hey team, i'm moving to an actual city. no more living in seneca, SC below john and peg. i'm in greenville every weekend anyhow, so i'm just going to move there. i'm going to live with a sweetheart boy named taylor.
and, i'm saving lots of money by living with him in an actual house! in a city!
sorry for the overuse of exclamation marks, i'm used to overpunctuation nowadays. it seems like the big boss just puts a comma whenever he's writing and gets interrupted in the middle of the sentence.
and they said teaching international college students english 101 wouldn't be useful in my career. pshaw.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Monday, March 9, 2009
ira
i wish i remember more hilarious witty things that ira glass said on saturday night, but just know he was awesome. if you listen to TAL, you already love him. if you don't, you should listen. he talked about what makes a good story and he said this: "you know what's destroyed good stories? THE TOPIC SENTENCE...and that was just a topic sentence. i can't get away from it!"
i loved it. i love the way that he chronicled the way he came up with This American Life, why he chose to do the show the way he does, and he did all the music and clips right there. the best thing ever is when he would click on a piece of dialogue on his right side: he would lift his arm back, float his hand down to the switchboard dangling there, and touch the button for dialogue just like you would putting your finger in the baptismal font. so elegant. lovely.
the question/answer time was awesome. when asked who is the worst person to interview he said, "hilary clinton...i mean, i'm joking. but yes, i don't like her. it seems like every time she talks she's just utterly humorless. which i don't understand because bill is so funny. but i heard her talk years ago, i made that judgment and she will never redeem herself in my mind."
there's one This American Life, the only one that has a celebrity voice, that has johnny depp on it reading for a boy who has a voicebox. when asked how ira got johnny depp to be on the show, without skipping a beat: "i banged him."
and THAT is why ira glass is awesome.
i loved it. i love the way that he chronicled the way he came up with This American Life, why he chose to do the show the way he does, and he did all the music and clips right there. the best thing ever is when he would click on a piece of dialogue on his right side: he would lift his arm back, float his hand down to the switchboard dangling there, and touch the button for dialogue just like you would putting your finger in the baptismal font. so elegant. lovely.
the question/answer time was awesome. when asked who is the worst person to interview he said, "hilary clinton...i mean, i'm joking. but yes, i don't like her. it seems like every time she talks she's just utterly humorless. which i don't understand because bill is so funny. but i heard her talk years ago, i made that judgment and she will never redeem herself in my mind."
there's one This American Life, the only one that has a celebrity voice, that has johnny depp on it reading for a boy who has a voicebox. when asked how ira got johnny depp to be on the show, without skipping a beat: "i banged him."
and THAT is why ira glass is awesome.
Monday, March 2, 2009
for my avid reader
because my mother seems to be the most avid reader of my blog, this one's for you.
i was at work today, in the bathroom (i know, weird reference, stay with me mom) and i thought of my mother. the bathroom had flooded the first week i got there because the toilet was broken and i got very annoyed. "how could anyone not realize the toilet was going to overflow with the rinse-water action?" bah! so annoying. because of that, i had to thank my mom for teaching me a lot. so here it is, in random order, not a full list, and omitting some of the normal mom-teaching stuff.
things my mom has taught me:
-about a toilet. how to fix it, plunging action (which came in handy at camp 07 when i saved the women's restroom in the RC), how to stop the toilet that's overflowing.
-how to hem a pair of pants. while mom thinks that i hate it, it is actually not too shabby to know that i can do this. considering i am very short, it works. also came in handy when i dated a man who was 5'5" and needed his tuxedo pants hemmed.
-to wrap a present. and not some lame rinky-dink version. the real deal, perfect creases, the whole nine yards. i'm pretty sure that my father hasn't wrapped a present himself since my mom taught me how. so...that's about 13 years.
-how to check my oil. driving the reliant k back in the day, it came in handy. i think i could do it now, even though it has been a while.
-birch trees grow best in groups of three.
-taping is the most important part of a paint job, and "cutting in" to the wall makes or breaks the paint experience. don't take the tape off too early...rookie mistake.
-you should turn down the radio when you're having a conversation with someone (mostly an older person ) in the car. i still get annoyed that mom does this when i'm talking to her, but now i am beginning to realize that no one really wants you to yell at them in the car.
-always try and have a job. you're smart, don't be lazy and pretend that you're not.
-cooking is a skill that some people just don't have.
-do not be afraid to sing loud. be part of the "joyful noise" group.
-always hold your grandma's hand and help her into the car.
-men with tempers aren't worth your time.
-wear tall shoes and cute clothes when you're young, because you won't be able to do that crap when you're old.
-to properly use an electric hand-mixer.
-you cannot leave kids alone. ever. it doesn't matter how long you're gone, you cannot leave them even for a second. i still remember my mom speaking her mind to a lady at a gas station when i was about 7. always stuck with me.
-toys are best without batteries.
-utilize tall people in your life to reach things on shelves.
-fork on the left.
and to close up the list:
-don't forget that it sucks to be poor. i am very lucky. this has, on more than many occassions, made other people mad at me. these people usually have lots of money.
love you--wee
i was at work today, in the bathroom (i know, weird reference, stay with me mom) and i thought of my mother. the bathroom had flooded the first week i got there because the toilet was broken and i got very annoyed. "how could anyone not realize the toilet was going to overflow with the rinse-water action?" bah! so annoying. because of that, i had to thank my mom for teaching me a lot. so here it is, in random order, not a full list, and omitting some of the normal mom-teaching stuff.
things my mom has taught me:
-about a toilet. how to fix it, plunging action (which came in handy at camp 07 when i saved the women's restroom in the RC), how to stop the toilet that's overflowing.
-how to hem a pair of pants. while mom thinks that i hate it, it is actually not too shabby to know that i can do this. considering i am very short, it works. also came in handy when i dated a man who was 5'5" and needed his tuxedo pants hemmed.
-to wrap a present. and not some lame rinky-dink version. the real deal, perfect creases, the whole nine yards. i'm pretty sure that my father hasn't wrapped a present himself since my mom taught me how. so...that's about 13 years.
-how to check my oil. driving the reliant k back in the day, it came in handy. i think i could do it now, even though it has been a while.
-birch trees grow best in groups of three.
-taping is the most important part of a paint job, and "cutting in" to the wall makes or breaks the paint experience. don't take the tape off too early...rookie mistake.
-you should turn down the radio when you're having a conversation with someone (mostly an older person ) in the car. i still get annoyed that mom does this when i'm talking to her, but now i am beginning to realize that no one really wants you to yell at them in the car.
-always try and have a job. you're smart, don't be lazy and pretend that you're not.
-cooking is a skill that some people just don't have.
-do not be afraid to sing loud. be part of the "joyful noise" group.
-always hold your grandma's hand and help her into the car.
-men with tempers aren't worth your time.
-wear tall shoes and cute clothes when you're young, because you won't be able to do that crap when you're old.
-to properly use an electric hand-mixer.
-you cannot leave kids alone. ever. it doesn't matter how long you're gone, you cannot leave them even for a second. i still remember my mom speaking her mind to a lady at a gas station when i was about 7. always stuck with me.
-toys are best without batteries.
-utilize tall people in your life to reach things on shelves.
-fork on the left.
and to close up the list:
-don't forget that it sucks to be poor. i am very lucky. this has, on more than many occassions, made other people mad at me. these people usually have lots of money.
love you--wee
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Friday, February 27, 2009
radio
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.
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.
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.
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