bubbly and lovely: i'm too poor for therapy.
been there and back again. too many thoughts and opinions and hormones get me in trouble.
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
7.31.2002
funny
in yesterday's arts section of the new york times (which i got today): a first edition of jane austen's pride and prejudice was sold for $62,000 at an auction in edinburgh, scotland, last week. about the discovery of the three-volume set the paper says, "The 1813 edition was discovered by a Scottish family who did not realize they had a complete set until they were packing up to move out of their castle" [emphasis mine].
sheesh. i had a hard enough time moving out of my one-bedroom apartment last summer, i can't imagine packing to move out of a CASTLE. i'm sure this isn't a shoddy castle. but a question that begs to be asked is what the heck were they doing packing up their own castle!??!?!?!? you'd think that they would have enough money to hire top quality movers. or maybe this is why they are moving out of the castle in the first place.
i think i've pondered this issue far too long.
09:22
(0) comments
you heard it here first...maybe
i was watching tv monday night and came across the strangest looking game: basketball with trampolines. there were these trampolines in the ground instead of hardwood in the area just around the net. it was weird to watch. now the new york times has covered it. i don't know. it's just so freaking weird.
09:14
(0) comments
wouldn't kick him out of bed for eating crackers ... or being naked
the naked chef who is no longer naked and is now married and has a new show called "oliver's twist" has his own website. it looks pretty cool.
01:12
(0) comments
7.30.2002
funny coincidences
i had a visitor to my blog who arrived via a google search on "gay club tighty whities night". i don't know what's funnier: that my blog came up under such a search or someone was actually conducting it. heh.
22:00
(0) comments
7.28.2002
a haiku from camp
fungus among me
it is on my hands and feet
will you be my friend?
-- written by me at camp for a talent show
23:20
(0) comments
an email i wrote to a future visitor to down under
> contiki travel does trips that are all organized and stuff for people aged
> 18-35 and I hear that they do a great job. i don't know if she's young
> enough, but i hear they are a load of fun. in fact, we should do one
> sometime!! :)
>
> Places I went and things that were helpful:
> Cairns, Australia: Ocean Spirit Cruises took us out to
> the Great Barrier Reef and we went scuba diving with them, which cost extra
> money. THere are A LOT of outfits that do this, but this was the one we
> used. When we went up into the rainforest, we used TropicWings Luxury Coach Tours.
> There are, again, a lot of companies, and it seems a popular way to
> travel. we also rode the skyrail rainforest cableway
> outside of cairns and it was beautifuL!
>
> Sydney, Australia: Magistic Cruises took us on a harbour cruise. It was
> nice, but again, a lot of outfits do that. We didn't really have a tour
> guide. If she enjoys doing sort of scary things, climbing the sydney harbour bridge
> is AWESOME if somewhat touristy and expensive
>
> Other places in Australia I wish I saw: the Outback and Ayers Rock. Perth,
> Melbourne, the Gold Coast are all major destinatoins as well. Also, going
> north from Cairns, I hear it's beautiful up there.
>
> NEW ZEALAND!!! My fave. :) Places in NZ I wish I saw: Christchurch. We
> only flew threw there.
>
> Queenstown, NZ: I LOVE THIS PLACE! She HAS to take a light plane flight
> to/from Milford Sound with air fiordland and
> request mitch and tell him i said hi. Ok, just kidding -- sorta. :) But
> really, the seven hour drive from QUeenstown to the Sound had amazing
> scenery, if one is into that kind of stuff. Our company was Pan Pacific, I
> think but there are a lot, including fiordland travel.
> A quick search on queenstown, new zealand produces a lot of
> different websites dedicated to tourism there. that's pretty much the
> primary industry, maybe next to skiing. There are a lot of extreme sports
> in queenstown, the birthplace of bungee jumping. and the next (!!) time I
> go, I'm going to hike the Milford Track, which is one of the best hikes in
> the world, I hear. But it's not a day hike, so I don't know what she wants.
>
> Rotorua, NZ: This place was interesting, if stinky! it smells like sulfur
> because of volcanic activity. this is one of the centers of maori culture
> in the country and while I'm usually sceptical when it comes to exploiting
> (if it can be called that) native cultures, the performance and Hangi (a way
> of cooking) dinner at the Novotel in Rotorua were really great. There are
> some interesting sites, such as the bubbling mud stuff and the farm show,
> but I was off skydiving so who knows!
>
> the drive from Rotorua to Auckland was kind of cool. We stopped at the
> waitomo glow caves, which were pretty cool, and can
> be done as a day trip from rotorua.
>
> Auckland, NZ: i don't really have much to say about this place. I mean,
> it's the major city in NZ so it's not that hard to find stuff about it (or
> any of the destinations for that matter, since tourism is such a huge part
> of NZ industry) but I didn't really like this place and think that time
> should be spent in other parts of the country b/c auckland is most like
> america, thus not as interesting to me. The museum was pretty cool, though.
> Again, I think pan pacific drove us from rotorua to queenstown but i'm not
> really sure.
>
> this was all i could come up with off the top of my head and some paperwork.
> i'm willing to answer any questions and help with anything, but the
> internet has A LOT of resources too.
23:14
(0) comments
a new hobby
I WANT TO TAKE UP RIVERBOARDING! but if it's making the new york times, maybe i'm a bit late to be ahead of the times (no pun intended). but at least i can still take up a really cool sport. it's a combo of surfing and rafting, or boogy-boarding and kayaking or something. either way it's hella cool! here's a link. it originated in france and new zealand (yeah, i don't get it either, you read the article) about 15 years ago. I WANT TO TRY IT!
18:04
(0) comments
mini reunion
tonight i had dinner in new jersey with some friends from high school, most of who live in the tri-state area and one who lives in michigan. she's married and brought her husband. i generally love these people and it's been cool to grow up with them and see how much we've grown and changed since high school, which is to say a lot. but sometimes i feel my life has diverged more greatly than theirs. it's not a judgement, just an observation. but it makes me more quiet and introspective. and that's that.
02:09
(0) comments
even more random facts
from 15 june 2002 new scientist: a sheep typically burps out 25 litres of methane a day, while cows can expel a staggering 280 litres in the same period. together, they account for around 14 percent of greenhouse gas emissions from australia and 50 percent from new zealand.
scary but true. i still think i have friends full or more hot air.
02:08
(0) comments
now i understand
from 22 june 2002 new scientist: [david evans of the royal adelaide hospital in south australia] thinks that music helps patients escape from their predicament into their imagination.
is this why everyone in new york city walks around with headphones, to dull the pain of city life? eh, just an idea.
02:05
(0) comments
7.26.2002
you really like us
Survey: Germans Best, Britons Worst Travellers
from Reuters
Germans are the most welcome travellers around the world, according to a
survey published on Thursday. Britons are the least wanted.
The survey, carried out by online travel agency Expedia at tourist offices in
17 countries from Cyprus to San Francisco ranked Germans top of the list
for behavior and linguistic efforts and second only to the Americans in politeness.
By contrast Britons were said to be the worst behaved and the rudest. They
make no effort to speak the local language and are tight-fisted tippers.
"British holidaymakers are some of the most widely traveled in the world,
but that doesn't necessarily mean we're good at it," said Expedia.co.uk
managing director Dermot Halpin. "A little effort goes a long way in a foreign
country."
and i always thought americans were loud and rude and obnoxious. well, there.
11:10
(0) comments
7.25.2002
more cross-town rivalry
from today's new york times:
Walter S. Mossberg, the technology columnist of The Wall Street Journal, wrote to Mr. Bollinger that he was not against adding to the curriculum, but that "this must be limited, and subservient to the practical teaching that palace there. Otherwise the school is doomed."
HA! it's not really jealousy, because while i was waitlisted there, i did turn them down. their records didn't reflect that, though, and they rejected me later after i had already decided to go to nyu, where i'm very happy and where my education has been paid for. so really there are no sour grapes. i just think this is funny because columbia j-school is probably the top in the country and look at all this. it makes me chuckle.
12:40
(0) comments
cosmic convergence of sexual fantasies
i'm off soon for an internship interview at space.com. i'm expecting it to go well but one never knows. before i left i REALLY wanted to share with you:
i found out this past weekend that my tour bus driver in queenstown, new zealand, is coming to new york city in september. michael, i think his name is, has been keeping in touch with a few of them women on my trip. see, these women have sons and other relatives who are firefighters and michael is a volunteer firefighter in queenstown and wanted to swap fire station badges with other firefighters from the us. now, he and his mates are coming to new york to remember, if that's the appropriate word, september 11. so yes, i know that's a serious, somber matter, but can i just say:
KIWI FIREFIGHTERS!!! i get giddy just thinking about it...
10:20
(0) comments
7.24.2002
cross-town rivalry
Columbia President Suspends Search for New Dean of Journalism School
from the new york times
he search for a new dean to lead Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism was abruptly suspended yesterday by the university's new president. He said the school, long regarded as a leader in its field, needed to rethink its mission and curriculum and place less emphasis on teaching skills like reporting and editing.
In an e-mail message announcing his decision to faculty, students and staff of the school, the new president, Lee C. Bollinger, said, "To teach the craft of journalism is a worthy goal, but clearly insufficient in this new world and within the setting of a great university."
Mr. Bollinger, the former president of the University of Michigan, who took the helm at Columbia only a few weeks ago, said he believed the school — which publishes The Columbia Journalism Review and administers the Pulitzer Prizes — should be more academic and delve more deeply into substantive issues like changes in communications and the role of a free press.
"The teaching of the craft is important," he said. "The question is balance."
...
Mr. Klatell, the acting dean, said there were categories of students the school would like who typically do not apply, like top student editors. "They may go to law school or business school or right into the craft," he said. "If you are the editor of The Columbia Spectator or The Harvard Crimson, you may leap right into a job. But we'd like to figure out ways to attract more of these people into the school. They can bring interesting ideas to the school, and we can provide them with added value that will make them more desirable."
In his e-mail message, Mr. Bollinger wrote, "We live in an age in which the system of communications is widely understood to be undergoing revolutionary changes, and, at the same time, is the critical element in forging democracies, markets, culture, and the phenomenon of globalization."
With an historically important role and a location in the "media capital of the world." he said, it "should continue to be the leading school of its kind in the world."
i think, quite personally, that my education at nyu has plenty of balance. nyah nyah.
17:47
(0) comments
a requested summary of camp
You asked about a brief summary of camp and funny things that happened. I
can't think of any good funny anecdotes, but there were plenty of funny
moments. There were also plenty of memorable things that happened that
involved the kids, so I thought I'd share some of them with you and everyone
else.
I realized this summer, possibly more than during any previous summer, just
what a great experience camp is for the girls. One girl, Taylor, absolutely
hated swimming in the lake because she was deathly afraid of fish. One day
during the first week, I managed to convince her to go in and after much
freaking out and pushing and prodding, she finally did and swam to the
floating dock and back in quite a hurry. The same week, she also tackled
her fear of heights while horseback riding. When Taylor came back the
second week, she went in the lake again and managed to swim a few laps for a
swim test. And she knew that she was psyching herself out and would say,
"This time, I'm just going to jump in and not think about the fish!" This
girl is extremely bright and has a lot of problems but during her time at
camp it seemed like she was self-aware and learned a lot about mind over
matter. And overcoming fears is always great to see in kids!
We also held two talent shows this summer, when the kids get to come up and
perform skits or songs or dances or anything their little hearts desire.
During the first show, a girl completely choked and left the stage in tears.
After many tears and talking to some counselors, she came back on stage and
did her song, and the crowd cheered very loudly for her. These girls were
so supportive of each other, even when they sang horribly off key! The
environment just seemed really nurturing and supportive for the girls and I
only hope they take these experiences away with them and build on them and
can grow their self-esteem even just the tiniest bit.
There are endless stories like these about girls and being challenged and
whatnot. The summer went very smoothly. No medical emergencies though we
had a few scares. The first week with the girls was stiflingly hot and
humid and the mosquitoes had quite a feast, but once the weather broke,
everyone was happier. The parent evaluations came back "95% positive" with
all complaints requiring only minor adjustments to fix. Apparently, this is
one of the best results ever (YEAY!). A lot of it had to do with the
unusually competent staff.
One little annoying story: One of the parents of a girl who was at camp
during session two is also a cadette/senior troop leader for her daughter
and a few other girls who were at camp. Every year after camp, apparently,
she grills her troop members who went to camp on what they did to earn the
badges/patches they take home. This year, she took home to IPPs, one of
which was VERY loosely fulfilled. So we wrote back and told her what the
girls had done and how, because we were at camp, we had to have loose
interpretations of the badge requirements, etc. We haven't heard back from
her yet so she must have been satisfied but boy oh boy did my heart jump
into my throat. I thought I was in a TON of trouble but actually, she's
just a over-bearing, controlling troop leader.
So that's that. If you have any questions, I'll be glad to answer them.
And if you need songs about anything, I'm sure they're in my head. We spend
A LOT of time singing!
01:30
(0) comments
7.23.2002
back to the grind
here i am at my desk at my internship at my computer that doesn't let me check my hotmail. bleh. and my head is so congested it feels like it's going to explode. and i've got the aches and pains of flu. life just doesn't get any better than this, does it?
on the upside, i've made an appointment to have a massage on friday with the camp director. we're going to treat ourselves at this spa in midtown. yeay! i've requested a male masseuse (masseur?) in the hopes that i'll fall in love like i did in colorado. just kidding. i'm not looking for love here. just a relaxing hour and i think i'd be more relaxed with a guy than with a girl. anyhow, back to my slave labor.
10:59
(0) comments
7.22.2002
zzzzzzz
i finally slept in my own apartment and didn't get up until nearly 2pm! camp is FINISHED. i am at home. i was supposed to go to my internship today but woke up late (and got a parking ticket too, shit). i'll go in tomorrow, i suppose.
it's unfortunate that i can't fully enjoy this freedom -- i have this nasty nasty cold and my snot is coming out this scary electric shade of split pea soup green. ick.
13:57
(0) comments
7.19.2002
almost there
tomorrow is our last full day of camp. WHOOPPEEE! i do love this job. i love trying to get girls to try new adventures and to grow their confidence by acquiring new skills and experiences. but man oh man am i burned out. i am ready for a real vacation from school.
on a completely different note, i had my tarot cards read tonight. i don't believe in the stuff and the whole business sort of freaks me out, but i was rather encouraged about taking the plunge into the great unknown. i am pretty set on going to new zealand for adventure education. now if only i can convince my parents to pay the $8000+ tuition...heh
00:32
(0) comments
7.13.2002
decadence and debauchery
36 hours off before the last week of camp. got paycheck today. will drink part of it away! WHOO! no regrets, mang, no regrets.
21:41
(0) comments
7.10.2002
quiet woods
when it's quiet in the woods, it's a quiet that is unlike most quiets. it's like dead quiet. it feels like everyone is asleep except me. i'm up online researching bees to try and get a hike approved by some higher ups. such is the life.
tonight we had a talent show. it was really cool. some of these girls got to go up and sing a song by themselves and they weren't necessarily good but they overcame fears and just did it and were supported for doing it. and my eyes started to tear. it was just amazing thinking about what this camp has done for me. how i've learned canoeing and backpacking and general outdoor skills. and how i've just been able to grow confidence. and i sat back and realized, not for the first time, that everything i was doing this summer was to try and instill the same experiences in other girls so that they could go home and have just a bit more confidence and certainty about themselves.
i couldn't give a rip about the staff. really. they're all adults. they can figure it out.
so i'm content and happy with this job.
but still frustrated at the possiblity that i'm going to be doing this FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE. ugh.
00:57
(0) comments
7.07.2002
all over again
just finished the first week of camp and had the first weekend off. it wasn't that restful of a weekend but at least i got to relax and go to the drive in and go to target the french superstore. here we are at the start of week two and i'm less stressed but really tired and losing my voice.
this job makes me really insecure. i thought i never wanted to do this again but it looks like if a few things work out and stick, i might come back and do this next summer. WHAT IS MY PROBLEM!? this is my 15th year. 15 YEARS!!! i've been at camp longer than i haven't been at camp. oy. this is nuts.
23:34
(0) comments
7.03.2002
happy campers are we having fun beneath the trees
greetings from camp.
it's 1:30 am and if all is well, i am the only person awake in camp. i just finished my last paper of summer session. it's a week late but not really because the prof extended the deadline. but do you know how hard it is to run a camp and do school 2.5 hours away at the same time? i hope not. it's not fun.
but here i am. this is my first full official week as program director and my insecurities are running high. i'm realizing that "type A personality" does often describe me. i know that i like things perfect, that i'm not effusive, and that i never want to do this job again. i used to be happy. that used to be my name, but now it's just hap and it's indicative of something: that i'm not as happy as i used to be. i'm just older and have more responsibility and that makes me more tired and thus less happy. unless i get so tired that i'm just loopy but that's not my name so i don't know what this is about.
anyhow. so here i am at camp on a really slow connection and i'm the only person awake and it's as humid as a horse's bunghole and i should go to bed. but i'm obsessing about email and it's stupid. but i'm not obsessing about it as badly as i would be if i didn't have 117 girls and 40 something staff members to worry about. it's like camp is edging other things in my brain that take up unnecessary space. which i guess is good.
ok, my eyes are closing. for reals. good night.
01:33
(0) comments
|
|
| |
|
|
|
