Emily. Shock and Awe.

Phil. Just Like In the Movies.

Wendy. Ski Bum and Adventuress.

Rachel. Dancing Queen.

Julie. The Littlest Elf.

Chris. There Ain't No Party Like a Marching Band Party.

Cyn. Just a Pink Haired Girl.

 

I learned something today, too. I learned that you should not try to blow dry a cat, even if the blow dryer is set on low.

posted by Julie Comments [] 1:44 AM

Thursday, November 27, 2003

 

8 german boys just walked into my office to get directions and use the bahroom. do you know how long it takes 8 german boys to use the bathroom when there is only one toilet? 27 minutes.

happy thanksgiving everybody.

posted by Wendolyn Comments [] 3:19 PM

Sunday, November 23, 2003

 

So I was reading the new issue of Bust, and they had an article about this commune. Halfway through the first page, I see, "23 year old commune member Summer, an Oberlin college drop out" and they have a quote and she's all, "Blah blah co-ops blah blah."

And I'm like, "Of course! How could any co-op NOT have an Oberlin college drop-out as a member?"

posted by Cyn Comments [] 11:58 PM

 

sorry i haven't blogged recently. it's been crazy busy at work and that has left me compelled to spend my time doing my job rather than goofing off on the internet. sad, but i guess it was bound to happen eventually.

for lack of anything else amusing, i will tell you my embarrassing condom story:
lately, i've felt pretty confident that i am good at sex. then, for the first time, a guy asked me to put a condom on him. now you would think i would have had occasion to do this before, but alas, no. i was undaunted and tried to be all suave by ripping open the wrapper with my teeth. so far so good. now i am aware that there is a right side up and a wrong side up but i couldn't really figure out which is what in the dark. maybe if i was sober, but if you give me a drink i can't even the light switches in my own house in the dark. i have been know to fall over while trying to put my socks on in the morning. really, it's just hopeless. then i got to wondering: do other people manage to be as clumsy in bed as me? and that's just a bizarre and hopeless thing to start thinking about. so, i guess all i have to say is "hi, i'm a reasonably intelligent adult and i can't figure out how to use a condom." and cyn, none of this would have happened if it had just snowed like it was supposed to.

posted by Wendolyn Comments [] 1:15 PM

Saturday, November 22, 2003

 

Okay, here's something funny: Check out the bra I bought at Vicky Sec's today. Yes, it has diamonds on it! It is the most preposterous undergarment I have ever owned. Also, I am a tool of both capitalism & the patriarchy.

posted by Emily Comments [] 9:10 PM

 

Think Happy Thoughts


The flowers from Rachel's parents came with this bear, which Roxy has been picking up and bringing it places. I know I'm getting a little crazy with the kitten pictures, but if you were here, I think you'd agree that she is the cutest thing EVER. Eben understands.

posted by Julie Comments [] 2:51 AM

Friday, November 21, 2003

 

I didn't mean to bring the blog party down with that long entry about my dad. I hope someone will say something funny soon.

posted by Julie Comments [] 4:39 PM

Monday, November 17, 2003

 

When someone close to you dies, the first thing everyone says is "I don't know what to say." I assumed there was really nothing anyone could say that would make me feel any better about my father's death, but last night on the phone, Eben's dad somehow said the perfect thing. He said, "I'm really sorry to hear about your dad and I'm really sorry I never got to meet him. I hope you will tell me about him sometime." When he said that I actually felt better because I thought, yes, that's exactly what I want to do, I want to tell people about who my dad was.

Here are some things I want to tell you about my dad:
He loved to buy in bulk. He bought giant, co-op sized cans of fruit cup and artichoke hearts and huge jars of mustard. I guess he just liked feeling like he had enough to last him for a while.
He was just about the smartest person I know. He got into a special program that allowed him to go to Johns Hopkins for undergrad and medical school and there are only about 8 people picked for this program every year. He never mentioned this to me, but my grandmother told me sometime last year. His whole family was kind of in awe of his intelligence.
He also had a wonderful memory. My aunt Stephanie likes to say my dad could tell you all the names of all the minor characters in the Russian novels he read when he was a teenager. It's probably true. He also had a great memory for conversations he enjoyed.
He loved gardening and he had a knack for making things grow.
My dad hated ironing. He only bought clothes that didn't wrinkle.
He found drug memoriabilia amusing. He had these mugs that were labelled "Heroin" "Opium" and "Belladona" and he also had an antique license to prescribe cocaine hanging in his office (keep in mind that he worked in a methadone clinic).
For all his intelligence, my dad was not exactly a wiz with technology. I don't think he ever got around to setting up the voice mail on his cell phone and he frequently called me with computer questions like "What do I do when my taskbar goes away?"
He was kind of shy, but when he was comfortable enough, he could be really funny. He like puns and bad jokes, but he usually made them endearing rather than annoying.
My dad knew the answer to every single question in Trivial Pursuit.
My dad had a lot of stock phrases he liked to use like "I'd rather be lucky than good," "math in everyday life" and "the universe will provide."

Everyday, some little thing makes me miss him in a new way. Sometimes, it's because I see someone with a pug and I remember how much my dad loved his dog or sometimes it's the idling of a deisel engine that reminds me of his old Mercedes. Sometimes, it's just that I want to synthesize my thoughts and he's not there to help me do it. I just miss him a whole, whole lot. Thanks for reading.

posted by Julie Comments [] 8:19 PM

Sunday, November 16, 2003

 

For more cute kitten pictures, click here

posted by Julie Comments [] 12:12 AM

Saturday, November 15, 2003

 

Roxy

She is officially the cutest thing ever. She's curious and smart and very social. She loves to sleep right next to us (when she sleeps, which is not all that much). She also enjoys such enriching activities as chasing the Swiffer and hiding in drawers. She has excellent litter manners and never goes outside the box. Unfortunately, she has a slight cold and is going for her first vet visit today, but let me tell you, she has the CUTEST sneeze in the whole world!

Yet another reason to visit Portland, folks: Ms. Roxanne Velvetina.

posted by Julie Comments [] 12:11 PM

Friday, November 14, 2003

 

Conversation Andy & I had in a coffeeshop the other day:

Emily: {Reading from student paper) "Aggressive Kids: Where Did They Come From?" I like this title. Where did they come from?
Andy: Well, when a man & a woman love each other very much...
Emily: An aggressive man & woman?
Andy: When an aggressive man & an aggressive woman love each other very much...
Emily: Ew, that's gross. I don't want to hear any more.

Andy is here, keeping me warm -- we didn't have any heat in my apartment until today due to a still-obscure situation with the radiators. I couldn't get the landlady to do anything, & then eventually she did, & she showed up here with her lesbian partner, whom we all got to meet. Not much else is new, although I did go see Al Gore give a speech last week. It was very inspiring. Miss you all.

posted by Emily Comments [] 7:54 PM

Thursday, November 13, 2003

 

GOOD news
We got a kitten! And she is so so so cute! We haven't named her yet as we've decided we should get to know her first. So far, she seems very outgoing and, as you can see, she has quite the sophisticated beauty. Any thoughts?

posted by Julie Comments [] 9:26 PM

 

Ok, people, my phone is back. And by that I mean, a phone just like my lost phone is now in my possession and it has been programmed with my same phone number.

Also, Rachel's parents are adorable. They sent me flowers. Thanks, Rachel's parents.

posted by Julie Comments [] 1:37 PM

Monday, November 10, 2003

 

Heads up to people who don't enjoy watching skinny people have sex: There is a fat chick fashion spread in this month's Vice magazine. They may just be exploiting zaftig girls for sensationalist purposes, but I still think it's pretty hot.

posted by Emily Comments [] 5:45 PM

 

This weekend was stressful, but necessary and even though I didn't have much time to grieve, I was happy to be surrounded by people who love me and who loved my dad. Thank you, Rachel and Cyn for coming down and thank you to the rest of you who kept me in your thoughts.
In other news, I lost my phone this weekend. It's as if the universe wasn't content with my father, it had to have my little LG too. If you want to call me, you can use Eben's number, which I will send out by e-mail.
Oh yeah, and Portland is a dry town right now, if you know what I mean. How am I doing? I'm peachy, folks, just peachy.

posted by Julie Comments [] 2:29 PM

Friday, November 07, 2003

 

Best. Oberlin. Article. Ever.

posted by Cyn Comments [] 3:08 PM

Wednesday, November 05, 2003

 

details

His girlfriend found him last night around 8pm and called an ambulance. When the paramedics got there, they said that he had died of a heart attack (peacefully) about 12 hours before she got there. My aunt and grandmother drove up from Virginia to identify him and start making arrangements. My mom flew home from Toronto, where she had been for a meeting, to help them. It seems like my mom and his family are able to put aside their issues with each other in order to make plans that will help all of us (especially Andy and me) get through this. I am flying home tomorrow and we are going to hold a gathering at his house on Saturday to remember him and talk about him with anyone who wants to be there. I called his best friend in California last night when I heard and I think he'll be flying out too if he can.

My dad was a complicated guy, but I know that he loved both me and my brother very much and I am glad that he and I got to work out most of our issues with each other before he died. I am also glad that he died at home in his bed with Sarge close by because he loved both that house and that dog very much. I feel lucky to have known my dad as a person as well as a parent.

I've never really done the whole grieving thing before, but I feel like I have a lot of support from a lot of people who are far away physically but not in other ways. Eben has also been great (of course). We were on a crazy cleansing diet this week, which involved us drinking only lemonade with maple syrup and cayenne pepper. Let me tell you, this is not the kind of news you want to receive when you haven't eaten in two days. We wisely decided to forgo the diet and Eben made me spaghetti last night before taking me out to our favorite crepe joint for a quiet meal once I'd had time to talk to my brother and my mom and people.

I don't really know what else to say, but I am sad and tired and feeling about 99 other emotions for which there are no words. I know that eventually I will be ok, though.

posted by Julie Comments [] 12:47 PM

Tuesday, November 04, 2003

 

just what we need: more greif

My dad died last night. I thought this was the easiest way to let you all know.

posted by Julie Comments [] 9:29 PM

Sunday, November 02, 2003

 

A number of my students are writing research papers on gay marriage or gays in the military. I had everybody do a freewrite on what it was they found interesting about their paper topics, & one girl's freewrite contained something along the lines of: "I don't understand why they can't let gays in the military. Some people say heterosexuals get uncomfortable fighting alongside homosexuals, but if that's the way they feel, they should be discharged for being so homophobic!" & I thought to myself, that's what college freshmen ought to be like. Rather than being a bunch of depressing puritans, they should be full of wild, untamed idealism. Imagine if we lived in a world in which you could be discharged from the army for being homophobic. That's so much a better world than our own.

posted by Emily Comments [] 1:42 PM

 

as if its not bad enough having to go to work with a hangover for the third day in row, i also had to dig my car out of another goddamn foot of snow this morning, while wearing fishnet stockings.

posted by Wendolyn Comments [] 11:33 AM

Saturday, November 01, 2003

 

as a fucked up halloween treat we received a little more that a foot of snow yesterday. nothing could be stranger than the scene in my neighborhood last night: hundrens of small mexican children wading through a foot of snow trying to trick-or-treat. when watching the children frolic in the snow lost its entertainment value, chris and i headed to the brewing company. the brewing co had a contest where you threw a pumpkin out of second story window and tried to hit a target. there was much drunkeness and exploding pumpkin guts. oh, i went as a catholic school girl, which was a great costume, except that i froze my butt off.

posted by Wendolyn Comments [] 1:55 PM