ABCDEFG Meme
A - Age: 35
B - Band listening to right now: Evanescence
C - Career future: University/college prof and research
D - Dad's name: Michael
E - Easiest person to talk to: Anita
F - Favorite song: Gads, I can only pick one? Sorry, can't do it.
G - Gummy Bears or Gummy Worms: Bears
H - Hometown: Grew up in Buhler, KS -- population ~1000 not counting livestock!
I - Instruments: Sadly, none.
J - Job: Graduate student/research assistant
K - Kids: No human ones, thank the Higher. We don't need no copies of me!!
L - Longest car ride ever: The trip to New Orleans in August over two days would qualify as the longest in MILES. The trip several years ago back to Wichita from Houston with a moronic, hateful bitch of a personal care attendant would qualify as the longest test of EMOTIONAL endurance.
M - Mom's name: Cindy
N - Number of Nieces & Nephews: Biological = 0. Adopted = 1 niece.
P - Phobia[s]: Spiders and not being able to move my arms when I wake up -- the latter being the worst. I will have a panic attack of clinical proportions with the latter.
Q - Quote: Groovy.
R - Reason to smile: Reba greeting me at the door when I come home.
S - Song you sang last: Ummmm, dunno. I could sing you BB King's "The Thrill is Gone" right now if'n ya want.
T - Time you wake up: In New Orleans, anywhere between 0645 and 0745, depending on whether it's a bath day (earlier rising) or not (later).
U - Unknown fact about me: I once sang a song in "very fine" Italian, according to my voice coach. I don't even speak Italian.
V - Vegetable you hate: Brussels sprouts. But I like cabbage. Go figure.
W - Worst habit: Procrastinator extraordinaire!!
X - X-rays you've had: I have muscular dystrophy and am the most accident-prone person I know after my father . . . name me a body part I HAVEN'T had x-rayed!!
Y - Yummy food: Shrimp. You can boil it, you can fry it, you can grill it . . . .
Z - Zodiac sign: Leo/Virgo
Book Meme -- because I was tagged
1. Grab the book closest to you.
2. Open to page 123, go down to the fifth sentence
3. Post the text of next 3 sentences on your blog
4. Name of the book and the author
5. Tag three people
From Sherlock Holmes and the Rune Stone Mystery by Larry Millett (not the book I am currently reading, but the one that was closest to me):
So many questions asked at once seemed to confuse Fogelblad, who stared down at the floor and said quietly: "I do not know. That is the truth."
Rafferty now moved abruptly to another line of questioning, a technique which Holmes himself often used to great effect during interrogations.
Kim, Suz, Jen W. -- Tag! You're It! You can post in comments, K.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Fun with planes
The way it was supposed to be
I would get to the airport, check my suitcase at the curb, go straight to security (because I had printed my boarding pass at home), and get on my plane. We would take off at 1:30, we would arrive in Houston approximately an hour later, I would have about an hour to make my connecting flight, and I would land in Wichita a little after 5:30.
The way it actually happened
The skycaps insisted that I had to check my suitcase inside the terminal because of my dog. "It's regulation, ma'am" -- a regulation I have never encountered before because, as you may also argue, my dog has nothing to do with my suitcase. I go into the terminal and proceed to check my suitcase, and I ask the man about this new regulation only to be informed that no such regulation exists. ::sigh:: What the hell?
I breeze through security after a reasonably thorough check of both myself and my dog. Two points of interest: (1) Does it really take three people to check a gimp and her dog? (2) They didn't check underneath my chair. Swabbed my pouch that was obviously full of nothing but pens, but didn't check the bottom of my chair. If you're going to go to the trouble to feel all around and inside my dog's ears, check the whole chair, peeps.
Got no grief about my wheelchair's batteries, which was a relief, and had competent people help me with the transfers. AJ the sweet and adorably-gay flight attendant helped me get comfortable in my seat after minding Reba during the transfers.
We took off from NOLA fifteen minutes late because of rainshowers in Houston, and we wound up circling for another twenty minutes for the same reason before being permitted to land. That, coupled with the fact that I sent people on an unnecessary search for my not-missing-afterall batteries, meant I missed my connection to Wichita. Truth be told, I would've missed the flight without the wheelchair drama. A Continental assistant showed me the way to customer service after a nice hug and a "happy holidays" from AJ. I was wishing for another AJ hug after I found out that there wasn't another direct flight to ICT until 9:20, and even more STILL after I called Mom to tell her I wouldn't be in until 11:01 and she told me she had to get up at 4:30 to go to work. Max the sweet Continental guy found the same female attendant who had helped me off the plane to have her help me situate more comfortably in my chair (I hadn't worried about it previously because I thought I was getting on another plane shortly), then he gave me $12 in food vouchers (which he was not obligated to do because it wasn't Continental's fault that Houston had shite-y weather) and urged me to go get something to eat. After, he said, come back here and he'd make sure I knew how to get to my other terminal. I was grateful for that last because I haven't been through IAH many times and thus get pretty directionally challenged.
I ate a tasty taco with yummy spicy salsa (you're in Houston, kid, no wimpy salsa here) and stuffed a giant chocolate chip cookie and a giant brownie in my bag. My taco was a few cents over one $4 voucher, and they don't give change, so rather than dig my wallet out of my densely packed bookbag, I bought the cookie and brownie, too. Max took Reba outside for me so I wouldn't have to go back through security, then he personally escorted me to B terminal where he left me with another $8 in food vouchers and chatting with a really sweet girl from NY on her way to Colorado Springs. After she boarded her plane, I ate some enchiladas (which weren't all that good and nowhere near the caliber of E terminal's taco) and started wandering. I made a couple circuits through a bookstore and managed to buy nothing -- amazing considering that they had both Stephen King's AND Michael Crichton's new books, not so amazing because the only reason I didn't buy at least ONE as a consolation to myself was because there really was no room in my bag to put them. I used the last of my vouchers to buy some chocolate-covered raisins. I went with the raisins rather than the almonds because I knew Dad would want to dip into them when I got home, and he doesn't like almonds.
I took my raisins and my collection of Laurell K. Hamilton short stories and esconced myself at an eatery table to fritter away two and a half more hours. I had just finished reading the second story and was contemplating reading another or wandering some more when a reasonably good-looking fellow sat down a little way from me and struck up a conversation. I spent the next hour talking to the oil platform repair diver from "somewhere between Liverpool and Manchester. You've heard of them, yeah?" He was on his way to the GoM via Lafayette to work for a month on a platform damaged by Katrina. Then, he said, he was going to take an extra couple of weeks to go visit a friend in Irvine, CA, because "I've always wanted to go to Disneyland." That made me giggle -- tough, buff, Brit diver all excited about Disneyland. He told me about places he's been and how they differ from what you see on the news or read about (he'd just gotten back from Russia, and had spent time in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Thailand, Singapore, and off the Iran/Iraq coast), and even advised that if I really wanted a challenge in conservation biology to go to Bombay ("I've seen a lot, but even I was stooned to see what they poot in their water").
Alas, soon we both had to head to our respective planes. We landed in ICT ten minutes early, and the plane crew folks had an interesting time getting my chair up to me. Mom wound up going down the jetway and doing it for them ("Take off the clutches like this sign she posted on the chair specifically to help you says rather than trying to manhandle it with the clutches on."). I gratefully went to the bathroom while Dad got my suitcase (somehow it managed to get to ICT in spite of all the plane drama), and we headed home.
And today . . . I've been a total freaking bum. And my mommy's making me homemade pizza for supper tonight. Yes, I'm spoiled.
I would get to the airport, check my suitcase at the curb, go straight to security (because I had printed my boarding pass at home), and get on my plane. We would take off at 1:30, we would arrive in Houston approximately an hour later, I would have about an hour to make my connecting flight, and I would land in Wichita a little after 5:30.
The way it actually happened
The skycaps insisted that I had to check my suitcase inside the terminal because of my dog. "It's regulation, ma'am" -- a regulation I have never encountered before because, as you may also argue, my dog has nothing to do with my suitcase. I go into the terminal and proceed to check my suitcase, and I ask the man about this new regulation only to be informed that no such regulation exists. ::sigh:: What the hell?
I breeze through security after a reasonably thorough check of both myself and my dog. Two points of interest: (1) Does it really take three people to check a gimp and her dog? (2) They didn't check underneath my chair. Swabbed my pouch that was obviously full of nothing but pens, but didn't check the bottom of my chair. If you're going to go to the trouble to feel all around and inside my dog's ears, check the whole chair, peeps.
Got no grief about my wheelchair's batteries, which was a relief, and had competent people help me with the transfers. AJ the sweet and adorably-gay flight attendant helped me get comfortable in my seat after minding Reba during the transfers.
We took off from NOLA fifteen minutes late because of rainshowers in Houston, and we wound up circling for another twenty minutes for the same reason before being permitted to land. That, coupled with the fact that I sent people on an unnecessary search for my not-missing-afterall batteries, meant I missed my connection to Wichita. Truth be told, I would've missed the flight without the wheelchair drama. A Continental assistant showed me the way to customer service after a nice hug and a "happy holidays" from AJ. I was wishing for another AJ hug after I found out that there wasn't another direct flight to ICT until 9:20, and even more STILL after I called Mom to tell her I wouldn't be in until 11:01 and she told me she had to get up at 4:30 to go to work. Max the sweet Continental guy found the same female attendant who had helped me off the plane to have her help me situate more comfortably in my chair (I hadn't worried about it previously because I thought I was getting on another plane shortly), then he gave me $12 in food vouchers (which he was not obligated to do because it wasn't Continental's fault that Houston had shite-y weather) and urged me to go get something to eat. After, he said, come back here and he'd make sure I knew how to get to my other terminal. I was grateful for that last because I haven't been through IAH many times and thus get pretty directionally challenged.
I ate a tasty taco with yummy spicy salsa (you're in Houston, kid, no wimpy salsa here) and stuffed a giant chocolate chip cookie and a giant brownie in my bag. My taco was a few cents over one $4 voucher, and they don't give change, so rather than dig my wallet out of my densely packed bookbag, I bought the cookie and brownie, too. Max took Reba outside for me so I wouldn't have to go back through security, then he personally escorted me to B terminal where he left me with another $8 in food vouchers and chatting with a really sweet girl from NY on her way to Colorado Springs. After she boarded her plane, I ate some enchiladas (which weren't all that good and nowhere near the caliber of E terminal's taco) and started wandering. I made a couple circuits through a bookstore and managed to buy nothing -- amazing considering that they had both Stephen King's AND Michael Crichton's new books, not so amazing because the only reason I didn't buy at least ONE as a consolation to myself was because there really was no room in my bag to put them. I used the last of my vouchers to buy some chocolate-covered raisins. I went with the raisins rather than the almonds because I knew Dad would want to dip into them when I got home, and he doesn't like almonds.
I took my raisins and my collection of Laurell K. Hamilton short stories and esconced myself at an eatery table to fritter away two and a half more hours. I had just finished reading the second story and was contemplating reading another or wandering some more when a reasonably good-looking fellow sat down a little way from me and struck up a conversation. I spent the next hour talking to the oil platform repair diver from "somewhere between Liverpool and Manchester. You've heard of them, yeah?" He was on his way to the GoM via Lafayette to work for a month on a platform damaged by Katrina. Then, he said, he was going to take an extra couple of weeks to go visit a friend in Irvine, CA, because "I've always wanted to go to Disneyland." That made me giggle -- tough, buff, Brit diver all excited about Disneyland. He told me about places he's been and how they differ from what you see on the news or read about (he'd just gotten back from Russia, and had spent time in Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Thailand, Singapore, and off the Iran/Iraq coast), and even advised that if I really wanted a challenge in conservation biology to go to Bombay ("I've seen a lot, but even I was stooned to see what they poot in their water").
Alas, soon we both had to head to our respective planes. We landed in ICT ten minutes early, and the plane crew folks had an interesting time getting my chair up to me. Mom wound up going down the jetway and doing it for them ("Take off the clutches like this sign she posted on the chair specifically to help you says rather than trying to manhandle it with the clutches on."). I gratefully went to the bathroom while Dad got my suitcase (somehow it managed to get to ICT in spite of all the plane drama), and we headed home.
And today . . . I've been a total freaking bum. And my mommy's making me homemade pizza for supper tonight. Yes, I'm spoiled.
Thursday, December 07, 2006
I might actually start going to Hard Rock . . .
. . . unless NOLA's Hard Rock Cafe is considered west of the Mississippi (it curves so much, I get confused), then screw the white man. Hurray for the Seminole tribe!
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
So what do you do when the semester and your stats final are over?
You kick back with the officemates, opening Christmas presents and drinking hot cocoa laced with Bailey's chocolate mint Irish cream while listening to New Orleans Christmas carols like "Norris the Nocturnal Nutria" and "Oh, Little Town of Destrahan."
In the office.
Good times.
In the office.
Good times.
Wednesday, November 29, 2006
The countdown begins
Only twelve days until I get to go home for a visit.
I only have to survive a comprehensive stats final between now and then. At least I get a trip to the RenFaire this weekend as a study break. Got my blue ribbons all ready for the laddies in their kilts.
I only have to survive a comprehensive stats final between now and then. At least I get a trip to the RenFaire this weekend as a study break. Got my blue ribbons all ready for the laddies in their kilts.
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
One Word meme a la Jennifer
You can only type one word. No explanations.
Yourself: sarcastic
Your Partner: nonexistent
Your Hair: longish
Your Mother: incredible
Your Father: strong
Your Favorite Item: rhino
Your Dream Last Night: wreck
Your Favorite Drink: Pepsi
Your Dream Car: working
Your Dream Home: eco-friendly
The Room You Are In: bed
Your Ex: none
Your Fear: unsuccessful
Where You Want to be in Ten Years: balanced
Who You Hung Out With Last Night: Reba
What You’re Not: quitter
Muffins: yum
One of Your Wish List Items: book
Time: night
The Last Thing You Did: TV
What You Are Wearing: clothes
Your Favorite Weather: sunny
Your Favorite Book: all
Last Thing You Ate: cake
Your Life: amazing
Your Mood: homesick
Your Best Friends: inspirational
What Are You Thinking About Right Now: home
Your Car: Moby
What Are You Doing At The Moment: reading
Your Summer: busy
Relationship Status: spinster
What Is On Your TV: Riddick
What Is The Weather Like: foggy
When Is The Last Time You Laughed: tonight
Yourself: sarcastic
Your Partner: nonexistent
Your Hair: longish
Your Mother: incredible
Your Father: strong
Your Favorite Item: rhino
Your Dream Last Night: wreck
Your Favorite Drink: Pepsi
Your Dream Car: working
Your Dream Home: eco-friendly
The Room You Are In: bed
Your Ex: none
Your Fear: unsuccessful
Where You Want to be in Ten Years: balanced
Who You Hung Out With Last Night: Reba
What You’re Not: quitter
Muffins: yum
One of Your Wish List Items: book
Time: night
The Last Thing You Did: TV
What You Are Wearing: clothes
Your Favorite Weather: sunny
Your Favorite Book: all
Last Thing You Ate: cake
Your Life: amazing
Your Mood: homesick
Your Best Friends: inspirational
What Are You Thinking About Right Now: home
Your Car: Moby
What Are You Doing At The Moment: reading
Your Summer: busy
Relationship Status: spinster
What Is On Your TV: Riddick
What Is The Weather Like: foggy
When Is The Last Time You Laughed: tonight
Monday, November 27, 2006
Thanksgiving, Part I
The two hour drive to Lafayette was pretty peaceful and extremely low stress since everyone was mostly at their destinations. We didn't even have to fight any traffic in Baton Rouge.
Rachel's mom arranged for us to stay at the church since I couldn't get into her house. She had checked with someone about building a ramp -- not just any ramp, but an ADA compliant ramp. Amazing to me considering the woman has met me once. Understandably, there was no cause to build a thirty foot ramp for someone who was only staying two nights, so the church it was. R and I were quite comfortable there. Lots of space, a cozy seating area, a fully equipped kitchen with a fridge stocked for us by Mama Becky, and a soda machine and water cooler if we felt the need for a cool, refreshing beverage. There were cots for us to sleep on, but I opted for the couch with its comfy cushions. We thought this idea was out when R discovered (after I suggested she try it) that the lift legs wouldn't fit under the couch frame. R's totally unorthodox (by Christian standards) solution? Prop up the couch on four matching Bibles she found on top of the piano. I even believe there was a crack made about the word of God lifting me up. Rachel is a nut.
After we got into town, we ate immediately since Becky had everything there and ready. Rachel's dad had come in from Alexandria, so we had a nice little meal of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, tilapia etouffe, baked tilapia, green beans, salad, and biscuits. My favorite was Dr. Jackson's etouffe even though, as he said, it had a touch too much lemon. Becky, we all noticed, didn't eat much. She claimed she was just tired, and after we ate she went home to lie down. We found out later that she was in fact pretty sick, and it had just hit her literally right before we got there. She spent the rest of the day in bed or on the toilet with truly bad things coming out both ends.
That evening, Dr. Jackson brought his kitten Jazz over to the church to stay with Rachel, Reba, and me since Becky's cat was extremely offended that she was in HER house. After he was reassured that Reba wasn't going to hurt her, we drove to Walgreens so I could buy a camera (since I forgot my digital at home) for our next day's excursion. We then walked around a park and stopped by the house to check on Becky. We were killing time and staying out of the church for a while because there was an AA meeting that evening. Rachel collected the newspaper and some games, and we headed back to the church. The AA meeting was still in full swing, so R and I removed ourselves to the classroom building while Dr. Jackson sat in on the meeting. Yes, there's a story there. R and I combed through the paper to see if there were any exciting music or art happenings the next night, then we had a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit while munching on mint dark chocolate truffle Hershey's Nuggets and dark chocolate macadamia nut Hershey's Kisses we'd found at Walgreens. After Dr. J went back to Becky's house, we hit some leftovers and went to bed.
Rachel's mom arranged for us to stay at the church since I couldn't get into her house. She had checked with someone about building a ramp -- not just any ramp, but an ADA compliant ramp. Amazing to me considering the woman has met me once. Understandably, there was no cause to build a thirty foot ramp for someone who was only staying two nights, so the church it was. R and I were quite comfortable there. Lots of space, a cozy seating area, a fully equipped kitchen with a fridge stocked for us by Mama Becky, and a soda machine and water cooler if we felt the need for a cool, refreshing beverage. There were cots for us to sleep on, but I opted for the couch with its comfy cushions. We thought this idea was out when R discovered (after I suggested she try it) that the lift legs wouldn't fit under the couch frame. R's totally unorthodox (by Christian standards) solution? Prop up the couch on four matching Bibles she found on top of the piano. I even believe there was a crack made about the word of God lifting me up. Rachel is a nut.
After we got into town, we ate immediately since Becky had everything there and ready. Rachel's dad had come in from Alexandria, so we had a nice little meal of turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, tilapia etouffe, baked tilapia, green beans, salad, and biscuits. My favorite was Dr. Jackson's etouffe even though, as he said, it had a touch too much lemon. Becky, we all noticed, didn't eat much. She claimed she was just tired, and after we ate she went home to lie down. We found out later that she was in fact pretty sick, and it had just hit her literally right before we got there. She spent the rest of the day in bed or on the toilet with truly bad things coming out both ends.
That evening, Dr. Jackson brought his kitten Jazz over to the church to stay with Rachel, Reba, and me since Becky's cat was extremely offended that she was in HER house. After he was reassured that Reba wasn't going to hurt her, we drove to Walgreens so I could buy a camera (since I forgot my digital at home) for our next day's excursion. We then walked around a park and stopped by the house to check on Becky. We were killing time and staying out of the church for a while because there was an AA meeting that evening. Rachel collected the newspaper and some games, and we headed back to the church. The AA meeting was still in full swing, so R and I removed ourselves to the classroom building while Dr. Jackson sat in on the meeting. Yes, there's a story there. R and I combed through the paper to see if there were any exciting music or art happenings the next night, then we had a rousing game of Trivial Pursuit while munching on mint dark chocolate truffle Hershey's Nuggets and dark chocolate macadamia nut Hershey's Kisses we'd found at Walgreens. After Dr. J went back to Becky's house, we hit some leftovers and went to bed.
Thursday, November 23, 2006
Happy Thanksgiving
Leaving soon for Lafayette, but just wanted to put it out there.
Still haven't heard anything more yet about P. If I haven't heard from Mom by the time we roll into Lafayette and get settled, I'll call her. Or I'll call the hospital. Whatever.
As a see-you-after-while gift, I leave you these words:
Anything But Ordinary -- Avril Lavigne
Sometimes I get so weird
I even freak myself out
I laugh myself to sleep
It's my lullaby
Sometimes I drive so fast
Just to feel the danger
I wanna scream
It makes me feel alive
Is it enough to love?
Is it enough to breathe?
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
To walk within the lines
Would make my life so boring
I want to know that I
Have been to the extreme
So knock me off my feet
Come on now give it to me
Anything to make me feel alive
Is it enough to love?
Is it enough to breathe?
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
Let down your defenses
Use no common sense
If you look you will see
that this world is this beautiful
accident turbulent suculent
I'm feeling permanent
No way I wanna taste it
Don't wanna waste it away
Sometimes I get so weird
I even freak myself out
I laugh my self to sleep
It's my lullaby
Is it enough?
Is it enough?
Is it enough to love?
Is it enough to breathe?
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
Is it enough?
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
Still haven't heard anything more yet about P. If I haven't heard from Mom by the time we roll into Lafayette and get settled, I'll call her. Or I'll call the hospital. Whatever.
As a see-you-after-while gift, I leave you these words:
Anything But Ordinary -- Avril Lavigne
Sometimes I get so weird
I even freak myself out
I laugh myself to sleep
It's my lullaby
Sometimes I drive so fast
Just to feel the danger
I wanna scream
It makes me feel alive
Is it enough to love?
Is it enough to breathe?
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
To walk within the lines
Would make my life so boring
I want to know that I
Have been to the extreme
So knock me off my feet
Come on now give it to me
Anything to make me feel alive
Is it enough to love?
Is it enough to breathe?
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
Let down your defenses
Use no common sense
If you look you will see
that this world is this beautiful
accident turbulent suculent
I'm feeling permanent
No way I wanna taste it
Don't wanna waste it away
Sometimes I get so weird
I even freak myself out
I laugh my self to sleep
It's my lullaby
Is it enough?
Is it enough?
Is it enough to love?
Is it enough to breathe?
Somebody rip my heart out
And leave me here to bleed
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
Is it enough?
Is it enough to die?
Somebody save my life
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
I'd rather be anything but ordinary please
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
Swiped from Anita
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Your Result: Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm You're probably in the final stages of a Ph.D. or otherwise finding a way to make your living out of reading. You are one of the literati. Other people's grammatical mistakes make you insane. | |
| Dedicated Reader | |
| Literate Good Citizen | |
| Book Snob | |
| Fad Reader | |
| Non-Reader | |
| What Kind of Reader Are You? Create Your Own Quiz | |
Oh, I WISH I were actually in the final stages of my PhD . . . .
And other people's grammatical mistakes DO drive me insane.
But is it really fair to call me "obsessive-compulsive" when I will be reading one book at work and another two at home? OK, maybe it is. Not that I have time for that RIGHT NOW since I'm too busy reading research articles on medaka and mosquitofish and aquatic ecotoxicology.
Though the librarian DID make the comment last week when I picked up a dozen or so articles, "Well, it looks like you have some reading that will last you the weekend. Or knowing you, they'll just last you today."
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
::delirious gimp dancing frenzy::
I got a 95 on the stats exam.
::happily dances off into lunchtime::
::happily dances off into lunchtime::
Monday, November 20, 2006
Is this what lack of muscle tension feels like?
The apartment complex had one of their employees who also happens to be a massage therapist offer his services free of charge for a couple of hours this evening. Before he started my session, he asked me a lot of very pointed questions about my needs -- did I have any particular areas of numbness or pain, isn't it true that I do most everything with my upper body, etc. I told him I have a tendency to hold my stress in my lower neck and the muscles that join my neck to my shoulders and the muscles right between my shoulder blades. He told me after the fifteen minute massage that he would've discovered my stress spots even if I hadn't told him -- he said I had a major knot right on my C7 vertebra.
He told me I'd probably benefit from regular sessions with a therapist to help relieve my arms of their extra stress -- the whole your muscles have to work so much harder to do the same things phenomenon. The knowledgeable way in which he spoke (asking the right questions, listening to what I had to say) made me think that he'd worked with someone with a disability before. I've entertained the idea of semi-regular visits to a massage therapist many times, but I can't afford that and I told him as much. He said many therapists will donate time or offer discounts for students, and he offered to get me some information.
I do have to say that my neck hasn't felt this relaxed in months. Literally months.
He told me I'd probably benefit from regular sessions with a therapist to help relieve my arms of their extra stress -- the whole your muscles have to work so much harder to do the same things phenomenon. The knowledgeable way in which he spoke (asking the right questions, listening to what I had to say) made me think that he'd worked with someone with a disability before. I've entertained the idea of semi-regular visits to a massage therapist many times, but I can't afford that and I told him as much. He said many therapists will donate time or offer discounts for students, and he offered to get me some information.
I do have to say that my neck hasn't felt this relaxed in months. Literally months.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Post-exam de-stress
So I think I already posted about taking the stats exam on Thursday a.m. after being fifteen minutes late because I had gotten stuck in the elevator trying to retrieve my calculator from my office. ::sigh:: Second time in seven days I'd been stuck in that same elevator, to be rescued by the same elevator repairman. Sarah said she's going to put up some posters in there so I have something to look at next time.
Thursday evening, after I had spent all afternoon blessedly doing absolutely not a damn thing, Sarah called and asked if I wanted to go with her, her bf, and a couple other folks to the casino Friday night to see Dat Phan perform at the New Orleans Harrah's Improv Theater. Why, that sounds like fun, I did reply, and I called Harrah's to reserve my ticket.
Friday a.m. I was up, had picked up some Interlibrary Loan material from the library, and was in the office by 8:30 a.m. I checked my email to see a message from my advisor (who happens to be the graduate coordinator for our department) to myself, Sarah, Tom, and the annoying officemate (henceforth to be designated AOM). The four of us are the current Board of Regents (BoR) scholars in the UNO bio department.
I must now momentarily digress to give you a bit of background so that you may understand the rant I am about to subject you to. Two profs in our department wrote grants to the state BoR in order to get money with which they hoped to entice students "of extraordinary intelligence and research ability" to the department. I may or may not have mentioned in the past that UNO's PhD program is quite young (only in existence about six or seven years) and has only graduated one or two PhDs. I won't lie -- the BoR is a sweet deal. We get a generous stipend (generous compared to the TAs we otherwise could have), our tuition is completely paid for (including out-of-state fees), we are only required to teach one semester in the four years we are funded, and we are to be available to help our advisors or others in the department as needed (proctor exams, help advisor with research, yada yada yada). We get this money so that we do not have to worry about teaching and can thus focus on our research.
Now I get to part A of my rant. AOM brags about how she's getting paid to go to class and "take care of horses" -- the latter either referring to her own personal horse or to a horse herd which will be the focus of her research in the Summer. She sleeps til noon, goes out to the stables to feed her horse, then comes in to the office and watches "The Daily Show" on her comp -- and has the nerve to talk about how busy and stressed she is. We haven't seen her do anything but write a grant for her research and take the GRE this semester. Not that either of those are easy things, but she's not doing any reading in the literature and had the nerve to mildly argue when it was suggested to her by two well-meaning officemates who are in her same situation and have been here longer and have a better idea about departmental expectations and university expectations that she might want to start now on her literature review while she's not doing anything with her research.
So Friday Barney sends out an email saying the department needs someone to cover a TA's courses for the first half of next semester while s/he is in Brazil doing research. We BoR fellows (fellows as in "fellowship") have a teaching requirement unless we already have equivalent teaching experience. I taught three years as a TA, two Summers for Upward Bound Math Science, and a year as an instructor at WSU. Sarah taught three years of high school and a bit as a TA. Tom, from the sounds of it, has taught as least as much or more than Sarah and me put together. AOM taught "a little bit" as an undergraduate.
So -- your vote for who should be covering those classes next semester?
Rant part deux -- Don't get me wrong. I am more than happy to teach. I love teaching. I'm planning on doing it the rest of my life. Of all of us, I am the likeliest candidate TO cover labs for the simple fact that I am the only one of the four of us who is planning on going into (staying in?) academia. However, I think Miss Priss needs to drag her narrow arse out of bed and do some actual academic work once in a while. And I promise you, my dear friends, if I am killing myself next semester teaching 1-3 courses a week and starting my research and taking stats (yes, another stats class) and she sleeps til noon and comes in talking about how stressed she is in her two seminar classes and her stats class (which she is constantly bragging is "fun and so easy" -- a second course of which she is only taking because she likes the psych grad students, not because it will actually aid her research or because she has a "gentleman's agreement" with her advisor to take -- like I do), I will snap her scrawny neck.
The part that pisses me off most about her is the fact that she's bragging to EVERYONE about how much money she makes and how little she has to do, even going as far as putting it on her Facebook page (so I'm told). She's making the BoR fellows look like a gaggle of prima donna slackers.
I talked to Sarah about it after seminar, and I think we're going to talk to B together on Monday and express our concerns. Despite all the aggravation she causes, I'm genuinely concerned that she hasn't a clue what is expected of her. The mean bitch that I keep buried most of the time wants me to stay quiet and let the bricks hit her between the eyes, but the other nicer part of me is actually worried about her not being able to handle the brick drop. I actually could see her breaking mentally. I couldn't live with myself if that happened and I could've done something to prevent it. A large part of me doesn't agree with her being here (no one in the department works with horses) and certainly doesn't agree with her having a BoR fellowship, but the teacher part of me doesn't want to see her fail. She's not a bad person overall (I mean, she loves CSI and Numb3rs -- COME ON!!!). She just has a LOT of growing up to do.
End rant.
Last night, a half dozen of us (including AOM) went to the casino to see the comedy show. After, we ditched AOM, and Sarah, her bf Greg, S's pal Christy from out of town, and I went to eat at Angeli's in the Quarter. Walking to the restaurant from our parking spot several blocks away, we strode past Cafe Brasil, one of THE dance clubs in the Marigny (the locals' Quarter). I just knew my pal Erika was there (she loves to salsa dance), but I didn't feel like braving the crowd to verify my hypothesis. We were half a building from the club when we heard someone yelling behind us. I turned to see Erika running after us. Seeing E made me so happy. She's one of my closest pals here (Sarah and Chad being the others), and I don't get to see her enough now that she lives in Uptown. I invited her to join us at Angeli, but she was with some folks. Sarah, Greg, and I are planning to go to the RenFaire in two weeks, so hopefully she can come with.
Angeli was delicious as usual. A cute guy sat at the table next to us, and he either was someone I knew or he reminded me of someone.
OH!! It FINALLY just hit me (almost 24 hours later). The guy reminded me of Rick Petko of American Chopper. Wasn't actually Rick because there was no dreamcatcher tattoo on his left arm that you would be able to see part of below the T-shirt sleeve.
::D blushes, realizing she's just accidentally revealed a secret crush::
Yes, I think Rick Petko on American Chopper is cute. What of it???
So ANYWAY . . . after Angeli we headed back toward the van, and we ran across Mr. Dat Phan, so recently of the casino comedy show, and his manager outside the Hookah Cafe. We talked with him for a few minutes, and Sarah tried to set him up with Christy. Funny times.
This afternoon I spent a grand total of $5 (plus whatever I owe AOM for picking me up a couple of tiles at Lowe's when she went to get herself some) to make some Christmas gifts using rubber stamps and ink and embossing powder and chalks and such. Pretty groovy. Came up with an idea to stamp myself some totem tiles -- I wonder how hard it will be to find rubber stamps of rhino, octopus, seahorse, hawk, bear, spider, whale, and buffalo? ::fiddles on Internet:: Apparently not too hard. Found some nice ones here, but there is no hawk. I'll keep looking. If any of you come across any, please let me know.
Love to all -- D
Thursday evening, after I had spent all afternoon blessedly doing absolutely not a damn thing, Sarah called and asked if I wanted to go with her, her bf, and a couple other folks to the casino Friday night to see Dat Phan perform at the New Orleans Harrah's Improv Theater. Why, that sounds like fun, I did reply, and I called Harrah's to reserve my ticket.
Friday a.m. I was up, had picked up some Interlibrary Loan material from the library, and was in the office by 8:30 a.m. I checked my email to see a message from my advisor (who happens to be the graduate coordinator for our department) to myself, Sarah, Tom, and the annoying officemate (henceforth to be designated AOM). The four of us are the current Board of Regents (BoR) scholars in the UNO bio department.
I must now momentarily digress to give you a bit of background so that you may understand the rant I am about to subject you to. Two profs in our department wrote grants to the state BoR in order to get money with which they hoped to entice students "of extraordinary intelligence and research ability" to the department. I may or may not have mentioned in the past that UNO's PhD program is quite young (only in existence about six or seven years) and has only graduated one or two PhDs. I won't lie -- the BoR is a sweet deal. We get a generous stipend (generous compared to the TAs we otherwise could have), our tuition is completely paid for (including out-of-state fees), we are only required to teach one semester in the four years we are funded, and we are to be available to help our advisors or others in the department as needed (proctor exams, help advisor with research, yada yada yada). We get this money so that we do not have to worry about teaching and can thus focus on our research.
Now I get to part A of my rant. AOM brags about how she's getting paid to go to class and "take care of horses" -- the latter either referring to her own personal horse or to a horse herd which will be the focus of her research in the Summer. She sleeps til noon, goes out to the stables to feed her horse, then comes in to the office and watches "The Daily Show" on her comp -- and has the nerve to talk about how busy and stressed she is. We haven't seen her do anything but write a grant for her research and take the GRE this semester. Not that either of those are easy things, but she's not doing any reading in the literature and had the nerve to mildly argue when it was suggested to her by two well-meaning officemates who are in her same situation and have been here longer and have a better idea about departmental expectations and university expectations that she might want to start now on her literature review while she's not doing anything with her research.
So Friday Barney sends out an email saying the department needs someone to cover a TA's courses for the first half of next semester while s/he is in Brazil doing research. We BoR fellows (fellows as in "fellowship") have a teaching requirement unless we already have equivalent teaching experience. I taught three years as a TA, two Summers for Upward Bound Math Science, and a year as an instructor at WSU. Sarah taught three years of high school and a bit as a TA. Tom, from the sounds of it, has taught as least as much or more than Sarah and me put together. AOM taught "a little bit" as an undergraduate.
So -- your vote for who should be covering those classes next semester?
Rant part deux -- Don't get me wrong. I am more than happy to teach. I love teaching. I'm planning on doing it the rest of my life. Of all of us, I am the likeliest candidate TO cover labs for the simple fact that I am the only one of the four of us who is planning on going into (staying in?) academia. However, I think Miss Priss needs to drag her narrow arse out of bed and do some actual academic work once in a while. And I promise you, my dear friends, if I am killing myself next semester teaching 1-3 courses a week and starting my research and taking stats (yes, another stats class) and she sleeps til noon and comes in talking about how stressed she is in her two seminar classes and her stats class (which she is constantly bragging is "fun and so easy" -- a second course of which she is only taking because she likes the psych grad students, not because it will actually aid her research or because she has a "gentleman's agreement" with her advisor to take -- like I do), I will snap her scrawny neck.
The part that pisses me off most about her is the fact that she's bragging to EVERYONE about how much money she makes and how little she has to do, even going as far as putting it on her Facebook page (so I'm told). She's making the BoR fellows look like a gaggle of prima donna slackers.
I talked to Sarah about it after seminar, and I think we're going to talk to B together on Monday and express our concerns. Despite all the aggravation she causes, I'm genuinely concerned that she hasn't a clue what is expected of her. The mean bitch that I keep buried most of the time wants me to stay quiet and let the bricks hit her between the eyes, but the other nicer part of me is actually worried about her not being able to handle the brick drop. I actually could see her breaking mentally. I couldn't live with myself if that happened and I could've done something to prevent it. A large part of me doesn't agree with her being here (no one in the department works with horses) and certainly doesn't agree with her having a BoR fellowship, but the teacher part of me doesn't want to see her fail. She's not a bad person overall (I mean, she loves CSI and Numb3rs -- COME ON!!!). She just has a LOT of growing up to do.
End rant.
Last night, a half dozen of us (including AOM) went to the casino to see the comedy show. After, we ditched AOM, and Sarah, her bf Greg, S's pal Christy from out of town, and I went to eat at Angeli's in the Quarter. Walking to the restaurant from our parking spot several blocks away, we strode past Cafe Brasil, one of THE dance clubs in the Marigny (the locals' Quarter). I just knew my pal Erika was there (she loves to salsa dance), but I didn't feel like braving the crowd to verify my hypothesis. We were half a building from the club when we heard someone yelling behind us. I turned to see Erika running after us. Seeing E made me so happy. She's one of my closest pals here (Sarah and Chad being the others), and I don't get to see her enough now that she lives in Uptown. I invited her to join us at Angeli, but she was with some folks. Sarah, Greg, and I are planning to go to the RenFaire in two weeks, so hopefully she can come with.
Angeli was delicious as usual. A cute guy sat at the table next to us, and he either was someone I knew or he reminded me of someone.
OH!! It FINALLY just hit me (almost 24 hours later). The guy reminded me of Rick Petko of American Chopper. Wasn't actually Rick because there was no dreamcatcher tattoo on his left arm that you would be able to see part of below the T-shirt sleeve.
::D blushes, realizing she's just accidentally revealed a secret crush::
Yes, I think Rick Petko on American Chopper is cute. What of it???
So ANYWAY . . . after Angeli we headed back toward the van, and we ran across Mr. Dat Phan, so recently of the casino comedy show, and his manager outside the Hookah Cafe. We talked with him for a few minutes, and Sarah tried to set him up with Christy. Funny times.
This afternoon I spent a grand total of $5 (plus whatever I owe AOM for picking me up a couple of tiles at Lowe's when she went to get herself some) to make some Christmas gifts using rubber stamps and ink and embossing powder and chalks and such. Pretty groovy. Came up with an idea to stamp myself some totem tiles -- I wonder how hard it will be to find rubber stamps of rhino, octopus, seahorse, hawk, bear, spider, whale, and buffalo? ::fiddles on Internet:: Apparently not too hard. Found some nice ones here, but there is no hawk. I'll keep looking. If any of you come across any, please let me know.
Love to all -- D
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Disability Film Festival
I wanna go, I wanna go, I WANNA GO!!!
Kim, if you DON'T go, I'll kick your arse.
Disability Film Festival
Kim, if you DON'T go, I'll kick your arse.
Disability Film Festival
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
Stolen from Edie's sig
While we have the gift of life, it seems to me that the only tragedy is to allow part of us to die - whether it is our spirit, our creativity, or our glorious uniqueness.
-- Gilda Radner
-- Gilda Radner
Breaking news
AAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
We now return you to your regularly scheduled evening.
We now return you to your regularly scheduled evening.
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Tickets home have been bought
I arrive in Wichita on Monday, 11 December at about 5:30 p.m. I'll be home until Monday, 8 January.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
TV musings
Watched a couple of last week's shows while eating today. Random thoughts:
1. A "EUReKA" rerun over breakfast -- Allison harassing Jack about getting his physical, and her demanding that he drop his pants in the sheriff's office for an impromptu exam. Jack's reply: "There will be no dropping of the pants without a nice dinner and many, many cocktails." ::D nearly spits out her oatmeal:: One day, I will learn not to eat or drink while watching this show. And I'm still dealing with finding Jack dorkily attractive yet him reminding me of my cousin Jimmy. That doesn't count as incest, right? ::grin::
2. "Jericho" -- Skeet Ulrich is almost as bad as Keanu Reeves in only having two or three facial expressions, but I can forgive him because, unlike Keanu Reeves, he is easy on the eyes. I love Heather (played by Sprague Grayden -- how groovy of a name is that?), and I can't wait for her and Jake (Ulrich) to get together. Shouldn't take too long after that cute, desperate smooch she laid on him week before last. As for Emily (Ashley Scott) -- she is NOT going to make me like her spoiled ass, I don't care how much she's now trying to encourage Heather to go after Jake after gently warning her off him the week before. I'm still having to turn off the scientist in me when I watch the show, too. I won't even go into all the radiation misinformation, but now they have Johnston (played by Gerald McRaney) going into septic shock this week and being fine next week after only 2cc of IV Levaquin. Hell, my last UTI took a 500 mg Levaquin pill once a day for seven days. Sheesh.
I have to eat tomorrow, so maybe I'll have some musings on "CSI:NY" and "CSI" for you tomorrow evening.
1. A "EUReKA" rerun over breakfast -- Allison harassing Jack about getting his physical, and her demanding that he drop his pants in the sheriff's office for an impromptu exam. Jack's reply: "There will be no dropping of the pants without a nice dinner and many, many cocktails." ::D nearly spits out her oatmeal:: One day, I will learn not to eat or drink while watching this show. And I'm still dealing with finding Jack dorkily attractive yet him reminding me of my cousin Jimmy. That doesn't count as incest, right? ::grin::
2. "Jericho" -- Skeet Ulrich is almost as bad as Keanu Reeves in only having two or three facial expressions, but I can forgive him because, unlike Keanu Reeves, he is easy on the eyes. I love Heather (played by Sprague Grayden -- how groovy of a name is that?), and I can't wait for her and Jake (Ulrich) to get together. Shouldn't take too long after that cute, desperate smooch she laid on him week before last. As for Emily (Ashley Scott) -- she is NOT going to make me like her spoiled ass, I don't care how much she's now trying to encourage Heather to go after Jake after gently warning her off him the week before. I'm still having to turn off the scientist in me when I watch the show, too. I won't even go into all the radiation misinformation, but now they have Johnston (played by Gerald McRaney) going into septic shock this week and being fine next week after only 2cc of IV Levaquin. Hell, my last UTI took a 500 mg Levaquin pill once a day for seven days. Sheesh.
I have to eat tomorrow, so maybe I'll have some musings on "CSI:NY" and "CSI" for you tomorrow evening.
Friday, November 10, 2006
I needed this
From dailyom.com
People Who Don't Get It
You may be someone who understands the true nature of reality, perceiving deeply that we all emanate from the same source, that we are all essentially one, and that we are here on earth to love one another. To understand this is to be awakened to the true nature of the self, and it is a blessing. Nevertheless, people who just don't get it are seemingly everywhere and, often, in positions of power. It can be frustrating and painful to watch them behave unconsciously. We all encounter individuals of this bent in our families, at work, and in all areas of public life. It is easy to find ourselves feeling intolerant of these people, wishing we could be free of them even though we know that separation from them is an illusion.
It helps sometimes to think of us all as different parts of one psyche. Just as within our own hearts and minds we have dark places that need healing, the heart and mind of the world has its dark places. The health of the whole organism depends upon the relative health of the individuals within it. We increase harmony when we hold onto the light, not allowing it to be darkened by judgment, anger, and fear about those who behave unconsciously. It's easier to accomplish this if we don't focus on the negative qualities of individuals and instead focus on how increasing our own light will increase the light of the overall picture.
When dealing with people who seem very unconscious, it helps to remember that every one must find their own way to awakening and that the experiences they are having are an essential part of their process. Holding them in the light of our own energy may be the best way to awaken theirs. At the same time, we are inspired by their example to look within and shed light on our own unconscious places, sacrificing the urge to judge and surrendering instead to humble self-inquiry.
People Who Don't Get It
You may be someone who understands the true nature of reality, perceiving deeply that we all emanate from the same source, that we are all essentially one, and that we are here on earth to love one another. To understand this is to be awakened to the true nature of the self, and it is a blessing. Nevertheless, people who just don't get it are seemingly everywhere and, often, in positions of power. It can be frustrating and painful to watch them behave unconsciously. We all encounter individuals of this bent in our families, at work, and in all areas of public life. It is easy to find ourselves feeling intolerant of these people, wishing we could be free of them even though we know that separation from them is an illusion.
It helps sometimes to think of us all as different parts of one psyche. Just as within our own hearts and minds we have dark places that need healing, the heart and mind of the world has its dark places. The health of the whole organism depends upon the relative health of the individuals within it. We increase harmony when we hold onto the light, not allowing it to be darkened by judgment, anger, and fear about those who behave unconsciously. It's easier to accomplish this if we don't focus on the negative qualities of individuals and instead focus on how increasing our own light will increase the light of the overall picture.
When dealing with people who seem very unconscious, it helps to remember that every one must find their own way to awakening and that the experiences they are having are an essential part of their process. Holding them in the light of our own energy may be the best way to awaken theirs. At the same time, we are inspired by their example to look within and shed light on our own unconscious places, sacrificing the urge to judge and surrendering instead to humble self-inquiry.
Wednesday, November 08, 2006
Still here
-- I haven't killed the mooch officemate, though this evening it was hard when I was trying to work on my manuscript and she was talking to me (which really wasn't all THAT bad since we were talking "Numb3rs") and watching last night's "Daily Show" on the computer (headphones -- that's all I have to say).
-- I haven't killed the roommate, but she softened me up by taking me to get food and giving me her half of October's rent (only August and November left to collect, but I should get one of them out of her next paycheck in two weeks).
-- I haven't been strangled and left to decompose in my apartment.
-- I have voted.
-- I have started studying Reiki, as much as I can around everything else.
-- I have gotten a little childhood-sick after hearing a couple of songs on the radio tonight that reminded me of camp.
-- I have been working on a lab presentation for Friday.
-- I have been thinking a lot about my diss project.
-- I have been working on my manuscript of the fish FA stuff I wrote while still in KS.
-- I have been missing my family and friends.
-- I will learn about edible and useful LA plants on Friday.
-- I will take another stats exam next week.
-- I will get an A in stats. I have spoken.
-- I will bake four dozen ginger spice muffins for the experiment I designed for my stats grad student project.
-- I will figure out how to get wildtype Gambusia to use as breedstock for the diss.
-- I will travel to Lafayette for Thanksgiving.
-- I will buy my ticket home to KS for Christmas.
-- I will go to bed soon. I'm pooped.
-- I haven't killed the roommate, but she softened me up by taking me to get food and giving me her half of October's rent (only August and November left to collect, but I should get one of them out of her next paycheck in two weeks).
-- I haven't been strangled and left to decompose in my apartment.
-- I have voted.
-- I have started studying Reiki, as much as I can around everything else.
-- I have gotten a little childhood-sick after hearing a couple of songs on the radio tonight that reminded me of camp.
-- I have been working on a lab presentation for Friday.
-- I have been thinking a lot about my diss project.
-- I have been working on my manuscript of the fish FA stuff I wrote while still in KS.
-- I have been missing my family and friends.
-- I will learn about edible and useful LA plants on Friday.
-- I will take another stats exam next week.
-- I will get an A in stats. I have spoken.
-- I will bake four dozen ginger spice muffins for the experiment I designed for my stats grad student project.
-- I will figure out how to get wildtype Gambusia to use as breedstock for the diss.
-- I will travel to Lafayette for Thanksgiving.
-- I will buy my ticket home to KS for Christmas.
-- I will go to bed soon. I'm pooped.
Wednesday, November 01, 2006
Death and Depression
The latest on the UNO dorm death.
In other news, I've been fighting random bouts of depression for over a week. What are "random bouts" of depression, you ask? That's where I can be OK for most of the day, but then I suddenly become upset or start thinking "what the hell" thoughts. Most of the time it's at home, but today I did it at the office, too. Fortunately, Sarah was the only one present and didn't look at me like I was bonkers. In fact, she hugged me, and that seemed to help. Can't really blame it on the season as it's sunny and in the 70s every day -- though it IS dark by 5:30. Sleeping in fits some nights, and that NEVER helps. Diet has been good (except for today when I splurged on fried chicken and macaroni and cheese for lunch after Sarah accidentally torched my last piece of spinach and feta pizza in the office microwave), haven't been drinking a lot of pop (except the last three or four days, but now I'm out), haven't been eating any candy. I'm going to bed early tonight because Veronica has to be to work by 11:30. Hope I can sleep.
In other news, I've been fighting random bouts of depression for over a week. What are "random bouts" of depression, you ask? That's where I can be OK for most of the day, but then I suddenly become upset or start thinking "what the hell" thoughts. Most of the time it's at home, but today I did it at the office, too. Fortunately, Sarah was the only one present and didn't look at me like I was bonkers. In fact, she hugged me, and that seemed to help. Can't really blame it on the season as it's sunny and in the 70s every day -- though it IS dark by 5:30. Sleeping in fits some nights, and that NEVER helps. Diet has been good (except for today when I splurged on fried chicken and macaroni and cheese for lunch after Sarah accidentally torched my last piece of spinach and feta pizza in the office microwave), haven't been drinking a lot of pop (except the last three or four days, but now I'm out), haven't been eating any candy. I'm going to bed early tonight because Veronica has to be to work by 11:30. Hope I can sleep.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Death in UNO Dorms
At about 9:00 p.m. last night, "someone" found a man dead in his dorm room -- authorities led there because of a "terrible smell." Rumor mill says authorities hypothesize he'd been there since about Saturday, but it is certain he'd not died just last night. My pal Rachel, who lives in the dorm, commented to me last night around 5:30 that she'd been illegally burning incense for a couple of days because "it literally smells like shit in the dorm." My informant tells me they haven't concluded whether it was murder or suicide. I repressed the automatic "duh, they just found him" and gave her a discourse on police procedure.
I'll keep you updated.
*Edit*
This from a local TV station website. Pretty much what I already knew.
I'll keep you updated.
*Edit*
This from a local TV station website. Pretty much what I already knew.
Saturday, October 28, 2006
Book Signing
Today was a blast for nerdy me as I got to meet one of my favorite authors, Laurell K. Hamilton. She was so personable and friendly and easy to talk to. She, her husband, and I spent a minute or two admiring each other's jewelry -- he was wearing amber, she was wearing tourmilated quartz, and I was wearing amber and moonstone. She also happily accomodated me by signing three books, all of them personalized to different people. I think she would have done it even if I hadn't told her why I wanted three different personalizations -- my aunt, my friend Naomi, and I all discovered her at the same time and spent months swapping books and hypothesizing and ruminating and fussing about this character and adoring that character. She personalized Chrys's and Nay's with "Merry Christmas" since they will be gifts, then she personalized mine with "Good luck with the wildlife, conservation is our only hope" after we talked biology for a bit (she wanted to be a wildlife biologist before making her first sell as a writer).
What a great afternoon!
What a great afternoon!
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Disability Blog Carnival
I can't even begin to think about reading The Gimp Parade's Disability Blog Carnival in its entirety for probably about six weeks still, but I will attempt to read it bit by bit when I can amidst preparing a lab presentation and doing stats homework and a second stats project and taking stats exams and attending seminars and Halloween parties and book signings and going to RenFaires and Lafayette for Thanksgiving. Oh, yeah -- and trying to start my own gimp revolution at UNO.
Speaking of stats -- I got a 99/100 on the first project. ::happy gimp dance::
Speaking of stats -- I got a 99/100 on the first project. ::happy gimp dance::
Swiped from E's blog
There are 302,968 other people in the US with my first name. Statistically (you know how I LOVE stats) it's the 206th most common first name. More than 99.9% of people with my first name are female. Why didn't they just say 100%??
There are 480 people in the US with my last name -- and I'm probably related to all of them in one way or another. I can name fifteen living ones right off the top of my head (that's 3.125%). Hehe. Statistically it's the 53,211th most popular last name, tied with 5,658 other last names. Five thousand six hundred fifty-eight surnames TIED for 53,211th place. I wonder what some of those other names could be?
Stolen Breath
Sarah and I are beginning our plans to attend the Louisiana Renaissance Festival, and I was browsing the websites of a few of the vendors to get an idea of what to expect. I will find the maker of this beauty, and I will cry in front of her if I cannot afford it. I really will. I'm not proud.
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
The next week
Wednesday: Finish stats homework. Start thinking about lab presentation I have to do next Friday. Watch "Jericho" and "CSI:NY."
Thursday: Turn in stats homework. Get back stats midterm project. Not watch "CSI" because it's not on.
Friday: Lab meeting. Departmental seminar. Pumpkin carving and caramel apple making at Kim's house. Party at Rachel's house. Tape "Doctor Who" and "Numb3rs" for later viewing.
Saturday: Laurell K. Hamilton book signing.
Sunday or Monday: Watch "Doctor Who" and "Numb3rs."
Tuesday: Stats class. SCB bake sale. Try to spend some time alone remembering and honoring those who have gone before. Reflect on things I want to accomplish in the next year.
Thursday: Stats class. Probably receive second, grad student stats project.
Friday: Lab meeting presentation. Departmental seminar.
Things I must do on no particular day: Find new attendant or rearrange present ones to fill gaps to be vacated. Attend another Halloween party with Erika (sometime between Thursday and Tuesday). Recopy stats notes. Work on lab presentation, and in so doing start the editing of the review. "Finalize" a list of stressors and their concentrations for the diss project. Get Gambusia rearing protocols either on my own, through my masters advisor, and/or through a former UNO prof. Buy ticket home for Christmas. Pay attendants and bills at the first of the month. Try to throw off my funk. Get some sleep.
You know -- your typical graduate student week.
Thursday: Turn in stats homework. Get back stats midterm project. Not watch "CSI" because it's not on.
Friday: Lab meeting. Departmental seminar. Pumpkin carving and caramel apple making at Kim's house. Party at Rachel's house. Tape "Doctor Who" and "Numb3rs" for later viewing.
Saturday: Laurell K. Hamilton book signing.
Sunday or Monday: Watch "Doctor Who" and "Numb3rs."
Tuesday: Stats class. SCB bake sale. Try to spend some time alone remembering and honoring those who have gone before. Reflect on things I want to accomplish in the next year.
Thursday: Stats class. Probably receive second, grad student stats project.
Friday: Lab meeting presentation. Departmental seminar.
Things I must do on no particular day: Find new attendant or rearrange present ones to fill gaps to be vacated. Attend another Halloween party with Erika (sometime between Thursday and Tuesday). Recopy stats notes. Work on lab presentation, and in so doing start the editing of the review. "Finalize" a list of stressors and their concentrations for the diss project. Get Gambusia rearing protocols either on my own, through my masters advisor, and/or through a former UNO prof. Buy ticket home for Christmas. Pay attendants and bills at the first of the month. Try to throw off my funk. Get some sleep.
You know -- your typical graduate student week.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Good Sunday
1) Went to lunch at Applebee's with Erika. Had the new, Tyler Florence created bruschetta burger -- pesto, bruschetta mix, and mozarella on an Angus sirloin served on focaccia bread. ::eyes roll back in head:: Oh, man. As they say here in Nawlins, it'll make you wanna slap yo mama.
2) After Applebee's, went to B&N to get the newest Laurell K. Hamilton, Strange Candy. Had to get it PDQ because her book signing is Saturday. That's right -- the Goddess LKH will be in NOLA Friday night at the Lestat Ball (which I will NOT, despite all my efforts, be attending) and Saturday at an SC signing. I'm planning to get pictures, if I can. I also got the second books each of Kathy Reichs's Temperance Brennan series and Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.
3) Online fortune cookie a la Jennifer. Mine read: "If you wish it enough, it will happen."
2) After Applebee's, went to B&N to get the newest Laurell K. Hamilton, Strange Candy. Had to get it PDQ because her book signing is Saturday. That's right -- the Goddess LKH will be in NOLA Friday night at the Lestat Ball (which I will NOT, despite all my efforts, be attending) and Saturday at an SC signing. I'm planning to get pictures, if I can. I also got the second books each of Kathy Reichs's Temperance Brennan series and Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series.
3) Online fortune cookie a la Jennifer. Mine read: "If you wish it enough, it will happen."
Saturday, October 21, 2006
::happy dance::
Season two of "Numb3rs" is out on DVD! D now knows on what she's spending part of her $50 Amazon gift certificate -- a very generous birthday gift from her brother.
Friday, October 20, 2006
"Iris" -- Goo Goo Dolls
And I don't want the world to see me
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am
Thursday, October 19, 2006
My newest crush
Carmine Giovinazzo of "CSI:NY." I'm sorely behind in this series, but with this guy and Gary Sinise to watch, I don't mind occasionally being a little lost.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Note to Self:
Listening to Lonestar sing "Amazed" when you are on your period is a very bad idea.
ALSO:
Listening to anyone sing any sappy love song when you are on your period is a very bad idea.
At least for this month.
Please alter your WinAmp playlist immediately. Jim Byrnes is not ideal (and "That River" or "I Got It Bad" are completely unacceptable) but will suffice as long as you just listen to the amazing guitar playing and not the lyrics.
Thank you -- Your Mental Well-being
ALSO:
Listening to anyone sing any sappy love song when you are on your period is a very bad idea.
At least for this month.
Please alter your WinAmp playlist immediately. Jim Byrnes is not ideal (and "That River" or "I Got It Bad" are completely unacceptable) but will suffice as long as you just listen to the amazing guitar playing and not the lyrics.
Thank you -- Your Mental Well-being
Sunday, October 15, 2006
*laughs maniacally*
Found this at the Gimp Parade. If this movie comes to the US, I am SO going to see it!
Thursday, October 12, 2006
Today's suckage
1. Second night of not sleeping well. Night before last I had multiple dreams of dismembered bodies, then last night was a dream that a friend had died. There were lots of other dreams that I don't remember, but it's not really that important. I woke at 7:20 feeling completely worn out.
2. An 87 on the stats exam. If I'd lost a bunch of points on one problem that I didn't know, I think I might feel better. But I lost a couple points here and another couple there and a few more there on STUPID STUFF -- forgot to write something in, read the problem incorrectly and thus performed the wrong test, somehow read the wrong t-value. Ridiculous, moronic, dumb-assed mistakes.
3. Felt crampy all day with the impending menstrual cycle.
4. A friend's horrible sad news that caused me to burst into tears in the office.
5. So how do I top it all off? I watched Greg Sanders get the snot beat out of him on "CSI." More tears.
I don't have a clue about how to make myself feel better. I want to be home in Kansas with my friend, holding her. Instead, I will try to sleep tonight and go in tomorrow to work on my stats midterm project, attend our weekly lab meeting, and read more Gambusia papers.
Three cheers for compartmentalization.
Edit: P may have to go on a ventilator at night because his blood oxygen level drops to 83%.
You know, everything went to shit the LAST time I moved down here, too. Dammit!!!
2. An 87 on the stats exam. If I'd lost a bunch of points on one problem that I didn't know, I think I might feel better. But I lost a couple points here and another couple there and a few more there on STUPID STUFF -- forgot to write something in, read the problem incorrectly and thus performed the wrong test, somehow read the wrong t-value. Ridiculous, moronic, dumb-assed mistakes.
3. Felt crampy all day with the impending menstrual cycle.
4. A friend's horrible sad news that caused me to burst into tears in the office.
5. So how do I top it all off? I watched Greg Sanders get the snot beat out of him on "CSI." More tears.
I don't have a clue about how to make myself feel better. I want to be home in Kansas with my friend, holding her. Instead, I will try to sleep tonight and go in tomorrow to work on my stats midterm project, attend our weekly lab meeting, and read more Gambusia papers.
Three cheers for compartmentalization.
Edit: P may have to go on a ventilator at night because his blood oxygen level drops to 83%.
You know, everything went to shit the LAST time I moved down here, too. Dammit!!!
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
Today
Things that made me happy today:
-- Getting through the statistics exam. I don't know how I did, but it's over and that's good.
-- Seeing Chad after a year. He kissed me hello and goodbye, and it's good to have another friend who greets me with something physical after not seeing each other for such a long time (the others being Sarah and Erika). After being home around my friends who hug and kiss me all the time, I sometimes get kind of sad that I don't have many friends like that here.
-- Getting some of my pre-hurricane stuff back. More than I thought. Some I had written off as gone and had replaced. Now if I can just figure out where to put it.
-- Getting a big bunch of broccoli at the expensive grocery store up the street for only 99 cents.
-- Getting organic macaroni and cheese at the expensive grocery store up the street for only $1 a box.
-- Seeing that a hand-drawn rhino Zabrina drew for me when we were doing our masters survived the hurricane and has found its way back to me.
-- Seeing that the suitcases my friend Alysha painted for me survived the hurricane and have found their way back to me.
-- Seeing that my favorite headband and my ancient POW/MIA bracelet (that is so faded you can barely read it) and a multistone necklace and an amethyst bracelet my sister gave me all survived the hurricane and have found their way back to me.
Things that made me sad today:
-- Hearing that Chad's grandmother died in April.
-- Paying $7.99 for 24 bottles of Ozarka water at the expensive grocery store up the street because there wasn't any at Walmart on Sunday when Erika and I stopped in there for supper makings.
-- Making the decision (again) to give up some homemade pieces with sentimental value because of the risk of mold. Now I get to grieve all over again because I thought they were gone, then I saw them again, then I had to send them away.
-- Finding old pictures of my cats Ite and Janey and Nay's first service dog DJ.
-- Finding old pictures of my sister, my brother, and my friend Kim.
Things that made me giggle today:
-- Chad saying that after packing up a bunch of my candles and incense and aromatherapy oils, he's starting to think I'm a witch.
-- Buying a bottle of Arbor Mist sangria zinfandel and a container of trail mix and a container of cashew cinnaraisin granola as a congratulations to myself for getting through the statistics exam.
-- Finding an old Halloween picture from when I lived in the dorm, and Nay, Suzanne, my sister, and I dressed up as the Addams Family. My sister looked eerily like Gomez. And I didn't make a bad Grandmama. ::grin:: Hey, that picture of me in that costume got me two marriage proposals at camp a year or so later.
-- Getting through the statistics exam. I don't know how I did, but it's over and that's good.
-- Seeing Chad after a year. He kissed me hello and goodbye, and it's good to have another friend who greets me with something physical after not seeing each other for such a long time (the others being Sarah and Erika). After being home around my friends who hug and kiss me all the time, I sometimes get kind of sad that I don't have many friends like that here.
-- Getting some of my pre-hurricane stuff back. More than I thought. Some I had written off as gone and had replaced. Now if I can just figure out where to put it.
-- Getting a big bunch of broccoli at the expensive grocery store up the street for only 99 cents.
-- Getting organic macaroni and cheese at the expensive grocery store up the street for only $1 a box.
-- Seeing that a hand-drawn rhino Zabrina drew for me when we were doing our masters survived the hurricane and has found its way back to me.
-- Seeing that the suitcases my friend Alysha painted for me survived the hurricane and have found their way back to me.
-- Seeing that my favorite headband and my ancient POW/MIA bracelet (that is so faded you can barely read it) and a multistone necklace and an amethyst bracelet my sister gave me all survived the hurricane and have found their way back to me.
Things that made me sad today:
-- Hearing that Chad's grandmother died in April.
-- Paying $7.99 for 24 bottles of Ozarka water at the expensive grocery store up the street because there wasn't any at Walmart on Sunday when Erika and I stopped in there for supper makings.
-- Making the decision (again) to give up some homemade pieces with sentimental value because of the risk of mold. Now I get to grieve all over again because I thought they were gone, then I saw them again, then I had to send them away.
-- Finding old pictures of my cats Ite and Janey and Nay's first service dog DJ.
-- Finding old pictures of my sister, my brother, and my friend Kim.
Things that made me giggle today:
-- Chad saying that after packing up a bunch of my candles and incense and aromatherapy oils, he's starting to think I'm a witch.
-- Buying a bottle of Arbor Mist sangria zinfandel and a container of trail mix and a container of cashew cinnaraisin granola as a congratulations to myself for getting through the statistics exam.
-- Finding an old Halloween picture from when I lived in the dorm, and Nay, Suzanne, my sister, and I dressed up as the Addams Family. My sister looked eerily like Gomez. And I didn't make a bad Grandmama. ::grin:: Hey, that picture of me in that costume got me two marriage proposals at camp a year or so later.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Stats, stats, and more stats
In the computer lab. Got here at noon. Not leaving until 4:30.
We have a stats exam on Tuesday, and my officemate Kim and I are camped out in the computer lab, working on practice problems using the SAS program.
::sigh:: Any positive thoughts you can send for us to ace this exam would be greatly appreciated. We both really need A's in this class since this is a skill we'll use for the rest of our careers.
Back to the practice problems.
We have a stats exam on Tuesday, and my officemate Kim and I are camped out in the computer lab, working on practice problems using the SAS program.
::sigh:: Any positive thoughts you can send for us to ace this exam would be greatly appreciated. We both really need A's in this class since this is a skill we'll use for the rest of our careers.
Back to the practice problems.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Stolen from E's blog
Now they have gone and gotten totally full of themselves -- to actually say that the killing of young girls is retribution for someone speaking against them.
Dawn's note to Westboro: You are not that important. Believe me. You are more a mange on our societal backside than the voice of the Higher.
Topeka church drops plans to picket Amish funerals
Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa.-- A Kansas church group that routinely pickets military funerals has dropped plans to demonstrate at funerals of five Amish girls fatally shot in an attack on their one-room schoolhouse.
Instead, members of the Westboro Baptist Church issued a statement today saying a representative will appear on a nationally syndicated radio talk show.
The Web site of show host Mike Gallagher indicated the group was offered an hour of airtime on Thursday morning in exchange for dropping the planned demonstration.
In preparation for the demonstration, Gov. Ed Rendell said earlier today that he would ask Amish elders if they want state police protection and appealed to the Topeka, Kan.-based group to allow the Amish to conduct their funerals in privacy.
Members of the Westboro Baptist Church routinely picket military funerals, saying that American servicemen and women are dying overseas because God is displeased that the United States tolerates homosexuals.
In a statement on its Web site, the church blamed Rendell for the deaths of the Amish children because of comments he made about the Westboro group on national television several months ago.
"They're insane," Rendell responded when asked about the group's statement.
In June, Rendell signed legislation into Pennsylvania law designed to restrict Westboro Baptist Church's picketing by making it a crime to demonstrate within 500 feet of a funeral or memorial service in Pennsylvania.
On Monday morning, Charles Carl Roberts IV entered the West Nickel Mines Amish School in Lancaster County and shot 10 girls, killing five. Roberts killed himself as police stormed the building.
Dawn's note to Westboro: You are not that important. Believe me. You are more a mange on our societal backside than the voice of the Higher.
Topeka church drops plans to picket Amish funerals
Associated Press
HARRISBURG, Pa.-- A Kansas church group that routinely pickets military funerals has dropped plans to demonstrate at funerals of five Amish girls fatally shot in an attack on their one-room schoolhouse.
Instead, members of the Westboro Baptist Church issued a statement today saying a representative will appear on a nationally syndicated radio talk show.
The Web site of show host Mike Gallagher indicated the group was offered an hour of airtime on Thursday morning in exchange for dropping the planned demonstration.
In preparation for the demonstration, Gov. Ed Rendell said earlier today that he would ask Amish elders if they want state police protection and appealed to the Topeka, Kan.-based group to allow the Amish to conduct their funerals in privacy.
Members of the Westboro Baptist Church routinely picket military funerals, saying that American servicemen and women are dying overseas because God is displeased that the United States tolerates homosexuals.
In a statement on its Web site, the church blamed Rendell for the deaths of the Amish children because of comments he made about the Westboro group on national television several months ago.
"They're insane," Rendell responded when asked about the group's statement.
In June, Rendell signed legislation into Pennsylvania law designed to restrict Westboro Baptist Church's picketing by making it a crime to demonstrate within 500 feet of a funeral or memorial service in Pennsylvania.
On Monday morning, Charles Carl Roberts IV entered the West Nickel Mines Amish School in Lancaster County and shot 10 girls, killing five. Roberts killed himself as police stormed the building.
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
Uh oh
My throat feels like it's trying to get sore.
Obviously, I didn't start the echinacea soon enough.
Obviously, I didn't start the echinacea soon enough.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Science Education
Seeing this article about people's science ignorance makes me want to reach out even more to students K-12. Pre-hurricane, our local chapter of the Society for Conservation Biology had some education programs going where some of us went to local high schools and talked about how great science is. We were in the process of selecting which schools we would visit and which members would visit them. There was discussion about how many members wanted to avoid schools in the "rough" neighborhoods. At our next meeting, I was going to plea the case that maybe it was the kids in the "rough" neighborhoods who needed us the most -- but then the hurricane happened, and I didn't get to say it.
We have an SCB meeting on the 9th. I'm going to broach the issue this time.
We have an SCB meeting on the 9th. I'm going to broach the issue this time.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Friday, September 29, 2006
Thursday, September 28, 2006
For Stacy
Got distracted from CSI by hearing Jon Secada singing out of my roommate's TV, so I decided to let the VCR finish taping it and come do some stuff on the comp. I'm checking my email and reading pals' journals and posting to my lists when Faith Hill's voice starts crooning from the WinAmp.
It's been almost six years, and I still can't listen to "There You'll Be" without thinking of my sister. In the year or so before she moved to Illinois, we fought and couldn't see each other's POV to save our lives. We drove each other crazy. Despite all that, deep down inside, I knew my sister loved me and cheered for me. I know even now she is beside me, guiding me and helping me through the craziness of my life.
There You'll Be -- sung by Faith Hill
When I think back on these times
And the dreams we left behind
I'll be glad 'cause I was blessed
To get to have you in my life
When I look back on these days
I'll look and see your face
You were right there for me
In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there will always be a place for you
For all my life I'll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am, there you'll be
Well you showed me how to feel
Feel the sky was in my reach
And I always will remember all the strength you gave to me
Your love made me make it through
Oh, I owe so much to you
You were right there for me
In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there will always be a place for you
For all my life I'll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am, there you'll be
'Cause I always saw in you my light, my strength
And I want to thank you now
For all the ways you were right there for me
You were right there for me
For always
In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there'll always be a place for you
For all my life I'll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am, there you'll be
It's been almost six years, and I still can't listen to "There You'll Be" without thinking of my sister. In the year or so before she moved to Illinois, we fought and couldn't see each other's POV to save our lives. We drove each other crazy. Despite all that, deep down inside, I knew my sister loved me and cheered for me. I know even now she is beside me, guiding me and helping me through the craziness of my life.
There You'll Be -- sung by Faith Hill
When I think back on these times
And the dreams we left behind
I'll be glad 'cause I was blessed
To get to have you in my life
When I look back on these days
I'll look and see your face
You were right there for me
In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there will always be a place for you
For all my life I'll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am, there you'll be
Well you showed me how to feel
Feel the sky was in my reach
And I always will remember all the strength you gave to me
Your love made me make it through
Oh, I owe so much to you
You were right there for me
In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there will always be a place for you
For all my life I'll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am, there you'll be
'Cause I always saw in you my light, my strength
And I want to thank you now
For all the ways you were right there for me
You were right there for me
For always
In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky
In my heart there'll always be a place for you
For all my life I'll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am, there you'll be
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Are you freaking KIDDING me???
My friend Kim turned me on to this great blog called The Gimp Parade, and I just read this infuriating entry about women with disabilities living in nursing/group homes who are denied access to feminine hygiene products and/or forcibly given birth control treatments to save workers having to deal with a "mess."
I just can't even decide where to begin the rant.
I just can't even decide where to begin the rant.
Tuesday, September 26, 2006
We're back!
For photos of the pre-pre-game excitement I'm about to describe, visit Sarah's online photo album.
Last week, everyone with a UNO email account received an announcement about the city trying to assure that there were at least 1000 people to be on the field at the Superdome Monday to listen to U2 and Green Day just before kickoff of the Saints' first home game since December 2004. Sarah, Rachel, and I separately responded saying hell YES we wanted to go, but an email came down the pipe on Friday saying they had all the attendees they needed.
Saturday as we were leaving Walmart, some random guy who wanted to buy Reba an LSU shirt (because her service dog cape is "LSU purple") informed us there would be a lot of free concerts outside the Superdome all day Monday, including the Goo Goo Dolls. First step in the office door on Monday morning, Sarah said to me, "Let's go to the Dome. Let's go see the Goo Goo Dolls."
"OK," I replied without even a thought about the potential crowd we'd experience. I hate crowds. I'm in a wheelchair. I get tripped over. I get run into. I get elbows in the head.
Sarah's pictures give you just a taste of the sheer number of people we were hanging out with. At one point, we were twenty feet or less from the stage. In Sarah's words, "We're so close, the Goo Goo Dolls could spit on us if they wanted to." I couldn't see a thing. There were so many people there that even the pounding of music you normally feel in your body wasn't as intense as it should have been at that proximity.
I could hear and enjoy the music, but I couldn't see anything but Saints fans' hind ends. Sarah's apt description: "Dawn saw more ass than a proctologist."
I was jostled, I was bumped, I was climbed-over, I was driven into people, and I was a serial killer of beer cans and feet.
I had the time of my life.
I wish I had the words to describe the energy of the Dome and the city yesterday. It was love of football, it was love of home, it was a family of thousands coming together at the same place and the same time to say, "We will not be beaten. We will reclaim our home and our identity. We are still here. Nothing can defeat us."
The stickers and magnets you see all over the city say it all:
Rebuild. Relive. Rebirth.
The facts that the Saints played better than they have in years, that they made some amazing plays, and that they WON their homecoming game is due so much to the dedication and love and commitment of every single soul in the Dome and in the city yesterday. One could not be at the Dome all day yesterday or even watch the game last night and NOT believe that the fans helped carry that team to their phenomenal victory.
Rebuild. Relive. Rebirth.
Say it loud and say it proud, New Orleans:
We're back!
Last week, everyone with a UNO email account received an announcement about the city trying to assure that there were at least 1000 people to be on the field at the Superdome Monday to listen to U2 and Green Day just before kickoff of the Saints' first home game since December 2004. Sarah, Rachel, and I separately responded saying hell YES we wanted to go, but an email came down the pipe on Friday saying they had all the attendees they needed.
Saturday as we were leaving Walmart, some random guy who wanted to buy Reba an LSU shirt (because her service dog cape is "LSU purple") informed us there would be a lot of free concerts outside the Superdome all day Monday, including the Goo Goo Dolls. First step in the office door on Monday morning, Sarah said to me, "Let's go to the Dome. Let's go see the Goo Goo Dolls."
"OK," I replied without even a thought about the potential crowd we'd experience. I hate crowds. I'm in a wheelchair. I get tripped over. I get run into. I get elbows in the head.
Sarah's pictures give you just a taste of the sheer number of people we were hanging out with. At one point, we were twenty feet or less from the stage. In Sarah's words, "We're so close, the Goo Goo Dolls could spit on us if they wanted to." I couldn't see a thing. There were so many people there that even the pounding of music you normally feel in your body wasn't as intense as it should have been at that proximity.
I could hear and enjoy the music, but I couldn't see anything but Saints fans' hind ends. Sarah's apt description: "Dawn saw more ass than a proctologist."
I was jostled, I was bumped, I was climbed-over, I was driven into people, and I was a serial killer of beer cans and feet.
I had the time of my life.
I wish I had the words to describe the energy of the Dome and the city yesterday. It was love of football, it was love of home, it was a family of thousands coming together at the same place and the same time to say, "We will not be beaten. We will reclaim our home and our identity. We are still here. Nothing can defeat us."
The stickers and magnets you see all over the city say it all:
Rebuild. Relive. Rebirth.
The facts that the Saints played better than they have in years, that they made some amazing plays, and that they WON their homecoming game is due so much to the dedication and love and commitment of every single soul in the Dome and in the city yesterday. One could not be at the Dome all day yesterday or even watch the game last night and NOT believe that the fans helped carry that team to their phenomenal victory.
Rebuild. Relive. Rebirth.
Say it loud and say it proud, New Orleans:
We're back!
Monday, September 25, 2006
Superdome Reopens -- Halftime Report
The Saints are up 20-3 thanks to some truly amazing plays.
I hope no one finds the pods -- NOLA needs this Saints team.
I'll tell you all the pre-pre-game excitement as soon as Sarah sends me the pics.
For a taste of pre-game (which I didn't get to attend), go to Rhapsody and download the special U2/Green Day song "The Saints Are Coming".
Now back to my TV.
I hope no one finds the pods -- NOLA needs this Saints team.
I'll tell you all the pre-pre-game excitement as soon as Sarah sends me the pics.
For a taste of pre-game (which I didn't get to attend), go to Rhapsody and download the special U2/Green Day song "The Saints Are Coming".
Now back to my TV.
Favorite smells
The air before, during, and after the rain.
Wheat stubble burning.
Wood burning in a fireplace.
The brine of Lake Pontchartrain.
My dad's chili cooking in the oven.
Banana bread cooking in the oven.
Wheat stubble burning.
Wood burning in a fireplace.
The brine of Lake Pontchartrain.
My dad's chili cooking in the oven.
Banana bread cooking in the oven.
Sunday, September 24, 2006
New arrival
Please help me welcome to the world Samantha Danielle, born to my friends Brian and Sabrina on September 21.
See -- I do get out
Started yesterday off pretty slowly. Took a bath, washed my hair, walked Reba, then leisurely ate some SEEDuction bread with cream cheese while watching this week's taped eps of "EUReKA" (no WAY is Henry actually going to leave, I won't allow it) and "CSI:NY" (love Gary Sinise). Then my friend Sarah and her boyfriend came over, and the four of us did some running around. First, we went down to Magazine Street to a bath shop Sarah found a couple of weeks ago.
Let me just say that I HATE driving on Magazine Street. It is so freaking narrow, and I always feel like I'm going to side-swipe a parked car. In all actuality, they need to not let people park on Magazine, and then it wouldn't be so bad.
So I wasn't all that impressed with the bath shop. Their scents weren't true to what they were supposed to be (amber didn't smell like amber, etc.), and it was way too expensive. Or maybe I'm just a soap snob ever since I started making my own. I do admit that when I saw a scent called "oatmeal, milk, and honey," I thought to myself, "Why have a soap that just smells like oatmeal, milk, and honey when you can make soap that actually has those in it?"
After the bath shop, we went to Michael's where I bought four pounds of olive oil glycerine, two packs of soap molds, and soap dye. Then we went to a "western" store so Greg could look for a belt, then we went to a Goodwill store where Sarah found a groovy serving tray, Greg found a really nice print, and I got a sweater. Then there were adventures at Walmart. I think we asked not less than three times "Where's a taser?" because of the screaming children. Man, I hate kids in Walmart.
Upon returning home, Erika was here. Before she could do anything, she insisted on giving me my birthday present. She made me a beautiful necklace, and when I have a chance, I'll take a photo of it and post it. She helped me put my stuff away and go to the bathroom, then we were off again. We went back to Magazine Street (::sigh::) to a restaurant called Nacho Mama's. Over my grilled chicken quesadillas and E's tortilla soup and fish taco, we caught each other up on our lives since we saw each other last (Labor Day).
After we were full, we drove over to Canal and Broad Streets to a bar called Chickie Wah Wah to hear my officemate Kim's boyfriend's band play. The sound was turned up a bit too loud, but otherwise Big Sam's Funky Nation was a great listen. Guitar, bass (Kim's bf), drums, keyboards, sax, trombone, and one very entertaining, mucho-dancing band member. About halfway through the first set, though, I had to make a beeline out the door for some fresh air. A woman standing next to me lit up a cigarette, and I think something about where she was standing in relation to the ceiling fan blew her smoke right into my face. Set off my asthma. I got outside, coughed a few times, and then I was OK. E and I hadn't been outside ten seconds when the bar owner Dale came out. He had seen us making a hasty exit, thought something had happened, and came to check on us. How sweet was that? We explained, he made sure I was OK, then we had a nice conversation before he went back in. Very nice guy. Then Andrea, Jessa, and Kim (my officemates) came out to check on me, too. When we went back in, E and I stayed in the back by the door, and we finished out the set. Just before heading home, the sax player (who kind of reminded me of a guy named Isaac who used to help my brother) tried to pick up E. ::laughs, shakes head:: I can't take her anywhere.
Today's agenda: watch this week's taped episodes of "CSI" and "Numb3rs," do some reading for my research, and recopy my stats notes. Not necessarily in that order.
It's almost 1:00. I'd better get to it.
Let me just say that I HATE driving on Magazine Street. It is so freaking narrow, and I always feel like I'm going to side-swipe a parked car. In all actuality, they need to not let people park on Magazine, and then it wouldn't be so bad.
So I wasn't all that impressed with the bath shop. Their scents weren't true to what they were supposed to be (amber didn't smell like amber, etc.), and it was way too expensive. Or maybe I'm just a soap snob ever since I started making my own. I do admit that when I saw a scent called "oatmeal, milk, and honey," I thought to myself, "Why have a soap that just smells like oatmeal, milk, and honey when you can make soap that actually has those in it?"
After the bath shop, we went to Michael's where I bought four pounds of olive oil glycerine, two packs of soap molds, and soap dye. Then we went to a "western" store so Greg could look for a belt, then we went to a Goodwill store where Sarah found a groovy serving tray, Greg found a really nice print, and I got a sweater. Then there were adventures at Walmart. I think we asked not less than three times "Where's a taser?" because of the screaming children. Man, I hate kids in Walmart.
Upon returning home, Erika was here. Before she could do anything, she insisted on giving me my birthday present. She made me a beautiful necklace, and when I have a chance, I'll take a photo of it and post it. She helped me put my stuff away and go to the bathroom, then we were off again. We went back to Magazine Street (::sigh::) to a restaurant called Nacho Mama's. Over my grilled chicken quesadillas and E's tortilla soup and fish taco, we caught each other up on our lives since we saw each other last (Labor Day).
After we were full, we drove over to Canal and Broad Streets to a bar called Chickie Wah Wah to hear my officemate Kim's boyfriend's band play. The sound was turned up a bit too loud, but otherwise Big Sam's Funky Nation was a great listen. Guitar, bass (Kim's bf), drums, keyboards, sax, trombone, and one very entertaining, mucho-dancing band member. About halfway through the first set, though, I had to make a beeline out the door for some fresh air. A woman standing next to me lit up a cigarette, and I think something about where she was standing in relation to the ceiling fan blew her smoke right into my face. Set off my asthma. I got outside, coughed a few times, and then I was OK. E and I hadn't been outside ten seconds when the bar owner Dale came out. He had seen us making a hasty exit, thought something had happened, and came to check on us. How sweet was that? We explained, he made sure I was OK, then we had a nice conversation before he went back in. Very nice guy. Then Andrea, Jessa, and Kim (my officemates) came out to check on me, too. When we went back in, E and I stayed in the back by the door, and we finished out the set. Just before heading home, the sax player (who kind of reminded me of a guy named Isaac who used to help my brother) tried to pick up E. ::laughs, shakes head:: I can't take her anywhere.
Today's agenda: watch this week's taped episodes of "CSI" and "Numb3rs," do some reading for my research, and recopy my stats notes. Not necessarily in that order.
It's almost 1:00. I'd better get to it.
Friday, September 22, 2006
Oy!
So, tonight I was interviewed by the editor-in-chief of The Driftwood, UNO's campus paper.
You see, I am trying to get some activities organized for Disability Awareness Month, and Veronica (who used to write for the paper) thought it would be great to get a story about UNO's decided lack of accessability in the paper. I was actually supposed to meet with this guy yesterday, but after all the fun of flooding the night before, I was in no mood to talk to anyone.
The editor came to the apartment this evening instead. We spent an hour discussing the frustrations of my previous UNO incarnation and my plans to address them in the coming days and weeks. I told him that Veronica envisioned a very in-your-face kind of writeup but that I didn't think it would be appropriate at this time since I haven't had the chance to talk to anyone since my return. I even expressed apprehension about running an article at all at this time, and I especially didn't like the idea of focusing the entire story on me. I'm not the only student with a disability on this campus (though I often feel like I am), and as such I shouldn't be the only one represented. By focusing on me, he said, it gives a more personal angle to the overall inaccessability. He seems like he'll do a sensitive writeup.
He did say he was surprised by me. I guess after talking to V, he was expecting someone a bit more . . . militant. That wasn't the word he used, but I could read in his face that was what he was thinking. I told him I could get that way if forced to, but the time isn't right for that attitude. He seemed rather taken aback by that. I guess if my introduction to the story had been V, I would be, too.
He embarrassed me at one point by telling me he thought I was "courageous" for stepping up and bringing some of these issues to light. It isn't courage, I replied. It was just something that needed to be done, and I didn't see anyone else doing it.
I'm not a gimp activist. I've never envisioned myself in that role. I am the kind of person to speak up when I feel a wrong is being done. This university is doing wrong by not making sure that ALL of its students have access to buildings and safe living environments. I have to say something, or all the powers-that-be will keep their heads buried in the sand.
::sigh:: This was my sister's shtick. She was much better at this than I could ever hope to be. It's been a long time since I've had to wake people up -- haven't had to do much of it since those days in the Buhler Unified School District. I just hope that tough kid is still living somewhere inside of me.
You see, I am trying to get some activities organized for Disability Awareness Month, and Veronica (who used to write for the paper) thought it would be great to get a story about UNO's decided lack of accessability in the paper. I was actually supposed to meet with this guy yesterday, but after all the fun of flooding the night before, I was in no mood to talk to anyone.
The editor came to the apartment this evening instead. We spent an hour discussing the frustrations of my previous UNO incarnation and my plans to address them in the coming days and weeks. I told him that Veronica envisioned a very in-your-face kind of writeup but that I didn't think it would be appropriate at this time since I haven't had the chance to talk to anyone since my return. I even expressed apprehension about running an article at all at this time, and I especially didn't like the idea of focusing the entire story on me. I'm not the only student with a disability on this campus (though I often feel like I am), and as such I shouldn't be the only one represented. By focusing on me, he said, it gives a more personal angle to the overall inaccessability. He seems like he'll do a sensitive writeup.
He did say he was surprised by me. I guess after talking to V, he was expecting someone a bit more . . . militant. That wasn't the word he used, but I could read in his face that was what he was thinking. I told him I could get that way if forced to, but the time isn't right for that attitude. He seemed rather taken aback by that. I guess if my introduction to the story had been V, I would be, too.
He embarrassed me at one point by telling me he thought I was "courageous" for stepping up and bringing some of these issues to light. It isn't courage, I replied. It was just something that needed to be done, and I didn't see anyone else doing it.
I'm not a gimp activist. I've never envisioned myself in that role. I am the kind of person to speak up when I feel a wrong is being done. This university is doing wrong by not making sure that ALL of its students have access to buildings and safe living environments. I have to say something, or all the powers-that-be will keep their heads buried in the sand.
::sigh:: This was my sister's shtick. She was much better at this than I could ever hope to be. It's been a long time since I've had to wake people up -- haven't had to do much of it since those days in the Buhler Unified School District. I just hope that tough kid is still living somewhere inside of me.
Apartment update
The furniture is back in Veronica's room, but two fans and the dehumidifier remain at least until tomorrow.
We (as in V or one of my attendants) also have to rearrange the living room again because the maintenance guys put everything in their default positions, and V and I had put things in different places. ::sigh::
We (as in V or one of my attendants) also have to rearrange the living room again because the maintenance guys put everything in their default positions, and V and I had put things in different places. ::sigh::
Thursday, September 21, 2006
Fun meme from Jennifer
Appetizer: What was the very last song you listened to?
Whisper the Words by Lila McCann is currently coming out of the WinAmp.
Salad: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy having your picture made?
About -10.7.
Main Course: Besides a bookmark, what is something you've used to keep your place in a book?
A bill, the book thong Lynlee made for me (actually in the book I'm reading currently), a stick of gum, an envelope, embroidery floss, a folded paper towel, a pen . . . among others. I use pretty much whatever's at hand.
Dessert: Name a food that you like that most people don't.
Green bell peppers and onions.
Whisper the Words by Lila McCann is currently coming out of the WinAmp.
Salad: On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy having your picture made?
About -10.7.
Main Course: Besides a bookmark, what is something you've used to keep your place in a book?
A bill, the book thong Lynlee made for me (actually in the book I'm reading currently), a stick of gum, an envelope, embroidery floss, a folded paper towel, a pen . . . among others. I use pretty much whatever's at hand.
Dessert: Name a food that you like that most people don't.
Green bell peppers and onions.
Last night
Last night around 10:00 p.m., Veronica's and my upstairs neighbors started making a bunch of ruckus. This was not the first time we'd heard these two fine specimens of stereotypical college-aged manhood, but they did seem to be banging/dropping more than normal. At one point while I was going to the bathroom, I thought they might even be fighting (judging by their raised voices), but I decided they were just being rowdy. Then this:
Veronica: Is it raining?
Me (from the throne): I don't think so.
V: I hear water.
Me: Sometimes when the neighbors behind us run water in their sink or tub, or the neighbors above us flush the toilet or drain the tub, you can hear water in the pipes.
V: It's weird, because this sounds like rain.
Then, just as I was getting off the toilet, the building fire alarm went off. So there I was, my naked rear hanging in the wind, thinking, Oh for pete's sake. V stepped outside to see what was going on (after pulling up my undies) and was informed by the National Guard-people who stopped by for a show that no one knew what was happening. She got me laid down in the bed, and after a few more trips in and out, I heard the water, too.
My heart sank. I'd heard that sound at Wheatshocker more than once.
We were getting flooded from above. A sheer waterfall in V's bedroom and bathroom.
It took maintenance forever to get there, longer to shut off the water, longer still to come check on us. A water-extraction company was called, and we were told it would be 1:30 or 2:00 a.m. before they could get there. In the end, they left our apartment alone for the night and concentrated on sucking water from upstairs so we wouldn't take on more.
What we know:
1. The upstairs neighbors' sprinkler went off.
2. According to them, "It just went off on its own." ::rolls eyes::
3. The head maintenance guy said something about finding fireworks in the apartment.
4. Veronica smelled "something burning" on her multiple trips outside.
So now I am ensconced in the office so I don't have to hear the three fans and the dehumidifier currently running in the apartment. I'm exhausted because we had people in and out of our place until about 2:00 and because my roommate was stifling me with her angry energy and because I had to get up at 7:30 to get ready for class.
Fortunately, no one today has presented me with any other challenges, difficult or easy. I do not have the wherewithal to deal with much -- I am so emotional from being so tired that trying to decide what to eat for lunch brought me to tears.
Now that's tired.
Veronica: Is it raining?
Me (from the throne): I don't think so.
V: I hear water.
Me: Sometimes when the neighbors behind us run water in their sink or tub, or the neighbors above us flush the toilet or drain the tub, you can hear water in the pipes.
V: It's weird, because this sounds like rain.
Then, just as I was getting off the toilet, the building fire alarm went off. So there I was, my naked rear hanging in the wind, thinking, Oh for pete's sake. V stepped outside to see what was going on (after pulling up my undies) and was informed by the National Guard-people who stopped by for a show that no one knew what was happening. She got me laid down in the bed, and after a few more trips in and out, I heard the water, too.
My heart sank. I'd heard that sound at Wheatshocker more than once.
We were getting flooded from above. A sheer waterfall in V's bedroom and bathroom.
It took maintenance forever to get there, longer to shut off the water, longer still to come check on us. A water-extraction company was called, and we were told it would be 1:30 or 2:00 a.m. before they could get there. In the end, they left our apartment alone for the night and concentrated on sucking water from upstairs so we wouldn't take on more.
What we know:
1. The upstairs neighbors' sprinkler went off.
2. According to them, "It just went off on its own." ::rolls eyes::
3. The head maintenance guy said something about finding fireworks in the apartment.
4. Veronica smelled "something burning" on her multiple trips outside.
So now I am ensconced in the office so I don't have to hear the three fans and the dehumidifier currently running in the apartment. I'm exhausted because we had people in and out of our place until about 2:00 and because my roommate was stifling me with her angry energy and because I had to get up at 7:30 to get ready for class.
Fortunately, no one today has presented me with any other challenges, difficult or easy. I do not have the wherewithal to deal with much -- I am so emotional from being so tired that trying to decide what to eat for lunch brought me to tears.
Now that's tired.
Wednesday, September 20, 2006
Monday, September 18, 2006
Saturday, September 16, 2006
Quick updates
I found out Thursday that I received my first research grant. It's not much -- only $500 -- but it's more than I had three days ago. I can get fish tanks and water treaters and filters and air pumps and air tubing. Or at least, get a good start on those things.
In other news, my home Internet has been on the blink off and on for a week now -- more off than on, especially the last three days.
In other news, my home Internet has been on the blink off and on for a week now -- more off than on, especially the last three days.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
From Jennifer's blog
The idea is to write thirteen things you love/hate about something.
Thirteen Things I Love/Hate About New Orleans
1. I hate Ray Nagin.
2. I hate that so many people are still homeless and there seems to be no money or anyone willing to help them.
3. I love beignets.
4. I love my friends here.
5. I love the food. In very few places can you have this kind of variety.
6. I absolutely love the Spring fog.
7. I hate the street conditions. Potholes that would swallow Reba whole.
8. I hate the inaccessibility.
9. I hate the excuses for the inaccessibility.
10. I love Lake Pontchartrain at night and the sound of the waves hitting the pilings.
11. I hate the refineries, but . . .
12. . . . I love the glow of their lights at night.
13. I love the live oak trees.
Thirteen Things I Love/Hate About New Orleans
1. I hate Ray Nagin.
2. I hate that so many people are still homeless and there seems to be no money or anyone willing to help them.
3. I love beignets.
4. I love my friends here.
5. I love the food. In very few places can you have this kind of variety.
6. I absolutely love the Spring fog.
7. I hate the street conditions. Potholes that would swallow Reba whole.
8. I hate the inaccessibility.
9. I hate the excuses for the inaccessibility.
10. I love Lake Pontchartrain at night and the sound of the waves hitting the pilings.
11. I hate the refineries, but . . .
12. . . . I love the glow of their lights at night.
13. I love the live oak trees.
Fun Meme
1. Your Middle Name:
2. Age:
3. Single or Taken:
4. Favorite Movie:
5. Favorite Song:
6. Favorite Band/Artist:
7. Dirty or Clean:
8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:
HERE COMES THE FUN ... ... ...
1. Do we know each other in real life?
2. What’s your philosophy on life?
3. Would you have my back in a fight?
4. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
5. What is your favorite memory of us?
6. Would you give me a kidney?
7. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:
8. Would you take care of me when I'm sick?
9. Can we get together and make a cake?
10. Have you heard any rumors of me lately?
11. Do you/have you talk(ed) crap about me?
12. Do you think I'm a good person?
13. Would you drive across country with me?
14. Do you think I'm attractive?
15. If you could change anything about me, would you?
16. What do you wear to sleep?
17. Would you come over for no reason just to hang out?
18. Would you go on a date with me if I asked you?
19. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?
20. Will you repost this in your blog for me to answer for you (or email it to me if you don't have a blog)?
2. Age:
3. Single or Taken:
4. Favorite Movie:
5. Favorite Song:
6. Favorite Band/Artist:
7. Dirty or Clean:
8. Tattoos and/or Piercings:
HERE COMES THE FUN ... ... ...
1. Do we know each other in real life?
2. What’s your philosophy on life?
3. Would you have my back in a fight?
4. Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
5. What is your favorite memory of us?
6. Would you give me a kidney?
7. Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you:
8. Would you take care of me when I'm sick?
9. Can we get together and make a cake?
10. Have you heard any rumors of me lately?
11. Do you/have you talk(ed) crap about me?
12. Do you think I'm a good person?
13. Would you drive across country with me?
14. Do you think I'm attractive?
15. If you could change anything about me, would you?
16. What do you wear to sleep?
17. Would you come over for no reason just to hang out?
18. Would you go on a date with me if I asked you?
19. If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?
20. Will you repost this in your blog for me to answer for you (or email it to me if you don't have a blog)?
Swiped from Lynlee's blog
Today, we gather to be reassured that God hears the lamenting and bitter weeping of Mother America because so many of her children are no more. Let us now seek that assurance in prayer for the healing of our grief stricken hearts, for the souls and sacred memory of those who have been lost. Let us also pray for divine wisdom as our leaders consider the necessary actions for national security, wisdom of the grace of God that as we act, we not become the evil we deplore.
-Rev. Nathan Baxter, Dean, Washington National Cathedral - 9/14/2001
Hecitu yelo!
-Rev. Nathan Baxter, Dean, Washington National Cathedral - 9/14/2001
Hecitu yelo!
Friday, September 08, 2006
Let me just go on record as saying . . .
. . . that overly-cautious doctors can be a real pain in the fanny sometimes. I went to student health today to pick up a cup to take home to collect a urine sample. I wanted to see if I have a UTI 1) because I had one right before I moved down here and I want to make sure the Levaquin cleared it, and B) because I have a couple of new attendants who have wiped me backwards and I almost always wind up with a UTI after that. First, I had to talk to the nurse. Then I had to talk to the overly-cautious doctor who is worried that I have a neurogenic bladder that isn't voiding completely and that's why I'm winding up with "all these UTIs." She started making noises about having my attendants straight cath me and/or me having a bladder US to make sure I'm voiding completely. First, I have had more than my usual number of UTIs in the last five months because I have had kidney stones. Second, my attendants are not medical professionals and thus will not be cathing me. Lastly, I have had two bladder USs in the last month by my urologist back home, and he said I'm fine. Just please let me go, I have meetings to get to.
THEN I had to meet with a second, more senior doctor who explained to me WHY they wanted to do all these things. I calmly and politely told her (as I had the first doctor) I appreciated their concern, but I didn't see why I had to have another US when my urologist had cleared me twice. Apparently, doctor #1 neglected to give doctor #2 that little tidbit of info. Doctor #2: "You've had one? It was fine? OK, I'm happy! Take your cup home and bring us back the urine sample."
Finally! Unfortunately, by that time (an hour later), I had missed an appointment with a prof and was fifteen minutes late to a departmental seminar given by my friend Sarah. ::sigh::
Up-note: I am to stop taking the bicarb and get my blood checked early next week to see how my blood pH is doing. I'm actually a little concerned about stopping it cold-turkey, and I'm debating continuing on it through the weekend and discussing it more with them on Monday.
THEN I had to meet with a second, more senior doctor who explained to me WHY they wanted to do all these things. I calmly and politely told her (as I had the first doctor) I appreciated their concern, but I didn't see why I had to have another US when my urologist had cleared me twice. Apparently, doctor #1 neglected to give doctor #2 that little tidbit of info. Doctor #2: "You've had one? It was fine? OK, I'm happy! Take your cup home and bring us back the urine sample."
Finally! Unfortunately, by that time (an hour later), I had missed an appointment with a prof and was fifteen minutes late to a departmental seminar given by my friend Sarah. ::sigh::
Up-note: I am to stop taking the bicarb and get my blood checked early next week to see how my blood pH is doing. I'm actually a little concerned about stopping it cold-turkey, and I'm debating continuing on it through the weekend and discussing it more with them on Monday.
Thursday, September 07, 2006
Lunch on Karma
One of my pals/attendants and I made plans to have lunch at Angeli on Decatur today.
(Aside: that makes the third time in a week and a half that I've eaten there -- LOVE the place!!)
Rachel had a friend visiting from Lafayette, so naturally we invited him to go as well. When he got in Moby, he held up a $50 bill and said, "Lunch is on Karma today." Story goes he had gone to some barbecue/gathering yesterday, had a beer, and gave the host $5. Said host refused the fiver, but Joel said, "Just take it. It'll be good for my Karma." That night, he found the $50 in the stairwell at the dorms.
So we had lunch at Angeli, being joined by Taylor, a fairly groovy chick/friend of Joel's that we happened to see as we were crossing the street. Our total came to $39.50, and we left the entire $50. Maybe we'll all accrue some good Karma by leaving the waitress a 30+% tip.
(Aside: that makes the third time in a week and a half that I've eaten there -- LOVE the place!!)
Rachel had a friend visiting from Lafayette, so naturally we invited him to go as well. When he got in Moby, he held up a $50 bill and said, "Lunch is on Karma today." Story goes he had gone to some barbecue/gathering yesterday, had a beer, and gave the host $5. Said host refused the fiver, but Joel said, "Just take it. It'll be good for my Karma." That night, he found the $50 in the stairwell at the dorms.
So we had lunch at Angeli, being joined by Taylor, a fairly groovy chick/friend of Joel's that we happened to see as we were crossing the street. Our total came to $39.50, and we left the entire $50. Maybe we'll all accrue some good Karma by leaving the waitress a 30+% tip.
Monday, September 04, 2006
A few words to encourage myself
From Reba McEntire's I'm a Survivor
The baby girl without a chance
A victim of circumstance
The one who ought to give up
But she's just too hard headed
The baby girl without a chance
A victim of circumstance
The one who ought to give up
But she's just too hard headed
Saturday, September 02, 2006
Last weekend and this weekend and everything in between
So last Saturday, Erika and I decided to have lunch at Angeli on Decatur and do a little checkup on our favorite Quarter shops and hangouts. We shared a yummy sandwich of bacon, lettuce, tomato, mozarella, and pesto (mmm, I'm hungry for another one), then headed further into the Quarter to try to see if the place selling Belgian chocolate was still open. We got side-tracked by a French Market booth with groovy handmade bags, but what really distracted us was a little lapidary shop that had just opened that day. The husband hand-mines his stones in Arizona and/or Mexico or has friends who send them to him. He then polishes up the stones and creates some pretty amazing pieces of wearable art. His main shop counter was a fireplace mantle and surround he had scavenged from someone else's home demolition. In fact, all of his display cases were window frames that people have thrown out during post-Katrina cleanup. By the time we oohed and aahed over everything in the "shop" (it's more a booth than a shop), the rain was moving in. We ran for Jackson Square, trying to beat the rain and hide out in a coffeeshop, but we were still a half a block away when the sky opened up. E, Reba, and I took shelter under an overhang, but we still got a little wet whenever the breeze kicked up. Fortunately, I had my raincoat on the back of my chair and E had her umbrella, but poor Reebs . . . . We waited about a half an hour before giving up. E walked back to Moby (my van) and brought her around to where Reba and I were hiding. We came back to the apartment, bathed Reba, made hot cocoa, and watched my DVD of "Elizabethtown."
Sunday, E and I decided to try to catch a Katrina memorial concert at Louis Armstrong park. We left Reba at home in case the rain came again (there was a 60% chance), drove back to the Quarter, and had lunch at Mona's Cafe -- Mediterranean food makes the tummy happy. We mosied up Royal so I could find Erzulie's Voodoo Shop and maybe see my friend Anna, checking out various shops on the way. I've decided Royal Street is a tease street. I found a small herb shop, but there are two huge steps. Same at Erzulie's. MOST of the shops and galleries are inaccessible. ::sigh::
Two groovy places of note:
1. We stopped into an art gallery featuring Caribbean artists, and we discovered the lady has OLD Mardi Gras beads from 1900-1950 made out of Czechoslovakian glass. I bought a string.
2. A hotel called The Soniat House has the grooviest freaking inner courtyard. The doorman let us go in and check it out, and we just wanted to stay there all day. It was a good 10-15 degrees cooler than the street, there was a beautiful fountain and moss growing on the walkway bricks, and classical music playing softly under the ripple of the fountain. You simply cannot have stress in that place.
After a respite in a corner Royal Street grocery store (we thought rain was coming again, but after 45 minutes of munching chips and reading the Times-Picayune and watching the Discovery Channel on the store TV, nothing happened), we finally made it to Louis Armstrong Park. We got to hear two Katrina-inspired songs by a group called The Voice of the Wetlands, then there was a looooong break while we waited for a drumming group to set up. E saw about a hundred people she knew, and I got to meet the boy she had gone out with the evening she had come to see me at the hotel. He's a quiet Brazilian lad with an adorable smile. So completely cute.
I love my friend Erika, but sometimes I hate her, ya know? ::grin::
While we were visiting, some folks finally got on stage, talking about what was coming up next. I was only half listening, but then a name was said that just about made me pass out.
Chief Arvil Looking Horse.
For those of you who don't know, Chief Arvil Looking Horse is the 19th keeper of the sacred pipe of the Lakota tribe. If I were a Catholic, he'd be the Pope.
Even though there were people talking around me, I could still hear his quiet voice speaking about coming together as one to heal ourselves, the city, the nation. When he sang a heart song, I got chills and nearly cried -- but for the first time in a couple of weeks, a good cry. The peace emanating from him was amazing. How could all those people around me be so oblivious to it all?
In the week since, I've found a new sense of peace and calm. I'm starting to find my rhythm, even if I'm still trying to find a schedule with my attendants. My neck muscles still tighten at the end of the day, but they don't give me a raging headache.
Maybe it really WILL work out, just as Anita and Jess said it would.
In the last week, I've started looking for articles of info on Gambusia (the fish species I'm thinking of using in my studies), I've started catching up with friends, and I've enjoyed some of the early Lily smiles (the six-week-old baby of my friends Danielle and Mike).
Today I went with my friend/attendant Rachel to Whole Foods and bought Seeduction bread (yes, that is spelled correctly) and various and sundry organic yumminess. I also finally heard from Chad this afternoon -- he's been laid up the last three weeks after somehow injuring his knee while backpacking. He thinks he was just carrying too much weight. As he said, "My respiratory system and muscles could handle the strain, but apparently my joints couldn't." He's having an MRI this week to "make sure I didn't tear something up." Leave it to a boy to wait almost a month before going to the doctor. Tomorrow I will brave the bus to meet Erika in the Quarter for her birthday. Monday I will read for my classes.
And that's all I have to say about that.
Sunday, E and I decided to try to catch a Katrina memorial concert at Louis Armstrong park. We left Reba at home in case the rain came again (there was a 60% chance), drove back to the Quarter, and had lunch at Mona's Cafe -- Mediterranean food makes the tummy happy. We mosied up Royal so I could find Erzulie's Voodoo Shop and maybe see my friend Anna, checking out various shops on the way. I've decided Royal Street is a tease street. I found a small herb shop, but there are two huge steps. Same at Erzulie's. MOST of the shops and galleries are inaccessible. ::sigh::
Two groovy places of note:
1. We stopped into an art gallery featuring Caribbean artists, and we discovered the lady has OLD Mardi Gras beads from 1900-1950 made out of Czechoslovakian glass. I bought a string.
2. A hotel called The Soniat House has the grooviest freaking inner courtyard. The doorman let us go in and check it out, and we just wanted to stay there all day. It was a good 10-15 degrees cooler than the street, there was a beautiful fountain and moss growing on the walkway bricks, and classical music playing softly under the ripple of the fountain. You simply cannot have stress in that place.
After a respite in a corner Royal Street grocery store (we thought rain was coming again, but after 45 minutes of munching chips and reading the Times-Picayune and watching the Discovery Channel on the store TV, nothing happened), we finally made it to Louis Armstrong Park. We got to hear two Katrina-inspired songs by a group called The Voice of the Wetlands, then there was a looooong break while we waited for a drumming group to set up. E saw about a hundred people she knew, and I got to meet the boy she had gone out with the evening she had come to see me at the hotel. He's a quiet Brazilian lad with an adorable smile. So completely cute.
I love my friend Erika, but sometimes I hate her, ya know? ::grin::
While we were visiting, some folks finally got on stage, talking about what was coming up next. I was only half listening, but then a name was said that just about made me pass out.
Chief Arvil Looking Horse.
For those of you who don't know, Chief Arvil Looking Horse is the 19th keeper of the sacred pipe of the Lakota tribe. If I were a Catholic, he'd be the Pope.
Even though there were people talking around me, I could still hear his quiet voice speaking about coming together as one to heal ourselves, the city, the nation. When he sang a heart song, I got chills and nearly cried -- but for the first time in a couple of weeks, a good cry. The peace emanating from him was amazing. How could all those people around me be so oblivious to it all?
In the week since, I've found a new sense of peace and calm. I'm starting to find my rhythm, even if I'm still trying to find a schedule with my attendants. My neck muscles still tighten at the end of the day, but they don't give me a raging headache.
Maybe it really WILL work out, just as Anita and Jess said it would.
In the last week, I've started looking for articles of info on Gambusia (the fish species I'm thinking of using in my studies), I've started catching up with friends, and I've enjoyed some of the early Lily smiles (the six-week-old baby of my friends Danielle and Mike).
Today I went with my friend/attendant Rachel to Whole Foods and bought Seeduction bread (yes, that is spelled correctly) and various and sundry organic yumminess. I also finally heard from Chad this afternoon -- he's been laid up the last three weeks after somehow injuring his knee while backpacking. He thinks he was just carrying too much weight. As he said, "My respiratory system and muscles could handle the strain, but apparently my joints couldn't." He's having an MRI this week to "make sure I didn't tear something up." Leave it to a boy to wait almost a month before going to the doctor. Tomorrow I will brave the bus to meet Erika in the Quarter for her birthday. Monday I will read for my classes.
And that's all I have to say about that.
From the CBS "Numb3rs" website
CARL SAGAN AWARD
Congratulations to NUMB3RS co-creators and executive producers Cheryl Heuton and Nicolas Falacci, honored with the Carl Sagan Award for the Public Understanding of Science. Presented by the Council of Scientific Society Presidents, this award honors those who have become concurrently accomplished as researchers, educators and magnifiers of the public's understanding of science.
Congratulations to NUMB3RS co-creators and executive producers Cheryl Heuton and Nicolas Falacci, honored with the Carl Sagan Award for the Public Understanding of Science. Presented by the Council of Scientific Society Presidents, this award honors those who have become concurrently accomplished as researchers, educators and magnifiers of the public's understanding of science.
Wednesday, August 30, 2006
More NOLA updates
Got all moved in to the apartment on the 19th, then Mom, Veronica (my roommate), and I went to Walmart. I think I cried about half the time I was there. I was feeling totally overwhelmed by everything -- the move, having a stranger for a roommate, PMS -- and to say I wasn't coping is putting it mildly. At one point I told Mom I was seriously tempted to put the cart to the side and go home.
Mom: "You'll just have to come back and collect it all over again."
Me: "No, Mom. You don't understand. I want to go home."
There are two reasons I didn't/haven't. (1) Dad would freaking kill me if we drove two days down just to go back. (2) I'm too damned stubborn to give up on something I have decided is important/I want to do. Recognizing #2 didn't make the following days any easier.
I spent Sunday the 20th with Mom and Dad in the Quarter, and we had a good laugh at several post-Katrina T-shirts. My favorites, in order:
1. Make levees, not war.
2. FEMA evacuation plan -- Run, motherf---er, run.
3. FEMA = fix everything, my a--.
4. Meet the Fockers (has pics of Mayor Nagin, Gov. Blanco, Sen. Landrieu, and someone else I don't remember).
Monday the 21st was the official first day of classes, but I had none. That was also the day my folks left town.
Tuesday the 22nd was my birthday and MY first day of stats class -- only I couldn't get to class because it was on the second floor and the elevator is out of commission with a BIOHAZARD sign on it. So, I emailed the instructor and asked her to move it. I wound up having no classes at all the first week because stats was cancelled on Thursday.
Tuesday night, some of my pals took me out for my birthday. Erika and I planned on going to Coyote Ugly, and when I mentioned it to another PhD student (my friend Sarah), she said, "I want to go!" Next thing I knew she had invited almost a half a dozen other people. We had a good time. The bartendress at CU was rude and couldn't dance, so Erika and I are still unsure what the big deal is. I do know that the woman is damn lucky she didn't try to hose me down when I ordered water.
The only other thing of note will have to wait. My fingers are tired from doing online research all day.
To be continued -- again . . . .
Mom: "You'll just have to come back and collect it all over again."
Me: "No, Mom. You don't understand. I want to go home."
There are two reasons I didn't/haven't. (1) Dad would freaking kill me if we drove two days down just to go back. (2) I'm too damned stubborn to give up on something I have decided is important/I want to do. Recognizing #2 didn't make the following days any easier.
I spent Sunday the 20th with Mom and Dad in the Quarter, and we had a good laugh at several post-Katrina T-shirts. My favorites, in order:
1. Make levees, not war.
2. FEMA evacuation plan -- Run, motherf---er, run.
3. FEMA = fix everything, my a--.
4. Meet the Fockers (has pics of Mayor Nagin, Gov. Blanco, Sen. Landrieu, and someone else I don't remember).
Monday the 21st was the official first day of classes, but I had none. That was also the day my folks left town.
Tuesday the 22nd was my birthday and MY first day of stats class -- only I couldn't get to class because it was on the second floor and the elevator is out of commission with a BIOHAZARD sign on it. So, I emailed the instructor and asked her to move it. I wound up having no classes at all the first week because stats was cancelled on Thursday.
Tuesday night, some of my pals took me out for my birthday. Erika and I planned on going to Coyote Ugly, and when I mentioned it to another PhD student (my friend Sarah), she said, "I want to go!" Next thing I knew she had invited almost a half a dozen other people. We had a good time. The bartendress at CU was rude and couldn't dance, so Erika and I are still unsure what the big deal is. I do know that the woman is damn lucky she didn't try to hose me down when I ordered water.
The only other thing of note will have to wait. My fingers are tired from doing online research all day.
To be continued -- again . . . .
Saturday, August 26, 2006
I'll probably have to do this in parts
August 16th -- We got on the road by 9:30 a.m. or so. Several stops to pee dogs and pee people, a rather long stop-and-go stint between Gainesville and Longview, TX, and a long search for a motel in which to sleep in Longview. At the FOURTH motel, we finally managed a ground floor wc-accessible room for me and a second floor room for the folks. We ordered pizza and crashed. I cried the hardest I've cried since my sister died and eventually crashed.
August 17th -- Got back on the road by about 8:30, made NO city limits by about 4:00. The Yahoo maps directions I got to get to our hotel were seriously screwed up and had us looking for an exit that didn't exist. We wound up on the West Bank of the Mississippi River where I have NEVER been before. We drove around a bit and then stopped at a neighborhood grocery and asked directions. We were told to follow the road we were on until we got to the ferry. $1 per car got us back across the river and dropped on Canal Street -- and I knew EXACTLY where I was. Finally. We got our stuff out of the vehicles and let the valets park them. We ordered in Chinese, I put together a Power Point for my QE the next day, and we all crashed.
August 18th -- Called Erika and arranged for her to pop by the hotel in the evening so we could reconnect and my folks could meet her. The drive to the U was depressing as hell as I got my first taste of how much NO has "progressed" in the last year. So many houses stand empty. So many businesses stand empty. The neighborhood grocery store does not stand empty -- it no longer stands at all. The whole place has been leveled.
Went to the Privateer Place office to pay the rest of what I owed to rent the entire two-bedroom apartment and have Veronica as my "special guest resident" -- a deal that saves us each $107 per month on rent. After much confusion, we got it taken care of and they actually gave me my keys early. While I went off to my QE, my folks got my stuff into the apartment.
I met with Barney and we went over my classes and the degree requirements and finalized everything for the committee meeting. I barely remember any of it. I was in shock still from the drive. Mona's is gone. Italian Pie is gone. All those houses.
The committee meeting went well, but to talk about that is a whole other entry. Suffice for now to know that I passed -- with flying colors, according to the chair's administrative assistant. Fastest deliberation she'd ever seen, she told me. Five minutes -- literally. I wasn't even aware that it was possible NOT to pass the QE. We also approved the transfer-for-credit of a couple of my WSU classes so that after my stats class and molecular bio seminar this semester, I will officially be finished with classes. I will take an additional stats class when it is offered, but I will be officially finished this semester. Hooray!
Mom picked me up (a typical LA "afternooner" storm had blown in while I was in with my committee) and we went to the apartment. New carpet, new living room furniture, new bedroom furniture, new paint, new stove, new dishwasher. Same retarded sink, same tub, less space in the bedroom, no medicine cabinet in the bathroom, no rod in the closet. Where am I supposed to hang my flannels and my sweaters?
Went back to the hotel. Met Veronica and gave her her key. We'd been talking all day about getting supper, but Dad started making noises about ordering in again. As I went to the bathroom, he looked up a barbeque place and found out they delivered to our hotel. They were just a few blocks away, and I offered to go pick up a menu so we could decide on what to order. Suddenly, he wanted to go to the restaurant. Guess he didn't like the idea of me walking in the Quarter at night -- we'll just neglect to mention I've done it before, yeah?
Erika dropped by, we visited for a bit, and she walked with us to Zydeque. When we were seated, she went off for her date and we ate. Walked back to the hotel and eventually crashed.
To be continued . . . .
August 17th -- Got back on the road by about 8:30, made NO city limits by about 4:00. The Yahoo maps directions I got to get to our hotel were seriously screwed up and had us looking for an exit that didn't exist. We wound up on the West Bank of the Mississippi River where I have NEVER been before. We drove around a bit and then stopped at a neighborhood grocery and asked directions. We were told to follow the road we were on until we got to the ferry. $1 per car got us back across the river and dropped on Canal Street -- and I knew EXACTLY where I was. Finally. We got our stuff out of the vehicles and let the valets park them. We ordered in Chinese, I put together a Power Point for my QE the next day, and we all crashed.
August 18th -- Called Erika and arranged for her to pop by the hotel in the evening so we could reconnect and my folks could meet her. The drive to the U was depressing as hell as I got my first taste of how much NO has "progressed" in the last year. So many houses stand empty. So many businesses stand empty. The neighborhood grocery store does not stand empty -- it no longer stands at all. The whole place has been leveled.
Went to the Privateer Place office to pay the rest of what I owed to rent the entire two-bedroom apartment and have Veronica as my "special guest resident" -- a deal that saves us each $107 per month on rent. After much confusion, we got it taken care of and they actually gave me my keys early. While I went off to my QE, my folks got my stuff into the apartment.
I met with Barney and we went over my classes and the degree requirements and finalized everything for the committee meeting. I barely remember any of it. I was in shock still from the drive. Mona's is gone. Italian Pie is gone. All those houses.
The committee meeting went well, but to talk about that is a whole other entry. Suffice for now to know that I passed -- with flying colors, according to the chair's administrative assistant. Fastest deliberation she'd ever seen, she told me. Five minutes -- literally. I wasn't even aware that it was possible NOT to pass the QE. We also approved the transfer-for-credit of a couple of my WSU classes so that after my stats class and molecular bio seminar this semester, I will officially be finished with classes. I will take an additional stats class when it is offered, but I will be officially finished this semester. Hooray!
Mom picked me up (a typical LA "afternooner" storm had blown in while I was in with my committee) and we went to the apartment. New carpet, new living room furniture, new bedroom furniture, new paint, new stove, new dishwasher. Same retarded sink, same tub, less space in the bedroom, no medicine cabinet in the bathroom, no rod in the closet. Where am I supposed to hang my flannels and my sweaters?
Went back to the hotel. Met Veronica and gave her her key. We'd been talking all day about getting supper, but Dad started making noises about ordering in again. As I went to the bathroom, he looked up a barbeque place and found out they delivered to our hotel. They were just a few blocks away, and I offered to go pick up a menu so we could decide on what to order. Suddenly, he wanted to go to the restaurant. Guess he didn't like the idea of me walking in the Quarter at night -- we'll just neglect to mention I've done it before, yeah?
Erika dropped by, we visited for a bit, and she walked with us to Zydeque. When we were seated, she went off for her date and we ate. Walked back to the hotel and eventually crashed.
To be continued . . . .
Monday, August 14, 2006
Quote of the Week
Walter (part of Jeff Dunham's ventriloquism act): She got out of bed, jumped on her menstrual cycle, and ran my ass over.
I think I've done that a time or two . . . .
I think I've done that a time or two . . . .
Friday, August 11, 2006
The last five months of writing -- in 172 words
Abstract for my diss chapter/review (keep in mind it's the first, VERY rough draft):
The growth of the agricultural industry means that organisms are exposed to an ever increasing variety of environmental challenges. One of the most common tools used to assess environmental stress, especially stress during fish development, is fluctuating asymmetry (FA). Despite the number of studies examining fish FA, no attempt has been made to synthesize that knowledge in an attempt to determine if FA is an appropriate tool for determining fish developmental stress. This review details a total of sixty-two studies which examine natural FA variation, FA changes in response to natural and anthropogenic stressors, and links between FA and a number of fitness parameters. In an attempt to synthesize the information in these studies, I list some of the major shortcomings of fish FA research, including a lack of considered character choice, failure to distinguish between asymmetry types, and failure to properly quantify measurement error. Finally, I present the reasons I feel that some researchers may not consider FA to be an appropriate tool for conservation biologists to use in monitoring species/habitats.
The growth of the agricultural industry means that organisms are exposed to an ever increasing variety of environmental challenges. One of the most common tools used to assess environmental stress, especially stress during fish development, is fluctuating asymmetry (FA). Despite the number of studies examining fish FA, no attempt has been made to synthesize that knowledge in an attempt to determine if FA is an appropriate tool for determining fish developmental stress. This review details a total of sixty-two studies which examine natural FA variation, FA changes in response to natural and anthropogenic stressors, and links between FA and a number of fitness parameters. In an attempt to synthesize the information in these studies, I list some of the major shortcomings of fish FA research, including a lack of considered character choice, failure to distinguish between asymmetry types, and failure to properly quantify measurement error. Finally, I present the reasons I feel that some researchers may not consider FA to be an appropriate tool for conservation biologists to use in monitoring species/habitats.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Darn Urinary Tract
Got up this morning to go my urology appointment. Neither the radiologist nor my doctor could be certain that my stone was gone, so Thursday I am going to have another scope done. If there is anything in there, hopefully they will be able to "grab it" (my doctor's words) and then remove my stint. Dr. M is also checking to see if he knows any urologists who have returned to NOLA so he can turn me over to someone and make sure I can get regular check-ups.
Oh, and last Friday I found out that I have a UTI. Doc called in Bactram and I've been taking it twice a day. Today, the doctor's office leaves a message on my cell that the culture came back, and I have a strain of bacteria that is resistant to some antibiotics, so Dr. P wants to switch me to something else. Could I please call the office? Naturally, I got the message at 5:15.
Oh, and last Friday I found out that I have a UTI. Doc called in Bactram and I've been taking it twice a day. Today, the doctor's office leaves a message on my cell that the culture came back, and I have a strain of bacteria that is resistant to some antibiotics, so Dr. P wants to switch me to something else. Could I please call the office? Naturally, I got the message at 5:15.
Saturday, August 05, 2006
Look! Up in the sky! It's Super Gimp!
Boy, oh boy -- have I worked the two sides of my brain today! I wrote some on the Harry Potter story I'm composing for Nay, and I'm taking a break from the writing I'm doing on the diss. I also kept poor, recovering-from-the-flu Anita on the phone for over an hour -- hehe.
Busy, busy, busy.
Busy, busy, busy.
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
V for Vendetta
When I found out that this movie was (::movie theater voice::) "from the creators of the Matrix trilogy," I was hesitant to watch it. I wasn't terribly impressed with the first Matrix movie, I thought the second one was ridiculous, and I have absolutely no desire whatsoever to see the third one. But, Dad had bought "V" and was eager to watch it. What the hell, I thought. I won't expect anything, so I shouldn't be disappointed.
Oh. My.
To say that this was one of the better movies I've seen in a long time would be the understatement of the month.
Was it the poetry?
Was it Natalie Portman pulling off bald?
Was it gay Gordon with his sexuality and a Koran hidden away in a closet?
Was it never seeing the hero's face, but seeing his horror and his soul?
Was it all this and more?
Can you fall absolutely in love with a man and never know a thing about him, not even what he looks like?
Yes, you can. Just ask me and Natalie.
Remember, remember, the fifth of November.
Oh. My.
To say that this was one of the better movies I've seen in a long time would be the understatement of the month.
Was it the poetry?
Was it Natalie Portman pulling off bald?
Was it gay Gordon with his sexuality and a Koran hidden away in a closet?
Was it never seeing the hero's face, but seeing his horror and his soul?
Was it all this and more?
Can you fall absolutely in love with a man and never know a thing about him, not even what he looks like?
Yes, you can. Just ask me and Natalie.
Remember, remember, the fifth of November.
Lilith Aelita Rowe
Here is tiny Lily, born to my friends Danielle and Mike on July 19th at 4-something in the morning. Welcome to the world, wee lass!
Saturday, July 29, 2006
Horoscope Harvest
With my birthday coming up, I was already planning on sitting down and reflecting on the last year. Then I came across this. I think perhaps I'll use it as my guide not just to reflect on the growing season of the last few months (as the exercise suggests) but also to reflect on what I've accomplished since my last birthday and what I want to accomplish before my next birthday.
Your Horoscope Harvest
By Cait Johnson, co-author of Celebrating the Great Mother (Inner Traditions, 1995).
With the ancient Celtic festival of Lughnasad (sometimes called Lammas) on August 1, we enter the time of sacred harvest, when our thoughts turn to the spiritual gifts and accomplishments we have gathered over the past growing season.
Let your sun sign ask questions and suggest deep new ways to appreciate your own inner growth and process. Your horoscope can help you to a rich and bountiful spirit harvest.
You may want to let the following questions be the starting place for meditation.
Aries, March 21-April 19: When did you have an opportunity to do something meaningful in the service of your beliefs? How did your energetic zeal or even passionate anger over some injustice make a positive difference?
Taurus, April 20-May 21: How did your caretaking and patience help nurture a difficult situation? In what ways did your attention help encourage someone or something to grow and become stronger?
Gemini, May 22-June 20: Which ideas, out of the many you have had, excited you most? How did your willingness to be inspired and communicate give fresh energy to a situation?
Cancer, June 21-July 22: When did your strong and sensitive feelings give you insight on the best way to understand someone? How did you allow yourself to emerge from vulnerability or shyness to be deeply touched by someone or something?
Leo, July 23- Aug 22: When did you shine most brightly? What situations or events caused you to rise to the occasion and radiate positive good energy?
Virgo, Aug 23-Sept 22: How did you bring order to your life or someone else’s? In what ways did your wisdom about nourishment and bodily healing help yourself or another?
Libra, Sept 23-Oct 22: How did you create beauty in your life or someone else’s? What situations gave you the opportunity to bring harmony and balance to the world?
Scorpio, Oct 23-Nov 21: What have you learned in your explorations of the deep places? What wisdom about the nature of deep and deathless connection have you gained?
Sagittarius, Nov 22-Dec 21: What interesting places or people have inspired you most? How did you make helpful connections between others?
Capricorn, Dec 22-Jan 19: What projects did you bring to completion? In what ways did you make someone’s life more easeful or pleasant?
Aquarius, Jan 20-Feb 18: What spiritual ideas or concepts excited you most? How were you able to share your passion for alternative ways of understanding spirituality with others?
Pisces, Feb 19-March 20: What acts of selfless service did you perform? How did you gain a deeper understanding and compassion for the suffering in the world?
Your Horoscope Harvest
By Cait Johnson, co-author of Celebrating the Great Mother (Inner Traditions, 1995).
With the ancient Celtic festival of Lughnasad (sometimes called Lammas) on August 1, we enter the time of sacred harvest, when our thoughts turn to the spiritual gifts and accomplishments we have gathered over the past growing season.
Let your sun sign ask questions and suggest deep new ways to appreciate your own inner growth and process. Your horoscope can help you to a rich and bountiful spirit harvest.
You may want to let the following questions be the starting place for meditation.
Aries, March 21-April 19: When did you have an opportunity to do something meaningful in the service of your beliefs? How did your energetic zeal or even passionate anger over some injustice make a positive difference?
Taurus, April 20-May 21: How did your caretaking and patience help nurture a difficult situation? In what ways did your attention help encourage someone or something to grow and become stronger?
Gemini, May 22-June 20: Which ideas, out of the many you have had, excited you most? How did your willingness to be inspired and communicate give fresh energy to a situation?
Cancer, June 21-July 22: When did your strong and sensitive feelings give you insight on the best way to understand someone? How did you allow yourself to emerge from vulnerability or shyness to be deeply touched by someone or something?
Leo, July 23- Aug 22: When did you shine most brightly? What situations or events caused you to rise to the occasion and radiate positive good energy?
Virgo, Aug 23-Sept 22: How did you bring order to your life or someone else’s? In what ways did your wisdom about nourishment and bodily healing help yourself or another?
Libra, Sept 23-Oct 22: How did you create beauty in your life or someone else’s? What situations gave you the opportunity to bring harmony and balance to the world?
Scorpio, Oct 23-Nov 21: What have you learned in your explorations of the deep places? What wisdom about the nature of deep and deathless connection have you gained?
Sagittarius, Nov 22-Dec 21: What interesting places or people have inspired you most? How did you make helpful connections between others?
Capricorn, Dec 22-Jan 19: What projects did you bring to completion? In what ways did you make someone’s life more easeful or pleasant?
Aquarius, Jan 20-Feb 18: What spiritual ideas or concepts excited you most? How were you able to share your passion for alternative ways of understanding spirituality with others?
Pisces, Feb 19-March 20: What acts of selfless service did you perform? How did you gain a deeper understanding and compassion for the suffering in the world?