clutteredlife.com: December 2006

previous posts
Goombas on the 50 yd line.
Now in color!
Halloween's most frightening skeleton.
Election Day mayhem.
Xmas lists.
Halloweeeeeeen.
And I'm in!
Chrome.
Matriculation.
Nope.

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December 2006
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October 2008
November 2008

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Ouch.

In women's public restroom stalls, there is a little hook for hanging purses or coats or whatever. I don't know if guys have them, but in women's rooms the hooks are notorious for offering thieves a perfect purse-snatching opportunity. In NYC's Grand Central Station, they actually removed the hooks to cut down on crime, and the thieves reinstalled them!
I digress...
Another way to presumably reduce crime is to install the hooks lower on the door. Sure, it's convenient, but it's also sort of dangerous to those of us who are not graceful like swan. I closed the door, turned to adjust clothing, and whamo! the hook caught my arm and - through 3 layers of clothing - gave me a heck of a bruise.

The funny part is that, as it healed, my bruise decided to go all modern art on me. It's a little circular thing and the shading makes it look like a sphere. To anyone viewing it from a few feet away, their perspective would probably see my flat bruise as a three dimensional bump.

So pretty. I'm glad it's long-sleeve season.
posted by hilary at 10:56 AM | 3 comments | links to this post

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Christmas at the ballet.

I went up to Boston for the weekend and got to see the Nutcracker performed by the Boston Ballet on Christmas Eve. So fun.
My family gathered at my Aunt's house and we had a fabulous dinner and gift-exchanging.

This year's holiday season was definitely a good one. Family, food, gifts, ballet... what could be better? My house is decorated, I made cookies. All of my "holiday spirit" list has been checked off and the result is Memorable Happiness.
posted by hilary at 10:08 AM | 1 comments | links to this post

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Almost done.

This semester is almost over. I've got another week of classes and then my final exams. One might think that I'd be rejoicing, but one would be wrong.
I'm so stressed about two of my classes that I honestly want to just curl up in a ball and cry until they go away. But no. I gotta suck it up and get the work done and get the hell out of there. And meanwhile I need to not mess up my other classes that I'm barely holding on to. God, I need a break.

I'm not even going to bother with segues here, so keep up. Next topic.

Driving around this past Thursday I noticed like every single flag I saw was at half mast. It was odd, and I couldn't understand why. Was there some sort of holiday? Did something happen and I missed it? Even the interviews with Pearl Harbor survivors that I listened to on the radio didn't clue me in. My Statistics professor walked into class and said, "December 7th. Pearl Harbor Day, huh?"
Oh yeah. Duh. Sorry.
I wonder if my grandchildren will be sitting in school some future September 11th wondering why all the flags are at half mast.

Next.

I had to visit a print shop to get a gazillion copies of a 10 page paper I wrote made to pass out to the class. This place has been in business forever, and they're always very courteous and quick. They have about 8 regular copiers for people to use, and then a bunch of big deal printing equipment that their staff uses. And one color copier.
Maybe since so many people use their own color printers at home, or businesses have color laser jets and stuff, they don't make a lot of money on the color copier and hence only have the one? Who knows.
When I walked in, there was one elderly lady being served on the color copier by a guy who looked a bit frustrated with her. It looked like she was having every drawing made by her grandchildren color copied 50 times each. At a buck a copy, maybe she was carrying out an elaborate plan to spend her kids' inheritance on the most nonsensical thing she could think of. Again, who knows, who cares.
A woman walked in with a folder and cut in front of me in line. I wasn't in a hurry and really didn't care. She opened the folder and showed the lady behind the counter a bunch of color printouts, demanding to have four copies of each within the next 30 minutes.
"I'm sorry, the machine is in use."
"What? You only have one machine?!"
"Yes."
"Well when is it NOT going to be in use?"
The guy helping the elderly inheritance spender told her it would be a while. A long while.
"How long?!"
"I don't know. I can't tell the future."
The lady was struck speechless for about 3 seconds and then continued her tirade. Standing next to her, I suggested another place she might be able to get color copies. She shook her head and said, "No, they've all got attitude problems too." Ha!
When it became apparent to her that yowling wasn't going to get her the copies she wanted she left, tossing a sarcastic parting shot at the poor lady behind the counter before slamming the door closed.
The rest of us looked at each other and immediately bonded over, "Can you BELIEVE her? My goodness!" The best part was that three of the five or six people standing around knew her and knew her name which they then shared with the rest of us. Now the only thing I know about that lady is her full name, what she looks like, and that she's a beyotch.
posted by hilary at 12:17 PM | 5 comments | links to this post

Saturday, December 02, 2006

Odd acne.

I never had a problem with acne. My skin has always been clear (if you don't count the five gazillion freckles). I do get the occasional bright star shining from my face, usually during that time of the month, but unless it's on the tip of my nose, I shrug it off.

I got one today. On the tip of my elbow. My elbow? Wtf?
It's much more annoying than one might think. Everytime I bend my arm I feel it, and it hurts! Maybe I moisturize too much or something?
posted by hilary at 9:54 AM | 5 comments | links to this post

Friday, December 01, 2006

Mullet man.

My JRN professor showed up to class yesterday with a new haircut. Previously his mane had been a tad shaggy, but it fit with his passionate-journalist image. In its place resides a mullet, cira 1988.
I found it difficult to concentrate on his lecture, instead mentally comparing him to Egon of Ghostbusters fame. Imagine Egon with a mullet and then try to focus on Interviewing Principles and Practices.

In other news, I walked into Statistics yesterday totally thinking I was going to be lost on the exam. Instead, I discovered that, "Hey! I actually know this stuff!"
I'm expecting a pretty good grade, although history has shown that it doesn't always work out that way. It's entirely possible that I think I've earned 100, but will be handed back an 80 or something.
posted by hilary at 9:33 AM | 3 comments | links to this post