oh, really?

I guess I just have one reader (since previous post and posted comment). So, special blog-reader, thanks. You got most all the changes. Good Job!! You get 9.8 points (I *minused* 0.2 because I can and it's cold outside today).

Oh, yeah. Did I mention that it is cold? Like super-duper cold and I didn't bring mittens nor could I find my hat? That makes a good afternoon project-- finding where I put that hat I bought new (tags still on) at the Tree Streets Garage Sale back in August.

This morning I woke up before the sun rose and headed off to the ETSU Student Health Clinic (for various things). I officially have a referral and an appointment at Buc Sports on Wednesday to "see about/treat" my silly right knee. Also, the dull pain in my left ear is apparently "of concern" as such things "are not normal." But, getting it checked out properly requires a specialist which requires a good deal of money/good insurance neither of which seem to be afflicting me right now. I am to call in November to see about the "doctor" who is coming to the clinic (not really certain what this "doctor" will do beyond looking in my ear or referring me to a specialist which is what the FNP can also do, but we'll see).

Ooo . . . I also got to listen to one of those tuning fork thingies like in this picture. I was kinda fun, but like all things medical, I was afraid of giving the wrong answer (for example: she placed the tuning fork on top of my head and asked if I could hear it in both ears. now, this may seem like a simple question, but I couldn't answer it. I had no idea b/c it sounded like it was playing INSIDE my head, not my ears/in one ear specifically. Then, she moved on and did the "behind each ear" thing you see in the picture. I guess I passed that one, but who knows? She just smiled and nodded.)

And, I did well on my German test. That's it and it's only 10:51 a.m. Whew!

*minused is not in the merriam-webster dictionary, but take it here to mean the past tense verbified version of the word minus (which is listed as adj., n., or prep.)*

What the *&#@?

Imail (ETSU's student e-mail) was down all weekend. Normally, wouldn't have been a big deal except that I really needed to access it. But, I was willing to overlook this fact until I logged in this morning and found the whole site completely reconfigured. Gone is the black screen and grey tabs. Now it is white with bright blue and yellows tabs everywhere!! They scream out and stab my eyes and I hate them.

So, I thought I would share some reconfigurations of my own with you (10 points for anyone who can figure out what I changed on the blog-- for full credit you must list the total number of changes of a description of each).

Thanks. Enjoy as you see fit.

tuna and corn chips

that's lunch. yumm. it was just going to be tuna and tomato juice, but there are leftover chips here in the honors house from the "fall feast" last week. they are good and stale. just the un-crunchy way i like them.

visit to detroit, mi was nice (yay family), relaxing (yay reiki), fun (yay everything), filling (yay early thanksgiving feasts), etc. though i took my video camera (yay sister) and my point n shoot, i didn't take a single picture (moving or still) of the weekend. lots of mental pictures, though.

update on the chips: it appears that the bag is a mixture of not one, not two, but THREE different bags of tortilla chips. my guess is: white corn, yellow corn rounds, and corn scoops (of course, i am remembering that the scoops were at the party)

update on the tuna: same as always--kroger brand.

update on fulbright: had the interview. mixed feelings on how it went. but, i am being optimistic: i already put it on my resume as "Fublright Teaching Assistantship to Chile, pending"
so, that's that.

update on heart: it is still beating. in fact, it's rather happy. no real reason, except to be happy. i think that's enough.

While reading the news

I'm sorry to be disgusting, but you have to read this. For some odd reason it came up when I was looking for some updates on Chilean politics, Pinochet, etc.

Let me know what you think.

Project

So, here at Grand 'Ole ETSU there is the wonderful little class called Colloquium. Basically, it is the opportunity to get credit for preparing for one's future/reflecting upon life. That's my take, at least. Anyways, we have this thirty-day project. Below is a description of it:

"I [Joe Rice] was reading an article in Time magazine a few months back. The piece, titled 'Living a Dare, for 30 Days at a Time,' discusses a television show that apparently has been running this summer. The show’s creator is Morgan Spurlock, who brought you the 2004 film Super Size Me. For that film, Spurlock spent 30 days eating nothing but McDonald’s. He decided it would be cool to do a television show called 30 Days; in each episode, someone 'undergoes a transformation for a month.' One episode has Spurlock and his girlfriend living on minimum wage for a month; another episode has a Christian living with a Muslim family. I like the concept of putting yourself in a situation where you learn something about yourself and about the world. So we’re all going to be doing this at some point in the semester – committing to SOMETHING for 30 days – ideally, something that takes us out of our ordinary comfort zone. And if you are looking for me to offer up a definition of what that 'something' might be, stop looking. You are going to have to define that for yourself. But if you want to run ideas by me, or if you get stuck and want to talk about ideas, no problem, just get in touch with me. The important thing is to make this an experience that transcends academic exercise. Einstein once said, 'Never lose a holy curiosity' – you might use that as a starting point for this project" (Fall 2005 Colloquium Syllabus).

My project? Crazy. Not driving/riding in a car to any destination closer than 10 miles. That is, I'm basically walking and/or biking everywhere. I've made it through 5 1/2 days so far including three rather unpleasant rainy days sans umbrella AND a on-foot trip to the grocery store where I ran in to friend-ette who lovingly delivered my $53.75 of produce and canned goods to my house. I think that may have defeated the purpose (my mind is not yet made up on this matter) of the walking experience, but it sure was nice not to have to cart all those groceries through the rain . . . my bags surely would have gotten water-logged and taken on extra weight as I walked . . . .

German is, er, starting to make sense? I can't tell if the struggle is a) normal (and many of my classmates feel as confused) or b) b/c I missed two (or was it three) days when I was working on that Fulbright stuff??? Worth pondering? Who knows.

Boyfriend David and I were going to hop on over to Jonesborough for the Ghost Stories tonight, but it looks like it might be rained out. Then, we thought, 'hey, let's go to the corn maize, that will be fun.' (we = Allyssa who, after alternating between two pairs of 'soggy' and 'not so soggy/damp' pants for the past three days, is no longer that bothered by wetness). David Dearest seems to think they won't even have the place open. What faith!! Let's hope.

One more week til Fall Break!! Ya-ya!!

other news:
*My brother bought a new house (This is a link to some pics. I hope it works for you b/c the house is damn cool. I have already been invited to visit and, man, I can't wait! The lot is .92 acres!)
*I have been unable to reach my father for 3 days. I think I remember him saying he was going somewhere, but I can't, for the life of me recall where. Just in case something's wrong, think positive parental-unit thoughts. Thanks.
*Found a cool Launch radio-shared station (Sleeps around the clock's radio station)
*Oh yeah, it's still raining. But that's okay, since I am doing research and studying this day.

Great, thanks for reading. =)

Heck, here are some more...

THIS is Shade a.k.a. Loafie (okay, that's a lie, no one calls her "Loafie" except me and that's only in my head. However, she is about the size of a loaf of bread when she curls up and tucks her feet under in the silly way that cats do). Don't worry, no one is moving . . . all those boxes are David's keepsakes rescued from his parent's home (a tree fell on the house and 1/2 of it was smashed. needless to say, they bought a new house and we helped them move in last weekend)





THIS is Mister Jelly Beans a.k.a. Magical Mister Mistoffelees (again, jk). Notice that this picture shows his head. It's big, no? Notice also that he's white. He's albino (with one blue n one green eye). He's not deaf so don't feel sorry for him. He's just big-boned AND fat.



p.s. I have no pictures of the ferret/rat because he's always sleeping and he scares me. plus, this camera saves the pictures onto a disk. We'll pretend the disk was full so his feelings don't get hurt.

Just a picture

So, my dear David took this picture a couple of weeks ago . . . I decided that since it has been sooooo long since all of you have visited David's little kitty Mimi, you might be wondering what the little devil has started looking like. jk. I had to take this pic. (with a borrowed nearly 30-yr. old digital camera from the library, or DAVID borrowed the old camera from the library. It looks like a this, CRaa-zY!!). But, really I cropped it in Photoshop and was proud of my work (though I didn't fiddle with it long enough to enhance the quality, get rid of red eye, take away my shiny cheeks, or paint my nose purple). he-ha-he-he-he