Bon Voyage!

Chris and I are off!

After much stress about what to bring and what not to bring, packing and re-packing and freaking out (all on my part of course - Chris remained calm and organized :)) we are ready to go!

Hopefully I have all the papers and everything etc. etc.......

So - we're off to OH and KY. Off to the Cincinnati Zoo and Mammouth Cave! Off to visit good friends and family!

See ya'll in a week!

1776

Hmmm...I meant to have these pictures at the bottom but I can't make them get down there. So...these are just some shots taken from the Guthrie's windows. The building itself is incredible - like this massive puzzle with wierd unexpected twists and turns. And the views - as you can see are beautiful. Now if only I had Molly's camera to take the pictures with :)

Last night I ventured over to Minneapolis to see '1776' at The Guthrie.

I'm not a very eloquent writer. Not great at explaining the reasons why whenever (for the most part) I see a play - the beginning curtain lifts gives me goosebumps and makes my eyes smart. Why for hours afterwards I just feel so good....

The play was fantastic! It dealt with the Continental Congress in the days leading up to the signing of the Declaration of Independence. It seems like a pretty straightforward topic - but it wasn't - at least not for me.

You think you know the whole story - and the play didn't really diviate from any facts. It was extremely funny and witty. But two points had my eyes watering - something I hadn't really expecting seeing a play about our countries independence - something we celebrate with cookouts and fireworks.

The first time came when my friend Brian (my whole reason for going) closed the first act with his solo 'Mama Look Sharp' - a song that brought not only the gravity of that war but all wars to your heart. It was extremely poignant since the previous 2 hours of the play were filled with so much wit and humor. And I'd be saying this even if Brian wasn't a good friend - he was amazing! The boy can sing! I've only had the chance to hear him a few times and it always blows my mind! And to see him sing at the Guthrie - WOW. It was very cool.

The second time came at the end of the play (and I don't think I'm ruining anything by writing about it - at least I should hope not....). They had just passed the Declaration - and they were all heading up to sign it. Instead of it being a joyous celebration it was incredibly somber. You felt the weight of what they had just done - it was incredible. You saw these historical figures as actual human beings. It sounds silly to say - of course they were human - but history books have a way of glossing things up - making it all rosey. They don't give you any of the grit. It just brought the whole event into a new light - I can't really explain it. But it really stuck with me.

If you ever get a chance to see this play - GO!

Oh - and just in case you don't believe me - here are some reviews I found that do it much more justice than I.....

City Pages & How Was The Show

what a waste

this morning's topic: sprinklers

minnesota - up until this past weekend has had a scarce amount of rain. practically none. most people's (and i admire them) yards were dry and brown. then you had those people who had lush lush green lawns - sprinklers on at all hours - half of them watering the street and sidewalks. these people make me angry. especially the people who own a set of business spaces (that have yet to be occupied) across the street from me. their lawns are always (at least every time I've driven by - morning and night) getting watered! do they not understand the concept of conservation? to me - a watered lush green lawn amidst a drought does not make me think 'pretty' - it makes me think 'what assholes would waste water like that?'

but

this morning on the way to work i saw something that just dumbfounded me. since this past weekend we have been getting a lot of rain - things are getting green naturally! yay! that has not stopped the assholes mentioned above from continuing to water their lawns - while it's actually raining outside! honest to pete......

what a waste.

this. sucks. ass.

sick with allergies but still a

major dork

as the day progressed......

my eyes got worse.

my head felt like nothing it's felt before.

my stomach wanted to hurl.

in short - i felt like complete poop. although the opposite of complete poop would be...ish...why am i bothering to even speculate on such matters. i blame the allergies.

that's right - allergies. before i could even ask him (the pharmacist at Target) what he thought he told me i had allergies and to try clariton. which i did (target brand of course - much MUCH cheaper and way more meds!).

and suprisingly enough i'm starting to feel better. i no longer want to poke my eyes out with a fork.

i never understood this whole allergy thing. i thought people's eyes watered and they got the sniffles. i was wrong. this sucks ass. my head felt like nothing i've felt before - headachy/full/dulled. my eyes (or skin around them) were itchy/burning and nothing soothed them! i bought that eye mask and it just made them hurt more - that and it made my already sick stomach more sick with it's nasty plastic smell. ah well. i feel better now.

i just hope i don't feel like this all through vacation. hmph.

and i have no idea what i'm allergic to. it started about 2 months ago. something at work? something outside? who knows. and since my dumbass forgot to get insurance i won't find out for another...well...5 months.

gross - this is what my eyes looked like at work today

allergies?

do any of you out there suffer from allergies?

i never have. but lately my eyes have been getting all funky.....

the skin around the eyes gets pink or reddish, it sorta itches/sorta burns, it gets extremely dry and wrinkley looking, and the eyelids and upper eye puff up and swell (like i've been crying but i haven't been). sometimes it's just one or two of these symtoms but mostly it's all of them. my eyeballs themselves are just fine - not dry. not teary. not gunky. i also do not have any nose issues.

does this sound like allergies? it isn't consistent - sometimes it stays away for a week or more. sometimes it last for a few days. (this makes me think its not something i wear on my face - make-up or creams etc.)

what do you think?

i want nothing more than to furiously rub my eyes right now! they are all pink and are burning/itchy (but not dry today) and puffy. ugh. it sucks.

i'm sick of looking like i'm hungover or on drugs or just didn't get any sleep.

solutions?

(i've tried a cool damp cloth but sometimes that makes it burn even more!)

Could it be.......?

for some reason the gods have decided to smile upon me and let me post a blog! praise the lord and pass the ammunition!


it all started a few weeks ago. or was it a few ago. i'm not quite sure.....

when i started my job i had one computer (with two lovely screens). this computer belonged to the department upstairs* on the 3rd floor. that department was formerly in charge of my current position. that computer was wonderful. it was speedy. it was sleek. and most importantly - it had unrestricted internet access! then the department that is currently in charge of my position decided that i needed one of their computers. in came this dirty cream ancient peice of equipment - complete with leftover sticky globs from the last poor soul who used it. no parts of the computer matched. (i'm positive that they found them in some dark corner of the basement). not only was this computer unpleasent to look at it - it lacked speed. it also forbid me to check my e-mail and so forth. but as luck would have it - no one from upstairs came to claim the nice computer! so - although my desk was cramped with 3 monitors i was content.

then - a few weeks ago - the time came when the people upstairs ventured down to claim their property. it wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. one of my co-workers introduced me to crocheting and i love it! (not only that but i'm allowed to do it at work! - my boss's words - 'gotta do something to keep yourself from going insane') so i passed the time by reading and crocheting and other such things that one would normally not associate with having a job.....

a few days after this chris's computer died. we brought over my semi-new computer that had just been collecting dust at kristin's. it didn't work! we finally figured out it all out and got it running but the internet is SO FUCKING SLOW that it's not even worth your time to try using it. checking e-mail is a chore. and if by some miracle it lets me check - it won't let me respond. myspace is a fading memory. facebook has been nice but i never really use that account. blogging - again - not worth the time.

so - i've been going through a bit of internet withdrawl. but it appears as though i'm back (to the blogging world at least!)

i'm glad it (the computer) finally let me have access to the blogging world. i'm in that 'inbetween books stage'. i just finished Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi (litterally about 20 minutes ago) and am still thinking and digesting it (i'm not one to offer critics really. i'll either recommend the work or not. this is definitely one that i would recommend) i have another book to start but i'm just not ready yet.


chris and i leave for vacation in 4 days (not counting today). we've never taken a trip together and i'm excited to get away with him. to show him places from my childhood. to introduce him to family and friends. and of course - the zoo. for some reason i'm extremely excited to spend the day with him at the zoo. call me a dork :)

alright. i have more to say but it will have to wait. right now i'm ready to start the next book - The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood.




*this whole upstairs thing seems to confuse people. i had yet another person ask me if the 3rd floor was upstairs! really? how did you manage to get out of bed and even find your way here.....

Blurred Vision

You thought I was an idiot before - think again!

(i really need to work on getting more sleep. lack of it can cause the following....)

i wear contacts. i wear them daily. you'd think i'd be able to do it correctly. well....

this morning i put in the first contact. fine. i put in the second contact. fine. then it got extremely blurry. i took it out. then i noticed the other eye wasn't seeing correctly - it was all out of focus like there was no contact. i thought it had possibly rolled back - so i attempted to find it. i couldn't. i got nervous. then i realized that although i had taken out the second contact i could still see clearly out of that eye.

my dumbass put both contacts on ONE eyeball!

i've been wearing contacts for over a decade and have never done this. sigh...

On Second Thought.....

While it has been proven that I am an idiot....some people are....well...judge for yourself :)

(keep in mind that my desk is on the ground level)

Girl: 'How do I register for this class?'
Me: 'You'll want to head up to the 3rd floor and talk to ---'
Girl: 'Is that upstairs?'

Insurance Schminsurance!

there's no other way to put it.

i am an idiot.

i started my job the last week of May. I had until August 1st to sign up for health insurance (really good health insurance btw). Did I do this? Of course not! That would have required some amount of brain activity to occur.....

argh.

Having realized my ghastly error I attempted to call around and see if it were possible to get this problem fixed (it wasn't). This was frustrating - especially when you are talking to people who treat you like a moronic 2 year old. But...seeing as how this whole mess was my own doing...and seeing as how I did show the mental capabilities of a moronic 2 year old...I squashed any anger I felt (at least outwardly...I felt like CRAP on the inside...)

Then my co-worker came down to give me my break - I told her about my stupidity. She then provided me with glorious news - our place of employment is switching health care providers (to make it the same all across the board)! This change will take place January 1st and open enrollment will begin in October! I'll have insurance! Granted - I could have had it already but waiting 4 months is WAY better than waiting an entire year!

So - I'm relieved. Very relieved. And you best bet I won't be missing this new deadline!

Happy Birthday Aunt Fran!

Happy Birthday!

Friday was Fran's Birthday!

To celebrate I made a German Chocolate Cake. Then Nathan, Chris and I took her out to dinner at the Birchwood Cafe (very good!). It was nice evening. Good company. Good conversation. Good food. Good times :)

And here are some pictures from the evening....

and then there was 1

friday.

friday is nice. after 1pm both donation centers have closed and i'm usually left to my own devices. mainly listening to the radio (oooo! they are playing 'Have Mercy On Me' by Loretta Lynn - from Van Lear Rose - the album Jack White produced :)) and reading.

right now i'm reading Reading Lolita in Tehran. It's good thus far - especially having just finished Lolita. I've gained some more insight into Nabokov writing style and it's really very interesting....(although I could use some French lessons...)

it's still so surreal - having something like that happen so close to home. i haven't seen the site yet but will be heading over that way tomorrow. i just can't even begin to comprehend......

hmmm....not sure what to say after wondering down that path of thought.....

what do you say......

video of the collapse

Delores Haze

I just finished 'Lolita'

My first thoughts upon finishing it were that I would have to read it again at a later date. I think my preconceived notions about what the book was clouded my view...

Have you read this book? Are you more adept at explaining your thoughts than I am mine? What are your thoughts?