Serisouly, I read this article and thought I might be sick. After a week of trying to better understand a culture and its people highly influenced by Islam, it makes me angry. Really Angry.
See Below, and let me know how you feel:
Virginia Congressman Virgil Goode's comments about a fellow Congressman's swearing-in ceremony has sparked a religious controversy on Capitol Hill.
Keith Ellison, D-Minnesota congressional-elect, plans on using the Muslim holy book the Koran for his ceremonial Congressional swearing-in ceremony next month. His new colleague, Virginia Republican Congressman Virgil Goode reacted on Fox News.
Rep. Virgil Goode, R-Virginia, says, "I am for restricting immigration so that we don't have a majority of Muslims elected to the United States House of Representatives."
Goode wrote to hundreds of constituents that Americans need to "wake up" to make sure "more Muslims (aren't) elected to office and demanding the use of the Koran."
Ellison is not an immigrant, born in Detroit, he converted to Islam in college and says he can trace his roots back to Louisiana 260 years ago.
Ellison told ABC news earlier this week that the official swearing in of all the congressmen is more important than the individual ceremony.
Ellison says, "All of us, no matter what color, what culture, what religion, all swear to uphold one Constitution. That's a beautiful thing. It's something that all of us as Americans really need to be proud of."
This controversy erupted after Jewish conservative columnist Dennis Prager wrote that Ellison's using a Koran would "undermine American civilization," since our values he says are based on the Christian bible.
But in 1997, Oregon Republican Senator Gordon Smith, a Mormon, used an
expanded Bible containing the book of Mormon.
Democratic Rep. Anthony Weiner of New York, who's Jewish, says, "Maybe I am going to be attacked next because of the old testament bible I am being sworn on compared to the new testament one that Virgil Goode is going to be sworn in on."
Congressman Goode says he will not apologize, and that he is not a bigot, just not a person who "jumps to the mantra of political correctness."
Copyright 2006 by Young Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Friday, December 22, 2006
Tuesday, December 19, 2006
Look At This Photograph
Hey everyone. I really want to post a long excitng tale about today, but its 1 am here, or very close to it, and I am being lazy. I will instead provide you with many, many photos of my trip.
In case you havent tuned in recently I am in Kuwait right now with my school. I've been here 5 days now, and I'm having a great time. Please read the post below, I'm interested in any questions you might have.
On with the show.
This is Dr. O at the airport in Cincinatti waiting for the plane, which was delayed about half an hour or so because of weather in NYC.
I think this one is self explanatory.
A view of Kuwait City from Kuwait Towers.
<--------- Another view of Kuwait City. If the formatting turns out okay you'll be able to see I made an arrow in the approximate direction of our hotel, the large tan high rise with green arabic writing on it in the middle of the pic.
This is Kuwait Towers from the ground.
This is me and debate girl inside the alcove where the imam calls prayers inside the Grand Mosque in Kuwait City.
Right blogger is giving out on me for posting so many pisc. More later....
In case you havent tuned in recently I am in Kuwait right now with my school. I've been here 5 days now, and I'm having a great time. Please read the post below, I'm interested in any questions you might have.
On with the show.
This is Dr. O at the airport in Cincinatti waiting for the plane, which was delayed about half an hour or so because of weather in NYC.
I think this one is self explanatory.
A view of Kuwait City from Kuwait Towers.
<--------- Another view of Kuwait City. If the formatting turns out okay you'll be able to see I made an arrow in the approximate direction of our hotel, the large tan high rise with green arabic writing on it in the middle of the pic.
This is Kuwait Towers from the ground.
This is me and debate girl inside the alcove where the imam calls prayers inside the Grand Mosque in Kuwait City.
Right blogger is giving out on me for posting so many pisc. More later....
Monday, December 18, 2006
Like the deserts miss the rain
Today has been a really long day so I am going to hit the highlights and expand on it tomorrow:
1. Looks Like Sam, BB, Jared and I are all sick. I dont know who got it first, but we are all scratchy throated, runny nose coughing fit sick. Looks like Sam cant keep food down and missed the whole day today.
2. We went to the Ministry of Higher Education today and had a meeting with the head of foreign students there, learned a lot about their schooling. Wish it was so good here. The minister of higher education got called away on an emergency and extended to us the coolest apology invitation on the planet, which I'll tell you about shortly.
3. After the ministry we went to eat lunch at Kuwait Towers. We were kept waiting outside for a while, and when we got in we found out there was a huge meeting and we were about the only other people allowed a table. Said meeting included three prime ministers, most of the Kuwait government, a buttload of diplomats and other rather important people. Which explains why there was a motorcade outside full of men toting automatic weapons.
4. Lunch was really good, we tried a lot of traditional dishes. And, as luck would have it, two very cool people spotted us and had lunch with us - the president and the director of the middle eastern reigon for the international commission on human rights!How sick is that? I got to sit by the director and we spoke at length about women in politics, its her specialty area in law, human rights violations of women, and so the hour I spent chatting with her was amazing. At the end she gave me and BB her card [and no one else!] and told us to call and email her, she even wrote in her private number. She said she wanted to keep in touch, some visit our school and do a symposium, and help the both of us get jobs when we graduate. I almost cried from happiness.
5. after the lunch we went back to the poetry library so Dr. O could grovel for money with the benefactor/owner/founder of teh library. I was a little embarassed because the benefactor came out and received us with coffees and teas and food and started to talk to us [the students] about his collection and his goals with his library and Dr. O interrupted him, drug him to the other end of the room and occupied his attention for the entire hour we had scheduled with him! We weren't happy.
6. We found out the ministry of information, and the Kuwait government likes us so well they are planning on sending us as student leaisons to universities around the us [a lot of tehm the alma maters of the officials] and speak to the schools about out experiences. *Plus* they want us to come bacck each year with more students [they'll bump our group number from 7 to 15] and teach them the culter with them, like student leaders/ambassadors. And they'd pay for all of this. How cool is that?
7. We went after the library to the "conservative" women's group and I'll likely devote an entire blog to everything I learned tonight from those women. I can't tell you how impressed I am, how much I love them, how wrong I was about them.We're actually having a "girls night" tomorrow or Wednesday so we can all bond and discuss women's culture together without the "interruption of the men" as they put it.
8. Because *someone* [the same someone I might add] got on a tangent during our question and answer session with them about something that I felt was nearly unrelated we were late and ended up missing what I had been looking most forward to, our apology date with the minister of higher education. Want to know what it was? *sobs* An invitation to the very first ever Kuwaiti women diahwana. This may not sound important, but for women's politics its a hugely historic moment. Women arent allowed in dihawanas and its the main forum for political discussion and movement. All the important movements in the Kuwaiti history have stemmed from these special meetings. I am really disappointed, and rather angry, we missed it. I'll tell you more about the meetings sometime, if you like.
Thats my day, we've finally gotten home, fed and I've started to pack again, I dont know how I am going to get it all fit inmy bags...
So no one has any questions? Anything they want to know about the culture?
Tomorrow we;re off to sit in on a parliment session and ride camels, which we put off today because Looks Like Sam was so sick.
Love you all - XX
AG
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Decent Days and Nights
Wow. Its about day four here, depending on whether you count days as time after I go to sleep and ake up or time when it passes midnight. Technically its day 5. Either way, Ihad to ask what day of the week it was this morning because I'd honestly lost track.
Woudl you like an update?
so far I can say I have:
Met with an NGO [I think I told you that] It was brilliant, and speaking of brilliant, Brilliant Babmbi saved our asses by speaking a beautiful and eloquent bit about the time it takes for progress to be made in women's movements and how the women of Kuwait should be proud of their new found rights and press on and keep up the hard work. It was a relief because *someone* in our group [not me] in essence told the women that the reason they didn't have parlimentary officials who were women elected was because they didn't try hard enough and that their parliment needed to set quotas for women bcause they would not get elected otehrwise *rolls eyes* please. Its their first GD election! We were irate and BB saved the day. I love her. She's so well spoken, she makes me feel stupid when I listen to her. She's brilliant. Really.
Been to a library dedicated solely to the preservation of Arabic Poetry and literary artifacts. It was awesome. I cant even express how cool it was. Incidentally, I think this is funny:I blend in really well. most of the girls wear their scarves, just not on their heads, because they feel too "odd" and old fashioned. I personally like it, I don't have to do my hair, which is good since Ive not got a straitening iron, not to mention I look like everyone else, which is comfortable, you know? Anyhow, we were in the car to go to the Poetry Library and it was just me and Professor O and our driver because we have so many cars we dont have to cram in and we rotate who sits where, although normally I sit with BB and Jared, and I was short stick and rode with Dr. O. So our driver made a wrong turn and we had to pull in later. Well, they had closed the libary to the public for our tour [you wouldn't believe how many places they've closed just for us!] and we tried to pull in and they wouldn't let us in! The security guards kept looking in the car at me and telling Dr. O in Arabic there was no way we were with the other group because we were both arabs and they others we a bunch of foreign students, american he thought, and we werent going to trick our way into the library, we didn't match. Our ministry leaison eventually came down and told him off and he smiled at me and told me it was lovely to see such a modest and lovely American woman, who was so respectful of his culture. Dr. O told me the man had thought I was a family memeber of his - a neice or a daughter! Isnt that a scream? Anyway, the peotry was good.
Tomorrow we're going here:
The Kuwait Towers. We're having lunch with the Minister of Higher Education there. Today we toured American University Kuwait and tomorrow we are touring Kuwait University herself. We got to sit in on aclass today and listen to the discussion, I really enjoyed it. Today was a liberal university, tomorrow is a liberal university.
We also get to go ride the camels in the desert tomorrow, and as stereotypical as that might sound, we've all really been looking forward to it. Oh! And I don't know if I mentioned this, its cold here! Cold. cold! Today it only got to 14 C and we were all bundled up. I bought a leather jacket at the market. But, we are all bundled up for the cold, apparently this is the coldest its been in a few years. It even rained yesterday and they had 25% of what is their normally yearly rainfall. It was crazy. We're taking clothes to bundle up into when we go tomorrow, because we have to go uber dressy for the lunch tomorrow. But, you know, its still really nice, and we're having as good a time as we can.
This morning at the radio station was a lot of fun, and we got to be on air. But the big suprise was the paper, which I found laying on my bed, apparently my maid [well, what do you call a male maid, because I know mine's a male, I see him every day] saw the article and took the liberty of delivering one to me. On the second page of the paper in the special news section there was a half page article and huge picture of our group meeting with the womens group. We hadn't even realized the press was there! They had quotes from us and were really nice and informative about it. I was so uprised, so we're all taking home a copy of the paper.
Speaking of crud to take home, I have no idea where I am going to fit all the souvenirs. We're going sword shopping tomorrow, and if there's a good one I dont know what I'll do. I may need to buy extra luggage.
Oh, and I'd like to say, I'm one of the cool kids for a change I may have mentioned the other night BB and Jard and Looks Like Sam came to my room and we watched TV and talked politics and I taught them how to play "6 Steps to Nuclear War" [I told you didn't I??] Anyhow, point is, I felt cool because all my life I've been the kid whos been told the party is on the 13th floor and its a 12 story hotel, you know? Well, last night we listened to Dane Cook, the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, and then the News, and we played Phase 10 [a card game] and ran our mouths until 230 [we were so tired when we drug ass out of bed at 6 to go to the radio station. Actually Jared and Looks Like Sam are like me, they were up by 530...] Tonight they came over again and we watched the movie Anchorman and talked. they left at about 12 or so, we are all wearing down from lack of sleep, jetlag and the massive amount of sugar we keep pumping into our systems. Seriously. Jared drinks more tea than me, and I didnt think that was possible. Oooh! And they all drink their tea with milk, the proper way, and I love it! We had to theive some milk and tea bags from the hotel restaurant, but I figure since we're paying 3.50 US for a "dinner beverage" then we have right to hork a few teabags and a cup of warm milk for heavens sake. Oh, and maybe some brown sugar for me...heh heh. Either way, the point is we had another night together, and its really nice. I feel loved, heh. Its a plesant change.
I'll post some more pics as soon as I manage to get the computer here to stop being stupid, and Jared and BB get more pics uploaded, because I've not had a chance to steal any pics from them recently.
Some links to pics of places we have been or are going: [because blogger sucks and wont let me pirate more of Jared's pics]
Kuwait Towers
Grand Mosque Outside
Grand Mosque Inside
Well, questions? Cmments?
xx
AG
Woudl you like an update?
so far I can say I have:
Met with an NGO [I think I told you that] It was brilliant, and speaking of brilliant, Brilliant Babmbi saved our asses by speaking a beautiful and eloquent bit about the time it takes for progress to be made in women's movements and how the women of Kuwait should be proud of their new found rights and press on and keep up the hard work. It was a relief because *someone* in our group [not me] in essence told the women that the reason they didn't have parlimentary officials who were women elected was because they didn't try hard enough and that their parliment needed to set quotas for women bcause they would not get elected otehrwise *rolls eyes* please. Its their first GD election! We were irate and BB saved the day. I love her. She's so well spoken, she makes me feel stupid when I listen to her. She's brilliant. Really.
Been to a library dedicated solely to the preservation of Arabic Poetry and literary artifacts. It was awesome. I cant even express how cool it was. Incidentally, I think this is funny:I blend in really well. most of the girls wear their scarves, just not on their heads, because they feel too "odd" and old fashioned. I personally like it, I don't have to do my hair, which is good since Ive not got a straitening iron, not to mention I look like everyone else, which is comfortable, you know? Anyhow, we were in the car to go to the Poetry Library and it was just me and Professor O and our driver because we have so many cars we dont have to cram in and we rotate who sits where, although normally I sit with BB and Jared, and I was short stick and rode with Dr. O. So our driver made a wrong turn and we had to pull in later. Well, they had closed the libary to the public for our tour [you wouldn't believe how many places they've closed just for us!] and we tried to pull in and they wouldn't let us in! The security guards kept looking in the car at me and telling Dr. O in Arabic there was no way we were with the other group because we were both arabs and they others we a bunch of foreign students, american he thought, and we werent going to trick our way into the library, we didn't match. Our ministry leaison eventually came down and told him off and he smiled at me and told me it was lovely to see such a modest and lovely American woman, who was so respectful of his culture. Dr. O told me the man had thought I was a family memeber of his - a neice or a daughter! Isnt that a scream? Anyway, the peotry was good.
Tomorrow we're going here:
The Kuwait Towers. We're having lunch with the Minister of Higher Education there. Today we toured American University Kuwait and tomorrow we are touring Kuwait University herself. We got to sit in on aclass today and listen to the discussion, I really enjoyed it. Today was a liberal university, tomorrow is a liberal university.
We also get to go ride the camels in the desert tomorrow, and as stereotypical as that might sound, we've all really been looking forward to it. Oh! And I don't know if I mentioned this, its cold here! Cold. cold! Today it only got to 14 C and we were all bundled up. I bought a leather jacket at the market. But, we are all bundled up for the cold, apparently this is the coldest its been in a few years. It even rained yesterday and they had 25% of what is their normally yearly rainfall. It was crazy. We're taking clothes to bundle up into when we go tomorrow, because we have to go uber dressy for the lunch tomorrow. But, you know, its still really nice, and we're having as good a time as we can.
This morning at the radio station was a lot of fun, and we got to be on air. But the big suprise was the paper, which I found laying on my bed, apparently my maid [well, what do you call a male maid, because I know mine's a male, I see him every day] saw the article and took the liberty of delivering one to me. On the second page of the paper in the special news section there was a half page article and huge picture of our group meeting with the womens group. We hadn't even realized the press was there! They had quotes from us and were really nice and informative about it. I was so uprised, so we're all taking home a copy of the paper.
Speaking of crud to take home, I have no idea where I am going to fit all the souvenirs. We're going sword shopping tomorrow, and if there's a good one I dont know what I'll do. I may need to buy extra luggage.
Oh, and I'd like to say, I'm one of the cool kids for a change I may have mentioned the other night BB and Jard and Looks Like Sam came to my room and we watched TV and talked politics and I taught them how to play "6 Steps to Nuclear War" [I told you didn't I??] Anyhow, point is, I felt cool because all my life I've been the kid whos been told the party is on the 13th floor and its a 12 story hotel, you know? Well, last night we listened to Dane Cook, the Blue Collar Comedy Tour, and then the News, and we played Phase 10 [a card game] and ran our mouths until 230 [we were so tired when we drug ass out of bed at 6 to go to the radio station. Actually Jared and Looks Like Sam are like me, they were up by 530...] Tonight they came over again and we watched the movie Anchorman and talked. they left at about 12 or so, we are all wearing down from lack of sleep, jetlag and the massive amount of sugar we keep pumping into our systems. Seriously. Jared drinks more tea than me, and I didnt think that was possible. Oooh! And they all drink their tea with milk, the proper way, and I love it! We had to theive some milk and tea bags from the hotel restaurant, but I figure since we're paying 3.50 US for a "dinner beverage" then we have right to hork a few teabags and a cup of warm milk for heavens sake. Oh, and maybe some brown sugar for me...heh heh. Either way, the point is we had another night together, and its really nice. I feel loved, heh. Its a plesant change.
I'll post some more pics as soon as I manage to get the computer here to stop being stupid, and Jared and BB get more pics uploaded, because I've not had a chance to steal any pics from them recently.
Some links to pics of places we have been or are going: [because blogger sucks and wont let me pirate more of Jared's pics]
Kuwait Towers
Grand Mosque Outside
Grand Mosque Inside
Well, questions? Cmments?
xx
AG
Saturday, December 16, 2006
I feel fine
hey guys, I'm dropping in really quickly to post some photos I've stolen from one of the guys in our group's blog. He's blogging th e trip too, so if you want another person's less biased perspective, you should totally visit him at http://leetspeek.blogspot.com/
He has a lot more pics, but I'll give you the highlights -
He has a lot more pics, but I'll give you the highlights -
Thats the Tigris river as viewed from our plane. Cool, eh?
Thats a view of one of the buildings across from ours in Kuwait City...
This is our group in front of the Grand Mosque in Kuwait City. They are, repsectively, Yours truly [in traditional headscarf, which I've grown very comfortable wearing] Brilliant Bambi [she *is* brilliant, and I am so glad she's here!] Debate Girl, Tall Girl Who Never Talks, Glad He Smokes, and in the back Jared [whos pics I've stolen and who's name there is no point in hiding] and Looks Like Sam. God I look like a tool. Someone put me out of my misery. Actually, now that I've gone back to my traditional black I look just fine. I'll be happy to post more pics, or steal of of Jared and Brilliant Bambi's when I get a second.
We went to the open air market yesterday and I had a fabulous time. I got a lot of cool souvenirs, and a beautiful traditional dress I am dying to wear around. Debate Girl got one too, and we're all going to wear them when the boys wear thier suits and their headscarves. I bought Beloved and Rogue some camels. haha. better than emus. We're going back today and I am looking forward to it, I want to get more stuff, lord knows how we're going to get it all home!
We're off to a radio show this morning. Its for the most popular station in Kuwait, they're going to interview us, how cool is that. And we met with a really important womens progress Kuwaiti NGO last night, and I will ccertainly blog all to hell about that as soona s I get a chance. It was so interesting....
well, Im off, life of celebrity and all. Talk to you all soon. Seriously, checck out Jared's site, he's got some great pics.
AG
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Ive never felt this way before
Hello all. Suprise. I have a computer at my hotel. I am in Kuwait. We are starting our second morning.
The plane? Awesome. I loved all three rides, and we managed to make it through JFK with little trouble, the embassy flew us first class so we got spoiled in one of the lounges while we were laid over, it was great. I am planning on meeting the infamous hyde when we stop in NYC for the night on the 23rd, if I get ahold of her, so I'm eager to tell you about the legend herself...
Yesterday was a handful of new experiences, and things I'll likely never do again. I saw the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, I flew over Baghdad airspace and looked down on the city. I had dinner with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official and spent the night sightseeing in a beautiful city where men and women my age were driving porches like they were hondas and listening to American rap at the top of their stereo volume. And everone honks and waves at us, it almost feels like celebrity, they really like us here. I am really, really suprised. We went to a shopping mall on the Persian Gulf, I'll be sure to take a picture and show it to ou guys. Its so amazing.
And life couldnt be better, we have our own rooms! No Bambis [which arent so bad, really, I'll tell you more about them later] no sharing showers or setting sleep and getting ready schedules. Its nice. I have a gorgeous king suite all to myself and I am loving every minute of it.
I am having a great time, and I am hoping I'll be able to tell you more as the week goes on. I miss you all.
xx
AG
PS- yes, I am well aware I quoted a movie theme song lyric in my title, bite me.
The plane? Awesome. I loved all three rides, and we managed to make it through JFK with little trouble, the embassy flew us first class so we got spoiled in one of the lounges while we were laid over, it was great. I am planning on meeting the infamous hyde when we stop in NYC for the night on the 23rd, if I get ahold of her, so I'm eager to tell you about the legend herself...
Yesterday was a handful of new experiences, and things I'll likely never do again. I saw the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, I flew over Baghdad airspace and looked down on the city. I had dinner with a Ministry of Foreign Affairs official and spent the night sightseeing in a beautiful city where men and women my age were driving porches like they were hondas and listening to American rap at the top of their stereo volume. And everone honks and waves at us, it almost feels like celebrity, they really like us here. I am really, really suprised. We went to a shopping mall on the Persian Gulf, I'll be sure to take a picture and show it to ou guys. Its so amazing.
And life couldnt be better, we have our own rooms! No Bambis [which arent so bad, really, I'll tell you more about them later] no sharing showers or setting sleep and getting ready schedules. Its nice. I have a gorgeous king suite all to myself and I am loving every minute of it.
I am having a great time, and I am hoping I'll be able to tell you more as the week goes on. I miss you all.
xx
AG
PS- yes, I am well aware I quoted a movie theme song lyric in my title, bite me.
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
I'm going to do my best swan dive into shark infested waters
Wow. I leave tomorrow.
I leave tomorrow. Its not quite sunk in yet.
I think I'm scared. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm scared. There's no use telling me not to be, I'm going to be anyway. I keep trying to explain it, and my terrible mood, but its not explaining well, not to anyone who'll listen anyway. My problem, I think, is I can't fathom where I am going. I can't see it in my head, I have no clue what I'll be doing. Hell, I don't even know the name of where we're staying yet. I read a school newpaper article about our trip 5 minutes ago and my knowledge about the places we're visiting doubled. Doubled. Not to mention I am headed into complete support system withdrawal. I've never, ever, been away from Beloved this long. I've never not talked to rogue this long. I am entirely unsure about how I am going to cope. I might not. Especially if I don't bond with the Bambi's and fast. I did see Looks Like Sam today and it made me feel marginally better to know that he's going to be there, she seemed nearly as stressed out as I feel, which was a comfort, misery loving company, and all that...
The plane thing...I'm still not over it, and not entirely convinced that a load of Nyquil ios going to do the trick. Still, I'll have my MP3 player with me, and Beloved bought me the book "The Devil Wears Prada" [I've been dying for some brain candy] and I'll be taking The Brothers Karamasov as well, and if nearly 2000 pages of literature, 8 hours battery life music and a deck of cards can't keep me distracted...well, there's always sleep. I've heard its nice....My mom and Punk are coming to "see me off" although I'm sure its more of a make a scene type thing. I told her not to, but she "took off work especially for me" even though I told her I'll be in nearly 2 hours of security checks and won't see her, and she won't be able to see me...ah, well. Whatever makes her happy. I'm taking a cab to the airport, I think.
I did go shopping. I got mym om, brother and grandmother thier emus, life is good. Although the mall is a nightmare I don't even want to talk about at Christmas time. I was thinking of getting beloved a build a [god complex] bear with my voice in it for while I'm gone, but it seemed a little narcissistic. A little.
I gave Rogue her emu [she entered the majority yesterday, incidentally] and I think she liked it too. She smiled, at least, and that's always a good sign.
I said goodbye to everyone at work on Sunday, and the excess hugs nearly made me ill. My little FA [did I give her a name, I don't remember, I should call her something like Cow Eyes] told me work wouldn't be fun without me...hell, work isn't fun with me, if you ask...that's why its called work. I did make a bit of a fool of myself with Rogue, telling her goodbye (I knew I wouldn't see her the next few days) I desperately needed to be reassured that I am loved and that she knows how much I care for her in the instance something happens to me. It sounds foolish, but I can't seem to shake this terrible feeling of fatality and I've been making sure to tell all the people I love that I love them so that if something does happen they know.
I've been doing the same thing to Beloved and I think its about to make her crazy....
Speaking of making beloved crazy, I was a basketcase last night, and I flew off the handle at her. and it wasn't very nice of me. I finally cracked under the stress of the trip, the stress of finals and all of the other things that have been on my mind. Poor girl, she's a champ for putting up with me, really.
I went to Preistesses a couple of times in the last few days. Beloved and Iwent and made cookies and had buffalo roast for dinner, it was nice. Beloved played with her youngest, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and they had a nice time. I sat with Presitess and Lovey making cookies and talking mystic shop, since its the only time we get to. Lovey and I have plans to crash on the couch and watch a movie when I come home. She's good to curl up with, I love her to death, and I feel more than a little guilty I don't see her as much as I should.
I also spent some time with Preistess on Saturday [I think it was saturday...no it was friday, friday] and we had a good talk. I did a reading for her, and then I actually did one for myself, which is so rare, and I got a little bit of reassurance that I needed on some issues that tend to creep in the back of my mind and I can't get rid of...they're always there....either way, Preistss also gave me the information that she thinks I am what she calls a "split soul" meaning in most of my other lives I've had a twin, which explains that ever-present searching feeling I have, like I am looking for something I've lost, its a part of me. She says I'm the younger of the twins, and I know the person who is my twin, but she won't tell me who it is and she says I'll figure it out on my own time...whatever. I do feel that searcing feeling, but the idea of being a twin...its another diea foreign to me, and konestly, if she weren't right about nearly everything else when we have our little talks, I'd laugh about it. Its the fact that she's right so often,
Speaking of witches I love, one of them sent me a card and I should tell her thank you...and I love her, and I wish her much happiness in the coming year. Goodness, what a sweetheart to remember me. Hey! Maybe I'll take the coloring book, you think security would mind? heh heh.
ST- I miss you too! Goodness. And I do need to earworm, but It'll have to wait until I get back, I think, maybe I'll do it the week of my birthday, that would be fun, wouldn't it. Turn 25 and get my second go at ST's earworms? What better present is there? [outside a hug from the legend himself...of course ;)]
Speaking of the week of my brithday, I have an appointment with the local cancer center. I had the spot checked again yesterday and its not gone, obviously. They hadn't used the c-word yet, so when she used the term "cancer senter" instead of "women's breast center" I thought I was going to die. Really. But, there's hope for me yet, and I've got a month before I can go, so we'll see how it works out. Its the Friday after my birthday, the appointment, and I plan to go out that night and get totally soused. HEre's to hopeing I have good reason to.
Of course it wouldn't be a decent blog if I didn't tell you the songs running through my head, so I'll give you a list of the songs I suspect will be chasing my thoughts [and worming my ears] while I am on my flight and away from all this loveliness for the next 10 days. Keep in mind this is highly influenced by the two mix CD's I've just made - one for Rogue and one for Shrugs...
Swan Dive - Ani Difranco [cheerful, no?] This song is on the mix CD I gave to Rogue, its actually an all ani mix CD, and it just seems right at this point in my week. Seems like I've had a relapse into my old moods, probably the stress doing the talking, and a lot of my old problems and old habits seem to be sitting just behind my eyes. There've been things reminding me of the past lately, and the more time I have to myself the more time I have to think of them, that's always the way it is, and this week is no exception.
Last Resort - Papa Roach - This is another one I've been listening more and more to, and no, two songs about suicide in a row aern't a hint, I just feel a little moody, and the beat of this one, the sounds of desperation, that's really what I'm feeling, isn't it?
U Got Me - T Pain - I love this song and it makes me happy and wistful even though its not cheerful, but as long as I like it, who cares, right?
Manhole - Ani Difranco - this song makes me smile, and everytime I feel stupid or angry or like I've just about decided to give into my stupid desires, my own foolishness or my own wrath I listen to it and somehow feel better. I also feel better at the thought that we can learn from our own terrible stupididty.
"But a lesson must be livedIn order to be learnedAnd the clarity to see and stop this nowThat is what I've earnedAnd maybe it was I who betrayed his majestyWith no opposite realityLike a puddle with no reflectionOf the sky or the treesBut after my dreaded beheadingI tied that sucker back on with a stringAnd I guess I'm pretty different nowConsidering"
Going Down - Young Joc - most recent CD acquisition, so its obviously on my list.
Ghost - Indigo Girls - more and more, you know this song, you know me, you know how I feel right now.
River - Joni Mitchell - this ihas been playing at work, I can't stop singing it.
Two Little Girls - Ani Difranco - another song that is sad, but makes me feel better somehow.
Hotel California - The Eagles - it is my all time desert island song, after all...
Wonderwall - Oasis - I lvoe this song. That's all there is to that, and so I'll be hearing it as I take off, I hope.
Everlong - The Foo Fighters - I was listening to this on an old mix CD this morning and I remembered hpow much I love this song.
Come down and waste away with me, down with meSlow how, you wanted it to be, Im over my head, out of her head she sangAnd I wonder when I sing along with you if everything could ever feel this real foreverIf anything could ever be this good againThe only thing Ill ever ask of youYouve got to promise not to stop when I say when"
I always think of one of Rogue's friends (Sweet but Scary) when I hear it. It made me smile, thinking of her and listening to it this morning. I do love this song.
Jaded - Aerosmith - This song is one purely devoted to thoughts of Rogue, she seems to like it, and so now I associate it with her. It was also one the CD I was listening to this morning, so its stuck in my head.
Reason is Treason - Kasabian - On the CD I gave shrugs. I'm not sure why I've been listening to it lately.
Staring at the Sun - The Offspring- This is an angry, angry song, and I love it.
Loom - Ani Difranco - the stories I could tell about this song, and what it means to me. Maybe when I come back, I'll tell you all about it. I plan on devoting more time to this place when I come back, I've got more time to myself this semester, so I plan on using it.
Allright, that was a nice, ass long post with a link to another ass long, terribly depressing post, so I think that'll do you lot until I come back, or post while I am away, if I get terribly bored. I'll be back soon with pics, and if we;re lucky, you might even see me in them....
love you all
xx
AG
I leave tomorrow. Its not quite sunk in yet.
I think I'm scared. Actually, I'm pretty sure I'm scared. There's no use telling me not to be, I'm going to be anyway. I keep trying to explain it, and my terrible mood, but its not explaining well, not to anyone who'll listen anyway. My problem, I think, is I can't fathom where I am going. I can't see it in my head, I have no clue what I'll be doing. Hell, I don't even know the name of where we're staying yet. I read a school newpaper article about our trip 5 minutes ago and my knowledge about the places we're visiting doubled. Doubled. Not to mention I am headed into complete support system withdrawal. I've never, ever, been away from Beloved this long. I've never not talked to rogue this long. I am entirely unsure about how I am going to cope. I might not. Especially if I don't bond with the Bambi's and fast. I did see Looks Like Sam today and it made me feel marginally better to know that he's going to be there, she seemed nearly as stressed out as I feel, which was a comfort, misery loving company, and all that...
The plane thing...I'm still not over it, and not entirely convinced that a load of Nyquil ios going to do the trick. Still, I'll have my MP3 player with me, and Beloved bought me the book "The Devil Wears Prada" [I've been dying for some brain candy] and I'll be taking The Brothers Karamasov as well, and if nearly 2000 pages of literature, 8 hours battery life music and a deck of cards can't keep me distracted...well, there's always sleep. I've heard its nice....My mom and Punk are coming to "see me off" although I'm sure its more of a make a scene type thing. I told her not to, but she "took off work especially for me" even though I told her I'll be in nearly 2 hours of security checks and won't see her, and she won't be able to see me...ah, well. Whatever makes her happy. I'm taking a cab to the airport, I think.
I did go shopping. I got mym om, brother and grandmother thier emus, life is good. Although the mall is a nightmare I don't even want to talk about at Christmas time. I was thinking of getting beloved a build a [god complex] bear with my voice in it for while I'm gone, but it seemed a little narcissistic. A little.
I gave Rogue her emu [she entered the majority yesterday, incidentally] and I think she liked it too. She smiled, at least, and that's always a good sign.
I said goodbye to everyone at work on Sunday, and the excess hugs nearly made me ill. My little FA [did I give her a name, I don't remember, I should call her something like Cow Eyes] told me work wouldn't be fun without me...hell, work isn't fun with me, if you ask...that's why its called work. I did make a bit of a fool of myself with Rogue, telling her goodbye (I knew I wouldn't see her the next few days) I desperately needed to be reassured that I am loved and that she knows how much I care for her in the instance something happens to me. It sounds foolish, but I can't seem to shake this terrible feeling of fatality and I've been making sure to tell all the people I love that I love them so that if something does happen they know.
I've been doing the same thing to Beloved and I think its about to make her crazy....
Speaking of making beloved crazy, I was a basketcase last night, and I flew off the handle at her. and it wasn't very nice of me. I finally cracked under the stress of the trip, the stress of finals and all of the other things that have been on my mind. Poor girl, she's a champ for putting up with me, really.
I went to Preistesses a couple of times in the last few days. Beloved and Iwent and made cookies and had buffalo roast for dinner, it was nice. Beloved played with her youngest, The Itsy Bitsy Spider, and they had a nice time. I sat with Presitess and Lovey making cookies and talking mystic shop, since its the only time we get to. Lovey and I have plans to crash on the couch and watch a movie when I come home. She's good to curl up with, I love her to death, and I feel more than a little guilty I don't see her as much as I should.
I also spent some time with Preistess on Saturday [I think it was saturday...no it was friday, friday] and we had a good talk. I did a reading for her, and then I actually did one for myself, which is so rare, and I got a little bit of reassurance that I needed on some issues that tend to creep in the back of my mind and I can't get rid of...they're always there....either way, Preistss also gave me the information that she thinks I am what she calls a "split soul" meaning in most of my other lives I've had a twin, which explains that ever-present searching feeling I have, like I am looking for something I've lost, its a part of me. She says I'm the younger of the twins, and I know the person who is my twin, but she won't tell me who it is and she says I'll figure it out on my own time...whatever. I do feel that searcing feeling, but the idea of being a twin...its another diea foreign to me, and konestly, if she weren't right about nearly everything else when we have our little talks, I'd laugh about it. Its the fact that she's right so often,
Speaking of witches I love, one of them sent me a card and I should tell her thank you...and I love her, and I wish her much happiness in the coming year. Goodness, what a sweetheart to remember me. Hey! Maybe I'll take the coloring book, you think security would mind? heh heh.
ST- I miss you too! Goodness. And I do need to earworm, but It'll have to wait until I get back, I think, maybe I'll do it the week of my birthday, that would be fun, wouldn't it. Turn 25 and get my second go at ST's earworms? What better present is there? [outside a hug from the legend himself...of course ;)]
Speaking of the week of my brithday, I have an appointment with the local cancer center. I had the spot checked again yesterday and its not gone, obviously. They hadn't used the c-word yet, so when she used the term "cancer senter" instead of "women's breast center" I thought I was going to die. Really. But, there's hope for me yet, and I've got a month before I can go, so we'll see how it works out. Its the Friday after my birthday, the appointment, and I plan to go out that night and get totally soused. HEre's to hopeing I have good reason to.
Of course it wouldn't be a decent blog if I didn't tell you the songs running through my head, so I'll give you a list of the songs I suspect will be chasing my thoughts [and worming my ears] while I am on my flight and away from all this loveliness for the next 10 days. Keep in mind this is highly influenced by the two mix CD's I've just made - one for Rogue and one for Shrugs...
Swan Dive - Ani Difranco [cheerful, no?] This song is on the mix CD I gave to Rogue, its actually an all ani mix CD, and it just seems right at this point in my week. Seems like I've had a relapse into my old moods, probably the stress doing the talking, and a lot of my old problems and old habits seem to be sitting just behind my eyes. There've been things reminding me of the past lately, and the more time I have to myself the more time I have to think of them, that's always the way it is, and this week is no exception.
Last Resort - Papa Roach - This is another one I've been listening more and more to, and no, two songs about suicide in a row aern't a hint, I just feel a little moody, and the beat of this one, the sounds of desperation, that's really what I'm feeling, isn't it?
U Got Me - T Pain - I love this song and it makes me happy and wistful even though its not cheerful, but as long as I like it, who cares, right?
Manhole - Ani Difranco - this song makes me smile, and everytime I feel stupid or angry or like I've just about decided to give into my stupid desires, my own foolishness or my own wrath I listen to it and somehow feel better. I also feel better at the thought that we can learn from our own terrible stupididty.
"But a lesson must be livedIn order to be learnedAnd the clarity to see and stop this nowThat is what I've earnedAnd maybe it was I who betrayed his majestyWith no opposite realityLike a puddle with no reflectionOf the sky or the treesBut after my dreaded beheadingI tied that sucker back on with a stringAnd I guess I'm pretty different nowConsidering"
Going Down - Young Joc - most recent CD acquisition, so its obviously on my list.
Ghost - Indigo Girls - more and more, you know this song, you know me, you know how I feel right now.
River - Joni Mitchell - this ihas been playing at work, I can't stop singing it.
Two Little Girls - Ani Difranco - another song that is sad, but makes me feel better somehow.
Hotel California - The Eagles - it is my all time desert island song, after all...
Wonderwall - Oasis - I lvoe this song. That's all there is to that, and so I'll be hearing it as I take off, I hope.
Everlong - The Foo Fighters - I was listening to this on an old mix CD this morning and I remembered hpow much I love this song.
Come down and waste away with me, down with meSlow how, you wanted it to be, Im over my head, out of her head she sangAnd I wonder when I sing along with you if everything could ever feel this real foreverIf anything could ever be this good againThe only thing Ill ever ask of youYouve got to promise not to stop when I say when"
I always think of one of Rogue's friends (Sweet but Scary) when I hear it. It made me smile, thinking of her and listening to it this morning. I do love this song.
Jaded - Aerosmith - This song is one purely devoted to thoughts of Rogue, she seems to like it, and so now I associate it with her. It was also one the CD I was listening to this morning, so its stuck in my head.
Reason is Treason - Kasabian - On the CD I gave shrugs. I'm not sure why I've been listening to it lately.
Staring at the Sun - The Offspring- This is an angry, angry song, and I love it.
Loom - Ani Difranco - the stories I could tell about this song, and what it means to me. Maybe when I come back, I'll tell you all about it. I plan on devoting more time to this place when I come back, I've got more time to myself this semester, so I plan on using it.
Allright, that was a nice, ass long post with a link to another ass long, terribly depressing post, so I think that'll do you lot until I come back, or post while I am away, if I get terribly bored. I'll be back soon with pics, and if we;re lucky, you might even see me in them....
love you all
xx
AG
Thursday, December 07, 2006
I like to watch the puddles gather rain
Hello again all. At the computer lab again pretending to do school work and putting off the inevitable...or trying to at least. I've just come from acing a test I thought would be a lot harder. so I am in very good spirits for that at least.
Doc [may I call you that, my dear?] I have been eating, I have [and thanks for your concern flashy....] I just have a terribly high metabolism and I'm afraid I went from no exercise to walking nearly 25 miles a day at work, plus school, and I've been craving healthy foods lately, I'm afraid, that and protein and carbs, so I'm not really able to gorge on doughnuts and such like I used to...ack, too skinny, I suppose. And Flash, for the record, those pics are deceiving, of course I am not going to post anything that makes me look fat. Of course not. I'm a woman aren't I?
I finally finished purchasing Rogue's emu, I am buying Beloved's emu when I go to Kuwait and I am getting ready to purchase said emus for my family jsut now, although I have no idea what I am going to get them. Its like two days before christmas for me, and I feel like I'm not quite going to catch up. Actually, I'm pretty sure of it.
Presitess called this morning and wanted Belvoed and I to come over and bake cookies this weekend, I think we might, and I'll get to see Lovey, and I miss her. She left me a hilarious message on my answering machine the other day and I really have been meaning to call her.
In other news, I am earworming like crazy, and I hate to steal ST's thunder but I thought I might share what I've had stuck in my head for the last few days. Someo f you [like LB i suspect] are going to laugh, I shamelessly admit my taste in music is changing since I've been hanging out with Rogue, because I have a lot of her music in my MP3 and CD player. This week there's been a lot of T-Pain [whom you really ought check out, if only for his gorgeous voice, for a rapper, he's not too bad a singer, you know.] Mostly "I'm Sprung" and "Como Estas". I've also had Hinder's new release runnign through my head its called "How Long" and I liked that one on my own, I'd like to say for the record. I also watched the Victoria's Secret Fashion show on TV [of course I did] and so I have had Justin Timberlake's "Lovestoned" going nuts too.
Yep, its frightening the stuff I listen to now. Although I 'd like to be pleased I've managed to leave the Nelly Furtado CD out of my player for a good few weeks now. Good for me, right.
Oh. Pretties. [not my favorite model btw, but who doesnt like
pretties?]
I sure like them.
Anyway. I thought I might also provide a breif list of the names of people who I frequently [or not so frequently] write about since I've got some new faces hanging around.
Beloved is my girlfriend of 5 years. Fabulous girl. If you go looking you might even find a few pictures of us hanging around.
Rogue is my best friend, who happens to be a few years [okay a lot] younger than me, but seems to know me better thananyone I've ever met, short the lady above. The moniker is derived from her hair, which is long and black short a very long blonde strak running down the side of herright temple, a la a certain Xmen character.
Lovey is my oldest cousin who goes to school with Rogue and is the coolest kid you'll ever meet.
Preistess is Lovey's mom. My only aunt who doesn't make me nuts. So called because she is sort of a native american shaman type, and the only other mystic in my family. We're both terrible black sheep for it, I assure you.
Punk is my younger brother [ 1 and a half years younger, for those couting] who always seems to be in trouble of some sort. As a side note, he's both moved out and oved back in since I started posting again. Moved in with my mother that is. If ever there was a mama's boy....
Flower is my general manager at work, so called because her name is the same as a flower.
Pet My Hair is my associate manager at work, an entertaining person, short the fact that she is convinced that Rogue is madly in love with me and terribly confused about her sexual identity and that one day we're both going to realize it. Rogue and I disagree of course. Pet my hair gets her moniker from how she destresses when she's at work. The waitresses play with her hair. Creepy, I know.
Shrugs, another person who likely disagrees with Pet My Hair, is Rogue's boyfriend. he is so called because seriously, he never talks. You could mistake him for a mute if you didn't know anybetter. When he wants to express something he shrugs, and believe me there's a different chrug for every mood. There's even an "I love you shrug". I've seen it.
Right, well there's the update on me and mine. If I left anyone out feel free to ask. Feel free to ask anything anyway. I've been fairly mundane lately. If my life were as boring as my blog has become I would have more time to blog.
Love you all
xx
Doc [may I call you that, my dear?] I have been eating, I have [and thanks for your concern flashy....] I just have a terribly high metabolism and I'm afraid I went from no exercise to walking nearly 25 miles a day at work, plus school, and I've been craving healthy foods lately, I'm afraid, that and protein and carbs, so I'm not really able to gorge on doughnuts and such like I used to...ack, too skinny, I suppose. And Flash, for the record, those pics are deceiving, of course I am not going to post anything that makes me look fat. Of course not. I'm a woman aren't I?
I finally finished purchasing Rogue's emu, I am buying Beloved's emu when I go to Kuwait and I am getting ready to purchase said emus for my family jsut now, although I have no idea what I am going to get them. Its like two days before christmas for me, and I feel like I'm not quite going to catch up. Actually, I'm pretty sure of it.
Presitess called this morning and wanted Belvoed and I to come over and bake cookies this weekend, I think we might, and I'll get to see Lovey, and I miss her. She left me a hilarious message on my answering machine the other day and I really have been meaning to call her.
In other news, I am earworming like crazy, and I hate to steal ST's thunder but I thought I might share what I've had stuck in my head for the last few days. Someo f you [like LB i suspect] are going to laugh, I shamelessly admit my taste in music is changing since I've been hanging out with Rogue, because I have a lot of her music in my MP3 and CD player. This week there's been a lot of T-Pain [whom you really ought check out, if only for his gorgeous voice, for a rapper, he's not too bad a singer, you know.] Mostly "I'm Sprung" and "Como Estas". I've also had Hinder's new release runnign through my head its called "How Long" and I liked that one on my own, I'd like to say for the record. I also watched the Victoria's Secret Fashion show on TV [of course I did] and so I have had Justin Timberlake's "Lovestoned" going nuts too.
Yep, its frightening the stuff I listen to now. Although I 'd like to be pleased I've managed to leave the Nelly Furtado CD out of my player for a good few weeks now. Good for me, right.
Oh. Pretties. [not my favorite model btw, but who doesnt like
pretties?]I sure like them.
Anyway. I thought I might also provide a breif list of the names of people who I frequently [or not so frequently] write about since I've got some new faces hanging around.
Beloved is my girlfriend of 5 years. Fabulous girl. If you go looking you might even find a few pictures of us hanging around.
Rogue is my best friend, who happens to be a few years [okay a lot] younger than me, but seems to know me better thananyone I've ever met, short the lady above. The moniker is derived from her hair, which is long and black short a very long blonde strak running down the side of herright temple, a la a certain Xmen character.
Lovey is my oldest cousin who goes to school with Rogue and is the coolest kid you'll ever meet.
Preistess is Lovey's mom. My only aunt who doesn't make me nuts. So called because she is sort of a native american shaman type, and the only other mystic in my family. We're both terrible black sheep for it, I assure you.
Punk is my younger brother [ 1 and a half years younger, for those couting] who always seems to be in trouble of some sort. As a side note, he's both moved out and oved back in since I started posting again. Moved in with my mother that is. If ever there was a mama's boy....
Flower is my general manager at work, so called because her name is the same as a flower.
Pet My Hair is my associate manager at work, an entertaining person, short the fact that she is convinced that Rogue is madly in love with me and terribly confused about her sexual identity and that one day we're both going to realize it. Rogue and I disagree of course. Pet my hair gets her moniker from how she destresses when she's at work. The waitresses play with her hair. Creepy, I know.
Shrugs, another person who likely disagrees with Pet My Hair, is Rogue's boyfriend. he is so called because seriously, he never talks. You could mistake him for a mute if you didn't know anybetter. When he wants to express something he shrugs, and believe me there's a different chrug for every mood. There's even an "I love you shrug". I've seen it.
Right, well there's the update on me and mine. If I left anyone out feel free to ask. Feel free to ask anything anyway. I've been fairly mundane lately. If my life were as boring as my blog has become I would have more time to blog.
Love you all
xx
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Its really good to hear your voice
Wow. 7 days and counting. I went home last night to start packing. Guess what? I don't have any clothes that fit. I mean, I knew I had lost a little weight since I started waiting tables, but...nothing fits! Seriously! I don't have any clothes...I don't even know what to say...Ah, well. I mean to put on more weight I really do. I suppose that will be me new years resoution. *I promise I'll get fat again* Beloved despises how thin I've gotten, she's always telling me to put on weight. I guess I hadn't noticed how bad its gotten. Well, now I know, right?
Oh, and just to clarify, I have had the lump looked at once and when I come back I am going to the doctor again, its just, well, those things linger on your mind, don't they.
Funnily enough, and I don't know if I mentioned this or not, one of my Trainees has taken to calling our kitchen manager by the name of a less than flattering dictator. Rogue and I find it amusing, I think we've managed to assign names to all of our bosses. I'm not very nice. The question is, do you think someone would prefer to be Mussolini (Rogue's pick) or Stalin (my personal favorite)? I'm not a very nice person. I've discovered this. I'm really rather scathing and passive agressive. Hm. I can't imagine....well, I suppose we can't be perfect, can we?
I haven't thought of what I am going to get Beloved for Christmas (oh, I hate holiday shopping) and I've not gotten anything for my family, and I need to do it befor eI leave, seeing as I won't be back until Christmas eve....Ack! And you know, honestly, I want to sleep when I come home for Christmas, not really see my mom or Punk. Ugh. Sleep. And cuddle Beloved. And nothing else.
And bythe way, hello, Doc, I'm glad you migrated over from ST's place. Good to have some new blood around here, not that I don't love all my darlings, but new faces are fun, right? Oh, I should warn you, I never spell check, I don't particularly post all that often now that I'm in school and I have a penchant for whining. But if you can get past that...we're aces, aren't we?
I'll be back soon my dears, I'm afraid this is the only place I can scream and not alarm everyone.
xx
AG
Oh, and just to clarify, I have had the lump looked at once and when I come back I am going to the doctor again, its just, well, those things linger on your mind, don't they.
Funnily enough, and I don't know if I mentioned this or not, one of my Trainees has taken to calling our kitchen manager by the name of a less than flattering dictator. Rogue and I find it amusing, I think we've managed to assign names to all of our bosses. I'm not very nice. The question is, do you think someone would prefer to be Mussolini (Rogue's pick) or Stalin (my personal favorite)? I'm not a very nice person. I've discovered this. I'm really rather scathing and passive agressive. Hm. I can't imagine....well, I suppose we can't be perfect, can we?
I haven't thought of what I am going to get Beloved for Christmas (oh, I hate holiday shopping) and I've not gotten anything for my family, and I need to do it befor eI leave, seeing as I won't be back until Christmas eve....Ack! And you know, honestly, I want to sleep when I come home for Christmas, not really see my mom or Punk. Ugh. Sleep. And cuddle Beloved. And nothing else.
And bythe way, hello, Doc, I'm glad you migrated over from ST's place. Good to have some new blood around here, not that I don't love all my darlings, but new faces are fun, right? Oh, I should warn you, I never spell check, I don't particularly post all that often now that I'm in school and I have a penchant for whining. But if you can get past that...we're aces, aren't we?
I'll be back soon my dears, I'm afraid this is the only place I can scream and not alarm everyone.
xx
AG
Monday, December 04, 2006
I think about my fear of motion
Good Lord. I'm leaving inthe 13th, thats less than 10 days from now. And I am petrified. I have no idea what I'm doing. I've never been on a plane. I have never been out of the country. Goodness. I am all wound up about it. Any flight tips would be lovely, my friends. Any at all. And anyone in the US who has travelled post 9-11 and wants to give me a few travel tips or regulation problems you might have run into...even better.
ATTENTION ALL NEW YORK BLOGGERS - (theres one in specific, darling, if you're still around....) I'll be spending the night in New York on the 23rd of December...just sayin'....
Right, back to business. I'm petrified. I've never been out of the country, I am going to the middle east. All my bravado is fading and I'm just a bit edgy. I mean, I dont think I am going to get hotel bombed or anything like that...but...did you know there's on average at least 1 fatality on Kuwait roads a day? That's a lot. Especially when you consider how small the country is. And my fish allergy...I mean, its on the sea, right? And they don't eat pork. I guess I should be thanksful its a dry coutry...I'd drink myself into oblivion from nerves...although I might have one on the plane. And then there's the money. The Kuwaiti dinar is 3x's as strong as the US dollar. More than that...its #.5 us to 1 of theirs. Ack!
On top of that, I'll be gone right up until Chrsitmas. I've never been this far from Belvoed for so long, and I'm going to miss her. And international calls are expensive. I'm sticking to email. And, as pathetic as it might sound to lump them together, I'm going to miss Rogue too. I've never gone more than 2 or 3 days without seeing her, let alone the 12 hour phone call joke that really, well, its not so much a joke... Gods, and I dont even know the people I'm going with really. There's one guy, Looks like Sam, that is really nice, and nearly as shy as I am. And he speaks Arabic. And he just got into Grad school. HEs nice...the others? I'm not so sure....(incidentally, he looks like I guy I knew in high school called -you got it- Sam)
Ugh. And I still dont have all my vaccinations. I've got Polio left and that's tomorrow. Then I'll be all finsihed and if my tattoos didnt cure my fear of needles all these vaccinations surely must...
Right. On to other worries (you didnt think because I've been gone I have less, did you?)
Worry one, I've asked off for an extra day of the week for nearly 3 months now and my work wont give it to me. I'm so stressed I cant think. If things dont change...I dont know what I'll d because I am so tired of the knock down drag outs I have with beloved over my job.
Worry two, I found a lump. Ladies, you know what I am talking about. And it looks like its not one of those "stress and caffine" induced ones either. ITs about the size of a walnut. Great, right? So when I come back I get to worry about that. Actually, its going to wait until I turn 25 (less than a month and counting kids) because I want to have a happy brithday.
Other things to think about, and I dont know if I posted this or not, I watched Rogue play basketball (dang, is there anything she's not good at?) and I think I actually like the sport. I am looking forward to another game. She turns 18 in a week or so, and I am looking forward to giving her the emu I boughten for her. (I'm not sure if she's figured out how to get here yet, shes a smart girl, and I am not sure if she's tried to or not...anyone who has my email address....you get the picture)
Beloved had her birthday last week and she liked the gifts I bought her, including a cult hit tv show called Forever Knight about a vampire homicide detective...its not too bad actually.
And since we mentioned the big 2-5, I've got to plan for my newest tattoo, since, yuou know, its tradition and all of that.
In school news, I am finally registered for my spring classes, I am taking a second graduate level class this semester with my PLS 101 prof and its on international violence and terrorism, I think its will be good. I think my grades arent going to be what I want them to be. I know I wont be getting an A in French, but as long as I pass I am happy. I've decided to go back to german in a few years and then maybe tackle arabic in Grad school. All my other classes should be high b's or A's so I am content. No 4.0 but I can live. I had a 4.0 until about two weeks ago, so that's not too bad....
And thats life.
How are you all?
xx
AG
ATTENTION ALL NEW YORK BLOGGERS - (theres one in specific, darling, if you're still around....) I'll be spending the night in New York on the 23rd of December...just sayin'....
Right, back to business. I'm petrified. I've never been out of the country, I am going to the middle east. All my bravado is fading and I'm just a bit edgy. I mean, I dont think I am going to get hotel bombed or anything like that...but...did you know there's on average at least 1 fatality on Kuwait roads a day? That's a lot. Especially when you consider how small the country is. And my fish allergy...I mean, its on the sea, right? And they don't eat pork. I guess I should be thanksful its a dry coutry...I'd drink myself into oblivion from nerves...although I might have one on the plane. And then there's the money. The Kuwaiti dinar is 3x's as strong as the US dollar. More than that...its #.5 us to 1 of theirs. Ack!
On top of that, I'll be gone right up until Chrsitmas. I've never been this far from Belvoed for so long, and I'm going to miss her. And international calls are expensive. I'm sticking to email. And, as pathetic as it might sound to lump them together, I'm going to miss Rogue too. I've never gone more than 2 or 3 days without seeing her, let alone the 12 hour phone call joke that really, well, its not so much a joke... Gods, and I dont even know the people I'm going with really. There's one guy, Looks like Sam, that is really nice, and nearly as shy as I am. And he speaks Arabic. And he just got into Grad school. HEs nice...the others? I'm not so sure....(incidentally, he looks like I guy I knew in high school called -you got it- Sam)
Ugh. And I still dont have all my vaccinations. I've got Polio left and that's tomorrow. Then I'll be all finsihed and if my tattoos didnt cure my fear of needles all these vaccinations surely must...
Right. On to other worries (you didnt think because I've been gone I have less, did you?)
Worry one, I've asked off for an extra day of the week for nearly 3 months now and my work wont give it to me. I'm so stressed I cant think. If things dont change...I dont know what I'll d because I am so tired of the knock down drag outs I have with beloved over my job.
Worry two, I found a lump. Ladies, you know what I am talking about. And it looks like its not one of those "stress and caffine" induced ones either. ITs about the size of a walnut. Great, right? So when I come back I get to worry about that. Actually, its going to wait until I turn 25 (less than a month and counting kids) because I want to have a happy brithday.
Other things to think about, and I dont know if I posted this or not, I watched Rogue play basketball (dang, is there anything she's not good at?) and I think I actually like the sport. I am looking forward to another game. She turns 18 in a week or so, and I am looking forward to giving her the emu I boughten for her. (I'm not sure if she's figured out how to get here yet, shes a smart girl, and I am not sure if she's tried to or not...anyone who has my email address....you get the picture)
Beloved had her birthday last week and she liked the gifts I bought her, including a cult hit tv show called Forever Knight about a vampire homicide detective...its not too bad actually.
And since we mentioned the big 2-5, I've got to plan for my newest tattoo, since, yuou know, its tradition and all of that.
In school news, I am finally registered for my spring classes, I am taking a second graduate level class this semester with my PLS 101 prof and its on international violence and terrorism, I think its will be good. I think my grades arent going to be what I want them to be. I know I wont be getting an A in French, but as long as I pass I am happy. I've decided to go back to german in a few years and then maybe tackle arabic in Grad school. All my other classes should be high b's or A's so I am content. No 4.0 but I can live. I had a 4.0 until about two weeks ago, so that's not too bad....
And thats life.
How are you all?
xx
AG
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