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Spike got a job today! With typical lazy boy logic instead of walking down the block to turn in the fifteen applications he had actually filled out, he took a job offered to him by a friend of his father - all the way in Palo Alto.

And he has to be there at 7:30am every day.

And wear a tuxedo for a uniform.

As he works outside.

AAAHHHAAAAAAHHHAAAAAAAAHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAAAAHAAAAAAA

Am I a bad mother to think this is so funny? Seriously, this boy's life is about to turn upside down. He's been on permanent summer vacation since Circuit City went out of business. He sleeps until noon and goes to bed at 3am. Let me repeat:

AAAHHHAAAAAAHHHAAAAAAAAHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAAAAHAAAAAAA

What's the job? He's going to be a parking valet from what he told me, but after researching the company and because he's reporting to work at Palo Alto Medical Center I believe he may actually be driving one of those vans around.

If he's a valet DO NOT GIVE THIS BOY YOUR KEYS. If he's driving a van I ADVISE AGAINST GETTING IN IT.

But he's now employed. I would not take bets that this is going to last more than two weeks, because he's going to have to leave the house at 6:30am and then wear a tuxedo in this 90+ degree heat all day.

AAAHHHAAAAAAHHHAAAAAAAAHHHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAAAAHAAAAAAA

If he had just walked down his application he could have been working at air conditioned Jamba Juice. This is what laziness gets you.

What diet?

I NEED this burger. Not even kidding. That sounds so delicious, I bet it's as delicious as Santa Cruz's chocolate covered bacon. I need to take a trip to Portland just to get one of these burgers, FOR SURE.

I somehow missed that something bad was happening to one of my old computer writing friends. I don't know how many of you knew her, or maybe you already knew she was sick. I don't know all the details. I only know that the woman I always knew as CosmicCrayola passed away last night.

This was a very nice story about her that I found, written right before her death.
And This one.
And by SixWeasels.
And by Poolagirl.
A humorous and touching story I think Cosmic would have loved.
By Bozoette.
GolfWidow will make you cry, so be prepared.
And by Jim.
By L-Empress.
By ThatGayChick.
(If you have one, send me the link and I'll add it)

I met her (online) about a decade ago, when she was writing as CosmicCrayola. She later became just Cosmic. And she wrote a book under her own name, Karen Murray. I know she was very encouraging to me about going back to school. She was a good lady.

Obviously I don't have a lot to say (because I'm a little in shock right now). But I just wanted to get it out there for those of you who knew her and also didn't know she had gotten this sick. I think everyone who was writing back "in the day" knew CosmicCrayola.

Short cuts

Since I can't double post when I write at Metblogs, here are links to the articles I wrote:

I took the kids to see Roller Derby.

The kids and I were extras in a movie.

And tomorrow will probably be another link to the super-hot day we spent as non-skating officials at the Roller Derby exhibition bout today. Mostly: It was hot.

Happy Monday!

One of the most honest things I've ever read about him.

WTF

Yes, Michael Jackson is dead, and yes it's tragic. But he wasn't a god. I'm not really understanding why ALL THE NEWS IN THE WORLD is being ignored today because Michael Jackson has died. I don't mean to sound insensitive, but GET A GRIP PEOPLE.

Don't start emailing me about how great Michael Jackson was, I KNOW. I lived through the 80s, I had MJ posters all over my bedroom walls, I planned to marry him, I kept a giant scrapbook of MJ news articles, I wore penny loafers through to the 90s, I was OBSESSED with Michael Jackson. Because he was GREAT.

But that Michael Jackson died about 15 years ago, no? I mean, really. He did. It was a slow death that began around 1990 when the crazy really became apparent, but after the crazy continued then we had molestation charges and a $20million payoff which doesn't exactly prove your innocence, financial problems, medical problems, fights with The Beatles, masked kids with no chance of a normal life, an absolutely fucked up face, MORE craziness... and NO NEW FANTASTIC MUSIC in more than a decade.

So forgive me for not grieving right now, but I did my grieving long before Neverland Ranch was auctioned off.

All these kids in the news who are dancing in the streets "in memory of" Michael Jackson, they don't even know how awesome he really was. There was a time when crazy Michael Jackson didn't exist, when the idea of Michael Jackson molesting kids or marrying Elvis' daughter or hanging his own (suspect) children off a balcony or even actually owning the Elephant Man's bones or sleeping in a hyperbaric chamber --- THOSE ideas were crazy, because MICHAEL JACKSON WAS A GOD WHO WAS THE KING OF AWESOME. Do you know what it was like to see this man moonwalk for the first time on MTV? OHMIGOD. I'll never forget how my jaw dropped and chills went down my spine and we were all so thankful that VCRs had been invented because then we could stop and rewind and pause that tape so we could figure out HOW HE DID THAT. You have to be close to my age to understand why tears run down my face when Jennifer Garner starts doing the Thriller dance in "13 Going on 30" - because EVERYONE learned that dance in the 80s, even if only in the privacy of your own living room, EVERYONE. Because Michael Jackson was FREAKING AWESOME and not crazy, but FREAKING AWESOME and the ENTIRE WORLD wanted to be like him and the craziness that went on around him was the craziness around NKOTB + N*SYNC + Jonas Bros + Miley Cyrus TIMES INFINITY. Michael Jackson was worshipped by kids AND adults.

But that Michael Jackson died years and years ago.

I don't need to hear the thousands of soundbites from thousands of celebrities about how awesome Michael Jackson WAS, I don't need to watch the news going over all the craziness ad nauseum, because it's OVER. He's DEAD, and he probably died of some stupid thing he did to himself, and guess what? this "Comeback"? Was never going to happen. If crazy Britney Spears who is physically fit can't manage to put on a semi-entertaining comeback show in her 20s, then crazy 50 year old Michael Jackson who is falling apart certainly wasn't going to get through 50 European shows. I don't think anyone actually believed that was going to happen, so people need to give up the idea that he died just short of his "comeback". Wasn't going to happen.

I get sad when I see the pictures of him as a kid because that poor kid went through a lot and was completely fucked up by his own family before fame finished the job. I get sad when I see pictures of Michael in the 70s because he hadn't quite been eaten up by the fame machine and was still at the threshold of the insane awesomeness he was about to become. And I get super sad at the pictures of Michael in the 80s because that's the face that was all over my bedroom walls and the body that we all worshipped because it could do INSANE things that no one else could. But I got sad when I looked at those pictures BEFORE he died. Because all those Michael Jacksons have been gone for a long long time. He died after a long illness brought about by his father's beatings and his family's greediness and fame's poison and all the bloodsuckers and parasites that take as much as possible while giving back just barely enough to keep him "alive".

Michael Jackson's body failed yesterday, but the King of Pop died years ago.

In the meantime, other things have happened in the world.

Breaking News: Scott says HE feels sorry that I got stung by a bee.

You may return to your mourning now.

OWWWWWWW

We can mark today as the day that I got stung by a bee for the first time and NO ONE CARED.

Because Michael Jackson had the nerve to die just before this happened, my pleas for sympathy have gone completely ignored. I mean, this is IMPORTANT. Number one, because it really HURTS. Number two because I grew up being told I was likely ALLERGIC. So I could have DIED. BOO.

To make it worse, I was actually floating out in the pool. I felt a prick on my back and brushed my hand across it, then I felt the big fuzzy thing fall off my back. OH SHIT I thought and sure enough there was a bee floating in the pool. "The FUCKING NERVE of that bee!" was my first thought. My next thought was "Oh PLEASE don't be allergic!!!"

I got out of the pool right away and went into the house to tell Spike in the garage that I had just been stung and needed allergy medication immediately. We remembered Buffy had some Zyrtec so Spike ran and got it for me. I could feel the stinger was still in my back so I lay on the bed while he scraped it with a credit card because he heard that was how to get it out without squeezing more poison in. I'll give him credit for this, he responded VERY quickly and was immediately on the internet searching for what to do. He made a paste of baking soda and water and spread it on, and then brought me an ice pack.

The sucker still hurts like crazy. I'm going to be PISSED if the bees decide this is a great hobby for them. But I'm glad I don't appear to be allergic. When I was a kid I was so severly allergic to other insect bites that I had to have special medicine kept at school in case of a sting. I'm feeling fine so far but Spike is sitting in the same room with me at the computer for the next hour just to make sure everything is okay.

Yeah, I didn't die. And it's tragic what happened to Farrah Fawcett and Michael Jackson and now I hear Jeff Goldblum ALSO. JEEZ. I was just pretending drama about my bee sting.

Except that it DID hurt, a LOT. *sniff* And everyone should pay attention when I'm hurt, dammit!

;)

Edited to add: It appears the news of Jeff Goldblum's death is fake, although who knows. If it's true then you heard it here first, if it's fake, all the more reason to give ME sympathy.
:)

Thanks for the workout votes that you gave today. Votes decided that my workout would be SWIM today! And I did, and I got a TAN. It was a really great day for a swim actually. Maybe Wednesday will always be vote-my-workout day, haha. But I think really Wednesday will just be my swim day.

And now I'm tired. Good night.

First Writing Job: Complete

I don't think I mentioned here that I actually was offered a real honest-to-goodness writing job the other day. I probably mentioned it everywhere else and not here, heh.

So anyway, it's NOT a big deal at all, but it's a START, and heck - it's a start to something I just barely started! I'm actually impressed with my progress in this writing business so far. Scott has a friend who is a real estate agent, her office puts out a community newsletter. She interviewed a florist, and asked if she transcribed the interview if I would put it together into an article. WHA-?? And you would PAY me to do that? Why yes, yes she would. Enough to, say, pay for me and both kids to go see a movie and buy popcorn, sodas and even nachos. So, not $100, but not $20.

I couldn't quite believe she would take the time to do the interview AND transcribe it, but then want someone else to write it up. I could do that with my eyes closed, ya know? But I guess because that's my skill? haha. So I read one of the previous articles, and um, well, now I see why they wanted a writer to do this. So I just finished the article, I think it came out really well, and the best part is she's going to have me do this every three months or so.

So again, NOT a big job, not a big deal - but really it IS a big deal, because it's the first paid drop in the bucket.

Now I just need 100 more of these jobs per month and I'm SET.
:)

Bored.

Guess WHAT??

CHICKEN BUTT!!

This nonsense brought to you by someone who has to write something for a paycheck so therefore needs to procrastinate.
Thank you for your time.

Vote for my workout today

Today is my morning work schedule, so that means my afternoon gym schedule.
You get to participate by voting for what my workout will be today:

A) Running at the gym

B) Swimming at the gym

C) Bike ride outside

I tend to not want "C" because it will probably be hot. But I like A and B! So tell me which you think I should do!

Also: I lost .8 lbs, so now I'm only 1 pound above my lowest point. Or maybe my scale needs new batteries, haha.

Looks like another busy weekend ahead. For a woman who Buffy only recently said needed to "get out of the house more" (and she was right) I suddenly find myself with a very full social calendar.
Friday I have either the Cinequest Happy Hour or I'm going to listen to some jazz with Scott.
Saturday I'm going to be an extra in a movie along with Buffy and some of her friends.
Sunday Buffy and I are going to be Non-Skating Officials (NSOs) at the downtown Roller Derby bout.

And somewhere in there I WILL get to the gym too. Fun!!

Cinequest, meet Pischina. She always gets what she wants.

Someone please explain to Cinequest that they need to hire me. Resistance is futile. I WILL work for Cinequest eventually. If they would just realize this now it would save us all a lot of time.
:)

I didn't gain ten pounds!

I rode my bike again today to the point of lungs bursting AND legs dieing.

Came home, took two hours to gather my courage to step back on the scale. It's been three weeks since I've worked out and I can already tell the difference in my body shape. It's ROUND again. I was really scared to find out I've gained ten pounds, or 17 pounds, and have to start all over again. I was completely stressed out about seeing the scale.

I stepped on.

And I lost 2 pounds since the last weigh in. LOST two pounds!!

That's actually up 1.8 pounds since my lowest point, but down two pounds in the last 19 days.

I was so relieved my eyes sprouted tears and I almost started crying. I really am right back on track again.

Thank you all for all the fabulous book suggestions! If anyone wants some ideas for summer ready, you should check out the comments.

My comments: Terry Pratchett RULES. I LOVE his stuff - of course my favorite is Good Omens with Neil Gaiman. But you all reminded me how great he is so I borrowed Small Gods from Scott this weekend.

I've read The Time Traveler's Wife, and it is awesome.

I've read a lot of Jane Austen in school. But I've pre-ordered the audiobook for Pride and Prejudice and Zombies!

I also have already downloaded the audiobook The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time.

Ann Patchett wrote a great graduation speech that I wrote a paper on, and I'd be happy to read her books.

Most of the rest of the suggestions I have not heard of, so I have happily bookmarked the entry and will be checking them out this summer. Thanks everyone!

Go Pischina Go!!

New entry about my bike ride today!

So the other day when I mentioned that I took Buffy and friends to see the Roller Derby you all should have instantly guessed what Buffy now wants to do.

The day after the bout she was digging in the garage for skates I haven't seen since the house burned down. She actually did find in-line skates, but you need the four-wheel kind for derby.

So her dad got her some. Today she got the skates and she's been skating all over town in them. She can't try out for the team until she's 18 in February, but you know she'll be ready.

I think about what my parents would have had to say if I had asked to try out for roller derby - my mind really can't even process the thought all the way because it's LAUGHABLE that they would ever let that happen not to mention even let me attend a bout. There is no way. I was a girl, I was meant to wear dresses and do girl things.

So I think I live vicariously through Buffy. I mean, I can do whatever I want to now, but I guess I just want Buffy to look back at her childhood and remember that I encouraged her to do anything she wanted to. I can't imagine what my life would have been like if I had been able to do things like try out for roller derby, play water polo, or even have a voice that I could use to state my opinion. I would bet you that I would not have gotten married at 21. At 21, that was the option they expected from me.

So I'm happy for her. Happy that she's a girl, just a girl, just a girl who can do anything she wants to.

And you couldn't stop her if you tried.

Okay everyone, please leave a comment:

1. What do you recommend to me for summer reading?
2. What is your own favorite summer book, even if you don't think I'll like it?
3. What book have you always wanted to read but never got around to?

Wow, finally finished my first book since January. Taking a break from school has wrecked my reading list for this year.

I finished The Strain, a vampire book I was really excited about because it was written by Guillermo del Toro, the writer/director of Pans Labyrinth and El Orfanato.

The book starts out generations ago as a young boy's grandmother tells him this ridiculously scary story just to convince him to finish his soup. It had definite Stoker undertones and I was excited to hear more of the story. But then we flash forward to present time and at that point it became a Stephen King/Michael Crichton book. Honestly, I was a little disappointed. I had expected the book to have a meatier story, but it was more of a good summer read instead.

However, was it good? Yes. Take it as a scary summer read and you'll love it. It only took a couple days to get through, and it had a good enough ending to keep me settled until book two of the trilogy comes out. What I really liked was the return to old timey, SCARY vampires that are deformed and kill humans. No sparkles, no love making, no dumb teenage girls falling in love with the decrepit things. Just pure horror. The only problem I had with it was that the story takes place over 3-4 days and nights, and the four heroes of the story are awake for the entire time. Come ON now. I know, I'm picky, but please.

So, great piece of literature it is not, it doesn't give Stoker a remote run for the money, but it does entertain and scare. I'm happy I can finally turn the lights out when I go to bed tonight.

No religious offense meant

I was just making dinner right now and something about the item I was making reminded me of a conversation I had with Buffy a long time ago. I couldn't remember what about the food was making us laugh, I just remember it became an often used phrase for months after.

Finally, I remembered:

Buffy had spoken to some Jehovah's Witnesses at the door that day, as she loves to do, and she had read all the little tracts she was given, as she always does. So she had read about how after Jesus comes back to earth and all the bad people have gone to hell (or wherever it is they are going) then man and animal would all live peacefully together. The lion and the lamb, and man and all the beasts, there would be no more killing.

"Hmmm," I said to Buffy, "I guess everyone will be vegetarians then, you think?"

"What do you mean?" asked Buffy.

"Well if there is no more killing, then we can't eat any animals. We'll all be vegetarians."

Buffy thought about this for awhile.

"You know what that means?" I asked her.

"What?"

"NO CHICKEN TACOS IN HEAVEN."

She looked at me in consternation. "No chicken tacos??"

"That's right, " I nodded wisely. "No chicken tacos."

"I don't think I want Jesus to come any time soon," she said.

And for long after, whenever the subject of Jesus would come up we'd look at each other and say together, "NO CHICKEN TACOS!" and start laughing hysterically.

I'm glad I remembered that.

Also, our chicken tacos tonight were delicious.

I've been cheating on you

I realize I write here less now about things we do because I've been posting them over at MetBlogs or CQCentral instead. I can't cross post, but I can re-write. But re-writing is a lot of unnecessary work. So maybe I'll just link over instead.

For instance, I went to the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum last weekend.
Saw a couple awesome movies - by the director who shot some scenes at my house, and another friend from Cinequest.
Went to Cinequest Happy Hour, as I do every other Friday.

We also went to a Roller Derby bout, but I'm writing an article about that too. I'll link to that later. So, enjoy reading the articles, if you want to. They're not too personalized, but it's better than nothing!

You're accepted! Here's your bill!

Speaking of school...

So I got my acceptance letter, which was slightly longer than the two sentence email they sent me, and I registered for my classes. Now, keep in mind that although I received my acceptance letter (seven months after finishing my last class) the school website still does NOT have my degree posted.

It still allowed me to register though. So I did. And within two seconds I received an email:

YOU NOW OWE: $XXXX.00 DUE BY TOMORROW.

So it takes them seven months to figure out I graduated with honors, but it takes them two seconds to send me a bill for tuition and they only give ME 24 hours to take care of it.

Obviously we know where their priorities lie. Well, the same place mine do.
Mass Comm majors make a lot of money, right? hahaha

Yes, those are ads

Yes, those are ads you see over on the right.

We should probably accept that ads are going to just be on every site now. It's just how things are. As for me, my finances are getting wiped out by tuition payments and I need to somehow make more money. I couldn't bring myself to add a "Help me with my tuition, click PayPal now!" button, hahaha. I really couldn't. (And I really thought about it) But if these ads bring in a couple more dollars, or if it encourages me to write more to bring more traffic in so the ads get clicked and more dollars come in, well, that's exactly what's going to happen.

I'm sure those ads will probably only show ads for school and weightloss stuff, haha, but if you ever see anything you'd like to click on, click away.

And if anyone wants to hire a writer, let me know! :D

Hello Cynthia:
I just wanted to let you know that your degree has been posted. You have graduated with Cum Laude Honors.

DEGREE AWARDED:

Bachelor of Arts
MAJOR: English
Cum Laude
DATE CONFERRED: MAY 23, 2009

Drug dealer needed

There have GOT to be some sort of over-the-counter Happy Pills that I can take when this out of control PMS hits me. I'm so drug free, barely taking Tylenol or Claritin, that I have no idea what's available. Anyone? ANYONE?? I'm afraid someone is going to die the next time it hits. Do I have to go to the doctor to get something or is there something I can get at the drug store that will prevent a mass homocide (likely of my teenagers) next month? Herbal remedies? Seriously, I'll take any suggestions!

I have loved Television Without Pity for years and years and years. They sold themselves to a network a couple years ago, and good for them, but while the quantity went up after that, the quality has kind of gone down.

However, they still have some excellent writers, and I'll read just about anything their writer Jacob puts out. So he wrote this little piece during his recap of Nurse Jackie (a show and character with which I am so in love there are no words) and I just wanted to save it here to remember, because as usual Jacob really is speaking truth here:

(I am sort of in love with Fitch Cooper MD, I will tell you that right now, I sort of wish that he were real. Because nobody who puts that many airquotes around their entire life is remotely like the person they're handing you. So it stands to reason that while douchebaggery is part of Fitch Cooper's makeup, the opposite truth about Fitch Cooper is actually what's important, and clearly he is a fraud in some deeply personal way. Same as Nurse Jackie's pretty much been acting like a junkie and sort of a bitch this entire time, and has no intention of stopping, and is still obviously awesome. I submit to you that complicated people often show you a not-so-great side at first, but that perseverance also is a great virtue when it comes to people and their sides.)

It's this kind of writing, and truth, that makes me love Jacob. Anyway, isn't that a pretty beautiful and true paragraph?

May Dwight Schrute save me again tonight

I'm about to go to bed after reading another chapter of Guillermo Del Toro's very fine book "The Strain". Crazy apocalyptic vampire novel which I should not be reading before bed. I'm just hoping I don't have another bad dream like last night. However, I am not sure how you would really interpret this dream:

I was locked in a bathroom stall with a vicious werewolf outside the door, clawing and howling and trying its best to get me inside the stall. I was terrified and it really was a nightmare. But then...
Then Dwight Schrute (from The Office) was in the bathroom with me, outside the stall with the werewolf, though the werewolf only wanted to attack me. And Dwight said:

"FACT: Werewolfs can be killed by Scrubbing Bubbles!" And a can of Scrubbing Bubbles appeared in my hand. I shook it up real good and sprayed the werewolf from under the stall. He stopped scratching and barking and just went to sleep.

And that was the end of my nightmare!

I really don't want to dream like that again tonight.

Hope you all enjoyed the little tiny respite from my school posts, because I JUST ENROLLED IN FALL CLASSES, WOOOOOO!!!!!!

Unfortunately, Musical Theater classes do not count for Mass Comm, haha. No, these classes are definitely NOT the Arts. This is what I enrolled in (actually, everything that was offered, heh):

Media/Social Issues
International Communications
Communication Law and Policy

I might drop one class, I was only planning on two at a time, but I'm going to try for three. So... the usual. Pretend I'm going to take it easy and then load up. But we'll see how it goes.

I am REALLY REALLY EXCITED!!!!

So You Think You Can Dance

WAHHHHH I don't want ANY of the dancers to get cut tonight!
They are all so good this year!!!

I'm actually so happy because the first show last year was pretty horrendous. There were only three couples from the beginning that had any chance. This year there are maybe three dancers I don't care much about seeing - but even those dancers I've barely seen anything of!

Even Bufy was pretty into it yesterday and voted five times for her favorite. It's going to be a good year. (And very sad on every Thursday!)

Harper's Island - the TV Show

I don't know why I keep watching this stupid, STUPID show, but I do.
I just wish the killer would get a move on and get to killing a little quicker because it seems to me there are still WAY too many people on the island.

Anyone else watching this crap show? Don't worry, I won't tell anyone.
;)

The Hangover - the Movie

I watched The Hangover yesterday with Buffy and a friend. They're both 17 now, so I didn't have to feel guilty about bringing them - though it wasn't really that R rated until the very last few minutes.

At any rate, THIS WAS THE FUNNIEST THING I'VE SEEN in a very very VERY long time. GO SEE IT. I never laughed so hard in a theater before.

I had seen the trailer on TV and it looked so awesome, but I was afraid, you know, that that was all there was to it. You know, all the funny parts are in the trailer. But I have heard wonderful things about it so when Buffy suggested it yesterday I jumped.

And we were SO not disappointed.

A spoiler free synopsis: four men go to Vegas for a bachelor party night on the town. They wake up the next morning with raging hangovers, a trashed hotel room, several added things that do not belong, and oh yeah, a missing groom.

The rest of the movie is the remaining three guys trying to retrace their steps, having no memory of the night before, so they can find the groom and get back to LA in time for the wedding. Three AMAZING comedy actors, incredibly funny villains, a pretty good role for Heather Graham, and just the funnest movie ride EVER.

We left the movie with Buffy and friend wishing they could have adventures like what was shown in the movie. "Oh, you'll have them," I assured her. "Everyone has some of those adventures. Yours are right around the corner."

"Did YOU have them?"

"Oh yes," I said, and laughed as I remembered my many adventures, "I definitely had them."

She wanted to hear about them, but like they say in the movie, when those adventures are over you take one last look at the photos and then erase them. You don't speak of them later, ESPECIALLY to your children. Heh. But I remember them. And I know Buffy will have adventures just as fun as mine were.

I hope she erases the pictures before I ever find out about them.

Orphan - the Movie

I saw previews for Orphan yesterday. I cannot WAIT for it to come out. I HOPE it's as good as it looks!

As of noon today, Buffy will be a Senior

Not wanting to shock anyone on the last day, Buffy arrived at school late, as usual.

As she was getting out of the car I realized she was wearing those DAMN SPAGHETTI STRAPS again. I gave her my "I have had it" face, and she "assured" me that it doesn't matter because it's the last day of school and she's only there for two hours.

I remember a last day of school where she got suspended (falsely, it was reversed) and spent the entire day in the principal's office until things were cleared up, so I don't know why she thinks she can break the rules today, but if the school calls I'm not picking up the phone.

One more year until she's DONE.

I'm going to take a stand here and say that I, for one, do not think UP is the most amazing movie ever made. Not the best animated movie, not the best Pixar movie, not the best movie this year.

I liked it, I really did. But I'm not going to slobber all over it because it could have been better.

What I did like:
The animation was great: I loved the effects of the window reflections, though the fact that they stuck out for me may actually be a minus for animation. Still, it was beautiful. I saw it in 3D but don't think it really added to the movie; anyone who missed 3D likely didn't miss any experience.
The characters: When I watched the short it appeared that the old man was ornery and grouchy and was being mean to the poor little wilderness scout. I love how the movie made you instantly fall in love with the old man and made you want to drop-kick that kid across the country. Although to be fair, you end up falling in love with the kid too.

What I didn't like:
How they dealt with the dogs. Look, I'm all for magical realism, I'm actually a HUGE fan of magical realism. But magical realism means believing that an old man tied thousands of helium balloons to his house in one night and then flew to South America in it. Magical realism MAY even allow for a talking dog collar. Magical realism does NOT allow for dogs being able to cook dinner or fly airplanes. That is a Looney Tunes cartoon, not magical realism. There had to be a better way to drive this movie than by throwing in a hundred plane-flying gourmet meal cooking dogs - who are then reduced to stealing hot dogs off a plate instead of just making their own steak dinner back in the kitchen.

I thought the villain was terribly scary, I thought many scenes might be too scary for very young children - but as I've said before, kids thrive on the Scary, so the last problem with this movie is the ultra happy ending. I know this sounds wierd, but as much as I was dreading anything horrible happening to any of the main characters, I think it would have been much more emotionally cathartic to have one of them die. You have three big candidates here: the old man, Kevin or Dug. The old man's death would have been offset by Russell growing up, Kevin's death would have been offset by her little babies living, and Dug... well Dug would have just been sad, so we'll nix that option.

I thought it was a great movie, especially the first half. I thought the villain was suitably scary, but I did NOT like the flying chef dogs, and I think it could have used a dose of tragedy at the end.

Of COURSE you should see it, and be careful about young, sensitive children, but I'm just not giving this 5 stars. Because it doesn't deserve it, and if you're honest with yourself, you'll agree.

Hooray! Congratulations!

All my best,
[Professor C]

I'm a Grad Student, Get Me Out of Here!

After waiting for so long to be accepted I feel just a little conflicted now that it's finally over. Just a little, trust me. I mean, for three months I checked the darn site every day and nothing. Then I get an email asking if I still want to join the program, which cracked me up, but I figured it would still take a couple weeks more. I had no idea I'd be accepted within 24 hours!!! It sort of feels wierd to not have the worry and questioning any longer.

And then the reactions (aside from the huge congrats I've received): Spike says "So that means you have to do MORE school? for two more YEARS?" Another friend asks "Doesn't that mean more blood, sweat and tears?"

And yes, yes it does, and it's a little scary to jump right in again. Not a lot. Just a little. Because I'm not really confident that a Mass Comm degree is going to be that hard, but I do know it's going to be work. I think it's just that "unknown" factor. I hate not knowing exactly what's going to happen, and I only know the English Department. I know NOTHING about this new department.

But I'll be okay. We all know I will. I'm excited and proud - extremely proud because I was accepted by people who DON'T know me - and just a little anxious which is what I should be.

So now we wait some more. School starts August 24. I'm a free girl until then.

Congratulations!

Again, my congratulations.
William Tillinghast, Ph.D.
Graduate Coordinator
Mass Communications
San Jose State University

Important Announcement from the SJ Rep!!

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June 1, 2009

Dr. William Tillinghast
Graduate Coordinator
Mass Communications

WELL, DUH. I mean, Yes! Of COURSE I still want in!!!!!
I checked the SJSU site, my degree is STILL NOT POSTED, but my application status now says:
The status of your application is: Referred to Grad Dept

And that's the LAST step before "ACCEPTED".
I can breathe a little easier now.

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