One time, I ran a marathon. And the day after, I was probably the most sore I had ever been in my life.
Today, I would give anything to be only as sore as that.
SMH and I just moved ourselves to *a new house*. Yep, just me, him and a moving van. And a hell of a lot of stuff. I really don't recommend this. (Of course, I also don't recommend hiring Ma and Pa Kettle, er, I mean Berger/Allied movers, to help transport your stuff—which is what we did for our move out West.)
Oh, sweet Jesus, it is really difficult to move without the help of friends and family. And even though Ma and Pa Kettle sent us spiraling into insanity last October, I would have gladly accepted their help today.
I guess I haven't really said anything about the new house, have I? We are wildly excited to have found a sweet new home, but at the moment, I can't write anymore. Every single fiber of me hurts...even my fingertips...and I am obscenely tired.
So, I'll fill you in later.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Alumni updates
Oh, alumni magazines. Do you love them as much as I do?
I cut out of work early today (one luxury of a PT job) to catch the XU-Gonzaga game, and low and behold, waiting in my mailbox was the spring issue of the Xavier Alumni Magazine.
This publication is always a source of angst for me. In the back section of the magazine, there is a listing of alumni, ordered by year of graduation, and their accomplishments. Even though I know I shouldn't, the first thing I do is flip to the back and see how I compare to my classmates. It's always grim.
The little blurbs herald great news about the alums.
They start off something like:
"After traveling to Central America and building a village hospital, feeding starving children, going on a hunger strike for workers' rights, emancipating young women from a sex trade operation, and closing down sweat shops, Cindy McGillycuddy has returned to the United States, where she has developed her own line of organic food, the proceeds of which go directly to charity."
And then they begin to read:
"Daniel Doolittle recently became a super-duper, high-profile, highly sought-after economic expert. He doesn't mean to brag, but he has just been been recognized as the world's smartest man."
And then you read between the lines:
"Two months after graduating, Jane Jones received her M.R.S. degree, summa cum laude, when she married Dr. Charles Phillip Arthur George. She loves being a stay-at-home mom to her adorable children--Sloan, Brayden, Tanner, Xander, Mikayla, Madison and Bailey--for those two hours each night after Lupe, the nanny, goes home. Jane is now pregnant with her eighth child, but don't worry--Dr. Z has worked wonders on her, and she still has the dynamite body of a 16-year-old."
And then you see a name that rings a bell, and you really read between the lines, this time with a sense of triumph:
"Remember Joe Smith? The smart, geeky kid in your freshman statistics class, whom the muscle-headed guy sitting behind you made fun of relentlessly and called "faggot" every single day?* Yeah, that kid is living in California, working in computers, and making more money than God. Joe is wondering what that muscle-head is doing these days."
*Note: That really happened, and the obnoxious, name-calling guy, who seriously addressed the smart kid as "faggot" and much worse, was the son of my high school principal.
And then there's always:
"Jody Joseph, class of '96, got married to Larry Miller. Jody really has no identity other than being married to this guy, so we'll just tell you about him, even though he's never stepped foot on XU's campus. He graduated with honors from Harvard and is currently Chief Resident at Cedars Sinai Hospital. His goal is to provide medical care to the underpriveleged children in the inner city. But frankly, Jody is a little nervous about that, because you know how those people can be."
Oh, but wait, let's not forget mine:
"JGF lives in Oly, WA, where she currently holds 15 part-time jobs, none of which are remotely related to her degree. But then again, just how far did she think she would get on a Fine Arts degree? With JGF's remarkable ability to remain a "jack of all trades, master of none," she is a shining example of mediocrity. Or would that be a mediocre example of mediocrity?"
Well, we all can't have exciting lives.
After reading the magazine, SMH and I went to a bar (same bar as Saturday) to watch the game. My fellow game-watchers at the bar were very nice to me, and seemed genuinely interested in the fact that I was a Xavier alum. So, maybe this could make it into the next issue:
"JGF lives in Oly, WA, where she has made several friends at the neighborhood bar. In serving as a representative of the university, she has educated the local population on the correct pronunciation of the name (Zay-vier, not Eggs-zay-vier) and the correct geographical location (Cincinnati, not Philadelphia) of the school."
I cut out of work early today (one luxury of a PT job) to catch the XU-Gonzaga game, and low and behold, waiting in my mailbox was the spring issue of the Xavier Alumni Magazine.
This publication is always a source of angst for me. In the back section of the magazine, there is a listing of alumni, ordered by year of graduation, and their accomplishments. Even though I know I shouldn't, the first thing I do is flip to the back and see how I compare to my classmates. It's always grim.
The little blurbs herald great news about the alums.
They start off something like:
"After traveling to Central America and building a village hospital, feeding starving children, going on a hunger strike for workers' rights, emancipating young women from a sex trade operation, and closing down sweat shops, Cindy McGillycuddy has returned to the United States, where she has developed her own line of organic food, the proceeds of which go directly to charity."
And then they begin to read:
"Daniel Doolittle recently became a super-duper, high-profile, highly sought-after economic expert. He doesn't mean to brag, but he has just been been recognized as the world's smartest man."
And then you read between the lines:
"Two months after graduating, Jane Jones received her M.R.S. degree, summa cum laude, when she married Dr. Charles Phillip Arthur George. She loves being a stay-at-home mom to her adorable children--Sloan, Brayden, Tanner, Xander, Mikayla, Madison and Bailey--for those two hours each night after Lupe, the nanny, goes home. Jane is now pregnant with her eighth child, but don't worry--Dr. Z has worked wonders on her, and she still has the dynamite body of a 16-year-old."
And then you see a name that rings a bell, and you really read between the lines, this time with a sense of triumph:
"Remember Joe Smith? The smart, geeky kid in your freshman statistics class, whom the muscle-headed guy sitting behind you made fun of relentlessly and called "faggot" every single day?* Yeah, that kid is living in California, working in computers, and making more money than God. Joe is wondering what that muscle-head is doing these days."
*Note: That really happened, and the obnoxious, name-calling guy, who seriously addressed the smart kid as "faggot" and much worse, was the son of my high school principal.
And then there's always:
"Jody Joseph, class of '96, got married to Larry Miller. Jody really has no identity other than being married to this guy, so we'll just tell you about him, even though he's never stepped foot on XU's campus. He graduated with honors from Harvard and is currently Chief Resident at Cedars Sinai Hospital. His goal is to provide medical care to the underpriveleged children in the inner city. But frankly, Jody is a little nervous about that, because you know how those people can be."
Oh, but wait, let's not forget mine:
"JGF lives in Oly, WA, where she currently holds 15 part-time jobs, none of which are remotely related to her degree. But then again, just how far did she think she would get on a Fine Arts degree? With JGF's remarkable ability to remain a "jack of all trades, master of none," she is a shining example of mediocrity. Or would that be a mediocre example of mediocrity?"
Well, we all can't have exciting lives.
After reading the magazine, SMH and I went to a bar (same bar as Saturday) to watch the game. My fellow game-watchers at the bar were very nice to me, and seemed genuinely interested in the fact that I was a Xavier alum. So, maybe this could make it into the next issue:
"JGF lives in Oly, WA, where she has made several friends at the neighborhood bar. In serving as a representative of the university, she has educated the local population on the correct pronunciation of the name (Zay-vier, not Eggs-zay-vier) and the correct geographical location (Cincinnati, not Philadelphia) of the school."
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Wrapping up an eventful week
What a week. It has been so hectic, and I feel like I'm falling behind in everything in my life.
Happily, our house-hunting situation may be drawing to a close—but I have vowed not to write anything about that subject, lest I jinx us. We'll see what happens...
My job situation has taken an interesting turn, as I've picked up a few hours at the Visitor & Convention Bureau. This is more or less the scenario: People call and request a visitor's guide, then I send it out to them. Sometimes, they'll ask me something like, "I'm getting married there. Can you suggest a good venue?" or "I'm looking for a good place to eat. Any suggestions?" or "When is the best time to visit?" And then, because I've only lived here a short time and I really don't know the area, I have to reply, "Oh, um, I'm going to have to get back to you on that one." Luckily, many of the requests come via e-mail, so I don't have to stumble over words and flaunt my idiocy, which, incidentally, I am very, very good at.
So, this week has been a transitional one for me. But, this week was also a remarkable one because it featured *two* social events! On Tuesday, we had drinks with a coworker and her beau (or ex-beau? I'm not 100% sure), both of whom elicited quite a few belly-laughs. What a good feeling. Then, last night, I attended a baby shower and was treated to all kinds of crazy childbirth stories, with "The Most Horrifying" prize going to Julianna, who went natural for the birth of her 11.5-pound baby boy. Yikes.
Today, Steve and I went to a bar in neighboring Lacey to watch the XU-St. Joe's game. We stuck out as the odd couple rooting for a team nobody was particularly interested in. But the bartender indulged us and asked us a few questions about XU, including "Did you go there for the law school?" Apparently, he associates XU with law school. When I gently broke it to him that XU doesn't have a law school, he asked me what XU is known for. I didn't know how to answer. Is XU known for anything in particular?
Anyhow, yes, if you don't know, I am a big basketball nerd and I love the sport. I was, however, nearly sick at the end of the game. I don't have the stomach for down-to-the-wire games like that. But hurrah! They won! Then, I came home and logged on to the "Musketeer Madness" chatroom, and I discovered that I am not nearly as big a nerd as I thought I was. That's because those chatroom folks are BIG nerds. I know, I know, who am I to judge?...but seriously, these folks are total weirdos. I'm sorry, but they are.
Happily, our house-hunting situation may be drawing to a close—but I have vowed not to write anything about that subject, lest I jinx us. We'll see what happens...
My job situation has taken an interesting turn, as I've picked up a few hours at the Visitor & Convention Bureau. This is more or less the scenario: People call and request a visitor's guide, then I send it out to them. Sometimes, they'll ask me something like, "I'm getting married there. Can you suggest a good venue?" or "I'm looking for a good place to eat. Any suggestions?" or "When is the best time to visit?" And then, because I've only lived here a short time and I really don't know the area, I have to reply, "Oh, um, I'm going to have to get back to you on that one." Luckily, many of the requests come via e-mail, so I don't have to stumble over words and flaunt my idiocy, which, incidentally, I am very, very good at.
So, this week has been a transitional one for me. But, this week was also a remarkable one because it featured *two* social events! On Tuesday, we had drinks with a coworker and her beau (or ex-beau? I'm not 100% sure), both of whom elicited quite a few belly-laughs. What a good feeling. Then, last night, I attended a baby shower and was treated to all kinds of crazy childbirth stories, with "The Most Horrifying" prize going to Julianna, who went natural for the birth of her 11.5-pound baby boy. Yikes.
Today, Steve and I went to a bar in neighboring Lacey to watch the XU-St. Joe's game. We stuck out as the odd couple rooting for a team nobody was particularly interested in. But the bartender indulged us and asked us a few questions about XU, including "Did you go there for the law school?" Apparently, he associates XU with law school. When I gently broke it to him that XU doesn't have a law school, he asked me what XU is known for. I didn't know how to answer. Is XU known for anything in particular?
Anyhow, yes, if you don't know, I am a big basketball nerd and I love the sport. I was, however, nearly sick at the end of the game. I don't have the stomach for down-to-the-wire games like that. But hurrah! They won! Then, I came home and logged on to the "Musketeer Madness" chatroom, and I discovered that I am not nearly as big a nerd as I thought I was. That's because those chatroom folks are BIG nerds. I know, I know, who am I to judge?...but seriously, these folks are total weirdos. I'm sorry, but they are.
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Late night musings
It is 2:15 in the morning, and I cannot sleep. So, I've spent the last hour or so catching up on online gossip. Thank you, Gawker.com. I'm thoroughly sated.
Here are two tidbits I just discovered during the last hour:
1. Drew Lachey hails from College Hill. I have to admit I didn't even know who Drew Lachey was until last week, when my mom told me excitedly that he was doing well in the "Superstar Dance Off," or whatever it's called (I'm too lazy to Google it right now). Who knew, aside from a few St. Clare alumni, that College Hill was such the cradle of civilization?
2. Funnyman Dave Chappelle was in his hometown for the Block Party premiere. I'm so jealous! You couldn't beg, borrow or steal a ticket to his show in Seattle, where he kicked off his mini-tour. Wish I could've gone, but it's okay; all you have to do is say the words "Dave Chappelle," and I'm in hysterics.
Here is something else I realized during my online quest for news:
I was looking forward to watching the Oscars on Sunday, but instead of being in front of my TV, I will be at a skating party. I am not kidding. We are going to a museum staff skating party. Being a new employee, I didn't want to send a negative, non-cooperative message, so I agreed to join in. But, because I am still thinking in terms of Eastern Standard Time, I didn't realize that the Oscars start at 5pm out here, which is just about the time SMH and I will be starting our first pass around the roller rink. There's nothing like roller-skating for the first time in 20 years to make you look like a jackass in front of your coworkers.
Here are two tidbits I just discovered during the last hour:
1. Drew Lachey hails from College Hill. I have to admit I didn't even know who Drew Lachey was until last week, when my mom told me excitedly that he was doing well in the "Superstar Dance Off," or whatever it's called (I'm too lazy to Google it right now). Who knew, aside from a few St. Clare alumni, that College Hill was such the cradle of civilization?
2. Funnyman Dave Chappelle was in his hometown for the Block Party premiere. I'm so jealous! You couldn't beg, borrow or steal a ticket to his show in Seattle, where he kicked off his mini-tour. Wish I could've gone, but it's okay; all you have to do is say the words "Dave Chappelle," and I'm in hysterics.
Here is something else I realized during my online quest for news:
I was looking forward to watching the Oscars on Sunday, but instead of being in front of my TV, I will be at a skating party. I am not kidding. We are going to a museum staff skating party. Being a new employee, I didn't want to send a negative, non-cooperative message, so I agreed to join in. But, because I am still thinking in terms of Eastern Standard Time, I didn't realize that the Oscars start at 5pm out here, which is just about the time SMH and I will be starting our first pass around the roller rink. There's nothing like roller-skating for the first time in 20 years to make you look like a jackass in front of your coworkers.
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Dust in the wind
Speaking of Mass, today is Ash Wednesday. This day always makes me think of one thing: McAuley High School.
Every year on Ash Wednesday, the student body went to Mass. And every year, during the Communion Meditation, they played "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas. If you don't know what the Communion Meditation is, well, it's supposed to be a really serious time when you contemplate the meaning of the Mass. But to hear "Dust in the Wind" always made me crack up, which pretty much undermined the profundity of the moment.
In and of itself, the song "Dust in the Wind" was fine. But in the context of Mass, it sent me into a fit of giggles (the kind that only happen at the most inappropriate times) because this song was the school's way of saying, "Hey, we're hip, we're cool. See, we incorporate your crazy rock-n-roll music into the Mass. That's so you can relate to it." But Kansas, 1978? Come on!
Then again, going to McAuley was like living in a time warp. They did always play "Come Sail Away" and "You Shook Me All Night Long" at the student dances, like they were the hottest hits of the day. (They would've been had we been attending high school ten years prior to that.)
Anyway, I suppose "Dust in the Wind" has that existential quality that appeals to angst-ridden teenagers. And, it does offer a connection to the "ash" in Ash Wednesday.
But, what should have been a reflective moment was always a silly one, and that has stuck with me long after that joyous day that I left the halls of MCA.
Every year on Ash Wednesday, the student body went to Mass. And every year, during the Communion Meditation, they played "Dust in the Wind" by Kansas. If you don't know what the Communion Meditation is, well, it's supposed to be a really serious time when you contemplate the meaning of the Mass. But to hear "Dust in the Wind" always made me crack up, which pretty much undermined the profundity of the moment.
In and of itself, the song "Dust in the Wind" was fine. But in the context of Mass, it sent me into a fit of giggles (the kind that only happen at the most inappropriate times) because this song was the school's way of saying, "Hey, we're hip, we're cool. See, we incorporate your crazy rock-n-roll music into the Mass. That's so you can relate to it." But Kansas, 1978? Come on!
Then again, going to McAuley was like living in a time warp. They did always play "Come Sail Away" and "You Shook Me All Night Long" at the student dances, like they were the hottest hits of the day. (They would've been had we been attending high school ten years prior to that.)
Anyway, I suppose "Dust in the Wind" has that existential quality that appeals to angst-ridden teenagers. And, it does offer a connection to the "ash" in Ash Wednesday.
But, what should have been a reflective moment was always a silly one, and that has stuck with me long after that joyous day that I left the halls of MCA.
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