Superfluous Hullabaloo
The world according to Feffie.Thursday, December 26, 2002
Saturday, December 21, 2002The Friday Five
I just looked at this and realized that my last post was also the Friday Five, so it's been about a week. I've been so busy, the time has flown by! Chrismas was great. Chris, Annora, and I played at midnight mass and then 8 AM mass, so I was quite tired. Went home after church, and had a nice time with my family. Grandma fell and had to go to the hospital, but she was OK, just some brusing, nothing broken. I have thanked God at least a hundred times since then, because we are so lucky it wasn't worse! Her being OK was the best Christmas gift. I've been working, doing office work by day and helping out with a children's program at a hotel by night. Keeps me busy, but it will be nice to go back to school with a little bit of money, especially since everything is so damn expensive there. I see how much it's been snowing, and I think about what a shame it would be if there was a snowstorm when I'm supposed to fly back and I got stuck in Florida for a few extra days (weeks...) Oh, I'd be heartbroken. Speaking of weather, it was cold here today! In the 50s! I sure hope it warms back up! At least it was nice and sunny. Yeah, I got such a chance to appreciate that trapped in a tall office building with no windows. It was nice to watch the sunset at the beach, though (at the hotel). Very pretty.
I thought it would be sad to see no links to others' sites on the Friday Five page, but I don't miss all of the silly, "Look I am the first to post." Yeah, that got old after a while. Also, the apolgies for posting late (although I must admit my own guilt in the matter). No one really gives a crap. There are no Friday Five police who are going to lock you up if you don't post until Sunday. Anyway, onto the 'five and then to bed!
1. What was your biggest accomplishment this year? Surviving my first semester of grad school!
2. What was your biggest disappointment? HA! Where do I even begin? Do I only get to pick one?? I guess my housing assignment, the teensy-tiny one-bedroom apartment with four people and rickety bunk beds. More of an outrage than a disappointment, though.
3. Will you be making any New Year's resolutions? Eh, probably not. No one ever keeps those anyway. i try to improve myself in small ways throughout the year rather than setting one enormous impractical goal at the beginning.
4. Where will you be at midnight? Do you wish you could be somewhere else? I really don't know. I have no definite plans yet.
5. Aside from (possibly) staying up late, do you have any other New Year's traditions? Well, I usually drink profusely, but I won't be doing that this year. I will however keep the tradition of behaving badly, I am fully capable of acting like a loon while sober. :-) I will also be keeping the tradition of NOT singing that stupid, annoying Auld Lang Syne song that makes no damn sense anyway. Hmmm, what other traditions? Oh yeah, the eating unhealthy yet tasty snack foods late at night.
Friday, December 20, 2002The Friday Five
1. What holiday or holidays do you celebrate this time of year? Christmas, you know, the holiday formerly known as the birth of Christ.
2. What was the best gift you have ever received? Salvation!
3. What was the worst gift you've ever given? I don't give bad gifts! Damn, you're lucky to get ANY gift from my broke ass.
4. Where will you be celebrating the holidays? Are you hosting? Going away? At my parents' house in Florida.
5. If you could spend the holidays with someone who isn't around, who would it be with? Why? I'd like to have Uncle Joe back; I miss him.
Top Ten Things I Did Not Miss About Florida
- old people driving 15 MPH
- Nascar fans with the racer's number plastered all over their cars
- New Yorkers (can't get away from them)
- infinite road construction
- less than brilliant people (duh, how do you read a ballot?)
- flamingo lawn ornaments
- frizzy hair from the humidity
- thunderstorms
- Confederate flags
Sunday, December 15, 2002Top Ten Things I Missed About Florida
Saturday, December 14, 2002I Love Florida!!!
I'm back in Florida, and it's so nice!! Everything is GREEN and there are leaves on the trees! Amazing! It's warm here. :-) Well, warm compared to New York, but a little chilly by Florida standards! hehe There is plenty of orange juice to drink, and it's not $5 a bottle! It's supposed to warm up this week, and I am going to the BEACH! The only down side is that my hair is starting to frizz again! Darn humidity. I wonder what my reeds will do... They sure won't dry out and warp!
Going Home!
I am so excited! The day is finally here! I am going home to Florida! It will be the first time I have been home, and seen my family, since August! No cold weather for a month. :-) No papers to write for a month!! Woohoo! I'm flying home, and it's such a task to fit everything I need for a month in just a few suitcases. Oy! The thing I fear most about flying is not crashing or hijacking or anything like that (I actually feel safer flying than driving... especially in White Plains, they have a special breed of idiots on the road), but having my luggage lost. I am taking a direct flight down with no stops from NY to West Palm Beach, so that should minimize the chance of lost luggage, right? I just don't need that kind of hassle.
Sunny Florida here I come!! Those of you in Florida, definately give me a holler!
Tuesday, December 10, 2002Happy Birthday Superfluous Hullabaloo!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday dear blog!
Happy birthday to you!My blog turns a year old today! The first entry was exactly a year ago. Wow, it's come a long way since then. Even looks different.
Soon I will be on my way back to Florida! woohoo!
Saturday, December 07, 2002Amélie
On Sunday night, I watched another movie with Kristin, Amélie. Really a great movie. It's about a quirky French girl who makes a habit of secretly helping people. She has a lot of her own issues that she really needs to deal with, and doesn't, but in the end everything works out. It's really clever, and there are some twists that are just so funny! I usually don't have the patience for movies with subtitles, but this was definitely worth it.
Salsa-Dancing With My Confusion
I just watched the movie Waking Life. I feel as though I have just been mind-fucked. I don't even know how to describe it. It's what I imagine an acid trip would be like. Parts of it were very interesting and thought-provoking. At times, I wanted to get up and walk away because I didn't think I could take it anymore, but I just couldn't. I found the parts about dreams very interesting. The concept of lucid dreams is just so fascinating to me.
Fortune Cookie
I got a fortune cookie today that said, "You will attract cultured and artistic people to your home."
Bigger Freak Than I
Just to prove that I am not the biggest freak in the universe, go read about Kat. (Kat, if you are reading this, I mean that is the most loving way possible. Kind of like the time you said to me, "Will you be playing bassoon in band this semester? I hope so - I don't want to be last chair.)
Mental Break
I need a mental break from this paper! I am writing a paper on Impressionism in music, and how it was impacted by Impressionist art and Symbolist poetry. I have done so much complex thinking that I am forgetting how to do simple things. I know it's time for a mental break when I forget how to spell simple words. I don't mean making the usual typos, I mean actually forgetting how to spell them. My brain is that fried. it's sad.
I must take a minute to comment on how grateful I am for computers, though. I love how easy it is on a computer to take entire paragraphs and re-arrange them. I would go absolutely bananas if I had to write in the pre-computer days and such editing would require re-typing entire pages. I would be sitting in a pile of crumpled paper with bleeding fingers and hair ripped out of my head. I am certain that I would have been dragged off to the funny farm before it was all over. I do recall writing one or two papers in fifth grade on a manual (not even electric!) typewriter before my family got a computer, so I do have at least a vague idea what that involves. I remember writing a paper on the Sons of Liberty and thinking how cool it was that the letters "erty" were right in a row and so easy to type. The thesaurus (I remember when I used to think that was a type of dinosaur!) is a great tool tool. Otherwise, I would have the word "depict" in my paper about 433 times. Gotta spice things up a little.
There is still a blanket of snow outside, and for the most part, it still looks beautiful. Only small parts of it have turned into dirty brown slush. I am still in awe of it, and I have to look out my window every now and then to make sure it's still there and remind myslef of what it looks like.
Well, I suppose I should get back to my paper. Or maybe go make some dinner or something. Please keep me in your thoughts and send me some mental energy.
Thursday, December 05, 2002Guestbook
Hey, who left a blank entry in my guestbook? >:-0 Speaking of which, I believe there are some of you regular readers out there who still haven't signed the guestbook! Go ahead, don't be shy! Even if this is your first time here... sign it!
Also, have you noticed the guestmap? You have to check it out, it's pretty groovy.
Monday, December 02, 2002Winter Wonderland
I woke up this morning and looked out the window and it was snowing!! Everything everywhere was covered in pure, soft, white powder. It's absolutely magical - a real winter wonderland. I can't even see how grungy the campus looks, it looks like a whole different place, all covered in the wite stuff. I was so awed, I just stared out the window and watched it snow. I called Nicole, and she told me to go outside and experience it, so I put on my coat (over my pj's!) and boots and went outside and enjoyed the freash, falling snow. It was falling pretty heavily, and a few inches had already accumulated.
I thought I was stay inside and work on my paper, since there was nothing else to do, but the snow was too distracting. I had to call my mom and tell her all about the snow, and I called Chris and told him too. Melissa called, and I told her all about the snow too, and she was jealous because she misses it! Mom told me she had sent me a care package, so I went to go try to pick it up, and the mailroom was closed. So I went to visit the old roomies, and Nicole and I ended up playing in the snow. We made snow angels! It was my first time ever making a snow angel. How fun. We tried to throw snowballs at each other, but the snow was so powdery and fluffy that it really didn't hold together in balls so well, so we ended up just throwing around snow fluff. It ended up snowing pretty much all day, and we had about 6 inches of it before it stopped. It is so pretty the way it catches in the tree branches. Good thing I didn't have to drive anywahere, because I can barely see my car!
I feel like such a kid. It is great to be easily amused!
Internet Addiction
For those of you who have accused me of having a problem, I will have you know that I took the Internet Addict Test and I am only a slight internet addict. So there!!
I am 38% Internet Addict
I could go either way. Deep into the madness of nights filled with coding CGI-Scripts and online role playing games, or I could become a normal user. Good luck!
Take the Internet Addict Test at fuali.comOK, I really am going to go do something productive now!
Sunday, November 24, 2002Comments!
I finally have comments on my page! Woohoo!! I have been trying to set up a commenting system for months now, and have had a hard time A) finding one that would accept new users and B) getting it to actually work on my page. Enetation to the rescue! Groovy, baby. :-)
I have everyone had a nice Thanksgiving. I sure did. It was wonderful seeing my sweetie. His parents and Annora's boyfriend came up from Florida, and his mom cooked a lot of delicious food. Luckily, the weather was nice on the drive there and the return drive, but the traffic on the way back was horrendous! It was absolutely ridiculous. It took 133.3% of the time it should have taken. Insane.
Well, I really should tear myself away from the computer. I need to unpack and do some schoolwork. Let me know how your Thanksgiving went!
Frida
On Friday night I went and saw Frida with one of my roommates, Kristin. Incredible movie. It's about a female artist in early 20th century Mexico dealing with issues such as being crippled, a philandering husband, and volatile politics. Salma Hayek plays the lead, and her acting as well as that of her co-stars is very powerful. There is so much unspoken emotion that is conveyed. I don't know who does the artwork for the film, but it's really great. Somewhat surreal in nature, and very evocative.
As a side note, I was somewhat amused when I was asked for ID to see the movie. I can't even remember the last time I was carded for an R-rated film! I suppose I look very young? Kristin got carded too, and she was amused that she hardly ever gets carded for alcohol or cigarettes, and now for a movie she does. I suppose they wouldn't want us to see tits or hear swear words! Ha!
Thursday, November 21, 2002Matisse and Picasso
I was surfing around online, and I found a little slideshow with an interesting comparison of Henri Matisse and Pablo Picasso. I admire both artists, and I find the comparisons fascinating. The online slideshow is a sampling of a traveling exhibit on the two artists.
A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but a person with a certain set of attitudes. Hugh Downs
Tuesday, November 19, 2002Prayer
Last night I attended a performance of Bach organ works on organ. It was awesome. J.S. Bach is so amazing. After the Toccata and Fugue in d (you know, the one organ piece that everyone knows), I heard JD's voice in my head say, "That was pretty pimp, yo." One of my professors, Anthony Newman (I have a harmony & counterpoint class with him) was performing. It was at this big, old church (St. Bart's) in the city. It was really neat - I had never been in a church like that before.
During intermission, I was looking around in the church lobby, just to kill time and walk around a bit, and a book that was for sale caught my eye. It's called Too Busy NOT To Pray by Bill Hybels. I started flipping through it, and I liked a lot of the suggestions and ideas that he has, and there are a lot of examples straight out of the Bible. It seemed really relevant to my life, being so busy, and letting my faith slide and my relationship with God take a backseat at times. It looked interesting, so I bought it.
I began to read it last night, and I couldn't put it down! It's so honest, real, and relevant to my life. I am so thankful that I was (seemingly) randomly drawn to that book, because it is exactly what I need right now. For anyone who leads a busy life and wants to strengthen your relationship with God, I highly recommend it.
I've been thinking a lot lately about the state of the world today, particularly being on the brink of a possible war. There was a war protest here on campus yesterday, and it made me think a lot. A lot of things, I just can't figure out, but I do know one thing: our world needs a whole lot of prayer! I have updated my Special Prayer page, so please take a minute to pray with me.
Friday, November 08, 2002Long Time, No Blog
So yeah, I haven't posted in a while. I haven't had a whole lot to say, at least nothing positive. I've been busy and stressed. I am much relieved that the opera (The Merry Widow) is over, because that took up a ridiculous amount of my time. Rehearsals were often unbearable because the opera conductor was rude, degrading, swore a lot, and frankly I didn't care much for his conducting. The performance turned out to be a success (the audience loved it, although I could not see anything at all from the deep, dark, cavelike pit), but the conductor is not someone I would like to work with again in the future. Now that that's over, I have this big ugly research paper to battle with. I'm behind where I should be at this point, and I am truly dreading it because A) I hate writing papers and B) the professor who is grading is one of those people who is just never pleased. To be quite frank, he is a pain in the butt, his class is a pain in the butt, and this paper is a pain in the butt.
I hate the weather here. The leaves are completely off the trees, and the sky is gray and/or raining more often than not. It's cold, windy and miserable. 25 more days until I am back in Florida. But who's counting??? I just hope the weather is nice next week. The damn greedy airlines jack up the prices ridiculously high for the holiday, so this will be the first Thanksgiving I won't spend with my family. I plan on driving to see Chris in North Carolina, so please pray for good weather.
This school is fun by idiotic monkeys on crack, and due to an error on THEIR part, which I thought had been taken care of weeks ago, I have a "flag" on my account and am unable to register for next semester (registration was last week). I have been in an ongoing battle with Student Accounts. I spend more time running around between the various offices at the school than I do in class. It's ridiculous.
The only good thing that's happened lately is Chris coming to visit. He always brightens up my life. I don't know what I would do without him... and I don't want to find out! I hope you are all doing well, and those of you in school I hope aren't getting dicked around like I am.
This Is Amusing
Celine Dion covering ACDC "You Shook Me All Night Long." Celine even plays air guitar. I've never seen anything quite like it. You won't believe it until you see it.
Thursday, November 07, 2002The Friday Five
The Friday Five on time this week!
1. Did you vote in your last elections? Yes, by absentee ballot. And yes, I understood the ballot.
2. Do you know who your elected representatives are? Of course! Do you think I am some sort of nitwit with my head buried in the sand?? Hey, I heard that!
3. Have you ever contacted an elected representative? If so, what was it about? Yes. I have contacted them about education (specifically the FRAG - Florida Resident Access Grant) and about going to war with Iraq.
4. Have you ever participated in a demonstration? No. I had planned on attending the anti-war protest in Central Park in October, but I was sick that day and couldn't make it. Nicole and Laura still went, and they told me all about it.
5. Have you ever volunteered in an election? What was the result? Nope.
Wednesday, October 30, 2002The Friday Five
Last Week's Friday Five
1. Were you raised in a particular religious faith? Yes, I was raised Roman Catholic.
2. Do you still practice that faith? Why or why not? No, I really don't fully practice the Catholic faith. I believe in God and Jesus as my savior, and I pray regularly, but I believe the Catholic church is too corrupt. I don't feel a sense of genuine spirituality in a Catholic church. I am a Christian, but I am not attached to any particular organized religion.
3. What do you think happens after death? I am going to heaven!
4. What is your favorite religious ritual (participating in or just observing)? I don't know. I'll have to think about that.
5. Do you believe people are basically good? Yeah, people are basically good. That's what I want to believe anyway. I don't really trust most people, though!
Check This Out
You must check out this optical illusion. It will really screw with your head. I did not believe it at first, took some convincing, but it's for real. I found the link on Kat's Page. She has a real knack for finding screwy shit.
Sunday, October 27, 2002What is That White Stuff Falling From the Sky??
I went over to visit my old homies (former roommates) earlier this evening. One girl that they were hanging out with said that it might snow tomorrow (Wednesday) and I thought she was full of crap, really. As I was walking out the door to go back to my apartment, Laurel was walking up yelling, "It's snowing!" I walked out and looked up in the sky, and sure enough it was. "Dude. There's white stuff falling out of the sky." It was just very light, and it only lasted a few minutes, but it was cool while it lasted. I was catching the snowflakes on my tongue. I said, "Wait a minute... it's only October. Is it really supposed to snow in October?" and Laurel said, "Sometimes it snows in April!" Ick. And I thought it would be warm by my birthday (March 29). Guess it will be warm when my happy butt is on a plane to Florida! [Plane ticket = great birthday present idea :-) ] No one else seems to be as cold as I am. I wonder how long it takes for one's body to adapt?
Laurel proceeded to jump around joyously and inform everyone about the first snow fall. She told us how she was annoyed that it is so cold, but then she was happy when it started to snow. There was a "purpose for the cold weather." Apparently she really like snow. I thought it was cool too. I was kind of disappointed when it stopped, because it was amusing. If it snows a lot and I have to trudge through mounds of it, I am sure it will really annoy me though.
RJ Survey
1. LIVING ARRANGEMENT: Due to the fact that I am a poor student and can't afford to live anywhere else in this high-priced community, I live in a ghetto piece of trash on-campus apartment complex littered with broken beer bottles and trashy, inconsiderate people.
2. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? I am reading a book called The Celestine Prophecy that Nicole lent me. It's really interesting.
3. WHAT'S ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Two birds perches on a tree, beaks open as if they are conversing, with the words, "Everyone's talking about the Florida International Festival; Daytona Beach"
4. FAVORITE CARD GAME? I don't play cards much anymore. Rummy I suppose?
5. FAVORITE MAGAZINE? Well, the only magazine I've been reading recently is the New Yorker. My mom subscribes to it, and she sends me the issues after she has read them. Kind of funny that I get the New Yorker via South Florida.
6. FAVORITE SMELL? Chris :-)
7. FAVORITE SOUND: When I play my oboe in tune.
8. WORST FEELING IN THE WORLD: That feeling right before throwing up.
9. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU THINK OF WHEN YOU WAKE UP? Do I really have to get out of bed this morning?
10. FAVORITE COLORS: Purple! I really like red, too.
11. HOW MANY RINGS BEFORE YOU ANSWER THE PHONE?: Depends on how long it takes to get off my fat ass and how far away the phone is. I don't just sit around counting the rings before I answer the phone.
12. FUTURE CHILD'S NAME?: Plenty of time to decide on that! I am still young and not even married or finished with school yet! Chris and I have agreed that we like the name Joseph. I don't think he'll agree to Sunflower, but he is OK with Jasmine.
13. WHAT IS MOST IMPORTANT IN LIFE?: Love, family, true and loyal friends, and God.
14. FAVORITE FOODS?: sushi, chocolate, cheese
15. CHOCOLATE OR VANILLA?: see # 14 (not that I don't like n\vanilla, but I have a real weakness for chocolate)
16. DO YOU LIKE TO DRIVE FAST?: Well, I don't really drive fast because I like to, more like because I am impatient. And I only drive fast when I'm not lost, otherwise I drive like an old lady.
17. DO YOU SLEEP WITH A STUFFED ANIMAL?: Yes. Mr. Chipmunk. He smells like my sweetie.
18. STORMS - COOL OR SCARY?: Lightning is cool to watch, as long as it's not destroying anything.
19. IF YOU COULD MEET ONE PERSON DEAD OR ALIVE WHO WOULD IT BE?: John Lennon
20. FAVORITE DRINK: Amaretto Sour has always been my favorite. I also like margaritas (frozen or on the rocks, depending on my mood), strawberry daiquiris, and good wine.
21. WHAT IS YOUR ZODIAC SIGN?: Aries, and it fits pretty well!
22. DO YOU EAT THE STEMS OF BROCCOLI?: Yes, I love veggies!!
23. IF YOU COULD HAVE ANY JOB YOU WANTED WHAT WOULD IT BE?: I'd like to be a professional oboist, and play mainly chamber music. I'd like to tour all around the world and party like a rock star.
24. IF YOU COULD DYE YOUR HAIR ANY COLOR?: I have often thought of dying it purple (ideally a deep, royal bluish-purple), but i keep getting talked out of it.
25. HAVE YOU EVER BEEN IN LOVE?: Of course.
26. IS THE GLASS HALF EMPTY OR HALF FULL?: My glass is completely empty. I haven't been able to drink since early July. :-(
27. FAVORITE MOVIE: Good Will Hunting
28. DO YOU TYPE WITH YOUR FINGERS ON THE RIGHT KEYS?: usually
29. WHAT'S UNDER YOUR BED? empty suitcases, empty CD cases, acrylic paints, who knows what else
30. FAVORITE NUMBER: 29
31.FAVORITE SPORT TO WATCH: I like hockey, it's very exciting. Football is also a lot of fun if I have beer to go with it.
32. SAY ONE NICE THING ABOUT THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU: RJ is very talented and smart. I'd really like to see him use that talent and become a great choreographer or director. Also, he's a good friend and i hoep we always stay friends and never lose touch. Even if it's been a while since I last saw him, we always have a great time together.
33. IF YOU COULD BE ANY ANIMAL WHAT WOULD YOU BE?: a dolphin
34. WHEN IS YOUR BIRTHDAY?: March 29 (not giving the year, just assume that I am 21)
35. HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN MARRIED? huh? I'm not married.
36. NAME ONE PERSON WHO HAS CHANGED YOUR LIFE? Chris has changed my life. He has made me so happy, and inspired me so much. He helps me to believe in myself when I lose faith in myslef. I love him so much.
37. FAVORITE FLOWER? Sunflower
38. OF ALL THE PEOPLE YOU SENT THIS TO, WHO IS MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Well, I didn't really *send* it to anyone, but I hope everyone who reads it will send it to me with their answers, or put it up on your site if you have one.
Thursday, October 24, 2002Not Friday, but Five Nevertheless
1. What is your favorite scary movie? Silence of the Lambs
2. What is your favorite Halloween treat? Snickers
3. Do you dress up for Halloween? If so, describe your best Halloween costume. Yes. I thought I was pretty clever last year when I dressed up as a pimp (silver tooth and all!) and JD was my ho. We even acted the part. Candice dressed as JD was a riot!
4. Do you enjoy going to haunted houses or other spooky events? Well, I like the Haunted Mansion at Disney World. :-)
5. Will you dress up for Halloween this year? I don't know. Right now, I don't really have any Halloween plans.
Wednesday, October 23, 2002Is the Orchestra Too Loud?
Kim sent me this, and I was hysterical. I am sure many of you can appreciate it as well.
As a result of Mr. Hunt's recent article titled "Please turn down the orchestra" a survey of orchestral players was undertaken. The object was to determine whether or not, in the opinion of the players, orchestra have become too loud. This question was asked: "Do you, as a professional orchestral musician think that orchestras have become too loud, and if so, how has this affected you personally?" Following , in score order, are some typical responses:
- Flutist: "Yes, most decidedly. In fact the situation has deteriorated to the point that I am actually looking forward to being demoted to 3rd flute and piccolo where I will be able to make myself heard, at least on the picc.."
- Oboist: "I think so. I have trouble keeping up as far as volume is concerned. I have finally resorted to two pieces of cedar shakes tied together to make a reed and the conductor still keeps asking for more."
- Clarinetist: "Perhaps. The conductor has asked me to stand up on all solos so that the audience will notice me. I am also using one of those new titanium reeds. The tone is a bit metallic, but it does cut through the mass of string sound. I suppose the strings could play softer. I don't know; they have never been asked to."
- Bassoonist: "I really don't know. I didn't show up for the last three concerts and nobody seemed to notice."
- Hornist: "He wants it louder - he should hire more horn players!"
- Trumpet player: "I think we should play louder and faster and put it up an octave."
- Trombonist: "I really don't care. Just wake me up when we get to the last movement. By the way, where is the party after the
concert?"- Tuba player: "I never thought about it. What I want to know is why I'm not allowed to wear my lederhosen at concerts. After all, I am principal of the section!"
- Percussionist: "What?"
- First violinist: "No, I don't think so. When the brass come in we don't have to worry about intonation in the fiddle section. I don't know what's going on in the seconds. There are times when I can't hear them at all."
- Second violinist: "Perhaps. Things have become a bit more complicated. I now use two bows, one for the soft spots and another for when the brass come in. I use soap on that one instead of resin."
- Violist: "Duh?"
- Cellist: "Well I guess so. At least we have had to play louder since the bassoons stopped showing up."
- Double bassist: "I don't know about the rest of the orchestra but all we can hear back here is that damn tuba. We all chipped in and bought that big guy a tuba with the bell aimed the other direction, but he won't use it If we allowed him to wear his lederhosen would he play softer?"
The Cheese Club is a Big Fat Lie!!
I love cheese. It's so tasty, and I love the way it melts in my mouth. I love the way it feels in my mouth. I love the sensations it creates in my mouth. There are so many different textures and tastes of cheeses, it's like an adventure to try them all. So, when I heard there is a Cheese Club here at Purchase, I was dying to experience it. Just a little something to make this place slightly less wretched. The Cheese Club meets Wednesday night at 10, and often I had thought about going, but for one reason or another had missed the opportunity. Earlier this evening Elena, one of my roommates, mentioned that she wanted to go to a Cheese Club meeting, and it reminded me of my desire to go. Turns out that at that moment, we were just a few short hours away from Cheese Club time, and neither one of us had anything so pressing to do that we could not take a break from the Cheese Club. Also, with both of us planning on going, we would certainly remember and not let the time slip through our fingers and suddenly realize that it is too late. So I was psyched. I even wrote an e-mail to Chris telling him of my anticipation.
At quarter to ten, I began to bundle up and prepare to go. Just as I was putting on my final layer of clothing, Elena knocked on my door to see if I was ready to go. We headed over to the giant sculpture where the cheese club meets, and saw no one there. In case of rain or cold, the Cheese Club meets inside in the Dining Hall. Fine, it's pretty cold out, not frigid, but I suppose they decided to meet inside. 46 degrees is probably not the ideal temperature for serving cheese. I've heard that cheese has its fullest flavor at room temperature, so that must be the reason. So we went into the Dining Hall, looked around, asked a few people, no sign of the Cheese Club. Bitterly dissappointed, we started to head back. With one last desperate gleam of hope, I said, "Well, maybe they are out by the sculpture now. We got there right on time, and they are probably running a little late. After all, this is Purchase, and nothing starts on time." We got to the sculpture an still no one there, and no cheese. I even examined the sculpture, and no cheese was hidden anywhere on it. I came to the conclusion that the so-called "Cheese Club" is just a myth. Some sick jerk is hiding behind a tree at the other end of the field (where the sculpture is) laughing his ass off. Probably taking pictures of any dork gullible enough to show up for a "Cheese Club" meeting. Nevertheless, Elena and I were sorely disappointed and had really been looking forward to trying fabulous new cheeses. For once, I actually take the initiative to go out and DO something, and it doesn't even exist!
Well, I am determined to have cheese. Elena gave up and went to the library (and frankly, I should be studying as well, but in all fairness, I did accomplish a lot today), but I am dragging myself to the gorcery store and getting some damn cheese. I am going to find some fabulous, exotic, delicious-looking cheese that I have never tried before, and I am going to cut it up in delicate little pieces and savor it slowly. Luckily, there is a grocery store not too far from here that has a great selection of cheese and is open 24 hours on weekdays! So, off I go. It's not the same, but I will pretend. When Elena gets back from the library (if I don't go hog-wild and eat it all!) she will either be pleasantly surprised and amused, or think I am just plain nuts.
Cars and Computers
This is great...
At a recent computer expo (COMDEX), Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated, "If GM had kept up with the technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $2500 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."In response to Bill's comments, General Motors issued a press release stating: If GM had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:
- For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.
- Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
- Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all
of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason you would simply accept this.- Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
- Apple would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive - but would run on only five percent of the roads.
- The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "This Car Has Performed An Illegal Operation" warning light.
- The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.
- Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
- Every time a new car was introduced car buyers would have to learn how to drive all over again, because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
- You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.
Monday, October 21, 2002Oscar the Grouch
That's who I feel like right now. It was against my better judgment to get out of bed this morning, but I forced myself to do it anyway. I lay in bed for so long that I didn't even have time to take a shower before class. I took a bath last night, so I wasn't dirty, but I lacked that refreshed awakened feeling that a morning shower gives me. Now that I am back from class (the music history class that I already took as an undergraduate and am now auditing), all I want to do is go back to bed. I have homework, practicing, and chores (i.e. laundry and grocery shopping) to do, but my bed is just calling my name. This cold weather is really getting on my nerves too. And it's only October. What will I do when it's really cold?
I made some coffee. Didn't have the energy to brew a pot of real coffee, so instant cappuccino works just fine. It's actually not bad. Probably doesn't contain any ingredients found in nature, but oh well. It's warm and tasty, and hopefully it will wake me up some. Maybe I will go take that shower.
This has to be one of the dullest, most pointless entries I have ever written. Oh well. I'm over it.
Sunday, October 20, 2002Cell Phone Issues
I LIVE 30 MILES AWAY FROM THE BIGGEST METROPOLIS IN THE WORLD AND I CAN'T GET A DAMN CELL PHONE SIGNAL!! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!!
Adapting
I'm starting to like this whole "fall" thing. The leaves changing are really gorgeous. When it's sunny out, the cold weather is not so bad. I still really hate it when it rains here, though. It's gray and gloomy all day long. Today is gorgeous, though. Sunny, and not too cold (about 60 degrees, which is chilly, but tolerable). I am even looking forward to winter a little bit, since Laura has me all psyched up about snowboarding, which I am sure will be a blast!
Friday, October 18, 2002My Little Sis is the Bomb!!!
Well, of course, all of my little sisters are groovy! Smooches to Victoria, Holly, and Heather too! Right now, however, I am speaking specifically of my Lil Brat, Andrea. She went to the Aerosmith concert (in West Palm Beach) last night, and she thought to call her Biggie in the middle of the concert. :-) Isn't that the sweetest thing?? She knows how much I love Aerosmith, and would have loved to be there at the concert with her!! She had a great time at the concert, and they did the second-stage thing just like last year. Apparently they played a lot of the same songs that they did when they played Jones Beach, but of course the audience was a lot livelier since it is Fun Florida and not Dumb Old New York!
The Friday Five
New Stove!!!
I just came back from my lesson, and they are installing a new stove in my apartment!!! I called maintainance about the dial on the oven having no numbers on it, and I guess they couldn't find a new dial, so they are putting a whole new stove! Brand new, like the one that was in the other apartment! Digital temperature display, and still has the plastic wrap! Woohoo!! Luxury cooking in the ghetto!
If they have brand-new stoves just sitting around somewhere, I wonder why they haven't replaced all the ancient ones... But this is upside-down world!
Tuesday, October 15, 2002He Told Me to Quack!
Yesterday during orchestra rehearsal, I had an interesting request from the conductor: he asked me if I could quack. On purpose. We were rehearsing Prelude to an Afternoon of a Faun by Debussy, and towards the end of the piece there is an English horn solo that echos an oboe solo a few measures before. He wanted me to make it quack. Oboe players spend our whole lives trying not to quack, and now he wants me to quack on purpose. All righty then... if he wants me to quack, then quack I shall. QUACK!
Monday, October 14, 2002Is War Against Iraq the Answer?
Is war against Iraq the answer to the United States', the Middle East's, or the world's problems? Will murdering Middle Easterners and sacrificing American lives bring peace? Will our representatives give the President power to act against the will of many Americans? If you find yourself asking these questions and you haven't yet spoken up to question your representatives, get on the ball! If you haven't asked yourself these questions, brew yourself a big, strong cup of coffee and WAKE UP! Now is not the time to be apathetic; there is far too much going on the world. Get informed. Get involved. Do something, because it does matter and it does affect you.
Homework
Darn stupid homework thing is interfering with my blogging time. >:-0 The short version: moved last week. Had two days to complete the move. Very busy. New place is much roomier, but old and ghetto. Spent lots of time scrubbing the apartment. Would you believe I cleaned before I set up my computer??? Yeah, that's how dirty it was. New roommates are nice, still hang out with old roommates too (just don't want to live in one bedroom with all three of them). Had a very rough week overall. On the verge of nervous breakdown. Chris came to visit over the weekend, and made everything better. He truly is my angel. Saw "Sweet Home Alabama." Good movie. Matinee prices end at 2 PM here. PO'd about that. OK, back to homework.
Friday, October 11, 2002Flying South for the Winter
I've decided that it's time to fly south for the winter. I woke up this morning to temperature in the 40s. Yes, that's Fahrenheit. Then the realization hit me that this isn't just a cold snap that will last for a week. It's going to be consistently cold until March. I don't know if I can handle this. At least it's sunny today. Really, it's a gorgeous day aside from the cold. The last several days have been rainy and dreary. When it rains here, it is gloomy and gray all day. It does that stupid misting thing and drizzles all day rather than just really raining and getting it over with.
My apartment is about 90 degrees now. There's a thermostat on the wall, but I have discovered that it does absolutely nothing. The school has one central control for the heat, and it's been on full blast all month (even though the first couple of weeks were quite warm for the most part, averaging in the 70s and even creeping into the 80s a few times). I am trying to find the perfect balance of opening up the window to let just enough cold air in so that I neither freeze to death nor melt.
Well, I have lots more to say, about the move last week, and about Chris' visit over the weekend (he really is an angel!), but I have to get to quintet rehearsal, so I'll save that for later. I hope everyone is doing well, and that those of you in Florida are enjoying the weather.
Tuesday, October 08, 2002The Friday Five
1. If you could only choose 1 cd to ever listen to again, what would it be? Big Ones
2. If you could only choose 2 movies to watch ever again, what would they be? Anne of Green Gables and Good Will Hunting
3. If you could only choose 3 books to read ever again, what would they be? the Bible, the Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings
4. If you could only choose 4 things to eat or drink ever again, what would they be? Sushi, chocolate, wine, and water
5. If you could only choose 5 people to ever be/talk/associate/whatever with ever again, who would they be? Chris, Mom, Dad, Grandma, and Aunt Peg (I would say my brother, but he never talks to me anyway :-(
Friday, October 04, 2002Moving Out
Well, it's official. I'm moving. I got sick and tired of living in a one-room apartment with three other people, and I complained until they did something about it. The solution is far from perfect, but hopefully will be somewhat better. It's a march larger apartment in which four people share three bedrooms, two singles and a double. The downside is, it's in a dfferent complex that is really ghetto.
Anyway, I will write more later, I have to finish packing. I am so sick and it is the last thing I feel like doing.
New York Sucks!!!
All I want to do is go to a movie. Not that much to ask. However, I have called up and searched online all of the local movie theaters, and they want nine of my dollars to see a damn movie!!! Unreal! NO student discounts! Anywhere! RAAAARRRRR!!!!!
Thursday, October 03, 2002The Friday Five
The Friday Five is on shoes this week! Woo hoo, I love shoes!
1. What size shoe do you wear? 9 or 9 1/2
2. How many pairs of shoes do you own? I don't know, do you want me to go count them?? I don't have as many as I used to. A lot of my old ones are falling apart, and I need new ones, but I am too poor. :-( Please donate to the Buy Stephanie Shoes Foundation (BSSF) so that I won't have to go barefoot this winter (ew, winter, a dirty word). OK, I counted. 25 pairs. More than I thought, but that is counting everything, even the old grungy ones and the weird ones that I rarely wear.
3. What type of shoe do you prefer (boots, sneakers, pumps, etc.)? Sandals, definately, the most comfortable. I have two pairs of really cute sandals that my sweetie bought for me this summer. Unfortunately, I will probably only be able to wear them for a few more weeks! Waaaa, I miss Florida!
4. Describe your favorite pair of shoes. Why are they your favorite? I have to pick just one favorite?? Well, I really liked my "good girl shoes" (I think Emily was the one who coined that term), but unfortunately they were just falling apart too badly and I had to retire them this past summer. They were Mary Jane style shoes with a think chunk heel and a white flower-shaped design on the toe. I wore them all the time and they were great for dancing. I had them for a couple of years, and I had already had them re-soled, but the main part of the shoe was starting to come undone. I think the last time I wore them was on graduation. You may be able to see a picture of them here. Out of the ones I have now, hmmm, probably either my black sandals (adorable AND comfy!) or my red high heels.
5. What's the most you've spent on one pair of shoes? Hmmm, I usually don't spend a lot. I look for sales at nice shoe stores and I will even but at discount stores (i.e. Payless) if I find something that's nice and comfortable (I have gotten a few of my favotires at Payless!). There was one time I think I spent $70 for a really nice pair becuase they were so fabulous, and they were well-made so I knew they would last. It was right after Christmas, and I had gift money to spend! (10 minutes later) Oh wait, I just remembered about my Doc Marten sandals. I spent $110 on them, but it was definately worth it! They have been through everything.
Wow, this really put me in the mood to go shoe shopping! If only I had some money... Maybe I will take a trip to Payless and see if I can find a bargain!
Wednesday, October 02, 2002Party at JD's Place After the Concert!
I wish. Tonight's concert is going to be sad. My parents are not going to be able to come, and neither is Chris. In fact, only one person (one of my roommates) is going to be there to see me. My other roommates were planning on coming last week when the concert was supposed to happen, but now they are out of town. There will be no going to Mainstreet Grill or other favorite local spots after the concert (Guiseppe's!). I wonder if people here go out after concerts? There will be no party at JD's after tonight's concert, at least not one that I will be able to attend. It's sad.
Monday, September 30, 2002Disgruntled...
...does not begin to describe how I feel! I have had more than I can take of living like this! I am crammed into a tiny room with three other people, lied to by the school. The bunk beds shake when anyone makes the slightest move. I haven't been able to sleep. I am tired, sick, and angry. I was told graduate housing, not a refugee camp. The neighbors are loud, rude, dirty, and inconsiderate. I am here to get a masters degree, not for summer camp. This is a load of crap, and I am not going to stand for it any longer. I tried to make an appointment to speak with the director of residential life, and a secretary told me that she would not speak with me!! Unreal! If I have to plant myself in these folks' offices until they hear me out, I am going to be heard! I am a student here, and even in upside-down world, I have a right to speak with the administration when I have a problem!
Speaking of disgruntled (and postal workers have NO RIGHT to be disgruntled considering the crappy service they provide), my books are now officially lost in the mail. My mother mailed them on August 27. She sent them media mail, and I am not sure what possessed her to do that, since media mail is slow and uninsured, and I needed them for class right away, and they were expensive books (when I bought them the first time I took the class - another whole issue in itself). Had I known she was going to do that, I would have just sent her the money to send them a better way, i.e. UPS. I don't trust the post office, and UPS provides insureance (up to $100) and tracking at no additional charge. I am sure UPS screws up too, but it seems to be the lesser of the evils. Anyway, aside from all that, over a month after they were mailed, my mom received a letter from the post office that they were missing (she had already called a couple of times asking about them, and was told they wer unable to track the package). They sent back the package the books were in, empty, with a form asking for a description of the contents. What in the world do they do with the mail that causes the contents of a package to come OUT of the package and get completely seperated??? Really, I should have had the books sent by a carrier pigeon on steroids.
Working Out
I did my Pilates (a mat workout) video today. That was an interesting experience, in this little cubby hole of an apartment. I had to move the furniture around, and I still ended up kicking things. I guess Tae Bo is out of the question.
I was looking at some archives before, and I remembered that I used to do a quote of the day feature. Perhaps I should resurrect that tradition.
Sunday, September 29, 2002Hangovers
I haven't had a hangover in quite some time, since I haven't even drank since July, but this brings back some (vague) memories of times past. I'm sure this will sound familiar to many of you, too!!
1 star hangover(*)
No pain. No real feeling of illness. Your sleep last night was a mere disco
nap which has given you a whole lot of misplaced energy. Be glad that you are
able to function relatively well. However, you are still parched. You can
drink 10 sodas and still feel this way. You are craving a steak bomb and
aside of gravy & fries.
2 star hangover(**)
No pain, but something is definitely amiss. You may look okay but you have
the mental capacity of a staple gun. The coffee you are chugging is only
exacerbating your rumbling gut, which is craving a rootie tootie fresh and
fruity pancake breakfast from IHOP. There is some definite havoc being
wrecked upon your bowels.
3 star hangover (***)
Slight headache. Stomach feels crappy. You are definitely not productive.
Anytime a girl walks by you gag because her perfume reminds you of the random
gin shots you did with your alcoholic friends after the bouncer 86'd you at
1:45 a.m. Life would be better right now if you were in your bed with a dozen
donuts and a meatball sub watching the E! Fashion awards. You've had 4 cups
of coffee, a gallon of water, 3 Snapples and a liter of diet coke -- yet you
haven't peed once.
4 star hangover (****)
Life sucks. Your head is throbbing. You can't speak too quickly or else you
might puke. Your boss has already lambasted you for being late and has given
you a lecture for reeking of booze. You wore nice clothes, but that can't
hide the fact that you missed an oh-so crucial spot shaving, (Girls, it looks
like you put your make-up on while riding the bumper cars.) Your eyes look
like one big vein and your hair style makes you look like a reject from the
class picture of Revere High, ' 76.
5 star hangover,(*****)
AKA "Dante's 4th Circle of Hell." You have a second heartbeat in your head
which is actually annoying the employee who sits in the next cube. Vodka
vapor is seeping out of every pore and making you dizzy. You still have
toothpaste crust in the corners of your mouth from brushing your teeth in an
attempt to get the remnants of the poop fairy out. Your body has lost the
ability to generate saliva, so your tongue is suffocating you. Death seems
pretty good right now. You definitely don't remember who you were with, where
you were, what you drank, and why there is a stranger still sleeping in your
bed at your other wise empty house.
6 star hangover (******)
otherwise known as the "Infinite Nutsmacker" You wake up on your bathroom
floor. For about 2 seconds you look at the ceiling, wondering if the cool
refreshing feeling on your cheek is the bathroom tile or your vomit from 5
hours ago. It is amazing how your roommate was as drunk as you, but somehow
managed to get up before you. You try to lift your head. Not an option. Then
you inadvertently turn your head too quickly and smell the funk of 13 packs
of cigarettes in your hair. Suddenly you realize you were smoking, but not
ultra lights...some jackass handed you Marlboro reds, and you smoked them
like it was your second full time job. You look in the mirror only to see
remnants of the stamp "Ready to Rock" faintly atop your forehead......the
stamp on the back of your hand that has magically appeared on your forehead
by alcoholic osmosis. You have to be to work in t-minus 14 minutes and 32
seconds and the only thing you can think of wearing is your "hello kitty"
pajamas and your slippers.Sound Familiar???
Friday, September 27, 2002Purple Hair
I had a dream last night that I dyed my hair purple. Purple streaks, actually. Laura helped me. We went to the stored to get a highlighting kit, and at first I was going to get blonde, but then I decided on purple. It looked really cool, and now I kinda want purple hair. I told her about the dream, and she thinks I'm nuts. She said, "If you wanna do blonde highlights some time, I'll help you, but I don't know about purple..." Maybe I'll just get some of the temporary stuff that washes out. Permanent purple streaks would get old after a while anyway, in both the sense of me getting tired of them and them fading.
Thursday, September 26, 2002Rainy Day Musings
Another cold, wet, dreary day here in upside-down world. I saw a car in the parking lot with a Purchase College sticker on it, upside-down in the window. Carelessness or symbolism?
I uploaded the pictures of Chris and I in New York. I found the Busch Gardens pictures (they were right in my desk, where I thought they were, just had to dig a little deeper) and I will upload them, well, when I get around to it.
Onto the Friday Five.
1. What are your favorite ways to relax and unwind? I can't say...not here where everyone can read it... spoil my image...
2. What do you do the moment you get home from work/school/errands? Check my e-mail, pee.
3. What are your favorite aromatherapeutic smells? I like burning incense. I don't know the names of any of the scents, I just buy the ones that smell good.
4. Do you feel more relaxed with a group of friends or hanging out by yourself? By myself. When I am alone, I can be naked, and belch and fart all I want. If that's not total relaxation, what is??
5. What is something that you feel is relaxing but most people don't? Screaming and swearing.Nicole (one of my roommates) found my website. Now I can't talk trash about her. The good news is, she thinks I'm funny. I love people who laugh at my jokes.
Sunday, September 22, 2002Upside-Down World
This school really is upside-down world. Unreal. That's my new favorite word - unreal. It applies to so many things! We were supposed to have our first orchestra concert tonight, and this afternoon they tell us it's cancelled. Cancelled! At the last minute. The box office didn't even know as of this morning that it would be cancelled. They are doing all this construction outside of the Performing Arts Center, and apparently the screwed up the fire alarm system, and they can't allow people into the building. So it's cancelled. Just like that. We're supposed to have it next week instead, but then the flute soloist for the Foss concerto can't be there, so we will only do the Beethoven and the Rossini (No. 5 and William Tell). So that puts us behind for the rehearsals for the next concert. Everything at Purchase seems to operate in this bass-ackwards upside-down way. I feel as if I've enetered the twilight zone.
It sure gets cold here when it rains. It's all dark and dreary here in upside-down world.
We've gotten really sick of not having a phone book. Out of ideas, Laura called the operator and asked where we could get a phone book. She said to check the telecommunications office. So I went there yesterday and got one. An expired phone book. But hey, an old phone book is better than no phone book. Although, the very first thing I looked up was incorrect. Upside-down world. Unreal.
Playing Catch-Up
OK, so I've been a real slacker lately about posting. Sorry. I will try to catch up now. I was meaning to make an entry early in the week about my trip last weekend, but I was just so tired, busy catching up on sleep. By now, I probably won't remember a lot of the funny details I wanted to write about, but I'll at least give a quick recap.
Well, last weekend I made the journey to North Carolina to see Chris. What a looooooooong drive! It took 12 hours. At least it was scenic, though. I drove across the farmlands of Pennsylvania, and through the mountains in Virginia. A lot more interesting that I-95. I was so happy when I crossed the Mason-Dixon line and was back in the South. I never thought I would enjoy a Southern accent so much as when I got out of the car in North Carolina to fill up my gas tank. Even though I'm from Florida and not really Southern, it made me feel a sense of comfort and ease; I felt at home. My ears were very grateful to get a break for the long weekend from being assaulted by the harsh New York accent. I just couldn't wait to get a good bowl of grits!!
It was so wonderful to see Chris. We went bowling (I was soooo bad!), went shopping, went out to dinner, and watched a movie. He let me do my laundry in his washign machines, which was great because it saved me a lot of money from the rip-off machines here at school. The apartment he shares with Annora is a luxury penthouse compared to the dump in which I reside. Maybe I should have known better than to live on-campus, but the school totally lied to me. We won't even get into that right now. So anyway, I had a wonderful time with Chris. It was nice, as always, so visit the Smoky Mountains. What a beautiful area. If the weather had been better, we would have gone kayaking. Oh well. Hopefully I will get the time (and money! I need a J-O-B) to go back before it gets too cold.
The week of school went by smoothly. Suprisingly enough, Chris came up here to visit me this weekend. Turns out, he's going to Florida to visit/ work with the folks for his fall break, and this will be his last opportunity to visit for the next several weeks, so he didn't want to miss it. Of course, it was wonderful to see him again so soon, but now I know it will be a while before I see him again.
Well, the weekend was somewhat of an adventure. Chris arrived here Friday evening, and I made some burritos, black beans, and rice for dinner. It turned out pretty tasty. We wanted to go out, and there several bars in White Plains, but nothing particularly interesting, so we asked Laura about blues clubs in the city. So we called one of the clubs and got directions. Or so we thought. We took the train into the city, and got onthe subway and headed downtown. We asked someone where to get off to find the intersection we were looking for. He was from New York, and knew one of the streets we were looking for, so we got off where he told us to. Well, we found the one street, but we were many many blocks away from the cross street we needed. We tried to get a cab, and could not find one that was unoccupied. I would never have thought it would be so hard to get a damn taxi in New York City! So we started walking. Eventually, we got a cab, and got the the place we (thought we) needed to go. Well, the club we were looking for was nowhere in sight. Apparently, it was not even in that neighborhood. We found a little bar with a live band playing, so we decided to hang out there for a while. It was fun, but somewhat disappointing since we never found the place we were looking for. The little country mice didn't do so well in the Big City this time. We found our way back to Grand Central just in time to catch the last train back to White Plains. We got about halfway back and the train we were on started chugging along really slowly and the power began to flicker on and off. About two or three stations before White Plains, we all had to get off the train and wait for another to take us home. So what should have been about a 40-minute ride back turned into well over an hour. Nevertheless, we were hungry, and stopped at the White Plains Diner for a snack.
On Saturday, the weather was great, and we really wanted to go to the beach. We had slept in pretty late, so we thought that driving to Long Island (we know how to get to Jones Beach!) would take too long and most of the daylight would be gone by the time we got there. We asked around, and no one seemed to know where a closer beach was. I guess people around here don't go to the beach much. Really, it seems like people on this campus just don't get out much. The cool thing to do around here is sit in one's room and listen to obnoxiously loud music all hours of the day and night while staring at the walls. Fun. Anyway, so we figured we could just find our way to a nearby beach. Well, finding the beach was no problem. Just a few miles northeast to the Connecticut coast brought us to a beautiful beach in no time. Only problem was that since we were not from that town, they wanted us to pay $40 to get in. I figured we'd have to pay for parking, but $40!!! Unreal!!! We got to the gate at the beach/park and they don't even sell beach passes there. That guy sent us all the way back to the city hall. The guy there was extremely rude and condescending. I tried to reason with him that there were only 2 hours left before the beach closed anyway, and perhaps he could work something out where we didn't have to pay full price? His face remained icy as he looked down his nose at us. After I had tried nicely and had been treated so rudely, I realized I had nothing to lose, and told him in no uncertain terms what I thought of their policy. Disappointed that the beach didn't work out, we still found a really nice little park by a pond, and had a little picnic there. There was not gate to the park, so they couldn't shut out us peasants. I just can't believe how people can be so rude and treat people like lesser being because they are not from your rich, snotty little town. In any case, we had a nice time at the park, despite everything else.
That night, we rented The Out-of-Towners. It was comforting to see people wandering around New York even more clueless than we were. Quite a funny movie. He left this morning, and I am alone once again. Well, alone with three other roommates in this little cubby. I should go outside and study, enjoy the nice weather whie it lasts!
Tuesday, September 17, 2002The Friday Five
1. Would you say that you're good at keeping in touch with people? Well, it depends. I am good at keeping in touch via e-mail, but snail mail not so great. Although if you write me, I will write back eventually. I feel that it would be rude not to.
2. Which communication method do you usually prefer/use: e-mail, telephone, snail mail, blog comments, or meeting in person? Why? Well, they each have their own individual purposes. E-mail seems to be the most efficient for the price. I hardly ever use the telephone except to call Chris. In fact, I really don't like talking on the phone unless it is a good friend whose voice I want to hear (feel free to call me... you know if you're someone I want to hear from). Of course, I would rather than anything see someone in person, but unfortunately most of my friends are hundreds of miles away now. I just moved, and most people here just aren't all that friendly. Just not my kind of peeps. So if anyone wants to come visit me, I would be so very happy!! You can crash in my living room. There is so much to do around here, we'd have a lot of fun! Anyway, I'm getting off track. Snail mail is nice to have something tangible to keep, like a card, especially if it's someone's birthday or something. You can't pin a phone call on your bulletin board, and you can print out an e-mail, but it's just not the same. Blog comments are good for someone who posts and checks comments regularly, especially if I know a lot of the other readers, too.
3. Do you have an instant messenger program? How many? Why/why not? How often do you use it? Yes, I have AIM. Although it doesn't work all of the time now because my internet connection sucks. I like using IM a lot because it's the next best thing to actually talking to someone, and it's cheaper than using the phone. If I'm just making small talk and not in an intense conversation, I can chit-chat with a few people at once. It's nice to get little messages throughout the day, too. :-)
4. Do most of your close friends live nearby or far away? Far, far away. :-( (See question 2)
5. Are you an "out of sight, out of mind" person, or do you believe that "distance makes the heart grow fonder"? Well, that's not something I can generalize. It depends entirely upon the person and the circumstances. If someone is far away, and makes an effort to keep in touch, I belive it really says something about our friendship that someone cares to keep in touch. However, I have given up trying hard to keep in touch with a friend who doesn't put in equal effort. I have been through that too many times, and it has gotten really old. No matter how close we used to be, if I continually try to keep in touch and visit someone who never returns the effort, I am not going to keep stressing myself to pull the whole weight of the friendship. In other words, no more walking on Stephanie.
Friday, September 13, 2002Very Tired
Much to say, but too tired to say it. I will post tomorrow. Sorry to leave you in suspense, dear readers.
What's Up With Florida???
I have been feeling kind of disconnected to my home state lately. On the news, I keep hearing about the primaries for NY governor, and I wonder what is going on in Florida. I find it strange that the news I keep hearing really has no relevance to me since I am still registered to vote in Florida. I feel like a foreigner. However, tonight I turned on the news and the first thing I heard about was Florida! I was excited at first, and then I realized that if they were talking about Florida's governor elections on the national news, something must be wrong. Apparently Florida has still not learned how to run an election. Come on, people! Don't make me ashamed of where I am from! Really, get it together.
Thursday, September 12, 2002The Friday Five
1. What was/is your favorite subject in school? Why? Music, of course. I always enjoyed drama as well, when my schedule afforded me the luxury of taking it. I love to perform, and I enjoy anything that involves the arts and self-expression.
2. Who was your favorite teacher? Why? Mr. St. Laurent, my band director in high school, was one of my favorites. I am sure there are others who deserve mention as well.
3. What is your favorite memory of school? Performing, "My Friend Stephanie" by Roger Dunson in tenth grade. It was lots of fun. Even if my dad did roll his eyes at us.
4. What was your favorite recess game? I loved the tire swing. Four-square was really fun too.
5. What did you hate most about school? I hated how kids (especially in middle school) were so mean to each other. Also I hated how over-crowded and dirty my high school was. It was really gross, and nearly impossible to navigate the hallways.
Wednesday, September 11, 2002I *Heart* New York
Well, I am really trying to. Give me the credit of putting in an honest effort. I have hoped that finding some fun things to do will make me appreciate the place more. The Yankees game last night was a lot of fun. I found it amazing to see an actual audience at a baseball game. Unfortunately, that doesn't happen at Marlins games. Speaking of the Marlins, they got the tar beat out of them by the Phillies last night. 9-2. Sad. The Yankees did finally win in the eleventh inning, though. I thought it would never end! It was neat how they did a lot of tribute stuff for the 9-11 anniversary. I called my mom when Daniel Rodriguez (the NYPD officer who sings) was singing America the Beautiful for the seventh inning stretch. Of course, she was watching the game on TV. I told that I was wearing my Stetson sweatshirt (do you believe it's already getting cold here??? I guess NY hasn't gotten the memo that fall starts on the 23rd), so look for the little green dot all the way at the top behind home plate on the 3rd base side. That'll be me. She thought that was cool that I called her from Yankee Stadium. I called Chris during the tenth inning too. I gave him a play-by-play for about half an inning. Apparently, they don't have cable in Sylva, NC, or at least not widespread enough to be affordable.
I had a good time also when Chris and I went into the city. That whole day was kind of a surreal experience though. Manhattan is so unlike anything I have ever seen before. I felt like I was in a theme park rather than in a real place where real people live. It was bizarre. One thing I like about here better than Florida (in fact, the reason I left Florida to come here) is that the arts, well, exist. I really am missing the warm weather though. It's in the 60s today, during the daylight!! Eek! Laura is flying to Puerto Rico tonight. Nice warm, beaches. I'll be going to North Carolina this weekend, and it is significantly warmer there. Hopefully we'll do some fun outdoorsy activity like kayaking or something.
Well, I am just not staying focused on my topic. My mind keeps wandering. I must be hungry. Going to make dinner now.
Sunday, September 08, 2002It's a Windy Day in the Neighborhood
I was really blown away today. I don't mean by all of the events of the day, I mean literally blown away! I feel like I am back at home and a hurricane is blowing in, only it's really sunny. Leaves, twigs, branches (also dust and pollen... torture on the allergies!) blowing all over. Weird weather. Maybe it's symbloic in some way. All of the chaos caused by the wind, yet the sun is still shining. Maybe I have just been watching too much TV today.
Being in New York (even though I am not in the city) on the first anniversary of the September 11 tragedies is a little weird. One of my roommates had a close friend who was in one of the towers, and had to run out. On the way out, he dropped his phone, and she couldn't get a hold of him for hours, and she was panicked. Luckily, it turned out that he was OK. She was in Manhattan at the time, and her mom had called her up and ordered her not to even leave her apartment. How weird that must have been. It was strange even from Florida. I can't even imagine what it must have been like to be so close. Chris and I walked past "ground zero" (I hate that term, it's so media-hype. I'll just say the former site of the WTC) when we were in the city. Really, it's just a big empty construction lot now. It was creepy, though, thinking that enormous towers used to stand there, and now they don't. I had never seen them before, otherwise I am sure it would have affected me much more strongly. Laura (my roommate) is going into Manhattan tonight, and so are two of my neighbors. I don't think I can handle that. The school is sponsoring a trip to the Yankees game tonight for just $5. That's more my speed. I am sure they will do a tribute there. I have seen the Yanks before at Pro Player Stadium, but I have never been to Yankee Stadium Before. Should be exciting.
Well, I guess that's all I have to say about that. I hope it's not too cold tonight at the ball game, with all the wind and whatnot. Please say a prayer today for the world. For hope, peace, love, understanding, and tolerance. Check out the prayer page in Steph's World, or say your own.
It's Good to be Easily Amused
Still reading The Onion. This one had me hysterical:
Liver Flees George Jones' Body
NASHVILLE, TN—After more than 40 years of absorbing vast quantities of hard alcohol, George Jones' liver finally fled the famed country singer's body Tuesday. "I can't take it anymore," the liver said. "A liver can only process so many toxins before it says to hell with it." Jones' liver absorbed its final drink early Tuesday morning, a bourbon and branch water that Jones had with some eggs for breakfast. Until it can find a place of its own, Jones' liver plans to share an apartment with Merle Haggard's liver and Hank Williams Jr.'s lungs.
Friday, September 06, 2002Is Anyone Really This Stupid??
No matter how many stories I read or hear about stupid people, there are some things that still amaze me. I read the following at The Onion.
KKK Member Struggles To Blame Blacks For His Hangover
SWAINSBORO, GA—Buford Anderson, a member of the Swainsboro chapter of the Ku Klux Klan, struggled to find a way to blame blacks for his wicked hangover Monday. "I believe the Nigra [sic] has conspired to hang me over with alcohol, even if I can't rightly prove it just at this moment," said Anderson, who had consumed a fifth of Jim Beam whiskey the previous night. "I done called the Jim Beam hotline to see if any of the board of directors is of the colored persuasion, but so far I'm inconclusive." Last December, Anderson blamed the "Jew-run media" for a paper cut sustained while reading TV Guide.I fear that people of this sort may in fact exist. Shudder.
Wednesday, September 04, 2002The Friday Five
The Friday Five on time this week, if my internet connection holds up...
1. What is your biggest pet peeve? Why? Inconsiderate people, especially on the road. It really doesn't take that much effort to be polite and considerate.
2. What irritating habits do you have? I bite my nails. I am sure there are others.
3. Have you tried to change the irritating habits or just let them be? Well, yeah, who wants to be irritating? The nail-biting thing I have just accepted. My nails are weak and don't really grow anyway, so what difference does it make? I do try to refrain from it when Chris is around, though, because he hates it.
4. What grosses you out more than anything else? Why? That nasty, smelly dumpster outside my building that has garbage on the ground all around it. It's gotten better though since I put up those signs. Roaches are really gross too. Luckily, there are not a whole lot of them around here. Just the DAMN FLIES!!!
5. What one thing can you never see yourself doing that other people do? Constitantly smoking, needing a cigarette, being addicted. Gross.
Where Are We???
Last night I took a ride with Laura. We went to Bed Bath & Beyond, and I got some new non-flannel sheets. I should have known that the school was lying about the extra-long mattresses and brought more sheets, but all I brought are the flannel ones, and with no A/C in September, it is way too hot for flannel. So they had some nice light cotton sheets on sale, and I bought some. They're pretty too. White with pink roses, go pretty well with my comforter. Anyway, after we got done there looking at all the nice things we couldn't afford (who *really* spends $35 on a toothbrush holder??), we were on our way back to campus and she wanted to go to Connecticut for cigarettes since they are cheaper there than in New York (Where is Discount Market when you need it???). We are only a mile or two from the border, so it was a pretty reasonable thing to do. Well, we went to Connecticut Liquors, which is just down the street from campus, but they didn't have the brand she smokes. They gave us directions to a grocery store (another store!) not far away, so we went there. On the way over there, I saw a sign that said, "Welcome to New York, the Empire State," and she says, "Crap! Now they will be expensive!" So we drive through a residential neighborhood with no stores in sight and ponder the possibility that perhaps we made a wrong turn, or didn't count the traffic lights properly, and finally we see the store. As we pull into the parking lot, I notice a post office. It's dark, but I think I see CT on the wall and tell Laura, "We may be back in Connecticut! I thought I saw CT on the wall of that post office! Of course, it is entirely possible that I am hallucinating." She walks up to a guy in the parking lot and says, "Excuse me, I know this may sound weird, but where are we?" He looks at us like we'rer from another planet. "Uhh... you're in Greenwich." Of course, not very helpful since we didn't know what state Greenwich is in. Although is does sound more Connecticut than New York. So she asked him what state we're in, with this totally lost look on her face, and he continues to look at us like we're insane moron aliens while informing us that (DUH) we are in Connecticut. By now, I feel pretty silly, and I walk away laughing. When Laura catches up to me, I tell her we're in the State of Confusion. I explain to her later that it is a pretty weird feeling for me to end up in some random state and not know where I am. Living at the bottom of a long peninsula for most of my life, that doesn't happen all that often (with of course the exception of the Tennessee incident).
I found this link to Jerry Springer: The Opera on Kat's page. I laughed hysterically for 15 minutes straight. My roommates must think I am completely insane. And I was trying so hard to keep it a secret! Guess that cat's out of the bag now.
Ben sent me this link about Angie and her position as FAU's drum major. I thought that was pretty cool.
Friday, August 30, 2002Labor Day Weekend
I had the most fabulous Labor Day Weekend. Chris drove 12 hours from western North Carolina to come see me. I surprised him with tickets to the Aerosmith concert. I had been torturing him for a month about this surprise I had planned, and he was really happy (and very surprised) that it turned out to be the Aerosmith concert. So as soon as he got he, we schlepped over to Long Island and enjoyed an incredible concert. They played a lot of old stuff, and did some blues, and it was really neat. What was weird was the crowd was dead. Even Steven Tyler said, "New York, you're awfully quiet out there." Well, I tried to make enough noise for everyone, but there is only so much one person can do. So who cares if everyone else was just sitting around looking zombie-fied, I was up singing along, dancing, yelling, and having a blast. It was really strange, though. I have never seen that before. In Florida, you would never go to a major rock concert and see people sitting around not having a good time. Really, I have been to classical concerts where the audience was rowdier.
On Saturday, we went into the city. We went to the Statue of Liberty, ate in Little Italy, and went to Times Square. It was a lot of fun. It was Chris' first time in NYC, and only my second, so it was pretty exciting. We were like two little country mice in the big city. We didn't even get lost! Many thanks to Laura, one of my roommates, for the maps she lent us.
The rest of the weekend was spent mostly just chillin', and it was cool. Unfortunately, the weather sucked. It was rainy, chilly, and gloomy. No barbequing for us. Well, we made some chicken on the Foreman grill... It was so wonderful to see him. He really is my angel.
I AM SO SICK OF THESE DAMN FLIES!!! There is nothing we can do to get rid of them!! We have been spraying flying insect killer, keeping the door shut, taping up the holes in the screens (yes, I live in the ghetto), but nothing is working. I keep trying to smash them, but they are so fast. I broke a nail trying to kill one, and that really pissed me off, because I just had them done on Friday, and they looked so nice. It is so disgusting. The buzz in my ear while I am trying to sleep, they land on my food while I am trying to cook, they swarm around EVERYWHERE. I tried to find a fly swatter, but they did not have one in the store. I guess the next step is to find another store (easier said than done). I was hoping that the bugspray would solve the problem, but it hasn't gotten us very far. Spraying it directly at them seems to knock them out, but killing them one at a time doesn't accomplish a whole lot. We tried fumigating the place, and that didn't work. I stalk them with the spray bottle and threaten them, "You sons of bitches are all gonna die!!" The bottle says, "outdoor fresh scent." My ass.
Thursday, August 29, 2002The Friday Five
1. What's your favorite piece of clothing that you currently own? My leather pants.
2. What piece of clothing do you most want to acquire? A new leather jacket.
3. What piece of clothing can you not bring yourself to get rid of? Why? All of my "skinny clothes" that are in my closet at my parents' house. I will fit back into them one day!
4. What piece of clothing do you look your best in? uhhh.. I don't know. My Express jeans maybe?? Tell me what you think!
5. What has been your biggest fashion accident? My teenage years.
Tuesday, August 27, 2002List of Gripes
OK, I know I have been doing a lot of random bitching lately, but I am going to get it all out of my system once and for all and just make a list of things I have encountered in the past week that have pissed me off.
- Charging for local telephone calls
- Four people crammed into a 2-person apartment
- A crappy, inconsistent internet connection
- No air conditioning in August
- Spending $31 to fill up my gas tank
- No stores in this town
- Auditing an undergraduate history class at 8:30 AM
- The five books that are required for my research & writing class not being in the bookstore (or any other local bookstore)
- All the damn flies!!!
Well, I am sure there were more, but I can't think of them right at the moment. Just to look on the bright side, here are the things that make me happy:
- Had a great lesson yesterday
- Chris is coming to visit this weekend :-)
- The thing we are doing tomorrow night (which I can't say, in case he reads this before that and spoils the surprise)
For the rest of you who are starting out in new places and/or doing new things, good luck to you. Keep your chin up, and remember that things will get better if you just hang in there. Be sure to come visit me in New York some time!!
Monday, August 26, 2002They're All Gonna Die!!!
I invested in some flying insect killer, and I have been running around zapping the flies that have moved into our apartment. Scared one of my roommates with my scary face and threating them, "You're all gonna die!!" They are driving me nuts. They have got to go (the flies, not the roommates).
It is still damn hot in here. With no a/c, fall can't come soon enough. It is hotter in here than outside, even with windows open and the fan going. I think we need some more fans. I am taking donations if anyone wants to send me a fan.
I'm Finally Online!!
No, I have not dropped off the face of the earth. I know some of you have been worried about me. It's just that I couldn't get my internet connection working for a few days. Candice called yesterday to see if I was off partying like a rock star in the city, or just not online yet. Don't worry, I have not gone hog-wild yet!
Things certainly are different here. No A/C in the on-campus apartments. In August, it is still far too hot for that to be acceptable. Everything is damn expensive here. I spent $31 filling up my gas tank. Granted, it's a big tank, but REALLY! The campus phone service is a RIPOFF!! They charge for local calls. Unreal. I guess that's common around here, but I have never heard of it.
Friday, August 09, 2002The Friday Five
The Friday Five, or shall I say Monday Five?
1. What is your current occupation? Is this what you chose to be doing at this point in your life? Why or why not? Currently, I am a graduate student Yes, this is what I would like to be doing right now. Most of the time, I enjoy being a student.
2. If time/talent/money were no object, what would your dream occupation be? Well, my goal is to be a professional oboist. I also think it would be cool to be a dolphin trainer, but that's not entirely realistic for me at this point.
3. What did/do your parents do for a living? Has this had any influence on your career choices? My mom is a nurse, and my dad is a teacher and a coach. I have never considered being a nurse because I know I would not be good at it. I may end up following in dad's footsteps to a certain degree since I do teach music.
4. Have you ever had to choose between having a career and having a family? Not yet. I am not even married yet, so having a family will come later. I am really hoping to balance both, but if I had to choose, family would definately come first.
5. In your opinion, what is the easiest job in the world? What is the hardest? Why? I knew someone was interning for NBC or something and her job was to watch TV all day and make sure certain commercials ran. That sounds pretty easy. The hardest I think would be a garbage collector. I would really hate to do that.
Tuesday, August 06, 2002The Friday Five
Very tired, but making a concerted effort to accomplish this...
1. Do you have a car? If so, what kind of car is it? A 1994 Mercury Grand Marquis. I love my grandma-mobile!
2. Do you drive very often? Pretty much on a regular basis around town & whatnot. Every now & then I make long trips to, say, North Carolina.
3. What's your dream car? I would love to have Beetle! I also love Corvettes, but if I had one, I would probably lose my license within an hour.
4. Have you ever received a ticket? HA Enough to paper my walls! I haven't gotten one in about three years, though. I'm so proud of myself!
5. Have you ever been in an accident? Yes, many. Most of them weren't my fault.... I have really bad luck. The worst was in 1996 when I was on a first date! He wasn't driving, though, his friend drove us. The driver has a broken wrist and a totalled car, the guy I was going out with had to have his face stitched up, and I had to have my knee stitched up and my face was so swollen I couldn't even put in my contacts for weeks. I really looked like a freak, it was awful. Most recently, I got in an accident last May (2001). It was two months after I had gotten my first car, a hand-me-down Oldsmobile from my parents. It was a great car, and I was so excited to finally have a car of my own. I was devastated when it was wrecked. A kid in a Honda Civic smashed into me because he took a curve too fast in the rain and lost control. Luckily, we were both OK (I just had a bit of a backache), but both cars were totalled. One time I was on a school bus on the way home from middle school (what a traumatizing time, but anyway) and the bus was stopped at a stop sign, and a car ploughed right into the back of the bus. How do you do that??? You didn't see a giant yellow bus??!! Did the brakes fail, or did he fall asleep, or was he just high on crack??
Friday, August 02, 2002New Toy
I went into the store the other day to get some zip disks, and they happened to be on the same aisle as the CD burners. I found a CDRW drive that happened to be on sale, so I bought it. Ever since then, I have been playing with it, making all sorts of fun compilation CDs. So that's part of the reason you haven't seen a post in a few days! So I guess that's all I have to say for now. I'm going to get back to playing with my new toy. :-)
Wednesday, July 31, 2002The Friday Five
I'm actually pretty busy today, but I can always make time for the Friday Five. I need a mental break from all of these silly forms I am making; they are tying my brain in knots!
1. What is your lineage? Where are your ancestors from? My ancestors are mostly from Germany and Ireland. The last few generations are from the Northeast of the United States, and I am the first in my family to be born in Florida!
2. Of those countries, which would you most like to visit? I would love to visit both Germany and Ireland.
3. Which would you least like to visit? Why? N/A
4. Do you do anything during the year to celebrate or recognize your heritage? Sometimes I go to Oktoberfest.
5. Who were the first ancestors to move to your present country (parents, grandparents, etc)? Several generations back, I am not sure exactly which, right offhand. It is at least as far back at great-grandparents.
Surfin' Around
I've spent most of the day surfing the internet, with breaks every now and then to answer the phone or some other task. Not a bad way to pass time, especially when I am getting paid for it. I won't complain.
I thought I'd pass on a few things I found interesting. Note: Any pages I link are not necessarily indicative of my personal views. They are merely mentioned because I find them interesting, or feel that my readers may find them interesting. I will not exclude a site from my links because it conflicts with my personal views, unless I find it appallingly offensive (i.e. blatant satanism).
Tell me what you think about this guy who is suing four fast food chains for making him fat. Big Fat Blog, a blog that links to and gives opinions on articles dealing with fat, comments on the issue. The whole site is pretty interesting, really. It provides a really fresh and different perspective to the whole weight issue that has become so prevalent in our society. It takes the stance that being overweight is not necessarily unhealthy, ugly, or bad; and it defends this stance very convincingly.
I thought this idea for Dear Moron letters is brilliant. Sounds like something I would do! Maybe I will. I imagine it would be a great outlet for venting about all the stupid things people do to piss me off.
If you are really bored or easily amused (also, I would imagine this would be tremendously entertaining if you were drunk, or maybe high), try playing with the rabbit. One of the internet's silly little pleasures. Link courtesy of quixotical.org.
Internet Vagina
No, not porn.
While surfing aimlessly around the internet, I found a site called All About My Vagina. I am not even going to attempt to explain. If you are curious, go see it for yourself (by the same token, if you are offended or disgusted by this, do not visit the site). I have no opinion on it, so don't bother asking what I think of it. I am still sort of stunned. Anyway, that's all I have to say about that. Just thought I'd share.
The Night the Fish Drowned
Last night I went with the folks to see the Marlins game. Mom likes to go when the Cardinals are in town, even though Mark McGwire (her obsession) doesn't play anymore. Well, the game started off really boring with several innings of no score. The most interesting part was when the Cardinals scored two homeruns in a row. That was pretty exciting. Needless to say, my mom was going nuts. They scored on the Marlins 3 more times, and the Marlins scored a big fat whopping zero runs. My poor Marlins. It was sad to see how empty the stadium was, too. Although, it is nice to not have to deal with hordes of people (I hate crowds).
The trip to Pro Player Stadium brought back memories of the last time I was there, in December for the Dolphins/ Colts Monday night game, with Gail and JD. That night was so much fun it was ridiculous. We were at the very top row, but by golly, we were loaded, the Dolphins kicked the crap out of the Colts, and we had a blast. It was worth missing AbFab for (well, I taped it, so I didn't miss it entirely).
