Thrusday Musings

You can tell its finals and dead week coming up. The old blog is dead.

Kansas City, here we come. Can't wait to sit out in a football game for 4 hours in 20-degree temperatures. Weather forecast right now is for 8-12 incehs of snow between no and midnight down there. It may be a fun drive.

My two stupid, waste of time, classes will be meeting for the last time on Monday and Tuesday next week. I have pepers due in both, and then a tkae home test due next Friday, then I am done. Whee. Two more semesters.

Is it possible to have Senior-itis if you are a grad student?

I wish other graduate majors were like the medical majors. I'd much rather be out there "doing things" for class instead of studying theory in a classroom.

I got a new cell phone. I think I am in love again.

Here is an SAT analogy for you. Shoes are to girls as _______ are to boys.
a) socks
b) technology toys
c) BBQ ribs
d) sports on tv
e) beer
f) all of the above

Don't you hate it when you sleep on your neck funny? It throws off my whole day.

Why are cats so scared of vacuums? I vacuum and the cat hides under the couch for two hours following. Why?

For Julie:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20061128/sc_livescience/newadvicedontsitupstraight

Speaking of shoes ...

beautiful, isn't it?

Funny DUI

There you go Julie.

http://www.bestwebatlanta.com/humor/humor_dui_stop_of_champion_dancer.shtml

Thursday Musings

Sorry I didn't get to this earlier...had a grandparent in the hospital briefly, a load of homework and a bad headache last night. Also writing from class. Wireless internet rules. I am a bad role model

• Shoes. I don't get women in shoes. Guys just don't get into these things. We just want something that doesn't look stupid and is comfortable. We don't get shoes as a fashion statement, accessory or highlight of an outfit. Don't try to explain it to us. Don't expect us to eventually "get it" because we won't.
• That said, oh my god -- I just got the most comfortable pair of shoes. They are
  my first pair of Sketchers called "comfort walkers" and I am in love. If I am to marry my new dishwasher, then these shoes will be the maid of honor. So soft, so comfortable, and in a style that looks OK for work and for casual. I am in love.
• No bitching about classes this week. Too many papers. Glad I only have two semesters of this crap after this month.
• Markets are looking good for an end of year rally. Buckle, A&F and a few others all beat estimates, so that's super going into the holiday season as long as oil stays down. European emerging markets took a bath, though.
• Sesame seeds -- how worthless they are until you get one stuck in your teeth and then it cracks open. Talk about a flavor explosion
• If I were a senator, I woul dformulate a bill that makes it illegal for relatives and friends to ask for Christmas ideas before thanksgiving. I woudl also make it illegal to play Christmas music before this date, have store decorations or hang lights at homes. I have spoken.

Hope you enjoy!

I found these posters at www.despair.com. There are some good ones, so check it out!

Movie Magic

Just reminding everyone that on November 17th the new James Bond film comes out. I'm really excited to see how this one turns out.

Trailer:
http://movies.yahoo.com/mv/mf/frame?theme=minfo&lid=wmv-300-p.1481640-172499,wmv-700-p.1481641-172499,wmv-1000-p.1481642-172499,wmv-56-p.1481638-172499,wmv-100-p.1481639-172499,wmv-28-p.1481638-172499&id=1808476050&f=1808476050&mspid=0&type=t

an excellent procrastination webpage

jackson pollock

click your mouse to change colors.

guess what?

i learned about ear wax today.

A Strange YouTube Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BS6xcmwFU2w

Chefs' opinions needed

What are your thoughts about rice cookers? Essential, or just another appliance that takes up precious storage space?

I'm trying to decide whether to put it on my Christmas list ...

travels?

I'm suddenly in the mood again to go to Paris. Hayley, come with me? Someday at least? We'll go in the summer when Paris people travel and put they're apartments up for rent for a couple weeks - we'd be in the center of life and have an AMAZING time. My summer nanny employers have all the info we'd need to go. What year do you graduate? If we could graduate the same year, we could not start working until after a trip. Yay for quality time plans...

Paul's take on the midterm elections?

I'm jazzed that I doubled the number of registered Independant candidates in the House!

From the Daily Show:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1FcZJqqA2AI

Monday Musings

Sorry, double post.

Monday Musings

- Salad is not lunch. I had a lunch meeting today where they served a salad. Like two small chunks of chicken and artichoke hearts. I ate those, but that is NOT a meal.

- Why do toenails get so thick?

- Grad school still sucks, but in the "do-nothing" marketing class, the professor jsut gave up. Yeah....she was supposed to have a guest speaker nesxt week and forgot, so no class. The next week, we have a take home test and don't have to show for class. The following week is "optional group meeting time." Then we are into presentations and finals week. Whee -- jump through hoops and learn nothing new. Grad school. Boooo.

- I love trail mix.

- I make a very good Zach Morris.

- Ok, so doctors, nurses and pharmacists -- what makes ear wax? Seriously, what is that stuff?

- So I got a new parking pass as part of a promotion. I get to park right outside our building. Well, today was the secodn day I could use it and both times, I've walked three blocks to the old lot after work before I remember I get to park at my building now. Old habits are heard to kill I guess.

Peace out players.

To quote Stephanie Judith Tanner ...

How rude!

Is it just me, or are people becoming increasingly rude and inconsiderate? Earlier this week, Andy's aunt asked him if he could get her football tickets for Saturday. Thinking he was doing her a favor, he agreed. Today he found out that his aunt didn't want them, her friend did. A little annoying, but no big whoop.

Auntie said her friend would come by this evening to pick up the tickets since he lives in Lincoln and she doesn't. Andy has homecoming events all this week, so I agreed to stay home and play ticketbroker.

This dude and his 3-year-old daughter didn't show up until 9:50. Is it just me, or is really cheeky to assume it's okay to show up at a stranger's house that late? I wouldn't think of inconveniencing someone I don't even know that late in the evening. At 9:50 on a weeknight, I want to be showered, pajama-ed, and watching a Scrubs re-run, not running a collection service. Don't even get me started on the fact that the 3-year-old was toddling around with Daddy instead of sleeping. What the hell happened to bedtime? At her age, we were probably in bed by 7:30.

Thanks to e-mail and cell phones and instant messaging, there's this assumption that everyone should be accessible 24/7. It's made people lazy, rude, and irresponsible, which doesn't bode well for our future.

Monday Musings

Grad school is a sham. Honestly, I'm sitting in on a basic lecture learning very little new material. Basically, it is 15 weeks of "jump through my hoops" and don't care what you learn because faculty at this level are more concerned with writing textbooks and doing ressearch. One year left until freedom.

I've made a decision. You know that set of friends Ashley and I always bitch about for ditching us, or putting us second. Well, I've decided this last weekend that this was the last straw and I'm going to try to talk to the guy about it this weekend while we're out with the guys. From the end of Ash & I, we consider the friendship pretty dead, so if I piss him off or offend him, nothing lost. But if I bring something up, maybe they will realize that they need to work to get our friendship back. At this point, there is nothing to lose and maybe a little something to gain back.

Japanese markets tanked over the weekend. Not sure what the emerging markets are going to do. Looks like real estate has officially gone bust. I have a few days off this week for vacation (I have banked too many hours and I lose them if I don't take them) so I'm going to research some nice index funds and probably an additional mutual fund to diversify our portfolio a bit....maybe go large cap?

I have decided I'm going to re-dedicate myself to my fitness routine. This summer, I was kick ass and only 5 lbs away from my target weight. Then I got lazy as school started again. Good news and bad news, at least with strength, not working out for three months, I have only lost about 20% of where I was at with weight and reps, and I've already got 10% of that back in a week.

Peace out players.

Old habits never die

When a situation goes terribly wrong, sometimes the only good thing about it is learning from your mistakes and not repeating them again.

I managed to do that pretty successfully for about four years, but in the last semester I’ve fallen back to my old ways. In college, I was one of those sickeningly hyper-involved/rah rah, yay university! people. I also was on the Dean's List and yadayadayada. I'm not saying this to brag. From my professors' point of view, I was the model student. But from my point of view, I was pretty miserable from trying to be "perfect."

I was so happy to graduate because I couldn't take it anymore. The "real world" looked so good in comparison to college. It was. I had a steady work schedule most of the year and I didn't join any clubs because I was burned out from being a do-gooder in high school and college.

All that changed this semester. I've started school again. My involvement in a certain volunteer group has become more than I can handle. People have asked me to serve on committees at work, and I've said yes. Add those things on top of being a married homeowner, and I have CAUTION: MAY DETONATE written all over me.

I can’t believe I'm in same place I was four years ago—stressed out, crabby, losing sleep, and wondering how I got myself into this mess. I swore that I'd learned from my mistakes in college and I wouldn't do that again.

I changed for a while, but at the end of the day, I guess I haven't changed that much. Where's the happy medium between being a slacker and being like my mother?

Influences

Ok, so.... Going to get a little deep since I haven't for a while. I've been thinking a lot about influences the last couple days. I had a really nice chat with my grandpa on Saturday night talking baseball. It's crazy, but I see more and more of myself in him, my dad and one of my uncles all the time.

And it really is amazing what great role models I've had. So maybe this is a love letter to them.

From my Grandma Washburn, I learned the value of education and heritage. She was a school teacher, and she had me all set to sset college on fire when I was like 6. Even though I lost her in 1994, she really had an impact on me in those area.

From my dad and Grandpa Washburn, I learned the family business -- bullshitting. Yup, being comfortable working a room, stepping out of my comfort zone and getting to know people. I only wish I was better at public speaking.

From my Grandma Smollen, Grandma-in-law and Grandpa-in-law, I learned what love really is. To see the way these three people take/took care of their spouses as a caregiver, even if it ran them down to the point where it practically killed them. That is the ultimate in sacrificial love.

From my Grandpa Smollen, I have learned work ethic. Here's a guy that worked it in the navy and on the blue-collar factory line of the Falstaff Brewry. It makes me sad that he is getting some form of dementia and doesn't remember a whole lot, but I choose to remember him as the guy that showed me the value of hard work and having pride in your performance.

And of course, Eddie Vedder, who's music with Peral Jam got me away from Paula Abdul and my Nintendo and started getting me out there.

It's amazing that you don't realize the events and people that are shaping your life as it happens. But in retrospect, it is always a lot of fun to look back.

Ok enough deep stuff. Back to the Asian markets and stupid observations.

Box-office disappointment

Since I haven't jumped on the Netflix bandwagon like everyone else, I headed to Blockbuster on Friday night to rent The Producers and A Prairie Home Companion. I had been eagerly awaiting their arrival to DVD, and since The Breakup was out of stock, I figured what the heck? It'll be a musical weekend.

Eh. The Producers did not live up to the hype. It was only marginally funny, the storyline plodded along, and the cinematography left a lot to be desired. So sorry, Hayley, for a disappointing Friday movie night.

On Saturday night, we decided to watch A Prairie Home Companion. This is somewhat embarrassing to admit, but I'm probably Garrison Keillor's only fan that doesn't live in a retirement community. Anyhoo. PHC bombed too, despite having a ton of big-name actors and actresses. Maybe Keillor's sense of humor translates better in writing than on the big screen?

Help me, kids. I watch a lot more movies during the colder months, and I need some recommendations for next weekend.