There's not much happening on this end. I've been to the CUNY in Brooklyn a few times now to try and make things happen. A former softball teammate who works there talked to Admissions and got me in because even though I understood that I can't transfer straight into the Nursing program and therefore applied online as undeclared I was still rejected. Because they're idiots.
What I'd like to explain to them is that I don't expect to get any advantage from already having a Bachelors. If my particular degree was useful to me in any way then I wouldn't be applying to go back to school. I simply apply as a transfer and alert them to my degree because I was told by a CUNY admissions counselor (at what now appears to be a friendlier school) that if I don't disclose the fact that I've already been to school then I'm being dishonest on my application and that would be an immediate denial. But I can't explain this to anyone because no one wants to talk to me.
I had called the advising office on Wednesday to set up an appointment to meet with an advisor and was told by the person on the phone that I can just come on in. Which is also what it had said on their website.
So I do that. I spend an hour on the subway and walk in with all the paperwork I think I might possibly need and I politely tell the woman at the counter that I would like to talk to an advisor so I can register for classes. She's helpful enough when she asks my info to look me up and she says that my transcripts have not been transferred to them yet by the central CUNY office. I'm confused by this because I applied way back in February and since I've already given a tuition deposit and have a bunch of letters telling me I'm in I think they should have all the stuff they need. So I dare to ask a question and that was the beginning of the nightmare. Apparently no one ever dares to ask them a question. How dare I make her work!
"How long will it take to get the transcripts because I've already paid my tuition deposit and I applied back in February and I'd like to get into a class before they are all full"
"I don't know how long it will take. You're stuck in phase 3. Which means we can't help you until we have your transcripts. You have to wait until we mail you a card saying you can come in."
At this I internally freak out because you never hear from them. I never even heard from the school that I wasn't originally accepted, I had to find out from my friend who helped me after reading about my anxiety on Facebook!
"Ok. Who can I call to ask how much longer this is going to take, to check the status?"
She pulls out a post-it and begins to write the name and number of a person I've already called and emailed and who I'm certain will never EVER respond to me.
"I've already contacted that person."
"Well honey, we can't help you until CUNY sends your information"
"So then can I call CUNY? Because I just spent an hour on the train to get something done here and I've already paid what I'm supposed to pay and I just want to get into a class"
She rolls her eyes, lets out a big sigh and calls someone, who I later figure out is the same exact person she was writing down on the post-it note.
"Yeah, I've got a student here who wants to know if she can call CUNY to complain because she don't wanna wait no more"
All I can think is:
1. I am waiting. I have been waiting.
2. Why do I need permission to call CUNY? I'm not asking you to do it. I'll do it myself.
So she hangs up obviously angry at me and gives me a number to CUNY and the whole office, filled with waiting students, is staring at me. I'm about to go home and call CUNY when I realize I have a cellphone! I call them. Wait 13 minutes on hold and speak to another person who is also friendly (they really should make some of these people work in Brooklyn) and she tells me they (Bklyn) have no idea what they are talking about. All the info should be there. I ask for her name and direct line thinking that some miracle will occur and I will be helped by someone at an actual desk and I can have them contact her if need be.
So I go back. I tell her that I called CUNY and they said all my info should be available. Keep in mind I'm being really polite verbally even though my brain is in full freak out bitch mode. She cuts me off and says
"This isn't my problem. Hold on a sec. Go sit over there." She picks up the phone, calls same person back "Can you come talk to this girl please. I'm sorry to bother you but she called CUNY and now she's saying they sent everything."
So I'm thinking someone will come out and say 'How can I help you?' or 'What's your name?' Kind of like the nice way they did at Bronx Community College (apparently another, friendlier, CUNY). Instead this mean, angry, scary woman comes out- barely looks at me. Asks to see my transcripts, snaps at me that I don't have any math. What are you trying to get into? And announces that I need to take an assessment test. Which is fine with me. Now we're getting somewhere. It should be noted that over us the entire time the first woman is apologizing for interrupting her. For bothering her. And all I can think it. What the fuck? How are you bothering her? This is her fucking job, to advise! So I dare to ask a question (GASP)
Do I contact the testing office or do they contact me.
'They'll send you a letter in the mail.' and I think here we go again, sitting around waiting for a letter that will never come.
'So I can't call them?'
'No, they'll send you a letter telling you to come in for a test.' And she practically throws my transcripts at me and storms away as the little one yells out a few more times 'Sorry for bothering you!'
So I walk out and say out loud 'Sorry for wanting to get a degree.' Though not loud enough, not that they would hear me. They don't even care I exist.
So now I'm back in the hall and I look at my paperwork and see that it says if you need to make an appointment with the testing office to call. So I call.
'Can I make an appointment with you or do I have to wait until you contact me?'
'Why would I contact you? I don't know you exist. The advising office should have given you a routing slip and you bring it to me and I set you up for a test. They just did it yesterday.'
So I instantly burst into tears. 'Okay, I understand you are really busy but I've been in the advising office all morning and they really don't like me and I don't know why. Is there any way you can contact them for me because I really can't go in there again. I just can't.'
I must've sounded so desperate because she has me come up to her office, she calls them for a fax of the slip which takes a loooooong time because it's obviously for me and they clearly hate me. She sets me up for the test on the 18th.
I head back home totally dejected. I'll have to return to the advising office eventually. I'm sure I'll have to go in asking if I can see someone because I'm certain after I take the test I will never hear from them. And I'm just really, really sad that this is what I just signed up for.
Why are these terrible people so angry? I know that it's incessantly busy but think about it: the people who are 'harrassing' you just want an education. All they want is a degree so that they can have fantasies of not working at McDonald's or The Gap. And this is a CUNY. You're not dealing with trust fund babies or heiresses. These are inner city kids with public school education or immigrants trying to be the first to go to college in their families. Why do you have to be so cold and rude and mean? You have the opportunity to be the gateway to their future and you're blowing it. Big time.
Sunday, May 6, 2012
Saturday, April 28, 2012
Quality Community Member
A few weeks ago I was checking the mail for a very important letter that never showed up but instead found a pet catalog dedicated entirely to bird items. The sticker on the cover alerted me that they hadn't heard from me in some time and they were curious to know if I still wanted to receive the catalog. Since I had never received the catalog before I turned it over to discover that it was addressed to the woman who lived in the apartment before us.
I was actually pretty excited to imagine the happy coincidence that is two different couples living in an apartment back to back and both being bird owners. I was stoked to get her junk mail because bird owners are sadly neglected. I can think of 3 pet stores in our neighborhood and all of them are bursting at the seams with collars, harnesses, dog clothes, cat chew toys, and kibble. But only one of them has bird seed for sale and there is only one option and often they are out of the size I need.
And if you go to a large chain pet store the bird section is actually just as pathetic. Surrounding the cages filled with depressed looking exotic birds are a few bags of food- none appealing. The last time I was in PetSmart the only bag of parrot food that would have worked for us had a giant spider web growing inside of it.
So here I am, with this new catalog. I open it and it rocked my world. Toys and exercise stands and even food at a very normal price. So I wrote down my wish list and ordered 60 dollars worth of bird items and got free shipping which is a win/win because what's the point of paying the same price if then you have to pay for it to show up.
I guess the most pathetic part of this bird nerd fest is the level of anticipation that I had for the box to arrive. I couldn't wait to torture Vinnie and Claudia with their new hanging toys with bells and chew treats and perches flavored like pineapple. I realized in some not-exactly-the-same-thing-but-as-close-as-I'm-gonna-get way that this is what a new parent must feel like on baby's first Christmas. The baby has no idea what it's getting. Is too young to have really requested anything but you can't wait to see their faces when the toys appear.
And just like that tiny let down and yet not-so-surprised feeling when baby only cares about the box I find myself staring at the new items in the bird cages with a giant smile while Vinnie just screams and screams in terror.
*******
It's time for another great example of the quality of the citizens of Inwood: I was returning from a visit to the gym (so rare it's amazing I still know where it is) when I noticed a guy dressed slovenly in the usual gangsta' attire and he was avidly grabbing his junk and shaking it around while loudly talking into his cell phone.
"No! No, I said! My dick don't burn! That's what I've been telling you! My dick don't burn so I don't have it. I don't know. I just know my dick don't burn so I'm not worried."
Oh the scenarios that went through my mind after the cringing was done. Does she think she gave him something? Does she think he gave her something? What does he think? Nothing, he clearly doesn't give a shit. And more importantly what are the odds that she's going to sleep with this guy again? I'm going to go with 'most definitely' because, as if the loud and very public phone conversation didn't convince you, if you saw this guy you would know that he didn't appear to be quality sexual partner material and yet he'd clearly 'hit that'.
But since we'll never know keep your eyes out single girls of Inwood! There may be a local fella who might be available and apparently he is free of that pesky dick burn.
I was actually pretty excited to imagine the happy coincidence that is two different couples living in an apartment back to back and both being bird owners. I was stoked to get her junk mail because bird owners are sadly neglected. I can think of 3 pet stores in our neighborhood and all of them are bursting at the seams with collars, harnesses, dog clothes, cat chew toys, and kibble. But only one of them has bird seed for sale and there is only one option and often they are out of the size I need.
And if you go to a large chain pet store the bird section is actually just as pathetic. Surrounding the cages filled with depressed looking exotic birds are a few bags of food- none appealing. The last time I was in PetSmart the only bag of parrot food that would have worked for us had a giant spider web growing inside of it.
So here I am, with this new catalog. I open it and it rocked my world. Toys and exercise stands and even food at a very normal price. So I wrote down my wish list and ordered 60 dollars worth of bird items and got free shipping which is a win/win because what's the point of paying the same price if then you have to pay for it to show up.
I guess the most pathetic part of this bird nerd fest is the level of anticipation that I had for the box to arrive. I couldn't wait to torture Vinnie and Claudia with their new hanging toys with bells and chew treats and perches flavored like pineapple. I realized in some not-exactly-the-same-thing-but-as-close-as-I'm-gonna-get way that this is what a new parent must feel like on baby's first Christmas. The baby has no idea what it's getting. Is too young to have really requested anything but you can't wait to see their faces when the toys appear.
And just like that tiny let down and yet not-so-surprised feeling when baby only cares about the box I find myself staring at the new items in the bird cages with a giant smile while Vinnie just screams and screams in terror.
*******
It's time for another great example of the quality of the citizens of Inwood: I was returning from a visit to the gym (so rare it's amazing I still know where it is) when I noticed a guy dressed slovenly in the usual gangsta' attire and he was avidly grabbing his junk and shaking it around while loudly talking into his cell phone.
"No! No, I said! My dick don't burn! That's what I've been telling you! My dick don't burn so I don't have it. I don't know. I just know my dick don't burn so I'm not worried."
Oh the scenarios that went through my mind after the cringing was done. Does she think she gave him something? Does she think he gave her something? What does he think? Nothing, he clearly doesn't give a shit. And more importantly what are the odds that she's going to sleep with this guy again? I'm going to go with 'most definitely' because, as if the loud and very public phone conversation didn't convince you, if you saw this guy you would know that he didn't appear to be quality sexual partner material and yet he'd clearly 'hit that'.
But since we'll never know keep your eyes out single girls of Inwood! There may be a local fella who might be available and apparently he is free of that pesky dick burn.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Hold the Rodent
So remember my whole complaint about the crappy bagging at my supermarket? Well the other night I had to run in to buy just a few things for the next day and as I turned the corner a giant rat ran by me and dove into his hole below the bread shelves.
SO THERE'S THAT.
No, I didn't complain to them because:
1. It's not like they'd get pitchforks and torches and chase him out.
or
2. They wouldn't care at all.
And those reactions would just make it even worse, if that's possible. I still bought the items because, let's face it, I've shopped there for the past two years but I did have rat dreams all night and I totally didn't eat any of the food I bought and just threw it away today. I just couldn't look at it without seeing his giant rat tail. I'm contemplating calling 311 and filing a complaint but since I've had the pleasure of experiencing 311 many an occasion since moving to this ridiculous corner I'm not in a rush to do that.
***
Speaking of 'this corner' and Inwood in general. Why DEAR GOD WHY when it gets warm does Inwood have to become a third world country? I mean, it has its moments of ghetto trash and your standard NYC annoyances but when it gets warm Inwood really notches it up in the "we're not Manhattan cool AT ALL" category. The dirt bikes revving at all hours, the gigantic Latin asses balancing for dear life on spiky heels (not in a good way), the hordes of unsupervised children running amok on sidewalks and running into you, and clusters of young guys smoking weed right in the open because cops only care about the more affluent blocks. (Shout out to you, Hudson Heights!)
Things I'm looking forward to:
The day when I can make dinners without trolling the Internet looking for recipes and ideas. Just go to the store, buy what I need, drop it on the counter and go. I (sort of) enjoy cooking it's just that I'm not at that point yet where I know what to do without checking over and over.
**
The day that I don't care, really don't care, that my husband hasn't heard a single word I've said. I know that technically we're still newlyweds but we have lived together for 6 years and even though I can tell when he isn't listening it still pisses me off. Probably because when he speaks I actually tune at least one ear into him and that's all I'm asking of him. He tries to use the excuse 'You see me typing (reading, staring into nothingness, etc) you know I can't hear you" but I just can't buy that bull crap.
Your ears are there accepting sound into the canal. When your brain notices noise perhaps you should make the effort into paying attention to it. And don't tell me you don't notice it because you complain about all the other crappy noises that float into our apartment. So clearly, you do pick up on sounds.
There. Done.
**
The day I can afford HBO so I don't have to figure out how to watch Game of Thrones at my parent's house. Especially since they have so much sexing in that show and I don't think there will ever be a day when I can watch girl on girl moaning action with my mom and just be okay with it. Weird. (And totally unnecessary HBO! It never happened in the book) But damn, the Jon Snow/Ygritte stuff better be awesome!
One last non-complaint thought (Yippee!)
I try not to recommend books because I'm always embarrassed that I don't read super intellectual stuff but I still like to share what I'm reading- as you've noticed. I have to say Alice Hoffman's The Red Garden was really a great read. It was about these interconnected characters through the generations living in this tiny town in the Berkshires. It's sad and romantic and mystical and I zipped through it. If you think we have anything in common when it comes to books you might like it.
SO THERE'S THAT.
No, I didn't complain to them because:
1. It's not like they'd get pitchforks and torches and chase him out.
or
2. They wouldn't care at all.
And those reactions would just make it even worse, if that's possible. I still bought the items because, let's face it, I've shopped there for the past two years but I did have rat dreams all night and I totally didn't eat any of the food I bought and just threw it away today. I just couldn't look at it without seeing his giant rat tail. I'm contemplating calling 311 and filing a complaint but since I've had the pleasure of experiencing 311 many an occasion since moving to this ridiculous corner I'm not in a rush to do that.
***
Speaking of 'this corner' and Inwood in general. Why DEAR GOD WHY when it gets warm does Inwood have to become a third world country? I mean, it has its moments of ghetto trash and your standard NYC annoyances but when it gets warm Inwood really notches it up in the "we're not Manhattan cool AT ALL" category. The dirt bikes revving at all hours, the gigantic Latin asses balancing for dear life on spiky heels (not in a good way), the hordes of unsupervised children running amok on sidewalks and running into you, and clusters of young guys smoking weed right in the open because cops only care about the more affluent blocks. (Shout out to you, Hudson Heights!)
Things I'm looking forward to:
The day when I can make dinners without trolling the Internet looking for recipes and ideas. Just go to the store, buy what I need, drop it on the counter and go. I (sort of) enjoy cooking it's just that I'm not at that point yet where I know what to do without checking over and over.
**
The day that I don't care, really don't care, that my husband hasn't heard a single word I've said. I know that technically we're still newlyweds but we have lived together for 6 years and even though I can tell when he isn't listening it still pisses me off. Probably because when he speaks I actually tune at least one ear into him and that's all I'm asking of him. He tries to use the excuse 'You see me typing (reading, staring into nothingness, etc) you know I can't hear you" but I just can't buy that bull crap.
Your ears are there accepting sound into the canal. When your brain notices noise perhaps you should make the effort into paying attention to it. And don't tell me you don't notice it because you complain about all the other crappy noises that float into our apartment. So clearly, you do pick up on sounds.
There. Done.
**
The day I can afford HBO so I don't have to figure out how to watch Game of Thrones at my parent's house. Especially since they have so much sexing in that show and I don't think there will ever be a day when I can watch girl on girl moaning action with my mom and just be okay with it. Weird. (And totally unnecessary HBO! It never happened in the book) But damn, the Jon Snow/Ygritte stuff better be awesome!
One last non-complaint thought (Yippee!)
I try not to recommend books because I'm always embarrassed that I don't read super intellectual stuff but I still like to share what I'm reading- as you've noticed. I have to say Alice Hoffman's The Red Garden was really a great read. It was about these interconnected characters through the generations living in this tiny town in the Berkshires. It's sad and romantic and mystical and I zipped through it. If you think we have anything in common when it comes to books you might like it.
Dear So-and-So
You know you don't post enough when you forget the URL to your own blog. Sigh.
The weather is great which is great for a babysitter because you basically have to find an open space and let the kids roam. Throw in some items they can discover (sadly in Inwood this means the kids collect random litter and you pray they don't find a used condom) and some friends and granola bars and you could be out there for an hour and 15 minutes. Yippee!
***
A mental letter to my retarded grocery store:
When you use plastic bags it's bad for the environment and a lot of people now use tote bags to carry their purchases home. I know you've noticed that because you've bothered to have your crappy logo printed on generic totes and sell them at your checkout lanes. This is great since you like to double bag the plastic when I'm buying just a loaf of bread. You really love to share your plastic bags.
Soooooo
If I bother to bring 3 tote bags to the store and I'm buying a few heavy items and I'm all by myself with no one to help me carry them why do you shove EVERYTHING into one tote bag and then cram the other two into it as well. The idea- IDIOT- is to avoid using the plastic (and let's not forget I have two hands!). You double bag a loaf of bread but you'll stick 2 giant juices and a load of other items into one bag. The bags are reusable. Go ahead and use them. I carried them all the way here for you to use them.
If you are stupid enough to make me repack my own bags right in front of you please don't jingle your plastic cup in my face and curse me under your breath when I refuse to give you my loose change. This is my loose change. I earned it by using my brain. You should try the same thing.
***
So AT&T sent me a letter in the mail that read something like this:
Dear AT&T customer;
You are the only moron under the age of 35 (boy that range is getting higher) who isn't using an iPhone and in case you haven't heard we've lost our exclusive rights to sell it so we have to compete by making our network BETTER! This means throwing numbers and letters together and hoping that tricks people to stick around.
So this means that your phone is so 'old school' that it will no longer be able to process text messages and phone calls to you and you'll notice a decline in your service! We'd like to think you would upgrade but we've sent you so much junk mail that you have ignored so we're going to assume you have continued to live within your means. Therefore we have no choice but to offer you a new phone for free without signing a new contract.
Don't get too excited! We're only giving you four options and they've been around long enough that our company stores will constantly be out of stock because no one wants them anymore. So keep calling them on a daily basis until one shows up and then you can have it!
Good luck and thank you for being a customer,
AT&T
So guess who has a new phone!!! Just in time too because the battery life had pretty much checked out on my last phone. Which, turns out, might be because I kept it next to my kitchen sink and the faucet leaks just enough to cover the counter but you don't really notice it until you pick up your phone and wonder why the back is wet. And then do that for, like, a year.
The weather is great which is great for a babysitter because you basically have to find an open space and let the kids roam. Throw in some items they can discover (sadly in Inwood this means the kids collect random litter and you pray they don't find a used condom) and some friends and granola bars and you could be out there for an hour and 15 minutes. Yippee!
***
A mental letter to my retarded grocery store:
When you use plastic bags it's bad for the environment and a lot of people now use tote bags to carry their purchases home. I know you've noticed that because you've bothered to have your crappy logo printed on generic totes and sell them at your checkout lanes. This is great since you like to double bag the plastic when I'm buying just a loaf of bread. You really love to share your plastic bags.
Soooooo
If I bother to bring 3 tote bags to the store and I'm buying a few heavy items and I'm all by myself with no one to help me carry them why do you shove EVERYTHING into one tote bag and then cram the other two into it as well. The idea- IDIOT- is to avoid using the plastic (and let's not forget I have two hands!). You double bag a loaf of bread but you'll stick 2 giant juices and a load of other items into one bag. The bags are reusable. Go ahead and use them. I carried them all the way here for you to use them.
If you are stupid enough to make me repack my own bags right in front of you please don't jingle your plastic cup in my face and curse me under your breath when I refuse to give you my loose change. This is my loose change. I earned it by using my brain. You should try the same thing.
***
So AT&T sent me a letter in the mail that read something like this:
Dear AT&T customer;
You are the only moron under the age of 35 (boy that range is getting higher) who isn't using an iPhone and in case you haven't heard we've lost our exclusive rights to sell it so we have to compete by making our network BETTER! This means throwing numbers and letters together and hoping that tricks people to stick around.
So this means that your phone is so 'old school' that it will no longer be able to process text messages and phone calls to you and you'll notice a decline in your service! We'd like to think you would upgrade but we've sent you so much junk mail that you have ignored so we're going to assume you have continued to live within your means. Therefore we have no choice but to offer you a new phone for free without signing a new contract.
Don't get too excited! We're only giving you four options and they've been around long enough that our company stores will constantly be out of stock because no one wants them anymore. So keep calling them on a daily basis until one shows up and then you can have it!
Good luck and thank you for being a customer,
AT&T
So guess who has a new phone!!! Just in time too because the battery life had pretty much checked out on my last phone. Which, turns out, might be because I kept it next to my kitchen sink and the faucet leaks just enough to cover the counter but you don't really notice it until you pick up your phone and wonder why the back is wet. And then do that for, like, a year.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
BMWs Run on Dunkin'
When I have nothing to look forward to I seem to start to hoard all my anger and frustration and then finally I burst. So here I am, in the middle of winter. It might be mild but it's still winter. I have my job but I hate it immensely. I have no vacation in sight. (who cares if I just had one, when is the next one coming!) I get woken up nightly by the heavy walker upstairs I have named 'The Dinosaur'. I'm applying to school but my heart isn't in it. I really want to procreate (why do I keep this a secret? There is no shame in this fact) but I have no money or space to be a good parent.
So here I am walking in the city that thrives off of anger and I burst. I'd gone to get a new cell phone and low and behold they don't have it so I've wasted time and money. I walk all the way home with a giant and heavy bottle of hand soap and a medium coffee in the other hand. I walk for a decent distance and I finally get to within a block of my house and my forearms are sore. Rushing across the crosswalk this BMW SUV drives, pretty quickly, right up to me. I felt that it was pretty unnecessary. It sickens me how people don't realize that you are a person without a steel cage surrounding you and as a pedestrian I didn't appreciate her making me fear if she was going to stop at all.
So here is this BMW bumping some ghetto trash music and I glare at the driver and it's some snotty looking bitch with designer glasses and not even an attempt at an apologetic look. As I am about to leave the front of her car my brain goes red and I just tip the cup and throw the contents of my coffee over her hood. Only getting the corner and headlight. Bummer.
So now I've had this release and I'll be honest- I hustled away just looking back once to make sure I wasn't being followed. I think she stood there for awhile because there was a bunch of honking. I was all torn up with a bunch of emotions. I was feeling triumphant for making a mess on her car. I was feeling mad at myself for getting so angry and doing something reckless. I was hoping she noticed it. I was really pissed that I carried that coffee for 12 blocks and then just threw away 2 dollars and 12 cents. Sigh.
Of course I blame NYC. I mean, I know that there are rude and crazy people everywhere but I'm starting to believe that I really need to be somewhere where the concentration and the amount of crazy and rude people are far less. I'd rather run into a rude person or a complete ass probably only once a week instead of once every four hours.
It's hard for me to just bite the bullet and move though. Mark is still developing his place in the Board of Ed. I'm possibly going to a CUNY school soon. And I don't want to be so far from my mommy and daddy! Sometimes hanging with my parents is the only socialization I have for months.
So for now I'm trapped until I can start making more money (fingers crossed). Mark and I will continue to nurture our fantasies of a cute cottage somewhere with land and sunlight. Somewhere is these fruited plains.
So here I am walking in the city that thrives off of anger and I burst. I'd gone to get a new cell phone and low and behold they don't have it so I've wasted time and money. I walk all the way home with a giant and heavy bottle of hand soap and a medium coffee in the other hand. I walk for a decent distance and I finally get to within a block of my house and my forearms are sore. Rushing across the crosswalk this BMW SUV drives, pretty quickly, right up to me. I felt that it was pretty unnecessary. It sickens me how people don't realize that you are a person without a steel cage surrounding you and as a pedestrian I didn't appreciate her making me fear if she was going to stop at all.
So here is this BMW bumping some ghetto trash music and I glare at the driver and it's some snotty looking bitch with designer glasses and not even an attempt at an apologetic look. As I am about to leave the front of her car my brain goes red and I just tip the cup and throw the contents of my coffee over her hood. Only getting the corner and headlight. Bummer.
So now I've had this release and I'll be honest- I hustled away just looking back once to make sure I wasn't being followed. I think she stood there for awhile because there was a bunch of honking. I was all torn up with a bunch of emotions. I was feeling triumphant for making a mess on her car. I was feeling mad at myself for getting so angry and doing something reckless. I was hoping she noticed it. I was really pissed that I carried that coffee for 12 blocks and then just threw away 2 dollars and 12 cents. Sigh.
Of course I blame NYC. I mean, I know that there are rude and crazy people everywhere but I'm starting to believe that I really need to be somewhere where the concentration and the amount of crazy and rude people are far less. I'd rather run into a rude person or a complete ass probably only once a week instead of once every four hours.
It's hard for me to just bite the bullet and move though. Mark is still developing his place in the Board of Ed. I'm possibly going to a CUNY school soon. And I don't want to be so far from my mommy and daddy! Sometimes hanging with my parents is the only socialization I have for months.
So for now I'm trapped until I can start making more money (fingers crossed). Mark and I will continue to nurture our fantasies of a cute cottage somewhere with land and sunlight. Somewhere is these fruited plains.
What I Read: 2011
A Clash of Kings by George R.R. Martin
A Small Hotel by Robert Olen Butler
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
No One You Know by Michelle Richmond
Big Girl Small by Rachel DeWoskin
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson
Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler
Missing Mom by Joyce Carol Oates
The Piano Teacher by Janice YK Lee
Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
Rescue by Anita Shreve
World Without End by Ken Follett
Cleaning Nabokov's House by Leslie Daniels
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
Room by Emma Donoghue
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
Claude & Camille by Stephanie Cowell
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The English American by Alison Larkin
Roanoke by Margaret Lawrence
The Blackwater Lightship Colm Toibin
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
A Small Hotel by Robert Olen Butler
A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin
The White Queen by Philippa Gregory
No One You Know by Michelle Richmond
Big Girl Small by Rachel DeWoskin
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf
I Don't Know How She Does It by Allison Pearson
Ladder of Years by Anne Tyler
Missing Mom by Joyce Carol Oates
The Piano Teacher by Janice YK Lee
Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel
The Kitchen Daughter by Jael McHenry
The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb
The Lake of Dreams by Kim Edwards
A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett
Rescue by Anita Shreve
World Without End by Ken Follett
Cleaning Nabokov's House by Leslie Daniels
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Brick Lane by Monica Ali
Room by Emma Donoghue
The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer
Claude & Camille by Stephanie Cowell
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
The English American by Alison Larkin
Roanoke by Margaret Lawrence
The Blackwater Lightship Colm Toibin
Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins
The Winter Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
The Tea Rose by Jennifer Donnelly
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Winter is Coming...and a Bell.
Well, what'd'ya know, it's the end of December. I wonder if I'll ever have anything to blog about!
The last time I seemed it fit to visit was to discuss my Christmas wish list. Good news! Mark purchased for me a beautiful Tibetan singing bowl! One out of three 'exotic' items is not too shabby.
At first I was a little sad because I couldn't get the bowl to sing. Then I was angry because Mark could and it was turning into the inanimate equivalent of our parakeet Claudia wherein it was purchased for me but was in love with Mark. Then I laughed at the irony of the whole situation that a Tibetan singing bowl, used for help in meditation and clearing the mind, was actually making me frustrated. But eventually I just picked it up and very half-heartedly starting rubbing the striker around the edge and tadaaa! it was singing. It was cool.
I'm really into the book series A Song of Ice and Fire which is the basis for the HBO show Game of Thrones which is the name of the first book in the series and then each successive book having its own name. I found the first book daunting. Maybe it was just because it'd been so long since I had read a book where there are a bazillion characters you're supposed to try and keep track of. And I had no idea that it was a bit fantasy- as in dragons, and sorcery, etc. But it is also all about kings and lords and knights and that's right down my alley.
So now I'm on book three with two more waiting and I was just told by a friend that there might be more after that. I'll need something light and girly very soon just to rest my weary brain.
And of course I started reading the books so that I could watch the show and then be all snobby about how the story is different and I know how and 'oh if you read the book you'd know what was happening'. Which is really why I read almost every other book nowadays since most movies and a lot of tv is based on novels. I just have to wait forever until is comes out on DVD since I don't have HBO. Sigh.
I'd like to think I'll be back before the New Year but that's iffy. But: I will be back. Until then:
The last time I seemed it fit to visit was to discuss my Christmas wish list. Good news! Mark purchased for me a beautiful Tibetan singing bowl! One out of three 'exotic' items is not too shabby.
At first I was a little sad because I couldn't get the bowl to sing. Then I was angry because Mark could and it was turning into the inanimate equivalent of our parakeet Claudia wherein it was purchased for me but was in love with Mark. Then I laughed at the irony of the whole situation that a Tibetan singing bowl, used for help in meditation and clearing the mind, was actually making me frustrated. But eventually I just picked it up and very half-heartedly starting rubbing the striker around the edge and tadaaa! it was singing. It was cool.
I'm really into the book series A Song of Ice and Fire which is the basis for the HBO show Game of Thrones which is the name of the first book in the series and then each successive book having its own name. I found the first book daunting. Maybe it was just because it'd been so long since I had read a book where there are a bazillion characters you're supposed to try and keep track of. And I had no idea that it was a bit fantasy- as in dragons, and sorcery, etc. But it is also all about kings and lords and knights and that's right down my alley.
So now I'm on book three with two more waiting and I was just told by a friend that there might be more after that. I'll need something light and girly very soon just to rest my weary brain.
And of course I started reading the books so that I could watch the show and then be all snobby about how the story is different and I know how and 'oh if you read the book you'd know what was happening'. Which is really why I read almost every other book nowadays since most movies and a lot of tv is based on novels. I just have to wait forever until is comes out on DVD since I don't have HBO. Sigh.
I'd like to think I'll be back before the New Year but that's iffy. But: I will be back. Until then:
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)