You are now officially two years old.
I have posted 143 times. (this will be 144)
Last year was 78. That brings this years total to 65 posts.
I have posted at least once every month for the past two years.
The high month this year was January (although August will pass that up in a few days.)
And this year, unlike last year, had no months with only one post (although there are 3 months with only 2).
I don't have much more to say.
I enjoy you more than you, or anyone else, will ever know.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
I don't understand
--This is day 3 in "The 7 Last Days of Summer"--
It's a phrase people say. I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean, and I'm never sure what to say in response. I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to take it literally--I think it's supposed to be a joke. It's not funny, and yet people persist in saying it (the perfect definition of a joke).
I'm sure you've heard some form of it.
Whenever I hear it, the previous conversation has centered around an annoyance. The annoyance being another human: spouse, child, parent, boss, employee, or co-worker etc.
At some point in the conversation the speaker says,
"Guess that's just him being a man. I tell you--men. Wouldn't the world be perfect without them?"
or
"You know if women ran the world, there would be no problems."
or (from the other POV--I've heard my share of both)
"Women--can't live with them, can't live without them."
or
"Women create all the problems in the world--life would be better without them."
or
"That's just a feeble-minded response from the weaker sex." (I've actually heard this applied to both)
That is not the worst part of the conversation, though. The awkwardness multiplies when the person looks at you and smiles.
My problem is simple. All I want to know is "NOW WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"
Do I smile back? That makes it look as if we are sharing some mystical bond of genderhood (which I actually don't think is a word. Substitute womanhood or manhood-I just hate both those words.)
Do I laugh? Were you making a joke? You were annoyed about something, and I thought we were talking about solutions. Is your best solution seriously making the other gender extinct?
If I don't laugh, do I have to explain why I'm not laughing? Do I sit you down and explain that taking your frustrations from one human, and blaming them on the whole of the opposite sex is cheap and unworthy of anyone? Do I explain there are lots of human beings in the world, and every human being thinks differently than every other human being? And how, although confusing as it sometimes is, if you care enough about the other person (regardless of whether they are the opposite or same sex) you'll spend time trying to figure out where you two differ?
Or do I just laugh because I know no one--not even the annoyed speaker--actually wants that?
I'm confused, and I always will be. Every time someone says something like it, I want to make them stop. And then go think about what they just said.
It's not funny, it's not true, it's not intelligent, it's not a good idea, it's not possible, and it's still not funny.
How are people still saying it?
It's a phrase people say. I'm not sure what it's supposed to mean, and I'm never sure what to say in response. I'm pretty sure I'm not supposed to take it literally--I think it's supposed to be a joke. It's not funny, and yet people persist in saying it (the perfect definition of a joke).
I'm sure you've heard some form of it.
Whenever I hear it, the previous conversation has centered around an annoyance. The annoyance being another human: spouse, child, parent, boss, employee, or co-worker etc.
At some point in the conversation the speaker says,
"Guess that's just him being a man. I tell you--men. Wouldn't the world be perfect without them?"
or
"You know if women ran the world, there would be no problems."
or (from the other POV--I've heard my share of both)
"Women--can't live with them, can't live without them."
or
"Women create all the problems in the world--life would be better without them."
or
"That's just a feeble-minded response from the weaker sex." (I've actually heard this applied to both)
That is not the worst part of the conversation, though. The awkwardness multiplies when the person looks at you and smiles.
My problem is simple. All I want to know is "NOW WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?"
Do I smile back? That makes it look as if we are sharing some mystical bond of genderhood (which I actually don't think is a word. Substitute womanhood or manhood-I just hate both those words.)
Do I laugh? Were you making a joke? You were annoyed about something, and I thought we were talking about solutions. Is your best solution seriously making the other gender extinct?
If I don't laugh, do I have to explain why I'm not laughing? Do I sit you down and explain that taking your frustrations from one human, and blaming them on the whole of the opposite sex is cheap and unworthy of anyone? Do I explain there are lots of human beings in the world, and every human being thinks differently than every other human being? And how, although confusing as it sometimes is, if you care enough about the other person (regardless of whether they are the opposite or same sex) you'll spend time trying to figure out where you two differ?
Or do I just laugh because I know no one--not even the annoyed speaker--actually wants that?
I'm confused, and I always will be. Every time someone says something like it, I want to make them stop. And then go think about what they just said.
It's not funny, it's not true, it's not intelligent, it's not a good idea, it's not possible, and it's still not funny.
How are people still saying it?
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Never fear
--This is day 2 in "The 7 Last Days of Summer"--
I've been reading my favorite website (which you should also be reading).
Here are some articles that have come out in the past summer that I've found incredibly fascinating. (And yes, I do know I could make them all links, but I'm tired. Just cut and paste like any other human)
1.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/08/16/how_the_boy_wizard_won_over_religious_critics/?page=full
It's about Harry Potter obviously. It was enjoyable. An interesting perspective on death.
2.
http://www.tabletmag.com/arts-and-culture/music/12986/chic-radical/
About Leonard Bernstein's politics. I knew he was a liberal, but this article was incredible. It's a book review of a book about Leonard Bernstein's politics. The author (of the article, not the book) made some great conclusions about the book. And I found the last paragraph to be infinitely true.
3. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124716984620819351.html
About Sarah Palin--by someone who does not like Sarah Palin. The author's comments on the Republican party were surprising, and it made me smile--you guess where.
4.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/opinion/20hotchner.html
About Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast" by the guy who named it that. It was interesting, wise, and made me love the New York Times even more (an impressive feat).
5.
http://www.city-journal.org/2009/19_2_beauty.html
It's long, but it's good. If you have the time, I suggest reading through it all--don't skim it. I've been thinking about beauty and art recently, and this article gave me a whole lot more to think about.
6.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/08/10/090810fa_fact_gladwell?currentPage=all
It takes one of the most moral characters ever created, Atticus Finch, and then tells why he wasn't such a great guy after all. Did you hear that? Someone was dissing Atticus Finch. How are you not already reading the article? Click on it, idiot, click on it.
Seriously, how do you live without this website?
I've been reading my favorite website (which you should also be reading).
Here are some articles that have come out in the past summer that I've found incredibly fascinating. (And yes, I do know I could make them all links, but I'm tired. Just cut and paste like any other human)
1.
http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/articles/2009/08/16/how_the_boy_wizard_won_over_religious_critics/?page=full
It's about Harry Potter obviously. It was enjoyable. An interesting perspective on death.
2.
http://www.tabletmag.com/arts-and-culture/music/12986/chic-radical/
About Leonard Bernstein's politics. I knew he was a liberal, but this article was incredible. It's a book review of a book about Leonard Bernstein's politics. The author (of the article, not the book) made some great conclusions about the book. And I found the last paragraph to be infinitely true.
3. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124716984620819351.html
About Sarah Palin--by someone who does not like Sarah Palin. The author's comments on the Republican party were surprising, and it made me smile--you guess where.
4.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/20/opinion/20hotchner.html
About Hemingway's "A Moveable Feast" by the guy who named it that. It was interesting, wise, and made me love the New York Times even more (an impressive feat).
5.
http://www.city-journal.org/2009/19_2_beauty.html
It's long, but it's good. If you have the time, I suggest reading through it all--don't skim it. I've been thinking about beauty and art recently, and this article gave me a whole lot more to think about.
6.
http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2009/08/10/090810fa_fact_gladwell?currentPage=all
It takes one of the most moral characters ever created, Atticus Finch, and then tells why he wasn't such a great guy after all. Did you hear that? Someone was dissing Atticus Finch. How are you not already reading the article? Click on it, idiot, click on it.
Seriously, how do you live without this website?
Monday, August 17, 2009
Luck
--This is day 1 of "The 7 Last days of Summer"--
I'm a lucky person.
Not in cards--I've played poker only once, and I wasn't very good at it.
Not in money--I never save as much as I want to or should.
Not in cars--James Dean is, well, struggling.
Not in brains--I spent way too much time studying for a test that shouldn't have been that hard, but still was.
And yet, I'm still lucky.
My summer went way too fast. I haven't been able to do as much as I would have liked (Fitzgerald, BP list, and blog I'm talking about you). I was feeling sorry for myself, for the opportunities I had missed this summer. But in the space of 2 days, I was constantly reminded of how lucky I was.
1. I got to be here for our Summer Of The Four--probably the last time we'll be able to do it.
2. I survived a life-threatening test.
3. I read good books. I was surprised by some prose, disgusted by some imagery, and fell in love with a sentence about centipedes.
4. I watched many movies, two of which shot to the top of my "Best Movies Ever" list.
5. I broadened my future resume experience (tour guiding a slightly historical site while wearing a large green dress--check.)
6. R and I enjoyed some new interesting musical experiences.
7. Our Summer of the Four had the greatest theme song ever--you would be horribly jealous.
8. I think I'm almost in a position to be ready to start next semester (more details on that to follow)
9. One of my older brothers is getting married in September to a wonderful girl. I was able to get to know her a little more this summer, and I got to spend a few, final great days with "just him".
10. Another one of my older brothers just got engaged to another wonderful girl (today, as a matter of fact). And I'm happy for them.
11. And my other older brother and I watched a movie together. I laughed harder in that movie than I had ever laughed in any other movie--and it wasn't because the movie was funny.
12. James Dean will fight through another day. He just needs some body work.
13. I have good friends--even though I never see them.
14. I have an awesome and completely insane family.
15. And you're here--what more could a girl need?
I'm a lucky person.
Not in cards--I've played poker only once, and I wasn't very good at it.
Not in money--I never save as much as I want to or should.
Not in cars--James Dean is, well, struggling.
Not in brains--I spent way too much time studying for a test that shouldn't have been that hard, but still was.
And yet, I'm still lucky.
My summer went way too fast. I haven't been able to do as much as I would have liked (Fitzgerald, BP list, and blog I'm talking about you). I was feeling sorry for myself, for the opportunities I had missed this summer. But in the space of 2 days, I was constantly reminded of how lucky I was.
1. I got to be here for our Summer Of The Four--probably the last time we'll be able to do it.
2. I survived a life-threatening test.
3. I read good books. I was surprised by some prose, disgusted by some imagery, and fell in love with a sentence about centipedes.
4. I watched many movies, two of which shot to the top of my "Best Movies Ever" list.
5. I broadened my future resume experience (tour guiding a slightly historical site while wearing a large green dress--check.)
6. R and I enjoyed some new interesting musical experiences.
7. Our Summer of the Four had the greatest theme song ever--you would be horribly jealous.
8. I think I'm almost in a position to be ready to start next semester (more details on that to follow)
9. One of my older brothers is getting married in September to a wonderful girl. I was able to get to know her a little more this summer, and I got to spend a few, final great days with "just him".
10. Another one of my older brothers just got engaged to another wonderful girl (today, as a matter of fact). And I'm happy for them.
11. And my other older brother and I watched a movie together. I laughed harder in that movie than I had ever laughed in any other movie--and it wasn't because the movie was funny.
12. James Dean will fight through another day. He just needs some body work.
13. I have good friends--even though I never see them.
14. I have an awesome and completely insane family.
15. And you're here--what more could a girl need?
The 7 last days of Summer
Here we are again. The last week of summer.
I'm going back to school slightly earlier than my other classmates (more information on that to follow).
I liked how this series worked out last year, so I'm trying it again.
I am going to post each day of my last week of summer--that way you won't be mad when you don't hear from me until December.
I'm going back to school slightly earlier than my other classmates (more information on that to follow).
I liked how this series worked out last year, so I'm trying it again.
I am going to post each day of my last week of summer--that way you won't be mad when you don't hear from me until December.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Long Hot Summer
I don't know about you, but my summer is almost gone (try less than 2 weeks).
I've been busy this summer--busier than I've ever been before.
But I've still managed to make time for good things.
The cast is perfect, of course. Orson Welles, and Angela Lansbury join Newman and Woodward.
Since this was my first re-watching of a Paul Newman movie since his death, I thought I would be more concerned with him. And he's great, but this film is all about Woodward.
Her picnic basket speech is so wonderful. I love it.
And as if you needed any other reason to watch this movie, this is the movie where Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward met, were married after the completion of filming, and spent the next 70 years of their life together.
It's a hot movie.
I've been busy this summer--busier than I've ever been before.
But I've still managed to make time for good things.
The cast is perfect, of course. Orson Welles, and Angela Lansbury join Newman and Woodward.
Since this was my first re-watching of a Paul Newman movie since his death, I thought I would be more concerned with him. And he's great, but this film is all about Woodward.
Her picnic basket speech is so wonderful. I love it.
And as if you needed any other reason to watch this movie, this is the movie where Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward met, were married after the completion of filming, and spent the next 70 years of their life together.
It's a hot movie.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Solve for x
Math and I are not friends.
I am currently studying for a test. It's a required test for my major.
Even though my major has never been (and most certainly never will be) math, the test includes a large math section.
I have been beating my brains out for the past 3 days trying to review all the math sections, and will continue to do so for the next 9. My life does not look promising.
I hate math. I mean it. I genuinely hate math. Leave me with my books, my movies, my music. Give me subjects to discuss, people to study, something important to pay attention to. Give me words, poems, or stories. Give me characters to discuss, prose to study, and places to visit.
But please, I beg you, don't leave me with piles of numbers, formulas, phrases, angles, and vague letters that mean nothing.
Don't you know it's cruel to use x as your it-stands-for-anything-possible-letter? I now hate x, and I don't want to. X was meant for better things. It was meant for words like exquisite, xylophone, existential, existentialist, Xanax, and Oxford (I have many more). But when you just make it sit there like that, all by itself-alone, and plain, I feel sorry for it.
Let x go back to where it belongs--comfortably nestled in taxidermy.
I am currently studying for a test. It's a required test for my major.
Even though my major has never been (and most certainly never will be) math, the test includes a large math section.
I have been beating my brains out for the past 3 days trying to review all the math sections, and will continue to do so for the next 9. My life does not look promising.
I hate math. I mean it. I genuinely hate math. Leave me with my books, my movies, my music. Give me subjects to discuss, people to study, something important to pay attention to. Give me words, poems, or stories. Give me characters to discuss, prose to study, and places to visit.
But please, I beg you, don't leave me with piles of numbers, formulas, phrases, angles, and vague letters that mean nothing.
Don't you know it's cruel to use x as your it-stands-for-anything-possible-letter? I now hate x, and I don't want to. X was meant for better things. It was meant for words like exquisite, xylophone, existential, existentialist, Xanax, and Oxford (I have many more). But when you just make it sit there like that, all by itself-alone, and plain, I feel sorry for it.
Let x go back to where it belongs--comfortably nestled in taxidermy.
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