Dear God, Family, Sam, Friends, and/or complete strangers,
Next time you decide that you need to buy me a present because I'm cute and pretty and great and all that, you should look into this. This is acceptable as well.
:)
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Friday, April 27, 2007
The Weirdness Of It All
I just have to say that I am heart-broken for Magazine Man and his family. So much to happen to one family in so little time- such great joy followed by the shock of such a tragedy. I can't tell you how many times I have thought about them today.
This got me to thinking about how strange it is to be a part of the blog world, whether as a reader or a writer (or both). There are some blogs I read and I feel so connected to the person writing it- whether as someone living a life similar to mine (engaged in their 20s), or someone with the same interests, or just good people. Magazine Man is different because the quality of his writing just sucks me in to his life and his family. When I read about his heroic Blaze rescue I CRIED. And then I was trying to tell someone else about it and guess what? Couldn't do it because I CRIED AGAIN! His is the first blog I ever regularly read.
I know that this probably sounds silly because it is so obvious, but to feel so connected to someone whose name I don't even know is such a strange concept to me. It isn't like reading a book or watching a movie, it is personal, it happens in real time. These are not fictional characters. I feel their ups and downs and wish that I could give them hugs in bad times and laugh along with them in the good times. I never thought about how personal blogging is. Not in the sense of someone finding my blog and, gasp, DISCOVERING MY SECRET IDENTITY (like I work hard to keep it a secret, I have really chilled out about that). But the reverse, when a terrible thing happens to a complete stranger and I feel like it has happened to my best friend. And the weirdest thing is that I can't say to my non-blogging friends, "Holy shit, can you believe what has happened to Magazine Man?" because they don't understand how it all works.
This got me to thinking about how strange it is to be a part of the blog world, whether as a reader or a writer (or both). There are some blogs I read and I feel so connected to the person writing it- whether as someone living a life similar to mine (engaged in their 20s), or someone with the same interests, or just good people. Magazine Man is different because the quality of his writing just sucks me in to his life and his family. When I read about his heroic Blaze rescue I CRIED. And then I was trying to tell someone else about it and guess what? Couldn't do it because I CRIED AGAIN! His is the first blog I ever regularly read.
I know that this probably sounds silly because it is so obvious, but to feel so connected to someone whose name I don't even know is such a strange concept to me. It isn't like reading a book or watching a movie, it is personal, it happens in real time. These are not fictional characters. I feel their ups and downs and wish that I could give them hugs in bad times and laugh along with them in the good times. I never thought about how personal blogging is. Not in the sense of someone finding my blog and, gasp, DISCOVERING MY SECRET IDENTITY (like I work hard to keep it a secret, I have really chilled out about that). But the reverse, when a terrible thing happens to a complete stranger and I feel like it has happened to my best friend. And the weirdest thing is that I can't say to my non-blogging friends, "Holy shit, can you believe what has happened to Magazine Man?" because they don't understand how it all works.
Friday, April 06, 2007
TGIGF!!!!
My office was closed today in honor of Good Friday. I'm a heathen without children, so this works out well for me. There is no shopping for last minute Easter basket goods, no pressing of Easter dresses, no shopping for an Easter dinner, no dyeing eggs and/or hiding them, and no figuring out what to wear. This last one might sound weird, but in my Fair City in the South it was SNOWING today. Little frilly dresses and hats aren't going to work on Easter morning- it's going to be 26 degrees on Sunday.
So I spent the day thusly:
6:30 am: Slammed the alarm clock against the wall repeatedly until it gave up. I have been bribing myself into getting up this week by saying "Heather, you get to sleep in on Friday, so get your ass out of bed today!" like this is any big bargaining tool with myself. It hasn't really worked, but I still was going to sleep in this morning come hell or high water. I'm TIRED people!
10:30 until 10:45 am: Wondered what time it was. Dug around on the floor for my cellphone and considered getting up. Hunger pangs finally drove me out of bed.
10:45 until 11:15: Ate breakfast, read email, watched Food Network.
11:15 am until 12:00: Prepped & primed a bookcase. I made this bookcase when I was around 12 or 13. It sits next to my bed. Since I was 15 or so I has been electric blue and all of the edges have been bright yellow. This no longer really works with the oh-so-grown up green/cream/butter yellow color scheme around here, so it's getting a nice coat of white. Just like I did to my dresser about 6 months ago. I'm considering painting the other cheap bookcases white, but this seems like a lot of work. The current project is only 3 feet high.
12:00 pm until 2:00 pm: Dug out three years worth of credit card statements/payment history and put it all in an Excel spreadsheet. I am poor. I have a lot (A LOT) of debt. (Credit cards, student loans, car payment. I know I'm not alone here.) Now I have a way to keep track of how much interest they're charging me and what my finance charges are. I can't BELIEVE I didn't pay attention to this stuff from the beginning. I mean, I was keeping track of this last year but then there was the great Computer Crash of '06 and I never got around to keeping track again. Now I'm on it. I will be calling a couple of companies and demanding better treatment. At the beginning there was a weird statement where they were charging me interest on double my balance. Why is that? Why did I not catch that and call? I berated my younger, stupider self for no paying close attention. People really just want your money. Don't let them take it without a fight.
2:00 pm until 3:00 pm: Had a go at the flipped over side of the bookcase with more primer. Took a shower. Did some dishes.
4:00 pm until 5:00 pm: Went to get the mail and put gas in my car. Wee ha! Called everyone I know to tell them that my apartment complex did not burn down and that my birthday boxes are begging to be opened.
5:00 to present: Started grading student homework. This is really where I am now. It is really dull stuff.
My 28th birthday is on Easter. This is now not so much Easter Sunday as Heather's Birthday!!! and Easter. Just so everyone knows where the priorities are. I'm not sure what the celebration is going to be, lately I've just been excited about sleeping in for three days in a row. Maybe Sam and I will devour some great Mexican food and then nap it off for the rest of the day. Expectations sure do slide the closer 30 lurks.
So I spent the day thusly:
6:30 am: Slammed the alarm clock against the wall repeatedly until it gave up. I have been bribing myself into getting up this week by saying "Heather, you get to sleep in on Friday, so get your ass out of bed today!" like this is any big bargaining tool with myself. It hasn't really worked, but I still was going to sleep in this morning come hell or high water. I'm TIRED people!
10:30 until 10:45 am: Wondered what time it was. Dug around on the floor for my cellphone and considered getting up. Hunger pangs finally drove me out of bed.
10:45 until 11:15: Ate breakfast, read email, watched Food Network.
11:15 am until 12:00: Prepped & primed a bookcase. I made this bookcase when I was around 12 or 13. It sits next to my bed. Since I was 15 or so I has been electric blue and all of the edges have been bright yellow. This no longer really works with the oh-so-grown up green/cream/butter yellow color scheme around here, so it's getting a nice coat of white. Just like I did to my dresser about 6 months ago. I'm considering painting the other cheap bookcases white, but this seems like a lot of work. The current project is only 3 feet high.
12:00 pm until 2:00 pm: Dug out three years worth of credit card statements/payment history and put it all in an Excel spreadsheet. I am poor. I have a lot (A LOT) of debt. (Credit cards, student loans, car payment. I know I'm not alone here.) Now I have a way to keep track of how much interest they're charging me and what my finance charges are. I can't BELIEVE I didn't pay attention to this stuff from the beginning. I mean, I was keeping track of this last year but then there was the great Computer Crash of '06 and I never got around to keeping track again. Now I'm on it. I will be calling a couple of companies and demanding better treatment. At the beginning there was a weird statement where they were charging me interest on double my balance. Why is that? Why did I not catch that and call? I berated my younger, stupider self for no paying close attention. People really just want your money. Don't let them take it without a fight.
2:00 pm until 3:00 pm: Had a go at the flipped over side of the bookcase with more primer. Took a shower. Did some dishes.
4:00 pm until 5:00 pm: Went to get the mail and put gas in my car. Wee ha! Called everyone I know to tell them that my apartment complex did not burn down and that my birthday boxes are begging to be opened.
5:00 to present: Started grading student homework. This is really where I am now. It is really dull stuff.
My 28th birthday is on Easter. This is now not so much Easter Sunday as Heather's Birthday!!! and Easter. Just so everyone knows where the priorities are. I'm not sure what the celebration is going to be, lately I've just been excited about sleeping in for three days in a row. Maybe Sam and I will devour some great Mexican food and then nap it off for the rest of the day. Expectations sure do slide the closer 30 lurks.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Delving Into the Psyche
Whenever I hear certain songs I am reminded of certain times in my life. I don't know if other people do this, but when I get a CD that I love, I listen to it obsessively for a time (time varies by album), maybe weeks or months. And then I'm through with it and almost never listen to it again. I am sure this will reveal deep dark secrets about my innermost darkest secretivest self.
Starting Super-Young
Anything by James Taylor, Carol King, John Denver, Judi Collins, etc.
My parents completely missed any sort of 70s disco music. They were stuck in the 60s. Unfortunately they were born about a decade too late to really live the 60s life, but they wished they hadn't missed it. As a result, I am completely 70s/80s-music stupid. It drives my friends CRAZY. "Who is this, Heather?" "I don't know...." "GUH! HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW THIS??? It's Michael Jackson!!!!!" is a very typical conversation for me.
Young:
The Phantom of the Opera
Les Miserablés
I know all of the words. This is how I entertain myself on long car trips. TRY ME. Also, Miss Saigon, Sunset Boulevard, Cats, RENT, and basically any other big dramatic musical. And/or rock opera.
Watermark- Enya
My dad played this a lot when I was 11 or 12. It reminds me of being 11 or 12. I LOVED being 11 or 12.
Pet Shop Boys
I got this at the airport in Schipol when I was 15 on the day my family moved back to the US (we nearly missed the plane). I listened to it all the time. I don't know why I loved it- but then I've always been a sucker for dance music.
Breakfast at Tiffany's- Deep Blue Something
Dance With Me- Intrigue
Roll to Me- Del Amitri
These singles were playing in the car for MONTHS when I was 16 or 17 or maybe 18. One hit wonders, but they were so happy.
BitterSweet Symphony- Verve
This was really popular when I lived in England. It was the automatic play on the jukebox in the University of London Union cafeteria, where I was always meeting up with my friends. I think I spent more time journal writing there than I did working for tube passes. That year the song from "Whistle Down the Wind" was a huge hit on the radio but the musical was a gigantic flop. "Ray of Light" was really popular that year as well.
Angels- Robbie Williams.
Oh boy there is way too much wrapped up in this one song to really get into. It is devastating.
Flood- They Might Be Giants
Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't My Baby (by anybody)
The Eels
Synchronicity- The Police
All of these remind me of a particular ex-boyfriend. Especially "Birdhouse In Your Soul"- that still makes me sort of sad. Looking back I wish I could have smacked younger me in the head and told her to snap out of it.
Home- The Dixie Chicks
This CD makes me sort of meloncholy and reminds me of a very bad breakup (see above). "Home" and "Top of the World" are my top 2 picks on this one. I love the Dixie Chicks, but I only have 2 albums. This one is my favorite of all of them, although I would like to get Fly. And Wide Open Spaces. Hmmmm....
Keene
My best friend gave this to me and I listened to it for months. Then I replaced it with:
The Killers
Reminds me of driving around NC with a guy not even worth mentioning. We just listened to a lot of music. He was a jerk other than his good musical taste.
Eye to the Telescope- KT Tunstall
Sam and I sort of discovered this together. I love this CD. Partly because she is so musically gifted and partly because of Sam.
Infinity On High- Fall Out Boy
The current favorite. I LOVE THIS. (Right now.)
Starting Super-Young
Anything by James Taylor, Carol King, John Denver, Judi Collins, etc.
My parents completely missed any sort of 70s disco music. They were stuck in the 60s. Unfortunately they were born about a decade too late to really live the 60s life, but they wished they hadn't missed it. As a result, I am completely 70s/80s-music stupid. It drives my friends CRAZY. "Who is this, Heather?" "I don't know...." "GUH! HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW THIS??? It's Michael Jackson!!!!!" is a very typical conversation for me.
Young:
The Phantom of the Opera
Les Miserablés
I know all of the words. This is how I entertain myself on long car trips. TRY ME. Also, Miss Saigon, Sunset Boulevard, Cats, RENT, and basically any other big dramatic musical. And/or rock opera.
Watermark- Enya
My dad played this a lot when I was 11 or 12. It reminds me of being 11 or 12. I LOVED being 11 or 12.
Pet Shop Boys
I got this at the airport in Schipol when I was 15 on the day my family moved back to the US (we nearly missed the plane). I listened to it all the time. I don't know why I loved it- but then I've always been a sucker for dance music.
Breakfast at Tiffany's- Deep Blue Something
Dance With Me- Intrigue
Roll to Me- Del Amitri
These singles were playing in the car for MONTHS when I was 16 or 17 or maybe 18. One hit wonders, but they were so happy.
BitterSweet Symphony- Verve
This was really popular when I lived in England. It was the automatic play on the jukebox in the University of London Union cafeteria, where I was always meeting up with my friends. I think I spent more time journal writing there than I did working for tube passes. That year the song from "Whistle Down the Wind" was a huge hit on the radio but the musical was a gigantic flop. "Ray of Light" was really popular that year as well.
Angels- Robbie Williams.
Oh boy there is way too much wrapped up in this one song to really get into. It is devastating.
Flood- They Might Be Giants
Is You Is, Or Is You Ain't My Baby (by anybody)
The Eels
Synchronicity- The Police
All of these remind me of a particular ex-boyfriend. Especially "Birdhouse In Your Soul"- that still makes me sort of sad. Looking back I wish I could have smacked younger me in the head and told her to snap out of it.
Home- The Dixie Chicks
This CD makes me sort of meloncholy and reminds me of a very bad breakup (see above). "Home" and "Top of the World" are my top 2 picks on this one. I love the Dixie Chicks, but I only have 2 albums. This one is my favorite of all of them, although I would like to get Fly. And Wide Open Spaces. Hmmmm....
Keene
My best friend gave this to me and I listened to it for months. Then I replaced it with:
The Killers
Reminds me of driving around NC with a guy not even worth mentioning. We just listened to a lot of music. He was a jerk other than his good musical taste.
Eye to the Telescope- KT Tunstall
Sam and I sort of discovered this together. I love this CD. Partly because she is so musically gifted and partly because of Sam.
Infinity On High- Fall Out Boy
The current favorite. I LOVE THIS. (Right now.)
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