Thursday, June 30, 2005

Your Pisces Drinking Style

If you're a Pisces, you've probably already heard that you share a sign -- and an addictive personality -- with Liz Taylor, Liza Minelli and Kurt Cobain.
Not only do Pisces like to lose themselves in the dreamy, out-there feeling that only hooch can give, but you build up a mighty tolerance fast.
You're an expensive date!

On the other hand, you're a fabulously enchanting partner, whether in conversation or in crime.
With the right person, you can start out sharing a pitcher of margaritas and wind up in bed together for days.
The phrase "addictive personality" can be read two ways, you know.
Your Signature Cocktails
Pisces rules fresh mint, and you do love a mojito or three -- though a julep will do just as well.
You also like punches, like sangria or the oh-so-aptly named fish house punch.
(Pretty much anything will satisfy a Pisces in a pinch, though -- "drinking like a fish" is an idiom pulled out of the zodiac, not the deep blue sea.)
You're a total chocoholic, and you love creme de cacao (and spiked cocoa).
Your Celebrity Drinking Buddies
Drew Barrymore, Chelsea Clinton, Queen Latifah, Bruce Willis, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Ted Kennedy, Jon Bon Jovi, Fabio




Anyone who knows me, knows that I'm the cheapest date ever! One glass of wine and I start laughing and tripping:) And I hate mojitos...but I do LOVE sangria! However, I'm never going to let myself get addicted. At least I hope. I never drink alone, which is a good start.

Monday, June 27, 2005

I'm so tired. I'm mentally and physically exhausted. My whole life is up in the air, nothing is certain, and I'm feeling so detached from my life and reality. The professor of my afternoon class announced a group project today that's due next Tuesday that involves reading 3 chapters about adolescent developement and same sex schools, finding 8 additional sources, having an online ongoing reflection with group members, and preparing a comprehensive powerpoint presentation! And it's due the day after the fourth of July. I honestly felt smoke coming out of my ears and I almost started to cry. I know I can do this; Wash U prepared me for project planning. But I can't stand having to do pointless work like this. We could have a test or write a paper, but I don't have time to do another project this week! I have an essay midterm exam on Wednesday and a huge project also due next Tuesday. And none of them are serving a purpose other than to add complexity to the assessment in each class. While I'm doing all of this (I finished my classwork last week at 11pm on Friday night), I have no idea where I'm going to be living in a month, if I'll have a job, how I'll move, and how I'll get my license with all the confusion. It's soooooo frustrating to be in graduate school and still have professors who don't know how to teach! A part of me wishes I could fly home this weekend with my brother, but I just can't because of all the work. There's also a guy who I think is just messing with my mind, which definitely doesn't put me in a better mood. I've been so mean lately- to my friends, my brother, and my cousins. Well, not that mean, but not as nice as I should be. I need a hug.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

I'm in such a place of stagnation! I must get a job. Something needs to happen soon or I may end up at starbucks (which means I would be caffeinated at all time). Say a little prayer for me...to get a job:)

I really don't like the David Letterman show. I just realized that almost all the humor is based on force-feeding the audience with simple people and simple stories- there's only so long that pretending that borning things are funny can be funny. Then it's just boring! I love the Leno show;) Did anyone see Sinbad tonight? I love the movie House Guest. It's hilarious.

I love red bull. Drinking a sugar free red bull is just like getting a fat free vanilla latte, but much cheaper. I feel like a young starlet drinking it anyway- like it's somehow dangerous. Even though it really isn't.

Something that amazes me is that one of my education professors is such an unstuctured teacher. Honestly.

I'm reading "The Perfectionist" by Rudolph Chelminski, about the rise and fall of Bernard Loiseau, the French chef who took his own life due to the pressure of the career. It's interesting, but really goes into detail about French cooking: when they fry an egg, it should never touch a pan directly over a flame- they cook it in a double boiler, like fondue. There's also info. about the many varieties of fois gras.

If anyone knows more about Scientology, please tell me. I might go take a test just to find out. I'm completely skeptical (and I'm not about to abandon my Epicopalianism:)), but I like to listen to people talking about things I don't believe;) It's like a psychology experiment in differing levels of cynicism and naivete. I went to a self-help seminar once and it was like nails on a chalkboard, but facisnating at the same time! I kept looking around and trying to guess what kind of fulfillment each person was looking for.

Omg, it's so late...Dobranoc! (That's a little bit of Polish for my grandparents).

Friday, June 17, 2005

With all of the talk about Scientology in the news these days (mostly from Tom Cruise), I did some research...online, of course. There are so many anti- sites online! I finally found Scientology.org (which probably should have been my first choice), and there's only a little bit of information. One of the main tenets seems to be misdirection. When someone is upset, you're supposed to suggest that they divert their attention to something else. If they're afraid, they should think about something harmless. And if you're really worked up, you should go for a walk:) It kind of sounds like the power of positive thinking.

Thursday, June 16, 2005

woo hoo...my first week of summer classes is over. I had tiramisu tonight to celebrate:)

I haven't heard about the job yet, but I've learned not to tell my family about job prospects anyone...SO MANY people called to give me advice!

I'm excited about the new Batman movie.

That's all. I'm sleepy.

Monday, June 13, 2005

I had my first ever job interview today. It was not fun. I'm over it (but my fingers are still crossed!)

Friday, June 10, 2005

It's completely true that annoying things I have to do expand to fill all my time! Actually, it's probably my fault...I'm getting a little bit lazy.
What I did today:
*work up at 8:30 and immediately thought about how early that was
*babysat for my adorable cousins- we went to Caribou Coffee and checked out cute barrista. Going there with two babies is probably not the best way to pick up a guy;) oh well
*Came home, ate lunch, did laundry
*Filled out online applications for my credential file (I hate bureaucracy!), a job in Maryland, and summer classes
*Drove to campus and spent $222 on 6 books. Only one is hard cover and the one that cost $55 is less than an inch thick
*Rented Barcelona at Hollywood Video- I really like the movie "Metropolitan" by Whit Stillman, but it's so cerebral that it's really not that interesting after a while. Then I stopped at Chipotle (my favorite fast food) for dinner.
*More laundry (my life is so boring & I have so many houseguests)
*Hours applying for jobs online. I worked halfway through an application for jobs in the Round Rock, TX school district, until I realized that I don't really want to live there! (No offense to anyone who might) It's just that it's in the middle-of-nowhere Texas. When I'm so focused on something, I tend to either overcompensate or act impulsively. I may end up someplace really bizarre!

Wow- that's super boring. Sorry if you read it all! I'm beginning to dread the imminent stress of moving. But I can't stay here if I can find a better job elsewhere. The pay scale in Minnesota is horrible and I would have to move out of this apartment anyway. It gives me panic butterflies when I think about my career options, even with all of the training I've had. Hmm...I really should have gotten a business minor, huh? Which isn't to say that financial stability is that important since I love what I'm doing...I'm just worried about money stress and emergencies. I don't even understand all of the tax codes or insurance policies...more fear. I'll be fine, I know- my family is so wonderful at backing me up!

Well, obviously I have tons of time on my hands! My new favorite song is "Fix You" by Coldplay. I wrote an indendiary letter to the editor in response to Jon Pareles' mean article about the band:)

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Oooh...I was tagged. Since the people I know who have blogs are in the same group that have already done this, the chain will stop here (at least for me). Thanks for tagging me, Mike!

How Many Books Do You Own?
Well, considering that I keep all of my textbooks, I never use the library, and I'm starting to collect childrens' books...way too many for me to move ever again!

What is the last book you bought? I bought 4:
Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain- a very quick read!
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger, which everyone has been recommending
The Perfectionist by Rudolph Chelminski- about French cuisine
and Lamb, the Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore- because I'm apparently the last Episcopalian who hasn't read it!

What is the last book you read?
Kitchen Confidential. Before that, Straight Man by Richard Russo, recommended by my mom. I don't think I fit the demographic that likes his themes, though :(

Name 5 Books that mean a lot to you.
Okay, I'm going to put aside all pretentiousness and actually write the cheesy books that I love:

1. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith (not of the Golden Girls)
2. The Shell Seekers by Rosamunde Pilcher- I've read it a million times! It's the perfect mix of British reserve and paperback novel romance- with a pinch of Majorca flings!
3. The Old Gringo by Carlos Fuentes- I'm ashamed to say I read it in English, for the most part. It's almost impossible to follow in my native langauge.
4. Gaudy Night by Dorothy L. Sayers- A British Lord with a monocle investigating mayhem at Oxford...plus romance.
5. The Nanny Diaries- the only book ever that made me cry laughing. If you've babysat, wanted to yell at someone for how they interact with their children, or been discreetly treated like dirt by an employer, it's the funniest story ever. I hate the ending, but it's what I would have done too.

There are probably more intellectual books, or religious ones, that have important meaning too, but these mean the most. So, the tagging stops here, for me. I've decided that today is going to be torturous/filthy top-to-bottom apartment cleaning day (there should have been more hyphens, oh well). Oh, and my power was out for 12 hours and just came back on, so I'm afraid to open the refrigerator. I'm going to start swiffering to Coldplay in my pjs!

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

Questions:
Has anyone ever picked up someone while running?
Is there any man out there as amazing as Brad Pitt?

Sunday, June 05, 2005

This was a cake and moving weekend! I helped move my uncle into his new house and my brother into his new room. Then I ate cake at a restaurant and at my cousin Rachel's birthday party. I feel tired and very full:) My brother visited last night...he's pretty funny sometimes. When I was in his new room unpacking boxes, it reminded me of the deep fear and anxiety I used to feel when I was dropped off at school. I really haven't been comfortable far away from my family until this year; I think it's because I moved so much and had such a horrible high school situation. Anyway, I am praying that he's not feeling scared or lonely. I know he's so much braver and confident than I was. As much as we fought when we were small, we get along really well now, and laugh so much! He laughed for 5 minutes when I said that my favorite Rush song was "Huckleberry Finn." I thought that was the name of the famous one!

Thursday, June 02, 2005

Quickie Update:
*Dyed my hair dark brown again. I have many more grays than I deserve.
*Finally registered for all my summer classes. I'm going to be moving out of my apartment the day after classes end.
*I might take a job in Japan. I've always wanted to live in Tokyo! Even if I'll only be making 250,000 yen a month, I'll be working at the American International Pre-school, which is the cutest name for a school:)
*Love Everyday People (vintage clothing store).

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

Oh my gosh...the stagnation of job-searching is killing me! That's right: I'm a girl on the edge. Yesterday, for fun, I went to the grocery store. And I ended up spending $150. I've been applying for jobs everywhere, but my professor still hasn't returned my final letter of recommendation! grr. I don't like harrassing people.

Anyway, I've decided that my cat is on probation. If she does anything else she's going back to the humane society. I'm really not a mean, animal-rejecting person. It's honestly like having a toddler to take care of, though- I won't recount her indiscretions, which are numerous, horrible acts of kitty offense. I know that I should feel worse for considering taking her back- but if you ONLY knew.

Here's a cute story about my baby cousin:
We were all at my cousin Maria's birthday party. Eli walked into the kitchen, by himself, and started eating frosting out of the garbage can (which is obviously cute in itself;) My aunt ran after him and said, "No, Eli, that's "yucky." He looked up, wide-eyed, and said "Yummy yucky," to justify eating out of the trash. He's so adorable- he looks like the Little Prince, from the french children's book, with curly blond hair.