Oh, Crap Moment #1
Um, I'm taking the GRE tomorrow. Do people usually study for this? I mean, I've had the book in my possession for a while, does that count?? I even opened it up once!
Oh, Crap Moment #2
Andy and I will be running a 5k this weekend. It snuck up on us. It was going to be a quick-train, but somehow starting a new FT position has worn me out to the point of not training very much at all. Whoops.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Birthday Wish List
It was surprisingly difficult to come up with my birthday wish list. I usually try NOT to think of things that I wish I had, and instead concentrate on the many things that I am so fortunate to have. These days, I'm so happy with the way things are going, I barely even have time to think about what I'm lacking. I guess that's a good thing, though it makes for a pretty boring wish list (sorry). So, without further ado:
RACHEL'S BIRTHDAY LIST 2011
First and foremost, I would ALWAYS welcome handwritten, kind, and thoughtful prose. You know, sometimes I forget that people love me, and of anything else on this list, love is the most precious thing of all (go ahead and puke now, but I'm serious!).
Okay, now that THAT'S out of the way . . . onto the materialism!
Okay, now that THAT'S out of the way . . . onto the materialism!
Cute(ish), comfortable flats. Shoes that I can wear to work, out walking around town, or anyplace I want to look cute and put-together. I'm currently relying on my sneakers for any time I'm going to be standing for any length of time, which is very frumpy (I'm aware), but I'm not willing to sacrifice my knees and / or back for the sake of fashion. These ones are from Keen, and fit the bill pretty well.
Games for the game "closet." Right now our collection is paltry at best: dominoes, Skip-bo, Bananagrams, and Snorta (my favorite). Cranium and Apples to Apples are, of course, favorites, but I would also like pretty much any word game thrown at me. Or other classics like Clue, Monopoly, etc.
A cast-iron skillet. Yes, I want a cast-iron skillet. We have a teflon skillet that is losing its nonstick power (which, apparently, is hazardous to our health), and a cast-iron skillet is a kitchen must-have. This might be the most boring gift ever.
The Cello-Phant. This would help me teach my beginning students how to not have crazy bow-holds. When did I get to be so practical?
A New All-in-One Printer. Ours is so temperamental, and it never prints anything of any professional quality. We end up printing "important" documents at school or the library, and we'd really like to upgrade. This is an HP, which had reasonably good reviews. I haven't really done my research here, because it's not really in the cards for us right now.
Like I said, this is a really yawn-inducing wish-list. Maybe I should go a little more exotic . . .
A trip for two to Galapagos. Or India, Thailand, Patagonia, Paris, Rio de Janeiro . . .
Or for experiences instead of things:
Yoga or Zumba classes. That would be awesome.
Cooking classes. Again, awesome.
Pittsburgh Symphony tickets. We're too poor to go on our own.
A makeover. Hair, makeup, facial, mani-pedi . . . yeah, I could handle that.
A MASSAGE. Hell yes. I've never had a professional massage, and I think I could use one!
There you go, that's better!
And, of course, there are also gift cards:
Old Navy
Target
Fandango
Restaurants (I don't really like chains, but I have to admit that it makes for a good date night)
Starbucks (hot cocoa season is fast approaching)
Shar (do they even have GC's?)
So, woohoo! There you go. Any other suggestions? What should I want??
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
I Should Be Asleep.
. . . but I'm not. Please forgive any grammar or spelling mistakes, as my brain went to sleep two hours ago at least.
I also accidentally closed the tab I had open for this post, so we're starting over fromground zero* scratch.
Things have been busy--I started orientation for my new position this week, so a lot is happening there. I've had a lot of good blog post ideas, but haven't had the time and / or energy (or focus) to turn them into real live posts. So, I'll submit to you my teasers, and you can vote on which you'd like to see as a full-on blogstravaganza.
In no particular order:
I. Service
How do you define service? Sacrifice vs. duty? Man-hours or dollars donated? Number of lives touched?
II. So Funny, Y'all Forgot to Laugh
I used to be funny, but now I'm not. I don't know what happened.
III. Birthday Wish List
Heck, it's my birthday. I'll be greedy if I want to.
IV. Introversion vs. Extroversion
Is one better than the other?
Vote away! And if none of those sound interesting, then I'm moving to Morocco. Or something. Or maybe I'll just ask you for suggestions on what you think would be interesting to read about.
Flugelhorn.
*I guess I shouldn't say "ground zero" in the days approaching the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
I also accidentally closed the tab I had open for this post, so we're starting over from
Things have been busy--I started orientation for my new position this week, so a lot is happening there. I've had a lot of good blog post ideas, but haven't had the time and / or energy (or focus) to turn them into real live posts. So, I'll submit to you my teasers, and you can vote on which you'd like to see as a full-on blogstravaganza.
I. Service
How do you define service? Sacrifice vs. duty? Man-hours or dollars donated? Number of lives touched?
II. So Funny, Y'all Forgot to Laugh
I used to be funny, but now I'm not. I don't know what happened.
III. Birthday Wish List
Heck, it's my birthday. I'll be greedy if I want to.
IV. Introversion vs. Extroversion
Is one better than the other?
Vote away! And if none of those sound interesting, then I'm moving to Morocco. Or something. Or maybe I'll just ask you for suggestions on what you think would be interesting to read about.
Flugelhorn.
*I guess I shouldn't say "ground zero" in the days approaching the 10th anniversary of 9/11.
Saturday, September 3, 2011
Transitions . . .
The 2011-12 academic year is looking to be an excellent one. Lots of change--new jobs for both of us, new horizons, and new attitudes. It feels good, for once, to be optimistic about the future.
I had my last day at the nursing home on August 23rd, and I surprised myself by actually being sad. I hadn't told any of the staff (except those in my department) or the residents that I was leaving, and had even considered not mentioning it at all, but finally decided that to just walk out on the residents would not be very nice of me. I did get a little misty as I said my goodbyes, but the past week-plus of not working there have cemented in my mind that quitting was absolutely the best decision I could have made. I feel better: more motivated, more like myself, lighter, freer . . . and healthier.
Andy really likes his new internship, too, and it's been a good change for him to be working at a job relevant to his field. He likes all his classes and professors this semester (it was the first week of class this week), so things are definitely on the upswing for him, too. We will be busy, but we'll still have weekends, which seem such a luxury!
Also, I finally joined the rest of the world and got a smartphone. I got an email from my Pops (the technophile that he is) saying Best Buy was giving away an iPhone 3GS to anyone who signed on a contract with AT&T, so I did. I gotta say, having an iPhone is awesome, even if it is the old school type. The phone I was using before was a hand-me-down that Dad cast off when he got his first iPhone (2008), and while I kept waiting for it to kick the bucket, it just wouldn't die. Unfortunately, I had to pass on the dinosaur to Andy, whose LG recently decided to stop taking a charge . . . if anyone has an old AT&T phone they want to donate, it'll probably be in better shape than the Samsung (ca. 2006).
I had my last day at the nursing home on August 23rd, and I surprised myself by actually being sad. I hadn't told any of the staff (except those in my department) or the residents that I was leaving, and had even considered not mentioning it at all, but finally decided that to just walk out on the residents would not be very nice of me. I did get a little misty as I said my goodbyes, but the past week-plus of not working there have cemented in my mind that quitting was absolutely the best decision I could have made. I feel better: more motivated, more like myself, lighter, freer . . . and healthier.
Andy really likes his new internship, too, and it's been a good change for him to be working at a job relevant to his field. He likes all his classes and professors this semester (it was the first week of class this week), so things are definitely on the upswing for him, too. We will be busy, but we'll still have weekends, which seem such a luxury!
Also, I finally joined the rest of the world and got a smartphone. I got an email from my Pops (the technophile that he is) saying Best Buy was giving away an iPhone 3GS to anyone who signed on a contract with AT&T, so I did. I gotta say, having an iPhone is awesome, even if it is the old school type. The phone I was using before was a hand-me-down that Dad cast off when he got his first iPhone (2008), and while I kept waiting for it to kick the bucket, it just wouldn't die. Unfortunately, I had to pass on the dinosaur to Andy, whose LG recently decided to stop taking a charge . . . if anyone has an old AT&T phone they want to donate, it'll probably be in better shape than the Samsung (ca. 2006).
The old Samsung A707. Still kickin', but not too high.
So, I guess that's about it for now. Hard to believe it's September, and even starting to feel like Fall (though not in the past couple of days--it's been pretty steamy). I'm ready for Fall, just not for what follows . . .
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