Hi all!
Bulk updates are coming over the course of the next couple days. I decided my interests were best served by being highly irresponsible and seeing the midnight showing of Twilight: Eclipse the first night it came out. Thus, it is 3am and I'm super tired.
On the bright side, I did learn the NATO phonetic alphabet this afternoon. So I got that going for me. I promise we'll play catch up starting tomorrow. More importantly, if you like pretty shiny things, you're going to love the first entry that gets posted in the morning. I went to the Meijer Gardens in Grand Rapids last Tuesday and got some amazing sculpture and botanical pictures for your amusement and enjoyment.
~Ms. Pallaton
June 30, 2010
June 27, 2010
Day 166 - Send a Care Package to a Serviceman Overseas
Date: June 21st, 2010
I'll keep this entry short and to the point, mostly to make the point that it is just that easy to send a care package to one of our servicemen overseas. I've sent a postcard to a military member, but I hadn't sent an actual care package. Unfortunately, there is no simple way to do that from a little studio in Lansing. I guess what I'm saying is that life sometimes gets in the way of giving. It became really easy to say that I'd done so much for one day and skip out on putting together a care package.
I'll keep this entry short and to the point, mostly to make the point that it is just that easy to send a care package to one of our servicemen overseas. I've sent a postcard to a military member, but I hadn't sent an actual care package. Unfortunately, there is no simple way to do that from a little studio in Lansing. I guess what I'm saying is that life sometimes gets in the way of giving. It became really easy to say that I'd done so much for one day and skip out on putting together a care package.
June 25, 2010
Day 165 - Learn to Drive a Boat
Date: June 20th, 2010
This Sunday was Father's Day. Having celebrated 25 Father's Days (well, I took an active role in the last twenty, but I was pretty checked out for the first five), I've pretty much done everything Father's Day related that people do. I've bought presents, given cards, wrapped my own presents, planned surprises, been super nice (despite being a teenager for a solid seven Father's Days in a row). It struck me that short of building something with my dad, there wasn't much new I could do. Wait, no, I did that when I was six. Never mind. Well. Crap. Now what? Well, I guess I'll just have to be...
This Sunday was Father's Day. Having celebrated 25 Father's Days (well, I took an active role in the last twenty, but I was pretty checked out for the first five), I've pretty much done everything Father's Day related that people do. I've bought presents, given cards, wrapped my own presents, planned surprises, been super nice (despite being a teenager for a solid seven Father's Days in a row). It struck me that short of building something with my dad, there wasn't much new I could do. Wait, no, I did that when I was six. Never mind. Well. Crap. Now what? Well, I guess I'll just have to be...
June 23, 2010
Day 164 - Go to the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market
Date: June 19th, 2010
After barely surviving the night before, Justin and I decided that we wanted to do something calming on Saturday. So I looked through the events page on AnnArbor.com (I would've failed so many times if not for that page) and found the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market. The thing about living in Ann Arbor for seven years and not having gone to the Farmer's Market is that it might actually be an unforgivable offense. Realizing that I'd angered the Gods of Ann Arbor (also know as Yost (the God of Winter), Bo (the God of Class) and Jake (the God of Joy)), I decided it was time to stop putting off a visit to the market.
After barely surviving the night before, Justin and I decided that we wanted to do something calming on Saturday. So I looked through the events page on AnnArbor.com (I would've failed so many times if not for that page) and found the Ann Arbor Farmer's Market. The thing about living in Ann Arbor for seven years and not having gone to the Farmer's Market is that it might actually be an unforgivable offense. Realizing that I'd angered the Gods of Ann Arbor (also know as Yost (the God of Winter), Bo (the God of Class) and Jake (the God of Joy)), I decided it was time to stop putting off a visit to the market.
Day 163 - Go to a Pow Wow
Date: June 18th, 2010
I like to think I'm decently culturally aware. I bristle at racist jokes, work closely with LGBT issues and, umm, enjoy sushi. That being said, insomuch as I've worked to avoid being ignorant of other cultures, there are gaps in my understanding. I was keenly aware of that as Justin and I contemplated going to the Riverbank Pow Wow in Lansing. Had I been asked what a Pow Wow was before we went, my response would've been, essentially, "I don't know, but it has something to do with Native American culture".
I like to think I'm decently culturally aware. I bristle at racist jokes, work closely with LGBT issues and, umm, enjoy sushi. That being said, insomuch as I've worked to avoid being ignorant of other cultures, there are gaps in my understanding. I was keenly aware of that as Justin and I contemplated going to the Riverbank Pow Wow in Lansing. Had I been asked what a Pow Wow was before we went, my response would've been, essentially, "I don't know, but it has something to do with Native American culture".
Pictured: My expectations being met.
Day 162 - Bail Out my Mom
Date: June 17th, 2010
June 17th has a lot of significance in my family. More directly important to me is the fact that its my parents' anniversary. Granted I wasn't there for the big show (ok, I was about seven years late for the big show), its still nice to see them be mushy for five minutes once a year. My parents are, generally speaking, otherwise disinclined to public shows of rom-com style affection.
This year, my folks were celebrating their love (ok, gross) up at the lake. The lake, more specifically Lake Ponemah in Fenton, is almost always my Thursday night crash pad. And by crash pad I mean that I go chill with my parents. And by chill with my parents I mean, well, chill with my parents. I'm a nerd. Learn to deal. Since that is almost always my Thursday night plan, I was a little surprised when my phone started buzzing as I was leaving Lansing for the weekend.
June 17th has a lot of significance in my family. More directly important to me is the fact that its my parents' anniversary. Granted I wasn't there for the big show (ok, I was about seven years late for the big show), its still nice to see them be mushy for five minutes once a year. My parents are, generally speaking, otherwise disinclined to public shows of rom-com style affection.
This year, my folks were celebrating their love (ok, gross) up at the lake. The lake, more specifically Lake Ponemah in Fenton, is almost always my Thursday night crash pad. And by crash pad I mean that I go chill with my parents. And by chill with my parents I mean, well, chill with my parents. I'm a nerd. Learn to deal. Since that is almost always my Thursday night plan, I was a little surprised when my phone started buzzing as I was leaving Lansing for the weekend.
June 22, 2010
Day 161 - Go to a Minor League Baseball Game
Date: June 16th, 2010
For most of my life, I wondered why baseball was considered "America's Pastime". I mean, its kind of neat. Its better than soccer, though most things are. Realistically, I would've always considered football to be America's pastime. I mean, think about it. Violence is not only allowed - its part of the game. It comes in short, quick bursts so our adorably nonexistent American attention spans can still keep up. The ball itself is non-conformist - there's nothing more American than individualism even at the cost of quality. And finally, the points are crazy and disorganized (in a move that I've long believed was to pay homage to our refusal to cop to the metric system).
More importantly, I've generally found baseball quite boring. The one exception being a Tigers game I went to with my friend Tim back in August. Even then, it was Tim's delightful company that made it a nice afternoon. The baseball was just window dressing.
For most of my life, I wondered why baseball was considered "America's Pastime". I mean, its kind of neat. Its better than soccer, though most things are. Realistically, I would've always considered football to be America's pastime. I mean, think about it. Violence is not only allowed - its part of the game. It comes in short, quick bursts so our adorably nonexistent American attention spans can still keep up. The ball itself is non-conformist - there's nothing more American than individualism even at the cost of quality. And finally, the points are crazy and disorganized (in a move that I've long believed was to pay homage to our refusal to cop to the metric system).
More importantly, I've generally found baseball quite boring. The one exception being a Tigers game I went to with my friend Tim back in August. Even then, it was Tim's delightful company that made it a nice afternoon. The baseball was just window dressing.
June 21, 2010
Day 160 - See a "Corpse Flower" in Bloom
Date: June 15th, 2010
There are some things that come around over and over again. If I miss the 5pm showing of Iron Man, I'm not going to flip. There's a 6pm, a 7pm, an 8pm and, of course, the inevitable DVD/Blu-Ray blitzkrieg that will show up six months from now. In short, if I want to see it, I'll get to see it.
There are other things that come significantly less frequently. The last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed in 1978. The last time Halley's Comet was visible was 1986. The last time we elected a Catholic President was 1960. (Guess which one of those I didn't have to look up).
There are some things that come around over and over again. If I miss the 5pm showing of Iron Man, I'm not going to flip. There's a 6pm, a 7pm, an 8pm and, of course, the inevitable DVD/Blu-Ray blitzkrieg that will show up six months from now. In short, if I want to see it, I'll get to see it.
There are other things that come significantly less frequently. The last Triple Crown winner was Affirmed in 1978. The last time Halley's Comet was visible was 1986. The last time we elected a Catholic President was 1960. (Guess which one of those I didn't have to look up).
Day 159 - Learn Shorthand (Gregg)
Date: June 14th, 2010
If u kan rd ths, ure <30 yrs old.
And if you write like I did in my example, you're less than 20 years old. See, the internet and texting have created this phenomenon of treating bad grammar and misspellings like some kind of etymological revelation. The result is that about half the people who grew up when I did have become so militant about grammar that we won't even send a simple text message without proper spelling and punctuation. ThE oThEr HaLf Of ThE pEoPlE sTaRtEd DoInG tHiS. I think it might be a protest of some kind, but one cannot be too sure.
If u kan rd ths, ure <30 yrs old.
And if you write like I did in my example, you're less than 20 years old. See, the internet and texting have created this phenomenon of treating bad grammar and misspellings like some kind of etymological revelation. The result is that about half the people who grew up when I did have become so militant about grammar that we won't even send a simple text message without proper spelling and punctuation. ThE oThEr HaLf Of ThE pEoPlE sTaRtEd DoInG tHiS. I think it might be a protest of some kind, but one cannot be too sure.
Day 158 - Volunteer for a Disaster Relief Effort
Date: June 13th, 2010
Like most people, I watch the local and national news well enough to know when something goes down. I'm generally aware of earthquakes, hurricanes and major tornadoes. So when a series of tornadoes struck Michigan and Ohio on June 6th, I saw the story on television and online. My usual reaction is to see the story, feel bad and do nothing. Disasters always seem so far off when we aren't directly harmed by them. That's why I was so shocked that it only took about an hour to get ourselves down to Millbury, Ohio.
Like most people, I watch the local and national news well enough to know when something goes down. I'm generally aware of earthquakes, hurricanes and major tornadoes. So when a series of tornadoes struck Michigan and Ohio on June 6th, I saw the story on television and online. My usual reaction is to see the story, feel bad and do nothing. Disasters always seem so far off when we aren't directly harmed by them. That's why I was so shocked that it only took about an hour to get ourselves down to Millbury, Ohio.
June 18, 2010
Day 157 - Attend a Vegan River Potluck
Date: June 12th, 2010
There are few things scarier for a microwave chef, such as myself, than a potluck. Sometimes I've taken adventures in cooking and attempted to, as they say, bring the flavor. That was back when I was cooking at University Lutheran Chapel as an undergrad. After a few years, I realized it actually is possible to get out of practice with cooking. I assume, today, I would be relegated to bringing something store brought, easy to prepare and nonessential.
There are few things scarier for a microwave chef, such as myself, than a potluck. Sometimes I've taken adventures in cooking and attempted to, as they say, bring the flavor. That was back when I was cooking at University Lutheran Chapel as an undergrad. After a few years, I realized it actually is possible to get out of practice with cooking. I assume, today, I would be relegated to bringing something store brought, easy to prepare and nonessential.
Hey guys, I brought dessert!
June 16, 2010
Day 156 - Look at the Stars through a Dome Telescope
Date: June 11th, 2010
I think I may have mentioned that I like looking at stars. And by may have, I mean that I have. And by mentioned, I mean mentioned repeatedly. I have always thought it would be cool to look through a telescope inside an observatory. That's why, as soon as I was able to, I registered for the Astronomy Lab section (instead of the boring, old, during the daytime, Astronomy Discussion section). Once a week, my section would gather in Angell Hall to compare notes, work on computers and, weather permitting, look at stars up on the roof. What's the catch? Weather permitting.
I think I may have mentioned that I like looking at stars. And by may have, I mean that I have. And by mentioned, I mean mentioned repeatedly. I have always thought it would be cool to look through a telescope inside an observatory. That's why, as soon as I was able to, I registered for the Astronomy Lab section (instead of the boring, old, during the daytime, Astronomy Discussion section). Once a week, my section would gather in Angell Hall to compare notes, work on computers and, weather permitting, look at stars up on the roof. What's the catch? Weather permitting.
Day 155 - Go to Court with an Actual Client
Date: June 10th, 2010
I know, I know. For all you non-legal-beagles out there, these law entries are getting tres boring. My vast and deepest apologies, oh fickle audience. I chose to make this my thing of the day because, well, for me, its a pretty big deal. It was also incredibly eye opening.
When I was an undergrad, I interned at the US Attorney's office in Detroit. I spent the vast majority of my time sitting in a dark room, cataloging checks and receipts that they subpoenaed from, umm, someone, somewhere. I'm not trying to be vague for confidentiality. I just don't remember. It was some dude. He was maybe doing bad things. So we did the absolute most logical thing to start the investigation. We looked in his checkbook.
I know, I know. For all you non-legal-beagles out there, these law entries are getting tres boring. My vast and deepest apologies, oh fickle audience. I chose to make this my thing of the day because, well, for me, its a pretty big deal. It was also incredibly eye opening.
When I was an undergrad, I interned at the US Attorney's office in Detroit. I spent the vast majority of my time sitting in a dark room, cataloging checks and receipts that they subpoenaed from, umm, someone, somewhere. I'm not trying to be vague for confidentiality. I just don't remember. It was some dude. He was maybe doing bad things. So we did the absolute most logical thing to start the investigation. We looked in his checkbook.
Et tu, American Express?
Of course, I know now that even the most impressive criminal masterminds can be brought down by a thorough investigation of their finances. I mean, when you pay someone off, that money has to come from somewhere. It doesn't just grow on the illicit pot plants you used to build your empire. More importantly, I am now keenly aware of just how valuable it is to get the bad guys' accountant to turn state's evidence. Who knew such a dorky job could wield so much power over murderous thieves?
Call me a putz, will you?
All that mumbo-jumbo aside, I thought I got a good education about the American court system when I was working there. And I did. Well, at the federal level. The thing about the courthouse I went to in Detroit is that it was exactly what people think of when they picture the halls of justice. There were portraits on the walls of past judges, mahogany benches upon which learned men sat to deliver their judgments. The outside of the building bore that impressive marble facade that courthouses are supposed to display.
As for the court I went to in Lansing? Not so much. As we sat and waited on a bench outside the courtroom, I couldn't help but notice how little pomp and circumstance there was compared to Detroit. It isn't a Lansing/Detroit distinction either. Its a federal/state distinction. We were in the local, less auspicious court. Despite how much less austere it was, the sense of import was definitely still present.
Our client would not be any less impacted by the ruling of the court because there weren't marble floors. Our client would not be better off if the bench was made of rich mahogany. In fact, sitting there with the dim lighting, pressed linoleum floors and courtrooms that looked more like strangely laid out offices to me; I felt even stronger of a pull to help the client. Here, in this place, people fall through cracks. I wanted to make sure that didn't happen to the person we were there representing.
I'm not sure if it was the atmosphere or the fact that I'd worked on this particular client's case directly, but I got back that old familiar feeling that I was in the right place at the right time. I was also stricken by the fear that we would be ruled against. See, when I was working in Detroit, if my boss came back with a ruling against his client, well, quite frankly, it didn't change my day much. Here though, well, it would be a blow. The tension and nervousness, as well as the whole 'hurry up and wait' sensation were all present.
It was like being backstage at the Oscars. If the Oscars weren't televised, no one wore gowns and losing meant you had to go to jail. So, you know, no pressure.
Day 154 - Write a Fan Letter to a Celebrity
Date: June 9th, 2010
Generally speaking, I'm not really one to entertain celebrity crushes. There is, however, one notable exception to this rule. Jon Stewart. I'd love to romanticize things and say it was love at first Daily-Show-viewing, but in reality it was the kind of love that starts out as friends and grows over time. I have to believe that living in Ann Arbor was the impetus for my one and only celebrity crush.
Do you remember where you were when you heard about Jon's appearance on Crossfire? I do. I do because it was such big news in this town, I was surprised the man didn't get a parade and a key to the city. In a town filled with all manner of brilliant, often liberal, but always insightful people; someone holding politicians and pundits accountable is almost cultishly adored. At least by my circle of friends, that is.
Since then I've found occasion to discuss his charming good looks and well-oiled smackdownery with many an Ann Arborite. Even so, I'm still not one to openly fawn over a celebrity. Although I did place him on my very exclusive, super-secret "old guys I would have an affair with" list. No. You can't know the other names on it.
A few days ago, in the wake of a particularly brilliant episode, I decided it was time to use my little project to my distinct advantage. Mr. Stewart, prepare to get fanmailed. I assume, of course, that he rarely receives mail from viewers and will, therefore, be deeply touched and impressed with the personal attention he is receiving from yours truly. Or it'll get thrown on the pile and three weeks from now I'll get a $0.50 Jon Stewart plushy in the mail.
I went through about three iterations of the letter before I finally settled on the one I wanted to send. After two versions of me trying to be funny, I decided that maybe the best way to show a comedian how impressed you are with them is to stop and be serious for a moment. So I settled on this:
------------------
Kristen DCamp
This is totally where my address went
Ann Arbor, MI
Dear Jon,
I’m not really a fan mail kind of person, but I wanted to write and tell you how impressed I’ve been with The Daily Show in the past few years. Even though I know it is just a comedy show, there are times when I’ve felt like I got better analysis of current events from the way you mock them than from the way the news presents them. More than that, I wanted to thank you for holding your guests to task in interviews. You’ve found a way to walk the line between respectful jibes and hard questions and, as a viewer, I really appreciate it. I wish more people would hold our leaders accountable the way you do. So, thank you. You and the rest of the Daily Show team are hilarious, but also deeply insightful.
Sincerely,
Kristen DCamp
-------------------
If I get a response, I promise to post it on here for y'all's reading pleasure. Who knows? Maybe in private he's, like, totally a diva.
Generally speaking, I'm not really one to entertain celebrity crushes. There is, however, one notable exception to this rule. Jon Stewart. I'd love to romanticize things and say it was love at first Daily-Show-viewing, but in reality it was the kind of love that starts out as friends and grows over time. I have to believe that living in Ann Arbor was the impetus for my one and only celebrity crush.
Pictured: My Adonis
Since then I've found occasion to discuss his charming good looks and well-oiled smackdownery with many an Ann Arborite. Even so, I'm still not one to openly fawn over a celebrity. Although I did place him on my very exclusive, super-secret "old guys I would have an affair with" list. No. You can't know the other names on it.
A few days ago, in the wake of a particularly brilliant episode, I decided it was time to use my little project to my distinct advantage. Mr. Stewart, prepare to get fanmailed. I assume, of course, that he rarely receives mail from viewers and will, therefore, be deeply touched and impressed with the personal attention he is receiving from yours truly. Or it'll get thrown on the pile and three weeks from now I'll get a $0.50 Jon Stewart plushy in the mail.
I went through about three iterations of the letter before I finally settled on the one I wanted to send. After two versions of me trying to be funny, I decided that maybe the best way to show a comedian how impressed you are with them is to stop and be serious for a moment. So I settled on this:
------------------
Kristen DCamp
This is totally where my address went
Ann Arbor, MI
Dear Jon,
I’m not really a fan mail kind of person, but I wanted to write and tell you how impressed I’ve been with The Daily Show in the past few years. Even though I know it is just a comedy show, there are times when I’ve felt like I got better analysis of current events from the way you mock them than from the way the news presents them. More than that, I wanted to thank you for holding your guests to task in interviews. You’ve found a way to walk the line between respectful jibes and hard questions and, as a viewer, I really appreciate it. I wish more people would hold our leaders accountable the way you do. So, thank you. You and the rest of the Daily Show team are hilarious, but also deeply insightful.
Sincerely,
Kristen DCamp
-------------------
If I get a response, I promise to post it on here for y'all's reading pleasure. Who knows? Maybe in private he's, like, totally a diva.
June 15, 2010
Day 153 - Do Prison Cell Exercises
Date: June 8th, 2010
I make all sorts of excuses to justify not exercising. I was busy. I was stressed. I walked from my car to the office so that's kind of like going for a jog. You know, in the sense that they're both form of movement. My room is too small. The sun was in my eyes. Exercise is for heathens and Republicans. You know, the usual stuff.
I decided, as a nice change of pace, to actually attempt to find a way to gain a modicum of fitness in my room. Now, during the week in Lansing, I live in a... well... let's just call it cozy. Its not exactly a place you can run laps in. I'd been using that as a reason to justify lazing about every evening after work instead of getting out there and burning of the deliciouschocolate-chip pancakes, juicy steak, cheeseburger, salad. Ahem. Yes. Salad, that I had for lunch.
Well, I ran out of excuses when I found this site. If a prisoner can do these exercises in their cell (and with what I imagine to be significantly more stress than I have to deal with), the surely I can muster the energy to give them a try.
I make all sorts of excuses to justify not exercising. I was busy. I was stressed. I walked from my car to the office so that's kind of like going for a jog. You know, in the sense that they're both form of movement. My room is too small. The sun was in my eyes. Exercise is for heathens and Republicans. You know, the usual stuff.
I decided, as a nice change of pace, to actually attempt to find a way to gain a modicum of fitness in my room. Now, during the week in Lansing, I live in a... well... let's just call it cozy. Its not exactly a place you can run laps in. I'd been using that as a reason to justify lazing about every evening after work instead of getting out there and burning of the delicious
Well, I ran out of excuses when I found this site. If a prisoner can do these exercises in their cell (and with what I imagine to be significantly more stress than I have to deal with), the surely I can muster the energy to give them a try.
I don't know what all the fuss is about.
Prison looks quite comfortable.
As a more general term, it turns out, "prison exercises" refers to just about any repetitive motion exercises that you can do in a confined space without benefit of machines or equipment. And if you take the safe search off google, you'll see the other repetitive motion exercises you can do in a confined space without benefit of machines or equipment. I guess what I'm saying is, don't search for "prison exercises" without the safe search on. I may or may not have gotten scarred for life.
The specific one that I tried was an exercise I'd never done before. Some basic exercises like pull ups, push ups, sit ups and others are also listed on various sites as prison exercises. The one I found and tried is apparently called a burpee. So, you know, that sounds attractive. It is actually really freaking hard to do too. Look at the link - its a mix of a jump, a squat and a push up.
Since then, my legs, knees, lower back and shoulders have been in some serious hurt. My body does not want to go back to prison. No no. It is definitely protesting this decision. Granted, I've done the exercises again, three more times, since I initially tried them a week ago. That's probably why my legs are still screaming at me. The biggest thing, though, is reminding myself that I don't need money to get fit. I just need the willingness. And an interesting set of google search terms.
Day 152 - Take Work Home with Me
Date: June 7th, 2010
Like most 25 year olds, I've had a decent number of jobs in my life. In high school, I was a bagger at Gene's Fine Foods in Saratoga. That store produced some utterly fantastic stories and about a dozen arguments against unionization. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to get all political. I'm just saying, the number of times my troublemaking butt should've been fired from that place is not countable on a single hand. Or two hands. Maybe two hands and a foot.
I'm far enough removed from that job, I think I can get away with detailing my sixteen-year-old shenanigans. Let's see. Hitting on customers. That was numero uno. But to be fair, I did end up dating a customer for almost a year. Now he's an MMA fighter and ordained minister. There's not a joke in there. Its actually what happened. What else? Starting political discussions with customers. I saw no possible way that could've gone badly for me. There were Pringle fights in the warehouse. Of course, that did get my friend Kenny fired, but his union benefits hadn't kicked in yet (see what I mean?). I'd say, by far, the biggest mistake I made while working there was letting the boys in the meat department borrow my camera for an afternoon. What was seen cannot be unseen. Dating one of the guys over in produce lands at a close second.
Like most 25 year olds, I've had a decent number of jobs in my life. In high school, I was a bagger at Gene's Fine Foods in Saratoga. That store produced some utterly fantastic stories and about a dozen arguments against unionization. Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to get all political. I'm just saying, the number of times my troublemaking butt should've been fired from that place is not countable on a single hand. Or two hands. Maybe two hands and a foot.
I'm far enough removed from that job, I think I can get away with detailing my sixteen-year-old shenanigans. Let's see. Hitting on customers. That was numero uno. But to be fair, I did end up dating a customer for almost a year. Now he's an MMA fighter and ordained minister. There's not a joke in there. Its actually what happened. What else? Starting political discussions with customers. I saw no possible way that could've gone badly for me. There were Pringle fights in the warehouse. Of course, that did get my friend Kenny fired, but his union benefits hadn't kicked in yet (see what I mean?). I'd say, by far, the biggest mistake I made while working there was letting the boys in the meat department borrow my camera for an afternoon. What was seen cannot be unseen. Dating one of the guys over in produce lands at a close second.
Day 151 - Design Salvaged Art
Date: June 6th, 2010
Granting that I am deeply prone to random flights of fancy, it somehow never occurred to me to look at antiques as anything but what they are. See, my dad loves antiquing, so its something that I've tagged along on since before I was able to watch. On any given weekend, growing up, it was a distinct possibility that I would be at an antique mall, walking around and looking at fancy hats, dresses, pictures or dolls. For whatever reason, I never used this time to indulge my creative side.
Granting that I am deeply prone to random flights of fancy, it somehow never occurred to me to look at antiques as anything but what they are. See, my dad loves antiquing, so its something that I've tagged along on since before I was able to watch. On any given weekend, growing up, it was a distinct possibility that I would be at an antique mall, walking around and looking at fancy hats, dresses, pictures or dolls. For whatever reason, I never used this time to indulge my creative side.
June 14, 2010
Day 150 - Buy a Meal for a Stranger
Date: June 5th, 2010
Sometimes you wake up, look out the window and realize that its going to be a beautiful day. I love mornings like that. I watched the sun stream in the window to my wall and slowly crawl toward my head as the sun rose over the trees. I decided to stay in bed and watch the sunspot crawl toward my face. Thirty minutes later I was enjoying the warm glow of sun on my cheeks and thinking about how lucky I am to have the things I have in this life.
I had planned on doing one of several highly interesting and amazing things on Saturday afternoon with Justin, but decided instead to go shopping. I know, I know, highly irresponsible, but we were planning on going to the lake in the evening to hang out with my parents so I figured, worst case scenario, I learn to drive a pontoon boat for my thing of the day. I have to admit, as I approach the halfway mark, a shift has begun to happen. My daily habits revolve around finding that new thing. Some of the polish has worn off this project, which isn't to say that I'm not loving it. I still adore it, but its more real than it was before. There was a little too much shine, as I look back.
In any case, we were out shopping on a sunny Ann Arbor afternoon when we stumbled past a young woman sitting on the sidewalk. She was playing music softly, with a little bit of a lilting tone. She was beautiful. I mean, strikingly, strangely, alluringly beautiful. Next to where she sat was a sign asking for money. It wasn't an obnoxious or obvious sign. I saw plenty of people walk right past and not even see it. But as we walked past, Justin and I both saw it and had the same thought. We walked into the nearest store, browsed for a while and subtly gathered what few small bills we had to give to her.
As we were leaving the store, I was struck with another idea. She was there, clearly tired and hungry, watching as people pretended their purses lacked change and their pockets were empty, just patiently hoping someone would notice. There was a point at which I would muse about what put her there. Drugs? Family trouble? Hard times? I've come to a point in my life where I don't care about what put someone in the situation they're in; just that they're there.
With that thought in mind, we walked across the street to Starbucks and bought her a bottle of water and a bagel. As with the few dollar bills we'd given her just moments earlier, we focused on being subtle and polite. We were both keenly aware of the fact that spectacle was not the purpose of the gesture. I set the bagel and water down next to her, smiled, nodded and walked with Justin back to his car. It was almost a block later that I realized I'd never done that before. I felt alternately proud of and disappointed in myself.
How did I go a quarter century without buying a meal for a stranger? It was definitely a "paint-by-number" moment for me. I've been having more and more serious moments of reflection as time has gone on. I'm deeply sorry to the people who started following this project for its comedic value. The past couple weeks have just been too, well, real, for that. Hopefully the silliness will resume. Perhaps I'm due for some more "out there" experiences to shine this project back up. In the meantime, the real impetus of this project is starting to sink in. That comment will make a lot more sense when you read Day 158.
Sometimes you wake up, look out the window and realize that its going to be a beautiful day. I love mornings like that. I watched the sun stream in the window to my wall and slowly crawl toward my head as the sun rose over the trees. I decided to stay in bed and watch the sunspot crawl toward my face. Thirty minutes later I was enjoying the warm glow of sun on my cheeks and thinking about how lucky I am to have the things I have in this life.
I had planned on doing one of several highly interesting and amazing things on Saturday afternoon with Justin, but decided instead to go shopping. I know, I know, highly irresponsible, but we were planning on going to the lake in the evening to hang out with my parents so I figured, worst case scenario, I learn to drive a pontoon boat for my thing of the day. I have to admit, as I approach the halfway mark, a shift has begun to happen. My daily habits revolve around finding that new thing. Some of the polish has worn off this project, which isn't to say that I'm not loving it. I still adore it, but its more real than it was before. There was a little too much shine, as I look back.
In any case, we were out shopping on a sunny Ann Arbor afternoon when we stumbled past a young woman sitting on the sidewalk. She was playing music softly, with a little bit of a lilting tone. She was beautiful. I mean, strikingly, strangely, alluringly beautiful. Next to where she sat was a sign asking for money. It wasn't an obnoxious or obvious sign. I saw plenty of people walk right past and not even see it. But as we walked past, Justin and I both saw it and had the same thought. We walked into the nearest store, browsed for a while and subtly gathered what few small bills we had to give to her.
As we were leaving the store, I was struck with another idea. She was there, clearly tired and hungry, watching as people pretended their purses lacked change and their pockets were empty, just patiently hoping someone would notice. There was a point at which I would muse about what put her there. Drugs? Family trouble? Hard times? I've come to a point in my life where I don't care about what put someone in the situation they're in; just that they're there.
With that thought in mind, we walked across the street to Starbucks and bought her a bottle of water and a bagel. As with the few dollar bills we'd given her just moments earlier, we focused on being subtle and polite. We were both keenly aware of the fact that spectacle was not the purpose of the gesture. I set the bagel and water down next to her, smiled, nodded and walked with Justin back to his car. It was almost a block later that I realized I'd never done that before. I felt alternately proud of and disappointed in myself.
How did I go a quarter century without buying a meal for a stranger? It was definitely a "paint-by-number" moment for me. I've been having more and more serious moments of reflection as time has gone on. I'm deeply sorry to the people who started following this project for its comedic value. The past couple weeks have just been too, well, real, for that. Hopefully the silliness will resume. Perhaps I'm due for some more "out there" experiences to shine this project back up. In the meantime, the real impetus of this project is starting to sink in. That comment will make a lot more sense when you read Day 158.
Day 149 - Have Energy Work Performed on Me
Date: June 4th, 2010
It has always been interesting to me that people are so skeptical about things like energy work. While I'm sure there are some crackpots out there claiming to have the cure for cancer literally at their fingertips, the idea that a touch can heal has been around for centuries. It struck me that I had fallen victim to the same skepticism about the power of touch, despite oodles of studies showing that all sorts of touching (all the way from nice to naughty, and everything in between) can have healing effects. For the most part, something about the idea of someone else shifting around energy in my body just seemed too out there for me. But since this year is essentially a parade dedicated to "out there", I figured it was something I should try.
It has always been interesting to me that people are so skeptical about things like energy work. While I'm sure there are some crackpots out there claiming to have the cure for cancer literally at their fingertips, the idea that a touch can heal has been around for centuries. It struck me that I had fallen victim to the same skepticism about the power of touch, despite oodles of studies showing that all sorts of touching (all the way from nice to naughty, and everything in between) can have healing effects. For the most part, something about the idea of someone else shifting around energy in my body just seemed too out there for me. But since this year is essentially a parade dedicated to "out there", I figured it was something I should try.
June 12, 2010
Day 148 - Join a Gym
Date: June 3rd, 2010
My life has been a series of vain attempts to persuade and cajole myself into getting into better shape. I bought exercise equipment so I wouldn't have the excuse of not having time. I locked my own cabinets at one point. At another, I convinced myself that chocolate was poisonous. That did not last long at all. Often, when starting a diet, I have made a point to tell someone that I'm doing it so that if they see me snacking they can mock me into submission. Other times, I've contented myself with the lie that salad is a fulfilling meal.
One thing I'd never done before was actually attempt to make the commitment to paying for a gym membership. Well, I made even that attempt to cajole myself into fitness before joining my friend Louis for handball. We had so much fun the week before that we decided to do it again, but this time it was highly unlikely that I'd be able to get into the gym for free.
Turns out the gym was offering a free two week trial membership. Given that it saved me $10, got me an extra two weeks of full gym access and just seemed like a wholly good idea, I signed up without even thinking about it. I do think I'll go ahead and join when the trial time is up. I rather like that gym and all its machines and whatnot. What I did realize is that I used to hesitate about things like that. There used to be a serious level of consideration and planning before I did physical things. I did them with an eye towards convincing myself to exercise. This time, I did it without thinking about it.
Its the first time, that I can think of, since the project started, that I'm proud of the lack of thought and planning behind one of my daily things. I finally had that moment of enjoying physicality enough that I didn't have to use it as a tool for health. It was a neat feeling.
My life has been a series of vain attempts to persuade and cajole myself into getting into better shape. I bought exercise equipment so I wouldn't have the excuse of not having time. I locked my own cabinets at one point. At another, I convinced myself that chocolate was poisonous. That did not last long at all. Often, when starting a diet, I have made a point to tell someone that I'm doing it so that if they see me snacking they can mock me into submission. Other times, I've contented myself with the lie that salad is a fulfilling meal.
One thing I'd never done before was actually attempt to make the commitment to paying for a gym membership. Well, I made even that attempt to cajole myself into fitness before joining my friend Louis for handball. We had so much fun the week before that we decided to do it again, but this time it was highly unlikely that I'd be able to get into the gym for free.
Turns out the gym was offering a free two week trial membership. Given that it saved me $10, got me an extra two weeks of full gym access and just seemed like a wholly good idea, I signed up without even thinking about it. I do think I'll go ahead and join when the trial time is up. I rather like that gym and all its machines and whatnot. What I did realize is that I used to hesitate about things like that. There used to be a serious level of consideration and planning before I did physical things. I did them with an eye towards convincing myself to exercise. This time, I did it without thinking about it.
Its the first time, that I can think of, since the project started, that I'm proud of the lack of thought and planning behind one of my daily things. I finally had that moment of enjoying physicality enough that I didn't have to use it as a tool for health. It was a neat feeling.
Day 147 - File Divorce Papers
Date: June 2nd, 2010
I know, I know, back-to-back work entries, but I had an epiphany while I was filling out the paperwork for one of our clients and, having never filed divorce papers myself, I decided to share it.
What was this important, life-altering, epiphany that must be shared? Filing for divorce is actually rather boring. I'm sure its less boring for the parties directly involved, but the level of paperwork and the specificity required to make sure that all the loose ends are tied up is quite cumbersome.
This may sound crazy, but I was kind of happy to find a part of this job that I don't love. I was starting to worry about myself. Like I'd caught some disease that makes people subconsciously adore their jobs in a way that borders on inappropriate infatuation. That would be a horrible disease, wouldn't it? The job just feels so much more real now that I've found something tedious about. Perhaps that's silly, but its the truth.
I also found myself marveling at how much detail is required to perform even the simplest of divorces. Ensuring that the separation is appropriate takes a lot of work. I think that divorces are something that I will struggle with because I see the need and importance every day (especially when clients who've been the victim of domestic violence), but I found myself so, well, bored. The work isn't invigorating or enthralling like the briefs and motions for court that I sometimes get to write. It isn't a scavenger hunt for important details like the answers I've gotten to write. Its just paperwork.
The true epiphany that I had that day was not how boring divorce papers are, but that the true selflessness of a job comes not from doing it and loving it, but from doing even the parts that you don't love. I take great pride in helping people, especially by working at Legal Services. However, if I can't wrap my head around doing even the boring parts then I'm not as committed as I'd like to believe. So far I was able to soldier through the tedious work. It is, however, going to be my biggest challenge in the future.
I know, I know, back-to-back work entries, but I had an epiphany while I was filling out the paperwork for one of our clients and, having never filed divorce papers myself, I decided to share it.
What was this important, life-altering, epiphany that must be shared? Filing for divorce is actually rather boring. I'm sure its less boring for the parties directly involved, but the level of paperwork and the specificity required to make sure that all the loose ends are tied up is quite cumbersome.
This may sound crazy, but I was kind of happy to find a part of this job that I don't love. I was starting to worry about myself. Like I'd caught some disease that makes people subconsciously adore their jobs in a way that borders on inappropriate infatuation. That would be a horrible disease, wouldn't it? The job just feels so much more real now that I've found something tedious about. Perhaps that's silly, but its the truth.
I also found myself marveling at how much detail is required to perform even the simplest of divorces. Ensuring that the separation is appropriate takes a lot of work. I think that divorces are something that I will struggle with because I see the need and importance every day (especially when clients who've been the victim of domestic violence), but I found myself so, well, bored. The work isn't invigorating or enthralling like the briefs and motions for court that I sometimes get to write. It isn't a scavenger hunt for important details like the answers I've gotten to write. Its just paperwork.
The true epiphany that I had that day was not how boring divorce papers are, but that the true selflessness of a job comes not from doing it and loving it, but from doing even the parts that you don't love. I take great pride in helping people, especially by working at Legal Services. However, if I can't wrap my head around doing even the boring parts then I'm not as committed as I'd like to believe. So far I was able to soldier through the tedious work. It is, however, going to be my biggest challenge in the future.
Day 146 - Meet with a Client in Person
Date: June 1st, 2010
After the epic camping weekend, it was time to get back to the grindstone. On Sunday night, after the drive back from the Upper Peninsula, I had to get back in my car and get myself over to Lansing for work in the morning. I was a little worried about what I would do for new things, given how busy my job keeps me now. I was decidedly tired and sunburned after the trip and decided that I would simply have to do one of my backup projects once work got out.
After the epic camping weekend, it was time to get back to the grindstone. On Sunday night, after the drive back from the Upper Peninsula, I had to get back in my car and get myself over to Lansing for work in the morning. I was a little worried about what I would do for new things, given how busy my job keeps me now. I was decidedly tired and sunburned after the trip and decided that I would simply have to do one of my backup projects once work got out.
June 9, 2010
Day 145 - Leave my Mark on a Picnic Table
Date: May 31st, 2010
Shamelessly titled: Why I'm a Bad-Ass.
Of all the things I've done this entire year, the one that I'm most proud of myself for completing was the canoe trip. I'm most in awe of swimming in a waterfall. I'm most, umm, comfortably full of Frankenmuth chicken? OK. That one maybe not so much. The point is, it was a weekend of amazing, life changing experiences. Truth be told, I haven't even mentioned half of the things we did on the camping trip. Which is why, on the last day, with the prospect of returning to normal society looming ominously on the beautiful Lake Superior horizon, we decided we needed to commemorate the trip somehow.
Shamelessly titled: Why I'm a Bad-Ass.
Of all the things I've done this entire year, the one that I'm most proud of myself for completing was the canoe trip. I'm most in awe of swimming in a waterfall. I'm most, umm, comfortably full of Frankenmuth chicken? OK. That one maybe not so much. The point is, it was a weekend of amazing, life changing experiences. Truth be told, I haven't even mentioned half of the things we did on the camping trip. Which is why, on the last day, with the prospect of returning to normal society looming ominously on the beautiful Lake Superior horizon, we decided we needed to commemorate the trip somehow.
June 8, 2010
Day 144 - Shower in a Waterfall
Date: May 30th, 2010
Conveniently subtitled: Why Justin is Awesome.
The wake of day two's canoe ride was the stuff of legend. Sunburnt, achy, fly-bitten legend. It was also the kind of tiredness that makes the Rip Van Winkle strategy seem like a good idea. At dinner, we sat around and enjoyed each other's company in the warmth of a local pub as the realization that we were going to just pass out when we got back to the tent set in. Truth be told, I rather enjoy that feeling. Being so tired you're about to collapse makes every subsequent step feel like a little victory. And I do enjoy victories.
Justin had to deal with quite a bit more than that pleasant/proud tiredness that I had. See, having broken his back and messed up his knees at various points, the canoe trip was a bit harder on him than it was on me. He's not the type of person to dwell on a little pain, however, and if you didn't know about the previous injuries, it would've been impossible to tell by looking that he was hurting. Even so, as we all sat and talked, we decided that the out-of-shape contingent would relax in the afternoon while the experienced campers would enjoy a nice hike through the woods.
Conveniently subtitled: Why Justin is Awesome.
The wake of day two's canoe ride was the stuff of legend. Sunburnt, achy, fly-bitten legend. It was also the kind of tiredness that makes the Rip Van Winkle strategy seem like a good idea. At dinner, we sat around and enjoyed each other's company in the warmth of a local pub as the realization that we were going to just pass out when we got back to the tent set in. Truth be told, I rather enjoy that feeling. Being so tired you're about to collapse makes every subsequent step feel like a little victory. And I do enjoy victories.
Justin had to deal with quite a bit more than that pleasant/proud tiredness that I had. See, having broken his back and messed up his knees at various points, the canoe trip was a bit harder on him than it was on me. He's not the type of person to dwell on a little pain, however, and if you didn't know about the previous injuries, it would've been impossible to tell by looking that he was hurting. Even so, as we all sat and talked, we decided that the out-of-shape contingent would relax in the afternoon while the experienced campers would enjoy a nice hike through the woods.
Day 143 - Go Canoeing
Date: May 29th, 2010
As promised, this entry is subtitled: Why Tim is Awesome.
As we rolled into the campsite at 4am on the first night, we all had a similar thought. Going canoeing sure seemed nice, but if we have to be awake at 8am for it, well, maybe its not going to happen. God had other plans. I sat bolt upright in the tent at 6:45am and looked over to find Justin already awake and gone. By the time I'd gotten up and stretched my legs, Christine and Tim were already awake. I didn't realize it at the time, but canoeing was one of those things that was just supposed to happen.
As promised, this entry is subtitled: Why Tim is Awesome.
As we rolled into the campsite at 4am on the first night, we all had a similar thought. Going canoeing sure seemed nice, but if we have to be awake at 8am for it, well, maybe its not going to happen. God had other plans. I sat bolt upright in the tent at 6:45am and looked over to find Justin already awake and gone. By the time I'd gotten up and stretched my legs, Christine and Tim were already awake. I didn't realize it at the time, but canoeing was one of those things that was just supposed to happen.
June 7, 2010
Day 142 - Eat Famous Fried Chicken in Frankenmuth
Date: May 28th, 2010
This entry has an alternate title. That title is: "Why Christine is Amazing".
See, I spent the last week wracking my brain to come up with a way to do justice to the camping trip with my entries. I wanted to do anything and everything I could to convey the level of life-changing that was the UP camping tip of aught-10. See, here's the thing, though. This whole adventure started on Day 142. That means that there were 141 slightly or significantly life-changing days before the trip even started. Simply describing the trip in the same terms, well, it just didn't seem right. So I thought for a while about what made the trip so incredible. I'll give you a hint - it wasn't the Memorial Day traffic or the bugs the size of flying walnuts. It was the folks I got to go with.
This entry has an alternate title. That title is: "Why Christine is Amazing".
See, I spent the last week wracking my brain to come up with a way to do justice to the camping trip with my entries. I wanted to do anything and everything I could to convey the level of life-changing that was the UP camping tip of aught-10. See, here's the thing, though. This whole adventure started on Day 142. That means that there were 141 slightly or significantly life-changing days before the trip even started. Simply describing the trip in the same terms, well, it just didn't seem right. So I thought for a while about what made the trip so incredible. I'll give you a hint - it wasn't the Memorial Day traffic or the bugs the size of flying walnuts. It was the folks I got to go with.
Listen, Tahquamenon River, Imma let you finish...
But these people are the best campers of all time.
June 3, 2010
Camping Posts
Hi all!
I will likely not be posting the entries about the camping trip until tomorrow because I want to make sure that I can fill them with the full and beautiful detail of the trip. It was sheer amazing awesomeness. They will be up soon and in glorious, glorious detail. I promise.
Love and Kisses,
Me
I will likely not be posting the entries about the camping trip until tomorrow because I want to make sure that I can fill them with the full and beautiful detail of the trip. It was sheer amazing awesomeness. They will be up soon and in glorious, glorious detail. I promise.
Love and Kisses,
Me
June 2, 2010
Day 141 - Be the "Court Runner" for the Day
Date: May 27th, 2010
Despite the difficulties I experienced with my job earlier in the week, I found myself slowly gaining back some excitement about it. This was, in part, because I had started working on some of the paperwork for the client I spoke to earlier in the week and, in part, because there is just so much to learn that its hard not to be excited. After a morning working the intake hotline, I was about to depart for lunch when one of my bosses approached me with a small stack of papers.
Turns out, one of the rotating jobs that I did not realize I had was to be the day's "court runner". Seeing as I had no idea what it even was (minus the one sentence description in our orientation packet), it was a fair bet I'd never done it before. Being court runner is like being a glorified errand girl. Ok. Its just like being an errand girl. I had to drive down to the county court house and police station to pick up a copy of a recent judgment and a police report that one of my bosses had put out a FOIA request on.
I did had one learning moment in the course of that new experience though. As I walked in the door to the police station, I saw an older gentleman in uniform sitting by the metal detector. His job was pretty straightforward. He just had to make sure that no one brought anything illegal into the station or courthouse. I watched him put his book down on the counter, stand up slowly and walk over to the door I'd come in and it struck me that his job must be alternately boring or relaxing given the day.
It also struck me that people were probably rarely nice to him. What I mean to say is that most people going to a police station or a district court on any given day are probably (validly) not in a great mood. Surely some of his coworkers probably smiled and asked about his day, but the vast majority of people there were there under a lot of stress.
I thought about these things while I waited in line to get the second set of paperwork I'd been sent for. As I walked to the elevator on my way out of the building, I made a decision to be as pleasant as I could possibly be to the gentleman on the way out of the building. Maybe seeing one smiling face would make the afternoon go by quicker. So, as I walked by, I smiled as broadly as I could and wished him a nice afternoon. The look I got in response was nothing short of joyful.
In that moment I realized how important it is to stay cheerful whenever possible. Happiness is infectious. It spreads to everyone you come in contact with. As I left the courthouse that afternoon I made a decision to always be as upbeat as I could (without becoming that annoying little perky chipmunk everybody loves to hate) in hopes of brightening everyone's day just a little. Because why not, really?
Despite the difficulties I experienced with my job earlier in the week, I found myself slowly gaining back some excitement about it. This was, in part, because I had started working on some of the paperwork for the client I spoke to earlier in the week and, in part, because there is just so much to learn that its hard not to be excited. After a morning working the intake hotline, I was about to depart for lunch when one of my bosses approached me with a small stack of papers.
Turns out, one of the rotating jobs that I did not realize I had was to be the day's "court runner". Seeing as I had no idea what it even was (minus the one sentence description in our orientation packet), it was a fair bet I'd never done it before. Being court runner is like being a glorified errand girl. Ok. Its just like being an errand girl. I had to drive down to the county court house and police station to pick up a copy of a recent judgment and a police report that one of my bosses had put out a FOIA request on.
I did had one learning moment in the course of that new experience though. As I walked in the door to the police station, I saw an older gentleman in uniform sitting by the metal detector. His job was pretty straightforward. He just had to make sure that no one brought anything illegal into the station or courthouse. I watched him put his book down on the counter, stand up slowly and walk over to the door I'd come in and it struck me that his job must be alternately boring or relaxing given the day.
It also struck me that people were probably rarely nice to him. What I mean to say is that most people going to a police station or a district court on any given day are probably (validly) not in a great mood. Surely some of his coworkers probably smiled and asked about his day, but the vast majority of people there were there under a lot of stress.
I thought about these things while I waited in line to get the second set of paperwork I'd been sent for. As I walked to the elevator on my way out of the building, I made a decision to be as pleasant as I could possibly be to the gentleman on the way out of the building. Maybe seeing one smiling face would make the afternoon go by quicker. So, as I walked by, I smiled as broadly as I could and wished him a nice afternoon. The look I got in response was nothing short of joyful.
In that moment I realized how important it is to stay cheerful whenever possible. Happiness is infectious. It spreads to everyone you come in contact with. As I left the courthouse that afternoon I made a decision to always be as upbeat as I could (without becoming that annoying little perky chipmunk everybody loves to hate) in hopes of brightening everyone's day just a little. Because why not, really?
Day 140 - Write a Song
Date: May 26th, 2010
Ever since Ryan and I went to see Don Giovanni, I've marveled at the amount of contemplation and calculation that must've gone into writing that opera. Mozart didn't just have to write music and words, but also a play and, in some senses, choreography. Granting the director has his actors do what he pleases, Mozart still must've had a sense of where they would stand and how they would interact. The idea of putting all that together just seemed so, insurmountable to me.
In retrospect, that was probably, at least in part, because I don't usually do anything with music. Knowing that one part of a huge endeavor is outside of my expertise has tended to make the whole project seem more impressive. I decided to test that theory by trying to write a song. A few years back I went to visit my friend Sean in Evanston for his 21st birthday. On the way out to Illinois, I stopped at a Native American outpost along Route 12 and bought a Navajo flute.
Ever since Ryan and I went to see Don Giovanni, I've marveled at the amount of contemplation and calculation that must've gone into writing that opera. Mozart didn't just have to write music and words, but also a play and, in some senses, choreography. Granting the director has his actors do what he pleases, Mozart still must've had a sense of where they would stand and how they would interact. The idea of putting all that together just seemed so, insurmountable to me.
In retrospect, that was probably, at least in part, because I don't usually do anything with music. Knowing that one part of a huge endeavor is outside of my expertise has tended to make the whole project seem more impressive. I decided to test that theory by trying to write a song. A few years back I went to visit my friend Sean in Evanston for his 21st birthday. On the way out to Illinois, I stopped at a Native American outpost along Route 12 and bought a Navajo flute.
Day 139 - Learn Handball
Date: May 25th, 2010
When I was younger, I used to play wall ball. Its not really a well defined game. Its a tennis ball, a brick wall and lots of free time at recess. Everyone I know played some version of it and when I couldn't find anyone to play catch with, I'd practice for softball doing the same thing. Apparently, years ago, someone got overwhelmed by recess nostalgia and created an honest-to-goodness sport out of throwing a ball at a wall.
My friend Louis plays handball quite a bit so he offered to teach me how to play on one evening after work. I showed up at the gym expecting to rock the pants off of handball. Hmm. In retrospect, that sentence had way to many entendres for my taste. The point is, despite not having done the spot, I figured this new experience would be right up my alley, against my brick wall and back into my hand. Ok. Again. That sentence was much dirtier than I intended.
When I was younger, I used to play wall ball. Its not really a well defined game. Its a tennis ball, a brick wall and lots of free time at recess. Everyone I know played some version of it and when I couldn't find anyone to play catch with, I'd practice for softball doing the same thing. Apparently, years ago, someone got overwhelmed by recess nostalgia and created an honest-to-goodness sport out of throwing a ball at a wall.
My friend Louis plays handball quite a bit so he offered to teach me how to play on one evening after work. I showed up at the gym expecting to rock the pants off of handball. Hmm. In retrospect, that sentence had way to many entendres for my taste. The point is, despite not having done the spot, I figured this new experience would be right up my alley, against my brick wall and back into my hand. Ok. Again. That sentence was much dirtier than I intended.
So yeah. Hi Louis.
Day 138 - Want to Give Up
Date: May 24th, 2010
This entry is a bit more serious and its one of the reasons that I'm a little behind. I sort of dreaded writing this one because I feel like I'm admitting more about myself than I usually choose to outside of my immediate family.
Twenty years ago, I was five. (Check out those math skills). And at five, I thought about many fanciful things. I wanted to be an astronaut, I hated playing house and I was really good at arguing with people. One of those three things has stayed a fundamental part of who I am. Guess which one, says the law student. The fact of the matter is, I've never met an argument I didn't want to be a part of. That got me in a lot of trouble in grade school, college, law school, relationships, run ins with law enforcement, neighbors, friends, coworkers, bosses, customers at jobs, strangers at the gas station. You get the point.
This entry is a bit more serious and its one of the reasons that I'm a little behind. I sort of dreaded writing this one because I feel like I'm admitting more about myself than I usually choose to outside of my immediate family.
Twenty years ago, I was five. (Check out those math skills). And at five, I thought about many fanciful things. I wanted to be an astronaut, I hated playing house and I was really good at arguing with people. One of those three things has stayed a fundamental part of who I am. Guess which one, says the law student. The fact of the matter is, I've never met an argument I didn't want to be a part of. That got me in a lot of trouble in grade school, college, law school, relationships, run ins with law enforcement, neighbors, friends, coworkers, bosses, customers at jobs, strangers at the gas station. You get the point.
June 1, 2010
Day 137 - Go Disc Golfing
Date: May 23rd, 2010
A few years ago, I beat Tim at bowling. He has never forgiven me. As penance, it was decided that I should be forced to, at some point in the future, engage in an activity in which he clearly excels, thus righting the universe. I agreed to these terms with roughly the same amount of thought as one puts into the decree to return a favor to the Godfather. With a mix of apprehension and vain belief that my number would never be called to repay my transgression, I went about my business for years.
Flash forward to a balmy Sunday afternoon in May. I recently developed a hankering for not sitting on my ass, so anything physically inclined has been a welcome suggestion. That's when Tim and I got in touch about Disc Golf. In case you're wondering, that's golf, but with discs.
A few years ago, I beat Tim at bowling. He has never forgiven me. As penance, it was decided that I should be forced to, at some point in the future, engage in an activity in which he clearly excels, thus righting the universe. I agreed to these terms with roughly the same amount of thought as one puts into the decree to return a favor to the Godfather. With a mix of apprehension and vain belief that my number would never be called to repay my transgression, I went about my business for years.
Flash forward to a balmy Sunday afternoon in May. I recently developed a hankering for not sitting on my ass, so anything physically inclined has been a welcome suggestion. That's when Tim and I got in touch about Disc Golf. In case you're wondering, that's golf, but with discs.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)