Graffiti
Seen in one of the bathroom stalls in the law school.
If slaughterhouse's [sic] had windows, you'd all be vegetarians.
A couple of points here....First - what kind of person decides that the law school bathroom is a fitting place to deface with graffiti? Second - with a message about being a vegetarian?
And why do I have the almost (but not quite) overwhelming desire to correct their grammar?
I'm Singin' In the Rain...
well, not really, although it
is raining today.
We went to see Singin' in the Rain yesterday afternoon. Thanks to the ever-fabulous
E.Spat for babysitting Lil Q, because the theater has a very strict "no children under 4" policy. I alternate between thinking that's a really good idea and thinking them complete bastards. Mostly I think it's a good idea, since at those ticket prices, I can see where people would be pretty pissed to have kids shrieking and/or bouncing around. We are lucky in that Mr. Q's aunt is a season ticket holder, so while still pricy, our tickets did get us fabulous seats.
The musical itself was pretty damned good. I think the guy who played Cosmo Brown (the piano playing sidekick) totally stole the show. The girl who played Lina Lamont was also very convincing. Richard Sanders (remember Les Nessman from WKRP Cincinnati?!!) played the studio owner.
We went to dinner at
Serafina afterward - one of my all-time favorite restaurants. And not just because that's where Mr. Q proposed, although I'm sure that factors into my fondness for the restaurant. That and their tiramisu. I had the Gnocchi di Semolina con Funghi -
Roman style semolina gnocchi served with mixed seasonal mushrooms, leeks, Madeira, and porcini broth; garnished with baby pea vines. Sooo yummy. It would have been even better if I'd had a glass of red wine to go with it, but I had a splitting headache, so I (wisely) thought better of it.
At any rate - I just wanted to publicly thank E.Spat. Although we brought her some pasta from Serafina and a slice of Godiva Cheesecake from the Cheesecake factory, I think we might still owe her some compensation for an absolutely awful blow-out diaper. I think some booze might be in order.
On another note....why do I even bother schlepping my textbooks back and forth to school. I know damned well I won't get to any reading beyond Fed Cts. Am I really such an optimist (or masochist) that I feel it's necessary to carry heavy tomes around? Or maybe I do it to impress the people on the bus....
Mystery of the Nile
This is what happens when you combine a good script, awesome music, amazing scenery, and good film editing. The movie chronicles Pascuale Scaturro and his team's source to sea journey down the Blue Nile. While quite a few people have attempted this trip, they've all either given up or died along the way. Crocodiles, whitewater rapids, and people with guns are just some of the dangers the team faces along the way.
The Team:
- Scaturro is a geophysicist and adventurer extraordinaire. He's a special kind of crazy if you ask me, but makes for a good story.
- Gordon Brown, the "safety kayaker." Like Lance Armstrong, but in a kayak. And he doesn't leave the kayak - he's hard core about kayaking "every inch of the river." There's one scene where everybody gets out of the rafts and rappels down this cliff because they can't go over the waterfall (duh). Gordon rappels down the cliff too - in his kayak. Apparently he also made the trip with an IMAX® camera on his kayak. Those things are HUGE. And heavy. Freaking insane. His arms and chest are absolutely beautiful arms though. I guess kayaking for a living will do that for you.
- Dr. Mohamed Megahed, an Egyptian hydrologist who is studying the effects different changes in the environment are having on the river. Damming, deforestration, etc., all change the water and impact Egypt's farmland. He seems like a sympathetic guy, but they do the best they can to portray Mohamed as a wuss. I wonder how he felt about that.
- Saskia Lange, a journalist, writing about how the river influences religion, particularly Christianity. She seems to genuinely love interacting with all the people of different cultures along the way.
- Myriam Seco, a Spanish archeaologist. She takes the team to visit different pyramids, as well as a Nubian ghost town. Through her you also get a sense of how important the river has been throughout history. It's not as boring as my description makes it sound though - promise.
- Michel L'Hullier, the team photographer. He seemed to have the most fun of any of the team. There were several times throughout the movie where I wondered how many cameras got lost along the way. I also have to add that he was pretty easy on the eyes.
If you're at all into IMAX® movies - go see this one. One of the best I've seen. It's done by the same people who did Everest, but I like Mystery of the Nile better. But that might be because when I went to see Everest at the IMAX® in Denver, the projector broke. I ended up watching it on DVD a couple years later. Not the same experience at all.
This Makes Me Happy....
The fact that both Costco and Trader Joes have stores in the D.C. area. Because I love Trader Joe's tomato soup and 70% cocoa dark chocolate (not together, obviously). And I need to have access to cheap catfood and contact lens solution.
That I got to go to a movie with the family last night, followed by a good night's sleep, and fresh-baked bread for breakfast (bread machine on timer). And the fact that I have a venti latte (with cinnamon and a dash of nutmeg) in front of me.
The fact that I need to sort through about 1000 pages of law review articles and form some sort of cohesive analysis of intestacy law in an unnamed state makes me less happy, but at least feels doable.
Wish me luck! Expect a review of last night's movie later today.
WTF?!?
In the last 5 minutes I have received
4 5 separate emails from the same person in Career Services urging me to think about my post-graduation plans "even though it seems a little early". All
four five say exactly the same thing, except for 1 came with no subject line,
3 4 came with the subject "Things to Think About for Your Summer", and 2 of those came with the salutation of Dear [name]. Classy! I love it when they don't even try to disguise that they're sending out a form letter via email.
Correction: The subject line actually says "Things to Considering for Your Summer." So not only does this person not know that she's actually sending out all these emails, she is also gramatically challenged. Just the person I want to assist me in finding long-term gainful employment.
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Our Transmission of Wealth professor brought us donuts this morning. *sigh* I
love donuts.
Things I Love about Where I Live
I've noticed that things are a little depressing around here. And that I whine far too often about well…everything. Lest you think that I am an unnaturally dour person, I thought I would compose a little post about the things I love about where I live. I got to thinking about it now that we're leaving. Also because today was one of the rare, beautiful, sunny days in February that just make everything seem better! And look - the trees are in bloom!
Blossoms
Blossoms Up Close
1.
My neighbors. I've never lived on a street where the neighbors were all so friendly and nice. I've already talked about my next door neighbor, H, and the fact that she's practically a saint. This morning she even called my house and asked if she could "borrow" my child all day to play with her daughter. The kids have mid-winter break and EC has been coming to school with me. Poor kid. Anyway, while not quite as saintly, the other neighbors are great too. At least once a year we barricade the street and have a block party. It's a huge potluck, the kids ride their bikes in the street, and everyone hangs around, eating, drinking and talking. Sometimes we'll all pitch in toward a live band, who sets up in one of the larger backyards. One of our neighbors (since moved) is the son of the owner of a local microbrewery. Obviously, he was a very popular neighbor. We also do a block garage sale once a year. Usually the neighbors end up buying all the good stuff from each other.
2.
The view. On a sunny day, I can see 2 mountain ranges and 1 volcano. When I park in the cheap student parking lot, I can also see across the water.
3.
The stuff to do. We have memberships to the Pacific Science Center and Aquarium - places we like to take the kids to just hang out because we can go as many times as we want. The aquarium isn't as good as Monterey, but it's decent. Also, a trip downtown usually includes a trip to the curiosity shop on the pier. They have some seriously weird shit in there. The Science Center is just awesome. Our membership expires in a couple of weeks and we have a bunch of free IMAX passes, so I think that will be our Friday night entertainment this week. On Sunday, we're going to a matinee of "Singin' in the Rain." Time I should really be spending writing my analytic, but what the hell.
4.
My neighborhood. Aside from the fabulous people, my neighborhood has a couple of cool little places. I've already talked about the fantabulous scone café
here and
here. A couple of doors down from there is a little neighborhood grocery store. I rarely buy groceries there because I can't afford it, but they also do awesome gourmet sandwiches and bake fresh croissants every morning. Plain, chocolate, and apple. I had a plain one for breakfast this morning (the no sugar thing), but chocolate is my favorite. There's also a really popular pizza place at the bottom of our street. This can be a little annoying on the weekends, since people like to park on our street, but they do have really excellent pizza. There's also a park with softball fields, a soccer field, and a playground at the other end of the street. Within walking distance, there's another coffee shop. Their baked goods aren't quite on par with the scone café, but their mochas are better. So it always comes down to whether I'm going to eat or drink. If I'm doing both, the place with the better food wins. Always.
5.
The eclectic houses. On my bus ride to and from school, I pass a wide variety of houses. Some of them I like because they're pretty or have attractive landscaping. (I'm always shopping for my next house). Others just have personality. For example, there's one house that's painted a fairly bright pink, with multicolored accents. Instead of looking as tacky as it sounds, it looks like it comes out of a fairy tale - or at least like a gingerbread house. Another house I pass on the way to school is unremarkable in itself, but has this giant hedge out front - trimmed to look like an enormous dog! There's also the apartment building right next to one of the bus stops. It looks like a huge Spanish villa, with wood balconies and inlaid tile on the walls. What a Spanish villa is doing here, I have no idea - but I think it would just be the coolest place to live! My favorite house by far though, is the Carousel house. All along the sidewalk, there are painted carousel horses laid into the cement and brickwork. The house itself has several horses around the outside. Otherwise it's just a beautiful tudor-style house - this way, it really has personality. I'll try to post some photos, because my descriptions just don't do them justice.
6.
Lil Q's daycare. I stayed home with Lil Q for the first year, and we hunted for months for a daycare, got on a couple of waiting lists, and were generally stressed out about the whole situation until we visited the one we ended up placing her in and miraculously, they had an opening. The staff is wonderful and loving. A music teacher comes in to sing with them every Monday, and the Tumblebus comes on Thursdays. What the heck is Tumblebus? It's a standard school bus, painted red, but all the seats have been ripped out, and the interior has been replaced with mats and tumbling equipment. They have two "coaches" who help the kids do somersaults and bounce around. When they're done, the Tumblebus drives off to the next location.
7.
EC's school. She was in our neighborhood school our first year here. It was awful. We were stuck with a first-year teacher who has the potential to be absolutely fabulous someday, but unfortunately couldn't keep order to save his life. There were days when EC would retreat under her desk because of the chaos in the classroom. Unfortunately, the principal was totally unresponsive, and balked anytime we asked for more challenging homework, a more structured environment, or anything else out of the norm. It was like he was on a personal mission to make the smart kids dumber. We finally got EC tested for the accelerated learning program - and wow - what a difference! Now I drive her to a different school, which sometimes presents logistical challenges, but it's really worth it. The teachers are fabulous and know what they're doing. The principal is supportive. The schoolwork is interesting and challenging. The school offers so many after school programs that EC couldn't participate in all of them, even if she wanted to.
8.
The campus. As much as I complain about the law school, I always love walking around the main campus. Beautiful buildings, multiple fountains, a rose garden, an herb garden, and lots of trees. Our campus is known for the blossoms in the spring, but the fall foliage is pretty impressive too.
9.
Our church. I know it's not everybody's thing, but going here is what brought me back to the Church because I felt welcomed and accepted. Our parish is a little odd because we don't actually have a full-time priest, but we have a "pastoral life director" who runs the parish. And she is phenomenal. The first time we came to church (it's within walking distance of our house - another bonus), V came up to us immediately after Mass, and introduced herself. Within a week, we were part of the community. After my divorce, I had always felt like the Church didn't want me. V assured me otherwise and encouraged me to attend a group for people considering joining the Church. Which is where I met M, whom I consider to be one of my best friends - as well as one of the smartest people I know. He's since moved to Chicago, but we still keep in touch.
10.
The beverages. People here love their coffee. And their beer. Both are usually done pretty well.
No Touchy, Mommy!
Lil Q is quite the little architect. She's figured out how to prop her creations up against the wall so they won't fall over. No one taught her how to do this - she figured it out on her own.
This is her latest creation. She insisted on using every block in the box. She also figured out that you can't build on top of the triangles - notice how they're strategically placed around the tower.
I know, I know - all kids build with blocks. But she is
2. I think this is freaking impressive.
Blocks
Who Writes This Stuff?!!
As one of the most penetrating stars of the adult movie industry, with almost 1,800 movies under his belt, Ron Jeremy knows a thing or two about sex! In a business where talent can be measured in inches, Ron has been keeping up with the Johnsons since the ’70s to become one of the biggest stars in adult films.
Recently, Ron proved that his biggest organ may be his heart when he took a break from his daily grind to pose for a new PETA ad promoting spaying and neutering. In the tongue-in-cheek ad, the Surreal Life star lies naked on a bed, with the tagline “Too much sex can be a bad thing. Help end overpopulation—spay and neuter your dogs and cats.”
Forgive me if I seem a bit out of touch…but this guy is a porn star? No wonder porn doesn't do much for me. On the other hand - in this case, I have to agree that Mr. Jeremy makes a convincing argument that too much sex CAN be a bad thing. Especially if it involves sex with him. I don't know about sex for animals. I've never had sex with an animal, but somehow I wouldn't put it past him.
As seen on THL
Haribo Macht Kinder Froh!*
Haribo, the makers of the best Gummi Bears (Goldbaeren), has gotten into trouble for the "racy"
new wrappers for another one of their products, Maoam fruit chews.
* Haribo makes kids happy. From the looks of these wrappers, Haribo also makes fruit very, very happy.
You Guys are *Swell*!
I just wanted to say thanks to
everyone who put posts up to help me gather info on DC. I've gotten some really helpful information - and discovered some other very cool blogs (including one
food related blog!) Bonus! If I missed linking to anyone, my apologies - it's just because I'm overwhelmed by the response.
Thanks especially to
idle grasshopper for the super helpful link to Washingtonian magazine online!!! Of course, if anyone has other information, please feel free to continue to pass it along.
So in short...I thank you...Mr. Q thanks you...and the Quandary kids thank you!
Update: Ok - the link did not come from idle grasshopper (as pointed out to me in the comments), so I would like to thank my anonymous reader for hooking me up with the link. My apologies for getting it wrong - like I said, I'm overwhelmed. Y'all feel free to visit idle grasshopper anyway though...
Law School Changes You...
I'm currently taking a Deal-Making and Negotiations class in the Business School. I chose to take that class because 1) the law school version was full, and 2) I thought it would be nice to deal with non-law students from time to time (read: undergrads I could roll over in negotiations).
We had a paper due today - a short 10-page or less analysis of a "Real-World" negotiation. It was awesome not to have to cite to anything or worry about whether the Bluebook would agree with how I did it.
When I went to turn it in, though, I realized that my paper looked strange. It's been awhile since I've turned in anything that didn't have a masthead or "issues presented" block at the top of it, yet I seemed to remember my papers looking different when I was an undergrad. Was there something missing????
It's called a title page. Duh.
Awesome…
My Fed Cts professor just compared Qui Tam actions to Boba Fett - you know…from Star Wars.
As if this class wasn't geeky enough.
Holy Potomac, Batman!
We're moving to DC!
Least I think we are...
Any good ideas on which school I should "visit" next year? Please direct any knowledgeable friends, relatives, or random strangers this way!
Thanks
Update: If anyone has any good info to share on where to live and where the good elementary/middle schools are, I would really appreciate it! Restaurant recommendations are also always appreciated - and that goes for anytime , not just when I'm moving.
Stupid Name Generator of the Day
My Rap Star name is Faith the Funkstress!
Go
here, get your own.
No html to paste, but you can also get your country star name (Emmylou Starr), your pop star name (DeeDee Spice) and your rock star name (Ella Strong).
An Exercise in Futility
I'm calling it quits for the night. I've been working on this damned Evidence paper for wayyyy too long. Mainly because I have no effing self control and am easily distracted. So I guess I'll be working on this tomorrow night too. Unless I finish during the day, which is theoretically possible, but highly unlikely.
On the plus side - the cats both got baths today, so they are momentarily flea free. Fleas bite. I've easily invested $100 toward trying to get rid of the fleas they've picked up since they became outdoor cats. Suddenly, not having to clean the litterbox quite as often doesn't seem like such a great trade-off.
Mr. Q also took me to pick up my belated birthday present - a really awesome, high quality down comforter! Yay! And I've been promised a new duvet cover and sheets to go with it. As Dr. Mary said to Frasier Crane "God bless your guilty white ass!"
SW + 11
It's been a week since I posted anything on the sugar-free diet, besides venting yesterday about the lack of sugar-free syrups for coffee. The De-tox thing went by the wayside after only 4 days, but I've been very good about avoiding sugar. Most days I don't even really think about it, although I admit that as I was stuffing the Valentines Day goody bags for the kids, it was all I could do not to unwrap a Starburst and just lick it once. Or maybe twice. (Lemon and Orange preferred, please). How sad is that? Especially since Starburst is not even in my top 10 list of favorite candies.
Beyond that, I also recently bought a pedometer. I thought it might be interesting to keep track of how many steps I take in a day. Unfortunately, the answer is not that many. You're supposed to shoot for 10,000 steps a day as a means of keeping slim without ever going to the gym. On an "average" day, I get in about 5000 steps. The other day when I sat at school all day and wrote a paper, I got in 2173. Lame. On the one day I managed to get to the gym, I racked up 15,274. That's the day I also stepped on the scale.
I try not to be a slave to the scale, since I think how my clothes fit me is a much more accurate indicator of my general level of fitness, as well as easier on my psyche. I have a couple of pairs of jeans that I can just barely squeeze into right now. Once I get to the point where they are comfortable to wear and I feel like I look good in them, I'll know I'm about right where I want to be, regardless of what the numbers on the scale read. However, I hop on the scale whenever I make it to the gym, because I'm masochistic like that and we don't have a scale at home.
The result is in the title of the post (you didn't think I'd give you the actual number did you?) The SW stands for "Screwing Weight", which my friend L describes as that weight where you feel really sexy, and well…you get the idea.
How Apropos
You are LaFawnduh. Why are you so sweaty?
Which Napoleon Dynamite character are you? brought to you by QuizillaAs seen in several places, most recently on
Law & Alcoholism.
I NEED A Prescription for This.
Screw that - I want stock.
Fukitol
via
Vanilla Gorilla - my pharmacist friend.
I Wonder...
or is that wander?
As I sit here trying to compose my portion of the next-to-last Evidence paper
ESpat and I will (hopefully) ever write together*, I find myself wondering why, if Starbucks can make a sugar-free vanilla syrup, and a sugar-free hazelnut syrup, they cannot make a sugar-free chocolate syrup. I asked one of the "partners" once, and he said "probably because it wouldn't taste very good." As a person who has sampled the occasional (read: only during Lent) Sugar-free Vanilla Latte, I would submit that lack of superior flavor is definitely not what's stopping them.
Because some days, a girl just needs a mocha. That's right - I said I NEED a mocha.
* nothing against ESpat - the class is finally wrapping up. Also - this paper is a bit bizarre because I'm writing my part while she's just over 2000 miles away at M's wedding. Or rather, recovering from M's wedding, since I'm sure she had a fantabulous time!
Kudos
I want to thank
Fitz-Hume for making me the number one google search for "
nos fer atu".
What more could a girl hope for?
Did You Know?
That Ortega Nacho Cheese dip has only 120 calories per serving? And no hydrogenated oils? As well as 5 grams of protein?
If you
ignore look beyond all the unpronouceable ingredients, this virtually makes it health food. Which is good, because that's what I just ate for dinner.
Along with some chips, which were not quite as healthy. *sigh*
And Another Thing
Does anyone want/need an invitation to Gmail? Because I have 99. Free for the asking.
Thanks =)
Thank you to everyone who left comments, sent emails, or IM'd me after my tortured post the other night. I really appreciate it.
I went to the gym yesterday, had a long talk with Mr. Q about future plans (thumbs up!), and got a really good night's sleep - and things are looking much brighter today.
Or at least they would be if I wasn't stuck at school writing a series of papers. So - I have one question...are you guys my friends? I only ask because it seems a little weird to refer to you all as my "friends" when I've never met most of you face-to-face. On the other hand, it seems so
lame to refer to you as "some people I correspond with on the internet."
But if that's the case, I shall be forced to refer to you collectively as Lafawnduh. Fair warning.
For The Vanilla Gorilla:
With love.Thanks Soupie! I wasn't sure VanGor would see it unless I linked to it...
No, There Ain't No Cure for The Second Year Blues...
Warning. Whiny, apathetic post ahead.
It's been one of those days. Actually, lately, they ALL seem to be one of those days. Everyday I find myself wondering what the hell happened to me.
Law school has been - more or less - a wretched experience for me. Part of it is coming to the realization that 1) I'm not as smart as I thought I was and 2) I'm not as smart as many (the majority?) of my classmates. I know "they" tell you it's going to be that way when you start law school - but c'mon - didn't everyone else think "oh - they're not talking to me" too? I guess the thing is that I don't necessarily think that many of these people actually are smarter than I am. They just have a better ability to parrot back the information the professor is wanting to hear in the form he or she wants to hear it. And yes, I totally
get that that's what you're doing when you go to court - tailoring an argument to the judge. But some of these people are also just not nice people. Everyone has their snarky moments, but some of these folks have nothing but snark. And sometimes it really drives me nuts that this is the behavior we reward. That these are the people who are going to get those great jobs, and clerkships, and the monetary rewards that go with them.
I think part of the problem is that I don't really love "the law." I've always seen law school as the only way I can get the information and gain admission to the club that will let me help people. When I was on active duty, the absolute best part of my job was having an airman come to me, tell me he was having a problem with the finance office, the housing office, or whatever, and for me to be able to help him out. I saw the work the Air Force Legal office did - and I thought,
this is what I am supposed to be doing. And yes, I believe that sometimes it's necessary to kick people out of the Air Force - and that in most cases this does both parties a service. Obviously, there are exceptions.
At any rate - back to the law school aspect. I have so many classmates who can wax theoretical about sundry Constitutional issues. Who love a good discussion about Erie. Who would like nothing better than to debate the implications of the Madisonian compromise. I'm not one of them. I know the concepts are important. But it's not what intrigues me about being an attorney. I wanted to do this because people would come to me for answers. Not about all of that stuff, but about real-life, every day problems. And I could help them.
So, I find myself exactly halfway through law school. We're moving somewhere this summer - we don't know where yet. Obviously, I won't have a summer job, and I don't think my husband totally gets that this is not exactly a good thing. I can't apply to schools because I don't even know where we'll be living in just over 4 months. I'm stressed about tuition at a different school. And about paying off the student loans. Because I also know we'll be moving 3 years after we get to our mystery location, and then 3 years after that. I can't think of many employers who would be excited to see me coming, knowing that I'll be leaving again. And I don't see how I have any chance of ever really advancing my career in this situation. Which makes me seriously start to question whether I've been wasting my time.
I used to be fun. People used to think I was attractive. And smart. And funny. And nice. And I really miss all of that. My husband and I used to spend time together. These days, it's just a toss-up as to which one of us is going to fall asleep on Little Q's floor while putting her to bed. I've been trying all week to
schedule time with my husband because I want to talk to him about the possibility of going back on active duty once I graduate. And I can't even get that to happen.
I feel like law school has aged me about 10 years. I feel like I've lost a lot of my "niceness." And I'm not sure I like who or what I've become. Maybe things will go back to normal once school is over - but what if they don't? Am I doomed to a life of feeling like I wasted a good career in order to blow a ton of money on a degree I'm never going to get to use? Will the Elder Child understand the amount of stress I've been under and forgive the fact that I rarely spend time with her anymore, and when I do, I'm not much fun? Will my husband and I ever reconnect? Will he "remember" to buy me a birthday present next year? Because I have to admit, it hurt like hell to be forgotten this year.
So there it is in all its disjointed glory. I'd really appreciate any comments, questions, or ideas. Sympathy is not necessary, but always appreciated.
Aarrr...Rickhem, Rackham...
My pirate name is:
Dirty Bess Rackham
You're the pirate everyone else wants to throw in the ocean -- not to get rid of you, you understand; just to get rid of the smell. You have the good fortune of having a good name, since Rackham (pronounced RACKem, not rack-ham) is one of the coolest sounding surnames for a pirate. Arr!
Get your own pirate name from fidius.org. Ok - I have no idea what the hell is up with Blogger that this won't post right. I'm leaving it up anyway. So there. Damn them!
But if you have any bright ideas as to how to change the code so it doesn't look stooopid, leave 'em in the comments. Please.
It's True. Look - it's even written in stone.
Tombstone
Make your own
here.
Is it a bad sign...
When your day starts with your house being raided by police and FBI agents?
I passed
this scene when I drove EC to school yesterday morning. It's less than a block from where I park my car to catch the bus. Fabulous.
On the other hand, I guess if I ever feel the need for some heavy firepower, now I know where to knock.
Doesn't this go without saying?
"About half the population under age 40 have lived with an unmarried partner - in ten years that will be true for the population under age 50."
Battery and Other Pastimes
If you are the 2 slowest people on earth, would it kill you not to walk side by side, taking up the entire stairwell???
Because YOU are an intentional tort waiting to happen.
Just so you know.
Also - to the girl wearing fishnet stockings with your business suit - no. Seriously - no.
News of My Taking A Break Has Been Greatly Exaggerated
Ok - I'm back. Yesterday was one of those ohmyGodIhavesomuchtodowhenamIgoingtogetitalldone?! kind of days. Also, apparently this whole de-tox thing makes me really cranky.
To wit:
Friday, I desperately wanted to get some exercise - it's the one day a week where I can realistically fit in into my schedule. I even brought clothes to school. Shampoo, soap, lotion to put in my little "basket" - check. But I ended up forgetting something else that was vital to the plan working out, so I just went home.
I was a beautiful sunny day, so I thought I would pick up EC from school and then we could go for a walk together, enjoy the weather, and have a little mother-daughter bonding time. Multitasking is good, right? Except that I am really meant to exercise alone. I have no patience for people who want to walk slowly (although I hate to run), and once I've started walking, I don't like to stop until I'm done. (We have a plan here, people - just follow the plan!) EC wanted to stop and "stretch" on the bars a few minutes into the walk. I said "no, we just got started" and kept going. This caused EC to pout and lag behind. Meaning, I had to turn around and walk the other way to "catch back" to her every couple of minutes. For 2.8 miles. And it really pissed me off. Our mother-daughter time ended with me laying into her about how this was the first time in 3 months I'd been able to get any exercise and she was ruining it because she was "acting like a selfish little witch." And then I threw my water bottle across the grassy area and she burst into tears. A class act - clearly. Not one of my finer moments in parenting.
At any rate - I'm back. At this point, the de-tox kit has been handed over to Mr. Q, who can do with it what he wants. For my part, I'm going to trade it in for some high fiber cereal and call it good.
ps - thanks to Frolics and Detours for making me feel like I'd be missed.
Taking a Break...I Think
I have been completely overwhelmed with work lately. To the point where I don't even READ other people's blogs, let alone take time to write anything decent in my own. (I realize it's arguable whether most of my previous posts actually meet this standard either - with a few exceptions. See how overwhelmed I am??? I can't even be bothered to go back and link to the posts I am particularly proud of.)
So - bottom line, is that I'm going to focus on school for the near future - and probably until the end of the quarter. Hope you'll still be there when (if?) I get back. If not...well, at least email or IM from time to time.
Love,
LQ
De-Tox, Day 1
I started my de-tox program yesterday. Degree of success so far? Only limited. There's three little dropper vials, a bag of tea, and a bottle of powder involved. I can't really stuff all that into my backpack and expect to be able to take books as well. Since I'm typically on my way to school, books win.
Yesterday, however, I skipped all but one of my classes to attend the Starbucks Shareholder's meeting. I'll write about that later, but I wasn't dragging all that stuff with me there either.
This whole de-tox thing is pretty complicated.
Step 1. "Immediately" upon waking, I'm suppose to drink 2 cups of the tea. Yeah, right. "Immediately" upon waking, I have to pick up a toddler and negotiate breakfast for her. She eats oatmeal most days, but some days it takes time to figure out that she's trying to tell me she wants something different and what that something different is. Yesterday was one of those days. When I finally got around to making the tea, I was surprised to find the leaves were very colorful. Mostly bright green, but also some yellow-orange flowers. It's very minty and actually doesn't taste too bad, but it's definitely more palatable when its warm.
Step 2. Mix 1 Tbsp of the "GI Gel Plus Fiber" with 8 oz of juice or water, shake well and drink right away, because "it will start to gel immediately." (They're big fans of the word "immediately.) Yummy. I mixed mine with some Cranberry/Grape juice. After the first sip, I KNEW this was going to be the product that would help me lose weight. Mainly because I instantly wanted to retch. I managed to gag (and keep) it down. But seriously - vile. Not only did it convert my normally tasty juice to a gritty/powdery quasi-liquid, but it has a nasty aftertaste. Blech. And I'm supposed to do this twice a day. The second one just didn't happen yesterday. I did manage to choke it down this morning by mixing with apple juice and employing the old grade school trick of not breathing while gulping it down really fast. I made the mistake of breathing again too soon - same nasty aftertaste.
Step 3. Mix 2 droppersful of each of the 3 tonics with juice or water. Yesterday I blended all 6 droppersful into a mix of frozen berries and pineapple-orange-strawberry juice, and it wasn't bad. Today I downed it with just a shot of apple juice. Dis.Gust.Ing. I'll go back to my berry shake tomorrow.
Repeat all of this at lunch time, drink more tea, and then only the tonics before dinner. No weight loss yet, but I do notice that I have to pee every 5 minutes. Maybe drinking so much will mean there's just no room for food, but I have to confess, I have my doubts.
New Shoes
We finally figured out how to get Lil Q from
taking off her shoes incessantly. We bought her
new ones.
They're pink. They're sparkly. I know
E.Spat approves.
(For the record - I didn't pay $44 for them. I hestitate to pay that much for MY shoes (not really) - let alone shoes that will only be a distant memory a year from now.)
The Latest in a Series
Of Things that have gone missing in my house.
My last pair of contact lenses.
Mr. Q apparently didn't want to wear glasses at his promotion ceremony. Since he hasn't had his contact prescription updated in at least 18 months and is out of lenses, he decided to "borrow" mine. Our prescription is pretty close, so theoretically we can get away with that, but c'mon - they're
prescription (and the size is different, even if the actual prescription isn't).
At this point, if I were on the pill, that would be the next thing I'd expect to come up missing.
Secret Lovers
Although I keep buying lint brushes, we never seem to have one when I need it. Little Q hasn't figured out the sticky wonders of the lint brush yet, and EQ is so oblivious to her appearance most days to care. Mr. Q consistently denies all knowledge of the whereabouts of the multiple lint brushes.
The only logical conclusion is that my lint brushes are out cavorting with the missing halves of numerous pairs of socks. I think they have a kinky, sticky interspecies thing going and were afraid of what Bra and Panties would say.
Please come home! I need you! We can work this out. I'm open minded - I don't care what you do in the privacy of my lingerie drawer. And trust me - Bra and Panties have no room to judge. They've been involved in a desperate clingy relationship with Stockings for years.
Duh.
Are we really so stupid that we need a research study to tell us that when kids drink too much juice, kool-aid, and soda, they're going to gain weight?
Apparently so.
Is It Just Me...
Or is
Nicole Kidman looking particularly evil these days?
Hypothetical
You are 2 years old. Choose the most appropriate shoe selection to match the following outfit: Blue sweat pants, a UC Davis Aggies t-shirt, and white socks:
a) Tennis Shoes
b) Dad's Tennis Shoes (men's size 10)
c) Black Dress Shoes
d) Sandals
If you chose anything but item c, you'd be wrong (today - please try again tomorrow). Besides, the tennis shoes that fit the child were left in dad's car last night. It's a nightly ritual to kick them off the minute we get in the car. The socks must then be taken off and sucked on. Disgusting, I know.
Today's snack? Whole grain bread dipped in soy sauce. Mmm-Mmmm Good!
Lessons in Confrontation
The Elder Child has always been somewhat creative about the ways she gets in trouble.
For example, when she was in kindergarten, she gave herself a haircut and said another girl in her class had done it. We were totally willing to believe her because the other girl was the devil incarnate anyway. Well,
after we talked to the teacher about what happened and demanded the other child be talked to, we found the missing strands of hair and a pair of scissors under EC's bed. (Luckily, the teacher hadn't talked to the other child &/or her parents yet). Obviously much punishment ensued.
The latest incident: Mr. Q was a little early picking EC up from school yesterday and stopped to chat with one of the teachers. The teacher mentioned that EC had been involved in a shoving match earlier in the day. When confronted about it, EC said the boy involved have shoved her on the playground. Instead of walking away/ratting the other kid out/shoving him back/punching his lights out/running him against a wall and telling him "he will NEVER do THAT again" (my favorite - which I actually did as a grade-schooler), EC stomped on his lunch.
That's a new one on me.
This More or Less Sums it Up.
abject, atrabilious, black, bleak, blue, broody, bummed out, cantankerous, cast down, cheerless, choleric, churlish, clouded, crabby, cranky, cross, dampened, dejected, depressed, desolate, despondent, disconsolate, discouraged, disheartened, dismal, dispirited, dolorous, dour, down, downhearted, dragged, gloomy, glum, grouchy, melancholy, miserable, moody, mopey, moping, mopish, morose, mercurial, sad, saturnine, spiritless, sulky, sullen, surly, woebegone, wretched.
Going out for a venti-full-fat-3 pump-triple mocha with whip. Maybe that'll help.
Last Week of Debauchery…For Now.
For the past couple of years I have given up sugar for Lent.* This year, I’ll do it again. I already gave up soda at New Years, because I decided that much corn syrup can’t be good for anyone. Although this hasn’t stopped me from drinking my mochas, even though I’m positive that almost all chocolate syrup is about 99% corn syrup. And I don’t drink coffee or tea unless it’s sweetened. So I think it’s especially cruel that this year’s Starbucks Shareholder’s meeting is being held on…Ash Wednesday. Since this is the last year we’re likely to be in this part of the country, I’ve decided to go to the meeting. It’ll probably be phenomenally boring, but I still just wanted to see what a Shareholder’s meeting is like. Call it an extension of BusOrgs – a field trip, if you will.
At any rate, I have also decided to start my 6 weeks of deprivation with a “DeTox It” kit. Why? Mainly because I think it might help make the withdrawals from sugar a little less painful and help me lose a little weight. I seriously debated between the “DeTox” and the “Fresh Start” kit, because I think anything that includes something called “Blubberwack” is funny. However after consulting with one of the wellness consultants salesmen in the store, I went with the DeTox because “it was a little gentler on the G.I. Tract.” I have to admit, this makes me a little concerned about some of the side effects of the “G.I. Gel.” Does anyone have any experience with these products?
Before law school, I tended to be a nutrition fanatic. I cooked almost everything from scratch. I used to exercise regularly. And I used to feel a lot better. And up until this fall, I used to fit in a size 6.
So – here’s my plan. I will abstain from sugar for 6 weeks. I make exceptions for up to 1 tsp of brown sugar in oatmeal (because oatmeal is nasty without it, and that’s what I eat for breakfast most days), and for sugars naturally occurring in food. So fruit is still good. It’s fine in things like bread or Kashi cereal too – but not cookies or cake (since obviously, those are just a vehicle for sugar). No chocolate. No mochas. No coffee or tea. Also, in a fit of optimism, I obtained a "basket" at the gym. I think it's really a locker with ventilation holes, but if they want to call it a basket, I suppose I'll just let them.
And when Easter comes, I will completely stuff my face with all that is sweet and chocolately. Because everyone knows that Easter has the best candy.
Hey Garbanzo!
Where you bean?
I have been remiss in posting the last couple of days. Mainly because I have been busy. And sadly, busy in places that don't involve internet access. (Class doesn't count because I don't like to blog in class).
I spent an excruciating 3 1/2 hours last night interviewing applicants for the campus Parking Ticket Appeals office. I don't think I've posted about my job there yet - which is odd because *trust me* there's plenty of material.
Anyway, I will be involved with that for the next couple of nights. Who schedules interviews for Friday night - and more importantly, who agrees to be interviewed then??? (Answer: my boss and apparently, at least 2 law students.) Expect light posting followed by a deluge of pent-up posts.
Tsunami Relief
I know you all read
Favorable Dicta anyway (if you don't - shame on you! The link is right there on the left hand side of the page! Click on it...but not until you've read the rest of this). If you missed her post about donating Lexis Points to tsunami relief, here's my own plug.
Jeremy Richey has put the word out there that he will match the first 1000 points of donations (not sure if that's per person or just overall). Either way - you've got the opportunity to help people whose lives have been absolutely devastated. Please weigh the possibility that you *might* be able to squirrel away enough points for that iPod against the certainty that you could help the Red Cross provide food, water, and clothing for people who desperately need it. Every little bit helps.
Quiz-A-Rama-Ding-Dong.
Because a girl can only do so much insanely boring Fed Cts reading in a night. And wasting time on these is so much more fun.
Bottom line: I am a perfectionist control freak who worries too much and makes other people feel bad because they are stupid. On the upside, I'm very responsible.
You know which wines go best with which foods, and
you can make New York City's finest sommalier
feel like a kid at a keg party. You wanna take
that Emeril guy and beat him with a stick, but
really - you've got more class than that.
What people love: You know the best restaurants and
what their specialties are.
What people hate: Every waiter in town wants to
mangle your pretentious ass.
What Kind of Elitist Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Your Element Is Fire |
Your passion and emotion are as obvious as the brightest flame.
You make sparks fly, and your passion always has the potential to burst out.
You are exciting and creative - and completely unpredictable.
You sometimes exercise control, and sometimes you let yourself go.
Friends describe you as sensitive, spirited, and compulsive.
Bright and blazing with intensity, you seem mysterious and moody to many.
|
You Are the Reformer |
1
You're a responsible person - with a clear sense of right and wrong.
High standards are important to you, and you do everything to meet them.
You are your own worst critic, feeling ashamed if you're not perfect.
You have the highest integrity, and people expect you to be fair.
|
Take the quiz:
"Your Psych-Ward diagnosis"
Anxiety Disorder
Diagnosis: General Anxiety Disorder. Excessive anxiety or worry occurring more days than not over a significant period of time. These worries can be associated with a number of events or activities. In addition, the individual finds it difficult to control the worry. Can be marked by physical signs of tension, hyperactivity, and lack of ability to respond in a positive or productive manner to problems or difficulties as they arise.
Thanks to
THL for the link to the freaky clown. Quizilla & Blogthings are responsible for the rest.
Notice to My Ex-Husband
See...I told you it was all your fault.
-Perfect- You're the perfect girlfriend. Which
means you're rare or that you cheated :P You're
the kind of chick that can hang out with your
boyfriend's friends and be silly. You don't
care about presents or about going to fancy
places. You enjoy just hanging out and you're happy
being around your boyfriend.
What Kind of Girlfriend Are You? brought to you by Quizilla
I don't know about this whole not caring about presents part though...
