Post Turkeyday Meme

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? Man, my eyes are red from this dry weather. Post visine, I thought, "Wow, my abs are looking good, and I love my boobs." I do.

2. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone? Some girl from the grad program

3. What shirt are you wearing? I am freezing, so I am wearing a long sleeved tshirt with chicks rule on it and a homecoming sweatshirt from my undergrad freshman year.

4. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently wearing? I try not to wear shoes

5. book closest (in proximity) to you? The St. Martin's Handbook

6. What does your watch look like? I love my watch. It's an Ironman. Purple. Does intervals, has a timer, chrono, and 3 alarms. It's big and bulky, and I wear it even with formalwear (just in case I need to time a sprint in heels)

7. What were you doing at midnight last night? watching Get Smart

8. What did your last text message you received on your cell say? "You know, Elise & I were going to go up there for yr bday as a surprise but timing wasn't right so we sent u balls instead." [at least that mystery is solved]

9. What is the last type of Thanksgiving food you ate? pecan pie

10. What was the last thing you said to someone? I don't talk anymore. I just text message

11. The last song you listened to? "Sweet and Low" by Augustana bc someone had it on their myspace page

12. What should you be doing besides writing this meme? finishing my final outline for my peer relations class

13. When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper and mailed it? I wrote a thank you note to the kids who made me homemade bday cards

14. Can you change the oil on a car? I can. Do I? No, that's what other people are for.

15. The last time you dressed up, what did you wear and why? My wardrobe consists solely of hoodies and jeans now, so I can't remember the last time I wore anything else.

17. Last alcoholic beverage? semi flat champagne a few minutes ago

18. What kind of stuffing? Good ole southern cornbread dressing. It's the only way to go. Mmmmm.

19. Fresh or frozen bird? Neither. I kind of have this aversion to eating something that is the official cutsey logo of the holiday. How can you eat something they designed a float after in the Macy's parade?

20. Sweet potato or pumpkin pie? Either

21. Which side dish would provoke a riot if you left it off the menu? My bourbon pecan crusted sweet potato casserole.

22. What do you wish guests would not bring to your house? Well, I hate green bean casserole. Can't stand to look at it. But I wouldn't begrudge it being at my house since people tend to like the stuff.

23. Cranberry sauce--fresh or canned? Yuck. Absent.

24. What's one family tradition? Going to the movies on Tday.

25. What do you drink with your feast? We tend to have brunch, so mimosas.

26. Do you set up your Xmas tree before Thanksgiving? On Tday, right after the movie.

27. On a scale of 1-10, how much do you love Thanksgiving? Eh, 3. Not big on the holiday. I like the time off of work, but the ratio of really bad to just average Thanksgivings are about 12:1 (notice I didn't say good). Beats Valentine's day. I've never had a good one of those.

Happy almost T-day

I just had this overwhelming urge to make a hand turkey. Gobble Gobble. Eat yams!

The wrath of Rod

You know, when I decided to ask for a gym membership for my birthday, I just wasn't thinking clearly. I've gone faithfully for two weeks, and I've actually never begrudged a session. I'm excited about going, ecstatic that I'm running again, and motivated to get me a set of coconuts (deltoids) on those shoulders of mine. I've done everything Rod has asked me to do except for the creatine because that crap is expensive and because it creeps me out. So at today's weigh in, Rod was disappointed. I lost 6 lbs. I'm supposed to gain weight, not lose it. Rod didn't chastise me (which was a shame because his accent is so hot); instead, he looked at me like an owner looks at his dog when she eats junkie vomit (like that one, G?). I just have to "keep at it and add protein supplements to my diet."

I can't afford protein supplements bc thanks to this full time school thing I'm on a fixed income, so I guess I'll have to up my lentil ration. The next weigh in and fat testing thingy is in 2 weeks. Hopefully, I'll pass. It's right at finals, though, so I doubt it.

In other news, the SFV has inspired me to make a gingerbread high rise, only I'm using graham crackers because I'm a cheater and entirely not as cool as she. And I've enjoyed 3 full days of nothingness, during which time I've found a new fascination with jigsaw puzzles online, catching up on reading, watching Firefly,of course, and even scrapbooking. I scrapbooked ONE WHOLE PAGE and then lost interest, but I scrapbooked ONE WHOLE PAGE. I'm so crafty now. I had a candy cane martini while doing it, though, so it gave a whole new meaning to craft night. [Explanation of link: after that tainted night, Glinda and I vowed to do craft nights instead of drinking].

Now, I guess I should work on my final, but I really don't want to. Maybe tomorrow. I'm liking this doing nothing thing.

One of my favorite moments

While "I hate potlucks" consistently wins the keyword search that leads to my blog, "monty python" is somewhere in the top ten.

I just had to bump this one up again because it never ceases to make me laugh.

I just don't have blog fodder like that anymore. G, say what you want about H-Town, but some of the best blog posts came from there.

Come on July

Not only will I be finished with my first year as a PhD student by July, but Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince will be out. Just watched the trailer. Can't wait.

My "vacation"

I'm not really off next week. I have to work until Wednesday, so no going away for me, and lack of funds keep me here anyway. So I made my own holiday this weekend. Last night, I watched Grace is Gone, a depressing Cusack film that then had to be followed up with a marathon of Firefly. Went to bed at 3:30, and I slept until 1:30 pm, which was amazing. It wasn't so much that I slept, actually, as it was that I stayed in bed contemplating things. I'm not even sure what I contemplated, but it is what it is. Actually, the contemplation was interrupted by a loud banging on my door--you know, the "hey, it's your neighbor and it's an emergency bc someone is trying to slice my head open with an ax" kind of knock. Sadly, it was just another evangelist from the same damn church as last week. Seriously, if another one interrupts the Tech Game tonight like 2 of them did 2 weeks ago (at 9pm!!!), I'm calling the damned church. So far, 3 churches are on my list to call if they do it again. Really, what do I do about this? It's a nuisance bordering on disruption of the peace, my peace anyway. It's every freakin' saturday.

Anyway, then I got up and ran 3 miles at the gym (too cold here for a real run), and now I'm eating a veggie tamale and an applesauce muffin. Oh, and I'm back in PJs for the rest of the day. Tonight's agenda is the Tech game, an XFiles marathon, much salsa eating, a little reading, possibly some writing, and the consumption of at least one oreo.

Tomorrow I plan to sleep in, too, because Monday starts the work again. I've got an assignment due Wednesday and a final due the Monday after thanksgiving. Winter break can't come soon enough.

But aaaaaaa, I'm likin' this weekend.

chaos theory, potato chips, and I think I need more rum

Really, I think if I had a job writing acrid blog posts all day, I'd be so happy. I'd be like the caustic Peggy Hill with her musings. Only mine would be morose, maudlin, melancholy musings and not redneck, ignorant ones. Anybody know someone that would hire me? I'd quit this PhD shit in a second!

Oh, Prax, my prof is from Jersey, and she told me tonight that I am not cynical enough for Jersey. LOL!

Ok but really, I love my theory class. Seriously, this place makes me crazy, but on Tuesday nights, that all fades away into this blissful 3 hour class. I LOVE this class. Tonight, for example, we mused about the possibility of multi-verses and about what our "other selves" are doing at this moment. Personally, my other self is perpetually drinking whiskey, even when my present self is drinking whiskey, and that posed a problem to the theory, but not to mine, so perhaps I should write my own theory. Cranky Theory. I've got to come up with a diagram, though, because all the best theories have diagrams. I think it would look like Hemingway.

But really, the thing I like about this program is that it is multi-disciplinary. We are learning so much from so many disciplines: art, architecture, physics, biology, chemistry, anthropology, sociology...the list goes on. tonight, for example, it was all about string theory and quantum mechanics with a dash of thermodynamics and field theory. It was the most fascinating discussion, especially since it is such a hard class that everyone dropped out. The dynamics are so different when there are only 2 people in the class. AAAA, I would quit this damn place in a second if it weren't for the classes. I love the classes. Brilliant!

So we left class all jazzed up as usual, and D and I headed out for the customary celebratory wings and beer. I got asked out but ruined it as always by making some stupid comment about age. Why can't I just leave it alone? So he's 23? Who cares? But I had to make some mention about the formula bc now that I had a birthday, 23 is too young. Why can't I just keep my damned mouth shut? Ah well, still got free drinks out of it. Love bartenders.

And the positive thinking shit, well, kinda worked. I mean, I know for a fact that Zach Braff has suddenly realized I exist and is going to look up housing in Lubbock tomorrow! And Agent Mulder, while not in this universe, is certainly alive and living next door to my doppelganger, so that's a plus. The french fry fairy left some tonight at the bar but forgot to leave me some money to pay for it. I'll have to think harder next time. And I did get an A on the paper from the prof who "never gives As" so that rocks!

So let's keep going with this shit. Ok, here goes:

1. The 49ers will win the next 20 superbowls.
2. The cubbies will suddenly produce a butterfly effect that will break the curse and win us the next world series.
3. I will stop mentioning my real age when people think I'm 22. Hell, tomorrow I will be 22 but with the brain of my real age.
4. The french fry fairy, who is married to the whiskey fairy, will pay a giant advanced tab for me at the Davenport for when I come back into H-Town.
5. The vacation fairy will leave me a plane ticket to somewhere civilized very soon.
6. The stunning man, who was checking me out at the bar tonight but just couldn't bring himself to talk to me because I was wasting my life talking to the 23 year old about the formula, will come talk to me tomorrow bc I am telling everyone it is my bday tomorrow bc I didn't get a decent enough Kimday this year.
7. Fence Rider will get a giant kick in the ass and will call me up and confess his soul.
8. I will kick Fence Rider in the ass. And then make love to him in every position possible on my roof in the middle of a storm while a raven sings in the background. (ok, there had to be some 19th centurty Gothic literature in there somewhere)
9. The stunning man will be jealous of the escapades on the roof and will profess his need to have my brilliant, genius mind, so I will give him that and give Fence Rider my doppelganger's body.
10. Someone will randomly send me Zardoz in the mail.

I'm eating potato chips--just so you don't think the title is a farce.

Crank Secret

You know, when you've done nothing but school work all weekend, you just sort of need to blabber on your blog. So, since I've moved to Lubbock, a multitude of weird things have happened, the latest being that someone mowed/trampled down my hedges in the middle of the night. How? I'm not sure. It looks like an elephant did it, but I digress.

So this girl in the program sees it and says, "You know, you really need to stop thinking that thing you are thinking." And what I'm thinking is: "How did that elephant get loose? There's no zoo here, and the circus isn't in town." And then it occurs to me that she doesn't mean that, but I'm not sure what she means so in a moment of lapsed thinking I mutter, "Um, what do you mean?" Sigh.

She then jumps into an evangelistic speech about The Secret. I'm not sure if you know about this book or movement or cult or whatever it is, but this woman bought it hook line and sinker--Worse: she's reading some endorsed version from her church. Ok, it's not that I'm against the whole law of attraction/self fulfilling prophesy thing. I mean, hell, I'm getting a phd in the psych dept, for crying out loud. It's just that when something is packaged together by the Dark Kings of Multimedia Dorkdom, I just can't swallow it. She does, however, and feels the need to tell me about it.

Apparently, I'm subconsciously or unconsciously thinking something negative (shocker!), and it's bringing elephants into my yard to sit on my hedges. It also causes the bureaucracy of academia to wreak its havoc, and it is responsible for my plants dying on my porch (not the fact that I haven't watered them in months). Her suggestion is that I start thinking positive thoughts, and they will magically come true.

So I put in some Garden State to help clear my mind of negativity (yuk yuk), and dear readers, here are my thoughts:

1. Zach Braff will stop whatever he is doing RIGHT NOW and realize, without even meeting me, that I exist and that he wants me with body, mind, and soul. or body. or any of the three really.
2. Agent Mulder is real, and he is going to move next door. And we will have coffee together and search for aliens when I'm not writing papers.
3. I believe in ice cream and french fry fairies, and one of them is going to bring me a special, scrumdiddlyumptous treat!
4. Mal Reynolds is real, and he is going to move across the street, and we will ride in his spaceship and smuggle bobbleheads.
5. Fuzzy bunnies. Nothing is happier than fuzzy bunnies.
6. Lubbock is going to suddenly orgasm with culture. tomorrow. yes, tomorrow.
7. The glass is half full. of really, really good wine.
8. Zach Braff will stop whatever he is doing RIGHT NOW and realize, without even meeting me, that I exist and that he wants me with body, mind, and soul. or body. or any of the three really. Oh wait, did I say that one?
9. Tomorrow, while I'm waiting on Zach Braff, I will meet a stunning man--well read, brilliant, a feminist, eyes I could bathe in, sexy hands, a dry wit, and will be somewhat random and slightly quirky. And he'll invite me to watch a marathon of Firefly while drinking Makers Mark in his giant library filled with 10,000 books that actually smells like a libary--sigh.
10. Then I'll have to choose between guy #9 and Zach Braff.

Shiny!

Geez

Rosemary is $5 for a little bitty jar thingy at the store. Good lord. I wasn't about to look at the saffron after that. WTF is with Lubbock? Seriously, I thought it would be cheaper to shop here, but everything is a good 50 cents to $3 more. Unbelievable.

Well, did my workout. Rod would be proud. Everything's burning nicely. And I found out today that I have a strong network of centrality, which basically means I'm well liked amongst the grad students. Who knew? Apparently, since I backed out on the social on Friday night, everyone else dropped. I got a sad phone message from the organizer who blamed it all on me. Cranky moves. People follow. Not my fault. Trust me, I was punished enough with all the writing I did.

Ok, now it's time to watch Garden State and drink some eggnog. Mmmm. Eggnog. I love this time of year, and I ADORE the fact that I get to do NOTHING tonight!

Sidebar

Ok, I might go to feminist hell for doing this, but I took Feministing off of my sidebar. They've got too many writers, each with their own pet projects, which leads to absolute BASHING if someone disagrees with them. It begins to look like the schoolyard, and I'm tired of sifting through it. Hypersensitivity is starting to seep through, and it's actually beginning to read like an undergrad forum.

Plus, I feel like they often post things that have nothing to do with feminist issues.

I dunno. Sometimes they have some real gems--poignant posts. Maybe it's just the fact that you've got to log onto it several times a day because of the multitude of posts that annoys me. I'm just bothered. Anyone else feel this way?

In other news, I am finally done with round 3 of papers. All that's left is one mega stats assignment and my finals. At this point, it looks like a 4.0, but one of my finals is worth 40% of my grade, so we'll see about that.

For now, though, I'm off to the gym to weight train and then to the store for some essentials--eggnog, milk, and chips. Oh, and saffron, if I can afford it. Finally, it's off to Blockbuster to rent a free movie (love coupons). God, I'm actually going to get to watch a movie. Holy crap!

Door 2 door

Three, count them, three individual evangelists have come to my door this morning between the hours of 9am and 1. The other night, 2 came to my door at 9pm. Come on!

Planked out

Oh my god. I'm gonna vomit.

I had 2 papers due last week, and I've got a huge paper due Monday. The one due monday is designing an intervention, so it's not one to take lightly. I just did research for it yesterday, however, because I've been going at a cheetah's pace with all the other shit plus "work." I was up til 3 last night reading and taking notes and have 4 books left to read today before diving into the outline. then I have paper writing day all day tomorrow. ON top of this I have to conduct an interview for "work" today at 2. I put work in quotation marks bc I don't really consider assistantships meaningful work but rather a waste of my fucking time.

So there's a yoga class on Sat at the gym, and I'm thinking that it's free so I might as well do it. Holy crap. I've done yoga for years at home and have taken a couple of classes but this shit was whack. I'm expecting this happy, flowy, relaxing stuff. hell no. I don't know what the hell I did, but it was hot as hell in there and I sweat like a damned pig, and it was this crazy moving yoga. I swear she didn't stay in the same spot for more than a second if that. We were up, down, up, down, jump up, jump down into plank, lift up a leg, plank it, jump your legs between your hands, stand on your head and spank your ass kind of yoga. Jeez. Seriously, my body was soaked with sweat.

Driving home, I felt so weird. I was shaky and cold, and I couldn't focus well and was light headed. And now, I'm trying to read some more before my interview, and I think I'm going to puke. I can't see straight. I feel so sick and shaky and cold as hell. It's like having the damn flu. So I whipped out the Vernor's (saved solely for migraines), and I'm trying to rally.

Shit. First rod destroyed me now yoga? Yoga? I thought gym yoga classes were for desperate housewives in little matching outfits. WTF was this stuff?

LeBron James

Just. Wow.

You just earned yourself another detention, Bender!

Would someone please remind me that I am in graduate school getting my PHfuckingD because I forgot today and thought I was back in fucking high school.

1. I got to "work" today for a meeting at 9am. I take my backpack with me because we've had some theft problems in our little cubi land they call a grad office. I also keep my area pretty neat and put away for the same reason (nosy people who go through my stuff). Get back to the office, and the person next to me (a 2nd year PhD student) says: "Um, we've been talking (we being the other grad students). See, 1st years aren't supposed to the get the desks on this row (they are 1/4" bigger, literally), and you lucked out by getting it. People have been waiting for that desk for years, so if you aren't going to use it, we're going to have to report you to the graduate secretary." Now this girl is a 2nd year PhD, but she's been in the fucking program for 7 years getting a masters (5 fucking years for a masters full time??? are you fucking kidding me?), so she thinks she "owns" the program. And she *is* all snuggly with the grad secretary who is all snuggly with the dean, so she has some backing for this, but WTF? So I explain to her that I do use the desk but that I know for a fact that people sit in it when I am not there, and I put all my stuff up when I leave, and she says, "Well, throw some papers around so it looks used, or I will be *forced* to go to 507 (the dept office)."

2. One of my classes has a graduate (2nd year PhD) TA in it. I find it ridiculous that my work is graded by a peer who has one year over me (and has a massive power trip), but I've learned to live with it. Today, though, she crossed the line. The prof was up talking, and the girl next to me was chattering away. The TA turns around and looks at me and then sends me an email apparently. Class ends. She keeps me after class in front of other students and asks if I got her email. I said, Um, did you send it earlier? She said, "No, during class." I said, "I don't check my email during class." She said, "Well, it said Shhhh." And then she proceded to reprimand me for talking. She says, "I didn't see you talking, per se, but I did see Tamara talking, and I know she wasn't talking to herself." Tamara sits next to me (name changed to protect the guilty).

3. For my "job" i have to do interviews with people in the community. The bitch who is in charge of it is a 2nd year MASTERS student and sets up the interviews. It's for her thesis, but in order to get paid, I have to help her with it. Ridiculous. Anyway, she sets these things up but is so fucking obsessed with her boo boo (her boyfriend) that she forgets to tell people and forgets everything. She's twentyfuckingtwo and spoiled rotten. And she will call us up at 3 for an interview at 4, and we have to show up. Well, the first 2 interviews she fucked up and got lost, was 2 hours late for one and didn't even show to the other. She also forgot forms and such, but we just won't go there. So today, i am performing the interview, and she says, "Um, so that you get *experience* why don't you work with the parent this time (I usually interview kids since that's my area of specialization). Yeah, you know why she wanted that? Because she failed to tell me this was a reschedule. The parent spent an hour yelling at me and telling me horrible stories about how her daughter cried for hours and bought a new dress for the interview and feels rejected blah blah blah. and then shows me a fucking email from the prof in charge who apologized for "our" incompetence. OMfuckingG!

Ok, really, I'm floored. WTF kind of PhD program is this? It is filled with fucking people who have never worked a day in their lives. They live in this little academic bubble. I feel not only immensely smarter but more cultured and experienced than these people, and even though I have perfect scores on most everything, I am thinking of not coming back in Dec.

The thing is, though, I want to write and be my own boss, and I'll get more credibility with the Dr prefix. Maybe I'll just change my first name to Dr.

ok and might I add

the 10-15 miles per week doesn't include my long runs. Rod said I could back off on kickboxing and powerlifting when the runs got long, but no slacking on the weight training.

Bite me, Rod.

hard. 2. type

Oh man oh man. Asking for a gym membership for Kimday was a bad idea. It's nearing snow season here, and it gets dark early. With the crazy schedule I keep, I've found that I haven't had time to run in a month. So what did I want for Kimday? Money towards a gym membership.

First off, I have to say that I got a good deal on it. I got them to waive the $150 app fee and take 50% off each month. So it's 25 a month to make me feel like shit. So today I have my fitness assessment. I'm thinking, no big deal, a couple of calipers and a scale. it's my nightmare, but I'll make it through. Um, no.

the damn thing lasted an hour. He tested everything and made me feel adequately bad about myself but in a charming James Bond sort of way (British accent). I'm underweight and have too low a BMI, but my body fat percentage is not in the excellent range. it's only acceptable. That's like getting a C in body fat class and an F in the other 2. Ugh. So I'm supposed to put on weight and lose a couple of percentages of body fat to reach happy excellent status.

So what does Rod make me do? Yes, his name is Rod, pronounced so elegantly from his lips. He kills my ass. Full body workout isn't what I thought a full body workout was. I'm thinkin a couple of squats, some lunges, work my way around the little machines a bit. This man is a sadist. He made me do every exercise in the book. An HOUR! I worked out muscles I didn't even know I had! And now, I have difficulty using whatever muscle helps me push the shift key. And washing my hair hurt. Oh god.

I don't know which one did it, but it killed me. And so he gives me my workout plan. I can keep with my running schedule, but I have to add 3X week full body workout, one powerlifting class, one yoga class and kickboxing. He says my body was made to kickbox. I was born for it. Ok, Rod. I mean, when he talks to me, I just say ok bc of the accent, but now I'm home and mad. Are you shitting me? Log 10-15 miles a week plus yoga, powerlifting, weight training, and kickboxing? Guh. I have to do it for a month, or I can't quit and get my money back. We'll see. Oh god.

Green balls?

So are plastic bull balls recyclable? I don't want to litter the earth with them.

Kimday 2008

I suppose the fact that I can't get this song out of my head means that I should write about this year's Kimday, despite the fact that it was rather uneventful.

[shakes her head to remove the song] Ok, let's see. Kimday itself was normal. I worked or at least I pretended to work. And then I went out to the mail. Praxis had told me he was sending me something, so when I saw a package for me, I thought Wow. It's here. Plus there was another fed ex package from a girl I used to work with. I was late to a meeting, so I put them in my car and headed out to the local coffee shop.

I got a call from my prof that she was going to be late, so I decided to go ahead and open the presents in the car. The Fed Ex was a stack of homemade cards from the kids at the school I used to administrate. That was awesome. The other, however, was a bit disturbing.

Thinking it was from Prax, I'm excited to see a warrior bobblehead or goulet pencil box or something, and instead, I see the gigantic pair of bull's balls mentioned earlier designed to go on monster trucks. So disturbing. No return address (Sent from the factory) and no note inside. It wasn't Praxis. Oh and it included a keyring sized blue pair.

So I had my meeting and then got a call from my friend who told me she was sick and couldn't go out for my birthday. Everyone else I know here was on the conference trip I declined to go to, so I was all alone. Then, though, another classmate called who didn't go either and took me to dinner at a nice restaurant. I was home by 10, in bed by 11, asleep by 12 after reading August's issue of Runner's World (it's been sitting neglected for months).

Yup. That's Kimday. and unKimday was equally less exciting. I had to screen movies for a class bc I have to apply quantum theory to one of them. And today I slept until 11, picked at some spaghetti, and am thinking about spending one of my giftcards. I've got to outline the above paper today and bake some banana bread. Oh, and I think I'm going to ask the 'rents for a gym membership for xmas bc running in Lubbock is not working out. My only times for running happen in the dark and ever since someone tried to bust down my door, I'm a little skittish about doing so in my neighborhood. I figure, at least for winter, a gym is a positive thing.

That's all folks.

Calling all librarians

and other bored researchers.

For my Kimday present, I would like all of you to search every obscure database you have access to in order to find a video clip of Robert Goulet,dressed in some scary pelted suit,riding in a sleigh, singing some Christmas Song.

In other news, someone sent me plastic bull balls for my car for Kimday. I'm not sure what to do with them, as I think they'd drag the ground in my little Slick sedan. Also, even if I had been depleted of oxygen for hours while simultaneously pounding shots and drilling a hole in my brain, I don't think that I would be tempted to display them anywhere. Thank god I didn't take them into the coffee shop where my meeting was. I almost did. Can you imagine the look on my prof's face? Oh lord. I am assuming it was not any of my fair readers. I think I know who did it, and it was all in jest about Lubbock. Still, a little heads up would be nice.

They came, also, with a small, blue set for my keyring. Nice, huh?

um

IT'S MY BIRTHDAY!

Post Election Day Meme

A QUICK REVIEW OF THE ELECTIONS OF MY LIFE:

1976: JIMMY CARTER

I REMEMBER: My dad telling me that Carter liked peanuts. My dad also liked peanuts so I thought Carter was a pretty cool guy. Hey, I was 2. My dad also let me pull the lever in the booth (with his help of course).

I WAS: going to school

DURING THAT FOUR YEARS: I transformed from a toddler to an elementary student. I did a lot during those years. I still only remember that Carter liked peanuts, though.


1980: RONALD REAGAN


I REMEMBER: this election. We got to vote at school. That was so cool to me. They made it as authentic as possible. In fact, they even borrowed the "practice" voting machines so we got to punch the ballot. I also remember that my dad said Reagan liked jelly beans. It's all about the food with me.

I WAS: excited. I ate jelly beans during the election.

DURING THAT FOUR YEARS: I was very involved in school, dance, piano, and choir. I was a piano prodigy, actually. Few people know that. I guess more do now.


1984: RONALD REAGAN

I REMEMBER: everything about this election. I even watched the debates. I remember my grandma and mom telling me how important it was that a woman was the running mate. Grandma was for Mondale. Mom for Reagan. We also voted at school, and this time they had school related things on the ballot. Specifically, we voted in McDonalds every Tuesday and Friday. Tuesday was McNugget day and Friday was hamburger day. And my friend Dana got Sugar Free Dr. Pepper on the ballot as a write in, and somehow it won and was placed in our soda machine the next week. No one drank it but her.

I WAS: in 4th grade

DURING THAT FOUR YEARS: transitioned from elementary to middle school. I had feathered hair, and I became a little boy crazy for awhile. Still involved in massive extra curricular activities.

1988: GEORGE BUSH (Sr.)

I REMEMBER: the debates for sure--watching them on my grandma's couch. I remember Thanksgivings were ripe with debates that 4 years. I also remember writing a letter to Lloyd Bentsen and receiving one back. He became one of my favorite people after that.

I WAS: finishing up middle school and headed into high school

DURING THAT FOUR YEARS: I started sporting poofy bangs and tight-rolling my acid washed jeans. My hair also curled up magically overnight and has stayed that way ever since. And I got braces for awhile. Massively into extra curricular activities and a hard core honor student. Really into drama. Worked at Chick fil A on my first job. Was "asked to leave" for standing up to someone sexually harrassing me.

1992: BILL CLINTON

I REMEMBER: standing by the bridge in Waco watching him speak, and turning to my friend saying: "That is going to be our next president." At the time, I wasn't sure if I was happy or worried about that.

I WAS: in college as a freshman and PISSED because I turned 18 too close to (I think the day before) election day and couldn't vote!

DURING THAT FOUR YEARS: I sported grunge, sneaked out to the David Koresh compound and was accosted by an ATF agent, made it through college and graduated.

1996: BILL CLINTON

I REMEMBER: voting for the first time. So cool.

I WAS: living in Waco

DURING THAT FOUR YEARS: I moved to 4 different cities and had 4 different jobs.

2000: GEORGE W. BUSH

I REMEMBER: watching debates and having no idea who I liked. I didn't like either one. I made the decision to exercise my right not to vote. I was unbelievably irritated at the whole Florida thing. Ugh. i still get irritated. That was the neverending damn election

I WAS: living in Dallas, I think or maybe Chicago.

DURING THAT FOUR YEARS: I moved to Chicago and had my dream job

2004: GEORGE W. BUSH

I REMEMBER: still wondering who to vote for. This time I wanted to vote, but I got my registration in late.

I WAS: back in Texas

DURING THAT FOUR YEARS: I visited Europe for the first time, met G, 2shirts, Prax and everyone else who reads my blog (or almost everyone), and had 3 jobs

2008: BARACK OBAMA

I REMEMBER: registering to vote; seeing Obama speak in Houston; researching every candidate and their voting record in detail, voting

I WAS: really stoked about the whole experience

DURING THAT FOUR YEARS: I hope for wonderful things

Post Halloween Meme

I'm a little late, but what the hell:

What were you last year for Halloween?
LuAnn Platter

What were you this year?
Nothing. :(

Favorite costume you have ever worn?
Willy Wonka

Others I liked: Wonder Woman, Pink Panther, Smurfette

How did you spend your Halloween?
Volunteering at a Trunk or Treat in the community

Do you believe in ghosts?
Yes. Absolutely. If you've ever been in any of my houses/apartments, you've probably seen the ones I believe in. They follow me around.

Are you superstitious?
No. None of that stuff is true. (Knock on wood)

Do you like caramel popcorn?
Um, sometimes

Have you ever gone in the country to look for pumpkins?
uh, does a farmer's market count?

Have you ever been on a hayride?
Hell yeah.

Do you decorate your home for Halloween?
Yes.

Have you ever been to a haunted house?
Yes. I'm not so good at haunted houses. I sort of, well, I'm one of those people who will kick, scream, beat, maul, maim, and destroy anything/anyone who gets in my way of getting out of there as quickly as possible.

Have you ever been to a graveyard on Halloween?
Yep. High school. College. Yep.

Have you ever attended a Halloween party?
I throw them. What are you talkin' about?

Do you watch scary movies on Halloween?
Yeah, though this year it was Baby Mama. Scary in some ways, I guess.

Have you ever had your candy stolen from you?
No, I don't think so. I've never even had to think about that. Wow. I wonder if I have and just don't know it.

Did you ever steal any ones candy?
No, why would you do that?

Has anyone ever gotten hurt due to your prank?
No. Ha ha. My pranks always backfire on me anyway.

Have you ever dressed as a witch/warlock?
No. My costumes are always a bit more creative.

It's not Project Runway, people!

I am so annoyed. Here we Americans made history last night, and all anyone can talk, blog, write about is Michelle Obama's choice of attire. Give me a fucking break.

First of all, all eyes should be focused on the country, not on her dress. Secondly, why is it that appearance is the first fucking thing anyone notices when it comes to women? It was the one thing I felt sorry for Palin for--the fact that they focused on her attire. Hillary, too. Seriously folks, we are more than just a pair of tits and a pretty dress. I am so goddamned tired of the patriarchy. Third, nothing she could've worn would have avoided scrutiny. Hillary's pantsuit, Palin's Neiman Marcus, Barbara Bush's pearls... seriously folks, move on!

God, I'm just fucking LIVID!

Foolish Beat

I woke up this morning and could not get this song out of my head. At least it's not Lost in Your Eyes. Oh crap. Nope. Singing that one, too. I think I still have a hat like the one she wears in that video. Maybe I'll wear it for Kimday tomorrow. ;) Didn't Stewie sing that on Family Guy?

Today is Kimday Eve. Got 2 gift cards in the mail today, so I'll have somewhat of a social life this week. Yea Kimday Eve. It will be spent teaching, reading articles, and watching a flick for class. Whohooooo.

Oh and probably still singing Debbie Gibson. Sigh.

In other news, Obama mesmerized my cats last night. I should've taken a picture of them sitting in front of the TV watching. LOL. You'd think they'd shun him for inviting a puppy in the White House. And he didn't even include them in his list of Americans. What about the cats, O? What about the cats? They love you! Ah, my little liberal kitties! :) Plus, they're totally stoked about prop 2 passing in California. They support the farm animals. Love my kitties.

What a weekend

Well, there are no official Kimday festivities, seeing as I'm in the armpit of Texas, but I'm sure I'll be doing something that day. There is a lubbock singles social event at a local restaurant. It has a giant sign on the roof with a man who looks something akin to this. That's kinda tempting.

As for this weekend, I was pretty busy. Halloween was spent passing out candy to children and little people pretending to be children: "Gimme some candy!" Then D, E and I watched Baby Mama and drank rum.

Next was the Tech game on Saturday. Let's see. Highlights: we drank shots for every touchdown; we wore red rider masks--mine was crooked most of the night; we lost our voices; oh, and for the impromptu half time entertainment, I danced the garage choreography from Beat It (cue up to 3:59) on the bar Coyote Ugly style, winning a free martini and much accolades from Tech and UT fans all around. After that was much screaming and jumping, and today, I am still sore and hoarse, but gah what a game!

Sunday was spent with vitamin water and chinese food and The Happening. The most important thing of the weekend was that I didn't do a DAMN bit of work/schoolwork.

Today, took the car back into the shop, worked all night, researched local candidates, which only served to piss me off. Really, there is no point in voting in the local election since there are no choices on the ballot. Only one person (and one party) is running in every category. It's unfuckingbelievable. But the wet county prop made it to the ballot, and I will be there punching out that chad (though I think Lbb has elec voting now).

And now I have to read articles again and try to figure out the intervention I am going to design for one of my classes. Guh.