I suppose I should have known how it was going down when the staffing agency recruiter referred to this project as "The Titanic" a couple of weeks ago. We started this week at less than half our number - down to 30 from 65. They also cut our hours so that our minimum was 40 and our maximum was 70 (versus minimum 60, maximum 105).
Well, while we were talking to the recruiter today after lunch, he got an email. His mouth dropped and he turned around and raced into the firm's on-site office to talk to the associate. Five minutes later he called us into the big room for a meeting.
Our hours are now down to 40 max. Basically, they just cut our paychecks in half. The good news is, I stopped making big payments on anything a few weeks ago when things got weird around here. The bad news is, I have to pay the rent for my entire apartment on July 1 because my roommate moved and I haven't found a new place yet. And did I mention my paychecks are now cut in half. It's frustrating because my goal of paying off my credit cards by the end of the summer is not going to happen now unless I find another project with OT.
The recruiter told us to just let him know when we leave, but he fully expects people to drop like flies. The client apparently has no idea how this whole contract attorney thing works. People do it because of the overtime. If people find a job with any OT after this, they are gone. The client has a court-set deadline coming up, and if everyone but 5 people drop off the project, there's no way they're going to make it. Not too bright, really.
Update: As of this morning, 3 people are definitely gone to other projects. Down to 27. It will be interesting to see how many of us are left after the 4th.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Luuurve
So I bought a book yesterday. I'm not really proud of it and my more academia-oriented friends might be laughing their bums off at me (except for formerly-Santa Cruz Jenn who has recommended her fair share of self-help books to me so she can just be quiet).
The book was recommended to me by a friend and seemed like a good way to analyze miscommunication in relationships. According to the author, there are 5 "languages" people use to communicate their love, and the book helps you figure out which language you use. Consequently, you are more apt to recognize love being shown to you in the language that you use. When your significant other uses another language the relationship may be fraught with miscommunications, where both people are expressing love as hard as they can, but feel unappreciated and unloved in return.
The 5 languages are: Words of Affection, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. I think those are pretty self-explanatory so I'll just move on.
I took the little quiz in the back of the book last night. It consists of 30 sets of 2 phrases, and you pick which phrase reflects what you desire. For example, 1) I never get tired of my husband's/boyfriend's kisses, OR 2) I love when my husband/boyfriend writes little notes telling me he loves me.
Several times I wanted an option 3) Both, but you're supposed to pick the one that you desire the most from a significant other.
The test showed that I'm actually pretty even-keeled, liking a smattering of everything except for Acts of Service (3 out of 30). But my primary language is Physical Touch and my secondary language (by one point) is Quality Time.
Do we see now why Kelly doesn't do so well with the long-distance relationships?
I roped Jason into taking the male version of the test when he was driving home from Providence late last night and needed to stay awake. Guess what? He was equally Physical Touch and Quality Time (um, if I'm sharing too much, Jason, just let me know. Do you not want the whole internet in on your luv psyche?)
With those results it would make you wonder why we ever argue. Oh, except for that whole we're 500 miles apart thing and can't have ready access to the Physical Touch and Quality Time things. Apparently Words of Affection only go so far with the two of us.
The book was recommended to me by a friend and seemed like a good way to analyze miscommunication in relationships. According to the author, there are 5 "languages" people use to communicate their love, and the book helps you figure out which language you use. Consequently, you are more apt to recognize love being shown to you in the language that you use. When your significant other uses another language the relationship may be fraught with miscommunications, where both people are expressing love as hard as they can, but feel unappreciated and unloved in return.
The 5 languages are: Words of Affection, Quality Time, Receiving Gifts, Acts of Service, and Physical Touch. I think those are pretty self-explanatory so I'll just move on.
I took the little quiz in the back of the book last night. It consists of 30 sets of 2 phrases, and you pick which phrase reflects what you desire. For example, 1) I never get tired of my husband's/boyfriend's kisses, OR 2) I love when my husband/boyfriend writes little notes telling me he loves me.
Several times I wanted an option 3) Both, but you're supposed to pick the one that you desire the most from a significant other.
The test showed that I'm actually pretty even-keeled, liking a smattering of everything except for Acts of Service (3 out of 30). But my primary language is Physical Touch and my secondary language (by one point) is Quality Time.
Do we see now why Kelly doesn't do so well with the long-distance relationships?
I roped Jason into taking the male version of the test when he was driving home from Providence late last night and needed to stay awake. Guess what? He was equally Physical Touch and Quality Time (um, if I'm sharing too much, Jason, just let me know. Do you not want the whole internet in on your luv psyche?)
With those results it would make you wonder why we ever argue. Oh, except for that whole we're 500 miles apart thing and can't have ready access to the Physical Touch and Quality Time things. Apparently Words of Affection only go so far with the two of us.
Saturday, June 24, 2006
Realization
Does anyone else remember partying to Lionel Richie? I mean, sure, I was 8, but I remember dancing around to "All Night Long" and "Dancin' on the Ceiling." Both of those songs came on my iPod today. Yeah, Lionel is much more mellow than I remembered. Were we really that sedate in the 80's?
Wednesday, June 21, 2006
Update de Computadora
When Jason was here a couple of weeks ago we discovered that my computer cord has a short. I was really hoping that maybe the cord was the only problem, but I got a new cord yesterday, plugged it in, and nothing.
At this point I am really unsure when my current job is going to end. Supposedly I'm on the privilege team, which is supposed to go longer, but with the way the sh** has gone down here over the past couple of weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if they just wound up not having a priv team and I found myself jobless in a few weeks. I've stopped making any big payments on anything and have been hoarding my money ever since things got weird here.
So since things aren't very certain at my job, I know that I could lose computer access in a matter of weeks, which would put a damper on my search for the the next job, temporary or permanent. I've decided that I'm going to let the Inspiron 4150 die and get a brand spanking new computer. Hopefully today or tomorrow.
And I found out the other day that one of my former co-workers found my blog by searching "c-o-n-t-r-a-c-t attorney" (without the dashes) and "crazy," which I find hilarious. I read back over my entries and determined that I haven't written anything too scathing or identifying, unless you happen to be on this project. Kind of makes me think I should take off my picture or change some wording or something.
At this point I am really unsure when my current job is going to end. Supposedly I'm on the privilege team, which is supposed to go longer, but with the way the sh** has gone down here over the past couple of weeks, I wouldn't be surprised if they just wound up not having a priv team and I found myself jobless in a few weeks. I've stopped making any big payments on anything and have been hoarding my money ever since things got weird here.
So since things aren't very certain at my job, I know that I could lose computer access in a matter of weeks, which would put a damper on my search for the the next job, temporary or permanent. I've decided that I'm going to let the Inspiron 4150 die and get a brand spanking new computer. Hopefully today or tomorrow.
And I found out the other day that one of my former co-workers found my blog by searching "c-o-n-t-r-a-c-t attorney" (without the dashes) and "crazy," which I find hilarious. I read back over my entries and determined that I haven't written anything too scathing or identifying, unless you happen to be on this project. Kind of makes me think I should take off my picture or change some wording or something.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
Back
Back from Vegas. Sloth and gluttony abounded. And a little bit of greed. I lost too much for a lot of greed. Very tired. I will be sleeping hard tonight after no sleep last night on a plane ride fraught with turbulence fromNebraska to DC. More with pictures as soon as I get my new computer cord.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Wednesday, June 14, 2006
Changing the Plans
Um, just so you all know, I will probably not be moving back to Boston this fall after all. There are a couple of reasons, but I think the simplest is that I don't have a job there and everyone I talk to tells me the market sucks and they don't know of anything, but they'll keep their eye out for me. I just scrolled through all 142 jobs in one Massachusetts legal paper and found 1 1/2 for which I am even marginally qualified for. The 1/2 is one that would require much BSing on my part in the cover letter.
So as hard as it is to keep doing the long distance thing with Jason, and however much I wish that I could just hang out with him most nights and do normal boring stuff like watch TV and play with his cat, I don't think I can do it yet. I can possibly temp in Boston too, but it pays significantly less, and is not as regular as the temping in DC. I've been out of law school for over a year now, during which I've done about 3 months of work that could be interpreted as real-life attorney work. Everything else is just adding to the black hole feeling on my resume.
The biggest gray cloud hanging over my head right now consists of my student loans. So I do doc review in DC and I keep looking for a job in Boston. Doc review will pay the bills. And while not intellectually stimulating in the slightest, I can put up with it for now. I have two possible future scenarios in my head: 1) work doc review for a few years, pay off my loans, hope things are still great with Jason and we can settle down and start a family, giving me a couple of years to figure out what I want to do with myself career-wise; 2) do doc review for a few years, pay off my loans, not be with Jason anymore (you know, if things should turn that way) and figure out if I would still like to get an MPH or if there's something else I want to do with my life.
I don't want to say that I've given up on finding a job as an attorney, because I am still trying. I'd still much rather get a real job, move up to Boston, and be able to work like a real person and hang out with my boyfriend. Until that happens, though, DC just seems like the practical choice. I'm trying to get myself in the mindset that I'm in a long-term long distance relationship and not focus on how much I missed Jason on Monday after dropping him off at the airport.
After discussing all of this over the weekend, Jason asked me what it is that I like to do, in an effort to brainstorm me into a new career path. I thought for a second. "Um...crochet?" I feel like I used to have a lot of interests, but all of the years of work and school have sort of squelched what I actually like to do out of me, to be replaced with what I need to do to get by. I used to write a lot, but I think the last time I actually wrote something for real was during a creative writing workshop in grad school in 2001. But that never seemed like a viable path to me anyway because I have many, many, many beginnings of novels and stories, but no real endings.
According to the people in my writing workshop, though, I write very good dialogue. So if any writers out there need help making their dialogue realistic (Jennifer Chiaverini*, I'm looking at you), I am your woman.
So that's the story. I'm trying to make the most of it. My current roommate and I are looking for a new place to live. Jason and I bought the Shenandoah year pass and on Monday afternoon I stopped at the map store near my office and got a couple of books on good hikes in Shenandoah. I really do like it here. The only bad part is that Jason can't be here with me.
*I tried to read this book about a year ago and kept putting it down and not coming back because the craptastic dialogue drove me crazy. I eventually just turned to the last 5 pages of the book and read what happened at the end. Supposedly it was all emotional and shocking, but having felt no connection with the narrator or any of the other uncompelling and unrealistically-speaking characters, I just said "Meh" and put the book in my To Sell pile.
So as hard as it is to keep doing the long distance thing with Jason, and however much I wish that I could just hang out with him most nights and do normal boring stuff like watch TV and play with his cat, I don't think I can do it yet. I can possibly temp in Boston too, but it pays significantly less, and is not as regular as the temping in DC. I've been out of law school for over a year now, during which I've done about 3 months of work that could be interpreted as real-life attorney work. Everything else is just adding to the black hole feeling on my resume.
The biggest gray cloud hanging over my head right now consists of my student loans. So I do doc review in DC and I keep looking for a job in Boston. Doc review will pay the bills. And while not intellectually stimulating in the slightest, I can put up with it for now. I have two possible future scenarios in my head: 1) work doc review for a few years, pay off my loans, hope things are still great with Jason and we can settle down and start a family, giving me a couple of years to figure out what I want to do with myself career-wise; 2) do doc review for a few years, pay off my loans, not be with Jason anymore (you know, if things should turn that way) and figure out if I would still like to get an MPH or if there's something else I want to do with my life.
I don't want to say that I've given up on finding a job as an attorney, because I am still trying. I'd still much rather get a real job, move up to Boston, and be able to work like a real person and hang out with my boyfriend. Until that happens, though, DC just seems like the practical choice. I'm trying to get myself in the mindset that I'm in a long-term long distance relationship and not focus on how much I missed Jason on Monday after dropping him off at the airport.
After discussing all of this over the weekend, Jason asked me what it is that I like to do, in an effort to brainstorm me into a new career path. I thought for a second. "Um...crochet?" I feel like I used to have a lot of interests, but all of the years of work and school have sort of squelched what I actually like to do out of me, to be replaced with what I need to do to get by. I used to write a lot, but I think the last time I actually wrote something for real was during a creative writing workshop in grad school in 2001. But that never seemed like a viable path to me anyway because I have many, many, many beginnings of novels and stories, but no real endings.
According to the people in my writing workshop, though, I write very good dialogue. So if any writers out there need help making their dialogue realistic (Jennifer Chiaverini*, I'm looking at you), I am your woman.
So that's the story. I'm trying to make the most of it. My current roommate and I are looking for a new place to live. Jason and I bought the Shenandoah year pass and on Monday afternoon I stopped at the map store near my office and got a couple of books on good hikes in Shenandoah. I really do like it here. The only bad part is that Jason can't be here with me.
*I tried to read this book about a year ago and kept putting it down and not coming back because the craptastic dialogue drove me crazy. I eventually just turned to the last 5 pages of the book and read what happened at the end. Supposedly it was all emotional and shocking, but having felt no connection with the narrator or any of the other uncompelling and unrealistically-speaking characters, I just said "Meh" and put the book in my To Sell pile.
Tuesday, June 13, 2006
Bed II
That other pretty bed is on sale for $30 cheaper than it was. And with a coupon Jason says he can probably get, I could save another $30.
However, this bed is cheaper and while not as "oooo, pretty," is still cute. Plus, it's more versatile. For instance, currently on my twin bed I have an aqua duvet, which I realize won't work on a new full-size bed, but what if I want to get another aqua duvet because the aqua and white that I have going on looks crisp and clean and perfect for summer? Aqua would completely clash with the other bed. Pretty much any colors other than muted, heathered tones would. And I'm not always feeling muted or heathered.
So I'm just mulling this over. I won't actually buy a bed until I next move, but it's so fun to think about decorating. I'm a geek like that.
However, this bed is cheaper and while not as "oooo, pretty," is still cute. Plus, it's more versatile. For instance, currently on my twin bed I have an aqua duvet, which I realize won't work on a new full-size bed, but what if I want to get another aqua duvet because the aqua and white that I have going on looks crisp and clean and perfect for summer? Aqua would completely clash with the other bed. Pretty much any colors other than muted, heathered tones would. And I'm not always feeling muted or heathered.
So I'm just mulling this over. I won't actually buy a bed until I next move, but it's so fun to think about decorating. I'm a geek like that.
Monday, June 12, 2006
Oh Shenandoah...
Jason visited this past weekend.
She glanced at us, then bent down her head to eat, looked at us again, and kept walking toward us. I admit, I got a little worried that she was going to come at us or something because I'm a dork (and yes, Jason teased me profusely about this later). But she got really close and I just felt a little concerned. Then she stopped about 15 feet away. We only got a couple of good pictures because she turned away every time.
She heard a noise in the brush and trotted away. Well, what should come out of the brush? Another deer of course. This one just passed by. Apparently we found the deer gathering spot. It was amazing to see them so close.
The park charged $15 for a 7-day pass, but $30 for a year-long pass. After spending such a nice afternoon there, we decided to fork over the additional $15 and get the year-long pass so we can go back when Jason comes again. And I suppose on those days when I just want to drive and get away, I can head down to Shenandoah.
If you're wondering, yes, we sang "Shenandoah" ad nauseum all day long.
******************************
Seeking your opinion: On Friday before I picked Jason up at the airport, I showered and let my hair air dry with just a tad of anti-frizz serum. My hair wound up wavy and fuller than normal, and Jason told me it was super-cute. Well, I don't think those were the exact words he used, but that was the gist. So Sunday I let my hair go again. I have this odd half-curly, half-straight thing going on that has basically been the bane of my existence, at least as far as getting a decent hairstyle. I can straighten it and slather on the anti-frizz stuff, but by the end of the day, especially here in DC, it frizzes up some and the curls start to curl, while the straight bits stay straight, yet frizzy. I would be really, really happy if my hair would just be curly, like it was when I was little, and like my mom's and grandma's is. But no. However, this wavy/curly look may be an option:
On Saturday we went to The International Spy Museum. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed. It was fun, but it was also $15. In a town with five hundred thousand free museums an actual admission fee at a museum kind of stinks. Also, I had been told that the museum was sooooooo cool. So I had what were probably freakishly high expectations.
I felt like I missed a lot of stuff at the beginning. When you buy your ticket, you buy it for a particular time. For instance, we went at 11 AM. They let smallish groups onto an elevator and drop you off in a room where you pick a cover. I was Carol Liu, an architect from Santa Monica, in Russia on vacation. Or rather, "on vacation." You go into the next room, watch a short movie about what it really takes to be a spy and how there are spies among us, all around us, and then they open the door into the museum.
When they opened the door there were already large clumps of people clustered around all the interactive displays. After about 20 minutes of trying to peer over people's shoulders to see the displays, I gave up and moved ahead. My thought is, if they're going to charge money and assign specific times, they need to be more precise about how many people they're actually letting in at once. But then, it was Saturday so I'm sure they were busier than, say, on a Wednesday.
I really liked the WWII spy exhibits. They showed a double feature of film clips from the 40's showing how loose lips sink ships. One cartooon had Donald Duck really, really excited about paying his taxes in order to fund the war effort.
Overall the museum was fun, I was just kind of annoyed at the beginning with the crowds and the inability to see anything. I don't know if I would recommend it as whole-heartedly as others recommended it to me. I got a bigger kick out of the Smithsonian Museum of American History, which I went to the weekend before (FYI: it will be closed after Labor Day for a few years of renovations, so if you're in DC this summer, I suggest you go).
Then Jason and I saw X-Men 3. Fun, popcorn movie, which is exactly what I wanted.
Sunday we went for a drive because it was a beautiful day. After perusing Google maps via Jason's phone we discovered that DC is pretty close to the Shenandoah National Park. Well, gee, that sounded good. So we headed out.
Beautiful.
We were excited to learn that Skyline Drive runs right along the Appalachian Trail, with the Trail crisscrossing the road several times as it winds through the hills. We got out for a little hike about 28 miles in. The path we chose (up Pass Mountain, the most boring named mountain in the entire range) was actually part of the AT (note the letters on the post).
We saw some amazingly pretty birds, which I don't have pictures of because, you know, they're birds, and they fly real fast and stuff. Being surrounded by the dense foliage and hearing the wind rustling through the canopy above is so amazing. I love these flowers.
We got to a point where the path leveled out and we thought we'd reached the top of the mountain (turns out we were wrong and we still had a little climbing to do). We climbed over some rocks and onto an outcropping overlooking the valley. While we were standing there, I heard a noise behind us. I turned around and a deer was picking her way over the rocks, coming right toward us.
She glanced at us, then bent down her head to eat, looked at us again, and kept walking toward us. I admit, I got a little worried that she was going to come at us or something because I'm a dork (and yes, Jason teased me profusely about this later). But she got really close and I just felt a little concerned. Then she stopped about 15 feet away. We only got a couple of good pictures because she turned away every time.
She heard a noise in the brush and trotted away. Well, what should come out of the brush? Another deer of course. This one just passed by. Apparently we found the deer gathering spot. It was amazing to see them so close.The park charged $15 for a 7-day pass, but $30 for a year-long pass. After spending such a nice afternoon there, we decided to fork over the additional $15 and get the year-long pass so we can go back when Jason comes again. And I suppose on those days when I just want to drive and get away, I can head down to Shenandoah.
If you're wondering, yes, we sang "Shenandoah" ad nauseum all day long.
******************************
Seeking your opinion: On Friday before I picked Jason up at the airport, I showered and let my hair air dry with just a tad of anti-frizz serum. My hair wound up wavy and fuller than normal, and Jason told me it was super-cute. Well, I don't think those were the exact words he used, but that was the gist. So Sunday I let my hair go again. I have this odd half-curly, half-straight thing going on that has basically been the bane of my existence, at least as far as getting a decent hairstyle. I can straighten it and slather on the anti-frizz stuff, but by the end of the day, especially here in DC, it frizzes up some and the curls start to curl, while the straight bits stay straight, yet frizzy. I would be really, really happy if my hair would just be curly, like it was when I was little, and like my mom's and grandma's is. But no. However, this wavy/curly look may be an option:
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Beddie By
Tough day at work yesterday. That's all I really want to say about it. This morning the room leaders gave me a card and flowers (roses and gerbera daisies! Lovely!) to show their support and that they stand behind me. And also to brighten my day because, if I didn't mention, yesterday was tough.
Sometimes it occurs to me that all this grief is happening in a temp job. In a couple of months (knock on wood that it lasts that long) I'm out the door just like everyone else. I suppose I can just hope for good recommendations from the staffing agency.
On a lighter note, I found a bed I really like. Beds are pricey, in case you didn't know. The concensus seems to be that I need to get at least a full size bed, although my argument for keeping with the twin is that the rooms in Boston tend to be small. Anyway, what do we think of this:
I think it's sooo pretty in that "Ooooo, preeety" kind of way. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. It's feminine, but in my mind not as little girly as the off-white and gold metal daybed that I'm currently sporting.
Sometimes it occurs to me that all this grief is happening in a temp job. In a couple of months (knock on wood that it lasts that long) I'm out the door just like everyone else. I suppose I can just hope for good recommendations from the staffing agency.
On a lighter note, I found a bed I really like. Beds are pricey, in case you didn't know. The concensus seems to be that I need to get at least a full size bed, although my argument for keeping with the twin is that the rooms in Boston tend to be small. Anyway, what do we think of this:
I think it's sooo pretty in that "Ooooo, preeety" kind of way. I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not. It's feminine, but in my mind not as little girly as the off-white and gold metal daybed that I'm currently sporting.
Tuesday, June 06, 2006
A Kiss To Build A Dream On
Kisses are always the culmination of great emotional/romantic/comedic tension in movies and TV. Ross and Rachel's first kiss on Friends. Lesser-known is Pam and Jim's kiss to end this season of The Office (I about fell out of my chair I was so ecstatic that he found her back in the office and kissed her!). Basically the climax of any romantic comedy. The kiss seals the deal. The kiss means everything.
Yet just yesterday I told a friend that her ongoing NCMO with a guy where neither party is emotionally invested is no big deal. Of course, I had a few NCMO's in my early 20's and don't think I'm an awful person because of it. Maybe it's the lack of emotional investment that makes it not such a big deal in my head. That first kiss with a boy I like always tingles with anticipation and emotion, while the kiss with the boy I don't really care much about or am just friends with gives a nice physical connection, sure, but it doesn't sizzle like the real kisses do.
Just thinking.
Yet just yesterday I told a friend that her ongoing NCMO with a guy where neither party is emotionally invested is no big deal. Of course, I had a few NCMO's in my early 20's and don't think I'm an awful person because of it. Maybe it's the lack of emotional investment that makes it not such a big deal in my head. That first kiss with a boy I like always tingles with anticipation and emotion, while the kiss with the boy I don't really care much about or am just friends with gives a nice physical connection, sure, but it doesn't sizzle like the real kisses do.
Just thinking.
Monday, June 05, 2006
Museum Weekend
I just realized that one of the sad things about my computer being broken is that I can't download my pictures and post them. I have some great ones from Nantucket and 4 or 5 times this weekend I thought to myself, "I should post those pictures on my blog - oh, wait...crap." Jason gave me a CD of his pictures, and I may post a couple of his, but I had several cute ones I wanted to show you.
Anyway, this weekend I spent some time trying to decompress. Friday I had a migraine and Saturday the migraine lingered a tad and my right shoulder felt so tight I thought it might shatter if I turned too quickly. A woman I work with recommended Tiger Balm. J and I went to CVS, he for Zinc lozenges to pre-empt a cold, and me for Tiger Balm. (Grrrr! Tiger Balm. Rowr!)
Tiger Balm works great, FYI. My friend A graciously smeared some on me and a little while later my shoulder started to relax and descend from its position right under my ear. Tiger Balm also doesn't smell quite as rank as, say, Icy Hot or Bengay, but has an oddly Christmas cinnamon potpourri aroma.
I feel like a weakling. I feel like everyone else around me is able to put in these long days and don't seem to be getting ill from the stress. Well, there are a lot of colds going around, and nerves are definitely on edge in several rooms, but I've been feeling like crap a lot of the time lately. There are some other things going on too that have me not feeling so great, so I'm sure that's just compounding it.
My friend A basically ordered me to take Saturday afternoon off and go do something for myself, just myself. So instead of working 12 hours Saturday like I planned, I worked 6 and then went to The National Gallery. Such a nice way to relax, strolling through rooms of beauty and emotion. I kept walking into galleries and thinking, "I didn't know that was here." There was a painting of a Madonna whose face looked just like my cousin Amy. The only downside was that the gift shop closed 5 minutes after I walked in. I need to go back and browse because there are a couple of prints I'd like to buy if they have them.
Then I went to the gym and ellipticalled for 50 minutes. I left feeling strong and solid and like my mind was clear. I feel like I made some decisions and feel more sure of what I need.
Yesterday, Jordan Baker and I went to the National Museum of American History. To anyone who hasn't been, go. It's fun and interesting. We were there for 3 1/2 hours and were shocked when they announced the museum would be closing in 30 minutes. Being there reminded me why American Studies would have been my PhD of choice.
Highlights:
*The first ladies' dresses and accoutrement and the ensuing gushing and catty critiques by Jordan and myself. We determined that Mamie Eisenhower and Rosalyn Carter are the cutest first ladies
*Muppets
*Sad pictures and stories of war
*The Ella Fitzgerald exhibit
*Gelato and the gelato man aggressively pushing the peanut butter gelato that tasted like Reese's Pieces
*Bizarre presidential snowshoe-shaped ice cream dish
*Discovering that I probably could have helped out on the WWII homefront as a pretty decent riveter
Jordan and I came up with several ideas for the gift shop and I think we need to write a suggestion letter to the Smithsonian. First, the first lady exhibit is a lot of girly fun, with first lady clothes and accessories from Martha Washington to Laura Bush. The gift shops are completely missing out on the goldmine that is knock-off first lady accessories. I personally would buy one of those great beaded purses, as long as the cost wasn't prohibitive.
The second item that I specifically looked for was a print of the Picasso drawing of Ella Fitzgerald. I haven't actually googled it yet, and maybe there are poster shops that have it, but, hello? The Smithsonian has the original drawing. Wouldn't it make sense that they carry prints of it in their gift shop? I'm just saying.
However, in the gift shop I found my Halloween costume for this year. I will be wearing a Rosie the Riveter apron and going as "Irony."
Anyway, this weekend I spent some time trying to decompress. Friday I had a migraine and Saturday the migraine lingered a tad and my right shoulder felt so tight I thought it might shatter if I turned too quickly. A woman I work with recommended Tiger Balm. J and I went to CVS, he for Zinc lozenges to pre-empt a cold, and me for Tiger Balm. (Grrrr! Tiger Balm. Rowr!)
Tiger Balm works great, FYI. My friend A graciously smeared some on me and a little while later my shoulder started to relax and descend from its position right under my ear. Tiger Balm also doesn't smell quite as rank as, say, Icy Hot or Bengay, but has an oddly Christmas cinnamon potpourri aroma.
I feel like a weakling. I feel like everyone else around me is able to put in these long days and don't seem to be getting ill from the stress. Well, there are a lot of colds going around, and nerves are definitely on edge in several rooms, but I've been feeling like crap a lot of the time lately. There are some other things going on too that have me not feeling so great, so I'm sure that's just compounding it.
My friend A basically ordered me to take Saturday afternoon off and go do something for myself, just myself. So instead of working 12 hours Saturday like I planned, I worked 6 and then went to The National Gallery. Such a nice way to relax, strolling through rooms of beauty and emotion. I kept walking into galleries and thinking, "I didn't know that was here." There was a painting of a Madonna whose face looked just like my cousin Amy. The only downside was that the gift shop closed 5 minutes after I walked in. I need to go back and browse because there are a couple of prints I'd like to buy if they have them.
Then I went to the gym and ellipticalled for 50 minutes. I left feeling strong and solid and like my mind was clear. I feel like I made some decisions and feel more sure of what I need.
Yesterday, Jordan Baker and I went to the National Museum of American History. To anyone who hasn't been, go. It's fun and interesting. We were there for 3 1/2 hours and were shocked when they announced the museum would be closing in 30 minutes. Being there reminded me why American Studies would have been my PhD of choice.
Highlights:
*The first ladies' dresses and accoutrement and the ensuing gushing and catty critiques by Jordan and myself. We determined that Mamie Eisenhower and Rosalyn Carter are the cutest first ladies
*Muppets
*Sad pictures and stories of war
*The Ella Fitzgerald exhibit
*Gelato and the gelato man aggressively pushing the peanut butter gelato that tasted like Reese's Pieces
*Bizarre presidential snowshoe-shaped ice cream dish
*Discovering that I probably could have helped out on the WWII homefront as a pretty decent riveter
Jordan and I came up with several ideas for the gift shop and I think we need to write a suggestion letter to the Smithsonian. First, the first lady exhibit is a lot of girly fun, with first lady clothes and accessories from Martha Washington to Laura Bush. The gift shops are completely missing out on the goldmine that is knock-off first lady accessories. I personally would buy one of those great beaded purses, as long as the cost wasn't prohibitive.
The second item that I specifically looked for was a print of the Picasso drawing of Ella Fitzgerald. I haven't actually googled it yet, and maybe there are poster shops that have it, but, hello? The Smithsonian has the original drawing. Wouldn't it make sense that they carry prints of it in their gift shop? I'm just saying.
However, in the gift shop I found my Halloween costume for this year. I will be wearing a Rosie the Riveter apron and going as "Irony."
Saturday, June 03, 2006
RIP Dell Inspiron 4150
I thought that my computer was going to listen to me and stick around for awhile, but I think it's officially gone now.
Last week my computer just would not turn on. See, about a year ago, my power cord started breaking. The plastic surrounding the wires right near that plug that plugs directly into the computer broke and gradually the wires started fraying. I could get it to work through a sophisticated mechanism involving tape and holding the computer just so. Upon seeing this, Jason bought me a new cord on ebay, mostly because his not-so-latent computer geek was crying inside.
So the new cord worked - kind of. Apparently with my taping and wrangling with the broken cord, I somehow damaged the outlet on the computer itself. However if I just fiddled with the cord a bit, I could get it to work no problem. This has stood me in good stead until about a week and a half ago, when my computer decided to not acknowledge that the cord was plugged in at all.
My battery hasn't held any sort of charge for a couple of years so when that little orange light appeared next to the keyboard, I knew I had a matter of seconds to get the cord working. I fiddled and plugged and unplugged and nothing. The computer died and wouldn't acknowledge that anything was happening when I hit the power button.
I started panicking. See, I know I'm making decent money right now, but the point of this money-making is to A) pay off my credit card debt, and B) save some so if I don't find a job right after this job ends I won't die or become homeless or not be able to afford shampoo. Buying a new computer did not fit into my plans.
My little blue and black Inspiron has been my boon companion throughout law school and this past year. Sure, he chugs and churns a bit now and takes awhile to boot up, but I can be patient as long as he keeps working. I know I need a new computer, but I wanted to put it off until I had a real job, or some semblance of financial security. I explained all of this patiently to the computer, and then slowly inserted the plug into the outlet, perfectly straight. I hit the power button and it worked!
I seriously almost started crying, I was so relieved.
However, last night my computer gave up the ghost. He powered up and was doing just fine, then all of a sudden the orange light switched on, meaning the cord was unplugged. I fiddled and prodded and jiggled. I unplugged and replugged, gently and then with more force. I blew on the plug and the outlet thinking some dust was preventing that ever so tenuous contact from happening. Nothing. The orange light stayed on and about a minute and a half later, with a sad *pop,* the screen went black.
So now I need a new computer. Swell. There's some money I wasn't planning on spending. But I have to have a computer to look for a job. It's a necessity since jobs are listed on job boards and many jobs require online applications and I do initial networking via email. Guess I'll be doing some research.
My big question is, how do I get all of the info off of my hard drive?
Last week my computer just would not turn on. See, about a year ago, my power cord started breaking. The plastic surrounding the wires right near that plug that plugs directly into the computer broke and gradually the wires started fraying. I could get it to work through a sophisticated mechanism involving tape and holding the computer just so. Upon seeing this, Jason bought me a new cord on ebay, mostly because his not-so-latent computer geek was crying inside.
So the new cord worked - kind of. Apparently with my taping and wrangling with the broken cord, I somehow damaged the outlet on the computer itself. However if I just fiddled with the cord a bit, I could get it to work no problem. This has stood me in good stead until about a week and a half ago, when my computer decided to not acknowledge that the cord was plugged in at all.
My battery hasn't held any sort of charge for a couple of years so when that little orange light appeared next to the keyboard, I knew I had a matter of seconds to get the cord working. I fiddled and plugged and unplugged and nothing. The computer died and wouldn't acknowledge that anything was happening when I hit the power button.
I started panicking. See, I know I'm making decent money right now, but the point of this money-making is to A) pay off my credit card debt, and B) save some so if I don't find a job right after this job ends I won't die or become homeless or not be able to afford shampoo. Buying a new computer did not fit into my plans.
My little blue and black Inspiron has been my boon companion throughout law school and this past year. Sure, he chugs and churns a bit now and takes awhile to boot up, but I can be patient as long as he keeps working. I know I need a new computer, but I wanted to put it off until I had a real job, or some semblance of financial security. I explained all of this patiently to the computer, and then slowly inserted the plug into the outlet, perfectly straight. I hit the power button and it worked!
I seriously almost started crying, I was so relieved.
However, last night my computer gave up the ghost. He powered up and was doing just fine, then all of a sudden the orange light switched on, meaning the cord was unplugged. I fiddled and prodded and jiggled. I unplugged and replugged, gently and then with more force. I blew on the plug and the outlet thinking some dust was preventing that ever so tenuous contact from happening. Nothing. The orange light stayed on and about a minute and a half later, with a sad *pop,* the screen went black.
So now I need a new computer. Swell. There's some money I wasn't planning on spending. But I have to have a computer to look for a job. It's a necessity since jobs are listed on job boards and many jobs require online applications and I do initial networking via email. Guess I'll be doing some research.
My big question is, how do I get all of the info off of my hard drive?
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