plastic.stretch.elastic.

I was talking with a friend about how we all do things we're not consciously aware of but that other people notice. For example, i use voices when i quote other people. You know, i'll talk about my mom, and when explaining something she said, i slip into a "mom" voice. Same goes for my dad, a., p.- probably most people for that matter. I wasn't aware of it until recently when p. pointed it out at dinner.
"Is that what he sounded like?" he laughed, "That's your dad's voice?"
So now I'm aware of it, but i don't always catch myself doing it. I'm sure there are tons of other things others notice that i don't, but i haven't been updated in a while.
Today was a little update. I realized that i say "fantastic" when i think something's, well, fantastic. There's a poem called kansas city octopus in a book "polka bats and octopus slacks" that uses the word fantastic. If you click on this link, you can actually read the poem via amazon's "search inside" to see what i mean. While on the way to e.'s first piano recital, i called something fantastic, and a. followed with "plastic stretch elastic." This happened five or six times today. I like the poem. It has a nice ring to it. In fact, i'd have to say it's fantastic.

earl's.the.prom.queen.

Earl is the neighbor's cat. He's so cool. He pretty much owns the neighborhood, and routinely gets into fights with other cats who try and encroach on his territory. He ends up with scratches, but you should see the other cats. The beauty of earl is how he's managed to make everyone like him. Even people who are allergic to or don't like cats still admire and respect him. He knows how to work people- rubs up against your legs and acts all cute, tries to sneak into the house, curls up on the porch railing looking inside to the kitchen- he's brilliant. Though not technically a cat person, earl won me over and i have to say, i'm infatuated. I talk about him to other people (who couldn't care less), i gush over him when i see him lurking, and i give him way more freedom than i would with any other cat. Recently though, he's been really bad. A bird was found in the neighbor's driveway, and it was missing its head. I found a mouse on our front walk in the same condition. While this would end the relationship if he were any other cat, earl seems to get a pass- like a cute little boy is sometimes excused with a quick "boys will be boys." All of a sudden, i realized that earl is like that popular girl in school- the one who's really mean and horrible, but is so pretty and confident that you like her anyway, and want her to like you. While i can say that i'm beyond the whole high school popularity contest, i apparently can't say the same for felines.

in.case.you.were.wondering.

What are the lyrics to all the verses of the star spangled banner?

I wasn't even aware that there were four verses until recently. A guy on the bachelorette was made fun of for not knowing how to sing the first verse correctly, so i googled it. I could probably make it through the whole first verse, but it's definitely one of those things that i'm used to singing along to without really thinking about. Church stuff is in this same category. If i tried to say all the prayers by myself it would be a sad state of affairs.

"Oh, say can you see by the dawn's early light
What so proudly we hailed at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars thru the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watched were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air,
Gave proof through the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say does that star-spangled banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

On the shore, dimly seen through the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows, half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected now shines in the stream:
'Tis the star-spangled banner! Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion,
A home and a country should leave us no more!
Their blood has washed out their foul footsteps' pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight, or the gloom of the grave:
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

Oh! thus be it ever, when freemen shall stand
Between their loved home and the war's desolation!
Blest with victory and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Power that hath made and preserved us a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust."
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!"

by francis scott key- 1814

Next time you're in a situation where you're singing this song, you can impress everyone by belting out the extra three verses.

party.plans.

After further discussion, i've decided against having a big 30th birthday party for myself in june. Partly because i don't have the time or energy to figure it out, and partly because there really isn't a ton of free time that month. Instead, i'm thinking of having one in august when i have a whole house to myself. It will be both a "happy 30th birthday" and "cheer steph up" party. As mentioned, i will have the whole big house, so everyone should plan to come and stay over. Maybe we can make pajama pants and have a pillow fight too. Since i can't ignore my birthday completely, i'll still try to rummage up a group of people for dinner or something, so all you out-of-towners, let me know when you plan to arrive and we'll schedule around you.

bbq.

Since today was memorial day and the weather was perfect (sunny and in the 80's) i spent most of it outside. I added another 6 hours to my yard work tally (last thursday i clocked 8.5) and it's really starting to look up! I've always loved mowing the yard since it's a fairly quick way to instant gratification, but since this will soon be my house (and yard) i'm putting much more effort into making it look nice. I should have taken before and after pictures to post here. I got a bit of a sunburn on my shoulders and the back of my neck, so it'll match with the one i got at earthfest on the inside leg above my knees. At around 5:30, i realized i was starving, and since i was not invited to a rooftop bbq, i decided to improvise. Jen was around, so i stopped at the market and picked up things to make my favorite chicken rosemary burgers. I grilled those up, along with some skewered baby potatoes and onions. Unfortunately we only have a little table on our 2nd floor porch, so while we didn't eat out there, i did sit around with a mike's while waiting for the food to cook. I cut up the watermelon i bought yesterday, and we had our own little memorial day bbq!

sunday.

Yesterday andrea and i continued our memorial day weekend "vacation in boston." We both slept in, then met up around 2 for an exciting trip to costco. I left with cereal, peanut butter, watermelon and pineapple. She picked up kitty litter and a hot dog. Then it was off to dsw in framingham so i could take advantage of my $20 off coupon. I needed fun black flats, and was having trouble finding them. In fact, i got quickly frustrated when i kept picking out great shoes, only to find they didn't have them in my size. (Twice i even got my hopes up when they did have them in my size, only to find they were the wrong color or style. Why can't they sort them right??) Once i calmed down, i found one pair i liked, and andrea pointed out another pair that i really liked. I ended up with the second pair, and she bought the same ones in brown. We're already planning a matchy-matchy day, complete with pigtails. We made a quick stop at target for gummy worms and chex mix, and made it to the theater for a 5:30 showing of indiana jones. It was fantastic, though the ants almost made me sick. Thanks to prior sleuthing, i knew that iron man was showing at 7:30, a perfect opportunity for double movies. We slipped right in, and though we were sitting in the second row (as opposed to the third to back row in the last movie) we still thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.

earthfest.

Yesterday was earthfest and it was fantastic. Andrea and i did the haymarket/mike's pastry trip first where we bought a limited supply of fruits and veggies, including baguette, tomatoes, basil and mozzarella. Then we walked to the hatchshell to claim our little spot of grass. We did the free sample rounds and returned with drinks (energy, chocolate milk, juice), cheese, yogurts, bars, chips, and potted plants (cinnamon basil, st. john's wart, catnip, lemon balm, pansies and impatiens). Andrea laid out most of her treats in an orderly fashion. Et#1 met us soon after, and joined us in playing a round of rummy 500. Then we continued our yahtzee tournament (one game left to go) while we listened to the help (a local band that my brother's friend is in), the bodeans, the english beat, cracker and cake. The crowd was big, but well behaved (unlike a few years back) and the weather perfect. All in all, it made for a great day.

no.no.no.no.no.

I'm not sure what this girl was thinking when she got dressed this morning. For that matter, i'm not sure she was thinking at all- this morning or the day she bought the top. I know there are days i'm not overly fashionable, but at least i'd never go this wrong!

tired.

After only an hour and a half of sleep, i drove to the airport to drop the b's off this morning. They're going to hong kong for a week to find a place to live, new office space, check out school, etc. I stayed up until 2am "helping" a. pack (i wasn't much help, but did keep her company) and then passed out on the bed in the packing room. I didn't even make it under the covers, and there were piles of clothing on the end of the bed. It's also the room where a. gets ready in the morning (makeup and hair) so i lucked out and woke up with them around 3-3:30ish. The best part about leaving for the airport at 4:27am is that there's absolutely no traffic. It took 42 mins for the round trip drive, including unpacking and hugging time. You can't even make it one way in that amount of time under normal circumstances.

hair.cut.

I got my hair cut yesterday. I kept putting it off (it had been six months) because it was just at the point where i could pull it into a ponytail and i kind of liked that. It definitely made working out (not that i've been doing much of that recently) and yard work (which i have been doing a lot of recently) much easier. Anyway, it was becoming generally unruly, so it was time to visit david. I always let him do whatever he wants since he's the professional and i'm not, but i was hoping he'd decide to leave it on the longer side. The girls were too. They let out a chorus of whiny "no's!" and "don't get it cut short's!" and "we like it long's!" when i told them i was getting it cut. Luckily, david loved it long, and just trimmed the edges and razored everything else to thin it out. So it doesn't look different, but a ton of the thickness is gone (my hair is super thick) which makes the curls cooperate so much more. I also learned a new trick from the shampoo girl. With shampoo, you start at the roots and work your way to the ends. With conditioner, you start at the ends and work your way to the roots. With more oil at the roots, you want to wash them more, but not use as much conditioner. The ends being generally dryer, you don't want to strip too much with shampoo, but give them extra conditioner. This all makes sense, but I wouldn't have necessarily thought it through. I gave her an extra buck tip.

earthfest.

The plan is to go to earthfest on saturday. It starts at noon, but if someone else will go early with me to claim land, i'm willing. I could leave my place at 10, and get there when i get there via the bus. This year, 92.9 has switched from calling itself "wbos" to "radio 92.9" and with this switched the music. At first i didn't like the slightly harder/alternative/almost punk like feel of the music they now play, but i'm a convert. I love it. I also love that they're really into this short commercial thing, and try to keep any breaks under a minute. I'm much more likely to stay on a channel when i know the music really will be right back. So, back to earthfest. This year the headliner is cake, but we'll also see cracker, english beat and the bodeans. Not to mention all the free samples. Let me know who's up for it.

sugary.cereal.

Jen and i have been eating sugary kids' cereal. I started it when i bought a box of cocoa pebbles because i was craving the chocolate milk that's left after you eat the cereal. Jen had some, and then grabbed a box of fruity pebbles and fruity cheerios. She even got a toy car in the fruity cheerios...i was so jealous. They were delicious. We never really had this crap as kids, so i guess we're making up for it now. I'll check at costco and see if they have the value packs. Might as well save money if we're going to waste it on this stuff.

today.i.got.dressed.up.

For two occasions. The first was my mom's graduation ceremony. She's taught 5th grade for many years, and decided to go back to school for her masters. Now she's even more equipped to deal with those rascals! Congratulations mom! We're all very proud of you.
The second reason for dressing up was the 50th anniversary celebration of the boston youth symphony orchestra. Because it was such a big milestone for them, they even had a special guest play. No, not me (though i know that's what you were all thinking...), but yo yo ma! He was unbelievable and i'm so glad i was able to see him in person. As is usually the case after attending the symphony, i've recommitted to taking violin (or viola, or cello) lessons in the next ten years. It's obviously not practical now, but hopefully it will be some day. Maybe i'll meet someone who wants to teach me for free or something.
Dressing up today was even more fun because it was warm enough to get away with short sleeves. I had a new shirt i was excited to wear, and entered my closet thinking i'd pair it with heels and white pants (i don't adhere to that memorial day nonsense). Once i got there, i came across a skirt i'd bought a couple years ago and had yet to wear. There were two reasons for that, the first being that it didn't fit when i originally bought it (super on sale at oilily- from $192 to $14.99!!), the other being that the coloring was tricky and i didn't have a shirt to wear with it. It fits now, and low and behold, the new shirt was a perfect match. Everything was working out splendidly (my shoes even worked), yet i had one glitch in the perfect outfit plan. I hate shaving my legs. So much so, that for the past three years, i've become a religious waxer. Some people may think this is the worst way to go (how much fun can it be to rip little hairs out of your skin?) but for me it's been a godsend. It lasts a lot longer, less hair grows back, and i save an average of 3.5 hours/month not to mention the wasted water. Unfortunately, my schedule being what it was today, there was absolutely no way i had an hour to wax my legs, and it was due. I bit the bullet and shaved. It was horrible. I cut myself three times (armpits don't have bony nubs), and my legs are nowhere near as smooth as they are after waxing. It did allow me to wear my new outfit, and that's really what was important today. Hopefully this won't set my hair growth back at start.

good.news?

I e-mailed the guy who interviewed me with a question i had. He e-mailed back with his answer, and this is what he finished the e-mail with:
"I hope good news is coming your way soon."
He was probably just writing this to be polite, but i've decided to read more into it, and think he was actually being sincere. He isn't the one making the decisions, but gives his input to those in charge. So hopefully his input is like gold.

orla.

I'm watching a "what not to wear" that was tivoed last week, and the model stacy and clinton dressed as an example has an orla kiely bag. An orla kiely bag! I got my first bag years and years ago when they were impossible to find and not known at all. Now, while not quite on every corner, more people know about and have them these days. So i have mixed feelings about stacy and clinton promoting her. On one hand, it reinforces the fact that i'm so cool and fashionably forward (at least in the handbag department). On the other, it'll just encourage more people to buy her stuff, causing them to rise in price, and not be as special anymore.

the.interview.was.fantastic!

I met with the instructor whose class i sat in on last fall, who also happens to be fantastic! I've heard from several current students that he's their favorite. Even though i was already excited about the interview, this made it even more comfortable since i knew him. We went over things i'd turned in, and he complimented me on my strong writing skill, asking where i'd learned to write. Interesting, especially because the essay to which he was referring was the product of my last minute, up-til-four am bout of procrastination. I mentioned a writing course at bu and another at northeastern, but really, it's all about this blog. That's where all the practice comes in! At the end, i had to write a paragraph answering a question in order to give them an idea of my (not written or proof read by someone else) writing ability. After completing this, i realized how rarely i write with pen and paper, and how much i prefer typing my ideas so i can go back, move things around and edit phrasing, etc. I can't remember the last time i wrote more than a quick note with pen and paper. Along with his other questions, he asked what i was the most worried about in terms of graduate school. My answer? Getting in. He laughed.

10am.

Tomorrow's the interview! (Maybe today is if you're reading this on tuesday the 13th.) It's at 10am, and should last an hour, including the fifteen minute "live writing sample." I'm very excited. If you're a good person, please think good thoughts for me. If you're a bad person, please don't think about me at all. I wouldn't want bad luck because of you.

i.need.a.massage.

And not just one either, but a regular weekly session. My shoulder's and upper back have been killing me. I always have a rather tight back, but the shoulders are the worst. It feels like i'm keeping them tensed, but have no control over relaxing them. I've been giving my right shoulder a massage for the past 15 minutes and it seems to be a little better. Right now it feels hot to the touch- like a sunburn. Strange.

good.kids.

Happy mother's day to all those who are moms or are about to become one (especially dali). I cooked dinner for my own mom (my absolute favorite zucchini pie along with some chicken and salad) and we enjoyed it while watching "extreme makeover home edition" which took place one town over from where i grew up. In fact, i went to high school with one of the sons of the building company that was used in this episode. It was strange to see people and places i personally knew. It made me feel famous in a vicarious sort of way...

camp.

I want to go camping. Badly. I also want to get a big group to go since that seems more fun than just a few people. We could go hiking, make s'mores, play board games...it doesn't get more fun than that! As with most weekend trips, the trouble is finding a time that works. I tend to have at least one commitment each weekend for some time. Maybe instead of having a party for my 30th, i should do a camping trip. More people would probably be willing to go since it'll be for my birthday- they'd feel guilted into it. I'm going to have to think more about this, but if any of you would be willing to go (even without the guilt coming into play) let me know. It might never come to fruition, but it's definitely worth a shot.

smelling.my.wrist.

When i wear perfume, i wear one of two scents- jo malone's honeysuckle and jasmine, or elizabeth w.'s magnolia. The first is heavier and a bit muskier than the second, but they're both on the floral side. I've stuck with these two for years, in part because i wear perfume seldomly enough that i won't run out for many years, but also because it still makes me happy everytime i catch a whiff of it throughout my day.
The other night, i was visiting with new friends, and one of them came into the room with perfume on (as rare an occurrence for her as it is for me). I have an extremely sensitive nose, and picked up on it right away. It turned out to be another jo malone fragrance, grapefruit, and smelled so good it almost made my mouth water. I'm usually not drawn towards cirtus scents, but this didn't strike me as very citrusy- it was muskier, and reminded me of a female version of this men's cologne i liked in high school (i used to say that i'd marry the first guy i met who wore it, but that turned out to be my brother). She gave me a little sample tube she had laying around, and today i sprayed it on my wrist. I spent a good part of the day smelling my wrist. Right now i'm down to smelling my watch since the rest of it got washed off in the shower. Maybe i'll splurge on another squirt tomorrow.

guitar.hero.one.two.three.

I started out with guitar hero 1 this morning. To my credit, i didn't play nearly as much as i wanted to. It was beautiful out, and i had plenty of "real" things to do. I have to tell you, this game is loads easier than number 3. I whipped through three whole levels (15 songs) on hard without failing once. I even completed three on expert- something that i've yet to do on guitar hero 3. The hard level is what i was looking for in gh3- they add the orange (the extra note), but don't kill you with tricky combos and solos right off the bat. I guess it makes sense that they'd start it out like this, and then make it harder as the thirteen year olds got better. They want to keep selling games, right? If i have time, i'm going to try out gh2 tomorrow. I wonder what that will be like...

thanks.brian!

I just got home to a great surprise! No, not a party. I've yet to be successfully surprised with a party. No, this was almost better. A large flat box was leaning up against the wall in the hall outside our apartment. I knew it must be for me since both my roommates were home (why they left it in the hall is beyond me), but at first glance, all i saw was my brother's name, and i wondered if it'd been delivered by accident. (I have received several pieces of (junk) mail for him at this new apartment- who knows why. They must think we're married or something.) After closer inspection, i realized his name was on the return address, which meant that it could only be one thing....guitar hero. You see, months ago, i'd e-mailed him asking if he had a playstation 2 version of any of the guitar heroes that he wanted to share. Since he's cool, he has all the new fancy systems (not unlike evil), and has no use for the old gear. He said he'd ship it out to me along with a few other things he had for me. As i said, this was months ago- maybe late january or early february, and he doesn't have the best track record for remembering this sort of thing. I was just starting to consider sending him a gentle reminder so i could at least have an extra guitar to battle out in guitar hero 3, but it appears i don't need to! He sent both guitar hero 1 and 2 along with 2 more guitars. If it weren't so late (and my roommates weren't asleep) i'd be playing right now. As it stands, i'm anticipating some sore hands and fingers by tomorrow at this time!!

the.news.

The bad news i've eluded to in past posts is now definite, so i can share here: the b.'s are moving to hong kong in july for 2-3 years. It's been up in the air for months, but everything that needed to fall into place did this past week, so the girls were told the news last night. I can't describe how devastated i am. These are the people i have known for almost ten years and lived with for seven. Not only did i help raise the girls and consider them like my own, but a. and p. are both like older siblings and second parents to me. They're my family, my security. The hardest part is that a. is who i'd usually talk to about something like this, but i can't this time. I don't want to add unnecessary stress to what's obviously already hard for them. I have been spending most of my free time with them. Today we worked on a science report and played yahtzee. At one point i considered trying to separate myself from them a little now so it won't be so hard when they leave, but let's be honest- it's going to suck regardless, and i'd rather see them as much as possible while i can. If i have any friends left in august, i'll have plenty of time to spend with them then. I don't expect everyone to understand why i'm having such a hard time with this; unless someone's been through the same situation, i don't think it's possible to truly comprehend. The best example i can come up with is this: you have the perfect marriage. Then your husband divorces you when there were never any problems, gets everything, moves your children across the world and leaves you all alone. Maybe this means i'm overly attached or reliant or whatever, and maybe it will be healthy for me to be by myself for a while. Who knows. On the upside (since there always has to be one), i'll have a fantastic place to visit. I'm already planning to spend the entire summer of 2009 with them. I'll also be house sitting while they're gone, which will come in handy when i'm in school with $0 income. It also means that i'll have plenty of room for guests.

and.it's.good.too.

The girls stayed over last night. A. and p. were at a party, and it was easier (and more fun) for them to sleep here. This morning we got moving early (though not quite early enough it turns out) and met andrea and et#1 at mike's pastry for coffee and treats (chocolate covered chocolate filled cannoli with chocolate chips for the girls). Then we set off for haymarket. I gave each girl $2 to spend on whatever they wanted (to which l. replied, "i'll just keep the money instead") and et#1 had thoughtfully brought various sized canvas bags for each of them to use (small for e., medium for l., and large for m.). They all picked out completely different stuff. L. got three asian pears and a carton of blackberries, e. got a small watermelon, and m. got rosemary and basil (which she bargained the guy down for since she only had $1 left). Since chaos is part of the haymarket experience, we paired each kid with a grownup. It just happened that et#1 ended up with m. (the oldest at almost 10), i had l. (the middle- almost 8) and andrea had e. (the youngest at 6). Though i didn't think this through ahead of time, it couldn't have worked out more perfectly, especially in et#1 and m.'s case. M,'s the oldest and closest to a grownup (and definitely acts mature for her age), and et#1 relates best to grownups since she doesn't speak kid. Here's what she wrote in response to my "thank you for chaperoning" e-mail:

It was fun. I like the fact that I was with the serious one, who did not mind that I do not like to hold hands...with anyone. I'll admit they were cute. I think mainly because they were so well behaved. I also get a kick out of the fact that M. needed rosemary and basil to roast a chicken. To roast a chicken. To roast a chicken. will take me a while to get over that.

Yup- while l. washed and ate her entire carton of blackberries upon arriving home, and e. will likely dig into that watermelon soon, m.'s saving her herbs for friday night when she's making chicken for dinner.

number.86.

Today was a platelet day. I swear they're trying to make it harder for me. Instead of using the two needle machine, they're now (starting this week) required to use the one arm kit (something about reducing the possibility of contamination). While this may seem better (one needle, not two!), i don't like it as much. It's drawing and returning blood through the same vein, so has to move faster to do this in the same 90 mins. Plus, the last time i did this (eleven year ago), my vein blew as soon as the first return started, and it hurt like a son-of-a-gun. They're also using a "rolling year" for maximum donations. It used to be 24 donations max from jan to dec. Now it's 24 donations max within twelve months. This stinks because i don't tend to donate in the summer, so have to go weekly in the spring to make up for it. Not anymore! Luckily my vein stayed intact today, and aside from some gross "gurgling" feeling when the draw switched to return, everything went smoothly.
I think i've mentioned the satisfaction i've felt when volunteering in the pediatric hematology and oncology clinic (pedi hem onc) at mgh and meeting some children who're receiving platelets and other blood products. Today really hit it home for me. While giving a parent a chance to step outside for a bit, i spent some time with one of my favorite 2 yr olds. He's kicking cancer's butt right now, and is inpatient for a extended stay. During the 45 mins i spent with him, he started beeping. His nurse came in to unhook a tube and told him he was done with his platelets. And this is a kid i've really become attached to. I would have let them blow all my veins trying to get me set up with platelets. That would have been cake compared with what he's had to deal with, and i'm fifteen times older than him!