Jessie's LiveJournal

the boxes are packed

2005-04-01T16:12:19Z

My journal is moving. you can now view it here.

I'll still be skulking about LiveJournal,commenting here and there, but updates of my own will now be on our site.

am i a real basketball fan?

2005-03-28T14:33:22Z

Maybe not. I'm now quite miffed that we have tickets to the Final Four and neither the Gophers nor the Huskies will be there. It's the first time in forever the Huskies haven't made it. The only thing that'll make it moderately okay for me is if Tennessee is miraculously beaten by Rutgers tomorrow.

Yeah, it'll be cool to see some of the other teams play. Yeah, it'll be fun to get away with Steve, and no one else, for a couple of days. Yeah, there'll be some great basketball. But no Geno Auriemma shouting from the sidelines? That's just wrong.

completely addicted...

2005-03-18T19:39:23Z

Best so far, because it sums up two years of my life in three lines:

</ljcut>

lj haiku

2005-03-18T19:09:29Z

keeping busy

2005-03-18T18:54:43Z

Steve's grandfather, Puh, passed away this morning. Northwest Airlines very kindly booked bereavement fares for Steve and I. We will go to Norfolk on Sunday, the funeral is Monday, then on Tuesday go to D.C. to sit shiva for a couple of days with the family.

I want to put up an online memorial for Puh, but need to get the obituary info to do so. I've called the funeral home to see if they can send it to me, to avoid having to burden Steve's mom any more than I have to. If anyone has suggestions for memorial sites to use, please let me know.

Geno is, I think, trying to make me feel better by looking really cute. Either that or he's just napping, I'm not sure which.

I'm putting some home stuff on hold, but have had to call and make arrangements for a few things before we go. When you spend a lot of time around here talking to people whose companies will come and fix things around your house, you hear an awful lot of that real Minnesota accent. It's kind of fun, but I do then find myself saying stuff like "oh, sherr, you bet." As long as I don't start pronouncing "bag" as "beg," I'll be okay.

hubby away, i play with power tools

2005-03-16T06:53:36Z

I am using a heat gun to strip off the ugly, khaki paint off of what appear to be absolutely lovely wood cabinets in our kitchen. I'm using my new heat gun, which bubbles and softens the paint, making it easy to scrape off (there's a great David Sedaris essay about a job he had where he did this that I think I must re-read now).

My total kitchen remodeling plan:

- Strip, sand and varnish cabinets and wood trim
- Repaint walls
- Install new countertop
- Tile backsplash
- Fix cabinet above stove
- Install rangehood/microwave combination
- Get new dishwasher (Kenmore Turbo Wash system, here I come!)

And maybe, if it's economically feasible, install new cabinetry along the bare wall: a pantry, a base unit with countertop and a pot rack would be ideal. Unfortunately, that space is not very deep, so I'd need to have it custom built. Oh, if only I were a carpenter.

Off to bed, sans spouse. I am always sad when he is away.

latest meme

2005-02-24T06:16:07Z

10 Things That I've Done That You Probably Haven't (my mother may not want to read this)

1. Shopped in local sex stores for bondage gear with my professor
2. Had sex behind the security mirror of a record store (um, twice. with two different people.)
3. Gave a dress away because after my boyfriend wore it I realized it looked better on him
4. Drove a dead body from a 200+ year old burial site to an archaeology lab
5. Kissed a man I had just met on a train
6. Hung out with [cult-famous fantasy novelist] and [cult-famous indie songwriter] in a hotel bar in Minneapolis
7. Saw the same band (Aden) play one night in Chicago (at the Chicago Popfest) and the next night in New York City (opening for the Magnetic Fields) without taking an airplane and without trying to see that band
8. Worked for a branding consultancy based in a rental cottage on Fire Island
9. Marched in a gay pride parade alongside sex workers who chanted "We're here, we're queer, we don't take checks!"
10. Sang a cappella on AM radio.

10 Things I've Done That I Probably Shouldn't Have

1. Returned to school to study theatre instead of Computer Science or some other lucrative field
2. See #2 in the list "10 Things That I've Done That You Probably Haven't (my mother may not want to read this)"
3. Took LSD and Psilocybin on the same night. Hunter S. Thompson, I am not.
4. Left a job a few months before the company was taken over and everyone got sweet severance packages.
5. An incident at summer arts camp in high school involving my visiting boyfriend and the untimely arrival of my roommate and her parents.
6. Went to Brooklyn from Storrs, CT, to visit my boyfriend who I knew was just going to break up with me when I got there
7. Ate a whole box of Pop-Tarts in one sitting (back when they were a six pack)
8. Encouraged one of my best friends, who was in the midst of a divorce, to have an affair with one of my other best friends, who was a cad
9. Got a credit card in college
10. Bought this because I was bored and mad at Steve.

got a new t-shirt today

2005-02-23T03:34:56Z

if you know what it's for, i don't have to tell you.

to tell you where my priorities are

2005-02-15T19:05:58Z

I received a stiff envelope from the University of Minnesota today. When I saw where it was from, I thought, "Cool! The NCAA tournament tickets have arrived!" I was somewhat disappointed to find out that it was only my Bachelor of Arts Diploma.

more web design

2005-02-13T03:58:06Z

Just redesigned the women's hoops blog for our friends Ted and Sara, fellow Gopher fans and dedicated disseminators of news about my favorite sport.

Now I can resume my Oscar nominee film fest.

a lot to learn

2005-02-03T23:33:36Z

The more I poke around lately, the more amazed I am at how beautiful some web sites are. Like The Man in Blue, or John P. Hoke's Asylum. I have much to learn before I am a real web designer.

i would have xeroxed this...

2005-02-03T18:33:56Z

but I figured an LJ post was better-

P'shop this

"Trademarks are not verbs.

CORRECT: The image was enhanced using Adobe® Photoshop® software.

INCORRECT: The image was photoshopped."

Now I must go sneeze into a Kleenex© Brand Facial Tissue.

slow going

2005-02-02T17:19:55Z

It's after 11 and I'm still in jammies, only half awake. This is the result of watching all of Prime Suspect 2 in one sitting and then being to jazzed to go to sleep until 2 am. I could not, however, watch the first DVD and then wait to watch the second. Too compelling by far for that.

I must shower and get my lazy butt in gear.

what's been keeping me busy today

2005-01-27T04:36:49Z

I redesigned our website. Check it out and tell me what you think, particularly you Windows users, since I haven't checked it on anything but the mac yet.

the new soundtrack of our lives

2005-01-26T17:45:05Z

The Current is the best thing to happen to Twin Cities radio since ... oh, I don't know, I've only been here four years. But it's freaking great.

listen to their aac feed

jury duty - finally something happens

2005-01-12T17:37:31Z

Now that I have been released---

So I am bursting to tell all, but of course forbidden from doing so, so this post and all related will remain private until my involvement in the trial is at an end.
Truth be told, there's not much to relay. I went in this morning, then first thing was called (along with 35 others) to go upstairs with a clerk. We were then led into a courtroom, where the judge (Monahan), defendant, and the two attorneys were waiting. We were then introduced to the parties involved and the judge informed us that the charge was murder in the second.
After explaining our duties and how the process would work, we were required to answer a long survey. The questions covered our background and feelings about different racial groups - specifically Hispanic (the defendant) and African American (the victim). I found the questions a little slanted towards the assumption that the potential juror was white.
While I know that I would go out of my way to NOT make assumptions about the defendant based on his race, his attire is another matter. His sweater was atrocious, and he had a dumb-ass little tail at the back of his otherwise shaved head. Still, innocent until proven otherwise, regardless of how bad his fashion sense is. Bad clothing choices do not make the murderer.
I realize how flip and shallow that just sounded, but be assured that I would take this duty so seriously that I am nervously nauseous just thinking about it. This could be the most weighty responsibility I've ever had to take on.

jury duty

2005-01-11T04:35:55Z

I just took a nice, hot bath and used scrubby philosophy stuff. I feel clean and moisturized.

Today was my first day of jury duty, which consisted of sitting around and reading. My group (along with many others) was released early, but that means that we have to report tomorrow, whereas the groups that stayed on until the bitter end do not have to report (unless they got called to a trial this afternoon).

Downtown Saint Paul is really underwhelming. Corporate stuff, government stuff, so-so restaurants. Eh.

I bought a great pair of jeans last night. Possibly the most flattering pair of jeans I have ever owned. They're low-slung Kenneth Coles and have stitching that creates a permanent front crease, nice and lengthening for my stubby legs. There's something to be said for straying from Target once in a while...

fun-filled weekend in wisconsin

2005-01-09T04:13:41Z

Trip this weekend: Madison, Wisconsin. Women's College Basketball games attended: Minnesota v Wisconsin, Penn State v Wisconsin. Women's College Basketball game watched in bar: UConn v Tennessee.

We left on Thursday with G&D, fellow Gopher fans and, in many ways, our scarily similar counterparts. Our Pricelined hotel was comfy but wireless-ly challenged, at least in our room. By taking the Powerbook into the hallway, I was able to get a signal. Also, the hotel shuttle was crippled by Wednesday night's snow storm or occupied or both, so we had to drive downtown to the Kohl Center.

We were disappointed to learn that our seats were on the diagonal opposite side of the court from the Gopher bench, so we snuck over to the other side and took four unoccupied seats, next to friends of Janel McCarville's from Steven's Point.

Janel was incredible. 15 points, 17 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 4 blocks. The crowd appreciated her, especially all of her hometown friends. We took our time leaving after the game and saw a bunch of the Gophers (but, sadly, not Janel) talking to friends and family on the arena concourse. I almost went up to Hannah Garry to tell her how great I think she is, but I decided to leave her alone. I'll stick to yelling really loudly for her whenever she's on the court.

Dinner and beer afterwards at a bar called the Vintage. The food was okay (their fried cheese curds were pretty darned tasty), the beer was tasty, and the decor was great - lots of formica topped tables and melamine plates. The giant screen TV was playing 9 1/2 Weeks, which was somewhat distracting. G and I played darts, badly.

Finished a review in the morning, then went out to breakfast. I was famished, so I wolfed down some buckwheat pancakes with strawberries and bananas. Afterwards, we decided to hit downtown to explore a little. Went to Avol's Bookstore - the most incredibly well-organized and undusty but rewarding used bookstore I have ever been in - then we all pooped out and went back to the hotel.

Reading in bed in a hotel room can be so emotionally rewarding, especially when it's the middle of the afternoon and you can nod off and nap when you get tired of the book you're reading. It's especially nice when your honey is reading next to you, enjoying it every bit as much as you are.

After wandering around the State Street area a bit, we had dinner at Lombardino's. I must admit, I was intrigued by the description in the city guide in the hotel, in which they mentioned the restaurant's replica of the Trevi fountain and old-school atmosphere. When the local alterna-weekly raved about the chef, we figured it was worth a shot. We ended up very pleased - excellence was displayed in every course, from the warm goat cheese to the homemade limoncello. In particular, my orecchiette with sausage in a brandy infused cream sauce was extraordinarily tasty.

This morning, we ate breakfast at the Dane County Farmer's Market - indoors for the winter. It was a totally hippy-tastic place, and our pancakes were yummy, as was the free trade coffee. G bought bags of catnip for their kitties and ours (all three cats here are now completely stoned).

After breakfast, we headed to the Wisconsin-Penn State game. The Badger fans were all so nice, and paid props to Minnesota when they saw G, D and S's sweatshirts (I opted for a neutral sweater). Penn State beat the home team, but not handily. Jolene Anderson was especially impressive for Wisconsin, but all of their gals played their hearts out.

Afterwards, we found the closest open bar and commandeered one of their TVs to watch the UConn-Tennessee game. I won't even talk about it. Go here if you want to know why I am completely disgusted right now.

Nice drive back, in spite of some bad news from G's mom via cell phone. Stopped at the Norske Nook in Osseo to buy a pie. Mmmmm, pie.

Home now, to the phenomenally good news that accommodatingly officially has been granted tenure. I am bursting with pride.

done

2004-12-21T17:32:01Z

steps to my bachelors degree, for which i completed all coursework yesterday -

Step 1: 1990 - accepted to NYU and The New School, could not go for lack of funds and family not understanding that you must get in debt up to your eyeballs for education.

Step 2: 1990-1991 - attend Mohegan Community College, Norwich, CT

Step 3: 1991-1993 - attend University of Connecticut, Storrs. Change major three times. Work in archaeology lab. Get drunk a lot. Dad gets laid off, have to drop out (see step 1 - eyeballs misunderstanding - above).

Step 4: 2000 - husband gets PhD from Yale. Decide that I should go back and finish to mitigate shame.

Step 5: 2001-2004, University of Minnesota theatre student. In-laws cover tuition. Warm feeling of accomplishment ensues.

cold remedy

2004-12-12T03:00:16Z

1 shot Irish Whiskey
1 tablespoon Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Honey

Heat a glass with these ingredients by placing it in a bowl of hot water. Sip and feel its soothing affects on your scratchy throat, while its warmth fills your core and your aches and pains fade away.

It may not be a cure for the common cold, but it sure makes you care a little less that you have one.

what essential indie rock album are you?

2004-12-11T21:51:54Z

You are Belle & Sebastians If Youre Feeling
Sinister.

take the quiz

funk-y-town

2004-11-16T20:45:19Z

s made me go to my doctor's today, because he's getting fatigued with the nagging depression causing me to be a psycho bitch/catatonic lump.

i'm tired of being someone who is sour and unhappy all the time. i feel like i have an 80-ton weight on my chest lately.

i didn't especially want to go back on anti-depressants, esp. since we've been half-heartedly trying to get pregnant and i don't like the idea of taking things while i'm pregnant. but i left the office with a scrip for zoloft in hand. it's probably better if i don't have a baby during a time when i just want to curl up in bed and never come out anyway.

i don't feel particularly better having written this, but at least i'm being fucking authentic, right?

aftermaths

2004-11-15T23:54:23Z

the play is up, so most of my work on it is done (crossing fingers that all costumes hold up...). there is a little valley that one finds oneself in after a large project is completed. i cannot let myself sit in it for too long, however, as there is other work to be done if i am to graduate as scheduled.

mom and jen have returned to connecticut. i miss them. it was very difficult dropping them at the airport. i find myself more and more wanting to be closer to home. we had such a great weekend. my only consolation is that we would be unlikely to have such wonderful, uninterrupted times together were i still living around home, but would rather catch each other in small snippets here and there, albeit more often.

now that the household is empty again, i really miss cleo's presence. she was such a dear little cat, so particular and cranky but truly adorable. her loss has reminded me of how different my life is from when she was a kitten, and how much the same in many ways.

i just watched angels and insects. i adore mark rylance. if i thought that there would ever be a chance to work with him, i would dedicate myself to theatre without a reservation.

goodbye to an old friend

2004-11-10T17:12:26Z

Our oldest cat, Cleo (who is here depicted as my userpic), is very sick. She has a large tumor on her kidney. She can't eat or drink. We are going to take her to the vet at 10 tomorrow morning and say goodbye.

She has a ventilation grate on the floor in the dining room that she likes to sit on, and that's where she is right now. I put a folded, fleece blanket there, but she is ignoring it in favor of the hard, wooden grate.

I'm going to miss her.

contemplating the next four years

2004-11-03T17:05:02Z

sinking into an alcoholic stupor sounds very appealing right now.

perhaps in a bar in toronto.

LiveJournal Haiku!
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Your haiku:	friendster i'm trying to get pregnant and i played darts badly finished
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Your haiku:	pie mmmmm pie home now to the parties involved and the two attorneys
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