no way

this, from DJ Goodnews, a character from nick hornby's how to be good, after the narrator asks him why he is too enlightened to use the dishwasher and points out that a lot of people don't have any problems with dishwashers...

"no," he agrees. "but just because a lot of people don't have a problem with something, it doesn't mean they're right, does it? i mean, a lot of peple use to think that...I don't know...slavery was OK, but, you know. they were wrong, weren't they? they were so wrong it was unreal. because it wasn't OK, was it? it was really bad, man. slaves. no way."

potent quotables

so i figure, since kris and amanda are sometimes quoting books on their blog now, that it might be fun for me to do as well. i hope this is as cool as the ones they used.

"it was more as if i'd already chosen what i was going to watch on TV, and i was beginning to look forward to it, and then noticed that there was something else on that might be more interesting. i don't know about you, but choice isn't always what i want. you can end up flicking between one channel and another, and not watching either program properly. i don't know how people with the cable television cope."

-maureen, from a long way down by nick hornby

this is the best book i've read lately, and believe me, that's saying a lot because i am a huge book nerd and i read constantly. and, even huge book nerds don't read 200 pages of a book in a single sitting (which is what i did) unless it is outstanding (and they have nothing else to do at the time). everyone should read it. i love it because nick hornby lives in london, and i love reading books by english people because the characters say things like "he can do maths," and "the cable television," and "too right you are." and since i often wish that i was british so that i could speak like that, i truly get jollies from these books. a long way down is about four people who come together on new year's eve with the intention of committing suicide by jumping off of a roof. but they don't jump see, because they meet each other up there and start making fun of each other's suicidal motives, like "my life is more screwed up than yours," and then they become like this club and it's funny and interesting because they are very different sorts of people.

so now the question is, when i am going to post a quote, as i have done, is it better just to let the quote stand alone and leave the above commentary off? i couldn't help myself, but if this violates some kind of quote-posting rule, i solemnly swear not to do it next time. this book is so good, i'll probably post a million quotes from it. hah! i'll start ear-marking pages. i do love that "i can BLOG about this" sensation. like rob, i feel the blogging desire once again. i'd lost that blogging feeling. it was gone, gone, gone, oh oh oh.

but now, for some reason or another, i think it's back. aren't we all happy?

days and daze

Ok, so it's been another long while. Things happen, specifically my grandfather passing away. I'm not sure I'm the same person anymore.

I've never lost anyone before now.

Maybe that's how it is then.

You become someone different.

I learned to wear heels at his wake and funeral, because I didn't take any shoes home with me and that was all I could find at the store in town. Heels.

And so then I've moved into Anna's. I like living in this house, mostly because it is a house and not an apartment and I'm not sure why that makes such a difference but I'm sure that you understand what I mean. I'm sure of it.

I'm serving on a focus group for the SCEA (which incidentally I am not even a member of) for new teachers. I'm telling them what I needed last year so that they can "help" new teachers. All the while, I'm thinking, the SCEA just wants these kids to join. They want their money. This is all a clever ploy to boost membership revenue. And then I smile and think "whatever" because I'm just using them for the resume. The truth is, new teachers mostly just have to find their own way, and that's part of becoming your teacher self, and the SCEA doesn't have any part in it. But, let them dream their little dreams I suppose.

But something silly did happen there. This lady, she's stupid, and she was giving a presentation, and I hate when I have to sit at these things because, since I have my masters, I already know everything that they are talking about. That's not arrogance, it's just the truth. I learned it all in college. So, she's giving this presentation about things I already know, and then she makes the statement, "I'm about to change the way you look at the world." And I was like "Really? Could you do that?" I was excited, thinking perhaps there finally would be something new here. And you know what she did? She showed us the FedEx sign and, as soon as it was on the screen I KNEW what was coming.

The arrow.

Thanks to Rob, I was the only one in the room who knew this. Making me, unequivocally, the smartest person there including the speaker. I enjoyed this.

bag woman

ok, so here's the problem. i have this major major issue with food lion and wal-mart.

there are NOT enough bag dispensers in the produce area. specifically, in the food lion that i frequent, there are two dispensers. they are both on the case with the strawberries and stuff, which is fine. but when i go to get say, apples, or oranges, or broccoli, or a rutabeggar, or cilantro or whatever, i have to trek alllllllll the way back over to the strawberry case to get a bag. and the strawberries are already in boxes, so they don't need bags!

i've had to develop this strategy: as soon as i get to the produce section, i grab like a whole stack of bags off of the dispenser. then i just make my way through, picking up this and that, and pulling apart the bags as i go. then, when i'm done, if i have extras, which i usually do, i just lay them down on some random produce thinking, "someone, who wants to buy this onion, will be happy that i left this bag here because this will save them a hike back over to the strawberry case."

and the stupid produce boys always look at me. i can't decide if this is because often, when i do my sunday shopping, i've just gotten done working out so i'm in a racerback running bra/tank-top thing, or if they just think i'm nuts because i grab so many bags.

maybe one day i'll ask.