I think I need to start checking my mail more frequently. I just checked my mailbox today (for the third time this academic year), and here's a partial list of what I found:
-A travel expenses reimbursement check for an interview I had over 2 months ago (the company still hasn't gotten back to me about it though--I'm starting to think rejected)
-A Happy Kwanzaa card (which got glitter all over my hands; well played, Groucho)
-A notification of the classes in which I successfully enrolled for this current semester
-A notification that I will no longer be considered an eligible voter in Philadelphia--and will have to go through some affidavit-signing mumbo-jumbo to vote again--if I don't return a form within 30 days of the notification date...which is 33 days ago
Also, I slipped on a giant thing of ice today and hurt both my legs. Laying on your back, temporarily unable to move, watching snow fall down on you is quite a contemplation-inducing experience. Ow. But as I lay there on the ice, with a giggling yet concerned Princess Lolly dangling a grocery bag over my face so I wouldn't have to eat snow as I panted my way through convalescence, I thought about the precious things in life we sometimes take for granted--and shouldn't. Things like the immense value of having a friend there when you're in pain or in trouble, and on a more basic level, your legs.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Monday, February 19, 2007
My Constraint II
Follow up: Cynara's gymnastics meet went great. Thanks to the support of her teammates and my friends, I managed to get in signage, chanting, foam fingers...and there may have been a ninja involved. Cynara's sister (who probably needs her own name here) gave me the sweetest compliment: "[Cynara's teammates] are probably all wishing they were dating Eagles fans." I was really touched. Shoutouts of thanks to Super King, Princess Lolly, Queen Frostine, and two people who need to pick names.
[Editor's Addendum: Special thanks to the First Tiger for coming up with the brilliant signage over burgers. Thanks to his scheme, we were a more organized cheering section than any of the teams themselves--which is saying something given their matching leotards.]
And now for something funny...does the following line from the NY Times raise any eyebrows or set off any warning bells in anyone's mind but mine?
"During his 21 years as steward of the Yale endowment, Mr. Swensen has generated an annual compound growth rate of 16.3 percent, beating the performance of Harvard's endowment and that of every other major school in the country over the same period, according to data compiled by Yale."
And for something old that's still funny...this summer, our house dean ran into Rick Blaine and said: "[Rick Blaine]! You've been at the top of my "To Do" list for weeks now!"
Awkward turtle.
[Editor's Addendum: Special thanks to the First Tiger for coming up with the brilliant signage over burgers. Thanks to his scheme, we were a more organized cheering section than any of the teams themselves--which is saying something given their matching leotards.]
And now for something funny...does the following line from the NY Times raise any eyebrows or set off any warning bells in anyone's mind but mine?
"During his 21 years as steward of the Yale endowment, Mr. Swensen has generated an annual compound growth rate of 16.3 percent, beating the performance of Harvard's endowment and that of every other major school in the country over the same period, according to data compiled by Yale."
And for something old that's still funny...this summer, our house dean ran into Rick Blaine and said: "[Rick Blaine]! You've been at the top of my "To Do" list for weeks now!"
Awkward turtle.
Friday, February 16, 2007
My Russian Education
This post is to flesh out the postscript in the previous post. I realized that some people might still have the wrong idea. For those who think they have to learn a lot about Russians, let me disabuse you of that notion and tell you everything you need to know about Russia right here in a convenient Top 10 list:
10- "Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff" -Frank Zappa
9- It's easier to store dolls in other dolls.
8- Something about Dr. Strangelove. I never saw the movie, but my finance professor talked about it. Apparently it involves Russians.
7- Mutually assured destruction prevents destruction as long as everyone has a lot to lose.
6- Russian Submarines create drama. And a nuclear naval presence. But mainly drama.
5- The Volga river is somewhere in Russia. It once got me a point on an AP World History Geography quiz the first week of class my senior year of high school. It might do the same for you one day.
4- Commies.
3- Philip J. Fry's dad hates Commies.
2- Daffodil.
And the number one thing that everyone needs to know...
1- Never wage a land war in Russia during the winter.
(seriously...just don't)
10- "Communism doesn't work because people like to own stuff" -Frank Zappa
9- It's easier to store dolls in other dolls.
8- Something about Dr. Strangelove. I never saw the movie, but my finance professor talked about it. Apparently it involves Russians.
7- Mutually assured destruction prevents destruction as long as everyone has a lot to lose.
6- Russian Submarines create drama. And a nuclear naval presence. But mainly drama.
5- The Volga river is somewhere in Russia. It once got me a point on an AP World History Geography quiz the first week of class my senior year of high school. It might do the same for you one day.
4- Commies.
3- Philip J. Fry's dad hates Commies.
2- Daffodil.
And the number one thing that everyone needs to know...
1- Never wage a land war in Russia during the winter.
(seriously...just don't)
My Bad Memory
A lot of funny things have happened to me lately, and I keep saying "that's totally going in my blog!" But to my faithful readers I must apologize, as I seem to be forgetting them before I get to a computer. The only thing I can remember is a rather embarrassing comment by Sheba about Lombard Street being from a Doctor Seuss book. But I won't quote that here.
Today I went to a play, or rather, 6 short plays, all by David Ives. Many of Cynara's friends are in the theater group which put it on (including Cynara herself, the Art Director). I was pleasantly surprised to realize I had seen half of them already, including my favorite one of the lot, The Philadelphia. The only thing I don't like about it is the absolutely stupid notion that Los Angeles is better than Philadelphia. At least they admitted New York and Hell were really the same place in another play. Also, there was a kosher cheesesteak on the menu in The Philadelphia. I want one.
Cynara also invited me to the cast party. I have mixed feelings about this. I don't want to intrude, as I'd clearly be out of place, but on the other hand, I've always wanted to see what a cast party was like.
Under 17 hours until I meet the parents.
PS - I embarrassingly confused Trotsky and Tolstoy in public again. I think it's just time to fess up to the world that I really don't care about the Russians, their writers, their politics, or their famous people. I know enough to understand the "must crush capitalism"joke in the Simpsons, and everything after that is superfluous. So here's my public acknowledgment: I don't read the Russians, nor do I ever intend to. I don't even read ABOUT the Russians. Apologies to Queen Frostine, but they're just too boring.
Today I went to a play, or rather, 6 short plays, all by David Ives. Many of Cynara's friends are in the theater group which put it on (including Cynara herself, the Art Director). I was pleasantly surprised to realize I had seen half of them already, including my favorite one of the lot, The Philadelphia. The only thing I don't like about it is the absolutely stupid notion that Los Angeles is better than Philadelphia. At least they admitted New York and Hell were really the same place in another play. Also, there was a kosher cheesesteak on the menu in The Philadelphia. I want one.
Cynara also invited me to the cast party. I have mixed feelings about this. I don't want to intrude, as I'd clearly be out of place, but on the other hand, I've always wanted to see what a cast party was like.
Under 17 hours until I meet the parents.
PS - I embarrassingly confused Trotsky and Tolstoy in public again. I think it's just time to fess up to the world that I really don't care about the Russians, their writers, their politics, or their famous people. I know enough to understand the "must crush capitalism"joke in the Simpsons, and everything after that is superfluous. So here's my public acknowledgment: I don't read the Russians, nor do I ever intend to. I don't even read ABOUT the Russians. Apologies to Queen Frostine, but they're just too boring.
Monday, February 05, 2007
My First Attempt at Linguistics
First, sorry for the drop-off in posts. I had major computer problems (now I'm on a new one), and then I wasn't very funny for a while. Anyway, a few humorous memories:
When told I'd enjoy linguistics:
"Too much language, not enough istics." And I mean it. I love istics.
And later, to emphasize the "istics":
DeluxX: Pretty soon we're gonna be taking the derivative of a sentence to give it new meaning...when does it end [PiFry], when?
Me: Not to give it NEW meaning...just to interpret the rate of change of the original meaning
And irrelevantly, from the New York Times:
"Last week in Beijing, a foreign ministry spokeswoman failed to respond directly to a debris question. Asked if the satellite’s remains would threaten other spacecraft, she asserted that China’s policy was to keep space free of weapons." [China recently blew up a satellite for fun]
(Does that count as journalism? It's certainly better than CNN's show where they read blogs out loud...)
When told I'd enjoy linguistics:
"Too much language, not enough istics." And I mean it. I love istics.
And later, to emphasize the "istics":
DeluxX: Pretty soon we're gonna be taking the derivative of a sentence to give it new meaning...when does it end [PiFry], when?
Me: Not to give it NEW meaning...just to interpret the rate of change of the original meaning
And irrelevantly, from the New York Times:
"Last week in Beijing, a foreign ministry spokeswoman failed to respond directly to a debris question. Asked if the satellite’s remains would threaten other spacecraft, she asserted that China’s policy was to keep space free of weapons." [China recently blew up a satellite for fun]
(Does that count as journalism? It's certainly better than CNN's show where they read blogs out loud...)
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