Interview with Studs Terkel on the Leonard Lopate show (courtesy of Mary).
As he gets older, I treasure every interview with him. May he live many more years even though my sister says he isn't doing so swell. He calls himself the poet with the tape recorder and I couldn't agree more.
Friday, December 28, 2007
Christmas and all that
If I ever finish getting my holiday cards out, everyone will realize what is on my mind. The card shows a woman looking stressed and the caption above her head says, "All I want for Christmas is a nap."
I was not stressed like the woman but all I did over the holidays was sleep. It was almost embarrassing how much I slept. I slept so much that my back has hurt a lot over the last two days. I think it hurts because of the amount of sleeping. I did get out and see people. I wasn't a complete shut-in but I was in a daze when I wasn't asleep.
I was not stressed like the woman but all I did over the holidays was sleep. It was almost embarrassing how much I slept. I slept so much that my back has hurt a lot over the last two days. I think it hurts because of the amount of sleeping. I did get out and see people. I wasn't a complete shut-in but I was in a daze when I wasn't asleep.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
10 years ago
On one of my online communities, someone asked what we were doing 10 years ago. I've been thinking about this question a lot over the last few days.
1997 was one of the worst years of my life but ended on a promising note. It was the year my father died, which explains why it was the worst year of my life. I finished up my last bout as a VISTA volunteer. I worked as a research consultant for a small non-profit company on a part-time basis before I joined library school. In December of 1997, I was most likely finishing up my first semester as a graduate student. I was a weekend circulation manager at a large academic health sciences library. I had just been hired as a full-time serials assistant at an area university library.
I lived in 3 different apartments that year. I started off living in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. It was an apartment in one of the condos set aside for VISTA and AmeriCorps volunteers. I quickly moved out of there when I left VISTA to live in an East Lakeview studio apartment. It was in a high rise building very close to Lake Michigan. It was incredibly small with very little sound proofing. In December of 1997, I had been living for several months in a coach house apartment in Lakeview.
I came out to my family and close friends in 1997. Nicole and I started dating in June 1997. In August 1997, she backed out of a job teaching English in Taiwan for a year. She decided the day she was supposed to fly to Seattle for her training that she wanted to stay in Chicago with me. She had already moved her belongings to Boston, quit her job and moved out of her apartment. We had to find her a job, find a place to live, and get her things back from Boston. We were about ready to celebrate our first holiday together with her Hannukah decorations alongside our little Christmas tree. We thought we would be together forever. We were just starting the conversation about adopting a dog.
Now I am a librarian, back in a health sciences library and still involved with serials. I am still doing all sorts of crazy things for love but am a little more weary and less trusting as I was back in 1997. I am in Portland. I live in a nice apartment with excellent sound proofing and no leaky ceilings. Nicole and I are still friends after a 5-year relationship. At the time, my best companion was only three months old.
I won't go into comparing 2007 to 1997 other than to say that I am glad that this year is coming to a close. Like 1997, I still really miss my dad.
1997 was one of the worst years of my life but ended on a promising note. It was the year my father died, which explains why it was the worst year of my life. I finished up my last bout as a VISTA volunteer. I worked as a research consultant for a small non-profit company on a part-time basis before I joined library school. In December of 1997, I was most likely finishing up my first semester as a graduate student. I was a weekend circulation manager at a large academic health sciences library. I had just been hired as a full-time serials assistant at an area university library.
I lived in 3 different apartments that year. I started off living in the West Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. It was an apartment in one of the condos set aside for VISTA and AmeriCorps volunteers. I quickly moved out of there when I left VISTA to live in an East Lakeview studio apartment. It was in a high rise building very close to Lake Michigan. It was incredibly small with very little sound proofing. In December of 1997, I had been living for several months in a coach house apartment in Lakeview.
I came out to my family and close friends in 1997. Nicole and I started dating in June 1997. In August 1997, she backed out of a job teaching English in Taiwan for a year. She decided the day she was supposed to fly to Seattle for her training that she wanted to stay in Chicago with me. She had already moved her belongings to Boston, quit her job and moved out of her apartment. We had to find her a job, find a place to live, and get her things back from Boston. We were about ready to celebrate our first holiday together with her Hannukah decorations alongside our little Christmas tree. We thought we would be together forever. We were just starting the conversation about adopting a dog.
Now I am a librarian, back in a health sciences library and still involved with serials. I am still doing all sorts of crazy things for love but am a little more weary and less trusting as I was back in 1997. I am in Portland. I live in a nice apartment with excellent sound proofing and no leaky ceilings. Nicole and I are still friends after a 5-year relationship. At the time, my best companion was only three months old.
I won't go into comparing 2007 to 1997 other than to say that I am glad that this year is coming to a close. Like 1997, I still really miss my dad.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Nether Lands.
Dan Fogelberg died today. He was my first crush on an artist. I was a weird child because Nether Lands was one of my favorite songs.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Insults
As I was typing the word insults into the title field, I couldn't help but think of how annoying it is when people argue back and forth in their blogs. What happened to conversations? What good does it do to rant against someone that you know in real life and not try to resolve it in person or via a private email? It is the ultimate form of passive aggressive behavior. Of course I have done this a few times but at least I have some self-awareness. It is because I am perfect! Ha! As if.
Now to the real point of my post. Elston and I almost met our end this morning (note how dramatic I am when blogging). We were crossing the street right in front of our apartment when a driver blew through the 4 way stop. The driver slowed down as she got close to the stop, so I entered the intersection. I must have still been asleep otherwise I would have noticed that she had no intention of actually stopping. We almost got hit. Elston's leash was extended just enough that I screamed at Elston to stop. Whew.
I saw the driver turn at the next street. Imagine my delight when I saw the driver exiting her mini-van and start to enter a local business. Oh yeah. I was calm.
E: Do you even realize that you almost hit us at the intersection back there?
Driver: Uh, no.
E: Yea, you blew through a 4 way stop in front of the library.
Driver: Well, I thought you were on the curb.
E: Um, no. I was in the street because most people stop at stop signs (starting to become a little more sarcastic in my tone)
Driver: Wow.
(Elston is sniffing at things in the grass and completely clueless that she almost saw white tunnels and fields of treats)
E: Yea, wow.
I started to walk away and then the inner 12 year old came out.
E: You should be embarrassed of yourself and embarrassed that you walked out of the house with that hairstyle.
Bowl haircut. Two different colors. Please. I'm really not a snob about hair but c'mon. She almost killed my dog. BP would have been so proud of me calling her on her style.
Now to the real point of my post. Elston and I almost met our end this morning (note how dramatic I am when blogging). We were crossing the street right in front of our apartment when a driver blew through the 4 way stop. The driver slowed down as she got close to the stop, so I entered the intersection. I must have still been asleep otherwise I would have noticed that she had no intention of actually stopping. We almost got hit. Elston's leash was extended just enough that I screamed at Elston to stop. Whew.
I saw the driver turn at the next street. Imagine my delight when I saw the driver exiting her mini-van and start to enter a local business. Oh yeah. I was calm.
E: Do you even realize that you almost hit us at the intersection back there?
Driver: Uh, no.
E: Yea, you blew through a 4 way stop in front of the library.
Driver: Well, I thought you were on the curb.
E: Um, no. I was in the street because most people stop at stop signs (starting to become a little more sarcastic in my tone)
Driver: Wow.
(Elston is sniffing at things in the grass and completely clueless that she almost saw white tunnels and fields of treats)
E: Yea, wow.
I started to walk away and then the inner 12 year old came out.
E: You should be embarrassed of yourself and embarrassed that you walked out of the house with that hairstyle.
Bowl haircut. Two different colors. Please. I'm really not a snob about hair but c'mon. She almost killed my dog. BP would have been so proud of me calling her on her style.
Sunday, December 9, 2007
Vacation
I returned yesterday from a week in Illinois. Highlights:
- Spending quality time with family. I haven't been home for more than 24 hours in over two years so this trip meant a lot to me. I divided my time between Freeport and Elmhurst/Chicago.
- I was really lucky with both of my flights. No problems at all even flying into O'Hare when there was an ice storm.
- I don't miss the Chicago weather. There was the ice storm, two minor snow storms (really minor - 6 and 4 inches), and cold.
- I saw the Bears lose two games.
- Both of my sisters made some of my favorite foods.
- Seeing my niece and nephews was the major highlight.
- Food - I had a butter burger at Culvers, my favorite salad at Avenue Ale House, breakfast at Victory's Banner, and lunch at Pasta Palazzo.
- I was able to reconnect with former co-workers.
- I saw two excellent exhibits as part of the Festival of Maps. The exhibit at the Field Museum was very cool. We saw everything from a map of the land of make believe to Lewis & Clark maps to maps drawn by DaVinci.
- I was able to walk around my old Chicago neighborhood.
I miss Chicago and my family. There is nothing like helping my niece with her homework or my little nephew practice writing letters and numbers. I wonder if I made the right decision on moving to Portland instead of Chicago when I had the option. It felt right coming back to Portland on Saturday so I guess that says something.
- Spending quality time with family. I haven't been home for more than 24 hours in over two years so this trip meant a lot to me. I divided my time between Freeport and Elmhurst/Chicago.
- I was really lucky with both of my flights. No problems at all even flying into O'Hare when there was an ice storm.
- I don't miss the Chicago weather. There was the ice storm, two minor snow storms (really minor - 6 and 4 inches), and cold.
- I saw the Bears lose two games.
- Both of my sisters made some of my favorite foods.
- Seeing my niece and nephews was the major highlight.
- Food - I had a butter burger at Culvers, my favorite salad at Avenue Ale House, breakfast at Victory's Banner, and lunch at Pasta Palazzo.
- I was able to reconnect with former co-workers.
- I saw two excellent exhibits as part of the Festival of Maps. The exhibit at the Field Museum was very cool. We saw everything from a map of the land of make believe to Lewis & Clark maps to maps drawn by DaVinci.
- I was able to walk around my old Chicago neighborhood.
I miss Chicago and my family. There is nothing like helping my niece with her homework or my little nephew practice writing letters and numbers. I wonder if I made the right decision on moving to Portland instead of Chicago when I had the option. It felt right coming back to Portland on Saturday so I guess that says something.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)