For anyone interested in reading up on my summertime adventures as a ride host, hop on over to
stoutsrideon.blogspot.com
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Thursday, April 16, 2009
The Infinite Wisdom of Gordy Hall.
There is a sculpture in Gordy hall--a red electric board that churns out words and phrases day in and day out, in at least a half-dozen languages. This year I have taken to using the sculpture as my daily fortune cookie: the first sentence I read from that board in a language I can understand (English, French, or very simple Italian) I consider my fortune for the day. It's like my very favorite building has a voice, and it's speaking to me and telling me important things. This infinite wisdom must be shared with the world, or at the very least people who read my blog. So I'm going to start writing them down. Thus far I've only written down the three:
"Le potentiel n'est rien qu'a sa realization." (Potential means nothing until it has been realized)
"Taking a strong stance publicizes the opposite viewpoint."
And today's,
"Men don't control you anymore."
It seriously does read like a fortune cookie, doesn't it?!
More to follow. Not sure whether I'll put them in this entry or make new entries every once in a while, but make of it what you will.
Semi-relatedly, I think I'm finally loopy enough from all the hours I've spent in there to think that my building is talking to me...
"Le potentiel n'est rien qu'a sa realization." (Potential means nothing until it has been realized)
"Taking a strong stance publicizes the opposite viewpoint."
And today's,
"Men don't control you anymore."
It seriously does read like a fortune cookie, doesn't it?!
More to follow. Not sure whether I'll put them in this entry or make new entries every once in a while, but make of it what you will.
Semi-relatedly, I think I'm finally loopy enough from all the hours I've spent in there to think that my building is talking to me...
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Story of my LIFE...
Otherwise entitled: "As if I needed another reason to despise them."
Okay, so mainly I'm disappointed that I FINALLY put my foot down on something and now it's come back to bite me. Let me sum up, since there's a scheduled blogspot outage in half an hour. Apparently that's the hazard of blogging at two in the morning after your homework's done.
We've had this psycholinguistics assignment for a week, right? Right. And we HAVE to do it in groups because for some reason Professor Bond just lo-OVES forcing me to share my work with classmates. So it's me and Jon and Jordan, which is fine, and then she sticks this other girl in our group that none of us know. We get our data, split up the work, exchange email addresses and get on with our lives.
Deadline starts approaching, Jon and Jordan send me their sections...still no word from this girl. I wrote my sections and put the paper together at 5:00 this evening, and still no idea if she was even out there. So I'm like "Alright, I've got a TON of other homework to do tonight. I want this thing done and I don't care if I have to write it to get it done," and I write her sections for her. Then I get to thinking...
You know what, a fat lot of good SHE did us. I'm not even going to put her name on the paper--she has literally contributed NOTHING at this point.
So I print the paper out, mainly as a momento of me FINALLY standing up and not letting myself get walked on. Without her name on it. Then I email it to the guys and say "Hey, I wrote her sections for her and if I don't hear from her by 11:00 tonight she's off the paper."
Being good and wanting to give her a chance, I email her too. "Hey, it's your group member here. I finished and printed the paper, but if you can send me your section by 11:00 tonight when I shut off my computer, I'll put your version in instead and put your name on it. You should know, unless I hear from you I'm not putting your name on this paper. Hope to hear from you,* Grace."
(*lie, but a polite lie, I guess...)
I celebrate. I prance around and congratulate myself. I DESERVED to say that! This girl's had a week to do this DINKY little section of the paper and she blew it, and I've given her a completely fair five-hour deadline. I'm not going to put someone else's name on my work, and I'm simultaneously being fair and sending out one last ultimatum.
I ended up staying up past 11, but that's not the point. SHE MISSED THE DEADLINE. That's what makes me so angry. She MISSED IT fair and square. I check my email at 11:15--nothing. Then I do my syntax homework. Check again. Nothing. Do my translation homework, and check my email at 1:15 AM, a clear two hours after her last chance to get her name on the paper. And she has the nerve to send me this email full of scathing and excuses.
"Sorry, I was in Alden this whole time working on another project. And I WAS in class today so why didn't you say anything then? and I'm sorry I didn't get this in sooner you just didn't give me much to work with. Guess I missed your 'deadline,' I sure hope you check your email in the morning. Do with this paragraph what you will."
She sent it to me in a file format I cannot open. Annoyance to insult.
All of this and I'm supposed to what...work with her? Believe that she was working on a group project for SIX HOURS until 1:00 in the morning and even didn't have time to shoot me an email saying "I got your email and it might be later than 11, but I'll have it"? No attempt to work with me whatsoever, me finally having the guts to demand what's fair for myself, and this is what I get?
At first I thought I felt bad for her, felt bad for the way I said it, but for once I feel like I deserve to be ticked off at this girl. I almost hit the 'reply' button and then stopped myself. No way, Grace, you told her you wouldn't touch your email after 11, so don't you let her call your bluff. Instead I vent to my blog, because I'm starting to wonder whether venting into cyberspace might make me less likely to vent in person. I know I get annoyed with stuff easily, but DARN IT THIS ONE IS REALLY FAIR!
Have you guessed it yet? Have you guessed that one detail that just takes the cake?
Oh yeah. Her major--definitely HSLS.
Okay, so mainly I'm disappointed that I FINALLY put my foot down on something and now it's come back to bite me. Let me sum up, since there's a scheduled blogspot outage in half an hour. Apparently that's the hazard of blogging at two in the morning after your homework's done.
We've had this psycholinguistics assignment for a week, right? Right. And we HAVE to do it in groups because for some reason Professor Bond just lo-OVES forcing me to share my work with classmates. So it's me and Jon and Jordan, which is fine, and then she sticks this other girl in our group that none of us know. We get our data, split up the work, exchange email addresses and get on with our lives.
Deadline starts approaching, Jon and Jordan send me their sections...still no word from this girl. I wrote my sections and put the paper together at 5:00 this evening, and still no idea if she was even out there. So I'm like "Alright, I've got a TON of other homework to do tonight. I want this thing done and I don't care if I have to write it to get it done," and I write her sections for her. Then I get to thinking...
You know what, a fat lot of good SHE did us. I'm not even going to put her name on the paper--she has literally contributed NOTHING at this point.
So I print the paper out, mainly as a momento of me FINALLY standing up and not letting myself get walked on. Without her name on it. Then I email it to the guys and say "Hey, I wrote her sections for her and if I don't hear from her by 11:00 tonight she's off the paper."
Being good and wanting to give her a chance, I email her too. "Hey, it's your group member here. I finished and printed the paper, but if you can send me your section by 11:00 tonight when I shut off my computer, I'll put your version in instead and put your name on it. You should know, unless I hear from you I'm not putting your name on this paper. Hope to hear from you,* Grace."
(*lie, but a polite lie, I guess...)
I celebrate. I prance around and congratulate myself. I DESERVED to say that! This girl's had a week to do this DINKY little section of the paper and she blew it, and I've given her a completely fair five-hour deadline. I'm not going to put someone else's name on my work, and I'm simultaneously being fair and sending out one last ultimatum.
I ended up staying up past 11, but that's not the point. SHE MISSED THE DEADLINE. That's what makes me so angry. She MISSED IT fair and square. I check my email at 11:15--nothing. Then I do my syntax homework. Check again. Nothing. Do my translation homework, and check my email at 1:15 AM, a clear two hours after her last chance to get her name on the paper. And she has the nerve to send me this email full of scathing and excuses.
"Sorry, I was in Alden this whole time working on another project. And I WAS in class today so why didn't you say anything then? and I'm sorry I didn't get this in sooner you just didn't give me much to work with. Guess I missed your 'deadline,' I sure hope you check your email in the morning. Do with this paragraph what you will."
She sent it to me in a file format I cannot open. Annoyance to insult.
All of this and I'm supposed to what...work with her? Believe that she was working on a group project for SIX HOURS until 1:00 in the morning and even didn't have time to shoot me an email saying "I got your email and it might be later than 11, but I'll have it"? No attempt to work with me whatsoever, me finally having the guts to demand what's fair for myself, and this is what I get?
At first I thought I felt bad for her, felt bad for the way I said it, but for once I feel like I deserve to be ticked off at this girl. I almost hit the 'reply' button and then stopped myself. No way, Grace, you told her you wouldn't touch your email after 11, so don't you let her call your bluff. Instead I vent to my blog, because I'm starting to wonder whether venting into cyberspace might make me less likely to vent in person. I know I get annoyed with stuff easily, but DARN IT THIS ONE IS REALLY FAIR!
Have you guessed it yet? Have you guessed that one detail that just takes the cake?
Oh yeah. Her major--definitely HSLS.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Saturday, March 28, 2009
It's not the ride, it's the crew...
Yeah, I'm consistently one of those kids who makes it to finals week, and everyone's asking "What are your plans for spring break? Going anywhere? What are you doing?" and I'm always answering "Eh...I dunno." That's never troubled me...I mean, for crying out loud I'm a full-time college student with a part-time job. What time I don't spend in a classroom or at the dining hall is generally spent in language labs, and libraries, and in front of my laptop while I write four different papers at once until the obscenely early hours of the next morning, before I catch four quick hours of sleep and start all over again. For me, a week where I have NOTHING planned IS a vacation.
But that's only the broad introduction for the real point of this post.
The title of the post is admittedly Cedar Point related. I'm trying not to talk about it too much, because I'm afraid I'll make people sick of it. I think I may have inadvertently done that already, although you guys have to understand that this is major jumping in the pond stuff, which I've been thinking about a lot since, for the next few months, I'll be able to say "A year ago from this moment, I was in France." As I try to remind myself whenever I click over to the blog for a quick post, life is a pond. Just because I'm home doesn't mean I'm done jumping in.
Grr...the title. I've been sidetracked again. Anyway, titles. I was browsing around the employee forums and came across a couple people who were discussing which ride was the best to work on, and one of them said something like "Well it's really not the ride you're working, it's the crew you're working with. The right people can make anything fun."
I think it's a great theme for this spring break.
See, when I get back to classes and work I know the drill, now everyone's going to ask me what I did. The answer is that I hiked with my family for an afternoon, bought a new coat, watched a couple movies, did laundry and, by way of having done all this with people I care about, I am willing to bet that I had just as much fun as you.
It made me so happy to be able to spend time with my best friend this week. This past quarter was really rough for me, especially where scheduling was concerned. And then this week we got to ride bikes, hang out at the dog park, and then spend pretty much all of Thursday together.
We bought books, visited a car dealership, took a walk around Wal*Mart, went to Petland and the dollar store and had a fast food dinner and walked around the mall for an hour.
Some people took expensive trips to exotic places over break, but let me tell you that I'll take Thursday with Sam over all of that any day of the week. Spring break doesn't have to be about plans--it can just be strolling around town with your best friend talking. With the right people beside you, you make your own fun.
So what were my plans? I didn't have any.
But we discussed the texture of lint brushes, and chased down the one used copy of Sam's BIOS book in all of Athens. We joked about buying a paddleboat, and read the names off of wooden leaves. We walked from photo to photo in the Market on State, and Sam won three presidential coins. We bought textbooks and coffee, and a wristwatch and questionable fake cologne, and roast beef sandwiches. And I had more fun doing all of that than I've had in a long time.
Sometimes it's hard because my schedule takes up so much of my life, and any of us can say the same. Finding the free time where it can mesh isn't easy to begin with. You find a lunch hour, and then lose that lunch hour, and then make a new one when you're not meeting with a group during that time or anything.
And when you've got a friend who you love like a sister, who you consider part of your family, you leave those lunch hours wishing you could just ditch all your classes and walk around the mall talking about which boys we had crushes on in fourth grade. Especially when being best friends has become something natural and effortless. Sometimes you get angry that you've got classes and work and obligations to fulfill, because it's being with your friend that makes you happy.
And then you have to make everything you can out of those rainy Thursdays in Wal*Mart, have to make that your way of restating all the old unspoken tenets of the BFF code.
You are family to me. I will always be there for you. Being your friend means the world to me. I'm not always great at showing it, but please don't forget it.
This week, I was reminded that it's not about where you go, or what you're doing. The company makes all the difference. The simplest of things can make the biggest difference in a life when you realize that friendship made them beautiful. Watching the stars at 2 in the morning. Getting caught in a thunderstorm between the corn and the soybeans. Standing in line for a midnight movie. Digging a moat around the tent. Spending those times with my best friend, all of those became stories, and about a hundred others besides. Twelve-year-old bikinis. Pushy the horse, and vending machine bouncy-balls. Shoeboxes full of Crayolas. Unicycling in Walter Hall. Red figure kraters. Guess Who.
Hmm...if I don't stop myself now I'm just going to be listing for the rest of the night. I suppose I've made my point. If you're the one person I know reads this blog, that paragraph probably made complete sense to you. If you're not, the point is that the right friendship can make all of those things significant.
An adventure isn't always something you plan, an adventure is something two people go out and create.
What did YOU learn this spring break?
But that's only the broad introduction for the real point of this post.
The title of the post is admittedly Cedar Point related. I'm trying not to talk about it too much, because I'm afraid I'll make people sick of it. I think I may have inadvertently done that already, although you guys have to understand that this is major jumping in the pond stuff, which I've been thinking about a lot since, for the next few months, I'll be able to say "A year ago from this moment, I was in France." As I try to remind myself whenever I click over to the blog for a quick post, life is a pond. Just because I'm home doesn't mean I'm done jumping in.
Grr...the title. I've been sidetracked again. Anyway, titles. I was browsing around the employee forums and came across a couple people who were discussing which ride was the best to work on, and one of them said something like "Well it's really not the ride you're working, it's the crew you're working with. The right people can make anything fun."
I think it's a great theme for this spring break.
See, when I get back to classes and work I know the drill, now everyone's going to ask me what I did. The answer is that I hiked with my family for an afternoon, bought a new coat, watched a couple movies, did laundry and, by way of having done all this with people I care about, I am willing to bet that I had just as much fun as you.
It made me so happy to be able to spend time with my best friend this week. This past quarter was really rough for me, especially where scheduling was concerned. And then this week we got to ride bikes, hang out at the dog park, and then spend pretty much all of Thursday together.
We bought books, visited a car dealership, took a walk around Wal*Mart, went to Petland and the dollar store and had a fast food dinner and walked around the mall for an hour.
Some people took expensive trips to exotic places over break, but let me tell you that I'll take Thursday with Sam over all of that any day of the week. Spring break doesn't have to be about plans--it can just be strolling around town with your best friend talking. With the right people beside you, you make your own fun.
So what were my plans? I didn't have any.
But we discussed the texture of lint brushes, and chased down the one used copy of Sam's BIOS book in all of Athens. We joked about buying a paddleboat, and read the names off of wooden leaves. We walked from photo to photo in the Market on State, and Sam won three presidential coins. We bought textbooks and coffee, and a wristwatch and questionable fake cologne, and roast beef sandwiches. And I had more fun doing all of that than I've had in a long time.
Sometimes it's hard because my schedule takes up so much of my life, and any of us can say the same. Finding the free time where it can mesh isn't easy to begin with. You find a lunch hour, and then lose that lunch hour, and then make a new one when you're not meeting with a group during that time or anything.
And when you've got a friend who you love like a sister, who you consider part of your family, you leave those lunch hours wishing you could just ditch all your classes and walk around the mall talking about which boys we had crushes on in fourth grade. Especially when being best friends has become something natural and effortless. Sometimes you get angry that you've got classes and work and obligations to fulfill, because it's being with your friend that makes you happy.
And then you have to make everything you can out of those rainy Thursdays in Wal*Mart, have to make that your way of restating all the old unspoken tenets of the BFF code.
You are family to me. I will always be there for you. Being your friend means the world to me. I'm not always great at showing it, but please don't forget it.
This week, I was reminded that it's not about where you go, or what you're doing. The company makes all the difference. The simplest of things can make the biggest difference in a life when you realize that friendship made them beautiful. Watching the stars at 2 in the morning. Getting caught in a thunderstorm between the corn and the soybeans. Standing in line for a midnight movie. Digging a moat around the tent. Spending those times with my best friend, all of those became stories, and about a hundred others besides. Twelve-year-old bikinis. Pushy the horse, and vending machine bouncy-balls. Shoeboxes full of Crayolas. Unicycling in Walter Hall. Red figure kraters. Guess Who.
Hmm...if I don't stop myself now I'm just going to be listing for the rest of the night. I suppose I've made my point. If you're the one person I know reads this blog, that paragraph probably made complete sense to you. If you're not, the point is that the right friendship can make all of those things significant.
An adventure isn't always something you plan, an adventure is something two people go out and create.
What did YOU learn this spring break?
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
My day in a nutshell
Because I'm too tired to delve into much more detail than that...
1) Woo, I finished my French paper 24 hours ahead of the deadline!
2) YES, the assistant manager of ride operations at Cedar Point wants to schedule a phone interview with me!
3) CRUD, I'm TERRIBLE on the phone!
4) Alriiiight, last shift at work is done.
5) Cool, I got my grade back on my French presentation of doom and she called it "stunning!"
6) Hmm, I should obsessively google tips on phone interviews, and commonly asked phone interview questions, because I'm a little nervous about this.
7) Studystudystudy. Must study.
8) Fun! Spent time on the green with Sam and the doxies.
9) Studystudystudy. Must study MORE!
10) Haha, I am CPR certified as a professional rescuer for the next year. Now if you choke, I can save you without you being able to sue me for it.
11) Must write linguistics paper...
12) w00t, finished linguistics paper!
13) Oops, my psychology final is in twelve hours and I have spent so much time getting all my papers done that I haven't studied as much as I usually do
14) Studystudystudy
15) Hmm...you know what, I'd rather update my blog. I have done so much work today I deserve a fifteen-step list to procrastinate with.
Grr...in 48 measley hours I will have no obligations to Ohio University, my grades will be out of my hands, the interview done, and hopefully get in some Spring Break time.
More detailed accounts of pond-jumping to follow, pending completion of finals week. Time for step 16) studying seizure disorders, Broca's and Wernicke's aphasia, schizophrenia and the like.
-G
1) Woo, I finished my French paper 24 hours ahead of the deadline!
2) YES, the assistant manager of ride operations at Cedar Point wants to schedule a phone interview with me!
3) CRUD, I'm TERRIBLE on the phone!
4) Alriiiight, last shift at work is done.
5) Cool, I got my grade back on my French presentation of doom and she called it "stunning!"
6) Hmm, I should obsessively google tips on phone interviews, and commonly asked phone interview questions, because I'm a little nervous about this.
7) Studystudystudy. Must study.
8) Fun! Spent time on the green with Sam and the doxies.
9) Studystudystudy. Must study MORE!
10) Haha, I am CPR certified as a professional rescuer for the next year. Now if you choke, I can save you without you being able to sue me for it.
11) Must write linguistics paper...
12) w00t, finished linguistics paper!
13) Oops, my psychology final is in twelve hours and I have spent so much time getting all my papers done that I haven't studied as much as I usually do
14) Studystudystudy
15) Hmm...you know what, I'd rather update my blog. I have done so much work today I deserve a fifteen-step list to procrastinate with.
Grr...in 48 measley hours I will have no obligations to Ohio University, my grades will be out of my hands, the interview done, and hopefully get in some Spring Break time.
More detailed accounts of pond-jumping to follow, pending completion of finals week. Time for step 16) studying seizure disorders, Broca's and Wernicke's aphasia, schizophrenia and the like.
-G
Monday, February 16, 2009
Spring Quarter
So I've just registered for my spring quarter classes and here's the breakdown.
12 hours of linguistics
4 hours of translation
4 hours of French
In other words...
20 hours total
ALL of them in Gordy Hall.
How awesome is THAT?
On the plus side, I'll be getting rid of my Junior Composition requirement (thank you translation!) and a couple of classes out of my linguistics core.
I'll just keep telling myself that as I'm in Gordy from 10 to 7 two days a week.
12 hours of linguistics
4 hours of translation
4 hours of French
In other words...
20 hours total
ALL of them in Gordy Hall.
How awesome is THAT?
On the plus side, I'll be getting rid of my Junior Composition requirement (thank you translation!) and a couple of classes out of my linguistics core.
I'll just keep telling myself that as I'm in Gordy from 10 to 7 two days a week.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Les Poissons...
Happy 200th birthday to Charles Darwin!
(and, by extension, to Grandpa Larry's famous Darwin fish.)
(and, by extension, to Grandpa Larry's famous Darwin fish.)
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
January 20th, 2009
Today I skipped Psychology and headed to the 2nd floor of Baker instead to watch the inauguration of President Barack Obama. It seemed like a fair reason to miss an hour of lecture. I mean...I can't remember the last time that a review of Chapter Four: Psychopharmacology constituted history in the making. We gathered in the theater where they'd turned on CNN--I even got a front row seat. As people filed in, we formed a crowd of young and old, men and women, and easily a dozen different nationalities that was every photography student's dream. They moved through the crowd and snapped frames by the dozen for potential projects--this diverse crowd sitting in a room together, brought together by hope and change.
Together, this crowd of strangers and I celebrated the common bonds that had brought us here. We applauded politely for Bill Clinton, turned to our neighbors to remark on how adorable the Obama daughters were, muttered amongst ourselves upon George Bush's entrance, and when the president-elect's name was announced, the room erupted. Our applause blended into the audio from DC and again I felt like part of something bigger than just me, or even just Ohio--but at the same time something of which I was an integral part. Together, all of us in that room had helped bring about history, and joyously we watched the fruit of our unity.
As the opening prayer began, a student in a "Marraige is so gay" t-shirt strode boldly to the screen alongside Reverend Warren's image to hold up his homemade sign: REV WARREN IS A BIGOT! in huge black letters. The photography students and reporters threw themselves to the carpet to capture the moment from all the proper angles. He shook the sign at equivocating intervals, and in the audience we chuckled as the running commentary on CNN showed the words "Rev. Warren's selection has been unpopular with the gay community." More adjustment of camera angles, so that the sign and the headline could appear together in one photo. At one point, one of the children sitting on the floor in front of the screen pointed and exclaimed to her father, "Daddy, look at his sign!" We all laughed as the sign-holder grinned and nodded frantically. The moment the reverend had finished speaking, he put down the sign and went calmly back to his seat, nodding his understanding at the three reporters who pointed insistently to their video cameras, demanding that he answer for his action on-camera after the festivities.
While the quartet performed John Williams' arrangement of Simple Gifts, the clock rolled over to 12:00, and the scroller pointed out that although he had not yet taken his oath, Barack Obama was now officially the president of the United States. Again, we applauded wildly. By the time the quartet had finished and Vice President Biden stepped forward to take his oath, we were on the edges of our seats, more than ready for the oaths to confirm what we already knew: we had a new president.
There was a smattering of laughter at the size of the Lincoln bible, and a confused mutter swept through the crowd at the fumbled oath, but it was high time for another round of cheering as President Obama finished his oath and stepped forward to make his speech. Immediately, the room went silent. There was no more excited muttering, no murmuring commentaries.
I cannot, especially in a blog entry, fully describe what I felt as I watched him address the nation. The sheer history of the moment certainly struck me. Whether or not they voted for Obama, I hope people can recognize and cherish the progress that his election has marked in our history. Maybe the younger crowd has a tougher time realizing that, our walks of life certainly can't be compared to the teary-eyed Reverend Jackson, but I felt proud of my country just for what we had shown by electing our first black president, even if I can only grasp its gravity through the pages of history books.
Of course, it doesn't stop there. There was the ever-present feeling that I was humbled, but important. Sure I was a fraction of a fraction of this victory, but I had a part in it the same as anyone else there, and that felt great.
And on top of all this, watching him made me hopeful. He acknowledged that we are in trying times, and that there's a lot of work to do, but watching him speak I truly believed we could do it. He said that the world is changing, and that we've got to change with it, and there is no better adjective for his words than refreshing. Maybe a part of me is just old enough now to appreciate oration that I dismissed as 'boring' and dozed through when I was my sister's age. More likely, he's a gifted speaker that talks to the people on a level that I deeply respect. This is a man I want to follow. I cannot wait to see what the next four years have in store. Heck, I'm excited just thinking about the first one.
Sure, you're not going to see me falling over myself to buy Obama collectors' plates from the Home Shopping Network, and it might even be cheesy to put my experience and my thoughts down in this blog, but laying all embellishments and pretty words aside, watching this today was incredible. It made me proud of what little part I had in history, it made me happy to be American, it made me hope that maybe under the leadership of this man we can make things brighter than they were.
Nothing in my life has had that kind of power. It was a non-partisan feeling of belonging that kept resonating deep in me as we filed out for light refreshments and inauguration cookies. Half of us ended up sitting back down in the lobby to keep watching as the Bushes boarded their helicopter for the Air Force base, as President Obama signed his cabinet nominations and headed downstairs. In the background, sign-holder was swarmed upon by reporters. The atmosphere outside was lighter, we joked about CNN's apparent obsession with the congressional luncheon menu (mmm, seafood and pheasant!), but at least for me there was still a deep sense of pride and hope. Nobody can take that from me. Nobody can say that on January 20th of 2009, Grace Stout wasn't really and truly proud to be American. I hope I can carry today with me for a good long time, and I'm glad I could share it with my friends and my family.
For the rest of the day I was in and out of inauguration news: watched the president address the luncheon on my way to class, streamed live footage of the parade between classes, scrolled through a slideshow of the AP ball photos, hammered out the finer details of this post. And the whole time, I've kept hold of that feeling of small but definite power. And no matter what this day was to you, that's what it was about to me: I felt like a small but definite something.
I like that feeling.
Together, this crowd of strangers and I celebrated the common bonds that had brought us here. We applauded politely for Bill Clinton, turned to our neighbors to remark on how adorable the Obama daughters were, muttered amongst ourselves upon George Bush's entrance, and when the president-elect's name was announced, the room erupted. Our applause blended into the audio from DC and again I felt like part of something bigger than just me, or even just Ohio--but at the same time something of which I was an integral part. Together, all of us in that room had helped bring about history, and joyously we watched the fruit of our unity.
As the opening prayer began, a student in a "Marraige is so gay" t-shirt strode boldly to the screen alongside Reverend Warren's image to hold up his homemade sign: REV WARREN IS A BIGOT! in huge black letters. The photography students and reporters threw themselves to the carpet to capture the moment from all the proper angles. He shook the sign at equivocating intervals, and in the audience we chuckled as the running commentary on CNN showed the words "Rev. Warren's selection has been unpopular with the gay community." More adjustment of camera angles, so that the sign and the headline could appear together in one photo. At one point, one of the children sitting on the floor in front of the screen pointed and exclaimed to her father, "Daddy, look at his sign!" We all laughed as the sign-holder grinned and nodded frantically. The moment the reverend had finished speaking, he put down the sign and went calmly back to his seat, nodding his understanding at the three reporters who pointed insistently to their video cameras, demanding that he answer for his action on-camera after the festivities.
While the quartet performed John Williams' arrangement of Simple Gifts, the clock rolled over to 12:00, and the scroller pointed out that although he had not yet taken his oath, Barack Obama was now officially the president of the United States. Again, we applauded wildly. By the time the quartet had finished and Vice President Biden stepped forward to take his oath, we were on the edges of our seats, more than ready for the oaths to confirm what we already knew: we had a new president.
There was a smattering of laughter at the size of the Lincoln bible, and a confused mutter swept through the crowd at the fumbled oath, but it was high time for another round of cheering as President Obama finished his oath and stepped forward to make his speech. Immediately, the room went silent. There was no more excited muttering, no murmuring commentaries.
I cannot, especially in a blog entry, fully describe what I felt as I watched him address the nation. The sheer history of the moment certainly struck me. Whether or not they voted for Obama, I hope people can recognize and cherish the progress that his election has marked in our history. Maybe the younger crowd has a tougher time realizing that, our walks of life certainly can't be compared to the teary-eyed Reverend Jackson, but I felt proud of my country just for what we had shown by electing our first black president, even if I can only grasp its gravity through the pages of history books.
Of course, it doesn't stop there. There was the ever-present feeling that I was humbled, but important. Sure I was a fraction of a fraction of this victory, but I had a part in it the same as anyone else there, and that felt great.
And on top of all this, watching him made me hopeful. He acknowledged that we are in trying times, and that there's a lot of work to do, but watching him speak I truly believed we could do it. He said that the world is changing, and that we've got to change with it, and there is no better adjective for his words than refreshing. Maybe a part of me is just old enough now to appreciate oration that I dismissed as 'boring' and dozed through when I was my sister's age. More likely, he's a gifted speaker that talks to the people on a level that I deeply respect. This is a man I want to follow. I cannot wait to see what the next four years have in store. Heck, I'm excited just thinking about the first one.
Sure, you're not going to see me falling over myself to buy Obama collectors' plates from the Home Shopping Network, and it might even be cheesy to put my experience and my thoughts down in this blog, but laying all embellishments and pretty words aside, watching this today was incredible. It made me proud of what little part I had in history, it made me happy to be American, it made me hope that maybe under the leadership of this man we can make things brighter than they were.
Nothing in my life has had that kind of power. It was a non-partisan feeling of belonging that kept resonating deep in me as we filed out for light refreshments and inauguration cookies. Half of us ended up sitting back down in the lobby to keep watching as the Bushes boarded their helicopter for the Air Force base, as President Obama signed his cabinet nominations and headed downstairs. In the background, sign-holder was swarmed upon by reporters. The atmosphere outside was lighter, we joked about CNN's apparent obsession with the congressional luncheon menu (mmm, seafood and pheasant!), but at least for me there was still a deep sense of pride and hope. Nobody can take that from me. Nobody can say that on January 20th of 2009, Grace Stout wasn't really and truly proud to be American. I hope I can carry today with me for a good long time, and I'm glad I could share it with my friends and my family.
For the rest of the day I was in and out of inauguration news: watched the president address the luncheon on my way to class, streamed live footage of the parade between classes, scrolled through a slideshow of the AP ball photos, hammered out the finer details of this post. And the whole time, I've kept hold of that feeling of small but definite power. And no matter what this day was to you, that's what it was about to me: I felt like a small but definite something.
I like that feeling.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Yes we did.
Last night, Dad and I were driving home from work when we heard the news.
Obama flipped Ohio.
I was up until one in the morning watching history unfold. But it was those three simple words that really made me feel like part of something amazing. I voted at around 9 o'clock Tuesday morning along with lots of grumpy old people from my precinct who didn't know how to get the machine to take their ballots. And also my parents who were less old, less grumpy, and more or less got the machine to work. Even though it was my first presidential election, and I knew it was potentially earth-shaking election, it didn't feel particularly dramatic. I had no idea that filling in that little oval could feel so fulfilling. But as I watched them color Ohio blue on the map, I realized that something phenomenal was going on here.
We sat in front of the television and watched them discuss and theorize, watched the intricate graphics that probably took an obscene number of man-hours, and I don't think I'm ever going to forget watching the countdown tick down the last ten seconds to history. The screaming, the crying, this celebration and hope that America can and will change. I sincerely hope we can hold on to the image we cast on the world last night.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the grace of McCain's concession speech. It was disappointing that a moment of such sincere, humble gratitude was marred by boos and anger on
the crowd's part. It was a striking contrast of graceful acceptance and immaturity.
This is the only time in my life I can ever remember feeling so strongly that my own tiny contribution was part of something far bigger and far greater than myself. I am so thrilled and anxious to see what kind of change the next 4 (+!) years are going to bring, because this morning I feel we have potential the likes of which could move mountains.
I'm proud to say, I voted Obama in 08!
Obama flipped Ohio.
I was up until one in the morning watching history unfold. But it was those three simple words that really made me feel like part of something amazing. I voted at around 9 o'clock Tuesday morning along with lots of grumpy old people from my precinct who didn't know how to get the machine to take their ballots. And also my parents who were less old, less grumpy, and more or less got the machine to work. Even though it was my first presidential election, and I knew it was potentially earth-shaking election, it didn't feel particularly dramatic. I had no idea that filling in that little oval could feel so fulfilling. But as I watched them color Ohio blue on the map, I realized that something phenomenal was going on here.
We sat in front of the television and watched them discuss and theorize, watched the intricate graphics that probably took an obscene number of man-hours, and I don't think I'm ever going to forget watching the countdown tick down the last ten seconds to history. The screaming, the crying, this celebration and hope that America can and will change. I sincerely hope we can hold on to the image we cast on the world last night.
I was also pleasantly surprised by the grace of McCain's concession speech. It was disappointing that a moment of such sincere, humble gratitude was marred by boos and anger on
the crowd's part. It was a striking contrast of graceful acceptance and immaturity.This is the only time in my life I can ever remember feeling so strongly that my own tiny contribution was part of something far bigger and far greater than myself. I am so thrilled and anxious to see what kind of change the next 4 (+!) years are going to bring, because this morning I feel we have potential the likes of which could move mountains.
I'm proud to say, I voted Obama in 08!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Recipe for Disaster
Step one.
"Oh, sure guys, I'll take BIOS 206 with you. I mean, I'm no good at biology but it should be fun to suffer through our natural sciences credits together.
Step two.
"Well, I mean...my grade on the first test wasn't that bad, I should have to study too much harder for the second one."
Step three.
"Hmm...I have a test in three hours. I haven't even read two of the chapters it's over. But that's okay, I mean I'm going to fail anyway. I probably won't fail TOO epic-ly."
Step four.
"Err...well, I guessed on ninety percent of these questions. There's no point in re-reading them. It seems weird that I finished that test in ten minutes, but I'm sure I'm not giving myself enough credit. I mean...educated guesses will get me SOME points at least."
I am chastising myself so heavily right now that I'm not even sure I should be blogging, it'll just come out sounding like a bunch of self-loathing mopery. Is it an appropriately strong reaction to want to crawl in a hole and drop out of school just because I might not make the Dean's List this quarter? Maybe I should do the math first. I mean, I can't possibly get like...worse than a C in that class as long as I retake the first two tests. And he won't let us retake the final or anything, but I DO have my online quiz grades to consider and I'll just promise myself to study super-hard for the final and maybe I can continue my "have never gotten below a B- in a college course" streak.
What have we learned, children?
Don't take a class you know you'll do poorly in just because your friends are taking it too.
and more importantly,
Don't underestimate your own capacity for failure.
"Oh, sure guys, I'll take BIOS 206 with you. I mean, I'm no good at biology but it should be fun to suffer through our natural sciences credits together.
Step two.
"Well, I mean...my grade on the first test wasn't that bad, I should have to study too much harder for the second one."
Step three.
"Hmm...I have a test in three hours. I haven't even read two of the chapters it's over. But that's okay, I mean I'm going to fail anyway. I probably won't fail TOO epic-ly."
Step four.
"Err...well, I guessed on ninety percent of these questions. There's no point in re-reading them. It seems weird that I finished that test in ten minutes, but I'm sure I'm not giving myself enough credit. I mean...educated guesses will get me SOME points at least."
I am chastising myself so heavily right now that I'm not even sure I should be blogging, it'll just come out sounding like a bunch of self-loathing mopery. Is it an appropriately strong reaction to want to crawl in a hole and drop out of school just because I might not make the Dean's List this quarter? Maybe I should do the math first. I mean, I can't possibly get like...worse than a C in that class as long as I retake the first two tests. And he won't let us retake the final or anything, but I DO have my online quiz grades to consider and I'll just promise myself to study super-hard for the final and maybe I can continue my "have never gotten below a B- in a college course" streak.
What have we learned, children?
Don't take a class you know you'll do poorly in just because your friends are taking it too.
and more importantly,
Don't underestimate your own capacity for failure.
Monday, October 13, 2008
Monday, September 22, 2008
Only in the linguistics department...
Could you hear the following snatch of conversation:
"I'm thinking of getting a tattoo of a blank syntax tree."
"Ohmigosh, that would be SO COOL!"
Linguistics majors are some seriously awesome folks. ^_^
"I'm thinking of getting a tattoo of a blank syntax tree."
"Ohmigosh, that would be SO COOL!"
Linguistics majors are some seriously awesome folks. ^_^
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Dear Blog,
I would like to extend my deepest apologies for neglecting you lately. You see, I've been wildly busy since classes started two weeks ago.
Child Psych has been fun, and homework-free until midterm time. 20th Century French Lit is one of the tougher French classes I've taken, but I'm keeping my head above water for now. Drugs and the Brain would be a total disaster except that Cat and Kristin are slogging through it with me. In Linguistics, we're making our own language, which is totally my kind of thing. It should be fun.
And from classes, straight to work. Five shifts a week plus training. For what, might you ask? Yours truly has been promoted to "student manager in training." In other words, what time I don't spend in class belongs to Jefferson Hall. I flip dressings, I sling roast beef, I learn to cut up a honeydew in four minutes flat, then I go home, eat a (la-a-a-te) dinner, take a shower, do my homework, go to sleep, wake up, and do it all over again.
As you might imagine, this doesn't leave a ton of time for blogging.
So you see, blog, the quantity of my posts here is going to suffer. On the other hand, I'm going to have plenty to write about when I do write. I've got classes that I'm still mostly enjoying, I'm climbing the ladder at work, I get to hang with Sam and Clare, Cat and Kristin, I've got a French class full of Avignon buddies, and even though I'm not spending as much time at home doing nothing as I'd like to, I think I'm learning to deal with it.
It's called Saturday.
Guitar Hero, Pirates of the Caribbean, and blogging. Pretty much the furthest thing from class and work I can manage. Yay!
So anyway, blog, that's why I'm not going to be writing quite as much as I'd initially thought. But so long as there's a soul or two out there reading this, I'll do all I can to keep writing. If for no other reason than to keep from letting class and work drive me totally insane. So I guess even if nobody reads this, I'll still be writing. Woo! Hooray for projecting my experiences and ideas out into an endless void that seldom offers a word of response! *dances*
Guess that's about it for now. Ttfn, Ima go dance now.
Grace
Child Psych has been fun, and homework-free until midterm time. 20th Century French Lit is one of the tougher French classes I've taken, but I'm keeping my head above water for now. Drugs and the Brain would be a total disaster except that Cat and Kristin are slogging through it with me. In Linguistics, we're making our own language, which is totally my kind of thing. It should be fun.
And from classes, straight to work. Five shifts a week plus training. For what, might you ask? Yours truly has been promoted to "student manager in training." In other words, what time I don't spend in class belongs to Jefferson Hall. I flip dressings, I sling roast beef, I learn to cut up a honeydew in four minutes flat, then I go home, eat a (la-a-a-te) dinner, take a shower, do my homework, go to sleep, wake up, and do it all over again.
As you might imagine, this doesn't leave a ton of time for blogging.
So you see, blog, the quantity of my posts here is going to suffer. On the other hand, I'm going to have plenty to write about when I do write. I've got classes that I'm still mostly enjoying, I'm climbing the ladder at work, I get to hang with Sam and Clare, Cat and Kristin, I've got a French class full of Avignon buddies, and even though I'm not spending as much time at home doing nothing as I'd like to, I think I'm learning to deal with it.
It's called Saturday.
Guitar Hero, Pirates of the Caribbean, and blogging. Pretty much the furthest thing from class and work I can manage. Yay!
So anyway, blog, that's why I'm not going to be writing quite as much as I'd initially thought. But so long as there's a soul or two out there reading this, I'll do all I can to keep writing. If for no other reason than to keep from letting class and work drive me totally insane. So I guess even if nobody reads this, I'll still be writing. Woo! Hooray for projecting my experiences and ideas out into an endless void that seldom offers a word of response! *dances*
Guess that's about it for now. Ttfn, Ima go dance now.
Grace
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Home Again, Home Again
Well, I have caved. That's right, folks, I set up a post-France blog. And despite a slight aversion to blogging like the world cares, I know a couple of you might stop by every now and then. My life may not be as interesting now that I'm home from France, but I'm gonna write like it is. To start, here is a quiz that I stole from Cat. Because I like pirating other peoples' quizzes and pretending that people are going to read them. But this is the abridged version of the quiz because that thing was freakin' long.
1. Do you like the person you are becoming?
I do. Hope I can keep that going.
2. Do you currently find yourself to look cute?
I tend not to.
3. What is your dream marriage proposal?
He asks me instead of the other way around? I dunno...something totally surprising, and yet not too sickeningly cheesy.
4. Are you okay with making a total fool of yourself?
Depends on the audience, but generally no.
5. Are you obnoxious?
In my mind I am, but I can't get people to say so to my face.
6. Can you name one song by The Beatles?
Yep. Oh, you wanted me to do it? Blackbird.
7. Do lectures bore you?
Anything bores me if it drags on long enough, but generally they don't.
8. Did anybody ever call you beautiful? and meant it?
If anyone ever has I don't remember it. You're welcome to be the first!
9. What is the nearest book to you called?
Eclipse. (I am unashamed.)
10. Are you passive or aggressive?
Passive unless I'm super angry.
11. Ever seen a ghost?
Nah.
12. A place you've lived that you miss?
France.
13. Person that you miss?
All my loser buddies from the Avignon trip who don't live in A-town for the summer like the cool kids do.
14. Wanna have kids before you're 30?
No thank you.
15. Ever have a crush on one of your parents' friends?
AHAHAHA! No.
16. Something you've always wanted to learn how to do?
Play piano. Like...well.
17. Last item you bought yourself?
Dark Knight ticket?
18. What did you have for breakfast?
Wafffffffles.
19. Live at your parents' house?
Oui.
20. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Summer, eight-ish. School, more like six.
21. What's the last thing you said to someone and to whom?
"Probably, but no promises" to Mom, I think...
22. Name something you have to do tomorrow:
Wake up? Eat? Oh, and go to Clare's.
23. What CD is currently in your CD player?
Imogen Heap: Speak for Yourself
24. Can you whistle?
Yep.
25. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoos?
Nope.
26. Do you get along better with boys or girls?
Quicker friendships with boys, stronger ones with girls.
27. Do you sleep on your side, stomach, or back?
Yes.
28. Which of your friends lives closest to you?
Clare, maybe? Pretty much everybody is on campus.
29. What did you do yesterday?
Watched a couple hours of Scrubs, wrote some random stuff...not a ton, actually.
30. What annoys you most about facebook?
People adding you as their "friend" because you had a lecture hall class with them once and they want to message you to ask for the notes from class today because they are lazy bums who cut classes and then mooch notes off the responsible people-pleasers who just can't find a good reason to say no, but then grumble about it for a couple quarters afterward even though they will never see so-called "friend" ever again.
31. Is there anybody that you trust 100%?
Heck no.
32. Are you satisfied with your life right now?
Actually yeah, for the most part I am. Wow. Cool.
33. What's some bad news you received lately?
College Book Store does not have my Drugs and the Brain textbook, and I'm going to have to go back out and make a second trip in order to get all my books...that's about the worst I've gotten recently.
34. Have you ever been on a plane?
Yes! Woo!
35. How is your relationship with your father?
Who can pin that thing down? Variable? That's an adjective...
36. What color is the nail polish on your nails?
Invisible/slash/nonexistant-colored.
37. What color is your bedspread?
Blue
38. Who do you phone when you're having a bad day?
Grace no likie the telephone.
39. Are you in a fight with a friend right now?
I can't tell. I might be, but it's sort of mysterious.
40. Does love frighten you?
Constantly.
41. Are you wearing makeup?
Negative.
42. Will you leave the house without makeup on?
Sure.
43. Can you walk into a room full of strangers and maintain your confidence?
MWAHAHA if you know me you know that answer.
44. Do you stay friends with your ex boyfriends/girlfriends?
Guess I'd have to have one to answer that. An official "ex," that is.
45. What do you take in your coffee?
Tea. Coffee's nasty.
46. What is something that you're looking forward to?
Classes starting back up. *pushes up nerd glasses* Truly, I am.
47. Where are you right now?
My house.
48. Does anybody hate you?
That would not surprise me.
49. Do you use any kind of lip gloss/lip balm?
Vanilla mint chapstick
50. How often do you dream of zombies?
24/7? I cannot ever recall having a dream about zombies.
51. How old is the last person you kissed?
I'll tell you once I've kissed someone.
52. Will you talk to the person you like on the phone tonight?
Phones frighten me.
53. Your current relationship status?
Single now and always *sob*
54. What's your current mood?
Headache-y
55. What color shirt are you wearing?
White.
56. What was the highlight of your week?
Cat called me! For like...four minutes, but still!
57. If you could have something right now, what would it be?
Great Dane puppy.
58. What were you doing at 11:00 last night?
Writing about a drunken escapade in the fictional life of a fictional Irish werewolf. No kidding!
59. How many different people of the opposite sex have you cried over?
Too many.
60. If you could live in any other state, which one would you pick?
I'm with Cat on this one--France.
61. Last TV show you watched:
Flipping Out.
63. Have you ever kissed anyone of the opposite sex on your top friends?
You had my "no" at "kissed anyone."
64. How do you earn money?
Toss chicken breasts on plates to throw to the starving collegiate masses.
65. Do you like to cuddle?
Probably too much...
66. Have you told anybody you loved them today?
Yeah, but in an instant messaging "luvya hun, bye" kind of way.
67. Do you miss anyone?
Yes.
68. Are you growing apart from someone close?
Sort of.
69. What would you do if your ex called you?
Wonder how I got an ex boyfriend.
71. Is there anybody you wish to kill?
I don't think so...
72. What will you be doing at 10 tonight?
Probably listening to music and writing more. I'm on a roll.
73. When is the last time you cried?
Couple days ago the movie Titanic was on and darn if that scene with the mother telling a bedtime story to her children as the boat goes down doesn't just get me every time.
74. Are you dating the person you text the most?
Haha WOW. Big no.
75. Is there anyone you hate?
Yes. I wish I could say no, but if we're being honest, yes.
76. Do you like tattoos and piercings?
On other people that can pull it off. On me, no thanks.
77. Do you like someone?
Oh yeah.
78. How much are you on the phone daily?
Zero to two minutes.
79. Have you ever been in love?
No.
80. Where did you get the shirt you're wearing?
Guy from the radio station handed it to me in the mall several years ago.
81. What kind of phone do you have?
Samsung summat or other.
83. Who do you trust with EVERYTHING?
Not a soul.
84. Who was the last person that left you a comment?
Sam
85. Did you kiss or hug anyone today?
Hugged my mama.
86. Who made you laugh last?
Cat and her survey antics.
87. What will you be doing in 3 hours?
You already asked what I'd be doing at ten tonight.
88. What were you doing at 1AM?
Writing. Here's a blanket answer: after 10 and before 2, I'm writing.
89. What is the background on your phone?
Mah dog.
91. What color are your eyes?
You tell me. First one to answer in comment form gets a prize.
92. What would you do if you won the lottery?
Three words. African. Grey. Parrot.
93. Will you be in a relationship in 50 days?
I'm going out on a limb here and saying...no freaking way.
94. What's outside your window?
Hummingbird. It's buzzing rather loudly.
95. What are you doing this weekend?
Working on flags, and/or writing.
96. Do you wear slippers?
I barely even wear socks.
99. Do you ever watch Brady Bunch Reruns?
Not since I was in high school.
100. Are you allergic to anything?
Certain cats.
101. When was the last time you called in sick?
High school. From a job--never. I'd go in to work as long as I can stand upright.
102. Have you ever been in a car accident?
No.
103. What is your favorite snack food?
Most kinds.
105. Would you like to look like your mom/dad when you are his/her age?
That'd be weird.
106. Have you ever seen a tornado?
Only in my recurring nightmares.
107. Do you think Barack Obama is sexy?
Uhh...wow. No.
108. If you won a million dollars, what would you buy first?
Breaking Dawn. Ice cream. Tuition. You know, the essentials.
109. What time is it right now?
Seven-thirty.
110. Are you pregnant?
Noooooooo.
112. Do you like men who wear pink shirts and flip-flops?
I don't have issues with either of those things, unless your feet are gross and your flip flops will cause me to stare awkwardly at your horrendously ugly feet. Just tellin' it how it is, people.
113. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
Enough.
114. Do you think you are a hypocondriac?
Heavens no.
115. Do you own a dictionary?
A French-English one. Is there any other kind?
116. Where was the last place you went on vacation?
France, but I guess if you call it a vacation people get peeved.
118. Does your kitchen have a theme?
Food-cooking theme.
124. Are you still in love with one of your exes?
Enough with the exes I don't have!
125. Any big plans for the summer?
'Tis almost Sandusky time! Hooray!
Honest-to-goodness prose-style entry coming soon-ish. I'll try to keep them from being mind-numbingly dull, irrelevant, or like...crazy self-righteous. Also keep your eyes open for my final follow-up style post to the France blog. Definitely meant to have done that already. It's on the to-do list, though.
Ciao for now,
Grace
1. Do you like the person you are becoming?
I do. Hope I can keep that going.
2. Do you currently find yourself to look cute?
I tend not to.
3. What is your dream marriage proposal?
He asks me instead of the other way around? I dunno...something totally surprising, and yet not too sickeningly cheesy.
4. Are you okay with making a total fool of yourself?
Depends on the audience, but generally no.
5. Are you obnoxious?
In my mind I am, but I can't get people to say so to my face.
6. Can you name one song by The Beatles?
Yep. Oh, you wanted me to do it? Blackbird.
7. Do lectures bore you?
Anything bores me if it drags on long enough, but generally they don't.
8. Did anybody ever call you beautiful? and meant it?
If anyone ever has I don't remember it. You're welcome to be the first!
9. What is the nearest book to you called?
Eclipse. (I am unashamed.)
10. Are you passive or aggressive?
Passive unless I'm super angry.
11. Ever seen a ghost?
Nah.
12. A place you've lived that you miss?
France.
13. Person that you miss?
All my loser buddies from the Avignon trip who don't live in A-town for the summer like the cool kids do.
14. Wanna have kids before you're 30?
No thank you.
15. Ever have a crush on one of your parents' friends?
AHAHAHA! No.
16. Something you've always wanted to learn how to do?
Play piano. Like...well.
17. Last item you bought yourself?
Dark Knight ticket?
18. What did you have for breakfast?
Wafffffffles.
19. Live at your parents' house?
Oui.
20. How many hours of sleep do you get a night?
Summer, eight-ish. School, more like six.
21. What's the last thing you said to someone and to whom?
"Probably, but no promises" to Mom, I think...
22. Name something you have to do tomorrow:
Wake up? Eat? Oh, and go to Clare's.
23. What CD is currently in your CD player?
Imogen Heap: Speak for Yourself
24. Can you whistle?
Yep.
25. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoos?
Nope.
26. Do you get along better with boys or girls?
Quicker friendships with boys, stronger ones with girls.
27. Do you sleep on your side, stomach, or back?
Yes.
28. Which of your friends lives closest to you?
Clare, maybe? Pretty much everybody is on campus.
29. What did you do yesterday?
Watched a couple hours of Scrubs, wrote some random stuff...not a ton, actually.
30. What annoys you most about facebook?
People adding you as their "friend" because you had a lecture hall class with them once and they want to message you to ask for the notes from class today because they are lazy bums who cut classes and then mooch notes off the responsible people-pleasers who just can't find a good reason to say no, but then grumble about it for a couple quarters afterward even though they will never see so-called "friend" ever again.
31. Is there anybody that you trust 100%?
Heck no.
32. Are you satisfied with your life right now?
Actually yeah, for the most part I am. Wow. Cool.
33. What's some bad news you received lately?
College Book Store does not have my Drugs and the Brain textbook, and I'm going to have to go back out and make a second trip in order to get all my books...that's about the worst I've gotten recently.
34. Have you ever been on a plane?
Yes! Woo!
35. How is your relationship with your father?
Who can pin that thing down? Variable? That's an adjective...
36. What color is the nail polish on your nails?
Invisible/slash/nonexistant-colored.
37. What color is your bedspread?
Blue
38. Who do you phone when you're having a bad day?
Grace no likie the telephone.
39. Are you in a fight with a friend right now?
I can't tell. I might be, but it's sort of mysterious.
40. Does love frighten you?
Constantly.
41. Are you wearing makeup?
Negative.
42. Will you leave the house without makeup on?
Sure.
43. Can you walk into a room full of strangers and maintain your confidence?
MWAHAHA if you know me you know that answer.
44. Do you stay friends with your ex boyfriends/girlfriends?
Guess I'd have to have one to answer that. An official "ex," that is.
45. What do you take in your coffee?
Tea. Coffee's nasty.
46. What is something that you're looking forward to?
Classes starting back up. *pushes up nerd glasses* Truly, I am.
47. Where are you right now?
My house.
48. Does anybody hate you?
That would not surprise me.
49. Do you use any kind of lip gloss/lip balm?
Vanilla mint chapstick
50. How often do you dream of zombies?
24/7? I cannot ever recall having a dream about zombies.
51. How old is the last person you kissed?
I'll tell you once I've kissed someone.
52. Will you talk to the person you like on the phone tonight?
Phones frighten me.
53. Your current relationship status?
Single now and always *sob*
54. What's your current mood?
Headache-y
55. What color shirt are you wearing?
White.
56. What was the highlight of your week?
Cat called me! For like...four minutes, but still!
57. If you could have something right now, what would it be?
Great Dane puppy.
58. What were you doing at 11:00 last night?
Writing about a drunken escapade in the fictional life of a fictional Irish werewolf. No kidding!
59. How many different people of the opposite sex have you cried over?
Too many.
60. If you could live in any other state, which one would you pick?
I'm with Cat on this one--France.
61. Last TV show you watched:
Flipping Out.
63. Have you ever kissed anyone of the opposite sex on your top friends?
You had my "no" at "kissed anyone."
64. How do you earn money?
Toss chicken breasts on plates to throw to the starving collegiate masses.
65. Do you like to cuddle?
Probably too much...
66. Have you told anybody you loved them today?
Yeah, but in an instant messaging "luvya hun, bye" kind of way.
67. Do you miss anyone?
Yes.
68. Are you growing apart from someone close?
Sort of.
69. What would you do if your ex called you?
Wonder how I got an ex boyfriend.
71. Is there anybody you wish to kill?
I don't think so...
72. What will you be doing at 10 tonight?
Probably listening to music and writing more. I'm on a roll.
73. When is the last time you cried?
Couple days ago the movie Titanic was on and darn if that scene with the mother telling a bedtime story to her children as the boat goes down doesn't just get me every time.
74. Are you dating the person you text the most?
Haha WOW. Big no.
75. Is there anyone you hate?
Yes. I wish I could say no, but if we're being honest, yes.
76. Do you like tattoos and piercings?
On other people that can pull it off. On me, no thanks.
77. Do you like someone?
Oh yeah.
78. How much are you on the phone daily?
Zero to two minutes.
79. Have you ever been in love?
No.
80. Where did you get the shirt you're wearing?
Guy from the radio station handed it to me in the mall several years ago.
81. What kind of phone do you have?
Samsung summat or other.
83. Who do you trust with EVERYTHING?
Not a soul.
84. Who was the last person that left you a comment?
Sam
85. Did you kiss or hug anyone today?
Hugged my mama.
86. Who made you laugh last?
Cat and her survey antics.
87. What will you be doing in 3 hours?
You already asked what I'd be doing at ten tonight.
88. What were you doing at 1AM?
Writing. Here's a blanket answer: after 10 and before 2, I'm writing.
89. What is the background on your phone?
Mah dog.
91. What color are your eyes?
You tell me. First one to answer in comment form gets a prize.
92. What would you do if you won the lottery?
Three words. African. Grey. Parrot.
93. Will you be in a relationship in 50 days?
I'm going out on a limb here and saying...no freaking way.
94. What's outside your window?
Hummingbird. It's buzzing rather loudly.
95. What are you doing this weekend?
Working on flags, and/or writing.
96. Do you wear slippers?
I barely even wear socks.
99. Do you ever watch Brady Bunch Reruns?
Not since I was in high school.
100. Are you allergic to anything?
Certain cats.
101. When was the last time you called in sick?
High school. From a job--never. I'd go in to work as long as I can stand upright.
102. Have you ever been in a car accident?
No.
103. What is your favorite snack food?
Most kinds.
105. Would you like to look like your mom/dad when you are his/her age?
That'd be weird.
106. Have you ever seen a tornado?
Only in my recurring nightmares.
107. Do you think Barack Obama is sexy?
Uhh...wow. No.
108. If you won a million dollars, what would you buy first?
Breaking Dawn. Ice cream. Tuition. You know, the essentials.
109. What time is it right now?
Seven-thirty.
110. Are you pregnant?
Noooooooo.
112. Do you like men who wear pink shirts and flip-flops?
I don't have issues with either of those things, unless your feet are gross and your flip flops will cause me to stare awkwardly at your horrendously ugly feet. Just tellin' it how it is, people.
113. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
Enough.
114. Do you think you are a hypocondriac?
Heavens no.
115. Do you own a dictionary?
A French-English one. Is there any other kind?
116. Where was the last place you went on vacation?
France, but I guess if you call it a vacation people get peeved.
118. Does your kitchen have a theme?
Food-cooking theme.
124. Are you still in love with one of your exes?
Enough with the exes I don't have!
125. Any big plans for the summer?
'Tis almost Sandusky time! Hooray!
Honest-to-goodness prose-style entry coming soon-ish. I'll try to keep them from being mind-numbingly dull, irrelevant, or like...crazy self-righteous. Also keep your eyes open for my final follow-up style post to the France blog. Definitely meant to have done that already. It's on the to-do list, though.
Ciao for now,
Grace
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