Track 3 of the CD I mentioned the other day is stuck in my head, and feels strangely appropriate, given the current circumstances. Guess I just have to keep plugging along and praying. Lots of praying.
adventures, trials and tribulations, and a whole lot of other randomness. welcome!
Tuesday, August 31, 2004
Monday, August 30, 2004
Kamikaze Squirrel!
I met my mother at the mall today to help her buy a gift for her friend's birthday. On my way home, I watched a squirrel dart out onto a four-lane street, while the one chasing it decided to stay on the curb and wait for me to drive by. Well, when squirrel #1 realized it wasn't being followed, it turned around to run back... and ran into my car. Sadness!! This is the first death associated with my Jeep - although it is the second vehicular-roadkill-death I am responsible for. (the other was a turtle... and in little Bing, the poor thing was like a speedbump!) :(
How sad. Poor dumb squirrel.
How sad. Poor dumb squirrel.
Saturday, August 28, 2004
Two things for Saturday
Thing #1: Last week, I auditioned with the same operetta company that I performed with in the spring. Early this week, they called to offer me the role of Celia in their upcoming production of Iolanthe. Never had a real role in anything before... exciting and more than a little nerve-wracking!! Hope I can live up to their expectations... Rehearsals actually start already on Monday. I'll keep you posted.
Thing #2: I was lent a CD a week ago (which is now on permanent loan, I think), that I swore I could never listen to again... but ironically, I have been able to listen to only this cd when I have been in my Jeep. Especially track #1, which was specifically pointed out to me. The cd is Sea of No Cares by Great Big Sea. Check it out. Read the lyrics. I like their style. (for different reasons, it both makes me happy and very sad to listen to it, but that's my own kettle of fish.)
Can you tell I'm trying to be a little more positive? It takes an awful effort... but I'm trying.
Thing #2: I was lent a CD a week ago (which is now on permanent loan, I think), that I swore I could never listen to again... but ironically, I have been able to listen to only this cd when I have been in my Jeep. Especially track #1, which was specifically pointed out to me. The cd is Sea of No Cares by Great Big Sea. Check it out. Read the lyrics. I like their style. (for different reasons, it both makes me happy and very sad to listen to it, but that's my own kettle of fish.)
Can you tell I'm trying to be a little more positive? It takes an awful effort... but I'm trying.
Friday, August 27, 2004
The end (?) of an eternal week
Two quotes. Very different. Read them, don't read them. Take them seriously, or don't. Comment, argue, agree, ignore. Whatever. Take them or leave them, I don't care. I'm just putting them here. Maybe someone who thinks too hard will try to analyze me... maybe I need to be put in Bergen Pines, maybe I need a swift kick in the butt, maybe I just need a hug.
Deep down, I'm pretty superficial.
-Ava Gardner
A 'no' uttered from the deepest conviction is better and greater than a 'yes' merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.
-Mahatma Gandhi
Deep down, I'm pretty superficial.
-Ava Gardner
A 'no' uttered from the deepest conviction is better and greater than a 'yes' merely uttered to please, or what is worse, to avoid trouble.
-Mahatma Gandhi
Tuesday, August 24, 2004
Question into the void....
Why is it that in listening to what my heart was telling me I have now lost everything? ...direction, purpose, happiness, contentedness, my best friend, my heart itself... gone.
God, why is it that you had to ask me for everything? Where is there love in that? Where is the reason? Why must I have to make such a sacrifice? What is the point?? What lesson am I supposed to learn in having my heart tear in two?
God, why is it that you had to ask me for everything? Where is there love in that? Where is the reason? Why must I have to make such a sacrifice? What is the point?? What lesson am I supposed to learn in having my heart tear in two?
Saturday, August 21, 2004
Why is this so?
Do you ever have moments of self revelation/insight (brought on either by personal soul-searching or with the help of others - or both) which lead you to question everything about yourself? It's really frightfully scary and leaves you with no real sense of clarity... at least it seems to be the result I get. All I get is a lot of sturm und drang and then an emotional hangover. Personally, I don't like the lack of control (which is part of the problem, yes I know.). I know that such moments really are beneficial in the whole scheme of things, but at the time, there is an enormous chasm between diagnosing the issues and actually solving them.
Well, there's nothing that can be done about it right now, so I might as well go to bed.
Well, there's nothing that can be done about it right now, so I might as well go to bed.
Wednesday, August 18, 2004
Two more days!
Woo hoo, woo hoo... two more days left of the summer job! It's been a good job, but I will be glad to have it done with. Met some good people, had some fun, ate some cake, answered too many phones... well, I am thankful for it and how it fell into place. I'm sure I'll miss the monotony when I'm back in the classroom again. But at least that won't start just yet... I have a little time before I have to go back! :)
This summer has gone by so amazingly quickly. Didn't I just start this job, not finish eight weeks of it? It's been a fantastic summer so far, though - despite the job, I've been really busy and done a lot of fun things. I guess it's just how it goes - work hard, play hard and then miss president is a happy girl. :)
This summer has gone by so amazingly quickly. Didn't I just start this job, not finish eight weeks of it? It's been a fantastic summer so far, though - despite the job, I've been really busy and done a lot of fun things. I guess it's just how it goes - work hard, play hard and then miss president is a happy girl. :)
Monday, August 09, 2004
I've heard of a lot of wierdness....
...but this takes the cake.
My friend Kirsten told me about a blurb she saw on the news about something called Cuddle Parties. Supposedly you go and cuddle with people to help make you a better and more contented person. It's nothing sexual... just cuddling. Interesting and aggreeable in concept - but also kind of skeevy, considering you probably don't know the people!! Look at the site and decide for yourself whether a Cuddle Party is for you. I think I'll pass.
My friend Kirsten told me about a blurb she saw on the news about something called Cuddle Parties. Supposedly you go and cuddle with people to help make you a better and more contented person. It's nothing sexual... just cuddling. Interesting and aggreeable in concept - but also kind of skeevy, considering you probably don't know the people!! Look at the site and decide for yourself whether a Cuddle Party is for you. I think I'll pass.
Monday, August 02, 2004
Cliccate su junefourteenth, punto, blogspot, punto, com!
For Christmas 2001, I got a page-a-day calandar of Italian words and phrases. This was something I'd really wanted (since the year before when they sold out around us!) and actually kept it after the year was over. I figure that when I eventually get to Italy, I can use some of the more interesting phrases... just to confuse the locals. Here are a few of the more creative ones....
Dove vai in quel vestino? (Where are you going in that skimpy dress?)
Mi stanno bene questi pantaloni con la zampa d'elefante? (Do these bellbottoms look good on me? - literally: Do these pants with elephant legs look good on me?)
Hanno torvato l'assassino? (Have they found the assassin?)
Smetta di provarci! (Stop hitting on me!) (wait... that one might come in handy with those cheeky Italian men!)
Aren't they fun?! Ciao, bambinos!
Dove vai in quel vestino? (Where are you going in that skimpy dress?)
Mi stanno bene questi pantaloni con la zampa d'elefante? (Do these bellbottoms look good on me? - literally: Do these pants with elephant legs look good on me?)
Hanno torvato l'assassino? (Have they found the assassin?)
Smetta di provarci! (Stop hitting on me!) (wait... that one might come in handy with those cheeky Italian men!)
Aren't they fun?! Ciao, bambinos!
Sunday, August 01, 2004
Is tomorrow already Monday again?
Why do things like that happen? It's depressing when you realize that one-seventh of your life is actually spent on Monday. Scary.
On Thursday evening, I went to see De-Lovely. I thought it was a good movie - a little lengthy, perhaps, but good. I've been well aware of Cole Porter's music, of course - I sang several of his pieces in college and have heard countless others. It was interesting to learn about his life, at least in the Hollywood storytelling of it. (I should really now investigate to see how truthful they stayed in the retelling.) Kevin Klein made a convincing composer, and Ashley Judd is annoyingly beautiful as Linda Lee Porter, which makes you happy and angry at the same time. The music, of course, was very good - interesting use of the songs, some in the typical movie-musical everyone-joins-in-singing-and-dancing scenarios, but others woven into the story at parties or events or whatnot. Interesting use of people singing, too - pop artists, jazz people, Broadway people, untrained people, etc. I've been loving the soundtrack as well - actually bought it before I saw the film.
Other than that, the weekend was busy. Highlights include painting ceramic pottery, a shoe expidition which yielded no shoes, but instead a book and some dishes, vegging and watching movies, a bridal shower and a girly nails/movie/takeout kind of evening too. I am sleepy - do I really have to go to work tomorrow? Oh, the injustice, the insanity, the unfairness of it all!
On Thursday evening, I went to see De-Lovely. I thought it was a good movie - a little lengthy, perhaps, but good. I've been well aware of Cole Porter's music, of course - I sang several of his pieces in college and have heard countless others. It was interesting to learn about his life, at least in the Hollywood storytelling of it. (I should really now investigate to see how truthful they stayed in the retelling.) Kevin Klein made a convincing composer, and Ashley Judd is annoyingly beautiful as Linda Lee Porter, which makes you happy and angry at the same time. The music, of course, was very good - interesting use of the songs, some in the typical movie-musical everyone-joins-in-singing-and-dancing scenarios, but others woven into the story at parties or events or whatnot. Interesting use of people singing, too - pop artists, jazz people, Broadway people, untrained people, etc. I've been loving the soundtrack as well - actually bought it before I saw the film.
Other than that, the weekend was busy. Highlights include painting ceramic pottery, a shoe expidition which yielded no shoes, but instead a book and some dishes, vegging and watching movies, a bridal shower and a girly nails/movie/takeout kind of evening too. I am sleepy - do I really have to go to work tomorrow? Oh, the injustice, the insanity, the unfairness of it all!
Tuesday, July 27, 2004
New York, New York, a wonderful town...
...The bronx is up and the battery's down, and people ride in a hole in the ground...
On Sunday, Matt and I went on a day trip. I love day trips – especially ones in which there is no real plan, just some suggestions or ideas. The main idea of the day was Manhattan. So, we took the ferry into the city and from there the bus to Times Square. There we visited TRU – a fun place to see, but very crowded on a summer Sunday! By then we were hungry, and Matt had the brilliant suggestion to hop on the subway and go to Gray’s Papaya for an essential New York lunch, which I had never had before!! (Oh - and that link's home will make more sense as you keep reading...) Then, to my surprise, we walked to this park (another link), which is as lovely in person as it looks on the silver screen, in one of my favorite movies. After that, it was on to the MET, but by the time we walked there it was near closing, so we quickly changed the plan, and went off to Chinatown! Had some interesting drinks with tapioca beads in them (interesting and strange to chew your drink, let me tell you!) and wandered around, up and down and in and out of streets before going to Little Italy for some gelato. Mmmm….. hazlenut gelato…. (happy sigh)
…but I digress. Our last stop of the day – by this time evening – was to the Empire State Building to see the city all lit up in the dark. Absolutely amazing, and worth the security/ticket/elevator wait, let me tell you! :)
What a lovely day it was. Don't you love New York in the Fall (er... Summer)?
On Sunday, Matt and I went on a day trip. I love day trips – especially ones in which there is no real plan, just some suggestions or ideas. The main idea of the day was Manhattan. So, we took the ferry into the city and from there the bus to Times Square. There we visited TRU – a fun place to see, but very crowded on a summer Sunday! By then we were hungry, and Matt had the brilliant suggestion to hop on the subway and go to Gray’s Papaya for an essential New York lunch, which I had never had before!! (Oh - and that link's home will make more sense as you keep reading...) Then, to my surprise, we walked to this park (another link), which is as lovely in person as it looks on the silver screen, in one of my favorite movies. After that, it was on to the MET, but by the time we walked there it was near closing, so we quickly changed the plan, and went off to Chinatown! Had some interesting drinks with tapioca beads in them (interesting and strange to chew your drink, let me tell you!) and wandered around, up and down and in and out of streets before going to Little Italy for some gelato. Mmmm….. hazlenut gelato…. (happy sigh)
…but I digress. Our last stop of the day – by this time evening – was to the Empire State Building to see the city all lit up in the dark. Absolutely amazing, and worth the security/ticket/elevator wait, let me tell you! :)
What a lovely day it was. Don't you love New York in the Fall (er... Summer)?
Thursday, July 22, 2004
Back to work and the phones...
Well, the joy of returning to work was just so... joyful... that I had to comment. The receptionist is away...again, meaning that I am back at the switchboard for four hours every afternoon this week. (can't you just feel the excitement radiating off the screen??)
People need to learn this little tidbit about calling an office- the person you first speak to in an office is probably not knowledgable about anything that you have to say or any question you might have. Don't try to explain it to them. Politely ask for someone to help you, and don't get mad at the receptionist if said person a) does not pick up their phone, even though they are sitting at the desk, or b) they get someone's voice mail. There is nothing that the receptionist can do about such things. AHHHH!
On the other hand, sitting there has afforded me a few minutes to learn to play Spider Solitare, which I thankfully do not have on my computer at home. I am fairly awful at it, but it is addictive. :)
In other news, I finished Piano Shop before I went to CO. It was very good, and would be a good choice for someone interested in pianos - musician or not. I was lent the book Lizard, by Banana Yoshimoto as an airplane read. I'm still working on it, but it is interesting. Yoshimoto is a Japanese author of contemporary fiction, and the American translator's flow is very easy to follow. The short stories are interesting, if not strange, and have to do with various young Japanese characters and a general theme of love and relationships. Next up on the list is Eragon, by Christopher Paolini, the uber child who wrote a bestseller.
People need to learn this little tidbit about calling an office- the person you first speak to in an office is probably not knowledgable about anything that you have to say or any question you might have. Don't try to explain it to them. Politely ask for someone to help you, and don't get mad at the receptionist if said person a) does not pick up their phone, even though they are sitting at the desk, or b) they get someone's voice mail. There is nothing that the receptionist can do about such things. AHHHH!
On the other hand, sitting there has afforded me a few minutes to learn to play Spider Solitare, which I thankfully do not have on my computer at home. I am fairly awful at it, but it is addictive. :)
In other news, I finished Piano Shop before I went to CO. It was very good, and would be a good choice for someone interested in pianos - musician or not. I was lent the book Lizard, by Banana Yoshimoto as an airplane read. I'm still working on it, but it is interesting. Yoshimoto is a Japanese author of contemporary fiction, and the American translator's flow is very easy to follow. The short stories are interesting, if not strange, and have to do with various young Japanese characters and a general theme of love and relationships. Next up on the list is Eragon, by Christopher Paolini, the uber child who wrote a bestseller.
Tuesday, July 20, 2004
Home again, home again, jiggedy jig....
Hello, and greetings from Colorado! I arrived home late last night after a whirlwind 4 days there and back. Here's the trip in a nutshell (well, maybe not a nutshell... maybe more like a coconut shell, since I'm wordy...)
Friday: At 6am, Matt came to take me to the airport. :) Then I flew from here to Minneapolis, and from there on to Colorado Springs. Met Aunt E at the airport, and had to wait 2 hours for my suitcase - we all made it off the plane, but the luggage didn't, due to an amazing lightning and waterfall-like rainstorm outside. Ate lunch at the airport, then finally went back to Aunt E's before meeting Tracey (my cousin) and her two kids for dinner and a movie. I was amazingly bushed when my head hit the pillow that night!
Saturday: Everyone went to breakfast at Mimi's (New Orleans style decor... humungous amounts of food!) and then Aunt E, Brianna and I went shopping... three generations all together. Aunt E spoiled us two girls by buying us clothes. Then we went to a girly movie before taking Bri home. Aunt E and I went to a cute 50's diner for dinner, then vegged out with movies at home.
Sunday: Outdoor adventure day! Took the cog railway up to Pike's Peak (which is visable from Aunt E's house!!) and then went to Garden of the Gods. Both were spectacularly amazing. I hope my pictures come out half as good as the views actually were! Then we went to a cool place for pizza and on for some ice cream at Coldstone Creamery. Mmmmm! (cake batter ice cream with snickers... yummy!!)
Monday: Breakfast with everyone at Perkins, then Aunt E and the kids and I went to the third movie of the weekend before heading off to the airport. Uneventful trip back, thanks to the loan of a DVD player and the three-seat row that was mine alone on the longer leg of the flight!
Fun times! I might have pictures to post in the coming days... we will have to see! :)
(If any of the links are faulty, let me know. I didn't check them all!)
Friday: At 6am, Matt came to take me to the airport. :) Then I flew from here to Minneapolis, and from there on to Colorado Springs. Met Aunt E at the airport, and had to wait 2 hours for my suitcase - we all made it off the plane, but the luggage didn't, due to an amazing lightning and waterfall-like rainstorm outside. Ate lunch at the airport, then finally went back to Aunt E's before meeting Tracey (my cousin) and her two kids for dinner and a movie. I was amazingly bushed when my head hit the pillow that night!
Saturday: Everyone went to breakfast at Mimi's (New Orleans style decor... humungous amounts of food!) and then Aunt E, Brianna and I went shopping... three generations all together. Aunt E spoiled us two girls by buying us clothes. Then we went to a girly movie before taking Bri home. Aunt E and I went to a cute 50's diner for dinner, then vegged out with movies at home.
Sunday: Outdoor adventure day! Took the cog railway up to Pike's Peak (which is visable from Aunt E's house!!) and then went to Garden of the Gods. Both were spectacularly amazing. I hope my pictures come out half as good as the views actually were! Then we went to a cool place for pizza and on for some ice cream at Coldstone Creamery. Mmmmm! (cake batter ice cream with snickers... yummy!!)
Monday: Breakfast with everyone at Perkins, then Aunt E and the kids and I went to the third movie of the weekend before heading off to the airport. Uneventful trip back, thanks to the loan of a DVD player and the three-seat row that was mine alone on the longer leg of the flight!
Fun times! I might have pictures to post in the coming days... we will have to see! :)
(If any of the links are faulty, let me know. I didn't check them all!)
Thursday, July 08, 2004
Tuesday, July 06, 2004
Kids are funny!
I'm going to be off to Colorado in a week and a half to visit my aunt... which is very exciting! My cousin lives in the same town, and her two kids are looking forward to my visit, too. I've only once met my cousin's daughter - the eldest - when she was a baby, and I've never met her brother. (Obviously, I've seen pictures, tho.) My aunt was telling them about me the other day and mentioned that I teach music. This was supposedly cause for joy - their music teacher is supposedly the nicest... except when she doesn't sleep well. Then she's mean. But it doesn't seem to happen often, so as long as I get some sleep while I'm there, I guess I'm in the clear. :)
Monday, July 05, 2004
Happy Fourth of July!
yes, I know it is the fifth of July now, but I hope you did have a happy Fourth. I know I did! Saw fireworks twice, did loads of other fun things (like initiate my Jeep to the world of off-roading!!) and generally had a great weekend.
For those of you who are pyros but want to keep your fingers intact, here are some fun fireworks that you can play with safely.... (thanks, Matt!)
http://www.lavta.org/wheelskids/firewrk4.html
http://www2.aristotle.net/july4th/fireworks/show.html
http://www.crayola.com/kids/games/console.cfm?game=fireworks&ok=true
Enjoy! :)
For those of you who are pyros but want to keep your fingers intact, here are some fun fireworks that you can play with safely.... (thanks, Matt!)
http://www.lavta.org/wheelskids/firewrk4.html
http://www2.aristotle.net/july4th/fireworks/show.html
http://www.crayola.com/kids/games/console.cfm?game=fireworks&ok=true
Enjoy! :)
Wednesday, June 30, 2004
New Job
I started my new (summer) job on Monday. I work for a local insurance company, as a mail-girl/assistant receptionist. It's a good job, but it will take some getting used to.
The mail-girl part isn't going to be so hard, as soon as I get the schedule down. There is a specific time of the day for everything - filing, going to the post office, sorting mail, picking up mail, inter-office mail, etc.... and I need to get the hang of the well-used inter-office mail system. For a small place they run it very efficiently - as long as I can remember the order that things go, that is!
The phones, however, may be the true challenge. I consider myself to be a well-educated person, but this takes a special skill. There are a million lines, or so it seems, and everyone has a specific extension - but some people are not supposed to get the calls (even if you ask to speak to them) and others go directly to voice mail, and others.... oh, I don't even know. The first person I spoke to got hung up on.... oops!
I'll get it all eventually.... I hope.
The mail-girl part isn't going to be so hard, as soon as I get the schedule down. There is a specific time of the day for everything - filing, going to the post office, sorting mail, picking up mail, inter-office mail, etc.... and I need to get the hang of the well-used inter-office mail system. For a small place they run it very efficiently - as long as I can remember the order that things go, that is!
The phones, however, may be the true challenge. I consider myself to be a well-educated person, but this takes a special skill. There are a million lines, or so it seems, and everyone has a specific extension - but some people are not supposed to get the calls (even if you ask to speak to them) and others go directly to voice mail, and others.... oh, I don't even know. The first person I spoke to got hung up on.... oops!
I'll get it all eventually.... I hope.
Saturday, June 26, 2004
Wind in my hair, sand between my toes...
... oh, bliss. :)
Took a roadtrip yesterday to the shore. Yay!! It's fun to go on a day when they say there will be massive thunderstorms for several reasons: (1)Not as many people go, due to the threat of rain (2)The ocean gets really moody - which I love (3)It leaves all plans up in the air - you don't know what will happen next!
Well, the day started off far away from the ocean - at the DMV. (or the Motor Vehicle Commission, as it has been renamed.) Two stinking hours wait to renew my license! Oh, the joy! But at least it is done for another 4 years.
So, back to the beach.... drove down and did fun things, like eat taffy, drink slurpees, play skeeball (beginners luck made me fairly good!), walk on the sand, hang out. Fun times! Makes me want to ditch it all and blow everything on a shore house for the summer! :)
Took a roadtrip yesterday to the shore. Yay!! It's fun to go on a day when they say there will be massive thunderstorms for several reasons: (1)Not as many people go, due to the threat of rain (2)The ocean gets really moody - which I love (3)It leaves all plans up in the air - you don't know what will happen next!
Well, the day started off far away from the ocean - at the DMV. (or the Motor Vehicle Commission, as it has been renamed.) Two stinking hours wait to renew my license! Oh, the joy! But at least it is done for another 4 years.
So, back to the beach.... drove down and did fun things, like eat taffy, drink slurpees, play skeeball (beginners luck made me fairly good!), walk on the sand, hang out. Fun times! Makes me want to ditch it all and blow everything on a shore house for the summer! :)
Thursday, June 24, 2004
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
Kind Deed Award!
Today was the last day for students in our school district, and both schools had awards ceremonies, which meant I sat through 2.5 hours of name-calling and clapping (and there was more, actually... but luckily I could skip out of that!) Anyway, at the elementary school they have Kind Deed Awards - the kids can nominate each other for acts of kindness, teachers can nominate students (or teachers), etc. It's really sweet, usually - you get things like, "This award goes to James for lending me snack money when I forgot mine, from Danny." Really cute. Well, imagine my surprise when they called my name today and I got an award for being "a great music teacher." from a cute second grade girl. Something like that is enough to make not just your day, but your whole week! :) grin (:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)