January 29, 2007
~ making the sign of the noose ~
I had a glorious weekend. On Saturday, the sun was out and the temperature was of a higher degree than it has been in a while. Josh and I took advantage of the pleasantness outside to go on a bike ride in our matching amsterdams. If memory serves, the internet is not yet aware that Josh purchased an Electra Amsterdam shortly after I purchased mine. Copy cat. His is a red men's sport version which he has named Red Riding Hood. I must say, we are pretty much the gaggiest couple in town, toodling around on our matching cruisers, whistling, smiling from ear to ear, and singing songs about joy and happiness. Barf! So anyway, after mounting our cruisers, we went on a small tour of some parks, riding through the grass and chasing after ducks, and then rode up to the Bench and toured the neighborhoods between Vista and the Train Depot. It was a lot of fun and we discovered an area of town in which I could envision myself living in the future. At some point, we encountered a house that was for sale that was open for viewing. Josh and I then pretended to be prospective home buyers and toured the residence. We then located another house that we toured and I found it pretty exciting.
When I arrived home after our adventure, I felt myself feeling overjoyed and thrilled. I suspect that having spent a good amount of time in the sunshine helped my mood a great deal.
In other news, being a student again is agreeing with me. Additionally, because my program is related to my professional development, as opposed to my nebulous-seeming BA, I feel a greater sense of motivation and purpose towards it. Which is nice. Also, I have found a balance of intellectual stimulation in it.
On Friday, Josh and I went to see Curse of the Golden Flower. While it was an amazing visual tour de force, I was disappointed by the number of overdramatized scenes and lack of rad fighting. I'm not someone who normally advocates for more fighting scenes, except for when they involve ninjas. Anyway...this movie could have used more ninjas.
January 23, 2007
~ yawn, bark, yawn ~
As usual, I am totally irritated about something that did not go my way. Life, for me, is just one tragedy after another...little wonder how I survive considering the injustice that is my world. The latest example involves my having to miss seeing he who was "the next president of the united states" speak in my little ho-hum of a town. Indeed, at the time, I was sitting in a cold and technologically-lacking classroom being bored out of my mind. It was the first of my public policy classes in the graduate program and the professor felt that it was necessary to spend two whole entire hours going over the syllabus. Now, I don't mean to come off as haughty, but I was accepted into their prestigious graduate program, they should be confident in my reading comprehension abilities. Additionally, I have completed a few college courses in my life and I have encountered this elusive document known as the "course syllabus" before. I am certain of my powers to fully read and understand the contents of the syllabus on my own time - - spending two hours in a classroom going over and over and over it felt like such a waste of time, especially considering my desire to see Al Gore.
Which leads me to elude to my disappointment over my graduate school experience. What was I expecting, academic fireworks? While I did not want a program that would create for me a lot of stress and anxiety, I feel that what appears to be a lack of challenge is too easy for me to feel proud about. And I aknowledge that my disappointment is entirely the opposite of the purpose for the graduate degree, because it's about the letters behind my name, not necessarily having an amazing academic experience. Still...
In other news, this weekend I celebrated having dated Josh for two years. For the occasion, we went out for some fondue, an experience that was really disappointing. I think that we both had high expectations for the meal, and on every front we found it lacking. But we did have a good time - - you know, that whole "being together with someone special" thing. Afterwards, we went dancing and, while we danced and danced and had a great time, the heaviness of the fondue meal acted like a big cheesy rock weighing us down. There are a few photos posted onto my flickr deal.
January 18, 2007
~ queen of static electricity ~
I am unsure as to what has happened to me, but I have recently become a constant bearer of static electricity. It all started about a month ago, when I washed a flannel blanket without a dryer sheet. When I brought it home, I threw it onto my comfy red reclining armchair. The armchair then became completely full of static electricity. Now, my apartment is also a home for static electricity, and I constantly have hair that stands on ends while I shock myself silly. The static travels with me when I leave my apartment. This is evidenced by the student identification photo I had taken earlier this week, in which half of my hair is plastered to my face and the other half is standing up in something of a mohawk. And I tell you, it is ridiculous. Also, I would like to solicit advice on how to combat this issue. How do I neutralize all of the static electricity in my life? I have since rewashed and redried the original flannel blanket with a dryer sheet, so it is fine, the only thing I own that is not saturated with static. But I sense that the problem has become larger than a mere dryer sheet can handle.
In other news, some time ago I worked on a personal strategic plan to help me to prioritize and motivate me to accomplish certain goals. I did this after doing some reading about goals and their correlation to happiness (the author's last name escapes me at the moment, Csiskinskyski, or something like that). Anyway, it was really awesome and I should remember to share the correct spelling of his name and give him credit for some awesome writing. He argued that people have a better chance of being happy in the long term when they have a set of goals and projects and are continually developing and working on them. I thought it was a neat idea, so I went ahead and mapped out a strategic plan for myself. I feel that the most important thing that it did for me was to simply expand my perspective. Which is to say that most of the time, I am focused on the moment-to-moment experience (and this is definately good in many respects) but when it comes to thinking about the broader "having-meaning-and-purpose-in-one's-life" thing, the moment-to-moment perception of things made me inclined to feel unaccomplished, small, and lame. Which is really not the case when you put it in a broader perspective. Also, having in mind this broader perspective has made a noticable difference in my own personal motivation. And I have found that motivation is key to accomplishing stuff.
January 16, 2007
~ I am not a workaholic ~
I've always had some deep underlying fear that I could become "one of those people". You know, one of those people who gives up on life, who gives up on passion and joy, whose life has become overwhelmed with errands and obligations that her spare time is essentially work, or someone whose job overshadows all life. My fear has been abated. Last week, I worked 12 hours in overtime (four 11-hour days and one 8-hour day). It was for a special project and the agreement was that the overtime would be for just that week. And boy, was it hell. I've always known that I enjoy my spare time, but I also enjoy my paychecks, and I love what I can do in my spare time with my paychecks. But given the choice, I would rather have a smaller paycheck than less spare time. I honestly cannot understand "those people" who work so much on a regular basis. Bunch of crazies. After the final 11-hour day, I felt as though I was going to die, no melodrama about it. Granted, I have something of a grunt job, so perhaps my tune would change were I to have some fabulous stimulating job, but I don't think so. I mean, unless I could be paid to knit, eat out, kiss my boyfriend, enjoy libations, go dancing, watch Star Trek: the Next Generation, read fashion magazines, take long walks through historic neighborhoods, sleep, go to the gym, watch CSI: Miami, read good books, play sudoku, ride my bike, sip expensive espresso drinks, play on the internet, travel, etc., etc., I really can't see myself being inclined to work more than I absolutely have to for my own basic survival.
In other news, my new year's resolutions are going well. I cannot recall at this moment if I posted my resolutions, but they are (1) to save before I buy (which means that I hope to save up money to buy stuff, rather than using my credit card), and (2) to go dancing more. To date, I haven't purchased anything that I couldn't afford (however, my glorious student loans arrived last week, so I suddenly do have a good pot of money - - perhaps this isn't the most meaningful time to implement such a policy), and I have had some good dancing experiences.
This weekend, for example, I went dancing on Friday (after my hellish work week, when I was really wanting some quality libations) and it was fantastic. I danced and danced, until my body (which had gotten so crampy and knotty from the office sitting) felt amazing. I also had some good people watching experiences. There was a group of (what appeared to be) swingers, all attractive (thereby improving the swinging), who were quite jolly. Additionally, the dj played a song that I requested and the dance floor wasn't more packed than during my song.
Today is my first day being a graduate student. For the occasion, I'm wearing a fantastic new sweater (blue and grey striped, angora-wool blend) that I purchased for very inexpensive. I've also got a headstart on my reading and note-taking of my course books, which makes me feel all prepared.
January 11, 2007
~ smooth and soft ~
1. I love my new bike.
1.(a) I just wish that it was spring or summer or at least warmer and sunnier, thereby improving the gloriousness of riding my lovely Amsterdam. I conceed that buying a new bike in the middle of winter is not the best time to achieve full satisfaction in the world of cycling.
2. This weekend, I purchased a new kind of chapstick for my lips. Said chapstick boasted healing powers, and I am finding my chapped lips to be no longer chapped. This has meant that I am no longer picking constantly at them. Which is good.
2.(a) Background information for this is that my lips become severly chapped in the cold weather, and I cannot help but pick at them. This results in a constant nagging by everyone around me for me to not pick at my lips.
2.(b) I do not enjoy being nagged.
3. After meeting with my ob-gyn yesterday, I am considering a switch to the Nuvaring and am obsessed about researching this. The Nuvaring contains far fewer hormones than my current low-hormone contraceptive, and this is very appealing to me.
4. So far this week, I have worked 9.5 hours in overtime.
4.(a) I'm actually getting kinda tired of working.
5. I start school next Tuesday. I am SO READY to start my masters program, but I am a tad concerned about the work-school-life balance.
5.(a) One of the nice things about my situation is that my employer is supportive of my higher education. And by "supportive", I mean financially, professionally, and emotionally.
5.(b) And my overtime is not supposed to last any longer than this week, which is good.
6. For Boxing Day, my secret santas got for Josh and myself the first season of Star Trek: the Next Generation. Which is awesome. Thank you, thank you. Twice this week, after some 11 hour work days, I've met Josh at his place of residence and we've ridden bikes on his "trainer" deals and watched an episode of ST:TNG.
6.(a) Of course, I have no idea how anyone would know that I would enjoy owning ST:TNG. After all, my friend and fellow trekkie and I can easily watch three or four episodes back-to-back while knitting.
January 7, 2007
~ thus doing before death ~
The rush of traversing the snowy hillside, the thrill of hitting the jump and landing, and the amazingnitude of riding my board fast fast fast in a manner akin to surfing down the bowl shaped spaces between the ridges. Ah, but I am still feeling the exhiliaration from yesterday evening. Josh and I arrived at the snow resort at about 5:30 in the evening yesterday, which was about the time that the night lights were switched on. We rode the front side of the mountain, in total satisfaction, until 10:00 pm. The high winds of the day had blown the fresh powder around in ways heretofore unexperienced by Joshifern. Because of those winds, the ridges lacked the fresh powder but had gained some humps all their own.
As always, the first several runs were for the purpose of getting into one's snowboarding groove. Once gotten, our groove sustained us for hours and hours. Several runs into the evening, Josh and I were on the four-person ski lift all by our romantic selves, approaching the top with the stunning view of Boise's evening lights in the horizon, and we were examining all possible run choices. We looked directly down and decided to try going down the "bowl" which is normally used for snowboarding tricks and stunts. The winds had blown over many of the jumps and no one appeared to have used this bowl for some time. Carving fresh tracks into the bowl, we quickly discovered the fun that could be had of picking up some good speed, approaching a hilly hump, and trying to jump up and over it. Josh was able to clear a good distance, but I couldn't get my speed high enough to do anything spectacular (funny, with the winds of last night, my mere 110 lbs provided me with a good deal of difficulty in achieving my speed and jumping goals). My aim with this particular jump was to arrive at the top (which required my aiming straight downhill, forcing all of my weight forward, and hunching down to reduce the effects of the powerful headwind, and then completing a minihop as I approached the top of the sudden hump). After getting to the top, I would quickly turn right and go straight down from that to a mini pipe area, where I would play around and experience the delight of pure magical snowboarding (with the dim pink lighting casting shadows across the terrain, and the wind blowing ghostly snow fog around). Then we headed deep into a section surrounded by trees with no lighting, and caught a jump. This jump was amazing. The headwind was buffered by the ridges around us and the trees, so I was able to pick up enough speed that when I hit the jump, I was able to catch a respectable amount of "air", table my board off, and land perfectly. It was amazing - - I haven't done much jumping like this before, and my success at it was awesome. There were several times when I caught so much air that I just had to squeal in delight as I felt several seconds go by with myself and my board suspended in the air. At one point, after completing this awesome jump, I looked back to try to watch Josh on the jump, except that my snowboard was continuing foward and I flipped over and sustained a good amount of whiplash. (It actually hurts pretty badly today).
From this area, we located a great way to cross over several other runs and ridges to get to the Sunshine run. Now, Sunshine is normally full of a lot of beginner types, so it's usually not so fun (what with the almost being run into by people who can't control their fiberglass). However, last night it was empty. And Sunshine, while definately an intermediate run, has some steepy potential. Well me, having the whole run almost to myself, I had an opportunity which I usually do not have: the ability to go completely bananas! I let my board, as they say, rip and was carving these amazing turns, going really fast - - I couldn't see all that well, the lights are bright, but the trees and the snow just cast such dark shadows everywhere, that I just had to abandon my rational mind and let go - - so I let go and rode fast and hard and it was so.much.fun! My legs were my suspension, and whenever I hit mini humps that I couldn't see, my knees did a little sproingy action and I was just flying. When I go as fast as I was last night, my turns send me a little bit more parallel to the ground than at a slower speed. As I turn, the carving action leans by body over, and were I to reach my hand out perpendicular to my body, I could graze my hand along the snow. And then to the catrack back to the lift - - it's a decently long catrack, and I was having such a need for speed all last night, that I would hunker down low to the ground to reduce the effects of the headwind (also, I felt a bit safer that way, so that if I were to crash going so fast, my whole body was closer to the ground and I surmised that I could do more of a somersault instead of a jerky hard fall), and I was going fast. I'm not normally such a speed demon, indeed, I can be something of a 'fraidypants....but because it was so dark, I simply could not see the danger.
We left at 10:00, and because the roads were icy and slippery, I was driving quite slowly down. We arrived back in town at about 11:00, and went immediately to O'Michael's pub for some beers and food. We walked in wearing our snowboarding base clothing, you know, not sexy, and saw that the pub was filled with people who appeared to have been skiing or snowboarding. It was nice to not be the only ones wearing our base layers. We sat by the fire to warm up, had a good pint, and consumed some greasy food. We discussed our snowboarding adventure, describing it as surfing and got onto a conversation about doing things before death. Surfing, being something that I would like to do. Skydiving, rock climbing, and bungie jumping being activities which I do NOT want to ever do. What about going to outerspace? Yes, Josh and I want to travel to outer space. I said that I would also like to do some deep sea exploration in a submarine.
January 2, 2007
~ on the ledge ~
Over the weekend, at a coffeeshop, I overheard some teens having the following conversation.
Teen #1: Did Andy Warhol design the Campbell's soup label?
Teen #2: No.
Teen #1: Then why is he famous for a print of the soup label?
In other news, Dental Dam (aka Bleu Seu, for those with a preference) received her first wound. I was riding her around all weekend, possibly riding outside of the standard 'dam range, and yesterday evening all of the air suddenly exhaled from her back tire. The bike has an internal hub and other whatchamadoosies, making for a complicated rear tire fix (and the puncture in the tire was BIG), so I spent my lunchbreak today taking her down to the bike shop where a friendly shop employee fixed her up all nice and new. While I was there, I also purchased a cup holder to mount onto the handlebars, which will allow me to ride with my morning coffee.
