It's hard to believe that that this time next week, I will be, once again, sitting at a computer, happily editing copy. As most of you know, I am in grad school to teach, and I still am. But I cannot tell you how much I miss daily interactions with adults who write in proper English. Everyday, I get e-mails from my fellow teachers with gross grammatical errors that makes me want to burn some bridges and tell them how to use commas and semicolons correctly. I do not exaggerate when I say that I can print out five examples of deplorable grammar in e-mails and documents everyday. But I guess that is most workplaces.
I relish in correcting the Daily Oral Language exercises with my students because I get to teach them the proper way to capitalize and to use punctuation. For the past two weeks, the joy of my time at school was helping 27 students proofread their paragraphs about their favorite memories of this school year.
So I am not giving up on teaching; rather, I am fed up with teachers. I need to be with my fellow grammarians for a little while. I imagine that I will always long to return to newspapers and copy desks, but I am waiting for my last year of school, when I get to observe and teaching in a high school classroom, to decide, if needed, which road I am to take.
On a final note, my frustration does not extend to my students, though. I love them! They are brilliant, funny, ridiculously creative ... and they give me hugs! They totally listen to you when you give them advice ... And they are unafraid to cry. Maybe I should teach elementary school?
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Column One: a look behind the veil in Saudi Arabia
Megan Stack, a reporter at the L.A. Times, has reported from Saudi Arabia for a few years, and she wrote a first-person narrative for the paper's Column One about her experiences as a woman in Saudi Arabia. It's definitely worth a read.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
not for a little longer
If y'all can't tell, I have obviously not done anything with this blog recently. I have a good reason. My computer is out of commission for a little while, and I hope to have it back soon. I will definitely have it back before June 8, so that is something. :) For right now, please enjoy yourselves and shift your attention to my friend James Rufus Koren, who is a reporter in the L.A. area. He's also a pretty funny guy. Ciao for now!
Thursday, May 17, 2007
the intelligence tests
As you all know, I have been a research subject for about a month or so now, and about two weeks ago, I underwent a series (three) of various intelligence tests. I took a test that had Test of Achievement on the cover, the WAIS-III and another one. They all tests basically the same stuff. Here is the breakdown by category.
math
timed -- mixed set of basic arithmetic, written word problems, verbal/aural word problems, mixed set of higher-level math (quadratics, fractions, square/cube roots, logs, deferentials, integrals, sin/cos/tan, etc.)
language
fill in the sentence with a specific set of words or phrases, fill in the sentence with a specific part of speech, verbal definitions, spelling of various difficulty
general knowledge
logical reasoning (why is free press important? why is it important to study history?), comparisons/find the similarity between words (apples and strawberries, trees and water), 10 questions of generally known facts (number of continents, who wrote "Hamlet," who wrote "Faust") I'm proud to report that I knew all the facts except for the speed of light.
memory/organization
listen to a few stories, repeat it as well as you can and answer a set of verbal comprehension questions and do it again in 10 minutes, remember a list of 12 random words, repeat it, repeat it in specific order of categories, remember faces to names, do another activity, remember faces to names again, do it again, remember shapes, do another activity, remember the shapes again, repeat a list of increasingly long numbers and do it again with a different set of numbers, but do it backward, do it with another set of numbers AND letters, but repeat it with the numbers first then the letters, follow verbal directions by pointing to a picture (point to the cat in from of the tree and then the boy on the horse but before you point to the blue bird but only if the girl sitting on the bench is eating an ice cream cone .... GO)
There are probably some that I don't remember because it's been awhile, but basically, the proctor was impressed by my general knowledge, my spelling, my incredible memory (I told you guys!) and my math skills. I sucked at following the complex directions. That section was SO hard. I am, I am happy to report, ABOVE AVERAGE! :) woohoo.
math
timed -- mixed set of basic arithmetic, written word problems, verbal/aural word problems, mixed set of higher-level math (quadratics, fractions, square/cube roots, logs, deferentials, integrals, sin/cos/tan, etc.)
language
fill in the sentence with a specific set of words or phrases, fill in the sentence with a specific part of speech, verbal definitions, spelling of various difficulty
general knowledge
logical reasoning (why is free press important? why is it important to study history?), comparisons/find the similarity between words (apples and strawberries, trees and water), 10 questions of generally known facts (number of continents, who wrote "Hamlet," who wrote "Faust") I'm proud to report that I knew all the facts except for the speed of light.
memory/organization
listen to a few stories, repeat it as well as you can and answer a set of verbal comprehension questions and do it again in 10 minutes, remember a list of 12 random words, repeat it, repeat it in specific order of categories, remember faces to names, do another activity, remember faces to names again, do it again, remember shapes, do another activity, remember the shapes again, repeat a list of increasingly long numbers and do it again with a different set of numbers, but do it backward, do it with another set of numbers AND letters, but repeat it with the numbers first then the letters, follow verbal directions by pointing to a picture (point to the cat in from of the tree and then the boy on the horse but before you point to the blue bird but only if the girl sitting on the bench is eating an ice cream cone .... GO)
There are probably some that I don't remember because it's been awhile, but basically, the proctor was impressed by my general knowledge, my spelling, my incredible memory (I told you guys!) and my math skills. I sucked at following the complex directions. That section was SO hard. I am, I am happy to report, ABOVE AVERAGE! :) woohoo.
psychological research
For the past week or so, I've been taking tests and answering questions (the R on my keyboard just completely fell off ... but I digress) in hopes of qualifying for a psychological research study on childhood memories. I answered 17 pages of an online survey. I passed that and will be paid $20. I went to McLean Hospital (Harvard Medical system's psychiatric/psychological hospital, apparently) for a three-hour interview and 17 more pages of probing questions about my childhood. I passed both the interview and the survey, and I will get $50 more. :) Next, I go in for a battery of psychological tests -- IQs, memory, etc. I guess to make sure I'm not crazy or mentally disabled as a result of my childhood (haha). Or to prove that I am definitely of average intelligence. :)
So that is the background. Now, let me tell you what happened on my way to the interview last Thursday.
McLean had mailed me a taxi voucher because I told them that I don't have a car in Boston so getting there directly from work, even getting out early, is going to be a bit dicey. So I was told to go to Harvard Square (no problem, a 20-minute bus ride away) and call one of two cab companies to pick me up. I was supposed to call about 20 minutes before I get to Harvard. Well, I decided not to do that because I figured that I can just hail a cab at one of Harvard's numerous taxi stands. My plan didn't work. No one will take the voucher, so I had to go get some cash and pay for it. I was already running late.
We get to McLean about 5 minutes before my appointment time, but we get lost in the vast campus. It's like UCLA and other sprawling places, but much worse because there are no real directions or signs. We were both frustrated, so I ask him to just drop me off at the building we're nearest. The 20-minute ride to McLean Hospital came out to $21, plus tip, so I hand the newly withdrawn $40. He took it and searched for change. Turns
out he only hd $20s, so he couldn't make change. He asked around for change, but no one had any, so he finally gave me back my $20 after we exchanged a few nonverbal rounds of
him: Well, what're you going to do? You gotta pay me.
me: Hell if I know. You should've come prepared.
him: Well, you better do something about it because I have to get the fare.
me: Well, too bad. That's all the cash I gave. What're YOU going to do about it?
He finally gave me a $20 back, so he was short $5 (tip). Then I had to call the study people to find out how to get to their office because I didn't see ANY yellow builldings. :(
So that is the background. Now, let me tell you what happened on my way to the interview last Thursday.
McLean had mailed me a taxi voucher because I told them that I don't have a car in Boston so getting there directly from work, even getting out early, is going to be a bit dicey. So I was told to go to Harvard Square (no problem, a 20-minute bus ride away) and call one of two cab companies to pick me up. I was supposed to call about 20 minutes before I get to Harvard. Well, I decided not to do that because I figured that I can just hail a cab at one of Harvard's numerous taxi stands. My plan didn't work. No one will take the voucher, so I had to go get some cash and pay for it. I was already running late.
We get to McLean about 5 minutes before my appointment time, but we get lost in the vast campus. It's like UCLA and other sprawling places, but much worse because there are no real directions or signs. We were both frustrated, so I ask him to just drop me off at the building we're nearest. The 20-minute ride to McLean Hospital came out to $21, plus tip, so I hand the newly withdrawn $40. He took it and searched for change. Turns
out he only hd $20s, so he couldn't make change. He asked around for change, but no one had any, so he finally gave me back my $20 after we exchanged a few nonverbal rounds of
him: Well, what're you going to do? You gotta pay me.
me: Hell if I know. You should've come prepared.
him: Well, you better do something about it because I have to get the fare.
me: Well, too bad. That's all the cash I gave. What're YOU going to do about it?
He finally gave me a $20 back, so he was short $5 (tip). Then I had to call the study people to find out how to get to their office because I didn't see ANY yellow builldings. :(
Wednesday, May 09, 2007
Helvetica turns 50!
The font Helvetica (about which I am neutral) is turning 50! Your internal nerd and my external nerd celebrate with it! As far as fonts go, my top five are, in order of love:
1. Arial
2. Arial Narrow
3. Times New Roman
4. Courier New (perfect for fudging those papers) with tightened kerning
5. Dauphin
My bottom five are:
1. Comic Sans
2. Comic Sans
3. Lucinda Handwriting or anything Lucinda-related
4. Papyrus
5. Rave
1. Arial
2. Arial Narrow
3. Times New Roman
4. Courier New (perfect for fudging those papers) with tightened kerning
5. Dauphin
My bottom five are:
1. Comic Sans
2. Comic Sans
3. Lucinda Handwriting or anything Lucinda-related
4. Papyrus
5. Rave
My personal hatred (yes) is when people write ALL-CAP abbreviations in script. It looks ridiculous. Example: AAJA (Asian American Journalists Association) orMADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving). Everytime you do that, imagine me cringing.
Monday, May 07, 2007
supernova, potato, whatever
Apparently, NASA scientists have seen the brightest supernova ever recorded. The artist's illustration of it, though, makes it look like an exploding potato ... with diamonds on the inside.
NASA via AP(Wash Post)
NASA via AP(Wash Post)
boy had spiders in his ear
A 9-year-old in Oregon heard "Rice Krispies" sounds in his ear, and when his doctor irrigated it, he found two spiders.
Palfrey gets new attorney
According to the Washington Post, federal court has appointed a new, better, more reputable lawyer for Deborah Palfrey. Montegomery Blair Sibley has been replaced.
Friday, May 04, 2007
Palfrey's lawyer's story's interesting, too
Montegomery Blair Sibley, the lawyer representing Deborah Jeane Palfrey in the D.C. prostitution (madam, escort service) case has a most interesting background of his own.
new header!
This is a photo of a bench at the Museum Park next to the Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green, East London. It was beautiful -- covered in newly fallen autumn leaves that crunch with every step. Made me want to roll around on it.
If you know me, you would know that I obviously didn't. Ew.
If you know me, you would know that I obviously didn't. Ew.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
stubborn rash
It's still here. In fact, the original patches (fields?) have now dissipated, but in its place are new patches (fields?) of itchy, red fun. The stronger antihistamine the doctor gave me (hydroxyzine) is only working marginally well. What I REALLY want is a scratch test so I know what the hell is going on.
Monday, April 30, 2007
rash-tastic
I have developed hives and rash in multiple areas. Hives on: arms, armpit and butt/lower lower back. Rash on upper thighs near hips, armpits, just above and below armpits, back in the area of my bra straps. It's really itchy. It's not as bad as the beechwood allergy attack, but this time, I have no idea what triggered it.
It started around 2:30 this afternoon at work, when the kids are watching the DVD of their play, and I felt really itchy in my armpits and on my arms. I looked in the mirror after dismissal, and I have a rash. I asked the school nurse fo Benedryl cream and went to my last poli sci lecture. It got worse when I got home. It sprea to its current state, and I took Benedryl pills about an hour and a half ago. We'll see how it goes. Tomorrow morning, I'm heading to MGH walk-in clinic to wait in line for three hours just in case.
I have pictures of aforementioned rash and hives, but I'll save my flab-ulous photos for the docs just in case. :)
It started around 2:30 this afternoon at work, when the kids are watching the DVD of their play, and I felt really itchy in my armpits and on my arms. I looked in the mirror after dismissal, and I have a rash. I asked the school nurse fo Benedryl cream and went to my last poli sci lecture. It got worse when I got home. It sprea to its current state, and I took Benedryl pills about an hour and a half ago. We'll see how it goes. Tomorrow morning, I'm heading to MGH walk-in clinic to wait in line for three hours just in case.
I have pictures of aforementioned rash and hives, but I'll save my flab-ulous photos for the docs just in case. :)
Sunday, April 29, 2007
new Hillary Clinton bio comes out
Carl Bernstein, who reported on the Watergate scandal, has a book coming out on Hillary Clinton's "true" story of her life. It's unauthorized, but it's apparently very well sourced and written.
worse than the worst
The Washington Post has a blog entry about the Barkley Marathons, an endurance test equivalent to Mt. Everest climbs.
Friday, April 27, 2007
an amazing cellist dies
I've been playing (learning) the cello for only about five months, so I'm definitely not up on my cello/cellist knowledge (as proven by each visit to the cello repair shop), but apparently, one of the greatest cellists in the 20th century died today.
Calif. teachers dropping like flies
It's true what they say about teachers ... they're leaving in droves. According this story, money isn't the only thing making them quit. Teachers want better administrators, more support and parents who care (gasp!). More money wouldn't hurt, either. I'm trying to choose between teaching and copy-editing, and right now, copy-editing has the edge.
Thursday, April 26, 2007
MIT dean of admissions resigns
The dean of admissions for MIT has resigned. She did not receive degrees from the universities listed on her resume. Matriculation decisions for incoming freshmen are due Tuesday.
New Mike, old Christine -- Los Angeles Times
Mike Penner, a sportswriter at L.A. Times, is going to undergo transexual surgery. He wrote a column about it.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
new home!
Welcome to my new home! If you are a returning reader (hi guys!), I hope you like the new look. I've been getting a few hits from suspicious (read: creepy) IP addresses lately, so hopefully that will stop. Old posts have been imported onto this one. Enjoy.
If you're new, here're some tidbits about me. I'm a grad student at Boston College, working on my master's degree in secondary education. My bachelor's is in print journalism from the University of Southern California. I identify myself as a copy editor before a teacher, but I think it might be because I have more experience (read: lots and lots of internships) in the former.
So take a look around! Have a wonderful day! :)
If you're new, here're some tidbits about me. I'm a grad student at Boston College, working on my master's degree in secondary education. My bachelor's is in print journalism from the University of Southern California. I identify myself as a copy editor before a teacher, but I think it might be because I have more experience (read: lots and lots of internships) in the former.
So take a look around! Have a wonderful day! :)
Sunday, April 22, 2007
moving soon
Sadly, I will be moving this blog elsewhere in the near future, after my last final on May 7. I haven't decided where or what it will be called, but Watermelon Singing will remain on Blogspot for archival purposes. I will let everyone know the whens and wheres of the new blog. Now, back to the paper.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
e-mail your future self!
Send an e-mail to yourself to be delivered in the future. Anytime in the future. A year from now, ten years, hell, 25 years. It's pretty cool. Read some of what people are telling themselves in the future!
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Stephanie Edwards should've stayed!
What's WRONG with people? Stephanie Edwards is a great singer, and her song was good last night! You know who REALLY should've been voted off? SANJAYA! WTF. He can't sing. He can't dance. And he comes off really fake. Seriously. Stephanie was awesome. American Idol is wrong. I don't think Sanjaya's going to be voted off anytime soon because of all the crazy, deranged people out there who think it's cute to keep the worst singer in the SINGING competition. But he needs to go.
messy = more productive
It's official! Messy people are MORE PRODUCTIVE than you neat-freaks who spend your time cleaning your room and "arranging" things. So there.
Monday, February 26, 2007
one more thing
Also tonight, I picked up my very first batch of dry-cleaning from the laundry place. It's a great achievement, let me tell you. :)
cello!
Tonight, I played in my very first cello recital. I played "Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star." First, the basic "Twinkle," then I moved on to the four 16th notes and two eighth notes. A few bloopers here and there, but overall, not bad. I give it a B+. I also rushed a bit. My students were there, so they cheered loudly and proudly before and after, which gave me a big confidence boost. I was going to leave halfway through the recital of 42 students (on various intruments), but because of the great support from my third-graders, I decided to stick around to hear all of them. They all played harder stuff than me and are all better than me. It's OK. I know gerunds. :)
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
ice-skating
I went ice-skating Tuesday! I'm happy to report that I did not fall, although it did take a little while to get used to being on the ice. The last time I went skating was on my birthday in London, when I turned 22.
Another interesting thing. I was in my Flash class yesterday when the teacher showed us a site that a student has designed. Turned out to be Chris, the guy from BC who hung out with us. He used a picture of Greg (from USC) as part of the design. It was pretty cool. I'll post the link soon.
Another interesting thing. I was in my Flash class yesterday when the teacher showed us a site that a student has designed. Turned out to be Chris, the guy from BC who hung out with us. He used a picture of Greg (from USC) as part of the design. It was pretty cool. I'll post the link soon.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
it's been awhile, I know
So it's been almost two months since you've all heard from me. I'm OK, thanks. Life's been a little hectic, but the reason is mostly that I've been too lazy and unproductive to update the Blogger. And what do I find when I logged in just now? a "new" Blogger! I'll have to check it out. I hope everyone's doing well. I know my friend James Rufus Koren is now in the Antelope Valley, becoming a multi-tasking reporter extraordinaire. Christina is now in Cairo, perfecting her Arabic and learning the ways of being feminine in a (from what I hear from her) pre-feminist movement society.
The current problem in my life is next year's housing. What to do? I need to sign a contract by Friday, so I really wish I knew, too. I'm learning how to design in Flash in my Advanced World Wide Web class this semester, so I will have my own Web site soon. Speaking of Web sites, apparently, no one has taken my name as a domain name, so I will soon find hosting and get my Flashy (ha! pun.) new Web site up when this class ends.
I'm officially heading to Miami for an internship this summer. And when I say "officially," I meant that I have signed no papers, taken no drug tests, received no requests for documentation. On the other hand, I have been getting the monthly newsletter from my future boss, so that's pretty exciting. He also asked me for a short bio over the weekend, so I think I'm well on my way. To repeat the story two years ago, I REALLY need to find housing in Miami. If you've got hints, let me know. I'll be there for exactly three months.
I've taken some pretty cool photos over the last two months, and I'll post them ... eventually.
Until next time, ciao. :)
The current problem in my life is next year's housing. What to do? I need to sign a contract by Friday, so I really wish I knew, too. I'm learning how to design in Flash in my Advanced World Wide Web class this semester, so I will have my own Web site soon. Speaking of Web sites, apparently, no one has taken my name as a domain name, so I will soon find hosting and get my Flashy (ha! pun.) new Web site up when this class ends.
I'm officially heading to Miami for an internship this summer. And when I say "officially," I meant that I have signed no papers, taken no drug tests, received no requests for documentation. On the other hand, I have been getting the monthly newsletter from my future boss, so that's pretty exciting. He also asked me for a short bio over the weekend, so I think I'm well on my way. To repeat the story two years ago, I REALLY need to find housing in Miami. If you've got hints, let me know. I'll be there for exactly three months.
I've taken some pretty cool photos over the last two months, and I'll post them ... eventually.
Until next time, ciao. :)
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
resolutions
Since I am feeling generally crappy about my day, my life and me, I am going to post my New Year's resolutions so I can further feel crappy. Let me just say briefly that my day was AWESOME until my mother called to yell at me for no apparent reason. I live to be her sounding board ... about me. Anyway, let's move on, shall we?
1. Eat more vegetables.
2. To aid the first resolution, I bought a cookbook so I can make new foods.
3. Write papers and finish projects AT LEAST one day in advance.
4. Shred all papers with sensitive information.
5. As a result of No. 3, I will get better grades.
6. Learn how to vibrato on my cello.
7. Play a real piece on the cello.
8. Motivate thyself to do as you plan. For example, tonight, because of my crappy day, I just wanted to go home and sleep. What did I do? I checked the news, replied to e-mail, made guacamole and called James. And decided to write my resolutions after reading Albert's on Facebook, the death knell to all tasks productive.
9. Pass the MTEL.
10. Pass other qualifying exams needed to get out of grad school by next spring other than the inquiry paper.
So those 10 will make me a better person and a better student. Let's go, 2007!
1. Eat more vegetables.
2. To aid the first resolution, I bought a cookbook so I can make new foods.
3. Write papers and finish projects AT LEAST one day in advance.
4. Shred all papers with sensitive information.
5. As a result of No. 3, I will get better grades.
6. Learn how to vibrato on my cello.
7. Play a real piece on the cello.
8. Motivate thyself to do as you plan. For example, tonight, because of my crappy day, I just wanted to go home and sleep. What did I do? I checked the news, replied to e-mail, made guacamole and called James. And decided to write my resolutions after reading Albert's on Facebook, the death knell to all tasks productive.
9. Pass the MTEL.
10. Pass other qualifying exams needed to get out of grad school by next spring other than the inquiry paper.
So those 10 will make me a better person and a better student. Let's go, 2007!
Monday, January 01, 2007
Victorious! Victory is ours.
So we totally squashed Michigan! I actually showed up at the bar two hours early because I finished shopping (Victoria's Secret stuff, Express Editor pinstripe pants, one-pot cookbook, sealing wax and initial seal) waaaay too early. I usually time this things perfectly ... must be losing my magic touch. Anyway, I was one of three or so people at the bar until another USC alumnus at down beside me. We had a nice chat, making some small talk; you know how it goes. He apparently works at Fidelity and was (like so many USC people :P) a business major. Anywho, we headed down to the USC skybox around 4:30 p.m. and met up with other USC alumni.
I started talking with this lawyer who happened to be a Daily Trojan vet as well. We shared our mutual memories. I caught him up on the recent EIC election fiasco with Michael Jackson and its ensuing controversy that involved former DT editors, Annenberg professors and other university publications, which backed us up with a collaborative editorial. He dropped some names. Used some big words. Pretty pompous, but a nice guy nevertheless. He gave me his card to e-mail him my first byline at my summer internship. I don't think he quite understood what copy editors do. I won't be getting a byline in a while.
It was a small crowd, but we had a great time beating those Wolverines and cheering as loud as we could so the Michigan people across the room in the other skyboxes could hear us. :) When the game ended, we sang the fight song. :) There were, of course, a couple of SoCal Spellouts in the house. Someone brought that HUGE USC flag and ran a lap around the room every time we scored.
Glorious. A glorious, glorious day.
I started talking with this lawyer who happened to be a Daily Trojan vet as well. We shared our mutual memories. I caught him up on the recent EIC election fiasco with Michael Jackson and its ensuing controversy that involved former DT editors, Annenberg professors and other university publications, which backed us up with a collaborative editorial. He dropped some names. Used some big words. Pretty pompous, but a nice guy nevertheless. He gave me his card to e-mail him my first byline at my summer internship. I don't think he quite understood what copy editors do. I won't be getting a byline in a while.
It was a small crowd, but we had a great time beating those Wolverines and cheering as loud as we could so the Michigan people across the room in the other skyboxes could hear us. :) When the game ended, we sang the fight song. :) There were, of course, a couple of SoCal Spellouts in the house. Someone brought that HUGE USC flag and ran a lap around the room every time we scored.
Glorious. A glorious, glorious day.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Bartner is a Michigan alumnus.
Apparently, he got his bachelor's, master's and doctoral degrees from Michigan. Gasp. Sigh. MARCH!
Here is a photo of the last time I was ever at the Rose Bowl and a UCLA game in person. We won that year. In fact, we won every year I was in college. And what happens the year I graduate? WE LOST. WTF? Anyway. Here's to happy memories:
Here is a photo of the last time I was ever at the Rose Bowl and a UCLA game in person. We won that year. In fact, we won every year I was in college. And what happens the year I graduate? WE LOST. WTF? Anyway. Here's to happy memories:
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
I hope Santa and brought you many good things and happy wishes and thoughts. I am writing to report that I have just finished what, I believe, is the fastest packing in my life. I don't know when I started, but I am pretty much done, except for computer and toiletries, which consist of toothbrush and floss in a Ziploc bag, which is already in the bathroom. It is MERELY 2:35 a.m. on the morning of takeoff. Usually, I'm still stuffing items, trying to make everything fit an hour before we leave the house.
My luggage is blissfully empty of stuff because I basically used it to lug my books home. I used my carry-on luggage to put all my clothes in, but I am going to check it at the counter. I bought all of Wal-Mart's Veet (not the ones that come with the weird spray thing) cold waxes because only Wal-Mart sells it, I've found. There places might, too, but Wal-Mart is the constant right now. I am bringing my Chucks and my black purse with lavender ribbon that I got in London. Some Chinese condiments from our pantry and random things. But that's it. :)
I get to celebrate New Year's Eve in Boston in my PJs with the TV and multi-network/-channel coverage. Then, I get to spend New Year's watching the Rose Bowl either from the comfort of my couch with a bowl of salsa and guacomole (homemade, of course) and chips and in my PJs or at Game On, where the USC alumni club in Boston holds its game-watchings. SUPER exciting.
FIGHT ON! And Happy New Years! :)
My luggage is blissfully empty of stuff because I basically used it to lug my books home. I used my carry-on luggage to put all my clothes in, but I am going to check it at the counter. I bought all of Wal-Mart's Veet (not the ones that come with the weird spray thing) cold waxes because only Wal-Mart sells it, I've found. There places might, too, but Wal-Mart is the constant right now. I am bringing my Chucks and my black purse with lavender ribbon that I got in London. Some Chinese condiments from our pantry and random things. But that's it. :)
I get to celebrate New Year's Eve in Boston in my PJs with the TV and multi-network/-channel coverage. Then, I get to spend New Year's watching the Rose Bowl either from the comfort of my couch with a bowl of salsa and guacomole (homemade, of course) and chips and in my PJs or at Game On, where the USC alumni club in Boston holds its game-watchings. SUPER exciting.
FIGHT ON! And Happy New Years! :)
Saturday, December 23, 2006
New York photos
** part of an origami-filled Christmas tree at the Natural Science Museum :)
** at Times Square. :)
** It's Saturn! At the Hayden Planetarium at the Natural Science Museum
** the Apple Store
** Planet Earth ... looks like it's in space, huh? :)the 200th
I went to New York last weekend ... On the way back, the bus's engine stalled, and we had to wait for a replacement bus to drive from New York ... to Conneticut. It took about an hour and a half. We got back to Boston REALLY late.
I am headed to The Miami Herald this summer for a copy-editing internship! :) I'm REALLY excited, especially because this is the first internship that I passed the test for and got an offer. It elevated my self-esteem a lot. Like, a lot. So, again, super-excited. I also got an offer from the Merc in San Jose, but logistically, Miami works about better ... and it's also a better paper. What worries me is that I don't know Spanish, and I wonder how that might affect me on the copy desk. Anyway. Coincidently, both the ACES conference and the AAJA conference this year are held in Miami (April and August, respectively), so no worries for transportation! Christina got an offer from the Palm Beach Post, but she's still mulling over it. COME TO FLORIDA, CHRISTINA! We can hang out!
I'm leaving for the airport in two hours to fly home for Christmas. My suitcase is full of books. No kidding .... if I hadn't had to bring home almost all my books, I can just do with two carry-ons and an empty suitcase, but as it stands now, I am going home with two carry-ons and a half-full suitcase because it's filled with books. I mean, two semester of books that includes one history class that required a book a week. You do the math.
I'm posting New York pictures soon. :)
I am headed to The Miami Herald this summer for a copy-editing internship! :) I'm REALLY excited, especially because this is the first internship that I passed the test for and got an offer. It elevated my self-esteem a lot. Like, a lot. So, again, super-excited. I also got an offer from the Merc in San Jose, but logistically, Miami works about better ... and it's also a better paper. What worries me is that I don't know Spanish, and I wonder how that might affect me on the copy desk. Anyway. Coincidently, both the ACES conference and the AAJA conference this year are held in Miami (April and August, respectively), so no worries for transportation! Christina got an offer from the Palm Beach Post, but she's still mulling over it. COME TO FLORIDA, CHRISTINA! We can hang out!
I'm leaving for the airport in two hours to fly home for Christmas. My suitcase is full of books. No kidding .... if I hadn't had to bring home almost all my books, I can just do with two carry-ons and an empty suitcase, but as it stands now, I am going home with two carry-ons and a half-full suitcase because it's filled with books. I mean, two semester of books that includes one history class that required a book a week. You do the math.
I'm posting New York pictures soon. :)
Sunday, December 10, 2006
the top 25
Copying James (and apparently Sara and J. Christina), I'm listing my iPod's top 25. Don't judge me.
1. Holiday (Green Day) -- only because I listened to it on loop during the entire flight from D.C. to London
2. Wake Me Up When September Ends (Green Day) -- I listened to this during my first month and a half in London
3. A Postcard to Henry Purcell (from "Pride and Prejudice") -- I listened to this for about a month in London
4. Out of Reach (from "Bridget Jones's Diary") -- again, London
5. Other Side of the World (K.T. Tunstall)
6. Cheers Darlin' (Damien Rice) -- again, listened to it in London
7. Mamma Mia (from "Mamma Mia!") -- bought in London after hearing it live in Budapest
8. All By Myself (from "Bridget Jones's Diary") -- sang to myself in my single room in London. sad, I know.
9. City of Blinding Lights (U2, from "Devil Wears Prada") -- the instrumentals are awesome
10. Miss Misery (Elliot Smith, from "Good Will Hunting") -- such a good much with such good songs
11. Hang On Little Tomato (Pink Martini) -- thanks, Steven!
12. Because of You (Kelly Clarkson) -- the only "American Idol" winner worth listening to
13. Somebody Told Me (The Killers) -- London
14. Boston (Augustana) -- my life right now
15. She (from "Notting Hill") -- listened to a bit in London
16. You Raise Me Up (Josh Groban) -- a great belt-it-out-in-your-room music
17. Moon River (Henry Mancini, from "Breakfast at Tiffany's") -- lovely, but I didn't like the movie, though
18. Breakaway (Kelly Clarkson)
19. Mamma Mia [Bonus] (from "Mamma Mia")
20. Like I Love You (Justin Timberlake) -- good song
21. Come What May (from "Moulin Rouge") -- again, a great singing song
22. City of Blinding Lights (U2, from "Devil Wears Prada") -- this one might be the one on my C drive
23. The Kids Aren't Alright (The Offspring) -- took me YEARS to figure out that this was the song that the USC marching band was playing all this time
24. Mr. Brightside (The Killers) -- again, London.
25. I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) -- London, great singing song
So I listened to a lot of the songs in London ... walking, o the Tube, getting ready in the morning ... so a lot of the songs on the list reminds me of London. :)
1. Holiday (Green Day) -- only because I listened to it on loop during the entire flight from D.C. to London
2. Wake Me Up When September Ends (Green Day) -- I listened to this during my first month and a half in London
3. A Postcard to Henry Purcell (from "Pride and Prejudice") -- I listened to this for about a month in London
4. Out of Reach (from "Bridget Jones's Diary") -- again, London
5. Other Side of the World (K.T. Tunstall)
6. Cheers Darlin' (Damien Rice) -- again, listened to it in London
7. Mamma Mia (from "Mamma Mia!") -- bought in London after hearing it live in Budapest
8. All By Myself (from "Bridget Jones's Diary") -- sang to myself in my single room in London. sad, I know.
9. City of Blinding Lights (U2, from "Devil Wears Prada") -- the instrumentals are awesome
10. Miss Misery (Elliot Smith, from "Good Will Hunting") -- such a good much with such good songs
11. Hang On Little Tomato (Pink Martini) -- thanks, Steven!
12. Because of You (Kelly Clarkson) -- the only "American Idol" winner worth listening to
13. Somebody Told Me (The Killers) -- London
14. Boston (Augustana) -- my life right now
15. She (from "Notting Hill") -- listened to a bit in London
16. You Raise Me Up (Josh Groban) -- a great belt-it-out-in-your-room music
17. Moon River (Henry Mancini, from "Breakfast at Tiffany's") -- lovely, but I didn't like the movie, though
18. Breakaway (Kelly Clarkson)
19. Mamma Mia [Bonus] (from "Mamma Mia")
20. Like I Love You (Justin Timberlake) -- good song
21. Come What May (from "Moulin Rouge") -- again, a great singing song
22. City of Blinding Lights (U2, from "Devil Wears Prada") -- this one might be the one on my C drive
23. The Kids Aren't Alright (The Offspring) -- took me YEARS to figure out that this was the song that the USC marching band was playing all this time
24. Mr. Brightside (The Killers) -- again, London.
25. I Will Always Love You (Whitney Houston) -- London, great singing song
So I listened to a lot of the songs in London ... walking, o the Tube, getting ready in the morning ... so a lot of the songs on the list reminds me of London. :)
Saturday, December 09, 2006
Christmas song and holiday cheer!
I have a love affair with Christmas songs. They make me happy. :) I like singing them even if it's not Christmas. "Silent Night" is the best. And "Christmas Song." And "I'll Be Home for Christmas." All-time favorites, all. Which makes it even MORE exciting that I have tickets to go see the Boston Pops HOLIDAY AT POPS concert on the 18th! :D It's so exciting. You have no idea. I grew up with this concert; I've watched it since I was in school and dreamed that one day I would get to see it in person. And now I am! I love Boston. :)
Boston is getting a little too cold for my comfort. It snowed on Monday. It didn't stick, though, but it accumulated a good inch on the ground for the most of the day. It flurried again on Friday, but not too much. Sorry about the lack of complex sentence structure; my brain is basically fried from writing papers and taking copy tests. Anyway, back to the weather. It's now consistently dipped below freezing, and the wind chill makes the temperature in the teens. Last night, when I checked online, it was 5 degrees out. It was so cold, my face almost froze. Brrrrr.
I am going shopping for a warm, winter hat today. And warmer shoes. And socks (I think). Definitely hats and shoes. It's really cold. I am considering getting a woolen face mask. It's cold. Brrrrrrr.
I've been purusing (perusing?) the L.L. Bean online catalog and put their large tote with zipper in my bag. I carry way too much crap in my messenger bag, and it's not working out.
Sorry about neglecting the blog. It's been a hectic few weeks, what with reading a massive load of history books, writing and stuff ... I'm basically done on Monday, so that's when I will rejoin civilization.
Just a quick note that I've been following the James Kim saga, along with the rest of the nation and world and found it depressing and sad, to say the least. I can't imagine going through what he went through and his motivation to find rescuers for his family. Part of the reason why my paper for my bilingualism class was late was because I kept reading news reports upon news reports of his death and his family's ordeal and it was saddens me even more.
On that note, I'm going to go wash some dishes and shower and head out for a terrific (and cold) winter shopping experience. With my maxed-out credit card. :)
Boston is getting a little too cold for my comfort. It snowed on Monday. It didn't stick, though, but it accumulated a good inch on the ground for the most of the day. It flurried again on Friday, but not too much. Sorry about the lack of complex sentence structure; my brain is basically fried from writing papers and taking copy tests. Anyway, back to the weather. It's now consistently dipped below freezing, and the wind chill makes the temperature in the teens. Last night, when I checked online, it was 5 degrees out. It was so cold, my face almost froze. Brrrrr.
I am going shopping for a warm, winter hat today. And warmer shoes. And socks (I think). Definitely hats and shoes. It's really cold. I am considering getting a woolen face mask. It's cold. Brrrrrrr.
I've been purusing (perusing?) the L.L. Bean online catalog and put their large tote with zipper in my bag. I carry way too much crap in my messenger bag, and it's not working out.
Sorry about neglecting the blog. It's been a hectic few weeks, what with reading a massive load of history books, writing and stuff ... I'm basically done on Monday, so that's when I will rejoin civilization.
Just a quick note that I've been following the James Kim saga, along with the rest of the nation and world and found it depressing and sad, to say the least. I can't imagine going through what he went through and his motivation to find rescuers for his family. Part of the reason why my paper for my bilingualism class was late was because I kept reading news reports upon news reports of his death and his family's ordeal and it was saddens me even more.
On that note, I'm going to go wash some dishes and shower and head out for a terrific (and cold) winter shopping experience. With my maxed-out credit card. :)
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
Thanksgiving break!
Oh, man. Thanksgiving break has officially begun for me. I just e-mailed in my paper on Charleston, and now I am eating dinner in peace and no stress for the first time in about two weeks. It's going to be glorious. James is going to be in Boston for the weekend!
Sunday, November 19, 2006
the Thanksgiving crunch
The last paper I have to write before Thanksgiving break is giving me the fits. It's about Charleston, S.C., and how it fits the characteristics of a typical Atlantic city, unlike Boston. It's for my history colloquium, and it's crazy hard. A lot of reading to go over. The structure should be pretty straightforward, but there are a TON of reading to go through. Ugh.
The paper is due the same day as a dress-up day at the school, so it's going to be a double-whammy Tuesday. I bought a suit for the occasion on Tuesday. Should be exciting. My very first suit. :)
The paper is due the same day as a dress-up day at the school, so it's going to be a double-whammy Tuesday. I bought a suit for the occasion on Tuesday. Should be exciting. My very first suit. :)
Thursday, November 16, 2006
sick, sick, sickity sick
I've been sick for seven days now, but the end seems near.
It all started last Thursday, when I got a flu shot. Me, healthy, adult. Flu shot. Apparently, getting my first flu shot equates to getting my very first flu. I worked on Friday, and everything was fine. My arm was a bit sore, but it was OK. On Friday afternoon, I got this horrendous sore throat. Stuffy nose followed. I got a bit better on Saturday, meaning that the sore throat was gone, but the stuffy nose was there, and the sneezing started. On Sunday, I called in sick to work because it just wasn't happening. Plus, getting 27 kids sick -- not so good. On Sunday, I started on decongestants. It worked ... and then I ran out of medicine. On Monday, I developed a slight fever, and I got more medicine (generic DayQuil). New symptom: Because my nose was stuffed up, I was having a hard time breathing. It rained on Monday. I called in sick. Fever is no good, either. Tuesday afternoon, a miracle happened. The nose decongested, and all is almost well. I returned to work Wednesday in time for the field trip to Discovery Museum, but I still had runny nose. TODAY, oh, TODAY. I almost lost my voice. I croaked my way through school. My students kept asking, "are you sick?" Yup, I am! I'm still sick from the two days I wasn't here. It was a little helpful, though. I told the kids that it hurts to speak loudly (very true), so they will have to be quiet. Anyway, I think I've regained my voice, but the yellow phlegm started today, so that's fun.
Just as a side note: While I was sick, I wrote one six-page paper (should be eight ... ), one four-page paper and read 366 pages of slave history. I got about a total of six hours from Friday until Monday afternoon. Thanksgiving crunch sucks.
It all started last Thursday, when I got a flu shot. Me, healthy, adult. Flu shot. Apparently, getting my first flu shot equates to getting my very first flu. I worked on Friday, and everything was fine. My arm was a bit sore, but it was OK. On Friday afternoon, I got this horrendous sore throat. Stuffy nose followed. I got a bit better on Saturday, meaning that the sore throat was gone, but the stuffy nose was there, and the sneezing started. On Sunday, I called in sick to work because it just wasn't happening. Plus, getting 27 kids sick -- not so good. On Sunday, I started on decongestants. It worked ... and then I ran out of medicine. On Monday, I developed a slight fever, and I got more medicine (generic DayQuil). New symptom: Because my nose was stuffed up, I was having a hard time breathing. It rained on Monday. I called in sick. Fever is no good, either. Tuesday afternoon, a miracle happened. The nose decongested, and all is almost well. I returned to work Wednesday in time for the field trip to Discovery Museum, but I still had runny nose. TODAY, oh, TODAY. I almost lost my voice. I croaked my way through school. My students kept asking, "are you sick?" Yup, I am! I'm still sick from the two days I wasn't here. It was a little helpful, though. I told the kids that it hurts to speak loudly (very true), so they will have to be quiet. Anyway, I think I've regained my voice, but the yellow phlegm started today, so that's fun.
Just as a side note: While I was sick, I wrote one six-page paper (should be eight ... ), one four-page paper and read 366 pages of slave history. I got about a total of six hours from Friday until Monday afternoon. Thanksgiving crunch sucks.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
whoa, BCS
OK, keeping in mind that I know enough about the BCS to talk about it but not to REALLY understand it, here is what I THINK is going on.
* Louisville lost to Rutgers on Thursday, so Louisville is going to get bumped down below USC.
* Arizona beat California, so California is going down the standings ... bad for us because we play them next week.
* Georgia beat Auburn, so Auburn is dropping from No. 6 ... good for us because we're 7th
* Florida had a REALLY close game (down to the last few seconds with a blocked field goal!) with South Carolina, so I'm hoping they just stay put
* K-State just upset Texas, so Texas is going to drop from No. 4 in the BCS.
So that leaves Nos. 3 (Louisville), 5 (Texas) and 6 (Auburn) potentially open, so HOPEFULLY is we win tonight over the Ducks, we can leap over Florida and take No. 3 or stay behind Florida and take No. 4.
Again, rankings, not my thing. But, oh, the drama! :)
Fight on!
* Louisville lost to Rutgers on Thursday, so Louisville is going to get bumped down below USC.
* Arizona beat California, so California is going down the standings ... bad for us because we play them next week.
* Georgia beat Auburn, so Auburn is dropping from No. 6 ... good for us because we're 7th
* Florida had a REALLY close game (down to the last few seconds with a blocked field goal!) with South Carolina, so I'm hoping they just stay put
* K-State just upset Texas, so Texas is going to drop from No. 4 in the BCS.
So that leaves Nos. 3 (Louisville), 5 (Texas) and 6 (Auburn) potentially open, so HOPEFULLY is we win tonight over the Ducks, we can leap over Florida and take No. 3 or stay behind Florida and take No. 4.
Again, rankings, not my thing. But, oh, the drama! :)
Fight on!
Friday, November 10, 2006
blogger is having issues
I think Blogger is having problems with its e-mail-posting system because the last two times I tried to post via e-mail, the entries didn't show up. Just now, when I tried to e-mail a post in, my "Still here" entry from Monday jumped to the top. WTF? So confused. It's never happened before.
Anyway, this is what I wrote from my e-mail that Blogger is not posting, apparently:
I am taking a class on how to teach bilingual students and another class on Lincoln's speeches. woohoo! :)
I also bought my first Christmas present on Wednesday on Amazon. They're already showing Christmas commercials on TV. And it's not even Thanksgiving! I feel I should preemp everyone by buying a Christmas tree on Labor Day. That'll show 'em!
Anyway, this is what I wrote from my e-mail that Blogger is not posting, apparently:
I am taking a class on how to teach bilingual students and another class on Lincoln's speeches. woohoo! :)
I also bought my first Christmas present on Wednesday on Amazon. They're already showing Christmas commercials on TV. And it's not even Thanksgiving! I feel I should preemp everyone by buying a Christmas tree on Labor Day. That'll show 'em!
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
my apartment is really hot
and I am sweating. I just opened my window in hopes that the cold outdoors would slowly filter in.
I am supposed to be writing a short summary of my hugely huge paper-presentation, but I am dawdling instead.
Recently, I've been feeling a bit blue about teachers. Not the teaching profession, mind you, but the people who educate and disseminate information to kids. How do you respond when a teacher tells you on Friday that she didn't know the voting age was lowered to 18 in a Consititutional amendment? What do you respond when teachers mispronounce simple words such as drawing (draw-ring) and frustrated (fuh-strated)? I am at a loss and feel so alone. :(
Now that I'm depressed, I'm going to go researching stuff about literacy in the second language. Should be loads of fun.
I am supposed to be writing a short summary of my hugely huge paper-presentation, but I am dawdling instead.
Recently, I've been feeling a bit blue about teachers. Not the teaching profession, mind you, but the people who educate and disseminate information to kids. How do you respond when a teacher tells you on Friday that she didn't know the voting age was lowered to 18 in a Consititutional amendment? What do you respond when teachers mispronounce simple words such as drawing (draw-ring) and frustrated (fuh-strated)? I am at a loss and feel so alone. :(
Now that I'm depressed, I'm going to go researching stuff about literacy in the second language. Should be loads of fun.
Monday, November 06, 2006
I wrote this through e-mail earlier, but .... anyway, the point is, I'm still alive ... which is always a good thing.
Howdy guys. I'm still here. I think I have narcolepsy. It's a little frustrating that I can't stay awake. I think something's wrong with me. Other than the allergies, the chronic cough (what? you didn't know? ask someone and catch up!), the flat feet and other foot ailments, the scoliosis, the vision problems and the brain malfunctions around paper time ..... I think I have narcolepsy.
I bought two little notebooks at Target the other day, and I wrote down my paper-writing schedule for the next two weeks ... basically, through Thanksgiving. All I need to do is to get through Thanksgiving. Because that is when my history-from-hell colloquium's load REALLY lessens. The big paper is due on Nov. 21. After that, I have one more paper for one of my ED classes and a paper-presentation for another ED class.
I register for classes on Thursday. It's a sorta scary proposition as I don't know what I will be taking like I usually do.
Also, it's getting REALLY cold here. And I hear from other people that it's only going to get colder. Brrrrr. There isn't even SNOW yet. Officially scared. Shiver.
I bought two little notebooks at Target the other day, and I wrote down my paper-writing schedule for the next two weeks ... basically, through Thanksgiving. All I need to do is to get through Thanksgiving. Because that is when my history-from-hell colloquium's load REALLY lessens. The big paper is due on Nov. 21. After that, I have one more paper for one of my ED classes and a paper-presentation for another ED class.
I register for classes on Thursday. It's a sorta scary proposition as I don't know what I will be taking like I usually do.
Also, it's getting REALLY cold here. And I hear from other people that it's only going to get colder. Brrrrr. There isn't even SNOW yet. Officially scared. Shiver.
Still here.
Howdy guys. I'm still here. I think I have narcolepsy. It's a little frustrating that I can't stay awake. I think something's wrong with me. Other than the allergies, the chronic cough (what? you didn't know? ask someone and catch up!), the flat feet and other foot ailments, the scoliosis, the vision problems and the brain malfunctions around paper time ..... I think I have narcolepsy.
I bought two little notebooks at Target the other day, and I wrote down my paper-writing schedule for the next two weeks ... basically, through Thanksgiving. All I need to do is to get through Thanksgiving. Because that is when my history-from-hell colloquium's load REALLY lessens. The big paper is due on Nov. 21. After that, I have one more paper for one of my ED classes and a paper-presentation for another ED class.
I register for classes on Thursday. It's a sorta scary proposition as I don't know what I will be taking like I usually do.
Also, it's getting REALLY cold here. And I hear from other people that it's only going to get colder. Brrrrr. There isn't even SNOW yet. Officially scared. Shiver.
I bought two little notebooks at Target the other day, and I wrote down my paper-writing schedule for the next two weeks ... basically, through Thanksgiving. All I need to do is to get through Thanksgiving. Because that is when my history-from-hell colloquium's load REALLY lessens. The big paper is due on Nov. 21. After that, I have one more paper for one of my ED classes and a paper-presentation for another ED class.
I register for classes on Thursday. It's a sorta scary proposition as I don't know what I will be taking like I usually do.
Also, it's getting REALLY cold here. And I hear from other people that it's only going to get colder. Brrrrr. There isn't even SNOW yet. Officially scared. Shiver.
Monday, October 30, 2006
papers. woohoo.
Still here. I wrote a paper about the effect of parent involvement in
student achievement. And tonight I am writing about women pirates,
whaling and the gender and racial issues involved in those. woohoo.
Thanksgiving is coming up. It's very exciting.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
quitting
I called today and quit my part-time job. No more. It's a bit of built-up frustration and a bit of overwhelming amount of work and commitments. But it's time. Funny, though. The last job I quit was in high school, in it was also after about three months. After I hung up the phone with the store manager, I felt a weird sense of disappointment, sadness and relief. I like the relief. I'm not sure if the other two are good signs. Either way, my life is gaining more stability now, and that's good. It needs that.
I'm sorry that I haven't been writing as much the last month. I was overwhelmed and confused and frustrated. I'll try to do better. It's because of my lack of organization and the lack of stability that I had to ask for an extension on my first paper for one of my education classes. It's not a good feeling. I haven't had to ask for an extension since .... first semester junior year? But the thing that bothered me about the extension is not that I asked for one, it's that I had to ask for one because I didn't even know there was a paper due. Sure, I'm aware that one is due at some point because the professor handed out topic suggestions, but I had no idea it was TOMORROW.
So that's bad. I need to get my life in order.
On the other hand, I taught third graders adverbs Wednesday. As predicted my me and my lead teacher, there were about 10 kids who got it. The rest just kinda looked at me like I was insane. No biggie, kids. I didn't get it until high school. You got awhile to pick it up. I thought the lesson went well, though, and I got mostly positive feedback from the lead teacher. Her main concern is that I wasn't using positive strategies to curb behavior and lack of attention. I thought that the group work was more chaotic than I planned for, and I planned for a lot of chaos, but the lead teacher said it was fine. I guess third graders aren't quite used to having to work in groups for classwork yet. The lead teacher did say that my thinking the night before to assign tasks (writer, speaker, corrector) in the groups would've made it less chaotic. I think the keywords in third grade are "specific instructions."
Overall, a crappy week.
I'm sorry that I haven't been writing as much the last month. I was overwhelmed and confused and frustrated. I'll try to do better. It's because of my lack of organization and the lack of stability that I had to ask for an extension on my first paper for one of my education classes. It's not a good feeling. I haven't had to ask for an extension since .... first semester junior year? But the thing that bothered me about the extension is not that I asked for one, it's that I had to ask for one because I didn't even know there was a paper due. Sure, I'm aware that one is due at some point because the professor handed out topic suggestions, but I had no idea it was TOMORROW.
So that's bad. I need to get my life in order.
On the other hand, I taught third graders adverbs Wednesday. As predicted my me and my lead teacher, there were about 10 kids who got it. The rest just kinda looked at me like I was insane. No biggie, kids. I didn't get it until high school. You got awhile to pick it up. I thought the lesson went well, though, and I got mostly positive feedback from the lead teacher. Her main concern is that I wasn't using positive strategies to curb behavior and lack of attention. I thought that the group work was more chaotic than I planned for, and I planned for a lot of chaos, but the lead teacher said it was fine. I guess third graders aren't quite used to having to work in groups for classwork yet. The lead teacher did say that my thinking the night before to assign tasks (writer, speaker, corrector) in the groups would've made it less chaotic. I think the keywords in third grade are "specific instructions."
Overall, a crappy week.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
ALIVE! ... but very cold
I'm alive! Well, after my ridiculous allergy bout with beechwood .... but that's something I'll have to tell y'all later. Right now, I'm starving and in need of substenance (did I spell that right?). And change so I can go to work. And stuff. School is going well. One of the kids got his first secret admirer notes a couple of weeks ago. It caused much drama. :) Classes are going OK. This week in my really hard history colloquium, we're reading the professor's book. I hate it when profs do that. And wouldn't you know it -- there are no used copies of the book on sale at the bookstore .... when there are MANY STILL available for the other 10 (or 15 ... something like that) books that we had to read. But I'm done griping.
Again. I'm alive. And breathing. And I bought a warm jacket to tide me through the fall ... snow'll have to wait. It's REALLY, REALLY cold in this city. It's OCTOBER. Argh.
Again. I'm alive. And breathing. And I bought a warm jacket to tide me through the fall ... snow'll have to wait. It's REALLY, REALLY cold in this city. It's OCTOBER. Argh.
Saturday, September 16, 2006
I swear, I really CAN take care of myself!
I have another fun Mass. General story to tell. Oh, the fun that awaits you! :)
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
what have I done?
I have so much reading to do, it's a little hard to comprehend. My goal this semester is not to procrastinate and actually do work in a timely manner, like Mrs. Chapman (MOMC) used to admonish us in high school.
The internship is going pretty well, I think. The kids are cute, and you can already tell which ones are going to be obnoxious when they grow up and which ones are going to be the preppy ones. It's amazing to me. They're in the third grade! For their morning work, they had to do a couple of math problems and correct some sentences, and last Friday's had a question that they had to write an "addition fact" with the answer 6. This kid wrote down -6 + 12. I asked him later how he knew it added to 6, and he said he just knew. Wow. He isn't very good at speaking and reading, but it just amazed me.
Anyway, I'm going to some reading for class tomorrow.
The internship is going pretty well, I think. The kids are cute, and you can already tell which ones are going to be obnoxious when they grow up and which ones are going to be the preppy ones. It's amazing to me. They're in the third grade! For their morning work, they had to do a couple of math problems and correct some sentences, and last Friday's had a question that they had to write an "addition fact" with the answer 6. This kid wrote down -6 + 12. I asked him later how he knew it added to 6, and he said he just knew. Wow. He isn't very good at speaking and reading, but it just amazed me.
Anyway, I'm going to some reading for class tomorrow.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
totally lame ... but doing it anyway
(stolen from Christina .... thanks, Christina!)
(and I should be reading for my class that is in 30 minutes)
I have.....
( ) Smoked a cigarette (did not inhale; does that still count?)
( ) Drank so much you threw up
( ) Crashed a friend's car
( ) Stolen a car
( ) Been dumped
(x) Shoplifted (I was 8! It was a pack of Snoopy gum.)
( ) Been laid off/fired
(x) Quit your job
( ) Been in a fist fight (with a sibling... which I'm not sure counts?
( ) Snuck out of your parent's house
(x) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
( ) Been arrested
( ) Gone on a blind date
(x) Lied to a friend
(x) Skipped school
( ) Seen someone die
(x) Been to Canada
( ) Been to Mexico
(x) Been on a plane
(x) Been lost
(x) Been on the opposite side of the country
(x) Gone to Washington, D.C.
(x) Swam in the ocean
(x) Felt like dying
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
( ) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons
(x) Sang karaoke
( ) Paid for a meal with only coins (did it once with a tip)
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(x) Made prank phone calls
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
( ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( ) Danced in the rain
( ) Written a letter to Santa Claus
( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
( ) Watched the sun rise with someone you care about
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Made a bonfire on the beach
( ) Crashed a party
(x) Gone roller-skating
(x) Ice-skating
( ) Smoked a cigarette (did not inhale; does that still count?)
( ) Drank so much you threw up
( ) Crashed a friend's car
( ) Stolen a car
( ) Been dumped
(x) Shoplifted (I was 8! It was a pack of Snoopy gum.)
( ) Been laid off/fired
(x) Quit your job
( ) Been in a fist fight (with a sibling... which I'm not sure counts?
( ) Snuck out of your parent's house
(x) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
( ) Been arrested
( ) Gone on a blind date
(x) Lied to a friend
(x) Skipped school
( ) Seen someone die
(x) Been to Canada
( ) Been to Mexico
(x) Been on a plane
(x) Been lost
(x) Been on the opposite side of the country
(x) Gone to Washington, D.C.
(x) Swam in the ocean
(x) Felt like dying
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
( ) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons
(x) Sang karaoke
( ) Paid for a meal with only coins (did it once with a tip)
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(x) Made prank phone calls
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
( ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( ) Danced in the rain
( ) Written a letter to Santa Claus
( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
( ) Watched the sun rise with someone you care about
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Made a bonfire on the beach
( ) Crashed a party
(x) Gone roller-skating
(x) Ice-skating
movie, internship and classes
Everyone should go see "Crank," which is about a guy who finds out he has been injected with "Chinese shit" and is going to die in one hour. It is dramatic, hilarious, and the way the movie is made is ingenious. All I am saying is, it is an AWESOME movie. Go see it.
Also, I'm not sure if I've told anyone, but I have a teaching internship at an "independent" (pffft) elementary school in suburban Boston .... read: wealthy parents with (hopefully not) bratty kids. I am assigned to the third grade team, which consists of ... TWO teachers.
I was at two of the three orientations last week. Two because the coordinator (that's another story) neglected to tell us interns that we're requires at all three and if it hadn't been for luck that I didn't get scheduled at work on Wednesday, I would've been at one, and that would've REALLY pissed off the coordinator. She is also not happy with me for another reason that is waaaay too complicated to discuss that involves my teaching pre-practicum (classroom observation requirement) for my degree.
BC classes start today. In fact, I am sitting at O'Neil library right now, waiting for my 5 p.m. 800-level graduate history class to start. Shiver. Graduate-level class with real history grad students. It's gonna be soooooo hard. :( It's a colloquium (shiver) called Atlantic Crossings. From the reading list and the syllabus, I gather that is mostly about trans-Atlantic migration/immigration from pre-Christopher Columbus to whenever. We already have a reading due for today that I haven't finished, which is troubling me. If I can't finish the first reading, then how am I gonna get through all the other 20-ish books?!
Anyway, I am also taking Social Contexts of Education and a class on bilingualism and literay and second language that I think will be fascinating.
Sorry about all the non-updates, hopefully I will start writing more often again. Au revoir!
Sunday, September 03, 2006
present and accounted for!
Still alive! Classes start Tuesday. Woohoo.
Sorry about the non-updates. I'm working on it. :)
Sorry about the non-updates. I'm working on it. :)
Sunday, August 20, 2006
a broken toe and other fun stories (like vomiting)
I was running late to work on Friday for my 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. shift, so I called my manager from Cleveland Circle to tell them that I will need 15 minutes. I got out of the Government Center T stop at exactly 1 p.m. and hurried to get to work. I was jaywalking across Congress Street when I didn't quite catch the top of the curb, and my left shoe went flying. And I immediately noticed a throbbing pain in my second left toe. I put the shoe (which a nice guy helped me to pick up) back on and hobbled across the cobble stones to work. Hahaha. Hobbled on the cobble stones. I get my salegirl attitude on and started to be nice to people when I noticed that the toe is starting to swell. Hmm. I thought to myself that I should be able to tough it out until 8 p.m., no problem. At least until 5 p.m., which was my dinner break.
By the end of the second hour of my shift, I noticed that the pain had elevated to a pulsing pain. I lasted another hour, during which many people commented on my limp/hobble. One of my fellow coworkers said that it could be broken. I said, no way, it doesn't feel broken. It's probably just a sprain. At 4 p.m., I ask my manager if I can take off early to go to Mass. General, the nearest hospital, which also happened to be ranked as one of the best hospitals in the country. She said yes, and I was on my way.
I got to the hospital and did the paperwork. I wait. The nurse took a look at me and asked some questions and said she'd get me an X-Ray. X-Ray taken, and I was waiting again. The nurse came back and told me that I BROKE MY TOE, but it's a chip, and therefore too small to put me in a cast. So they're going to give me a hard-sole shoe and told me to return in two weeks for a look-see. I love it. I spent more time waiting in the hospital than getting medical attention, which was more than the give minutes I got with the orthopaedic resident. Well, YET another doctor (not the resident) wrote me a prescription for tramadol, which needed to be taken with Tylenol 650 mg. I got my prescription filled, and all is jolly good. Please note that the medication supposedly would make me drowsy and dizzy.
The next day at 1:30 p.m., I went apartment-hunting with friends of a friend, and I sat in the back seat of the car because the front seat was taken. Within five minutes of being in a moving vehicle, I started to feel my motion sickness coming on. Unlike other times, this was getting pretty strong. By the time we got to Davis Square around 2 p.m., I was fighting the urge to puke on the sidewalk. And I haven't actually puked from my motion sickness since I threw up on a plane (with the flight attendant holding back my hair) my junior year in high school. We got to the real estate agent's office and I thought I felt fine. But in 10 minutes, I was on my way to the back of the office to the restroom, where I immediately upchucked my lunch of canned peaches into the toilet. I rinse my mouth out and took a sip of water. In about 10 more minutes, same thing. More peaches, less dense. Another few minutes go by. More peaches, less dense, more water.
I ended up going in the car to see the five or so apartments for fear that I would mess someone's car up with more peaches, way more water. Instead, I walked to the nearest pharmacy without incident and bought Dramamine because it didn't have any anti-nausea medicine. I walk back to the real estate office (about 10 or 15 minutes) without incident to find the office locked because it was 4 p.m., and the office closes at 4 p.m. I was feeling really pukey after a little while in the sun, so I walked (calmly, I thought) to the sub place next door and asked the guy at the counter for a plastic bag. WHAT? A fire hydrant? No, a plastic bag. WHAT? Anti-histamine? No, a PLAS-TIC BAG. Oh. So I walked (quickly) out of the place after a quickly mouthed "thanks." I opened the plastic bag outside and immediately puked up more orange liquid. I threw away the plastic bag and they returned from the apartment hunting. Apparently, there were two real possibilities, and they ended up taking one of them. While two of the three roommates filled out applications and waited for the third to show up to see the place, I puked again. This time, all oatmeal raisin Powerbar, of which I had about a third. Tan chunks of grossness/former yumminess. We left Davis Square around 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. It was a fun day.
So. Note to self. Do not take medication that makes you drowsy and dizzy AND get into a moving transportation device. It is not a good idea.
By the end of the second hour of my shift, I noticed that the pain had elevated to a pulsing pain. I lasted another hour, during which many people commented on my limp/hobble. One of my fellow coworkers said that it could be broken. I said, no way, it doesn't feel broken. It's probably just a sprain. At 4 p.m., I ask my manager if I can take off early to go to Mass. General, the nearest hospital, which also happened to be ranked as one of the best hospitals in the country. She said yes, and I was on my way.
I got to the hospital and did the paperwork. I wait. The nurse took a look at me and asked some questions and said she'd get me an X-Ray. X-Ray taken, and I was waiting again. The nurse came back and told me that I BROKE MY TOE, but it's a chip, and therefore too small to put me in a cast. So they're going to give me a hard-sole shoe and told me to return in two weeks for a look-see. I love it. I spent more time waiting in the hospital than getting medical attention, which was more than the give minutes I got with the orthopaedic resident. Well, YET another doctor (not the resident) wrote me a prescription for tramadol, which needed to be taken with Tylenol 650 mg. I got my prescription filled, and all is jolly good. Please note that the medication supposedly would make me drowsy and dizzy.
The next day at 1:30 p.m., I went apartment-hunting with friends of a friend, and I sat in the back seat of the car because the front seat was taken. Within five minutes of being in a moving vehicle, I started to feel my motion sickness coming on. Unlike other times, this was getting pretty strong. By the time we got to Davis Square around 2 p.m., I was fighting the urge to puke on the sidewalk. And I haven't actually puked from my motion sickness since I threw up on a plane (with the flight attendant holding back my hair) my junior year in high school. We got to the real estate agent's office and I thought I felt fine. But in 10 minutes, I was on my way to the back of the office to the restroom, where I immediately upchucked my lunch of canned peaches into the toilet. I rinse my mouth out and took a sip of water. In about 10 more minutes, same thing. More peaches, less dense. Another few minutes go by. More peaches, less dense, more water.
I ended up going in the car to see the five or so apartments for fear that I would mess someone's car up with more peaches, way more water. Instead, I walked to the nearest pharmacy without incident and bought Dramamine because it didn't have any anti-nausea medicine. I walk back to the real estate office (about 10 or 15 minutes) without incident to find the office locked because it was 4 p.m., and the office closes at 4 p.m. I was feeling really pukey after a little while in the sun, so I walked (calmly, I thought) to the sub place next door and asked the guy at the counter for a plastic bag. WHAT? A fire hydrant? No, a plastic bag. WHAT? Anti-histamine? No, a PLAS-TIC BAG. Oh. So I walked (quickly) out of the place after a quickly mouthed "thanks." I opened the plastic bag outside and immediately puked up more orange liquid. I threw away the plastic bag and they returned from the apartment hunting. Apparently, there were two real possibilities, and they ended up taking one of them. While two of the three roommates filled out applications and waited for the third to show up to see the place, I puked again. This time, all oatmeal raisin Powerbar, of which I had about a third. Tan chunks of grossness/former yumminess. We left Davis Square around 5 p.m. or 5:30 p.m. It was a fun day.
So. Note to self. Do not take medication that makes you drowsy and dizzy AND get into a moving transportation device. It is not a good idea.
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
summer school is over!
I'm done with summer school! And sorry about the horrible lack of updates recently. I've been busy. :) Writing papers take talent, you see, and pulling all-nighters aren't fun. But I've moved out of my apartment at BC and am now crashing at my friend's place for the duration while my new apartment (new as in some place different ... not as in new wood) is getting readied for habitation. I'm going to get keys to it tomorrow. Life is very exciting.
The job is going OK. I would like to think that I'm an OK salesgirl, but I really hate stalking people who come into the store. The way I figure it, if they want help, they will ask. I'm there. They know. But I have to hunt these people down and ask if they need help. Be cheerful. Be happy. Be helpful. Ugh. I would much prefer as little human contact as possible. Maybe I should've told them that when I hired me?
The job is going OK. I would like to think that I'm an OK salesgirl, but I really hate stalking people who come into the store. The way I figure it, if they want help, they will ask. I'm there. They know. But I have to hunt these people down and ask if they need help. Be cheerful. Be happy. Be helpful. Ugh. I would much prefer as little human contact as possible. Maybe I should've told them that when I hired me?
Sunday, August 06, 2006
these last weeks ...
These last weeks has been a swirl of emotions and an ocean of stress. I feel like I've never stopped writing papers and reflections and trying to figure out what those obscure education terms are. And I am, apparently, also quite incoherent and inarticulate. I need to update more often, I know, but I think it'll be a tall order for the next week or so. I am currently crashing at my friend Kai's apartment while my new apartment is being readied for an Aug. 15 move-in date. Here's to hoping that everthing turns out well. I really should stop by the apartment and take a gander at the new digs. I have to write a psychology paper tonight and maybe even my inclusion statement that is due Tuesday for my diverse learners class. Wednesday is the last day of classes. I have one last project due on Friday for literacy class, and that's what's really worrying me. So I am going to go back to writing. Catch y'all on the flip side.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Boston
Sophie suggested I listent to this song because it is describes my life. :) It's from Augustana's "Boston."
She said I think I'll go to Boston ...
I think I'll start a new life,
I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name,
I'll get out of California, I'm tired of the weather,
I think I'll get a lover and fly 'em out to Spain...
I think I'll go to Boston,
I think that I'm just tired
I think I need a new town, to leave this all behind...
I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of Sunset,
I hear it's nice in the summer, some snow would be nice...
Boston ... where no one knows my name ...
I think I'll start a new life,
I think I'll start it over, where no one knows my name,
I'll get out of California, I'm tired of the weather,
I think I'll get a lover and fly 'em out to Spain...
I think I'll go to Boston,
I think that I'm just tired
I think I need a new town, to leave this all behind...
I think I need a sunrise, I'm tired of Sunset,
I hear it's nice in the summer, some snow would be nice...
Boston ... where no one knows my name ...
hold yer horses!
I know, I know. It's been a while. But I'm writing about 10 million papers in the next two weeks AND moving, so be patient, and y'all will be rewarded.
Sunday, July 23, 2006
The Devil Wears Prada ... and bowling
"The Devil Wears Prada" is an excellent book. I highly recommend it. Especially if you like vengence. :) The movie left out way too much stuff. I'm not going to give it away, but the movie didn't delve into Andrea's friend Lily at all, and I think they changed Andrea's boyfriend's name to Nate. Wasn't it Alex? Am I wrong?
Oh, yeah, and I bowled a 157 Saturday night, and if you know my bowling skills at all, you know that to be IMPOSSIBLE. I don't break 100. Ever. But there I was, bowling four strikes in a row. Have no clue what the hell happened. And then, the next game, I got something like 65. Bleh. :)
Oh, yeah, and I bowled a 157 Saturday night, and if you know my bowling skills at all, you know that to be IMPOSSIBLE. I don't break 100. Ever. But there I was, bowling four strikes in a row. Have no clue what the hell happened. And then, the next game, I got something like 65. Bleh. :)
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Bridges of Madison County
I just finished watching "Bridges of Madison County." Oh my God. BUCKETS of tears. Soooo sad. Tears. Sniff.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
it's Andrew JACKSON!
Trivia night with the education people was awesome, even though our teams (we had to divide into two) didn't do well. The Shockers (Liz, James, Erin and Alex) got 80 points, and the Speds (me, Kai, Colleen and Ed) got 61. The winners? They got something to the tune of 127.
Friday, July 14, 2006
talk about a first edition!
I just read this on BBC News' "10 Things" weekly column.
About 750 copies of Shakespeare's First Folio, which set down 18 plays for the first time, were printed 1623 - some 230 survive.
Wow. I wonder how much those are worth today.
About 750 copies of Shakespeare's First Folio, which set down 18 plays for the first time, were printed 1623 - some 230 survive.
Wow. I wonder how much those are worth today.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
one of those survey things ...
99 Questions
1) Do you have a crush on somebody?
of course. duh.
2) Do you hate more than three people?
yup.
3) How many houses/apartments have you lived in?
13. three in Taiwan. two in Lake City. two in Florence. four in LA. one in London. one in Boston.
4) Favorite candy bar?
Reese's Pieces
5) Have you ever tripped someone?
I don't think so. Not on purpose, at least.
6) Least favorite school subject?
Chemistry I Honors. Evil Ehlman implied that I really shouldn't consider the science field.
7) How many pairs of shoes do you own?
waaaay too many.
8) Do you own a Britney Spears CD?
yes, yes I do.
9) Have you ever thrown up in public?
kinda. on an airplane. I have motion sickness.
10) Name one thing that is always on your mind?
Newspapers and the news.
11) Favorite genre of music?
hard to say. poppy-rock? rocky-pop? pop? classical?
12) What is your zodiac sign?
Sagittarius
13) What time were you born?
no clue.
14) Do you like beer?
not particularly
15) Ever made a prank phone call?
yes! once.
16) What is the most embarassing CD you own?
mmm ... Backstreet Boys. :)
17) Are you sarcastic?
very.
18) What are your favorite colors?
yellow, pink, green, blue and purple
19) How many watches do you own?
one that works
20) Summer or winter?
winter
21) Is anyone in love with you?
you should ask other people that
22) Favorite color to wear?
Black.
23) Pepsi or Sprite?
Sprite
24) What color is your cell phone?
blue
25) Where is your second home?
I'm moving all the time.
26) Have you ever slapped someone?
no.
27) Have you ever had a cavity?
yes.
28) How many lamps are in your bedroom?
two.
29) How many video games do you own?
none.
30) Ever had braces?
yes.
31) Do looks matter?
to some extent, but other stuff matter more.
32) Do you use chapstick?
I am an addict.
33) Name 3 teachers from high school:
Mrs. Chapman (yearbook), Mrs. Purvis (U.S. history), Mrs. Franco (English IV)
34) American Eagle or Abercrombie?
neither. ew.
35) Are you too forgiving?
no.
36) How many children do you want?
two. adopted.
37) Do you own something from Hot Topic?
no.
38) Favorite breakfast meal?
I don't eat breakfast.
39) Do you own a gun?
no. nor do you want me to own or touch one.
40) Do you miss your ex-boyfriend or -girlfriend?
mm
41) When was the last time you cried?
don't remember. I don't usually cry. Crying is dumb. It solves no problems.
42) What did you do three nights ago?
became officially employed for the summer
43) Olive Garden?
too much. too expensive. too greasy.
44) Have you ever called your teacher "Mommy"?
no. But Mrs. Chapman's nickname was MOMC.
45) Have you ever been in a castle?
yes! yes! I have!
46) Nicknames?
Jules, Spud and some others
47) Do you know anyone named Bertha?
no.
48) Ever been to Kentucky?
no.
49) Do you own something from Banana Republic?
no. I would really love to be able to afford things from Banana Republic.
50) Are you thinking about somebody right now?
yes.
51) Ever called somebody Boo?
no.
52) Do you smoke?
no.
53) Do you own a diamond ring?
no.
54) Are you happy with your life right now?
most days.
55) Do you dye your hair?
I did once sophomore year. auburn highlights.
56) Does anyone have a crush on you?
I don't think so.
57) What year were you born?
1983.
58) What were you doing in May 1994?
In the fourth grade. Probably arguing with Lea Coleman about how to pronounce Boston. I insisted it was BOE-ston. I wasn't very bright.
59) Do you own a Backstreet Boys CD?
yes. See No. 16.
60) McDonald's or Wendy's?
Wendy's.
61) Do you like yourself?
most days.
62) Are you closer to your mother or father?
both, for difference reasons.
63) Favorite physical feature of the preferred sex?
height.
64) Are you afraid of the dark?
No.
65) Have you ever eaten paste?
no.
66) Do you own a Web cam?
no.
68) Ever broken a bone?
no, but I broke my sister's arm once! :)
69) Do you chat on AIM often?
often enough to be a distraction.
70) Pringles or Lays?
Pringles.
71) Have you ever broken someone's heart?
probably not.
72) Rugrats or Doug?
Rugrats.
73) Full House or The Brady Bunch?
Full House.
74) Did you like your high school guidance counselor?
yes.
75) Has anyone ever called you fat?
yes.
76) Do you have a birth mark?
no.
77) Do you own a car?
technically, yes.
78) Can you cook?
if I want to
79) Things that annoy you?
oh, many, many things
80) Do you text message often?
not too much.
81) Money or love?
love. my chosen professions are journalism and education. neither is going to let me pay off my student loans early.
82) Do you have any scars?
yes.
83) What do you want more than anything right now?
to know which path to take.
84) Do you enjoy scary movies?
no.
85) Relationships or one-night stands?
relationships.
86) Big Red or Juicy Fruit?
Juicy Fruit.
87) Do you enjoy greasy food?
sometimes.
88) Have you seen all of the Rocky movies?
none.
89) Do you own a box of crayons?
yes.
90) Ever had sex in a public place?
what is sex?
92) Who was the last person who said they loved you?
don't remember
93) Who was the last person who made you mad?
can't tell you that.
94) Who was the last person who made you cry?
don't remember, but it must be something major. I don't really cry.
95) Who was the last person who made you laugh?
James.
96) Who was the last person you fell for?
oh, dear.
97) Who was the last person who instant messaged you?
my sister
98) Who was the last person who called you?
James
99) Who is the person most likely to fill this out?
don't know.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
July Fourth!
Ever since I decided that I would be in Boston, I've planned to go to the Boston Pops July Fourth extravaganza. There was somewhere else I wanted to be on July Fourth (BBQ on a roof, anyone?), but c'mon, can you really just let an eight-year-old dream die like that?
I bought those little blue ice pack things, sunscreen (SPF 45), bug spray, water and food. I brought my hat, sunglasses, cash, flip flops, books and iPod. I dragged along a blanket, a tarp, an umbrella and a pillow. I was so prepared. Rain or shine, Charles River Esplanade, here I come!
This being Boston, where the Revolutionary War basically started (technicalities aside), they're pretty patriotic here. Not only do we have "Patriot's Day" off in April, there was also no school on July 3. Exciting, huh? So I spent July 3 interviewing for summer jobs and obsessing over July Fourth. I found out online that gates open at 9 a.m., but people start lining up at DAWN. I got stuff ready the night before and woke up at 3:30 a.m. to shower, pack some more and ... wait until 5 a.m., when the first T train runs.
I get there at five till 6, and where were already lots of people there. Apparently, there were people who planned to camp overnight, but Boston police wouldn't let them until 3:30 a.m., so they had to mill around the area until then. By the time 8:30 a.m. rolled around, the lines (there were three) wound around trees, gates, concession stands .... madness.
When the gates opened, security checked every bag that everybody brought and gave everyone a wristband, but after that, it was a free-for-all. The group of us who got there around 6 claimed the spaces somewhere in the middle of the field called the Oval. My perch was literally in the middle of the Oval. It was perfect.
See? A perfect spot. Notice the flag in the middle is a colonial flag.
From 9:30 a.m. until 8:30 a.m., when the concert starts, it's just me, books and sun. Until it started to rain. At 2 p.m. And 4:30. And around 7. This is where the (waterproof) tarp and umbrella came in handy. Around 8 p.m., there are people crammed in every grass space available, and organizers have stopped giving out wristbands to entry.
The concert was spectacular. Amazing. Definitely worth all the wait. And Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were awesome. Of course, everyone left after Steven and Joe and didn't get to hear "Stars and Stripes Forever." Confetti flew. Fireworks exploded. People cheered. Fantastic!
Rockapella!
Many people missed out on the confetti.
I love Keith Lockhart. Did you know that he got his undergrad at Furman in Greenville?
Another secret crush: broadcast journalism. gag. OK, so print also makes dumb mistakes. But we employ copy editors.
The fireworks ended at 11 p.m., and I got back to my apartment around 12:30 a.m. Utterly exhausted, and there was class the next day. :(
I bought those little blue ice pack things, sunscreen (SPF 45), bug spray, water and food. I brought my hat, sunglasses, cash, flip flops, books and iPod. I dragged along a blanket, a tarp, an umbrella and a pillow. I was so prepared. Rain or shine, Charles River Esplanade, here I come!
This being Boston, where the Revolutionary War basically started (technicalities aside), they're pretty patriotic here. Not only do we have "Patriot's Day" off in April, there was also no school on July 3. Exciting, huh? So I spent July 3 interviewing for summer jobs and obsessing over July Fourth. I found out online that gates open at 9 a.m., but people start lining up at DAWN. I got stuff ready the night before and woke up at 3:30 a.m. to shower, pack some more and ... wait until 5 a.m., when the first T train runs.
I get there at five till 6, and where were already lots of people there. Apparently, there were people who planned to camp overnight, but Boston police wouldn't let them until 3:30 a.m., so they had to mill around the area until then. By the time 8:30 a.m. rolled around, the lines (there were three) wound around trees, gates, concession stands .... madness.
When the gates opened, security checked every bag that everybody brought and gave everyone a wristband, but after that, it was a free-for-all. The group of us who got there around 6 claimed the spaces somewhere in the middle of the field called the Oval. My perch was literally in the middle of the Oval. It was perfect.
See? A perfect spot. Notice the flag in the middle is a colonial flag.From 9:30 a.m. until 8:30 a.m., when the concert starts, it's just me, books and sun. Until it started to rain. At 2 p.m. And 4:30. And around 7. This is where the (waterproof) tarp and umbrella came in handy. Around 8 p.m., there are people crammed in every grass space available, and organizers have stopped giving out wristbands to entry.
The concert was spectacular. Amazing. Definitely worth all the wait. And Steven Tyler and Joe Perry were awesome. Of course, everyone left after Steven and Joe and didn't get to hear "Stars and Stripes Forever." Confetti flew. Fireworks exploded. People cheered. Fantastic!
Rockapella!
Many people missed out on the confetti.
I love Keith Lockhart. Did you know that he got his undergrad at Furman in Greenville?
Another secret crush: broadcast journalism. gag. OK, so print also makes dumb mistakes. But we employ copy editors.The fireworks ended at 11 p.m., and I got back to my apartment around 12:30 a.m. Utterly exhausted, and there was class the next day. :(
BUT
My friends James and Christina both have blogs. See the "blogs/links" sidebar or just click on their respective names. So, if you have time, give them a read. James is a reporter in Adrian, Mich., and is as weird and nerdy (perhaps nerdier) as I am. Christina is also a reporter, and she is also weird. And obsessed -- OBSESSED, I say -- with food. And she is a tiny, tiny girl. They are both hilarious. Plus, they write for a living. How can you go wrong with that?
ok. so I lied.
Classwork (pfffft) and procrastination (that's more like it!) has gotten the best of me. There WILL be photos and updates.
But I went swing dancing Friday night. THAT was fun. Wow. I don't think I've had so much fun in a long time. :)
But I went swing dancing Friday night. THAT was fun. Wow. I don't think I've had so much fun in a long time. :)
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
July Fourth
I camped out to get a good spot at the Esplanade yesterday for the Boston Pops July Fourth free concert. There will be photos and stories this weekend! The featured special guest star are Rockapella and ... STEVEN TYLER and JOE PERRY from Aerosmith! Needless to say, when Steven and Joe went on stage, it was mayhem. :) I have pictures of them, too! So that's this weekend.
Saturday, July 01, 2006
LOST! and other adventures in Boston
This is what I wrote in an e-mail to my friends this morning, with additions and revisions. Have a peek!
I had to get this book for my Literacy and Assessment class, and I happen to have a Borders coupon, so I thought I might as well use it. There is a Borders near the Downtown Crossing T stop, and the map tells me that I would be about two blocks away from Borders. After my lone Tuesday class ended (about
So I walk and walk and walk. I need to tell you guys that because I don't have a printer yet, I have the map of the area in my head, semi-memorized. So I walk for about 20 or so minutes, but I don't see it. Where is it?! I stopped outside a restaurant and asked the valet where is this street. And he said, oh, you're quite a ways from it, but if you continue going straight for about five blocks, you'll hit it. Wonderful! Thanks.
So I walk and I walk and I walk. I walked for another 20 minutes or so. Waaaay passed the five blocks, but I decided to have some faith. Well, I hit the parking lot for the aquarium. Now, I know from my semi-memorized map that I should be NOWHERE near the water or the aquarium. This is trouble. I made a left at this point so I would be walking parallel to the water and then made another left, thinking that at worst, I would just go back to where I started.
I walked and walked and I figured that it's now a good time to ask for directions .... again. I stopped by the Marriot hotel at some cutom house and asked the front desk person where I can find this street and he gave me a map (!!!!!) and highlighted it and told me to take a left and an immediate right when I go out the exit. Awesome! Thanks!
Map in hand, I go out the exit and made a left and a right. But I was standing in the middle of one of those five-street intersections ... and I was turning round and round with a map in my hand, apparently looking very befuddled because a lady in a hat stopped me and asked me what I was looking for. So I told her.
She said walk down the street where a car had stopped and to go ALL the way down until I got to Post Office Square and then to keep going. I'm supposed to see the Borders right in front of me. Yippeee! I thank her and am on my way.
I knew I was going the right way when I got the
Classes are going OK so far, if a bit overwhelming. It's a lot of new information with actual, experienced teachers in the class, so it's a bit intimidating. Hopefully that feeling goes away because my classes are fascinating. For my Literacy and Assessment class (yes, the same one), I had to get a MySpace account. Am not happy that I now have MySpace. I was holding out so well! I have a feeling that class is going to be really high maintenance.
On Sunday, I explored
On Thursday, I went to a karaoke bar with Andre and his friends and sang that Proclaimers song about 500 miles ... it was hilarious, apparently, because I was giggling through most of the song.
Friday, June 30, 2006
one-week check-up!
it's been a very eventful week, but I'm tired and a bit cranky, so I'll just list them. Maybe I'll expand on some of it later.
1. got lost for two hours in Downtown Crossing
2. filled out A LOT of job applications
3. classes are hard. new material. with actual, experienced teachers in the class. very intimidating.
4. found the BC bookstore. very small.
5. found the student commons. well, one of them. I think they have other "commons"
6. read front and back of the last issue of the spring semester's BC Heights. very well written, from what I've read so far.
7. went to Harvard Square
8. found the public library. got a library card. explored library. got lost in the library. put a book on hold.
9. freaked out about amount of homework required. ahh.
10. went karaoke-ing Thursday night. it was awesome! :) had Pabst for the first time.
11. got a MySpace account because of my literacy class. BOOOOOO.
12. developed London pictures that were on disposable cameras.
13. finished "The Devil Wears Prada"
14. found my mailbox and got code for it. can now receive snail mail. yippee!
15. Boston is really hot and really humid.
16. still exploring. but hopefully not getting lost. :)
I'm exhausted. So I'm going to sleep. I do, however, have two job interviews on Monday. And my friend Todd from high school is coming to visit tomorrow! yay! :D
1. got lost for two hours in Downtown Crossing
2. filled out A LOT of job applications
3. classes are hard. new material. with actual, experienced teachers in the class. very intimidating.
4. found the BC bookstore. very small.
5. found the student commons. well, one of them. I think they have other "commons"
6. read front and back of the last issue of the spring semester's BC Heights. very well written, from what I've read so far.
7. went to Harvard Square
8. found the public library. got a library card. explored library. got lost in the library. put a book on hold.
9. freaked out about amount of homework required. ahh.
10. went karaoke-ing Thursday night. it was awesome! :) had Pabst for the first time.
11. got a MySpace account because of my literacy class. BOOOOOO.
12. developed London pictures that were on disposable cameras.
13. finished "The Devil Wears Prada"
14. found my mailbox and got code for it. can now receive snail mail. yippee!
15. Boston is really hot and really humid.
16. still exploring. but hopefully not getting lost. :)
I'm exhausted. So I'm going to sleep. I do, however, have two job interviews on Monday. And my friend Todd from high school is coming to visit tomorrow! yay! :D
Monday, June 26, 2006
no more wondering/waiting
because I'm in Boston! I got in Saturday afternoon, so I got to miss the deluge that was (apparently) Friday. I went to the Prudential Center that night as a way to explore the T -- and what adventure THAT was! I was mildly confused for a little while.
On Sunday, I went on a hunt for a grocery store that is accessible by T and was very successful because the Shaw's (owned by Albertson's) was AMAZING. They have deli/ready-made food/bakery/sushi (!) on an ENTIRE side of the store, food and seafood on another entire side and the produce on the third. It was pretty awesome. They also have an entire section (multiple aisles, complete with its own hardwood floors) devoted to organic/natural foods and an aisle just for international cuisine. It's so clean and refreshing and wonderful.
I also found the CVS, which came in handy because I couldn't find a pad of graph paper and don't know where I put the one I had leftover from L.A. I also found TJMaxx, where I bought a bath rug because I hate getting out of the shower and stepping onto bare tile. It's the worst feeling.
I'm pretty sure BC put the summer students in one of the older dorms because this school has A LOT of new res halls. But it made more sense when I came back from grocery shopping on Sunday that there were a lot of parents and teenagers milling around with BC bookstore bags .... ah, freshmen orientation. Of course, they had to put the new students in the good dorms. All schools do it. They've gotta impress the parents! :) But when you think about it, why try to impress them? They've already paid the deposit (BC asks for a deposit), so these families are already financially committed to this school, and their children have probably rejected everywhere else. Anyway, thought it was interesting that colleges are still wooing the already-wooed.
Today, I went job-hunting. It was no fun. Now I am tired. My feet hurt. And I feel gross because it was really hot today. And I found a Trader Joe's. woohoo.
On Sunday, I went on a hunt for a grocery store that is accessible by T and was very successful because the Shaw's (owned by Albertson's) was AMAZING. They have deli/ready-made food/bakery/sushi (!) on an ENTIRE side of the store, food and seafood on another entire side and the produce on the third. It was pretty awesome. They also have an entire section (multiple aisles, complete with its own hardwood floors) devoted to organic/natural foods and an aisle just for international cuisine. It's so clean and refreshing and wonderful.
I also found the CVS, which came in handy because I couldn't find a pad of graph paper and don't know where I put the one I had leftover from L.A. I also found TJMaxx, where I bought a bath rug because I hate getting out of the shower and stepping onto bare tile. It's the worst feeling.
I'm pretty sure BC put the summer students in one of the older dorms because this school has A LOT of new res halls. But it made more sense when I came back from grocery shopping on Sunday that there were a lot of parents and teenagers milling around with BC bookstore bags .... ah, freshmen orientation. Of course, they had to put the new students in the good dorms. All schools do it. They've gotta impress the parents! :) But when you think about it, why try to impress them? They've already paid the deposit (BC asks for a deposit), so these families are already financially committed to this school, and their children have probably rejected everywhere else. Anyway, thought it was interesting that colleges are still wooing the already-wooed.
Today, I went job-hunting. It was no fun. Now I am tired. My feet hurt. And I feel gross because it was really hot today. And I found a Trader Joe's. woohoo.
Saturday, June 17, 2006
T-minus one week
Hellooooo!
Sorry about the non-writing. I've been busy procrastinating. I've been watching a lot of "House, M.D." In fact, I've finished the entire first season on DVD .... repeatedly (you know me....).
I've been reading quite a lot, too, but have not finished a book recently ... I'm in the middle of many books. Right now in the pile beside my bed is "The Jane Austen Book Club" (for the second time ... mine is red), "Shakespeare of London" (for the umpteenth time) and "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" (new acquisition ... and am NOT pleased that it is an Oprah Book Club selection. I did NOT choose it because she said so. I do NOT support the Oprah Book Club). The last one is written by Carson McCullers, who wrote "The Member of the Wedding," which I read an excerpt of in high school. But I heard about this book from a list that has the top 50 (100? 10?) most famous first lines of novels in the world. "Moby Dick" reigns over the list, and "Pride and Prejudice" is second. Also on the list: "Tale of Two Cities" and a Mark Twain and a couple of John Steinbecks.
I leave for Boston in exactly one week, so I am spending this week cleaning my room and packing for the journey. This is getting very exciting. :)
Sorry about the non-writing. I've been busy procrastinating. I've been watching a lot of "House, M.D." In fact, I've finished the entire first season on DVD .... repeatedly (you know me....).
I've been reading quite a lot, too, but have not finished a book recently ... I'm in the middle of many books. Right now in the pile beside my bed is "The Jane Austen Book Club" (for the second time ... mine is red), "Shakespeare of London" (for the umpteenth time) and "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" (new acquisition ... and am NOT pleased that it is an Oprah Book Club selection. I did NOT choose it because she said so. I do NOT support the Oprah Book Club). The last one is written by Carson McCullers, who wrote "The Member of the Wedding," which I read an excerpt of in high school. But I heard about this book from a list that has the top 50 (100? 10?) most famous first lines of novels in the world. "Moby Dick" reigns over the list, and "Pride and Prejudice" is second. Also on the list: "Tale of Two Cities" and a Mark Twain and a couple of John Steinbecks.
I leave for Boston in exactly one week, so I am spending this week cleaning my room and packing for the journey. This is getting very exciting. :)
Friday, June 09, 2006
birthdays
I haven't spent a birthday at home since my senior year in high school. And I won't this year, either. Freshman, sophomore and junior years I was in LA because my birthday never fails to fall during exam week. I believe I actually spent one of those birthdays either taking an exam or writing a paper (definitely junior year). Last birthday, I was in London. This birthday, I will be in Boston. Next birthday? Who the hell knows?! :)
Saturday, June 03, 2006
books! glorious books!
Before I left LA, I started and finished "Freakonomics." It was awesome. I highly recommend it.
I then moved on to "Blink," which wasn't as good. I'm not sure if it's because I had a logical reasoning overload or if it's the author, but it just wasn't as satisfying. I also think it has something to do with the structure of the book. The writer needs to break his chapters down a bit because they're really long.
I also read "Stiff," a history and use of cadavers in various scientific, practical and medical studies. Cultural, social, sometimes political. It is also very good. I stayed up many a nights trying to finish just this chapter! one more chapter! then another ... and another. Until I just had to sleep because I can't realistically finish it and still function the next morning.
I've been waiting for the "Da Vinci Code" to come out in paperback for a looong time, and it finally did, and I finally bought it. Except that it's a dud. WAIT. Before you chastise me. I read the "Rule of Four" over winter break, and it was AMAZING. Riveting, in fact. Couldn't put it down. Maybe it was Dan Brown's overly dramatic writing style that really annoyed me. Maybe it was that "Rule of Four" was written more casually. It didn't treat itself as a super-mystery. Also, I think it has something to do with the endless over-promotion of the book/movie/plagarism allegations/etc. Anyway, I was disappointed by the first 20 pages. And promptly put it back on the shelf. Sorry, "Da Vinci Code" fan. Not my cup of tea.
Read the "Rule of Four," though, if you want more stimulating reading regarding ancient codes. The London Independent called it "'The Da Vinci Code' for people with brains." Publishers Weekly wrote that the "Rule of Four" was to be compared to "Da Vinci Code," but it is the "more cerebral -- and better written -- of the two." Read "Rule of Four."
Currently, I am rereading "Shakespeare of London," a biography of the Bard from the perspective of his being an ordinary man/actor/playwright in London from fairly ordinary background. This is a book a bought at a public library used book sale and inspired me to write my USC scholarship essay on. I've read it at least three times. The intro, which I read for the first time, said that almost all biographies of Shakespeare treated him as the Bard that he is, as this towering literary figure. What Marchette Chute was trying to go is to humanize him a bit and tell about the life of the London actor from Stratford-upon-Avon.
I still have a large stack of classic literature that I need to read. I also have a three-page Amazon.com wishlist that is acting as my lifetime reading list. I love it. Reading for a lifetime! That's my dream life. To be able to sit/lie on a comfy couch and just read. :)
I then moved on to "Blink," which wasn't as good. I'm not sure if it's because I had a logical reasoning overload or if it's the author, but it just wasn't as satisfying. I also think it has something to do with the structure of the book. The writer needs to break his chapters down a bit because they're really long.
I also read "Stiff," a history and use of cadavers in various scientific, practical and medical studies. Cultural, social, sometimes political. It is also very good. I stayed up many a nights trying to finish just this chapter! one more chapter! then another ... and another. Until I just had to sleep because I can't realistically finish it and still function the next morning.
I've been waiting for the "Da Vinci Code" to come out in paperback for a looong time, and it finally did, and I finally bought it. Except that it's a dud. WAIT. Before you chastise me. I read the "Rule of Four" over winter break, and it was AMAZING. Riveting, in fact. Couldn't put it down. Maybe it was Dan Brown's overly dramatic writing style that really annoyed me. Maybe it was that "Rule of Four" was written more casually. It didn't treat itself as a super-mystery. Also, I think it has something to do with the endless over-promotion of the book/movie/plagarism allegations/etc. Anyway, I was disappointed by the first 20 pages. And promptly put it back on the shelf. Sorry, "Da Vinci Code" fan. Not my cup of tea.
Read the "Rule of Four," though, if you want more stimulating reading regarding ancient codes. The London Independent called it "'The Da Vinci Code' for people with brains." Publishers Weekly wrote that the "Rule of Four" was to be compared to "Da Vinci Code," but it is the "more cerebral -- and better written -- of the two." Read "Rule of Four."
Currently, I am rereading "Shakespeare of London," a biography of the Bard from the perspective of his being an ordinary man/actor/playwright in London from fairly ordinary background. This is a book a bought at a public library used book sale and inspired me to write my USC scholarship essay on. I've read it at least three times. The intro, which I read for the first time, said that almost all biographies of Shakespeare treated him as the Bard that he is, as this towering literary figure. What Marchette Chute was trying to go is to humanize him a bit and tell about the life of the London actor from Stratford-upon-Avon.
I still have a large stack of classic literature that I need to read. I also have a three-page Amazon.com wishlist that is acting as my lifetime reading list. I love it. Reading for a lifetime! That's my dream life. To be able to sit/lie on a comfy couch and just read. :)
Thursday, June 01, 2006
I got a job!!!!!
A teaching internship that apparently pays very well. :) What a relief. I was getting seriously worried.
The copy desk at a Boston paper said they're not looking for part-time people right now. But I do have some good experience, they tell me. They just don't wanna give me a chance. Even though they have TWO positions open on the desk.
What a bummer.
I watched the National Spelling Bee all day. I love it! So many kids! All so smart! I bet some of them have "stage parents," though. So much pressure! I was really rooting for the Canadian girl (apparently, you just need to be from an English-speaking country) to win, but alas, it was not to be. I love it!
The copy desk at a Boston paper said they're not looking for part-time people right now. But I do have some good experience, they tell me. They just don't wanna give me a chance. Even though they have TWO positions open on the desk.
What a bummer.
I watched the National Spelling Bee all day. I love it! So many kids! All so smart! I bet some of them have "stage parents," though. So much pressure! I was really rooting for the Canadian girl (apparently, you just need to be from an English-speaking country) to win, but alas, it was not to be. I love it!
Monday, May 29, 2006
bleh. I'm done.
| Your True Love Is a Capricorn |
 Why you'll love a Capricorn: Hard working and driven, a Capricorn will work overtime to win your heart. Be prepared to get wined and dined, even once you're convince that your Capricorn is the one! Why a Capricorn will love you: You don't rush things. You know it will take a while for a Capricorn to trust you, and you can wait. Social and outgoing, you can introduce normally shy Capricorn to a great circle of friends. |
leaps of faith? I prefer stability in my life, thanks. :)
| You Are Indigo |
 Of all the shades of blue, you are the most funky, unique, and independent. Expressing yourself and taking a leap of faith has always been easy for you. |
I'm not too sure how true this is
| You Are Emerald Green |
 Deep and mysterious, it often seems like no one truly gets you. Inside, you are very emotional and moody - though you don't let it show. People usually have a strong reaction to you... profound love or deep hate. But you can even get those who hate you to come around. There's something naturally harmonious about you. |
hmmm
| Your Linguistic Profile:: |
| 60% General American English |
| 20% Dixie |
| 15% Yankee |
| 0% Midwestern |
| 0% Upper Midwestern |
but ... but .... :(
| American Cities That Best Fit You:: |
| 75% Chicago |
| 70% New York City |
| 70% Philadelphia |
| 55% Boston |
| 55% Los Angeles |
I am a blue flower!
| You Are a Blue Flower |
 A blue flower tends to represent peace, openness, and balance. At times, you are very delicate like a cornflower. And at other times, you are wise like an iris. And more than you wish, you're a little cold, like a blue hydrangea. |
Sunday, May 28, 2006
here's an idea!
Maybe I should give up copy editing and teaching and go into the bread-baking business! It's $10 an hour, which is higher than the Massachusetts new nation-high minimum wage, and the company has a "generous meals policy." What more could you ask? I could make $19,200 in a year if I work 40 hours a week ... it's like the newspaper business!
Paying off those college loans could be an interesting experience, though. But then, so is bread-baking! It's an excellent trade-off!
Paying off those college loans could be an interesting experience, though. But then, so is bread-baking! It's an excellent trade-off!
pfffffff
So Angelina named her kid Shiloh. so much for the big name speculation. The news, I suppose, is that Shiloh is a girl. But her middle name is Nouvel. If Angelina meant it to mean "new" in French (and seeing as how she's going for the international baby theme), then she should know that "nouvel" is the masculine form. But then, she named her girl Shiloh. Whatev.
Saturday, May 27, 2006
wallowing in misery
I think I'm going to go buy a lottery ticket and then wish on a fountain. Maybe I can win enough money to pay for grad school. So I've been wallowing in my misery since I realized that YET another newspapers that is potentially interested in me is no longer because I can't work at night. This is seriously sad. I mean, the only job that I am actually really well trained for conflicts with the classes that will get me really well trained in another career -- with the main goal that I will do both in 2 years.
So maybe this lottery idea isn't so farfetched.
By the way, I saw "12 Angry Men" recently, and it's made me look at juries in a new way. You should watch it, too. It is a fantastic movie. The premise of the film is that one member of a 12-men jury in a murder trial convinces the other to consider all the evidence and witnesses before delivering their gut-verdict -- guilty. It's not really what happens in the film that matters, it's the characters in the film and the way the film is done that makes it superior. So I'm no film critic and, as my lack of reporting career as shown, I am also no writer, but this is an excellent movie that you should watch. Go rent it now. Add it to your Netflix queue. Go! :)
So maybe this lottery idea isn't so farfetched.
By the way, I saw "12 Angry Men" recently, and it's made me look at juries in a new way. You should watch it, too. It is a fantastic movie. The premise of the film is that one member of a 12-men jury in a murder trial convinces the other to consider all the evidence and witnesses before delivering their gut-verdict -- guilty. It's not really what happens in the film that matters, it's the characters in the film and the way the film is done that makes it superior. So I'm no film critic and, as my lack of reporting career as shown, I am also no writer, but this is an excellent movie that you should watch. Go rent it now. Add it to your Netflix queue. Go! :)
Friday, May 26, 2006
stuff!
I'm looking for a job in Boston that would fit my class schedule, and it's nearly impossible. Considering that classes start at 4 PM, it makes it hard to find a 9-5 gig and it's not possible to work a night copy desk. Or ... any copy desk. It makes me sad. :(
On other note, I found this story in the Boston Globe a while back, when I was procrastinating during end of classes/study days/exam week, and it's quite interesting. It's about how clothing companies are catching on to the female psyche and changing the dress sizes to fit.
Also, another story that I happened upon is that one scientist, one philospher and one farmer agreed that in the eternal question of which came first, the chicken or the egg ... it is the egg.
For the first time since I can remember (maybe the first time ever), I won't be in the South for hurricane season. I take it as a good thing. On the other hand, I will be in the Northeast for winter, which is a scary thought. :/
On other note, I found this story in the Boston Globe a while back, when I was procrastinating during end of classes/study days/exam week, and it's quite interesting. It's about how clothing companies are catching on to the female psyche and changing the dress sizes to fit.
Also, another story that I happened upon is that one scientist, one philospher and one farmer agreed that in the eternal question of which came first, the chicken or the egg ... it is the egg.
For the first time since I can remember (maybe the first time ever), I won't be in the South for hurricane season. I take it as a good thing. On the other hand, I will be in the Northeast for winter, which is a scary thought. :/
Monday, May 22, 2006
reading about Boston stuff
OK. I am well aware that what I am about to link is of questionable/skeptical quality. But I think it's fascinating and there is probably some grain of truth in it.
I was reading up some weird Boston stuff on the Web (like I did (and still do) with London a year ago), and I found this site with Boston word pronunciation and vernacular. It's extremely interesting/entertaining.
I'm also trying to figure out exactly which parts of the city is flooded and which ones aren't or if the city itself is flooded at all. It seems to me that the worst areas had been confined to the suburbs near the coast, but then, not really knowing the city, I'm probably completely wrong.
I was reading up some weird Boston stuff on the Web (like I did (and still do) with London a year ago), and I found this site with Boston word pronunciation and vernacular. It's extremely interesting/entertaining.
I'm also trying to figure out exactly which parts of the city is flooded and which ones aren't or if the city itself is flooded at all. It seems to me that the worst areas had been confined to the suburbs near the coast, but then, not really knowing the city, I'm probably completely wrong.
I never really liked horses....
But this whole Barbaro situation is sad. :( I kept hearing/reading that many horses that have such injuries are euthanized, but I kinda don't get it. It's a broken leg, why such a drastic measure?
Here are some scary X-Ray photos of Barbaro's leg.
Here are some scary X-Ray photos of Barbaro's leg.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
yippee.
The grades tell me that I am an official USC graduate now. The diploma "should" be in the mail. Woohoo!
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
done ...
Well, I took my last final (media law), but I still can't be sure I'm officially done with college until I get my grades for that class. So I can't celebrate until I get my final grade. Or cry. Whichever is the case. That final was HARD. :(
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
je ne comprend pas
I've had this conversation with several of my guy friends, and the answer is always the same ... but it's worth writing about anyway:
Me: when I "grow up," I am going to adopt kids ... 2 girls! (or something to this effect) (and recently, those girls have been named Lorem and Dolor .... if you're a fellow newspaper nerd, you know what this means)
Guy friend: no way! There is NO WAY I'm having girls.
Me: Whyever not? Girls are so cute!
Guy friend: because I know what guys are thinking! If I have a daughter, I will KILL EVERY GUY ON THE PLANET WHO COMES IN CONTACT WITH HER!!!!!
Me: but ....
Guy friend's friend and other buddies: ME TOO!
Me: ....
Guy friend and buddies: BUT if I have a SON, I/we will teach them about girls.
Me: .... so basically, my daughters need to stay away from your sons .... and I will wish all of you to have daughters.
... I love my guy friends. Funny, confused, so smart and worldly about child-raising. :)
Me: when I "grow up," I am going to adopt kids ... 2 girls! (or something to this effect) (and recently, those girls have been named Lorem and Dolor .... if you're a fellow newspaper nerd, you know what this means)
Guy friend: no way! There is NO WAY I'm having girls.
Me: Whyever not? Girls are so cute!
Guy friend: because I know what guys are thinking! If I have a daughter, I will KILL EVERY GUY ON THE PLANET WHO COMES IN CONTACT WITH HER!!!!!
Me: but ....
Guy friend's friend and other buddies: ME TOO!
Me: ....
Guy friend and buddies: BUT if I have a SON, I/we will teach them about girls.
Me: .... so basically, my daughters need to stay away from your sons .... and I will wish all of you to have daughters.
... I love my guy friends. Funny, confused, so smart and worldly about child-raising. :)
Boston!!!!!
I went to Boston over the weekend for Boston College's open house -- more specifically, to its funding forum to find a job/assistantship/internship to fund this little education.
My flight out of LAX was at 1:45 p.m. on Friday, and true to form, I was there waaay early. But never fear, as my friend James called me while I was searching for a hairbrush in the giftshop (one of the things I always forget to pack) and told me that he hit an old lady and her car (both are apparently fine) with his Michigan rental car .... as a 21-year-old rental car driver. On the bright side, HE GOT THE JOB!!! The people in the store must've thought I was crazy when I heard the news. So incredibly happy for him. :) You should read the paper! It's the Adrian Daily Telegram, a bit outside of Ann Arbor. He'll be covering education (school districts, colleges, etc.).
I arrived at Logan International around 10 p.m. and called the hotel (Four Points by Sheraton ... yay for accumulating points) to pick me up and they couldn't find me! "Couldn't find me" ... my ass. I was the girl with luggage in the arrivals area with an obviously out-of-town USC sweathirt on. Apparently, they went upstairs ... where the departures are. Now, tell me, why would I be at departure when I am staying at a hotel?!?!?!
After I called three times (once to tell them I'm here, another after 25 minutes ... another after 30 minutes) .... they finally "found" me. I got to the hotel around midnight.
I heart the T, by the way. Especially compared to LA's metro system .... well, anything is better than LA's metro system.
Boston College is GORGEOUS, albeit with weird green roofs and a crazily laid-out campus. I'm pretty sure I got lost at least once.
I know this whole "open house" thing is made to make people LOVE BC (being on many a admissions panel myself), but it really made me think that I made the right decision for the right reasons. It was touch-and-go for a while there, before I sent in the deposit.
There were several possibilities for jobs -- I'm really hoping to intern at the Chestnut Hill School -- it's a private elementary school near BC and the recruiter lady seemed REALLY nice. We'll see what happens. I'm also going to apply to be a substitute teacher during the school year ... they get paid pretty well, so that's gonna help a bit.
After the open house, I hung out with my friend Andre from Tampa (remember?) and had great fun. I think I laughed and destressed more than I had in a really long while. By the way, MIT has an awesome student center. I'm jealous. >:( I also made some (but not enough!) flash cards while his frat had its beach party in the basement ... I kept falling asleep and couldn't get any work done ... plus mom started calling me about storage questions .... and my resident called about move-out inspections .... and I fell asleep .... and woke up and read about copyright .... and fell asleep -- apparently "fair use" and the "sunshine act" weren't too fascinating with jet lag and very little sleep and a day of pushing my hire-ability.
Leaving Boston Sunday morning (7:20 AM! with no sleep, what with celebrating Andre's friend Nick's birthday and the KS party that I didn't go to) was really sad. :*(
But Boston was AMAZING and I can't wait for June 26!!!!!! :D
By the way .... I'm in the middle of finals, so don't expect too much of me for the next 2 weeks.
Currently listening to on repeat: "Amsterdam" by Guster. :)
My flight out of LAX was at 1:45 p.m. on Friday, and true to form, I was there waaay early. But never fear, as my friend James called me while I was searching for a hairbrush in the giftshop (one of the things I always forget to pack) and told me that he hit an old lady and her car (both are apparently fine) with his Michigan rental car .... as a 21-year-old rental car driver. On the bright side, HE GOT THE JOB!!! The people in the store must've thought I was crazy when I heard the news. So incredibly happy for him. :) You should read the paper! It's the Adrian Daily Telegram, a bit outside of Ann Arbor. He'll be covering education (school districts, colleges, etc.).
I arrived at Logan International around 10 p.m. and called the hotel (Four Points by Sheraton ... yay for accumulating points) to pick me up and they couldn't find me! "Couldn't find me" ... my ass. I was the girl with luggage in the arrivals area with an obviously out-of-town USC sweathirt on. Apparently, they went upstairs ... where the departures are. Now, tell me, why would I be at departure when I am staying at a hotel?!?!?!
After I called three times (once to tell them I'm here, another after 25 minutes ... another after 30 minutes) .... they finally "found" me. I got to the hotel around midnight.
I heart the T, by the way. Especially compared to LA's metro system .... well, anything is better than LA's metro system.
Boston College is GORGEOUS, albeit with weird green roofs and a crazily laid-out campus. I'm pretty sure I got lost at least once.
I know this whole "open house" thing is made to make people LOVE BC (being on many a admissions panel myself), but it really made me think that I made the right decision for the right reasons. It was touch-and-go for a while there, before I sent in the deposit.
There were several possibilities for jobs -- I'm really hoping to intern at the Chestnut Hill School -- it's a private elementary school near BC and the recruiter lady seemed REALLY nice. We'll see what happens. I'm also going to apply to be a substitute teacher during the school year ... they get paid pretty well, so that's gonna help a bit.
After the open house, I hung out with my friend Andre from Tampa (remember?) and had great fun. I think I laughed and destressed more than I had in a really long while. By the way, MIT has an awesome student center. I'm jealous. >:( I also made some (but not enough!) flash cards while his frat had its beach party in the basement ... I kept falling asleep and couldn't get any work done ... plus mom started calling me about storage questions .... and my resident called about move-out inspections .... and I fell asleep .... and woke up and read about copyright .... and fell asleep -- apparently "fair use" and the "sunshine act" weren't too fascinating with jet lag and very little sleep and a day of pushing my hire-ability.
Leaving Boston Sunday morning (7:20 AM! with no sleep, what with celebrating Andre's friend Nick's birthday and the KS party that I didn't go to) was really sad. :*(
But Boston was AMAZING and I can't wait for June 26!!!!!! :D
By the way .... I'm in the middle of finals, so don't expect too much of me for the next 2 weeks.
Currently listening to on repeat: "Amsterdam" by Guster. :)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)