I have often heard the adage about one's eyes being bigger than one's stomach. Apparently this is true regarding activities, as well.
When last we met, I was getting ready for my last real final, and psyching myself up to not slip into a coma before my last actual final. I managed to succeed in that, then slipped into a coma AFTER my last actual final. If I remember right, for about the next two weeks I slept an average of 12-14 hours a day. Having never been someone to sleep all day, this was quite a change for me.
Thankfully, I finally caught up on 9 months' worth of sleep, and my proverbial eyes got bigger than my proverbial stomach. Basically, I got so excited about not having all this school work to do that I immediately started committing myself to all kinds of stuff, and ended up being just as crazy as I was during that horrible second semester. I learned that lesson after a little bit, and started backing off of some things, and I think now I've gotten myself almost to a reasonable level. Almost.
At any rate, the last several months have been pretty filled with "figuring yourself out and learning about how you see the world" kind of stuff. I've spent the summer as a law clerk for National Center for Lesbian Rights, which, despite its name, is one of the most progressive and inclusive LGBTQ legal organizations out there. It has been a crazy busy internship, but an amazing one--the people are dedicated beyond belief and amazing to work with, and they accept nothing from themselves except the highest quality. The end result is an absolutely spectacular organization that does breathtaking work.
I've also started to realize how much over the last year my world view has grown and shifted, and how I see things so differently than I did even a year ago. It's not that I have changed any of my core beliefs about the world; it's more that my views on a lot of things have sharpened and clarified. I feel a lot more solid in my beliefs, as though the ways I thought about things before were on the right track, but they were inklings of thoughts--guesses made by someone who didn't have any experience to really have anything beyond a guess. I don't think that is an entirely true characterization, but it's something like that.
Anyway, enough esoteric blabbering for one night. To bed!
Showing posts with label misc. Show all posts
Showing posts with label misc. Show all posts
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Why We Use Privacy on the Intertubes
True story, not from me (I promise) but from an acquaintance who will remain nameless, in keeping with the theme of this post.
Said acquaintance (hereafter referred to as "AQ") posted a YouTube video, related to gender. (What? I have friends who talk about gender? Shocking.) AQ got a private message reply, asking what AQ's gender was. AQ took this as a teaching moment, and rather than answering, told the person (hereafter refered to as C, for CREEPER) that they might learn more about the whole subject of gender if they examined their reason for being so curious - was it because they couldn't deal with wondering? Did they want to be able to fit AQ into a neat boxy category? Would it bother C if AQ never answered and they never found out?
Well, C mistook the "would it bother you if I never answered" bit in a slightly different light, and began talking about how no, it wouldn't bother them, because it's not like there was any emotional commitment...and then began expounding upon love. Yeah, actually using the "L" word. In the course of part of a day, C sent AQ three messages on YouTube, each one getting progressively more creepy, and the last one clearly being impatient at the lack of a response (all three were sent while AQ was nowhere near the computer). Not quite sure how to respond, AQ didn't.
The next day, AQ got a final message from C, proclaiming that since it had been a full two days that C had not heard from AQ (but could see that AQ had logged on in the meantime), that the best thing C could do was to "move on". The search for that special person in C's life would have to continue, although they had hoped that AQ could be that person.
Creepy. Cree. Py. Creepy.
And this, boys and girls, is why I use initials (even though most of the readers here know full well who is who...except in this post, quite intentionally), and why when you have accounts on places like YouTube, Flikr, Facebook, WhoreSpace, etc., you should REEEEALLLY pay attention to your privacy settings.
Said acquaintance (hereafter referred to as "AQ") posted a YouTube video, related to gender. (What? I have friends who talk about gender? Shocking.) AQ got a private message reply, asking what AQ's gender was. AQ took this as a teaching moment, and rather than answering, told the person (hereafter refered to as C, for CREEPER) that they might learn more about the whole subject of gender if they examined their reason for being so curious - was it because they couldn't deal with wondering? Did they want to be able to fit AQ into a neat boxy category? Would it bother C if AQ never answered and they never found out?
Well, C mistook the "would it bother you if I never answered" bit in a slightly different light, and began talking about how no, it wouldn't bother them, because it's not like there was any emotional commitment...and then began expounding upon love. Yeah, actually using the "L" word. In the course of part of a day, C sent AQ three messages on YouTube, each one getting progressively more creepy, and the last one clearly being impatient at the lack of a response (all three were sent while AQ was nowhere near the computer). Not quite sure how to respond, AQ didn't.
The next day, AQ got a final message from C, proclaiming that since it had been a full two days that C had not heard from AQ (but could see that AQ had logged on in the meantime), that the best thing C could do was to "move on". The search for that special person in C's life would have to continue, although they had hoped that AQ could be that person.
Creepy. Cree. Py. Creepy.
And this, boys and girls, is why I use initials (even though most of the readers here know full well who is who...except in this post, quite intentionally), and why when you have accounts on places like YouTube, Flikr, Facebook, WhoreSpace, etc., you should REEEEALLLY pay attention to your privacy settings.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Withdrawal?
For the last week or so, my computer has gotten very cranky, stubbornly refusing to admit that it has a keyboard and track pad, like a tempestuous four year old. The stubborn refusal part, not the keyboard and track pad part. So, I've had the joy of lugging around a separate USB mouse and keyboard for the last week in order to use it. Needless to say, the keyboard doesn't mesh too gracefully in the bag with all the big heavy law books.
After some back and forth, I have reached a magical confluence of events by which 1) the required new parts are at the repair store, 2) I am in an immediately-post-paper lull (just turned in a paper this morning), so this is not a horrendous time for me to be without my computer, 3) I have time tonight to detour on the way home to the Apple store to drop it off for repairs, and 4) I have a magical appointment with Apple for the 30 seconds it will take for me to say, "Here's my computer."
UCLA has a fantastically helpful IT department, so tomorrow morning, armed with a copy of the repair order showing that my laptop is undergoing surgery, they will loan me a temporary machine to use until I get mine back. The challenge is this: from 8:00 or so this evening until some time tomorrow morning, I will be sans computer. Unplugged.
Can I do it?
Will I make it?
Twelve hours with no email? No New York Times (oh wait...that comes in that paper stuff, doesn't it)? No WashBlade? No other-people's-blogs? No streaming radio?
Considering that for the last week I have loathed dealing with the external crap and have avoided using my laptop unless forced, it probably won't be a stretch. But it's funny to make fun of my internet dependence anyhow.
After some back and forth, I have reached a magical confluence of events by which 1) the required new parts are at the repair store, 2) I am in an immediately-post-paper lull (just turned in a paper this morning), so this is not a horrendous time for me to be without my computer, 3) I have time tonight to detour on the way home to the Apple store to drop it off for repairs, and 4) I have a magical appointment with Apple for the 30 seconds it will take for me to say, "Here's my computer."
UCLA has a fantastically helpful IT department, so tomorrow morning, armed with a copy of the repair order showing that my laptop is undergoing surgery, they will loan me a temporary machine to use until I get mine back. The challenge is this: from 8:00 or so this evening until some time tomorrow morning, I will be sans computer. Unplugged.
Can I do it?
Will I make it?
Twelve hours with no email? No New York Times (oh wait...that comes in that paper stuff, doesn't it)? No WashBlade? No other-people's-blogs? No streaming radio?
Considering that for the last week I have loathed dealing with the external crap and have avoided using my laptop unless forced, it probably won't be a stretch. But it's funny to make fun of my internet dependence anyhow.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Kindergarten Had It Right
I don't actually remember if my kindergarten had a nap time (I kind of think it didn't actually) but people always talk about naps in kindergarten, so I'm just going to go with it for this post. Between classes this morning, I made a conscious decision to head to one of the library reading couches to do my best cat impression...stretched out in a patch of sun streaming through the window for an hour nap.
Really, every day should involve naps. Whether you're a student, working in an office, whatever...everyone should get naps. Life is just better after a nap.
Really, every day should involve naps. Whether you're a student, working in an office, whatever...everyone should get naps. Life is just better after a nap.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Sore = Awesome
Q: What do you get when you combine a 5:30 wake up call, a bike ride, a semi-truck full of water and bananas, chilly rain, 36,000 people, free coffee, and a body full of sore muscles the next day?
A: A happy me.
I helped with post-race refreshments at the Race for the Cure on Sunday. It's project that I've enjoyed the last few years; it's pretty perfect for me because it combines my masochistic love for physical labor and my more benign love for do-gooding. Basically, volunteers get up really early (this year we didn't have to be there until 6:00--huzzah!) and unload a semi full of bananas and beverages donated by Pepsi/Aquafina, cart the truck contents however far to a small-ish tent area where we stage everything as well as we can and then guard it with our lives until people are done with the race. Then in a dizzying rush, we "distribute" the product, sticking a banana and bottled water into every hand we see as the tide of people surges to our little tent.
I bike there to avoid having to deal with an automobile in the midst of the race madness, and while you have to be there before the coffee stores open, thankfully there's the Caribou Coffee tent, giving out free cups of caffeinated bliss. Unloading the truck usually takes a little over two hours. Staging the stuff usually starts out as nicely organized stacking, and ends as, "Oh crap, more of that? I dunno, just stack it over there." Guarding stuff before the end of the race requires a heart of stone as you turn away people who give you every sob story in the book as to why they ought to get the free stuff NOW. Giving it away requires nerves of steel as you brace yourself against the thirsty horde. Eventually you're tempted to just start hurling bananas and bottles out into the crowd.
Each year brings its own fun twists and quirks. This year, for instance, the rain and soft ground made working with the hand trucks extra special, and the area that we had been given to distribute was teeeeny tiny. Also, the semi truck, parked on the paved walkway in Flagstaff right across the treeline from Frew St., was parked uphill, which added a lot more distance onto how far we had to haul the stuff, and also meant that as we were moving the pallets of stuff to the end of the truck for offloading, we had to pull them uphill. On the good side, we managed to score the use of two of the race's motorized utility carts, which was a great boon. Also, the beverage selection was much better--2/3 was water and the rest was flavored "vitamin" water. (Last year we were cursed with pallet upon pallet of Jazz, which had been Pepsi's latest marketing misadventure.)
There's one thing that never changes, and that is the average human being's willingness to take as much free stuff as they can possibly carry. Giant Eagle was giving away their canvas shopping bags, and people were walking around with these bags overflowing with scary pink bagels, yogurt, ice cream, fruit, McDonald's apple slice packets, as much of every handout that they could finagle. And yes, water, flavored water and bananas. In the end it was good, because as the rain moved in and the masses started scattering, we were faced with the prospect of having to put a bunch of leftover water back into the truck. We solved this by quite literally handing out the stuff by the case.
At any rate, as always I enjoyed doing it and am sore as hell today, which I really like. To me being muscle-sore is a great reminder that I was out and about doing something different and useful with my body, using it to its true best abilities.
And as with any cancer-related activity, I worked this year in honor of my grandmother Virginia Lloyd, a many-year survivor of breast cancer, and in memory of Dave Deerfield, who fought his one-year battle against cancer with courage, wisdom and humor.
A: A happy me.
I helped with post-race refreshments at the Race for the Cure on Sunday. It's project that I've enjoyed the last few years; it's pretty perfect for me because it combines my masochistic love for physical labor and my more benign love for do-gooding. Basically, volunteers get up really early (this year we didn't have to be there until 6:00--huzzah!) and unload a semi full of bananas and beverages donated by Pepsi/Aquafina, cart the truck contents however far to a small-ish tent area where we stage everything as well as we can and then guard it with our lives until people are done with the race. Then in a dizzying rush, we "distribute" the product, sticking a banana and bottled water into every hand we see as the tide of people surges to our little tent.
I bike there to avoid having to deal with an automobile in the midst of the race madness, and while you have to be there before the coffee stores open, thankfully there's the Caribou Coffee tent, giving out free cups of caffeinated bliss. Unloading the truck usually takes a little over two hours. Staging the stuff usually starts out as nicely organized stacking, and ends as, "Oh crap, more of that? I dunno, just stack it over there." Guarding stuff before the end of the race requires a heart of stone as you turn away people who give you every sob story in the book as to why they ought to get the free stuff NOW. Giving it away requires nerves of steel as you brace yourself against the thirsty horde. Eventually you're tempted to just start hurling bananas and bottles out into the crowd.
Each year brings its own fun twists and quirks. This year, for instance, the rain and soft ground made working with the hand trucks extra special, and the area that we had been given to distribute was teeeeny tiny. Also, the semi truck, parked on the paved walkway in Flagstaff right across the treeline from Frew St., was parked uphill, which added a lot more distance onto how far we had to haul the stuff, and also meant that as we were moving the pallets of stuff to the end of the truck for offloading, we had to pull them uphill. On the good side, we managed to score the use of two of the race's motorized utility carts, which was a great boon. Also, the beverage selection was much better--2/3 was water and the rest was flavored "vitamin" water. (Last year we were cursed with pallet upon pallet of Jazz, which had been Pepsi's latest marketing misadventure.)
There's one thing that never changes, and that is the average human being's willingness to take as much free stuff as they can possibly carry. Giant Eagle was giving away their canvas shopping bags, and people were walking around with these bags overflowing with scary pink bagels, yogurt, ice cream, fruit, McDonald's apple slice packets, as much of every handout that they could finagle. And yes, water, flavored water and bananas. In the end it was good, because as the rain moved in and the masses started scattering, we were faced with the prospect of having to put a bunch of leftover water back into the truck. We solved this by quite literally handing out the stuff by the case.
At any rate, as always I enjoyed doing it and am sore as hell today, which I really like. To me being muscle-sore is a great reminder that I was out and about doing something different and useful with my body, using it to its true best abilities.
And as with any cancer-related activity, I worked this year in honor of my grandmother Virginia Lloyd, a many-year survivor of breast cancer, and in memory of Dave Deerfield, who fought his one-year battle against cancer with courage, wisdom and humor.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Relaxing, or Something
After all the traveling and emotion, I vowed that this weekend would be dedicated to relaxation, specifically with LT. The first plan was, "We're only going to leave my apartment for food." Then it was, "oh, and this concert," then, "oh, and a few hours of work"...
...eight hours at PetCo, two cat adoptions, one trip to the gym, a few trips to the fence, one two-hour walk along the river, three restaurants, one softball game, one concert, one torn pair of jeans, and one tearful trip to the West End later...well, yeah.
Good weekend? Yeah. I enjoyed everything I did this weekend. Do I still remember what my apartment looks like? Not so much.
Y'know, all that a big part of me wants is some time for LT and I to relax together and focus on enjoying these last weeks we have in Pittsburgh. But every time we do that, we just start crying. Maybe this relaxation sabotaging busy-ness is our subconscious' way of telling us that we can best enjoy our remaining time here by doing what we've done all along--experiencing things and being busy together. Or maybe it's our minds' way of removing focus from what's coming. Or both. Who knows.
Oh, and go Pens.
...eight hours at PetCo, two cat adoptions, one trip to the gym, a few trips to the fence, one two-hour walk along the river, three restaurants, one softball game, one concert, one torn pair of jeans, and one tearful trip to the West End later...well, yeah.
Good weekend? Yeah. I enjoyed everything I did this weekend. Do I still remember what my apartment looks like? Not so much.
Y'know, all that a big part of me wants is some time for LT and I to relax together and focus on enjoying these last weeks we have in Pittsburgh. But every time we do that, we just start crying. Maybe this relaxation sabotaging busy-ness is our subconscious' way of telling us that we can best enjoy our remaining time here by doing what we've done all along--experiencing things and being busy together. Or maybe it's our minds' way of removing focus from what's coming. Or both. Who knows.
Oh, and go Pens.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Best Invention Ever
Getting back home from a very cold and tiring hockey trip, I decided yesterday that hot showers are quite possibly the greatest invention mankind has ever made. Sure, there are others that accomplish more tangible things and more striking things, but as far as everyday usefulness and all-purpose functionality, the shower wins.
Think about it...
Dirty? A shower will clean you. Duh.
Sick with the cold or flu? A shower will help clear you out and make you feel better.
Cold? A shower can get the blood flowing and warm you up.
Tired? A shower can invigorate.
Can't sleep? A shower can help relax you.
Sore and achy? A shower can soothe sore muscles.
Anxious? A shower can help you calm down.
Need to solve a problem? A shower can help you think.
Just in a crappy mood? A shower can help you chill and just feel better.
I personally think that no important difficult events should happen without everyone involved having a really good shower just beforehand. The UN should think about this before holding its next round of talks for the Middle East or Korea.
Think about it...
Dirty? A shower will clean you. Duh.
Sick with the cold or flu? A shower will help clear you out and make you feel better.
Cold? A shower can get the blood flowing and warm you up.
Tired? A shower can invigorate.
Can't sleep? A shower can help relax you.
Sore and achy? A shower can soothe sore muscles.
Anxious? A shower can help you calm down.
Need to solve a problem? A shower can help you think.
Just in a crappy mood? A shower can help you chill and just feel better.
I personally think that no important difficult events should happen without everyone involved having a really good shower just beforehand. The UN should think about this before holding its next round of talks for the Middle East or Korea.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Calendar Fetish 2008
People who know me, I don't have to explain my calendar fetish. People who don't, now you know I have a calendar fetish. Addiction. Strong craving for. I really really like them. I don't know quite where it came from--it doesn't stem from any psychoanalytical need to control my life or time or anything, I just think they're fun. I think it started one year I was in a calendar store to get one for the new year, and I realized there were a bunch that I liked, so I decided to break free from the chains of societal calendar pressures and buy all the ones that I liked.
And so it goes. I go calendar shopping after the holidays, because a) then I already have the gift ones that I get, and b) when you buy as many calendars as I do, waiting until they are 50% off really pays. So yesterday I indulged in my calendar excesses for the year, and here's what I came up with:
Wall Calendars:
- Pittsburgh!
- Cool horse photography
- Vintage world maps
- Monte Nagler black & white photography
- Bridges
- Art by Gustave Baumann
- Art by Wolf Kahn
- Old photography of NYC
(And of course at work I have wet erase calendars to keep track of project schedules. But I usually categorize those under my office supply addiction, not my calendar addiction.)
Day-by-day Calendars:
- Daily paper airplane (fun!!)
- Bad President Bush countdown calendar
- Bye-bye Bush countdown calendar (yes, it was worth getting two)
- Stuff on My Cat
- Pooch Cafe
- Daily lawyer jokes (couldn't resist)
The one bummer about waiting until January is that a few of my staple comics that I get every year are sometimes sold out. So I'm currently waiting for the following day-by-day calendars to come in from ordering them online:
- Dilbert
- Pearls Before Swine
- Get Fuzzy
So, for those of you who are counting, yes, that is 16 calendars. And I'm PROUD OF IT!
And so it goes. I go calendar shopping after the holidays, because a) then I already have the gift ones that I get, and b) when you buy as many calendars as I do, waiting until they are 50% off really pays. So yesterday I indulged in my calendar excesses for the year, and here's what I came up with:
Wall Calendars:
- Pittsburgh!
- Cool horse photography
- Vintage world maps
- Monte Nagler black & white photography
- Bridges
- Art by Gustave Baumann
- Art by Wolf Kahn
- Old photography of NYC
(And of course at work I have wet erase calendars to keep track of project schedules. But I usually categorize those under my office supply addiction, not my calendar addiction.)
Day-by-day Calendars:
- Daily paper airplane (fun!!)
- Bad President Bush countdown calendar
- Bye-bye Bush countdown calendar (yes, it was worth getting two)
- Stuff on My Cat
- Pooch Cafe
- Daily lawyer jokes (couldn't resist)
The one bummer about waiting until January is that a few of my staple comics that I get every year are sometimes sold out. So I'm currently waiting for the following day-by-day calendars to come in from ordering them online:
- Dilbert
- Pearls Before Swine
- Get Fuzzy
So, for those of you who are counting, yes, that is 16 calendars. And I'm PROUD OF IT!
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Pitter Patter
I woke up this morning to a very familiar sound that I haven't heard in who knows how many years. Specifically:
THUMP THUMPTHUMP THUTHUTHUTHUTHTHUMP THUMP THUMP
One of the other apartments in my building apparently has visitors that include at least one young-ish child, and I woke to the noise of kid feet running crazily around somewhere in the building. I can't remember how many times I woke up to that very same noise coming from my sister's kids back at my parents' house.
The timing is apt, given that just this week my parents put their old house up on the market--the house where I grew up. If you're interested and want to see it, here you go.
Disclaimer - it got fresh paint and new carpet just about everywhere after they moved out. It never looked that distinguished and dignified when we lived there! A constant ebb and flow of two to four kids and one to five grandkids will do that to a place.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
OK Enough with the Hating
All right...if you know me you know it wouldn't be too long before I stopped hating. I'm just not a hater at heart. (Got nothin' on you MG with a JD, or you MD Anger Girl.) So here's my anti-hating list. And really, it just scratches the surface.
- I love being sore the next couple days after a hard workout. And I love the workout, too.
- I love walking to get coffee on weekend mornings. I refuse to buy a coffee maker for that very reason.
- I love meeting new people and hearing the stories of people I've just met.
- I love it when it's winter and cold, and I wear a thermal shirt and hoodie...and shorts.
- I love sweating.
- I love seeing the fantastic worlds people have so creatively fit into such small spaces in city neighborhoods.
- I love the hill coming from Squirrel Hill to Regent Square. Wheeee!!
- I love mornings when I don't wake up feeling like life is hard.
- I love it when people post comments on my blog.
- I love Frick Park. Still can't run too well, but at least there's amazing peace and scenery to go with my sore knees and shins.
- I love NHL playoff games with their passion and intensity.
- I love regular season Pirate games, with the beauty of PNC Park and the old relaxed familiarity of baseball.
- I love watching buildings being built, and demolished.
- I love the crazy noise of downtown on a weekday.
- I love the quiet peace and relaxation sitting in the cutout of my porch.
- I love listening to trees rustling in the wind, and to rain hitting the roof.
- I love camping.
- I love brief moments of solidarity shared with total strangers.
- Most people won't agree on this one, but I love balancing my checkbook and paying bills. My close friends should understand that one. No, it's not about money.
- I love taking snowboard trails during a good snowfall, where the only sound is the the muffled swoosh of my board.
- I love laying in bed after a day of boarding or horseback riding, and I can still vaguely feel those motions going through my body.
- I love that my cats recognize the sound of me pulling up on my bike, and run to the screen door when I get home.
- I also love that my cats almost always sleep on the couch with me. Whoever said cats aren't as affectionate as dogs was a nutball.
- I love moments when I'm sharing almost any of the above with someone who I know and love so well that we don't even need to comment about how great it is.
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