September 30, 2003
Pop Pop Pop
Amy's having a baby! And soon. Her water broke earlier this evening and she is on her way to the hospital. So I'm gonna lose the baby poll (I picked the 4th) because its gonna happen tomorrow or Thursday. Yay! Baby Marr is on the way, which makes losing the poll alright. Too bad Amy didn't get to enjoy more of her maternity leave before she popped.
Posted by criminal at 09:41 PM | Comments (0)
September 27, 2003
Billboard
There's a billboard on Route 9 in Westborough/Shrewsbury for the legalization and taxation of marijuana. I didn't even realize the movement was popular enough in this area to warrant advertising on that scale. I wanted my camera with me just to be sure it wasn't a figment of my imagination.
Posted by criminal at 11:16 PM | Comments (0)
No Friday Five
The folks at Friday Five are taking a break this week, so I'll have to make up my own. So here's my Friday Five. Answer them for yourself and leave the answers or a link to them in a comment.
1. Do you have a favorite artistic movement/style? I'm a big fan of art nuveau and bauhaus. I also like black and white photograhy -- architectural in particular.
2. Who is your favorite artist? William Morris.
3. What is your favorite museum? I've liked all of the art museums I've been to, but none really stand out as a significant favorite. The Worcester Art Museum is convenient, so its at the top of the list right now.
4. Do you have a favorite painting? It changes from mood to mood. Right now I'm very fond of Chat Noir by Theophile Steinlen. That's probably because the subject is a very smug looking cat with orangish-yellow eyes. Like Tia.
5. Do you have any artistic aspirations? Too many to list. Right now I'd love to create a beautiful wood table-top for a set of stainless steel table legs that appear to have been abandoned in the library, just around the corner from my office.
Posted by criminal at 10:22 PM | Comments (2)
September 25, 2003
Dell Guy
theworklizesc: are you here to service Amy?
Posted by criminal at 03:46 PM | Comments (0)
Officially Fall
I love the smell of fall. There's nothing quite like October grass and crisp, clean, sweater-wearing air combined with the sweet aroma of helmets, cleats and mud. This is the smell that accompanies football season in New England. It ranks right up there with clean cotton, Mr. Sketch scented markers and freshly pumped gasoline on my list of all-time favorite smells. If Jean Paul Gauthier could bottle "Football in the Fall," I'd wear it proudly.
-Stacey Pressman
Although her entire article wasn't about fall, I couldn't agree more. There's something about the crisp fall air that makes me happy. Not to mention all the warm clothes. And football season. The rest of the article goes on to discuss the fall of the manly-man and the rise of the metrosexual. Its an interesting commentary on a disturbing trend in our society. While metrosexual men make great pals, they just don't have that special something that makes my heart do back flips. (Thanks to Jami for finding Pressman's article on ESPN.com)
Posted by criminal at 10:59 AM | Comments (1)
Go Christi
Congratulations are in order for my cousin (technically, my cousin's half-brother) Gaelen, Lumen Christi High School's star runningback. My Aunt Bev let me know that he made the headlines this week in the Jackson paper. Here's hoping that he will lead them to many more victories this season.
Posted by criminal at 09:54 AM | Comments (1)
September 23, 2003
Getting Nowhere
Don't you hate those meetings where you make no progress no matter how hard you try? I spent the better part of two hours in one of those. We couldn't find much common ground and just kept going back and forth, waiting for someone to bend. No matter how much I offered to comprimise, I couldn't get anyone else to meet me half-way. It was frustrating, but I'm hoping that we can make it work.
Posted by criminal at 06:28 PM | Comments (0)
girl
Having a girlfriend has done wonders for my personality lately. [Troy]
Posted by criminal at 05:47 PM | Comments (0)
September 22, 2003
Weekend
I got to spend my weekend with Jon and his family. We went to Maine on Saturday for his cousin Jenny's wedding. She had a small ceremony and reception under a tent at the family farm. It made for a very relaxed atmosphere. Although Jon wasn't excited to be there, I had a good time. Maybe its just easier when it isn't your family asking if you'll be next. The farm was neat too - everytime I got a whiff of that barnyard smell I thought of my sister. She would've like it, even if it was a wedding.
Posted by criminal at 02:05 PM | Comments (2)
Collection Plate
Dear WPI Graduate Management Students:
Establishing a network is an important component of your graduate business program. In tough economic times such as these, effective networking takes on even greater importance. To assist you in your networking endeavors, the Graduate Management Programs Office is sponsoring "BUSINESS CARD WEEK", September 29 - October 3, 2003. During this week, please drop your business card into the "collection plate" that will be circulated in each class. Online students, please mail a copy of your business card to me at the address below.
When we have collected all of your business cards, we will put together an online directory, password protected so that only WPI graduate management students and alumni may access the site.
I may not be hip to the whole networking thing, but I don't see how this is really going to help WPI graduate management students. If you hadn't made contact in your classes, would a database of business cards give you that connection?
Posted by criminal at 12:06 PM | Comments (2)
September 19, 2003
Patience My Child
My patience is wearing thin. A lot of things that don't usually bother me are really getting under my skin. Every vacuous, self-absorbed, or pretentious line I hear makes me want to kick and scream. I can't count the number of times I've had to restrain myself. Dozens of biting, caustic sentiments have withered on my tongue. I think it's stress, but it feels like something more. I have no tolerance anymore.
Posted by criminal at 05:26 PM | Comments (1)
Friday Five for September 19, 2003
1. Who is your favorite singer/musician? Why? Probably Suzanne Vega because she half speaks, half sings her way through beautiful (but not sappy, or syrupy) poetry. Maybe Madonna because of her edge and ability to stay ahead of the girls half her age. Or Chris Thile because of his amazing musicianship and youthful energy.
2. What one singer/musician can you not stand? Why? Definately Celine Dion. She may have a powerful voice, but I can't stand the nasal sound it takes on for "effect." Not to mention her terrible choice in music.
3. If your favorite singer wasn't in the music business, do you think you would still like him/her as a person? I think I'd probably still like Suzanne. She's an artist is conscience and I like that.
4. Have you been to any concerts? If yes, who put on the best show?Not as many as I would like... The Indigo Girls were more friendly than I expected.
5. What are your thoughts on downloading free music online vs. purchasing albums? Do you feel the RIAA is right in its pursuit to stop people from dowloading free music? I have mixed feelings about this... On one hand, sharing allows people to find a wider variety of artists. I've found plenty of good music online that I would have a hard time purchasing at my local record store. But on the other hand, we should feel obligated to pay for what we're getting. The fact that so many people think they deserve free music scares me - we complain that the prices are too high, but everytime we steal music we drive the prices higher.
Posted by criminal at 10:50 AM | Comments (0)
September 17, 2003
DUM
I can't wait until William becomes president and sporks that man. [Sarah]
Posted by criminal at 04:45 PM | Comments (0)
WPI Acronym Dictionary
Congratulations to William L. Herbert, a WDO workstudy, for getting his WPI Acronym Dictionary mentioned in The Bridge, our alumni newsletter.
Posted by criminal at 03:07 PM | Comments (0)
September 12, 2003
Friday Five for September 12, 2003
1. Is the name you have now the same name that's on your birth certificate? If not, what's changed? Yes.
2. If you could change your name (first, middle and/or last), what would it be? When I was a kid, I wanted my middle name to be Flower (I was a hippie way before it was retro cool to be one). There was also a phase when I wanted to swap my first and middle names. I also wanted a last name that wasn't so late in the alphabet, but I've learned to love my names because they add up to one unique name.
3. Why were you named what you were? (Is there a story behind it? Who specifically was responsible for naming you?) My parents named me, thankfully not Haroldine, but I don't really know why they chose the name they did. How the least trendy people I know picked the most trendy girl's name of my generation, I will never understand.
4. Are there any names you really hate or love? What are they and why? There aren't really any specific names that I hate, but there are
some trends I'm not very fond of... like naming your kids after cars and superstars, or rugged names that sound like they should be on an SUV. I'm also sick of the unique spelling trend.
5. Is the analysis of your name at kalabrians.com accurate? How or how isn't it?Brief Analysis
Your name of Sarah makes you easy-going and refined, but detracts from your physical vitality. You desire all the finer things in life--lovely clothes, home, furniture, and environment. However, procrastination is your worst enemy, and you find yourself lacking the ambition to make your dreams a reality. People are inclined to take advantage of your sympathetic, tractable nature. You naturally attract people with problems who seek your understanding and advice. You can give good advice although it is unlikely that you would follow it yourself. You would be most successful in situations where you can use your skills in diplomacy in handling people, but where you are not under pressure or required to carry responsibility and make decisions. It is difficult for you to be individual and make your own decisions, for you lack self-confidence.
Holy crap. I was just about to say that these things are a crock, but this is pretty accurate. Its vague enough that just about anyone could see aspects of themselves in it, but it does cover most of my personality.
Posted by criminal at 11:24 AM | Comments (2)
September 11, 2003
Happy Birthday
Its time to wish Amy and Jeremy a happy birthday. I think they need to celebrate, despite the recent history of this day. Although its important to honor the lives that were lost, I think its even more important to honor and celebrate the people that live among us. Americans don't do that often enough -- we like to wait until someone is dead to recognize them. If we had taken the time to celebrate their lives while they were living, it wouldn't seem so contrived after death.
Posted by criminal at 10:05 AM | Comments (1)
September 10, 2003
Mr. Postman
WPI's mail servers are having some problems today. I won't go into the gorey details, but suffice it to say that I can't send mail externally or recieve it. The exchange servers are working, so I can still e-mail other people on the internal Administrative domain. Bleh.
UPDATE: Mail came back around 11:30pm
Posted by criminal at 04:21 PM | Comments (0)
Friday Five for September 5, 2003
1. What housekeeping chore(s) do you hate doing the most? Dusting.
2. Are there any that you like or don't mind doing? I kind of like doing laundry and I don't mind cleaning bathrooms and kitchens (as long as they haven't accumulated too much filth).
3. Do you have a routine throughout the week or just clean as it's needed? I'm definately a "clean as it's needed" kind of girl. I would like to have a routine, but my life hasn't quite settled down so that I can start one.
4. Do you have any odd cleaning/housekeeping quirks or rules? I always make sure that the detergent has dissolved before adding my clothes to the washer. I also won't reach my hand into a sink full of soapy water and dishes.
5. What was the last thing you cleaned? Aside from Liz's desk? Probably dishes.
So, how would you answer the Friday Five?
Posted by criminal at 11:35 AM | Comments (1)
Are You Crying?
It may sound like sobs, but I'm kinda laughing. Walking by Liz's desk at work I noticed a few empty soda bottles. So I started picking them up to put in bin for the Boy Scouts, knowing Liz would probably just toss them in the trash the next time she cleaned her desk. I decided that I should throw away the empty pickle pouches and tissues too. And the two cups of half-evaporated Honeydew Donuts coffee. But not the wadded-up pair of underwear I saw next to/under a pile of papers as I reached for an empty wrapper. I can understand most of it - stuff accumulates on a desk over the course of a week - but I don't know what to think about the underwear. So I'm laughing in a sad way.
Posted by criminal at 10:29 AM | Comments (5)
September 09, 2003
Cruel and Unusual Punishment
Parents are awfully mean these days. Diana, of www.notwithoutmyhandbag.com, has spent a great deal of time collecting examples of the awful and even gawdawful names parents choose for their offspring. Some are silly. Most are far too trendy. Others are so original that they're unoriginal. Then there are those that are just unspeakably bad. I feel so bad for kids today. The names on Diana's site could easily be construed as cruel and unusual punishment.
Posted by criminal at 10:49 PM | Comments (0)
girly-man
I know this sounds stupid....but I get really good customer service when someone thinks I'm a woman [Justin]
Posted by criminal at 04:57 PM | Comments (0)
I Want to Be a Pampered Chef
Joan's daughter, Bethany, is having a Pampered Chef party this Sunday. I've decided I want to go. I love the stuff in the catalog and have a few of their products already. (I can't say enough about their baking stones!) So I'll be heading over to Amy's on Sunday, then off to the party. Anything you want while I'm there?
Posted by criminal at 04:50 PM | Comments (0)
Books for Baby
We had another surprise party for Amy today. This time it was a gathering of library employees with a bunch of finger food. Because we're in a library, we figured the most appropriate gifts for the little Marr would be books. So everyone wrapped their favorite children's book and contributed to a Toys-R-Us gift certificate. We even managed not to give her any duplicates. I brought the Poky Little Puppy, my childhood favorite. I was glad to see that Beatrix Potter showed up in the basket as well - her stories and pictures are timeless.
Posted by criminal at 04:49 PM | Comments (1)
September 04, 2003
Kickoff
I know that the NFL is trying to attract a larger audience but do we really need an hour of pre-game performances? They're not even at the stadium, they're in the heart of Washington D.C. tearing it up with Good Charlotte, Britney Spears, Mary J. Blige, and Aerosmith. They'd be better off holding the actual kick-off at 8pm and skipping most of the antics. Show a few chearleader shots, a little bit of commentary, and head straight to the field because we've been waiting 7 months for this.
Posted by criminal at 08:52 PM | Comments (0)
Whoa
The President of WPI has officially announced that he will be retiring at the end of the academic year. I would like to note that Amy predicted the announcement (although she figured he'd do it at one of the major meetings, not via e-mail). This means big changes around here. The president and the staff that inevitably follow him really shape a University. I wonder who will replace him?
Posted by criminal at 04:14 PM | Comments (2)
September 02, 2003
Care Bear Stare
 | Friend Bear |
Posted by criminal at 11:05 PM | Comments (0)
How Poetic
My "artistic" friend Amy was finally published last week. Her work can be so magnetic...
Posted by criminal at 10:17 PM | Comments (2)