Thursday, August 28, 2008

STATUS UPDATE!!

okay, watch this immediately.



pooooooooooke!

overheard on the bus: "manchester is, like, the cleveland of england."

today i shared the story about the guy who called me fat on the bus, and a friend who knows more than i do about such things goes, "B. that was supposed to be a compliment. he liked you, and that was his come-on." and i was also, apparently, being totally culturally insensitive in assuming that everyone has the same, you know, ring code that i do. for some people, every ring is meaningful...

gahhh. of course, he didn't say that i was being culturally insensitive. but it's like - i hate it when it turns out that i'm so much less open-minded and accepting than i thought.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

for posterity.

just so you all know the narrative i'm writing about all this.

b: so i was SO EXCITED to get your biden text message! 


k: yay! 


k: i'm SO excited he picked biden! it was an excellent choice 

b: i really want to tell my grandkids about this 


b: like, "THEN, i got a text message from aunt k!" 


b: and they'll be like, "don't you mean aunt SENATOR k?" 


b: (this is the part where i imagine what we'll be doing in 50 years, based on what we're doing now.) 


k: hahahahaha 


k: excellent! 

k: and then the grandkids will be like, what is a text message? why didn't you just communicate telepathically, or something

b: HAHAHAHA 

b: yes! 

b: i think i might blog this conversation. 


k: i'm for it

[still, the formatting eludes me.]

i can get so lost in adam duritz's blog. like, this one. i guess he doesn't post that much, but he's a rambler [as those of you who have ever, um, heard his music might know] and i love to see how he writes. read a lot of poetry today, looking for some stuff on symbol for the sacraments class. found this rockin one by anne sexton. not really applicable, but rockin. and hey, my favorite translation of neruda's soneto 17 is here in plagiarist.com's top 50. [if you're looking for a poem, this is kind of fun.]

so, this is great. women religious, faith and public policy, advocacy for the poor. the stuff linked from it [especially the comments on the original blog post] is not. i'm just - i mean, most of you know how i feel about this. i cannot stand it when people can only spew hate. yes, our beliefs are too important to lose. yes, these are big issues. but personal attacks? really? really, this is how we're living the christian life? 

Monday, August 25, 2008

round here.

aaand we're back to the falling off the back of the treadmill feeling. is this my life? ["is life like this? must novels be like this?"] i like it, but... there's something funny about it...

anyway, had a quick conversation with someone who's known me a long time.

b: i did too much work, unfortunately.
d: hm
d: somehow i am not surprised
b: really? am i THAT person?
b: boo.
d: well, no, not always
d: but it sounds very teacher-ish
d: you were the one, however, that taught me that people are more important than sleep
d: and by extension, people are more important than work
b: awww, that IS true. shoot.
d: so no, you are not a workaholic
d: but you are a teacher

so hey, that's nice to hear, right? i'm not sure how true it all is, but it's good to hear from someone who loves you. even if it's based on who you were years ago.

she's also the only friend who joins me in being legitimately excited that adam duritz is happily dating someone [after she said "he's always dating someone"]. happily, as in, "she's looking at you - i've already got a girl for me!" let's not think it's creepy that i know every live version of every song. like, oh, it's the "so you want to be a rock and roll star" intro to mr. jones! and i'm getting excited too soon!

Sunday, August 24, 2008

exciting times!


saw a tattooed, bike-riding hipster wearing this awesome shirt today, and i wanted to yell, "i know you got that shirt at the gap!" but then, you know, he would have known that i also shop at the gap. not that my polo shirt and denim skirt weren't already giving that away.

at school, i use a lot of old folders that the religion teacher before me left in my desk. the one i'm using currently says "Existence of God" - but that's crossed out, and next to it is written "Fun Day." what should i put in this folder?

so joe biden emailed me today to say, "Barack has the vision and the courage to bring real change to Washington. But even he can't do this alone." hehehe, EVEN he, yeah? i got a text message from a friend at 2:30 am to hear about biden, because i haven't signed up for the thing. i hear they sent it in the middle of the night because the news had already leaked. but i think it was a brilliant strategy, because it was so exciting!

Sunday, August 17, 2008

this is where we used to live

broke into the old apartment the other day. my life is very much like a barenaked ladies song.

okay, not really, but fedex told me that they had already delivered my football tickets (!!!) to the old address. i buzzed the guys who live there now, and they were like, "no, we don't have anything for you!" and i was peering in the window to the lobby, when who should happen by but lady with dog! the one who parks by the gate and is kind of mean!

lwd: you trying to get in?
b: yeah, i think i've seen you before [thinking that i've said hi to this lady before, awkwardly]. i used to live in the building and i think i had a package sent here...
lwd: i think i saw something here a couple days ago.
b: really?
lwd: yeah, and i was wondering about it, because i saw your name wasn't on the mailbox anymore.
b: [how do you know my name how do you know my name] well, shoot...
lwd: well, it's their responsibility! they shouldn't just leave it. raise hell!

so i did.

well, no. instead, i just let someone do an AWESOME GOOD DEED and send the envelope marked "notre dame ticket office" back to fedex. i mean, i was freaking out. but see? people are nice. or, we're going to be so bad this year that no one even wants to steal tickets.

of course, i had to drive to skokie to pick them up. first time in an i-go car, and i had a good time trying to explain to people from other cities what "you have to drive to skokie" sounds like to me.

here's something people aren't talking about enough - batman is FREAKING SCARY. i was afraid for two hours and forty-five minutes straight. you know when people are like, "heath ledger is sooo amazing as the joker"? what they mean is that he makes you want to hide. forever. i mean, he completely convinces me that he's a completely unpredictable evil genius. 

i feel kind of un-american about this, but i'm really annoyed with the airshow. i mean, i don't like having fighter jets fly over my house. is that okay?

Wednesday, August 13, 2008

well, they blew up the chicken man in philly last night...

david schwimmer: [as ross] i knew it! i KNEW i wasn't crazy! [laughs, breaks character] oh, poor ross...
lisa kudrow: [giggling uncontrollably] have you ever seen the show?

i think my favorite parts of the friends gag reel are when the guys make fun of each other when their voices crack.

today on npr, i heard this story on the theology of bruce springsteen. two interesting things, here. [NERD ALERT. warning warning.] first, the interviewer and the guy who wrote this book have a disagreement on whether the song "mary's place" is about the church community or about heaven. i want it to be about the church as the foretaste and presence of the kingdom of God. the both and, anybody? [can everyone tell that i spent time with some of my favorite theology nerds this weekend?] and i'd also like to talk about mary, of course. it's more of a catholic song than this unitarian minister is talking about - i mean, not that i blame him.

also, "the rising." the interviewer asks this minister, because he's said it's "an easter song," if the song's about resurrection. and he answers, "when i've heard springsteen sing 'the rising' more recently, it has started to sound more and more like a song of insurrection rather than a song of resurrection." whaaaat. YEAH it does. because what's a bigger insurrection than overcoming your own crucifixion? who else rebels by accepting evil rather than doing evil, and wins anyway? YEAH insurrection. 

anyway, put your makeup on, fix your hair up pretty, and meet me tonight in atlantic city.

and also, nice website, bruce springsteen! i appreciate it.

update to the last post: on the way home on megabus, my new seatmate ALSO asked me if i like my computer. guys. apple is a really successful company. ahead of pc in sales to college students. have these people really never met anyone who has one before?

Friday, August 08, 2008

i mean, literally.

jimmy john's guy: what's your name?
b: b. do you need my last name?
jjg: no, you're cool. it would be too personal. i just can't handle it.

so, today, i rode megabus. i had my computer in its case in my lap, i had my ipod on, and i had my eyes closed because i was trying to sleep. the lady next to me, however, TAPPED ME ON THE SHOULDER to start talking to me.

lntm: is that an apple computer?
b: yeah, it's really great.
lntm: [nods knowingly] do you like it?
b: yes, i love it.
lntm: oooh, but is it one of the really expensive ones?
b: no, the cheapest one they have.
lntm: i've been thinking of getting one...

[here, please keep in mind that i have my ipod on STILL. i am not budging an inch for this woman. incidentally, she is not budging an inch for me either and is determined to take up more than her seat.]

b: you should, it's totally worth it.
lntm: i don't know.
b: really, it's great.
lntm: i bet. my husband got me an ipod, and it's my favorite thing he's gotten me ever. i work at [wherever], you know, in a lab, and whenever people around me are talking and i want to do work, i just put it on!

um, oh. so then YOU KNOW what an ipod is for. i mean, what? i was literally trying to sleep.

i judged someone i just met for using "literally" inappropriately the other night. don't judge me.

i'm watching friends, the one where rachel eats all the spicy food to try to induce labor. i got really excited that she was eating tapatio, my favorite hot sauce. and then i realized that a) i notice what kind of foods fictional characters are eating, and b) i can recognize a tapatio label on a tiny computer dvd player screen. i'm quirky.

Wednesday, August 06, 2008

bah.

on the reds' ESPN page, this AP article is linked as "reds try to stop losing, hold players-only meeting."

ahhh, trying to stop losing. america's game.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

thrice!

yes, thrice [as in "have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets"] tonight, i started to say something that i had already posted on my blog. i am apparently boring. 

there goes my "slyly give away my extra books as birthday presents" plan. [oh, not really. i was in the middle of TELLING him about it, and he was like, "oh, i read this on your blog." better than the time someone told me i had to leave his cubicle so that he could read my blog instead of actually talking to me. i'm just saying.]

b: ken griffey! you belong in cincinnati! [shakes fist at TV]
cuuuute waiter: you know, he's lucky any team will take him.
b: oh, you mean because he's kind of a jerk and he's injured all the time?
cw: well yeah, because he's all, "oh, i was eating and i dropped my fork on my finger and now i'm out for three months."

now, you might think i was upset about the ken griffey hating. but actually, if you read between the lines, you'll see that i'll totally sell out ken griffey to talk to a cute waiter.

this one!

okay, this could keep me busy for a while. [oh, i'm sorry. this web-based computer application for creating pictures out of words could keep me busy for a while. jerk.]

wordle!

so i'm looking for a white file cabinet. i got a little disappointed when one of the first hits was from a blog about how they couldn't find a white file cabinet and painted theirs instead. but then i got into this blog, and doesn't it kind of sound like me? [i also write about how my blog is risque.]

okay, THIS SITE IS SO AWESOME. here's a wordle of my blog, guys. note that the most popular words are the biggest - haha, oops. i can't believe they let me be a teacher.


go ahead, make your own.

the move crushed the little fake diamond in my "diamond strength" nail polish. not a great sign.

Monday, August 04, 2008

it's like i'm unpacking... myself.

so, in the new apartment, i decided to alphabetize my books. nerdy, right? but also USEFUL.

i discovered that i have two copies of the a lot of books. por ejemplo - great expectations, the horse and his boy, prince caspian, the secret garden, narrative of the life of frederick douglass, catch-22 [which, annoyingly, i just bought because i didn't think i had it], little men, the chosen, orlando, the fledgling, and, weirdly, selected shorter writings of mark twain. i mean, who has two copies of selected shorter writings of mark twain?

along with, of course, three copies each of a separate peace, the scarlet letter, and huck finn. because why not.

and i'm keeping some of them. i mean, they were gifts, or the original is falling apart, or one's  a critical edition, or they both have VERY USEFUL notes in them. very useful. 

here's the thing i've been realizing lately - being a pack rat gets really annoying when you can't find something. like, i have multiple copies of the aforementioned books, but i can't find my copy of plato's symposium from sophomore year of college. now, if i were breezy and low-key, i could be like, "eh! i read that sophomore year, but of course i don't have it now!" but instead, i'm all, "dammit, why do i have EVERYTHING if i can't find the ONE THING I NEED?"

okay, if you haven't read the fledgling, you should know that it's one of my favorite books ever. i wrote my college application essay on it. it's about this girl who learns how to fly from a goose. and the goose can teach her, see, because she's so small for her age. [it's really more like gliding.] it takes place near the town where i grew up [i think that's why i got it as a gift], and between the rationalization of why she can fly and the realistic location, i remember thinking a lot about how it was possible to write something that seemed true but wasn't actually true. heyyy, fiction writing. and if you're thinking this all sounds really cheesy, well, do you remember college application essays?

i love that i get to have this kind of conversation with friends who work in DC.
b: how are ya?
k: doin ok
k: like, SO ready for recess

i still laugh at recess every time.

Friday, August 01, 2008

faith.randomthingsthathappentome.thecta

things i did for the first time this week:

1. gave a stranger a pen. he was on the phone like, "shoot, i don't have anything to write this down..." and i secretly looked through my purse and found a pen to give to him. he liked it. and, you know, i didn't realize until later that it was one of my favorite lasalle bank clicky pens. i hope he's enjoying it, because that's a great pen.

2. sent food back at a restaurant. but my burger wasn't really cooked so much. certainly not medium well, ahem. and i didn't want to eat it like that. i felt really weird about it, though.

3. drove in chicago. a lot. i miss the cta, but i certainly have a lot more time.

4. hired movers. so worth it.

so, you know. new experiences.

in baseball news i care about, ken griffey is moving here to be with me. or, as he says, to have "a chance to win." um, OUCH, ken. i thought we had something. no wonder you didn't really work out in the nati [as i've reported here and here], despite everything. [and, in a shoutout to my brother: "ever heard the song 'won't get fooled again'? ozzie guillen hasn't..."]

i joked today that i don't really talk about baseball much anymore, and an old friend said, "yeah, you don't really talk about reason, either."

and to that, i say - BOGUS.