Muse Unmasked

Shamrock Fest!

2008-03-15T18:03:00.019-04:00

Seas of green

Vendors (some of the seemingly impossible)

Beer (some green, most not)

11 Stages

Great bands! I saw Ceann and Carbon Leaf, of whom I didn't snap pics, and Great Big Sea

At the end of Great Big Sea's set, the lead singer, Alan Doyle, announced that they could play two more songs, but he wanted to bring out a friend of his, a man who all of us knew as an Oscar winning actor, but who he knew as a great lyricist. With that, we shockingly welcomed (and I took some very fuzzy pictures of:)Russell Crowe

And at the end of the evening, lots and lots of cups littered the asphalt

UM 242

2007-09-23T07:28:00.000-04:00

Long time no see!

1. Singles ::

2. Blaze ::

3. Sandwich ::

4. Outside ::

5. Gooey ::

6. Industry ::

7. Exclusive ::

8. Warranty ::

9. Magical ::

10. Heels ::

1. Singles :: $1 bills

2. Blaze :: fire flame

3. Sandwich :: bread

4. Outside :: fresh air

5. Gooey :: caramel

6. Industry :: grey

7. Exclusive :: club

8. Warranty :: expire

9. Magical :: land

10. Heels :: toes

Brief Update

2007-08-25T14:50:00.000-04:00

My sincerest apologies to all who are waiting with bated breath for my Katy Trail trip posts. Rest assured that I am working on them. As so often happens, work is getting in the way of all the things I would rather be doing. I've worked every single day since my return, including both days last weekend and this weekend.
Bleh!
I haven't even finished unpacking my suitcase (although I have reassembled my bike.)

So go ahead and breathe normally, but don't give up on me.
Love to all and thanks for checking up on me!

Peace Out!

2007-08-06T17:30:00.001-04:00

I'm off to bike the Katy Trail with mom and dad. I'm super-stoked!

I hope to keep a short journal and take some good pictures on the trek. If I'm successful, I'll post them upon my return.

I should have cleared away my crash demons with the minor vehicular collision I was involved in earlier this morning.

(Yup, I'm not kidding - why do people keep hitting me?!? I think my next car is going to be safety yellow fluorescent.)

Anyone up for a wager?

My yahoo email spam folder currently houses no messages - 5.47pm, EST, Monday, August 6th, 2007. How many messages will it contain at 3pm, EST, Friday, August 17th, 2007?

The person with the closest guess gets a Katy Trail t-shirt. Or a hat. Or maybe a sticker. A keychain? Magnet?

I haven't really come across much Katy Trail related merchandise in the Washington, D.C. suburbs. But I'm sure the commercialism of America won't let me down and there will be something available a little closer to the trail. I will pick up something special there. And if no one answers, I will keep the item. So you know it'll be something good enough that I'm willing to keep.

Be excellent to each other.

Hasta la vista!

CC beats BB

2007-08-03T14:40:00.000-04:00

... any day of the week and twice on Sundays!

My disillusionment with the famed electronics super store Bogus Buy began several years ago. I purchased the Family Guy 3 ("Victory shall be mine!") DVD for myself, and then received it as a gift shortly thereafter. Naive American Shopper I was, I thought, "no problem. The copy I bought is still in the plastic wrap. I have the receipt. I can return it."

Yea, right.
Bogus Buy would not take the damn thing back. ... Despite my best attempts at reason; despite my prettiest smile; despite having my original sale's receipt in my hot little hand; despite still being shrink-wrapped in that Kevlar-spiderweb-forcefield creation.

The betrayal didn't even end there! Blake had difficulty exchanging a faulty camcorder. My colleague was given the run-around when she tried to take back a TV that didn't work right out of the box. The list goes on.
(OK, it really doesn't - that's pretty much all the instances of which I am aware. But they're all big deals, man!)

When it came time for me to replace my cell phone, I was decidedly against patronizing Bogus Buy. So I did a fancy little web search and, whaddaya know, was able to buy the phone online for in store pickup at Cycle Center, and save $15 to boot!

But ... the story does not end there.

The phone didn't quite perform to my high standards. I know I can be picky, and I'm sure these things wouldn't bother some people, but I noted a few minor dysfunctions. A short list: the R/4 key on the inner keyboard didn't work; the connection cut out in the middle of conversations, even when the signal strength was high; only one of the two screens displayed data; the camera didn't actually take a picture, but shot me an error message instead. Admittedly, these are small things, but they are important to me.

So I trotted back to Cycle Center and .... (here's the kicker ...)
was able to ... (are you sitting down? ...)
walk out of the store with a phone that worked to my satisfaction!

I *heart* Circui-- I mean, Cycle Center!

Monica's Pop Quiz

2007-07-13T09:17:00.000-04:00

What do WE have in common with Harry Potter?
We all wear glasses.
We all sported the bowl haircut with too-long bangs as pre-teens.

Hmmm, too difficult? OK, try this: Name the 3 houses (ala Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin) of St. Winifred's School. Extra credit: What were their colors? Extra extra credit: Which one did we belong to?
Burton - pink
Sealy - green
Innis - blue

[I think that the extra credit and extra extra credit questions should be reversed. I easily remembered that we were in Burton, which was pink. But I have trouble coming up with the others. Also, I really think there were four houses. There were four colors for the primary school uniforms - pink, green, yellow and blue. Aren't there also four houses at Hogwarts? I'm gonna look that one up - its not cheating...
... Yes, there are! You forgot Hufflepuff!]

I'm adding a fourth Winifred's house guess:
Willahamena - yellow

Do you remember how our house leader - I can't remember her name now, but she was old and wrinkly and she wore mu-mus - called my name? Mah-ree-sah Bah-reeeng-ton.

One of the things I like about Harry Potter is reminiscing about St. Winifred's. The prefects, the houses, the creepy portraits in the assembly hall with eyes that followed you. I remember that Burton house pretty much sucked at sports, but was heavy on the brainiacs. Like Monica. Monica won, like, fifty points for the house, and a white bicycle (which was later handed down to me) for an essay she wrote. I think it was published in the newspaper or something. I was jealous.

All About Me!

2007-07-06T15:44:00.000-04:00

All About Me Survey

Take This Survey at Quizopolis.com

I Am

An Arms Dealer

I Want

to be in a hammock on a beach

I Have

two ears

I Wish

I was on vacation

I Hate

less than I love

I Fear

regret

I Hear

music

I Search

people's eyes

I Wonder

Who Wrote The Book Of Love?

I Regret

some things

I Love

many

I Ache

sympathetically

I Always

persevere

I Usually

give

I Am Not

a mushroom

I Dance

when no one's watching

I Sing

often

I Never

say never

I Rarely

lack compassion

I Cry

at inopportune times

I Am Not Always

happy

I Lose

sunglasses

I'm Confused

by people

I Need

fresh air and sunlight

I Should

go to the beach

Take This Survey at Quizopolis.com

Fourth Festivities

2007-07-05T12:57:00.000-04:00

I watched the DC fireworks with Mom and Dad from the Iwo Jima Memorial in Arlington yesterday. It was a really great vantage point.
While playing catch, Dad and I saw EMS guys on bicycles. Pretty clever - although I'd hate to be the guy stuck carrying the oxygen tank.
I think its great that so many people came out: families, couples, singles, groups of friends. There's an amazing feeling of solidarity that comes over you when you sit with a group of people and celebrate something together.

Oh yea - I also had, like, six bites of banana!
(I don't like it yet.)

Come, Mr. Tally-Man

2007-07-01T13:35:00.000-04:00

I ate three whole bites of banana today! Mom said "two bites" but I got one whole extra bite down.

It wasn't great, but I didn't throw up, spontaneously combust, or die.

Maybe next time I'll make it to four!

Muttering 229

2007-06-25T10:50:00.001-04:00

I haven't done one of these for awhile. I'm having difficulty finding inspiration lately. Any advice?

1. Compulsion
2. Spiritual
3. Spray
4. Compatibility
5. Pursuit
6. Fake
7. Mobile
8. Ceremony
9. Ribbons
10. Mozart

1. Compulsion - propulsion
2. Spiritual - journey
3. Spray - air
4. Compatibility - profile
5. Pursuit - of Happyness (why haven't I seen this movie yet?)
6. Fake - mustache
7. Mobile - phone
8. Ceremony - burial
9. Ribbons - knots
10. Mozart - requiem

Happy Solstice!

2007-06-21T08:33:00.000-04:00

Yay, Royals!

2007-06-11T11:48:00.000-04:00

My softball team played our first games yesterday - a double header.
We lost the first game 4-2, but won the second 10-1. Yay!!

I played second base, and did OK.
Offensively, I got to base all three times I was up to bat, but two of those times I was walked.

It was a great day to be outside, and I had a lot of fun!
Thanks, mom and dad, for coming out! (And for the post-game ice cream!) :)

Three Word Answers

2007-06-01T09:12:00.000-04:00

1. Where is your cell phone?
Charging beside me

2. Boyfriend/girlfriend?
telephone. pencil. wheel.

3. Hair?
growing, growing, gone

4. Your mother?
wise, beautiful, supportive

5. Your father?
wise, funny, strong

6. Your favorite item(s)?
bed, fresh air

7. Your dream last night?
bookstore then theatre

8. Your favorite drink?
What’s the occasion?

9. Your dream guy/girl?
tolerant, funny, relaxed

10. The room you are in?
infectious disease lab

11. Your fear?
changes pretty often

12. What do you want to be in 10 years?
a decade wiser

13. Who did you hang out with last night?
Softball team, Becca

14. What are you not?
skinny, Hawaiian, avocado

15. Are you in love?
with myself? Yes!

16. One of your wish list items?
trip to beach

17. What time is it?
eleven seventeen, yo

18. The last thing you did?
scratched my foot

19. What are you wearing?
slacks, shirt, jacket

20. Your favorite book?
The Enchanted Wood

21. The last thing you ate?
bowl of cereal

22. Your life?
often in transition

23. Your mood?
ebbs and flows

24. Your friends?
loyal, low key

25. What are you thinking about right now?
need to pee

26. Your car?
not really mine

27. What are you doing at this moment?
this meme – duh!

28. Your summer?
Missouri bike trip?

29. Your relationship status?
I have relationships.

30. What is on your TV screen?
Could be anything

31. When is the last time you laughed?
probably at Blake

32. Last time you cried?
grocery store Wednesday

33. School?
writing personal statement

34. Why did this end so abruptly?
That was abrupt?

What I Accomplished Today

2007-05-30T16:07:00.001-04:00

Locations west of the Greenwich Meridian will experience a blue moon this year in May. Locations on and east of the GM* will experience it in June.
*Auckland, New Zealand, as well as other locations on GMT +12, though east of the Greenwich Meridian, will experience it in July.

For more information, you may consult this table, courtesy of Obliquity:

City	Time zone	Full Moon 1	Full Moon 2	Full Moon 3	Full Moon 4
Places East of Greenwich
Auckland	GMT + 12 hours	May 2 22:09	June 1 13:04	July 1 01:49	July 30 12:48
Sydney	GMT + 10 hours	May 2 20:09	June 1 11:04	June 30 23:49	July 30 10:48
Tokyo	GMT + 9 hours	May 2 19:09	June 1 10:04	June 30 22:49	July 30 09:48
Moscow¹	GMT + 4 hours	May 2 14:09	June 1 05:04	June 30 17:49	July 30 04:48
Riyadh	GMT + 3 hours	May 2 13:09	June 1 04:04	June 30 16:49	July 30 03:48
The Greenwich Meridian
London¹	GMT + 1 hour	May 2 11:09	June 1 02:04	June 30 14:49	July 30 01:48
Places West of Greenwich
New York¹	GMT - 4 hours	May 2 06:09	May 31 21:04	June 30 09:49	July 29 20:48
Chicago¹	GMT - 5 hours	May 2 05:09	May 31 20:04	June 30 08:49	July 29 19:48
Los Angeles¹	GMT - 7 hours	May 2 03:09	May 31 18:04	June 30 06:49	July 29 17:48
Anchorage, Alaska¹	GMT - 8 hours	May 2 02:09	May 31 17:04	June 30 05:49	July 29 16:48
Hawaii	GMT - 10 hours	May 2 00:09	May 31 15:04	June 30 03:49	July 29 14:48
¹ These places observe daylight saving time in May, June and July. Bonus points if you knew there was a blue moon this/next/next-next month. Super extra bonus points if you remember the astronomical definition of obliquity. Get Out Of My Head if, when you see "Greenwich", you think "sandwich" . . . . . . . . . (or "sammich").

New Report Strategy

2007-05-03T11:39:00.000-04:00

My most productive meeting yesterday was an impromptu brainstorming/bitching-and-venting session that arose between myself, D, and N, who heads the Build A Compliant Database project.

We concluded that we can gain significant speed and completion, while forfeiting an acceptable loss in accuracy, by running our summary numbers using numerology dice. Awesome!

Ten On Tuesday-or-Friday: Alone

2007-04-27T14:36:00.000-04:00

Top Ten Things That You Like To Do Alone:
watch a really moving movie
drive a long trip, sometimes
hike by the water, usually
um... bathroom activities
clean/pick-up/organize
master a new skill
dance like a fool
visit a cemetery
work/study
write

play here

Peace to Blacksburg

2007-04-17T13:21:00.000-04:00

My heart hurts for Virginia Tech students, faculty, alumni, and their families.
I pray that comfort and peace come to those in need, and that the campus finds and settles into a new normalcy.
God bless the Hokies.

Just Practicing

2007-04-12T09:11:00.000-04:00

No. no. NO. nO. n0. Nuh-uh. Nyet. Nein. La-a. No. Negative. Forget it. Not now. I don't think so. Not gonna happen. No thank you. No way. I decline. I refuse.

UM 218

2007-04-10T14:43:00.000-04:00

1. Freak -
2. Open -
3. Important -
4. Magnetism -
5. Lap -
6. Anything -
7. Match -
8. Father -
9. Idea -
10. Mirror -

1. Freak - on a leash
2. Open - and shut case
3. Important - business
4. Magnetism - north pole / south pole
5. Lap - dance
6. Anything - you can do I can do better (I really dislike that song!)
7. Match - point
8. Father - figure ( ... put your tiny hand in mine)
9. Idea - bright
10. Mirror - mirror on the wall

Tuesday Ten

2007-04-03T14:58:00.000-04:00

Ten Things I Love About Springtime:

picnics

open windows

spring cleaning

longer daylight hours

the warmth of the sun
wearing open-toed shoes
waking up to birds in the mornings

blooming plant life and vibrant colors
socializing - people everywhere come out of hibernation

the nights are perfect for cozying up with someone as you talk, laugh, and people watch

play here

Discombobulajigitty

2007-03-29T11:54:00.000-04:00

I have all these impedimenta floating around my existence like butterflies around a field of wildflowers. There are so many ... bland, colorful, teeny, large, mundane, exotic ... and every time I focus on one in an attempt to take control of it, it darts away, as others swoop in to block my ability to track its destination.

thoughts, plans, aspirations, unimportant but urgent minutia of daily living,

I'm not taking enough time for myself lately. I'm not seeking out and chasing down the things that are important to me. I haven't been being very good to my body, and its starting to wear on me. I'm embracing work, because it gives me an excuse to zone out and tabulate hard data. I'm accomplishing more, but feeling less consummate.

If Blake Jumped Off A Bridge

2007-03-26T14:51:00.000-04:00

I joined Facebook.

My purpose of this wasn't specifically to annoy and harass Blake, but it is an added perk. Apparently, although blogging is dorky, Facebook-ing is "networking", and thus deemed a worthy use of time. I'm so glad that Blake is around to keep me educated. Who knows what kind of 21st century faux-pas I might commit if not for his patient guidance.

Here I am. If you find yourself on the jungle gym, swing by and play.

UM 214 & 215

2007-03-23T11:38:00.000-04:00

A twofer!

1. Contribution ::
2. Ryan ::
3. Minimal ::
4. Cleansed ::
5. Centered ::
6. Arrow ::
7. Beyond ::
8. Execute ::
9. Intuition ::
10. Apology ::

1. San Francisco ::
2. Sadness ::
3. Spirits ::
4. Harriet ::
5. State ::
6. John ::
7. Offense ::
8. Timeless ::
9. Account ::
10. Refuse ::

1. Contribution :: 401(k)
2. Ryan :: C., my cousin
3. Minimal :: -ist
4. Cleansed :: baptised
5. Centered :: yoga
6. Arrow :: is a child, a parent is the bow that launches them
7. Beyond :: The Great -
8. Execute :: -tion
9. Intuition :: inner spirit
10. Apology :: insincere

1. San Francisco :: treat (ding, ding)
2. Sadness :: inconsolable
3. Spirits :: liquor
4. Harriet :: "Harriet! ... Harri-ette! ... Hard-hearted harbinger of haggis ..."
5. State :: of affairs
6. John :: 3.16
7. Offense :: basket
8. Timeless :: constant
9. Account :: narrative
10. Refuse :: trash

I'm Afraid. Very Afraid.

2007-03-19T15:54:00.000-04:00

Outlook Calendar request sent to me by Executive Assistant today at 1.14 pm:
Meeting - Marisa and CEO
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
9:00am - 10:00am
boardroom
(accept), (decline), or (reschedule)?

I, moments later:
(accept)

I, in e-mail to CEO, 2.14 pm:
Do I get any foresight on the subject of tomorrow's meeting?
What should I bring with me?

CEO, in reply e-mail, 2.54pm:
Just yourself. It will be great fun.

Spring Forward

2007-03-07T10:47:00.000-05:00

I don't know exactly why, but I'm really looking forward to daylight savings this year. I love the idea getting home from work before its dark outside. I'm done with winter. The dusting of snow today, though pretty, does nothing for me.

As a child, living in warm climates, I was always jealous of the "American" kids who got winter. They owned coats, wore mittens, made snow angels, drank steamy hot chocolate through chapped lips while sniffling their runny noses and beaming their rosy cheeks. Now, I reminisce with fondness about Christmases celebrated in shorts, school uniforms that didn't have a long-sleeved option, and getting out of the shower without having to slather on petroleum-grade moisturizer.

I should move to southern California.
Or maybe just get into and finish grad school, and find some company to send me to a warm climate abroad.

Feasting

2007-03-05T12:50:00.000-05:00

I may or may not keep up with this, depending on how inspirational I find the topics.

Appetizer
What does the color pink make you think of?
Elephants
Sorority girls

Soup
Name something you thought you had lost, but later found.
Friendship
The diamond earrings that I bought myself

Salad
In 3 words, describe this past week.
Better than last

Main Course
What are you obsessed with?
Life

Dessert
What kind of perfume or cologne do you like to wear?
Sensi, Giorgio Armani
Black, Kenneth Cole
Japanese Cherry Blossom, Bath & Body Works

Mutterings 212

2007-03-02T11:15:00.000-05:00

(A palindrome!) (... again)

1. Soldier ::
2. Lipton ::
3. Reason ::
4. Terms ::
5. Positive ::
6. Example ::
7. Legacy ::
8. Solo ::
9. Instrument ::
10. Later ::

I'm not really digging the words this week, but I've got to do something to keep me at my desk, or I think I might just explode out of my chair and frolic playfully in the gorgeous weather outside.

1. Soldier :: plastic toy
2. Lipton :: tea bag
3. Reason :: or rhyme
4. Terms :: of the contract
5. Positive :: ion
6. Example :: set an
7. Legacy :: children
8. Solo :: musical
9. Instrument :: of death
10. Later :: gator

51(ish) More Things

2007-02-27T15:13:00.000-05:00

51. Whenever I need to take a cup or plate from a stack (a la buffet style), I almost always “cut the deck” and take one from the middle. Never do I take the top or bottom one.
52. It surprises me that I haven’t outgrown my appreciation for bathroom humor.
53. It also surprises me that I have outgrown my enthusiasm for snow and winter. That makes me feel old.
54. Thinking about raising a kid scares me.
55. I used to think that I wasn't good at making decisions, but I'm coming to realize that actually, in the important decisions that I've had to make, I've known the "right" course of action, it just took me a long time to have the self-confidence to follow my heart.
56. I'm afraid of thunderstorms. The lightning I don't mind so much, and sometimes find it quite lovely to watch, but I hate those claps of thunder that come suddenly, loudly, and out of nowhere. They make me wake up with a start in the middle of the night.
57. I started this list awhile ago, and I think its interesting that a few of these points have already come up in blog posts I've since written. It makes me think that there are some things that I have a need to express, and if I miss one chance to do so, they still come out one way or another.
58. I really hate the word noo-kyoo-ler.
59. I often pick up rocks, shells, and assorted debris I come upon on walks and hikes.
60. I can be quite sentimental about physical things. I closely tie memories and feelings to the objects. I think this might not be normal among people who move around as much as I do.
61. I think it kind of surprises me sometimes when I realize that I actually do like myself quite a bit. I think I'm a pretty cool person.
62. But I'm still generally self-conscious about my appearance. I guess my body image could be better.
63. I generally shun fast food, but I used to really go ga-ga for the McRib sandwich. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that.
64. I'm a certified scuba diver. The last dive I did was almost two years ago in a pretty disappointing quarry in the boonies of western Northern Virginia. The last good diving I did was over Christmas break 96/97. It makes me sad to realize that that was ten years ago. Its something that I really, really enjoy. Really.
65. I often have very vivid, sometimes disturbing dreams. I wish I could derive helpful meaning from them.
66. I believe I have seen, heard and felt supernatural presences.
67. I really enjoy amusement parks and roller coasters.
68. One of the worst sunburns I ever got was the weekend before my high school senior prom. I fell asleep with my hands behind my head and got pretty badly burned on my fish-belly white stomach and sub-mammary area. It gave me a pretty bad case of sun poisoning. And I couldn't wear a bra for about two weeks.
69. I have fainted only once. I was riding a bike and my front tire aligned exactly with a sewer grate in the road, causing it to fall in and the bike to flip. Coming to, I had the sensation that my alarm clock was going off, and I really didn't want to wake up. When I opened my eyes and saw the stars in the night sky, something registered as a bit odd.
70. The only time I've worn a cast was when I severely sprained/broke the four fingers of my left hand. The front tire of my bike got caught in a groove in the road and I wasn't able to maneuver out of it.
71. I do not currently own a road bike because riding on the skinny tires makes me feel a bit out of control.
72. I have never roller-bladed.
73. I enjoy acting in plays, but haven't done so since college. I keep thinking that I should get involved with a community theatre group.
74. I also enjoy singing, but am more comfortable doing so as part of a group than solo.
75. I don't like most condiments, including: mayonnaise, mustard, raw onions, pickles, tomatoes, sour cream, and salad dressing.
76. I have a sweet tooth.
77. I really like ethnic foods.
78. I also play with my food a lot. I don't realize how much I do this until I dine with someone and try to behave myself.
79. Its usually pretty easy to make me laugh.
80. I seek attention and take it very personally when I feel ignored.
81. I don't blush often, but when I do, I go all the way -- bright red! Last time I blushed was July last year. I made a really stupid and somewhat inconvenient mistake in front of someone I liked. The time before that was October two years ago. My coworkers took me out for lunch on my birthday, and they had the waiters sing me Happy Birthday, complete with straw sombrero and jiggly, single-candled flan.
82. I'm quite a good shot with a handgun and with a BB gun. I don't know why, but I'm proud of this.
83. I tend to be impetuous in thought and conservative in action.
84. "Fruit-on-the-bottom" yogurt grosses me out. It never mixes completely, and so you end up eating alternating spoonfuls of plain yogurt (ugh!) and ultra sweet gloppy-dairy-jam food product.
85. I pee in the ocean (often), (occasionally) in pools, and (sometimes) in the shower. But (almost) never if someone else is in the shower with me.
86. I enjoy coloring.
87. I wish I had room to set up my little keyboard so that it would be more convenient for me to play piano.
88. I have been in a: hurricane, tornado, flood, earthquake, fire.
89. I have never seen a glacier or a lava flow.
90. I have not seen most "classic" movies, including: The Godfather(s), Casablanca, Gone With the Wind, and Weekend at Bernie's.
91. I hate looking through a dusty computer or tv screen.
92. Dusting and vacuuming are probably my favorite household chores. I also like folding laundry - which I do quite well.
93. I learned how to fold laundry, including underwear, from watching our maid in El Salvador.
94. I don't fold my underwear anymore.
95. I think that people who haven't lived overseas get an inaccurate impression of my family if I mention that we had a maid.
95. I have an obnoxious/annoying streak.
97. Most people don't "get" me.
98. I'm not very comfortable wearing clothes that show a lot of skin. I think this is because I spent time in the middle east.
99. One of the hardest adjustments I had when I lived in Cairo was learning not to make eye contact with people. I generally look people in the eye and smile when I meet them or talk with them. This made local people very uncomfortable.
100. Wow! I got to -- and past -- 100. Guess that means I can delete some!
(this was #105 before I went back and censored myself.) :)
101. I like bread pudding. But I also think its kinda gross.

Alms for the Sore

2007-02-23T13:51:00.000-05:00

My friend Brian is swimbikerunning a half-Ironman triathlon to raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. A half Ironman tri is comprised of a 1.2 mile swim, 56 mile bike ride, and 13.1 mile run. Seventy-point-three miles of heart-pumping, sweat-dripping, muscle-cramping goodness. Yee-ha!

He's almost halfway to his goal of $4400, which I think is pretty cool.

Please consider throwing a couple bucks his way. I determined that one dollar donated karmically negates one minute of self-indulgent or health-jeopardizing behavior.

Y'know what they say .... those who can't do, donate.

Click on the logo to link to his fund-raising page.

(PS - If you click the link, you can find out his real, live, mother-given Beach-Boyeriffic name. And once you access the site, you can make a donation. And when you make the donation, you can add snarky comments about his name.)

(Please note that I am not condoning such juvenile behavior.)

(I'm just presenting it as an option.)

Mutterings 211

2007-02-19T10:39:00.000-05:00

1. Threshold ::
2. Jason ::
3. Suspicion ::
4. Tender ::
5. Tempted ::
6. Crimson ::
7. Repulsive ::
8. Bulldog ::
9. Garage ::
10. Racket ::

1. Threshold :: of activation
2. Jason :: and the Argonauts
3. Suspicion :: is usually founded
4. Tender :: love me
5. Tempted :: by you
6. Crimson :: blood (stained the wall, making morbid art)
7. Repulsive :: vomit
8. Bulldog :: Marine Corps
9. Garage :: storage
10. Racket :: ball

You're never fully dressed without a smi-- ...er, helmet.

Jeune Fille Se Defendant Contre L'amour

2007-02-14T13:29:00.000-05:00

-William Bouguereau

Happy heart day!

I am playing hooky from work. I'm wearing warm fleecy lounge clothes, and I've lit a fire and some candles. I'm alternating reading my book with shoveling the sidewalks. Later, I shall walk and play with the huskies in the snow. After that, I plan to take a warm, sudsy bath.

Life is pretty good.

Friday Five Follow-up

2007-02-11T19:25:00.000-05:00

A more thorough answer to question #2:

What Color Crayon Are You?
Take this quiz!

You are Ocean Blue

You're both warm and practical. You're very driven, but you're also very well rounded.
You tend to see both sides to every issue, and people consider you a natural diplomat.

What Color Blue Are You?

Friday Five : Color the World

2007-02-09T12:48:00.000-05:00

1. If you were a crayon, which color would you want to be?
I think that fancy "indigo," deep, not-quite-blue-not-quite-purple color. Second choice is bright emerald green. The color of Irish eyes. And of the tropical rain forest.

2. Which color do you think you would be regardless of what you wanted?
Huh?

3. Would you rather be used and get blunt, broken and lose your wrapper, or not be used and stay pristine?
To be lovingly used. Blunted down, but resharpened. My wrapper torn off a bit at a time, when necessary to reveal more crayon. And tucked in the box at the end of the day, not abandoned to get stepped on, or melted, or lost. Phhbbblt on pristine.

4. Would you rather be in a small set of crayons or a large set?
Large set. I like the variety of colors.

5. Would you rather be Crayola, or a different brand?
I don't especially care what my brand name is, but I want to be high quality and smooth. Not too waxy, not too scratchy. Juuuust right.

click on the picture to see other people's answers

Royal Gametes, Batman!

2007-02-06T17:36:00.000-05:00

One of my colleagues was called out of the country unexpectedly, so I am taking over for him in the lab. The last time this happened, I got to take his place at our satellite lab in sunny southern California. In January. And I got to drive his rental car - an awesome red convertible.

No such luck this time 'round. I'm still in northern Virginia. No beach. No 70 degree weather. No sporty Solara.

But I did get to spend the day in the lab, where I worked with the sperm of a real, live prince! Under the microscope, it looked much the same as all the other sperm I work with. Although, I almost thought I saw some of the cells holding tiny, jewelled scepters.

Mutterings 209

2007-02-05T11:18:00.000-05:00

1. Plaster ::
2. Cabbage ::
3. Jazz ::
4. Darts ::
5. Poke ::
6. Bribe ::
7. Whale ::
8. Receipt ::
9. Answer ::
10. Dentist ::

1. Plaster :: of paris
2. Cabbage :: pH indicator
3. Jazz :: saxaphone
4. Darts :: bullseye
5. Poke :: -y little puppy
6. Bribe :: bakshish
7. Whale :: of a tale
8. Receipt :: of goods
9. Answer :: question
10. Dentist :: appointment (I really need to make one)

Friday Five Follow-up

2007-02-03T12:42:00.000-05:00

I found some old photos of my 3-year-old self choring with grandad. Unfortunately, he isn't in any of these shots. But I'm glad I clearly remember the day I spent "helping" him.

Nothing runs like a Deere

Damn - I'm cute!

Walk softly [wearing hideously-printed pants, faux-fur and polyester mittens] and carry a big stick.

It's interesting that this photo of me playing with Blake is dated 3/82, considering that he wasn't born until a month later. Maybe we borrowed a baby to help acclimate me to Blake's upcoming arrival. That must be it.

Friday Five: Firsts

2007-02-02T12:53:00.000-05:00

(Just for the record, I wrote a funny post yesterday, but Blogger ate it.)

1. What was your first job?
Off the books - babysitting in El Salvador.
That Uncle Sam took a cut of - Embassy summer hire in the Procurement Department at USAID/Cairo.
2. Do you remember your first crush?
Sam in 7th grade. We "dated" (which, in 7th grade, meant we regularly ate lunch sitting next to each other) until we were evacuated from the country. I saw him three years later. He was a jerk. I was disappointed.
3. What is the first thing you do in the morning?
Get out of bed, duh!
Then pee.
4. What is your first memory?
I remember bits and pieces of staying at my grandparents' house for about a month when I was 3. My parents whisked me off to Nairobi shortly after I was born, so when we returned to the States, my grandparents were eager to interact with me. I think my parents drove the whole fam up to Missouri sometime around my birthday in October, and when they drove back to Virginia, I got to stay behind and hang out with grandma and grandad until Thanksgiving, when we were all getting together again. I remember "choring" with my grandad, who raised hogs at the time. I was a super big help. I got to thwack the huge boars on the butt to get 'em to go in the pen.
I also remember playing with infant-Blake in the Alexandria house. Mom would put him in his baby seat on top of the kitchen table after dinner, and I'd play peek-a-boo with him. He would chuckle and laugh a deep belly laugh.
I know I listed two memories, but I hate passing up a good opportunity to mention Blake in my posts.
5. Where is the first place you visited on the net today?
The uber-ridiculous electronic timesheet that my division started using to clock our attendance. CEO got sick of people complaining that "so-and-so is always late" or "that person always leaves early" so he's making us do this now. So stupid!! Obviously, the people who were complaining didn't have siblings growing up. Anyone who did knows that trying to get other people in trouble often ends up biting you in the ass.

others are playing here

I'm a Star!

2007-01-30T13:34:00.000-05:00

(or at least the recipient of one.)

Monica's Pop Quiz

2007-01-29T14:20:00.000-05:00

(Note that this is a pop quiz that I got from Monica's blog, not a quiz regarding Monica's pop. I just wanted to clarify that.) Even mom has this done, so I figured I'd jump on the bandwagon.

When was the last time you went to the bathroom outside?
I think mid-September. I was hiking around on the Billy Goat Trail when nature called.

Which family member do you most resemble?
I dunno. Anyone else want to answer this one?
I saw a picture of my great-(maternal)-grandmother, and it really seemed to look like me aged about 60 years. As a child, I was told that I look like my father. Blake and I look like each other, and Blake definitely looks like our father.

When was the last time you tripped and fell?
Last night! :( I was walking down the (carpeted) stairs wearing socks, carrying some boxes - a big one to take out to the curb to throw away, and a small one with my new salt lamp inside. Somehow I slipped on the step and slid down the bottom two or three. Both boxes fell out of my hands, and I landed pretty hard on my hip/side. It hurt. My right upper arm scraped the railing pretty good, and I'm quite sure I will have developed a gorgeous bruise by this evening. Maybe I will post it! I can't be worse than Monica's dead pigeon!

What are you listening to right now?
Soul 2 Squeeze by the Red Hot Chili Peppers on the radio.

Which would you rather do: rake the leaves, or mow the lawn?
It depends.
What kind of lawn mower do I have?
How big is the yard?
When was the last time each was done?
Do I also have to bag the leaves/grass clippings, or only rake/mow?
What's the weather condition outside?

What is the last thing you downloaded onto your computer?
The program that allows me to access our work server from home.

When was the last time you swam in a pool?
Tomorrow.

Have you ever been in a school play?
Yes. Many.

How many kids do you want?
0, 2 or 3.

Which type of music you dislike most?
Twangy country or angry rap. Or uber-soprano screeching a la Celine Dion/Mariah Carey.

Are you registered to vote?
Yes. But I will admit that I do not regularly exercise my privilege.

Do you have cable?
Only for broadband internet. Not for TV.

Have you ever prank called anybody?
Yes. But not since we called 911 at the Kramers' house and got S in trouble.

What's your favorite comic strip?
Calvin and Hobbes.

Bath or shower?
Bath to relax. Shower to get clean.

Best movie you've seen in the past two weeks?
I think The Recruit is the only movie I've seen in the last two weeks.

Best pizza topping?
Cheeeeeese. Or ham and pineapple.

Peanuts or popcorn?
Popcorn.

Ever order anything from an infomercial?
Actually, yes - the Time-Life Classic Country Great Story Songs CDs in the dark days before the world wide web. It was a gift.

Sprite or 7-Up?
Whatever's cold. I prefer 7-Up though. I find it drier and less sweet.

Ever had to wear a uniform to work/school?
Yes and yes.

Ever thrown up in public?
Yup.

Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love?
Do I get to keep the true love for ever and ever? If so, then that. If not, I'll take the money.

Do you believe in love at first sight?
I think it depends on what your definition of "love" is.

What do you think about most?
My life. What I want and how to get it. And my family and very close friends.

RANDOM QUESTIONS:
(Because the previous ones were somehow structured?)

Name something purple within 5 feet of you:
Fluorescent hi-lighter.

What is the sexiest item of clothing you own?
My skin. Sexy is as sexy does.

Is your hair long enough to chew on?
Yes. For now. I've really been toying with the idea of cutting it quite short.

What's your least favorite color?
Yellow.

Did you have a good weekend?
Yes I did. A very good weekend.

How is today going for you?
OK. Its work. My friend Kiran may stop by for lunch, if she is able to finish some reading for class before I get too hungry to wait any longer.

Do you have any plans for tonight?
Clean my room :)
Perhaps tackle the pile of papers threatening to topple off my desk-top.
Pack my stuff for swimming tomorrow :)
Watch "24" with Blake, who is trying to get someone else hooked on it.

Have you ever photographed something that was dead?
Not that I recall. But I'll keep you posted if anything comes to mind.

Name your most recent purchase:
Grande skim mocha this morning.

Friday Five

2007-01-26T10:11:00.000-05:00

I haven't forgotten Monica's pop quiz. Its in the works. But meanwhile...

1. Would you rather have a fun job that doesn't pay well or a boring job that does?
As long as there are other circumstances at the boring job that make it bearable, I'd take the money. I don't have an expectation that work will be fun, I do it to pay the bills.
2. Would you sacrifice your morals for a job?
No. I love what a friend of mine said about a job that she quit: "I would live in a box on the street before I went back to work at that place." And I thoroughly believed that she meant it.
3. Would you ever take a job that requires you to be in costume?
Y'mean like scrubs, or a lifeguard suit and whistle, or "business attire"?
4. What is your fantasy job?
World traveller. Muse extraordinaire. Observer of life. Follower of the heart.
5. Would you like fries with that?
Sometimes.

what other people said

Drained

2007-01-25T16:37:00.000-05:00

I am so worn out!
This week has been absolutely hellacious at work. I finished up a big project today, so I'm hoping that things will calm down at least a little. I'm still going to have full, long days until we get a couple reports out in mid-May, but hopefully I'll have respite from the long days I've been pulling. I came in for ten hours on Sunday, had a regular day Monday, and then pulled back-to-back twelve hour days Tuesday and yesterday. I also got set up to be able to access our work server from my home computer, which means - joy of all joys - the fun doesn't have to end when I leave my office building. I can work on my data spreadsheets well after the moon rises. Yip!
I have a headache and am absolutely drained of intelligent thought. Last night, there were three of us who stuck around trying to get this thing out, and by the time we left, none of us were speaking in grammatically sound sentences.
Bleghpphjjdt!

In better news, though, I'm looking forward to a good weekend.
I'm leaving work early tomorrow to meet with Johns Hopkins School of Public Health admissions people. And if I'm lucky, Marianne will be in the Baltimore area, and will be able to play with me! On Sunday, I'm going to a party for Becca. And on Tuesday, I'm swimming with the Fairfax Masters team again. All I gotta do is make it through the rest of today and tomorrow morning.

Keep on truckin', keep on truckin'...
I think I can, I think I can ...

Be Prepared

2007-01-23T11:36:00.000-05:00

Men take pride in a basic, bodily emission, which, because this is a family [column], I will refer to by its technical name, "making a tooter." This is a popular thing to do whenever males gather together. As a youth I was a Boy Scout, and while I know that scouting is a fine activity that has taught countless young men important leadership and character-building skills, the major activity in my particular troop was slicing the Muenster. We'd go on a camping trip, and for dinner we'd consume huge quantities of Campbell's brand Pork 'n' Mainly Beans, and by nightfall the hills were alive with the sound of tooting. Eventually the entire area would be blanketed by a giant mushroom cloud of Boy Scout gas that caused flocks of migrating geese to reverse course ("Turn back! We're spending the winter in Canada!").
-Dave Barry

I Guess I Should

2007-01-18T22:04:00.000-05:00

I was going to post something about this shortly after the turn of the year. I had it all written out, but I couldn't make it sound quite right. So I just deleted it.

Sometime during that first week in January, I was working at the computer. I was feeling somber and mellow, and had an appropriate mix of songs cycling through Napster. A song came on that I'd heard many times before, but the lyrics really struck me on that day.

A Long December
-Counting Crows

A long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can't remember the last thing that you said as you were leavin'
Now the days go by so fast

And it's one more day up in the canyons
And it's one more night in Hollywood
If you think that I could be forgiven... I wish you would

The smell of hospitals in winter
And the feeling that it's all a lot of oysters, but no pearls
All at once you look across a crowded room
To see the way that light attaches to a girl

And it's one more day up in the canyons
And it's one more night in Hollywood
If you think you might come to California... I think you should

Drove up to Hillside Manor sometime after two a.m.
And talked a little while about the year
I guess the winter makes you laugh a little slower,
Makes you talk a little lower about the things you could not show her

And it's been a long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can't remember all the times I tried to tell my myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass

And it's one more day up in the canyon
And it's one more night in Hollywood
It's been so long since I've seen the ocean
... I guess I should

I had a hardish day on Friday the 19th. I was going out of town, and I was feeling stressed out and worn down and overwhelmed and generally out of control. I was having trouble getting a handle on myself, and sometimes when that happens, I find that taking a steamy shower helps me calm down and focus and sort things out. During that shower, I had an epiphany of sorts. The thoughts running amok in my mind included this song, and my profile pic, and the beach.

When I was going to post this earlier, I still had the title as "I guess I should", but I had more of a dreamy/fantasy/wishful feeling about it. During this shower, I decided that "I guess I should" is going to become a resolution to myself.

I Will Go To The Beach This Year.
I Promise.

I feel happier. It was a good shower.

UM 206

2007-01-17T11:55:00.000-05:00

1. Episode ::
2. Source ::
3. Jerk ::
4. Introduce ::
5. Ralph ::
6. Stare ::
7. Cast ::
8. Scenario ::
9. Flu ::
10. Mad ::

1. Episode :: Psychotic
2. Source :: Document
3. Jerk :: Knee
4. Introduce :: the Variable
5. Ralph :: Calvin (my grandad!)
6. Stare :: Blank
7. Cast :: Playlist
8. Scenario :: Dark
9. Flu :: Virus
10. Mad :: Cow

Doubblle Letterrs

2007-01-16T12:39:00.000-05:00

I have expressed before my frustration with what I feel is an abundance of superfluous double letters in the English language.

No estan utilizados otros idiomas. ¿Por qué en inglés?

This frustration is compounded when I work with and correct spreadsheet data from a coworker who uses double letters effusively. Two of the most annoying instances:
hemophillia and
possitive home pregnancy test.

Grrrrrrr!

One Up, One Down

2007-01-11T10:51:00.000-05:00

I did something last night for which I am very proud of myself! :D

Unfortunately, I also did something which has me disappointed in myself.

It kinda sucks that the two seem to cancel each other out, and I can't extract the appropriate joy from the thing that I did well.

I suppose that I would rather dance around, forward-back-forward-back, than remain stagnant. At least I am moving. Even if it is only in circles.

And today is a new day to excel.

Be Heard!

2007-01-09T21:17:00.000-05:00

Exercise your right to vote!
It will make you a better person!
(Or at least, it will make me happy!)

I've been playing around updating my template, and have been looking for a new pic to use in my profile. Unfortunately, I don't like many of the pictures taken of me. After much toil, I have narrowed the field to four.

Lemme know what ya think...

to vote for Marisa on the beach,
text *OSHUN

to vote for Marisa cropped out of a family photo at Blake's graduation,
text *RATGRAD

to vote for Marisa gussied up at Monica's wedding,
text *{whi-stle}
(... you know, the one that goes FWET-fweu)

and finally, to vote for Marisa two Christmasses ago,
text *SANTABABY

Thanks for playing!
:)

Retrospection

2007-01-04T16:44:00.000-05:00

1. What did you do this year that you've never done before?
Bikram yoga

2. Did you keep your new year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
I don’t really make any. I have goals, but I don't really think of them as New Year's Resolutions.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth this year?
No.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
No. The only person I can think of is Dave P. from MCC.

5. What countries did you visit this year?
Sadly, only this one. I intend for that to not be the case when I look back next year.

6. What would you like to have in the next year that you lacked this year?
A stronger self-awareness and a rekindling of my stubborn side.

7. What date from this year will remain etched upon your memory - and why?
April 1st. I heard a funny joke.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Making it through. I had a year of small victories.
(Also, I took the GRE.)

9. What was your biggest failure of the year?
*sigh*
I'm unhappy that, after being given a post-op all clear, I haven't lost all the weight I gained on bed rest. I don't especially like being "festively plump".

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Just emotional unrest.
NO MAJOR CAR ACCIDENTS!! WOO-HOOOOO!!

11. What was the best thing you bought this year?
I guess my super-awesome backpacking pack.
Second would be the ring I gave myself for my birthday.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration (a public or private personality)?
My own! :)

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
I can't think of any behaviors that appalled or depressed me. I guess I have pretty low expectations when it comes to the behavior of others.

14. Where did most of your money go this year?
Living expenses and some savings. Nothing extravagant.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about this year?
Hmmm ... really, really, really?
I got to see a great opera at an awesome venue with a friend with whom I hadn't interacted since high school.

16. What song will always remind you of this year?
Maybe Graceful & Charming. I don't know if it "will always remind me of this year", but I've thought a lot about it this year.

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
- happier or sadder? On the road to happiness. This brings me the frustrations and trials of overcoming obstacles that were not in my life a year ago, but I have a greater sense of being "on the right path".
- richer or poorer? Slightly richer, I suppose. My income increased a bit, and my expenses remained relatively unchanged.
- thinner or fatter? Slightly thinner.

18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Things that bring a smile to my face. Meaning that, if I were to list "things that I know bring a smile to my face", I didn't do very many things on that list -- things that I know help me find happiness and peace.

19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Felt a need to cry. I cried a lot in 2006. And many times when I wished it would wait until a more convenient time.

20. How did you spend the holidays?
Working :( :(
I don't really understand how it is that, with 4 people to cover 6 shifts on 3 holiday weekend/day blocks, I worked all three, but somehow that's the way the cookie crumbled this year. I guess I didn't mind terribly, however. I still partook in my share of celebration.

21. Did you fall in love this year?
Yes.

22. How many one-night stands did you have this year?
Not a-one. (I never before realized that this was a standard by which to assess the year.)

23. What was your favorite TV program for the year?
I can't really think of one. I don't watch a whole lotta TV.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No. In fact, I can't think of anyone at all whom I "hate".

25. What was the best book you read this year?
Most enjoyable was probably My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult.
Most helpful was How To Be An Adult by David Richo (I'm still reading this one. It seems that "psychological and spiritual integration" is most helpful in small doses.)

26. What was your favorite film of the year?
Nothing comes to mind.

27. How would you describe your personal fashion concept this year?
I developed a (sparse) work wardrobe after my daily job duties took me out of the lab, and so, out of scrubs. My personal wardrobe hasn't changed much and isn't all that terribly exciting. Wearing clothes now isn't as fun as it was when I was skinny.

28. Whom did you miss this year?
Jeni, whom I haven't seen in a few years; and Marianne, with whom I don't get to play nearly enough!

29. Who was the best new person you met this year?
Ken the Mexican. He's a cool guy.

30. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned for this year.
Structure that cradles is comforting, and makes us feel secure.
Structure that contains is oppressive, and makes us feel rebellious.

UM 202

2006-12-19T10:34:00.000-05:00

(a palindrome!)

Hardball ::
Sleepless ::
Graduation ::
Presents ::
Toe ::
Lotion ::
Snicker ::
Eve ::
Investment ::
Pain ::

Hardball :: financial negotiations
Sleepless :: in Seattle
Graduation :: cap and tassel
Presents :: ribbons and bows
Toe :: stub
Lotion :: "it rubs the lotion on its skin ... "
Snicker :: -s candy bar
Eve :: Adam
Investment :: portfolio
Pain :: broken heart

Oh, Say! Can You See?

2006-12-13T11:41:00.000-05:00

The overcast skies in the DC area today are supposed to continue through the night, but hopefully people in other areas will be able to see the meteor shower.

Its been a fantasy of mine to lay in a wide open, secluded place with no artificial light and watch a meteor shower. I imagine myself in a desert or maybe on a beach. I'm laying on blankets or a sleeping bag, and a special person is there with me. We have wine and snacks. The air is cool, and our embraces are warm.

I heart KMA

2006-12-11T16:28:00.000-05:00

Today's Super Awesome Award for Making Me Smile Out Of The Blue goes to ........
KMA!!!!

clap--clap--clap--clap--calp-dammit-i-mean-clap

Not only did she propose marriage to me, she called me "boobalicious" and threw in a reference to Flava of Love.
... All in the same day!!!

She rocks!

I don't know anyone else who would have accepted my challenge to a dessert-eating contest at the end of a working lunch in front of all our co-workers.
AND she's a Scorpio. And even has an awesome t-shirt that announces her as such.
In some ways, we are kindred spirits.
Except I don't have the t-shirt.

If we should ever again meet in person, my friend, I'm totally taking you out on a date. Stupid amounts of chocolate and ice cream and high-caloric, low-nutritive food will be involved.
Stupid, I tell you.
I know the way to your heart.

Gender and the F-Bomb

2006-12-07T16:22:00.000-05:00

I just came from a 30 minute meeting that started two hours ago.

My team is facing an accuracy-vs-timeliness dilemma. Data has been so sloppy for so long that, we have come to realize, it will take much longer than is practical for us to make everything perfect. So we're faced with making the data good enough quickly enough for us to actually benefit from it.

Understandably, CEO is unhappy to be told this.
"I'd better start brushing up my resume because I'm about to get fired. I've always known you assholes would cost me my job. And I'm not happy about it."

He used the a word, many derivatives of shit, and a few sonuvabitch-es without batting an eye. However, when he let an f-bomb slip, he genuinely apologized to K and I, the females in the room; mostly to me, as everyone who has had the pleasure of conversing with K for longer than five minutes has been subject to her prolific usage of the word. Not only did CEO apologize, he begged my forgiveness and did not sit down until I granted it.

When he left the meeting, he exited the room, turned around in the hallway, re-entered and addressed me, "I'm really sorry for my potty mouth earlier."

Why is it such a violation of social and professional graces to utter this word in mixed company, but less inappropriate to do so when interacting with men only?
Does it have anything to do with boobs?
long hair?
repressed issues of maternal psychopathology?

Mutterings 199

2006-12-01T10:41:00.000-05:00

No snappy intro, just the down and dirty...

rhyme ::
substantial ::
instant::
greed::
Brad::
season::
accomplished::
invite::
sparkle::
rainbow::

rhyme :: the seven seas of
substantial :: massive
instant :: breakfast (♪ Carnation instant breakfaaaaaast! Youregonnaloveitinaninstant!)
greed :: green
Brad :: Pitt (I'm so ashamed!)
season :: spice
accomplished :: resumé
invite :: disaster
sparkle :: eyes
rainbow :: leprechaun

Typhoid Mare-eesa

2006-11-28T10:58:00.000-05:00

It seems that after reading blogs of other people who have been sick, I too have succumbed to an infernal, tortuous viral coup.

I do not suffer illness stoically. I am whiny and annoying. I want my mommy. Or someone who will give me equally selfless and abundant TLC. I want to be in bed with lots of blankets. I want movies playing that I can drift in and out of without missing anything. I want soup and tea brought to my bedside, and the empty dishes to magically disappear. I want a glass of room temperature water that never empties. I want to rise from bed only to take a steamy shower and change into a new pair of jammies. And I want a warm dog curled up close to me, happy to lounge with me, even as I hack and wheeze.

Ogden gets it...

Go hang yourself, you old M.D,!
You shall not sneer at me.
Pick up your hat and stethoscope,
Go wash your mouth with laundry soap;
I contemplate a joy exquisite
In not paying you for your visit.
I did not call you to be told
My malady is a common cold.

By pounding brow and swollen lip;
By fever's hot and scaly grip;
By those two red redundant eyes
That weep like woeful April skies;
By racking snuffle, snort, and sniff;
By handkerchief after handkerchief;
This cold you wave away as naught
Is the damnedest cold man ever caught!

Give ear, you scientific fossil!
Here is the genuine Cold Colossal;
The Cold of which researchers dream,
The Perfect Cold, the Cold Supreme.
This honored system humbly holds
The Super-cold to end all colds;
The Cold Crusading for Democracy;
The Führer of the Streptococcracy.

Bacilli swarm within my portals
Such as were ne'er conceived by mortals,
But bred by scientists wise and hoary
In some Olympic laboratory;
Bacteria as large as mice,
With feet of fire and heads of ice
Who never interrupt for slumber
Their stamping elephantine rumba.

A common cold, gadzooks, forsooth!
Ah, yes. And Lincoln was jostled by Booth;
Don Juan was a budding gallant,
And Shakespeare's plays show signs of talent;
The Arctic winter is fairly coolish,
And your diagnosis is fairly foolish.
Oh what a derision history holds
For the man who belittled the Cold of Colds!

You should probably go wash your hands now.
I hear there's something going around.

Faux Paux

2006-11-21T11:36:00.000-05:00

I definitely suffer more from keeping silent than by speaking up, but every now and then, even I put my foot in my mouth. I have a co-worker, K, who is beyond manic. The thought crosses my mind at least twice a week to figure out a way to slip mood stabilizers into her system. And I generally have a pretty high tolerance for mania. (After all, I live with myself!)

K, in her crazy-hyper-angry state, mentioned that she wants to take a trip to Paris. But she doesn't really want to go to Paris. She just wants the money to go to Paris. Because she really wants to go somewhere else. She doesn't like Paris. Even though she's never been there. She doesn't want to go though. Because, I mean, she's not in love or anything.

Because I was curious (and OK, maybe also the tiniest bit of an instigator) I asked her, "where would you go, K?"

"Amsterdam."

Another colleague who was present, D, exchanged an amused glance with me.

"Why Amsterdam?" I ask.

"Well ..... you know ....", she responds, prompting us, presumably regarding the drug culture.

"Is it for the tulips, K? Do you like tulips?" D stirs the pot.

I jump on the bandwagon and list everything that comes to mind regarding the Netherlands -
"clogs!"
"windmills!"
"cheese!"
"dike----"
--- I caught myself too late.

I really didn't mean it in the slang sense.
(But I do think its funny.)

Blake has been to the Netherlands.

I Sang to a Homeless Guy

2006-11-16T10:58:00.000-05:00

... because the voices told me to.
I thought about doing it because I'm cool like that, or because that's how I roll, but the white shirt needed to be ironed, and its so dreary outside that I decided against the black one.

I picked this up from Spinning Girl. She's a scorpio.

1) Your birth month:
January--I kicked
February--I loved
March--I smoked
April--I dry humped
May--I choked on
June--I murdered
July--I did the Macarena with
August--I had lunch with
September--I danced with
October--I sang to
November--I yelled at
December--I ran over

2) Your birth date:
1-------a birdbath
2-------a monster
3-------a phone
4-------a fork
5-------a lunch-lady
6-------a gangster
7-------my cell phone
8-------my dog
9-------my best friends' boyfriend
10-------my neighbor
11-------my science teacher
12-------a banana
13-------a fireman
14-------a stuffed animal
15-------a goat
16-------a pickle
17-------your mom
18-------a spoon
19-------myself
20-------a baseball bat
21-------a ninja
22-------Chuck Norris
23-------a noodle
24-------a squirrel
25-------a football player
26-------my sister
27-------my brother
28-------an ipod
29-------a permanent marker
30-------a llama
31-------a homeless guy

and 3) the color of shirt you are wearing:
White----------because I'm cool like that.
Black-----------because that's how I roll.
Pink------------because I'm NOT a homosexual.
Red------------because the voices told me to.
Blue-----------because I'm sexy and I do what I want.
Green---------because I hate myself.
Purple---------because I'm cool.
Gray----------because I was drunk.
Yellow --------because someone offered me 1,000,000 dollars.
Orange-------because I hate my family.
Brown--------because I was high.
Other-------because I'm a ninja.
None--------because I can't control myself.

4) Now, put the sentence together.

Blake, by the way, dry humped an iPod, I'm guessing because he's sexy and he does what he wants. But it could be because he's cool like that. He should be glad he wasn't born on six days earlier!

Anyone else need to confess something?

Explorative Expedition

2006-11-06T15:18:00.000-05:00

I am off to Nepal.
The following e-mail exchange should explain it all.

From: CEO
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 1:59 PM
To: STAFF
Subject: Tennis

I am trying to develop a wellness program for the company. We have contracted with the unit at Affiliate Company that provides services in this area and will make an announcement on that in the near future. We are also trying to get some additional programs in place to promote exercise and physical fitness.

Our landlord, H&S, owns the tennis club that is located to the rear of the building. One of the ideas we have had is to try to see if we can get a set number of memberships at the club that could be used by Company employees. Before we make the request and before we try to push, I wanted to see what, if any, the level of interest would be. If interested, please send me an e-mail.

We are also going to try to get a group discount to Super Awesome 24h Gym With Locations Near Marisa’s Home and Office and Also Has a Swimming Pool.

I can't promise that we will be successful in these, but if we have buying power as a group it provides some leverage and is worth a try.

I would be open to other ideas as well.

Thanks,
CEO

From: Marisa
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:05 PM
To: CEO
Subject: RE: Tennis

I would absolutely love to get in on a group discount to Super Awesome 24h Gym With Locations Near Marisa’s Home and Office and Also Has a Swimming Pool.
The tennis ... not so much ... That fluorescent yellow ball just isn't big enough to withstand my frustrations!

Thank you!

((To tell the truth, I’m really not terribly well coordinated, and so have never been a big fan of sports in which small projectiles are launched in the direction of my body with great speed. But I don’t make a habit of sharing random weaknesses with my superiors. That honor is yours, dear blog-lings.))

From: CEO
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:07 PM
To: Marisa
Subject: RE: Tennis

We need to send you to a mountaintop in Nepal and let you get in touch with your inner spirit.

From: Marisa
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:25 PM
To: CEO
Subject: RE: Tennis

I’m game! Sadly, I have had trouble obtaining funding for the "finding myself" experiment. Apparently, getting in touch with your inner spirit doesn't pay very well. I don’t remember being advised of this in college.

From: CEO
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:25 PM
To: Marisa
Subject: RE: Tennis

If you are enough in touch you don't need money!

From: Marisa
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:26 PM
To: CEO
Subject: RE: Tennis

I tried to pay my loans using dreams and aspirations, but the payments were returned NSF.

From: CEO
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:27 PM
To: Marisa
Subject: RE: Tennis

If you go to a mountaintop in Nepal the bill collectors can't find you.

From: Marisa
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:28 PM
To: CEO
Subject: RE: Tennis

Hmm...
Good point.
I see I have much to learn.

From: CEO
Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 2:30 PM
To: Marisa
Subject: RE: Tennis

yes, grasshopper

For those of you keeping track at home, Blake used to be a member of Super Awesome 24h Gym With Locations Near Marisa’s Home and Office and Also Has a Swimming Pool. But he cancelled his membership when he came out of retirement.

Walnuts, anyone?

2006-10-31T14:44:00.000-05:00

You are a Walnut Tree

You are strange and full of contrasts... the oddball of your group.
You are unrelenting and you have unlimited ambition.
Not always liked but always admired, you are more infamous than famous.
You are aggressive and spontaneous, and your reactions are often unexpected.
A jealous and passionate person, you are difficult in romantic relationships.

What's Your Celtic Horoscope?

Random

2006-10-27T17:15:00.001-04:00

Actually, to be honest, I have not yet pooped today. But I did poop yesterday. And the t-shirt makes me laugh. Blake and I disagree on the merits of the at-work doopie. Personally, I'm not a fan. If the need arises when I'm at work, so be it, but its definitely not a goal that I set for myself for the day.

I'm supposed to be productive for another hour and a half before the work week is through, but I'm afraid that I've already exceeded my quota for excellence for today. (Even without pooping!) I started a thrilling new spreadsheet yesterday with 1345 rows of data. I have currently analyzed up to row #93. Sigh.

I had a really hard time sleeping last night. I woke up at 4am and couldn't go back to sleep. Well, until a few hours before I had to get up. At that point, the sandman unleashed his magical essence upon me with the fury of a hamsin. I picked up my journal and transferred some of the random thoughts running around my brain onto paper. There are a couple cool poems in the making in there, if I take the time to refine them.

This has been a strange week.
Monica was in town for a conference, and I got hang out with her several times. She and Blake and I shared a yummy dinner last night, followed by dark chocolate mint ice cream with oreo cookies smashed in. Yum! At Flat Top, you label little wooden paddles with your name so that you know which plate is yours when they bring it back to the table (because it always looks different after its cooked up.) Only un-cool people (like Blake) put their mother-given name on the label. I mean, come ON, its your chance to really push the boundaries! I went with the moniker "Awesome Mouse", which the waitress misread Awesome Moose. That U didn't look anything like an O, either. Monica offered that perhaps the waitress thought I misspelled mousse, like the chocolate dessert. But I think she just had a thing for moose.
A friend of mine, Marianne, is not doing well. She's in a bad place right now. She'll get through it, but its hard for me to see her hurting.

My birthday is in FOUR DAYS! Mom, Monica, myself and Mother Nature are off the hook, but if your name doesn't begin with an M, you'd better get to shoppin'.

I have to work tomorrow. Boo!

My new favourite outdoor supply company is Moosejaw. They rock.

I'm going to carve a jack-o-lantern after work tomorrow. I'm sure it will be super-cool.

Blogger spell-check doesn't recognize the words "poop", "Oreo", or "Yum".

I did, however, misspell the words misspell and grammatically. Stupid superfluous double letters!

Although I know that it is grammatically correct to place the comma inside the quotation marks when used as in two points above, I have never liked the way it looks. So I don't do it unless I'm being graded on grammar. Damn the man!

I mentioned Blake three times in this post. This is funny because Blake thinks blogging is dorky, and he doesn't like to be blogged about.

I think I'm going to leave work early. Shh... don't tell.

Growing Pains

2006-10-17T13:09:00.000-04:00

As I reached the end of my youth, I realized that I have not only the power to shape myself into the woman I want to become, but also the responsibility.

At this time, I prayed to be loving. I don’t now remember why this, among all other qualities, was what I desired; but it was. It was a quality that I already saw in myself, and I wanted to own it more wholly. So I prayed to become more loving.
Almost overnight, every soul with whom I had contact irritated me to the core. I came to learn that to be a loving person, I had to show love to people with whom I least felt like interacting.

On the cusp of my adulthood, I began to pray for strength.
I saw this quality, and I desired it.
I don’t see myself as a strong woman. Others see me so sometimes, especially at work. I can put on a pretty good face. But at the end of the day, when I change into my jammies and wash off my make-up and my mask, I feel like a little girl at the feet of giants.
I received a compliment the a few weeks ago. Someone who doesn’t know me all that well, but in whose presence I have revealed myself, told me, “I think that you have a great deal of strength and you are much stronger than you realize.” That really filled me. It also made me think that being strong is only a step away from having strength. I feel like I have strength now, but to be strong I have to put that strength to the test.

Since praying for strength, I have taken the first few steps away from the earth, onto a wall that rises to the heavens. I have scaled merely feet of it, and already, every muscle in my body screams for repose. My heart especially convulses and quakes from exertion, and I wonder if it might break in two.
But in the deepest core of my being burns a fire of resolve. I draw on it for rekindling, and it tells me that, sometimes, to get what you want the most, you have to do what you want the least. It reminds me that, at the end of the day, what matters most is that I can lay my head down, and sigh, and feel happy. Tenacity stokes my exhaustion with willpower and determination, and it arouses my stubbornness.
Pain is weakness leaving the body.

Perhaps I am learning that every tear I shed opens room in my heart for the qualities I seek:
love,
strength,
and whatever I am foolish enough to pray for once I make it to the other side of that wall.

Talent is produced in solitude; character in the stream of life.
-Goethe

O, to be a Gardener!

2006-10-12T14:01:00.000-04:00

Out of damp and gloomy days,

out of solitude,

out of loveless words directed at us,

conclusions grow up in us like fungus:

One morning they are there,

we know not how,

and they gaze upon us,

morose and grey.

Woe to the thinker who is not the gardener

but only the soil of the plants that grow in him.

- Friedrich Nietzsche

Book Report

2006-10-02T11:56:00.000-04:00

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open the book to page 123.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 3 sentences on your blog along with these instructions.
5. Don’t you dare dig for that "cool" or "intellectual" book in your closet! I know you were thinking about it! Just pick up whatever is closest.

How poignant! His eyes watered every time he thought of it. He had it tucked in his bedroom drawer, but now he got it out and turned it over in his hands.

I finished this book over the weekend. I really enjoyed it. The author is Australian, and I really appreciated how his writing reflected a non-America-centric viewpoint. I also liked that the protagonist is a strong female. There are three main female characters, and when I finished the book, I found myself thinking about which character I was most like. I would like to think of myself as the strong, dedicated, f-the-rules--no-one-gets-in-my-way character. She was, however, very lonely. And she made a habit of disappointing some of the important people in her life. I think I would forfeit fortuitous strength if it meant being more emotionally and socially sound.

I really hope I am not the bitter, impulsive character who is convinced that everyone is out to cheat her out her due. This character developed throughout the storyline more than any other. She just became so... whiny/bitchy/convinced of her own superiority, so repulsive.

I suppose I am most like the character in the middle; the quiet, stable one. (Funny, I don't feel stable.) The one who sits on the sidelines and evaluates situations. The thinker. The change-your-own-little-corner-of-the-world-as-best-you-see-fit. I suppose, given the options, that I'm OK with that. I would like to become a little more strong and a little less meek, however. This character did end up with what she had wanted, but as sloppy seconds. I think this type of person spends (needless?) time waiting for what she wants to come around, instead of pushing harder or working more proactively to make it happen.

And that's all I have to say about that.

Three

2006-09-29T12:52:00.000-04:00

I got this meme from Spinning Girl.

1. Three things that scare me
-stagnation
-a really loud, sudden clap of thunder
-asking for help

2. Three people that make me laugh
-Blake
-myself :)
-Dad/granddad (two different people, but same sense of humor)

3. Three things I hate the most
-workin’ for a livin’
-debilitating pain
-hurting someone

4. Three things I don't understand
-myself
-everyone else
-the physiology of muscle twitch and movement

5. Three things I'm doing right now
-avoiding work
-drinking coffee
-appreciating the color change in the leaves of the maple tree outside my window

6. Three things to do before I die
-thru-hike the AT
-take the GRE
-xxxxxxx (for me to know and you to find out)
-have a baby (I think)

7. Three things I can do
-sort sperm into X and Y bearing constituents using flow cytometry
-give good massages
-sing the national anthems of 4 different countries, 2 of which are in foreign languages

8. Three ways to describe my personality
-stubborn/patient (really two sides of the same coin, isn't it?)
-loving
-competitive/perfectionist

9. Three things I can't do
-an unsupported handstand
-lie
-work on anyone’s timeline but my own

10. Three things I think you should listen to
-a child or baby giggling
-someone saying “I love you” so sincerely that it gives you chills (and/or makes your stomach flip-flop)
-the ocean

11. Three things you should never listen to
-a baby doing that velociraptor-like squeal
-anyone who has all the answers
-the neighbor’s dog, if its telling you to go on a killing spree

12. Three things I'd like to learn
-the right thing to say in a given situation
-how to be true to myself
-Dandayamana-Janushirasana (Standing Head to Knee pose)

13. Three favorite foods
-Tena Abel’s basil-mozzarella pasta
-fresh green beans and corn on the cob from grandma’s garden
-birthday cake homemade by someone who loves me

14. Three beverages I drink regularly
-H2O
-coffee
-adult beverages

15. Three TV shows I watched as a kid
-Fraggle Rock
-Circle Square
-Sesame Street (I still remember the episode when Mr. Hooper died *sniff*)

What Brings Us Together Today

2006-09-23T12:11:00.000-04:00

Congratulations, Monica & Sean!!

Well Caffeinated

2006-09-21T15:29:00.000-04:00

I have imbibed a lot of coffee today.

... A
... LOT!

Rebel Without A Cause

2006-09-20T12:55:00.000-04:00

I'm wearing a skirt today, even though my legs are a little bit stubbly.
I feel so wanton!

Subconscious Silliness

2006-09-17T10:26:00.000-04:00

Lunaniña says...

Running ::
Alternative ::
Cope ::
Lots ::
Sympathetic ::
Barn ::
Totally ::
Baby ::
Undeniable ::
Watermelon ::

...and I think:

Running :: shoes
Alternative :: lifestyle
Cope :: .... (I drew a blank on this one)
Lots :: many
Sympathetic :: hurt
Barn :: born in a...
Totally :: like, totally, valley girl, man
Baby :: mine
Undeniable :: attraction
Watermelon :: ... watermelonwatermelonwatermelon (what you repeat when you don't know the words to a song)

Next...

Subliminal, the return

2006-07-31T16:00:00.000-04:00

Perhaps I should have done this at the beginning of my day. By now, my brain has succumbed to the mush that is gainful employment.

The words...

Italy ::
Honk ::
Shades ::
Tool ::
Modern ::
Tension ::
Conservative ::
Weight ::
Insurance ::
Political ::

My free association ...

Italy :: boot
Honk :: horn
Shades :: sunglasses (my future's so bright!)
Tool :: an annoyingly dense person
Modern :: appliances
Tension :: headache / muscle
Conservative :: dress / opinions
Weight :: loss
Insurance :: automobile
Political :: spin

Your turn.......

Props to Lunaniña.

Decisions, decisions ...

2006-07-26T09:30:00.000-04:00

For a long time, I've considered myself to be an indecisive person. But now I'm starting to think that maybe its not my decision-making skills that are lacking, but my self-confidence in following through with decisions that I've already made in my heart. I've been pondering the difference between indifference - an unbiased, impartial unconcern - and ambivalence - the coexistence of contradictory attitudes or feelings, "which can be expressed by alternating obedience and rebellion, followed by self-reproach." (G.S. Blum) That self-reproach part really resonates with me.

I was told recently that just because a decision brings turmoil doesn't mean that it isn't a worthy decision. In fact, the more I think about going against the grain, and issues much larger than my own little circle on this Earth, it seems to me that a lot of really important decisions that led to long-term improvement and stability caused short-term upset and angst.

I'm also trying to not classify courses of action as better/worse. I think that only by watching events play out can you retrospectively evaluate a decision as having been beneficial or not. By then, some ramifications have taken their course, and others are still in the process. At that later time, you can decide to continue on the same course, or to re-evaluate and redirect. But one can waste a lot of energy asking "is the best decision?" At least, I can. But there is nothing to be gained from asking that question, because it has no clear answer. Two roads diverged in the yellow wood .... You can never know what really laid down the path you did not take.

I think that, at the end of the day, you have to follow your heart. You have to spend time in reflection and prayer, then take a deep breath and then a step. You have to pick a course and start the journey. Action is the antidote to anxiety.

I Want To Ride It Where I Like

2006-05-19T09:03:00.000-04:00

Did everyone ride their bikes to work today?

Me neither. But I think its cool.

Hats off to those who did!

Wow! An Update?!

2006-05-16T12:35:00.000-04:00

Since I'm having trouble coming up with something to consciously share, I thought maybe I'd try letting my subconscious roam free...

You say...

Immune ::
Together ::
Blank ::
Professional ::
Thousand ::
Penetration ::
Upside down ::
Neck ::
Unlisted ::

I think....

Immune :: vaccine
Together :: ...forever, and never to part
Blank :: mind
Professional :: masseuse
Thousand :: ...one, Space Odyssey
Penetration :: sex
Shutter :: heebie-jeebies (I know, that would be "shudder")
Upside down :: cartwheel
Neck :: kisses
Unlisted :: phone number

So, anyone want to offer insight on what exactly I'm revealing here?
Or have the guts to post their associations?

O yea, and I'm supposed to give credit to Lunaniña.

The wee small hours

2006-04-04T16:33:00.000-04:00

Years and years from now, when younger generations ask what you were doing at 010203040506, what will you tell them?
Start planning now, so that 2 minutes and 3 seconds after 1am tonight/tomorrow morning, you'll be doing something noteworthy. And remember, if you can't be good, be good at it!

Blasts From the Past

2006-03-30T12:43:00.000-05:00

I picked up the chart for my patient today and his last name jumped out at me. "H...," I said to my colleague; "I dated a guy in high school with the same last name." I set up the lab bench and went back to [colleague]'s area to get some supplies. "The H... I knew ended up being a jerk, so I'm glad that this guy has a different first name," I told him. He half-smiled and said, "yea, I could kinda tell that there was something there by the way you said 'H...' "

The funny thing is, I hadn't realized that I'd put any kind of inflection on the surname when I spoke it. I think its strange that people who you knew way back when can still evoke an emotional response when you think of them. I've read that people who move around a lot equate "home" with a set of personal relationships, and not a physical location. Is that why thinking of old contacts elicits such a strong emotional reaction for me?

I suppose that I'm thinking about "old friends" more than usual lately because I have recently come into re-contact with a couple, thanks to the power of the world wide web. [[Shout-outs to Jeni and Brian. Woop! Woop!!]]

That ol' Memory Lane sure is a wacky road!

The siren made me do it!

2006-03-28T08:12:00.000-05:00

This uplifting ditty greeted me from the side of my morning cup of java:

Let go your sorrow.
Let go your blues.
Cuz I know tomorrow
is yesterday's news.
Let go your sadness,
give up the fight,
follow your madness
and take flight ... take flight.

Believe me, you crazy little siren, the world is not ready for me to follow my madness!

Resigned: An almost Haiku

2006-03-21T19:29:00.000-05:00

You may tow my car
But you will never take...

... oh hell, here's $80. Can I have my car back now?

478 days

2006-02-07T19:25:00.000-05:00

My 16 month accident-free streak ended today.

I ran out to grab a quick bite to eat before the weekly staff meeting at work. I was driving on an access road, two lanes each direction, headed east bound in the left-most lane. There is a commercial area directly south of the area (to my R) with lots of places to eat, gas station, bank, etc. My intent was to pass that area and turn left on the main road ahead. I was driving straight when I realized that some stupid McLean-ite in a Mercedes had decided to make a left turn, crossing my lane of traffic, directly in front of me. I braked and honked, but we still collided: her driver's side corner with the middle of my front bumper.

We pulled into the commercial area and I started calling non-emergency police dispatch. As the call was going through, I got out and asked the lady if she was OK. She was outside of her vehicle just kinda staring at the damage to her car. Both cars had cosmetic damage but were drivable. Since she didn't answer me, I didn't really know if she was in shock or what. She was shaking a little, but it was pretty cold outside, so I wasn't really sure what was going on with her. I put my hand on her shoulder and looked her in the eyes and asked, "are you OK?" She finally answered "yeah" in this highly exasperated voice. I told her that I already had police dispatch on the phone and she said that she'd really rather not involve the cops ["of course," I thought, "because you were totally at fault!"] But I only told her that I would feel more comfortable having an officer come to the scene, and I continued to report the accident to the dispatcher. While I was speaking with him, she continued to tell me about four more times that she just wanted to exchange information and get on her way.

When I got off the phone, she told me again that she was in a hurry and didn't want to wait for the police. She said she had to be somewhere in 15 minutes. I thought (but didn't say) "then you shouldn't have hit me, bitch!" I suggested that we go ahead and exchange info in order to speed things up, and she told me that she was really cold, she had to put some more clothes on (or something like that) and stomped off to her car to sulk.

It took about five minutes for the cop to show. He got out and looked at the damage to both vehicles, and then asked me what happened. I told him that I was traveling on G. Rd, and she proceeded to make a left turn in front of me. She interrupted that she couldn't see well, so she was "inching out" when I just "came out of nowhere" and hit her. [[Note that the accident occurred in the left-most lane, so she was claiming that she had "inched out" all the way across one lane of traffic and into my lane.]] Grrrrr!

Cop handed us accident report forms to exchange, asked both of us for our license and registration and went to his vehicle to run us. We returned to our cars (it was chilly - very windy!) to fill out the forms. I filled mine out and then went to her car to exchange with her. She took it and looked at my date of birth, and remarked, "so you're 29?"
"28, actually," I replied (oozing confidence to the best of my ability).
I {almost} added, "And you're... 48?" (I would guess that she was in her early to mid-40s, so I'm sure this would definitely have gotten a rise out of her!) She was very trophy-wife, MILF, stay-at-home mom-y; very appearance and status conscious. But ... I bit my tongue. I'm proud to say that I was the bigger person. :)

Anyway...
Cop got out of his vehicle and began speaking with her and her husband (who had since shown up.) I walked back to join them. Cop asked if we all had the information that we needed and I told him that she had so far refused to give me any of her info. He handed me her license and insurance card and waited for me to record her personal info directly from that. He then gave each of us his business card and the case number. He said that his report would state that he found her to be at fault for the accident. She started to object a bit, but he continued to speak over her and tell her that he is also going to issue her a summons.

This gave me a HUGE smirk on the inside, though I retained my composure (being the mature and sophisticated adult that I am.)

The lady asked, "why?" with a bewildered look on her face, and the cop told her, "well, because you were making the left turn." She jumped in with, "but she [[motioning aggressively towards me and starting to hop around]] was speeding down the road like a bat out of hell!" At this point, the cop, in classic officer stance, took a step towards her and gestured with his hand between their bodies. "That doesn't matter. In the state of Virginia, according to section blah-blah-blah, you must to yield to oncoming traffic in both directions when making a left turn." He went on to explain to her the summons and tell her her court date and all that good stuff. He asked me again if I was ok, I said yes, and we all got in our cars and left.

I'm soo thankful that I decided to call for the officer. I never know whether I should bother them, especially in an instance like today's, when there are no injuries and both cars are drivable. I'm sure, however, that if he had not shown, the crazy lady would not have accepted fault, and it probably would have been one of those things where the insurance companies find both drivers at fault, and just decide to each fix their own vehicles.

I'm sad that I my accident streak is over, but glad that the accident wasn't serious.
... And at least I got to miss the weekly staff meeting!

Year of the (roo) Dog

2006-01-29T19:51:00.000-05:00

Happy Chinese Roo Year!

News

2005-11-25T05:56:00.000-05:00

Happy birth day Delaney! 11-20-05
I drank too much caffeine last night (... which is why I'm posting at 6am)
Blogger ate the rest of my "101 things" list, so now I have to rewrite it. Grrrr!
The DC area had its first snow a couple nights ago. It was pretty enough. Plus, it was all gone by the next morning, which was the best part about it.
I'm in the middle of two books, and about to begin a third - none of which are listed in my "Books I'm Reading" sidebar.
I had tremendous good fortune in locating and purchasing a meat thermometer yesterday at the height of the "dammit, I forgot the ___" Thanksgiving grocery store rush. I guess sometimes good things do happen to bad people!
My new favorite product is Bare Minerals face powder.

Happy Black Friday!

101 Things, Part I

2005-11-19T23:28:00.000-05:00

The first installment of 101 insights into myself. (So divided because I'm afraid no one can really handle all that Marisa all at once...)

** I work with sperm cells.

** My high school graduation ceremony was held in front of the Giza Pyramids in Egypt.

** I love that I was raised moving all around overseas.

** I danced in a hula show.

** I've had to be rescued from a pool twice - once by a lifeguard and once by my fully-clothed mother.

** I worked as a lifeguard and a swim coach. The only kid I ever "saved" was a boy who got smacked in the face with a water polo ball. He got a bloody nose and freaked out. He was even in the shallow end.

** I came 13th in backstroke at the ISST Swim Championships in Brussels, Belgium.

** I met Dan Quayle when I was young and impressionable. Instead of just shaking his hand, I gave him a hug. He picked me up and put my on his shoulder.

** I played "I'll show you mine if you'll show my yours" with Dexter. He went first and I thought it was ugly so I ran away without fulfilling my end of the bargain. (Turns out it was just uncircumcised.)

** I have the perfect grandma. Her house smells like cookies and good food. She keeps a blanket on the back of the couch and back issues of Reader's Digest on the coffee table.

** I am a candle nazi.

** In my opinion, reality TV has never never surpassed the initial drama of Temptation Island.

** I had surgery in March. The resident anesthesiologist was really, really, really hot. Really. I hope I didn't say anything to that effect when I was drugged up.

** The hottest guy I have ever seen was a firefighter responding to an alarm in my lab in full SCBA gear.

** I jumped into the Red Sea at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve 1993 and again in 1994.

** I am most at peace when I am by or in a body of water.

** Whenever I hear the word "spelunking", I think about the time at the beach that I was jumping up and down excitedly and I knocked my Dad's contact out of his eye.

** I had a crush on Nick P. in 9th grade, and I actually felt a little bad when I beat him in one of the tournaments at the Guatemala Arts Festival that year. I knew he wanted to win, and I'd have settled for second place.

** I'm a giver.

** I developed a crush on almost all of my middle and high school science teachers.

** ...Except for Mr. Cundiff. I hated that bastard!

** I have a chronic and weird condition, Erythema nodosum, in which I develop red nodes of inflammation on the fronts of my calves. My first outbreak was in middle school, and ever since then, a few will spontaneously appear and disappear every now and then.

** I wore braces for three years. I think I still have my retainers in a box in the attic.

** When I babysat for Genny, her mother dropped me off at my dorm and said "I'm sorry, I forgot your money on the table." When I said, "that's OK," (thinking I could just swing by and pick it up later) she thought I meant that's OK, you don't have to pay me. I didn't correct her.

** The first cassette tape I bought myself was Sinead O'Connor - I Do Not Want What I Haven't Got. The first VHS was Undercover Blues.

To the Shores of Tripoli

2005-11-10T16:23:00.000-05:00

Happy 230th, US Marine Corps!
Thank you, Devil Dogs, for the sacrifice of your service.

Work Haiku

2005-11-09T15:24:00.000-05:00

Person may be smart
But in boardroom, all are fools
Meetings suck!

Why I Don't Trust Walruses

2005-11-05T12:13:00.000-05:00

It occurred to me that perhaps I should create a post giving credit to my blog's namesake. So without further ado, I post:

The Walrus and The Carpenter
-Lewis Carroll

The sun was shining on the sea,
Shining with all his might:
He did his very best to make
The billows smooth and bright--
And this was odd, because it was
The middle of the night.

The moon was shining sulkily,
Because she thought the sun
Had got no business to be there
After the day was done--
"It's very rude of him," she said,
"To come and spoil the fun!"

The sea was wet as wet could be,
The sands were dry as dry.
You could not see a cloud, because
No cloud was in the sky:
No birds were flying overhead--
There were no birds to fly.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Were walking close at hand;
They wept like anything to see
Such quantities of sand:
"If this were only cleared away,"
They said, "it would be grand!"

"If seven maids with seven mops
Swept it for half a year.
Do you suppose," the Walrus said,
"That they could get it clear?"
"I doubt it," said the Carpenter,
And shed a bitter tear.

"O Oysters, come and walk with us!"
The Walrus did beseech.
"A pleasant walk, a pleasant talk,
Along the briny beach:
We cannot do with more than four,
To give a hand to each."

The eldest Oyster looked at him,
But never a word he said:
The eldest Oyster winked his eye,
And shook his heavy head--
Meaning to say he did not choose
To leave the oyster-bed.

But four young Oysters hurried up,
All eager for the treat:
Their coats were brushed, their faces washed,
Their shoes were clean and neat--
And this was odd, because, you know,
They hadn't any feet.

Four other Oysters followed them,
And yet another four;
And thick and fast they came at last,
And more, and more, and more--
All hopping through the frothy waves,
And scrambling to the shore.

The Walrus and the Carpenter
Walked on a mile or so,
And then they rested on a rock
Conveniently low:
And all the little Oysters stood
And waited in a row.

"The time has come," the Walrus said,
"To talk of many things:
Of shoes--and ships--and sealing-wax--
Of cabbages--and kings--
And why the sea is boiling hot--
And whether pigs have wings."

"But wait a bit," the Oysters cried,
"Before we have our chat;
For some of us are out of breath,
And all of us are fat!"
"No hurry!" said the Carpenter.
They thanked him much for that.

"A loaf of bread," the Walrus said,
"Is what we chiefly need:
Pepper and vinegar besides
Are very good indeed--
Now if you're ready, Oysters dear,
We can begin to feed."

"But not on us!" the Oysters cried,
Turning a little blue.
"After such kindness, that would be
A dismal thing to do!"
"The night is fine," the Walrus said.
"Do you admire the view?

"It was so kind of you to come!
And you are very nice!"
The Carpenter said nothing but
"Cut us another slice:
I wish you were not quite so deaf--
I've had to ask you twice!"

"It seems a shame," the Walrus said,
"To play them such a trick,
After we've brought them out so far,
And made them trot so quick!
"The Carpenter said nothing but
"The butter's spread too thick!"

"I weep for you," the Walrus said:
"I deeply sympathize."
With sobs and tears he sorted out
Those of the largest size,
Holding his pocket-handkerchief
Before his streaming eyes.

"O Oysters," said the Carpenter,
"You've had a pleasant run!
Shall we be trotting home again?"
But answer came there none--
And this was scarcely odd, because
They'd eaten every one.

Missing...

2005-10-23T01:19:00.000-04:00

One (1) intellect.
Fatigue? Apathy? Melancholy? Stupidity? I just can't seem to throw words together into a coherent sentence lately.

So if anyone should happen to see my creative genius wandering the streets unattended, would they kindly tell it that I miss it very much and direct it back here? Its really not used to being out on its own. I *shudder* to think what it might do if left to its own devices, unchaperoned by its trusty companions logic and maturity.

Funny thing is, I feel it swirling around my insides, taunting me. Just out of my grasp, stir crazy of sorts, ready to beat down the door of my body in order to get out and be expressed. (Much like the Huskies do when they miss a couple walks, now that I think about it!) It sits, poised, ready to strike, its muscles' twitching with anticipation. But I sit down to write/think/read/play music/even do yoga (!) and suddenly and without explanation, nothing happens. Its in there, I just can't get it to come out. Y'think they make a creativity Ex-Lax?

Life According to Google

2005-10-12T17:28:00.000-04:00

I've seen this idea on some other people's blogs, and am searching for meaning in my life today, so I decided to visit the Oracle of Google hoping to gain knowledge. Enter "[your name] [some verb]" (ie: "Marisa wants", "Marisa likes") and search. Here are my favorites:

*Marisa likes toaster pastries and music. [Who doesn't?]
*Marisa likes red wine and white cowboys. [but not pink boys that whine]
*Marisa likes having power! [it gets spooky at night when the lights go out]
*Marisa will see if the department will fund us a dry erase calendar. [I do what I can]
*Marisa will meet Cesar, a man who will disappoint her. [et tu, Brute?]
*Marisa needs to tell him what really happened. [trust me, its better if he doesn't know]
*Marisa needs to come down to San Diego more. [agreed]
*Marisa needs prescription medication everyday. [the white ones silence the voices in my head; the red ones are for constipation]
*Marisa is amazing! [yea, but I try not to let it go to my head!]
*Marisa is a popular aquarium snail. [I think we already covered this in a previous post]
*Marisa is correct, but Marisa is also a pig. [meh! I'm rubber, you're glue...]
*Marisa has made it her mission to break down the walls of silence.[take *that*, silence!]
*Marisa has answers. [questions, anyone?]
*Marisa has one younger brother, Adam. [actually, his name is Blake. And he doesn't like being blogged about. Blake, Blake, Blake.]

Rant:

2005-10-09T12:36:00.000-04:00

... Radio DJs who play U2's "Sunday, Bloody Sunday" every freakin' Sunday!! Yes, we get it -- the song says Sunday and today is Sunday. You're very clever. Now play something else, please.

Deep Thoughts

2005-10-07T09:51:00.000-04:00

Does anyone else find it disconcerting that the blog spell checker doesn't recognize the word "blog"?

Just wondering ....

Antedated Post

2005-10-06T21:37:00.000-04:00

Sometimes it takes me awhile to draft and edit a post. Especially if the subject matter is something I feel passionately about, I can spend days pondering exactly how to phrase a sentence so that it says precisely what I want it to say. (Ok, so what .... I'm a perfectionist with OCD tendencies!)

When my opus is finally complete, I generally change the date so that it appears as the newest post on the blog, and I feel all warm and fuzzy for having posted recently. However, as with the post I just published, sometimes the subject matter is date sensitive, and it would throw everything all out of whack to have it published out of order. And that would be unacceptable! (See above OCD reference.)

All this is to say that I just posted on September 27. My first political post (hey, you can't live in Washington and remain neutral!) Read if you want, comment if you wish. But most importantly, have a great day today ... TGIF! Woo-hoooooo!!!

66 SUCKS

2005-10-04T12:03:00.000-04:00

Extra bonus kudos to the bright soul who penned the above moniker for use as his vanity license plate. As I and (approximately) 82,874 of my closest friends faced the hellacious eight lanes of bidirectional traffic that is Northern Virginia's Interstate 66, I spotted this plate and smiled. I (almost) didn't even mind that the driver was shooting his car across two lanes of traffic without using a turn signal. There, in plain stamped metal, was the manifestation of a thousand thoughts: 66 SUCKS. Nice alliteration, to boot!

Just for the Blog of it

2005-10-03T19:44:00.000-04:00

Really nothing new to report, but I haven't posted in awhile so I'm logging on to say "booyah!"

I had a really great weekend. I DIDN'T WORK!!! ...Not a single day -- didn't carry the pager, didn't call to check in, didn't deal with a single work-related issue. Life, like the weather, was grand.

I went pumpkin picking on Saturday. I'll admit that I wasn't as jazzed about this as I thought I'd be. I was feeling quite grumpy and recluse when I woke up, but a little preemptive retail therapy cheered me right up. I ran home and changed into an orange v-neck tee and jeans, adorned my toesies with rings, and drove to the pumpkin farm, where I met a group of friends and acquaintances. I came home with the ass-kickingest pumpkin EVER!

Sunday brought with it more shopping (found an awesome coat at Nine West - yay!, went up a size in Gap jeans - boo!) and a movie. I saw "Lord of War" with Blake. It was higher on drama but lower on action than I expected (although with some impressive gore). I dug it. And I saw a preview for "Jarhead", which intrigued me.

So there you have it: five paragraphs of Life As I Know It.

...Booyah! (Six :D )

Score One for Justice

2005-09-27T08:26:00.000-04:00

Cindy Sheehan was arrested ysterday. She wore a huge idiot smirk on her face as police officers physically removed her from the scene. “Hee, hee, hee ... civil disobedience is so much fun ... [Toss of the hair] ... Gee, am I having a blast!” ...As if it was a senior prank.

Hats off to the U.S. Park Police, though. As officers in the spotlight, they know their actions will be scrutinized by their superiors, the general public, and the media brigade. They performed their duties flawlessly.

When the media first introduced me to Sheehan, my heart went out to her. I empathized over what it must be like to lose a loved one to war. I recognized her right to mourn in whatever manner soothed her. As soon as she realized she had the nations’ attention, though, she certainly shed the grieving mother persona and stepped into the role of political activist without batting an eye.

I am ashamed of her on behalf of her son. I would hope, that if I felt called to sacrifice my life for something I believed in, that my survivors wouldn’t turn around and mar my memory by taking a very public stand against it. She dishonors her son as well as his comrades who fought and fell by his side. Nobody hates war more than a soldier. But they are motivated to face that which they hate because they feel called to the duty of defense of their country, a duty which is wholly encompassing… theirs not to reason why. To debate the valiancy of that commitment, to stain the bigger picture their spirits carry, is the worst kind of demoralization, the most belittling insult.

"It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat." -- Theodore Roosevelt

Decaffeinated

2005-09-26T08:05:00.000-04:00

As I begin my third day of caffeine abstinence, I have two thoughts...
1) its nice that my headache has downgraded from moderate to mild
2) a cup o' java sure would hit the spot right about now

No, YOU'RE below average!!

2005-09-24T14:11:00.000-04:00

So I took this "quick and dirty" IQ test. Easy-peesy. Sixteen questions to determine my self-worth and gauge my value as a human being. The verdict? My logical reasoning skills are (gasp!) "below average"!

{{Long silence as she gives her readers time to recover from the shock of what they just read}}

The nerve! Just who do they think they're calling below average?!?

Wanna know a little secret, though? Just between us pals here and the rest of the internet community? I think it rather intrigues me that I can't get the test to tell me I'm perfect (tho I would settle for "pretty darn good"!) Why? I have three theories:

I feel the pull to win over entities that are not immediately attracted to me. I guess this is the same way a pet dog or cat will ignore all the people in the room who are calling for it, and instead make a bee-line for the person who is afraid of, allergic to, or just plain doesn't like pets. There is one caveat to this, though. I am not generally one to sacrifice blood sweat and tears without observing some kind of gain from my investment.

Rather Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance-y, I make as much or as little effort as it takes to earn a result that I deem desirable. When given an assignment, I may perform what I believe to be my best. But if the ramifications of that assignment are below the bar I have set for myself, I'm going to find it within myself to try again harder -- better than my best -- until I am able to achieve an acceptable outcome. Sometimes I end up surpassing the original bar; sometimes I have to lower the bar. It depends on who I have allowed to play Judge.

Perhaps the test is right on cue. After all is said and done, it hasn't exactly been logical for me to sit here and analyze this. But I do it because, after having justified the test result, I feel better. Ahh, yes, feelings - the arch nemesis of logic. "Meh!" on you, IQ test! I'm not Spock, man! Maybe I don't particularly feel like being logical today ... so there!! Phhhbbt! :P

Your IQ Is 135

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average

Your Verbal Intelligence is Genius

Your Mathematical Intelligence is Genius

Your General Knowledge is Genius

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

N.S.M.I.E.

2005-09-13T21:49:00.000-04:00

Today I coined the term NSMIE (EHN-smee): Non-Specific Malaise of Indeterminate Etiology. Coincidentally enough, I also diagnosed myself today with NSMIE.

In other news, I haven't got all the software reinstalled on the home computer yet. For some reason, my firewall isn't allowing Napster to access the internet. In the McAfee settings, the Napster program is allowed full access, and yet, Napster will not work when the firewall is enabled. Any suggestions from those of you smarter than me in matters such as this?

At least I got my "books" sidebar updated. *sigh* Simple victories.

Back... (and now, virus free!)

2005-09-10T22:08:00.000-04:00

Just got my computer back. Apparently, I caught a pretty nasty cyber-bug and had to get the entire hard drive wiped. Grrrrr... Now I begin the onerous task of reinstalling all of my software; goody, goody! I will post a real message a little later. Right now I am going to make the rounds and check up on everyone else. Oh yeah - and I have to update my books I'm reading sidebar. It's embarrassingly outdated.

Interview (for my fan club)

2005-08-30T21:37:00.000-04:00

This post is credited to Justin...

Here are the rules:
1. If you want to participate, leave a comment below asking to be interviewed.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions - each person's will be different.
3. You will update your journal/blog with the answers to the questions.
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

1)Similar to the show "Quantum Leap", you are given a chance to jump back into your past, and change something you do. What do you change, and why?
When we were driving to Missouri the night we got the news that my grandfather died, I'd have sat in the back seat with my father. I'm not sure he would have necessarily wanted to talk or anything, but I could have held his hand or given him a hug, and made sure he knew that I was sad, too. Maybe I could have given him some comfort. I hope that he didn't feel alone.

2)You are placed in a small room. In this room, you are given everything you need to survive, but nothing to entertain you or occupy you. The only thing in this room is a red button. You are told that if you press this button, bad things will happen to other people. You belive the person who told you this. How long can you go without pushing the button?
I can't say that I'd feel a big draw to push the button. Not necessarily because I'm so incredibly altruistic; more because I can't see how pressing the button would really be a source of entertainment or occupation (since its not like I would be able to watch the outcomes.) It would be much harder for me if I had been told not to press the button, but not told why. Then I would have to fight the draw of my inquisitive curiosity. That being said, I'm pretty good at entertaining myself, so I think I could find ways to keep myself occupied, even without being given specific sources of entertainment. One can always find something to do if they are inventive enough.

3)What made you start blogging?
I think I was in need of a creative outlet. I enjoy writing, but don't really do it much. I like that I can post random musings and pearls of wisdom (I guess these are yet to come), and of course have the added benefit of letting people who know me keep updated with what's going on in my life.

4)When given "Truth or Dare" options, what makes you want to pick Dare over Truth?
I suppose I'd rather feel physically vulnerable or foolish than emotionally so.

5)What question were you really hoping I wouldn't ask? What was the answer to that question?
There really wasn't any one specific question that I feared. I was prepared to talk in circles around any question to which I didn't want to give a straight answer.

OK... your turn... leave me a comment to get your questions.

Jersey Sojourn

2005-08-24T13:56:00.000-04:00

On my way to where the air is sweeeeeet...

Oh wait, no! I'm going to Jersey! Why in the world would someone willingly spend time in New Jersey? Well it just so happens that a fair maiden resides there ... the fairest two year old in all the land. Now I'm not usually one to ga-ga over babies, but she is no ordinary child. I'll probably post a pic of her when I return, but I figure I'd better get mom-and-dad's permission first. After all, some of you people out there prowling around the world wide web are weirdos ... you know who you are!

I'm taking the train up, so I very well may have some additions to Monica's public transit manifesto.

And I have a special post planned for next week. So fear not, fair maids and maidens; fret not, strong men and old. Marisa will return. Hopefully not too worse for the wear for having spent time in New Jersey with a two year old.

Me- My- Mo- Risa

2005-08-19T22:42:00.000-04:00

Marisa.
I've always liked my name. Simple, but unique ... Marisa - 1R, 1S ... none of those silly double letters. What you see is what you get. I like that.
I had to call the bank a few days ago, as I am still playing the role of middle woman between the insurance company and the car leinholder after my October car accident. After verifying my personal information, but before I could tell her the purpose of my call, the friendly call taker commented on what a nice name I have. I could've done without the ensuing ten minute explanation of exactly why it she thought it was such a nice name, but I appreciated the sentiment.
When I learned Spanish, I realized my name is made up of two Spanish words: mar, meaning sea or ocean, and risa, meaning laughter. Now that is just plain cool.

I searched yahoo recently, wanting to see if it could find this blog if I entered "Marisa". I figured, it's not a terribly common name, so I wouldn't have too many entries to sort through. I was expecting the usual Marisa Tomei hits, and some random, unnotewothy references; but what I was not expecting was to find out that Marisa is a Genus name. No, not genius (true though that may be!) Genus ... as in Genus species ... as in high school biology.
Now that's kinda cool, one would think.
...One would think. Turns out Marisa is the Genus for two species of snails. Yes, snails. Now I know I'm a little short, but a snail? That puts me just a snip and a puppy-dog-tail away from a Y-chromosome. And since I'm usually covered in enough dog hair to comprise an entire dog, let alone the tail portion, the snail reference leaves me a little dispirited.
http://www.hostultra.com/~applesnails/marisa.htm
http://www.applesnail.net/content/marisa.htm

Always one to make the best out of any situation, I went searching for snail traits that one might find enviable. I searched through animal spirit guides, totem animals, and shamanism lore; I spent way more time than justifiable. This is what I found:

Snails are found in gardens, ponds and even the sea. Their soft bodies are protected by hard shells which they use as a defense. Those with this medicine know how to retreat when danger is present as well as seal themselves off from others. Knowing when to retreat and when to act is an important teaching for those with this totem.
The snail creates a slime trail to travel on so it is easier to move over different surfaces and textures. When snail appears in your life ask yourself if you are taking a harder path than is necessary. Because snail retreats into its shell during adverse weather conditions those with this medicine have the ability to build walls around themselves and withdraw until a situation improves.
Both male and female the snail can produce sperm and eggs at the same time. Because of this duality, those with this totem exhibit male and female characteristics that align and work together in a complimentary way.
Most active at night or on cloudy days the snail uses all of its senses equally and simultaneously. Those with this totem often find they seldom have one intuitive gift more pronounced than another as all psychic abilities are utilized in any given situation.
The snail understands the value of slow movement and teaches us how to use that movement to our advantage. It holds the teachings of patience, perseverance, determination and respect. It asks us to be mobile and fluidic as we move through life, always aware of how our actions or lack of them affect others. The trail we leave behind holds the history of who and what we are. Past situations come to the surface to be healed or balanced in some way. In this way spiritual growth is attained.
(http://www.sayahda.com/cycle.htm)

I guess I can handle that...

The Only Day in Existence

2005-08-16T18:18:00.000-04:00

The early sun is so pale and shadowy,
I could be looking up at a ghost
in the shape of a window,
a tall, rectangular spirit
looking down at me in bed,
about to demand that I avenge
the murder of my father.
But the morning light is only the first line
in the play of this day--
the only day in existence--
the opening chord of its long song,
or think of what is permeating
the thin bedroom curtains

as the beginning of a lecture
I will listen to until it is dark,
a curious student in a V-neck sweater,
angled into the wooden chair of his life,
ready with notebook and a chewed-up pencil,
quiet as a goldfish in winter,
serious as a compass at sea,
eager to absorb whatever lesson
this damp, overcast Tuesday
has to teach me,
here in the spacious classroom of the world
with its long walls of glass,
its heavy, low-hung ceiling.

-- Billy Collins

I'm not entirely sure that I learned anything new today. I wonder what it was that I missed that this damp overcast Tuesday tried to teach me. I hope it wasn't anything too important. Is there a review at the end of life's lesson? Sometime before the final exam? If not, would someone please loan me their notes?

Not To Be Out-Blogged

2005-07-26T23:12:00.000-04:00

My sister Monica started a blog.

A couple weeks ago, I told mom that I thought she (mom) should start one. I think it would be a great way for her to tell her prodigal kids (wait - if we're all here, and she's over there ... doesn't that make her the wayward one?) and friends of her daily goings-on in eastern Europe. I was waiting until I had a few more posts to have a coming-out... er, rather... blog-release announcement, but I shared the existence of my blog with mom in an effort to encourage her to create one for herself.

Although mom has yet to take my suggestion, she did share it with Monica, who engaged (hee hee, I'm so witty!) You can link to it from this page. So it seems that I, whose suggestion of "Speckle" as the name for the family dog was unanimously turned down, whose fashion sense was regularly ridiculed (I was just before my time!), and whose propensity for seeking out - and developing an allergic reaction to - strange and exciting flora and fauna impacted more than one family vacation; I can proudly claim responsibility for starting a family craze. This makes the fourth, as I am also crediting myself for introducing the webcam, the concept of butt-stamping, and the use of the word "meh".

All of that background was written as an explanation of this pledge: I intend to start posting more. My competitive fires are stoked and my literary creativity is incited.

...And I think mom should start a blog.

A Score + A Decade + 5

2005-07-06T18:53:00.000-04:00

circa 1996:

Happy anniversary, mom & dad!

Thirty-five years ... very impressive!

Here's the rundown from my persepective. Granted, I wasn't around for the first several years, so I have only family lore to go by.

Cost of engagment ring: 2 prize-winning Berkshire pigs
Children: 4 +2 in-law +1 in-waiting +1 future perspective
Grandchildren: 1.5
Countries lived in: 8
Countries evacuated from: 1
Continents visited: 5
Pets owned: 5 dogs, 2 cats, 2 turtles, 3 birds, 1 hamster, kaboodle of fish

chillin' in 1987

Muse Unmasked

Shamrock Fest!

UM 242

Brief Update

Peace Out!

CC beats BB

Monica's Pop Quiz

All About Me!

Fourth Festivities

Come, Mr. Tally-Man

Muttering 229

Happy Solstice!

Yay, Royals!

Three Word Answers

What I Accomplished Today

New Report Strategy

Ten On Tuesday-or-Friday: Alone

Peace to Blacksburg

Just Practicing

UM 218

Tuesday Ten

Discombobulajigitty

If Blake Jumped Off A Bridge

UM 214 & 215

I'm Afraid. Very Afraid.

Spring Forward

Feasting

Mutterings 212

51(ish) More Things

Alms for the Sore

Mutterings 211

Jeune Fille Se Defendant Contre L'amour

Friday Five Follow-up

Friday Five : Color the World

Royal Gametes, Batman!

Mutterings 209

Friday Five Follow-up

Friday Five: Firsts

I'm a Star!

Monica's Pop Quiz

Friday Five

Drained

Be Prepared

I Guess I Should

UM 206

Doubblle Letterrs

One Up, One Down

Be Heard!

Retrospection

UM 202

Oh, Say! Can You See?

I *heart* KMA

Gender and the F-Bomb

Mutterings 199

Typhoid Mare-eesa

Faux Paux

I Sang to a Homeless Guy

Explorative Expedition

Walnuts, anyone?

Random

Growing Pains

O, to be a Gardener!

Book Report

Three

What Brings Us Together Today

Well Caffeinated

Rebel Without A Cause

Subconscious Silliness

Subliminal, the return

Decisions, decisions ...

I Want To Ride It Where I Like

Wow! An Update?!

The wee small hours

Blasts From the Past

The siren made me do it!

Resigned: An *almost* Haiku

478 days

Year of the (roo) Dog

News

101 Things, Part I

I heart KMA

Resigned: An almost Haiku