My one, teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy triumph for the day. The student podcast I helped produce is up on iTunes (please note that you can only listen with iTunes for now: it's free, but we're working on alternatives).
Big day tomorrow. Wish me luck.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
leavings
I'm freshly back from yoga, having those pleasant stretched pangs that let you know you've worked.
Today was grandboss's last day with us. Having that in the past tense seems weird--the time between his announcement and his departure seems to have flown past.
I can't even say I have mixed feelings about it, because I don't. I'm going to miss him. I looked forward to his face more than anyone's when I went to work. I mean, it's not like it's "goodbye, goodbye forever" or anything. He'll be over with WPSU doing more than just volunteering now. But it won't be the same, of course.
He had (has!) my respect, loyalty, support, friendship. And trust. Above all. And I enjoyed his company. And I just don't have that complete package with anyone else at work anymore, and certainly not to the same extent. He had more of an influence on me than anyone else I've ever worked with.
If he hadn't encouraged it, I don't think I'd be pursuing the path I am now. And without his support, I'd certainly have been cut off from a lot of things I enjoy about work.
When I told D. and S., S. immediately responded with "oh no! He's your advocate!" And that's true. He was. So not only was he someone I enjoyed working with, but he was someone in a position of authority that could make things happen when it came to my job.
And I'm going to stop there. Abruptly. There are things happening at work that I don't want to talk about yet, even if I could, which I can't. And this sounds horribly catastrophic, but it may be a very good thing. It may also be a very bad thing. Right now, I'm in a "time will tell" state.
Please forgive me if I'm scarce. Negotiating change takes a lot of my headspace, and I need every inch at the moment.
Today was grandboss's last day with us. Having that in the past tense seems weird--the time between his announcement and his departure seems to have flown past.
I can't even say I have mixed feelings about it, because I don't. I'm going to miss him. I looked forward to his face more than anyone's when I went to work. I mean, it's not like it's "goodbye, goodbye forever" or anything. He'll be over with WPSU doing more than just volunteering now. But it won't be the same, of course.
He had (has!) my respect, loyalty, support, friendship. And trust. Above all. And I enjoyed his company. And I just don't have that complete package with anyone else at work anymore, and certainly not to the same extent. He had more of an influence on me than anyone else I've ever worked with.
If he hadn't encouraged it, I don't think I'd be pursuing the path I am now. And without his support, I'd certainly have been cut off from a lot of things I enjoy about work.
When I told D. and S., S. immediately responded with "oh no! He's your advocate!" And that's true. He was. So not only was he someone I enjoyed working with, but he was someone in a position of authority that could make things happen when it came to my job.
And I'm going to stop there. Abruptly. There are things happening at work that I don't want to talk about yet, even if I could, which I can't. And this sounds horribly catastrophic, but it may be a very good thing. It may also be a very bad thing. Right now, I'm in a "time will tell" state.
Please forgive me if I'm scarce. Negotiating change takes a lot of my headspace, and I need every inch at the moment.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
cows at an Ag school
I realize that Penn State is, both historically and currently, an agricultural school (among other things). But it really does tempt me to go vegetarian when I drive in behind a trailer carrying two gentle, sweet-looking cows and I realize that the vehicle is turning into the driveway of the Meats Lab.
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
yoga as practice, yoga as technology
I just got back from yoga, and am enjoying that stage where I can feel every muscle that worked, which provides me with an odd sort of loose-limbed grace. Combine that with one of two mental states that usually occurs thereafter--either so fully open and relaxed that I'm taking in everything all at once and feeling no need to process it, or so completely focused and energized that I often go back to work and bang out half of the day's tasks in an hour or two--and it makes for a very fluid drive home. I'm experiencing the former state today, though this time I was able to free myself from the urge that often accompanies it--that of not wanting to break that state and focus on anything. But at the moment, I have a keyboard at hand, and everything's fine. This focus is an easy one for me--though of course, I'm not entirely sure if it's an appropriate state for clear writing. We'll see, I suppose.
This semester I decided to change to taking this class twice a week, and I'm glad I did.
Tonight, after finishing savasana and wrapping class with a "namaste" given and returned, I did an impromptu sarvangasana--a shoulderstand. Since I was already warmed up, I didn't even hesitate: I pretty much rolled back and went straight up, no prop, no nothing. After my teacher realized what I was doing, she called out a couple of tips, to which I adjusted immediately.
I feel the need to mention here that when I first started, I hated inverted poses like this. The first class where we were to try them, I asked the forthright question of "do we have to do these?" Not being impertinent at all: it was an honest question of if they're integral to a yoga practice. I wanted a good reason before I subjected myself to them. I was afraid of tipping over and hurting myself--and not unreasonably so, I might add. But now I love these poses. They change your viewpoint, and not just at the time.
I've also been remembering the changed viewpoint of when I practiced on the roof of a building in Indianapolis at sunset. Very dramatic, very memorable. Loved it. On that trip as well as others, I had brought along my Yoga Paws--mitts and sock bits that simulate a yoga mat without having one with you--intending to practice wherever I went: rest stops and hotel rooms and parks and mountains and streams. I only remember actually practicing at one rest stop, and both that and the rooftop bit were done without the Yoga Paws. So while helpful, they're probably unnecessary. I'd rather do the yoga than take the time to hunt down the accessory, because if the hunt takes too long, I might not do yoga at all. At that time.
But as some teachers and publications might tell you, while you might be "doing" yoga during a class or a session, it does become a way of life. Your practice extends to the rest of your time, to one extent or another. Just on the way home, I found myself adjusting my shoulders and arms to drive optimally without constricting muscles that I tend to coil too much. I've found myself unconsciously doing yoga adjustments while drying my hair, doing the Down-Dog tilt with my head upside down. After a long trip, Dad and others have seen me go into Tree Pose, Cobbler's Pose, Mountain Pose.
I sat down and made a list of all the poses I knew off the top of my head one day. It was impressively long, and rather amusing to read. Just some of the animalistically-named poses are fun: Fish, Camel, Cat/Cow, Sphinx, Cobra, Pigeon. I love Pigeon. Some people hate Pigeon. But to be fair, there's a lot of poses I find challenging that others don't, and vice versa. But I digress.
For the last six days, my voice has come in and out. No reason that I can discern. Grand-boss says I sound like Lauren Bacall. We tried to figure out a modern equivalent that prospective students might understand and came up short. But my point is that I asked Christine for any tips she might have for such. She gave a few and told me to try one. I did, and instantly felt things clear. While it's not magic, as Arthur C. Clarke said: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Working with the loosest definition of the term, yoga (and jin shin-jitsu, which is also a bit of what she showed me) is then technology.
From a simple expression about returning home from class to yoga as technology in less than 800 words, even allowing for meandering. Welcome to my brain.
This semester I decided to change to taking this class twice a week, and I'm glad I did.
Tonight, after finishing savasana and wrapping class with a "namaste" given and returned, I did an impromptu sarvangasana--a shoulderstand. Since I was already warmed up, I didn't even hesitate: I pretty much rolled back and went straight up, no prop, no nothing. After my teacher realized what I was doing, she called out a couple of tips, to which I adjusted immediately.
I feel the need to mention here that when I first started, I hated inverted poses like this. The first class where we were to try them, I asked the forthright question of "do we have to do these?" Not being impertinent at all: it was an honest question of if they're integral to a yoga practice. I wanted a good reason before I subjected myself to them. I was afraid of tipping over and hurting myself--and not unreasonably so, I might add. But now I love these poses. They change your viewpoint, and not just at the time.
I've also been remembering the changed viewpoint of when I practiced on the roof of a building in Indianapolis at sunset. Very dramatic, very memorable. Loved it. On that trip as well as others, I had brought along my Yoga Paws--mitts and sock bits that simulate a yoga mat without having one with you--intending to practice wherever I went: rest stops and hotel rooms and parks and mountains and streams. I only remember actually practicing at one rest stop, and both that and the rooftop bit were done without the Yoga Paws. So while helpful, they're probably unnecessary. I'd rather do the yoga than take the time to hunt down the accessory, because if the hunt takes too long, I might not do yoga at all. At that time.
But as some teachers and publications might tell you, while you might be "doing" yoga during a class or a session, it does become a way of life. Your practice extends to the rest of your time, to one extent or another. Just on the way home, I found myself adjusting my shoulders and arms to drive optimally without constricting muscles that I tend to coil too much. I've found myself unconsciously doing yoga adjustments while drying my hair, doing the Down-Dog tilt with my head upside down. After a long trip, Dad and others have seen me go into Tree Pose, Cobbler's Pose, Mountain Pose.
I sat down and made a list of all the poses I knew off the top of my head one day. It was impressively long, and rather amusing to read. Just some of the animalistically-named poses are fun: Fish, Camel, Cat/Cow, Sphinx, Cobra, Pigeon. I love Pigeon. Some people hate Pigeon. But to be fair, there's a lot of poses I find challenging that others don't, and vice versa. But I digress.
For the last six days, my voice has come in and out. No reason that I can discern. Grand-boss says I sound like Lauren Bacall. We tried to figure out a modern equivalent that prospective students might understand and came up short. But my point is that I asked Christine for any tips she might have for such. She gave a few and told me to try one. I did, and instantly felt things clear. While it's not magic, as Arthur C. Clarke said: "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic." Working with the loosest definition of the term, yoga (and jin shin-jitsu, which is also a bit of what she showed me) is then technology.
From a simple expression about returning home from class to yoga as technology in less than 800 words, even allowing for meandering. Welcome to my brain.
Monday, February 26, 2007
stadium ramblings
So on the way home from the mall today, after asking the good people of AT&T to look at my phone's battery--
(Which, as an aside, they could tell me nothing about. My first indication of something wrong was it dying unexpectedly on or prior to Valentine's Day and someone trying to reach me and quickly getting worried when I didn't answer and didn't return calls. I eventually figured that out when I reached work the next day to find voice mail at my number there. Kind of proves how much I check my phone, doesn't it? [As a note to the general public: I check my email far more often than I check to see if I've been called. If you can, try emailing before getting worried.])
I realized that you can see the stadium from the mall.
Let me repeat that. You can see the stadium from the mall.
Let me add that they're about four miles apart.
Given, the fact that it's a straight shot down the valley between the two may have something to do with that. And winter, so no leaves on the trees to block the view. Still.
I took it as kind of depressing, indicative of the tie between the area in general and the stadium in specific, both literally and metaphorically.
Admissions story time: recently, we got a caller who asked if Joe Paterno (our head coach, for those not familiar) had any sway in admissions decisions. I have no idea what the person who responded said, but the only commentary when it was brought up was that if the person was asking us, they certainly didn't have enough pull with JoePa to ask the favor in the first place. Even if it mattered. End of story.
Someone more enthusiastic about collegiate sports may have seen this as a good sign: an indication of the awe-inspiring colossus it's become around here.
I'm not that person.
I have boundless enthusiasm about some programs here. Others I'm less thrilled with. (Similar would be true of almost any institution I've been involved with, I might add.) On the up side, that means I should rarely become disillusioned--I'm quite realistic about the things I throw my weight behind. On the down side, some take it as cynicism. It's a tough call.
Speaking of cynicism, though: one current project is a two-disc mix CD set of songs that have been getting stuck in my head lately. One disc is the songs I can stand. The other I could go forever without hearing (and would, given my druthers). But because I'm just that kind, I'm passing both out together.
One could even think that speaks of balance. If they didn't know better.
(Which, as an aside, they could tell me nothing about. My first indication of something wrong was it dying unexpectedly on or prior to Valentine's Day and someone trying to reach me and quickly getting worried when I didn't answer and didn't return calls. I eventually figured that out when I reached work the next day to find voice mail at my number there. Kind of proves how much I check my phone, doesn't it? [As a note to the general public: I check my email far more often than I check to see if I've been called. If you can, try emailing before getting worried.])
I realized that you can see the stadium from the mall.
Let me repeat that. You can see the stadium from the mall.
Let me add that they're about four miles apart.
Given, the fact that it's a straight shot down the valley between the two may have something to do with that. And winter, so no leaves on the trees to block the view. Still.
I took it as kind of depressing, indicative of the tie between the area in general and the stadium in specific, both literally and metaphorically.
Admissions story time: recently, we got a caller who asked if Joe Paterno (our head coach, for those not familiar) had any sway in admissions decisions. I have no idea what the person who responded said, but the only commentary when it was brought up was that if the person was asking us, they certainly didn't have enough pull with JoePa to ask the favor in the first place. Even if it mattered. End of story.
Someone more enthusiastic about collegiate sports may have seen this as a good sign: an indication of the awe-inspiring colossus it's become around here.
I'm not that person.
I have boundless enthusiasm about some programs here. Others I'm less thrilled with. (Similar would be true of almost any institution I've been involved with, I might add.) On the up side, that means I should rarely become disillusioned--I'm quite realistic about the things I throw my weight behind. On the down side, some take it as cynicism. It's a tough call.
Speaking of cynicism, though: one current project is a two-disc mix CD set of songs that have been getting stuck in my head lately. One disc is the songs I can stand. The other I could go forever without hearing (and would, given my druthers). But because I'm just that kind, I'm passing both out together.
One could even think that speaks of balance. If they didn't know better.
Monday, February 05, 2007
cold!
The windchill here is -15 F. Remind me to write about how thankful I am for my serious down coat.
Saturday, February 03, 2007
weather, work
It's clear, beautiful and cold today. Nine degrees here. I see that it's seven where Dad is, thanks to Google being a helpful little monkey and showing it to me as soon as I open my browser.
I drove out to pick up CSA goods last night after work in blowing snow. Light on the highway, but you could barely (or in some cases, not at all) see the ranges. Mount Nittany I could see the eastern slope of, but the rest was entirely hidden. It's that sort of view that makes me love this place more in bad weather--I find that's when it's most magical in scenery, strangely.
I'm at work today, ostensibly running presentations, but we do have breaks between rushes of people, so I took a pause at my desk rather than standing all morning, eight to noon straight. I'll be back out there shortly, though.
I drove out to pick up CSA goods last night after work in blowing snow. Light on the highway, but you could barely (or in some cases, not at all) see the ranges. Mount Nittany I could see the eastern slope of, but the rest was entirely hidden. It's that sort of view that makes me love this place more in bad weather--I find that's when it's most magical in scenery, strangely.
I'm at work today, ostensibly running presentations, but we do have breaks between rushes of people, so I took a pause at my desk rather than standing all morning, eight to noon straight. I'll be back out there shortly, though.
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
snow and squash
The sun's shining a lambent winter white through the clouds this morning, just over the mountains, hazy in the distance. We've had snow: piles of it, but intermittent, leaving us with less than an inch at a time. But it has finally stuck, and we find more each morning when making each trip in to work (and often back from work), hazardous with the stupidity of people not used to these conditions driving tons worth of steel and gas and combustibles.
Yesterday at 4:30 or so I ran into one of my colleagues leaving. Her husband is a meteorologist, and she told me that he had called and told her to leave work right then, since they were expecting a squall of white-out conditions between 5 and 6.
Of course, that was when I was leaving work. But right after I was told, I warned my next-door office neighbor here at work--the other writer, who's from New Jersey (south Jersey, as she states so emphatically). She just about panicked there in front of me. She hadn't had much experience with driving in snow: her area simply didn't get it much, and when it did, things just shut down because they didn't have the equipment to handle it. Then she came here for college, and didn't have a car here during her college career. It was only when she began working here (a year or two ago?) that she had to drive in snow.
If I could be so blunt, it's situations like this that contribute to the problem. It makes me glad I learned to drive in Wisconsin and had to learn how to deal with snow: at least now I feel pretty confident that I don't act like an idiot in it.
When I left, it was certainly snowing, and certainly slippery in spots, but absolutely nothing that should cause the tangle of traffic I had to deal with once I got to the main drag I was headed towards. People with plenty of room (and/or no one in front of them) cars and cars ahead of me (which I could see because of the hills around here) hitting the brakes hard whenever they felt the slightest bit of slippage, only making things worse for themselves. People so anxious to reserve their spot in the line of cars crawling along that they charge forward when the light turns even if someone else is fighting a skid during a right turn into their lane.
It made me late for yoga. I'm not bitter, just irked. Others were later than I, and I didn't interrupt since the instructor delayed for those who were stuck in traffic ridiculousness. Could be worse.
Snow aside, somewhere along the line, I got hooked on squash: it's become almost a comfort food for the winter--warm and sweet and filling. I blame our CSA for providing such awesome winter squashes, but we only get one every two weeks. I finally broke down and actually bought one from the grocery store yesterday--a butternut, and while it was good, it just didn't compare. I made my usual squash mess late last night: it'll probably last me a week, and I'll enjoy the heck out of it every time. It's basically cooked and mashed squash (is that redundant? mashed squash?), sauteed onions, toasted almond slivers, and ginger. I threw some carrots in last night's version, having remembered the fantastic carrot ginger soup from Stone Soup and how well that worked, and it worked in the squash dish as well. I think I'll continue to do that. The carrots and onions (as well as the squash, usually) all come from the CSA, and it's good to be able to put them all to a creative use.
Now I just need to figure out something to do with all the potatoes that we're getting. On the up side, I generally don't have to worry about them going bad.
Yesterday at 4:30 or so I ran into one of my colleagues leaving. Her husband is a meteorologist, and she told me that he had called and told her to leave work right then, since they were expecting a squall of white-out conditions between 5 and 6.
Of course, that was when I was leaving work. But right after I was told, I warned my next-door office neighbor here at work--the other writer, who's from New Jersey (south Jersey, as she states so emphatically). She just about panicked there in front of me. She hadn't had much experience with driving in snow: her area simply didn't get it much, and when it did, things just shut down because they didn't have the equipment to handle it. Then she came here for college, and didn't have a car here during her college career. It was only when she began working here (a year or two ago?) that she had to drive in snow.
If I could be so blunt, it's situations like this that contribute to the problem. It makes me glad I learned to drive in Wisconsin and had to learn how to deal with snow: at least now I feel pretty confident that I don't act like an idiot in it.
When I left, it was certainly snowing, and certainly slippery in spots, but absolutely nothing that should cause the tangle of traffic I had to deal with once I got to the main drag I was headed towards. People with plenty of room (and/or no one in front of them) cars and cars ahead of me (which I could see because of the hills around here) hitting the brakes hard whenever they felt the slightest bit of slippage, only making things worse for themselves. People so anxious to reserve their spot in the line of cars crawling along that they charge forward when the light turns even if someone else is fighting a skid during a right turn into their lane.
It made me late for yoga. I'm not bitter, just irked. Others were later than I, and I didn't interrupt since the instructor delayed for those who were stuck in traffic ridiculousness. Could be worse.
Snow aside, somewhere along the line, I got hooked on squash: it's become almost a comfort food for the winter--warm and sweet and filling. I blame our CSA for providing such awesome winter squashes, but we only get one every two weeks. I finally broke down and actually bought one from the grocery store yesterday--a butternut, and while it was good, it just didn't compare. I made my usual squash mess late last night: it'll probably last me a week, and I'll enjoy the heck out of it every time. It's basically cooked and mashed squash (is that redundant? mashed squash?), sauteed onions, toasted almond slivers, and ginger. I threw some carrots in last night's version, having remembered the fantastic carrot ginger soup from Stone Soup and how well that worked, and it worked in the squash dish as well. I think I'll continue to do that. The carrots and onions (as well as the squash, usually) all come from the CSA, and it's good to be able to put them all to a creative use.
Now I just need to figure out something to do with all the potatoes that we're getting. On the up side, I generally don't have to worry about them going bad.
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Busy + holiday denouement
Have I mentioned that I'm busy? Right. Busy doesn't cover it.
Which, of course, means that I've fallen behind on several things. Most of the most urgent pieces of my work, though, have stayed on track, miraculously.
In any case, I meant to mention that photos from family holiday madness are up, and have been since just after New Year's. I also, of course, meant to email the family that asked for notification of when/where the photos were up, but misplaced the piece of paper with the list of email addresses until today. Which means that hopefully I'll email right after this.
Maybe I'll even let them know where this drivel is. ;)
Which, of course, means that I've fallen behind on several things. Most of the most urgent pieces of my work, though, have stayed on track, miraculously.
In any case, I meant to mention that photos from family holiday madness are up, and have been since just after New Year's. I also, of course, meant to email the family that asked for notification of when/where the photos were up, but misplaced the piece of paper with the list of email addresses until today. Which means that hopefully I'll email right after this.
Maybe I'll even let them know where this drivel is. ;)
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Busy, busy
So of course the day I decide to wear my new heels to work is the day that I walk out to find that snow has finally stuck overnight. I'm hoping this isn't indicative of the day to come.
But I doubt it. It's a relatively clear day, both in weather and in comparison to my meetings-filled Monday and Tuesday. No joke: yesterday I had meetings 9-12:30 and 1-4:30 straight. I used the half hour to dash home to find the wallet I'd forgotten there and to pick up the sushi I'd forgotten to bring with me (other J., I blame the sushi-craving squarely on you).
The afternoon meeting, if anybody cares, can be watched here: the Network of People meeting, meant to link IT throughout Penn State, though in reality another platform for horn-tooting much of the time. I'm not complaining: some of it was interesting and relevant. But I do wish I could have picked just the sessions that were.
Heels issue aside, I'm pleased with today's outfit. For me, it's smashing: gray pants with white, black, pink, and red pseudo-pinstripes; pink long-sleeved suiting shirt, white fuzzy cardigan. I wouldn't have been caught dead in it a few short years ago. But that was an extended anti-pink kick.
Which came up in a meeting yesterday. A department had sent out an invitation to a women in science program to prospective students--on pink paper, a choice I think the whole room agreed was a mistake. Not that we had any say: it was just a digression in conversation before the meeting really began.
In other work news, we're full steam ahead on the redesign, assuming it gets approved by the directors at the end of the month. And that my boss doesn't have a heart attack caused by the stress of having to work out where my workload goes once that becomes my primary project. We'll see how that goes, but I'm hopeful.
Outside of work, still busy busy. Some gaming, but mostly being behind on projects I need to turn my attention to: sending last Sunday's request list to the other DJ; working on creating new bylaws for the sorority I'm in; updating the contact information spreadsheet due to change in membership; planning for the game I run Friday; keeping up with the decant circle I'm running of BPAL scents; helping H learn the jewelry-making thing I do; celebrating a friend's unbirthday hopefully someday soon (today's his birthday, but he decided he didn't want to celebrate it today).
Busy, busy: but what else is new?
But I doubt it. It's a relatively clear day, both in weather and in comparison to my meetings-filled Monday and Tuesday. No joke: yesterday I had meetings 9-12:30 and 1-4:30 straight. I used the half hour to dash home to find the wallet I'd forgotten there and to pick up the sushi I'd forgotten to bring with me (other J., I blame the sushi-craving squarely on you).
The afternoon meeting, if anybody cares, can be watched here: the Network of People meeting, meant to link IT throughout Penn State, though in reality another platform for horn-tooting much of the time. I'm not complaining: some of it was interesting and relevant. But I do wish I could have picked just the sessions that were.
Heels issue aside, I'm pleased with today's outfit. For me, it's smashing: gray pants with white, black, pink, and red pseudo-pinstripes; pink long-sleeved suiting shirt, white fuzzy cardigan. I wouldn't have been caught dead in it a few short years ago. But that was an extended anti-pink kick.
Which came up in a meeting yesterday. A department had sent out an invitation to a women in science program to prospective students--on pink paper, a choice I think the whole room agreed was a mistake. Not that we had any say: it was just a digression in conversation before the meeting really began.
In other work news, we're full steam ahead on the redesign, assuming it gets approved by the directors at the end of the month. And that my boss doesn't have a heart attack caused by the stress of having to work out where my workload goes once that becomes my primary project. We'll see how that goes, but I'm hopeful.
Outside of work, still busy busy. Some gaming, but mostly being behind on projects I need to turn my attention to: sending last Sunday's request list to the other DJ; working on creating new bylaws for the sorority I'm in; updating the contact information spreadsheet due to change in membership; planning for the game I run Friday; keeping up with the decant circle I'm running of BPAL scents; helping H learn the jewelry-making thing I do; celebrating a friend's unbirthday hopefully someday soon (today's his birthday, but he decided he didn't want to celebrate it today).
Busy, busy: but what else is new?
Monday, January 01, 2007
year in review 2006
I wrote this year in review yesterday, so the time references may be a bit wonky. But in any case, here it is, somewhat edited since the original version was huge:
January
First started debating going to Convergence.
Got a beautiful gift from a beautiful girl (C.), who also randomly ran into someone I'd once worked the club gig with that month--only many, many miles away from the club in question. And I came up in conversation. Creepy.
Turned down a semi-regular who tried to offer me a hundred dollar bill to go dance with him while I was working at the club job. To that I responded: Can't leave the booth. Them's the rules. (But I did not say aloud what I was thinking: that I was just as happy to abide by them.)
Also had some difficulty juggling obligations, voluntary or otherwise (or once one, now become another). But also realized that I'm happiest when I'm manageably busy, though keeping a balance is key.
February
My namesake at work (for whom I changed my first name used there to a nickname, though I've since switched back) left. This made my stress level go nuts, as somehow or other we had to handle the same workload with one less person, and it was about three months until we got her replacement in--and that was actually fast for our office.
Made a couple of mix CDs inspired by the club job: one of pop nonsense and one almost purely composed of remixes. Mused that I'd have ridiculed myself for such a few years back.
Did a photo shoot with some friends that was a good time.
March
The avocado tree I keep at work officially became taller than me. Busy there. Busy busy busy. Which bled over into my personal life because if I'm drained at work, I don't feel like I have much energy for anything else after I'm done.
Had some aggravating printer issues, fixed by buying a new, relatively cheap inkjet. Which is just about to run out of ink, I might add. I should look up what cartridges it takes.
76 degree weather mid-month turned into snow blowing sideways the next day.
A bit later in the month, ran into my at-least-yearly hawk visit. Photographed hir in the tree outside, leading to one of my favorite photos when s/he took off.
Started to take more pictures again, after having mostly retired the macro series. Glad to get back to it, though.
April
Still appreciating my grand-boss. Finally visited Beaver Stadium for the first time, albeit at a time when it was mostly deserted, on assignment for work.
Trip to New Orleans: killer, in every way. Well, perhaps not the literal sense. Though it did kill my feet. Just not used to that much walking daily. Met up with fantastic friends, including an amazing host not pictured there, went to a few smashing concerts, saw some amazing places there. Saying that it was a life-changer seems so dramatic, but it was. The post-Katrina landscape made a big impact, along with the differing levels of recovery in different areas. But just being there and soaking in the place and culture to the extent I could (having a native guide, so to speak, helped incredibly) changed my perceptions. Expanded my thinking. I love that. And travel does it for me most easily. Just wish I could do it more.
May
An excerpt from my reflection on New Orleans after the fact, written in May: "Going back through photos from the neighborhoods I explored in New Orleans, I'm still at a kind of loss. . . .
But that may be the lesson, right there. Sometimes it's beyond you, and that's okay. And sometimes you just go on with life as usual, and that's okay too. It's necessary, even. To continue. . . . And they will. And New Orleans will get through this."
Very appropriately, I finished Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? this month. And then started in on the writing about it, and cleaning up photos from the trip. Managed to post a few.
Our office's spring conference happened near the end of the month. More crazy busy ensued. Good sessions there, good connections. Killed video game zombies with my grandboss.
Switched physical offices, moving to the one next door with less sunlight but more quiet, and a tad more remote.
Learned a new weave in the bracelets I make, one result of which went to B. for Christmas this year.
June
Penn State's Web Conference and PACAC's conference (Pennsylvania Association for College Admissions Counseling) happened somewhere in here and were both pretty damn good, I might add. Excellent connections made at both, and a few outstanding sessions. Helpful. Motivating. I hung out with the keynote speaker from the former for awhile quite by accident (Jeffrey Veen of Google, if you're wondering).
My new compatriot at work arrived during this month somewhere before PACAC. A relief, though it didn't take all the pressure off of me, of course.
PACAC was at Hershey, PA this year, and as I said then: "the hotel provides you with enough chocolate to drown a horse if you want it. Upon check-in and check-out, they hand you two chocolate bars. A basket full of chocolate was their answer to a housekeeping screw-up (they swiped my soap by accident). Rather than the hard candies that some conference locales provide next to the water in the back of the session rooms, they provided a selection of Hershey's chocolate. You get the idea."
I also got to host long-time online friend C. for a few hours' worth of tour and dinner.
Hit up a Nine Inch Nails concert near Pittsburgh hereabouts.
July
Hit up the fourth of July fireworks from a cornfield with friends.
Conducted an experiment in eating local, which was a pretty resounding success.
Had a visit from another hawk, and got plenty of pictures this time.
Arts Fest and People's Choice, local art exhibitions, were nice diversions mid-month.
Spend a Summer Day, a five-day-long huge event for prospective students, happened near the end of the month. It makes work insane, and this year was no different. Though next year might be: we'll see how things develop. I do know, however, that we're adding another day to it.
August
Enjoyed my newly-fixed-under-warranty sunroof. A lot.
Went to Indianapolis for Gen Con and to meet up with a bunch of old college buds. Took a more-local friend with me, ostensibly as a birthday gift, but more so I could enjoy his company. Good times. Ended one day with a rooftop Sun Salutation during sunset in the middle of the city: very cool.
The initiation of the web committees happened this month at work, though they wouldn't form properly until the next month. Their tasks and effectiveness is also still in development, but I was immediately made co-chair of our public site's committee. Going pretty well so far.
More New Orleans posts went up this month, this time with more commentary. I like those posts best of all, I think. I got the main points I wanted to get out of my head onto the screen safely.
The worst DJ I'd ever worked with, behavior-wise, was let go this month. And things have only gotten better again, thankfully.
And then the students were back, making our little city's population explode over the course of a week or so.
September
Must've been really non-notable, and/or really busy, because I didn't write at all this month, it seemed like. I think I joined our CSA for fresh, local fruits and veggies this month. Though it may've been August. Or October. I simply don't remember.
Took a nasty fall at the end of the month, injuring my shoulder. My first major injury, it seemed like. I was in pretty constant pain for a good week, though nothing was broken or dislocated or anything.
October
Started making the soybean nonsense with supplies from our CSA. I still love that dish when I make it.
Got in contact with N, an old high school friend, again. A good touchstone.
The best conference I've been to yet, I'd say, happened near the end of this month: HigherEdWebDev. Some excellent sessions, good networking and comparison of institutions and practices, and lots of photos taken.
Had a fun Halloween season: dressed up as V from V for Vendetta at work, and helped with the costume contest at the club job.
November
Stress got upped again as our priority application date approached. This month was a virtual nightmare at work. I didn't have a whole lot to say.
Went with Dax and S. to her family's for Thanksgiving. Started making Danish stars (julestjerner) during the drive to and from the Philadelphia area.
December
Started out with the holiday party of the club job. Had some fun both dancing and taking pictures.
More work on the stars: perfecting the wax/glitter finishing technique. Spent some time over at Dax and S's, continuing out DVD-watching streak. Also took some photos of the resident kitties.
Put up more of my photos in my office, got some compliments. I still love that.
Online drama sucked up some of my attention in here. And near the end of the month, more craziness at work: "See also: We have ten fires. Please put them all out. Yesterday.
Strangely enough, though, it's going oddly well. I'm not panicking or stressing or anything. Just move to it, handle it, rinse, repeat."
Heard about a crazy proposed solution for global warming, which came up in a conversation with my ex, strangely enough, though I didn't hear about it from him.
I'm just back from the usual holiday whirlwind trip to Wisconsin. More on that if I have time. Met up with C. on the way there, and H. on the way back. Awesome to see them both.
Yesterday, celebrated S's birthday with fondue of both chocolate and cheese and an excellent gathering and conversation at Dax and S's. Tonight, working the club gig. It is Sunday, after all, and the days of the week stop for no man. Or DJ. Or light jock/customer service specialist.
You get what I mean.
January
First started debating going to Convergence.
Got a beautiful gift from a beautiful girl (C.), who also randomly ran into someone I'd once worked the club gig with that month--only many, many miles away from the club in question. And I came up in conversation. Creepy.
Turned down a semi-regular who tried to offer me a hundred dollar bill to go dance with him while I was working at the club job. To that I responded: Can't leave the booth. Them's the rules. (But I did not say aloud what I was thinking: that I was just as happy to abide by them.)
Also had some difficulty juggling obligations, voluntary or otherwise (or once one, now become another). But also realized that I'm happiest when I'm manageably busy, though keeping a balance is key.
February
My namesake at work (for whom I changed my first name used there to a nickname, though I've since switched back) left. This made my stress level go nuts, as somehow or other we had to handle the same workload with one less person, and it was about three months until we got her replacement in--and that was actually fast for our office.
Made a couple of mix CDs inspired by the club job: one of pop nonsense and one almost purely composed of remixes. Mused that I'd have ridiculed myself for such a few years back.
Did a photo shoot with some friends that was a good time.
March
The avocado tree I keep at work officially became taller than me. Busy there. Busy busy busy. Which bled over into my personal life because if I'm drained at work, I don't feel like I have much energy for anything else after I'm done.
Had some aggravating printer issues, fixed by buying a new, relatively cheap inkjet. Which is just about to run out of ink, I might add. I should look up what cartridges it takes.
76 degree weather mid-month turned into snow blowing sideways the next day.
A bit later in the month, ran into my at-least-yearly hawk visit. Photographed hir in the tree outside, leading to one of my favorite photos when s/he took off.
Started to take more pictures again, after having mostly retired the macro series. Glad to get back to it, though.
April
Still appreciating my grand-boss. Finally visited Beaver Stadium for the first time, albeit at a time when it was mostly deserted, on assignment for work.
Trip to New Orleans: killer, in every way. Well, perhaps not the literal sense. Though it did kill my feet. Just not used to that much walking daily. Met up with fantastic friends, including an amazing host not pictured there, went to a few smashing concerts, saw some amazing places there. Saying that it was a life-changer seems so dramatic, but it was. The post-Katrina landscape made a big impact, along with the differing levels of recovery in different areas. But just being there and soaking in the place and culture to the extent I could (having a native guide, so to speak, helped incredibly) changed my perceptions. Expanded my thinking. I love that. And travel does it for me most easily. Just wish I could do it more.
May
An excerpt from my reflection on New Orleans after the fact, written in May: "Going back through photos from the neighborhoods I explored in New Orleans, I'm still at a kind of loss. . . .
But that may be the lesson, right there. Sometimes it's beyond you, and that's okay. And sometimes you just go on with life as usual, and that's okay too. It's necessary, even. To continue. . . . And they will. And New Orleans will get through this."
Very appropriately, I finished Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans? this month. And then started in on the writing about it, and cleaning up photos from the trip. Managed to post a few.
Our office's spring conference happened near the end of the month. More crazy busy ensued. Good sessions there, good connections. Killed video game zombies with my grandboss.
Switched physical offices, moving to the one next door with less sunlight but more quiet, and a tad more remote.
Learned a new weave in the bracelets I make, one result of which went to B. for Christmas this year.
June
Penn State's Web Conference and PACAC's conference (Pennsylvania Association for College Admissions Counseling) happened somewhere in here and were both pretty damn good, I might add. Excellent connections made at both, and a few outstanding sessions. Helpful. Motivating. I hung out with the keynote speaker from the former for awhile quite by accident (Jeffrey Veen of Google, if you're wondering).
My new compatriot at work arrived during this month somewhere before PACAC. A relief, though it didn't take all the pressure off of me, of course.
PACAC was at Hershey, PA this year, and as I said then: "the hotel provides you with enough chocolate to drown a horse if you want it. Upon check-in and check-out, they hand you two chocolate bars. A basket full of chocolate was their answer to a housekeeping screw-up (they swiped my soap by accident). Rather than the hard candies that some conference locales provide next to the water in the back of the session rooms, they provided a selection of Hershey's chocolate. You get the idea."
I also got to host long-time online friend C. for a few hours' worth of tour and dinner.
Hit up a Nine Inch Nails concert near Pittsburgh hereabouts.
July
Hit up the fourth of July fireworks from a cornfield with friends.
Conducted an experiment in eating local, which was a pretty resounding success.
Had a visit from another hawk, and got plenty of pictures this time.
Arts Fest and People's Choice, local art exhibitions, were nice diversions mid-month.
Spend a Summer Day, a five-day-long huge event for prospective students, happened near the end of the month. It makes work insane, and this year was no different. Though next year might be: we'll see how things develop. I do know, however, that we're adding another day to it.
August
Enjoyed my newly-fixed-under-warranty sunroof. A lot.
Went to Indianapolis for Gen Con and to meet up with a bunch of old college buds. Took a more-local friend with me, ostensibly as a birthday gift, but more so I could enjoy his company. Good times. Ended one day with a rooftop Sun Salutation during sunset in the middle of the city: very cool.
The initiation of the web committees happened this month at work, though they wouldn't form properly until the next month. Their tasks and effectiveness is also still in development, but I was immediately made co-chair of our public site's committee. Going pretty well so far.
More New Orleans posts went up this month, this time with more commentary. I like those posts best of all, I think. I got the main points I wanted to get out of my head onto the screen safely.
The worst DJ I'd ever worked with, behavior-wise, was let go this month. And things have only gotten better again, thankfully.
And then the students were back, making our little city's population explode over the course of a week or so.
September
Must've been really non-notable, and/or really busy, because I didn't write at all this month, it seemed like. I think I joined our CSA for fresh, local fruits and veggies this month. Though it may've been August. Or October. I simply don't remember.
Took a nasty fall at the end of the month, injuring my shoulder. My first major injury, it seemed like. I was in pretty constant pain for a good week, though nothing was broken or dislocated or anything.
October
Started making the soybean nonsense with supplies from our CSA. I still love that dish when I make it.
Got in contact with N, an old high school friend, again. A good touchstone.
The best conference I've been to yet, I'd say, happened near the end of this month: HigherEdWebDev. Some excellent sessions, good networking and comparison of institutions and practices, and lots of photos taken.
Had a fun Halloween season: dressed up as V from V for Vendetta at work, and helped with the costume contest at the club job.
November
Stress got upped again as our priority application date approached. This month was a virtual nightmare at work. I didn't have a whole lot to say.
Went with Dax and S. to her family's for Thanksgiving. Started making Danish stars (julestjerner) during the drive to and from the Philadelphia area.
December
Started out with the holiday party of the club job. Had some fun both dancing and taking pictures.
More work on the stars: perfecting the wax/glitter finishing technique. Spent some time over at Dax and S's, continuing out DVD-watching streak. Also took some photos of the resident kitties.
Put up more of my photos in my office, got some compliments. I still love that.
Online drama sucked up some of my attention in here. And near the end of the month, more craziness at work: "See also: We have ten fires. Please put them all out. Yesterday.
Strangely enough, though, it's going oddly well. I'm not panicking or stressing or anything. Just move to it, handle it, rinse, repeat."
Heard about a crazy proposed solution for global warming, which came up in a conversation with my ex, strangely enough, though I didn't hear about it from him.
I'm just back from the usual holiday whirlwind trip to Wisconsin. More on that if I have time. Met up with C. on the way there, and H. on the way back. Awesome to see them both.
Yesterday, celebrated S's birthday with fondue of both chocolate and cheese and an excellent gathering and conversation at Dax and S's. Tonight, working the club gig. It is Sunday, after all, and the days of the week stop for no man. Or DJ. Or light jock/customer service specialist.
You get what I mean.
Friday, December 15, 2006
international color for . . .
As a side question, when there's green frosting on a dessert, what flavor do you assume it will be?
I'd say mint. Maaaaybe pistachio.
Someone who made desserts for our holiday party today decided that it stood for peanut butter.
I still think green should be the internationally-recognized dessert color representing mint.
I'd say mint. Maaaaybe pistachio.
Someone who made desserts for our holiday party today decided that it stood for peanut butter.
I still think green should be the internationally-recognized dessert color representing mint.
miscellaneous
Make that four people.
Too many projects at work due in too little time, not to mention other drama, are all collaborating to take me away from the projects I want to work on. Not to mention that virtually all of them are due by Christmas.
Though it doesn't feel like the season in question: yesterday I went to yoga in a t-shirt and exercise pants. Today I added a hoodie against the wind that had been kicked up by a dark cloud over head, but would sweat when the sun hit.
It's global warming, I tell you.
Too many projects at work due in too little time, not to mention other drama, are all collaborating to take me away from the projects I want to work on. Not to mention that virtually all of them are due by Christmas.
Though it doesn't feel like the season in question: yesterday I went to yoga in a t-shirt and exercise pants. Today I added a hoodie against the wind that had been kicked up by a dark cloud over head, but would sweat when the sun hit.
It's global warming, I tell you.
Monday, December 11, 2006
potential.
Recently I've been finding other people recognizing potential in me.
No less than three people in as many weeks have told me I should look into having my photography published. Two of these were prompted by the photos I recently hung in my office with three of these fantastic photo ropes. They hold four photos each, and right now I have the following posted: these four of office raptors, these four of Dax and Miss Halo, and these four macros of cats. People seem to like this and this most, and though my boss thinks this one's creepy, I like it.
Thursday after yoga, my instructor asked: "Were you a dancer?" To my "not recently, though I took lessons growing up," she pointed out that I evidently have great turn-out, though she said that can be taken to an extreme. She demonstrated the walk of a friend of hers, toes pointed outwards, to which I replied that I had a coach in high school who had a similar walk, though he was definitely not a dancer. (Mr. Waters, if you're out there, I apologize that this is how you came to mind most recently.)
On Saturday I nearly finished two pieces of jewelry: one bracelet and one choker, both in a half-Persian weave, but vastly different. The choker's a chunky dyed-aluminum in red and black, started while I was teaching Dax how to do it, and the bracelet's a dense silver and may turn into a gift if I'm happy with it. Both just need clasps to be completely done, but I need to make those first. I usually make a bunch at a time.
Yesterday my dad called to tell me about his finds at the Gem and Jewelry Show, and had to give away one of his Christmas gifts to get my address for a magazine subscription which may come very much in handy for the above.
In reading through my other magazines yesterday, I was struck by the work in American Photo: it sparked all kinds of ideas for new work of my own. And the potentiality of it (I don't mind if I created a new word there, I might add): it's this amazing expanding feeling. The almost measurable widening of horizons--it doesn't come around all that often, but I truly enjoy when it does.
Last night at the club I had a trainee. Before, I'd been told I'm one of the best trainers, but that may be a combination of having been there so long and having taught for years as well. In either case, the manager of the club stopped me on the way out to return a couple of the free passes he'd given me (basically, it works such that I get so many passes, put my name on the back, and when people use them, they get returned to me to give out again). He asked if the rumor was true that I was leaving soon. I told him I had no plan to, and he said that was good and returned the passes and gave me about double the number I'd originally had to give out again. Not sure one's a product of the other, but I took it as a compliment.
On a totally different note, an old, old friend from college contacted me recently. He's going through almost exactly the same thing I did a few years ago with his wife. They just separated, and he's working to solve his own problems, as opposed to purely working to get her back, and absolutely going about it the right way. It may be silly, but I was proud of him to hear that. Despite some errors along the way, he's still sensible, overall.
I talked with him on the phone yesterday for awhile. Definitely good to hear from him, and I was glad that my experience--however problematic, of course--could be of some use to others. I didn't give a whole lot of detail about my situation, but I certainly used it to give advice, however minor.
I also have as a major project the making of a few other things (they're surprises to some who read this, so I'm keeping details hush-hush), originally as a gift to an online friend, and I'm giving S. a few of them along the way. When she heard yesterday that the final product has glitter, she was all "they have glitter?" and wanted some of that type too. Another pleasing "I can make things that people enjoy"-type moment.
There's a few other potential projects I want to work on: my own fitness, learning more good recipes, that sort of thing. But the potential for all this is astounding, and I can't wait to start on (or finish) a whole lot of them. Looking forward to it.
No less than three people in as many weeks have told me I should look into having my photography published. Two of these were prompted by the photos I recently hung in my office with three of these fantastic photo ropes. They hold four photos each, and right now I have the following posted: these four of office raptors, these four of Dax and Miss Halo, and these four macros of cats. People seem to like this and this most, and though my boss thinks this one's creepy, I like it.
Thursday after yoga, my instructor asked: "Were you a dancer?" To my "not recently, though I took lessons growing up," she pointed out that I evidently have great turn-out, though she said that can be taken to an extreme. She demonstrated the walk of a friend of hers, toes pointed outwards, to which I replied that I had a coach in high school who had a similar walk, though he was definitely not a dancer. (Mr. Waters, if you're out there, I apologize that this is how you came to mind most recently.)
On Saturday I nearly finished two pieces of jewelry: one bracelet and one choker, both in a half-Persian weave, but vastly different. The choker's a chunky dyed-aluminum in red and black, started while I was teaching Dax how to do it, and the bracelet's a dense silver and may turn into a gift if I'm happy with it. Both just need clasps to be completely done, but I need to make those first. I usually make a bunch at a time.
Yesterday my dad called to tell me about his finds at the Gem and Jewelry Show, and had to give away one of his Christmas gifts to get my address for a magazine subscription which may come very much in handy for the above.
In reading through my other magazines yesterday, I was struck by the work in American Photo: it sparked all kinds of ideas for new work of my own. And the potentiality of it (I don't mind if I created a new word there, I might add): it's this amazing expanding feeling. The almost measurable widening of horizons--it doesn't come around all that often, but I truly enjoy when it does.
Last night at the club I had a trainee. Before, I'd been told I'm one of the best trainers, but that may be a combination of having been there so long and having taught for years as well. In either case, the manager of the club stopped me on the way out to return a couple of the free passes he'd given me (basically, it works such that I get so many passes, put my name on the back, and when people use them, they get returned to me to give out again). He asked if the rumor was true that I was leaving soon. I told him I had no plan to, and he said that was good and returned the passes and gave me about double the number I'd originally had to give out again. Not sure one's a product of the other, but I took it as a compliment.
On a totally different note, an old, old friend from college contacted me recently. He's going through almost exactly the same thing I did a few years ago with his wife. They just separated, and he's working to solve his own problems, as opposed to purely working to get her back, and absolutely going about it the right way. It may be silly, but I was proud of him to hear that. Despite some errors along the way, he's still sensible, overall.
I talked with him on the phone yesterday for awhile. Definitely good to hear from him, and I was glad that my experience--however problematic, of course--could be of some use to others. I didn't give a whole lot of detail about my situation, but I certainly used it to give advice, however minor.
I also have as a major project the making of a few other things (they're surprises to some who read this, so I'm keeping details hush-hush), originally as a gift to an online friend, and I'm giving S. a few of them along the way. When she heard yesterday that the final product has glitter, she was all "they have glitter?" and wanted some of that type too. Another pleasing "I can make things that people enjoy"-type moment.
There's a few other potential projects I want to work on: my own fitness, learning more good recipes, that sort of thing. But the potential for all this is astounding, and I can't wait to start on (or finish) a whole lot of them. Looking forward to it.
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
rime, language, and direction
There's a thick layer of fog obscuring the base of the mountains this morning, leaving only the ridges exposed.
If you haven't been here before, you should know there are no peaks here: all the mountains here have been dulled by time and exposure. And glaciers, usually.
But this morning's fog also reached us far into the valley, leaving every car with a hard candy shell, including mine, as I commented to my grand-boss on the walk in from the parking lot. He laughed and theorized that when I went to try it, my tongue stuck to the windshield.
He's not feeling so hot, but he's good to riff with even when he's under the weather. And his under the weather is following my under the weather, and I really I hope I didn't pass what I had around the office.
There's construction in the lot next door to home, as well as on my way to work. All of their equipment was frosted with rime as well.
Yes, I just used "rime" in a sentence. And I did it without thinking about it, though it occurred to me to look it up afterwards, since it does sound like a made-up word. But no, according to Merriam-Webster's (my free online dictionary of choice since going to the Oxford English Dictionary takes about four extra steps, since it requires me to sign into my Penn State library account), it's "frost," or "an accumulation of granular ice tufts on the windward sides of exposed objects that is formed from supercooled fog or cloud and built out directly against the wind," and comes from Old English hrIm; akin to Old Norse hrIm, which explains why I probably like the word so much to begin with. Though the OED is a tad more precise: "Hoar-frost; frozen mist. a chill mist or fog," cautioning that "in scientific use rime is now distinguished from hoar-frost," and traces its usage from 725, though most of its examples are from the 1500s.
Today's etymology lesson brought to you by Anne's brain having been kicked into high gear.
Where I was originally going with this was that passing the construction (covered with rime, no less), this is the second day I've seen the Amish worker there: working in shirtsleeves but no coat, with his suspenders and straw hat.
More than once during my frequent stops to Amish open-air markets of their produce, baking, and preserving over the last few years, I've wished I learned German. Not just because I'm curious about what they say about us, though I'm sure there's a little of that: they do consider us outsiders, calling us "the English." One of the professors in the English department grew up Mennonite and will tell similar stories if asked. But that's not so much my concern--I kind of want to put them at ease as much as I can. They seem awkward with their customers (and I know this is a generalization), especially the older and the very young: strangely, the older teens seem most comfortable with their position and how to deal with the public, from what I've seen thus far. Though I suppose it's one family that I see most often, and it could just be them.
Given that I'm struggling to retain Danish, though, I'm not so sure learning German would've worked. When I was in Denmark, I took French. And boy, was that a doozy. I had already had a year of French, and this was the class's first year with it, so I was in essence going back a year, though language classes over there strike me as much more stringent than in the U.S.
In class one day early on, when I was still learning Danish, the African-born (Francophone) teacher turned to me and in English, asked me to translate a word into French. I answered immediately with the word in Danish, not realizing I had done so until I was told.
I don't want to say that's proof for sticking to one language at a time, but it does strike me as telling for me and how I learn languages, at least. Though I suppose it's different for dead languages: I don't think the same problem would have occurred if I'd been learning Old English at the time, and it didn't occur so much with Latin (which was another course taken at the time, I might add).
My grandboss has "Quo Vadimus" as a sign on his door, which means "Where are we going?" I rather wish I remembered enough Latin to be able to conjugate that into "Where have we been?" His is a noble sentiment, though I'd also argue that parts of this office could stand to learn from their mistakes (including myself).
And with that, off to a meeting.
If you haven't been here before, you should know there are no peaks here: all the mountains here have been dulled by time and exposure. And glaciers, usually.
But this morning's fog also reached us far into the valley, leaving every car with a hard candy shell, including mine, as I commented to my grand-boss on the walk in from the parking lot. He laughed and theorized that when I went to try it, my tongue stuck to the windshield.
He's not feeling so hot, but he's good to riff with even when he's under the weather. And his under the weather is following my under the weather, and I really I hope I didn't pass what I had around the office.
There's construction in the lot next door to home, as well as on my way to work. All of their equipment was frosted with rime as well.
Yes, I just used "rime" in a sentence. And I did it without thinking about it, though it occurred to me to look it up afterwards, since it does sound like a made-up word. But no, according to Merriam-Webster's (my free online dictionary of choice since going to the Oxford English Dictionary takes about four extra steps, since it requires me to sign into my Penn State library account), it's "frost," or "an accumulation of granular ice tufts on the windward sides of exposed objects that is formed from supercooled fog or cloud and built out directly against the wind," and comes from Old English hrIm; akin to Old Norse hrIm, which explains why I probably like the word so much to begin with. Though the OED is a tad more precise: "Hoar-frost; frozen mist. a chill mist or fog," cautioning that "in scientific use rime is now distinguished from hoar-frost," and traces its usage from 725, though most of its examples are from the 1500s.
Today's etymology lesson brought to you by Anne's brain having been kicked into high gear.
Where I was originally going with this was that passing the construction (covered with rime, no less), this is the second day I've seen the Amish worker there: working in shirtsleeves but no coat, with his suspenders and straw hat.
More than once during my frequent stops to Amish open-air markets of their produce, baking, and preserving over the last few years, I've wished I learned German. Not just because I'm curious about what they say about us, though I'm sure there's a little of that: they do consider us outsiders, calling us "the English." One of the professors in the English department grew up Mennonite and will tell similar stories if asked. But that's not so much my concern--I kind of want to put them at ease as much as I can. They seem awkward with their customers (and I know this is a generalization), especially the older and the very young: strangely, the older teens seem most comfortable with their position and how to deal with the public, from what I've seen thus far. Though I suppose it's one family that I see most often, and it could just be them.
Given that I'm struggling to retain Danish, though, I'm not so sure learning German would've worked. When I was in Denmark, I took French. And boy, was that a doozy. I had already had a year of French, and this was the class's first year with it, so I was in essence going back a year, though language classes over there strike me as much more stringent than in the U.S.
In class one day early on, when I was still learning Danish, the African-born (Francophone) teacher turned to me and in English, asked me to translate a word into French. I answered immediately with the word in Danish, not realizing I had done so until I was told.
I don't want to say that's proof for sticking to one language at a time, but it does strike me as telling for me and how I learn languages, at least. Though I suppose it's different for dead languages: I don't think the same problem would have occurred if I'd been learning Old English at the time, and it didn't occur so much with Latin (which was another course taken at the time, I might add).
My grandboss has "Quo Vadimus" as a sign on his door, which means "Where are we going?" I rather wish I remembered enough Latin to be able to conjugate that into "Where have we been?" His is a noble sentiment, though I'd also argue that parts of this office could stand to learn from their mistakes (including myself).
And with that, off to a meeting.
Tuesday, November 21, 2006
all I want
All I want for Christmas is a garage. Scraping my car's windows every morning got old sometime in the last couple years.
And welcome to the worst of the pre-application date craziness: this is when students and parents start panicking about our November 30th priority date. Panicking means calls shoot through the roof, and virtually no one on the other end of the line is in a pleasant frame of mind. And now, of course, is when virtually the entire office takes two days off (Thanksgiving and the day after).
A word to the wise: if all of your materials haven't been received by us by Thanksgiving, you might as well kiss the possibility of being on time goodbye.
Perhaps that's too harsh. But five days (or four, depending on if you get the day after Thanksgiving off or not--we don't officially, but most people take a vacation day) is generally not long enough for standardized test scores or high school transcripts to reach us. And if you're having trouble with the password to your online application? It usually takes two days of back-and-forth emails for us to confirm your identity and then reset your password. I used to be the only one in the office officially handling those problems, I might add.
Are you sensing some stress here? Nah.
And welcome to the worst of the pre-application date craziness: this is when students and parents start panicking about our November 30th priority date. Panicking means calls shoot through the roof, and virtually no one on the other end of the line is in a pleasant frame of mind. And now, of course, is when virtually the entire office takes two days off (Thanksgiving and the day after).
A word to the wise: if all of your materials haven't been received by us by Thanksgiving, you might as well kiss the possibility of being on time goodbye.
Perhaps that's too harsh. But five days (or four, depending on if you get the day after Thanksgiving off or not--we don't officially, but most people take a vacation day) is generally not long enough for standardized test scores or high school transcripts to reach us. And if you're having trouble with the password to your online application? It usually takes two days of back-and-forth emails for us to confirm your identity and then reset your password. I used to be the only one in the office officially handling those problems, I might add.
Are you sensing some stress here? Nah.
Tuesday, October 31, 2006
Thursday, October 26, 2006
Signs of Life
Forgot to mention: the book that I had a photo in the running for is out now, but my shot didn't make it. It's still a great collection--I bought a copy myself. You can pick up a copy of Signs of Life here, if you're interested. They're really close to making it to their publisher's top 100, and the profits go to two area service organizations. Check it out.
Wednesday, October 18, 2006
Tuesday, October 17, 2006
update, schmupdate.
I know it's been awhile. It's been crazy lately, including work. 'Tis the season for admissions applications.
I feel like I spent less than an hour at my desk today, and I frankly wouldn't be too far off. At one point, I got back to the building after a cross-campus hike in the cold and wet only to turn around and leave it again about fifteen minutes later for another meeting. Though they fed us pizza there, so I can't complain too much.
It's been a cold, wet, miserable, and frazzled sort of day, and a sneezing on your paycheck while stuffing it in your wallet for your next run to the bank (nevermind the coincidence that you just went today before this one arrived) and trying to change out of your work clothes so you can make a quick entry, cook some quick stir fry, and get out to join friends for the night's plans sort of an evening. Which is what's going on now.
I made an amazing meal yesterday, courtesy of a link sent by S, who I joined a local CSA with for local, organic veggies. Which is actually making me cook more, which is good. And successfully! I was amazed at how well this turned out, given all the substitutions I made: shallots for the yellow onion, garlic powder for the fresh, chicken broth rather than veggie. I'm not even sure I used kale: I used whatever dark green leafy thing I got this week from the CSA, plus some tatsoi left over from last week's haul. How I managed to get everything coordinated so the sunflower seeds were toasting while the greens were simmering and the pasta cooking, after having started with cooking the edamame, I'm not sure, nor am I sure I'll ever be able to do again. But it's nice being in the zone in something I'm not so confident at.
On the other end, with something I'm more confident in, I tried the half-Persian weave in silver rather than steel over the weekend, and it turned out quite nicely, though I gave myself a blister on my thumb in the process.
I also recently spoke to N., my oldest friend. And it's funny how whenever we talk (which is rare), it turns out to be this intense summary and almost mini-therapy in that I talk about things I barely even think about, even though they're part of my day-to-day and have been for years.
I've been wanting to write but not having or wanting to sacrifice the time I need to do so. Frustrating. But even more frustrating is bit by bit trying to scrape and make sacrifices for a new computer--an expense I hadn't planned on until recently, when I realized I need to upgrade soon, given that this one's almost five years old, though I have made additions along the way.
Despite all this nonsense, I'm still happy. I've had a song running through my head for weeks now: a BT song whose chorus goes "simply being loved, loved, loved, is more than enough." And it is. I treasure my friends, whom I consider close enough to be family, both here and elsewhere. And I'll end there, because I desperately need to go and make dinner in order to join a few of them.
I feel like I spent less than an hour at my desk today, and I frankly wouldn't be too far off. At one point, I got back to the building after a cross-campus hike in the cold and wet only to turn around and leave it again about fifteen minutes later for another meeting. Though they fed us pizza there, so I can't complain too much.
It's been a cold, wet, miserable, and frazzled sort of day, and a sneezing on your paycheck while stuffing it in your wallet for your next run to the bank (nevermind the coincidence that you just went today before this one arrived) and trying to change out of your work clothes so you can make a quick entry, cook some quick stir fry, and get out to join friends for the night's plans sort of an evening. Which is what's going on now.
I made an amazing meal yesterday, courtesy of a link sent by S, who I joined a local CSA with for local, organic veggies. Which is actually making me cook more, which is good. And successfully! I was amazed at how well this turned out, given all the substitutions I made: shallots for the yellow onion, garlic powder for the fresh, chicken broth rather than veggie. I'm not even sure I used kale: I used whatever dark green leafy thing I got this week from the CSA, plus some tatsoi left over from last week's haul. How I managed to get everything coordinated so the sunflower seeds were toasting while the greens were simmering and the pasta cooking, after having started with cooking the edamame, I'm not sure, nor am I sure I'll ever be able to do again. But it's nice being in the zone in something I'm not so confident at.
On the other end, with something I'm more confident in, I tried the half-Persian weave in silver rather than steel over the weekend, and it turned out quite nicely, though I gave myself a blister on my thumb in the process.
I also recently spoke to N., my oldest friend. And it's funny how whenever we talk (which is rare), it turns out to be this intense summary and almost mini-therapy in that I talk about things I barely even think about, even though they're part of my day-to-day and have been for years.
I've been wanting to write but not having or wanting to sacrifice the time I need to do so. Frustrating. But even more frustrating is bit by bit trying to scrape and make sacrifices for a new computer--an expense I hadn't planned on until recently, when I realized I need to upgrade soon, given that this one's almost five years old, though I have made additions along the way.
Despite all this nonsense, I'm still happy. I've had a song running through my head for weeks now: a BT song whose chorus goes "simply being loved, loved, loved, is more than enough." And it is. I treasure my friends, whom I consider close enough to be family, both here and elsewhere. And I'll end there, because I desperately need to go and make dinner in order to join a few of them.
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