Why is TV so much more interesting than school?

Jess on November 18, 2008

I figured out that problem with the limited posts appearing on my blog. It’s a result of the Twitter Tools plugin creating posts and then those posts being filtered out of the Loop on account of their being under the Twitter category instead of Journal, Prose, or Poetry. All of which would appear on my regular blog. I also didn’t mean to activate the Twitter Tools digest feature, but I guess I thought about it and then forgot to change it back. Also, it works miserably. Mis-er-a-bly. It creates I think one blog post for every twitter post when it is only scheduled to post once a week. To hell with it.

I am completely and utterly overwhelmed with school. But the worst should be over tonight or tomorrow. Or Saturday. We will wait to see.

Test, complete.

Jess on November 13, 2008

I finished my third test in Collections Management.  I feel somewhere between confidence levels of the first and the last, which means that I should get an A.  I also need to remember that most of that which frustrated me were extra credit questions anyway.  So hopefully all will go well.  

Tonight we’re celebrating by going out, possibly to Fox and Hound and possibly to somewhere else.  I’ve been on a crazy Fat Tire kick lately so that’s probably my preference.  But I need not be out too late because I have to work tomorrow at 9 a.m. and I have so much writing and such to get done this weekend.  Oh well.  At least the school week is over in a matter of hours and then I have days to relax and work on writing things as needed.

She saved the world a lot.

Jess on November 10, 2008

I watched Season 5 of Buffy in 36 hours. It was good and I feel like I should write a poem, not about that, but about something else that’s on my mind. I just don’t really know what there is that I should say about it. I mean, obviously nothing here. But I’ve been dwelling on it or dwelling on my not saying anything. I guess this is why I have a written journal. But my written journal is just a series of escapades on the same subject. Also, my written journal is so fleeting. It’s constantly disappearing and the most inaccurate record of my history ever. What are my children going to think?

I’m currently watching How I Met Your Mother which is a really mediocre sitcom but I’m still fixated on Allyson Hannigan and it’s not terrible-terrible. It’s just watchable and bad. You know what other show I don’t like? Friends. Why was it ever good? Why did people ever like it? Why did they make so much money for it? Goodness. I hope no show is ever like that again. I’m glad that most Hollywood writers these days seem to self-destruct after four or so seasons.

I take pride in the fact that my home state has more electoral votes than Hawaii. I, however, recognize that’s because a lot of people get stuck there rather than more people choosing to live there than the other state. I escaped to Lubbock, Texas. A bittersweet victory.

Days go by

Jess on November 9, 2008

Yesterday was slightly less productive than I had hoped, but I have the database almost completely finished.  Or actually, it is completely finished it just has yet to be described.  I’m excited to have it done.  And to get the project finished.  It’s been such a long journey and I’m probably closest to finished on that project.

I also watched the game with Jenni which was fun.  And Tech pretty well hammered OSU.  If Tech is in the Big 12 Championship, I want to go so badly.  It would be so fun!  But I think Kyle has to stay to administer finals and things so even though we may have tickets its unlikely that we would be able to go.  Plus, my brother is coming down after Thanksgiving to spend a few weeks with us so I’m sure we’ll be busy and having plenty of fun here.

I’m working on things more today and watching Buffy which Jess brought by yesterday before heading to Skooners to watch the game.  I love Buffy so much!  I also really like Marie Antoinette the movie.  I’m watching the end of it now while I have my breakfast (of gnocci, because I’m out of milk and leftovers seem more appealing plus I already had an omelet yesterday).  I think I just like the music and how beautiful it all is.  And it’s such a beautiful study in revolution  from an different perspective.  Mostly, I think I just like the music and all of the fanfare.  And possibly Jason Schwartzmann.

I miss humidity.

Jess on November 8, 2008

It’s really cold in the mornings here, starting yesterday, which sucks because Kyle is in California so usually I would just steal his warmth for a while but instead I have to layer up the blankets at night in preparation.  And then I sit around sort of cold in hoodies and sweats waiting for the apartment to reach an acceptable temperature.  I’m sure that when he returns to this climate, he’ll just turn the heat on which is fine and maybe I should do, but it seems like such a waste when the afternoons are so pleasant.  It’s 37 degrees right now but should be up to 68/70 later in the day.

My plan today is to watch a lot of football, read some, write a bunch of thank you notes and database, database, database and then describe the database in writing form for quite a while.  Oh and make notecards for studying in Dr. Johnson’s class.  Ugh.  So much to do!  Despite of all of that, I still feel pretty ahead of the game in my classes and that is a pretty good sign.  We should have most of our group projects in their last stages by the end of next week and that’s a great feeling.  It’s rough having so many group projects, especially when the groups are comprised of different arrangements of the same 16 or so people.  I am finding that it’s at least beneficial that everyone is in over their heads in projects so we’re more understanding about when we have to meet.

Nicky asked me to participate in a panel at the Texas Association of Museums in El Paso this year and I think I am going to take the opportunity.  I’m pretty excited to have even been asked and I think I have a topic picked out even.  Woo.

I’m off to make eggs.  For some reason, I’ve been craving them.  Probably protein issues.  I need to start paying more attention to what I eat to make sure I’m balancing my diet properly.  I feel like I just forage and am constantly on the verge of losing it.

Can I get a little R&R?

Jess on November 6, 2008

I added a new blog to my RSS feed which is pretty significant for several reasons. For one, it was recommended to me by Joe who is in law school and I have a theory that the reason he largely recommends boring things to me is because much of his life is spent reading things unimaginably boring so he can trudge through things i won’t touch. For two, I very rarely add foreign blogs to my rss feeds. My feed list, as you know, is all culture/art/exhibit things and the blogs of my friends. Therefore, it is quite significant to add something new written by someone I don’t know that was recommended to me by a law student. Without further ado, I’ll recommend it to everyone else too.

Conversion Diary

It’s good, it’s Catholic. It’s written by a former atheist and it is not boring.

In other news, I am in significant need of the break I am taking tonight. I feel like every night this week I’ve been running-running-running and that I haven’t had much time to just relax. Kyle is gone this weekend with debate (in California!) and I am here. But Sunday we had people over for our HBO true blood/entourage rotation and some dinner. And then Monday we went out after his class and that was somewhat of a disaster as I didn’t really want to go but sucked it up in an attempt to be life-giving and he drank too much and didn’t pay attention to my needs to go home and get a good night of sleep before going to class at 8:15 and then Tuesday was the election and Mary’s election party so we were out late. Last night we spent watching West Wing after going to dinner but around dinner we had to deal with his cell phone being broken which took far longer than it should have and then dinner made me sorta sick to my stomach so it was not as relaxing as it should have been.

The date was really nice though. We’ve been pretty nitpicky lately. Partially from spending most of our time together and I think we’re just pretty stressed about things. I’m not sure that our primary mode of relaxation is terribly compatible either. He’s more of a go-out-have-fun relaxer and I’m more of a stay-in-and-relax kind of girl. But that’s okay. I think that we’ll reach a good middle point, and I think I’ll reach a good point in which I’m fine letting him be out when I’m in. We just enjoy each other’s company so much right now that I want to spend all of my time with him. I’m sure this weekend will be good at reminding each other of that.

And I should be plenty busy too. I have thank you after thank you to finish and I have three group assignments to do some writing about. I’ll be happy when the semester is over. I’ve realized that when I sit down to blog about it, I’m a lot harder on the program than I should be. Really, I like it. Most of my professors are great and next semester we get into much more interesting topics, a lot of things that are more interpretive and less collections-oriented. I’ll feel better when that happens.

I’ve also thought about doing one of those stupid grad-student cliché blogs where i extrapolate on the questions which arise in my head during graduate classes in blog form. I’m not sure that I’m quite ready to be that girl yet. I would like to start doing a more topical approach to blogging and not always have it be just a steady journal. A little politics. Some religion. Some museums. Just a bit more activity on my part. We’ll see though.

Every one loves an upset.

Jess on November 2, 2008

I apparently am going to have to blog more regularly as this layout seems to only show my posts written from within the last two weeks. I looked at the PHP and tried to change it but I can’t figure out where the setting is that is set that way. The PHP appears to just call all of the posts in the loop and the settings on my actual wordpress are set to show my most recent 10 posts. Hrm. Oh well, I’ll keep investigating it.

I really have a lot of updates anyway. I had a great time at the MPMA conference in Kansas City. It was totally bad ass getting to be back home. I went out for drinks on Monday with the Cap-J sports department and had the most fun I think I’ve ever had going out with them. I don’t know if it was because we were drinking for longer or because they didn’t have to be more guarded around me since I don’t work there anymore. I also got to see a bunch of people when I was back. I spent Monday and Friday night with my parents and got to eat Mezcal! Woo! I spent Wednesday night with Emily and Jeanine in Blue Springs and Thursday with Joe (somehow, I cannot manage to avoid them even though we both now live in cities that are not Kansas City), Tom, and Roger and then ReAnne, Brandon, Jenny and later Stephanie joined us at the Foundry. Delicious! I had a Dynamite Roll. Probably bound to be a future staple of my visiting Kansas City diet.

The conference was also pretty great. I sat on three or so sessions that I felt were particularly beneficial. One was about how to advocate for your museum politically and another was about blockbuster exhibits. I also went to a how-to on resumes and cover letters in the museum business that will probably help me out a lot in the future. The conference was good and theoretical which I appreciate as I feel that sometimes Tech’s program is lacking in that level. I came back pretty excited about continuing with museums but also unsure of how good a superficial study of current museum practices and procedures is. I just think the program and students would benefit from a theoretical exploration of the things that happen in museums so that if policies and procedures begin to change we’ll understand the reason for those changes when they happen and be able to argue at a theoretical level that goes beyond “this is what we have done since period x.” I’m very excited to get going on correlative courses next semester to say the least. I did get a 102 out of 100 on my last collections management exam which really balances out that 84 I had on the first one. Woot.

Things with Kyle have been very good. We celebrated our two-month anniversary Thursday by getting too drunk at Double Dave’s on 95 cent pints. Friday we really celebrated by going to Dinner at Abuelos as I have been looking for higher quality Mexican here. And then we went and saw the Mountain Goats. Oh em gosh. First, Kaki King opened and she is totally hot and talented like whoa at guitar-playing. You should probably check her out. Second, the Mountain Goats are awesome live. Really, they’re one of those bands like The Decemberists who totally transform their studio set when they play live. They amped it to a whole different level and there was slam dancing and jumping all around. I’ll definitely look forward to the next time they come through West Texas.

Yesterday, we had people over for a barbeque and I made pasta salad and potato casserole and we got a keg and watched Texas Tech beat Texas. It was the most fun I’ve had in quite a while. Probably since our wedding. It was totally brilliant. And Tech won which was even more awesome. We had quite the group. Tuesday, we’re doing it all again at Mary’s for election night coverage. My goal is to take a shot of beer for every state that comes in. But we’ll see. Maybe that’s not my greatest idea.

Next weekend is First Fridays. Woo. And then we might go to the Revival Tour.

What matters is the trip

Jess on October 19, 2008

So I don’t know that I mentioned it, but the university radio station is fantastic.  In addition to having an NPR affiliate that plays All Things Considered later than KPR, they also have a really rad indie station.  Yesterday, i was driving around and this song came on.

By Balloon or Sinking Ship by Jordan O’Jordan

I think it’s great! And it makes me excited to road trip back to Kansas City tomorrow, not that I’m not super excited about that already.  I also have been thinking about doing more interesting things with my blog than I’ve done in the past.  Maybe some music recommendations, some sweet photos I’ve been taking or finding on the internet.  I’m not sure.  I read some more interesting blogs now so maybe I’ll start by recommending those things listed in my blogroll.  I have been especially enjoying The Boat Lullabies at Square America.  It’s great.  Though today’s post is pretty sad.

Let’s see what is going on in my life, shall we?  I got that haircut.  That was pretty swell.  Thursday, I had a huge test in collections management and I think it went really, really well.  I’m trying not to be overconfident about it because I would hate to be devastated by my actual grade when I receive that, but for the time being it’s nice to not be constantly second-guessing myself and my answers like I think I did on the last test.  It’s always a nice feeling to get out of a test and feel good about it… and I’d sort of forgotten what that felt like as my last major testing experiences were in Art History and Collections Management.  Too much memorization!  Thursday was a very, very long day though.  I had the test from 8-9:15, then the professor lectured until 10:15, then Data Management from 10:30-noon and an MHSA meeting after that followed by class from 1:15-5ish.  Gracious.  When that was over I went home and laid down for a few minutes then picked up Kyle and we headed to Triple J.  I was pretty well obliterated and passed out by 10.  Which was a nice end to a long, but mostly okay day.

Friday, we went to the communications colloquium and I watched Katie and Amy present a really interesting paper about manifesting whiteness through tradition and public memory at Texas A&M.  Afterward we went out to dinner at Chili’s with some of the grad students and professors.  I really enjoyed chatting with them and it was nice to have some mental exercise.  Makes me really want to get back into history when I’m done with museum science, I think.  At the very least to use in museums.  I’d just like to teach.  I’m jealous of all the comm. friends who get to.  We also saw W.  which made me disappointed/angry/tired.  After waking up a bit after the movie and having a night to sleep on it, I decided that I didn’t like it because I felt that the characters could have been much more dynamic than they were.  Bush, W and HW, were both dynamic but I felt like most of the cabinet was very two-dimensional and that isn’t very cool.  I just felt like it should have been a lot more than it was.  I’m also not quite sure that i agree with the fundamental premise of the movie.  Mostly, I don’t think the war in Iraq stems as much from W’s daddy issues as Mr. Stone apparently seems to think.  And given his track record with history, I’m not about to take him at his word.

Yesterday, we went to the book sale at the Mahon Library and oh em gosh.  It was incredible.  We spent about 30 dollars and got about 50 books.  I got a bunch of books I’ve really been meaning to buy and read… and I think The Historian is at the top of my list—after all, it’s close to Halloween and I am going through a vampire phase.  Last night we watched the mizzou disaster with Kevin and Jess and Kyle and then went to David Trout’s karaoke again.  I think he is near the top of the list of things I love most about Lubbock.  I even did karaoke this time!  I sang “Wrong Way” with Jess and then Kyle roped me into “it’s your love” which was a huge disaster.  Turns out I am not Faith Hill nor am I familiar enough with the song to actually know when it is my turn to sing.  Ah, well.  Heather came out too as we were celebrating her surviving her twenty-second birthday.

Today has been nursing my knee which I think I sprained when I fell down the stairs yesterday.  Heels + Slick painted concrete staircase + drunk = bad times.  Ugh.  There are skid marks on the stairs from where my heels slid out from under me as I slipped.  Poor thing.  It’s really starting to feel better though.  I can limp around and things just certain positions for sitting don’t feel too comfortable.

Tomorrow, I’m spending the day heading to Kansas City for a conference! I’m so excited to get to be home for a few days!  And the conference should be fun too… especially because I get a bit of a break from my regular lecture schedule which I think is much needed at this point.

I wish I said which less.

Let your hair down

Jess on October 14, 2008

I cut my hair tonight, for the first time, basically, since Kyle and I started dating. It’s right at shoulder length when it’s wet which means it’s about an inch above my shoulder when it’s dry. I’m excited to use my regular gel routine and see how it looks tomorrow. She kind of missed the front when she styled it after my cut today so I have deemed myself unable to take a proper photograph of it for public scrutiny. Judging from how it looked wet, Kyle’s reaction, and my early impressions of it dry… I like it a whole lot. If nothing else, it’s nice to have far less hair to have to deal with. I think I’d gotten tired of it.

Studying is going well although I still need to catch up on that reading. Urrgh. I think the next few days I’ll just have to hole myself up in the library. At least I leave Monday to go back to Kansas City so I have a nice little break from classes and having to worry about tests and things. Just one test and one paper between me and the MPMA conference. Woo. I’m so excited to get to see everyone.

I joined hype machine today. It’s pretty cool, so far. It also syncs with last.fm and twitter which makes it uber-fashionable. Oh yeah.

I hope to start going to the gym soon. Maybe we’ll go tomorrow before dinner.

The Sky Opened Up

Jess on October 12, 2008

I think I’m done fiddling with my blog layout for a while.  I finally found the theme I’ve liked best for WordPress for a while.  I might shrink it up a bit because the fonts are bigger than I like but whatever, maybe I’ll blog more now that I’m not bored by my layout.

I’m all holed up studying today and enjoying what is supposed to be a rainy day.  I need to go do some re-reading and catch up on some reading in the library at the museum today or tomorrow but I’m not quite sure that I’ll get motivated for it today.  I’m just trying to get caught up on some of the database-ing I need to do for data management and do some research for the collections management plan we’re working on in collections management.  Productivity is awesome.

I wonder if the new season of Criminal Intent will be saved by Jeff Goldblum.  I’m not sure he can do it.  But I sure did like Pittsburgh a lot and I think he’s just great.