Life Goes On

President Ford died, as I'm sure you know by now. He seemed like a genuinely good man, which is a rarity in the world of politics, but it is hard to feel sad for the passing of a man of his age who had a good and active life.
_____

Aside from the normal family togetherness and cookie-eating that accompany the holidays, I've also been doing some reading. I started one of my books for next semester, hoping to get a jump-start on the overly-packed course load that awaits me. I may be mocked for being a super dork, but at least I'll have it done.

I also started Erik Larson's Devil in the White City, which is pretty awesome.

Besides this, I've written up my first-ever academic CV...hoping to land a pretty major internship for the summer. If I get it, more details will be forthcoming, but not for several months because I won't know until at least April. It involves the government, and you know how timely they are with anything that doesn't involve collecting our money.

The only other thing I've really been doing is playing Ms. Pac Man. It's one of those old Atari-looking joysticks, and it's giving me carpal tunnel. Well worth it.

Merry Christmas

I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas weekend and are too busy with friends and family to check this blog for any updates.

Because there won't be any. :-)

Merry Christmas, everyone!

A-B Student

Suhweet. The only grade that could have ended up a "C" for the semester has been posted, and it is a "B".

Evil exam-grading grad students the world over are forgiven.

That's All, Bitches!

Finals are over. Now I just have to shower, dress, and take my pretty binder to campus to turn it in.

Then keep obsessively checking for the grades until Wednesdayish. This was the worst Finals Week ever and I could not be happier that it is done.

Four Down, One To Go

Thank God it's almost over...until next semester...and the one after that...and the one after that...breathe...let it go...happy thoughts...will all be worth it...breathe...

Two Down, Three to Go...

Well. I have finished two of my classes. I took a final this morning and think I did well enough to at least not lose my "A" in the class. Of course, I am not the best judge of my own performance or of anything else at the moment. But I think I was borderline lucid and at least knew names and dates as appropriate.

I just checked to see if any grades have been posted yet. Considering I turned in a 10-page paper yesterday and took an exam like an hour ago, I don't understand why neither of those grades are up by now.

Now I must try to study for the two exams I will do poorly on tomorrow...

Put the Lotion in the F*cking Basket!

I'm a little stressed out right now.

Let's review:
1. Finals Week
2. Hideous, debilitating disease
3. Christmas shopping season
4. Finals Week

So as we were almost ready to close the store this evening, a couple came in who wanted to buy a large item we sell. Said item was inexplicably out of its box. The couple asked Female Coworker (this is the first time I've worked with her) if they'd have to put the item back in the box. She said yes, then promptly went into the back room to get her coat and purse.

Mind you, the store was still open. And I was sorting receipts.

When I realized she left them to put the item in the box themselves (stellar customer service), I apologized and hurried to help them. I got them sorted out and I checked them out and locked the door (at the exact minute of closing time).

We had to count both registers and I was sorting receipts once more. She got to the bundles of 1-dollar bills and asked, "Are these 20?"

Me: "No, and you have to count them anyway."

Her: "But aren't they all standardized?"

Me: "Yes, unless someone takes money out of them, which is why we have to count it."

Her: "But aren't they $20?"

Me: (With an edge to my voice, probably, but not outright hostile.) "Count them and find out."

Her: "Wow."

Me: (counting to about 2000 silently in my head until my blood pressure returns to normal, then finally mentioning it again) "I know it's tedious to count all the ones, but we've had money come up missing in the past and that's why we have to do the counts."

I almost totally lost it and went off on her about her awesome service skillz and getting her damned jacket before the store closed, but I didn't. She's graduating in a few days and she'll be gone. It doesn't matter. Let it go.

The point being, if I wasn't so stressed, I wouldn't be thisclose to ripping someone's face off. I would be able to address the issues without losing my temper (I did not address them because I would have lost it...and frankly we can't afford to lose the crappy help right now).

And by the way...25.

I'm on the Weirdest Mailing Lists

Dear Spammers,

I am not in the market for a new airplane right now, or even a gently used one. All of my planes are running fine and meeting my current air transportation needs. I will keep you in mind for the future, but please stop sending me sale notices for airplanes. Thank you.

Sincerely,

Me

Meme-ory

Borrowed from Sporkle...

1) How old do you wish you were? 11. That's where it all went wrong.

2) Where were you when 9-11 happened? In bed at home.

3) What do you do when vending machines steal your money? I don't use vending machines that often, but...tell the front desk?

4) Do you consider yourself kind? To those I deem worthy. Most people are worthy until proven otherwise.

5) If you had to get a tattoo, where would it be? I chose to get tattoos, you know.

6) If you could be fluent in any other language what would it be? Latin, to save the time of learning it now.

7) Do you know your neighbors? I know I have some, and I know where they live.

8) What do you consider a vacation? A week away from all responsibilities of a financial or educational nature.

9) Do you follow your horoscope? I look at it occasionally, but don't believe it.

10) Would you move for the person you loved? Of course. You can't just lay there all the time.

11) Are you touchy feely? Only once I really, really like you. Really.

12) Do you believe that opposites attract? Yes. The question is, can the attraction be sustained? Unknown at this juncture.

13) Dream job? Paid to sleep for 8 hours a day. Maybe 9 for overtime occasionally.

14) Favorite channel(s)? I honestly don't watch TV in my own home, other than DVDs. But I do like the History Channel, VH1, Comedy Central, and Discovery.

15) Favorite place to go on weekends? Wait. I can leave?

16) Showers or Baths? I loves me a hot bath.

17) Do you paint your nails? Occasionally. Upkeep is a pain, so it depends on how much free time I have. Or who I'm trying to impress.

18) Do you trust people easily? No. Been burned too many times for that.

19) What are your phobias? Pool drains.

20) Do you want kids? Sure. Although as I feel time slipping away, the idea of never having any bothers me less. But yes, I would like to have the opportunity.

21) Do you keep a handwritten journal? No, this typed one is as close as I get.

22) Where would you rather be right now? Asleep.

23) What makes you feel warm and safe? My bed. Also, being loved.

24) Heavy or light sleeper? Lightish. Odd noises wake me up. The ones I'm used to I can ignore.

25) Are you paranoid? In relationships, it can happen. It's a result of broken trust, though, so if the trust is good, it's all good.

26) Are you impatient? Can be.

27) Who can you relate to? Gorillas. Way back.

28) How do you feel about interracial couples? Is that even controversial anymore? Maybe we should ask about interspecies couples. "Interspecies erotica, f*cko!"

29) Have you been burned by love? Hasn't everyone with a soul?

30) What's your life motto? Nothing, what's the motto with you?

31) What's your main ringtone on your mobile? The knick knack paddywhack song (This Old Man? Also the Barney theme, I think).

32) What were you doing at midnight last night? Sleeping.

33) Who was your last text message from? The ex-hsbf?

34) Whose bed did you sleep in last night? Mine.

35) What color shirt are you wearing? Shades of pink. It's pretty fug.

36) What are you listening to right now? The noisy-ass refrigerator.

37) Name three things you have on you at all times? Corrective lenses, hand lotion, and the weight of the world. My world, anyway.

38) What color are your bed sheets? Blue, pink, yellow, and purple.

39) How much cash do you have on you right now? None, but there is a quarter on the monitor ledge. My purse is in the other room.

40) What is your favorite part of the chicken? Ugh, can we not talk about food? My stomach is still not good.

41) What's your fav city/place? I have several. I guess I have to go with the woods, though. It's where I spend most of my vacation time.

42) I can't wait till . . . mmm. Vacation.

43) Who got you to set up a blog? That information is classified on this here blog.

44) What did you have for dinner last night? 7-Up.

46) Have you ever smoked? Not habitually.

47) Do you own a gun? No, I don't really think I need one. If I lived in the woods, probably.

48) Tea or Coffee? Tea.

49) What is your secret weapon to lure in the opposite sex? There's no big secret. Boobs. I have two!

50) Do you have A.D.D.? Only when it suits me.

51) What time did you wake up today? 10ish.

52) Current worry? Finals week, which is why I am wasting time on this meme.

53) Current want? Time, which is why...you know the rest.

54) Favorite place to be? Wait, didn't we already do this one?

55) Where would you like to travel in the future? Everywhere.

56) Where do you think you'll be in 10 yrs? Probably Iowa or Wisconsin. Not the goal, but the likeliest scenario.

57) Last thing you ate? Pepto Bismol tablets, right before I threw them back up. Seriously, stop with the food talk.

58) What songs do you sing in the shower? I spare my neighbors the pleasure.

59) Last person that made you laugh? Myself.

60) Worst injury you've ever had? Broken face. Basically. It healed.

61) Does someone have a crush on you? I don't know, do you?

62) What is your favorite candy? Hot Tamales.

63) What song do you want played at your funeral? I prefer not to have a funeral. But how could I stop you? Play Bon Jovi's "In and Out of Love" then. Just because it is Bon Jovi, yet random and inappropriate.

Not Dead, Just Sweaty

Crawled into the shower and ventured out into the world for the first time in...weeks? Days? It's been so long since I've seen daylight, I almost forgot what it looked like. Luckily, there wasn't any in sight to confuse or blind me. It was dreary and rainy, just like my soul.

How's that for melodrama, Pete?

I did have to leave my bed and my apartment, because I had to go to the post office to mail something important. Then since I was out, I went to drop off a paper that isn't really due until Friday, then I paid my university bill, then I went to the bookstore to sell back the books I am done with, then I bought some overpriced presentation binder supplies at said bookstore, then I came back home so I can crawl back into bed in short order because I think I overdid it a bit.

While I was dropping off the paper, the professor wanted to introduce me around and tell everyone how great I am. Normally I'm all for that, but since I haven't eaten since Friday and I'm feverish, I wasn't feeling my most networky. I was sweating like crazy under my coat and trying not to sound retarded when I answered their questions. I don't think I succeeded very well. Luckily, I won't remember it anyway...'night.

Perfect Timing

Dying of some kind of stomach bug is really cutting into my Finals Week study time...I can't even keep water in my system, which is making me all dehydrated and stupid. I finally decided to crawl out of bed after spending the better part of 20 hours in it, and I put my contacts in. Then I put my glasses on. I was confused about why I couldn't see, and almost started cleaning my glasses before I realized my contacts were in.

Let Me Blow Ya Mind

Someone who assigns grades was very impressed with the cemetery investigation.
_____

...grooving to Eve and finishing the paper I didn't finish before class...

I Am Cornholio!

Caffeine! Chocolate! Whee!

Finals Week looms large on the horizon. I am 5 pages into a 10-page paper that is due Tuesday. I am determined to get it finished and out of the way before I go to bed tonight. Preferably before I go to class tonight, actually.

Have the music going (I don't feel like dancing, Keith)...have the caffeinated beverage...the chocolate bar...wait. Chocolate bar? I'm not much of a chocolate consumer, but once a month I find myself at the store buying Hershey's bars. Figure that one out yourselves.

I have to get back to this paper. I'll be honest, I don't know how much more of it I can take. It's already boring me, which can't be good.

Finals Week...a 10-page research paper, a project portfolio, and three exams worth from 15% to 33.3% of my final grade. Yay, school!

Yay, caffeine and chocolate and Tylenol and Scissor Sisters!

Researcher Par Excellence

You know, some days I feel like I am pretty bad.ass. Okay, let's be honest...most days. But some days I feel exceptionally so.

Like, say, today. You have a little hole in your story, and a tiny clue along with a hunch about what fills it. So you take off with directions to some nearly-forgotten cemetery, and lo and behold: you were right. And now you have proof, along with names and dates.

The story: a man is single in the 1847 census. By 1852, he has a wife and a newborn son and a 9-year-old daughter. Doing the math, the 9-year-old daughter is a problem. There are no death, birth, or marriage records from the time period. But you find out someone with the correct surname is buried in a nearby cemetery. You don't know if it is male or female, or what time period you're looking at for the burial. There is no caretaker or anyone else to contact to give you information on the grave. So you go to the cemetery. Not a large cemetery, but it could take an hour or so to inspect all the headstones. Some are in bad shape, the engravings faded with time and making them difficult to decipher. But you are lucky and go in the right direction and find the one you were looking for within 5 minutes. It's a first wife. Just as you suspected. And bonus, another daughter is next to her.

The hole in the story is filled. Yay, me. The hour-plus drive was totally worth it.

Complimentary Convo

Him: You look like you've been sleeping better.

Me: I haven't.

Him: Oh. Well you look like you have.

Me: Fifty dollar face cream, my friend.