August 2002 archive
(126 entries)
August 30, 2002
How about a nice boot in the ass?
I heard this song on the radio the other day and hoped it was some kind of sick joke, all the while knowing that it was serious. This is the kind of "patriotic" garbage that America is listening to.
[article via reenhead]
srah | 4:41 PM | TrackBack | Tags: music, united states |
Anyone know how to install Movable Type?
Blogger, why are you being crap today?
srah | 11:37 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Tags: |
Les Français, sont-ils peu sensibles?
Bob works for Carr Futures, who had an office in the World Trade Center in New York. Now family members of victims are upset with the French-owned company because they won't be getting health insurance. The article says:
In most states, the law only requires that companies whose workers are killed on the job pay life insurance and state-mandated worker's compensation.
A Carr spokesperson said what the company may be lacking in health insurance, it is making up for in life-insurance and accidental-death benefits that will range from $125,000 to $800,000 per employee. Cantor, by comparison, is maxing out at $100,000.
Blah blah racism. Blah blah we hate the French. Blah blah. I don't think people should get special benefits for having a family member die on September 11. I think it should be the same as anyone else who died on the job. The loss of a loved one is difficult, whether it happened on September 10 or September 11 and I don't think they should get special treatment. Am I totally off-base here?
srah | 10:55 AM | TrackBack | Tags: france, september 11, united states |
The voice of God compels you... to study French culture
Went to Albion to hear James Earl Jones last night. It was like he was Dr. Guenin-Lelle with a much deeper voice, because he seemed to be teaching my Freshman Seminar. His topic was Culture.
PT opened up by saying that James Earl Jones sounded more like he imagined the voice of God than anyone he'd ever heard. I'm sure it's a common belief, but it scared me because it sounded like Uncle Pete had been reading my blog. Albion gave him an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters before his speech. "When do I get my honorary doctorate?" I asked Alex. "When you are James Earl Jones," he replied. It'll be a long wait.
Dr. Jones started with a story about when he was in a theater production of a play that took place during the French Revolution. The reviewer made an impression on him when she said that they didn't need to put on French accents or look French to be authentic, but they had to do research and know about the culture of Revolutionary France. "Yes," I said, trance-like, "God told me to learn about French culture. Either that or Darth Vader. Either way, I think I had better learn about French culture."
When he started talking about language as a medium for transmitting culture, I decided I was going to marry him. So did Alex. We had planned to race to him, with threats of violence against each other, as soon as he finished speaking, but he was whisked away at the end. Poo.
He talked about cultural norms and misunderstandings between cultures, including linguistic ones. He told a story about missionaries trying to convert the Inuit people and trying to translate religious concepts into their language. Salvation was translated as "to pull someone from a hole in the ice". They couldn't see what this had to do with religion. The 23rd Psalm ("The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want...") was translated as "The Lord is my keeper, he does not want me. He shoots me down on the beach and pushes me into the water..." Heh heh. Bet Christianity caught on fast there.
I didn't agree with everything he said, but I thought it was a good speech because it made people think and discuss. That's always good.
He answered questions afterwards. I was shocked that some people asked him where he lived and other personal questions. There was, of course, one Star Wars question. He claimed not to remember any of the Darth Vader dialogue and said that to him, David Prowse was Vader and he himself was just a special effect, like a steam machine making the steam rising off a pile of manure.
How poetic.
Strike baseball! Maybe you'll kill it.
The radio keeps getting my hopes up, talking about the impending possibility of a baseball strike. They keep saying that baseball may be finished. Unfortunately, they probably only mean for the season. Ah, the nation's beloved pasttime. Why doesn't it just die? Then we could have something worthwhile on TV.
Maybe this is a local thing - maybe my love for baseball comes from the local team being the Detroit Tigers.
AMBY?
I have an appointment next Tuesday about my allergies. Every time I go to our stinking doctor's office, I have a different person. This time, her name is Amby. I don't like her already, because when I think of the name "Amby", the following things come to mind:
- the name "Amber"
- the name "Bambi"
- the word "ambivalent"
- the word "namby-pamby"
I'm sure I'll come up with several more by the time I'm done with her. Isn't it horrible for me to be so prejudiced about someone's name? I guess if you're named after hardened tree sap, there isn't much you can do with it.
The Friday Five
1. What's your favorite piece of clothing that you currently own?
I like my stripey blue knee socks (which I am wearing right now) and my soft grey argyle socks. I also like my skirt that looks like a bell. I go "ding-dong" whenever I wear it. Then Alex asks me "What's brown and sounds like a bell?"
2. What piece of clothing do you most want to acquire?
I guess I would like some grey pants or some new black pants. There isn't anything I've particularly been lusting over.
3. What piece of clothing can you not bring yourself to get rid of? Why?
There are a lot of t-shirts that have sentimental value... like my Library of the Year 1997 t-shirt from the AADL or the enormous free t-shirt I got when Kurt was on Jeopardy!.
4. What piece of clothing do you look your best in?
My mummy says I look good in red. My Pato likes me in skirts.
5. What has been your biggest fashion accident?
I used to wear really big, baggy t-shirts. Like, size large on a 13-year-old srah. Then, of course, there was the phase in 5th grade where Jenny Poor and I would try to wear our clothes backwards, inside-out, or upside down. Yeah... we were cool.
srah | 8:56 AM | TrackBack | Tags: friday five, memes |
August 29, 2002
But he's my boring conversationalist
My Pato tried out for Chekov's The Seagull on Monday and found out today that he's been cast as Medvedenko. Time for srah to do some quick Chekov-research. The character description says:
Semyon Semyonovich Medvedenko - Medvedenko is a local schoolteacher who is poor and must support his family at home while later supporting his new family with Masha. He is a boring conversationalist because he spends most of his time complaining about his poverty. Medvedenko pursues the melancholy Masha, eventually winning her hand in marriage, out of convenience and a hope of change, not love.
srah | 2:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Tags: boys |
Disaster!
It appears that there is no Fnac in Vichy. No Fnac in Vichy, in Cusset, in Bellerive-sur-Allier. From what I can tell, the nearest one is in Clermont-Ferrand. This will be sad for me, or it may be a good thing. Fnac-addict that I am, I don't know what I'll do with my free time, if not browsing at the Fnac. But at least I'll save money if I'm not impulse-buying Jacques Higelin CDs *shudder*.
srah | 2:29 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack | Tags: assistantship |
Advertising local events
If anyone is interested, I saw in the Free Press that Tamara Bedricky is going to be at Arts, Beats, and Eats. Looking at the online schedule, I see that Wally Pleasant will be there, too. Not that I am interested in either of them, but isn't it my duty to keep you people informed?
srah | 1:29 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack | Tags: |
Dream
I dreamt last night, in my allergy-drug-crazed sleep, that I was about to go to France when the Euro-dollar conversion was suddenly thrown off so that it took 20 dollars to get one Euro. That would not be fun.
The Thursday Threesome
Onesome. Double. If you could have a clone of yourself, what thing would you most want that clone to do so you don't have to?
Go to work today. My clone would be here and I would be home in bed.
Twosome. Bubble. Anyone you know live life in a bubble? Who? And do you wish they'd snap back to reality?
Well, there's the Albion Bubble. My mother always lamented that I never knew what was going on in the world because we were sometimes cut off from news or just didn't pay attention.
Threesome. Bubblegum. Willy Wonka talks about chewing gum to be a nasty habit. What's your worst habit? Do you wish you could give it up?
My worst habit is not thinking before I speak. I used to be a lot better than that, but when I got done thinking, the conversation had moved on, so I never said anything. Now I just spit things out for the sake of talking and sometimes wish I hadn't.
srah | 8:45 AM | TrackBack | Tags: memes, thursday threesome |
Snort!
My dad doesn't have allergy problems. My mom has prescription medicine for it. So whose medicine did I end up taking last night? The dog's. The dog takes people-medicine, so it's not quite as strange as all that, but I feel funny taking medicine that was bought for the dog.
srah | 8:20 AM | TrackBack | Tags: allergies, health, medicine |
And that is all I have to say about that
Yay! Nikki's gone. That's good. It was sad when she was forced to embarass herself on national television week after week. America has finally shown some mercy and let her go home. Now we'll have some real competition. Justin can sing, even if he looks like broccoli and acts like (to quote a Detroit morning radio show) Wayne-Newton-in-training.
srah | 8:01 AM | TrackBack | Tags: american idol, american idol 1, justin guarini, tv |
August 28, 2002
Fun with gadgets
I have a Weather Pixie now. Did you see her? She shows the temperature and weather conditions and changes her clothes depending on the weather. Sometimes a little dog or cat appears in the window with her. It's a fun little gadget... and when I'm teaching in Cusset, I'll set it to show the Vichy weather so you know what I'm up against.
srah | 2:42 PM | TrackBack | Tags: discovered |
The Wednesday Whimsy
What are some of the domains you admire? why?
I admire not.so.soft because there are so many sections, but they're nicely organized and easy to navigate. Xkot for the same reasons. That's what I like in a website. JohnHannah.net is also pretty well-organized. Good job to that srah person.
How long have you been webdesigning? what is your favorite html/cgi/php/etc. script? if you dont webdesign would you ever want to learn?
Yergh. Webdesigning? Is that what I do? You make it sound so fancy. I like alt tags and title tags - little hidden notes that people might only see if they're looking for them.
What graphic programs do you use? do you get the effect that you want?
I have MS Paint on my computer. That's as good as it gets. But I lurve Photoshop. I use it whenever I have the chance.
Describe a recent dream.
Now that I have the South Pacific soundtrack in my alarm clock, I want to have a South Pacific dream, but I haven't yet.
srah | 2:12 PM | TrackBack | Tags: memes, wednesday whimsy |
They're heeeeeeeee-eeeeeere
The students have returned. Already I hate them.
Ann Arbor has a delightful love-hate relationship with the U-M. Lots of us work for the university or are alumni, but the prevailing attitude seems to be that it would be a much better school if they didn't allow any students in it.
Yesterday was move-in day. Unfortunately, it was also the day we had to go to Bed, Bath and Beyond to exchange Becky's damaged lamp. As we pushed our way through the crowded store, full of dopey parents and their equally dopey offspring, I behaved as a true Annarborite, muttering curses at them under my breath. "Go home," I said to Annoying Woman Running Into People With Cart. "Go home," I said, to Father Blocking Aisle While Talking On Cell Phone. "Go home," I said to Ditzy Incoming Freshman In Capri Pants. "Go home," I said to Car In Parking Lot With Ohio Bicentennial License Plate.
If I go to graduate school at U-M, I will be sure to tell myself to go home, too.
srah | 11:44 AM | TrackBack | Tags: ann arbor, university of michigan |
Darth Vader is God, apparently
We are going to see James Earl Jones tomorrow night at Albion. My mother says he sounds like God, although I don't know how she knows that.
Those lucky Albion students. They don't know how good they have it, with their James Earl Jones on campus and their Baldwin food cooked for them. Why, when they're old like me and have to worry about feeding themselves, they'll wish they were back at Albion, with their Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. and their free Internet access. I don't know where I'm going with this. It was supposed to sound old and crotchety.
Anyway, the whole reason I brought this up - to return from a long tangent - was this. How did whiny, high-pitched Anakin "I wanna be the most powerful Jedi" Skywalker, father of whiny, high-pitched Luke "But I wanted to go to the Taaaaaaaashi station and pick up some powwwwwer converrrrrrrters" Skywalker, get this great James Earl Jones voice? It must be the helmet. I want a helmet like that.
The Love Frigate
Last night's post reminded me about one of my most annoying (to myself) habits. Sometimes I change the words to a song, either by accident or just as a joke, and then that version forever sticks in my head. The example I'm thinking of right now is Yankee Doodle, where the lyrics to the second verse, to me, will always be:
"Father and I went down to camp along with Captain Stubing,
And there we bought three hundred fifty feet of copper tubing."
Aaaaah. Now I am going to have that in my head for the rest of the day. Thanks, self.
srah | 10:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Tags: music |
Achoo!
I am snotty today, in more ways than my usual one. Ew. Like you needed to know that. Like my future self, wishing to know what I was like in 2002, needed to know that. Why am I still writing?
Disaster's in the air
It keeps coming and coming. We should attack Iraq. We should do it now. We shouldn't wait for support. Who cares if no one else agrees. We're America. We'll whup 'em like Daddy did and be out by Christmas. Etcetera etcetera etcetera.
I think we're setting ourselves up for even bigger trouble. Instead of learning from September 11, we're making the same mistakes and worse ones on top of them. I'm glad I'll be out of the country, but I wish I could take the rest of you with me. Be safe while I'm gone, you guys.
srah | 8:35 AM | TrackBack | Tags: george w bush, politics, september 11, united states |
American Idol update
I forgot to watch American Idol last night. Shame on me. Or perhaps... just the opposite.
srah | 8:19 AM | TrackBack | Tags: american idol, american idol 1, tv |
Digging through the files
I was reading through old letters I had typed up on the computer. It's the closest thing I have to a journal from that time. They are just as boring and pointless as my blog. Let's clip out some of the fun lines and see what I was up to four years ago...
June 7, 1998
Humanities Graduation: Dan Zaret did our speech. Actually, he sang a song. It was about how he had the Leaving Humanities Blues or something. Like:
"We all should have gotten A's in Vogel's class,
but we didn't, because he's got a stick up his --- Jon Wenk, did you write this?"
and
"Mr. Wolff has a really strong larynx
But we wish he'd stop bitching about his parents."
August 22, 1998
I think I have a headache, but I'm not sure. It doesn't feel like it's my head.
SLeicher has a roommate with a self-esteem problem. I don't know the details. "I like to get to know people, but they don't like to know me" or something like that. Oh boy!
At the Io, I saw several of the guys I'd seen earlier: Doogie Howser; the Mysterious Kurt, who I've seen somewhere before but I don't know where; Lewis, who Doogie and a yucky guy named Tom (Jim?) had to pick up during one of our activities; Carl, my RA, who is cute in a red-headed sort of way; The Guy in the Orange Shirt; The Guy in the Green Shirt [Neither is related to The Man in the Iron Mask]; Rusty-with-the-interesting-socks-who-isn't-at-all-attractive-but-I-am-attracted-to-his-socks; and of course, the beauteous David C0mf0rt Look-Alike.
I need to bring a stepstool. This room is teeming with short people (2).
So we had this thing last night called Playfair where we played all these getting-to-know-as-many-people-as-you-can-in-as-short-a-time-as-you-can games. I'm sure you're looking forward to these sorts of things. So I came in with Stephanie and they divided all the people into two lines, but we ended up right next to each other in the same line. Then the lines went running and snaking all around the gym. Then we sat down and played games where you talked to the two people closest to you... Stephanie and some girl I forgot. Then they had us divide up by birth month. Stephanie and I were still together. We were together, like the whole night and completely missed the point: "you won't stay with the people you came in with." I kept trying to get into groups with the guy in the green shirt, but it was not to be. [Hi, this is 2002 srah popping in for a moment here... I have no idea who the guy in the green shirt is. Wish I did.] My favorite game was when he had our 12-person groups break into 3s where the 3s had never met before today. I was with Doogie Howser (whose name is Ian, but it doesn't matter because he looks like DH) and that Tom/Jim guy. I think it's Tom. I'm almost positive. I must've met someone else named Jim. I'm so confused. Anyway, so these groups of 3 were a submarine, sailing ship, and ocean liner. I was the sailing ship. Each ship had to take turns being the Admiral. The Admiral sent his/her 2 first mates out to do things to make people smile. Tom/Jim liked to have us pick people up. DH went first and had no idea what he was doing. I made them give people hi-fives and shake hands and pat people on the head. It was fun. Even when I had to pat tall people on the head and give complete strangers back rubs.
August 23, 1998
Every time I wash my hands, I remember Mr. Van talking about how people get sick a lot in college and how when you wash your hands, you should wash long enough to sing "Yankee Doodle." EVERY TIME. Every time I wash my hands, I get Yankee Doodle in my head. Help me God.
So far, it's been really boring. I actually put all the transactions in my checkbook into Microsoft Money today, just to have something to do. I also alphabetized my reference books, then reordered them in terms of usefulness, and put my books in chronological order by when my first class is, then each book in a class in alphabetical order. Isn't this fascinating?
I just want to go to sleep. But I can't sleep, because it's too hot. AAAAAAAAAAAAH! I gotta find a nice big refrigerator to sleep in. Or go down to the basement "The Pit" where it's cool(er) and sleep with a football player. Or not.
Anyway, French or Foe? is really cool. It's about how the French are different culturally - like French people don't smile unless they have a reason to smile. They don't just smile at you on the street or if they're selling you something like Americans do. We read about smiling so far. French people find it hard to go back to France from the U.S. because it just feels less friendly and open. If you go around smiling at French people in France, they think you're retarded. I love this book!
My Anthropology professor smiles a lot. She smiles all hour. All I could think about was how French people would think she was retarded. Ha ha! But I like her.
August 27, 2002
It was nice blogging atcha
I have suddenly come down with a case of allergies or something. It's probably West Nile Disease. Oh well. Bye.
Freedonia's going to war
I fully support our president's idea to go to war with Iraq. I am behind him 100% on that. Go ahead, Señor Arbusto. It's a good idea. I'll make you a special jacket with a bullseye on the back.
But don't get lonely, now, because what I don't support is you taking anyone with you. If you want to declare war, go ahead. But you'd better get Congress' permission before you declare that the United States are at war with Iraq. Otherwise, that's not how the United States works and we will have to overthrow your dictatorship. Bye.
srah | 8:35 AM | TrackBack | Tags: george w bush, politics, war |
Dream
I have changed my morning wake-up CD, but thankfully I didn't have dreams about World War II or French Polynesian plantation owners.
I dreamt that Alex was still living with Rob, but there was some kind of problem between the two of them. Rather than talking it out, Alex was going to kill Rob. He was going to chloroform him first, because Rob is too big for him to kill straight out. He had it all planned out, but then Rob came in a different door. So they ended up having to talk it out, after all. I think Alex was a little disappointed.
August 26, 2002
Birthday goodies
So, what kind of free stuff and discounts can one get on one's birthday? Hurry up and tell me!
The Monday Mission
1. What do you do to make things better when you feel sad and/or lonely?
Cry. Oh wait, I do that all the time. That doesn't sound good, does it? I mean that I cry to relieve stress or tension or get attention.
2. Are you a "touchy-feely" person? That is, do you like to touch people you don't know that well? And on the flipside of that, do you like being touched by someone you aren't close with?
I didn't like to be touched in high school. Hugging freaked me out. Then when I got to college and didn't have my family for physical contact, I got really huggy. Now I think I've sort of normalized and reached an equilibrium. Not excessively huggy, but neither am I excessively standoffish. I need to work on my personal space bubble when I get to France, though. The kissing thing weirds me out for a while when I arrive.
3. Do you like to have "me" time, time to yourself to be alone and relax? Or do you prefer to just do your own thing with someone else in the room? When was the last "me" time you got and what did you do?
I love "me" time. I have it all the time. Constantly. Without end. Why are you bothering me?
4. Generally speaking, how do you feel about the concept of marriage? Are you the marrying type? Do you think the act of getting married means something today or is it simply just "a piece of paper?"
I would like to get married someday, I guess. It legalizes a commitment.
5. That said, as many as 25 states have passed legislation regulating who they believe should be the "marrying type." What are your thoughts on the banning of same-sex marriages?
It shouldn't be done. Same-sex partners should be able to legalize their commitment just like heterosexual couples.
6. If there was one law you had the ability to create or change, what would it be?
I would make it illegal for the president to declare war without Congress' approval. Oh wait...
7. What would you like someone visiting your Blog for the first time to know about you? Now is your chance!
It's my birthday!
BONUS: Can you hear them?
I can. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalf, they are calling.
srah | 11:51 AM | TrackBack | Tags: memes, monday mission |
Keep in touch!
I got a birthday package this weekend from a friend I haven't seen in a year and a half and haven't communicated with for a year. She sent me a letter along with it, so now I'll be writing her back and letting her know what I've been up to for the past year-to-year-and-a-half.
I have no idea what to say.
A year is a long time to catch up on. So many things have happened since the last time we were in touch. I think it would be mean to send her the blog URL and make her read my archives. Tempting, but mean.
Tuna salad is a fascinating topic to blog about
I brought up tuna fish in my last post because I'm hungry and looking forward to lunch because my mom made me a tuna salad sandwich. Her tuna salad has tuna, mayonnaise, and raw peas and carrots. I love it.
I could never be a vegetarian
Although I don't eat a lot of meat, every once in a while, I crave a big hunk of steak. I'm not very good at giving things up for moral reasons, either. I once tried to give up tuna fish because I heard that the tuna population was being depleted because they had to be older than other fish to reproduce and we were picking them out of the sea before they had a chance. That didn't last too long. I like tuna fish too much.
My paternal grandmother was a vegetarian, as were her ancestors, going back to the 1840s. It's my generation and the one before me who have dropped the custom. That's my family for you - we always want to be going against the normal trends. We were vegetarians when it wasn't popular and started eating meat just when everyone was becoming a vegetarian.
srah | 9:04 AM | TrackBack | Tags: food, srahfam, tuna, vegetarianism |
News from Albion
No one outside the Albion community will care about any of this, but here is the latest news I picked up while I was there:
Vera Wenzel is working at a Catholic university in Minnesota. Dr. Wenzel is staying at Albion until he retires. I paid $6 to eat lunch in Baldwin. What did I eat? An egg salad sandwich and salad. They didn't even have vinegar and oil for the salad. I saw two Stempkis walking down the street as I drove out of town. Apparently they weren't kicked out - just off-campus. Larry Lloyd, rather than running for public office, has joined the Army. WHA--? Susan Laing is an RD. Dan Westerhof's hair is even bigger than last time I saw him.
srah | 8:43 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Tags: |
Hippo birdie two mees
I forgot it was my birthday today until my mom wished me a happy birthday this morning. So there. Please forgive me all of the birthdays I've forgotten, because I've also forgotten my own.
I am 22 today and - before you ask - no, it does not feel any different. Which is why I didn't realize it was my birthday.
Thank you, Vin Diesel
Upon their arrival in the U.S., Albion's new native speakers and international students were taken on a tour of Albion, which included passing the Bohm Theatre. Imagine their surprise when they saw XXX plastered on the marquee. So..., they thought, Albion only has one theatre, and that's a porn theatre. Fortunately, we have rectified the situation.
srah | 7:09 AM | TrackBack | Tags: albion college, movies |
The Tuesday This-or-That?
1. Sesame Street or Captain Kangaroo?
Sesame Street. If I ever watched Captain Kangaroo, I don't remember it. I sense I will be a bit young for all of these questions.
2. Muppet Show or Fraggle Rock?
Muppet Show (sorry, Jillian)
3. He-Man or Jem?
I watched neither, but I suppose I would have watched Jem if I watched one or the other.
4. The Smurfs or Muppet Babies?
I've never thought much of The Smurfs, but they are Belgian. Muppet Babies really scared me whenever they opened the closet and there was live-action stuff in there. But we did a Muppet Babies play in third grade. I'm conflicted on this one.
5. Archie or Josie & the Pussycats??
Archie, I guess. We're talking comics, right? There wasn't a cartoon on TV, was there?
6. H.R. Pufnstuf or The Banana Splits?
Wha--?
7. The Partridge Family or The Brady Bunch ?
The Brady Bunch. Especially the 1990s movies making fun of them.
8. Happy Days or Welcome Back Kotter?
I've never seen Welcome Back, Kotter, but Happy Days has Winthrop Opie in it.
9. Punky Brewster or Small Wonder?
They were from my time period, but I never watched either. I lie. I think I saw the credits for Small Wonder and they had a screwdriver in her back. Creepy. So we'll go with Punky, although I don't really want to.
10. The Facts of Life or Silver Spoons?
Huh?
srah | 7:01 AM | TrackBack | Tags: memes, tuesday this-or-that |
The Sunday Op-Ed
I've noticed a lot of people don't use the words that Chris provided on their webpage. So this week at least, I'll do that. If you want to know the answers, mouse-over the text or click on the Op-Ed graphic to visit the site.
1. What have I never donated, because I'm too small, because I've spent time à l'étranger and because I'm scaaaaaaared?
2. What was everyone covered in after moving Becky in on Friday?
3. What salty liquid do I exude far more often than I'd like?
srah | 6:56 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Tags: memes, sunday op-ed |
August 25, 2002
Captain Simeon and the Space Monkeys
I was at Meijers yesterday and a mother was yelling at her kid. Apparently, the kid was called Simeon, but my first thought when she called him was that she was calling him a simian. Simeon is a good name on paper, but I don't think I would like to be mistaken for a monkey.
srah | 2:52 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack | Tags: |
August 24, 2002
At last, she knows what it is to be a Sarah
My sister is one of three Rebecca/Rebekahs on her hall. The other two are Beckys. She doesn't think much of going by Alfie. It will be interesting to see what she comes up with.
srah | 12:20 PM | Comments (1) | TrackBack | Tags: alfie |
The Notorious S.A.M.
I was amazed, when I was back at Albion yesterday, how many people recognized me. There were people whose names I didn't even know, who knew who I was and that I had graduated in May.
The flipside of that was that there were people I used to talk to quite frequently who didn't realize that I'd graduated. I was quite surprised, as well, to learn how many people didn't know what I am doing this year. Sometimes I feel like I am forever repeating myself on that subject.
Gregorians 101
One of my favorite professors from Albion is doing a First Year Seminar this fall called "Chance". When told this, I heard that he was doing a class called "Chants" and couldn't figure out what that had to do with math or computer science. On the way home, we were speculating about the Chants class. My favorite part was paying $50 for a great big thick textbook so the students could go "Pie jesu domine, dona eis requiem - THUNK!"
Separation anxiety
I kept running into Saaataaan today. This is my new name for the RAbid Bitch, since she is no longer my RA. At least I've adjusted to that.
Being back on Albion's campus after I graduated is weird for me. I was hanging out with my old friends, but I was the only one who didn't have a dorm room to arrange, or upcoming classes to talk about. I was getting upset about the new I-House parking lot even though I don't live there anymore and it will probably never affect me. With Alex and Becky still there, I still feel a close tie to the campus, even though I know I should probably be distancing myself. I'm so confused.
August 23, 2002
Movin' on up to the second floor
We've been moving Becky into Albion today, hence no updates. Hopefully now that she's in a room with 24/7 Internet access, she will update her blog from time to time. Congrats, Becky, and welcome to the #7 Most Wired College in the Country. Bleurgh.
srah | 7:16 PM | TrackBack | Tags: albion college, alfie |
The Friday Five
1. What is your current occupation? Is this what you chose to be doing at this point in your life? Why or why not?
I am a student assistant in a historical library. No no no no no no no. And no. No no no. I never had any desire to work in anything related to archives.
2. If time/talent/money were no object, what would your dream occupation be?
Half-time Director of International Education, half-time web designer.
3. What did/do your parents do for a living? Has this had any influence on your career choices?
They are both archivists. They got me interested in libraries, but sure that I never wanted to work in archives.
4. Have you ever had to choose between having a career and having a family?
No.
5. In your opinion, what is the easiest job in the world? What is the hardest? Why?
The easiest is doing something that you love to do. The hardest is doing something you're morally conflicted about. I can't think of specific professions that would be the easiest or hardest, because that depends on the abilities of the person doing them.
srah | 7:11 PM | TrackBack | Tags: friday five, memes |
August 22, 2002
My four favorite things about Antonín Dvořák
1. ř
2. á
3. í
4. Slavonic Dances
Why don't I have accents in my name? From now on, you may address me as şřåħ.
I catch on quickly
Have you noticed that sometimes when you mouse-over my links (IE only), there's a caption that pops out? Well, there is. I learned how to do that from Meg's site.
srah | 1:16 PM | TrackBack | Tags: discovered |
Christmas in... August
I went to Borders yesterday and they had an enormous display of 2003 calendars. I could see academic calendars now, but if I bought a 2003 calendar in August 2002, I would lose it by 2003. Maybe that's their fiendish plan.
The perils of the world-traveller
This comes out in the US two days after I leave. This comes out in France two weeks before I get there and may be gone by the 19th.
Poop. I want them both.
srah | 10:27 AM | TrackBack | Tags: i'm with lucy, john hannah, movies |
Happy monthiversary
This cute thing has been mine for 11 months. Lucky me.
Skin this site
I would like to have site skins. That would be fun, but beyond my own talents. Do you have to have Movable Type to do that? I love Blogger, but having skins and my comments saved into my page is very tempting.
srah | 10:27 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack | Tags: |
The Thursday Threesome
Onesome. Small. Is it a small world? In how many miles of space do you live your life?
My life... hmm. When I was at Albion, it was about 60 miles. When I'm in Ann Arbor, more like 30 (or however many it takes to get to Alex). Next year, do I count 4000? I won't be travelling those 4000 miles often, but parts of me will still be over here.
Twosome. Spiral. Ever felt as if you were on a downward spiral? How did you pull out of it?
I don't think so. Sometimes when the work piled up at school, I thought I would never finish it. And I was having anxiety attacks a few weeks ago. I just had to put my affairs in order and plan out everything there was to be done, in what order.
Threesome. Notebook. Notebooks and pens and crayons and glue...when you think about school supplies, what do you most remember?
Free crayons in elementary school. I would bring the crayons from the previous year in order to avoid using the fresh, sharp ones that the school gave me.
srah | 10:26 AM | TrackBack | Tags: memes, thursday threesome |
Search for a bailiwick
As soon as I feel comfortable enough in my finances to shell out the cash, I shall be moving to a new host and getting a domain name. You may have been following this drama for months.
It seems like such a commitment, choosing a domain name. I don't want to be constantly changing and sending my readers different places, but I can't seem to settle on anything. I feel like as soon as I reserve one, I'll come up with something better. So I'm not going to share the rather boring one I'm thinking of with you until I've already paid. Sorry.
Dream
I dreamt last night that this guy from my high school, Eric Bodley, was 6'8" and had built a big maze at Albion, full of mirrors and magic doors and masking tape. It was a spectacular creation. My sister and James Davidson were trying to go through it at the same time and were doing pretty well. Once you got through the mirrors, you got to the doors section. You had to do certain things to get the doors to open. At door #1, you had to do something (I was watching from the viewing area, so I couldn't see exactly what), then suddenly the ground under your feet and the door would raise up several feet and the door would open. They went on and on like that until they got to door #6. There were about four doors marked with 6s, and you had to figure out which was the right one and how to open it. Finally, they gave up and I ran down and tried. One of them was made out of aluminum foil and masking tape, so I just broke through it and looked at Eric like "Was that the right way to do it?" Apparently it wasn't.