Friday, February 27

The Case of the Purloined Wallet

... and Other Valuable Things [as mentioned previously.]

Collegiate had to sing for the Ash Wedneday service in the CFL [as preparation for tour next week], and we were getting ready in the CRH [recital hall behind the main hall] - the usual. That particular night there were people that had to rehearse something back there before we would get done singing, so we moved our stuff to the hallway just outside the CRH. There's a coatrack there, and our robe racks got pushed out there, too. Our stuff was lined up along the wall and whatnot - we were in a hurry to get upstairs. Late as usual.

After we finished singing we went downstairs to shed the robes, retrieve the stuff, and get the hell out of there. I had a meeting to get to, so I was in a hurry. I stuck my hand in my coat pocket to look for something, and I didn't feel my keys right away. Checked the other pocket - nothing. I looked everywhere for them. All over the building. I came back to the CRH to tell TP. When I got back, another person couldn't find his leather jacket [his keys were on the floor where his coat had been], a girl's cell phone was taken. Upon hearing all of this, TP checked his wallet only to find that he was missing the $40 he had gotten from a cash maschine just before we sang.

So we filed a police report. Yadda yadda. I went to the rest of my meeting, then decided to check my voice mail on the way out in hopes that something had happened. Lo and behold, there was a message from a guy in my choir saying that he had found my wallet in his bag, and he didn't know how it had gotten there. I went to his room to retrieve it, only to find that my meager $3 was missing.

We're going on tour next week. I have no money. Again. It sucks.

Thursday, February 26

Copy-and-paste

It's become a copy-and-paste world. Don't get me wrong - I'm a big fan of the ol' copy-and-paste tradition. I do it all the time, depending on what I am trying to do. Sometimes I find a poem that's really cool and, not wanting to print the whole page with sidebars and ads, I copy it to a Notepad document. Sometimes I copy quotes to use in my blog. Other times I copy code from certain sites. [The sites I generally go to for code help are Webmonkey for tips or a colour code chart, or perhaps to Dynamic Drive for a little funky javascript action. Or I do a Google search for whatever's relevant.]

Now, I definitely understand the times when you see someone do some particular thing on a website and you want to copy. I do that once in a while, though it's probably not proper netiquette. [I don't do it very often, mind you. Just if I find something that I can't figure out how to do myself.] I'm sure people wouldn't be too pleased if they dropped by my site to find the whole thing copy-and-pasted from their own. I know I don't like it too much when I happen by someone's page and I can tell that they got the idea from me.

I design mine from scratch so that I can feel a sense of accomplishment. I do what I want, make sure it looks mostly decent, and proceed to use it. If I start to hate it, I reinvent it. Simple. But if I see someone taking what I've designed and decided looks cool, I feel a little forlorn. It's as if my code has run away to elope with some lover and doesn't tell me until years down the line when I see that my code is single with two children and is pregnant with a third ... [Okay, I'm getting carried away. You know what I mean.]

Bottom line: don't steal other people's hard work. It takes a lot of energy to get things to line up the way that they do, to ge the colours just right, to organise a page in a concise manner so that it flows well and reads smoothly.

Peanut butter scented Latin

"You can only wash a sod floor so many times before it turns to mud," said Erika.

How right you are, my dear classics buddy. I've enjoyed sitting by E during the past week. It has been very enlightening, and I get to smell peanut butter quite often. And listen to the crunch of carrots.

I'd post more, but I have choir in a little while. I realise that I haven't posted since Monday, but I really haven't had much to say. I could mention the Case of the Purloined Wallet and Other Valuable Things, but that story will come another day. Most of you've heard it by now, I'm sure.

Monday, February 23

Ban on dancing

I got the following from a friend.

--
Here's an interesting tidbit that was in the Des Moines Register's "Back In The Day" column in Sunday's paper:

February 18, 1962: Luther College in Decorah appeared to be ready to lift its ban on social dancing, which had been in place since the campus opened in 1861. The sentences to be stricken from the college catalog read:

"Social dancing is not included in the social program of the college, on or off campus. Dancing is not in harmony with the standards of Luther College."

The school's Board of Regents approved the change 3-1/2 months later. On a side note, square dancing had been allowed because it was considered folk dancing.
--


And now you know ... the rest of the story.

Friday, February 20

"If one is not half mad how can one give birth to a dancing star?" said Nietzsche.

I agree, N-man.

Thursday, February 19

A cummerbund becomes a softball

Last week I looked at the bronze statues of Martin Luther, and I noticed that the snow had settled about his middle to look like he was wearing a cummerbund. A moment ago, on my way back from soc, I happened to glance in his direction. The cummerbund has become a softball, and now it looks as though he's about to throw it towards the flagpole. Not any farther than that, though ... he's a good bit away from most things on campus.

Soc was good today. We were talking about breaking cultural norms, then we progressed to non-verbal communication. To wave or give the "peace" sign in Greece is apparently a bad thing, so don't do it. Don't give the "peace" sign with your knuckles facing outward. Yes, it was amusing and good. At the beginning of class, L asked me, "What's it called?" ... but she was actually looking for the date. And later Marion said, "Now the most important sandwich ..." She meant to say "symbol" but it got a bit jumbled on the way out.

Wednesday, February 18

Cold water, then hot water

Having been in the Chips office until just after 2am, I was a bit tired and I expected to sleep a good long while. This was not meant to be, I have come to understand. At around 8.45, nature called, so I donned my flipflops to head into the bathroom next door.

Bleary eyed, I opened my door and noticed a distinct nasty-looking spot on the floor in front of my room - someone had "exploded" in the middle of the hall. ["Exploded" being the polite term. A more fitting description would be "didn't make it to the bathroom in time to not hurl on the floor."] I was thoroughly sicked out, but proceded to the bathroom anyway, making my way around the mess.

I arrived to an unexpected mass of people bustling about their bathroom business. I made my way to the first stall, but quickly backed out, as the same mess I discovered in the hallway was also displaying itself proudly all over the toilet seat, stall wall, and floor. I shuddered, did my business in another stall far away from the first, and headed back to bed.

I woke up some time after 10 to the sound of Roger, the building custodian, talking [as always] quite loudly outside my door. [Between my room and the bathroom is one of the custodial supply closets.] He was talking to someone about cleaning up the mess. I laid in bed for a while, not particularly wanting to move, listening to the hum of various pieces of equipment - the tune of Roger cleaning up the nasty mess. I decided to get up and brush my teeth, so once again I put on my flipflops and went for the door.

This time there was no vomitous mess, but instead some wet-yet-cleaner-looking carpet. Roger was standing there, since he was putting things back in the closet, and he proceded to tell me exactly how he had gotten the stain out of the carpet. The process included at least two different appliances and the proper application of cold water, hot water, and vomitous mess remover. I, of course, was greatly appreciative, and told him so.

As I was retreating to my room, I noticed another freshly-vacuumed spot down by B's room. I felt sad, so I left a note reading, "Someone left a vomitous mess outside my door, too."


And that has been my day thus far.

Tuesday, February 17

der Tageslichtprojektor

*I didn't like this post, so I deleted it.*

Monday, February 16

Duck hunt

I think that my biddy should read this post by Neil and this article at the Palm Beach Post.

Other thoughts: I almost fell asleep in choir today, and I don't know how I managed that. I'm pretty tired, I guess, but that's just crazy. Throat hurts [still] so I decided to visit health circus and get an infamous throat culture [though earlier I called it a cult throature].

Have you ever gotten sucked into Duck Hunt? [Think about it a little. Try saying it aloud. Try emphasising the word Hunt.]

I'm going to go start a subversive underground newspaper now.


Addendum: You can find a lovely picture of Chapstick here.

Sunday, February 15

Sunday biddy Sunday

Well, no. I haven't actually seen my biddy today, but I know she's alive. Much love, biddy!

I've had a pretty enjoyable weekend thus far. I spent some time with JA last night. She told me about her J-term trip to Tanzania while I looked at many rolls of pictures. She's so smart. JA retains so much more knowledge than I do. It's wonderful. She had lots of pictures of bugs [or pictures where the bugs left] ... lots of flowers [she dissected one and people thought she was crazy] ... and, of course, the wonderful animals. There are shots of elephants charging, lions lounging in the shade of the cars, and the lovely Olduvai Gorge with the Shifting Sands. JA learned a lot about the Maasai, and how to properly pronounce Swahili; and though she doesn't know much, she does know that rafiki means 'friend' and that pumbaa does not mean 'warthog.'

Anyway, I finished JA's scarf [pocketed and wonderful] and we watched the South Park movie and a bit of Red Dwarf and Doctor Who. Good times were had by all.

Today I got up early to sing in church. We were fine, I think ... mostly hesitant. Afterward I had a lovely brunch date with my friend and neighbor NC in Peace Dining Room. The food was wonderful [much better than the standard caf leftovers] ... and I love croissants. A lot. I stole some. Mmm. We had a beautiful time and got some good chatting done - something we hadn't done for quite a while.

Now I'm off to do homework and help with the final V-Mon performance. I plan to have a relaxing night with as little stress as possible. We'll see how that plays out. Ta.

Saturday, February 14

Baby steps

I just found the best image ever in a slideshow on Yahoo! News. The caption reads, "Jenna Smith (L) jumps in the air after receiving her marriage license with partner Jennifer Fanet (R) in front of San Francisco's City Hall, California, February 13, 2004. San Francisco officials married a steady stream of gay and lesbian couples in a 'first-in-the-nation' move that defies state law recently passed by voters calling marriage a union of man and woman. REUTERS/Kimberly White."

San Francisco - Friday, February 13, 2004

This article also talks about the great flood of marriage in SF, with a focus on another couple, Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon. Thanks, biddy, for hookin' me up with that article.

The events today make me very happypeaceful and mellow inside, in a way I can't accurately describe to anyone who asks. Thank you, San Francisco, for taking a giant leap for gay and lesbian kind. Because sometimes it's not the baby steps, right Djordje?

Friday, February 13

F-U, of course

If your vagina could talk, what would it say? It would say words that begin with 't' and 'v' - 'violin' and 'turtle' are examples. [excerpt from V-Mon.]

As I mentioned yesterday, I got to see the Vagina Monologues. It was bril* as, of course, I knew it would be. It came complete with a stunning SP impression.

Today, as you may have noticed, is Friday the 13th. This fact seems to have had an adverse effect on some of my profs. Let me cite some examples. [The Byron examples are from yesterday, but I think it's still the fact that this month not only has 29 days but also has a Friday the 13th.]

  1. Byron giggled in class yesterday. Twice.
  2. Byron said, "F-U, of course," while showing us how to syllabify the verb fuit.
  3. Marion was on crack today.
  4. Marion said, "There is a direct correlation between sex and satisfaction." [Or something like that. Last year. This was an example.]


*Note: Brit slang for brilliant. My dear biddy introduced the term to me.

Thursday, February 12

"Step one: picking a pocket," said Marion.

I told you she was a riot. [She meant to say 'topic,' by the way.] I would say more just now, but I have choir. I'll be back later for something less drivel-like. After all, I am going to see the Vagina Monologues tonight with the crew. Very excited. [The tattoo addition I designed for my former RA is the logo for this year. Rock on, Waukon!]

Wednesday, February 11

Hey, kittenfish!

"If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of giants," said Isaac Newton.

I particularly love the above quote. My astronomy prof brought it up in class last semester. I copied it down somewhere and promptly forgot all about it, until it arrived in the daily email full of quotes from my mother.

I got into that sociology class. Thank goodness I don't have to take Norwegian Folk Art. I was seriously getting worried. I really like Marion [the prof for the soc class], too. She's a riot.

A moment ago I went back to yesterday's post to reformat something, and I had a thought. [...] I know that some bloggers tend to go back and edit previous entries [or delete them, if they feel so moved]. I don't usually do that, which I find almost odd* since I tend to change my mind a lot. Just a thought.

Also, in recent days I have learned that this symbol [†] is called a dagger. I had always thought it was a cross for some reason [most likely my crazy religious background which my mother still tries to gently prod me back into].

*Note: the adjective odd doesn't really work. My mental thesaurus hasn't been working lately - I've only recently [hopefully] gotten past my jumbled-up-ness of nouns. [Too many modifiers in that last sentance. Too bad.]

PS: Throw rocks at boys.

Tuesday, February 10

Sha'n't

"Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must set yourself on fire," said Fred Shero.
"There are painters who transform the sun to a yellow spot, but there are others who with the help of their art and their intelligence, transform a yellow spot into the sun," said Pablo Picasso.

I once made a resolution to stop complaining. It didn't work very well. Resolutions never do. I will, however, comment that someone seems to be singing opera in one of the library's study rooms nearby.

I resolve to not make resolutions. Just thoughtful suggestions to better my life. I sha'n't* hold it against myself if I don't take said suggestions. I will only be slightly disappointed in myself.


*Note: it seems to me that shan't should actually be spelled sha'n't as I spelled it, because I think it's a contraction of shall not. The first apostrophe can take care of the ll and the second takes care of the o. See generally accepted display of such sha'n't usage in Frost's The Pasture.

Monday, February 9

Being here

My biddy made a good point today ... she's "tired of being here" ... here being the States. I have been of that mind for a while. I don't agree with so much that goes on in the name of America, I don't think that we should try to dominate everyone and their dog, I don't think that we're all that and a slice of cheese.

Us linguistic nerds better stick together.

Yeah.

Friday, February 6

Dumping time

I feel sort of pensive. It looks like a winter wonderland outside. The sky is that odd faded darkened salmon colour of winter. I can see it through the window that's a few feet away from me. I'm listening to an Italian pop song, thanks to my biddy. I don't feel like sleeping. I have an 8.00 class tomorrow, followed by a 9.00. I don't want to be tired. We've moved on to a French song now. Not a Disney one, though.

Beth just got online to say hi! What a ray of sunshine to brighten my day! [I'm so excited that I'm chewing on the cord to my headphones. Must stop.] She's been on tour for what seems like forever, and I miss her. Plantsitting for her is not quite the same, though it's nice to have all of that greenery around keeping Frodo and the crew company.

Oh, and just when I thought that I was quite boring, I got the following note from a wonderful friend: Boring?! Crimson?! Two words that don't fit together ;)

Thursday, February 5

You know who you are

The meeting of strangers is funny,
it's odd how it often ends,
after less than an hour together,
it's really not hard to be friends.


- Robert McConnel

Anylonger

(Hmm. I've noticed American copy editors really like turning "any more" into "anymore". I wonder why they never turn "any longer" into "anylonger".) said Neil.

You know, if class were anylonger ... then it would be like J-term. I don't think I like you anymore. [I was just testing his theory. I don't like the words smushed together, either.]

...
Last night. Cheesecake splurge thanks to the Lovely Boy With The Softest Hair Ever. [He deserves a new blog template, too, just like my other homies.] Anyway ... cheesecake is the most wonderful thing in the world and we ate ten of twelve pieces. *moan-ish sound* I love cheesecake. At that rate, we'll have to start a Cheesecake Anonymous group.

Okay. I won't keep you anylonger from your regularly scheduled day.

Wednesday, February 4

Somewhat better news

I don't have to go to towers, apparently, for Greek and Latin. Byron managed to get them to move class back to Main where it belongs. [Or in the Martay's conference room, but we're going one step at a time here.] I've dropped French, though I still can't get into the anthro class. I don't know. The stupid folk art class won't help with my intended art minor, so I'm irritated with that. If worse come to worse, I suppose I could just take it ... but now it's looking pretty pointless. Ech. And I had wanted to take Computer Art as well, but that won't help me with the minor.

I've gotten myself into a small mess, haven't I? Went all gung-ho and didn't really think about anything. Typical.

The good news is that my dad has a new job starting next Friday and that they finally sold our old house. Woo hoo!

Tuesday, February 3

Twinkie faerie

I got visited by a mystical supernatural being in the wee hours of the morn today. When I lazily unwrapped myself from my warm bed and trudged to the bathroom, I found three little deposits of love: Twinkies. I visited her this morning to thank her for the gifts, and ended up watching ten minutes of The Avengers ... the part where Eddie Izzard is trying to kill them with metal bees. [I like my women like I like my coffee - covered in bees!]

And tomorrow is the first day of the spring semester. I only have one class tomorrow - Norwegian Folk Art. It's not even a hands-on art class, I think, because it's not in the new arts building. It's in the same building as my German, Greek and Latin classes [and French, but I'm not sure yet that I'm going to take it ... I'm trying to get into an anthro class]. Oh, wait ... Greek and Latin got shoved out of the way to the basement room of one of the dorms. Fabulous. An 8a jaunt to towers ... in WINTER.

Monday, February 2

Schnee

I know I've gushed about this before, but the weather is gorgeous. Now, I'm not one to like snow all that much, and it's certainly snowing now, but this snow is different. It mutes everything outside, slides under shoes that have little traction, and covers unsightly bronze statues. It's so calming, even though it's coming down pretty quickly. The small flakes are dancing down from the sky in a frenzy. It's a wonder no one's gotten their eye put out.

Sunday, February 1

Taco Knight

We've been having a blast over break. Last night we celebrated the first of [hopefully] many "family dinners" with Taco Night. It was a lot of fun cooking and just enjoying a meal. Dame T, my biddy, her girlfriend and I got stuff together and managed a pretty decent feast. There are pictures and a couple of videos. I'll post them soon.

Also, we went to the new Super W-M twice yesterday. There are pictures and videos from those as well. The first trip was to gather supplies for Taco Night, and the second was just fooling around. It was lovely and involved a lobster we dubbed Johann. It's a good name for a lobster.

I'm out for now. It's nearly time for The L Word.