go to your calendar, find the first entry for each month of 2006, and post the first sentence of it in your journal...enjoy
january: i do have a story that needs telling right now, but unfortunately i require pictures in order to properly tell this story.
february: sitting here. staying awake. even though i have no reason to.
march: today is the sunday of my spring break. which means school starts again tomorrow. =(
april: but i'm not doing a real post yet... i do have tons to update y'all on.... but we'll get there eventually.
may: I remember my last day at notre dame, after graduation, sitting in the window sill of 707 PE, looking out at the volleyball court and the quad and thinking about how sad i was to go and how much i'd miss ND.
june: so, i'm sitting in austin now, on some steps in amelie's apartment complex (using *borrowed* internet of course).
july: well, i haven't been blogging this summer because i've been spending a ton of time outside riding horses
august: so, summer's almost over.
september: as ridiculous and over-the-top as he always was, i really loved the crocodile hunter, and am genuinely sad that he's gone.
october: there is one big difference between the department at texas and the department at western.
november: i guess its time to blog again.
december: ok, quick explanation of the last post.
hmmm... a lot of these are either kind of boring (dec, april, august) or just sound kinda sad. but i guess thats kinda been a theme this semester, so no surprise there. we'll just have to see what i can come up with next year.
Wednesday, December 13, 2006
Friday, December 08, 2006
planet
| You Should Rule Saturn |
 Saturn is a mysterious planet that can rarely be seen with the naked eye. You are perfect to rule Saturn because like its rings, you don't always follow the rules of nature. And like Saturn, to really be able to understand you, someone must delve beyond your appearance. You are not an easy person to befriend. However, once you enter a friendship, you'll be a friend for life. You think slowly but deeply. You only gain great understanding after a situation has past. |
Tuesday, December 05, 2006
cold!
ok, quick explanation of the last post. well, you all know how much i love puppies, and i've been going to see the greyhounds a lot lately. it helps me get through the end of the semester. especially as i start getting nervous about not having paper topics for some of my classes (eek!). so anyway, the black and white hound is domino. the brindle is nina. domino is the one i want to adopt, but you know she's got the whole foot thing (they say she has tight tendons, i really don't know what that means, but they said its very manageable with supplements and maybe accupuncture) and apparently she's recently been maybe a bit too keen about cats. so, we'll see. nina is actually the one i thought i'd end up with, but i met a family this weekend that might take her. hmmm. i really oughtn't to be getting this attached before break anyway. bad move danielle. what if there's complete turnaround in the month you are gone? silly me. i never learn.
lately i've been missing michigan/the north a lot. it's gotten so bad that last week when the cold finally hit (we had one day with a high of only 35!) i was so happy that i was practically skipping down the halls at school. i think that day i used at least three scarf/glove combos. and the cold weather is helping me get into paper writing mode, which is good. i can't write fall semester papers if it's warm outside. i can write spring semester papers in the warm, but not fall. so if i was in school somewhere really warm, i guess i'd fail out in my first semester. oops.
i need a haircut. but i kinda want to grow my hair out long enough so that i could do it up pride&prejudice style (even though i'm pretty sure i'd look ridiculous) so it's going to just have to keep growing, and maybe make do with a little trim.
i prolly should go now... do something mildly productive. argh.
lately i've been missing michigan/the north a lot. it's gotten so bad that last week when the cold finally hit (we had one day with a high of only 35!) i was so happy that i was practically skipping down the halls at school. i think that day i used at least three scarf/glove combos. and the cold weather is helping me get into paper writing mode, which is good. i can't write fall semester papers if it's warm outside. i can write spring semester papers in the warm, but not fall. so if i was in school somewhere really warm, i guess i'd fail out in my first semester. oops.
i need a haircut. but i kinda want to grow my hair out long enough so that i could do it up pride&prejudice style (even though i'm pretty sure i'd look ridiculous) so it's going to just have to keep growing, and maybe make do with a little trim.
i prolly should go now... do something mildly productive. argh.
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
i will not...
... allow myself to self destruct this semester. no matter how bad my classes get and how hopeless the papers seem, i will not fall into the kinda of cycle that epistemology threw me into. i can do this (we all know i can) and i will finish my papers and i will survive this semester.
of course, how much longer i'm willilng to stay in philo is another story. but i will not let it destroy me again.
of course, how much longer i'm willilng to stay in philo is another story. but i will not let it destroy me again.
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
class? learning?
i'm in phil of mind right now. yep, i'm such a good grad student... paying attention and all that stuff. but seriously, i am so ready for this semester and this class to be over. i never thought i'd have a phil of mind class that i didn't love. but this one is so competitive and combative and hostile.... i'm surprised i can even breathe in this room.
i got my grade for my paper today. i'm not sure entirely what the grade means, but i think (based on the scale that was used last year) that i did ok. and ok is all that i really want in this class. i'm not going for awesome and have no real thoughts of getting an A. i just need to get through it. and i think i will.
in a bit of good news (about damn time) i think i might have found a dog to adopt this weekend. her name is domino and i met her at a meet and greet for a local greyhound rescue group. her story is a sad one. apparently, she was abandoned in an apartment by some people who ran out on their lease. no one in the complex/management even knew she existed. they found her when they started to clear out the apartment and get it ready for its next occupants. she also has some kind of issue going on with her front legs. she kinda walks on her tippy-toes and her legs shake a bit when she's getting up. but apparently she's gotten better in the couple of weeks she's been with greyhound rescue. so, i'm hoping that its not a big deal (perhaps a mixture of lack of exercise and poor nutrition?). and assuming that she's not in horrible shape (that i couldn't afford to care for) i'm totally going to adopt her. she's clearly been through a lot, but she's still such a happy girl. she 'roos' at you until you pet her, then as soon as you touch her she's wiggling and dancing and smiling and leaning into the scratch. way too cute. i love her. i might be able to see her again this weekend. if so, i'll take a picture and post it.
ok, compy is starting to run low on batteries. time to find new ways to procrastinate.
i got my grade for my paper today. i'm not sure entirely what the grade means, but i think (based on the scale that was used last year) that i did ok. and ok is all that i really want in this class. i'm not going for awesome and have no real thoughts of getting an A. i just need to get through it. and i think i will.
in a bit of good news (about damn time) i think i might have found a dog to adopt this weekend. her name is domino and i met her at a meet and greet for a local greyhound rescue group. her story is a sad one. apparently, she was abandoned in an apartment by some people who ran out on their lease. no one in the complex/management even knew she existed. they found her when they started to clear out the apartment and get it ready for its next occupants. she also has some kind of issue going on with her front legs. she kinda walks on her tippy-toes and her legs shake a bit when she's getting up. but apparently she's gotten better in the couple of weeks she's been with greyhound rescue. so, i'm hoping that its not a big deal (perhaps a mixture of lack of exercise and poor nutrition?). and assuming that she's not in horrible shape (that i couldn't afford to care for) i'm totally going to adopt her. she's clearly been through a lot, but she's still such a happy girl. she 'roos' at you until you pet her, then as soon as you touch her she's wiggling and dancing and smiling and leaning into the scratch. way too cute. i love her. i might be able to see her again this weekend. if so, i'll take a picture and post it.
ok, compy is starting to run low on batteries. time to find new ways to procrastinate.
Sunday, November 05, 2006
ragamuffin
Kiwi cat
June 2006-November 2006
definitely one of the most beautiful and loving girls i've had the pleasure of living with. there is a big hole in the apartment now where she should be.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
starting over
i guess its time to blog again. for those of you who haven't talked to me recently, let me catch you up on the new ways that life has sucked in the past two weeks....
so, the next day after legend passed (monday) i woke up, obviously not to go to class, and spent a good three hours on the futon wondering why it was that my tummy was hurting. yes, it took me that long to figure out that i was hungry. then, it was time to take kiwi to the vet, cuz she'd been having a fever. i was, obviously, hoping that it was just a fever and we'd get some meds and go home. oh no. turns out she has a deadly incurable virus. of course, what else would she have. as i'm writing this tonight, little baby doesn't have much time left, i think. in the last day or so, her breathing's gotten more labored and she's been sleeping a ton.
the day after that, i had to give a presentation in my philo of mind class. if i havent mentioned it before,. this class is more or less synonymous with hell. its the most competitive, combative class i've ever seen, and like nothing i anticipated. so, of course, the presentation was horrid... really, i shouldn't have even done it, i was definitely not in the proper state of mind to prepare or to deal with that class.
but then i had to grade and prepare to head out to cali for a wedding. it has never been harder for me to get excited about a wedding in my life. which was horrible, because it was only my best friend getting married, you know, no big deal.... and of course, just when i was starting to get into things, i got an email from one of the profs from philo of mind reminding me just how bad my presentation did go, and then i would call home and talk to dude and paul, and they'd tell me how not differently kiwi was doing. yeah.
by the time we got to the wedding itself, things were looking up. after all, all the coolest people were there. so we had a lot of fun, and everything went well. it was definitely a bittersweet moment though. i was, again, reminded of just how far away from EVERYONE i live, and how disconnected i am starting to get from all my people. returning to school since then has only made me feel it more. i feel so out of it here. i'm not interested in the same things as most people, and so we have nothing to talk about. because we can't talk about things other than philosophy, can we? no, no.... that would be awful. and any desire to do that just shows that you're not serious enough about philosophy and probably shouldn't be here anyway... ugh. i ask myself what i'm doing so many times a week, if not a day.
last night was halloween. i dressed up as batgirl. that was awesome. but, of course, given my current state of mind, going to this party reminded me of last years party and how awesome that was.... i miss my michigan people. i miss having people. by now, i'm well aware that it takes me a good semester-ish to settle into a new place. but i am seriously ready to be done with this shit. today i was talking with one of the second years (one of two that at least seems human). he's not well liked by the other second years. one of the main theories being that its because he's christian and they just can't deal with that. so now i'm waiting for them to find out i'm catholic. on top of not being interested in philosophy of language... oh man, it might be the death of me.
last night, i was up till 4:30 grading. tonight, i passed out for four or five hours on the futon. and the next couple of nights/days will be spent writing my paper for philo of mind. hopefully, that works out ok. they've certainly put enough time into scaring us about it. i don't think writing this paper is going to be as bad as writing the epistemology paper from a couple years back (for starters, its philo of mind, so i actually have some intutions and even a few principled things to say), but the stress level is going to be close.
so, the next day after legend passed (monday) i woke up, obviously not to go to class, and spent a good three hours on the futon wondering why it was that my tummy was hurting. yes, it took me that long to figure out that i was hungry. then, it was time to take kiwi to the vet, cuz she'd been having a fever. i was, obviously, hoping that it was just a fever and we'd get some meds and go home. oh no. turns out she has a deadly incurable virus. of course, what else would she have. as i'm writing this tonight, little baby doesn't have much time left, i think. in the last day or so, her breathing's gotten more labored and she's been sleeping a ton.
the day after that, i had to give a presentation in my philo of mind class. if i havent mentioned it before,. this class is more or less synonymous with hell. its the most competitive, combative class i've ever seen, and like nothing i anticipated. so, of course, the presentation was horrid... really, i shouldn't have even done it, i was definitely not in the proper state of mind to prepare or to deal with that class.
but then i had to grade and prepare to head out to cali for a wedding. it has never been harder for me to get excited about a wedding in my life. which was horrible, because it was only my best friend getting married, you know, no big deal.... and of course, just when i was starting to get into things, i got an email from one of the profs from philo of mind reminding me just how bad my presentation did go, and then i would call home and talk to dude and paul, and they'd tell me how not differently kiwi was doing. yeah.
by the time we got to the wedding itself, things were looking up. after all, all the coolest people were there. so we had a lot of fun, and everything went well. it was definitely a bittersweet moment though. i was, again, reminded of just how far away from EVERYONE i live, and how disconnected i am starting to get from all my people. returning to school since then has only made me feel it more. i feel so out of it here. i'm not interested in the same things as most people, and so we have nothing to talk about. because we can't talk about things other than philosophy, can we? no, no.... that would be awful. and any desire to do that just shows that you're not serious enough about philosophy and probably shouldn't be here anyway... ugh. i ask myself what i'm doing so many times a week, if not a day.
last night was halloween. i dressed up as batgirl. that was awesome. but, of course, given my current state of mind, going to this party reminded me of last years party and how awesome that was.... i miss my michigan people. i miss having people. by now, i'm well aware that it takes me a good semester-ish to settle into a new place. but i am seriously ready to be done with this shit. today i was talking with one of the second years (one of two that at least seems human). he's not well liked by the other second years. one of the main theories being that its because he's christian and they just can't deal with that. so now i'm waiting for them to find out i'm catholic. on top of not being interested in philosophy of language... oh man, it might be the death of me.
last night, i was up till 4:30 grading. tonight, i passed out for four or five hours on the futon. and the next couple of nights/days will be spent writing my paper for philo of mind. hopefully, that works out ok. they've certainly put enough time into scaring us about it. i don't think writing this paper is going to be as bad as writing the epistemology paper from a couple years back (for starters, its philo of mind, so i actually have some intutions and even a few principled things to say), but the stress level is going to be close.
Sunday, October 15, 2006
my Legend
Legend
November 1994 - October 2006
i am still reeling in shock, with no idea when i will recover. but i miss him more than i can possibly express. Legend was the perfect dog and the best of friends. i love him.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
horseys!!!
so this morning was my first morning at my new therapeutic horsebackriding barn. way fun. it so different from reins of life. so much more laid back and kinda random. but i liked it. it felt like a real barn (real here meaning the barns all my neighbors have where we just grab a horse, tack up, and go as opposed to barns where there are lessons and things). i still smell like horse now. yay! (don't worry, i will shower soon.) i feel so much happier after spending some time with some horses. and yes, they are that essential to my happiness. they calm me down. a lot. and there might be room for me to exercise them. there certainly are some tubbily horses out there. and i'm sure there are some decent trails in those woods. (oh my gosh the woods and hills out by this barn! you have no idea how much i'd love to ride through them!!)
in other news, as i'm getting to know more people in the dept, i've been hearing a lot more stories about current and former residents of the dept. it definitely is an interesting place, filled with many socially challenged weirdos. my favorite story thus far... well, i certainly oughn't to type it out, but let's just say that tim's account of the importance of grad. logic and it's ability to win spouses is very far from accurate. =)
in other news, as i'm getting to know more people in the dept, i've been hearing a lot more stories about current and former residents of the dept. it definitely is an interesting place, filled with many socially challenged weirdos. my favorite story thus far... well, i certainly oughn't to type it out, but let's just say that tim's account of the importance of grad. logic and it's ability to win spouses is very far from accurate. =)
Friday, October 06, 2006
soundtrack
if you know me, you probably know how many theme songs i have had. somehow, i doubt this will get them right, but we'll see.
IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...
7. (I totally added this one on my own) Add senseless commentary to each song
Opening Credits: You Say - Vertical Horizon
Waking Up: MFC - Pearl Jam (i guess i could wake up to this... but i think my apartment would have to be a whole lot more rockstar than it is right now)
First Day At School: The Nearness of You - Norah Jones (i don't think this really makes sense...)
Falling In Love: A Wedding Interrupted - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Soundtrack (this is very intense... sounds like i'll be getting ready to do battle or maybe just running away)
Fight Song: Untitled - Better than Ezra (this one really makes no sense, unless i'm fighting in slow motion and its one of incongrous scenes like you see on walker texas ranger)
Breaking Up: I Took Your Name - REM (i think this one works... so long as its a triumphant break-up)
Prom: Eleanor Rigby - Beatles (seems like kind of a sad song for prom, but highschoolers would prolly dance to it anyway, right?)
Life's OK: Cast No Shadow - Oasis (yeah, sure)
Mental Breakdown: Smashing Young Man - Collective Soul
Driving: Fred Jones Part 2 - Ben Folds (i don't think i've ever even heard this song before, but it would only really work for driving if my life is one of those movies that don't really have a plot and don't really end in a satisfying way...)
Flashback: She Don't Use Jelly - Ben Folds Five (flashback to what?? and ugh, this is a bad cover of this song)
Getting Back Together: Uncle John's Band - Grateful Dead (this could maybe work... but the setting would have to be back home... or somewhere equally countrified)
Wedding: Narcolepsy - Ben Folds (hmmm... i'd rather not be asleep....but the piano parts are kinda pretty.... and i don't actually like Bed Folds that much.... i just have a lot of it on my compy)
Birth of Child: Dancing Days - Led Zeppelin (interesting choice....)
Final Battle: Easy Wind - Grateful Dead (what, exactly, could i battle with this song playing??)
Death Scene: Drive - Blind Melon (hey, its kinda mournful...)
Funeral Song: What Am I To You - Norah Jones (might make sense...)
End Credits: binky the doormat - REM (if its my movie, there has to be some REM)
IF YOUR LIFE WAS A MOVIE, WHAT WOULD THE SOUNDTRACK BE?
So, here's how it works:
1. Open your library (iTunes, Winamp, Media Player, iPod, etc)
2. Put it on shuffle
3. Press play
4. For every question, type the song that's playing
5. When you go to a new question, press the next button
6. Don't lie and try to pretend you're cool...
7. (I totally added this one on my own) Add senseless commentary to each song
Opening Credits: You Say - Vertical Horizon
Waking Up: MFC - Pearl Jam (i guess i could wake up to this... but i think my apartment would have to be a whole lot more rockstar than it is right now)
First Day At School: The Nearness of You - Norah Jones (i don't think this really makes sense...)
Falling In Love: A Wedding Interrupted - Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Soundtrack (this is very intense... sounds like i'll be getting ready to do battle or maybe just running away)
Fight Song: Untitled - Better than Ezra (this one really makes no sense, unless i'm fighting in slow motion and its one of incongrous scenes like you see on walker texas ranger)
Breaking Up: I Took Your Name - REM (i think this one works... so long as its a triumphant break-up)
Prom: Eleanor Rigby - Beatles (seems like kind of a sad song for prom, but highschoolers would prolly dance to it anyway, right?)
Life's OK: Cast No Shadow - Oasis (yeah, sure)
Mental Breakdown: Smashing Young Man - Collective Soul
Driving: Fred Jones Part 2 - Ben Folds (i don't think i've ever even heard this song before, but it would only really work for driving if my life is one of those movies that don't really have a plot and don't really end in a satisfying way...)
Flashback: She Don't Use Jelly - Ben Folds Five (flashback to what?? and ugh, this is a bad cover of this song)
Getting Back Together: Uncle John's Band - Grateful Dead (this could maybe work... but the setting would have to be back home... or somewhere equally countrified)
Wedding: Narcolepsy - Ben Folds (hmmm... i'd rather not be asleep....but the piano parts are kinda pretty.... and i don't actually like Bed Folds that much.... i just have a lot of it on my compy)
Birth of Child: Dancing Days - Led Zeppelin (interesting choice....)
Final Battle: Easy Wind - Grateful Dead (what, exactly, could i battle with this song playing??)
Death Scene: Drive - Blind Melon (hey, its kinda mournful...)
Funeral Song: What Am I To You - Norah Jones (might make sense...)
End Credits: binky the doormat - REM (if its my movie, there has to be some REM)
Tuesday, October 03, 2006
change
there is one big difference between the department at texas and the department at western. people here do take me (and all the other girls) seriously. and that is the default position. not the exception, or something that comes up after i have somehow 'proven' myself. its very refreshing. and definitely helps me be a better student. i don't have the pressure anymore of wondering what i have to do, so i can just go out there and do my thing. oddly enough, i find i'm much less worried now about asking the dumb question in class or admitting my ignorance. (not that i'm saying much in class, thats just not my way... but you know...)
the department party was last night. there was lots of drunkenness, a few funny moments, and just as many awkward moments. maybe i need to start hanging out in the department more. that would probably help. but i have yet to really connect with anyone here, which makes it hard. don't you love vicious circles? the point of the story is i wish it took me less time to adjust. i need to figure things out now, not in three months. and i need to figure out how to break in and grab me some real friends.
the department party was last night. there was lots of drunkenness, a few funny moments, and just as many awkward moments. maybe i need to start hanging out in the department more. that would probably help. but i have yet to really connect with anyone here, which makes it hard. don't you love vicious circles? the point of the story is i wish it took me less time to adjust. i need to figure things out now, not in three months. and i need to figure out how to break in and grab me some real friends.
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
what am i to you?
i'm reaching a weird (or maybe uncomfortable is a better word) point in my adjustment to life in texas. there have been a few times these past couple of weeks that i've felt a strong sense of belonging here, in texas, in austin, at ut. but i've also been equally overwhelmed by my feelings of first year inadequacy and loneliness. i guess this probably comes as no surprise to those of you that know me. witness my first semester at ND, and my first semester at western. it takes me a while (apparently, about a semester) to settle into a new place. i'm really missing the life i left behind in k-zoo. maybe more so because i know it's no longer there to go back to. friends have all scattered around the country by now. but still, i miss the friends i left behind (even more so, i miss those who have left me behind). it's not as bad as it could be here. the folk are friendly, although more competitive than i anticipated, so there is hope at the end of the line, but just right now it seems far away. and dude and paul are here as well, and soren is trying his hardest right now to remind me that a kitty is better than any smelly old philosophers.
let's just say this isn't the easiet of times.
::if my sky should fall
would you even call?::
let's just say this isn't the easiet of times.
::if my sky should fall
would you even call?::
Thursday, September 14, 2006
settling...
well, i think i've been here long enough that i can start to come out with some definite opinions on my classes and classmates. i think it's definitely a mixed bag.
aristotle (which, admittedly, has only met once) i think will be good. at least its a class with fellow ancient people, which is quite refreshing... it can feel lonely sometimes out in the analytic world. however, the prof. does talk so quickly as to be unintelligible quite a bit of the time.
phil. of mind promises to rock, i think. despite (or because of?) the sometimes quite harsh british commentary from one prof. we're reading some good stuff, it's going along at a nice pace. i think it'll be good.
and then there's the first year seminar. so far, absolute diasaster. the title of it is analyticity. so, it's all analytic-synthetic distinction garbage. (obviously, it doesn't help that i think a lot of philosophy of language is meaningless garbage.) so, most of the stuff we read is horrid. and the stuff that is close to being any good gets attacked by the most inane arguments i've ever heard, but because we're doing hard-core analytic philo, they get termed 'good.' and really, i don't have the energy to play the game. i've tried before (like in some of my classes at western) and i just don't have the energy to do it most of the time. consequently, after the last two classes i've found myself desperately in need of a beer (or two, in the case of last night). so, here's hoping i survive... and that i find a paper topic.
as far as the peoples go.... yeah, that too is a mixed bag. there are a few who are absolutely awesome, many that i'm neutral towards, and so far only one that annoys me to peices. not bad, actually, for a group of academics. after all, we do have our reputation of awkwardness to keep up.
aristotle (which, admittedly, has only met once) i think will be good. at least its a class with fellow ancient people, which is quite refreshing... it can feel lonely sometimes out in the analytic world. however, the prof. does talk so quickly as to be unintelligible quite a bit of the time.
phil. of mind promises to rock, i think. despite (or because of?) the sometimes quite harsh british commentary from one prof. we're reading some good stuff, it's going along at a nice pace. i think it'll be good.
and then there's the first year seminar. so far, absolute diasaster. the title of it is analyticity. so, it's all analytic-synthetic distinction garbage. (obviously, it doesn't help that i think a lot of philosophy of language is meaningless garbage.) so, most of the stuff we read is horrid. and the stuff that is close to being any good gets attacked by the most inane arguments i've ever heard, but because we're doing hard-core analytic philo, they get termed 'good.' and really, i don't have the energy to play the game. i've tried before (like in some of my classes at western) and i just don't have the energy to do it most of the time. consequently, after the last two classes i've found myself desperately in need of a beer (or two, in the case of last night). so, here's hoping i survive... and that i find a paper topic.
as far as the peoples go.... yeah, that too is a mixed bag. there are a few who are absolutely awesome, many that i'm neutral towards, and so far only one that annoys me to peices. not bad, actually, for a group of academics. after all, we do have our reputation of awkwardness to keep up.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
crikey
as ridiculous and over-the-top as he always was, i really loved the crocodile hunter, and am genuinely sad that he's gone.
since i last posted, lots of stuff has happened. going backwards: i finally got a real bed! no more air mattress for me! i am sleeping off the floor again and loving every minute of it. now, if i could only restrain myself from online shopping for new comforters.... i don't need a new bedspread... i don't need a new bedspread....
school has started officially now. i've gone to the class i TA for twice. it's a philosophy of religion class, which is weird for me, cuz i've never really done any of that stuff. and it looks like i'm going to have an insane amount of grading to do. i'm just grading for another student, not a real prof... but apparently he goes insane with the homework. seriously, insane. i've only had one grad class thus far. it was my first year seminar (obviously, required for all first years). the title of it is 'analyticity,' which loosely translates into 'way more phil of language and epistemology than a danielle can reasonably handle without exploding.' the first class was funny though. mainly it consisted of the boys going "blah blah blah, phil. of language jargon terms, blah blah blah, this is so cool" and the girls staring at them and then saying things like "this doesn't make any sense" or "why does this matter" or "that's dumb and implausible." it should make for an interesting class. (and yes, we really did have that kind of gender split, and yes, the boys do seem to be those kind of annoying analytic philo geeks.)
kiwi has been having a whole set of issues all her own. she had tapeworm, those are gone now. but she had an upper respiratory infection, which led to a urinary tract infection (you know, they clean themselves), and she also had coccidia at the same time. so, right now she's on two different antibiotic drops and an antibiotic eye ointment. in case you've never tried it, take my word, there is nothing more fun than shoving drugs down a fiesty little kitty's throat three times a day. but, in seven to ten days, she should be free of all these little germies. until then, she's quarantined in joey's room. soren misses her, he spends a bit of every day mewing outside of the door, hoping she'll come out. and sometimes, she gears up and makes a break for it and paul and i have to go running all over to chase her down.
tomorrow, our own internet service will turn on. no more stealing from the neighbors. yay!
since i last posted, lots of stuff has happened. going backwards: i finally got a real bed! no more air mattress for me! i am sleeping off the floor again and loving every minute of it. now, if i could only restrain myself from online shopping for new comforters.... i don't need a new bedspread... i don't need a new bedspread....
school has started officially now. i've gone to the class i TA for twice. it's a philosophy of religion class, which is weird for me, cuz i've never really done any of that stuff. and it looks like i'm going to have an insane amount of grading to do. i'm just grading for another student, not a real prof... but apparently he goes insane with the homework. seriously, insane. i've only had one grad class thus far. it was my first year seminar (obviously, required for all first years). the title of it is 'analyticity,' which loosely translates into 'way more phil of language and epistemology than a danielle can reasonably handle without exploding.' the first class was funny though. mainly it consisted of the boys going "blah blah blah, phil. of language jargon terms, blah blah blah, this is so cool" and the girls staring at them and then saying things like "this doesn't make any sense" or "why does this matter" or "that's dumb and implausible." it should make for an interesting class. (and yes, we really did have that kind of gender split, and yes, the boys do seem to be those kind of annoying analytic philo geeks.)
kiwi has been having a whole set of issues all her own. she had tapeworm, those are gone now. but she had an upper respiratory infection, which led to a urinary tract infection (you know, they clean themselves), and she also had coccidia at the same time. so, right now she's on two different antibiotic drops and an antibiotic eye ointment. in case you've never tried it, take my word, there is nothing more fun than shoving drugs down a fiesty little kitty's throat three times a day. but, in seven to ten days, she should be free of all these little germies. until then, she's quarantined in joey's room. soren misses her, he spends a bit of every day mewing outside of the door, hoping she'll come out. and sometimes, she gears up and makes a break for it and paul and i have to go running all over to chase her down.
tomorrow, our own internet service will turn on. no more stealing from the neighbors. yay!
Thursday, August 24, 2006
exhausted
first texas post! woot!
so, here i am, in the apartment. its been going pretty well so far, with a few minor hiccups. my mom was in town for about a week, and while that was really nice having her around to help us get settled in and get necessary items, it was also extremely tiring. the place is still a wreck. there are dismantled boxes everywhere and no matter how often i clean the kitchen it seems to get dirty just as fast. but, i've hung up everything that goes in the living room, and my christmas lights went up in my room today. so, things are moving along... never mind the air mattress on my floor (new reinflated tonight!).
i spent today running errands. the car needed an oil change (2nd time in as many weeks i've had to spend a morning at the saab dealer. yay.) and then i drove another new first year (this one's a canadian) down to san marcos so she could apply for a social security number. (the office in austin is just too insane to go to.) so yeah, 60 mile drive, and then she wanted to go to target. and i love target, and a brief excursion sounded nice, but after a six a.m. wakeup, i wasn't really prepared to be there for an hour and a half. by the time i got home, i managed to say hi to joey and paul and then just collapse on my bed. consequently, i missed the gathering of philo people tonight. but.... it was going to start out with a two hour logic review (we have to take a diagnostic test on logic, and everyone's freaking about it) so it prolly wasn't a bad thing to miss. there'll be a party on sunday anyways, so that ought to be better. i've noticed that right now everyone's in the 'i'm just starting a grad program so i better talk smart and impress people' mode. since i've already done the grad school thing once, i don't really feel the need, which let's me have some more natural conversations with the older students, but sometimes leaves me stalling with the younger ones. it's a weird dynamic. i'm sure it'll all ease up soon enough.
in other news, i've been getting skinny lately... its the crazy texas heat. i never get really hungry. except for water. i always want water. and i've been swimming (although paul maintains that i don't exercise, i only chill-ax in the pool.) so i'm getting a little bit tan. it's crazy.
right now, i'm fighting the urge to go and nail up my mirror and hang some more pictures. i don't want to be "that neighbor" that pounds on the walls in the middle of the night.... but my room is so ready for more pictures. sigh. guess i'll just sleep.
oh, and we got a new kitten. her name is kiwi, and soren and her are starting to become friends. i describe her as cute in a "scrappy, ragamuffin" kind of way. here's a picture of her so you can see.
so, here i am, in the apartment. its been going pretty well so far, with a few minor hiccups. my mom was in town for about a week, and while that was really nice having her around to help us get settled in and get necessary items, it was also extremely tiring. the place is still a wreck. there are dismantled boxes everywhere and no matter how often i clean the kitchen it seems to get dirty just as fast. but, i've hung up everything that goes in the living room, and my christmas lights went up in my room today. so, things are moving along... never mind the air mattress on my floor (new reinflated tonight!).
i spent today running errands. the car needed an oil change (2nd time in as many weeks i've had to spend a morning at the saab dealer. yay.) and then i drove another new first year (this one's a canadian) down to san marcos so she could apply for a social security number. (the office in austin is just too insane to go to.) so yeah, 60 mile drive, and then she wanted to go to target. and i love target, and a brief excursion sounded nice, but after a six a.m. wakeup, i wasn't really prepared to be there for an hour and a half. by the time i got home, i managed to say hi to joey and paul and then just collapse on my bed. consequently, i missed the gathering of philo people tonight. but.... it was going to start out with a two hour logic review (we have to take a diagnostic test on logic, and everyone's freaking about it) so it prolly wasn't a bad thing to miss. there'll be a party on sunday anyways, so that ought to be better. i've noticed that right now everyone's in the 'i'm just starting a grad program so i better talk smart and impress people' mode. since i've already done the grad school thing once, i don't really feel the need, which let's me have some more natural conversations with the older students, but sometimes leaves me stalling with the younger ones. it's a weird dynamic. i'm sure it'll all ease up soon enough.
in other news, i've been getting skinny lately... its the crazy texas heat. i never get really hungry. except for water. i always want water. and i've been swimming (although paul maintains that i don't exercise, i only chill-ax in the pool.) so i'm getting a little bit tan. it's crazy.
right now, i'm fighting the urge to go and nail up my mirror and hang some more pictures. i don't want to be "that neighbor" that pounds on the walls in the middle of the night.... but my room is so ready for more pictures. sigh. guess i'll just sleep.
oh, and we got a new kitten. her name is kiwi, and soren and her are starting to become friends. i describe her as cute in a "scrappy, ragamuffin" kind of way. here's a picture of her so you can see.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
school?
so, summer's almost over. i leave for austin on the 9th. just a bit over a week. its a weird feeling. this has been a good summer back home, maybe the first good summer at home i've had in six years. and, although ready to get out of my mom's house and into my own place, i'm really going to miss being out on the farm. i love living out where you (normally) can't hear what's happening in your neighbor's house. but i still know most of the people that live on this road, and can just walk into about half of the houses without even knocking. i will not miss the babysitting for my sister. or grandma's insane obsessions.
i'm starting to get a bit nervous about starting up at texas. it is, after all, a top ten program. while notre dame (as a grad. program) was of the same caliber, i never was a grad. student at notre dame, and i don't think even my 400 level classes count. so i've never been at this level of school before (and yes, i am kinda writing off western here... although i think i learned a lot there and it did me a lot of good, i think the profs were waaay too easy on us a lot of the time). so i dunno. hopefully the other students will be cool. the older ones seemed allright when i went to visit.
at least i know my apartment will be sweet. i got that much. =)
i'm starting to get a bit nervous about starting up at texas. it is, after all, a top ten program. while notre dame (as a grad. program) was of the same caliber, i never was a grad. student at notre dame, and i don't think even my 400 level classes count. so i've never been at this level of school before (and yes, i am kinda writing off western here... although i think i learned a lot there and it did me a lot of good, i think the profs were waaay too easy on us a lot of the time). so i dunno. hopefully the other students will be cool. the older ones seemed allright when i went to visit.
at least i know my apartment will be sweet. i got that much. =)
Saturday, July 22, 2006
the fall
well, i haven't been blogging this summer because i've been spending a ton of time outside riding horses. one of my neighbors has a pair of foxtrotters that need to exercise and lose weight, so i got to come over and help. unfortunately, two major roadblocks have sprung up this week. first, on monday, baby-girl (the smaller of the two) went lame. however, this isn't horrible. there are other people to ride with. so i call up my neighbor ali to see if she want's to go for a ride on wednesday. of course, she does. so wednesday morning i go and grab george (the horse i've been riding... pics will come later) saddle up, and off we go. things are going great until we reach the midpoint of our ride. i see a deer... but george must have seen at least twenty, because he flipped out. and i fell down. hard. i think i fainted too, cuz i lost consciousness and an ambulance was called. apparently, once george realized i wasn't on his back anymore, he came trotting back to me and sniffed me, obviously wondering what had happened. i looked up at him (so i'm told) and started saying "i thought we were pals, george. i thought we were buddies." anyway, a cat scan, several x-rays, and a hip contusion later, i'm doing just fine... albeit a bit wobbly. i went to see george last night. he gave me a funny, aprehensive look at first... i think he thought i would be mad. but i gave him a hug and he started following me around the barnyard again. so, i think george and i are cool... but i don't know when i'll be able to get on him again. i am sore!
to top off the story, on wednesday night we lost power and it didn't come back until 3 pm yesterday. so we were out of power for 45 hours and had a generator hooked up and everything. it was crazy. joey and i felt kinda like pioneers, only without the dysentery.
to top off the story, on wednesday night we lost power and it didn't come back until 3 pm yesterday. so we were out of power for 45 hours and had a generator hooked up and everything. it was crazy. joey and i felt kinda like pioneers, only without the dysentery.
Sunday, June 18, 2006
lefty
like this would surprise anyone....
| Your Political Profile: |
| Overall: 30% Conservative, 70% Liberal |
| Social Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal |
| Personal Responsibility: 0% Conservative, 100% Liberal |
| Fiscal Issues: 25% Conservative, 75% Liberal |
| Ethics: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal |
| Defense and Crime: 50% Conservative, 50% Liberal |
Saturday, June 10, 2006
austin
so, i'm sitting in austin now, on some steps in amelie's apartment complex (using *borrowed* internet of course). i've been here since tuesday, doing some apartment hunting. (i did find a place, and its way nice... hopefully i'll have pictures up soon.) the past couple of days have been spent chilling out. doing some swimming, went to see a movie (an inconvenient truth -- i highly recommend it to anyone who cares about the world at all. there are a few too many 'yay, al gore' moments, but for those that can look past that, its very worthwhile.) the swimming has been really cool... there's a natural spring here called barton springs that has been made into a neato (and very cold) swimming place. anyway, i think its time to go now, figure out what to do tonight... just thought i should let y'all know that i'm still alive.
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