Over the last few days my diet has take a south turn to what many people would be ashmamed about. I find it slightly amusing.
Last night I drank 32 ounces of Diet Peach Tea Snapple and ate Frosted Mini Wheats from an oversized economy cereal bag. Tonight, I guzzled something called "Vault Zero". It functions to deliver a high dose of caffeine to my system. Caffeine is needed: I've slept about 4 hours in the last two days. I had a meeting to go over edits with my Master's project client today at 3:30 pm and I literally fell asleep at my chair while he was babbling something to me about "demand-driven workforce strategies." I could actually feel my eyes closing and my balance shifting, but I could not resist the pull to rest.
I also bought a chocolate bar from downstairs. Vault Zero and Hershey's! I also have an old fashioned box of Cracker Jacks with me. I am very healthy.
I am listening to Destroyer. I need their albums.
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Late night sloat-tunes
It is 3:46 a.m. and this music is my only companion here at Wurster Hall tonight. It's kind of...hmmmm....very cool.
Anything upbeat sounding is cool at this point.
My PR is less than 24 hours to its happy little grave!
Anything upbeat sounding is cool at this point.
My PR is less than 24 hours to its happy little grave!
Wednesday, April 26, 2006
I just drank 32 oz of diet Snapple....and other tales from Wurster Hall
We're officially in high gear, ladies and gentlemen.
I am VERY behind in a lot of work. Projects that should be nearing 70% completion are at a dismal 15-20%. However, my master's project is in a better state. It's at about 93%. In fact, even if I don't squeeze out those last 7 percents, it will (must) get turned in this Friday. For I shall host a party for all my classmates to mark the date we have all (mostly) finished this major stepping stone. It shall be grand. Right now, I am taking a mental inventory of leftovers we STILL have from our last party in December...which was a ton of fun, I might add, but left us with a whole lot of remnant Yellowtail!
Tomorrow I shall also get my haircut.
Multi-tasking and procrastinating. These two activities shall generally characterize the pace of my life for the next several weeks. There will be little sleep, much snack food, overload of caffeine, and social life repression.
I am VERY behind in a lot of work. Projects that should be nearing 70% completion are at a dismal 15-20%. However, my master's project is in a better state. It's at about 93%. In fact, even if I don't squeeze out those last 7 percents, it will (must) get turned in this Friday. For I shall host a party for all my classmates to mark the date we have all (mostly) finished this major stepping stone. It shall be grand. Right now, I am taking a mental inventory of leftovers we STILL have from our last party in December...which was a ton of fun, I might add, but left us with a whole lot of remnant Yellowtail!
Tomorrow I shall also get my haircut.
Multi-tasking and procrastinating. These two activities shall generally characterize the pace of my life for the next several weeks. There will be little sleep, much snack food, overload of caffeine, and social life repression.
Tuesday, April 25, 2006
What I will be doing M-F next Fall
My new status as a graduate student of landscape architecture will prove to be challenging when I begin the three year master track program next fall. Here is what I am slated to do:
M-W 9am-1pm LA 101 Fundamentals of Landscape Design Studio (yes, that is 4 hours of class twice a week)
M-W 6:30-9:30pm LA 134A Drawing Workshop (yes, that is another 3 hours of class on the same day as the 4 hour studio!)
T-Th 11-12:30pm LA 111 Plants in Design (we must learn about the leafy greens)
T-Th 12:30-2pm LA 170 History and Literature of Landscape Architecture
On top of this I was considering applying for a GSI position in City Planning which would be M-W 2-3pm and Friday 9-10am and 2-3pm. Four hours of teaching and sitting in an Intro to City Planning class in exchange for my fees (about $3700 a term). Is it worth it? It remains to be determined...I am really strapped for money, though.
This is why I am so busy I have no time to go out, exercise, wash my clothes, or go on dates, do any yard work, or keep in touch with family. This is why life as a graduate student generally is equal parts joy and indescribable pain.
M-W 9am-1pm LA 101 Fundamentals of Landscape Design Studio (yes, that is 4 hours of class twice a week)
M-W 6:30-9:30pm LA 134A Drawing Workshop (yes, that is another 3 hours of class on the same day as the 4 hour studio!)
T-Th 11-12:30pm LA 111 Plants in Design (we must learn about the leafy greens)
T-Th 12:30-2pm LA 170 History and Literature of Landscape Architecture
On top of this I was considering applying for a GSI position in City Planning which would be M-W 2-3pm and Friday 9-10am and 2-3pm. Four hours of teaching and sitting in an Intro to City Planning class in exchange for my fees (about $3700 a term). Is it worth it? It remains to be determined...I am really strapped for money, though.
This is why I am so busy I have no time to go out, exercise, wash my clothes, or go on dates, do any yard work, or keep in touch with family. This is why life as a graduate student generally is equal parts joy and indescribable pain.
Sunday, April 23, 2006
They know more from the television box
I was back in Portland this weekend for a bridal shower. After the shower festivities were completed, I headed to my brother's house where there was a birthday party for my little nephew, Everett. Everett is six. This I didn't know for sure before I looked at the cake and read the "Happy 6th Birthday, Everett" message. Don't think I am a bad aunt, because I am not. It is just hard to keep track of how old they are because they are much larger than normal children. Everett could be a seven or eight year old. His brother Alex is only 14 and he is about 6'2. The daughter Emily is actually of normal child size, I think, at 9 years old.
Over dinner, which consisted of BBQ hamburgers and chicken, I sat around the table with my mother, stepfather, brother, and two of my uncles on my dad's side. I was tired so I wasn't in the mood to lead the table talk, so I just decided to observe my family unit to see where they'd go conversationally.
The talk turned toward television, of which I have absolutely no clue about. I am familiar with the names of some of today's popular shows, and perhaps even about their concepts, but I have not watched a television show regularly since late '04. I have no idea who is on television nowadays and I have an shadier idea of what networks feature what programs.
People were going around the table admitting their television weakness. My brother sheepishly admitted to loving American Idol and that he feels it is ok since he is also a musician. This set the table off. Apparently, everyone there is a big fan of American Idol. All these people are 55+ excluding my brother, who is 37.
Soon a debate began to form, my mother citing an objection to one contestant she considered to be a rapper, although I am sure his identity is actually more nuanced than she afforded him. My stepfather then chimed in making a comment about one fo the female contestants and provided some illustrative aspects about her visual appearance over the last several weeks. He apparently approves of her physically but feels her range is limited. My brother then began to advocate on behalf of someone named Katharine McPhee. The name caught my ear because I am a fan of the writer John McPhee, but I soon surmised they are probably unrelated.
All this is kind of boring but here I am writing about it. The question remains: Do I have an objection about my mother, uncles, stepdad and brother being dedicated fans of AI? Should I have suggested they tune into something like Frontline instead? Don't my parents realize that this show is unlikely to turn out anyone who will really CHANGE or have an IMPACT on music today? After all, all of these contestants are vying to become a mainstream musical breakthrough. The last I looked, Kelly Clarkson was playing at some place in Reno and then a couple back to backs in Fresno. It might be me, but I don't consider these places where many musical breakthroughs happen at all, if ever.
Over dinner, which consisted of BBQ hamburgers and chicken, I sat around the table with my mother, stepfather, brother, and two of my uncles on my dad's side. I was tired so I wasn't in the mood to lead the table talk, so I just decided to observe my family unit to see where they'd go conversationally.
The talk turned toward television, of which I have absolutely no clue about. I am familiar with the names of some of today's popular shows, and perhaps even about their concepts, but I have not watched a television show regularly since late '04. I have no idea who is on television nowadays and I have an shadier idea of what networks feature what programs.
People were going around the table admitting their television weakness. My brother sheepishly admitted to loving American Idol and that he feels it is ok since he is also a musician. This set the table off. Apparently, everyone there is a big fan of American Idol. All these people are 55+ excluding my brother, who is 37.
Soon a debate began to form, my mother citing an objection to one contestant she considered to be a rapper, although I am sure his identity is actually more nuanced than she afforded him. My stepfather then chimed in making a comment about one fo the female contestants and provided some illustrative aspects about her visual appearance over the last several weeks. He apparently approves of her physically but feels her range is limited. My brother then began to advocate on behalf of someone named Katharine McPhee. The name caught my ear because I am a fan of the writer John McPhee, but I soon surmised they are probably unrelated.
All this is kind of boring but here I am writing about it. The question remains: Do I have an objection about my mother, uncles, stepdad and brother being dedicated fans of AI? Should I have suggested they tune into something like Frontline instead? Don't my parents realize that this show is unlikely to turn out anyone who will really CHANGE or have an IMPACT on music today? After all, all of these contestants are vying to become a mainstream musical breakthrough. The last I looked, Kelly Clarkson was playing at some place in Reno and then a couple back to backs in Fresno. It might be me, but I don't consider these places where many musical breakthroughs happen at all, if ever.
Monday, April 17, 2006
It's a *Full House* of *Growing Pains*
I was listening to the radio or surfing the internet the other day and something prompted me to find out what Kirk Cameron is up to lately. I knew he'd become a Jesus freak over the past five or so years, but suddenly I wanted to know MORE. With the grand Oracle, otherwise known as the Internet, I am able to quench my thirst for knowledge with a few clacks of the keyboard:
"Kirk Camereon" "evangelical"
There were my search terms.
This is what I found: Please enter via The Way of the Master
I'd recommend following the "I am a Christian" prompts, even if you aren't one. I mean, unles God is really watching, then you can lie here. It would be cool if the web site actually had the ability to detect liars or imposters, and you'd be sent directly to virtual hell.
Then my curiousity shifted to another member of the Cameron household: Candance Cameron, otherwise known as D.J. Tanner from ABC's Full House. It appears as though Candace is doing her own Internet-based work for the man (men?) upstairs. However, I am suspicious because the site also functions as her marketing platform for her tawdry acting career. I give it to Candace, though, she looks pretty good and very fit!
Next on my list of "where are they now" was another Full House alum, Jodie Sweetin, also known as the precocious Stephanie Tanner. (Anyone recall the phrase, "Oh, that is so RUDE!"???) It appears as though Jodie was once on the road to uprightness, marrying a police officer at age 20 (don't you love it?). However, her path took a dark turn and she became addicted to meth. It looks like Jodie is pulling through though. I actually HIGHLY recommend the little video link from her appearance on Good Morning America. I was really surprised at how adult, with-it, and well-spoken Stephanie Tanner is. She is rather adorable, too.
See? Meth addicts can amount to something in America...they just need a second chance.
I didn't bother looking up what happened to Uncle Joey or Uncle _____ (I forget his name).
Bob Sagat, who played the all-knowing Danny Tanner, is pretty effin' cool! That guy is twisted if you've ever seen him do stand-up comedy. And it looks like he is also attracting a church of his very own, though I am not surprised.
"Kirk Camereon" "evangelical"
There were my search terms.
This is what I found: Please enter via The Way of the Master
I'd recommend following the "I am a Christian" prompts, even if you aren't one. I mean, unles God is really watching, then you can lie here. It would be cool if the web site actually had the ability to detect liars or imposters, and you'd be sent directly to virtual hell.
Then my curiousity shifted to another member of the Cameron household: Candance Cameron, otherwise known as D.J. Tanner from ABC's Full House. It appears as though Candace is doing her own Internet-based work for the man (men?) upstairs. However, I am suspicious because the site also functions as her marketing platform for her tawdry acting career. I give it to Candace, though, she looks pretty good and very fit!
Next on my list of "where are they now" was another Full House alum, Jodie Sweetin, also known as the precocious Stephanie Tanner. (Anyone recall the phrase, "Oh, that is so RUDE!"???) It appears as though Jodie was once on the road to uprightness, marrying a police officer at age 20 (don't you love it?). However, her path took a dark turn and she became addicted to meth. It looks like Jodie is pulling through though. I actually HIGHLY recommend the little video link from her appearance on Good Morning America. I was really surprised at how adult, with-it, and well-spoken Stephanie Tanner is. She is rather adorable, too.
See? Meth addicts can amount to something in America...they just need a second chance.
I didn't bother looking up what happened to Uncle Joey or Uncle _____ (I forget his name).
Bob Sagat, who played the all-knowing Danny Tanner, is pretty effin' cool! That guy is twisted if you've ever seen him do stand-up comedy. And it looks like he is also attracting a church of his very own, though I am not surprised.
Sunday, April 16, 2006
Shows I must sacrifice...for the Thais
Due to travel abroad, I must be absent at these, but highly recommend the following:
May 25: Beck, The Fillmore, SF
June 7: Josh Ritter, Great American Music Hall, SF
June 12,13: The Walkmen, Great American
Music Hall, SF
June 12,13: The Mountain Goats, Bottom of the Hill, SF
Makeup shows I JUST might be able to catch:
June 19: The Walkmen, La Zona Rosa, AUSTIN, TEXAS (requires flight but it's in the planning stage already!!! Watch out Hamilton Leithauser... here we come!!)
June 21-24: Built to Spill, Slim's, SF
June 25: Neko Case, Bimbos, SF
May 25: Beck, The Fillmore, SF
June 7: Josh Ritter, Great American Music Hall, SF
June 12,13: The Walkmen, Great American
Music Hall, SF
June 12,13: The Mountain Goats, Bottom of the Hill, SF
Makeup shows I JUST might be able to catch:
June 19: The Walkmen, La Zona Rosa, AUSTIN, TEXAS (requires flight but it's in the planning stage already!!! Watch out Hamilton Leithauser... here we come!!)
June 21-24: Built to Spill, Slim's, SF
June 25: Neko Case, Bimbos, SF
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Thursday's revelations
Two things I learned today:
1. One should avoid riding the bus across town from Berkeley to Oakland during mid afternoon if at all possible, esp. if you are in a hurry. During these precise hours, between 1pm and 3:30pm, a masssive influx of the maimed, aged, blind, smelly, mobility challenged, nursing mothers with enormous strollers, people in wheelchairs, and generally testy people flock to our cities' buses in a free for all.
Don't think I am picking on the marginalized. I'm not. I've been a bus rider all my damn life, in some pretty tough places at that. I know what kinds of messed up stuff happens on the bus. I simply hypothesize that during said peak hours, there are more marginalized on the bus then at any other time.
The resulting delays are beyond simple tally counts. The accompanying smell is even more discouraging.
I board at 2:14 pm.
At 2:18 pm the bus stops to pick up a man with a walker at 51st and Broadway in Oakland. The hydraulic lift lowered and delivered him to the main cabin of the bus (taking at least 2 minutes, but who's counting). A woman sitting there with her enormous stroller and baby unit also happened to be in this main cabin area. As soon as he was free from the lift, the man in the walker immediately began to scold her for taking up seating designated for people such as himself (see above, or old, testy, mobility challenged, etc.). The mother fooolishly decided to ignore him. With the speed of a threatened sloth, he rolled up to her and begins to push the stroller to the side with his walker's wheel set, nudging it between two seats. Then all hell broke loose - with the old man ranting something about seniors' rights.
At this point, everyone on the bus is wondering if the mother is going to bust grandpa on his ass. Luckilly, fate intervened. Bus pulls over, driver enters cabin, rightfully annoyed, and proceeds to forcefully direct the old timer into an empty seat (which was right in front of him, of course.) Old timer murmurs something about "no respect for seniors", etc. We shake our heads.
2. The second thing I learned today is that I am engaging in activities of late I always said I would not do. For example, instead of correctly dicing up and skinning an avocado, I am beginning to just cut it in half and eat it out of the shell (salted) with a spoon (that sounds gross...). It must be out of laziness. The other things I am doing are ignoring my bills until two days before they are due, turning in late rough drafts, and letting other people pick up my slack in studio.
All these things make me feel like altogether a bad person, but I like to think of it as a temporary digression.
3. Lastly, I am not managing my money very well.
1. One should avoid riding the bus across town from Berkeley to Oakland during mid afternoon if at all possible, esp. if you are in a hurry. During these precise hours, between 1pm and 3:30pm, a masssive influx of the maimed, aged, blind, smelly, mobility challenged, nursing mothers with enormous strollers, people in wheelchairs, and generally testy people flock to our cities' buses in a free for all.
Don't think I am picking on the marginalized. I'm not. I've been a bus rider all my damn life, in some pretty tough places at that. I know what kinds of messed up stuff happens on the bus. I simply hypothesize that during said peak hours, there are more marginalized on the bus then at any other time.
The resulting delays are beyond simple tally counts. The accompanying smell is even more discouraging.
I board at 2:14 pm.
At 2:18 pm the bus stops to pick up a man with a walker at 51st and Broadway in Oakland. The hydraulic lift lowered and delivered him to the main cabin of the bus (taking at least 2 minutes, but who's counting). A woman sitting there with her enormous stroller and baby unit also happened to be in this main cabin area. As soon as he was free from the lift, the man in the walker immediately began to scold her for taking up seating designated for people such as himself (see above, or old, testy, mobility challenged, etc.). The mother fooolishly decided to ignore him. With the speed of a threatened sloth, he rolled up to her and begins to push the stroller to the side with his walker's wheel set, nudging it between two seats. Then all hell broke loose - with the old man ranting something about seniors' rights.
At this point, everyone on the bus is wondering if the mother is going to bust grandpa on his ass. Luckilly, fate intervened. Bus pulls over, driver enters cabin, rightfully annoyed, and proceeds to forcefully direct the old timer into an empty seat (which was right in front of him, of course.) Old timer murmurs something about "no respect for seniors", etc. We shake our heads.
2. The second thing I learned today is that I am engaging in activities of late I always said I would not do. For example, instead of correctly dicing up and skinning an avocado, I am beginning to just cut it in half and eat it out of the shell (salted) with a spoon (that sounds gross...). It must be out of laziness. The other things I am doing are ignoring my bills until two days before they are due, turning in late rough drafts, and letting other people pick up my slack in studio.
All these things make me feel like altogether a bad person, but I like to think of it as a temporary digression.
3. Lastly, I am not managing my money very well.
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Try as I might...
In my continual endeavor to attempt to eat as healthy as possible given the less than ideal lifestyle that I currently lead as a grad student-workslave-bureaucrat/designer in training, I have gotten on the fiber kick. I have no less that three varieties of 100% Fiber cereal in my house. See below:
Here you can see Kellog's All Bran (best when on top of something with substance, like yogurt), Fiber One (the champ of all fiber varieties, and approved by the American Diabetes Association!), and a fiber knock off from TJ's. Missing is the Bran Buds, a new variety by the makers of All Bran. That is delicious.
You will also see below these cereal boxes a Cadbury Fruit & Nut chocolate bar. It is my roommate's, actually. I just broke off a small piece from it (after finishing my cereal, of course!). You see, despite the fact that I am in virtual fiber abundance, that does not immediately translate to always eating healthy. Some days I pair my fiber intake with chocolate, other days wine, and even other days, a cookie.
Here you can see Kellog's All Bran (best when on top of something with substance, like yogurt), Fiber One (the champ of all fiber varieties, and approved by the American Diabetes Association!), and a fiber knock off from TJ's. Missing is the Bran Buds, a new variety by the makers of All Bran. That is delicious.
You will also see below these cereal boxes a Cadbury Fruit & Nut chocolate bar. It is my roommate's, actually. I just broke off a small piece from it (after finishing my cereal, of course!). You see, despite the fact that I am in virtual fiber abundance, that does not immediately translate to always eating healthy. Some days I pair my fiber intake with chocolate, other days wine, and even other days, a cookie.
Thursday, April 06, 2006
Toilet turf
This posting could be classified as a rant, so beware.
I spend a great deal of my time on the 4th floor working at my studio desk space in Wurster Hall. It's a nice set up. This studio space has desks for 15 of my classmates and on the other side of the room is a smaller area where the MUD (Master of Urban Design) students work. There are about 6 of those people. Approximately 10 faculty members have offices on this floor. There are another 15 PhD students that also have offices here.
We all share a single bathroom that is located in the hallway. It is a single unit, i.e. no mens and women's room.
That's one toilet for up to 30-45 people, depending on who shows up for the day.
Well, over the last 3 months or so, there have been many instances when I am working here late at night and so are one or two other people in the MUD unit. I've noticed a strange pattern when one of these people uses the bathroom. I go in there 30 min later and the place is a mess. Not just a soppy mess, but a hairy mess as well. And from the looks of the evidence left on the toilet, I have my suspect narrowed down to a specific individual. I don't mean to get all CSI on you all, but it's rather obvious. Even for a city planner in training such as myself.
What irks me and astounds me is that there is absolutely NO way this marking of the toilet can be done without at least some effort. Because every time this individual uses the bathroom, there is evidence left behind. EVERY DAMN TIME. It is quite strange. What would lead someone to take up such a abberant hobby? The guy seems perfectly normal, but all he does in the bathroom is sick and rather twisted.
For heaven's sake, it warranted a long blog entry. It REALLY is THAT BAD.
I wonder if anyone else in the class has come across his hairy offerings? I'd ask my classmates, but just the idea of bringing up such a topic makes me shudder.
I spend a great deal of my time on the 4th floor working at my studio desk space in Wurster Hall. It's a nice set up. This studio space has desks for 15 of my classmates and on the other side of the room is a smaller area where the MUD (Master of Urban Design) students work. There are about 6 of those people. Approximately 10 faculty members have offices on this floor. There are another 15 PhD students that also have offices here.
We all share a single bathroom that is located in the hallway. It is a single unit, i.e. no mens and women's room.
That's one toilet for up to 30-45 people, depending on who shows up for the day.
Well, over the last 3 months or so, there have been many instances when I am working here late at night and so are one or two other people in the MUD unit. I've noticed a strange pattern when one of these people uses the bathroom. I go in there 30 min later and the place is a mess. Not just a soppy mess, but a hairy mess as well. And from the looks of the evidence left on the toilet, I have my suspect narrowed down to a specific individual. I don't mean to get all CSI on you all, but it's rather obvious. Even for a city planner in training such as myself.
What irks me and astounds me is that there is absolutely NO way this marking of the toilet can be done without at least some effort. Because every time this individual uses the bathroom, there is evidence left behind. EVERY DAMN TIME. It is quite strange. What would lead someone to take up such a abberant hobby? The guy seems perfectly normal, but all he does in the bathroom is sick and rather twisted.
For heaven's sake, it warranted a long blog entry. It REALLY is THAT BAD.
I wonder if anyone else in the class has come across his hairy offerings? I'd ask my classmates, but just the idea of bringing up such a topic makes me shudder.
Pithy apples - yech
Pithy apples have got to be the worst. Especially the ones where there appears to be no outward evidence of defect from the outside of the apple. You take a big ol' bite into it and BLECH.
Today's culprit was a 3.5" Braeburn I purchased at a coffee cart. Should have known better...
Today's culprit was a 3.5" Braeburn I purchased at a coffee cart. Should have known better...
Gut busting and procrastinating to the deep end
Returned from dinner to open my computer and find myself completely unmotivated. Started dinking around on the web, obsessively relogging into a site that is apparently down tonight. Annoying. Now I am intent on getting logged in, so I am distracted. And for what? Nothing except to know how many schmucks have viewed my profile today.
I have a 40 page rough draft I received comments on from the organization I intern for. I have no motivation to go through them and accept changes. What a drag. I am worried that the further I get into correcting the comments, the more and more problems there will be with the paper in their eyes. I am worried about finding notes like the following:
"This needs to be revised. Completely."
"Where is the data to support this point?"
"Please call Susie asap to discuss this section"
"Yes, we will need to discuss the relevancy of this point"
The prospect of coming across a statement such as this makes me really unmotivated to keep on with the edits. But I have to, because it is due to my advisors on Friday, COB.
On the sunnier side of the mountain, today I received more assurances that I will be going to Thailand this summer again. I can't say I am looking forward to preparing for the trip. Getting ready for it last year was absolute hell. I hadn't slept for 48 hours, it was 2:15 am, and I still hadn't packed for the month long journey overseas..and I had to leave the house for the airport at 9:30am. I have a feeling this series of events will be recreated come late May.
I have a 40 page rough draft I received comments on from the organization I intern for. I have no motivation to go through them and accept changes. What a drag. I am worried that the further I get into correcting the comments, the more and more problems there will be with the paper in their eyes. I am worried about finding notes like the following:
"This needs to be revised. Completely."
"Where is the data to support this point?"
"Please call Susie asap to discuss this section"
"Yes, we will need to discuss the relevancy of this point"
The prospect of coming across a statement such as this makes me really unmotivated to keep on with the edits. But I have to, because it is due to my advisors on Friday, COB.
On the sunnier side of the mountain, today I received more assurances that I will be going to Thailand this summer again. I can't say I am looking forward to preparing for the trip. Getting ready for it last year was absolute hell. I hadn't slept for 48 hours, it was 2:15 am, and I still hadn't packed for the month long journey overseas..and I had to leave the house for the airport at 9:30am. I have a feeling this series of events will be recreated come late May.
Wednesday, April 05, 2006
Just when you thought you could throw out the Zithromax
About a year ago I got a prescription for Zithromax as a precaution when I took a month long trip to Thailand last summer. Pfizer makes this antibiotic. Basically, it's a last resort if you happen to get some kind of bacterial (diahrrea) infection in the developing world. You don't want to take it unless you're going to die. That's what the pharmacist told me, anyway. It may be that using it is thought to lessen your resistance later on. I never used the prescription and it's been sitting in my cupboard for about 9 months.
A friend of mine left for Thailand a few days ago. Out of the goodness of my heart, I willed away my pills to him. Basically, I figured they'd go to waste if he didn't take them.
So today I hear some exciting news. The gist of it is that I shouldn't have thrown out the pills. I may be going back to Thailand this summer! The details have yet to be worked out and I will give a fuller report next week. Until then, I am really hoping Dan doesn't manage to get a bad case of the runs and use up my Zithromax. I may need it, afterall.
A friend of mine left for Thailand a few days ago. Out of the goodness of my heart, I willed away my pills to him. Basically, I figured they'd go to waste if he didn't take them.
So today I hear some exciting news. The gist of it is that I shouldn't have thrown out the pills. I may be going back to Thailand this summer! The details have yet to be worked out and I will give a fuller report next week. Until then, I am really hoping Dan doesn't manage to get a bad case of the runs and use up my Zithromax. I may need it, afterall.
Saturday, April 01, 2006
We come to brawl and drink light beer...
Ever heard of Fight Night?
Someone I just met is going and there is a possibility I could get in on the action.
I know Oakland is kind of rough, but this whole event looks like the responsibility of a group that usually flies under my radar, namely Oakland's white, disenfranchised blue-collared contingent. Sure, there are some colored faces visible in the crowd, but it's eerie resemblance to WWF makes me think this event is the official territory of the don't-fuck-with-me white homey crowd.
The event takes place in West Oakland, in some warehouse. God knows, you may not come back alive.
Someone I just met is going and there is a possibility I could get in on the action.
I know Oakland is kind of rough, but this whole event looks like the responsibility of a group that usually flies under my radar, namely Oakland's white, disenfranchised blue-collared contingent. Sure, there are some colored faces visible in the crowd, but it's eerie resemblance to WWF makes me think this event is the official territory of the don't-fuck-with-me white homey crowd.
The event takes place in West Oakland, in some warehouse. God knows, you may not come back alive.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Concert picks - Spring and beyond
March 31: Two Gallants, Bimbo's 365 Club, SF
April 10: Eef Barzelay (of Clem Snide), Cafe Du Nord, SF
April 21: Pinback, Bimbo's 365 Club
April 28: Mates of State, Viva Voce, GAMH
April 28: Amadou & Mariam, Bimbo's 365 Club, SF
May 2,3: Sleater-Kinney, GAMH, SF
May 8: Destroyer, Cafe du Nord, SF
May 12: Jason Molina (of Magnolia Elec. Co.), GAMH, SF
May 23: Architecture in Helinski, GAMH, SF
June 13: The Walkmen, GAMH, SF
June 19: The Walkmen, La Zona Rosa, Austin (AUSTIN!!), TX (TEXAS!!!)
June 24: SiSe, Bimbo's 365 Club, SF
April 10: Eef Barzelay (of Clem Snide), Cafe Du Nord, SF
April 21: Pinback, Bimbo's 365 Club
April 28: Mates of State, Viva Voce, GAMH
April 28: Amadou & Mariam, Bimbo's 365 Club, SF
May 2,3: Sleater-Kinney, GAMH, SF
May 8: Destroyer, Cafe du Nord, SF
May 12: Jason Molina (of Magnolia Elec. Co.), GAMH, SF
May 23: Architecture in Helinski, GAMH, SF
June 13: The Walkmen, GAMH, SF
June 19: The Walkmen, La Zona Rosa, Austin (AUSTIN!!), TX (TEXAS!!!)
June 24: SiSe, Bimbo's 365 Club, SF
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Mediating a turf war from Clinic B
I've about had enough of doctors. I deal with doctors and the associated staff that goes with them way too much in my life. I don't like clinics and I dislike hospitals even more. These people thrive these aforementioned places. Therefore, the collision of world views is always likely when I show up for my appointments.
I have a medical condition which requires me to tell the doctor everytime I have an appointment (once every 3 months or so) the inane details of my everyday eating and exercising habits. It's such a damn bore. And ususally the end result of this parroting of information is exactly the same:
"Well, from what you told me, I can't really see a pattern in your eating and exercise that explains some of the problems you've been having..."
Ah, yes, just as I suspected. Nada zilch. I just spent 5 minutes telling him when and what I've eaten for breakfast since last Sunday (yogurt, yogurt, fruit, cottage cheese, bran cereal....so exciting and mysterious!) and he cannot solve the mysteries of my physical ailments. Hmm, I'm so NOT surprised! The next appointment I should just mix it up for kicks and relate the following list of breakfast food items:
Pork chop with country gravy. Buttered white toast - 8 pieces.
A few ropes of licorice. It's easy to carry in my pocket on the way to school.
A Wendy's Frosty - chocolate soft serve in a cup. What size? There is only one size, doc!
3 eggs sunny side up, tabasco, and a hefty portion of cheese grits. Did I forget the sausage links?
Trix cereal combined with Fiber One. I pay attention to my fiber intake religiously.
This would probably bring delight to Doc's eyes. I can see it now. He'd actually have something to tell me that makes sense. However, things as they presently are, he has a hard time telling me my dietary choices need drastic changes.
Doc always thinks he has the silver bullet. It's ridiculous:
"Oh, so how much red meat do you eat?"
"I eat red meat once a month. The only other meats I eat are fish and chicken, never fried."
"Hmm. Because red meat isn't good to eat for someone like yourself."
"Yeah, I know. That's why I don't eat it."
Last month he referred me to go to see Doc 2 at UCSF. I took the referral and made the appointment. Doc 2 and his medical fellow reviewed my situation and proposed some medication changes. I take their advice seriously because they work in a specialty clinic and people like me are the only people they deal with every day. Doc 2 is easy going, communicative, unoppressive, and isn't looking for silver bullets. I implement medication changes immediately. Situation improves slightly.
I went back to first Doc for a followup today and he tells me that Doc 2's suggestions aren't going to do anything for me, and what's more, may make things worse! He seems pretty smitten. I spend about 30 minutes trying to justify Doc 2's reasonings for the medication changes. Doc doesn't seem to be convinced. Doc suggests more lab tests, ones that require me to fast for 12-15 hours and get a intra-muscular injection that releases some kind of catalyst agent into my blood. Wow, that sounds FUN. Sign me up!
This is Berkeley. I really should invest some time finding some naturopathic doctor to buffer the wrath of Doc I must endure. He'd probably have something to say about it, though.
I have a medical condition which requires me to tell the doctor everytime I have an appointment (once every 3 months or so) the inane details of my everyday eating and exercising habits. It's such a damn bore. And ususally the end result of this parroting of information is exactly the same:
"Well, from what you told me, I can't really see a pattern in your eating and exercise that explains some of the problems you've been having..."
Ah, yes, just as I suspected. Nada zilch. I just spent 5 minutes telling him when and what I've eaten for breakfast since last Sunday (yogurt, yogurt, fruit, cottage cheese, bran cereal....so exciting and mysterious!) and he cannot solve the mysteries of my physical ailments. Hmm, I'm so NOT surprised! The next appointment I should just mix it up for kicks and relate the following list of breakfast food items:
Pork chop with country gravy. Buttered white toast - 8 pieces.
A few ropes of licorice. It's easy to carry in my pocket on the way to school.
A Wendy's Frosty - chocolate soft serve in a cup. What size? There is only one size, doc!
3 eggs sunny side up, tabasco, and a hefty portion of cheese grits. Did I forget the sausage links?
Trix cereal combined with Fiber One. I pay attention to my fiber intake religiously.
This would probably bring delight to Doc's eyes. I can see it now. He'd actually have something to tell me that makes sense. However, things as they presently are, he has a hard time telling me my dietary choices need drastic changes.
Doc always thinks he has the silver bullet. It's ridiculous:
"Oh, so how much red meat do you eat?"
"I eat red meat once a month. The only other meats I eat are fish and chicken, never fried."
"Hmm. Because red meat isn't good to eat for someone like yourself."
"Yeah, I know. That's why I don't eat it."
Last month he referred me to go to see Doc 2 at UCSF. I took the referral and made the appointment. Doc 2 and his medical fellow reviewed my situation and proposed some medication changes. I take their advice seriously because they work in a specialty clinic and people like me are the only people they deal with every day. Doc 2 is easy going, communicative, unoppressive, and isn't looking for silver bullets. I implement medication changes immediately. Situation improves slightly.
I went back to first Doc for a followup today and he tells me that Doc 2's suggestions aren't going to do anything for me, and what's more, may make things worse! He seems pretty smitten. I spend about 30 minutes trying to justify Doc 2's reasonings for the medication changes. Doc doesn't seem to be convinced. Doc suggests more lab tests, ones that require me to fast for 12-15 hours and get a intra-muscular injection that releases some kind of catalyst agent into my blood. Wow, that sounds FUN. Sign me up!
This is Berkeley. I really should invest some time finding some naturopathic doctor to buffer the wrath of Doc I must endure. He'd probably have something to say about it, though.
Monday, March 27, 2006
Tales from the Berkeley Bowl
This week has been a "tales of" week. Today's entry could have been written a thousand times over. All people that live in Berkeley manage to get over to the Berkeley Bowl once ever so often and they always encounter some kind of situation they want to post on the internet about. It's like a universal norm. What life all boils down to is annoying conversations we overhear while shopping at the Berkeley Bowl.
For all of you know-nots out there, I guess I should tell you what the Berkeley Bowl is. It's a supermarket where most of Berkeley ends up at least once a month. The place is way overcrowded, but they have an amazing produce section, really cute male checkout clerks, good bin food selections, as well as semi-decent prices. It's cheaper in most cases than Safeway even. BB is a blessing.
However, it's also a curse. The downsides? Lines, even on a Monday at 10:40 am. Annoying rich hippy Berkeleyans talking about whatever is yanking their chain while you wait in line. Anything you buy in bulk must be weighed and labeled by the bin food clerks, who usually act like your 1/4 pound of dried apricots is such a waste of their damn time. Too narrow of aisles. Curmudgeonly seniors in the produce section who use their cart like it's a battleram. Soup-sample abusers. The litany could continue. But we go. And we keep coming back.
Here is a sample of a conversation overheard today while in line. Subjects: Mother and daughter. Daughter is about 23. I am guessing she went to Cal and now lives here and works...at some bakery coop (Cheeseboard, perhaps, if she is so lucky). Mother appears to be treating her daughter to a load of groceries, perhaps because daughter is not using college degree toward her interest in collecting higher wages. Daughter is annoying and is likely an only child.
Daughter: Well, work is so demanding. We have to be there at 3:30 am and I have to work the primary oven. Do you know how hot those ovens get? They get really hot!!! Mom, you have no idea. Anyway, Robert got burned by the oven the other day. I told him not to get too close, but of course he did not listen to me and got burned!
Mother: Dear, we should start unloading now.
Daughter: Oh, yeah. So Robert is going to be working on butter pastry this week and I am on scones. Do you know how bad for you scones are? Mom, they are not healthy. Anyone who eats those all the time should just eat a muffin, because that's basically what a scone is. There's just not a lot of knowledge about what people put in their bodies. Sometimes people just don't even take time to look at their terrible habits, it's unbelievable!
Mother: Why don't you help with the bagging...
Daughter: Right. The coop is so stressful. People just have no idea what we go through. Customers are so demanding! You'd think they'd appreciate our help and would try to be patient, but no. All they want is more free samples. We only can give out so many free samples! If it were up to me, there would be no free samples. Everyone knows we make the best stuff. They don't need to keep sampling it day in and day out!
Mother: Yes, people are really one-sided sometimes, I agree.
For all of you know-nots out there, I guess I should tell you what the Berkeley Bowl is. It's a supermarket where most of Berkeley ends up at least once a month. The place is way overcrowded, but they have an amazing produce section, really cute male checkout clerks, good bin food selections, as well as semi-decent prices. It's cheaper in most cases than Safeway even. BB is a blessing.
However, it's also a curse. The downsides? Lines, even on a Monday at 10:40 am. Annoying rich hippy Berkeleyans talking about whatever is yanking their chain while you wait in line. Anything you buy in bulk must be weighed and labeled by the bin food clerks, who usually act like your 1/4 pound of dried apricots is such a waste of their damn time. Too narrow of aisles. Curmudgeonly seniors in the produce section who use their cart like it's a battleram. Soup-sample abusers. The litany could continue. But we go. And we keep coming back.
Here is a sample of a conversation overheard today while in line. Subjects: Mother and daughter. Daughter is about 23. I am guessing she went to Cal and now lives here and works...at some bakery coop (Cheeseboard, perhaps, if she is so lucky). Mother appears to be treating her daughter to a load of groceries, perhaps because daughter is not using college degree toward her interest in collecting higher wages. Daughter is annoying and is likely an only child.
Daughter: Well, work is so demanding. We have to be there at 3:30 am and I have to work the primary oven. Do you know how hot those ovens get? They get really hot!!! Mom, you have no idea. Anyway, Robert got burned by the oven the other day. I told him not to get too close, but of course he did not listen to me and got burned!
Mother: Dear, we should start unloading now.
Daughter: Oh, yeah. So Robert is going to be working on butter pastry this week and I am on scones. Do you know how bad for you scones are? Mom, they are not healthy. Anyone who eats those all the time should just eat a muffin, because that's basically what a scone is. There's just not a lot of knowledge about what people put in their bodies. Sometimes people just don't even take time to look at their terrible habits, it's unbelievable!
Mother: Why don't you help with the bagging...
Daughter: Right. The coop is so stressful. People just have no idea what we go through. Customers are so demanding! You'd think they'd appreciate our help and would try to be patient, but no. All they want is more free samples. We only can give out so many free samples! If it were up to me, there would be no free samples. Everyone knows we make the best stuff. They don't need to keep sampling it day in and day out!
Mother: Yes, people are really one-sided sometimes, I agree.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
Tales from Slim's
Saturday night, March 25, was a wild, heart-stopping, sweat-inducing, all around crazy and chaotic night at Slim's at 11th and Folsom.
Playing was Gogol Bordello, possibly the nation's most whacked out, pumped up, and thrashing Russian gypsy-folk-punk band.
My sister, 31, and brother, 37, accompanied me to the show. The opening band, Kulture Shock, was kind of like Gogol Bordello "Light", although their geographical base roots are centered more around Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia. Basically they shared similar Slavic origins and musical styles as GB.
GB took stage around 11:00 pm and for the next 2 hours proceeded to exhaust and induce more sweat, crowd surfing/diving and all types of related behavior than I have ever considered humanly possible. It truly was a monumental performance. The lead singer must have burned through about 4000 calories during the whole ordeal. I would have guessed he was on some kind of amphetamine...that, or the guy is wired like no one's business. He's the guy with the wild eyes in the photo.
Playing was Gogol Bordello, possibly the nation's most whacked out, pumped up, and thrashing Russian gypsy-folk-punk band.
My sister, 31, and brother, 37, accompanied me to the show. The opening band, Kulture Shock, was kind of like Gogol Bordello "Light", although their geographical base roots are centered more around Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia. Basically they shared similar Slavic origins and musical styles as GB.
GB took stage around 11:00 pm and for the next 2 hours proceeded to exhaust and induce more sweat, crowd surfing/diving and all types of related behavior than I have ever considered humanly possible. It truly was a monumental performance. The lead singer must have burned through about 4000 calories during the whole ordeal. I would have guessed he was on some kind of amphetamine...that, or the guy is wired like no one's business. He's the guy with the wild eyes in the photo.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Tales from the Laundromat on Claremont
Monday evening I took me a trip to the laudromat. First time I've been to one of those places in a good 5-6 years. Perhaps more than that, I can't recall. My most vivid laundromat experiences took place in London on Muswell Hill. The lady I lived with didn't let us use her washer because the water supposedly cost a fortune. They live like they're still in the Blitz over there - conserving water like the end of the world is coming and eating too much canned food and Marmite. Anyway...
So I get to the corner laudromat around 730. The occasion was a special visit - I had to wash the futon cover. My roommate's boxer sleeps on it. Needless to say, it was not fit for a human to sleep on it, even with a sheet between person and couch surface.
I enter, see that there are 3 commercial sized washers, and head towards those. I was the only person in the place, aside from the manager who was using a shop vac to clean out the dryers. The dryers looked like they'd survived some hard times. Their motley coloring (a peppy array of spring green, orange, and yellow) was chipped and the metal dented in as though they'd gone through some beatings for swallowed quarters. Heck, these things probably were built in the days of dime-run dryers. I digress.
While new at this, I knew what to do. Get change. Get proper soap (usually require powder, which you buy out of the old school vending machine). Put coins in, select cycle...you know the drill. As for the soap out of the vending machine, I had a wide selection of choices: Cheer, Tide, OxyClean, and something called ShineBrite. I threw some quarters in the Tide slot and attempted to make a transaction. Then I hear some garbled sqwuaking over the high pitched droll of the shop vac behind me and several dryer units:
Manager: "Cheer! You hear me?? Cheer, young lady, is all's we got today!"
Me: "Oh, I didn't know. Thanks."
So I purchase the Cheer and start my cycle. The less than inspiring surroundings of the laudromat and the presence of its curmudgeonly manager led me to the store across the street. They have a psuedo-coffee shop inside the store where I could work on my laptop. More importantly, I was picking up some latent wireless signal and was able to check my e-mail.
After 25 minutes, I return to the laudromat to put the couch cover in the dryer. However, the washer is empty. And one dryer is going. The manager is leaning up against it, sort of glaring at me, and eyeing the television that sits overhead the door entrance on a platform. He was watching some game show called "Deal or No Deal!"
Me: "Hey, so is that my load?"
Manager: "I put it in here because it's gettin' late young lady."
Me: "Ah. Well, thanks, how much do I owe you?"
The manager points over my shoulder. I turn around and see a piece of paper posted on a makeshift bulletin board:
The Management Wishes To Inform You That Although We Are Raising The Washer Costs 50 cents Due To Energy Price Increases, the Dryers Remain FREE!
"Okay, then."
I proceed to watch "Deal or No Deal!" with the manager for about 25 minutes. He really liked that show. He kept muttering things under his breath when the contestents made stupid decisions and chose the wrong briefcases.
I learn a lot about patience and the world when I am not at school.
Portland fixture
Waiting on the bus
So I get to the corner laudromat around 730. The occasion was a special visit - I had to wash the futon cover. My roommate's boxer sleeps on it. Needless to say, it was not fit for a human to sleep on it, even with a sheet between person and couch surface.
I enter, see that there are 3 commercial sized washers, and head towards those. I was the only person in the place, aside from the manager who was using a shop vac to clean out the dryers. The dryers looked like they'd survived some hard times. Their motley coloring (a peppy array of spring green, orange, and yellow) was chipped and the metal dented in as though they'd gone through some beatings for swallowed quarters. Heck, these things probably were built in the days of dime-run dryers. I digress.
While new at this, I knew what to do. Get change. Get proper soap (usually require powder, which you buy out of the old school vending machine). Put coins in, select cycle...you know the drill. As for the soap out of the vending machine, I had a wide selection of choices: Cheer, Tide, OxyClean, and something called ShineBrite. I threw some quarters in the Tide slot and attempted to make a transaction. Then I hear some garbled sqwuaking over the high pitched droll of the shop vac behind me and several dryer units:
Manager: "Cheer! You hear me?? Cheer, young lady, is all's we got today!"
Me: "Oh, I didn't know. Thanks."
So I purchase the Cheer and start my cycle. The less than inspiring surroundings of the laudromat and the presence of its curmudgeonly manager led me to the store across the street. They have a psuedo-coffee shop inside the store where I could work on my laptop. More importantly, I was picking up some latent wireless signal and was able to check my e-mail.
After 25 minutes, I return to the laudromat to put the couch cover in the dryer. However, the washer is empty. And one dryer is going. The manager is leaning up against it, sort of glaring at me, and eyeing the television that sits overhead the door entrance on a platform. He was watching some game show called "Deal or No Deal!"
Me: "Hey, so is that my load?"
Manager: "I put it in here because it's gettin' late young lady."
Me: "Ah. Well, thanks, how much do I owe you?"
The manager points over my shoulder. I turn around and see a piece of paper posted on a makeshift bulletin board:
The Management Wishes To Inform You That Although We Are Raising The Washer Costs 50 cents Due To Energy Price Increases, the Dryers Remain FREE!
"Okay, then."
I proceed to watch "Deal or No Deal!" with the manager for about 25 minutes. He really liked that show. He kept muttering things under his breath when the contestents made stupid decisions and chose the wrong briefcases.
I learn a lot about patience and the world when I am not at school.
Portland fixture
Waiting on the bus
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