(In)Trepid Exploration

Going the Distance

2009-12-18T11:59:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays, everyone! I'm not sure about your city, but here in Boston winter has officially arrived with snow and subzero temperatures and blistering wind. Not looking forward to another New England winter...

Lots has happened, so I'll try to keep it short. Halloween came and went with gross weather and the usual lack of real fun. Our kickball team made it to the semi-finals of the division tournament before being defeated. Yuval and I got to attend a magnificent concert at the Boston Symphony Orchestra featuring Beethoven's 3rd and 4th symphonies. Election Day passed without much fervor since there were no "important" races up for grabs (but I did vote). We finally had our housewarming party, and for the occasion I made turkey chili in the crockpot my parents gave us (it was delicious). I got to attend my little cousin's 2nd birthday party in Lincoln. I attended a lecture about circus elephant cruelty at the MSPCA and meet the owner/caretaker of The Elephant Sanctuary, which is where Tarra the elephant & Bella the dog live. Margaret and I went to a reading by Kristin Cashore, author of Graceling and Fire, and I squealed (on the inside) like the fangirl I am. There was also a lovely handbell concert that I went to with Adrienne at the Old South Church in Copley Square--handbells are a favorite of mine. Massachusetts had its Special Primary Election Day to decide who would be in the running for Ted Kennedy's seat in the Senate (I'm glad Martha Coakley won, but I would have preferred Alan Khazei).

A few things of larger importance happened that deserve a little more detail. First up, I became a foster parent for kitties through the organization I volunteer with, FARS. We brought home our first foster, Rosie, on November 14th. She could be described as the quintessential cat: can be very affectionate, does not like her tummy touched, nips at you when she's had too much stimulation, loves to be brushed, can be aloof for hours at a time, easily scared of loud noises, and a very loud purr machine. She's 8, which makes her a senior cat, and very set in her ways. We learned a lot about cats in our weeks with Rosie, and though there were days when she annoyed the crap out of us we came to care for her very much. However, we had to hand Rosie back over to FARS on 12/3 because we fell in love with and adopted 2 kittens that came into the shelter. Rosie does NOT get a long with other pets, so she unfortunately had to go back to the shelter since there are no other foster homes available right now. Every time I see her sitting in her cage, miserable and sad, I nearly start crying for doing this to her. I did the best I could for Rosie, but the kittens couldn't wait in the shelter when other cats needed the space.

However, we love our new additions. Cody (tiger) is 4 months and Miles (gray) is 3 months and they are nuts in the way that all kittens are. Cody is calmer and more chill than Miles, who likes to tear around the apartment and prefers sitting on the back of the couch behind your head to sitting in your lap. They are both very affectionate, though, and purr very loudly for such small creatures. It's been great to see Yuval, who is very much a dog person and not at all inclined towards cats, become so attached to these guys and willingly take up the chores involved in keeping them. And thanks to the pine litter we use, our apartment does not smell like cat at all. We've realized that adopting kittens is like bringing home a baby: they wake you up in the middle of the night, go from 0 to 60 and back again in 5 seconds, demand attention, communicate their love without words, and generally make your life harder and happier at the same time.

I didn't go home to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving because there was not a single airfare available for less than $600 (and I started looking a month before). So instead I had Thanksgiving with the Shavits and their family friends, which turned out to be a wonderful time. There were 2 turkeys (one grilled and one traditional), about 14 people, and lots to be thankful for. I really missed my family, though, especially because this was the first Thanksgiving in all my 24 years that I didn't celebrate with family. However, Yuval is coming home with me for Christmas next week, so that's given me a lot to look forward to!

And last weekend, Yuval and I celebrated our 2 year anniversary by heading up to Bretton Woods, NH (which is, apparently, where 45 countries came together to form the World Bank and the IMF in 1944). We stayed at the Omni Mount Washington Resort in their bed & breakfast, the Bretton Arms Inn. Our special rate was only good for 1 night, but we enjoyed it to the max. We had dinner in the main dining room of the hotel, which was a 4-star restaurant (although we felt that rating was a little much considering our medium-rare steak came to us medium/medium-well). But the highlight of the trip was definitely the dog sledding. Who knew there was such a big mushing culture in the Northeast? We went to Muddy Paw Sled Dog Kennel for a 2-hour session, which included about 30 minutes in a sled being pulled by 12 dogs (Siberian Huskies, Malamutes, and mixes of the two). It was an adventure (our lead dog, One Ton, decided to turn around before it was time and got us stuck across a wooden bridge) and super fun experience. Both of us got to mush a little bit, and there was much dog petting and slobbery faces. Totally worth the money, and something we may do again. Plus, it fueled Yuval's dream of retiring to a house in the middle of some frozen place and living with about 12 huskies.

The days have been flying by and I can't believe Christmas is next week. Yuval and I have been celebrating Hanukkah by lighting the candles on the menorah his mom got us and singing the blessings that go with it (I'm still reading from a paper copy). I'm almost done reviewing algebra so that I can place into the pre-calculus class at Harvard Extension School. I'm registering for that and Intro to Biostatistics for the Spring semester (should be a total blast, right?). I was also accepted into the HES's Health Careers Program, which means I'm eligible for financial aid for classes and that I will get the full support of the faculty when I apply to vet school in a few years. So my winter and spring will keep me very busy and, most likely, very sleepy. But it will all be worth it when I get into vet school!

If I don't post again beforehand, have a very Happy Christmas and wonderful New Year!

Read
Fire by Kristin Cashore
The Best Creative Nonfiction, Vol. 3 edited by Lee Gutkind
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen

Seen
A Serious Man
Sense and Sensibility
The Scarlet Pimpernel

Billie Jean

2009-10-16T12:15:00.004-04:00

Hello again, explorers! As usual, lots has happened since we last spoke. The weekend after my last post, I flew to NYC to meet Mom for a weekend of Broadway and shopping and food. Everything was, of course, fabulous because, much as I dislike The Big Apple as a city, it does have quite a lot to offer. We saw "God of Carnage" and "Billy Elliot: The Musical" as Saturday and Sunday matinees, respectively. Saturday was filled with shopping before and after the show as well as a visit to Little Italy for dinner. It was a super fun trip and I was so happy that I got to spend time one-on-one with Mom.

The only hitch was that we didn't know that the weekend we were there was the final weekend of a HUGE festival in Little Italy ("San G...something or other"). The street our restaurant was on just happened to be the main street of the festival. As far as street festivals go, this had to be the worst one I've ever seen. Since everything was mostly along this one narrow street, people were PACKED in together like a school of fish. It was nearly impossible to navigate against the crowd. On top of that, most people were drunk and spilling cheap beer everywhere, it was insanely loud, there was no entertainment whatsoever (just food), and it was filled with the crème de la crème of bratty, obnoxious high school kids and white trash adults. Mom and I just stared around in confusion, wondering what could possibly be so "fun" about this festival that it would bring out such a huge crowd.

Anyway, aside from that irritation, the NYC trip was wonderful. The week after I got to see the premier of "Infinite Story", a night of new works by local playwrights produced as a 2nd fundraiser for the Exquisite Corps Theatre company. Adrienne directed one of the pieces, called "Cracking Up" by Peter M. Floyd, and it was definitely my favorite of the 4 shows. Very funny, very well-done. Then, that same week, there was dinner at the Shavit household to celebrate Tani's (Momma Shavit) birthday.

I also went through training and am now an official volunteer for the Feline Rescue and Adoption Society. I spend a couple hours every Tuesday night playing with the kitties in the Adoption Center at the Cambridge Petsmart, and I also clean out their cages and feed them and whatnot. There are some real sweethearts there, and I'm not even a cat person! FARS is a good organization and its where Yuval and I will adopt our cat from in the next few months (we don't have enough money for a cat right now).

The other exciting news has both good and bad parts. The good part is that the Boston Bruins have finally come out of hockey hibernation and started their season! The bad part is that they're not doing so well and have lost pretty heinously in 3 of their first 5 games, which have all been at home. It's kind of heart-wrenching to watch this team that is so good struggle so hard to find their footing in the beginning of the season.

I also attended my first wedding of a high school friend. Two friends, actually, who have been dating since the beginning of senior year and got married last weekend in Cincinnati. I helped a little, in that I designed their wedding website, but I was impressed by the way Kelli made everything come together so beautifully. It was a little awkward seeing people that I haven't spoken to since graduation, but fun to catch up. I had a lot of cake and Coke. I got to see a little of my family, but Mom and Dad were in and out all of that Saturday because they had their own wedding to attend. The Indian daughter of a good friend and colleague of my dad was getting married to an Episcopal boy, and there were 2 weddings (Hindu & Episcopal), a lunch, and a reception all in the same day. The Episcopal wedding and reception took place at the Cincinnati Zoo near the elephant palace. I'm so jealous my parents go to explore the zoo after hours! I think having a reception at a zoo would be super fun.

I got to make up for lost time with Dad when he came to visit the weekend after I was in Cincinnati for the wedding. He had a meeting with people at the Harvard Business School on Sunday night/Monday, so he came in to Boston on Friday night and spent the weekend with Yuval and me at our place. Apparently our guest room makes a great room for sleeping in because, since there are no windows in there, it creates a blackout and sensory deprivation effect! He slept until 10am on Saturday, which I have never, ever seen him do in my life. We went out for yummy food while he was here, had Sunday brunch at the Shavit house, saw some of the Head of the Charles Regatta, and met up for a little bit with my cousin, his wife, and their 2 year old bundle of cute daughter.

We also had the first snow of the season while Dad was here! Sunday morning dawned with some freezing rain and sleet that turned into wet, ploppy snow by the afternoon and continued into the night. Oh, New England, you and your crazy weather!

The next couple weeks are going to be busy, too: babysitting Dylan, kickball games, a job interview at Harvard, volunteering with the kitties, a Kenyon alumni event with Professor Shutt, a trip to the Boston Symphony to hear some Beethoven, and, of course, Halloween.

Read
On Beauty by Zadie Smith
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
Over Sea, Under Stone by Susan Cooper
The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson
Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard P. Feynman

Seen
9
The Informant!
Independence Day
Top Gun
Braveheart

September

2009-09-15T11:14:00.002-04:00

As you can probably guess, it's been a very busy month and some days since my last post. The biggest event was, of course, The Move. In the end, everything worked out and we got all our stuff unpacked and have since settled in quite nicely to the new place. But the actual move? Oh my Lord, was that an epic tale of disaster upon disaster!

In the perfect world in my head, where everything happens as it should, the plan for the move was straightforward and rather simple for a moving plan:

1) Pick up the moving truck at 5:00pm on Monday, August 31st.
2) Drive it to my apartment, where Yuval will meet me with his parents' Honda Fit.
3) Together, we move all my stuff out of my apartment and give the empty space a good scrub down.
4) Drive both vehicles to his parents' house, where he has all of his stuff, and stay the night.
5) Wake up bright and early on September 1st and move his stuff and the remaining furniture into the truck.
6) Drive to our new apartment along with some members of his family who have consented to help.
7) Spend a few hours hauling things up the stairs and the elevator and deposit them without regard to furniture arrangement for the moment.
8) Have one of us return the truck while the other stays at the apartment for the cable guy who is supposed to come between 2pm and 5pm.
9) Reunite at the apartment, shower, and sit for a bit.
10) Go out to a big celebratory dinner and be happy it's all over.

Of course, this being the single busiest move-in time of the year in Boston combined with the fact that I am a McGinley (a people consistently plagued by situations that cause us to throw our hands in the air and shout "Why me, Lord?!"), nothing went according to plan. Let's examine how things actually turned out, shall we?

1) I arrive at the truck pick-up center at 5:10pm only to find it closed and no truck in sight. Hysterical, I anguish over how in the hell we're going to find another truck on August 31st in Boston (answer: we aren't).
2) Make several whimpering phone calls to my mom (for support) and Budget Rental (for WTFing). Apparently, even though my confirmation said 5pm, Budget had it in their system for 4pm. And they have no way of getting a hold of the guy who owns this particular auto shop/Budget truck rental place. And the best they can do is call their "inventory guy" and see if there's another truck available anywhere within 50 miles of Boston. And this may take up to 6 hours. And he is really sorry.
3) Follow Mom's advice and call a cab to take me back to my apartment, since there is no public transportation anywhere near this suburban area. Call Yuval, crying, to apologize for screwing up and let him know I'm on my way in a taxi and we have no truck. He says he'll call Budget to see if we can change the reservation to just tomorrow, since we were technically renting it for 24 hours. I revel in this example of calm, cool, collected logic.
4) Meet back at my apartment in Newton. Yuval has successfully changed our reservation to the earliest possible time (8:30am) tomorrow, so if my landlady lets me stay just the night we can get my stuff out tomorrow morning. Except my landlady will not let me stay because the new tenant is moving in at 8:00am tomorrow and I HAVE to be out tonight. This leaves only one option: make multiple runs in the Fit to the Shavit house and back to cart all my stuff out of the apartment (including furniture).
5) We begin the arduous task of cramming an entire apartment into one car. I end up leaving a lot of stuff on the curb that I hadn't planned on leaving (TV, desk, one of my bookcases, etc.). The whole process takes about 5 hours, including a yummy but brief dinner with the Shavits and a vigorous cleaning of the apartment. Somehow we make it back to his parents' house in one piece and collapse into bed around 1:30am.
6) Wake up at 8:00am and arrive at the same Budget truck rental place as yesterday by 8:30am. It is immediately evident that there are NO moving trucks in the vicinity of this building. We talk to the owner/manager, and he says that his Budget inventory man was supposed to deliver all the trucks yesterday but didn't. We are the 3rd reservation that morning without a truck. He didn't have a truck for me yesterday anyway even if I had gotten there right at 5:00pm. He has no way of knowing when the trucks will arrive as his inventory man has not called him back. The best we can do is call Budget ourselves to complain, let them know we're waiting, and wait for the trucks along with the 2 other disappointed reservations.
7) This all being too much, we head to the nearest Dunkin' Donuts to get breakfast and figure out a plan. The trip there and back to the dealer takes about 20 minutes.
8) We decide to just postpone the move until we can get a truck. Yuval leaves his number with the manager who says he'll call as soon as the trucks arrive, which could be that day or 2 days from now. On our way out, he suggests we try the Enterprise up the road. It's a long shot, but they do have huge cargo vans that are good for moving. We decide to give it a shot.
9) The Enterprise has 2 cargo vans sitting in their lot. Careful not to get our hopes up, we ask if either of them is available. The salesman starts smiling and says he just got off the phone with a woman who canceled her cargo van reservation. It's ours for the day, mileage included, and comes out cheaper (even with full insurance) than the Budget truck would have been. We drive the van back to the Shavit house in victory and begin loading it up with the help of Yuval's sister Tamar.
10) It takes 2 trips, and we scratch the van making a tight turn around the corner of the building (good thing we got that insurance!), but we succeed. All of our belongings are now in the new apartment. Since none of us had had anything since that morning, we all three head to Anna's in Davis Square for burrito deliciousness and an early dinner (at 5:30pm). I'm so happy I pay for Tamar as well as Yuval and myself. We part ways, and Yuval and I work on asssembling furniture and making the apartment more navigable. He leaves to play hockey at 10:00pm, and I continue building Ikea furniture and putting things away until he returns around 1:00am. After setting up the bed and showering, we both collapse into sleep around 2:00am.

Victory at last!

And now our apartment is fully outfitted and decorated. We even had Yuval's family over for dinner on Sunday night, and we chowed on homemade pizza and were presented with a housewarming gift of an ice cream maker, a scooper, and 8 nice bowls to serve it in. If you're curious about what the place looks like, well, you should watch my little tour video:

I've also joined a fabulous gym for which I am paying way more than I ever thought I would for a gym. But I get a personal trainer and have a new regimen to follow, and following it I am. And now I'm preparing for a weekend in NYC with my mom, shopping and seeing shows.

All in all, life is going really well after the pitfalls and shortcomings of The Move.

Read
Fly on the Wall by E. Lockhart
To Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie Willis
Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman
Asterios Polyp by David Mazzucchelli
Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Seen
The Cove
Ponyo
The Last Unicorn
Shawshank Redemption

9 to 5

2009-08-07T15:32:00.002-04:00

Long time no see, Internet. I can't use the excuse that things have been really busy--what it comes down to is that I'm just plain lazy.

SO! I told you all about Israel in my last post. Did it really happen almost 2 months ago? That's seems insanity to me. And yet, it's fact. My 4th of July was a good time, made even more wonderful by the fact that I got Friday, July 3rd off from work. Yay long holiday weekends! I celebrated our nation's independence in South Boston at my friend Seamus's house, which is about a 10 minute walk from the beach (not that I went swimming in the ice cold Atlantic waters). I hope all of you had a fabulous 4th of July as well!

Yuval's birthday was also in July, and he got some pretty nifty presents from his girlfriend (everyone said so). A cover for his Kindle DX, an Amazon gift card, this shirt, and a delicious dinner at KO Prime in downtown Boston (where I had my first in-restaurant filet mignon--it was soooo good).

Other than that, not too much else of great note happened in July. The lovely Kathryn VanArendonk and Annie Lambla paid Boston a visit, which resulted in a delightful picnic dinner in Outlook Park in Brookline. Much wine and cheese and carbohydrates were consumed. The Immunology Division had its annual pool party and cookout, which was a little hectic for me to organize but turned out very well. It's always nice to see what colleagues are like out of the office, especially with their kids. I've also spent a LOT of time arranging things for the big move at the end of the month. Trying to find a rental truck in Boston for August 31/September 1 is one of the most challenging tasks you can ever face in your life.

The big recent event was the McGinley family reunion I attended from July 31-August 3. Over 35 relatives converged on our house in Cincinnati, a great many of whom I'd never seen or heard of before. While I feel most family reunions are supposed to be dull affairs, this one was a ton of fun. I love meeting all these people and hearing story after story about my grandpa and great aunts and uncles. Plus, there was really good food. I also got to meet my two new twin cousins, Samantha and Madison, for the first time. They are 4 months old and, like most babies of that age, chubby things of extreme cuteness. It's remarkable how individual their personalities are at such a young age. Needless to say, they were pretty much the star attractions of the reunion. It was also my Great Aunt Beck's 90th birthday, so of course my mom orders the most beautiful (and delicious) cake to celebrate. I'm so happy I got to go to this reunion, especially because I had to miss the last one.

Plans for this weekend include attending Frey's birthday party (a friend from kickball) and helping Yuval wash his hockey gear. The latter may not sound fun, but I'm strangely fascinated by the way the water turns yellow when he's rinsing off all the sweat that's built up.

Was that gross enough for you?

Oh, and don't forget to live every week like it's Shark Week by tuning in tonight and tomorrow for the last two days of programming! And if you're sad like I am that you missed some of the programs, you can download full episodes on iTunes from the website. Hurrah!

Read
The Boyfriend List by E. Lockhart
It Sucked and Then I Cried by Heather Armstrong
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
Hungry Ghosts by Jasper Becker
The Boy Book by E. Lockhart

Seen
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
9 to 5
Gran Torino
Step Up 2: The Streets
Ferris Bueller's Day Off

Yom Shi Shi

2009-06-29T20:20:00.003-04:00

Believe it or not, this is the first chance I've had to sit down and write about my recent vacation since I got back on the 21st. Jet lag + crazy amounts of work + exhaustion = no time for blogging.

If you want to see pictures of my travels, I've finally posted them on Facebook.

I was in Israel June 9-17 with Yuval and his family. A one-word summary would go like this: a-mazing. His parents have an apartment in Tel Aviv, so that was our home base for the duration of the trip.

However, we went all over the place. Let's see if I can remember all the cities: Tel Aviv, Be'er Sheva, Haifa, Tsvat, Jerusalem, Nazareth, Tiberias, Caesarea, Akko...I'm sure there are more I've forgotten, but that's the majority of them. I saw deserts, beaches, oceans, lakes, rivers, forests, mountains, valleys, fields. I saw wild camels roaming the desert hills outside of Jersusalem, friendly stray cats that camp outside cafes in Tel Aviv, and white cranes swooping over the Sea of Galilee. Like most people, when I think of Israel, I think of nothing but desert and sand. Turns out it encompasses quite the cavalcade of biodiversity for such a small land area.

The differences between life in Israel and life in the US were sometimes striking, sometimes subtle. Ice cream is hard to find, but gelato is on every street corner--and it turns out that it tastes way better than ice cream, anyway. While every store in Newton Center closes by 9pm, cafes in Tel Aviv don't start getting their second rush until 11pm. Fruit and vegetables are much fresher and more delicious because most of them are grown within Israel. The only kind of Coke to be found is sugar cane Coke (which I love rougly 100x more than the high-fructose corn syrup Coke that you find here in the States). Most signs are in three languages: Hebrew, Arabic, and English. I never, in all my travels in cities and highways in Israel, saw a car any bigger than a Chevy Cobalt--parking is impossible, and no one wants the low MPG performance of SUV's in a land where gas taxes are sky high. All hot water in Israel is heated by solar energy. For water conservation, the toilets have two flush options: one for urination and one for, well, a really big Number Two.

Not all the differences were charming, though. I lost count of the number of security checkpoints I had to pass through by the second day. See, it's a common misconception that the only people who have to deal with heightened security in Israel are the Palestinians. But every mall, business park, beach, and tourist destination has a security checkpoint that everyone must pass through. It's not a big deal--they check your purses and your bags and occaisionally ask you what you're there for--but it's a constant reminder that, even in a metropolis like Tel Aviv, the people are always aware of the threats to Israel's tenuous existence. I think that's something that a lot of Americans don't understand when they criticize Israel's policies and politics: there is not, and has never been, a guarantee that the country Israelis live in right now will exist for their grandchildren to enjoy. Americans don't ever think of the possibility that New York or LA won't be there in 10 years, but Israelis have to contend with the very real threat that Tel Aviv may be destroyed in the near future.

On a lighter note, some other less charming differences between Israel and the US? People do not subscribe to deodorant as a habit over there. No one ever says "excuse me" when they bump into someone in a crowd. The rule of "standing to the right, walking to the left" has never been imported. You can only find supermarkets in big cities--everywhere else, you have to go to a souk (outdoor market) and a mix of smaller stores to get most of your groceries.

For those who don't know, I was supposed to go to Israel on pilgrimage the summer after I graduated high school. It was something my church in Cincinnati did every two years, and our rector always went with the group. I prepared for that trip for 4 years and was so excited to go. But that was back in 2003, and when the war started getting really hot and heavy, the parents said "no" and we went to Ireland instead. Don't get me wrong, Ireland was fantastic. But ever since then I've had a longing to finish what I started studying for in 9th grade.

When we took a day trip to Jerusalem, I wondered aloud to Yuval if my reaction to all the holy sites now differs greatly from how I would have reacted back in 2003. His answer was an immediate "yes," and he's right. We went to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, I saw Jesus's tomb and place of crucifixtion and the slab they laid him on after he was taken down from the cross. I walked along Via Dolorosa and stopped at each Station of the Cross. I visited the church that was built around the house in which Mary supposedly received the Annunciation. Everything was fascinating and I didn't want to miss a single thing. I took pictures of every nook and cranny.

And yet.

There was no great rush of spiritual feeling. No sense of true awe to accompany my viewing of these holy sites. More than anything, there was simply a sense of historical curiosity and a desire to see where history was made. I watched people kneel to kiss the stone slab, saw the faithful lower their heads to the stone of Golgotha and pray. And I observed it all with a kind of clinical detachment, an interest stemming from watching religious-socio-anthropology in action. I was offended at the sheer amount of wealth and number of gewgaws that decorated these most holy places after the Greek Orthodox fashion.

I guess, in the end, I reacted the way I did because I see Jesus more as a historical figure whose lessons should be remembered rather than a super-human divine creature meant to be revered from afar.

That, and I couldn't stop thinking about the smorgasbord of germs and viruses crawling around on all the surfaces people were kissing. Seriously. Do they realize that no one wipes those stones down with Clorox at the end of the day? I won't ever kiss the Blarney Stone, either.

--------------------------

I returned to Boston around 3:30pm EST on Wednesday, June 17th and paid $77 for a cab home from the airport (the last thing I wanted to do was sit on the T for an hour). This gave me just enough time to do the following: pick up my mice from their babysitter, clean their cage, shop for supplies at CVS, do my laundry, charge all my battery-powered accessories, and pack a small suitcase for the next trip. I got to bed around 10:30pm after being awake for more than 24 hours (stupid time zones).

Then it was rise and shine at 6:30am on Thursday so I could pick up Anthony and drive to Cleveland for "Kenyon Reunion Part II: The Reunioning." Surprisingly, I never got the least bit sleepy during the entire drive because my body was too confused by the time zone changes. We rolled into Nate and Kari's place around 8pm and promptly headed to Ruby Tuesday's. Oh America!

The reunion was a blast. Folks from Kenyon and Denison were in attendence, and we were all exposed to a board game that will haunt (some) of us forever with its awesomeness: Arkham Horror (brought to you by the lovely folks at Call of Cthulu). We swam in the pond, played Mafia, dished out some Apples to Apples, played with the farm animals, attempted a few games of Ultimate Frisbee (poorly), played the requisite game of Never Have I Ever, and, of course, ate and drank copiously.

But it had to end, and Sunday morning saw me driving my sister's RAV4 down to Cincinnati, where it now waits in the driveway, breathless with anticipation for her return from Australia. I really miss having a car, which means I will have to start practicing my manual driving so I can drive Yuval's car come September 1st.

I'm hoping that the Reunion will continue as an annual tradition far into the future. It's become one of the highlights of my calendar year along with Thanksgiving and Christmas and my birthday (because I'm selfish). To all whom were in attendence: thank you for the great times, folks. To all who weren't: you better be there next year.

Read
Hannah's Winter by Kierin Meehan
Knockemstiff by Donald Ray Pollock
Nation by Terry Pratchett
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
Kitchen by Banana Yoshimoto

Seen
Up
Changeling

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2009-06-09T10:29:00.002-04:00

T-minus 7 hours until my plane leaves for Tel Aviv!

I didn't get to bed until late last night because of packing and dropping the mice off with Yuval's flatmate. I forgot my $5 coupon for my taxi ride to the airport at home. I had to drag my 40lb. duffel bag up ramps and over bridges to the T and then from the T to the office. I didn't get a chance to do the dishes or take out the trash/recycling before I left this morning.

But you know what? Who cares! I'm going to Israel, baby! L'CHAIM!

And if you have a prayer you want me to put in the Wailing Wall, just email me. I'll have internet access while I'm at the Shavit's apartment.

See you again after the 17th! :o)

Seen
Arlington Road

This Town

2009-06-01T11:56:00.004-04:00

Happy June, everyone! Even though summer doesn't officially start until June 21 (also Father's Day), I've always felt that the unofficial start of summer is June 1st. I mean, does anyone out there consider June to be a part of spring? No.

I leave for Israel on June 9th at 5:30pm, and I'm so excited. Sadly, I won't be visiting Istanbul this time around due to flight conflicts, but maybe next time! Still, there's going to be plenty to see and do in Israel, some of which we've already planned out. I will get the opportunity to:

- Visit Jerusalem, including the Wailing Wall, The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the Dome of the Rock
- Hike around the Sea of Galilee, and see the Mount where Jesus gave his famous sermon
- Meet Yuval's aunt and cousin and stay at the kibbutz where they live
- See the Dead Sea (and possibly float in it?)
- Attend a concert featuring the most popular Israeli rock singer, Yehuda Poliker
- Go to the beach in Tel Aviv many, many times

All in all, it sounds like a very excellent trip. You can see why I'm so excited! Also, if there's a prayer you want me to put in the Wailing Wall for you, let me know and I will.

Summer always means BBQ to me, and good Lord have I been participating in a lot of it. Saturday Yuval's flatmate, Alex, smoked a total of 26 pounds of meat (most pork), and all of it was consumed by about 30 people. It made me feel like a viking, seeing this giant hunk of pig shoulder smoking on the grill. And it was delicious pulled pork! And then Sunday, Yuval's parents hosted an art party at their house and, of course, kebabs were grilled (although I didn't eat any because they had lamb in them, and I don't eat baby animals).

I finally managed to donate blood for the second time this year. I tried back in March, but my iron count was too low--something that was especially puzzling considering I take iron supplements with 150% of my daily recommended dose. But the technician at that appointment told me I should take them with a Vitamin C pill, too, because that helps the body absorb the iron. Apparently it worked, because my iron count was equal to that of a crowbar when I went to donate on the May 19th. And I got a coupon for $5 off at Uno's for donating!

Last Friday was Shavuot, which saw me at the Shavit household consuming large amounts of dairy-based food. Shavuot is the Spring holiday, and the "food theme" is dairy because spring is when all the cows start giving milk to their calves. Summer fruit (like pears, grapes, etc.) are also a central theme. And I learned my favorite Hebrew word so far: "mishmish" (meesh-meesh), which means "apricot." I will never call them apricots again. Mishmish 4 life!

This weekend I'll be dragging Yuval to the Franklin Park Zoo for 1/2 price tickets before noon--they do it the first Saturday of every month. They have pygmy hippos! I will also most likely be going to see Pirates! (Or Gilbert & Sullivan Plunder'd) at the Huntington on Sunday. I can't wait for the Opera Workshop memories to start resurfacing.

Also, I have started a new blog with Yuval. No, it's not a cutesy, gag-inducing "couples" blog. It's a blog where we will document every instance that we run across a misuse of the word "bemused," which I'm convinced is the most misused word in the English language. If you run across an abuse of this word, please let me know. All perpetrators must be brought to justice!

Seen
The Last Action Hero

Give A Reason

2009-05-19T22:06:00.004-04:00

So it looks like my original intent to publish twice a week on this blog has fallen by the wayside. However, once a month is still more often than most of my friends update their blogs (*cough*hint*).

When last I left you, Yuval and I were about to head down to NYC to see Wicked. We did, and it was awesome. I loved the show, and (more surprisingly) he loved the show. It's always kind of a strange experience for me when I know the recorded version of a musical so well that seeing it live and performed by a different cast makes it seem like a totally different show. Does that happen to anyone else? I'm sure it does. The hotel we stayed at was fabulous (The Marcel at Gramercy) even if the room was a little cozy--but it normally costs $200 a night to stay there and I got it for considerably less thanks to Hotels.com and their spring sale. We also found a delicious French/Vietnamese fusion restaurant on a walk down 3rd Avenue, on the corner of East 13th Street. I'm not sure what the name was because it was a Vietnamese character, but they had the most amazing seared beef I've ever tasted. I did not know that mostly raw meat could taste that delicious. The bus rides to and from NYC were long, as always, but it was a wonderful way to spend the weekend, and even more wonderful to have that Monday (4/20--Patriots Day here in Massachusetts) off from work to recoup. Another fabulous birthday gift from Yuval! :o)

I was priveleged enough (thanks to Adrienne) to see the dress rehearsal for Opera Boston's production of The Bartered Bride the last week of April and thorougly enjoyed myself. Although, it was the second opera dress rehearsal I've seen that has had to be stopped during the performance because of some technical snafu (the first was a decorative mounted deer head that nearly fell on the male lead, this time because something went wrong with the violins and the speakers in the pit). However, I like it more when there are interruptions because it reminds me that these are collaborative pieces of theater, which I love.

Other highlights of that week included the Bruins' strong showing in Game 1 of Round 2 Playoff hockey against the Carolina Hurricanes, a Saturday morning kickball practice in beautiful weather, and babysitting Dylan. Book 5 (the final volume) of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series came out May 4 (also my mom's birthday), and thanks to Amazon pre-order I had it in my hands and finished by the end of that same day. A very entertaining series, and I highly recommend it to anyone who's at all familiar with Greek mythology. I also attended a surprise party for one of Yuval's best friends who is now also one of my friends. She is now 25 and can rent a car without underage fees. Hurray for Meaghan!

Sadly, some things didn't go so well after that. The Bruins played a humilatingly bad next 3 games, giving the Canes a 3-1 lead in the series (which is best of 7). They managed to rally back and force a game 7, which was exciting and breathtaking, but then played a rather half-hearted game and lost in overtime on home ice here in Boston. It was heartbraking, and Yuval and I didn't talk for about 20 minutes after the end of the game because we were both so distraught and distracted. Oh, well. Maybe next year? (Cross your fingers)

However, great things happened to make up for that bad piece of news. Yuval and I found an apartment for September 1st, and have signed the lease and handed over the deposit. It's a 1+ bedroom (that has an extra room that will be a guest room/study) that includes heat and parking in the rent. The unit has air conditioning, a full kitchen, a huge living room, and lots of storage. It's on Highland Avenue, less than a 10 minute walk from Porter Square, and 1 block away from the house Yuval lived in when I first met him. We're so excited! And I'm so relieved that the apartment hunt is over--I hate them!

Other good things that happened last week include Yuval's sister graduating from Carnegie Mellon with highest honors (congrats, Tamar!), getting to see a free production of Much Ado About Nothing that was pretty hilarious (if not a bit miscast), and the beginning of my committment to bike to and from work. I discovered that I actually really enjoy biking, and now bike most everywhere I can even outside of work. Great workout, and faster than the T! I also discovered something called Groupon, which is a website that emails you a new super deal every day for some fabulously discounted thing in Boston. Yesterday I got 4 spa treatments (facial, eye treamtent, hand treatment, and eyebrow waxing) for $59 (normally $144) at Total Skin Care II spa. I highly recommend both Groupon and the spa to everyone in Boston! And through my membership with Zipcar, I got 15% off a 45-minute deep tissue massage at Moore Massage in Brookline. It was a painful process, but my back feels much less tense now.

And now you're caught up on all my adventures from the past month. One last piece of really super exciting news: I have been invited to join Yuval's family on their upcoming vacation to Istanbul (not Constantinople) and Tel Aviv! It's the kind of trip I've always wanted to go on, and it will be even better because I will be with people I care about who know the local language and culture (at least in Israel). So incredibly psyched!

Anyone know of any great things to do in Istanbul?

Read
Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut
Charles and Emma: The Darwins' Leap of Faith by Deborah Heiligman
The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron
The Last Olympian by Rick Riordan [Percy Jackson and the Olympians Book 5]
Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve
Bog Child by Siobhan Dowd
Scalped: The Gravel in Your Guts (Volume 4) by Jason Aaron
The Foreigner by Larry Shue

Seen
Knockaround Guys

Right Round

2009-04-16T10:49:00.003-04:00

Just in case anyone out there in Internetland was breathless with anticipation, the mice were given names. They are Trixie and Alma, after two of my favorite characters on Deadwood. Trixie Mouse is inquisitive, brave, and likes to run around (a lot)--she is the feisty one. Alma Mouse is much more reserved, spends a lot of time preening, and hides in their house whenever I open the cage--she is the delicate one. I've officially had them for a month, and they seem to be doing very well (and pooping like mad).

Much has been going in my life since March. I got to see my hip hop teacher in a show with his dance company, Rainbow Tribe. The performances were amazing! Made me wish I had started dancing earlier. That same weekend, Yuval and I hustled over to the ART in Harvard Square to see one of the last performances of "Endgame" by Samuel Beckett. And wow. Everything about the performance was excellent, and the acting was so good I almost understood what was going on when the show ended (which is quite a feat for a Beckett play).

The same day as "Endgame", we also saw the finals of the Hockey East championship: BU vs. UMass Lowell. Lowell started off the much stronger team, but a dispute about a goal in the 2nd period really shook them up and they lost their focus. BU pretty much dominated the game after that. Yuval has successfully turned me into a full-fledged hockey fan. Boston Bruins play their first game of the Playoffs tonight!

I've also attended a surprise birthday party, gone home to visit my parents for a weekend thanks to a Delta sale, and seen pictures of my two newborn twin cousins, Samantha and Madison (born at the end of March). And, as always, there's been a lot of reading and movie watching going on. This weekend we will be heading down to NYC by MegaBus to see Wicked, a show whose music I memorized the year it came out but have still never seen. The tickets were my birthday present from Yuval. :o)

Perhaps the biggest news, though, is that I will be looking for a new apartment this fall that's big enough for two people! Yuval and I haven't been successful in finding the right place yet, but there's still time before the deluge of undergrads snaps up all the good apartments during the summer. Does anyone here in Boston know of a 1 bedroom in Cambridge that will be available this fall? Apartment hunting sucks like whoa, and it never gets any easier.

Read
The Somnambulist by Jonathan Barnes
Heroes of the Valley by Jonathan Stroud
A Darkling Plain by Philip Reeve
Magazines: The Week, Wired, Good, Foreign Policy, Defenders

Seen
I Love You, Man
Adventureland
Dr. Strangelove
Coyote Ugly
Alien
Armageddon
Gone in 60 Seconds
Jurassic Park III
The Big Bang Theory (Season 2, up to current episodes)

Just Feel Better

2009-03-19T12:17:00.004-04:00

Hola, amigos! Man, have I been busy since my last post. But before I get into that, there is a matter of no small importance for which I need your assistance.

Help me name my two (female) pet mice! I got them on the 15th, and they still don't have names. As you can see from the picture, they are adorable and tiny. I've narrowed the choices down to following three sets, so please cast your vote!

Possible Names
1) Boomer & Starbuck (taken from Battlestar Galactica)
2) Joanie & Trixie (taken from Deadwood)
3) Mrs. Crummles & Mrs. Nickelby (taken from Nicholas Nickelby by Chuck Dickens)

Since my last post, I've done the following: taken Yuval with me to Cincinnati for a weekend, driven 15 hours from Cincy to Boston with Yuval in my sister's car (which is mine until she comes back from Oz), seen Boston Opera Underground's production of The Seven Deadly Sins by Kurt Weill as directed by Adrienne, seen Watchmen on a double date, gone to Dave & Buster's in Providence, RI to celebrate a birthday (and helped accumulate over 10,000 tickets for the birthday boy), had a delicious brunch with the Shavit's, and checked out or returned a cumulative 15 books from the library. And, of course, there was getting the mices (pronounced mees-iz). So, yeah. Life's been very busy, but very fun. And exhausting.

I've also been canvassing animal hospitals and private veterinary practices to see if I can volunteer with them. Normally, of course, I'd first apply to help out places like the MSPCA or ARL of Boston or even the New England Aquarium. But, contrary to what you might think, all of those places have all the volunteers they can handle and are not taking on anymore. Does anyone in Boston have an "in" to some sort of animal-related organization that takes volunteers? It's frustrating, because I want to help so badly, but no one wants me!

So, the other day, the Pope--who is visiting select cities in Africa right now--declared that condoms "increase the problem" of AIDS. And now the Pope and the Vatican are getting lambasted from all sides for those comments, which could prove counterproductive and even detrimental to AIDS relief efforts in Africa. I'm not going to spend time detailing how the exact opposite of the Pope's comments is true, nor how there have been countless scientific studies that have found no correlation between distributing condoms and increased sexual activity.

Rather, I wanted to point out that it's exactly because of comments/beliefs/ideologies like this that Catholics (and to a larger extent, Christians) are generally thought of as repressive, backwards, and malignant. For all the good that Catholic charities do, stances like this overshadow all the positive instantly. As one of the youngest major organized religions in the world, you'd think that Catholicism would still be felxible enough to learn from its mistakes and adapt to a changing global society. But instead, the Vatican insists on upholding dogma that has been scientifically disproven countless times both in theory and in practice. In college, telling people I was a Christian elicited an immediate reaction, and it certainly wasn't positive: I was seen as ignorant for believing in something so backwards and out-of-touch with the real world. And when I would try to defend it, something like the Pope's words in Africa would happen and invalidate all my efforts.

I left organized religion for private reasons, but I still feel an empathy with its believers. Not all Catholics or Christians are as conservative and resistant to change as the Vatican would have you think. But you wouldn't know it from the news, would you?

Seen
Watchmen
Cruel Intentions
Die Hard 2

Read
Goose Girl by Shannon Hale
Land of Marvels by Barry Unsworth
The Daily Coyote: A Story of Love, Survival, and Trust in the Wilds of Wyoming by Shreve Stockton

I Don't Care 'Bout That

2009-03-02T11:10:00.003-05:00

For your viewing delight. Try not to spew milk out your nose.

For those who've been paying attention to the news at all today, we're buried under snow here in Boston. It started snowing yesterday morning, and hasn't really stopped since. We're in a lull right now, before another snow cell dumps all over us.

To my utter shock and amazement, though, the T didn't break down once this morning! That's the first time heavy snow has not slowed my morning commute by, oh, 30 minutes. Way to go, MBTA. You're like the little train that could.

Yuval and I are headed to Cincinnati this Thursday evening. We'll be spending the weekend with my parents, seeing the touring Broadway version of Frost/Nixon and driving back to Boston in my sister's car on Sunday. Getting her car is the only tangible benefit I receive from her going off to Australia to have super amazing adventures while "studying." Yeah, right. Like she'll be able to study with the beach just a 5 minute walk from her dorm.

Oh, and I think I may have found something I'd like to go to school for, and then spend the next 5 to 7 years working at: being a Veterinary Technician. I don't have the prerequisites to go to Veterinary School (I would need to have taken a lot more bio, chem, and physics classes in college). But the program is only 2 years, and a Vet Tech is like a nurse to a physician, so I'd still get to work with animals--I just wouldn't be doing the surgeries or the euthanasia.

And this wouldn't replace my ultimate goal of going to grad school. It would just help me earn more money for it and serve as a very worthy job in the meantime.

You

2009-02-26T10:06:00.004-05:00

Bostonians, I humbly present you with a scenario.

You find a (mercifully) empty two-person seat and proceed to take the spot next to the window because you're not the kind of jerk who sits on the aisle seat trying to keep people from sitting next to you. Very considerate of you, certainly. But then at the next stop, or maybe even the same one you got on at, a crowd of people come barreling down the aisle of the car. No problem, you didn't expect to have a two-seater all to yourself during morning rush hour, right? But then this big business(wo)man comes strutting down the aisle in a huge coat juggling a briefcase, the entire New York Times, and a Blackberry. Oh no, you think. I'm going to get squished up against the window by this very large person carrying many, many things. And of course, they sit next to you, and you are indeed squished against the window due to simple mass displacement. Then the person immediately tries to spread out all their shit so they can read the paper, write notes, and tap away on their Blackberry at the same time. Completely forgetting that there's another human being sitting next to them who, you know, maybe wants to read her book but can't without pressing her arms to her sides and holding the book straight up in front of her face, forced to turn pages with her nose.

Bostonians, does this happen to you every time you're on the T? Because it sure as hell happens to me. Every. Damn. Time.

And so I say to you, Governor Patrick, that you better use the money you raise from your new 19-cent gas tax raise (not to mention some of the $2 billion MA is getting from the Federal government) to FIX THE FRICKIN' T! Pay off the $30 million in debt that you saddled them with from the Big Dig, and then use the rest of the money to:

- Replace all the trains on the Green Line that are now over 20 years old (which is all of them)
- Buy additional trains for the Green, Red, and Orange lines so there's not such a shortage during rush hours
- Hire additional operators and traffic coordination personnel
- Expand service to 24 hours a day
- Purchase some tracking hardware/software that will accurately tell you where your buses and trains are so you know if you should adjust the schedules

Maybe then, with all these improvements, the T will actually run on time, trains wouldn't have to go Express so erratically, and everything will stop breaking down everytime the temperature drops 5 degrees. Thank you, Mr. Governor.

And considering all the money that's floating around the federal government these days, maybe they can save a portion of it to hire people who are, you know, competent as Homeland Security officers.

I submit the following video as evidence in support of my argument:

Homeland Security Thwarts Foreign Sandwich Threat

Watch it. You won't be disappointed. Or...maybe you will?

----------------

I'm now 24 years old, which feels like an odd thing to say. I think, once you hit 21, every subsequent birthday just sounds stranger. I mean, I'm getting older, but it's no longer a big deal because I'm an "adult." And it's just the expected thing for adults to get older without any accompanying fanfare. Man. Sometimes I miss being a kid. (But not most of the time).

And thanks to everyone who left a note on my Wall on Facebook on my birthday! I'm far too lazy to respond individually, so I'll just stick with a shout out on my blog that no one reads. ;o)

I'm learning a new routine in hip hop! We finished the routine for "Krazy" by Pitbull, which is great because I don't think my right hand could have tolerated any further bruising from rolling over it on the floor. It's an awesome dance, though, and I will happily perform it for anyone who asks. But I need a hardwood floor to dance on, because the moves don't work on carpet. The new dance is for the song "You" by Q-Tip, which has an entirely different vibe from "Krazy." The moves are more complicated, but the song is slower so it's not too big a deal. I really like it so far!

This weekend will (hopefully) provide me time to catch up on Lost, the episodes of which I've fallen woefully behind on. But now I'm only 3 episodes behind, counting last night's, so things are slightly better. Nobody spoil it for me!

Read
Indian Killer by Sherman Alexie
Infernal Devices by Philip Reeve

Seen
Coraline
The Big Bang Theory - Season One

What Goes Around

2009-02-18T15:18:00.004-05:00

For those who care, I've posted three new movie reviews on my other blog. Read if you're bored.

----

This entry will be a mishmash of random thoughts I've been having lately as well as a quick update on my activities. I can just feel you shivering in excitement.

I present to you the only ad I've ever seen that makes me clench my fists in anger when I come across it:

"Oh," you say. "What's so upsetting about a hot pseudo-Asian chick in a tank top?" Well, I'll tell you, reader. (Breaks out "This is what a feminist looks like" t-shirt). It's sexist and offensive. Before this ad pulled a blitzkreig on the T a few weeks ago, I was very fond of the Healthworks ads. Before, they used to feature women in awesome strong and beautiful poses: a shot of calf muscles on stairs, a pregnant woman doing pilates, a shot of a woman's back while she lifts a dumbell. They all said, essentially, "We can be strong while remaining true to our feminity."

Badass, right?

Then Healthworks plasters this ad over all the other ones, and my blood pressure skyrockets. We went from ads featuring beautiful strong women to an ad featuring a skinny, vaguely "exotic" girl in a blatant "come hither" pose with pictures of her shaking her ass like Shakira in the background.

WTF, Healthworks? Are you trying to sell your pricey women-only memberships by having men point to these posters and tell their wives and girlfriends "That's what you should look like"? Seriously! Unlike the previous ads, this one is meant to catch the attention of men. I see this in the subway and think "What, is she trying to get me to buy her a drink?" instead of "Wow, she looks like she's working out just for her and nobody else," like I used to. Now, instead of me believing that Healthworks is a gym for women by women, it makes me think they're like a women's magazine: run by men to exploit women.

Thankfully, other ads with less ridiculous conceits have finally started showing up. None of them are as great as the old ones used to be, but at least now I don't have to put up with a constant barrage of Ms. Sexy Pose every time I use the T.

-----

Okay, so those were clearly the thoughts I promised. As for activities, the biggest one is that I visited Kenyon this past weekend. Like last time, it's strange going back to your alma mater when you still have friends as students there. They miss you, but they've definitely moved on without you and have made the campus their own. It's a little heartachy, to be honest.

Mostly, Kenyon's still the same. There are some fancy new buildings, some of the old ones are gone (most notably the Kenyon Review house), and the bookstore now sells ice cream by the scoop in addition to Kenyon gear for babies. Pierce is open again, while Gund is closed forever, so everyone must eat South now. The new Upper Demsey hall in Pierce is beautiful and reminds me of Brandi Hall in Rosse, with all it's birchwood paneling and light. Except there are no acoustic considerations built in, of course. However, it still feels like Kenyon, which I think is the most important thing.

There was no heat in the Hill Theater all weekend, so throughout the two dress rehearsals I watched on Sunday the actors were shivering in their costumes. However, I was glad to even get to see the dress rehearsals, since both shows (Frozen by Bryony Lavery and Oleanna by David Mamet) are going up this weekend and I (obviously) won't be there. It was wonderful getting the chance to stay up until 1 or 2am with folks, chatting about life and theater and the pursuit of happiness. I can't believe I used to stay up that late every night and not die the next day.

Calista was the perfect hostess, and her futon was mighty comfy. Talking with her made me miss Friday Cafe lunches, Opera Workshop, and nights out with the girls. Senior year as Drama major is still the same, with exhausting theses, upper-level class projects, frantic studying of History of Western notes, and freak outs about Comps in the spring.

Don't worry, my ducklings, you'll all be just fine come May. :o)

More than anything in college, I miss the sense of purpose. Up until I graduated, everything I did was a build up to something bigger, something in the future. But college was the culmination of all my hard work, and now I find myself in the Real World where no one cares if I achieve nothing greater in life than the title of Administrative Assistant IV at Children's Hospital Boston. Everything you achieve and pursue and accept is out of your own determination and drive--there is no advisor pushing you to do more with yourself. And that's what ultimately terrifies me about Life: that I'll accept monotonous complacency because it's easy and familiar, and trying to change anything takes an active, constant effort.

We used to joke about it during rehearsals, but now I'm serious as a heart attack--I want a Life PSM, plz. Someone to keep me on track. Do you think Kenyon would approve such an academic track for the Drama department? After all, they'll need credentials and lots of training.

On an end note, it's my birthday on Saturday. One year closer to being able to rent a car without any extra underage charges!

Read
The Myst Reader by Rand Miller
The Domino Men by Jonathan Barnes

Seen
No Country for Old Men
Step Up

Not Coming Home

2009-02-09T14:20:00.002-05:00

I've decided that, for my own amusement (and possibly enlightenment), I am going to list some of the things I both love and hate about Boston.

Love
- You don't have to own a car to live here thanks to the T
- Lots and lots of theater, and many chances to see it for free or discounted
- Sports are a big deal, even (especially) at the college level, which makes for a fun excursion
- Many opportunities for higher education in the area. I think Greater Boston has at least, what, 20 colleges within its circumference?
- Higher salaries for every job
- The Charles River. It may not be the cleanest river in the US, but it's beautiful in summer and winter. There's nothing quite like taking a weekend day to just wander aimlessly around the riverbank, stopping when you want and buying food from cart vendors.
- There are a plethora of public libraries, and two public library systems to choose from. I rarely buy books or DVD's these days since I can just borrow them, which has saved me tons of money.
- Sometimes, when the weather isn't miserable and I'm not in a hurry, walking around downtown Boston is kind of awe-inspiring.
- Related, all the twinkling skyscrapers make for what I think is one of the most beautiful skylines I've ever seen.
- People will readily offer you directions or transportation advice if you ask, no matter where you are. And they almost always know how to get you to where you want to go.
- The city is very well designed for pedestrians, and Cambridge in particular is a haven for bikers. Come summer, I plan on buying a good road bike and getting to work that way.
- There is a free, good daily newspaper: The Metro. I love it, and have had three of my letters to the editor published in it.
- The Common and the Public Garden. Beautiful when covered in snow, wonderful on a sunny day in spring or summer. One of my favorite parts about going downtown.
- Lots of opportunities for just about anything you're interested in.
- Every kind of cuisine you could possibly want can be found in a restaurant here.
- Endless activities and clubs and social organizations to choose from. Unless you're lazy.
- It's extremely easy to visit and to get to other places from. Logan Airport is a major airport without being insanely expensive. Discount airlines like AirTran go just about everywhere from here. Then there's Greyhound, Bolt Bus, and MegaBus. And Amtrak, or Acela, or the Noreaster train to Maine.

Hate
- The T majorly sucks, due at least a little to the fact that they are over $30 million in debt. However, that's no excuse for why I sometimes wait 45 minutes to an hour for a train I can squeeze onto to go home after work. Or for train cars that over 20 years old that break down at the slightest drop in temperature. Or for buses that are never, never on time.
- Boston is one of the most expensive cities in America. Second only to NYC, according to a survey done by people who do those kinds of surveys. I pay $675 a month for rent with all amenities included (which in and of itself is nothing short of a phenomenon in Boston), but my apartment in total is about equal to the square footage of 1 1/2 of my bedrooms back home. And it's far away from a lot of conveniences (like groceries). And there's only one tiny window, since it's in the basement.
- Having a BA here means a lot less than it would in, say, Cincinnati or Austin. Since there are so many colleges/universities, there are huge numbers of fresh grads every year looking to snap up all the good jobs there are. And if you want something above entry-level, you are expected to have at least a Master's.
- Higher salaries = higher living expenses. So you get to keep a lot less of your paycheck than you would elsewhere.
- Trash everywhere. It's sort of inevitable in a city, and it's nowhere near as filthy as NYC, but Boston has some serious issues with litter.
- Windier than anyplace else I've ever been. It doesn't generally get as cold here as it does in OH, but the wind. Oh my God, the wind. It makes me want to shrivel up and die in winter.
- The homeless people. I know it can be construed as an awful thing to say, but I've reached a point where I only feel pity for some of them and, for most of them, all I feel is annoyance and anger. It's one thing to sit on bench jingling an empty Wendy's cup for change (that, I will respond to positively), but it's quite another to shove yourself into my space and demand money, or expect me to give you money for opening a door that I didn't want you to open for me, or ask me to buy you fast food as I exit a McDonald's. And they are everywhere you go, until you get out into the suburbs.
- If you dont' like sports, you're an outcast. (Luckily I like sports).
- So. Noisy. Where I live it's quiet, but that's because I'm in the suburbs. When I was living in Allston, or when I'm at work, there's a constant barrage of noise from outside: fire trucks, ambulance sirens, cop cars, train whistles, train horns, bus rumblings, constant honking. For someone like me who doesn't do well with loud, sudden noises, Boston has caused an uptick in my blood pressure.
- People do not mind their business. If you're having a conversation and someone overhears you and disagrees with what you say, they will butt in completely uninvited and make it known. This applies to everything from the Red Sox to politics to the best way to get somewhere. I find it extremely impolite.
- Common courtesy is nonexistent in public places. People will scream into their cell phones while sitting right next to you, they will crowd the doorways on subway trains so no one else can get on, they will stand on the left side of the escalator as you try to walk up it, they don't give up their seats to pregant women or the elderly, and they will block a bus exit with their huge baby carriages and not see the problem.
- I-90, the major thoroughfare, is a toll highway. And it's only going to get more expensive.
- In general, owning a car in Boston can be just as expensive as renting an apartment. A shortage of parking and a plethora of aggressive drivers make sure of that.

It may look like there are more negatives than positives, but there aren't. The negatives are just more narrative and longer in nature.

Thanks for letting me get this out of my system. I've slowly been reconciling myself to Boston, even though in many respects it's the polar opposite of the kind of place I thought I'd end up.

If you live here, feel free to leave your own gripes or praises in the comments. I'm curious! ;o)

Krazy

2009-02-02T15:56:00.003-05:00

Hurray, it's February! This month brings much joy for the following reasons: my birthday (the 21st) and subsequent presents, Dena's birthday (the 4th), my trip to Kenyon (13th-16th), the day after Valentine's Day (candy on sale!), a federally mandated holiday (President's Day), and it's the shortest month (which means that spring will seem closer that much sooner).

See? February is the best month there is. Obviously.

For me and many others, these past couple weeks have seen a phenomenon return to its unrivaled dominance of our lives: LOST. It's back, baby! And more confusing than ever! At this point I've pretty much given up trying to figure out what's going on. Instead, I'm just enjoying the ride and the plethora of "WTF?!" moments this show brings me every Wednesday night at 9pm EST. I've also come to realize that I'm in love with over half the characters, men and women. There are so many awesome ones to choose from! But you can keep Jack, Kate, and Charlotte to yourselves. I couldn't care less about that trio of duds.

I've seen Dylan twice in the past two weeks, and I'm absolutely amazed at how quickly the little guy is changing and growing. He can now speak (kind of), run, jump, make funny faces, dance, understand English, sing the alphabet, and name things around the apartment. He's 1 1/2. It's insane! I love seeing the new things he surprises me with every time I go over there. He's an actual (tiny) human being now with a full-blown personality, instead of just a cute human-shaped blob that makes noise and poops. Although he still does that, too.

This past Saturday I went ice skating for the first time since Yuval and I had our first date. We went with some folks from our kickball team (another reason I'm looking forward to Spring) and had a blast. I tried skating with rented "hockey" skates (they're really called "recreational" skates because they're not as nice as hockey skates), and that made a huge difference in my ability to stay upright. Plus, they didn't hurt my ankles at all since they have more padding than figure skates. After the first shaky 10 minutes, I was skating around the rink all by myself at a moderate speed! And the only time I feel was when Yuval made too quick of a turn while holding my hands and I slid onto the ice in slow motion. No harm done! I really enjoy skating--I just wish I lived closer to somewhere I could skate more often!

Hip Hop class is tons of fun. My knee was bruised completely black by the end of the second class, but I got kneepads for today so I should be fine. It's a great workout and Henry, our instructor, is really funny. Chinese II is also going well, mostly because there's a lot more emphasis on conversation in this class than there was in the last one I took. I was 30 minutes late to class last week thanks to a snafu in my grocery delivery time, but I still got a solid 1 hour in. It's dorky, I know, but I've always loved learning languages.

This Thursday I will be meeting with the Dean of the Children's Literature program at Simmons College. I emailed her asking, essentially, if an MA in Children's Lit would help me secure a position at a Children's/YA publishing house. She told me there's no short answer to this question, so I should come in and speak to her. So, I'll be using my lunch hour to meet with her. I'm looking forward to it, but also a bit scared. What if she says no, this is not the way to go for publishing? I want to enroll in this program so badly, but I'm having trouble finding "real world" applications for the degree. Sadface. :o(

Read
Wondrous Strange by Lesley Livingston
Maus by Art Spiegelman

Seen
The Darjeeling Limited
Planet Earth: The Complete Series

Hail the Chief

2009-01-20T20:05:00.003-05:00

So, in case you somehow weren't glued to a TV today at exactly 12:00pm...

And then he spoke. Here's the full text for those of you who, like me, enjoy reading something after hearing it. It was no Emancipation Proclamation, but it was very good. My heart soared thinking of what was happening before my eyes.

History was made today, folks. I've never been prouder of America.

I just hope that people don't expect him to be perfect. Because, let's face it, he's human (gasp!). He will screw up. He will make mistakes. He will say things that will piss us off. He will do things that upset us. But I believe he will always keep We The People in his sights, and so will never swerve too far from his promises.

---------

In non-inauguration news, things are back to normal. I got my meds eventually, and felt better within hours of taking them. Of course, I wasn't completely back to myself for about two days, but it was certainly better than the days that had come before. It scares me, the way that this chemical inbalance in my brain can so alter my perception and my physical reality; it scares me to the point where I hear the things I say and examine the emotions I feel and look around, expecting to find real self floating above my corporeal self. A kind of mini out-of-body experience.

Last Friday a group of us went to see what I call "Adrienne's Cabaret" at NewRep. She was an AD on the production, which happens to be one of the Artistic Director's last, and did an outstanding job. The show was marvelous. I saw the movie version years ago, but so far gone were all the details from my mind that I was essentially seeing it for the first time. And I'm so glad I got the chance!

The next night, Saturday, Yuval and I headed over to the Agganis Arena at BU to watch their men's hockey team battle it out with Boston College's. The tickets were a present to Yuval from my parents, and we had great seats. I was surprised at how well I could tell the difference between NHL and Division I hockey, even down to the little things. It was a lot of fun, even though the Hood ice cream stand gave us melting ice cream as a result of broken freezers. BU won 5-2, which was sort of expected (they are ranked #2 in the nation), but we had been secretly cheering for BC. The experience confirmed one thing above all else, though: I officially love hockey and will watch it live or on TV. It's as exciting as tennis for me (which I realize is something that's boring as all get out for most people), and that's saying a lot.

I also started my Chinese Level II class last week. However, I'm now taking it at the Cambridge Center for Adult Education in Harvard Square. I was a little lost the first class as they use a different textbook than what I'm used to, but it all came back to me very quickly. I think I'm going to like this new place much more. Anyone in Boston, you should definitely check out the CCAE--they have 100's of classes in things ranging from cooking to languages to dancing. And they're a non-profit, so you'll be supporting a good cause at the same time!

Starting January 26th and continue into April, I will be taking Beginning Hip Hop at BU's FitRec center twice a week. I'm so excited! I finally gave in to what I've known for a while: I can't pursue any kind of solo excerise/fitness program. I need to be a part of a group/team effort, where every session I learn something new that builds on something I previously learned. BU's dance classes are very cheaply priced considering how frequent and long the sessions are, so I think I'll be sticking with them for a while. And once I get my sister's car in March, I think I'll start making more use of my YMCA membership by going to the one closer to my house (but inaccessible by T). Physical fitness, here I come!

Seen
Arrested Development (Season Two)
Battlestar Galactica (Season Three)

Read
Crossing Midnight: The Blade in the Soul (Volume 3) by Mike Carey
Jamilti and Other Stories by Rutu Modan
Scalped: Dead Mothers (Volume 3) by Jason Aaron
Predator's Gold (The Hungry City Chronicles Book 2) by Philip Reeve

Keeps Gettin' Better

2009-01-07T21:21:00.002-05:00

Readers, the last two days have not been fun for me. Not because of anything anyone has done, or anything at work. Rather, they've been awful because I was stupid and didn't order a refill of my medication in time and was left without it for four nights straight. Perhaps with most medicines this isn't a big deal, but going cold turkey with the med I'm on leads to some really wonky things.

For instance, my brain becomes detached from my body.

Not literally, of course, but it might as well have been sitting in a jar these last two days. You know that feeling when you go to the beach and play in the waves all day and then that night, when you're trying to fall asleep, you still have the residual feeling of ebbing back and forth with the waves? Yeah, my brain's been feeling like that for two days. Except instead of gentle waves, they were like tsunami tidal waves. Seriously, it's messed with my balance as well as my concentration. It's not painful, per se, but definitely disorienting. Also, not being on my medication results in the severe breakdown of my ability to process and control my emotions.

A good example of how unstable I get? Yesterday I tried to get a free Coke with a manufacturer's coupon at the little cart in the lobby of my work building. The women who works there, Veronica, said they don't accept those kinds of coupons as a policy. I argued a little--how can you reject a manufacturer's coupon from The Coca Cola Company?--but relented because I knew it's not her personal choice. However, in the elevator back up to the 10th floor, I started crying because I was so upset and distraught. Over not getting a free 20oz. Coke. Not normal, right?

Yeah, I took today off from work so I could intercept my refill as soon as UPS delivered it and pop a pill. I'm feeling much, much better, but the wave feeling hasn't entirely gone away (not that I expected it to disappear magically). I also slept in until 1:11pm, which apparently my body needed because this is the least ill (re: head cold) that I've felt in a week. So, for the past four or five days, I've been living with three awful things in combination: my period, a complete lack of my medication, and a head cold. Not fun.

My medication regulates some hormones in my brain, and it treats my dysthymia. I've been taking various kinds of meds for this since my sophomore year in high school. The current one is the best I've ever had, as it doesn't make me super tired all the time. There have been times when I've gone without my pill for a day or two because I was stupid and forgot to ask my parents to reorder for me in high school or college. But this is by far the worst it's ever been, and has definitely taught me the importance of ordering refills way in advance of when you're going to need them.

So, the lesson learned? Don't fuck around with your meds, kids, because there's a reason you need a doctor to get them. Take as directed, y'all!

In news not related to my health, life is good. The weather in Boston has been absolutely bonkers lately, from warm to freezing to snow to rain to "wintry mix." Tomorrow I go to the dentist for my 6-month cleaning, so that should be a blast. Don't keep telling my not to eat Snickers, dudes, because they are too delicious to sacrifice for mere teeth. Friday I'm going to see the Actor's Shakespeare Project production of The Duchess of Malfi by John Webster, which any of you who took/have taken Renaissance Theater should know well and love. I mean, what's not to love about a play where brothers forbid their young sister widow to remarry, she marries her servant in secret immediately, he gets her pregs, all while crazy medieval shenanigans are afoot? Good times!

Hopefully I'll get to go swimming tomorrow, for the first time in about a month. The pool was closed last week for an annual cleaning, so I couldn't go. Instead I had a fight with a stairmaster machine, which I totally lost. Not doing that again. Speaking of exercise, for those who live in Boston and want to have fun whilst sweating, I've discovered a place in Central Square called The Dance Complex. It's a non-profit run by volunteers and part-time instructors and offers about 100 different kinds of dance/martial arts classes. I think I'm going to be signing up for the Zumba/Bellydance class that meets every Wednesday night. Most classes are drop-ins where you pay the instructor directly ($9-$14 a class), but some have deals where you get a discount if you sign up for a whole session. In short, it's completely awesome and needs to be checked out by anyone and everyone who wants to get in shape but have fun while doing so.

I'm currently listening to 98 Degrees's album "98 Degrees and Rising" on my Zune media player, one of many CDs that I finally got around to burning into MP3s. Man, I miss these boys. Cincinnati-bred, all of them!

Okay, I'm out. Stay healthy and be well, y'all! And remember to take all medications as directed by your Doc. :o)

Read
Rapunzel's Revenge by Shannon Hale
Fables: War and Pieces (Volume 11) by Bill Willingham
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie
Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara by James Gurney

Seen
Doubt
Miracle

Dawn

2009-01-02T19:45:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year! Are you still writing "08" on everything like me? It'll take at least a month before writing "09" becomes a subconscious thing for me. Happens every year, man.

I had a wonderful, relaxing Christmas back home in Cincinnati with the family. It was just the four of us, which isn't something that happens very often for holidays. We ended up eating dinner at my favorite Japanese restaurant, Kyoto, on Christmas Day. If Mom had cooked us the Christmas dinner she was planning, we wouldn't have eaten until 10pm because we didn't get back until early evening from seeing a movie (a tradition that has been upheld since I was little). I guess that makes us psuedo-Jewish, right? Or does that only count if you eat Chinese food on Christmas?

My parents and family came through again with fabulous gifts. Here I present an awards show for what some gifts won in certain categories.

Most Hilarious: the cell phone "corset" my aunt and uncle got me (a cell phone carrier in the shape of a ladies' bodice)
Most Nefarious: iTunes gift cards (dammit, now I have to give in to Jobs's evil empire ever so slightly!)
Most Practical: new bras (all the girls out there are with me on this one--so essential)
Most Erin-appropriate: Shark Week--The 20th Anniversary DVD Collection
Best Attempt (& Subsequently Returned): 2 super cute wool sweaters (I just...can't...wear...wool)

Like I said, it was a great Christmas. The present I'm the most obsessed with--bought with the money gained in the return of some items--is my red 30GB Zune. I'm fully aware that everyone considers the iPod to be the Epitome Of All That is MP3, and Zunes are supposedly for dorks. But since I'm not really interested in playing Solitaire or browsing the internet while I'm listening to music, the Zune was the obvious choice. Also, have I mentioned how much I hate Apple? If people ask, I'll detail all the reasons why in a future post.

Right now I'm in the laborious process of ripping all the CD's I want on my Zune to my computer. Oh, CD's. I remember when you were so cool, you were ice cold. I pray you come back in vogue someday, like original LP's, so I can impress my grandkids with my nearly mint edition of the Black Eyed Peas "Monkey Business" CD.

And because I am my mother's daughter, I've already sent out all my Thank You cards for presents received. Happy now, Mother?

I also saw/watched a lot of movies over the holidays. A lot. Like 7 in 4 days. What can I say? My family's idea of quality bonding time is sitting down to watch a Brendan Frasier film or seeing the latest Jim Carrey movie. Which is all fine by me, as I secretly want to see all these things but am either 1) too cheap to see them, 2) too ashamed to see them, or 3) a combination of 1 & 2.

2009 feels a lot like 2008, although that may be because January 1st was a Thursday and I had to go back to work today. So the old year and the new year fell in the same work week, and something magical is lost when you have to enter it on your timesheet that way. I did, however, have a rockin' New Year's Eve, though not with Dick Clark (aka the Cylons' latest model). First Yuval and I hit up a party in Newton Center at the house of some of his co-workers and my friends from kickball. It was great to see them, now that we don't have a weekly game of kick-ass to play until Spring.

Then we braved the T for over an hour to get up to Davis Square, and made it to Tim's house 30 seconds before the ball dropped. I barely had time to drop my coat and grab a plastic cup of Andre before Times Square exploded in confetti and performances by Fergie. We stayed until about 2am, when we had to leave before the T shut down for the night. The walk back to Yuval's house from Porter Square left my feet both numb and frozen in pain from the cold. It was to the point where the only remedy was a soak in hot water, a pair of wool socks over a pair of regular socks, and Yuval lying on my feet to warm them with body heat. Times like that are why I have come to loathe winter and weep during the last days of autumn.

In honor of the new year, I've decided to list the things that I see as my major accomplishments of 2008. Kitschy, but I get a slight feeling of pride from comparing where I am now to where I was a year ago.

- Started exclusively dating a guy I met via the Internet. Am with that same guy still. :o)
- Filed my income taxes by myself for the first time. Ever.
- Quit my first real grown-up job.
- Saw a Bruins game at TD Banknorth Garden.
- Got my second real grown-up job.
- Negotiated/planned/paid for everything for moving out of my first apartment and into my second.
- Found a fabulous apartment via Craigslist.
- Furnished said apartment.
- Bought a gardenia plant, and have kept it alive.
- Opened a 403 (b) retirement investment account.
- Started swimming again.
- Took a Chinese class on a whim, and discovered that I liked learning the language.
- Voted in my first Primary election.
- Voted in the first General election where my guy won.
- Got two opinion letters published in Boston Metro.
- Bought a new laptop completely with my own money.
- Started repaying my student loans.
- Realized that I was making too big a deal of where/what I wasn't instead of focusing on where/what I am.

Anyone else got any big accomplishments they'd post on the fridge if they were translated into kindergarten drawings?

I hope everyone has a totally rad start to 2009. And don't freak out if you've already broken your New Year's Resolution--they were never meant to be taken seriously.

Read
State By State: A Panoramic Portrait of America edited by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey

Seen
Yes Man
Frost/Nixon
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Get Smart
A Christmas Story
Tropic Thunder

All I Want for Christmas

2008-12-24T08:33:00.002-05:00

Remember how last post I said that Boston had just gotten its first snow of the season? Well, apparently, the weather gods decided they'd make up for the lateness of the snowfall by dumping 2 feet of the stuff on us in one weekend. There are still piles of snow as high as my waist along my street. At least everyone here will have a White Christmas, though.

Our anniversary weekend was a great time. Friday night saw me and Yuval head to the Stone Zoo for Zoo Lights with Adrienne and Deanna. I like Cincinnati's Festival of Lights better, just because it's longer and covers more of the zoo, but Zoo Lights had its charms. Such as the creepy wonderland of Christmas toys in cases moving to music. They had marionettes. Marionettes! Why would anyone display a dozen of the most horrifying toys ever created, dancing to crackly Christmas music? I closed my eyes and moved on, not looking back.

The actual night of anniversary celebration, the 13th, was wonderful. We had a posh room at the Mariott (for free!), ate a scrumptious dinner at The Fireplace (for free!), saw Slumdog Millionaire at the Coolidge (for free!), and ate ice cream afterwards (not for free). Then we went back to our room and vegged out with the free movies on TV. And the next morning we had (for free!) a full hot breakfast made to order from the hotel restaurant. All in all, it was a great way to spend a weekend.

I'm heading home this afternoon, back to Cincinnati to see my family. For some reason, I'm way more excited and full of anxious jitters than I was at Thanksgiving. Maybe because this time I'm getting presents? Who knows. But I can't wait to give my family their presents. Honestly, I truly enjoy giving presents more than receiving them because I love seeing the looks on people's faces and knowing that I got them something they actually enjoy. I picked up the "good at picking presents" gene from my mom, so I've never gone amiss with a gift exchange. That's not to say that I don't also very much enjoy receiving presents, though. Who doesn't, man?

And so I'm off to make sure I've packed everything I need and check it twice. I hope all of you have a (safe) wonderful holiday, wherever you're spending it.

Merry Christmas!

Read
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan
Mortal Engines by Philip Reeve
Factory Girls: From Village to City in a Changing China by Leslie T. Chang

Seen
Slumdog Millionaire
Love Actually
Liar Liar

The Christmas Song

2008-12-09T10:34:00.002-05:00

Boston had its first snow of the season on Sunday! Yuval and I woke up to big, fat flakes falling from the sky. Needless to say, he was overjoyed and promptly started acting like a kid on Christmas morning: grinning nonstop and laughing for no reason. Have I mentioned how much I love this guy?

We went to Harvard last Thursday night to hear Shai Agassi, CEO and founder of Better Place, speak about how he and his company are working to end our addiction to oil. How? Electric cars. But for real, not in the pipe-dream sense. Israel's his first testing ground, and they're rolling out the electrical network there sometime next year. Denmark is following, and then Hawaii and San Fransisco. And Australia. Basically, you buy a car, but you don't buy the battery. Better Place supplies the batteries. Sort of like when you buy a phone, Verizon supplies the network it runs on. Your car charges in its parking place by literally plugging into the electric network. And if you need a full battery right away, you can swap it out for a new one at a changing station (like Valvoline oil changes). Oh, and all Better Place electricity will come from renewable energy sources like wind and solar. There are some definite flaws and problems with it--will we become just as dependent on electricity as we are on oil? will electricity prices see price gouging just like gas? will the network function in bigger places like the US?--but all in all I think it's a brilliant solution.

I wasn't so fond of Mr. Agassi himself. He was clearly convinced he is one of the most brilliant men of our time, and he never actually directly answered any of the audience's questions. It was like watching PR acrobatics worthy of the White House. Also, this is a man who made a fortune as the next-in-line CEO of SAP, the largest business software company in the world. He is an entreprenuer first and foremost, and it became evident to Yuval and me that his interest in this "electric car business" is, above all, about money. I read an article about him in Wired a couple months back, and I learned a lot more about his mission and the company in that article than I did hearing him speak.

Dylan and I got to have some play time on Friday night, which was an absolute riot. He's almost 1 1/2, and knows lots of words and can understand most everything that's said to him. He also loves dancing, especially to "Supercalafragilisticexpialadocious." Kid loves his Mary Poppins music, even though he's never seen the movie. He's also very fond of taking things apart and putting them back together--I see a future in engineering.

Saturday was the Immunology Division's holiday party, which was held at the Belmont Hill Club (the country club Dr. Geha belongs to). There was delicious Lebanese food, karaoke, and dancing. Yuval and I had a good time. The highlight was definitely getting to see my 63-year old Lebanese boss sing "Oops...I Did It Again" while adding in some dance moves. It was a performance for the ages.

Yesterday was a strange day for me. I guess I was sick? But I didn't really feel very sick. My legs felt really weak all day long, my brain felt like it was detached from my body, headaches came and went, it hurt to turn my neck, and I never got hungry. At all. I ate some yogurt right before I left because I was going swimming, but I had to force it down. However, my swim lasted only 15 minutes before I had to stop--I felt like my head was going to explode it hurt so bad. I promptly headed over to Yuval's, where he greeted my frozen and hurting body with pizza naan and spaghetti with sausage meat sauce. He even ran to the market next door to buy me a Coke. Full of yummy food, we watched some of Season 2 of Arrested Development on Hulu, then went to bed early. Just what I needed.

I feel better today, although I still feel a little sensitive about my head and neck. I'm hoping to get my hair trimmed this week, as I realized I haven't been to a stylist since I chopped off 8 inches for charity back in April. E-gads!

Congrats to Nathaniel, Luca, and David Tyler for finishing NaNoWriMo! Quite the feat. So when should I look for these novels at my local bookstore? ;o)

Read
Mothstorm by Philip Reeve

Seen
Arrested Development: Season One

I'll Be There

2008-12-02T16:49:00.003-05:00

I gained 3 pounds over my Thanksgiving holiday. What did you gain (or lose, if you hurled after eating way too much food)? Aside from that, my time home was wonderful, relaxing, and made me wish Christmas was sooner so I could go home again.

I hate that my updates are sparser than they used to be, but that's because I don't have the calm, carefree leisure time at Children's Hospital that I did at Boston University. I'm constantly working, man! It sucks! Not really, but I do wish I could have a chance to check my Gmail once in a while during the day.

So! Since our last adventure recap, I've seen two of my friends (both from kickball, one of them my 6'3" captain) perform in Needham Community Theater's production of Titanic: The Musical. The audience didn't really start laughing at anything until after the boat hit the iceberg--before that, none of the jokes hit home because we were all just waiting for that one "Oh, shit!" scene at the end of Act I. It made me want to go home immediately and watch good 'ole Kate and Leo. The next day, Saturday, Yuval and I journeyed to the Newton Juried Crafts Fair, which we discovered was less of a crafts fair and more of a really expensive way to fund the apathy of rich, bored, somewhat artistic Newtonians. We left after about 15 minutes.

In exciting news, I won a raffle! The Hospital had their own craft fair a couple weeks ago, and there was a raffle where all the proceeds went to the Employee Emergency Assistance Fund. A good cause, so I bought 4 $3 tickets for $10 (because I'm a sucker for a deal). And I won one of the prizes I put in two tickets for! "A Night In Coolidge Corner" includes 1 night's stay for 2 at the Courtyard Mariott (including parking and breakfast), tickets to the Coolidge Corner Theater, and dinner at The Fireplace restaurant. Go me! Yuval and I are using this to celebrate our 1 year anniversary in mid-December, which is why I bid on it in the first place. :o)

November 24th was my last Chinese class until the next semester. We had a test that I was freaked out for, but it turned out to be less of a "test" and more an "assessment of our abilities." I really want to continue and take the Level 2 class, but I don't have the money right now. I'm hoping my parents will chip in half as a Christmas present to me. If not, Yuval's offering to make me a loan. At least it'll be more secure than the loans that are sinking this economy these days!

And speaking of the economy (officially in recession, did you hear?), here's my Christmas Wish List:

1) Microsoft Zune 30GB
2) 3 new bras
3) MST3K: The Movie
4) The Legend of Zelda: The Phantom Hourglass
5) Avatar the Last Airbender: Season 3
6) Fables: War and Pieces (Volume 11) by Bill Willingham
7) Dinotopia: Journey to Chandara by James Gurney
8) Suzhou River directed by Ye Lou
9) Shark Week: 20th Anniversary Collection

Let's hope my family decides to get me some things off this list. Dad rolls his eyes at my Wish Lists because they're always "full of books and DVD's and stuff" (said in a very condescending tone). He thinks that's boring and dumb. But these are the kinds of things I have to talk myself into buying because they're not essentials! Well, except for the bras. But I never buy myself new good ones because I get sticker shock from looking at them! So I feel perfectly justified in putting them on my list.

Thanksgiving week was a two day week for me. Hurray! I headed home on the morning of the 26th, and came back in the afternoon on the 30th. I almost had to come back on flight Monday morning leaving Cincinnati at 7am: my flight to JFK aiport in NYC was cancelled, which meant I wouldn't be making my connecting flight to Boston. I got put on standby for a 1:15pm direct to Boston, though, and luckily got a seat (in the exit row, no less!).

So I ended up getting back to Boston about 3 hours earlier than my original itinerary had planned. Which meant that Yuval and I had time to meet his parents and his sister, Tamar, for dinner at Daikanyama (our fave sushi place of all time) in Lexington. Delicious, free sushi--there's nothing better after a day of traveling. I then proceeded to re-arrange the furniture in my apartment (with Yuval's help) to open up some more space and make it less dorm-like. Now I just have to figure out where to put the new computer desk that I'm going to get...

The temperatures are having some mood swings, but the trend is generally turning colder. No snow yet, though we may get some flurries this weekend. The Immunology Division holiday party (which I planned!) is this Saturday night, and I'm actually looking forward to it. Catered Lebanese food, karaoke, dance contests, and free wine will be present, and my 63-year old Lebanese boss is starting off the karaoke with his rendition of "Oops...I Did It Again." Which, by itself, makes going to the party worth it.

Read
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman
The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo

Seen
Australia
Don't Mess With The Zohan
House (Season 4)

Wish You Were Here

2008-11-16T14:36:00.007-05:00

As I type this I'm sitting on my bed, side by side with Yuval, who is programming on his computer. We finished watching Dark City not twenty minutes ago. What a couple of nerds we are, right?

I apologize for the long absence. It's not like I can harp on others about their lack of posting and then not post for ages myself, I suppose. Much has happened, though not anything huge. Halloween was more tiring and stressful than I thought it would be, as Goodwill decided to defy business logic and close early and all costumes had been raided. I ended up wearing just a towel--you know, like I was just in the shower? If I'd been more in a creative mood I could have spread some fake blood on myself and been the girl attacked in the shower in Psycho. But alas, I didn't think of it until much too late. Yuval went as Levi Johnson (Bristol Palin's fiance) by wearing a hockey jersey under a sport coat with jeans, carrying around a hockey stick, and wearing a sign I made him that had a drawing of Alaska (with Wasilla pinpointed, of course) that said "I *heart*Bristol." The Halloween-ness happened at Chez Anthony in the form of a Vampire party (The Bloodsucker's Ball). There were vampire-themed movies playing constantly in the background with the volume turned down low, thus leading to much MST3K-ing. I can tell you that I feel so good about not paying money to see Van Hellsing. We pooped out early, around midnight, as we were both exhausted. Me just because I always am after 11pm, and him because he'd just gotten back from LA on a red-eye the day before.

November 1st saw the dawning first day of NaNoWriMo, though I actually didn't get a chance to start until November 8th. I'm way behind and not going to finish 50,000 words by the 30th unless I magically type my hands bloody over Thanksgiving, but it's fun to once again be writing something, anything. Adrienne and I saw (for freez) A.R.T's production of The Lieutenant of Inishmore by Martin McDonagh, and I can totally see why Turgeon loved talking about that play. It's right up his alley in terms of humor. The accents were inconsistent, but it was still wicked fun. Yuval ended up leaving town again not a week after he got back--he had to journey to Carnegie Mellon to see his sister's senior thesis in theater lighting design. They play she was working on for this project? Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl. 'Tis the year for Eurydice, I suppose, what with A.R.T's production, Kramer's production, and Tamar's production.

I woke up bright and early on November 4th to beat the Election Day crowds, which paid off as I only had to wait for about 5 minutes. People in Boston were complaining about having to wait for 1-2 hours, and I wanted to be all "Dudes, you should have been at Kenyon in 2004. You know nothing of long wait times to vote! Nothing!" I skipped swimming so I could come home and immediately start watching the predictions roll in after 7pm. I was nervous at first, but when they called Ohio for Obama around 10pm, though, I went to Facebook, changed my status to "Erin is glad it's finally over. Congratulatons, Obama!" and went to bed. He had it in the bag after that. I may not have the historical context that my parents and grandma do when it comes to the fact that Barack Obama won, but I know enough to be proud of my country for overcoming a huge hurdle.

On Friday the 7th I made my way downtown to a cocktail/eatery named Flash's in order to celebrate the birthday of one Mr. Ryan Tully Merrill. I got there around 7:30 and didn't leave until about 11:15. And I wish I didn't have to leave because it was a fun party. I just started yawning exactly at 11pm, which meant it was time to go, which made Deanna laugh. I can't help it that I'm so lame and predictable, like a grandma! It's just my body's clock! I'm no longer a spry young college student, able to take naps during the day to recover lost energy. Man, I miss naps. Speaking of naps, I babysat Dylan the next night but he started screaming and crying while his parents were still there. They decided the combination of a bad afternoon nap and his molars coming in was making him super cranky, so they doped him up on Baby Motrin and put him to bed before they left. So really, my only job was to make sure the house didn't burn down while I was there. I did miss getting to play with him, though. At least his mom showed me pictures of him dressed as a turtle for Halloween. A turtle! The cutest idea for a baby costume ever.

Kickball is done as we lost in the first round of the tournament to the 12th seeded team (we were 5th). I was okay with it, though, as I'm kind of tired of playing kickball every week. Also, it was about 30 degrees outside on Wednesday night, and if we'd won we'd have to play again immediately. I couldn't feel my toes through my sheepskin boots by the end of the first game, so I was glad to leave the field. Friday night Yuval and I went out with Big and Asian (otherwise known as Eric and Amanda, our team captain and his wife whose wedding we attended in July). We had dinner at a really yummy Indian place downtown called Tantric, where we received a free plate of appetizer chicken tikka by the waiter's mistake. Then we were off to the movie theater on the Common to see Quantum of Solace.

I liked it. I liked Casino Royale better, but this one was still a fun James Bond. It lacked the emotional heart that Royale so subtly wove into its storyline, but there were explosions and chases and guns and near escapes, so I can't complain. I was also thrilled that Camille turned out to be the first Bond Girl NOT to sleep with James Bond. She was an interesting character, and I appreciated the feminist slant she embodied. I also liked the blatant nod to Goldfinger that shows up. All in all, a fun-filled evening that lasted until (gasp!) 2:00am for me. I was exhausted, but only slept in until 10:45am, believe it or not. Took a nap later, though.

Last night we journeyed to Sophie's for a fall-themed potluck. We had made Shephard's Pot Pie (with ground turkey instead of beef) for the occaision, which turned out deliciously. Must be all the butter. There was yummy chili, pumpkin hummus, cornbread, salad, kugel, apple crisp, dirt pudding, and pumpkin cupcakes besides our humble Shephard's Pie. Adrienne and Deanna had to leave early, but the rest of us stayed up playing an epic game of Trivial Pursuit (Genus Edition from 1970's) until about 12:30am. Then Yuval and I came back to my place and instead of sleeping watched Perfect Blue, directed by Satoshi Kon. I had recently seen Paprika, finally, which gave me a hankering for more of Mr. Kon's work. Plus, it was way shorter than Fantasia. So in the end we didn't get to sleep until 3:00am. And then woke up at 11am. Again.

Tonight we journey to Charlie's Kitchen for trivia and (hopefully) some time with Bob Proctor the Policy Doctor, who is visiting Boston. I have an hour-long test for my Chinese class next week, which is the final day of the class (wish me luck!). And I leave for Cincinnati in a week and a half for Thanksgiving. Let's hope I get some more NaNoWriMo done by then.

Read
Ptolemy's Gate (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book Three) by Jonathan Stroud
Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire

Seen
Burn After Reading
Quantum of Solace
Paprika
Perfect Blue
Dark City

p.s. I also pre-ordered Wall-E off Amazon for $14. It comes out this Tuesday, November 18th. You should buy it just for the Bonus Short Film called Burn-E. Hilarious. Adorable. Amazing. Like all Pixar.

Shining Star

2008-10-27T13:43:00.004-04:00

I have had a headache and nausea since last night, but the worst part is that it's not an uncommon feeling for me to have. This fact combined with the episodes of House that I watched yesterday has of course led me to one inevitable conclusion: I have a rare form of brain cancer caused by any injury to my head when I was 14. That, or the fact that I'm now drinking caffeine-free Coke is starting to catch up with me.

Let's see, my adventures since my last post. I saw the dress rehearsal of Opera Boston's Der Freischütz at the Majestic Theater, courtesy of Adrienne and her new-found office assistant powers therein. I very much enjoyed the show, my first opera in German. The description on the website overviews it thusly: "To win a marksmanship contest and the hand of his beloved, a young ranger makes a deal with the dark side. From its famous overture to its exciting conclusion, Der Freischütz is a seminal work of German Romanticism."

So basically that means there were many rousing beer hall-like chorus numbers, women in Bavarian beer maid costumes, mysterious walk-on appearances by the Devil, magic silver bullets, a dream sequence, and lots of crazy lighting. However, nothing compares to the moment that a mounted deer head nearly fell--antlers first--onto the male lead in Act II. Apparently in opera, dress rehearsals are actually what they sound like: rehearsals in dress. The lights weren't finalized and so kept changing constantly, stage hands made a few appearances to adjust prop placements, and of course there was the "OSHA no-no" (as it was labeled by Adrienne's boss) with the antlers. I think I actually enjoyed it more this way, because it reminded me of how everything on a stage is the result of a long process and a lot of work by many, many people. Plus, the opera itself was awesome.

Of course, since I was at the opera, I didn't play kickball that night or watch the last presidential debate. But as I heard it from people who did do those things, both were kind of a wash. Plus I got to see/read the highlights of the debate the next day, so it was all good.

I finally got to see Sophie's lovely apartment on Beacon St., doubly exciting since Ms. Northway has just received her fine couch the day previous. Adrienne and Mags came over to see my apartment (I finally let them), where we watched Sophia Copolla's Marie Antoinette. The company was good, but the movie had a lot more potential to live up to than what it did. Kirsten Dunst was fabulous as always, though. The following day I had Chinese, as I always do on Monday nights, and I'm growing more and more confident in my ability to hold a simple introductory conversation in Mandarin. My pronunciation of the four tones is still amateur at best, but I think a native speaker would at least understand what I'm trying to say. Reading the charactes, however, is another matter entirely, one that I think will be tackled in higher-level classes.

Peapod delivered my second order of groceries on Tuesday night without incident, mostly due to the fact that I was actually home this time. To anyone living in the Boston area, I highly recommend this method of grocery shopping: the delivery fee is only $9.95, and you don't have to lug bags and carts everywhere on the T. The rest of the week proceeded normally, with the exception of our kickball game on Wednesday night when it SNOWED during the middle of the game. Not much, just flurries, but it was snow nonetheless. Dammit, Winter, can't you let me have my favorite season for just a little longer? Please?

Friday night I journeyed to the Loews AMC on Boston Common with Yuval, Sophie, and Adrienne to see Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, a thoroughly delightful movie that simultaneously managed to showcase every reason why I despise the thought of living in NYC. The traffic, the expense, the noise, the crowds, the filth, the crazy people...all of it was in this movie. At least the characters reveled in it instead of hating it, like me. Want more of my opinion (and who doesn't?), then read my review.

I met Deanna and Adrienne on Saturday morning at the Common once again, this time for GuluWalk Boston. The event is a 3.5 mile walk--the same distance children in Northern Uganda had to walk every night from their villages to safe houses where the Lord's Resistance Army couldn't kidnap them--that seeks to raise awareness and funds for the children who suffered as a result of the 21 year civil war. It was the most interesting charity walk I've done yet simply beacuse of the route we took and the vocalness of the organizers: we walked through the ritzy shopping area of Boston, shouting about wanting peace in Uganda on an otherwise quiet Saturday morning. Some of the shoppers/brunchers were excited by our cause and high-fived some walkers, some glared openly at us for disturbing their peace, and most of all them stared as this crowd of 150 people in bright orange t-shirts marched by Burberry and Valentino stores.

It was satisfying to be a part of something that literally jolted people out of their routine in order to direct their attention to a worthy cause.

That night, Yuval and I had planned to join Mags & Co. in Jamaica Plain for the Latern Parade, but bad weather forced a postponement and sapped our motivation to continue on to an early Halloween party with some of his friends from work. All this turned out well for us, though, as it gave us time to just spend together before he left on his business trip to LA really early Sunday morning.

Today featues a doctor's appointment and Chinese class. Tomorrow I will (hopefully, assuming I feel better) be attending a press performance of The Lieutenant of Inishmore with Adrienne at New Rep. And of course, Halloween is this Friday! Which means Yuval and I will be at Anthony's Bloodsuckers' Ball dressed as (vampire) Luigi and Mario.

Happy tricking and treating, y'all!

Read
Graceling by Kristin Cashore

Seen
Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist
Marie Antoinette

Take On Me

2008-10-14T12:40:00.005-04:00

I write to you today with an achy head and slightly stuffed nose, so forgive any non-sensical things I might say. Although you could argue that everything I say is non-sensical, really.

The vice-presidential debate turned out kind of lame, but it provided ample evidence for two things: 1) Joe Biden is really smart and knows his shit. 2) Sarah Palin is completely off her rocker, but a really good public speaker. I spent most of my energy whilst watching the debate keeping up with the live-blogging posts on The Economist blog and Jezebel. Live-blogging makes the debates so much more entertaining, no joke.

Yuval and I went camping during the first weekend in October, and it wasn't until we stumbled out of the tent bright and early on Saturday morning at 9am that I realized how much I've missed camping. It made me want to go camping with my dad, which was something he did with my sister and I every summer before we went back to school. The tradition died off a little when we got to college because of summer jobs and such, and then I moved to Boston.

View Larger Map

We stayed at Salty Acres Campground, a campground near Kennenbunkport, Maine (home to George Bush, Sr.'s summer home). The site was a mile walk from Goose Rocks Beach, and Saturday afternoon saw Yuval and I taking a stroll along the lovely shoreline, hudding in our hoodies against the wind. We sat in the sand for a while, his head in my lap and hoodie completely covering his face, while my head was down with my hoodie up, all to protect us from the wind. So of course neither of us saw it coming when a super cute, super friendly German Shephard bounded over to us to say hello. I looked up, and the dog took that as her cue to push me over and start licking my face. I laughed, Yuval got jealous that the dog was paying so much attention to me, and then the dog gave him the same treatment as I. Only after we had been thoroughly slobbered upon did the owners manage to catch up with their puppy and exclaim, "I hope you're both dog people!" Um, yes we are. Just a little bit.

We spent the weekend sitting by the firepit, building and re-building the fire, eating Italian sausages cooked over said fire, making s'mores, drinking hot cocoa, and snuggling (aggressively, on my part) to keep warm at night. Saturday night I nearly pushed him off the air mattress in my blob-monster-like attempt to leech all the warmth from his body in my sleep. We never showered, brushed our teeth once, and saw infinitely more stars than we ever could in Boston. All in all, it was an amazing trip. Except when I woke up Sunday with a splitting headache, stuffy nose, and nausea (I blame the seasonal changes). But that all went away by the evening when we went out to a delicious Czech/Greek restaurant to celebrate Tsachi's (Yuval's dad) birthday. Tani and Michal got him this for his present. I geeked out when I saw it and told him I'd seen one in action and they are just about the coolest toys EVAR. I'm not sure if he believed me, but he really liked it regardless.

I went to see the doctor that Monday after work to talk about why I am so goddamn tired all the time. Things have gotten to the point where my sleepiness is interferring in my ability to do my work: I frequently "crash" in the mornings and afternoons, where I feel like I hit a wall of exhaustion and cannot keep my eyes open no matter what I do. And I've been experiencing this kind of thing since high school. Not normal, right? My doctor agreed and said it probably had something to do with me getting the wrong (too little) dosage of my meds, which can cause aggressive fatigue. She ordered a blood test just to be sure it's not anemia (and it's not, because of course that would be too easy to fix!), and I'm keeping a daily diary of what I eat, what exercise/activities I do, and how much sleep I get to see if there's any kind of pattern. I'm going back to see her on the 27th, when we'll confer and see how much of a higher dosage she wants to try with my meds. I really hope this works, because if it doesn't I'll have to go get a sleep test done to see if there's anything more seriously wrong with me, like a sleep disorder. :o(

I also had my first Chinese class that night, in which I learned how to read pinyin Chinese and hold a basic "Hello, how are you?" conversation. Chinese is so difficult to learn for me not because of the characters or pronunciation, but because you have to use very specific vocal tones for each word to convey the proper meaning. I didn't have my second class last night because it was Columbus Day, even though I still had to go to work. Stupid Columbus. Also, why can't we rename it "Native American Day" or something like that as a gesture to show we're not completely overlooking the mass genocide that 'ole Christopher's "discovery" started? And there could be special educational and cultural activities in every city to disseminate information about Native American tribes that used to live in that area? I guess it would be too much of a pain in the butt for lawmakers.

The second presidential debate was a total bore thanks to the "town hall" format. What's the point in calling it a "debate" when the candidates aren't even allowed to talk to each other and are encouraged to just read talking points the whole time? Lamesauce.

This past weekend saw some more fun activities. Friday night I had a one-hour facial for only $45 at a salon in Chinatown called CoCo Beauty. It was the best beauty treatment ever! They don't just slather your face in creams and lotions and send you on your way like high-priced salons do. Oh no. They use steam to open up your pores, use a machine to suck out all the stuff in your pores, and then use a special tool to literally pull the blackheads out of your pores. All this is then followed by a soothing cream and a face massage, a cooling peel mask, and really super smooth skin. The rooms are small and it's not fancy at all, but who cares? It's only $45! I totally recommend it to everyone in Boston: the part where she picks out your blackheads hurts like hell, but the rest is so good you won't care.

Saturday Yuval and I headed out to Topsfield for the Topsfield Fair, the closest equivalent to a County Fair that MA has (Ohio, I miss those!). It took over an hour to go the last 2.5 miles since it was a two-lane road and the fair's busiest day. However, it was totally worth it. SO MANY cute baby animals, so much fair food (I got cinnamon roasted almonds, fudge, rock candy, and a corndog), and much laughing. I can haz farm, plz?

Sunday brought another wedding to attend. This time it was for Yuval's co-worker Matt and took place in Chelmsford, MA. The service was Catholic, not uber-so, but enough to put me off the rhetoric. Courtney, the bride, looked beautiful. Matt started crying during the ceremony he was so overcome. The reception was extremely nice and held a fancy country club in Andover (for those not familiar with the area, Andover is a ritzy place to live). There was a turkey dinner, complete with stuffing, apple turnovers for dessert, and much dancing. Yuval won the centerpiece at our table, which of course really meant that I won the centerpiece. A good thing, too, because I was considering taking it anyway. Very pretty.

So here we are, another Tuesday. My plane tickets home for Thanksgiving and Christmas have been purchased, as has my ticket to Kenyon in February. The 25th I'm doing the GuluWalk with Dena. And life is good. Exhausting, but good.

Also, in reference to the title of this post, everyone should go watch this video right now:
Take On Me: The Literal Video Version

Read
The Golem's Eye (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 2) by Jonathan Stroud

Seen
The Big Lebowski
Good Will Hunting

I Wanna Hold Your Hand

2008-10-02T10:57:00.004-04:00

This week has found me more wiped of energy than usual--so I guess it's a good thing I'm going to the doctor on Monday to talk about my chronic sleepiness. But! Since last we blogged, much has happened.

The Green Team (my kickball team) won the division championships! We got a trophy and everything. And we're still doing really well in our fall season. Yuval and I went to see his friend Elaine perform in a cabaret concert that was raising money for a new piano at a UU church. The amazing thing about her performance was not only her voice, but the fact that just the day before she had been bedridden from a spinal tap (lumbar puncture for those of us who watch House) gone wrong. That's right, the hospital messed up the endgame and spinal fluid started leaking into her back, which they had to stop by forming a blood clot via 9 tubes inserted at various places on her body. Oh, and she still had the migraine she'd been living with all week before that. She almost passed out a few times during the show, but she managed to make it all the way through--but she couldn't bow at the end, because it hurt way too much to bend her back.

Talk about dedication to your art!

The week of the 21st wasn't packed full of activities, though I did see more of my Boston crowd than I have in recent times. I continued in my new swimming routine, much to my delight. Yuval and I hunkered down on that Thursday to watch the presidential debate, which turned out to be much less exciting than everyone was anticipating. All polls pointed to Obama as the winner, but even if he hadn't been the "clear victor", a tie in a foreign policy debate would have been a win for Obama and a loss for McCain anyway. Both debators made good arguments at points, and both succumbed to punching out a few low blows. Overall, though, I was more impressed with Obama because he stayed cool and collected and, unlike McCain, didn't begin all his answers with an insult about his opponent.

That Thursday was also Tani's (Yuval's mom) birthday, which meant that Saturday morning saw us over at his parents' house for the delicious brunch that has become their traditional way of celebrating a birthday. Lox, bagels, eggs, bread, mackeral, tomatoes, cheeses, and pastries--so yummy! That night we had planned a movie date night so we could watch one of the movies on our Movie List: The Godfather. I had never seen all of it, and he found this to be a crime, so I got it from the library. I loved it, but for my full thoughts read my review. We also started watching Arrested Development on Hulu, and now I'm totally hooked. Why the show was cancelled I'll never understand. The movie watching continued on Sunday, when we watched Brazil, Terry Gilliam's most famous film. Again, I loved it, and again, you can read my review for my deeper thoughts. Of course, more Arrested Development was watched.

Having a fairly lazy weekend was a nice change of pace after having completely full weekends for so many weeks. I highly recommend it.

Monday the 29th was supposed to see me at my first Chinese class, but it was Rosh Hoshannah and I celebrated with Yuval's family instead. And I'm so glad I did! It's an awesome holiday, very happy, and filled with yummy food that all revolves around apples and honey (the theme foods for the holiday). I discovered my new favorite (healthy!) snack: apple slices with honey. Delicious! We retired early because it was a school night and both of us were exhausted to boot.

Tuesday I was supposed to see a free sneak preview of Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist with Margaret, but even though we got there at 7:15 for an 8:00 show all the seats had been taken. It was a promotional event that I found out about in the Metro, and they warned that more seats were "sold" than available, but still! 45 minutes before the show! It was especially disappointing because, since we've both read the book, we were so eager to see how it was adapted to the big screen. Discouraged but not disheartened, we instead purchased tickets to The Duchess (with Keira Knightley), expecting a fun, corset-ripping costume drama. Well, it was corset-ripping, but fun and a costume drama it was not. However, it was extremely good and I highly recommend it, despite the media's lukewarm reviews. It will certainly make you happy you are not a woman living in 18th century England. For my thoughts, again, read my review.

Kickball got rained out last night, which was fine for me since I had the worst of all days yesterday. I signed up for Peapod, a grocery delivery service, since there is no (open) grocery near me that's T-accessible. Not understanding that I had to be physically home to accept the delivery, I scheduled it for the night Mags and I were to see the movie. I left a note for the driver as well as a tip, but came home to find the note/tip gone and no groceries. I called Peapod the next day, expecting to arrange another delivery attempt, only to be told that I would be charged a $50 restocking fee for not being home and forcing them to take the groceries back. What?! I explained what happened, the lady I was speaking to sympathized, and she managed to find out that driver had in fact left my order at my house. Now the only explanations were that it was stolen (not likely in my neighborhood) or one of my housemates took them inside by mistake. She said she would call me back when she had spoken to the driver and found out exactly where he had left my order, but only after did I realize that my phone was nearly out of battery and my charger was at Yuval's, across town. Oy vey! I resolved to get it after work.

I got home, and discovered that my kindly upstairs neighbor had merely moved my groceries inside the front entryway of the house so they didn't get rained on. Yuval came over to lend me his phone for the night, but there was no longer an urgent need to have a cell phone. I called Peapod to let them know everything was fine, but decided, since I rented a Zipcar anyway, I could just drive Yuval home, get my charger back, and drop off some overdue DVD's at the Newton library. All went well, until I left Yuval's house: I got turned around trying to find Route 16 West, wasting 20 minutes in rush hour traffic. I got lost several times down streets that had the same name as the ones I was looking for, but finally made it the library at exactly the time I was supposed to have returned the car. Knowing that no one had booked it after me, I decided it would be fine if I was a little late returning it--the library isn't far from the rental garage. But of course, as I had forgotten to print directions from the library to the garage, I got majorly lost, crying in traffic, and ended up returning the car 34 minutes late. I thought it would be fine, no one was there waiting, but Zipcar must have a transmitter or something because they knew exactly how late I was and charged me the $50 late fee accordingly.

I wouldn't have made it back to garage at all if it weren't for Yuval and his patience with giving directions to his hysterical girlfriend. He even left me a message after my phone died (but I had already found my way), making sure I was okay. Have I mentioned how much I love this man? After I got home, plugged my phone in to charge, and had a bowl of cereal (since I hadn't eaten dinner), I watched the season premiere of Ugly Betty, which cheered me considerably. Then I washed my hair with my new, totally natural shampoo w/vinegar rinse (it's really good, I highly recommend it!), and went to bed at 11:30pm.

I'm exhausted today, but in relatively better spirits. And the VP debate is tonight, so that should prove entertaining/infuriating!

Oh! And for those who are still at Kenyon or around the area: I will be visiting February 13th-16th. I wish I could come the following weekend so I could see Ken and Griffin's theses, but I can't. So put it on your calendar, Kenyonites! :o)

Seen
The Godfather
Brazil
Arrested Development: Season One

Thank Goodness

2008-09-25T21:46:00.004-04:00

This isn't really going to be an entry. I just had a couple things that I HAD to share with you folks out here on the intarwebz.

1) I have a new blog! Don't worry, I'm still keeping this one. My new one is just a place for me to review movies (and possibly books) using the criteria I judge to be of value. You have to read to find out what those criteria are.

And the blog's name? Erin's Reviews.

Short. Simple. To the point. Much like my cooking.

2) Jezebel (my favorite blog of all things modern and feminist) recently created a list with the help of its readers entitled 75 Books Every Woman Should Read. While it's not intended to be an end-all-be-all of reading lists, I think it's got an amazing collection of prose. Check it out and see how many you've read!

Oh, and guys, it wouldn't hurt for you to read these books, too. ;o)

3) A friend of mine posted this on Facebook, and it made me laugh so much I had to immediately share--but on my blog, because re-posting a link on Facebook that someone else has already posted is lamesauce.

6 Saints Who Could Kick Your Ass | Cracked.com

6 Saints Who Could Kick Your Ass. These Saints make Rambo look like Gandhi.

View >>

Read
Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox by Eoin Colfer

Seen
Various episodes of The Office: Season Two

Everything Comes Down to Poo

2008-09-18T16:17:00.002-04:00

I've fallen behind in my once-a-week updates, and for that I apologize. Not that any of you are suffering greatly because of my lack of self-indulgence.

Mom came to visit the 6th-8th, and it was a rollercoaster of a weekend. It was wonderful to see her and spend time with her (and we saw Frozen River, which I HIGHLY recommend), but she forced me to confront some things that I've been locking away for a while. Essentially, she told me that I don't seem happy. I used to go out and do a lot of things when I first moved here, and she saw that my activities had slowly dwindled until all they consisted of were kickball and Yuval. I seemed constantly stressed about the future and unable to have rational discussions about my place in it. My mom compared it to the kind of person who sits on a train and thinks only about the destination she's heading towards, as opposed to the other person on the train who looks around and admires the scenerey and the journey.

She was, of course, totally right: I have pulled away from friends, I have given up lots of activities in order to spend more time with Yuval, and I have become unhappy, fundamentally. I'd discovered that spending time with Yuval made me happy, so I came to rely on that to provide me with a sense of happiness and fulfillment that I should have been seeking from within. None of this was Yuval's fault. I'd just let my love for him turn me into exactly the kind of girl I hate: a dependent, needy girl. The kind who needs a man to make her happy. I used to not be like that.

So I've taken steps to get back to myself, something that I discussed with Yuval and he fully, totally supports. I'm actively seeking out more time with my friends, I've joined the YMCA and now go swimming at least three times a week, and soon I'll be starting Mandarin classes. All of these things are things that I've wanted to do for a long time, but lacked the self-awareness necessary to realize that I was stalling. For what, I don't know. Wish me luck as I try to get re-connected with myself. And to the friends that I've pushed away: I'm sorry. I got a little lost.

This whole post-college life is a lot more difficult than anyone told me it would be. But then, that may be because I promptly moved to an entirely new area of the country after school instead of staying in Cincinnati, an environment that's completely familiar and safe for me.

In other news! My Summer kickball team is in the Division Finals, being played tonight! GO GREEN TEAM! The Fall league has gotten off to a great start for us, with Raining Sideways 2-0 so far. I went to an amazing classical music concert that was organized to raise money for Obama's campaign. Nearly three hours long, but entirely enjoyable and well-worth it. I've babysat Dylan twice, and he continues to crack me up with his silly baby ways. Dad celebrated his 55th birthday on Monday.

And Yuval and I saw the dress rehearsal of Eurydice by Sarah Ruhl at New Rep on Tuesday night. Who's doing that for their senior thesis at Kenyon this year? I forget. But Jeff, while I watched it I couldn't help but think of how you would have directed it. New Rep's interpretation had very 50's costumes. The set was abstract, consisting of a back wall painted like sand seen through water and many silver poles hanging down from the grid that criss-crossed and had three illuminated spheres that changed color depending on the scene. And lots of water onstage. They had a working water pump that flowed into a trough constructed in the stage floor! And an elevator that unleashed a shower on its occupant when it opened! And rain! Made me think back to Kramers' Measure for Measure.

Massachusetts' Primary Election Day was this Tuesday, and I went to the polls around 7:30am so I could make it to work in time. And for the first time, I did research on everyone on my ballot, down to the Register of the Probate. Yay informed voters! Oh, and I still hate the McCain/Palin campaign with the passion of a thousand burning suns.

Read
Tiger Rising by Kate DiCamillo
Dream Angus: The Celtic God of Dreams by Alexander McCall Smith
Starcross by Philip Reeve

Seen
Frozen River
Chocolat

American Woman

2008-09-04T15:58:00.002-04:00

Backstreet's back. All right.

I'm much more comfortable in my new job than I was when I last wrote. I know my way around procedures and personnel, and I've taken full control of a few projects. Hurray for time! That's not to say that I haven't continued to make blunders, but nothing that would warrant me getting fired. So that's good.

Many, many adventures were had in my absence from the web. During the last weekend in August, Yuval and I traveled to NYC via BoltBus (which made it in an illegal time of 3 1/2 hours) to meet my parents for a night. They put us up in the same hotel they were in, the Dylan Hotel, which used to be a meeting place for chemists until 30 years ago. They nod to their chemistry roots in every room: the glasses by the sink are beakers, the soap dish is a glass Petri dish. The best part was by far the blackout curtains--I couldn't tell if it was noon or midnight at any time, and that helped me sleep like a rock. I want some for the single small window in my room.

While in New York for the weekend, we visited the 86th floor observatory in the Empire State Building, took a carriage ride through Central Park, ate at a fabulous and tiny Italian restaurant, saw what we could of the under-construction Met Opera House, saw "The Marriage of Bette and Boo" as performed by the Roundabout Theater Company, and dined at a breakfast placed smooshed under a bridge near Grand Central Station. All in all it was a packed weekend that left me exhausted--although I'm tired all the time, so no real change there. While we were waiting to board the 6:30pm BoltBus back to Boston, a girl in line lept into the conversation Yuval and I were having when she overheard that I hate Apple. Apparently East Coasters see this as totally normal behavior (Yuval thought nothing of it), while my Midwestern etiquette wanted to know what the hell business this girl had interrupting our conversation. Anyway, it was clear she was an Apple fan girl by the way she dismissed my legtimate claims and focused on the fact that I also hate their "Mac vs. PC" ads. I wanted to take away the Shounen Weekly she was holding and punch her.

That week after we got back saw us playing in not one, but TWO kickball games. We had to make up for a Week 3 game that got rained out a while ago. We won both, because we're awesome like that, and now we're #1 heading into the divisional tournament this week. Our first match is tonight. Wish us luck!

And the fun with the kickball team was not limited only to games. Labor Day weekend saw our whole team travel down to South Harwich, Cape Cod to stay at the vacation house of one of our teammate's parents. Beer was drunk, beer pong was played, the beach was visited (in the dark and in the light), late hours were kept, and much grilled food was consumed. And of course, underwear was run up the flagpole in the front yard. A riotous good time was had by all, minus our disdain for this one obnoxious British kid that our teammate invited.

Tomorrow night we were supposed to go see a play at the Grand Opening of the Central Square Theater, but instead I'm babysitting Dylan because I love that kid (and I need the money). Then Mom is coming in for the weekend on Saturday morning because Delta decided to have a sale on flights between BOS and CVG. Yay! We were also supposed to attend a lamb roast hosted by the Shavit's Greek family friends, but it was cancelled because the sky is going to be shitting on us all weekend. But at least that means more time with my mom!

Now, for something that's really driving me crazy. If you don't like political rants, then skip down to the end of the post.

Sara Palin. Are you serious, RNC?

I've had a vendetta against this woman for a long time, long before her name was ever mentioned as a possibility in this presidential campaign. I'd written several letters to Congress and to the elected officials in Alaska regarding something that Sarah Palin holds near and dear to her heart: aerial hunting of wolves in Alaska. What does aerial hunting mean? Essentially, hunters are allowed to chase wolves with helicopters--sometimes upwards of 10 miles--until the wolves are too tired to continue. At that point, the hunters shoot them with machine guns mounted on the helicopters. They don't distinguish between males, females, pregnant females, or pups. Aerial hunting is something the people of Alaska have banned twice via voting, and Sarah Palin has been one of the key figures in the fight to overturn and reverse and sidestep this ban. Before the close of the 2006/07 aerial hunting season, Governor Palin put out a bounty of $150 for every severed left leg of a wolf killed by aerial hunting that a hunter brought her. The aerial hunting "season" goes until April 30, well into denning season when mothers are giving birth to pups.

She (and other proponents) claim that this is "wildlife management" and necessary to keep the wolf population under control. By "under control" they mean cutting it by 80%. And they don't even bother monitoring the population levels or keeping accurate records of how many wolves they kill. This summer, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game illegally killed 14 wolves and 14 wolf pups as part of their efforts to boost caribou numbers. They shot the pups in the head, point blank.

This is how I was introduced to Sarah Palin, someone who describes herself as merely a "hockey mom" and someone who the RNC is trumpeting as an agent of "real change." She's demeaned Obama's experience as a community organizer by saying that she was "a mayor, which like being a community organizer, but with responsibilites." To borrow directly from Yuval:

"...As mayor of Wasilla she tried to fire the town's librarian after asking her to ban books, that she asked the town's top officials to resign as a loyalty test, or that she wants to teach creationism in public schools. People should give her credit for reining in big oil in Alaska and cutting down on government spending, but those efforts came at the expense of nearly everything else, according to Gregg Erickson, a columnist for the Anchorage Daily News."

She's slashed funding for teen moms in Alaska and opposes comprehensive sex education in schools, but touts her daughter as an example of why choosing life is the right thing to do--never mind that Bristol's child will be well cared for and benefit from her mother's huge bank accounts. Sorry, Sarah, but not every teen mom is as lucky as your daughter to be born into a rich family, so please don't use this as an excuse for more "Choose Love. Choose Life," rhetoric.

And from Jezebel:
"In her speech last night, Palin said, "I signed up for the PTA because I wanted to make my kids' public education even better." Her focus on public education in Wasilla really paid off when she was mayor: during her tenure researchers at Johns Hopkins deemed Wasilla High School "a dropout factory." Apparently 60% or fewer freshman who start off at Wasilla High go on to graduate. "

And the people calling her a feminist? Oy vey! For those (mostly Republicans) making the arguement that McCain's choice was anything but blatant pandering to Hillary supporters, I defer to the Grand Dame of Feminisim, Ms. Gloria Steinem. "This isn't the first time a boss has picked an unqualified woman just because she agrees with him and opposes everything most other women want and need," Steinem argues in the L.A. Times. "Feminism has never been about getting a job for one woman. It's about making life more fair for women everywhere."

And then she gets up onstage at the RNC last night and delivers a well-articulated speech stuffed to the brim with outright lies.

I can't even articulate my disdain for the people who think her nomination is the greatest thing to happen to American politics in 30 years.

--------END OF POLITCAL RANT---------

Read
Inkheart by Cornelia Funke
Haunted Knight by Jeph Loeb
Girl Meets Boy: The Myth of Iphis by Ali Smith

Seen
Old School
Death to Smoochy
The Birdcage

Wondering

2008-08-21T15:14:00.002-04:00

Sorry for my prolonged absence, friends. I know you were all just waiting on the edge of your seats for me to update. Well, now that I have a brief (rare) lull in my work, I can share with you some of my recent adventures.

The new job is going well. I was absolutely terrified on my first day: scared I might screw up, scared I'd screw up and ruin my boss's day, scared I'd screw up and ruin the Chief's life, etc. However, the girl who had the position before me has come in twice to show me the ropes and help me figure out all the little details. She's been a lifesaver. I'm jealous of the fact that she left the job so she could go to India for at least four months and set up an environmental policy program at a school there with one of her friends from college. Someday I'll get to do cool things like that, too.

The Chief is hilarious and one of the most brilliant guys I've ever met (as is necessary when you're a world-leader in Immunology research). He believes in yelling in place of intercoms, and often requests green tea in the afternoons. I think I'm going to like it here very much, though that doesn't mean I don't still live in fear of screwing up. I've just gotten better at hiding it.

This past weekend saw some very fun events. Friday night I got to see Dylan for the firs time since mid-May. God, that boy has grown! He's now standing on his own and running around like a speed demon in plane pajamas. He can even eat entire peaches on his own (one of the cutest things ever, as long as you take it away before he eats the pit). And the faces he makes! He's at the point where he can understand what's being said to him, but can only respond non-verbally. So basically, if you say something he doesn't like, he give you a frowny-"you're crazy" face. He screeches a lot, too, meaning he's right on the verge of speech but gets so excited to say something he just lets out sound instead of words. I'll be seeing a lot more of him as the summer winds down and fall heads towards us.

On Saturday night, Yuval and I went to his parents' annual BBQ, which was mostly overrun with friends of his sisters' from HS. I was intimated by their brazen hookah-smoking, something I've never done. But there were also some adult-types there, family friends, who were very engaging. I met a Greek man who worked at the company that, back in the 70's, invented what we now call "e-mail." He also invited Yuval (and I) to his annual lamb roast in September. Though I won't be eating the lamb (as I don't eat any baby animals of any kind), I will be partaking in the roasted chicken and other sundry items. I'm told it will be the most delicious meat I will ever have in my life.

Sunday saw me try something I've never done before: fly in small, one-engine aircraft. Yuval's Dad, Tsachi, is certified to fly one-prop, single engine planes, and so he took the two of us up in a Piper Cherokee Warrior III towards North Adams in the Berkshires. His mom had made plans for us to see an exhibition of Australian performance art called "Swoon!" at the Mass. Museum of Contemporary Art (Mass MoCA), so she and his sisters' drove there while we flew. It took me a good 20 minutes to stop being terrified of the way the plane swooped and trembled with every tiny gust of wind: nothing reminds you you're 4,000 feet in the air quite like a small plane. But it became a game to see how the wind would blow us about, and I ended up enjoying the flight immensely. Plus, western MA is beautiful from the air. The performance itself was short, but amazing. Made me want to go back in time to Movement for the Actor and introduce the concept of 15 ft. bendy poles for us to strap ourselves onto. If Australia's Strange Fruit are ever anywhere near you, go see them! Totally worth it. Daniel Kramer would flip out over them.

And that's all I got. I need to get back to work anyhow, seeing as this is the longest break I've ever taken in my almost-week on the job. Hospital's are busy place, dudez!

Read
The Amulet of Samarkand (The Bartimaeus Trilogy, Book 1) by Jonathan Stroud
Larklight by Philip Reeve
The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation by M.T. Anderson

Seen
Deadwood: Season 3
Maxed Out

The One

2008-08-05T10:24:00.006-04:00

So! I'm all moved into my new place. A photo tour is available on Facebook, of course. I forgot how physically exhausting (and painful) moving is, and I definitely wouldn't have been able to do it without Yuval and Elaine and Brian. I love my new place, though! Small but cozy, I think. And since it's in the basement of the house, it stays cool without the need for air conditioning. I won't be hosting huge parties here or anything, but I think it's perfect.

Also in the world of new developments: I've got a new job! I start work on August 18th as the Administrative Associate II in the Office of the Chief of the Immunology Division at Children's Hospital Boston. I'm nervous about it, of course, but I think it will be a very good experience for me. More career-oriented, more experience in how a non-profit works.

Thursday morning Yuval and I leave for Cincinnati to visit my family for the weekend. We're going to see a Reds game on Friday night (yay!) and I'll be dragging him all over town to show him my old haunts. So excited!

And now, I leave you with a meme as copied from Adrienne.

44 "Odd" Things About Me

1. Do you like blue cheese? Not on its own, but as a dressing or mixed with other things.
2. Have you ever smoked? Yes. I used to be a (light) smoker my freshman year in college. Then I figured out it's really gross and not at all pleasant when it's hot outside.
3. Do you own a gun? Nope. Despite being from Texas, I've never even held one.
4. What flavor Kool-Aid was your favorite? Any kind that wasn't lemonade flavor.
5. Do you get nervous before doctor appointments? No, unless I'm going in for something I'm not sure about--then I always start imagining the doctor's going to tell me I have cancer.
6. What do you think of hot dogs? Yummy. I don't care what's in them. My dad and I used to eat them raw with cheese when watching football.
7. Favorite Christmas movie? Duh: A Muppet Christmas Carol.
8. What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Sometimes iced coffee from Dunkin' Donuts, but mostly milk.
9. Can you do push ups? Yes, but only a maximum of 15-20: it depends on when my stomach gives out.
10. What's your favorite piece of jewelry? The pearl necklace my late grandmother gave to me when I graduated high school.
11. Favorite hobby? Reading. I do it a lot.
12. Do you have A.D.D.? Nope. One of my problems is that I have "tunnel vision" and tend to focus intensely on one thing at a time. Unless I'm at work, where I can multi-task like a mo fo.
13. What's one trait you hate about yourself? My proclivity for freaking out about the little details of things.
14. Middle name? McGinley, after the clan in Ireland that my mother's side is descended from. Also my mom's last name.
15. Name 3 thoughts at this exact moment. 1) I'm really, really sleepy. 2) I love the Backstreet Boys. 3) I should be doing work instead of filling this out.
16. Name 3 drinks you regularly drink? Coke, juice, milk. Trying to drink more water at the insistence of a certain someone.
17. Current worry? That I have a cold sore developing. Probably from all the stress of moving. Damn.
18. Current hate right now? I agree with Adrienne: money. Money and my lack of enough of it to assuage my worry of constant impeding financial doom.
19. Favorite place to be? My apartment, cuddling and watching something on the TV.
20. How did you bring in the New Year? Dinner with Yuval at Uno's in Porter Square, a brief stay at a party hosted by Margaret's non-friend near MIT, and finally wine and champagne at Kat and Garrett's place in Davis Square where we watched the ball drop.
21. Where would you like to go? To Cincinnati to visit my family. Thankfully I'm doing that this Thursday. After that, North Carolina to visit Melissa.
22. Name three people who will complete this. Mayhap Anthony and Ryan will fill this out and make satirical comments along the way? And um...possibly Ken.
23. Do you own slippers? Not slippers, but mukluks. My uncle got me hooked on them. So comfy and warm!
24. What color shirt are you wearing right now? Fuchsia.
25. Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? No, too slippery. Plus I'd feel like a hooker.
26. Can you whistle? No. I can force air from my mouth in a way that vaguely resembles whistling, though.
27. Favorite color? Blue and green. Blue green?
28. Would you be a pirate? Much as I'd love to the awesome ass-kicking powers of a ninja, I have a low pain tolerance. So yes, I think a pirate's life is the life for me. Dabloons and high seas!
29. What songs do you sing in the shower? Usually pieces I learned in my one year of voice lessons. And Disney songs, of course.
30. Favorite Girl's Name? Piper, Madeleine, Kate (just Kate, not short for anything)
31. Favorite boy's Name? Elijah, Caleb
32. What's in your pocket right now? Nothing. These pants don't have pockets.
33. Last thing that made you laugh? Learning that there's a new show on VH1 called "I Want to Work for Diddy."
34. Best bed sheets as a child? Soft ones.
35. Worst injury you've ever had? Probably the hit I took to the face from a broken broom handle being used as an improvised pinata bat the day before 2nd grade started at a new school. Nearly took out my eye, required six stitches along my right eyebrow and a butterfly stitch right below my eye. Also directly led to the worst first day of school ever.
36. Do you love where you live? I do now! Newton is much prettier and quieter and cleaner than Allston. Sure, there's no longer 8,000 restaurants around, but that's fine with me. Makes me less likely to spend money.
37. How many TVs do you have in your house? Just the one.
38. Who is your loudest friend? I would say Margaret. Loud in the best way possible.
39. How many dogs do you have? One back in Cincinnati, none in Boston. But, oh, how I want one!
40. Does someone have a crush on you? I would assume Yuval does. I hope.
41. What is your favorite book? Well, there are three titles that I can read over and over (which I do) and love each time. 1) The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Emmuska Orczy, 2) Howl's Moving Castle by Dianna Wynne Jones, 3) The Wrinkle in Time quartet by Madeleine L'Engle.
42. What is your favorite candy? Snickers and 3 Musketeers.
43. Favorite Sports Team? Cincinnati Reds. I will always have a soft spot for them.
44. What song do you want played at your funeral? "September" by Earth, Wind, & Fire.

Seen
JFK

Read
Enchantress From the Stars by Sylvia Engdahl

What Is This Thing Called Love?

2008-07-30T15:05:00.003-04:00

OMG, a teaser trailer for Disney's The Princess and the Frog! I know Ryan already posted this on his blog (being that he is far more attuned to these kinds of things than I), but I must include it here as well. For my own fulfillment.

Watch now and be filled with joy!

This past weekend was one of fun times and frivolity. Saturday afternoon, Yuval and I journeyed north to Canobie Lake Park (which I will always mispronounce) for half-price tickets after 5pm. Now, it was no King's Island and definitely not a Cedar Point. BUT! It was wholesome and fun and hilarious riding mildly thrilling rides and not having to wade through 8 billion people to get in an hour-long line for something. Thankfully Yuval didn't seem to mind my habit of cackling in happiness and hilarity when I experience that "stomach dropping out" feeling. We timed the end of our visit perfectly: we were able to watch the fireworks from the ferris wheel. We left, exhausted, 5 1/2 hours after we'd arrived, completely happy with my decision to give this a shot.

Sunday was a big day for my friends Eric and Amanda: their wedding. I put on the dress I wore to graduation, some ballet flats, and we headed downtown to the Chinese restaurant/banquet hall where the reception was held. Apparently, if you're Chinese, you're not allowed to exclude any family member--no matter how distant--from your wedding guest list. Good thing the room was huge. There was a 10 course meal (a tradition), dances a' plenty, wedding cake, an open bar, a photo booth, and lots of good times. I got "drunk" for the first time in over a year ("drunk" because just about every time I was drunk in college my BAC level was higher than what it was at this wedding). Girly as it is, I actually teared up a little during Eric and Amanda's last dance of the night--I was thinking of how happy they are now, how happy they're going to be, and how happy I was that I could witness all of it. I've always had a good time at weddings, and this one was no different.

Congratulations, Big and Asian! Hope you're enjoying yourselves in Bermuda. :o)

At this time next week I'll be in my new apartment. Adrienne's moving on Friday, I'm moving on Saturday, and our apartment is in a general state of chaos. I've got most everything packed that can be packed and simply await the arrival of my U-HAUL truck.

Also, I found this to be hilarious: Hamlet (Facebook News Feed Edition)

Read
The City of Ember by JeAnne DePrau
Paper Towns by John Green

Seen
Deadwood (Season Two)
The Usual Suspects

Stone Cold Fox

2008-07-22T14:54:00.004-04:00

I went to the orthodontist this morning to see if anything could be done about the gaps between a couple of my molars and pre-molars.

Good News: I have one of the best results of orthodontics that the doctor has ever seen. He called my overbite and underbite "perfect." He said whoever did my braces deserves a pat on the back for a job very well done.
Bad News: My perfect teeth means I cannot get any kind of further orthodontics: no retainer, no InvisiLign, nothing. Apparently the gaps are just a result of a few of my teeth being smaller than they should be, and attempting to move any of them would ruin my whole bite. So I either just have to live with it or get my dentist to just put a little filling material between the teeth.

Oh well. It's nice to know I've got perfect dental structure, at least!

That's about all the news I've got--boring, I know. But now I leave you with an (educational) funny video that explains what exactly caused this whole subprime mortgage crisis this summer. I promise you do not need to know anything about mortgages or finance or anything to find this video funny. Great British dry humo(u)r!

What Created The Subprime Mess

Read
Batman: Dark Victory by Joseph Loeb and Tim Sale

Seen
The Dark Knight
Mongol
Kung Fu Panda

p.s. Heath Ledger deserves that Oscar 100%. He'd deserve it if he was still alive, and still deserves it in death. Transformative performance.

Bring On The Rain

2008-07-17T15:04:00.003-04:00

Today is Friday for me, hurray! I don't have to come into work tomorrow, thank Allah, since things are so slow around here. I anticipate getting a lot of reading, laundry, and maybe even some writing done tomorrow. As Robin Hood would say: Oo-de-lally!

Tennis is going well, as is kickball. We routed our opponents last week in the first game of the season, 9-0. Let's hope The Green Team can keep it up today! This weekend will hopefully give me a chance to attend a screening of Michou D'Auber at the 13th Annual Boston French Film Festival. I loves me some foreign films.

Next Tuesday I have a consult with an orthodontist at BU's Dental School. Hopefully there's a (relatively) inexpensive way to correct the spaces between some of my bottom molars that have been pains dans ma bouche for years now. I hope so. Speaking of BU schools, I've started looking into another interesting possibility for grad school: an MA in International Relations and Religion, or an IRRN (one subject, not two). It's a year-long program that would let me focus on either a region (Africa) or a functional specialty (e.g. development). I'm most interested in specializing in West and South Asia, which means studying how Islam affects the region. With everything that's happening in the world right now, trying to change America's general impression of the region and its religion is something I am really passionate about.

And now, I leave you for the weekend. Please enjoy the following clip of Cookie Monster's appearance on The Colbert Report back in mid-June.

Read
Shattering the Stereotypes: Muslim Women Speak Out edited by Fawzia Afzal-Khan

Seen
The Bourne Ultimatum

Deja Vu

2008-07-11T14:10:00.004-04:00

Once again, my love of Deadwood brings me joy. Specifically through a hilarious McSweeney's piece entitled AN OVERHEARD CONVERSATION AT THE SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD POOL, IF THE SUBURBAN NEIGHBORHOOD POOL WERE IN DEADWOOD.

TGIF, man. At first I spelled that TFIG, which definitely means I need a weekend of rest.

Today I officially registered for the MSPCA's Walk For Animals being held on Sunday, September 7. I wish I had a dog that I could bring along for the walk, but I'll just have to content myself with being surrounded by them instead. I think I'll live. If you'd like to donate or join my team, that would be super. Helps some puppies & kitties & other cute nom nom's! And for the sake of completeness, I've also created a Facebook Event page for it with more information.

Although if you're reading this blog, changes are I've already harassed you about this through the Book of Faces.

If you're the kind of person (like me) who loves magazines and having information arrive in your mailbox on a monthly or weekly basis, then check out two new magazines I've discovered. Ode Magazine has a tagline of "For Intelligent Optimists," which I think describes a lot of you readers. Good Magazine's tagline is "For People Who Give A Damn," which I think also applies to a lot of my friends. The former plants a tree when you subscribe, while the latter donates 100% of your subscription fee to a non-profit partner of your choosing. Both are very interesting and very refreshing in this world of "You're Too Fat!" consumer magazines and "The World Is Going To Hell!" news magazines. Give 'em a shot!

Seen
Spirited Away

Put On Your Sunday Clothes

2008-07-10T13:49:00.003-04:00

I'm listening to Fresh Air on WBUR (Boston's NPR) right now and have developed a huge crush on the guest. Andrew Stanton, director and writer of WALL-E, is a super cute geek who really loves what he does. Also, it makes me want to see the film again--not that I didn't already. I say all this whilst stealing loving glances at the plush Wall-E on my desk (thanks, Yuv). Obsessed, me? Maybe a little.

I hope everyone had a fun and happy and safe Fourth of July. Having a day off from work at the end of the week pretty much ensured that I would enjoy my day no matter what. I slept late; met up with Margaret, Adrienne, Dena, Danielle, and Bruce; and followed them to a delightful spot on the bank of the Charles where they would have a magnificent view of the fireworks. After reveling in their company for a couple hours, I bid goodbye and made way across town to Newton for a celebration with members of my kickball team. Once it started getting dark, some of us decided to take up another team-member's offer of a roof party to watch the fireworks. We made our way to what turned out--to my great surprise--to be Beacon Hill (which, for those non-Bostonians, is a ritzy brownstone part of town where many politicians live). We had a great view of the fireworks, but alas there was no wind to disperse the giant pillar of smoke that resulted from the colorful explosions. The finale ended up looking like a big light-up cloud with very few fireworks actually visible. Still a fun time, though!

Saturday was mostly spent with Yuval and his family: a brunch and dinner. In between, while he was out bike shopping with his family, I went home to nap and clean in preparation for a visit from my aunt and uncle. Dinner was followed by a viewing of The Prestige, which I forgot how much I enjoyed. It kicks The Illusionist's ass, regardless of the latter's inclusion of one of my actor-crushes, Edward Norton. However, on the way home, Yuval and I got into quite the argument over our interpretations of the two main characters (Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale). That part of the evening wasn't so fun, but it was only a bump in an otherwise very fun day.

My aunt and uncle (one of my mom's older brothers) were in Boston over the weekend and I spent most of Sunday with them. I took them to see one of my favorite Boston sites, the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, followed by dinner at Upstairs on the Square and ice cream at Herrell's. A wonderful and delicious time, and I managed to navigate us all around Boston by car without once getting lost! A big achievement considering I don't know that much about the roads here since I don't drive.

I went to the dentist for the first time in Boston on Monday, and there was good news and bad news. Good news: my hygiene is excellent, and I got compliments on my good-looking teeth. Bad news: I have two cavities developing between my lower molars. They're not actually cavities yet, since they aren't even halfway through the enamel. But it looks like I'll eventually have to get them filled, ending my lifelong streak of never having any cavities. Damn. One of the problems is that, since it's been a while since I had braces/a retainer, my teeth have spaced out slightly, which makes it very easy for food to get caught and my gums to get infected or sore. That's where the pseudo-cavities are. So my dentist recommended an electric toothbrush, a prescription mouthwash with super-fluoride, some Super Floss, and a consultation with an orthodontist to discuss some retainer-like options for my teeth. I have an arsenal of mouth-care now, so prepare to be squashed, plaque!

Tonight is the first game of the new kickball season. Most of the members of our old team are back for this one, known as The Green Team. Very excited, though it's frustrating because there's a Farmer's Market near my apartment that I'd love to go to but it's only on Thursdays and I have no time between work and kickball. Hard knock of life, y'all.

This weekend is when I reveal Yuval's long-awaited Birthday Surprise by kidnapping him. Sort of. I mean, I'm taking him somewhere, but not blindfolding him for the journey. Much.

Also, Nate's coming to visit Boston on Monday. Yay! But I can't see David Flaherty tomorrow for lunch. Boo! Them's the breaks, I guess.

Read
Crossing Midnight Vol. 2: A Map of Midnight by Mike Carey
Fables Vol. 10: The Good Prince by Bill Willingham

Seen
The Secret Life of Alex Mack (Season 1)
Mulholland Drive
The Prestige

Better Days

2008-06-30T12:57:00.003-04:00

So. Wall-E. One of the greatest movies of recent years, and definitely in my top 5 favorite movies of all time. At heart a love story, I cried at least 6 times at how Pixar managed to convey everything that love is/was/will be in the smallest of ways. No other movie imbues the simple act of holding hands with the kind of emotional weight achieved in Wall-E. And the amazingness doesn't pertain only to the love story: there are political messages about the way we're living our lives, the way corporate America is taking over, and the way we're abandoning our environment. I wouldn't even classify this as a kids' movie--all the parents around us were constantly explaining what was going on to their little ones. On the surface, Wall-E is just another cutesy computer animated movie with a charming main character; on the inside, it's easily Pixar's best movie.

Speaking of amazingness, did anyone else know that practically our entire childhood Nickelodeon canon is available on DVD? The Adventures of Pete & Pete, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, The Secret World of Alex Mack, Clarissa Explains It All...they're all available! And there's rumors that Salute Your Shorts and Hey, Dude will be making their way to DVD as well. Who else out there thinks that Nick hit its peak in the mid-90's?

I've discovered that 95% of the DVD's I've burned are bad because I burned them on too high a speed. So that means I'm re-ordering them all from the library, slowly but surely, so I can do things right. I tried to watch some season two of Deadwood last night and could only get about 1/3 of the way into an episode. Damn.

Back 2 Good

2008-06-26T10:58:00.003-04:00

During my K-12 school years, my schools closed for snow days, heat days, flooding, and a tornado. Never, though, did I experience a school closing due to a ninja sighting. As my boss pointed out, the person who spotted the ninja and panicked clearly wasn't thinking straight. Because if it had been a real ninja, said spotter wouldn't have been able to see the assassin at all. Ninjas are silent and stealthy like the night wind, man!

I cost my team the winning spot in trivia on Tuesday night because I was not aware that Gone With The Wind had won a Pulitzer. Needless to say I felt like a sham of an English major. Perhaps I was a teensy bit prejudiced because I find Scarlett O'Hara to be obnoxious and irritating and therefore not Pulitzer-worthy? Oh well.

This news story served to reaffirm my love of two related things: country music and Tim McGraw. Apparently a front row male fan at his concert in Washington got a little gropey with a female fan and wouldn't stop. Tim got angry and hauled the guy on stage by the straps of his wifebeater. Read the rest here. He's dreamy and chivalrous and badass, y'all. That's how we roll in the South.

Big news! I found a studio apartment that I can actually afford and will be moving in during late August! It's further west of Boston than where I live now, but still right on the T so completely accessible--and the D line is much faster than the B line anyway so I should actually get places in about the same amount of time even though the distance is greater. The best part of this place is that I don't have to pay a single utility: nada! There's no stove, but that's what toaster ovens are for, and only one window (it's a garden-level, basement apartment), but I'm not about to pass up a place this good for lack of a couple windows. The landlady is a nice Chinese woman who lives with her family in Boston and rents out this house to about 7 tenants. So, this is where I'll be living in the fall:

View Larger Map

So excited!

I've signed back up for another round of tennis clinics. I'm really enjoying the sport again, but it's becoming really frustrating in a way. I've played tennis for over 10 years, off and on, and used to be pretty good back in high school. So my brain and instincts know exactly what kind of shot I should hit where, but my skill level isn't what it used to be so I always end of messing up the point. A case of "the mind is willing but the body is not," indeed.

A side note: if I have to hear the song "Love Song" by Sara Bareilles one more time I think I might firebomb all radio stations ever. That is all.

Last night I watched the last episode of the 7th season of The West Wing: an era in my life has come to an end. I'm a little sad there's no more political misadventures for me to watch, but I think the series ended strongly. They didn't wrap up every little thing, but I had a good idea of what was in store for the characters. Goodbye, President Bartlet. You and your staff will be greatly missed. Strangely, your successor's story on the show seems to be playing out for real in the candidacy of Barack Obama...

To wit, I leave you with the story of Hope, a Maltese dog born without front legs. Watch the video, learn the story, have your heart warmed, then go look at more pictures and watch another video at The Daily Mail. So. Amazingly. Cute.

Read
Looking for Alaska by John Green

Seen
The West Wing (Season 7)

Underneath

2008-06-20T15:29:00.012-04:00

Another not-post post. This is a checklist for myself for the summer. If I don't write these things down somewhere I'll forget them and never do them!

Movies To See
The Forbidden Kingdom
Baby Mama (x)
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day
Spiderwick Chronicles
In Bruges
Chicago 10
Paranoid Park
Under the Same Moon
The Flight of the Red Balloon
Jellyfish
Iron Man (x)
Speed Racer
Prince Caspian (x)
Wall-E (x)
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (x)
Children of Huang Shi
The Happening
Get Smart
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (x)
The Dark Knight (x)
Mongol (x)
Wanted
The Incredible Hulk

Things to Do
Go camping
Visit Cincinnati (x)
Reunion 2008 in Cleveland (x)
Go to Tanglewood (x)
Write my sister every week of camp (x)
Visit the New England Zoo
Sign up for tennis clinics (x)
Attend Asian & Big's wedding (x)
Write three short stories/one really long one
See The Mysteries of Harris Burdick at Barrington Stage Co. (x)
Buy a Zune
Go to a theme park (x)
Donate platelets to the Red Cross every 2 weeks
Visit the Cape and/or Martha's Vineyard
See a Red Sox game (x)
Donate to Barack Obama's campaign (x)
Shop at the new Goodwill on Comm. Ave
See a Boston Cannons game
Move to my new apartment (x)

I'll probably remember additional things as the days march on, but that's the initial list. Man, I'm going to need a lot more money...How much do you think a human kidney would fetch on the market these days?

Read
Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist by Rachel Cohn and David Levithan

S.O.S (Rescue Me)

2008-06-17T13:12:00.003-04:00

Flocke (Germany's newest baby polar bear!) discovers her image in a mirror. SO CUTE! I can haz 1 plz?

I did it again. I slept for 15 hours last night. The lack of sleep over the weekend made Monday a particularly rough day, and I decided that--rather than go to tennis--I would go straight home from work and nap immediately to make up for lost sleep time. Clearly, I accomplished that goal. My head hurt upon waking, but I think that was because of allergies and lack of food as I ate and took three Advil and feel fine now. My nose is stuffy, but that's to be expected on these high pollen count days.

So, this past weekend. Reunion at Nate's family farm in Huntsburg, OH. One word: Bangin'.

At one point Anthony said something about how he didn't feel super special happy to be there, but rather that it just felt natural. Like this is the way things are supposed to be. I agree with him, although I was definitely on a happy-high for the entire weekend. The 10+ hour drive wasn't so bad with Anthony and I switching off, and on the way there we stopped over at his parents' house in Binghamton for delicious tomato basil soup, mixed green salad with strawberries, and grilled cheese sandwiches made with Munster and one other special cheese and thin apple slices in the middle. Then there were the brownies with Ghiradelli chocolate frosting, dried cherries, and chocolate chips in them. SO GOOD!

We spent the weekend playing Rock Band/Smash Brothers Brawl, eating, swimming in the pond, visiting the farm animals (where I got mauled by goats while trying to feed them), going to a drive-in for Kung Fu Panda, and (of course) drinking and talking late into the night. At the high point we had about 15 people there and it was so good to see everyone again that I nearly combusted from nostalgia. These reunions should definitely be a yearly thing! For Nate's parents' sake, though, I'm trying to think of other places we could do this so the burden of dealing with 15 crazy twentysomethings doesn't always fall on them. Anyone got any suggestions?

I'm doing my first platelet donation in over a month today. The guilt finally became too much to handle--I've missed my last two appointments. But I'm getting back on the Good Deed Train! Tonight is also Trivia Night, although it'll probably be another round of "Speed Trivia" since the Celtics are playing and the bar wants to pack in the patrons for that.

The weather's beautiful. My sister's starting her first summer as a camp counselor at the Episcopal camp that was the highlight of our Jr. High/High School years. Yuval and I are going to see my family in Cincinnati in August. The Celtics are up. And I just spent a weekend with a lot of my precious people.

Yeah, life is pretty good. Skidoosh!

Read
The New Policeman by Kate Thompson

Seen
Kung Fu Panda

Where The Waters Meet

2008-06-11T15:20:00.003-04:00

Hooray, my knee no longer kills me when I walk! I think I walked about 10 miles, in total, on Sunday, because apparently walking is a rabid disease with the ability to hold on like a Great White--once you start doing it, you find yourself walking everywhere. So my knee felt like I had arthritis for a couple days and I had to wear a removable knee brace for a bit. But, I'm better now! And the walk itself was...well, I can't say "fun" because I was sweating and hot and my legs felt like they floated away after the 3rd mile, bit it was certainly fulfilling and well worth my time and effort. I'm totally doing it again next year. Thanks to all who donated: you guys are super.

So even though it's only Wednesday, it's my last day of work for this week! Tomorrow morning Sir Anthony and I will embark upon the journey to Ohio. More specifically, to Huntsburg, OH, where we shall be joined by a bevy of beautiful maidens (and gents) for a weekend of frolicking, swimming in a pond, playing with baby goats, and (inevitably) video games. To say I'm excited is a gross understatement.

Speaking of trips, Yuval and I are planning on visiting my family in August, before my sister heads back for her junior year at IU (holy crap, my sister's a JUNIOR!). It's a 13-hour car ride from Boston to Cincinnati, but we'd be borrowing his parents' tricked out hybrid Camry so it will be as comfortable as a road trip possible. I'm very eager to introduce him to Graeter's, Aglamesis, Skyline, and the Reds (an MLB team you don't have to mortgage your house in order to see).

On a whim I decided to take the 57 bus home from work instead of the train yesterday. Maybe I secretly knew something unusual was going to happen? For as I got off the bus where Brighton Ave. meets Harvard Ave. and turn onto the latter street, I look up and see hundreds of people crowding the sidewalk and smoke billowing a little ways up the street. It's only then that I notice the 7 fire engines and several police cars clogging up the road. "WTF?!" I thought. Turns out the Greek diner was--as Dane Cook would say--"fully on fire." I've never been one who takes a perverse pleasure from watching destruction, so I continued shoving my way through the throngs watching the building blaze and smoke. I wanted to yell at them, "Don't you people have anything better to do than watch a family's livelihood get burned to the ground?!" But I knew no one would listen. I could feel the heat (impressive, as it was already about 98 degrees and humid) of the flames from across the street. Regardless, I kept my feet resolutely going forward the 500 or so yards to my apartment building. Sitting by my window, fan on full blast, I could hear the whine of even more fire engines and police cars and ambulances rushing down Commonwealth towards Harvard.

That is the closest I've ever been to anything remotely that destructive, and it was all rather surreal. Like I was on a movie set. Funny how disasters seem so incongruous in real life but perfectly at home on the screen, huh?

And now, I leave you with the cuteness that is Cinders, the pig who is afraid of mud. So Cinders wears two pairs of tiny Paddington bear Wellington boots to protect her cute little hooves from the ick. [The hearts were added by the ladies at Jezebel, where I found this.]

Read
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Wild Mountainside

2008-06-06T14:53:00.003-04:00

Time for the end-of-the-week-cute-animal feature. This time it goes to Inukshuk, an orphaned baby polar bear. His story goes like this:

"Animal Planet ran a special on a baby polar bear named Inukshuk, who was orphaned at just 10 weeks old when his mother was shot by hunters in Ontario. He was rescued by a police officer and sent to a zoo in Toronto, where he was raised by zookeepers until he was old enough to be placed in his permanent home in a habitat in another Canadian zoo, where he currently lives with two other orphaned polar bears. In the clip, Inukshuk bonds with his zookeeper, who is torn about becoming too attached to the baby bear because he will eventually leave her. Having never been around any polar bears since he was an infant, he has begun to take on some human attributes…like talking!

Here are photos of when Inukshuk spent the night in the police station with the officer who rescued him. Confused and upset, he cried until the policeman sat and cuddled with him until he fell asleep."

How much do you (and I) want to be that cop in these pictures? You should definitely follow the link to watch the video clip: it's nothing short of criminal how cute this little 100 pound guy is.

The Red Sox game I went to on Tuesday turned out to be pretty exciting for a couple reasons. 1) Somehow the Tampa Bay Rays, laughing stock of the AL, were ranked #1 in the AL at the time of the game. 2) During the 6th inning, a man dressed as in Celtics jersey jumped from the seats onto the right outfield, sprinted the couple hundred yards across the entire outfield, dodged 3 security marshals (one of whom took a flying face dive in an attempt to catch the running man's knees), and dove into the stands by left field. The 3 marshals dove on top of him at that point, but he'd already completed his historic run across the outfield. Strangely enough, the Red Sox (who were on the field at the time) just stood around watching all this like they were super bored and this happened every day. I swear if any of them had been wearing watches, they would have been glancing at them. Good times!

And of course, now the Sox are back up to #1, where they should be, after trouncing the Rays.

In a very exciting turn of events, Ms. Deanna Lesht graced Boston with her presence this week for the annual City Year convention. Adrienne, Mags, and I got to hang out with her for a couple hours before she had to return to her fascist dictators by midnight. It was so wonderful having all of F-6 back together again, even if it was only for a short time. And (hopefully) Dena will be moving up to Boston this summer! Note to all other '07 (and '08) Kenyon grads: Boston is clearly the post-graduation place to be. I'm just sayin', we've got the numbers to prove it.

Tennis is more fun than I remembered (my volleys are the best in the class!), and I'm going through serious Thursday-night withdrawals now that Lost is done for the season. Sad times. But! There is this show starting on June 24th, which--while certainly in an entirely different universe than Lost--will definitely keep me entertained for however long it's on. Seriously. I've always wondered how Americans would fare in a crazy Japanese game show...and now I'll find out! Thank you, ABC, for creating something to fill the void you're airwaves left behind when they left The Island. Who else will be watching I Survived A Japanese Game Show? I know you will!

NSTAR's Walk for Children's Hospital Boston is this Sunday, June 8. I'll be huffing and puffing through 7 miles for charity in 95 degree weather, so wish me luck! And hydration! If you haven't donated to support me, and you want to, follow the banner at the side or click here. Thanks in advance for your support!

TGIF, dudes. For serious.

Read
Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl
The Diamond of Drury Lane by Julia Golding
Marvel 1602 by Neil Gaiman

Wabazi Heaven

2008-05-29T11:29:00.007-04:00

Addendum
So I just found this whilst surfing through Racialicious this (Friday) morning at work: a shot of the white kid playing Goku in the upcoming Dragonball movie (set to be released 04-10-09). I quickly proceeded to scour Google for more information and pictures, and was rewarded by the Dragonball Movie Blog. If, like me, you indulged yourself in your younger years by watching this anime on Toonami after school or ever paged through one of the 50 bajillion manga volumes at Border's, then you owe it to yourself to check this out. I have no idea what my opinion on the movie is yet as there's not a trailer out, but rest assured I'll be seeing it if for no other reason than nostalgia and love of James Marsters (as Piccolo) and Chow Yun-Fat (as Master Roshi).

I kind of hate the idea of Emmy Rossum as Bulma, but that's purely because I did not find her worthy to play Christine in Phantom of the Opera. They're all doing their own stunts (of which there are many, duh, this is Dragonball!), so I can respect her for that. Thank you, 20th Century Fox, for digging my junior high and early high school years out of the closet of international pop culture and turning the idea we all had while watching the show (honestly, who didn't think about the possibility of a live-action Dragonball movie?) into a reality.

------------------------

Another Thursday, another cute animal-related something--this time brought to you via Jezebel:

"The best genre of "cute" has to be "animal friends," especially when the animals are of different species. Meet Ellie, a King Charles Spaniel living in the English countryside who was featured on the National Geographic Channel's 'Dogs With Jobs'. Ellie's job is that she's a stay-at-home mom — to bunnies! One day she discovered a litter of baby rabbits whose mother was found dead a few yards away and adopted them as her own. She sleeps with them, faux nurses them, and best of all, snuggles with them. Just watch this clip and try not to die from an overload of warm, fuzzy feelings."

The family's visit was fabulous this past weekend. I took them down to the Esplanade to see the Charles. EarthFest was in full swing, with Cake playing on the main stage, and I managed to find my all-time favorite snack: cinnamon roasted almonds! They're only ever available at festivals, some sporting events, and at zoos in the winter. I hate that they're not more widely available, but I suppose their rarity is one thing that makes them so especially delicious to my taste buds. Dad and Megan loved Yuval, and vice versa. Mom had already met him, so now he has the full approval from my whole family. And they made a point of saying (about 85 times) that we need to visit Cincinnati before Megan goes back to school in September. Yay for my family loving the guy I love! :o)

Speaking of Yuval, he's in Montreal right now for his sister's graduation, so I won't be seeing him 'til tomorrow night or Saturday late afternoon. Sad times. But yay for Michal! I forsee her and my sister having super nerdy conversations about how cool chemistry is while I sit in the background protesting that biology is the best science (and Yuval argues that it's physics). Nerd-tacular times to come, y'all.

Spring is finally arriving now that it's almost time for summer. We had an amazing deluge of a thunderstorm on Tuesday that was fun to listen to while safe inside my office. However, I've come to understand that real thunderstorms--with lightning, thunder, high winds, lashing rain--are rare here in New England, and that makes me sad. There are few things I find more beautiful (and relaxing) than watching a huge thunderstorm with a mug of something warm in my hands, my legs tucked under a blanket on the couch. Maybe that's just me? In any case, the days have been relatively sunny and warm, which is good considering I have kickball tonight.

Yesterday I played tennis for the first time in 4 years, and I realized how much I've missed the sport. I'm taking a tennis clinic through BU's fit-rec program on Mondays and Wednesdays now. It's definitely one of the best decisions I could have made for my summer, and I'm so happy to have a racquet back in my hands. Of course I'm sore from using muscles that haven't been used in years, but such is the price of taking back a fabulous sport. I'm sure my body will come to appreciate the effort.

Next week, on June 3rd, I'm going to a Red Sox game with Kat and Garrett. Nothing exciting--they're only playing the Tampa Bay Rays--but just being able to snag tickets to a game is already a highlight of my summer. And I'll get to see Kat and Garrett, who I haven't seen in weeks. Huzzah!

The Lost 2-hour season finale is tonight! That means I'll be skipping out on the bar activities post-kickball game and rushing home to see if Jin lives through the season, if Ben continues to be freakishly well-informed, and if Sayid will ever get the spotlight he deserves. And who knows? Maybe the producers were playing tricks with us all season and Kate actually gets killed! Wouldn't that be nice? I'd certainly appreciate it.

Read
The Titan's Curse (Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book 3) by Rick Riordan

Raindrops Falling On My Head

2008-05-22T10:33:00.005-04:00

Happy Thursday! If you're not feeling like it's a particularly happy Thursday, you might change your mind after looking at this:
A mama Capybara getting a kiss from her daughter. Who knew rodents could be so freaking cute?

Speaking of animals, a donkey just got released from jail in Mexico after his owner paid the bail. No, for serious. The donkey basically got in a bar fight and kicked two guys' asses (or should I say butts, just to be clear?). It's things like this that make me want to visit Mexico again.

Tonight is kickball night, hurray! Last week's game reminded how much fun this playground sport is. I'm of the opinion that there should be an Olympic category for it in the Summer Games. I'd be glued to the TV. Also, my family is coming to visit this weekend! They arrive on Saturday around noon and leave Monday night. This means Yuval will finally get to meet Dad and Megan. I'm not worried: Mom loved him, and I'm in love with him, so there's nothing bad they could possibly have to say about him. A BBQ with Yuval's parents is planned for Sunday lunch. Yummy!

Yesterday had me going through many emotional ups and downs because of different news items I encountered. Yeah, maybe it's a little weird getting emotional over news that's not related to earthquakes and floods and the ending of the world, but I've got PMS so give me a break--the emotional barriers in my brain aren't at 100% right now. Jezebel, my current go-to blog for news in the world of modern feminist issues in media/news/public opinion, published a story yesterday about photographer Rachel Papo's new book featuring her photo series on female Israeli soldiers (of which she was one from 1988-90). That's not the part that got me upset--in fact, if the book wasn't $250 I'd totally pre-order it on Amazon. What got me upset was this book, a fascinating look at the portrayal of Israeli female soldiers, and the juxtaposition it creates with the horrendously offensive spread that Maxim published recently on the same topic. If you don't want to take the time to read the stories, at least watch this video and see if you can understand why I was so upset when I found out about it:

I completely agree with the female Knesset member who they quote. Really, Israel? The only idea you can come up with to boost your tourism numbers is to exploit your female soldiers in a men's porn magazine? Have some respect for the women of your country! At the very least you could have a spread of male Israeli soldiers put in Vogue or Elle or something to balance out the gender issues! Ugh.

One of the comments on the Jezebel post got me thinking about how Yuval has convinced me to reverse my position on mandatory military service/conscription. Realize he wasn't actively trying to change my opinion, just explain his own on why he thinks that Israel's policy of mandatory 2-year army service is a brilliant idea. I'm a staunch pacifist, always have been. I'm 100% against killing anyone for any reason. That part in The Once and Future King when Arthur learns that humans and ants are the only creatures that kill their own? Yeah, it's stuck with me since 8th grade. So clearly I've been against a draft and mandatory military service for as long as I've had an opinion.

But Yuval made the (excellent) point that, since everyone is required to serve in Israel, they are much more cautious about their military decisions and everyone cares a lot more about what exactly the military does. Yes, they kill Palestinians just as the Palestinians kill them (Yuval and I have had many discussions about this), but not everyone is a sniper. You can be a medic, work in an office, or do airport security (which is provided by the army in Israel, not the police). His mom worked in an office for her two years of service and never saw a fight. Yes, they all carry M-16's around with them, but it's part of their uniform just like their boots--they're required to have it. And it's not like they're running around looking for an excuse to fire it. Regardless of your feelings on guns, they are much more prevalent in Israel and cause a lot fewer (non-military) related deaths than here in America. Now, I'm not exactly pro-gun--I'm terrified just to touch one--but clearly Israel's acceptance of them as a presence in society hasn't caused crime rates to skyrocket or anything.

Now, he and I both admit that a mandatory conscription law would never fly here in the US. There are too many rich Congressmen and business folks with too much power to ever let something like that out of committee. But think about it. If everyone was required to serve for 2 years, don't you think the US would be a lot less cavalier about sending troops off to fight pointless wars that have no clear battle plan? The answer would be a resounding "yes" since everyone would have that common experience and no one is exempt--not the rich, not the poor, not the elite, not the middle-class. Bush probably wouldn't have been so quick to attack Afghanistan and Iraq if Jenna was required to serve in the military. Lord knows those 2 years of service have generated a much tighter-knit sense of community and duty in Israel. It's humbling, in a way. No one is above the law, but because of it Israelis are much more self-conscious about their use of force.

Any thoughts out there on this? Like I said, this by no means should translate to "Erin is pro-draft and loves the military." A draft is different (and I'm against it), and I argued with Yuval about the fairness of forcing pacifists like me to aid an organization that kills people. He said that, if I really didn't want to support the army in any way that lets them kill people, then I would request airport security--where your whole purpose is to save people who have no intention of harming anyone. And I'm also not saying Israel and their military tactics are perfect.

All I'm saying is, now that I've had lots of open discussion and debate about it, I think that required military service is a good idea. Comments button, GO!

Oh, and for anyone out there who has any interest/knowledge of Greek mythology (JEFF!) and is looking for some fun summer reading, check out the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series. It's reminiscent of Harry Potter with the "half-blood" and "special place for special kids" shtick, but it's much funnier and the main character isn't nearly as whiny and annoying. The whole premise of the series is that the Greek gods are still alive and kicking, but immortal doesn't mean people will believe in you forever. You just live forever. And they're all still up to their old habits, i.e. having lots of kids with mortals. In the first book Percy discovers that he's a son of Poseidon, his ADHD is a result of his ingrained battle instinct to never stay still, and his dyslexia is actually caused by his brain trying to read everything as if it's ancient Greek. He makes friends with Grover (a satyr) and Annabeth (a daughter of Athena), and together the three of them must stop an evil force that's trying to rise from Tartarus that's been plotting revenge for 1,000+ years. Really fun stuff, and very quick reads.

Read
Owly Vol. 1: The Way Home & The Bittersweet Summer by Andy Runton
Owly Vol. 2: Just a Little Blue by Andy Runton
Owly Vol. 3: Flying Lessons by Andy Runton
Owly Vol. 4: A Time to Be Brave by Andy Runton
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book 1) by Rick Riordan
The Sea of Monsters (Percy Jackson & the Olympians Book 2) by Rick Riordan
Mouse Guard: Winter 1152 [Issue 1] by David Petersen
Mouse Guard: Winter 1152, [Issue 2] by David Petersen

Ice Box

2008-05-16T10:17:00.004-04:00

First, everyone needs to go sign this petition right now. It's in support of the fight for equal treatment under the law for the women of Iran, and there's no reason for anyone to not sign it. From the petition: "Iranian women’s rights activists are initiating a wide campaign demanding an end to discriminatory laws against women in the Iranian law. The Campaign “One Million Signatures Demanding Changes to Discriminatory Laws” is a follow-up effort to the peaceful protest of the same aim, which took place on June 12, 2006 in Haft-e Tir Square in Tehran."

I'm going to the Red Sox game tonight and so pumped I could punch a wall. Luckily I have restraint. Last night was my debut game with my team, Strangers in the Alps, in the adult kickball league playing in Boston that Yuval introduced me to. Even though we lost 0-2 I had a razzmatazz of a good time. I even got on base after my second time at bat! Then part of the team headed over to Tommy Doyle's in Harvard Square (our official sponsor bar) for food and debauchery. All in all, it was worth missing the new episodes of Ugly Betty and Lost--which is saying a lot.

Watch this video and see how long you can keep yourself from saying "Awwww!"

My parents and sister are coming to Boston for Memorial Day weekend, so I'm obviously very excited for said weekend to get here. This was the first year I wasn't able to be home for Mom's birthday or Mother's Day, so I'm really missing the fam (though that's nothing new). Adrienne is still doing the AD thing in Jersey, but I'll be seeing her at the end of the month, yay! I recently found out that The Mysteries of Harris Burdick is returning to Barrington Stage Co. this summer from June 18-July 5. If you are going to be anywhere near MA during that time, I implore you to go see this show. You will not regret it, and you'll probably be moved to tears by the end (just like I was for every single one of its 20+ performances that I worked on last summer). It is absolutely stunning.

To all my graduating Kenyon senior folks: CONGRATULATIONS! You did it. I hope the weather at your Commencement is much better than ours was last year. I'm terribly sad I won't be there to see you all off into the world, but such is the peril of a competitive airline industry and rising oil prices.

Read
Wildwood Dancing by Juliet Marillier
Once Upon a Time in the North by Philip Pullman
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Blogs
Muslimah Media Watch
Racialicious

Just A-Sittin' and A-Rockin'

2008-05-12T09:58:00.002-04:00

Hola, el mundo. The past week wasn't filled with a whole lot, but it definitely had its ups and downs. A platelet donation on Monday, trivia night on Tuesday, not much on Wednesday, and then came Thursday. I awoke with a stabbing, throbbing pain in my face (specifically behind my eyes) and feeling more than a little sick to my stomach. But since I always feel crappy in the mornings these days thanks to allergies, I went to work anyway after popping a Claritin and some nasal decongestant. I was 30 minutes late, though, because of this firey huge mess of a multiple-car accident on Commonwealth Avenue that closed down the B Line for 3 hours.

But the pain did not lessen as time marched on, it got worse. I found I couldn't look at the computer screen for more than a few minutes before my eyes would water in pain. My head throbbed, and I felt like I was going to throw up any minute. So, listening to my body, I told my boss I had to go home sick and I'd be back the next day. I crawled into bed as soon as I got home and promptly fell asleep for about 6 hours. My head still hurt when I woke up, but not as much. I took copious amounts of Advil and more decongestant, and things started getting better. I was supposed to go to the birthday party of one of Yuval's friends that night, but decided that would be a very bad idea indeed.

Speaking of the boy, I let him know of my condition on the way home from work and woke to discover a text saying he'd come over and make me soup for dinner. And he did: delicious chicken noodle soup. Then he went off to the party, I watched Lost, and then once again I passed out for the night. I was completely fine on Friday.

Friday night Yuval and I went to go see a community theater production of Godspell that one of his good friends assistant choreographed. Wow. I mean, I know the running joke is that community theater musicals are generally awful, but I never expected something that bad. It was painful to sit through, and Jesus couldn't die fast enough for us. Once the final curtain fell, we congratulated Elaine on a job well done (the choreography was the only thing that was done well!) and then got the hell out of Dodge. Yuval apologized for dragging me to the show, but I told him it was good because it taught me that I'll never be that desperate to get involved in just any show, ever.

As always, Saturday was a lazy day. I got more driving practice in and managed to drive us all around Lexington and back to Boston with out any major scary mishaps. And there was delicious sushi at Daikanyama to be had as a reward. I did stall like 6 times. But I'm learning! Then it was off to Joe Sent Me for Meaghan's birthday party. She and Yuval (and Tim) have been friends since high school and I play trivia with them on Tuesdays. It was fun, but because I have the internal clock of a 75-year old I was wiped out by midnight. Yuval walked me back to his place and then headed back to the bar. I showered and collapsed in bed by 12:45am. I'm the lamest of lame, I know.

Sunday brought a call to Mom on her special holiday and a delightful discovery. We were taking the T back to my place around 2pm. But as we stepped out of the Harvard T station in the Square to meet the 66 bus, there bloomed a festival all around us! Apparently it was Mayfair, so we took our time in wandering around and eating way more food than we should have physically been able. We munched on Italian sausages, chicken tikka masala, naan, fudge, handmade ice cream, and fried dough. We followed cute dogs (and their owners) around the Square, admired the goods for sale, and even made a side journey to Million Year Picnic so I could get some new comics. A truly happy accident, indeed.

Then it was back to my place where Yuval promptly passed the fuck out, which left me time to do my laundry, the dishes, clean the bathroom, and go to CVS without boring the tar out of him. Once Sleeping Beauty awoke, we journeyed to Shaw's so I could get some much needed provisions for the apartment and he could get lunch for Monday. Carrying those bags is much easier when there's two of you, that's for sure. When we got home he made Turkish coffee, I made a Funfetti cake, and we watched an episode of The West Wing. Bed followed soon after, and now here we are.

It's a Monday in the middle of May and it's 48 degrees and rainy. Seriously, Boston?

Seen
Baby Mama
The West Wing -- Season 6

Read
Tunnels by Roderick Gordon

You and the Night and the Music

2008-05-05T12:08:00.002-04:00

Good things and bad things. Friday night's trip to the Cambridge Brewery was not without its difficulties: namely that, since it was opening night of their 19th anniversary celebration, there was a 2 hour wait to get a table. Through a series of mishaps Yuval and I showed up an hour late anyway, but it was certainly no fun waiting and shivering outside under an umbrella table as the drizzle continued to pour. Eventually we got inside, though, and the food was yummy and (according to Yuval and the others at our table) the beer was delicious.

Saturday saw a very late lie-in and breakfast at IHOP (which has boysenberry syrup, a staple of my childhood) followed by a trip to the cinema on the Common for a viewing of Iron Man. Let's just say I loved every moment of it and have now developed an official crush on Robert Downey Jr. completely against my better judgment. The movie wasn't as heavy-handed as Spider-man or as lame as The Fantastic Four, and had every element of an excellent comic-turned-movie adaptation. I also didn't realize until after the movie that the actor playing the bad guy is the same man who played the title lead in The Big Lebowski. I guess I just didn't recognize him without the bathrobe and long hair. Bravo, Marvel Studios. I can only hope that your future releases prove as faithful and well done as this, your first foray into non-studio backed moviemaking.

Sunday was Mom's birthday but between my late start, the harrowing experience I will detail below, the 6 hour time difference between here and Scotland (where my parents are now), and the fact that I never look at calendars on the weekend, well...I totally didn't call. I mean, I remembered it was her birthday--her present is waiting for her at home when they get back tomorrow night--but once again I failed to be a good, faithful daughter and call my mother. I feel like the world's biggest schmuck.

So, Yuval has been teaching me to drive a stick shift (something I've wanted to learn how to do since I got my license). Sunday consisted of practice on his empty street in Lexington followed by a test drive to a delicious Japanese restaurant in town. I even mastered "the hill exercise", which consisted of me keeping the car motionless on an incline purely by balancing the clutch and the gas. Then came the big challenge: driving back to Boston via the highway. The drive to Rt 2 and the actual driving on said route went wonderfully well--true, sometimes they weren't the smoothest starts and stops ever, but nothing horrible. Of course, this was too good to last.

The exit we needed to take is a popular one and often extremely busy. We thought that, it being in the late afternoon on a Sunday, it wouldn't be crowded. WRONG! I managed the light and intersection off the exit just fine, but then came the next light on a hill, around a bend. I had to stop on the hill for the red, but when I tried to shift into 1st for the green light I started sliding backwards towards the car behind me (a natural thing to happen with a stick shift). But since I've always driven an automatic, my first instinct was to hit the gas, which made the car make some real scary noises and didn't stop by backwards descent. I was full on panicking by now, crying and yelling and saying things like "I can't do this!" Every time I tried to shift forward I just slid back more, until we finally bumped the car behind us. One of the young women in the car, clearly irate, got out and proceeded to verbally lash Yuval for my stupidity (I was too busy crying to respond). He stayed calm, reassuring me that everything is fine while getting out his insurance information. When he got out of the car to give it to the mother at the wheel behind us, it was discovered there was no damage whatsoever and so the car waved him away and sped on. He got back in, put on the emergency lights, and proceeded to calm me down for the next 10 minutes. He asked if I wanted him to drive the rest of the way, but I knew I'd never get over this if I didn't finish what I started. Eventually I calmed down enough so that I got the car to lurch into 1st and drove, shakily, the remaining 3 minutes back to his house.

After I parked I had to sit there for another 10 minutes while I let my embarrassment, anger, fear, and nerves sort themselves out. Yuval held me all the while, assuring me that everything was fine and that I did spectacularly for my first time driving a stick. He never got mad or yelled back at me once throughout the whole ordeal, staying perfectly calm even in the face of a possible hit to his insurance rate. In short, he was perfectly supportive and understanding and his first priority was making sure I was alright.

I feel like I don't mention enough on here just how wonderful he is and how much I love him. Seriously, strong enough words do not exist in English. Or French.

We took a nap for a little while afterwards and then headed to Charlie's Kitchen in Harvard Square for delicious, delicious greasy double cheeseburgers. Hey, I had just had what felt like a near-death experience on a busy Boston road with angry Masshole drivers careening around me. I deserved a double cheeseburger with fries and a Coke! And so did Yuval for putting up with me.

To all the Kenyon folks out there facing exams this week: bonne chance! You'll do fine. :o)

I Can't Get Started

2008-05-02T09:52:00.005-04:00

Before I forget, I don't think I've announced the sad news that I won't be coming to Kenyon's graduation this year after all. Since Skybus went bankrupt, and my flight was with them, I've lost my mode of transportation. All other flights are at minimum $215, which I just can't spare. So to all you Kenyon folks who were perhaps looking forward to my visit, I'm sorry. You'll be stellar. Please post pics on Facebook ASAP after the ceremony. I want to see all of you in your caps!

Last night, when I debarked from the T around 9:30pm, there was a Chewbacca standing outside the Uno's next to my apartment. I mean a huge, tall man wearing a Chewbacca costume that must have been stolen from Lucas's secret vaults, because I felt like I had crossed over into another universe. Or inhaled some cocaine without meaning to. In any case, I fully expected to run into Han and Leia when I rounded the corner. Perhaps they were just stopping by for a late dinner on their way to visit Jacen and Jaina at the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin 4?

...Sorry, that was probably way too geeky for most of you to get. Let's just say I read some Star Wars books and leave it at that, okay?

ANYWAY! What have I been up to? Well, on Monday I won the second game at my weekly candlepin bowling outing with Garret, Kat, and co. Tuesday I got a free cardiac health screening courtesy of the HR folks at BU. When all the tests were done, they calculated that I have a <1% change of having a heart attack or stroke in the next ten years. Most reassuring news, indeed! Afterwards I hurried home to shower and then rushed out to meet Yuval, Tim, and Meghan (friends of Yuval's with whom I have the distinct pleasure to mingle at Trivia Nights) at the Berklee College of Music to see the school's Jazz Concert Orchestra perform. It was amazing! About half the songs they did were original compositions by current/graduated Berklee students, and the other half were jazz pieces I have ne'er heard before (not surprising considering my limited exposure to the stuff). An enchanting time.

Tuesday was also Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry's, but I was unable to get to one of their three Boston locations to participate. Bummer.

Wednesday night I watched some of BU's finest College of Fine Arts theatre students put on a production of Naomi Wallace's One Flea Spare for free (yay free tickets for BU staff!). Some of you may recall that play as a senior thesis done our sophomore year (I think)? I really enjoyed the show. The set was very creative and stunning--it was an in-the-round space and the performance area was completely surrounded, top to bottom, with tangled and woven rope of the kind you see on ships. The space inside was bare but for two chairs, a tin model of a ship, a vase, and a bird cage with bits of feather strewn about it. There was also a constant reminiscence of the sea through the transitional sounds between scenes: ropes tightening, wind howling, wood creaking. Kabe prowled along the rope fence like...one who prowls. The accents were as near to flawless as I've ever heard, to boot. The only actor I didn't thoroughly enjoy was the young man playing Mr. Snelgrave: there was a lot of shouting and gesturing and very little variance on the emphasis he used from sentence to sentence. Sometimes the girl playing Morse seemed a little too much like she was trying to be poetic with the poetry of Wallace's words, so it came off as a little girl speaking in a way that was much too old for her. Overall, though, a job very well done. Especially on the parts of Darcy Snelgrave and Bunce.

Last night was the final meeting of my accounting class. I turned in my second case study paper (our final), and realized I'm actually going to miss Mike McGinty and his meandering stories and fun approach to boring things. I've definitely learned a lot, though don't go about pestering me for accounting advice just yet. I don't know that much.

After class I popped back into my office to pick up the shoes that Mom had bought on sale for me and shipped to me. They were super cute (cobalt blue patent leather, peep toe, 4-inch heels) but I have no idea when I would've worn them since I don't go to many fancy functions or parties. I hopped on the T and made my way to the Macy's at Downtown Crossing (the shopping mecca of Boston proper) to return them for store credit. With the (very) modest sum--my Mom is a shopper, after all--I got back in the form of an in-store gift card, I managed to purchase both a ridiculously flattering black tulip-hemmed, knee-length skirt and an eyebrow pencil from Clinique that I've been wanting for months. The purchasing of the skirt led me to the friendliest encounter I've ever had with a department store salesperson. Sophia thought I was handing her a newly-opened Macy's account card (which gives 20% off all purchases for the first 2 days) to buy my skirt. When she saw it was just an exchange card, she smiled and said she was going to give me the 20% off anyway! What?! A salesperson saving me money?! I was delighted, and even more so when the original price turned out to be $10 less than I thought it was going to be. I was happy with my experience I actually went online as soon as I got home so I could fill out an online customer service form expressing how pleased I was with my "Macy's experience."

Thank you clearance rack, Sophia, and Mom! I no longer feel the urge to shop for new Spring clothes online.

Tonight I'm having dinner with Yuval and a friend of his from work and his fiancee at the Cambridge Brewing Company. Should be a fabulous time.

Read
Confessions of a Teen Sleuth: A Parody by Chelsea Cain
Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis

p.s. I got a fish! He's a bright orange betta fish (Siamese fighting fish) named Moxie. He's doing well despite the crazy temperature changes he has to endure since I don't control the heat in my apartment. I leave a desk lamp on right over his tank during the day to keep the water warm, but fish need nighttime just like people so his water drops to a chilly 66 degrees overnight. Last night I left the light on and covered in with a dark pillowcase so it wouldn't keep me awake. He may not have gotten nighttime, but he stayed warm, and I think that's more important. I hope.

Traveling

2008-04-25T15:46:00.003-04:00

This isn't really a post, per se, as much as it's a reminder to myself of the movies (both released and upcoming) that I really want to see. They are in no particular order, except the order of which movies I remembered the fastest.

Released
The Forbidden Kingdom
Baby Mama
Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day
Spiderwick Chronicles
In Bruges
Chicago 10
Paranoid Park
Under the Same Moon
The Flight of the Red Balloon
Jellyfish

Coming Soon
Iron Man
Speed Racer
Prince Caspian
Wall-E
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Children of Huang Shi
The Happening
Get Smart
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Dark Knight

Holy crap. I'm going to need a lot of money to see all of these. I'll start taking donations for Erin's Movie Fund immediately. If the funds don't appear, well, I suppose I can wait the 2 months it takes to get a newly released DVD from the public library system. Free is free, right? ;o)

8th World Wonder

2008-04-23T12:16:00.003-04:00

I'm back from Ohio and so thankful for the sunny, warm weather we've been getting in Boston. But like all times past, the weather will turn to wet and chilly over the weekend with highs back down in the 50s. Boo. However, it's 75 and sunny right now and the day couldn't be more beautiful!

Megan's birthday was good, if not a little stressful for her. Much as she would have loved to be fancy-free, she had a massively loaded week awaiting her at the end of the weekend that dampened her joviality. I'm so thankful that part of college is no longer something I have to deal with. She received 3 Jodi Picoult books as a present, though, so at least she's got some good reading material to relax with once today is over.

Speaking of relaxing, a big congratulations to all the Kenyon drama kids who just completed their comps! Rejoice, for you are finished! With drama, at least. But don't worry, English kids, those comps are easily passable as long as you read the Spark Notes on each book. That's how yours truly managed a B+ on her English comps without going insane, which suited me just fine! After all, what do future employers care that I can adequately prepare a discourse on the themes of racism and colonialism in Cambridge and Robinson Crusoe? All they care about is that I can write coherently! So take heart. It really won't make or break your life if you don't get Distinction. I promise.

My allergies are much more under control now that I'm taking Claritin every day. Praise Allah. The Bruins are officially out of the Playoffs now after getting spanked by Montreal on Monday. Yuval is, understandably, disheartened, but I keep telling him there's always next year. The Red Sox are still getting into their groove, and Chad Johnson may be benched for the whole season since he is refusing to accompany the Bengals to training camp. Ah, it must be Spring!

Tonight I'm seeing The Cry of the Reed by Sinan "Huntington Playwright Fellow" Unel. It's about Turkey and whirling dervishes--should be interesting. Tomorrow is my second to last accounting class, which unfortunately is preventing me from playing in my team's first kickball game of the season. Damn you, Academia! Saturday night (as well as the next two Saturday nights after) will see me back in Dylan's hilarious presence. Babies are seriously the most entertaining thing when they're first learning how to walk. They stumble five steps, fall on their butts, and shove the nearest object into their mouths. Fascinating. Like really cute, shaved monkeys!

My aunt had a double mastectomy yesterday to permanently rid herself of a lump in one breast. They found another lump in a lymph node so they took out all the nodes on the right side of her body as a precaution. They won't know until Monday if the cancer has spread to all the other nodes or is just isolated in that one central node. She's a sassy, kind lady who deserves much better than this. Please keep her in your thoughts/prayers!

The platelet donation went well yesterday, and I've decided to become a regular donor (which means I'll be back every two weeks). I don't think I'll ever get used to the all-encompassing tingling feeling that accompanies the anti-coagulant they put in your blood as it re-enters, though. But free candy and pop! Yay!

Seen
Leatherheads
Bonnie and Clyde
Psych: Season One

Read
Breaking News: A Stunning and Memorable Account of Reporting from Some of the Most Dangerous Places in the World by Martin Fletcher
Hellboy: Strange Places by Mike Mignola
Hellboy: Conquering Worm by Mike Mignola
Hellboy: The Troll Witch and Others by Mike Mignola

Tired and Beautiful

2008-04-17T10:33:00.004-04:00

Wow. My sinuses are acting up wicked bad today. The whole facial area around my eyes is throbbing. Do we think it's okay to take sinus medication in conjunction with Advil? Or might I perhaps be liable to OD on such a combination?

I'm leaving for Cincinnati after work today, going home for Megan's 20th birthday. My grandma is already there, and together with my mom we're driving up to IU on Saturday to visit the munchkin. I got her present at Barnes & Noble yesterday along with Prince Caspian by C.S. Lewis (to replace the copy I seem to have lost) and Batman: The Killing Joke by Alan Moore (which I had a first printed edition of that I stupidly sold).

If you plan on seeing The Dark Knight this summer--which all of you should do--then I highly recommend reading The Killing Joke first. Moore's incarnation of The Joker and his history is what the movie is based on, and it will give you more insight into just why portraying the "psychotic, mass-murdering clown" kept Heath Ledger from sleeping during the shoot.

Sadly, the Boston Bruins are out of the Playoffs after a ridiculously exciting final game against Montreal. Needless to say, Yuval was a little depressed for a day. Happily, though, we got to spend a lot of time together during this week to make up for the fact that I'll be gone this weekend. That's going to be the only rough part about this trip home...

Monday is a paid holiday, so I won't be back until that night. Next week promises another platelet donation session (they give you free full size candy/snacks/pop! and Direct TV movies to watch! and blankets fresh from a warming oven! and a heated lounge chair!), a trip to the Huntington to see The Cry of the Reed by Sinan Unel, and possibly a jazz concert featuring one of Adrienne's coworkers.

Seen
Once Upon a Time in the West
Hellboy
MST3K: The Movie

Read
Hellboy: The Chained Coffin and Others by Mike Mignola

p.s. I have another blog that I just started, The Complainist. Mostly for my own venting, it's where I rant about the little everyday things that annoy me/kill the planet's soul one affront at a time. There's also occasionally some cool positive things thrown in there just so it's not all negativity. Check it out, rant along with me or against me, etc. :o)

The Internet Is For Porn

2008-04-11T11:23:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday! Today sure took its sweet time in getting here this week. But it's almost the weekend at last, which means time with Yuval, babysitting Dylan, a massage, and the Boston Comic Book Spectacular for me.

Despite the fact that I had no class last night, my time since the last post has been pretty busy. Trivia night yielded a 5th place finish for our team ("What's Kosher Bacon?") out of 10, but what mattered was we had fun and my love of country music actually came in handy. I've been easing back into a regular workout schedule, so of course I'm sore from running on the treadmill on Wednesday. After a quick post-workout shower, I rushed (and had to wait for the 25 minute late 66 bus) to Yuval's so we could head over to Ryle's in Inman Square and see his friend Yulia Musayelyan, perform with her jazz flute (please say "yazz flute"). She has her own jazz band, the Yulia Musayelyan Quartet, and has toured all over the world. And she's only 25! Very cool performance. And yummy chili cheese fries.

Yesterday after work I spent an hour and a half waiting at the DMV to get a mistake on my license corrected. When I was filling out the paperwork to donate platelets on Tuesday, I noticed for the first time that my MA license has the wrong birthday on it--they had switched the day around so it was 2/12 instead of 2/21. Since that kind of thing could potentially cause problems for me in the future, I decided it would be best to get it fixed ASAP. At least the waiting gave me a chance to read all of the Hellboy comic I had brought along--all 80+ pages of it.

And now, to end, another sampling of the poetic inscriptions I often find at the end of the porn spam emails I receive at my work email. I came up with a title for these things.

Spam Poetry of the Week
"Lake in the world and the princess loved this the two months which followed were not only full any water in them) into the lagoon. The harut of her tenderness, and trembled a little lest in the proportion ofto 64. Although in number a factory on their coast, and then suggest to said. They've come back, and i thought they'd knew, were in the finest condition and fit for think what that baby will see and meddle with far as the amazon river. Its feathers are of a some literary dinnerhe is rather a big bug, carruthers, him kill that renisenb agreed eagerly. Yes, that they chatted gayly, and, with laughter, ate. When in my own mind the information i want respecting and kettles of gold and silver coins are continually."

Time Only Knows

2008-04-08T09:58:00.003-04:00

Okay, this just in: Orlando Bloom will be playing the title role in Disney's Prince of Persia movie, based on the very same beloved video game. Why, God, why? He's way too pansy to play the badass prince and command sands of time! I mean, come on, does anyone out there think that this could plausibly be transformed into this? Others up for the role were Milo Ventimiglia and Zac Efron. Also, a man named David K. Zandi--who is actually of "Persian" heritage and apparently has royal lineage--lobbied to play the role since "people are fascinated that a real Persian with royal lineage could be hired to play this role." Right. Although given a choice between all four contestants, I'd go with Mr. Zandi. Because out of all of them, he's the only one who doesn't look like he just barely finished puberty.

Also! I'm totally for serious contemplating getting a neti pot for my sinuses. They've been driving me nuts all winter/"spring" and I've had enough. Has anyone out there ever tried one of these before? It sounds kind of gross, but Adrienne says singers use them when they can't phonate well and anything singers trust to clear the sinuses is worth a shot.

One reason I'm so glad March is over? I can donate blood again! Since I was in the Mayan jungle for five hours looking at the ruins during one of the stops on my family's cruise, the Red Cross said I wasn't allowed to donate for a year because of malaria concerns. Because I was clearly showing signs? Right. Stupid red tape and policy bullshit. Anyway, today I'm making my first donation not of whole blood (the usual), but of platelets, which replace themselves in two weeks (as opposed to eight) and so allow for more frequent donation. Basically, they suck your blood out via a tube, it runs through a machine, separates the platelets, and puts the blood back in your body. I hear the only difference in feeling from regular whole blood donation is that the blood is kind of cold when it goes back in. Yay for donating life-saving fluids!

Tonight is trivia night (hopefully) with Yuval and some of his friends. I need to cram as much useless information into my head as possible today so I can be an asset to the team. Learning machine GO!

I've decided to drop my pursuit of the graduate certificate in fundraising management. Not because I don't want it, but because I can't afford it. See, BU lets you take all the free undergrad classes you want as an employee, but grad classes are different. You are allowed a total of $5,250 in grad classes (which amounts to two) before they treat the class fee as additional income and take taxes out of your paycheck accordingly. So you still don't have to pay much out of pocket, but for one class they would pretend you were making an additional $315 a week for two months. Essentially, if I took this summer class as I had planned to do, my take-home pay for September and October would be reduced by $140 a week because of the extra taxes. And that's way too painful when I'm not bringing in that much to begin with every week. BUT! Grad school and that MBA in Public and Non-Profit Management is still in my future (if they accept my application when I send it, that is).

You'd think the break from Lost until April 24 would give me time to catch up on all the other TV shows I've fallen behind in (House, Ugly Betty, Chuck, Battlestar Galactica), but no, of course not. Because of course I have to go and check out 9934 books from the library in a fit of literary madness. Currently I'm finishing up The Painter From Shanghai by Jennifer Cody Epstein, a based-on-real-life story of Pan Yuliang, one of the greatest 20th century Chinese artists. Her uncle sold her to a brothel when she was 14 to pay off his opium debts, she quickly rises through the "ranks" to become top girl amidst tragedy, meets a city inspector who's interested in her for her brain (weirdo), he pays her way out of the Hall, and her interest in art is allowed to finally blossom as she studies in Shanghai, Paris, Rome, and Nanjing. Keep in mind that this all takes place during the early 20th century when China was fighting off Japan's invasion (again), Mao Zedong and Chiang Kai-Shek were facing off for control of the country, World War II is gearing up, and foot-binding was still commonplace. It's a fascinating read, if a little reminiscent of Memoirs of a Geisha at first.

I bought a gardenia plant for my office, and now it feels a lot more like spring.

An Eternal Secret

2008-04-02T11:29:00.003-04:00

Not dead! Bet I had you fooled. Forgive the lack of updates: I could exaggerate and say that life has been super busy, but really I'm just interminably lazy. However, you probably already knew that. Also, please vote on my poll! I'm curious as to where your daydreams take you these days.

Let's see, how to sum up the past few weeks? I met Yuval's good friends from work for the first time and a jovial time was had by all. Saw Avenue Q with said boy and got him inescapably hooked on it by giving him the soundtrack (so evil). Skipped out on going to the gym for nearly an entire month and wanted to flog myself as punishment for letting the money go to waste. Avoided the streets on March 16th for fear of getting trampled and/or accosted by drunken Boston revelers of Irish descent (or those who wish they were). Spent my actual St. Patty's evening babysitting Dylan, who has moved--along with the family, of course--to a new place right behind the Caulderwood Pavilion in the South End. I'll get to see the new place on the 12th when I come over to babysit.

I attended an info session for BU's full-time MBA in Public and Non-Profit Management program, which pretty much swayed me to its side in the battle for my future. Hopefully I'll get to sit in on some classes soon! Didn't have my accounting class for two weeks in a row and then spent 5 minutes in the first re-convened class, just long enough to turn in my midterm case study. Saw Shining City by Conor McPherson (who Contemp Brit Drama folks may remember from The Weir) at the Huntington Theatre for free. And finally, Mom came to Boston this past weekend for a visit courtesy of an airfare sale on Delta. During said visit, one of the major points of my relationship with Yuval occurred: I met the parents. I enjoyed them, they seemed to like me, and my mom was completely enamored of them. All in all, I think it went over very well. And the food they made! My God, my taste buds haven't had food like that in...well, ever.

Adrienne and I watched the first three episodes of The West Wing Season 6 last night and now I'm completely addicted all over again. Just the first measure of that opening theme is enough to get my heart swelling with unconditional love for that show and its characters. I own all seven seasons but have never seen past the first two episodes of the sixth season (don't ask me why, for I have no answer). It's good to finally be back in Aaron Sorkin's warm creative embrace.

I've taken on a number of projects/goals since I last posted...

--->NStar's Walk for Children's Hospital Boston: I used to do a walk for Cincy Children's and always had a good time, so I figured it's time to help out the children's hospital in my new city. Every walker has an obligation to raise at least $150, so if you'd like to help me out, please donate on my page! I really, really appreciate it. :o)
--->MSPCA-Angell Walk for Animals: I haven't registered officially for this one yet because it's not until September, but I will! And Yuval's doing it with me, although I think he's going to be there more to play with all the dogs than walk. But that's okay, fundraising is fundraising!
--->Matt & Kelli's wedding site: Just what it says, for two of my friends from high school (who now live in Boston where she's going to BU Law School). Yay web design, and yay weddings!
--->Kickball! Yep, I joined an adult kickball league. My team is "Strangers in the Alps" (if you've ever seen the censored version of The Big Lebowski you'll get the reference) and it consists largely of Yuval and his co-workers. Yay fun and outdoors and drunken kickballing (well, drunk for others, caffeined for me)!
--->Tennis! I haven't officially signed up yet, but I'm comparing two different summer tennis clinics and trying to decide between them. Apparently all I needed was a 4 year break to come running back to the game...

Read
Feud: A Lady Grace Mystery by Lady Grace Cavendish
The Best American Non-Required Reading 2007 edited by Dave Eggers
Whiteout by Greg Rucka
Magazines: Foreign Policy, Wired, National Geographic, Marie Claire, Rolling Stone

Watched
The Shining
The Road to El Dorado
Brokeback Mountain
Pitch Black
The Bourne Supremacy
Surf's Up
The West Wing: Season 6 [in part]

This weekend I'm seeing a college lacrosse double-header (Div I Cornell vs. Harvard and Div II Merrimack College vs. Bryant University) in Foxborough before heading back to Boston for a birthday party/fundraiser for one of Yuval's co-worker's who's running the Boston Marathon.

It's Still Rock and Roll to Me

2008-03-13T13:32:00.004-04:00

Welcome back, me. Sorry for the hiatus. I know the 4 or 5 people who read this are accustomed to my twice weekly updates, but this last week has been...lazy. There's no other excuse. I'm just a lazy kumquat. Also I should tell you that every time I do one of these updates, I first have to consult my Google Calendar to remember what the hell I was doing for the past week. Because that's how well my short-term memory works.

Lost (a common continues to astound me with the quality of its new episodes. Very much looking forward to Sun and Jin's episode tonight, even though I know one of them kicks the bucket in a flashforward (a common parlance term among us Losties these days as we attempt to keep our time traveling narratives straight). Friday night saw me at Tamarind Bay supping with the lovely Kelli Daniels and Elizabeth Tremblay (the latter of whom I hadn't seen since...oh, freshman year of college). The food was yummy, despite the fact that it was a little too spicy for my poor Midwestern, white, utterly wimpy tolerance of all things with a spice rating above "0." I'll be having coffee with another long-lost friend this Sunday: she was my best friend throughout elementary school who moved to Alaska after 5th grade. I haven't seen her in over 10 years. She now lives in Cambridge, works at the coolest tea/coffee shop, and is going to law school at Lewis & Clark in the Northwest in the fall.

I don't know what's more wild, the fact that I haven't seen someone in a decade who I used to spend every waking minute with, or the fact that I'm now old enough to be able to say it's been a decade since I've last seen someone.

After the two-hour meal on Friday night I made my way to Yuval's house in Porter where I proceeded to spend the rest of the entire weekend. Literally. Don't worry, I brought an overnight bag with me, so it's not like I was without a toothbrush or clean underwear for three days. ;o) We attempted to see the Bruins rematch with the Washington Capitals (who ended the Bruins' winning streak with an embarrassing 10-2 game in DC a couple weeks ago), but by the time we got to TD Banknorth the cheapest tickets available were $84. I blamed the fact that we had to get Yuval's oil changed earlier that morning, while he blames my slow-moving ass for not getting out of bed quickly enough. Not really. But regardless, we proceeded back to his house and watched the game on TV (which the Bruins won! Redemption!). After that...I think we watched a movie? No! We listened to the absolutely hilarious Stan Freberg's The United States of America: Volume One, The Early Years. It was without a doubt the funniest, wittiest, and most creative parody of our nation's early years that I've ever heard. There are delightful three-part songs, sharp dialogue exchanges, and a vastly entertaining array of characters (my favorite was the little boy who Ben Franklin hired to create things so Ben could take the credit).

Our stomachs started grumbling, and I suggested that we go to the KFC that's a within a mile from Yuval's house. This was deadly for two reasons: 1) KFC is just as tasty and bad for me as I remember from my last tasting over 7 years ago, and 2) Now Yuval knows there's one close to his house and will start subsisting off a diet of nothing but Dunkin Donuts, Anna's Taqueria, bacon cheesburgers, and KFC. So, basically, the diet of a 24-year old male who has a stupendously high metabolism and plays hockey twice a week. I'm still trying to convince him to get the glasses he has been prescribed to get for years, so I don't think I'd have any influence over what he throws down his esophagus. Oh well.

We got into a couple of heated arguments over the weekend, all of them stemming from our opinions on religion/God/human existence and having nothing to do whatsoever with our relationship. So don't panic. We debated theories about the afterlife, the validity of publishing a work of fiction as a memoir without telling anyone the difference, and what Donnie Darko was really about. The non-Director's Cut version was free on his OnDemand and he'd never seen it, so I suggested we watch it. He really liked it, but proceeded to troll out an opinion/explanation of the movie that I've never encountered in my life. Basically, he thinks that the whole thing was Donnie's "dream" that he had right before the engine lands on him in order to validate his seemingly random and senseless death. Or that it's all something he came up with during his "transition" from life to death. Which I found a strange opinion for many reasons, not the least of which is that Yuval doesn't believe in any kind of afterlife at all. On Monday he emailed me saying "You were right" after he read an interview with Richard Kelly in which he explained that he meant the movie to be an exploration of alternate universes and time travel and such. But that he also said people were welcome to their own explanations. I'm right in my mind, and Yuval's right in his. And two rights together makes us SuperRight!

I told Dad about these intellectual altercations and it went like this:
Dad: "Do you always have to be right?"
Me: "Yes, but so does Yuval! So obviously we're going to butt heads."
Dad: "Erin, sometimes you need to learn to say 'I may not be right all the time, but I don't ever doubt myself.'"
Me: That's real purdy, Daddy!

So I'll be trying out that viewpoint in the coming times. Sometimes I forget how wise my parents are.

Work has been exceedingly pointless this week because it's BU's Spring Break, which staff does not get off, and none of the students or faculty are around. I've spent most of my days thus far reading the latest Wired, keeping up on the daily Metro, and playing Professor Layton and the Curious Village (which is officially even more addicting than Puzzle Quest or Puzzle Pirates...can you tell I have a thing for puzzle games? Ironic because I'm not very good at them). Everyone who has an extra $30 and a DS needs to purchase this game. Penny Arcade did get it right in that it can be downright infuriating at times that none of these puzzle village people--who create puzzles for a living--are any good at solving puzzles, but what can you do? Still super fun and I totally have a crush on Professor Layton.

Tuesday night was a magical night filled with completely free, wonderful things. First, a free huge burrito from the new Chipotle opening up in Harvard Square (with free guac!). Second, a free production of the A.R.T's Julius Caesar, directed by this guy (whose name I can't pronounce and is apparently on loan to us from the French government). I've always found dear Julius to be a rather, well, snoozefest of a play, but when you add things like a live jazz trio, barrel rolls, choreographed stabbing, a real 1960s car suspended headlights down above the stage, a boy running around in Superman pajamas with a gold sequin short cape, and a 35-foot tall photographic mirror-reproduction of the very theater you're sitting in...well, it becomes hard to take your eyes off the stage (if only to see what the hell is going to fly down from the ceiling next). And they ended the show in a very Elizabethan way: the whole cast came out and danced a choreographed number to Nelly Furtado's "Say It Right" before taking their bows. Some of the acting was good, some meh (I was not particularly fond of their Cassius, who had a tendency to be very William Shatner like in his pauses), but they all looked gorgeous in their 60s wardrobe. Seriously, check out the pictures by following the link above. I can't even explain it. In the end, highly inventive and well-done, but not exactly William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar.

I ate the free burrito yesterday for lunch. It was num-nums.

Time to get back to tweaking the Classical Studies Department website, which I "finished" last week. I say "finished" because there are always bugs and kinks to work out before a site goes live.

-------------

Before I leave, I point you towards the following interesting (and entertaining) things:

>>The TMNT guest-star on an episode of Power Rangers in Space. Circa 1998. The episode's name is "Shell-Shock." Seriously.

>>Killer dinosaurs you've never heard of, ever.

>>Sheriff: Woman sat on toilet seat for 2 years

I Feel The Earth Move

2008-03-05T16:12:00.002-05:00

So much to report! Let's go in chronological order, shall we? Starting with where I left off last week.

Friday
After riding the high from my accounting class the previous night (in which the professor called me "extremely remarkable" for keeping pace with the class even though I hadn't been to the last class), I went to work full of TGIF. That evening I saw my second hockey game of the week, this time BU vs. UMass Boston men's hockey at Agganis Arena (at BU). It was a double date with Yuval's best friend Tim and his girlfriend Kate, during the course of which I found out that BU has a killer ice hockey arena and the food is cheaper than it is at TD Banknorth (duh). Fun sleepover times carry us into the next morning.

Saturday
After deciding to skip my usual Saturday morning dance class at the gym, Yuval and I settled on lounging in bed and talking about how much we didn't want to get up. Eventually we roused ourselves from the clutches of my bed and journeyed to Dunkin' Donuts for a delicious breakfast. It was felt that the best use of our time would be to eat our various bakery delights whilst watching Anchorman, so back across the street to my apartment it was. Only a few minutes into the movie a kind of contest was established to see which one of us could quote the upcoming lines before the other (I maintain that it was a tie). Then off to errands with him, while I stayed home and proceeded to putz about the apartment for the better part of (what was left of) the day. I received a call from Jillian around 6pm telling me that Dylan had come down with another nasty cold--and so graciously shared with her--so they would not be needing my services after all. Normally I'd be miffed about missing time with baby and a little extra cash, but this was a fortuitous turn of events as it allowed me to accompany Yuval and his younger sister, Michal, to dinner (delicious Indian food in Lexington).

I think I passed the first of the four "meet the family members" tests with flying colors. Michal and I got along splendidly and I very much enjoyed her embarrassing stories about Yuval's younger escapades. After dropping her off at South Station to catch her bus back to Montreal (she goes to school at McGill), we headed back to Yuval's place for some serious PTFO [Pass The Fuck Out] time. He told me we needed to be up early for my (delayed) birthday surprise on Sunday, so right to bed we went.

Sunday
The alarm went off for the first time at 7am and we were out the door by 8am. I knew we were taking a bus somewhere, and discovered upon arrival at South Station that we were getting on the next coach to NYC. "So that's what my birthday surprise is, a day in New York!" thought I. Oh no, that was just part of it. We arrive in the Big Apple after a 4 1/2 hour bus ride, whereupon Yuval informs that (as I might have guessed) we're here to see a Broadway show. Holy shit. This guy just won the Sweetest Guy in the Universe Award forever and ever. I didn't even care what we saw I was so blown away.

He said he'd requested tickets to Spamalot (which we'd unsuccessfully attempted to see when it came to Boston), but Ticketmaster had sent him a pair of seats for Spring Awakening instead. He said I could choose either one. Hmm...hilarious farce complete with song or rock n' roll bildungsroman set in a boys prep school? I opted for Spamalot because 1) I wasn't in the mood for loud rock music, 2) I've wanted to see it longer, 3) I knew he'd enjoy it 100x more than Spring Awakening. So off to Camelot we went, and wouldn't you know it, Clay Aiken was there as Sir Robin? It was a thoroughly enjoyable experience, like The Best of Monty Python (With Some Really Funny New Stuff Thrown In There). Yuval then took me on a tour of the Washington Square area and Soho because I'd never been to that part of Manhattan before. We ate at a yummy little Mexican place in Soho before hopping back on the bus to Boston.

I was the happiest woman in the world at that moment. So happy was I that I even let his unshaven cheek rest on my shoulder while he napped and I acquired a bit of a face burn from the stubble. Couldn't care less! I slept over at his place again since all my stuff was there anyway, despite the fact it would mean waking up early so he could drive me back home before work.

Monday
He dropped me off at my apartment at 8:15am and I proceeded to get ready for work. However, the fatigue and vague head cold I'd been fighting off 'til that point hit me upside the head around 8:40am. Four sick days had accumulated in my name since starting at BU, so I decided to use one, called my boss to let her know, and went back to bed until 1:30pm. I made up for my laziness by doing laundry, washing all our dishes, cleaning/mopping the kitchen and bathroom, and vacuuming the two carpeted things we own. After dinner I became absorbed by Puzzle Quest (which I'm playing for a second time), and before I knew it the time had come to head out to candlepin bowling in Davis Square. Since Kat's birthday was last Wednesday and I completely slept though the celebration (see my previous post, "Make Me Lose Control"), I gave her a box of Thin Mints for a present. As much as I wanted to swing by Yuval's house to say hi after bowling, I knew that he needed R&R time more than a potential booty call from his girlfriend. So homeward bound I went, and passed out upon arrival near my bed.

Tuesday
I woke up filled with excitement for this day for one reason only: the Kenyon College Chamber Singers were performing that night at a church in Brookline and four of them were staying over at our apartment for the night. And yes, I managed to wash my sheets before they came over. ;o) Hurray! The concert was beautiful (as always) and Anthony, Adrienne, and myself broke down sobbing as the choir filed out after singing a gorgeous rendition of "Kokosing Farewell." I'll never NOT cry when hearing that song. Despite severely inclement weather we managed to shuttle the kids back to our apartment thanks to the clown car-like capabilities of Anthony's Corolla. An air mattress bigger than my bed was set up in our living room, and we proceeded to shoot the shit and watch select highlights from the Opera Workshop's Pirates of Penzance DVD. A shower schedule for the morning was worked out, goodnights were bid, and I fell asleep beside the lovely Calista Harder around 1am.

Wednesday
Awoken at 7:41am by my alarm, Calista and I hurled ourselves into getting ready while I silently thanked our luck that we don't have to pay our own water bill for this apartment. Hugs were exchanged with "See you soon" type remarks, and the kids were off around 8:45am to meet the bus back at the church via taxi minivan. I decided I'd try to be early to work for once and left immediately thereafter.

I got to work at the same time I do every day, which just further supports my theory of not leaving the house until 8:50am.

-------------

SO. Now we're all caught up to speed, yes? Before I leave you I'd like to share something highly amusing. I found this via the witty Ms. Margaret Willison and decided I should put it out there for all to see. Can you guess the titles of all the illustrious children's books this woman rejected that subsequently went on to become staples of the genre? Dear Clueless: The Rejection Letters of Edna Albertson

Also, this. 1998 was 10 years ago?! Whaaaa?!

Make Me Lose Control

2008-02-28T10:56:00.002-05:00

So I slept for 15 hours last night. Yep, that's 10+5 hours. I fell asleep at 5:30pm intending to just take a nice long nap and then meet Kat & Garrett (my candlepin bowling buddies) for Kat's B-day celebration at Intermission Tavern at 9pm. At the longest my naps in the past have lasted for 3 hours, so I figured there was no need to set the alarm. The sleeping commenced, and when I woke up it was 3:39am. I was so disoriented for over a full minute, not remembering anything. My thought process went something like this:

1) Where am I? Why am I awake?
2) I don't remember going to bed. When did I go to bed?
3) Did I go to the bar? I don't remember going to the bar. Did I black out? Oh God, how did I get home if I blacked out?
4) Why am I still wearing a bra if I'm in bed?
5) I didn't go to bed. I was taking a nap. Wait, the bar! I'm supposed to meet them!
6) What time is it? Holy shit it's 3:39! Did I sleep until the next day? Crap, I missed work!
7) Wait, it's still dark outside. OMFG, it's 3:39AM. I just slept through most of Wednesday.
8) I'm drugging myself with Benadryl and going back to sleep after I get up and take my meds.

And so I did. Needless to say I was still a bit loopy from the Benadryl when I woke up at 8am this morning (with the aid of alarm, this time). I feel ridiculously rested, though, like I just came out of hibernation or something. I haven't ever done something like that before in my life. EVER. It was nuts. I'm still reeling over the ludicrous nature of it.

Went to my first Boston Bruins game on Tuesday night with Yuval (of course--someone needed to be there to explain everything to me!). Even though we were in the top row of the stadium, TD Banknorth Garden is a really nicely designed space so we didn't feel like we were in the nosebleeds at all. Hockey fans are a bunch of drunk nutcases, so clearly I enjoyed myself very much. We wiped the ice with the Ottawa Senators, 4-0, which is made all the more sweet because they were ranked #1 at the time and we were #7. Take that, Canada!

Currently Yuval and I are planning a ski day for next Sunday--just a day because staying overnight is way too expensive. Plus I got those free lift tickets from my boss, so that's money in the bank right there! I miss skiing. It's funny to remember how I used to be really good back when we lived in Utah--I was skiing moguls and black diamonds at the age of 5. And now I can barely manage the blue square courses...such a downgrade!

Tonight is my first accounting class in two weeks. Class was cancelled last week, and the week before I skipped it for Valentine's Day. I really hope he hasn't given out a midterm or anything crazy like that since my last class. Speaking of classes, I've gotten all the materials on my end turned in to apply for that Graduate Certificate in Fundraising Management program that I keep blabbing on about. Hurray! Now I just have to wait for the recommendations to find their way to MET College's application committee.

That's all for now. Back to re-designing the department website! I'm such a nerd for it, but I really love website design. I get so caught up that hours can fly by before I realize how long I've been staring at the computer. Oh, the Intarweb!

Like Spinning Plates

2008-02-23T20:36:00.002-05:00

Another year down in my life. I don't feel any different at 23 than I did at 22, but then again I stopped feeling older with every birthday after my 18th. My mom kept saying repeatedly "I can't believe it...23! 23! I have a daughter who's 23!" I asked her how she'd handle it when I turn 24 a year from now. She told me not to get ahead of myself.

The anniversary of my birth fell on a Thursday this year, which made any sort of celebration a little difficult as the thought of staying up past midnight makes me instantly sleepy. Adrienne took me to see Mozart's The Magic Flute at the Huntington's BU Theatre: it was a huge student-run project, a collaboration between BU's College of Fine Arts and the Opera Institute. I loved it! It's definitely my favorite opera I've ever seen (which isn't saying much, as I've only seen what...five?). I loved it's silliness, it's refusal to take itself entirely seriously. Puccini and Verdi and Handel are beautiful and moving, yes, but sometimes I just want to have a laugh instead of being confronted with yet another tragic turn of events for a pair of lovers. Papageno was irreverant and delightful, and has Papagena was a great match. Now that I think about it, I won't go into a detailed discussion of every actor's performance because they were all wonderful. A very fun evening.

I also got to spend part of my Big Day in the Emergency Room. Nothing serious, mind you, just a severely unusual reaction to my new bug bites on my arms. My right arm in particular was having a tough time: the redness/swelling had spread from the area of the bites on my upper arm to encompass my entire arm down past the elbow. My doctor, upon hearing the symptoms, told me to hie myself to an emergency room as I may have a skin infection called cellulitis. The doctor at the ER told me it was likely that's what I had, but that it was hard to tell the difference between cellulitis and just a bad reaction. He gave me some antibiotics and sent me on my way. I've been taking them since Thursday night, and have come to the conclusion that I did, in fact, have cellulitis as the speed with which my arms have improved is nothing short of remarkable. It certainly did not heal this fast the last time. I'm still not sure if it was bedbugs: I stripped my mattress bare, washed all my linens and comforters, sprayed with an organic bedbug killing spray all over my mattress and box-spring, and did not see a single bedbug (if they were indeed the culprits, means that I should have been able to see them). Maybe I just have a spider that likes to feast only on my arms every few weeks...

A comforting thought. Somehow I don't mind that idea as much as bedbugs.

Yuval has been in Tel Aviv since Monday and I miss him like crazy. I only got to see him for the two hour drive home from Portsmouth on Sunday before he left, and before that the last time I saw him was Valentine's Day. Absence makes the heart grow anxious, man!

I'm typing this from the apartment downtown where I babysit Dylan. Currently I'm eating a chicken quesadilla that I ordered up from the in-room dining service and it's tres delecieuse! Jason said all they had for me to eat was pizza and he refused to let pizza and soda be the only things I eat when I come over here; so he told me to order up whatever I wanted from room service and they'd just charge it to him. Also, they got me a birthday card. I adore these people! As I'm writing this the TV is turned on low and currently "My Dad Is Better Than Your Dad" is on. I didn't even know this show existed, let alone that it was on Primetime. The whole concept is repugnant to me, just like "The Moment of Truth." Because nothing puts fatherhood skills to the test quite like hurling your kids on a bungee cord towards a giant target where they attempt to stick huge sticky darts to the bullseye for points. Thank God the writers are back so the networks don't have to make up anymore crappy reality gameshows.

Saw There Will Be Blood last night and loved it. Daniel Day-Lewis better get the Oscar for Best Performance: if he doesn't, it will prove that the Academy has completely lost all sense of good taste. It's not a movie for those who only enjoy a fast-paced story, nor is it a movie for those who demand sympathy for their main characters. Day-Lewis's character, Daniel Plainview, is nothing short of a truly evil human being whose motivations are unclear and never explained--something that makes the whole experience even more disturbing. You're never given a reason for his behavior, it's just the way he is, and that combined with the fact that the movie doesn't pull its punches makes for one sprawling, sparse, epic mastepiece. It's a genuine American tale, in the darkest sense--a look at the underbelly of rags-to-riches stories that made our nation as powerful and wealthy as it is today.

Okay, I gots to check on the baby now. It's almost March (which translates in my mind as meaning it's almost Spring, even though such a conclusion has no meteorological support whatsoever).

Falling Down

2008-02-19T12:56:00.003-05:00

I'm using this post as a means of forcing my eyes to remain open. No idea why, but travel makes me ridiculously sleepy even if it's a relatively short flight. Of course, I got home later than planned because Skybus can never run on time: it's a law of physics. Not that they didn't try valiantly to be on-time in this particular instance. I was actually sitting on the plane at 7:21 for my flight that was scheduled to leave at 7:17, which is as close to perfect as Skybus gets. Of course, the other retahds getting on the plane took forever to get organized and settled, and by the time they did, the 15 minute freak blizzard outside had dumped 1 1/2 inches of snow on unsuspecting Columbus. Meaning the plane had to be de-iced. Meaning there were only 2 de-icing trucks and about 12 planes. Meaning we took off 1 hour and 20 minutes later than we were supposed to. And of course, just to make things even more fun, all the waiting made the (Hardrock, NH) high school girls' volleyball team on the plane (all 30 of them, plus 10 mothers) especially loud, obnoxious, and completely unaware that there were other passengers on the plane who perhaps didn't care to hear about how much they sweat during games, thankyouverymuch. It was the same team I had to travel with on Friday night, and it seems no amount of sacrificial rites was enough to keep them off my returning flight. At least I got to sit next to two girls who were my age and just as aggravated by them as I was. We commiserated as one for the 1 hr. 50 min. flight back to Portsmouth, NH.

The trip to Kenyon was splendid, though I did rue the fact that dear Jeffrey could not join us in Gambier as it was his off-weekend. :o( I arrived on campus around 1:30am thanks to a last minute airport ride via allstu, located Adrienne, attempted to break into Calista's room and pass out in the extra bed, and was dismayed to find her door locked. She was on keg duty at the Archons' 80's workout party, so that left me dumping my stuff onto Annie/Cait's common room floor and creating a makeshift sleeping pad from chair cushions. I finally passed out at 2am, so oblivious that not even Calista's impromptu visit at 5am could penetrate my unconscious state. Waking to the sounds of Annie's vocal warm-ups in the shower around 10am, I realized just how excited I was to hear her recital. Ernst food, though certainly not fine cuisine, tastes so much better when you've experienced the pain of grocery buying in the city for months on end. At 1:30pm everyone headed down to Brandi for Steve Dowling's senior recital, where I encountered a (now sober) Calista and Anna Stevens. A joyous exchange! Everyone milled about until 4pm rolled around and it was time for Annie's recital--and what a recital it was! I loved every piece she sang, and decided that she should be accompanied by lute music wherever she wanders after hearing her sing three pieces accompanied by said medieval instrument. Her voice was stunning, her beauty was stunning, her dress was stunning (how it looks on the model doesn't even compare to how it looked on Annie--classic and classy!). Brava, bella. :o)

After the recital Adrienne, Stew, and I journeyed to the VI for some dindins where Anna and Calista joined us. Man do I love their Mac & Cheese! Annie was also there, having dinner with her parents, Doc Locke, and Kay. We hung about in Calista's room until 7:45pm, when we sauntered back over to Brandi to listen to Aaron Hatley's senior presentation on Aaron Copland and why he was The Man when it came to American Music. Very well done and interesting, especially since I'm already a huge fan of Copland. Stopped by Caples to say hello to Messr. Phil Fine. Then Adrienne, Anna, and Cait headed on over to the New Apts for a music-major packed party. Being exhausted from everything in the past few days, I opted to return to Calista's room with my stuff, watch the end of Ever After, and pass out at 12am after reading a few chapters in Caucasia. I awoke bright and early at 7:15am to catch a ride to the airport with Annie's parents, and waited there until 10:30 for my parents to pick me up. We then headed over to Easton for some B&N browsing, lunch at Cosi (a tradition), meeting up with my sister and her/my friend Maggie, shopping at Anthropologie for my (early) birthday present (yay cute clothes!), shoe browsing at Nordstrom's, and then finally the ride home. After much coercion, Mom made my favorite comfort dinner (tuna noodle casserole), invited our neighbors over, and presented me with a small ice cream cake for my birthday dessert. In addition to the clothes from Anthropologie, I got an amazing matted print from a local art show, cute note cards with my name on them, a very nice flat iron (finally!), and a Sundance long-sleeved t-shirt from Park City, UT. Quite a good haul, and I still haven't received Megan's present or any of my presents from my extended family! I love birthdays.

Mom drove me back up to Columbus to catch my plane last night, during which we encountered several random blizzards along I-71. It was just as sad/upsetting to say goodbye to my parents this time as it was at New Year's. I'll never get used to the miles between us. The happenings of the flight you already know, so when I arrived at 10:30pm to Portsmouth's airport and saw Yuval waiting for me in the lobby I threw myself at him in excitement and sheer relief to be off that damn plane. The drive home was lovely and uncomplicated, though tinged with a little sadness since I won't be seeing him again until next Sunday night since he has to fly to Israel tonight for his grandfather's funeral. :o(

And now for some nonsense! The following two paragraphs are excerpts from spam emails I got advertising "sexual enhancement products". Usually I just delete these without looking, but my eye caught one of the phrases at the end of the email, after the product pitch, and I just had to share. I've since discovered that all of them have these things at the end! I have no idea what they are, only that the sound like found poetry taken from random foreign translations of James Joyce's rantings, translated from these 10 different languages back into English, and then squashed into one paragraph. Watch for the Poirot reference and enjoy!

"It, but there's no time. How is a poor devil to evolution. if some one had said to her that she and jolly good ones, too, aynesworth answered, perform it on the spot. And all the men did so. Simply sat watching her with eyes in which there chose to marry her in the depth of winter, when it seemed a change of front. It certainly gained current carries it out again, and so down the mr. Caspar unexbeamed Hastingsi have been to had a lot of physical pain —but if you have pain, all thought came from the park?' 'i don't remember mustn't be nervy. After all, you can't escape well, that was fair enough, that dealt with trade, antibes. Poirot discusses the case everybody looked there and so tid her cranduncle, for a fillain."

"Covetous men are wedded to envy and anger. They them, becomes emancipated.27 bandoning, with that smear their bodies with mire, that have their mais le nain est tresmal habille, il a son bonnet ruler of the bhojas. Besides these, many others they are embodiments of merit. They are high and of gold. They are also adorned with flowering time during business hours, and afterwards there apartments, where, resting among a pile of cushions desire exists, rebirth becomes possible. The universe, and experience of the world preserved count o'halloran for his son, gave his consent to their playing the silverwhite sands and huge rolls of purple deceived by them. O satyaki, draupadi also was vows and fixed mind and observing the vow of perfect."

Also, My three goats won't stop jeering at me, and I love them for it.

(Don't Fear) The Reaper

2008-02-15T12:41:00.002-05:00

Happy (belated) V-Day! I hope yesterday was full of beach-storming, logistical planning, and tactical movement. It's one of the hardest mission days of the year out there, and I just want to know if you all came out of it in one piece. And maybe with some candy.

I myself had a lovely, quiet celebration with Yuval. This is the first time in my life I've had an SO on V-Day, so the novelty was fun. His past couple weeks have been super suck-tacular--so much so that he's going to start looking for a new job this weekend--and because of that I wanted him to have this one night of reprieve and good things. So I skipped my accounting class and made the lemon dill salmon, cooked the rice pilaf, bought the Brigham's Dice-Kream Ice Cream, and cleaned my apartment from ceiling to floorboards. He stumbled in the door around 8:30pm just as the food was coming out of the oven, and we had a relaxing (and yummy) dindins. And the rest of the night was pretty spectacular as well. I think I speak for both of us when I say that our sleepovers are the highlight of my days. He had to go to a doctor's appointment this morning and I had to get to work, though, so no lounging in bed for either of us. That's okay, though, as we're eating dinner together and then he's driving me up to Portsmouth, NH to catch my Skybus flight to Kenyon for the weekend.

Yay for visits to Ohio!

Sunday I'm meeting my parents in Columbus and spending the rest of the weekend in Cincy with them. So very excited for that. Then it's back to Portsmouth on Monday, where Yuval will meet me and take me home. Thank God for nice, considerate guys. I really lucked out with him. I'm so very, very happy. Things aren't perfect in my life, but they're pretty darn good. :o)

I'm looking into two grad programs here at BU. One is and MA in Public Relations with a Non-Profit Concentration, the other is an MBA in Non-Profit Management. I really like the look of both of them, though of course the quantitative analysis required for the MBA intimidates me just a little bit. I wouldn't be applying for either of them until Spring 2009 in any case, so I have plenty of time to decide. Meanwhile I've sent in my official application to the Fundraising Management graduate certificate program! It's a little surreal having to ask professors for recommendations again.

When last we talked, I was about to go see Semele. I loved it: very funny, very beautiful. Ran into two of the Classics professors who had seen it as well in the subway afterwards. Adrienne and I saw Shakespeare's Actresses in America this past Sunday, which we both really enjoyed. Daniel Kramer should have shipped all his acting students and all the Hist O' West students out here to see this play. It was basically a living history performance: she would embody the acting styles of different actresses (from different times in American history) who played 6 different Shakespeare heroines. So that melodramatic acting style that we all learned was popular in early 19th century America? We got to see what that actually looked like. Some of the actresses she focused on were Sarah Bernhardt, Ellen Terry, Margaret Webster, Elizabeth Taylor, Kathleen Turner, and Claire Danes. SO amazing.

My boss went to a wine expo this past Saturday where she scored a pair of free lift tickets to Waterville Valley ski resort. However, she doesn't ski, and neither do any of her friends, so she gave them to me. Which means Yuval and I can do that ski weekend that we've been wanting to do...but for less money! $120 less, to be exact. :o) We'll have to go soon, though, because it looks like real winter is in its last throes here.

Okay, time to discuss last night's episode of Lost with my boss and student employee. It's part of our Friday ritual. Oh how we love to be tortured by mystery!

Round Here

2008-02-05T14:16:00.000-05:00

Before you read anything, slide your eyes to the right and vote on my poll. I'm curious about all you Garth Nix fans out there! :o)

It's the first Tuesday in February, which means it must be Super Tuesday. That's right, today marks the day when champions of various peoples will don their armor made from remainders of their ancient gods, spout their vicious battle cries, and fight to the death in the glorious arena of public speculation, where only one from each tribe can emerge the victor and claim him/herself to be the ultimate "Nominee." I will be doing my part for the battle after work by punching a hole in a card (and making sure no part of it is left hanging). Rally to your individual field of battle, my friends, where the arrows and propaganda signs of opponents may blot out the sun, but we will continue to fight in the shade!

Go, Go, Obama, Go!

One of the fun things about working in the Classics department is that, occasionally, you get reminded how intense these professors can be about their work. Why, just today I was sitting here in my office, dutifully responding to emails, when in walks our department chair and his two TA's, one of whom is armed with a replica Spartan shield and the other is armed with a wooden spear twice the length of her whole body. The back of the shield was inscribed (in Sharpie) with the following: "For those who are not afraid to do battle in the shade." Apparently there will be some agit prop theatre going on in the Warfare in Antiquity class today...

As I'm sure you may have heard, Sunday was the beginning of the end of days. A mighty dynasty fell to an unworthy foe that capitalized on an injured leader. But, Super Bowl champions or not, the Patriots still beat the tar out of every team in the NFL this season. Sometimes twice. And may I remind everyone that the Miami Dolphins' perfect season was only 17-0, including the Super Bowl? Clearly the Pats' 18-0 can speak for itself. You win this round, Manning brothers, but beware! The day will soon come when your past sins will catch up with you!

On to things you care about, I hear readers complain? Okay. Well, here is something for anyone who's ever had to sit through a conference about something they've written. Nate, you may want to study this video in close detail if you're planning on getting The Silence published. ;o) Also, please delight in the hilarity of this news story wherein you get to hear the phrase "wiener poopie" said at least 5 times by the reporter and an older woman. That's pure American Gold right there, people. How could this guy do this report without laughing all the way through? That man must have the discipline of an American Gladiator, kids.

Tonight Yuval and I are going to see Semele as presented by Opera Boston (and assistant directed by the lovely Ms. Adrienne Boris). But since we're both getting tight in the money belt, we're dining at an establishment like, say, McDonald's beforehand. Nothing says "class" like fast food and opera, right? For now, I'm back to work--which actually just means reading more from the latest issues of Wired and Glamour and playing more Puzzle Quest.

Also, just found out that two of my friends from my church-related activities and church camp are engaged. It's rather bizarre to think of these two people that I've known for many years now being engaged, especially since they just started dating this past summer. But I suppose that's the way things go when they've known each other for almost a decade beforehand, eh? So many engagements and weddings in this past year! Oy vey.

The Way I Am

2008-02-01T11:09:00.000-05:00

I hope y'all enjoyed my "Life Soundtrack" that I put up on Monday. I know I did. ;o)

So! News! I've got new glasses. They're black and stylish and make me look smarter than I am, and if I had a picture to show you I would. Too bad I really suck at that whole taking pictures thing. Speaking of pictures, I got lost on Memory Lane last night when I went a-flipping through the (lovely) Kenyon Reveille. I was actually rather pleased by the way my picture turned out, especially considering it was taken by Lily on the fly after I had come back from working out at the KAC. Perhaps looking at all those pictures was a bad idea, though, as it made me super nostalgic and wishing I was still living on campus. That's the way the cookie crumbles, though...

Now it's time to fill you in on those tantalizing leaders that I left for you at the end of my last post. Yuval and I saw the Huntington's production of Third by Wendy Wasserstein last Friday (for free thanks to my friend Kat!). While it's her last play, it's by no means her best, though it did have its moments. I enjoyed all the actors except for the one who played the title role--I just didn't buy him as a college freshman. His movements were all wrong and he had a sense of self-possession that NO college freshman has, especially when faced with an intimidating and famous professor. The play might as well have been set at Kenyon, though, for all it resembled life there: the professors, the super liberal atmosphere, the disdain for conservatism, the marginalization of jocks, the intellectualism, and even the set (lots of rich mahogany and many leather-bound books). It was interesting to see the flip side of liberalism that we all like to pretend doesn't exist: the prejudice and close-minded attitudes we automatically assume towards Republicans and their rightist views. A fun time, though, even if it wasn't the most inspiring piece of theatre I've seen in Boston.

Saturday came with a great dance class in the morning, lots of Battlestar Galactica in the afternoon, babysitting Dylan at night, and hitting The Kells--an Allston neighborhood bar that's very popular with BU students--with Mags, Terrell, Adrienne, Brian Crosby (who was visiting), and Terrell's two friends from out of town. It was a little bizarre for me, seeing as I haven't been in a bar in ages. Fun conversations and laughter were had, but overall it reinforced my conclusions that bars just aren't my scene. At least Yuval is of similar disposition when it comes to bars, so much of our evening was spent poking fun at the other patrons, watching the girls' bags as they danced the night away on the other side of the bar, and having great conversation (which is one of the things we do best, if I don't say so myself).

Okay, I also said something about discussing some life decisions I've made. There are two big ones. The first is that I'm going to stop auditioning for now--I might pick it back up in a year or two, or maybe never, but I'm going to take all of my focus and put it towards my second life decision. Theatre will always be a part of me and I think I'll be involved with it for many years to come, but on a more administrative, "getting the theatre out there for the people" level. Unlike most of my drama friends, I never did theatre in HS or even Middle School. When I was applying for college and starting out at Kenyon, drama never even occurred to me as something to pursue. It was only though happy coincidence, a New Year's resolution, and a great production that I hopped on board the drama train. I think it was really good for me in college, I don't regret it or anything like that. But while I'm passionate about theatre, I'm not passionate about making it my way of life. Life as solely an actress would be rather unbearable for me, having to literally live and die by each possible role and rejection. Also, in the end, acting is an ultimately selfish occupation. I'm not saying that actors are inherently selfish people, don't misunderstand me. But acting in and of itself is, by its very nature, selfish: you're whole world is your character and, by extension, the director's vision. I want to do something with my life where the work is in the spotlight, not myself. I want to know that I'm helping people directly and making the world a better place each time I wake up and go into work. Again, I'm not saying that theatre can't help people or change the world, but it does so by proxy and I want to be more involved than being someone's instrument will let me. (Please know that I mean absolutely no offense to my theatre friends with this. I admire you so much for your passion and drive to create and explore through plays. It's just not for me, I think.)

The second life decision I've made is that I definitely want to go to grad school. I've known that for a while, but never really gave it much thought beyond "Yeah, I want an MA someday." Currently I'm looking at MA programs at BU in public relations, environmental policy, economics, and print journalism. I'm leaning most heavily towards public relations right now, especially after looking over the program and learning what it is I'd be studying. Next week there's a career festival of sorts at BU, and Wednesday is the Non-Profit Sector day. Three BU alum's who currently work for very successful non-profits will talk about their educational fields and how they ended up where they are today. I think that will help me a great deal in figuring out my program choices.

I'm also looking at the MFA in Creative Writing program, though that one would be entirely for myself and take lots of preparation in terms of getting my writing act together. My mom pointed out, correctly, that the reason I stopped writing was because I finally realized how much work it was. When I was in junior high and high school, I would get an idea for a story and churn out a complete and edited version in a few hours. I'd show it to my teachers and receive lavish praise, enter it in contests and win. It was easy back then for me, because I was usually so far ahead of my peers in terms of skill and vision. But then I got lazy. I came to college expecting the same easy pace, and my first attempt at getting into a fiction workshop failed: my writing was rejected for the first time in my life. After that I clammed up, stopped writing. When I finally got into a fiction workshop, I was never satisfied with my work--the words didn't flow like they used to and, no matter how many times I tried, could not get the ideas in my head to translate smoothly to paper. It was difficult, and because I'm inherently lazy, I shied away from it. But I find myself intensely missing the feeling of creating, of finishing something, and I realized that I need that classroom structure to push me forward, to get me off my lazy ass and back at the keyboard. Who knows if it'll work out, but I hope it does.

I believe I also mentioned something last post about wolves. This past Sunday, Yuval and I woke up early (i.e. 11:00am), got some Dunkin' Donuts, headed back to his place, hopped in his car, and made our way up to Wolf Hollow in Ipswich, MA. They have a pack, currently, of four wolves, and their mission is simply to educate the public about wolves, why they're important, and why we need to protect them. We sat on a set of wooden outdoor bleachers about five feet from the fenced-in wolf enclosure where one of the workers was playing with the wolves. Another worker gave a very interesting 45 minute lecture that included everything about wolves (I learned quite a few things!). The wolves themselves were beautiful, playful, intelligent, commanding...I couldn't take my eyes off them. Why anyone would ever hunt these creatures for the express purpose of killing them is incomprehensible to me. Yuval sent in a volunteer application, and (if they accept him), he'll hopefully get to interact a little with the wolves in a few months--maybe by the time the center gets its new puppies in the spring! Very cool.

We drove back from Ipswich and ate at a yummy burger place in Somerville called Joe Sent Me (a popular code phrase during Prohibition that let patrons into speakeasies). Then it was back to his place for some cuddling and Dr. Strangelove, which I'd never seen before. Brilliant! Hilarious! "You can't fight in here! This is the War Room!" Loved it. Makes me want to watch all the other Kubrick I've never seen (which is most of it). After that, we headed back over to my place where we joined Adrienne, Anthony, Terrell, and Jenifer Drew (Boris) in a yummy chicken pot pie dinner and a viewing of The Pirates of Penzance DVD from Opera Workshop's Spring 06 production. What a fun show--too bad the DVD kept skipping like mad in the second act so we didn't actually get to "watch" most of it. Then I bid goodnight to Yuval (without a kiss, as I had a cold sore--stupid herpes!), shuffled around on the Intarweb, and collapsed into bed.

These past few days have been filled with great long naps, tax information research, W-2 gathering, finishing The Kite Runner (good but a little flawed), going to my accounting class, and downloading season three of Battlestar Galactica off of MiniNova. You know, the usual stuff. ;o)

Of course, this is the only question I've been asking myself since last night: Who are the Oceanic 6?

[no song]

2008-01-28T23:16:00.000-05:00

At last, the long awaited meme. Most of it is eerily appropriate to the corresponding category. I point out the ones that I skipped a few songs on, either for reasons of song obscurity or absolute and complete inappropriateness. There's one where you'll see what I mean by that. Enjoy! Expect a real update on my life soon.

Opening Credits: "Sunshine Daydream" by The Grateful Dead
Wow. I haven't listened to my Grateful Dead in years...yet this song is strangely appropriate and very fitting for the opening credits to my life.

Growing Up Montage: "Zoot Suit Riot" by Big Bad Voodoo Daddy
Ha, all I can imagine is baby videos of me running around naked in our backyard(s) while this song plays over the feed. It's a hilariously wonderful picture--also great song for my childhood considering most of my music growing up was oldies.

High School: "Why Did You Stay" by The Pipettes
HaHA, yet another fabulous song pick. Thanks, Windows Media Player! Though I was not at all familiar with The Pipettes in high school (also they weren't around...), this song applies both to my perspective in some relationships and also to the perspectives I'm sure some of my boyfriends and friends had in mind. About one person treating the other badly and the other refusing to leave despite his/her best interests.

College: "Maria Maria" by Wyclef Jean
Damn, talk about music I haven't listened to in too long. Hmm...this song is less appropriate for its category than the previous ones, but I can see where it could fit in amonst my college experiences. Political/social messages intertwined with the story of a girl who's trying to change the world around her for the better at the same time she's falling in love. Actually, the longer I listen to it, the better it's fitting into its category. It's more reflective of my state of mind than all the fun times I had those four years, but still. Beggars and choosers and all that.

Waking Up and Morning Routine: "Alive" by Pearl Jam
I think it's amazing that most of the music getting picked for this list is stuff I haven't listened to in forever. That said, "Alive" is something I could definitely get ready to in the morning: alternately calmish and rockish and jamming. An affirmation of life. A good thing to remember in the mornings, I think. ;o)

Driving: "The More You Ruv Someone" from Avenue Q
A very apropos pick for driving as it reflects my love of singing out loud in the car, whether it be to musicals or pop or rock or rap or...whatever. Also Japanese accents are hilarious, and everyone who reads this knows of my (totally serious, of course) un-PC comments regarding races other than the Master Race. Um...right. Yes.

At Work: "Tank!" by Yoko Kanno
Okay, I admit that the first song that came up for this one was "Locke" from the FFVI OST, but I hit 'next' because I don't want non-widespread video game songs up here. That said, HOLY CRAP! I only wish work was exciting enough to merit this wonderful bebop song that serves as the opening to one of the most brilliant series (animated or live) in TV history. But there are days when I definitely feel crazy like this song's super-fast sax and oscillating horn section. Man, I heart Yoko. The one that didn't kill The Beatles, that is.

Falling in Love: "Blowers Daughter" by Damien Rice
Man, haven't heard dear Damien in many moons. This one's beautiful, sad, moving, and extremely reflective of the way I fall in love. "I can't take my eyes off of you...And so it is, just like you said it should be." Wow. This meme is getting creepy in its accuracy...

Breaking Up: "Cold Water" by Damien Rice
Keep reading my mind, meme. Keep on keepin' on. I've never listened to this song after a break-up, but I'll definitely keep it in mind should the need arise (knock on wood that it won't!). Heartbreaking and slow, longing and gorgeous. "And I can't let go of your hand. Lord, can you hear me now? Or am I lost?"

Getting Back Together: "Body Movin'" by The Beastie Boys
I can only hope that any getting back together moment I should have wold be accompanied by this funk-tastic and dance-tastic song. Our bodies would indeed be moving...towards each other. A fun celebration would follow, of course. ;o)

Dinner with Family: "Wait Until Tomorrow" by Jimi Hendrix
I admit several songs had to be gone through to arrive at this one. The first was about an abusive husband who kills his wife while their child listens, the second was from the show Utena, which only Anthony would get, and the third was from a musical that I barely know. Jimi is sort of appropriate in that both my parents and my sister would rock out to this for sure while my dog watched us, confused as to how we ridiculous creatures could still possibly be alive. And I'm sure Mom or Dad would have a fun story about the first time they heard Mr. Hendrix.

Wedding: "Where The Green Grass Grows" by Tim McGraw
Ha, of course my wedding song would be a country song. I do love Tim McGraw, though. A very good song for a wedding, though. A nice mix of upbeat and meangingful. "I'm gonna live where the green grows, watch my corn pop up in rows, every night be tucked in close to you. Raise our kids with the good Lord's best, point our rocking chairs towards the West, plan our dreams where the peaceful river flows." [I should point out that I skipped over the original pick for this one due to its obscure video game nature, but I think I should let all those familiar with Chrono Trigger know that it was the "Wind Scene" song. Specifically, the piano instrumental version.]

Life's Good: "Rainbow Country" by Bob Marley
Is there any more pefect artist for "life is good" music than Mr. Bob Marley? It doesn't even matter what he's saying, you know everything's good. I tip my hat to your dreads, sir.

Mental Breakdown: "B.O.B [Bombs Over Baghdad]" by Outkast
I love this song. Perfect for a mental breakdown or just for bouncing around in your room or for imagining yourself kicking ass in cool leather outfits and sunglasses in a room full of bad guys...Maybe that's just me.

Flashback: "Wide Open Spaces" by Dixie Chicks
A song about starting new while contemplating those who have gone on the same journey before you and those who will come after. Very cool, WMP. A little more about looking forward than backward, but who says you can't look at the past with one eye to the future?

Birth of a Child: "Fell In Love With A Girl" by The White Stripes
I will definitely be celebrating and upbeat and happy when my child is born--after the bed rest and massive amounts of drugs wear off, that is. Some of these lyrics are very appropriate while others are...not. I like the parts that fit, though, the feeling of loving someone so much you just can't stay away.

Final Battle: "Carol of the Bells" Traditional Ukrainian Folk Song with Lyrics by Peter Wilhousky
YES! I would love to have a final battle to this song. My favorite Christmas song, at once beautiful and imposing and a little scary. I'd fight for Christmas and 'ole Saint Nick, fo sho.

Death Scene: "Big Yellow Taxi" by The Counting Crows
Part of me would be very upset that my death scene would be accompanied by such an overplayed, over-marketed song, but part of me revels in the appropriateness of parts of it. "Don't it always seem to go that you don't know what you got 'til it's gone." Plus I'd like to think that my death would somehow stick it to The Man at the same time.

Funeral Song: "Pledging My Time" by Bob Dylan
Certainly an ironic song to play at my funeral. I would infinitely prefer this to something somber and sad, though. Lord knows I'll still be rocking in the afterlife. "Well, the room is so stuffy, I can hardly breathe. Ev'rybody's gone but me and you, and I can't be the last to leave. I'm pledging my time to you, hopin' you'll come through, too."

End Credits: "The Long Day Is Over" by Norah Jones
Where was this song one category ago? A little melancholy for my taste at the end credits, but still very appropriate to its function. I love Norah's jazzy calm voice, though, so I wouldn't mind going out to this. It's the kind of song that would have me sitting in my seat at the theater, reflecting on what I'd just seen. I like that idea.

-------------
Next time, on (In)Trepid Exploration: Wendy Wasserstein, a bar, many life decisions, Dr. Strangelove, and wolves.

Baker, Baker

2008-01-24T10:10:00.000-05:00

I despise being sick. I especially despise being sick when there is no medicine for your illness and you just have to tough it out with liquids and lots of sleep. I'm blaming this disease on the fact that I was crammed in a Greyhound bus for over a total of 30 hours this past weekend--God knows what kind of germs were floating around in that air. But at least it got me to Raleigh and back, yes? I was visiting my best friend from the summer, Melissa, otherwise known as the girl who kept me sane when everything around me was degrading into summer theatre hell (now includes West Side Story!). We spent a lot of time laying around, eating yummy food, and watching lots of movies. Here's the list:

Movies Erin Watched in NC
Bridget Jones' Diary
Cloverfield
Pretty in Pink
Pan's Labyrinth
St. Elmo's Fire
300
Sin City

A review of Cloverfield can be found at the end of this entry, for those interested parties. I just got back from 3 hours at the eye clinic at Boston Medical Center--my fifth visit there since I've moved here. My eyes are all cleared up, the inflammation is down, but my doctor recommends weaning me off the steroid eyedrops over a course of three weeks. Which means no contacts for an additional three weeks. GGRRRAAHH! I'm so, so sick of wearing my broken hobo glasses that are too weak of a prescription and don't sit on my face properly so they distort my distance vision even further. It's now been 2 weeks and 2 days since I ordered my glasses at Costco, so hopefully (pray to God) they'll be in by the end of this week. I wouldn't mind the three weeks without contacts if I had a non-broken, up-to-date pair of glasses to wear instead. All this on top of my atrocious head cold: clearly, it's not the best time, health wise, to be me.

I'm seeing Third by Wendy Wasserstein tomorrow night with Yuval at the Huntington. To make up for all the culture I've been exposing him to through plays, we bought tickets the other night to a Boston Bruins hockey game at the end of February. Hurray rough sports! And thankfully I'm babysitting this Saturday--unless they're all still sick--so that will provide some much needed spending money. Which, of course, I've already spent on such fun things as an accent rug for my room, a small (re: rather wimpy) upright vacuum cleaner, and a box of Powerbar Harvest Bars in Iced Oatmeal Raisin Cookie. All of these being things that I've intended to buy for a while and just now got around to buying. And I still have my Border's gift card to spend! Although maybe I should hold off on buying books until my birthday passes so I don't pull a Megan and buy the present someone was intending for me...

My 23rd birthday is exactly four weeks away! My mom says this means I'll be a full-fledged adult--not just a 22-year old fresh out of school--but I insist that adulthood comes with your 25th birthday and the ability to rent a car free of absurd underage driving fees. Either way, at least it means I get to make another Wish List for my family to shop from. :o)

At this point in the proceedings I would respond to Anton's wonderful meme (as Jeff so candidly requested I do), but I am not at my own computer and thus have no access to my music. So I'll do that in another post when I get home. Instead, I offer you the following:

Cloverfield Review

***Avert your eyes, all who have not yet seen it and wish to see the film unbiased! I'll give you a few hard returns to decide.
***

I really, really liked it. True, if you have a weak stomach or suffer from severe motion sickness you may want to stay away from this one (especially in an Imax), but the handheld camera works wonderfully well for the story. It's a fabulous monster movie that's not about the monster, much in the same way that M. Night's Signs was not about aliens (and I love that movie, too).

Warning: If you go into this film expecting just another monster-on-the-rampage movie, you will be majorly disappointed. Cloverfield is not about the monster or even about fighting the monster: it's about the people trying to survive the monster. Perfectly imitating life in this era of constant bombardment by YouTube autobiographies, JJ Abrams takes on the story of those forgotten in all the other big-budget monster movies. That is, he focuses on the regular citizens who have no access to any information about the monster, the plan to destroy it, where it came from, or anything. These people are not "in the know", they're just trying to survive. It's the story of those people ultimately destined to be statistics--the people like you and me--and not about the hotshot government agents called in to deal with the problem. There is no revelation or explanation at the end, just as those civilians who die in the attacks get no reason for their deaths. The camera may make those with weaker stomachs sick, but there's a good balance of shaky and still footage. The camera lends to a sense of immediacy and authenticity: you're not just watching a staged story, you're experiencing it right along with the characters. You know as much as they do about what's going on (which is not a lot), and you're in it with them until the end.

People have been criticizing Cloverfield for playing off of 9/11 fear factors, but honestly, isn't a monster attack just as sudden and unexpected and horrifying as a terrorist attack? Actually, I think it's more terrifying because there's not a reason for it: the monster is just doing what it does and has no hidden agenda it's trying to achieve. And the terrorists only wish they could chop off Lady Liberty's head and hurl it into the Manhattan streets! The monster, by the way, is really awesome and looks nothing like Godzilla or any other monster we've seen before. JJ Abrams said he wanted to create an original American monster, and he did. One that sheds babies like hippies shed dandruff.

I'd be interested to hear what other people have to say about this movie!

***END REVIEW***

Who Knew

2008-01-17T14:09:00.000-05:00

Tonight's my first class session of MET AC630, otherwise known as Financial and Managerial Accounting at BU's Metropolitan College. Kind of nervous, but excited, too: I'll finally be learning again (even if it's only number stuff)! Had another first session last night with my volunteering job at the homeless shelter. Man, I forgot how rowdy and hyper little boys can be! My partner, Matt, and I were in charge of four really cute 5-6 year old boys for 1 1/2 hours last night. Nothing real disastrous happened, aside from one of the kids cussing in Spanish about every 5 minutes. There was an awkward moment while I was playing with the doll house with three of them (yes, a super cool doll house): one of the kids starting knocking all the furniture over while sayin "We gotta mess it up! The house has to be messy cuz then when the police come they won't arrest you!" The other kids joined in with cries of "Yeah! Yeah, the police are coming! Make it messy!" Needless to say I was thrown off kilter into sadness as I have no doubt that this kid believes this because of some real life experience. Matt then diverted their attention to the massive dominoes track the other kids were building and all awkwardness went away. This is going to take a lot more energy than I thought...

My "Pride and Prejudice" audition was cancelled on Monday because of the shitstorm of snow we got and I couldn't make the rescheduled times. Hopefully I'll be able to make my audition for another show at the end of January: I'd hate to miss yet another one because my life and/or transportation issues complicate my schedule. However, the cancelled Monday auditions gave me a chance to go to my Zumba (Latin dance) class at the gym and then candlepin bowling with Kat and Garrett. Before heading over to bowling, though, I stopped at the bar in the same square where Yuval and his friend's were playing trivia night. Met two more of his friends, scolded Tim for wearing a Michigan sweatshirt, and utterly failed to help them win any more points before I had to jet for bowling. Yuval came to the bowling alley after trivia, met my friends, saw me win the game I was playing (76, baby!), and then we headed back to his house for some "fun", and then he drove me home (after we dug his car out of the snow bank it was entrapped in). Haven't seen him since then, but I'm seeing him tonight after my class gets out. It's so bizarre dating someone when you don't live, you know, within a walk down Middle Path from each other: you have to plan out your time together. I'm not complaining, though!

This weekend I'm going to visit my friend Melissa in Raleigh, NC via a 16 hour bus ride. I'm so excited--poor girl moved there for a great job at the Carolina Ballet Company in October and has been having a really hard time making good friends and meeting people (theatre work, of course, not being the most socially accommodating of careers). Hopefully my visit will bring some joy (not to mention lots of movie-fests, ice cream eating, and fast drives through country roads listening to Pink blasting through the speakers). Ah, tradition...

I was notified today by one of my casting companies that there will be a casting call for a new Martin Scorcese movie staring Leo DiCaprio called Ashecliffe in a few weeks. Sweet! I could be a nurse or a crazy person at a mental institution! Anything to get close to Leo, right? ;o)

BTW, this book is fucking hilarious. Everyone should buy it, read it, and laugh at the equal-opportunity offensiveness. In honor of Dad's trip to Riyadh tonight, I faxed him the pages on Saudi Arabia. Just so he can be fully informed, ya know.

p.s. To all my gamer friends, does this sound about right to you? Yeah, I thought so.

Extraordinary Machine

2008-01-11T10:14:00.000-05:00

News, so much news to report! First, if you've checked Facebook at all in the past few days, you may have noticed a change on my profile under "Relationships". That's right, Yuval and I are "official" now! The big Talk lasted all of 30 seconds before we just went back to cuddling. I think the fact that we've been on 6 dates that have all lasted more than 4 hours is a pretty good sign, yes? That said, I'm more than a little nervous about this whole thing. I haven't been in an "official" relationship since...geez, since Junior year. And that one lasted for all of three weeks. I feel like I've turned into kind of a commitment-phobe since then because of the experiences I've had in the interim. So this is wonderful, but also a little scary for me. Fortunately I think things are going to go at a rather slow pace as he told me he's never had an "official" girlfriend before: he's had complicated (as in, with feelings involved) exclusive-friends-with-benefits relationships, but never an actual, labeled girlfriend. Which scares me on an entirely different level (as has always been the case with being someone's first GF) because what if I screw up and this great guy ends up having a terrible impression of what it's like to have a girlfriend? Of course, I'm very prone to over-thinking and obsessive worrying, so most of this is just internal nonsense. He's coming over tonight for take-out and a marathon of Futurama Season 4 (one of his favorite shows and one that I always wished I'd seen more of).

Hopefully I'll get to the gym before he comes over: this Saturday will make it 3 weeks since I've last smelled its sweat-filled workout classroom. Needless to say I feel like a big fat lump of lazy. But I wasn't home for a week and the holidays were nuts! That's what I keep telling myself. Good things have happened in place of my usual workouts, though: on Wednesday I had dinner at Bertucci's in Harvard Square and saw Copenhagen at the A.R.T with Yuval. I really liked the play, I understood the physics (a big accomplishment for someone who hates physics), loved the set, and had a bit of a problem with the young man playing Heisenberg. I just thought he had close to 0 onstage realizations--everything he said sounded like he already knew he was going to say it. He talked unnecessarily fast, too. But I really enjoyed the moral back-and-forth and thought the applications to what's going on in the Middle East today were quite apparent (in a non-blatant, no neon sign way). I found myself alternating agreeing with each character's stance, only to be convinced by another character and switch sides. There was an excessive amount of getting out of chairs, walking around chairs, and sitting down again, but it was to be expected, I suppose, considering three chairs was all the set consisted of (and a giant suspended light-up model of an atom). It was long, but I never felt bored: nothing happened in the physical, moving-through-a-plot sense, just like nothing really happens in Virginia Woolf's "A Room of One's Own" or "The Waves" or all her other books that I love so dearly. Not the best play I've ever seen, nor the one that's moved me the most, but a very good show by A.R.T. And now I want to pick up a copy of Copenhagen for myself.

I had my orientation last night at the homeless shelter I'll be volunteering at through Horizons for Homeless Children. So many cute kids! And the actual shelter is really, really nice--it looks just like a big lodge/dorm but with more comfortable furniture and playrooms for the kids. It made me a little sad, though, to see how young the majority of the mothers there were. However, now that I've taken on this volunteering job and delved into the world of homelessness, a lot of my original perceptions have been radically shifted. I've realized it can happen to me as easily as it happened to them: getting fired from a job can snowball into homelessness in the blink of an eye. And a lot of the women at the shelter work jobs just like mine but still don't make enough to keep up with the rising rent prices: add to that the fact that the federal government won't give them assistance or shelter housing if they make above a certain amount and you've got a messy situation that's hard to get out of. They have good paying jobs but have to cut back on their hours if they want to continue receiving federal help while trying to save up for permanent housing. It really is a vicious cycle and system.

I had one of the worst nights of my life in Boston so far on Tuesday night. Please make use of the T subway map as a reference for this story. As I stated in my entry that day, I went to Costco after work to look for a new pair of glasses. In order to get there I had to take the Orange line to Wellington (near the top of the map), hop on a bus to cross the highway bridge that spanned the river between the station and the shopping center, and walk across what felt like 1/2 a mile of parking lot to get to the Costco. No biggie, though, I get there and find a really cute pair of glasses that are only $59.99 for the frames (I love Costco Optical). I ask how long it usually takes to fill an order, and he says 2-3 weeks. WHAT?! But I need them now, doctor's orders! Nothing he can do, so I grudgingly accept the fact that I'm going to have to wear jerry-rigged ghetto broken glasses for the next two weeks. Then the guy tells me I need my actual, physical prescription in hand to order glasses. Pain in the ass, I think, but I'll just get them to fax it over. 10 minutes later, prescription in hand, I sit down to fill out the order forms and talk it out with Gary (the optician). He then asks me for my Costco card to which I eloquently reply "Bwahh?" See, I've always gotten my glasses/contacts at Costco using my mom's card, so it never occurred to me that I might need my own. I ask if the card applies even if I'm paying with a check, and he says yes. So I call my mom for the third time in 30 minutes, trying not to break down in tears from utter frustration at the powers that be, and explain what's going on. She tells me to just go get a membership, they're only $50 and it will still be cheaper than getting glasses at an optical shop. 15 minutes later, new Costco card in hand, I sit down to order my glasses, Gary sympathizes with my plight, and he tells me they'll call me when the glasses are in.

You'd think the saga was over, but OH NO, there's more. I walk about 3/4 of a mile across more parking lot to get to the Michael's to buy foam so I can create a replacement nosepad for my glasses. After 30 minutes of being totally distracted and tempted by all the arts and crafts stuff in there, I head out across the Parking Lot Sea to get some dinner at Panera--at this point, all I've had to eat that day is two PopTarts, two PB&J's, a Coke, a bottle of water, and a handful of M&M's. Sounds like a lot, but trust me, it isn't. So I'm starving. I get my panini and soup, relax for a half hour, and then decide it's time to head back home. After much wandering I find the inbound bus stop that will take me back across the scary big bridge to the station. 35 minutes later, the bus hasn't come and, through a phone call to my dad and teaching him how to check the MBTA bus schedule, I find out the bus stopped running at 6:30. It's nearly 8pm at that point. Frustrated, cold from the high winds, and miserable beyond belief, I start my mile trudge to the highway bridge and across to the station, convinced that the grating below my feet was going to give way at any minute and plunge me into icy wet oblivion in the frozen river. I finally get to the station, catch the Orange line, switch trains twice to get on a B train on the Green line, and arrive at the Harvard Ave stop at 9:15pm (see it towards the left of the map, in tiny print, on the top most branch of the Green line). I immediately jump into the shower to get the feeling back in my feet, curl up in bed, turn on my heated mattress pad, and die. Thus ends the saga of Erin and the Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Night.

Also, I had an audition at 9pm that night for a production of The Seagull. No big loss, as I see it, since I don't think I really look like Chekhov material anyway. Besides, my sight is more important. Still sad to miss it, though.

Okay, must get back to the world's largest scanning project (over 500 pages to convert to PDF!). Peace outside, homies.

Call Me Irresponsible

2008-01-08T16:19:00.000-05:00

Busy busy. Megan's visit was fun and allowed me to do those things that you're supposed to do in Boston (like going to the Museum of Science, eating in Harvard Square, seeing a movie at the Coolidge Corner theater, etc.) that I haven't ever done before. I felt bad for her because I was at work 8 hours a day every day she was here, but she insists she had a good time--besides, not having me around gave her a chance to watch as much Project Runway and Scrubs as she wanted. There's nothing she enjoys more than sitting in front of a TV for eight hours. Seriously.

Saw Juno with her. Laughed and enjoyed it, but I experienced many of the things dear Anton discussed in his post about the movie. The jokes were very funny at times, but the whole thing hinged on a rather incredulous tack: a super-witty 16 year old not getting freaked out by being pregnant. Quoi? That said, I love Alison Janney forever and ever, amen. The MOS was much cooler than I expected it to be--I even enjoyed their section on light and lenses, two of my least favorite topics in physics. I got to see a lightning show worthy of Tessla and take pictures of a to-scale model of a Naboo fighter from Episode I. The place was, predictably on a Friday night, swarmed with children and their parents, but most of the kids were surprisingly well-behaved (that and they were constantly distracted by something new so they didn't have time to wreak havoc). Also got my sister hooked on Puzzle Quest: Challenge of the Warlords for DS, so much so that she went and bought it immediately upon returning to Cincinnati. Yay for spreading the love of little-known games! She left at 6:45am Saturday morning, which meant that I had to wake up to see her off and, after falling back asleep, therefore slept in until 1pm and missed my dance class at the gym. Feeling so out of shape and lazy! Two weeks with no gym time!

Yuval and I went to the aquarium on Saturday afternoon and had a blast. Penguins are so cute, and I recorded the mating call of the Little Blue penguin (which really just sounds like an unearthly screech, but damn the actual animals were adorable). We watched Sharks 3D, my first 3D movie ever, and that was an experience. Now I want to see the one about the ancient sea creatures of the deep. Afterwards we walked to the North End and had dinner at a yummy Italian place whose name escapes me (which is like saying we ate a Chinese place in Chinatown). Then we headed back to my apartment and watched the Democratic debates with Adrienne, Terrell, and Katherine (Adrienne's HS friend). My favorite part was definitely when Richardson referred to a "cooperation with the Soviet Union". D'oh! You know his campaign staff were beating their heads against a pole backstage at that one. I don't think anyone really won, but I think it's clear Hillary's going to need a big win in New Hampshire to stay in the race. Also, Obama needs to works on his impromptu public speaking skillz.

Sunday was a late lie-in and saw Yuval and I grabbing breakfast at the quaint hippie bagel place across the street. Got some laundry done, cleaned my room, organized papers, ate a scrumptious protein-packed dinner courtesy of Adrienne, and headed over to Margaret's to watch some 30Rock (which I'd never seen before). Such a fabulous, amazing show! I can see what all the hype's about now, and 30Rock definitely deserves it. Also we had yummy ice cream and I received an advanced reader's copy of a YA book that looks to be chocked full of fun Elizabethan drama and capers. Now I just have to finish The Kite Runner first...

I'm going to see Copenhagen at the A.R.T tomorrow night with the boy, that is if his poor grandfather doesn't die before that. If he does--as he well might because he's literally on his deathbed--Yuval is hopping the next plane to Israel so they can do the traditional burial-within-24-hours-of-death thing. Not a great time for his family. But at least we had some fun last night, what with him cooking me schnitzel and noodles (he even bought 20 oz. Cokes special for me!) and participating in trivia night at Johnny D's in Davis Square last night with his friend Tim (who reminded me muchly of Nick Lerangis). Finally, my catalog of useless knowledge came in handy!

Okay, time to leave work and head to Costco to look for new glasses. One of the arms that holds a nosepad broke off mine, which is particularly wretched timing as my viral eye problem has come back and I'm not supposed to be wearing my contacts at all for two weeks. But with my glasses out of commission, I have no choice! I'm legally blind otherwise (really, in all seriousness). So my eyes hurt. And so does my brain. :o(

But at least I'm not this guy. I told you there were real blue people out there!

Comin' Home Baby

2008-01-02T15:16:00.000-05:00

Sorry about the lack of substantial updates--holidays are, as I'm sure all of you know, quite nuts. I was in Cincinnati from the 23rd to the 30th and it was marvelous. I will always have a soft spot for the Queen City. Spent lots of time with my family, hob-knobbed with the Fridman's (our neighbors), saw many movies, and journeyed to Cleveland to spend some time with Kari (Nate was not able to be there, and my thoughts go out to you, Nate). While I was with Kari, my family went to the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame where my mom spent most of her time in The Beatles section, everyone got to see Madonna's booby cones from her "Like A Virgin" tour, and my mom bought both Help and Hard Day's Night. She assures me neither are good movies, per se, but they're about The Beatles so who cares? I said that's how I feel about the Spice Girls and Spice World. She made a face at that.

My journey home on Sunday turned into an epic race against time. My flight from Columbus to Portsmouth was delayed over an hour, I missed the 10pm bus back to Boston because I had to wait for my checked bag, and the 11pm bus didn't pull into South Station until around 12:15am. I started panicking during the flight because I thought I absolutely had to be back in Boston before midnight so I wouldn't miss the last trains (which stop running around 12:15am). In a very sweet move, Yuval offered to come pick me up at South Station and drive me home but I told him it would be far too late at night for anyone to think of driving around Boston doing such a thing (especially since he lives up by Porter Square, which means he couldn't be further away from my apartment). Thankfully my parents told me they'd pay for me to take a taxi home from South Station, so by the end I was just tired instead of tired + stressed. Whew.

New Year's Eve day was spent sleeping, mostly, and bumming around the apartment. I bought some things at CVS. Nightfall saw me heading to Boston Common to meet up with Yuval so we could wander around First Night, look at the ice sculptures, eat fried dough, and watch the fireworks (which were set off perilously close the ground, I thought). We then walked a long way in an effort to find a restaurant and just ended up taking the train to Porter Square and eating at Uno Pizzaria. He offered to drive me to my first party of the night, so we walked to his house (which I got a tour of), scraped the ice off the car, and between the two of us and a map we found the way to Margaret's un-friend's party in East Cambridge. I met up with said lady as well as Adrienne and Sophie, had a (requested) weak screwdriver, ate some brownie, and then realized I had to dash after 45 minutes if I was going to make it to my second party by midnight. After wandering around lost on the MIT campus for 15 minutes, I finally found my way to the subway and took the train to Davis Square. I arrived at 11:45, just in time to grab both a glass of white zinfandel and a glass of Barefoot Bubbly and toast the new year whilst watching the robot I'm convinced has replaced Dick Clark. It was a small get together (six of us at the peak), but it was a fun party nonetheless. After leaving Times Square behind we watched two episodes of MythBusters and one episode of Weapons Master because we're all dorks like that. I ended up spending the night on Kat and Garrett's comfy couch as I missed the last train home (a fact my contacts/eyes were not happy about). But we grabbed breakfast at an old-fashioned diner called The Rosebud in Davis Square--where we were served by the sweetest old waitress of all time--so all was good in the end.

Last night my sister arrived for her first ever visit to Boston. In order to prepare for her coming I scrubbed the apartment end to end with all manner of Swiffer products, a broom, Clorox wipes, Windex, and bathroom cleaner. The place has never looked shinier! I picked her up from the airport at 7:20, guided her through the epic T journey home, helped her settle in a bit, and then took for a walk around Coolidge Corner. We ate at Mr. Sushi, which, despite its name, is actually a rather classy establishment with yummy cuisine. Came home, watched some Scrubs (Season Six), and collapsed into my bed around 11:30. What a couple of days!

Continuing Adrienne's wonderful idea...

New Year's Resolutions
1) Read at least one book for pleasure a month (essentially keep up what I've been doing).
2) Write something/anything new at least once a month.
3) Apply to (and complete) BU's graduate certificate program in Fundraising Management.
4) Keep auditioning.

Short but manageable, I think. Actually the one that's going to be the most difficult is the second one. I constantly have new ideas for stories, characters, and novels, but the moment I sit down and face that blank page my fingers freeze and none of the words/sentences I think of seem right. Perhaps I should read Bird By Bird again to get something to fight the fear with?

Read
The Helmet of Horror: The Myth of Theseus and the Minotaur by Victor Pelevin*
Across The Wall by Garth Nix
The Oresteia by Aeschylus
Weight: The Myth of Atlas and Heracles by Jeanette Winterson
Abhorsen by Garth Nix

Seen
Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
Charlie Wilson's War
I Am Legend
Battlestar Galactica: Season 2.0 (mostly)
Meet The Robinsons
Peter Pan [Disney]

p.s. I got a new phone and phone plan over the holiday! Still the same number, but now I can receive AND respond to texts. So now there's yet another way to communicate with me, if you're keeping track...

*If anyone else had read this, will you please e-mail me? I completely don't understand what happened in the end and a lot of it was way too philosophical for me to understand. I'd like to discuss. Also, if you haven't read any of the books in Canongate's "Myth" series, you totally should. Especially if you like classical mythology (Jeffrey, I'm looking at you). Basically, they got writers such as Margaret Atwood, Victor Pelevin, Jeanette Winterson, and a host of other internationally known folks to pick a Greek myth and rewrite it somehow. Very interesting and well worth the time.

Jingle Bells

2007-12-25T18:42:00.000-05:00

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

I just woke up from a 3 1/2 hour nap: after finishing Across The Wall I just collapsed on my bed, not even bothering to crawl under the covers. I suppose that's what I get for staying up late Christmas Eve and being roused at 9am.

Most of the things I had on my wish list were received, hurray! The only major thing I didn't get was The Phantom Hourglass, but that's something I can buy for myself sometime. I was more excited by the things like, say, the fact that I now own all seven season of The West Wing! Finally I will get to see how it all ended!

Two days ago my family and I saw Charlie Wilson's War and the only thing I knew going into it was that Aaron Sorkin wrote the screenplay. Two hours later, I was once again blown away by Mr. Sorkin's ability to make, for me, even the most inaccessible political finepoints perfectly understandable. Tom Hanks gave one of his best performances in 10 years, Julia Roberts managed not to be annoying, and Philip Seymour Hoffman...what can I say? He's the most versatile actor working today. And the ending quote is worth the movie and, of course, very applicable to what's going on today in Iraq and the "War on Terror". I highly recommend seeing it.

I hope all of you are having a most peaceful, restful holiday. I, for one, am very upset that I'm leaving five days--it seems like I never have enough time at home. Sunday night I babysat for our neighbor's 18-month old grandson, Alex(andre). Super cute, super energetic, cannot go anywhere without his stuffed polar bear, Nanuk. I'm babysitting him again tomorrow night. Presents, babies, movies, naps...what else could I possibly want out of a vacation?

Yuval and I will be spending some (as yet) undetermined amount of time together on New Year's Eve. :oD Not sure what else I'll be doing, but at least I'll be getting some kisses. ;o) Perhaps we'll decide to make it official? Who knows...

Stay warm, be safe, I love you all. Happy Holidays!

Calling You

2007-12-19T11:16:00.000-05:00

Despite the fact that it was about 9 degrees outside last night, Yuval and I had a wonderful time eating sushi and talking in the restaurant for three hours straight (I'm pretty sure the waitstaff hated us). He gave me a ride home, there were some goodnight kisses exchanged, and I grinned all the way into my apartment. We almost cancelled the date because he's had a bad cough lately, but thankfully it had died down a lot during the day. He called me an hour after the date to ask me to save my copy of yesterday's Metro paper, wherein his letter to the editor was published: he was admonishing someone who wrote in the day before as Santa saying that, due to polar caps shrinking, "Santa" would do his part to cut down on environmental costs by subsisting on a diet of penguin eggs. Yuval replied that, since penguins live in Antarctica, the transportation costs alone would make that a very un-environmentally friendly policy). Um...I really, really like him! I'm going out with him again this Thursday night: we wanted to have another date before I leave to go home for a week. And he's already asked if I want to do something for New Year's with him. It's all still a little strange, this going on real "dates" with someone I'm not in an established relationship with, but I'm having a good time so far!

Be glad you don't celebrate any holiday like these fundamentalist Mormons: 47 siblings and 7 wives? Talk about an expensive Christmas! Speaking of Christmas, Sweeney Todd is getting very positive reviews all around, at least according to Rotten Tomatoes (an 89% with 29 reviews in). Hurray! Also in the holiday spirit of things, Adrienne's Chorus Pro Musica concert is coming up this Friday night and I'm super excited--there are few things I love more at this time of year than the songs and the singing of them. She was on TV this morning (the local FOX news broadcast) as part of a small sampling of what's to come at the choir's concert. It was so cool seeing her all pixelated and shit! I wanted to point and shout "That's my roomie! I know her!" Very awesome, even if it was 8:40am.

Thankfully Mom convinced Megan to return her recently purchased copy of I Am America ("I just think you're really going to want to return that, Meg. Trust me."), so my Christmas present for her is saved. Although now she suspects something, but I guess it can't be helped. Yesterday was my first ever official office holiday party, although it wasn't just technically our office; it was the entirety of the faculty and staff here at BU at the annual party. But it took place from 3-5pm, which meant I essentially got to leave work early to go drink free booze, eat really good food, and enter door prize drawings. I can't emphasize enough how awesome working for a university is: everyone should try it at least once!

Also, Britney Spear's 16-year old sister is preg-o, folks. But don't worry, the father is her "long time" boyfriend that she's had since high school...which she's still attending. I don't normally care about celeb gossip, but the Spears family is a train wreck I just can't tear my eyes away from. And I love that their mom is currently writing a parenting book. Right. I'll be sure to keep that book as far away as possible from all future baby showers I might attend...

Okay, time to keep working on the 8 lbs. of dark chocolate Lindor Truffles that the sweet German professor in the department got me. Thanks, Wolfgang, for making sure I will not suffer from lack of chocolate this holiday season!