42. Lead a swingout.
I need to practice a whole lot more before I can lead a swingout on the social floor without, as the friend I tried it on phrased it, "concentrating so hard." But, I can do it!
44. Go to the opera (and stay for the entire show)
Made it through the whole show without a single cough!
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Monday, February 6, 2012
Five Weeks
Five weeks ago I added this to the list:
30. Skating around a city ice rink holding hands with a boy
Three weeks and a couple of days ago I bought a pair of ice skates. Renting them costs $6-$10 dollars a time. Good skates from a good store cost about $80. I have at least three winters left in a city with free rinks. The math seemed favorable.
The next day I went on a first date. We went ice skating.
We have been ice skating every weekend since. Yesterday was our first time at my city's most visible rink. Skating around a city ice rink holding hands with the guy I'm dating and feeling pretty adorable. Check!
30. Skating around a city ice rink holding hands with a boy
Maybe not “my boy” but it felt adorable just the same. The night before I left the county, I took some friends up on their ice skating invite. It's one of the parts of living in a Northern city that I feel like people talk about wanting to do, more than actually doing. I'm glad I did it.
Three weeks and a couple of days ago I bought a pair of ice skates. Renting them costs $6-$10 dollars a time. Good skates from a good store cost about $80. I have at least three winters left in a city with free rinks. The math seemed favorable.
The next day I went on a first date. We went ice skating.
We have been ice skating every weekend since. Yesterday was our first time at my city's most visible rink. Skating around a city ice rink holding hands with the guy I'm dating and feeling pretty adorable. Check!
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Young'un
Finding of the day: I am 8 days older than one of the youngest students in the first year cohort.
She got very puzzled trying to do the math of how I ended up two years ahead of her in the program.
Also, almost everyone I'm TAing is older than me.
Sometimes I forget how much earlier I came to this program than most people do.
She got very puzzled trying to do the math of how I ended up two years ahead of her in the program.
Also, almost everyone I'm TAing is older than me.
Sometimes I forget how much earlier I came to this program than most people do.
Sunday, January 29, 2012
Warm Fuzzies
“What are we doing here?” he asked.
Whamamambaaaaaeerrmmmmm.
“Playing along.”
He looked at me. Thought a second. And then he went for the kiss.
~~~
A mutual best friend played matchmaker. Without actually giving us much to go on. So two dates in, he was wondering if I was out of his league. I was wondering if I was nerdy enough for his league. We were both wondering if we actually liked the other person.
Two days later, after an hour of chatting online, he sent the message “why are you here?”
You know me, I started making a list.
1) because we've managed to actually have conversation for hours and hours
2) you used my line on me without knowing that you did
I made it to 10 that night.
~~~
The next morning I had another 5, so I sent them. Ten more by that evening. It’s continued the exponential growth* this week. But that’s not sustainable, so I’m restricting myself to a linear pattern in the e-mails.
~~~
Of course, one of the reasons I’m continuing this is because he started making a list too. I see a new e-mail, get all happy smiley, and then I get to read the list. And reread the list. And then, an hour later reread all of both of our lists.
The warm fuzzies bubble up. Some points are recognized, “Oh, that’s me. You get that.” Some are more of the vein, “Huh. Guess I do that, don’t I?” Some make me feel adorable. Some resonate, “A fellow nerd!” Some plain-out make me feel special.
~~~
A week ago, the jury was out on whether I liked him. By number 40 on the list, I think the answer was obvious. And when we both reach 100 reasons for being here, I think I'll stop playing along and start dating the guy.
Whamamambaaaaaeerrmmmmm.
“Playing along.”
He looked at me. Thought a second. And then he went for the kiss.
~~~
A mutual best friend played matchmaker. Without actually giving us much to go on. So two dates in, he was wondering if I was out of his league. I was wondering if I was nerdy enough for his league. We were both wondering if we actually liked the other person.
Two days later, after an hour of chatting online, he sent the message “why are you here?”
You know me, I started making a list.
1) because we've managed to actually have conversation for hours and hours
2) you used my line on me without knowing that you did
I made it to 10 that night.
~~~
The next morning I had another 5, so I sent them. Ten more by that evening. It’s continued the exponential growth* this week. But that’s not sustainable, so I’m restricting myself to a linear pattern in the e-mails.
~~~
Of course, one of the reasons I’m continuing this is because he started making a list too. I see a new e-mail, get all happy smiley, and then I get to read the list. And reread the list. And then, an hour later reread all of both of our lists.
The warm fuzzies bubble up. Some points are recognized, “Oh, that’s me. You get that.” Some are more of the vein, “Huh. Guess I do that, don’t I?” Some make me feel adorable. Some resonate, “A fellow nerd!” Some plain-out make me feel special.
~~~
A week ago, the jury was out on whether I liked him. By number 40 on the list, I think the answer was obvious. And when we both reach 100 reasons for being here, I think I'll stop playing along and start dating the guy.
*I was corrected. Quadratic.
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Complaining
I've started becoming a complainer.
~~~
I bought a pair of Blondo boots last winter from a local shoe store. Love the boots. But when I pulled them out for this season, I noticed the heel had worn funny. Looked at the brand's website and saw this:
And they did.
I picked them up today. No charge. ('Cause there shouldn't be.) Bought a pair of socks though.
~~~
There's a tube of toothpaste sitting on the back of my couch. It's the same brand I always use, but crazy bad batch. The minty flavor didn't get stirred in with the paste. Or something. There's a number to let them know, and, y'know, I think I will.
~~~
I have a new favorite store for clothes. Bought a couple hundred dollars worth of merchandise there this fall (which is a lot for me). One of my cool new shirts got holes in it from threads breaking. I sent the store an e-mail to let them know.
It wasn't written with the intent of whining. I told them all the things I liked about the store too. But there was a message that said, "I thought you were better than this. This isn't what I thought I bought."
We'll see if anything comes of it.
~~~
My internet company sent a letter that they're increasing the speed (more than I need) and raising prices. While I might have done enough complaining in the past week, it may be about time to see about switching companies for that service too.
~~~
It's strange becoming the person who complains. It's not something we respect per se. Too easy to hear it as whining or being a jerk. But there is something empowering in claiming "This is not what I expected." When something doesn't last as long as it should, it's okay to use the warranty. When something is bad straightway, it's okay to return it. It's not about being cheap. It is about getting what I paid for.
~~~
I bought a pair of Blondo boots last winter from a local shoe store. Love the boots. But when I pulled them out for this season, I noticed the heel had worn funny. Looked at the brand's website and saw this:
Our Blondo products are guaranteed against manufacturing defects under normal wear. The defective product must be returned to the retailer who will apply its own return policy.Okay then. Took my boots to the store before I left town for three weeks. "The website said I should bring them here?" I *think* they would have let me return the boots. "No! I like them! Is it possible to get them repaired?"
And they did.
I picked them up today. No charge. ('Cause there shouldn't be.) Bought a pair of socks though.
~~~
There's a tube of toothpaste sitting on the back of my couch. It's the same brand I always use, but crazy bad batch. The minty flavor didn't get stirred in with the paste. Or something. There's a number to let them know, and, y'know, I think I will.
~~~
I have a new favorite store for clothes. Bought a couple hundred dollars worth of merchandise there this fall (which is a lot for me). One of my cool new shirts got holes in it from threads breaking. I sent the store an e-mail to let them know.
It wasn't written with the intent of whining. I told them all the things I liked about the store too. But there was a message that said, "I thought you were better than this. This isn't what I thought I bought."
We'll see if anything comes of it.
~~~
My internet company sent a letter that they're increasing the speed (more than I need) and raising prices. While I might have done enough complaining in the past week, it may be about time to see about switching companies for that service too.
~~~
It's strange becoming the person who complains. It's not something we respect per se. Too easy to hear it as whining or being a jerk. But there is something empowering in claiming "This is not what I expected." When something doesn't last as long as it should, it's okay to use the warranty. When something is bad straightway, it's okay to return it. It's not about being cheap. It is about getting what I paid for.
Smartwool socks are always a good gift idea for me
Especially if they're cute ones
My parents know this
So me buying the socks
Actually is kinda a big deal
Especially if they're cute ones
My parents know this
So me buying the socks
Actually is kinda a big deal
Sunday, January 1, 2012
Life Checks: Adding to the list
I'm 40% though the existing life check list in 30% of the time. Since I think it's working for me, I'm going to add some more. While I like the, "by the time I'm 30" for the original 25, I like the five years better. So these are some of the ideas I'll be keeping in mind between now and 2017.
~~~
26. Listen to all of the SXSW download tracks during the calendar year I download them.
37. Fill out grownup documents. b) Keep documents updated. Fill out more as necessary.
38. Ask a woman to run for office
39. Submit an oped
40. Get published
41. Apply for dissertation year fellowships in the fall of 2012
42. Lead a swingout
43. Read a poem at open mic (or participate in a poetry slam)
44. Go to the opera (and stay for the entire show)
45. Use Victoria’s Secret coupons until I don’t run out of underwear
46. Mail a letter or card every week for three months
47. Buy something at the cafe across the street from me at least once a month
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Life Checks Not On The List
Because not everything got blogged about.
~~~
29. Impromptu international trip
33. Travel to hang out with my sister for a week/be grown-up friends with my sister
~~~
29. Impromptu international trip
“You should come visit.”30. Skating around a city ice rink holding hands with a boy
“I think I can.”
A week later, ticket bought. A month later I was on my return flight home. Still can’t quite believe that happened.
Maybe not “my boy” but it felt adorable just the same. The night before I left the county, I took some friends up on their ice skating invite. It's one of the parts of living in a Northern city that I feel like people talk about wanting to do, more than actually doing. I'm glad I did it.31. Connect with one of my students well enough to invite her over for breakfast.
One of the things I loved about my college was connecting with professors and being invited into their homes. I’m legitimately friends with one of my undergrads and happy about it.32. Attend a conference in my field where I didn’t know anyone when I went in AND make dinner plans with someone from the conference
This involved me googling her presentation, finding an archived version from a previous talk, and e-mailing an address that I wasn't sure was still active. But she didn't have dinner plans and so I'm glad I made the effort.
33. Travel to hang out with my sister for a week/be grown-up friends with my sister
My sister and I were sisters growing up, but not always friends. I feel like we've mostly made the transition to actually liking each other and not just loving each other because that's what you do with family.34. Find a church home of my own (not just my parent’s default) and join that congregation
My pastor makes a point of saying you can be active in our congregation without being a member. Being a member doesn't get you any special benefits. But it's still important to me to know that this is my church home.35. Have a theater subscription
Bought in part because of my checkmark to attend a show alone. I got a whole package of them to enjoy. But having the whole subscription felt like an even more grown-up thing to do.36. Buy fancy shampoo. Use it.
I didn’t believe in the power of good shampoo until I got one that really works with my hair.37. Fill out grownup documents. a) Start creating documents.
Filled out a document giving my parents power of attorney for healthcare. Hopefully they won't need to exercise it. But I want to make sure they get to make decisions instead of the state.
Friday, December 30, 2011
Life Checks Check-In
With all of the resolutions people are making around the new year (and a need to clean off my mirror before my holiday party next Friday), I figured now's a good time to review my Life Checks List. Today I'm looking at what I've done.
~~~
2. Pay off the student loans
5. Pay to go to a show by myself (I already go to free ones, but this needs to be something I really want to see)
6. Have a windowsill full of houseplants/15. Have a successful window garden (Huh, must really want this one. Or not. Saw it up there at number 7. Only gets to count once.)
8. See the glaciers at Glacier National Park
10. Do a canoe trip
13. Complete a picture-a-day assignment
18. Find/Make an occasion to wear those 4-inch stiletto black boots
20. Attend my sister’s graduation
23. Give yoga a second chance
25. Give more boldly
~~~
It's easy to say that many of the things on the list are things I'd do anyway. Paying off student loans. Attending graduation. Going to Glacier. Those were things that WERE GOING TO HAPPEN. The same way that I hope 3. Finish collecting degrees is going to get done.
But I'm more aware of the things that I'd probably do. The canoe trip. The solo shows. Wearing those crazy heels. Things that I'd been meaning to do, sort of. Things that I'd like to do, so I thought. But the things that I wouldn't necessarily do if I hadn't told myself I would.
I always hated the goal setting lessons in school. When they made us set something I'd usually choose something ridiculously easy, "I'm going to finish this sweater by the time I graduate...from college." (Said in the fall of my senior year of high school when the sweater was half done after, what, 7 weeks?) Maybe I'd say something ridicuously hard, I'm going to sell 800 boxes of Girl Scout cookies, but I wouldn't actually mean it.
It's the same way that I used to feel towards resolutions. The "I'm going to change" mentality the media portrayed wasn't me at all.
But this list has been the perfect nudge for me. The reminder that I want to do something. The prompt of the courage to go ahead.
~~~
2. Pay off the student loans
5. Pay to go to a show by myself (I already go to free ones, but this needs to be something I really want to see)
6. Have a windowsill full of houseplants/15. Have a successful window garden (Huh, must really want this one. Or not. Saw it up there at number 7. Only gets to count once.)
8. See the glaciers at Glacier National Park
Went this summer with my family. Technically, I'm not sure whether we saw the Glaciers. But if not, then I saw the snow that was still covering the Glaciers in late July. I'd say that's close enough.
PS, I think the flowers were pretty amazing.
10. Do a canoe trip
Did another day trip in a canoe with G. But this truly earned its check mark after a 3-day trip this summer.
13. Complete a picture-a-day assignment
My last week of pictures got deleted in the computer troubles of fall 2011, but I'm still checking this one off.
18. Find/Make an occasion to wear those 4-inch stiletto black boots
20. Attend my sister’s graduation
23. Give yoga a second chance
25. Give more boldly
I've upped my giving to a full tithe. (I'd slacked up as I started getting more money, but also being responsible for more of my finances.) There's only been one time this year where I wondered how other grad students afford to do something that I wanted to but wouldn't commit to because of cost. When I realized that their annual cost was less than the amount I was donating, I decided I was okay with my decision.
~~~
It's easy to say that many of the things on the list are things I'd do anyway. Paying off student loans. Attending graduation. Going to Glacier. Those were things that WERE GOING TO HAPPEN. The same way that I hope 3. Finish collecting degrees is going to get done.
But I'm more aware of the things that I'd probably do. The canoe trip. The solo shows. Wearing those crazy heels. Things that I'd been meaning to do, sort of. Things that I'd like to do, so I thought. But the things that I wouldn't necessarily do if I hadn't told myself I would.
I always hated the goal setting lessons in school. When they made us set something I'd usually choose something ridiculously easy, "I'm going to finish this sweater by the time I graduate...from college." (Said in the fall of my senior year of high school when the sweater was half done after, what, 7 weeks?) Maybe I'd say something ridicuously hard, I'm going to sell 800 boxes of Girl Scout cookies, but I wouldn't actually mean it.
It's the same way that I used to feel towards resolutions. The "I'm going to change" mentality the media portrayed wasn't me at all.
But this list has been the perfect nudge for me. The reminder that I want to do something. The prompt of the courage to go ahead.
Friday, December 23, 2011
An exciting day
I'm reading various ethnographies of small towns. Which means I want to take notes on my visit to my parents town (pop 3,700).
First clue that something was up was when three cop cars drove down the road as dad was walking home.
Second clue was when the janitor called to make sure it was safe to go into the church because the police were all around the building.
Third clue was the phone call from a neighbor that there was an escape from the county jail (a few blocks down the road).
Ahhhhhh. Got it.
I walked around town with my visiting friends. We got to see the town sitting on their porches watching the helicopter. Chat with the deputy who I'd met Christmas caroling a few nights ago. Heard the whole story.
About a half hour ago we got the call that they caught the guy. My mom's been on the phone since letting various people know. Part of me wants to go interview people to find out what story they heard, from who, and when they heard it. But more of me says that this isn't the research I should focus on just now.
First clue that something was up was when three cop cars drove down the road as dad was walking home.
Second clue was when the janitor called to make sure it was safe to go into the church because the police were all around the building.
Third clue was the phone call from a neighbor that there was an escape from the county jail (a few blocks down the road).
Ahhhhhh. Got it.
I walked around town with my visiting friends. We got to see the town sitting on their porches watching the helicopter. Chat with the deputy who I'd met Christmas caroling a few nights ago. Heard the whole story.
About a half hour ago we got the call that they caught the guy. My mom's been on the phone since letting various people know. Part of me wants to go interview people to find out what story they heard, from who, and when they heard it. But more of me says that this isn't the research I should focus on just now.
That and I'd need IRB for anything
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