I called the DC Fire Marshall yesterday and lodged a formal complaint.
The good news is that they will be by the building sometime this week to investigate.
The bad news is that Anthony got locked in the vestibule again today. He was able to rouse our second-floor neighbor, Jackie, and get out of the building so no frantic 9-1-1 calls today. Good karma all around for Jackie! YAY!
Now if we could only get our slumlord to fix the door...
Wednesday, October 11, 2006
Tuesday, October 10, 2006
How my weekend totally rocked my socks off
What a long, long, LONG weekend.
To make it easier on me and my fried little brain, I’ll do the walnut summary:
Friday. Mel arrived after Andrew invaded and ate all my dinner.
Saturday. It dawned rainy and cool, but Mel and I drove out to butt-f@#k nowhere in Maryland to get apples and pumpkins. I drove through TWO red lights in a magically ri-donk-ulous rotary on the way there. Mel declared us “city hicks.” We bought apples, pumpkins, honey, and potpourri – and then enjoyed our dirt path back to the highway (yay Bubba Blue!). Lunch was cheesesteaks and I got to watch Mel suck the potato filling out of her entire order of French fries (I would tell you why she was doing that, but I don’t need a slap upside the head, thank you very much).
Martha’s plane was late due to a leaky bathroom, so Eric, Mel and Andrew went to meet the crew at Buca di Beppo without us. Martha, Anthony and I were only an hour late, but hardly missed anything. There was wine chugging, a bachelorette party that invited Eric to ogle their breasts (“to guess their bra size,” he says), Kevin’s threat of sticking his woo-wah in Anthony’s wah-hoo, and a hearty sing-along including such classics as “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “You give love a bad name,” and “Shut your fucking face, page-fucker!”
The Quaker Three-Way was officially held at Buffalo Billiards, where we crowned the birthday three (Mel with a tiara, Jeff with a goofy bat, and Andrew with a pimp hat). We met Andrew’s business school friends (although I didn’t get to meet the twins!) who introduced me to the WORST IDEA on the planet: drinking Patron. This inspired me to rekindle my old flame with Eric – the bartender who served me to the point of puking last year. Although this year I was that much more of a treat (and you didn’t think it was possible!), forcing the boys to kiss my cheek and convincing utter strangers to buy me drinks. In the end, Eric and I did a swell job of holding the bar firmly against the floor.
Sunday. A massive hangover. I puked three times (damn you, Patron!) and swore off alcohol for life – AGAIN. It was absolutely miserable. But, as Mel says, I rallied and Martha Stewart-ed my way through an evening of entertaining. Dinner for the girls, dessert of edible pumpkin and baked apples for all. Martha, Andrew, Jeff, Eric, Mel and I did some serious couching while reminiscing about our good old days at Penn.
Monday. I think I saw the sun rise. I made apple pancakes and homemade whipped cream for Martha and Mel, and drove Mel to Union Station to catch her train. Martha visited other friends while I did my homework. Andrew, Jeff, (Jeff’s roommate) Andrew, Anthony, Martha, Eric, Marilyn and I met up at Fado for Quizzo. I believe we (and by “we,” I mean “Page Fuckers” – gotta love the continuity) came in fifth out of 36 or 37, but I think we would have done better if there were any more John Holmes questions. Anthony is still kicking himself for the Pink Floyd question he had right and then made us change to the wrong answer. Andrew provided the Swedish fish so we all went home happy.
Tuesday. We leave Martha alone in the house to finish packing and when she goes to leave, she gets locked in the vestibule. She can’t reach me so she dials 911. Eventually, the firemen come to let her out and ring doorbells until my groggy neighbor Tim comes down in his pajamas to free her. This inspires me to finally call the DC Fire Marshall’s office and lodge an official complaint. I’ll tell you if anything comes out of this.
Wednesday (I'm forecasting here). Pictures forthcoming.
To make it easier on me and my fried little brain, I’ll do the walnut summary:
Friday. Mel arrived after Andrew invaded and ate all my dinner.
Saturday. It dawned rainy and cool, but Mel and I drove out to butt-f@#k nowhere in Maryland to get apples and pumpkins. I drove through TWO red lights in a magically ri-donk-ulous rotary on the way there. Mel declared us “city hicks.” We bought apples, pumpkins, honey, and potpourri – and then enjoyed our dirt path back to the highway (yay Bubba Blue!). Lunch was cheesesteaks and I got to watch Mel suck the potato filling out of her entire order of French fries (I would tell you why she was doing that, but I don’t need a slap upside the head, thank you very much).
Martha’s plane was late due to a leaky bathroom, so Eric, Mel and Andrew went to meet the crew at Buca di Beppo without us. Martha, Anthony and I were only an hour late, but hardly missed anything. There was wine chugging, a bachelorette party that invited Eric to ogle their breasts (“to guess their bra size,” he says), Kevin’s threat of sticking his woo-wah in Anthony’s wah-hoo, and a hearty sing-along including such classics as “Pour Some Sugar on Me,” “You give love a bad name,” and “Shut your fucking face, page-fucker!”
The Quaker Three-Way was officially held at Buffalo Billiards, where we crowned the birthday three (Mel with a tiara, Jeff with a goofy bat, and Andrew with a pimp hat). We met Andrew’s business school friends (although I didn’t get to meet the twins!) who introduced me to the WORST IDEA on the planet: drinking Patron. This inspired me to rekindle my old flame with Eric – the bartender who served me to the point of puking last year. Although this year I was that much more of a treat (and you didn’t think it was possible!), forcing the boys to kiss my cheek and convincing utter strangers to buy me drinks. In the end, Eric and I did a swell job of holding the bar firmly against the floor.
Sunday. A massive hangover. I puked three times (damn you, Patron!) and swore off alcohol for life – AGAIN. It was absolutely miserable. But, as Mel says, I rallied and Martha Stewart-ed my way through an evening of entertaining. Dinner for the girls, dessert of edible pumpkin and baked apples for all. Martha, Andrew, Jeff, Eric, Mel and I did some serious couching while reminiscing about our good old days at Penn.
Monday. I think I saw the sun rise. I made apple pancakes and homemade whipped cream for Martha and Mel, and drove Mel to Union Station to catch her train. Martha visited other friends while I did my homework. Andrew, Jeff, (Jeff’s roommate) Andrew, Anthony, Martha, Eric, Marilyn and I met up at Fado for Quizzo. I believe we (and by “we,” I mean “Page Fuckers” – gotta love the continuity) came in fifth out of 36 or 37, but I think we would have done better if there were any more John Holmes questions. Anthony is still kicking himself for the Pink Floyd question he had right and then made us change to the wrong answer. Andrew provided the Swedish fish so we all went home happy.
Tuesday. We leave Martha alone in the house to finish packing and when she goes to leave, she gets locked in the vestibule. She can’t reach me so she dials 911. Eventually, the firemen come to let her out and ring doorbells until my groggy neighbor Tim comes down in his pajamas to free her. This inspires me to finally call the DC Fire Marshall’s office and lodge an official complaint. I’ll tell you if anything comes out of this.
Wednesday (I'm forecasting here). Pictures forthcoming.
Friday, October 06, 2006
More Darwin, more of the time
For those of you who just can't get enough of our tender-hearted friend from the U.K., more pictures from his wedding can be found here. For your utter amusement , there you will also find less-than-fabulous pictures of yours truly.
Random thoughts
1. I pay what I consider a large sum of money to attend graduate school. Since the financial burden is totally mine, I am invested in every minute of classroom instruction. Therefore, it really irks my craw when my fellow students start packing up their books a few minutes before the class ends, thereby disturbing the professor's concentration and cutting class short. What is the pressing need, folks?
2. There is something strange about DC drivers. I’m an avid jaywalker and I learned much of my technique on the wild streets of Manhattan. This means that I am quite adept at judging the traffic flows so I can cross safely. So why is it that when a long line of cars is passing and I start walking out in the street, timing my cross to hit the lane of traffic just when the last car finishes passing by, that the LAST IDIOT in the line of cars decides to slow down or stop because I am in the road? (Maybe more to the point, why is it that I am so friggin’ neurotic that this incidence actually causes my blood pressure to raise significantly?)
3. And while we’re talking about DC people, I need to comment on the subway travelers. These people really need to take note: do NOT cut me off and then slow down. Do NOT wander aimlessly on the platform and effectively cut off all foot traffic – some of us need to actually GET SOME PLACE. Do NOT stand to the left on the escalator – it makes you look like a tourist, and EVERYone hates tourists (I’m also trying to catch my train) – the right hand side is for your unmotivated arse. Do NOT bum-rush the train as soon as the doors open – people are trying to get out. And last but not least, do NOT block the doorway and then get your panties all in a wad because I take my New York-acquired attitude and slam it right into your body so I can get on/off the train.
4. This is beginning to remind me of Ben’s freshman year “Bitch List.” Oh, how I miss Ben’s “Bitch List.”
5. This is also reminding me that I really need to learn how to take it easy. I can physically feel an ulcer forming when some stranger does something really small and trivial that pisses me off. Anthony just laughs at me and all my frustrated, but successfully restrained, bouts of anger (which of course, makes me even angrier). He thinks I’m ridiculous and I rather agree. Unfortunately, that doesn’t do a damn thing for this ulcer I’m workin’ on…
6. Gilmore Girls. This is my new saving grace during the semester. I will work a solid 6 hours on homework if I promise myself I can watch an episode when I’m done. It’s THAT good, folks.
7. I went to an information session for the Masters International Program at GMU last night. One of my professors is the President of the National Peace Corps Association so the school took advantage of that and asked him to talk to students interested in the program. In any case, it was a great reminder about why I signed on to this program in the first place. I am really excited about traveling and living abroad, working on issues of some significance. I am sure that other people have said it better, but I am really looking forward to carving out a career that enables me to directly help other people. It is my hope that this degree and my (potential) experience with Peace Corps will help me focus on a particular issue, but for now I am really enjoying learning more about the world around me and absorbing all the lessons I am taught in class. And although I am tired, cranky, and suffering from insomnia, I know that this will all be worth it in the end.
8. You know, I really miss my girls. All my life, I was convinced that I really got along better with guys, but now that I live in DC and none of my closest girl friends are near, I realize that the girls that I have known have been the best friends of my life. I miss tea breaks, sleepovers, small dinners, late night drinks and conversation, “runs” to Baskin Robbins, roadtrips…all the pieces of my life that color my happiest memories. So ladies, I am taking the time out to express my appreciation for the rewarding moments you’ve given to me. Thank you: Michelle, Christy, Katie (yo Petes!), Pookah, Mel, Martha, Joanna, Yael, Estee, Jenn, Apeface…you are the rockingest chicas on earth.
9. Andrew is loving this right now. All these lovely, itemized thoughts… How’s your OCD enjoying my ode to its limitless stores of neuroses, Masshole?
10. Ever have those moments when the amount of knowledge you DON’T have really starts to overwhelm you? When you feel like you need to keep reading in order to make a dent in it all? Some days I feel like I am so far behind my peers in terms of knowledge of worldly affairs, and that this will somehow correlate to me not getting into a career that I will love – as if I can’t attain job satisfaction because no one will hire me because I don’t know the exact year the last war in Rwanda broke out. I know, it’s absolutely crazy, and probably makes less sense on paper than it does in my head, but I keep searching for more articles, more journals, more think tanks – as if somehow all that knowledge, if I could only memorize the facts and figures and spout it all out at the right moments, would bring me to the right place, at the right time, with the right people, and determine the rest of my professional life.
I know, I know. I’m totally weird. (And Andrew is right now telepathically sending me this message: “RELAX. Jeez!”) But I can’t help thinking that I should be much farther along in my career of choice than I am, that I should have more of the answers, that this isn’t the end of the road for me – there’s something more, if only I could grasp at the right straws…
I don’t know. Life is all sorts of insane like that.
2. There is something strange about DC drivers. I’m an avid jaywalker and I learned much of my technique on the wild streets of Manhattan. This means that I am quite adept at judging the traffic flows so I can cross safely. So why is it that when a long line of cars is passing and I start walking out in the street, timing my cross to hit the lane of traffic just when the last car finishes passing by, that the LAST IDIOT in the line of cars decides to slow down or stop because I am in the road? (Maybe more to the point, why is it that I am so friggin’ neurotic that this incidence actually causes my blood pressure to raise significantly?)
3. And while we’re talking about DC people, I need to comment on the subway travelers. These people really need to take note: do NOT cut me off and then slow down. Do NOT wander aimlessly on the platform and effectively cut off all foot traffic – some of us need to actually GET SOME PLACE. Do NOT stand to the left on the escalator – it makes you look like a tourist, and EVERYone hates tourists (I’m also trying to catch my train) – the right hand side is for your unmotivated arse. Do NOT bum-rush the train as soon as the doors open – people are trying to get out. And last but not least, do NOT block the doorway and then get your panties all in a wad because I take my New York-acquired attitude and slam it right into your body so I can get on/off the train.
4. This is beginning to remind me of Ben’s freshman year “Bitch List.” Oh, how I miss Ben’s “Bitch List.”
5. This is also reminding me that I really need to learn how to take it easy. I can physically feel an ulcer forming when some stranger does something really small and trivial that pisses me off. Anthony just laughs at me and all my frustrated, but successfully restrained, bouts of anger (which of course, makes me even angrier). He thinks I’m ridiculous and I rather agree. Unfortunately, that doesn’t do a damn thing for this ulcer I’m workin’ on…
6. Gilmore Girls. This is my new saving grace during the semester. I will work a solid 6 hours on homework if I promise myself I can watch an episode when I’m done. It’s THAT good, folks.
7. I went to an information session for the Masters International Program at GMU last night. One of my professors is the President of the National Peace Corps Association so the school took advantage of that and asked him to talk to students interested in the program. In any case, it was a great reminder about why I signed on to this program in the first place. I am really excited about traveling and living abroad, working on issues of some significance. I am sure that other people have said it better, but I am really looking forward to carving out a career that enables me to directly help other people. It is my hope that this degree and my (potential) experience with Peace Corps will help me focus on a particular issue, but for now I am really enjoying learning more about the world around me and absorbing all the lessons I am taught in class. And although I am tired, cranky, and suffering from insomnia, I know that this will all be worth it in the end.
8. You know, I really miss my girls. All my life, I was convinced that I really got along better with guys, but now that I live in DC and none of my closest girl friends are near, I realize that the girls that I have known have been the best friends of my life. I miss tea breaks, sleepovers, small dinners, late night drinks and conversation, “runs” to Baskin Robbins, roadtrips…all the pieces of my life that color my happiest memories. So ladies, I am taking the time out to express my appreciation for the rewarding moments you’ve given to me. Thank you: Michelle, Christy, Katie (yo Petes!), Pookah, Mel, Martha, Joanna, Yael, Estee, Jenn, Apeface…you are the rockingest chicas on earth.
9. Andrew is loving this right now. All these lovely, itemized thoughts… How’s your OCD enjoying my ode to its limitless stores of neuroses, Masshole?
10. Ever have those moments when the amount of knowledge you DON’T have really starts to overwhelm you? When you feel like you need to keep reading in order to make a dent in it all? Some days I feel like I am so far behind my peers in terms of knowledge of worldly affairs, and that this will somehow correlate to me not getting into a career that I will love – as if I can’t attain job satisfaction because no one will hire me because I don’t know the exact year the last war in Rwanda broke out. I know, it’s absolutely crazy, and probably makes less sense on paper than it does in my head, but I keep searching for more articles, more journals, more think tanks – as if somehow all that knowledge, if I could only memorize the facts and figures and spout it all out at the right moments, would bring me to the right place, at the right time, with the right people, and determine the rest of my professional life.
I know, I know. I’m totally weird. (And Andrew is right now telepathically sending me this message: “RELAX. Jeez!”) But I can’t help thinking that I should be much farther along in my career of choice than I am, that I should have more of the answers, that this isn’t the end of the road for me – there’s something more, if only I could grasp at the right straws…
I don’t know. Life is all sorts of insane like that.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
10 reasons why I dislike my slumlord profusely
These are in no particular order:
10. In the middle of the summer, he finally determined that our window air conditioners don't work but he put off buying a new one until next year because he didn't like the available selection at the store.
9. He refused to fix the heat so it works, but suggested I "just" run down to the hardware store and pick up a 'key' to bleed our radiators.
8. Did I mention that the heating unit and control for the whole building is located in another tenant's apartment?
7. He changed our apartment door locks without telling us, then didn't even have the key when I called to tell him I was locked out. Apparently, the contractor never gave him one.
6. I had TO PAY a locksmith $100 to get back into my apartment.
5. The one, lonely, solitary window in the bedroom is screwed shut. No air, no air, can't...breathe...
4. All the windows in the living room and a corner of the roof are leaking. His solution was to spackle the walls so that it didn't show anymore. Niiice.
3. I spent most of the past year trying to convince him that the building needed a new security door. When our building was broken into last month, he decided to replace the locks.
2. Those locks now require a key to get out of the building (um, can we say fire code violation?). Since the vestibule has two doors, one which is always locked on the inside, and the one with the new locks on the outside, you can actually get LOCKED IN THE VESTIBULE. Which is exactly what happened to Anthony last week when he took the dog for a walk but forgot his house keys. I had to leave work early to go let him out.
1. He's raising my rent. And he sucks.
10. In the middle of the summer, he finally determined that our window air conditioners don't work but he put off buying a new one until next year because he didn't like the available selection at the store.
9. He refused to fix the heat so it works, but suggested I "just" run down to the hardware store and pick up a 'key' to bleed our radiators.
8. Did I mention that the heating unit and control for the whole building is located in another tenant's apartment?
7. He changed our apartment door locks without telling us, then didn't even have the key when I called to tell him I was locked out. Apparently, the contractor never gave him one.
6. I had TO PAY a locksmith $100 to get back into my apartment.
5. The one, lonely, solitary window in the bedroom is screwed shut. No air, no air, can't...breathe...
4. All the windows in the living room and a corner of the roof are leaking. His solution was to spackle the walls so that it didn't show anymore. Niiice.
3. I spent most of the past year trying to convince him that the building needed a new security door. When our building was broken into last month, he decided to replace the locks.
2. Those locks now require a key to get out of the building (um, can we say fire code violation?). Since the vestibule has two doors, one which is always locked on the inside, and the one with the new locks on the outside, you can actually get LOCKED IN THE VESTIBULE. Which is exactly what happened to Anthony last week when he took the dog for a walk but forgot his house keys. I had to leave work early to go let him out.
1. He's raising my rent. And he sucks.
Taking a quick break after a four hour meeting
I just endured one of the longest meetings ever, so I'm taking a break to post a meme from Rob's Blog.
[1] What is your middle name?McLean – from my grandmother’s last in a string of husbands, no less. Also known as “Grampie.” There is still no explanation forthcoming from my mother.
[2] What color is your mailbox?I don’t have one. There is a 1 ½ inch slot in my building’s front door. And if you really must know, it’s brass.
[3] Are you available?Um, not at the moment. I’m at work.
[4] Have you ever hit a deer?No, but I always wanted to… (SIKE!)
[5] Do you have to drive over a bridge to get home?I don’t drive home. I walk. Unless you’re talking about home squared, in which case I usually fly. In the case that I do drive to home squared, then yes, there are quite a few bridges to cross between DC and Massachusetts.
[6] Do you get the paper delivered to your house in the morning?I pick up The Express on my way into work every morning so I can read it while I’m hitting the stationary bike. I don’t have time for the longer papers (I haven’t learned how to skim), but if I did, I would subscribe to the New York Times. They’re the best.
[7] Who checks the mail in your house?Usually it’s me, but sometimes the other tenants in my building actually beat me home.
[8] Do you have a small driveway?No, I live in the city. I dream of a owning a driveway someday.
[9] Do you know anyone with the same ringtone as you?No. Most people want a ring tone that says something about who they are; I just use the loudest pre-programmed ring I can find that is actually so obnoxious that I’m embarrassed into answering the damn thing.
[10] What do you do first in the morning?1. Jackknife out of bed while simultaneously slamming the alarm into “off.” 2. Piddle. 3. Try not to trip over the cat, who is trying to simultaneously tell me to feed him and getting in my way. 4. Throw on gym clothes, attach a collar to my dog, and go out for a doggy piddle session. 5. Feed the damn cat to get him to shut up. 6. Grab my lunch, my gym bag, and hit the pavement to get to work.
[11] What brand is your printer?HP laserjet somethin’ somethin’ somethin’. I also have a photo printer, HP too I think.
[12] Do you enjoy fighting with people?I like to argue. Fight, not so much (you know I hate to overpower the little guy).
[13] Is your hair naturally straight or curly?Wavy. If it were curly, I wouldn’t wake up with half an afro every morning.
[14] Who was your kindergarten teacher?Mrs. Smail. At least, I think that’s how she spelled it.
[15] Was there a teacher you wanted to see naked?Absolutely not. Where do they hide all the hot teachers anyway?!!!
[16] Are you taller than your mother?Now I am. But that’s only because as she ages, she shrinks. She used to be 5’ 11”, but I’m about 5’ 10” and I’ve got a couple inches on her these days.
[17] Do you have a favorite word?Today’s word of the day is “smarmy.” Now go use it in a sentence.
[18] Are you God?It depends if you believe in Neale Donald Walsh’s concept of religion. I like the idea, but I’m not sure I believe it.
[19] What do you do to get over a broken heart?I am much too practical to let a broken heart get in the way of my life. You just keep living, and in time you heal, you grow, you move on.
[20] Do you have a deep dark secret?I’m sure I have several.
[21] What's the farthest away from home you've ever traveled?Egypt. I was in Cairo and Sharm el Sheikh in 2003 for the Middle East Peace Talks.
[22] Do you enjoy writing in colored pens?Not really.
[23] Does anything hurt on your body right now?I herniated a disk in my back a couple months ago and I am still experiencing sciatica.
[24] Do you often cry during a movie?ALL THE TIME. It’s pathetic, actually.
[25] Do you hate your life?I love it.
[26] Do you get mad easily?I have excellent self-control. It is the sole reason why there are so many surviving members of the human race.
[27] Where’s 27?What on earth does this mean?
[28] What is your biggest pet peeve?I am way too OCD and anal retentive to have just one. Basically, it is best just to stay out of my way.
[29] What is your away message?I don’t have one.
[30] Do any of your friends have kids?Yes, I have a fairy godchild through Christy whose name is Sarol, and I am Auntie Ryan to a lovely young boy named Jaden (son of Ty-Ty and Saleah). And someday, when she is old enough to talk, I will be Auntie Ryan to Hadar too! (Hi Mommy Yael!)
[31] How many pairs of shoes do you own?Probably about a dozen, two pairs of which I wear on a normal basis. I have a definite soft spot for “so ugly they’re pretty” shoes – the kind you find in L.L. Bean, totally comfy, totally woodsy, totally, wretchedly, clown-footedly ugly. LOVE ‘em.
[32] Who should pay on the first date?As progressive as I think I am, I love for the guy to pay. But I usually feel too guilty for that, and go dutch.
[33] How many years older than you are you willing to date?My last two boyfriends were a good 10 years older than me – I think that’s about my max.
[34] Do you have any friends?The best damn friends around!
[35] Do you have any mean friends?No. Why would you want to socialize with mean people?
[36] What is the ugliest color in your opinion?Black. Or maybe lilac – that pastel, purply, gooshy color.
[37] Have you ever liked someone who all your friends couldn't stand?I like all kinds of people – I’m sure there’s a few of them that may not get along.
[38] Have you ever felt like driving off a cliff, seriously?No.
[39] Ever had an enema?Yes. I feel like I need to explain myself here so you get this: my doctor made me do it before I went into surgery in December 2001. Apparently, when you have surgery (in this case, kidney surgery), they want to work with a clean system.
[40] Do you itch your ears?Only when they’re scratchy.
[41] Where were you on 9/11?University of Pennsylvania Archives. We had no t.v., so I didn’t know anything was happening until my boyfriend called. And then I really thought he was kidding.
[42] What brand are the pant/jeans you're wearing right now?Banana Republic – I work for the government, I have to be conservative!
[43] How tall are you?About 5’ 10”.
[44] What is the closest green object?The label on the bottle of Cetaphil lotion on my desk.
[45] What is on your feet?Knee-high nylons, and some conservative brown leather heels.
[46] Do you like watermelon?Absolutely.
[47] What do you want more than anything else in the world?Financial freedom coupled with eternal bliss. This easily translates into owning a comfortable home in the country, traveling and taking on new adventures on occasion, a marriage based on friendship, a fulfilling job….
Just a random comment on the home thought: I just started watching Gilmore Girls on DVD, and my idea of the perfect place to live is Stars Hollow, CT. That’s the kind of one-horse town a girl could really fall in love with…
[48] Do you want to have kids?I think Grace, Pookie and Anthony are enough, but we’ll see. Having children is important to Anthony and if this whole relationship heads where I think it’s heading, introducing a new little monster into this world is a distinct possibility.
[49] What is the brightest color you're wearing?An earthy green – my t-shirt.
[50] Who is the friend you have that you would never have expected to have gotten to know?I never would have “expected” any of my friends. I’m just lucky, I guess.
[51] What flavor was your last birthday cake?Birthdays were never a big deal in my house, so I honestly can’t remember what kind of cake I might have had. There was one year, however, that da’ Momma went all out and had someone bake me a Garfield cake – I believe it was chocolate. But the most important thing to remember is that I really love ICE CREAM. If you want to treat me on my birthday, the nearest Ben & Jerry’s will do. The candles are totally optional.
[52] What’s your mother’s middle name?Ardelle, which incidentally is my grandmother’s first name.
[53] Stupidest movie you ever saw?I feel dumber for having seen a lot of movies. These are hours I’ll never get back, people. And I owe all my thanks to: Super Troopers, Delta Force, Freddy Got Fingered, Tomb Raider II, Anchorman, Along Came Polly…
[54] What cartoon character would you sleep with?Was this survey made up by a man?
[55] Do you like your dad?I love him.
[56] Do you have any TV shows on DVD?No.
[57] Are you wearing makeup?Yes, I’m at work and feel the need to look less like the zombie that I feel. Damn you, grad school, damn you for under-eye circles!
[58] Do you have a tattoo?A whopping 0.
[59] When was the last time you skinny-dipped?Summer of 1997, after graduating high school. There were about a dozen women and it was some stranger’s private beach in Cape Cod. The lone man was forced to stay up the stairs by the road (no peeking!). It was totally worthwhile.
[60] Who do you want to kiss right now?Anthony.
[61] Do you know how to draw?Stick figures are my forte.
[62] Did you ever receive a trophy?Nah, I was more of a ribbons kind of girl – science prizes, math prizes, you know the geek drill.
[63.] Who is your hero?I admire a lot of people but there is no one I really want to emulate.
[64.] Who did you last IM?I don’t remember. I haven’t had IM since undergrad.
[65.] Do you work a lot?Compared to whom? I work my solid 40 at the office, and then another 25+ for grad school (homework/class/etc.), and I try to fit in some volunteering about 3-4 hours a week. Of course, it sounds like a lot but I fit slacking off in there too, and I know plenty of people that work a lot harder and a lot longer than I do (you know who you are - DAVID, JEFF, ESTEE).
[66] What do you do when you are stressed out?I’ll tell you one thing – it’s not called “sleeping.” I get cranky, make a lot of lists, have a lot less patience, and turn into an insomniac. Kind of like I am right now (can we get another “yay!” for grad school?).
[67] Who was the last person that called you?Anthony called me last night around 9:30PM to say goodnight – he was going to bed; I finally got to sleep around 1-1:30AM.
[68] Is there anything you regret?Of course.
[69] Do you know where your family name originated from?Janda, as far back as they can trace it before there were any written records, comes from Austria and literally means “son of Jan” (which when Americanized means “son of John”).
[70] Is there an animal that creeps you out?Just certain humans.
[71] What was the last thing you did for fun?I watched the pilot episode of Gilmore Girls last night – does that count?
[72] Last time you cried?Probably last night watching Gilmore Girls. If not, then it was definitely the other day when I was watching Funny Girl with Barbara Streisand. It’s really, really good – worth the cry.
[1] What is your middle name?McLean – from my grandmother’s last in a string of husbands, no less. Also known as “Grampie.” There is still no explanation forthcoming from my mother.
[2] What color is your mailbox?I don’t have one. There is a 1 ½ inch slot in my building’s front door. And if you really must know, it’s brass.
[3] Are you available?Um, not at the moment. I’m at work.
[4] Have you ever hit a deer?No, but I always wanted to… (SIKE!)
[5] Do you have to drive over a bridge to get home?I don’t drive home. I walk. Unless you’re talking about home squared, in which case I usually fly. In the case that I do drive to home squared, then yes, there are quite a few bridges to cross between DC and Massachusetts.
[6] Do you get the paper delivered to your house in the morning?I pick up The Express on my way into work every morning so I can read it while I’m hitting the stationary bike. I don’t have time for the longer papers (I haven’t learned how to skim), but if I did, I would subscribe to the New York Times. They’re the best.
[7] Who checks the mail in your house?Usually it’s me, but sometimes the other tenants in my building actually beat me home.
[8] Do you have a small driveway?No, I live in the city. I dream of a owning a driveway someday.
[9] Do you know anyone with the same ringtone as you?No. Most people want a ring tone that says something about who they are; I just use the loudest pre-programmed ring I can find that is actually so obnoxious that I’m embarrassed into answering the damn thing.
[10] What do you do first in the morning?1. Jackknife out of bed while simultaneously slamming the alarm into “off.” 2. Piddle. 3. Try not to trip over the cat, who is trying to simultaneously tell me to feed him and getting in my way. 4. Throw on gym clothes, attach a collar to my dog, and go out for a doggy piddle session. 5. Feed the damn cat to get him to shut up. 6. Grab my lunch, my gym bag, and hit the pavement to get to work.
[11] What brand is your printer?HP laserjet somethin’ somethin’ somethin’. I also have a photo printer, HP too I think.
[12] Do you enjoy fighting with people?I like to argue. Fight, not so much (you know I hate to overpower the little guy).
[13] Is your hair naturally straight or curly?Wavy. If it were curly, I wouldn’t wake up with half an afro every morning.
[14] Who was your kindergarten teacher?Mrs. Smail. At least, I think that’s how she spelled it.
[15] Was there a teacher you wanted to see naked?Absolutely not. Where do they hide all the hot teachers anyway?!!!
[16] Are you taller than your mother?Now I am. But that’s only because as she ages, she shrinks. She used to be 5’ 11”, but I’m about 5’ 10” and I’ve got a couple inches on her these days.
[17] Do you have a favorite word?Today’s word of the day is “smarmy.” Now go use it in a sentence.
[18] Are you God?It depends if you believe in Neale Donald Walsh’s concept of religion. I like the idea, but I’m not sure I believe it.
[19] What do you do to get over a broken heart?I am much too practical to let a broken heart get in the way of my life. You just keep living, and in time you heal, you grow, you move on.
[20] Do you have a deep dark secret?I’m sure I have several.
[21] What's the farthest away from home you've ever traveled?Egypt. I was in Cairo and Sharm el Sheikh in 2003 for the Middle East Peace Talks.
[22] Do you enjoy writing in colored pens?Not really.
[23] Does anything hurt on your body right now?I herniated a disk in my back a couple months ago and I am still experiencing sciatica.
[24] Do you often cry during a movie?ALL THE TIME. It’s pathetic, actually.
[25] Do you hate your life?I love it.
[26] Do you get mad easily?I have excellent self-control. It is the sole reason why there are so many surviving members of the human race.
[27] Where’s 27?What on earth does this mean?
[28] What is your biggest pet peeve?I am way too OCD and anal retentive to have just one. Basically, it is best just to stay out of my way.
[29] What is your away message?I don’t have one.
[30] Do any of your friends have kids?Yes, I have a fairy godchild through Christy whose name is Sarol, and I am Auntie Ryan to a lovely young boy named Jaden (son of Ty-Ty and Saleah). And someday, when she is old enough to talk, I will be Auntie Ryan to Hadar too! (Hi Mommy Yael!)
[31] How many pairs of shoes do you own?Probably about a dozen, two pairs of which I wear on a normal basis. I have a definite soft spot for “so ugly they’re pretty” shoes – the kind you find in L.L. Bean, totally comfy, totally woodsy, totally, wretchedly, clown-footedly ugly. LOVE ‘em.
[32] Who should pay on the first date?As progressive as I think I am, I love for the guy to pay. But I usually feel too guilty for that, and go dutch.
[33] How many years older than you are you willing to date?My last two boyfriends were a good 10 years older than me – I think that’s about my max.
[34] Do you have any friends?The best damn friends around!
[35] Do you have any mean friends?No. Why would you want to socialize with mean people?
[36] What is the ugliest color in your opinion?Black. Or maybe lilac – that pastel, purply, gooshy color.
[37] Have you ever liked someone who all your friends couldn't stand?I like all kinds of people – I’m sure there’s a few of them that may not get along.
[38] Have you ever felt like driving off a cliff, seriously?No.
[39] Ever had an enema?Yes. I feel like I need to explain myself here so you get this: my doctor made me do it before I went into surgery in December 2001. Apparently, when you have surgery (in this case, kidney surgery), they want to work with a clean system.
[40] Do you itch your ears?Only when they’re scratchy.
[41] Where were you on 9/11?University of Pennsylvania Archives. We had no t.v., so I didn’t know anything was happening until my boyfriend called. And then I really thought he was kidding.
[42] What brand are the pant/jeans you're wearing right now?Banana Republic – I work for the government, I have to be conservative!
[43] How tall are you?About 5’ 10”.
[44] What is the closest green object?The label on the bottle of Cetaphil lotion on my desk.
[45] What is on your feet?Knee-high nylons, and some conservative brown leather heels.
[46] Do you like watermelon?Absolutely.
[47] What do you want more than anything else in the world?Financial freedom coupled with eternal bliss. This easily translates into owning a comfortable home in the country, traveling and taking on new adventures on occasion, a marriage based on friendship, a fulfilling job….
Just a random comment on the home thought: I just started watching Gilmore Girls on DVD, and my idea of the perfect place to live is Stars Hollow, CT. That’s the kind of one-horse town a girl could really fall in love with…
[48] Do you want to have kids?I think Grace, Pookie and Anthony are enough, but we’ll see. Having children is important to Anthony and if this whole relationship heads where I think it’s heading, introducing a new little monster into this world is a distinct possibility.
[49] What is the brightest color you're wearing?An earthy green – my t-shirt.
[50] Who is the friend you have that you would never have expected to have gotten to know?I never would have “expected” any of my friends. I’m just lucky, I guess.
[51] What flavor was your last birthday cake?Birthdays were never a big deal in my house, so I honestly can’t remember what kind of cake I might have had. There was one year, however, that da’ Momma went all out and had someone bake me a Garfield cake – I believe it was chocolate. But the most important thing to remember is that I really love ICE CREAM. If you want to treat me on my birthday, the nearest Ben & Jerry’s will do. The candles are totally optional.
[52] What’s your mother’s middle name?Ardelle, which incidentally is my grandmother’s first name.
[53] Stupidest movie you ever saw?I feel dumber for having seen a lot of movies. These are hours I’ll never get back, people. And I owe all my thanks to: Super Troopers, Delta Force, Freddy Got Fingered, Tomb Raider II, Anchorman, Along Came Polly…
[54] What cartoon character would you sleep with?Was this survey made up by a man?
[55] Do you like your dad?I love him.
[56] Do you have any TV shows on DVD?No.
[57] Are you wearing makeup?Yes, I’m at work and feel the need to look less like the zombie that I feel. Damn you, grad school, damn you for under-eye circles!
[58] Do you have a tattoo?A whopping 0.
[59] When was the last time you skinny-dipped?Summer of 1997, after graduating high school. There were about a dozen women and it was some stranger’s private beach in Cape Cod. The lone man was forced to stay up the stairs by the road (no peeking!). It was totally worthwhile.
[60] Who do you want to kiss right now?Anthony.
[61] Do you know how to draw?Stick figures are my forte.
[62] Did you ever receive a trophy?Nah, I was more of a ribbons kind of girl – science prizes, math prizes, you know the geek drill.
[63.] Who is your hero?I admire a lot of people but there is no one I really want to emulate.
[64.] Who did you last IM?I don’t remember. I haven’t had IM since undergrad.
[65.] Do you work a lot?Compared to whom? I work my solid 40 at the office, and then another 25+ for grad school (homework/class/etc.), and I try to fit in some volunteering about 3-4 hours a week. Of course, it sounds like a lot but I fit slacking off in there too, and I know plenty of people that work a lot harder and a lot longer than I do (you know who you are - DAVID, JEFF, ESTEE).
[66] What do you do when you are stressed out?I’ll tell you one thing – it’s not called “sleeping.” I get cranky, make a lot of lists, have a lot less patience, and turn into an insomniac. Kind of like I am right now (can we get another “yay!” for grad school?).
[67] Who was the last person that called you?Anthony called me last night around 9:30PM to say goodnight – he was going to bed; I finally got to sleep around 1-1:30AM.
[68] Is there anything you regret?Of course.
[69] Do you know where your family name originated from?Janda, as far back as they can trace it before there were any written records, comes from Austria and literally means “son of Jan” (which when Americanized means “son of John”).
[70] Is there an animal that creeps you out?Just certain humans.
[71] What was the last thing you did for fun?I watched the pilot episode of Gilmore Girls last night – does that count?
[72] Last time you cried?Probably last night watching Gilmore Girls. If not, then it was definitely the other day when I was watching Funny Girl with Barbara Streisand. It’s really, really good – worth the cry.
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
Shocking
From "Women Go 'Missing' by the Millions" by Ayaan Hirsi Ali:
One United Nations estimate says from 113 million to 200 million women around the world are demographically "missing." Every year, from 1.5 million to 3 million women and girls lose their lives as a result of gender-based violence or neglect.
How could this possibly be true? Here are some of the factors:
In countries where the birth of a boy is considered a gift and the birth of a girl a curse from the gods, selective abortion and infanticide eliminate female babies.
Young girls die disproportionately from neglect because food and medical attention is given first to brothers, fathers, husbands and sons.
In countries where women are considered the property of men, their fathers and brothers can murder them for choosing their own sexual partners. These are called "honor" killings, though honor has nothing to do with it.
Young brides are killed if their fathers do not pay sufficient money to the men who have married them. These are called "dowry deaths," although they are not just deaths, they are murders.
The brutal international sex trade in young girls kills uncounted numbers of them.
Domestic violence is a major cause of death of women in every country.
So little value is placed on women's health that every year roughly 600,000 women die giving birth.
Six thousand girls undergo genital mutilation every day, according to the World Health Organization. Many die; others live the rest of their lives in crippling pain.
According to the WHO, one woman out of every five worldwide is likely to be a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.
One United Nations estimate says from 113 million to 200 million women around the world are demographically "missing." Every year, from 1.5 million to 3 million women and girls lose their lives as a result of gender-based violence or neglect.
How could this possibly be true? Here are some of the factors:
In countries where the birth of a boy is considered a gift and the birth of a girl a curse from the gods, selective abortion and infanticide eliminate female babies.
Young girls die disproportionately from neglect because food and medical attention is given first to brothers, fathers, husbands and sons.
In countries where women are considered the property of men, their fathers and brothers can murder them for choosing their own sexual partners. These are called "honor" killings, though honor has nothing to do with it.
Young brides are killed if their fathers do not pay sufficient money to the men who have married them. These are called "dowry deaths," although they are not just deaths, they are murders.
The brutal international sex trade in young girls kills uncounted numbers of them.
Domestic violence is a major cause of death of women in every country.
So little value is placed on women's health that every year roughly 600,000 women die giving birth.
Six thousand girls undergo genital mutilation every day, according to the World Health Organization. Many die; others live the rest of their lives in crippling pain.
According to the WHO, one woman out of every five worldwide is likely to be a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime.
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