i didn't sleep much last night... partly because i didn't get home til almost one, and got up early, partly because i was excited for a day of not working and for hanging out with a good friend. :-), but sleep or no sleep, it turned out to be an excellent day.
i got up early to make sure i was ready when jessica got here -- turned out to be plenty early to eat breakfast and to update my website before she got here (see here) note especially the updated publications pages... i now have two math articles in print as opposed to just in the queue! =) this makes my erdos number officially a 4, and this makes me happy (when my paper with Zsolt Tuza as a coauthor gets printed, i'll be a 2, which is even cooler)! =)
anyhow, long story short, jessica got here, we went up to the mall in edison, browsed through barnes and noble, saw "mean girls", which was cute, got lunch @ panera, wandered the mall, then came back to my place to chat until dinner time... then ordered a pizza and rented another movie ("chasing liberty", also cute)... we then watched the end of "back to the future" and the start of "a knight's tale" before jessica had to head back home just now (she has to work in the morning, ai yai yai)... all in all a quality day
footnotes (in chronological order):
(1) bonus points to "mean girls" for making the main character a math ace :-)
(2) bonus points to "chasing liberty" for filming large portions of the movie in parts of europe i've been to before!
(3) eric called mid-afternoon cleaning out his old room in vegas (his family moved this spring) asking if i wanted his old kids' planetarium projector (projects the constellations on your ceiling)... for as many times as i've wandered into toy stores this year and joked about actually spending the money on one, i'm now getting one for free :-)
(4) quote from cspan when we heard the news earlier that former president reagan had died this afternoon -- random caller from AZ: "my condolences to the reagan family... i was focusing my thoughts on president reagan the other day and i'm afraid my mental powers may have killed him"
(5) it's so great to have someone who's known me more than a year around relatively close at hand... it's been another 1.5 months since we got to hang out, but i like hanging out with jessica a bunch... there's something cool about hanging out with friends who have known you through several phases of your life (hs, college, and now grad school) that makes chatting with them especially valuable and cool :-) and this makes me happy :-) yay for jessica :-)
(6) finally, i got an email from my boss when i came back to the computer just now "Thanks Lara, I really appreciate all your work....you're doing great! Carolyn", so i'm getting favorable reviews all around -- yay :-)
now, time to finish the fiction book i've been reading (arrows of the queen, leigh's favorite book ever) and get some sleep... early church tomorrow, then picking up colleen's sister from the airport -- fun, eh?
a most excellent night to all y'all =)
Saturday, June 05, 2004
a night off!
having worked a 30 hour week in 3 days basically, i'm tired... got to 402 contacts before i quit at 8:30 tonight, so go me!
then, after dinner and chatting with my brother for half an hour,
(brother quote of the day: "so i asked dad what exactly they do at 'strategic planning meetings' for the botanic garden... he said they're trying to brainstorm and come up with a new attraction... so i suggested they hire a clown that juggles pitchforks of flaming manure... he somehow didn't find it that funny, but what do you think?")...ben and i saw another movie... after van helsing and the crazy indian movie, i had earned another chick flick, so we saw "raising helen"...
while not the best movie of all time, we both left the theater going "dude, well, that was cute"... the movie also gets bonus points because
(1) they actually gave NJ Transit trains a good rap =)
(2) kate hudson's character falls for a hockey goalie lutheran pastor... (there were horrible horrible religion jokes that ensued, but it was cute nonetheless... best quote of the movie? after a little bit of kate hudson being weird about the guy just because he was a pastor, he ended a paragraph with "... but that's ok because i'm a sexy man of God and i know it")
(3) finally, the movie gets bonus points for having several places in it that ben and i could poke each other and go "we were there last week! we were there last week!"... there was even a closeup of a cow at the central park zoo that i have my picture with from february... i laughed =P
the end -- jessica comes in the morning! =) time for me to get some shut eye before she does =P
then, after dinner and chatting with my brother for half an hour,
(brother quote of the day: "so i asked dad what exactly they do at 'strategic planning meetings' for the botanic garden... he said they're trying to brainstorm and come up with a new attraction... so i suggested they hire a clown that juggles pitchforks of flaming manure... he somehow didn't find it that funny, but what do you think?")...ben and i saw another movie... after van helsing and the crazy indian movie, i had earned another chick flick, so we saw "raising helen"...
while not the best movie of all time, we both left the theater going "dude, well, that was cute"... the movie also gets bonus points because
(1) they actually gave NJ Transit trains a good rap =)
(2) kate hudson's character falls for a hockey goalie lutheran pastor... (there were horrible horrible religion jokes that ensued, but it was cute nonetheless... best quote of the movie? after a little bit of kate hudson being weird about the guy just because he was a pastor, he ended a paragraph with "... but that's ok because i'm a sexy man of God and i know it")
(3) finally, the movie gets bonus points for having several places in it that ben and i could poke each other and go "we were there last week! we were there last week!"... there was even a closeup of a cow at the central park zoo that i have my picture with from february... i laughed =P
the end -- jessica comes in the morning! =) time for me to get some shut eye before she does =P
Friday, June 04, 2004
name the movie, version 2
got tired of working at my desk, and straightened out the laptop, so it's working in front of the TV time again... despite our 70+ channels or whatever, there's absolutely nothing worth watching on... so movie time again... can you name the movie i'm watching for the first time in years from (1) the lyrics to the intro song, (2) a give-away quote near the beginning, and (3) a coffee quote a little farther in =P
(1) if only i could have a puppy, i'd call myself so very lucky just to have some company to share a cup of tea with me i take my puppy everywhere, la la la la, i wouldn't care; we'd stay away from crowds, besides that said no dogs allowed, oh we, i know he'd never bite me, we, i'd know he'd never bite me
if only i could have a friend, to stick with me until the end, and walk along beside the sea and share a moon with me; i take my friend most everywhere, la la la la, i wouldn't care, but we'll stay away from crowds, besides that said no friends allowed, oh we'd be so happy to be together, oh we'd be so happy to be together
but dreams are nothing more than wishes and a wish is just a dream, wish to come true...
(2) brinkley is my dog. he loves the streets of new york as much as i do. although he likes to eat bits of pizza and bagels off the sidewalk and i prefer to buy them.
(3) the whole purpose of places like starbucks is for people with no decision making ability whatsoever to make 6 decisionss just to buy 1 cup of coffee. short tall light dark decaf low-fat non-fat etc. so people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can for only $2.95 get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self. tall! decaf!! cappuccino!!!
yesterday's movie answer? "runaway bride"... yeah, laugh, i'm a girl... some days =P
(1) if only i could have a puppy, i'd call myself so very lucky just to have some company to share a cup of tea with me i take my puppy everywhere, la la la la, i wouldn't care; we'd stay away from crowds, besides that said no dogs allowed, oh we, i know he'd never bite me, we, i'd know he'd never bite me
if only i could have a friend, to stick with me until the end, and walk along beside the sea and share a moon with me; i take my friend most everywhere, la la la la, i wouldn't care, but we'll stay away from crowds, besides that said no friends allowed, oh we'd be so happy to be together, oh we'd be so happy to be together
but dreams are nothing more than wishes and a wish is just a dream, wish to come true...
(2) brinkley is my dog. he loves the streets of new york as much as i do. although he likes to eat bits of pizza and bagels off the sidewalk and i prefer to buy them.
(3) the whole purpose of places like starbucks is for people with no decision making ability whatsoever to make 6 decisionss just to buy 1 cup of coffee. short tall light dark decaf low-fat non-fat etc. so people who don't know what the hell they're doing or who on earth they are can for only $2.95 get not just a cup of coffee but an absolutely defining sense of self. tall! decaf!! cappuccino!!!
yesterday's movie answer? "runaway bride"... yeah, laugh, i'm a girl... some days =P
lunch break searching
i put my name in google just now, as i'm bound to do every few months when i'm bored, and i got 135 results (eventually it switches from fun math stuff and stuff i've actually written to some german opera singer named laura instead of lara, but still)
(1) i have no idea how my website got to be posted here, but i have no problem with it being on a site labeled "mathematicians -- 174 of the best sites selected by humans"
(2) similarly -- no clue, but the only link here (sciencedaily.com) under "links about P" is my site again... dude
all this is to say, apparently my website gets around more than i thought it did =P
funny how it isn't the number one hit when you put in my name into google though -- an atrocious picture from when i visited my friend paul at carnegie melon taken just after we had walked up 11 flights of stairs is instead... bother.
now, time to eat.
(1) i have no idea how my website got to be posted here, but i have no problem with it being on a site labeled "mathematicians -- 174 of the best sites selected by humans"
(2) similarly -- no clue, but the only link here (sciencedaily.com) under "links about P" is my site again... dude
all this is to say, apparently my website gets around more than i thought it did =P
funny how it isn't the number one hit when you put in my name into google though -- an atrocious picture from when i visited my friend paul at carnegie melon taken just after we had walked up 11 flights of stairs is instead... bother.
now, time to eat.
junk mail of the day
"because of [my] responsible credit history" (laugh #1), i've won "a check for $1600 to go on a cruise to las vegas".
last i checked vegas was kinda landlocked, so i'm not quite sure how that works.
all they want in return is me to fill out an evaluation of my trip when i return... and for the $1600 to be the first bit i owe on a new credit card.
such a cheesy ripoff, and they need better editors.
lunch, and back to work =P
last i checked vegas was kinda landlocked, so i'm not quite sure how that works.
all they want in return is me to fill out an evaluation of my trip when i return... and for the $1600 to be the first bit i owe on a new credit card.
such a cheesy ripoff, and they need better editors.
lunch, and back to work =P
riddle me this
my laptop decided to be retarded this morning, so i've been working on my desktop in my room... with the windows open because it's a gorgeous day!
but riddle me this...
there are two kids, who i'd guess to be junior high age, on the playground outside my window. they've (both of them boys) got their shirts off and are using them to scoop up large amounts of gravel and throw it all down the slide
for as much as i enjoy playgrounds, this is one activity i've never really understood... and i'm getting tired of the gravel grating on metal sound...
blah... up to 296 -- for sure i'll hit 350 today, 400 if i'm lucky... wish me luck!
but riddle me this...
there are two kids, who i'd guess to be junior high age, on the playground outside my window. they've (both of them boys) got their shirts off and are using them to scoop up large amounts of gravel and throw it all down the slide
for as much as i enjoy playgrounds, this is one activity i've never really understood... and i'm getting tired of the gravel grating on metal sound...
blah... up to 296 -- for sure i'll hit 350 today, 400 if i'm lucky... wish me luck!
Thursday, June 03, 2004
workin hard for the money
ok, well i *do* sit on my couch all day watching movies and old sitcoms while i work, but still... i am earning my keep... worked 10 hours yesterday and 8 hours today (just got done), and i'm not even 1/4 of the way done with this project.
background: i'm supposed to find 1000 prospective sponsors for hunting expos in the mid-south.
yesterday i exhausted what they expected to be my primary resource and had only 144 contacts to show for it.
today, they gave me more places to search and suddenly decided they wanted mailing addresses and phone numbers saved as well as email addresses (all that they wanted before), so it takes a little longer to input.
it's not like it's a difficult job... i open company websites, find the contact info page (or snoop around the html code for forms to get email addresses =P), and copy and paste into an excel spreadsheet... if you can turn on a computer, you can do my job... it's just tedious and time-consuming.
the funny thing is, carolyn (my boss) thought monday night that she'd have at most 8-10 hours of work for me each week, and here i am working 8-10 hours/day and will be working some on weekends to get this done by the end of next week if at all possible.
oh well, so now you know what i do =P can't ask for much better when you can only work for 4 weeks... and my boss thinks i'm excellent :-)
watching pleasantville on TBS... i haven't seen it in a few years and i think the last time i saw it was before i was aware of who reese whitherspoon is... it's cute... staying up til it's done and crashing. =P
later dudes. =P
background: i'm supposed to find 1000 prospective sponsors for hunting expos in the mid-south.
yesterday i exhausted what they expected to be my primary resource and had only 144 contacts to show for it.
today, they gave me more places to search and suddenly decided they wanted mailing addresses and phone numbers saved as well as email addresses (all that they wanted before), so it takes a little longer to input.
it's not like it's a difficult job... i open company websites, find the contact info page (or snoop around the html code for forms to get email addresses =P), and copy and paste into an excel spreadsheet... if you can turn on a computer, you can do my job... it's just tedious and time-consuming.
the funny thing is, carolyn (my boss) thought monday night that she'd have at most 8-10 hours of work for me each week, and here i am working 8-10 hours/day and will be working some on weekends to get this done by the end of next week if at all possible.
oh well, so now you know what i do =P can't ask for much better when you can only work for 4 weeks... and my boss thinks i'm excellent :-)
watching pleasantville on TBS... i haven't seen it in a few years and i think the last time i saw it was before i was aware of who reese whitherspoon is... it's cute... staying up til it's done and crashing. =P
later dudes. =P
name that movie...
"don't go knocking drunk guys in bars, it means they're not driving"
"there is a distinct possibility that i am profoundly and irrevesibly screwed up"
"welcome to our annual luau, what can i get ya?"
"how about something without a toy in it?"
name the speaker and the movie i'm watching as i work, and 3 points to you =P
"there is a distinct possibility that i am profoundly and irrevesibly screwed up"
"welcome to our annual luau, what can i get ya?"
"how about something without a toy in it?"
name the speaker and the movie i'm watching as i work, and 3 points to you =P
p.s.
from the FAQs page at the mental floss magazine website:
~~~~~
10. Why is Albert Einstein on the cover of every issue?
Because he's our hero. He is the wind beneath our wings.
~~~~~
dude =)
next issue doesn't come out til early august -- looks like someone needs to order some old issues =P
~~~~~
10. Why is Albert Einstein on the cover of every issue?
Because he's our hero. He is the wind beneath our wings.
~~~~~
dude =)
next issue doesn't come out til early august -- looks like someone needs to order some old issues =P
food for thought
well at least news and drinks, but whatever =P
two links i stole from two friends blogs -- but i don't think anyone else knows the both of them, so there's something new for everyone :-)
(1) "For Some, the Blogging Never Stops" (from the New York Times last week) -- maybe i write a lot, but i don't write in here in *place* of social interaction =P
(2) pop vs. soda (vs. coke) -- see the country in a whole new way =)
it's 12:30 and all i've done today is finish reading the copy of mental floss magazine that i picked up in ohio on my last roadtrip... need to track down the june/july issue soon... lunch then starting to work -- ah, the life of a telecommuter is glorious =)
two links i stole from two friends blogs -- but i don't think anyone else knows the both of them, so there's something new for everyone :-)
(1) "For Some, the Blogging Never Stops" (from the New York Times last week) -- maybe i write a lot, but i don't write in here in *place* of social interaction =P
(2) pop vs. soda (vs. coke) -- see the country in a whole new way =)
it's 12:30 and all i've done today is finish reading the copy of mental floss magazine that i picked up in ohio on my last roadtrip... need to track down the june/july issue soon... lunch then starting to work -- ah, the life of a telecommuter is glorious =)
my head's so weird....
strange dream:
was at valpo... went to bacclaureate, was talking with lots of friends outside the chapel afterwards when suddenly everyone starts herding over to the ARC (gym)... i had rutgers people there, pittsburgh cousins i was walking with, etc., etc., etc. i couldn't figure out why on earth everyone was headed for the arc so i took a detour in the direction of guild/memorial (2 of the dorms) and instead there were 1-story apartments... i went in the one i was apparently staying in with friends, and headed towards a room in the back, and lo and behold it was my room here in jersey... i started working on the computer and got a music file sent to me on IM from an online friend i've never met but have been chatting with on and off for like 5-6 years now... while i was still downloading it, there was a knock at the door and it was that same online friend... never met him ever before... asked him how on earth he got here (IN? NJ?) from AZ, and he claimed that it was on the way to moving back to CA... go figure. we went to some weird modern art museum "in valpo" but my head made it up... it was bizarre... i realized halfway through that the place was relatively empty compared to normal because everyone else in town was in the ARC for graduation and i had been too confused to go, then i remembered i had seen all those people graduate 2-3 weeks previously, so i was missing a repeat and it wasn't as bad as i felt, but i still felt silly. then i made some comment to brett (online friend that appeared) that "like dude, you're the 2nd long-time internet friend i've run into for the first time this weekend" and woke up.
nothing exciting... just i find it fascinating how many different aspects of my life get combined in dreams and how fluidly they move from one place to another, whereas the sudden jump from chapel drive in valpo to my room in jersey should have raised red flags, and yet it doesn't... mostly i'm just fascinated by how our heads put dreams together. the end.
was at valpo... went to bacclaureate, was talking with lots of friends outside the chapel afterwards when suddenly everyone starts herding over to the ARC (gym)... i had rutgers people there, pittsburgh cousins i was walking with, etc., etc., etc. i couldn't figure out why on earth everyone was headed for the arc so i took a detour in the direction of guild/memorial (2 of the dorms) and instead there were 1-story apartments... i went in the one i was apparently staying in with friends, and headed towards a room in the back, and lo and behold it was my room here in jersey... i started working on the computer and got a music file sent to me on IM from an online friend i've never met but have been chatting with on and off for like 5-6 years now... while i was still downloading it, there was a knock at the door and it was that same online friend... never met him ever before... asked him how on earth he got here (IN? NJ?) from AZ, and he claimed that it was on the way to moving back to CA... go figure. we went to some weird modern art museum "in valpo" but my head made it up... it was bizarre... i realized halfway through that the place was relatively empty compared to normal because everyone else in town was in the ARC for graduation and i had been too confused to go, then i remembered i had seen all those people graduate 2-3 weeks previously, so i was missing a repeat and it wasn't as bad as i felt, but i still felt silly. then i made some comment to brett (online friend that appeared) that "like dude, you're the 2nd long-time internet friend i've run into for the first time this weekend" and woke up.
nothing exciting... just i find it fascinating how many different aspects of my life get combined in dreams and how fluidly they move from one place to another, whereas the sudden jump from chapel drive in valpo to my room in jersey should have raised red flags, and yet it doesn't... mostly i'm just fascinated by how our heads put dreams together. the end.
Wednesday, June 02, 2004
"late" night entertainment
mason (friend from my budapest semester who lives in columbia, SC) just called. i hadn't talked to him in over a month or so... he wanted directions from the NJ turnpike to a particular liquor store near campus for a friend of his who's coming up to jersey this weekend. that super-important business taken care of, he filled me in on what he's up to and what half a dozen other people are up to, got the scoop on my life lately, told me i still need to come visit, and with as many people as i can fit in my car that he knows forced to come along, and then end of conversation.
my friends crack me up. yay for all of you. =)
my friends crack me up. yay for all of you. =)
here goes nothing!
so somehow i got myself volunteered to give an hour talk to the rutgers math REU (research experience for undergrads) kids the day after my birthday -- oh joy. not the most excited, but if i just re-give my pizza seminar talk from march i think it'll be ok. must write abstract tonight.
just got back from my one people interaction of the day =P i worked 8 hours, made dinner, then went over to mike's (jared's house where mike and jared lived all year -- where all the 1st year math guys will be next year) to pick up my plants... we had a long discussion about plants, travels, work, and the people we both know around here... fun fun.
jessica has saturday free! so it looks like we'll finally get in our rain check to see "mean girls"... it's only been a week, but such a long one at that =P i've invited amanda, we shall see if she comes. =)
going to work a bit more, then read myself to sleep again. joy =P
later dudes.
just got back from my one people interaction of the day =P i worked 8 hours, made dinner, then went over to mike's (jared's house where mike and jared lived all year -- where all the 1st year math guys will be next year) to pick up my plants... we had a long discussion about plants, travels, work, and the people we both know around here... fun fun.
jessica has saturday free! so it looks like we'll finally get in our rain check to see "mean girls"... it's only been a week, but such a long one at that =P i've invited amanda, we shall see if she comes. =)
going to work a bit more, then read myself to sleep again. joy =P
later dudes.
give me a break
i've been working hard today... 10-6 already and plan to be going for awhile yet... i made oatmeal at 11, ate about half and then have been too busy to finish until half an hour ago.. dinner much later. joy.
i just got a telemarketing call... that by itself is ok... the girl was like "you've been entered in a sweepstakes, let me ask these questions..." about if i was single or married, how old i am, etc. i listened to her schpiel patiently, then she started telling me all these things i could have for free plus a discounted magazine subscription "for the low price of $3.45 a week!... now let me tell you lara, just about everyone we've called today has said yes, it's a great offer", and when i said "sorry, but i'm going to have to say no", she hung up on me. i had been nice and polite to her, knowing what it's like to be on the other end of the phone and she just hung up on me... i was glad to be done with the conversation, but how extremely rude!
back to work.
i just got a telemarketing call... that by itself is ok... the girl was like "you've been entered in a sweepstakes, let me ask these questions..." about if i was single or married, how old i am, etc. i listened to her schpiel patiently, then she started telling me all these things i could have for free plus a discounted magazine subscription "for the low price of $3.45 a week!... now let me tell you lara, just about everyone we've called today has said yes, it's a great offer", and when i said "sorry, but i'm going to have to say no", she hung up on me. i had been nice and polite to her, knowing what it's like to be on the other end of the phone and she just hung up on me... i was glad to be done with the conversation, but how extremely rude!
back to work.
happy? wednesday
pet peave: people who would rather leave notes and hide than talking to you
i woke up this morning with a note on the kitchen table saying "lara, bathroom's dirty, why don't you clean it today? thanks!"
(1) as if i can't see the bathroom to evaluate it myself
(2) i was around most of last night... there were a whole 4 hours i was home and just working in front of the TV while amanda was home that instead of shutting herself in her room she could have come out and said a word or two
maybe i'm just griping over nothing... next month i'll be gone most of the time anyhow, so after june there's not much interaction with her left; so it's not really worth the fuss. even if i don't talk to her much either, i do leave my door open and say hi and ask her how she's going when she comes in, and when i have had something to say, i've made an effort to say it in person, even if it takes a few shots to actually do it.
yeah, not a big deal; just started off my morning with a slightly annoyed mood.
gotta have 200 prospective sponsor emails to my boss before i go to sleep tonight... on with the work! (today's work in your PJs day =) )
i woke up this morning with a note on the kitchen table saying "lara, bathroom's dirty, why don't you clean it today? thanks!"
(1) as if i can't see the bathroom to evaluate it myself
(2) i was around most of last night... there were a whole 4 hours i was home and just working in front of the TV while amanda was home that instead of shutting herself in her room she could have come out and said a word or two
maybe i'm just griping over nothing... next month i'll be gone most of the time anyhow, so after june there's not much interaction with her left; so it's not really worth the fuss. even if i don't talk to her much either, i do leave my door open and say hi and ask her how she's going when she comes in, and when i have had something to say, i've made an effort to say it in person, even if it takes a few shots to actually do it.
yeah, not a big deal; just started off my morning with a slightly annoyed mood.
gotta have 200 prospective sponsor emails to my boss before i go to sleep tonight... on with the work! (today's work in your PJs day =) )
quotes of the day
you seriously like vanilla best? wow! my favorite ice cream flavor is the kind of chocolate that comes in neopolitan, like reaking of the taste like it just came out of a cardboard box, you know -- ghetto chocolate ~sarah genoway
you are sooo awesome! ~carolyn, my boss, in response to my end of day email on my progress with my new project =)
time to read myself to sleep and hack at it again tomorrow =P
you are sooo awesome! ~carolyn, my boss, in response to my end of day email on my progress with my new project =)
time to read myself to sleep and hack at it again tomorrow =P
Tuesday, June 01, 2004
it might just be ok
today made me a lot more happy about how the summer is looking like it'll be. yesterday i was worried about entertaining myself, but today worked out alright.
(1) i have work to do. i've started on this database of outdoors expo sponsors, and it's good to have something constructive to do with my time. in fact, having the system i do with carolyn (my boss) makes even being employed this summer feel like even less work than last summer... apparently here's how it's going to work. carolyn outlines a job to me along with her estimate of how long it should take and how much pay that's worth. i email her back with either an acceptance of the task or challenge the amount of time (kinda like bargaining) and ask anything else i want to know about the job... then she gives me final details and a deadline for the client and then i just have to get done... e.g. i have til next week wednesday (a week from tomorrow) to finish this database of outdoors sponsors; meanwhile instead of working 9-5 i can have a day like today:
i was tired from not sleeping night before last so i stayed in bed til 9:30, worked til 11:30, got breakfast and got ready, saw a movie with ben, worked from 5-7:30, then sarah showed up at my door and we went out to dinner and i just got home...
footnotes:
*the movie ben and i saw was hilarious... i don't want to say too much because i don't want to unsurprise any of you who might by chance read this and look into seeing it. it was an indian film (like made in india and with subtitles) and truly has about something for everyone... you have to go in with an open mind stylistically though -- 15 minutes in the other 3 people in the theater left, whereas ben and i stayed til the end and greatly enjoyed it! name of the movie? main hoon na (which apparently means "i'm here now" from the many times it was said and translated) =P conclusion: if it's in your area, see it soon and then laugh with me about it -- it's worth the ticket price... if it's not in your area, ask me about it; it's one of a kind!
*i said dinner with sarah... sarah's a 2nd year student who lives in hoboken (much nearer to NYC than here). she has a book of mine she meant to return but forgot it on her way out earlier, so she stopped by anyhow to tell me so... i settled down to work then, and 2.5 hours later she came back by "so, have you eaten yet?"... she had a taste for olive garden, so we went, did the whole dinner, appetizer, wine, dessert deal, and chatted for 2 hours... she commented that she likes hanging out with me b/c i'm less threatening than most people in the department -- that she can have a long quality conversation with me without starting to talk about people/things in the math department and she likes that. it was fun.
so yeah, interaction with people is key, and so is having something constructive to do... and go see "main hoon na"! =P
later dudes, i'm back to work
(1) i have work to do. i've started on this database of outdoors expo sponsors, and it's good to have something constructive to do with my time. in fact, having the system i do with carolyn (my boss) makes even being employed this summer feel like even less work than last summer... apparently here's how it's going to work. carolyn outlines a job to me along with her estimate of how long it should take and how much pay that's worth. i email her back with either an acceptance of the task or challenge the amount of time (kinda like bargaining) and ask anything else i want to know about the job... then she gives me final details and a deadline for the client and then i just have to get done... e.g. i have til next week wednesday (a week from tomorrow) to finish this database of outdoors sponsors; meanwhile instead of working 9-5 i can have a day like today:
i was tired from not sleeping night before last so i stayed in bed til 9:30, worked til 11:30, got breakfast and got ready, saw a movie with ben, worked from 5-7:30, then sarah showed up at my door and we went out to dinner and i just got home...
footnotes:
*the movie ben and i saw was hilarious... i don't want to say too much because i don't want to unsurprise any of you who might by chance read this and look into seeing it. it was an indian film (like made in india and with subtitles) and truly has about something for everyone... you have to go in with an open mind stylistically though -- 15 minutes in the other 3 people in the theater left, whereas ben and i stayed til the end and greatly enjoyed it! name of the movie? main hoon na (which apparently means "i'm here now" from the many times it was said and translated) =P conclusion: if it's in your area, see it soon and then laugh with me about it -- it's worth the ticket price... if it's not in your area, ask me about it; it's one of a kind!
*i said dinner with sarah... sarah's a 2nd year student who lives in hoboken (much nearer to NYC than here). she has a book of mine she meant to return but forgot it on her way out earlier, so she stopped by anyhow to tell me so... i settled down to work then, and 2.5 hours later she came back by "so, have you eaten yet?"... she had a taste for olive garden, so we went, did the whole dinner, appetizer, wine, dessert deal, and chatted for 2 hours... she commented that she likes hanging out with me b/c i'm less threatening than most people in the department -- that she can have a long quality conversation with me without starting to talk about people/things in the math department and she likes that. it was fun.
so yeah, interaction with people is key, and so is having something constructive to do... and go see "main hoon na"! =P
later dudes, i'm back to work
Monday, May 31, 2004
in flux
news bit #1 (classification: annoying): my arm hurts... =( i got a sunburn 2.5 weeks ago at valpo graduation... the little bit of my head/collar that burned pealed pretty quickly... my arm just started to this afternoon and it's making me sad =(
news bit #2 (classification: good): i have a job to do! i was supposed to call my memphis boss at 9 tonight, which i did (8 her time) so that she'd be in the office (which is attached to her house) but not expecting regular business hours calls... my first task will be to assemble a database of emails of potential sponsors for fishing expos in mississippi... how much fun is that? mostly, i'll be glad to have some structure in my life
news bit #3 (classification: exceedingly frustrating): i really need to work on my being able to occupy myself ability... like today -- after dave and dave headed out, it's been me, the tv, the stereo, and the computer... all day long... i've been productive and not even had time for dinner yet even though it's nearly 10! (yes, i did have lunch)... while i'm capable of occupying my own time with books, movies, etc.... i go really stircrazy when i don't get to interact face to face with anyone, but i have no money so i can't just go shopping either to interact with people... it's just a quick jump from lots of people every day to almost no one every day... i used to laugh at g-ma (not meanly, but didn't understand her) when she said she often goes to buy little things she doesn't need at walmart/kmart/target etc., just so she can chat with the clerks despite the fact that she has neighbors, two brothers within an hour of her, a boyfriend, etc. and in general, there's people for her to visit with... but really, i think, looking ahead to a month of working at home on my computer and with a roommate who i get along with but don't do things with or really talk to about anything besides bills, i see a little bit of her point.
news bit #4 (classification: very good!): to remedy point #3 at least moderately tomorrow... ben and i have plans to catch the 1pm matinee of "main hoon na", and indian movie with subtitles that's playing relatively near here (see http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=info&id=1808559133 hopefully it'll be good =)
i'm out of news... for someone who's talked to themselves for the last 14 hours, i sure type a lot =P
news bit #2 (classification: good): i have a job to do! i was supposed to call my memphis boss at 9 tonight, which i did (8 her time) so that she'd be in the office (which is attached to her house) but not expecting regular business hours calls... my first task will be to assemble a database of emails of potential sponsors for fishing expos in mississippi... how much fun is that? mostly, i'll be glad to have some structure in my life
news bit #3 (classification: exceedingly frustrating): i really need to work on my being able to occupy myself ability... like today -- after dave and dave headed out, it's been me, the tv, the stereo, and the computer... all day long... i've been productive and not even had time for dinner yet even though it's nearly 10! (yes, i did have lunch)... while i'm capable of occupying my own time with books, movies, etc.... i go really stircrazy when i don't get to interact face to face with anyone, but i have no money so i can't just go shopping either to interact with people... it's just a quick jump from lots of people every day to almost no one every day... i used to laugh at g-ma (not meanly, but didn't understand her) when she said she often goes to buy little things she doesn't need at walmart/kmart/target etc., just so she can chat with the clerks despite the fact that she has neighbors, two brothers within an hour of her, a boyfriend, etc. and in general, there's people for her to visit with... but really, i think, looking ahead to a month of working at home on my computer and with a roommate who i get along with but don't do things with or really talk to about anything besides bills, i see a little bit of her point.
news bit #4 (classification: very good!): to remedy point #3 at least moderately tomorrow... ben and i have plans to catch the 1pm matinee of "main hoon na", and indian movie with subtitles that's playing relatively near here (see http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hv&cf=info&id=1808559133 hopefully it'll be good =)
i'm out of news... for someone who's talked to themselves for the last 14 hours, i sure type a lot =P
50 bad songs
so i finished posting pictures and landed on vh1.. they're doing a special of the "top 50 most awesomely bad songs ever"... only i'm not watching it for that they think you should be watching for
as far as their picks, 2/3 really do belong on the list...
but billy joel's "we didn't start the fire" for example shouldn't be if their reasoning is "pop music cool, history not cool, try again"... while maybe not like the absolute best song of the century, it IS a unique song from when someone told billy joel none of the good history happened before '80 or so, and he started writing the world events of his life and found a beat to it... it's catchy, and a trip through the last 50 years...
or bette midler's "from a distance" being even higher up on the list because "God watching us all the time is just a creepy concept" -- whatever; they're not analyzing quality/unquality of music, they're picking on songs that conflict with their "we're vh1 and therefore we're cool" philosophy ;-P
nah, mostly i'm watching because the comedians, singers, magazine editors, actors, and commetators they have analyzing are completely ridiculous -- they all have such a serious "i'm a world expert on this" look pasted on their faces, and they all sound so dumb, full of themselves, and mostly ridiculous... it's more like watching a car wreck of commentators than of bad music videos like they intended... oh well... that's my morning entertainment, eh? =P
as far as their picks, 2/3 really do belong on the list...
but billy joel's "we didn't start the fire" for example shouldn't be if their reasoning is "pop music cool, history not cool, try again"... while maybe not like the absolute best song of the century, it IS a unique song from when someone told billy joel none of the good history happened before '80 or so, and he started writing the world events of his life and found a beat to it... it's catchy, and a trip through the last 50 years...
or bette midler's "from a distance" being even higher up on the list because "God watching us all the time is just a creepy concept" -- whatever; they're not analyzing quality/unquality of music, they're picking on songs that conflict with their "we're vh1 and therefore we're cool" philosophy ;-P
nah, mostly i'm watching because the comedians, singers, magazine editors, actors, and commetators they have analyzing are completely ridiculous -- they all have such a serious "i'm a world expert on this" look pasted on their faces, and they all sound so dumb, full of themselves, and mostly ridiculous... it's more like watching a car wreck of commentators than of bad music videos like they intended... oh well... that's my morning entertainment, eh? =P
