Thursday, November 17, 2005
There was a guy sitting on the couch upstairs by where I work. Then Nick came up here and started talking to him. Then they came over and Nick started talking to me. Then I looked over at the guy and I knew him. He looked different, but like he was doing well. He was an acquaintance that went to Iraq my sophomore year. He lived on my floor, then one day he was gone. Anyway, he's been back and it made me glad.
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Thursday, September 15, 2005
change of priorities
Blogging has fallen quite short of my priority list since school has started. But the blog shouldn't feel bad, so have many other things that were once even higher than it. Sorry. Not that what comes out of my head for others to read is all that interesting anyway. But I'm telling you, you should get inside it! Chau for now.
Thursday, September 08, 2005
Thursday, September 01, 2005
That's just too bad, isn't it?
Imagine yourself as a somewhat overly arrogant art professor (foreign, to complicate things more) who has tought one year at a somewhat sucky (especially in your department) little university far from pretty much anything but beautiful nature and souls of aspiring students. Good so far? Great. In walks this girl who you have never seen before--never even heard of before, who tells you she is in your advanced painting class for one credit. You don't even get the concept of taking a four credit class for one credit. Hmmm. "Who the hell do you think you are?" I'm sure you might say in your head at this young woman, especially since you've never seen or heard about anything she has done before in painting or in any realm of art. After seeing a few paintings, one of which had been done in Intermediate Painting and two on her own, you're probably wondering what the hell she was thinking when she did them. "OK so you do abstract?" Hmmm.. again 'Can you actually paint?' said in your head. This girl has not had screening, she has another major that she's going to grad school for, she doesn't seem to have a feasible reason for wanting to paint anyway, and all I've seen are a few paintings that make no sense, especially since she hasn't painted a self-portrait. (somehow that makes all the difference). I have to help this girl? OooooKaaaayyy.............. That's just too bad, isn't it?
Now imagine you're a student at this same somewhat sucky university who has changed your mind many many times and has finally figured out just what it is you want to end up with here, but the only professor who has seen you develop any sort of painting ability has been in New York (which is why you waited to take Advanced Painting this year) But she will be this year, your last year, again. So, you are forced to take your last painting class split up into one and three credits per semester, respectively, from a somewhat overly arrogant art instructor from Russia who has never seen you or heard of you before and certainly has not seen any of your artwork, and doesn't understand the concept of taking a class for one credit out of four, and doesn't really understand why you haven't been "screened" or why you're only getting a B.A. in Art and not a B.F.A. But you have to take this class to get the degree you want and you don't really listen to people who say that you can't or really shouldn't do something so you just have to put up with the arrogance and the "what the hell are you thinking" and the fact that whoever is your professor, she's not gonna know you anyway. That's just too bad, isn't it?
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHGG!! I'm so freakin' frustrated!!!!!
OK, I'm OK, it's a bit better . . .
Ha
Now imagine you're a student at this same somewhat sucky university who has changed your mind many many times and has finally figured out just what it is you want to end up with here, but the only professor who has seen you develop any sort of painting ability has been in New York (which is why you waited to take Advanced Painting this year) But she will be this year, your last year, again. So, you are forced to take your last painting class split up into one and three credits per semester, respectively, from a somewhat overly arrogant art instructor from Russia who has never seen you or heard of you before and certainly has not seen any of your artwork, and doesn't understand the concept of taking a class for one credit out of four, and doesn't really understand why you haven't been "screened" or why you're only getting a B.A. in Art and not a B.F.A. But you have to take this class to get the degree you want and you don't really listen to people who say that you can't or really shouldn't do something so you just have to put up with the arrogance and the "what the hell are you thinking" and the fact that whoever is your professor, she's not gonna know you anyway. That's just too bad, isn't it?
AAAAAAAAAHHHHHGG!! I'm so freakin' frustrated!!!!!
OK, I'm OK, it's a bit better . . .
Ha
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Imagination--everything
So I bought a few books for class. I have been so curious about linguistics that I had to open that book up. I can't stop reading it. Class doesn't start until Tuesday. I'm on Chapter 4. I'm really not this nerdy. I swear!
Here's my favorite part so far:
"Nothing can be left to the imagination, though, because the internal representations are the imagination."
Take that for what it's worth.
Language really is fascinating. The way he expresses his ideas in this book is, for me, so comprehinsible, because I know what he is talking about. I can't explain it with my mother tongue, because I can't figure out the words or the correct patterns of the words to do so. I just have to know it as an experience. It is so strange how restricting and liberating language can be.
By the way, the book, by Steven Pinker, is called The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language
Here's my favorite part so far:
"Nothing can be left to the imagination, though, because the internal representations are the imagination."
Take that for what it's worth.
Language really is fascinating. The way he expresses his ideas in this book is, for me, so comprehinsible, because I know what he is talking about. I can't explain it with my mother tongue, because I can't figure out the words or the correct patterns of the words to do so. I just have to know it as an experience. It is so strange how restricting and liberating language can be.
By the way, the book, by Steven Pinker, is called The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language
Here it comes. . .
Today's the day. I put everything away or recycled it since Tuesday after I performed miserably on the second practice exam. Not on the math section. What is it with my head and math? Whatever. But wow, the verbal. That was bad. Anyway, I have spent a day and a half trying not to think about it, but whether I wanted it or not, words like "incipient" and "vituperate" have been floating around in my head, trying to make me remember what the hell they mean. Seriously, does knowing words that are only used by those who want to look like they know everying really measure intelligence? No. All it measures is how hard you try to make yourself look smarter than you are. That's what I think, but then, what do I know? Anyway, I will run and eat oatmeal and then take a 3 hour and 15 minute (i think) test and then after that eat delicious food with my husband and brother-in-law who's been in Europe for the past year and then we'll go out and maybe watch a movie and have a great time. So how important REALLY is this test? Hmmm, maybe if I wanted to get a Master's in Journalism or something, but Spanish doesn't need words like "insipid" and "harangue" because their language is already so ambiguous and metaphorical that one of their words has about 12 different meanings (or more). So, I'll go take your stupid 115 dollar test and then I'll show students a world they never could have seen before. Because to know the words "incipient" and "vituperate" and "insipid" and "harangue" is not to see a new world, but saber otras lenguas es conocer otros mundos. Joder.
Thursday, August 18, 2005
Remember what I said about feeling high?
From a Runner's World, June 2004, article by Amby Burfoot "Is there really a runner's high?"
From his readings in the field, Dietrich knew about a relatively new brain receptor site, first discovered in 1990. This site was shown to be the receptor for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana that produces another kind of high entirely. The site was named the cannabinoid receptor.
since the body is an intelligent system that doesn't develop receptors for no reason at all, this meant the new receptor must be home to a natural body chemical--and not just THC, an exogenous, or "outside the body" substance. The natural chemical was discovered in 1992. It's called anandamide, from the Sanskrit word for "bliss." Anandamide is very similar to THC, and it produces pleasant feelings of relaxation and pain cessation similar to those often described by runners and pot smokers.
Could anandamide be the missing link to runner's high, the substance that endorphins were not? On one long run, Dietrich worked out all the details. "I was convinced that I had hit the nail on the head when it came to a biological explanation for runner's high," he says. "Of course, it would take me two years to prove it."
He started by devising a simple experiment with a small group of subjects who ran or bicycled for 40 minutes and 76 percent of their max heart rate, and then had blood samples drawn immediately after exercising. next the blood samples were flown to a special lab in Irvine, California. The results showed that both the runners and bicyclists had significantly more anandamide in their blood after exercising, with the greatest increase among the runners.
Equally important, as Dietrich already knew, anandamide doesn't have a blood-brain barrier problem, the way endorphins do. if you've got anandamide in your blood, it's going to reach your brain, where the cannabinoid receptor will hungrily grab it and give you a nice buzz. "Anandamide is a tiny little fatty acid that crosses the blood-brain barrier like nobody's business," says Dietrich.
Anandamide does more than just get you high. It also dilates your blood vessels and the bronchial tubes in your lungs. both of these physical adaptations should help you run better and longer.
This makes perfect sense to Dietrich.
Not to mention myself. This is an article that first explained why endorphins can not be the cause of this so-called "runner's high." But now, we know the truth! :)
From his readings in the field, Dietrich knew about a relatively new brain receptor site, first discovered in 1990. This site was shown to be the receptor for THC, the active ingredient in marijuana that produces another kind of high entirely. The site was named the cannabinoid receptor.
since the body is an intelligent system that doesn't develop receptors for no reason at all, this meant the new receptor must be home to a natural body chemical--and not just THC, an exogenous, or "outside the body" substance. The natural chemical was discovered in 1992. It's called anandamide, from the Sanskrit word for "bliss." Anandamide is very similar to THC, and it produces pleasant feelings of relaxation and pain cessation similar to those often described by runners and pot smokers.
Could anandamide be the missing link to runner's high, the substance that endorphins were not? On one long run, Dietrich worked out all the details. "I was convinced that I had hit the nail on the head when it came to a biological explanation for runner's high," he says. "Of course, it would take me two years to prove it."
He started by devising a simple experiment with a small group of subjects who ran or bicycled for 40 minutes and 76 percent of their max heart rate, and then had blood samples drawn immediately after exercising. next the blood samples were flown to a special lab in Irvine, California. The results showed that both the runners and bicyclists had significantly more anandamide in their blood after exercising, with the greatest increase among the runners.
Equally important, as Dietrich already knew, anandamide doesn't have a blood-brain barrier problem, the way endorphins do. if you've got anandamide in your blood, it's going to reach your brain, where the cannabinoid receptor will hungrily grab it and give you a nice buzz. "Anandamide is a tiny little fatty acid that crosses the blood-brain barrier like nobody's business," says Dietrich.
Anandamide does more than just get you high. It also dilates your blood vessels and the bronchial tubes in your lungs. both of these physical adaptations should help you run better and longer.
This makes perfect sense to Dietrich.
Not to mention myself. This is an article that first explained why endorphins can not be the cause of this so-called "runner's high." But now, we know the truth! :)
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Impatiently waiting
For four o'clock, when I can leave the world and find some inspiration more than folding yellowish-orange, pink, and white paper and stuffing them in envelopes.
Thursday, August 04, 2005
don't let 'em slip away!!!
7:30 beautiful day, no one to play catch with (baseball), or football or frisbee....
Hmmm....
7:45..... day can't last......
8:00-8:30...
that's 3 more miles you can't take away and one more day I didn't let just simply fade... away..
Hmmm....
7:45..... day can't last......
8:00-8:30...
that's 3 more miles you can't take away and one more day I didn't let just simply fade... away..
Note to self:
If you want to get giddy dizzy, like being high (if that's what it feels like):
at 5:30, eat a scrambled egg and 3 smallish to normal-sized lemon blueberry pancakes made of a mix bought at Banff. (With real maple syrup of course).
then at 8:00 run about two miles.
If you want to get worse dizzy, like, "oh, my head", and "whoa, I might fall over",,,,,,,,,, keep running.
However,,,, it hasn't felt that good in quite some time :)
at 5:30, eat a scrambled egg and 3 smallish to normal-sized lemon blueberry pancakes made of a mix bought at Banff. (With real maple syrup of course).
then at 8:00 run about two miles.
If you want to get worse dizzy, like, "oh, my head", and "whoa, I might fall over",,,,,,,,,, keep running.
However,,,, it hasn't felt that good in quite some time :)
Monday, August 01, 2005
Boston
We paid a scalper $250 so that we could get tickets to stand in Fenway.
It was worth it, even if the Twins sucked. again.
However, I am glad that we won't HAVE to try to get in again,,,
Went to the Museum of Fine Arts and Bill (he's amazing) wanted to see everything. We were there for over 4 hours and didn't
The JFK library was of course interesting and I had a lot to learn (I knew nothing but the fact that he was shot) I even decided that I would like to see all the Presidential Libraries {here's a shocker, even GWBush's if he gets one} just because there is so much to learn at them.
We had a dinner cruise along the harber with others at the trade show. It was good, I ate lots of veggies, and carrot cake! We also sat with Bill's bosses and their wives and another of their coworkers and drank. We hung out with them after the cruise as well and drank. Never knew people could get so schloshed with their bosses and get away with it.
The two days it was incredibly hot I didn't go outside (except that evening of the cruise)
I took a GRE practice test and did a lot better than the first one. I guess I just need to have pressure (I timed this one)
We got to watch the Twins/Yankees game that Julie A. went to because it was on ESPN
We climbed to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument and felt it in our legs for the next 3 days.
I had dinner with my mother in law and two guys next to us just started talking. We had a fun conversation (I thought). it was nice, they were Bostonians.
This trip of course reiterates the fact that from what I have observed, Spanish people are just generally NOT personable, and it's not just big cities, because Bostonians are quite friendly
Oh we also sat next to a young man from Columbia and he says the exact same thing about Spaniards (yes, he's been there also)
Boston, you should go.
It was worth it, even if the Twins sucked. again.
However, I am glad that we won't HAVE to try to get in again,,,
Went to the Museum of Fine Arts and Bill (he's amazing) wanted to see everything. We were there for over 4 hours and didn't
The JFK library was of course interesting and I had a lot to learn (I knew nothing but the fact that he was shot) I even decided that I would like to see all the Presidential Libraries {here's a shocker, even GWBush's if he gets one} just because there is so much to learn at them.
We had a dinner cruise along the harber with others at the trade show. It was good, I ate lots of veggies, and carrot cake! We also sat with Bill's bosses and their wives and another of their coworkers and drank. We hung out with them after the cruise as well and drank. Never knew people could get so schloshed with their bosses and get away with it.
The two days it was incredibly hot I didn't go outside (except that evening of the cruise)
I took a GRE practice test and did a lot better than the first one. I guess I just need to have pressure (I timed this one)
We got to watch the Twins/Yankees game that Julie A. went to because it was on ESPN
We climbed to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument and felt it in our legs for the next 3 days.
I had dinner with my mother in law and two guys next to us just started talking. We had a fun conversation (I thought). it was nice, they were Bostonians.
This trip of course reiterates the fact that from what I have observed, Spanish people are just generally NOT personable, and it's not just big cities, because Bostonians are quite friendly
Oh we also sat next to a young man from Columbia and he says the exact same thing about Spaniards (yes, he's been there also)
Boston, you should go.
we are, we become
She feels herself fading
As time
Consumes
Her heart beats out the seconds
In this wasteland
Of fear, dispair, sadness, and gloom
and
HOPE
She can't see through the looking glass
Or past the lonely years
That were cleansed in the darkness
By her saltless
Tears
Her breath becomes a melody
The air is but a chime
The wind only whispers
Goodbye
As time
Consumes
Her heart beats out the seconds
In this wasteland
Of fear, dispair, sadness, and gloom
and
HOPE
She can't see through the looking glass
Or past the lonely years
That were cleansed in the darkness
By her saltless
Tears
Her breath becomes a melody
The air is but a chime
The wind only whispers
Goodbye
Thursday, July 21, 2005
Hi, Mom!
I just wanted to say hi! I know you read this once in a while :) Hi to Dad too, but I am not so sure he reads this.
That's all.
Oh, hi everyone else that reads this too!
PS. I'll call you when we get home from Boston. (Just Mom and Dad)
Probably we'll talk before I go too.
haha this is like an email!
Oh, for all you who didn't know, Bill and I will be in Boston :) from this Saturday till the next.
That's all.
Oh, hi everyone else that reads this too!
PS. I'll call you when we get home from Boston. (Just Mom and Dad)
Probably we'll talk before I go too.
haha this is like an email!
Oh, for all you who didn't know, Bill and I will be in Boston :) from this Saturday till the next.
To Nicole: more work woes
Laura: Good afternoon, Academic Affairs.
Stupid girl: Hi, actually, I'm calling you because I can't find any other number. The number for the general information at BSU isn't working anymore? It's not listed?
Laura: Ummm, what number did you call?
Stupid girl: 751-2001
Laura: I don't know.. 751 or 755?
Stupid girl: The phone book said 751.
Laura: Yeah, I don't know I've never tried to call it. Can I transfer you somewhere?
Stupid girl: Yeah I'm trying to get a hold of *some prof. Ed. professor*
Laura: OK, I can give you his number, but then I'll transfer you to the Pro. Ed. department because they'll be able to help you more than I can if he's not there.
Stupid girl: OK...
Then Laura transfers her and looks up Bemidji State University in the phone book. 755-2001
WOW
Stupid girl: Hi, actually, I'm calling you because I can't find any other number. The number for the general information at BSU isn't working anymore? It's not listed?
Laura: Ummm, what number did you call?
Stupid girl: 751-2001
Laura: I don't know.. 751 or 755?
Stupid girl: The phone book said 751.
Laura: Yeah, I don't know I've never tried to call it. Can I transfer you somewhere?
Stupid girl: Yeah I'm trying to get a hold of *some prof. Ed. professor*
Laura: OK, I can give you his number, but then I'll transfer you to the Pro. Ed. department because they'll be able to help you more than I can if he's not there.
Stupid girl: OK...
Then Laura transfers her and looks up Bemidji State University in the phone book. 755-2001
WOW
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
Friday, July 15, 2005
brown grass and a significant pull
They're watering the sidewalks again. And by doing so, me as well.
I just visited the University of Iowa. The grass was brown. It switched from my number 2 choice to my number 1
(Especially after I saw the sprinklers at Madison the next day).
Green, green grass is not the only thing that makes a campus beautiful.
I just visited the University of Iowa. The grass was brown. It switched from my number 2 choice to my number 1
(Especially after I saw the sprinklers at Madison the next day).
Green, green grass is not the only thing that makes a campus beautiful.
Thursday, July 14, 2005
more good
OK, I have another thing to let you all know about that was really cool. I thought.
So I was riding my bike home from the bank yesterday and ... wait I gotta see when the Twins play and if they're on TV ... OK thanks.
Anyway, the light on 10th and Bemidji Ave. is really quick, and it was green but I knew it'd turn soon. It did, yellowy-orange, oh no! So I hurried and did something I NEVER do... rode over the curb! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!! I hate going over the curb. Of course, as happens whenever I go over any significant bump (which I didn't think of obviously) my stupid bike pump fell off. Well, as I said the light was yellow... I couldn't just run back into Paul Bunyan Drive in the middle of the afternoon to get it.
Anyway, this man in a red minivan didn't go. He just waited. He pissed off everyone behind him by not going when the light was green. And I just watched from the other side of the road. One amazing thing to me, is that only one person honked, and I mean there were a lot of cars... they all just passed him and drove really close to my poor stupid bike pump and he protected it until the light turned red for him and green for me. What a nice thing. He saved that wreched little pump that always falls off in inoportune times. I like that about this region. Minnesota, they're nice :)
So I was riding my bike home from the bank yesterday and ... wait I gotta see when the Twins play and if they're on TV ... OK thanks.
Anyway, the light on 10th and Bemidji Ave. is really quick, and it was green but I knew it'd turn soon. It did, yellowy-orange, oh no! So I hurried and did something I NEVER do... rode over the curb! AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!! I hate going over the curb. Of course, as happens whenever I go over any significant bump (which I didn't think of obviously) my stupid bike pump fell off. Well, as I said the light was yellow... I couldn't just run back into Paul Bunyan Drive in the middle of the afternoon to get it.
Anyway, this man in a red minivan didn't go. He just waited. He pissed off everyone behind him by not going when the light was green. And I just watched from the other side of the road. One amazing thing to me, is that only one person honked, and I mean there were a lot of cars... they all just passed him and drove really close to my poor stupid bike pump and he protected it until the light turned red for him and green for me. What a nice thing. He saved that wreched little pump that always falls off in inoportune times. I like that about this region. Minnesota, they're nice :)
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Español
Quiero escribir en español. Lo siento. No es malo, pero mis amigos no pueden leerlo. Posiblemente, Brandon pueda traducirlo para Julie, y otra Julie pueda leer otras palabras. Quiero hablar con fluidez. Creo que escribo bastante bueno, pero hablo peor. Siento que mis amigos no hablan español, pero encontraré algunos en la próxima universidad (espero). Pero no voy a dejar atrás a mis amigos/as de hoy. Esto os prometo.
go veggies yeah!
I have this friend that I feel a hundred times closer to since we've been in different towns (not to mention different countries) for over a month. What the heck?
Distance, while rather inconvenient at times, isn't ALWAYS terrible.
But I hope to see you again soon!! Oh wait, I will this weekend. Lovely.
Distance, while rather inconvenient at times, isn't ALWAYS terrible.
But I hope to see you again soon!! Oh wait, I will this weekend. Lovely.
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