Just listened to a news story about the LRA, a group that recruits child soldiers in several countries of Africa. It seems the LRA is getting stronger, and the issue of child soldiers isn't at the top of the list for the US government, with so many other problems in the world.

Sometimes NPR just makes me cry.

It's good to be free

I've been off work for 2 1/2 weeks now, and it's been pretty great. I loved my job (teaching ESL in La Verne), but I don't miss it yet.

The only problem with having this much time on my hands is that I start thinking about more activities I need to take up--mainly musical instruments, artistic outlets, and sports. Perhaps dulcimer, ceramics, and karate are in the cards? Not sure how much time I'll have once school gets started, but I hope to find at least one "extracurricular activity" to do.

Anyway, recent events:

• Camping at Lake Cuyamaca over the weekend: Gorgeous and luxurious! I've never before eaten potato/avocado/tomato/bell pepper/squash scramble for breakfast while camping. And I reached a mountaintop by 8am on Sunday. This is what it looked like:
  

• Free Monday concerts at Spaceland in Silver Lake! I can never check these things out on work nights. Leah and I saw 3 (unknown to us) bands: Vanaprasta, Tomorrow's Tulips (I think), and White Arrow. Vanaprasta was the best; the lead singer looked like Zach Galifianakis, and was quite energetic.
  

• Met up with Anja in Downtown LA on Tuesday to get scrumptious "Smac & Cheese" and mint lemonade at Nickel Diner and then ridiculously indulgent waffles and ice cream at Syrup Desserts. I heartily recommend both spots.

please pay no attention to the random woman on her laptop in the background.

• AFTER dinner and dessert with Anja, went with Leah to the Kogi truck in Altadena! Waited 1 1/2 hours (until midnight) to get a tofu burrito. So not worth it. Although it wasn't a terrible wait, since it's kind of a social event. Lots of folks chillin' on the street and sidewalk. But by the time I got my burrito, all I wanted was to go to sleep.
  

That is all. Going to see "Surfin' Safari" (a Beach Boys cover group) with the fam at the Coffee Gallery tonight.

One more week till I leave for New York!

The Bands I've Owned and Abandoned

The NPR All Songs Considered Blog recently asked its readers which artists have put out the most music they own but never listen to. For example, some band you were obsessed with in the past, and whose CDs you continue to buy, but never actually play.

The far and away most popular response was (not so surprisingly) Dave Matthews Band. Boy am I glad I've NEVER been into him! Well all right, I did have a brief phase during the time that "free hugs" music video came out. But I can't even remember the song that went with it.

Anyway, the artist that I would have to confess to never listening to is Radiohead. I realized this upon reading someone else's comment: "Probably Radiohead. I love them, love their music, love seeing them live — and am almost never in the mood to listen to them."

This describes exactly how I feel. Although I've never actually seen them live, I hope to some day, because I've heard they're awesome. But I went through a Radiohead phase in college which lasted a couple years, and haven't really gone back since, despite continuing to buy their CDs. Radiohead's music creates such a strong, and often depressing mood; I'm often unable to tolerate it unless I'm willing to sit down and focus on a whole album.

Anyway, anyone else have an artist they feel this way about?

Went to see In the Heights tonight with the fam, in honor of my parents' 31-year anniversary. (Thank goodness they still invite the kids.) I was a little worried before the show because I know the musical has a lot of hip hop, and I wasn't sure the folks would go for it. But thankfully, the production was really good! Great singers, catchy tunes (not too much rapping), and a sweet story. I recommend it.

And now I want to visit Washington Heights when I get to New York.

Best Purchase of the Weekend

Bought this on vinyl for 40 cents at Armadillo Records. I think it will set the mood nicely in my dorm.

Upon my impending move to New York, (and my current 3-week vacation), I will make another attempt at resurrecting this blog. Ideally, I'll post little anecdotes from my life in Manhattan/Harlem, so people who are interested can stay up-to-date.

But I'm not in New York yet! So I will post some other random thoughts/activities instead.

1. My goal before leaving is to finish all the issues of The New Yorker. My father and I somewhat thoughtlessly subscribed to it back in December, after I made my first trip out to visit Ari and kind of fell in love with the city all over again. Did you know that you get a new issue every week? Thus, it's a bit challenging to get through one when you're also working virtually full-time. Anyway, I've made it through about 5 issues in one week; I've got to speed up my game here.

2. My mother and I have created a "No New Clothing" pledge, which I've read about on some fashion blogs. The idea is not to buy any new clothing for a certain amount of time; in our case, six months. No new clothing or jewelry purchased, although shopping at Goodwill or Salvation Army is allowed. This is an excellent time for me to take up this challenge, since the starting date will be my first day of classes at Columbia.

3. Cooking again--I found some inspiring recipes on Andrea's blog that I've been meaning to make for a while. Vegetarian chili first! And after that some Thai curry (not from her blog, but just my own attempt).

4. Going to see terrible movies! Ok, not a goal, but it seems to be happening regardless. I saw Dinner for Schmucks last weekend with Michelle in Davis, and it was pretty much the worst comedy I've seen all year. Made the mistake of NOT consulting my trusty LA Times beforehand. And then today I'm probably going to see Sex & the City 2 with Leah. Although at least that will only be $2.

That's all I can think of at the mo. Alright, time to get back to my New Yorker. I must finish another one today!

Haven't posted in a while, but Salinger's death today inspired me.

After hearing about this death, I'm sure almost everyone flashed back to their "Salinger" moment (if they have one); I personally remember middle school, when I worked as the computer lab T.A. for Mrs. Soja, and had way too much time on my hands. I finished Catcher in the Rye during one of those slow days, and then immediately started reading it again. I enjoyed it so much I didn't want to put it down. So I read it twice in a row, with a time span of about 2 minutes between readings.

I also have memories of reading Nine Stories in Mrs. Swanson's 11th grad English class, and acting out scenes from the stories. Such a weird, albeit creative, idea. Nevertheless I remember feeling greatly moved by those stories as well, particularly the last one, entitled "Teddy."

Just watched the movie Adventureland and have developed a crush on the actor Martin Starr. Don't judge me.

The Vietnamese lady I go to for manicures gave me a guava from her tree today.

It's little things like that that really make my day sometimes.

PB + CHO

I have made my first thing since coming home!

And the thing looks like this:

Yes, it is a baked thing. Peanut butter cookies with mini Reese's peanut butter cups pressed in the center! I was inspired by the coffee shop near Cammy's house in Long Beach, which sells giant versions of these cookies, with a full-size peanut butter cup in the middle.

I made so many cookies (about 48) that I had to ask Dad to take some in to work tomorrow. My mom won't eat them, so I must save myself from myself!

Happy Early Turkey Day

Off to Napa (via Berkeley to pick up my sis) tomorrow morning! As my dad's driving, we will be leaving somewhat promptly at 8am. I'm SO glad I can sleep in the car. If it were me, we wouldn't be leaving until 11am. But since Dad's driving--fine by me!

This will probably be our last time going to Napa for Thanksgiving (we went up there my freshman and sophomore years of college), and it's been a wonderful tradition. I'm not sure if there's any other region in California that has such consistently stellar food. And now, Leah and I can actually participate in the wine tasting!

What am I thankful for?

As always, my family comes up first on my list. Next would be friends. And I am always especially thankful that I still have Cammy, after all she's been through. And I'm thankful that I live in such a great country (despite its many issues), and that my family has never had to worry about putting enough food on the table.

Let's see.... I need something less banal to be thankful for. I am thankful that I have traveled to so many countries! Although I have many more on the list.

And with that, a good vacation to everyone.

I am back again! How many times have I started a post with that sentence?

Anyway, unemployment inspires me to write. Or to write some short blog posts, at least.

I have been on an art fix! What does that mean, you ask? It means that I have been obsessed with finding and framing artwork. I think it's largely because my walls are so empty, after not having lived in my room (or added many personal touches) for about 6 years. Yeah, that's how long it's been since high school.

Anyway, I digress. Today I went to Michael's and Target and bought 5 picture frames (one frame holds 7 pictures), and filled them all up with art! Mainly postcards I've collected over the years, but picture comes from a calendar that I had in 7th grade, and one picture is a print that I ordered from Etsy. It's pretty great.

Now I just need to actually hang them on the wall without taking large chunks of plaster out as well. My parents wouldn't be too happy about thtat.

Another reason why I love teaching

Student: Teacher, do you dye your hair?
Me: Yes.
Student: Oh. Is your hair actually black?
Me: No, it's dark brown.
Student: Oh. Are you American?


I love that foreign students expect all "real" Americans to have blond hair. I'm an American too, gosh darn it!!

I think we can all agree the advertising...could be improved.

I alternate between hesitantly loving and strongly despising American Apparel--I try to shop there, but everything is either too baggy or WAY WAY WAY too tight/short.  

Anyway, this latest offering from the AA catalogue doesn't really change my uncertainty on the company.  It's at once horrifying and amazing.  

Just a quick shout-out

To all my friends, all over the world, whether they read this thing or not:

You are great. I'm lucky to have you.

I just had a great and busy weekend hanging with a good mix of people (and not hanging out with a few, sadly), and it reminded me how happy my friends make me.

THANK YOU! I hope I'm still in touch with all of you in 30 years.

"You look tired."

Never a compliment, right?

I have been told this THREE TIMES in the last 2 months while at work. It has motivated me to buy thicker foundation and wear more makeup, since I figure that is one of the small joys of being a woman--you can generally cover it up if you look like crap.

But apparently it's not working, since one of my students commented again today that I look tired.

GAH!

That is all.

I take it back

I believe I'm on record stating that an Eastern European accent is one of my least favorite accents.  

I take it back.  That opinion does not apply to this man:

That would be Eugene Hütz, charismatic lead singer of the Ukrainian gypsy/punk band Gogol Bordello (and actor in the movie Everything is Illuminated).

I love anything gypsy-ish (Klezmer music, clarinet, accordion, etc.), and after trying to get to a show the last 3 years, I finally got to a live show last week in Pomona. Hütz's stage presence, energy and enthusiasm is amazing. I also heard him interviewed on NPR, and he's got a really interesting story (he's a survivor of Chernobyl and had to emigrate to New York with his family in the early '90s).

So yeah. Check it out if you get a chance.

I am watching ben folds perform right now!!! One of my life goals achieved. (this is from my cell phone.)

Hooray! Going with Camille to see HAIR (the musical) tonight!

Just watched Bonnie and Clyde.

It totally blew me away.  No pun intended.  

I was worried about the 2-hour running time, but the story completely drew me in.

Definitely a recommended film, if you haven't seen it.  

Another radio reference

Sorry for the second public radio reference in a row.  But this is what I listen to now, thanks to my hour-plus commutes with only a radio.  

Anyway, did anyone watch Ira Glass on the Colbert Report last week?  I just watched it, and Glass's lovable awkwardness made me cringe and warmed my heart at the same time.  Not many things do that.  

If you want to check out the interview, it's here.  

I stole this from the All Songs Considered Blog.

I despise "Auto-Tuning."  But I am amused by this video.  

Chocolate Fish*

My parents are back from Paris!  And they brought me...chocolate fish?

Actually, they are quite adorable chocolate fish.  Apparently one sees fish memorabilia everywhere in Paris during April, since a traditional French April Fool's trick is to put a fish on someone's back (not sure how they managed that).   Today it's more common just to put a picture of a fish on someone's back as a trick.

Those French really are cards.  

*I type "chocolate fish" and all I can think of is that inane Chocolate Rain song from YouTube.  

So it gets your attention. Is that all?

This always frustrates me.

The new Allure issue is touting a spread where they got "5 Celebrities to Bare it All" for a photo shoot in the magazine. They briefly interview the women regarding how they feel being naked, what their insecurities are, etc.


My problem is: these women are celebrities; their bodies are PERFECT. Or if not perfect, then airbrushed to perfection. Why do women's magazines do these kinds of nudity spreads so frequently?
The magazine tries to play it like it's some kind of female empowerment, but do any of us real people even know anyone that looks that good?!

I was only happy with this kind of "love your body by looking at naked women" thing once, when (the now sadly defunct) Jane Magazine did a spread on nudity, but used non-celebrities to pose naked; they just asked readers to volunteer. Cool, huh?

This ain't no World Cup

Look how responsible, caring, and yes--pitiful--those Germans are.

Look!  I am officially a "lecturer" at Cal State Long Beach!

I mean, sure, I'm technically only "part time," and I only work at the extension; but the card looks cool!

Frohe Ostern!

I decided to wish you a happy Easter in German because for some reason, Easter makes me think of Germany.  Or at least, it reminds me of Germany more than the other holidays.  

Maybe this is because one of my most memorable Easters was during my time in Goettingen, when I went with some other Americans to an "Easter Pageant" at the local Catholic church, only to discover that it was a service meant only for children, and we were the only non-parents there. We got to learn all about Jesus's resurrection through brightly colored pictures and catchy tunes.  Good times.  

Anyway, this Easter was a good one.  I made Easter candies!  Look:

Anyone reading the L.A. Times probably saw the recipe for these pastel mints on the front page of the Food section a few days ago.  They were fairly easy to make, and I think they came out pretty well, although I have no idea how long it will take to eat all of them. 

I brought over the best mints to Cammy's dad's house for Easter (my parents are in Paris, so I needed a surrogate family).  We had a delicious feast of peanut noodles (made by Cammy), along with more traditional faire of scalloped potatoes, salad, and asparagus. 

And now, I will leave you with a link to Hannah's hilarious Easter-related video, and wish you all a good night!

Inspiring Teacher Movie of the Day

*Other than proving to me yet again what a great actor Sidney Poitier is, this film also made me realize that all those hipster kids you see dancing in bars in L.A. are just replicating the mod dances of the 60's.  I suppose it's obvious, but I'd never made the connection before!  

Cutie Pie Grossness

Zooey Deschanel irritates me.  Why?  Because she's too freakin' cute.  She looks cute (dark brown hair, big blue eyes), she has a cute voice, she always plays cute characters in her movies, even her name's freakin' adorable.  She's too precious.  Thus, I must resist her.  

Nevertheless, I found myself checking out Zooey's "band," She & Him, and it has a few catchy tracks.  I just caved and downloaded one called "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?"  

I couldn't help myself, and now I feel like a hypocrite.  But that's it!  Only one song, and I'm done with this Deschanel!  Unless she makes another movie with Will Ferrell, then I might make an exception....

A post! A post!

I'm sure my many readers are thrilled beyond belief to see that I am posting!!

Honestly, I have been feeling inspired to blog lately; but then I come home and fall asleep.

I have good reason to fall asleep though (in my opinion), because I've been working 8-hour days teaching ESL in La Verne.  A new teaching session starts tomorrow, where I'll downgrade to a 2-hour morning class, and then I'll be driving down to Cal State Long Beach to teach another 2-hour afternoon class.  

I'm paying my teaching dues; all this work is pretty much just so I can hopefully get some good letters of rec and a little experience (NOT a lot of moolah).  Luckily I really enjoy it.  Thank goodness I didn't spend 4 years of undergrad getting a linguistics degree for nothing.  (I really wasn't sure if I even wanted to go into teaching after college.)

Also, all this driving in a car with only a radio enables me get in my daily quota of NPR.  I used to feel guilty about not being up on all the current events; now I feel like I know TOO MUCH.  I mean really, do they have to talk for 30 minutes straight about home mortgage problems?  Or bailout plans?  Seemingly every hour?  All the financial stuff gets on my nerves after a while, and I've started to tune it out, even without meaning to.   But honestly, 

who wouldn't rather hear an interesting story about the sex lives of sea creatures?  

Last night I got to experience one of the rare joys of living in LA: hanging out at Union Station for an hour on a Saturday night!

This experience was not planned,  which is probably the only way it could have happened.  I was meeting Cammy so that we could go to a vegan pizza place nearby, called Purgatory Pizza.  Little did Cammy and I know how infrequently the Metro runs.  Thus I was stuck there for a while waiting for her to show up.

But I'm glad it happened!  I sat in the famous waiting area, feeling as if I were waiting for a train or a flight somewhere in Europe.  (For some reason, it seems I never have to wait as long for transportation in the States.)  

Then a homeless man sat across from me and started up a conversation about traveling in Europe.  Go figure!  Lately, it seems like traveling (and being vegetarian) are the only two things I ever talk about with people I've just met.  It could be worse.  But anyway, it was a pretty interesting conversation; the guy, "Todd," told me all about his adventures getting foot surgery in Paris and stopping at the Becks Brewery in Bremen.  From what I could tell, his stories were too accurate not to be at least partly true.  

Then I got up to use the bathroom and got hit on by a small Black man named "Lil Larry," who gave me his business card and told me to call him when I'm single.

After that, happily, Cammy showed up.  And we got delicious pizza, in which I ordered a medium, real cheese pizza ALL FOR MYSELF and ate it ALL BY MYSELF.  In one sitting.  

A good Saturday night.  

I have picked up the guitar again (we'll see how long it lasts), and am already annoyed that I cannot play more than the chorus of Happiness is a Warm Gun.  

Lucky for me, there is a never-ending supply of Belle & Sebastian songs I can learn.  And I NEVER get tired of B & S.  

Me loves the Hello Kitty

I have a somewhat unhealthy obsession with Hello Kitty. I don't know why her disgustingly cute face continues to pull me in. Perhaps it's because she's Japanese. Perhaps it's because she has a sister, as do I. Although it's supposedly a twin sister. Their only difference is that Mimmy (the sister) has a yellow ear-bow.

OK, I have probably already told you way more than you wanted to know regarding the HK and her awesomeness.

Also, for the record, the pictured cupcake did not taste as good as it looks. Hard to believe, I know. The frosting was very artificially flavored. But I got a plastic Hello Kitty ring out of the deal!

Things to do while unemployed

Why not alphabetize your CDs? 

A break from cynicism

Sometimes

by Sheenagh Pugh

Sometimes things don't go, after all,

from bad to worse.  Some years, muscadel

faces down frost; green thrives; the crops don't fail,

sometimes a man aims high, and all goes well.

A people sometimes will step back from war;

elect an honest man; decide they care

enough, that they can't leave some stranger poor.

Some men become what they were born for.

Sometimes our best efforts do not go 

amiss; sometimes we do as we meant to.

The sun will sometimes melt a field of sorrow

that seemed hard frozen: may it happen for you.

Awesome weekend

Highlights of going to Davis this weekend (This is mainly for my own recollection):

-Making the 6-hr drive in the (rather small) car with Kaylan, her boyfriend, Toby (a dog) and Java (a cat).  

-Playing Cranium a total of three times in 2 1/2 days, Scene it twice, and Catchphrase 3 times.  YES!  My friends like games too!!

-Finally meeting Ashley and Michelle (I've heard so much about them).  Gathering together in the living room for Michelle's mini-concert.  

-Going to 80's night at the club, dressed in 80's clothing, and not caring that no one else at the club was thematically dressed.  Dancing the WHOLE NIGHT.  And being impressed by Alicia's lack of self-consciousness. 

-Kaylan making enchiladas for everyone.  

-Shopping at the Co-op with Alicia.  And spending $22 on a Hello Kitty water bottle.  (OK, perhaps that price isn't exactly a highlight.)

-Taking Toby for a walk out on the greenbelt.  

-Looking forward to doing it all again.  

I see nothing wrong with this.  In fact, sounds like a reason to visit Switzerland on the way to Iceland.  

And (ha ha!) it figures they'd be mainly be Germans.  

Another reason to visit Iceland

On January 31, Iceland is going to appoint the world's first openly gay head of government: Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir. She's a "former flight attendant who parlayed her experience as a union organizer into a decades-long political career."

I've long heard that Iceland is a beautiful place to visit (not least because it's a perfect spot to see the Northern Lights, a life goal of mine).

Turns out politics are another reason to check out the country!

Lesson learned

Do NOT download Beyonce's single "If I Were a Boy" and then listen to it a single time, because it will be stuck in your head ALL DAY (all year?!).  

I don't even know the lyrics after she says "If I were a boy...."  So I don't even have anything to sing after that.  All I can do is hum.

Hot man:

Namely, Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

Yeah, I realize he's mostly famous for being on that overrated TV show, Grey's Anatomy.  

He definitely deserves better things.  At least, based on his looks (I'm not even worrying about talent).

But does he or does he not bear a striking resemblance to Javier Bardem?  

It's like JDM is America's lower-cost, more-attainable answer to the hot Spanish one.

OK, done drooling for tonight.  

It's time to put an end to this destructive relationship

I've made a resolution to stop shopping at Urban Outfitters. 

The relationship has just gotten too strained. During my high school years, I discovered the store (thanks to Vivian), and was obsessed with it, blowing hundreds of dollars there for birthdays and Christmas. I convinced myself that it was OK that the shirts cost upwards of $30 each, because I was being original and artistic.

But then Forever 21 came along, with virtually the same clothes for about half the price. And I've actually heard good things about Forever 21's clothing manufacturers (well, the workers protested and got lots of public attention, so Forever 21 was basically forced to make improvements).

So UO has high prices, most likely uses bad labor practices, and...then I read Broke & Beautiful's blog entry, which discusses how the latest catalogue features half-naked girls modeling the clothing.  

That crosses the line; what's the point of dressing the models like this?  I suppose it could be argued to be artistic, but I don't buy it.  None of the male models appear like this.  It's pandering, and it offends me.

Thus, I refuse to shop at Urban Outfitters anymore!  

I'm also writing them an email telling them why.

It may not be much in the grand scheme of chain-store shopping, but it's something.  

A Beautiful Day

Oh yeah

Is it hard for anyone else to believe that Obama is going to be OUR PRESIDENT tomorrow?!?

It's a happy disbelief.

I'm not a Republican yet

...but sometimes it looks like it would be a lot of fun.

So I didn't have very high expectations (low expectations which I tried to disguise in the previous post), but as it turned out, Monster Jam (R) was pretty freakin' awesome. It may have had something to do with the 3 beers Cammy and I drank on an empty stomach beforehand, but I think the main elements of loud engines and massive trucks flying into the air makes for an unbeatable combination of FUN. It was kind of like watching a sports game where you don't need to have any beforehand knowledge of the rules; you just cheer for what you like, and everyone cheers with you (and you get to eat enormous bags of cotton candy at the same time).

Monster Jam! Tonight! I'll let y'all know how it goes....

The "Academy"

I know most of the people from Monrovia know the Academy movie theater, on Colorado. I think it's known mostly for being rundown.

Well, with me being unemployed and all, I have rediscovered the beauty of this theater. Matinee shows $2! Evening shows $3! What more could I ask for? (Especially when the cheapest price you can get at the Krikorian now is $7.25. And the regular adult price is $10.25!!)


So today I went to go see Wendy and Lucy (a film about nothing, basically), which was totally worth the $2. Not that the movie was bad...I just couldn't picture myself paying more than $5 to see it.

The point I'm trying to make is, don't pay so much for movies! If you're gonna spend more money, go see a play. If you want to watch a big screen, go to the Academy. At least the name sounds fancy.

Unhealthy obsession

Two items of ridiculous clothing that I keep coveting, despite all common sense:

1. A "romper" or "jumpsuit," it appears to be called, looking something like this (only $11 at Forever 21!):

and 

modeled here:

--as well as--

2. High-heeled (I need high heels like I need a hole in the head) oxford shoes, as illustrated in this example:

I can't wait till these impractical items go out of style and get out of my sight. I need them to stop tempting me.

Now I need to watch 12 Angry Men. Or Runaway Jury?

As of yesterday, I am finished with FOUR WEEKS of jury duty! It wasn't four weeks straight; it actually only added up to 12 days. But due to the holidays, it ended up going over many weeks (and into a new year!).

And after all that work, it ended up being a hung jury. We had 11-1, not guilty. ONE WOMAN refused to change her mind. But even after all the frustration of not being able to reach a decision, I felt satisfied that we had truly done our best to discuss all the possibilities. And I guess that's how the whole system's supposed to work.

I think the best part of this jury duty was hanging out in downtown LA. And no, that's not sarcastic. Downtown has a lot of really awesome restaurants, gardens, museums, and shops. The Walt Disney Center, MOCA, Little Tokyo, Grand Central Market, etc. I definitely hope to get down there again and sightsee a bit more before leaving the area (if that happens).

I'm doing a massive overhaul of my room. And I have concluded, I have too much meaningful stuff! What am I supposed to do with it all?

I suppose if it's truly meaningful, I'll remember it even if I don't own it anymore.

If Obama does it....

Does that mean it's cool?  

I've always thought the backwards baseball cap, with its connotations of arrogance on one hand and laid-back chillness on the other, was an interesting fashion trend.  

Perhaps it's time for a comeback?  

You are a Delight

I am now eating my last container of Turkish Delight (or rather, Greek Delight). I brought back 6 boxes of the stuff (I sort of fell in love with it), and have now managed to give all of it away, except for this last rose-flavored box.

It makes me a little nostalgic already for my ship travels.

The Keht Abides

After an absence of little less than a year, I am back. Or at least, making an attempt at being back.

Today I saw Hannah, (Hannah! My best blogger buddy, who is now married, whom I've not seen in about 2 years, when we met up in Berlin), who told me I should get back to this "blog" thing. And right now, I have the motivation.

I didn't post during that almost-year because I was teaching English on Princess Cruises. A job which I have decided to give up. Still not sure why I decided that, exactly, but no regrets (yet)!

Also jetzt bin ich zu Hause, with the parents (sans Leah while she continues her stay in Paris), for better or for worse. They say they'll start charging rent in April, so that gives me...4 months. I'm pretty sure I can be out by then.

To close, I will leave you with a cartoon by Roz Chast. She's a cartoonist for the New Yorker, and I got a collection of her stuff for Xmas. I'd never heard of her before yesterday, but she's definitely worth checking out. A great mix of random and witty.


PS-I got more Melty Bars this Christmas! Hooray!!!

Too much is going on!

I met Hedwig!! As in, from Hedwig and the Angry Inch!!!!! And I finally saw the musical live, which was totally worth every cent. Cammy was there. It was awesome.

And I leave for my cruise ship training tomorrow. My first official day of training is on my birthday. Not sure how I feel about that, but it'll probably be a...stimulating day at the very least, right?

Wish me luck!

In the spirit of affectionate meanness

I love these "unValentine" cards I found on the craft site Etsy. I would totally give them to people, if I weren't so stingy to begin with.

Move over, Keira Knightley

"I'm 5 foot 7, and I've got pasty white skin. I don't think I'm ugly, don't get me wrong, but I'm not your classic lead man, Brad Pitt guy."

A quote from my new love, James McAvoy. I just saw Atonement today, and while the film overall left something to be desired...so did James McAvoy, in a good way. Ha ha. I think he was the sole reason I was actually still watching in the film in the last hour. And as this quote illustrates, he's not too arrogant either. Too bad about the 5' 7" part though.

For the time being...sigh.

GAH!

Why is it SO HARD to buy work shoes for size 11.5 feet?!? I honestly can't find ANY passable ones, even after checking Nordstrom's and Zappos!!!!

Must...refrain...from looking up pictures of radio personalities. I made the mistake of looking up the guys from Filmspotting, a film reviews podcast I'm addicted to.

Finding out what these people truly look like just dashes all of my hopes of them being nerdy yet adorable emo-ish boys. Dang it.

Hey man slow down, slow down

Today I spent $62 on two skincare products. I didn't think I was one of "those people" who drop outrageous amounts of cash on beauty stuff, but apparently I am.

In other news, I'm done being a Tourist for a while, and am back from Ecuador. It was Amazing! I will probably post highlights from the trip on Facebook in the near future, but I have to drive Leah up to Berkeley tomorrow, so...the near future.

It's kind of funny to think how Leah and I just spent 2 weeks traveling together in a foreign country, and now we have to spend another 7 straight hours driving together in a tiny enclosed car...can we make it? Yes, I think we can--just barely.

I'm using Facebook more and more to announce this stuff

I'm off to Ecuador tomorrow!

Well, technically Leah and I are off to Cammy's house in Seal Beach, and then off to LAX after that for our flight to Ecuador at 1 am.

I'm excited! And stressed! And also calm to some extent. If that's possible.

PS-Finished Snow Falling on Cedars. I DO NOT recommend that book, it's the definition of tedious.

I couldn't ask for more

Highlights of Xmas Eve/Xmas day:

-Playing "soccer" with my cousin Max (who's 8 years old)
-Being pestered by my other cousin Mason to play with him (Also 8, he usually prefers to play with my dad!)
-Watching Leah feed a baby mouse to the snake she's pet-sitting (A novel Xmas activity like no other)
-Getting MELTY BARS!!! my favorite chocolate bar from my dad's secretary

I need to watch more movies like this

I just watched a really thought-provoking and inspiring documentary about Sudanese refugees relocated to America. I really liked the film because it gave a very balanced view of the situation for refugees; it didn't hit you over the head with all of the atrocities, and it didn't try to sugarcoat the positive sides of moving to the United States. The film is called God Grew Tired of Us, and I strongly recommend it to everyone.

ps

Merry Christmas everyone!

For anyone who is interested, my mom is going to be on channel 28 (PBS, I think?) today (Christmas Eve) at 6:30pm-ish, playing with her dulcimer band on a live Christmas broadcast from the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion. Yeah, I know. My mom's pretty cool.

Back from the dead?

According to the Facebook iLike application, Chet Baker is (On Tour). I thought he was dead?

Unexpected

I'm interviewing this Wednesday to teach English to the staff of a Princess cruise ship. Like, while on the cruise. I don't really know if I want the job (it's a lot of teaching hours, working six days a week), but apparently they're desperate for teachers...so it's good interview experience, at the very least.

It just sucks to still get stressed out about a job I probably don't want anyway. But you NEVER KNOW!

Schade....

There isn't much more of a turn-off (for me) than talking to a somewhat attractive guy at a party who's about my age and hear him start a sentence with "So, when I was married...."

Perhaps I'm being too judgmental.

UPDATE: OK, for anyone who cares, I've reconsidered and decided that there are worse things a guy could mention. Like being 100% for the death penalty or thinking all women should be stay-at-home moms. You get the idea.

Thanks a lot, "Tarot"

My roommate Katy's friend, Sat, reads tarot cards, so Katy and I both asked her to look at her cards to get advice on where we should teach English. Right now, I've sort of narrowed down my countries to South Korea, Vietnam, and Poland (well, basically just Eastern Europe, but I had to choose just one country). Lately I've been leaning the most towards Vietnam, mostly because it just sounds the most exciting (and the mildest winter).

This is what the cards apparently said:

1. Korea: According to the cards, I feel uncertain about teaching there, but in the future I would be very good at passing on knowledge to other people (so good teaching opportunities perhaps?).

2. Vietnam: Very good, strong positive card, representing future hope, peace and harmony. So I could have an awesome, empowering experience. But then I got the "tower" card, apparently the most negative card representing death or chaos (see picture). So Vietnam could be an amazing experience, but also really bad. Like, someone could die. Or alternatively, "you might feel emotionally like your world is crumbling around you." Hmm.

3. Poland: This one had the most straightforward positive cards; however, nothing really remarkable about it. The main reason I'm interested in Poland is that I would be so close to the rest of Europe, and Poland currently has the highest demand for English teachers in Europe. But hey, Europe is overrated. OK, maybe not overrated, but there are so many equally awesome parts of the world.

So while it was definitely need to get another kind of input on where I should apply for jobs, the tarot cards didn't help me narrow things down too much. Oh well. I think a lot of this kind of thing should be placed on chance, and adapting to whatever presents itself.

Yes, I am a music elitist, thank you VERY MUCH

Freakin' "iLike Music Challenge." Just because I don't know which Usher song that is, or that Taking Back Sunday song, or who sings that bland, cliched techno song (Oh, it's Madonna? I should have known! NOT!) I don't think my lack of knowledge about these "artists" should classify me as a "music novice." I got all the ones about the Rolling Stones, RHCP, Nirvana, and the White Stripes right!

How DARE they?!?

I have internet again!!

Hello!

I'm living in Point Loma right now, renting a room from one of the girls in my amTEFL program, Katy. We finished the class last week before Thanksgiving, and now I'm back to continue volunteering/assistant teaching until the end of the semester, Dec. 14th.

Life is pretty much a party now; I go in to teach about 3 hours a day at most, or not at all if I don't feel like it. (Or if I get locked out of my apartment for 4+ hours, as was the case last Wednesday. It was time well-spent bonding with the neighbors.)

The rest of the time is generally spent trying to get into jogging mode again (haven't done it for about five months), taking belly dancing classes (yes!), exploring the new bars in the area (and attempting to flirt with bartenders before finding out they moved here from Minnesota to get married....), and going to shows (we saw Iron and Wine on Tuesday, and perhaps Grand Ole Party or Blues Traveler this Sunday).

All of this translates into my bank account rapidly decreasing. But I figure it's worth it. And I'll only be down here for two more weeks. I can't completely use up my money in that span of time, right? :/

Also, my apartment is literally a 2-minute walk from the bay (I don't really know which bay, but you can kind of see Downtown San Diego on the other side), so it's really relaxing to walk along the beach and sit on the rocks to read a book or watch these weird sea black birds diving under the water for food. They can stay under the water for about a minute. Dylan, any guess what those birds might be?

OK, that's all I can think of for now. I will close with a link to this news story I found funny, and totally unimportant.

You wait much long for update, yes?

Yes. I am updating.

I still have no internet within a mile radius, so that's why I don't update much. I went through initial Facebook and shopping-online withdrawals, but have gradually been learning to appreciate this new-found time. I can read books! I can go for walks! I can...watch TV! (Is this an improvement? I seriously doubt it.)

Anyway, I had my first FULL week of class training to be a teacher. Class is from 9 to 5. AND we had make-up class on Saturday too. So basically, it feels like I have a job. But definitely more fun, even though it is quite boring at times. But I have to present my first lesson plan tomorrow! Exciting and challenging. I decided to do it on manners, and comparing what people consider to be good and bad manners at a dinner party. Hopefully people won't be too bored.

And Halloween! Hannah's post about Halloween motivated me to post something as well. I partied with Cammy and her ex-roomie Sarah and all of the International Relations grad students in La Jolla. It was good times. It's been a long time since I've been at a party where I pretty much didn't know anyone, and we were all about the same age.

Yeah, I can't figure out how to rotate this picture. Oh well.

My initial costume was Laura Ingalls Wilder after she came to L.A. I figured I could spice up the bonnet and plaid dress with some big sunglasses and stilettos. But the first comment about my costume happened to be, "Are you Paris Hilton from the Simple Life?" So I decided to nix the shades and fancy shoes and just be Laura Ingalls Wilder. Which prompted many other interesting costume guesses, including Betty Crocker, Mary Had a Little Lamb, and Aunt Jemima. Yes, I think many people had had quite a bit to drink. It was rather amusing.

Cammy conceived and assembled her entire costume the day of the party; she managed to concoct an AWESOME Wilma Flintstone costume, red-haired beehive and all. She was also very excited to have bare feet as part of her costume.

The theme of the party was Day of the Dead. So Cammy's friend, Sarah, dressed up as La Llorona, the weeping ghost woman who murdered her children, according to Mexican folk tales. She was dressed all in black with lots of runny mascara. Sarah's current roommate, Cathy, dressed also dressed up as an awesome Frida Kahlo.

OK, I think my writing skills are going down the drain. This is my conclusion. Friends, drop me a line sometime! Much love to you all!

These fires are more serious than I thought....

Classes at all SD schools are canceled for the week, so I'm heading back up to Monrovia for a bit.

My thoughts go out to all the people who've been evacuated from their homes.

Smoke in the air

I'm in San Diego! I've been here for a whole 24 hours! And things are kind of exciting. Although not in the way I imagined. There have been huge fires in the area, fires so bad that they cancelled my first day of class 2 hours early, and also cancelled all classes tomorrow at SDSU. I guess the city of San Diego itself isn't threatened, but the people of Chula Vista have "recommended evacuation," and most beaches along the Orange County coast have mandatory evacuation.

The woman I'm renting my room from asked me today if it's alright for two of her friends to stay at her house for a while. They've been evacuated from their own house and don't really have anywhere to stay yet. I hope they can move home again soon, and not because I like my privacy!

Hey, did you guys know that Bittersweet Symphony, made famous by The Verve, was written originally by the Rolling Stones? And that The Verve had to surrender 100% of the royalties to the Stones' copwriters, ABCKO?

So that famous song gave them fame, but much less fortune than one might assume. Crazy.

The highlight of my day

Yes, my day had reached its zenith when this evening I turned onto Foothill Boulevard behind a white truck whose license plate read, and I quote:

"WAHAPEN"

I am sure some of my readers are familiar with the genius of Christopher Guest, including perhaps my favorite film of his, A Mighty Wind. This quote from the film still elicits laughter from everyone in my family, and it will for many years to come.

Coincidence that I was behind that truck? You decide.

Debbie Harry, you slay me

I have a new love for Blondie, after discovering and burning this CD left behind by Leah.

Unadulterated charisma

I really, really want to be Jamie Hyneman for Halloween. I've only watched Mythbusters once, but there's something about that jaunty black beret and walrus mustache that just begs to be duplicated. I think I'm the one for the task.

Everyone said it was bad. My sister. Hannah. The LA Times. But I still had to see it: Across the Universe. It's the Beatles, right? So it can't be all bad...?

It wasn't ALL bad. I liked Joe Cocker's version of "Come Together," the "I Want You" scenes, and, uh...I think that was it. Even Evan Rachel Wood couldn't save this one.

A room with a view

I have finally found housing for my three weeks at SDSU! I'm going to be renting a room a mile and a half (the proximity is so thrilling to me, you don't even know) from campus. Hooray! That means I can bike to class every day, and not have to stress about parking. AND I get my own bathroom.

I'm renting the room from a woman in her mid thirties, which, I have to admit, could be a little boring now and then, but hey...better quiet than crazy, I suppose. I'll be working on a teaching certificate, after all. Now if only she had a pet. :(

I've been practicing my biking around Monrovia. Not that I really need to, after four years living in Davis.

Three weeks til I move in. Aufregend!

Note: Sorry to those whom I've left out of the loop (Hannah!), I've been pretty lazy about updating this. Starting in a few weeks, I'm taking a one-month course at SDSU that trains people to teach English abroad. After the program ends, they are supposed to help us find actual teaching positions abroad. I'm really looking forward to it.

And Meredith, I do live off of Montezuma! If you take El Cajon, I believe you can reach the place I'm staying. I just might hit you up for restaurant recommendations and the like. Thanks!

I think I'm in love

This girl made a meerkat doll. I don't remember the last time I saw an inanimate object this cute.

As I re-submerge myself in film

Every time I come back to L.A., I get sucked into the Calendar section of the LA Times. And I mean I basically read every article in it. And I live for the Friday issue, because then I can read ALL the movie reviews. I have too much free time. But I suppose we all know this by now.

On a somewhat related note....

On Sunday my mom and I drove out to Venice to visit my grandma and take her out to a movie. We pre-select a couple "safe" films we think she'd like to see, such as The Jane Austen Book Club, or possibly Blame it on Fidel. But what does she want to see? None of these romantic, cute films--of course not! No, she wants to see Into the Wild. Because she saw an interview with Sean Penn and Emile Hirsch on Oprah. And their story is very compelling.

I actually wanted to see the film as well--I just was a little surprised to hear that it was my grandma's first choice. And I wasn't sure if I was prepared to be bawling during the final scenes. Nevertheless, we did go to see all 2 hours and 40 minutes of the film at the Landmark.

And it was really good! (Do I ever post about bad movies on this blog? Except for Ghost? Never.) The ending wasn't nearly as heart-wrenching and depressing as I expected, and I really felt like the time went by fast. So the point of all this rambling is, go see this movie. If you are a little interested in nature, or the way human relationships affect our lives, or just to watch a really interesting true story, I recommend it.

Oh, I've also had a crush on Emile Hirsch since I saw him in Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys. So I'm sliiightly biased. But not much.

Things is happening!

I really shouldn't use bad grammar--I need to start perfecting my sentence structure in the future, since I'm gonna (going!) to be helping my mum as an ESL assistant.

Actually, I've already been in the classroom! I've come in about three times, and today I had to teach (gasp!!) the class for two hours, while my mom took out groups for testing. I had to teach the sound "ch" as well as the idioms "at last," "as usual," and "to find out." It basically went OK--I think the students are afraid to ask me questions, since I'm not their regular teacher, and I think they also got a little bored, since I'm not nearly as talkative and mobile as my mom.

So far, my tactic seems to be to just kind of stand at the front of the class and wait for someone to ask me a question. Not the best tactic. But I think it'll become more natural to walk around and keep talking as I get more experience. And I have to teach again on Thursday!

Living at home. Amazingly, I'm not sick of my parents yet, which is wonderful. I even attempted a yoga class tonight with my mom, which wasn't too bad. I always feel a little guilty because I'm not such a fan of yoga (My mom's been doing it for over 20 years, but it sucks when you're impatient and not flexible!), but I decided I should give it another try, since the health benefits seem to be worth it. And every now and then it can be relaxing.

I've also gotten re-obsessed with movie reviews, as anyone who's seen me in the last few weeks may have noticed. Generally, I base all my movie choices on reviews (the ones in the newspaper, usually not friends' reviews, which I suppose can be insulting :/ ). I guess it's my somewhat subconscious attempt at being literary and discerning. Who knows. Does anyone want to see Across the Universe, Blame it on Fidel, or The King of California with me?

Oh yeah, I also need to stop spending so much money.

Alright, I think that's it for now! Anyone who reads this (I'm not sure if anyone actually does anymore), let me know if you're in Monrovia! I'll be here until the end of October.

Before I go

I'm all moved out of my room in our house on Pine Lane in Davis. I still have a couple of boxes of clothes in the living room, but that's it.

I'm leaving on a road trip to the Grand Canyon tomorrow with my good friends Liz and Kaylan, in which we will be roughing it like a trio of hooligans (or hopefully something resembling hooligans) while we hike down into the Canyon to camp for a couple days.

Then we will return to Davis in about a week, and then I will drive back to Monrovia a couple days after that. Because I have an appointment with the oral surgeon. Why else?

I plan to stay in Monrovia for most of September, followed by a move down to San Diego at the end of October so that I can take a training course for teaching English abroad.

Lately my emotions have been welling up inside without actually breaking through, but I think it's safe to assume that by the time I'm back in M-Town I'll have had a good cry. But I'm pretty sure that's healthy.

I'm happy for you

You've made it hard for me
I counted on your company
You are staying with your friends tonight
I'm feeling sorry for myself
I keep taking everything to be a sign

I'd rather be in Tokyo
I'd rather listen to Thin Lizzy-oh
And watch the Sunday gang in Harajuku
There's something wrong with me, I'm a cuckoo

Apparently living in D.C. for spring quarter made me tanorexic...photos may appear soon.

When all else fails, discuss Harry Potter

Either Harry Potter or the Spice Girls reunion tour. I'm learning that these are excellent conversation starters when talking to people you don't know very well.

Lately I've been hanging out with my roommate Kaylan's work buddies, (all Starbucks minions), and it has been quite entertaining. I already hear enough about all the crazy customers they get from Kaylan, so I feel like I can join in practically any conversation.

Also, while hanging out at Sudwerks last night, I got to meet some new Germans (YES! FRESH GERMANS IN DAVIS!). And not only were they German, they were actually cool to boot! (This was indeed a rare find.) I probably lost of coolness points because I spent a good part of the conversation explaining to them how great the Harry Potter books are.
Unfortunately, it turns out that they are all leaving Davis in a week. My only hope is to Facebook them and then try to track them down when I visit Germany again, whenever that might be--hopefully within the next couple of years.

In other news--I'm home again (Monrovia) for the weekend. WOO hoo! It's always nice to be home for a while, as long as my stay doesn't last longer than about a week at a time.

The animals are TAKING OVER! We live in the foothills (ie at the bottom of small mountains), and because of the drought, all the wild animals have been leaving their forest homes and taking over the suburban areas. My mom told me that a bear broke up an 8-year-old's birthday party last week! Skunks are EVERYWHERE (they keep getting hit by cars, too, which is sad and makes the area smell horrible), and my sister ran into THREE rattlesnakes last week on the hiking trail. I just don't know what to do. This could be more serious than anything in the Middle East.

OK, that's all I got for now. I need to become more literate and learn vocabulary for the GRE. No magazines for me! I'm trying to read Herzog, by Saul Bellow. Has anyone heard of it? I saw it on a "Books Everyone Should Read" list somewhere. The plots really slow so far, but I'm only on page 41.

Apparently I am a Type 3

Has anyone heard of enneagrams? They're these psychological tests that put your personality in a number category, ranging from 1 to, uh, 8 I think. Leah took a psychology class and already knows that she's a four, the "individualist." Like the French intellectual Proust, apparently. And the closest category that fits me is a three, the "achiever," the category also taken by Irving Berlin. It's all rather strange.

But one does things like personality tests when one has entirely TOO MUCH free time on one's hands. Not that I'm complaining. It has been wonderful relaxing the last few weeks. I'm in SoCal for the week, awaiting news on the healing of my gum grafting on Friday. So much fun!

But for now, Happy fourth!
I'm going to Six Flags tomorrow! It's going to be DEATHLY HOT. But I will try to survive.

Mir ist langweilig

And here I am, back in Davis!
I'm back in my Davis house, with the six roomies I love (well, minus Liz unfortuantely since she's at band camp, but now I get to sleep in her bed!), and I'm in Davis for possibly the last time in a while! Although I actually kind of doubt that, since three of my friends haven't even graduated yet, and I really hope to visit them soon.

The weather is HOTTT here! It was 104 yesterday apparently. I forget how drastically different the two coasts are. Just last week I was pouring off sweat and getting frizzy hair at 1am while walking around the monuments, and here I am pouring off smaller amounts of sweat, but still sweating in a dry heat. Yikes. So far, Monrovia wins for best summer weather.

So we woke up today (me, Jessica and Alicia), and our TV was missing. We hadn't locked the door last night, so were a little panicked at first. However, it was kind of weird because the Playstation was still there, and the antenna for the TV had been carefully unplugged. What kind of criminals do that? Alicia went to the next door neighbors' house, the six boys who like to come over and visit randomly when drunk, and whaddya know? It was in their garage. Funny, funny.

So this is becoming a very boring post. But I felt like I should update. I guess I'm not that good at reflecting with deep thoughts at 10 am. And I'm definitely already in summer mode.

Na ja, that's all for now. I'm going to the POOL later! An OUTDOOR pool! (Something that apparently has not yet been invented in the East). Can't wait!!

Unique New York

The last few weeks have been filled with paper writing (bilingual education and two-way immersion--ask me about it sometime! On second thought, don't), presentations (more bilingual education, Cherry Trees of Washington D.C.!), making cookies, making birthday cakes, and not least of all, traveling to NEW YORK CITY for the first time over Memorial Day weekend.

I loved New York. I want to live there. Does anyone want to move there with me? There's just SO MUCH to do and see, and the people are cool (we didn't meet anyone mean in our extensive 3-day visit), the style is funky, the atmosphere is edgy, the vibe is marvelous. OK, I don't really know what that last sentence means.

But I did have a marvelous time on our speed-racer tour of the city; we saw the Statue of Liberty, Brooklyn Bridge, SoHo, Greenwich Village, Wallstreet, Central Park...you name it, I saw it. I also got to see Liev Schreiber in the thought-provoking Broadway play Talk Radio, and afterwards I talked with him and got his autograph!! And, as all fans say about whatever celebrity they love, he was really nice! I was a bit starstruck. Then I met two women from Jersey who joined me in analyzing all the possible interpretations of the play.

Also took a whirlwind tour of the Metropolitan Museum of Art (yeah, I actually only saw two full exhibits, both of 19th century paintings, which is pretty cool anyway), and the MOMA.

All my pics are on Facebook, should you wish to see some visuals!

And so, my weeks in D.C. are rapidly drawing to a close. The final research paper is due next Monday, followed by five days to soak up the culture in D.C., and then we all fly home on June 9th! And then I graduate.

Books: better than friends?

After months of trying to check out the book Children of Men at the library, I finally gave up and just bought it. Apparently all copies are always checked out because of that movie. That same movie I was semi-obsessed with because I found it so enthralling and thought provoking. Those of you who heard me rave about it can attest to this.

Let me tell you kids, the book is just as, if not more, intense. Sometiems I find myself grimacing while I read it. And the plot's more interesting and more believable as well. If anyone wants to borrow it, or just have it after I finish it, let me know! I want to spread the good-bookness around. I bought it on powells.com for $6, including shipping! Thus the willingness to give it away.

I wish I were talking to a pretty boy

...rather than sitting on a hot oven.

Could time pass any slower than it does at work?

And yes, I'm at work now. The fact that I can blog here should tell us all something.

Real post coming soon!

An obscene chili pepper

I think this is one of the grossest things I can possibly imagine eating. Thoughts, anyone? Has anyone actually tried this?!

Step back a minute here

As I type this, my roommate is talking on the phone while brushing her teeth. Yesterday, I saw a girl talking on the phone while jogging (at a fast pace!) on the treadmill.

People, there are times when you talk on the cell phone, and there are times when you should just CALL THE PERSON BACK.

The Phantom Headphones

Apparently if you wear iPod headphones for extended periods of time (e.g. 7 hours while at work), and then take them out, it still feels like you're wearing them. Even though you're not. What could be creepier? I keep trying to take them out of my ears! But there's NOTHING THERE.

I get the point.

YES! I'm finally DONE with Flags of our Fathers! I have to say, if there's one thing I learned while reading that book (It was required for my class), it's that I really don't enjoy nonfiction books (or probably fiction ones for that matter) about huge war battles. Who really does? I honestly think every time I read five pages or more I cried a little. WAR IS BAD.

by Billy Collins

Another Reason Why I Don't Keep a Gun in the House

The neighbor's dog will not stop barking.
He is barking the same high, rhythmic bark
that he barks every time they leave the house.
They must switch him on on their way out.
The neighbor's dog will not stop barking.
I close all the windows in the house
and put on a Beethoven symphony full blast
but I can still hear him muffled under the music,
barking, barking, barking,
and now I can see him sitting in the orchestra,
his head raised confidently as if Beethoven
had included a part for barking dog.
When the record finally ends he is still barking,
sitting there in the oboe section barking,
his eyes fixed on the conductor who is
entreating him with his baton
while the other musicians listen in respectful
silence to the famous barking dog solo,
that endless coda that first established
Beethoven as an innovative genius.

Not that I'm a lesbian or anything

I feel slightly awkward in my head because my roomies have a friend named Ruby who comes by a lot, and WHENEVER I hear her name or see her I get that freakin' song in my head that has the chorus

Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby!
Do ya do ya do ya do ya?
Know what you're doing doing to me?
Ruby Ruby Ruby Ruby!

I try to avoid singing it aloud when she's over; it might just be a bit too creepy.
But I just looked it up and it's by the Kaiser Chiefs. Interesting. It's a freakin' annoying song. But after it's been in my head about thirty times I'm starting to warm up to it.

Man!

What if I want to see Ben Folds and NOT John Mayer?! Why do they have to tour together?
(Sorry any John Mayer fans, but he's just not worth the money he charges for a concert ticket.)

While talking on the phone tonight, Mom gave me a small lecture about how Leah and I need to stop thinking about whether boys are "worthy" of us, and basically that we need to stop scaring boys away because our standards are set so high.

Does anyone else get lectures like this from their parents?!

Playlist of the day

"Everything's not Lost"--Coldplay
"Everything Will Be Alright"--The Killers
"Even the Bad Times are Good"--The Tremeloes
"Everybody Hurts"--R.E.M.

All the songs happened to be in the "E" section of my iPod songs, but they made me feel just a little better about yesterday's tragedy.

?

Cover of the White Stripes newest album, revealed!


Please don't ask me what they're wearing.

He doesn't know what to do with himself*

There's a rumor going around that Jack White will have a cameo in the film Walk Hard as...Elvis. This love-hate relationship I have with Jack continues. Why does he constantly do such bizarre stuff? I guess it could be worse (like writing a Coca-Cola jingle), but still--I'm somewhat baffled.

And mensch, is that guy gonna need to get a tan if he's really gonna do it!

*A song by Bacharach, covered by the White Stripes on Elephant. In case you cared.