The Need to Rant!

So the point of this entry is not to update my blog about my life (which in general is fine, just a bit stressed) but to rant about how much I hate my roommate. Now I know that I had a bad experience not so long ago where I said something in a post that got back to that person but #1, there is no possible way she knows about my blog and #2, I hate her so much, that I don't care.

I think I need a form, a structure to my rant, otherwise it will consume the time left in my evening which was supposed to consist of writing my discourse analysis paper but was interrupted by me getting so angry that I had to leave my apartment and go to my coffee shop instead. And so, here are the top Ten Things I Wish my Roommate Would NOT Do:

10. Have people call her on the ground line at all hours of the day but then hang up when I answer.
9. Bang on the wall when I am practicing my music or any other time she is annoyed.
8. Leave her used tissues around the apartment.
7. Play her bad music incessantly without asking if it bothers me (which it always does)
6. Be nice to me only when she wants something.
5. Object to me having female vistors and be cold and rude to them.
4. Tell me to clean up something when it is perfectly fine or not a big deal at all or her mess.
3. Object to me having male visitors
2. Give me the continually cold shoulder and silent criticism of everything I am, believe in, and do.
1. Exist!

Ok, I know, I am exaggerating. I also do aknowledge that I am not angelic and have annoying habits as well. But she has really made it clear to me that she thinks I am a terrible person, immoral, and disguesting and I am sick of it. I am going to make alternate living arrangements at the end of my lease in July but I have to put up with it until then. Everyone who has met her in the context of my apartment (Emily, Stuart, Aran, Damiana, etc.) has a similarly strong negative reaction. I just hope I can keep from telling her what I think of her until then. Tonight after she basically ordered me to clean the bathroom because she wasn't happy with its cleanliness, I almost called her a great many bad names. Instead, being me, I angrily tried to compromise, did a minimalistic job, began to cry (not in front of her, luckily) and left. I am such an avoider of conflict.

I have wasted far too much time. My paper is not going to be tht great. Sigh. If only I could be brilliant all the time.

A Highly Superior Blender

I finally recieved my Hannukah present from my parents. It came in the mail today after being backordered for well-over a month. It is a blender. Now I know that does not seem that exciting. You can buy one in the grocery story for less than $20. However, I have gone through two cheap-ass blenders in less than 2 years and am completely sick of it. They all break in the same place - the connecting piece between the base and the container. The last one exploded literally all over my kitchen and completely ruined my day. So I asked for a really high quality blender as my present. It finally came and I am overwhelmed by its superiority to other blenders. It not only is made of steel and glass (instead of plastic), it doesn't even have the piece that usually breaks - it is all one beautifully made piece that sits in a specially designed base. It is so obviously superior to all other blenders that I have named it "the highly superior blender" or HSB. And, not only does it look pretty, it chops up things extremely fast and easily. It treated frozen fruit (normally a difficult job) like it was nothing. I see a future full of smoothies, milk shakes, pina coladas, and happy days.

And another one down

Boys come, boys go; I don't seem to be able to keep ahold of them. Although in this case it is more that I drop him rather than let him slip through my figures. It was just that he was a bit stickly (clingy), tasted funny and was not as pretty as other boys I've seen. (I'm not sure exactly what metaphor I am using here but it seems to work). Anyways, he is gone and I am left feeling only a little guilty.

On a brighter note, I am indulging myself by taking an graduate level English course this semester on Chaucer and the Courtly Tradition. It promises to be quite fun, even if requiring a good deal of work. I like classes in which we talk about the love between two men in the first class and how women are merely objects onto which to project and manipulate relationships. And Sir Thomas Malory is always fun. It is a little sad that I am more excited about this class than I was about the boy but I guess that I made the right decision. Boys come and go but good authors stay with you forever.

The Wanderer Returns

After driving 2,500 miles, flying many thousands more, my travels have brought me back to Madison in time to begin another semester of graduate school. I have to say, this break was one of the most enjoyable I have had so far. I spent a week blissfully enjoying the warm weather of the Rivera Maya in Mexico with my family (although traveling with 13 people who are related to you can produce some interesting dinners! I am also tired of carrying my elderly relative's luggage). Then I had a very nice New Years in Cleveland with my childhood friend and her family. Just as I was getting bored of tv, I drove to Connecticut and saw all of my cooworkers at Franklin and reminded myself of the joys and tribulations I am missing there. Next, I went to Boston and played with Dea in her new appartment. It was fun to hang out and remember all the silly things we did in college. My travels then took my by Choate Rosemary Hall for an interview. I am hoping to teach in their summer program as an alternative to taking more classes. Finally, I drove up to Williamstown and entertained my sister for several days before beginning the very long trek back to the midwest. All through break, I cooked, read, knit, played games and watched fun shows; it was entirely enjoyable.

Now I am back and must begin work again. I am trying to figure out my schedule, which is entailing completely changing half of it. I also now have 6 violin students and so will be spending a lot more time working with them. I am looking forward to it. I am off to my first class of the semester. Too bad I think I will be dropping the class. Oh well. I might as well get the transition over with as soon as possible.

Nearing the end of the craziness

The end is finally in sight of this craziness that they call the end of the semester. Because I am silly and take four classes a semester, I had four final papers (all between 10 and 20 pages long) to write. Through much planning, too many hours of staring at my computer screen and some panic, I have now managed to write at least a draft of three papers and have turned in the final version of two of them today. That leaves only 1 paper still to be written and one that needs some revision - a feasible amount of work for the next week. I may even be able to get started on my holiday shopping.

This being said, my break is quickly approaching and I have not yet organized this pilgrimage to the east coast that I want to make. If only other people would stay in one place I might be able to see them all but of course they all have their own lives as well. Sigh. Another task for my to do list.

Somehow I have acquired a boy without really thinking it through. It is rather odd. Yet again, I missed my opportunity to plan and plunged right in. I wonder if it was a good idea.

I love Snow!

So it seems like Thursday's snow was just a taste - today is the real thing. I am currently looking out at a world covered in white flakes. I love it. Even waiting for the bus was made better by the snow - it was like standing in a white cloud.

It gives me the happy, excited feeling that good things will happen (and they are:)!)

Snow is happy

It snowed last night and so this morning I woke up to a world covered in white, fluffy snow. Somehow, snow always makes me happy, sometimes even to the point of giddiness like that of Lorelai on Gilmore Girls. Maybe its leftover from the expectation of a snow day or joy of winter sports but it truly makes the world a better place temporarily (until it melts into black mush).

I 'm especially glad it snowed today because I need the uplift. Between the many papers due in the near future, readings I have not done, and friends I inadventently insulted, I am less than content with the state of things. However, the future is hopeful with sunny Mexico in my vacation plans.

Also, I beat my second midterm into shape and got my fussy professor to give me an A! And I think I will do pretty well on my Ed. Psych paper (after all that agonizing) because my peer critics didn't have many corrections to give. Graduate school work is clearly within my competance and perhaps a bit easier than Swat.