So the communal dryer in our apartment building SUCKS. Even a small load takes two cycles to get completely dry. Have a pair of jeans in there? Forgettaboutit. So out of frustration and frugality because I refuse to spend two dollars to dry a single load of laundry, I've resorted to drying as many loads as possible by air on our collapsible drying racks. We have an apartment so setting up an outdoors drying line is not possible. We don't have a balcony like our neighbors either, so drying a load during the winter/early spring has been a two-day process on average. Two loads can usually dry at once between our three racks, as long as a lot of socks aren't involved. Towels and sheets are still dried in the dryer because they just don't fit on the racks. But all in all, it makes me proud to at least pretend that this is all out of an effort to be more green. Granted, it contributes to our effort to live more green, but the cheap part of my personality rejoices. Even though it takes half our living room.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Diet by Osmosis
If you ever needed help with motivation to stay on a diet or wanted to be repulsed by grease galore, visit thisiswhyyourefat.com.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Traveling - the Joys
One of both the joys and sorrows of my field is the need to periodically travel. Usually it's during the three summer months. But this week I'm traveling for my thesis research to look at a collection in Western Nebraska.
I left about 3pm Central Time to drive the six and a half hours west. I wish that I had the hootzpah to take pictures as I drive at 75mph, but I don't. Late afternoon is so beautiful when traveling west. This is when I feel the passage of time most accutely. The sun is visibly sinking lower before you as you race toward the light. In the rearview mirror you watch the night falling, traveling on the edge of the day.
One of my favorite parts of traveling is the quirkiness found along the way. In my recent voyages I found a gas station that advertised "classy restrooms." In North Platte, one gas station carries the sign "Welcome to Nowhere." Following a truck on the interstate labeled on the back "Do not hump truck." Seriously. Is this a problem?
And at the end of the road there's the reward. Going from this:
to this:
80 degrees, sunny, and little wind the first week of March. Doesn't get better than this.
"And thus goes all to the world but I. And I am sunburnt." - Much Ado About Nothing, Shakespeare.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Relaxing Saturday morning
Friday, January 23, 2009
Winter
Welcome back winter.
Apparently Mother Nature has decided to give me a little help focusing on my thesis instead of wanting to go outside and play.
Only two and a half months until the preliminary copy of my thesis is due. I got my permissions today to look at some materials in the hands of private landowners.
It will be done. No other options remain. Thanks Mama Earth.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
The Un-Graduated
So I'm not graduating in a week. With my friends/colleagues. We all came into the program together. Sure, others joined at the same time. Some are still hanging in there, wading their way through too. Others have cut and run. But my friends/colleagues have walked side by side with me through the core classes. Through seminars. Through advising sessions, good and bad. But somewhere along the way I've fallen behind. Soon they will be ceremonially hooded and receive their degrees. And I'll be there to cheer for them loudly. I'm so happy for them and so proud. And a little bit jealous.
As Firstnamelast put it, "The only way out is through" so hopefully next spring they'll be there to cheer me across that stage with my archaic gown, mortar board, and hood. But the problem is that once you're through, you're through. There's no place for you here now.
As Firstnamelast put it, "The only way out is through" so hopefully next spring they'll be there to cheer me across that stage with my archaic gown, mortar board, and hood. But the problem is that once you're through, you're through. There's no place for you here now.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
A Thin Coat of Film
So the last four nights have been late ones, spent grading paper after paper. Assignment after assignment. Creating final exams. So in my insanity I'm turning to an old academic trick - film today! There will be a quiz afterwards. Enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGOohBytKTU
[Haven't had time to figure out the embed thing yet.]
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGOohBytKTU
[Haven't had time to figure out the embed thing yet.]
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