holiday wrap up

Well, this is part of what I've been doing this week...here's some more evidence. Making cookies is exhausting, but of course I feel like it is my responsibility. Truffles, on the other hand, are totally easy in comparison. I should give up on cookies.

moments of awesomeness in the life of me

Some key moments during the past week that highlight how cool I am:

1. Falling off my chair in front of my students.
2. Getting my car stuck in the snow no less than two times on the unplowed residential streets by my school.
3. Taking a nap at a holiday party last night at the ungodly late hour of...12:45.


I am a champion. This winter break is truly needed.

my top songs of 2005

Let's get a few things straight before we get this party started. I did not buy an extraordinary amount of cds this year - probably about 10 total. And I was not disappointed by any of them. It's hard making a list of the best, especially since some songs seem to stick to me like glue for a few days, after which I get over them. So maybe this isn't the best, but a small sampling of some music I really liked over the past year. In chronological order of when they came into my life.

The Blow - Hey Boy
This is admittedly cheating - this song is actually from an album released in 2004, but I did not really hear and appreciate this song until early 2005. Dancy, poppy, and all too relateable, this song is the perfect "Learning to Be a Loser Theme Song" as Khaela herself calls it. I wrote more about it (and other songs like it) here, on my wordier, partially abandoned blog endeavor.

Sleater-Kinney - Jumpers
The first time I heard "The Fox", I found it really grating and I wasn't too excited about hearing the new Sleater-Kinney. But those girls turned me around in the end... The Woods is fabulous. Not to mention, seeing them live again this summer reminded me that they are the hottest band ever. Period. No argument. Were it possible, I would have 10,000 of their collective babies. But enough swooning! "Jumpers" always struck me as particularly haunting ever since I read the New Yorker article that inspired it. And I have still been somewhat obsessed with articles about suicide on the Golden Gate Bridge. I still often get chills when I listen to this one.

Hockey Night - For Guys' Eyes Only
I bought this cd right in the middle of the summer, and it pretty much exemplifies summer fun. It makes me want to clap my hands and jump around.

Sufjan Stevens - The Predatory Wasp of the Palisades is Out to Get Us!
Although the whole album is a gem, this song eventually stood out as the strong point for me. It's just so pretty and moving, the way it builds and falls continuously. And, I think it's cute that he sings about wearing legwarmers.

Fiona Apple - Parting Gift
I'm not sure how many times I played this in my car over and over again (back when I could), but it was enough to memorize it. Now that I'm driving in silence I still sing it because, baby, I've got it down.

The New Pornographers - Sing Me Spanish Techno
Yes, it's true, I have a huge weakness for finely crafted pop songs by bands that have multiple musicians who can shine on their own. I love that the lyrics are somewhat nonsensical, and yet everything about it works.

Best Pop Songs That I'm Not Going To Upload Because You Should Have Heard Them Already, Unless You Live In A Cave
Kelly Clarkson - Since U Been Gone

Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl
Yeah, that's right. It's good. Love the tubas.


Worst Pop Song of the Year (and quite possibly of all time)
Black Eyed Peas - My Humps
When I first heard this song completely with my sister I said, "This song is awful." She thought I was referring to the lyrics and the message, but I meant the actual song by itself. The beats are bad, the melody is non-existant, and listening to Fergie sing about her lady lumps is not at all cute or sexy in any way. I'm willing to look past bad lyrics if the song is good, but I cannot find anything good about this one.

give me everything i want

I LOVE THIS.

My thing with mp3 blogs is that I'm just not as music hyper as I was a few years back...I don't have the time or the energy to listen voraciously to everything new that comes my way. Hell, I have not had a stereo in my car for nearly SEVEN WEEKS. I got a 20 gig ipod and I only use it go running. Getting off track here... What I was trying to say is that I usually scan most mp3 blogs and download things that I've heard of before, and sometimes get around to actually listening to them. But this list, this is good. Taking the best of the year, and putting it into a giant downloadable mixcd or tape or whatever you want to call it. Maybe I'll make my own list...weekend goal.

Anyway, I want to do a lot of things that don't involve me sitting at a computer. I want to go running outside and not freeze or get snow and slush all over my shoes. I want to use big words confidently without checking their definitions first. I want to listen to NPR in my car instead of waking up to tales of Iraq every morning. I want to read for pleasure. I want to move into a new apartment without having to do any of the work. I want to sew a straight line and make things that look cute. I want to sleep. Right now, actually. G'night.

so, friendster.

I deleted myself from friendster a few months back, since it felt like virtual clutter - I never logged in anymore, my friends never logged in, and I just didn't care. I was on there today trying to find someone, and....wow. What the hell happened? First of all, it's funny that friendster is "the fun and safe way to stay connected with friends." Hey kids, it's safe! You won't get any diseases like you do from myspace! But, you can really tell it's safe because the whole site looks very...clean. A little too clean.

Ok, but that's not even the best part. What the hell is up with all the promotional pictures? Did they hire models or what? I decided to take the tour and was greatly amused.



Shiny happy people wearing gross shirts and outdated cargo pants are AWESOME! JOIN FRIENDSTER TODAY! BE CONSUMED WITH HAPPINESS!


These people are happy because the giant smiley faces aren't going to attack them. And again, the clothes. Birkenstocks and tie-dyed wrap skirts? What? MORE orange shirts? There's really zero hipster appeal in this picture, but maybe they already lost that demographic.


This is actually stock photography, it was originally used in an ad for Playtex tampons.


The flow chart is amazing. People go into him, and information comes out! He's like some kind of fantasy Human-processing machine that completely defies any and all technology to date. Whooaaa...on closer inspection, his right arm is MISSING. I guess that's one of the dangers of being a robot.

I've had enough for the night.

unreachable

I am sitting at home waiting for my sister to come home so I can borrow money to buy food and tea. Because I realized on the drive home that I had left my purse in my desk at school, something I knew was bound to happen eventually. I thought of turning that car around right then and there, but I also realized that I would be back at school in about 13 hours, and I can live without my cell phone and wallet for 13 hours. Also, that is super sad. My life is consumed with work right now. I should be working now, but screw it for the time being. Oh yes, and I do have food AND tea in the house, but I need to go to a coffee shop with paid wireless so I can actually get work done. Yeah, it's complicated.

The odd thing is, I actually have gotten used to my early waking hours. I sort of like my 6:15 am drive to work. It's so dark and quiet and peaceful. I still haven't gotten my stereo fixed so I sing and talk to myself and no one knows cause it's pitch black out!

Here's what I want, for now and the future:
-food
-my own place closer to work
-travel. Hopefully someplace domestic over spring break, and someplace foreign over the summer.

I'm gonna go dig around the house for money now.

the perfect breakfast

I have discovered the perfect Saturday morning/early afternoon breakfast. First, I put on a pot of tea. [Quick aside - I am stupidly attached to using the teapot my old roommate got me when it is actually quite slow at boiling water. I really should listen to this article, but like I said, stupidly attached.] Then, in one skillet, I start frying up some hash browns in oil. While these are all a sizzlin', I prepare my eggs (3 whites, 1 yolk, and milk, all scrambled with salt and pepper). I also shred some pepper jack cheese. When the hash browns are starting to brown, I start frying the scrambled eggs in butter. Now my tea is ready...so I get that good to go (milk and sugar, please). Now! The grand finale...since the hash browns are almost done, I put the scrambled eggs in the skillet with them, and then add the shredded cheese. I fry this for about a minute until it becomes a gooey, cheesey, eggy, hash-browny pile of goodness. Then I put it on a plate and add some ketchup, drink my tea, and read the paper. MMMM.

sing me spanish techno

Dear New Pornographers,

Please punish me for listening too long to one (your) song. Also, I hope you don't mind that I don't replace the stolen copy of your cd. Also! Please come back to Minneapolis like you're supposed to.

XOXO,
E

P.S. Threadless is having a sale and I have money but the site is soooooooooo slow right now. Boo.

fuel.

When I went to the coffee shop last Friday morning, it was far too early. I walked in before 6:30, and the cashier was impressively perky. Not annoyingly so...I was simply amazed at how awake she was considering she probably got there an hour or so earlier. As I waited for my white mocha to be made, the other girl working asked how I was. "Tired," I replied. She said that she was tired too, and we chatted idly while she topped my drink with whipped cream. After she put the lid on she picked up a couple of chocolate-covered espresso beans and placed them on top. "These will help keep you awake," she explained. It made my morning. I need to remind myself to remember things like this when I'm having trouble making it through the day.

too good to ignore

...Even with all the business. Here is Ted Leo rocking out with children. The cynic in me wants to say that they're actors, but I still love it.