I guess the title is This American Life...

I don't remember ever being really angry at This American Life before, but I listened to No Map this weekend on my way home from the lake, and I was pissed. And shocked that This American life would let such ethnocentricity slide...at least seemingly so. They say they tried to get the other side, but still...definitely an interesting story, and worth listening to, despite a strong pro-American, pro-stuff bias.

Phew...

The last few days/week? have been hectic. But fun. Today was my 2nd interview for a summer internship with an online marketing firm, and tonight they offered me the job! Whoo-hoo. They also asked for a writing sample, so I pointed out my blog...so if you offered me a job today and are reading this, hello, and thanks!!

I also went to Chicago last week to help my dad with the NCA candy show. I started going to candy shows with him when I was about 10. They used to have kids programs, so I would walk the show floor a while to get candy, and then spend the rest of the time at amusement parks and children's museums. Oh, and taking cabs all by myself in Washington, DC, as a 10-year-old (true story). I would never let my proverbial children do what my dad let us do at those shows.

But Chicago was awesome. I helped to set up the booth, and then helped the marketing folks get some press for the new mascot, Mr. Eiffel Bon Bons.


I even got to BE Mr. Eiffel BonBons, which was fun. Strangely enough, I got to be him at Soldier Field, where I had to ask what teams and/or sports played there. Good times.


I also helped hand out samples and do random other things at the booth, and I managed to get myself some press. First I got into the daily magazine of the show (I have no idea why I look like I'm tipping over...I think I was trying to look like I was hugging Mr. Eiffel Bonbons. I've learned my lesson).


The local Chicago news also did a story on the show, and I (or at least my hair) made it to the video.

I also had dinner and beer at the Hopleaf with Grant and Kristin, and then sat out on the pier to enjoy the Chicago skyline. (Sidenote: Heels are most innapropriate footwear for the beach)


I arrived home Friday at about 1 pm, mowed my lawn and procured paint for the summer house painting, and left for Okoboji. And realized, upon arriving in Okoboji, that I had forgotten to feed the cats. DOH! I am eternally grateful for friends from my new church for saving me from discovering kitty carcasses when I came home Monday night.

The lake was awesome, as usual. The boys got a new "park," and my one nephew helped my brother level it out to add sand. He's a crazy hard worker, and always wants to talk about work (You workin'? You goin' to work? What do you do at work? Not now, I'm workin')


Of course, we also spent some time out on the boat, and I only got slighltly burnt. Quite an accomplishment for my first time out in the sun this season, I think. Oh, and we only let the kids drive part of the time.


So now, 2 more days at home, and then I'm off to California for Annabelle's baptism. Or christening...I'm not sure if there's a difference, but I really like the sound of the word "christening." Busy, but all good stuff.

Scenes from Tuesday

As you already know, these kitties talk to my nephew. Mostly with interjections and requests to go golfing. He still loves them.

He also really seemed to like the Mr. Potato Head I picked up at the dollar store. He told me that he's a funny man, and wanted to picnic with us. But, he could only picnic with us sans hat and shoes. Which made it a little hard for Mr. Potato Head to balance well enough to drink his juice box.

My nephew, however, had no such problems with the juice box. Picnic, accomplished.

*All pictures taken with my new Lightscoop! A whole new level of nerdiness.

I'm hanging out with my nephew this afternoon (he's napping at the moment), and he asked about the kitties at my house. I told him a little about them, and then he told me "I have kitties at my house. They talk to me." I asked him what they say, and he said "They say yeeeaaaahhh and, um, hey, let's go golfing, okay."

Hilarious.

Kitties and Spectrograms

Today Cow went to the groomer, and got a modified Lion Cut. The last time I bathed her I waited too long to brush her, and she had a few mats, so this was a good (and fun!) solution. Well, fun to look at. Maybe not so fun to get done, but I think she'll be more comfortable.

This is not a picture of my cat. It is a spectrogram of my name, given to me by a professor. We had just studied spectrograms and acoustics, and the professor made each of us in the class (about 40 people) one, and gave them to us tonight after the exam. That was so nice of her, and fun for nerdy people!

Even More Procrastinating with PhotoBooth

Can you believe it? I'm procrastinating with PhotoBooth...crazy, huh?

Well, it's true. I've been sitting alternately at my desk and outside in the sun since 1 PM, attempting to study. Reading through my hearing science notes make me feel a little nuts,

and somewhat disinterested.

The topics, applied to real life, are interesting, but in boring old memorization form, not so much. Although one of the last test's topics did show up on NPR. Now if only I could do all of my studying by reading NPR stories, that would be awesome, and with better writing.

General Updates

I haven't felt much inspired to write lately, so bland is the order of the day. Of the weekend really, since I am supposed to be studying for exams. I'm finding it difficult, but pressing on. Today I got mostly through respiration and phonation, and made a muscle chart with the irritating abbductor/adductor/tensor/relaxor/intrinsic/extrinsic/suprahyoid/infrahyoid distinctions. Seriously, if you really need to know if a muscle is an adductor or a tensor during therapy, you'll look it up.

I'm putting off studying for the GRE (to be taken on Thursday) until the Mon. and Tues. exams are done, and I'm trying to put off looking for a job until after that, to hopefully increase focus. But I get sucked in sometimes...the lack of options makes me feel like I need to look extra hard, even when I should be reviewing minute sections of bone like the lesser cornu of the hyoid bone.

A bright spot in the weekend was church. I've been going to a new church for the past few weeks, and I like it. As an INTJ, social activities like this, particularly new-to-me ones, take so much energy...but it's been worth it. I've met some really great people, and I think I might stick around for a while. After having lived here almost 2 years now, and having met only the people I used to work with, it's time for a social scene. I like to keep to myself, but not that much...

Let's see, other news...not much....the cat may be shaved like a lion soon, due to mats and my general desire to see her shaved like a lion...I hope to make some more hummus and tabouli this week...I'm making my own lattes and made it to milk Monday (cheaper milk!) without having to restock...yeah, all in all, a rather uninteresting bit here. Unless of course you find inner hair cell damage and formants interesting. In that case, I'm the most interesting person you know.