On Facebook they have different "debate" topics on different issues, and I ran into "Would a female president be as effective as a male president" sponsored by ABC as a topic. It totally makes me sick that they can even ask that question and it can be interpreted by some as a valid issue. They would never openly debate, "would a black president be as effective as a male president" or "would a Mormon president be as effective as a WASP president" or "would a cross-dressing president be as effective as a gender-consistent-dressing president". Notably, many, many more males responded with "no" than females, using absolutely horrendous reasoning skills ("if you take their periods into account then we'll be dropping atomics bombs once a month!!!!" or "they just wouldn't be able to garner the respect from all the sexists in the world (but I'm not one of them, I SWEAR)!!!!"). I hate people.
And then there are the people who answered "yes" but then said "but NOT Hills". Like somehow they're hiding their sexism by purporting to actually have weighed the issues. I call bullshit. She's honestly not a whole lot different than the other candidates. She's just one of the bunch, really, playing politics like the game that it is...just like everyone else she's' up against.
She's the only female that, in my opinion, it would be POSSIBLE to elect in the U.S. given her, you know, 8 years of experience being the closest adviser to the most popular president of our time. Not to mention the fact that Bills (like that?) would be an equal adviser to her if she were elected.
Yet again a woman who is more than qualified than the competition but will have an uphill battle the entire way. Well she has my fucking vote. The same way she will bring out thousands of men to vote against her gender, I will be there to vote for it.
12.25.2007
Merry Christmas, everyone.
If I had remembered before I came home, I would have put up a christmas theme for the blog, but I am laaaaaazzzzzzzzzzzzzyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
I saw Erica at Copps yesterday. First, I saw Justin, but figured that it was just someone that looked like Justin because he was looking right at me and didn't make an indication that he knew who I was (at least, from my perspective). Plus, I think I have mild face-blindness. Then, anyway, Erica said hi. You were all so well dressed.
If I had remembered before I came home, I would have put up a christmas theme for the blog, but I am laaaaaazzzzzzzzzzzzzyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.
I saw Erica at Copps yesterday. First, I saw Justin, but figured that it was just someone that looked like Justin because he was looking right at me and didn't make an indication that he knew who I was (at least, from my perspective). Plus, I think I have mild face-blindness. Then, anyway, Erica said hi. You were all so well dressed.
12.17.2007
Guess who had another baby? I can't remember - would that be #2 or #3? I know he had 1 son while we were in college, and I thought he had another in between, but not sure. Can you believe Christmas is almost here?! I feel like a little kid getting so excited about it! Now that Ella can understand things she's so excited and I'm even more excited for her. It's going to be weird signing 'Santa' on the gifts :) (I'm getting old!!)
12.12.2007
| Christmas, war. On a drive to my local mall, while flipping through the stations, I settled on that old John Lennon Christmas song - you know the one "So this is Christmas, and what have you done? Another year over, and a new one just begun." Happy enough, sure, and I sang along, but maybe the song isn't so happy, because I started to cry as the children sang "War is over, if you want it". Lets hope its a good one, without any tears. Christmas is a truly poignant time for me, and for all westerners. It is clear to me that the holiday loses none of its meaning and power by being separated from an ancient myth. |
In the northern hemisphere, where most of earth's land mass has accumulated, starting in September, the sun begins to drift south, the direction we call down. It goes down, down, down further and further, plunging the earth into the cold - a cold like that of outer space, where we would have no sun to warm us. Then on December 21, it stops going down, and it sits there. On the southern edge of the horizon. We're left to build fire, wrap ourselves in cloaks, and huddle, hoping that the sun will rise again and the days will lengthen, and we can grow crops and live again. Three days and no change. Then, like a miracle, the sun begins to creep northward on December 25. It is no wonder that a very powerful cult on the global stage has taken this date as its biggest holiday. Biggest, yes, but perhaps not the most important. That tells us something as well. Christmas does not celebrate the act of Jesus saving everyone from original sin. Presumably, that should be the biggest one. But the fact is that in dark times, we want light.
They didn't have Christmas in Vietnam, and they don't have it in Iraq, but it might just be the best ideological export to the rest of the world. Join hands, give of yourself, and love. And so Happy Christmas, I can't stop crying.
| And Billy Joel has a new Christmas Song, for the soldiers, I guess. Some say it is insensitive, since over there they practice Islam. My colleague spent two months in Kuwait and said there were two Christian churches in the entire country. She got there on the first day of Ramadan. She accidentally drank some water outside the airport and got some weird looks. Only later did she realize that she could have been arrested. But thats not the point. M*A*S*H featured it - what is a holiday in a war zone? What is the holiday of peace and love - what can it mean in a place where every horror you can think of happens, every day. |
War is not over, we cannot take it anymore. It's Christmas in Falluja.
12.07.2007
12.03.2007
11.27.2007
Hannah, Jacob's youngest sister, called me last night all excited ... she got her first 'real' job - busing tables at Pasquallies in Rapids. Jamie, isn't this where you worked and it was awful?? Did you know JoAnn, the bartender? She sold PC & is friends with Ranee - we went to Chicago together for this conference last summer and she was so much fun!
PS ... I never seen anyone over Thanksgiving ... at least no one important like you girls! I seen lots of people I 'knew' from school or jobs at the downtown lighting. I'm also proud to say I never even stepped in WalMart - probably would have seen a billion more people, though!
PS ... I never seen anyone over Thanksgiving ... at least no one important like you girls! I seen lots of people I 'knew' from school or jobs at the downtown lighting. I'm also proud to say I never even stepped in WalMart - probably would have seen a billion more people, though!
11.23.2007
11.12.2007
11.03.2007
I think we would all agree that Iowa -- especially Iowa City -- is not a cultural mecca. Even so, there are some culturally wonderful things about this place, like the fact that the vending machines are all stocked with not only Coke Zero, which is almost impossible to find on our grocery store shelves up north (and certainly not in the machines), but CHERRY Coke Zero, and VANILLA Coke Zero. These are products I've seen advertised for the last few months, sodas I have lusted after because of my deep affection for the less-diet-flavored, still-zero-caloried Coke Zero.
I live in hell. I really do. Up there, I am so disconnected from everything. Yeah, it's just soda. But it's also a reflection of the bigger things.
I live in hell. I really do. Up there, I am so disconnected from everything. Yeah, it's just soda. But it's also a reflection of the bigger things.
10.30.2007
Holy Sh*t!
So around 8:05 Pacific, I felt some rumbling in my apartment - at first, I thought the neighbors were banging the walls or something, then I realized that it was much bigger than that. I told my mom that we were having an earthquake. I checked the site that I check more often than the weather sites (out here) to see where the quake was. At first, there was just a small white placeholder square with a red x in it. I refreshed, refreshed, refreshed, nothing. Then I refreshed and BOOM, there was a big red square, kind of far away from me (I'm probably between the second c in San Francisco and the lower of the two blue squares above that). I slept through the earthquake that happened on my birthday, so this is my second.
I don't think this is "the big one", and my old boss was in Indonesia during the 8.something quake there, with those 7.something "aftershocks" (btw, those aren't aftershocks, they're new earthquakes). Sig, what was the biggest earthquake you felt?
So around 8:05 Pacific, I felt some rumbling in my apartment - at first, I thought the neighbors were banging the walls or something, then I realized that it was much bigger than that. I told my mom that we were having an earthquake. I checked the site that I check more often than the weather sites (out here) to see where the quake was. At first, there was just a small white placeholder square with a red x in it. I refreshed, refreshed, refreshed, nothing. Then I refreshed and BOOM, there was a big red square, kind of far away from me (I'm probably between the second c in San Francisco and the lower of the two blue squares above that). I slept through the earthquake that happened on my birthday, so this is my second.
I don't think this is "the big one", and my old boss was in Indonesia during the 8.something quake there, with those 7.something "aftershocks" (btw, those aren't aftershocks, they're new earthquakes). Sig, what was the biggest earthquake you felt?
10.27.2007
I went to the doctor today. I had a breast exam, because I recently noticed a weird indentation/crease that I had never noticed before; the internet informed me that this could potentially be problematic, though not likely cancerous. I assumed it was nothing, seeing as how I'm 26 and have no familial history of breast cancer or other breast troubles, but at the same time I didn't want to ignore it and find out later that my cancer had spread to my lymph nodes and I had 3 months to live.
No doubt, my decision to see the doctor was influenced by the fact that it's breast cancer awareness month and so I've seen all kinds of terrifying statistics all over the place, and also by the fact that I just read Lucy Grealy's Autobiography of a Face, which details her battle with cancer (not of the breast variety, but still -- scary stuff). Oh. And, through the powers of MySpace, I recently found a cousin I hadn't seen or heard from in about 10 years...not since she moved to California to live with her dad after her mother died a long and horrible death from breast cancer. So yes. Compounding factors frightened my I-hate-the-doctor self into making an appointment.
I have budget insurance, and so I consulted my policy prior to making an appointment so I'd know what to expect. Unfortunately, I didn't realize quite how shitty my budget insurance is until today. I assumed my breast exam would be covered since, according to my policy, "Benefits for the first 3 home or office visits each calendar year are subject to the coinsurance stated in the Schedule of Member Cost Shares. The calendar year deductible is waived." I figured I'd have to pay 25% of the bill (my coinsurance) and be done with it, since this was an office visit. But no. It turns out that office visits for "preventative and routine care services" are not covered, and breast exams are preventative care (I think -- the policy is awfully cryptic). So I now have a $250 bill to pay for playing it safe and making sure I don't have cancer, rather than the expected $60. I'm not sure I would have gone in if I'd assumed a $250 bill, as I was 95% sure I had nothing to worry about. (That's bad, isn't it, that cost can stop people from seeing health care professionals in potentially life threatening situations?)
There's some hazy gray language in my policy about diagnostic services that I can't make sense of, and maybe my breast exam will fit into that category, but...I don't know. I guess I'll have to wait and see. The receptionist decided to bill it to the insurance company as a physical for now. She did this because "most health insurance policies cover 100% of an annual physical" -- that is, since an annual physical could in theory catch health problems early and ultimately save the insurance company some money, the company is willing to foot the bill. My budget policy, it turns out, doesn't cover physicals -- but I had no idea whether or not it did while I was in the office, not having memorized my confusing benefit booklet for Alaska residents. So. I have no idea what's going to happen, really, but it very likely could be a $250 bill, and that pisses me off. It should not be so fucking expensive to address a legitimate health concern...especially for a person who pays for health insurance every goddamn month. I could just as well flush my money down the toilet for all the good my insurance does me, it seems.
All I learned from this lousy doctor visit is that I have particularly lumpy breast tissue, which is not exactly a surprise. (The doctor told me the name for this type of breast tissue, but I've forgotten it.) My breast tissue is unusual only in that it's not terribly common; it's not dangerous or anything. However, this excessive lumpiness evidently makes my breasts especially prone to weird indentations such as the one I noticed, and my lumpy tissue makes it more difficult to detect cancer during a self-exam. Goody. That was [potentially] $250 well spent.
No doubt, my decision to see the doctor was influenced by the fact that it's breast cancer awareness month and so I've seen all kinds of terrifying statistics all over the place, and also by the fact that I just read Lucy Grealy's Autobiography of a Face, which details her battle with cancer (not of the breast variety, but still -- scary stuff). Oh. And, through the powers of MySpace, I recently found a cousin I hadn't seen or heard from in about 10 years...not since she moved to California to live with her dad after her mother died a long and horrible death from breast cancer. So yes. Compounding factors frightened my I-hate-the-doctor self into making an appointment.
I have budget insurance, and so I consulted my policy prior to making an appointment so I'd know what to expect. Unfortunately, I didn't realize quite how shitty my budget insurance is until today. I assumed my breast exam would be covered since, according to my policy, "Benefits for the first 3 home or office visits each calendar year are subject to the coinsurance stated in the Schedule of Member Cost Shares. The calendar year deductible is waived." I figured I'd have to pay 25% of the bill (my coinsurance) and be done with it, since this was an office visit. But no. It turns out that office visits for "preventative and routine care services" are not covered, and breast exams are preventative care (I think -- the policy is awfully cryptic). So I now have a $250 bill to pay for playing it safe and making sure I don't have cancer, rather than the expected $60. I'm not sure I would have gone in if I'd assumed a $250 bill, as I was 95% sure I had nothing to worry about. (That's bad, isn't it, that cost can stop people from seeing health care professionals in potentially life threatening situations?)
There's some hazy gray language in my policy about diagnostic services that I can't make sense of, and maybe my breast exam will fit into that category, but...I don't know. I guess I'll have to wait and see. The receptionist decided to bill it to the insurance company as a physical for now. She did this because "most health insurance policies cover 100% of an annual physical" -- that is, since an annual physical could in theory catch health problems early and ultimately save the insurance company some money, the company is willing to foot the bill. My budget policy, it turns out, doesn't cover physicals -- but I had no idea whether or not it did while I was in the office, not having memorized my confusing benefit booklet for Alaska residents. So. I have no idea what's going to happen, really, but it very likely could be a $250 bill, and that pisses me off. It should not be so fucking expensive to address a legitimate health concern...especially for a person who pays for health insurance every goddamn month. I could just as well flush my money down the toilet for all the good my insurance does me, it seems.
All I learned from this lousy doctor visit is that I have particularly lumpy breast tissue, which is not exactly a surprise. (The doctor told me the name for this type of breast tissue, but I've forgotten it.) My breast tissue is unusual only in that it's not terribly common; it's not dangerous or anything. However, this excessive lumpiness evidently makes my breasts especially prone to weird indentations such as the one I noticed, and my lumpy tissue makes it more difficult to detect cancer during a self-exam. Goody. That was [potentially] $250 well spent.
10.18.2007
When did WCTC become Solarus? I don't expect any of you to know this, nor do I really care...it's more of a curiosity question, a "how can an entity that was so huge and stable in the community throughout my life change without my knowing it?" It's not a big deal, and it certainly doesn't affect my life one bit. It's just strange when what used to be my world rearranges itself without my knowledge. It's also strange to think of the WCTC building as anything other than the WCTC building, and it's strange to picture that building without the blue and yellow logo on the front.
So it goes.
So it goes.
9.19.2007
9.17.2007
Excerpted from an article in the April 6, 1893 Badger State Banner, out of Black River Falls, Wisconsin:
A woman who gave her name as Wilson died at Chippewa Falls from a criminal operation performed upon herself. Her parents live near Eau Claire...her brother took charge of her remains. The woman was young and pretty and visited every physician in Chippewa Falls to accomplish her object, but without success.
9.11.2007
Happy Birthday, Lisa
Usually, a day is a day, the name of a month, a number between 1 and 31, a day name, and the two or four digit year. Some days are special. July 20 is a special day for me. Some special days differ every year, like Thanksgiving and all the bank holidays (except the 4th and Christmas). Those days come around once a year and get some special attention. Then there are those days that get special attention all the time. The date that we see in headlines and in articles, we hear from the mouths of pundits, polititians, and even friends.
Most disasters and big events have specific names - the '89 quake, the tsunami, Katrina, the floods in '93, Oklahoma City, Waco, the bridge collapse, the WTC Bombing. I resisted using the emergent moniker for the World Trade Center Attack, starting with "what happened last Tuesday", but eventually, I had to give in to the overwhelming lexicon. Nine Eleven, September 11. We don't just hear that in late August and early September, it is omnipresent, but yet, this year, it is just another business day. I went to class, and today, I went to work, had a phone meeting with that guy in Houston, booked a hotel room, and sent an email to a legal secretary in Africa.
But the RFP I printed had the date stamped as September 11, 2007, and my phone displayed Sept 11, and I can't help remembering, not just that day, but every bit of bullshit and horror that we've justified because of it. Today is just a day, but all around me were memories of sitting in my dorm room in disbelief, of whispering in Spanish class, and then finally confirming the shock. In retrospect, 9/11 didn't change a damn thing. Our news is still full of fluff, we're still afraid of the wrong things, and we still think the economy is just great! 9/11 didn't end when they cleared away the debris or had the final body count. Our brief (hopefully) period of history will be best identified as "The 9/11 Years".
Then there are those 16.5 million people that were born on September 11, including our friend Lisa. I know you've been talking and thinking about this more than anyone else (except maybe those other millions of people). Happy 26th, Lise. I hope you had the cake of your choice, recieved wonderful presents, and found great joy in your adorable daughter.
Usually, a day is a day, the name of a month, a number between 1 and 31, a day name, and the two or four digit year. Some days are special. July 20 is a special day for me. Some special days differ every year, like Thanksgiving and all the bank holidays (except the 4th and Christmas). Those days come around once a year and get some special attention. Then there are those days that get special attention all the time. The date that we see in headlines and in articles, we hear from the mouths of pundits, polititians, and even friends.
Most disasters and big events have specific names - the '89 quake, the tsunami, Katrina, the floods in '93, Oklahoma City, Waco, the bridge collapse, the WTC Bombing. I resisted using the emergent moniker for the World Trade Center Attack, starting with "what happened last Tuesday", but eventually, I had to give in to the overwhelming lexicon. Nine Eleven, September 11. We don't just hear that in late August and early September, it is omnipresent, but yet, this year, it is just another business day. I went to class, and today, I went to work, had a phone meeting with that guy in Houston, booked a hotel room, and sent an email to a legal secretary in Africa.
But the RFP I printed had the date stamped as September 11, 2007, and my phone displayed Sept 11, and I can't help remembering, not just that day, but every bit of bullshit and horror that we've justified because of it. Today is just a day, but all around me were memories of sitting in my dorm room in disbelief, of whispering in Spanish class, and then finally confirming the shock. In retrospect, 9/11 didn't change a damn thing. Our news is still full of fluff, we're still afraid of the wrong things, and we still think the economy is just great! 9/11 didn't end when they cleared away the debris or had the final body count. Our brief (hopefully) period of history will be best identified as "The 9/11 Years".
Then there are those 16.5 million people that were born on September 11, including our friend Lisa. I know you've been talking and thinking about this more than anyone else (except maybe those other millions of people). Happy 26th, Lise. I hope you had the cake of your choice, recieved wonderful presents, and found great joy in your adorable daughter.
8.28.2007
8.16.2007
8.10.2007
I'm sure you've done some digging already, but just in case. Here is the government webpage for fair housing laws.
This is the address and telephone of the regional HUD office where complaints are directed:
Chicago Regional Office of FHEO
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building
77 West Jackson Boulevard, Room 2101
Chicago, Illinois 60604-3507
(312) 353-7776 ext. 2453
1-800-765-9372
TTY (312) 353-7143
There is also an online complaint form you can fill out.
Fairhousinglaw.org seems to have some good info also.
It would be interesting to have somebody white go see the apartment and see how he treats them. According to the Fairhousinglaw.org website a lot of people had their white friends call/visit the landlords to see if they were treated differently, and when they were, they sued the landlord into the ground. So that might be a good place to start.
This is the address and telephone of the regional HUD office where complaints are directed:
Chicago Regional Office of FHEO
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
Ralph H. Metcalfe Federal Building
77 West Jackson Boulevard, Room 2101
Chicago, Illinois 60604-3507
(312) 353-7776 ext. 2453
1-800-765-9372
TTY (312) 353-7143
There is also an online complaint form you can fill out.
Fairhousinglaw.org seems to have some good info also.
It would be interesting to have somebody white go see the apartment and see how he treats them. According to the Fairhousinglaw.org website a lot of people had their white friends call/visit the landlords to see if they were treated differently, and when they were, they sued the landlord into the ground. So that might be a good place to start.
So I looked at an apartment today and the landlord kept making these weird comments that, at first, didn't make sense...until I asked him where to sign (the place was nice, and I wanted to reserve it). Suddenly he started making these excuses, such as "well, I have other people coming to look at it" and shit. Then I realized. He's a bigot! He totally thinks that I don't have a job and won't pay rent because I'm brown!!! For example, when we first showed up, he asked how lunch was because he knew we were heading over after lunch. To which I said, "actually, breakfast..." totally joking around. To which he responded "must be nice to have a life like that" completely charged with disdain. Then, he kept asking what I would be doing (I just responded that I will be working at a law firm downtown). He totally didn't believe me.
I don't even know how to react to this except to report him to the fair housing people...but because he didn't outright say it, I don't know how far a complaint would get. Part of me wants to call him up and yell at him because in two years I could buy his lousy f*cking property. But, on the other hand, what good would it do?? Ugh. It was so subtle that I didn't even pick up on it until after I left and thought about it more. Thank goodness my sister was with me to reflect on it, too. It made no sense the way he was treating me. He didn't even get up to show me the property. He just sat on the porch and pointed me up the stairs. Then he wouldn't show me the laundry room or anything. I'm pissed.
I don't even know how to react to this except to report him to the fair housing people...but because he didn't outright say it, I don't know how far a complaint would get. Part of me wants to call him up and yell at him because in two years I could buy his lousy f*cking property. But, on the other hand, what good would it do?? Ugh. It was so subtle that I didn't even pick up on it until after I left and thought about it more. Thank goodness my sister was with me to reflect on it, too. It made no sense the way he was treating me. He didn't even get up to show me the property. He just sat on the porch and pointed me up the stairs. Then he wouldn't show me the laundry room or anything. I'm pissed.
8.07.2007
I know it is a long ways away, but I need to book flights soon. I want to be home for Christmas time, I wrote a long, nostalgic, post about Christmas in Rudolph and how I can't miss it, but I left it private on my LJ. I have five vacation days, and combined with normal days off and holidays, I could be home as early as the 19th, but would leave on the 31st.
So, question: are people planning to do anything in cRapids [or Point - I had a great time with Lauren & Friends for 03/04 - or Madison] for New Year's? Or hell, even The Twin Cities - I'm flying out of there anyway. I know people don't know exactly what they're doing, but if I could know where everyone plans to be, that would be great.
Maybe we should plan an outing in the Cities....
So, question: are people planning to do anything in cRapids [or Point - I had a great time with Lauren & Friends for 03/04 - or Madison] for New Year's? Or hell, even The Twin Cities - I'm flying out of there anyway. I know people don't know exactly what they're doing, but if I could know where everyone plans to be, that would be great.
Maybe we should plan an outing in the Cities....
8.01.2007
Holy Sh*t!
So I went to workout after work. I changed and went into the gym and got on my favorite machine and looked up at the TV and what did I see?
Bridge collapse in Minneapolis
I didn't have the sound and news close captioning is notoriously terrible. So I saw bridge collapse, Minneapolis... connects to Minnesota. At first, I saw a small section, and thought "thats not so bad," then they backed the camera up and I stared, wide eyed for a bit, and forgot that I was supposed to program my machine for a few seconds.
Homeland Security says it is not a terror attack, except for the terror of our crumbling infrastructure. Well, I thought that last part. At first, I thought it was the I94 bridge that connects Wisconsin and Minnesota, then I saw "35W" and remembered that St. Paul was closer to that and the river on that part of the border is the St. Croix. I used to go over that bridge a lot, but I think I've been on 35W a total of two times, and one was a wrong exit. But damn............. oh gosh....
So, when I finished my work out, I started thinking of the people that I know that could have been trapped on that bridge as it plumetted. L, are you ok? Rock, you haven't moved to the cities yet, have you? I hope so, because I'm not sure what help I could offer being so far away. Is there anyone else in that area?
So I went to workout after work. I changed and went into the gym and got on my favorite machine and looked up at the TV and what did I see?
Bridge collapse in Minneapolis
I didn't have the sound and news close captioning is notoriously terrible. So I saw bridge collapse, Minneapolis... connects to Minnesota. At first, I saw a small section, and thought "thats not so bad," then they backed the camera up and I stared, wide eyed for a bit, and forgot that I was supposed to program my machine for a few seconds.
Homeland Security says it is not a terror attack, except for the terror of our crumbling infrastructure. Well, I thought that last part. At first, I thought it was the I94 bridge that connects Wisconsin and Minnesota, then I saw "35W" and remembered that St. Paul was closer to that and the river on that part of the border is the St. Croix. I used to go over that bridge a lot, but I think I've been on 35W a total of two times, and one was a wrong exit. But damn............. oh gosh....
So, when I finished my work out, I started thinking of the people that I know that could have been trapped on that bridge as it plumetted. L, are you ok? Rock, you haven't moved to the cities yet, have you? I hope so, because I'm not sure what help I could offer being so far away. Is there anyone else in that area?
7.12.2007
I forgot that back in January and February, I had planned a theme for this month because it contains the birthdays of four blog members (not to mention my dad and two classmates of ours). I never finished the theme I planned, but I did save the balloon graphic. So I might have missed two birthdays, but better late than never?
Happy birthday, everyone!
I learned that my boss's son has my birthday too.
And hey, Lisa and Jacob and Dan and Sam have their four year anniversaries today too.
Happy Anniversary
Happy birthday, everyone!
I learned that my boss's son has my birthday too.
And hey, Lisa and Jacob and Dan and Sam have their four year anniversaries today too.
Happy Anniversary
7.06.2007
Remember that Sex and the City movie that didn't get made a few years ago because Kim Cattrall refused to sign the contract? Well, apparently she's changed her mind -- filming begins this fall.
7.01.2007
I've always been a feminist, even when I fancied myself a Republican back in high school. But I've been wary of putting my only identity out there into the feminist blogosphere, mainly because I don't have the time or patience to deal with anti-feminist backlash. But last week, I realized that I could finally put my pseudonym to good use and start a blog dedicated to what I've known for decades. I have 8 posts so far, and two more waiting for publication.
This weekend, I got my first comment, from a feminist in Canada. Since I'm not using this blogger account, and I'd like to keep the blog seperate from these blogs, you'll have to email me for the URL. And let me know if you want to join the blog.
This weekend, I got my first comment, from a feminist in Canada. Since I'm not using this blogger account, and I'd like to keep the blog seperate from these blogs, you'll have to email me for the URL. And let me know if you want to join the blog.
6.20.2007
So my sister can't keep her legs shut. :)
It's a boy! I need some cool boy names to suggest for her. She and my brother-in-law want it to be a "strong" name (ugh). What the fuck that means, I have no idea...but I guarantee if I have any exposure to these kids Olivia will have the same level of confidence that this little boy will be raised to have.
Anywho, name suggestions anyone?
It's a boy! I need some cool boy names to suggest for her. She and my brother-in-law want it to be a "strong" name (ugh). What the fuck that means, I have no idea...but I guarantee if I have any exposure to these kids Olivia will have the same level of confidence that this little boy will be raised to have.
Anywho, name suggestions anyone?
6.15.2007
Anxious Masculinity Watch
Man, do I hate my job. That's why, tomorrow, I'm going everywhere with my resume.
I used to like it, but, it also used to not suck.
So anyway, on with the AMW.
Sunday night I picked up a hostessing shift for someone. I was all excited that my brand new high-waisted pants (I like to call them my Katherine Hepburn pants) fit me, which means I've lost some weight. Anyway, I wore those with a button-down shirt, which I buttoned almost all the way to the top, exposing nothing more than a little neck. I'm not there 5 minutes before one of the kitchen managers comes out and says, "Frankie, what's up? Trying to show off your boobs?"
Yes. In my outfit that exposes nothing more than neck and face, I'm trying to show off my boobs. The shirt isn't even tight, it's loose and kinda baggy. I felt pretty shitty and humiliated, and I shouldn't have, because I wasn't behaving like a fucking pig, HE was. But he not only said it to me, which is bad enough, but also in front of coworkers, and I thought it was pretty fucking shitty. I don't think I deserve humiliation or punishment for possessing breasts.
Later, I was standing in the pass-through (a section blocked away from customers), eating a cup of soup, and the same manager was laughing and looking at me with the other kitchen manager, also a fucking pig, and I wanted to fucking kill them. I said, "Gosh, why don't you get a fucking playboy? That way you'll actually get to SEE something." But I realized that a Playboy wouldn't give them the satisfaction of embarrassing and abusing someone like what they were doing to me does. Because I wasn't wearing a tight, lowcut shirt, or low-rise pants exposing a thong--I was completely covered up. The fun, I think, is in making a woman feel bad about herself.
Man, do I hate my job. That's why, tomorrow, I'm going everywhere with my resume.
I used to like it, but, it also used to not suck.
So anyway, on with the AMW.
Sunday night I picked up a hostessing shift for someone. I was all excited that my brand new high-waisted pants (I like to call them my Katherine Hepburn pants) fit me, which means I've lost some weight. Anyway, I wore those with a button-down shirt, which I buttoned almost all the way to the top, exposing nothing more than a little neck. I'm not there 5 minutes before one of the kitchen managers comes out and says, "Frankie, what's up? Trying to show off your boobs?"
Yes. In my outfit that exposes nothing more than neck and face, I'm trying to show off my boobs. The shirt isn't even tight, it's loose and kinda baggy. I felt pretty shitty and humiliated, and I shouldn't have, because I wasn't behaving like a fucking pig, HE was. But he not only said it to me, which is bad enough, but also in front of coworkers, and I thought it was pretty fucking shitty. I don't think I deserve humiliation or punishment for possessing breasts.
Later, I was standing in the pass-through (a section blocked away from customers), eating a cup of soup, and the same manager was laughing and looking at me with the other kitchen manager, also a fucking pig, and I wanted to fucking kill them. I said, "Gosh, why don't you get a fucking playboy? That way you'll actually get to SEE something." But I realized that a Playboy wouldn't give them the satisfaction of embarrassing and abusing someone like what they were doing to me does. Because I wasn't wearing a tight, lowcut shirt, or low-rise pants exposing a thong--I was completely covered up. The fun, I think, is in making a woman feel bad about herself.
6.02.2007
| My aunt Mary was the first in [my Wisconsin] family to have some of the specialty channels, and she shared her good fortune by taping movies and distributing them to other family members. I think it was the Blond Ambition tour, in 1990, that appeared on HBO, which she taped and sent to my house. | The opening song from that show, as performed in France |
So, at the age of 9, 10, or 11, I would watch that tape. I liked the songs, the dances, and yes, the sexuality. I didn't understand a lot of it back then, and I'm sure my parents weren't 100% happy with me watching that so many times, but certain routines have been burned into my memory. Like a Prayer, Vogue, Like a Virgin, and Express Yourself. That is part of what I learned about female sexuality. A couple of weeks ago, I showed the youtube clip to Will, and his first reaction was "this is homoerotic." I came back with "No, this is not homoerotic, this is how I view heterosexuality as a strong woman."
Today, I'm watching this performance and really relishing the lyrics. This my announcement post - the announcement of me being single again, and I feel good.
6.01.2007
5.26.2007
Hey Ladies (and others),
I'm not sure who knows, and who doesn't...but I am officially employed for an attorney position in Minneapolis, MN!! They are a small patent firm in downtown Minneapolis.
I know Urs has recently dealt with this, and I have an inkling that it will take me a few years to come to terms with this, but I am actually going to be in a financial situation where I can own a car and not stress over it breaking down on the side of the road at any given moment. I've never owned a car with that understanding. And if my car does happen to break down, I don't have to call various towing companies while on the side of the road to get the best price. I can purchase healthy food and not have to worry about whether what's in my grocery cart will deplete my bank account. I can pay rent and be convinced that the landlord I'm supporting is not, in actuality, a slum-lord. I can start paying back my $100,000+ in debt. I can go to a doctor's office and know that I will be able to pay a bill that I get back, if I get one at all. I can afford a couch that I didn't collect from the side of the road with a "Free" sign attached, or pay $15 for at a garage sale (after I talked them down from $20). I can put furniture in a place that I can call home and live there for more than nine months. I can thrown out my socks with holes in them (although I'm not sure that I will). A parking ticket will not be as devastating as it once was. I can afford more than two bras. I can travel without feeling guilty about the debt I am incurring. I can pay Planned Parenthood back for the years of free services and products they have given me. And give them more to help out women who are in the position I was in.
I cannot fathom this sort of luxury that will become my life.
Holy shit.
I'm not sure who knows, and who doesn't...but I am officially employed for an attorney position in Minneapolis, MN!! They are a small patent firm in downtown Minneapolis.
I know Urs has recently dealt with this, and I have an inkling that it will take me a few years to come to terms with this, but I am actually going to be in a financial situation where I can own a car and not stress over it breaking down on the side of the road at any given moment. I've never owned a car with that understanding. And if my car does happen to break down, I don't have to call various towing companies while on the side of the road to get the best price. I can purchase healthy food and not have to worry about whether what's in my grocery cart will deplete my bank account. I can pay rent and be convinced that the landlord I'm supporting is not, in actuality, a slum-lord. I can start paying back my $100,000+ in debt. I can go to a doctor's office and know that I will be able to pay a bill that I get back, if I get one at all. I can afford a couch that I didn't collect from the side of the road with a "Free" sign attached, or pay $15 for at a garage sale (after I talked them down from $20). I can put furniture in a place that I can call home and live there for more than nine months. I can thrown out my socks with holes in them (although I'm not sure that I will). A parking ticket will not be as devastating as it once was. I can afford more than two bras. I can travel without feeling guilty about the debt I am incurring. I can pay Planned Parenthood back for the years of free services and products they have given me. And give them more to help out women who are in the position I was in.
I cannot fathom this sort of luxury that will become my life.
Holy shit.
5.22.2007
Jon's Step Mom: "Where does your family live?"
Me: "Wisconsin"
Step Mom: "I've never been there. I haven't been to many of the states over in the Northeast."
Me: (Trying very hard not to say "Neither have I.")
Step Mom: "Charlie's family is in New York, and I visited Connecticut once, but I've never been to any of those other little states over there."
Did she mishear? Does "Wisconsin" sound similar to a Northeastern state that has slipped my mind? Or is this woman just stupid? The sex must have been good, because I certainly wouldn't have left my wife and my four kids for an imbecile who resembles a drowned rat.
I was ready to give this lady a chance because all of Jon's comments (and his siblings' comments, and his mom's comments) have been incredibly cruel. I assumed this was fueled by "my dad cheated on my mom with you" feelings. As it turns out...not so much.
Me: "Wisconsin"
Step Mom: "I've never been there. I haven't been to many of the states over in the Northeast."
Me: (Trying very hard not to say "Neither have I.")
Step Mom: "Charlie's family is in New York, and I visited Connecticut once, but I've never been to any of those other little states over there."
Did she mishear? Does "Wisconsin" sound similar to a Northeastern state that has slipped my mind? Or is this woman just stupid? The sex must have been good, because I certainly wouldn't have left my wife and my four kids for an imbecile who resembles a drowned rat.
I was ready to give this lady a chance because all of Jon's comments (and his siblings' comments, and his mom's comments) have been incredibly cruel. I assumed this was fueled by "my dad cheated on my mom with you" feelings. As it turns out...not so much.
5.20.2007
My paranoia is getting the best of me.....
Can I change the blogger settings for this blog so that only registered users can comment? This is the best way I can see to ensure that no anonymous commenters start defecating all over this blog. It hasn't been a problem before... I just get paranoid.
Also, Sig asked me how to keep the robots from her blog. I don't know how to keep robots off of a blogspot blog. The way to keep them off of a website is to make a robots.txt file with this in it
With blogger, there is an option to take the blog off of blogger's public listings. I don't like this option, but we have an internet that either allows any yutz to see everything, or forces us to employ heavy and time consuming moderation. Of course, we're also using a free service.
Can I change the blogger settings for this blog so that only registered users can comment? This is the best way I can see to ensure that no anonymous commenters start defecating all over this blog. It hasn't been a problem before... I just get paranoid.
Also, Sig asked me how to keep the robots from her blog. I don't know how to keep robots off of a blogspot blog. The way to keep them off of a website is to make a robots.txt file with this in it
User-agent: *At least, I think that is how it is done.
Disallow: /
With blogger, there is an option to take the blog off of blogger's public listings. I don't like this option, but we have an internet that either allows any yutz to see everything, or forces us to employ heavy and time consuming moderation. Of course, we're also using a free service.
5.17.2007
Hello everyone, I was just checking to make sure I can still post to this thing. I also wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge the existence of all the people who I have not spoken to in some time. Being a grad student made me a busy, and socially irresponsible person. Congrats to those of you who also have finished up school this year. I hope all is going well, and now that I am no longer bound by the chains of graduate school I hope to regain some of the human characteristics I once had. :)
5.16.2007
Dan Savage says it like it is.
Amen, my brother.And up to now the mainstream media have refrained from calling the right's
opposition to the HPV vaccine what it is—delusional, psychotic,
homicidal—because up to now only women's lives were at stake.
That's about to change.
Here's the headline from my morning paper: "HPV Factors in
Throat Cancer: Study Could Shift Debate About Vaccine." You bet it will. Up
to now, the HPV vaccine—which, again, has proven 100 percent effective against
the cancer-causing strains of the virus—could merely prevent 10,000 cases of
cervical cancer in American women every year, along with 4,000 deaths. But now
the debate could shift—it will shift, it already has shifted—because it's no
longer "just" the lives of 4,000 American women that are on the line, but the
sex lives of 150 million American men.
"If men got pregnant," goes the bumper sticker, "abortion would be a sacrament." Now that straight men can get cancer from eating pussy, the HPV vaccine is going to go from controversial to sacramental faster than you can say, "Suck my dick."
5.13.2007
Ok, so this is the only blog I can post in where I think I won't be found out too easily.
We went to the most Wisconsin Redneck Baby Shower/Welcome to the World party ever on Saturday. First of all it was invite by word of mouth/email and it was held at a night club inside of a bowling alley and advertised as free food, beer, and bowling :) All of Appleton is smoke free, but this bowling alley was in Menasha ... so smokey/loud bowling alley + baby! Nice! Anyways, we made an appearance and Jacob bowled a game and it definitely was the oddest baby shower/welcome to the world party (the baby is a month old) I've ever been to. The grandpa is hanging out bowling with all his racing buddies and dropping the f bomb every other word ... I'm not a prude so much as there were lots of little kids running around and I would hate to hear fuck come out of a 4 year olds mouth. Although, these kids are probably the kind that tried beer before juice ... The food was from subway and a cheese tray of course :) They kept the baby in the bar area where there was less smoke and a little less noise, but too funny ... it was a beautiful day outside and we're in a bowling alley for a baby shower!
Anyways, thought you girls would get a kick out of this and hopefully I can remain somewhat anonymous in this post.
We went to the most Wisconsin Redneck Baby Shower/Welcome to the World party ever on Saturday. First of all it was invite by word of mouth/email and it was held at a night club inside of a bowling alley and advertised as free food, beer, and bowling :) All of Appleton is smoke free, but this bowling alley was in Menasha ... so smokey/loud bowling alley + baby! Nice! Anyways, we made an appearance and Jacob bowled a game and it definitely was the oddest baby shower/welcome to the world party (the baby is a month old) I've ever been to. The grandpa is hanging out bowling with all his racing buddies and dropping the f bomb every other word ... I'm not a prude so much as there were lots of little kids running around and I would hate to hear fuck come out of a 4 year olds mouth. Although, these kids are probably the kind that tried beer before juice ... The food was from subway and a cheese tray of course :) They kept the baby in the bar area where there was less smoke and a little less noise, but too funny ... it was a beautiful day outside and we're in a bowling alley for a baby shower!
Anyways, thought you girls would get a kick out of this and hopefully I can remain somewhat anonymous in this post.
5.07.2007
Based on Erica's latest blog post, I propose a Girlz Shopping Extravaganza to help us all dress like super powerful, intimidating, competent, beautiful businesswomen. Thats right....
It's MAKE-OVER TIME!
Urs can share what she knows about make-up for the professional, social, and trampy scenes, incorporating parts of counter-culture into your wardrobe and office setting
Sig can explain dress and suit pants and what looks best with blond hair and pale skin
Rock can tie everything together to made Erica a wardrobe that would make any colleague shit a brick
What else can we provide? I would thuroghly enjoy making Erica into Super Entomolgista, able to detect bug species with only a leg and tell Monsanto and Dow to listen to her, and only her. - She's got the attitude and the smarts, now she needs the look!
It's MAKE-OVER TIME!
Urs can share what she knows about make-up for the professional, social, and trampy scenes, incorporating parts of counter-culture into your wardrobe and office setting
Sig can explain dress and suit pants and what looks best with blond hair and pale skin
Rock can tie everything together to made Erica a wardrobe that would make any colleague shit a brick
What else can we provide? I would thuroghly enjoy making Erica into Super Entomolgista, able to detect bug species with only a leg and tell Monsanto and Dow to listen to her, and only her. - She's got the attitude and the smarts, now she needs the look!
5.04.2007
4.30.2007
I think my students have issues.
Rather than assigning the standard 10-page Freshman English research paper as a final project, I had my students work on group research projects this semester. This was/is great because:
Amber is controlling. She bosses people around and interrupts constantly. She is a confused elitist, she believes she belongs to a group of superior beings when in fact she does not and exhibits a condescending attitude towards those whom she deems inferior, i.e. me. Her tendency to be controlling does aid the group in meeting deadlines. However, she could have been more approachable in the process.
Lisa seemed to be more interested in [fellow group member] Mike than getting work done in class. She always got her work done when we asked for it, but she did not work on the project in class. She is very intelligent but she is naive and that prohibits a mature train of thought.
Wow.
I'd like to note that Lisa is this student's friend and roommate; they come to class together and leave together every singly day. They gossip together. They giggle together. They do their homework together. They whisper and write notes back and forth while I'm talking.
The funny thing about this is that a good portion of this student's evaluation was spent panicking about the quality of the paper because her group members refused to set up meetings outside of class to put the project together. Amber, the supposedly controlling bitch (who I like very much and who is not the strongest writer but who works very hard to get A's on her papers by coming to my office, going to the writing center, etc), wrote exactly the same thing in her evaluation. If those two had spent less time hating each other and trying to control each other, they could have actually gotten their shit together and organized a meeting.
I haven't actually read this group's project yet, but I'm interested to see what came of it. Three of the four students in this group are among my best, so it's entirely possible that they'll pull a good project out of their asses despite the conflicts. Or maybe they really did do a shitty job. We'll see. I can't wait to see the glares they give each other during their presentation.
It's fun to be a teacher.
Rather than assigning the standard 10-page Freshman English research paper as a final project, I had my students work on group research projects this semester. This was/is great because:
- The students enjoy it a lot more than writing individual papers
- I haven't prepared a lesson in 5 weeks since my students have been working in class
- Fewer papers to grade during finals week (i.e., now)
Amber is controlling. She bosses people around and interrupts constantly. She is a confused elitist, she believes she belongs to a group of superior beings when in fact she does not and exhibits a condescending attitude towards those whom she deems inferior, i.e. me. Her tendency to be controlling does aid the group in meeting deadlines. However, she could have been more approachable in the process.
Lisa seemed to be more interested in [fellow group member] Mike than getting work done in class. She always got her work done when we asked for it, but she did not work on the project in class. She is very intelligent but she is naive and that prohibits a mature train of thought.
Wow.
I'd like to note that Lisa is this student's friend and roommate; they come to class together and leave together every singly day. They gossip together. They giggle together. They do their homework together. They whisper and write notes back and forth while I'm talking.
The funny thing about this is that a good portion of this student's evaluation was spent panicking about the quality of the paper because her group members refused to set up meetings outside of class to put the project together. Amber, the supposedly controlling bitch (who I like very much and who is not the strongest writer but who works very hard to get A's on her papers by coming to my office, going to the writing center, etc), wrote exactly the same thing in her evaluation. If those two had spent less time hating each other and trying to control each other, they could have actually gotten their shit together and organized a meeting.
I haven't actually read this group's project yet, but I'm interested to see what came of it. Three of the four students in this group are among my best, so it's entirely possible that they'll pull a good project out of their asses despite the conflicts. Or maybe they really did do a shitty job. We'll see. I can't wait to see the glares they give each other during their presentation.
It's fun to be a teacher.
4.28.2007
Now that I am up and running, I have a little dittie for Erica's Anxious Masculity Watch:
"Real Men" deny that their gender is responsible for rape.
I was sitting in a diner with two of my dude friends who, apparently looking for a fight avec moi, started discussing the woes of the poor helpless males out there who, because of rape shield laws, are at the mercy of the slut-whores who lie about rape and accuse innocent men. They were saddened that so much evidence can be excluded so as the whole debacle comes down to "he said/she said".
We went back and forth for quite a while, my volume increasing with every response (I may have made some patrons uncomfortable), and at the peak I finally blurted out, "well none of this would be a problem if men didn't rape!"
Crickets.
The conversation basically stopped. The problem isn't that women can falsely accuse men of rape. It isn't that women can be raped. The problem is that men rape in the first place...not only do they rape, but they rape a lot. All the problems that result only result because of that very fact.
I would really like there to be a study of how many men rape. Is there? There are tons of statistics about how many women "go and get themselves raped", but if dudes rape 1/3 of women, how many men do you think are raping? Surely it's not 1/5 of dudes who are raping 1/3 of the women...you think??? If that were even close to the right number, that's fucking scary. Even if it were 1/10 of men that are raping, that's still so high. I don't think all rapists out there are repeat offenders, and I'm sure there are men who've raped once or twice. It would be interesting to know, and also interesting for men to know how much of their gender is responsible for the physical act of raping. As I proof-read this I am becoming disturbingly aware of how uncomfortable this paragraph is. Because we never (as a society) consider this perspective. Of course we don't, because then it would become glaringly obvious to men that they are the problem in the rape equation.
It's amazing how, in light of my dude-friends' empathy and sadness for wrongly accused dudes of the world, that they are still both pro-death penalty. Fascinating how their concern for wrongly accusing dudes dissipates when you are no long discussing robbing a woman of her control over her body.
"Real Men" deny that their gender is responsible for rape.
I was sitting in a diner with two of my dude friends who, apparently looking for a fight avec moi, started discussing the woes of the poor helpless males out there who, because of rape shield laws, are at the mercy of the slut-whores who lie about rape and accuse innocent men. They were saddened that so much evidence can be excluded so as the whole debacle comes down to "he said/she said".
We went back and forth for quite a while, my volume increasing with every response (I may have made some patrons uncomfortable), and at the peak I finally blurted out, "well none of this would be a problem if men didn't rape!"
Crickets.
The conversation basically stopped. The problem isn't that women can falsely accuse men of rape. It isn't that women can be raped. The problem is that men rape in the first place...not only do they rape, but they rape a lot. All the problems that result only result because of that very fact.
I would really like there to be a study of how many men rape. Is there? There are tons of statistics about how many women "go and get themselves raped", but if dudes rape 1/3 of women, how many men do you think are raping? Surely it's not 1/5 of dudes who are raping 1/3 of the women...you think??? If that were even close to the right number, that's fucking scary. Even if it were 1/10 of men that are raping, that's still so high. I don't think all rapists out there are repeat offenders, and I'm sure there are men who've raped once or twice. It would be interesting to know, and also interesting for men to know how much of their gender is responsible for the physical act of raping. As I proof-read this I am becoming disturbingly aware of how uncomfortable this paragraph is. Because we never (as a society) consider this perspective. Of course we don't, because then it would become glaringly obvious to men that they are the problem in the rape equation.
It's amazing how, in light of my dude-friends' empathy and sadness for wrongly accused dudes of the world, that they are still both pro-death penalty. Fascinating how their concern for wrongly accusing dudes dissipates when you are no long discussing robbing a woman of her control over her body.
On Monday, I googled for our alma mater and called the number. I asked if Mr. Steve was there [but asked for his full name] and when I could contact him. The woman said I could try to call after 2:50 and gave me his email address when I asked. Mr. Steve's email is his full name at the abbreviation for our old school system, .org. So, firstname.lastname@[four letter abbreviation].org¹. I sent Mr. Steve this email
On Thursday morning, my dad helped me out by looking up the LHS Science Department phone number, and I actually got to talk to Mr. Steve - he said that the kids were in lab all day, so I could stop by any time before 2:50. If it was after 2:50, I'd have to come by the track².
Thursday was a busy day for me, and between that phone call and when I got to LHS, my dad made me eat steak, then my mom got a rental car, I washed my hair and changed clothes, then I learned that I needed car insurance in California, and ordered some on the phone from a broker in San Ramon, then my mom and I left for Rapids, then Minnesota, and I hugged and said farewell to my dad until next time.
I went into the old stairwell, with the same artwork on the walls, and went up. I walked around that corner that I'd been by a million times, and into that same old classroom. I recognized everything, but it seemed so small. I think I saw the same desks - did I really sit in the second row, or were there more desks back then? I saw young looking students in the seats, two children in the front of the class, and Mr. Steve. I waved and he recognized me, saying, "here is what a college graduate looks like." I came in and let him finish explaining the lab to the students, who I quickly realized were all male. The lab had something to do with light bulbs, and the students were expected to obtain small light bulbs from Simon. I had instantly realized that the two kids were that toddler and infant that often visited Mr. Steve back in 1999, but 8 whole years older.
When the students got up and began learning about electricity and light, I hugged Mr. Steve and told him that I wasn't just a college grad, but had a Master's, and gave him my business card. I first asked him about the huge gender imbalance, and learned that boys take physics and girls take biology. This class was his physics 3 class, and he'd been teaching them for 3 years and was doing his best to make sure they were decent human beings. I remembered what J.Mo said about young boys and sex, and saw that Mr. Steve's goal was enormous, but he did what he could, part of which was teaching them to clean up after themselves.
Mr. Steve said a few things about me to his students, and I'm sure a few more after I left. Lee Ironside once made a comment about my size after I made a remark about making my macaroni and cheese³, and Mr. Steve chastized him. I don't remember the comment, but I remember changing my opinion of Lee Ironside forever, and feeling good that Mr. Steve was on my side. So I was worried about what the boys saw, but I knew that Mr. Steve would set them right. Yes, I was what a college graduate looked like, and yes, I was one of the girls that took physics, and no, they had no right to make judgements about me based on my weight.
I asked if, aside from the gender thing, we looked like these current students. He said yes and made a comment about how aging seems to work - that we'll all be older some day and it is interesting to watch. I also asked if he saw any differences in students from my class and students now, and he said yes again. He explained that students now are even more concerned - obsessed, really - with the present. Parents now can check grades online at any time, and if he didn't get an assignment graded in time, parents would complain. One of the students in his other classes was going to get a tatoo of a giant crusifix, and a bible verse across his back. He tried to show the student that it was a mistake - that the student may not always feel that way, but the tatoo is for the rest of his life, but the student was sure that he would. We shook our heads.
When he was working with students, I talked to Simon and Savannah. I told Simon about the time I worked at Copps and he was under the grocery cart, hiding from the aliens. He smiled, but didn't remember that, and I said, "yeah, you were only about 2 or 3." I also saw Savannah drawing on the white board - they have white boards, not chalk boards now - and told her about how she and Simon used to come to class when I was in school, 8 years ago, and she was just a baby, but her brother used to draw on the board, and would yell out, "Daddy! Look at what I drew!" and how her dad would turn back and say something like, "That's very nice Simon." She smiled. I can't believe that baby is actually an 8 year old now [8 or 9, I guess].
I wanted to take a picture of the stairs too, but I never got a good angle. Not to mention that my mom had been waiting for 15 minutes, by now. I saw the hall where my old locker used to be, and saw that wall with different, but similarly boring and stupid posters. I think one was about smoking. Next time I go back, I want to visit more teachers, and I suggest we all make visits to LHS next time we're in town.
1 - I do that so the bots won't find his address from this site
2 - Would they be enjoying the lab from hell? And Mr. Steve is still supervising jocks.
3 - I think it was about boiling water, actually, but I decided to make my question more interesting by peppering it with a tidbit from my life
All of the pictures are available at the following links in their original size for use by members of the blog and anyone that asks and has a good reason to have them.
I don't know if you remember me, I'm Urs --- A----- from the class of 1999, one of the people that put together that quote site* with Sig-- J-------- (also of the class of 1999). I'm in Northern California right now, but I'm coming back to Rapids tonight for my grandmother's funeral. I am hoping to also use the time to touch base with you and see how you are doing. I'm also supposed to relay a message from Sig that she just finished her MFA at the [UAA].He replied on Tuesday that he was looking forward to seeing me, and I made mental plans to call the school on Thursday.
I hope you'll be available for a chat sometime on Thursday (most likely). If not, I'm available at this email address and I can relay your email address to others. I hope you're doing well and I hope to see you soon.
Thanks,
Urs---
* http://www.funkychipmunk.net/Remakes/LHSQuotes/ is a remake of her site, but I hate it, so I'm working on this http://lhsteacherquotes.blogspot.com/
On Thursday morning, my dad helped me out by looking up the LHS Science Department phone number, and I actually got to talk to Mr. Steve - he said that the kids were in lab all day, so I could stop by any time before 2:50. If it was after 2:50, I'd have to come by the track².
Thursday was a busy day for me, and between that phone call and when I got to LHS, my dad made me eat steak, then my mom got a rental car, I washed my hair and changed clothes, then I learned that I needed car insurance in California, and ordered some on the phone from a broker in San Ramon, then my mom and I left for Rapids, then Minnesota, and I hugged and said farewell to my dad until next time.
 | It was about 1:50 or 2 or something, and raining. I knew I'd be there for 7th hour. Mom dropped me off at the front of the school, and I got out and took a picture of the entrance. |
| I walked in and was taken back in time 8 years, for a second, at least. A group of very young looking girls walked by, talking about something that was important to their lives, but that won't matter in a decade - just some event, club, or sport. I saw a few other people, and wondered what they thought of me. I wore my black skirt and nylons on purpose, instead of my jean skirt and black tights. I wanted to look as professional as possible, and I hope that did come out through my size and my red fleece men's jacket from Target. If it didn't, oh well. |  |
I went into the old stairwell, with the same artwork on the walls, and went up. I walked around that corner that I'd been by a million times, and into that same old classroom. I recognized everything, but it seemed so small. I think I saw the same desks - did I really sit in the second row, or were there more desks back then? I saw young looking students in the seats, two children in the front of the class, and Mr. Steve. I waved and he recognized me, saying, "here is what a college graduate looks like." I came in and let him finish explaining the lab to the students, who I quickly realized were all male. The lab had something to do with light bulbs, and the students were expected to obtain small light bulbs from Simon. I had instantly realized that the two kids were that toddler and infant that often visited Mr. Steve back in 1999, but 8 whole years older.
When the students got up and began learning about electricity and light, I hugged Mr. Steve and told him that I wasn't just a college grad, but had a Master's, and gave him my business card. I first asked him about the huge gender imbalance, and learned that boys take physics and girls take biology. This class was his physics 3 class, and he'd been teaching them for 3 years and was doing his best to make sure they were decent human beings. I remembered what J.Mo said about young boys and sex, and saw that Mr. Steve's goal was enormous, but he did what he could, part of which was teaching them to clean up after themselves.
Mr. Steve said a few things about me to his students, and I'm sure a few more after I left. Lee Ironside once made a comment about my size after I made a remark about making my macaroni and cheese³, and Mr. Steve chastized him. I don't remember the comment, but I remember changing my opinion of Lee Ironside forever, and feeling good that Mr. Steve was on my side. So I was worried about what the boys saw, but I knew that Mr. Steve would set them right. Yes, I was what a college graduate looked like, and yes, I was one of the girls that took physics, and no, they had no right to make judgements about me based on my weight.
I asked if, aside from the gender thing, we looked like these current students. He said yes and made a comment about how aging seems to work - that we'll all be older some day and it is interesting to watch. I also asked if he saw any differences in students from my class and students now, and he said yes again. He explained that students now are even more concerned - obsessed, really - with the present. Parents now can check grades online at any time, and if he didn't get an assignment graded in time, parents would complain. One of the students in his other classes was going to get a tatoo of a giant crusifix, and a bible verse across his back. He tried to show the student that it was a mistake - that the student may not always feel that way, but the tatoo is for the rest of his life, but the student was sure that he would. We shook our heads.
 | We talked about a few other things - Mr. Steve gets his news from Jon Stewart too, and watches Adult Swim when he can. I talked a little about my career path and my current work. I also mentioned you, Sig, and he does know about your MFA. Students came up a lot and asked questions, they also asked them loudly from the back. He went to the lab area a couple of times to help. I asked if I could take a picture with a flash, because I didn't want it to mess up the lab results [the lights were off], and he went back and talked with the students again. |
When he was working with students, I talked to Simon and Savannah. I told Simon about the time I worked at Copps and he was under the grocery cart, hiding from the aliens. He smiled, but didn't remember that, and I said, "yeah, you were only about 2 or 3." I also saw Savannah drawing on the white board - they have white boards, not chalk boards now - and told her about how she and Simon used to come to class when I was in school, 8 years ago, and she was just a baby, but her brother used to draw on the board, and would yell out, "Daddy! Look at what I drew!" and how her dad would turn back and say something like, "That's very nice Simon." She smiled. I can't believe that baby is actually an 8 year old now [8 or 9, I guess].
| My mom called, eventually, and I knew that class was ending, so I had to take off. I hugged Mr. Steve again, he told me that he was proud of me, and I thanked him. When I left, I made some remarks about Savannah, and noticed she was slumping. I tried to straighten her up [which may have been annoying], but explained that my company really emphasizes proper ergonomics and that one of the company slogans was "do is safely or not at all" [because it really is], and left. I walked down to the other staircase because my mom was waiting at that end of the school. I realized that the "Beauty and the Beast" shirt I'd seen one of the students wearing was from the school musical that year, and took another picture. |  |
I wanted to take a picture of the stairs too, but I never got a good angle. Not to mention that my mom had been waiting for 15 minutes, by now. I saw the hall where my old locker used to be, and saw that wall with different, but similarly boring and stupid posters. I think one was about smoking. Next time I go back, I want to visit more teachers, and I suggest we all make visits to LHS next time we're in town.
1 - I do that so the bots won't find his address from this site
2 - Would they be enjoying the lab from hell? And Mr. Steve is still supervising jocks.
3 - I think it was about boiling water, actually, but I decided to make my question more interesting by peppering it with a tidbit from my life
All of the pictures are available at the following links in their original size for use by members of the blog and anyone that asks and has a good reason to have them.
4.22.2007
Yesterday, I wanted to email a Mr. Steve quote to someone, so I went to look it up, and in the process, I realized that I really do not like the site I made for the teacher quotes.
Today, I've been working on this
Mr. Steve Quotes
The URL might change, and I'll alert people as soon as that happens, but for now, I want to make one post for each quote, with the exception of very similar quotes from the same day. I am tagging the quotes, and I want to be as general as possible - I think it adds to the amusement.
I'll be going back to Rapids this week, leaving Monday night and getting back to California on Thursday night. Loretta, my last remaining grandparent, died yesterday at 2:50pm and I'm going home for the funeral.
I'm thinking of also visiting Mr. Steve then.
Today, I've been working on this
Mr. Steve Quotes
The URL might change, and I'll alert people as soon as that happens, but for now, I want to make one post for each quote, with the exception of very similar quotes from the same day. I am tagging the quotes, and I want to be as general as possible - I think it adds to the amusement.
I'll be going back to Rapids this week, leaving Monday night and getting back to California on Thursday night. Loretta, my last remaining grandparent, died yesterday at 2:50pm and I'm going home for the funeral.
I'm thinking of also visiting Mr. Steve then.
4.18.2007
Didn't really know where to post this so I thought I'd toss it up here!
So we use Firefox as our browser, and I don't remember if IE did this too - but you know how you type in the beginning of an address and it'll pop up with options? Well I started typing sig.blogspot and thought just sig would work and here's what 'sig' took me to: http://www.sigarms.com/Default.aspx
Just something dumb I stumbled upon.
Anyone miss highschool? My brother is going to his prom and making all his graduation plans and it's got me remembering the good, and not so good, times. Maybe I just miss having to hang out with all of you every day, I don't know.
So we use Firefox as our browser, and I don't remember if IE did this too - but you know how you type in the beginning of an address and it'll pop up with options? Well I started typing sig.blogspot and thought just sig would work and here's what 'sig' took me to: http://www.sigarms.com/Default.aspx
Just something dumb I stumbled upon.
Anyone miss highschool? My brother is going to his prom and making all his graduation plans and it's got me remembering the good, and not so good, times. Maybe I just miss having to hang out with all of you every day, I don't know.
4.15.2007
Here's something for Erica's Anxious Masculinity Watch:
The other night Parker and I were talking, and somehow or another we were talking about some guys he lived with in the dorms when he was 18. They always ate in the cafeteria together, and the women in their dorms sat at their own table at the same time. Parker noticed that one of the guys at his table was always glancing over at the women's table, but he didn't really think anything of it. One day, the guy marched over to the women's table and pointed at each of them and started shouting, "You. You. You. You. Every single day you eat ice cream. Word of advice. LAY OFF THE ICE CREAM." To which they all stared at him in shock and said nothing.
Flashback to being 18 myself. Nathan used to spend lengthy amounts of time discussing how he and the guys HE sat with would watch (and obsess) over girls going up to the softserve machine, talking amongst themselves about it. "Don't do it! No!", etc.
I'd also like to note, that in both cases, upon questioning, neither one said that the young women were obese, not that that would make it appropriate in any way, just further proof that these men are complete contolling bastards.
It's pretty damn ridiculous that men such as Nathan and whoever this other guy was actually spend their time thinking they have a right to control what women fucking EAT. I'd say that's pretty damn crazy. I know how much fucking icecream Nathan used to consume, and it was A LOT. And I'm sure the same goes for the other men that think they can tell women NOT to eat it. Pretty pathetic.
The other night Parker and I were talking, and somehow or another we were talking about some guys he lived with in the dorms when he was 18. They always ate in the cafeteria together, and the women in their dorms sat at their own table at the same time. Parker noticed that one of the guys at his table was always glancing over at the women's table, but he didn't really think anything of it. One day, the guy marched over to the women's table and pointed at each of them and started shouting, "You. You. You. You. Every single day you eat ice cream. Word of advice. LAY OFF THE ICE CREAM." To which they all stared at him in shock and said nothing.
Flashback to being 18 myself. Nathan used to spend lengthy amounts of time discussing how he and the guys HE sat with would watch (and obsess) over girls going up to the softserve machine, talking amongst themselves about it. "Don't do it! No!", etc.
I'd also like to note, that in both cases, upon questioning, neither one said that the young women were obese, not that that would make it appropriate in any way, just further proof that these men are complete contolling bastards.
It's pretty damn ridiculous that men such as Nathan and whoever this other guy was actually spend their time thinking they have a right to control what women fucking EAT. I'd say that's pretty damn crazy. I know how much fucking icecream Nathan used to consume, and it was A LOT. And I'm sure the same goes for the other men that think they can tell women NOT to eat it. Pretty pathetic.
Have any of you tried NuvaRing?
I used it between November, 2005 and September, 2006, and now I have a new perscription for it, to be started soon. I went to the gynecologist back on April 2, as some of you already know. The doctor showed me some of the other non-pill forms of contraceptive - the implant and the IUD - and told me about the shot.
This was why I switched to NuvaRing in the first place, and it is a real shame that the manufacturer that has the patent seems to need to charge so much for it. See, NuvaRing is a plastic ring that contains the same birth control medication found in the pill [though we all know that there are several different pills out there]. You insert the ring into your vagina and the chemical is released into your body. You keep the ring in for 3 weeks, then remove it for a week while you have your period, then insert a new one for another 21 days.
Because the chemical is constantly being released throughout those three weeks, the dosage is lower, and because the chemical delivery method cuts out a LOT of human error, the medication is much more reliable than the pill form. I suspect that the ring method can work with chemical birth control medications other than the one found in NuvaRing specifically, but as with most inventions, the inventer wants to make money off of the invention. This keeps the price for NuvaRing high. When I had Wausau insurance, I paid one $10 co-pay for a 12 month supply [13 rings], but with Kaiser, I almost had to pay $140 for three months. I told Erica this story in more detail, but by returning to the doctor and refusing to pay so much for the medication, I got it for a far reduced price of $30 for that three month supply.
NuvaRing might not be perfect, but I really don't want any other bc method right now. It reduces my own human error but also gives me control of my reproductive functions. I don't have some weird object inserted in me that I cannot remove without the aid of a doctor. Sure, every now and then I get nervous about it falling out, but that has only happened once so far. Most of the time, I forget that I have it in.
I used it between November, 2005 and September, 2006, and now I have a new perscription for it, to be started soon. I went to the gynecologist back on April 2, as some of you already know. The doctor showed me some of the other non-pill forms of contraceptive - the implant and the IUD - and told me about the shot.
- I felt the model they had of the implant and imagined that I would not like it.
- The IUD seemed like some kind of alien implant that wouldn't be comfortable. My contractor also told me about the time she had the IUD and took it out herself and apparently messed up her insides. I think that was, however, before she had her second kid, so it wasn't permanent, just painfull.
- Finally, the shot would make me infertile for 3 years, and I want to be able to change my mind about my fetility a little more frequently than once every three years.
This was why I switched to NuvaRing in the first place, and it is a real shame that the manufacturer that has the patent seems to need to charge so much for it. See, NuvaRing is a plastic ring that contains the same birth control medication found in the pill [though we all know that there are several different pills out there]. You insert the ring into your vagina and the chemical is released into your body. You keep the ring in for 3 weeks, then remove it for a week while you have your period, then insert a new one for another 21 days.
Because the chemical is constantly being released throughout those three weeks, the dosage is lower, and because the chemical delivery method cuts out a LOT of human error, the medication is much more reliable than the pill form. I suspect that the ring method can work with chemical birth control medications other than the one found in NuvaRing specifically, but as with most inventions, the inventer wants to make money off of the invention. This keeps the price for NuvaRing high. When I had Wausau insurance, I paid one $10 co-pay for a 12 month supply [13 rings], but with Kaiser, I almost had to pay $140 for three months. I told Erica this story in more detail, but by returning to the doctor and refusing to pay so much for the medication, I got it for a far reduced price of $30 for that three month supply.
NuvaRing might not be perfect, but I really don't want any other bc method right now. It reduces my own human error but also gives me control of my reproductive functions. I don't have some weird object inserted in me that I cannot remove without the aid of a doctor. Sure, every now and then I get nervous about it falling out, but that has only happened once so far. Most of the time, I forget that I have it in.
4.08.2007
Today, I set up the subdomain 17BottlesOf.funkychipmunk.net to host images right now, but potentially other kinds of files, or something. If you have images that you want to post, but don't know where to host, email them to me, I'll upload them, and email you the URL for the image.
I need to learn more about my web hosting, but I think, in the future, I can allow all of us to FTP directly to that part of my domain.
I need to learn more about my web hosting, but I think, in the future, I can allow all of us to FTP directly to that part of my domain.
4.03.2007
I'm so glad I can't carry a bottle of water onto the airplane.
Also: I smuggled pepper spray past TSA on my most recent flights when I forgot to take it off my key chain.
Also: I smuggled pepper spray past TSA on my most recent flights when I forgot to take it off my key chain.
2.26.2007
I heard more news on NPR that irritated me. Today, it was about health care for children and what income level is appropriate to qualify for that. Apparently, I make 3.5 times what the poverty level is for a family of three. Me, a single female with a professional degree. That makes the poverty level somewhere around $18k, for a family of three. In the bay area, rent is at least $15k for a one bedroom apartment.
Anyway, that doesn't get to my point. My point was inspired by a Georgia representative who said that the high income requirements were 'greedy', this after we heard a tearful mother of two who makes $30k explain that $200 to $300 a month for private health insurance would mean cutting other expenses. Sher mentioned that 2-300 was the equivalent of two weeks of groceries, and asked her elected officials, those responsible for helping everyone, why she, who moved from a maid to the manager of a condomiunum as a single mother, had to make such choices.
It got me thinking - we have representatives, but they aren't representative. I suggest that we pay representatives only the median income of their district - that is take-home pay, not campaign money or anything else. We only cover their health, dental, etc costs at the level of what is covered for everyone in their distrct. If 60% of the people in their district have health coverage, they have 60% of their gross bills covered. I don't think this would be excessive at all. There are 435 federal representatives and about 100 per state. It would be pretty easy to assess each district and impose the restrictions on the representatives. I'd say one person would need to be employed each year per 100 reps. So 5 at the federal level, assessing district stats and giving reports to payroll.
Thoughts?
Anyway, that doesn't get to my point. My point was inspired by a Georgia representative who said that the high income requirements were 'greedy', this after we heard a tearful mother of two who makes $30k explain that $200 to $300 a month for private health insurance would mean cutting other expenses. Sher mentioned that 2-300 was the equivalent of two weeks of groceries, and asked her elected officials, those responsible for helping everyone, why she, who moved from a maid to the manager of a condomiunum as a single mother, had to make such choices.
It got me thinking - we have representatives, but they aren't representative. I suggest that we pay representatives only the median income of their district - that is take-home pay, not campaign money or anything else. We only cover their health, dental, etc costs at the level of what is covered for everyone in their distrct. If 60% of the people in their district have health coverage, they have 60% of their gross bills covered. I don't think this would be excessive at all. There are 435 federal representatives and about 100 per state. It would be pretty easy to assess each district and impose the restrictions on the representatives. I'd say one person would need to be employed each year per 100 reps. So 5 at the federal level, assessing district stats and giving reports to payroll.
Thoughts?
2.25.2007
2.18.2007
I just had my gallbladder removed, which hurts like a bitch, and the pain pills make me feel weird and trippy, so I haven't been taking them...so I'm confined to the house, feeling really sorry for myself, but I've been reading some really good books that I recommend:
Promiscuities: The Secret Struggle for Womanhood. Super good. It's by Naomi Wolf, my favorite writer right now, about growing up a woman during and just after the sexual revolution...which wasn't much of a revolution...it's just been a new kind of enslavement in my opinion....
The Beauty Myth, also by Naomi Wolf. I haven't started this one yet, but it's about the way society uses images of beauty to control women. Thought I'd pass the titles along. I've got some Susan Brownmiller waiting for me, too.
I think I'll go read and whine about the fucking pain.
Promiscuities: The Secret Struggle for Womanhood. Super good. It's by Naomi Wolf, my favorite writer right now, about growing up a woman during and just after the sexual revolution...which wasn't much of a revolution...it's just been a new kind of enslavement in my opinion....
The Beauty Myth, also by Naomi Wolf. I haven't started this one yet, but it's about the way society uses images of beauty to control women. Thought I'd pass the titles along. I've got some Susan Brownmiller waiting for me, too.
I think I'll go read and whine about the fucking pain.
2.17.2007
2.12.2007
Do any of you ever still judge debates? If so, you may know if current debaters are actually using the following arguement to define the word 'significantly' with a very low number.
I remember that at least half of the resolutions that I debated in HS included the word 'significantly', a derivitive of the word 'significant'. According to the Department of Homeland Security, we are currently under 'Significant Risk of Terror Activities' - airlines are at an even higher risk.
Do you remember the kinds of definitions you used as an indication of significant? Was a common one 20%? I remember practically laughing off a definition of 2%. But what does significant risk mean in this instance? Does it mean that we will experience, first hand, a terrorist threat every five days? (that would be roughly 20%, I guess) And what constitutes terrorist threat? Is it a bomb at the grocery store* at least twice a week? Is it busting a terror cell in the UK that planned to attack the US? Because I think in the past year at least, there have been no bombs in American stores and only two busted terror cells - and both were busted early on in their planning.
But we're still at 'Significant Risk', not in Iraq, where bombs actually blow up several times a week and routinely kill multiple individuals, but here, in the United States. Here, my biggest daily risk is getting in an accident on the 680 Southbound, right before the 580 interchange - that or hitting some terrible traffic. The current terror level alert is watering down our language, but more importantly, it is reducing our ability to be prepared for actual threats. If we adjust to a level of Significant, or even High, how much more important will it be to us if the level goes up to Severe?
But, with that in mind, it seems like the same machine that took us to war with Iraq is gearing up for war with Iran. Believe it or not, I'd actually like to believe my government, especially since it is supposed to be by the people, of the people, and for the people. The problem is that everything I hear goes against my logic. When someone does ask a question, it is answered with the accusation that we don't trust the government. But it has become clear that we cannot. I think I will defer to Jefferson to figure out what might be necessary in that situation.
*I presume that we use grocery stores, or malls, in the same way Iraqis use marketplaces
I remember that at least half of the resolutions that I debated in HS included the word 'significantly', a derivitive of the word 'significant'. According to the Department of Homeland Security, we are currently under 'Significant Risk of Terror Activities' - airlines are at an even higher risk.
Do you remember the kinds of definitions you used as an indication of significant? Was a common one 20%? I remember practically laughing off a definition of 2%. But what does significant risk mean in this instance? Does it mean that we will experience, first hand, a terrorist threat every five days? (that would be roughly 20%, I guess) And what constitutes terrorist threat? Is it a bomb at the grocery store* at least twice a week? Is it busting a terror cell in the UK that planned to attack the US? Because I think in the past year at least, there have been no bombs in American stores and only two busted terror cells - and both were busted early on in their planning.
But we're still at 'Significant Risk', not in Iraq, where bombs actually blow up several times a week and routinely kill multiple individuals, but here, in the United States. Here, my biggest daily risk is getting in an accident on the 680 Southbound, right before the 580 interchange - that or hitting some terrible traffic. The current terror level alert is watering down our language, but more importantly, it is reducing our ability to be prepared for actual threats. If we adjust to a level of Significant, or even High, how much more important will it be to us if the level goes up to Severe?
But, with that in mind, it seems like the same machine that took us to war with Iraq is gearing up for war with Iran. Believe it or not, I'd actually like to believe my government, especially since it is supposed to be by the people, of the people, and for the people. The problem is that everything I hear goes against my logic. When someone does ask a question, it is answered with the accusation that we don't trust the government. But it has become clear that we cannot. I think I will defer to Jefferson to figure out what might be necessary in that situation.
*I presume that we use grocery stores, or malls, in the same way Iraqis use marketplaces
2.02.2007
I sewed a button onto one of my teacher shirts today, and I'm proud of myself beyond belief. The thread has been sitting on my desk for over a week, challenging me. Probably a 25-year-old woman should not consider this a major achievement. How is it possible that I am so domestically challenged? Especially when my mother is Susie Homemaker...
1.16.2007
Christmas is finally over. This theme is one of my new themes. It is from the Monochrome series, but there is a 'black and white movie' feeling as well. I can't help myself, here is "Sparkle".
I actually have been making themes for the blog and have them listed below. I have a few with animated gifs in the background, mainly based on the kinds of animated gifs that I have been able to find. I have an idea for a disco theme that might cause seizures.
Anyway, I also have quite a few color themes, all taken from what I learned about color from the Color Rules of Thumb. So far, I have the monochromes, but want to make themes in analogous, warm/cool, complementary, primary, secondary, intermediate, split complements, double complementary colors and maybe others. I also want to make themes based on the color palates of the paintings featured in my source.
But here is what I have
I actually have been making themes for the blog and have them listed below. I have a few with animated gifs in the background, mainly based on the kinds of animated gifs that I have been able to find. I have an idea for a disco theme that might cause seizures.
Anyway, I also have quite a few color themes, all taken from what I learned about color from the Color Rules of Thumb. So far, I have the monochromes, but want to make themes in analogous, warm/cool, complementary, primary, secondary, intermediate, split complements, double complementary colors and maybe others. I also want to make themes based on the color palates of the paintings featured in my source.
But here is what I have
| Colors Monochromes
| Animations
as it could be. I'll have links up soon |
1.08.2007
1.06.2007
Remember Kaarin? Remember Problem Child, that bad early 90s movie with John Ritter? Ummm...Kaarin's dating/living with the kid from that movie. They're in Burbank.
How do I know this? OK, I admit that I read her LiveJournal from time to time and occasionally check her real MySpace profile. I mean, we used to be best friends, and I'm known for my stalker side, so...yeah. Anyway, there have been references in the LJ to her "famous" boyfriend, which confused me because I'd seen pictures of the two of them together and he looked absolutely unfamiliar to me. Then I found her fake MySpace profile, where she unveiled the famous boyfriend's identity. I did a Google image search, and yup, Problem Child is definitely the guy she's kissing in the MySpace pictures. Funny how things turn out, isn't it?
Here's my question: she met this guy in Tennessee. What the hell was the Problem Child doing in Tennessee? If she thinks he's her ticket to fame, I suspect that's not so. I mean, according to her LJ they were working some lame data entry job to get by. I guess he didn't make millions for those shitty movies. (As it turns out, there was a sequel.)
/gossip
/stalking
/creating narratives for other peoples' lives
How do I know this? OK, I admit that I read her LiveJournal from time to time and occasionally check her real MySpace profile. I mean, we used to be best friends, and I'm known for my stalker side, so...yeah. Anyway, there have been references in the LJ to her "famous" boyfriend, which confused me because I'd seen pictures of the two of them together and he looked absolutely unfamiliar to me. Then I found her fake MySpace profile, where she unveiled the famous boyfriend's identity. I did a Google image search, and yup, Problem Child is definitely the guy she's kissing in the MySpace pictures. Funny how things turn out, isn't it?
Here's my question: she met this guy in Tennessee. What the hell was the Problem Child doing in Tennessee? If she thinks he's her ticket to fame, I suspect that's not so. I mean, according to her LJ they were working some lame data entry job to get by. I guess he didn't make millions for those shitty movies. (As it turns out, there was a sequel.)
/gossip
/stalking
/creating narratives for other peoples' lives
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