tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33060882011-04-21T21:01:45.138-04:00Live in the Delirious CoolShe's 35 years old, and is routinely referred to by her friends as a "classy dame." Despite living in the nation's capital for eight years, she was never named an unindicted co-conspirator for anything. Now, she's an urban refugee living in corn dog country. Erratic observations on life in a small town, and beyond.Donnanoreply@blogger.comBlogger1011100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-753464352002-04-12T21:53:00.000-04:002002-05-06T21:17:20.000-04:00The big news? A lot went on behind the scenes today, and the new site is open for business. Join me at
deliriouscool.org
All new postings will be there, as I continue to try and answer the question "Are we having fun yet?" I am, and I hope you are too.
Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-752838282002-04-11T08:57:00.000-04:002002-04-11T15:59:25.000-04:00Today, I have to:
Continue to find speakers for the sessions I'm planning for the conference I can't go to in July due to belt-tightening at work.
Finish writing up my hospice reports and other volunteer paperwork.
Finish gathering the spreadsheet data for that scholarship fundraising project; I need to return the results to the volunteers.
Complete the review of the pledge reminders we'll Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-752478752002-04-10T11:29:00.000-04:002002-04-11T09:00:43.000-04:00Apparently, Coke with breakfast is a Southern thing; if that's so, it's another reason for me to love the South. As a dyed-in-the-wool Midwesterner, I took pleasure in the fact that our nation's capital was below the Mason-Dixon line; living there made me feel so genteel.
The southerners I know are more colorful than average. Midwesterners know how to make hot dish, but my friend Derek only Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-752154852002-04-09T15:55:00.000-04:002002-04-09T16:11:56.000-04:00The funny thing was, Dr. Finstrom didn't care.
I cared a lot more than she did. I had this whole story ready to go ("my therapist thinks I should try Xanax, a really small dose, at my discretion, anxious about work stress...") because I was sure I'd need to explain myself. I had to write the reason for my visit on the Xeroxed form you turn in to the receptionist; by the time she walked intoDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-752021422002-04-09T08:42:00.000-04:002002-04-09T09:02:54.000-04:00This or That Tuesday:
1. Do you answer the phone on the first ring? Yes or no? No, but not because I don't want to - it usually takes a few rings to either get to the phone or locate the handset.
2. Which is worse: door-to-door salesmen or telemarketers? Door-to-door salespeople, and I lump Cutco knives and Mary Kay in here; I simply cannot say no to someone if they're selling to my face, Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-751602832002-04-08T08:19:00.000-04:002002-04-09T14:20:14.000-04:00Some positive thoughts to get my week started off right:
I love and am loved (tm Jess)
I spent time at the end of the day on Friday cleaning off my desk and organizing my inbox to get ready for this morning and start the week right - what a good idea that was.
Christine at BlogOmania has been really helpful as I sort out my troubles installing MoveableType (it's not them, it's me, I'm sure!)Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-751117112002-04-06T15:52:00.000-05:002002-04-06T16:13:15.000-05:00This morning, J. and I went to Cleveland's West Side Market with Evan and Kate and their son (who turned 18 months old yesterday, and officially enters toddlerhood at day care on Monday).
Though we've both been there many times, we discovered two things about the market. First, it seems much busier in the morning, a teeming mass of shoppers in the produce arcade comparing the merits of this Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-750715022002-04-05T08:54:00.000-05:002002-04-05T10:13:25.000-05:00The routine Friday Five:
1. What are the first things that you do in the morning to start your day? J. and I have coffee in bed while listening to NPR; a coffeemaker with a timer is a beautiful thing.
2. What are the last things that you do at night before going to bed? Think about what I'm going to wear tomorrow, and read. What did you think I was going to say?
3. What daily routine Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-114585292002-04-04T12:50:00.000-05:002002-04-09T21:21:33.000-04:00Wow - after what seems like countless tries, I finally have my first Googlewhack!
37,600 results contain quixotic
14,500 results contain otolaryngologist
1 result contains quixotic otolaryngologist
Congratulations! You found yourself a Whack!
Thanks to Jess for reminding me this challenge was still out there to be taken, and one of the secretaries in my office, whose son had to go to Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-114255892002-04-03T16:01:00.000-05:002002-04-05T13:19:15.000-05:00I've been reading This Steer's Life by Michael Pollan from this week's New York Times Magazine. He spends the article describing what it's like to find out more about the beef you eat by buying a steer and following him from, um cradle to grave, not to put too fine a point on it. I'm finding the article almost as unsettling for me as Fast Food Nation was.
If you've never read any Michael Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-113945922002-04-02T19:50:00.000-05:002002-04-02T19:53:47.000-05:00This or That Tuesday - the evening edition:
1. For gals: Panties -- Thongs, bikinis, or briefs? Bikinis; thongs just don't do it for me, and briefs are for someone's mom (sorry - that's kind of snarky).
2. For guys: Briefs, boxers, or boxer briefs? Boxer briefs are swell.
3. Movable Type, Blogger, or Greymatter? Blogger for now, MT if I can ever upload it correctly.
4. Rabbits orDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-113774202002-04-02T10:03:00.000-05:002002-04-02T10:11:33.000-05:00On a scale of 1 to 10, with 1 being "J. is collecting life insurance because I died on the job" and 10 being "I have no idea what would be so good, but it probably involves a promotion and a bag of money," today is shaping up to be about a 3.
It's fashionable among administrative assistants to complain about how bad their bosses are, or what crappy things were done to them at the hands of a Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-113546582002-04-01T16:56:00.000-05:002002-04-01T17:10:49.000-05:00 Thanks to Srah for this link.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-113493072002-04-01T13:15:00.000-05:002002-04-01T13:15:04.143-05:00I am so hugely annoyed at the whole work fiesta today that it's hard to keep steam from coming out of my ears, but I'll put that aside for a moment to focus on something positive:
What a great Easter - J. and I both had a great time with my family.
The baby I was visiting for hospice is still with us; she and her family got to have Easter together.
We're buying a CDRW drive and a scanner to Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-113173912002-03-31T16:12:00.000-05:002002-03-31T16:26:04.000-05:00If it's Easter, it must be Skip-Bo; my family is kind of merciless with the card games, particularly when it's games or World's Wildest Police Chases on TV before dinner. My suede pants, however, were up to the challenge, and are thankfully big enough to contain my expanding self as I attempt to set the land-speed record for consuming marshmallow bunnies.
In other news, my father threatened Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-112875562002-03-30T15:58:00.000-05:002002-03-30T15:58:46.173-05:00So here we are at my parents' house for Easter; J. and I have spent the afternoon shooting the breeze with my folks, snacking, and playing with the dog, which for me constitutes pretty much the perfect Saturday. It reminds me of when I was at Brigadoon University, and my friends and I, pulling our latest all-nighter, would mumble to each other, "This place would be great if it weren't for the Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-112603382002-03-29T17:32:00.000-05:002002-03-29T17:32:07.460-05:00I just read a fascinating article on "knowledge-logging" from Write the Web; using blog technology to share accumulated knowledge among coworkers. It sounds so appealing, in part because my own workplace (like many) suffers from the inability to share or transmit accumulated information about the best ways to get things done. We start so many things from scratch, we should all wear buttons thatDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-112460912002-03-29T08:10:00.000-05:002002-03-29T08:42:46.000-05:00The Billy Wilder Memorial famous edition of the Friday Five:
1. If you could eat dinner with and "get to know" one famous person (living or dead), who would you choose? Filmmaker John Sayles, public radio commentator Sarah Vowell, West Wing creator Aaron Sorkin, or Julia Roberts.
2. Has the death of a famous person ever had an effect on you? Who was it and how did you feel? Actually, I'm Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-112096562002-03-28T08:15:00.000-05:002002-03-28T11:33:49.000-05:00The Aisle Less Traveled: A Stranger in a Junk Food World
First of all, I am a huge fan of Pirate's Booty, and by extension, a fan of junk food of all kinds. It's very fake-ness is what appeals to me; I eat and love chips laden with Olestra, fake barbeque flavoring, and all manner of other manufactured tastes. As NammerDad used to say before he got religion with the low-carb Atkins diet, "If Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-111710142002-03-27T08:03:00.000-05:002002-03-27T14:52:01.000-05:00It's such a beautiful day here in Brigadoon; the sun is shining, and the only thing unsettling about the six inches of snow on the ground is that it's...almost April. I was up during the wee hours with insomnia; once my mind starts wandering, I start thinking about all of the things I should do/should have done - and it's all over. A churning mind is better than NoDoz; I simply can't shut it Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-111417212002-03-26T12:09:00.000-05:002002-03-26T12:18:17.000-05:00Let the eagle soar, indeed. Had I known John Ashcroft was a singer, I probably would have voted for Bush. CNN offers video proof. If you ask me, Ashcroft is channelling Diane Warren; she needs something new since that song from Pearl Harbor didn't win an Oscar. Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-111375362002-03-26T09:44:00.000-05:002002-03-26T09:49:29.000-05:00This or That Tuesday:
1. Batman or Superman? Superman's a babe, but Batman's a tortured soul. Batman, all the way.
2. Aquaman or Robin? Robin, but only because of the whole "on land" thing. Otherwise, he's kind of a wimp.
3. The Wonder Twins or The Ambiguously Gay Duo? I know I'm in the minority here with the twins, but the Duo are after my time; I stopped watching Saturday Night Live Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-111356732002-03-26T08:24:00.000-05:002002-03-26T08:35:09.000-05:00At first when I read this, I thought about the Levi's low-rider jeans commercial last year with the bellybuttons singing "I'm Coming Out." Singing, feisty bellies that were, well, cute as buttons.
But with their new ad, Lee takes talking body parts to a whole new (slightly lower) level: butts. Sadly, or perhaps appropriately, the ad will play only on European MTV and movie theaters; good Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-111029542002-03-25T12:11:00.000-05:002002-03-25T12:21:50.000-05:00I'm Wearing . . . Fill in the Blank
And now, the real fun of the Oscars begins: fashion commentary. For the record, Lynda Obst in Slate said that Halle Berry was "dressed to win." I agree (if for no other reason than past winners Susan Sarandon and Hillary Swank also wore brown - it's a trend!)
Anyone who complains that Berry's dress looked vulgar (see the NYT article above) did not getDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-110972252002-03-25T08:46:00.000-05:002002-03-25T16:00:32.000-05:00Some positive thoughts to get my week started off right:
Halle Berry, Oscar winner. She is so my girlfriend.
I was in a bad mood last week, so, when prompted to make a new e-mail password, I typed in "butthead." I can laugh about it now.
I love and am loved (tm Jess).
We may be able to fix our old computer, saving the expense of a new one. (I know, check back with me in an hour forDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-110653762002-03-24T09:29:00.000-05:002002-03-24T11:05:08.000-05:00This weekend has been interesting; J. and I are facing up to the fact that we may need to buy a new computer sooner than we had planned, mostly because my computer is having a nervous breakdown, and his computer is underpowered for what we need to run. As before, we're calling in our computer experts to assess the situation, but we've both come to the conclusion that we may need to revitalize Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-110195622002-03-22T17:06:00.000-05:002002-03-22T17:09:34.000-05:00This reminds me of the list that makes the rounds each fall at colleges and universities to remind the professors of incoming students' frame of reference:
You said your birthday is 5 / 9 / 1969
which means you are 32 years old and you were:
28 years old when Princess Diana died
25 years old at the time of Oklahoma City bombing
25 years old when O. J. Simpson was charged with murder
23 Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-110182362002-03-22T16:21:00.000-05:002002-03-22T16:38:52.000-05:00It took me awhile to figure out what a meme was when I started reading, then keeping, a blog. Though I still think of it as the short form of "me too! me too!," it's really more accurately described as an idea that spreads like a virus (in a nice, non-Anthrax kind of way). BookCrossing is an example of a meme in real life: leaving books you love for strangers to enjoy in places where they Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-110059562002-03-22T08:19:00.000-05:002002-03-22T08:32:31.000-05:00The seasonal Friday Five:
1. What is your favorite time of year? Spring; the blooming flowers are always a surprise to me, and spring leads to that first lovely day where you take off your sweater because you're hot.
2. What is it about your favorite season that, well, makes it your favorite season? Fall has better holidays, but I am all about color; though the leaves turning in fall is Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-109888452002-03-21T19:44:00.000-05:002002-03-22T08:16:52.000-05:00 The Poem Tag ProjectDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-109697612002-03-21T09:43:00.000-05:002002-03-21T09:58:49.000-05:00This article from 0format is a fascinating look at the online game Hell's Half Acre. How do the online and real-life experiences of players intersect? Can you collect damages in real life if you experience pain and suffering online?
Elizabeth Kolbert wrote a bittersweet article about EverQuest and Ultima Online for the New Yorker last year. It's riveting and acknowledges the strangeness Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-109391712002-03-20T13:57:00.000-05:002002-03-20T14:39:52.000-05:00I rarely wish people ill, but I wish Suzanne Finnamore would quit writing novels and go back to making television commercials. I saw her most recent book at the Brigadoon Public Library the other day; cunningly titled The Zygote Chronicles, I suppose it's a lighthearted look at pregnancy in the same way her first book, Otherwise Engaged was a lighthearted look at a woman who desperately wanted Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-109316692002-03-20T09:45:00.000-05:002002-03-21T09:37:48.000-05:00Our local public radio station has been reading a PSA this week for a presentation by the winner of last year's Nebula award, but the announcers are mispronouncing "neb-you-lah" as "neh-boo-lah." I would call the station, but they're in the middle of pledge week; I'm already a donor and I don't want to make another pledge just to be a grammar nebbish. It's still bugging me, though.
(Bonus: Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-109029572002-03-19T13:38:00.000-05:002002-03-19T16:34:10.000-05:00This week's slightly belated This or That Tuesday:
1. Run or walk? Walk, definitely. Though this makes me think of that scene in Ferris Bueller's Day Off where the principal was in a hurry; he would run down the hall, but walk in front of classroom doors so when the students saw him, they would think he was dignified and respectable. To hell with dignity - if the situation calls for it, I Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-109024472002-03-19T13:22:00.000-05:002002-03-19T13:27:08.000-05:00
What Snack Food are YOU? Click here to find out!
These are my favorites - even more than Thin Mints. Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-108966482002-03-19T09:39:00.000-05:002002-03-19T10:49:22.000-05:00A few words on behalf of volunteering: I've been a hospice volunteer for just over a year now, which means that I provide respite care for terminally ill patients and their families, coming in for a few hours a week to keep someone company so their family (or their caregiver, if they're in a nursing home) can take time to rest or do things on their own. I visit the same person for the duration Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-108603772002-03-18T11:03:00.000-05:002002-03-18T11:09:16.000-05:00I'm about to change the links on the right, so here's a snapshot before it's out with the old, in with the new.
Reading: Best New American Voices 2001 This is a great collection of stories from writers who've never been published before. I read last year's edition and felt ahead of the curve when I heard some of the names mentioned later in the year as part of glowing reviews of their work.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-108559692002-03-18T08:07:00.000-05:002002-03-18T08:33:15.000-05:00Starting my week on a positive note:
I like my in-laws; we had a nice lunch on Saturday, and they really seemed to enjoy their visit.
J. and I had a great time picking out his new glasses and running other errands on Sunday; we haven't had a chance to spend a lot of time together recently, and we both really enjoyed it (each of us is better at helping the other person shop rather than Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-108261602002-03-17T11:20:00.000-05:002002-03-17T11:36:33.000-05:00The New Yorker may be the official magazine of Brigadoon. I suspect it's that way in many college towns; here, it's like they issue you a subscription with the keys to your house (and your Honda Odyssey, the official car of Brigadoon).
This was my favorite article from this week's issue. I'm not sure what to make of Japanese teenagers' obsession with truly odd fashion trends (schoolgirl Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-108075832002-03-16T18:28:00.000-05:002002-03-16T18:50:07.000-05:00During a pre-parent arrival cleaning session this morning, J. informed me that putting my half-eaten dish of ice cream back into the freezer for later consumption is not preferred behavior; the actual description was "gross." I see his point, but I didn't put the stuff back in the carton, so I'm not sweating it. My memories of childhood trips to Dairy Queen always ended with my mom putting her Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-107762622002-03-15T16:45:00.000-05:002002-03-15T21:46:49.000-05:00When I was a senior in college (here at Brigadoon University, for those of you keeping score), I applied to work with Teach for America. I auditioned by creating and teaching a lesson on the difference between a simile and a metaphor, and I was posted to New Orleans. I ended up taking a job with a nonprofit in Washington D.C. instead as a legislative intern, certainly educational for me. If I Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-107671792002-03-15T11:52:00.000-05:002002-03-15T12:04:38.000-05:00The genuine Friday Five:
1. What's your favorite animal? Anything fuzzy - not necessarily long-haired, just fuzzy. I am also all about animals with their own personality.
2. What pets have you had in your lifetime? Dog, dog, dog, dog dog, (fish, fish, fish) cat (fish, fish). I grew up with dogs; each one was progressively larger - we went from dachsunds to Golden Retrievers. Now, I haveDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-107610332002-03-15T08:06:00.000-05:002002-03-15T08:55:28.000-05:00It doesn't seem like there will be a Friday Five this week because Heather at smattering is having unspecified problems with her site host. For the record, Dawn at lifeuncommon has also roundly dissed Aletia, so if you're looking for web hosting, I'd probably start elsewhere.
So, without further ado, I present My Made-Up Friday Five (if you make up your own, leave a link in the comments and Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-107322742002-03-14T09:31:00.000-05:002002-03-14T11:18:42.000-05:00The Payphone Project is fascinating! I am now officially fighting the urge to ring up the Eiffel Tower, and this replaces PhoneSpell as my favorite Internet resource for random telephone information. The Internet remains my favorite source for random information in general, however.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-107307262002-03-14T08:26:00.000-05:002002-03-14T08:30:29.000-05:00I remember this picture; I wish the ending to the story were happier, but I'm relieved that we know the outcome. I'll be looking for next month's National Geographic to see what Sharbat Gula looks like - I know I'll recognize the eyes.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-106997612002-03-13T13:28:00.000-05:002002-03-13T20:43:38.000-05:00Is underwear an economic indicator? Some say that when people begin buying underwear again, it's a sign that the economy's rebounding. Apparently, the thrifty forgo new underwear in times of crisis because no one but their sweetie will notice the difference. Others, however, say that gathering information like this is so subjective that it's not a reliable measure of anything other than whatDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-106672342002-03-12T15:35:00.000-05:002002-03-12T18:55:44.000-05:00I'm not sure what this says about waiters - or diners. Are we easily manipulated into thinking that our waiter (whose feet probably hurt and who most likely wants to go home) likes us more because they put themselves at eye level? Or are waiters savvy enough to recognize that this kind of personal touch is an additional level of customer service? Savvy or not, I don't mind a genuine Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-106594442002-03-12T11:33:00.000-05:002002-03-12T11:33:00.573-05:00I've noticed a few repeat visits from people I don't know - how flattering. If you'd like, please join the new notify list (below the links to your right). Minimum e-mail, maximum info, that's my philosophy. Thanks for reading.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-106538442002-03-12T07:46:00.000-05:002002-03-12T10:17:57.000-05:00This or That Tuesday:
1. "Blah, blah, blah..." or "yadda, yadda, yadda...?" Blah, blah, blah - I used to be all about the "yadda, yadda..." but now it just brings up painful memories of Seinfeld - how I miss that show. Plus, with the blah, you get "blah blah blahcakes."
2. English or math? I think almost any self-respecting blogger has to say English - I certainly do!
3. VHS or DVDDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-106235252002-03-11T12:44:00.000-05:002002-03-11T12:44:09.393-05:00I wish I could share this idea with everyone who's thinking today about memorializing those lost on September 11; it seems both right and original to me, and I'd love to see it seriously considered.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-106169622002-03-11T08:49:00.000-05:002002-03-11T08:54:04.000-05:00Though it's harder than I expected to think positively this morning, here are a few things that I hope will remind me to get my week off to a good start:
My cat remains as cute as ever (second cat mention in this blog), but the best part is my husband slowly giving in to the unapologetic love of pets that my family seems to have perfected.
I feel good about my growing skills as a manager Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-105903612002-03-10T13:51:00.000-05:002002-03-10T17:27:16.000-05:00The question this week for me has been "Are people smart enough to know better?" I'm not necessarily talking about native intelligence, but the ability to figure out right from wrong, judge things critically to see if theories hold water. For some reason, I'm holding fast to the belief that the operator of a Georgia crematory should have been able to figure out that the family business was not Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-105747762002-03-09T22:50:00.000-05:002002-03-09T22:51:11.000-05:00The weather today has been freakish; shortly after breakfast, the temperature began to drop (which we expected - they said it was going to snow tonight). Shortly after lunch, the wind began to blow, and by 4 it was raining sheets and blowing. J. said that outside of town (in the flatlands), people were reporting windspeeds up to 90 miles an hour. That didn't last long, and the rain has stoppedDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-105404742002-03-08T18:35:00.000-05:002002-03-08T23:04:05.000-05:00
Another very cool idea - and the best button I've seen. I'd love to know more about programming and web design; right now for me it's all sort of hit-or-miss and tweaking a template lots of other people are using (newbie! right here!). Maybe my plans this weekend include more reading about web design. I wish I could just buy a brain implant.
Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-105392872002-03-08T17:55:00.000-05:002002-03-08T18:13:43.000-05:00The Friday Three:
1. Don't stay up trying to be the first person to post to the Friday Five; the people at the top of the list don't want to read what you've written, they want to be first. I was 14th; that and $2.50 will get me a chai latte (an instance of Smirkingly Specific Modernization if I ever saw one, right there).
2. Movie trivia can consume hours of an otherwise productive day ifDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-105194522002-03-08T00:16:00.000-05:002002-03-08T00:23:25.000-05:00The Friday Five
1. What makes you homesick? Realizing how far away I am.
2. Where is "home" for you? Is it where you are living now, or somewhere else (ie: Mom & Dad's house, particular state/city)? The Midwest is home for me, and surprisingly, though I've lived on my own for years, there's nothing more soothing than staying at my parents' house.
3. What makes it home for you? People? Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-105189032002-03-07T23:59:00.000-05:002002-03-07T23:59:01.730-05:00I'm telling you now, look for the recap of this week's episode of ER, because Heathen will rip it to shreds. More boring than watching paint dry, and the five characters trapped in a room (or, more accurately, their scriptwriters) had the nerve to actually cite Waiting For Godot. Cripes. I love ER, and I want that hour of my life back.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-104922252002-03-07T11:14:00.000-05:002002-03-07T11:34:01.000-05:00You're guilty of credit card fraud. If a judge, as part of your sentence, said you could live at home, but you couldn't watch TV, would you consider that unfair? This man's lawyers actually argued that television news was an important source of information; obviously he gets completely different news than we do here. Our local stations report sex scandals and product evaluations. Information,Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-104560802002-03-06T13:01:00.000-05:002002-03-06T13:03:33.000-05:00I just took the latest TopNoggin quiz; they're fun, and I did surprisingly well, given that I know a lot more about world geography than online journals. My motto should really be "Putting useless knowledge to work for years to come." I'll post a link here, and paste the button in a more permanent place when I have more time this weekend:
Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-104481712002-03-06T08:39:00.000-05:002002-03-06T08:51:40.000-05:00Girlie mentioned yesterday that a third friend of hers has announced she's pregnant; though it may seem like a phenomenon, my experience so far is that the "my friends are having babies" phase may die down when we hit 40 as a group - girlie has an even longer wait. Now my friends who have young children are confessing that a second baby is on the way...oh my, indeed.
Though it's tempting to Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-104307422002-03-05T20:50:00.000-05:002002-03-05T20:55:42.000-05:00I've been informed by sources who should know (my therapist) that I take life too seriously. My response? "Who does not?" That didn't get me very far; apparently there are all these qualities, like the ability to roll with the punches, that add to one's quality of life. Like having a pet, the ability to adapt probably helps you live longer, too. Damnit. I already have a pet - isn't that Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-104052442002-03-05T08:20:00.000-05:002002-03-05T08:24:16.000-05:00Another This or That Tuesday:
1. Train or boat? Train - the ride between D.C. and New York is exactly the length of the Sunday New York Times (at least the sections I like) - that's nice.
2. Lake or ocean? Lakes are closer, oceans are better. Can you believe that I go so long between visits to the ocean that I forget what salt air smells like? That's sad.
3. Thoughtful or perceptive? I'm Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-103910112002-03-04T22:06:00.000-05:002002-03-04T22:20:03.000-05:00
Mmm, I am Lemon Flavoured.
I am bitter and twisted. Expect from me acerbic humour and sharp commentary. While I may seem nasty at first, I'm actually quite good company if I like you, so long as you don't mind a bit of cutting to the chase. What Flavour Are You?
Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-103904872002-03-04T21:53:00.000-05:002002-03-04T22:00:06.000-05:00I'm kind of a hostage to these list-making activities, but find them an interesting way to both say things and learn things about myself. Better late than never, here are a few positive things sure to get my week off on the right foot:
We had a great Sunday dinner - I love Tandoori chicken - so good, I looked forward to leftovers tonight.
Girl Scout cookies are in - there is nothing betterDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-103725552002-03-04T13:38:00.000-05:002002-03-04T13:41:13.000-05:00J. and I watched Pulp Fiction last night - it must be the tenth time for me, and I still think it's a great movie (Samuel L. Jackson is my hero). Liking it now makes you a geek, though, and it's pretty much been a career-stopper for some actors. Is it like the Blade Runner curse?
After it was over, we turned once again to the perennial question: what's in the briefcase? The rumor and theDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-103398612002-03-03T16:42:00.000-05:002002-03-03T17:14:36.000-05:00I'm 32 - I'll admit that, because 32 seems young, yet mature enough to know better under many circumstances. I'm not saying stuffy, just a little wiser than I might have been at 23. My problem? I'm turning 33 in just two months, and 33 sounds...it sounds responsible and settled and nice. What did I do this weekend? I balanced my checkbook. The fact that I got excited about it? That, my Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-102735062002-03-01T14:35:00.000-05:002002-03-01T15:04:37.000-05:00The Friday Five:
1. What's your favorite vacation spot? I love exploring new places, so my favorite thing might be a brand new destination. For repeat visits, I'd take Chicago, London, or the California wine country - I like wine, and I was fascinated that there was a whole vacation built around that. Plus, that's where J. and I first started trying on engagement rings for me, in the Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-101933552002-02-27T14:28:00.000-05:002002-02-27T14:28:43.280-05:00Masters of re-creation / Nothing goes to waste in a thrifty chef's kitchen
This makes even leftovers sound glamorous - if only mine were this exciting.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-101925322002-02-27T14:02:00.000-05:002002-02-27T14:02:14.650-05:00Voting for a new M&M color starts next month. I think that's cool, though I'm picky about the colors I'd want to add, and it looks like the choices may be dismal: Aqua? Purple? Pink? No thanks.
Plus, did you know the company already makes M&Ms in more than 20 colors for sale to corporate clients and others who want that custom touch? I don't know why this surprises me, but it makes me Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-101874012002-02-27T11:34:00.000-05:002002-02-27T11:34:16.690-05:00I finished reading A Beautiful Mind last night. After a slow start, it picks up and becomes quite a page-turner at the end. Sylvia Nasar packs a huge amount of information into her story, about Nash, but also about the study of mathematics and economics. This makes the book somewhat remote for a comfirmed liberal arts major like me (I can operate a calculator, but that's it), but lends an Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-101395502002-02-26T06:19:00.000-05:002002-02-26T06:33:43.000-05:00This or That Tuesday
Dial-up or cable? Once you go cable, there's no going back. True, I spend more time on the Internet, but I feel like it has more vitamins and minerals than TV (which I watch very little), so I'm okay with that.
Wal-mart or K-mart? K-mart - we have both nearby, and though Wal-mart's prices are slightly better, the store is a maze to me and the aisles are *too* narrow Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-101038522002-02-25T10:41:00.000-05:002002-02-25T11:36:18.000-05:00For the past several days, I've felt that the cold I had been nursing was morphing into Captain Trips; only Stephen King could conjure a cough so persistent and so macabre.
Readers of Stephen King seem to fall into two camps: those who read The Stand, and those who read everything else - for the record, though I have read Night Shift (which includes the devilish "Quitters, Inc.") and several Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-100193082002-02-22T18:14:00.000-05:002002-02-22T18:14:08.513-05:00Daniel Pearl was an excellent writer - how fitting that his memorial should include some of the best Page One stories he wrote for the Wall Street Journal.
Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-100039662002-02-22T10:23:00.000-05:002002-02-22T10:23:53.890-05:00The Friday Five:
1. Hey, baby, what's your sign? Do you think it fits you pretty well? Taurus, and it fits me, stubborn, loving and organized to a fault, in that order.
2. What's the worst birthday gift you've ever received? I have an aunt who gives me trinkets and other decorative stuff I call "dustables" - it's not a reflection on her, but I end up yard sale-ing a lot of them.
3. Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-99830932002-02-21T20:14:00.000-05:002002-02-21T20:17:56.000-05:00
I am ELMO.
I'm cute, cute, as a button!Which Sesame Street Character Are You?
I find this ridiculously reassuring.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-99674852002-02-21T12:29:00.000-05:002002-02-21T12:29:36.383-05:00An Extra's Unscripted Tumble From the Stage Is Roiling the Met
Insert your own joke about making opera more exciting here; personally, all I can think of is that guy who fell off the ski jump every week during the opening credits of ABC's Wide World of Sports. Stick a fork in you, you're done after something like that. Simon Deonarian will be known forever as "that guy who fell off the stageDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-99402592002-02-20T19:00:00.000-05:002002-02-20T19:26:56.000-05:00So this is Day Two of "it might be a cold, I'm not sure, but whatever it is, it's sucking the life out of me." I'm on the mend, so I can be philosophical about it, but I am not a happy sick person. I was up to about six naps a day, and used my sore throat as an excuse to eat soft, mushy comfort food. My reduced attention span turned out to be perfect for reading a new cookbook I brought home Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-98992292002-02-19T17:34:00.000-05:002002-02-19T17:57:56.000-05:00It's This or That Tuesday. I saw Dawn's answers over at lifeuncommon, and though I couldn't find it at the original site, I wanted to give credit where credit was due.
January or July? July, without question. I prefer winter clothes, but I hate being cold. I am all about a nice glass of lemonade on a shady front porch with a warm breeze.
Email or letters? Email, unfortunately. I know Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-98504902002-02-18T12:04:00.000-05:002002-02-18T12:04:29.303-05:00Our computer is broken, badly enough that we may have to have someone rip it open and take a look inside to determine what's wrong. I truly appreciate the well-oiled machine, the top that spins on a perfect axis. I didn't think I would miss the computer at home because I have one in front of me all day at work, but I do. I particularly miss my .mp3s, an eclectic soundtrack, and a vice that I Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-97645082002-02-15T13:55:00.000-05:002002-02-15T13:55:11.846-05:00The Friday Five
1. What was the first thing you ever cooked? Milk and cereal (how many people say that?) Honestly, probably pudding - I went through an obsessive period of making pudding from scratch when my parents got their first microwave when I was about 12.
2. What's your signature dish? Cheesy potatoes: Take a 2 pound bag of frozen hash browns and let them thaw for an hour. Grate 8 Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-97592712002-02-15T10:58:00.000-05:002002-02-15T10:58:57.530-05:00There are two kinds of people who live and work here in Brigadoon; those who worry (secretly or openly) that the town is too small, too isolated, and those for whom Brigadoon is the big time. The one place where you can reliably find both types of people is at our movie theatre, the Orpheum.
Like most towns of any size, we have what you would expect at the town center: a city hall, police Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-97208172002-02-14T09:50:00.000-05:002002-02-14T11:42:45.000-05:00Creative Ways to Celebrate Valentines Day
Take the "burdensome obligation" out of your day and celebrate with meaning - and style.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-97027412002-02-13T20:56:00.000-05:002002-02-13T20:56:10.543-05:00Perhaps I should start a nammer webring. I could comment mockingly, but I won't because these people love their rabbit even if they can't spell. Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-96940752002-02-13T16:29:00.000-05:002002-02-13T16:29:57.876-05:00 This lovely young woman seems to be the most well-adjusted 16-year old I've never met - her entry is a finalist in the diarist.net awards this quarter for best guest entry in a journal at Poundy.
I'm a little down today, in part because my friend Max, the orthopedic surgeon, suspects that I might have carpal tunnel syndrome in my right wrist. Granted, it's a preliminary diagnosis courtesyDonnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-96533172002-02-12T15:28:00.000-05:002002-02-12T15:33:12.000-05:00Philadelphia Inquirer | 02/12/2002 | 'Fresh Air' host gets feedback on fresh guest
More info on the Gene Simmons interview that was aired recently on Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Not surprisingly, many listeners thought he was a jackass. More to the point, the Inquirer confirms that I'm part of the "latte crowd." Woo hoo! (Should I be offended? I'm a big coffee drinker...It's like an Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-96455892002-02-12T11:16:00.000-05:002002-02-12T11:16:29.340-05:00Oscar nominees were announced today, and I can't help but get excited. Though it's been scientifically proven (more or less) that the voting is biased, I still think it's a huge honor. Biased or not, the Oscar, like the Olympic medal, still retains some street cred.
That said, I'm going to get smoked in whatever Oscar pool I join, and I blame it on the elves. I did not like Lord of the Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-96196382002-02-11T16:53:00.000-05:002002-02-11T16:53:35.350-05:00J. was over at his friends' Dean and Alice's house yesterday; they live in a funky city neighborhood about an hour from Brigadoon, and they're remodeling. He gave them some advice, and came home with a story.
Dean and Alice have a parrot. Because the parrot is home by himself all day, he does not mimic them, or their cats or even the sounds of nature. He mimics the phone...and their Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-95839032002-02-10T16:42:00.000-05:002002-02-11T11:11:26.000-05:00The Making of a Restaurant
What a great idea - a place where I can live out my "Tequila Sunrise" fantasies - Michelle Pfeiffer made running a restaurant look more exciting than drug-running, and this site does too.Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-95801152002-02-10T14:13:00.000-05:002002-02-10T16:29:26.000-05:00Every time I think I've left it behind a little, and I relax a little when I see September 11 families as the beneficiaries of another charity or a benefit concert, something like this
Peter Burton Hanson, Sue Kim Hanson, Christine Hanson: Going Yuppie for Love
comes along to remind me that behind the numbers are thousands of individuals - including a husband and wife with their 2 1/2 Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-95597432002-02-09T18:58:00.000-05:002002-02-09T18:58:58.556-05:00Okay, so I know T.J. Maxx, despite what they would desperately like you to believe, is not exactly high-style and loaded with class. It's more like T.J. lives across town from high-style and class occasionaly drives by T.J.'s house. Nonetheless, I was at T.J. Maxx today, and I was surprised to see that a woman in the checkout line in front of me and my two pairs of black tights was buying Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-95172702002-02-08T10:25:00.000-05:002002-02-08T10:25:50.263-05:00I'm skipping the Friday Five this week because it's rife with personal questions related to sex (see below for my policy on discussing my sex life).
As an early Valentine's present, I give you someone else talking about their sex life - Gene Simmons of Kiss. Fresh Air is my favorite interview show, and they're rebroadcasting this interview this weekend - if you can catch it now or in the Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-95165282002-02-08T10:00:00.000-05:002002-02-08T10:43:18.000-05:00This could be my aunt Eloise; it's scary actually. Unlike this writer's grandmother, my aunt is, thankfully, still alive, yet my mother and my aunts have journeyed more than once to wherever she's been living to help her clean out a room/pack up to move.
It's partly due to Eloise that I grew up thinking every person had a junk room in their house. But Eloise didn't collect junk; her Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-94876902002-02-07T15:25:00.000-05:002002-02-08T10:46:25.000-05:00I've been considering what I want to give up for Lent: past choices have included coffee, chocolate, TV and gossip. I do it mostly as a reminder that I have the discipline to, not as a reflection of faith (move over, so the lightning only hits me).
Though at one time I regretted being virtually the only non-Catholic in my family (I'm the only child, my Mom is an atheist and my Dad is a Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-94504702002-02-06T16:04:00.000-05:002002-02-06T16:07:04.000-05:00I've spent part of the afternoon cleaning out my e-mail and crossing things off my to-do list - by deleting them. That's right, not doing them. I've considered this option for awhile, because I appear to be entering a period at work that can only be described as "if there were two of me, I might have a chance." (I could tell you about my "assistant," and how there are theoretically two of me, Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-94414842002-02-06T11:25:00.000-05:002002-02-06T11:25:31.516-05:00This is the most fascinating thing I've seen in weeks:
Make Mine Dvorak - One writer's love affair with the other keyboard layout. By Nicholas Thompson
I am a competent typist, but I type so much that the idea of typing more comfortably and efficiently is almost hypnotic.
Unfortunately, I'm typing this entry on a Mac - not mentioned at all in this article. Some investigating will Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-93817902002-02-04T20:22:00.000-05:002002-02-04T20:24:15.000-05:00
Which drink are you?Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-93612892002-02-04T09:29:00.000-05:002002-02-04T09:43:49.000-05:00I found this very interesting; apparently my suspicions that self-doubt can be a powerful motivator for achievement are at least partially correct. by that measure, I should be President of the United States by next Thursday. Maybe I should aim higher.
For what it's worth, I also liked that the author took some shots at praise for praise's sake - people too often think that doing their job Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-93606082002-02-04T09:01:00.000-05:002002-02-06T20:12:42.000-05:00The remains of the day
It's a quiet Sunday afternoon here in Brigadoon, my small town; J. is napping in the other room and I'm catching up with Web reading. I just looked up and saw a co-worker and her husband walk by outside, and it made me think about when I lived in the city and could go for days moving about in public without seeing the same people twice - strangers everywhere. Now it Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-92734772002-02-01T11:45:00.000-05:002002-02-03T17:05:18.000-05:00Get your mojo workin'
(It's Carla Thomas. You could look it up.)
I had something else planned for this space this morning, but we'll get to that later. Without further ado, my answers to this week's Friday Five
1. Have you ever had braces? Any other teeth trauma? Yes, to braces (which worked rather well, even though my orthodontist was mean) and yes to the teeth trauma: Two and a half Donnanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3306088.post-92358532002-01-31T11:39:00.000-05:002002-01-31T11:41:26.000-05:00No, thank you
Right at the outset, it's probably worth mentioning some things that I won't include here (full disclosure or warning label, take your pick):
- Notes about pets. Everyone already thinks that their own pet is cuter than a box of bunnies (tm TWoP), and I'm not one to argue with you. Unless it's relevant to the story, this is a fur-free zone.
- My sex life is off-limits (as Donnanoreply@blogger.com