August 24, 2002
Here, Let Me Help You
I went to Lowe's and Home Depot yesterday checking out their options for shelving and storage. I had so many offers of help that it got to be a little annoying. Today, with my cart full of heavy shelving units, I found no help. The difference? A tank top and skirt vs. a T-Shirt and jeans. Yeah, I bet they wanted to help me improve my home...
Posted by criminal at 12:19 AM | Comments (2)
Black Hawk Down
A couple nights ago, I caught the first 15-20 minutes of Black Hawk Down with Eric before passing out. Because its one of his new favorite movies, Sam made sure I saw the rest of it tonight. Honestly, it wasn't as bad as I expected. There was no plot to speak of, just a dramatic reenactment of our military operations in Somalia. I can't say its my favorite, but it definately impressed me. Its not so much a movie for entertainment as a movie for education. It shows the complications, convolutions, and casualties of war in a way that regular Drama just can't. I imagine the book is just as good, if not better.
Posted by criminal at 12:16 AM | Comments (1)
Moving
I started moving today. All that nail-biting about where I was going to live boiled down to the fact that I just couldn't wait any more. I let Dan know that I still wanted to move in last weekend and started moving in today after I got my keys made. As much as I hate buying things, there were a few things that I absolutely needed, like a bed and shelving, so I broke down and bought them. They're all assembled and just waiting for the rest of my things to be brought up. As I go through each box, I'm finding more and more things that I just don't need. The box going to Goodwill will be huge by the time I'm done moving. But at least it will make my life simpler and maybe make someone else's a little better.
Posted by criminal at 12:11 AM | Comments (0)
Notebook
I finally did it. I broke down and bought a notebook computer. I've been hemming and hawing over it for the last two years and I just realized that if I wait much longer, I won't get to use it for my projects, which need it the most. Since I've been thinking about this for so long, I had a good idea of what I wanted. As nice as it would be to use my Compaq/HP discount, I'm not wild about their machines. I wanted something small and robust - not necessarily top of the line, but definately not cheap either. So I went with a Sony R505EL SuperSlim Pro. I went to Best Buy, and after two hours of paperwork and waiting, I bought it. Granted, they were out of stock so I have to wait a couple days, but I made my move. I'm also thrilled about the 12 month interest free financing. Now... if I could just get the thing in my hot little hands...
Posted by criminal at 12:07 AM | Comments (0)
August 23, 2002
Segway
Last Saturday, while I was on campus helping Nick move in, I saw a Segway. You know, Dean Kamen's little invention: It, Ginger, top secret... whatever you want to call it. The thing is so nifty. One of the marketing reps is an alumnus and son of a woman who works in the registrar's office. He just happened to have brought it by to visit when I was there meeting Eric and Nikki. Everybody got a spin on it, including me. I was really wobbly at first (I don't think I was forward enough on the base) but after a few moments I got the hang of it. He kept saying "think forward" but it took at little more than thinking forward for me. I spend my whole life trying to keep my delicate balance and he's telling me to just lean forward. Yeah right. But it works. Its just amazing. I can now say that I'm one of a small minority who have seen it and an even smaller group that have ridden it. It was a true innovation.
Posted by criminal at 11:54 PM | Comments (0)
August 20, 2002
weekend
What a big weekend.
Friday: It started with a nice little date on Friday night. I went out with Matt C., who I'll admit to meeting online. We grabbed dinner at the B, where we ran into ChunShek, then took a nice stroll around Elm Park. When it threatened to pour, we headed back to the house to dangle our feet in the pool. It never did rain, but we had a pretty good time anyway.
Saturday: Eric's brother Nick moved into WPI on Saturday, so he and I walked up to help him get situated. And to take his parents off his hands for at least a little while so he could stop and breathe. So I finally made it to Tatnuck's restaraunt - it was really good. Caitlin came over later and stayed the night; Liz stopped by to talk; Nick and his roommate Casey came by to take a swim... It was so incredibly hot that it was hard to stay out of the pool for any length of time. You'd dry of just to get soaked with sweat. Ick.
Sunday: Still no relief from the heat. I was supposed to meet another guy for a date Sunday night, but I lost his phone number, so I wasn't able to call and confirm our plans. I'm such a putz. Lest you think poorly of me, I did email him - but that didn't get to him in time. I got to go over to the Big Red House for dinner with Jami, Amy, and Liz though, so it worked out in the end. After Liz left, we watched an incredibly hilarious episode of the PowerPuff Girls chock full of Beatles references. Then the Sox game and a good game of Rummy.
Posted by criminal at 03:00 PM | Comments (1)
common occurance
Sorry, this lack of journal entries is starting to become a common occurance. Its even worse when there's so much to share. And the sad part is that I'm already starting forget all of the stuff I wanted to write about. I'll try anyway.
Posted by criminal at 01:34 PM | Comments (0)
August 15, 2002
new york trip
Well, it wasn't much of a trip, but it was a drive... I drove down to Fishkill last night to see Alan while he's in the area. We grabbed his friend Mike and had dinner at the Olive Garden. From there, we headed over to the Hyde Park Brewery to catch the live blues action. The band wasn't too bad so we stayed for a couple hours while Mike consumed copious amounts of alcohol. Once the bar closed, we headed home. Mike wanted to stay up, but Alan was dead tired and I had a couple hours of driving ahead of me, so we said goodbye. I left around 1am, but didn't make it much past the NY/CT border before I had to stop and take a nap. Four hours later, I attempted to get home again, only to stop another 40 miles down the road to take another nap. I did eventually make it home - just a lot later than I expected. The evening was worth it though - nothing spectacular, just good fun.
Posted by criminal at 04:33 PM | Comments (0)
August 13, 2002
in praise of maine
How many of these posts am I going to end up with? Maine was, once again, great. It was relaxing and fun and just an old fashioned good time. I did actually leave, a little later than I intended. So, six hours and several expressway-turned-parking-lots later, I made it to the camp. It was a full house, so I got to pitch my new tent and sleep outside while the boys slept in the camper. It was basically family week - most of Eric's family was over at one point or another - so there was always something to do or some little kid to fret over. They've started calling the tiny guestroom "sarah's room" and Eric's cousin's daughter, Braelin, asks for me everytime she comes over. Pretty sad, especially now that summer's basically over. But there's always next summer...
Posted by criminal at 01:58 PM | Comments (0)
August 10, 2002
i swear, i'm leaving
So, I'm not in Maine yet. I meant to get up at the crack of dawn and start driving, but its the weekend and all I really wanted to do was just stretch out in my comfy bed and sleep. So I did. I'm leaving as soon as I check my email and shower. I swear. First, I had to share this little tidbit from my sister, Barbie: Have tons and tons of fun in maine, and kiss a moose for me while you're there (Alces alces, not a large man).
Posted by criminal at 09:06 AM | Comments (0)
August 09, 2002
Friday Five for August 9, 2002
1. Do you have a car? If so, what kind of car is it? I have a 2000 Chevrolet Malibu with all the bells and whistles. Although my friends say its crap colored, I insist that its a sparkley chocolate milk brown.
2. Do you drive very often? Despite having a 6-7 mile commute for my internship, I have managed to rack up 12k a year, mostly from the long drives home to Michigan and my penchant for just driving.
3. What's your dream car? A 1999 Buick Riviera Silver Arrow - in silver of course. I don't know what it is about that car, but its siloette makes my heart skip a beat. Its not as avant garde as it was when it was last redesigned for the 95 model year, but its a striking example of how beautiful a car can be.
4. Have you ever received a ticket? *fingers crossed* No. And this will probably jinx me...
5. Have you ever been in an accident? I've been the passenger in two fender benders and have had a few numbskulls roll their manuals into my bumper.
Posted by criminal at 06:11 PM | Comments (0)
friday five for August 2, 2002
The amazing on-again, off-again Friday Five!
1. What is your lineage? Where are your ancestors from? I'm a mutt. Most of my ancestors were from Germany, although there were some from Russia, France, England, Wales, Ireland, and Oregon. Yes, Oregon - my Native blood traces back to the fishing tribes of coastal Oregon.
2. Of those countries, which would you most like to visit? I think it would be wonderful to visit Russia - just because it sounds so different from the rest of Europe.
3. Which would you least like to visit? Why? Actually, Germany and France are probably in a tie for last place. France because of its nasty reputation and Germany because I can't think of much I just have to see there. Not that I'm especially interested in any of the other places either...
4. Do you do anything during the year to celebrate or recognize your heritage? I light sage smudgesticks and sweetgrass throughout the year and try to make it to a pow wow or two, but my family is really quite removed from its heritage.
5. Who were the first ancestors to move to your present country? Well, if you want to get technical, I suppose my native ancestors have been in the country for the last 20,000 years or so - scientists aren't exactly sure yet. But my mother's recent research has traced us back to some colonials in RI and Massachusetts in the mid 1600s. I can tell you that the last to arrive in America was my great-great grandfather Themm. He emigrated from Germany at the turn of the last century.
Posted by criminal at 06:11 PM | Comments (0)
up again
Guess who gets to go to Maine again? Well, I don't have to go - I could always mail Eric his car... Not like he really had to twist my arm to get me to come up. As an added bonus, I'll probably get to sleep in my new Walmart tent since there's tons of family milling about. Just wish I'd had the energy to pitch it last weekend when I could've had a little more fun in it.
Posted by criminal at 05:56 PM | Comments (0)
August 05, 2002
PETA pun
The Maine Lobster Festival in Rockland is supposed to be a big celebration of one of the state's most notable and profitable industries. The parade is full of floats with a sea theme, most featuring at least one lobster. In the middle of this wonderful showing of community spirit, walks a blonde bimbo in a skimpy red swimsuit. Not only is she past her prime with a lackluster tan and dyed hair, but her thong-clad butt is painted with flames and she carries a PETA poster saying "Boiling Lobster Burns my Bum." Next to her is another PETA protester dressed in a lobster costume toting a sign featuring a lobster in a kettle with an X through it. Not only were they a spectacle, but they brought along their own photographer to record the uproar.
How can they be so dense? They were protesting the industry that supports the entire community. It was an insult to everyone that was there to join the celebration.
Posted by criminal at 05:54 PM | Comments (0)
blinkin' boobies
Ok, so I said the Marshall Tucker Band was good. During "Heard it in a Love Song" I gave an extra enthusiastic shout and the old guy looked over, saw me and waved, pausing the song. He kept glancing over and smiling in my direction for the rest of a concert. That was good, but I think that my blinking boobies were an even bigger spectacle. You see, kids were running around wearing these little magnetic blinking thing-a-ma-jigs on their ears, hats, and faces. Similar to magnetic earings, but more powerful and about the size of a mini marshmallow, the blinkers were quite distracting. So I figured "what would be more distracting than a set of blinking boobies?" and strategically placed the things on my shirt sometime after the first distraction. Eric and I had the greatest time watching people watch me. People just couldn't keep themselves from staring or stealing a second glance. Even the hot bouncer prodded his friend to point out my jubilant jubblies. I was still embarrassed and worried that I'd offend someone, but my need to get happy in a hurry won out. At one point, some strange girl walked up and said "That's the best idea, ever" and gave me a big high five. Security was radioing other security officers to swing by and take a look. So, if you happen to see some pictures of some blinkin' boobies online, be sure to let me know.
Posted by criminal at 05:39 PM | Comments (0)
lobster festival
I went to Maine for the Lobster Festival last weekend. I finally got Liz to come along, and brought Eric and little Mark Murray as well. Eric's family is back in the camp, so we had a relaxing couple days at the lake. Liz and I started Saturday morning with a wonderful Eucalyptus and Peppermint sugar scrub in the lake. There's nothing so wonderful as feeling pampered and smooth in beautiful surroundings. Just sitting there, letting the oil soak into my skin, gazing across the lake at a perfect little farm... It was the best kind of therapy. Soothed and smooth, we hit the Lobster Festival. The parade down Main Street was great - small town America at its best. Except maybe for PETA's little addition, which I'll describe later. From there, we walked down to the North End Shipyard to see the Heritage, where Sam's captain compared his breasts with mine and tried to convince me to flash him. They were all tired and had a lot of work to do, so we stuck around long enough to give Sam a little grief and find out that Jonnie had the time of his life. We were a bit toasty from the sun and heat, so we hit the lake for the afternoon. Later in the evening, we went back to the festival to catch the Marshall Tucker Band, who gave a great show once they warmed up. We met up with Sam and brought him back to the camp where we all passed out after just a few minutes. We were all paying for our time in the sun by Sunday morning. Because I wore a halter top to the parade, all the untanned parts of my back usually covered by my bathing suits got burnt. Eric, Liz, and Mark went hiking on Clark Island while I stayed to help Debbie get ready for all the dinner guests. I also got to sit down and have a long talk with a very confused Sam. It was painful at times, but it was a relief. Once everyone was back at the camp, we had a great big supper and spent the evening lounging by the lake. Liz has officially joined my little Maine convert club, having decided she could easily live there. Because we were so tired, we just went to bed at the end of the day and got up at 4am to drive home, leaving Eric and Mark to enjoy the rest of the week.
Posted by criminal at 02:48 PM | Comments (0)
peanut butter
A wise kid named Charlie Brown once uttered these honest words: "Nothing takes the taste of peanut butter quite like unrequited love."
Posted by criminal at 12:24 PM | Comments (0)