Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Music: Rufus Wainwright - Danny Boy
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Places I get coffee and their ranking (1-10):

Law's Coffee from the place on Sussex Turnepike
- I'm a big fan of this coffee. You can get unflavored coffee with suprising ease, and it's very tasty. Just enough bite with perfect level of bitterness. 9.
The Krauszer's down the road from work
- Unimpressive. The coffee sits in the standard "pots on hotplate" formation, which results in burning unless you get a fresh pot. Definitely bitter, but salvageable with lots of sugar. 3.
The little convenience store on Dover-Chester road
- The ultimate in average coffee. 5.
The Roxbury Diner
- About the same as the previous. Same bitterness and wateriness. Bonus points for free refills. 6
The Randolph Diner
- Made of fail. 1.
This transmission logged byErisSaid on 12:59 PM

Friday, September 22, 2006

Music: The Beatles - Money (That's What I Want)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Work made me grumpy today. Lots of typing very complicated stuff. About 20 pages worth of typing.

But when I got home and opened my mail, I had a hilarious suprise waiting for me: Bucknell wants my money!

Pardon me for a moment while I revist the maniacle laughter I let out this afternoon.

Okay. Let's take a little journey together. Let's read a few highlights:

"My Annual Fund Gift
Your gift every year makes an impact every day."
Okay bullshit, but I'm getting ahead of myself...
"Annual Fund gifts provide vital support for every student in all aspects of their education; here are just a few examples of how your gifts to the Bucknell Annual Fund make an impact:
- Helps provide every student with a 'silent scholarship' because tuition, as at many institutions, does not cover the full cost of a Bucknell education
Waitwaitwaitwaitwait. You're saying that the $45,000+ I paid a year wasn't enough? What the fuck are you people doing with that money? Wiping your asses? Or maybe just using it as filter liner in that big-ass pool we can't afford and the non-athlete students can only use for 3 hours every few days.
-Supports undergraduate research
Great. So for every engineer who's learning to build a firefighting robot, I also get to support the English Major who got in on his family name and now decided that he wants to write about the impact of the Dada Movement on Belgian Literature. Yeah. You boys are really selling me on this...
- Brings important guest speakers to campus
Two words, slapnuts. Sean. Aston. Next!
- Gives access to full-text electronic journals

Then riddle me this, Batman?
Why could I never get the fucking articles I
needed for my research papers off of J-Store?
Or GeoBase?
Or basically anytime I ever needed a scholarly article on hyphenate-American nationalism?

Then the damned thing busts out a graph showing how much less Bucknell Alums give to the school. Well shit, bro! Now I'm wondering why! Another strike. Things aren't looking good...

In the little "pretending this is more than us shamelessly begging for cash" letter on the front, tha alumni relations guy says that it took him 12 years to "reevaluate his relationship" with Bucknell. He took 12 years, but after less than 6 months I'm supposed to open my checkbook?

Here's the deal. Minimum donation is $50 a year. I know for a fact that $50 isn't enough to feed one Bucknell student for a three days. Don't patronize me. I know you're just buttering me up for later when I have a real job. Shit. There are migrant workers in California that make more than I do per hour.

In short. I'm sick of being treated like a fucking cash register. Bucknell, show a little tact. This just smells of desperation...

And, of course, my parents are MAKING me donate...::sigh::

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 7:39 PM

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Thursday, September 21, 2006

Music: The Aquabats - Lobster Bucket
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In my now three month tour of duty in the legal system, I have encountered some pretty amazing last names.

This occurred to me as I was drafting a letter to opposing counsel on one of our cases. The partnership I was writting to consisted of the two most unpronounceable names I've ever seen. The first had about 5 "f"s and was 12 letters long, and the second, when said out lound, sounded like I was burping with something stuck in my throat.

I've run in to some pretty stereotypical lawyer last names, too. Another letter I was drafting was addressed to a guy named Biancomano. White hand! How badass is that? And another lawyer was named Powers! Unfortunately, his first name was not Max.

I think lawyers represent their names in the way that makes them sound the most respectable. Like some of them put Esquire after their name no matter where it is. Letterhead? Esquire. At the bottom of the letter? Esquire. Handwritten fax? Esquire.

Then there's the middle initial. Some lawyers do it, some don't. Through phone calls, I've noticed that the middle initial folks don't mess around, while the Esquire additcts are less intimidating overall. It's like they're trying too hard. Some middle initial lawyers insist on being addressed with their middle initial in conversation which is also overdoing it a bit.

The worst I think I've seen was one guy who had the middle intial going, perma-Esquire tacked on the back, and used the full Double-Barreled WASP-y surname. When I read the letter I laughed my ass off. His name was, like, Maxwell T. Blightestshire-Crowly, Esq III or some shit (the name's made up, but the effect is the same). I could tell this guy was a total clown shoe just by his letterhead. That, my friends, is the ultimate in trying too hard.

When I become a lawyer, the Esq is only gonna go in when it needs to, but I'm totally tacking in the middle initial for official written correspondence. And my last name? Keeping my maiden name unless my husband's is cooler...Like Powers or something...

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 1:24 PM

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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Detainee spat could hurt McCain

::sigh:: I really don't want to get roped in. I don't think I'm gullible.

I've previously said that John McCain had failed me for the last time. I still haven't been won back, if I was ever won in the first place. Somewhere along the way people, Jason in particular, got the idea that I actively liked McCain.

Slow down.

My stance on politicians has never changed. They are scum. It's just a question of who is a lesser degree of scum. The reason John McCain had received a lesser percentage of my disdain was that he actively pissed off the people around him despite the fact that his entire profession is based on who can kiss the most ass and steal the most money without getting caught. I can respect that facet of his behavior without ever actively admiring the man.

Engaging in politics is the fastest way to loose my respect. I used to admire Justice O'Conner until I found out she'd dirtied her hands in State government, the only thing more corrupt than federal government.

I must say, though, what's going on in the Senate about the detainees needs to happen. We need debate, not head-nodding sychophants that just want to keep their cushy jobs. It's not that McCain is making the stink that interests me. I really couldn't care less who does it. But at least we're back to debating things.

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 12:38 PM

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aw such bitterness. thats why i left the feild of poli-sci. just got too disgusted. woo to linguistics! ... yea...
fucking chompsky

# posted by  A : 6:13 AM

 

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Monday, September 18, 2006

New recruit joins Terracotta Army

It's official: The world is getting weirder.

And that's good.

While the stunt above seems like a bit of harmless fun, the fact that it's getting coverage says something.

News outlets, or at least BBC, are starting to pay attention to artistic statements again. Can you remember anyone giving a shit about performance art in the 80's and 90's. No. They didn't. Because the world was different. We were all The Independent State of Your Name Here, united under Money. Now we are actually being forced to think outside ourselves. We're listening to statements again, even if it is only to see if they're a threat to us somehow. We're still listening.

Normally, people wouldn't care what some guy from England was saying about poverty and injustice in a random LA warehouse, but here's more news coverage!

This is good. This is a step in the right direction. We need to start listening to stuff like this again. We don't need to agree, but the statements must be made.

As for the Teracotta Soldier? Maybe he was just having a little fun.

And nothing wrong with that.

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 10:39 AM

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tee hee! i loves it. delightful madness

# posted by  A : 6:20 AM

 

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Thursday, September 14, 2006

Music: Fatboy Slim - Brimfull of Asha
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Yawn x10 to today.

It's very crappy out, but of course I choose not to wear a sweater. I've brought back my black and tan raincoat out of retirement after it's long recovery time after the trials it suffered in Spain. I really gotta fix that top button...

Also came very close to busting out my sweet new fedora. I may wear it to Jason's goodbye-for-now dinner at the Rox tonight.

Otherwise nothing to report. Still stressed out. First time I really hung out with anyone in a few weeks was the diner on Tuesday. *Still* haven't seen Box in like a month.

In closing to this pointless post (which I really only decided to write because I wanted to post that picture), my hair looks great today. At first it looked like I'd been mauled by vicious squirrels, but now it's settled in to the "nice-messy" thing that curly hair does.

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 2:49 PM

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Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Music: David Hillyard & The Rocksteady Seven - Duppy Conqueror
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It's only ten thirty and I can already tell that today is not going to be a stellar day. I'm only been awake for about 2 and a half hours and been subjected to the smells of dead fish, dead skunk, road tar, and now the office smells like someone died in here.

That and it's really fuckin' cold in here. The one day I don't compulsively bring a jacket to work...

Looking at my workload, it doesn't seem unmanagable. I might be able to get this squared away pretty quickly and get back to my nice warm house. I think I turned the heat on in here, but I'm not sure, as it's still cold as balls.

Time to push some paper.

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 10:29 AM

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Monday, September 11, 2006

Music: Johnny Cash - We'll Meet Again
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anxiety attacks, Wakes, stomach aches, anniversaries of disaster, and a new addiction.

And this is just since my last update.

LSATs at the end of the month. Panic = Very Yes. I'm not going to talk about that anymore since I've done it to death and it makes me queesy to do so.

Sadly, Marie P's Grandmother passed away. I went to the evening wake yesterday and wish I could have gone to the funeral today...but there's work to be done and I only just got back from vacation...It's sad. Mrs. Caroll was a very sweet lady...

I have no idea why, but my stomach has been acting funny lately...That's all.

As for the date...well...Suffice it to say I'll be spending some time with Daddy today. Five years ago today he lost a golfing buddy (they were supposed to go golfing on the 12th). A couple of his friends also almost died. It's gonna be a rough day for him, so I need to get my work here done ASAP...Well. I probably don't *need* to. He's a big boy and has a lot of work...but it's one of those times where I know I wouldn't want to be alone in the house for too long.

On addiction...I've been very bad. I made a promise to myself that, even though I have the money, I was not going to buy World of Warcraft until after the LSATs...

I. Am. Weak.

So if you see a gnome mage with green pigtails running around Malfurion...Help me.

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 10:38 AM

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Friday, September 08, 2006

Facebook Subscribers Protest Site's News Feeds

Oh for fuck's sake...

This is it? THIS is my generation's big protest? Fucking Facebook is what gets my generation to join hands around the world in protest?

Seriously, people. Get a fucking life and open your eyes.

With shit like the Telecom's War on Freedom, the proponderence of Global Human Trafficking, the lack of proper Hurricane Katrina cleanup, and the approaching 5th Anniversary of 9/11, THERE'S OTHER SHIT TO THINK ABOUT.

Fucking FACEBOOK does not need your undivided attention! This is not the end of the Goddamned world.

When I go on Facebook, I'm usually there for about 30 seconds to check in on people and then I leave. What the fuck are you losers doing with your wasted youth that you need to worry about what people see in this news feed thing?

I'm ashamed. I really am. This shit is so fucking inconsequential. Get off Facebook. Read a book. Go jogging. Join a club. Of, better yet, FIND A REAL CAUSE! There are people dying ever day at the hands of corrupt regimes, AIDS, and genocidal maniacs. Go fight that.

...And one more thing. If you're going to protest a website...Maybe you shouldn't, ya know, use that site as the protest platform! Idiots...

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 11:12 AM

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Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Music: Garbage - Can't Cry These Tears Anymore
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You know what weirds me out? When people cross the street like they're making a beeline for the office...and then it turns out they're just heading for the intersection. Kinda unnerving.

Second day back and not too much has happened. Gonna stay about 20 more minutes to make sure nothing urgent happens. Then I'm popping up to Ledgewood for a few things.

Can I just say that I'm glad the weather's finally changed. It feels like fall is finally here. I can't stand the heat, so the slightly chillier fall weather makes me very happy. Just wish it wasn't so grey. Lately the weather here's been a lot like it was back at Bucknell: either gorgeous blue sky or grey and blah.

Time for a small vent: I'm scared as hell. The LSAT is at the end of the month...I don't know what I'm going to do. I can't stand that this stupid fucking standardized piece of garbage is going to determine whether or not I get to do what I want to do with my life. After a two month hiatus, my anxiety attacks are back. I want to go in to law so badly...it's the first step in the fight that I want to fight...But if I don't get a high enough number on this arbitrary little fill in the bubble thing who knows how set back I'm going to be...

I also have no idea what I'm doing with the application process. I don't know when all of this stuff is supposed to happen, what order it's supposed to happen, where I should apply...I haven't got a clue...

....That being said, I'm going to calm down now. I'm going to run the errands that I didn't finish yesterday, curl up with a cup of tea when I get home, go work out, then do some nice, no hastle practice...

...it looks so simple in text...

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 2:11 PM

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Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Music: The Slackers - Sauron
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Shit, yo. I lucked out big time. Somehow, I apparently dodged Ernesto ninja style and never actually got caught in the really bad weather. Skillz.

The drive back up felt a lot shorter than the way down. Mostly because I was, by then, confident that I could drive in a straight line along the coast sticking to the same damned highway without getting lost. Yay for confidence. Along the way, I saw the strange sights of I-95. Like the Paramount Studios amusement park. Didn't know that existed. Oh! And the crazy castle/palace/wizard's lair! I have no idea what the fuck this thing is. It's white with three gold-topped towers and just appears out of fucking nowhere. All I know is that it's in Virginia. Thinking back on it, it might have been part of the amusement park I just mentioned...but I think they were quite separate from eachother. I dunno. Virginia is kind of a blur.

I still generally approve of Maryland. It's pretty easy to drive through and they have, litereally, the kindest "Welcome to" and "Now leaving" signs I have ever seen. I forget the exact wording of the welcome sign, but the leaving sign says, no joke, "We have enjoyed your company. Come back soon!" That's so nice! Makes going through Delaware all the more painful.

Seriously. Delaware is still fired. Better yet: Delaware is On Notice. If I have to go back to that fucking speedtrap the size of my pinky nail one more time...It's Dead to Me.

But I'm back now...and back at work. And you know the worst part? I have about 3,000,000 errands that I need to run today, but since Marilyn is out, I need to stay until 5 all by myself. Raquel isn't even going to be getting in until about 1. So I need to sit around until 1, work till 5, get out to Hanover before 6, try to also get to Trade Secret before it closes (probably at 6), I want to go to Barnes & Nobel, and it sure would be nice to find some dinner at some point. AND I need to get to the gym before it closes at 7:30.

Oh well. Back in school I made it work on a tighter schedule. Let's just hope that traffic lets me do my thing.

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 11:27 AM

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Sunday, September 03, 2006

Music: Fatboy Slim - Praise You
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Last full day in North Carolina. Gonna be pretty chill, probably.

Good thing is the weather has stayed clear. Especially lucky for me since Ernesto apparently owned both Greenville after I left and back home in Jersey yesterday. We went for a walk this morning (by morning I mean around noon...I slept in a bit today...) in the very pretty Lake Johnson Park. Walks in the woods are nice, but I really should have thought through the unwisdom of wearing flip-flops to a park...Still, very pretty place in spite of my stupidity.

For birthday festivities yesterday, we began by seeing Crank...Was it good? No. Did I have a blast watching it? Yes. Was it as good as Snakes on a Plane? Your mom was as good as Snakes on a Plane.

For dinner we went to this place called Porter's. Marie had been there before and recommended the blue cheese mac n' cheese. SO...GOOD...Mine had a pork chop on top of it, which was also tasty...but the mac n' cheese blew it all away.

Finishing out my stay down here watching V for Vendetta and probably eating what remains of the pork chop/mac n' cheese combo.

See y'all tomorrow when I head back North! Yee Haw!

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 1:49 PM

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Saturday, September 02, 2006

Music: Squirrel Nut Zippers - Hell
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Went looking around NC State campus today. This place is really very different from what I thought a city college would be like. There are many trees and things are generally kept close together as opposed to spread around the city like I thought it would be.

We found the Free Expression Tunnel, which is a concrete tunnel where students can go in and graffiti whatever they want. Sometimes there are cool little art pieces, but since it's Rush time, it's mostly adverts for fraternities and sororities. Still a really cool idea, though.

We also went to the NCSU bookstore, where we found such wonderous things as "NCSU the Mug," "NCSU the towel," "NCSU the stool," and "NCSU the golf tee." I bought a t-shirt for myself and one for my mom. Marie found a cute little stuffed wolf mascot. The NCSU Wolf could kick the Bucknell Bison's ass. They at least have a carnivore for mascot.

Went to coffee on Hillsbourough, which is a very cool street full of coffee shops and eateries. In the coffee place we stopped, we were also treated to a sight of "NCSU the Toy Airplane." And the coffee was good too.

Left on the agenda for the day is dinner and a movie (Crank. Go, Jason Statham! Kick some ass for rather vague and implausible reasons!).

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 1:43 PM

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Friday, September 01, 2006

Music: Aquabats - Story of Nothing
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Second day in Raleigh. I haven't seen much of the city, but I've liked what I've seen so far. Everything is pretty close to everything else, the NC State campus (which I found by accident yesterday while being lost) is big and exciting. Very different from little Bucknell campus.

Today we went out in search of a mall. Turns out there is a very nice one right by Marie's house (like 15 minutes away). It's got tons of stores and is pretty classy inside without being all pretentious and stupid like Short Hills. Got a couple of new shirts, lip gloss, and restocked on the hair stuff I was out of. The counter girl gave me a free sample of smoothing shampoo and conditioner to "help with the frizziness since (my) hair is so thick." And I thought I'd kept it fairly under control this morning....

That took awhile, and the plan now is to watch the Fantastic Four movie. Bring on the crappy plotline and terrible Jessica Alba acting! We also picked up V for Vendetta which I've been meaning to see...well since it came out. We also, in the Blockbuster, saw Snakes on a Train available for rental. We didn't pick it up, but all I can say is...

OH SNAP!

Marie's birthday tomorrow!

P.S - A, I will NEVER quit my colorful habits

This transmission logged byErisSaid on 5:19 PM

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