This is a very dismal, rainy, chilly, miserable day. I feel sorry for those who work outside. Its the type of weather that is good for soup and terrible for those prone to weather related headaches. I am prone to weather related headaches. And I have no soup to console myself with. Only a chocolate chip scone. And Starbucks coffee. Which I suppose is better than nothing.
Its a wonderful day to be curled up in a blanket with a good book, however, I'm sitting at a tall table by a window at Starbucks currently, wearing my jacket because Any time the door opens the temperature at my seat drops a good 10 degrees.So no lounging in warmth for me.
I am afraid I have an acute case of writers block, which I am mostly convinced is due to the fact that my headphones broke today, and so I can't listen to my Indie Singer-Songwriters station on Pandora.The mish mash of genres and such that Starbucks is currently playing is hardly conducive to blogging, and highly grating on the nerves. I'll bet once I plug my phone into my car and listen to my Pandora station a plethora of lovely blog- writing-related topics will flood my mind. And then I'll be left with the regret that I leave you a such a boring bit of my mind to read. So with that, Its time to leave and buy some new earbuds.
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
A Night of Culture
Last night, I got some culture. If you can call it that. I went to see a play. Pride and Prejudice, put on by the local University the next city over from where I live. My mom, sisters and I dressed up a bit , meaning we set our usual jeans and tennis shoes aside for the more classy, dressy, skirts and dresses. Because when one is going to get cultured, casual attire is not acceptable. Its true, we were pretty much the only ones there so nicely dressed. I guess the rest of the attendees weren't as interested in being cultured.
A college student was sitting out side the theater selling pop, water and candy bars to those of us waiting in line. His sales tactic was holding up baby pictures of himself on his smart phone, saying things like " This is the adorable face of a baby that was once me....Could you possible say no to that face?...seriously, wasn't I cute?" his sales skills were greatly lacking.
We got really good seats, the seating attendant in our area told us we had the best seats in the house. I couldn't have agreed more.
The atmosphere was delightful. I was surprised to see how many guys were there, seemingly of their own accord, without the company of ladies. Of course, the gentleman in the yellow hat sitting directly across the theater from me did sleep through most of the first act.Apparently Jane Austen didn't thrill him as much as the men, who had ' I am a big shot athlete in this school' written all over there faces, on the top row did.
I think the prerequisite for the male seating attendants was to be decidedly short. The one at the top of my row took his job very seriously.
"Excuse me ma'am," to the lady in front of me, 'did you take a picture of the set?" "Yes." "well I'm going to have to ask you to delete it due to copy write..."
A few minutes later to a lady above me, 'Excuse me ma'am, we cannot allow you to take pictures of the set..." shortly there after, to the same lady, ' I'm going to have to ask you to finish your drink out in the hall, only bottled water is allowed in the theater, I'm sorry..." no one else seemed as strict about food in the auditorium. I saw plenty of people munching there candy bars etc.
The play was amazing. The actors and actresses were wonderfully talented, the costumes beautiful, the script accurate, and filled with Jane Austen's witty humor. It was enjoyable. I was vastly disappointed when it was over.
Mrs Bennett was a riot, Mr Collins was sufficiently annoying, Mr Darcy was very good at brooding, Lizzy was able to express herself through even just the squinting or widening of her eyes, Mary was...Boringly humorous, as she should have been. It was exquisitely cast, and everyone performed their parts to a T. I hope to go again to that theater, and I'm fairly certain that "My Fair Lady" will be showing in June.I hope so. Another night of culture sounds wonderfully inviting.
A college student was sitting out side the theater selling pop, water and candy bars to those of us waiting in line. His sales tactic was holding up baby pictures of himself on his smart phone, saying things like " This is the adorable face of a baby that was once me....Could you possible say no to that face?...seriously, wasn't I cute?" his sales skills were greatly lacking.
We got really good seats, the seating attendant in our area told us we had the best seats in the house. I couldn't have agreed more.
The atmosphere was delightful. I was surprised to see how many guys were there, seemingly of their own accord, without the company of ladies. Of course, the gentleman in the yellow hat sitting directly across the theater from me did sleep through most of the first act.Apparently Jane Austen didn't thrill him as much as the men, who had ' I am a big shot athlete in this school' written all over there faces, on the top row did.
I think the prerequisite for the male seating attendants was to be decidedly short. The one at the top of my row took his job very seriously.
"Excuse me ma'am," to the lady in front of me, 'did you take a picture of the set?" "Yes." "well I'm going to have to ask you to delete it due to copy write..."
A few minutes later to a lady above me, 'Excuse me ma'am, we cannot allow you to take pictures of the set..." shortly there after, to the same lady, ' I'm going to have to ask you to finish your drink out in the hall, only bottled water is allowed in the theater, I'm sorry..." no one else seemed as strict about food in the auditorium. I saw plenty of people munching there candy bars etc.
The play was amazing. The actors and actresses were wonderfully talented, the costumes beautiful, the script accurate, and filled with Jane Austen's witty humor. It was enjoyable. I was vastly disappointed when it was over.
Mrs Bennett was a riot, Mr Collins was sufficiently annoying, Mr Darcy was very good at brooding, Lizzy was able to express herself through even just the squinting or widening of her eyes, Mary was...Boringly humorous, as she should have been. It was exquisitely cast, and everyone performed their parts to a T. I hope to go again to that theater, and I'm fairly certain that "My Fair Lady" will be showing in June.I hope so. Another night of culture sounds wonderfully inviting.
Good bye Max, Hello Florence
These last weeks since I wrote last, have been full of mishaps and frustrations.
It all started on April Fools day. I went to my sister and brother in laws house for dinner. I got the clever idea to play a prank on my dad. Or at least I thought it was clever at the time. Right before I left, I called home and told my dad I couldn't get my car to start. I even got my brother in law in on it. Had him talk to my dad to tell him what was going on with the car. Boy, did we ever get him good. I drove home and walked in the door as if nothing happened. My dad had been searching the internet to see what could possible be wrong with my car. It was a great joke. Unfortunately, the joke turned around and bit me on the metaphorical rear. The very next day (Wednesday) my car stalled 3 times on my way home from church. 3 times. I barely got it into my driveway, and it stalled again. The next morning I had to have Max towed to the car shop. Friday morning I got a phone call. Max had blown his gasket. If you know anything about cars, you know that blown head gaskets cost a lot to repair. As in $600-$800 to repair. And Max, bless his mechanical soul, was not worth the cost it would take to fix him. I had to say good bye forever. Fortunately, Dan called me less than 2 hours after I asked him to keep an eye out for a car for me, with a great deal. A 2008 Chevy Cobalt. For a very good price.It helps to have big brothers with connections. I bought that car. Its nice. I like it a lot. As much as I loved Max, it is very nice to drive a vehicle that doesn't make strange noises. That doesn't make knocking sounds as you come to stops, that's engine doesn't randomly make frighting, costly sounding shutterings. That wasn't incredibly noisy even on his good days, which lately had been few and far between. Its nice to have a car that has a fully functioning cd player. and mp3 output plug.
Since the "Sorry Saga of Max", I have had another birthday. I am now 24. And broke. For the first time in my life I am in debt, and have to make car payments. Like a big girl. I don't like being a big girl. Its expensive. It wouldn't have been so bad, and I could have paid the price in full had it not been for pesky things called self-employment taxes, which were due the same time Max died. And they were much more than they were last year. So I had to borrow the balance of what I couldn't pay for my car from my parents and sister. I should have it paid off in about 10 months, at the most, but still. Its the principle of the thing. I like my new car, which shall hence forth be referred to as 'Florence'. I just wish my savings hadn't been wiped because of her.
It all started on April Fools day. I went to my sister and brother in laws house for dinner. I got the clever idea to play a prank on my dad. Or at least I thought it was clever at the time. Right before I left, I called home and told my dad I couldn't get my car to start. I even got my brother in law in on it. Had him talk to my dad to tell him what was going on with the car. Boy, did we ever get him good. I drove home and walked in the door as if nothing happened. My dad had been searching the internet to see what could possible be wrong with my car. It was a great joke. Unfortunately, the joke turned around and bit me on the metaphorical rear. The very next day (Wednesday) my car stalled 3 times on my way home from church. 3 times. I barely got it into my driveway, and it stalled again. The next morning I had to have Max towed to the car shop. Friday morning I got a phone call. Max had blown his gasket. If you know anything about cars, you know that blown head gaskets cost a lot to repair. As in $600-$800 to repair. And Max, bless his mechanical soul, was not worth the cost it would take to fix him. I had to say good bye forever. Fortunately, Dan called me less than 2 hours after I asked him to keep an eye out for a car for me, with a great deal. A 2008 Chevy Cobalt. For a very good price.It helps to have big brothers with connections. I bought that car. Its nice. I like it a lot. As much as I loved Max, it is very nice to drive a vehicle that doesn't make strange noises. That doesn't make knocking sounds as you come to stops, that's engine doesn't randomly make frighting, costly sounding shutterings. That wasn't incredibly noisy even on his good days, which lately had been few and far between. Its nice to have a car that has a fully functioning cd player. and mp3 output plug.
Since the "Sorry Saga of Max", I have had another birthday. I am now 24. And broke. For the first time in my life I am in debt, and have to make car payments. Like a big girl. I don't like being a big girl. Its expensive. It wouldn't have been so bad, and I could have paid the price in full had it not been for pesky things called self-employment taxes, which were due the same time Max died. And they were much more than they were last year. So I had to borrow the balance of what I couldn't pay for my car from my parents and sister. I should have it paid off in about 10 months, at the most, but still. Its the principle of the thing. I like my new car, which shall hence forth be referred to as 'Florence'. I just wish my savings hadn't been wiped because of her.
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Silent Conversations
Every so often the longing to get back out there and roam around hits me. This is one of those times. I know I've said it before. And I know I'll say it again. I really want to go somewhere. Road trip, airplane trip. Somewhere. Perhaps the longing has hit me because it seems that spring has finally sprung. After enduring the bitterest and most snowiest winter in my life, warmth has once again showed itself. And with the arrival of spring, the desire of going somewhere, anywhere, has come back full force. One day, one day I'll discover the little coffee shop where I'm certain my literary aspirations will come to being. One day I'll meet people with interesting stories, with lives and backgrounds so different from my own. To sit down and talk and talk and talk about nothing in particular. I had one such moment a few years ago. Accept she didn't speak English. And I didn't speak Hungarian. She was such a sweet little tiny babushka woman. Hand gestures helped us. And our Bibles. I think she understood that we were traveling to Africa from Hungary, on a missions trip. She was the most joyful little thing. Sweetest blue eyes, and happiest smile on her pudgy wrinkled face. Sometimes you don't need to understand each others language to have a conversation. And in that train car bound for Budapest, we had a conversation without words.
I love history, and I love different cultures. I love site seeing. I love wandering museums, roaming cities, all the while sipping wretched little shots of coffee, in instant caffeine jolt. There is one thing for certain about Ukraine and their coffee. If you get straight up coffee, you get a dixie cup half full of brown liquid, that will instantly have the same effect downing 3 energy drinks. I only drink their real coffee if I have to. I always get the shakes, and can't sit still for anything after I drink it. The worst was drinking it right before driving to Slovakia. Cooped up in a car for several hours without being able to let off my excess energy is awful. My foot tapped. When it quit my hands tapped. It always gives me an extreme case of the jitters.
If you ever travel to Ukraine, Slovokia or Hungary, take my advice and always order Cafe Americano. It will not run you the risk of a heart attack.
I love history, and I love different cultures. I love site seeing. I love wandering museums, roaming cities, all the while sipping wretched little shots of coffee, in instant caffeine jolt. There is one thing for certain about Ukraine and their coffee. If you get straight up coffee, you get a dixie cup half full of brown liquid, that will instantly have the same effect downing 3 energy drinks. I only drink their real coffee if I have to. I always get the shakes, and can't sit still for anything after I drink it. The worst was drinking it right before driving to Slovakia. Cooped up in a car for several hours without being able to let off my excess energy is awful. My foot tapped. When it quit my hands tapped. It always gives me an extreme case of the jitters.
If you ever travel to Ukraine, Slovokia or Hungary, take my advice and always order Cafe Americano. It will not run you the risk of a heart attack.
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