Tuesday, August 29, 2006

Sigh...

Missed Big Brother because I'm still at work. But I know Janelle got POV again because I couldn't wait to find out and checked out the Television Without Pity forums. I'm telling you - it's fixed.

ARGH! I missed Neil Patrick Harris! One of my fondest memories of my freshman year of college was sitting with just about every other person in my dorm in the TV lounge and watching Doogie Howser, MD on Wednesday nights. Yes, it was sad that a bunch of 18 year old women (and a few 18 year old men - one half of one floor in the dorm was men) were watching a show about a 16 year old doctor (and drooling over said doctor). What can I say - he was cute! He still is, as a matter of fact.

Though I must say, my heart will always belong to Rob Morrow. I think I've maintained that celebrity crush longer than any other, even if he did name his daughter Tuesday (the call her Tue...as in Tue Morrow).

Monday, August 28, 2006

When the Great American Novel gets turned into a movie and I am invited to the Acadmey Awards to pick up my writing statue, I am going to buck tradition and wear my heather gray capri pants and my green shirt with lacy collar. Of course, I will duct tape my boobs together just to ensure I have some cleavage (that's what they did to the Bond Girls to keep them from flopping to the side or otherwise shrinking when they laid down).

Just saying.

Oh, and go read this and have your laugh for the day.

I've been thinking about this since Saturday evenng, so bare with me as I vent a little spleen.

The folks in my group are not practicing Christians - none of them. That's fine by me - they are entitled to whatever beliefs (or lack thereof) they have just as I am entitled to mine.

Now, they have no doubt figured out that I am, partially because I worked for the CCC, and partially because I mentioned that I can't work before 1 p.m. on Sunday because of church.

But I get the feeling that they somehow think differently of me because I am a practicing Christian. Just as an example, my boss told me and the other new person in our department that he was gay, because his partner is having surgery today, and he'll be out as a result. Before he told us, it was obvious he was trying to find a way to talk about his partner without using his name or any pronouns. And I think that was because of me.

Now, I have no problem with the fact that he is gay. First, it isn't my place to judge him one way or the other. Second, if he has managed to find someone to love and to be loved by, more power to him. I'm a little envious, in fact.

But I think that the fact that I am Christian, and in fact was Catholic, makes people think I am also homophobic. And a Republican. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The problem is that in this country, the Christian groups that get media attention are the "Christian Right" because...well...they are the ones with the money. People who are not necessarily actively Christian tend to equate all Christians with Pat Robertson, Jimmy Swaggart, and those people who carry the "God Hates Fags" signs at funerals of soldiers killed in action. They think we all want a virutual theocracy the way George W. seems to want.

That is not me.

I'm not homophobic, I don't believe that everyone who doesn't believe as I believe is going to burn in Hell, and I really think that church and state should remain as far apart as humanly possible. The protest people sicken me (though the First Amendment advocate in me keeps saying they have a right to do what they are doing). I shudder when I drive by Jimmy Swaggart's kindgom.

I'm a Christian because I believe the Gospel really is Good News. Everything else is secondary. And Jesus never condems people who are gay. He forgives adulterers. He hangs out with the dregs of society.

He does, however, speak out against those who are rich and don't use their wealth for the betterment of others. He speaks out against those who take advantage of the weakest members of society. And he preaches a message of tolerance and love.

That's the Jesus I, and milliions of other moderate or liberal Christians know. I just wish more people knew that.

Thank you for listening to my rant.

Oh, and George rocks! He reminds me a lot of my dad, who was also named George. I hope he wins, even though I don't think he will.

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

First, I had the best sandwich ever the other night from Whole Foods. Yes, it was a splurge (though really, not much more than Subway or the poboy shop), but sooo worth it. It was nothing special - Just turkey, bacon, and lettuce with mayo on ciabatta bread, but it was unbelievably good. A friend of mine told me that it was worthing paying twice what the regular grocery stores charge to get lunch meat at Whole foods. I didn't believe her at first, but now I think she is right.

Second, Big Brother was just plain boring last night. Although, I have to say that I still dislike Janelle. And if she thinks she is fooling anyone with that "I'm helpless and depressed" routine she is nuts.

Finally...well, there is no finally. Except to say that the mess around my building is really annoying, especially the sandy soil that is everywhere. When it rains, that stuff is like ice.

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Yeah, Mike is the essence of evil. Though I really wish George (I refuse to call him Chicken George) had put Janelle up instead of Howie.

Even though Mike is slimier than Will, I know that Will will end up winning, because Mike isn't subtle enough. It is going to come down to him and Will, and Will will win because he didn't alienate everyone who got voted out the way Mike did.

Superhero Popsicles are the best ever. They come in Captian America (the traditional red, white and blue - cherry, lemon, and blue raspberry), Spiderman (Black (sorta), blue, and red - Strawberry Kiwi, blue rasperry, and cherry), and Hulk (green apple). Not a bad flavor in the bunch - in other words, no orange in site.

Oh, and as a rant to close this post, I hate that pretty much every public school district in the country has stopped teaching kids how to think and commenced with teaching them how to pass standardized tests. Thank you George W. for turning out hundreds of thousands of automatons in the name of "No Child Left Behind."

OK, the Y chromosome-bearing portion of my readership may want to skip the next couple paragraphs, unless you want to read about, you know, girly stuff.

I bought a new bra after I got paid because absolutely none of mine fit properly. I somehow managed to randomly pick the best bra ever. The cups are all cotton, and the band is supportive, but soft. Plus it doesn't itch at all.

But the absolutely best part? The band was 3 sizes smaller than the last bra I bought. Yay!

OK, men...Welcome Back.

So we had the young adult's lunch at church today. And for the first time I am starting to feel a little less young and a little more adult. That makes me kind of sad.

See, they were talking about MySpace and FaceBook as a means of planning stuff. And of course, I had to put the damper on that one because I don't have an academic e-mail address. Then the discussion turned to the fact that people use it to reconnect with their high school friends, and one girl mentioned that she graduated high school in 2000. I wanted to cry. I graduated 11 years earlier. We had forgotten to plan our first milestone reunion during her 11th grade year. When I took my SATs for the first time, she was learning to write her letters in Kindergarten.

That's when I realized that this is probably my last year as a young adult. Sigh.

By the way, I am watching a really craptastic movie staring Lance Bass and possibly one or more other members of 'NSync. Jerry Stiller is in it also, and the guy who used to be on News Radio. It is kind of odd watching him play a romantic lead now knowing he is gay. Just thought I'd mention that.

Also? Fruit flies are minions of Satan, sent to drive innocent apartment dwellers nuts. And they still haven't caulked the the little holes in my wall where they are probably getting in. Of course, since they are apparently tearing the building down in January, it doesn't really matter. (I'll write about that some other time - I don't feel like thinking about it right now.)

I think I shall take a nap, since the fires of Hell seem to have escaped along with the fruit flies. It is too hot to do anything else.

I may be back later.

Friday, August 18, 2006

So my phone is back on. Because not only did I get paid today, but my unemployment finally came through. In fact, the department of labor said that my former company was not justified in terminating me for cause. And an attorney friend I happened to speak with said that I would be justified in bring a grievence against them for several things, not the least of which is that my personal personnel issues were discussed with at least one and possibly more people outside my reporting line. I won't, of course. As far as I am concerned, it's all done and over with.

So, I'm feeling pretty comfortable now. Just wanted you all to know. Thanks for your help and prayers over the last couple months.

Oh, and if anyone who happens to read this knows what the Coup D'Etat phrase on Big Brother was, please leave me a comment. I came home just in time to see tonight's eviction. And the whole double eviction thing is just more proof that they are making it up as they go along.

And the fact that Will still hasn't been put up for eviction is just more proof that this whole thing is fixed, or that everyone involved is really, really stupd.

Still, I really want to know the phrase. And didn't they say when they announced this whole thing that it was a five word phrase, or did I make that up? Why was everyone guessing short, little phrases?

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Big Brother

I've decided that Mike is infinitely more slimy than Will based on last night's episode. The way he kept saying he just wanted to "get some" from Erika before she's eliminated gave me the creeps.

Also, Janelle is icky. There, I said it.

And I loved when Marcellus said that Mike and Will were more gay with each other than he was. That made me laugh.

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

The best writing class (and one of the best classes I've ever had, period) I ever had was also the toughest. Advanced Composition in college. More than any other class, I have been able to apply the things I learned in that class professionally.

The most important thing I learned is simpler is better. That professor always emphasized that the most direct way of saying something is the best way to say it. As a result, phrases such as "as well as" instead of "and" drive me nuts. Naturally, all the techies around here are married to hyphens and "as well as". Cest la vie.

The other thing that class taught me was how to deal with criticism. Every paper we wrote was reviewed and discussed in class, at first anonymously, then with our names attached. What a reality check. But I can honestly say that it helped me to recognize my own writing quirks and flaws and fix them before someone else points them out.

Finally, more than anything else, I saw myself grow as a writer in that class. From my first paper to my last, there was a tremendous improvement. And the fact that the professor commented on that made it so much more significant.

And on a final note, I really liked how he called his students Ms. (or Mr.) [Groovy Last Name]. It was kind of quaint. I know it irritated a certain fellow blogger, or at least his insistence on using Ms. did.

(As an aside, I myself prefer Miss as well, but Ms. doesn't really annoy me)

Monday, August 14, 2006

Well, I was wrong. My thyroid has apparently normalized. I wish I knew why I feel so icky, then. But the good news is that I only have to get blood drawn every three months now instead of every six weeks.

My friends' baby was baptized this week. It was a lovely sacrament. We sang the song I love again. There were grown, tough-guy men in the congregation who were crying. And the baby is adorable.

I went to their house for lunch yesterday. Their poor, little dachshound feels so left out. As J was opening gifts for the baby, she kept sticking her little nose in the bags, hoping it was a present for her.

I forgot to take my baby gift yesterday, so I'll give it to them next week. I think I shall buy a gift for the puppy, too, so she doesn't feel left out.

Friday, August 11, 2006

One of my new co-workers, who just finished her MFA in Creative Writing, really intimidates me. She would fit in perfectly in a hipster coffee house NYC. Of course, the fact that she is from NYC probably has something to do with it but nonetheless.

My other office mate has a masters in medieval studies. Much less intimidating.

My boss is a dissertation short of a PhD, and the other person in my department has an MPA. I've never felt quite so inadequate.

I need to get my masters in something. As soon as my student loan is caught up (only six more months to go) I'm going to start looking into programs.

Thursday, August 10, 2006

So I got blood drawn again today. Joy. I swear I have filled more little tubes this year than I have in the rest of my years on this planet combined.

I know my doctor is going to up my thyroid meds again. As much as I am enjoying life right now, I feel kind of cruddy physically. I'm just really run down and tired, and I get headaches at the drop of a hat. I don't know where I would be without the Mountain Dew that flows like water around these parts.

I've been doing some reading on the net, and people who have hypothyroid say that they can feel a huge difference once their TSH gets below 2. I'm at 10. That's an improvement considering my worst was 80, but it's still way too high.

Oh, and the link I posted a few days ago...yeah. Here is the correct one at last. I have enough of a black thumb that I even get flowers confused in writing.

Well, that's it for now. I'm going home soon to nurse the bruise the phlebotomist left me with. It was a big one this time. Adios, muchachos.

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

I may not be around much for the next few weeks. My phone got turned off today. I don't think I have enough in my first pay to pay it, so it might be the beginning of Sept, or even the middle, before it is back on.

Just letting y'all know so you don't worry.

Monday, August 07, 2006

Hello, young lovers.

I still love my job. I'm a little bored right now, because there is a lot of really dry reading right now. But I get to write every day.

As much as I complain about reality TV, I have to admit that there is one show I am addicted to (other than The Apprentice) . I look forward to summer because that's when Fox airs Hell's Kitchen. I don't know what it is about that show that I love, but I can't get enough of it. I wish it were on year-round.

I love that Virginia has this sweet girl demeanor, but she really is a huge witch with a capital B.

And I admit that I've been dragged into Big Brother this season. It's mainly because while everyone seems to realize that Will is manipulating them, they let him. I don't quite understand that. If it had been me, he would have been up for dismissal the first week, and I would have kept putting him up until he got sent home.

Of course, this just goes to prove that reality TV is anything but.

Oh, and I am officially old now. I was digging through a box and I found a half-finished cross stitch project (most projects I start spend some time in the half finished stage). I decided to work on it, because I'm tired of the great scarf project..

I have to take my glasses off to see what I am doing.

When I realized that, I wanted to cry.

I guess it's going to be bifocals for me.

I wore them once before, but the optometrist I started to see with my insurance at the last place said I didn't really need them. Guess she was wrong.

Oh, and for those of you who are stitchers, you must go to this site. You can upload any image and turn it into a cross stitch chart. The site is especially wonderful for those of you who like a challenge.

I think I shall wear shorts to work tomorrow. I like writing that.

Well, that's all I have for now. Oh, except that the check engine light in my car suddenly went off. No idea what happened, but I'm not complaining. I'll still get a tune up in Septmeber, though.

ETA: I fixed the link so it is the correct one now. I knew it was some kind of flower...

Thursday, August 03, 2006

The check engine light came on in my car tonight. Now, I'm 99.9% sure it's just because I need spark plugs and wires, mainly because that's what they told me I needed last time it came on, and I never actually got around to getting them (and that was over a year ago).

Now, if I have to take it to a mechanic, none of the ones around here will do just spark plugs and wires without a tune up, and none charge less than $200 for a tune up. I won't be able to afford that until October.

But, if I buy the plugs and wires, I can do it myself for about $50. I can borrow that until I get paid if I have to (I'll get them to put the little diagnostic thing on the car again - the auto parts store down the street does it for free), and I can borrow a wratchet wrench from my friend J's husband. The question is, how brave do I feel? I looked up the directions on the net, and it doesn't seem that hard. But mechanical stuff scares me a little bit.

I'll make some phone calls tomorrow and let you know what I decide.

If you care.

On the plus side, I no longer thing my transmission is bad.

Remember...

...the macaroni and cheese I lost a couple weeks ago? I found it this morning. I was getting ready to leave for work, and I had to move my yarn box to get a DVD I borrowed from the library out fo the player to return it. I happened to look in the box, and there it was. I have no idea how it got there, but there it was. Yay. I think I'll take that for lunch tomorrow.

I still love my job, by the way. I got to work on a resume today, which is tougher than it sounds. Oh, and I met the owner of the company. She's very impressive.

Oh, and in the small world department, a guy in my department who also started Monday went to college where a friend of mine from college teaches, and he had her for a class. Of course, that made me feel old. But it's still a small world.

I think I may be having transmission problems. Pray that I'm not. I need my car to last at least another year. By then, God willing, I'll have my student loans caught up, and I can think about buying a newer used car, or maybe even a cheap new car like a Kia.

I'm not used to sitting at a desk chair 8 hours a day, since I haven't done it for six weeks. Plus, my chair is really uncomfortable. As a result, my body hurts. I suppose sleeping on the couch doesn't help, but I'm still convinced it's that old mattress that is causing all these staph infections. I never had them until I moved here. Of course, I never had them before my thyroid went nuts either.

Guess that's all the randomness for the night. I shall sleep the sleep of the really sleepy now. So long, Farewell, Auf Wiedersen, Goodbye.