I have to go stick my nose back in a book (after I remind my upstairs neighbor about the noise agreement we have.)
Also, its been randomly turning itself off. I may have actually killed this machine. And, I only really needed it to work for 6 more weeks. Life just took an unpleasant turn.
I justify this by telling myself where you never know where you'll find inspiration. Or, what you'll learn. Like, the Milky Way is on a collision course with the Andromeda Galaxy. Or, that pulsars hum. Well, really its that they put out radio waves which come straight through space and dust and time.
47 Tucanae has 22 pulsars. Its like a celestial choir.
And, what's even better? Feeling like you might be able to enjoy that right decision. Maybe. Someday.
And then I realized that if any of my business was going to take place outside of my house at any point this week, I would have to do laundry because like the lazy slob that I am, I had two full laundry hampers and no clean knickers.
Yup, I'm a classy girl.
So, I relocated my ticking-things-off-master-list efforts to the laundromat. Everyone else in the known universe was there as well because it was Sunday afternoon. Sunday, that day of fun and rest that comes between Saturday (another potential day of fun) and the rest of the (potentially crappy) week. So, there was a bit of a queue for the machines. But, I had reading to do, so I was pretty set. Every once and awhile I look at my laundry baskets and I think to myself, "never again. I'm going to wash things on a weekly schedule so that I never run out of things." I get pretty good at it and then you have to put it off a day because something comes up and the next thing you know its a month later, or on your last pair of underpants and you're waiting for a machine to open up on a Sunday afternoon. I've made no vows to myself about a schedule this time. We'll just see how it goes.
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Today, I signed in to see the status of my books that I've not received, so I'd know when to expect them. Apparently, I Didn't even order that last one. The one that was required. The one I should already be three chapters into. Thankfully, I have friends and know how to look sad and pathetic and have been able to keep up with the reading. Further good news, thanks to the internet, I can expect said book in 4-7 days. Hooray!
The day before school started, I went out and bought my school supplies, which this year included a helmet, lock, and pump so that I could inflate my tires to the proper pressure. (I would also like to acquire a basket, so that I could stop carrying the old backpack I've had since undergrad and instead carry, full-time, my new fancy-pants school bag I got when I was back in Iowa. I'm still on the look out for a nice one.) And, then when I got home from work I took myself for a little ride. And, while I was riding, it occurred to me that I probably haven't ridden a bike (that wasn't stationary) since I lived outside of Kansas City. (For those of you at home keeping score, that's eleventy-thousand years because I am Methuselah.) Lucky for me, "its like riding a bike" is an adage for a reason.
Monday, I had to be on campus by 9, so I left around 8:15 because I didn't know exactly how long it would take and I was shocked at how quickly it took me to get on campus. I also became aware of a hill that I previously had been unaware of. (Nothing like the Pentacrest, for the Iowa City folks out there, but enough for this little fatty to being huffing and puffing after it.) Tuesday, I went in early to get myself situated. It was great. I biked 3 of the 5 days (the other two days I didn't because of assorted off-campus errands that needed to be run prior to my appearance on campus.)
Did I mention it was great?
So, I took myself on a little recreational bike ride this evening. It was also great. I explored the little residential neighborhood behind my complex. It was nice. And, it reminded me of this book I read awhile back. is a book about an overweight guy who keeps to himself who, after a family tragedy, ends up riding his bike across the country to identify his sister's body. I enjoyed it.
]]>I am sorry, Mr. Fry, for misunderstanding your intent before cracking the cover of your book. But, now that I have, I know that it is something so much better than a book on poetry appreciation. It is a technical manual for writing poetry.
The book has a foreword followed immediately by a section entitled, "How to Read This Book", which contains three rules:
1. Take Your Time
2. Don't be Afraid
3. Always carry a notebook (Fry 2005: xxv)
Mr. Fry tells us that these rules are, in essence, the manual's end user license agreement. You have to agree in order to continue. He even gives you a place to check "Agree" or "Disagree". Beginning this book is my last fling with summer. And, I whole-heartedly agree.
]]>This is my new favorite website. True story, bitches.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you my madlib:
Wrath opened the door to the sound of metal. Tohr and Rhage were listening to Jonatha Brooke again. 'What is this fuckwit?' Wrath demanded.
'Homeskillet, my brother, it's just Jonatha Brooke's new album, Yellow Honey.'
Just then Fritz came in. With a tray laden with charming Saucony pants.
'Bloody, Fritz!' cried Rhage. 'These are fucking dashing!'
Vishous came in, dagger drawn. 'The lessers are back. I caught Mr. X picking a civilian vampire. With a cat.'
'Time to pucker. Smoothly.' said Wrath.
'Whatever,' said Rhage. 'I don't care as long as I get to smack some sexy footprints.'
Go forth, and madlib for yourselves!
]]>In my defense, I've recently watched:
Also, I've read Cormac McCarthy's The Road, finished Swann's Way and Reader's Block by David Markson, and The Strain by Guillermo del Toro. Oh, and, I've made headway on Consciousness Explained. So, I've been keeping busy and most of the "busy" hasn't bee panicking about the fast approaching school year.
I was told today by a gay man who got a peek inside my purse while I was looking for something that my purse was disgustingly organized. And, it is. One wonders why I can't apply this ability to organize a bag on the rest of my life.
On an unrelated note, I want another tattoo. They say that they're a little like Lay's Potato chips, you can't get just one.
]]>That being said, it was very good. Bogart plays an excellent murderous psychopath. Sylvia Sydney is strong and thoughtful as the striking sister doing everything she can to move her younger brother away from the gangs and the poverty, and Joel McCrea is also excellent as the out of work architect/moral backbone/cynic of the neighborhood.
This film was based on a play and that shows in the pacing (and, the moral summation given by the brother of a judge towards the end.) But, it warrants a watch.
]]>This film is about three guys who take a friend to Vegas for his bachelor party and then proceed to have such a wild time that they don't remember what they did...including where they lost the groom. This film was funny, inexplicable and well executed. I wasn't expecting to enjoy it so much. Hooray.
]]>So, this film is about a cute, little blond thing (Alison Lohman) former Pork Queen from down on the farm, dating newly-minted Professor Dr. Nonbeliever (Justin Long) who is up for a promotion at her branch of the bank when an old lady comes in to ask for an extension on her loan. She has to make a tough decision, in order to prove she can make tough decisions, in order to put herself ahead of the competition for the promotion. So, guess what happens? Yup. Bam. Curse.
Highlights of this film: Possessed man dancing like a marionette, gore (so GROSS), Gorey-esque opening credits, Ash/Uncle Ben's car, Alison Lohman
Drawbacks: As much as I love Mac, this wasn't his best performance. Also, (and, this isn't the film's fault) it was paired with Orphan at the Drive-In, and well, you read what I thought about that.
]]>So, the answer to the question "Who reacts like that?" is uncomfortable parents of gay kids and religious kids who are marrying outside of their families...and, people. I don't want to get preachy, but I'm watching this show and I'm thinking that it probably happens more often than you'd think.
In other news, The mud mask that I am using is a new mud mask. I ran out of the old mask and I thought it was time for a change. So, I'm currently waiting for this bad boy to dry. Its ionized. Apparently, dirt and crap in your skin is positively charged and this mask is negatively charged to pull the crap out of your skin. You can see the dirt that has been pulled out and trapped in the clay. It is so gross. It is also incredibly fascinating.
This film was boring. Worse, the "twist" was something we guessed fifteen minutes in. It got points (okay, a point) for allowing to make a reference to the Tales from the Crypt in which a ribbon worn as a choker is the only thing keeping a girl's head on her shoulders. That was it. The soundtrack wasn't great. The acting couldn't save it. One of the other girl's in my car at the drive in fell asleep. This doesn't even get a meh.
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