Monthly Archives: June 2010

She paints me blue, she's a red star.

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The conversation went like this:

“I really want a new iPod.”

“But you have an iPhone.”

“But I don’t want to drain my battery all the time.”

“Well get one.”

“I want an iPod shuffle.”

“So get one.”

“I want one of the old school ones, though, that had the click buttons. I don’t like the new ones without the click buttons.” (I’ve been known to lose headphones. And if you don’t have fancy headphones, it appears you cannot use the new one…shame.)

“So get one.”

“But I don’t need one. I shouldn’t spend the money.”

So Jeff got me two, instead. Used and new, one that might work, one that will work. (Turns out, they both work. This girl just became the proud owner of two patriotic second generation iPods.)

Meet my new iPod(s). There names are: “she paints me blue” and “she’s a red star.”

Bonus points if you can name the songs and artists of said names.

(Thank you Jeff, for delightful options and a new bff at the gym and in the car.)

This is why you have neighbors you like, carry NatGeo in your purse: alternatively, I love AAA

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Once, I was home for a break (summer of ’05, as I recall it) and I was driving the car to Ann Arbor to see some friends. This ended like it usually did: with my trust Volvo breaking down and having to be towed to Corky’s. My mechanic knew me not because he was that good (although he certainly was) but because between our two cars, we seemed to be constantly in his shop.

Anyways, on this particular day, there was something wrong with the car that was going to take all day to fix, and I was left stuck in the waiting area, no book in my purse (which was usually the case, but as this got heavy, and I recently has spent a semester trekking too much crap around the Netherlands and surrounding Europe, I had left my book at home.)

I ended up sitting in that waiting room, calling everyone I knew to chat, until my phone was near death, and reading copies of car magazines from the 1990s. That three hour wait turned me into a firm believer in always carrying reading material on my person.

On Tuesday, when Jeff and I went to vote, I waited outside the polling place, reading National Geographic’s latest magazine on Greenland. Frequently, I find myself random places, waiting for someone or something, reading a bit of NatGeo here, a few pages of my book club book there. Yes, I have an iPhone, but reading the news doesn’t always get me through that tap, tap, tap period of “Where are they? Are they coming? Do I need to call someone?” No, reading something real will always take me away, not caring if they are coming, hoping secretly they are not, so I can keep reading about Greenland or Buddha or the knitting group.

So this morning, when Jeff turned the key and the engine said politely, “No, thank you, I think I’d just as much like to stay off today,” I was prepared. After we were sure it wasn’t just a jump we needed (because we have a neighbor who will at the drop of a hat come out and move her car to help us out, thank you Corelyn for helping us out after I barged into your home at an unreasonable hour) Jeff called AAA. Sure, I was at home. I could have gone upstairs (which I did to check rental car prices) and put makeup on, finished drying my hair, watched a little TV, made some eggs, or generally paced the living room, waiting for the battery guy to show up.

Instead, I plopped myself on the stoop, tried to sit lady-like (“The ONE day the car breaks down, I have to be wearing a DRESS!” I exclaimed to Jeff, after trying to sit comfortably without revealing anything) and read about Greenland. “Did you know that the Inuits traveled to Greenland, migrating northeast? You always hear about people going the other way…” I exclaimed to Jeff. Well, you learn something new every day. So, after the battery guy came, fixed the terminal connection, told us we’d better replace the one we have, and we were on our way to work, I was that much more knowledgeable, and very calm. And, is there a better way to start a work day than late but educated and caffeinated? I think not.

Corelyn’s car pulled up next to ours. Trying to jump it…

The battery guy = amazing. Fixed the terminal in the time it took me to toast and cream cheese a bagel. Fed + car working = perfect day.

24 Things I want for my birthday.

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Since I am turning 24, I would like you to do me 24 favors. I think you can do them all, and I think it might not be that hard, AND I think you’ll come off on the other side that much smarter. Take your time — the summer if need be — but try to do some of these, for me, cause it’s my birthday.

1. Register to vote if you’re not registered already.

2. Take time to review the candidates in your next election, which is coming this August. Primaries are happening now, and yours could be soon, or have already happened!!

Massachusetts – September 14, 2010
Connecticut – August 10, 2010
California – Yesterday, read about candidates here.
Michigan – August 3, 2010

Calendar of all the dates for primaries, in case you don’t live in the four I’ve lived in…

3. Read this article, and this article, about the Gulf Oil Spill. Because it’s not over, and we need to continually be aware that the Oil Spill was not a natural disaster — and it’s not over, yet.

4. Tell me how long you read the newspaper or news online a day. Then double it. 15 minutes? Try 30. Check the New York Times, the LA Times, the Boston Globe, the Detroit Free Press, CNN, MSNBC, Fox (yes, because you should know how they are skewing things, lately), ABC News, BBC News, Al Jazeera, etc. Read about politics, world events, local events, sports. Just be aware.

5. Send me your favorite Youtube video. Here’s mine.

6. Find a local farmer’s market. Buy your produce from there. Not only will it taste delicious, it’ll also help support your local economy, and be better for you. AND will lower your carbon imprint.

7. Speaking of local produce, try, just ONCE a month (and maybe gradually change your thinking to always), to buy your meat organic, and free range. It’s better for the animal, for you, and for the world. (You can do this with eggs, too.)

8. READ THIS.

9. Stop eating high fructose corn syrup. (Alternatively titled: eat more REAL food.)

10. Read Michael Pollan’s “Food Rules.” Corelyn has a copy, if you need to borrow. Then, pick 10 rules to start with, and follow them.

11. Send me 5 books that you think I should read RIGHT NOW because holy crap, she’d love this.

12. Tell me what you want to know about — do you want me to write more about my family, friends? Do you want me to write more? Have more photos? Cook something fancy you’ve been meaning to try but aren’t sure how to do? Post more recipes? Let me know!

13. Tell me an issue you care about: I’ll give you a documentary to watch. Watch it.

14. Tell me how you feel about gay marriage: if you’re for it, help me fight for rights. Sign up for a list serve, read about it online, figure out if you can donate time or money to the cause, simply know what is going on. If you’re against it, explain to me why, so I can understand you, and learn more about this controversial subject.

15. Sign up to be a bone marrow donor or a blood donor. Or both (like I am!) Last year’s birthday present to myself was to become a bone marrow donor — and I’ve never felt better. Tell your friends, and have them sign up, too!

16. Recycle. Reuse. Reduce. I know some of you find recycling hard: but if God, or whoever, made this planet for us, don’t you think we should keep it nice? And, if the planet was made for all of us, don’t you think it’d be nice if we kept it nice for others? How would you feel if you a) gave someone a really nice gift and they kept it dirty, or b) knew that your friends didn’t clean their kids rooms, even if their kids couldn’t do it for themselves because they were infants?

17. Make me a playlist. Send it to me in an email (if you think I have/can get most of the songs) or by CD, or by MP3 email.

18. Tell me what you care about. Shoot me a link to your blog, or someone’s blog YOU follow because you care about what you write, or something you’ve written. Let me help you with your causes, as you help me with mine.

19. Volunteer. For one hour a month, or a week. Or one hour every four months. Just get out and do something: coach a team, tutor a kid, help plant a garden, get out politic ideas, clean up your neighborhood, walk a dog, grocery shop for the elderly, listen to someone’s story. There are thousands of organizations that will help you volunteer near and far.

20. Get up, and go! Walk, run, jog, cycle, swim. Do yoga, hikes, climbs,  head stands, whatever. I want you to be healthy, because quite frankly, I really like you. And I want you to be around for a while. Selfish me.

21. On that note — don’t diet. Moderate. Dieting doesn’t do the body good, and doesn’t do your stress levels or mental state good, either. Figure out what moderation works for you. Refer to number 20.

22. Take my mantra to heart: Today’s the day. When I was 15, I cut that phrase out of a magazine, where it was part of an ad (I think for Wheat Thins or something.) I took it to heart: today’s the day. Today’s the day to make it happen. Today’s the day I finally stick up for myself. Today’s the day that I love myself, my life, and everything around me. Today’s the day I finally start working out. Today’s the day I smile. Whatever. But remember: Today’s the day.

23. Take some pictures of your life. Send them to me. Email, blog posts, whatever. Sometimes you guys are so damn quiet it scares me. I want to know what’s going on with you, and what makes you tick, smile, laugh, and cry.

24. Send me a favor to do for you. As I explained to Roman, one of my soccer players:

“Roman, can you do me a favor and get me that ball?”

“WHAT?” Blank stare.

“Do you know what a favor is?”

“Umm, no.”

“OK. A favor is something you do for someone because they need you to do it to help them, or help yourself. And then, if you do a favor for them, they might do one for you later.”

“Ohhh, ok. I’ll get you that ball.” And, later, I let him play goalie…

Please excuse this slight delay…

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As a bridesmaid, I did most of the things I was supposed to do: cracked jokes at the rehearsal, hugged everyone like I knew them, got my hair done at 7 am, held it together with 41 bobby pins, practiced the walk to the stage in my heels and jeans, sewed my dress on, told the bride a funny story before we went on stage to calm her nerves, walked down the aisle without falling, cried twice on stage at the appropriate times, walked off the stage without falling, smiled in hundreds of pictures, held the bride’s train, got her in the car without dropping the dress, smiled when introduced at the reception hall, cried at the toasts, laughed at the toasts. I drank champagne, danced with the best man, danced with the groom (three times, because I am lucky), danced to keep the party alive, attended to the bride if she needed something (hug, smile, wink), danced with the other bridesmaids. I helped clean up, held the marriage license until it needed to be signed, held hands with B, and said, “hey, you’re married.”

But, as it turns out, I only managed two pictures, and two iPhone pictures. So, you’ll have to excuse the slight delay, but I must wait for Jeffrey to post them, as secondary wedding photographer.