The Saga of the Toilet Seat

On Friday night, Alex came downstairs with a funny look on his face. Half laughing, half crying he confessed that he had broken the toilet seat. I seriously laughed my ass off. Alex is by no means a fat dude - he's super skinny and it as funny to tease him that he had put on some weight (he has not, trust me). The seat had always been a little "off" and apparently he was just the one to sit on it and turn in such a way that it broke. So, off he pedaled to Home Depot to buy us a new seat for th throne. Not only was he kind enough to buy us a schwanky padded seat (reminds me of my childhood at Randi's house) but he also had to pedal his ass home, carrying a toilet seat under one arm because it wouldn't fit in his backpack. And, of course, he happened upon a block party or two on his way home. I have no idea why toilet seats are so damn funny, but I am still laughing my ass off. And thought I would share :)

In Bruges

Last night, I had the rare evening at home and was able to settle in and watch a movie. I chose In Bruges, mostly because I really like Colin Farrell (despite what people might say about him) and I tend to love European films. Plus, it was nominated for some kind of Oscar, so I thought it had to be good. Let me tell you, rent this movie. It is phenomenal. Funny, contrite, disrespectful, mean, violent, bizarre, fascinating - all of these things and more. There are two hitmen, Ray and Ken, played by Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, who are sent to Bruges in Belgium, a beautiful medieval city with a small town feel. They are told to wait there for their next assignment, Ray feeling trapped and bored to death and Ken taking the opportunity to sightsee and catch up on culture. The film is both funny and serious, and it reminded me of what Quentin Tarantino tries to do (with the black humor and super violence) but I thought this film did it way better. For one, the violence did not feel like porn, the characters are ones you and identify with and they show their humanity in a way that I've never seen Tarantino's characters do. Farrell was amazing as this child-like, kinda dumb "new" hitman and Gleeson was phenomenal as his "mentor". Ralph Feinnes comes into play and he's hysterical, even though I still can't figure out why his name is pronounced "Raiph". The ending is interesting and ties into a painting the hitmen see while sightseeing around Bruges. And the "extras" on the DVD are really funny and interesting. Altogether, an A+ for this movie.

A Thousand Splendid Suns

After reading The Kite Runner several years ago, I absolutely was waiting and waiting for this book to come into the library at Penn. Fortunately, from all my bitching, my mom bought the book through her book club and lent it to me. I was not disappointed. I was trying to figure out what it was that I liked so much about this book. Is it that it takes place in a land far away, yet I still identify with the characters? Is it that is deals with cultural identifications I know little about? Is it that it describes a country which I have only heard in the news as being "bad" as a wonderful place full of interesting people, places and things? Perhaps it's all of these things and more that drew me into this book. For two days, I could not put it down, did not want to leave the story line, could not get the pictures the book created out of my head. The story is of two women, Miriam and Laila and their relationship with each other. The story starts by describing the girls' upbringings (very different), but it leads them to the same place eventually. At the same time, the author has incorporated Afghan history and culture into the story, talking about the ongoing wars, the changes in government, power and overall culture, and the effects these have on the main characters. It's also a powerful testament to the treatment of women in some of these states which practice extreme Islamic law. The story is sad, yes. The characters endure things I could not imagine. There are many hardships, heartbreaking situations, awful circumstances. Yet, I don't doubt this story is true in so many aspects. I was humbled by the storyline and almost ashamed of all I have and all that I will have in my future. It's hard to be reminded that we are very lucky people which very little to want for. This book was beautiful, endearing, touching, heartfelt and phenomenal. I am sure there are people like Laila and Miriam all over the world today. And we should celebrate these women, and fight for more equal treatment of women all over the world.

Good Morning, Monday

I finally finished a book entitled Under the Banner of Heaven: A Story of Violent Faith by Jon Krakauer (the author of Into Thin Air). This is another one of my inherited books and I started this book prior to my many weddings and travels last month. It's not such a good travel book, I'd say, but it was interesting. It begins with the story of a murder carried out in a small town in Utah. A woman and her infant daughter were murdered by her husband's brothers who had received a message from God saying that they were to murder her and her daughter. The book then goes on to explore the culture of the Mormon religion, delving into Mormon history, looking at the formation of fundamentalist sects and the eventual convening of the "School of the Prophets", where men receive prophecies directly from God himself. This book was fascinating for a number of different reasons, namely that it talked about Mormonism, which has always been something I am interested in, though know little about. It talked about the founding of the religion by Joseph Smith as well as about some of the historical occurrences the Church itself has tried to "sweep under the carpet". Because of my experiences in Christian and Catholic schools, I am always fascinated by the hypocrises and aberrations in religions (meaning, they aren't all as perfect as they want you to think they are). Krakauer is a thorough and detailed author, but he tends to jump around subjects, not staying with one particular subject long enough for the reader to fully appreciate the points he is trying to get across. His basic thesis, that from the beginning of the Mormon Church, there lies within a tendency towards fundamentalism and fanaticism which ultimately has led to several horrible incidences throughout it's short history, is supported quite well with his arguments and illustrations, but I don't know that this is anything new or particularly unique. The story is bizarre, right down to the murderer believing he is the prophet Elijah, who will herald in the second coming of Christ (from his jail cell???) and reads somewhat like In Cold Blood, although it does show some bias and is not nearly as "journalistic"-for lack of a better word. I'm not sure this book is one I would recommend. It's not really a "true crime" book, and it's not really a history book, it's a combo of both genres that might not necessarily be done very well. It is disturbing and fascinating to think people are so ridiculously religious as to think God would order them to commit murder, but perhaps it sheds some light on the religious fanaticism we see all over the world.

Saturday Night Ballpark Phils v. Nationals

nothing quite like a trip to the ballpark on a lovely Sat night
Cole Hamels pitching, sun setting

the phanatic, fat and happy, cheering on the team

Ryan Howard hits a grand slam (second HR he hit that night)
that ball hit the upper decks - flew over 475 feet!

the bell rings ('cause that's what it does when you hit a HR)

Brad Lidge closes to finish them off.

Huh? Haiku Friday

Still cold in Philly
ran out of coffee today
library closed, huh?

***

Visit from a friend
leaving for the peace corps now
Should plan a visit.

***

Slowly getting back
coffee will help plus more sleep
thank god it's "friday"
(tee-hee!)

The Month of May...

During this month, I have:

• visited four states
• stayed in three hotels
  
• rented two cars
• driven a stick shift for the first time since 2002
• attended three weddings
• been a bridesmaid in two weddings
  
• thrown a rehearsal dinner
• gave a 15 minute talk at the regional meeting
• fell in love with people from Michigan
• had a mini high school reunion, and yes, we all pretty much look the same!
• got two mani/pedis and did not bite my nails at all!
• walked the dog
• ate more tri-tip than I thought humanly possible
• wore a feather boa and a pin with Randi's face on it
  
• decided to make friends with the people on the plane
• circled PHL no less than five times
• was removed from and re-screened for my flight to LAX due to Jersey douchebaggery
• took a field trip to the Channel Islands National Park
• watched my Dad and my boyfriend bond
• attended a Phillies v. Dodgers game and a Dance Celebration show at the Annenberg
• played a bit of Rock Band - don't want to toot my own horn or anything, but I did get 100% on "Give it Away"
• attended one graduation
• overall, had a blast seeing old friends, making new ones, and hanging out on a mother-fucking boat

Now, time for a nap.....

Dodgers 9, Phillies 2

Yay for the first game of the baseball season! Alex surprised me with tickets last night and we had a blast. Other than being in the nosebleeds and it being frigging freezing, it was a great game. The Phils really did not play their usual game and the Dodgers whipped some ass! I had the obligate 12 year old boys with foam fingers sitting next to me, shoving each other all game long and then spilling their cokes down some poor woman's back. Ah, kids - don't you want to have a ton? Anyways, the ball field is primed to be played on, the game was nearly sold out and I wore my Dodger Blue with pride. Alex, on the other hand, wore his Phillies World Series Champs t-shirt. I guess you might call me a fickle fan, but I don't care. I cheer for the Blue when they're in town and most other times I see them, but I gotta love the Fightin' Phils too. Those boys have a lot of heart and I love to get out to the ballgame and enjoy it. Plus, Chase Utley saves puppies. That's all right in my book.

Dear Randi,

A Mentor No More Haiku Friday

My tiny mentee
Whom I've known for four years
is graduating.

***

I've advised, listened,
cajoled and teased, supported.
Watched grow and mature.

***

Cannot put into
words how proud I am to see
her wings spread to fly.

Notes from Chicago

• Perhaps the cleanest American city I have been to; also the friendliest (which tended to throw us hardened Easterners off track a bit)

• it was not windy, as it's nickname suggests
• many of the sidewalks are covered, which is very nice when it's raining (or snowing, I would imagine)

• The bean is quite possibly the coolest thing I have seen in a park.

• I still love museums. Especially the Field Museum, which is the Museum of Natural History in Chicago. Something about seeing Sue the T. Rex up close made me happy.
• People seem to have a lot less anger in Chicago. But the weather is worse. Go figure.
  
• the suburbs where we stayed had some of the largest houses I have ever seen
• if you can stay at a Doubletree hotel, you should. It was so nice. Free wireless, beautiful rooms, comfy beds. And a chocolate chip cookie when you check in!
• Wyndams are not nice hotels. Don't stay there.
• Prom is funny when you're not in high school.
• Getting your hair/makeup done while sitting on a toilet is also funny.
  
• I am convinced that my hair can do anything if enough bobby pins and hairspray is involved.
• Weddings are stressful, even if you are not the one getting married.
  
• The bridal party needs food at all times. Someone should get on that. Champagne on an empty stomach is not so good.
  
• Walking around a garden in high heels to get your pictures taken kinda sucks.
• A four hour "break" between the wedding and the reception is too long.

• Chicago deep dish style pizza is not very good. It mostly involves flaky crust, several pounds of cheese, and pizza sauce on top. Oh, and it takes a long time to cook.
• Hangovers are the worst things to have when you are staying in a hotel. Especially if you have to leave that day to get on a plane.
  
• Sometimes McDonald's Coke is the best Coke I've ever tasted. I think they put crack in it.
• Poor Alex became the "errand running boy" this wedding. I hope that doesn't happen again.
• I can now see the virtues of hiring a wedding planner and paying a little bit extra. That way, you don't have to worry about getting the party favors to the reception hall the day of the wedding.
• Flying while hungover also sucks. Don't do it. However, the flight from ORD to PHL is super short. Thank god for that.
• Belgian priests with Peruvian accents are probably not the best ones to perform a wedding ceremony. Nobody understood a word.
  
• Coming back to work is hard....
  

Women's Health Haiku Friday

Health and medicine
better in third world countries
than here. What's the deal?

***

Better than a pap
smear Qiagen makes a test
directly for HPV

***

Leaves no question of
which strain you might have and the
prognosis. Wake up!

Dear Health care providers:
This test from Qiagen requires a vaginal swab and is quantitative rather than subjective (as pap smears are). It has been tested for over seven years now (mostly in India) and has proven more effective at identifying infection by HPV as well as the strain of HPV infecting the person (not all strains are the same; some cause cervical cancer or are related to other cancers, others seem to cause minor local infections which disappear over time). Wouldn't you want to know which one you might have? Considering over 50% of us women have been exposed to HPV - shouldn't we in the US have access to this test? Shouldn't women (like my mom - who had a radical hysterectomy in her late 40s) be more confident in a diagnosis of cancer (other than just saying "abnormal cells")? Wake up, medical community! Get the tests out there to the people! And start making preventative medicine actually preventative.
Sincerely,
Concerned Citizen Ceedee

If you would like to know more about this here's the NYTimes article from a few days ago.

My Trip to The Daily Show

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Intro - Dread
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Yesterday, Alex and I went to catch a taping of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, one of our favorite shows on TV (even though we don't have cable - HULU is the best!). We've both been watching this show for several years, and we love Jon Stewart's humor. I can remember seeing him on old MTV shows (thinking Rock n' Jock or something of the sort. I signed up for these free ticket months ago, and we've been looking forward to it ever since. The biggest thing that sucks is the wait. You need to get there several hours in advance and then you pretty much do nothing but wait. I understand the point (getting the audience together, making sure everyone goes through the metal detector, etc.) but it was a long wait. I think it would have been fine if the weather hadn't been so crappy (hello, spring? can you come now?). ANYways, once we were in the studio, we had a blast. BTW, the studio is soooo tiny. I guess I'm used to the big-ass ones in LA, but this was super small. The warm up guy was not so great, but that's OK. Jon Stewart was phenomenal. He let the audience ask him some questions (no doubt, looking for new material or a challenge). Sometimes, people are so stupid, though. Seriously, who asks Jon Stewart where agood restaurant in NYC is? How dumb is that? First of all, you can afford to eat there (or even get in for that matter) and secondly, it's not like he can just go to ANY restaurant. He goes to ones where he won't be interrupted while he's eating. DUH! He did the entire show in one take, (seriously, no messups! so awesome!). All the correspondents on last night's show were there in the studio, which was great. The staff was super professional and seemed to be having a blast (how much fun must it be to work on that show?). Altogether, we had a great time and would definitely do it again. The train ride home, on the other hand - yuck! Let me tell you, Trenton is the LAST place you want to get stuck for 1.5 hrs after midnight.

I love it!

A Gaythering Storm from Jane Lynch

Eat Pray Love

We were fortunate enough to receive a box of books no longer wanted from Alex's Mom a while ago. I have been slowly working my way through said books, and Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert was my second endeavor. I have to say, I have seen this book everywhere. In every bookstore, on every shelf, as "recommended reading" by staff, the Book Reviews in magazines and all over the place. Often, that kind of turns me off. I don't love to read books that are just "popular". Especially since I once read a book by James Patterson and it was (quite possibly) the worst book I've ever read. So, I've avoided this one too. Partially because the tagline: "One Woman's Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia" didn't really speak to me. Also because it's described as a spiritual journey, which I also don't really identify with.
All these things stacked against this book, and I actually loved it. It's another memoir, so you have to be comfortable with this woman's inner dialogue. Which I was not, at first. There are some things she declines to discuss, for somewhat reasonable reasons, but at some times becomes ridiculous. There are also things I could never do, things I cannot at all identify with (such as taking a year off to travel the world and write a book). However, there were a lot of things I did identify with, such as having a painful break-up, relying so totally on another person that you lose sight of who you are, searching for peace and forgiveness of yourself, traveling to India or Italy, doing yoga, etc. Basically, Elizabeth takes a year "off", moves out of NYC and moves to Italy for four months. She has the desire to learn to speak Italian, and thus moves to Rome, enrolls in classes and explores the country. Along the way, she makes many different types of friends and learns what it's like to actually live somewhere, as opposed to just visiting. In Italy, she indulges: she eats everything in sight, takes in all the sights and sounds and just slows her life down. She is recovering from a somewhat bitter divorce and wants to heal. Italy begins the journey to healing by allowing her to, literally and figuratively, eat. Without remorse. Which is a kinda cool idea, right?
She then moves on to an Ashram in India. An Ashram is another word for a community formed in hopes of creating and promoting peace among its citizens. The particular Ashram she lives in is related to "her Guru", her "spiritual guide", so to speak (for lack of a better term). While I am not necessarily a believer in either God or religion, I do appreciate the search for peace, tranquility and a "higher power", whatever that might be. She meditates daily, trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together: to ultimately forgive herself for her past wrongs, for her insufficiencies, and to move on with her life, filled with a peace and a love for herself that she did not have when she began. She then moves on to Bali, an island of Indonesia, and, as she's coming out of her haze, she lands in paradise. She spends four months there, renting a house, meditating, and meeting the locals. It sounds like such a rad trip.
Not only was this book entertaining, funny, and reflective, it was also touching. There were so many things in her book I could empathize with. So many situations, so many perceptions. She definitely captured aspects of modern American life and put it into such a different perspective. She colorfully and logically explains many different ideas that are hard to explain (spirituality, anyone?) and perhaps she doesn't do this perfectly, but she does it in her own manner, in a beautifully realistic and interesting way. It makes me itch to travel, makes me itch to learn meditation. It also makes me realize that sometimes, life moves too fast, with too many things going on. Sometimes you just need to slow down and appreciate things around you, simple things, like how your elbow moves, or how the sun reflects off the budding leaves of the tree. I'm not sure I would have ever read this book if it didn't literally fall in my lap. I'm very glad it did.

Tropic Thunder

Alex and I are obviously behind on the whole watching of films when they come out. Because of the high cost of movie going in the city, we tend to Netflix things all the time. We recently watched Tropic Thunder. Oh my god. Alex laughed harder than I have ever seen him laugh. All I know is that Jack Black eating a bat just about did it for him. For me, it was Ben Stiller and his ridiculous character. I also loved they Jon Cryer look-a-like (whatever his name was). And a fat Tom Cruise? Yes, please. I can't even begin to tell you how many things I found funny in this film. I am slowly being converted to realize I should only watch funny films. All the other ones seem to be "too much" right now (you know, the economy, my thesis project, the planet, the government, all of it...). Give me "Simple Jack" any day. And those "previews"? Seriously? I just about died (after being slightly confused). While I realize this in no way is a synopsis of the movie or any description about what is good/what is bad, I just don't care. Go see it if you haven't. And if you have, fast forward to your favorite part and watch it again. And again. And again. I am pretty sure this will be a purchased movie for our family.

RIP Harry Kalas

So glad you got to see the Phils win one for the city. You will be missed.
If you don't know what I am talking about, tribute video here.

Crunchy Granola

I think I've gone hippie. I didn't really mean to, but it just kinda happened. I'm not sure when it started, but I stopped washing my hair every day. Partially because I have a lot of hair and partially because I dyed it (and thus, want to make the dye last as long a possible), I just stopped washing it. It was a little greasy at first, and on those days I would just wear it in a ponytail. Soon, though, my hair started realizing that I wasn't washing it as much, and the grease really went away. Now, I've turned into my mom, washing my hair twice a week. And you know what? I love it! I take way less time to get ready in the morning. My hair feels great, and I'm using less water and less shampoo (both good money saving things).
Alex and I planted a garden (much of it still in the spare bedroom, thank you April Frost!) and we are really looking forward to harvesting our own food that we've grown ourselves. Gardening, for us, has turned out to be a bit of zen. It's a nice escape, it's satisfying, and it brings my mood down after the insanity of a long day. We've also just recently joined a food co-op. Local farmers from outside the city provide fresh fruits and veggies for us throughout the growing season. We're really looking forward to it for several reasons. Firstly, it's going to cut down on the time we spend going to the local farmer's market each week - hello, free weekend time! Yay! Secondly, we're supporting local farms and foods, which makes me feel better in terms of the amount of oil that goes into my food (prefer it to be a very small amount). And lastly, we are eating things that naturally grow in this region, things that are grown without pesticides and on sustainable farms, and thus helping to make a positive impact on our environment. We've been making more food at home, bringing our lunches, and trying to cut back on the amount of waste we create every day. Being a scientist, it's not very realistic to cut back on the amount of waste I create in a given day (unless I just stop experimenting all together), so I figure it's best to cut back on how much waste I create in the rest of my life.
Alex and I love to "trash pick". It's not what you think - living in a city with no trash bins (meaning, people put their trash out on the sidewalk), means that lots of people put their unwanted things out on the sidewalk, for anyone to take. We've scored lots of stuff this way. Walking home the other night, we noticed some plastic bins being thrown away and decided to schlep them home. For what, you might ask? We're building a worm bin. That's right. Worms will eat my garbage. I realize I've gone over the edge now. It's only a matter of time until I buy some Birkenstocks, start dredd-ing out my hair and start bathing in patchouli. Oh well, I guess I'm OK with that. All I know is that I will be so stoked when the worms make a nice little compost for our garden and we aer munching on tasty produce grown in our own backyard. Oh, and don't worry - I still shave my pits....for now :)

Der Keiker Blau

This is my cat. Her name is Shadow, but she mostly answers to "Kitty". She will talk to you and occasionally tell you an entire story and mostly she just wants to hang out, get her belly rubbed and sit in your lap. She's a snuggler. She is the best thing when you are home sick - she will just curl up next to you and purr. She's had some health problems, namely megacolon (for which she got a colectomy) and more recently diabetes mellitus (DM). When she was diagnosed with DM, I was a little shocked - I have always taken care of my animals - how could this happen? And then she became "unregulated", which basically means that I couldn't get her blood sugar to come down, no matter how hard I tried. We went through a battery of tests and finally she was diagnosed with something called acromegaly. It's basically a tumor in her brain (pituitary gland, to be specific) that causes her body to require large doses of insulin to regulate her blood sugar. I'm not going to lie to you, this will eventually kill her, we just don't know when. And treatments are experimental, at best, and much too expensive to afford on a grad student's salary. Instead, we've changed her diet (all wet food, she LOVES it) and have added some supplements to her daily food. She's actually doing well, and her blood sugar occasionally comes down, so I am hopeful we are on the right path. I found a message board on the internet which is a collection of all kinds of cat owners trying to regulate their cat's DM. It's been a fascinating few weeks, exchanging info over these boards and talking to other owners who have an "acrocat", as they like to call them. While on the board, one of the other owners contacted me, telling me she had some extra insulin, would I like it? Insulin is expensive, so of course I said YES!. She shipped me insulin overnight from WA - all on her nickel (I offered to send her a check and she politely declined). I've seen other owners with a newly diagnosed cat, panicked, putting up messages. Within a few minutes, there are responses, offers to help, offers of free equipment, etc. It's a whole other world. And while people have always teased me for having cats and being a crazy "cat lady", I try to take it as a complement. The people on the board are some of the most thoughtful and caring people I have come across in this world. If that's what being a cat lady means, then I'll take that as a complement. As for Kitty, I think we'll be all right. I know she will tell me when it's time for her to pass on into the great beyond. And for now, we'll just enjoy the time we have left.

Burnt Out Haiku Friday

Man am I burnt out.
So tired I could sleep all
day. Sanity Day.

***

Pushed myself too hard
time for a nap and some soaps.
Love playing hooky!

***

Will feel better in
a day or two. For now will
relax and kick back!