so, i'm studying for the GRE. ugh. it's amazing ...ly tedious. i'm amazingly stupid. sure, i do okay, but so far i'm doing worse and worse. i did awesome on the diagnostic test that was supposed to tell me where my weaknesses are. apparently my weakness is in studying - i lost the element of surprise, and now i'm not good at the tests.
in other news, my roommate Emily picked up a certificate for a free month of Netflix. This could be bad - very bad. we got our first 3 movies, and watched them all within 3 days. that's at least a 200% increase over my previous month's movie watching. plus i went to the movies (!) and saw 3:10 to Yuma, which is good if you like dirty, strong men shooting at each other and riding horses over beautiful landscape. the worst part of the whole movie was when one man shot the bag of gunpowder hanging on another guy's horse and man and horse blew up (is that what would happen in reality?) it was incredibly gross.
in still other news, happy fall. it sure is happy here. the weather could not be more perfect. and i may have a new friend - there's a new girl at work, also a fresh college grad, who sits in my office and lives in Evanston. i can't tell if she likes me or not, or if i like her or not. i haven't had much time to chat. i'm going to have a dinner party next weekend, with my other friends from work, and i'm going to invite her. maybe this week i'll get her digits. i should have done this week, and showed her around town this weekend. i did tell her about the farmer's market, and where i do my grocery shopping.
anyhow. i guess i should keep doing practice tests. maybe i'll break through the wall soon, and start doing well again.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
the horrors of modern technology
whoops. i just got bitten in the behind by the lure of the cell phone. $250 extra dollars in talking in one month. ouch ouch ouch. well, live and learn, as they say. I am learning a lot lately.
i guess i will have to take a vow of silence.
i guess i will have to take a vow of silence.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
check it out.
http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/programs/professional/
especially the Ecosystems Science and Conservation concentration.
Feedback? Thoughts? Opinions?
especially the Ecosystems Science and Conservation concentration.
Feedback? Thoughts? Opinions?
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Sunday, September 16, 2007
my Friday night
so, on Friday i went to a concert - http://www.amyshoemaker.com/ is the website for Amy, who plays bozouki at the session twice a week. she's John Williams' wife, and she has her own band, the Shoemakers. i went to hear them at a club in Skokie, the next town west of Evanston, with my friend James. He is Noe's best friend in town. we had a great time, and the music was awesome. it was a very eclectic set list, with many of Amy's own songs mixed in with Johnny Cash and the Ramones and many other great artists. she was so thrilled to see us there, too. i don't think she'd believed me when i told her i was going, and James she just knows as the guy at the bar who always buys her (usually unwanted/unneeded) shots (she's a lightweight).
so anyway. that's the story. then i got James a book out of the library, and he lent me Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, just as education and adding to my list of classics. On Saturday night, i passed out in a chair at about 9:30, reading. a wild weekend, to be sure.
today, i went to Celtic Fest down at Millennium Park. it was sweet. the weather was awesome, and i hung out in the Harp Tent, the Celtic Voices tent (for storytelling and singing), watched some manly men in kilts throw heavy things around, listened to some pipe bands (and got very nostalgic), and ended up listening to a band called GiveWay, which consists of 4 sisters from Edinborough, Scotland, playing pretty traditional music in a pretty rock way - their drummer plays a full kit, one of them plays keyboard, one plays accordion, and one trades off between fiddle and acoustic guitar. they are awesome musicians, and their accents are awesome.
consequently, i was quite late for the session at Nevins - and, to my delight, much missed. i was the only bodhran player to show up!
now i'm back at home, and ready for bed - with the sun setting at 7, i get tired much earlier.
so anyway. that's the story. then i got James a book out of the library, and he lent me Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, just as education and adding to my list of classics. On Saturday night, i passed out in a chair at about 9:30, reading. a wild weekend, to be sure.
today, i went to Celtic Fest down at Millennium Park. it was sweet. the weather was awesome, and i hung out in the Harp Tent, the Celtic Voices tent (for storytelling and singing), watched some manly men in kilts throw heavy things around, listened to some pipe bands (and got very nostalgic), and ended up listening to a band called GiveWay, which consists of 4 sisters from Edinborough, Scotland, playing pretty traditional music in a pretty rock way - their drummer plays a full kit, one of them plays keyboard, one plays accordion, and one trades off between fiddle and acoustic guitar. they are awesome musicians, and their accents are awesome.
consequently, i was quite late for the session at Nevins - and, to my delight, much missed. i was the only bodhran player to show up!
now i'm back at home, and ready for bed - with the sun setting at 7, i get tired much earlier.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
puppies!!
I will post pictures as soon as I get them from roommate Emily.
I finally got to meet Noe's puppies, now 8? weeks old? they are adorable. too cute for words. endless wiggling, until suddenly they yawn and then pass out.
if i had consistent puppy in my life, i think i'd be much happier. i told him he can leave the puppies with me anytime.
the cats aren't wild about them, but they're okay. they get over it and forget to be scared. and at this point the puppies are still too shy to accost the kitties.
hilarious moment of the evening: apparently he honestly wants me to call him Snake.
I finally got to meet Noe's puppies, now 8? weeks old? they are adorable. too cute for words. endless wiggling, until suddenly they yawn and then pass out.
if i had consistent puppy in my life, i think i'd be much happier. i told him he can leave the puppies with me anytime.
the cats aren't wild about them, but they're okay. they get over it and forget to be scared. and at this point the puppies are still too shy to accost the kitties.
hilarious moment of the evening: apparently he honestly wants me to call him Snake.
Monday, September 10, 2007
oh man
i just realized something.
what i used to say (jokingly) about Vijay still holds true for my current situation.
i like my coffee like i like my men -
strong and dark.
only this one's stronger and darker.
and busier. this might as well be a long-distance relationship for all i see him.
but anyway. now I'm reading another Barbara Kingsolver book - this time, not a novel, but a book of essays. It's called Small Wonders, and it's a book of essays she wrote in response to September 11, 2001, so a timely read, i suppose.
so far, it's mixed, horribly depressing and uplifting.
what i used to say (jokingly) about Vijay still holds true for my current situation.
i like my coffee like i like my men -
strong and dark.
only this one's stronger and darker.
and busier. this might as well be a long-distance relationship for all i see him.
but anyway. now I'm reading another Barbara Kingsolver book - this time, not a novel, but a book of essays. It's called Small Wonders, and it's a book of essays she wrote in response to September 11, 2001, so a timely read, i suppose.
so far, it's mixed, horribly depressing and uplifting.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
more twigs on the family tree
Susan DellOrto called me up the other day to invite me to Friday night dinner at her house, since she was having another relative over for dinner. John Kelly from Texas, son of Aunt Gert, was in town for a retiring-from-the-Navy party for one of his old friends. Susan also had a friend from Boston in town, Elaine. The four of us had a very quiet, relaxing dinner. He was a very nice, pretty retiring guy, and I think he was slightly overwhelmed by the three of us loud, aggressive women, but I think we all enjoyed ourselves. I would have been home for a relatively early evening, except Susan spilled wax on a suede-upholstered stool, and we spent about an hour working on getting the wax out (we ironed it, with paper towels to soak up the wax - was that bad? i think we might have burned the suede ... )
and now I'm off for a morning at the beach, at $11/hour. Life isn't so bad, i guess. I mean, besides the fact that I'm working on a Saturday. I just don't have enough backbone, and I have too much compassion and commitment to this job (what a silly thing to have, it's not like commitment is going to get me a promotion or keep me here any longer ...)
hopefully I'm going to get to play with puppies this afternoon. that's all i want from my life right now - more dogs in it.
and now I'm off for a morning at the beach, at $11/hour. Life isn't so bad, i guess. I mean, besides the fact that I'm working on a Saturday. I just don't have enough backbone, and I have too much compassion and commitment to this job (what a silly thing to have, it's not like commitment is going to get me a promotion or keep me here any longer ...)
hopefully I'm going to get to play with puppies this afternoon. that's all i want from my life right now - more dogs in it.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
the decimals!!!
i just had an enormous tirade on the importance of decimal points. i just spent an hour deciphering the GPS coordinates given to me by this lady who apparently thinks a decimal point one direction or the other doesn't really matter. there is a *BIG* difference between decimal degrees and degrees minutes decimal, lady. Also a difference between NAD-27 and WGS-84.
so, i feel like a big nerd. but i still maintain the necessity of the tirade. data integrity is important, dammit.
so, i feel like a big nerd. but i still maintain the necessity of the tirade. data integrity is important, dammit.
Monday, September 3, 2007
what i forgot to say
So, in an effort to understand this new person who thinks in a way i have never tried to understand before (being complacent in my liberal Ivory Tower bubble), i am reading Jarhead - on Fiona's recommendation - which is written by an ex-Marine about what it's like to be a Marine. i picked it up this morning, and i'm most of the way through. it's very disturbing for this sheltered little girl to read (not because it's graphically violent - it's not, so far he's seen no combat), just because the thought processes are totally foreign but perfectly logical, in their own way. i think it's also offered some insight into why Noe reenlisted, which myself and his friends have been wondering about.
i'd say this book is worth reading. he's a vivid writer, and very accessible. thanks, Fifi.
i'd say this book is worth reading. he's a vivid writer, and very accessible. thanks, Fifi.
sometimes i am the one with the exciting life
so, as most of the folks who ever read this already know, i recently acquired what is commonly called a boyfriend. i never really liked the term, but can't think of a better one that isn't out-dated.
he prefers to be called Snake, although i call him Noe, as i can't say "Snake" without cracking up, and i'm sure he'd be offended. this new friendship is a journey into totally foreign territory for me. he is both a former and a future Navy boy, with six years' prior service and a recent re-enlistment and pending deployment. he is very proud of his service, and that of his three brothers (all Navy, all Blue Knights of the Navy, whatever that means exactly). perhaps as a result, i am occasionally the audience for short lectures on the validity of the war, the importance of pride in the U.S., the superiority of Ford over imported cars (and any other American-made), and very occasionally, the watchfulness of God the Almighty.
His childhood was split between Evanston and Detroit, but he claims Detroit as his real home. He is devoted to muscle cars, and is the (very) proud owner of 2 1/2 racing Mustangs (he doesn't race them himself, just does all of the wrench work). Today I went on a field trip to his garage (Snake's Chop Shop) to see his babies, and while i didn't understand most of what he was talking about, i can attest to the shininess of the cars, both under the hood and on the outside. while he is not very educated in the academic sense, he is certainly not a dumb guy - he taught himself physics so that he could understand how to make cars go faster, and is just as quick as Dad to point to a piece of a car's engine and begin explaining the laws that make it work. he is also trilingual. people who speak more than one language always make me feel dumber.
what i find to be the most ironic about this new relationship is that i, the feminist, have found myself the ultimately traditional-minded man, who insists and demonstrates that chivalry is not dead. he is scandalized if i ever pull out my wallet to pay for anything in his presence, holds doors open for me, and is solicitous of my every need. he extends this consideration to all females - my co-worker Rachel came out to the session yesterday, and the two of them had dinner while i played, and he insisted on paying for her dinner as well. despite this determination to care for women, he claims (to my roommate, while i was away from the table), that my main attraction is my sass. he likes it that i talk back rather than deferring to him. apparently this doesn't happen to him very often, as he is pretty physically intimidating - barrel-chested and over six feet tall, with a default expression pretty close to a scowl and a penchant for heavy-metal music.
so, at this point, i have no illusions about this relationship. he will be shipping out sometime between October and March, and I am moving away from Illinois sometime between May and August. he and I have very different goals in life - when i told him I was studying for the GRE, he asked what grad school is, and what use it will be for me. we also have very different philosophies on life - he is a firm believer in the value of violence as a conflict-resolution tool, and doesn't really see the value in reading books.
however, at this point, he certainly does break up the monotony, and i am learning a lot. he has many good (and terrifying) stories from his life, including the tale behind the piece of lead still lodged in his sternum - he was shot off his HumVee in Fallujah, and it cured him of his homophobia, as the man who saved his life is gay and they are now bosom buddies.
I am not entirely convinced of the truth of all of his stories, being somewhat of an embellisher myself, but i did get to feel the bullet, and he is certainly nervous enough to have seen combat. i have already learned never to sneak up on him.
additionally, besides stories, he has two brand-new puppies - pitbulls, which according to him, are superior to all other dogs. and God knows i love puppies.
he prefers to be called Snake, although i call him Noe, as i can't say "Snake" without cracking up, and i'm sure he'd be offended. this new friendship is a journey into totally foreign territory for me. he is both a former and a future Navy boy, with six years' prior service and a recent re-enlistment and pending deployment. he is very proud of his service, and that of his three brothers (all Navy, all Blue Knights of the Navy, whatever that means exactly). perhaps as a result, i am occasionally the audience for short lectures on the validity of the war, the importance of pride in the U.S., the superiority of Ford over imported cars (and any other American-made), and very occasionally, the watchfulness of God the Almighty.
His childhood was split between Evanston and Detroit, but he claims Detroit as his real home. He is devoted to muscle cars, and is the (very) proud owner of 2 1/2 racing Mustangs (he doesn't race them himself, just does all of the wrench work). Today I went on a field trip to his garage (Snake's Chop Shop) to see his babies, and while i didn't understand most of what he was talking about, i can attest to the shininess of the cars, both under the hood and on the outside. while he is not very educated in the academic sense, he is certainly not a dumb guy - he taught himself physics so that he could understand how to make cars go faster, and is just as quick as Dad to point to a piece of a car's engine and begin explaining the laws that make it work. he is also trilingual. people who speak more than one language always make me feel dumber.
what i find to be the most ironic about this new relationship is that i, the feminist, have found myself the ultimately traditional-minded man, who insists and demonstrates that chivalry is not dead. he is scandalized if i ever pull out my wallet to pay for anything in his presence, holds doors open for me, and is solicitous of my every need. he extends this consideration to all females - my co-worker Rachel came out to the session yesterday, and the two of them had dinner while i played, and he insisted on paying for her dinner as well. despite this determination to care for women, he claims (to my roommate, while i was away from the table), that my main attraction is my sass. he likes it that i talk back rather than deferring to him. apparently this doesn't happen to him very often, as he is pretty physically intimidating - barrel-chested and over six feet tall, with a default expression pretty close to a scowl and a penchant for heavy-metal music.
so, at this point, i have no illusions about this relationship. he will be shipping out sometime between October and March, and I am moving away from Illinois sometime between May and August. he and I have very different goals in life - when i told him I was studying for the GRE, he asked what grad school is, and what use it will be for me. we also have very different philosophies on life - he is a firm believer in the value of violence as a conflict-resolution tool, and doesn't really see the value in reading books.
however, at this point, he certainly does break up the monotony, and i am learning a lot. he has many good (and terrifying) stories from his life, including the tale behind the piece of lead still lodged in his sternum - he was shot off his HumVee in Fallujah, and it cured him of his homophobia, as the man who saved his life is gay and they are now bosom buddies.
I am not entirely convinced of the truth of all of his stories, being somewhat of an embellisher myself, but i did get to feel the bullet, and he is certainly nervous enough to have seen combat. i have already learned never to sneak up on him.
additionally, besides stories, he has two brand-new puppies - pitbulls, which according to him, are superior to all other dogs. and God knows i love puppies.
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