| Research Halp! |
[Nov. 24th, 2009|01:53 pm] |
Does anyone know how to say "I'm sorry" or, alternately, "I fucked up" in floriography?
It's research for this year's NaNo novel...don't ask.
I need to get my hands on a copy of The Language of Flowers. Wikipedia has about a hundred different ways of expressing love via floriography but nothing that says "I screwed up, please don't dump me," or even a simple "I'm sorry."
*looks at the list again* I guess I could go with marigolds, those are for pain and grief apparently. If anyone comes up with a better answer please halp! |
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| Oh yeah, I've been watching waaaaay too much MST3K |
[Nov. 19th, 2009|11:12 pm] |
You know how I can tell?
We were watching Luther, a film about--who else?--Martin Luther, in history class today. I actually recommend this film to everyone out there. It's got Joseph Fiennes in it, who is a very intense actor, and the writing is excellent. The dialogue is just great and the actor who plays the little old German prince? OMG, cutest little old man ever. It's like if someone's beloved old grandfather was running part of Saxony, that's how adorable this guy is. But I digress.
We got to the part in the film where one of the cardinals has basically implied that it wouldn't be utterly unfortunate if something were to "happen" to Luther on his way back to Wittenburg. So Luther and one of his monk friends are on their way back home when suddenly the imperial guards that are escorting them decide to up and leave. There's Luther and Expendable Monk #2 sitting in the wagon all by themselves with only one horse, it's night time, everything is dark and eerie, and they find themselves suddenly abandoned by the people who are supposed to be protecting them.
In a very nervous voice, Expendable Monk #2 says: Why have they left us?
And I came this close. *holds up two fingers* This close to crying out in my best Admiral Ackbar voice, "IT'S A TRAAAAAAP!"
I have the self control of a freaking saint. |
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| Holy crap! |
[Nov. 18th, 2009|12:13 pm] |
There's actually a good band playing at my school right now. Go figure. I'm sitting in the foot court and can hear them just outside. Good basist. The singer's not bad either.
Too bad I have to go to class in 35 minutes :P |
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| No guys allowed |
[Nov. 13th, 2009|04:22 am] |
Boys, you really, reeeeally don't wanna read this. Just trust me and turn away now. Placed behind a cut to save you from girly grossness.
Girls may read on, provided they don't mind hearing about another woman's feminine hygiene.
( Read more... )
Aaaaand that's all |
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| What the hell? |
[Nov. 9th, 2009|08:42 pm] |
I just saw an ad in the corner of my yahoo page that went something like this:
"Vampires sparkle in sunlight
But HPV shows no signs
HPV can lead to cervical cancer
Get the facts at HPV.com"
Whaaaaaaaaat? O.o
You're using teen vampires to spread awareness about human papilloma virus? Really?
Why?
Wait...nevermind. I don't want to know. |
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| Twue Wuv... |
[Nov. 2nd, 2009|12:19 pm] |
So I'm about halfway through William Goldman's The Princess Bride. It took me forever to get around to reading this one because I was busy reading other things and never could find my mom's copy in the house. That being said,
I love this book.
This book is beautiful. This is a book that every writer should read. I love this book so much I want to frame it and put it on my wall.
Ok, maybe not that last one. But it is really, really good and if you're like me and just haven't gotten around to reading it yet I highly suggest you do. If anything it will make you appreciate the movie so much more.
This book is freaking brilliant. |
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| Huh boy... |
[Oct. 13th, 2009|04:22 pm] |
This post is probably going to be kind of whiny and I apologize in advance.
So today I went to History 334 and there was Oversensitive Man. Waiting just for me. -_- He gave me a piece of paper to read that he wrote himself that said something on the order of "This is carbon paper. If you write on the top part it will go on the bottom, please number each page" etc. It was much more complicated and nonsensical than that but I got the general idea. Then at the bottom of the paper is a small paragraph that says, "Can you please give me your name and number and times to contact you?" Since I can't see any way of getting out of this one I write down my number and first name at the bottom of the paper and hand it back to him, but make sure to let him know that my cell phone is broken and he probably wont be able to reach me until next week.
Then I hand him the notes that I copied over the weekend. They only came out to a dollar ninety-eight (double sided) and I tell him this when he asks how much they were. He then proceeds to hand me a twenty, saying that all he has is twenties (I saw a five in there, Mister) and insists that I take it and use it to buy gas or something. I tell him again that it's not necessary to give me money for sharing notes (even though I really need money, taking it from this guy doesn't feel right) and ask if I can bring him change on Thursday. He says yes but it doesn't need to be exact. So now I have to remember to go to the bank and make change for twenty dollars -_-
Edit (6:49 pm): I forgot to mention that as this was all going on just outside the classroom, Oversensitive Man decides to point out Random Guy and say, "Do you know him?" Random Guy sits in the front seat in the row next to Oversensitive Man. Random Guy is actually kind of annoying, but still not as annoying as Oversensitive Man. I don't know his name or anything about him other than the fact that he's in my History 334 class and sits in the front. He's standing outside the door and off to the side and looks up at me and Oversensitive Man with the same expression of WTF that I have.
I look at Random Guy and say, "Uh, no, not by name."
"But do you know him?" Oversensitive Man asks again.
I thought we already established that the answer was no? "Not outside of this class, no."
"Oh, cause he's always looking at you like he knows you."
Riiiiiiiiight. I think Oversensitive Man might be a little special. Also, how can he always be looking at me if he sits in the front and I sit behind him? Wouldn't that be kind of obvious? Anyway, back to your regularly scheduled WTF.
So I tried out the carbon paper and it just didn't work for me. In order to get any kind of visible impression on the bottom page I had to press down with my pen, which hurt my wrist and, incidentally, made me write slower. So about halfway through the first page of carbon paper I gave up and started writing two sets of notes on my own paper and the top sheet of the carbon paper. After class, I told Oversensitive Man that I wouldn't be able to use the carbon paper for the above reasons and that I'd just made two sets of notes instead. I told him I could either continue to make him photocopies of my notes or simultaneously write two sets of notes in class. He insisted that the latter would be too hard and that he would be ok with my photocopying them as long as he could get them all by Thursday. Which means that he and I would have to go to the library on Thursdays after class so I could copy my notes for that day. Honestly, this would be a bit of a pain in the ass because when I'm done with class I want to go home, I don't want to stick around.
I don't want to sound like an asshole, but I find myself really not wanting to be Oversensitive Man's note taker. I caught myself thinking passive agressive thoughts like intentionally making my handwriting messier and drawing inappropriate doodles in the margins. But that's something my dad would do, and I honestly try not to act out his passive agressive tendencies. I am trying to think of ways to make this easier on myself or get out of note taking entirely. I don't mind helping out a fellow student, but I don't want to be someone's secretary. One option is to find out if he has a fax machine or a computer, in which case I could just fax my notes to him or scan and email them no problem. That would leave me free to go home right after class, I wouldn't hurt my wrist, and I wouldn't have to rush making two sets of notes. If he doesn't have either of those I'm considering telling him that I have a disability myself (I do, chronic asthma) which can often leave me exhausted, jittery, and with certain side effects from medications that can result in me falling behind. So in short, I may not be the best note taker for him.
All those things are true by the way, although they don't usually effect me too terribly in areas I'm already good at like History and English. But even then, if I fall just a little behind it takes me quite a while to catch up again. So what do you guys think? How do I blow off Oversensitive Man without sounding like an insensitive jerk? |
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| It's raining! |
[Oct. 13th, 2009|10:13 am] |
I'm sitting here trying to remember the last time it rained in October. Probably not since I was at least eighteen or younger.
Even though I'm not at Pt. Fermin I can tell you that right now God is pissed. She hates rainy day schedules and having to sit inside with the kids at lunch time. I'm sure she also hates not being able to have her usual cigarette break. Lunch time wont be until about 11:30, but even if the rain stops the kids wont be able to go outside and play because they might slip in a puddle or something.
On the one hand we could certainly use the rainfall here. California's kind of been catching on fire recently so some moisture is a good thing. But then again rain also means the likely possibility of landslides. Cause...you know...Southern California is kind of a dessert. We just can't win.
I did manage to coax Obie inside and out of the rain. Hopefully he'll be content to stay in my room where it's warm while I'm in class. I'm going to try and leave about an hour earlier than I usually do and get a cup of coffee once I get there and just study until class starts. So I'm gonna get going.
Laters all. Enjoy the rain! |
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| Erm...Stranger Danger? |
[Oct. 9th, 2009|11:15 pm] |
So there's this guy in one of my history classes who shall henceforth be referred to as Oversensitive Man. Oversensitive Man got his name when one day, in History 334: Emergence of Modern America, he lashed out defensively when my professor used the term "these people"...in reference to the veterans of World War I. This came up in discussion because the last English veteran of WWI had died recently, having only begun to talk about his experiences during the war a few years before his death. My professor mentioned that WWI was a very important historical event and first person accounts were not only fascinating but vital to the preservation of history. She then went on to say that we were losing "these people", meaning of course the people that were alive during the first world war.
At the use of this term Oversensitive Man looked up sharply and said, "What do you mean, 'these people'?"
To which my professor replied, "Oh, these people, these veterans who lived through World War I."
Oversensitive man countered, "Well, it's kind of discriminatory."
"Pardon?"
"Well, it's like saying, 'these Black people,' 'these Hispanic people,' 'these Asian people,'..."
To which the entire class replied, "o.O"
The professor then clarified, "Well in this case it means 'these dead people,'" followed by, "Is everyone ok with that?"
"Yeeeeeess," we all replied, many of us still making the O.o face.
Since then Oversensitive Man has said other dumb things, but nothing quite as dumb as that. Now that you have all been introduced to Oversensitive Man it's time for me to explain why this entry is titled Stranger Danger.
So yesterday (Thursday) I got to History 334 just a few minutes before class started. I'm usually there a full ten to fifteen minutes before class but I hadn't gotten the chance to eat anything that morning and luckily the professor for my class right before History 334 let us out fifteen minutes early so I had half an hour to grab something to eat. I scarfed down a couple slices of pizza and hurried off to my next class.
I came in and sat down in my usual seat, towards the middle of the room and three seats from the front. Oversensitive Man sits in the front seat, two seats ahead of me with one seat between us. So I sit down and start to open up my laptop, which has the reading assignment from the night before, and pull out my notebook and a couple of pens. As I am setting up, Oversensitive man is scribbling something in front of me. He turns around and passes me his notepad.
Wtf is this? I think to myself as he passes the notebook over. I glance down at see that Oversensitive Man has scrawled in big letters: Can I please borrow your notes? I have a disability.
"Oh, sure," I reply, not really thinking much of the latter portion of his note. "Which day?" I ask.
Oversensitive Man takes his notebook back and writes some more while I continue starting up my computer. He turns back around and shows me his notebook again. This time it says: I don't know which days. My disability is I am afraid of people. Can I talk to you after class?
For a moment I wonder how being shy is considered a disability and wonder why he's writing on his notepad when the professor has not yet arrived and everyone else is talking casually. But I nod my head and say, "Sure," still caught up in the hurry of getting to class and making sure I have all my materials.
Oversensitive Man smiles giddily and turns back to the front. A moment later it occurs to me that for someone who is afraid of people he sure talks out in class and addresses the professor a lot. For some reason this makes me feel very uncomfortable and I start to wonder what I've gotten myself into.
Time passes and class finally comes to an end. I go up to the front of the room to retrieve my test from the previous class and find that I scored much better than I thought I did. Go Dr. Loeb for giving partial credit! Woo! I then stand by Oversensitive Man's desk to find out exactly which day(s) he needs notes for.
He tells me he needs to borrow all of them.
"I...all of them?" I certainly don't mind sharing notes with my classmates, even the weird ones. I would hope that most of them would do the same for me. But something in me is very reluctant to part with more than a couple pages over the weekend. Parting with all of the notes that I have for the semester so far? When I don't have any other copies? That's a bad idea.
So I tell Oversensitive Man that since the midterm is on Thursday I could copy them for him and bring them on Tuesday. He asks me if I'm sure, to which I reply that it shouldn't be too much of a problem. He then tries to give me money for the copies. I tell him that really it's ok, I don't mind doing it. He continues to thrust money at me, and not in an "Oh please, I insist," sort of way but in a "take it!" sort of way. I think he actually did say "Take it!" once or twice. I tell him again that's all right and that if he still wants to pay me he can give me some money on Tuesday when I get a receipt for how much the copies were. He finally relents and starts to ask me some more questions about notes. Then he looks up and asks if we can go outside.
At this point my alarm bells are staring to resonate and the way he says it makes me think, Ohhhh nonononono. You had better not start hitting on me, Oversensitive Man. But since class is over anyway we step outside and I wait for him to tell me what he wants.
He asks if I could be his note taker for the class and it's then that I remember Dr. Loeb asking if anyone would be willing to take notes for a student in the class. I've had other professors make the request before and while I've thought about doing it in the past I've always declined because since about tenth grade my writing has been some weird cross between Elizabethan script and cursive. Most people can read it, but it confuses some and I've always felt that my notes fell into an order that only I could understand. So I show Oversensitive Man some of my writing and he seems to be able to read it so I tell him I'll give it a shot.
He explains that his last note taker didn't work out somehow. I didn't really understand what he was trying to say but it seemed like she gave him the notes by week instead of every day or something like that. I could be completely wrong, but that's more or less what I managed to comprehend. He says he can bring me some carbon paper that the office gives note takers to use so they don't have to make two copies by hand. I tell him I'll try it out and see if it works.
He then offers to buy me lunch in return for taking his notes and I continue to decline. Something about the idea and the way he insists on it makes me uncomfortable and besides that, I usually eat before coming to class on Tuesdays and Thursdays so there wouldn't be much point. At this point we go our separate ways.
Maybe he was just trying to be friendly. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. I still don't understand how being shy is a disability, especially when he's seemed to have no trouble talking out in class. But then again he may not have wanted to tell me what his disability is and truthfully I don't really need to know. But something in his manner made me uncomfortable. Perhaps because he's around thirty-something and it seemed like he was trying to be a little too friendly. In any case I think I will start being more friendly with my other classmate Tim, who is very tall and a boxer and happens to think I'm cute.
And now I go put on a clean duvet cover and go to sleep. Nighters. |
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| (no subject) |
[Oct. 5th, 2009|09:55 pm] |
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Only 166 pages to go until I finish Upton Sinclair's The Jungle. God damn, this book is depressing. |
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| God damn you, Dog. |
[Oct. 3rd, 2009|05:06 pm] |
Rob has peed in not one, not two, but four different places. And I mopped all the floors just yesterday.
Why can't my parents Richard pick a dog that doesn't pee on everything?
Grrr.
*goes to look for a low cost spay/neuter clinic* |
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| Anna Russell is love. |
[Sep. 23rd, 2009|08:48 pm] |
This woman is just awesome. My mom first introduced me to her when I was about 14 and I've loved her ever since. Now she's on youtube! Spread the love.
I think what I love most about her is not just her musical genius but the fact that she grew up to look exactly like my mental image of Nanny Ogg.
Parts two and three here:
Part 2
Part 3 |
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| Oh Bats Day, I miss you so... |
[Sep. 6th, 2009|11:32 am] |
Maybe it's because Halloween is next month, but I find myself yearning for Bats Day. Last year with the kids was so much fun and I'm thinking up new clothing ideas. Like shortening the skirt I wore last year and making it a little poofy and perhaps adding a bustle. Or even just making one of those pointy tutus for myself that I've been making for everyone else.
Bats Day used to be in August. And then in November. Now it's in May, which means I have to wait almost nine months for it to come round again. Pie on that.
x-posted to the blog. |
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| Sweet. |
[Sep. 5th, 2009|01:07 am] |
John Green summarizes America's health care overhaul via massive pig.
Oh yeah, I'm back home now. You guys should go check out the blog: http://theblueselkie.blogspot.com/ |
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| Faeries stole my bracelet :( |
[Aug. 21st, 2009|10:08 am] |
I can't find the silver Tolkein bracelet I wear all the time. I spent all night cleaning my room, completely emptied the area under my bed, my dresser, my jewelry box, my ceramic bowls that I throw random things in, my purse, all the pockets of my jeans, and the bathroom. Still no bracelet. Life is unfair.
And if it turns out it is lost forever, a new one would be $60. |
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| It's official. Barney Frank rocks |
[Aug. 20th, 2009|10:47 am] |
Hell yeah! |
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