Monday, March 31, 2003

So. The self portrait from last week can pretty much summarize my weekend. I was a rock star, and a tired one at that. 8| Friday night, I went home and tried to take a nap...but couldn't because the cats were acting out. Then Lowen called and we made plans for Saturday, and I couldn't go back to sleep. I decided to watch some TV and since nothing was really on, I ended up on the Lifetime network watching the Susan Miller story. For those of you who don't know Susan Miller, I am sure you have heard of the story. Creepy neighbor/landlord videotaping the bathroom and bedroom? In any case, the woman playing SM was one of the hot ladies from Law and Order. I want someone equally as hot to play me in my Lifetime story. Alas, I didn't get to see the last fifteen minutes of the movie, because Mischa was early in picking me up. That's okay, but since I am a lifetime veteran, I pretty much know how it ends.

I then went to this place called Triple D's that have this event. The first band was absolutely terrible, and I was seriously contemplating going to next door to this comedy club. I reached my four drink limit in an hour and half....and after that I morphed into a barfly, nursing diet cokes and water. Eventually the horror ended and was replaced by another band, that wasn't that bad. Mischa was off courting with disaster, and I got to know Aric better. After awhile, Aric and I went to Neo where we stayed until the harsh lights kicked us out at 4:00, and then he gave a ride home. I found that I really knew nothing about Aric, but that isn't that suprising...and therefore that makes it exciting. It love it when I realize I don't know a damn thing about someone I know. Speaking of which, Mischa is still and enigma to me. Still. I might have to get serious and do some profiling here.

I didn't get much sleep Saturday because Tim called and the cats were hellions...and I couldn't sleep. I finally got up later when Tim called a second time, only to have the strangest phone experience ever happen to me. I got SIX consecutive phones calls, from SIX different people. This has never, in my history happened...not even when I was a teenager.

I did the dished, cleaned up the bathroom and kitchen, cleaned the cat boxes, got dressed and headed out 6.30. Public transportation was on my side, and I was at the Abbey by 7.30 to meet Lowen (and company) and Sigrid. I had greasy fish and chips which helped my queasiness immensely and some more diet coke. Then we filtered into the actual space which was actually pretty neat. It would be cool to see a club there... . The first band was Salvo Beta...one dude with a drum and another with a computer making the strangest faces. Sigrid put it nicely when she said it was like watching two guys watch a porno. The second band, Project 44 was ...eh. At least it was better than the first band the night before. Everyone else thought it was absolutely terrible. Then the main course of the evening arrived: Prick. They put on a good show, the lead singer was very charismatic for old guy, and everyone seemed to have a good time. I however fought not to fall asleep....it isn't my taste for music. After the show, I got the grey hair to sign the CD Aric asked me to pick up. He was a VERY nice guy.

We took public transport home, but it wasn't as smooth. We were waiting for a cab, and then a train, and finally a bus for quite some time. Got home, made the futon for Sigrid and talked. But I was really tired and needed sleep by 5:15 when the false dawn started. Woke up later about 9.30 when Sigrid's Mom called, and stayed up. Which was a good thing because her Mom showed up and hour and half early. Incredible.

After she left, I ate breakfast, watched the end of the Neverending Story, talked to Tim a bit and then took a nap. Got up later to read, ordered Chinese and watched Angel, and Buffy....then went to bed again at 10:30 and slept all the way through. I was really tired....I feel much better now. 8)

The new person starts today...she is older.

My god! Look at this! China Mieville is going to be in Madison later this may!

Friday, March 28, 2003



Self portrait at the Holyrood Tavern - Edinburgh, Scotland

I bought rolos for my candy cauldron this morning, and have since sampled four. I remembered they used to be one of my favorite candies as a kid, especially when they were cold. I loved anything caramel, and still do. The chocolate I can take or leave.

Well Mike and Rachal were working last night, so we decided to postpone watching Willard and having dinner until next week. It worked out extremely well for me because then I had an opportunity to hang out with Kate and Eric (especially since it was Kate's Birthday). We took the purple express to Fullerton and had dinner at a Sushi place called Ringo's. I initially said, "I don't want to go there," but then Eric pointed out it was BYOB and there was a liquor store next door. I changed my mind, and we went to Ringo's. A small restaurant with about 10 small tables. It continually surprises me these little restaurants because they can only exist in big cities.

We got a party tray and it was good. Afterward we went to see Bowling for Columbine. Michael Moore is admirable, and the movie made me want to move to Canada...or at least visit it. Then when I got home, there was one piece of mail in the box. A brightly covered envelope so I thought it was Hollywood goth girl penpal, but it wasn't. It was a letter from my Canadian penpal Gale, who is currently working on becoming a constable.

I read the letter, briefly contemplated calling Tim to wish him a good morning, but decided to go to bed instead.

Wednesday, March 26, 2003

Dang itty. Last night I got home, and was tired and I got a bit of a head ache. So I had the brillant idea of taping Buffy.....which I did. Then as I was going to sleep I realized I HADN'T seen the last episode of Angel. Fuck. Fuck Fuck. I taped over it. That SO sucks. Sucky fuck suck. I would rather have three new angel episodes over one buffy episode. That totally sucks. I am so disappointed in myself.

After the nap I phoned Mischa was didn't want to do anything. Fine by me, considering I was calling to say I didn't want to do anything too. 8) He just said it first, which takes the pressure off of me. Tim said that while he is gone everyone is going to see that isn't him that is lame and doesn't want to go out all the time, but that it is me. Now wait, just a gull darn second here. It's not that I am against going out and doing anything....I am still adjusting to being with just me. It's working out well because for the most part, me and myself get along really well. Although, truth be told I would still rather have my darling around with me. 8(

Plus I go out and do stuff all the time, I just have to work my way through the winter dulldrums. I am almost there...

That reminds me, I have to email Mike and Rachel and ask if they still want to see Willard tomorrow night.

Tuesday, March 25, 2003

I forgot to post this morning! Oh...but I was kind of busy....there were two interviews today. We decided to go with the Anderson layoff (over a year ago, and she has been looking all that time, and she is really qualified. How does this happen?)

Yesterday on my way home Eric and Kate invited me over to their place for burritos. I think they have mexican orientated food every Monday. Yes, they are turning into one of "those" couples. :) I thanked them kindly and refused. On the way home I ran into Bekah and Greg walking the same way, and then into their Freedom friend Zach, who was out walking his daughter. They babbled in Freedom talk, and I looked at the kid, then they decided that they were going to have a few beers on the porch. I didn't feel like it, and headed home. They told me to come over anything if I changed my mind. Instead, I got home and watched SG1. I love that they have three episodes in a row. That rocks my world. I started on a new project.

My new project, in exchange for a decorative birdhouse made by my old friend Jessie, is a throw. I am going to knit little three inch squares, and then sew them all together for a unique and interesting knitted quilt! I also started a card/letter to my friend Myrna. Tonight Mischa wants to have dinner, but I just don't know. Buffy is new tonight, and my house still needs cleaning, and I have been feeling like a fat bastard in general. I know that last part was a nonsequitor...but there it was anyway. That reminds me of the first episode in Buffy goes to college where one vampire says to another:

"Does this sweater make me look fat?"
"No. It the fact that you are fat that makes you look fat."

Monday, March 24, 2003

Saturday night I went to a party at Delilah's for Kate and a few others who where celebrating birthday's too. One of them was named Laura, so people would arrive and say Happy Birthday to me, and I would say "It's not my birthday, it's her's" and point to another Laura. Well, it turns out it wasn't her birthday either, and she was pointing folks to me saying it was mine. Whose birthday was it? A girl that goes by the name of Bizzy. Go figure. I still didn't get a free drink out of it. :P After some time I left to go to Neo with Mischa, Steve, Bekah, Greg, and some other people I had just met that night. Neo was rather uneventful. I drank too much and talked too much (which I always regret the next day. I don't like people knowing too much about me without me telling them when I am sober...er rather acutely conscious of every word I say). On the way home, I got separated from Bekah and Greg. I was getting something to drink when we heard the train coming. They ran on ahead and I waited for my pear juice concentrate combo thing, and then sprinted up the stairs to catch the train -- barely. Then I realized they were not on the train, but on the other plat form. Alcohol, it impairs your thinking.

I took the train to Howard and got a cab...or at least I think it was. He had a cab. He had the meter. But the meter wasn't running, and they man was acting strange "How much does it usually cost?"

"ER....two fifty. But then your meter should tell you that. Why isn't it working." I asked, gesturing towards the dark box.

Silence ensued.

I gave him five and got off in front of my house. Weirded out, but too tired to care. I went upstairs, checked my email, had a girl scout cookie, washed my face, got some jammies and went to bed at 4.30. I woke up at 9:00 to feed the bastards, and then Tim called. I talked to him for awhile but he was going to get some food. I wasn't tired enough to go back to sleep, so I watched TV....ironically I watched Far and Away. Why is that ironic? Because Tim is Ireland right now. After the lame movie, I tried to take a nap, and ended up getting about thirty minutes when Tim called at 4:00. He said that the streets were empty, and it was eerie.

Then I watched the My Life is a Sitcom marathon, to the Oscars (first time in memory), had subway, read and went to bed.

Saturday, March 22, 2003

I'm lonely.

He's only been gone for 30 minutes and the place is SO empty. Two weeks is the longest we have been seperated.I have a party to go to tonight at Deliliah's. Luckily, Bekah and Greg only live two buildings away, so I have someone to go with and come back with. That's cool and a little comforting. Arkham is trying to console me right now. Silly boy. The party is at nine, and it is only 6.30 right now...I should clean. That will take my mind off of this, and there is a lot of cleaning to do.

Friday, March 21, 2003

Last night was an interesting night. First of all, I had a minor victory over my dentist. You see, she wanted to pull my right upper wisdom tooth so that she could make a denture guard (I grind...). I asked many questions to the russian assistant, and the eventually the dentist herself, questioning WHY it had to be pulled. It seemed the most drastic choice of all, and I didn't feel the other options were adequeately explored. After many sighs and examinations, and two casts ....we finally got a good impression. Which means I don't have to have the tooth pulled. YaH! for me.

I called Tim because we had to go and celebrate. I wanted a drink at the Lighthouse. There is nothing like the sweet taste of a cold beer after a long haitus, like Old Style friends... The night was interesting because we ended up getting into this 'discussion' with a passionate fool, who wrote a book and gave us a one hour speech regarding his political views. Admittedly, this was our fault because we expressed admiration to the protestor's that blocked Lake Shore Drive for their gump. He later gave us and kindly signed a self published and co authored book, which is a convoulted science fiction story about a Cherokee indian in Dresden with super powers. [Darn, they have a website, but I can't find it and Tim is on the phone]. I will find it for you later, and you can read the glory for yourself. He started to talk more about the book or some theme in it...very proud of the fact that he uses the First Native American superhero, in a book. I *want* to ask more, but I don't really. Then Tim adds "oh She doesn't like science fiction." The man nodded sagely, and then consoled me by saying "One day I will be able to write books for you."

I still wonder what kind of books those would have been about.

We watched Hedwig and the Angry Inch when we got home and ate pizza. Hm. Um...it was entertaining. Then went to bed, with Tim still thinking about what an interesting night it was.

Today is a party for Jessica. Why? Because it is her last day. Yah! Last day. Last day. I feel kind of bad that she doesn't have a new job lined up, but I think she will be able to find something. At least I hope so, she does have a master's. She just needs a job that she can be told what to do, and only works with two or three people. Still haven't found a replacement, although we did cull 5 resumes out that we will interview from the combined CareerBuilder and Chicago Reader.

My plans for this weekend include going to a party at Deliliah's for Kate's Birthday, think about buying a new car, hugging and wishing my darling didn't have to leave for two weeks. It's gonna be lonely.

Wednesday, March 19, 2003

Another day. Eh. Migo has this thing where she will rustle a piece of paper in the morning...or something that makes noise, to wake us up in the morning. If there is nothing on the floor, she will reach up and knock something off the end table. As soon as you move, she runs towards her food dish....then comes back when she determines you won't get up, and does it again. Arkham on the other hand.... well he has a huge litatany of obnoxious things he does. We are thinking about shutting the door at night and keeping them out. But that would mean that we won't have at least a week's worth of sleep while they "adjust." Tim suggested I train them while he is in the UK.

I think that all in all the second installment of Scifi's Dune series was MUCH better than the first one. In the first one, it seemed they were more concerned with staying true to the book instead of making a good movie. THis time, they did change a few things...but I thought overall it made a MUCH better movie. I have to capitolize MUCH because it was that MUCH better.

Angel is new tonight. I finally caught up with the last two episodes. My theory is that Cordelia really didn't come back from the outer realm. It's the only thing that makes sense....how they would explain everything that has happened. And I KNEW she was going to be preggers with Conner's baby. That was SO obvious. Tonight Willow is on..although I won't see it..because I will be taping it so that my darling can see it later.

I finished knitting my red scarf. I don't know what to start on now. I need a new craft project. I am also caught up with letters...for the most part. Maybe I should write the folks that don't write. ... charity letters/cards. I did get some cute cards while in the UK.....card with a short letter..... to who? Melissa? Carrie? Myrna? Zoey?

We went shopping last night. I got gel rope, and food. Had salmon last night with Tequila Lime marinade and a piece of good bread. Also got a Swifter WetJet and some food (oh wait, I said food already). Oh, I was going to bring Kate a book today, but I forgot.

Tuesday, March 18, 2003

The morning had started out well. Got up, had oatmeal and Tim gave me a ride to work because he has Jury Duty today. Then at nine he calls in a panic becuase he is lost and late. I try to help by looking on mapquest...but without any specific address...um...chicago is big and the streets do go on for awhile. I don't fucking know. So he starts yelling at me, I start yelling at him (because he is yelling at me) and then he says something to the effect of it being my fault because he was nice and gave me a ride this morning.

Huh. And the hung up on me. You know, I think I know why I hate the phone. It is because I am always getting hung up on. I guess I just have a bunch of quitters for friends and darlings. It totally sucks, because I did think of a person (Mischa) that he could have talked too that would have helped him. That asshole. Either that or I people just like hanging up on me for a dramatic effect. Which is more bullshit because nothing was solved by the hanging up except that you felt better for split second. I hope that feeling goes with you to hell.

Of course this is my fault. I got a ride. I can't read a map on demand. I can't read foretell the future to find out that this would happen. I made it foggy today so it is hard to see road signs. I did all of this.

Then he turned off his phone. SO I am just going to assume that he got there okay, and that the judge won't take him over his knee or get fined for being late (although I should do both for the aggravation he caused me this morning).

Monday, March 17, 2003

This morning there were 10 resumes faxed over the weekend, and who knows how many emails we have gotten, and I JUST gone through 33 resumes to pick four. I still have one slot open, so let's see what we get with this batch of 10.

HOLY SHIT. A fucking punk scientist came in and yelled at me about my "attitude" when HE was the hotshot fuck who was wrong! I can't believe it. Total shit. Luckily I am in a good mood today, and kept it all polite using "sir" "thank you" and "would you like a seat?" Ha. The best defense is uber politeness....good grief.

Friday, March 14, 2003

I am so glad tomorrow is going to warm, and later today it is supposed to be warm. I think I will go out for lunch and walk somewhere. I don't know where..do working lunch and then take a real lunch. Ahh...I love universities sometimes. Excited about tomorrow's nice weather, and parade, and maybe breakfast. I love breakfast...my favorite meal of the day (when it is done right).

Tim had one of the worst days at work today...his company fucking BOUNCED his paycheck!! That shit does't happen. I don't care about the excuses...that just does not happen. Then when he came home he had the best night in a long time. He got SO much mail! Mechs, Dragon Magazines, etc. I was really surprised (and didn't get anything...which is understandable considering I just sent out a batch of letters a day and two before that..and I still have one more to do). Then we had soup, cottage fries and a sammich for dinner and then watched Simone (it was okay...not stellar but watchable. A good HBO movie if there ever was one), and Monster's Inc, (which was TONS better than Ice Age, but still not as good as Shrek or even Toy Story...). Then went to bed...the end.

I am glad today is Friday though.

Wednesday, March 12, 2003

Back at work. Doing nothing much...well wait. I did make a phone call when I got in, and I did make a To Do list, and I do plan on helping out with the Science Career Forum. My wisdom tooth hurts like a sonnaofabith and I am unhappy with my outfit, my hair looks like crap and .... um and I think my shoe is damanged from my harrowing experince climbing down this hill in Scotland. OH, and I finished my vacation write up, if you are intereted I would be happy to put it up on the Excerpts section....let me know if you are still interested and then I will make the effort.

Wednesday - Angel should be new again..I didn't even watch last weeks yet. Dangitall. I am also really liking my Monday night SG1 fix, Mischa said he would lend me the first season DVD and I might just have to take him up on that offer.

Sent out two letters today. One to Sarah and one to Virginia from Texas ( what a relief...I was owing everyone a letter...it feels nice to get out of letter debt), gonna finish the rest this week....maybe quite a few tonight. 8)

Tuesday, March 11, 2003

Hooky, my friends. It is called hooky. And it is what I am doing right now, while sipping my french vanilla coffee and tapping away at the screen. Ahh...the warm feeling of waking up when you want too, all warm and cozy, and having the WHOLE day ahead of you. I need to write and go to the post office today, take a long leisurely shower, put some laundry away, and ...wait. I have to stop making the list. Otherwise I won't do any of it. I will end up in front of the TV watching was daytime television has to offer. Be back later..

Monday, March 10, 2003

OH! And I also bought a new dress. 8) No. Not a really neat spooky kind of thing...but a dress. The kind you wear to church, to weddings, to "formal" ...everyday eveday events. You know, not like a ballroom or opening to an opera kind of thing, or classy musuem..although maybe the musuem. Hmm.

Okay...so I didn't make too much progress. I tried a few layouts with life journals embedded into my journal, but I wasn't happy without the comments section looked when I did it. Plus Tim said that he liked the page the way it is now. Torn. Then I had sent myself my latest worked on copy of the Scotland/London adventure but it didn't go through until Sunday. (Stupid comcast/at&t bitches). I worked that on that more..and am almost done. Still when I incorporate that into the letters I owe...there are going to be some pretty pennies spent on postage. I have to write: Sonja, Hollywood girl, Sigrid, Erica (new penpal), Kim, Virginia, and Sarah (whose letter I haven't picked up from the post office yet). Let me tell you it is the rare time when *I* owe everyone a letter. These letters are looking be like 16 pages, single space, size 10 font...at least. I get carried away sometimes.

Friday night we went over to Bekah's house for a housewarming party and lots of food. It was a reasonable gathering with a surprise appearance of this guy Nick who I met last year at the Jarvis stop. We kept getting off at the same time and walked all the way home together. IT seemed appropriate to talk, although when the topic of me being married came up he mysterious disappeared. It was mutual though.... ANYWAY...we talked and it worked it way through the awkwardness after a bit. Stayed until 3.00 am and Tim drank too much. (Then so did others... *wink*)

Saturday Tim got up early and went to his Mech Warrior game where he got SECOND PLACE! Wow. Good for him. He came back a hurting though, and I was nursing my head ache with yarn, knitting needles, TV and tea. I made a really greasy breakfast dinner type thing for Tim and felt better. Then we watched movies and went to bed early-ish.

Sunday we went shopping as normal, and then later met up with Amy and her boyfriend (man pictured in photo is NOT her boyfriend), and his friends (whom we met through Xtian), who was in town to see Erasure tonight. We had Peruvian food and then went to the Gold Star for a drink afterward. DAMN was it cold last night. Freezing. Cold. I was too tired and cold to do anything when we got back, so I didn't write and went to bed.

I am really hungry right now.

Friday, March 07, 2003

At lunch I am gonna head out to Cost Plus and see if there isn't something that catches my eye as a housewarming gift to the sister in law who moved into two building from us and is going to have a house warming party tonight.

I watched the Good Girl last night. It is nice to see Donnie Darko can do the same kind of role over and over and over and over and over and over. The dark, tortured little soul. Much like the stories he writes in the Good Girl. AND, her husband John C. Reilly seems to only be able to play the same "cuckhold" husband role as well (as seen in Chicago).

And I watched Ice Age. What a piece of crap. It was Shrek but much worse. My biggest problem with it, is that the Sabre Tooth Tiger and Mammoth are two animals that evidence shows man caused to go extinct. Thus, the story line of having them (and the resident corn job) save a baby human and return it to his 'herd' is ridiculuous. Kill the stupid baby. Was Disney supposed to pass on to us that animals are forgiving creatures? That they don't mind being slaughtered by humans? What the fuck. This was nonmovie if ever there was one...but still slightly better than Ballistic.

Thursday, March 06, 2003

I feel distracted today. I went to bed in a bad mood last night, mad at Tim, and woke up this morning still mad at Tim. Then I stopped being mad at him for about twenty minutes before something else set me off. Making me late for work or at least the stupid train. Luckily I made it though, and I saw the asian girl with short black hair and blue streaks/tints for the third time in a row. We always right next to each other, always on the same cart, same area of the platform, it occured to me yesterday to just give her my personal card and start talking via the interent. Eh. I don't know if I am gutsy enough for that, and besides I am not particularly interesting myself.

So. She gets off at Davis and works somewhere in downtown Evanston. I wonder where.

For the record I hate how AT&T ...er rather Comcast is handling the switch over from AT&T. Bastards. I hate their customer service. Hate them. Hate.

And Soulseek isn't broken any more! Yah! Thanks Troy, you made my day. And I think I will convert to Livejournal....I will keep my blog account just in case though. This weekend I think.

Wednesday, March 05, 2003

Snow. There is some on the ground, and maybe a little in the air.

I went to Dunkin Donuts this morning. Their coffee is SO good. Got a ride to work in a penis mobile (the rental from Tim's work). The cool thing about that car is the Satellite radio. I want one. I really, really want one. Imagine...to have the choices no matter where you go (especially important when visiting family in boondocks). The next Saturn we get, will have one. I promise you that. Although that might in two or three years.

I am page four of my Scotland/London story and I haven't even finished day two. Crap. But it IS an interesting read. I can promise you that.

I wish Soulseek hadn't had died. My mp3 list is getting old quick, and I haven't had enough gump or time to make any mix cd's at home. Although I should, because I owe the Hollywood Goth girl (penpal) a mix CD. I got the second Soil and Eclipse ablum at Resurrection Records, in addition to L'ame Immortale, Paralyzed Age and Dream Disciples. I must update the CD list, in addition to changing the main page being my bio to the journal...which is going to require some ... er...work. Dang it work...OR I could change over to live journal...I just don't know. Livejournal does offer a comments section, which I did previously rail against (I know I am hypocrite, thank you). But then again I have done blogger for such a long time (even it is becoming inconvenient...to certain extent).

What do you think? Livejournal or Blogger? Email me, I would appreciate opinions.

Finished CoC and did subsequent research on the authors. The seem like total knobs (I wouldn't look twice in an elevator and think...Hey those folks seem like such interesting people, as opposed to thinking that about Neil Gaiman...) but they are SO talented.

OHHH and Tim just called....our Doctor called him and asked him about the x-rays that were coming across her desk. Tim has a follow interview it the doctor this Friday to discuss the X-rays...and would you believe. He has arthritis in his back AND hip. Holy crap. Honest to god arthritis. He's only 29.
----
AND.....Eric has finally gotten his impressive website together. Check out his site, he is even more impressive online than in real life...(kidding).

Tuesday, March 04, 2003

A few things...

-->A friend since 5th grade and I were talking on IM yesterday. Normal chat, she left to go to class. About a half hour later she comes back on saying she needs to talk with someone because she can't find her husband. Her sister, whom she adored while growing up (it was always Liberty this...and Libby that) had just died from a car accident that morning. I called her and talked for 15 minutes. How terrible. She left a nine year old boy. I tried to send flower via flower.com but they suck. They couldn't deliver until tomorrow unless you paid extra. So I found another sight, aroundtheclockflorists...hopefully they will do better. They said the could deliver if the order was put in before 12. I feel terrible for Jessica and her family...she is my second eldest friend.

-->Last night I fell asleep at 8.30 and woke up each hour until 10.30 when Tim finally called. I was tired by then and didn't want to talk. He said he would call after the training was done today. Hopefully they will get done at 3:30 and he will head out of there. Erika told me that it is due to snow quite a bit this evening. I hope he is careful.

-->The Cabinet of Curiosities is SO freaking good. I got to a part that blew me away this morning...and made me want to quit work immediately and pursue becoming a writer full time. It was *that* good. I am looking forward to lunch time when I can devote more time to taking in the story. Preston and Child are absolute genius!

-->I was up this morning at 6:00am again. I love the extra time in the morning to do as I please. I like this habit and will try to keep it up.

Monday, March 03, 2003

Here I am, back at work. All the anxiety about work people "finding me out" and gossiping about me has vanished. It was appear that I am still competent in my job, and that there are not stacks of emails complaining about me. Post vacation doubts have now mostly evaporated. On another note, Jessica decided to resign. So, if anyone is interested in a position at Northwestern University, please let me know. It is a Program Assistant II position that handles the administrative affairs of our graduate program. Now would be a great time to start because all the busy things are out of the way for the year.

Tim is gone on another business trip tonight, so after I compulsively vacuum the floors and straighten up the rest of the apartment I will a start tapping out the my vacation story. Since I haven't written in over a week it is sure to have tons of details and will be an interesting read...I promise. I think for now, I am going to write it first and then create and abstract and post the abstract here. Then if you want the in depth version I will be happy to email it to you.

On Saturday when we got home, I was happy to see that I got a rejection letter from the U of Milwaukee for that advisor position. Probably the same for the Madison one, and Tim got an email from Epic asking for more information. We shall see how that pans out. I will look again for jobs later this week. Tim is currently struggling with a life decision, mirroring Xtian's recent life decision. (That being...what to DO with his life and whether or not it will be successful, and does that matter if you are happy?) What do you guys think Tim should do with his life? Outside opinions are welcome.

I also got three letters! One from Sigrid, one from a new penpal (introductory letter), and the second one from Virginia from Texas. Her letters are great...we have quite a bit in common in the reading realm. It is so refreshing to meet another person who seems to have read the same books I have the past couple of years. The only other voracious readers I know other than Tim is Mike and Sarah. Not that I am a voracious reader by any means. Speaking of which, Cabinet of Curiosities is great...and would you believe I saw Karin Slaughter's Kisscut book all over London! Unbelievable. While I haven't yet finished her book, I wouldn't have considered it an international best seller. Sheesh.

This week we rented: The Good Girl, Ice Age, From Hell and Godsford Park. It will be nice to sit and knit while watching a movie or something. Sometimes the best things in life are getting back to nice habits...