:
PROS
UT: where to begin! best housing, cheap moving costs, cheap living costs, get to live with LIESL YAY, all my friends there, i love the city, i have an austin cell #, internationally known school, i'd get to work with AMS people while in the WS dept., there are a lot of people who would help me do great things, i have a better chance of getting into the AMS program for a PhD. did i mention i love austin the most??
PURDUE: i find out next week if they are offering me a TA position (all tuition paid, i'd start teaching classes by 2nd semester my first year which is GREAT since i want to be a prof.), cheap living, not terribly expensive moving costs, don't have to reapply to get into the Phd, profs are nice, dept. is very accessible and emails me often and with helpful info, they seem like they really want me, grad students very helpful and nice, i have family in indianapolis (>1 hr away), friends in chicago (>2 hrs away, also amazing city)
W&M: really great program, it's the only one thats 1 year so it's less $ than purdue (unless purdue gives me a full ride...), GORGEOUS area, my fav. prof at Skidmore said go there over anywhere if you can, lots of great profs, grad students say it's a great program and the faculty are very accessible and give you their home #s on the syllabi, etc.
CONS:
UT: i want a master's in american studies (but can live with WS), i am really sick of the race/class/gender ws's trifecta, i'm annoyed that UT sucks and are really hard to reach in every dept.
PURDUE: it's indiana, the town is pretty much just the school, not as prestigious as other programs, don't know a soul at the school.
W&M: really expensive apartments, expensive moving costs, the prof i want to work with sort of blew me off, one year intensive program (you finish your thesis during the summer) so i don't know how i'd apply to a PHD program, i'd have to take out 50k in loans.
so basically: i will go to UT if i get in and Purdue doesn't offer me any $, but it's most likely that Purdue will offer me $ so i'm prob. going there. but if Purdue doesn't offer me that much $ and UT lets me in, I'll go to UT. w&m is my last resort at this point.
got it?
IN OTHER NEWS: mikey is moving to brussels for 3 years at the end of may. he and i have a wonderfully insane trip planned (may 7-20th, in nyc, boston, marshfield, cape cod, maine) that involves a lot of fun and possibly a lot of drinking (and lots of amazing friends of course). then i have a family reunion in north carolina for 2 weeks in june, one week in aspen for my cousin's wedding, and then i come home and move to either indiana or austin.
i love you, even though you are not weight watchers approved.
sincerely,
karen
so schools. still haven't heard from umass Boston, got waitlisted at UT women's studies (thank god its not a no) and i have w&m and purdue. I've gotten many opinions, looked at housing, emailed current grad students at each program, etc. here is the pros and cons list, because it helps me a lot:
PROS
UT: where to begin! best housing, cheap moving costs, cheap living costs, get to live with LIESL YAY, all my friends there, i love the city, i have an austin cell #, internationally known school, i'd get to work with AMS people while in the WS dept., there are a lot of people who would help me do great things, i have a better chance of getting into the AMS program for a PhD. did i mention i love austin the most??
PURDUE: i find out next week if they are offering me a TA position (all tuition paid, i'd start teaching classes by 2nd semester my first year which is GREAT since i want to be a prof.), cheap living, not terribly expensive moving costs, don't have to reapply to get into the Phd, profs are nice, dept. is very accessible and emails me often and with helpful info, they seem like they really want me, grad students very helpful and nice, i have family in indianapolis (>1 hr away), friends in chicago (>2 hrs away, also amazing city)
W&M: really great program, it's the only one thats 1 year so it's less $ than purdue (unless purdue gives me a full ride...), GORGEOUS area, my fav. prof at Skidmore said go there over anywhere if you can, lots of great profs, grad students say it's a great program and the faculty are very accessible and give you their home #s on the syllabi, etc.
CONS:
UT: i want a master's in american studies (but can live with WS), i am really sick of the race/class/gender ws's trifecta, i'm annoyed that UT sucks and are really hard to reach in every dept.
PURDUE: it's indiana, the town is pretty much just the school, not as prestigious as other programs, don't know a soul at the school.
W&M: really expensive apartments, expensive moving costs, the prof i want to work with sort of blew me off, one year intensive program (you finish your thesis during the summer) so i don't know how i'd apply to a PHD program, i'd have to take out 50k in loans.
so basically: i will go to UT if i get in and Purdue doesn't offer me any $, but it's most likely that Purdue will offer me $ so i'm prob. going there. but if Purdue doesn't offer me that much $ and UT lets me in, I'll go to UT. w&m is my last resort at this point.
got it?
IN OTHER NEWS: mikey is moving to brussels for 3 years at the end of may. he and i have a wonderfully insane trip planned (may 7-20th, in nyc, boston, marshfield, cape cod, maine) that involves a lot of fun and possibly a lot of drinking (and lots of amazing friends of course). then i have a family reunion in north carolina for 2 weeks in june, one week in aspen for my cousin's wedding, and then i come home and move to either indiana or austin.
20 March 2008
Cat videos + my amazing outfit
i noticed this video (taken around christmas time, i believe?) of my girls on their cat tree. they still act just like this, btw (and please take special note of thessie's tail wagging at the beginning)
also, here is a picture of me in my awesome outfit today:ps- still trying to decide w&m vs purdue. i was leaning towards purdue, but now my fav prof at skidmore said go to w&m. aHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHh
19 March 2008
American Idol tidbits
does anyone watch American Idol? i usually never do but saw it last night b/c Dancing wasn't on until 8 instead of 7, blahblah, and it's kind of like a train wreck that you can't turn away from/bad karaoke. i won't even get into the fact that i've been singing for a while and am well versed in pop singing and every single fucking season it sounds like SHITTY KARAOKE so i never watch it (and wtf america, 8 seasons?! really??). ANYWAY. i saw it last night and read this on www.televisionwithoutpity.com and DIED LAUGHING:
"But here's the thing: when Amanda sings, I feel like I'm in a bar; when David Cook sings, I feel like I'm in a club; when Brooke sings, I feel like I'm in an amphitheater; when Jason sings, I feel like I'm in my dealer's living room; but when David Archuleta sings, I feel like I'm watching a high school talent show. Every time. And it's a performing arts high school for gifted kids, absolutely. And he's clearly the best in the talent show, and he'll totally win and deservedly so. But if you're asking me to list the places I'd pay to be, I'd rather see Amanda at the bar, David Cook at the club, Brooke at the concert hall, and Jason at my dealer's house than go to David A.'s talent show."
HI-larious. that is all.
ps- Dancing is not that exciting this season b/c most of everyone sucks. :(
"But here's the thing: when Amanda sings, I feel like I'm in a bar; when David Cook sings, I feel like I'm in a club; when Brooke sings, I feel like I'm in an amphitheater; when Jason sings, I feel like I'm in my dealer's living room; but when David Archuleta sings, I feel like I'm watching a high school talent show. Every time. And it's a performing arts high school for gifted kids, absolutely. And he's clearly the best in the talent show, and he'll totally win and deservedly so. But if you're asking me to list the places I'd pay to be, I'd rather see Amanda at the bar, David Cook at the club, Brooke at the concert hall, and Jason at my dealer's house than go to David A.'s talent show."
HI-larious. that is all.
ps- Dancing is not that exciting this season b/c most of everyone sucks. :(
17 March 2008
Dear Austin, i love you. Love, Me
hello all my faithful readers. i was just reminded that Dancing with the Stars comes back on tonight, and although they do not have any awesome celebrities this season (other than steve guttenberg, of course, because HI three men and a baby best movie ever!), i'm still excited. hooray! something to take up my mondays and tuesday nights! and top chef is on again also so that is wed. nights (although, im a little ashamed to admit, but i dont love it like i love proj. runway).
anyway. I'm really too sleepy to blog much-- had a fantastic weekend in austin, saw old friends, had lots of wine and good food, shopped a lot, got tangled up in some sxsw, dressed up and had a fancy dinner, and generally had a wonderful time. i did not, however, sleep much or well, so i'm very much looking forward to going to bed directly after Dancing is on (aka 8 30 pm).
it was also lovely to have a weekend where i didn't obsess over grad schools. i am super lucky and thankful to have options, but i keep going back and forth until i'm almost insane. i had some good chats with grad school-knowledgeable people this wkend (general consensus: purdue) so that was helpful. i am still waiting on women's studies at UT and umass Boston. UT american studies, my dream program, said no. :( i am sad. however, there are other schools that want me, so i will make it work!
bon nuit mes chous.
anyway. I'm really too sleepy to blog much-- had a fantastic weekend in austin, saw old friends, had lots of wine and good food, shopped a lot, got tangled up in some sxsw, dressed up and had a fancy dinner, and generally had a wonderful time. i did not, however, sleep much or well, so i'm very much looking forward to going to bed directly after Dancing is on (aka 8 30 pm).
it was also lovely to have a weekend where i didn't obsess over grad schools. i am super lucky and thankful to have options, but i keep going back and forth until i'm almost insane. i had some good chats with grad school-knowledgeable people this wkend (general consensus: purdue) so that was helpful. i am still waiting on women's studies at UT and umass Boston. UT american studies, my dream program, said no. :( i am sad. however, there are other schools that want me, so i will make it work!
bon nuit mes chous.
11 March 2008
The College of William & Mary said YES!
holy shit ya'll. the College of William & Mary said yes to grad school! sweet god in heaven i never thought THAT would happen. they only take 33% of applicants! it's the second oldest school in the nation (founded in 1693) after Harvard! It's in Williamsburg, VA, site of Colonial Williamsburg (where they have people dress up and do blacksmithing, etc). They are offering me no funding whatsoever, which is tricky (11-12k per semester just for tuition), but i'm pretty much in the same boat at Purdue (i applied for a TA position in women's studies but i may not get it). however, let's focus on how shocking and amazing it is that i got into this school:fun facts: w&m has a lot of secret societies and had the first ones (take that, skull and bones at yale!). thomas jefferson went there, jon stewart was class of '84, it had the first law school (and still one of the best, today), and a ton of other important people (like supreme court justices) are alumns. Phi Beta Kappa was founded there in 1776 and it has a huge greek life (but no greek life for grad students).
fun fact from wikipedia: Unofficial traditions include the Triathlon, a set of three tasks to be completed by each student prior to graduation. These include jumping the wall of the Governor's Palace in Colonial Williamsburg after hours, and if so inclined, running through the Boxwood Maze to the Palace itself, steaking through the Sunken Gardens, and swimming in the Crim Dell.
Another unofficial tradition, which the College administration attempts to quell each year, occurs on the last day of classes in the spring and is referred to by the students as "Blowout." On this day, it is customary to wake up early, begin drinking before one's classes, and show to up to class intoxicated and spend the rest of the day at the numerous keg parties which are always held. On this day, a student can win a t-shirt claiming they stayed sober on that day if they blow a .00 into a breathalizer, which is usually administered by a student group at the Sunken Gardens.
Crazy! There is also a lot of drama surrounding the recent departure of their president, and that info can be found here: http://jezebel.com/356171/state-fires-college-president-for-hosting-sex-workers-art-show (via Jezebel, my favorite blog ever)
YAY ME! i still want to go to UT, but i'm hopeful that if i got into w&m, i might get into UT? maybe?? please? i should know by this week! (also waiting on UMassBoston, but unless they offer me a full ride that's a no).
one last quote: "William and Mary can make a good case for being the most selective public college in America. Its size . . . is ideal, the envy of a good many prestigious private colleges. Its setting and its own lush campus . . . provide the stuff calendars are made of. Its academic program . . . is no nonsense, followed by impressive placement in graduate schools and jobs." Richard Moll, author of The Public Ivys: A Guide to America's Best Public Undergraduate Colleges and Universities.
25 February 2008
busted face.
so this weekend was GORGEOUS-- perfect weather, just awesome. i decided it would be a good time to try riding my new bike, and it was. it was fun, and i really enjoyed it, until i lost control and flew face first into a brick mailbox. i was home alone so no one was around to come get me, my face was bleeding a lot, and i had to carry my busted bike like 6 blocks home. it sucked. i had ice on it all saturday and some ice on it yesterday and it's better, but it still hurts a lot and i feel like i look really busted. i have a dr's appt at 3 20 to have it checked out and i really hope i get a painkiller or two. it does't really super hurt right now, but still. thank god my older sister was there to listen to me and offer icing/advil advice!
at the moment, i am really sleepy. effexor? possibly. *yawn*
so here's a picture of me being sad and in pain. just for your viewing enjoyment:
anyway, that's really all i have to report. i had a good sat. dinner with jessica at my favorite place, Barnaby's, but i had to go home early because my nose was beginning to swell again.
in other news, who wants to drive to galveston with me this wkend? i feel like it's beach time.
20 February 2008
3 posts in one day! wow!
tim my friend, i didnt know you had a blog! and thank you for commenting-- i appreciate it! i am stealing your game:
Game 1.0
Here're the rules: I get a point for each category that I do each day. We'll see how I do for the next week.
The categories are:
Think
Create
Learn
Move
Friends
Music
Challenge
Opportunity
today (since it's only 1 pm, we'll put what i plan to do today into account as well)
think: read jezebel and wondered why is every young person voting for obama? wtf am i missing here? i just dont really love him. hillary...i dont know.
create: 2 blog posts today! and i wrote some emails...does that count?
learn: lots of things, i read many blogs each day
move: not much yet, but i plan to ride my bike later
friends- chatted with a few people via gchat, plan to visit nessa at 3ish
music- am re-discovering tori's Scarlet's Walk
challenge- god, just getting up this morning? i was very very tired
opporunity- to be a good person, and i'm bringing nessa chicken soup because she is sick.
how's that for the first day of the Game?
Game 1.0
Here're the rules: I get a point for each category that I do each day. We'll see how I do for the next week.
The categories are:
Think
Create
Learn
Move
Friends
Music
Challenge
Opportunity
today (since it's only 1 pm, we'll put what i plan to do today into account as well)
think: read jezebel and wondered why is every young person voting for obama? wtf am i missing here? i just dont really love him. hillary...i dont know.
create: 2 blog posts today! and i wrote some emails...does that count?
learn: lots of things, i read many blogs each day
move: not much yet, but i plan to ride my bike later
friends- chatted with a few people via gchat, plan to visit nessa at 3ish
music- am re-discovering tori's Scarlet's Walk
challenge- god, just getting up this morning? i was very very tired
opporunity- to be a good person, and i'm bringing nessa chicken soup because she is sick.
how's that for the first day of the Game?
today in pictures
ok, onto the pictures! the first is me driving in my sound of music sweatshirt. some of you know this sweatshirt-- it's from a sohompre high school performance of sound of music (it was terrible but the sweatshirt is awesome). i always wear it when im tired or not planning on going anywhere (here, i am just running out to dog sit). i wore it in college A LOT. its very comfy and kind of like a security blanket, you know?
anyway. the next pictures are the dogs i dogsit! the first one is Rocky-- he's a boxer. i love him because he's so cute! look at those eyes...
this is ginger-- she's CRAZY and runs around all over the place
<--aww murphy! so cute! she is the oldest and precious. very sweet.
below is murphy getting out of the way of rocky and ginger play fighting.
i loved the sky yesterday! this is the sky with the mormon temple near my house in front of it. 
anyway. the next pictures are the dogs i dogsit! the first one is Rocky-- he's a boxer. i love him because he's so cute! look at those eyes...
this is ginger-- she's CRAZY and runs around all over the place
<--aww murphy! so cute! she is the oldest and precious. very sweet.below is murphy getting out of the way of rocky and ginger play fighting.
i loved the sky yesterday! this is the sky with the mormon temple near my house in front of it.
the sky as i drove home from work. (the last 2 are of me, today, in my office)
comfortably numb
hello all. this is going to be a bullet-point style blog of things, because my attention span is not very large right now.
- my coworkers shooting darts in the cubicle next to me doesn't even bother me
- i am sort of spacey and numb, like i'm floating on a cloud today. there is a reason for that.
- i had a really, really, REALLY bad weekend that involved going a little crazy and a lot of crying for no reason (well there are some reasons). thank you everyone who was there for me and who listened and offered advice. it helped A LOT.
- i am lonely. i'd love to hang out with people more but it's hard-- i have so much free time and other people don't. well i just want you all to know that for anyone, anywhere, not just me-- just a friendly call, or email, to say "hi, i was thinking about you" goes a LONG way. it's something that i try really hard to remember because it can mean so much.
- my cats are great, btws. a little destructive of the house (they've broken 2 glass hurricanes that had candles in them that my mom had on the dining room table, whoops) but none the less they are great and adorable.
- no new news from grad school. i will know prob. by march 7th or so at the latest. the suspense was killing me, but not anymore.
- i have decided i need some new projects. one of them will be to take a picture of myself and 1 other thing every single day and post it up here. starting today. (in a new post)
- weight watchers is going pretty well. i didn't do so hot this wkend, but eating crazy things helped my mood so it's kinda a trade off...
- i bought a bike yesterday. and even though i put the seat all the way down, my feet still can't reach the ground. it's been so long since i'd ridden a bike that i had trouble getting started and my mom LITERALLY had to hold the handlebars and push me along like i am 4. then i started going fast down the driveway and was like "whoawhoa MOOOM whoa help!" as she laughed hysterically behind me. i need training wheels.
- ok, so let's address why nothing bothers me anymore. i decided the anxiety i've had for the past couple months (aka years) was coming to a head and i needed help. my Dr. gave me effexor yesterday and i started it then. the effects shouldn't be felt until what, like 2 weeks? but he also gave me ambien to sleep and i still feel numb because of that. not sleepy, just slow and numb. but not anxious, nor am i really unhappy, or super lonely anymore.
i was feeling anxious (shocking) about my decesion to get back on anti depressants (i was on them for about a year or so in 03-04) because of how anti depressants are stigmatized: you are either crazy so you need them, or you are overmedicating because you just need to chill out. while i agree people are way overmedicated and i dont want to feel numb, i also dont want to feel panic-y and i dont want to be that person who is always neurotic on the phone and it's like "what's the crisis for today?" you know? i hate feeling numb but i'm going to do my best to find the balance between non anxious and numb.
i'll let you know how it goes.
ps-- who reads this blog? my bff, mikey, admitted to not reading it. it made me kinda sad, because do i have much of a readership? i think there's 4 of you?
- my coworkers shooting darts in the cubicle next to me doesn't even bother me
- i am sort of spacey and numb, like i'm floating on a cloud today. there is a reason for that.
- i had a really, really, REALLY bad weekend that involved going a little crazy and a lot of crying for no reason (well there are some reasons). thank you everyone who was there for me and who listened and offered advice. it helped A LOT.
- i am lonely. i'd love to hang out with people more but it's hard-- i have so much free time and other people don't. well i just want you all to know that for anyone, anywhere, not just me-- just a friendly call, or email, to say "hi, i was thinking about you" goes a LONG way. it's something that i try really hard to remember because it can mean so much.
- my cats are great, btws. a little destructive of the house (they've broken 2 glass hurricanes that had candles in them that my mom had on the dining room table, whoops) but none the less they are great and adorable.
- no new news from grad school. i will know prob. by march 7th or so at the latest. the suspense was killing me, but not anymore.
- i have decided i need some new projects. one of them will be to take a picture of myself and 1 other thing every single day and post it up here. starting today. (in a new post)
- weight watchers is going pretty well. i didn't do so hot this wkend, but eating crazy things helped my mood so it's kinda a trade off...
- i bought a bike yesterday. and even though i put the seat all the way down, my feet still can't reach the ground. it's been so long since i'd ridden a bike that i had trouble getting started and my mom LITERALLY had to hold the handlebars and push me along like i am 4. then i started going fast down the driveway and was like "whoawhoa MOOOM whoa help!" as she laughed hysterically behind me. i need training wheels.
- ok, so let's address why nothing bothers me anymore. i decided the anxiety i've had for the past couple months (aka years) was coming to a head and i needed help. my Dr. gave me effexor yesterday and i started it then. the effects shouldn't be felt until what, like 2 weeks? but he also gave me ambien to sleep and i still feel numb because of that. not sleepy, just slow and numb. but not anxious, nor am i really unhappy, or super lonely anymore.
i was feeling anxious (shocking) about my decesion to get back on anti depressants (i was on them for about a year or so in 03-04) because of how anti depressants are stigmatized: you are either crazy so you need them, or you are overmedicating because you just need to chill out. while i agree people are way overmedicated and i dont want to feel numb, i also dont want to feel panic-y and i dont want to be that person who is always neurotic on the phone and it's like "what's the crisis for today?" you know? i hate feeling numb but i'm going to do my best to find the balance between non anxious and numb.
i'll let you know how it goes.
ps-- who reads this blog? my bff, mikey, admitted to not reading it. it made me kinda sad, because do i have much of a readership? i think there's 4 of you?
11 February 2008
Karen's Guide to Surviving Hangovers
having had some drinks in my day (and by some drinks i mean gotten blackout drunk on MANy occasions...what? i went to college), here is my Guide to Surviving A Hangover.
Step 1-- Don't drink so damn much! geez, alchy! calm it down!
if step 1 is not an option or you are always wasted, proceed to step 2.
Step 2: drink as much water at the bar as you can. get your friends to shove it down your throat, whatever, just get some water!
Step 3: DO NOT DRIVE. i say this very hypocritically but really, you could hurt yourself, others, and a DUI just fucking sucks. DON'T DO IT!
Step 4: get thee to an eatery. it can be a diner, McD's, tacos, whatever-- just EAT something! in fact, eat as much as you can without getting sick. and drink WATER.
Step 5: try to take some advil before your pour yourself into bed. keep the advil and a tall glass of water by your bed-- you're going to need it later.
Step 6: drunkenly wake up sometime in the early morning (7, 8 am). drink an ENTIRE glass of water and take 3 advil.
Step 7: GO BACK TO SLEEP. this step is VERy crucial so you can feel like the floor isn't spinning anymore
Step 8: sleep as late as humanely possible, and only wake up when your head isn't splitting in half and you must get food.
Step 9: get something to eat-- preferably something that's not too too heavy but nothing light. most people go for fast food, and that seems to work well. if you can, get a SODA of some kind. that always seems to help
Step 10: TAKE MORE ADVIL (keep in mind you can take 2-3 every 4 hours, so try to stay somewhat in those perameters).
Step 11: take it easy. try not to get too upset about how much of an effing idiot you were at the bar last night. and try to, next time, not drink so much okay?
This Message Has Been Brought To You By: the fact that Karen was a drunken effing crazy on saturday night, and while she will still go out with friends anytime, there will be no more crazy alcohol comsumption. because really, it's dangerous, and not good for me, and i drive home long distances, and act like a stupid crazy person. so we're going to chill on that for a while
Step 1-- Don't drink so damn much! geez, alchy! calm it down!
if step 1 is not an option or you are always wasted, proceed to step 2.
Step 2: drink as much water at the bar as you can. get your friends to shove it down your throat, whatever, just get some water!
Step 3: DO NOT DRIVE. i say this very hypocritically but really, you could hurt yourself, others, and a DUI just fucking sucks. DON'T DO IT!
Step 4: get thee to an eatery. it can be a diner, McD's, tacos, whatever-- just EAT something! in fact, eat as much as you can without getting sick. and drink WATER.
Step 5: try to take some advil before your pour yourself into bed. keep the advil and a tall glass of water by your bed-- you're going to need it later.
Step 6: drunkenly wake up sometime in the early morning (7, 8 am). drink an ENTIRE glass of water and take 3 advil.
Step 7: GO BACK TO SLEEP. this step is VERy crucial so you can feel like the floor isn't spinning anymore
Step 8: sleep as late as humanely possible, and only wake up when your head isn't splitting in half and you must get food.
Step 9: get something to eat-- preferably something that's not too too heavy but nothing light. most people go for fast food, and that seems to work well. if you can, get a SODA of some kind. that always seems to help
Step 10: TAKE MORE ADVIL (keep in mind you can take 2-3 every 4 hours, so try to stay somewhat in those perameters).
Step 11: take it easy. try not to get too upset about how much of an effing idiot you were at the bar last night. and try to, next time, not drink so much okay?
This Message Has Been Brought To You By: the fact that Karen was a drunken effing crazy on saturday night, and while she will still go out with friends anytime, there will be no more crazy alcohol comsumption. because really, it's dangerous, and not good for me, and i drive home long distances, and act like a stupid crazy person. so we're going to chill on that for a while
06 February 2008
YAY! PURDUE UNIVERSITY said YES!
YAY! i got into Purdue University for grad school! this is what the email i received today said:"Dear Karen - I am pleased to be able to tell you that the graduate admissions committee in American Studies at Purdue has recommended your for admission to the M.A. program. You will be receiving official notification from both the program and the Graduate School soon.
In the meantime, we are working on possible funding packages for you. One of the areas we are looking at is a possible teaching assistantship in the Women's Studies program. They require students to complete an application and other materials. The application is will be available soon on-line at the following URL: http://www.cla.purdue.edu/womens-studies/graduate/assist_app.cfm. Once the application is available, I will notify you and have you complete it. You can then send it directly back to me so I can compile the other information they need.
We are also pursuing the possibility of a teaching assistantship in the Department of History. As I stated above, we will be back in touch soon with more information. Congratulations and I look forward to hearing from you!"
YAY! i wrote back this gibbering email saying thank you like 10 million times! great news! Purdue is in West Layfayette, Indiana. it's less than 2 hours from chicago and less than 1 hour from indianapolis (where my aunt, uncle and cousin live, which is awesome). Purdue is a great school, i had some wonderful responses from profs there, and the living expenses are CHEAP. plus it looks pretty:
so let's take a closer look at this school....the mascot is the Boilermakers, wtf? it's a train, and a "Purdue Pete" (aka someone in a crazy mascot uniform) acts like the conductor, or "boilermaker". unfortunately the purdue website is hard to navigate so that's one strike against it. the colors are black and gold (not bad). this is what it says about history: "Founded in 1869 and named after benefactor John Purdue, Purdue University began its journey with six instructors, 39 students and a mission to provide agriculture and mechanic arts education." there's about 5 campuses (i'd go to the main one, in west layfayette) with 70,000 students overall and 40,000 at the main campus (nice change from skidmore's 2500 people, thats for sure). it's in the top 10 for football, and apparently the "Big 10" thing was the president of Purdue's idea in the late 1800s. it's quite cold and snowy but NOTHING compared to saratoga. (and i miss snow so that's nice). it is 17 hours from my house, and i will have to travel 1061.75 miles to get there from Houston. 
alright! this concludes (mostly) your (and my) lesson on Purdue! (to the left is an aerial shot of the campus)
so we have 3 more schools and 4 programs total to hear from (umassBoston, william&mary, and UT for american studies and women's studies). UT is still my #1 school, so we'll see. i kind of feel like it's a marriage proposal to each school-- kansas turned me down but purdue said yes!
purdue does have many great things going for it, and whatever happens-- i will be a grad student in 2008 somewhere! HOORAY! three cheers! HIP HIP HOORAY :)
04 February 2008
new kylie minogue is great
hello world. doing the bored at work so i'm blogging thing again, and can i just say that im really ready for a long hiatus of my job? it's not any fault of my job, really, i am just really ready to take a break and go somewhere and play for a while. i bought a plane ticket to nyc in May, which is GREAT (2 weeks of debauchery and fun in the city, boston, marshfield MA, portland ME and freeport ME, possibly saratoga?) but it's also 15 1/2 weeks away (i just counted). at least i have smaller goals (i.e. weight watchers) in the meantime. but it's still a long ways away!
("ways away" is that even correct? where did that phrase come from?)
so i had the bright idea that downloading tv shows on my ipod and only watching them at the gym would be great motivation, right? well it's not working. what i have learned is that i need driving techno music at the gym to match my steps to-- when i try to watch tv i slow down so i can watch more carefully (plus the ipod screen is tiiiiiinnnnyyyy). so that great idea doesnt really work-- but watching the shows when i have 30 min left of work and im BORED and antsy could work :) sneaky. oh and my fav and almost only music i can listen to at the gym? daft punk's discovery. i prob. would just cancel my gym membership w/o it-- on friday it actually induced me to RUN. i cant remember the last time i ran w/o being chased...come to think of it, i can't remember the last time i was chased...
random gossip/celeb tidbit: ive never been any kind of fan of heidi montag but i just watched her video for her hideously bad song "higher" and omg. heidi, we are laughing AT you, not with you. jesus.
that's pretty much all i've got lately. until next time...
ps- mark down a NO from univ. of kansas. i'm trying to pretend like im not totally bummed but boo. :( i have 4 schools left to hear from but its hard not feeling like it may be a NO from all of them
("ways away" is that even correct? where did that phrase come from?)
so i had the bright idea that downloading tv shows on my ipod and only watching them at the gym would be great motivation, right? well it's not working. what i have learned is that i need driving techno music at the gym to match my steps to-- when i try to watch tv i slow down so i can watch more carefully (plus the ipod screen is tiiiiiinnnnyyyy). so that great idea doesnt really work-- but watching the shows when i have 30 min left of work and im BORED and antsy could work :) sneaky. oh and my fav and almost only music i can listen to at the gym? daft punk's discovery. i prob. would just cancel my gym membership w/o it-- on friday it actually induced me to RUN. i cant remember the last time i ran w/o being chased...come to think of it, i can't remember the last time i was chased...
random gossip/celeb tidbit: ive never been any kind of fan of heidi montag but i just watched her video for her hideously bad song "higher" and omg. heidi, we are laughing AT you, not with you. jesus.
that's pretty much all i've got lately. until next time...
ps- mark down a NO from univ. of kansas. i'm trying to pretend like im not totally bummed but boo. :( i have 4 schools left to hear from but its hard not feeling like it may be a NO from all of them
24 January 2008
Que sera, sera (what will be, will be)
guten morgan mein leibchen, bonjour mes chous, hola mi tacos.
i am way out of it today due to taking a valium yesterday (it was a bad day but it got infinitely better once the valium came along) and forgetting that now that i am on weight watchers, my body's kind of in starvation mode so it will affect me longer! the odd thing is i took it at 4 30, chilled out, made a DELISh dinner with my mom, and then all of a sudden after dinner i started to get way more out of it and spacey. i promise these are not the time-release kind (do they even make those?) so i was barely able to stay up for PR and passed out. and i am still feeling the effects today!
by the way, so many people have trouble using the correct "affect" and "effect." pertaining to a subject it's "affect" as in, "this affects me so much," and pertaining to an object it is "effect" as in "the effect on the environment is unknown"
someone who knows grammar better (i.e. labes) can explain it better. this concludes your grammar lesson of the day!
so i was reading up on some presidential candidates and all i have to say is: obama, i think you're mean and don't have enough experience; hillary, i want to vote for you but now i just dont know; romney you are such a robot and we should not have a mormon president; mccain, i not-so-secretly like you and i think you're our BEST hope for a republication; guliani is a THUG; huckabee is a religious zealot who will probably grow a long beard and pretend he's the second coming of jesus.
that concludes our presidential opinion part of the blog.
i'm on weight watchers now, for those of you who don't know. it's very hard, i'm often hungry, but i'm making it work. why not? it's a lot cheaper, i really don't need huge portion sizes, and i can afford to lose some of the lbs that have snuck on since college. i have a FANTASTIC support group (mikey, bets, kenne) who are all doing it with me and thank you to everyone else who offers words of encouragement along the way.
work update: work is a little crazy, as my coworkers are all being loud right now (and in my out of it state, im SO distracted) and yesterday my boss quit. what does this mean for the company? total chaos. let's hope it doesn't upset my position too much.
i am really REALLY antsy to move and hear from grad schools. kansas sent me an email telling me they'd shoot me a letter in about a week! AWESOME. i researched some tuition costs and got a ballpark figure of what each school would cost (including: tuition, rent, bills, food expenses, gas, etc.-- i am not going to be rolling in student loan $, but i refuse to be a starving grad student). oddly enough, William and Mary, Purdue, and UmassBoston are all about the same (tuition is around 11k per semester and living costs would be about the same) and UT and Kansas are the same (tuition is about 3k, living costs will be the same). Kansas is CHEAP for out of state! i am very impressed. they pride themselves on that, and with good reason! it's also in a very pretty city (lawrence, KS) and the campus is very lovely as well. let's hope i have a lot of options for grad school (and lots of scholarships, or a full ride, or fellowships, etc etc). yay!
so womb buddy is moving to portland next week. it's pretty! and pretty cold. here is a lovely picture:
Good luck wb!
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