I attended, presented and worked at my first academic conference this last week. It was up in Denver and it was wonderful to stay in a baller hotel for free and even more wonderful to get away from my office for a few days as work has become pretty excruciating of late. Here are the things of note:
1. I presented a paper I wrote last semester that I fully intended on revising over the past few months but naturally, didn't. I actually didn't end up even reading it all the way through until the night before I was supposed to present and luckily, as I was reading, my initial thought was the this shit was pretty good. It might be one of my finest papers ever, to my great surprise. I hope I am able to produce history papers like this next semester. The topic of the paper was about the rhetoric in advertisements in feminine hygiene products over the last century. I was able to look at over 100 ads and code them into themes. The paper is interesting, appropriately narrow and even really funny at times. Sweet. For some reason, I am able to think in much narrower terms for my women's studies coursework than for my history coursework and I need to find some way to translate that skill. Anyway, back to my presentation. It went well although my delivery was a little choppy. I presented with another guy my age about his dissertation on cybersexuality in MMORPGs, which also was a fascinating , fascinating project although I secretly suspect he chose the topic purely because he could incorporate his game play into his academic work. People asked questions and had some interesting comments and one professor from New Mexico even wants to use my paper as assigned reading in her Intro to Women's Studies classes, so that is pretty sweet.
2. I learned a great deal about socializing with academics. It comes as only a surprise to me that some are boring, some are interesting and some of them are interesting to me. I tend to idolize academics a little too much sometimes and I need to remember that they are all just people too--sometimes cool people, sometimes awkward people, sometimes people I want to be friends with, sometimes angry and inconsiderate people. I was invited to dinner by both the sociology people and also the history people, although the majority of them were americanists and I fully realize my American history knowledge is not very detailed. I got some cards though and so I feel like this will be useful in the future. I also got to see Abby and one of her colleagues, who was my section leader. I adore Abby to pieces and also, I really, really liked the other sociology people. Unfortunately, I put my foot in my mouth a couple of times and I am sad about that but I think maybe only one person noticed?
3. I'm getting sick. I have not been sick in forever and so this sore throat and cough business is making me even sadder. I am going to make my dad take me to go get Airborne this afternoon so that I can get on top of this unfortunate business. I also seem to have wrenched my knee and I hope that heals quickly so that I can get back to working off all of this week's brownies.
I think that's all. I'm glad I got to attend a fairly low key conference because next year I hope to be able to go to the enormous Medieval Congress in Michigan and possibly the Women's History conference in a couple of years. I like this life. I'm glad I'm getting my doctorate.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Rock of Love 2-The Pantieless Stripper Occupation Bitchfest
I don’t know how many people know about my undying devotion to this show but I think the number may be exactly three: Cianna, who I discuss it with every Monday morning and debate over who is a big enough slutstack to win Bret’s heart, my brother who had too much time on his hands last summer when the original ROL aired and Jessi, my dear friend who accidentally walked in on me watching it early this winter and has been kind enough to not overtly judge me for my crap taste in television.
Anyway, the finale was last night. It was a dubitable battle between Daisy, the 25 year old stripper niece of Oscar de la Hoya who Tina Fey was able to parody so brilliantly on SNL a few months ago and my personal favorite, Ambre, who spells her name weirdly, gets confused about whether she is 31 or 37 and has abs that a 16 year old would envy. Ambre won, which was the mature decision for Bret to make, seeing as how she was not 20 years younger than him and her boobs never fell out of her shirt. She was actually a woman rather than a rubberized sack of crazy, like daisy was. I am pretty sure that she turned the tides in her direction when she flashed her pantieless crotch not once but twice at a semi-intimate dinner. This made me think that she was not as classy as I had originally perceived. We’ll see how next week’s reunion goes although we’ve seen that the focus might be less on Bret and Ambre and more on girl on girl violence, as the previews indicate.
I enjoy Rock of Love so much because it is the best distinction between good crazy and bat shit crazy, an important distinction to be sure. Everyone woman participating in the “contest” is obviously off her rocker (no pun intended) but there are those, like Daisy, who truly believe that they are in love with a man who is simultaneously dating 16 other women and that they truly are there for their humor and intellect and not for the oversized saline pillows on their chests. On the flip side, there is the crazy like Kristy Joe, who was my personal favorite. Sure she had restraining orders against both of her ex-husbands, including the one that she had yet to divorce but she also knew that it wasn’t sanitary to kiss Bret after the other women and also, that dressing in classic full-skirted strapless dresses was going to be far more effective than wearing clear plastic stripper shoes and Daisy Duke shorts for 3 weeks straight.
And then, of course, begs the question of Bret Michaels himself. Why does an aging 80’s hair band star who admittedly wears extensions and can’t seem to describe a women with any other phrase other than “Smokin’ hot” warrant a television series and a woman? I can’t put my finger on it, but Bret is likeable. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying out of Rock of Love 3 but I think he’d be a cool dude to drink a 30 rack of Coors one Saturday night. I think that he actually wants more in a woman than the requirements for a stripper and I respect that even as he still gets distracted by those attributes.
Anyway, the finale was last night. It was a dubitable battle between Daisy, the 25 year old stripper niece of Oscar de la Hoya who Tina Fey was able to parody so brilliantly on SNL a few months ago and my personal favorite, Ambre, who spells her name weirdly, gets confused about whether she is 31 or 37 and has abs that a 16 year old would envy. Ambre won, which was the mature decision for Bret to make, seeing as how she was not 20 years younger than him and her boobs never fell out of her shirt. She was actually a woman rather than a rubberized sack of crazy, like daisy was. I am pretty sure that she turned the tides in her direction when she flashed her pantieless crotch not once but twice at a semi-intimate dinner. This made me think that she was not as classy as I had originally perceived. We’ll see how next week’s reunion goes although we’ve seen that the focus might be less on Bret and Ambre and more on girl on girl violence, as the previews indicate.
I enjoy Rock of Love so much because it is the best distinction between good crazy and bat shit crazy, an important distinction to be sure. Everyone woman participating in the “contest” is obviously off her rocker (no pun intended) but there are those, like Daisy, who truly believe that they are in love with a man who is simultaneously dating 16 other women and that they truly are there for their humor and intellect and not for the oversized saline pillows on their chests. On the flip side, there is the crazy like Kristy Joe, who was my personal favorite. Sure she had restraining orders against both of her ex-husbands, including the one that she had yet to divorce but she also knew that it wasn’t sanitary to kiss Bret after the other women and also, that dressing in classic full-skirted strapless dresses was going to be far more effective than wearing clear plastic stripper shoes and Daisy Duke shorts for 3 weeks straight.
And then, of course, begs the question of Bret Michaels himself. Why does an aging 80’s hair band star who admittedly wears extensions and can’t seem to describe a women with any other phrase other than “Smokin’ hot” warrant a television series and a woman? I can’t put my finger on it, but Bret is likeable. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not trying out of Rock of Love 3 but I think he’d be a cool dude to drink a 30 rack of Coors one Saturday night. I think that he actually wants more in a woman than the requirements for a stripper and I respect that even as he still gets distracted by those attributes.
Songs to Sing for Your Soul
Far away far away, I want to go far away.
To a new life on a new shore line.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another island, in another life.
-Ingrid Michaelson, "Far Away"
Sometimes you just find a musical artist that seems to be exactly on your page at this particular moment. They are writing songs that express exactly what you are feeling, just more eloquently and melodiously than you really have the talent to do. Alanis Morissette has done this for me through each of her albums--almost like we have grown up together and in a way, I guess we have.
My artist of the moment is Ingrid Michaelson. Cianna turned me on to her a couple of months ago. She is folky, acoustic and has an excellent sense of whimsy and humor. Although she is in love and I am actively trying to avoid love, she seems to be able to articulate all of my current joys and frustrations.
Here's to you, Ingrid Michaelson and here's to me for getting the blessed opportunity to start over soon.
To a new life on a new shore line.
Where the water is blue and the people are new.
To another island, in another life.
-Ingrid Michaelson, "Far Away"
Sometimes you just find a musical artist that seems to be exactly on your page at this particular moment. They are writing songs that express exactly what you are feeling, just more eloquently and melodiously than you really have the talent to do. Alanis Morissette has done this for me through each of her albums--almost like we have grown up together and in a way, I guess we have.
My artist of the moment is Ingrid Michaelson. Cianna turned me on to her a couple of months ago. She is folky, acoustic and has an excellent sense of whimsy and humor. Although she is in love and I am actively trying to avoid love, she seems to be able to articulate all of my current joys and frustrations.
Here's to you, Ingrid Michaelson and here's to me for getting the blessed opportunity to start over soon.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Rant of the Day
My newest pet peeve is people who cannot banter but try to anyway. The result of this is not lighthearted and witty repartee but rather words and comments that smack you in the face like unripe apples. In essence, bad banter sucks some serious goat balls.
I think at the heart of this is that not everyone is meant to trade quick and funny insults and whimsical references to pop culture. This is analogous to the same way that not everyone is meant to be a supermodel or a professional tennis player. I just really want to destroy anyone who has delusions that they are a Gilmore Girl. You are not funny and at times, you come off as vaguely offensive.
I can banter. And I have many friends who are also very skilled at it. Maybe my standards are higher than most. Either way, brevity is the key to good English. If your words are not substantive, entertaining or passionate, leave them in your mouth.
Note: Sometimes the amount of bitchiness I can project astounds me, too. I just have occasional periods of rage. Maybe it's because I never get angry whilst driving.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Breaking it down, list style.
Things That I Like But I Shouldn't
1. Salty Nut Bars
2. Miley Cyrus's newest song
3. Bret Michael's Rock of Love
4. Hooded sweatshirts and fleece
5. Being fickle.
6. Rachael Ray's magazine
Things That I Do Not Like but Really Should
1. Tofu
2. NPR
3. Reading about current events and the world at large.
4. Community Service
5. The "Internationalization" of college campuses
6. Foreign Languages
7. Barack Obama (I only dislike him sometimes but I don't like him nearly as much as my young liberal credibility demands.)
8. Hiking, camping, skiing and generally enjoying the great outdoors for longer than about an hour at a time.
Things I Love Dearly Which is Just the Right Amount
1. John Mayer
2. Potatoes
3. Cassandra Hilpman
4. Food in History
5. Clean sheets
6. The Gap and Banana Republic
7. Freshly made tortillas.
8. Aveda beauty products.
9. Sushi
Things I Hate Which is Exactly What Should Be Felt
1. Poor grammar
2. Only studying "American" history. Bullshit.
3. Most of the attitudes of the Millennial Generation--a generation that I am apart of but whatevs.
4. The pedagogy of public schools and their teachers.
5. Ginger. (The spice, not the Spice Girl. I like her.)
6. Cheap vodka
7. Not liking one's self.
1. Salty Nut Bars
2. Miley Cyrus's newest song
3. Bret Michael's Rock of Love
4. Hooded sweatshirts and fleece
5. Being fickle.
6. Rachael Ray's magazine
Things That I Do Not Like but Really Should
1. Tofu
2. NPR
3. Reading about current events and the world at large.
4. Community Service
5. The "Internationalization" of college campuses
6. Foreign Languages
7. Barack Obama (I only dislike him sometimes but I don't like him nearly as much as my young liberal credibility demands.)
8. Hiking, camping, skiing and generally enjoying the great outdoors for longer than about an hour at a time.
Things I Love Dearly Which is Just the Right Amount
1. John Mayer
2. Potatoes
3. Cassandra Hilpman
4. Food in History
5. Clean sheets
6. The Gap and Banana Republic
7. Freshly made tortillas.
8. Aveda beauty products.
9. Sushi
Things I Hate Which is Exactly What Should Be Felt
1. Poor grammar
2. Only studying "American" history. Bullshit.
3. Most of the attitudes of the Millennial Generation--a generation that I am apart of but whatevs.
4. The pedagogy of public schools and their teachers.
5. Ginger. (The spice, not the Spice Girl. I like her.)
6. Cheap vodka
7. Not liking one's self.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
How Do you Get to Know Everything?
I got an email last night from my (hopefully) soon to be graduate advisor who is AMAZING and a rock star of the medieval history world asking me and the other 4 students taking her Later Medieval History class next semester what we want to read and what suggestions for books and topics we might have. I had three initial and frightening thoughts because I still very much want to impress this woman or at worst, not annoy her and my track record was not so great at my visit with her in March. (I babbled and was starstruck. SO not attractive.)
1. This is a test. One which you will fail because you don't know what big books are really important in the field right now.
2. Can you really only want to read about medieval women all of the time?
3. Sweet lord, this has to be the right program for me because it's a cooperative and helpful atmosphere without so much emphasis on hierarchy like some programs you got into. (Cough, CU, cough.)
I told my woes to the brilliant and fabulous Owen Cramer at lunch today and he had the most comforting response that I would never have thought of myself. he told me not to approach this like I already had my PhD but to be thoughtful and decisive about what you want to learn about but really be there to learn and to make up for your deficiencies. I found that to be very comforting. I am deficient in a lot of medieval history areas but I am eager and ready to learn as much as I can.
But my big question of course, is when do I know everything?
1. This is a test. One which you will fail because you don't know what big books are really important in the field right now.
2. Can you really only want to read about medieval women all of the time?
3. Sweet lord, this has to be the right program for me because it's a cooperative and helpful atmosphere without so much emphasis on hierarchy like some programs you got into. (Cough, CU, cough.)
I told my woes to the brilliant and fabulous Owen Cramer at lunch today and he had the most comforting response that I would never have thought of myself. he told me not to approach this like I already had my PhD but to be thoughtful and decisive about what you want to learn about but really be there to learn and to make up for your deficiencies. I found that to be very comforting. I am deficient in a lot of medieval history areas but I am eager and ready to learn as much as I can.
But my big question of course, is when do I know everything?
On Excercise, Stress Relief and Crazy Old Women
Last June, I made a major overhaul of my exercise routine. That overhaul being, of course, that I went from refusing to exercise at all to exercising when possible, 4-5 times per week at the gym. I go to the local YMCA which is a warm and welcoming place with no pressure like some other gyms that I have belonged to. Even though sometimes, I purposefully skip a few days or I get a little bored with my routine, I generally love being physically active and I really, really love the energy that i get and the way I feel post-workout.
Lately, I have also been feeling more stressed out than normal. I think it is because I over committed myself and also because planning a full scale move across the country when I have never moved more than 10 miles from my last location (Wales excepted but that was a small scale temporary move) and I have been overwhelming myself with all of the things that I need to do. I went to a lunch on Monday where the presentation was about how to manage stress mentally, physically and emotionally. The presenter, a psychologist, was a really interesting guy and I feel like I learned a lot of tips but he just kept reiterating over and over again that cardiovascular exercise is one of the best stress management tools in existence.
I had to ask myself if my exercise made me any less stressed than I was before I started in June and the answer was a resounding yes. I am happier now and less dramatic and fewer things really get me all kerfluffled. I also can feel my ability to manage stress decrease when I have been forced (or chosen!) to skip working out for several days in a row and I definitely find that I have a lot of nervous energy. A couple of weeks ago was one of those times. I just didn't feel like going to the gym and I had so many other things to do and felt so perpetually behind on my life that I sacrificed my one on one time with the elliptical machine. Poor choice, Kimberly. This actually meant that I became even more overwhelmed.
This brings me to the crazy old lady part of this post. I have needed some alone time for the past couple of days because for the month of March, I was overwhelmingly social (which was awesome but at the same time, my psyche needs a bit of a rest.) and so I have actually been doubling up on my time at the Y. I go do cardio and sometimes weights in the morning and then at night, I do some sort of pilates/yoga/stretching business. (Generally, I just go every morning before work.) Last night, I went to a class called "Gentle Yoga" that I had never been to before. The woman who taught it must have been in her early seventies and introduced herself with both her given name and her yoga name. She was a hoot and completely awesome. We did affirmation claps and also, a mindfulness walk. I think I burned a total of about 12 calories but really, this is irrelevant because as kooky as it sounds, it really did relax me and restore my peace of mind. The money moment of the evening came when one of the regulars pointed out that the teacher's embroidered sweatshirt was misbuttoned and that it was screwing up her ability to relax. The teacher replied, "Oh, so it is. This is how it came out of the dryer!" and left it misbuttoned for the rest of the class. I respect that attitude so much, it's ridiculous. She was just so in the moment and full of joy that those kind of details don't bother her at all. That's the kind of relaxation I want to achieve.
Lately, I have also been feeling more stressed out than normal. I think it is because I over committed myself and also because planning a full scale move across the country when I have never moved more than 10 miles from my last location (Wales excepted but that was a small scale temporary move) and I have been overwhelming myself with all of the things that I need to do. I went to a lunch on Monday where the presentation was about how to manage stress mentally, physically and emotionally. The presenter, a psychologist, was a really interesting guy and I feel like I learned a lot of tips but he just kept reiterating over and over again that cardiovascular exercise is one of the best stress management tools in existence.
I had to ask myself if my exercise made me any less stressed than I was before I started in June and the answer was a resounding yes. I am happier now and less dramatic and fewer things really get me all kerfluffled. I also can feel my ability to manage stress decrease when I have been forced (or chosen!) to skip working out for several days in a row and I definitely find that I have a lot of nervous energy. A couple of weeks ago was one of those times. I just didn't feel like going to the gym and I had so many other things to do and felt so perpetually behind on my life that I sacrificed my one on one time with the elliptical machine. Poor choice, Kimberly. This actually meant that I became even more overwhelmed.
This brings me to the crazy old lady part of this post. I have needed some alone time for the past couple of days because for the month of March, I was overwhelmingly social (which was awesome but at the same time, my psyche needs a bit of a rest.) and so I have actually been doubling up on my time at the Y. I go do cardio and sometimes weights in the morning and then at night, I do some sort of pilates/yoga/stretching business. (Generally, I just go every morning before work.) Last night, I went to a class called "Gentle Yoga" that I had never been to before. The woman who taught it must have been in her early seventies and introduced herself with both her given name and her yoga name. She was a hoot and completely awesome. We did affirmation claps and also, a mindfulness walk. I think I burned a total of about 12 calories but really, this is irrelevant because as kooky as it sounds, it really did relax me and restore my peace of mind. The money moment of the evening came when one of the regulars pointed out that the teacher's embroidered sweatshirt was misbuttoned and that it was screwing up her ability to relax. The teacher replied, "Oh, so it is. This is how it came out of the dryer!" and left it misbuttoned for the rest of the class. I respect that attitude so much, it's ridiculous. She was just so in the moment and full of joy that those kind of details don't bother her at all. That's the kind of relaxation I want to achieve.
Monday, April 7, 2008
And I Thought I Didn't Have a "Culture"
My new favorite blog is called
Stuff White People Like
I have been reading it for a couple of weeks and it pretty much scarily describes me perfectly. Really, it should be Stuff Yuppie and Pretentious White People like. My particular favorites are Graduate School and Study Abroad.
Also, I really love hyperlinking things lately. I'm going to hopefully be working on a big medieval website next year and so I am working on getting my web skills up to snuff. Hyperlinking is just that little tiny iota of things I will be doing but practice is practice, natch.
Stuff White People Like
I have been reading it for a couple of weeks and it pretty much scarily describes me perfectly. Really, it should be Stuff Yuppie and Pretentious White People like. My particular favorites are Graduate School and Study Abroad.
Also, I really love hyperlinking things lately. I'm going to hopefully be working on a big medieval website next year and so I am working on getting my web skills up to snuff. Hyperlinking is just that little tiny iota of things I will be doing but practice is practice, natch.
Sunday, April 6, 2008
6 Word Reviews
I've been watching a lot of movies lately and I am always a fan of the 6 word movie review.
1. The Notorious Bettie Page: No social commentary but many boobs.
2. Ratatouille: Rat looked a little like Klaus.
3. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day: 1930's period movies are the awesomest.
4. Good Luck Chuck: My eyes hurt from the sex.
5. What a Way to Go!: Shirley Maclaine was a beauty. Seriously.
6. A Knight's Tale: Really, I talked through this film.
7. Wild Hearts are Never Broken: Feel good film with jumping horses.
8. Click: Christopher Walken saved this beastly business.
I like these even though their level of informativeness is dubitable at best.
1. The Notorious Bettie Page: No social commentary but many boobs.
2. Ratatouille: Rat looked a little like Klaus.
3. Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day: 1930's period movies are the awesomest.
4. Good Luck Chuck: My eyes hurt from the sex.
5. What a Way to Go!: Shirley Maclaine was a beauty. Seriously.
6. A Knight's Tale: Really, I talked through this film.
7. Wild Hearts are Never Broken: Feel good film with jumping horses.
8. Click: Christopher Walken saved this beastly business.
I like these even though their level of informativeness is dubitable at best.
Because I just love lists.
A Short Meme...
Things I'm Passionate About:
Medieval History Cooking and Eating and Experimenting
Feminism
Books
Meeting one's potential
Pilates
Classic Fashion
Being funny.
My new PhD program
Lifelong learning
Things I Want to Do Before I Die:
Get my PhD.
Visit Japan and Austrailia.
Publish a book.
Meet my goal weight.
Speak 6 languages fluently.
Things I Say Often:
FACT.
Inappropriate.
But vagina is just so salty...
I'm a simple girl.
Books I've Recently Read or I'm Currently Reading:
Early Medieval Women 400-1100 by Lisa Bitel
Midwives by Chris Bohajalian
Cult of the Saints by Peter Brown
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (an incredible book--I couldn't put it down.)
Songs I Could Listen to Over and Over:
Ecstasy by ATB
Love Song by Sara Barielles
Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap
The Way You Make Me Feel, Michael Jackson
Moonlight Sonata, Beethoven
Angels of the Silences, Counting Crows
DooWop (That Thing) Lauren Hill Things
That Attract Me to My Best Friends:
Humor
Intellect
Passion
Vulnerability
Intriguingness
Things I'm Passionate About:
Medieval History Cooking and Eating and Experimenting
Feminism
Books
Meeting one's potential
Pilates
Classic Fashion
Being funny.
My new PhD program
Lifelong learning
Things I Want to Do Before I Die:
Get my PhD.
Visit Japan and Austrailia.
Publish a book.
Meet my goal weight.
Speak 6 languages fluently.
Things I Say Often:
FACT.
Inappropriate.
But vagina is just so salty...
I'm a simple girl.
Books I've Recently Read or I'm Currently Reading:
Early Medieval Women 400-1100 by Lisa Bitel
Midwives by Chris Bohajalian
Cult of the Saints by Peter Brown
The Jane Austen Book Club by Karen Joy Fowler
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen (an incredible book--I couldn't put it down.)
Songs I Could Listen to Over and Over:
Ecstasy by ATB
Love Song by Sara Barielles
Hide and Seek by Imogen Heap
The Way You Make Me Feel, Michael Jackson
Moonlight Sonata, Beethoven
Angels of the Silences, Counting Crows
DooWop (That Thing) Lauren Hill Things
That Attract Me to My Best Friends:
Humor
Intellect
Passion
Vulnerability
Intriguingness
Friday, April 4, 2008
Top Reasons I am Excited About Moving to LA
1. Lots and lots and lots of delicious Mexican food. Yes, I know they have that here too but it tastes even better in LA and I already have a promise from a friend to go explore new Mexican restaurants.
2. Museums and Libraries. Specifically the Getty and the Huntington but there are others. Because I will be a graduate student at a very prominent institution, I get special access passes to both of these places. I can do research in real archives and the Getty has several rooms devoted to medieval illuminated manuscripts which is something I greatly want to perhaps specialize in. (I've thought about doing work with medieval pets in art and literature.) Colorado Springs has lovely libraries and museums but certainly nothing on par to these. Even though LA's image is not an intellectual one, I can think of no better place to practice the art of history except for maybe New York City.
3. Never, ever having to drive in the snow again. Ever.
4. Having the option to get a (free) tan if I want to.
5. Easy access to fresh sushi all of the time.
6. Having multiple Sephoras within short driving distance. I will be able to have expensive and ridiculous beauty products at my fingertips!
7. Farmer's Markets year round. Also, lots of vegetarian food.
8. Getting to hang out with really, really cool people who I have a lot in common with, including my cousin, my new roommates and a couple of people I dearly would like to be my new best friends. Also, everyone I've met in LA seems to love cats, which is awesome for both me and Klaustopher.
9. The possibility of meeting famous people. While I was in LA a couple of weeks ago, the other grad students took me out to a delicious Mexican restaurant. There was sangria and margaritas had by all, which was fabulous in and of itself but at the end of the dinner, a couple of them remarked how disappointed they were that they did not see any celebrities at the eatery. I asked who they have seen before and apparently, George Michael, also known as Michael Cera, frequents this particular joint. I really just plan to stake that place out now because who doesn't want to meet George Michael and ask him about Maeby?
10. Hotter than average guys. I've decided I want a fellow grad student but that I will go cross-disciplinary. I'm going to start with the Physics Department and move out from there. I just want to find someone who will be more employable than me because as awesome as history is, it's not exactly the world's most lucrative profession.
2. Museums and Libraries. Specifically the Getty and the Huntington but there are others. Because I will be a graduate student at a very prominent institution, I get special access passes to both of these places. I can do research in real archives and the Getty has several rooms devoted to medieval illuminated manuscripts which is something I greatly want to perhaps specialize in. (I've thought about doing work with medieval pets in art and literature.) Colorado Springs has lovely libraries and museums but certainly nothing on par to these. Even though LA's image is not an intellectual one, I can think of no better place to practice the art of history except for maybe New York City.
3. Never, ever having to drive in the snow again. Ever.
4. Having the option to get a (free) tan if I want to.
5. Easy access to fresh sushi all of the time.
6. Having multiple Sephoras within short driving distance. I will be able to have expensive and ridiculous beauty products at my fingertips!
7. Farmer's Markets year round. Also, lots of vegetarian food.
8. Getting to hang out with really, really cool people who I have a lot in common with, including my cousin, my new roommates and a couple of people I dearly would like to be my new best friends. Also, everyone I've met in LA seems to love cats, which is awesome for both me and Klaustopher.
9. The possibility of meeting famous people. While I was in LA a couple of weeks ago, the other grad students took me out to a delicious Mexican restaurant. There was sangria and margaritas had by all, which was fabulous in and of itself but at the end of the dinner, a couple of them remarked how disappointed they were that they did not see any celebrities at the eatery. I asked who they have seen before and apparently, George Michael, also known as Michael Cera, frequents this particular joint. I really just plan to stake that place out now because who doesn't want to meet George Michael and ask him about Maeby?
10. Hotter than average guys. I've decided I want a fellow grad student but that I will go cross-disciplinary. I'm going to start with the Physics Department and move out from there. I just want to find someone who will be more employable than me because as awesome as history is, it's not exactly the world's most lucrative profession.
Today's Horoscope: It's Good to Be Alone
I get my horoscope everyday and here is mine for the day:
Fickleness is the keyword today, dear Kimberly: You really don't know whose fiddle to dance to! One moment you're saying Yes, only to change your mind and say No five minutes later . and you're making half-hearted promises to everyone. The Fool and Temperance point to the fact that your primary goal is to keep your independence - in love as much as in friendship - without taking into account what your loved ones actually want.
How apropos. I made kind of an important decision this week and there were hurt feelings and now, I am really questioning if what I did was the right decision. But my e-horoscope tells me that what I did to preserve my independence was the right path and e-horoscopes are always accurate, right?
Fickleness is the keyword today, dear Kimberly: You really don't know whose fiddle to dance to! One moment you're saying Yes, only to change your mind and say No five minutes later . and you're making half-hearted promises to everyone. The Fool and Temperance point to the fact that your primary goal is to keep your independence - in love as much as in friendship - without taking into account what your loved ones actually want.
How apropos. I made kind of an important decision this week and there were hurt feelings and now, I am really questioning if what I did was the right decision. But my e-horoscope tells me that what I did to preserve my independence was the right path and e-horoscopes are always accurate, right?
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