Happy New Year's Eve Eve

I remember New Year's Eve last year, but I can't say as I recall New Year's Eve Eve last year. Strange, huh? Well, the reason I remember New Year's Eve is that I had to do laundry at the laundromat. And something bad happened. I've repressed most of the memory, but I do recall that something bad happened. And then I went to Subway with Beth and Jean. And the other Beth showed up. And her Subway gift card wouldn't work. Then my mom called and we went shopping. That's a pretty lousy memory, isn't it?

But the strange thing about this is that I can't seem to remember more important things. You know, things like what happened on New Year's Eve Eve last year. Why is it that I remember the New Year's Eve story that nobody really cares to hear? Eh well. Such is life.

Well, I'm happy to announce that my Spanish verbs book has come in! Sure, it's a little late, but who cares? And I finished The Road. Nothing like a little Cormac McCarthy to make a dreary day all the more dreary. This has been one of the bleakest Christmas-New Year's stretches that I can recall in the history of recorded time. It's almost a shame that I don't have Bleak House to reread. Or, I guess I could have checked out Ulysses from the University library again. I mean, sure I didn't get very far on it when I started it over the summer, but it's a big book. It could take a while to read. Plus, I don't see the book club suggesting it anytime soon, so to try to read it alongside the book club books and juggling all that with teaching/grading stuff? I'm worn out already.

And speaking of juggling, you should have seen me play the Wii at Jean's house the other day. I think the first thing she conned me into doing was Wii Juggling. Okay, so I can't even juggle in real life, so I'm not sure why I got cocky and thought I ever had a snowball's chance in heck to do Wii Juggling. Perhaps it's because I'm not bad at Wii: boxing, tennis, baseball, and bowling. Though I'm terrible at all those things in real life, save boxing, which I've never tried in real life, but you get my point.

Anyway, the juggling. So you have to balance on a beach ball thing while juggling. It was nigh onto impossible for me to do, so I moved on to other things. I think in just under two hours' time, I juggled, hula hooped, skiied, snowboarded, skateboarded, did martial arts, did step aerobics, and did some crazy game where I had to control a bird character. All I remember from the latter is Beth screaming, "FLAP HARDER! FLAP HARDER!" So when I flapped harder (looking a complete fool, I'm sure), I overshot the pole I was supposed to land on and heard Beth screaming, "STOP FLAPPING!" at which time I did, in fact, stop flapping, and my bird sunk into the ocean.

Good thing I'm not a bird.

Happy Birthday, Bob Weir!

I love celebrating celebrities' birthdays. I used to celebrate Fred Savage's and Buddy Holly's birthdays every year. I started celebrating John Lennon's quite some time ago, but this is my first year for celebrating Bob Weir's. My Bob Weir obsession appreciation began when I was introduced to Sirius 32: Grateful Dead channel. Well, let me take that back, I've thought Weir was hot ever since I bought my lone Grateful Dead CD. But then, he was 18 or 19 when the picture in that album booklet was taken. Anyway, I started hearing more songs and getting a feel for his voice and realized that I really liked it. Plus, I learned that he got even hotter through the late '60s and early '70s. But I have consistently liked his music throughout the years. I hope to get the chance to see both a Furthur and a RatDog concert someday. Well anyway, happy birthday, Bobby!!

Musings Musing From the Last Day of September, 2009

Today may not have been my best day ever, but the way I have it figured, if I can work the Grateful Dead and the Beatles into one class period, it can't be all bad.

I Love Cheese

I really do. My favorite cheese is asiago. It's great on pizza. However, I also really dig these twisty cheddar and mozzerella string cheeses (Mom and I like to eat those on road trips, it seems). Let's see, if we're talking cheddar, my rule is: the sharper the better. I tend to like loud flavors (I also like my chocolate dark, my peppers hot, and my sourdough, well, sour). Anyway, if the cheddar doesn't bring tears to my eyes or make me start foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog, I'll probably pass. Okay, so maybe I wouldn't. After all, it's very rare that I pass on cheese...

...unless of course that cheese would be any type of Swiss. I've always been a little scared of Swiss cheese. When I was a little kid the fact that this cheese had holes in it scared the (insert noun here) out of me. Additionally, I'm not crazy about the taste (described by many as "nutty"--whatever that's supposed to mean).

Anyway, back to cheeses I do like. I'm a pretty big fan of pepper jack. I remember riding the Smoky Mountain Railroad through the Nantahala Gorge in North Carolina and hogging all the complementary pepper jack cubes and still being greedy for more. Note: cheddar cubes were also provided, but seeing as how they were not particularly sharp, the cheese snob in me put them away, opting for the deliciously salty (though not all that spicy) pepper jack.

Whatever I do, I've learned to avoid fresh mozzerella like the plague (apologies for the cliche). But I do. I once stupidly assumed I'd like fresh mozzerella after watching some Martha Stewart cooking show in which she made some sort of fresh mozzerella crap that appeared delicious on TV; well, when I finally tried fresh mozzerella for the first time (in Scottsdale, Arizona), I almost threw up. I think this is because fresh mozzerella is not sharp.

Other cheeses I appreciate include Parmesan and Romano. I like them in gratable chunks and in powdered form both. In fact, my favorite pizza includes parmesan, romano, and asiago on a homemade crust with slices of green olives. I could go for one of those about now.

So, does the fact that I just blogged about cheese make me cheesy? Or is it because I just made a bad pun about it?

Check out Sunday Scribblings for more cheesy posts.

I Said My Name Was Ramblin' Rose

Dear Jerry,

I find I'm thinking about you more and more every day. I've even found myself listening to such tunes as "Mississippi Half-Step," or whatever it's called. I never really figured out what the official title is, but you do a good job on it. Anyway, I've also been listening to "Shakedown Street," or whatever it's called. I apologize, Jerry--since I only own one of your band's albums, I have to rely on Sirius 32 and YouTube for my song titles. Bobby hasn't filled me in on any official titles yet.

Anyway, my point is that I'm gaining a whole new appreciation for your singing. And watching you pick guitar on the Half Step song--I had to stop grading papers for at least a whole minute to watch in awe as my jaw dropped. Very impressive fretboard work. That being said, I think Bobby can do a pretty good job with a guitar as well.

Point being, Jerry, maybe I was a little rash in my last letter. I mean, we'd been spending so much time together and all that maybe I just needed a fresh sound. I don't know. I don't even know what I'm trying to say. My emotions are you everywhere tonight. I mean, I really like Bobby, you know? But if things don't work out between us and I decide I need to listen to a different style of music, do you think you could find it in your heart to forgive me and take me back as a fan? I am still your fan, Jerry. I don't want you to ever forget that. But I'm just going through so much right now, what with changing my musical tastes everyday and all. It's just a lot for a girl to handle. You do understand, don't you Jerry? I knew you would. Thanks for always being there to support me in my decisions.

Your increasingly Grateful fan,
Sunshine Jones

I Need a Miracle (Every Day)

Dear Jerry,

It hurts me to write this letter, but to get to the point, I am going to have to leave you for Bob Weir. To be honest, it was "Samson and Delilah" that did it for me. However, he really had me at "Sugar Magnolia."

Don't get me wrong, Jerry, I still love you for "Franklin's Tower," "Friend of the Devil," and "U.S. Blues." It's just that those aren't my top songs at the moment. I apologize for being so fickle.

Really Jerry, it's not you, it's me. I love your sound, but sometimes it's just too mellow for me. I can't help myself, but I really love the screaming rhythm of music like "One More Saturday Night."

I really do dig your lead guitar skills, and I like you better in a full beard and mustache. In my opinion, Bobby should go back to the long sideburns, long ponytail, and hair in the face look he had going on in '72; but you Jerry--you rocked that bushy beard look.

In closing, I'll "say my piece and get out." We've had some good times together Jerry Garcia, but for the time being, I think I'm going to have to listen to another lead singer. I hope you'll understand.

Your fan,
Sunshine Jones

P.S. Please don't take it personally, Jerry. I'm sure I'll come around and favor your songs again sometime. After all, you were my first favorite Grateful Dead lead.

No Falling Asleep in This Service...

I never cease to be amazed at the stuff I hear at church. Tonight Pastor Tom sang a bit of "Let's Get it On" to explain how Jacob must have felt at the end of his seven-year stint of work for Laban to "earn" Rachel. Sometimes I think he does things like this just to keep us awake. Not that there's much fear of falling asleep during a 5:00 PM service, but you never know!

Crafty Musings...

I'm taking Granny to buy some embroidery floss today. Maybe that will put me back in the mood to do crafts. Lately I've been on a reading kick and have been playing far too many computer games.

Uninspired...

I'm feeling good,
Full of food,
Comfortable in what surrounds me.
I want to write
But try as I might
My muse has not yet found me.

Photography... and reading

Agh. I haven't been able to take the kind of photos I want lately. Either I'm busy doing something, or the lighting is off, or (like today) it's way too humid. Oh I took a picture, alright, but it's all hazy. I'm scared I'll ruin my camera pulling shenanegans like that. I really didn't know it would fog up the lens though, because I didn't realize the humidity was so high. Should've known better though, since the thunder was beginning in the west.

So, since I don't have photos to share at the moment, you get to hear me talk about the four books I'm reading! I've plowed through a few more pages of A Clockwork Orange and I'm now on page 8/175. A Clockwork Orange is a slow-go because I'm constantly looking up the Nadsat words in the glossary provided at the back of the edition I'm reading. I'm really thankful that there is a glossary, because otherwise, I wouldn't have a clue what any of the veshches* mean.

I'm on 248/561 on Catch-22, and holding steady on the other two. This means that with 342/788 on Little Dorrit and 22/783 on Ulysses I'm now to 620/2307 total, or just over 25%. I'm 256/736 or just over 33% finished with the books that are due on July 23, and I'm 364/1571 or just under 25% through the books that are due on August 1. I've really enjoyed Catch-22 so far. I'm planning to watch the movie after I finish the book. I mean, come on, Anthony Perkins, Martin Sheen, Bob Newhart, John Voight, Orson Welles, and Art Garfunkel? This has to be good.


*things

Reading Update

Well, friends and neighbors, I'm still recovering from the whirlwind that was June 2009 slowly but surely. I haven't taken any photos yet :( but hope to soon. I might be a little late on True Colours Thursday. Not only did I make my bed today, but I got dressed and also vacuumed and wiped down the kitchen and bath. The situation is improving! Anyway, my real purpose here was to update any of you who are interested about the books I'm reading. Thus far I am on 342/788 on Little Dorrit, 32/561 on Catch-22, 22/783 on Ulysses, and 3/175 on A Clockwork Orange. I rarely read one book at a time, as you can see. My main focus is on Little Dorrit since one of my professors has already finished the book, and the other professor I know to be a speedy reader as well, though I don't know where she is in relation to my progress. Catch-22 is next on the agenda because I'm enjoying it immensely, and it's due earlier than some. Then I plan to read A Clockwork Orange because it is also due earlier, and it's the shortest of the four books. Finally, I plan to finish with Ulysses since it's just so long and I have extra time to read it. Think I'll get them all read without renewing? Orange and 22 are both due July 23, whereas Dorrit and Ulysses are both due August 1. Basically, I'm at 399/2307 and it's July 2nd.

Catching Up

It's amazing how one little wedding can throw you off so much. Especially when you're just a guest. Sheesh. I had this thing all planned out last month, and everything kinda went to hell in a handbasket after Thursday. That was the last day of my photography class, and the day before the rehearsal dinner.

Friday was a mess--I had three loads of laundry to wash and dry at my grandma's, had to take my mom's car in for an oil change, and still had to do the last dusting of the Mexican Wedding Cakes for the party later that night. We stayed at the party until about 11, which totally threw me off. I had been in the habit of going to bed at 10ish and getting up between 6 and 7 and starting right in with chores. It was a beautiful thing, while it lasted.

So of course, I slept in on Saturday. Because not only did I stay out till 11 Friday night, but I didn't get to sleep until around 2 Saturday morning. Thus the problem snowballs. I overslept on Saturday and was unable to get any chores done. Seriously, it was all I could do to eat, shower, and get dressed in time to be ready to leave at 2ish to pick up my grandma and co. and head to the church where I could "man my post" at the guestbook.

I wanted to dance at the reception, but I think I already complained about that, so I won't anymore. Yeah, so we got home around 9:00 that night, but once again, I didn't get to sleep as early as I had been.

Then Sunday. After church, Mom and I had a scrapbooking class to attend at the teacher's house/workshop. It was fun, though I'm really not a scrapbooker. I mainly went because Mom wanted to go but didn't want to go by herself. Then, I dropped her off at the store to meet Dad, and I went home to presumably try to catch up on things again. I'm not sure what happened, except that I talked to some friends and decided to go out for pizza with S on Monday. Oh yeah, I guess I did read some on Dorrit and took a nap, also. Real productive.

That takes us to Monday, the day that I met S for pizza. I hadn't seen S in weeks, so we hung out longer than is typically needed for pizza consumption. I was supposed to go out with BJ and Mom and Marigold and Pansy for dessert, but Mom had to cancel because Andre and Scott were opening their gifts that evening. That was okay with BJ because she said Marigold and Pansy couldn't make it that day, anyway. Come to find out, we didn't go to the gift-opening either, because they bumped it back a half-hour and moved the location to Renee's house, which is a good hour and a half's drive from Mom's job. Mom decided to just stick around and play catch up herself.

Yesterday was a frightening blur that I can't seem to account for very well. I know I slept in again. I know I crocheted on my afghan and read some on Dorrit, but other than that, I'm at a loss.

Now it's today, and you'll find me in my pj's past noon, finally caught up on my Word of the Day and not caught up on much else. I have two more lessons to complete for my online class, I need to take care of the 'keets, I need to vacuum, and I need to get a shower. But you know what? at least I made my bed.

Addicted to Academia

It just occurred to me today that I am addicted to academia. I haven't been out of school a whole year yet, and still I can't seem to stay away from my community college or my university. In fact, I went to the university today to meet with a former professor and visit the library, and this evening, I'm heading to the community college to take, yes, a noncredit course.

This is not the only noncredit course I'm enrolled in. No sir! This is the final meeting of a three-week photography course, but I'm also enrolled in an online writing course, and a one-day course in something elusive that appears to be of a scrapbooking nature. It's summer and I've enrolled in three courses? That's practically a full load (in grad school terms, that is a full load).

But wait, there's more!

As you all know, I'm currently reading Little Dorrit with none other than two of my former professors. I'm also reading Ulysses as recommended by one of the profs, and I just checked out A Clockwork Orange and Catch-22. I've been reading all kinds of literature this summer and trying to get as many MLA Top 100 novels under my belt as possible. And I've been writing. Creative writing, that is.

If I start writing academic papers, then I'll know I have it bad.

Fraidy Cat...

Peyser, our goldish-colored cat, is a big wimp. He's pretty much scared of everything. Especially the vacuum cleaner. Now, this fact alone isn't very surprising, but his response to my vacuuming is more bizarre than our other two cats' responses. Snugs just sits quietly in a chair and ignores it; Abby runs into the kitchen and ignores it; Peyser finds a cubby-hole and keeps it under constant surveillance--usually.

Since Peyser is usually the cause of the vacuuming (he's been shedding a lot due to the hot weather), I've been having to vacuum more frequently, which in turn, scares the crap out of him more frequently.

Peyser has taken to hanging out in the bathroom for some reason. Probably because it's the coolest room of the house, and also, he seems to be partial to napping on the soft toilet seat. While vacuuming today, I thought it might be a good idea to sweep up the furballs he's created in the bathroom, as well (not realizing that he was napping on the toilet). We have a small bathroom, and the toilet is hidden by the door which opens inward only as far as the toilet will allow. So I came in, sweeping up the various hairballs while still standing in the hall. When I made my way into the bathroom to continue sweeping around the toilet, I saw Peyser, frozen on the toilet seat with large eyes. I tried to tell him it was okay and that I was just cleaning, but he wasn't having any of it. In fact, he jumped into the bathtub, and from the safety of this new post, proceeded to hiss at the vacuum cleaner. Twice. Finally, I decided that the bathroom floor was just going to have to be good enough for the time being, because I really didn't want to scare him any more than necessary. So I took the vacuum back into the hall so I could finish up later. As soon as I did, Peyser rocketed out of the bathroom, knocking down anything that got in his path (almost including me, but I regained my balance).

If only a pet company made some sort of silent pet-friendly vacuum to help the shedding problem... Or maybe I should just brush him more ;)

Happy Bloomsday... I guess?

One of my former professors informed me that today is Bloomsday. This is associated with James Joyce's Ulysses, which I'm also reading. Basically, I'm reading Little Dorrit through the day, and Ulysses at night. The modernist structure of Ulysses might explain the strange dreams I've been having lately. By the way, Ulysses is this former professor's favorite book, I think. Enjoy your Bloomsday!

Thank You, Paul Simon

It's been a pretty good day: Mom and I got a little walk in, though I must confess it was a walk to a maltshop for lunch. No matter--we did a little exercise over lunch hour. Additionally, I worked on an embroidery project (messed up a little, but really, who's gonna notice?) But I just wasn't feeling all that productive. So I put a couple loads of clothes to dry and took a brief nap. Somehow I couldn't seem to get Paul Simon's "Kodachrome" out of my head, so I hunted out my CD and am playing it via Xbox. It was amazing... at the first strains of "Mother and Child Reunion" I instantly felt about 10 years younger. Suddenly, feeding and watering my birds wasn't such a chore. I even swept up the birdseed they'd spilled with no complaints. I found myself singing along to "Me and Julio Down By the Schoolyard," and even DANCING to "Loves Me Like a Rock." Okay, granted, I'm blogging now, but trust me, I was really productive for a while there. And since I have the CD set to loop, I may become quite efficient with the housework.

Another plus: I forgot to take my pedometer off when I started my dancing fit, so I now have 1.3 miles in for the day. Heck yeah, I'm counting it--dancing is good exercise. Okie doke--gonna get back to that housework now. Peace out.

Just When I Didn't Think Things Could Get Any Stranger...

I find out that I share a birthday with country singer Miranda Lambert.

Strange thing is, I have this love/hate thing with country music. I love some of it, and hate some of it. I happen to love Miranda Lambert's music, though. A few years back, when her song "Me and Charlie Talking" came out, I remember it was one of the few songs I'd stop at a country station for.

Side note: I'm the world's most annoying radio hog in my car. I will "surf" the stations the way some people surf cable. If I hear a song I like, I stop and listen to it. If there's a certain line of a song that I like, I'll listen for that, but sometimes will start surfing again once the favorite line is through. Numerous times, I have taken a 20-30 minute drive without listening to one song in its entirety.

Anyway, I'm driving home from church today and "Kerosene" comes on. Haven't heard the song in a while, so I decided to listen to it. I like Lambert's music because it's sassy, but not bitchy. Or at least that's my take on it. Well, really I can't explain it well. She's just one of the few female musicians I like. Her songs? The rhythm is good, the accompanyment excellent, the lyrics superb.

Suddenly a thought occurred to me: I have no idea what Miranda Lambert looks like. I can't even tell how old she is. So, when I got home, I decided to Google her. In all the results that came up, the one that said "November 10 1983" really stuck out to me. Two girls from my school also shared the birthday with me, and we all seemed to think it was the coolest thing ever. Well, until we grew out of it, anyway.

So I guess this year, Good Lord willin' and the creek don't rise, I'll have to tell Miranda Lambert happy birthday too :)