The color is starting to become amazing! I'll say it again -- fall in Iowa is in a different ballpark than fall in Minnesota/anywhere with trees.
This year seems to be a big one for orange leaves, which is a nice surprise. Typically they only make it to yellow before it freezes hard or a few days of heavy wind go through.
The challenge is determining whether your area is "peaking." What does peak look like? You wonder if this is the peak. Or maybe this. Or leaves falling -- maybe this looks like a lot of leaves falling. But then a day comes when A LOT of leaves are falling, enough that they're tangled in your hair and blowing in your door as you open it.
The sad thing about fall is you never know how long it will last. It's not unusual for the trees to go from reasonably full to empty in one day. Or some years the leaves won't have colored much at all before they go.
I use the family birthdays as a gauge of early and late falls. One year in particular, the leaves were pretty and falling on my mom's birthday (Oct. 14). The next day, my sister's birthday, it got blustery and the trees became bare.
Tonight was a fun night. A bunch of friends met at the best-ever sandwich shop for dinner and then came back to my apartment to bake cookies and just shoot the breeze for three hours. You've got to love those friends where you don't need anything but yourselves to have fun.
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
what's up this week
1. I took this picture when it was too sunny.
2. Everyone's been sick, so you've read. My mom thinks I have asthma -- she has a tendency to tell me these facts about my life which shock me but most of the time end up being true. I read up a little on asthma and it sounds entirely possibly I have the mildest case that exists and yet qualifies as asthma.
3. Our building roof is about to be redone. Did I write about the big hail storm? It was over a month ago now, but it damaged anything that was outdoors here, including over half the roofs in town, I'd wager. There are yard signs everywhere, but it's funny to say this year they're mostly roofing advertisments. :)
4. Helped my mom with her preschool group tonight. The kids were drawing about a time they had to be patient. (It's very risky to interpret 3-year-olds' artwork. Us: "Is that you?" Child: "No, that's my house!") One little girl drew about how she had to be patient while she waited for her waffles in the morning. The boy sitting next to her, what a coincidence, had to be patient waiting for his pancakes. Another girl said she had never had to be patient before, but her brother had. He is four months old. Sometimes I wonder just how much really gets through to them from the lessons.
5. I love history. When I'm here I remember why I entered college listed as a history major. History seems a little different here -- in part, local history is "older." Iowa cities celebrate their incorporation in the 1870s. Minnesota cities are in the 1850s. It's only 20 years, but... it makes some difference. The major defining moment for this town, what makes it known world-wide, happened before the last town I worked in was even established.
6. My mom made bread. Yum... (Yes, I communicated with people today other than my mom.)
2. Everyone's been sick, so you've read. My mom thinks I have asthma -- she has a tendency to tell me these facts about my life which shock me but most of the time end up being true. I read up a little on asthma and it sounds entirely possibly I have the mildest case that exists and yet qualifies as asthma.
3. Our building roof is about to be redone. Did I write about the big hail storm? It was over a month ago now, but it damaged anything that was outdoors here, including over half the roofs in town, I'd wager. There are yard signs everywhere, but it's funny to say this year they're mostly roofing advertisments. :)
4. Helped my mom with her preschool group tonight. The kids were drawing about a time they had to be patient. (It's very risky to interpret 3-year-olds' artwork. Us: "Is that you?" Child: "No, that's my house!") One little girl drew about how she had to be patient while she waited for her waffles in the morning. The boy sitting next to her, what a coincidence, had to be patient waiting for his pancakes. Another girl said she had never had to be patient before, but her brother had. He is four months old. Sometimes I wonder just how much really gets through to them from the lessons.
5. I love history. When I'm here I remember why I entered college listed as a history major. History seems a little different here -- in part, local history is "older." Iowa cities celebrate their incorporation in the 1870s. Minnesota cities are in the 1850s. It's only 20 years, but... it makes some difference. The major defining moment for this town, what makes it known world-wide, happened before the last town I worked in was even established.
6. My mom made bread. Yum... (Yes, I communicated with people today other than my mom.)
Monday, September 25, 2006
Every single member of the editorial department had a cold today. The editor even stayed home.
I hesitated to write we were all "sick" because I don't actually feel impaired. One of the luckier ones. There is this wheezing feeling, though -- I've had it before. I associate it immediately with Kensak's Shakespeare class. Why it always surfaced then I'll never know. It gets very irritating because I don't know how to get rid of it. Don't feel like coughing, nose is relatively unstuffed, steam doesn't help...
Watched that new "Studio 60" tonight, mostly because of its West Wing connections and promises it was the best new thing. I'm prepared to become addicted to it or to something, but I'll confess I don't see where the show's plotline has to go.
Heard "Six Degrees" is highly addictive. Don't think I'm even going to try plain "Law & Order" anymore -- moved to Fridays, yet another new ADA. I'll just stick with my reruns. The spinoffs are becoming more attractive, too. TO'd that I'll be busy most Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7 -- when "House" and "Bones" are on, my favorite current series. Ah well. Having less time to watch TV is not a bad thing.
I hesitated to write we were all "sick" because I don't actually feel impaired. One of the luckier ones. There is this wheezing feeling, though -- I've had it before. I associate it immediately with Kensak's Shakespeare class. Why it always surfaced then I'll never know. It gets very irritating because I don't know how to get rid of it. Don't feel like coughing, nose is relatively unstuffed, steam doesn't help...
Watched that new "Studio 60" tonight, mostly because of its West Wing connections and promises it was the best new thing. I'm prepared to become addicted to it or to something, but I'll confess I don't see where the show's plotline has to go.
Heard "Six Degrees" is highly addictive. Don't think I'm even going to try plain "Law & Order" anymore -- moved to Fridays, yet another new ADA. I'll just stick with my reruns. The spinoffs are becoming more attractive, too. TO'd that I'll be busy most Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 7 -- when "House" and "Bones" are on, my favorite current series. Ah well. Having less time to watch TV is not a bad thing.
Saturday, September 23, 2006
mini class reunion
Eight girls from my high school graduating class got together this evening and met at a restaurant in the cities for dinner. Very fun, but also somewhat eye-opening. Blast from the past, that's for sure.
There were so many things to notice.
1. I do not know my way around the east side of the cities -- can't say I've even been to most of those suburbs. I also do not know downtown St. Paul at all.
2. Most any one of them who had belittled or badmouthed our hometown has never really gotten away from it. Going to school in the cities is not getting away. Even going to particular schools two and four hours away is not getting away because those sister colleges are so strongly affiliated with this town. This is not to say it isn't natural to badmouth your hometown, or that this hometown doesn't deserve it.
3. People change, yet they don't at all.
4. The cities is expensive. Living in the cities is expensive.
5. I am so behind the times for my age group in terms of fashion and sophistication. On the way out the door my sister scolded me for not wearing a necklace and made me put hers on. It got so many compliments...
6. Somehow, I know an overwhelming number of people interested in teaching -- this is not only among my high school friends. But, take this group in particular. Of the eight of us, take away me. Seven left -- one art teacher, one student art teacher, one ESL teacher, one youth pastor, one youth volunteer, one former English teacher.
7. Though I hadn't seen many of these friends in five years, we picked up right where we left off. We have a long history -- twelve years of going to school together or going to school with the same group of people. We grew up in the same community, know one another's parents and siblings... In college, relationships may have been deeper and were ... just totally different. Not that either one is better than the other, but this is something it's easy to forget about in college -- I have a long history with these people. It isn't neccesarily a good history, but history is history. It was almost like "this is the kind of person I was to start with," before learning about the other possibilities at college. Does that make any sense at all?
8. I still socialize better one on one than in large groups. :)
9. I hate dancing. Gosh, I hate dancing. It's not that I am morally opposed to dancing or think no one should dance, not by any means. I just particularly do not enjoy doing it myself.
10. I have had a very sheltered life in terms of exposure to drinking and drunks. I didn't hang out with big drinkers in high school, and wild parties were just not to be found at my college. None of my high school friends really went to colleges like this one. This is not to note the badness or goodness of shelteredness. It is just to note.
11. Tonight was a reminder that ring by spring is not the norm --- seven of the eight of us were single as heck. Though there was a brief discussion of how to flirt with your eyes in a bar. :)
There were so many things to notice.
1. I do not know my way around the east side of the cities -- can't say I've even been to most of those suburbs. I also do not know downtown St. Paul at all.
2. Most any one of them who had belittled or badmouthed our hometown has never really gotten away from it. Going to school in the cities is not getting away. Even going to particular schools two and four hours away is not getting away because those sister colleges are so strongly affiliated with this town. This is not to say it isn't natural to badmouth your hometown, or that this hometown doesn't deserve it.
3. People change, yet they don't at all.
4. The cities is expensive. Living in the cities is expensive.
5. I am so behind the times for my age group in terms of fashion and sophistication. On the way out the door my sister scolded me for not wearing a necklace and made me put hers on. It got so many compliments...
6. Somehow, I know an overwhelming number of people interested in teaching -- this is not only among my high school friends. But, take this group in particular. Of the eight of us, take away me. Seven left -- one art teacher, one student art teacher, one ESL teacher, one youth pastor, one youth volunteer, one former English teacher.
7. Though I hadn't seen many of these friends in five years, we picked up right where we left off. We have a long history -- twelve years of going to school together or going to school with the same group of people. We grew up in the same community, know one another's parents and siblings... In college, relationships may have been deeper and were ... just totally different. Not that either one is better than the other, but this is something it's easy to forget about in college -- I have a long history with these people. It isn't neccesarily a good history, but history is history. It was almost like "this is the kind of person I was to start with," before learning about the other possibilities at college. Does that make any sense at all?
8. I still socialize better one on one than in large groups. :)
9. I hate dancing. Gosh, I hate dancing. It's not that I am morally opposed to dancing or think no one should dance, not by any means. I just particularly do not enjoy doing it myself.
10. I have had a very sheltered life in terms of exposure to drinking and drunks. I didn't hang out with big drinkers in high school, and wild parties were just not to be found at my college. None of my high school friends really went to colleges like this one. This is not to note the badness or goodness of shelteredness. It is just to note.
11. Tonight was a reminder that ring by spring is not the norm --- seven of the eight of us were single as heck. Though there was a brief discussion of how to flirt with your eyes in a bar. :)
Friday, September 22, 2006
Genealogical research is just plain fascinating. You don't even always know what you're looking for, and then you find something beyond what you'd expect. These ancestors of yours are real people, who were good and bad in and of themselves and believed things that we now know aren't true and also espoused beliefs we honor today.
Unrelated (ha ha), I ran across this poem yesterday about a group of families in an area of North Carolina many of my Quaker ancestors came from.
The Rays and Russells coopers are,
The knowing Folgers lazy,
A lying Coleman very rare,
And scarce a learned Hussey,
The Coffins noisy, fractious, loud,
The silent Gardners plodding,
The Mitchells good,
The Bakers proud,
The Macys eat the pudding,
The Lovetts stalwart, brave and stern,
The Starbucks wild and vain,
The Quakers steady, mild and calm,
The Swains sea-faring men,
And the jolly Worths go sailing down the wind.
I'm part Folger, Coffin, Gardner, Macy, Starbuck and Worth. :) What a combo.
It sounds like this group of Quakers had one of the earliest stations on the Underground Railroad. (My ancestors possibly had moved west by that point.) One of the Coffins (not a direct ancestor) owned the station passed through by "Eliza" in "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Or so that internet page said. The internet says so many things, like that Mr. Ed was played by a zebra. (Which it turns out did happen, but on rare occasions.)
Unrelated (ha ha), I ran across this poem yesterday about a group of families in an area of North Carolina many of my Quaker ancestors came from.
The Rays and Russells coopers are,
The knowing Folgers lazy,
A lying Coleman very rare,
And scarce a learned Hussey,
The Coffins noisy, fractious, loud,
The silent Gardners plodding,
The Mitchells good,
The Bakers proud,
The Macys eat the pudding,
The Lovetts stalwart, brave and stern,
The Starbucks wild and vain,
The Quakers steady, mild and calm,
The Swains sea-faring men,
And the jolly Worths go sailing down the wind.
I'm part Folger, Coffin, Gardner, Macy, Starbuck and Worth. :) What a combo.
It sounds like this group of Quakers had one of the earliest stations on the Underground Railroad. (My ancestors possibly had moved west by that point.) One of the Coffins (not a direct ancestor) owned the station passed through by "Eliza" in "Uncle Tom's Cabin." Or so that internet page said. The internet says so many things, like that Mr. Ed was played by a zebra. (Which it turns out did happen, but on rare occasions.)
Sunday, September 17, 2006
Thursday, September 14, 2006
Settling in? Yes, it's going relatively smoothly. There are still pictures to hang and surfaces that could use a first cleaning, but the apartment is fully functional. Bedroom is already fully disastrous, the clothesbasket having spewn its contents all about the general area. And the archiving of all my writing/photography for the last 16 months has turned the living room into a second war zone.
Work seems to be going well, also. I get to be very independent, and that's nice so far. The bosses seem to be pleased with my work to date, which includes a story about a new dog park, with stories about CROP walk, visitors from Hiroshima (bombing era) coming to town, and maybe even tax levy previews coming up (!). Today I went to two board meetings that were actually very helpful. One, they had a guest speaker who talked about the difference between TIF and tax abatement (economic development funding tools -- I'd never heard of the latter), and in the second they had a review of their affordable housing initiatives. It gets really frustrating in the beginning of learning these things because I'm not familiar with a lot of economic jargon or financial processes, but as I understand the systems they become more fascinating.
Enjoying getting to know my co-workers a little more -- more comfortable every day. Every Wednesday after the staff meeting a group goes out for lunch (a really long lunch) and it's a chance to hear about what they're thinking and about their outside lives.
Yesterday was the beginning of the Wednesday children's programs at the church my family goes to. I was "helping" my mom with the preschool class -- maybe more about that later. Or now, briefly -- my mom's fantastic with kids, especially five and under. She manages them well and they like her and do what she says. This group of four ladies who didn't really know each other was in charge of 20-ish preschoolers, and I said I'd help with whatever they needed, which was pretty much nothing. The kids were cute and pretty-well behaved. It wasn't quite as fun as it could have been because I didn't really know any of them, minus a set of twins I hadn't seen since they were two months old (now four years) and a family friend's son I hadn't ever seen (now four years). Because this church has so many new people all the time, there were kids wearing nametags bearing names that weren't theirs because nobody knew any better (and kids couldn't read them to know they were wrong).
Hopefully, weather permitting, you'll get some photos of Minnesota this weekend. The longer I'm here, the more I realize how different it is from Iowa -- in good and bad ways.
Who saw "Pride and Prejudice"? (The new one with Keira Knightley who didn't deserve an Oscar but could have done worse) The intro theme haunted me after I saw it. I ended up downloading portions of the soundtrack off of iTunes. I could still listen to the theme over and over (still do, too...) as well as once of the pieces they dance to. But of the tracks I listened to, only about two were worth purchasing. It gets frustrating, doesn't it, when the themes and such are two-minute tracks? The soundtracks never seem to really be what they had in the movie to me.
Work seems to be going well, also. I get to be very independent, and that's nice so far. The bosses seem to be pleased with my work to date, which includes a story about a new dog park, with stories about CROP walk, visitors from Hiroshima (bombing era) coming to town, and maybe even tax levy previews coming up (!). Today I went to two board meetings that were actually very helpful. One, they had a guest speaker who talked about the difference between TIF and tax abatement (economic development funding tools -- I'd never heard of the latter), and in the second they had a review of their affordable housing initiatives. It gets really frustrating in the beginning of learning these things because I'm not familiar with a lot of economic jargon or financial processes, but as I understand the systems they become more fascinating.
Enjoying getting to know my co-workers a little more -- more comfortable every day. Every Wednesday after the staff meeting a group goes out for lunch (a really long lunch) and it's a chance to hear about what they're thinking and about their outside lives.
Yesterday was the beginning of the Wednesday children's programs at the church my family goes to. I was "helping" my mom with the preschool class -- maybe more about that later. Or now, briefly -- my mom's fantastic with kids, especially five and under. She manages them well and they like her and do what she says. This group of four ladies who didn't really know each other was in charge of 20-ish preschoolers, and I said I'd help with whatever they needed, which was pretty much nothing. The kids were cute and pretty-well behaved. It wasn't quite as fun as it could have been because I didn't really know any of them, minus a set of twins I hadn't seen since they were two months old (now four years) and a family friend's son I hadn't ever seen (now four years). Because this church has so many new people all the time, there were kids wearing nametags bearing names that weren't theirs because nobody knew any better (and kids couldn't read them to know they were wrong).
Hopefully, weather permitting, you'll get some photos of Minnesota this weekend. The longer I'm here, the more I realize how different it is from Iowa -- in good and bad ways.
Who saw "Pride and Prejudice"? (The new one with Keira Knightley who didn't deserve an Oscar but could have done worse) The intro theme haunted me after I saw it. I ended up downloading portions of the soundtrack off of iTunes. I could still listen to the theme over and over (still do, too...) as well as once of the pieces they dance to. But of the tracks I listened to, only about two were worth purchasing. It gets frustrating, doesn't it, when the themes and such are two-minute tracks? The soundtracks never seem to really be what they had in the movie to me.
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
If you happen to care about the Minnesota gubernatorial race, this editorial from the Strib is (pretty much) right on the money.
Another note on Minnesota politics note -- city councillors yesterday were explaining how they were having to raise the tax levies about 9.6 percent this year. That's significant. Of that, 1.6 percent was to account for inflation and the other 8 percent was to replace half a million dollars in funding the city usually gets from the state. Instead of raising taxes this year, the legislature spent the same amount but made drastic cuts to local governments, leaving the local governments looking like the bad guys.
Another note on Minnesota politics note -- city councillors yesterday were explaining how they were having to raise the tax levies about 9.6 percent this year. That's significant. Of that, 1.6 percent was to account for inflation and the other 8 percent was to replace half a million dollars in funding the city usually gets from the state. Instead of raising taxes this year, the legislature spent the same amount but made drastic cuts to local governments, leaving the local governments looking like the bad guys.
Monday, September 11, 2006
where were you on 9/11?
I was finishing my first college calculus exam and/or brushing my teeth in the 3N Fern bathroom with a friend, depending on the attack. It was the second week of my freshman year and I was still scared of some of my neighbors. Some of them invited me over to watch the news with them, and we started to bond. I remember how upset my roommate was -- her brother-in-law was in the reserves and she was afraid he might be deployed.
I remember Tryg's face when he announced what had happened in chapel, and how crowded the chapel was that morning (a Tuesday, too) because our wing was squished into one pew.
P.S. Today I visited the dump. And recycling center. For a while Mountain Dew would take their green plastic bottles and recycle them to make Mountain Dew long underwear.
I remember Tryg's face when he announced what had happened in chapel, and how crowded the chapel was that morning (a Tuesday, too) because our wing was squished into one pew.
P.S. Today I visited the dump. And recycling center. For a while Mountain Dew would take their green plastic bottles and recycle them to make Mountain Dew long underwear.
Sunday, September 10, 2006
There are many people I'd like to be for a day. But I'd be Norah Jones for two days. Her songs are so sad, like the mysterious bar singer. You imagine this girl must have been hurt so terribly by men, but then you also have this image of her that makes you wonder what man would ever do anything to her but fall head over heels in love?
Maybe she's cheaply popular mainstream now. Oh well. ;)
I've tried so hard, my dear to show, that you're my every dream
yet you're afraid each thing I do is just some evil scheme
a memory from your lonesome past keeps us so far apart
why can't I free your doubtful mind
and melt your cold, cold heart?
Another love before my time made your heart sad and blue
and so my heart is paying now for things I didn't do
in anger unkind words I said
they make the teardrops start
why can't I free your doubtful mind
and melt your cold, cold heart?
There was a time when I believed that you belonged to me
but now I know your heart is shackled to a memory
the more I learn to care for you, the more we drift apart
why can't I free your doubtful mind
and melt your cold, cold heart?
Maybe she's cheaply popular mainstream now. Oh well. ;)
I've tried so hard, my dear to show, that you're my every dream
yet you're afraid each thing I do is just some evil scheme
a memory from your lonesome past keeps us so far apart
why can't I free your doubtful mind
and melt your cold, cold heart?
Another love before my time made your heart sad and blue
and so my heart is paying now for things I didn't do
in anger unkind words I said
they make the teardrops start
why can't I free your doubtful mind
and melt your cold, cold heart?
There was a time when I believed that you belonged to me
but now I know your heart is shackled to a memory
the more I learn to care for you, the more we drift apart
why can't I free your doubtful mind
and melt your cold, cold heart?
twinkleberry syrup
Chocolate and I are parting ways tomorrow -- at least until Oct. 14. It is the reason I cannot wear my little black dress to my roommate's wedding and, well, I'm too cheap to buy a new dress, and I want to wear that one.
For a last farewell, I stopped at the new Perkins for something thoroughly chocolately on my way home from the 'rents this evening. While I was waiting for my piece of pie to be boxed, I examined the bakery items on display. Most of them don't tempt me, I confess, minus the chocolate pies.
On one shelf they had their pancake mix and a selection of syrups. When I was little, Perkins was one of the only places my family ever ate out, and we weren't too adventurous when we got there, either. They didn't even really need to give us menus -- we always got Perkins pancakes. My sister and I always ordered the Little Cowpoke breakfast, any time of day or evening. It was a sad day when we were over the age limit to order from the children's menu -- they just don't have that same combo for the adults.
At Perkins, they always bring you three syrups: maple, apricot, and twin berry, aka twinkleberry. One of the hardest decisions in my five-year-old life was how to distribute syrup upon my three pancakes. Do you have one pancake with each type of syrup? You can have maple any time, though. Yet it tastes so good on Perkins pancakes... And twinkleberry is a rare treat... And you can't forget apricot, either.
Note: You can buy a bottle of twinkleberry to take home, but it doesn't taste the same.
In other news, the weather is starting to get chillier! (I even wore socks today. It feels kind of funny.) The trees on the hill on the west side of town are starting to show hints of color... I hope my new telephoto lens comes soon.
There's a really gorgeous old Episcopal church in the next town that I forgot existed (there's an old, old one here too but it isn't gorgeous outside -- maybe it is inside). I at least need to take a picture of it. It's too bad it meets the same time as my parents' church service.
One thing I always chuckle about is that there's this dinky little town that now adjoins this town, because this town has expanded so much. What is funny is that to go from my parents' house (an address in the bigger town) to my apartment or even just to the grocery store, I drive through the little town for a shortcut and never go more than a third of a mile into the city limits of the big town.
Okay, enough rambling.
For a last farewell, I stopped at the new Perkins for something thoroughly chocolately on my way home from the 'rents this evening. While I was waiting for my piece of pie to be boxed, I examined the bakery items on display. Most of them don't tempt me, I confess, minus the chocolate pies.
On one shelf they had their pancake mix and a selection of syrups. When I was little, Perkins was one of the only places my family ever ate out, and we weren't too adventurous when we got there, either. They didn't even really need to give us menus -- we always got Perkins pancakes. My sister and I always ordered the Little Cowpoke breakfast, any time of day or evening. It was a sad day when we were over the age limit to order from the children's menu -- they just don't have that same combo for the adults.
At Perkins, they always bring you three syrups: maple, apricot, and twin berry, aka twinkleberry. One of the hardest decisions in my five-year-old life was how to distribute syrup upon my three pancakes. Do you have one pancake with each type of syrup? You can have maple any time, though. Yet it tastes so good on Perkins pancakes... And twinkleberry is a rare treat... And you can't forget apricot, either.
Note: You can buy a bottle of twinkleberry to take home, but it doesn't taste the same.
In other news, the weather is starting to get chillier! (I even wore socks today. It feels kind of funny.) The trees on the hill on the west side of town are starting to show hints of color... I hope my new telephoto lens comes soon.
There's a really gorgeous old Episcopal church in the next town that I forgot existed (there's an old, old one here too but it isn't gorgeous outside -- maybe it is inside). I at least need to take a picture of it. It's too bad it meets the same time as my parents' church service.
One thing I always chuckle about is that there's this dinky little town that now adjoins this town, because this town has expanded so much. What is funny is that to go from my parents' house (an address in the bigger town) to my apartment or even just to the grocery store, I drive through the little town for a shortcut and never go more than a third of a mile into the city limits of the big town.
Okay, enough rambling.
Saturday, September 09, 2006
Here's a picture to spruce things up -- it's called "Portledge," and it was a manor in Devonshire that I guess was in my family for 900 years? Sounds fun. I hope my turn is coming up soon.
Somehow got caught up in genealogy again this week. Confirmed Ben Franklin's my third cousin nine times removed. Yay -- I feel like watching "National Treasure" now. And this was neat -- you know Martha's Vineyard? My great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandfather named it -- for his first wife. (Her name was Martha, in case you were curious.)
Thursday, September 07, 2006
day 3
Three days and still no photos to liven this white page up for y'all.
Well, three days in to the job, things are going better. Yesterday afternoon I got a bunch of assignments that will keep me occupied but not too occupied through Monday morning. Sources are actually calling me back and talking my ear off and friendly. Feeling more comfortable with the co-workers.
Having said all this, I haven't written anything yet for publication.
One thing I like about being home: Today was my brother's birthday. I was able to pick him up from his job, take him to my parents' and have birthday cake for 45 minutes, then go home to my bed. I didn't have to pack a suitcase or my dirty clothes or spend $60 on gas to get there.
I haven't posted really that much about this town. It's hard to express its uniqueness, because you really have to be there to believe it and understand it. It was like growing up in a bubble in a way because... this town is not like the rest of the world, kind of in the way Orange City's not, but times six. More on that later.
For now, it suffices to say that I work downtown. Downtown is thriving, relatively, here. I can walk from work to at least a half dozen restaurants for lunch... no, probably more like a dozen -- then stop by the post office to mail a letter, pay my late fees at the library, pick up a birthday present all in 45 minutes. And then walk back to work. It's a nice change.
Well, three days in to the job, things are going better. Yesterday afternoon I got a bunch of assignments that will keep me occupied but not too occupied through Monday morning. Sources are actually calling me back and talking my ear off and friendly. Feeling more comfortable with the co-workers.
Having said all this, I haven't written anything yet for publication.
One thing I like about being home: Today was my brother's birthday. I was able to pick him up from his job, take him to my parents' and have birthday cake for 45 minutes, then go home to my bed. I didn't have to pack a suitcase or my dirty clothes or spend $60 on gas to get there.
I haven't posted really that much about this town. It's hard to express its uniqueness, because you really have to be there to believe it and understand it. It was like growing up in a bubble in a way because... this town is not like the rest of the world, kind of in the way Orange City's not, but times six. More on that later.
For now, it suffices to say that I work downtown. Downtown is thriving, relatively, here. I can walk from work to at least a half dozen restaurants for lunch... no, probably more like a dozen -- then stop by the post office to mail a letter, pay my late fees at the library, pick up a birthday present all in 45 minutes. And then walk back to work. It's a nice change.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
is it true? am I ... Dutch?
My ancestors were these Mennonites who moved from Germany to Russia to America. There's a name for it I forget. Sounds Transylvanian. But many of these Mennonites originated from Holland, some specifically were Friesian... But we're talking like 1500/1600. Not Dutch enough that it would mean anything, for better or worser.
the first day
Heaven help me.
Like I wrote before, this job looks like it will be more and less challenging than expected.
The "more" parts just get so overwhelming, you know?
I think the social components of the job will be among the most difficult, i.e. getting along with co-workers. It's not that I don't like them -- they really were friendly. But working here in the "real world" is different than working in Northwest Iowa, where the non-god-fearing person is the exception to the rule. It's just going to be different to remember how to relate to people my age who don't share my values, i.e. my idea of a successful weekend does not correlate to how much alcohol I consumed. I'm sure I already seem boring enough to them, mostly because I didn't have that much to say and I didn't have interesting hobbies and came from the boondocks and actually thought this town might be worth living in. If you're under a certain age you're expected to think it's dumb.
And people here are just more aggressive in general. If you happen to know me, you know that, well, I am not aggressive (in most cases) and I shy away from conflict of any kind. This will be a problem here (the conflict part).
And, my first day was the first day back for the rest of the staff after someone was unexpectedly fired.
Being in an unfamiliar process is also challenging. I like to have my mind wrapped around a system, and here the system is more fluid than I'm used to. I am not in control of the system, and that will be frustrating to get used to.
Mostly today I did nothing. I think they forgot I was there a lot. They were busy. I rewrote some press releases they didn't end up needing and then I read some stuff.
I saw copy errors. I wanted to help them, but they were published weeks ago.
I can feel I'm starting to go into panic mode -- the pre-depression mode, and I know I need to start thinking positively about absolutely everything ASAP. It's so difficult.
Like I wrote before, this job looks like it will be more and less challenging than expected.
The "more" parts just get so overwhelming, you know?
I think the social components of the job will be among the most difficult, i.e. getting along with co-workers. It's not that I don't like them -- they really were friendly. But working here in the "real world" is different than working in Northwest Iowa, where the non-god-fearing person is the exception to the rule. It's just going to be different to remember how to relate to people my age who don't share my values, i.e. my idea of a successful weekend does not correlate to how much alcohol I consumed. I'm sure I already seem boring enough to them, mostly because I didn't have that much to say and I didn't have interesting hobbies and came from the boondocks and actually thought this town might be worth living in. If you're under a certain age you're expected to think it's dumb.
And people here are just more aggressive in general. If you happen to know me, you know that, well, I am not aggressive (in most cases) and I shy away from conflict of any kind. This will be a problem here (the conflict part).
And, my first day was the first day back for the rest of the staff after someone was unexpectedly fired.
Being in an unfamiliar process is also challenging. I like to have my mind wrapped around a system, and here the system is more fluid than I'm used to. I am not in control of the system, and that will be frustrating to get used to.
Mostly today I did nothing. I think they forgot I was there a lot. They were busy. I rewrote some press releases they didn't end up needing and then I read some stuff.
I saw copy errors. I wanted to help them, but they were published weeks ago.
I can feel I'm starting to go into panic mode -- the pre-depression mode, and I know I need to start thinking positively about absolutely everything ASAP. It's so difficult.
Monday, September 04, 2006
home messy home
Iowa got some much-needed rain Friday and Saturday as I was attempting to load boxes into my car. And Minnesota got some extremely heavy showers Saturday afternoon as I was trying to see the lane markings for I-35, and some lighter showers as the boxes were being transferred back out of the car.
Saturday marks a new chapter in life -- very cut and dried turning the page. There are very few connections now to life before Saturday. I live in a new state, preparing for a new job, whole new relationship with family, new apartment, new phone number...
Will the new chapter be more or less good, exciting, traumatizing, demeaning, boring, hilarious, mysterious, amazing ... than the last?
At the very least I know I have even more to learn about myself. I have to re-learn how to be part of a family, for one. It's one thing to visit for three days at a time. This is quite another. I know I need to learn to be more humble, i.e. getting upset when one family member suggests I do things a little differently than I'd planned, and I'm too proud to consider taking their advice.
Even going to the store is different here -- for one, they have stores, and they are big, and they have things I want, and they are extremely close by. Last night I went to buy groceries, and the first person I see is the father of my childhood best friend, whom I've known since I was five. I ran into him at least five more times during that shopping trip, and we checked out at the same time, and our cars were parked three apart. I ran into an old boss and her family today at Target. And my brother was my cashier.
Moving also means re-establishing a home. A friend just before I left Iowa mentioned something about that apartment, while being nice enough, wasn't in a very home-y area. And after seeing my sister's apartment this weekend, I've realized I don't set up a very homey home. Much of that is money -- I have cheap furniture like futons and bookshelves made of cheap wood and wood-colored paper. I don't have a thematic colors or decor of any type, really. In fact, some of these rooms and walls and corners are very bare. I don't mind so much, really. In a way, the decor is just things, and I'm sick of things. I have so many things, and I use them each about once a week. It might not be attractive, but it's home to me just in that I know I'm safe here to relax and be myself.
Tomorrow I start my new job. I have a feeling it will be more and less difficult than I expect.
Saturday marks a new chapter in life -- very cut and dried turning the page. There are very few connections now to life before Saturday. I live in a new state, preparing for a new job, whole new relationship with family, new apartment, new phone number...
Will the new chapter be more or less good, exciting, traumatizing, demeaning, boring, hilarious, mysterious, amazing ... than the last?
At the very least I know I have even more to learn about myself. I have to re-learn how to be part of a family, for one. It's one thing to visit for three days at a time. This is quite another. I know I need to learn to be more humble, i.e. getting upset when one family member suggests I do things a little differently than I'd planned, and I'm too proud to consider taking their advice.
Even going to the store is different here -- for one, they have stores, and they are big, and they have things I want, and they are extremely close by. Last night I went to buy groceries, and the first person I see is the father of my childhood best friend, whom I've known since I was five. I ran into him at least five more times during that shopping trip, and we checked out at the same time, and our cars were parked three apart. I ran into an old boss and her family today at Target. And my brother was my cashier.
Moving also means re-establishing a home. A friend just before I left Iowa mentioned something about that apartment, while being nice enough, wasn't in a very home-y area. And after seeing my sister's apartment this weekend, I've realized I don't set up a very homey home. Much of that is money -- I have cheap furniture like futons and bookshelves made of cheap wood and wood-colored paper. I don't have a thematic colors or decor of any type, really. In fact, some of these rooms and walls and corners are very bare. I don't mind so much, really. In a way, the decor is just things, and I'm sick of things. I have so many things, and I use them each about once a week. It might not be attractive, but it's home to me just in that I know I'm safe here to relax and be myself.
Tomorrow I start my new job. I have a feeling it will be more and less difficult than I expect.
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