i am at work a lot. to pass the time, i've been listening to a lot of this american life on the internet while i work. pretty much the greatest thing ever. for those of you readers who listen to the radio show, you should be jealous-- because I'M GOING TO SEE IRA GLASS IN GREENVILLE next week.
haha!
i'm so stoked, i got a really good ticket from this guy ed at work, who i thought was cool, then i didn't think was cool, and now think he's a little bit more cool because he likes this american life too.
anywho, for those of you who don't listen to the show, you don't have to be subscribed to the podcast, or be stuck at work at a desk. you can just click on some of my favorites, or go to the site. woot.
some ones that i like:
http://www.thisamericanlife.com/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1283 "Somewhere Out There"
http://www.thisamericanlife.com/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1277 "Numbers"
http://www.thisamericanlife.com/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1274 "20 Acts in 60 Minutes"
http://www.thisamericanlife.com/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1271 "Music Lessons"
http://www.thisamericanlife.com/Radio_Episode.aspx?sched=1256 "Break-Up"
and, because this was so weirdly my life: http://www.thisamericanlife.com/Radio_Episode.aspx?episode=109 "Notes On Camp"
listen and love. i do.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
my new relationship
i am in a new relationship here in south carolina. at first i wasn't sure if it was a good idea if i should try and carve out any sort of permanence here, emotionally commit to anything, but i decided to go with the standby mantra of, you only live once. i might as well give it the ol' college try.
it began simple enough, someone told me that this was my new place, and i learned to adapt quickly. the people around weren't so bad, we eventually all became good friends and i even pitched in for coffee. quickly i realized that this was going to be my new group for a while, and it was a little awkward at first: i didn't really know the protocol around here (so vastly different than anything else i've witnessed) and just decided to follow along with all the other relationships around.
some of the other relationships were bare bones with little or no pizzazz-- quite frankly it felt like these two weren't even friends. they didn't really communicate much, maybe a note here and there. but no meals together or shared music tastes, no cute little notes that made one of them laugh; nothing denoting that they were together. it was odd to me, as i am a person who usually proclaims relationships loudly and is very excited about them. because of this culture shock, i chose to keep my relationship quiet for a few days. status quo and all that. then i had to share some more of myself, bring some tangible things to the space where we hung out-- my craisins, my green tea, my taste in music, my lunches, my online addiction to the New York Times Op-Ed page. even my love for blank inky pens and post-its became abundantly clear in the days that followed.
now it's great. i'm comfy in my relationship and i'm becoming settled into the fact that i'll be around for at least a little while. although not ideal yet, every day we're getting closer and closer. i even wrote a note that reminds me of my relationship every day-- i read it and all of a sudden a sense of contentment fills my soul.
"This is my cubicle. There are many like it, but this one is mine."
i'm starting to like my cubicle. i won't say the big l-word; now that's going a little too far.
it began simple enough, someone told me that this was my new place, and i learned to adapt quickly. the people around weren't so bad, we eventually all became good friends and i even pitched in for coffee. quickly i realized that this was going to be my new group for a while, and it was a little awkward at first: i didn't really know the protocol around here (so vastly different than anything else i've witnessed) and just decided to follow along with all the other relationships around.
some of the other relationships were bare bones with little or no pizzazz-- quite frankly it felt like these two weren't even friends. they didn't really communicate much, maybe a note here and there. but no meals together or shared music tastes, no cute little notes that made one of them laugh; nothing denoting that they were together. it was odd to me, as i am a person who usually proclaims relationships loudly and is very excited about them. because of this culture shock, i chose to keep my relationship quiet for a few days. status quo and all that. then i had to share some more of myself, bring some tangible things to the space where we hung out-- my craisins, my green tea, my taste in music, my lunches, my online addiction to the New York Times Op-Ed page. even my love for blank inky pens and post-its became abundantly clear in the days that followed.
now it's great. i'm comfy in my relationship and i'm becoming settled into the fact that i'll be around for at least a little while. although not ideal yet, every day we're getting closer and closer. i even wrote a note that reminds me of my relationship every day-- i read it and all of a sudden a sense of contentment fills my soul.
"This is my cubicle. There are many like it, but this one is mine."
i'm starting to like my cubicle. i won't say the big l-word; now that's going a little too far.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
slow down
i've been told by a number of co-workers that the nuclear business has a whole different time frame. i've been told by a number of other southerners that people talk slow and do most things slow, which i enjoy as a change of pace. to a point.
coming here has made me realize just how edgy i am. skittish at times. and has exacerbated one of my biggest flaws-- impatience.
it might just be the washingtonian in me, but no one here drives worth a damn. they go the speed limit (which i'm sure my mother wants to hear), and they don't know how to merge. they don't do it in a speedy manner when they attempt to merge. driving back from target in anderson, SC (35 minutes away) a van-mother (refer to vanned post from march) STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY to attempt to move into the right lane. how does she not understand that you have to merge with the flow of traffic and that people will not slow down on the highway to wait for a terrible van to get in front of them? *yes, that was an angry run-on sentence.
sorry team, i honked. and then i angrily shifted the jeep.
another anecdote that some of you have heard and some haven't: the starbucks here. number 1, it is in a college town and opened just under a year ago. uncharted barista territory, making for not good baristas. 2: while not expecting the service to quite as speedy as sammamish, i was anticipating the drinks to be correct. false. i have not gotten a beverage correctly while at this starbucks and i have also had to repeat my order at least twice every time i go. my patience runs thin. and then i just feel like a jerk.
while going to starbucks yesterday, it was the perfect storm: i imbibed a little too much with some co-workers on friday and needed some coffee. unfortunately i couldn't get out of bed to make the drive to clemson until 3. not good. i'm thinking to myself, "drive thru--might be speedy." i also think, "all i'm getting is an americano-- shot of espresso and water. the barista has to push one button and fill with boiling water. just about the easiest drink to make."
but no. i pay for my drink and this young guy takes my money. mind you, i haven't showered and look like garbage. i can also see a drink right next to the guy as he closes the window after giving me the credit card back. i know it's mine. i just know it.
he opens the window again, i'm straight up boring a hole into the drink on the counter next to the register, and he then commences to hit on me for two minutes. what i've been up to, what i'm doing later today, weather, blah blah blah. JUST GIVE ME MY DRINK. i end the conversation, and he closes the window. i wait.
he then looks nonchalantly to his right and grabs my americano.
i listened to a beyonce song and a kanye west song on the radio during the whole starbucks debacle. that's about 7 minutes. i was also the only one in the drive thru.
the south is testing my patience. it will be good for me, i guess.
coming here has made me realize just how edgy i am. skittish at times. and has exacerbated one of my biggest flaws-- impatience.
it might just be the washingtonian in me, but no one here drives worth a damn. they go the speed limit (which i'm sure my mother wants to hear), and they don't know how to merge. they don't do it in a speedy manner when they attempt to merge. driving back from target in anderson, SC (35 minutes away) a van-mother (refer to vanned post from march) STOPPED ON THE HIGHWAY to attempt to move into the right lane. how does she not understand that you have to merge with the flow of traffic and that people will not slow down on the highway to wait for a terrible van to get in front of them? *yes, that was an angry run-on sentence.
sorry team, i honked. and then i angrily shifted the jeep.
another anecdote that some of you have heard and some haven't: the starbucks here. number 1, it is in a college town and opened just under a year ago. uncharted barista territory, making for not good baristas. 2: while not expecting the service to quite as speedy as sammamish, i was anticipating the drinks to be correct. false. i have not gotten a beverage correctly while at this starbucks and i have also had to repeat my order at least twice every time i go. my patience runs thin. and then i just feel like a jerk.
while going to starbucks yesterday, it was the perfect storm: i imbibed a little too much with some co-workers on friday and needed some coffee. unfortunately i couldn't get out of bed to make the drive to clemson until 3. not good. i'm thinking to myself, "drive thru--might be speedy." i also think, "all i'm getting is an americano-- shot of espresso and water. the barista has to push one button and fill with boiling water. just about the easiest drink to make."
but no. i pay for my drink and this young guy takes my money. mind you, i haven't showered and look like garbage. i can also see a drink right next to the guy as he closes the window after giving me the credit card back. i know it's mine. i just know it.
he opens the window again, i'm straight up boring a hole into the drink on the counter next to the register, and he then commences to hit on me for two minutes. what i've been up to, what i'm doing later today, weather, blah blah blah. JUST GIVE ME MY DRINK. i end the conversation, and he closes the window. i wait.
he then looks nonchalantly to his right and grabs my americano.
i listened to a beyonce song and a kanye west song on the radio during the whole starbucks debacle. that's about 7 minutes. i was also the only one in the drive thru.
the south is testing my patience. it will be good for me, i guess.
Friday, February 6, 2009
it's exciting!!!
i put three exclamation marks in the title because i know the only people who read my blog are people who abhor exclamation marks. rule number one of rhetoric-- understand your auidence. (thanks college!)
things i've learned/had to do this week that i never would've expected:
-seneca, SC and clemson, SC are not big. at all. i should've realized this when i found out i was actually working on the site of a nuclear power plant. EXCITING. i drove 35 minutes to get to a target, and i couldn't understand a family in the store. mind you, i used to work with international students.
-i have a kind of cute engineer-y guy in my office. he is awkward and skinny. he also drives a jeep. i currently drive a jeep. i think that makes us perfect for each other.
-4 mini famous amos cookies make one serving. i'm pissed about it.
-thanks to alyssa, i bought fiber 1 bars. i bought the oats and apple one, and it tastes like store-bought apple pie. i approve wholeheartedly.
-i had training for 4 days and had to read procedures about abrasive blasting. i also had to read 39 other procedures about high energy line breaks, document control, and lanyards. yes, a whole procedure about lanyards. EXCITING.
- i did though finally get to do my real job for about an hour today because i was able to get a computer and poke around the website. i'm writing the book telling fluor how to use the project management website. i think it's important. i also think it's EXCITING.
-everyone and there dog smokes here.
-i only killed the jeep i'm borrowing from my uncle four times since i've been here.
-i do yoga from an online video every day for an hour. it's EXCITING. my instructors name is Sarah.
-i also bought a pair of bona-fide yoga pants. i now understand why women on what not to wear only have yoga pants and don't think it's a problem. go for it ladies, the pants are phenomenal.
-if i ever do something EXCITING you all will be the first to know. i promise.
-i am also getting my first paycheck sometime this week. direct deposit, baby. and that, my friends, is truly EXCITING.
...but the yoga pants still win.
things i've learned/had to do this week that i never would've expected:
-seneca, SC and clemson, SC are not big. at all. i should've realized this when i found out i was actually working on the site of a nuclear power plant. EXCITING. i drove 35 minutes to get to a target, and i couldn't understand a family in the store. mind you, i used to work with international students.
-i have a kind of cute engineer-y guy in my office. he is awkward and skinny. he also drives a jeep. i currently drive a jeep. i think that makes us perfect for each other.
-4 mini famous amos cookies make one serving. i'm pissed about it.
-thanks to alyssa, i bought fiber 1 bars. i bought the oats and apple one, and it tastes like store-bought apple pie. i approve wholeheartedly.
-i had training for 4 days and had to read procedures about abrasive blasting. i also had to read 39 other procedures about high energy line breaks, document control, and lanyards. yes, a whole procedure about lanyards. EXCITING.
- i did though finally get to do my real job for about an hour today because i was able to get a computer and poke around the website. i'm writing the book telling fluor how to use the project management website. i think it's important. i also think it's EXCITING.
-everyone and there dog smokes here.
-i only killed the jeep i'm borrowing from my uncle four times since i've been here.
-i do yoga from an online video every day for an hour. it's EXCITING. my instructors name is Sarah.
-i also bought a pair of bona-fide yoga pants. i now understand why women on what not to wear only have yoga pants and don't think it's a problem. go for it ladies, the pants are phenomenal.
-if i ever do something EXCITING you all will be the first to know. i promise.
-i am also getting my first paycheck sometime this week. direct deposit, baby. and that, my friends, is truly EXCITING.
...but the yoga pants still win.
Monday, February 2, 2009
inside the actor's studio
i hadn't ever watched inside the actor's studio with james lipton until a little while ago. the only thing i knew about it was from the hilarious will ferrell sketch on SNL. so brilliant. i watched an episode tonight after being beat-tired from training at work...it was anthony lapaglia, the guy on without a trace. he's a really good actor, but i haven't seen any of his movies, although he's won a golden globe, an emmy AND a tony. rock and roll, that guy.
anywho, i've decided that i want james lipton to interview me. he always begins with a long drawn out history of the childhood with ridiculous rapid fire questions: asking his mother's name, father's name, elementary school, sport played, etc; all within the first three minutes. and then, he just piles on the compliments, complete with a usual dirty joke in the middle. he would say, "a talent of epic proportions, with inspiration that can move the masses to tears and then to elation," he would say. i would be humble, perhaps. i wouldn't cry-- not like oprah.
just talkin to a kinda creepy old guy. it's cool.
a side note that potentially sucks-- i start work every day at 6:30. holy. crap.
anywho, i've decided that i want james lipton to interview me. he always begins with a long drawn out history of the childhood with ridiculous rapid fire questions: asking his mother's name, father's name, elementary school, sport played, etc; all within the first three minutes. and then, he just piles on the compliments, complete with a usual dirty joke in the middle. he would say, "a talent of epic proportions, with inspiration that can move the masses to tears and then to elation," he would say. i would be humble, perhaps. i wouldn't cry-- not like oprah.
just talkin to a kinda creepy old guy. it's cool.
a side note that potentially sucks-- i start work every day at 6:30. holy. crap.
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