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.