Thursday, March 30, 2006
Can be so intimidating..
I do feel like saying that this really.....
I don't know what to say. I could get into a whole discussion about how being religious has absolutely nothing to do with your level of morality. I could say that it's really wonderful to know that I am threatening this country with my cultural elitism and rampant materialism. Since those are clearly only things that people who "have no God" are inflicting on the country. Oh, and don't forget my criminal behavior. I wonder, truly wonder, how many people who commit heinous crimes believe in God. Because I tend to think that number would be high. And I can't decide what the friend who posted this article really feels about it. And that maybe makes me feel worst of all...because while I have never, ever been afraid to vocalize my atheism, I also have always assumed that my friends were OK with it.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Wasn't gonna do it...
I am not the kind of girl that normally cares about appearances...but it's like a beacon. I do not want to go out into the world with this pimple. And I have so much to do for the rest of the week: work, classes, friends in town, etc.
Plus, I got home from work today and there was a new pimple growing on my nose. What the fuck??
Damn you pores, damn you.
Observations on first days...
My late class is going to be excrutiatingly long for a few reasons:
- The professor is not a native english speaker and speaks very slowly (although easy to understand, he is picking out his words very carefully).
- The room slowly climbed to about 97 degrees.
- He wouldn't promise us a break every class meeting(3 hrs 15 minutes of class straight through...)
- The kid that sat next to me not only had the nastiest ear wax mold (it was so crusty and old it looked faintly moldy) but he ate stinky cool ranch doritos when the room was at about 92 degrees...and it was like slogging through damp, hot, dorito breath for the rest of the class. Awful. I have a plan to avoid sitting next to him again.
And I'll leave you with this juicy mental picture: you know how on TV they sometimes show people opening bags of chips and all the chips flying into the air and all over the place? And you think, that doesn't really happen...sure they spill on the floor sometimes, but they don't fly all over the place. Well...today at work, goldfish flew. Behind the computer, on the floor, all over the desk. Fairly embarrassing, but I am isolated in my little cubicle...so no one saw. Although they had to hear it: it sounded like little goldfish were raining down on my desk. It was also a neat little way to learn that I don't have a garbage can in my cube.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Bye-bye....
I spent my day today stuck to the couch watching a bajillion episodes of Freaks and Geeks. I do not regret this colossal waste of a day. I only regret that I do not have enough time to finish the whole series. I'm going to have to sprinkle out the rest of the episodes over the next week or two.
Really makes me want to re-watch My So-Called Life as well. Will have to do that sometime soon...
Friday, March 24, 2006
Trip to the vet...
But the vet...it's like knowingly going to meet the devil. Freaking vet. And I have to go back in at least 6 months because of distemper shots. I don't really want the cats to die because I dread getting them in their carriers and then watching them (or really just Boku) go through her own brand of torture. Strangers! Touching her!
In other news: there is such a thing as cat asthma. And the vet thinks Boku has a mild version. I have a cat with asthma.
I'm going to go shower and try to forget that the vet exists.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
A letter...
You are stupid. And yet I keep tuning in. But only because I want to get on Adam Brody.
Katie
And...after that last bit I sort of want to get on that "bad boy" who is now Marissa's toy. I always had a weakness for men with short hair...
Spring break boredom...
In order to keep this blog current, and to wile away my time while I'm waiting for the carpet cleaners to pick up my rugs (covered in cat hair and just...dirtiness)...I'll pick one of the 2,321 meme's my sister has been posting lately (out of her boredom):
What time did you get up this morning? 8:30 ish....a bit earlier. It's just when I woke up..
Diamonds or pearls? Diamonds.
What was the last film you saw at the cinema? It's been SO long...I think Harry Potter?
What is your favorite TV show? Hmmm, I'm going to jump the gun and say Everwood. When it was new, and on months ago it would have been. And new episodes start Monday.
What did you have for breakfast? S'mores Granola Bar.
What is your middle name? Marie
What is your favorite cuisine? I can always eat Italian. Or Mexican. Or Indian.
What food do you dislike? Generally, anything that is good for me. Which is a problem.
What is your favorite potato chip? I'm more of a sweets person. I don't really eat chips...except tortilla chips.
What is your favorite CD at the moment? Yikes, I don't listen to CD's much. I had some fun with the Killers and Justin Timberlake on the way to/from Woodfield yesterday.
What kind of car do you drive? 2004 Infiniti G35
Favorite sandwich? BLT hands down. I eat maybe one other sandwich. I don't like sandwiches.
What characteristics do you despise? Dishonesty.
What are your favorite clothes? Mmmm, pajama pants?
If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would you go? Right now I feel like I'd like a relaxing holiday, so I'll go with Hawaii again. But anywhere you want to send me, I'll take it.
What color is your bathroom? White and black.
Favorite brand of clothing? I don't care much for clothes.
Where would you want to retire to? Arizona.
Favorite time of day? Hmm, I like the afternoon....but I also like when a morning is productive.
Where were you born? IL
Favorite sport to watch? I don't watch any on TV...but in person, hockey.
Coke or Pepsi? I don't like carbonation and I don't drink caffeine. I basically drink water every day, every meal.
Are you a morning person or night owl? I like the morning....but I like to sleep too.
Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with everyone? I'm happier and more relaxed now that I have a job...but the job was introduced in the last post.
What did you want to be when you were little? Probably a vet? I don't know if I had aspirations....I remember playing grocery store and wanting to be the person that got to ring things up with the cool laser thingy...
What is a favorite childhood memory? Embarrassing Bernard. Long story.
What are the different jobs you have had in your life? book shelver, flower stem painter/silk flower slave, retail associate, receptionist/odd job girl, technical assistant, underwriting assistant and now...data specialist
Nicknames? I don't think I have many...Laurie (long story), Katrink, Kate
Any piercings? Ears
Eye color? Brown
Ever been to Africa? No.
Ever been toilet papering? I vaguely remember a long time ago thinking we were going to...I think I chickened out and stayed behind.
Been in a car accident? Yes. Both as a child and as an adult.
Favorite day of the week? Possibly...Thursday. I don't know, I made that up.
Favorite restaurant? There are many answers to this question, we should make it a list...favorite italian, american, indian etc. But that requires effort.
Favorite flower? I heart Irises.
Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Ummm, a store that has everything you could want...so a BIG Field's that also has a large home section.
Bedtime? Ever changing...I think I got in bed around 10:30ish...and read for awhile.
Last person(s) you went to dinner with? Had lunch with the mooj.
What are you listening to right now? Malcolm in the Middle.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Today I learned...
- That my teeth are prone to cavities because they are very groovy. They are all mini Grand Canyons. Apparently this is not normal, most people have fairly rounded and smooth molars. But how would I know that? I've always had these teeth. But...yay, I did not have any cavities today!
- I have a lot of old silver fillings (which in this day and age are obsolete) that will eventually need to be replaced. I have had dozens of cavities in my life, and getting them replaced is a major undertaking. We're waiting and watching now.
- As I was walking to the dentist, I saw two polling places within a block of my apartment. Hopefully, when I register to vote, the county is smart enough to put me in one of those voting places. Do not get into a tizzy because I am not registered here in Chicago. In 2004 I moved to Chicago the day after election day. So, I voted in the suburbs....and did not change my address in time for the primaries.
- I got a job!! I don't know if I told everybody I was looking or that I interviewed. I kept forgetting. But, I am now officially employed (let me look this up and get it right) as a Data Specialist in DePaul's Enrollment Management office. How exciting! I have no idea what they are going to pay me or what my hours are, but I feel some sense of relief and now I will have official computer experience. Plus, I know it's a M-F 9-5, so I still have my weekends. Now I have to find my SSN card (I know I had to get a new one for my last job...so what did I do with it....., Mom, any ideas?)...
Monday, March 20, 2006
Operation Deadbolt Update...
Because if it happens again at night where I have to break in to my apartment, I might not be able without the help of a play program and a pharm student's skinny, yet strong arm.
I meme, you meme, we all meme for lack of anything better to do....
So...here's the meme:
Simple directions: use the shuffle function on your music player and see what you come up with in answer to the following questions.
How does the world see you?
Only in Dreams -- Weezer (apparently i'm irresistible)
Will I have a happy life?
Someday You Will Be Loved - Death Cab for Cutie
What do my friends really think of me?
Cilamarous Indie Rock and Roll - The Killers
Do people secretly lust after me?
Rock Your Body - Justin Timberlake
How can I make myself happy?
You Got Me All Wrong - dios Malos. (I truly don't like this song and have no idea what it's about...)
What should I do with my life?
I Can't See New York - Tori Amos (this song is about Sept. 11th. What can that mean?)
Will I ever have children?
Lebanese Blond - Thievery Corporation
What is some good advice for me?
Under My Umbrella - Incubus (this is a really angry song. The main chorus is something like: if this is right, i'd rather be wrong...if this is sight I'd rather be blind. Um...?)
How will I be remembered?
Silent All These Years - Tori Amos
What is my signature dancing song?
Clocks - Coldplay.
What do I think my current theme song is?
Maybe I'm Amazed - Jem (um, NO)
What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
The Good Fight - Dashboard Confessional
What song will play at my funeral?
Stolen Away on 55th & 3rd - DMB
What type of men/women do you like?
This Woman's Work - Maxwell
What is my day going to be like?
Requiem for O.M.M. - Of Montreal (?)
Sunday, March 19, 2006
What it was like to be an adult on 3/18/06...
I'll only mention this one part of a long, otherwise fun and delightful day (although I will do a quick aside about seeing Wicked for the third time, with the third Elphaba. I still stick by my original Elphie as the best I've seen: Stephanie Block. I think this third one was as good as her replacement number: 3rd best. Gasteyer only just won out...she was better comedic wise and hit some of the notes a bit stronger).
We got home from the musical and my key will not work in my dead bolt. It goes in, but won't turn. It isn't wiggling even a little. The bottom lock opened like a charm...so I knew it wasn't the key. The dead bolt has crapped out (at least it crapped out while it was locked...and please note that this is the SECOND time this has happened to me). After letting one of the friends have a go, just in case...realized our only hope was to go in the back. One known obstacle: the screen door is latched and we'd have to rip it. The back walkway is gated. I now know how creepy it is at night. There is one stairwell that you have to walk by that is just pitch, pitch black. So the three of us were a little creeped out.
We get to my door and unknown obstacle number one presents itself: random dead bird laying face up right in front of my door. So...we have to do some fancy foot work to avoid the freaky, dead, seemingly unharmed and fallen from the sky bird. Genius that I am, I realize we can use a program to flip up the latch through a crack without breaking the screen (take note criminals, this is how you can break into my apartment). Known obstacle one is fixed. I unlock the door successfully and try to open the door...When I remember that I have a steel "door jam" thingy wedged under the door knob to prevent a break in. Unknown (although if I had a memory of any sort it should have been a known) obstacle #2. I totally damned myself in this situation with that door jammer. Anyway, we eventually got the pole out of the way (although I will not tell you criminals how to achieve that part of the whole fiasco).
The whole thing was only slightly funny...but mostly scary. What would have happened if I wasn't with a soon-to-be pharmacist and soon-to-be doctor....where combined we were hopefully smart enough to get through the maze of obstacles (although if the door were made of tougher stuff and the knob wasn't so loosey goosey there would have been NO WAY we would have gotten in...Which means what? A lock smith at 11 o'clock on a Saturday night?). I called the landlord today and hope that my work request is at the top of the stack tomorrow. If it's not fixed tomorrow you can bet I'm going to be calling again. What am I supposed to do? I guess leave through the back? But I don't want to come in that way late at night (or even when it's dark at all).
Friday, March 17, 2006
But when I think about it...
Never have I felt it so keenly. I told Alex that on Monday. And on Friday it exploded in my face. Without going into further detail, I'll just say that for the first time I really feel like an adult. Even though I'm watching Harry Potter. But like Hermoine just said, everything's going to change now isn't it? Yes, I think it is.
Along that line, there has been a fairly interesting comment thread over on J's blog. It's starting (if it wasn't already) to get a little ugly. However, there is something that J's hubby said that truly saddens me. Something which I imagine he truly believes. It has nothing to do with politics (although the comments do). Here are two pieces of his epic comment: "A person really figures out who they are socially in their late teens and early twenties, after that they are going to be pretty set in their ways. For the most part what you are is what you are until you die." I am not anything like 16 year old Katie (socially, emotionally, physically, politically, sexually...you name it). I think my good friends can testify to that. And most, if not all of my friends are nothing like their 16 year old selves. I believe that in 8 more years, I will be nothing like 24 year old Katie. I will have the same friends, the same family...but I will have changed. Because life changes you. And if it doesn't, if you are truly static, that is sad. Without change, what is life? I like to think that all of my friends are dynamic. Changing with the world, not watching it all happen around us. Embrace change, embrace life.
Hope that wasn't too weird. Here's a thought that is not preachy or even really very serious at all: If people can't change then we would have no born-again Christians (or we would, but they would all be lying....which isn't very Christian, now is it?).
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Quick procrastination post...
Boku-hermit and I have recently had all manner of breakthroughs. First, she has started to walk under my legs when I have them propped up on the table. Big trust thing. Then she has started to let me walk over her - again, trust. But finally, I found the way to her little walled off cat heart through a cat brush. She loves it.
Sometimes I watch those animal cop shows on animal planet and leak a little (as in cry...but not full out cry, just leak). I don't know how or why you would every hurt an animal or leave them in terrible conditions. And Boku-hermit was obviously hurt. By humans. She's not afraid of other cats....she's afraid of people. She doesn't bite, she runs. So I can't imagine that she ever bit someone to instigate her being beaten. Who are these people?
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Bad, bad bad...
I watch the show that comes before and the show that comes after...and I almost always end up watching Housewives and hating it. I need an 8pm show on Sunday. Any suggestions? And can I just say that on the show tonight those were possibly the worst TV bruises of all time. He was supposed to be bruised on his face and it sort of looked like someone rubbed ash all over him. Terrible. I could make a better fake bruise.
Update: P.S. - I always grapple with how to "stay alert" during a tornado watch when it goes until 4am. How does that work? Here is advice from one of my favorite websites: Conditions are favorable for tornadoes to form. Stay alert, and be prepared to seek shelter in the event that a warning is issued.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
The best way to ruin a diet...
As for the diet: since I am such an unhealthy girl I have been doing fairly well with the low-cholesterol, low-fat diet. However, for the first time in my life, the pounds are not dropping off. In fact, I am struggling to lose anything at all. I had the best week ever this week (involving soy milk, lean cuisine and such) and I am the same. Makes you want to ruin the diet anyway. I almost bought donuts this morning. And then the pizza fell on the floor...
I am spending my Saturday night with the dunderhead project. Tomorrow I study for my Monday finals.
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
The battle of baby...
On that front, I think my biological clock has begun ticking. Don't worry, I don't feel the desperate need to hump a random stranger to create babies. I still don't want children 95% of the time. But kids, for some reason lately I'm freaking wavering. That's down from 100%. A 5% drop is drastic. Someone talk me out of it.
Oh, and Katy..I had a dream you were pregnant last night, so watch yourself....
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
On the topic of comments...
I wasn't going to respond to it at all, just leave it up there for all to ponder. I guess I felt like this commenter gets off on this kind of thing, wants this to happen and then giggles about it. Didn't want to give him/her the satisfaction. But then you guys starting defending me, so I figured it would be really passive to say nothing at all. And I'd like to think that I am low on the passivity scale (i'll pretend such a scale exists). I think it has to be hard for anyone who doesn't know me to read this blog and truly understand where any of it is coming from. This person clearly doesn't know me...and I think prides himself/herself on commenting critically on blogs. I can fully understand the idea behind the comment: it's like when truly skinny people complain about being fat. You can't invalidate their feelings...maybe they really do feel fat. But at the same time, you want to shake them and yell something like "shut up! you have no right to feel that way." As someone with debt, he/she was pissed that a debt-free girl would complain about money. Understandable.
However, the world is not so very black and white. Just because I have money in the bank, I cannot complain that the money is steadily leaking into DePaul? It's really not fair to anyone, it's like denying that a scale of any kind exists. I can think of practically no area of my life where I am either one or the other (I am female (although there is an argument out there that this isn't nearly so black/white either), I am straight...but again, I tend to see sexuality as a sliding scale as well...).
The truth is that in the heat of the moment, I freaked out about my tuition increase. I wrote about those feelings. I have absolutely no shame about feeling them or writing them. But maybe I should have originally put in a disclaimer that I am still much better off than many/most students out there. I am grateful everyday for the situation I was born into and I think anyone that knows me, knows that. And as for boasting about the money...that is laughable. I don't think that even deserves an answer.
Monday, March 06, 2006
WB drama...
The show is about sisters...and it always, always makes me think of my mom and my sister. Always in a good way...the sisters on the show fight/bicker but generally like each other. Which I think is the definition of my relationship with my sister.
And for those of you who read this regularly, I'd like to state that I do not actually have (and hopefully will avoid it) any student loans. I am lucky enough to be a sort of "trust-fund baby" with a lot of savings to back up my grad school habit. However...I'm trying to make the savings stretch over the two years this will most likely take. So I guess I am a shit, like I shouldn't whine until I have $30,000 in loans. So I am labeled "official shit of the week."
Shit, DePaul...shittttt...
The hits just keep coming...first my health insurance is trying to deny my $500 biopsy...and my next appointment won't be covered on the new insurance. Now this.
Update: my previous insurance company has admitted they should have to pay that $500. Let's see if it actually happens...
Friday, March 03, 2006
What I learned...
So, first, Second City was delightful. If you have the time and are in the city any time soon, go see Iraqtile Dysfunction. Was a hoot (I feel like that is something 70 year olds say? yes?). Enjoyed celebrating the birthday with the mom and tapas is right up there with indian food as one of my favorite meals out. Delightful evening.
And the day was fun too. Saw an old roomie, Kate. Got to wander Wrigleyville and watch tourists take pictures of the Wrigley Field sign (have you ever considered what would happen if they changed the name to something like First Midwest Bank Field? As if Tweeter wasn't already a bad enough name...). I applied for two jobs. An effective, enjoyable day.
Anyway, so what am I talking about Jan. 2005 for? Well, I track visits to this site (and get a laugh or a chill out of some of the things people search on and then they click katie+blog=fun? Are they mad?) and found a new "report" that tells me where people are entering the site at most often. And usually it's the general site, but for some reason an abnormal amount of people are going to the archive for January 2005. So I went there and read each and every entry. And wow, I was different. What did that job do to me? I can't believe how different Jan 2005 is to right now. All my posts are negative and not fun. And they are all incessantly about me and what I did today (see above). I mean, sure Jan 05 is mostly that too...but for some reason it's different. I feel different from that Katie. I'm going to go look for her.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Boring, school-related post...
Not only that, but it is drier than a desert in this apartment and my humidifier started smelling like fish tank (not pleasant). So now I'm waiting (not so patiently) for a new filter in the mail. And my brain feels like it's drying in my skull. My lips, hands, body are all cracking. I am just full of fun, delightful thoughts, huh?
How about this for delightful: I saw the doublemint twins biking down the street the other day. In their green get-up, green tandem bike...they were looking cold. And un-twinlike. One of them was caucasian and one of them african-american. Aren't they supposed to be twins?
And I am seeing a lot of people I like this week. And have plans to see a bunch more in the future...I'm just weighted down with end of the quarter crunch of assignments. I wrote the worst essay this week (although I must say that it is well researched) and will have celebrated two birthdays by the end of Friday.
Have to go finish an assignment now, stand in a steamy bathroom maybe, and then sleep.