From Scratch

boring

2006-11-15T15:33:00.000-08:00

I am so boring right now. Sorry. Wish I had more going on...or felt like writing about what is going on. Maybe I'll feel like writing again. Someday.

revelation

2006-10-09T06:54:00.000-07:00

I hate going to the lady doctor. Seriously, in what other situation do you accept someone telling you to undress from the waist down and hop up on this table. No, scoot down till your ass hangs off the end and put your feet up in these stirrups. Now I'm going to jam this wand up your hooha and when this is all over, you'll hand me your credit card so I can get your co-pay. Then you'll make an appointment to have me do this again on friday. Oh, did I mention we'll need you to leave blood?

If you can look at your husband and get pregnant, get down on your knees and thank whatever god/deity you believe in cause it ain't happening for all of us.

Oddly enough, the worse thing about this is having to wear a shirt and no pants. That's a no no in my book. Only Donald Duck is exempt from the shirt and no pants rule.

RBD

2006-10-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

I was in the Salvation Army last week with one of the refugee's when some Random Black Dude (RBD) came up to me. What follows is our asinine conversation:

RBD: Excuse me. Are you part Asian?

Me: Yes

RBD: Can I ask you a personal question? If it's too personal you don't have to answer.

Me: Uh. Sure.

RBD: Are you parents still married?

Me: No.

RBD: I ask because I only date Asian women and every one of them always says that we can't be together because we'll never really understand each other.

Me: Yeah, I can see that.

RBD: Is that why your parents got divorced?

Me: Not totally but I'm sure the cultural differences didn't help.

RBD: I don't understand that. People are just people. If you want to be with someone and they want to be with you then culture don't matter.

Me: (eeeeeeekkkkkk)

RBD: Don't you think?

Me: Well culture really does matter. It certainly helps you understand the other person.

RBD: Can't you just read about someone's culture and understand it?

Me: (OHGODOHGODOHGOD)

At this point he almost knocks over the woman I'm with because I'm trying to move away from him and she's trying to follow me.

Me: Well it was nice talking to you but we really need to get going.

RBD: Ok, well thanks.

So I have no idea what the hell that was about. First of all, coming up to a total stranger and having your first question be a question about their race? Strike one. Telling me that you exclusively date women of only one race, especially Asian women (which screams 'fetish' to me)? Strike two. Understanding someone's culture doesn't matter as long as you love each other? Strike three. And give me a fucking break.

Now he didn't specify as to whether he dates only Asian women or Asian American women but I'm not willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one - I'm assuming he meant Asian women. What kills me is that he's totally sincere in his belief that he can READ about someone's culture and then understand that person. Now I lived with my mother for close to 18 years and there are things about her that didn't really and probably never would have made sense to me unless I spent that year in Korea. Forget culture, what about context? Or social location? I suppose none of that matters either as long as you LOVE EACH OTHER? Really, I just wish I could carry around a pellet gun and shoot people who do/say stupid shit like this within earshot of me.

I swear I've had more people come up to me in the last two months and ask me if I'm Filipino. Not that I'd have a problem with being Filipino but really, does it matter if I'm Filipino? And do I care if you have a friend who's Filipino? The answer is 'No'. But if this keeps up, the next t-shirt I buy will have 'pinay' written on it. And if you want to buy me one, I like blue.

mixed bag

2006-09-28T13:40:00.000-07:00

This week was my first full week of volunteering at all my gigs. Well I did spend Monday cleaning up while my car was being serviced. Speaking of which, we dropped the thing off at 7:30 am and just as I was launching into why we were there (the humongo leak somewhere in the passenger side door that left 3 inch puddles in the floorboard after a heavy rain) the service tech comes around the counter with a razor blade saying, "Oh I know exactly what that is". I though he was going to cut me for complaining but turns out that the drains that draw water away from the sunroof preventing leaks from occurring there empty where the door meets the body of the car. Did you know this? I sure as hell didn't. Dude (actually, Ed) got down on the ground and cut the end off the drainage tube and all kinds of shit shot out of it. The end of the tube is pinched assuming that all that needs to pass is water, but over the course of time, other debris like dirt and leaves get caught in it and it backs up...thus the cascade of water inside the car. So he cut off the end on both the passenger and drivers side AND he did it for free. At first both D and I were astounded that he'd fix it in front of us rather than milking us for money but then we remembered we're still under warranty. And he's got us over a barrel for that 40,000 mile service that will run us $400 in about a year and a half. Fucking cars.

Ok, so that was Monday. On Tuesday I was down at Piedmont Park bright and early to help Doctors without Borders, or as they're know everywhere else, Medecins sans Frontiers (MSF) construct a Refugee camp in the city. The camp is being used to raise awareness of the 33 millions people around the world who are refugees due to conflicts in their home countries. Although ten Atlanta folks signed up to help construct the village only two showed up. I was one of the two. The other girl was Vietnamese by way of France but she spoke English with a British accent. Yeah, it was that kind of day where I was by far, the least 'worldly'. First we had to unload a truck that held the entire village. Just two days earlier it had been in New York for showings in both Central Park and in Prospect Park in Brooklyn. The village will be in Atlanta through Sunday and then off to Nashville and open for viewing next Tuesday. I got a chance to meet some really great people from the MSF New York office and some folks who have just returned from the field. But it is always strange to spend time with a relatively large group of people, especially young people, who all know each other but you don't know at all. It was clear they are close so that meant they didn't feel like they had to be polite with one another. They argued over logistics and how to do things but in general they were awesome. Working outside in the beautiful weather we had Monday was definitely the upside of things. The 10 1/2 hours in Piedmont park without peeing was the downside. I have port-o-potty issues and a bladder the size of Texas. So if you're out and about this weekend, stop in. The camp is constructed at Monroe and Charles Allen.

Wednesday I went back to Medshare to sort supplies. The most unnerving thing about this job is all the shit that doctors and nurses have to be able to recognize in order to treat folks with the correct tools. Medshare has a huge room where they sort stainless steel tools to be sent along with the medical supplies. Last week I wandered through the shelves and was amazed at all the different types of bone saws and forceps and scissors one could use in surgery or other procedures. All the obstetric stuff really made me want to cross my legs though.

After that I went to AidGwinnett for my first day of volunteering there. I ended up filling out statistical reports on people in the county who are HIV+ or have AIDS. I couldn't help but notice how many people were my age or younger and were HIV+. Many of them were living with family who don't even know their status. Of all the volunteer positions I've accepted, this is the one about which I'm most excited. Kinda morbid huh?

Today was my all day with the IRC and the refugees. I drove to hell and back trying to get some kids prescription filled for some heavy duty antibiotics. Then I made some phone calls to help a lady get a doctors appointment with a specialist. After that I took a lady from Guinea shopping. So I started with refugee's and I'm ending with them. At least for today.

random list of (mostly) tv

2006-09-20T16:59:00.000-07:00

1. Battlestar Galactica Season 3 starts in roughly two weeks. I could pee my pants.
2. Veronica is dead dead dead on Prison Break. One to the head, two to the heart Sopranos style. I've never been so pleased.
3. Michael Knight is the shit on Project Runway. ATL represent!!! If he gets booted, I'm going to find Jeffrey and make him sorry.
4. Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. Aaron Sorkin. All tv should be this smart.
5. House House House. Cane or no, who cares? Oh Hugh Laurie...Puuuurrrrr
6. Jericho and Heroes. SciFi on network tv. I'm in.
7. Oprah. What can I say, she's the queen of daytime tv.
8. Dora the Explorer and Go Diego Go! Who knew Dora had such a cute cousin? D and I are thinking about being Dora and Boots for Halloween. Someone please have a party so my husband can dress up like a monkey in red boots. And buy me a magic backpack.
9. Weeds. On netflix. I've never smoked weed but I love this show. And now that Deadwood has been cancelled (a decision that someone should be murdered over) I need a cable show full of hard cussing and interesting plotlines. God I'll miss you Al Swearengen.
10. My in-laws let me watch all the tv I want. They...ROCK!!!!!

And I can't get enough of Ray LaMontagne. He's got two albums, Trouble (2004) and Till the Sun Turns Black (2006). Amazing songwriter with an unforgettable voice. Check him out.

"where you at"??

2006-09-20T15:19:00.000-07:00

About a week ago I had a 'session' with my life counselor, D. We sat down for a couple hours and he asked me what I wanted to do with this time we have carved out for ourselves while we're shacking up with the family. The plan is that we'll stay here with the parents till about March of next year - then we'll either find our own place here in Atlanta or we'll move, again, this time to Seattle. All of this depends on me. No pressure huh? Well I was able to get clarity on what I've done and what I want to do by talking things out with D. I have about six months to volunteer, without worrying about the fact that I'm not getting paid, and get all the experience I need to figure out if public health is the way I want to go. What that means is that I've gone from being unemployed for 11 weeks to having 4 volunteer gigs coming out of my ears. I've never done this kind of volunteering before so I didn't know what to expect. Turns out that with some places, you have to submit a resume to offer your free services. I'm sure that's because the crazies come out even for free. It's probably harder to get rid of a volunteer who drives you crazy rather than a paid employee. I know if I stopped getting paid I'd stop going to work.

Anyway, I started with the Red Cross on Tuesday. I've never been to a blood drive and now I know why. Do you know how big those needles are they jam in your arm? To their credit, the folks taking blood were some of the nicest people I've ever met. Not to mention the donors who came in, most of whom give blood on a regular basis. I've been working on my needle phobia lately and hope to be the kind of person who gives blood in the future. I found out that in the Atlanta area, there is only a days supply of blood available for most blood types. For O+ it's half a day. How scary is that? And you don't have to wait for a blood drive to donate (although you could organize a drive) - there are donor centers in every county in Atlanta. You can go to www.givebloodredcross.org to see what's near you. Something I didn't know: 96% of all Red Cross employees aren't actually employees- they're volunteers.

Today I went to Medshare International which is an organization that recycles medical supplies and equipment to be sent to the developing world. I know 'recycled medical supplies' sounds unsanitary but what I'm talking about are the things that are unused. Most of the supplies are still in their sterile packaging. Local hospitals are also asked to save their surplus supplies for repackaging. Before this organization came into existence, medical facilities were throwing tons (and tons is not hyperbole) of unused supplies into landfills where it could help no one. Now this stuff is collected once a week and volunteers sort through it. It comes in in 55 gallon trash bags and it really is everything but the kitchen sink. After everything is sorted and cataloged, it's jammed into their huge warehouse and then packaged to be sent overseas via 40 foot shipping containers. The amazing thing is, Medshare allows the hospitals that will receive the donated items to specify what they need and they send them just what they've asked for. I'm so impressed with this organization that I'm going back tomorrow to sort equipment. You can find them at medshare.org

I also went to the International Rescue Committee which does refugee resettlement and all that entails. This organization is full service - they literally pick people up from the airport and then four months later (in theory), the same person should be living independently. I'll have to let you know how this one goes...I start next Thursday.

My next organization will be AidGwinnett and I visit their facility on Friday. Let's see if I can make full time job out of several volunteer opportunities. Here I go!

insane in the brain

2006-09-20T11:36:00.000-07:00

I have had TONS to do lately, especially this week. You'd never know that one person could be as busy as I've been since the person in question is unemployed. I mean seriously unemployed. Luckily my husband is more like the asian in our family and has more than one job. This allows me to drive all the gas out of the car but still magically have money in the bank with which to refill it. I'll post later today all the big and not so big doings.

And I'm loving todays weather.

sucker

2006-09-08T08:56:00.000-07:00

What's been going on? Well we finally settled in here at the B's spread. We even played 'grown up' and had friends over for dinner. But by far the most exciting thing to happen is we bought a car. A lovely VW Passat wagon. It's totally a family car and people were perpetually confused as to why we'd purchase such a thing if we:

a) don't have children
b) don't have large dogs

Apparently you can't own a wagon in the US unless you have kids or crazy dogs. Well both D & I love the thing because it's a turbo, has a sunroof & looks like a silver rocket. I talked to my mom before we bought it and she said that, yes, she'd seen the cars but that I shouldn't get one because they're ugly. She's a peach. Well we're driving this ugly thing down to Columbus to see her this weekend so she better be happy we even have a car. I do think we should strap out nephews car seats in the back just to freak her out though. God, she'd have kittens if she thought I finally got knocked up.

And if you're ever in the market for a car, just call D. Dude is crazy serious about getting a good deal. He got the guy to sell us the car for $6000 less than the blue book value. That D is a bargain animal i tell ya.

where to begin

2006-08-22T08:50:00.000-07:00

(this should have posted last week but blogger was being difficult)

Right now I'm sitting in the conservatory between the two towers of the Gault House in Louisville, KY. I've never been here before so I don't remember when this place was a dump. They've made 60 million dollars in renovations recently and I think I'd like to move in permanently. Our 17th floor room has a perfect panoramic view of the Ohio river. Doesn't sound so exciting when you think about it but the Ohio cutting through the city is actually quite pretty. I haven't been to Louisville in about 8 years so the city is much nicer than I recall. The state fair is in town so D and I will probably go check out the livestock and eat bad fair food and throw it up on the rickety ass, hastily set up rides.

It's been a crazy few weeks to say the least. Since we've moved from Chicago on August 1st, we've moved our stuff into Atlanta, gone back to Chicago, gone to Ormond Beach in Florida and come to Louisville. Not having a job hasn't really hit me yet because we've yet to sit in one place long enough for me to find one. Our next hurdle is getting a car when we get back to Atlanta. I'm not looking forward to that.

But back to the Gault House (where I'd like to spend my final days). In this conservatory, the whole ceiling is curved glass so when people in the bar are talking, it travels along the ceiling so it sounds like the person is standing behind you when they're actually across the room. It only took me 15 minutes to figure that out so in the interim it was like I was starring in my own Japanese horror movie.

The bar is made out of glass and there are about 50 fish swimming in it. I heard that if you spot one fish in particular, his/her name is Whiskey, your drink is half off. In the middle of the room is a giant glass case housing a dozen finches. The automatic piano just kicked on for the lunch crowd. This place is ridiculous. I hope to check out the 360 degree health club on the 20 something floor. I think you can watch DVD's while you run on the treadmill.

I'm never leaving.

scenes from a mall

2006-08-12T07:10:00.000-07:00

As two self described 'mall haters', you'd think D and I wouldn't be caught dead at the Mall of Georgia. But you add one cute niece to the mix, a niece who needs to do all her school clothes shopping before heading back to Zambia, and you get me and D at the Mall of Georgia. Good thing was she had a list because I love the efficiency of a list. What's hard is that this niece is much taller than me and is small where I am bigger and bigger where I am smaller. I have a hard enough time finding myself pants let alone pants for a tall girl with a lovely curvy figure.

Did you know that that is now an option when you buy women's pants? Curvy that is. Brilliant! She did, however, try on a pair of pants at the Gap that I liked that she deemed, 'old lady'. Awesome. I guess pleated pants aren't the only old lady pants anymore. Really though, old lady pants at the Gap? I guess 17 and 33 are farther (further?) apart than I thought. I never get that farther/further thing right.

The most important thing she needed was a black purse that, get this, wouldn't make her look like a fraud. I have no idea what that means and was laughing too hard to ask her to clarify. I love it. I can't wait to embarrass her when she starts college in 2008. I'm clearly hip no more.

have/have not

2006-08-07T14:07:00.000-07:00

What I've been doing:

1) moving
2) sleeping (a lot)
3) re-arranging shit
4) visiting folks pregnant and non
5) hanging at the storage place
6) paying bills online
7) skimming the GRE book
8) half assed internet searches for MPH programs
9) looking at VW Wagons (2003 please for around $15,000 w/less than 50,000 miles)
10) freaking out silently over my unemployed status
11) watching PR
12) doing laundry
13) eating oatmeal for breakfast
14) reading the paper
15) waiting for something to happen

What I've not been doing:

1) blogging, even though I said I would
2) eating as much as I'd like
3) starting on my grad school apps
4) finding a job and/or volunteer opportunity
5) buying a car
6) reading books
7) exercising
8) paying attention
9) balancing the checkbook
10) establishing my priorities
11) seething
12) flossing
13) find a prep course for the evil GRE
14) contact folks about school
15) learn to let it all go

sorry

2006-07-27T06:49:00.000-07:00

I'm not dead...just packing. It's hot as balls in Chicago (humid really) and our apartment is in shambles. I promise to catch up next week by blogging my ass off. Hope you're all having a great summer!

if I had a hammer...

2006-07-14T18:24:00.000-07:00

I'd hammer in the morning. Like this morning! Today was our first full day in Mississippi and it was H O T. But I can't really complain as the biting gnats are gone and I only have the mosquitoes with which to contend.

Although most of the volunteers are put up in pods, D and I are sleeping in the church offices so we have air conditioner and an indoor bathroom. Accommodations might not be so fancy at the other camps but for now I'm happy that I can keep the prickly heat at bay for a few more days. This morning we went out with a group from Pennsylvania who have been working on a particular house for a week. When they were initially contacted they were told that they'd be expected to insulate and then hang sheetrock. Well when they arrived they realized there was no floor on which to stand while they did those things. They put in the sub-floor instead and only got to begin the other tasks. I tried to post a pic of the fruits of my labor but I can't get it to post. You'll have to take my word for it that the photo is lovely. Well it wasn't just me workin but me and the cutest old guy I've met in a long time named Paul. He alternated between calling me 'young lady' and boss. I've never had a retired dude call me boss before so that was awesome. I hammered nails into the floor and hung fiberglass insulation which I kept thinking of as asbestos. No gloves...no protective eyewear. Just me, Paul, a couple two by fours and a box cutter. I'll probably be hacking this shit out of my lungs for the next two weeks.

When we first arrived in Gulfport we went to get our rental car. The airport here is tiny (I'm not sure if that's how it always looked or if it's a result of the hurricane as well) and we has to walk outside to get our car. I waited as D went in and lo and behold they'd upgraded him to THE shittiest car on the lot, a ford taurus. If you drive one of these let me be the first to apologize for the hand in life you were dealt. This car sucks so make a note to yourself that you don't ever want one. Ever.

Anyway, we ran some errands and for dinner D took me to an all you can eat seafood buffet. I'm not sure how an entire family of Chinese people ended up this far south in the US but they must be making money hand over fist. This restaurant was packed to the gills with all kinds of folk. I had a gallon of sweet tea and about a pound of crab legs. I may never leave. Who are we kidding it's hot as balls here and I probably won't last the week.

help me

2006-07-12T16:01:00.000-07:00

I'm off to Mississippi and Louisiana (New Orleans) with D tomorrow and we'll be gone for 12 days. All he's been telling me about for the last 30 minutes or so are the biting gnats. I may kill myself. I'll keep you posted.

U of Sucks

2006-07-05T09:22:00.000-07:00

Pardon my French, but I had to speak to a real fucking bitch today in the billing department at the University of Chicago. First, let me give you a little backstory on this whole situation. I had a number of procedures all within what, 2 months? This was right after I went off my insurance and on to D's. I knew I'd be quitting my job so we decided to make the switch in January. So the first problem was that his BCBS wouldn't cover my junk till they had proof that I'd had insurance for at least a year before I started hanging out more at the hospital. I've been paying for health insurance for 10 years and never did I ever make them pay for more than getting my cooter checked once a year. So I've been paying in all this time and NOW they want to bitch because I'm making them spend a little money? I mean I understand that they wanted to make sure that I didn't get diagnosed with some expensive disorder and then switch insurance to get them to pay for is but for fucks sake, what the fuck have I been paying for all this time? A little piece of mind that the money I've been spending all this time would be made available to me when I needed it? Is that to much to ask for? On the other hand, I know I have nothing to complain about since we can actually afford insurance. Ok now I'm pissed and I haven't even gotten to the point.

So BCBS starts paying like 80% of three of my claims but not the fourth. And the weird thing is they paid the first two and the last but not the third. They paid for my surgery but managed to skip the diagnostic procedure that let me know I needed surgery in the first place. The fuck? I call BCBS expecting a fight but they immediately realized how they'd made a mistake and said they'd correct it. In the meantime, I decided to be all responsible and start paying my other three bills and had the U of C set me up on a payment plan. Funny how when I want to give them money, the fucking hospital is all efficient. Well I called the U of C to see what I'd need to do when that third claim was readjusted by BCBS and managed to get myself caught in Dantes Inferno of endless automated phone menus. I dialed the number on the back of my bill, got a live person who asked me for my account number and then transferred me back to the recording. I hung up, dialed the number again and again got a live person who asked for my account number. I told her that I'd just done this and if she was going to transfer me I'd never get anywhere. She then told me what number I should be dialing and I told tell her that that's the number I'd dialed and gotten her. She then decided to help me. They must have these people in cages in some dank basement. Are people poking them with sticks and withholding food and bathroom breaks? I can't for the life of me understand why these people are always so unpleasant. Maybe you're only qualified to answer the phone if your husband recently divorced you after cleaning out your savings, killing your dog and burning down your house. If I could find this dank basement full of the unhappiest people on earth I'd put all the motherfuckers out of their misery. But I digress.

The person I get tells me to just call them and let them know that BCBS has readjusted my claim and that the information should automatically update in their system. I just called to do just that and got the run around again by the customer service agent. It seems that even though my balance is now significantly lower, I'm still expected to pay the same amount for, in her words, "a shorter time". Well she's clearly a fucking rocket scientist. The best part is, no matter what I said she couldn't figure out why I'd called. Well for one, to see what I actually owned now that the claim had been readjusted. The U of C may be a world class teaching hospital but their billing department is chock full of real cocksuckers.

something old, something new

2006-07-04T07:33:00.000-07:00

I've been MIA for what looks like two weeks. Sorry but I've had a lot going on.

I'M OFFICIALLY UNEMPLOYED!!!!

My last day of work was last friday and even though I asked everyone not to make a big deal out of it...I sort of wasted my breath. I got three, count em, three ice cream cakes. And my direct boss sang me a song and I had to stand there and tell everyone that I'd miss them and that I had a wonderful two years. Most of what I said was true...well at least the sentiment was right. I'll probably never have a job as flexible and relaxed as the one I just left so I hope I enjoyed it as much as possible. My co-workers also bought me three books, one of which is a coffee table book of photographs of the Chicago area AND a $100 gift certificate for i-tunes. And next week we're all going to lunch at the Signature Room at the Hancock Tower. What the hell am I thinking leaving this job?

Since I'll be jobless until at least September I've made a pact with myself that I am now on the exercise wagon. D and I have are already eating better and we've been doing pilates together. Yeah, me and D doing pilates. It's pretty hilarious. Anyway, now I'm in the gym downstairs doing cardio every morning as D heads off to work. Now that I don't have to go to work, he goes there everyday. This is his side job and frankly, this money is ultimately what gets us out of debt before I start thinking about running up debt for school. I'm feeling better now that I'm exercising and I'm definitely sleeping better at night. In fact when I got off the treadmill this morning I was downright high. Hopefully that was just the endorphins and not a sign that a heart attack/stroke is imminent.

The next two months are going to be pretty crazy too. Next week I'll go to Gulfport with D for two weeks (with a short jaunt to New Orleans for our anniversary), then back to Chicago to pack and move, then to Atlanta, then to the beach for family vacation and then back to Atlanta to finally settle into our new/old home. Every life change we've had has led to us looking forward to something and that's certainly where we are now. It's good to be looking forward to something new.

Mister Anderson

2006-06-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

If you know me at all, you are well aware of my unnatural (some would say unholy) love for Keanu Reeves. It's disturbing to a lot of people...me included. Nevertheless, he's my movie boyfriend...if I can call a 41 year old man who doesn't know me my boyfriend. I love that he's 41...and hapa...and still hot whether you like the way he acts or not. I love that you never really hear a whole lot about him unless he's stumping for a film. I love that you don't see him on Entertainment Tonight running about town with some 20 year old 'actress' with her ass hanging out of her clothes. Yeah, he had me at 'dude'. Plus he's got a phenomenal head of hair.

Can you think of another actor who's been in as much shit as him and managed to both make money AND have indie cred? Well maybe you can but we're talking about Keanu here. There's the good (River's Edge, My Own Private Idaho, The Matrix I & II (III didn't blow my skirt up) I Love You to Death, Parenthood, Bill & Ted, Speed, Somethings Gotta Give) and there's the bad (Much Ado about Nothing, Dangerous liaisons...you get the point). And I realize he didn't make the good movies good by virtue of being in them but I enjoyed him immensely. I even liked his uber creepy turn in The Gift sans the bad southern accent. Frankly the accent has sunk him in most of his bad films (Dangerous liaisons, Dracula, Much Ado). I think his acting gets blamed for bad films when really the film was just a stinker (Constantine, Johnny Mnemonic, The Replacements). I even liked a Walk in the Clouds. Maybe it was the uniform. Or the chick he fell in love with. She was pretty hot too. Anyway.

He seems to have a knack for picking things that suit his demeanor and his delivery. So what he's no Anthony Hopkins...at least he's not Tom Cruise. God, I haven't even gotten to Point Break which is just so much awesome jammed into one movie. Keanu as FBI agent? And he surfs? Sold! And Patrick Swayze's best movie since Road House. I'm not joking.

I just think Keanu is cuter than a bugs ear and I just wanna squeeze him and make him soup. People want to bash him for his acting abilities (or lack thereof) and his seeming lack of intelligence but I disagree. I'm not sure if I believe he could've gotten as far as he has (and managed to keep getting work) if he were an idiot. I think there's a lot more going on between those ears than people give him credit for. If you wanna bash someone for their shit-ass acting skills, look no further than Halle Berry. And she's a Oscar winner for fucks sake! I think she's lovely and probably a really nice gal but whenever I see her on the screen I just want to tear my hair out. I'm just saying that any other actor that was prominently featured in a Paula Abdul video back in 1991 would have NO career now. But it was Keanu...and Keanu LIVES!!! And really, if he never makes another movie as perfect as The Matrix then that's all right too. Free your mind dog.

All of this was just to say that I think this new movie with him and Sandra Bullock is going to blow. The Lake House. Originally a Korean movie called Siworae which I haven't seen, I can only imagine it's a typically sappy Korean love story. And the Koreans excel at sappy love stories so I have to ask is it really necessary for the US market to recycle this film? I heard that some US director wants to remake Oldboy for the US audience but if there is a God, that won't happen. I've gotten off topic here. Keanu. Yes, so that is the love that dare not speak its' name in our house. My love for Keanu. And Hugh Jackman. But that one's a little easier to understand. Bub.

dream weaver

2006-06-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

Like a bird, I'm easily distracted. I'm a big daydreamer too so that usually means that in a 24 hour day, I sleep for 7 hours (where I dream-dream) and then the rest is taken up with off and on daydreaming. Sometimes it's stupid junk like can i see myself driving a station wagon? What if it's a VW...that's cool right? Other times I'm trying to break down how we'll spend and/or save the money D will bring in while I sit on my ass at his parents house eating guacamole dip and watching Oprah reruns. Most of the daydreams do usually find me with some sort of superpower and/or ninja skills but I'll not get into this right now.

I have twelve days left at work. I have a bad case of senioritis and I'm not even in school. From the moment I wake up (before i put on my makeup...ha) to the time I go to sleep I thank God I didn't agree to stay through July. It's not like I hate my job. Well yeah, actually I do.

Lately all I've been thinking about is next January. I have neither job prospects nor solid plans for the future yet D and I have just purchased two tickets to Hawaii for my bosses wedding. We're staying for 12 days total and most of that time will be spent with 8 other people. 12 days in Hawaii? What exactly will I need a vacation from? But damn if I'm not picturing myself in a black bikini at a pig roast covered in sunscreen and throwing back cocktails. This daydream is sometimes replaced by the one where D and I are napping in a hammock on our porch. Are we even getting a porch? I have no idea. Not important. Hawaii. Hawaii. Big Island. Kona.

My mom lived in Maui for 7 months and, get this, got bored. I never had a chance to visit. My uncle lived there for over 10 years and he'd often tell me I could 'pass' for Hawaiian. I wasn't aware we were still doing that sort of thing. 'Passing' that is. But this is the same wee man that would slap the hands of strangers if they tried to touch me when I was a baby so yeah, he's a keeper.

Anyway, this trip will be two birthdays and a christmas all wrapped up into one fantabulous vacation. Wish you could come? I could just day dream you in if you want. It'll be fun.

I heart Al

2006-06-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

I'm sure you've heard this before but I watch a lot of television. Well at least D thinks I do. It's funny because there are a lot of shows I never watch. I've never seen Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, 24 or The Sopranos and those are incredibly popular. Like what the hell is Without a Trace about and how long has it been on? With netflix I can miss a whole season of something and then catch up in a weekend which, in a word, is brilliant. This past winter I started watching Deadwood with D. We made it through 4 episodes before he went to the Congo. I couldn't wait for him to get back so I just watched the rest of the season without him. I just got an email from netflix that says my first disc of season two is waiting in my mailbox. I bout peed my pants I'm so excited.

Deadwood is NOT a show for everybody. The overabundance of whores and physical violence should be enough to turn off most folks but I simply delight in the cursing. It's easy for me to imagine that this South Dakota mining town they depict on the very edge of civilization looked just like this in the late 1800's. God knows I wouldn't want to live there but I do love watching and listening to these people talk. When I say the language is rough...my goodness. I've never heard a character use the words 'cocksucker' & 'fuck' as much as Al Swearengen. I guess running a whorehouse sort of focuses your vocabulary.

Not to say that the characters are poorly written or that the dialogue is juvenile. I think the writing is compelling as are the characters. Some of the dialogue is even poetic at times. I think it's a complex story for what had to be a complex time. Then again I'm not one to get worked up over curse words, nudity or violence on the screen so there's that.

I plan to blow through season two while D begins the cocoon he spins every two years for the world cup. Geez, I'd watch soccer if the damn matches didn't take so long.

confession

2006-06-01T13:15:00.000-07:00

Until last weekend, I hadn't bought a bra since before I met the husband.

We met 6 years ago.

It's a crime to go that long between bras and it's a wonder my boobs aren't down around my knees. I have quite a few but since they are all at least 6 years old, they've looked better. I couldn't figure out why my boobs didn't seem to be where I thought I'd left them. No elastic in the garment that's supposed to be providing support was clearly the problem. So I popped into Victoria's Secret to pick up a few and managed to blow $85 on two bras. I also let the lady talk me into getting the VS Secret Embrace bras. The name of it kinda skeeves me out. Secret embrace? I don't want a secret embrace from anyone. I guess it's supposed to sound naughty. It's seam free, and label free and made out of nylon and spandex...two materials that I wouldn't normally want touching my skin but ok. They are comfortable bras but somehow I managed not to notice that they put by boobs roughly under my throat. I mean these bad boys are like a shelf you could set your drink on. I've always been satisfied by what I was given but this is, frankly, pornographic. And they bounce more than boobs should...well at least real boobs.

And Victoria's secret is ridiculous. The sales girls wear headsets as if the store is so large that people get lost. And they all wear inappropriate black suits (read: shorts suits) and stockings and most have on wayyy too much makeup. Don't talk to me about a bra as if it's a work of art. Dear lord, why do bra's cost more than a pair of jeans? But they do still have the best underwear to go with their porn bra's.

D, of course, has no problem with the bras. Except maybe the price...which he'll discover after reading this. I can't take him into this store because he wanders and then comes back with something red, see-through, with the ass out of it. Boys.

weekend update

2006-05-31T11:33:00.000-07:00

I ate this delicious thing. It was so beautiful that I was sad to have to eat it. That's why I took a picture first. Isn't there a book about this? Maybe the guy only wrote down everything he ate for a year but he may have taken photo's too. Anyway, we had a bang up weekend with the in-laws in town. I played tennis (yeah, color me surprised) ate lots of crepes, lox plates, saw some theatre, caught a couple movies, and sweated my hindquarters off in the sudden heat. Our air conditioner is sitting on the floor in front of the window into which it should be installed. Our maintenance guy is taking his sweet ass time getting that thing put in so he's currently the person I hate. The sun practically sets inside our living room - at 5:30 or so it's brighter than whatever was in Marsellus Wallace's briefcase. Speaking of which, did you know the combination on the briefcase was 666? I mention this only because I went to starbucks yesterday and my order came up to $6.66. I looked at it...the cashier looked at it...but neither of us said anything.

I also thought that I'd partaken of a few Belgian whites but turns out I had three ales - a pale, a golden and an amber. Damn the Belgians make good beers. So all in all, a good weekend.

I'm looking forward to:

2006-05-25T10:09:00.000-07:00

1) 80 degree weather this weekend
2) my in-law's visiting
3) Sympathy for Lady Vengence (it's finally playing!)
4) North Pond brunch on Sunday
5) doing something low key with Carole B while the boys are at the Cubs game
6) La Creperie
7) Theatre (maybe the Goodman?)
8) Lox plate from Tweet
9) Seeing Bittersweet sing her tail off
10) Walks on the lake
11) LP Zoo
12) cereal and coffee in the mornings
13) Two days off!
13) LND's visit in June (Taco Kisses!)
14) Finally quitting my job
15) Radiohead in August
16) Packing up and heading out!

It's my Oma's 59th Birthday and she's still a hottie. Happy Birthday Mom! Oh, I'm looking forward to celebrating her 60th in the motherland - S. Korea represent! Maybe I'll see my other brother Hines Ward there. Ha!

Fun!

2006-05-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

I had dinner last night with the girls...and one guy. It's so hard to get together with people when you're not intentional about making firm plans. So far we've managed to get 5 or 6 people to commit one night for dinner together each month and honestly it's the best idea anyone's had in a long time. It's been fun and a great way to stay connected. What I like most (beyond the eating) is that the time we're together is very hyper, mostly due to Rhea. Dinner last night reminded me a lot of this particular show on Animal Planet. I tend to watch a lot of that when D's out of town. Anyway, they have this show called 'Animal Cops' and they focus on a few large cities (Detroit, San Francisco, Houston, etc.) where you ride along with a cop who breaks up dog fights and rescues goats that have fallen in wells and shit like that. So my favorites are when they find a 'collector' - someone who lets animals breed unchecked usually in their home. The rabbits are pretty disgusting and the dogs tend to be sad but the best are the cat collectors. Every show tends to showcase at least one cat collector. Most of the time the home owner has zero problem with housing 35-50 cats in a 2 bedroom house. First of all, not knowing exactly how many animals you own should be a clue that you have a problem. That and the fact that your entire house is a litterbox. Invariably it's some old lady who owns the house and she's of compromised health and mental status. The cops usually have to get the local vet to come out with a bus and a bunch of vet tech's to box up all the cats and take them back to the shelter. The exciting stuff goes down when they go in and try to catch all the cats. One of the problems with having 35-50 cats is that you probably have a handful of favorites that kind of dig you. They sit on your lap and want to snuggle when you go to sleep at night. Unfortunately that leaves about 30-50 cats who have never been picked up or petted by you or any other human being. Those cats look at you like you live in their house and that it's your damn job to continue feeding them. But really, how's that different than any other cat? How creepy would it be to know that your cats were just waiting for you to go to sleep one day and never wake up so they could eat you? I've seen enough episodes of CSI to know this totally happens. Really.

Anyway, when the cops and the tech's descend upon the house to catch these feral cats it reminds me of dinner with the girls. It's not just regular fun, it's catching 50 wild cats in an enclosed space kind of fun.

Hallelujah!

2006-05-22T13:38:00.000-07:00

Oh and D's back! He had the flight from hell - 18 hours in a plane and in his section, 8 brand new parents with fresh babies from China. Why he didn't snag one for us is beyond me. You think I could trick my mom into thinking my Chinese baby was really Korean or do you think she could tell? I digress.

So D's back and we ate out too much and then went grocery shopping to spend even more money. Now I want to go to costco in anticipation of the in-laws arrival this Thursday. Why can't I get paid to spend money? I'm so good at it!

decisions, decisions

2006-05-22T13:28:00.000-07:00

Well I like to think you guys are out there biting off your nails in anticipation of me & D's next move. If not, lie to me. Well we've decided that when we pull up stakes in July our wagon will head South rather than West. We're not ready to commit to Seattle with so much up in the air so to Atlanta we go! I had a lovely conversation a few weeks ago with my mother-in-law (MIL) during which I officially told her of our decision and asked if we could shack up with her and the father-in-law (FIL) for some months. She readily agreed and we had a nice little conversation. I hung up, washed some dishes and was cooking dinner when the phone rang. It was FIL calling to make sure that MIL showed the appropriate amount of enthusiasm at our decision to move to Atlanta. I think I'm beginning to see from where D's fear of being misunderstood stems. So, there you have it. No one in Seattle reads this thing anyway (mostly because we don't know anyone there yet) so Atlanta folks, be happy! I, for one, will be glad to get back to some hot ass weather. D and I will be easy to spot. We'll be the ones bumming rides from our friends because we live with our parents and have no car. Why do I suddenly feel 16 again?

cry baby

2006-05-15T19:21:00.000-07:00

I was sitting on the couch Sunday afternoon just waiting for my friend to pick me up to go to the gap outlet. I had the tv on and this black and white commercial come on. This van pulls up in front of a building and outside, on the curb, is an older woman and a little boy and girl about 3 years old. The couple gets out of the car and look at the kids. The older woman is a little broken up but eventually the kids get in the van. Then the couple and the kids are on an airplane. The woman is by the window, the little girl next to her and then the boy on the end. The man is in the aisle seat one row back. The mom reaches into her bag and pulls out a bag of cheerios. She puts them on the little girls' plate and makes a smiley face. The man reaches around the seat and puts a 'nose' on the face. Everyone smiles. Next thing you know the woman is holding the sleeping girl in her lap and the man has the little boy in his lap. Then you see them walking through the airport hand in hand. Clearly this was an adoption and this 'new' family is going to make it as evidenced by the cheerios connection. So emotionally manipulative.

I bawled my eyes out and I don't even like cheerios. In fact, if the choice were between no breakfast and cheerios, I'd rather not eat. I hear they are the wonder food for babies and children but I think they're pretty blah. My mom probably doesn't even know what cheerios are. But I'm sure I had kimchee before I even had teeth. Now that's a wonder food.

the gods are angry

2006-05-15T14:59:00.000-07:00

Did you hear about this?

Well I did because on Friday, D sent me a text message saying, "We at volcano now." I had no idea what he was talking about and then I'm reading all over the news that this thing is spewing lava and thousands are being evacuated. And yes, D was right there. Good thing I'm not a worrier. Sheesh.

Things I know:

2006-05-12T12:55:00.000-07:00

1) Friday night is the best time to do laundry, unless you live in Seminary housing and are bad and don't go to church. Then Sunday morning is the best time.
2) Tomatoes are gross. Even Natalie Dee agrees.
3)expensive perfume is always a good gift
4)the work day goes by faster if you listen to good music
5) dinosaurs make a good movie better. They make a crap movie tolerable.
6) I'd rather not sleep alone
7) my in-laws are better than your in-laws
8) standardized tests suck ass
9) gmail is tight
10) good friends are gifts
11) shopping, if done correctly, is exhausting
12) chicago's weather is unpredictable - usually not in my favor
13) having a half-assed plan is better than no plan at all
14) moving is expensive
15) tums is my 5th food group
16) avocados go with everything
17) the post office, DMV and grocery store all suck, especially on holidays
18) getting to and staying in Hawaii is overpriced, especially in January
19) cell phones/text messaging has made the world smaller
20) decent, affordable healthcare is a right
21) the last few weeks at any job are the looooongest
22) you can't live on love but its a damn good start
23) i married the right man
24) the best tv is often better than the best movies
25) knitting is therapeutic

I'm the king of Siam

2006-05-08T15:08:00.000-07:00

I tend to add shitty movies to my netflix cue when David is out of town. He loves me but probably not enough to sit through the Transporter 2. Who could blame him?

Anyway, I also received The Magnificent Seven which I don't recall adding to my cue. I'd tried to watch Kurosawa's Seven Samurai but damn was it long. I only made it about half way and had to turn it off. Now that I've seen The Magnificent Seven, I know why: no hot dudes in the Japanese original. Now if Ken Wantanabe had been in the original I'm sure I would have finished it. What the remake had going for it was hot dudes. Manly men like Steve McQueen, James Coburn, Charles Bronson and not so manly Yul Bryner. He wasn't manly but dude was hot. Maybe it's the accent of unknown origin that he had in every movie...the old school version of Sean Connery I guess. A lot of the dialogue was hilarious and the big reveal was that Bronson's character was supposed to be half Mexican (which is awesome when you consider that he's actually Polish). It also cracked me up that this village they were tasked to protect was just over the border in Mexico but all the Mexicans spoke perfect English...even the children. The blood looked fake, the villain was a joke - this was not a masterpiece but man was it fun. And seriously, Yul Bryner. He made intentionally bald hot well before Jordan.

Deathly

2006-05-04T13:59:00.000-07:00

There is a story in today's New York Times about buying property on which the former owner died and/or was killed. Of course they're talking about NY properties and I was always under the impression that good housing was so scarce that New Yorkers could care less about that sort of thing. It was pointed out that an Asian couple were taking their final walk through before signing the paperwork when the broker mentioned that the previous owner croaked in their soon to be house. The couple decided to pass on the property. It's more likely in this day and age that you'd die in a hospital than in your home, but there was time when people did die in their homes all the time. Would it matter if the person died/was murdered 100 years ago?

I wonder if I could live in a house where I knew someone had been murdered. Would it matter if the person just died in their sleep or if they were killed? Would the age of the person matter? What if I could get my dream house for a fraction of the cost? I tend to have nightmares on a fairly regular basis and whether or not the house was 'haunted' I'm sure my dreaming mind would make it haunted. Then again, how do I know I've never lived somewhere where someone was murdered? Apparently in some states you don't have to disclose that information. As long as there weren't bullet holes in the walls and pools of blood on the floor I guess it would be ok.

Then again, a murder would really fuck up the feng shui of a place. Your Chi would be jacked.

WTF?

2006-05-03T05:02:00.000-07:00

Is it spring where you are? We're going through the usual Chicago dilemma: Hot inside, cold outside and vice versa. It's pretty warm here today but it's freezing in our offices. Yesterday it was a little cooler outside but they had us roasting in the office.

On a different note, D arrived safely in Indonesia. I never worry about his overseas flights, I just worry about the puddle jumpers he has to take in country. He went to Meulaboh yesterday and when I asked about the flight he informed me that he was traveling via UN plane and UN helicopter. Mr. Helpy McImportantpants indeed. He'll take offense to me calling him that I'm sure.

it's my party

2006-05-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

Did I tell you about my going away party? Well it was less of a party and more of a lunch which was fine. Anyone who knows me well knows that I HATE big to do's with me as the focus. It was hard enough getting married with all them folks starin' at me. Us, staring at us. I hate taking pictures although considering all the photos the B-family takes, I've gotten better about this. So my boss (the one who is also leaving) loves to entertain. He composed a Top 10 reasons why he was leaving the school. Number two was that we'd broken up. Ha! I've only been here for two years and he's been here for like six so people are more upset that he's leaving than me. He's probably more upset about leaving than I am so I guess it all works out. Anyway, some ladies in the office are making a little book for me w/pictures of my coworkers and their wishes of good luck. Isn't that sweet? Yeah, I thought so too.

woe is me

2006-04-30T17:25:00.000-07:00

I'm supposed to live without this dreamboat for the next 18 days. Impossible yes? Well D's off to Indonesia to follow up on the stories he started following last year. That means I'm going to have entirely too much time on my hands. I've already watched a weeks worth of tv in one day. I plan to put on about 40 lbs in his absence. No, that's not true. I tend to eat less when I'm alone. How pathetic.

current problems

2006-04-28T11:56:00.000-07:00

It's friday and on fridays, as a rule, I don't work. I go to work but I do as little as possible. I usually blow the first half of the day chatting up our workstudy student. Topics typically include, blaxploitation films from the 70's, cable television, strange things D has done and childhood stories.

Today I woke up feeling pretty crappy. Well first of all I kept having dreams of having already woken up so I was very disoriented when I did actually get up. Since I've changed the route I take to work, my normally 1.5 hour commute has been cut in half so I tend to get up later now. No one should be out in public and on the way to work a mere half hour after having gotten up. I swear I leave the house every morning all puffy faced and disheveled. It's not pretty. Anyway, I had a killer stomachache upon waking and thought a handful of Tums would take care of it. Not so much. Now I'm burping up Tums and I'm still dying. The problem is, after 33 years on this earth I'm still stupid enough to order a cheeseburger w/habanero cheese on it. What was I thinking would happen? I am really paying for my stupidity now.

Speaking of stupidity, D and I were at Costco this past weekend. Now for me, Costco is the mothership much like Nine West & Crate and Barrel (and sometimes Ikea). Going into those stores just soothes me for some reason. Anyway, I've been rocking the same 30 pairs of underwear for the past 3 to 4 years - mostly cotton dealies from Victoria's secret. After thousands of washes they're finally giving up the ghost. So I saw cotton underwear being sold (7 in a box - what a deal!) and couldn't resist. There was a picture of a lady in said underwear on the box. These things clearly stopped about 2 inches below her belly button. On me they stop just where my boobs begin. It's not cute and it's not like I can take them back. I've rolled them down using the elastic band but they still stick out the top of my pants. I'm an idiot. Who buys bulk underwear?

But costco has the best fruit anywhere.

undecided

2006-04-27T07:59:00.000-07:00

I was so sure that D & I would be able to come up with our plan of action by this weekend but now I'm not so sure. We've been looking at how much it's going to cost us to move to either Atlanta or Seattle and truth be told, both options suck. This money thing is playing a role, albeit a small one, in our decision making. It's really more annoying than anything. We're trying to weigh the pros and cons of each city while also recognizing that wherever we end up, we will make the best of it. Neither D nor I are big on bellyaching over decisions already made.

Atlanta is the obvious choice. We have a ready made community there of amazing friends and family that would welcome us back. They're all excited at the prospect of us returning and we'd love to be closer to everyone. In Seattle we know a handful of people but not anyone we could say we are close to. If our choice is Atlanta, we'd have a place to stay while we looked for more permanent digs. It would be a no pressure kind of move where we'd actually save money because we could shack up with my in-laws for a time. If we go to Seattle, we'd have to plan another reconnaissance mission out there just to find housing. The move to Seattle is going to run us at least $1500-2000 however we get our stuff out there. Do I want to drive our crap 2000 miles in a shitty rental truck? Do I want to DRIVE through Montana? My gut says I would rather poke out my eyes than do this and my gut is pretty good for these kinds of decisions. Driving our stuff to Atlanta won't be a cake walk either but at least we've done that twice. Plus its closer & cheaper.

But I'm not sure if I'm convinced on Emory. My visit was great and I know the opportunities there will be amazing. Atlanta is the public health capital of the world and Emory enjoys wonderful relationships with a lot of health agencies. Emory will also run me about $40,000 for two years of study. I don't know how generous they are with scholarships but I know they have money and lots of it. Something about it didn't feel as right as I thought it would. Not sure what that is about.

But then we think about Seattle. Seattle is the unknown and that makes it exciting. The city is beautiful, it's not too expensive and our quality of life just seems like it would be higher. It feels more laid back than Atlanta or Chicago. Seattle would be something new for both of us and I think we could both love living there. UW clearly has a wonderful program and from what I could see, turns out great practitioners. The Community Health program looks like exactly what I want and it would offer a hands-on, practical education. Since the masters level program is attached to the university at large, the resources available are pretty amazing. But they pretty much have no $$$ for scholarships but again, I'm sure they would help me figure out a way to fund my education. And if we moved there the year before, we could establish residency and pay in-state tuition to the tune of $8000-$9000 a year (as opposed to Emory's $20,000 a year). But what happens if we have a 6 month old & I'm juggling school, a part time job and D is off to Indonesia for 3 weeks? I'm sure we'll create a new community for ourselves out there but would I want to leave my kid with someone I just met? Daycare I understand but how about in the middle of the night when I've got a paper due & I'm currently a single parent with a sick kid? Thinking about that is kind of scary. But that's the thing; we don't want to make a decision based on fear. Neither D nor I want to choose Atlanta because it will be easier and not do Seattle because it will clearly be harder. Yes we want to be practical and realistic but we also want to be honest with ourselves about what we want.

Keep in mind, all this deciding is being done based on what I want to do in the future. D can live anywhere and work but we're considering this move based on graduate school for me. What if we move to either city and I apply to both but end up getting into the school in the city where we didn't move? What if I don't get into either school? Either is a distinct possibility and we have to be prepared for that potential outcome. Am I going to be pissed if we move to Seattle and I don't get into school at UW but get into Emory? Would we then move from Seattle to Atlanta? The thought of doing that makes me want to jump off a building. All our current plans are being made for something that may or may not happen. We could move to Atlanta & I never end up getting pregnant. Can I justify making plans for pregnancy that could conceivably never happen? Aggghhhhh, it's too much to think about.

What would be the smart thing to do? Hang tight in Chicago until we figure out where we want to go? What if that turns out to be Seattle & I miss the chance to get in-state tuition? And if I get pregnant soon and we have a baby when its time to move, will I still be willing to go out there with an infant and no family or friends around for support? I've never gone more than 2 weeks without a job because I freak out at the thought of not being able to pay our bills. I'm guessing that's a minor anxiety compared to baby anxiety. Can I take another winter in Chicago? What if we move to Atlanta for a year and then re-evaluate once I apply to schools? Is that a cop out? Could/would we really settle there knowing we might be moving again? Could my in-laws stand us for 10 months?

It seems we're no closer to making a decision than we were before. Something's gotta give and it's probably going to be my sanity.

so long, farewell

2006-04-25T07:26:00.000-07:00

I'm so distracted. Today the office is having the official 'going away' party for both me and my immediate boss. I'm leaving June 30 and he's leaving July 31st. Yes, it's only April. The school year is over here next week and the administration doesn't want the students to show up next year wondering where we are. Makes sense but it's still kind of strange to have a whole community say goodbye to you and then you hang out for another two months. Like, die already!!!

So because it is a seminary, you can't say goodbye without a worship service. So I think I'm reading the Old Testament scripture and then serving communion. Yes, me. I'm doing that. Afterwards we're having a blow out w/Korean food so it'll all be worth it. Ok Korean food blowout sounds gross in hindsight. Unfortunately the caterer showed up yesterday with food for 250 people. Someone got their days mixed up. By the way, did you know that kimchee keeps folks from getting the avian flu? My people are STRONG!!!

It really is nice to have people that care enough about you to say 'goodbye' in a meaningful way. I'm sure I'll be sad to leave here because of the great friends I've made but at the same time, it's so time to go.

Chicago

2006-04-21T17:59:00.000-07:00

This is how the city draws you in. Beautiful spring and summer days and then, BAM, winter hell. But here's a pic from today out by Lake Michigan. Days like this make me wonder why we're moving...but then I remember. Winter Hell.

bleedin' out

2006-04-21T08:55:00.000-07:00

We are hemorrhaging money right now. I know I sang the praises of two incomes not long ago but seriously the money is running out of our checking account like it's on FIRE.

We actually had to pay taxes this year. I've never had to pay taxes and in fact, always got a refund. The year after we married, D and I got a fat-ass check from Uncle Sam in some ridiculous amount. I hope we blew it on something fun cause I honestly can't remember what we did with it. Maybe it helped fund out trip to Korea?

Anyway, this year we got our taxes in just in time. I paid online but I'll get back to that in a minute. We owed $2300 to the government. It makes D break out in hives just thinking about our tax money going to build some bomb the government will drop on Iran. We filed so late that I pretty much had to pay online which was another $60. So yes, we not only paid to have our taxes done, we paid to pay our taxes. This whole income tax thing is a racket to squeeze the life out of regular folks. But you all knew that already.

things i learned on my spring vacation

2006-04-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

Seattle is bee-yooo-tee-ful. If you've never been, run don't walk there immediately. Or take a plane...whatever.

I thought people in the south were nice. Well they are, but Seattle folks seem to be nice because it's never really hot or cold and they have that big sky and mountains and all that water. It must remind folk of being in the womb or something because yeah, they're just nice. In-vitro fetus, nothing is wrong with the world nice. The cherry blossoms pic on the first post was taken on the UW campus. All of Seattle is that pretty. Even the sketchy parts. Really!

Take the bus drivers for instance. I had one tell me not to add another dollar to the fare I paid cause it was only a dollar at that time...when the sign clearly said $1.25. We had a different driver actually flag down another bus so we wouldn't have to wait for the next transfer. And bus driver number 3 told me that you pay when you get off. When you get off? If that were Chicago, the CTA would go out of business cause NO ONE would pay. Everyone would sit in the back of the bus and just jump off when it stopped. I know I would. Both of our shuttle drivers were just chatty chatty about the merits of living in the Emerald city. Some people get to work/school by kayak! KAYAK! Now that will never be me cause I wouldn't ride a bike to work let alone a kayak but that's neither here nor there. Just the thought that it is an option tickles me. There are condos advertised here that feature extra large storage areas for, you guessed it, your kayak.

You may not know this but you can walk around Seattle. It's like a really big town more than a big city. There are very distinct neighborhoods but you can easily walk from one to the other. We drove around a bit while we were there. Well David drove and I was the map reader. I'd tell him a road was coming up but that he had time to prepare to turn and then we'd pass it. The maps of Seattle are bigger than Seattle itself. Crazy. We walked off both of our feet, ate tons of Vietnamese and seafood and hung out with friends. Although half of our trip was blue skies and fluffy clouds, we didn't see Mt. Rainier until we were on our way to the airport. Unbelievable. It was so grand I couldn't get a picture of it. It would've looked fake anyway. In fact, most of the Seattle landscape looks fake because I'm so unaccustomed to seeing mountains and water surrounding my city. So if you are looking for a place to vacation, skip California and head north instead.

the update

2006-04-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

What's been going on for the last few weeks? Glad you asked. Since the last week in march I've:

1) Had surgery
2) visited Emory
3) hung out w/the girls at the lamest 'girls night' event ever but still had fun
4) had a mini-vacation in Seattle
5) visited Univ. of Washington

Oh, and if I told you I'd never take drugs to get pregnant, I'm officially a liar. Every time we passed families with two little kids in a stroller or like yesterday, a couple no older than us with 4 kids under 5, D would say, "thanks cipro". Like they had to be on drugs to have so many little ones. And no it doesn't matter that I tell him Cipro is a broad spectrum antibiotic and not a fertility drug. D thinks what he wants most of the time. We were strolling through a park in Capital Hill and I wanted to go up to the fountain when I felt D pulling me in the other direction. I turned to ask him what was up when he said, "Oh Shit, Mormons". Sure enough, there were Mormons chatting up some guy. See, I keep D around cause he's funny. And cute.

My new home

2006-04-18T19:14:00.000-07:00

Hello!

If you're here, welcome! I decided that it was time to get my name out of the old blog as I start thinking about a new beginning. Wouldn't it be great if I got rejected from grad school because of what I write? Yeah, I thought so too. So I plan to write more often and D showed me how to post pictures so here's the first one.

More stories to come.