Sunday, November 30, 2008

When it rains it pours.

It's actually raining outside...my title has triple meanings! And now we bring you our regularly (and or previously planned) post.

So a few weeks ago fling boy was doing things to make me not like him very much again. You see I didn't go into the relationship intending for a fling. Seriously that's not me. I liked the guy quite a bit in many ways. But those other ways won out in the end. And so I now call it my fling. For some reason I'm hooked on my terminology, it amuses me. But that all is off track. Things were not going well so I was not so happy about that and decided to try some other outlets: a new dating site (I am such a dork).

But this new site has the most horrible interface ever which made me not like it. However I got like tons of messages. Most of them were from idiots. And I'm a stupid sucker and respond to too many of them, which is a flaw. However I've gotten much better at turning them away which is helpful. And even more better is the fact that a few are not complete morons.

So a couple of the guys I've been exchanging aim messages with. One in particular I've been talking with a good bit. On Friday he asked if I'd like to get together. Now at first I wasn't particularly keen on him. But we had some decent aim conversations and he seemed nice so I accepted. Yesterday we solidified plans for Tuesday.

So before that guy surfaced there was another guy. This one's profile for some reason quite appealed to me. He asked for my phone number fairly early on and I obliged. Since then there have been a few phone conversations that all somehow seem awkward. Yet for whatever reason I didn't want to give up hope. Yesterday he called and asked if I was free anytime. We're going out Friday, no definite plans are set.

It's ridiculous and I don't think I can handle it. Pathetically enough I'm hoping that Tuesday really doesn't go that well, but then we hit it off on Friday.

But all in all I think I may die.


....



And on a side note. TRM has herself a guy. They've been together for like 2 months now. And yesterday I realized that they're saying "I love you" to each other. Call me a cold hearted -um person- but really: in love?

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

He did hear a sound rising over the snow. It started in low. Then it started to grow.

I like Christmas music. In college I was lucky enough to have a roommate of similar mind. It was not uncommon for us to start up the old carols in October. My figuring is that this stuff is only seasonally appropriate once a year. So I have to start early!

This year I've actually been fairly calm about it. I tuned in a bit in early November, but I've really waited until now to lay it on thick. I have a decent, but not spectacular, selection of holiday music on my computer. And I know and can sing along to pretty much every song of it. Actually at least once or twice because we're geeks like that at school we played a game of "who can name that tune first". The others didn't stand a chance really.

But anyways I also enjoy the fact that Christmas music is such that I can play it at work. Normally I have to limit myself to Classical stuff. Although last year at first I tried to find Classical Christmas music before just playing anything really.

This year I'm quite in the holiday mood and have had Christmas music on once or twice before now using pandora. Yesterday, on my first day back, I was definately ready for music and opted for finding a new station online. Miraculously I quickly found this gem: http://www.accuradio.com/holidays/

I immediately honed in on the Holiday Classical station and listened to it all day. Today I pulled it up but having not been overly impressed with the Classical decided to go with their xmas station: "Our main channel: The best of the best in holiday music!". Later as I was scanning the website I had an idea.

My idea is that each day I'll listen to a different one of their genre stations and then I can review them. This idea amuses me to no end :-)


Pooh-pooh to the Whos! he was grinch-ish-ly humming.
They're finding out now that no Christmas is coming!
They're just waking up! I know just what they'll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two
The all the Whos down in Who-ville will all cry BOO-HOO!

That's a noise, grinned the Grinch,
That I simply must hear!
So he paused. And the Grinch put a hand to his ear.
And he did hear a sound rising over the snow.
It started in low. Then it started to grow...

But the sound wasn't sad!
Why, this sound sounded merry!
It couldn't be so!
But it WAS merry! VERY!

He stared down at Who-ville!
The Grinch popped his eyes!
Then he shook!
What he saw was a shocking surprise!

Every Who down in Who-ville, the tall and the small,
Was singing! Without any presents at all!
He HADN'T stopped Christmas from coming!
IT CAME!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Mountan versus Road

We are in Sedona AZ today and I decided that I wanted to go biking. And being as mountain biking is a big thing around here I figured it'd be a good opportunity to give it a try. I'm a pretty decent road biker (if I do say so myself) so I figured I ought to stand a chance on the dirt.

I talked to the guy at the bike shop, said I was a road biker, and asked what trails he recommended. They had a map so he showed me the main trail that started right across the street. But that trail wasn't particularly long so he recommended going about half way up it and then taking this other trail. That sounded good to be so off I went.

I discovered fairly quickly that my rental had the most squeaky brakes ever, that was annoying, but so it goes. All in all the thing was harder to propel. That's to be expected though given the weight and the fact that it wasn't necessarily so properly fitted to me.

Once I hit the dirt and all of its numerous accompanying rocks I discovered the joy of the mountain bike design. I felt those obstacles but all in all the ride was no where near as jarring as my road bike (particularly my awesome new road bike which is partially carbon and lets me feel every bump in the road).

I also discovered that mountain biking can be scary. For me it was alot like skiing. They can be totally awesome and I'm sure I'd love them. But I'm also not at all very practiced in the sports so I spend much too much time concerned that I'm going to fall over. And on a mountain bike this falling over involves falling onto hard dirt (which is also dirty) and rocks. Not exactly so ideal. It seems to require a lot more control on a mountain bike to keep it going where you want.

It also seemed to take quite a bit more power (although my being winded could also be because I'm not nearly as in shape as I was this summer), and I found it nearly impossible to maintain any speed.

But enough of that back to my story!

So I went down the main trail. Went the wrong way once, hit a parking lot figured I must be wrong went back found the main trail again and managed to keep it this time. When I got to the other trail he had recommended I was speculative that it was actually a trail. It looked more like a narrow washed out portion down the hill. But there were bike tracks, down I went.

Before that I was of the mind that I was capable of this mountain bike thing. I'd gone up and down and over and around rocks. Some of the stuff was even like crazy jagged rocks and ledges that would be a few inches up and what not. I quickly realized that I had been on the "nice" trail and that this new devilry is most likely 'real' mountain biking. It was something similar to somewhat loose jagged rock in a significant downgrade with some curves thrown in for good measure.

Going down I would stop probably ever 25 feet because I either thought I was going to or actually did nearly fall off. At least once I definately executed a jump off the bike because I'm falling but try to make it look like I meant to do that maneuver. It was impressive.

I got down to the bottom of the mess and it really didn't look like the trail was anything more trail like after that. And so I conceded. Back up the craziness I went. And somehow I was actually able to ride the whole way up (albeit granny gear).

And off on my nice trail like trail I went again all the way to the end. On this one part there was some kind of mound running across the trail, I don't know the purpose. But it was on a down hill so I had a bit of speed and on a whim I pulled up the front to become airborne. Such things are actually possible on mountain bikes, and I must say they really are quite a bit of fun.

All in all good times. I'm definately not ready to give up my road bike (especially since it's awesome, shiny, light, new, and awesome). But it really would be cool to have the opportunity to do more mountain biking and learn to be able to handle some of the tougher stuff. Inevitably this is such awesome mountain biking territory here, I'm not sure that they have such cool places at home.

What you take.

So the bad part about being on vacation is that it makes me think about how much I wish I had a significant other to be with me, or just to miss me. And it gives me plenty of time to think about it.



“Vacation is what you take when you can't take what you've been taking any longer.”

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

So close...

I was on a mission tonight.

After purchasing my laptop I immediately purchased a bag/carrying case so that I'd be able to take it places. So far I've used it to take my laptop to work for the concerts so that I can remotely access the office. It's been good. But I also wanted a smaller 'form fitting' cover if you will, that word work so that I can put the laptop in a larger bag safely with other stuff.

Specifically I intend to take it with me when I leave on Saturday for Arizona (w00t).

But rather than spend the $20 or $30 for a store bought skin I decided to make my own. So today I finally got to the newly opened Jo-Ann store (georgeous) and picked out my fabrics. I wanted to try for a cute/bohemian look if possible and so choose 4 different fabrics that all have the same colors.

We got back home around 8:15 and I got to work pretty quickly. Inevitably such projects are not the most speedy. Especially when I'm making things (including methods) up as I go (and watching dancing with the stars). But around 11:30 I was pretty close to finished and it was looking amazing. Somehow things had come together.


(yup, it's even reversible)

And then the pouch was about 1/4-1/2 inch too small. I can get the laptop in with a lot of effort, but it's definately not something that should require effort. Drats.

I think I may try to go back to J0-Ann's pick up new fabrics and probably new colors (I like these but think I could do better) and try again. Luckily it only cost around $10. So in the end it'll be about like buying a pre-made one....*sigh*



....and yet so far.

Please have snow and mistletoe.

I have been looking up Christmas ideas today :-)

A few times I have seen the idea come up of having an album of Christmas memories that you put out and can add to every year. I think that's something that I'd love to do.

At first I was thinking that it could be something that I'd start when (or if) I actually have a family of my own (which I'd deem as beginning with a significant other). But now I'm thinking maybe I'll just start it now. After all, why not?

Maybe I'll even see how much old stuff I can find at my parents.

Dead and alive.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Fluting again (hopefully).

On Tuesday evening, while I was busy being glued to the election coverage, the choir director from back home (it shall always be home) sent me an email inviting me “and my flute” to come back to participate in our churches Christmas Eve Cantata.

I have many years of that cantata under my belt now. At first I was only in the Senior Bell Choir and so our norm was just playing a prelude. Then I was playing an additional prelude on flute as well. By high school I’d joined the Senior Singing Choir and so sang alto/second soprano in the Cantata. The choir director was also beginning to use me as the go-to for accompaniment so I’d jump over to flute for specific parts. For a year or two of college I still predominately sang as well as doing a bit of fluting for the cantata, I think it may have been assisted by a lack of altos. However most recently I’ve been kicked out of singing and left with a whole book of the C accompaniment parts. And let me tell you some of that stuff is actually tricky.

But anyways I’m torn about playing this year. The thing of it is that I love playing, have always played, and would be happy to continue. But I haven’t lived in, around, or near that zip code for a year and a half now, and that’s not even counting the three college years when I was really only half there anyways.

I guess I feel like maybe I should be moving on. It’s tricky.

Interestingly enough yesterday I was perusing Craigslist, because it provides a rather endless source of entertainment for me. But I saw posting under musicians for “Concert Band Musicians.” Holy crap.

If you are familiar with the musicians page on Craigslist you’ll know that 90% of the stuff is people wanting to be rock stars or something close. Concert Band’s don’t so much fit in that category.

There it was, a shining light in my night sky. It beckoned me, and I clicked. My heart raced as I saw a listing of instruments. It started with low brass, damn, then a 3rd trumpet, gah, 2nd clarinet, warmer, French horn, gosh darn it there are too many flute players in the world!, and lastly, miracle of all miracles, flute. Break out the Hallelujah chorus, or maybe the finale of Beethoven’s 9th – it’s better.

I spent the next hour or two pouring over an eloquently written email about how I’d played before but haven’t found anywhere here. My college experience. And most of all how I treasured the 6 years I’d spent with my old community band. I could’ve brought a tear to your eye with my description of the joys of providing music to people. Yes, I’m a dork.

I also dusted off my “musical resume” which actually makes me look pretty durn good. Rock on being the only flute major in my year in college. That’s definitely probably cheating, but hey I did do it all. And actually I was pretty good 2 years ago.

A response was received this afternoon. The director was impressed (crap shes a flute player, which I knew from the website, and I’m going to have to live up to something) and I am to call her. She has some kind of crazy hours and so now I’ve got to sort them out. Then if I can convince the phone not to eat me I shall call.

:-)

Box Office Battlefield

Patron Services Manager. That's my title, for all it's worth. But I'll have you know that I am a kick ass Patron Services Manager. Like whoa.

You may have realized this already for yourself but let it be known: People are idiots. And for some reason when people are idiots they like to come to us(which means me) and think that I'm duty bound to fix it.

Frequently I do fix it, I'm a good fixer, no one else here seem to be able to figure this stuff out. Although I will admit I like to let them know that I am doing them a very huge big special favor that I shouldn't actually do but just this once just for them I will. In my mind that's so that I'm not encouraging them on their path of idiocy.

Today I received a fun (aka infuriating) email from a woman. It was sent based on the pretense that she wanted to know how long the concert would last. However the majority of it was filled with this pity plea complaining about her personal situation in relation to our ticket exchange policy.

I crafted a spiffy responce to her. First I simply answered her question. And then I poured, seriously heaped, in apologies. Spinning it like there was nothing I could (yea I'm kinda a liar) do I expressed a heartfelt commiseration for her pain. In my devious mind I came up with the idea of proposing using her story as a motiviation for change and revision.

Ok, so actually I'm not so double faced as I'm putting forth there. I do want to change the policy, and it would allow her a way to do what she wanted even. The truth is that this morning my boss ticked me off by ignoring my ticket exchange policy and so I'd spent a good bit of the morning researching what other organizations do (I then lost all of my research when I accidentally closed the document....this morning kinda kicked my ass, I wanted to cry 3 times). And I do want to change our policy. But I want to charge people, bwahahaha. All's fair in love and war (I should write a book called Box Office Battlefield, how sweet would that be, *changes post title*).

I recieved a responce back from her to the tune of:

Thanks for the info. If my story can change things I'm glad. It was my fault after all. I will enjoy the concert.


One million points to me.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Interwebs

I spend an alarming large portion of my life browsing the vast spaces of the Interweb, basking in its unending depths of stuff. Sometimes I even find good thought provoking articles (they are my favorites).

The Cult of Clean
We've become a nation of grime fighters, and there's growing evidence that we're sacrificing our safety and our sanity to sanitization.
By Carlin Flora, PsychologyToday.com

From that article my favorite quote is:

Significantly, our dreams of disinfection parallel the rise of anxiety in our culture. After analyzing anxiety levels measured among young people in 1952 and 1993, psychologist Jean Twenge of San Diego State University concluded that levels of anxiety in today's average teenager are equivalent to those in patients treated for a psychiatric disorder 50 years ago. Other studies have documented the rise of anxiety among college students and adults.
It was definitely not the focus of the article, but led me many more thoughts and observations.




A few days ago I found this:

Red Sex, Blue Sex
Why do so many evangelical teen-agers become pregnant?
by Margaret Talbot

And there I focused in on this:
Some of these differences in sexual behavior come down to class and education. Regnerus and Carbone and Cahn all see a new and distinct “middle-class morality” taking shape among economically and socially advantaged families who are not social conservatives. In Regnerus’s survey, the teen-agers who espouse this new morality are tolerant of premarital sex (and of contraception and abortion) but are themselves cautious about pursuing it. Regnerus writes, “They are interested in remaining free from the burden of teenage pregnancy and the sorrows and embarrassments of sexually transmitted diseases. They perceive a bright future for themselves, one with college, advanced degrees, a career, and a family. Simply put, too much seems at stake. Sexual intercourse is not worth the risks.” These are the kids who tend to score high on measures of “strategic orientation”—how analytical, methodical, and fact-seeking they are when making decisions. Because these teen-agers see abstinence as unrealistic, they are not opposed in principle to sex before marriage—just careful about it. Accordingly, they might delay intercourse in favor of oral sex, not because they cherish the idea of remaining “technical virgins” but because they assess it as a safer option. “Solidly middle- or upper-middle-class adolescents have considerable socioeconomic and educational expectations, courtesy of their parents and their communities’ lifestyles,” Regnerus writes. “They are happy with their direction, generally not rebellious, tend to get along with their parents, and have few moral qualms about expressing their nascent sexuality.” They might have loved Ellen Page in “Juno,” but in real life they’d see having a baby at the wrong time as a tragic derailment of their life plans. For this group, Regnerus says, unprotected sex has become “a moral issue like smoking or driving a car without a seatbelt. It’s not just unwise anymore; it’s wrong.
Sorry that was so long. But it’s a long article that I found quite interesting. And that quote there I liked it because I’ve been trying to puzzle together my own psychology for years. And frankly, it’s not going so well. However that quote led to some insight.

Happy reading.

I used a #3

I have lived the alt tag.

Although I did become a bit more speedy with all of the AP test drilling.

iVote

I am ashamed to admit that this morning was the first time that I have ever placed a vote in this our governmental system.

I was smart about it and when I went at 11 there was only a 20 minute line vs. the 1.5 hour line that TRM was kind enough to call and tell me about (she also warned me to dress warmly, the line was outside).

Now I feel all tingly or something. As much as I suck at doing new things after I manage to do them I feel very accomplished.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Almost anyone will believe almost anything.

I just finished watching the pilot episodes of Legend of the Seeker.

I'd not heard anything about it at all until Friday. I went out for a bike ride, had to leave quickly to keep the daylight so left before anyone was home, and arrived home to find no one at home. It was kind of depressing cuz TRM has a boyfriend now and she's over there quite a bit. I guess I've gotten used to having someone around all the time again. But then just as I was cookin myself some stir fry for dinner she walked in the door, having gone out only to the grocery store. Yay.

But anyways she told me that apparantly she had heard from her friend J that there was a new TV series that was based on Terry Goodkinds Sword of Truth Series. And that J and his girlfriend were coming over the next evening, Saturday, to watch it. And that her boy would be there. Conveniently enough my fling was already scheduled to come out that day so it worked out pretty awesomely. The plan was to get pizza, and TRM and I figured on getting some chips and pizza as well.

And being as we are losers and have no friends this was a total party. I was all excited.

According to J the episode aired at 6 (kinda weird for a pilot to air at 6 on a Saturday, but knowing the books I expected it to flop too). So people were supposed to show up at 5:30 although TRM's guy, B, was coming earlier.

So there we were Saturday evening, B had arrived but everyone else was late. Being paranoid, as I always am, I told Jo that she best DVR it just in case they didn't arrive in time. She went over to the computer and I guessed had to look it up online to check the channel or something, but anyways we then learned that there were in fact 2 episodes the first of which started at 5. Good job J. But that plan went out the door. Other activities commenced instead so the party kinda wasn't what it should have been, and in general wasn't as good as I might have wished. But then I get big ideas in my head that very rarely come true.

This all really is nothing near my point. Just wanted to keep ya'll uptodate on nearly everymoment of my life cuz I'm a nut like that.

Luckily for us the episodes were re-airing quite a few times this week, the first being this evening starting at 8. Dutifly I watched.

And as a fan of the books I'm dissapointed. Seriously tho in any kind of book/movie/tv situation how can one not be dissapointed. They changed quite a bit of stuff.

It was kind of funny because right in the opening scene I got all excited because I thought it was the completely correct opening scene and said something to that extent to TRM. She told me I was wrong being as she had just started re-reading the first book that weekend (apparantly she never read the whole series dispite owning all the books, like seriously?, although I'll admit they are not the most compelling reading. In a review I read this evening someone brought up Goodkind going all Ayn Rand, and I must say that was a very good way of describing it). So then I thought a bit more and realized that the opening sequence I was thinking of was from Eragon, not Sword of Truth....oops. Then just like a minute or two later I promptly called the main character Rand. His name is Richard, Rand is the main character (well as main as it gets with the billions of important characters) in Jordan's Wheel of Time. So all in all 2 strikes right of the bat. The show was not particularly adherant to the book at all.

And taking it aside from the book I don't know that I'd be much inclined to watch it as good television either. Good fantasy takes good money. And this thing had some decent stuff, but all in all I didn't really buy the world.

All that being said of course I shall continue to watch it. It's a fantasy series and I'm a fantasy girl (or wish I was) :-)


Ah well I suppose I'll just read my book and go to bed, the time change thing (plus too much junk food and too little sleep - with all pleasure comes pain) really killed me today. I'm currently reading this random series thats decent but not amazing by Robin D Owens. What I'd really like to read is the next Dune book, but the stupid librarys don't seem to have it - it's frustrating.


"People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid, they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are afraid it might be true. People’s heads are full of knowledge, facts, and beliefs, and most of it is false, yet they think it all true. People are stupid; they can only rarely tell the difference between a lie and the truth, and yet they are confident they can, and so are all the easier to fool."