Thursday, August 19, 2004
03:12 p.m.
Hm. It's a good thing I'm working 8 hours a day this week, because today I'm spending about half of them up here on the phones. ~_~ Not that this is a difficult task or anything, but it makes catching up on last week's work sort of difficult. :P
In other news, this morning I woke up about half an hour before I needed to be out the door. ^_^;;; I made it, though -- ate my breakfast, packed my lunch, got dressed and everything ... Which isn't so good, because it doesn't encourage me to try to wake up earlier, if I know I don't need that much time to get ready. :P
I've also been getting nothing done this week -- no writing, just barely any reading. This is partially because I'm watching the Olympics in the evenings after I get off work, thereby providing the perfect excuse for my laziness. XD;; But the gymnastics finals have been playing! And OMG PAUL HAMM. *_* I nearly had a heart attack watching the individual all-around finals. (To say nothing of the organ failure I risked by watching the men's 800m swimming relay. XD;;)
This makes me miss my mom, though, because I know she's also following the same events, and I grew up watching televised sports with her -- Olympic gymnastics, figure skating, basketball, and tennis, accompanied by much yelling and commentary. (We'd also have a similar routine for soap operas. Except there'd be less yelling, and more snark. XD)
Geh, back to work.
Tuesday, August 17, 2004
02:18 p.m.
Ah, customer assholery. I seem to get more of it now that I'm acting in a receptionist capacity only part of my working time in the office, as opposed to when I spent *all* my time at the front counter for the campus convenience store. Maybe that has something to do with the fact that in the latter, I only dealt with college students in the context of, say, buying potato chips; now, I'm still dealing with college students, but they're also mostly neurotic and trying to get fancy degrees. Most of them still remember that, hey, yeah, this is important, but you need not plow heedlessly through the rest of the world to get to your goal. Some of them don't.
Yes, I know, the customer is king, etc. etc. -- but really, there are some simple things that everyone should just keep in mind. Like, for one: do not assume that the customer service person you are speaking to is a raging incompetent. (Following this advice tends to lead to such fortuitous secondary actions as recognizing fellow humans' dignity and granting them respect.) And who knows, they might actually know what they're talking about -- they do work there, after all.
As a corollary to the above: having assumed that said customer service individual is somehow more inept than you, do not then proceed to tell them to do things *for* you. This is Not Cool, people.
Um, right ... I suppose I could be talking about how my vacation went (very well), as well as seeing Rent (GLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE). I just felt like being sarcastic and snarky. :P Yeah, I need more to occupy me when I'm at the front desk. XD;;
Sunday, August 8, 2004
12:04 a.m.
So what did I do with my Saturday, young and hip person that I am? Well, I spent some time cleaning the house before my parents see it when they come to pick me up tomorrow. (Also got rid of the beer. Because -- cliche, I know -- it really *isn't* mine. The kahlua, though ... ^^;) But the rest of it? Spent watching old school anime. (And by 'old school' I mean ... mid-nineties. Ha.)
See, there's this girl who wanted to donate her fansub collection to the anime club (rather nice of her, really); but, since a lot of the stuff is now licensed, it turned into a sort of free-for-all giveaway to club members. So I now have (among other things) all of Kenshin on tape. Some of the subs are Hecto rather than Shinsen Gumi, but still, GLEE. Now I can inflict my mad love for the series on others, hee. XD So I watched several episodes of that (as well as the beginning of Magic Knight Rayearth, which just screams 'last decade' XD), and so ... I'm indulging in nostalgic fangirlism for the evening. XD
I was reminded that I am always, always: 1) amused by Saitou, 2) enthralled by Aoshi's hair, 3) increasingly impressed by the development of Yahiko's character, and 4) unsure of whether I find Kaoru strong and empathetic or annoyingly weak. I think the final verdict on that, however, lies in fandom. You can read Kaoru's character in different ways. Some of my favorite readings, though, are in Ashfae's On Your Feet, Istoria's Last Chance at Glory, and Haku Baikou's Observer. That last one being one of the few KenKao fics I actually enthusiastically like. Um. ^_^; I used to be more of a fangirl of the pairing, but fannish constructions of characterizations in fic have mostly turned me off. Also used to really like certain KenKao-centric fics, which, upon re-reading, I discover are too laden with other characterizations that I find blatantly skewed. And that's about as specific I'll be, because the authors may very well have disappeared offline, but I'm still paranoid about hurting feelings and/or inspiring offended anger. But I still remember those fics fondly, because they remind me of summers in high school that I spent reading (and writing) fic with neechan, geeks that we I was also reminded of the special joy of fansubs back in the day, and how good we've got it now in comparison. By no means am I of the generation that used to huddle around wobbly Macross videos and pass around written copies of the subtitles because the tapes were so blurry; but I *am* of the generation that went to distributors' websites to order tapes (wow ... now *that's* nostalgic) that were of varying quality. We never dreamed about having things like pixellation to complain about, heh. Third- or fourth-gen was good, while straight-from-LD copies were only if you were lucky. Or at least, that's what the case was with the series I was interested in. Like Yuu Yuu Hakusho -- it was a huge treat when neko-chan got a few tapes and *wow*, we could finally see some *episodes* instead of reading summaries and occasionally getting a manga tank to flip through ... And it was a great way to add more depth to fanfic. Because back then, writing fic wasn't based on watching the series, but rather on reading summaries, looking at pictures, and, well, reading other fic. (Talk about your fannish constructions, yeah? ^^;;)
It all seems to come back to the fic. I'm going to go off and read some more, while listening to a CD of Kenshin music, and then go to sleep so I can get up in the morning and pack. I'll be heading home sometime in the afternoon, and will be a week at my parents' house. That'll mean dial-up, as well as fighting with my dad for the computer, so I'll be online less (because I blog so much now as it is, I know). I won't be on so much after my parents go to sleep, because I can't stay up past three and be semi-productive like I used to.
Wow, that makes me feel old. Actually, this whole post kind of does. ^^; Good night, all.
wereare. XD
Friday, August 6, 2004
08:14 p.m.
Yay Friday! As today was my last day of work before I leave for home (on Sunday), I have nothing but freedom to look forward to for a WHOLE NINE DAYS EEEEEEEEEEE. XD
(And Rent in eight days!! *much hyperventilation*)
For the moment, though, I'm content with sitting in front of the computer (which is my curling up by the proverbial fire) with nothing to look forward to but great amounts of unburdened time, with which I shall read The Shoebox Project. (If you don't know what that is, take a look. If you like Lupin, it's worth it.)
So. Am spending my Friday night reading fic. And am quite happy about it. This would be what number on the 'you know you're a geek when ...' list? :P
Wednesday, August 4, 2004
10:27 p.m.
Tuesday, August 3, 2004
08:39 p.m.
Tedium, thy name is data entry review. >_<
Not just data entry, mind you -- I don't mind that, and it's even kind of fun for someone who likes to type and is as anal-retentive as me. What I'm talking about it is the review process, wherein I reread everything that was entered in to make sure it's all correct. There are several hundred files in the office that need to be/have been entered, and they have been coming in since the end of last year. This wasn't such a problem earlier in the year, when there were two other people there to help me, but now that I'm by myself I get to look forward to slowly chipping away at the mass of files all by myself. In five-hour shifts of staring at the computer screen. Every day.
(Well, not tomorrow. Ah, the sweet succor of the literary agency internship.)
The thing is, I like my job. I like the people I work with, and I'm familiar enough with everything now that I'm comfortable, and I'm happy to help out the others in the office (when I'm doing something useful). For a temporary, on-campus job, it's great. (I'd be lying if I said it pays the rent. It pokes holes in the rent. But I'm glad for those holes.) But, seeing as I nearly went crazy today -- never have I watched the clock so closely -- and I only have more of the same to look forward to for the rest of the week, and onward until I finish this batch, and then there's the next batch of files as next year's applications come in ... I'm beginning to wonder if I should look for something else. The work is easy and mindless, but 'easy and mindless' can really wear on you.
In fact, I got an email the other day about a tutoring position in a campus program aimed at high schoolers, editing papers and such. I think I might like to do that. It's been too long since I've done some community service. Well, there was the stint I did for my service learning course last year, but that only involved data entry, not, you know, talking to people. :P This position is paid, but it's along the same lines of the tutoring/mentoring I did in high school. Besides, recently I've gotten all sorts of practice with evaluating writing from a creative viewpoint (Dragon's Pen) and from a marketing viewpoint (the internship), and I'd kind of like to try evaluating writing from an academic viewpoint.
Hm. That might sound good on an application. XD
The job is only ten hours a week; if I wanted, I could even work a few hours in the office too. They'd have to hire some more student assistants, but I was hoping they'd do that anyway. Hmmm. *ponders*
Friday, July 30, 2004
07:34 p.m.
Well, I was dumb and missed John Kerry's address last night, but at least the New York Times ran a copy of the speech he wrote. He made some happy-squishy overtures to Bush and the Republicans ("let's be optimists, not just opponents"), but he was also pretty ballsy and included quite a few jabs. XD Here are some of my favorite parts:
"As president, I will restore trust and credibility to the White House." - As the article pointed out, this is what Bush said in the 2000 campaign to criticize Clinton. Ouch. XD
"I will be a commander in chief who will never mislead us into war. I will have a vice president who will not conduct secret meetings with polluters to rewrite our environmental laws. I will have a secretary of Defense who will listen to the best advice of our military leaders. And I will appoint an Attorney General who actually upholds the Constitution of the United States." - Ouch again!
"Now I know there are those who criticize me for seeing complexities -- and I do -- because some issues just aren't all that simple." - The context of this is Kerry's description of his response to 9/11, and how his opinions changed. And may I say, YES. Changing one's mind on an issue in response to new information, or simply an inner reevaluation, is not weak or waffling, and the fact that this is one of the most common lines from criticizers of Kerry is just laughable. Being decisive and standing one's ground is one thing; it's another to be ass-backwardsly stubborn just to say you're right. (And yes, 'ass-backwardsly' is a word. :P)
"There is nothing more pessimistic than saying America can't do better." - Another response to a common criticism. Heh.
"As President, I will wage this war with the lessons I learned in war. Before you go to battle, you have to be able to look a parent in the eye and truthfully say: 'I tried everything possible to avoid sending your son or daughter into harm's way. But we had no choice. We had to protect the American people, fundamental American values from a threat that was real and imminent.' So lesson one, this is the only justification for going to war." - If I'm feeling cynical, I can say this is just a pretty turn of phrase from a hack writer. Otherwise, this is a very moving, and very important, idea. And so is the next line: "I will send a message to every man and woman in our armed forces: You will never be asked to fight a war without a plan to win the peace."
"... we have an important message for those who question the patriotism of Americans who offer a better direction for our country. Before wrapping themselves in the flag and shutting their eyes and ears to the truth, they should remember what America is really all about." - Again: YES.
And finally, to close: "I don't want to claim that God is on our side. As Abraham Lincoln told us, I want to pray humbly that we are on God's side." Which, I think, is one of the most vitally important things that the president of the United States should remember.
Okay, okay, one last thing, just for Bush -- STFU n00b. XD
Sunday, July 18, 2004
09:24 p.m.
Just finished watching the third Inuyasha movie with Ann, which was a lot of fun, even if my sketchy knowledge of the series left me a bit confused at times. Yay for massive flashbacks. XD And silly boys with phallic swords and competitive streaks. XD Am now tempted to make an icon or something with a screencap of Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru fighting the Sou'unga zombies back to back, with the caption, "This is us NOT working together." Or maybe Sesshoumaru wailing on Takemaru in order to protect Rin and Jaken with, "This is me NOT protecting something." *snrk*
Also, the ending theme, Amuro Namie's "Four Seasons," is very pretty. As is Narita Ken's (Sesshoumaru) voice, though in an entirely different way. XD
In other fangirlishness, I went to karaoke on Friday with neechan and the others, and saw that they now have stuff from Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables! With that and the Rent songs, all they need now is some Miss Saigon stuff and they'd have all my favorite musicals. :D
I've also realized that, while I enjoy going to karaoke (especially with Jose -- and especially if he sings The Darkness XD), and I enjoy singing, I don't particularly enjoy singing *at* karaoke. ^_^; Microphones make me nervous, and I'm just one of those people who doesn't like hearing their own voice, so. I like going and listening to other people, or singing along without having it played back on the speakers. ^_^;
Hmm ... is it already Sunday night? I don't want to go to work tomorrow. :P Ah well, at least I have the housewarming party this Saturday to look forward to ...
Tuesday, July 13, 2004
10:07 p.m.
I forgot to make a post yesterday -- it was the centennial of Pablo Neruda's birthday, and I wanted to put up one of my favorite sonnets of his. Well, it's never a bad time for Neruda poetry, so here goes:
Sonnet XVII
I do not love you as if you were salt-rose, or topaz,
I love you as the plant that never blooms
I love you without knowing how, or when, or from where.
that this: where I does not exist, nor you,
Soneto XVII
No te amo como si fueras rosa de sal, topacio
Te amo como la planta que no florece y lleva
Te amo sin saber cómo, ni cuándo, ni de dónde,
sino así de este modo en que no soy ni eres,
or the arrow of carnations the fire shoots off.
I love you as certain dark things are to be loved,
in secret, between the shadow and the soul.
but carries in itself the light of hidden flowers;
thanks to your love a certain solid fragrance,
risen from the earth, lives darkly in my body.
I love you straightforwardly, without complexities or pride;
so I love you because I know no other way
so close that your hand on my chest is my hand,
so close that your eyes close as I fall asleep.
o flecha de claveles que propagan el fuego:
te amo como se aman ciertas cosas oscuras,
secretamente, entre la sombra y el alma.
dentro de sí, escondida, la luz de aquellas flores,
y gracias a tu amor vive oscuro en mi cuerpo
el apretado aroma que ascendió de la tierra.
te amo directamente sin problemas ni orgullo:
así te amo porque no sé amar de otra manera, .
tan cerca que tu mano sobre mi pecho es mía,
tan cerca que se cierran tus ojos con mi sueño.
Sunday, July 11, 2004
12:28 a.m.
So ... instead of doing something productive tonight, like hammering out the beginnings of an outline for the novel I've half-plotted, or even getting some housework done ... I've ended up scouring the web for AX pictures, and downloading AMVs. I don't *know* why my fangirlness has made this sudden resurgence, but it has. And I am prey to it. ^_^;
I'm somewhat disappointed, though -- I've seen one Sano cosplayer, and one shot of a Kenshin/Kaoru pair, but that's it. AX has been the place where I've seen the most impressive RuroKen cosplay over the years, and it would make me sad if people weren't interested in doing it anymore.
(Sebastian, Ann's kitty, is alternating between following my speedy hand movements with sleepy and bemused eyes, and knocking objects off the desk. This is because he's laying on top of it, curled around the keyboard. :P)
I have found pictures of Seki, though! If there were one reason I really wish I had gone to Anime Expo ... *_* Here he is chatting it up with some cosplayers (second and third rows).
Also (though I may be the only one who actually cares about this ^_^;), Kusoyaro Productions, a longtime favorite AMV maker of mine, was contracted by ADV to make a Noir video as an Easter Egg in the 7th DVD. I think that's really cool. :D
Friday, July 9, 2004
09:08 p.m.
Y'know, it's the little things that make me happy ...
... like having a stomach full of French bread, because neechan made us a lovely spaghetti meal.
... or watching The Princess Bride for the first time in years last night -- I was reminded of just how much I love that movie. To say nothing of the (not so) little crush I had on Cary Elwes after seeing it. ^_^; And there are such wonderful lines in the movie, like the "To the pain" speech, and "I want my father back, you son of a bitch." <3<3<3
... or my new bookshelf! :D I actually bought it a while ago, but it had been sitting in the box until Michio was kind enough to assemble it for me. And now I have an honest-to-goodness bookshelf, rather than the empty stereo box arrangement I had in the corner of my room in my parents' house. XD;;
... or this default icon. XD
... or wonderful poems that make me adore David Thewlis even more. I especially like the last one, "Love Poem"; it's attractive in that same sort of quirky, unconventional way that David himself is.
... or hot Greed. Not to mention all the rest of the awesome FMA cosplay there (I wanna go to a con~~), but, yes. Hot Greed. XD
I had a great Fourth of July weekend, too; I stayed with my parents over the weekend, and it was a lot of fun, despite the fact that we didn't really go out and *do* a lot of stuff. We ate good food, did a little shopping, got to watching things being detonated (courtesy of Michio), and I just spent time with my parents, which is something I haven't gotten to do for several months.
Additionally, I spent time pawing through all my old crap to see what I wanted to bring back to the Seattle house, and ... whenever I do things like this I end up wallowing in nostalgia for, oh, the next week or so. :P But, anyway, besides the sentimental indulgence, it allowed me to find some things that I could bring back up here that would help my room feel more homey. Including my waaaay old school X-Men poster. Now that is some stylish decorating. XD
Wednesday, June 16, 2004
04:27 p.m.
So, here's what I've been doing:
Graduation: was fun, but long. The commencement speaker was a hoot, entertaining both for his speech (which was great) and the fact that he was unabashedly political. Bet the College Republican grads loved that one. But they took it in good humor, I think; or at least, I couldn't hear any jeering from my seat in the stadium.
The house: is almost perfect. 'Almost,' I say, because, well, it's a new place and I'm going to find something to complain about. "But it's not the same as ________." :P Seriously though, it's a really nice place for really good rent, and I'm having fun personalizing my room, which is very cute. There's a random tunnel formed by the door to the bathroom and my two closets on either side. (Yes, I have two. No, they're not *that* big. Yes, I'm sharing the space.)
My roommates, on the other hand ... No, I kid. XD I'm very content living with them, though we may seem rather boring to an outside observer. In reality ... well, we are rather boring, but it keeps us entertained. :D Ann is introducing me to Gargoyles; it's been too long since I've watched (American) cartoons. And the old-school commercials are an added bonus. Hee.
The job: is pretty much the same as it was before, except now that classes have ended I'm working more. *shrug* I'm pretty busy, though -- they said they could only give me 20 hours a week? Hah, I say!
The internship: It was my first day today, and I love it. The people, the place, the cat who likes to meow loudly when I'm trying to read manuscripts ... I get to sit for five hours and READ. And learn about the workings of a literary agency while I'm at it. Glee.
And speaking of reading, I finally finished the book I started over spring break, and now I'm getting into a Jeanette Winterson book (which takes a definite shifting of mental gears to get into o_o). I get to read again! Yay! XD
Grades: were better than I expected. I somehow managed a 4.0 in my post-war British lit class, even though I hardly spoke up in class -- luckily, papers counted for 80% of the grade. ^_^v I pulled off a 3.9 in philosophy, even though, again, I didn't speak up in class -- and considering I got a 3.8 on the midterm (20%) and 3.9 on one of the final assignments (another 20%), that must mean my professor really liked the rest of what I did. No complaints here. (Though I do wonder that both of the 200-level philosophy courses I've taken have been the ones that lowered my GPA ... which is sad, because I've been looking forward to moving onto the 300-levels. ^_^;)
That's about it so far. I'm still settling in, and trying to get it into my head that this is my new home for a good amount of time ... I think the full realization will have to wait until I don't have boxes and bags of crap everywhere, though. XD;;