December 23, 2003
Happy Holidays
I'll be off to Connecticut for Christmas with Jon's family this evening. On Thursday we're flying to Michigan to spend a week with my family. I'll be back in 2004! Until then, have a safe and happy holiday season.
Posted by criminal at 03:55 PM | Comments (0)
December 22, 2003
Congratulations
Since she has publicly announced it in her LiveJournal, I can tell you that my roommate Liz is officially engaged. It was only a matter of time.
Posted by criminal at 03:38 PM | Comments (2)
Pack It Up
My packages have all been mailed. Now I'm just trying to figure out which have arrived and which I need to bite my nails over. It doesn't help that FedEx's tracking is woefully behind. Either that or they've lost track of my package for 36 hours. My main concern now is packing my bags for the trip to Jon's parent's place and then home for a week. There are a lot of clothes and gifts to cram in my bags.
Posted by criminal at 11:10 AM | Comments (0)
December 19, 2003
A Cool Yule
You are 'Deck the Halls'!
Let's be honest, it isn't Christmas you are celebrating, is it? In fact, you know full well that there were no shepherds in the fields in December, and that the date of Christmas was put at midwinter specifically to coincide with the older celebrations of Yule and the birth of Mithras. An unashamed Pagan, you take great glee in the number of carols referring to holly, evergreens and Winter's end, and will sing them with gusto. You know where they really came from. And you do enjoy the seasonal celebrations, regardless of their name... A merry Yule to you!
What Christmas Carol Are You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Posted by criminal at 03:56 PM | Comments (4)
Friday Five for December 19, 2003
1. List your five favorite beverages.
- Vanilla Coke
- Wachussett Blueberry Ale
- Egg Nog
- Scarlett O'Hara
- Boston Cooler
2. List your five favorite websites.
3. List your five favorite snack foods.
- Sun Chips
- Orville Redenbacher's Microwave Kettle Corn
- Grandma's white cookies
- Cheetos
- Wheatables crackers
4. List your five favorite board and/or card games.
- Trivial Pursuit
- Euchre
- Scattergories
- Yahtzee
- Risk
5. List your five favorite computer and/or game system games.
I feel so unqualified to answer this question... I don't know if I've even played 5 computer/video games in my life. I guess I could say I enjoy Dr. Mario and Tetris.
Posted by criminal at 11:08 AM | Comments (0)
December 18, 2003
Damn The Man
I want to drop my car insurance. For the second month in a row they have messed up my automatic payment. The first month, I excused it because it could've easily been a mistake in my agent's paperwork (his handwriting wasn't the best). So I called and had them correct it -- even faxed them a new blank check and mailed my payment. Now I'm just upset. I'll be giving them another call in the morning.
Posted by criminal at 06:54 PM | Comments (0)
Nuked
My monster of a microwave nuked its last bowl of soup this evening. With a crackle and a puff of smoke, it gave up its ghost. It has been struggling to turn the carousel for nearly a month, but had seemed OK this week. I don't use it that often, so I should be ok until I get back from vacation. I'll just have to reheat things the old fashioned way.
Posted by criminal at 06:47 PM | Comments (1)
Ouch
As I lay on the sidewalk this morning watching snowflakes swirl from the sky, I cursed the warmth that had caused all those beautiful crystals to fall as rain the day before. Even with the amazing gription of my trail-runners and cautious steps, I was no match for the black ice on the sidewalk in front of my house. One moment I was walking on dry pavement, the next I was sprawled on my back and sliding down the slight incline of the sidewalk. Nothing is broken, but I'm really starting to feel it in my back and hip.
Posted by criminal at 09:50 AM | Comments (1)
December 17, 2003
Music Meme
I couldn't resist listing some of my favorite songs in this silly little meme... If you haven't heard any of these, let me know. I'll dig them out of my collection.
Reminds you of ex lovers:
Ani Difranco - Gravel
Warren G & Nate Dogg - Regulate
Cake - Let Me Go
Elliot Smith - Pitseleh
Joan Armatrading - The Weakness in Me
Makes you cry:
Counting Crows - Anna Begins
Nickel Creek - The Lighthouse's Tale
Jewel - Break Me
Makes you smile:
Cake - Stickshifts and Safetybelts
Beatles - Come Together
Makes you laugh:
Dixie Chicks - Goodbye Earl
Tom Waits - God's Away on Business
Frank Zappa - Titties n Beer
Phish - Scent of a Mule
You never want to hear again:
Celine Dion - My Heart Will Go On
Michael Bolton (and I mean anything by Michael Bolton)
Reminds you of your childhood:
Madonna - True Blue
Harry McLintock - Big Rock Candy Mountain
Starship - We Built This City
Sums up your teenage years:
Fiona Apple - A Mistake
Stevie Nicks/Dixie Chicks - Landslide
You want to get married to:
Ben Harper - Forever
Muse - Unintended
Alison Krauss - When You Say Nothing At All
Pearl Jam - Can't Help Falling in Love
You like to wake up to:
Dixie Chicks - Sin Wagon
Rolling Stones - Paint it Black
Queen - Fat Bottom Girls
You like to fall asleep to:
Live - Secret Samadhi
Beck - Sea Change
Nick Drake - Pink Moon
You like out of your parents record collection:
Beatles - Elenor Rigby
Willie Nelson - Mammas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys
Flesh & Bone - Skeleton Woman
India Arie - Video
You love but you wouldn't know about if it wasn't for a friend:
Nickel Creek - When You Come Back Down
Indigo Girls - Hope Alone
Save Ferris - Come On Eileen
Tori Amos - Tear in Your Hand
You love the video more than the tune:
Brad Paisley - Celebrity
Reminds you of your first crush:
Theme to I Dream of Genie
Ani Difranco - Untouchable Face
Beatles - Norwegian Wood
Makes you think of sex:
Dave Matthews Band - Crash
Fiona Apple - The First Taste
Makes you think of being alone:
Ani Difranco - Grey
Beck - The Golden Age
Fiona Apple - The Child Is Gone
Are (almost) embarassed to admit you like:
Kenny Rogers - The Gambler
You love to sing:
Jewel - Love Me, Just Leave Me Alone
Red Hot Chili Peppers - Under the Bridge
Laurie Lewis - Eight More Miles
Phish - Rift
Supertramp - Give a Little Bit
Posted by criminal at 06:28 PM | Comments (1)
Tricky Tia
I love my cat, but she's not going home with me for the holidays. To carry her onboard costs $80 each way. And that's only if they haven't reached the two-cat capacity for the flights. Considering my ticket was less than $250, $160 seems a bit steep for a 10-pound cat, even if she is likely to be a yowling freakshow. So I called Northwest to find out how much it would cost to check her as extra baggage. I figured it would be less expensive. Wrong -- they want $139 each way. So, anybody want to kittysit?
Posted by criminal at 09:30 AM | Comments (2)
December 16, 2003
Happy Medium
For the last few weeks its been quite cold in the office, hovering right around 60. Yesterday a few maintenance guys fixed it. Our vents started blowing heated air. When I got in this morning, it was 75. By the time we went to lunch, the temperature was up to 80. I'm hoping that the system is just warming up. After opening the doors, its down to 76. I can survive this (at least if I'm not tired), but I just wish we could find a happy medium.
Posted by criminal at 04:44 PM | Comments (0)
December 15, 2003
Fab Five
You are Kyan!
Which of the Fab Five are you?
brought to you by Quizilla
More about Queer Eye for the Straight Guy...
Posted by criminal at 11:14 PM | Comments (1)
December 12, 2003
Happy Birthday Boobies!
My boobs turned one today. Yay! For those not in the know, I had breast reduction surgery one year ago today. I don't regret it for a moment -- it was probably one of the best things I've done in my life. I can't say that they inspired me to lose weight (I've gained more than enough back) but they have made my everyday life much easier. In fact, I'd say that they made me perfectly happy with my body as it was right after surgery. I'm no longer the girl with the gigantic boobs. I'm just Sarah. And I'm content with being me. Thanks to the ladies over at Breast Health Online for a wonderful boobday greeting and all of their support.
Posted by criminal at 11:24 PM | Comments (0)
Friday Five for December 12, 2003
1. Do you enjoy the cold weather and snow for the holidays? Hecks yeah! I love snow and cold weather, especially if I have a heated home and workplace to retreat to after long exposures.
2. What is your ideal holiday celebration? How, where, with whom would you celebrate to make things perfect? I really don't know. I imagine it would be having all of my family together, but that's really hard to do because there are so many of us.
3. Do you do have any holiday traditions? Christmas breakfast with my dad. Christmas Eve at Grandma Allen's (this year Christmas Day).
4. Do you do anything to help the needy? Not nearly as much as I would like to. We adopted children from WPI's giving tree this year instead of exchanging gifts in the office. It was loads more fun than just picking a movie off someone's Amazon wish list.
5. What one gift would you like for yourself? Being debtless. But that's an awfully big gift that I hope to give myself someday. Other than that, there's no one thing more important than another.
Posted by criminal at 05:30 PM | Comments (0)
December 09, 2003
Paperwhites
My paperwhites have started blooming. I started forcing them nearly a month ago. Today I noticed that one tiny white blossom has opened. I expect to see a few more before the end of the week. It was so easy that it makes me want to try forcing other flowers.
Posted by criminal at 11:40 PM | Comments (5)
Cold Feet
Every day I find myself becoming more and more like my mother. Lately it has been my inability to heat my toes, even in warm shoes and boots. I always laughed at her, but now I'm feeling the pain. Its ridiculous.
Posted by criminal at 10:37 AM | Comments (4)
Winter Parking Blues
For the second morning in a row, I haven't been able to find parking at or near WPI. Yesterday I arrived just a few minutes after 9 and spent an hour cruising the neighborhood. The Worcester and WPI police were ticketing in force, protecting the Winter Bans on the main and side streets, essentially removing hundreds of parking spaces. I went home for the morning and returned at lunch to find a lucky spot. Today I arrived more than a few minutes before 9. I checked each of the lots before deciding to resort to curb-side parking, which had filled up while I turned around to take advantage of it. There are so many people parked illegally that it is dangerous to enter and exit all of WPI's parking lots and most of the surrounding streets. I will not park in a way that hinders traffic or could be detrimental to my own car. This morning, I gave up and parked at the Worcester Art Museum after nearly and hour and a half. I am terribly uncomfortable with this, but its not as bad as having to take a "parking day." It would be so much easier to walk the three miles to work in the morning and probably less stressful. I don't like being an hour-and-a-half late when I have more than 80 hours of work to do this week on top of grad class projects. I just can't afford it and the stress. Let's hope I can find a spot after my doctor's appointment this afternoon.
Posted by criminal at 10:33 AM | Comments (1)
December 07, 2003
Snow, Glorious Snow
We finally got it. When I went to bed last night we only had about 6" of snow -- nowhere near the 16-24" accumulation that the weathermen predicted. While its hard to tell just how much we got because of all the drifting, I'd say its about 14" so far. And its still snowing.
Posted by criminal at 09:10 AM | Comments (2)
December 05, 2003
No Friday Five
Once again, there's no Friday Five. Instead of making up my own this time, I've decided to do the Things in Threes Meme that keeps popping up (particularly in Amy and Jami's LiveJournals).
THREE THINGS THAT SCARE ME
- Stairs, ladders, escalators and all other manners of conveyance that could increase (and therefore quickly decrease) my altitude. But not heights themselves.
- Fish. All kinds of ugly fish.
- American arrogance. The anger and fear it incites the rest of the world is a real threat.
THREE THINGS I DON'T UNDERSTAND
- String Theory.
- Academic politics.
- People who go to holidays sales and get physically upset when they have to wait in line for an amazing deal.
THREE THINGS I AM WEARING RIGHT NOW
- Black turtleneck sweater.
- Victoria's Secret bra.
- Pink ribbon bow belt.
THREE THINGS ON MY DESK
- Pumpkin lotion.
- To do list.
- Stack of CDs.
THREE THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE
- Feel stable and secure.
- Raise children.
- Teach.
THREE GOOD WAYS TO DESCRIBE MY PERSONALITY
- Nuturing.
- Laid-back.
- Patient.
THREE BAD THINGS ABOUT MY PERSONALITY
- Depressive tendancies.
- Procrastination.
- No sense of time.
THREE PARTS OF MY HERITAGE
- German.
- Native American.
- Russian.
THREE THINGS I LIKE ABOUT MY BODY
- Eyes.
- Strength (and incredible strength potential).
- Flexibility.
THREE THINGS I DON'T LIKE ABOUT MY BODY
- Dwindling muscle tone.
- Thinning hair.
- Big feet.
THREE THINGS MOST PEOPLE DON'T KNOW ABOUT ME
THREE THINGS I SAY THE MOST
- Shit
- No
- Hold on...
THREE PLACES I WANT TO GO
- Russia
- Alaska (again)
- Nova Scotia
THREE NAMES THAT I GO BY
- Sarah
- Sarah Beth
- Rah
THREE SCREEN NAMES I HAVE HAD
- parzlee
- sthemm
- SheRa
Posted by criminal at 11:31 AM | Comments (0)
Feels Like Winter
The office has a definite chill today. Even my keyboard is cold to the touch. I'm amazed at the difference in comfort that five degrees makes. If it were 66, we probably wouldn't even notice the cold outside, but drop it five degrees and add a windchill from the vents and you're talking about some seriously unproductive indoor weather. On the plus side, we're going to get our first major snow event of the season tomorrow. I'll have to run out and stock up on supplies so that Jon and I won't have to worry about venturing out for anything but fun.
Posted by criminal at 10:32 AM | Comments (0)
December 04, 2003
Limit 24 Per Customer
There just isn't enough time in the day. I have an entire list of projects that need to be done, but I can't ever make much progress on them because new small fixes and updates keep popping up. Add to that illness, doctor's appointments, and lack of parking and you get what feels like a mess. I'm having to tell people that their projects and needs, no matter how important, have to wait a few days because there are other just as important projects that have been waiting weeks to get done. What do you do when you're adding things to the list twice as fast as you can cross them off?
Posted by criminal at 04:30 PM | Comments (1)
December 03, 2003
Pampered Pups
I love my pets, but there it only goes so far. I refuse to pay more for their clothes than I do for my own. I understand the need for dog sweaters -- some of those poor animals just aren't meant to live in the climates we do -- but this is a bit too far.
Posted by criminal at 11:22 PM | Comments (2)
Think Before You Pink
I was oh so tempted in the cereal aisle earlier this week. A box promised to send me a pink ribbon pin supporting breast cancer education and research if I'd just send them two box tops and a $5 donation. The two boxes were almost in my cart when I realized that I'd just fallen victim to a marketing ploy. I already had a box of the cereal in my cupboard and hadn't intended to buy more. I just wanted a pretty pin to say that I donated to the cause. The cause was there, but I was doing more than giving, I was buying things I didn't really need. Mailing my $5 donation directly to the non-profits would probably be more beneficial. And I wouldn't feel so duped, because you need to think before you pink.
Posted by criminal at 02:56 PM | Comments (0)
December 02, 2003
Flurries
It snowed this morning. Just enough to coat everything and make the roads slickery. It makes me want to listen to Christmas music and watch football.
Posted by criminal at 11:16 AM | Comments (1)
December 01, 2003
State of Mind
Oregon is a nice place, isn't it? Yes, it is. You
should live there. So should I. As of now
it's not crowded, but you never know.
What State Is Perfect For You?
brought to you by Quizilla
Posted by criminal at 10:37 PM | Comments (1)
Teaching Test
One of our projects in Managing Creativity is to read a book and teach it to the class in a 45-minute lesson. I have to teach on Wednesday. My book is Creativity in Context by Teresa Amabile, which is an update to an older book called The Social Psychology of Creativity. It's over 300 page of dense academic material. A bit intimidating to say the least... Maybe I should've picked this book instead.
Posted by criminal at 06:38 PM | Comments (0)
Friday Five for November 28, 2003
1. Do you like to shop? Why or why not? I sure do. I'm a big fan of using all of my senses and shopping lets me do that. There's something comforting about the aisles of varied colors, textures, and scents. Unless of course I need something specific: then I hate shopping because I rarely find what I'm looking for.
2. What was the last thing you purchased? Aside from my lunch today? I stopped to get stamps from the local post office this morning.
3. Do you prefer shopping online or at an actual store? Why? See #1.
4. Did you get an allowance as a child? How much was it? I really don't remember. I think we may have at one time, and there was always pocket change in the lunch money cup if I wanted a soda or snack after school.
5. What was the last thing you regret purchasing? A holiday themed candle ring from JoAnn's. I promised that I wouldn't buy anything for myself unless it fit into one of three specific categories: gift-making supplies, tree stuff (tree, topper, skirt), and household goods. It's pretty and wasn't expensive, but represents resources that I could've used to brighten someone else's day.
Posted by criminal at 04:17 PM | Comments (1)
Delightful Distractions
While you're waiting for me to write journal entries detailing my holiday weekend, amuse yourself with this interactive snowglobe. I recommend that you sit and watch it for a little while, then give it a good shake. Thanks to Troy for the link.
Posted by criminal at 03:35 PM | Comments (1)