Time: 8 am today
Place: classroom
Gypsy enters the room and is about to set her thick book onto the table.
Boy in front row (in heavy sarcasm): "So how 'bout that quiz [from Monday]? I bet you were reeeeall happy grading it.""
Bam! Gypsy throws her books on the table.
Gypsy [in a shaky tone as she has never shown her class her anger]: "You know what? I was not happy. In fact, I am still NOT happy. I am soooo unhappy that you all bought yourself a take home quiz that will posted on my website for you to turn in Friday morning." <------not verbatim.
Rest of class's thoughts: "Thanks boy in front row!"
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Where is Everyone?
What has happened to the blogging world? Is it over? Good while it lasted? Where is everybody?!?!?!
Yes, I know I am not the most consistent blogger, but some of you were and now it's been ages since you've written a thing! Some of you haven't written since May (OneMom!!!)! I miss my daily dose of mesmerizing photographs and little ditties about family life.
Where else am I supposed to learn how to raise children if not from you?!?! Where am I supposed to find creative inspiration if not from you?!?!?! Where on the internet am I supposed to go during my breaks?!?!
Without daily entries in your blog, I have no desire to enter anything in mine. Hence [yes, I am a mathematician thus I use hence a lot], I have resorted to devoting myself to sites such as perezhilton.com and netflix.com where I aimlessly look at the different movie titles the company has to offer. Old Netty tries to fill the void by recommending movies to me, but she doesn't know me at all. The Golden Girls? You really think I would like The Golden Girls? Come on now! Alright yes, I like Steel Magnolias, but that does not warrant you recommending The Golden Girls to me!
Yes, I know I am not the most consistent blogger, but some of you were and now it's been ages since you've written a thing! Some of you haven't written since May (OneMom!!!)! I miss my daily dose of mesmerizing photographs and little ditties about family life.
Where else am I supposed to learn how to raise children if not from you?!?! Where am I supposed to find creative inspiration if not from you?!?!?! Where on the internet am I supposed to go during my breaks?!?!
Without daily entries in your blog, I have no desire to enter anything in mine. Hence [yes, I am a mathematician thus I use hence a lot], I have resorted to devoting myself to sites such as perezhilton.com and netflix.com where I aimlessly look at the different movie titles the company has to offer. Old Netty tries to fill the void by recommending movies to me, but she doesn't know me at all. The Golden Girls? You really think I would like The Golden Girls? Come on now! Alright yes, I like Steel Magnolias, but that does not warrant you recommending The Golden Girls to me!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
I'm a Mommy!
Loverboy and I adopted our first baby last month. Her name is Stella. She's nearly a year old and full of life. Oh, and she is a dog. Our lives have been much different since we brought her home.
Up until we adopted her, Loverboy was "training" me to run my first 5K. We jogged pretty consistently for almost a month and I even bought new running shoes. Then, once we brought her home that trend quickly came to a halt. Since then, I have packed on a handful of pounds (i.e.5 pounds) because I continued to eat as if I was still working out. Now that Stella is calming down I started jogging again last week. Meanwhile, I started paying attention to my food and fluid intake. Diet Coke is fine, but the amount I was drinking was not. I kept myself hydrated, but not with water. Now I am drinking at least 1.5 liters a day, which is a huge change for me. My biggest weakness is ice cream. I love it so much that Loverboy bought me an ice cream maker for my birthday! I was up to almost 2 or 3 pints a week. It's been a week since I've had ice cream and believe me, that's pretty damn good!
Initially Loverboy insisted that Stella sleep in our bed with us. Needless to say that has put a HUGE damper on our alone time together so now that is used to sleeping with us we are trying to get her to sleep next to the bed.
Our conversations have taken a huge turn since we got her. It is mind boggling how often we talk about Stella's bowel movements. I bet you are all jealous now!
If you're not, then just look at these pictures of my little girl
Monday, July 21, 2008
My Current Forms of Entertainment
Loverboy took me to a glorious book store last weekend. The store has 32 rooms each of which contains books of a different genre. Some of the books are used and others were just discounted for the sake of it. Nearly all books were 5% off but I was able to spy with my little eye the best discounts (thank you family for training me so well) and in the end I bought 4 books for $20.
What did I get? Well, I am a sucker for literature so I spent most of my time in that room (by the way I am still not exactly sure what constitutes as literature or not; I only know because I find my favorite books in that section). From that section I found Jane Eyre [by Charlotte Bronte]; Wuthering Heights [by Emily Bronte]; and Six Sherlock Holmes Mysteries [by Arthur Conan Doyle]. I read Jane Eyre several years ago and I remember liking it, but for the life of me I cannot remember what it is about so I am excited to read that. Her sister wrote Wuthering Heights and I am pretty sure it is her only book. With those to in my library I am set for countless nights filled with crying.
The fourth book Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules is a collection of short stories by different authors with an introduction to each by David Sedaris. He is responsible for many of my laughs in the past. If you have not yet, read Me Talk Pretty One Day. It is his first memoir. If it doesn't make you laugh give me a call so I can smack some sense into you.
One of the reasons I haven't blogged much this summer is because I have been reading The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It's set in 12th century England and it basically chronicles the lives of a family of builders, a monk, and an earl. Their lives are all intertwined in one way or another. The book gives a good insight into what life was like back then. There were so many things I never thought about before reading it. For instance, a girl becomes a woman in the book so another young woman gives her some cloth to bind herself. Where the hell are the Tampax??? A man in the story went his life without knowing who his father was until somebody told him 35 years later. Instead of having some form of a paternity test they just did a visual test. How would Maury Povich made a living back then??? Anyway, the book is nearly 1,000 pages, but each was worth turning.
I started a subscription to Netflix yesterday. If you have an account let's be friends! I want to see what movies you are watching so I can either steal your ideas or judge you based on your movie choices (I think I'm kidding, but you never know). I was shocked by the number of Watch Instantly choices were available. Unfortunately I could not install the movie player successfully. After trying to get it to work for a few minutes I decided to call Netflix Support. I talked to an employee for 55 minutes!!!! He tried so many different ideas and still we could not get it to work. Finally he suggested logging off of my profile and logging into the dummy profile my dad created on my computer and try installing the movie player there. It worked! Neither of us had any idea why, but at the point I had to let him go because I was on my cell phone and 55 minutes is precious to me.
What did I get? Well, I am a sucker for literature so I spent most of my time in that room (by the way I am still not exactly sure what constitutes as literature or not; I only know because I find my favorite books in that section). From that section I found Jane Eyre [by Charlotte Bronte]; Wuthering Heights [by Emily Bronte]; and Six Sherlock Holmes Mysteries [by Arthur Conan Doyle]. I read Jane Eyre several years ago and I remember liking it, but for the life of me I cannot remember what it is about so I am excited to read that. Her sister wrote Wuthering Heights and I am pretty sure it is her only book. With those to in my library I am set for countless nights filled with crying.
The fourth book Children Playing Before a Statue of Hercules is a collection of short stories by different authors with an introduction to each by David Sedaris. He is responsible for many of my laughs in the past. If you have not yet, read Me Talk Pretty One Day. It is his first memoir. If it doesn't make you laugh give me a call so I can smack some sense into you.
One of the reasons I haven't blogged much this summer is because I have been reading The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It's set in 12th century England and it basically chronicles the lives of a family of builders, a monk, and an earl. Their lives are all intertwined in one way or another. The book gives a good insight into what life was like back then. There were so many things I never thought about before reading it. For instance, a girl becomes a woman in the book so another young woman gives her some cloth to bind herself. Where the hell are the Tampax??? A man in the story went his life without knowing who his father was until somebody told him 35 years later. Instead of having some form of a paternity test they just did a visual test. How would Maury Povich made a living back then??? Anyway, the book is nearly 1,000 pages, but each was worth turning.
I started a subscription to Netflix yesterday. If you have an account let's be friends! I want to see what movies you are watching so I can either steal your ideas or judge you based on your movie choices (I think I'm kidding, but you never know). I was shocked by the number of Watch Instantly choices were available. Unfortunately I could not install the movie player successfully. After trying to get it to work for a few minutes I decided to call Netflix Support. I talked to an employee for 55 minutes!!!! He tried so many different ideas and still we could not get it to work. Finally he suggested logging off of my profile and logging into the dummy profile my dad created on my computer and try installing the movie player there. It worked! Neither of us had any idea why, but at the point I had to let him go because I was on my cell phone and 55 minutes is precious to me.
Monday, July 14, 2008
O Batman, Batman Wherefore are thou Batman?
As most of you know, the new Batman movie is coming out this weekend. The previews look amazing and needless to say, I am overly excited to see it. I am actually throwing my cheapness out the window and going to see it at the IMAX if I can find one in the area. In an attempt to subside some of my giddiness I wanted to have a Batman movie marathon week. Unfortunately, I am having a hell of a time finding any of the Batman dvds. After scouring four stores this weekend I finally found Batman Begins [in widescreen only :( ]. I really just want the Michael Keaton Batman movies. I didn't think it was too much to ask for, but apparently it is. I even tried buying them online. The only place I could find them was on Amazon, but they were each 15.99 and seeing as I am cheap...I didn't buy them. I shouldn't have to pay that much for a used dvd! Somebody please help me!! Do you have any other suggestions?
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Having the Ability to Sleep in is Spoiling Me
It's 6:30 in the morning and I have been out of bed for a half hour...I have been awake nearly all night. Lately, I've been experiencing mild anxiety while in bed which has had a negative effect on my attempts to sleep. What is the cause? My future.
I cannot seem to prevent myself from thinking about my "real" life every night after resting my head on the pillow. In case you are unaware, I finished my first year of grad school a month ago. I came back to the Midwest the day of my last final to stay with my parents for awhile and ultimately moved in with Loverboy for the remainder of the summer. I have been here for almost 3 weeks now.
Naturally, him and I have shared a few rough moments since I arrived, but those moments rest in the shadows of the wonderful time we have spent together. He truly does make me happy. I love the ability he has to make me smile. I love that he can convince me to forget my worries...of course I mean temporarily forget...and unfortunately he has a hard time convincing me while he is sleeping. WAKE UP LOVERBOY!
In other news, I was lucky enough to find a summer job the day after I arrived here. It is (knock on wood) the perfect summer job for me. I am working at a tutoring facility that specializes in K-12 help in reading, writing, and mathematics. It pays enough so that working 18 hours a week is enough for me to get by for the rest of the summer. Even better, during the summer it's only open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (thus only 18 hours) so I get a 4-day weekend. I am loving it so far.
It's unlike the private tutoring that I am used to. The facility has a curriculum of its own that I follow. Plus, I have never tutored multiple students at one time nor have I worked with kids this young. For some reason I have always thought that I would not like working with kids. I thought that I would only be able to handle post high school students. Now, I am not so sure.
Now to the reason I got out of bed so early this morning. As I stared at the ceiling this morning, trying to block out the sounds of the birds chirping (oh how I loath bird chirps in the morning) I thought about how much I am enjoying working with these kids. It dawned on me that this is the first job I have had that I look forward to doing. Yes, I realize I haven't been there for long, but so what. So, while I laid in bed, I thought about the steps I would need to take to make teaching these kids a permanent job (i.e. to become a teacher).
It turns out I have my cards in line (I think that is the expression I'm looking for). I'm not going to do anything drastic though. I am returning to Georgia in August to continue school. Meanwhile, I will continue to keep my mind open to the idea of teaching in the K-12 venue.
Alright everyone, it's 7 a.m. and time for me to take a nap.
I cannot seem to prevent myself from thinking about my "real" life every night after resting my head on the pillow. In case you are unaware, I finished my first year of grad school a month ago. I came back to the Midwest the day of my last final to stay with my parents for awhile and ultimately moved in with Loverboy for the remainder of the summer. I have been here for almost 3 weeks now.
Naturally, him and I have shared a few rough moments since I arrived, but those moments rest in the shadows of the wonderful time we have spent together. He truly does make me happy. I love the ability he has to make me smile. I love that he can convince me to forget my worries...of course I mean temporarily forget...and unfortunately he has a hard time convincing me while he is sleeping. WAKE UP LOVERBOY!
In other news, I was lucky enough to find a summer job the day after I arrived here. It is (knock on wood) the perfect summer job for me. I am working at a tutoring facility that specializes in K-12 help in reading, writing, and mathematics. It pays enough so that working 18 hours a week is enough for me to get by for the rest of the summer. Even better, during the summer it's only open Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday (thus only 18 hours) so I get a 4-day weekend. I am loving it so far.
It's unlike the private tutoring that I am used to. The facility has a curriculum of its own that I follow. Plus, I have never tutored multiple students at one time nor have I worked with kids this young. For some reason I have always thought that I would not like working with kids. I thought that I would only be able to handle post high school students. Now, I am not so sure.
Now to the reason I got out of bed so early this morning. As I stared at the ceiling this morning, trying to block out the sounds of the birds chirping (oh how I loath bird chirps in the morning) I thought about how much I am enjoying working with these kids. It dawned on me that this is the first job I have had that I look forward to doing. Yes, I realize I haven't been there for long, but so what. So, while I laid in bed, I thought about the steps I would need to take to make teaching these kids a permanent job (i.e. to become a teacher).
It turns out I have my cards in line (I think that is the expression I'm looking for). I'm not going to do anything drastic though. I am returning to Georgia in August to continue school. Meanwhile, I will continue to keep my mind open to the idea of teaching in the K-12 venue.
Alright everyone, it's 7 a.m. and time for me to take a nap.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Finals Week....
Day one: My first exam is at 8 am today. I woke up at 5:30 and I am surprisingly alert. Unfortunately, being alert does not imply that I am ready.
Exam number 2 is going to be a take home test given to us tomorrow. That scares me a little because the professor can put more difficult questions on it.
Exam 3 (my last) is on Monday in the afternoon. Afterwards, my sister and I are packing up the car and getting the h out of here.
Exam number 2 is going to be a take home test given to us tomorrow. That scares me a little because the professor can put more difficult questions on it.
Exam 3 (my last) is on Monday in the afternoon. Afterwards, my sister and I are packing up the car and getting the h out of here.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Question Sharing
As mentioned my friend from home and I have been sending each other odd "test questions" to answer on our downtime. She recently sent me 2 questions, both of which I enjoyed answering so I thought I would pass them along to you onlookers:
1) Who did you share your first kiss with? Make a prediction as to what he/she is doing nowadays.
2) Put these professions in order starting with the one you would most likely do: gyno, king crab fisherman, chimp trainer, dentist in Mexico City, dairy farmer, stun gun/tazer inspector, Wal-Mart return counter person
My answers*:
1) A: The first person I kissed was C. D. It was in the 6th grade at a Halloween party. Him and I were "dating" and our friends plotted against us by forcing us to play spin the bottle. It just so happened that when he spun the bottle it landed on me (meant to be, eh?). It was a puckered lip fish-kiss...and it was glorious.
I predict that he is in a near catatonic state, sitting in a Barcalounger (note: i had to look that word up) in his parent's basement that is facing a gigantic poster of me in the 6th grade. He is and will forever be pining over me and that one amazing kiss we shared. He will never get a job because of his obsession with me. He does however, continuously apply at Island Tanning in CC, where I held my first job at age 14 as a receptionist/bed cleaner. He is so demented that he has yet to realize that Island Tanning closed down 6 years ago shortly after I moved away.
2) A:
1. King Crab Fisherman-I pick this first if and only if I could star in The Discovery Channel's: Deadliest Catch. I want to be famous someday and I will do whatever it takes to get my foot in the door.
2. Chimp Trainer-Yes, I will likely get poop thrown at me, but the things are just so darn cute AND I am not opposed to throwing my own poop back at them.
3. Wal-Mart Return Counter Person-Seeing as I despise Wal-Mart, I would have zero desire to be good at this job and slash or would get a kick at being rude to rude customers and denying them a return for bogus reasons. I would be the law. Because of me they would be stuck with defective "shower massagers" and the like.
4. Tazer/stungun tester-I put this job in the middle as hopefully after holding this postion for a short period of time, I will become numb to all of the horrible sights, smells and tasks that I will perform in the following jobs
5. Dairy Farmer- Sure I would get all the free milk I could ever ask for, but I only ask for one Milk Chug a week to pour into my cereal. I don't mind the udders, and in fact might enjoy stroking them to get the milk out, HOWEVER, the constant smell of manure would make me gag so much that I would probably sustain severe esophogeal injuries.
6. Dentist in Mexico City-I did a little research and actually Mexico City has a pretty strong economy so the quality of teeth might not be extremely poor, HOWEVER, the thought of putting my hands in anybody's mouth gives me the heebies. The only joy I would get out of this job would be from yelling at people for not flossing enough (while knowing that I have zero intention of doing it myself).
7. Gyno-As mentioned, sticking my hands in anybody's mouth gives me the heebies, and quite frankly the thought of sticking my hand in a vagina gives me the bleeping JEEBIES!
*Note: I apologize if my answers offend you in anyway. It was not my intention. If you hold any one of these professions, my hat is off to you as I know that you must be a much stronger person than I.
1) Who did you share your first kiss with? Make a prediction as to what he/she is doing nowadays.
2) Put these professions in order starting with the one you would most likely do: gyno, king crab fisherman, chimp trainer, dentist in Mexico City, dairy farmer, stun gun/tazer inspector, Wal-Mart return counter person
My answers*:
1) A: The first person I kissed was C. D. It was in the 6th grade at a Halloween party. Him and I were "dating" and our friends plotted against us by forcing us to play spin the bottle. It just so happened that when he spun the bottle it landed on me (meant to be, eh?). It was a puckered lip fish-kiss...and it was glorious.
I predict that he is in a near catatonic state, sitting in a Barcalounger (note: i had to look that word up) in his parent's basement that is facing a gigantic poster of me in the 6th grade. He is and will forever be pining over me and that one amazing kiss we shared. He will never get a job because of his obsession with me. He does however, continuously apply at Island Tanning in CC, where I held my first job at age 14 as a receptionist/bed cleaner. He is so demented that he has yet to realize that Island Tanning closed down 6 years ago shortly after I moved away.
2) A:
1. King Crab Fisherman-I pick this first if and only if I could star in The Discovery Channel's: Deadliest Catch. I want to be famous someday and I will do whatever it takes to get my foot in the door.
2. Chimp Trainer-Yes, I will likely get poop thrown at me, but the things are just so darn cute AND I am not opposed to throwing my own poop back at them.
3. Wal-Mart Return Counter Person-Seeing as I despise Wal-Mart, I would have zero desire to be good at this job and slash or would get a kick at being rude to rude customers and denying them a return for bogus reasons. I would be the law. Because of me they would be stuck with defective "shower massagers" and the like.
4. Tazer/stungun tester-I put this job in the middle as hopefully after holding this postion for a short period of time, I will become numb to all of the horrible sights, smells and tasks that I will perform in the following jobs
5. Dairy Farmer- Sure I would get all the free milk I could ever ask for, but I only ask for one Milk Chug a week to pour into my cereal. I don't mind the udders, and in fact might enjoy stroking them to get the milk out, HOWEVER, the constant smell of manure would make me gag so much that I would probably sustain severe esophogeal injuries.
6. Dentist in Mexico City-I did a little research and actually Mexico City has a pretty strong economy so the quality of teeth might not be extremely poor, HOWEVER, the thought of putting my hands in anybody's mouth gives me the heebies. The only joy I would get out of this job would be from yelling at people for not flossing enough (while knowing that I have zero intention of doing it myself).
7. Gyno-As mentioned, sticking my hands in anybody's mouth gives me the heebies, and quite frankly the thought of sticking my hand in a vagina gives me the bleeping JEEBIES!
*Note: I apologize if my answers offend you in anyway. It was not my intention. If you hold any one of these professions, my hat is off to you as I know that you must be a much stronger person than I.
Friday, April 25, 2008
Mark Your Calendars
As I am coming home soon I would like to propose to my family member readers that we get together one day to enjoy each other's company. It has come to my attention that Mother's Day falls on the weekend that I get home. What better day for us to spend together? In past years we have met at Cantigny Park and enjoyed the beautiful flowers (and tanks if you're into that sort of thing) so I would like to put a suggestion in the box that we spend the afternoon together there. I know one of you would love the flower gardens! So what do you say family? If you have another suggestion, please feel free to let it be known.
Did I mention I miss you?
Did I mention I miss you?
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
What Does Your Postcard Say?
While talking to one of my roomies yesterday, I was informed of Post Secret. The blog owner apparently has been up and running for several years (roomie said she has been a faithful reader for 3 YEARS!). The gist of the site is, people write secrets/confessions on fancily decorated postcards and anonymously send them to him. He then sorts through the thousands he receives and posts a handful on his blog each week. This has become such a popular trend that he has published at least two books cataloguing some of the more interesting postcards.
Roomie just so happened to have one of the books so naturally I dropped what I was doing (homework) and read the book cover to cover while soaking in the tub last night. It was a wonderful read. I felt like I was connecting with millions of people through their secrets yet none of us know each other.
If I were to send in a postcard today it would read: "Saying you love me says nothing! Show me!" I would also probably write it in a scarlet red marker and decorate it with hearts. On the bottom would be me depicted in stick figure form YELLING the words in a cartoon dialogue bubble. Across from me would be Loverboy (again stick-figurized) with a big question mark above his head and his palms up in the air as if he has zero idea what I am talking about.
What would yours say?
Roomie just so happened to have one of the books so naturally I dropped what I was doing (homework) and read the book cover to cover while soaking in the tub last night. It was a wonderful read. I felt like I was connecting with millions of people through their secrets yet none of us know each other.
If I were to send in a postcard today it would read: "Saying you love me says nothing! Show me!" I would also probably write it in a scarlet red marker and decorate it with hearts. On the bottom would be me depicted in stick figure form YELLING the words in a cartoon dialogue bubble. Across from me would be Loverboy (again stick-figurized) with a big question mark above his head and his palms up in the air as if he has zero idea what I am talking about.
What would yours say?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
If I Was Food What Would I Be...
Answer (from Loverboy): Kung Pao Chicken because you're hot!
If that's not pure romance ladies, then I don't know what is.
In other news, my dad visited me last night. He has a meeting today in the big city so he flew in a day early and drove here to take me to dinner. I am assuming most of you are familiar with how big my dad is...not huge, but you know what I mean. Anyway, you can imagine how humorous it was for me to watch him slowly walk up to my door trying to stretch the pain out of his legs from driving two hours in a brand new Mustang. I didn't have the heart to ask if he requested the itty-bitty sports car from the rental agency or if they pegged him as a middle-aged man looking to test drive a mid-life crisisesque car (yes I made that word up, but it works). Regardless, it was funny.
We had a nice daddy-daughter date. He took me to a New Orleans style restaurant (at which I had a side of collard greens, yummy; if you haven't tried them yet I suggest you do). We talked about my future, his future, and the rest of our family's. He also told me there is a rumor going around that my grandparents are heading back to the Midwest soon, which means that I might get to see them when I come home in a few weeks. Correction: I am leaving for home in exactly two weeks from today! Holy crap that's so soon (and yet not soon enough).
On that note, I guess I should probably be studying and slash or looking for a summer job. Know of a place that suits me....or that is hiring?
If that's not pure romance ladies, then I don't know what is.
In other news, my dad visited me last night. He has a meeting today in the big city so he flew in a day early and drove here to take me to dinner. I am assuming most of you are familiar with how big my dad is...not huge, but you know what I mean. Anyway, you can imagine how humorous it was for me to watch him slowly walk up to my door trying to stretch the pain out of his legs from driving two hours in a brand new Mustang. I didn't have the heart to ask if he requested the itty-bitty sports car from the rental agency or if they pegged him as a middle-aged man looking to test drive a mid-life crisisesque car (yes I made that word up, but it works). Regardless, it was funny.
We had a nice daddy-daughter date. He took me to a New Orleans style restaurant (at which I had a side of collard greens, yummy; if you haven't tried them yet I suggest you do). We talked about my future, his future, and the rest of our family's. He also told me there is a rumor going around that my grandparents are heading back to the Midwest soon, which means that I might get to see them when I come home in a few weeks. Correction: I am leaving for home in exactly two weeks from today! Holy crap that's so soon (and yet not soon enough).
On that note, I guess I should probably be studying and slash or looking for a summer job. Know of a place that suits me....or that is hiring?
Thursday, April 17, 2008
If I Were to Write a Test Right Now
The first question would be...
1. Would you rather*:
(a) Eat fish sticks for lunch and dinner everyday for a month (February counts). Fish sticks for breakfast would be optional.
(b) Eat a meal from Sonic that I purchased and sent to you on the next business day (note: I would probably buy it on a Saturday)
(c) Become a vegan
My best friend from IL and I worked together for nearly 6 years and during our downtime (i.e. the majority of the day) we would write each other faux mid-terms that included questions like the one above. While feeling low the other day, I wrote her a test. It was the first one in over a year. I had such a hard time thinking of things to write that it almost made me feel worse. I used to be so creative (or so I thought). Unfortunately, now my brain is so math-focused that I find it difficult to think about anything else. I hate it!
In an attempt to prevent further deterioration of my creativity, I signed up for a French class next semester. One of our degree requirements is to obtain the ability to read in at least one other language. The department strongly recommends that we take our language classes during the summer, but I am sticking it to the man and taking it when I want to take it.
I remember going through undergrad thinking why do I have to take all of these nonsense classes? How is Tolkien and Fantasy Literature going to help me in the future? When am I ever going to pull out my Women in Scripture notes? Now I know the answer: to keep me sane. If I took all classes in one area back then, I would have never finished. Plus, enrolling in those random classes helped maintain the flow of my creative juices.
2. Life is a Highway. Naturally, you want to drive it all night long. What kind of car do you want to drive it in?
*Answer: (a) but for breakfast you choose to eat a meal high in fiber to cleanse your insides
1. Would you rather*:
(a) Eat fish sticks for lunch and dinner everyday for a month (February counts). Fish sticks for breakfast would be optional.
(b) Eat a meal from Sonic that I purchased and sent to you on the next business day (note: I would probably buy it on a Saturday)
(c) Become a vegan
My best friend from IL and I worked together for nearly 6 years and during our downtime (i.e. the majority of the day) we would write each other faux mid-terms that included questions like the one above. While feeling low the other day, I wrote her a test. It was the first one in over a year. I had such a hard time thinking of things to write that it almost made me feel worse. I used to be so creative (or so I thought). Unfortunately, now my brain is so math-focused that I find it difficult to think about anything else. I hate it!
In an attempt to prevent further deterioration of my creativity, I signed up for a French class next semester. One of our degree requirements is to obtain the ability to read in at least one other language. The department strongly recommends that we take our language classes during the summer, but I am sticking it to the man and taking it when I want to take it.
I remember going through undergrad thinking why do I have to take all of these nonsense classes? How is Tolkien and Fantasy Literature going to help me in the future? When am I ever going to pull out my Women in Scripture notes? Now I know the answer: to keep me sane. If I took all classes in one area back then, I would have never finished. Plus, enrolling in those random classes helped maintain the flow of my creative juices.
2. Life is a Highway. Naturally, you want to drive it all night long. What kind of car do you want to drive it in?
*Answer: (a) but for breakfast you choose to eat a meal high in fiber to cleanse your insides
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Where's Gloria Gaynor When You Need Her?
There are less than two weeks left of school...then finals week (blah!). In order to get myself through it I have allowed "I Will Survive" to play in the back of my head throughout the day. Luckily, I got through my presentation last week without any noticeable mistakes. Unfortunately, there were so many questions to be answered throughout the presentation that I did not get to finish. Thus, I have round 2 to look forward to tomorrow afternoon. On the upside, I have two other people working with me to get through this paper so I hopefully I can count on them to help field the questions from the audience.
I cried in a professor's office yesterday. It wasn't a hearty cry. It was a I'm so frustrated that my eyes fill up with tears and they drop down my face while I'm talking/listening to you type of cry. That happened at about 11 am so they pretty much set the tone for the rest of my day at school. In total, my eyes leaked out my body's frustrations five times yesterday (all of which occurred at school). In my defense one of the five times, I sort of laugh-cried. I was talking to one of the few other girls in the department and we started laughing about the fact that I couldn't stop them from coming. We also talked about our professors' goal of breaking us graduate students down to nothing so that we lose all confidence just so hopefully years from now we will truly know what we know. I think they are doing a great job of reaching their goal.
Enough about that. My life has not been totally upsetting these past few weeks. For instance, I have had great pleasure observing a pair of my mathlete peers that recently started dating. The girl is 20 and the guy is roughly 26. I guess you could say that they make a good couple since they both apparently give the BIGGEST most obnoxious looking hickeys I have ever seen [on a person's neck]. Oh how I love being surrounded by socially awkward people that reach their hickey stage in their early to mid 20s.
I cried in a professor's office yesterday. It wasn't a hearty cry. It was a I'm so frustrated that my eyes fill up with tears and they drop down my face while I'm talking/listening to you type of cry. That happened at about 11 am so they pretty much set the tone for the rest of my day at school. In total, my eyes leaked out my body's frustrations five times yesterday (all of which occurred at school). In my defense one of the five times, I sort of laugh-cried. I was talking to one of the few other girls in the department and we started laughing about the fact that I couldn't stop them from coming. We also talked about our professors' goal of breaking us graduate students down to nothing so that we lose all confidence just so hopefully years from now we will truly know what we know. I think they are doing a great job of reaching their goal.
Enough about that. My life has not been totally upsetting these past few weeks. For instance, I have had great pleasure observing a pair of my mathlete peers that recently started dating. The girl is 20 and the guy is roughly 26. I guess you could say that they make a good couple since they both apparently give the BIGGEST most obnoxious looking hickeys I have ever seen [on a person's neck]. Oh how I love being surrounded by socially awkward people that reach their hickey stage in their early to mid 20s.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
I Wish I Had the Option of Conning Somebody into Calling Me Out of School...
I have to give a presentation in my research group today. There are roughly 10-12 people in the group, 3 of which are professors. Our group is "studying" a newer area of mathematics called Tropical Geometry (as my Russian professor likes to say, it's "hot"). I use the term studying loosely as understanding anything that goes on in our meetings requires several years of prerequisite courses that neither I nor 4 of the other first year graduate students in there have been exposed to. I guess you could say the purpose of the group is to throw us unexposed people in with the experienced people so we can talk and get a feel for what is going on in mathematics today.
Either way, I am extremely nervous. I do not mind talking in front of people...as long as I know what it is I am talking about (makes sense, right?). As a group we are going through a paper titled "Automorphisms of Free Groups and Outer Space". If you can tell me what those words mean I would be grateful as I have no idea. Ok, correction: I know what the words mean but when putting them together I become lost.
The goal of my presentation is to get an idea of what a specific example of "outer space" looks like. Unfortunately this is not outer space in the sense of astronomy, but in topological space (again, somebody please tell me what that is because I am not entirely sure.)
I planned on putting the finishing touches on my presentation last night, but after taking a test, spending 10 hours at school and returning home to realize that I left my house key in my office, I knew that doing anything other than laying in the tub and putting songs onto my new Ipod (yay I got it finally!) would cause a mini-nervous breakdown. Instead, I decided to go to sleep at 8:30 last night, which I was able to do with ease and without taking any kind of sleeping medication. So, I woke up at 5:30 this morning and I have felt great all day....until about 15 minutes ago when I realized that I have less than 2 hours until my presentation.
Now I want to go home, crawl into bed and hide under the covers...Save me!
Either way, I am extremely nervous. I do not mind talking in front of people...as long as I know what it is I am talking about (makes sense, right?). As a group we are going through a paper titled "Automorphisms of Free Groups and Outer Space". If you can tell me what those words mean I would be grateful as I have no idea. Ok, correction: I know what the words mean but when putting them together I become lost.
The goal of my presentation is to get an idea of what a specific example of "outer space" looks like. Unfortunately this is not outer space in the sense of astronomy, but in topological space (again, somebody please tell me what that is because I am not entirely sure.)
I planned on putting the finishing touches on my presentation last night, but after taking a test, spending 10 hours at school and returning home to realize that I left my house key in my office, I knew that doing anything other than laying in the tub and putting songs onto my new Ipod (yay I got it finally!) would cause a mini-nervous breakdown. Instead, I decided to go to sleep at 8:30 last night, which I was able to do with ease and without taking any kind of sleeping medication. So, I woke up at 5:30 this morning and I have felt great all day....until about 15 minutes ago when I realized that I have less than 2 hours until my presentation.
Now I want to go home, crawl into bed and hide under the covers...Save me!
Monday, April 7, 2008
Half Empty or Half Full?
Actually it looks to me like it's either 3/4 empty or 1/4 full. I'm swaying towards 1/4 full*. If you are wondering, the answer is: Yes this is the exact wine glass I was looking for this weekend. I spent a decent chunk of my weekend scouring the area for this beautiful, large wine glass and I was without luck. Last night I even went online and searched for places to order from. Unfortunately, and rightly so, not many places deliver cheap wine glasses. Where did I find it and its partner glass (that's right I bought two)? Kroger, the local grocery store! What are the odds that on the day they decided to have a produce sale (big enough to mention in my blog), I happen to venture off into the wine section where they have a gorgeous wine display with these glasses used as fillers? As a mathematician, I naturally calculated said odds and here are the results: pretty high. Seeing as the wine aisle is two aisles before the ice cream aisle, I walk past them every time I go to Kroger, which is at least twice a week (hey a girl has to have something regular in her life). Plus, the glasses have probably been there the entire time that I have been shopping there, and I have never noticed until now. Well back to my school work...
*It doesn't matter. What does is that the bottle is EMPTY! :(
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Feeling Low?
Then run from it while listening to Ingrid Michaelson's The Way I Am. Try not to belt it out. Just try. I heart her voice and I think you would too.
One of my guilty pleasures is listening to my Ipod. It's my escape from EVERYONE here. At least I try to make it my escape. My Ipod is several years old so the battery does not hold charge as long as I would like. Oftentimes when I am in my office I will just put the ear buds in even if the battery is dead to give the appearance that I do not want to be bothered. I figured it would be the nice of way of saying "Leave me alone, I don't want to talk to you or anyone else" without having to say it. However, seeing as nearly everyone here is socially awkward they don't read the sign so they just stand next to me until I acknowledge them. Sometimes I make it a game. How long will you stand next to me quietly waiting while I don't look up????
Anyway, I recently gave in and searched for a refurbished Ipod in my price range. Lucky me I found a good deal on an 8 GB Nano that should be delivered this week. The only pitfall is I could only find one in a gaudy sky blue tone. As long as I can actually tune people out with it instead of faking it, I'll be happy.
In other news, my wine obsession has been going strong. I actually do not have my own wine glasses, though. I have been using my roomies', which are plastic (thankfully so...she is clumsy when sober). If I am going to do this, I need the right equipment. What I really want is an unreasonably large wine glass of my own. My guests can use the plastic cups...unless any of you readers comes over to have a glass...in that case, maybe I should get two. I went on a mini hunt for my glass of choice yesterday, but came home with no such luck. Any suggestions?
Oh, Potential New Roommate stopped by Friday afternoon. She is a reporter for a local newspaper. She seemed like somebody I would get along really well with i.e. somebody that I would become friends with regardless of us living together. She seemed to really like the place, area, us, ...however she wants to think about the cost before she makes her decision. Keep your fingers crossed.
One of my guilty pleasures is listening to my Ipod. It's my escape from EVERYONE here. At least I try to make it my escape. My Ipod is several years old so the battery does not hold charge as long as I would like. Oftentimes when I am in my office I will just put the ear buds in even if the battery is dead to give the appearance that I do not want to be bothered. I figured it would be the nice of way of saying "Leave me alone, I don't want to talk to you or anyone else" without having to say it. However, seeing as nearly everyone here is socially awkward they don't read the sign so they just stand next to me until I acknowledge them. Sometimes I make it a game. How long will you stand next to me quietly waiting while I don't look up????
Anyway, I recently gave in and searched for a refurbished Ipod in my price range. Lucky me I found a good deal on an 8 GB Nano that should be delivered this week. The only pitfall is I could only find one in a gaudy sky blue tone. As long as I can actually tune people out with it instead of faking it, I'll be happy.
In other news, my wine obsession has been going strong. I actually do not have my own wine glasses, though. I have been using my roomies', which are plastic (thankfully so...she is clumsy when sober). If I am going to do this, I need the right equipment. What I really want is an unreasonably large wine glass of my own. My guests can use the plastic cups...unless any of you readers comes over to have a glass...in that case, maybe I should get two. I went on a mini hunt for my glass of choice yesterday, but came home with no such luck. Any suggestions?
Oh, Potential New Roommate stopped by Friday afternoon. She is a reporter for a local newspaper. She seemed like somebody I would get along really well with i.e. somebody that I would become friends with regardless of us living together. She seemed to really like the place, area, us, ...however she wants to think about the cost before she makes her decision. Keep your fingers crossed.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Que Shiraz Shiraz
Update: I have a latest mini-obsession. I started buying wine last week and since then I have been drinking a class almost every night.
My parents have become winos over the past few years and after I turned 21 (actually probably before) I would on occasion drink a glass with them during dinner. I was itching for a light buzz a few nights ago and I was not looking forward to the bloaty aftermath of a cold beer so I bought a bottle of wine instead. After scouring the local package store (i.e. southern liquor store; you can use that one with your friends and boggle their minds; it sure as hell boggles mine), I finally found one of my mother's suggested bottles. It's called House Wine. It is a delicious red made from a mixture of grapes. Plus, the label looks like a child wrote the name and then drew a big house in the middle, which just made it that much better.
Now I am sipping on a Shiraz. I couldn't place the taste of a Shiraz when I was at the PACKAGE store so I bought a trial bottle. If you have a suggestion of a wine you like let me know. Oh, and please keep it in a poor student's price range.
In other news, one of the roomies' boyfriends stayed here over the weekend. It just so happens that her bed is directly above mine. Needless to say I am happy that he is leaving in a few minutes as I will not have to fall asleep to the squeak of her bed tonight. I have not talked to her that much while he has been here, but I am not sure how long I can hold in my burning question: What intense non-sex act (she is a virgin; correction, as of Friday that was her status, now I'm not so sure) were they performing to create that much squeak?
Lastly, in my news, Loverboy and I have made the decision to live with each other during my summer break. I am looking for full-time tutoring positions around his apartment. On top of that, I am trying to find a third roommate to fill in for me during the summer and stay after Cat-Obsessed Roommate moves out in August. Know anybody?* If you do, send them to my ad on Craigslist.com (i.e. my second current obsession).
*Perhaps if you got a hold of Georgia Niecy, she would accept the offer.
My parents have become winos over the past few years and after I turned 21 (actually probably before) I would on occasion drink a glass with them during dinner. I was itching for a light buzz a few nights ago and I was not looking forward to the bloaty aftermath of a cold beer so I bought a bottle of wine instead. After scouring the local package store (i.e. southern liquor store; you can use that one with your friends and boggle their minds; it sure as hell boggles mine), I finally found one of my mother's suggested bottles. It's called House Wine. It is a delicious red made from a mixture of grapes. Plus, the label looks like a child wrote the name and then drew a big house in the middle, which just made it that much better.
Now I am sipping on a Shiraz. I couldn't place the taste of a Shiraz when I was at the PACKAGE store so I bought a trial bottle. If you have a suggestion of a wine you like let me know. Oh, and please keep it in a poor student's price range.
In other news, one of the roomies' boyfriends stayed here over the weekend. It just so happens that her bed is directly above mine. Needless to say I am happy that he is leaving in a few minutes as I will not have to fall asleep to the squeak of her bed tonight. I have not talked to her that much while he has been here, but I am not sure how long I can hold in my burning question: What intense non-sex act (she is a virgin; correction, as of Friday that was her status, now I'm not so sure) were they performing to create that much squeak?
Lastly, in my news, Loverboy and I have made the decision to live with each other during my summer break. I am looking for full-time tutoring positions around his apartment. On top of that, I am trying to find a third roommate to fill in for me during the summer and stay after Cat-Obsessed Roommate moves out in August. Know anybody?* If you do, send them to my ad on Craigslist.com (i.e. my second current obsession).
*Perhaps if you got a hold of Georgia Niecy, she would accept the offer.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
I Need Advice
What is a good way to say, "Bitch, you drank the rest of my milk and now I am pissed at you?" without turning the situation into a big situation?
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Bad News Puts Me in Bad Moods
Yesterday I received my email of rejection from Ohio State University. While reading it, I felt like my lungs were collapsing and at one point. I thought I would have to call a paramedic to remove the enormous elephant sitting on my chest. Instead, I sucked back the puddles of tears that were forming, logged off my computer, left the building and walked to my car. While I driving home, I sat in silence, listing off all the consequences of that dreaded email. As I pulled into the driveway, my shower of tears began. Let's just say, there is no longer a drought in My Neck of the Woods, Georgia.
What could anybody say to me to make me feel better? It's not as if I am being left in a horrible situation. Nothing is changing. I just have to stay here longer. Big deal, right?
That's the point, though. Nothing is changing. My life is going to continue while the distance between me and everyone that I love stays the same. I hate distance. I hate waiting. And, even though I am not in a horrible situation, I hate it.
I told Loverboy last night that we were going to have to wait longer to move in together. All he could say was, "This sucks." I don't know what I wanted him to say, but hearing "This sucks" over and over again wasn't very reassuring. I can't help but think that it is my fault that we are not physically together. But then again, I did everything that I could to get myself there. What did he do?
I feel like him and I are in a little rut. My news definitely did not help dig us out. I am going to visit him in less than 2 weeks. We will be with each other for an entire 2 weeks. I am hoping we can get back to normal by the end of our visit. But then again, what is normal with us? We continuously compare our current relationship to our old relationship when we lived within 10 minutes of each other. We have to move on from that and come to terms with the fact that our relationship is long distance and it will be for longer than our old, close relationship.
On the bright side, at least I found out that I am not moving just in time to renew my lease. Plus, I decided that once the semester is over and I have time to breathe, I am going to adopt a pet. With Loverboy and everyone else so far away, I need something of my own to cuddle besides my pillows.
What could anybody say to me to make me feel better? It's not as if I am being left in a horrible situation. Nothing is changing. I just have to stay here longer. Big deal, right?
That's the point, though. Nothing is changing. My life is going to continue while the distance between me and everyone that I love stays the same. I hate distance. I hate waiting. And, even though I am not in a horrible situation, I hate it.
I told Loverboy last night that we were going to have to wait longer to move in together. All he could say was, "This sucks." I don't know what I wanted him to say, but hearing "This sucks" over and over again wasn't very reassuring. I can't help but think that it is my fault that we are not physically together. But then again, I did everything that I could to get myself there. What did he do?
I feel like him and I are in a little rut. My news definitely did not help dig us out. I am going to visit him in less than 2 weeks. We will be with each other for an entire 2 weeks. I am hoping we can get back to normal by the end of our visit. But then again, what is normal with us? We continuously compare our current relationship to our old relationship when we lived within 10 minutes of each other. We have to move on from that and come to terms with the fact that our relationship is long distance and it will be for longer than our old, close relationship.
On the bright side, at least I found out that I am not moving just in time to renew my lease. Plus, I decided that once the semester is over and I have time to breathe, I am going to adopt a pet. With Loverboy and everyone else so far away, I need something of my own to cuddle besides my pillows.
Monday, February 4, 2008
Remember When Playing Tag Kept You In Shape?
In accordance with Pokey's game of tag, I have listed below five weird/random things about myself and five places I would like to see for the first time or just visit again.
Five Weird/Randoms About Me:
In other news:
I took cousin Chris's advice and e-mailed Travelocity about my unsatisfaction. About an hour ago, I received an apologetic email from Travelociy, Passport to Fun and Shopping Essentials along with a refund of all of my money. Thanks Chris!
Five Weird/Randoms About Me:
- When I listen to certain songs on my Ipod, I imagine that I am in a movie and the song is playing in the background as if on the soundtrack.
- Unless I am really focused I usually have at least three thoughts running through my head while the rest of my brain repeats lyrics to some random song.
- Almost all of my moles are in pairs. I have two on the side of my belly button that make it look like a smiley face. [Sidenote: if Loverboy is upset I can usually get him to crack a smile by flashing him my smiling belly.]
- I think the holiday Reese's [i.e. Easter Egg Reese's or Christmas Tree Reese's] are sooo much better than the normal peanut butter cups.
- The smell of licorice gives me nausea.
- My parents house
- Loverboy's apartment
- Both of my grandparents' houses
- The Caribbean, but only if my sister goes with me so we can take on Tortuga again
- Alaska, but not until I am a little older so I can really appreciate it.
In other news:
I took cousin Chris's advice and e-mailed Travelocity about my unsatisfaction. About an hour ago, I received an apologetic email from Travelociy, Passport to Fun and Shopping Essentials along with a refund of all of my money. Thanks Chris!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Travelocity Sounds Like a Happy Word, Right?
I feel naive/silly/stupid/duped. Here's why:
I started booking semi-regular flights in August to visit Loverboy and my family. I like checking out different airlines at one time so I can compare/contrast so I have been using Travelocity.com. Well, if you have used the site recently you probably noticed that after paying for a flight, in the same window as your flight confirmation, there is a yellow box screaming for you to click on it that says "Click here to receive $20 back" (ok that's probably not verbatim, but that's what my memory remembers reading). Naturally, I clicked the box. After clicking, a new window popped up that asked me to verify my email address and the credit card info that I used to pay for my flight. I proceeded until a new window popped up with a list of businesses/services...that wanted me to check out their "great deals yada yada yada." I became disinterested at that point and closed all of the windows and walked away.
That happened sometime in September. A few days ago, while checking my bank statement I noticed a $14.95 charge at something called Passport to Fun. I thought, hmm that's odd, I have never heard of this place, it sounds kind of dirty, what could I have bought there? I decided to google the place to see if it would jog my memory and what did I find? Blogs like mine discussing the fraudulant "business" that sucked hundreds of dollars out of their bank accounts. Instantly, I called the number for Passport to Fun that was on my bank statement and cancelled my so called "membership" that I had unknowingly signed up for by clicking the yellow box. While on the phone I waited on hold for over 10 minutes to talk to a representative of the company, and naturally after those 10 minutes I still did not talk to a representative. I was naive again in thinking that I would be able to get through to somebody.
Later that day, I received an email from Membershipservices [of Passport to Fun] informing me that my "membership" was in fact cancelled. At the bottom it was written that if I had any questions or comments, I should feel free to respond to the email....and respond I did. I was livid! I'm still waiting to hear back...
It took the rest of the day for me to get over my anger. I finally came to terms with the fact that maybe it was my fault for not checking my statement earlier in October when the first charge came. I checked my bank account again yesterday morning to make sure my paycheck was received. What did I see?!?!? Another $14.95 charge from a place called Shopping Essentials! What the hell?!?! I called right away and it was the same automated message...to cancel your membership press 1...to speak to a representative press 2...I pressed 2. Somehow, I got through right away.
While on the phone I had Alex, the representative, explain to me how I "enrolled" into their program (through Travelocity she said); if her company was affiliated with Passport to Fun (yes, they are sister "companies"); how many other sister "companies" have my credit card info (none, she claimed); and if I could talk to her supervisor. When she asked what I wanted with her supervisor, I responded, "TO GET MY MONEY BACK!" She said, "Oh I can issue the refund." We'll see about that. She also said she can refund the money that Passport to Fun stole from me. I'd like to believe that. Only time will tell. I don't know how I could get a refund after cancelling my debit card and getting a new one.
I am shocked that a site as popular as Travelocity.com would have a link to a fraudulent site like that. I am also shocked/confused as to how my credit information was transferred to the other "companies". It makes me sick even thinking about it. If I don't get my refund then there's not much I can do except warn everyone I know by telling them my story. If you know anyone that uses Travelocity please pass this on*.
*And if youwork for one of the "companies" mentioned above, you're probably going to hell.
I started booking semi-regular flights in August to visit Loverboy and my family. I like checking out different airlines at one time so I can compare/contrast so I have been using Travelocity.com. Well, if you have used the site recently you probably noticed that after paying for a flight, in the same window as your flight confirmation, there is a yellow box screaming for you to click on it that says "Click here to receive $20 back" (ok that's probably not verbatim, but that's what my memory remembers reading). Naturally, I clicked the box. After clicking, a new window popped up that asked me to verify my email address and the credit card info that I used to pay for my flight. I proceeded until a new window popped up with a list of businesses/services...that wanted me to check out their "great deals yada yada yada." I became disinterested at that point and closed all of the windows and walked away.
That happened sometime in September. A few days ago, while checking my bank statement I noticed a $14.95 charge at something called Passport to Fun. I thought, hmm that's odd, I have never heard of this place, it sounds kind of dirty, what could I have bought there? I decided to google the place to see if it would jog my memory and what did I find? Blogs like mine discussing the fraudulant "business" that sucked hundreds of dollars out of their bank accounts. Instantly, I called the number for Passport to Fun that was on my bank statement and cancelled my so called "membership" that I had unknowingly signed up for by clicking the yellow box. While on the phone I waited on hold for over 10 minutes to talk to a representative of the company, and naturally after those 10 minutes I still did not talk to a representative. I was naive again in thinking that I would be able to get through to somebody.
Later that day, I received an email from Membershipservices [of Passport to Fun] informing me that my "membership" was in fact cancelled. At the bottom it was written that if I had any questions or comments, I should feel free to respond to the email....and respond I did. I was livid! I'm still waiting to hear back...
It took the rest of the day for me to get over my anger. I finally came to terms with the fact that maybe it was my fault for not checking my statement earlier in October when the first charge came. I checked my bank account again yesterday morning to make sure my paycheck was received. What did I see?!?!? Another $14.95 charge from a place called Shopping Essentials! What the hell?!?! I called right away and it was the same automated message...to cancel your membership press 1...to speak to a representative press 2...I pressed 2. Somehow, I got through right away.
While on the phone I had Alex, the representative, explain to me how I "enrolled" into their program (through Travelocity she said); if her company was affiliated with Passport to Fun (yes, they are sister "companies"); how many other sister "companies" have my credit card info (none, she claimed); and if I could talk to her supervisor. When she asked what I wanted with her supervisor, I responded, "TO GET MY MONEY BACK!" She said, "Oh I can issue the refund." We'll see about that. She also said she can refund the money that Passport to Fun stole from me. I'd like to believe that. Only time will tell. I don't know how I could get a refund after cancelling my debit card and getting a new one.
I am shocked that a site as popular as Travelocity.com would have a link to a fraudulent site like that. I am also shocked/confused as to how my credit information was transferred to the other "companies". It makes me sick even thinking about it. If I don't get my refund then there's not much I can do except warn everyone I know by telling them my story. If you know anyone that uses Travelocity please pass this on*.
*And if youwork for one of the "companies" mentioned above, you're probably going to hell.
Monday, January 28, 2008
There is a (Hot) Guy Staring at Me at the Moment
Loverboy (finally) got a web cam for Christmas. Thinking ahead, I made sure my laptop had one before buying it. These past few weeks have been exponentially better than all of last semester all because of our web cams. We have dates every once in a while in which we will both watch the same movie at the same time while our computers "sit" next to us. We started playing each other in checkers on yahoo.com. In one window he'll be trying to distract me while in the other I am getting kinged. Sometimes when I am really lonely, I'll put my computer in bed next to me so it's as if we are laying next to each other. Although it sounds sad, it makes me feel better after seeing his face.
Naturally, as with everything, hanging out via web cam has its pros and cons:
Pros* and Cons
Naturally, as with everything, hanging out via web cam has its pros and cons:
Pros* and Cons
- Um, duh we get to see each other
- No kissing
- Shaving is not required of us
- We don't get to touch each other
- Bad breath? Not a problem.
- He can still see my acne
- He can see me smile
- Our Internet connection has more control over our dates than we do
- I can see him smile
- NO KISSING
- We are both smiling more
- Kisses can't be transmitted via web cam
- We are laughing more
- The more I see him knowing that I can't kiss him, the more I yearn to kiss him
- People we encounter on a daily basis are happier because our happiness makes us nicer
To sum up, his web cam is making the world a better place.
*I had issues with the coloring. I'm not really obsessed with Christmas. Although, I have been talking about it a lot lately...?
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Hey Doc, Does This Look Normal to You?
It's that time of year again. Time for a check-up, that is. I finally found a gynecologist that I like a couple of years ago, but unfortunately I cannot afford to fly her here to give me a physical. Before I make an appointment with a new doctor, I want to get some recommendations from my friends. I feel more comfortable going in knowing that the doctor does not come off as creepy.
A few nights ago I asked one of my roomies if she has a gynecologist in the area.
Her response: an appalled look on her face followed by a sharp, "Um, noooo."
My response: "Alright then, um thanks."
What I really wanted to say was, "Hellllllooo! You're 25 years old and you don't have a gynecologist?!?!? You need to get yourself checked out!!!"
It turns out that she has never been to a gyno. Why? Apparently it is because she has never had sex. The gyno is not a sex doctor! That is definitely not the only reason to have check-ups! I wanted to smack her in the face and shake her back into reality!
I have been going to the gyno regularly since I was 16. Not one of my appointments were for sexual reasons. If anything, I have gone just to get the added reassurance that my body is normal. I keep having this reoccurring thought that when she finally does have her first experience at the gyno, she's going to be traumatized.
Is anyone else bothered by this? Isn't it the rule of thumb for women to have regular check-ups after the age of 18 if not earlier? Could it be a religous thing?
A few nights ago I asked one of my roomies if she has a gynecologist in the area.
Her response: an appalled look on her face followed by a sharp, "Um, noooo."
My response: "Alright then, um thanks."
What I really wanted to say was, "Hellllllooo! You're 25 years old and you don't have a gynecologist?!?!? You need to get yourself checked out!!!"
It turns out that she has never been to a gyno. Why? Apparently it is because she has never had sex. The gyno is not a sex doctor! That is definitely not the only reason to have check-ups! I wanted to smack her in the face and shake her back into reality!
I have been going to the gyno regularly since I was 16. Not one of my appointments were for sexual reasons. If anything, I have gone just to get the added reassurance that my body is normal. I keep having this reoccurring thought that when she finally does have her first experience at the gyno, she's going to be traumatized.
Is anyone else bothered by this? Isn't it the rule of thumb for women to have regular check-ups after the age of 18 if not earlier? Could it be a religous thing?
Friday, January 25, 2008
I'd like to Introduce you to My New Friend
If you have spent more than say 5 hours with me, you might know that I am addicted to Red Bull. It's a habit I picked up while in undergrad. Several of my friends at the time were older than me and when we hung out at bars (ie restaurant bars that I could get into) while they drank beer and other fun drinks, I drank Red Bull on the rocks. At times I was so bad that I would drink up to 4 cans in one sitting. Now the company makes it much easier to become an addict with their 12 and 16 oz cans. I knew I had hit rock bottom when, as a graduation present, Loverboy's mother bought a 24-pack of Red Bull.
When I moved here, I had a fresh start. I slowly weened myself off RB by drinking something else caffeinated (ie Diet Coke). Having the word Diet in its name can be a little misleading. Just because it's a diet drink does not mean I should drink more of them, right? Tell my cravings that. I am now just as bad with the Diet Coke than I was with the RB. I never drank dark pop (yes, pop people, I'm from the Midwest, that's what it's called) before moving here, but now...I'm addicted.
I realized how bad I was after expressing my anger over my roomies taking the last of my cans. I am starting to think that it's not the drinks that I'm addicted to (although they are sooo tasty). I think it's the caffeine. If that's the case, I might as well drink coffee like most people. Today I made my first pot and it's actually pretty good*! This may the start of a new relationship. Coffee, I have to warn you, you have some pretty big shoes to fill.
*I apologize if my breath offends you. I have yet to figure out how to get the bad breath taste out of my mouth after a drink.
When I moved here, I had a fresh start. I slowly weened myself off RB by drinking something else caffeinated (ie Diet Coke). Having the word Diet in its name can be a little misleading. Just because it's a diet drink does not mean I should drink more of them, right? Tell my cravings that. I am now just as bad with the Diet Coke than I was with the RB. I never drank dark pop (yes, pop people, I'm from the Midwest, that's what it's called) before moving here, but now...I'm addicted.
I realized how bad I was after expressing my anger over my roomies taking the last of my cans. I am starting to think that it's not the drinks that I'm addicted to (although they are sooo tasty). I think it's the caffeine. If that's the case, I might as well drink coffee like most people. Today I made my first pot and it's actually pretty good*! This may the start of a new relationship. Coffee, I have to warn you, you have some pretty big shoes to fill.
*I apologize if my breath offends you. I have yet to figure out how to get the bad breath taste out of my mouth after a drink.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
SERENITY NOW!
My life has become pretty routine since I moved here. I wake up, shower, pack a lunch, get dressed then head out to school where I stay until my brain hurts. It's a pretty simple life in which I look forward to the little things.
It's 9:35 am and today's routine has already been tainted. To explain why, I must back up a little bit. As you probably know, my roommate has 2 cats. They are damn near the nastiest cats I have ever encountered and I am pretty sure they are the first of many that she will be spending the rest of her life with (that's a whole different story). They are the opposite of cuddly, they have coarse hair and they stink up the house with their stinky kitty poops. Just a warning, if the house doesn't smell like kitty poops then it probably smells like their nasty canned wet food because their mommy doesn't know how to properly dispose of the cans when she's done with them.
Anyway, during winter break I was away from the nasty cats and the stinky house for close to a month. It was glorious. When I returned home after the break, I went into my room to drop off my things and on my way I walked past MY bathroom and noticed the new addition...A KITTY LITTER BOX! I don't know what happened while I was away that facilitated the need for a second litter box in the house, but I was not the happiest when I saw it. I bit my tongue though. Who doesn't love to walk out of the shower onto bits of stray litter? It's a natural exfoliant, right?
Flash forward to this morning. After finally dragging myself out of bed, I grabbed my robe from the hook and groggily walked into the bathroom to tinkle and shower. As I reached the doorway BAM! the stink hit me in the face! I was awake! I looked down and to my surprise, one of the cats had left me a little fresh present on the bathmat. WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING A LITTER BOX IN THE ROOM IF IT IS NOT USED?!?! Although it was the gift that kept on giving, I was not happy.
I dealt with it though and continued to get ready for the rest of my day. After showering and eating breakfast, I started to pack my lunch. When my parents visited in September, they bought me this cute little lunchbox that has slots for ice packs. It's the perfect size to fit a sandwich, chips, a granola bar and my two Diet Cokes for the day. I made my sandwich, put the ice packs in the lunchbox then opened the fridge, reached into my Coke Zero with Cherry fridge pack only to find that it was empty! Not only did one of my roommates drink the last of my Diet Coke, she also felt the need to leave the empty box in the fridge as an extra slap in the face.
As I said, it's the little things in my life that I look forward to. I look forward to taking a shower in a kitty poop free environment. I like knowing that I don't have to pay double for a drink at the Coke machine.
Unfortunately, knowing me, I will not say anything to either of my roommates. I will not tell them how much they frustrate me. Instead, I will go to Kroger tonight and buy a 24-pack of Diet Coke that I will keep in my room and refrigerate as necessary.
It's 9:35 am and today's routine has already been tainted. To explain why, I must back up a little bit. As you probably know, my roommate has 2 cats. They are damn near the nastiest cats I have ever encountered and I am pretty sure they are the first of many that she will be spending the rest of her life with (that's a whole different story). They are the opposite of cuddly, they have coarse hair and they stink up the house with their stinky kitty poops. Just a warning, if the house doesn't smell like kitty poops then it probably smells like their nasty canned wet food because their mommy doesn't know how to properly dispose of the cans when she's done with them.
Anyway, during winter break I was away from the nasty cats and the stinky house for close to a month. It was glorious. When I returned home after the break, I went into my room to drop off my things and on my way I walked past MY bathroom and noticed the new addition...A KITTY LITTER BOX! I don't know what happened while I was away that facilitated the need for a second litter box in the house, but I was not the happiest when I saw it. I bit my tongue though. Who doesn't love to walk out of the shower onto bits of stray litter? It's a natural exfoliant, right?
Flash forward to this morning. After finally dragging myself out of bed, I grabbed my robe from the hook and groggily walked into the bathroom to tinkle and shower. As I reached the doorway BAM! the stink hit me in the face! I was awake! I looked down and to my surprise, one of the cats had left me a little fresh present on the bathmat. WHAT IS THE POINT OF HAVING A LITTER BOX IN THE ROOM IF IT IS NOT USED?!?! Although it was the gift that kept on giving, I was not happy.
I dealt with it though and continued to get ready for the rest of my day. After showering and eating breakfast, I started to pack my lunch. When my parents visited in September, they bought me this cute little lunchbox that has slots for ice packs. It's the perfect size to fit a sandwich, chips, a granola bar and my two Diet Cokes for the day. I made my sandwich, put the ice packs in the lunchbox then opened the fridge, reached into my Coke Zero with Cherry fridge pack only to find that it was empty! Not only did one of my roommates drink the last of my Diet Coke, she also felt the need to leave the empty box in the fridge as an extra slap in the face.
As I said, it's the little things in my life that I look forward to. I look forward to taking a shower in a kitty poop free environment. I like knowing that I don't have to pay double for a drink at the Coke machine.
Unfortunately, knowing me, I will not say anything to either of my roommates. I will not tell them how much they frustrate me. Instead, I will go to Kroger tonight and buy a 24-pack of Diet Coke that I will keep in my room and refrigerate as necessary.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Man are my Hands Cold!
This morning while rushing out the door I realized that it was garbage day. With one roomie gone and the other still in bed, I realized that the only way the garbage/mountain of recycling would be collected was if I gathered everything and brought it out to the driveway. So, I loaded my backpack, purse, bag of extra books and lunchbox into my car (yes, I have to carry four bags around everyday. you may call me a bag lady if you must). Then I started my car to let it heat up. That's right folks, contrary to popular belief it gets chilly here. Then I ran back and forth from the house to the bins, from the house to the bins, from the house to the bins until I had all of the recyclables out of the house. Then I made three trips from the side of the house to the end of the driveway until everything was ready to be picked up.
What is the meaning of this you ask? Well, as I said it was chilly this morning and while I was wearing my cute, black and puffy winter jacket, my hands were cold. The entire time I was completing my chores I thought about this fabulous pair of knitted green fingerless gloves that I let slip away during the Christmas grab-bag game. I tried coaxing the winner of the gloves into trading with me after the game, but there was no convincing her.
Oh speaking of Christmas...did I mention that during our family party I found out that my aunt had been sending me the junk mail (that has been filling up my recycling bin) under the pseudonym Georgia Niecy? She just so happened to be the same aunt that knitted those gorgeous fingerless gloves. What a talented sneak.
I have to go get some lunch now. I have to end this early so I can put my winter jacket on. Luckily it has cozy pockets that I can use to warm my hands...because it's chilly.
*Is it apparent yet that I want some fingerless gloves a la Auntie D? Did I mention my birthday is a little over a month away? I know she knows my address. Correction: she knows Georgia Niecy's address.
What is the meaning of this you ask? Well, as I said it was chilly this morning and while I was wearing my cute, black and puffy winter jacket, my hands were cold. The entire time I was completing my chores I thought about this fabulous pair of knitted green fingerless gloves that I let slip away during the Christmas grab-bag game. I tried coaxing the winner of the gloves into trading with me after the game, but there was no convincing her.
Oh speaking of Christmas...did I mention that during our family party I found out that my aunt had been sending me the junk mail (that has been filling up my recycling bin) under the pseudonym Georgia Niecy? She just so happened to be the same aunt that knitted those gorgeous fingerless gloves. What a talented sneak.
I have to go get some lunch now. I have to end this early so I can put my winter jacket on. Luckily it has cozy pockets that I can use to warm my hands...because it's chilly.
*Is it apparent yet that I want some fingerless gloves a la Auntie D? Did I mention my birthday is a little over a month away? I know she knows my address. Correction: she knows Georgia Niecy's address.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Six Minutes and Counting
I just arrived at school. Yes, it's MLK day and yes we do not have classes as school is technically closed for the day, but I am here. Was I here yesterday? Sure was. How about Saturday? Yep. I promised myself I would start working on homework at 10 am today. Just to push the limit, I am not going to start before.
Ok, ok I may have opened a book for a minute or two but then when I realized what I was doing I slammed it shut and threw it across the room. The latter part of that sentence is a complete lie, but that is my sick fantasy. Being the nerd that I am, though, I would never treat my books like that.
During the drive here I could not stop thinking about how wonderful Christmas was this year. Yes, it has almost been a month since the festivities but that just goes to show you how much fun I had. Nine Strapping Stallions, Eleven Chip-N-Dale Calendars, Five Barbie Dolls and Two DOOOOUUUUBBBBBBLLLLLLEEEE DDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEES! I cannot wait to see what happens next year!
It's 10:01 people! I just broke my promise to myself. That can't be a good way to start the day.
Peace.
Ok, ok I may have opened a book for a minute or two but then when I realized what I was doing I slammed it shut and threw it across the room. The latter part of that sentence is a complete lie, but that is my sick fantasy. Being the nerd that I am, though, I would never treat my books like that.
During the drive here I could not stop thinking about how wonderful Christmas was this year. Yes, it has almost been a month since the festivities but that just goes to show you how much fun I had. Nine Strapping Stallions, Eleven Chip-N-Dale Calendars, Five Barbie Dolls and Two DOOOOUUUUBBBBBBLLLLLLEEEE DDDDDDDDDDEEEEEEEEEES! I cannot wait to see what happens next year!
It's 10:01 people! I just broke my promise to myself. That can't be a good way to start the day.
Peace.
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