some things I've been thinking about:
1. Hinder sucks, right? Their song is beyond ridiculous, right??
Why is everyone loving them? I thought it was just Dallas, but I come back to Houston, and the radio is talking about their sold out shows, etc.
Any song that starts with "honey, why you calling me...so late?" is doomed for suckage.
2. Things on my list that I am having a hard time finding:
-puzzle
-sugar free oreos
3. Thomas Harris and Hannibal Lecter.
The forward that Thomas Harris writes for Red Dragon is pretty amazing. He describes trying to write the book while living in a house in the middle of a cotton field in the Mississippi Delta.
"Sometimes at night I would leave the lights on in my little house and walk across the flat fields. When I looked back from a distance, the house looked like a boat at sea, and all around me the vast Delta night.
I soon became acquainted with the semi-feral dogs who roamed free across the fields in what was more or less a pack. In the hard winter months with the ground frozen and dry, I started giving them dog food and soon they were going through fifty pounds of dog food a week. Thye followed me around, and they were a lot of company--tall dogs, short ones, relatively friendly dogs and big rough dogs you could not touch. They walked with me in the fields at night and when I couldn't see them, I could hear them all around me, breathing and snuffling along in the dark. When I was working in the cabin, they waited on the front porch, and when the moon was full they would sing."
That's the life I would be leading in a parallel universe.
Also, why did Starling and Hannibal Lector end up together? And she ate brains.
4. A wedding that I might have to go to by myself. umm...not my own.
5. Elissa is leaving to go to MN soon and I will not get to see her before she leaves bc of some terrible traffic near Waco.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Thursday, December 7, 2006
I just went to the bathroom here at school, and someone followed me in.
There was a long period of quiet as we were both sitting in our respective stalls, and I desperately wanted to say into the silence,
"Listen...your presence is making me really uncomfortable, and I'm sure mine is making you uncomfortable. So I'm just going to go for it, as I think you should as well, and afterwards, we'll never mention or think about this again."
I really wanted to.
And if she had been, like, "Ok," I would know she was a kindred spirit...
In the end, though, I chickened, and just went for it anyway. I think she decided to hold it till I left.
This is a gross start out, but I hope you can relate.
Last night, I went with Aaron back to his office to study while he finished up some work. In truth, I just wanted to see his cubicle (no shortening it to 'cube,' hipsters who don't want to admit they are 9-5ers!), and needed somewhere to study and so forced him to do some work that could've waited till the morning. It was cool because the security guard didn't think we looked legit enough to be there so late at night, and so was very suspicious of us.
It was so quiet, and sorta creepy. At around midnight, we went to look out the window (he works on the 20th floor) and the streets downtown were so empty I felt like I was in a zombie takeover.
Oh, and this blog post made my day. Read it. Laugh.
There was a long period of quiet as we were both sitting in our respective stalls, and I desperately wanted to say into the silence,
"Listen...your presence is making me really uncomfortable, and I'm sure mine is making you uncomfortable. So I'm just going to go for it, as I think you should as well, and afterwards, we'll never mention or think about this again."
I really wanted to.
And if she had been, like, "Ok," I would know she was a kindred spirit...
In the end, though, I chickened, and just went for it anyway. I think she decided to hold it till I left.
This is a gross start out, but I hope you can relate.
Last night, I went with Aaron back to his office to study while he finished up some work. In truth, I just wanted to see his cubicle (no shortening it to 'cube,' hipsters who don't want to admit they are 9-5ers!), and needed somewhere to study and so forced him to do some work that could've waited till the morning. It was cool because the security guard didn't think we looked legit enough to be there so late at night, and so was very suspicious of us.
It was so quiet, and sorta creepy. At around midnight, we went to look out the window (he works on the 20th floor) and the streets downtown were so empty I felt like I was in a zombie takeover.
Oh, and this blog post made my day. Read it. Laugh.
Tuesday, December 5, 2006
(This was just going to be a comment, but it was too difficult to write all of it in the little comments box, I kept having to scroll, etc. So it's now a full post.)
Yes! pros and cons lists are awesome.
Especially this one. Here are my responses to each pro/con.
1. Yes, this is true. For most. Except, I had to go pick up some checks for Aaron at the temp agency he was working at for a while and his recruiter couldn't pronounce his last name if her life depended on it..."Jarbru? Yarbrat?" And she knew it was wrong too...her confused look was priceless.
2./3. It's McMillan that's Scottish. Yarbrough is just plain...white? But these two make me regret even more (bc I had already thought of it) that I can't change the name to McMillan and claim Scottishness.
4. Actually, I never thought I would mind, but this is one of the things I worry about. For the rest of my life, I will have to depend on my skin color to determine my race.
Cons: Hilarious. I can deal with 1./2. because Y isn't that far from T.
And, I have this theory that many people's lives have changed due to the placement of their last name alphabetically--all my close friends have last names in the R-Z part of the alphabet, all due to homeroom placements in middle school. Sometimes, I wonder about all the people I would've been amazing friends with in the A-R range of the alphabet, but other times, I surmise that A-R people are wholly and entirely different from myself and therefore I wouldn't have got along with them anyways.
In any case, the point is, according to this theory, Y isn't far enough from T that I won't still be in the same alphabet bracket and therefore I will not change my fate too much in changing it.
3. Yes! This would be sort of annoying. Some of the tests I take now are barcoded with my identity though, so that will make this an easier transition.
4. This one is a doozy. If either of us gets famous for writing a Great American Novel or some such, we must be sure to mention the other on an Oprah interview, so the relation is made known. Just throw it in there casually, as such:
"Well, Oprah, you know my sister (her last name is Yarbrough now, but she IS my blood relation) was really at least 80% of my inspiration when I wrote this book that you are now recommending for your book club. As a side note, I am so honored to be a part of this elite group of authors that includes Gabriel Garcia Marquez!"
Mr. J- I agree with you about the hyphenated last names. It feels sort of unforgiving, and overly inconvenient--now, not only do both parties have to change their last name, they both have ridiculously long ones to sign. And then, in addition to just being a last name, the hyphenateds become sort of too significant...somehow stating a political/societal stance as well as just being a name. Too much work for just a little hyphen.
Elissa- If you could've chosen, what would you have liked to change your name to? As I said before, I think McMillan sounds quite distinguished. Would it have been British? Kensington, perhaps. Or maybe a distinctive Indian name. Guntapalli?? Ok that was a joke. You remember Bharath, right? Lol. I sure dodged a bullet on that one.
I think it could've been worse though. Your Aaron's last name could've been Tittsworth, or Dickey, or...a whole other slew of possibilities. But! you have to promise to own up to it, pronounce it clearly and succinctly as you shake the other party's hand: "Hello, my name is Ellissa Ball-MAN!" No slurring, or un-emphasizing it. : )
In any case, yesterday I started practicing signatures in response to your comment, Rachel, while I was studying and felt like I had effectively regressed 12 years in age.
It will be quite wierd to change it. I wonder if credit card places will really even notice if I just sign keep signing my original messy signature despite the fact that the actual name has changed. Probably not. Actually, they probably wouldn't even notice if I started scrawling an 'X' in place of a signature.
So, to bring closure to this discussion, I'm definitely going to change my name, I guess I was just feeling a bit nostalgic about mine. I like it, it has served me well, and it will continue to serve me well as a middle name (I don't have one now, so I will keep my last as my middle, the way my mom did it).
Yes! pros and cons lists are awesome.
Especially this one. Here are my responses to each pro/con.
1. Yes, this is true. For most. Except, I had to go pick up some checks for Aaron at the temp agency he was working at for a while and his recruiter couldn't pronounce his last name if her life depended on it..."Jarbru? Yarbrat?" And she knew it was wrong too...her confused look was priceless.
2./3. It's McMillan that's Scottish. Yarbrough is just plain...white? But these two make me regret even more (bc I had already thought of it) that I can't change the name to McMillan and claim Scottishness.
4. Actually, I never thought I would mind, but this is one of the things I worry about. For the rest of my life, I will have to depend on my skin color to determine my race.
Cons: Hilarious. I can deal with 1./2. because Y isn't that far from T.
And, I have this theory that many people's lives have changed due to the placement of their last name alphabetically--all my close friends have last names in the R-Z part of the alphabet, all due to homeroom placements in middle school. Sometimes, I wonder about all the people I would've been amazing friends with in the A-R range of the alphabet, but other times, I surmise that A-R people are wholly and entirely different from myself and therefore I wouldn't have got along with them anyways.
In any case, the point is, according to this theory, Y isn't far enough from T that I won't still be in the same alphabet bracket and therefore I will not change my fate too much in changing it.
3. Yes! This would be sort of annoying. Some of the tests I take now are barcoded with my identity though, so that will make this an easier transition.
4. This one is a doozy. If either of us gets famous for writing a Great American Novel or some such, we must be sure to mention the other on an Oprah interview, so the relation is made known. Just throw it in there casually, as such:
"Well, Oprah, you know my sister (her last name is Yarbrough now, but she IS my blood relation) was really at least 80% of my inspiration when I wrote this book that you are now recommending for your book club. As a side note, I am so honored to be a part of this elite group of authors that includes Gabriel Garcia Marquez!"
Mr. J- I agree with you about the hyphenated last names. It feels sort of unforgiving, and overly inconvenient--now, not only do both parties have to change their last name, they both have ridiculously long ones to sign. And then, in addition to just being a last name, the hyphenateds become sort of too significant...somehow stating a political/societal stance as well as just being a name. Too much work for just a little hyphen.
Elissa- If you could've chosen, what would you have liked to change your name to? As I said before, I think McMillan sounds quite distinguished. Would it have been British? Kensington, perhaps. Or maybe a distinctive Indian name. Guntapalli?? Ok that was a joke. You remember Bharath, right? Lol. I sure dodged a bullet on that one.
I think it could've been worse though. Your Aaron's last name could've been Tittsworth, or Dickey, or...a whole other slew of possibilities. But! you have to promise to own up to it, pronounce it clearly and succinctly as you shake the other party's hand: "Hello, my name is Ellissa Ball-MAN!" No slurring, or un-emphasizing it. : )
In any case, yesterday I started practicing signatures in response to your comment, Rachel, while I was studying and felt like I had effectively regressed 12 years in age.
It will be quite wierd to change it. I wonder if credit card places will really even notice if I just sign keep signing my original messy signature despite the fact that the actual name has changed. Probably not. Actually, they probably wouldn't even notice if I started scrawling an 'X' in place of a signature.
So, to bring closure to this discussion, I'm definitely going to change my name, I guess I was just feeling a bit nostalgic about mine. I like it, it has served me well, and it will continue to serve me well as a middle name (I don't have one now, so I will keep my last as my middle, the way my mom did it).
Saturday, December 2, 2006
So...one of the people in my lab group at school asked me if I was going to change my last name after I got married.
The answer is yes, but the question itself got me to thinking about the whole "tradition" of the woman changing her name and why answering that question always makes me feel a little prickly.
I guess the way I feel about it is that it's a tradition with unpleasant historical connotations, but that I can acknowledge that without having to make some politically correct statement by hyphenating or keeping my own name.
Almost every symbol surrounding marriage stems from America's paternalistic, and sometimes chauvinistic roots, anyway...
1. Mrs. vs. Miss. vs. Ms. whereas guys just have the anonymous Mr.
2. The fact that (at least in the South) only women wear an engagement ring.
All of these things (in addition to the name-changing thing) require a woman to announce her relationship status as a part of her identity. Under this system, women always have at least one more symbol than men informing the world of her relationship status than men.
The implication being that a woman's identity depends far more on whether she has a significant other or not than a man's.
I think nowadays most of these things have either turned into unthinking tradition, or obsolete, i.e. the whole Mrs./Miss thing.
But it's interesting to think about.
The wierd thing is, someone mentioned that in Asian cultures, last names don't change after marriage at all. And from my experience, gender relations are much more static in Asian cultures than American.
What do you think about all this?
The answer is yes, but the question itself got me to thinking about the whole "tradition" of the woman changing her name and why answering that question always makes me feel a little prickly.
I guess the way I feel about it is that it's a tradition with unpleasant historical connotations, but that I can acknowledge that without having to make some politically correct statement by hyphenating or keeping my own name.
Almost every symbol surrounding marriage stems from America's paternalistic, and sometimes chauvinistic roots, anyway...
1. Mrs. vs. Miss. vs. Ms. whereas guys just have the anonymous Mr.
2. The fact that (at least in the South) only women wear an engagement ring.
All of these things (in addition to the name-changing thing) require a woman to announce her relationship status as a part of her identity. Under this system, women always have at least one more symbol than men informing the world of her relationship status than men.
The implication being that a woman's identity depends far more on whether she has a significant other or not than a man's.
I think nowadays most of these things have either turned into unthinking tradition, or obsolete, i.e. the whole Mrs./Miss thing.
But it's interesting to think about.
The wierd thing is, someone mentioned that in Asian cultures, last names don't change after marriage at all. And from my experience, gender relations are much more static in Asian cultures than American.
What do you think about all this?
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
today: breaking a favorite cup, winning an auction for a rusty gray filing cabinet for $1.25!, studying, going to Target to buy a tarp, taco C's for dinner, and cutting custom-sized tarp squares to effectively cover the whole backyard.
It's supposed to get down to freezing here for the next two days--there was even a tornado warning this afternoon.
I left the house today in jeans and a tank top, because it was about 65 degrees. When I got outside after school, it was raining and 40 degrees and I was freezing.
But now, the grass should be warm for the next two days, and the gerbils and hamsters are cuddled up in their nests.
That's a pretty cozy thought.
Also, I'm excited about getting my file cabinet, which I will use as a nightstand. I plan to have a small plant for it (maybe my cactus, although maybe not bc it seems happier outside), my lamp that I've had for about 4 years now, and piles of books.
Here's a picture of the covered up grass:
It's supposed to get down to freezing here for the next two days--there was even a tornado warning this afternoon.
I left the house today in jeans and a tank top, because it was about 65 degrees. When I got outside after school, it was raining and 40 degrees and I was freezing.
But now, the grass should be warm for the next two days, and the gerbils and hamsters are cuddled up in their nests.
That's a pretty cozy thought.
Also, I'm excited about getting my file cabinet, which I will use as a nightstand. I plan to have a small plant for it (maybe my cactus, although maybe not bc it seems happier outside), my lamp that I've had for about 4 years now, and piles of books.
Here's a picture of the covered up grass:
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
oh poop. I have the hiccups.
Currently I'm trying to acquire a old-looking file cabinet. I had hoped for a green one, but can only find a rusty gray one, so I guess that will have to do. I think I will spray paint it. And then it will be my nightstand.
I can't wait till I can read a book. I have a Charlotte's Web bookmark that is waiting to be used.
Two weeks!!
Currently I'm trying to acquire a old-looking file cabinet. I had hoped for a green one, but can only find a rusty gray one, so I guess that will have to do. I think I will spray paint it. And then it will be my nightstand.
I can't wait till I can read a book. I have a Charlotte's Web bookmark that is waiting to be used.
Two weeks!!
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
I just spent an hour on myspace. It has sucked all productivity out of me and I just want to spend an hour more.
But I'm bribing myself with food to get out of the house.
Me and Aaron just added two adventurous robo hamsters to our family of animals!
They are watch-only animals, so hopefully won't take too much time away from Billy and Lars.
We only got them because we saw them at the pet store and they had tunneled through to the cage next to them, which housed other hamsters ten times bigger than them. They would scoot in to the big cage, run around, and when spotted by the giants, scoot back through to the other side.
It was crazy.
Last night, I was on a cleaning spree. I can't tell you how much zen I get from a clean house. I even took a picture of my dust pile.
When Aaron saw the living room, he said it looked "freakishly clean."
It doesn't happen often, but it did last night.
Here's a picture of dinner.
But I'm bribing myself with food to get out of the house.
Me and Aaron just added two adventurous robo hamsters to our family of animals!
They are watch-only animals, so hopefully won't take too much time away from Billy and Lars.
We only got them because we saw them at the pet store and they had tunneled through to the cage next to them, which housed other hamsters ten times bigger than them. They would scoot in to the big cage, run around, and when spotted by the giants, scoot back through to the other side.
It was crazy.
Last night, I was on a cleaning spree. I can't tell you how much zen I get from a clean house. I even took a picture of my dust pile.
When Aaron saw the living room, he said it looked "freakishly clean."
It doesn't happen often, but it did last night.
Here's a picture of dinner.
Thursday, November 16, 2006
So, I just had a meeting with the associate dean/school psychiatrist about failing my first anatomy test. She acted gingerly toward me, as if I would break down at any moment, and under that type of scrutiny, I almost did.
I seriously almost cried while talking about how frustrating not exceling in classes was making me.
But I didn't. Yay!
Things are actually going well, though.
I've found a place to skateboard, the smoothest parking lot you'll ever find. Except most nights, it's too cold to do anything but stay inside cuddled up in blankets.
And I'm going to kick Anatomy's ass this time around with the help of my tutors, so that I don't have to take it over again. Fucking class.
I seriously almost cried while talking about how frustrating not exceling in classes was making me.
But I didn't. Yay!
Things are actually going well, though.
I've found a place to skateboard, the smoothest parking lot you'll ever find. Except most nights, it's too cold to do anything but stay inside cuddled up in blankets.
And I'm going to kick Anatomy's ass this time around with the help of my tutors, so that I don't have to take it over again. Fucking class.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
I just finished reading _the perks of being a wallflower_ by stephen chbosky, and it was great.
I feel like going out to buy my own copy of it (the one I read was a library book) and read it all over again immediately.
Things that made today a good day:
1. I was in no danger of failing my genetics test.
2. Going to the library during my lunch hour.
3. I made a macaroni casserole! (but I burned it a little after doing everything else right)
Things that made today a not so good day:
1. strange ups and downs, one minute, driving around, I felt great. And then later, terrible. For no apparent reason. I'm sick of this.
2. stores that close early, before I want to leave them. Sometimes, all I need are the fluorescent lights of a store and other people around.
I feel like going out to buy my own copy of it (the one I read was a library book) and read it all over again immediately.
Things that made today a good day:
1. I was in no danger of failing my genetics test.
2. Going to the library during my lunch hour.
3. I made a macaroni casserole! (but I burned it a little after doing everything else right)
Things that made today a not so good day:
1. strange ups and downs, one minute, driving around, I felt great. And then later, terrible. For no apparent reason. I'm sick of this.
2. stores that close early, before I want to leave them. Sometimes, all I need are the fluorescent lights of a store and other people around.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Not everything has been great lately.
I've been feeling a great ennui about my life in general lately (what a delightfully pretentious word, ennui), which I do not like.
I need a vacation.
Or just a free weekend.
"When you're holding me, we make a pair of parentheses/there's plenty of space to encase whatever wierd way my mind goes" -the blow
That is a great song.
Also, Stranger Than Fiction is a great movie. Most possibly, in fact, definitely, the best movie I've seen this year.
Maggie Gyllenhaal's character is my new girl-hero.
Which I have many of, of course.
It's definitely going on the top 5, and YOU, yes you, should go see it.
I've been feeling a great ennui about my life in general lately (what a delightfully pretentious word, ennui), which I do not like.
I need a vacation.
Or just a free weekend.
"When you're holding me, we make a pair of parentheses/there's plenty of space to encase whatever wierd way my mind goes" -the blow
That is a great song.
Also, Stranger Than Fiction is a great movie. Most possibly, in fact, definitely, the best movie I've seen this year.
Maggie Gyllenhaal's character is my new girl-hero.
Which I have many of, of course.
It's definitely going on the top 5, and YOU, yes you, should go see it.
Sunday, November 5, 2006
short-term goals:
-learn to make a macaroni casserole
-learn Joni Mitchell's "California" on the guitar
-not fail Anatomy.
Joni Mitchell makes me feel nostalgic, optimistic, and young.
Today was 70% driving, 10% stopping the car to pick some cotton from the roadside and then picking the seeds out of it, 5% waking up to a cat licking (haha I almost wrote "liking its privates" which I guess it would have to to lick them, but that's not what I meant) its privates next to me, and the rest eating at fast food restaurants along the way home.
Me and Aaron met my parents in Wellborn, TX to check out a wedding chapel place--the chapel itself was beautiful--tons of windows and surrounded by green wilderness, but it was too small even for the small wedding we will have, so we have to keep looking. Oh how I hoped to get the reservations over with this weekend.
BUT what I did do this weekend was get pleasantly sloshed with Elissa, and then took her to a movie she did not enjoy very much.
Aaron is playing Bully (a Rockstar videogame) downstairs as I type this.
-learn to make a macaroni casserole
-learn Joni Mitchell's "California" on the guitar
-not fail Anatomy.
Joni Mitchell makes me feel nostalgic, optimistic, and young.
Today was 70% driving, 10% stopping the car to pick some cotton from the roadside and then picking the seeds out of it, 5% waking up to a cat licking (haha I almost wrote "liking its privates" which I guess it would have to to lick them, but that's not what I meant) its privates next to me, and the rest eating at fast food restaurants along the way home.
Me and Aaron met my parents in Wellborn, TX to check out a wedding chapel place--the chapel itself was beautiful--tons of windows and surrounded by green wilderness, but it was too small even for the small wedding we will have, so we have to keep looking. Oh how I hoped to get the reservations over with this weekend.
BUT what I did do this weekend was get pleasantly sloshed with Elissa, and then took her to a movie she did not enjoy very much.
Aaron is playing Bully (a Rockstar videogame) downstairs as I type this.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Do not read if you don't want to know all of the petty details of my life...Besides, it's pretty boring.
I am so frustrated with the whole repair-man system here at the new place.
Three weeks ago, I took a bath for the first time here. I come down at three in the morning after finishing studying, and find a puddle of water on the first floor under the vent, and waterstains on the ceiling. It took me a while to realize that it was because of the bath, and so when I did, I went and told the office, and made an appointment for my next day off for them to come and fix the leak.
After much internet searching, I suspected already that it was a leak in the overflow pipe (the silver round thing on the wall of the bath right underneath the faucet) which is meant to keep the water in the bathtub at a certain level if the water is accidentally left on.
So on my next day off, I wake up early and first, the plumber comes to tell me that there's no need to fill the bathtub so high in order to take a bath. He points to a level two inches below the overflow pipe that should be acceptable, in an attempt to make it so that he doesn't have to fix anything, while I relegate myself to taking baths in three inches of water. I decline. So, two workers reluctantly come to remove my linen cabinet from the wall in order to figure out where the leak is. I hate standing over people that come to work on the house, because I know it would make me uncomfortable, so I just stayed downstairs (the bathroom is upstairs) and listened to the banging. That was probably my first mistake. In any case, the plumber looks at the pipe, and sees that it is too long, and therefore a proper seal is not made between the overflow tube and the edge of the bathtub. He fixes it within ten minutes, and call the workers back to put the linen closet back into the wall. When they leave, I realize they knocked a hole in the corner wall while trying to either remove or replace the cabinet. I go back to the office. They call more guys over to fix it, and to regrout the tub because the original grout is cracking due to them using incorrect grout in the first place.
The same guys show up as before, and I point out the corner hole and the grout problem. The worker decides to kill two birds with one stone and grouts up the corner hole (with bathtub grout, no less!) with his finger after grouting the tub. You cannot imagine the horror and disgust I felt when I saw him do that. I felt like vomiting. In fact, if I had, I might as well have just stuffed the vomit into the hole to fix it, it would have been just as appropriate.
In any case, after that, I took a sigh of relief (after pulling out a few hairs over the technique) because I thought I was finally done with condo repairs.
But then that night, when me and Aaron start making dinner, we realize, "Hey, there is now absolutely no water pressure in the kitchen faucet."
The next day, back to the office I go, where some random lady writes my complaint down on a legal pad while talking on her cell phone. This is a Thursday. I decide to give her the benefit of the doubt and leave her alone until the next day, when I went in to make sure something was being done. She tells me, "I'm sorry, this cannot be fixed until next week."
Catastrophe, because I had a sink full of dishes I could not wash, and my parents were due to arrive the next day to stay the weekend.
In any case, I make an appointment for my one free afternoon, today.
I ended up washing the dishes in the bathtub.
And today, I talk to the lady again when I get home from class, and she tells me that she talked to the constructors, who said that they won't fix my faucet bc I'm a homeowner and therefore responsible for my own repairs.
I tell her that the kitchen faucet problem only occurred after the bathtub problem, and therefore should not be my problem.
She says she will call the constructors and see what she can do.
I assume that "what she can do" is probably pretty close to nothing, so I go over to the office again after an hour. I run into Steve, the guy who sold the place to us in the first place. He makes ONE call, and has a plumber over within ten minutes.
Now, I'm waiting for another plumber to show up and try to check under the house or put in a new faucet.
Ok well that was long and drawn out, and I'm sure no one is reading at this point (if you still are, send me your address and I will mail you a Reese's peanut butter cup for getting this far.), but still, I'll summarize my complaints:
1. I'm sick of spending my free days stressing about this fucking condo.
2. I'm sick of the office people, namely, the woman who is apparently the new HOA person, not getting things done.
Three weeks ago, I took a bath for the first time here. I come down at three in the morning after finishing studying, and find a puddle of water on the first floor under the vent, and waterstains on the ceiling. It took me a while to realize that it was because of the bath, and so when I did, I went and told the office, and made an appointment for my next day off for them to come and fix the leak.
After much internet searching, I suspected already that it was a leak in the overflow pipe (the silver round thing on the wall of the bath right underneath the faucet) which is meant to keep the water in the bathtub at a certain level if the water is accidentally left on.
So on my next day off, I wake up early and first, the plumber comes to tell me that there's no need to fill the bathtub so high in order to take a bath. He points to a level two inches below the overflow pipe that should be acceptable, in an attempt to make it so that he doesn't have to fix anything, while I relegate myself to taking baths in three inches of water. I decline. So, two workers reluctantly come to remove my linen cabinet from the wall in order to figure out where the leak is. I hate standing over people that come to work on the house, because I know it would make me uncomfortable, so I just stayed downstairs (the bathroom is upstairs) and listened to the banging. That was probably my first mistake. In any case, the plumber looks at the pipe, and sees that it is too long, and therefore a proper seal is not made between the overflow tube and the edge of the bathtub. He fixes it within ten minutes, and call the workers back to put the linen closet back into the wall. When they leave, I realize they knocked a hole in the corner wall while trying to either remove or replace the cabinet. I go back to the office. They call more guys over to fix it, and to regrout the tub because the original grout is cracking due to them using incorrect grout in the first place.
The same guys show up as before, and I point out the corner hole and the grout problem. The worker decides to kill two birds with one stone and grouts up the corner hole (with bathtub grout, no less!) with his finger after grouting the tub. You cannot imagine the horror and disgust I felt when I saw him do that. I felt like vomiting. In fact, if I had, I might as well have just stuffed the vomit into the hole to fix it, it would have been just as appropriate.
In any case, after that, I took a sigh of relief (after pulling out a few hairs over the technique) because I thought I was finally done with condo repairs.
But then that night, when me and Aaron start making dinner, we realize, "Hey, there is now absolutely no water pressure in the kitchen faucet."
The next day, back to the office I go, where some random lady writes my complaint down on a legal pad while talking on her cell phone. This is a Thursday. I decide to give her the benefit of the doubt and leave her alone until the next day, when I went in to make sure something was being done. She tells me, "I'm sorry, this cannot be fixed until next week."
Catastrophe, because I had a sink full of dishes I could not wash, and my parents were due to arrive the next day to stay the weekend.
In any case, I make an appointment for my one free afternoon, today.
I ended up washing the dishes in the bathtub.
And today, I talk to the lady again when I get home from class, and she tells me that she talked to the constructors, who said that they won't fix my faucet bc I'm a homeowner and therefore responsible for my own repairs.
I tell her that the kitchen faucet problem only occurred after the bathtub problem, and therefore should not be my problem.
She says she will call the constructors and see what she can do.
I assume that "what she can do" is probably pretty close to nothing, so I go over to the office again after an hour. I run into Steve, the guy who sold the place to us in the first place. He makes ONE call, and has a plumber over within ten minutes.
Now, I'm waiting for another plumber to show up and try to check under the house or put in a new faucet.
Ok well that was long and drawn out, and I'm sure no one is reading at this point (if you still are, send me your address and I will mail you a Reese's peanut butter cup for getting this far.), but still, I'll summarize my complaints:
1. I'm sick of spending my free days stressing about this fucking condo.
2. I'm sick of the office people, namely, the woman who is apparently the new HOA person, not getting things done.
Halloween!!!
After 2 hours at Wal-mart and half an hour of crafting, me and Aaron have designed quite passable costumes as Nacho Libre and Sister Encarnacion.
I call it Blitzkreig-Halloweening.
At first, I thought this would be the second halloween in a row that I wouldn't have time to prepare for...but alas, it is not so.
I decided I just could not go another year without celebrating my favorite holiday.
Delightful!
After 2 hours at Wal-mart and half an hour of crafting, me and Aaron have designed quite passable costumes as Nacho Libre and Sister Encarnacion.
I call it Blitzkreig-Halloweening.
At first, I thought this would be the second halloween in a row that I wouldn't have time to prepare for...but alas, it is not so.
I decided I just could not go another year without celebrating my favorite holiday.
Delightful!
Thursday, October 19, 2006
I was looking up Cormac McCarthy's new book, The Road, which is next on my list of books to read because it's about "a father and son on the road in a post-apocalyptic road," which is the best sentence-summary of a book I've almost ever read, and also because I've been wanting to read a Cormac McCarthy book ever since high school.
And I found this article about him, which makes me want to read something by him even more:
"Cormac McCarthy’s fans — they gather in the forums of “the official Web site of the Cormac McCarthy society” — are smarter, and definitely more laid-back, than those of just about any other living writer. They have names like Clem, and tend to refer to themselves as “fellers.” Watching them hash out their feelings about McCarthy’s new novel, “The Road” — see No. 4 on the fiction list — is like listening to the members of Waylon Jennings’s old band talking on a back porch somewhere, smoking cigarettes and plunking squirrels with varmint rifles.
One burning issue in the forums right now is McCarthy’s strategic deployment of the number 117. In his new novel, 1:17 a.m. is when clocks stop and the world ends. In his last one, “No Country for Old Men,” there was a grisly motel murder in Room 117. And so on. Is McCarthy referencing the Book of Revelations? Genesis? Who knows? One writer on the forum drawls: “That’s the Bible: you can make it support an argument any which way.”
I want to sit on a back porch smoking cigarettes and plunking squirrels with a varmint rifle too! Ok I don't want to do the squirrel thing bc I love squirrels but all the rest of it, YES!
And I found this article about him, which makes me want to read something by him even more:
"Cormac McCarthy’s fans — they gather in the forums of “the official Web site of the Cormac McCarthy society” — are smarter, and definitely more laid-back, than those of just about any other living writer. They have names like Clem, and tend to refer to themselves as “fellers.” Watching them hash out their feelings about McCarthy’s new novel, “The Road” — see No. 4 on the fiction list — is like listening to the members of Waylon Jennings’s old band talking on a back porch somewhere, smoking cigarettes and plunking squirrels with varmint rifles.
One burning issue in the forums right now is McCarthy’s strategic deployment of the number 117. In his new novel, 1:17 a.m. is when clocks stop and the world ends. In his last one, “No Country for Old Men,” there was a grisly motel murder in Room 117. And so on. Is McCarthy referencing the Book of Revelations? Genesis? Who knows? One writer on the forum drawls: “That’s the Bible: you can make it support an argument any which way.”
I want to sit on a back porch smoking cigarettes and plunking squirrels with a varmint rifle too! Ok I don't want to do the squirrel thing bc I love squirrels but all the rest of it, YES!
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Done with Biochem for the rest of my life, thankfully.
Can't say I did super well but I don't have to retake it, I'm happy.
Genetics started today, and it seems much more bearable (is that how bearable is spelled?? it looks wierd.)
The kitten has stayed around (heheh, I've finally found my kitten Lolita)...except it's a him, and we have named him Mystery, sort of inspired by the skateboard company, but mostly because it's a cool name. He showed up just in time for Halloween too, and I should be a boring witch for Halloween just to use him as part of my costume.
Aaron caught another cat sneaking food from Mystery's bowl, which resulted in the current quote of the day:
"He thought i was throwing rocks at him, but it was just kibble."
This was Aaron trying to get the other kitten to stay around.
Also, last night our across-the-street-neighbor sicc'ed his dog on some guys trying to steal his patio furniture. I'm glad nothing is in my backyard except new grass seedlings and my red converse.
Can't say I did super well but I don't have to retake it, I'm happy.
Genetics started today, and it seems much more bearable (is that how bearable is spelled?? it looks wierd.)
The kitten has stayed around (heheh, I've finally found my kitten Lolita)...except it's a him, and we have named him Mystery, sort of inspired by the skateboard company, but mostly because it's a cool name. He showed up just in time for Halloween too, and I should be a boring witch for Halloween just to use him as part of my costume.
Aaron caught another cat sneaking food from Mystery's bowl, which resulted in the current quote of the day:
"He thought i was throwing rocks at him, but it was just kibble."
This was Aaron trying to get the other kitten to stay around.
Also, last night our across-the-street-neighbor sicc'ed his dog on some guys trying to steal his patio furniture. I'm glad nothing is in my backyard except new grass seedlings and my red converse.
Friday, October 6, 2006
Thursday, October 5, 2006
Monday, October 2, 2006
Today I started a journal (paper, not web), ate at Cici's pizza, explained to Aaron the difference between people who stay fully dressed when home alone and people who walk around in their underwear, and met a tortoiseshell kitten on a walk down to the bai-jou who followed us home and so I fed him dog food and water. He was super friendly, and I haven't sneezed yet!
Elissa: I have a question. Is there any deadly (or not-so-deadly) disease that I could catch from petting a possibly feral kitten and then scratching a mosquito bite that ended up bleeding? I know, it's gross, but I'm worried about it.
Save me from paranoia or disease, one or the other.
I am sad about Rachel going to Boston on Friday, but I am happy that she is doing something special and exciting.
I am going to try and be happy in Dallas, doing what I'm doing, and being who I am. But I'm going to keep thinking about being an 18-wheeler truck driver, getting a tattoo, and/or moving to L.A. sometime in the next 5 years. I know someone who promised herself only to stay in Dallas for three years, and now it's been three years and she owns a house here. Suckage.
I want to read a book, have a free weekend, and for winter to hurry up and start.
Elissa: I have a question. Is there any deadly (or not-so-deadly) disease that I could catch from petting a possibly feral kitten and then scratching a mosquito bite that ended up bleeding? I know, it's gross, but I'm worried about it.
Save me from paranoia or disease, one or the other.
I am sad about Rachel going to Boston on Friday, but I am happy that she is doing something special and exciting.
I am going to try and be happy in Dallas, doing what I'm doing, and being who I am. But I'm going to keep thinking about being an 18-wheeler truck driver, getting a tattoo, and/or moving to L.A. sometime in the next 5 years. I know someone who promised herself only to stay in Dallas for three years, and now it's been three years and she owns a house here. Suckage.
I want to read a book, have a free weekend, and for winter to hurry up and start.
I will never love anyone who describes any biochemical reaction as either "elegant" or "exquisite."
I might like you, but I will always think that you're a nerd.
The state fair is here!! And the Renaissance Faire is in Houston.
Oh the choices.
Me and Aaron have been working on growing some grass in the backyard. It's been fun--seeding and watering and fertilizing at 2 in the morning, which is always when we seem to get around to it.
I feel like my grammar is disintegrating. The other day, someone spoke derogatorily about med students' writing skills and I wanted to say "Speak for yourself!" and kick him in the shins.
In truth, though, it's worrying me.
I'm applying to present my Stephen King thesis at some convention in April, and trying not to worry too much about whether the thesis is worthy or not.
I've also been riding my bike to school.
Two movies I've seen lately:
Down in the Valley-->has Ed Norton in it, who is quite charming at first. (I've always had a thing for cowboys...) The movie has good atmosphere, and made me miss L.A.
The Proposition--> Bizarre movie, about when Australia was still just a dumping ground for convicts. I think what made it bizarre was how hard the director tried to make it mysterious and mystical. when really it only had to be a western type movie.
I might like you, but I will always think that you're a nerd.
The state fair is here!! And the Renaissance Faire is in Houston.
Oh the choices.
Me and Aaron have been working on growing some grass in the backyard. It's been fun--seeding and watering and fertilizing at 2 in the morning, which is always when we seem to get around to it.
I feel like my grammar is disintegrating. The other day, someone spoke derogatorily about med students' writing skills and I wanted to say "Speak for yourself!" and kick him in the shins.
In truth, though, it's worrying me.
I'm applying to present my Stephen King thesis at some convention in April, and trying not to worry too much about whether the thesis is worthy or not.
I've also been riding my bike to school.
Two movies I've seen lately:
Down in the Valley-->has Ed Norton in it, who is quite charming at first. (I've always had a thing for cowboys...) The movie has good atmosphere, and made me miss L.A.
The Proposition--> Bizarre movie, about when Australia was still just a dumping ground for convicts. I think what made it bizarre was how hard the director tried to make it mysterious and mystical. when really it only had to be a western type movie.
Monday, September 25, 2006
Allerca has come up with a hypoallergenic cat!
They are $4000 and if you order one now, you'll get it in November 2007. Also, you can't choose gender, or color.
More and more, I feel like I'm living in some futuristic sci-fi movie like Gattaca or something. But for cats.
I have to admit, I want one...but it all just seems somehow wrong to me.
They are $4000 and if you order one now, you'll get it in November 2007. Also, you can't choose gender, or color.
More and more, I feel like I'm living in some futuristic sci-fi movie like Gattaca or something. But for cats.
I have to admit, I want one...but it all just seems somehow wrong to me.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
This weekend was absolutely awesome.
I got off from school Friday on the verge of tears (things are much worse than even organic chem lab ever was...), so I went to the gym. I think I've been channeling my stress about schoolwork into issues about my body, seeing as I have forbidden myself to worry too much about school.
Then I got home and was too tired to do anything but go to Blockbuster's with Aaron and rent the first disc of the second season of The Office, Aaron's new favorite show overall and my new favorite sitcom-like show.
On Saturday, we went to Ikea to partake of their delicious Swedish meatballs!!! which I was so excited about that Aaron had to tell me to "cool your jets! we're going already!" and also to look longingly at furniture we can't afford. Such as the Ekeskog couch that's $900. boo.
Ikea is quite a trek from Dallas--way up North, and the only way to get there is through a tollway so it took us $2 each way to get there and back. On the way back, we stopped at Kroger's to pick up some potato salad for a potluck birthday party.
At the party, I met Jeff's parents (Jeff is Aaron's housemate's bf), and he introduced me to his dad as "the girl who knew what a stingray was"! At first I thought he was talking about Steve Irwin or something, but then I realized belatedly he meant the Corvette, and was quite flattered. Also, I might now have some chairs for the front porch, as Jeff's dad had some he was trying to give away.
Impressions on people at the party:
--drunk girl
--drunk girl's husband who is not ashamed to mime "blooming" in the interest of winning Cranium.
--guy with Dave Matthews Band shirt who sang Rancid when he saw my shirt. (Aaron thinks this is contradictory, a guy who listens to DMB and rancid, but I do not.)
--little girl who's birthday was in two days who had just been to libby liu's and loved her balloon and didn't want her birthday to end, even though she had just had her birthday party.
--little boy who was scared of Jeff's dad and cried
--Jeff's dad, who was introduced by Jeff as 'Jimmy Buffet' bc of his hawaiian shirt and who told me and Aaron about a yearly car show that they have on the streets in Fort Worth.
Sunday, it rained, so I just had to convince Aaron to go to Target with me just to get out of the house, even though I should have been studying Anatomy. We also met our first new neighbors, a middle-aged gay couple, who seemed quite nice. They worried that they might have been too loud when moving in and setting up their furniture. One of them said, "We almost got a divorce," trying to set up closet shelves from Ikea, which I thought was hilarious.
Halloween is coming!!! What should I be?
We already bought a holographic painting of the Mona Lisa that changes her into a female Dracula in certain angles for $3.99 at CVS, and bought a frame for it for $16.99 at Target. Lol. But it is quite an addition to the living room. I love it.
I got off from school Friday on the verge of tears (things are much worse than even organic chem lab ever was...), so I went to the gym. I think I've been channeling my stress about schoolwork into issues about my body, seeing as I have forbidden myself to worry too much about school.
Then I got home and was too tired to do anything but go to Blockbuster's with Aaron and rent the first disc of the second season of The Office, Aaron's new favorite show overall and my new favorite sitcom-like show.
On Saturday, we went to Ikea to partake of their delicious Swedish meatballs!!! which I was so excited about that Aaron had to tell me to "cool your jets! we're going already!" and also to look longingly at furniture we can't afford. Such as the Ekeskog couch that's $900. boo.
Ikea is quite a trek from Dallas--way up North, and the only way to get there is through a tollway so it took us $2 each way to get there and back. On the way back, we stopped at Kroger's to pick up some potato salad for a potluck birthday party.
At the party, I met Jeff's parents (Jeff is Aaron's housemate's bf), and he introduced me to his dad as "the girl who knew what a stingray was"! At first I thought he was talking about Steve Irwin or something, but then I realized belatedly he meant the Corvette, and was quite flattered. Also, I might now have some chairs for the front porch, as Jeff's dad had some he was trying to give away.
Impressions on people at the party:
--drunk girl
--drunk girl's husband who is not ashamed to mime "blooming" in the interest of winning Cranium.
--guy with Dave Matthews Band shirt who sang Rancid when he saw my shirt. (Aaron thinks this is contradictory, a guy who listens to DMB and rancid, but I do not.)
--little girl who's birthday was in two days who had just been to libby liu's and loved her balloon and didn't want her birthday to end, even though she had just had her birthday party.
--little boy who was scared of Jeff's dad and cried
--Jeff's dad, who was introduced by Jeff as 'Jimmy Buffet' bc of his hawaiian shirt and who told me and Aaron about a yearly car show that they have on the streets in Fort Worth.
Sunday, it rained, so I just had to convince Aaron to go to Target with me just to get out of the house, even though I should have been studying Anatomy. We also met our first new neighbors, a middle-aged gay couple, who seemed quite nice. They worried that they might have been too loud when moving in and setting up their furniture. One of them said, "We almost got a divorce," trying to set up closet shelves from Ikea, which I thought was hilarious.
Halloween is coming!!! What should I be?
We already bought a holographic painting of the Mona Lisa that changes her into a female Dracula in certain angles for $3.99 at CVS, and bought a frame for it for $16.99 at Target. Lol. But it is quite an addition to the living room. I love it.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
argh.
"...So, the cell’s currency for being able to use ATP is dependent upon us being able to synthesize huge amounts of ATP and recycle ADP into ATP and AMP into ADP and, um, ATP as well."
I literally spent 20 minutes trying to transcribe this sentence out and figure out what in the world this guy was trying to say. I think mainly, the confusion was caused by his absolute butchering of the definition of the word currency. And the roundabout way he talks.
Worse, that last chunk about AMP and ADP and ATP, he trailed off in a mumble. It was quite frustrating.
I can live without professors with communication problems, speech disorders, and a large vocabulary that they do not utilize correctly.
"...So, the cell’s currency for being able to use ATP is dependent upon us being able to synthesize huge amounts of ATP and recycle ADP into ATP and AMP into ADP and, um, ATP as well."
I literally spent 20 minutes trying to transcribe this sentence out and figure out what in the world this guy was trying to say. I think mainly, the confusion was caused by his absolute butchering of the definition of the word currency. And the roundabout way he talks.
Worse, that last chunk about AMP and ADP and ATP, he trailed off in a mumble. It was quite frustrating.
I can live without professors with communication problems, speech disorders, and a large vocabulary that they do not utilize correctly.
Sunday, September 3, 2006
My boyfriend might be the only white boy I know who has rhythm. You should really see him booty dance to Fergie's London Bridge.
It's an overcast day in Dallas. I know it's warm and muggy, but I'm inside studying right now, and it looks so nice and crisp outside. I feel like wearing a hoodie.
I am looking forward to:
-a bike ride at night to the video store
-getting all these new house chores over and done with
-a month to be over so i can get a bill already in order to apply for a dallas library card
-going to the man made lake with the remote controlled boat
I am thinking about starting to research a novel about the communist takeover in WWII. Biting off more than I can chew? But that's the story of my life!
In related news, this weekend I accidentally got me and Aaron wrangled into a chore--peeling wallpaper at his house. It's really much more difficult than I thought it would be. I thought it would be 30 minutes of satisfying peeling (much like peeling a sunburn...) and so I peeled a bit off, thus ensuring that it would be a task we'd have to finish. But it's turned into a mess of going to home depot for enzyme and scraping, scraping, scraping. I feel like my right bicep is getting overdeveloped.
Anyways, I haven't forgotten about a certain "best of" cd that I'm supposed to be sending off. It's coming, I promise.
It's an overcast day in Dallas. I know it's warm and muggy, but I'm inside studying right now, and it looks so nice and crisp outside. I feel like wearing a hoodie.
I am looking forward to:
-a bike ride at night to the video store
-getting all these new house chores over and done with
-a month to be over so i can get a bill already in order to apply for a dallas library card
-going to the man made lake with the remote controlled boat
I am thinking about starting to research a novel about the communist takeover in WWII. Biting off more than I can chew? But that's the story of my life!
In related news, this weekend I accidentally got me and Aaron wrangled into a chore--peeling wallpaper at his house. It's really much more difficult than I thought it would be. I thought it would be 30 minutes of satisfying peeling (much like peeling a sunburn...) and so I peeled a bit off, thus ensuring that it would be a task we'd have to finish. But it's turned into a mess of going to home depot for enzyme and scraping, scraping, scraping. I feel like my right bicep is getting overdeveloped.
Anyways, I haven't forgotten about a certain "best of" cd that I'm supposed to be sending off. It's coming, I promise.
Tuesday, August 22, 2006
Today, after much training in the hotel swimming pool, I did my first cannonball ever!
Movies I desperately want to see:
-children of men
-marie antoinette
-stranger than fiction
-BORAT!
And I want to see Wicker Man too, but it doesn't make the "desperately" list bc I think Nicolas Cage sucks my left nut.
As does Dallas, by the way...
Things Dallas does not have that Houston does: (I won't even compare it to Austin).
-good mexican food
-convenient locations of HEBs
-interesting people (not including Aaron's new roomates, who remind me quite a bit of Aaron B. and Elissa, strangely...)
-life after 10 pm
Movies I desperately want to see:
-children of men
-marie antoinette
-stranger than fiction
-BORAT!
And I want to see Wicker Man too, but it doesn't make the "desperately" list bc I think Nicolas Cage sucks my left nut.
As does Dallas, by the way...
Things Dallas does not have that Houston does: (I won't even compare it to Austin).
-good mexican food
-convenient locations of HEBs
-interesting people (not including Aaron's new roomates, who remind me quite a bit of Aaron B. and Elissa, strangely...)
-life after 10 pm
Thursday, August 17, 2006
Dallas.
I've been staying at a Ramada Inn these last few days, and it has a pool but I've yet to utilize it. Instead, I've been hanging out at Aaron's place, playing with Gohan the dog, who's a chow/retriever mix.
Although I like dogs quite a lot, I've re-decided that I am, indeed, a cat person. I like how cats show their appreciation of your attention by purring and wriggling around; dogs just sit there and enjoy your petting stoically and growl and whine when you stop. Hey man, dogs should understand--they're all about positive reinforcement ("yay, doggie, you pee'd outside!" and you're supposed to ignore messes made inside if you didn't catch 'em in the act...), and I am too. Praise me and appreciate me as I do what you want me to do, don't just growl at me when I stop. The most positive reinforcement you'll get from a dog is a lazily wagging tail.
I feel out of place and bored. And that this entry is entirely un-inspired.
here's what's currently on my mind:
-cadavers next week.
-next DVD tv show purchase must be a season of the x files. anyone got any suggestions as to which one? 1st season is out (i remember it too well), and any season not featuring mulder is out as well.
-next DVD movie purchase must be Everything is Illuminated.
-can't wait for my laptop sleeve to hurry up and come in the mail
All in all, I miss my friends, my town, and my life.
I've been staying at a Ramada Inn these last few days, and it has a pool but I've yet to utilize it. Instead, I've been hanging out at Aaron's place, playing with Gohan the dog, who's a chow/retriever mix.
Although I like dogs quite a lot, I've re-decided that I am, indeed, a cat person. I like how cats show their appreciation of your attention by purring and wriggling around; dogs just sit there and enjoy your petting stoically and growl and whine when you stop. Hey man, dogs should understand--they're all about positive reinforcement ("yay, doggie, you pee'd outside!" and you're supposed to ignore messes made inside if you didn't catch 'em in the act...), and I am too. Praise me and appreciate me as I do what you want me to do, don't just growl at me when I stop. The most positive reinforcement you'll get from a dog is a lazily wagging tail.
I feel out of place and bored. And that this entry is entirely un-inspired.
here's what's currently on my mind:
-cadavers next week.
-next DVD tv show purchase must be a season of the x files. anyone got any suggestions as to which one? 1st season is out (i remember it too well), and any season not featuring mulder is out as well.
-next DVD movie purchase must be Everything is Illuminated.
-can't wait for my laptop sleeve to hurry up and come in the mail
All in all, I miss my friends, my town, and my life.
Friday, August 11, 2006
My half of the experience, Yipee!!
Hello, This is Aaron, Jen's no good oaf of a boyfriend/ Fiance.
I have the other half of Jen's LA hostel experience that I encountered while she took her shower.
So... we walked into the hostel and Jen went upstairs. One should note that the whole place lacks air conditioning, which in LA is not horrible most of the time but that whole week was so unbelivably hot. So a whole building+ no AC= hot as a mother F*%$@#$! Anyways. So I sit down in the lobby and park myself in front of the only cool thing in the place a AC window unit, which only cools the 2 feet in front of it. So I am sitting there watching the front desk and the verious strange European teenagers walk in and out when, BAM! all the lights and electricity go out. My instant reaction is to speak up but softly. "Do you know where the breaker is?" Front desk girl in her 20's maybe some college education (probably Liberal arts) doesn't hear me and starts freaking out, big time. "This never happens, oh my god this...!" Me (calm): "Do you know where the breaker is?" I was thinking that the place probably simply blew the main breaker. Little to my knowledge the whole city block was out due I think to a roaming blackout. So the front desk lady is freaking out, trying to type on computers that are off with black screens, picking up the phone, "Nope it's out, oh my god!," and then when the people who live there start to appear and ask what's going on she's like, "I don't know, I don't know what to do... Wait let me get the manager!"
Meanwhile, a giant German guy who appears to be too old for the hostel, maybe mid to late 30's, comes out and says, "I know what's going on, I know what's going on, you people use to much electricity... You run your AC's all the time non-stop. I know what's going on I've seen this before!" He is one loud dude and says it all in a way like he is condemning America. He then storms out to see if the rest of the street's power is out.
The front desk girl shows back up with who I assume is the manager. He is calm, she still is not.
Him: "Ok ok, so let find the breaker"
Her: "what the... what?"
Him: "Well, wait let's get some flash lights."
They find some flashlights, but--big shock, no batteries... (yeah the hostel is prepared for the worst).
"Ok ok, I know there are batteries around here we just have to look."
Her: "No wait this light's battery cover is screwed on!" (she freaks out more).
He is starting to get worked up because of her. "Ok let me get a screwdriver"
He gets one but it is huge, you know it's not going to fit a tiny battery cover screw. "
"Nope that doesn't work!"
Both freaking out now. He disappears and then returns with a ... "I got a butter knife! I think we can open it this way." That works but to our surprise that light doesn't take any of the batteries they have on hand.
SO... one of the tenants is like, "Do you want us to go buy some flashlights?" Front desk girl: "Oh my god yes.. please well reimburse you ... just buy as many as you can... go now!" She delivers the line like they're on a mission to save the world. Please take note that, only the electricity has gone out. Nothing big has happened! Anyways I offer the flashlight built into my phone for them to use and he's like, "oh wow thanks dude!" And uses it to find the tinest maglight pen light... hands me back my phone.
Jen comes down stairs and we meet, I say "You ok up there?"
Jen: "Yes"
I Ravish her with a kiss, throw my arm around her waist and bust out of that joint.. leaving behind the whole freakshow. The two people in charge (I use that loosely) were still super freaking out as though the world was ending--the only calm ones I saw the whole time were the two girls who asked about going to get some flashlights. Oh and the German guy came back in only to say, "YEP, I was right, you use too much damn electricity, the whole block is out! AHHH"
The end. That's the story... Hope you liked it, it's kinda long but I hope it's a little coherent. Anyways.
Adios,
Bruiser
editor's note: Only coherent due to addition of punctuation...JT
I have the other half of Jen's LA hostel experience that I encountered while she took her shower.
So... we walked into the hostel and Jen went upstairs. One should note that the whole place lacks air conditioning, which in LA is not horrible most of the time but that whole week was so unbelivably hot. So a whole building+ no AC= hot as a mother F*%$@#$! Anyways. So I sit down in the lobby and park myself in front of the only cool thing in the place a AC window unit, which only cools the 2 feet in front of it. So I am sitting there watching the front desk and the verious strange European teenagers walk in and out when, BAM! all the lights and electricity go out. My instant reaction is to speak up but softly. "Do you know where the breaker is?" Front desk girl in her 20's maybe some college education (probably Liberal arts) doesn't hear me and starts freaking out, big time. "This never happens, oh my god this...!" Me (calm): "Do you know where the breaker is?" I was thinking that the place probably simply blew the main breaker. Little to my knowledge the whole city block was out due I think to a roaming blackout. So the front desk lady is freaking out, trying to type on computers that are off with black screens, picking up the phone, "Nope it's out, oh my god!," and then when the people who live there start to appear and ask what's going on she's like, "I don't know, I don't know what to do... Wait let me get the manager!"
Meanwhile, a giant German guy who appears to be too old for the hostel, maybe mid to late 30's, comes out and says, "I know what's going on, I know what's going on, you people use to much electricity... You run your AC's all the time non-stop. I know what's going on I've seen this before!" He is one loud dude and says it all in a way like he is condemning America. He then storms out to see if the rest of the street's power is out.
The front desk girl shows back up with who I assume is the manager. He is calm, she still is not.
Him: "Ok ok, so let find the breaker"
Her: "what the... what?"
Him: "Well, wait let's get some flash lights."
They find some flashlights, but--big shock, no batteries... (yeah the hostel is prepared for the worst).
"Ok ok, I know there are batteries around here we just have to look."
Her: "No wait this light's battery cover is screwed on!" (she freaks out more).
He is starting to get worked up because of her. "Ok let me get a screwdriver"
He gets one but it is huge, you know it's not going to fit a tiny battery cover screw. "
"Nope that doesn't work!"
Both freaking out now. He disappears and then returns with a ... "I got a butter knife! I think we can open it this way." That works but to our surprise that light doesn't take any of the batteries they have on hand.
SO... one of the tenants is like, "Do you want us to go buy some flashlights?" Front desk girl: "Oh my god yes.. please well reimburse you ... just buy as many as you can... go now!" She delivers the line like they're on a mission to save the world. Please take note that, only the electricity has gone out. Nothing big has happened! Anyways I offer the flashlight built into my phone for them to use and he's like, "oh wow thanks dude!" And uses it to find the tinest maglight pen light... hands me back my phone.
Jen comes down stairs and we meet, I say "You ok up there?"
Jen: "Yes"
I Ravish her with a kiss, throw my arm around her waist and bust out of that joint.. leaving behind the whole freakshow. The two people in charge (I use that loosely) were still super freaking out as though the world was ending--the only calm ones I saw the whole time were the two girls who asked about going to get some flashlights. Oh and the German guy came back in only to say, "YEP, I was right, you use too much damn electricity, the whole block is out! AHHH"
The end. That's the story... Hope you liked it, it's kinda long but I hope it's a little coherent. Anyways.
Adios,
Bruiser
editor's note: Only coherent due to addition of punctuation...JT
Tuesday, August 8, 2006
Here's an awesome video...go watch it! Here.
Aaron's part of the blackout story is coming up soon--tonight if he can get to the internet.
here's something I've been thinking--A road trip is different than any other trip bc every place you stop has a feeling of its own, and you end up being nostalgic for every place along the road as you go. So when you get home, it's not one huge nostalgic weight. It's wierd the things I miss, though.
Aaron's part of the blackout story is coming up soon--tonight if he can get to the internet.
here's something I've been thinking--A road trip is different than any other trip bc every place you stop has a feeling of its own, and you end up being nostalgic for every place along the road as you go. So when you get home, it's not one huge nostalgic weight. It's wierd the things I miss, though.
Friday, August 4, 2006
I got home last night!
I was excessively happy to see Billy and Lars, and the hermity crab, and...my new Apple laptop. Yes!
The laptop is awesome, though the initial tinkering around phase has been foiled by the fact that I have no internet to connect to. I guess I could connect it to the DSL we have at home, but...why built in wireless unless I use it? I'm thinking about going somewhere with wireless today just to play with it. Oh and also, it's sorta scary playing with it bc it's white and I always have to make sure my fingers are as clean as possible. Urg. New things.
Anyways, the rest of the trip was awesome.
On Wednesday, I walked around Hollywood by myself, resold some DVDs at Amoeba music and traded for a poster and a random CD, and bought some sunglasses, and chilled at the hostel. It was so hot that day they had the inflatable pool outside, where everybody put their feet into while they read or did whatever. I did not, because I felt too self conscious about it, I don't know why.
We left LA at 2:00 pm on Thursday, July 27, which was two days after my last post, and drove to Flagstaff. We had planned to get to Flagstaff around 7pm but didn't make it till 10:30. I ended up driving those last 3 hours or so in the dark, and it was quite scary, with the road being super windy and going into mountains and such, and all the "Caution: Deer" signs, but I have a feeling the scenery would've been awesome if only I could've seen it. Before it got dark, we saw all these plateaus, and I'd really never seen such things in person.
Ok, this is going to have to go to list form, so it won't be ridiculously long.
Flagstaff:
Thursday night: unloaded necessary stuff to hostel room, signed up for Grand Canyon tour thing, showered, walked around Flagstaff, which seemed super safe, until we crossed the train tracks (literally) and were immediately accosted by random people. walked to convenience store which was really a liquor store and bought gatorades for the grand canyon, hurried back across the tracks.
Friday: breakfasted with a German couple who'd just finished high school, Grand Canyon tour'ed with them, two girls from Russia, a girl from Korea, an American woman from India...and some others. Tour guide in flip flops and funny sunglasses, which were made fun of by a passing tourist while he was taking a pic of the group. The tourist said, "hey, I can take the picture, so you can get in it too." and the tour guide replied, "No, that's alright, thanks." and the tourist said, "With those sunglasses, you really should get in the picture! Haha, right guys?" to us. Burn.
Anyways, we hiked around the GC for the day and then stopped at the Navajo reservation on our way back. I know I sound blase about the Grand Canyon, but it's hard to describe it. and hopefully it shows up well on the video we took.
Fiday night: got back to the hostel around 7 pm, and we walked downtown and had pizza at a little pizza place, which was delicious. Then we did laundry at the hostel and played pool, while I stole surreptitious looks at the (drunk?) couple dancing to the jukebox in the corner, which was not pretty. The lady would put a song on, and dance (very badly) in front of the guy, who would caress her butt. It was more disturbing bc the lady was asian and middle aged, and the guy was in his 50s. Then sometimes they would dance together, and the guy said at one point, in a sickly sweet voice, "When you smile, your face just lights up..." It was pretty gross.
We left the next morning to go to Roswell, and we ended up getting into Roswell pretty late as well. We had Chili's for dinner that night and walked around the 24 hr Walmart, which was decorated with aliens and UFOs on the outside.
The next morning, we stopped at the UFO museum on our way out of town. Which was awesome, but more kitschy than I had hoped.
We stopped at Lubbock to see Jennifer Stewart! who drove us around in her Blazer.
And then on to Dallas.
Ok, no more about Dallas, since I'll be there for the next 4 years. Suffice it to say that we found Aaron a place to stay out in the boonies, and stayed at a Backpacker's Hostel that was run by a family, and an old Bulgarian man, and there was a kitten that I played with.
Then we stopped in Austin for a night, and me, Aaron, and Elissa went to the Drafthouse, then drinking with Rachel and her horde of friends at Hole in the Wall. Then the next morning, ate lunch at Dog Almighty and then dyed Elissa's hair again. Also, there was a kitten at Elissa's too, who I loved even a little more than the one at the hostel.
Ok, ok, no graceful goodbyes, because this post is way too long, but it just had to be done.
I was excessively happy to see Billy and Lars, and the hermity crab, and...my new Apple laptop. Yes!
The laptop is awesome, though the initial tinkering around phase has been foiled by the fact that I have no internet to connect to. I guess I could connect it to the DSL we have at home, but...why built in wireless unless I use it? I'm thinking about going somewhere with wireless today just to play with it. Oh and also, it's sorta scary playing with it bc it's white and I always have to make sure my fingers are as clean as possible. Urg. New things.
Anyways, the rest of the trip was awesome.
On Wednesday, I walked around Hollywood by myself, resold some DVDs at Amoeba music and traded for a poster and a random CD, and bought some sunglasses, and chilled at the hostel. It was so hot that day they had the inflatable pool outside, where everybody put their feet into while they read or did whatever. I did not, because I felt too self conscious about it, I don't know why.
We left LA at 2:00 pm on Thursday, July 27, which was two days after my last post, and drove to Flagstaff. We had planned to get to Flagstaff around 7pm but didn't make it till 10:30. I ended up driving those last 3 hours or so in the dark, and it was quite scary, with the road being super windy and going into mountains and such, and all the "Caution: Deer" signs, but I have a feeling the scenery would've been awesome if only I could've seen it. Before it got dark, we saw all these plateaus, and I'd really never seen such things in person.
Ok, this is going to have to go to list form, so it won't be ridiculously long.
Flagstaff:
Thursday night: unloaded necessary stuff to hostel room, signed up for Grand Canyon tour thing, showered, walked around Flagstaff, which seemed super safe, until we crossed the train tracks (literally) and were immediately accosted by random people. walked to convenience store which was really a liquor store and bought gatorades for the grand canyon, hurried back across the tracks.
Friday: breakfasted with a German couple who'd just finished high school, Grand Canyon tour'ed with them, two girls from Russia, a girl from Korea, an American woman from India...and some others. Tour guide in flip flops and funny sunglasses, which were made fun of by a passing tourist while he was taking a pic of the group. The tourist said, "hey, I can take the picture, so you can get in it too." and the tour guide replied, "No, that's alright, thanks." and the tourist said, "With those sunglasses, you really should get in the picture! Haha, right guys?" to us. Burn.
Anyways, we hiked around the GC for the day and then stopped at the Navajo reservation on our way back. I know I sound blase about the Grand Canyon, but it's hard to describe it. and hopefully it shows up well on the video we took.
Fiday night: got back to the hostel around 7 pm, and we walked downtown and had pizza at a little pizza place, which was delicious. Then we did laundry at the hostel and played pool, while I stole surreptitious looks at the (drunk?) couple dancing to the jukebox in the corner, which was not pretty. The lady would put a song on, and dance (very badly) in front of the guy, who would caress her butt. It was more disturbing bc the lady was asian and middle aged, and the guy was in his 50s. Then sometimes they would dance together, and the guy said at one point, in a sickly sweet voice, "When you smile, your face just lights up..." It was pretty gross.
We left the next morning to go to Roswell, and we ended up getting into Roswell pretty late as well. We had Chili's for dinner that night and walked around the 24 hr Walmart, which was decorated with aliens and UFOs on the outside.
The next morning, we stopped at the UFO museum on our way out of town. Which was awesome, but more kitschy than I had hoped.
We stopped at Lubbock to see Jennifer Stewart! who drove us around in her Blazer.
And then on to Dallas.
Ok, no more about Dallas, since I'll be there for the next 4 years. Suffice it to say that we found Aaron a place to stay out in the boonies, and stayed at a Backpacker's Hostel that was run by a family, and an old Bulgarian man, and there was a kitten that I played with.
Then we stopped in Austin for a night, and me, Aaron, and Elissa went to the Drafthouse, then drinking with Rachel and her horde of friends at Hole in the Wall. Then the next morning, ate lunch at Dog Almighty and then dyed Elissa's hair again. Also, there was a kitten at Elissa's too, who I loved even a little more than the one at the hostel.
Ok, ok, no graceful goodbyes, because this post is way too long, but it just had to be done.
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
I'm writing this on Aaron's powerbook.
Waiting, waiting, waiting for him to get off work at 2!
Last night, Aaron dropped me off at the hostel (which has no air conditioning! and plastic mattress protectors that stick to my sweaty legs while I sleep) so I could take a shower before leaving again to watch a movie. We walked through the collection of people playing guitar, smoking, talking and generally being very hostel-like, and I leave Aaron sitting in the lobby while I go up to the room.
When I got into the room, I saw that no one was there, so I set my purse on my bed and went into the adjoining bathroom to take the shower. Halfway through, after conditioning and before soapage, the lights go out, along with the fan, and I'm left in the shower, with the water running, in total darkness. If anyone remembers the preview for The Grudge with Sarah Michelle Gellar, I was imagining that ghouly hand reaching through my hair immediately, thinking that this would be the exact time that I would fall prey to exactly such an entity. (I think about that hand even when showering at my own apartment, with all the lights on...so it was a thousand times worse in this strange hostel bathroom.)
And then I worried that it might be a fire. Or an elaborate ploy by a rapist to set me off guard in the darkness. But I continued with the shower (thinking that if it was a fire, Aaron would definitely come and get me). The sound of running water is really freaky in the dark. And I almost pee'ed myself when a car pulled into the parking lot across the street and the glow of its headlights moved eerily through the bathroom.
In any case, I finished the shower, blindly grabbed my towel, and ventured into the room again, which was also pitch black, and felt my way to my purse, where I found my cell phone and turned on the flashlight feature on the phone. Then, I looked out into the hallway and saw that that too, was dark. Then got dressed hurriedly, hair still dripping, and went back downstairs to meet Aaron. Who has his own part of the story, coming up.
Let's see, what else have I done in LA?
-Venice Beach on Saturday, where I longed for a boogie board, but was too cheap to shell out $11 for one, and too lazy to have to lug that thing all the way back to TX as well. We parked a long ways away, and it felt like an authentic hike, because we'd both brought our backpacks and a bunch of stuff...video camera, cameras, extra clothes, etc. It all became quite a burden once we got to the beach and realized we didn't trust leaving it on a towel while we went into the water. But we did eventually get in the water...
We saw a topless girl too.
And found that Venice Beach is called Venice Beach because in the neighborhoods around it, there are actually water ways between the houses, and all the houses have canoes and kayaks.
-Then Sunday, we went to Disneyland, and it rained like the dickens (like charles dickens?) for the first hour or so, and then brightened up.
In line for the Indiana Jones ride, a tour group cut in front of us in line, and just kept going! I was feeling a little pathetic for not saying much about it, but then later saw that they had cut in front of a lot of people, including a group of three large guys. So then I didn't mind as much.
other rides we rode: The Matterhorn, Splash Mountain, Star Tours, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Alice's Teacup ride, It's a Small World, and Space Mountain (which was the best).
On another note...has anyone else noticed that growing up involves writing more and more painfully tactful emails, letters, and general communication? It's giving me a headache, all this tactfulness.
Waiting, waiting, waiting for him to get off work at 2!
Last night, Aaron dropped me off at the hostel (which has no air conditioning! and plastic mattress protectors that stick to my sweaty legs while I sleep) so I could take a shower before leaving again to watch a movie. We walked through the collection of people playing guitar, smoking, talking and generally being very hostel-like, and I leave Aaron sitting in the lobby while I go up to the room.
When I got into the room, I saw that no one was there, so I set my purse on my bed and went into the adjoining bathroom to take the shower. Halfway through, after conditioning and before soapage, the lights go out, along with the fan, and I'm left in the shower, with the water running, in total darkness. If anyone remembers the preview for The Grudge with Sarah Michelle Gellar, I was imagining that ghouly hand reaching through my hair immediately, thinking that this would be the exact time that I would fall prey to exactly such an entity. (I think about that hand even when showering at my own apartment, with all the lights on...so it was a thousand times worse in this strange hostel bathroom.)
And then I worried that it might be a fire. Or an elaborate ploy by a rapist to set me off guard in the darkness. But I continued with the shower (thinking that if it was a fire, Aaron would definitely come and get me). The sound of running water is really freaky in the dark. And I almost pee'ed myself when a car pulled into the parking lot across the street and the glow of its headlights moved eerily through the bathroom.
In any case, I finished the shower, blindly grabbed my towel, and ventured into the room again, which was also pitch black, and felt my way to my purse, where I found my cell phone and turned on the flashlight feature on the phone. Then, I looked out into the hallway and saw that that too, was dark. Then got dressed hurriedly, hair still dripping, and went back downstairs to meet Aaron. Who has his own part of the story, coming up.
Let's see, what else have I done in LA?
-Venice Beach on Saturday, where I longed for a boogie board, but was too cheap to shell out $11 for one, and too lazy to have to lug that thing all the way back to TX as well. We parked a long ways away, and it felt like an authentic hike, because we'd both brought our backpacks and a bunch of stuff...video camera, cameras, extra clothes, etc. It all became quite a burden once we got to the beach and realized we didn't trust leaving it on a towel while we went into the water. But we did eventually get in the water...
We saw a topless girl too.
And found that Venice Beach is called Venice Beach because in the neighborhoods around it, there are actually water ways between the houses, and all the houses have canoes and kayaks.
-Then Sunday, we went to Disneyland, and it rained like the dickens (like charles dickens?) for the first hour or so, and then brightened up.
In line for the Indiana Jones ride, a tour group cut in front of us in line, and just kept going! I was feeling a little pathetic for not saying much about it, but then later saw that they had cut in front of a lot of people, including a group of three large guys. So then I didn't mind as much.
other rides we rode: The Matterhorn, Splash Mountain, Star Tours, Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion, Alice's Teacup ride, It's a Small World, and Space Mountain (which was the best).
On another note...has anyone else noticed that growing up involves writing more and more painfully tactful emails, letters, and general communication? It's giving me a headache, all this tactfulness.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
L.A. in a week!
For right now, I'm just keeping myself busy reading, etc. and playing checkers and chess with Aaron online. (I kick his ass in chess and he kicks mine in checkers...)
I've gotten through some more of the BBC reading list, so that is updated...and then, perhaps I will start on the reading list that my concert-buddy John suggested.
I'm still going through Rancid withdrawals, and as a result I am listening to them as I go to sleep lately.
Things to do before leaving for L.A.:
re-dye hair
and...other things that i should not mention except under the category of "general primping"
For right now, I'm just keeping myself busy reading, etc. and playing checkers and chess with Aaron online. (I kick his ass in chess and he kicks mine in checkers...)
I've gotten through some more of the BBC reading list, so that is updated...and then, perhaps I will start on the reading list that my concert-buddy John suggested.
I'm still going through Rancid withdrawals, and as a result I am listening to them as I go to sleep lately.
Things to do before leaving for L.A.:
re-dye hair
and...other things that i should not mention except under the category of "general primping"
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Today, my last day in Austin...well yesterday was supposed to be the last day, but I just couldn't leave.
So I went the Rancid show tonight as well. highlights: ruby soho, acoustic version of L.F. and the Bastards' Skunx, Radio
they also played: old friend, slavation, 7 years down, olympia wa, an acoustic version of tenderloin, and st. mary.
And, me and Elissa hung out all day--lunch at kerbey lane, and then I dyed a "secret" streak of blue in her hair in remembrance of a childhood book...
But it turned out not so secret. ha.
country accents, the crazy day, cold water, blue tub, sweaty hair (not elissa's, mine), kitten pedophiles.
So I went the Rancid show tonight as well. highlights: ruby soho, acoustic version of L.F. and the Bastards' Skunx, Radio
they also played: old friend, slavation, 7 years down, olympia wa, an acoustic version of tenderloin, and st. mary.
And, me and Elissa hung out all day--lunch at kerbey lane, and then I dyed a "secret" streak of blue in her hair in remembrance of a childhood book...
But it turned out not so secret. ha.
country accents, the crazy day, cold water, blue tub, sweaty hair (not elissa's, mine), kitten pedophiles.
Monday, July 10, 2006
I need a shower so bad right now, my shoes are destroyed, but...Lars signed my arm, and I got to shake Tim Armstrong's hand and he patted me on the back.
Yes!
Yes!
This makes my year.
yipee yipee yipee
Playlist: (not in order, and i'm missing a few from their 1993 cd.)
Time Bomb
Fall Back Down
Sound System by Op Ivy
Gonna Find You by Op Ivy
Roots Radicals
She's Automatic ("no cocks in the pit!")
Tenderloin
The Ballad of Jimmy and Johnny
Nihilism
Black & Blue
Hoover Street
Acoustic:
11th Hour
Wars End
To Have and To Have Not ("this one goes out to Bush!")--> this one's a Motorhead cover done by Lars & the Bastards
Then, back to electric:
Maxwell Murder
Knowledge (op ivy cover)
Sunday, July 9, 2006
Rancid tonight!
It might be lame to wear a band's tshirt to their show, but alas, I am doing it anyway.
I leave for Houston tomorrow, that is if I can get everything packed away in time...things are still a mess. And my definition of mess is quite a bit more than yours, I think.
And then in two weeks I go to LA! Aaron has planned our itinerary through food-related activities. Chili-cheese fries at The Hat, burgers at In and Out, The French Bistro, pastries at Portos bakery and...there must be more. Disney world might be in there somewhere.
And we've finally figured out the itinerary for the road trip: LA to Flagstaff for the Grand Canyon, where we'll stay at a hostel, then to Roswell for the aliens, then to Lubbock to see Jenn1 for lunch, then to Dallas, where we'll stay a couple days looking for a room for Aaron to rent, then maybe leave on time to eat dinner at Polvo's in Austin, and then to Houston for a couple days.
It's going to be awesome, and we just sync'd The Hills Have Eyes, so we'll also be carrying a shotgun for the desert drive.
It might be lame to wear a band's tshirt to their show, but alas, I am doing it anyway.
I leave for Houston tomorrow, that is if I can get everything packed away in time...things are still a mess. And my definition of mess is quite a bit more than yours, I think.
And then in two weeks I go to LA! Aaron has planned our itinerary through food-related activities. Chili-cheese fries at The Hat, burgers at In and Out, The French Bistro, pastries at Portos bakery and...there must be more. Disney world might be in there somewhere.
And we've finally figured out the itinerary for the road trip: LA to Flagstaff for the Grand Canyon, where we'll stay at a hostel, then to Roswell for the aliens, then to Lubbock to see Jenn1 for lunch, then to Dallas, where we'll stay a couple days looking for a room for Aaron to rent, then maybe leave on time to eat dinner at Polvo's in Austin, and then to Houston for a couple days.
It's going to be awesome, and we just sync'd The Hills Have Eyes, so we'll also be carrying a shotgun for the desert drive.
Wednesday, July 5, 2006
So...here's an IM for you all to enjoy. I've always thought it was pretty lame of ppl to post im conversations, but it's the summer and I have nothing to do, and I have finished the thank you notes, gone to target, and done some laundry...and besides, this convo is HI-larious.
It begins with one of me and Aaron's sad little plots to win things from fast food restaurants:
Yarbrough624: if you eat at Mc D's they are having a Pirates game wher eyou can win a convertiable
Yarbrough624: volvo
Yarbrough624: two door
starkrain24: oh oh...
starkrain24: but mcdonald's just makes me hungrier later
Yarbrough624: oh
Yarbrough624: but its a volvo convertable
Yarbrough624: and look coiol
starkrain24: poop...one in a million chance for a car? or to feel full...i don't know, it's a hard choice
Yarbrough624: I think I heard is was 28 cars in 28 days
starkrain24: oh. indeed.
Yarbrough624: I would check first
starkrain24: but dude, think about the millions of mcd's in the world
Yarbrough624: true true
Yarbrough624: but... alas there is a chance... oh, btw we are suckers for this stuff
starkrain24: no kidding i never became la presidente, btw
Yarbrough624: I didnt either and I played that game HARDCORE
Yarbrough624: its sucked didnt win a damn thing
starkrain24: i know
Yarbrough624: we even entered codes other ppl dropped
and so I went online to check the frequency of volvo giveaways.
starkrain24: hey this is wierd--on the mcd's website they have a link that says "i am asian"
starkrain24: wierd...
Yarbrough624: where does the link go...
Yarbrough624: http://www.hell.com/
Yarbrough624: just kidding
starkrain24: scholarships
starkrain24: lol
Yarbrough624: LOKL
starkrain24: fuck that mickey d racism!
Yarbrough624: No way not, scholarships?
Yarbrough624: no way
Yarbrough624: !
starkrain24: yeah seriously
Yarbrough624: hahahhaha
starkrain24: forget the volvo, i'm boycotting for my peeps
Yarbrough624: ok ok, maybe I'll win one for us
Yarbrough624: ;-)
starkrain24: hey you are honorary asian, you can't eat there either
Yarbrough624: really?
Yarbrough624: ok ;-(
starkrain24: oh poo on you
starkrain24: i think the boycotting mcd's is worth the 15 pts of iq you gain
starkrain24: haha just kidding
Yarbrough624: i actually got happy at you knighting me an honorary Asian
starkrain24: don't be mad that's one of my "mexicans on welfare" jokes
starkrain24: cool
starkrain24: i'll have my parents call you up and nag you about going to med school tonight.
Yarbrough624: oh and I knight you an Honorary Honky
So there it is, the only bright spot of my errand-filled day.
The problem is, I still don't know what I feel like for dinner.
It begins with one of me and Aaron's sad little plots to win things from fast food restaurants:
Yarbrough624: if you eat at Mc D's they are having a Pirates game wher eyou can win a convertiable
Yarbrough624: volvo
Yarbrough624: two door
starkrain24: oh oh...
starkrain24: but mcdonald's just makes me hungrier later
Yarbrough624: oh
Yarbrough624: but its a volvo convertable
Yarbrough624: and look coiol
starkrain24: poop...one in a million chance for a car? or to feel full...i don't know, it's a hard choice
Yarbrough624: I think I heard is was 28 cars in 28 days
starkrain24: oh. indeed.
Yarbrough624: I would check first
starkrain24: but dude, think about the millions of mcd's in the world
Yarbrough624: true true
Yarbrough624: but... alas there is a chance... oh, btw we are suckers for this stuff
starkrain24: no kidding i never became la presidente, btw
Yarbrough624: I didnt either and I played that game HARDCORE
Yarbrough624: its sucked didnt win a damn thing
starkrain24: i know
Yarbrough624: we even entered codes other ppl dropped
and so I went online to check the frequency of volvo giveaways.
starkrain24: hey this is wierd--on the mcd's website they have a link that says "i am asian"
starkrain24: wierd...
Yarbrough624: where does the link go...
Yarbrough624: http://www.hell.com/
Yarbrough624: just kidding
starkrain24: scholarships
starkrain24: lol
Yarbrough624: LOKL
starkrain24: fuck that mickey d racism!
Yarbrough624: No way not, scholarships?
Yarbrough624: no way
Yarbrough624: !
starkrain24: yeah seriously
Yarbrough624: hahahhaha
starkrain24: forget the volvo, i'm boycotting for my peeps
Yarbrough624: ok ok, maybe I'll win one for us
Yarbrough624: ;-)
starkrain24: hey you are honorary asian, you can't eat there either
Yarbrough624: really?
Yarbrough624: ok ;-(
starkrain24: oh poo on you
starkrain24: i think the boycotting mcd's is worth the 15 pts of iq you gain
starkrain24: haha just kidding
Yarbrough624: i actually got happy at you knighting me an honorary Asian
starkrain24: don't be mad that's one of my "mexicans on welfare" jokes
starkrain24: cool
starkrain24: i'll have my parents call you up and nag you about going to med school tonight.
Yarbrough624: oh and I knight you an Honorary Honky
So there it is, the only bright spot of my errand-filled day.
The problem is, I still don't know what I feel like for dinner.
to do list:
1. laundry! and this must be dedicated laundry, no putting a load in and then leaving it there for three days. (not that i'd ever do that...of course not!)
2. thank you notes! (I hate making small talk and I hate even more writing polite notes. But they are quite necessary because I am thankful to a lot of people for a lot of things.)
3. target
4. Pack? It seems that the more I pack, the messier everything gets. At this point, I think it would just be easier if I packed as we pack up the U-Haul...oh and that reminds me:
5. make reservation at U-Haul place
I really need to take up some form of exercise. Maybe jumping rope which my dad swears is the best exercise ever...but I feel lame enough jogging in public, I don't think I can bring myself to jump rope in public. yuck.
I saw Snatch tonight, which I liked quite a lot.
Reading a book by Gish Jen (who could be described as Amy Tan for the Generation x-ers). But it sorta sucks, and though she gets some details of "asian-american" life right, the rest of it is sadly, nothing I've experienced. I guess that makes me lucky.
1. laundry! and this must be dedicated laundry, no putting a load in and then leaving it there for three days. (not that i'd ever do that...of course not!)
2. thank you notes! (I hate making small talk and I hate even more writing polite notes. But they are quite necessary because I am thankful to a lot of people for a lot of things.)
3. target
4. Pack? It seems that the more I pack, the messier everything gets. At this point, I think it would just be easier if I packed as we pack up the U-Haul...oh and that reminds me:
5. make reservation at U-Haul place
I really need to take up some form of exercise. Maybe jumping rope which my dad swears is the best exercise ever...but I feel lame enough jogging in public, I don't think I can bring myself to jump rope in public. yuck.
I saw Snatch tonight, which I liked quite a lot.
Reading a book by Gish Jen (who could be described as Amy Tan for the Generation x-ers). But it sorta sucks, and though she gets some details of "asian-american" life right, the rest of it is sadly, nothing I've experienced. I guess that makes me lucky.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Today I got a postcard from Rachel from Greece! It made my day. Also, I went to Herpeton to get some sand for the gerbs, and scored a pack of free treats.
So today was a pretty good day overall, for me and the gerbilies.
Also, it's the 24th, which means on this day, seven years ago, I was a fifteen year old nervously agonizing about whether I should ask Aaron to eat lunch with me. eek. I'm glad I did.
Now, I'm going to go watch Antitrust avec Aaron on the phone.
(four weeks and counting till I'm in L.A.!!!!!)
So today was a pretty good day overall, for me and the gerbilies.
Also, it's the 24th, which means on this day, seven years ago, I was a fifteen year old nervously agonizing about whether I should ask Aaron to eat lunch with me. eek. I'm glad I did.
Now, I'm going to go watch Antitrust avec Aaron on the phone.
(four weeks and counting till I'm in L.A.!!!!!)
Friday, June 23, 2006
man, my schedule is all f-ed up--i'm having frito pie at 2:16 am and talking on im and talking on the phone. What's amazing is there's actually still people up to talk to.
I'm giving up onions and resolving to drink more water. (my frito pie is lacking in zip.)
tonight i watched House of Sand and Fog (which was really good and i think i might read the book) and started reading The Lakehouse. Which is terrible, by the way. If this is the kind of drivel they're feeding to the American public as "the best beach read this summer!" (i actually heard that on the radio) it is a sad state of affairs. But I will finish reading it, still--though I still can't finish Anna Karenina. Very sad. Yes, yes I know this is all pretentious babble, but I miss being an English major already, so let me marinate in it for a while.
Have a book of short stories by Shirley Jackson and a Kazuo Ishiguro book also, next in line.
This summer I'm trying to live like a twelve year old. while also packing up my apartment. I spent $30 and all day today organizing the stuff on just one shelf of my bookshelf. office depot is a total rip-off, but hopefully it will help keep everything organized. So Elissa won't be ashamed of my housekeeping skills anymore. Well...who am I kidding.
I'm giving up onions and resolving to drink more water. (my frito pie is lacking in zip.)
tonight i watched House of Sand and Fog (which was really good and i think i might read the book) and started reading The Lakehouse. Which is terrible, by the way. If this is the kind of drivel they're feeding to the American public as "the best beach read this summer!" (i actually heard that on the radio) it is a sad state of affairs. But I will finish reading it, still--though I still can't finish Anna Karenina. Very sad. Yes, yes I know this is all pretentious babble, but I miss being an English major already, so let me marinate in it for a while.
Have a book of short stories by Shirley Jackson and a Kazuo Ishiguro book also, next in line.
This summer I'm trying to live like a twelve year old. while also packing up my apartment. I spent $30 and all day today organizing the stuff on just one shelf of my bookshelf. office depot is a total rip-off, but hopefully it will help keep everything organized. So Elissa won't be ashamed of my housekeeping skills anymore. Well...who am I kidding.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Go to http://wip.warnerbros.com/ascannerdarkly/, click enter site, then go to the links at the top left of the page, and click on Room 203 to play the game that Aaron designed for his company...
Ok, I know that's complicated, but it's awesome. He wrote all the questions and everything. There's even hidden numbers, like Chris Carter put into the X-files.
Books that I finished in the last two weeks:
Chris Crutcher's The Sledding Hill: didn't live up to his other books...but he does admit he has writer's block so at least he knows it.
a Robert Cormier book: disturbing as always, and I hated the title so I will not mention it here.
Alex Garland's The Beach: there's no way to describe how amazing this book is. I'll be reading it on every trip I take for the rest of my life.
Alex Garland's The Tesseract and The Coma: doesn't stand up to the beach, though one of them's also about thailand. But still good. I'm in the middle of reading The Coma to Aaron.
And up next:
A Brave New World by A.H. (courtesy of Aaron B.) and Terry Pratchett's Soul Music (i always thought Terry Pratchett was a black ethnic author, probably bc of this title, but instead, she's the exact opposite, writing sci-fi for skinny white boys.)
(edit: she's a he...and the book did not interest me, so i didn't finish it. 6.23.06)
Also, Alice Hoffman's The Ice Queen which I bought at Border's today with Elissa.
currently listening to: clap your hands say yeah!
i am not looking for indie street cred here, seeing as every toy-joy shopping, wheatsville-coop loving austinite has been talking about this band since a year ago. just saying.
a list of words that i hate: tender, purse, dumpling.
is there a commonality to all these words? a phoneme, or whatever?? perhaps the "uh" sound. anyways, just hearing these makes me cringe. And yes, the robert cormier book title is within these.
ok, enough randomness. have fun deciphering that.
Ok, I know that's complicated, but it's awesome. He wrote all the questions and everything. There's even hidden numbers, like Chris Carter put into the X-files.
Books that I finished in the last two weeks:
Chris Crutcher's The Sledding Hill: didn't live up to his other books...but he does admit he has writer's block so at least he knows it.
a Robert Cormier book: disturbing as always, and I hated the title so I will not mention it here.
Alex Garland's The Beach: there's no way to describe how amazing this book is. I'll be reading it on every trip I take for the rest of my life.
Alex Garland's The Tesseract and The Coma: doesn't stand up to the beach, though one of them's also about thailand. But still good. I'm in the middle of reading The Coma to Aaron.
And up next:
A Brave New World by A.H. (courtesy of Aaron B.) and Terry Pratchett's Soul Music (i always thought Terry Pratchett was a black ethnic author, probably bc of this title, but instead, she's the exact opposite, writing sci-fi for skinny white boys.)
(edit: she's a he...and the book did not interest me, so i didn't finish it. 6.23.06)
Also, Alice Hoffman's The Ice Queen which I bought at Border's today with Elissa.
currently listening to: clap your hands say yeah!
i am not looking for indie street cred here, seeing as every toy-joy shopping, wheatsville-coop loving austinite has been talking about this band since a year ago. just saying.
a list of words that i hate: tender, purse, dumpling.
is there a commonality to all these words? a phoneme, or whatever?? perhaps the "uh" sound. anyways, just hearing these makes me cringe. And yes, the robert cormier book title is within these.
ok, enough randomness. have fun deciphering that.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
I have a confession to make...I don't get along with my parents. Yes, I'm twelve and angst-ridden.
People my age, when asked about their parents, always say, "Oh, I love my parents, we get along great!" as if it's become uncool to argue with them anymore.
But my guess is, you all started getting along with their parents once said parents started having no say on how you live your life. Either that, or your parents were one of those who believed in being best friends! with their kids.
Well, neither of those apply to me--my parents still pay for my livelihood, and they are nobody's best friends, much less their kids'.
And I still feel guilty and ashamed everytime I fight with them, like it's some inborn trait, guilt. Even if the issue is something that I know they're wrong about, I always have that doubt in the back of my mind about whether I'm really right or not. Ugh, parents. Once I convince my subconscious that they are just people, after all, and just as capable of being wrong as any other person (my conscious knows this quite well) I'm sure all the problems will stop.
On a less annoying note, I went to Dallas this weekend. Apartment-hunting and all that. Which would have been much improved if Aaron was here. But the good news is I saw plenty of Blockbusters and Taco C's and Borders. Which made me feel much better about life in general. I am very much a child of capitalism, and I don't mind admitting it.
People my age, when asked about their parents, always say, "Oh, I love my parents, we get along great!" as if it's become uncool to argue with them anymore.
But my guess is, you all started getting along with their parents once said parents started having no say on how you live your life. Either that, or your parents were one of those who believed in being best friends! with their kids.
Well, neither of those apply to me--my parents still pay for my livelihood, and they are nobody's best friends, much less their kids'.
And I still feel guilty and ashamed everytime I fight with them, like it's some inborn trait, guilt. Even if the issue is something that I know they're wrong about, I always have that doubt in the back of my mind about whether I'm really right or not. Ugh, parents. Once I convince my subconscious that they are just people, after all, and just as capable of being wrong as any other person (my conscious knows this quite well) I'm sure all the problems will stop.
On a less annoying note, I went to Dallas this weekend. Apartment-hunting and all that. Which would have been much improved if Aaron was here. But the good news is I saw plenty of Blockbusters and Taco C's and Borders. Which made me feel much better about life in general. I am very much a child of capitalism, and I don't mind admitting it.
Friday, June 2, 2006
I took this reading list from my sister, and she took it from BBC.
The ones in blue-green I've already read, the red ones are the ones next in line. The yellow ones I will probably never get to, with an explanation why.
edit: the purple ones are newly read.
1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien --I could cheat and say I've read this, but I got stuck in one of the many battle scenes near the end and stopped reading it. One of the few books (perhaps the only) that I started and never finished. Well, maybe one day if I can find my copy I will finish, but not in the near future.
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne--if this is short, I might give it a read at the library. But I think I might have read it while I was a kid, and anyways, I'm not a huge fan of Winnie the Pooh.
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller - I know Elissa has a copy of this that I just might borrow. I've wanted to read it ever since my freshman year of high school when the seniors read it for their English class and Sidney Edward always had a copy around...
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson: "A must for 7 to 11 year olds," says Amazon.com. Maybe.
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute: A book about Australia and WWII. I'm surprised I haven't already read it for one of Graham's classes.
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert: You know, it's wierd--one of the most famous science-fiction books and I couldn't get into it. So it's a probably not.
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams - about rabbits, or some such, right?
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald - ppl keep recommending it to me, but I have 'The Aviator' Syndrome. The more I hear about it the more contrary I feel. But I'm going to get over it. (6.23.06 I read this, expecting to feel inexplicably guilty for not agreeing with everyone else about how great it was. But I was surprised, and really enjoyed it. Fitz. succeeded in explaining all kinds of fleeting, inexplicable feelings in it.)
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King: if i'm not mistaken, this contains one shockingly anti-feminist remark. and i'm not super feminist either. but i'll go back and check that, just to give old s.k. reasonable doubt.
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy: Ok, so Lord of the Rings wasn't the only one. This book is sitting on the nightstand next to my bed, and I'm at a perpetual half-way through.
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell: Does Children's Illustrated Abridged version count? It better, bc I probably won't read it again.
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden: I was just talking to Elissa last night about this. I'm going to try it out, even though a white man writing about asian women's sexuality makes me nauseous.
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton: "Ages 9-12." Maybe.
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett: So many Terry Pratchett books on this list, I wonder if BBC... NO! BBC couldn't be so dishonorable. haha. I have no idea. But since she writes science fiction, this is one I'll start with. Maybe she'll satisfy my craving for more MMS.
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley: quite good, and i can't believe they haven't made a movie of this...it's like the birth mother of gattaca, the island and all those...with a touch of 1984 thrown in, esp. near the end.
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons: I saw the movie and it was bizarre. How in the world did the book do it?
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie
101. Three Men In A Boat, Jerome K. Jerome
102. Small Gods, Terry Pratchett
103. The Beach, Alex Garland: the movie was like Lord of the Flies, but with adults. It was awesome. Done. It was great.
104. Dracula, Bram Stoker
105. Point Blanc, Anthony Horowitz
106. The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens
107. Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz
108. The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks
109. The Day Of The Jackal, Frederick Forsyth
110. The Illustrated Mum, Jacqueline Wilson: good youth fiction...about tattoos! and bipolar-ism
111. Jude The Obscure, Thomas Hardy
112. The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾, Sue Townsend: sounds right up my alley.
113. The Cruel Sea, Nicholas Monsarrat
114. Les Misérables, Victor Hugo
115. The Mayor Of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy
116. The Dare Game, Jacqueline Wilson
117. Bad Girls, Jacqueline Wilson
118. The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
119. Shogun, James Clavell
120. The Day Of The Triffids, John Wyndham
121. Lola Rose, Jacqueline Wilson
122. Vanity Fair, William Makepeace Thackeray
123. The Forsyte Saga, John Galsworthy
124. House Of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski
125. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
126. Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett
127. Angus, Thongs And Full-Frontal Snogging, Louise Rennison
128. The Hound Of The Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle
129. Possession, A. S. Byatt
130. The Master And Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov
131. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood
132. Danny The Champion Of The World, Roald Dahl
133. East Of Eden, John Steinbeck
134. George's Marvellous Medicine, Roald Dahl
135. Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett
136. The Color Purple, Alice Walker
137. Hogfather, Terry Pratchett
138. The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan
139. Girls In Tears, Jacqueline Wilson
140. Sleepovers, Jacqueline Wilson
141. All Quiet On The Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque
142. Behind The Scenes At The Museum, Kate Atkinson
143. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby
144. It, Stephen King
145. James And The Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
146. The Green Mile, Stephen King
147. Papillon, Henri Charriere
148. Men At Arms, Terry Pratchett
149. Master And Commander, Patrick O'Brian: wow, I bet I can get Aaron to read this as well. It's one of his favorite movies.
150. Skeleton Key, Anthony Horowitz: terrible youth fiction...about spies. wierd pride about Britain being more hard-hearted about putting kids in danger than Americans.
151. Soul Music, Terry Pratchett
152. Thief Of Time, Terry Pratchett
153. The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett
154. Atonement, Ian McEwan
155. Secrets, Jacqueline Wilson
156. The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier
157. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey
158. Heart Of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
159. Kim, Rudyard Kipling
160. Cross Stitch, Diana Gabaldon
161. Moby Dick, Herman Melville
162. River God, Wilbur Smith
163. Sunset Song, Lewis Grassic Gibbon
164. The Shipping News, Annie Proulx
165. The World According To Garp, John Irving
166. Lorna Doone, R. D. Blackmore
167. Girls Out Late, Jacqueline Wilson
168. The Far Pavilions, M. M. Kaye
169. The Witches, Roald Dahl
170. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White
171. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
172. They Used To Play On Grass, Terry Venables and Gordon Williams
173. The Old Man And The Sea, Ernest Hemingway
174. The Name Of The Rose, Umberto Eco
175. Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder
176. Dustbin Baby, Jacqueline Wilson
177. Fantastic Mr Fox, Roald Dahl
178. Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
179. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Richard Bach
180. The Little Prince, Antoine De Saint-Exupery
181. The Suitcase Kid, Jacqueline Wilson
182. Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens
183. The Power Of One, Bryce Courtenay
184. Silas Marner, George Eliot
185. American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis
186. The Diary Of A Nobody, George and Weedon Grossmith
187. Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh
188. Goosebumps, R. L. Stine
189. Heidi, Johanna Spyri
190. Sons And Lovers, D. H. Lawrence
191. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
192. Man And Boy, Tony Parsons
193. The Truth, Terry Pratchett
194. The War Of The Worlds, H. G. Wells
195. The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas Evans: This book, I thought, was lame. I dislike sticky-sweet books. But maybe I'm remembering it too harshly.
196. A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
197. Witches Abroad, Terry Pratchett
198. The Once And Future King, T. H. White
199. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle
200. Flowers In The Attic, Virginia Andrews: This was awesome! And even Aaron liked it. Though to be sure, it disturbed us all. But I'm so impressed that BBC saw through it's wierdness and put it on the list. It's this day and age's Lolita, I'd say.
Ok I must leave for the library. Yipee!
The Coma, Alex Garland: I liked this book a lot.
The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kim Edwards: Typical wanna-be politically correct fare. Good at the beginning, perhaps, but ridiculous near the end. Paris? for heaven's sake. Not chic-lit, but close--women's lit, for all those Oprah reading clubs popping up in suburban living rooms around the country.
Ender's Game, Orson Scott Wells: I agree with Aaron B. that space-set sci-fi sucks typically, but for me this book was an exception. Aaron my bf surprised me with it, and it was nothing short of amazing. I love discovering new authors and this one's almost as good as Michael Marshall Smith.
Finding Alice, Melody Carlson: schizophrenia scares me. good book though, i liked it even if it was a little to hopeful in the end.
The ones in blue-green I've already read, the red ones are the ones next in line. The yellow ones I will probably never get to, with an explanation why.
edit: the purple ones are newly read.
1. The Lord of the Rings, JRR Tolkien --I could cheat and say I've read this, but I got stuck in one of the many battle scenes near the end and stopped reading it. One of the few books (perhaps the only) that I started and never finished. Well, maybe one day if I can find my copy I will finish, but not in the near future.
2. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
3. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman
4. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, Douglas Adams
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, JK Rowling
6. To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
7. Winnie the Pooh, AA Milne--if this is short, I might give it a read at the library. But I think I might have read it while I was a kid, and anyways, I'm not a huge fan of Winnie the Pooh.
8. Nineteen Eighty-Four, George Orwell
9. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis
10. Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë
11. Catch-22, Joseph Heller - I know Elissa has a copy of this that I just might borrow. I've wanted to read it ever since my freshman year of high school when the seniors read it for their English class and Sidney Edward always had a copy around...
12. Wuthering Heights, Emily Brontë
13. Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks
14. Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
15. The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger
16. The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame
17. Great Expectations, Charles Dickens
18. Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
19. Captain Corelli's Mandolin, Louis de Bernieres
20. War and Peace, Leo Tolstoy
21. Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell
22. Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone, JK Rowling
23. Harry Potter And The Chamber Of Secrets, JK Rowling
24. Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban, JK Rowling
25. The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien
26. Tess Of The D'Urbervilles, Thomas Hardy
27. Middlemarch, George Eliot
28. A Prayer For Owen Meany, John Irving
29. The Grapes Of Wrath, John Steinbeck
30. Alice's Adventures In Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
31. The Story Of Tracy Beaker, Jacqueline Wilson: "A must for 7 to 11 year olds," says Amazon.com. Maybe.
32. One Hundred Years Of Solitude, Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez
33. The Pillars Of The Earth, Ken Follett
34. David Copperfield, Charles Dickens
35. Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Roald Dahl
36. Treasure Island, Robert Louis Stevenson
37. A Town Like Alice, Nevil Shute: A book about Australia and WWII. I'm surprised I haven't already read it for one of Graham's classes.
38. Persuasion, Jane Austen
39. Dune, Frank Herbert: You know, it's wierd--one of the most famous science-fiction books and I couldn't get into it. So it's a probably not.
40. Emma, Jane Austen
41. Anne Of Green Gables, LM Montgomery
42. Watership Down, Richard Adams - about rabbits, or some such, right?
43. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald - ppl keep recommending it to me, but I have 'The Aviator' Syndrome. The more I hear about it the more contrary I feel. But I'm going to get over it. (6.23.06 I read this, expecting to feel inexplicably guilty for not agreeing with everyone else about how great it was. But I was surprised, and really enjoyed it. Fitz. succeeded in explaining all kinds of fleeting, inexplicable feelings in it.)
44. The Count Of Monte Cristo, Alexandre Dumas
45. Brideshead Revisited, Evelyn Waugh
46. Animal Farm, George Orwell
47. A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens
48. Far From The Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy
49. Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
50. The Shell Seekers, Rosamunde Pilcher
51. The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
52. Of Mice And Men, John Steinbeck
53. The Stand, Stephen King: if i'm not mistaken, this contains one shockingly anti-feminist remark. and i'm not super feminist either. but i'll go back and check that, just to give old s.k. reasonable doubt.
54. Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy: Ok, so Lord of the Rings wasn't the only one. This book is sitting on the nightstand next to my bed, and I'm at a perpetual half-way through.
55. A Suitable Boy, Vikram Seth
56. The BFG, Roald Dahl
57. Swallows And Amazons, Arthur Ransome
58. Black Beauty, Anna Sewell: Does Children's Illustrated Abridged version count? It better, bc I probably won't read it again.
59. Artemis Fowl, Eoin Colfer
60. Crime And Punishment, Fyodor Dostoyevsky
61. Noughts And Crosses, Malorie Blackman
62. Memoirs Of A Geisha, Arthur Golden: I was just talking to Elissa last night about this. I'm going to try it out, even though a white man writing about asian women's sexuality makes me nauseous.
63. A Tale Of Two Cities, Charles Dickens
64. The Thorn Birds, Colleen McCollough
65. Mort, Terry Pratchett
66. The Magic Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton: "Ages 9-12." Maybe.
67. The Magus, John Fowles
68. Good Omens, Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
69. Guards! Guards!, Terry Pratchett
70. Lord Of The Flies, William Golding
71. Perfume, Patrick Süskind
72. The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists, Robert Tressell
73. Night Watch, Terry Pratchett: So many Terry Pratchett books on this list, I wonder if BBC... NO! BBC couldn't be so dishonorable. haha. I have no idea. But since she writes science fiction, this is one I'll start with. Maybe she'll satisfy my craving for more MMS.
74. Matilda, Roald Dahl
75. Bridget Jones's Diary, Helen Fielding
76. The Secret History, Donna Tartt
77. The Woman In White, Wilkie Collins
78. Ulysses, James Joyce
79. Bleak House, Charles Dickens
80. Double Act, Jacqueline Wilson
81. The Twits, Roald Dahl
82. I Capture The Castle, Dodie Smith
83. Holes, Louis Sachar
84. Gormenghast, Mervyn Peake
85. The God Of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
86. Vicky Angel, Jacqueline Wilson
87. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley: quite good, and i can't believe they haven't made a movie of this...it's like the birth mother of gattaca, the island and all those...with a touch of 1984 thrown in, esp. near the end.
88. Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons: I saw the movie and it was bizarre. How in the world did the book do it?
89. Magician, Raymond E Feist
90. On The Road, Jack Kerouac
91. The Godfather, Mario Puzo
92. The Clan Of The Cave Bear, Jean M Auel
93. The Colour Of Magic, Terry Pratchett
94. The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho
95. Katherine, Anya Seton
96. Kane And Abel, Jeffrey Archer
97. Love In The Time Of Cholera, Gabriel GarcÃa Márquez
98. Girls In Love, Jacqueline Wilson
99. The Princess Diaries, Meg Cabot
100. Midnight's Children, Salman Rushdie
101. Three Men In A Boat, Jerome K. Jerome
102. Small Gods, Terry Pratchett
103. The Beach, Alex Garland: the movie was like Lord of the Flies, but with adults. It was awesome. Done. It was great.
104. Dracula, Bram Stoker
105. Point Blanc, Anthony Horowitz
106. The Pickwick Papers, Charles Dickens
107. Stormbreaker, Anthony Horowitz
108. The Wasp Factory, Iain Banks
109. The Day Of The Jackal, Frederick Forsyth
110. The Illustrated Mum, Jacqueline Wilson: good youth fiction...about tattoos! and bipolar-ism
111. Jude The Obscure, Thomas Hardy
112. The Secret Diary Of Adrian Mole Aged 13¾, Sue Townsend: sounds right up my alley.
113. The Cruel Sea, Nicholas Monsarrat
114. Les Misérables, Victor Hugo
115. The Mayor Of Casterbridge, Thomas Hardy
116. The Dare Game, Jacqueline Wilson
117. Bad Girls, Jacqueline Wilson
118. The Picture Of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde
119. Shogun, James Clavell
120. The Day Of The Triffids, John Wyndham
121. Lola Rose, Jacqueline Wilson
122. Vanity Fair, William Makepeace Thackeray
123. The Forsyte Saga, John Galsworthy
124. House Of Leaves, Mark Z. Danielewski
125. The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
126. Reaper Man, Terry Pratchett
127. Angus, Thongs And Full-Frontal Snogging, Louise Rennison
128. The Hound Of The Baskervilles, Arthur Conan Doyle
129. Possession, A. S. Byatt
130. The Master And Margarita, Mikhail Bulgakov
131. The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood
132. Danny The Champion Of The World, Roald Dahl
133. East Of Eden, John Steinbeck
134. George's Marvellous Medicine, Roald Dahl
135. Wyrd Sisters, Terry Pratchett
136. The Color Purple, Alice Walker
137. Hogfather, Terry Pratchett
138. The Thirty-Nine Steps, John Buchan
139. Girls In Tears, Jacqueline Wilson
140. Sleepovers, Jacqueline Wilson
141. All Quiet On The Western Front, Erich Maria Remarque
142. Behind The Scenes At The Museum, Kate Atkinson
143. High Fidelity, Nick Hornby
144. It, Stephen King
145. James And The Giant Peach, Roald Dahl
146. The Green Mile, Stephen King
147. Papillon, Henri Charriere
148. Men At Arms, Terry Pratchett
149. Master And Commander, Patrick O'Brian: wow, I bet I can get Aaron to read this as well. It's one of his favorite movies.
150. Skeleton Key, Anthony Horowitz: terrible youth fiction...about spies. wierd pride about Britain being more hard-hearted about putting kids in danger than Americans.
151. Soul Music, Terry Pratchett
152. Thief Of Time, Terry Pratchett
153. The Fifth Elephant, Terry Pratchett
154. Atonement, Ian McEwan
155. Secrets, Jacqueline Wilson
156. The Silver Sword, Ian Serraillier
157. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey
158. Heart Of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
159. Kim, Rudyard Kipling
160. Cross Stitch, Diana Gabaldon
161. Moby Dick, Herman Melville
162. River God, Wilbur Smith
163. Sunset Song, Lewis Grassic Gibbon
164. The Shipping News, Annie Proulx
165. The World According To Garp, John Irving
166. Lorna Doone, R. D. Blackmore
167. Girls Out Late, Jacqueline Wilson
168. The Far Pavilions, M. M. Kaye
169. The Witches, Roald Dahl
170. Charlotte's Web, E. B. White
171. Frankenstein, Mary Shelley
172. They Used To Play On Grass, Terry Venables and Gordon Williams
173. The Old Man And The Sea, Ernest Hemingway
174. The Name Of The Rose, Umberto Eco
175. Sophie's World, Jostein Gaarder
176. Dustbin Baby, Jacqueline Wilson
177. Fantastic Mr Fox, Roald Dahl
178. Lolita, Vladimir Nabokov
179. Jonathan Livingstone Seagull, Richard Bach
180. The Little Prince, Antoine De Saint-Exupery
181. The Suitcase Kid, Jacqueline Wilson
182. Oliver Twist, Charles Dickens
183. The Power Of One, Bryce Courtenay
184. Silas Marner, George Eliot
185. American Psycho, Bret Easton Ellis
186. The Diary Of A Nobody, George and Weedon Grossmith
187. Trainspotting, Irvine Welsh
188. Goosebumps, R. L. Stine
189. Heidi, Johanna Spyri
190. Sons And Lovers, D. H. Lawrence
191. The Unbearable Lightness of Being, Milan Kundera
192. Man And Boy, Tony Parsons
193. The Truth, Terry Pratchett
194. The War Of The Worlds, H. G. Wells
195. The Horse Whisperer, Nicholas Evans: This book, I thought, was lame. I dislike sticky-sweet books. But maybe I'm remembering it too harshly.
196. A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
197. Witches Abroad, Terry Pratchett
198. The Once And Future King, T. H. White
199. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle
200. Flowers In The Attic, Virginia Andrews: This was awesome! And even Aaron liked it. Though to be sure, it disturbed us all. But I'm so impressed that BBC saw through it's wierdness and put it on the list. It's this day and age's Lolita, I'd say.
Ok I must leave for the library. Yipee!
The Coma, Alex Garland: I liked this book a lot.
The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kim Edwards: Typical wanna-be politically correct fare. Good at the beginning, perhaps, but ridiculous near the end. Paris? for heaven's sake. Not chic-lit, but close--women's lit, for all those Oprah reading clubs popping up in suburban living rooms around the country.
Ender's Game, Orson Scott Wells: I agree with Aaron B. that space-set sci-fi sucks typically, but for me this book was an exception. Aaron my bf surprised me with it, and it was nothing short of amazing. I love discovering new authors and this one's almost as good as Michael Marshall Smith.
Finding Alice, Melody Carlson: schizophrenia scares me. good book though, i liked it even if it was a little to hopeful in the end.
Wednesday, May 31, 2006
The question “Do you have to wake up early again tomorrow morning?” is beautiful in that it implies such continuity. I overheard it at HEB.
I am enjoying the mundane details of life—-shopping at HEB in a ratty t-shirt and slip-on cons, movies rented to watch on the phone, and Elissa’s chocolate chip toffee cookies in a zip-lock bag sitting on my couch. And maybe a video game download to play tomorrow or a bike ride.
I am enjoying the mundane details of life—-shopping at HEB in a ratty t-shirt and slip-on cons, movies rented to watch on the phone, and Elissa’s chocolate chip toffee cookies in a zip-lock bag sitting on my couch. And maybe a video game download to play tomorrow or a bike ride.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Tuesday, May 23, 2006
I just got pink streaks in my hair!
I like it a lot. But now my towels and pillowcases shall be stained lightly pink indefinitely.
And I already want to wash my hair, but I can't! not for 2 more days.
I get to see Aaron in three days. We are wasting a lot of the wknd by going down to Houston, but it's my sister's graduation...
I hate graduations, especially my own. Or rather, I hate the idea of graduations, so much ceremony for something that should be enough by itself. But I had fun at mine, because I hung out with the people who were in my thesis class last semester, and it was nice.
And I got to be one of the first people to walk across the stage, because of my thesis-writer status.
I really need to get down to the library. There's one right down the street, that I can bike to, but now I think I might have to conserve sweat, seeing as I can't wash my hair. Urg. I might just wash it anyways.
Three days cannot pass quickly enough.
I like it a lot. But now my towels and pillowcases shall be stained lightly pink indefinitely.
And I already want to wash my hair, but I can't! not for 2 more days.
I get to see Aaron in three days. We are wasting a lot of the wknd by going down to Houston, but it's my sister's graduation...
I hate graduations, especially my own. Or rather, I hate the idea of graduations, so much ceremony for something that should be enough by itself. But I had fun at mine, because I hung out with the people who were in my thesis class last semester, and it was nice.
And I got to be one of the first people to walk across the stage, because of my thesis-writer status.
I really need to get down to the library. There's one right down the street, that I can bike to, but now I think I might have to conserve sweat, seeing as I can't wash my hair. Urg. I might just wash it anyways.
Three days cannot pass quickly enough.
Friday, May 19, 2006
Today I went towards campus, tried to pay my electric bill but when I got there found that the one thing I could not find in my backpack was 50 cents for the paying fee at the Co-op.
But anyways, had Taco Bell with Rachel on the porch of her house, and thought about graduation and future plans (not big life plans, but just next-couple-of-months plans). Then I biked over to the Yellow Bike place to volunteer, which was awkward at first, but I learned a lot. How to take apart and put together a bike wheel, for one. My hands smell like grease, but it was nice to escape my brain for a while.
New books to read: A Northern Light, and Saul and Patsy.
It's so much harder these days to pick a book to read. I miss Scholastic book club days when they would pass out the sheets at school and I checked off what I wanted, and then waited for the wonderful day when the books would arrive.
But up next, are some other books by Natalie Babbitt, which I will have to hunt out at half-price or something. Maybe a library--this is getting expensive. But I just hate to go to a normal Austin public library when I've lived off of the PCL for so long.
But anyways, had Taco Bell with Rachel on the porch of her house, and thought about graduation and future plans (not big life plans, but just next-couple-of-months plans). Then I biked over to the Yellow Bike place to volunteer, which was awkward at first, but I learned a lot. How to take apart and put together a bike wheel, for one. My hands smell like grease, but it was nice to escape my brain for a while.
New books to read: A Northern Light, and Saul and Patsy.
It's so much harder these days to pick a book to read. I miss Scholastic book club days when they would pass out the sheets at school and I checked off what I wanted, and then waited for the wonderful day when the books would arrive.
But up next, are some other books by Natalie Babbitt, which I will have to hunt out at half-price or something. Maybe a library--this is getting expensive. But I just hate to go to a normal Austin public library when I've lived off of the PCL for so long.
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
Today was my last day of work. I will miss it, in a way...it did feel a little sad packing away my coffee cup which I used all of 3(?) times.
I'm sick of the way I blog. I must buy some new-type books so as to immerse myself in a much hipper way of talking. I've read too much Stephen King lately. Man, am I done with that for a while. Unless Aaron finishes his copy of Cell soon.
this summer should be:
bikes!
road trip!
books!
spanish class!
Everything is ending.
Right now, I'm just waiting to see who I become. And to hurry it along, I'm getting a haircut next week (after graduation, for the sake of my poor parents who want normal graduation pics) and dying it with pink streaks.
I saw this yesterday, and it made me nauseous and thankful at the same time.
I'm sick of the way I blog. I must buy some new-type books so as to immerse myself in a much hipper way of talking. I've read too much Stephen King lately. Man, am I done with that for a while. Unless Aaron finishes his copy of Cell soon.
this summer should be:
bikes!
road trip!
books!
spanish class!
Everything is ending.
Right now, I'm just waiting to see who I become. And to hurry it along, I'm getting a haircut next week (after graduation, for the sake of my poor parents who want normal graduation pics) and dying it with pink streaks.
I saw this yesterday, and it made me nauseous and thankful at the same time.
Saturday, May 13, 2006
I finished finals today. I think I did well, and boy did I kick the shit out of that one notecard we could bring in to help us. It's strangely satisfying to have something so full of information, in such a small package. At this point, I think I would be able to transcribe War and Peace on a handy 3x5 notecard.
Ok enough nerd talk.
I was really unhappy with how my life was going, so I decided to change it. This summer, I'm staying in Austin in my nice little apartment, taking that Spanish class I ended up not being able to take this semester, and perhaps working at a half-price books or something. I really wish that half-price was still open on the drag.
But I'm glad about the Spanish class. I think I would've always felt one class behind if I didn't make it up. Besides, I gotta stay around for the Rancid show in July--by the way, anyone interested in going?
I heard a Ministry song today, it started like this:
"Soon I discovered that this rock thing was true
Jerry Lee Lewis was the devil..."
It was great.
And Jerry Lee Lewis really was the devil--he married his 14 yr old cousin. I think.
Ok enough nerd talk.
I was really unhappy with how my life was going, so I decided to change it. This summer, I'm staying in Austin in my nice little apartment, taking that Spanish class I ended up not being able to take this semester, and perhaps working at a half-price books or something. I really wish that half-price was still open on the drag.
But I'm glad about the Spanish class. I think I would've always felt one class behind if I didn't make it up. Besides, I gotta stay around for the Rancid show in July--by the way, anyone interested in going?
I heard a Ministry song today, it started like this:
"Soon I discovered that this rock thing was true
Jerry Lee Lewis was the devil..."
It was great.
And Jerry Lee Lewis really was the devil--he married his 14 yr old cousin. I think.
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
I want to go somewhere far away where the streetlights still look mysterious.
I am dissatisfied.
And also thinking about learning how to tattoo on cadavers. Perhaps the only perk...of you know what. (of being a serial killer?)
I think I might be a bum trapped in the body of a middle-class girl. I want to meet someone who could care less about everyone else's "big plan."
Everyone else is excited about what they'll be doing job-wise and all, but all I'm looking forward to are bike rides at night and midnight movies.
Which to me, sounds a lot better than looking forward to an office and hour-lunches.
Let's stall reality as long as possible.
By the way, my hermit crab changes shells so often he's like a human with a closet.
And yesterday Billy Idol escaped the cage and ran all the way to the back room to say hi to me while I was writing my paper. He slipped and slided across the linoleum floor of the kitchen.
I am dissatisfied.
And also thinking about learning how to tattoo on cadavers. Perhaps the only perk...of you know what. (of being a serial killer?)
I think I might be a bum trapped in the body of a middle-class girl. I want to meet someone who could care less about everyone else's "big plan."
Everyone else is excited about what they'll be doing job-wise and all, but all I'm looking forward to are bike rides at night and midnight movies.
Which to me, sounds a lot better than looking forward to an office and hour-lunches.
Let's stall reality as long as possible.
By the way, my hermit crab changes shells so often he's like a human with a closet.
And yesterday Billy Idol escaped the cage and ran all the way to the back room to say hi to me while I was writing my paper. He slipped and slided across the linoleum floor of the kitchen.
Tuesday, May 9, 2006
I finally finished off all the little odds and ends of my thesis--got it bound, did my presentation of it, etc. (The presentation went as well as could be expected, seeing as the presenter was me.)
Now if only I could finish this WWI paper, I would be free to study for my final on Friday, and then I'm done.
A friend is coming up from Houston this weekend. I can't wait--the drafthouse, dog almighty, and a lot of drinking.
Things have felt wierd for a while now, but hopefully it will get better soon.
Now if only I could finish this WWI paper, I would be free to study for my final on Friday, and then I'm done.
A friend is coming up from Houston this weekend. I can't wait--the drafthouse, dog almighty, and a lot of drinking.
Things have felt wierd for a while now, but hopefully it will get better soon.
Tuesday, May 2, 2006
I don't know what it is about these past few days, but I am so geared up! I am restless, and no one is available to take my hyperness out on. I need some physical contact!!! It's killing me.
Anyways, my Gypsy paper due date was extended till Monday, and I was so relieved I got a headache. A good headache, though. In a way.
So I've been chilling out all day. Which is probably not a good thing, bc I still have a lot to do.
Anyways, I'm going to stop bothering ppl to go out with me. But just to let you know, if anyone out there feels like living it up, you know where to find me. I know it's finals week. Don't you think I know?? I can't help how I feel.
Truth is, I could go drinking with some people tonight at the Dog and Duck. But I don't know...should I??
Things I've been thinking about:
-Aaron's ridiculously uncanny impression of that song by James Blunt--You're Beautiful. The way he scrunches up his face when he sings it...priceless. At first I thought that song really sucked. But now, at least it's good for comic relief.
-The soup at Le Madeleine. yum...
-How I've been in Austin for four years, and only now do I feel ready to go out and have fun. The thing is, I find that I'm a pretty outgoing person. It's just that the last three years, my need for fun has been fully satisfied by Aaron and his antics. Well soon it will be again, so I'm just waiting for that day.
Actually, I've always had the tendency of taking about four years to get used to places, and then, once I start feeling really comfortable, I have to leave. The same thing happened senior year of high school. I started talking to Jennifer Stewart, and it was like, why haven't we been talking for the last couple of years?! And there were a couple other ppl like that also.
-Possible road trip! End of July, CA to TX, with all of Aaron's stuff piled in the back of his...Grand Marquis. Oh how I wish I could say Saab. But then it probably wouldn't all fit anyways. I really want to find an old-school town fair or something to go to on the way back, I've always wanted to go to one.
Anyways, my Gypsy paper due date was extended till Monday, and I was so relieved I got a headache. A good headache, though. In a way.
So I've been chilling out all day. Which is probably not a good thing, bc I still have a lot to do.
Anyways, I'm going to stop bothering ppl to go out with me. But just to let you know, if anyone out there feels like living it up, you know where to find me. I know it's finals week. Don't you think I know?? I can't help how I feel.
Truth is, I could go drinking with some people tonight at the Dog and Duck. But I don't know...should I??
Things I've been thinking about:
-Aaron's ridiculously uncanny impression of that song by James Blunt--You're Beautiful. The way he scrunches up his face when he sings it...priceless. At first I thought that song really sucked. But now, at least it's good for comic relief.
-The soup at Le Madeleine. yum...
-How I've been in Austin for four years, and only now do I feel ready to go out and have fun. The thing is, I find that I'm a pretty outgoing person. It's just that the last three years, my need for fun has been fully satisfied by Aaron and his antics. Well soon it will be again, so I'm just waiting for that day.
Actually, I've always had the tendency of taking about four years to get used to places, and then, once I start feeling really comfortable, I have to leave. The same thing happened senior year of high school. I started talking to Jennifer Stewart, and it was like, why haven't we been talking for the last couple of years?! And there were a couple other ppl like that also.
-Possible road trip! End of July, CA to TX, with all of Aaron's stuff piled in the back of his...Grand Marquis. Oh how I wish I could say Saab. But then it probably wouldn't all fit anyways. I really want to find an old-school town fair or something to go to on the way back, I've always wanted to go to one.
Monday, May 1, 2006
Sunday, April 30, 2006
So, I'm doing this paper of Romani gender relations, and just reading about some of these marime codes make me feel suffocated. Granted, they are probably exaggerated in some of the sources, due to the desire to make Gypsies seem even more exotic and separate from the outside world than they really are...but they still bother me.
--during her period, and seven days after it, a girl is considered impure, and cannot touch her husband or other gypsies.
--she also cannot make food for other gypsies.
--after the onset of puberty, a girl's clothing can never be washed with men's clothing, or children's clothing.
And supposedly, all of these things also apply for up to six weeks after a woman gives birth.
Some books even say that a Gypsy man will never touch a Gypsy woman except to procreate. Where's my cuddling, dammit!
--during her period, and seven days after it, a girl is considered impure, and cannot touch her husband or other gypsies.
--she also cannot make food for other gypsies.
--after the onset of puberty, a girl's clothing can never be washed with men's clothing, or children's clothing.
And supposedly, all of these things also apply for up to six weeks after a woman gives birth.
Some books even say that a Gypsy man will never touch a Gypsy woman except to procreate. Where's my cuddling, dammit!
Friday, April 28, 2006
I finished my thesis at approximately 12:30 am last night, and then I had a cheeseburger to celebrate. 33 pages, and it took me a whole 9 months.
Yesterday, I accidentally left my copy card with about $50 still on it at the Architecture library. Aaron found it his last year of college, and then when he left he passed it on to me. I hope it's gone to someone who will be as appreciative of it as we were--it made my day every time I used it...
Float on, little card, for you have served me well.
Also yesterday, I saw this guy who I went to elementary school with. I talked to him once since then, when we were both suprised into being extra friendly, I think. When I think about it, though, this is the guy who pretty much his only words to me were in the fifth grade, when he asked me, "How come you always wear the same thing to school? Everyone else changes their clothes. You're like a teacher." Said he of the hyper-color color-changing shirts (which really just ended up a different color in sweaty areas.)
What I should've said was, yeah, well you dress like A.C. Slater. Because now, come to think of it, he sorta did--he even had the mini-mullet.
In the end, though, I just shrugged and ignored him. You'd think it would've scarred me for life or something, but it really hasn't. I still wear the same clothes two days in a row sometimes. In fact, I'm doing it today.
Yesterday, I accidentally left my copy card with about $50 still on it at the Architecture library. Aaron found it his last year of college, and then when he left he passed it on to me. I hope it's gone to someone who will be as appreciative of it as we were--it made my day every time I used it...
Float on, little card, for you have served me well.
Also yesterday, I saw this guy who I went to elementary school with. I talked to him once since then, when we were both suprised into being extra friendly, I think. When I think about it, though, this is the guy who pretty much his only words to me were in the fifth grade, when he asked me, "How come you always wear the same thing to school? Everyone else changes their clothes. You're like a teacher." Said he of the hyper-color color-changing shirts (which really just ended up a different color in sweaty areas.)
What I should've said was, yeah, well you dress like A.C. Slater. Because now, come to think of it, he sorta did--he even had the mini-mullet.
In the end, though, I just shrugged and ignored him. You'd think it would've scarred me for life or something, but it really hasn't. I still wear the same clothes two days in a row sometimes. In fact, I'm doing it today.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Today was a good day. I felt like I participated in the world instead of just sitting back and watching.
I didn't even mind the traffic on the way home bc I had a yogurt with icy strawberries from TCBY to keep my company.
My thesis is almost done. And I refuse to start panicking about my gypsy paper. Everything will get done. (say it with me!)
I was thinking today--if I had a magazine article written about me, I would want the headline to be: "All-American. Brought up on fast food and punk rock."
That would be pimp, right??
So now you know the retarded things I think about in the boring moments of my day.
What about you--what would your magazine headline be?
I didn't even mind the traffic on the way home bc I had a yogurt with icy strawberries from TCBY to keep my company.
My thesis is almost done. And I refuse to start panicking about my gypsy paper. Everything will get done. (say it with me!)
I was thinking today--if I had a magazine article written about me, I would want the headline to be: "All-American. Brought up on fast food and punk rock."
That would be pimp, right??
So now you know the retarded things I think about in the boring moments of my day.
What about you--what would your magazine headline be?
Monday, April 24, 2006
Just think-this morning I woke up thinking Q-drops and doom, and now...well. It's still not so great but it's workable...I think.
I miss miss miss Aaron! and Barton Springs and Dog Almighty and renting movies and all those things that make life fun.
Instead, I must console myself with thesis-writing, Gypsy-paper-cramming, and statistics-studying.
Oh, and I guess my new phone helps too. yay!
"wouldn't it be nice if we were older, then we wouldn't have to wait so long..."
I miss miss miss Aaron! and Barton Springs and Dog Almighty and renting movies and all those things that make life fun.
Instead, I must console myself with thesis-writing, Gypsy-paper-cramming, and statistics-studying.
Oh, and I guess my new phone helps too. yay!
"wouldn't it be nice if we were older, then we wouldn't have to wait so long..."
Wednesday, April 19, 2006
Monday, April 10, 2006
so I found my discover card. Other than that it's been a pretty klutzy day. Almost like I had to trade in the good luck of finding that card immediately for some bad luck. But it's worth it, I just have the equivalent of a Big Gulp lying in a sticky pool on the floor of the passenger side of my car now. yuck.
I'm cutting my work hours for finals, officially, starting next week. I'm already doing it unofficially, seeing as I left an hour early both last Friday and today...but there just isn't much to do these days.
I'm stressing: two papers for my Romani studies class, another for my WWI class, and a desperate need to hurry up and finish my thesis.
For right now though, I'm going to use up some of that gas I paid so freakin much for about twenty mins. ago to go get some Kerby Lane. Since my gerbils are ignoring me. That's pretty sad, right?
I'm cutting my work hours for finals, officially, starting next week. I'm already doing it unofficially, seeing as I left an hour early both last Friday and today...but there just isn't much to do these days.
I'm stressing: two papers for my Romani studies class, another for my WWI class, and a desperate need to hurry up and finish my thesis.
For right now though, I'm going to use up some of that gas I paid so freakin much for about twenty mins. ago to go get some Kerby Lane. Since my gerbils are ignoring me. That's pretty sad, right?
Sunday, April 9, 2006
oh boy does my head hurt. I lost a credit card, and I'm so sure it's around here somewhere, but I just can't find it!
I even looked in the dumpster to get last week's trash in case I threw it away. yuck, I know. but it wasn't sooo bad, because Elissa was an awesome friend to come with me while I dug through the full dumpster and tell me funny things and basically keep my mind off of what I was doing.
I really need to find it.
I even looked in the dumpster to get last week's trash in case I threw it away. yuck, I know. but it wasn't sooo bad, because Elissa was an awesome friend to come with me while I dug through the full dumpster and tell me funny things and basically keep my mind off of what I was doing.
I really need to find it.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Yesterday I did the walk of shame through Walmart holding a toilet plunger. The only good thing about it was the thought of giving the guys giving me shady looks on my way to the plunger section something to really think about.
Now my whole house smells like rubber. That distinct smell of plunger rubber.
Anyways, my toilet is now sparkling clean.
See what you blog readers get? A true description of all the unnecessary details about my life. Nothing withheld.
The other day I told Aaron that I loved Froot Loops. And he said, "You and the Taliban."
I really liked that.
My job and the people at my job only serve as reminders of how terrible I am at making conversation. Everytime I sit down with a big group of people, I never end up saying much. Merde. Someday I will find my niche. Perhaps with a group of deaf-mutes. At least then I will be the most talkative one in the bunch. Oh how wonderful that would be. Although even then, their hands would probably be signaling a mile a minute. And I would just sit there, still.
Gerbils--lame pet? Too bad. Aaron is naming his Billy Idol, and I have not figured out a name for mine yet.
Now my whole house smells like rubber. That distinct smell of plunger rubber.
Anyways, my toilet is now sparkling clean.
See what you blog readers get? A true description of all the unnecessary details about my life. Nothing withheld.
The other day I told Aaron that I loved Froot Loops. And he said, "You and the Taliban."
I really liked that.
My job and the people at my job only serve as reminders of how terrible I am at making conversation. Everytime I sit down with a big group of people, I never end up saying much. Merde. Someday I will find my niche. Perhaps with a group of deaf-mutes. At least then I will be the most talkative one in the bunch. Oh how wonderful that would be. Although even then, their hands would probably be signaling a mile a minute. And I would just sit there, still.
Gerbils--lame pet? Too bad. Aaron is naming his Billy Idol, and I have not figured out a name for mine yet.
Sunday, March 12, 2006
so, I never did make it down to campus on my bike Thursday--Rachel called feeling like a "coke in East Austin" from some convenience store, so we started there with cokes in glass bottles, and then found this plant store (probably the only rich-white plant store in east austin...and it was barely across the highway.)
At the store, I saw a mini-vulture, a cat that hid amongst the plants, and a very calm dog with the softest fur I've ever felt on a dog.
I ended up buying thyme, mother of thyme, and a plant with little white flowers that I don't remember the name of. And Rachel got some succulents.
Then, we went looking for a home depot close to campus, and ended up after a long debate at the one on NI-35. We got pots and dirt, and then went back to Rachel's co-op to plant them. Lately, the days have felt like the beginning of summer, and it was nice and nostalgic sitting outside planting.
On Friday, I made up for the biking thing by bringing my bike with me to work and then parking in West Campus and riding downtown to meet Michael T. for sushi at Kyoto, which was fun despite the fact I was worried about someone jacking my bike the whole time.
Then I biked over to Emo's to see if Dropkick Murphy's were still sold out, and obviously they were, and as I didn't feel like waiting around to see if I could weasel my way in, I rode back to Rachel's house. At which point I gluttonously decided to go with them to a Mexican restaurant even though I had just eaten. I had a margarita. It was delicious. And I also had a continuous stream of chips.
On the way back to the co-op to drop some people off, we stopped at a convenience store, where I met a guy with a cute little brindle pit bull puppy and he offered to get one for me just to "get 'em away from those rednecks." Sadly, I had to decline. But his puppy was sooooo cute. When I put my hand out to pet her, she would just lean her head on it, like "I'm too little, and my head is soo heavy."
Then I went home and watched Ronin on the phone with Aaron.
Now it's Sunday, and all I've done all weekend is watch movies, sleep, and play GTA. And now I'm going to have some grilled cheese and Ramen. yum.
At the store, I saw a mini-vulture, a cat that hid amongst the plants, and a very calm dog with the softest fur I've ever felt on a dog.
I ended up buying thyme, mother of thyme, and a plant with little white flowers that I don't remember the name of. And Rachel got some succulents.
Then, we went looking for a home depot close to campus, and ended up after a long debate at the one on NI-35. We got pots and dirt, and then went back to Rachel's co-op to plant them. Lately, the days have felt like the beginning of summer, and it was nice and nostalgic sitting outside planting.
On Friday, I made up for the biking thing by bringing my bike with me to work and then parking in West Campus and riding downtown to meet Michael T. for sushi at Kyoto, which was fun despite the fact I was worried about someone jacking my bike the whole time.
Then I biked over to Emo's to see if Dropkick Murphy's were still sold out, and obviously they were, and as I didn't feel like waiting around to see if I could weasel my way in, I rode back to Rachel's house. At which point I gluttonously decided to go with them to a Mexican restaurant even though I had just eaten. I had a margarita. It was delicious. And I also had a continuous stream of chips.
On the way back to the co-op to drop some people off, we stopped at a convenience store, where I met a guy with a cute little brindle pit bull puppy and he offered to get one for me just to "get 'em away from those rednecks." Sadly, I had to decline. But his puppy was sooooo cute. When I put my hand out to pet her, she would just lean her head on it, like "I'm too little, and my head is soo heavy."
Then I went home and watched Ronin on the phone with Aaron.
Now it's Sunday, and all I've done all weekend is watch movies, sleep, and play GTA. And now I'm going to have some grilled cheese and Ramen. yum.
Thursday, March 9, 2006
Something I've heard before but never taken to heart, apparently...Don't buy onions whose skins are suspiciously tight! They look better than the other onions, but it's a lie, a dirty lie.
I'm having frito pie for lunch and then perhaps I shall bike down to blockbuster or even as far as campus, just to see how long it takes.
It's a rare free day.
I'm having frito pie for lunch and then perhaps I shall bike down to blockbuster or even as far as campus, just to see how long it takes.
It's a rare free day.
Wednesday, March 8, 2006
ew. I just ate way too much. I can hear the seams in my stomach straining and creaking and about to burst.
It's all the fruits' fault! Seriously, I could eat fruit till I threw up, and I would never get full, just hungrier and hungrier for a big juicy burger. That's what happened today. I ate an apple for breakfast, some Taco C's breakfast tacos for second breakfast, an orange, a bag of chips, and a Player's burger and fries. I guess I am a hobbit after all.
I just finished a major revision of the first two parts of my thesis last night at 3 am, but I have a paper due tomorrow and a Gypsy test. I think I choose the paper, but I wish I could do both.
Oh and here's something wierd. I now have my bread sunning next to a bright window while I'm away during the day. Someone told me bread without light = mold. But somehow, I feel like I have a new pet bread.
By the way, tomorrow night is the Dropkick Murphy's. Anyone up for it?? I happen to be free!
It's all the fruits' fault! Seriously, I could eat fruit till I threw up, and I would never get full, just hungrier and hungrier for a big juicy burger. That's what happened today. I ate an apple for breakfast, some Taco C's breakfast tacos for second breakfast, an orange, a bag of chips, and a Player's burger and fries. I guess I am a hobbit after all.
I just finished a major revision of the first two parts of my thesis last night at 3 am, but I have a paper due tomorrow and a Gypsy test. I think I choose the paper, but I wish I could do both.
Oh and here's something wierd. I now have my bread sunning next to a bright window while I'm away during the day. Someone told me bread without light = mold. But somehow, I feel like I have a new pet bread.
By the way, tomorrow night is the Dropkick Murphy's. Anyone up for it?? I happen to be free!
Sunday, February 26, 2006
tonight: the three burials of melquiades estrada, the bitter taste of keg beer gives me shivers, skateboarding in a parking lot at night with jack johnson playing on the radio of my parked car.
I've been making mix cds! Fitting all the songs on the front of the cd in fat sharpie is the most difficult part.
Now all I have to do is finish the job and send them off.
I've been making mix cds! Fitting all the songs on the front of the cd in fat sharpie is the most difficult part.
Now all I have to do is finish the job and send them off.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)