like, so funny

I am a huge fan of the tv show House, and here is a most lovely page where you can see two hilarious "outtakes". Yes, I grew up listening to the song Valley Girl and driving my family crazy saying things like "tubular."

"we get it"

Last night's Gilmore Girls rerun (the second one, not the first) was the episode where Lane and Zach get back together. He's in Luke's, telling her how he gets up in the morning and he feels bad, he goes to work and he feels bad, he scratches his nose and he feels bad, etc. I wish I didn't, but I know how he feels.

The weather, though, that's another story. It is still hot, but there's this cool breeze blowing and the humidity is dropping away. It's the breeze that brings fall, although it may be a teaser, since fall here sometimes doesn't really happen before it's winter and suddenly jacket weather. Today, though, is a good day to walk around and feel the wind on your face.

softie

You know what's fun? Softball! I signed up to play with some of my colleagues, starting in a few weeks. I am a most terrible softball player, but I enjoy yelling insults at the batter, kicking dust, and getting on base by hitting a ball in between the pitcher and homeplate.

ambitious

I tried. I swear. I asked one of my pals to accompany me to a show on Saturday. I got there early and stood around, then sat around, and finally my friend came. Then the music started and the bands were mediocre. We watched Iron Maiden on tv. I felt gross. I went home, despite it being 11pm.

Apparently I am still at the "watching tv with girlfriends" stage, not the "going out and flirting with cute band guys" stage. Or maybe I am too old for that. It seems possible. I mean, I didn't go home and put on fuzzy slippers and a bathrobe or anything but it seems to me that I am way more interested in hanging out with my friends or staying at home than doing anything else.

In other news, I had a good run on Saturday morning and then Bill White came and told us that we were a small part of H-town getting off of the 5 fattest cities list. I also started with I hope will be a novel, but if not, at least a new short story.

it may be time

As in, it may be time for me to "get back out there." I have resisted and resisted because I hate dating. I mean, I loathe dating. Even worse, once I get to the intimacy phase, I never want to see someone sans clothing for the first time.

On the other hand, I've spent the past three nights on my couch watching tv with my cat. If that's not the dictionary definition of sad, it should be.

In other news, I had a dream that one of my good friends had a baby, and you know I'm half psychic, so I'll be expecting news shortly!

sexy

While reading my feeds from The Librarians' Index to the Internet, http://lii.org, I discovered a fun, although lengthy, test of my brain sex identity. I've noticed that I tend to fall right smack in the middle of most personality tests. I've also noticed that I have abilities that are typically male and some that are typically female. I was curious to see where I fell on this particular spectrum.

I'll let you make your guess first.

The average man scores 50 on the male side of the spectrum, while the average woman scores 50 on the female side. I scored 25 on the male side. Along the way I discovered that I prefer men with more feminine facial features (not exactly a surprise) and that my ring finger to index finger ratio is quite a bit smaller than most people, both male and female. I scored exactly the same on the tests for empathy (a typically female trait) and systemizing (male trait) and I scored higher than the average person on both.

Now what does all of this mean? It means I'm not your typical female, that's for sure. To me it means that I took in many traits expressed by my more typically male and female parents and that all types of abilities were valued and supported. Mom: good with words and people--check. Dad--good with building things and spatial stuff--check. Short fingers on both parents--check. I wish this test were hooked up to a career list because I'd be interested to see what this says about what I should be doing for work. Should I give up my job as a li-berrian and become a person who screens faces for terrorists at the airport? Should I become a glove-maker for squatty-fingered folk?

quicky

I'm feeling a bit vulnerable and also tetchy today. I have a weird form of insomnia that makes me wake up at 3am and not be able to go back to sleep. This morning I laid on the couch with the tv on really low (who knew Charles in Charge was on at 4am?) and was finally lulled back into dreamtime but then I had this dream:

Someone had come into my house and pulled everything out of some of my cupboards. It was piled up on my floor, but beyond it was a very intricately constructed house made of lincoln logs (I think) and there were a bunch of barbie dolls, some clothed, some naked. I felt violated because the person who did it had a key to my house but had entered without my permission.

sure, i'll take 12!

One of the smaller vendors paid us a visit today. Their current thought, they said, was to offer more but not charge exhorbitant amounts for their offerings, and not simply repackage the same content. I said to one of my bosses, "I think their other marketing scheme is to send out handsome men to visit us."

weddings, survival of as a single gal

This has been an odd year in many ways, but particularly so because I have attended the weddings of two friends in the past 5 months. Some years I attend no weddings at all. My college friends did not all get married post-graduation and a few got married in grad school but it's been pretty spotty.

One thing that always happens, no matter what: I cry. As soon as whatever processional they're using starts up, my eyes water and I see the bride coming down the aisle (etc.) with rather blurred vision. Every freakin' time.

This was a good wedding because we got to sing a bunch of hymns. If I am going to be in a church, singing is a must. My voice is an embarrassment, so this is the ONLY time I get to sing in public. Also, I got to hawk the wedding crossword puzzle and souvenir pencils during the reception, which was a good way to boss my way into each cluster and feel like I was somehow helping out. People were surprisingly sweet about it.

The only person I "had to meet" was a cousin (?) of the groom, whom the mother of the groom wanted to introduce me to because we're both training for the marathon. No awkward single girl meet single guy moments at all.

And finally, I had a rockin' dress. The dress can completely make the wedding, in more ways than one.

more wedding prep

So yesterday was the dessert extravaganza for my colleague/friend and today was her bachelorette luncheon. It happened at a restaurant I like quite a bit and her family and friends are all lovely so I had a fairly good time, considering how awkward these things can often be. I discovered when Jane got married that the wedding and reception are much more fun when you know a sizable number of the guests.

Despite the fact that she requested no gifts, a few of the ladies got her something, and two even got her lingerie. I have never seen her blush so much! I was thankful that I had erred on the side of caution and brought only my appetite and good wishes.

Since I spent the morning in a large room packed with new international students and folks from various campus and community groups I am now completely tuckered.

choco

One of my colleague/friends is getting married this weekend (congratulations!) and we had a dessert potluck this afternoon. I ate so much chocolate that I am now feeling a bit ill. However, I have no regrets!

pr

As in Project Runway, of course. This is the third season of this particular show and I watched all of the first season and none of the second. I managed to catch one episode of the third and then last night I saw the last two episodes. So I guess that makes me an occasional PR viewer.

We had a small discussion about which show we like better, PR or Runway. It's a tough call for me. I get very involved in Runway, whereas my heart never beats fast as I wait for Heidi Klum to announce who's gotten the boot (the shears?) on PR.

pen in eye

Just escaped from a meeting that lasted a large part of my day. All of my body parts are intact as are those of the other attendees, but let me tell you that it was a close call. I clutched my pen like a dagger more than once.

As usual, the meeting closed with very little decided, but I didn't really care at that point because all I wanted to do was to get away. The nice after-part was that the nice lady facilitator took a picture of one of my tattoos for a project she's working on. Happy to help, nice lady!

terrorizing his social milieu

My sis said that would be a great line in a novel. I agree. I doubt I've ever received a more dramatic accusation. So please, friends, please let me know if I am or have been terrorizing you.

On other fronts, today is new faculty orientation, when the fresh-faced new professors realize just how much bureaucracy they will have to deal with here at H-town u. We bombard them with way more schwag and information than they can possibly carry or process but it is still fun. I really love the start of the school year--it's my true New Years.

costa rica

So I got back from CR on Saturday night and stepped in a steaming pile of horse s**t. I think I've finally extracted myself from said pile, thank goodness, because it was becoming a bad situation for everyone involved. A lot of it was my own fault for not getting away sooner, but truth be told it was an extremely difficult decision to make.

Anyhoo, CR was a complete blast. I spent a lot of time sitting around reading, enjoying the ocean breezes from our condo balcony. I also spent several hours at the beach, getting pounded by the surf and playing in the sand. I got to see a bunch of animals on hikes. I even did one of those canopy zipline tours and only screamed obscenities twice. This is an accomplishment because I am afraid of heights and really really hate the sensation of falling.

I only took a few pics, but you can see them at the usual place. There are more (and far better) pics also at my friend Jane's place.

despite what you may think...

You Are 42% Evil

You are evil, but you haven't yet mastered the dark side. Fear not though - you are on your way to world domination.

How Evil Are You?

as i mentioned

I will be away from a computer for about a week. In the meantime, please enjoy the noodling of my pal Trent and the lovely vocals by the mysterious Melissa:

http://www.putfile.com/trentandmelissa

I'm digging it. Can't wait for the cd!

vermin

I forgot to check my dream interpretation book before I left this morning, but I've found that even die hard entomologists sometimes have infestation dreams.

I was combing my cat, finding a few fleas, and then seeing really big fleas, like the size of engorged ticks. Then I started seeing these large cockroaches (not tree roaches, just large Americans) crawling all over her. Leeghah!

this saturday

Two things are happening this Saturday. The first is my departure for a week in Costa Rica. We're staying on the beach and doing a lot of lounging, or at least I will be lounging. Some of our friends will be tearing around the country but I am looking forward to sitting on my butt and reading and also reaquainting myself with the local flora and fauna, especially the insects.

The second thing happening Saturday is my 4 year work anniversary. I'm proud of what I do and for the most part I enjoy my job. Four years, for me, is an eternity. Other than school, I've never done the same thing for that long, so it's a bit of a milestone.

where've i been?

create your own visited countries map

hungry

My intestines have been bothering me severly for a few days. Nothing gross, just a lot of pain. So today I am trying to eat only good stuff, like fruits & veggies and some rice. At the moment, though, I am starving.