Happy Birthday, Annie!
Hope that you celebrate with some delicious Carvel ice cream (in cake form, preferably).
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Sunday, July 24, 2005
Happy One Year Anniversary to Bryan and Des!
They married a year ago this past weekend. I can't believe that a year has passed so quickly, but I can believe what an awesome couple you are. So congratulations from both me and Anne (who was not able to get enough time on a computer to send separate congrats)!
They married a year ago this past weekend. I can't believe that a year has passed so quickly, but I can believe what an awesome couple you are. So congratulations from both me and Anne (who was not able to get enough time on a computer to send separate congrats)!
Another weekend...
...passed! How did that happen, pray tell? Regardless, it was a nice laid back weekend. And the upcoming week won't be terribly difficult, but I've lost my momentum for work and am eager to tackle the summer and its lack of responsibility. Yay! Three more weeks left to the quarter.
Anyway, on Friday we went to go and see Holy Roman Empire play at the Mutiny, everyone's favorite dive bar. They have these enormous mini pitchers for the low, low price of $5. Best deal in town. However, Todd tried to buy a bottle of beer (something fancier than your standard Budweiser) and it also cost $5. So you need to choose carefully at the Mutiny apparently.
Saturday after another excellent lunch at Hot Doug's (which we've both decided is our most favoritest place in town if not the world) I tagged along with Todd as he did his first round of car-shopping. We stopped at three different places, which offered the whole spectrum of salesmanship. It's like in "The Little Prince" where you go and visit different little planets, each dealership offering its own experience.
At the tail end of one of the visits, the relatively reasonable salesguy insisted on bringing his manager over. The manager proceeded to give an extremely condescending lecture complete with graphs on why Todd would be stoopid to consider any other kind of car. Todd listened politely, but it was obvious that he wasn't buying what the guy was selling. I don't know if the guy couldn't read body language, or if he thought that Todd was young and/or naive and/or dumb, but it was a bad call on his part because that pretty much forced the decision that no car would be bought from this dealership. My question is: does this work ever? Who does it work with and why?
Today it was over 100 in Chicago, which means that nothing was to be accomplished. I hear that the heat wave will be cracking soon, which I hope is to be the truth.
...passed! How did that happen, pray tell? Regardless, it was a nice laid back weekend. And the upcoming week won't be terribly difficult, but I've lost my momentum for work and am eager to tackle the summer and its lack of responsibility. Yay! Three more weeks left to the quarter.
Anyway, on Friday we went to go and see Holy Roman Empire play at the Mutiny, everyone's favorite dive bar. They have these enormous mini pitchers for the low, low price of $5. Best deal in town. However, Todd tried to buy a bottle of beer (something fancier than your standard Budweiser) and it also cost $5. So you need to choose carefully at the Mutiny apparently.
Saturday after another excellent lunch at Hot Doug's (which we've both decided is our most favoritest place in town if not the world) I tagged along with Todd as he did his first round of car-shopping. We stopped at three different places, which offered the whole spectrum of salesmanship. It's like in "The Little Prince" where you go and visit different little planets, each dealership offering its own experience.
At the tail end of one of the visits, the relatively reasonable salesguy insisted on bringing his manager over. The manager proceeded to give an extremely condescending lecture complete with graphs on why Todd would be stoopid to consider any other kind of car. Todd listened politely, but it was obvious that he wasn't buying what the guy was selling. I don't know if the guy couldn't read body language, or if he thought that Todd was young and/or naive and/or dumb, but it was a bad call on his part because that pretty much forced the decision that no car would be bought from this dealership. My question is: does this work ever? Who does it work with and why?
Today it was over 100 in Chicago, which means that nothing was to be accomplished. I hear that the heat wave will be cracking soon, which I hope is to be the truth.
Friday, July 22, 2005
Thursday, July 21, 2005
There are no words
I went with Laura, Lauren, Hillary and Trisha to see "March of the Penguins" tonight. Oh lordy.
First of all, I will preface this to say that both Annie and my dad called me up urging me to run, not walk, to see this movie. And they were so right.
Let's just say that I need a baby penguin in my arms five minutes ago. I was almost in physical pain watching the scenes when they finally ducked out from under their various parental belly folds to waddle and feed and tumble and get fat.
I went with Laura, Lauren, Hillary and Trisha to see "March of the Penguins" tonight. Oh lordy.
First of all, I will preface this to say that both Annie and my dad called me up urging me to run, not walk, to see this movie. And they were so right.
Let's just say that I need a baby penguin in my arms five minutes ago. I was almost in physical pain watching the scenes when they finally ducked out from under their various parental belly folds to waddle and feed and tumble and get fat.
News of the week
I love my easy week. Today I only have one client session in the afternoon and a half hour meeting and that's it. I know. But I'm sticking around Evanston in order to watch "March of the Penguins," about which I'm very excited.
In other news, I got caught in the major thunderstorm coming home from campus yesterday. I stood there at the gym for twenty minutes waiting it out, but I was wrong about the timing so was thoroughly soaked by the time I got onto the train.
Last night we went to see Vamplifier play at the Double Door. $3 tickets since Todd knows the singer, Scott. I applaud the concept of $3 tickets.
So, that's my week so far: not too exciting but not too shabby at all.
I love my easy week. Today I only have one client session in the afternoon and a half hour meeting and that's it. I know. But I'm sticking around Evanston in order to watch "March of the Penguins," about which I'm very excited.
In other news, I got caught in the major thunderstorm coming home from campus yesterday. I stood there at the gym for twenty minutes waiting it out, but I was wrong about the timing so was thoroughly soaked by the time I got onto the train.
Last night we went to see Vamplifier play at the Double Door. $3 tickets since Todd knows the singer, Scott. I applaud the concept of $3 tickets.
So, that's my week so far: not too exciting but not too shabby at all.
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Best thing that I've heard all day...
Dark chocolate may help to lower blood pressure.
I love me some dark chocolate.
Dark chocolate may help to lower blood pressure.
I love me some dark chocolate.
A Stick of Butter
I'm excited that Mei Xiang had a wee baby panda that the Washington Post describes as "the size of a stick of butter." Too much. Check out the Post's Panda Watch.
I didn't find any pictures when I went poking around the Post, but Kevin has a picture on his blog today of a couple of newborn babies and I will submit that freshly born baby pandas may not be the world's cutest things.
But when I google "baby pandas" I came up with a site following Hua Mei, a baby panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 1999. I downloaded some especially adorable pictures for your enjoyment.
I'm excited that Mei Xiang had a wee baby panda that the Washington Post describes as "the size of a stick of butter." Too much. Check out the Post's Panda Watch.
I didn't find any pictures when I went poking around the Post, but Kevin has a picture on his blog today of a couple of newborn babies and I will submit that freshly born baby pandas may not be the world's cutest things.
But when I google "baby pandas" I came up with a site following Hua Mei, a baby panda born at the San Diego Zoo in 1999. I downloaded some especially adorable pictures for your enjoyment.
What's your favorite word?
I have a variety, but I would need to think for a while about my true favorite and why.
(via tmn)
I have a variety, but I would need to think for a while about my true favorite and why.
(via tmn)
Monday, July 18, 2005
Out and out wrong
So as I was reading "Today's Blogs" in Slate today I stumbled across the brou-ha-ha that surrounds the NY Times essay from Sunday titled "The Real Nanny Diaries are Online."
In the article, Helaine Olen describes reading her nanny's online blog, becoming mildly obsessed with it, and ultimately deciding that she was offended by knowing so much about her nanny's personal life and feeling as if the nanny was airing her own family's dirty laundry. I haven't read the nanny's blog in depth so I have no idea if she besmirched Olen's family, and it would be totally shitty if she did, but still...
Olen comes off sounding small and self-centered and not a little jealous in the essay. Did she realize this when she was writing it? Because very few would read it and think that this was a stand-up woman. And how low is it to scream "inappropriate" when your nanny mentions her work in her personal blog with a likely small audience and then describe in detail everything that you think is wrong with her in The New York TIMES for pete's sake. And this whole debacle is mentioned in enough blogs (in Slate, for instance) with links to the nanny's blog that it wouldn't be that hard to figure out who she is if you really wanted to put some elbow grease into the whole thing.
If you read the article then you would know that the nanny had passed along her blog address to Olen, which was a terrible idea. Even if you don't plan on talking badly about your employer, they're still your employer, and--really--do you want your employer to know about your personal life? It's your own. But from what I've read, it appears that the nanny didn't do anything worse than talk about her life as a 25 year old in New York. Which only makes Olen seem more foolish.
The nanny's rebuttal is in her blog here.
So as I was reading "Today's Blogs" in Slate today I stumbled across the brou-ha-ha that surrounds the NY Times essay from Sunday titled "The Real Nanny Diaries are Online."
In the article, Helaine Olen describes reading her nanny's online blog, becoming mildly obsessed with it, and ultimately deciding that she was offended by knowing so much about her nanny's personal life and feeling as if the nanny was airing her own family's dirty laundry. I haven't read the nanny's blog in depth so I have no idea if she besmirched Olen's family, and it would be totally shitty if she did, but still...
Olen comes off sounding small and self-centered and not a little jealous in the essay. Did she realize this when she was writing it? Because very few would read it and think that this was a stand-up woman. And how low is it to scream "inappropriate" when your nanny mentions her work in her personal blog with a likely small audience and then describe in detail everything that you think is wrong with her in The New York TIMES for pete's sake. And this whole debacle is mentioned in enough blogs (in Slate, for instance) with links to the nanny's blog that it wouldn't be that hard to figure out who she is if you really wanted to put some elbow grease into the whole thing.
If you read the article then you would know that the nanny had passed along her blog address to Olen, which was a terrible idea. Even if you don't plan on talking badly about your employer, they're still your employer, and--really--do you want your employer to know about your personal life? It's your own. But from what I've read, it appears that the nanny didn't do anything worse than talk about her life as a 25 year old in New York. Which only makes Olen seem more foolish.
The nanny's rebuttal is in her blog here.
Melting
It's hot outside right now which means that it's extra hot in my apartment. The temperature gauge in our living room is past its highest mark which is 85 degrees. AWESOME.
Actually, what's pretty awesome is that it's supposed to cool down tonight. I think it's supposed to dip just below 70!
I'm having a nice, eaaazzzzy week. Now that one of my classes has ended, I only have one (relatively undemanding) class left along with my clients. And then one of my clients canceled for this entire week so I only have six hours of stuff to do. Well, more since some of the stuff takes preparation and I'll have a couple of meetings as well...but still. And I have tomorrow completely off. I'm thinking of checking out the main library downtown. It's supposed to be pretty sweet.
Yay, pre-vacation!
It's hot outside right now which means that it's extra hot in my apartment. The temperature gauge in our living room is past its highest mark which is 85 degrees. AWESOME.
Actually, what's pretty awesome is that it's supposed to cool down tonight. I think it's supposed to dip just below 70!
I'm having a nice, eaaazzzzy week. Now that one of my classes has ended, I only have one (relatively undemanding) class left along with my clients. And then one of my clients canceled for this entire week so I only have six hours of stuff to do. Well, more since some of the stuff takes preparation and I'll have a couple of meetings as well...but still. And I have tomorrow completely off. I'm thinking of checking out the main library downtown. It's supposed to be pretty sweet.
Yay, pre-vacation!
Sunday, July 17, 2005
Intonation
We just got back from Pitchfork Media's Intonation Music Festival held in Union Park here in Chicago yesterday and today. We only went today mainly because a couple of Todd's favorites were playing: the Wrens and Les Savy Fav. I like what I've heard of the Wrens myself, so I was pretty excited. The festival started at noon today, but we met Steve and Kiley later in the afternoon and then caught the bus from their place over to the park. I am here to report that it was a rather excellent music festival. Some of the reasons why it was so good include:
We just got back from Pitchfork Media's Intonation Music Festival held in Union Park here in Chicago yesterday and today. We only went today mainly because a couple of Todd's favorites were playing: the Wrens and Les Savy Fav. I like what I've heard of the Wrens myself, so I was pretty excited. The festival started at noon today, but we met Steve and Kiley later in the afternoon and then caught the bus from their place over to the park. I am here to report that it was a rather excellent music festival. Some of the reasons why it was so good include:
- cheap tickets! A day pass cost $15 and if you went both days, it cost $22. That's as if the tickets were almost given away considering how much concerts normally cost.
- the space! Union park is large and spacious so it was easy to spread out and I never felt as if there were too many people. Before we went over to the stages to listen to the bands, we spread out on a blanket...and there was room for it.
- food and drink were reasonable! cups of decent beer were $4 and we got jumbo dogs that were pretty good for $4 too. I'm usually prepared to be shocked and disturbed over price gouging at concerts, but I was impressed with this.
- the planning! they set up two main stages relatively close to one another. So... there was little lost times of bands setting up: when one band finished you just moved over to the next stage where the next band was all ready to play. Instant gratification.
- The porta-potties! They weren't that gross and there weren't bad lines.
- The breeze! Once the sun went down, it was pretty spectacular to be standing there with the constant breeze.
- The DJ tent: there was a DJ spin-off between one DJ and one of the dudes from Yo La Tengo. (Note: Todd wants me to add that the dude from Yo La Tengo played "Mexican Radio," a song that I had never heard before, but apprarently "an awesome song" and needs to be mentioned).
- The bands! I liked the Wrens a lot and I was hands-down blown away by Les Savy Fav. The main dude was such a showman and owned the crowd. We were pretty close to the stage for them as well, so all the better.
- The times! We're back before 9 pm on a Sunday night.
Saturday, July 16, 2005
Thursday, July 14, 2005
An interesting article in the Post about a DC graffiti artist who goes by Borf. He's 18 and pretty ambitious with his graffiti. I'm totally impressed. I haven't seen any of the Borf work, though. Have other DC people?
He also went to Erik's high school, apparently.
He also went to Erik's high school, apparently.
I wish that I had something interesting to report, but there ain't nothing going on except work.
Oh, except that yesterday I stumbled across "Celebrity Fit Club 2" on VH1, and I can't help but be intrigued by the parade of C-list celebrities on it. No overweight A or B list celebrity is going to agree to be on a show about how fat they are. Everyone has to climb on giant scales: it surpasses demeaning for sure.
But, I was watching for maybe ten minutes and during that time some of the people I saw on the show were: Gary Busey, Jackee, Willy Ames, that Snapple lady (again!), a reject from "America's Next Top Model 3," and the dad of that dude Bam from the Mtv show. I repeat: the dad of that dude Bam from the Mtv show. He seems like a nice enough guy, but VH1 must be scraping the bottom of the barrel here. But Gary Busey is always hilariously weird to watch. And mix him with Jackee and it's like you've entered an alternate universe.
Oh, except that yesterday I stumbled across "Celebrity Fit Club 2" on VH1, and I can't help but be intrigued by the parade of C-list celebrities on it. No overweight A or B list celebrity is going to agree to be on a show about how fat they are. Everyone has to climb on giant scales: it surpasses demeaning for sure.
But, I was watching for maybe ten minutes and during that time some of the people I saw on the show were: Gary Busey, Jackee, Willy Ames, that Snapple lady (again!), a reject from "America's Next Top Model 3," and the dad of that dude Bam from the Mtv show. I repeat: the dad of that dude Bam from the Mtv show. He seems like a nice enough guy, but VH1 must be scraping the bottom of the barrel here. But Gary Busey is always hilariously weird to watch. And mix him with Jackee and it's like you've entered an alternate universe.
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
Yay...
...For one of the last busy weeks of the quarter. Everything will wind up with the presentation that we're giving in Advanced Articulation this week. We're the last group to go...in a 4-6 class on a Friday in the last session of that particular class ever. We don't think that anyone will be there besides the other group presenting.
What else? I talked to Robin this past weekend and he told me about how he and his roommate have started going to matinee movies and then movie-jumping afterward. He said that noone ever suspects them of it because they're 30. He makes me proud.
...For one of the last busy weeks of the quarter. Everything will wind up with the presentation that we're giving in Advanced Articulation this week. We're the last group to go...in a 4-6 class on a Friday in the last session of that particular class ever. We don't think that anyone will be there besides the other group presenting.
What else? I talked to Robin this past weekend and he told me about how he and his roommate have started going to matinee movies and then movie-jumping afterward. He said that noone ever suspects them of it because they're 30. He makes me proud.
Monday, July 11, 2005
Getting back into it
It always takes a little bit of an adjustment to shift from weekend mode to week mode. Woo: happy Monday!
First of all, major good wishes to Anne who starts her new job today. Yay!
It was a music-heavy weekend. We went to see some of Todd's friends play on Thursday at the Bottom Lounge, his roommate's band perform on Saturday at the Beat Kitchen, and then finally last night went to a fundraiser concert at Subterranean. Shellac and a few other bands played to raise money for the son of a local musician who recently contracted serious neurological issues. It was a cool experience since tons of people came out and the dad was clearly moved and it was just nice overall. The concert started late, though, and since four bands played, we didn't get back home till like 1:30. The entire night I felt like I was playing hooky, since usually on Sunday nights I'm preparing for the week ahead. I have it pretty good, though, since I don't have stuff to do till the afternoon today.
It always takes a little bit of an adjustment to shift from weekend mode to week mode. Woo: happy Monday!
First of all, major good wishes to Anne who starts her new job today. Yay!
It was a music-heavy weekend. We went to see some of Todd's friends play on Thursday at the Bottom Lounge, his roommate's band perform on Saturday at the Beat Kitchen, and then finally last night went to a fundraiser concert at Subterranean. Shellac and a few other bands played to raise money for the son of a local musician who recently contracted serious neurological issues. It was a cool experience since tons of people came out and the dad was clearly moved and it was just nice overall. The concert started late, though, and since four bands played, we didn't get back home till like 1:30. The entire night I felt like I was playing hooky, since usually on Sunday nights I'm preparing for the week ahead. I have it pretty good, though, since I don't have stuff to do till the afternoon today.
Saturday, July 09, 2005
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Checking in
I feel inclined to check in even though I don't have much to say. My parents called last night to check if everything was okay since they hadn't seen a blog post in a while, so I'm assuring all friends and loved ones that I'm alive and well. Even though summer quarter is much more laid back than others, this week and next week will probably be the busiest. My half-quarter class is ending and that means a big group presentation, which is always the bane of one's existence and a yoooge time suck. Last Friday, we met to do some Internet scanning for articles, spent two hours doing so, and came up with nada. So frustrating.
I spent all day zooming around IL suburbs. First to daycare which is in parts of Evanston that I had never seen before (read, not particularly close to school) and then trekked over to catch a ride with Mirhiyah so we could go to the SW suburbs to do some observations for class. We left at 12:45 and didn't get back to Evanston till 6. Then I had to take the train home. Looong afternoon for observations. It was cool to get to watch them, though, and made me feel even better about choosing this field.
In other news, I have to confess that I have a new love. His name is Scratchy, and he's a mammoth lovebug of a cat. His owner was Katja's boyfriend and we came across him when we attending a fourth of July bbq at his place. Scratchy was enormous. And hairy. And a total affection sponge. He had me at hello. Later that night Todd and I discussed my newfound love, and he suggested that I put together a website for him. The website would be incredibly awesome because I am probably not going to be seeing Scratchy again soon (if ever), so I would have to do "artist renditions" of him for lack of photos, and with every entry I would have to cite the number of days it was since I had first made his acquaintance.
Okay, time to do some dishes.
I feel inclined to check in even though I don't have much to say. My parents called last night to check if everything was okay since they hadn't seen a blog post in a while, so I'm assuring all friends and loved ones that I'm alive and well. Even though summer quarter is much more laid back than others, this week and next week will probably be the busiest. My half-quarter class is ending and that means a big group presentation, which is always the bane of one's existence and a yoooge time suck. Last Friday, we met to do some Internet scanning for articles, spent two hours doing so, and came up with nada. So frustrating.
I spent all day zooming around IL suburbs. First to daycare which is in parts of Evanston that I had never seen before (read, not particularly close to school) and then trekked over to catch a ride with Mirhiyah so we could go to the SW suburbs to do some observations for class. We left at 12:45 and didn't get back to Evanston till 6. Then I had to take the train home. Looong afternoon for observations. It was cool to get to watch them, though, and made me feel even better about choosing this field.
In other news, I have to confess that I have a new love. His name is Scratchy, and he's a mammoth lovebug of a cat. His owner was Katja's boyfriend and we came across him when we attending a fourth of July bbq at his place. Scratchy was enormous. And hairy. And a total affection sponge. He had me at hello. Later that night Todd and I discussed my newfound love, and he suggested that I put together a website for him. The website would be incredibly awesome because I am probably not going to be seeing Scratchy again soon (if ever), so I would have to do "artist renditions" of him for lack of photos, and with every entry I would have to cite the number of days it was since I had first made his acquaintance.
Okay, time to do some dishes.
Tuesday, July 05, 2005
Happy Belated Birthday America!
It was a nice relaxing holiday weekend dominated with barbecues, potlucks, and gorgeous weather. How did the weekend pass so quickly?
It should be noted that we spent July 4th in Todd's neighborhood where there was a constant stream of fireworks displays from morning into the late night (okay, let's be honest...they started yesterday). Nine o' clock was the pinnacle of it all, with fireworks exploding everywhere. These weren't little fireworks like sparklers or tiny things like that: these were all out-see-them-miles-away-high-in-the-sky fireworks. The kind you might see at the end of a minor league baseball game. It was actually really impressive.
You would never have guessed that fireworks are illegal in Illinois.
It was a nice relaxing holiday weekend dominated with barbecues, potlucks, and gorgeous weather. How did the weekend pass so quickly?
It should be noted that we spent July 4th in Todd's neighborhood where there was a constant stream of fireworks displays from morning into the late night (okay, let's be honest...they started yesterday). Nine o' clock was the pinnacle of it all, with fireworks exploding everywhere. These weren't little fireworks like sparklers or tiny things like that: these were all out-see-them-miles-away-high-in-the-sky fireworks. The kind you might see at the end of a minor league baseball game. It was actually really impressive.
You would never have guessed that fireworks are illegal in Illinois.
Wednesday, June 29, 2005
More pride
I'm trying to put together some irregular plural flashcards for my seven year old client. One of the words that I'm looking for in Clipart is "men." Everything that pops up first celebrates gay couples, so men in embraces, holding hands, etc. I'm halfway tempted to use of them just because they're so pretty.
I'm trying to put together some irregular plural flashcards for my seven year old client. One of the words that I'm looking for in Clipart is "men." Everything that pops up first celebrates gay couples, so men in embraces, holding hands, etc. I'm halfway tempted to use of them just because they're so pretty.
Reality!
I was really excited last night. "Average Joe" premiered and someone that Todd knows is on it. I met the guy briefly at one point when he sat a bar before a show his band was playing at The Mutiny (a most excellent dive bar). I was thrilled to recognize the dude, and cheered for him, but then he was ousted first round. First round. Brutal! Apparently he had asked to leave because he hated the girl and needed to get back to his job anyway, but it would have been awesome to have rooted for someone all the way through.
Who can forget "Average Joe Hawaii" when the lady had a huge secret to tell her beloved, which was that she used to date Fabio. And that was enough to make the dude break up with her. SOOOO awesome.
I was really excited last night. "Average Joe" premiered and someone that Todd knows is on it. I met the guy briefly at one point when he sat a bar before a show his band was playing at The Mutiny (a most excellent dive bar). I was thrilled to recognize the dude, and cheered for him, but then he was ousted first round. First round. Brutal! Apparently he had asked to leave because he hated the girl and needed to get back to his job anyway, but it would have been awesome to have rooted for someone all the way through.
Who can forget "Average Joe Hawaii" when the lady had a huge secret to tell her beloved, which was that she used to date Fabio. And that was enough to make the dude break up with her. SOOOO awesome.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Monday, June 27, 2005
Sunday, June 26, 2005
Parking
Todd and I went to Humboldt Park on Saturday. It's expansive and pleasant and a good place to walk to on a sunny, warm day. We stumbled upon a car show filled with glistening, polished old and new cars. I think it was some kind of competition. I thought of Anne, who would have died and gone to heaven over the beautiful Mustangs on display. I was more amused by the huge muscled dude with a pony tail and tank top riding a scooter with the license plate "BIG DADDI."
Afterward we got some Puerto Rican food for lunch. Yum. We realized afterward that we never got our promised plantain chips, though. Daaaamn!
Todd and I went to Humboldt Park on Saturday. It's expansive and pleasant and a good place to walk to on a sunny, warm day. We stumbled upon a car show filled with glistening, polished old and new cars. I think it was some kind of competition. I thought of Anne, who would have died and gone to heaven over the beautiful Mustangs on display. I was more amused by the huge muscled dude with a pony tail and tank top riding a scooter with the license plate "BIG DADDI."
Afterward we got some Puerto Rican food for lunch. Yum. We realized afterward that we never got our promised plantain chips, though. Daaaamn!
Prideful
It was my first Pride Parade and was I glad to be there to experience the phenomenon. We got there today at 11:30 to meet Kevin, Jessica, and a whole slew of others to plant ourselves on a corner of Aldine and Broadway. We stood there for the next few hours and the parade wasn't even finished when we left. The streets were overflowing with people celebrating and drinking many beers and cavorting in honor of the big day. It was a good time. It was also a good time back at Kevin's place afterward where he had so graciously provided snacks and drinks and a place to sit in the AC. Everyone else left to go onto further parties and celebrations, but Todd and I were wiped so we came back to my place and napped for two solid hours.
The floats were all pretty awesome, but I mostly appreciated Kevin's exclamations throughout: when the policemen on horses went by ("Goooo gay horses!"), when a hummer went by with some random advertisement ("Gooo gay hummer!"). I went to the Pride Parade in DC in 1999 and that was a pretty modest event, but Chicago's Pride Parade is An Event with capital letters. Yesterday was Pride Fest, which we missed and I'm sorry about. Apparently RuPaul was the headliner and "sang" from her four albums (Kevin: "who knew?"). At one point she chanted "Give me some money, give me some money" which was a good shtick since people started handing her cash throughout the rest of the show. I need to get in on that action.
I wish that I had taken pictures of the streets after the parade, though. It looked like a war had gone through. Piles of detritus (mainly beer cans) lined the streets and people were flooding on through still in the midst of celebration. I went to the coffee shop tonight to do some studying, and the party was going on strong still. There were also many people weaving all over the place. Techno reverbertated from all of the apartments around me. I wonder how much business all of the bars and restaurants in the area did (a lot).
But the piece de resistance: the grand marshall of the parade (is that the right term?). Wilson Cruz of "My So Called Life." Ricky, for those who don't know the actor's name. He waved gaily (ha!) from his car, bare chested. Boyfriend's been working out in the past 10 years since he was yooge.
It was my first Pride Parade and was I glad to be there to experience the phenomenon. We got there today at 11:30 to meet Kevin, Jessica, and a whole slew of others to plant ourselves on a corner of Aldine and Broadway. We stood there for the next few hours and the parade wasn't even finished when we left. The streets were overflowing with people celebrating and drinking many beers and cavorting in honor of the big day. It was a good time. It was also a good time back at Kevin's place afterward where he had so graciously provided snacks and drinks and a place to sit in the AC. Everyone else left to go onto further parties and celebrations, but Todd and I were wiped so we came back to my place and napped for two solid hours.
The floats were all pretty awesome, but I mostly appreciated Kevin's exclamations throughout: when the policemen on horses went by ("Goooo gay horses!"), when a hummer went by with some random advertisement ("Gooo gay hummer!"). I went to the Pride Parade in DC in 1999 and that was a pretty modest event, but Chicago's Pride Parade is An Event with capital letters. Yesterday was Pride Fest, which we missed and I'm sorry about. Apparently RuPaul was the headliner and "sang" from her four albums (Kevin: "who knew?"). At one point she chanted "Give me some money, give me some money" which was a good shtick since people started handing her cash throughout the rest of the show. I need to get in on that action.
I wish that I had taken pictures of the streets after the parade, though. It looked like a war had gone through. Piles of detritus (mainly beer cans) lined the streets and people were flooding on through still in the midst of celebration. I went to the coffee shop tonight to do some studying, and the party was going on strong still. There were also many people weaving all over the place. Techno reverbertated from all of the apartments around me. I wonder how much business all of the bars and restaurants in the area did (a lot).
But the piece de resistance: the grand marshall of the parade (is that the right term?). Wilson Cruz of "My So Called Life." Ricky, for those who don't know the actor's name. He waved gaily (ha!) from his car, bare chested. Boyfriend's been working out in the past 10 years since he was yooge.
Friday, June 24, 2005
Scorching
Hottest day so far in Chicago! It's going hit 100. Sweeet. I like the heat, but the apartment un-air conditioned can be something to contend with in that case. So far, it's not that terrible, but I think it will be another story in the height of the afternoon.
So my first week is coming to a close of summer quarter. So far, a big thumb's up to summer quarter: it's more laid back and not as pressing as the other quarters, and I like it. I also had my first sessions with all three of my new clients, and I enjoy them all.
I like my rounded, totally unintelligible powerhouse of a two-year old at daycare (he's a bear hugger and would be hopeless at some sort of sit down game, but can be counted on to go nuts over the prospect of blowing bubbles).
I like my three year old in the clinic: she is little and talkative and cooperative and I want to wrap her up and put her in my pocket. She's got amazing people skills as well. Yesterday we were talking about her cat named "Max." Here's a little bit of our conversation:
3-year old: "do you have a dog or a cat?"
K: "No, I don't have one right now, but I want one."
3-year old (with some concern): "You should get a pet. It will make you happy!"
(of course it took a little more time to understand her since she doesn't have a lot of her sounds yet). Last summer I read a great book called "The Ever lasting Story of Nory." It was written from the perspective of an imaginative five year old (I think) who went to a Montessouri school. My three year old attends one as well, and I feel like I'm talking to the Nory character when I work with her.
I also like my seven year old who I'm working on language stuff with. We played Simon Says and she was into it! It's awesome to have engaged clients this quarter after my little spitfire from last quarter. He was cool, but he was clever and set on sabotaging sessions. These little guys that I have right now are happy enough to be there, which is like a fricking gift from the heavens.
So this weekend is Pride Festival. Lakeview is ladened with rainbow flags. I can't wait for the Pride Parade on Sunday, which is supposed to be quite a spectacular event. I hope to take many pictures.
Tonight, Todd (a most awesome boyfriend) is taking me out for my half-birthday (which is actually tomorrow) to see "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" at Bailiwick Arts Center. I can't wait. It's at 11:30, though, and we usually crash around 11 on Fridays. I hope that we can stay awake.
Hottest day so far in Chicago! It's going hit 100. Sweeet. I like the heat, but the apartment un-air conditioned can be something to contend with in that case. So far, it's not that terrible, but I think it will be another story in the height of the afternoon.
So my first week is coming to a close of summer quarter. So far, a big thumb's up to summer quarter: it's more laid back and not as pressing as the other quarters, and I like it. I also had my first sessions with all three of my new clients, and I enjoy them all.
I like my rounded, totally unintelligible powerhouse of a two-year old at daycare (he's a bear hugger and would be hopeless at some sort of sit down game, but can be counted on to go nuts over the prospect of blowing bubbles).
I like my three year old in the clinic: she is little and talkative and cooperative and I want to wrap her up and put her in my pocket. She's got amazing people skills as well. Yesterday we were talking about her cat named "Max." Here's a little bit of our conversation:
3-year old: "do you have a dog or a cat?"
K: "No, I don't have one right now, but I want one."
3-year old (with some concern): "You should get a pet. It will make you happy!"
(of course it took a little more time to understand her since she doesn't have a lot of her sounds yet). Last summer I read a great book called "The Ever lasting Story of Nory." It was written from the perspective of an imaginative five year old (I think) who went to a Montessouri school. My three year old attends one as well, and I feel like I'm talking to the Nory character when I work with her.
I also like my seven year old who I'm working on language stuff with. We played Simon Says and she was into it! It's awesome to have engaged clients this quarter after my little spitfire from last quarter. He was cool, but he was clever and set on sabotaging sessions. These little guys that I have right now are happy enough to be there, which is like a fricking gift from the heavens.
So this weekend is Pride Festival. Lakeview is ladened with rainbow flags. I can't wait for the Pride Parade on Sunday, which is supposed to be quite a spectacular event. I hope to take many pictures.
Tonight, Todd (a most awesome boyfriend) is taking me out for my half-birthday (which is actually tomorrow) to see "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" at Bailiwick Arts Center. I can't wait. It's at 11:30, though, and we usually crash around 11 on Fridays. I hope that we can stay awake.
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
Happy Anniversary Indeed!
As Anne mentioned, Christie and Stefan got married two years ago now. Wow, that was a quick two years. It was an awesome wedding and in beautiful Maine and a perfect couple.
As Anne mentioned, Christie and Stefan got married two years ago now. Wow, that was a quick two years. It was an awesome wedding and in beautiful Maine and a perfect couple.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Goooo Puerto Rico!
It was the Puerto Rican Day parade this past weekend, I think. I know this because I was sitting in Todd's place this Saturday waiting for him to get back from work and there was a constant stream of honks outside of his window. Everyone was out with flags flying and honking loudly, longly, and happily. People were cavorting through the streets with Puerto Rico flags draped over their shoulders. Todd's friend, Steve, said that a few years ago the Puerto Rican day festivities were only one day, then they stretched to a week, and now they're like a month long. Which is cool, because who doesn't love a party? It was quite festive.
We walked to Wicker Park for dinner Saturday night and many houses and cars were festooned with flags, and people were out grilling, and kids were singing about Puerto Rico living forever. I told Todd that by the time he moves out of his place, he'll be hanging flags outside of his window as well. Hooray!
Today the weather was amazing. We took the bus to Randolph street in the West Loop (I think), and went to The Taste of Randolph Street festival. There are tons of restaurants there (as well as the Harpo studios, which I had never seen before) so all of the places were selling their wares. Strategery was involved: the plan was to walk along the entire festival and rank what we wanted to try the most and then go from there. We totally scored with the fresh guacamole from this awesome place called De Cero. We kind of missed with the kebabs from a place that I don't know the name of. By that time we were pretty much dominated, though, so there was much food left untasted. Next time.
It was the Puerto Rican Day parade this past weekend, I think. I know this because I was sitting in Todd's place this Saturday waiting for him to get back from work and there was a constant stream of honks outside of his window. Everyone was out with flags flying and honking loudly, longly, and happily. People were cavorting through the streets with Puerto Rico flags draped over their shoulders. Todd's friend, Steve, said that a few years ago the Puerto Rican day festivities were only one day, then they stretched to a week, and now they're like a month long. Which is cool, because who doesn't love a party? It was quite festive.
We walked to Wicker Park for dinner Saturday night and many houses and cars were festooned with flags, and people were out grilling, and kids were singing about Puerto Rico living forever. I told Todd that by the time he moves out of his place, he'll be hanging flags outside of his window as well. Hooray!
Today the weather was amazing. We took the bus to Randolph street in the West Loop (I think), and went to The Taste of Randolph Street festival. There are tons of restaurants there (as well as the Harpo studios, which I had never seen before) so all of the places were selling their wares. Strategery was involved: the plan was to walk along the entire festival and rank what we wanted to try the most and then go from there. We totally scored with the fresh guacamole from this awesome place called De Cero. We kind of missed with the kebabs from a place that I don't know the name of. By that time we were pretty much dominated, though, so there was much food left untasted. Next time.
Saturday, June 18, 2005
Suck/Swallow/Breathe Synchony
I know all about it now. The class on infant and toddler feeding finished up yesterday, and I think it is one of (if not the) favorite class that I've taken yet at NU. The material was interesting, we learned a good amount of hands-on basic therapy, and the instructor was engaging and easygoing. It was challenging to have to spend the entire day in class and then come home and look over your notes for the next day's quiz, but at least it was all pretty fresh. Plus, I'm done with one of my classes for the summer and the actual quarter's course load will be less brutal.
Most of the people in my class were in my program with the exception of two people: one mom finishing up her undergrad degree and one huge, quiet ponytailed dude. It kind of made sense that the mom was in the class since she had a 2-year old with some issues and had a 4-month old as well. The big quiet dude was in the class so he could graduate on time. Which was yesterday...the same day that the class ended. He seriously went straight from class yesterday to graduation. It slayed me so much that this guy was taking this class because it was no doubt directed toward SLPs in training (which he was not) and HOW did he pick this class? It must have been one of the only one-week classes available, because I can't imagine that this undergrad was like: "I have got to take a class on the feeding and management of infants and toddlers!"
This kind of cracked me up too: our instructor sent around thank you cards for the visiting parents who shared their story. She urged us to write little notes about what we learned from them, so you can imagine that the card was filled with substantial little blurbs. I noticed that the big dude only wrote "Hi!" ... which is so hilarious on a thank you card.
Yes, my threshold for hilarity is lowered.
Anyway, I'm sleepy right now since I woke up pretty early. Last night we had a little dinner party with Steve and Kiley and it was just what the doctor ordered at the end of a long week.
I know all about it now. The class on infant and toddler feeding finished up yesterday, and I think it is one of (if not the) favorite class that I've taken yet at NU. The material was interesting, we learned a good amount of hands-on basic therapy, and the instructor was engaging and easygoing. It was challenging to have to spend the entire day in class and then come home and look over your notes for the next day's quiz, but at least it was all pretty fresh. Plus, I'm done with one of my classes for the summer and the actual quarter's course load will be less brutal.
Most of the people in my class were in my program with the exception of two people: one mom finishing up her undergrad degree and one huge, quiet ponytailed dude. It kind of made sense that the mom was in the class since she had a 2-year old with some issues and had a 4-month old as well. The big quiet dude was in the class so he could graduate on time. Which was yesterday...the same day that the class ended. He seriously went straight from class yesterday to graduation. It slayed me so much that this guy was taking this class because it was no doubt directed toward SLPs in training (which he was not) and HOW did he pick this class? It must have been one of the only one-week classes available, because I can't imagine that this undergrad was like: "I have got to take a class on the feeding and management of infants and toddlers!"
This kind of cracked me up too: our instructor sent around thank you cards for the visiting parents who shared their story. She urged us to write little notes about what we learned from them, so you can imagine that the card was filled with substantial little blurbs. I noticed that the big dude only wrote "Hi!" ... which is so hilarious on a thank you card.
Yes, my threshold for hilarity is lowered.
Anyway, I'm sleepy right now since I woke up pretty early. Last night we had a little dinner party with Steve and Kiley and it was just what the doctor ordered at the end of a long week.
Thursday, June 16, 2005
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
Rocking
Tonight Todd's band, All Limbs Intact, played for the first time ever. It was at the Elbo Room and they were pretty awesome. It was all instrumental since they're working on the vocals, but their playing was great, and while they celebrate the loud, my ear plugs that I brought protected me from noise exposure. Nice job, Todd!
Tonight Todd's band, All Limbs Intact, played for the first time ever. It was at the Elbo Room and they were pretty awesome. It was all instrumental since they're working on the vocals, but their playing was great, and while they celebrate the loud, my ear plugs that I brought protected me from noise exposure. Nice job, Todd!
Wedding Bells Ringing for Hambone
This is way belated, but a major congratulations to Lisa who recently got engaged...in Spain of all places!
Is KFC catering??
This is way belated, but a major congratulations to Lisa who recently got engaged...in Spain of all places!
Is KFC catering??
Monday, June 13, 2005
Freedom is a buck oh five
We watched "Team America: World Police" this weekend and it was pretty hilarious. I couldn't get over how much work must have gone into that movie. All of those puppets! I could watch footage over and over of the puppets walking away, though, and laugh endlessly. The Kim Jong Il puppet was pretty awesome too.
Like Anne, we also watched "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." I also didn't love it as much as his other movies (can anything touch "Rushmore"? Not likely), but there were some funny parts. Not the least of which is when Zissou urged his son to call him "Stevesie" rather than "dad" since it sounds better.
We watched "Team America: World Police" this weekend and it was pretty hilarious. I couldn't get over how much work must have gone into that movie. All of those puppets! I could watch footage over and over of the puppets walking away, though, and laugh endlessly. The Kim Jong Il puppet was pretty awesome too.
Like Anne, we also watched "The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou." I also didn't love it as much as his other movies (can anything touch "Rushmore"? Not likely), but there were some funny parts. Not the least of which is when Zissou urged his son to call him "Stevesie" rather than "dad" since it sounds better.
These are a few of my favorite things
I'm taking my intensive class on Infant Feeding this week, and I like it so far. I was a little apprehensive about the 9-5 class, but the class is pretty laid back with plenty of breaks and videos and stories. We only have a quiz every day and a little presentation at the end, so no mid-terms or exams or massive papers.
Plus, the class is all about babies and toddlers and eating which are my favorite topics in the world. We watched a video today of a normally developing baby--how she went from shoving food in her mouth to grasping utensils all for naught to finally directing the utensils to her wide open maw. It was pretty awesome. Tomorrow we have visitors: toddlers and small children who have feeding issues and their parents. One of the kids only eats bbq potato chips because he won't accept any other texture and taste. My kind of kid.
I'm taking my intensive class on Infant Feeding this week, and I like it so far. I was a little apprehensive about the 9-5 class, but the class is pretty laid back with plenty of breaks and videos and stories. We only have a quiz every day and a little presentation at the end, so no mid-terms or exams or massive papers.
Plus, the class is all about babies and toddlers and eating which are my favorite topics in the world. We watched a video today of a normally developing baby--how she went from shoving food in her mouth to grasping utensils all for naught to finally directing the utensils to her wide open maw. It was pretty awesome. Tomorrow we have visitors: toddlers and small children who have feeding issues and their parents. One of the kids only eats bbq potato chips because he won't accept any other texture and taste. My kind of kid.
Sunday, June 12, 2005
Sunday night
It was a nice four day weekend and much needed. I slept...a lot. Like all the time. It was pretty awesome.
Friday night we went to this place called the Hideout to see someone Todd know play blues guitar. I had never been to the Hideout before, but had been planning to find my way there back in September when FOUND Magazine was having a show there. Good thing that I didn't, because who knows if I would have gotten there. The Hideout is in the middle of nowhere, smack nestled in among all of these industrial buildings. What a cool place, though: small and a neat show venue. The place looks like a set from "Twin Peaks." Plus they have benches outside where you can sit when the weather is breezy and balmy like it was on Friday night. Hillary was going to meet us there, but I assumed that she decided to bail. I found out later that she got turned around on the bus, figured that she was in the wrong/bad neighborhood and then had to hang out in a KFC and called her roommate to pick her up after two cab companies never showed. Poor Hillary. Anyway, the place is a Hideout indeed.
On Saturday, we caught the blue line to downtown and wandered around the book fair held on Printer's Row. It was hot and kind of crowded, but pleasant to wander around all of the books. Plus, they were giving away popsicles. Free popsicles = Happy Kristin. Afterward we wandered over to Grant Park to the Blues Festival. That's a cool thing about Chicago: there always seems to be something going on when the weather gets nice.
Today we walked over to Wicker Park to have lunch and to go to Walgreen's where I could buy school stuff for tomorrow. Class starts tomorrow at 9 a.m. and goes all week, but I'm happy at the prospect of pounding one out of the way before the quarter officially starts.
It was a nice four day weekend and much needed. I slept...a lot. Like all the time. It was pretty awesome.
Friday night we went to this place called the Hideout to see someone Todd know play blues guitar. I had never been to the Hideout before, but had been planning to find my way there back in September when FOUND Magazine was having a show there. Good thing that I didn't, because who knows if I would have gotten there. The Hideout is in the middle of nowhere, smack nestled in among all of these industrial buildings. What a cool place, though: small and a neat show venue. The place looks like a set from "Twin Peaks." Plus they have benches outside where you can sit when the weather is breezy and balmy like it was on Friday night. Hillary was going to meet us there, but I assumed that she decided to bail. I found out later that she got turned around on the bus, figured that she was in the wrong/bad neighborhood and then had to hang out in a KFC and called her roommate to pick her up after two cab companies never showed. Poor Hillary. Anyway, the place is a Hideout indeed.
On Saturday, we caught the blue line to downtown and wandered around the book fair held on Printer's Row. It was hot and kind of crowded, but pleasant to wander around all of the books. Plus, they were giving away popsicles. Free popsicles = Happy Kristin. Afterward we wandered over to Grant Park to the Blues Festival. That's a cool thing about Chicago: there always seems to be something going on when the weather gets nice.
Today we walked over to Wicker Park to have lunch and to go to Walgreen's where I could buy school stuff for tomorrow. Class starts tomorrow at 9 a.m. and goes all week, but I'm happy at the prospect of pounding one out of the way before the quarter officially starts.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
Word and Phrases that sound gross, but they aren't.
I love this one:
Special bastard
A child born of parents before marriage, the parties afterwards intermarrying.
Jeffrey Kacirk, The Word Museum
(via metafilter)
I love this one:
Special bastard
A child born of parents before marriage, the parties afterwards intermarrying.
Jeffrey Kacirk, The Word Museum
(via metafilter)
Change my grade!
There's a Washington Post article written by a professor at American University about how many students challenge grades these days. It sounds like it's a pretty common thing. I've always been fascinated by the tenacity of students who do this, since most of the time, you can't really argue with numerical grades. Plus, who cares if you get a B or a B+? Noone. It's kind of hilarious to read how professors will post grades right before they have to leave for break and then run out the door to avoid the onslaught of phone calls.
I have found that I get nervous over grades mainly now because we can't get lower than a B in our core classes otherwise we would have to do remediation. The threat of that is enough to make me study my arse off.
Also, more confusion from the finanical aid office here about what forms to fill out and when! It's a labrynthine ordeal, y'all.
(via tmn)
There's a Washington Post article written by a professor at American University about how many students challenge grades these days. It sounds like it's a pretty common thing. I've always been fascinated by the tenacity of students who do this, since most of the time, you can't really argue with numerical grades. Plus, who cares if you get a B or a B+? Noone. It's kind of hilarious to read how professors will post grades right before they have to leave for break and then run out the door to avoid the onslaught of phone calls.
I have found that I get nervous over grades mainly now because we can't get lower than a B in our core classes otherwise we would have to do remediation. The threat of that is enough to make me study my arse off.
Also, more confusion from the finanical aid office here about what forms to fill out and when! It's a labrynthine ordeal, y'all.
(via tmn)
And...
Spring quarter has officially come to a wrap! The exam last night went pretty well and quickly (one person finished in about half an hour). I love doable exams. I have four days till the next class starts--four days of nothing! Luxury! Now it's time to catch up on wee chores and cleaning and grocery shopping and all of that good stuff.
Spring quarter has officially come to a wrap! The exam last night went pretty well and quickly (one person finished in about half an hour). I love doable exams. I have four days till the next class starts--four days of nothing! Luxury! Now it's time to catch up on wee chores and cleaning and grocery shopping and all of that good stuff.
Tuesday, June 07, 2005
Update
Zack, the house head doctor, told me today that conversion disorders don't only have to do with voice. My question was answered and without research. Awesome!
I'm working on Delivery Systems for tomorrow night's exam. I'm feeling a wee bit burned out and over this, folks. But I'm going to sit my ass down for the next hour and get through some more of this at least.
Zack, the house head doctor, told me today that conversion disorders don't only have to do with voice. My question was answered and without research. Awesome!
I'm working on Delivery Systems for tomorrow night's exam. I'm feeling a wee bit burned out and over this, folks. But I'm going to sit my ass down for the next hour and get through some more of this at least.
Intervention
I have a problem. I am seriously addicted to sugar-free popsicles. They are just what the doctor ordered in this hot weather.
I went and sat by Belmont Harbor this afternoon with the pretense of studying. Didn't happen, but it was nice to soak up some rays by the water. Now I'm sleepy from the sun, though...
How else to kill time? Reading Well Traveled on Slate.
I have a problem. I am seriously addicted to sugar-free popsicles. They are just what the doctor ordered in this hot weather.
I went and sat by Belmont Harbor this afternoon with the pretense of studying. Didn't happen, but it was nice to soak up some rays by the water. Now I'm sleepy from the sun, though...
How else to kill time? Reading Well Traveled on Slate.
Monday, June 06, 2005
Dude
I'm tired of studying. I spent a good four and a half hours today sitting in the Borders coffee shop in a voice study group (although that was more fun by studying by myself and a good bit helpful as well) and then spent a couple of hours tonight reviewing and getting a leg up on the exam that's on Wednesday.
I also watched two hours of "Hell's Kitchen," and I am hooked, yo. That dude is so mean! I would totally crumple under his meanness, it's true. I would get kicked out stat and it would not be a pretty sight. Maybe entertaining, though. There was one dude on there though who was caterwauling with kidney stone pain that seemed to spring up during the stressful times, and all I could think was "conversion disorder!" That's something that happens in voice: people might lose their voice or suffer disorders whenever a stressful situation starts, whether to turn the stress into something else or to unconsciously create something that will help them avoid the noxious situation. We talked about this for a good 10 minutes during our study session today. I'm not sure if conversion disorders are only with voice, though: I'll have to figure that out.
I'm sad that I'm not taking my short break in lieu of taking this intensive class that starts this Monday. I mean, I know I'll be glad during the quarter when I have one less class to contend with, but it sucks to go straight back into work and to know that I'm be wrung out when the quarter actually starts. Plus, I felt a stab of homesickness for DC tonight. I talked to my parents on the phone and thought about what it would be like to stretch out on their couch in the back room with a Washington Post Magazine in my hands, the smell of good dinner in the background and it would be mighty nice. mighty nice.
Whoops, it's late. I need to get my beauty sleep for the exam bright and early tomorrow morning. I can't wait!!!!
I'm tired of studying. I spent a good four and a half hours today sitting in the Borders coffee shop in a voice study group (although that was more fun by studying by myself and a good bit helpful as well) and then spent a couple of hours tonight reviewing and getting a leg up on the exam that's on Wednesday.
I also watched two hours of "Hell's Kitchen," and I am hooked, yo. That dude is so mean! I would totally crumple under his meanness, it's true. I would get kicked out stat and it would not be a pretty sight. Maybe entertaining, though. There was one dude on there though who was caterwauling with kidney stone pain that seemed to spring up during the stressful times, and all I could think was "conversion disorder!" That's something that happens in voice: people might lose their voice or suffer disorders whenever a stressful situation starts, whether to turn the stress into something else or to unconsciously create something that will help them avoid the noxious situation. We talked about this for a good 10 minutes during our study session today. I'm not sure if conversion disorders are only with voice, though: I'll have to figure that out.
I'm sad that I'm not taking my short break in lieu of taking this intensive class that starts this Monday. I mean, I know I'll be glad during the quarter when I have one less class to contend with, but it sucks to go straight back into work and to know that I'm be wrung out when the quarter actually starts. Plus, I felt a stab of homesickness for DC tonight. I talked to my parents on the phone and thought about what it would be like to stretch out on their couch in the back room with a Washington Post Magazine in my hands, the smell of good dinner in the background and it would be mighty nice. mighty nice.
Whoops, it's late. I need to get my beauty sleep for the exam bright and early tomorrow morning. I can't wait!!!!
Sunday, June 05, 2005
Break time!
I wasn't around for the Lakeview street festival today, but everyone else was. Todd dropped me off tonight and the streets were filled with people enjoying the warm, balmy evening weather and eating street food. I missed out!
Anyway, last night we went to Steve and Kiley's place for a game night (ah, harkens me back to our game nights back in DC...good times). Kiley fixed up a feast of tacos and salad and banana pudding (which I didn't partake in, not being a fan of bananas and all). Then we played Balderdash and a rousing game of Taboo. I wasn't very good at Balderdash, but Todd was on my team and I think he's got a talent at it. I love Taboo, though, even though I feel ridiculous performance anxiety sometimes. [I *was* impressed, though, when Kiley got "pedal pushers" from the clue "clam diggers." Most of the party was dudes, and they were all like "..." at that.]
Kiley had just gotten Taboo that day, so it was the latest version. I was thinking this morning about how in five years, so many of the words themselves and/or the red-tape clues to them would become outdated. One of the clues in the game last night was "Brad Pitt," and you weren't allowed to say "actor," "sexy" (hah!), or "Jennifer Aniston." But, hello! Even in these past few weeks, what self-respecting celebrity-gossip-gobbling person wouldn't know it from something around "Angelina Jolie." Come on. I also had the word "Jack Nicholson." I wasn't allowed to say movies that he'd been in like "About Schmidt," or "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." But in like five years, won't there be more movies and then you won't even be foiled by those red-tape questions?
Yes, I spent some time thinking about this.
But, dude, I had the word "Adamant" last night. What the hell is that about? Needless to say, I didn't find victory.
Anyway, the take home message of this post is that you should buy Taboo right now with the knowledge that it will become easier with time or harder with time (how many of the names would become irrelevant?).
I wasn't around for the Lakeview street festival today, but everyone else was. Todd dropped me off tonight and the streets were filled with people enjoying the warm, balmy evening weather and eating street food. I missed out!
Anyway, last night we went to Steve and Kiley's place for a game night (ah, harkens me back to our game nights back in DC...good times). Kiley fixed up a feast of tacos and salad and banana pudding (which I didn't partake in, not being a fan of bananas and all). Then we played Balderdash and a rousing game of Taboo. I wasn't very good at Balderdash, but Todd was on my team and I think he's got a talent at it. I love Taboo, though, even though I feel ridiculous performance anxiety sometimes. [I *was* impressed, though, when Kiley got "pedal pushers" from the clue "clam diggers." Most of the party was dudes, and they were all like "..." at that.]
Kiley had just gotten Taboo that day, so it was the latest version. I was thinking this morning about how in five years, so many of the words themselves and/or the red-tape clues to them would become outdated. One of the clues in the game last night was "Brad Pitt," and you weren't allowed to say "actor," "sexy" (hah!), or "Jennifer Aniston." But, hello! Even in these past few weeks, what self-respecting celebrity-gossip-gobbling person wouldn't know it from something around "Angelina Jolie." Come on. I also had the word "Jack Nicholson." I wasn't allowed to say movies that he'd been in like "About Schmidt," or "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest." But in like five years, won't there be more movies and then you won't even be foiled by those red-tape questions?
Yes, I spent some time thinking about this.
But, dude, I had the word "Adamant" last night. What the hell is that about? Needless to say, I didn't find victory.
Anyway, the take home message of this post is that you should buy Taboo right now with the knowledge that it will become easier with time or harder with time (how many of the names would become irrelevant?).
All I know is that when I take a break from studying and read Brendan's blog about his current gig and lifestyle (helipad parties! cheap hot lava stone massages! Miami! New York!), I can't help but question my own choices in life.
New Pot
I got a shiny new used big pot today. I'm pretty crazy about it: it's large and comes with a steamer and a pasta sieve and a top and it only cost $2. I went with Todd and Steve and Kiley to a garage sale held by one of the guys in Shellac. Bob something. I wasn't really looking for anything, but was pleased to find a cheap good pot, especially when I've been needing a big one for chilis and sauces and whatnot. And now it's got a little rock and roll history as well.
Man, I'm tired to looking at voice notes.
I got a shiny new used big pot today. I'm pretty crazy about it: it's large and comes with a steamer and a pasta sieve and a top and it only cost $2. I went with Todd and Steve and Kiley to a garage sale held by one of the guys in Shellac. Bob something. I wasn't really looking for anything, but was pleased to find a cheap good pot, especially when I've been needing a big one for chilis and sauces and whatnot. And now it's got a little rock and roll history as well.
Man, I'm tired to looking at voice notes.
Friday, June 03, 2005
Daaaaammmmn!
Yesterday was long. First of all, let me dance a quick jig in honor of being done with classes for the quarter and not having to go to campus today. This is something that needs to be recognized and celebrated.
Second of all, that exam last night? Sapping to the utmost. It was taken at 6, after a full day of classes and hanging around campus all day (which for some reason tires me out even when I'm not doing anything there), and this sucker got served, "this sucker" being me. The professor packed it full of questions on topics that he just skirted over or never mentioned (pet peeve) and did my other pet peeve: asked a whole series of four questions in one and then gave us like a millimeter to answer that shite. I protest! Everyone who came out looked straight out gobsmacked and I came out to find Hillary planted face down on the couch in the lobby area. The important thing is that I think I did okay despite it all and I can now completely and fully put that class to bed.
...and begin to study for Vocal Disorders, on Tuesday, and the true bear of the exam series. I just woke up and have yet to pull out my books. It's much more important that I watch Shakira gyrate and sing on "Good Morning America." I think it's funny when they scan over the crowd, which seems to be a collection of people who stumbled upon the concert. A lot of them are standing there with crosses arms and stone faces and refuse to be swayed into feeling the music, dammit.
Yesterday was long. First of all, let me dance a quick jig in honor of being done with classes for the quarter and not having to go to campus today. This is something that needs to be recognized and celebrated.
Second of all, that exam last night? Sapping to the utmost. It was taken at 6, after a full day of classes and hanging around campus all day (which for some reason tires me out even when I'm not doing anything there), and this sucker got served, "this sucker" being me. The professor packed it full of questions on topics that he just skirted over or never mentioned (pet peeve) and did my other pet peeve: asked a whole series of four questions in one and then gave us like a millimeter to answer that shite. I protest! Everyone who came out looked straight out gobsmacked and I came out to find Hillary planted face down on the couch in the lobby area. The important thing is that I think I did okay despite it all and I can now completely and fully put that class to bed.
...and begin to study for Vocal Disorders, on Tuesday, and the true bear of the exam series. I just woke up and have yet to pull out my books. It's much more important that I watch Shakira gyrate and sing on "Good Morning America." I think it's funny when they scan over the crowd, which seems to be a collection of people who stumbled upon the concert. A lot of them are standing there with crosses arms and stone faces and refuse to be swayed into feeling the music, dammit.
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
And so...
I have finally outdone myself in terms of disturbing, depressing movies to watch. I had gotten "Tarnation" from Netflix. It's a video documentary about this man's life, specifically his relationship with his mentally ill mother who underwent shock treatments as a young woman. It pulls in lots of various media including way old footage he took growing up and phone messages and whatnot. And it's incredibly sad and way powerful, but I couldn't finish watching it if that says anything. But, from reading about it, what's amazing was that the entire movie was made for $218 and Mac software.
I did notice while watching the credits that the movie was executive produced by both Gus Van Sant, though, and John Cameron Mitchell (the creator of Hedwig and the Angry Inch). What's kind of hilarious, though, was that when I took out the Netflix envelope for it, it was completely pure and untouched, unlike the usual battered Netflix envelopes that one expects. I may be one of the only people to have sent off for it.
I have finally outdone myself in terms of disturbing, depressing movies to watch. I had gotten "Tarnation" from Netflix. It's a video documentary about this man's life, specifically his relationship with his mentally ill mother who underwent shock treatments as a young woman. It pulls in lots of various media including way old footage he took growing up and phone messages and whatnot. And it's incredibly sad and way powerful, but I couldn't finish watching it if that says anything. But, from reading about it, what's amazing was that the entire movie was made for $218 and Mac software.
I did notice while watching the credits that the movie was executive produced by both Gus Van Sant, though, and John Cameron Mitchell (the creator of Hedwig and the Angry Inch). What's kind of hilarious, though, was that when I took out the Netflix envelope for it, it was completely pure and untouched, unlike the usual battered Netflix envelopes that one expects. I may be one of the only people to have sent off for it.
Happy Tuesday
What an excellent long weekend. It was lazy and I didn't have my Hell Monday and it was ultra relaxed. It was odd to come back into school today and get back into the groove of things, but it's worth it to deal with the discombobulated feeling for a little while.
What happened the rest of the weekend? Sunday I did some work and then went with Todd to Wilmington to his cousin's high school graduation party. It was yooge. His family is large and there were tons of people and TONS of food. Like amazing tons of food. They even had a dj and karaoke. It was pretty awesome: especially when a five year old got up and sang "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy." It occurred to us later that she had to have knew the words by heart since she sang along all the way through and it's the rare five year old that can fluently follow a karaoke teleprompter about seducing a girl in the back of a truck.
Monday was lazy, lazy, lazy. And beautiful. We left the house briefly to go to the grocery store, and then came back to Todd's and made a most excellent meal of grilled pork chops, fresh salad, peppers and onions, and baked beans. Happy Memorial Day, indeed. I even managed to take my (new) laptop onto the porch to do some work while soaking up the sunshine.
It's the last week of classes here, and it's fast forward into exam prep. I had my last session with my client today and I thought that he might throw a fiesta in honor of being done for awhile. Only two more days of classes, and then the quarter will officially wind down. Woohoo!
What an excellent long weekend. It was lazy and I didn't have my Hell Monday and it was ultra relaxed. It was odd to come back into school today and get back into the groove of things, but it's worth it to deal with the discombobulated feeling for a little while.
What happened the rest of the weekend? Sunday I did some work and then went with Todd to Wilmington to his cousin's high school graduation party. It was yooge. His family is large and there were tons of people and TONS of food. Like amazing tons of food. They even had a dj and karaoke. It was pretty awesome: especially when a five year old got up and sang "Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy." It occurred to us later that she had to have knew the words by heart since she sang along all the way through and it's the rare five year old that can fluently follow a karaoke teleprompter about seducing a girl in the back of a truck.
Monday was lazy, lazy, lazy. And beautiful. We left the house briefly to go to the grocery store, and then came back to Todd's and made a most excellent meal of grilled pork chops, fresh salad, peppers and onions, and baked beans. Happy Memorial Day, indeed. I even managed to take my (new) laptop onto the porch to do some work while soaking up the sunshine.
It's the last week of classes here, and it's fast forward into exam prep. I had my last session with my client today and I thought that he might throw a fiesta in honor of being done for awhile. Only two more days of classes, and then the quarter will officially wind down. Woohoo!
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Happy Sunday
I didn't so much yesterday except get my draft of my paper out (Hallelujah), eat a hot dog, drink some diet coke, and call it a day. I love the weekend.
I've been long over due in linking to Kevin's updated Orchesex site, though. I'm adding a link to it to my blog as well. Be sure to check out "The Fans" link; Kevin gives lots of people, including yours truly, a shout out. The site, while still under construction, is pretty goddamn awesome. If you go under the "dance" section, and then click "choreography," you can follow stick man links to learn how do to some of the dance moves yourself. I personally like to see the stick man demonstrate "the slut crawl."
I didn't so much yesterday except get my draft of my paper out (Hallelujah), eat a hot dog, drink some diet coke, and call it a day. I love the weekend.
I've been long over due in linking to Kevin's updated Orchesex site, though. I'm adding a link to it to my blog as well. Be sure to check out "The Fans" link; Kevin gives lots of people, including yours truly, a shout out. The site, while still under construction, is pretty goddamn awesome. If you go under the "dance" section, and then click "choreography," you can follow stick man links to learn how do to some of the dance moves yourself. I personally like to see the stick man demonstrate "the slut crawl."
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Best Hot Dog Place Ever
Have you been to Hot Doug's? It will change your life. They have the most awesome Chicago hotdogs and then a variety of fancier sausages and hot dogs. Made of stuff like veal and duck and chicken and veggie stuff and I love them. They also have duck fat fries on Fridays and Saturdays. We went for lunch today, and the line spilled out the door onto the sidewalk, but I could totally see that it was worth the wait. I had a standard Chicago dog ($1.50 with everything on it that included celery salt, the neon green relish, caramelized onions, etc) and Todd got the hot dog that seemed to be custom made for him: it was a quarter pound dog wrapped in bacon topped with jalapeno mayo and pinto beans and probably some other stuff. Health food!
Anyway, I am definitely going to be taking future visitors to Chicago there, so watch out.
I'm working on my paper that's due next week that's on SLPs in health care settings. I'm on page three out of eight. Oy.
Have you been to Hot Doug's? It will change your life. They have the most awesome Chicago hotdogs and then a variety of fancier sausages and hot dogs. Made of stuff like veal and duck and chicken and veggie stuff and I love them. They also have duck fat fries on Fridays and Saturdays. We went for lunch today, and the line spilled out the door onto the sidewalk, but I could totally see that it was worth the wait. I had a standard Chicago dog ($1.50 with everything on it that included celery salt, the neon green relish, caramelized onions, etc) and Todd got the hot dog that seemed to be custom made for him: it was a quarter pound dog wrapped in bacon topped with jalapeno mayo and pinto beans and probably some other stuff. Health food!
Anyway, I am definitely going to be taking future visitors to Chicago there, so watch out.
I'm working on my paper that's due next week that's on SLPs in health care settings. I'm on page three out of eight. Oy.
Back in Business
I'm using my brand new laptop to write this. It's exciting, but sad because I still miss the other one, and I'm super sad that I had to spend many dollars on this necessary item. I do like this new guy, though: he's good. The laptop that Todd helped arrange for fell through, but we hit both Microcenter and Best Buy yesterday and did some shopping around and got a nice Gateway for the same price as the HP. I feel like I'm no longer stymied, which is nice. Todd presented me with a USB Flash Memory Stick that I can wear chained to my body so I no longer have to lose all of my work in the future should something happen to this laptop. Thanks, Todd!
In other news, I should report that on Thursday night, I met up with Dave H. at Carol's Pub. I haven't seen Dave since 1990, when I left Islamabad. We were in 8th grade together and had gotten back in touch last summer where we both realized that we were each leaving DC for Northwestern (he for his PhD). He and his girlfriend live in a neighborhood just north of me. And after nine months, we had still not gotten together. He even had a weekly lab in my building on campus! But we finally got together on Thursday, and it was excellent. He's affable and hilarious (which is exactly what I was expecting) and we did some major reminiscing over 8th grade life all those 15 years ago. He told me about rumbles that occurred, various 8th grade variety romantic encounters of people we both knew and we traded memories. We also commented that it seemed like we only knew people by first and last name and descriptor. It wasn't "Jeremy," it was "Jeremy Mates who wore his boyscout uniform all the time."
I also reminded Dave about the fact that he had named his dog after Christie because of his love for her (which always tickled me since it's a sweet, true sign of devotion from a young boy), but he corrected me and told me that while he did harbor devotion for Christie, his little brother was the one who was convinced they had to name their new yellow lab after her. (Christie, all the more reason that you need to come to Chicago, so we can hang out with Dave!)
Btw, Carol's Pub is definitely my new favorite place in the world. We picked it because it was in between Andersonville, where Dave lives, and Lakeview, where I am. I had heard good things about this divey little country bar. It's dark inside with the friendliest bartenders in the world and it has country karaoke on Thursday nights. And it's cheap. We were there for several hours and I seriously spent $5. That's right, $5. Todd commented that rednecks, hipsters, and yuppies live together in peace there, and it was true--it was a diverse crowd even though the ownership bore no pretensions (there were many American flag-eagle oriented artwork hung on the walls). I love Carol's Pub and the grizzled old bartender who chatted with us while a foot-long Slim Jim hung out of his mouth.
In other news, it's a long weekend (Hooray!), and I'm camped out hoping to knock out some of the paper that's due next Thursday. It feels like a like such a luxury to have three days off. I'm grateful.
I'm using my brand new laptop to write this. It's exciting, but sad because I still miss the other one, and I'm super sad that I had to spend many dollars on this necessary item. I do like this new guy, though: he's good. The laptop that Todd helped arrange for fell through, but we hit both Microcenter and Best Buy yesterday and did some shopping around and got a nice Gateway for the same price as the HP. I feel like I'm no longer stymied, which is nice. Todd presented me with a USB Flash Memory Stick that I can wear chained to my body so I no longer have to lose all of my work in the future should something happen to this laptop. Thanks, Todd!
In other news, I should report that on Thursday night, I met up with Dave H. at Carol's Pub. I haven't seen Dave since 1990, when I left Islamabad. We were in 8th grade together and had gotten back in touch last summer where we both realized that we were each leaving DC for Northwestern (he for his PhD). He and his girlfriend live in a neighborhood just north of me. And after nine months, we had still not gotten together. He even had a weekly lab in my building on campus! But we finally got together on Thursday, and it was excellent. He's affable and hilarious (which is exactly what I was expecting) and we did some major reminiscing over 8th grade life all those 15 years ago. He told me about rumbles that occurred, various 8th grade variety romantic encounters of people we both knew and we traded memories. We also commented that it seemed like we only knew people by first and last name and descriptor. It wasn't "Jeremy," it was "Jeremy Mates who wore his boyscout uniform all the time."
I also reminded Dave about the fact that he had named his dog after Christie because of his love for her (which always tickled me since it's a sweet, true sign of devotion from a young boy), but he corrected me and told me that while he did harbor devotion for Christie, his little brother was the one who was convinced they had to name their new yellow lab after her. (Christie, all the more reason that you need to come to Chicago, so we can hang out with Dave!)
Btw, Carol's Pub is definitely my new favorite place in the world. We picked it because it was in between Andersonville, where Dave lives, and Lakeview, where I am. I had heard good things about this divey little country bar. It's dark inside with the friendliest bartenders in the world and it has country karaoke on Thursday nights. And it's cheap. We were there for several hours and I seriously spent $5. That's right, $5. Todd commented that rednecks, hipsters, and yuppies live together in peace there, and it was true--it was a diverse crowd even though the ownership bore no pretensions (there were many American flag-eagle oriented artwork hung on the walls). I love Carol's Pub and the grizzled old bartender who chatted with us while a foot-long Slim Jim hung out of his mouth.
In other news, it's a long weekend (Hooray!), and I'm camped out hoping to knock out some of the paper that's due next Thursday. It feels like a like such a luxury to have three days off. I'm grateful.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Fast Work
Man, Todd is the best. He did some quick calling to his computer connection at CDW through his work, and found an available HP laptop that's fully loaded and "B Stock" (barely used, rejected by some exec as I understand it) for a low price. It's going to be delivered tomorrow to Todd's office, so I'll be able to get started on work again on my own computer tomorrow afternoon. Yay! Thank you!
Man, Todd is the best. He did some quick calling to his computer connection at CDW through his work, and found an available HP laptop that's fully loaded and "B Stock" (barely used, rejected by some exec as I understand it) for a low price. It's going to be delivered tomorrow to Todd's office, so I'll be able to get started on work again on my own computer tomorrow afternoon. Yay! Thank you!
Burgled
Ahhh.... What can I say about it? I got home yesterday from class at 4:30 ready to get started on some work. As I walked up to the door, I noticed that our welcome mat had been pushed aside, but I didn't think much of it (maybe someone was moving, etc). I went through the motions of unlocking the door, like I do all the time, and wasn't really noticing if the locks were clicking open or what, and walked into the apartment just like any other day.
Everything looked the same, so I dropped my bookbag on my bed, and went to the dining room to turn on my laptop, but no laptop. Huh. No laptop in my bedroom either. No laptop in the living room. And that pretty much captures all of the places in which I hold my laptop. Here's where the panic began to seep in, so I quickly checked all three places again. no, no, no. Knees started shaking. Lay down on the floor to call home, and my dad coached me through calming down, calling the police, and remembering that it was not the end of the world.
What was weird was that nothing else appeared to be touched. The tv, dvd player, stereo stuff: all still there. Lee's desktop with the nice flat screen...still there too. Was I going nuts?
It isn't the end of the world, but it sucks a lot. I LOVE my laptop. I do all of my work on it. I save all of my work on it. I watch movies on it, I write email on it, I cradle it and nuzzle it before I go to bed. It's the closest thing that I have to a pet. And it's gone. (Hmmm, I should change all of those verbs to past tense now, I suppose).
Here's how my brain was working:
Omigod omigod omigod (suddenly remember that I had the hours of voice review saved on there)
OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD (three hours of hearing impairment review from last night)
BASTARD PEOPLE BASTARD PEOPLE BASTARD PEOPLE (all of my work from my last three quarters here including all of my lesson plans and information...plus, laptops ain't cheap and in case anyone hadn't realized, I make NO money right now).
The police were called and a nice officer came over to take the report, but we both knew that we were going through the motions. He told me that they probably waited outside the TWO security doors to get into our building, then may have jimmied their way in, and took the most expensive things that were portable that they could find. He said that they usually take dvds and cds too, but they apparently weren't interested in Lee's opera cds that were on display. The officer looked over my own dvds and said "Well, *I* think that 'The Office' is hilarious, but I don't think that's something that drug addicts are going to be able to sell very easily on the street."
What, drug addicts don't want to get all up in "Monsoon Wedding"? Come ON.
Anyway, Lee came home later that night and we walked through her room. Here's what they took:
Ahhh.... What can I say about it? I got home yesterday from class at 4:30 ready to get started on some work. As I walked up to the door, I noticed that our welcome mat had been pushed aside, but I didn't think much of it (maybe someone was moving, etc). I went through the motions of unlocking the door, like I do all the time, and wasn't really noticing if the locks were clicking open or what, and walked into the apartment just like any other day.
Everything looked the same, so I dropped my bookbag on my bed, and went to the dining room to turn on my laptop, but no laptop. Huh. No laptop in my bedroom either. No laptop in the living room. And that pretty much captures all of the places in which I hold my laptop. Here's where the panic began to seep in, so I quickly checked all three places again. no, no, no. Knees started shaking. Lay down on the floor to call home, and my dad coached me through calming down, calling the police, and remembering that it was not the end of the world.
What was weird was that nothing else appeared to be touched. The tv, dvd player, stereo stuff: all still there. Lee's desktop with the nice flat screen...still there too. Was I going nuts?
It isn't the end of the world, but it sucks a lot. I LOVE my laptop. I do all of my work on it. I save all of my work on it. I watch movies on it, I write email on it, I cradle it and nuzzle it before I go to bed. It's the closest thing that I have to a pet. And it's gone. (Hmmm, I should change all of those verbs to past tense now, I suppose).
Here's how my brain was working:
Omigod omigod omigod (suddenly remember that I had the hours of voice review saved on there)
OMIGOD OMIGOD OMIGOD (three hours of hearing impairment review from last night)
BASTARD PEOPLE BASTARD PEOPLE BASTARD PEOPLE (all of my work from my last three quarters here including all of my lesson plans and information...plus, laptops ain't cheap and in case anyone hadn't realized, I make NO money right now).
The police were called and a nice officer came over to take the report, but we both knew that we were going through the motions. He told me that they probably waited outside the TWO security doors to get into our building, then may have jimmied their way in, and took the most expensive things that were portable that they could find. He said that they usually take dvds and cds too, but they apparently weren't interested in Lee's opera cds that were on display. The officer looked over my own dvds and said "Well, *I* think that 'The Office' is hilarious, but I don't think that's something that drug addicts are going to be able to sell very easily on the street."
What, drug addicts don't want to get all up in "Monsoon Wedding"? Come ON.
Anyway, Lee came home later that night and we walked through her room. Here's what they took:
- $60 in cash on her dresser
- silk scarves and costume jewelery in a nice wood box (we later found the nice wood box broken open in the dining room)
- Her make up bag...with USED makeup
What they didn't take:
- Our checkbooks, passports, documents
- either of our cameras, digital and otherwise
- all of the tv and stereo stuff
- A Visa gift card and an unsigned American Express gift check
- "The Office" dvds, either season
So, I'm still in mourning, and feeling seriously inconvenienced, but we actually got off pretty easy. They didn't damage our stuff, and they didn't take everything, so in a Stockholm Syndrome kinda way, I'm grateful to the bastards. Plus, noone was home when it happened, and everyone's safe. Now, if someone stole my bookbag (all of my notes, phone, wallet, keys, el card, NU card) *then* I would be royally screwed. So I'm glad that I still have that.
Tonight our landlord is changing our locks.
But the lesson? Lock very carefully and get renter's insurance in the future.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
The text message that I received tonight from Matt, my old roommate, apropos of nothing:
The only rose without a thorn is friendship.
I was wondering if he had got it from a fortune cookie.
And then as I was typing this entry, and commenting about the fortune cookie-ness of it all, I got the next text:
I miss telling you my fortune cookie fortunes.
Uncanny!
The only rose without a thorn is friendship.
I was wondering if he had got it from a fortune cookie.
And then as I was typing this entry, and commenting about the fortune cookie-ness of it all, I got the next text:
I miss telling you my fortune cookie fortunes.
Uncanny!
Hmmm...
I wish that I had something interesting to write about today, but I gots nothing. Next week is the last week of the quarter and then exams. And then four days off before I start into a week long intensive class that occurs during my break. That's hilarious. I am very grateful for those four days off though without an ounce of homework to do.
I'm sitting on the futon in our living room putting together a study guide for hearing impairment, putting off doing a paper, and watching "Britney and Kevin" in the background. You other people better be watching this travesty as well. It's seriously what I was looking forward to today.
I wish that I had something interesting to write about today, but I gots nothing. Next week is the last week of the quarter and then exams. And then four days off before I start into a week long intensive class that occurs during my break. That's hilarious. I am very grateful for those four days off though without an ounce of homework to do.
I'm sitting on the futon in our living room putting together a study guide for hearing impairment, putting off doing a paper, and watching "Britney and Kevin" in the background. You other people better be watching this travesty as well. It's seriously what I was looking forward to today.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Sunday, May 22, 2005
100% Awesome Spring Weekend
Man, the weather has finally arrived. It's in the 70s and sunny here and just hands-down lovely. It was a good weekend as well.
Friday, Todd threw a housewarming/belated birthday party at his new place and it was a cozy, warm gathering filled with many beverages and snacks. Megan wheeled over a cooler filled with two divine homemade ice cream cakes put together by her pastry chef roommate. Need I say more? It was quite lovely.
Saturday was lazy and spent mostly on the couch, either doing homework or watching tv. That evening I went with Todd to his cousin's wedding reception in Lemont (?), IL. It was held at a swanky country club and it was a classy affair. After a seventeen-course dinner we hung out outside on the patio in the unbelievably gorgeous weather. It was cool, and the sky was a pretty dark blue, and it smelled like spring nights and carefree feelings. I talked to one of Todd's many uncles when we stood by the bar. The conversation was as follows:
UB: Todd's my favorite, you know.
K: Yeah, he's a great guy.
UB: Do you get his sense of humor?
K: I think that I do. I like it.
UB: Good. Anyone who doesn't get it is pretty much a jackass.
Well said!
We drove back with the sunroof open and listened to American Analog Set and it was pretty much perfect.
Today was pretty great too. This morning we watched another in a string of Awful Movies (the Tori Spelling masterpiece, "Mother May I Sleep with Danger"). The sun peeked out around noon, and we strolled around Bucktown, stopping at the Map Room for some coffee. Then to Roscoe Village to the Village Tap for an early dinner and to watch the Cubs beat the Sox. And now I'm home working on stuff for the week, and celebrating in the knowledge that tomorrow is my last Hell Monday of the quarter. I think I'll have to fricking throw a party when tomorrow is over.
Man, the weather has finally arrived. It's in the 70s and sunny here and just hands-down lovely. It was a good weekend as well.
Friday, Todd threw a housewarming/belated birthday party at his new place and it was a cozy, warm gathering filled with many beverages and snacks. Megan wheeled over a cooler filled with two divine homemade ice cream cakes put together by her pastry chef roommate. Need I say more? It was quite lovely.
Saturday was lazy and spent mostly on the couch, either doing homework or watching tv. That evening I went with Todd to his cousin's wedding reception in Lemont (?), IL. It was held at a swanky country club and it was a classy affair. After a seventeen-course dinner we hung out outside on the patio in the unbelievably gorgeous weather. It was cool, and the sky was a pretty dark blue, and it smelled like spring nights and carefree feelings. I talked to one of Todd's many uncles when we stood by the bar. The conversation was as follows:
UB: Todd's my favorite, you know.
K: Yeah, he's a great guy.
UB: Do you get his sense of humor?
K: I think that I do. I like it.
UB: Good. Anyone who doesn't get it is pretty much a jackass.
Well said!
We drove back with the sunroof open and listened to American Analog Set and it was pretty much perfect.
Today was pretty great too. This morning we watched another in a string of Awful Movies (the Tori Spelling masterpiece, "Mother May I Sleep with Danger"). The sun peeked out around noon, and we strolled around Bucktown, stopping at the Map Room for some coffee. Then to Roscoe Village to the Village Tap for an early dinner and to watch the Cubs beat the Sox. And now I'm home working on stuff for the week, and celebrating in the knowledge that tomorrow is my last Hell Monday of the quarter. I think I'll have to fricking throw a party when tomorrow is over.
Friday, May 20, 2005
Happy Friday everyone.
The sun has shown its face, it's warming up, and the Sox and the Cubs are playing eachother today so the neighborhood is teeming with people.
But, the exciting news is that Brendan, our cruise ship man, has a blog! I also added the link to my link sections.
The sun has shown its face, it's warming up, and the Sox and the Cubs are playing eachother today so the neighborhood is teeming with people.
But, the exciting news is that Brendan, our cruise ship man, has a blog! I also added the link to my link sections.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
I'm spending tonight trying to work on little things, getting lesson plans prepared for tomorrow, hoping to tackle some stuff for Monday. It's hard to get motivated, since all I want to do is lie around and watch Netflix. I think I grow more exhausted with age; it's not a good thing.
While Grace was here, we took her to Reckless Records, one of the chain of independent music shops in Chicago. Grace and Todd are both very savvy about the indie music so buzzed around, but I usually scurry over to check out their used dvd racks. I did find a used version of the 3-cd YLT compilation called "Prisoners of Love" (actually, Todd found it and pointed it out to me). It was only $13 since it was used...for three cds!
I am in love.
I've been listening to the first two cds nonstop and they are the best. Especially perfect for rainy evenings like this.
While Grace was here, we took her to Reckless Records, one of the chain of independent music shops in Chicago. Grace and Todd are both very savvy about the indie music so buzzed around, but I usually scurry over to check out their used dvd racks. I did find a used version of the 3-cd YLT compilation called "Prisoners of Love" (actually, Todd found it and pointed it out to me). It was only $13 since it was used...for three cds!
I am in love.
I've been listening to the first two cds nonstop and they are the best. Especially perfect for rainy evenings like this.
Chicago crime
An easy resource at Chicagocrime.org!
The best is the crime map where you can look up your area to see what happened there. There's a lot of "criminal damage" in my area. Better lock up tight tonight.
(Thanks to Charles for the link!)
An easy resource at Chicagocrime.org!
The best is the crime map where you can look up your area to see what happened there. There's a lot of "criminal damage" in my area. Better lock up tight tonight.
(Thanks to Charles for the link!)
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Monday, May 16, 2005
Best Comcast guy EVER!
Man, I seriously had the best call possible to a cable company. I had to call because our Internet wasn't working and I had to check on how to change the name on the account from Jenny's to my own. Last time that Jenny talked to someone, they told us that we would have to fill out a form for a name change and said form is very confusing, so I was calling for help on that too.
All of the times I've talked to someone at a cable company it's been completely fruitless and confusing, and tonight I got the God of Help Personnel. He was totally nice, and he changed my name right away on the account (no mention of a form), and walked me through fixing our Internet connection. It was so efficient and unconfusing. John at Comcast is the best.
Man, I seriously had the best call possible to a cable company. I had to call because our Internet wasn't working and I had to check on how to change the name on the account from Jenny's to my own. Last time that Jenny talked to someone, they told us that we would have to fill out a form for a name change and said form is very confusing, so I was calling for help on that too.
All of the times I've talked to someone at a cable company it's been completely fruitless and confusing, and tonight I got the God of Help Personnel. He was totally nice, and he changed my name right away on the account (no mention of a form), and walked me through fixing our Internet connection. It was so efficient and unconfusing. John at Comcast is the best.
A Conversation with my older brother
(as the conversation wound down)
K: Congratulations on the new space. That's great news.
R: We don't have it yet, wait to congratulate me when it happens.
K: Well, I'm congratulating you now.
R: Well, then, good job on getting your Master's degree.
K: Congratulations on your marriage.
R: Happy Birthday.
(as the conversation wound down)
K: Congratulations on the new space. That's great news.
R: We don't have it yet, wait to congratulate me when it happens.
K: Well, I'm congratulating you now.
R: Well, then, good job on getting your Master's degree.
K: Congratulations on your marriage.
R: Happy Birthday.
Sunday, May 15, 2005
Vroom-vrooming through town
Grace just left this afternoon after a most excellent weekend in Chicago. She arrived on Friday night and was lucky enough to have her flight delayed, poor girl. She got in around 10, and then we took the el over to the Green Eye Lounge to meet up with Brendan and Todd. We lucked out with Brendan since he actually took off for his summer gig today, and while we only stuck around for a drink or two, a good time was had by all.
Saturday was another day of amazing weather, and after lunching at Ann Sather, Grace, Todd, and I took the bus down to the Magnificent Mile, so Grace could marvel at the magnificence of it all. We walked down Michigan Avenue and ducked into the Art Institute for a little while to soak up the art. That evening, we went to the Tiny Lounge (tiny, as it promised, and a little chichi) and Grace's friends from Japan who live in Chicago came out to meet us. After that we went over to the Dram Shop on Broadway, and hung out for a little bit before gas officially ran out.
Today was a day of laziness. We slept in, ate leftovers, and watched terrible tv. Just how I like to spend a Sunday morning. Grace took off this afternoon, and I later made dinner with Todd, and am now home and about to crash. Sunday nights are so bittersweet! But, only two more Sunday nights left to this quarter, since in two weekends, we get a long weekend for Memorial Day.
Grace just left this afternoon after a most excellent weekend in Chicago. She arrived on Friday night and was lucky enough to have her flight delayed, poor girl. She got in around 10, and then we took the el over to the Green Eye Lounge to meet up with Brendan and Todd. We lucked out with Brendan since he actually took off for his summer gig today, and while we only stuck around for a drink or two, a good time was had by all.
Saturday was another day of amazing weather, and after lunching at Ann Sather, Grace, Todd, and I took the bus down to the Magnificent Mile, so Grace could marvel at the magnificence of it all. We walked down Michigan Avenue and ducked into the Art Institute for a little while to soak up the art. That evening, we went to the Tiny Lounge (tiny, as it promised, and a little chichi) and Grace's friends from Japan who live in Chicago came out to meet us. After that we went over to the Dram Shop on Broadway, and hung out for a little bit before gas officially ran out.
Today was a day of laziness. We slept in, ate leftovers, and watched terrible tv. Just how I like to spend a Sunday morning. Grace took off this afternoon, and I later made dinner with Todd, and am now home and about to crash. Sunday nights are so bittersweet! But, only two more Sunday nights left to this quarter, since in two weekends, we get a long weekend for Memorial Day.
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Happy Birthday to James today!
He's celebrating by working on a paper tonight, lucky man.
Major CONGRATS to Suzi for finishing with everything school related today!
I am so very proud of you and so very envious! I hope that you spent the next few weeks taking her easy since you deserve it in a major way.
He's celebrating by working on a paper tonight, lucky man.
Major CONGRATS to Suzi for finishing with everything school related today!
I am so very proud of you and so very envious! I hope that you spent the next few weeks taking her easy since you deserve it in a major way.
Tuesday, May 10, 2005
80 today!
I'm thrilled about it.
I woke up extra early with some time to blog, but I don't got much to say. Except that I watched all of "Nanny 911" last night...and I cried a little. I wish that I were lying. See, the nannies went over to this family's house in California, there were 23 adopted boys still in the house--many of them with severe issues or disabilities--and the dad himself was a quadraplegic, so mom did everything. And she was awesome. So, the nannies went over to stay for a few days to give mom and dad a vacation. And the nannies were humbled and moved (hey, as was I!).
I went back into the archives and a year ago today I was reporting that Annie and I had gone to see Davy Rothbart read for FOUND a day before. I cannot believe that was a year ago. Seriously: it was spring in DC, and I can still taste what the weather was like, remember the drive, and all of those little details. It seems like last month. This year has flown.
I'm thrilled about it.
I woke up extra early with some time to blog, but I don't got much to say. Except that I watched all of "Nanny 911" last night...and I cried a little. I wish that I were lying. See, the nannies went over to this family's house in California, there were 23 adopted boys still in the house--many of them with severe issues or disabilities--and the dad himself was a quadraplegic, so mom did everything. And she was awesome. So, the nannies went over to stay for a few days to give mom and dad a vacation. And the nannies were humbled and moved (hey, as was I!).
I went back into the archives and a year ago today I was reporting that Annie and I had gone to see Davy Rothbart read for FOUND a day before. I cannot believe that was a year ago. Seriously: it was spring in DC, and I can still taste what the weather was like, remember the drive, and all of those little details. It seems like last month. This year has flown.
Sunday, May 08, 2005
Hey, it was in warm today!
Today's weather was gorgeous. It must have been in the late seventies at least. Yesterday was supposed to be 78, but it definitely wasn't. I went with Todd to see the Cubs plays the Phillies and we each brought light jackets figuring that it wouldn't be that cold. We were wrong. It was FREEZING. Besides being not warm, we were in the shade and caught all of the wind off of the lake while sitting in Wrigley. It was hilariously cold. We would watch a couple of innings and then run downstairs to the food area, out of the wind, and stand by the pretzel warmer to capture the heat off the heat lamp. It was pretty patheti-sad. The Cubs didn't win, but we did get to hear Will Ferrell and Mike Ditka sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for the seventh inning stretch.
But, the big news is that Clarence and Jonathan were in Chicago this past weekend! On Friday night we met up for dinner and wandered around Boystown a little and I showed them in apartment in progress. Saturday evening we met up and went to Devon, the Indian neighborhood on the northside of Chicago. We wandered into a nice restaurant called Tiffin, which was a little more upscale than the lower-rent places in the neighborhood, but it was still reasonably priced and it was *awesome*. Future visitors: alert me and we will go there to dine when you come. Yum. Clarence and Jonathan also spent the day checking out various other ethnic neighborhoods in the city (Greektown and Chinatown), so I think that they got to taste many of the good Chicago foods.
Today, Clarence took off for French Canada early in the morning, so we met up with Jonathan to brunch in Lakeview and then walked over to the lake and walked along Belmont Harbor. It was the perfect day for it. I am endlessly happy that spring has finally sprung in Chicago...for now at least.
And that's the news here. I'm reading some voice and putting off doing a project due later this week. As I do.
Today's weather was gorgeous. It must have been in the late seventies at least. Yesterday was supposed to be 78, but it definitely wasn't. I went with Todd to see the Cubs plays the Phillies and we each brought light jackets figuring that it wouldn't be that cold. We were wrong. It was FREEZING. Besides being not warm, we were in the shade and caught all of the wind off of the lake while sitting in Wrigley. It was hilariously cold. We would watch a couple of innings and then run downstairs to the food area, out of the wind, and stand by the pretzel warmer to capture the heat off the heat lamp. It was pretty patheti-sad. The Cubs didn't win, but we did get to hear Will Ferrell and Mike Ditka sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" for the seventh inning stretch.
But, the big news is that Clarence and Jonathan were in Chicago this past weekend! On Friday night we met up for dinner and wandered around Boystown a little and I showed them in apartment in progress. Saturday evening we met up and went to Devon, the Indian neighborhood on the northside of Chicago. We wandered into a nice restaurant called Tiffin, which was a little more upscale than the lower-rent places in the neighborhood, but it was still reasonably priced and it was *awesome*. Future visitors: alert me and we will go there to dine when you come. Yum. Clarence and Jonathan also spent the day checking out various other ethnic neighborhoods in the city (Greektown and Chinatown), so I think that they got to taste many of the good Chicago foods.
Today, Clarence took off for French Canada early in the morning, so we met up with Jonathan to brunch in Lakeview and then walked over to the lake and walked along Belmont Harbor. It was the perfect day for it. I am endlessly happy that spring has finally sprung in Chicago...for now at least.
And that's the news here. I'm reading some voice and putting off doing a project due later this week. As I do.
Friday, May 06, 2005
Midterms done? Check.
Three midterms finished! Hooray. Yesterday was the final two and it was a long, long, sapping day, but I managed to get through relatively unscathed. School is crazy too since there are staff changes before the end of the quarter and it adds to the upheaval. Oh well: bring it on. All I have today is my client session, and I hope the little dude is in the mood to say his good words today.
Clarence and Jonathan arrive in Chicago tonight, though, which makes the weekend very exciting. Plus, tomorrow is a Cubs game. And it's supposed to be in the 70s this weekend. Things are looking up!
Three midterms finished! Hooray. Yesterday was the final two and it was a long, long, sapping day, but I managed to get through relatively unscathed. School is crazy too since there are staff changes before the end of the quarter and it adds to the upheaval. Oh well: bring it on. All I have today is my client session, and I hope the little dude is in the mood to say his good words today.
Clarence and Jonathan arrive in Chicago tonight, though, which makes the weekend very exciting. Plus, tomorrow is a Cubs game. And it's supposed to be in the 70s this weekend. Things are looking up!
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Who lied?
Everyone told me that grad school is fun. It's totally unfun! I mean, objectively I'm happy I'm in the program when I look at how much I've learned in the past eight months, but I won't lie and say that I'll be sad when it's over. Because this kind of sucks. Yes, my attitude is bad right now.
Everyone told me that grad school is fun. It's totally unfun! I mean, objectively I'm happy I'm in the program when I look at how much I've learned in the past eight months, but I won't lie and say that I'll be sad when it's over. Because this kind of sucks. Yes, my attitude is bad right now.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
One exam down, two to go!
Yahoo! It was back to back class, session, and rigorous exam yesterday and by the end of it, I was a rather sapped shell of a girl. I managed to bounce back, though, and treated myself by letting myself study in front of trashy television. Did you know that there are TWO different nanny shows on Monday nights? Weird. It was also clear to me that I've been too fricking steeped in SLP studies that while I was watching one of the nannies talk in a cockney kinda accent, I thought to myself: "Hmmm, she is substituting final thetas for /f/s."
Yahoo! It was back to back class, session, and rigorous exam yesterday and by the end of it, I was a rather sapped shell of a girl. I managed to bounce back, though, and treated myself by letting myself study in front of trashy television. Did you know that there are TWO different nanny shows on Monday nights? Weird. It was also clear to me that I've been too fricking steeped in SLP studies that while I was watching one of the nannies talk in a cockney kinda accent, I thought to myself: "Hmmm, she is substituting final thetas for /f/s."
Monday, May 02, 2005
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Happy Belated Birthday to Laura...
...who turned 26 yesterday. Lucky girl!
In other news, this weekend is coming to a quick, screeching halt, as usual. Sad stuff. This week is going to be rather hellish, but I'm eager to get this shite over with. What was this weekend composed of, besides studying?
1. Wedding reception in Joliet, IL with Todd on Friday evening. It was a nice reception but it took us like two hours to get out there, what with Chicago traffic and all.
2. Laura's birthday dessert/wine celebration held by Megan in Evanston. We had to miss the tapas night she was having afterward because of...
3. Brooke's improv show late Saturday evening. Brooke and her improv group were in town from LA to perform at the Chicago improv festival. I haven't seen Brooke since college graduation, and I also got to see Amy at the show, who I also haven't seen since graduation. Crazy.
4. Lee's choir performed a Concert for Peace at the Broadway Methodist Church here on Broadway. It was pretty awesome: the choir is knockout good, and they did some rocking South African numbers that were lively and fun and made for an excellent study break.
Now I'm about to go off and study some voice and find some dinner. Go ahead and ask me about the glottis, I'm all over it.
...who turned 26 yesterday. Lucky girl!
In other news, this weekend is coming to a quick, screeching halt, as usual. Sad stuff. This week is going to be rather hellish, but I'm eager to get this shite over with. What was this weekend composed of, besides studying?
1. Wedding reception in Joliet, IL with Todd on Friday evening. It was a nice reception but it took us like two hours to get out there, what with Chicago traffic and all.
2. Laura's birthday dessert/wine celebration held by Megan in Evanston. We had to miss the tapas night she was having afterward because of...
3. Brooke's improv show late Saturday evening. Brooke and her improv group were in town from LA to perform at the Chicago improv festival. I haven't seen Brooke since college graduation, and I also got to see Amy at the show, who I also haven't seen since graduation. Crazy.
4. Lee's choir performed a Concert for Peace at the Broadway Methodist Church here on Broadway. It was pretty awesome: the choir is knockout good, and they did some rocking South African numbers that were lively and fun and made for an excellent study break.
Now I'm about to go off and study some voice and find some dinner. Go ahead and ask me about the glottis, I'm all over it.
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