Scattered Words

2001-12-18T23:58:00.000-05:00

I'm ba-ack....

Norwalk is ok. I don't want to work at Carter's anymore because the other employees are really rude. Candlelight was surprisingly bad. And my visit with Tom today was wonderful.

Tomorrow will mark my fourth trip to the mall in as many days. Damn me for forgetting the coupons. But at least I found a new shirt for New Years Eve... :-P

Tired now. Bed for me.

2001-10-12T10:07:00.000-04:00

FYI - I haven't been abducted by aliens, I've just been posting on my other blog. So check there if you've stumbled across this page and are even remotely curious, or bored. Thank you. :-)

2001-08-29T08:43:00.000-04:00

This is amusing.

Apparently, my pirate name is:

Mad Anne Read

Every pirate is a little bit crazy. You, though, are more than just a little bit. Even through many pirates have a reputation for not being the brightest souls on earth, you defy the sterotypes. You've got taste and education. Arr!

*thanks to the bwg for the link*

I leave for the airport in less than six hours. I take off at 6:30 PM (well, maybe, I'm leaving from JFK, so...). If any of my loyal readers (suppressing a derisive snort here) did not get my UK address in your email and would like it, either leave your address here or email me. On to the land of bad food and politicians whose job is to verbally attack each other.... why can't I have that job? At any rate - see ya on the flip side...

2001-08-28T00:53:00.000-04:00

Thoughts of the day: Broadway is cool. Packing is not.

This past weekend, I went into the city with my parents to see two shows: "The Full Monty" and "Kiss Me Kate." We not only saw those two, but also saw "The Producers," with Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. (For those of you who don't know, that show has a wait list that's over two years long for tickets. We got them on the street on the day of the performance.)

Other cool incidents: Saw Matthew Broderick on the street near Times Square on Friday night. Then saw Ben Vereen (star of "Fosse") signing autographs outside the theatre at which "Fosse" played. (It closed the evening of the 25th.) Though he did not stick around long enough to personally sign anything for me, his assistant gave me (and only me - woohoo!) a Playbill that Ben Vereen had signed. It was very cool.

So now all that I'll be doing before I leave for England on Wednesday is see a few friends and relatives, and PACK. I can only bring two suitcases and one carry-on. Damn airline rules. But I suppose that's good, because I don't think I could handle any more. My room and the spare room are a mess; my room because I've been weeding through my junk, and the spare room because the junk that I'm bringing is there. I feel like screaming long and loud, but it's after midnight, and I'm using the computer right off my sleeping parents' bedroom, and I doubt they'd appreciate it.

This will likely be the last regular post for awhile. I don't know what kind of internet access I'll have there, so who knows when I'll be posting next. When I do, it will likely be on my other blog, TravelTales. But then again, it might be here, since only Tom has posted anything on that one so far. I don't know. I'm too tired. And my next foreseeable good sleep will be in England.

As LaLa from Colgate would say: "Argh, I'm a pirate." (Don't ask me why I thought of that. My brain has ceased to function.)

Now, off to do more packing, not to mention clean off my bed sufficiently for me to sleep in it at some point. Good night.

2001-08-16T15:46:00.000-04:00

Thought of the day: I DISLIKE COMPUTER SALESPEOPLE.

OK. To make a long story short, my Dell laptop, which was promised to arrive by LAST Friday, will not arrive until October. This has come about because of severe lack of competence, including the inability to return phone calls. As a result, my father has an ever-lengthening list of people whom he will try to get fired.

So I went to Gateway (I know, they're Satan, but I'm desperate) and was told that they can't fulfill my request in less than three to four weeks. Which is fine. Then the salesman continued by saying that "if I had just come to them first..." Well, that got me mad. Because the reason I did not go to them first was that (1) I already own a Gateway desktop that I'm really not too happy with, and (2) my parents tried to buy a Gateway desktop last year. THREE DEFECTIVE HARD DRIVES LATER, we returned it, and no one did anything to try to retain our business. To top it all off, about two months ago I received a "courtesy call" from Gateway, seeing how we like the system we'd bought last year!!!!!! I admit to not being very nice to the telemarketer when I began a rant with, "Oh, you mean the piece of sh*t we returned?" (So I have a temper. Sue me.)

ARGHH. People piss me off.

(end rant)

2001-08-13T18:46:00.000-04:00

Webmail is down. We are not amused.

I had a wonderful weekend, though. Tom came and picked me up on Thursday (I would have driven myself to Bronxville, but the whole crutches thing rendered that a bit difficult), and on Friday morning, we went to Sagaponack. It was really quite nice; Tom's brother's girlfriend was there too, so I had an 'ally' of sorts. Not that anyone was taking any sides against me... I can't explain. I'm too tired. We left LI at 4:30 this morning, and the only sleep I've had since was sitting on Tom's couch this morning, waiting for my mother to come pick me up. But the weekend was really, really nice. Which is good, because it could quite possibly have been the last time I'll see Tom before he leaves for Geneva on Thursday.

Which reminds me - only sixteen more days until I go to England!!!!

Going to see "American Pie 2" tonight. Hopefully it will be as funny as the first...

2001-08-09T10:53:00.000-04:00

You scored 44.4% Butter Pecan
Butter Pecan is tied with Strawberry for the third most popular flavor, and organized, put-together, earthy Butter Pecan types are valued for their fairness, efficiency and naturalness. You won't see a Butter Pecan lover putting on airs. In fact, it can be hard for no-nonsense Butter Pecans to express themselves at all -- even though they're privately quite sympathetic and observant. As a Butter Pecan lover, you like to plan ahead and take charge, which means you're often over-committed. Like Vanillas, Butter Pecans are most compatible with their own kind -- other Butter Pecan lovers who appreciate hard work and good sense.

You scored 33.3% Strawberry
Strawberries are naturally loyal, honest and trustworthy. If you're one of many Strawberry lovers (it's tied with Butter Pecan as the third most popular flavor), you probably have a devoted circle of friends who rely on you for the right answer to any moral dilemma. Like Chocolate Chips, you set high standards for yourself, but you are somewhat shy and reserved. And you don't like to admit it, but you're also a tad pessimistic. Maybe you're just disappointed that no one can live up to your own responsibility and forthrightness. Strawberry types do well with optimistic, outgoing Chocolate Chips.

I dislike both of these flavors. Is that a problem?

*thanks to rabi for the link :-)*

2001-08-09T08:38:00.000-04:00

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "It's like the spleen of the tendon world..."

Yes, hi, so there are a few interesting events to discuss that have happened over the past few days. Firstly, and (in my own opinion, of no one else's) most importantly, Tom came to visit. :-D He arrived (before me, as I had to work) on Monday evening and stayed 'til Tuesday afternoon, when he drove me to work after I left my keys in my father's car, which he had driven to work. It was a wonderful visit... and, since I can hear echoes of Kevin saying "VOMIT" repeatedly, I'll leave it at that. :-P

Secondly, I am currently on crutches. I was lifting a box (waaaay over my head) at work, and since I couldn't quite reach, I stood on tiptoe to reach the shelf. When I did that, I felt something in the vicinity of my heel pop, and it was quite painful. I ended up driving myself to the hospital emergency room (it's ok, it was my left foot!), where I only had to wait for about forty-five minutes! They told me that I've definitely put a few small tears in my calf muscle, and that I may have also popped a small, unimportant tendon (see the above quotation) called the Plantaris (sp?) tendon, which they can't ascertain because there's no test for it since it doesn't show up on any scans. In fact, they're not even sure it exists on everyone. (I worry about the quality of health care in my town.)

So yes, now I'm hobbling around on crutches, which is much funnier than one might think. It got me out of work today (hehe), and although it won't be ideal, I'm still going to Sagaponack today. The only change is that Tom will come pick me up, instead of the original plan, which involved my driving to Bronxville. My parents are beside themselves, as this happened while they were about three hours into their drive to Lake George for a business/vacation weekend. heh. They offered to come home - like I'd let them ruin my one night at home without them! And besides, even before I knew how minor this is, I was still set on going to Sagaponack anyway. So there. :-P

Sorry, I've gotten out of my five-year-old mode, I promise. Now I get to wait for some people I don't know to come to my house and pick up a sport jacket for my father. Apparently he needs a jacket for a dinner up there, and didn't pack one, so someone he works with is picking it up for him today. Then I get a haircut... $40 down the drain, but oh well, at least I won't look so scruffy for a few days. Then I still have to finish packing, and secure the cake I made last night (I'm rather impressed with it, it involved layers, and hard icing, and crystallizing fruit by hand.), and then wait for my lover to come get me. :-)

Twenty more days until I go to England!!! :-)

2001-08-04T23:51:00.000-04:00

To anyone living in Cushman who plans on attending band camp:

When does it start? My mother and I might take a drive up to Colgate, as she's none too pleased with my going abroad and I want to placate her with a little mother-daughter time, and I want to show her the house. Will anyone be there sometime on either Monday, August 20th or Tuesday the 21st to let us in for a few? Let me know... thanks. :-)

2001-08-03T08:32:00.000-04:00

quick question: does anyone actually read this? if you're here, please comment. thank you.

2001-08-01T23:04:00.000-04:00

And once more, confusion reigns.

(warning: long post ahead.)

I've been thinking for a long time about my faith. More accurately, my lack thereof. I've realized for awhile that I don't know much about the religion in which I've been brought up for my entire life, but as I wasn't home often enough to go to church often, I didn't worry too much about it. Also, I've been heavily involved in the choir since I was six. I've been a reader since I was eleven, I began directing the choir as a substitute when I was fourteen, and I taught Sunday School for three years beginning at age fifteen. This past spring, I directed the choir for Easter, which is the most important event in the Christian calendar. (I don't think I can create too much of an argument to that point, seeing as Easter celebrates the resurrection, and Christianity is kind of based on that idea.) To make a long story short, I was involved and therefore didn't have a lot of time to question my faith. I equated activity with belief.

A little over a month ago, I visited my grandfather's church. I did not sing in their choir, as I have done before, because Tom was there with me and I wasn't going to leave him alone. Their church is much bigger than mine, so much so that the priest wears a microphone. This, along with my not singing, meant that I heard more of the service than I ever remember hearing. And I felt nothing. I believed in none of it. I recited the prayers I knew, including the Creed (i.e. important statement of belief), by rote and because I think my mother would have noticed if I hadn't.

A few weeks later, I attended the memorial service of the mother of a friend of mine from high school. Matt's mother's death followed closely on the heels of his father's death in February. It broke my heart to see him so upset, and I paid attention to the service to try to find some comfort, at least maybe for him. Again, I found that I could not believe in anything the minister was saying.

This past Sunday, I went to church in my own parish for the first time in several weeks. I could not recite the Creed. I felt like a hypocrite, and I just couldn't say the words. Not even when I tried to consider it as a simple song, meant to be performed and not believed, could I speak any of it.

I've come to the realization that I don't know what I believe, even to the point that I don't know if I think there's a God. I guess that makes me an agnostic. Which is another oddity. Being Russian Orthodox Christian has been a large part of my identity for as long as I can remember, not just as a religion but also as a culture. This loss is making me redefine myself. I don't know how to make the difference clear to anyone except myself - this loss as being separate from my religion. No - no longer my religion. I think I made a mistake in joining the choir when I was six. I focused more on the musical aspect than on the worship, and I don't think I ever learned how to pray. If I did, then I've forgotten. I certainly never get the feeling that anyone is listening.

My immediate difficulty is what to do about my mother. She's always been proud, I think, that I continued to go to church long past when I was sort of told that I could choose to go or not. She'll obviously be very upset when I tell her that I don't believe anymore - if I ever did. I feel uncomfortable in church now; I don't belong among those who (at least seem to) believe. I could make it easier, and continue to go to church until I leave for England in four weeks. I don't want to leave having upset my mother like that. But at the same time, I really, really don't want to go to church for even the few Sundays I have left. But I really think it will be easier for my mother to take if I tell her this after I've come home, rather than just before I go to another country for four months. Also, my being away may lend itself to the exploration of other religions more easily than being home, or being in Hamilton.

I know many of you have gone through something like this. Any words of wisdom? (Hey, if you've made it this far, you must have some ideas by now.)

2001-08-01T08:55:00.000-04:00

I finally ordered my laptop last night! Woohoo! I can't wait until it gets here so I can play. Not to mention transfer my mp3s onto it, because they gave me a free mp3 player (probably because it was the last day of the month and also because the computer is very damned expensive). Incidentally, does anyone know whether I can just put my mp3s on disk and transfer them that way? Because I really have no way to connect both my laptop and desktop to the internet at the same time... I'll obviously also need to transfer Sonique too... oh well, I'll figure it out.

Time to get ready for work now. More later. :-)

Tom comes home on Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2001-07-28T23:10:00.000-04:00

Yeah, so it's been awhile. Sue me.

Hmm... not much has gone on. Hence the lack of updates. Umm... I've been working. The usual hours; 11-7, five days a week. I worked last Saturday, then took Sunday off to go with Heather and Tori (and, as it turned out, one of Tori's friends) to Six Flags New England, in Agawam, MA. Which, as I found out, is about thirty seconds over the border from CT into MA. Heh. After standing in line for over an hour, we rode "Superman," which is this incredible roller coaster that has a drop of 215 feet, over 70 mph, at an 89 degree angle. Awesome. :-) Then we did another ride, and went to the water park.

During the week... I worked. Until yesterday, when I went to babysit my 5 year old cousin while my aunt and uncle moved into their new house. Then I got to go see Chicago (the band, not the musical) at Oakdale in Wallingford. My parents were kind enough to take Heather, Sara, John, and me. It was really a great show. Even though we were definitely bringing the average age down... hehe.

Today I worked again. Tomorrow I'm working, then going to dinner and the movies with Sara, Heather, and Lee Ann (supposedly). Tom comes home in a week - woohoo! Hopefully he's coming to visit me Monday night after I get off work and staying until I have to go to work on Tuesday. Then the next weekend, we're going to Sagaponack to visit his aunt and grandmother.

I guess that's about it from here. No more sunburn to report... just lots and lots of peeling....

Good luck to everyone participating in the blogathon! :)

2001-07-20T18:34:00.000-04:00

OWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.

You'd think, after getting so badly sunburnt that my nose blistered while I was on vacation last week, that I would be extra careful to not get sunburnt again. And I thought I was. I put on kids' sunBLOCK (not even sunscreen) at spf 30+, well before I went outside, even though they say that sunblock works immediately. And I put more on after I went in the water. But now my upper legs are burnt just as badly as my lower legs were burnt last week. And my chest is now a dull brick-red, instead of the nice faded-burn-tan it had finally achieved. Argh.

Oh, and I have these nice patches of peeling skin on my forearms. I was careful to put lots of sunblock there too. But then I peeled off more flaking skin. So now I have new, fresher burns there too. Highly annoying. I'm going to be blotchy soon...

And it's been so long since I went to a Connecticut beach that I'd forgotten what they're like. The "sand" is more like gravel, and there are big giant rocks that REALLY HURT when one steps on them. And the water was cloudy and full of nasty seaweedy stuff that made me jump every time any of it touched my leg. I wanted to go back to Oregon and get a wetsuit (the water there is too cold for swimming without one) and stay at that nice smooth beach for awhile. Oh well.

Tomorrow I have to work, but then on Sunday Heather and Tori and I are going to Great Adventure in Massachusetts - yay! I haven't been on a good roller coaster in years. I'll just have to badger the other two into going with me, that's all... hehe.

Tom comes home in about 2 weeks... yay! But in less than a month, he'll have left for Geneva and I'll be preparing for Manchester. Mixed feelings there. I'm excited to go, of course, but I feel like I got cheated out of the good summer I'd had all planned. Not that it's been all that bad... I don't know. I'm tired. I think it's naptime, or at least lie-down-and-be-a-bum time. Bye for now...

2001-07-14T23:49:00.000-04:00

This is nifty. I added that interesting little mood indicator today. I may not keep it for long, but we'll see.

Vacation was fun. Got a raging sunburn in San Diego, and then froze in Oregon. Who knew it would only be in the 60s there? :-) But I did get to relax, and see Angela, and fly first class for 5 of 6 legs of the journey, and stay in nice hotels, so all in all it was really quite enjoyable. I even got to call Tom in Arizona without worrying about the time difference. It's not going to be pleasant returning to work tomorrow, but I need to pay the upcoming credit card bill from this vacation... hehe.

My homecoming was marred by some sad news I received: my friend Matt, whose father died in February, also lost his mother this past week. I feel horrible for Matt and his brother, who is three years younger. The funeral is Monday, so I'm going to that, and there's a fund set up at our high school to donate to, so I'll do that as well. I just wish there were something else I could do. It's been such a rough year in that sense - Matt losing both his parents in less than 6 months, and also two of my other classmates lost parents this year. We're only 20; that's too young to be attending funerals like this.

Turns out that Tom and I can't go to Baltimore in 2 weeks as planned; my aunt, at whose house we'd be staying, won't be in town. But maybe we'll go the next weekend, or he'll manage to come home after all. Grrrr.

Oh well; it's almost midnight and I have to go to church and work tomorrow, so I'm off. Good night all, and Mollie, you are in my thoughts...

2001-07-04T22:49:00.000-04:00

Going on vacation tomorrow! Yay! See the post below for a more detailed description.

Fuller is a word, right? I was just typing "fuller description" in place of "more detailed," but somehow it just didn't sound right. Borrowing from Rabi for a moment, words often boggle me. I think I have a mastery of the language (and here I'm talking about English, not even the foreign ones I've studied), and then a simple word fascinates me, or confuses me, or manages to do both at the same time. I'm hoping that this vacation will spur me back to my writing. I can't remember the last time I sat and wrote. Not typing. Writing. There's just something about sitting with a pencil (never a pen, I can't erase that) and letting my hand move across the paper, shaping my thoughts into words in a manner that a computer can never capture.

I've got an idea for a story, but I can't write it here. If I share a concept before it's complete, it's not quite mine anymore and I never finish it. Does that ever happen to anyone else?

Oh well. I have to go finish packing now, and cleaning up my room, and fix my pedicure (how snobby does that sound?!), and various other things before I get to sleep.

Tom, if you're reading this, I emailed you the phone numbers for the hotels I'll be in whilst on vacation... call if you can. :-)

NAME THE QUOTE:
"And now the night is near
And I can make believe he's here."

2001-07-03T19:46:00.000-04:00

However, a comments system is only useful if people actually comment. (hint hint)

I leave for San Diego and Oregon on Thursday. Can't be soon enough for this girl; I need a vacation. It also helps that we're taking a stretch limo to the airport, then first-class flights, then staying in two very nice (and if my father says they're nice, then they're really, REALLY nice) resorts. This is going to be one luxe vacation. Lucky for us, some of it is on Pitney's tab. (that's my dad's company.) And in Oregon, I'll get to see Angela. Yay! :-)

I do, sadly, have to work tomorrow. Yep, that's right, working on the 4th of July. But that's ok, because I'll be getting holiday money, which means time-and-a-half, which means $12.75 an hour. No complaints here. I figure it'll be either really, really busy, because everyone's off work, or really, really dead, because everyone's at the beach or at a party. Either way, the day might not be so bad.

Probably won't be blogging much over the next couple weeks because of vacation, but you never know, I might find a connection somewhere. Internet cafe, anyone?

2001-07-01T11:22:00.000-04:00

It appears that Reblogger actually works. Yay! To get it on yours, click on the R in the upper right hand corner of the comments pop-up. That's how I found it.

2001-07-01T11:14:00.000-04:00

testing new comments thing

2001-07-01T11:01:00.000-04:00

OK, so I just made a new blog. It's called Travel Tales, and it will be written by myself and several other people, some of whom will be abroad next semester. Basically I took Jodi's idea of putting a message board or something on her webpage for people to post on, and bloggerized it. Anyone who wants to take part, talk to me and I'll add you to the user list. Also if anyone wants to put their skills to work by changing the layout of the page, PLEASE let me know, I hate doing that stuff. Thanks. ;-)

2001-07-01T09:52:00.000-04:00

Yeah, so I finished both of the books I was in the middle of reading. Of course, I stayed up until after 2 AM to do it, but that included taking time out to cry and write a couple notes. So that probably only means I read until midnight. Even though I don't have to be up, I am, because I'm waiting for Tom to get back from Sagaponack; hopefully, if it's early enough, I can go visit before he boards that plane to Phoenix. With that in mind, I suppose I'd better go shower so that I can be ready to go.

Might be going to see Henry V tonight; there's a company here that runs a program called "Shakespeare on the Sound" (that would be Long Island Sound, for those of you who don't know where I am) that puts on a show every year. Of course, I have no idea where the park is in which they're performing, but oh well. It's not until 7:30 tonight. I'll figure it out.

In the meantime, off to the showers for me. ttfn.

2001-06-30T20:04:00.000-04:00

Mom's home from Canada. She brought me a T-shirt that says "Life is simple. Eat. Sleep. Surf the Internet." Heh.

Of course, the amusing part is that it's in French. So only people who know French will be able to read it. The rest of the world will wonder whether I'm calling them idiots. Actually, it's fairly easy to figure out, considering "internet" doesn't translate, it's still "L'Internet" in French. So only real idiots will think I'm calling them idiots. Makes sense, right?

Right.

I'm tired. Worked from 11-7 today. After yesterday's headhunter call, I'm surprised I didn't feel like quitting. But it was really slow, so therefore there were fewer annoying people (because there were fewer people, period). Two people called in sick (even though one is in Florida), so there were some very busy times, but not too bad, all things considered. Since we kept up on straightening displays, there was often nothing to do. Usually that sucks, because then I have to make myself look busy, but after this one REALLY ANNOYING cashier woman left, my boss and I just hung out around the cash registers, chatting. As muh as I complain, I really like this job because I have an awesome manager. (And no, he doesn't read this, so I'm not brown-nosing.) He's only 27, so he's actually our generation, and he doesn't insist that we look busy every minute of the day. And we still manage to get everything done, and done well. Overall, it's a good place to work (despite previous posts' mentions of Fairfield County bitchy mommies).

OK, I think that's enough for now. Nothing else interesting has happened today. It's only 8 and I'm bored, but I don't think there's anything to do tonight. Grrr. I suppose that means I can read one of the two books of which I'm currently in the middle. (Sorry, I know that sounds awkward, but I'm an English major and just can't allow myself to end a sentence with a preposition. It just isn't in me.)

And so, goodnight.

2001-06-29T23:06:00.000-04:00

I write what I can't say, words that my lips won't allow to form. They fester in my brain from the time that I should have said them to the time I get them out in some form or another. Monologue springs forth where dialogue should be. My pain translates itself into what I wanted to have had happen, but the truth comes through, no matter how hard I pretend otherwise. I don't have the luxury of fading into fantasy. I am melodramatic. The exhaustion brought on by crying hard renders me incoherent and histrionic. I can neither avoid nor move past this, this tangible lump in my throat that I cannot swallow, these tears that won't stop flowing, the curtain I can't push aside. I retreat into myself, a silent shell of the sarcastic yet silly person I can sometimes be. I go from laughing hysterically to somber and silent in the blink of an eye, but still pretend it's all right, even when one of the most important parts of my world is crashing down around me. I can barely motivate myself to speak; I function mechanically at best, not at all at worst. I am standing in the eye of the hurricane, that limbo world where nothing is happening, but destruction is all around. I watch the world continue, even when I think it can't. I brood. I am hurtling into the center of the downward spiral to meet once again the darker side of myself.

Talk to me.

2001-06-29T01:23:00.000-04:00

he's leaving. on sunday. for five weeks, and then he's only home for maybe a week before he's off to geneva.

i'm heartbroken.

2001-06-27T09:48:00.000-04:00

I'm too angry to rant. Nothing today has gone well, and it's not even 10 yet. NOT PLEASED. Oh well. More later, when I'm in a mood to write. In the meantime - off to the showers I go, and then to work for eight hours, and then grocery shopping with John and Sara. Not to put down my friends, but is it not sad when grocery shopping promises to be the highlight of my day?

2001-06-26T10:05:00.000-04:00

Work sux, work sux, work sux the big one...

(Technically, the song is "Math Sux" but I think neither Tom nor Jimmy Buffett would argue with my version.)

Speaking of Tom, the bum didn't call me this morning like he said he was going to. Grrr. And he'll be in Phoenix and then Sagaponack all this week, and then most likely Phoenix for the REST OF THE F@$%&*G SUMMER. (If you couldn't tell, I'm not happy about this development.) But at least he came to visit me for my grandfather's 90th birthday party on Sunday. THAT was interesting, to say the least. My relatives are psychotic, that's all I have to say.

Although you know that's never all I have to say. I'm an English major, therefore I am verbose.

You know what has ruined this lovely morning in which I don't have to work until noon? The repeated ringing of the telephone at ungodly hours, with solicitors on the other end. I would just like to say that Family Circle magazine and Cosmopolitan are not the same thing, and $4.87 a week is quite different from a one-time payment of $4.87. I found these discrepancies when the "nice telemarketer" transferred me to another department to complete a "courtesy survey" (in other words, tell the other guy how nice she was). Good thing she did, because instead of getting 48 months of Cosmo for $4.87, like she told me, she had signed me up to get Family Circle for $4.87 a week. NOT BLOODY LIKELY.

Then there was the painter who rang the doorbell at 8:00. I was only awake because I had to 'use the facilities.' Then there was the guy asking me if I wanted a MasterCard. (I already have one.) Then there was the guy from the Sunday newspaper asking if I wanted to get the paper every day. I told him no, and he said "But you really should be informed." I AM INFORMED, dammit. Then I got mad and told him that I would not get his paper because he was rude, because he had woken me up, and because their billing company has been sending bills to the house in which we have not lived for 15 months and then had the nerve to call a collection agency. So we really did not want to further our business with them.

And now I have to go eat breakfast and get ready for work, where I will be for 6 hours, dealing with Wesport/Weston/Wilton mommy bitches and their screaming brats who need new diapers. Maybe the lady with quadruplets will come in and spend over $300 so I can get my name in the weekly newsletter.

2001-06-22T22:13:00.000-04:00

Kevin, you're mean. My new title doesn't suck, as your mouse roll-over thingy says over my name. I happen to like it. And I liked the old one too, I just got tired of it. Yours evokes the odor of rotting fish; mine evokes anything from chaos to raindrops to the white feather in "Forrest Gump," according to several people who have commented on it. Don't blame the world for your having a crappy summer. Next time, get an internship OFF the campus that you hate so much... :-P

That ranted, I'm off to try out my new jacuzzi bathtub. Don't look for me until tomorrow at the earliest. ;-)

2001-06-21T09:04:00.000-04:00

No I don't wish to debug. I wish for a computer that works. I wish my father would let me buy my laptop now so I can play, not to mention get my mp3s onto it (no, of course that's not playing! hehe), instead of waiting until the week before I leave for Manchester.

Which I STILL have yet to buy a ticket for. But this time it's not my fault. My father found out about some detail that's letting him transfer AmEx miles to Delta. And since he gets 1 mile for every dollar he spends - and he has a corporate card that he uses to pay for airfare, hotels, thousand-dollar business dinners, etc., suffice it to say he has lots of miles coming. Which means I won't have to pay a thousand dollars for my plane ticket. Yay. :-)

The exterminator is here. brb.

OK, I'm back. As I was saying about the plane tix - my father wants to wait until after our family vacation/business trip next month (almost 2 weeks in San Diego and the Oregon coast) to switch over his miles and buy my ticket. Now I'm praying for busines class. ;-)

I guess that's about it for now. Two more days of work, and then the influx of relatives (well, only 5 or so) on Saturday. Then my grandfather's party on Sunday. Tom can't come up on Saturday, but I hope he'll stay for awhile on Sunday after the party. I'm still not sure whether he's going to Phoenix or not, so I kind of want to see him as much as possible in case he does end up going. Oh well. Time for breakfast, then work at 11. Joy.

2001-06-18T21:56:00.000-04:00

Yay for all-day visits with Tom. But boo to his mother's car getting a flat. Not cool. But I still was there for about eleven hours today - yay!!! :-D

The heat is oppressive once more. I feel it like an unseen hand pushing me down, reminding me not to move too fast on my still-healing ankle. I feel it burning my skin, as my steering wheel was so hot this afternoon I was unable to touch it and had to use napkins as a barrier between my palms and the hot plastic (?). I feel it pressing me down into my bed, as much as I want to feel weightless when I lie down. I suppose I shouldn't complain, since this is a respite from Colgate's long winters, but IT'S STILL HOT!!!!!

Ahmad just IMed me. :-) And I finally spoke to John, who is not mad at me, which is good.

My grandfather's 90th birthday party is this weekend. I'll see relatives whom I have not seen in two years. They will ask where I go to school and nod and smile when I tell them, since none of them know where the hell Colgate is. I'll see my grandfather's friends, who will know me, but I won't know them. Same nodding-and-smiling deal. I think I'll wear a sandwich board that says "my name is Katie, I'm Sam's granddaughter, I'm 20 and a rising junior at Colgate" or something similar. It will make my life easier.

What else? The work in the living room and bathroom is done. Tomorrow we're having the windows in the office replaced, so they actually open. Also, I'm going to San Diego and Oregon in a few weeks with my parents. With any luck, I'll be able to get together with Angela while I'm in Oregon, since I think we're going to be there for a week.

I need to buy my plane ticket to Manchester. Anyone know a way to get tix cheaper than $900?

OK, I'm tired. I think, although it's only 10:00, I need to get to sleep. Goodnight everyone... sweet dreams. :-)

2001-06-13T12:48:00.000-04:00

Apparently I am 35% bitch (courtesy of rabi).

Two comments:
(1) What's the other 65%?
(2) That's all? ;-)

2001-06-13T09:55:00.000-04:00

Eh.

That's pretty much all I have to say about the past few days. I've worked. I've visited my grandfather in the hospital. (He's home now, and hopefully will be well enough for his 90th birthday party next weekend.) I've wallpapered a bathroom (last night, until 3 AM). The highlight of the past week or so was my visit to Tom's house on Saturday. He may be coming up tomorrow, but considering I haven't heard from him since Saturday, I don't know yet. (Honey, if you're reading this, that last sentence means you should email me or something... hehe.)

The work on the house is almost done (*crossing fingers*). As I said, my father and I wallpapered the bathroom last night. The tile is done. The appliances (toilet, tub, faucets) are being installed as I type. The hardware (hooks, towel racks) will be put in later. The fire alarm is going off because the plumber is soldering the tub faucet. I want to take a bath on my new jacuzzi tub!

My mother and I actually managed to agree on a shower curtain without too much arguing. I mostly said "This whole wall of curtains is hideous" at Bed, Bath, and Beyond. So we went to Linens 'n' Things - and compromised. At least I won for the blue tile dots. She wanted black. Which, after the shower curtain hunt, probably would have given me more choices. But, as the parental people have been telling me all along, it's my bathroom so I have to make the decisions. Funny how I only have to make the decisions about minutiae that interests me not in the least.

I'm tired. 4 hours of sleep is not enough, not when I worked 9 hours yesterday and am working 7 today. Grrr. But now I have to go get my hair cut - again - because the moron cut it crookedly the first time.

Still no word from the amazing disappering friend.

Talk to me

2001-06-11T08:54:00.000-04:00

Hmm. Completely lost a post. And now I can't remember what I wrote about, except that TOM IS HOME. :-)

That is all, since I have to go to work. Bah.

2001-06-05T20:06:00.000-04:00

hehehe

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. That's all I have to say. Actually, that's not all I have to say. I hope you all never have to drive past the remains of a person who jumped off an overpass onto I-95 several hours earlier. I had to do that yesterday. It was not pretty. I will never be able to drive that stretch of highway without thinking of it, and I drive that section every day that I work, and several days I don't work. EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW. And how sad, that someone's life ended tragically only to be gawked at by rush hour traffic. Actually, she was probably gawked at by more than rush hour traffic, because they closed all but one lane of I-95 north for about 5 hours.

More later. Believe it or not, I'm now going to go eat dinner. Yes, after discussing this. No, I might not be able to eat, thanks for asking.

2001-06-05T07:36:00.000-04:00

Interesting. I seem to have lost the last week or so of entries. Will republishing help? Let's find out...

2001-06-01T23:00:00.000-04:00

OK. Have I suddenly become persona non grata? It seems like no one wants to talk to me anymore. I've sent emails to all three of my roommates, and I have not gotten one response. I've tried repeatedly to talk to one of my closest friends here at home, and he gives me a few one-word responses before getting offline. I wouldn't think too much of that, but if you kept having to go as soon as a friend talked to you, wouldn't you maybe call her or IM her when you see her online? Obviously if said friend reads this blog, he'll know who he is, but no one seems to be reading this either. Makes my temporary solution to blogvoices rather pointless. I'd call him, but I haven't really done that since he started dating another friend - we don't seem to have much to say to each other anymore. Are we outgrowing our friendship? I'm feeling very isolated. It's like except for one friend/coworker, I'm having to do all the work for my friendships since school ended, and no one seems to respond. I'm sick of only hearing from one friend when she sends out mass emails with updates every few months, and from another when she wants something. I'm sick of hearing that a "friend" who decided last year that her boyfriend was far more important than the rest of her friends (and told them so) is now upset because no one has called her since school ended. As far as I'm concerned at this moment, they can all go screw themselves. Sure I'll change my mind - but right now I'm feeling very much snubbed. I probably sound like a petulant two-year old, but even solitary creatures like myself need a little social interaction every now and then.

On a much lighter note - I got emails from Tom from South Africa!! Yay!! And continuing the Tom train of thought, he's coming home in 6 more days. YAYAYAYAY!!!!!!!! I'm visiting him next weekend, I don't care what anyone says.

I'm sitting here, lights off because my mother is sleeping, listening to a beautiful rainstorm outside. I wish it were warm enough to go out for a walk, but this rain is a chilly one, just enough that I'd probably get sick. It's also not a gentle, welcoming rain; this rain is almost sullen. It's as if the clouds are saying, "You complained about a drought - here's your damned rain already." Happy June, world... Now that I've succeeded in depressing myself, I think I'll go curl up in my bed and join the clouds in a good cry. Haven't had one of those lately; maybe I'll be in a better mood tomorrow.

2001-05-30T08:13:00.000-04:00

Ok, so the contractor almost killed himself trying to get into the attic just now. This does not bode well.

And yes, for anyone who noticed, I've changed the title to my blog. Links may or may not be updated; the url is the same so it doesn't really matter unless you're really anal about things like that.

To quote Jesse: That is all. Carry on.

Discuss 5.30.01

2001-05-30T08:09:00.000-04:00

This is what I get for being up so damn early and having nothing to do: name analysis. The cheap (i.e. FREE) kind that then tries to get you to pay a ridiculous amount of money for something that your friends could likely tell you. Being so bored (yes, echoing Kevin's post from yesterday - the word of the day is BORED...), I tried both my real name and my nickname. Oy.

Kathryn
Your first name of Kathryn has given you a studious nature, and the ability to concentrate on whatever you are doing. You could excel in mathematics or in positions where persistence, independence, and individuality are required. In personal associations, a lack of finesse in verbal expression often creates misunderstandings with others, especially with those close to you, because you find it difficult and embarrassing to express depth of feeling when situations arise requiring diplomacy, understanding, and affection. Others may often find you reserved and aloof, when actually you desire love and understanding. This name creates a withdrawn, reserved nature. You feel very alone at times and find it difficult to merge with others in a happy, relaxed manner. You could suffer with head tension, or any weakness relative to the heart, lungs, or bronchial organs.
*It's actually sort of close. But then, anything like this can be interpreted to mean whatever you think it means. Kind of like online tarot cards. In other words: pure bs. And "head tension?" Who doesn't suffer from head tension on occasion? OK, moving on...*

Katie
Your name of Katie has created a practical, responsible, stable nature, and you desire to direct the efforts of others rather than to take order or ask permission. You have a determined, self-reliant, capable nature and resent any interference, although in your desire to help you are inclined to become involved in the lives and decisions of other people. You like to make your own decisions and to be the master of your domain. You feel a limitation in your own expression when it is necessary to reach another through tact and understanding. Although you are honest and fair, a directness in speech is a source of much consternation to you, and you often regret what you say. You also have a tendency to worry. It causes you to be too serious, and interferes with happiness and relaxation that comes with naturalness of expression. Health weaknesses centre in the head appearing as headaches, head colds, and eye, teeth, ear, or sinus problems.
*Same universal stuff. But kind of interesting that it's similar to the first one. Unless they assign the same qualities to all names beginning with K (which is a distinct possibility), maybe it's not quite as random as I thought.*

Oh well. Long, not so interesting post. Sorry. But it's been a not so interesting week, so there's not a lot for me to post about. Except that it seems that one of my friends has been avoiding me. This person never initiates IM conversations anymore, and when I try to say hello, this person gets offline almost immediately and/or is very unresponsive. What have I done that I don't know about?

Only 8 more days until Tom comes home!!! I'm in the single-digit countdown now - yay! I'm such a sap - I made the mistake of reading an email he sent me before he left. Not even a "romantic" one (imagine air quotes around that); just an everyday email. And guess what? Yep - I got teary. I dislike it when I get like this, but damnit, I MISS HIM. 8 more days... 8 more days... 8 more days... (I feel like I should be clicking my heels together whilst wearing ruby slippers.)

2001-05-29T07:33:00.000-04:00

Ugh. Up waaaay too early. Damn contractors... but then, I guess I'm glad they're coming back because if they don't, I'll be left with a wooden floor, no walls to speak of, and a tub with no sides in my bathroom. Still, I have to get up about two hours earlier than I normally would because of it. Grrrr.

Today is my parents' 25th wedding anniversary. Concept is rather unfathomable to me at this point. I'm still somewhat in wonderment that Tom and I have been dating for over a year and a half; 25 years of anything (considering I'm only 20) is unthinkable to me right now.

Have been sleeping on the family room couch for the last three nights because of our tenant's cigar-smoking. It's comfortable, but the TV with the satellite on it is out there, so I stay up ridiculously late watching either movies I've seen before or bad movies that I shouldn't have bothered watching. Tonight, I will go to bed earlier!

Right.

Talk to me: Discuss 5.29.01

2001-05-27T23:39:00.000-04:00

btw - site for the instant discuss forums is www.quicktopic.com. Seems easy. So, all you people I talk to that use/d blog voices - try it :-)

2001-05-27T23:37:00.000-04:00

Temporary fix-it until blogvoices is back up. Thanks to Steve in Discuss for the suggestion. See link at the end of this post.

Highlight of the evening: ice-cream sundaes. Friendly's vienna mocha chunk + cookies and cream + forbidden chocolate = happy Katie, with enough sugar in my system to last me several days. And a cherry with a nice long stem for me to tie using my tongue. Try it, it's fun... or tell your friends to try it, it will shut them up for a few mins while they do. ;-)

OK, talk to me: Discuss 5.27.01

Is is June 7th yet???

2001-05-27T19:33:00.000-04:00

Went to the mall today (yes, again) because I found out that I can't wear jeans or open-toed shoes at my new job. Which basically kills my normal summer wardrobe. So I went shopping with mommy dearest (and, equally important, mommy dearest's credit card and dad's permission to "go on a spree" - his words) and got some good stuff.

Hmm.. nothing else of interest to report. Went to church this morning; is it wrong to want to kill people whilst in church? Probably. But with any luck, the lightning bolts will strike the people who piss me off ;-)

All for now, I guess. I miss blogvoices :-(

Eleven days....

2001-05-27T00:09:00.000-04:00

Yay :-) I can post again and see it!! woohoo!

Now if I can get comments working again, I'll be satisfied. However, too tired to do much about it right now. I worked from 10-7 for the third day in a row, and my heels are screaming. I think I've worn sneakers more often this week than I have all year, but it's not helping. Oh well.

Just wanted to see whether I could post productively. Bedtime for Katie. Or, rather, couch time, since my room reeks of cigar smoke because the tenant to whom we rent our basement apartment indulges in a cigar or twelve every so often. Ugh. So, good night. Here's hoping I don't find a good movie on the satellite, because I might have to stay up and watch it ;-)

2001-05-27T00:03:00.000-04:00

test

2001-05-25T08:03:00.000-04:00

Commented out BlogVoices as recommended. Visit my page and sign the guestbook if you're interested, or email me.

3 days and counting, and still no Blog*Spot. :-( (Yet I post anyway. Go figure.)

Work is amusing. I thought I'd loathe retail (and at times I still do) but at least the people are fun and my boss is cool for once. Maybe it's because he's only 28? Who knows. Oh well. Waiting again, not for a contractor this time but for a plumber. Joy. Not sure what I'll do if he's not here by about 9:15, since that's when I'd like to leave for work. We'll just have to wait and see.

Have to figure out how to put this on my webpage, rather than Blog*Spot. Just not now - too tired to find and read code right now. Have to start going to bed earlier.

Thirteen days...

2001-05-24T08:36:00.000-04:00

This is funny.

Blog*Spot being down for two days now is not. My name is Katie and I'm a blogaholic.

Only fourteen more days until Tom comes home...

2001-05-23T13:59:00.000-04:00

if i post, will i be able to actually get to my blog?

2001-05-22T08:43:00.000-04:00

Hmmm... this is interesting. I always wanted a new name...

2001-05-22T07:33:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Kevin for elucidating my title dilemma. (I know, I know, only I can use big words before 7:30 AM. I'm an English major, sue me.) My image problem remains - as in, I want to put one in the left frame, above the description of my blog, and it won't let me. Any clues?

Let's see... the contractor IS coming today after all. Joy. And I begin my new job. Let's just hope I can handle another summer of retail... at least this time it's with kids who, while they will probably be annoying, won't be as snotty as the Fairfield and Westchester County golfers I had to deal with in my last retail job. Anyone who lives around here will have a glimmer of what I'm talking about. ;-)

Went to Barnes and Noble last night and used the gift certificate Sara gave me for my birthday. Bought Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska, which I read last night in about an hour and a half, and Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth. That one promises to be amusing, which is why I left it to read later.

Oh well. Considering the contractor is supposed to be here between 8 and 8:30 and it's now past 7:30, I think I'd better go shower and get dressed now. Happy... um... Tuesday? Is that what day it is?

Only 17 more days until Tom comes home....

2001-05-21T13:35:00.000-04:00

New color scheme, to go with a picture that I had wanted to put in the template. But for some reason, it won't let me. Anyone have any suggestions? Also, in tweaking colors, I somehow lost the text to my title. Help there too would be quite nice, if anyone knows where it might have gone to...

On another note, the contractor has come and gone and probably won't start until next week. Which is what he said last week. Grr.

2001-05-21T09:37:00.000-04:00

Once again, awake far earlier than I'd prefer. Let's just hope the contractor actually shows up this week. At least I start working tomorrow, so I have an excuse to leave the house. Yay.

Parents came home from Puerto Rico last night. Though it was certainly enjoyable to stay up until 4:30 AM watching bad movies if I wanted to (which I did, once), it was not enjoyable coming home alone at midnight to find a light on behind a mostly closed door that I was certain I had turned off and left open. Bad times. So for the rest of the night, every noise I heard was someone trying to get into my house. Maybe that's why I stayed up until 4:30 - too uneasy to sleep? But oh well. I got a few days of freedom and $100 worth of clothes out of their trip. Nice surprise: since there were no "worthy" souvenirs, the parents said I could go to the mall and spend $100 on them. Well, on him, really, because it was my father who said this. My mother would have said something to the effect of "All the souvenirs here are junk, so sorry, but don't expect anything this time." Which would have been fine too; I'm 20 years old and therefore don't expect a present every time Mommy and Daddy leave the house...

Superficial problem of the day: my hair. Again. I really don't care much what it looks like, especially since I'm not going anywhere today, but does it have to be so knotty? I haven't dyed it since, oh, August at the latest, so it should be getting better by now. Anyone have a good detangler?

OK, I'll stop whining. Since no one cares about my hair anyway. ;-)

Hmm... what else to say... I really want to go to the bookstore. Sara gave me a gift certificate to Barnes and Noble, and there are several books I really want to buy. (See a previous post for the partial list because I don't feel like listing them again.) Bookstores can be almost as enjoyable as libraries, as long as the salespeople leave me alone and let me browse in peace. Of course, my parents will tell me I don't need any more books because my room is littered with them as it is, but I've already read those. Several times, in fact. And then people look at me oddly when I say that I always reread books. Oh well...

At any rate, the long-awaited contractor has just pulled into the driveway to rip holes in my ceiling. A bientot.

2001-05-20T00:52:00.000-04:00

OK, having left this site alone for nearly two weeks, I suppose I should update my loyal reader about my life. And if there are more than one of you out there, please let me know. ;-)

When last I posted, it was Monday, May 7. Hmm. What's happened since then?

On Tuesday, I took both my CS final and my last geography test. Fun times. Think I did ok on CS because my final grade for the class is a B+, which isn't too bad considering I had gotten a C on that miserable department midterm that they made us take after the prof who didn't teach us anything quit. Geography sucked, but then again it did all semester, so why should it have stopped then? Ended up with a B- in that class. Grr. Oh well, it's over, I have my distribution requirement done, so there's nothing more to be said. Then on Tuesday night Tom took me to dinner for my birthday at the Hamilton Inn. Thank you sweetie :-)

Wednesday was my birthday. I slept in, which was nice. At some point I did a little studying for my last final. And I packed. Overall, an uneventful day, despite the whole birthday thing.

Thursday was my English final. Wasn't sure how well I did on it, but was more confident afterwards, when I got back the 10-page paper I (re)wrote in three hours the morning it was due... and got an A/A- and a "thank you for [my] interest and involvement" during the semester. I suppose it's good to have my advisor think I'm a good student :-) And this morning I had a pleasant surprise - checked my grades online (again) and found that I got a bona fide A in the class! yay!

Friday I left. With a very full car. However, the drive took less than 5 hours, which was surprising considering I was stuck behind a farm implement for twenty minutes going 10 mph on Route 20. God I love upstate NY...

Saturday... hmm. What did I do Saturday? Very little in the afternoon, and went to my high school's annual musical at night. They did "Once Upon a Mattress" and it was hysterical. Then went to Penny's with Alison, Heather, and John.

Sunday was Mother's Day, and therefore family party day. Eh.

All this week, I've been running errands and looking for a job. Found one at Carter's Childrenswear. Should be fun, and hopefully they'll give me most Saturdays off so I can either go to Bronxville on Fridays or Tom can come visit me and actually see me. And they've said they'll train me to be a supervisor, so that will mean more money, which is always nice.

Today I helped at my cousin RJ's birthday party. He turned 5 on Thursday. All I'll say is, 9 preschoolers at a bowling alley is about 8 too many.

So that pretty much sums up the 2 weeks I've been home. Only 19 more days until Tom comes home from South Africa...

2001-05-07T14:09:00.000-04:00

Posting in response to people nagging me about not having posted. ;-)

It's been a busy week, what with a presentation, a paper due that I had to rewrite in the three hours before class, a geography assignment, and a term paper. Fun times. So, that's why I haven't posted in a long time. Not that this week is much better - being finals week and all - but it's slightly less busy. I did my English final presentation this morning, which I think went well. Tomorrow is Comp Sci and possibly Geography, if I get enough studying done to warrant taking it tomorrow. Otherwise, geography will be Wednesday. Happy birthday to me . Then English (my other English class) on Thursday. Then I get to finish packing up the stuff that my mother didn't take on Friday when she came up, and I plan to leave on Friday sometime.

People have been asking me what I want for my birthday. Besides donations to the "Katie Wants a Dell Laptop Fund," here are some ideas:

* A copy of the movie "Life is Beautiful" - with subtitles, please :-)
* A copy of the move "An Ideal Husband" with Rupert Everett, Minnie Driver, Jeremy Northam, and Cate Blanchett.
*Portnoy's Complaint by Philip Roth
*The Color of Water by James McBride
*Bread Givers by Anzia Yezierska

There are lots of other books I'd like, but there's a partial list for you. Those who haven't asked, please feel free to get ideas ehre as well. ;-)

Tom and Chris took me out to Zebb's last night for my birthday. Thank you guys :-) And Tom is also taking me out Tuesday night. Don't I have the best boyfriend? ;-) (Kevin, I can hear you saying "vomit" from here.)

Oh well.... I guess that's about it from here. I've done some studying for Comp Sci already, and there's a review session tonight, so I feel pretty confident there. I should study for Geography, but I can't print the review sheet at the moment because Jesse is sleeping, and it's pretty much impossible to read it off the course website. So I think I will take a short nap too. Good luck with finals, those of you who are taking them. Norwalkers - see you soon. :-)

2001-04-30T08:56:00.000-04:00

Soooo tired... need sleep... but also need to go to classes and write an 8-10 page paper. Looks like sleep will have to wait.

Well, at least one good thing will happen today. After I finish my Comp Sci presentation, I'll be done with work for that class, except for preparing for the final. The rest of this week is all presentations. So that at least is something to look forward to. This week actually won't be as bad as I thought it would be. All I have left are 2 papers and an assignment. All in all, it could be a lot worse, right?

SPW has come and gone, extremely uneventfully. Not that it wasn't enjoyable; just uneventful. Which isn't a bad thing; I got to relax pretty much all day Saturday - yay! And I got to spend lots of quality time with Tom - even better :-)

Oh well... I suppose I should take a shower and get ready for class. Good luck with work and finals, everyone...

2001-04-25T09:17:00.000-04:00

Happy year-and-a-half, Tom :-) Love you!

Can this week just be over and the necessary work completed? ugh... I guess it's not so bad - all I have to do is finish a Comp Sci presentation and study for a comp sci test... everything else due this week is done. But I have a presentation on Monday, an 8-10 page paper due Tuesday, a Geography assignment due Friday, and another 7-8 page paper also due Friday. Then we get a whole weekend [insert sarcasm here] to study for finals, and then finals week starts. Yay.

Oh well. Off to class I go, totally unwillingly.

2001-04-20T09:29:00.000-04:00

Well, it's Friday. Finally. Not that this weekend has much promise, considering the massive amounts of work I have to do, the existence of Volunteer Colgate's Service Day, which will be poorly attended because of the rain forecast for Saturday, and the fact that I'm hosting a prefrosh on Sunday night/Monday. Not that hosting is a problem; so far, I've hosted 4 prospective students and enjoyed it. And I'm sure this one will be fun too, considering there will be three prefrosh sleeping in our common room and several activities to bring them to. But I pretty much have to have any necessary work done before 5 PM on Sunday.

Which never happens.

Anywho, but I digest. (Tom will get that one.)

Speaking of Tom, for those of you who like it when I discuss relationships, yes, we still have one. Coming up on a year and a half of one next week in fact. :-)

And speaking of relationships, my friends John and Sara went to a formal at Columbia last night. I know this mainly because Sara borrowed one of my dresses for said formal. At the time I didn't think much of it, but it was pointed out to me that I wore the dress for a high school formal - which I attended with John. I found this amusing - same guy, same tux (I imagine), same dress, different girl. By the way - John and Sara, I want to see pictures this time! :-)

Yesterday was amusing. Jesse and Kevin and I went to Oneida to go to Subway and Wal-Mart. You know you've been in Central New York waaaaaay too long when this is exciting. The especially laughable part was shopping for bras with Kevin. And getting asked for ID when I purchased a movie. And NO, IT WAS NOT PORN. Actually, what was even funnier was when the clerk asked Kevin, "Are you sure?" when he answered that yes, he's over 17 years old. Heehee.

I guess that's about all for now, seeing as how I have to go to class. Ugh. After yesterday's frivolities, which made it feel very much like Friday, having to get up and go to classes is very anticlimactic. And Starship Troopers is a very bad funny movie.

2001-04-19T14:59:00.000-04:00

Hmm... I had a post that suggested I talk more about relationships, because lots of people posted in response to a "relationship" entry, while no one really posts to my comments about my day. While I do agree that several people posted responses to my "relationship" comments, I tend to think that they really DON'T want me writing about my relationship, because all except one were rather nauseated by it. ;-) And I tend to think that the one post that wasn't outright complaining was probably sarcastic anyway. ("Not Kevin," if I'm wrong, tell me!) So... that in mind... I think I'll stay off the relationships topic, at least the really mushy stuff. ;-)

Of course I really won't stay totally off it... that's an impossibility for me... :-P

2001-04-18T18:28:00.000-04:00

I really wish I knew whether I'll be hosting a prefrosh on Sunday night. Granted, it doesn't make all that much difference whether I do or not, because I'll probably do about the same stuff that I'd normally do on a Sunday night. But still, it would be nice to know. Oh well. Maybe tomorrow...

Yay - no real work to do tonight. I'm up to date on reading and such, so there's nothing pressing for me to do. I may look at my comp sci lab for tomorrow... maybe I'll do it tonight so I don't have to sit there in lab for two hours tomorrow morning. Hmm.. me doing something early... there's a shock.

Let's see, what exciting things happened today? Other than all 5 of us in my CPR class failing our tests, nothing much. ;-) Actually, the only reason we failed was because the tests are newer than the videos we watched, so a lot of the information had been updated. So yes, I really do know how to do CPR and first aid, I just can't answer stupid questions about gastric distension.

All for now, I guess; I'm tired. More of something at some point, I'm sure.

2001-04-17T01:05:00.000-04:00

Sometimes I forget how utterly, heels-over-head in love I am with Tom. And then something happens to remind me, and I fall for him even harder than I've already fallen. It could be something little, like just one quick glance or a smile, or it could be something he says or does... all I know is that he makes me happier than I ever thought possible.

And for all you readers who I have thoroughly nauseated, I apologize. Deal with it. ;-)

2001-04-16T12:32:00.000-04:00

Well, Easter is over. I'm in serious sleep debt, but hey, my laptop fund has $150 more in it. Yay. :-) Actually it will soon have about $600 in it, because (insert shocked expression here) I'm getting tax refunds! Woohoo! Wait - let me put on my Mistress of the Obvious hat - MONEY IS GOOD. BTW - donations to my laptop fund can be sent to me, preferably around my birthday, which is on May 9th. (I know none of you forgot, right? I know you're all waiting anxiously for me to drop hints about what you can get me... lololol) ;-)

Being sick really sucks. For a week now, I've been traveling through various stages of illness. Right now, I have a very sore nose from blowing it all the time, and a persistent cough that makes me sound like I have emphysema. Lovely. Cough syrup doesn't help, and there's no way I'm going to anyone who pretends to have a medical licence in this place. Not once, not twice, but THREE TIMES I've been told that my tonsils look fine. Problem is, I had them removed when I was 7. Yikes.

Hopefully I'll finish both my CPR class and physical therapy this week. That will be nice for several reasons, mainly that I don't have to pay for PT anymore and also that all my afternoons will be a lot more open. You know, to make room for the massive amounts of work I have to do over then next three weeks. Gotta love the end of the semester, right? Riiiiiiiight.

Oh well, I guess that's enough for now. More words of wisdom later... well, words, anyway.

2001-04-10T22:43:00.000-04:00

Yeah, so I haven't posted in awhile. Sue me.

I went home this past weekend to run a rehearsal for Easter. (For those of you who don't know, I have to direct my church choir for Easter services.) Fun stuff. (heavy on the sarcasm.) I really wish that people would shut up and listen. I mean, I'm being paid to direct, so let me direct without any editorial comments. Grr. People suck.

Not really. THOSE people just annoy me. But now that I'm back, and don't have to worry about it for a few days, life is good. :-) I'm off to the Coop - more later.

2001-04-02T19:45:00.000-04:00

ok, my blog voices counter is no longer functional. any suggestions?

2001-04-02T13:50:00.000-04:00

Happy Monday.... riiiiight.

OK, who ate my peanut butter? Granted, until today I hadn't touched it since before spring break (I don't think) but I know I had a lot more than a quarter of a jar. Grrr. Oh well. That'll teach me to put it in the fridge instead of in my own room.

I'm tired. I stayed up too late last night. Not that 1:15 is all that late, but when you have a 9:30 class (and a somewhat loud roommate with an 8:30 - sorry Jesse! hehe) it's a bit too late. Although it was fun; Tom and Kevin came over and the four of us (yes, 4 - even Chris was social for a few minutes!) hung out and had fun. Although it's rather disturbing to watch Kevin threaten to hump Jesse's bed. Hey - at least it wasn't mine! hehe

Today I get to go scmooze at a VC/agency "open house" type of thing. Oh joy, oh rapture. (There should be a sarcasm tag in html.) Hopefully I can get out of staying for the whole time. I mean, what does it matter? I won't be allowed to be on the exec board next year anyway... grrrr.

2001-04-01T20:51:00.000-04:00

Request: if you read this, then reply to a post... even if you have nothing to say, just say "Hi" so I know you were here. Thank you :-)

2001-04-01T18:46:00.000-04:00

Well, yesterday was not a great day, but today has been decidedly better. Yay. :-) Tom - thanks for putting up with me!

Yay to lazy days. Today I've gotten absolutely nothing accomplished and am LOVING IT! Let's see, I got up a bit before noon, showered and went to brunch, then came back and watched "Philadelphia" and read part of a not-for-class book. Then I went to dinner and am now awaiting the start of a Pachisi tournament. Fun stuff. :-)

Of course, this is my last lazy weekend of the academic year, considering I'll be going home next weekend and the weekend after that, then it'll be te weekend of Volunteer Colgate's Service Day, then Spring Party Weekend, then finals weekend. It's really quite frightening how little time is left before I go home for the summer. That means I'd better find a job... anyone wanna employ me?

Oh well, all for now I guess. More at some point, but no promises as to when. Over and out. ;-)

2001-03-31T12:07:00.000-05:00

OK, it works. Yay. :-)

Last night was enjoyable. We (the usual crowd) went to Experimental Theater, where we saw Kevin's "Unfortunate Monologue" (hehehe - sorry Kevin, but it was amusing, in a mortifying sort of way). a quote of mine was used, and I was mentioned as someone to smoke up with as "thanks" for the use of the quote. Good times ;-) Then Tom and I went into town and sat at the Barge for awhile. We hadn't done that in a really long time, so it was enjoyable.

Today I'm really not in a very good mood. Probably because I didn't get nearly enough sleep. Though I went to bed at midnight, I was awakened at about 7:30 and really didn't sleep after that because it was too noisy. I finally gave up at about 10:45; so even though I was technically in bed for over 10 hours, I feel like I didn't sleep. Great.

Oh well. I have a ticket to the Dispatch concert for tonight, but I doubt I'm going to go. I'm not in the mood for a concert. I have a headache that I can tell isn't going to go away anytime soon, and also I just really need down time. I love my roommates and my other friends, but I also rarely have time to myself. I think I need to take tonight to be totally alone for awhile.

2001-03-31T12:00:00.000-05:00

test post to see whether it'll actually work before I write a really long one, like I did yesterday... :-P

2001-03-29T16:14:00.000-05:00

Not that anyone cares about this, but I had a really good day in physical therapy. They're not hooking me up to scary machines anymore, and they're letting me use heavier weights for my bicep and tricep exercises. Yay! Let's see, what else.... WE GOT THE HOUSE FOR NEXT YEAR!!! In the words of Stenny: "Res Life is our bitch." heehee At some point we get to pick out our rooms. Not that I have much of a say, because I'll be a junior and we'll be living with several seniors, and also I'll only be there for one semester. But still. Yay Cushman!!! :-D

2001-03-29T11:01:00.000-05:00

Yay stupid labs that take half an hour of the two hours allotted for them ;-) That gave me time to visit my adviser and pick up my registration sheet, something I'd tried to do before a class yesterday but didn't have time to wait for. However, that'll be the last easy part of my day. Coming up, I have class for an hour and a half, then physical therapy, then I get to do my dumb geography assignment. Honestly, who really cares about making pie charts and bar graphs about biodiversity? Only science people, and I'm an English major (and quite happy about it). Stupid distribution requirements. Why can't I just wallow in my humanities classes? I'd even throw in certain social science classes (but no more geography) if it would make people happy. Oh well.

At least next semester I'll be abroad. At the University of Manchester, to be exact. Of course, I'll have to become a vegetarian before I set foot in the UK, but oh well. Between hoof-and-mouth disease and mad cow, I think most people will be avoiding meat anyway. I get to "register" for classes next week, which is really quite pointless since I don't even know which classes I'll be taking in Manchester and won't for awhile. But I have to register for the 2 CORE classes that I'll be taking over there. It figures: I actually have the first registration time slot for my class, and it's worthless. So for spring 2002, when it matters, I'll probably be last. Not that THAT will even do me any good, because I'll somehow have to register from the UK. THAT will be a barrel of laughs. I wish Prof. Valente (the prof who's taking my study group) would hold some meetings - I mean, I don't even have a plane ticket yet. Hopefully I'll find out more - LOTS more - soon.

OK, I've spent enough time at my computer for now. Time for lunch (which means "cereal" or "salad" here). Enjoy your Thursdays, everyone - only one more day until FRIDAY!

2001-03-28T21:18:00.000-05:00

After talking to one of my bestest friends from home, I just have to say it: Guys have a tendency to be assholes. I mean, really. To any guys who read this: APPRECIATE YOUR GIRLFRIENDS. Because we get upset when you ignore us, or things that are important to us. Seriously. And we hate to complain, because then either we cry, or we make you feel bad. So the moral of the story, kids, is: BE CONSIDERATE SOMETIMES, ok? Then we won't have to have discussions or cry too much. OK? Thank you. :-)

2001-03-27T22:14:00.000-05:00

Bleh. I feel ill. Why does anything I eat from a dining hall here make me sick within an hour? ugh. Oh well... had a very nice evening with Tom though, so that outweighs my feeling of blahness right now. :-) At any rate, I'm probably not going to stay up much later, since I was up so damn late last night and can't lounge in bed until 10 AM like I did this morning. I know I signed up for morning classes myself, so I can't complain...

2001-03-27T10:56:00.000-05:00

Hello, everyone.

Well, after spending time that could have been spent doing work (ha!) I actually have a legible color scheme that doesn't blind people or give anyone headaches (at least not from squinting to read it). Of course, I've now decided that I don't like it... but I'm going to leave it alone for now, because apparently it gets cranky when I mess with it too much. Kinda like everything else on my computer.

Grr... I'm tired. I was a moron and stayed up until 2:15 AM reading a pleasure book. I could justify staying up to finish work, but this was definitely a for-fun book. Granted, I slept until 8:30 and then stayed in bed until after 10 AM to finish said fun book, but I'm still tired. Luckily I have only one class today, then physical therapy. Joy.

OK, well Tom just got here, so I have much more important things to do than post any more on this. Laters.

2001-03-26T12:36:00.000-05:00

Random thoughts of the day:
"An idea is a greater monument than a cathedral." - Inherit the Wind
"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make." - The Beatles

These are just some quotes that popped into my head while watching the Oscars last night. You know those montages they make to honor the various "lifetime achievement" winners? Well, one of them had a shot from Inherit the Wind, which is one of my favorite readings from high school. So that's where the first quote came from. The second is just a snippet of music that's been floating through my head for most of the day. Hey - I promised you all randomness - you're getting it, aren't you? ;-)

Speaking of the Oscars, I for one thought they were pretty damn funny as a whole. Not the comedy - Steve Martin, while passably humorous, was definitely lacking. However, let's talk about Russell Crowe's reaction to his winning Best Actor for Gladiator. He looked utterly stoned!! That amused me. Another highlight was when the camera panned Danny Devito, and he was eating. Later, this prompted Steve Martin to walk out into the audience and present Danny Devito with a bowl of dip. Quality.

However, my favorite Oscar moment was the segment with Itzhak Perlman and Yo Yo Ma. (The violinist and cellist, respectively, for anyone who doesn't know who they are.) My roommate and I are both string players who aren't in any sort of orchestra this year. You could tell we were both longing for our instruments, because we were sitting in the common room, our eyes glued to the television, watching these men play (wonderfully). I MISS MY VIOLIN! Damned tendonitis.... hopefully I can finish physical therapy by this summer and play again.

OK, enough for now. I have a headache partly from looking at the screen and partly from being hungry... so it's off to lunch I go. I don't dare call it food, because it won't be, but it's definitely lunch. Happy Monday (riiiiiiight).

2001-03-25T10:17:00.000-05:00

Update: After various deletions of changes to the template, I finally got everything legible AND installed a discussion link. Click "you don't say" after a post to respond to it. Thanks :-)

Yesterday was fun. I slept in (as my last post said) and then Tom and I went to the mall. I got a refund for the Christmas present that Tom got me that didn't fit - finally - we tried to return it in February, and the moron at the register told us we couldn't get a refund with a gift receipt. Isn't that the point of a gift receipt? But apparently I got a cashier with a brain, and we got our (well, Tom's) money back. Then Tom bought me a stuffed duck to remind me of him when we're abroad next semester. I have the best boyfriend. :-D

Today, I got up early because Jesse said she's coming back from Binghamton early; she had said she was going to be back around 10. Well, it's almost 10:30 and she's still not here. Grrr... I could still be sleeping!!! Oh well - no big deal, I do actually have to get some work done today, so it's just as well.

High point of yesterday (besides spending the entire day with the one I love): The Tennessee women's basketball team LOST!!! Woohoo!!! They lost to Xavier (I think) 80-65. What beautiful numbers!!! Pat Summitt (their coach) must be absolutely livid! heehee. For those of you who are reading this and wondering "Why the hell does this crazy girl care so much about this?", I should let you know that I'm a diehard UConn basketball fan. And since the men lost in the second round of the NIT (grrr), all my hopes are on the women's team - the defending national champions. :-D And it makes things look better for UConn when their biggest rival (Tennessee) is out of the tournament. YAY!!!!

Moment of frivolity for today: I plan to do any work that requires a computer this afternoon, so I can do my reading while watching the Oscars tonight. Granted, I probably won't know who anyone is, and I won't have seen many of the movies that are nominated, but it'll be some mindless background noise until the important categories are awarded. Here's hoping the campus satellite is working so we actually get reception!!!

At any rate - I suppose I should go take a shower and get dressed so I can go to brunch before the rush hits the dining hall. Enjoy the rest of your weekend, everyone - why do they go by so damn quickly, anyway???

2001-03-24T13:00:00.000-05:00

Good morning, everyone. Well, I guess "good morning" is inappropriate, considering it's about 1:15 PM as I write this. After finally getting some colors in, I've decided to put up an actual post. I'm sure I'll be messing with the colors again periodically, but for now at least it's legible.

I survived the first week back at school after spring break. Not that I did anything over-the-top during break; I went to UConn with Heather to visit Sara for her birthday, and Tom visited. But it was still nice to not go to classes, even if I did have to get up before 8 every morning (grrrr). But this week has been very long: I had 2 midterms, one of them in a class in which the professor quit the week before break, having taught us only binary and html in SIX WEEKS. Not cool. And the department made us take the department midterm anyway. Grrr. But oh well - what can you do, right? They've promised us a curve, so we'll see what happens. Luckily my other midterm was fairly easy - it was English, which, being my major and all, went fine (I hope).

So now it's the weekend - yay! Time to relax, even though I do have work to do. I actually stayed in bed until almost 1 today! I can't remember the last time I did that. My roommate is gone for the weekend, which for today means I'm on my own schedule, so if I feel like being a bum, I'll do it, damnit! hehe Last night was enjoyable; Tom and I got Chinese takeout, which I haven't had in awhile, and watched the end of Gladiator with Russell Crowe, which we'd begun watching Thursday night. We both definitely needed the relaxing time. Today is mostly gone already, considering I slept in and have yet to get dressed yet or anything. But I suppose I could do my reading for Monday this afternoon (I know, me doing work on a SATURDAY??? wow, this is shocking!) or something. We'll see. For now, I'll be signing off to go shower and stuff so I'm not a COMPLETE bum today. Yay Saturdays :-)

2001-03-21T23:22:00.000-05:00

testing... I hope this thing works... visit my page (which I rarely update): http://www.geocities.com/katerinajb