I have a hard time finding anyone who reacts as strongly to insect bites as I do. Last month, it was black flies. This month, mosquitoes.
Three nights ago I wore long pants and a long sleeved shirt while mini-golfing. The mosquitoes managed to find places on my feet, my wrist, and my back (through a tank top and a long-sleeved shirt people) to bite me?!
The one on my wrist is bad. I totally had cellulitis (but certainly not as bad as the photos on the link). It was red, raised, warm, bumpy. Not pretty. This morning, I finally decided it was time to invest in benadryl. It has occurred to me to take an oral antihistamine when I have particularly bad bites, but I never actually have. I have had bites that take weeks to heal, even if I am being good and not scratching! At the end of my trip to Africa, I had three REALLY infected bites on my feet (and the scars to prove it). So today I took matters into my own hands. I took the low dose of benadryl alllll day, had antibiotic ointment on it while at work, took an anti-inflammatory towards the end of the day because it was still inflamed, and put calamine on it when I got home to dry it out.
Now it is barely pink and the only bump is where the darn mosquito actually bit me. Nothing like aggressively treating a mosquito bite!
31 July 2008
30 July 2008
Positive thoughts
Every day I try to think positively about something. There are some things going right and some things that stink, so I think about those good things. They are doing a pretty good job of putting me in a good mood, that is for sure! Officemates were saying Monday that it stinks that it was Monday and the beginning of the week.
My friend said that Mondays are good! If it is Monday, it's the beginning of a week, which means another week ended, which means that it is one less week she has to be in grad school. So Mondays are good!
Mondays are also ice cream days because a local shop had a promotion on Mondays. I am not sure what is good about Tuesdays. I have been to the beach two Wednesday afternoons now (including today!); Thursdays are practically the end of the week; Fridays ARE the end of the week; Saturdays you can sleep in and relax and if you don't get done what you wanted to, you still have Sunday. Sunday is a day of rest, right? If I had to choose, I think Thursday would be my favorite day right now. During the school year, Thursdays fly by. When Thursday is over, before you know it, it is Friday and the weekend!
Anyone have a favorite day and a reason?
My friend said that Mondays are good! If it is Monday, it's the beginning of a week, which means another week ended, which means that it is one less week she has to be in grad school. So Mondays are good!
Mondays are also ice cream days because a local shop had a promotion on Mondays. I am not sure what is good about Tuesdays. I have been to the beach two Wednesday afternoons now (including today!); Thursdays are practically the end of the week; Fridays ARE the end of the week; Saturdays you can sleep in and relax and if you don't get done what you wanted to, you still have Sunday. Sunday is a day of rest, right? If I had to choose, I think Thursday would be my favorite day right now. During the school year, Thursdays fly by. When Thursday is over, before you know it, it is Friday and the weekend!
Anyone have a favorite day and a reason?
29 July 2008
Being prepared pays off!
I will be moving before I know it. I am gone for just over two weeks, then I will visit my friend who will have had her baby by then, then I move 1 1/2 weeks after that (or sooner if the apartment is open). SO, I have been going through different areas of my apartment to clean them out so that I will be able to just pack and not have to go through things when I pack. Hopefully that will make it easier!
Tonight I found my photo CDs from the photos I took in Africa! I had looked for them to no avail, but had obviously not looked in the one box shoved in the back of the basement. I have posted a few photos before, but here are a couple more.
Tonight I found my photo CDs from the photos I took in Africa! I had looked for them to no avail, but had obviously not looked in the one box shoved in the back of the basement. I have posted a few photos before, but here are a couple more.
28 July 2008
For now...
...I feel like I have lots I need to process, and usually that ends up as some sort of word vomit of a post. Like when I tried to lay out my summer because I couldn't believe I had so much going on. If anyone read through this whole post, you should totally get something in return (which I frequently threaten but never follow up on...rewarding readers...hmmm....). I look at it and feel like telling my February 10, 2008-self to give it up already. Actually, there is a funny paragraph in the middle about how maybe it was not going to be so bad being the only single bridesmaid at my friends' wedding. I am going to have to TOTALLY agree with my February 10, 2008-self on that one?!
Anyway. Point being, there is a lot going on right now, I have not really processed it all or made decisions on it all, and/or I do not know what, if any, of it I should really write about here.
CONVENIENTLY, Sparkling Red has bestowed this really freakin' cute award on me so I can distract you while I figure some of this stuff out.
Plus it kinda makes me happy to think that people enjoy reading. :-)
Anyway. Point being, there is a lot going on right now, I have not really processed it all or made decisions on it all, and/or I do not know what, if any, of it I should really write about here.
CONVENIENTLY, Sparkling Red has bestowed this really freakin' cute award on me so I can distract you while I figure some of this stuff out.
Plus it kinda makes me happy to think that people enjoy reading. :-)
27 July 2008
Always nice to get a break.
I had the best intentions to get some work done at home this weekend, like updating my lab notebook contents page, reading, thinking about how I would spend my last day before heading to Montana. Instead, I did not do any work.
BUT, I did have a good weekend, and that makes it a little easier to actually go back to work. The good deals I got shopping, spending time on the phone last night with a couple of friends catching up, having brunch with the Groomsman (yup, we are still seeing each other as regularly as possible for two people with busy schedules), Pats Training camp with my sister...sorta...because it poured. We kept calling and they were not canceling it. They (and I suppose we) should have figured out this would happen. I think you can tell how much it poured in this picture...
As a result, their practice was moved inside and we could sit in the stadium and watch it this way...
They were sure to put up a message to visit the Pro Shop though. "Come to practice and we will cancel it right when you are waiting in line and then go spend your money to buy clothes!"
My sister and I left and got dinner instead.
BUT, I did have a good weekend, and that makes it a little easier to actually go back to work. The good deals I got shopping, spending time on the phone last night with a couple of friends catching up, having brunch with the Groomsman (yup, we are still seeing each other as regularly as possible for two people with busy schedules), Pats Training camp with my sister...sorta...because it poured. We kept calling and they were not canceling it. They (and I suppose we) should have figured out this would happen. I think you can tell how much it poured in this picture...
As a result, their practice was moved inside and we could sit in the stadium and watch it this way...
They were sure to put up a message to visit the Pro Shop though. "Come to practice and we will cancel it right when you are waiting in line and then go spend your money to buy clothes!"My sister and I left and got dinner instead.
26 July 2008
What am I becoming?
So, my sister finally acknowledged that she reads by commenting the other day. She just had to point out that although I give her a hard time that she will turn into our mother and I will not, the other person who sings alllll the time, just like I admitted to that day, is none other than our Mom. Well, she also admitted that she sings a lot too. Now I figure if we split the Momness of the things we do, maybe we will not really end up like our mother?
You know what else I do that comes from my Mom though? Go directly to the sale rack in a store before looking around. I definitely got that from my mother. Nothing like a good deal!
My roommate and I headed to some outlets today, and boy did we find deals. Well, really, my roommate is really good at picking things out for me, so she found me good deals. My roommate also likes a good deal. The best? We combined our Banana Republic purchases so we could also use a 15% off $100+ purchase. We got two tank tops and five pairs of pants between the two of us for the low price of $108 at BR?!
My Mom would be proud.
You know what else I do that comes from my Mom though? Go directly to the sale rack in a store before looking around. I definitely got that from my mother. Nothing like a good deal!
My roommate and I headed to some outlets today, and boy did we find deals. Well, really, my roommate is really good at picking things out for me, so she found me good deals. My roommate also likes a good deal. The best? We combined our Banana Republic purchases so we could also use a 15% off $100+ purchase. We got two tank tops and five pairs of pants between the two of us for the low price of $108 at BR?!
My Mom would be proud.
25 July 2008
Who is actually stuck in the middle?
I swear the apartment/lease situation in my house is a mess. It is like a soap opera.
Background: The boys on the first floor do not shovel or take the garbage out, and every time one of them showers, there is a stream of water that runs out the shower's window down the driveway and they watch us from their couch when we shovel and barely say hi when we say hi first and do not talk to us in general. Apparently their apartment is a mess, per a recent viewing by the people on the third floor.
I am pretty good friends with the couple who lives on the third floor. Third floor woman and I are both grad students, but in different departments, and are involved with the student council. She just finished her masters though. Lucky.
My roommate and I have lived on the second floor for 3 years. We tell our landlord if there is a problem. Our lease ends August 1.
The third floor tenants and my roommate and I shovel and take out the garbage and grill and have people over and share the back porch (unbeknown to my roommate apparently) and share the driveway and coordinate things and talk (well, really I talk to the people upstairs).
Issue: The boys on the first floor are finally moving out on September 1. The couple on the third floor wants to move to the first floor to have more space and is sort of going month-by-month right now I think. I want my own apartment. I am 29, and it is time, for sure. HOPEFULLY, I will only want to live in this exact spot one more year. SO, ideally I would be able to take over the third floor lease. Because I am moving out, my roommate's boyfriend is moving in, ahead of when they apparently would have chosen to otherwise move in together. Not that they did not intend to in the next year, but that is a different story that did impact my desire to move out.
Our landlord asked if my roommate and I could extend our lease until September 1. This worked out okay, as her boyfriend's roommate(/friend/landlord) also said it was okay for him to stay until Sept 1. Good so far.
Third floor couple saw first floor apartment, and it is a mess. They wanted to make sure that a professional cleaner came in before their stuff did. Then the landlord decided that the bathroom actually needed to be redone, it was such a disaster from water going into the window and whatever else. He says it will take at least 2 weeks.
Then all hell broke loose.
I leave in less than two weeks for a course and vacation. I know I can stay in this apartment until September 1st, but do not want to extend past that. I already am staying longer than I thought I would when I told my roommate I would move out, and it would be weird for my roommate's boyfriend to essentially move into "our" apartment and then have me move out. I am very sensitive to that, as I can imagine if I were in their situation how I would feel.
The landlord has sent weird emails with unnecessary personal commentary on the situation. He does not understand why we have to ask for my roommate's "permission" to have me stay in this apartment while he redoes the first floor bathroom and then everyone can switch around within the house. He does not understand why it would be such a big deal for my roommate, roommate's boyfriend, and I to live together for 2 weeks. The landlord obviously wants us all to stay so he would not have to find a new tenant for the third floor. She and I are basically okay about the situation because we are forwarding emails we receive, but it could get tense, and that is not worth it.
At this point, I am looking for other apartments and just want to know where I will be living Sept 1. It does not bother me that this whole situation is difficult, because eventually I will know where I will live. The only thing I really worry about is whether I would be able to get movers at this point. Third floor woman really wants me to stay in the house. Roommate wishes she and boyfriend could "help me out" and "let" me stay a couple of extra weeks, but I do not need to be helped out. Landlord makes my roommate look like the bad person in emails, as if it is her fault that the boys made a disaster of their bathroom that needs to be fixed.
I just want everyone to realize that this is not about waiting to have work done so we can all stay in the house or being flexible or having two weeks of tension living with my roommate and her boyfriend that could go bad. Aside from weird emails and misunderstandings, the situation in and of itself is not personal. Let me be selfish for a moment though...
I JUST WANT MY OWN APARTMENT.
Background: The boys on the first floor do not shovel or take the garbage out, and every time one of them showers, there is a stream of water that runs out the shower's window down the driveway and they watch us from their couch when we shovel and barely say hi when we say hi first and do not talk to us in general. Apparently their apartment is a mess, per a recent viewing by the people on the third floor.
I am pretty good friends with the couple who lives on the third floor. Third floor woman and I are both grad students, but in different departments, and are involved with the student council. She just finished her masters though. Lucky.
My roommate and I have lived on the second floor for 3 years. We tell our landlord if there is a problem. Our lease ends August 1.
The third floor tenants and my roommate and I shovel and take out the garbage and grill and have people over and share the back porch (unbeknown to my roommate apparently) and share the driveway and coordinate things and talk (well, really I talk to the people upstairs).
Issue: The boys on the first floor are finally moving out on September 1. The couple on the third floor wants to move to the first floor to have more space and is sort of going month-by-month right now I think. I want my own apartment. I am 29, and it is time, for sure. HOPEFULLY, I will only want to live in this exact spot one more year. SO, ideally I would be able to take over the third floor lease. Because I am moving out, my roommate's boyfriend is moving in, ahead of when they apparently would have chosen to otherwise move in together. Not that they did not intend to in the next year, but that is a different story that did impact my desire to move out.
Our landlord asked if my roommate and I could extend our lease until September 1. This worked out okay, as her boyfriend's roommate(/friend/landlord) also said it was okay for him to stay until Sept 1. Good so far.
Third floor couple saw first floor apartment, and it is a mess. They wanted to make sure that a professional cleaner came in before their stuff did. Then the landlord decided that the bathroom actually needed to be redone, it was such a disaster from water going into the window and whatever else. He says it will take at least 2 weeks.
Then all hell broke loose.
I leave in less than two weeks for a course and vacation. I know I can stay in this apartment until September 1st, but do not want to extend past that. I already am staying longer than I thought I would when I told my roommate I would move out, and it would be weird for my roommate's boyfriend to essentially move into "our" apartment and then have me move out. I am very sensitive to that, as I can imagine if I were in their situation how I would feel.
The landlord has sent weird emails with unnecessary personal commentary on the situation. He does not understand why we have to ask for my roommate's "permission" to have me stay in this apartment while he redoes the first floor bathroom and then everyone can switch around within the house. He does not understand why it would be such a big deal for my roommate, roommate's boyfriend, and I to live together for 2 weeks. The landlord obviously wants us all to stay so he would not have to find a new tenant for the third floor. She and I are basically okay about the situation because we are forwarding emails we receive, but it could get tense, and that is not worth it.
At this point, I am looking for other apartments and just want to know where I will be living Sept 1. It does not bother me that this whole situation is difficult, because eventually I will know where I will live. The only thing I really worry about is whether I would be able to get movers at this point. Third floor woman really wants me to stay in the house. Roommate wishes she and boyfriend could "help me out" and "let" me stay a couple of extra weeks, but I do not need to be helped out. Landlord makes my roommate look like the bad person in emails, as if it is her fault that the boys made a disaster of their bathroom that needs to be fixed.
I just want everyone to realize that this is not about waiting to have work done so we can all stay in the house or being flexible or having two weeks of tension living with my roommate and her boyfriend that could go bad. Aside from weird emails and misunderstandings, the situation in and of itself is not personal. Let me be selfish for a moment though...
I JUST WANT MY OWN APARTMENT.
24 July 2008
Woohoo!
You know what a great way to end a day is? An award/meme all in one?!?! Maybe I will write about my apartment/lease/moving saga for tomorrow. For now, something happy and fun!
Ron bestowed this BEAUtiful award
[drumroll, please]...
1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award through creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogger community, no matter of language.
2. Each award should have the name of the author with a link to their blog.
3. Award winners have to post the award with the name and link to the blog of the person who gave them the award.
4. Please include a link to the Arte Y Pico blog so that everyone will know where the award came from.
5 blogs that deserve this award (and have not already received it to be fair):
Danielle: Well, I blame it on her that it even occurred to me to start a blog. Just kidding. It was great working with her a while back and exchanging music and getting advice. I am also known to steal her amazing flower photos as desktop photos.
Ern and Aurora: They are grad students. I am a grad student. It is always good to know there are more of us out there who try to enjoy our lives outside of grad school while also succumbing to the hecticness of it once in a while. Ern knows a lot about birds and Aurora has a great new look over at her blog.
Chick: She is honest and shares herself and manages to crack you up with any story, sad or hilarious in itself.
Victoria Winters: Any time I need a good dose of ridiculously cute, I head over there for pictures. And stories of food. Yum.
The meme part is that you have to post 5 little known fact about yourself. I find this meme part rather suspicious, as it is not mentioned on the original award page, but what the heck. I will also go with little known by those of you who don't know me in real life facts.
1. My nose is pierced. I swear I am just adjusting the nose ring and not picking my nose. Really.
2. I LOVE to sing. I have stopped pretending I do not and have taken the show out of the car and onto the road. My iPod's on when I am focusing in lab? I sing. I am working at the lab computer and it is quiet? I put in some good singable music and sing. I walk around the apartment to do something random? I hum. I sit here and do this meme? I sing along to the CD player.
3. I am addicted to Facebook games. My sister recently went on vacation and that broke me of the habit a bit. I have work to do so I can finish grad school after all!
4. I know how to play the flute and piano. I still pick up my flute a few times a year. Pianos are harder to pick up. ;-)
5. I like putting fancy bows on presents. I still give few enough presents at the holidays, not having kids of my own and all, to put bows on everything. Some day I figure I will not make the time anymore.
Alright. Time to do some work. For real.
Ron bestowed this BEAUtiful award
[drumroll, please]...
The Arte Y Pico Award
Luckily, the rules have been translated from Portuguese and are as follows:
1. You have to pick 5 blogs that you consider deserve this award through creativity, design, interesting material, and also contributes to the blogger community, no matter of language.
2. Each award should have the name of the author with a link to their blog.
3. Award winners have to post the award with the name and link to the blog of the person who gave them the award.
4. Please include a link to the Arte Y Pico blog so that everyone will know where the award came from.
5 blogs that deserve this award (and have not already received it to be fair):
Danielle: Well, I blame it on her that it even occurred to me to start a blog. Just kidding. It was great working with her a while back and exchanging music and getting advice. I am also known to steal her amazing flower photos as desktop photos.
Ern and Aurora: They are grad students. I am a grad student. It is always good to know there are more of us out there who try to enjoy our lives outside of grad school while also succumbing to the hecticness of it once in a while. Ern knows a lot about birds and Aurora has a great new look over at her blog.
Chick: She is honest and shares herself and manages to crack you up with any story, sad or hilarious in itself.
Victoria Winters: Any time I need a good dose of ridiculously cute, I head over there for pictures. And stories of food. Yum.
The meme part is that you have to post 5 little known fact about yourself. I find this meme part rather suspicious, as it is not mentioned on the original award page, but what the heck. I will also go with little known by those of you who don't know me in real life facts.
1. My nose is pierced. I swear I am just adjusting the nose ring and not picking my nose. Really.
2. I LOVE to sing. I have stopped pretending I do not and have taken the show out of the car and onto the road. My iPod's on when I am focusing in lab? I sing. I am working at the lab computer and it is quiet? I put in some good singable music and sing. I walk around the apartment to do something random? I hum. I sit here and do this meme? I sing along to the CD player.
3. I am addicted to Facebook games. My sister recently went on vacation and that broke me of the habit a bit. I have work to do so I can finish grad school after all!
4. I know how to play the flute and piano. I still pick up my flute a few times a year. Pianos are harder to pick up. ;-)
5. I like putting fancy bows on presents. I still give few enough presents at the holidays, not having kids of my own and all, to put bows on everything. Some day I figure I will not make the time anymore.
Alright. Time to do some work. For real.
23 July 2008
Traveling with boys
The hike I went on over the weekend was with two boys. Two boys and me. Let me tell you. Boys think girls are moody and indecisive? REALLY?
We drove to my parents house Friday night and had talked about going into town to grab a drink. Boy 1 said they had to get their picture taken with a local. Funny. :-) I was hoping the owner of the bar was there, because he knows me. I had to settle for a bartender. Another friend had commented that the at least the bartender does not know me because I go there all the time, you know, because I do not live there. I had to admit that he knows me because I used to go there all the time. Anyway. Indecisive point one. I left it up to the boys whether they wanted to go in. I grew up there, after all, so it was not going to be exciting for me (except a friend ended up meeting up with us and it was great to hear the town gossip). I would have been happy staying at my parents and having a beer in the hot tub. I do not think either of them liked that idea. Finally they decide, fine, we will go grab a drink. They buy me a beer for driving all weekend. So far not too bad.
Then I am under the impression we are going to try to leave the house definitely by 8:00. I wake up early and am all excited that I get to go back to sleep. I wake up again at 7:00 and not a peep in the house. 10 minutes later, I get up and let the cat out. My parents were not home, so I went outside and checked out what they had cleared since I was last there. They live in the woods, after all. See? This is me and my niece and nephew picking berries there last summer..JPG)
Around 7:30 a.m., Boy 2 emerges. Boy 1, who had the great idea to leave early? Still in bed. Boy 2 and I make some PB&Js and are ready to go. I joke that I will send the cat in to wake up Boy 1 who does NOT like animals. Boy 2 goes over to the room to get Boy 1 up. Boy 1 starts barking at Boy 2 and I yell, "Geez! Someone is cranky in the morning!" (As if I should talk, but at this point I had been up for an hour.) {pause} "What?" Boy 1 yells back. "Uh, nothing." :-)
Come to find out, Boy 1 did not fall asleep until 4:00. Not my problem. I had been up for an hour?! We finally make it out of the house and grab an amazing breakfast at a local diner. All is good. We end up driving around and trying to figure out the trail map and the teenager at the toll house for the road was not remotely helpful. Boys can not help me decide where to park and where to look for the trail. Finally we see a trail sign, park, and are off.
I take the lead and look back and Boys are far behind. I was worried because they are both much taller than me. I go to the gym though. Boy 1 claims I was so fast because of all the yoga I do. The hiking part was fun. I did not even think about work/school!
The ride home after showering was full of cranky and indecision. Boy 1 slept a lot, so that was good. Deciding where to stop for dinner? Impossible: No cash for the cash only place. Neither is happy with fast food. That local place is too expensive. We drove too far and must have missed the Sports Grille. We should go back and look. Really? McDonald's again? Maybe we should just keep looking?
Finally I told them we were eating at McD's again, and they both shut up.
Now I apparently have two hiking buddies. I think it is because I am happy to drive and they can sleep, I like being outside and do not complain, I do not back out, plus I am happy to make decisions for them and am far less cranky than either of them.
We drove to my parents house Friday night and had talked about going into town to grab a drink. Boy 1 said they had to get their picture taken with a local. Funny. :-) I was hoping the owner of the bar was there, because he knows me. I had to settle for a bartender. Another friend had commented that the at least the bartender does not know me because I go there all the time, you know, because I do not live there. I had to admit that he knows me because I used to go there all the time. Anyway. Indecisive point one. I left it up to the boys whether they wanted to go in. I grew up there, after all, so it was not going to be exciting for me (except a friend ended up meeting up with us and it was great to hear the town gossip). I would have been happy staying at my parents and having a beer in the hot tub. I do not think either of them liked that idea. Finally they decide, fine, we will go grab a drink. They buy me a beer for driving all weekend. So far not too bad.
Then I am under the impression we are going to try to leave the house definitely by 8:00. I wake up early and am all excited that I get to go back to sleep. I wake up again at 7:00 and not a peep in the house. 10 minutes later, I get up and let the cat out. My parents were not home, so I went outside and checked out what they had cleared since I was last there. They live in the woods, after all. See? This is me and my niece and nephew picking berries there last summer.
.JPG)
Around 7:30 a.m., Boy 2 emerges. Boy 1, who had the great idea to leave early? Still in bed. Boy 2 and I make some PB&Js and are ready to go. I joke that I will send the cat in to wake up Boy 1 who does NOT like animals. Boy 2 goes over to the room to get Boy 1 up. Boy 1 starts barking at Boy 2 and I yell, "Geez! Someone is cranky in the morning!" (As if I should talk, but at this point I had been up for an hour.) {pause} "What?" Boy 1 yells back. "Uh, nothing." :-)Come to find out, Boy 1 did not fall asleep until 4:00. Not my problem. I had been up for an hour?! We finally make it out of the house and grab an amazing breakfast at a local diner. All is good. We end up driving around and trying to figure out the trail map and the teenager at the toll house for the road was not remotely helpful. Boys can not help me decide where to park and where to look for the trail. Finally we see a trail sign, park, and are off.
I take the lead and look back and Boys are far behind. I was worried because they are both much taller than me. I go to the gym though. Boy 1 claims I was so fast because of all the yoga I do. The hiking part was fun. I did not even think about work/school!
The ride home after showering was full of cranky and indecision. Boy 1 slept a lot, so that was good. Deciding where to stop for dinner? Impossible: No cash for the cash only place. Neither is happy with fast food. That local place is too expensive. We drove too far and must have missed the Sports Grille. We should go back and look. Really? McDonald's again? Maybe we should just keep looking?
Finally I told them we were eating at McD's again, and they both shut up.
Now I apparently have two hiking buddies. I think it is because I am happy to drive and they can sleep, I like being outside and do not complain, I do not back out, plus I am happy to make decisions for them and am far less cranky than either of them.
22 July 2008
If only it hadn't been hazy.
I went hiking this weekend. Do you see the trail???
Right at the beginning, we wondered if we should keep on going. Then the trail cleared up a bit. The view from the top was great, but obviously would have been better if some of the haze had burned off.
This was a fellow hiker we found on the way down.
This is a view of the monastary that manages the mountain road and owns a lot of the land.
Gotta run, but wanted to post some pictures!
Right at the beginning, we wondered if we should keep on going. Then the trail cleared up a bit. The view from the top was great, but obviously would have been better if some of the haze had burned off.
This was a fellow hiker we found on the way down.
This is a view of the monastary that manages the mountain road and owns a lot of the land.
Gotta run, but wanted to post some pictures!
21 July 2008
35 Years
Today my parents have been married for 35 years.
There are lots of anti-examples in life. My parents are a prime example of what I do want to be though! I know it has not always been easy, not because they made that apparent to us growing up, but because how could it be easy living with the same person for 35 years? Their first date/dance/kiss was New Year's Eve and they were married the following July 21st. My Mom always says that they did NOT know each other at all when they got married.
I love stories from their honeymoon: they did not have any money left and spent the last night of their honeymoon eating Kentucky Fried Chicken and drinking cheap beer by the ocean. My Mom claims she had never seen a condom and made my Dad buy one on their honeymoon (no need to fill in other stories here).
They obviously got to know each other over the past 35 years, continued to love each other, and made it through the hard times. They do not read (nor do they need to bro & sis), but it does make me happy to know that they are still together, setting an example, and wanted to share.
There are lots of anti-examples in life. My parents are a prime example of what I do want to be though! I know it has not always been easy, not because they made that apparent to us growing up, but because how could it be easy living with the same person for 35 years? Their first date/dance/kiss was New Year's Eve and they were married the following July 21st. My Mom always says that they did NOT know each other at all when they got married.
I love stories from their honeymoon: they did not have any money left and spent the last night of their honeymoon eating Kentucky Fried Chicken and drinking cheap beer by the ocean. My Mom claims she had never seen a condom and made my Dad buy one on their honeymoon (no need to fill in other stories here).
They obviously got to know each other over the past 35 years, continued to love each other, and made it through the hard times. They do not read (nor do they need to bro & sis), but it does make me happy to know that they are still together, setting an example, and wanted to share.
A weekend without internet is...
...rather annoying if you think you are going to have internet.
...a weekend with one less method of procrastination.
...a good way to get reading done for work because you have no other choice.
...not conducive to figuring out what kind of laptop you want to invest in.
...unfortunate because if you think of a bunch of things to post about - hiking, grad school, my desire to finish grad school...
...still not a good enough excuse to go into the lab on the weekend.
...a great excuse to meet up with a friend for brunch, go shopping, and spend money you do not really have.
...a weekend with one less method of procrastination.
...a good way to get reading done for work because you have no other choice.
...not conducive to figuring out what kind of laptop you want to invest in.
...unfortunate because if you think of a bunch of things to post about - hiking, grad school, my desire to finish grad school...
...still not a good enough excuse to go into the lab on the weekend.
...a great excuse to meet up with a friend for brunch, go shopping, and spend money you do not really have.
17 July 2008
The big 3-0-0
I feel like with my 300th post should come some retrospective, like I have seen others do when they hit a milestone post. My favorite post. My funniest post. My favorite this or that. I forget what I have posted though! I was looking for a particular post the other day and came across a whole bunch I had forgotten about?! This whole post-a-day thing really makes me forget all the random things I have thought important enough to post on a given day! I also wonder what happened in the years between when daily journals were in and when blogs were in? I guess people just wrote stuff in a book and kept it to themselves?
I had forgotten about this rhubarb recipe and totally intend to make it for a department function now!
I particularly like this post about the things I have hanging on my walls, because it reminds me of all the places I have been and makes me look forward to whatever adventures lie ahead (like to South American and Antarctica, the two continents I have left to visit!!).
If you want a good example of a Jen story, here you go!
Sometimes I feel bad when I have a string of rough days and post things like this that are all about how I get down. Then there are the positives I try hard to put on them and make myself realize to deal with them. I should also read this post more often, because everything on there makes me smile. (Actually, if I read all my 100 things posts, I like them all. They are totally me.)
So, anyway, thanks to all the friends out there who I know in my daily life and who I know here on the blog for reading and commenting and making me laugh and offering insight! Even though I feel like I started this blog to try to prevent myself from repeating stories (YEAH RIGHT?!), it has definitely evolved as an outlet for things which get me down and about which I am excited. Hopefully you laugh sometimes, or enjoy a picture here and there. Hopefully I have reciprocated your attention on your blog (if you lurk, I can not do that unless you identify yourself!).
Ummm...What else? I guess that is it for now. Until tomorrow, when I have to post again... :-)
I had forgotten about this rhubarb recipe and totally intend to make it for a department function now!
I particularly like this post about the things I have hanging on my walls, because it reminds me of all the places I have been and makes me look forward to whatever adventures lie ahead (like to South American and Antarctica, the two continents I have left to visit!!).
If you want a good example of a Jen story, here you go!
Sometimes I feel bad when I have a string of rough days and post things like this that are all about how I get down. Then there are the positives I try hard to put on them and make myself realize to deal with them. I should also read this post more often, because everything on there makes me smile. (Actually, if I read all my 100 things posts, I like them all. They are totally me.)
So, anyway, thanks to all the friends out there who I know in my daily life and who I know here on the blog for reading and commenting and making me laugh and offering insight! Even though I feel like I started this blog to try to prevent myself from repeating stories (YEAH RIGHT?!), it has definitely evolved as an outlet for things which get me down and about which I am excited. Hopefully you laugh sometimes, or enjoy a picture here and there. Hopefully I have reciprocated your attention on your blog (if you lurk, I can not do that unless you identify yourself!).
Ummm...What else? I guess that is it for now. Until tomorrow, when I have to post again... :-)
16 July 2008
Huh *UPDATED*
The moment one gives close attention to anything, even a blade of grass, it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself.I posted this earlier today, at work, even though I do NOT do that at work, just in case my internet was still funky. It is back up and running, but a little slow. SO, I figured I should give you an example of what Henry Miller may have been talking about.- Henry Miller
'Cuz, you know, even though I took the afternoon off to go to the beach today and it was great, sometimes these darn seagulls are so annoying and loud. (Take the scene in Finding Nemo when they are all screeching "Mine Mine Mine Mine" and then your 2-year old nephew mimicking them.) But if you stop to notice how different each one is and have the pleasure of watching how clever they are casing various towels looking for food, they are more entertaining than anything
15 July 2008
Everyone needs a theme song
The ups and downs of my (PCR) experiments had me singing this today after my labmate told me I am too nice to become a crazy cat lady and I responded with a heartfelt sarcastic, "Yeah, I'm real pleasant to be around today."
So I started singing my fall-back song to sing from my high school days (this is an easy one to guess because all the words of the title are right there).
I hate the world todayThe same labmate's default song is this:
You're so good to me, I know
But I can't change
I tried to tell you
But you look at me like maybe I'm an angel underneath
Innocent and sweet.
Oh I wish I were an Oscar Mayer weiner...But she only sings one line.
So I started singing my fall-back song to sing from my high school days (this is an easy one to guess because all the words of the title are right there).
If you want to destroy my sweater...Woah-ah-woah-ah-woah.P.S. You'll notice I missed a day? So sad, but my computer and/or the internet are not working at home. Grrr...This has happened before and puts a total wrench in trying to post every day?!
Hold this thread as I walk away... As I walk away.
Watch me unravel, I'll soon be naked.
Lying on the floor, lying on the floor
I've come undone.
13 July 2008
Why do I do this?
Last summer I started this blog mostly so I would not keep repeating the same ridiculous stories about the world of online dating to friends. Blech.
Then I started putting some lyrics out there to guess, and some recipes I liked as I made them.
Then around the first of the year, I came across Blog365. I figured, "Hey, why not?"
Then it became a challenge. I would think all day about what I would write and sometimes come up with something I needed to get out, and sometimes come up with something completely and utterly random.
Then I was outed and finally gave in and gave my brother and sister the web address.
Then I met a Groomsman, who I like.
Then I figured I should hold off writing anymore about said Groomsman for a while and just let things happen.
Then the past few days I have had a hard time coming up with anything completely and utterly random to write about because I find myself talking about the Groomsman and thinking about that randomly throughout the day instead of other things that are completely and utterly random to post.
I have to keep going though! Blog365?! But then I will go to a course and vacation for the first couple of weeks of August and not try to post everyday. Right now, posts like this are more for keeping my life straight in my head, I think.
I am sure you all will miss me dearly when the beginning of August rolls around, but I will at least push to post something everyday until I leave. :-)
I am also only a couple of days away from my 300th post. CRAZY?!
Then I started putting some lyrics out there to guess, and some recipes I liked as I made them.
Then around the first of the year, I came across Blog365. I figured, "Hey, why not?"
Then it became a challenge. I would think all day about what I would write and sometimes come up with something I needed to get out, and sometimes come up with something completely and utterly random.
Then I was outed and finally gave in and gave my brother and sister the web address.
Then I met a Groomsman, who I like.
Then I figured I should hold off writing anymore about said Groomsman for a while and just let things happen.
Then the past few days I have had a hard time coming up with anything completely and utterly random to write about because I find myself talking about the Groomsman and thinking about that randomly throughout the day instead of other things that are completely and utterly random to post.
I have to keep going though! Blog365?! But then I will go to a course and vacation for the first couple of weeks of August and not try to post everyday. Right now, posts like this are more for keeping my life straight in my head, I think.
I am sure you all will miss me dearly when the beginning of August rolls around, but I will at least push to post something everyday until I leave. :-)
I am also only a couple of days away from my 300th post. CRAZY?!
12 July 2008
Almost like magnetic poetry
I saw a link to this over at Ern's and liked the looks of it. It was randomly made from words in my blog. Here's a link if you want to make your own!
11 July 2008
Very enjoyable lunches
This week has been weird at work for many reasons. I am really trying to force myself to get things done because I no longer enjoy doing it. I like being busy, but I can not make myself be busy even though I have plenty I could do to make myself busy. Something weird happened on Tuesday that we will probably never know about. We all get bitter that we are inside when it is so beautiful outside.
Last week we were commenting that we never head to this square near campus to grab lunch anymore. This week, we took it upon ourselves to make ourselves happy by going out to lunch. A lot.
Monday was burritos and ice cream.
Tuesday was lunch in.
Wednesday was sandwiches ordered out.
Thursday was margaritas and tex-mex out.
Today, my friend and I headed to my house to eat last night's left-overs on our porch. Then we had ice cream sandwiches.
If I keep this up, all that time spent at the gym will be for naught.
Last week we were commenting that we never head to this square near campus to grab lunch anymore. This week, we took it upon ourselves to make ourselves happy by going out to lunch. A lot.
Monday was burritos and ice cream.
Tuesday was lunch in.
Wednesday was sandwiches ordered out.
Thursday was margaritas and tex-mex out.
Today, my friend and I headed to my house to eat last night's left-overs on our porch. Then we had ice cream sandwiches.
If I keep this up, all that time spent at the gym will be for naught.
10 July 2008
Any etiquette?
I have a feeling the ultimate answer to my question is that when you invite a group over for dinner, they are at your house for as long as they are at your house. There is no proper etiquette for asking people to leave.
I had a group over to dinner at 7:00. They left at 11:00. It was intended as a "business" dinner with some other grad students as we are handing over responsibilities. I have had this dinner the past couple of years because, call me crazy, but I think it is nice to have a home cooked meal and to get off campus! I do not mind hanging out and not doing business stuff, but we ate and hung out for 2 hours and then transitioned into business stuff for 2 hours. I got up 3 hours into the evening to put stuff away in the fridge and people picked stuff up and helped out and then sat back down and kept talking.
This is okay in the sense that I am picking up the newlyweds at midnight (or later, their flight was delayed). But I also did not get to call the groomsman tonight because it was too late.
So is there a polite way to encourage people to wrap up the evening?
I had a group over to dinner at 7:00. They left at 11:00. It was intended as a "business" dinner with some other grad students as we are handing over responsibilities. I have had this dinner the past couple of years because, call me crazy, but I think it is nice to have a home cooked meal and to get off campus! I do not mind hanging out and not doing business stuff, but we ate and hung out for 2 hours and then transitioned into business stuff for 2 hours. I got up 3 hours into the evening to put stuff away in the fridge and people picked stuff up and helped out and then sat back down and kept talking.
This is okay in the sense that I am picking up the newlyweds at midnight (or later, their flight was delayed). But I also did not get to call the groomsman tonight because it was too late.
So is there a polite way to encourage people to wrap up the evening?
09 July 2008
Proof
See, I really did go to the game the other day.
That is the mascot, Wally. The park is pushing the green thing, and Poland Springs has people come around to collect water bottles.
Too bad I don't have a picture of my sweaty back to show you. I'm sure you are all sad.
One social night down (a spa night that a friend won who has a small apartment so we did it here). Tomorrow, it is dinner for 7. I hope I have enough food.
That is the mascot, Wally. The park is pushing the green thing, and Poland Springs has people come around to collect water bottles.Too bad I don't have a picture of my sweaty back to show you. I'm sure you are all sad.
One social night down (a spa night that a friend won who has a small apartment so we did it here). Tomorrow, it is dinner for 7. I hope I have enough food.
08 July 2008
The one thing I truly hate about New England
This weather is ABSOLUTELY ridiculous. 90 degrees. Humid. Thunderstorms predicted, but no end in site.
In the winter, you can always put more clothes on. In the summer, you can only take so much off and still go out in public.
In other news, something crazy is going on at work. I can't really say anything, because I don't know anything, but something happened at the end of the day when I was at a different event. I am really curious, but am not sure I will be able to find out what happened. I did call my friend who is a year ahead of me in lab to make sure she was okay. I told her whatever happened, my impression was that she could not say anything, and that was fine. BUT, I wanted her to know if she needed anything, to let me know. Her fiance is out of town, so even if she wanted company! She said she would be in tomorrow, so that is a good sign. Sorry to be vague, but I don't want to end up in whatever mess is happening, particularly because I don't now what it is.
Not to belabor the point, but DOWN WITH THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY. GROSS.
In the winter, you can always put more clothes on. In the summer, you can only take so much off and still go out in public.
In other news, something crazy is going on at work. I can't really say anything, because I don't know anything, but something happened at the end of the day when I was at a different event. I am really curious, but am not sure I will be able to find out what happened. I did call my friend who is a year ahead of me in lab to make sure she was okay. I told her whatever happened, my impression was that she could not say anything, and that was fine. BUT, I wanted her to know if she needed anything, to let me know. Her fiance is out of town, so even if she wanted company! She said she would be in tomorrow, so that is a good sign. Sorry to be vague, but I don't want to end up in whatever mess is happening, particularly because I don't now what it is.
Not to belabor the point, but DOWN WITH THE HEAT AND HUMIDITY. GROSS.
07 July 2008
Four for Four
So far, I seem to be good luck for the Red Sox. I have been to four games, all of which they have won, and during none of which it rained. They should maybe consider having me at all the games? I'm just sayin'...
Of course tonight was soooooo ridiculously hot that I did not take a picture of my sister and I enjoying the game 'cuz we were gross. I sweat so much I had sweat stains in many places. Blech. I hate sweating for no reason and this weather is exactly the type I do NOT like at all. I need a shower and bed. Gotta rest up for date #2!
Of course tonight was soooooo ridiculously hot that I did not take a picture of my sister and I enjoying the game 'cuz we were gross. I sweat so much I had sweat stains in many places. Blech. I hate sweating for no reason and this weather is exactly the type I do NOT like at all. I need a shower and bed. Gotta rest up for date #2!
06 July 2008
Pseudo-birding
I have become more observant of birds recently, and sometimes know what they are. Growing up, my grandparents had bird feeders and would identify birds, various relatives on my Mom's side would imitate birds with their whistling, and now my Mom is all about the bird feeders and what birds are out there (during the winter months when the bear are in hibernation so she can actually put the feeders up). My parents have had some cool birds up on their mountain. A snowy owl one winter, for example!
The other two bird observations of which I am proud recently:
1. I was walking to get coffee mid-day and there was a bird on the ground. I did not really take note until it flew away and I got a good look at the bright red marking on the back of its head and the bright yellow feathers under its wings. As a I got closer, I noticed that it had been pecking at ants. So I get back to my department and go right to one of the grad students who does bird to find out what it was. The second I said it was pecking at ants, he knew exactly what it was. A Northern Flicker woodpecker. Go me.
2. Then I was driving to my sister's house the other day and spotted a bright red bird fly across the road. I wanted to see if it could be a male Cardinal or a Scarlet Tanager, but did not get a good look at its size. I did see a bright orange bird fly away from the branch the bright red one had landed on. A Baltimore Oriole.
I also grabbed my camera one day when I was sitting on the porch to take a photo of these birds. I have no idea what they are, but they looked like they were enjoying each other's company.
The other two bird observations of which I am proud recently:
1. I was walking to get coffee mid-day and there was a bird on the ground. I did not really take note until it flew away and I got a good look at the bright red marking on the back of its head and the bright yellow feathers under its wings. As a I got closer, I noticed that it had been pecking at ants. So I get back to my department and go right to one of the grad students who does bird to find out what it was. The second I said it was pecking at ants, he knew exactly what it was. A Northern Flicker woodpecker. Go me.
2. Then I was driving to my sister's house the other day and spotted a bright red bird fly across the road. I wanted to see if it could be a male Cardinal or a Scarlet Tanager, but did not get a good look at its size. I did see a bright orange bird fly away from the branch the bright red one had landed on. A Baltimore Oriole.
I also grabbed my camera one day when I was sitting on the porch to take a photo of these birds. I have no idea what they are, but they looked like they were enjoying each other's company.
05 July 2008
Crashing
I keep thinking I will get a break in various time commitments I make for myself. July was going to be *the* month to get *everything* done in lab.
June had a conference and a wedding and lots of visitors (roommate's parents, brother, and friend). I felt BUSY.
August has MOVING, a week in Montana, a week in Oregon, and hopefully a mid-week visit to my friend who will have given birth to her baby by then. How am I supposed to get work done in August?
July. July was going to be it. Lots of work to get done. NOW? Fourth of July weekend is almost over, Sox game, dinner with the boy, a friend won a home spa night thing and does not have room so it is at my place, dinner for the student council officers for which I am cooking, friend of a friend's birthday party, wedding shower 2 hours away, party at a French couple's place for the 14th, weekend in VT, PACKING?!, MOVING?!, wanting to spend time with the boy. How am I going to get anything done in July??????
Thursday night around 7:30 I was DONE for the day. I totally crashed and did not know how I was going to stay awake until a reasonable hour (i.e. 8:30 or 9:00) to go to bed. Happened again today but I am pushing through to get the laundry done. Tomorrow is the last class for the Sunday yoga I do and that was always a great way to start the week. Oiy.
The Groomsman (what a handy nickname!) and I spent 3 and a half hours meandering around the city talking today. We were sitting on a bench and he was asking me about when I think I'll be finishing. The plan, which I am sure I have mentioned, is to graduate next May. This means I have to hand in my FINAL version of my dissertation by APRIL 11. This means I have to defend my dissertation by the end of MARCH. AHHHH...
But that's not the point. The point is that it is strange to talk about what you are doing a year from now with someone you just met. I always thought to look in this area and Oregon for a post-doc (i.e. the job right after grad school). Maybe the next few months will determine if it is just this area? The stranger part was tiptoeing around what we, two practical strangers who are interested in each other, were talking about and trying to get a sense of. How long will you *really* be around? What are you goals? What do you want to do next? Only I guess it is weird to come out and ask these things on what would technically be called your first date.
So tonight, I'm tired again. I need a good sleep and maybe I will be inspired in my sleep. Now I have had a glass of wine, rambled on about random stuff, and Friends reruns are calling to me.
June had a conference and a wedding and lots of visitors (roommate's parents, brother, and friend). I felt BUSY.
August has MOVING, a week in Montana, a week in Oregon, and hopefully a mid-week visit to my friend who will have given birth to her baby by then. How am I supposed to get work done in August?
July. July was going to be it. Lots of work to get done. NOW? Fourth of July weekend is almost over, Sox game, dinner with the boy, a friend won a home spa night thing and does not have room so it is at my place, dinner for the student council officers for which I am cooking, friend of a friend's birthday party, wedding shower 2 hours away, party at a French couple's place for the 14th, weekend in VT, PACKING?!, MOVING?!, wanting to spend time with the boy. How am I going to get anything done in July??????
Thursday night around 7:30 I was DONE for the day. I totally crashed and did not know how I was going to stay awake until a reasonable hour (i.e. 8:30 or 9:00) to go to bed. Happened again today but I am pushing through to get the laundry done. Tomorrow is the last class for the Sunday yoga I do and that was always a great way to start the week. Oiy.
The Groomsman (what a handy nickname!) and I spent 3 and a half hours meandering around the city talking today. We were sitting on a bench and he was asking me about when I think I'll be finishing. The plan, which I am sure I have mentioned, is to graduate next May. This means I have to hand in my FINAL version of my dissertation by APRIL 11. This means I have to defend my dissertation by the end of MARCH. AHHHH...
But that's not the point. The point is that it is strange to talk about what you are doing a year from now with someone you just met. I always thought to look in this area and Oregon for a post-doc (i.e. the job right after grad school). Maybe the next few months will determine if it is just this area? The stranger part was tiptoeing around what we, two practical strangers who are interested in each other, were talking about and trying to get a sense of. How long will you *really* be around? What are you goals? What do you want to do next? Only I guess it is weird to come out and ask these things on what would technically be called your first date.
So tonight, I'm tired again. I need a good sleep and maybe I will be inspired in my sleep. Now I have had a glass of wine, rambled on about random stuff, and Friends reruns are calling to me.
04 July 2008
More funny conversation
Alright, here's the scoop.
Last night, my roommate is all, "You have to call the groomsman. You have to call him. I know you want to or you wouldn't give me that look. I'm only doing this because I care about you and he's a nice guy and I like him and you should call him. Now would be a great time to call him."
And I'm all, "I don't know what to say. I know I should call him."
And she's all, "You have to call! Ask him how his week was. Ask him what he's up to this weekend."
And I'm all, "I can't. I don't know why. I just can't get myself to call."
And she's all, "Obviously you want to talk to him or you wouldn't be nervous. You're so cute!"
And I still didn't call.
And then he called less then five minutes later.
My roommate did a little I-told-you-it-was-a-good-time-to-call dance because he called then. I let out a big sigh of relief because I am a big chicken and did not call him but still got to talk to him.
We are going to hang out tomorrow.
Happy belated Canada Day and Happy Independence Day!
Last night, my roommate is all, "You have to call the groomsman. You have to call him. I know you want to or you wouldn't give me that look. I'm only doing this because I care about you and he's a nice guy and I like him and you should call him. Now would be a great time to call him."
And I'm all, "I don't know what to say. I know I should call him."
And she's all, "You have to call! Ask him how his week was. Ask him what he's up to this weekend."
And I'm all, "I can't. I don't know why. I just can't get myself to call."
And she's all, "Obviously you want to talk to him or you wouldn't be nervous. You're so cute!"
And I still didn't call.
And then he called less then five minutes later.
My roommate did a little I-told-you-it-was-a-good-time-to-call dance because he called then. I let out a big sigh of relief because I am a big chicken and did not call him but still got to talk to him.
We are going to hang out tomorrow.
Happy belated Canada Day and Happy Independence Day!
03 July 2008
Storytelling
I tend to repeat stories. I am certainly like my mother in that sense. One of the stories I have told several times recently is about my trip to the mechanic last week. When repeating what his father said to me, my mechanic prefaced it with, "I don't want you to think we're racist or anything...". Only it was not racist, but sexist.
The other story is from the wedding. I am pretty sure I have told it a million times, but I laugh every time I think of it. I actually just went back to make sure I had not already posted this story in the few days since the wedding because I have told it so many times and could not remember. It is between *the* groomsman and I. I was talking about my brother as my younger brother...
The other story is from the wedding. I am pretty sure I have told it a million times, but I laugh every time I think of it. I actually just went back to make sure I had not already posted this story in the few days since the wedding because I have told it so many times and could not remember. It is between *the* groomsman and I. I was talking about my brother as my younger brother...
Groomsman: How old is your younger brother?Cracks me riiiiight up.
Jenski: 28...No? 27. Yeah. 27.
Groomsman [somewhat more curiously]: How old are you??
Jenski [hesitantly]: Uhhh...29. [Big grin and shoulder shrug.]
[Quiet while Groomsman processes this and Jenski waits for him to formulate an acceptable response.]
Groomsman [somewhat confused]: Wow. You don't look like you're 29.
[Translation: You're older than I thought you were?!?!]
Jenski: How old are you?
Groomsman: 25.
Jenski: Ah.
02 July 2008
The old fashioned way
(Background: My sister started reading my blog and said she could not imagine trying to write something new everyday and that it would come out sounding like the old daily journals in my grandmother's things. One of them, not my grandmother's but someone older than her, had one that literally had a daily entry until within the last week of her life. I thanked my sister for giving me a new post idea! I do not remember exactly how they went, but they were pretty bland. We will see if I can recreate one for my own day.)Today the daily storms continued. Recently, it is nice most of the day, then the dark clouds come in for a good storm, and then it clears up again. I went out to get my haircut and returned to work before today's hit. Per usual, I was in a windowless basement lab and could only hear the thunder. Even though my experiments had been working, something is not quite right and I need to figure it out. Had dinner out with KHC before she enters lock-down tomorrow to prepare for the bar exam. Came home, put away the dishes, made my lunch and cleaned the kitchen floor.
01 July 2008
Funny ironic (not funny haha)
I have been told that I come across as a confident person. This is great! I do feel confident. Even though I am as modest as the next person can be, I do know that I am intelligent and driven. When a PI (Principal Investigator, a.k.a. Head Scientist of a Lab) recently said as much to me at the conference I went to, I was shocked and pleasantly surprised that I come across as such. Hey, my posture is even better since I started practicing yoga on a fairly regular schedule! :-)
When it comes to boys (a.k.a. "men", hehehe), this is not always the case. I get all insecure and nervous when I think someone is interested in me. I can make up excuses about how I was "shy" and "nerdy" in high school; I can point to a continuation of that in college when I guy I was totally in love with told me I was a nerd and I was definitely hurt, thinking those days were gone; I can claim that I am having a pretty day (you know, days when you feel pretty) and flirt, but if some guy did more than flirt, I would probably get all nervous and quiet. A friend and I sorta tried to date a little bit and then he said I was just different when no one else was around (i.e. quiet). Whoops.
Huh. If I am so sure of myself and my intelligence and independence and capabilities, why does it all stop when it comes to boys? If someone makes a point of seeking you out and talking and helping you with someone's drunk little sister at a wedding and you exchange phone numbers, why would you not call them? If someone you just met actually suggests taking dance lessons together because they want to take dance lessons with someone who is serious about learning how to dance, why would you think they were just saying that? If someone is shocked to find out that you are 29 (and he 25), but continues to all of the afore mentioned and maybe even kisses you goodnight, why would you think he may not be interested?
Want some excuses? Oh, he'd been drinking. Weddings lend themselves to these flirtations. Every kept telling me how "proper" he is (he asked the bride's grandmother to dance first and my roommate wanted him to ask me), so he would probably call first, right? And that's really all I got.
Plus I play these mind games with myself. It is alway flattering when someone is interested in you. I wonder if I am interested or just interested in having someone interested in me. (Pfft. There are so many reasons for me to be interested.) I really do not want to get all swept up in something only to find out something about me is a deal-breaker. I keep telling myself that the next time I start dating, it is total honesty from the beginning (not that I have ever lied, actually, but you know, just realllllllly honest), and that, I am pretty sure, scares me.
Oiy.
Here are some lyrics. :-)
When it comes to boys (a.k.a. "men", hehehe), this is not always the case. I get all insecure and nervous when I think someone is interested in me. I can make up excuses about how I was "shy" and "nerdy" in high school; I can point to a continuation of that in college when I guy I was totally in love with told me I was a nerd and I was definitely hurt, thinking those days were gone; I can claim that I am having a pretty day (you know, days when you feel pretty) and flirt, but if some guy did more than flirt, I would probably get all nervous and quiet. A friend and I sorta tried to date a little bit and then he said I was just different when no one else was around (i.e. quiet). Whoops.
Huh. If I am so sure of myself and my intelligence and independence and capabilities, why does it all stop when it comes to boys? If someone makes a point of seeking you out and talking and helping you with someone's drunk little sister at a wedding and you exchange phone numbers, why would you not call them? If someone you just met actually suggests taking dance lessons together because they want to take dance lessons with someone who is serious about learning how to dance, why would you think they were just saying that? If someone is shocked to find out that you are 29 (and he 25), but continues to all of the afore mentioned and maybe even kisses you goodnight, why would you think he may not be interested?
Want some excuses? Oh, he'd been drinking. Weddings lend themselves to these flirtations. Every kept telling me how "proper" he is (he asked the bride's grandmother to dance first and my roommate wanted him to ask me), so he would probably call first, right? And that's really all I got.
Plus I play these mind games with myself. It is alway flattering when someone is interested in you. I wonder if I am interested or just interested in having someone interested in me. (Pfft. There are so many reasons for me to be interested.) I really do not want to get all swept up in something only to find out something about me is a deal-breaker. I keep telling myself that the next time I start dating, it is total honesty from the beginning (not that I have ever lied, actually, but you know, just realllllllly honest), and that, I am pretty sure, scares me.
Oiy.
Here are some lyrics. :-)
Hey maybe just a smile
Oh hey do you know that I can dance
Could we talk for a while
I think you're smart
You sweet thing
Tell me your sign
I'm dying here
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