gems

I've been reading research papers all week, and here are some gems:

One of Steven Spielberg's most touching movies was called "Chandler's List."

The Beatles started to gain more fame and stage presents.

Jackie Robinson started to work for a company called Chock Full O' Nuts (only she had forgotten the "h" in "chock" and written it in above)

I'm sure by the end of the week there will be a few more. :)

nightmare

I had a dream last night that I was applying for a job as a pharmaceutical rep., and during my interview in the airport (?), I realized that my resume was unfinished. Actually, it was worse than unfinished...there was rambling and cursing about the interviewer at the bottom of my resume, and some jibberish about how I never wanted to work for corporate America. I tried to laugh it off, but at the end of the interview the interviewer just sighed, walked away, and took my suitcase with her.

Although I am an unashamed TV junkie, Saturdays for me almost always include This American Life, The Splendid Table, and if there is a lot of cleaning to do, Speaking of Faith. Since I was in the O.C. last weekend I listened to last weekend's This American Life episode on television.

Television has been a topic of conversation lately among my friends, and whether you love or hate television, this show had a lot to say. I have to say I never thought that I would hear David Rakoff discuss shows like My Super Sweet Sixteen and The Real Housewives of Orange County, but it was good. There's also a good Sarah Vowell article included in the episode, where she gives a nod to the Simpsons' Thanksgiving episode. Check it out.

the creation

Today was my birthday, and overall a very good day. I didn't have my usual middle school meeting this morning, so I slept in. My kids gave me a great gift, and a beautiful lily plant. Eventually I started being allergic to the plant so it had to go, but the thought was nice.

Right now I'm in the middle of creating a jello dish for my party tomorrow night. That's right, jello. John had the fabulous idea to have a jello potluck, and I'm having a great time being creative with it. My plan is that I'm making 2 different kinds of jello, molding it in muffin tins, and adding "surprise" things inside. Each one will be different. And, the best part is that I'll add cool whip to keep the ingredients secret, just like the lady at the church potluck. I'm thinking about adding meat to one as a prize--like whoever gets that one is the big winner...I'm not sure if I'll go through with it.

Anyway, that's 28--jello. hoorah!

Chuck Norris on Grammar

My kids have been doing group presentations this week on some aspect of subject/verb agreement. For the most part they have been pretty nondescript. Yesterday though was an exception. One group managed to skillfully integrate Chuck Norris into their presentation.

One of the requirements of the project was to include a visual aid, and this group chose to make a video. It was outstanding. They set up a scenario where an author (Mr. Lasagna) was bringing in a book to a publisher. When he walks up he says "I wrote a book," and for no reason that I can figure out he starts dancing to this Romanian dance song...a really good song actually. Then, he pitches the book. The "publishers" look at it and tell him that if there are any grammar errors, they won't publish it. Otherwise, they will. They read a section about the hero beating up Chuck Norris, including some sweet fight moves. Unfortunately, the subjects and verbs don't agree, and so it's rejected.

The "author" takes it back, rewrites the book (1000 pages in about 1 minute), and the "publishers" reread it. Miraculously the grammar errors are changed,and they will now publish the book. There is more dancing. I'm not sure if this comes across as funny in a blog, but it was Hilarious in class.

Oui!

This weekend I'm in Irvine, visiting Jas and Amanda. Actually, I'm posting right now from their living room. The first thing I have to say is this: I adore their Wii. Actually, I adore them more. The Wii is awesome though, and tennis is my game. I created a sweet Mii (a Nintendo version of myself), and she's got skills at tennis--500 some skill points, or whatever they're called.

Events galore have been the agenda this weekend. Yesterday we saw the Eifman Ballet's production of "The Seagull." It was stunning. I've seen a few ballets in the past few years, but this one was outstanding.

Then last night we saw Jason's show "Sunday in the Park with George." It wasn't specifically all Jason's, but it was his last show here. We celebrated by playing more Wii.

Amanda just asked me to include that we went to a fabulous paper store and she got kick-ass file folders that look like Paris. They're pretty sweet and Kitty loves them. (His real name is Cheeto, but I like Kitty better).

Today is shoe shopping at Cole Haan (whoo-hoo!!!), and then birthday martinis at Gulf Stream. I love shoes. And birthdays. And Manda and Jason. And Wii. But not in that order.

Happy Birthday, Donna!

Today

I've been trying to figure out what to say about today, but Billy Collins, former poet laureate of the US, has done it for me with his poem "Today."

If ever there were a spring day so perfect,
so uplifted by a warm intermittent breeze

that it made you want to throw
open all the windows in the house

and unlatch the door to the canary's cage,
indeed, rip the little door from its jamb,

a day when the cool brick paths
and the garden bursting with peonies

seemed so etched in sunlight
that you felt like taking

a hammer to the glass paperweight
on the living room end table,

releasing the inhabitants
from their snow-covered cottage

so they could walk out,
holding hands and squinting

into this larger dome of blue and white,
well, today is just that kind of day.

void

This may be a boring post, but that's the good thing about a blog-you don't have to read it. Or, you can read it and then tell your friends how boring it was. Or just think that to yourself, or maybe say it out loud. You choose.

The past few weeks have been weird. I've been thinking a lot about leaving, and that's been difficult, especially since it's totally my choice. I've also been awful at school. I just dread going, and even thinking about tomorrow morning makes me count the hours before I have to go there again. So much patience required right now...waiting for the school year to be over, and now waiting to know if my nephew has Down's Syndrome. It just seems like parents as young as my brother and sister-in-law shouldn't have to deal with something like that.

I've also been thinking a lot about future jobs. I've sort of been going into the move with the attitude that I likely won't get a job I love, so one that is okay will have to do. In fact, that's sort of how everything has felt lately. A totally selfish attitude, particularly when things like a new job are brought about by my decisions, but hey. What is a blog if not self-absorbed?

So I came home one day this week to find an envelope from my college. They're changing how they counsel people about career searching, so they're getting rid of all the paper files, including the mounds of paper required for education majors. So I got mine, and reading it was a mistake in the midst of future uncertainty. I'm not sure how much professors exaggerate when they write letters of recommendation, but it was totally depressing to read about how high their expectations of me were. Inadequate is too small a word for how I feel about the actual accomplishments compared to the predictions.

Some ass in the workout room today added to feeling like I've accomplished nothing. In the gym at my apartment there are two TVs. I had one on MTV, and this kind of young-ish, lawyer-looking guy asked me if I was watching it. I said yes, and told him he could turn on the other one if he wanted, it wouldn't bother me. He said "Oh, I think it might distract you." I thought that was kind of weird, but I let it go.

So he turned on CSPAN. People really watch CSPAN? And he wasn't even old, crotchety, or anything...so whatever. There was an author talking about his book on the current administration. I flipped my attention back and forth between CSPAN and True Life: I'm in a Biracial Relationship. The guy interrupted me a few more times, to ask when the workout room opens (I have no idea, I just started working out this week), and something about how the bike works (again, no idea). Then, at the end, as he walked out he said "So, was CSPAN better than you thought it would be?" What an ass. I wanted to say "I can watch CSPAN too, bitch." I didn't. But maybe I should have. And he was totally watching MTV too. Jerk.

So there. A boring post? Perhaps. You didn't have to read it. But now you did and you can go tell your friends how boring it was. Don't forget to mention the CSPAN guy, and how I'm totally smart enough to watch CSPAN, I just don't choose to sometimes.