1. What did you do in 2011 that you'd never done before?
Received a b-school job offer, flew to 2nd round interviews, worked in corporate America, worked in HR, lived in Baltimore, developed a product idea from seed to prototype, got in minor trouble with Israeli security, girls' weekend, put up the first Kelley & Barrett household Christmas tree, went on a honeymoon!
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
2011 was the year of Career Development: Strategic Human Resources, Networking, and Developing My Outsider Perspective 2: Electric Persuasion Bugaloo. I did a lot of research and interview prep for HR, which resulted in a good job offer. Networking went really well, and I believe I've made a significant shift in how I see networking. As in, it's not a burden and can be really interesting. I would say that I've accepted the value of my outsider perspective but I am probably always going to feel less persuasive than I'd like to be.
2012 is the Year of Darden Friendships, Chicago, Entrepreneurship, and Health.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Israel, Haiti, & Mexico
6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011?
I got what I wanted for 2011--a job! I would like to develop my friendships with Darden people while we are all still in one place. I would like to develop healthier habits food- and exercise-wise, because that all went to crap over the last semester, and I would like to stop wrestling this. Particularly as I head closing to preparing for conception and pregnancy. (You will note that 2012 is NOT the Year of the Baby, however, so no questions about it, thanks!)
7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 31 - first day at T Rowe Price
Oct 31 - IBM interview
Dec 26 - honeymoon!
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Dashboard at TRP, job offer at IBM, 2nd rounds for GE HRLP, food tracker
9. What was your biggest failure?
DEMD.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I've been sick for much of the fall.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
My new couch and everything associated with the living room makeover (curtains, paint, rug).
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Gomez's. Congress & the president. Kathleen Sibelius regarding the Plan B overruling.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, tuition, food/alcohol, new clothes for my new professional life, travel.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
GE HRLP invitation, TRP internship, IBM offer, Haiti, Mexico, Vegas, Spring Break in the Bay area
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Party Rock Anthem, LMFAO; Calle Ocho, Pitbull
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? Fatter, by roughly 10 lbs. I'm starting Paleo & C25K after the honeymoon.
iii. richer or poorer? Eternally poorer, though next year's assessment I should be able to say richer!.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Exercising. Eating well. Organization.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastination. Caring about unimportant things.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my husband in Charlottesville, for the first time! Then leaving for our honeymoon the next day.
22. Did you fall in love in 2011?
I continued to be in love.
23. How many one-night stands?
0.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
Community, Covert Affairs, The Office, Glee, Grey's Anatomy.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
Fiction: I don't remember reading any fiction worth discussing.
Nonfiction: The book for Systems Design & Business Dynamics
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Frankly, I didn't pay much attention to music this year.
28. What did you want and get?
A great job offer, and the promise of Chicago to look forward to.
29. What did you want and not get?
A position at GE.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I really liked Hannah and Horrible Bosses. That being said I watched them both recently so they have stuck out in my mind. Harry Potter was good too.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my birthday I went to Fogo de Chao for lunch with Brandon on the Inner Harbor in Baltimore.
I turned 28.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
More confidence in the job search process, which is easy to wish for once it's over but is difficult to remember during.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Professional while revealing my love for the unique.
34. What kept you sane?
My friends, my fiancé, AskMetaFilter, Kellogg Leliveld.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
My attention span for public figures has remained at zero.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Fiscal/debt crisis. Eurozone, occasionally.
37. Who did you miss?
People in DC & Portland. My parents.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Cathy Plakatoris & assorted Darden friends.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011.
Narrowing things down a bit from past ruminations, my unique contribution will be design consulting / teaching innovation in the Middle East.
What other people think about me does not pay my rent.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Shake It Out, Florence & the Machine
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, June 11, 2010
And, I'm back.
Although I wasn't gone, just busy, you know, with that whole "getting a Master's" thing. And I expect that my desire and ability to blog may wane with the commencement of my next degree program, but goshdarnit, I miss writing everyday. And as embarrassing as reading over past writings can be sometimes, I like having that record of what I was thinking and feeling. So there's that.
Things that have happened in the last month:
- I finished my MA
- I moved to a small college town, away from my MA program friends
- I moved in with my Future Husband
- wedding stuff exploded.
More to come on getting through emotional, physical, intellectual, employment transitions. And humorous story-telling, and fun things to think about, usually found on the internets. Might do some book reviews. Because that's how I roll. I'm sure this round of blogging will feature more anonymity, although given the blog's current title, that's a bit of an issue, no? Look for a post about new blog, once I figure out what I want to do with that.
But first: A Rant
O Bodo's! Why must you refuse to toast the freaking bagels!? Every time I ask for a toasted bagel, to indicate to someone that there is a simple thing that your establishment can do to make a customer much more satisfied with the Bodo's Bagel Experience. Last time the cashier said, "Oh, but they are warm already, they don't need to be toasted," which leads me to believe that she doesn't fundamentally understand the textural shift of the toasting. It's called the Maillard reaction, and it makes everything more delicious. The contrast of smooth, cold cream cheese with the warm brown crust of a toasted bagel is a joy to behold, and you refuse to make it possible for the beleaguered citizens of our fair town. A commercial toaster, delivered, costs less than a thousand dollars. You could easily pay for it in a short period of time, depending on the volume of bagels sold. I'm happy to do a feasibility study for you IF IT WILL GET ME A GODDAMN TOASTER.
Friday, December 18, 2009
1. What did you do in 2009 that you'd never done before?
Spend an extended amount of time in a foreign (Arab) country, relatively alone; become engaged; win the Golden Apron; spend the night in the hospital; get an IUD; see the Pyramids and Luxor/Karnak, make pretzels and challah.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
2008 was the Year of Arabic, Grad School and Organization. Arabic was alright, although I feel like I didn't improve my skill much at all this fall. Looking forward to some intensive work over the break. Grad school's been interesting and I'd say I've been successful, but I'm ready to be done--or maybe that's the finals period talking. Organization is a lasting problem. I guess I'll keep it on the list. 2010 will be the year of Career Development, Organization and Wedding.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Russia (ha, I'm going to say it counts) and Egypt.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
I got what I wanted for 2009! Now I'd like a job or an acceptance to business school, a diploma, a relatively stress-free wedding planning process, and a solution to the dog problem(s).
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 13 -- Brandon proposed!
August 1 -- I returned from Egypt.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting through Egypt; finishing my third semester.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I wish that I had done a better job of conducting research in Egypt; I could have gotten a lot more done if I'd made some different choices to structure my situation differently. Time management, generally.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was depressed over the summer. That was compounded by a serious Gomez altercation upon my return to the States in August. I managed to stay well through the swine flu epidemic.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Canopic jars? My purple Tahari dress?
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Anyone involved with healthcare reform. Mine, during the summer. Gomez's.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, tuition, food/alcohol, a moderate amount of new clothes, Egypt souvenirs, the beginnings of wedding stirrings.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My thesis, engagement, dog behavioralist, Brandon moving, Egypt, wedding planning.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Ambling Alp, Yeasayer. Bad Romance, Lady Gaga.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? About the same.
iii. richer or poorer? P O O R E R.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Saving. Exercising. Reading. Interviewing. SRBC activities.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastination.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my family in Portland.
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I continued to be in love.
23. How many one-night stands?
0.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
The Office, Glee, Mad Men, Top Chef. In reverse order.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
One person, but hate's a bit strong. There are a few flareups, though.
26. What was the best book you read?
Fiction: I don't remember reading any fiction worth discussing.
Nonfiction: Islam and Mammon by Timur Kuran; that World Bank report on job creation in the Middle East
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Hercules and Love Affair. Yeasayer.
28. What did you want and get?
An engagement ring. The perfect wedding venue. To go to Egypt.
29. What did you want and not get?
A satisfying Egypt experience.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I haven't seen Avatar which everyone is supposed to go crazy about. Transformers 2 for the experience of watching it in Egypt and the sheer silliness? Fantastic Mr. Fox did not live up to my expectations, which were indeed high.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my birthday I
went to Arabic lessons and got yelled at by the moudir;
got skeeved out by a cab driver;
ate at Chili's in Ma'adi with Chris Rizzi;
and saw Transformers 2.
I turned 26.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not being depressed in Egypt. A door.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Aspiring to achieve the style of Joan Harris (née Holloway).
34. What kept you sane?
My friends, my fiancé, bitching with Melissa over Twitter.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
My attention span for public figures dropped to zero.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care reform.
37. Who did you miss?
People who aren't in DC. Brandon. My parents.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Chris Rizzi.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
It's the time for me to be assertive like whoa.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Ambling Alp, Yeasayer
Now, the world can be an unfair place at times
But your lows will have their complement of highs
And if anyone should cheat you, take advantage of, or beat you
Raise your head and wear your wounds with pride
You must stick up for yourself, son
Never mind what anybody else done
Spend an extended amount of time in a foreign (Arab) country, relatively alone; become engaged; win the Golden Apron; spend the night in the hospital; get an IUD; see the Pyramids and Luxor/Karnak, make pretzels and challah.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
2008 was the Year of Arabic, Grad School and Organization. Arabic was alright, although I feel like I didn't improve my skill much at all this fall. Looking forward to some intensive work over the break. Grad school's been interesting and I'd say I've been successful, but I'm ready to be done--or maybe that's the finals period talking. Organization is a lasting problem. I guess I'll keep it on the list. 2010 will be the year of Career Development, Organization and Wedding.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
No.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
Russia (ha, I'm going to say it counts) and Egypt.
6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
I got what I wanted for 2009! Now I'd like a job or an acceptance to business school, a diploma, a relatively stress-free wedding planning process, and a solution to the dog problem(s).
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
May 13 -- Brandon proposed!
August 1 -- I returned from Egypt.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting through Egypt; finishing my third semester.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I wish that I had done a better job of conducting research in Egypt; I could have gotten a lot more done if I'd made some different choices to structure my situation differently. Time management, generally.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was depressed over the summer. That was compounded by a serious Gomez altercation upon my return to the States in August. I managed to stay well through the swine flu epidemic.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Canopic jars? My purple Tahari dress?
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Anyone involved with healthcare reform. Mine, during the summer. Gomez's.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, tuition, food/alcohol, a moderate amount of new clothes, Egypt souvenirs, the beginnings of wedding stirrings.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My thesis, engagement, dog behavioralist, Brandon moving, Egypt, wedding planning.
16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
Ambling Alp, Yeasayer. Bad Romance, Lady Gaga.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier.
ii. thinner or fatter? About the same.
iii. richer or poorer? P O O R E R.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Saving. Exercising. Reading. Interviewing. SRBC activities.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Procrastination.
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With my family in Portland.
22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
I continued to be in love.
23. How many one-night stands?
0.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
The Office, Glee, Mad Men, Top Chef. In reverse order.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
One person, but hate's a bit strong. There are a few flareups, though.
26. What was the best book you read?
Fiction: I don't remember reading any fiction worth discussing.
Nonfiction: Islam and Mammon by Timur Kuran; that World Bank report on job creation in the Middle East
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Hercules and Love Affair. Yeasayer.
28. What did you want and get?
An engagement ring. The perfect wedding venue. To go to Egypt.
29. What did you want and not get?
A satisfying Egypt experience.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
I haven't seen Avatar which everyone is supposed to go crazy about. Transformers 2 for the experience of watching it in Egypt and the sheer silliness? Fantastic Mr. Fox did not live up to my expectations, which were indeed high.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
On my birthday I
went to Arabic lessons and got yelled at by the moudir;
got skeeved out by a cab driver;
ate at Chili's in Ma'adi with Chris Rizzi;
and saw Transformers 2.
I turned 26.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Not being depressed in Egypt. A door.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
Aspiring to achieve the style of Joan Harris (née Holloway).
34. What kept you sane?
My friends, my fiancé, bitching with Melissa over Twitter.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
My attention span for public figures dropped to zero.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Health care reform.
37. Who did you miss?
People who aren't in DC. Brandon. My parents.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Chris Rizzi.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009.
It's the time for me to be assertive like whoa.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
Ambling Alp, Yeasayer
Now, the world can be an unfair place at times
But your lows will have their complement of highs
And if anyone should cheat you, take advantage of, or beat you
Raise your head and wear your wounds with pride
You must stick up for yourself, son
Never mind what anybody else done
Friday, January 16, 2009
WOOT, 2009, hollllller
- Back in DC, no river landings
- Have my W2 in hand to fill out my FAFSA.
- Have keys to my new place.
- Have arranged for movers and truck.
- Miss my man and my fam, as well as other PDX peeps.
- Glad to be back with my DC homies.
- Excited to begin this semester.
- Only very slightly sad that Missy's not working at D&T because the bullet points would be ever more apropos.
- Inauguration, ugh.
- Alcohol is calling my name.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
end-of-year meme
2005, 2006, 2007.
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Move away from home (okay, I've moved away from home before for college, but I'm an adult living independently now, it's different), attend graduate school, move in with a boyfriend, be stepmom to a dog, live in a semi-sketchy neighborhood (I'm sure some would argue sketchy), be in a serious long distance relationship, consider marriage.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
2008 was the Year of Beauty, Modesty, and Organization. I certainly feel more beautiful than I ever have before, for good reason. Modesty? I think I got much more private in revealing certain parts of myself. Last year, when I was deciding on this as a goal, I was thinking in terms of Wendy Shalit's definition of modesty. I think that my efforts towards Modesty dropped off as my relationship with Brandon grew, as it didn't seem necessary, but I have seen a shift in myself of what I think is appropriate behavior for myself. I like being a little more conservative, although I am the same amount of outspoken, I promise. Next year will be the Year of Arabic, Career Development, and Organization. I can't seem to make any progress on Organization, so I'd better keep it on--and make a better plan for achieving that.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
One friend gave birth, and another is unexpectedly, but blessedly, pregnant.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
I began my year in Jordan. I also briefly visited Canada.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Some experience or new knowledge that gives me some insight into a more specific career path.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 15--I got my acceptance letter from SAIS. We celebrated by going to delicious Indian in Vancouver, BC.
May 1--I moved in with Brandon.
July 7--I moved to DC.
December 5--My one-year anniversary with Brandon. It was also my first one-year anniversary, which feels quite hefty in significance, but maybe I'm overemphasizing that, as I tend to do.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting into SAIS. Finishing my first semester.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I really can't think of anything. I certainly made mistakes, but nothing major.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was sick for a week in February; during that time Brandon really stepped up to take care of me, which changed how I looked at him. I was also sick for most of October, and still have a lingering cough.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Brandon's anniversary/Christmas presents. They are perfect.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The people who made their political decisions based on emotions. Training Wheels.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, tuition, food/alcohol, a moderate amount of new clothes. I shrank about a size over the course of the year, and nothing fits me well anymore, except for a couple dresses.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Falling in love, graduate school, moving to DC, Arabic class, new friends, seeing Dorothy and Wael in November, Nola Jane, Julia's pregnancy, upcoming commitments in my relationship, woo!.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Electric Feel, MGMT; Gasolina, Daddy Yankee; Finding Out True Love is Blind, Louis XIV; 1,2,3,4, Feist.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier. Much. Infinitely. I really feel like I'm coming into my own here. And I think it shows.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner. It was for good.
iii. richer or poorer? P O O R E R. Thank you, grad school.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Saving. Exercising. Reading.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Waffling on a certain relationship question. Drinking... a glass of wine without attempting to be drunk is fine and enjoyable, but I don't really understand drinking a one-off vokda tonix. What's the point?
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With Brandon on the eve, which is an anniversary of sorts; my fam and god'rents day-of.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes. Oh, yes. "yes" doesn't even capture the magnitude of it.
23. How many one-night stands?
0.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mad Men, Top Chef. In reverse order.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
Fiction: World War Z by Max Brooks.
Nonfiction: Fixing Failed States by Claire Lockhart and Ashraf Ghani
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Dresden Dolls. Girl Talk.
28. What did you want and get?
A great apartment in DC. Acceptance to graduate school (4 for 4!). A life partner. Close friends at school. Success in Arabic.
29. What did you want and not get?
I was given everything that I truly wanted this year. I've been blessed.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Fall.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
During my birthday week I:
Went to East India Company with Brandon, my parents and godparents
Woke up to the most thoughtful collection of presents I have ever received, including Squids Will Be Squids
Went to Chesterfield with Justin, Isaac and Brandon; then hit up Doug Fir
Floated down the Sandy with good friends. It was damned cold this year. Tots at Edgefield.
I turned 25.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having the foresight to move in with Jordan before our housing got settled.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Standard Erin style, though a bit more DC/formaled up. Slightly more ill-fitting clothings due to weight loss and not being able to afford new clothes. (Not complaining.)
34. What kept you sane?
My friends, exercise, eating well, reading, letting myself NOT be sane and in control.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Uhhhh. Should I go with Paul Krugman? Just kidding. Martin Wolf? Francis Fukuyama? Not Ajami.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election just depressed me. I think we elected a brand, not a person. I HATE HRC for SecState. I think that's a terrible decision for the country, although a brilliant one for Obama.
37. Who did you miss?
People who aren't in DC. Brandon. My parents.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Jordan. Then my Middle East peeps. Then the rest of my SAISers. Megan G.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
I can ask for help. I am a crier, but it is more often than not out of depth of positive emotion eg. happiness, gratitude.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
The touch and feeling of free is / Untangible technically / Something you’ve got to believe in / Connect the cause and effect / One foot in front of the next / This is the start of a journey. / And my mind is already gone / And though there are other unknowns / Somehow this doesn’t concern me. / And you can stand right there if you want / But I’m going on... To a place in the sun that’s nice and warm / I’m going on / And I’m sure they’ll have a place for you too
1. What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before?
Move away from home (okay, I've moved away from home before for college, but I'm an adult living independently now, it's different), attend graduate school, move in with a boyfriend, be stepmom to a dog, live in a semi-sketchy neighborhood (I'm sure some would argue sketchy), be in a serious long distance relationship, consider marriage.
2. Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
2008 was the Year of Beauty, Modesty, and Organization. I certainly feel more beautiful than I ever have before, for good reason. Modesty? I think I got much more private in revealing certain parts of myself. Last year, when I was deciding on this as a goal, I was thinking in terms of Wendy Shalit's definition of modesty. I think that my efforts towards Modesty dropped off as my relationship with Brandon grew, as it didn't seem necessary, but I have seen a shift in myself of what I think is appropriate behavior for myself. I like being a little more conservative, although I am the same amount of outspoken, I promise. Next year will be the Year of Arabic, Career Development, and Organization. I can't seem to make any progress on Organization, so I'd better keep it on--and make a better plan for achieving that.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
One friend gave birth, and another is unexpectedly, but blessedly, pregnant.
4. Did anyone close to you die?
No.
5. What countries did you visit?
I began my year in Jordan. I also briefly visited Canada.
6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?
Some experience or new knowledge that gives me some insight into a more specific career path.
7. What date from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?
March 15--I got my acceptance letter from SAIS. We celebrated by going to delicious Indian in Vancouver, BC.
May 1--I moved in with Brandon.
July 7--I moved to DC.
December 5--My one-year anniversary with Brandon. It was also my first one-year anniversary, which feels quite hefty in significance, but maybe I'm overemphasizing that, as I tend to do.
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Getting into SAIS. Finishing my first semester.
9. What was your biggest failure?
I really can't think of anything. I certainly made mistakes, but nothing major.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
I was sick for a week in February; during that time Brandon really stepped up to take care of me, which changed how I looked at him. I was also sick for most of October, and still have a lingering cough.
11. What was the best thing you bought?
Brandon's anniversary/Christmas presents. They are perfect.
12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Mine.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
The people who made their political decisions based on emotions. Training Wheels.
14. Where did most of your money go?
Rent, tuition, food/alcohol, a moderate amount of new clothes. I shrank about a size over the course of the year, and nothing fits me well anymore, except for a couple dresses.
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
Falling in love, graduate school, moving to DC, Arabic class, new friends, seeing Dorothy and Wael in November, Nola Jane, Julia's pregnancy, upcoming commitments in my relationship, woo!.
16. What song will always remind you of 2008?
Electric Feel, MGMT; Gasolina, Daddy Yankee; Finding Out True Love is Blind, Louis XIV; 1,2,3,4, Feist.
17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
i. happier or sadder? Happier. Much. Infinitely. I really feel like I'm coming into my own here. And I think it shows.
ii. thinner or fatter? Thinner. It was for good.
iii. richer or poorer? P O O R E R. Thank you, grad school.
18. What do you wish you'd done more of?
Saving. Exercising. Reading.
19. What do you wish you'd done less of?
Waffling on a certain relationship question. Drinking... a glass of wine without attempting to be drunk is fine and enjoyable, but I don't really understand drinking a one-off vokda tonix. What's the point?
20. How will you be spending Christmas?
With Brandon on the eve, which is an anniversary of sorts; my fam and god'rents day-of.
22. Did you fall in love in 2008?
Yes. Oh, yes. "yes" doesn't even capture the magnitude of it.
23. How many one-night stands?
0.
24. What was your favorite TV program?
It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Mad Men, Top Chef. In reverse order.
25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
No.
26. What was the best book you read?
Fiction: World War Z by Max Brooks.
Nonfiction: Fixing Failed States by Claire Lockhart and Ashraf Ghani
27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Dresden Dolls. Girl Talk.
28. What did you want and get?
A great apartment in DC. Acceptance to graduate school (4 for 4!). A life partner. Close friends at school. Success in Arabic.
29. What did you want and not get?
I was given everything that I truly wanted this year. I've been blessed.
30. What was your favorite film of this year?
The Fall.
31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
During my birthday week I:
Went to East India Company with Brandon, my parents and godparents
Woke up to the most thoughtful collection of presents I have ever received, including Squids Will Be Squids
Went to Chesterfield with Justin, Isaac and Brandon; then hit up Doug Fir
Floated down the Sandy with good friends. It was damned cold this year. Tots at Edgefield.
I turned 25.
32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Having the foresight to move in with Jordan before our housing got settled.
33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?
Standard Erin style, though a bit more DC/formaled up. Slightly more ill-fitting clothings due to weight loss and not being able to afford new clothes. (Not complaining.)
34. What kept you sane?
My friends, exercise, eating well, reading, letting myself NOT be sane and in control.
35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Uhhhh. Should I go with Paul Krugman? Just kidding. Martin Wolf? Francis Fukuyama? Not Ajami.
36. What political issue stirred you the most?
The election just depressed me. I think we elected a brand, not a person. I HATE HRC for SecState. I think that's a terrible decision for the country, although a brilliant one for Obama.
37. Who did you miss?
People who aren't in DC. Brandon. My parents.
38. Who was the best new person you met?
Jordan. Then my Middle East peeps. Then the rest of my SAISers. Megan G.
39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.
I can ask for help. I am a crier, but it is more often than not out of depth of positive emotion eg. happiness, gratitude.
40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
The touch and feeling of free is / Untangible technically / Something you’ve got to believe in / Connect the cause and effect / One foot in front of the next / This is the start of a journey. / And my mind is already gone / And though there are other unknowns / Somehow this doesn’t concern me. / And you can stand right there if you want / But I’m going on... To a place in the sun that’s nice and warm / I’m going on / And I’m sure they’ll have a place for you too
I'm still here.
I was taken to task, last weekend, for both giving up LJ and Blogger. This is simply not the case. What happened is that I spent a good chunk of October being sick, and then I spent November entertaining houseguests and catching up on my schoolwork. And now here I am in the middle of finals, with one more "exam" to go, this afternoon, and two papers due next week. I am definitely ready to come home and have a less-structured break. I do have plans, however:
I realized recently that I've probably been a little depressed this semester, due to the big adjustment of a new city, the stress of school, making a long distance relationship work (although that hasn't been too difficult, because we're both just skilled at relationship, thankfully), etc. I'm sure that the financial crisis helped increase my anxiety as well.
I feel out of that fuzziness, however. I applied for an internship and I have interviews for a couple of positions on Friday. Getting those interviews has buoyed my confidence about my qualifications for the kinds of positions I want. The internship is with an organization that I've been eyeing since the beginning of term and would really build my resume in a specific way, so I really hope that works out. Housing may work itself out on Friday as well, which would be great. And after this afternoon's "exam", I have a relatively less-stressed go of it.
So, to sum up: School is good, though finals aren't; I'm in transition, but feeling less out of sorts about it; I'm looking forward to being home and catching up on other items on my to-do list; I have lots of things to look forward to in the new year. VIOLA.
- I am studying for the GMAT, which is a requirement for the two applications to business school that I plan to make in fall of 2009 (Darden @ UVa, and McDonough @ Georgetown).
- I have to study and pass an exam for statistics, so I can begin econometrics next semester.
- I would like to prepare for the American Foriegn Policy exam offered in January, to take that off the list of requirements to graduate.
- I am going to figure out my plans for the summer, which should involve a three month stay in the Levant for language study and thesis research. Maybe I'll go to Dubai if I really can't find development to study in the Levant, but I'd prefer to speak Arabic with a Levantine accent.
- Quality time with my friends and family.
- I'm going to nanny a few days a week for Betsy and get into a bit of an exercise regime with her, which I am looking forward to. I've plateaued in terms of weight loss--mostly for lack of trying due to the stress of school--and maybe that'll kick it back up. I'm less than five pounds away from my end goal weight, though I may want to adjust my goal down a touch.
I realized recently that I've probably been a little depressed this semester, due to the big adjustment of a new city, the stress of school, making a long distance relationship work (although that hasn't been too difficult, because we're both just skilled at relationship, thankfully), etc. I'm sure that the financial crisis helped increase my anxiety as well.
I feel out of that fuzziness, however. I applied for an internship and I have interviews for a couple of positions on Friday. Getting those interviews has buoyed my confidence about my qualifications for the kinds of positions I want. The internship is with an organization that I've been eyeing since the beginning of term and would really build my resume in a specific way, so I really hope that works out. Housing may work itself out on Friday as well, which would be great. And after this afternoon's "exam", I have a relatively less-stressed go of it.
So, to sum up: School is good, though finals aren't; I'm in transition, but feeling less out of sorts about it; I'm looking forward to being home and catching up on other items on my to-do list; I have lots of things to look forward to in the new year. VIOLA.
Monday, October 27, 2008
An update.
I'm in the Newark Airport right now, after surviving an inordinately long time on the tarmac in B'more. Apparently Continental is so used to getting screwed by air traffic control in Newark that they schedule the Newark to B'more flight for an hour and a half, although once in the air the flight takes 30 minutes. It's cool, though; I got to nap and listen to my new musical discovery. Download Feed the Animals by Girl Talk. Night Ripper is also good, but not quite so good as Feed the Animals.
It was a stressful week, but I'm done now and on my way home (howsh) for a little mid semester respite. Today I went to Arabic class from 8 - 10, and it was so much fun. First of all, my best SAIS friend is in this class, and we are partners. This morning I was trying to conjugate "sleep", which we haven't learned to do yet, so I could ask her if she spent the night at our friend's house. Heh. I guessed the answer by the look on her face. Priceless. Arabic ('arabiyya) is by far the most fulfilling class I am taking, which is unfortunate because it's the only class that doesn't count for a grade. But our professor (usteadunu [i'm not sure if that's right, we just learned possessive suffixes today]) is great. He follows the book (al kitaab), but if something comes up that we (nahnu) need explained so we can have a conversation, he explains it, even if it's 5 (khamza) chapters ahead of us. I brought a carafe of coffee (kahwa) to class (saf) today (alyoum), and my friend N brought donuts. Krispy Kreme for the win! It was also nice when I walked into class and J noticed I had brought coffee, because he wasn't really expecting me to follow through. "You are really awesome!" he said. "We were just talking about how great you last night at the bar, and here I get confirmation again today." I am making good friends here, which of course makes me really happy.
There is a brass band wandering around the airport. I LOVE it. I should come to Newark more often.
I am wearing a schoolgirl outfit (Thanks BESSEH!) and everyone in DC, B'more, and Newark has been very confused. Love it.
And now I'm back in DC after a weekend during which I didn't do much but it was probably the most relaxing weekend in a long time. I realized, somewhere over Montana, that two months is too long to be apart from each other. We've made it through the longest time, now, and we will not face such long stretches apart for the rest of the year until I come back from Syria or Lebanon or wherever the hell I'm going next summer.
There are these little glimmering glimpses of our life together after this year, when we talk about Nola or not having to say goodbyes at the airport because we'll be going on those flights together. And my heart just fills and fills with amazement and love until it's overflowing. (Brandon would ask me what part of the heart, and I might say left ventricle.) I am so in love with this man, it's a little ridiculous.
Two weeks until he's out here for a week, and then begins the process of Thanksgiving and Christmas break. I can't wait to share this part of the year with him.
It is a nice watch.
It was a stressful week, but I'm done now and on my way home (howsh) for a little mid semester respite. Today I went to Arabic class from 8 - 10, and it was so much fun. First of all, my best SAIS friend is in this class, and we are partners. This morning I was trying to conjugate "sleep", which we haven't learned to do yet, so I could ask her if she spent the night at our friend's house. Heh. I guessed the answer by the look on her face. Priceless. Arabic ('arabiyya) is by far the most fulfilling class I am taking, which is unfortunate because it's the only class that doesn't count for a grade. But our professor (usteadunu [i'm not sure if that's right, we just learned possessive suffixes today]) is great. He follows the book (al kitaab), but if something comes up that we (nahnu) need explained so we can have a conversation, he explains it, even if it's 5 (khamza) chapters ahead of us. I brought a carafe of coffee (kahwa) to class (saf) today (alyoum), and my friend N brought donuts. Krispy Kreme for the win! It was also nice when I walked into class and J noticed I had brought coffee, because he wasn't really expecting me to follow through. "You are really awesome!" he said. "We were just talking about how great you last night at the bar, and here I get confirmation again today." I am making good friends here, which of course makes me really happy.
There is a brass band wandering around the airport. I LOVE it. I should come to Newark more often.
I am wearing a schoolgirl outfit (Thanks BESSEH!) and everyone in DC, B'more, and Newark has been very confused. Love it.
And now I'm back in DC after a weekend during which I didn't do much but it was probably the most relaxing weekend in a long time. I realized, somewhere over Montana, that two months is too long to be apart from each other. We've made it through the longest time, now, and we will not face such long stretches apart for the rest of the year until I come back from Syria or Lebanon or wherever the hell I'm going next summer.
There are these little glimmering glimpses of our life together after this year, when we talk about Nola or not having to say goodbyes at the airport because we'll be going on those flights together. And my heart just fills and fills with amazement and love until it's overflowing. (Brandon would ask me what part of the heart, and I might say left ventricle.) I am so in love with this man, it's a little ridiculous.
Two weeks until he's out here for a week, and then begins the process of Thanksgiving and Christmas break. I can't wait to share this part of the year with him.
It is a nice watch.
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Ugh.
Sick. Homesick.
Fin.
(I tried to have more to say than that, because I do have a lot floating around in my head, but it's all jumbled together.)
Fin.
(I tried to have more to say than that, because I do have a lot floating around in my head, but it's all jumbled together.)
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Eastern Motors
In a non-political post, I CANNOT GET THIS SONG OUT OF MY HEAD.
I hereby spread the torture to you.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Why do I feel so defensive?
I think I've said this before: I don't like either of the presidential candidates. Why do I feel myself sticking up so much for Gov. Palin? I don't like much of anything she has to say, but I do like how much she's pissing off people that appear to me to be knee-jerk supporters of the Democratic party. I took a quiz a couple days ago, picking quotes on policy that were not identified as being from McCain or Obama. The results told me to vote for McCain--by one question. I am split right down the middle, which is maybe why I find it so troubling that everyone else around me has it all figured out, like this election is simple and I'm the only one not seeing it. I feel like I'm a relatively intelligent and thoughtful person, and it makes me wonder why more of my peers aren't on the fence like I am.
Something occurred to me today, though. Palin's a hardcore Christian, and maybe that faith, if she can tap into an openness and understanding of what she has in common with Muslim believers, will help us shift the way we interact with that part of the world. I understand completely that the Arab world is not just about Islam, that sectarianism and resources and emotions and history all play a part in where we are now. But a respect for people of faith, which it seems like the intellectual elite of this country doesn't have, may help us broker a new language and dialogue.
Maybe this is me grasping on to my last hopes. Maybe this is me imagining (fantasizing?) about what I would like to do if I were Palin/McCain/Obama... (I'm not going to pretend that I would care about being Joe Biden at all, let's be real.)
I cannot help but think of this article written by a professor at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service satellite branch in Qatar.
The simple fact of the matter is that most of the world lives with a deep abiding faith or at the very least is heavily influenced by it, unlike the mostly secularized Western world. It seems like most West Coasters I meet--I'm just going to use them because it is the group I have the most experience with--cannot fathom how anyone believes that mumbo-jumbo anymore, and that they should shut it off when they enter the public sphere to talk about what we should do with the problems of society. I paraphrase Megan McArdle (I can't find her post about it, sorry): If you have a strong personal faith in something, why would you set that aside at the door?
I realize that I have a very different sense of how my religion and my rationalism work together than do most practicing Christians, so maybe I am exceptional in that I think that science and religion don't cancel each other out, necessarily. It is well-documented that I don't practice any faith currently, and even when I did it was fairly half-assed. I think, however, that my father's attention to personal development and steadfast belief in more--I can't call it more than that, for fear of not getting his beliefs right--help me develop, at the very least, a sense of appreciation for those who live their lives committed to faith. In mocking and ridiculing belief, we lose a language for how to talk respectfully to people who are different than we are on this particular matter. And people in the developing world aren't going to lose their faith overnight, or even over a generation. The staying power of monotheism is fairly well proven, and we are going to work with people to whom God is extremely influential. I hope that we have not lost our ability, as a society, to connect with people who do not share our secularism.
Something occurred to me today, though. Palin's a hardcore Christian, and maybe that faith, if she can tap into an openness and understanding of what she has in common with Muslim believers, will help us shift the way we interact with that part of the world. I understand completely that the Arab world is not just about Islam, that sectarianism and resources and emotions and history all play a part in where we are now. But a respect for people of faith, which it seems like the intellectual elite of this country doesn't have, may help us broker a new language and dialogue.
Maybe this is me grasping on to my last hopes. Maybe this is me imagining (fantasizing?) about what I would like to do if I were Palin/McCain/Obama... (I'm not going to pretend that I would care about being Joe Biden at all, let's be real.)
I cannot help but think of this article written by a professor at the Georgetown School of Foreign Service satellite branch in Qatar.
The majority of Georgetown students I know are fairly knowledgeable about religion. They can talk intelligently about Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism. The glitch is that they talk from the perspective of anthropologists and sociologists and historians. These are valuable perspectives. But they are not enough. Of course we need to raise young people who can be smart, savvy, sophisticated participants in international affairs. What we also need are young people who can be all of those things while at the same time knowing and understanding what it is to live one's life with a commitment rooted in faith.
...It was the fall of 2004, and our conversation quickly turned to the presidential campaign. My friend argued that Sen. John F. Kerry's reluctance to talk about his own faith was a good thing, showing that the candidate understood that faith has no place in politics or public policy.
...It was the fall of 2004, and our conversation quickly turned to the presidential campaign. My friend argued that Sen. John F. Kerry's reluctance to talk about his own faith was a good thing, showing that the candidate understood that faith has no place in politics or public policy.
Out of the blue, a question occurred to me: "Other than me, do you have any friends or professional colleagues of any religion who attend services every week?" He was quiet for a long, thoughtful minute. "Not that I know of," he replied.
I have thought about that conversation for a long time. It has helped me understand what hobbles American higher education when it comes to educating people for careers in international affairs. It's not that we don't know about religion; it's that we don't understand faith and its life-shaping power.
The majority of people I know in higher education would argue that there is nothing wrong with religion for people who feel they need it. Their sentiments come down to something like this: "You have your religious convictions, I have mine. Let's acknowledge our differences and agree to disagree with one another within the confines of polite debate." That makes sense, of course, but it is not enough to prepare a new generation of diplomats who will be asked to engage the Muslim world in the decades to come.
This template for discussing religion and faith is fundamentally flawed. It presumes that different groups of faithful people approach their religions in the same way football fans approach their favorite teams: I cheer passionately for mine, you cheer passionately for yours, and we all agree to play by the rules and exhibit good sportsmanship. For people of faith, religion isn't like that. A person of Muslim faith and a person of Christian faith engaged in honest conversation about religion are not like two fans pulling for their respective teams. They are more like two men in love with the same woman, each trying to express, safeguard and be faithful to his relationship with his beloved. Love brings with it complexities that football does not.The simple fact of the matter is that most of the world lives with a deep abiding faith or at the very least is heavily influenced by it, unlike the mostly secularized Western world. It seems like most West Coasters I meet--I'm just going to use them because it is the group I have the most experience with--cannot fathom how anyone believes that mumbo-jumbo anymore, and that they should shut it off when they enter the public sphere to talk about what we should do with the problems of society. I paraphrase Megan McArdle (I can't find her post about it, sorry): If you have a strong personal faith in something, why would you set that aside at the door?
I realize that I have a very different sense of how my religion and my rationalism work together than do most practicing Christians, so maybe I am exceptional in that I think that science and religion don't cancel each other out, necessarily. It is well-documented that I don't practice any faith currently, and even when I did it was fairly half-assed. I think, however, that my father's attention to personal development and steadfast belief in more--I can't call it more than that, for fear of not getting his beliefs right--help me develop, at the very least, a sense of appreciation for those who live their lives committed to faith. In mocking and ridiculing belief, we lose a language for how to talk respectfully to people who are different than we are on this particular matter. And people in the developing world aren't going to lose their faith overnight, or even over a generation. The staying power of monotheism is fairly well proven, and we are going to work with people to whom God is extremely influential. I hope that we have not lost our ability, as a society, to connect with people who do not share our secularism.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Pie isn't Arab, is it?
I made my first DC pie tonight, for a portion of the Middle East Studies firstie crowd. They are all awesome, and I really enjoy having them over to my house for dessert (summer berry, heavy on the raspberry), conversation and light drinking. (Tonight was light drinking; I know full well this crowd is capable of more than that.) We were arguing about whether people are getting smarter/more modern. One of us said no, one said yes, two more were on the fence. (I like James Flynn, so yes, I was the one arguing in favor.)
After I had the young gentlemen in rapture over my pie, one of them asked when Brandon would be in town and invited us over for dinner. I was touched; I usually don't expect to be reciprocated, so it was lovely. I also very much like K, so it will be fun to go over and hang out for an evening.
I really enjoy hostessing; I love when conversation is flowing--or not, over yummy dessert--and when people have had a good time in a social space I've created. I like being able to bake or cook and provide food for people I value. One of the things I miss most about not living with Brandon is not having a reason to make elaborate dinners in the same way I used to. I am certainly not going to make pot roast for myself... although, now that I think about it, I could and should make some chicken with lime sauce. Good idea, self.
Other news:
- On the fence about phone situation. Due to wonky equipment, I am wondering if I should switch to Verizon instead.
- B-school still seems like a really good idea.
- Econ classes (trade and money) are b o r i n g, which is too bad. They don't have to be.
- I love my school, and my fellow students.
- Long distance relationships are hard. Is this news? Maybe not. The depth of my missing Brandon grows every day. If I dwell on it, it almost feels like my heart is physically in pain. Maybe that's so I can get priority for a doctor's exam... ha.
- There's a part of me that still can't believe that I am where I am. I truly feel like all my dreams and goals for the future, that I've held in my heart for the past three years (education/career) and lifetime (partnership), have come true. The world will only continue to open its doors to me, and the thought is awesome. Like, I am experiencing actual awe, people.
- American Boy (Estelle ft. Kanye) is still excellent shower music. Missy, I've been practicing my karaoke.
Thursday, September 11, 2008
A list of really random things on my mind.
- Saudi is going to keep pumping as much oil as they want, OPEC be damned. Will the price of oil go down further?
- Biden thinks Obama should have picked Hillary. Of course you say that now, after your opponent picked a running mate that you can't deal with. If the Dems lose this year, they are going to have to do some serious rethinking. I maintain that they have not done the soul-searching and clarification of vision that they needed to do after 9/11, although one could argue that the charisma of Bill Clinton held the Democrats through a longer period of ideological stagnancy. Neither party has satisfied my desire for a rethinking of our place in the world. I know it's cliched, but we live in a radically different world than we did seven years and one day ago. No one's come up with a good framework, and certainly this political season isn't helping.
- Here's what I think: I think the Republicans make a better party out of power, because then they can align the supposed "smaller government" value against their opposition rather than themselves. As we can see from, say 2000 on, that hasn't really worked for them. I also think the party needs to be punished for its legislative record in the last terms. At the same time, I think the Democrats want to solve our financial solvency issues by making us a higher tax country, closer to a European level. I don't want that, and I think there are ways to solve our problems without going down that road. At the same time, the right not only has a terrible recent track record on keeping spending down, they also have a terrible social issues track record as well. Hello Medicare prescription supplement. Hello any politically viable candidate's opinions on abortion. I don't think that my politics are that radical, so why do I feel so alienated from both candidates?
My two thoughts of the day on the anniversary of Sept. 11:
- None of the political blogs I read have made mention of it, while 90% of the more personal/off-topic blogs that I read have.
- Someone on my generation is going to come up with a framework to explain the post-9/11 world, like George Kennan did for containment.
- Top three recipients of Fannie Mae/Freddie Mac campaign contributions? Let's hear it for the boys:
- Chris Dodd (chair of the Senate Finance Committee)
- Barack Obama
- Hillary Clinton
K, more reading about Arabs to do. HIYA.
Saturday, September 06, 2008
Hurricane Hannah
Well, it's definitely raining here in DC, probably the most that I've experienced yet. I am going to try to avoid going outside until it stops a bit. So far so good; I will get some reading and organizing done before I figure out what I'm doing tonight.
I got an unhappy email yesterday from Darden, my last card in the b-school deck, saying that while I seem like a candidate that they would value having on campus, there's no way they can make a joint degree work for me.
That put me in a VERY unhappy mood, which I drowned in alcohol. But there is a bright side--I get to take all the classes that I want at SAIS, I may get to do a specialty (finance? transition and development economics?) and I can still do the MBA after SAIS if I really feel like it.
I think I'm done being annoyed by it.
I got an unhappy email yesterday from Darden, my last card in the b-school deck, saying that while I seem like a candidate that they would value having on campus, there's no way they can make a joint degree work for me.
That put me in a VERY unhappy mood, which I drowned in alcohol. But there is a bright side--I get to take all the classes that I want at SAIS, I may get to do a specialty (finance? transition and development economics?) and I can still do the MBA after SAIS if I really feel like it.
I think I'm done being annoyed by it.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Politics this election season is pissing me off. Then again, when does it not?
I feel so conflicted about this year's election. I really would like a black man to be in the presidency, but Obama's policies do not please me. At all. I think a lot of us are seeking to elect him based on the cult of personality, which is NO reason to elect a president. He is only now starting to be clear and straightforward about his policies, which means Democrat primary voters chose him on his rhetorical skills. I would like to like him. I would like to have an articulate speaker in the office. Hell, I would even like to have a policymaker who is influenced by Nudge, which he says he is. In general though, Obama makes me uneasy. Biden doesn't do anything to make me more comfortable with the ticket.
McCain makes me uneasy as well. I like that he is not a traditional Republican--or at least, a Republican of the last eight years. At the same time, I hate that, as a libertarian, neither side can throw me a bone. These people are making me long for the days of Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America. SERIOUSLY? McCain hasn't shown a good understanding of economic policy that I would want in a president. So my vote for him, if I make one, would be lesser of two evils.
I enjoy that a woman is on the GOP ticket, and I even like the fiscal policies of Palin, as well as her independence from Big Oil, which in Alaska must be difficult. I read a great blog entry from an Alaskan who loves her and what she's done for the state. I wasn't able to watch her speech last night, but I've heard it was quite effective and really may throw everything into a very tight race, which is what I've been predicting to myself.
What I don't like is the discussion we're having on either side. No one should be rooting for Hurricane Gustav to be more disastrous so the RNC will be more disrupted. (Yes, I actually heard this.) No one should be deciding their vote based on the parenting skills (or not) of the vice-presidential nominee. Identity politics is not a good way to decide who is going to run your country, because it is not always reflective of how you think or what you value. Identity politics makes me so angry I can't see straight. I love that Sarah Palin is a female and competitive candidate, but just because she is those things doesn't influence my decision to vote for the ticket.
I guess I am one of those post-modern cosmopolitan elitists people have been ranting about. I think, however, that I try to make (and mostly succeed) a priority of respecting people who think and live differently than me, which doesn't seem to be the case in the national discourse. I had to stop reading one of the communities that I followed because the vitriol was just idiotic. Things are not black and white, and I hate that we all turn it into that. It prevents understanding the real complexity of the world we live in, which is just going to get more complicated. I am an optimist but this inability or refusal to step up to the intellectual plate really terrifies me.
McCain makes me uneasy as well. I like that he is not a traditional Republican--or at least, a Republican of the last eight years. At the same time, I hate that, as a libertarian, neither side can throw me a bone. These people are making me long for the days of Newt Gingrich and the Contract with America. SERIOUSLY? McCain hasn't shown a good understanding of economic policy that I would want in a president. So my vote for him, if I make one, would be lesser of two evils.
I enjoy that a woman is on the GOP ticket, and I even like the fiscal policies of Palin, as well as her independence from Big Oil, which in Alaska must be difficult. I read a great blog entry from an Alaskan who loves her and what she's done for the state. I wasn't able to watch her speech last night, but I've heard it was quite effective and really may throw everything into a very tight race, which is what I've been predicting to myself.
What I don't like is the discussion we're having on either side. No one should be rooting for Hurricane Gustav to be more disastrous so the RNC will be more disrupted. (Yes, I actually heard this.) No one should be deciding their vote based on the parenting skills (or not) of the vice-presidential nominee. Identity politics is not a good way to decide who is going to run your country, because it is not always reflective of how you think or what you value. Identity politics makes me so angry I can't see straight. I love that Sarah Palin is a female and competitive candidate, but just because she is those things doesn't influence my decision to vote for the ticket.
I guess I am one of those post-modern cosmopolitan elitists people have been ranting about. I think, however, that I try to make (and mostly succeed) a priority of respecting people who think and live differently than me, which doesn't seem to be the case in the national discourse. I had to stop reading one of the communities that I followed because the vitriol was just idiotic. Things are not black and white, and I hate that we all turn it into that. It prevents understanding the real complexity of the world we live in, which is just going to get more complicated. I am an optimist but this inability or refusal to step up to the intellectual plate really terrifies me.
Sunday, August 24, 2008
A break from studying.
This weekend... oh my. It leaves me breathless.
Brandon was here Thursday through today; I dropped him off at the airport this afternoon, both of us complaining to the world that the visit should not be over. Everyday, I thank my lucky stars that Brandon found me, and this weekend only makes me even more thankful. We had a decent amount of time together beyond me being dragged down by class and TA sessions. We had dinner with Scott and Jane, went to the SAIS happy hour, had dinner with Missy, all of which were fun. It was so wonderful to spend time with my friends and my boyfriend. While I've somewhat gotten used to having the people important to me spread out across the country it doesn't make it any easier that that's my regular state of being.
We also:
moved all my stuff into the house after the Yellow Freight delivery (thanks Besseh!);
ate at Ben's Chili Bowl, on their 50th Anniversary weekend;
ate at the Good Stuff Eatery, owned by Spike of Top Chef (that's him in the picture!);
stopped by Jazz at the National Sculpture Garden;
consumed the world's largest frozen custard (mine with sprinkles, om nom nom);
put together a crap ton of black-brown particle board (MALM!);
played Rock Band and faux-appliance-shopped at Best Buy;
watched Back to Future III. I will say that watching me watch the movie was most likely far more entertaining to B than the movie itself.
And then today rolled around. After I returned to my empty apartment, I found that I had forgotten what living here without B was like, which surprised me. We have about 10 weeks apart this time, one of the longer stretches of the year. I already miss him terribly. Who decided this grad school thing was a good idea, anyway? I should spank this person.
Sunday, August 17, 2008
In which your narrator likens her emotional state to Keynesian economic theory.
You may cite this post as the final stake in the coffin of the argument that I am not a dork.
I am a dork. I embrace it.
So in Macroeconomics, we are learning about Keynesian economic cycles. Keynes' main insight to economics was his modeling (for was it was worth) of short run economic cycles, when prices and wages are "sticky", i.e. they cannot immediately change to reflect other changes in economic variables. A perfect example of this is right now: we are all facing rising costs of fuel but our wages (or student loan money, in my case) remain the same because your employment contract says that you will be paid $X per month this year, and any opportunity for your wage to increase is going to happen next year at your performance review. So now, because gas etc. is more expensive, you have less to spend on other goods, and your total demand for goods and services goes down. In the long run, of course, this all adjusts and the real value of your wage adjusts so you have the same standard of living that you had before. But the adjustment period is not fun.
Keynes also wrote about the multiplier effect. Increased spending, whether by government or the private sector, has a larger effect on income of the entire economy. Say, hypothetically speaking, the government needs to pay for a huge wars in the Middle East and South Asia, and to do this, the government needs to purchase $100 million of fighter jets. That $100 million of expenditure becomes income to the fighter jet factory, which is spent by the employees of that company who received it as wages. Then the fighter jet employees all need to buy supplies for a baby shower in November, so they spend most of that income (they do save a little, the ratio between what they save and what they spend is called the marginal propensity to consume) at Babies R Us for some onesies and those giant strollers that get in my way on the Metro. Then the Babies R Us employees take that income and spend most of it at Costco on beer and floaty things to go floating down the Sandy... etc.
I think you get the point. If an economy has a high propensity to consume (which, you might guess, the American economy does), then this multipler effect is quite large and
when you are spending more, it's great! Income leads to more income and we're all better off, and quite rapidly. The flipside, of course, is that when you are on a downward trajectory (say a spike in the price of oil and food, for example, hypothetically speaking) the effects of reduced spending are spread all that much more quickly.
Why am I talking about this? These classes that I'm taking are really difficult because I am coming face to face with one of my intellectual weaknesses: lack of creativity when it comes to mathmatical analysis. If you can show me step-by-step how to do something, I'm all over it. But when I need to slightly tweak that and apply that in a different way, it's very difficult for me to do. I have never really be trained on how to do that. Conceptually, economics is intuitive for me, and it's pretty easy for me to manipulate graphs and understand why doing A would result in outcome B. Friday I was really struggling even to hold it together, which was troubling to experience, until I realized that it was something I just needed to own and let myself feel and get through because it happens every month and I must accept it.
What helped me was making an analogy in my head that I was experiencing high marginal propensity to feel due to hormonal fluctuations, if you know what I mean. Not only was I on the brink of tears in class on Friday due to frustration, I was also almost in tears on my walk to school yesterday because I was so happy when I think about all the friends I have and how I get to see my amazing boyfriend next week, etc. It's frustrating because I am such a rational person most of the time, and then these moments of wild emotion spring on me which are weird and confusing until I realize that it's manifestation of hormonal shifts that I really have no control over. I must feel them--not keep them inside--and move on.
Other than my high MPF causing emotional volatility, things are good. Brandon's coming to visit this week, which I am so excited for I could pee. This week is also the final week of class, which will be such a relief. What I've heard from alums is that Preterm is the worst it ever gets. Thank god. Now to take a short nap and get to work on macro.
I am a dork. I embrace it.
So in Macroeconomics, we are learning about Keynesian economic cycles. Keynes' main insight to economics was his modeling (for was it was worth) of short run economic cycles, when prices and wages are "sticky", i.e. they cannot immediately change to reflect other changes in economic variables. A perfect example of this is right now: we are all facing rising costs of fuel but our wages (or student loan money, in my case) remain the same because your employment contract says that you will be paid $X per month this year, and any opportunity for your wage to increase is going to happen next year at your performance review. So now, because gas etc. is more expensive, you have less to spend on other goods, and your total demand for goods and services goes down. In the long run, of course, this all adjusts and the real value of your wage adjusts so you have the same standard of living that you had before. But the adjustment period is not fun.
Keynes also wrote about the multiplier effect. Increased spending, whether by government or the private sector, has a larger effect on income of the entire economy. Say, hypothetically speaking, the government needs to pay for a huge wars in the Middle East and South Asia, and to do this, the government needs to purchase $100 million of fighter jets. That $100 million of expenditure becomes income to the fighter jet factory, which is spent by the employees of that company who received it as wages. Then the fighter jet employees all need to buy supplies for a baby shower in November, so they spend most of that income (they do save a little, the ratio between what they save and what they spend is called the marginal propensity to consume) at Babies R Us for some onesies and those giant strollers that get in my way on the Metro. Then the Babies R Us employees take that income and spend most of it at Costco on beer and floaty things to go floating down the Sandy... etc.
I think you get the point. If an economy has a high propensity to consume (which, you might guess, the American economy does), then this multipler effect is quite large and
when you are spending more, it's great! Income leads to more income and we're all better off, and quite rapidly. The flipside, of course, is that when you are on a downward trajectory (say a spike in the price of oil and food, for example, hypothetically speaking) the effects of reduced spending are spread all that much more quickly.
Why am I talking about this? These classes that I'm taking are really difficult because I am coming face to face with one of my intellectual weaknesses: lack of creativity when it comes to mathmatical analysis. If you can show me step-by-step how to do something, I'm all over it. But when I need to slightly tweak that and apply that in a different way, it's very difficult for me to do. I have never really be trained on how to do that. Conceptually, economics is intuitive for me, and it's pretty easy for me to manipulate graphs and understand why doing A would result in outcome B. Friday I was really struggling even to hold it together, which was troubling to experience, until I realized that it was something I just needed to own and let myself feel and get through because it happens every month and I must accept it.
What helped me was making an analogy in my head that I was experiencing high marginal propensity to feel due to hormonal fluctuations, if you know what I mean. Not only was I on the brink of tears in class on Friday due to frustration, I was also almost in tears on my walk to school yesterday because I was so happy when I think about all the friends I have and how I get to see my amazing boyfriend next week, etc. It's frustrating because I am such a rational person most of the time, and then these moments of wild emotion spring on me which are weird and confusing until I realize that it's manifestation of hormonal shifts that I really have no control over. I must feel them--not keep them inside--and move on.
Other than my high MPF causing emotional volatility, things are good. Brandon's coming to visit this week, which I am so excited for I could pee. This week is also the final week of class, which will be such a relief. What I've heard from alums is that Preterm is the worst it ever gets. Thank god. Now to take a short nap and get to work on macro.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Short and Sweet
Economics is snowing on me. I have a "mid-term" tomorrow, though technically we've had six classes. I feel pretty confident about the exam, and then no econ for almost 24 hours, which I am looking forward to.
My favorite thing about SAIS so far are my fellow students, who are smart and engaging. My favorite thing about DC so far, oddly enough, is all the different kinds of seltzers they sell at Giant. I've always had a thing about drinking plain water, so my consumption of water has gone up dramatically. So has my consumption of vegetarian processed foods, which is kind of weird.
My furniture situation isn't quite settled yet, but that'll get done eventually, and certainly before I start the fall semester.
Off to make sure I know supply and demand like the back of my hand.
My favorite thing about SAIS so far are my fellow students, who are smart and engaging. My favorite thing about DC so far, oddly enough, is all the different kinds of seltzers they sell at Giant. I've always had a thing about drinking plain water, so my consumption of water has gone up dramatically. So has my consumption of vegetarian processed foods, which is kind of weird.
My furniture situation isn't quite settled yet, but that'll get done eventually, and certainly before I start the fall semester.
Off to make sure I know supply and demand like the back of my hand.
Monday, July 28, 2008
A kindergartener who needs to know calculus.
Well, off I go. I had a weekend mixed with fun, math, and readying myself for today, and here it is. I watched Dark Knight yesterday with Missy and Megan, and luckily I did not have nightmares--I thought that was a valid possibility. Instead I had a dream that Jen LaMastra knew Aaron Eckhart (sans Two Face makeup) and we became friends. I decided that was a good omen for today.
Yay micro and macro! See y'all on the flipside.
Yay micro and macro! See y'all on the flipside.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Whoa.
I didn't feel that productive today, but I:
- finalized details on my apartment;
- sent a flurry of text messages celebrating the end of the housing search;
- got an important prescription transferred to DC from Kaiser PDX ;
- got a plane ticket home for Thanksgiving (my six hour wait at ORD was worth approximately $1063, not bad if I do say so myself);
- retrieved keys from Kyle II;
- walked around in Cleveland Park a lot;
- negotiated with Roommate about who gets what room;
- am now going to make a turkey sandwich.
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