Why is INCREDIBLE, INCURABLE SADNESS my only talent?
Tell me. I’d like to know.
OWOWOOWOW
A thing. WHY NOT
Last Year
[ ] Was way better than this year
[ ] I had a different boyfriend then I have now
[ ] I had a different hair color
[ ] I dated last year but not this year
[ ] I had more friends
[X] I wasn’t in High School
[X] I wasn’t in Middle School
[ ] I had a blast
5 Years Ago
[ ] Things were so easy
[ ] Everyone was each others friends
[X] There was so much drama
[ ] A lot of people bugged me
[ ] I was in High School
[ ] I was in Middle School
[ ] I was in Elementary School
[ ] I was in College
[ ] I didn’t have a cell phone
10 Years Ago
[ ] I wasn’t alive
[ ] I hadn’t started school
[X] I just started school [again, technically, haha]
[ ] I was in Elementary School
[ ] I was in Middle School
[ ] I was in High School
[X] I was in College
[ ] I was too young to remember anything
[ ] I miss my old friends
[ ] Someone I love passed away
Things I Miss
[X] My childhood
[X] The way things used to be
[X] A loved one
[X] A pet
[ ] A material possession
[ ] A T.V. Show
[X] My old friends
[X] Someone who has passed away
[ ] When there was all the time in the world
[ ] When I could talk to my parents about anything
I’m bored.
Twig the Wig (totally irrelevant title as always)
IT’S ANOTHER SURVEY SCREW IT
TEN THINGS YOU CAN TOUCH RIGHT NOW
1. My monitor
2. My cup of water
3. My phone
4. The chair next to me
5. THE SENNHEISERS
6. Like twenty half-empty boxes of penne pasta
7. Like twenty half-empty bags of spaghetti
8. Some notebooks
9. A pile of masks
10. My tablet
TEN THINGS YOU HAVE DONE THIS WEEK
1. Ran
2. Walked
3. Worked on my story
4. Procrastinated posting these blogs
5. Felt like trash
6. Looked like trash
7. Had chocolate
8. Had broccoli
9. Cried
10. Wondered if we’ll ever get back to normal
TEN THINGS YOU LOVE
1. Leibniz
2. Running
3. Writing a really satisfying sentence or paragraph
4. Cats
5. Frisson
6. My ten or so fantasies I use to occupy my thoughts
7. A certain memory that I shall never speak of but will always treasure
8. Walking
9. Husband
10. Mom
TEN BANDS/ARTISTS YOU LOVE
1. Coldplay
2. Muse
3. VOCES8
4. Hans Zimmer (he totally counts)
5. James Horner (he totally counts too)
6. Sugar Ray
7. WALK THE MOON
8. Barenaked Ladies
9. Lady Gaga
10. Weezer
TEN ITEMS THAT YOU FIND IN YOUR PURSE
(I don’t have a purse, so I’ll use my backpack instead)
1. My bag o’ USBs (don’t ask)
2. Swiss army knife
3. Wallet
4. Phone
5. Pen
6. Masks aplenty
7. Hand sanitizer
8. Headphones
9. A folder full of all sorts of random papers
10. Gloves. Yes, even in summer. YOU NEVER KNOW\
TEN THINGS YOU LIKE DOING IN YOUR FREE TIME
1. Writing
2. Blogging (it’s different than writing, fight me)
3. Walking
4. Running
5. Drawing
6. Listening to music
7. Watching/reading dumb stuff on the internet
8. Playing Quake
9. Sorting stuff
10. Fantasizing
TEN TRAITS YOU FIND ATTRACTIVE IN THE OPPOSITE SEX
(I’m going to mix physical and mental/personality because I can)
1. Kindness to animals, especially cats
2. Intelligence
3. An unusual-shaped nose
4. Some sort of hobby they’re obsessed with
5. Doesn’t want kids or want anything to do with kids. Yes, I’m that kind of person.
6. Blue eyes. Or super deep brown eyes.
7. Is cool with me disappearing on a 4- or 5- hour walk/run every day. Or wants to go with me.
8. Compatible sense of humor
9. Nice stomach
10. Be weird. Weird rocks.
Ankle Pankle
I think we’ve finally found a style that’s even more obnoxious than yoga pants: pants that are too short!
I get that there are certain pant styles that are designed to not go down past (or even to) your ankles. Culottes. Flood pants. Capris.
But holy hell, since we’ve gotten back to in-person classes, it seems like EVERYONE is wearing pants that just aren’t quite long enough. And half the time it doesn’t seem like an intentional pants style – they’re just too freaking short.
It looks terrible, in my opinion. I know everyone has their own style and all, but ew. It also seems incredibly uncomfortable. Calgary is cold; why do you want to have cold ankles?
Yes, this is me with my horrible fashion making fashion judgments. Fight me. AT LEAST MY ANKLES ARE WARM YOU SONS OF BITCHES
CREECH
Functions
What are you holding your breath in anticipation of?
Going back down to Moscow for the first time since 2019. That’s way too long.
What most recently gave you goosebumps?
This song. This wonderful, wonderful song.
What’s giving you that pain in the neck?
Existence.
What’s making your heart ache?
A certain thing that I’m not going to mention.
What are you yawning at?
Nothing, really.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Space
Of all the spaces in your residence, which is most powerfully your space?
I don’t really have one. I guess my area is the corner behind the dining room table, but I don’t really have a space that’s just my own.
What’s the most spacious space in your everyday life?
Uh…outside?
What’s a good song about space?
Supermassive Black Hole!
What’s under your bed?
Towels. Cat hair (Jazzy hair mostly). Probably toy mice.
What are your thoughts on typing one or two spaces after sentences?
I learned to only type one space.
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +
Makin’ It
What skill seems like it would be really fun to learn?
Something artistic, like being able to draw or paint really well.
Which of the winter Olympic sports would you love to compete in?
Speed skating!
What fun craft did you make when you were a kid, in school or at camp or somewhere else?
I don’t know if this counts, but when I was in elementary school I used to make life-size people out of paper. They had skeletons and digestive systems and everything.
If everyone in the world is the best in the world at some very specific thing, what are you most likely the best at?
Being worthless.
What’s something you own that was handmade by someone you know?
I don’t think I have anything from someone I know personally, but I have a hat that was handmade by the people who own that craft barn thingy on the way to Lewiston.
*deranged screeching*
That is all.
Angels We Have Feared on High
We all need more nightmare fuel, and what better nightmare fuel than BIBLICAL HORRORZ
I love the take that ophanim are just fuckin’ wheels. That’s great. No better way to pimp your ride than with angel wheels.
Book Review: Othello (Shakespeare)
Have I read this before: Yes! I actually don’t remember if we read this in school or if I read it on my own. It seems like every play we read in high school involved a “live reading” where we each picked a character and read the play aloud. I don’t remember doing that with Othello, so I must have read it on my own.
Review: I remember a lot of dickish manipulation by Iago, but I’d forgotten the extent of it, haha. His manipulation tactics are strong and clever and I like how things kind of build up throughout the play and give more power to his lies and deceptions.
Favorite Part: the whole handkerchief thing was probably my favorite thing. Again, lots of twists and build-ups to make everything just work out for Iago’s motives.
Rating: 6/10
Book Review: Mrs. Dalloway (Woolf)
Have I read this before: Nope.
Review: Eh. This one wasn’t my favorite. Like, To the Lighthouse was okay, but I don’t think Woolf’s writing style really jives with me. The story itself was okay I guess, but I wasn’t really a fan of the way it was conveyed. Also, it’s YET ANOTHER STORY SET IN ENGLAND, as if we need that.
Favorite Part: The death of Septimus. Super sad.
Rating: 3/10
So this is still a thing
The Brick Testament was a website I frequented a lot back in…high school? I thought Bible + Legos was the best thing ever.
Turns out the site is still around (though with a slightly different name).
So if you want Bible stories delivered via Legos, check it out!
Piano Party 90s Style
I took piano lessons back when I was a youngster (like…6, 7 years old?). I hated it. I don’t know why I didn’t like it, but I never bonded with the piano like I did with wind instruments. Maybe because I didn’t start with wind instruments until I was a few years older…who knows.
Anyway.
In the spirit of N O S T A L G I A, I looked up the old books I used to use at my lessons and behold…they’re still a thing!
I don’t remember what level I got to (mom, do you remember?), but I remember these books.
Danny Pudi is fantastic
Hahaha, that smile he gives at 0:16 is so Abed, hahaha
Good Ol’ College Days Survey
Read the title.
What was the name of your college’s sports teams, and what did you think of that name?
The Vandals. It’s a pretty good name.
What was your favorite thing about your college specifically?
Apart from marching band? The rec center. U of I has the best rec center I’ve seen for a college. If COVID is miraculously gone by the time I get to visit Moscow again, I’d love to spend some time there.
What was your least favorite thing about your college specifically?
Apart from the many, many layers of incompetence at the administration level? I’m still pissed that they denied my petition to take 28 credits one semester. Like…I petitioned to take 25 (nine classes) and they were like “lol sure.” So I did it, got a 4.0, and petitioned for 28. They were like “lol nope get a life nerd.” Really?
OH WAIT I LIED I just thought of something that is definitely my least favorite (and is even more petty). The U of I had a plaque in the SU building for people who had completed their degrees with a 4.0 GPA. I finished my degree with a 4.0 GPA. But they didn’t put me on the plaque because they said that people who had gotten college credit from high school didn’t count. And I say 1) what the fuck kind of rule is that, and 2) one of my friends from high school got on the plaque and I know for a fact that she had some college credits from high school, so why does she get to be on there and not me?
(Petty? I DON’T CARE I WORKED HARD FOR THAT 4.0 AND I DID IT IN 2.5 YEARS)
Where was the best place on your college campus (or near campus) to get lunch?
Subway was close and tasty. Pita Pit was also good when it was there. I never personally went to that campus dining thingy in TLC, but I spend all my flex dollars there to buy my buddies snackies, haha.
Where was the best place on your college campus to spend time alone with someone?
I had a date in the Fish Bowl once. It was open 24 hours when it was there, so we just kind of stayed the night.
Which of your college sports teams was the most competitive? Which was the least?
I have no idea which sport was most competitive. Basketball? It certainly wasn’t football, haha. Holy hell.
What organizations did you belong to on your college campus, or what campus jobs did you have?
I was in Psi Chi (the psych student honor society) for like a semester before I was like “screw this, I’m busy with other stuff.” Is marching band an organization? I technically worked on campus over the summer of 2008 (cleaning) and then, of course, again when I taught from 2012-2014.
What was the best thing you could get from a vending machine on your college campus?
I only ever got candy.
What’s something you did in college that your parents would have disapproved of?
Not sure. I never did anything too crazy.
If you HAD to pick one, which of your college instructors was the hottest?
Dr. Cannon was pretty freaking cute. Philosophy. But he also introduced me to Leibniz, so maybe some of Leibniz’ residual hotness rubbed off on him.
THE UGLY ONE!
I had the strangest desire to re-watch all of the Teen Girl Squad episodes today.
Y’all remember Teen Girl Squad? Y’all remember Homestar Runner in general? Good times.
Anyway, here’s a playlist of TGS on YouTube.
The second one is my favorite.
“You must be girls.”
*I think I have a chance with this guy!*
And the cloud eating the birds.
Stupid Claudia Stuff:
Do y’all ever feel bad for packaging designers? As in, the people/groups/committees in charge of creating the packaging for a product? In most cases, I suspect that people don’t pay much attention (if any) to the packaging and just want the thing inside it.
I mean, I get that much of the impact of an item’s packaging design is probably sub-conscious, but still…how would you feel if the thing you spent each of your working days conceptualizing, creating, and fine-tuning was often just torn asunder without a second thought or glance?
Think of something as mundane as batteries. What do we do when we buy a pack of batteries? We rip open that back slot thingy, grab however many batteries we need, and then we’re good.
Do we ever really look at the packaging itself?
Someone (or a group of someones) designed this. Someone sat down and conceptualized this design, then probably had it approved by one or more other people. Someone had to choose not only how the logo would be placed on the packaging but all the “vital” info as well, such as the battery size, bar code, and all of the safety/other info on the back.
Thought was put into it. Effort was put into it.
And how much do we consciously pay attention?
It makes me kinda sad.
Next time you buy a thing, take a moment to appreciate the packaging. Appreciate that effort and the human touch behind something that we often discard without a second thought.
This is super fun!
How good are you? Some colors I can match almost immediately, but there’s this green color that’s like one tick away from the given green color in “easy” mode and I can’t freaking get it, haha.
WOO!
It’s a blog!
No one cares!!!!!1!11!111one!
Ah, 80’s Movies
Does anyone else remember this movie?
I watched this with my dad a lot, haha. Billy Crystal + Danny DeVito is a great pair.
Also, Danny DeVito has been around FOREVER, hahaha.
Book Review: Lonesome Dove (McMurtry)
Have I read this before: No, and I hate myself for it.
Review: Let me preface this by saying that I don’t consider “Western” to be one of my preferred genres.* And I was hesitant as soon as I bought this book because I was like oh god, a 900-page Western?
But then I started it. And got into it. The first hundred pages or so are slow, but the characters are so vivid and fleshed out that WHO THE HELL CARES THAT ALL THEY’RE TALKING ABOUT IS BEANS AND CATTLE. GIVE ME ALL THE BEANS AND CATTLE IF IT MEANS I CAN KEEP HEARING ABOUT HOW BADASS CAPTAIN CALL IS.
I don’t understand how anyone could avoid getting sucked into this story. Just Gus’ and Call’s friendship alone was enough to keep me invested, but all the other stuff? All the manly, dirty, gritty cowboy stuff? AND THE STORY ITSELF? This book grabbed me by my non-existent balls. Hell, this book made me grow balls and then proceeded to grab me by them.
I liked it, is what I’m trying to say here.
Favorite Part: The whole GODDAMN THING. But mostly Captain Call. I know most people favor Gus, but Call is definitely my favorite. I love the scene where he absolutely loses his shit on the army scout and Gus has to call him off. It’s the only time he ever really loses his cool.
Rating: 9/10
*I say this despite the fact that the Western genre is batting 1.000 with The Ox-Bow Incident and Lonesome Dove as its two representatives
I want carbs
Specifically, THESE carbs:
That looks so freaking good, haha.
*pukes survey everywhere*
OH GOD NOW I HAVE TO CLEAN IT UP
What is on your bed right now?
Uhhhhhhhhhh…bed stuff? Pillows, blankets, etc. And lots of cat hair.
What’s your favorite word or phrase?
My favorite word/phrase to say or my favorite word/phrase in general? In general, my favorite word is syzygy and my favorite phrase is the wonderful palindrome “Massive Levis, Sam!”
What is the best ice cream flavor?
Oreo.
Did you wake up smiling this morning?
HA. Never. The planet is doomed and I am almost always sad about something or other, so…yeah.
Is there something in your life you used to have, and now miss?
This is super random and specific, but back in…first grade?…I wrote a “book” called “A Coo’s Story.” I gave it to a friend who then moved away and I never saw her or the book again. I’d love to have both of them back in my life.
What major company would you like to work for?
It’s not a company, but I’d love to work for Statistics Canada. I remember I used to want to work for the Census Bureau, too.
What time do you wake up on a typical morning?
It varies quite a bit. Right now I don’t get up super early because it’s too cold to walk/run early in the morning and I don’t teach until late. But in the summer (or if my teaching schedule demands it) I can get up as early as 4:30 to go running or walking.
What holiday makes you sad?
New Year’s. New Year’s is so freaking depressing for too many reasons to list here.
Where does a good night’s sleep rank on your priorities?
PFFT. Am I asleep? Then it’s a good night’s sleep. Did I sleep for more than 3 hours? Then it’s a good night’s sleep. I don’t need much to feel rested, so it’s not really a huge priority.
One song that makes you cry?
Mary Chapin Carpenter’s “10,000 Miles” is the saddest goddamn song, bro.
How old was your mom when she had you?
30.
When is the last time you went to the beach?
Oh god. Probably when Nate and I did our west coast road trip back in 2015. We stood in the ocean on the Oregon coast and froze our feet in the ocean.
What is the most random object around you?
A sponge.
What is your favorite sushi?
Man, I haven’t had sushi in FOREVER. Maddie, remember when we went to that really good sushi restaurant by my old place in Vancouver that time you came up and visited back in 2010? I can’t remember what type(s) we got, but I liked it.
What food do you find disgusting?
Hahaha. There are too many to list or to categorize. I’m fairly picky.
If you could have any type of dog in the world, what would it be?
Not a dog person. Gimme cats.
What was the last meal that you made for yourself?
Spaghetti!
Is the hard drive on your computer full or getting close to being full?
Getting close, actually, yes.
Are there any songs that you prefer the acoustic version over the regular version?
Probably, but I can’t think of any off the top of my head.
Book Buying
I’m pretty sure I’ve mentioned this on here before, but I’m stingy when it comes to buying physical copies of (fiction) books. That is, I really have to like a book in order to want a physical copy of it. I think this stems from moving houses SO MANY TIMES in my life; books are super heavy and are rough to haul around.
Anyway.
Given all this, I ordered a physical copy of Lonesome Dove today.
Am I done with the book yet? No. But am I enamored enough with it at 60% of the way through to already want a physical copy? Yes.
It’s really good, y’all. You’ll see more details in my review in a few days, but unless the ending is like “and they woke up and it was ALL JUST A DREAM!!!” or some such nonsense, this is definitely going to be my top book of the year.
(Yes, I know it’s just February. But it’s a GOOD. BOOK.)
Y’know what?
It’d be nice if it was WARM during any of my breaks.
Hell, it doesn’t even have to be warm. Just be above -20, please. That’s all I want.
Seriously. I was stuck inside for the WHOLE WINTER BREAK because it was consistently below -30 for like an entire month.
And now? It’s Reading Week and it’s ONCE AGAIN freezing cold out there.
Ugh. I just wanna run/walk outside while I don’t have to worry about getting back in time for lectures.
Rant over.
Eigenblogger 