I ran into someone from Momentum the other day, a writer that I worked with as an intern. He's one of the few remaining people that I know there. Of course, everyone is still overworked. It's funny, though, because they all know it, but they rationalize it to a point where they don't seem to mind, really. I'm not sure I could go back to that kind of schedule on a consistent basis, but it taught me so much. In a weird way, working at Momentum and being laid off from there were among the best things that have ever happened to me.
It takes a few months to get back off the ground, but everyone I know that has been through the same thing would agree that being let go was in many ways a blessing. Take Kevin Renick, for example. He was a proofreader there for a long time. I sat next to him in the old building in The Loop and I remember that he was on the phone with bill collectors fairly often. They laid him off, too, a year ago, and he wrote a song about it called "Up In The Air." That happened to be the name of George Clooney's new movie, and well, that song is now on the soundtrack. "This is a song about uncertainty and indecision and about trying to figure out who the heck you are and where you're going." (I guess a lay-off will do that to you at any age.) Watch, it's a pretty cool story:
Take that, Momentum! Ha. It's funny how things work out, huh?
This story also reminds me of why it's good to be nice to everyone. Kevin was a weird guy, but I was always friendly toward him and never spoke badly about him, even though some other people did. For example, he brought an unusually attractive and charismatic girl to the Christmas party a couple years ago and people joked that he must have hired her. Look who's laughing now. I never knew him well and it's not like I have reaped any tangible benefits from being nice to him, but I also have no regrets. Good for him. I would say it is about time.
p.s. He's performing at Vintage Vinyl Tuesday at 7:30, but of course, I can't go.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Black Friday
I am enjoying the extra-long weekend. Thanksgiving was small (the amount of people, not the food), but it's not actually over until tonight, after we eat with my mom's side of the family.
I went to Target, Kohl's, and Shoe Carnival and got some good deals yesterday without spending much money. Believe it or not, the past three or four years before this I got up before sunrise to participate in Black Friday. As much as I hate getting up early, there's something kind of fun about going shopping during special store hours and sales. Besides, I take a nap afterwards. I have never waited in line outside for more than 10 minutes before a store opened and I have never seen anyone run into or around the store. My experience has been surprisingly mellow, possibly because I avoid the electronics. And Wal-Mart. And the malls. This year I didn't go anywhere until 9:30, but I don't think I missed out on anything. I just bought some small, wearable odds and ends (tights, necklace, etc.). I'm especially excited about my new boots, because I had been restraining myself from buying new ones for maybe three years. I am wearing them today, along with a couple other new purchases! Black mid-calf boots, patterned tights, fitted sweater dress, statement necklace--I feel almost overly stylish, but I actually like these trends. All I need is a hat that I've been eyeing and I will be too cool for school. If you ever catch me in stirrup pants (again), though, it's a sign that I have officially gone too far and I must be stopped. Well, I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go yet, but I should get moving.
I went to Target, Kohl's, and Shoe Carnival and got some good deals yesterday without spending much money. Believe it or not, the past three or four years before this I got up before sunrise to participate in Black Friday. As much as I hate getting up early, there's something kind of fun about going shopping during special store hours and sales. Besides, I take a nap afterwards. I have never waited in line outside for more than 10 minutes before a store opened and I have never seen anyone run into or around the store. My experience has been surprisingly mellow, possibly because I avoid the electronics. And Wal-Mart. And the malls. This year I didn't go anywhere until 9:30, but I don't think I missed out on anything. I just bought some small, wearable odds and ends (tights, necklace, etc.). I'm especially excited about my new boots, because I had been restraining myself from buying new ones for maybe three years. I am wearing them today, along with a couple other new purchases! Black mid-calf boots, patterned tights, fitted sweater dress, statement necklace--I feel almost overly stylish, but I actually like these trends. All I need is a hat that I've been eyeing and I will be too cool for school. If you ever catch me in stirrup pants (again), though, it's a sign that I have officially gone too far and I must be stopped. Well, I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go yet, but I should get moving.
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
Fake Smile
I was stuck in the house waiting for the window repair guy, and I found this "Spot The Fake Smile" test. I got 19 out of 20 right, which is unusual. I read people like some people read books, though. How did you do? This is what it says at the end. Only read the first three paragraphs if you still have to take the test:
"Most people are surprisingly bad at spotting fake smiles. One possible explanation for this is that it may be easier for people to get along if they don't always know what others are really feeling.
Although fake smiles often look very similar to genuine smiles, they are actually slightly different, because they are brought about by different muscles, which are controlled by different parts of the brain.
Fake smiles can be performed at will, because the brain signals that create them come from the conscious part of the brain and prompt the zygomaticus major muscles in the cheeks to contract. These are the muscles that pull the corners of the mouth outwards.
Genuine smiles, on the other hand, are generated by the unconscious brain, so are automatic. When people feel pleasure, signals pass through the part of the brain that processes emotion. As well as making the mouth muscles move, the muscles that raise the cheeks – the orbicularis oculi and the pars orbitalis – also contract, making the eyes crease up, and the eyebrows dip slightly.
Lines around the eyes do sometimes appear in intense fake smiles, and the cheeks may bunch up, making it look as if the eyes are contracting and the smile is genuine. But there are a few key signs that distinguish these smiles from real ones. For example, when a smile is genuine, the eye cover fold - the fleshy part of the eye between the eyebrow and the eyelid - moves downwards and the end of the eyebrows dip slightly."
Happy Thanksgiving?
Someone broke into my car and stole my ipod last night while I was at taiko practice. They did the same thing to another taiko member's car. I almost always put the ipod under my seat when I park, but this time I left it in between the seats. The chargers and auxillary cord (to connect it) would have been visible still, though, and the repair guy said sometimes that's all the incentive they need. They smashed the passenger side window in with a big rock and left the rock on the seat. It even scratched up my steering wheel and the inside of the driver's side door a little. Great, little souvenirs. Rosemary was very nice and stayed to clean up the glass.
My first reaction was something like, "Come on, really?! Unbelievable." I guess after the apartment break-in, this kind of thing doesn't really phase me, though. It's actually the second time I've been a victim of a car break-in, too. The first time was maybe 5 years ago, when someone popped the lock to my friend's car and stole our coats. I hate saying that I'm a "victim," by the way, because it implies that I am helpless and that people should feel sorry for me. In cases like this I am pretty much helpless, but I'll be okay.
I'm getting my window fixed today and they are actually fixing it in my own driveway, which is great. The $350 price tag is not. The police and repair guy suggested that reporting it to insurance would not be worth it, either. It could have been worse. I've already seen it worse. I would have been more upset if they for some reason stole the umbrella that I got in Japan, since it has sentimental value. (It was on the floor of the passenger seat.) I will eventually replace my ipod, and hey, I still have a car!
Of course, I can't help but wonder why I'm the target again. I have never stolen or done property damage to anything and I wouldn't even consider it. I work hard and make an honest living for the things that I own, and someone else comes along and takes them in a matter of seconds. I'm pretty careful, too, and don't get myself involved in or provoke dangerous situations. It's not fair, and no one said it would be, but give me a break!
I used to believe in karma, but I'm pretty sure I've never done anything to deserve all of this shit. Sometimes I wonder if the universe is going out of its way to wear me down and turn me into a bitter person, like I'm too optimistic and nice for my own good. It hasn't worked yet, but if the Universe is listening, that was not an invitation to try harder. I'm still very much aware that I have so much to be thankful for, but this kind of thing cramps my style. Again.
My first reaction was something like, "Come on, really?! Unbelievable." I guess after the apartment break-in, this kind of thing doesn't really phase me, though. It's actually the second time I've been a victim of a car break-in, too. The first time was maybe 5 years ago, when someone popped the lock to my friend's car and stole our coats. I hate saying that I'm a "victim," by the way, because it implies that I am helpless and that people should feel sorry for me. In cases like this I am pretty much helpless, but I'll be okay.
I'm getting my window fixed today and they are actually fixing it in my own driveway, which is great. The $350 price tag is not. The police and repair guy suggested that reporting it to insurance would not be worth it, either. It could have been worse. I've already seen it worse. I would have been more upset if they for some reason stole the umbrella that I got in Japan, since it has sentimental value. (It was on the floor of the passenger seat.) I will eventually replace my ipod, and hey, I still have a car!
Of course, I can't help but wonder why I'm the target again. I have never stolen or done property damage to anything and I wouldn't even consider it. I work hard and make an honest living for the things that I own, and someone else comes along and takes them in a matter of seconds. I'm pretty careful, too, and don't get myself involved in or provoke dangerous situations. It's not fair, and no one said it would be, but give me a break!
I used to believe in karma, but I'm pretty sure I've never done anything to deserve all of this shit. Sometimes I wonder if the universe is going out of its way to wear me down and turn me into a bitter person, like I'm too optimistic and nice for my own good. It hasn't worked yet, but if the Universe is listening, that was not an invitation to try harder. I'm still very much aware that I have so much to be thankful for, but this kind of thing cramps my style. Again.
Strongly-worded letter
My uncle never used to be a political person, but since this last election, he has been sending mass political emails. It has died down in recent months, but I received another one recently about a letter that an old veteran wrote, questioning Obama. This was my response to my uncle:
"As I've said before, please stop sending me political emails. This is a very one-sided letter and I could contradict every single opinion, but why? Is this intended to change anyone's views, anyway? I didn't send you slanted emails about how terrible Bush was when he was in office, even though...well, look where he led us. Obama hasn't even been in charge for a year and he inherited too many problems to solve in that amount of time. He's still on damage control.
I'm glad people are deciding to keep tabs on the government now, finally, but they should have done that 6 years ago, before we got into a large part of this mess. It seems people did not start caring or asking hard questions until it personally affected their wallets, and by then it was too late to stop it. I have been cringing at this trainwreck since 2003, and there is no reason (besides neglect) that anyone should be surprised at the state of this country after 8 years of the Bush administration. On top of all the bad decisions, many of them were blatant criminals, and there is numerous evidence (and court cases) to support that. So before anyone criticizes what we have now, they should first take a good, hard look at what we had before him and compare notes as fairly as possible. They obviously weren't paying attention at the time.
Ah, that felt good. :)
Thanks"
"As I've said before, please stop sending me political emails. This is a very one-sided letter and I could contradict every single opinion, but why? Is this intended to change anyone's views, anyway? I didn't send you slanted emails about how terrible Bush was when he was in office, even though...well, look where he led us. Obama hasn't even been in charge for a year and he inherited too many problems to solve in that amount of time. He's still on damage control.
I'm glad people are deciding to keep tabs on the government now, finally, but they should have done that 6 years ago, before we got into a large part of this mess. It seems people did not start caring or asking hard questions until it personally affected their wallets, and by then it was too late to stop it. I have been cringing at this trainwreck since 2003, and there is no reason (besides neglect) that anyone should be surprised at the state of this country after 8 years of the Bush administration. On top of all the bad decisions, many of them were blatant criminals, and there is numerous evidence (and court cases) to support that. So before anyone criticizes what we have now, they should first take a good, hard look at what we had before him and compare notes as fairly as possible. They obviously weren't paying attention at the time.
Ah, that felt good. :)
Thanks"
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Opening the floodgates
I am in a sentimental mood today, prompted by a lullaby that my mom used to sing, my grandma's old coffee mug, a discussion about work (past and present), a drive past some recent breakfast locations. They remind me of the trials and tribulations of childhood and early adulthood and how much they have shaped who I am today. I was on the verge of tears at irregular intervals through most of the day--tears of gratitude and nostalgia, though.
Come to think of it, maybe I know where this is coming from, or at least where it started. A relatively insignificant issue got under my skin, and after some introspection, I realized it was because I was uncomfortable with the principles behind it. In fact, it touched on principles that have been subconsciously haunting me and holding me back for a very long time. It resulted in one of the most candid and significant conversations of my life, probably. Talking about my revelation did not miraculously make it go away, but just verbally acknowledging it made a difference. On top of that, I watched The Notebook last night--the last 20 minutes the first time it was on tv, and then the entire thing the second time it was on. Overall, it's still a little too sappy and dramatic for my taste, but I've seen it maybe three times and the stuff at the end never fails to make me cry! Maybe it's all an invitation to open the floodgates...
Come to think of it, maybe I know where this is coming from, or at least where it started. A relatively insignificant issue got under my skin, and after some introspection, I realized it was because I was uncomfortable with the principles behind it. In fact, it touched on principles that have been subconsciously haunting me and holding me back for a very long time. It resulted in one of the most candid and significant conversations of my life, probably. Talking about my revelation did not miraculously make it go away, but just verbally acknowledging it made a difference. On top of that, I watched The Notebook last night--the last 20 minutes the first time it was on tv, and then the entire thing the second time it was on. Overall, it's still a little too sappy and dramatic for my taste, but I've seen it maybe three times and the stuff at the end never fails to make me cry! Maybe it's all an invitation to open the floodgates...
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Going Rogue
My good friend Sarah Palin's book came out today! Remember, Christmas is just around the corner, which means that...someone might be running out of wood for their fireplace and paper burns well? You know, whenever I hear "going rogue," I think about this SNL skit. Tina Fey starts "going rogue" 1:30 from the end:
Do you think Sarah meant to reference the joke? Me neither, but I'm laughing anyway. She's like a caricature of herself. I can't imagine that people actually take her seriously and that I work with some of those people. I think she is an embarrassment to women in politics. *sigh* Enough already.
What else do I need to rant about? Oh! The new recommendations for breast cancer screenings! Terrible. I'd rather be safe than sorry, thanks. My mom was 45 when she was diagnosed, so if she would have waited until 50 for a mammogram, it probably would have been too late. It seems that money is trumping lives in their analysis. Not a good trend.
...Well, I just spent the rest of my night talking to my sister, since it had been probably a few weeks, and now it's time for bed. Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite! (side note: That was the "good night" exchange with my parents when I was little, but does anyone say that anymore?)
Do you think Sarah meant to reference the joke? Me neither, but I'm laughing anyway. She's like a caricature of herself. I can't imagine that people actually take her seriously and that I work with some of those people. I think she is an embarrassment to women in politics. *sigh* Enough already.
What else do I need to rant about? Oh! The new recommendations for breast cancer screenings! Terrible. I'd rather be safe than sorry, thanks. My mom was 45 when she was diagnosed, so if she would have waited until 50 for a mammogram, it probably would have been too late. It seems that money is trumping lives in their analysis. Not a good trend.
...Well, I just spent the rest of my night talking to my sister, since it had been probably a few weeks, and now it's time for bed. Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite! (side note: That was the "good night" exchange with my parents when I was little, but does anyone say that anymore?)
Monday, November 16, 2009
That light was not a train
About this time last year, I was putting my life back together. See Exhibit A. I am rather amused, because that "old friend" turned into a boyfriend and that two month temp job turned into a year long temp job and a soon-to-be permanent one. No "train" in sight!
I count today as a more official one year anniversary, I guess, but we're doing something tomorrow instead (skipping taiko, shhh...). Dinner, maybe? It doesn't really matter. I see it as a nod to how far we have come, as a couple and individually, though I can only speak for myself. I knew it had potential, but it was hard to get it off the ground when I was just losing a job and he was just gaining a business. When we gave it another try this time last year, I was thinking that I didn't have much more to lose and at least it would stop me from wondering "what if?" I finally decided that I needed to take a real risk for a relationship, and here we are 12 months later. I guess it never stops being a risk, does it? It seems to be worth it, anyway, and I would say that it still has potential. (I figure relationships, much like people, don't stop having potential until they have either had a long time to mature or they cease to exist.)
Also, tomorrow is the year anniversary of my interview for my current job. I started there a week later, the week of Thanksgiving. All of this seems like it happened forever ago. Growing pains, I guess, similar to the way that first through eighth grade seemed like it went in slow motion compared to high school and college. Maybe I'm getting ready to graduate! Whatever that means. At least I can finally stop holding my breath and start breathing a little easier.
I count today as a more official one year anniversary, I guess, but we're doing something tomorrow instead (skipping taiko, shhh...). Dinner, maybe? It doesn't really matter. I see it as a nod to how far we have come, as a couple and individually, though I can only speak for myself. I knew it had potential, but it was hard to get it off the ground when I was just losing a job and he was just gaining a business. When we gave it another try this time last year, I was thinking that I didn't have much more to lose and at least it would stop me from wondering "what if?" I finally decided that I needed to take a real risk for a relationship, and here we are 12 months later. I guess it never stops being a risk, does it? It seems to be worth it, anyway, and I would say that it still has potential. (I figure relationships, much like people, don't stop having potential until they have either had a long time to mature or they cease to exist.)
Also, tomorrow is the year anniversary of my interview for my current job. I started there a week later, the week of Thanksgiving. All of this seems like it happened forever ago. Growing pains, I guess, similar to the way that first through eighth grade seemed like it went in slow motion compared to high school and college. Maybe I'm getting ready to graduate! Whatever that means. At least I can finally stop holding my breath and start breathing a little easier.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
The Happiness Hypothesis
I am in the middle of reading a social psychology book called The Happiness Hypothesis: Modern Truth In Ancient Wisdom, and it's pretty interesting. The book examines all kinds of research related to the positive psychology movement, which is...well, it's hard to explain right now. The only problem with reading this is that I find myself pausing in the middle of chapters just to think about what I'm reading and expand on it, which means it's taking longer than expected. I wish I could write a dissertation on more topics than I can count, but I don't know where to begin. I guess I will begin by saying that most of the book offers wisdom that I discovered on my own just in the past year or so and conclude that I don't have enough time or words to write it all here. It took the author 250 pages, after all. I'm pretty sure you can find some pieces of it in my previous blog posts, though.
As a bonus, I found out that adversity is usually most beneficial between the ages of 15 and 25. People older than 30 disproportionately recall events in that time as the most important and vivid events of their lives, because that's when life blooms and we make many of the decisions that will define our lives. The book says, "If there is a special period for identity formation, a time when life events are going to have the biggest influence on the rest of the life-story, this is it." It's scary and empowering at the same time, since I am at the tail end of that window. I have overcome that adversity, though, and the difficulties of the past two years have dramatically changed who I am today. Of course, we all change throughout our lives to some degree, but if this has become my foundation, I can live with that.
I swear the last two years feel more like five, at least. On one hand, I wish I would have had the option of pacing myself, but on the other hand, it would not have been as effective. Dealing with practically everything at the same time forced me to see things in a new way. I found an inner strength that I think will stay with me for the rest of my life, and while I will never have all the answers to life's questions, I have deciphered some pretty valuable ones already. Off the top of my head and in no particular order, I would count these as the most important:
1. Balance is key, and you could not truly appreciate the good without the bad, anyway.
2. Nurturing bonds with people will make you happier than money or status ever could.
3. Your life is what your thoughts make it.
4. Life won't follow a script, so don't attempt to make one. Focus on the present, keep one eye on the future, and see where it takes you.
5. Success in life hinges on your ability to cope with change and work with difficult people.
6. Stepping (or jumping) out of your comfort zone is almost always worth it.
7. Know yourself and be true to who you are. You can spend a lifetime figuring it out.
That covers most of what I've learned in recent years, I think. Not too shabby.
As a bonus, I found out that adversity is usually most beneficial between the ages of 15 and 25. People older than 30 disproportionately recall events in that time as the most important and vivid events of their lives, because that's when life blooms and we make many of the decisions that will define our lives. The book says, "If there is a special period for identity formation, a time when life events are going to have the biggest influence on the rest of the life-story, this is it." It's scary and empowering at the same time, since I am at the tail end of that window. I have overcome that adversity, though, and the difficulties of the past two years have dramatically changed who I am today. Of course, we all change throughout our lives to some degree, but if this has become my foundation, I can live with that.
I swear the last two years feel more like five, at least. On one hand, I wish I would have had the option of pacing myself, but on the other hand, it would not have been as effective. Dealing with practically everything at the same time forced me to see things in a new way. I found an inner strength that I think will stay with me for the rest of my life, and while I will never have all the answers to life's questions, I have deciphered some pretty valuable ones already. Off the top of my head and in no particular order, I would count these as the most important:
1. Balance is key, and you could not truly appreciate the good without the bad, anyway.
2. Nurturing bonds with people will make you happier than money or status ever could.
3. Your life is what your thoughts make it.
4. Life won't follow a script, so don't attempt to make one. Focus on the present, keep one eye on the future, and see where it takes you.
5. Success in life hinges on your ability to cope with change and work with difficult people.
6. Stepping (or jumping) out of your comfort zone is almost always worth it.
7. Know yourself and be true to who you are. You can spend a lifetime figuring it out.
That covers most of what I've learned in recent years, I think. Not too shabby.
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
Good news and bad news
I am just a bundle of conflicting emotions today, for a number of reasons. For starters, I found out that they are going to hire me full-time at my current job, starting January 1. That's good news, really, because it means I will actually have job security, a salary, and cheap health insurance. Plus, it's a very low stress job, I basically set my own schedule and do my own thing, and I can always count on leaving on time. The work is finally getting more interesting, too, and I am being pulled in on projects in almost all the departments. I am particularly excited about doing illustration and upcoming web design work, since I didn't have that many opportunities for that at my old job. In those respects, it's pretty ideal.
At the same time, I'm kind of sad. It means I will have to go back to working on Wednesdays and Fridays, which I haven't done since...wow, May of 2008, when I worked enough hours for a consistent 6 day work week. (I was laid off in mid-June, but it was the day I got back from two weeks in Australia.) I'm definitely going to miss those days off, but I guess I'm finally to the point where I am missing the extra money a little bit more. The job is still not as challenging as I would like it to be, but in this economy, I'll take what I can get. This means I'm locked in for a little while. I'm not planning on being there forever, though, maybe just another year or so.
I have other things on my mind, too. For example, I had a pretty scary dream last night about a grizzly bear that terrorized a boy scout event at some fancy hotel. No one actually got hurt, but weird things happened and I woke up wondering how that could be interpreted. Here's what I found: "A bear in a dream is a very rich and complicated dream symbol. In order to understand it, objective association need to be made. Bears are solitary animals and the females are solitary mothers. They hibernate in a cave and they are generally not predatory animals. A bear is only aggressive when provoked, and as such times he is dangerous and deadly. Bears in dreams may represent a period of introspection and depression. However, this may be a part of a healing cycle, where the dreamer has retreated into himself in order to regenerate and in order to create something new and valuable in his life. Do you feel that something needs protecting or is there something you are protecting? Do you feel you are in any sort of danger from some powerful force?" Hmm, very interesting. Interpret away.
What else? Oh, I have been taking advantage of this gorgeous weather. On Friday, I went to a bar with bocce ball outside, and it was fun. Saturday I spent all day (1:30pm-2am) traveling to and from Osage Beach (3+ hours) and playing taiko--it was kind of an off day for me all around and it put me in a bad mood, but I guess that's okay sometimes. Sunday I had lunch outside at a packed Fast Eddie's and saw the Michael Jackson movie later--both were pretty entertaining. Right now I'm just hanging out, still feeling a little torn and uneasy about pretty much everything. I know what will help, but I can't do anything about it for at least another day or two. Until then, I'm going to find some more distractions.
At the same time, I'm kind of sad. It means I will have to go back to working on Wednesdays and Fridays, which I haven't done since...wow, May of 2008, when I worked enough hours for a consistent 6 day work week. (I was laid off in mid-June, but it was the day I got back from two weeks in Australia.) I'm definitely going to miss those days off, but I guess I'm finally to the point where I am missing the extra money a little bit more. The job is still not as challenging as I would like it to be, but in this economy, I'll take what I can get. This means I'm locked in for a little while. I'm not planning on being there forever, though, maybe just another year or so.
I have other things on my mind, too. For example, I had a pretty scary dream last night about a grizzly bear that terrorized a boy scout event at some fancy hotel. No one actually got hurt, but weird things happened and I woke up wondering how that could be interpreted. Here's what I found: "A bear in a dream is a very rich and complicated dream symbol. In order to understand it, objective association need to be made. Bears are solitary animals and the females are solitary mothers. They hibernate in a cave and they are generally not predatory animals. A bear is only aggressive when provoked, and as such times he is dangerous and deadly. Bears in dreams may represent a period of introspection and depression. However, this may be a part of a healing cycle, where the dreamer has retreated into himself in order to regenerate and in order to create something new and valuable in his life. Do you feel that something needs protecting or is there something you are protecting? Do you feel you are in any sort of danger from some powerful force?" Hmm, very interesting. Interpret away.
What else? Oh, I have been taking advantage of this gorgeous weather. On Friday, I went to a bar with bocce ball outside, and it was fun. Saturday I spent all day (1:30pm-2am) traveling to and from Osage Beach (3+ hours) and playing taiko--it was kind of an off day for me all around and it put me in a bad mood, but I guess that's okay sometimes. Sunday I had lunch outside at a packed Fast Eddie's and saw the Michael Jackson movie later--both were pretty entertaining. Right now I'm just hanging out, still feeling a little torn and uneasy about pretty much everything. I know what will help, but I can't do anything about it for at least another day or two. Until then, I'm going to find some more distractions.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Accents
The UK Daily Mail asked 5,000 women to rank the sexiest accents, and the Irish won! I definitely agree, but I didn't know so many other women agreed with me. Here are the top 10, as reported:
1. Irish
2. Italian
3. Scottish
4. French
5. Australian
6. English
7. Swedish
8. Spanish
9. Welsh
10. American
I would put them in this order, though:
1. Irish
2. English
3. Spanish
4. Australian
5. French
6. Italian
(I can't think of 4 more to put on the list.)
The study also found that 60% of women had allowed themselves to be seduced by a man just because of his accent! Interesting. Where are these women meeting these guys with accents, anyway? Actually, come to think of it, I find foreign guys right here at home, or rather, they find me. I seem to appeal to a disproportionate percentage of Central/Eastern European and African guys, but I can't say that they have ever seduced me. I guess their accents aren't sexy enough.
Speaking of accents, I just read that newborn babies cry in their native tongues! Their melodies reflect the patterns in that language, and they think it's because babies are trying to imitate the mother in order to foster bonding. The researchers conjecture that the development of spoken language is rooted in melody, too, and that music and language might have co-evolved and share a primal form of communication system. That's pretty cool. I wonder if that explains the inherent appeal of musicians, too...
1. Irish
2. Italian
3. Scottish
4. French
5. Australian
6. English
7. Swedish
8. Spanish
9. Welsh
10. American
I would put them in this order, though:
1. Irish
2. English
3. Spanish
4. Australian
5. French
6. Italian
(I can't think of 4 more to put on the list.)
The study also found that 60% of women had allowed themselves to be seduced by a man just because of his accent! Interesting. Where are these women meeting these guys with accents, anyway? Actually, come to think of it, I find foreign guys right here at home, or rather, they find me. I seem to appeal to a disproportionate percentage of Central/Eastern European and African guys, but I can't say that they have ever seduced me. I guess their accents aren't sexy enough.
Speaking of accents, I just read that newborn babies cry in their native tongues! Their melodies reflect the patterns in that language, and they think it's because babies are trying to imitate the mother in order to foster bonding. The researchers conjecture that the development of spoken language is rooted in melody, too, and that music and language might have co-evolved and share a primal form of communication system. That's pretty cool. I wonder if that explains the inherent appeal of musicians, too...
Monday, November 2, 2009
Paint A Rainbow In Your Heart
ook at this cool drop cap! Okay, you might not be as impressed as I am, but if you are, go here. Pretty fancy, huh? It's a little wonky in the actual post, though, and I don't know why. (Note to self: Find more reasons to say "wonky"...also, "scandalous.") Well, I guess this means I should fill the rest of this blog with something.Halloween was nice. I gave out soda at my parents house (70ish kids!) and then went to the Central West End. The CWE was ridiculously crowded, but it was fun to dress up and people-watch. I stood next to the crazy dancing lady during the costume contest AND got a picture with her. She is a local celebrity as far as I'm concerned, but I'm surprised at the amount of people that don't know about her (him?). I see her at festivals and free concerts ALL over St. Louis, and I even saw her at the art fair in Belleville! My friend asked what that said about the places I visit. Ha, good point, but I don't think music and art festivals are that unusual. I just like to go to outdoor events, like a crazy lady in training. Maybe those friends just need to get out more.
My favorite group costume was Rainbow Brite and friends (purple girl, blue guy, Gloomy)! I would be Rainbow Brite if I could figure out the costume. I used to watch the show and I had a book on tape that I read/listened to all the time, especially on road trips (that and Ghostbusters). I was obsessed with the "Paint A Rainbow In Your Heart" song that played at the end. The version I listened to was sung by a woman (not these kids) and it was better than this youtube one--believe it or not--but you get the idea. Try to make it through the whole thing just once, I dare ya...and I'm pretty sure the adult version was longer than this:
They just came out with Rainbow Brite "fashion dolls" and updated her appearance. Why can't they leave her as a cute, slightly chubby little girl, though? It's like kids are encouraged to look like mini adults or at least teenagers these days, and it's kind of sad.
I digress. Where was I? Oh, Halloween. Um...that's about it.
I'm watching the news because they're talking about those pesky asian beetles, and there is one in my house! It's in my room, to be exact, but I only know it's there when it's up by the light. Apparently they bite, but I'm okay so far. :-/ They say you're not supposed to kill them, either, because that attracts another kind of beetle that eats fabric. Their advice? "If they're not in your house, leave them alone." Great, except they never say what to do if they are in your house. At least he's kind of cute, much cuter than spiders....Ooh awesome, now there's a little girl holding a "God Hates Fags" sign. *Click* Ah, The Daily Show.
Is it a full moon? (YES! I just checked.) I ask because I really noticed that most people were driving like total crap today. In one instance, I was driving 50 in the slow lane on the highway behind 5 cars, and there was a guy to my right whose lane was ending. Now, normally I would slow down and let the person in, but I was already going so slow already that I figured that was his move. Aren't the people merging supposed to be the ones adjusting their speed, anyway? Plus, he didn't bother to put on his blinker, which I assume means he didn't want to get over. (Lack of a blinker is my biggest pet peeve when driving, yet I'm the one with the ticket for not using my blinker that ONE TIME! I swear.) Well, I just kept my pace,so he had to slow down and pull in behind me. I looked in my rear view mirror and saw him give me the finger, slowly, like it was rising from the top of the steering wheel. I laughed, but felt more compelled to blow him a kiss than to return the finger as he sped past me. I didn't do either, but I wonder how he would have reacted. Maybe I'll let you know what happens the...uh, next time someone seriously gives me the finger? Scandalous!
p.s. If you live in St. Louis County, don't forget to vote on the smoking ban tomorrow!
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