tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-59372702024-03-08T16:25:07.503-06:00Random Life in ProgressWelcome to my random life. It is in progress. I will update this on whim. Expect non-fiction writings, creativity, politics and a lot of rockin. A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.comBlogger128125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-44188744395366021662008-04-13T04:29:00.002-05:002008-04-13T04:41:59.822-05:00[ey-ey mukwaaaaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiii]Greetings all, from Zambia! I'm in Lusaka right now and don't have much time on the ridiculously slow and somewhat expensive Internets, but I thought I'd drop a line. I am having a ball and miss everyone a lot! So a little about what I'm doing ... I'm studying iciBemba (look it up!) and will be the BOMA (look it up!) volunteer for Serenje district in Central A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-18997888542023075392008-01-28T10:18:00.000-06:002008-01-28T10:55:15.099-06:00[The pupil in denial]So it's finally coming to it, and the range of emotions I feel is off the charts. More than anything I'm just anxious to get the show on the road, start this new chapter and get the hell out of the old routine. But there's something funny and bittersweet about that: I already am out of the routine. I no longer live in Chicago. In looking forward so long and in yearning for A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-1948982604245847062008-01-06T23:17:00.000-06:002008-01-07T00:04:04.540-06:00[I don't know what generation we are]I suddenly realized, it's almost here. I have 8 days left to work at a job a loathe, and yet, suddenly, all I can think of is all that I've done okay, and things that I am thankful that I am not.For example, I'm glad that I'm not going to be working at this job that I loathe for the rest of my life. I am thankful that I never let myself fall for the boy that IA-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-71108119338687099682007-12-19T09:58:00.000-06:002007-12-19T10:02:35.693-06:00[I piddled]Seriously - I feel like I just won the lottery. This news is the best news EVER.The best part? I will be back from Zambia in time to camp outside of some suburban theater complex in a half-assed costume on BOTH opening nights.[Only half joking]A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-78762631723861396352007-12-14T08:49:00.000-06:002007-12-14T08:51:25.694-06:00[Wwwwhoops]Me: [Reading headline aloud] Major League Bombshell...?Ian: Oh, yeah, they just released a PDF document that proves a lot of players have used steroids.Me: Oh ... I'm glad I don't care.[Little to the left ... bit to the right ... There. Perfect]A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-10025531056335902562007-11-30T09:32:00.000-06:002007-11-30T09:46:10.882-06:00[This gun's for hire]You know what peeves me? The spectacular fall of all of the favorite big stars of my youth. Why oh why must they all go crazy? I love People magazine as much as the next American girl born after World War II, but seriously? I wish I didn't have to know about how nuts my stars are. Allow me to make a tragic, tragic list.Mel Gibson. Boo, forever.Whitney Houston. Crackhead.Tom A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-43126878533571509302007-11-29T14:57:00.001-06:002007-11-29T15:02:03.144-06:00[You better kiss me]83 days left til I leave for training37 of which I'll be in Chicago (not counting a few odd days I'll come back for goodbyes)The numbers are totally sad and totally amazingly happy at the same time - how can that be?? I am so excited but I am also so scared to leave my friends and family. I know once Christmas passes it will all go so fast, what with getting together all of A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-62822757459278165852007-11-20T14:33:00.000-06:002007-11-20T14:36:31.611-06:00[Work is killing me softly, with its lack of song]It's been getting harder and harder to manage daily life knowing all the changes that are coming. This is the first time in years that I have looked forward with such zeal to Christmas—I've got the spirit! Only now it's not the "spirit" of all the gift giving and getting and/or food making and eating, it's the spirit Doc was talking about when theA-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-35076351964695252022007-11-15T13:08:00.000-06:002007-11-15T13:22:26.082-06:00[Thanksgiving is the balm]Next week is Thanksgiving and I have to admit, it kind of snuck up on me. I am looking forward to all the staples of going home to my mom's: sitting around, laying around, sleeping, watching terrible movies, long walks (that one kind of came out of nowhere, didn't it?), eating delicious treats, imbibing and all the general laziness that usually ensues when my brother andA-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-46053996305630394032007-11-14T13:47:00.001-06:002007-11-14T15:31:04.326-06:00[I'm in a glass case of emotion!]Ever since I found out precisely where and when I would be going as a Peace Corps volunteer, I've been tripping over a different feeling every few hours. The dust has slowly started to settle on the reality of my new life path, of course, and I've found two major thought processes have trumped the rest: Holy Shit I'm Going To Africa and Holy Shit I'm Going To A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-16842335428240634852007-11-12T10:39:00.001-06:002007-11-12T13:32:00.288-06:00[It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you]You may have noticed the addition of what may seem like a totally inaccurate clock on the left. While it may be wrong for Chitown, it is actually my new time: Zambia time!That's right - I'm going to Zambia with the Peace Corps! I found out awhile ago, but have decided to keep it a secret from this blog, since it has become Murder Alley of late. I'veA-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-14837541767842292007-09-24T23:21:00.000-05:002007-09-24T23:23:47.111-05:00[Ho-o-ld on, sweet talkin' woman]I hate it when someone comes in and takes all the fun out of something.[Don't let the sun go down on me]A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-49000994986504507792007-08-14T22:51:00.000-05:002007-08-14T23:04:19.924-05:00[Communication breakdown all around]I think everyone has lost sight of what's most important. And that is this. And a nice glass of wine, but I digress.I just wanted to share that I am officially cleared dentally, which means that, one day, my teeth might have an exciting adventure in a far-off land! While the rest of my body rots away in a trailer in west Texas, drinking what I call tequila A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-11642776821306058302007-08-07T22:18:00.000-05:002007-08-07T22:57:25.707-05:00[Everything's just wonderful, I'm having the time of my life]So, we meet again. And in such a place as this? You wouldn't believe.I'd like to tell you about how I met the Lilliputians with their tiny poking sticks, or that I went to the moon with a bunch of drunk astronauts and I had to bring them home, but I really can't. It appears as though I am just a regular schmo these days. And damned if A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-44589749620492366912007-06-28T12:43:00.001-05:002007-06-28T13:01:02.520-05:00[I'm having the time of my life]Things I like today, often accompanied by totally unnecessary explanations:Walnuts. I cannot get enough of walnuts! I have been eating them like they are ranch dressing lately. Yeah, just cups of the stuff, on anything and with anything.Mimi Smartypants. Is it just me, or does she just keep getting better and better? I was worried that by reading her book I would A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-13880678748921002122007-06-01T12:42:00.000-05:002007-06-01T12:44:00.891-05:00[Ack.]I'm feeling much better now. I just wanted to point out that, other than the copy editor thing, this isn't about any one person but about my bottle up and explode mentality. Incidentally, I'm drawing up plans for a novelty board game called "Clue: the Bush Administration Edition." That is all.[Skiddamarink]A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-91112395330173293342007-05-31T22:26:00.000-05:002007-05-31T23:02:52.516-05:00[Ah, yes, dipshit. A fine word. Now where's my brandy?]Sorry I've been away. I pride myself on not taking away from my journal writing for personal blogging (the written word is so romantic) , but I have something to say that just won't be done justice in my journal.Let's start with that, actually. Not a well-constructed sentence, right? I have a thought: WHO CARES. Most of the people who A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-5774978946819918752007-02-23T13:01:00.000-06:002007-02-23T13:21:44.916-06:00[You think your average juror is King Solomon?]Well, I've finally digested it, tossed it about in my head and turned it over in my mouth. It doesn't taste sweet, or bittersweet, or any other word one could use to describe "The Notebook." It's not sour, either, though, just ... different. Like last week when I had Indian food for the first time - I've never tasted anything like it. Nothing A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-16271915912863640992007-02-13T22:35:00.000-06:002007-02-13T22:59:39.173-06:00[Down on the corner]This snow really isn't kidding. I ended up tromping around in it tonight (on an adventure) and I noticed it in my calves like I do on a hot summer day walking in the sand by the beach. And just like in those times, I always end up envying the dogs.Anyway, I'm going through some change again and I thought it best to trumpet empty promises into cyberspace over it. I guess A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-1168991406344864482007-01-16T17:35:00.000-06:002007-01-16T17:50:06.376-06:00[For those in peril]When I heard this today, I actually cried a little. Not big alligator tears all over my cubicle or anything, but a feeling definitely misted my eyes right up. I've never felt so much gratitude for the courage of others, and I don't give one shit about how sentimental or sappy that sounds.It also moved me when this military wife admitted that those "support our troops" A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-1167882479174923462007-01-03T21:30:00.000-06:002007-01-03T21:47:59.200-06:00[Cheer up, Sleepy Jean]I really, really think I pissed the ants off this time. It's not as if I have some sort of sick fascination with killing them or anything, but this time I think I really did a doozy. Wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. Allow me to explain briefly.Every apartment I've lived in in Chicago for the last three years has had ants in one form or another, ranging from very benignA-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-1163846241137169242006-11-18T03:59:00.000-06:002006-11-18T04:37:21.413-06:00[You're getting carried away, feeling sorry for yourself]Life has a weird way of showing you how to go about it. I'll admit, obviously, none of us have owners manuals, there's not a tutorial or anything, but things seem to click into place every time you let go and let it happen.I don't know if this is universal. The only thing I can say is I've gone through one of the toughest times I've ever A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-1162429142710584822006-11-01T18:52:00.000-06:002006-11-01T18:59:02.756-06:00[Party on the left, Party on the right]Hey, mofuckies! I've got a really interesting post regarding the hilarity/perplexity of people having audible bodily functions in public places, tied in somehow with the fact that "People's Gas" is a ridiculously hilarious name for a real life company, but I've got something else important to announce.We're having our first event at the storefront, and I A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-1161571533678543352006-10-22T21:11:00.000-05:002006-10-23T12:16:01.410-05:00[Dancing makes the heart grow fonder]Now that we've been in the Manor for a few weeks and everything is starting to settle into a sort of routine - however out of the ordinary - people are starting to notice we're here. I don't think my roommate and I ever really thought about what it would mean to live in a street level storefront space beyond the interior world we could create here. We were A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5937270.post-1161067023417894002006-10-17T01:04:00.000-05:002006-10-17T01:37:03.433-05:00[you can learn a lot of things from the flowers]The CTA was like a time warp tonight. Usually it takes me years to get nowhere special but tonight, didn't it come through to bring me home? Yes, yes it did. I got here is 17 minutes, barely having time to pick up my newspaper. Sometimes time is funny like that, of course, making you feel like you've been somewhere an hour, when really you've A-townhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12630180345381197828noreply@blogger.com0