Life Is (Not) Boring

In which I remember

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 01:50:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaI slept through the whole thing.

On Tuesdays my first semester of college I only had one class, in the afternoon. I usually slept in.

My suite was pretty much deserted. My roommate was gone. I got up late, flicked on Comedy Central (which did not have any kind of news ticker or break-in), and watched TV before taking my shower.

I got back, only to be locked out of my room. In a towel. My roommate was due back from her class soon, so I figured I just had to wait. Then she opened the door.

"Why didn't you just knock?" she asked me.

"You're not supposed to be done class yet."

"They let us out early."

"Oh." Awkward pause. We didn't really get along. "Did you just finish early or something?"

She was pissed. "You mean you didn't hear?"

That one class was philosophy. The professor told us that he didn't feel like teaching, but we could sit around and talk about what happened if we wanted to. He ended up teaching anyway. I guess you can't escape philosophy.

When I wasn't in class, I called or emailed whomever I could. Yes, I know, Philadelphia was never on anyone's mind the whole day, but still -- it would have been nice to receive one of those calls. Not my lot in life, though.

I went to the service that night. During the moment of silence, a squirrel darted out of the trees and into the crowd. Rumor had it that some girl got bitten, but I beleive that rumor was debunked.

Later, someone pulled the fire alarm. Assholes. We stood around. Some people panicked. "I smell smoke!" a few girls cried. Well, of course they did. Easily 75% of the students in our building had their cigaettes out.

I didn't know anyone. I didn't even know anyone who did. I missed the whole thing and the people I cared about were safe. It didn't touch me. And guilt -- survivor's, liberal's, whatever -- is one of the things that can knock me down.

Ten years.

My life is not much like it was before September 11, 2001... and very few of the changes are due to the attacks. I made friends through a debate about the war, but the club holding those debates would have been formed regardless, I think. I went through a string of boyfriends before finding Chris. I started seeing the school counselor; I now have an official diagnosis. I live in the very city that felt the attacks hardest.

I never saw the towers in real life. The first time I had been to New York was in December of 2001.

I never saw the towers. I slept through the attacks. I never knew anyone involved. As horrible as it is to say it, my life was not directly affected. Sure, it was peripherally; there's no one on the planet who wasn't affected peripherally, and certainly no American.

But I don't understand why I still cry for these strangers, but not for the dear friend and surrogate grandfather I lost a few years later. I don't understand why I mourn an institution I never saw more than the church I was baptised and raised in.

Here's an interesting thought, though. The casualties of September 11, 2001... they've been immortalized.

They had been from the very moment the first plane hit. So the terrorists really fucked up, didn't they?

As tragic as it was, though, it was rare. We're so lucky it's rare. We live in fear that it will happen again, but other people in this world live in *certainty* that it will happen again, to them.

You know, Chris's mother's birthday is September 10, and my father's is September 12. So really, September 11 should be a day of joint celebration of life. I think I'd like that.

In which I get ready for another year (28th birthday edition)

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Tue, 07 Jun 2011 02:56:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaSo I didn't do all 28 things before I turned 28. OK. So I need to take what I learned from that and maybe adjust my ambitions. Reading 10 books off the reading list is too much of a gimme. Achieving tons of travel goals is too tough. And super-ambitious projects... they really count as more than one task, don't they? So let's find some middle ground. Especially when I've been lagging on even getting the posted.

Here is my list of 29 things I want to do before I turn 29:

Visit one city I've never been to before. This might be a gimme, but in a way that might not really count, so I'm hoping, but not insisting, that I do one other than the "gimme" city. I'll explain when it happens.
Take professional driving instruction.
Pass the road test and get my drivers license. I've been resolving to do this for years. I no longer have an excuse.
Finish Age of Federalism. I've been picking at it for a while now. It's very interesting, but extremely slow going.
Re-watch Lost Season 1.
Blog each episode as I watch them with my retrospective opinions. I've been wanting to do this since the series finale.
Write an essay, article, short story, or poem.
Edit it to my satisfaction.
Research markets.
Submit my piece for publication.
Figure out what kinds of blog posts readers like best.
Collect my best of those types of posts.
Add extra "bonus" material.
Edit the collection.
Convert to PDF.
Make available on my blog(s).
Get my mother's brownie recipe.
Perfect it.
Personalize it.
Research my favorite bands' tour schedules
Sync their calendar with my own.
Buy tickets!
Research companies to find stock I feel good about and can afford.
Buy low!
Lose 10 pounds
Keep it off at least until my 29th birthday.
Write and send 10 snail-mail letters
Get back into private, dead-tree journaling
Meet my personal "books read" goal for the year.

In which I guest post

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 08 May 2011 02:33:00 +0000

About food this time!

I've been getting requests for my baked brie recipe, so I submitted it to my favorite food blog, Foodwhirl.com.

And if you want it, check out the article.

In which I try to understand housepride.

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 24 Apr 2011 03:23:00 +0000

I don't take much pride in my home.

I don't take shame in it. In fact, I take a lot of comfort in it. I quite like it, even. But I just don't see a reason to take pride in it.

I associate pride with identity. And if you take pride in your dwelling, then either you associate that part of your identity with your possessions (which, YMMV, but I find that slightly problematic), or you associate it with achievement.

And, OK, the achievement part I get.

If you saved your pennies and paid for a huge part of your house in cash and are in a place to pay off your mortgage within ten years, that's a huge accomplishment and you should totally be proud of it.

But I just pay rent every month. That's, like, the bare minimum required, isn't it? It's like feeding your kids: if you don't do it, you get the kids (or apartment) taken away, but if you do, that in and of itself doesn't make you parent (or tenant or homeowner) of the year.

If you have made your home as green as is reasonably possible and strive to go even farther, that's awesome! You should be proud! It's a major undertaking, even a major lifestyle change. Nothing easy there.

I try to fit green in. We're switching to CFLs; we recycle. But as much as I'd like to, composting isn't practical right now. We haven't gotten the smart surge protectors yet. We use plastic. We use chemicals. It works for us, and I'm not ashamed of it, but it's not much to talk about.

If you've taken a total fixer-upper and DIY'ed it into submission, good for you! Show us the house porn! The Mythbusters have proven that it's really hard to polish a turd, so if you've ended up with a gem, you deserve to crow about it.

But we have very few repairs that need to be done, and most of them we're not allowed to do ourselves. Asking the landlord to fix the toilet is hardly the hallmark of the capable handyman (however, I do think I get points for renting from the capable handyman...).

If you've decorated the home, or even a single room, to reflect who you are, sweet! The Dr. Seuss nursery, the seahorse bathroom, the bohemian-chic living room, awesome. It takes creativity and vision and not a little time and patience to pull that off, to say nothing of the maintenance.

But take our living room. The sofa/loveseat combo from Macy's: comfortable, sturdy, affordable, neutral-colored. The TV stand from JCPenny: comfortable, sturdy, affordable, neutral-colored. We've yet to find a coffee table that is comfortable, sturdy, affordable, and neutral-colored, but the TV trays we use instead? The ones we got from Bed Bath and Beyond? Say it with me now: comfortable, sturdy, affordable, neutral-colored. Boring. Heh, I guess my living room does reflect my life (see also: the entire point of this blog[link]).

And if you've made your place into the gathering space, good for you! Maybe you have the ultimate gaming table or the ultimate kitchen table. The dinner parties, birthday parties, potlucks, and game nights can make a community. That is truly something to be proud of.

Not so easy in a small Queens apartment. Certainly there's no room for major events; even board games and potlucks with small groups would be pretty tight. And it doesn't happen anyway. 95% of the time, it's easier on everyone if Chris and I go out than if other people come over. Even when we've invited people, we usually are told, "Nah, let's just meet in the city." Fine by me; I love the city. Even so. It's just easier for other people for them not to come over. And there's not a lot of point in keeping the home ready for last-minute guests when we will never have any.

So I quite like my apartment. But I don't see much reason to be proud of it. And I don't see why it should be a problem that I'm OK with that.

In which I check in with the list for March

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 00:38:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaOK, it doesn't look like much will get done this month that didn't get done in the last 11, so let's do an overall recap. If anything gets done between now and my birthday, I'll let you know.

Learn to ride a bike. -- Nope.
Get my driver's license -- Nope
Get my own domain and move my blogs there. -- Nope
Obtain at least one new pen-pal -- Almost, but losing my notebook was a major setback.
See one of the American sites on my list of Things to Do Before I Die -- I did a decent amount of traveling, but didn't manage this.
Go somewhere I've never been before (the above does not count) -- Several! London, Paris, Brussels.... Chicago.
Read one of the books on the same list. -- Too many are series. It's a trap!
Watch one movie from the AFI 100 -- Done
Watch a second movie from the AFI 100 -- Done
Watch a third movie from the AFI 100 -- Done
Come up with an idea for an ebook. Not necessarily write the thing, but come up with the idea. -- Nope. Am open to suggestions.
Actually win NaNoWriMo -- Hahahaha. No.
Read a book off my reading list (Not counting #7) -- Done
Read a second book off my reading list -- Done
Read a third book off my reading list -- Done
Read a fourth book off my reading list -- Done
Read a fifth book off my reading list -- Done
Read a sixth book off my reading list -- Done
Read a seventh book off my reading list -- Done
Read an eighth book off my reading list -- Done
Read a ninth book off my reading list -- Done
Read a tenth book off my reading list -- Done
Submit a piece of writing for publication -- Nope. Didn't even finish one.
Buy an outfit that makes me look amazing, and not freak out about the price -- Eh.... maybe. Sort of.
Attend a Flyers home game. -- Nope.
See the Pacific -- Nope. Next year doesn't look good, either.
Join something: a club, organization, or team -- Book club, yay.
Attend a cherry blossom festival -- This is really the only one I might do in the next month. I'll let you know.

Not a very productive year, is it? Let's see if I can do better in the year ahead... list will be up soon, but I'm open to suggestions in the meantime.

In which I vacation by myself (a Personal Ad)

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 00:10:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaI am in favor of the mancation.

Occasionally, Chris's guy friends will want to get away for an overnight or a weekend, usually to Atlantic City. This is fine with me; I trust Chris, and I have no interest in the activities of the weekend.

It does, however, raise the question, "Why does he get an extravagant weekend away and I don't?"

Well, of course, I can.

I have, actually. Once, I went to Washington, DC by myself for the weekend. I took the BoltBus down, stayed in a hotel in Alexandria that was right next to the Metro station, and wore myself out on tourism. It was nice.

But what else can I do? Most internet searches for ideas either give me essays on why taking separate vacations is not a red flag for my marriage (which, thanks, I wasn't worried 'til you brought it up!), or lists of incredibly girly ideas for Girls' Weekends (which I dismiss for multiple reasons).

So, I shall write a Personal Ad about it.

What I'm looking for

I don't have a driver's license yet, so anywhere I go would have to be reasonably easy to get to by bus or train from Manhattan, and easy to get around by foot or public transit.

Likewise, wherever I stay would have to be within easy walking distance to public transit.

I wouldn't be able to embark any earlier than 5:30 PM Friday (preferably 6:00), so my destination would either have to be within 3 hours of Manhattan, or have late-night activities that would not require me to drink alone.

That said, I'm happy to drink with others, so if we know each other and your town of residence otherwise fits the bill, I'd love to meet up Friday night!

Once I check out of my hotel on Sunday, I'd either have to carry my stuff around or stash it with the hotel staff and come back for it. I'd like Sunday to involve more than just traveling, so I'm looking for one or more of the following:

The hotel to be very close to the bus or train station I'm using to get home.
Things to do, open on Sunday, that are either very close to the hotel or very close to the bus or train station mentioned above.
Things to do in between those two places where

I wouldn't have to do much walking, since I'll have to carry my bag
I could safely stash my bag
I could carry my bag easily, because the place I'm going to allows that none of my weekend's activities would require me to bring much

Speaking of which, activities where I don't need much. I really don't want to bring more than a change of clothes for each day, maybe a set of pajamas, a jacket, some toiletries, and my purse. If I bring my Kindle, I won't need to bring my laptop or any extra books.

Food! Cheap, delicious, or both!

What I'm not looking for

I prefer activities not cost an arm and a leg. The beauty of DC was that I could wander in and out of museums on a whim. If I have to pay $35 for admission, then I'm going to see every inch of that museum, and that would likely take up my whole day. So things should either be cheap enough that I can wander off when I choose, or awesome enough to be my primary activity for the weekend.

Staying in New York is not an option. Yes, I can do a ton in the city, but the fact is, I won't. Last time I took this option, I went to the Brooklyn Museum for the First Saturday events, which was fun... but otherwise I sat around and did nothing. Not an option!

How this might work

One of you could leave a comment here.

I could get feedback on Twitter or Facebook.

I could come across an idea online.

A random magazine or newspaper article could fall into my hands.

Something else I haven't thought of.

My commitment

I will Tweet a link to this post.

I will keep an open mind about suggestions.

I will take lots of pictures.

If you want me to, I will post my pictures from Washington, as well.

I will return the favor! If you're looking for things to do in New York, or just happen to be there and want to meet for coffee or lunch or a drink*, let me know!

*Offer to meet only valid for people I've met IRL before, but since that's most of you it shouldn't be an issue. Certain exceptions may be made for longtime internet acquaintances, but I promise nothing.

So, do you have any ideas?

In which I need help to start plotting...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 00:09:00 +0000

So I;m trying to come up with this year's list of 29 things to do before I turn 29. I don't want to overwhelm myself, so I'm trying to stick to just one item per category. I'm willing to break into sub-categories, but even so.

So I've got a handful of good resolutions, but I need more. I need ideas for categories (leave a comment!), and I need help narrowing down the categories I have. So: polls!

a

In which I check in with the list for February

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 23:35:00 +0000

Cover via AmazonSo let's check in my list of 28 Things to Do Before I'm 28 since the last time I checked in.

4. Obtain at least one new pen-pal.

Ugh! Not only do I have no real progress on this one, I can't fine the notebook in which I have a half-written letter that I was planning to finish and send out in January. This is driving me to distraction, because I know exactly where I had it last, and it's nowhere near there.

7. Read one of the books on the same list.

I read another volume of Sandman. Now, reading the entirety of Sandman is what's on my list, so while this is progress, it's not like this particular item is going to be complete.

19-22. Read [seven-ten] books off my reading list

7-9. Three more volumes of Fables.
10. The Zombie Survival Guide

24. Buy an outfit that makes me look amazing, and not freak out about the price

Ugh, I don't know. Maybe. I always think I look terrible, and Chris always thinks I look great, so I have no reliable meter here. And even when I think I look good, I get where I'm going and everyone else is wearing the opposite. Help?

In which life kind of is boring, actually...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 18 Dec 2010 23:58:00 +0000

Ages and ages ago, way back in October of 2009, Havi at The Fluent Self wrote about how a person doesn't necessarily have to be all that interesting -- all that kooky -- to be successful.

She had four points to this effect, which I have paraphrased slightly so as not to copy-paste her entire post:

Point One: You don't have to be kooky and weird.
Point Two: The important thing is being yourself, and doing so out loud.
Point Three: You can't be boring, because there's no such thing as a boring person.
Point Four: That means even if you are boring, your boringness makes you interesting! You can work with that!

Cool, right? Great advice, at least in theory.

So, um... what about in practice?

Well, to start off, I think we can all agree that I'm not really kooky. Weird, sure, maybe, but certainly not kooky. And even my weird is pretty run-of-the-mill weird.

So, being myself, out loud. I guess that's what this blog is about. But like any other persona, this one covers things up. Not necessarily anything I'm ashamed of, mind you, but things that might make the blog not safe for work, or that might embarrass the people I care about, or that might make job hunting difficult even though they have nothing to do with the jobs I'm looking for. And the kooky, interesting people online tend to not really care about those boundaries, that much, or at least they appear to be willing to throw caution to the wind. If your blog is your living, then sure, you probably should do that; it'll get you readers, right? But if it's not? If it's more of a hobby? Well, maybe watching your back isn't the worst idea in the world. It just might not be the best marketing for your hobby.

No one's boring? Sure, I guess. I sort of want to counter that everyone is probably boring to someone. And that's a duck, right? If people find you boring, they're not your people.

That doesn't make it any easier to find people who find you interesting, though, does it?

So, then, how can I make this boringness interesting? I guess, at heart, that's what the whole point of this blog has always been. And those of you reading this are probably well aware that there's not that many of you, and that most of you probably know me in real life. To be honest, I would not be at all shocked if a substantial percentage of you know each other in real life (although, given the numbers we're working with, if any two of you know each other, that would be a not-insubstantial percentage).

All of which would be a great draw if I was a teeny-tiny social networking site, but while I encourage you all to come out of the woodwork and say hello to each other in the comments, that's not really the point of this blog.

The point is to figure out what's interesting about my life, and tell you some stories. Plenty of people do it.

Hey, maybe when you're coming out of the woodwork, you can tell me what makes you a little kooky? I'm all up in my trees, here, and I could use a nice view of the forest.

In which I check in with the list for December

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 23:24:00 +0000

OK, I can't imagine there's been much progress this month on my list of things to do before I'm 28 -- it doesn't feel like there has -- but let's check in anyway:

12. Actually win NaNoWriMo

Officially a failure. I was making really good progress early in the month, but did quite a bit of traveling and lost my momentum. Maybe next year. Right now the biggest question is: should I bother to keep picking at my project, without the pressure, support system, or permission for it to be an utter piece of garbage?

18. Read a sixth book off my reading list

The Age of Innocence by Edith Wharton

24. Buy an outfit that makes me look amazing, and not freak out about the price

Possible progress; we'll see how it all comes together.

So April will be here before I'm ready for it, I'm sure, so I'm opening this up for suggestions of more reasonable things I can do next year, since I'm going to fail on a few of these this year.

In which it's bell-ringing time again

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 19:43:00 +0000

Once again, the folks are standing outside the department stores with their red kettles and jingly little bells.

Once again, I feel uncomfortable dropping cash into these kettles, and determine to donate to the Salvation Army directly.

Once again, I am setting up a Virtual Kettle so you can do the same if you wish.

Dynamic fundraising meter for your Red Kettle campaign.

Thanks in advance.

In which I wonder what you'd like to read

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 21 Nov 2010 00:48:00 +0000

So what kind of posts do you enjoy most?

Lengthy descriptions of this thing or that?

Personal rants about what's going on?

Cute little surveys?

Links and my opnions on what they have to do with anything?

Something else entirely?

Lists and stories of accomplishing things?

Seriously. Let me know in the comments.

In which I need momentum (a Personal Ad)

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 21:01:00 +0000

What I'm looking for:

Momentum! I'm fighting inertia right now, and I need a push so that the object at rest (me) will be an object in motion.

How this might work:

My 15-minute and 30-minute playlists will help me do things in musical chunks.
External deadlines could be imposed.
External incentives could be offered.
Internal deadlines and incentives could magically start being effective.
Something will make me really excited.

My commitment:

I will do things I don't like in 15- or 30-minute chunks interspersed with things I kind of like doing.
I will figure out some sort of reward system for myself that does not involve eating or spending money (this is tough).
I will follow up on ideas that excite me.

In which I get back to the list

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 17:20:00 +0000

Cover of Fables Vol. 1: Legends in ExileIt's been a while since I revisited it, but I have this list of 28 things I want to do before I turn 28.

So since it's been a while, let me revisit the items I had not yet completed as of last time, one by one.

1. Learn to ride a bike.

Hasn't happened yet. I found an organization that gives adults lessons for free, but I'd have to rent one of their bikes, and the form to do so was messed up. Hopefully by March or really early April, I'll be able to try again. Otherwise, I may need an item to replace this one (feel free to suggest).

2. Get my driver's license

Well, I got my permit, and I've been practicing. I need to look into local driver's ed programs, since it's been so long (and in a different state) since I took one. That's going on my short-term to-do list.

3. Get my own domain and move my blogs there.

No progress.

4. Obtain at least one new pen-pal

Possible progress. I need to be better about my correspondence. Another thing going on my short-term to-do list.

5. See one of the American sites on my list of Things to Do Before I Die

No progress. Not likely to be much, although I might be able to swing Baltimore at some point. Another item for which I might need a replacement.

6. Go somewhere I've never been before (the above does not count)

Done.

7. Read one of the books on the same list.

As it turns out, all are series. All are in progress. Making more progress than I had when I started counts, right?

11. Come up with an idea for an ebook. Not necessarily write the thing, but come up with the idea.

No progress. Anything you might want to read from me?

12. Actually win NaNoWriMo

Ready to go! I have my idea in mind, I'm re-reading No Plot No Problem, and I'm not going to discuss it otherwise because the less I say about these things, the more likely I am to finish them.

14. Read a second book off my reading list

This one's a little tough, since I don't have a record of exactly when I read each book. Still, if the last book I read off the list last update was Alas, Babylon!, then I can make a reasonable assumption (based largely off some library receipts I've scrounged up) that I have read Volume One of Fables...

15. Read a third book off my reading list

Volume Two of Fables...

16. Read a fourth book off my reading list

Volume One of Sandman... (What? I can put graphic novels on my reading list if I want!)

17. Read a fifth book off my reading list

And Against Depression. I know there have been more, but since I can't pinpoint the dates, that's all I can confirm for now. So we'll skip the other "Reading list" items and more on to...

23. Submit a piece of writing for publication

No progress.

24. Buy an outfit that makes me look amazing, and not freak out about the price

Some progress. I just need things to which I can wear my new clothes. Why can't practical ever be sexy?! Or vice versa?!

25. Attend a Flyers home game.

No progress. I should look at their schedule again...

26. See the Pacific

No progress. Not looking likely. Another item I may need to replace on this list.

27. Join something: a club, organization, or team

Tentatively accomplished. I've only been to two meetings of the book club so far. i'm crossing it off but reserving the right to add it back on should this not work out.

28. Attend a cherry blossom festival

No progress, but this one is easy enough -- I'll just get myself to Central Park in early spring.

So as you can see, I'm definitely up for tips and encouragement, as well as ideas o replace some items I may have to give up. Leave a comment if you've got any thoughts!

In which I keep forgetting about guest-posting I do...

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 23:04:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia
So a couple months ago, the Platinum Warlock (his blog is linked down in my blogroll, if you're interested) went on vacation and asked me to cover for him. He wanted me to write something geeky. I geeked out -- though perhaps not in any expected way.

Check it out here.

In which it gets better

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 20:59:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaBilly Lucas committed suicide after unbearable homophobic bullying.

There is no evidence that Billy actually was gay, but LGBT kids are far more likely than straight kids to commit suicide -- and frankly, straight kids who are mercilessly bullied often don't feel like there's hope, either.

Columnist Dan Savage read Billy's story, looked back at his ow adolescence, and wished he could have told Billy, and kids like him, that life gets better.

So now he is.

Go to his new YouTube channel, YouTube.com/itgetsbetterproject , and see the message Dan and his husband, Terry, recorded for kids, specifically LGBT kids, who might be afraid that their current hell really is the "best years of their lives."

And if you fit the bill, consider recording your own messages to help save kids like Billy.

And even if not, spread the word.

The video:

In which I wonder how you found me

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 23:46:00 +0000

I was looking at some statistics on my blog, and while many people find me by Googling either the title or the address of this blog,and quite a few more found me while doing searches for wedding songs, thanks to my polls, a decent number of people have found me using the phrase "Ill-gotten profit."
I have no idea.

In which I ponder a new project

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 15 May 2010 20:08:00 +0000

Image by charmingman via Flickr

So with the Series Finale of Lost fast approaching, I'm planning on going back and re-watching my DVDs of Season 1 and seeing if it all worked out -- does this season answer the Big Questions of Season 1? Or did it completely pee on the original mythology?

But the big question is, should I blog my progress? And that's where you come in:

In which I consider the library

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 08 May 2010 16:52:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

I'm not sure what I think of this.

Typically, the Free Library of Philadelphia has a benefit to help support the library and its programs. Last year, they had what they called the Borrowers' (un)Ball.

The premise is, instead of spending money to dress up, supporters stay home, read a book, and donate to the library.

On the one hand, I kind of like this. Instead of paying, say, $200 to buy a dress and go to the salon, and then another $150 for the benefit ticket, you can send $300 to the library, see more of your money go to the cause, and still save $50. At the same time, the library is saving on food, music, decoration, and PR, so none of those will have to be paid for from the proceeds. I've always preferred this route when I've been invited to alumni benefits and the like. Then again, I'm not a society princess.

Heh. Can you imagine?

On the other hand, why call it a Ball... or rather, an (un)Ball? Why can't it -- why shouldn't it -- be a general call to action? If you utilize the library, appreciate the library, think the library does good work, donate. Maybe today, maybe on the night of the event, maybe in a few months when things settle down.

Just like you don't need to wait until Thanksgiving to donate to a food bank, and you don't need to wait until a disaster to give blood, you don't need to wait until a benefit event to give to an organization that you believe deserves your support.

Well. That's my rant.

In which I work on the list.

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:47:00 +0000

Image via Wikipedia

This month, I knocked #8, 9, and 10 off my list of 28 things to do before I'm 28.

As a reminder, the items were "Watch one movie (or "a second movie") from the AFI 100," and this month I finished Sunset Boulevard, which the AFI listed as the #12 movie of all time, as well as The Philadelphia Story, #44, and Saving Private Ryan, #71. You can expect reviews in the near future, although I'm having some computer issues and can't promise when.

I also completed #13: "Read a book off my reading list." A review of Alas, Babylon will also be forthcoming.

I also may have made progress on #24: "Buy an outfit that makes me look amazing, and not freak out about the price." I bought a cute dress for more than I normally would pay for something that was trendy enough I might not be able to wear it next year, when I have no set plans on when to wear it. But it was really cute and I liked how it looked. I'm not crossing this off until I get a chance to wear it and gauge opinions, though.

In which I totally forgot to tell you guys!

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 05:34:00 +0000

Image by Wade Tregaskis via Flickr

So I wrote up an an article for Super Dudes Power Squad, where I compared The Real Ghostbusters with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Go ahead and check it out!

In which I contemplate the ideal life.

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 02:41:00 +0000

I'm not going to lie. This feels like an assignment from Freshmen Philosophy class, where we have to read Plato's Republic and ponder how it applies today.

But why not?

So I guess I'm going to start by wishing for more wishes. That is, to have the ideal life, one needs sufficient money. How much money that is will obviously vary, but for me, a good rule of thumb is: can we take that amazing trip this summer, and still be in good shape if we're suddenly both unemployed when we get back?

So, let's take what I just said, and break it down: I want sufficient money, and I want to travel.

How do I make this money?

I'd love to be a writer. I know the first step is to own it and say, "I am a writer," but I haven't felt to urge to write poetry in ages, I never finish my fiction (I'm a repeat-loser in NaNoWriMo), and my essays? All right, let's be honest: how many of you are actually reading this? It's a standard confidence issue, and it's one I try to work on.

Question for my fellow bloggers: what do you do when you hit the "publish" button and the question hits: What was the point of that? Who cares?

Needed for ideal life: confidence. How to get?

On this point, I am open to suggestions.

What do I hope to get from my travels?

I never got to study abroad in school, and of course all one ever hears about study-abroad is that it "changes your life" and "expands your horizons." I'm an adult now, and as such, my personality and whatnot are pretty much carved in stone. But I wouldn't object to some life-changing horizon expansion.

That's tough, though. For our honeymoon, we spent two weeks in Italy. It was amazing, but we spent the bulk of the trip running ragged, trying to fit a lifetime's worth of tourism in. And that was totally worth it, but it doesn't tell me a whole lot about what it's like to be a part of that culture. Oh, sure, there were bits and pieces -- if you want to eat dinner at 5:00, for example, your best bet is to find a place that serves lunch late -- but I picked up maybe three words of the language, and I'll never develop a taste for tripe. I didn't even pick up very much inspiration to write (see above), and when you're surrounded by some of the greatest examples of art, culture, religion, and mythology in the world and have nothing to say...

So, in the broadest sense, I want to come away from my travels a better person, and I want to have more, and more important things, to say when I put pen to paper or fingers to keys.

Needed for ideal life: self-improvement

That's a goal unto itself, isn't it? I want to be a better person, which means I have to figure out exactly what that means. And I think that is a blog post for another day.

Needed for ideal life: inspiration

But one can't sit around waiting for inspiration to strike, can one? After all, this whole post was based on a prompt I found somewhere (I couldn't tell you where) and set for myself.

On the other hand, this whole post is so much navel-gazing, which is far less interesting than the history and patronage of the Borgias and Medicis. So there's that.

Conclusions

Well, there's certainly more I can think of that would contribute to an ideal life, but this is a good start, especially since both elements come down to the same two goals:

Write more and improve yourself

And I suspect that, given who I am, each of those will encourage the other.

I am open to advice or stories.

In which I get ready for another year

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:51:00 +0000

Image via WikipediaJolie at Jolie Guillebeau: Paintings and Musings apparently mentioned to Havi at The Fluent Self a ritual in which one makes a list on one's birthday of x items one wants to do in the next year, with x equaling one's age on the birthday.
On Monday, I turn 27. Here are some things I'd like to do by the time I'm 28.

Learn to ride a bike.
Get my driver's license
Get my own domain and move my blogs there.
Obtain at least one new pen-pal
See one of the American sites on my list of Things to Do Before I Die
~~Go somewhere I've never been before (the above does not count)~~
Read one of the books on the same list.
~~Watch one movie from the AFI 100~~
~~Watch a second movie from the AFI 100~~
~~Watch a third movie from the AFI 100~~
Come up with an idea for an ebook. Not necessarily write the thing, but come up with the idea.
Actually win NaNoWriMo
~~Read a book off my reading list (Not counting #7)~~
~~Read a second book off my reading list~~
~~Read a third book off my reading list~~
~~Read a fourth book off my reading list~~
~~Read a fifth book off my reading list~~
~~Read a sixth book off my reading list~~
~~Read a seventh book off my reading list~~
~~Read an eighth book off my reading list~~
~~Read a ninth book off my reading list~~
~~Read a tenth book off my reading list~~
Submit a piece of writing for publication
Buy an outfit that makes me look amazing, and not freak out about the price
Attend a Flyers home game.
See the Pacific
~~Join something: a club, organization, or team~~
Attend a cherry blossom festival

In which I consider the year ahead: a personal ad.

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 18:58:00 +0000

Yes, we're well into 2010. That doesn't mean I shouldn't think about what I still want from the year.

So:

What I want:

Meaningful work. It doesn't have to be a full-time job (multiple part-time jobs or plentiful one-shot work is just fine with me). But it has to effect people who don't live in the same apartment as me, and it has to be in at least in a neutral way, preferably in an ideal way.

It ought to involve writing, at least tangentially. Editing is fine, too. If I can make some money off my blog, that would be awesome, but I don't expect that to be a major source of income this year, at least.

As a sub-request, I need the focus to keep my blogs updated more frequently, and to apply to positions I come across online

How this might work:

My current opportunities could prove fruitful.
You, my dear readers, could take advantage of my talents.
Friends whom I've helped in the past can spread the word.
I could fall in love with something I find online.
Something else I haven't thought of, and I'm open to suggestions.

My commitment:

I will work hard with my current opportunities.
I will stay current with invoices.
I will mention that I am available for hire in public fora (hint hint!).
I will apply to jobs I find online.
I will make blogging a priority, instead of viewing it as a selfish luxury that has to wait until everything, ever, is finished.

In which I evaluate the past week.

noreply@blogger.com (Laura) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 02:59:00 +0000

I recently read this article at Marc and Angel Hack Life about the end-of-week review. I figured I'd give it a try, and if it works, great -- maybe I can use it to increase my blogging production!

So:

What did I learn last week?

At a certain point, it ceases to be sangria and becomes marinated fruit salad. This, in itself, is not a bad thing.

What was my greatest accomplishment over the past week

After eating at one of our favorite restaurants, Chris mentioned to me that it would be great if we found a similar recipe. I found such a recipe provided by that restaurant!

Which moment from last week was the most memorable and why?

Going to the gym when it was crowded and having to stand around "hot" while waiting my turn to cool down. I ended up just walking home the long way, and it really annoyed me. I won't be going at that particular time again.

What’s the #1 thing I need to accomplish this week?

Emailing our videographer with our music selection. I've been putting it off for way too long.

What can I do right now to make the week less stressful?

I'm doing it! That is, I'm working on my blog so it's one less thing to worry about. I always feel like it's a luxury I have no right to work on, because other things are more important... but then the blogging doesn't get done at all.

What have I struggled with in the past that might also affect the upcoming week?

That's private. Suffice to say I'm keeping it in mind.

What was last week’s biggest time sink?

The new TV! I've already been avoiding it.

Am I carrying any excess baggage into the week that can be dropped?

Sure -- there's a bookcase needs building that I should have put together last week. When it's done, we'll have one fewer box and a heck of a lot fewer piles.

What have I been avoiding that needs to get done?

Noted and on my to-do list. I've mentioned two already.

What opportunities are still on the table?

I've bookmarked several interesting jobs. I should apply to at least one this week.

Is there anyone I’ve been meaning to talk to?

Yeah, but I suck at it. How can you hold an interesting conversation with an old friend when the two of you no loner have a shared frame of reference?
Is there anyone that deserves a big ‘Thank You’?

Chris, for working so hard.

How can I help someone else this coming week?

It's a surprise.

What are my top 3 goals for the next 3 years?

Do work that is meaningful and/or enjoyable, cultivate a social life, and travel more.

Have any of my recent actions moved me closer to my goals?

Not especially, and in at least one case, not for want of trying.

What’s the next step for each goal?>

Keep applying for jobs, attend local events, save money.

What am I looking forward to during the upcoming week? The Lost premier! OK, it's not really related to my goals, but I'm really looking forward to it!

What are my fears?

Nothing I'm going to share publicly at this point. Well, heights and clowns, but you know...
What am I most grateful for?

Loved ones, health, and written language.

If I knew I only had one week to live, who would I spend my time with?

Chris, my family, and as many of my friends as I could squeeze in,

So... would you be interested in seeing more of this? Are you willing to do your own?

Life Is (Not) Boring

In which I remember

In which I get ready for another year (28th birthday edition)

Related articles

In which I guest post

Related articles

In which I try to understand housepride.

Related articles

In which I check in with the list for March

Related articles

In which I vacation by myself (a Personal Ad)

What I'm looking for

What I'm not looking for

How this might work

My commitment

Related articles

In which I need help to start plotting...

Related articles

In which I check in with the list for February

4. Obtain at least one new pen-pal.

7. Read one of the books on the same list.

19-22. Read [seven-ten] books off my reading list

24. Buy an outfit that makes me look amazing, and not freak out about the price

Related articles

In which life kind of is boring, actually...

Related articles

In which I check in with the list for December

12. Actually win NaNoWriMo

18. Read a sixth book off my reading list

24. Buy an outfit that makes me look amazing, and not freak out about the price

Related articles

In which it's bell-ringing time again

Related articles

In which I wonder what you'd like to read

Related articles

In which I need momentum (a Personal Ad)

What I'm looking for:

How this might work:

My commitment:

In which I get back to the list

1. Learn to ride a bike.

2. Get my driver's license

3. Get my own domain and move my blogs there.

4. Obtain at least one new pen-pal

5. See one of the American sites on my list of Things to Do Before I Die

6. Go somewhere I've never been before (the above does not count)

7. Read one of the books on the same list.

11. Come up with an idea for an ebook. Not necessarily write the thing, but come up with the idea.

12. Actually win NaNoWriMo

14. Read a second book off my reading list

15. Read a third book off my reading list

16. Read a fourth book off my reading list

17. Read a fifth book off my reading list

23. Submit a piece of writing for publication

24. Buy an outfit that makes me look amazing, and not freak out about the price

25. Attend a Flyers home game.

26. See the Pacific

27. Join something: a club, organization, or team

28. Attend a cherry blossom festival

Related articles

In which I keep forgetting about guest-posting I do...

In which it gets better

Related articles by Zemanta

In which I wonder how you found me

Related articles by Zemanta

In which I ponder a new project

Related articles by Zemanta

In which I consider the library

Related articles by Zemanta

In which I work on the list.

Related articles by Zemanta

In which I totally forgot to tell you guys!

Related articles by Zemanta

In which I contemplate the ideal life.

How do I make this money?

Needed for ideal life: confidence. How to get?

What do I hope to get from my travels?

Needed for ideal life: self-improvement

Needed for ideal life: inspiration

Conclusions