Yay! I rule!
Wednesday, November 30, 2005
Sighs all around!
Well, a huge sigh of relief from me as I finish NaNoWriMo and, after a brief moment of terror, validate my word count.
A sigh of relief from Piggs as he realizes I will now be able to resume my half of the household chores.
As sigh of disappointment from Netflix as they realize (or will soon, anyway) that I'm going to actually cost them money again as I resume my movie watching.
And, well, that's about it, I guess.
Yay me!
A sigh of relief from Piggs as he realizes I will now be able to resume my half of the household chores.
As sigh of disappointment from Netflix as they realize (or will soon, anyway) that I'm going to actually cost them money again as I resume my movie watching.
And, well, that's about it, I guess.
Yay me!
Monday, November 28, 2005
Quick Thanksgiving update
I'm still NaNoWriMoing (7,500 words to go and three more days!), so this will have to be brief.
Tuesday -- easy flight to PDX, rented a car to drive to Eugene. Nearly killed us both twice when attempting to put in the clutch on the automatic. Hit the brake instead, natch, which startled me so much I had to put the brake on with my right foot, too! Nevertheless, we made it safely to our hotel, wrote a little and went to sleep.
Weds -- walked to the bagel shop (mmm, bagels), walked around U of O campus extensively. It was gorgeous. Loved the library. Went to Smith Family Bookstore and only bought cards, canm you imagine! Then went to University Bookstore and bought books. Did a little more shopping, then went to meet SiL and littlest niece, where we arranged to get ramen with about half the family -- delicious, if slow service. Then some time at MiL's house, then to SiLs to talk, play a little bit of a trivia game, hang out in general . . . Piggs started the first of about a three-day video game marathon with our nephew. We all went to pizza at a place that was like a mellower Chuck E Cheese, with less games, but no annoying singing animals and better pizza. Had a great time watching Piggs smoke SiL at air hockey.
Thurs -- Thanksgiving! SiL made freah doughnuts and I ate too many, having trouble deciding between cinnamon-sugar and jelly. Went for a long walk through the neighborhood (including the cemetery and some really cool walking trails), then back to the house to make dinner. I was very pleased to be able to help this year, it made me feel like part of the family. Dinner was fantastic, and so were all the activities afterwards, like Pictionary. Much laughter ensued.
Fri -- we had breakfast at Metropol, a bakery with delicious fresh breads, with quite a few members of the family, then went back to the house and talked and said our goodbyes. By early afternoon we were on the road to Portland. Well, Hillsboro actually, where we met with the sassy redhead, saw her old new house and her new new house (which is being built), and then came back in to Portland for dinner at the Doug Fir, which was on the same lot as our hotel. We had an awesome dinner and drinks and dessert (T1 and Redhead's husband joined us), then crashed in our room. It was quite noisy, but I was so tired I crashed out. In the morning we met Redhead, T1, and Bowman for breakfast, then the three boys and I drove around shopping (comic and game stores for them, clothing, books and stationery for me) until it was time for us to hit the airport. We both got super-security searched, me randomly and him because he had an expired ID. It was kind of wierd -- I was really nervous even though I knew I hadn't done anything, but it was also fascinating watching them swab all our stuff for explosive chemical residue and stuff. Plus, I'd never been super-searched before and we had arrived in plenty of time, so I figured I'd have a story to tell.
Highlights include informing SiL that her MySpace profile said she enjoyed "swinging:" she didn't know it was on there because the kids had made it for her, and they didn't know the implications. Also, air hockey and the ribbing that ensued was a blast. I loved spending time with all my brand new relations, and the kids are absolutely fantastic. So smart, funny, sweet. I also loved all the awesome food I consumed -- too much by far, but it was worth it. Piggs is a great traveling companion, and we get along so well. Life rules. I have a lot to be thankful for.
Tuesday -- easy flight to PDX, rented a car to drive to Eugene. Nearly killed us both twice when attempting to put in the clutch on the automatic. Hit the brake instead, natch, which startled me so much I had to put the brake on with my right foot, too! Nevertheless, we made it safely to our hotel, wrote a little and went to sleep.
Weds -- walked to the bagel shop (mmm, bagels), walked around U of O campus extensively. It was gorgeous. Loved the library. Went to Smith Family Bookstore and only bought cards, canm you imagine! Then went to University Bookstore and bought books. Did a little more shopping, then went to meet SiL and littlest niece, where we arranged to get ramen with about half the family -- delicious, if slow service. Then some time at MiL's house, then to SiLs to talk, play a little bit of a trivia game, hang out in general . . . Piggs started the first of about a three-day video game marathon with our nephew. We all went to pizza at a place that was like a mellower Chuck E Cheese, with less games, but no annoying singing animals and better pizza. Had a great time watching Piggs smoke SiL at air hockey.
Thurs -- Thanksgiving! SiL made freah doughnuts and I ate too many, having trouble deciding between cinnamon-sugar and jelly. Went for a long walk through the neighborhood (including the cemetery and some really cool walking trails), then back to the house to make dinner. I was very pleased to be able to help this year, it made me feel like part of the family. Dinner was fantastic, and so were all the activities afterwards, like Pictionary. Much laughter ensued.
Fri -- we had breakfast at Metropol, a bakery with delicious fresh breads, with quite a few members of the family, then went back to the house and talked and said our goodbyes. By early afternoon we were on the road to Portland. Well, Hillsboro actually, where we met with the sassy redhead, saw her old new house and her new new house (which is being built), and then came back in to Portland for dinner at the Doug Fir, which was on the same lot as our hotel. We had an awesome dinner and drinks and dessert (T1 and Redhead's husband joined us), then crashed in our room. It was quite noisy, but I was so tired I crashed out. In the morning we met Redhead, T1, and Bowman for breakfast, then the three boys and I drove around shopping (comic and game stores for them, clothing, books and stationery for me) until it was time for us to hit the airport. We both got super-security searched, me randomly and him because he had an expired ID. It was kind of wierd -- I was really nervous even though I knew I hadn't done anything, but it was also fascinating watching them swab all our stuff for explosive chemical residue and stuff. Plus, I'd never been super-searched before and we had arrived in plenty of time, so I figured I'd have a story to tell.
Highlights include informing SiL that her MySpace profile said she enjoyed "swinging:" she didn't know it was on there because the kids had made it for her, and they didn't know the implications. Also, air hockey and the ribbing that ensued was a blast. I loved spending time with all my brand new relations, and the kids are absolutely fantastic. So smart, funny, sweet. I also loved all the awesome food I consumed -- too much by far, but it was worth it. Piggs is a great traveling companion, and we get along so well. Life rules. I have a lot to be thankful for.
Thursday, November 24, 2005
Thanks Niece for helping me fill this one out!
| Advanced Global Personality Test Results
|
personality tests by similarminds.com
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Two new reasons why my husband is the greatest on earth
And sorry to those of you who find this kind of thing sickening:
1: I was freaking out about whether I could fit my antibacterial hand goo in my little purse to take on our trip, and Piggs (who finds my antibacterial addiction unsettling) offered to pack it with his stuff.
2: I went to the eye doctor and was going to get trained on using contacts the next day. Dr. Lai told me as homework I had to practice touching my own eye. I went home and happily told sweetie that I had to touch his eye for practice, anticipating his "are you nuts?" reaction. But oh no. He looked at me thoughtfully and said "okay, go wash your hands."
1: I was freaking out about whether I could fit my antibacterial hand goo in my little purse to take on our trip, and Piggs (who finds my antibacterial addiction unsettling) offered to pack it with his stuff.
2: I went to the eye doctor and was going to get trained on using contacts the next day. Dr. Lai told me as homework I had to practice touching my own eye. I went home and happily told sweetie that I had to touch his eye for practice, anticipating his "are you nuts?" reaction. But oh no. He looked at me thoughtfully and said "okay, go wash your hands."
Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Vacaville
Busy, finished tiling the dining room counter (gave me evil ideas of doing all the kitchen counters), no computer at work, moved classrooms . . .
Had a great lunch/walk/cold beverage and danish with a friend I haven't seen in 15 years. I didn't even realize I was old enough to have a friend I hadn't seen in 15 years. She lives in the Bay area, and we had a great time. I can't believe that the goofy snaggletoothed blond who came and rescued me from my lonely isolation of playing Chinese jumprope with the Laotian girls at recess is still basically the same smart, funny person whose company I so enjoyed as a kid. Had a great time, hope to see her again soon.
In driving down there, I passed a sign that pointed to "Historic Downtown Vacaville." Now I know how it feels to have your hometown wrongly accused of being small-time and sleepy, but seriously, here is a city whose name is literally "Cow Town," whose current main attraction is an outlet mall, and whose long-standing attraction prior to that was an orchard-based theme park that primarily consisted of a bakery, a gift store and a tiny train. Historic Downtown Vacaville indeed! But I do miss the Nut Tree . . .
Had a great lunch/walk/cold beverage and danish with a friend I haven't seen in 15 years. I didn't even realize I was old enough to have a friend I hadn't seen in 15 years. She lives in the Bay area, and we had a great time. I can't believe that the goofy snaggletoothed blond who came and rescued me from my lonely isolation of playing Chinese jumprope with the Laotian girls at recess is still basically the same smart, funny person whose company I so enjoyed as a kid. Had a great time, hope to see her again soon.
In driving down there, I passed a sign that pointed to "Historic Downtown Vacaville." Now I know how it feels to have your hometown wrongly accused of being small-time and sleepy, but seriously, here is a city whose name is literally "Cow Town," whose current main attraction is an outlet mall, and whose long-standing attraction prior to that was an orchard-based theme park that primarily consisted of a bakery, a gift store and a tiny train. Historic Downtown Vacaville indeed! But I do miss the Nut Tree . . .
Thursday, November 10, 2005
See post below for reference.
MENDING WALL
Robert Frost
Something there is that doesn't love a wall, 1
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun,
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing: 5
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made, 10
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go. 15
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
'Stay where you are until our backs are turned!'
We wear our fingers rough with handling them. 20
Oh, just another kind of out-door game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across 25
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, 'Good fences make good neighbors'.
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
'Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it 30
Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I'd ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offence.
Something there is that doesn't love a wall, 35
That wants it down.' I could say 'Elves' to him,
But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed. 40
He moves in darkness as it seems to me~
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father's saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors." 45
Robert Frost
Something there is that doesn't love a wall, 1
That sends the frozen-ground-swell under it,
And spills the upper boulders in the sun,
And makes gaps even two can pass abreast.
The work of hunters is another thing: 5
I have come after them and made repair
Where they have left not one stone on a stone,
But they would have the rabbit out of hiding,
To please the yelping dogs. The gaps I mean,
No one has seen them made or heard them made, 10
But at spring mending-time we find them there.
I let my neighbor know beyond the hill;
And on a day we meet to walk the line
And set the wall between us once again.
We keep the wall between us as we go. 15
To each the boulders that have fallen to each.
And some are loaves and some so nearly balls
We have to use a spell to make them balance:
'Stay where you are until our backs are turned!'
We wear our fingers rough with handling them. 20
Oh, just another kind of out-door game,
One on a side. It comes to little more:
There where it is we do not need the wall:
He is all pine and I am apple orchard.
My apple trees will never get across 25
And eat the cones under his pines, I tell him.
He only says, 'Good fences make good neighbors'.
Spring is the mischief in me, and I wonder
If I could put a notion in his head:
'Why do they make good neighbors? Isn't it 30
Where there are cows? But here there are no cows.
Before I built a wall I'd ask to know
What I was walling in or walling out,
And to whom I was like to give offence.
Something there is that doesn't love a wall, 35
That wants it down.' I could say 'Elves' to him,
But it's not elves exactly, and I'd rather
He said it for himself. I see him there
Bringing a stone grasped firmly by the top
In each hand, like an old-stone savage armed. 40
He moves in darkness as it seems to me~
Not of woods only and the shade of trees.
He will not go behind his father's saying,
And he likes having thought of it so well
He says again, "Good fences make good neighbors." 45
Here is what you get when you don't make me sign a confidentiality agreement:
Hi there, Action Learning Systems. I have just finished giving the 9th and 11th grade Benchmark One tests (subtitled "Measuring Student Achievement California English-Languange Arts Standards"), and I can only conclude that the tests were created by the most well-prepared math teachers available. Dear readers, do feel free to take the test below (a small excerpt of the test I just gave my 9th graders).
1. In line 11, the poet refers to “spring mending-time” to show that
A. mending the wall is a very time-consuming task.
B. The speaker’s neighbor looks forward to mending the wall
C. The routine of mending the wall happens each spring.
D. Spring is only one of the times the wall is mended.
2. In lines 32-44, Robert Frost
A. refers to the present to illustrate the way people build walls.
B. takes the reader to the future when people make a new type of wall.
C. speaks of a time when people agreed that walls should not be built.
D. refers back to a time that would exist before a wall was ever built.
3. The phrase “He will not go behind his father’s saying” (line 43) makes the neighbor seem
A. hospitable
B. stubborn
C. clever
D. disagreeable
4. What is the effect of this poem being written from the first person point of view?
A. The poem emphasizes the importance of having long-term friendships.
B. The reader is able to see that one neighbor is hard working, while the
other neighbor is lazy.
C. The poem makes it clear that both neighbors share strong, traditional
values about work.
D. The reader knows what one of the neighbors is thinking, as well as what
he chooses to do.
5. The poet shows that “good fences make good neighbors” today by
A. repeating this idea more than once
B. writing in the present tense
C. showing how neighbors work together
D. including dialogue in the poem
6. The speaker’s references to “a spell” (line 18) and “elves” (lines 36-37) add a tone of
A. comedy
B. playfulness
C. logic
D. sadness
7. Based on his behavior, the speaker seems
A. closed-minded
B. angry
C. selfish
D. cooperative
8. The speaker influences the reader’s view of the neighbor by showing that he
A. may be hard-working, but he is not friendly
B. does not like to think too much
C. is unwilling to take care of cows
D. is unskilled at mending the wall each year
9. The dialogue in the poem shows the speaker’s
A. interest in the wall’s effect on his relationship with his neighbor
B. dislike of mending the wall each spring
C. belief that magical elves cause the wall to fall apart every winter
D. dislike of rabbit hunters and their dogs
Number 1: I can only assume the answer is C, although it isn't really clear in the poem, and a strong argument could be made for D.
Number 2: After contemplating this one for a couple days, I can only conclude that "32-44" is a typo that should read "32-34," in which case the answer is likely D, although the wording is still quite awkward, the "before a wall was ever built" making it sound like the far distant past, before any walls had been built. If in fact they meant line 44, then the question is even more awkward, because that encompasses everything in the poem about elves and the "old stone-savage" and whatnot, which is apparently not relevant to the question, and then leaving off the very last line for no apparent reason.
Number 3: Is probably B, but I can see how kids might be tricked into D. I might have been as well.
Number 4: Hopefully this one is D.
Number 5: This is my favorite (by which I mean, of course, my LEAST favorite). Unless I am very much mistaken, the whole point of the poem is that the phrase "good fences make good neighbors" is an outdated cliche that should be examined. And does today mean when the poem was written or 2005? I would guess C, but I completely disagree with the premise of the question, and I think a large number of my kids are smart enough to understand the real meaning of the poem as well.
Number 6: I would say B, but it could as easily be A depending on how you read the poem.
Number 7: I have no idea. Maybe D. The others seem to negative, and he is, after all, helping to mend the fence, but "cooperative" seems like an awfully simplistic representation of this speaker, who spends half his time needling his neighbor.
Number 8: We can easily rule out C and D. A and B seem equally likely, and I'd go for B, but this one's a stumper. Maybe it's A. I'm waffling. Wouldn't you think that if someone with a Master's degree in English can't pass this test, it's a little beyond 9th graders?
Number 9: Now this one is clearly a trick question, as there is no actual dialogue in the poem. Oh, sure, there are quotation marks, which might make you think there is dialogue, but look more closely: In lines 30 through 36, for example, there is no evidence that the speaker actually voices those thoughts. He simply says "if I could put a notion in his head." That's a big if. And he only says "I could say 'Elves' to him," not that he actually DOES say "elves." In fact, the only words we have evidence of someone saying in the poem are the following: The neighbor says twice "good fences make good neighbors." I can only assume that the speaker and the neighbor both say to the stones "Stay where you are until our backs are turned!" although I don't think you could say unequivocally that it gets said at all. And finally, it would seem that the speaker tells the neighbor that his apple trees will "never get across/ and eat the cones under his pines," although you'll notice that those words are paraphrased, and not a direct piece of dialogue. To put it more simply, if you read a story in which the narrator said "I told Danny he should cut his hair," it is not dialogue. Dialogue would be "I said to Danny, 'cut your hair.'" Sure arguments, even valid ones, could be made on the other side, but I don't think I'm convinced that the neighbor repeating a cliche out loud, them talking to the rocks, the speaker commenting on what he could say, and the speaker telling us that at one point he said something to his neighbor, add up to "dialogue."
I am a good little conformist test-taker though, and there is no space for a write-in answer, so I will have to choose one. C is ruled out because it's not exactly true. D is true but not relevant to the "dialogue." Of the other two, I have a problem with B (in a moment, don't you worry, I'll tackle that), but there's no real evidence for A, although I think the speaker is interested. My problem with D is that I don't think he actually dislikes mending the fence. He calls it a "game," he feels mischevous, enjoys casting "a spell." To say that he dislikes mending the wall is like saying he doesn't enjoy the work, when what he doesn't enjoy, I think, is the fence itself, and the idea that men put up boundaries between themselves and their "property," which is after all, nature, and can hardly be owned, as the earth's own actions against the wall reflect each spring.
Anyway, I gotta go, but this kind of thing really chaps my hide.
1. In line 11, the poet refers to “spring mending-time” to show that
A. mending the wall is a very time-consuming task.
B. The speaker’s neighbor looks forward to mending the wall
C. The routine of mending the wall happens each spring.
D. Spring is only one of the times the wall is mended.
2. In lines 32-44, Robert Frost
A. refers to the present to illustrate the way people build walls.
B. takes the reader to the future when people make a new type of wall.
C. speaks of a time when people agreed that walls should not be built.
D. refers back to a time that would exist before a wall was ever built.
3. The phrase “He will not go behind his father’s saying” (line 43) makes the neighbor seem
A. hospitable
B. stubborn
C. clever
D. disagreeable
4. What is the effect of this poem being written from the first person point of view?
A. The poem emphasizes the importance of having long-term friendships.
B. The reader is able to see that one neighbor is hard working, while the
other neighbor is lazy.
C. The poem makes it clear that both neighbors share strong, traditional
values about work.
D. The reader knows what one of the neighbors is thinking, as well as what
he chooses to do.
5. The poet shows that “good fences make good neighbors” today by
A. repeating this idea more than once
B. writing in the present tense
C. showing how neighbors work together
D. including dialogue in the poem
6. The speaker’s references to “a spell” (line 18) and “elves” (lines 36-37) add a tone of
A. comedy
B. playfulness
C. logic
D. sadness
7. Based on his behavior, the speaker seems
A. closed-minded
B. angry
C. selfish
D. cooperative
8. The speaker influences the reader’s view of the neighbor by showing that he
A. may be hard-working, but he is not friendly
B. does not like to think too much
C. is unwilling to take care of cows
D. is unskilled at mending the wall each year
9. The dialogue in the poem shows the speaker’s
A. interest in the wall’s effect on his relationship with his neighbor
B. dislike of mending the wall each spring
C. belief that magical elves cause the wall to fall apart every winter
D. dislike of rabbit hunters and their dogs
Number 1: I can only assume the answer is C, although it isn't really clear in the poem, and a strong argument could be made for D.
Number 2: After contemplating this one for a couple days, I can only conclude that "32-44" is a typo that should read "32-34," in which case the answer is likely D, although the wording is still quite awkward, the "before a wall was ever built" making it sound like the far distant past, before any walls had been built. If in fact they meant line 44, then the question is even more awkward, because that encompasses everything in the poem about elves and the "old stone-savage" and whatnot, which is apparently not relevant to the question, and then leaving off the very last line for no apparent reason.
Number 3: Is probably B, but I can see how kids might be tricked into D. I might have been as well.
Number 4: Hopefully this one is D.
Number 5: This is my favorite (by which I mean, of course, my LEAST favorite). Unless I am very much mistaken, the whole point of the poem is that the phrase "good fences make good neighbors" is an outdated cliche that should be examined. And does today mean when the poem was written or 2005? I would guess C, but I completely disagree with the premise of the question, and I think a large number of my kids are smart enough to understand the real meaning of the poem as well.
Number 6: I would say B, but it could as easily be A depending on how you read the poem.
Number 7: I have no idea. Maybe D. The others seem to negative, and he is, after all, helping to mend the fence, but "cooperative" seems like an awfully simplistic representation of this speaker, who spends half his time needling his neighbor.
Number 8: We can easily rule out C and D. A and B seem equally likely, and I'd go for B, but this one's a stumper. Maybe it's A. I'm waffling. Wouldn't you think that if someone with a Master's degree in English can't pass this test, it's a little beyond 9th graders?
Number 9: Now this one is clearly a trick question, as there is no actual dialogue in the poem. Oh, sure, there are quotation marks, which might make you think there is dialogue, but look more closely: In lines 30 through 36, for example, there is no evidence that the speaker actually voices those thoughts. He simply says "if I could put a notion in his head." That's a big if. And he only says "I could say 'Elves' to him," not that he actually DOES say "elves." In fact, the only words we have evidence of someone saying in the poem are the following: The neighbor says twice "good fences make good neighbors." I can only assume that the speaker and the neighbor both say to the stones "Stay where you are until our backs are turned!" although I don't think you could say unequivocally that it gets said at all. And finally, it would seem that the speaker tells the neighbor that his apple trees will "never get across/ and eat the cones under his pines," although you'll notice that those words are paraphrased, and not a direct piece of dialogue. To put it more simply, if you read a story in which the narrator said "I told Danny he should cut his hair," it is not dialogue. Dialogue would be "I said to Danny, 'cut your hair.'" Sure arguments, even valid ones, could be made on the other side, but I don't think I'm convinced that the neighbor repeating a cliche out loud, them talking to the rocks, the speaker commenting on what he could say, and the speaker telling us that at one point he said something to his neighbor, add up to "dialogue."
I am a good little conformist test-taker though, and there is no space for a write-in answer, so I will have to choose one. C is ruled out because it's not exactly true. D is true but not relevant to the "dialogue." Of the other two, I have a problem with B (in a moment, don't you worry, I'll tackle that), but there's no real evidence for A, although I think the speaker is interested. My problem with D is that I don't think he actually dislikes mending the fence. He calls it a "game," he feels mischevous, enjoys casting "a spell." To say that he dislikes mending the wall is like saying he doesn't enjoy the work, when what he doesn't enjoy, I think, is the fence itself, and the idea that men put up boundaries between themselves and their "property," which is after all, nature, and can hardly be owned, as the earth's own actions against the wall reflect each spring.
Anyway, I gotta go, but this kind of thing really chaps my hide.
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Eh.
Last post deleted for excessive whine content. Okay, I'm at 12,350 words in NaNoWriMo, not nearly where I'd like to be (my goal for today initially would have been 18,000), but not awful, I guess. My ass is starting to hurt from sitting and writing. Maye Friday I'll catch up somewhat, since I have the day off.
We kicked Schwarzenegger's ass in the special election! Political capital my ass. Try to spend it now, fucker!
I guess that's about it. Ooh, except that I can highly recommend the jalapeno blue corn cornbread mix from Trader Joe's. YUMMY!
G'Night!
CM
We kicked Schwarzenegger's ass in the special election! Political capital my ass. Try to spend it now, fucker!
I guess that's about it. Ooh, except that I can highly recommend the jalapeno blue corn cornbread mix from Trader Joe's. YUMMY!
G'Night!
CM
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
NaNoWriMo update, and friend news!
Okay, I got up to just over 10,000 words. I'm still behind, but less than I was yesterday. If I can keep up 3,000 words a day this week, I'll be at 24,000 words at the end of week two, which is damn near halfway there.
I got great news this week -- I'm totally beaming about it. I had a dream about my best friend from 4th through 8th grade, whom I haven't seen or talked to once since then. She was a great friend, and funny, and kind, and we spent untold hours being goofballs together. I mentioned the dream to my mom, and she asked whether I had Googled her. I had, but I didn't come up with anything promising. So mom (whose job, remember, included finding people), found her for me! We've now e-mailed back and forth a bit. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband, and we're meeting for lunch on Sunday! I could hardly be be more excited. If I hadn't just spent 2 hours nanowrimoing, I'd tell you all about her -- her endearing snaggletoothed smile, her sometimes inappropriate t-shirts (the turtle and the helmet is one I remember), her parents' house with all the cats, the sleepover we had where we froze someone's bra, all the Jolt Cola we consumed (all the sugar, twice the caffeine!), listening to "Darling Nikki" by Prince and her mom having a cow about it, playing water hose limbo in the street . . .
I often say that every really close female friend I've had since my high school friend Stacey was somehow modeled on her -- that there was a Stacey-shaped hole in my soul that only slightly eccentric, hilarious, beautiful, creative iconoclasts could fill (yo, Monkeygirl), but I'm wondering if Erinn might really have started this whole ball rolling, way back in '84.
Okay, got to go to bed.
Love and funk,
CM
I got great news this week -- I'm totally beaming about it. I had a dream about my best friend from 4th through 8th grade, whom I haven't seen or talked to once since then. She was a great friend, and funny, and kind, and we spent untold hours being goofballs together. I mentioned the dream to my mom, and she asked whether I had Googled her. I had, but I didn't come up with anything promising. So mom (whose job, remember, included finding people), found her for me! We've now e-mailed back and forth a bit. She lives in the Bay Area with her husband, and we're meeting for lunch on Sunday! I could hardly be be more excited. If I hadn't just spent 2 hours nanowrimoing, I'd tell you all about her -- her endearing snaggletoothed smile, her sometimes inappropriate t-shirts (the turtle and the helmet is one I remember), her parents' house with all the cats, the sleepover we had where we froze someone's bra, all the Jolt Cola we consumed (all the sugar, twice the caffeine!), listening to "Darling Nikki" by Prince and her mom having a cow about it, playing water hose limbo in the street . . .
I often say that every really close female friend I've had since my high school friend Stacey was somehow modeled on her -- that there was a Stacey-shaped hole in my soul that only slightly eccentric, hilarious, beautiful, creative iconoclasts could fill (yo, Monkeygirl), but I'm wondering if Erinn might really have started this whole ball rolling, way back in '84.
Okay, got to go to bed.
Love and funk,
CM
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Muppets rule
Well, it's 9:18 on Saturday and our guests have all left, so it was a short night, but a good one. We watched three episodes of the first season of the Muppet Show. Guests included Joel Grey and Connie Stevens. Yeah.
I had forgotten so much of what made the show great. The ballroom dancing scenes with the corny jokes, the backstage scenes, the in-jokes ("Those don't look like the Temptations!" "They're not, they're the Mutations!" and "What's an amoeba anyway?" "I don't know, I'm not from around here either."). The goofy performance art: "Gonzo the Great will now eat a tire to 'Flight of the Bumblebees.'"
We had delicious ice cream sundaes, with caramel, hot fudge sauce, strawberry sauce, whipped cream, crushed almonds, and marashino cherries. At times during the show we laughed so hard we drowned out the next joke.
Now I'm watching the episode with Ruth Buzzi. Good times.
I'm still NaNoWriMoing, although I'm already terribly behind. Ah well.
I had forgotten so much of what made the show great. The ballroom dancing scenes with the corny jokes, the backstage scenes, the in-jokes ("Those don't look like the Temptations!" "They're not, they're the Mutations!" and "What's an amoeba anyway?" "I don't know, I'm not from around here either."). The goofy performance art: "Gonzo the Great will now eat a tire to 'Flight of the Bumblebees.'"
We had delicious ice cream sundaes, with caramel, hot fudge sauce, strawberry sauce, whipped cream, crushed almonds, and marashino cherries. At times during the show we laughed so hard we drowned out the next joke.
Now I'm watching the episode with Ruth Buzzi. Good times.
I'm still NaNoWriMoing, although I'm already terribly behind. Ah well.
Friday, November 04, 2005
Thanks G!
If Herbology is both my best and worst course, I must be a pretty damn mediocre student! I SO did not want to be Slytherin.
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Well, shit.
I was going back and forth as to whether I would do NaNoWriMo this year. Piggs was very encouraging, and I really did enjoy doing it last year. I didn't have any ideas, and I didn't start it yesterday. I also know there are about 4 days in November I won't be able to work much (hello Thanksgiving travel). But I started today, which is kind of good news and bad news, too. Because now I'm screwed either way.
1: I quit and don't finish, and am disappointed in myself.
2: I keep at it, but to the detriment of everything else in my life, spending an hour and a half on it every day, and constantly worrying that I'm falling behind. Hell, I even started out behind.
Geez. Well, if you don't hear much from me in November, you'll know why.
1: I quit and don't finish, and am disappointed in myself.
2: I keep at it, but to the detriment of everything else in my life, spending an hour and a half on it every day, and constantly worrying that I'm falling behind. Hell, I even started out behind.
Geez. Well, if you don't hear much from me in November, you'll know why.
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