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It's Weddings all round!
Mar. 20th, 2007 02:38 amThis weekend was the fantastic wedding of our friends Michael and Lauren, and ... wow. Haven't ever done anything quite like it.
( It was beautiful! )
( It was beautiful! )
snuggled into the pillows this morning
Mar. 8th, 2007 03:23 pmand thought... I kinda love life.
Which means, I suppose, that I don't often talk about it. When I'm content I don't really end up ranting - it's hard to find a proper turn of words when I'm feeling lazy and over-full.
Not that I'm not worried with those day to day things that I get lost in... wondering if I'm going to ever be a better writer (my advisor suggests trying to be crisp, and I wonder if I've lost the ability to actually write in crisp vernacular). Japanese test tomorrow that I'm preparing for - would like to get an A. Would be happy with a B. We shall see.
There's the bathroom front - it's been fun repainting, but that was the easiest part. We're now in new fixtures limbo, finding that the old ones are corroded onto the pipes and that we need more pieces than we originally bought. Hopefully this weekend we'll be tiling our uneven floor with our lovely new nutty-brown tile, and then the bathroom will really start to take on it's new colors. Not that it hasn't already... painting always makes a big impact.
Hopefully, if schedules permit and she hasn't crossed me off her list because I'm a huge flake, I'll be meeting![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
emeraldswan on Saturday! In between tiling, of course!
Spring break is next week, and I'm ready for it, even though I feel like there are a million little things I need to get done during those days. We're heading out to Arizona to see our friends Michael and Lauren get married too, and that should be wondrous. Bunches of friends, so it's a mini-reunion, and besides, they're so sweet together that I can't wait. Lauren's even letting me be the one who runs around on the wedding day and makes sure everybody gets where they need to go (not quite coordinator, but more than just guest, i suppose) and it's the perfect kind of job for me. This, however, means that I need to find a pretty dress in three days for an upscale spring wedding, and get my hair done, because it wouldn't exactly do to be running around directing people everywhere with four inch roots.
After that, in April we're going to my Grandfather's 90th birthday in Kansas, and we need to do things like get tickets, make hotel reservations (ok, that's done, but still) and figure out rental car situations... like now.
In May I'm doing my conference, so that'll be another weekend that probably arrives too soon.
Hopefully at some point, too, I'll know if I'm going to Japan. I keep meaning to find backup programs in the US in case I don't get in. That's another on the laundry list of things to do. Ah, things to do. :D
But this morning I snuggled into the pillows of our fluffy bed, wrapped my hand in Neil's, and coasted in that half dream state where I was cuddled and warm and happy, and thought to myself, well, this is all pretty damn good.
Which means, I suppose, that I don't often talk about it. When I'm content I don't really end up ranting - it's hard to find a proper turn of words when I'm feeling lazy and over-full.
Not that I'm not worried with those day to day things that I get lost in... wondering if I'm going to ever be a better writer (my advisor suggests trying to be crisp, and I wonder if I've lost the ability to actually write in crisp vernacular). Japanese test tomorrow that I'm preparing for - would like to get an A. Would be happy with a B. We shall see.
There's the bathroom front - it's been fun repainting, but that was the easiest part. We're now in new fixtures limbo, finding that the old ones are corroded onto the pipes and that we need more pieces than we originally bought. Hopefully this weekend we'll be tiling our uneven floor with our lovely new nutty-brown tile, and then the bathroom will really start to take on it's new colors. Not that it hasn't already... painting always makes a big impact.
Hopefully, if schedules permit and she hasn't crossed me off her list because I'm a huge flake, I'll be meeting
emeraldswan on Saturday! In between tiling, of course!Spring break is next week, and I'm ready for it, even though I feel like there are a million little things I need to get done during those days. We're heading out to Arizona to see our friends Michael and Lauren get married too, and that should be wondrous. Bunches of friends, so it's a mini-reunion, and besides, they're so sweet together that I can't wait. Lauren's even letting me be the one who runs around on the wedding day and makes sure everybody gets where they need to go (not quite coordinator, but more than just guest, i suppose) and it's the perfect kind of job for me. This, however, means that I need to find a pretty dress in three days for an upscale spring wedding, and get my hair done, because it wouldn't exactly do to be running around directing people everywhere with four inch roots.
After that, in April we're going to my Grandfather's 90th birthday in Kansas, and we need to do things like get tickets, make hotel reservations (ok, that's done, but still) and figure out rental car situations... like now.
In May I'm doing my conference, so that'll be another weekend that probably arrives too soon.
Hopefully at some point, too, I'll know if I'm going to Japan. I keep meaning to find backup programs in the US in case I don't get in. That's another on the laundry list of things to do. Ah, things to do. :D
But this morning I snuggled into the pillows of our fluffy bed, wrapped my hand in Neil's, and coasted in that half dream state where I was cuddled and warm and happy, and thought to myself, well, this is all pretty damn good.
*waves from beneath a pile of japanese*
Feb. 17th, 2007 01:26 pmHi guys! I'm sorry, i've been ... utterly uncommenty, utterly unwriterly, and basically mute for the past couple of days ...
Not for lack of inattention, it's just getting to be that time again. That time when I have to make school a priority over everything else. (Gasp! No!)
This week was pretty frigging fabulous, because I was able to do one other thing - make Neil & Kate time a priority. We're not big Valetine's Day celebrators, but for some reason this year, we managed to do silly things. ( cut for those who don't want to hear it )
Other than that, school's been chugging away. I'm doing applications for Summer in Japan right now, trying to put together my statement of purpose (and lo, it's another one! And I still don't know what to put in this one, other than FUND ME!). Yesterday our profs did this great seminar where they talked to us about the three big things we should be concerned with as grad students: Publishing, Conferences and Funding. It was grim, but ... I feel better about the whole thing, regardless of how grim it is. I like to *know* things, ya know? Even if it's the worst news. And it's not quite so bad for me. The upshot of the whole thing really was: don't be a conference floozy, pick and choose, don't be a publication slut, because it matters where you get published as much as when... but, most master's thesis should be considered as things you can transform into publications. Oh, and funding... apparently the more you get, the more you'll get. Just like money everywhere.
Now we're off to look at tiles for the bathroom remodel. Yep, we're going to tear out our master bathroom and put a new one in. This is me giving y'all fair warning that although I adore you, it is doubtful I will be a commenter in the next months, because with school + remodel + applications + grad research.... yeah, i don't know how i'm gonna do it either.
Not for lack of inattention, it's just getting to be that time again. That time when I have to make school a priority over everything else. (Gasp! No!)
This week was pretty frigging fabulous, because I was able to do one other thing - make Neil & Kate time a priority. We're not big Valetine's Day celebrators, but for some reason this year, we managed to do silly things. ( cut for those who don't want to hear it )
Other than that, school's been chugging away. I'm doing applications for Summer in Japan right now, trying to put together my statement of purpose (and lo, it's another one! And I still don't know what to put in this one, other than FUND ME!). Yesterday our profs did this great seminar where they talked to us about the three big things we should be concerned with as grad students: Publishing, Conferences and Funding. It was grim, but ... I feel better about the whole thing, regardless of how grim it is. I like to *know* things, ya know? Even if it's the worst news. And it's not quite so bad for me. The upshot of the whole thing really was: don't be a conference floozy, pick and choose, don't be a publication slut, because it matters where you get published as much as when... but, most master's thesis should be considered as things you can transform into publications. Oh, and funding... apparently the more you get, the more you'll get. Just like money everywhere.
Now we're off to look at tiles for the bathroom remodel. Yep, we're going to tear out our master bathroom and put a new one in. This is me giving y'all fair warning that although I adore you, it is doubtful I will be a commenter in the next months, because with school + remodel + applications + grad research.... yeah, i don't know how i'm gonna do it either.
(no subject)
Feb. 7th, 2007 08:52 pmfeels like it's been ages since I've sat down to my deepest sender screen and written more than a sentence. Oh, yesterday I started, I really did, but didn't get out more than a few words before something distracted and I was off running after bright and shiny things instead of posting in my journal. Hey, bright and shiny is good, right?
( so, what's so bright and shiny, huh? )
Now I'm off to return phone calls. Someday, I hear, I've got some graphics to make and post... but we'll see if I make it to those tonight!
( so, what's so bright and shiny, huh? )
Now I'm off to return phone calls. Someday, I hear, I've got some graphics to make and post... but we'll see if I make it to those tonight!
Goodie ... I think
Jul. 25th, 2006 09:22 pmI was worried that I'd have to take another English class because my degree audit stated that I did. BUT, today, after some swift advising from the English dept advisor, I discovered that everything is totally fine. It was just that when I did the class/degree audit I didn't have it run right. They are going to count one of my older UCSC classes, and I really do only need 6 hrs in residence (which I will have satisfied with this summer 60s class). YAY!
The second good thing is that I stopped by the Asian Studies dept, and even though our undergrad advisor wasn't there, the Grad Advisor was and guess what she told me? They're trying to figure out a way for me to get a fellowship for Spring!!!! And if I can get one, she'll also try to figure out a way for me to get out of paying tuition! Isn't that awesome?!
However, the good news has been even handedly doled out amid slightly confusing news: my Financial aid BILL doesn't reflect the full financial aid package I'm supposedly receiving. It not even a case of two departments having trouble talking with each other - the info all comes from the same place! Dammit. Hopefully I'll have that resolved once I can get on the phone to someone.
Also, sadly, I thought I might get out of my last course requirement for the Asian Stuides department (it showed up as being completed on that damn degree audit!) but my advisor says no, that the course on the audit isn't supposed to be credited to History. Which means I still have to take an Asian History class, and sadly, my choices are limited to such exciting titles as History of East Asia Since 1800, Intro to Korea, Intro to China, Intro to Japan, Intro to India, Modern China, Muslim India, Partition of India, State and Society in Confucian China, and the like. NOT sexy courses.
Off to write papers on why the Moody Blues were representative of some kind of 60's ethos! Woot.
The second good thing is that I stopped by the Asian Studies dept, and even though our undergrad advisor wasn't there, the Grad Advisor was and guess what she told me? They're trying to figure out a way for me to get a fellowship for Spring!!!! And if I can get one, she'll also try to figure out a way for me to get out of paying tuition! Isn't that awesome?!
However, the good news has been even handedly doled out amid slightly confusing news: my Financial aid BILL doesn't reflect the full financial aid package I'm supposedly receiving. It not even a case of two departments having trouble talking with each other - the info all comes from the same place! Dammit. Hopefully I'll have that resolved once I can get on the phone to someone.
Also, sadly, I thought I might get out of my last course requirement for the Asian Stuides department (it showed up as being completed on that damn degree audit!) but my advisor says no, that the course on the audit isn't supposed to be credited to History. Which means I still have to take an Asian History class, and sadly, my choices are limited to such exciting titles as History of East Asia Since 1800, Intro to Korea, Intro to China, Intro to Japan, Intro to India, Modern China, Muslim India, Partition of India, State and Society in Confucian China, and the like. NOT sexy courses.
Off to write papers on why the Moody Blues were representative of some kind of 60's ethos! Woot.
Ah, what the hell...
Jul. 8th, 2006 12:54 amReasonably fabulous Friday - I got sleep last night (well, after writing my the sister of my heart in Australia, who's having her first baby and who I dearly adore and don't keep up with often enough). I got paid today. I got to tell off an idiot who wanted to be our vendor, and and I got to be sweet in an attempt to get information from county offices. I remembered to deposit said paycheck, along with financial aid check. I came home and tried to repair the couch (it's old and threadbare) and was reminded how frigging cool my sewing machine is. The financial aid office managed to live up to my expectations and not get back to me, so I look forward to calling them on Monday and ripping them a new one - or at least asking for management and explaining that I've spent the last two weeks emailing and calling to get resolution on my problem. Yvette and Peter and Christy called to invite us out to dinner, and we actually left the house and got to catch up with all three of them and eat and giggle and hug. That pretty much made the night as far as I'm concerned.
Next week we'll have visitors! Deb and Erik are coming from LA for a week! And I finally start summer school. It's gonna be absolutely insane and totally marvelous.
And, in case you're actually looking for reading material, this week's posters at![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
summer_of_giles were great and deserve adoration, so ....
( consider adoring them. . . )
And the mommie-story continues! That's right, there are new posts in my mom's lj, so if you're curious, wander over and read her stories atopages ...
Next week we'll have visitors! Deb and Erik are coming from LA for a week! And I finally start summer school. It's gonna be absolutely insane and totally marvelous.
And, in case you're actually looking for reading material, this week's posters at
summer_of_giles were great and deserve adoration, so ....( consider adoring them. . . )
And the mommie-story continues! That's right, there are new posts in my mom's lj, so if you're curious, wander over and read her stories at
opages ...My Purpose (or statement there of)
May. 3rd, 2006 06:47 pmFor Miss mishloran and anyone else who's midly curious...
My Statement of Purpose
One of the most interesting ways to understand how cultures interact with each other is to look at the myths they create about themselves. Modern myths are not being shared over campfires, passed from parents to children, or spread through word of mouth. Instead these myths are being produced in the texts of popular culture: movies, manga, and science fiction. Mass production, reproduction, and consumption of these images and ideas occur on a global scale. Most importantly, these myths serve as commentaries – not on what the world should be, but on what it is now.
( and if that interests you... read on )
mishloran and anyone else who's midly curious...My Statement of Purpose
One of the most interesting ways to understand how cultures interact with each other is to look at the myths they create about themselves. Modern myths are not being shared over campfires, passed from parents to children, or spread through word of mouth. Instead these myths are being produced in the texts of popular culture: movies, manga, and science fiction. Mass production, reproduction, and consumption of these images and ideas occur on a global scale. Most importantly, these myths serve as commentaries – not on what the world should be, but on what it is now.
( and if that interests you... read on )
stupid brain
Feb. 9th, 2006 12:29 amthroughout the day I think of these great entires - meditations on life, the universe, everything. What do I end up with by the time I sit down at night? This:
+ I grinned from ear to ear today - and I know why. I'm happy. School, home, friends, life, music, love ... everything is just good. Despite my grousing and grouching, my whining and complaining, the world rocks.
+ Gotta savor this happy time, because soon all of this lovely peaceful fun is going down the drain. I have 4 tests (in 4 classes) in the same week. SAME WEEK. And the Japanese classes actually test us twice: oral & written exams. ROCK. Oh, and the week I'm doing all the tests? The weekend before is our housewarming party.
+ We're finally having a housewarming party! Since we've been here for 2 months, I think it's well beyond time. Mojitos, here we come! White russians, I will boycott you this time.
+ Neil's parents arrive on Saturday... so I've got to get all my lazy tendencies out now... or all my studying done in advance? Something like that. They're staying at our house for the first time EVER in the 11 years we've dated. This will be an experience... and I know, I sound pessimistic. I'm starting with a bad attitude so I can be pleasantly surprised when it all goes well. Yep, that's really it. It should be interesting since they want to help Neil putter around the house and *do* things here. Oh, and they're willing to buy us furniture! That makes them fabulous.
+ My little VD art project (to make wallpapers of my favorite pairings) is cut down to a snail's pace, but I'll be posting 2 Tara backgrounds soon... I don't know if I'll even GET to my favorite characters by VD since I'm going alpha order by actor!
+ Our house is getting brushed into shape for the parental visit. I rediscovered how much I hate cleaning the bathtub. I really hate cleaning two. But at least it's done now. And I told Neil that we have to stay out of the bathrooms until his parents arrive so they don't get dirty.
+ I grinned from ear to ear today - and I know why. I'm happy. School, home, friends, life, music, love ... everything is just good. Despite my grousing and grouching, my whining and complaining, the world rocks.
+ Gotta savor this happy time, because soon all of this lovely peaceful fun is going down the drain. I have 4 tests (in 4 classes) in the same week. SAME WEEK. And the Japanese classes actually test us twice: oral & written exams. ROCK. Oh, and the week I'm doing all the tests? The weekend before is our housewarming party.
+ We're finally having a housewarming party! Since we've been here for 2 months, I think it's well beyond time. Mojitos, here we come! White russians, I will boycott you this time.
+ Neil's parents arrive on Saturday... so I've got to get all my lazy tendencies out now... or all my studying done in advance? Something like that. They're staying at our house for the first time EVER in the 11 years we've dated. This will be an experience... and I know, I sound pessimistic. I'm starting with a bad attitude so I can be pleasantly surprised when it all goes well. Yep, that's really it. It should be interesting since they want to help Neil putter around the house and *do* things here. Oh, and they're willing to buy us furniture! That makes them fabulous.
+ My little VD art project (to make wallpapers of my favorite pairings) is cut down to a snail's pace, but I'll be posting 2 Tara backgrounds soon... I don't know if I'll even GET to my favorite characters by VD since I'm going alpha order by actor!
+ Our house is getting brushed into shape for the parental visit. I rediscovered how much I hate cleaning the bathtub. I really hate cleaning two. But at least it's done now. And I told Neil that we have to stay out of the bathrooms until his parents arrive so they don't get dirty.
The business of the day!
Feb. 5th, 2006 02:01 pm(phrase gakked from mishloran - thank you lady)
+ Read The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure by Victor Turner. Create some kind of an oral presentation on said book so I can lead my GRAD class in a three hour discussion. Yes, I am slightly frightened, since I'm volunteered to be the first student presentation.
+ Write my Japanese composition - 400 characters on a famous actor. Yes, I did choose Johnny Depp. I was hoping I'd be inspired to wax rhapsodic and would have an easy time of it. Who knows, it could still happen!
+ More Japanese homework (I haven't really looked at it, but I'm sure there's something... oh, and the Quiz on Monday too, which is probably a grammar quiz, knowing my luck).
+ Goverment reading - how sad is it that we're basically using a highschool text book? I know this class is one 90% of students take their first year, but ... a highschool textbook? UGH. The entire thing drives me nuts. At least next week I'm going to talk to the professor about outside reading, and will probably soon be armed with a copy of the Federalist Papers, to read for the first time, as geeky as that sounds. Because even though I'm a dilligent little monkey, and I do my reading, the whole party line of "this is the government, it's composed of three branches... " crap that comes from the book is just annoying.
Sadly, I should've started on all of this Friday, so I woudln't be stuck trying to accomplish the entire set of stuff in a day. But I am a lazy lazy procrastiinator, and it was way more fun to have Yvette & Joel & Peter come over for movies on Friday night (and discover that our DVD player is just a little touchy with blockbuster DVDs - we probably shouldn't have been renting from blockbuster - it may have a few moral quams about supporting them - we finally had to relent and get a VHS tape out to watch. But it was good to expose more people to Love Is A Gun anyway.) Saturday day was spent puttering, trying to get the house a little ready for Neil's parents to come next week, and Saturday night Ariel came over with fondue and I inflicted Underworld on her (which was fun, gorey, and fun again - I really do just plain *like* that movie). So the weekend was great fun, but a total wash on the homework side.
A brief word on Love is a Gun (and the craptastic reviews it got on IMDB)
( there be spoilers here, but hey, you're probably never going to see this movie, so read anyway )
mishloran - thank you lady)+ Read The Ritual Process: Structure and Anti-Structure by Victor Turner. Create some kind of an oral presentation on said book so I can lead my GRAD class in a three hour discussion. Yes, I am slightly frightened, since I'm volunteered to be the first student presentation.
+ Write my Japanese composition - 400 characters on a famous actor. Yes, I did choose Johnny Depp. I was hoping I'd be inspired to wax rhapsodic and would have an easy time of it. Who knows, it could still happen!
+ More Japanese homework (I haven't really looked at it, but I'm sure there's something... oh, and the Quiz on Monday too, which is probably a grammar quiz, knowing my luck).
+ Goverment reading - how sad is it that we're basically using a highschool text book? I know this class is one 90% of students take their first year, but ... a highschool textbook? UGH. The entire thing drives me nuts. At least next week I'm going to talk to the professor about outside reading, and will probably soon be armed with a copy of the Federalist Papers, to read for the first time, as geeky as that sounds. Because even though I'm a dilligent little monkey, and I do my reading, the whole party line of "this is the government, it's composed of three branches... " crap that comes from the book is just annoying.
Sadly, I should've started on all of this Friday, so I woudln't be stuck trying to accomplish the entire set of stuff in a day. But I am a lazy lazy procrastiinator, and it was way more fun to have Yvette & Joel & Peter come over for movies on Friday night (and discover that our DVD player is just a little touchy with blockbuster DVDs - we probably shouldn't have been renting from blockbuster - it may have a few moral quams about supporting them - we finally had to relent and get a VHS tape out to watch. But it was good to expose more people to Love Is A Gun anyway.) Saturday day was spent puttering, trying to get the house a little ready for Neil's parents to come next week, and Saturday night Ariel came over with fondue and I inflicted Underworld on her (which was fun, gorey, and fun again - I really do just plain *like* that movie). So the weekend was great fun, but a total wash on the homework side.
A brief word on Love is a Gun (and the craptastic reviews it got on IMDB)
( there be spoilers here, but hey, you're probably never going to see this movie, so read anyway )
Conversations with Mommie
Jan. 26th, 2006 11:41 amI learned not to ask at an early age. Not because I’d get hit for asking, not because the world would fall apart, but because it would make my mother sad. As if her heart had been rebroken, cracked open again under my curiosity. I taught myself not to ask, because asking inflicted pain, and I didn’t do that, not to my mommie.
I don’t know if it’s a consequence, but my memories only stretch so far down the path of my childhood. Most come from what I call the post-Sacramento period, when we moved up to Mokelumne Hill just in time for me to take 3rd grade.
Not that I don’t have sparkly seconds of illumination from earlier eras, but there are no complete moments, no long stretches of years, no totally vivid recreateable narratives.
( meet my Uncle David )
It makes me sad and joyous all at once. I know why, now, you see. Why my memories are so sad. And I know more about a man who was a large part of the first few years of my life, one of my only Page-sided relatives to be close to normal (as far as I’m concerned), who got out of Kansas, who tried to live his life. But I’m sad that it’s taken me this many years to ask the question, and sadder still that I have to wonder if Mom feels like she’s reopened a wound that never really closed to talk about him. Because she holds things that close, and that raw, and that new. And sometimes it seems like when I ask, I’m making her relive everything all over again.
And perhaps the talking will actually help her to let go the pain and remember the good mixed into the bad memories. As for me, I know whose feeling it was now, mixed in with my own memories. And even though I know, won’t forget any of it.
I don’t know if it’s a consequence, but my memories only stretch so far down the path of my childhood. Most come from what I call the post-Sacramento period, when we moved up to Mokelumne Hill just in time for me to take 3rd grade.
Not that I don’t have sparkly seconds of illumination from earlier eras, but there are no complete moments, no long stretches of years, no totally vivid recreateable narratives.
( meet my Uncle David )
It makes me sad and joyous all at once. I know why, now, you see. Why my memories are so sad. And I know more about a man who was a large part of the first few years of my life, one of my only Page-sided relatives to be close to normal (as far as I’m concerned), who got out of Kansas, who tried to live his life. But I’m sad that it’s taken me this many years to ask the question, and sadder still that I have to wonder if Mom feels like she’s reopened a wound that never really closed to talk about him. Because she holds things that close, and that raw, and that new. And sometimes it seems like when I ask, I’m making her relive everything all over again.
And perhaps the talking will actually help her to let go the pain and remember the good mixed into the bad memories. As for me, I know whose feeling it was now, mixed in with my own memories. And even though I know, won’t forget any of it.
Day 3 of Mom!Visit (12 days to go)
Nov. 18th, 2005 08:34 pmThe good: She has such cute hair! She cut it short and it's frigging adorable as it curls around the back of her neck. And bright scarlet. Pretty mommies are good.
I took my mom to class! I know, in this day and age, everyone's kind of over bringing their parents to school. But I happen to have been birthed and raised by a woman with a literature degree. Means that she can get everything I'm doing right now (except for the Japanese). So we woke up bright and early, broke our fast and popped up to campus. She got to experience my silly-long walk to my first class, meet the friends. And she was such a good sport and even did her homework (which included reading a couple of short stories and an essay about a film... and no, I didn't make her do my homework, just wanted her to be able to connect with what was going on in class). My professors were all sweet and didn't have a problem with it, my friends were all great sports and lunched with us, and Mom had stuff to add to the discussion that she whispered in my ear (because she didn't want to intrude by taking up everyone else's class time with her opinions). Total success!
The mediocre: 2 bedrooms does not a palace make. Nor a comphy space for guests, especially when one of those bedrooms is really the base of operations for the TBG Austin branch. We're all in eachother's back pockets. There's more stuff.
The beginnings of the maddness: I was told last night that I could get better grades in Japanese if I spent more time studying. By my mom. My retort? *dripping with sarcasm* "Gee, you think? I didn't realize that. After 30 years I never realized that if I just studied more I'd do better! Thanks mom, I'll remember that." I DO NOT need another person to tell me to study more. Neil does a great job of handling that all on his own. And I KNOW that, but I also know the limits of my own endurance, and if I'm satisfied with a C on the test (which will equate out to a B in the class) she can damn well be satisfied with it too.
I completely flew off the handle today at some passibly innappropriate comment that was relayed second hand to me. Yes, it is the stress. Ordinarily I'd be slightly more rational. Then I bitched out my group. They probably think I am the bitch from hell at the moment, and I may actually be turning into one.
But, on the bright side, since I get alone time when I say I have to study, I'm actually studying!
I took my mom to class! I know, in this day and age, everyone's kind of over bringing their parents to school. But I happen to have been birthed and raised by a woman with a literature degree. Means that she can get everything I'm doing right now (except for the Japanese). So we woke up bright and early, broke our fast and popped up to campus. She got to experience my silly-long walk to my first class, meet the friends. And she was such a good sport and even did her homework (which included reading a couple of short stories and an essay about a film... and no, I didn't make her do my homework, just wanted her to be able to connect with what was going on in class). My professors were all sweet and didn't have a problem with it, my friends were all great sports and lunched with us, and Mom had stuff to add to the discussion that she whispered in my ear (because she didn't want to intrude by taking up everyone else's class time with her opinions). Total success!
The mediocre: 2 bedrooms does not a palace make. Nor a comphy space for guests, especially when one of those bedrooms is really the base of operations for the TBG Austin branch. We're all in eachother's back pockets. There's more stuff.
The beginnings of the maddness: I was told last night that I could get better grades in Japanese if I spent more time studying. By my mom. My retort? *dripping with sarcasm* "Gee, you think? I didn't realize that. After 30 years I never realized that if I just studied more I'd do better! Thanks mom, I'll remember that." I DO NOT need another person to tell me to study more. Neil does a great job of handling that all on his own. And I KNOW that, but I also know the limits of my own endurance, and if I'm satisfied with a C on the test (which will equate out to a B in the class) she can damn well be satisfied with it too.
I completely flew off the handle today at some passibly innappropriate comment that was relayed second hand to me. Yes, it is the stress. Ordinarily I'd be slightly more rational. Then I bitched out my group. They probably think I am the bitch from hell at the moment, and I may actually be turning into one.
But, on the bright side, since I get alone time when I say I have to study, I'm actually studying!
Countdown to MomArrival: Approx 15 hrs
Nov. 16th, 2005 01:40 amAnd have I done the dishes? I think not.
Nope. I have homework. A pox on homework. And on transitive & intransitive verbs. And skit presentations. And nerves. And history classes.
Glad the woman who raised me isn't a clean freak. Afraid she's become more of one now that she lives at home -- which will mean she'll want to try to clean when she gets here. *mental shudder* No, I don't want my mom cleaning my stuff anymore. It's my stuff, and I'll leave it dirty if I want to. If she wants to invite herself for 15 days, she's going to have to live with the squalor (live in the squalor? whatever)
Glad the woman who raised me isn't too picky. Terrified, however, that we don't have any food in the house she'll deem acceptable, except for a couple of old carrots and some broccoli heads. She seems to have forgotten that I eat differently than I used to. Sigh. A trip to the store is in order, but I think I'll leave that for after her arrival - because dammit, there's just not enough time between now and then.
Glad the woman who raised me is someone I can comforably leave to do homework. Freaked that she'll still try and talk to me when I'm trying to get work done. I used to just read fantasy books. She had no problems interrupting those. Me and lit theory though? I NEED to concentrate on it.
Glad the woman who raised me is self sufficient. Worried that she won't really be, not after she gets here. I can't take care of her. Wish that I could, but I'm not ready for that responsibility at the moment.
Glad the woman who raised me is coming to visit. Scared the woman who raised me is coming to visit and I'm going to go batshit crazy after a day.
Wait. I found the silver lining. I'm already batshit crazy.
Phew. Glad I solved that one
Nope. I have homework. A pox on homework. And on transitive & intransitive verbs. And skit presentations. And nerves. And history classes.
Glad the woman who raised me isn't a clean freak. Afraid she's become more of one now that she lives at home -- which will mean she'll want to try to clean when she gets here. *mental shudder* No, I don't want my mom cleaning my stuff anymore. It's my stuff, and I'll leave it dirty if I want to. If she wants to invite herself for 15 days, she's going to have to live with the squalor (live in the squalor? whatever)
Glad the woman who raised me isn't too picky. Terrified, however, that we don't have any food in the house she'll deem acceptable, except for a couple of old carrots and some broccoli heads. She seems to have forgotten that I eat differently than I used to. Sigh. A trip to the store is in order, but I think I'll leave that for after her arrival - because dammit, there's just not enough time between now and then.
Glad the woman who raised me is someone I can comforably leave to do homework. Freaked that she'll still try and talk to me when I'm trying to get work done. I used to just read fantasy books. She had no problems interrupting those. Me and lit theory though? I NEED to concentrate on it.
Glad the woman who raised me is self sufficient. Worried that she won't really be, not after she gets here. I can't take care of her. Wish that I could, but I'm not ready for that responsibility at the moment.
Glad the woman who raised me is coming to visit. Scared the woman who raised me is coming to visit and I'm going to go batshit crazy after a day.
Wait. I found the silver lining. I'm already batshit crazy.
Phew. Glad I solved that one
I tend to forget that, if you want to feel like you actually had a true *weekend* you need to actually DO things with your weekend. Then it actually feels like you had time off.
And what, might you ask, did I get to do this weekend? Hang out withpsychoadept and tx_cronopio of course!
They were sweet and made sure I had time to do my homework, and then they came by and met my boy and my kitty, saw my new house (and Pat was AWESOME and actually introduced me to the neighbors who speak spanish -- i do not, and was super happy to have my very own translator!).
We went to the most adorable bookstore. It's called Book Women, and is wonderfully feminist and totally cool, and I found a new Dodie Bellamy book. For all of the po-mo people on my flist, if you haven't read anything of hers, go forth, and find her! She's this brilliant woman, part of the San Francisco po-mo wave of writers, totally passionate and kinky, lyrical and theoretical at the same time. The book's called Pink Steam, and seems to be a kind of autiobiographical investigation, but of course, it's more than that.
Then we drove around Austin a bit, oggled the capital and drove up to Zilker park (and then realized it's awfully hard to see a park at night). We went to Serenity (because, of course, we'd have to do something Joss related, woudln't we?). Then hung out for some drinks at a lovely little bar at the Driscol, and promised to meet for breakfast the next morning.
The best parts were actually getting to sit down with Pat and Campbell and talk a little, at the Driscol and at breakfast the next day. It wasn't quite long enough, but if I'd've stayed longer I wouldn't have actually finished all the homework. But there was much hugging (trade secret: Campbell is a brilliant hugger), and smiles.
And what, might you ask, did I get to do this weekend? Hang out with
psychoadept and tx_cronopio of course! They were sweet and made sure I had time to do my homework, and then they came by and met my boy and my kitty, saw my new house (and Pat was AWESOME and actually introduced me to the neighbors who speak spanish -- i do not, and was super happy to have my very own translator!).
We went to the most adorable bookstore. It's called Book Women, and is wonderfully feminist and totally cool, and I found a new Dodie Bellamy book. For all of the po-mo people on my flist, if you haven't read anything of hers, go forth, and find her! She's this brilliant woman, part of the San Francisco po-mo wave of writers, totally passionate and kinky, lyrical and theoretical at the same time. The book's called Pink Steam, and seems to be a kind of autiobiographical investigation, but of course, it's more than that.
Then we drove around Austin a bit, oggled the capital and drove up to Zilker park (and then realized it's awfully hard to see a park at night). We went to Serenity (because, of course, we'd have to do something Joss related, woudln't we?). Then hung out for some drinks at a lovely little bar at the Driscol, and promised to meet for breakfast the next morning.
The best parts were actually getting to sit down with Pat and Campbell and talk a little, at the Driscol and at breakfast the next day. It wasn't quite long enough, but if I'd've stayed longer I wouldn't have actually finished all the homework. But there was much hugging (trade secret: Campbell is a brilliant hugger), and smiles.
Ahhh Friday, how glad am I to see you!
Nov. 4th, 2005 06:30 pm1. Did well on 2/3 parts of the Japanese oral exam today. Sadly, bombed the third part. Heavily. Hopefully the other two parts will counter act the utter failure on the last. Apparantly 8 hours of studying is not quite enough.
2. Watched Au Revoir Les Enfants today. That was ... welll, not quite lovely, because it's a story about WWII, but kind of cool on the whole. Sadly, the paper topics are not lovely at all. Why do we get all of the horrible paper promts?
3. Our house passed inspection with about $1,500 of non-critical repairs ... thank god it passed. Sadly, we don't really have an extra $1,500 lying about, so I'm hoping our realestate agent can actually get us the repair budget he suggested. But no other news is good news, as far as the loan and the FHA inspection and all of that other stuff. We're aiming for Nov 30th as a closing date. That's going to come up FAST. Luckily I've actually got a couple of true friends who are willing to help us move, so that rocks, whenever it happens.
4. I've been the queen of procrastination this last week, even though I got everything done. But 4 am is not a good time to start writing a sakubun (my japanese composition), and I recognize this. Next week will be all about me getting homework OUT OF THE WAY FIRST, before I play with graphics. Really. It will.
5. It turns out that my beloved mommie is coming for Thanksgiving for ... 15 DAYS! This is both good and bad - slightly traumatic and partially wonderful. It'll be good to see her, and have time to reconnect. It's a little daunting because, although I love her and she loves me, we're both set in our ways now, and after 10 years of living apart, those ways are not always the same ways. Sigh.
2. Watched Au Revoir Les Enfants today. That was ... welll, not quite lovely, because it's a story about WWII, but kind of cool on the whole. Sadly, the paper topics are not lovely at all. Why do we get all of the horrible paper promts?
3. Our house passed inspection with about $1,500 of non-critical repairs ... thank god it passed. Sadly, we don't really have an extra $1,500 lying about, so I'm hoping our realestate agent can actually get us the repair budget he suggested. But no other news is good news, as far as the loan and the FHA inspection and all of that other stuff. We're aiming for Nov 30th as a closing date. That's going to come up FAST. Luckily I've actually got a couple of true friends who are willing to help us move, so that rocks, whenever it happens.
4. I've been the queen of procrastination this last week, even though I got everything done. But 4 am is not a good time to start writing a sakubun (my japanese composition), and I recognize this. Next week will be all about me getting homework OUT OF THE WAY FIRST, before I play with graphics. Really. It will.
5. It turns out that my beloved mommie is coming for Thanksgiving for ... 15 DAYS! This is both good and bad - slightly traumatic and partially wonderful. It'll be good to see her, and have time to reconnect. It's a little daunting because, although I love her and she loves me, we're both set in our ways now, and after 10 years of living apart, those ways are not always the same ways. Sigh.
OH MY GOD WE BOUGHT A HOUSE
Nov. 1st, 2005 11:12 pmOr, rather, we made an offer. And they made a counter offer. And we accepted their counter offer. And now we're getting inspections and Neil's measuring the rooms and they changed the MLS listing to "pending" and everything is coming along so fast it's making my head spin. It doesn't feel quite real. Yet nothing could be more real.
We keep asking ourselves, when did we turn into adults?
So, you wanna see it? There are some fabulous pictures from Neil's cell phone here.
We keep asking ourselves, when did we turn into adults?
So, you wanna see it? There are some fabulous pictures from Neil's cell phone here.
1. My professor in my Subaltern Studies (that's the lit. theory class) wrote these exact words on my first paper for the class: "I like the way you are both precise about understanding an argument and imaginative about reinterpreting it - a simultaneous identification and departure. Also, your ability to begin a tracing of a difference in Chatterjee away from Gramsci is potentially brilliant."
Yes, my argument was called potentially brilliant. On a 6 page paper. That was supposed to be 8. Maybe I can do this after all.
2. Its Friday night and I haven't started my homework for next week. That may sound silly, but I have to have Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday's homework done before the week starts in order to keep up with Tuesdays. I have procrastinated. I am a bad girl. I might need to be spanked.
3. I have no right to complain, because there are a ton of people who are having far worse weeks/months than I. And I love you all and know you're going to make it through these things, truly. I just wish I had more time, and could be a little more comforting than comments on lj's with hugs, or phone conversations where I talk about everything and nothing, and am a sympathetic ear whose only advice is that everybody needs time. I will do better next week.
4. Tomorrow afternoon we go house hunting! Finally! We were supposed to go Wednesday, but it was called on account of our realtor's broken key/lock box. But we're going to whirlwind through 7? 8? 10? houses. Luckily we'll have them on video so we won't get too confused. And sadly, it's a bigger priority than we thought, because our current lease expires in December (we knew that), and in order to switch to month-to-month we'll have to pay $100 a month in rent! Bastards.
5. Tomorrow night I'm dressing up (either Ren-Faire girl or Femme Fatal -- I just don't know if i have the clothes to support the last, but I will try), carving pumpkins, watching horror movies, eating popcorn, and goofing around with friends. Cannot wait. There will probably be pictures. Of EVIL and SCARY pumpkins.
6. Next week is a week full of tests. Either getting results of them, or taking Japanese oral and written exams. God I hate Japanese exams. But I think I'm actually getting better at the orals. And doesn't that just sound kinky?
7. I think I may have broken my iconing gene. I'm now totally drawn to backgrounds, manips, and banners. Is it possible to break yourself of one crack-like art habit only to pick up another? And did i just ask a totally rhetorical question? Probably, yes, to both.
8. The kitten, our beloved Felix, might be gaining a little weight back. We did like Hawk suggested and put her on geriatric food, and it seems to me that she's got a little bit more heft and weft when I pick her up. Keep your fingers crossed. And yes, we've hidden the remote so she can't watch America's Top Model anymore and try and emulate what she sees on TV. But she's a smart cat, so lord knows if she's got a secret stash of teen-magazines or something around telling her that she's got to be skinny.
9. I want to start reading my birthday book on Buffy and Philosophy. Instead I'm using my birthday Japanese-English dictionary. Neil really did cover the bases on that set of gifts.
10. I'm not quite sure if I can multitask anymore. I think I used to be able to handle at least 3 IM conversations while doing work, but now I'm down to two. See kids, this is what happens when you do too many drugs at a young age. You stop being able to multi task. It's BAAAAD. But the drugs were fun. ;)
11. (because I'm contrary) I saw the swans again on Lake Austin this week. In the morning, when I cross over the bridge on my way to school, there is a family of swans. The cygnets are almost all grown up now, and I'm sure they'll be heading out any day to fly to warmer climes, but I love seeing their white profiles against the blue of the river/lake when I pass. There's something so beautiful about them it makes my day.
Yes, my argument was called potentially brilliant. On a 6 page paper. That was supposed to be 8. Maybe I can do this after all.
2. Its Friday night and I haven't started my homework for next week. That may sound silly, but I have to have Monday, Tuesday & Wednesday's homework done before the week starts in order to keep up with Tuesdays. I have procrastinated. I am a bad girl. I might need to be spanked.
3. I have no right to complain, because there are a ton of people who are having far worse weeks/months than I. And I love you all and know you're going to make it through these things, truly. I just wish I had more time, and could be a little more comforting than comments on lj's with hugs, or phone conversations where I talk about everything and nothing, and am a sympathetic ear whose only advice is that everybody needs time. I will do better next week.
4. Tomorrow afternoon we go house hunting! Finally! We were supposed to go Wednesday, but it was called on account of our realtor's broken key/lock box. But we're going to whirlwind through 7? 8? 10? houses. Luckily we'll have them on video so we won't get too confused. And sadly, it's a bigger priority than we thought, because our current lease expires in December (we knew that), and in order to switch to month-to-month we'll have to pay $100 a month in rent! Bastards.
5. Tomorrow night I'm dressing up (either Ren-Faire girl or Femme Fatal -- I just don't know if i have the clothes to support the last, but I will try), carving pumpkins, watching horror movies, eating popcorn, and goofing around with friends. Cannot wait. There will probably be pictures. Of EVIL and SCARY pumpkins.
6. Next week is a week full of tests. Either getting results of them, or taking Japanese oral and written exams. God I hate Japanese exams. But I think I'm actually getting better at the orals. And doesn't that just sound kinky?
7. I think I may have broken my iconing gene. I'm now totally drawn to backgrounds, manips, and banners. Is it possible to break yourself of one crack-like art habit only to pick up another? And did i just ask a totally rhetorical question? Probably, yes, to both.
8. The kitten, our beloved Felix, might be gaining a little weight back. We did like Hawk suggested and put her on geriatric food, and it seems to me that she's got a little bit more heft and weft when I pick her up. Keep your fingers crossed. And yes, we've hidden the remote so she can't watch America's Top Model anymore and try and emulate what she sees on TV. But she's a smart cat, so lord knows if she's got a secret stash of teen-magazines or something around telling her that she's got to be skinny.
9. I want to start reading my birthday book on Buffy and Philosophy. Instead I'm using my birthday Japanese-English dictionary. Neil really did cover the bases on that set of gifts.
10. I'm not quite sure if I can multitask anymore. I think I used to be able to handle at least 3 IM conversations while doing work, but now I'm down to two. See kids, this is what happens when you do too many drugs at a young age. You stop being able to multi task. It's BAAAAD. But the drugs were fun. ;)
11. (because I'm contrary) I saw the swans again on Lake Austin this week. In the morning, when I cross over the bridge on my way to school, there is a family of swans. The cygnets are almost all grown up now, and I'm sure they'll be heading out any day to fly to warmer climes, but I love seeing their white profiles against the blue of the river/lake when I pass. There's something so beautiful about them it makes my day.
can't resist all the bad habits
Oct. 17th, 2005 01:03 amthursday's child cried...
Because the computer company returned my lovely pc RE-FUCKING-FORMATTED. I still don't have everything back the way it's supposed to be, but it's beginning to feel a little like my computer again. I felt helpless and useless and confused at why they did such a thing to me, even though I know that some tech was just following his list of standard operating procedures, and wasn't some evil grinning tech trying to get me back for having pirated software. It's just that they do turn into mental apartments, with comphy furniture, and when it gets moved around (or worse, tossed out!) it makes you want to scream.
friday's child grinned,
Because we took Yvette out for her birthday and ended up at a bar talking lots and lots of sex and goofy stories and trying to find the perfect margarita. I wonder if I'm going to turn out like Tom Robbins ... with my own personal search for the perfect margarita (unlike his for the perfect taco)? God it's fun to actually goof around outside again - meet new people, get to know the ones I know a little bit better, grin and smile and all of that silly beloved stuff.
saturday's child grew up.
At least that's what it felt like, because we had a date with a real estate agent. A date that lasted 5 or 6 hours! We saw houses -- one scary, one so-so, one that was adorable (but not *quite* perfect), and one that was interesting, but maybe not ideal. Of course, I expected our realitor to wine and dine us (not actually, just emotionally) and she did no such thing, so I'm willing to be courted by others. But we're really doing it. Really. Buying a house. Before the end of the year if we can. God that's weird.
sunday's child didn't want to get out of bed.
Not for any good reason, just because I didn't have to get up. We went and scouted territory... at least that's what it felt like... looking for more houses to buy in the south part of the city. We fell in love with a place that we didnt' even go into, that we know is completely wrong for us, because it doesn't even have a garage and it's $10,000 over our limit, but so, so, so cute! We bickered a bit, out of nervousness I think, because we've never really quite undertaken anything like this. But it all got better after lunch. After the excursion I managed to do a little homework, make a few graphics, watch a little Buffy (and sing, which is probably why neil turned up the TV in the other room... but it's my birthday present and the Buffy musical and i'm entitled), avoid some of the other chores I keep needing to do, but hey, it's the weekend. The weekend is for goofing.
oh, and if anyone hasn't seen the notice, go vote for your favorite icons over atbeegee_icontest! And dammit, have yourselves a happy Monday!
Because the computer company returned my lovely pc RE-FUCKING-FORMATTED. I still don't have everything back the way it's supposed to be, but it's beginning to feel a little like my computer again. I felt helpless and useless and confused at why they did such a thing to me, even though I know that some tech was just following his list of standard operating procedures, and wasn't some evil grinning tech trying to get me back for having pirated software. It's just that they do turn into mental apartments, with comphy furniture, and when it gets moved around (or worse, tossed out!) it makes you want to scream.
friday's child grinned,
Because we took Yvette out for her birthday and ended up at a bar talking lots and lots of sex and goofy stories and trying to find the perfect margarita. I wonder if I'm going to turn out like Tom Robbins ... with my own personal search for the perfect margarita (unlike his for the perfect taco)? God it's fun to actually goof around outside again - meet new people, get to know the ones I know a little bit better, grin and smile and all of that silly beloved stuff.
saturday's child grew up.
At least that's what it felt like, because we had a date with a real estate agent. A date that lasted 5 or 6 hours! We saw houses -- one scary, one so-so, one that was adorable (but not *quite* perfect), and one that was interesting, but maybe not ideal. Of course, I expected our realitor to wine and dine us (not actually, just emotionally) and she did no such thing, so I'm willing to be courted by others. But we're really doing it. Really. Buying a house. Before the end of the year if we can. God that's weird.
sunday's child didn't want to get out of bed.
Not for any good reason, just because I didn't have to get up. We went and scouted territory... at least that's what it felt like... looking for more houses to buy in the south part of the city. We fell in love with a place that we didnt' even go into, that we know is completely wrong for us, because it doesn't even have a garage and it's $10,000 over our limit, but so, so, so cute! We bickered a bit, out of nervousness I think, because we've never really quite undertaken anything like this. But it all got better after lunch. After the excursion I managed to do a little homework, make a few graphics, watch a little Buffy (and sing, which is probably why neil turned up the TV in the other room... but it's my birthday present and the Buffy musical and i'm entitled), avoid some of the other chores I keep needing to do, but hey, it's the weekend. The weekend is for goofing.
oh, and if anyone hasn't seen the notice, go vote for your favorite icons over at
beegee_icontest! And dammit, have yourselves a happy Monday!The Best Birthday. Ever.
Oct. 12th, 2005 10:26 amI wasn’t planning on it, and then it happened. Friday, the day I thought would be another from hell, turned golden and shiny and brilliant. Why? Because three beloved rascals conspired in Austin. Hawk and Miranda showed up in our guest bedroom. And I jumped and squealed and made happy happy happy joy sounds over and over again. It was the BEST surprise. The best present. The most happiest moment. It made turning 30 somehow totally ok.
And then there was the party! It made me look forward to it in a way that I just hadn’t before. There’s something special about having your true, beloved, treasured friends around when you party with your new ones – it’s like there’s a whole new meaning to having people in your corner. Or at least, that’s how it felt to me.
So Friday night we tried to show Hawk & Miranda a little bit of the town, which basically consisted of margaritas at Matt’s (and some serious queso consumption). And went back home to enjoy our company, without all those nasty distractions. Saturday we got ready for the party (with breakfast included beforehand, of course), visited Whole Foods (yes, sadly, it’s a tourist destination – but they have yummy cheese!), and puttered around the house.
The party? The party itself was goofy and silly and adorable and everything I could’ve asked for. Ok, maybe there was a little bit more . . . um . . . vomit . . . that I really would’ve asked for, but that’s my fault, since I mixed Mojitos and White Russians for people. Let me tell you, so *not* a good idea.
But it didn’t really matter – it was awesome regardless – besides, it gave Hawk something to tease Yvette about in the morning, and everyone something to grin at me about, and, well, it’s three days later and I’m still smiling.
Sunday, we were lazy and lovely and just goofed and lounged and watched Invader Zim until it was almost time for the Bat-Boat. And then, the unthinkable happened. Miranda bought me a cowboy hat. Yep, a Cowboy hat. I am official Texan. Oh, and Neil had gotten one on Saturday. We’re quite the pair now. Maybe we’ll only wear them for company? *Grin* I never thought I’d get quite that Texan, but the hats are kind of fun, and now Miranda has one too. I think of ‘em both when I look at it.
Actually, I think of ‘em both because they came and, along with my most beloved trouble maker (that’s you Neil), made the weekend bright and wonderful and just unfucking believably amazing. New friends, old friends, goofy neighbors, silly kittens, texas hats and all.
And then there was the party! It made me look forward to it in a way that I just hadn’t before. There’s something special about having your true, beloved, treasured friends around when you party with your new ones – it’s like there’s a whole new meaning to having people in your corner. Or at least, that’s how it felt to me.
So Friday night we tried to show Hawk & Miranda a little bit of the town, which basically consisted of margaritas at Matt’s (and some serious queso consumption). And went back home to enjoy our company, without all those nasty distractions. Saturday we got ready for the party (with breakfast included beforehand, of course), visited Whole Foods (yes, sadly, it’s a tourist destination – but they have yummy cheese!), and puttered around the house.
The party? The party itself was goofy and silly and adorable and everything I could’ve asked for. Ok, maybe there was a little bit more . . . um . . . vomit . . . that I really would’ve asked for, but that’s my fault, since I mixed Mojitos and White Russians for people. Let me tell you, so *not* a good idea.
But it didn’t really matter – it was awesome regardless – besides, it gave Hawk something to tease Yvette about in the morning, and everyone something to grin at me about, and, well, it’s three days later and I’m still smiling.
Sunday, we were lazy and lovely and just goofed and lounged and watched Invader Zim until it was almost time for the Bat-Boat. And then, the unthinkable happened. Miranda bought me a cowboy hat. Yep, a Cowboy hat. I am official Texan. Oh, and Neil had gotten one on Saturday. We’re quite the pair now. Maybe we’ll only wear them for company? *Grin* I never thought I’d get quite that Texan, but the hats are kind of fun, and now Miranda has one too. I think of ‘em both when I look at it.
Actually, I think of ‘em both because they came and, along with my most beloved trouble maker (that’s you Neil), made the weekend bright and wonderful and just unfucking believably amazing. New friends, old friends, goofy neighbors, silly kittens, texas hats and all.
not that i really have anything to complain about. Brain-gruelling Japanese test. But I studied. So I think I've got an even chance of getting a C. And just glad it's over.
Hung out with friends. Watched the Suicide Movie (Seppuku if anyone's interested). Bit bizzare. And I was all set to watch the parts of Lola Montes that I'd missed on Tuesday, after Seppuku.
I should've known things were taking a turn for the worst right then. But do I heed the warnings? No.
The DVD that I can check out from the library is, of course, in French. But they don't automatically give out remotes, so I have to walk back to the counter for one. Then back to the room. Then back to the counter because the remote won't work. Then back to the room to grab my bag, because that's the only remote they've got, and if it doesn't work nothing will. No sassy french movie for me. That I have to write a paper on Tuesday.
Get to the car, that smells a bit like yogurt because I had to eat my breakfast in the car this morning (and old yogurt is not appetising). Turn on my computer and get ... nothing. A flash of something, then nothing.
Guess what? My computer screen's down. I have no idea how. It's compltely black, except for the couple of seconds when it logs into windows, when I can see my background, before it goes black again. Customer service (that I've spent the last hour and a half with) has no idea either. God they're useless. I mean, completely useless. Frankly, I have a feeling it's some kind of screen black out button that me and/or the cat pressed, but all they can do is tell me to try "function+F8, and for some reason they don't know that that's just the fucking brightness control. It doesn't do any other damn thing. But they don't have enough knowledge about my actual model to know that. They wanted me to pop the ram back out and in because they can't think of anything else. Hell no. I am not about to go 'popping' the ram out of my compouter and accidentally breaking it in half. Because that would be my luck.
So I get to send it into the service center. In California. And wait, to get it back. I HATE this kind of stuff. Truly truly truly HATE it.
So I'm braindead, without computer, which means I feel cut off at the knees, and homework less, because I couldn't do it (and trust me, the local Blockbuster does not carry Lola Montes), and just stuck and frustrated and half feeling like I want to cry.
The only good part? I pick Neil up at 10 tonight. My boy is coming home.
Hung out with friends. Watched the Suicide Movie (Seppuku if anyone's interested). Bit bizzare. And I was all set to watch the parts of Lola Montes that I'd missed on Tuesday, after Seppuku.
I should've known things were taking a turn for the worst right then. But do I heed the warnings? No.
The DVD that I can check out from the library is, of course, in French. But they don't automatically give out remotes, so I have to walk back to the counter for one. Then back to the room. Then back to the counter because the remote won't work. Then back to the room to grab my bag, because that's the only remote they've got, and if it doesn't work nothing will. No sassy french movie for me. That I have to write a paper on Tuesday.
Get to the car, that smells a bit like yogurt because I had to eat my breakfast in the car this morning (and old yogurt is not appetising). Turn on my computer and get ... nothing. A flash of something, then nothing.
Guess what? My computer screen's down. I have no idea how. It's compltely black, except for the couple of seconds when it logs into windows, when I can see my background, before it goes black again. Customer service (that I've spent the last hour and a half with) has no idea either. God they're useless. I mean, completely useless. Frankly, I have a feeling it's some kind of screen black out button that me and/or the cat pressed, but all they can do is tell me to try "function+F8, and for some reason they don't know that that's just the fucking brightness control. It doesn't do any other damn thing. But they don't have enough knowledge about my actual model to know that. They wanted me to pop the ram back out and in because they can't think of anything else. Hell no. I am not about to go 'popping' the ram out of my compouter and accidentally breaking it in half. Because that would be my luck.
So I get to send it into the service center. In California. And wait, to get it back. I HATE this kind of stuff. Truly truly truly HATE it.
So I'm braindead, without computer, which means I feel cut off at the knees, and homework less, because I couldn't do it (and trust me, the local Blockbuster does not carry Lola Montes), and just stuck and frustrated and half feeling like I want to cry.
The only good part? I pick Neil up at 10 tonight. My boy is coming home.
(no subject)
Sep. 26th, 2005 08:26 pmThe good: I didn't nail my Spivak presentation, I didn't bomb it either. Something about actually presenting complex theory makes me talk too fast. And gods, the woman references deconstruction, semiotics, Lacanian self & other, and half a dozen other things all in a sentence. There's NO easy way to talk about it, except in the way she did (which wasn't easy, but was at least precise). And I know I had the professor frowning at certian points. But I loved the article, regardless. Even if I'd never encountered subaltern studies before, I feel like I should've read Spivak anyway.
The hilarious thing is the way the Prof talks about her. His description: She's a rather imposing woman at over 6 feet, who wears elegant and quite expensive saris, and is quite striking. She's hugely invested in the community and goes back to India and Bangladesh at least once a year to teach people reading -- so it's not like she's an ivory tower intellectual who has no connection to the people she talks about. However, she's also very much interesting in weightlifting, and she's brillant, so she makes a rather imposing figure. And she's quick. But she's very gentle and very passionate.
How's that for an introduction? I mean, she's no Foucault who used to come to class in bondage, but hey, we can't all be crazy French philosophers.
Other stuff? I got new shoes today. I finally bought a lock for my locker, so I don't have to drag my swim stuff with me every single day. Rock. I joined facebook and have 2 friends (yes, count them, 2) so if anyone else is on there come over and friend me... so i don't look totally pathetic.
( the bad and the whiny )
The hilarious thing is the way the Prof talks about her. His description: She's a rather imposing woman at over 6 feet, who wears elegant and quite expensive saris, and is quite striking. She's hugely invested in the community and goes back to India and Bangladesh at least once a year to teach people reading -- so it's not like she's an ivory tower intellectual who has no connection to the people she talks about. However, she's also very much interesting in weightlifting, and she's brillant, so she makes a rather imposing figure. And she's quick. But she's very gentle and very passionate.
How's that for an introduction? I mean, she's no Foucault who used to come to class in bondage, but hey, we can't all be crazy French philosophers.
Other stuff? I got new shoes today. I finally bought a lock for my locker, so I don't have to drag my swim stuff with me every single day. Rock. I joined facebook and have 2 friends (yes, count them, 2) so if anyone else is on there come over and friend me... so i don't look totally pathetic.
( the bad and the whiny )
