Wow. It's not even 1 o'clock yet, and I've already done breakfast, straightened up downstairs, cleaned the glass coffee tables and dining table, done yoga stretches, showered, dressed, and been to Staples and the grocery store.
This is not typical Saturday behaviour.
Over the last few weeks, I have seemingly become one of Those People Who Don't Answer Their Personal E-mail Very Promptly. I never thought I'd still find myself so busy without school, but since finishing at the end of March, I have been! Usually when I'm at home I really don't want to look at a computer (more so on weeknights than on weekends), and I've been out a lot, with people or at appointments or running errands. The one year prior to now that I wasn't in school, I was at a loss as to what to do with myself. Now I never get all the things I both want and need to do/should be doing done. Time just flies. Recently, a friend made the observation that the older you get, the faster time goes by. It sure seems that way.
So, I hope everyone is having a great weekend. Posting a real blog entry (as opposed to this kind of update) is one of those things on my "to do" list, so hopefully I can sit still for long enough to do that soon!
Pluto, planet status: 1930-2006. After 76 years of service and dedication as the ninth planet of our solar system, it has been legislated into "dwarf planet" retirement.
Probably because I've loved astronomy since I was little, and probably because I am very into astrology, it just seems so wrong!
This made my morning. It didn't so much make my laptop computer's morning when I sprayed coffee all over the screen, but I have cleaning products for that.
To fully find the humour in this, you might have to be up on the debate about classifying planets, the whole dwarf planet/pluton thing, and the movement to demote Pluto. Eric Francis' commentary about the debate finds him at his sarcastic finest, with both this article, and a Planet Waves blog from Monday morning titled "The Pluto Files."
I'm feeling surprisingly good today, for it being the morning after S's birthday party. ;) The Sunday morning after last year's party was an entirely different story. The feeling that morning was the very embodiment of Amanda Marshall's song "Sunday Morning After," as people who don't even live in this city and weren't at the party will attest to. I still get ridiculously babbly when enough wine is involved... oi. A fun time was had -- thank you to S and N for having me, and for the coffee this morning!
And, o' course... HAPPY BIRTHDAY S! :)
The good times last night were very much needed. Yesterday was quite the interesting day. Now, there have been some strange and bizarre incidents in my time, in particular something last summer that led a few people to truly understand why I'd had such concern over certain happenings. This weekend there's been something that has raised the bar on creepy and inappropriate. Ugh. The thing is, as I've mentioned, a lot has changed in my life and I find myself in a lot of new situations, so when I think something is not normal, I also have to stop and say, well, maybe this is normal under the circumstances and I'm overreacting, and then run it by a few trusted people for their opinion. The verdict has come back as definitely not normal. Now to deal with it in a tactful way, joy! :P
Blergh... oh well. I should probably try for a chill, relax, and get some writing done kind of day. Straighten up a couple of rooms that need straightening, catch up on e-mails, do all my Sunday stuff... or sit outside and enjoy the summer rain.
Now that you've mastered existentialism, might I suggest deconstructionist theory? I'd be rather interested in hearing your thoughts on Derrida. He's a trip. Or how about orientalism? Modernism? Post-modernism? Post-colonialism? Utilitarianism? I eagerly await your forthcoming doctrine on all of the above.
Best,
Jennifer
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S, apparently I just couldn't get over it. Sigh. HOW IS THIS NEWS?!
To my American friends: this is more me making fun of the media than your president. I would have the same response if it was a Canadian politician and this was a news item. And to everyone else, no, I'm not trying to sound like an uppity academic, and I am far from a theorist, but I hold fast to the opinion that G.W. reading Derrida would have been much more newsworthy. His writing made me weep, for reasons involving my brain falling straight out of my head. Also, Kevin? On that basis alone, I nominate you as a presidential candidate.
When you start talking to a stuffed animal puffin, it may be about time to call it a day.
That puffin came from one of my friends. I am going to miss her a lot when she moves across the country in a couple of months.
Things, they are a'changin'. Not only with other people, but with me. Well, I'd argue that my life is always changing, which is good. Even if I am at times a little resistant to it, typical Taurean that I am. While I've been enthusiastic (after at first feeling a little overwhelmed) about some changes -- really wanting to see where they will lead, with all of my heart and soul -- I really do need to learn to stop resisting the much-needed changes in other aspects of life. Embrace the new. There was a quote I read yesterday, "Don't back up or you'll trip going forward." I like that.
There was a lesson life taught me a few years ago. It can be summarized in a phrase we often hear: "The only thing left to fear is fear itself." I remember that place. Part of it wasn't so good, but part of it was oh so very freeing. When there was nothing to fear, there was nothing holding me back. It was the realization that truly, we are the only ones who hold ourselves back.
In a fit of novocaine inspired stream-of-consciousness, I somehow decided that today I should be Princess Jennifer since they gave me a crown this afternoon. Heh, get it? (Kathleen, that is so inspired by you. :)) I am ducking the tomatoes now.
My dentist did the ceramic restoration of my molar which had the root canal. It's beautiful, you can't even tell the difference between it and my other teeth. Yay for technology and excellent dentistry! Thus concludes part two of the only dental work I've ever had, on a very good note. They sent me home with a bottle of water, a tube of lip balm, and instructions, and then... I fell asleep. I was trying so hard not to fall asleep, too, now that I'm back on a normal sleep schedule.
I can't tell if the brain fuzz/sleepiness is still a side effect of the novocaine or a side effect of the nap I accidentally took, but I think it may be a good night for a movie before watching Rock Star: Inside the Mansion. I've tried a walk to become more alert (didn't work), and reading and being on the computer just makes me drowsy.
Hopefully my blog entries get back up to par again soon, and the writing also just flows... there's so much to do. Research and new analysis to incorporate into my article, chapters to finish, French verb conjugations and vocabulary to refresh myself on before taking a placement test, books to read, friends to see, friends to e-mail, dinners out and barbeques, and more rollerblading and outside things to do while summer is still here... how does summer go by this fast?
I am also really, truly, seriously considering getting a dog now. It's been a vague thought at the back of my mind for years, but having baby-sat a couple of dogs this year, including a small one for ten days, I know it's possible, and how much enjoyment and love they bring. So... maybe? Although I would love a Coton du Tulear, most likely I would get a Lhasa Apso, Shih Tzu, or Maltese. I have a name picked out and everything. :)
But, first thing's first, which is keeping up with the hectic pace of this week and refocusing some of my energy, getting a few things finished and enjoying all August will bring. The first week has already gone by in a blur!
"Come on hold my hand, I wanna contact the living..."
My current music fascination is "Feel" by Robbie Williams. I can't seem to stop listening to this song this weekend. It's weird, I was never really bitten by the Robbie Williams bug before now.
There are so many things I should probably be doing this weekend that I haven't. I can't seem to focus my thoughts in any one place to get anything truly productive accomplished, including but not limited to: research, writing, e-mails, reading, cleaning. I've been great with rollerblading and other exercise, though, because I've had a whole lot of excess energy to expel.
Reveling in the sweetness of summer and a long weekend
So, I haven't been around a computer much when not at work for the last week or so... it's summer! That means slacking off on the blog sometimes, I suppose.
Shoutout to an old friend who got back in touch recently, in case you read this before I next talk to you (you'll know who you are when you read this :)) -- the movie/quotes talk inspired a city-wide search today to rent When Harry Met Sally! It's been a really long time since I've seen it, so I need some reminding. I'm looking forward to watching it again!
