I need my planner like a druggie needs crack

In Baltimore I only had to balance two personalities: me at work and me after-work. It was simple, work me was regulated to the hours between 8 am and 5 pm, Monday through Friday. The rest of my time was for after-work me to do with as I so pleased.

Being back in Boston makes that infinitely more difficult. The lines become blurred, the categorizations overlap, the time is spread out into unpredictable chucks. I swear sometimes I would wander the streets aimlessly and accomplish nothing if it weren't for my bright orange day planner.

I schedule everything on my planner(s). (Yes, that's right I have a week-by-week and two monthlies.) In it get recorded all events, due dates, meetings, parties, TV shows, homework assignments, people to call, errands, and vital information I need to get through my days efficiently and successfully.

I would scan a page in but I'm almost embarassed by the use of coordinating highlighters, scratches, and "note to self" messages in boxes with exclamation marks. It's like a peek inside this crazy little mind I have; no one should have to be subjected to that kind of torture.

Sometimes I think that even though I have it, I might just explode from the overwhelming pressures of being a student and daughter and Girl Scout leader and friend and (hopefully soon) employee. Anyone else addicted to their planner?

Academic Frustrations

Sometimes I feel completely and utterly frustrated by academic rhetoric. Thusly, and so on, meaning that the social interactions between the teacher, preaching from their pulpit, entitled to do so by their success at having survived more years than I care to in the game of school, are outlined and reinforced by normative behavior such that it relates to adaptation to situational environments (ie classrooms) and social pressures.

I hate philosophical, circular, bully-pulpit teaching. I just want to stand up and scream - WE GET THE DAMN POINT! SO WHAT DOES IT MEAN? Perhaps it's a byproduct of my humanities major and minor (Journalism and Sociology, respectively). I also find it's related to a older generation of teachers, for whatever that's worth. Maybe I'm impatient, I'm sorry. I like to learn about new things, but not at the expense of the applicability to the real world beyond the four walls of a classroom.

What do we go to school for the first quarter of our life for anyways?

Cause I walk with a wiggle, and a giggle, and a sqwak

"I'm getting fatter."

"Turtle Love"

I don't remember quite how I stumbled upon exploding dog, but it never ceases to make me giggle. The author takes phrases emailed to him and creates illustrations based on that. Some make sense, some are completely different than how you expect they will be. You should check it out if you need a giggle too.

It's sunny, warm, & breezy. Plus, I finished my reading!

In inevitable rush sometimes as Americans, we tend to miss out on the little moments that make up life. In a week, a month, a semester, a year, or more, what will be the things that you rememember? Will it be stressing out about your reading assignment not being done or will it be the time you and your friend had a "picnic" under the shade of a tree on a lazy, Indian-summer afternoon drinking wine and people watching?

So I invite you to visit the Happy List. It's a project we're contributing to that helps us focus on finding the good moments in life and serves as a reminder when things get a little hectic sometimes.

Bouncin' Souls

There's something really special about live music. I love listening to music in my car, in my room, even in the shower, but there's something about the energy that happens when you aren't the only one who's getting into it. I went to a show last night by Delhill and Eclectic Collective at the Paradise Rock Club. Delhill was the third band in the line-up and I had seen them earlier. Their stage presence is really fun and you can tell their lead singer Andy loves playing the crowd. EC was explosive. The energy from the stage was contagious as even the sax play jumped around. You couldn't help but get into their music, to move your hips, nod your head, jump around. I didn't even know any of the words but I felt like I was inside the rhythm of each song. I'm making it my goal to go to see live music more often this semester. I can't wait to see Stephen Kellogg again at Paradise and to see Brian Bergeron open for them.

The most beautiful baby in the world

My brand new "niece" born 9/17/07.

Making the personal political

We had a discussion today about body politics and using personal experiences to influence laws and policy. However, when Tonn asked what issues were relevant to us and our identities everyone in the class seemed to suddenly go mute. Somehow we were unable to translate identity politics from theory into practice. So he made us break up into pairs and write down who we were. After each person read their list aloud, the conversation flowed freely. Some people who never talk in class even offered opinions and insight.

In that spirit, here are the things that make me who I am:

woman
young
white
blonde
college student
middle class
single
straight (mostly)
French-Canadian
oldest sister, daughter, cousin, granddaughter, niece
Girl Scout leader
volunteer
size Large
"country girl"
liberal
sexual
writer
blood donor
Journalism & Sociology student
New Englander

Those are all that I could think of in class. This list may grow or shrink over time.

So, I ask you: Who are you?

Published!

My first interview for PTP is now up online.

Multiplicity

Everyone is getting married. Everyone is having babies. Everyone has that one someone they can turn to when they really need someone. What am I doing? Who do I have?

I'm not upset about. I don't need sympathy or pity. I just feel like more often than not lately I'm on the outside of conversations, the outside of the circle. And it's no one's fault in particular, it's just that no one is quite on the same path as I am right now. I'm trying to be healthier; I'm single; I'm in classes; I'm a Girl Scout leader; I'm a compulsive writer; I'm an oldest sister and daughter and cousin-aunt; I'm a sexual being; I'm trying to decide how I feel about god.

Who are you?

Back in the Groove

Well after a few weeks hiatus, I am back to a regular schedule and real life. I thought those two weeks would last longer but all-in-all they seemed to fly by pretty fast. I'm back living in the city again, back in classes, and back to Girl Scouts. So that means you can expect a lot of wonderful updates!

We moved in almost a week ago. It was emotionally stressful. The girl who lived here before was still here, my landlord flipped out and yelled at me, there was some crying and yelling and negotiating. But in the end, it all came out okay. We've been working on getting settled here. We got the kitchen table today and I hung all my pictures up on the wall. It's starting to feel like home. It's always interesting when you move somewhere new to see how you develop new routines and new places to put your stuff. I think it's going to be a good year.

Classes also seem pretty interesting. I didn't realized at first how connected they all were. I'm taking Law of the Press; Law, Policy & Society; Social Theory; and Gender & Sexuality. More detailed updates about classes to come later.

I get to meet the PTP guys today. I am SO excited! And I finally sent in my write-up from the interview with Barbara Rusell. (I'll be sure to link to it once it's up.)

I've also recommitted to Weight Watchers again after being quite neglectful this summer.