I need some new ones. Not the friends, of course, but the random ones that are entertaining. So what are your favorite random, entertaining websites? Bonus points if they don't take forever to load via dial-up.
Aaaaaand GO!
19 January 2009
16 January 2009
Hear that? It's the sound of my independence being yanked away
Conversation held earlier today:
Me: 'I have a meeting this afternoon at [local high school] with one of my student teachers.'
Dad: 'What time?'
M: '12.30.'
D: 'Well, I'll drop you off, I have to go to the store. I'll pick you up in an hour?'
M: 'O...kay.'
That was me, being dropped off and picked up at the high school, like a high schooler. You'd think the last ten years haven't passed at all.
Me: 'I have a meeting this afternoon at [local high school] with one of my student teachers.'
Dad: 'What time?'
M: '12.30.'
D: 'Well, I'll drop you off, I have to go to the store. I'll pick you up in an hour?'
M: 'O...kay.'
That was me, being dropped off and picked up at the high school, like a high schooler. You'd think the last ten years haven't passed at all.
10 January 2009
2008: Year in Review
01 What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Earned a masters, wrote 16000 words within two weeks (yeah, exams were fun), designed and went through with a research project, visited a few new countries, toured my parents around the UK and Ireland.
02 Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Heh, apart from a fit of exercising in between semesters, I didn't keep the 2008 resolutions at all. To be fair, I should have kept up with that, since that was about the best few weeks of this entire year. So I'm going to get back into that, except let's not call it a resolution, since I have an apparent tendency to fail at those. Also, finding a JOB and achieving a real, adult, grown-up life is in the process. I hope.
03 Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope.
04 Did anyone close to you die? Janice, my family's crazy, psychotic, clueless, adorable dog. Who liked bagels. And sneezing on your face as you were laying on the couch. And howling along with you. There's no other greyhound like her.
05 What countries did you visit? The UK, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Canada. And France if you count the train ride on the way to Belgium.
06 What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? An idea of what I want to do with my life. (This answer from last year still applies.) Though at this point, I'd also accept a job.
07 What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? July 17, graduation day!
08 What was your biggest achievement of the year? Graduating with a master's from Cambridge... cross one thing off my to-do list! (see #35)
09 What was your biggest failure? I guess the inability to get hired could be counted as a failure, though there are a number of other factors that contribute to this. Example A: recession.
10 Did you suffer illness or injury? Not serious ones.
11 What was the best thing you bought? Anything involving travel: plane tickets, train tickets, any food in Belgium: fries, waffles and chocolate!
12 Whose behavior merited celebration? A few of my friends got married, so yay for them!
13 Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Apart from the usual politicians (Blagojevich, Spitzer)... hmm. There are certain people who seem to exist in my life purely to ruin my self-esteem and make me feel bad about myself, and the plan is to get them out of my life, and/or get myself away from their influence. (If you are reading this, it is not you.) (Also, this is NOT a resolution, since I generally fail at those; it's merely a goal. Not expressly for New Year's. Yeah.)
14 Where did most of your money go? I know exactly where: student loans. Also, the pound --> dollar exchange rate. Also, plane tickets. (Last year's, but still true.)
15 What did you get really, really, really excited about? When I found out my parents were actually going to visit me in Europe! I figured that was one of those things that they'd talk about ad nauseam but never follow through on, but it happened!
16 What song will always remind you of 2008? Uh... I didn't listen to the radio all year. I did buy some songs by Colin Meloy and the Decemberists this year, although only the former album actually came out in 2008.
17 Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Less stressed in terms of being on a schedule, but sadder due to a lack of purpose/independence. Funny how that works.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. Hopefully you can't tell.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, big time. If anyone steals my credit cards or identity, they have definitely chosen the wrong person.
18 What do you wish you'd done more of? Made more friends and gone out more. Two years in a row; let's go for three!
19 What do you wish you'd done less of? Self-doubt and feeling stupid.
20 How did you spend Christmas? With the fam in B-lo. Of course.
21 "There is no question 21" I have got to find a better New Year's meme that doesn't include this 'question'.
22 Did you fall in love in 2008? No. There was a slight infatuation, though. But it didn't involve stalking, I promise.
23 How many one-night stands? Yeah, okay.
24 What was your favorite TV show? Still 'The Office', though it's really starting to slide. Let's hope the writers pick it up a little for the rest of the season.
25 Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? There were some professors at Cambridge that I rather extremely dislike, but I wouldn't say I hate them.
26 What was the best book you read? I'd say Vienna Blood by Frank Tallis. Rather a lame title, but very well-written, uses an impressively varied vocabulary, and set in 1902 Vienna. And it involves cake. That's basically a formula for a winning book, I feel.
27 What was your greatest musical discovery? The Decemberists are pretty great, I think. Their music gets better upon each relisten. Also, I'm suddenly into Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, which is funny and twisted and catchy and fantastic, but it's now 2009, so I'm not sure if that counts. Although it came out in 2008, so let's say it does. Only one year behind the pop culture trends is quite good, considering my track record.
28 What did you want and get? I've been talking about visiting Belgium since 2003, and I finally got around to it this year. It was not quite as awesome as everyone's talked it up, but the food and beer definitely made it worthwhile.
29 What did you want and not get? A freaking JOB.
30 What was your favourite film of this year? I might have to be a lemming on this one and say 'The Dark Knight'. 'Atonement' was also amazing.
31 What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 27, and I had people over to our house and fabulous garden for a grill fest. It was a good time, especially since it was after the academic year had ended for most people.
32 What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Lasting friendships with folks from Cambridge.
33 How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? I was in grad school, what do you think? Jeans and fleece and funny, random t-shirts. I've tried to get out of that rut to some extent, but it's a bit tough when you don't have any money. H&M helped me out a bit when I was in Cambridge.
34 What kept you sane? Phone calls to and from friends. Also, travel: getting away from the routine is always good.
35 Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Heh, British phrasing. I continue to be a big fan of John Krasinski. Also, I'm suddenly enamored of Neil Patrick Harris: he's hilarious, seems to be a down-to-earth guy, and he can sing!
36 What political issue stirred you the most? Oh, the 2008 election! Absolute madness. I loved it, as much as the infighting and twisting of words drove me crazy.
37 Whom did you miss? Oddly enough, I missed folks from Cambridge after returning to the US... I guess the grass is always greener, eh? Thank goodness for Facebook.
38 Who was the best new person you met? I met some interesting people while traveling...
39 Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Asking for help is not a bad thing.
40 Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 'Es tut so schlau, um nicht unangenehm aufzufallen/Und nicht schön genug, um damit durchzukommen/ Weisst du genau wie es ist, immer rauszufallen /Nur nicht weit genug, woanders anzukommen.' - Wir sind Helden, 'The Geek (Shall Inherit)' One day, the answer to this question won't be a song lyric that can also be applied to an angsty, geeky, misfit high-schooler. Today is not that day.
Happy 2009, and let's hope that it's better than 2008. It's got to be. Right?
02 Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Heh, apart from a fit of exercising in between semesters, I didn't keep the 2008 resolutions at all. To be fair, I should have kept up with that, since that was about the best few weeks of this entire year. So I'm going to get back into that, except let's not call it a resolution, since I have an apparent tendency to fail at those. Also, finding a JOB and achieving a real, adult, grown-up life is in the process. I hope.
03 Did anyone close to you give birth? Nope.
04 Did anyone close to you die? Janice, my family's crazy, psychotic, clueless, adorable dog. Who liked bagels. And sneezing on your face as you were laying on the couch. And howling along with you. There's no other greyhound like her.
05 What countries did you visit? The UK, Ireland, Portugal, Belgium, Germany, Canada. And France if you count the train ride on the way to Belgium.
06 What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? An idea of what I want to do with my life. (This answer from last year still applies.) Though at this point, I'd also accept a job.
07 What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? July 17, graduation day!
08 What was your biggest achievement of the year? Graduating with a master's from Cambridge... cross one thing off my to-do list! (see #35)
09 What was your biggest failure? I guess the inability to get hired could be counted as a failure, though there are a number of other factors that contribute to this. Example A: recession.
10 Did you suffer illness or injury? Not serious ones.
11 What was the best thing you bought? Anything involving travel: plane tickets, train tickets, any food in Belgium: fries, waffles and chocolate!
12 Whose behavior merited celebration? A few of my friends got married, so yay for them!
13 Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Apart from the usual politicians (Blagojevich, Spitzer)... hmm. There are certain people who seem to exist in my life purely to ruin my self-esteem and make me feel bad about myself, and the plan is to get them out of my life, and/or get myself away from their influence. (If you are reading this, it is not you.) (Also, this is NOT a resolution, since I generally fail at those; it's merely a goal. Not expressly for New Year's. Yeah.)
14 Where did most of your money go? I know exactly where: student loans. Also, the pound --> dollar exchange rate. Also, plane tickets. (Last year's, but still true.)
15 What did you get really, really, really excited about? When I found out my parents were actually going to visit me in Europe! I figured that was one of those things that they'd talk about ad nauseam but never follow through on, but it happened!
16 What song will always remind you of 2008? Uh... I didn't listen to the radio all year. I did buy some songs by Colin Meloy and the Decemberists this year, although only the former album actually came out in 2008.
17 Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? Less stressed in terms of being on a schedule, but sadder due to a lack of purpose/independence. Funny how that works.
b) thinner or fatter? Fatter. Hopefully you can't tell.
c) richer or poorer? Poorer, big time. If anyone steals my credit cards or identity, they have definitely chosen the wrong person.
18 What do you wish you'd done more of? Made more friends and gone out more. Two years in a row; let's go for three!
19 What do you wish you'd done less of? Self-doubt and feeling stupid.
20 How did you spend Christmas? With the fam in B-lo. Of course.
21 "There is no question 21" I have got to find a better New Year's meme that doesn't include this 'question'.
22 Did you fall in love in 2008? No. There was a slight infatuation, though. But it didn't involve stalking, I promise.
23 How many one-night stands? Yeah, okay.
24 What was your favorite TV show? Still 'The Office', though it's really starting to slide. Let's hope the writers pick it up a little for the rest of the season.
25 Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? There were some professors at Cambridge that I rather extremely dislike, but I wouldn't say I hate them.
26 What was the best book you read? I'd say Vienna Blood by Frank Tallis. Rather a lame title, but very well-written, uses an impressively varied vocabulary, and set in 1902 Vienna. And it involves cake. That's basically a formula for a winning book, I feel.
27 What was your greatest musical discovery? The Decemberists are pretty great, I think. Their music gets better upon each relisten. Also, I'm suddenly into Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog, which is funny and twisted and catchy and fantastic, but it's now 2009, so I'm not sure if that counts. Although it came out in 2008, so let's say it does. Only one year behind the pop culture trends is quite good, considering my track record.
28 What did you want and get? I've been talking about visiting Belgium since 2003, and I finally got around to it this year. It was not quite as awesome as everyone's talked it up, but the food and beer definitely made it worthwhile.
29 What did you want and not get? A freaking JOB.
30 What was your favourite film of this year? I might have to be a lemming on this one and say 'The Dark Knight'. 'Atonement' was also amazing.
31 What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 27, and I had people over to our house and fabulous garden for a grill fest. It was a good time, especially since it was after the academic year had ended for most people.
32 What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Lasting friendships with folks from Cambridge.
33 How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008? I was in grad school, what do you think? Jeans and fleece and funny, random t-shirts. I've tried to get out of that rut to some extent, but it's a bit tough when you don't have any money. H&M helped me out a bit when I was in Cambridge.
34 What kept you sane? Phone calls to and from friends. Also, travel: getting away from the routine is always good.
35 Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Heh, British phrasing. I continue to be a big fan of John Krasinski. Also, I'm suddenly enamored of Neil Patrick Harris: he's hilarious, seems to be a down-to-earth guy, and he can sing!
36 What political issue stirred you the most? Oh, the 2008 election! Absolute madness. I loved it, as much as the infighting and twisting of words drove me crazy.
37 Whom did you miss? Oddly enough, I missed folks from Cambridge after returning to the US... I guess the grass is always greener, eh? Thank goodness for Facebook.
38 Who was the best new person you met? I met some interesting people while traveling...
39 Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Asking for help is not a bad thing.
40 Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. 'Es tut so schlau, um nicht unangenehm aufzufallen/Und nicht schön genug, um damit durchzukommen/ Weisst du genau wie es ist, immer rauszufallen /Nur nicht weit genug, woanders anzukommen.' - Wir sind Helden, 'The Geek (Shall Inherit)' One day, the answer to this question won't be a song lyric that can also be applied to an angsty, geeky, misfit high-schooler. Today is not that day.
Happy 2009, and let's hope that it's better than 2008. It's got to be. Right?
23 December 2008
Food, glorious food
What better way to get into the holiday spirit than thinking about food? Specifically, desserts? (mostly desserts) Enjoy!
The Christmas Fifty
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve tasted.
3) Place an asterisk after all the items you’ve cooked/prepared.
4) Cross out anything you never want to try, or add an exclamation mark after anything you really want to try.
1. Crystallised or candied fruits.
2. Egg nog
3. Bûche de Noël, or Yule log*
4. Rum balls
5. Bebinca
6. Roasted chestnuts
7. Cavallucci
8. Tourtière
9. Uszka
10. Port & Stilton - I've had them, but not together; let's pretend that counts
11. Hallaca
12. Roast goose
13. Lefse
14. Sugar plums
15. Romeritos
16. Pinnekjøtt
17. Hot toddy*
18. Christmas cake - does this mean fruitcake? Let's say it does, so I can bold it
19. Tamales - but not for Christmas
20. Sorpotel
21. Panettone
22. Candy canes
23. Pasteles
24. Speculaas
25. Makowiec
26. Christmas pudding - it's really gross, don't try it
27. Stollen
28. Figgy pudding
29. Lebkuchen
30. Turrón
31. Mince pies
32. Wassail bowls
33. Buñuelos
34. Pio Quinto
35. Marzipan fruits
36. Mulled wine*
37. King cake
38. Christmas beach barbecue
39. Cola de mono
40. Lutefisk
41. Kutia
42. Pizzelle*
43. Dominostein
44. Cranberry sauce
45. Pfeffernüsse*
46. Satsumas or clementines
47. Pumpkin pie
48. Smalahove
49. Nut roast
50. Brandy butter
Grand total: 23/50 - not bad, I guess. What's yours?
The Christmas Fifty
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve tasted.
3) Place an asterisk after all the items you’ve cooked/prepared.
4) Cross out anything you never want to try, or add an exclamation mark after anything you really want to try.
1. Crystallised or candied fruits.
2. Egg nog
3. Bûche de Noël, or Yule log*
4. Rum balls
5. Bebinca
6. Roasted chestnuts
7. Cavallucci
8. Tourtière
9. Uszka
10. Port & Stilton - I've had them, but not together; let's pretend that counts
11. Hallaca
12. Roast goose
13. Lefse
14. Sugar plums
15. Romeritos
16. Pinnekjøtt
17. Hot toddy*
18. Christmas cake - does this mean fruitcake? Let's say it does, so I can bold it
19. Tamales - but not for Christmas
20. Sorpotel
21. Panettone
22. Candy canes
23. Pasteles
24. Speculaas
25. Makowiec
26. Christmas pudding - it's really gross, don't try it
27. Stollen
28. Figgy pudding
29. Lebkuchen
30. Turrón
31. Mince pies
32. Wassail bowls
33. Buñuelos
34. Pio Quinto
35. Marzipan fruits
36. Mulled wine*
37. King cake
38. Christmas beach barbecue
39. Cola de mono
40. Lutefisk
41. Kutia
42. Pizzelle*
43. Dominostein
44. Cranberry sauce
45. Pfeffernüsse*
46. Satsumas or clementines
47. Pumpkin pie
48. Smalahove
49. Nut roast
50. Brandy butter
Grand total: 23/50 - not bad, I guess. What's yours?
13 November 2008
Shhhhhhhhhhhoot.
Well, it looks like I've failed at the blopomo... I suppose I could go back and post-date some posts (ha!), but that seems rather silly. Oh well. I'll try and post more regularly, anyway.
Not much to report here; some interest in my resume, though, so I'll follow that up and see how it goes!
Not much to report here; some interest in my resume, though, so I'll follow that up and see how it goes!
08 November 2008
Reason 34293876592 that I'm a huge dork
Newsweek has a special edition out, which details the presidential campaigns from waaaay back before Obama or McCain declared their candidacy, through the Democratic Primary madness, up through Election Day. It is incredibly thorough and full of facts and observations which the reporters had promised to keep secret until after the election. This may seem rather dry and boring to you, but it's actually a fascinating read; I just spent the entire afternoon reading it cover to cover. Definitely worthwhile, go check it out!
And yes, sitting around and reading is generally what I do on a Saturday. Or any day, for that matter.
And yes, sitting around and reading is generally what I do on a Saturday. Or any day, for that matter.
07 November 2008
They can also eat a dozen bagels or an entire loaf of cinnamon bread
Apparently there's been much speculation about what kind of dog the Obamas should get when they move into the White House. Everyone is suggesting a poodle, and no doubt it'll end up being some sort of supercute retriever/lab mix, but may I suggest: a greyhound.
Oh, you want reasons?
1. They don't shed -- key, since Malia's allergic.
2. The family would like a shelter dog -- hello, greyhound rescue organizations!
2. The family would like a shelter dog -- hello, greyhound rescue organizations!
3. Greyhounds need big spaces to run and a fenced-in yard. The White House lawn is perfect!
4. They're generally very low key and love kids.
5. They don't bark -- there's noise enough from the press, thank you very much.
6.
06 November 2008
It's a small world, after all
So I applied for (yet another) job in the Boston area yesterday and heard back from the HR guy this afternoon. He said they weren't hiring for positions in that department, but they will be soon. Not the greatest news, but more hopeful than a lot of messages I've gotten.
And THEN he writes, "By the way, I went to [another high school in my district], just FYI."
How crazy! What a small world... So I wrote back, conveyed my amusement and the fact that my orchestra used to rehearse at his school, and he replied again(!).
So now I've got a connection with an HR person at this place where I'd like to work. That's more progress than I've made in the past two months! And all because of where I went to high school...
And THEN he writes, "By the way, I went to [another high school in my district], just FYI."
How crazy! What a small world... So I wrote back, conveyed my amusement and the fact that my orchestra used to rehearse at his school, and he replied again(!).
So now I've got a connection with an HR person at this place where I'd like to work. That's more progress than I've made in the past two months! And all because of where I went to high school...
05 November 2008
Obama wins!!
FINALLY. This is the most positive I've felt about my country in a long time. Now let's move forward, shall we?
(ps- sorry about the crappy post(s), Blogger seems to be having issues)
(ps- sorry about the crappy post(s), Blogger seems to be having issues)
04 November 2008
I'm looking at you, swing states
VOTE! You can get a free coffee from Starbucks and a free ice cream from Ben & Jerry's if you do, so there's no reason not to!
03 November 2008
Obligatory post on the election
I have mixed feelings about the election this year. This is the first presidential election that I've really followed; I was away at school in 2000 and in Germany in 2004, so I didn't have either the desire or the opportunity to track the candidates' views on the issues, the scandals over misinterpreted speeches (i.e., "lipstick on a pig"), etc. Even though I did vote in the other two, I'm more invested in this one. Maybe it's a sign of maturity that I have actual views on the issues now, or maybe it's because I had to teach about American culture and politics that I've had the chance to figure out what I feel strongly about, and what I want a candidate to support. At any rate, my time isolated from American election politics has made it clear this time around:
1) How awesome the whole process is. It's a complicated, messed-up system that involves pandering to various subgroups of the population, lobbyists, and those who have the most money. Campaign funds play a disproportionately large role, and choosing who to vote for is generally choosing between the lesser of two evils. But where else do you see people so involved in the process? No matter who you support, there are camps upon camps of volunteers who make cold calls and send out mass mailings for no compensation other than the conviction that they're helping their candidate and, by extension, their country. I mean, where else can you see such an involvement in and dedication to the democratic process? (definitely not in Germany, where no one really cares either way about their representatives or what their government is doing, as long as they get to talk about how full of crap the US government is) It's pretty amazing. And watching people get so fired up is pretty cool; it reminds me that not everyone gets the same chance that we do to choose our own leaders*. (Seriously, WTF is with the parliamentary system? That's messed up.)
*cue national anthem*
BUT:
2) The whole process is incredibly dependent on the media. Spin, sound bytes, negative campaign ads vs. attack ads (apparently there's a difference??), newspaper endorsements, YouTube videos, SNL, and infomercials... campaigns depend on the media, and the media seem to depend on the candidates to keep people watching/reading. I wonder if this is a purely American thing; there were zero campaign ads in Germany, and I recall seeing AT MOST two or three in the UK. I actually didn't even know there was an election there until the day of, when we got a flyer under our door reminding us to vote. Even when it was time to elect a new mayor of London, there were no ads; he just suddenly appeared on the news one night as the new mayor. But here, the media plays such a huge role in US culture that I suppose it's only fitting that it plays a massive role in US politics and shaping history. The follow-up question to that, of course, is should the media assume the role it does, and how can we be sure we're getting unbiased information from any of the media outlets. (hello, Fox News!)
As a corollary to this, those political ads NEED TO STOP. Seriously. Along with the calls. Freaking SHUT UP already about Mesi, Ranzenhofer, Kryzan, Lee, Delano, Volker, Konst, etc., etc., ad nauseam.
I guess the point of all this rambling is that as much as I appreciate and am in awe of the process, I am SO ready for it to be over. Let's move on. Please?
*Yeah, yeah, let's ignore the Electoral College for the moment.
1) How awesome the whole process is. It's a complicated, messed-up system that involves pandering to various subgroups of the population, lobbyists, and those who have the most money. Campaign funds play a disproportionately large role, and choosing who to vote for is generally choosing between the lesser of two evils. But where else do you see people so involved in the process? No matter who you support, there are camps upon camps of volunteers who make cold calls and send out mass mailings for no compensation other than the conviction that they're helping their candidate and, by extension, their country. I mean, where else can you see such an involvement in and dedication to the democratic process? (definitely not in Germany, where no one really cares either way about their representatives or what their government is doing, as long as they get to talk about how full of crap the US government is) It's pretty amazing. And watching people get so fired up is pretty cool; it reminds me that not everyone gets the same chance that we do to choose our own leaders*. (Seriously, WTF is with the parliamentary system? That's messed up.)
*cue national anthem*
BUT:
2) The whole process is incredibly dependent on the media. Spin, sound bytes, negative campaign ads vs. attack ads (apparently there's a difference??), newspaper endorsements, YouTube videos, SNL, and infomercials... campaigns depend on the media, and the media seem to depend on the candidates to keep people watching/reading. I wonder if this is a purely American thing; there were zero campaign ads in Germany, and I recall seeing AT MOST two or three in the UK. I actually didn't even know there was an election there until the day of, when we got a flyer under our door reminding us to vote. Even when it was time to elect a new mayor of London, there were no ads; he just suddenly appeared on the news one night as the new mayor. But here, the media plays such a huge role in US culture that I suppose it's only fitting that it plays a massive role in US politics and shaping history. The follow-up question to that, of course, is should the media assume the role it does, and how can we be sure we're getting unbiased information from any of the media outlets. (hello, Fox News!)
As a corollary to this, those political ads NEED TO STOP. Seriously. Along with the calls. Freaking SHUT UP already about Mesi, Ranzenhofer, Kryzan, Lee, Delano, Volker, Konst, etc., etc., ad nauseam.
I guess the point of all this rambling is that as much as I appreciate and am in awe of the process, I am SO ready for it to be over. Let's move on. Please?
*Yeah, yeah, let's ignore the Electoral College for the moment.
02 November 2008
Three more things
...to add to yesterday's list:
11. Bacon. How could I forget bacon?! It's delicious!
12. Target.
13. Being able to watch TV shows over and over again online, without having to resort to some rather sketchy website from East Asia where I can't read any of the instructions. ("I wonder if this one means volume... Nope, that closed the window.")
11. Bacon. How could I forget bacon?! It's delicious!
12. Target.
13. Being able to watch TV shows over and over again online, without having to resort to some rather sketchy website from East Asia where I can't read any of the instructions. ("I wonder if this one means volume... Nope, that closed the window.")
01 November 2008
Yes, I do realize that most of these revolve around food
Ten things I didn't realize I missed about the US:
1. (Non-alcoholic) Cider and donut holes.
2. Pumpkin carving.
3. The fact that everyone, kids and adults, gets into Halloween.
4. Not having to explain and/or defend the US, its government, or traditions like Thanksgiving or Halloween.
5. Tim Horton's. (all right, they're Canadian, but still)
6. Mulled cider. (yes, cider takes two places on this list, so sue me)
7. People acting not just polite, but friendly.
8. Watching current TV shows, on the day they air.
9. The vast variety of food that is Wegmans.
10. Newspapers with comic strips. (although they don't seem to be as funny as they used to be..)
1. (Non-alcoholic) Cider and donut holes.
2. Pumpkin carving.
3. The fact that everyone, kids and adults, gets into Halloween.
4. Not having to explain and/or defend the US, its government, or traditions like Thanksgiving or Halloween.
5. Tim Horton's. (all right, they're Canadian, but still)
6. Mulled cider. (yes, cider takes two places on this list, so sue me)
7. People acting not just polite, but friendly.
8. Watching current TV shows, on the day they air.
9. The vast variety of food that is Wegmans.
10. Newspapers with comic strips. (although they don't seem to be as funny as they used to be..)
31 October 2008
25 October 2008
So much for that "must post more often" sentiment.
Heh. Funny how life can go from "way too busy to update the blog" to "not nearly enough to talk about to update the blog", eh? There hasn't been much of note to report: I'm living at home, in a town where none of my friends live, applying for jobs at places that aren't contacting me back. (thanks, recession!) Oh, and I'm unable to drive, since the car is a stick shift. So I'm pretty much 15 again. Needless to say, it's pretty awesome.
At any rate, I'm thinking of participating in NaBloPoMo again this year, so I guess I'd better start stocking up interesting stories. It'll probably be a month-long slideshow of those pictures that I took while traveling from June to August, because everyone loves looking at pictures from other people's vacations. Stay tuned!
Also, I was randomly thinking (!) the other day that October is practically the pivotal month in my life; it sets the tone for the rest of the year. Forget New Year's, it's all about October first. To wit:
At any rate, I'm thinking of participating in NaBloPoMo again this year, so I guess I'd better start stocking up interesting stories. It'll probably be a month-long slideshow of those pictures that I took while traveling from June to August, because everyone loves looking at pictures from other people's vacations. Stay tuned!
Also, I was randomly thinking (!) the other day that October is practically the pivotal month in my life; it sets the tone for the rest of the year. Forget New Year's, it's all about October first. To wit:
- October 2003: Began teaching English in WB, filling vast amounts of free time with naps and traveling Europe.
- October 2004: Began teaching English in K-Town, met Scottish TAs and began 9-month-long odyssey to try the hot chocolate at every cafe in town. Also, began (near-)weekly Irish pub trips.
- October 2005: Had just begun teaching kindergarten. Work was pretty awful, and continued to be for the entire school year.
- October 2006: Had just begun teaching first grade. Learned to lay down the law for the first few weeks of school, and this turned out fantastic! Also, sent in my application to Cambridge.
- October 2007: Began school year at Cambridge by having a few nervous breakdowns. The rest of the course was intense and zero fun; however, some good times were had in the few minutes between working and feeling guilty for not working.
- October 2008: Lazing around, futilely job searching. Feeling useless and unsuccessful. Also, large amounts of self-pity.
So... let's hope that October 2008 doesn't set the pattern for the upcoming year, shall we?
09 August 2008
Yes, it IS time to update more frequently
Scene: Starbucks in Dulles airport, half an hour after disembarking a 7-hour flight from London.
Me (mumbling through the jet lag): A grande mocha frappuccino, please.
Cashier: Okay, that'll be $4.20.
Me: *pause* But... it says $4.00 up there on the board.
Cashier: Uh, yeah, that's before tax.
Me: Right.
Welcome back to the US, land of infinite possibilities and taxation.
Me (mumbling through the jet lag): A grande mocha frappuccino, please.
Cashier: Okay, that'll be $4.20.
Me: *pause* But... it says $4.00 up there on the board.
Cashier: Uh, yeah, that's before tax.
Me: Right.
Welcome back to the US, land of infinite possibilities and taxation.
18 April 2008
Know what I just realized?
My undergrad honors thesis, the one I spent the entire year on, was just over 9000 words.
I have had five weeks to write this 8000-word paper.
Soon, I'll be writing 16,000 words in the space of two weeks.
Hmm.
I have had five weeks to write this 8000-word paper.
Soon, I'll be writing 16,000 words in the space of two weeks.
Hmm.
07 April 2008
I would do this in a table, but I don't know how
A Comparative Analysis of Research Essays 1 and 2, In Bullet Point Form
Research Essay #1
Research Essay #1
- Topic: Critical Period Hypothesis and Second Language Acquisition
- Length: 8000 words
- Timeline: 6 weeks
- Experiment/data analysis required?: no
- Most time spent: at home
- Research: finished in the first 2 weeks
- Writing: all done in the last week
- Contact with supervisor: 4 meetings, total
- Supervisor: helpful and encouraged me to come in
- Amount of time spent thinking about essay: constant while in Cambridge, then forgot about it for 2 weeks when I was at home
- Grade: 65 (solidly average)
Research Essay #2
- Topic: Does Musical Training Affect Musical and Phonological Short-Term Memory? (or something like that)
- Length: 8000 words
- Timeline: 5 weeks
- Experiment/data analysis required?: yes
- Most time spent: in Cambridge
- Research: experiment design = 2 weeks, data collecting = just over a week, data analysis = 4 days (still ongoing), literature review = not started yet
- Writing: not started yet... probably will take place in the last week
- Contact with supervisor: insecure emails sent every 2 or 3 days, which he apparently doesn't read as he doesn't answer any of my questions
- Supervisor: not helpful, makes me feel stupid for not understanding/knowing what's going on
- Amount of time spent thinking about essay: constant, except for those 4 days I was in Portugal...then it was only sporadic
- Grade: to be determined... it better be higher than the last one, is all I have to say...I'm working my ass off here.
When will it all end??
02 April 2008
Add another patch to the bag
Funny story: I went to Portugal last week!
As I was thinking only of doom and gloom (and interminable essays) last Monday, an acquaintance from College sent me a text, wondering if I'd be interested in going to Portugal. Apparently her friend could no longer go and I could have her plane ticket. The kicker: The plane was leaving Wednesday morning, super early! At first, I wasn't sure what I should do; I only had another 4 weeks for the essay, and I really should be working, plus I'm living on student loans at the moment...
And then I thought about what my friends would say: I'd be stupid not to go. So I made about the fastest decision in my life when I told her I'd join her in Portugal.
I am so glad I did.
I guess I'd forgotten how much I've missed travelling... the last time I went someplace completely new (for fun, not moving) was chaperoning the high-schoolers in Budapest last summer. While I'm still not a fan of not knowing the language of a new place (I always feel a bit guilty that people have to speak mine), I love sight-seeing, soaking up the atmosphere of a new place, trying local food (randomly from a menu which I can't read), wandering about the neighborhoods, and taking excessive amounts of pictures. Some of which you will now see.
Typical small, windy street. Cars drive down these, believe it or not. (though not this one, since it has stairs) 
The riverfront of Porto, plus the really high bridge we walked across to the other side. 
My lunch on the first day. Note that the head is still attached.
St. Alfonse of something church.. too bad I don't speak Portuguese. These blue and white tiles were everywhere, though; they were beautiful.
12th century cathedral.
Cathedral cloisters... though I'm not entirely sure what 'cloisters' are. We got to see them for free, though, since it was a National Day of Historic Centers!
A bishop and the Clerigos church tower. You can see the tower almost anywhere in Porto, and you can get a great view of the city from there. (I'm not posting any pictures from there because it was gray and misty that day... no fun.)
The beach! I have concluded that I have to live near the beach when I grow up. No more of this land-locked crap.
I noticed this rock formation when it was dry, and then waited patiently for some water to come in so I could get a nice, artistic shot. Unfortunately, a really big wave decided to come in then, so I ended up with this:
Wet socks are no fun. Luckily we had nothing to do, so we could lounge on the beach while I waited for my socks to (mostly) dry out.
So those were the highlights... and I've now caught the travel bug again and can't wait to go someplace else. I'm thinking possibly Belgium in June, or else maybe Croatia...
23 March 2008
Merry Eastermas!
The weather decided to go all multiple-personality-disorder on us this weekend: yesterday passed in 15-minute increments of bright sunshine, wind and misty rain, and wind and fat snowflakes. The stretches without sunshine, which comprised most of the day, were pretty miserable, but it was just warm enough so that the snow didn't stick. So imagine my surprise this morning when I woke up to this:
Walking very carefully down the hill into town
Across the Cam and past the snow-covered punts
King's College Chapel and the Senate House
It being Easter Sunday, I'd planned on going into town for church this morning and went to King's College Chapel. The thirty-minute walk turned into more like a 45-minute walk due to the slushy sidewalks and my crappy shoes, but it at least provided me with an opportunity to take some rare Cambridge In The Snow photos. And now, a photo essay:
Walking very carefully down the hill into town
Across the Cam and past the snow-covered punts King's College Chapel and the Senate House
The Cam and a snowman (not made by me, but appropriated for this photo)
Clare College, King's College Chapel and the Cam
Happy Easter!
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