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June 30, 2006
pour me something tall and strong
New York
Ben is currently watch maury and it is SO STUPID. Why do (1) do stupid these and more over (2) go on tv to air their tales about cheating?
When we decided to stay in Pittsburgh, I picked this hotel because it was close to Cargnie Melon and U of Pittsburgh. I pick it because I knew I would be able to have a good neighborhood to run in. This is a good neighborhood. Hilly. I forgot how hilly new england is. It is so flat in the midwest. The neighborhood around C.M. is quite nice and pretty. Lot of trees. No running trails. I am SO spoiled with the lake front trail. Trails are better for me than sidewalks as sidewalks have seams. My left food likes to catch on things like sidewalk seams.
Sad day yesterday. My parents old cat dies. She was 17 and lived a long long life. My dad is quite sad. The NU football coach also died suddenly of an apparent heart attack. He was young than my dad and the same age as Ben's dad. Ben when to college with his son. He was so young.
Posted by christina at 9:45 AM | Comments (0)
June 29, 2006
jenny i got your number
The lobby/breakfast area of our hotel is an interesting place to spend 6:30 am - 10 am.
I woke this morning in a comfortable bed in Pittsburg. I could not go back to sleep. After starting to stress about random stuff in my life, i decided to just get up and work on the thing i was stressing about and could actually do something to help - my thesis. I kissed ben and gathered my stuff and went down to the lobby in our hampton inn. This hotel is great. In addition to an awesome bed and bath and couch, there is free wireless and an expansive breakfast with nice work areas perfect for plugging in one's laptop and working for a bit.
There was classical music and quiet business people at first. I ate rasin bran and edited. The crowd changed to noisy business people. Then the music changed to "adult contemporary". The crowd then changed to families.
The flight in to pittsburg was quite bumpy, though short. and 2 hours late.
Posted by christina at 8:54 AM | Comments (0)
June 27, 2006
hey julie / look what they're doing to me
You might have noticed that my defense countdown has changed. My advisor cannot now make my orginal defense date. And one of my committee members can now make the original date that I wanted. Thankfully all of my members were answering their phone in their offices yesterday and are available on my orginal date, Sept. 6. This is a lot less stressful than defend on friday start U of C on Monday. (Though in defense of my other plan, it is just orientation week and on Monday all it is is the math exam.)
The other thing that came out of my earliest meeting to date with the advisor (9 am) was that all the data i had been questioning was good. Yay. I think i would be a lot more stressed by the loss of 1.5 weeks of work pre-thesis if I was still thinking that i needed to repeat all of my multi-layer data.
I am sending three chapters to my advisor friday, which leave two remaining. One of the remaining two has a fair amount written. The travelling and down time of the next week with be good for my writing. Writing and doing research do not alway go well. When i am at school, research is my priority. Most of my writting has been down on conference or at home on the the weekend. Therefore the airplane time will be great of the completion of the other chapter. of course, there is still more data that i want. and that i might add.
Posted by christina at 1:01 PM | Comments (0)
June 26, 2006
to feel like busting up a Starbucks
me in central park
We got the most perfect fruit from the farmer's market. Fruit picked ripe from the vine is SO MUCH BETTER than store fruit...even whole foods. We got michigan strawberries and blueberries. We tossed them with a whole food cantaloupe and have the best fruit salad in our refrigerator.
We taken to going to the farmers markets as I've gotten more into eating locally. When I can, i try to buy local. We've been buying our lettuce (we have salads every night, so we buy a fair amount of lettuce), broccoli, mushrooms, peas, fruit, tomatoes, and flowers from the farmer's market. I like to support family farms, but i also like to reduce this country's dependence on oil. Trucking of food consumes a lot of energy. So even at Whole Foods, i try to buy local or closest. For example, Ben wants to try the grass fed beef. All fine and good until i notice it is from New Zealand! We got good ole american beef. Of course sans antibiotics and stuff.
I've given up diet soda besides my diet coke at lunch. I has having trouble staying hydrated until i broke down and bought bottled water. Yes, it tastes better. i have fallen in love with the archer farmers smooth bottle. I even refill it (though the water at school is not good). Most importantly, I am drinking what i need to be drinking.
Posted by christina at 3:36 PM | Comments (0)
June 25, 2006
hurry up sky
pete
I washed my phone in the washing machine. I had gotten back from work yesterday and started laundry right away (saturday is laundry day) and threw the hoodie I had just taken off in. As I put my clothes in the dry i found my phone (and sunglasses) in my hoodie. I let it dry out. It worked...the screen flickers and being on caused condensation on the outer screen, so I'm keeping it off currently. The serendipitous part is that my 2 year contact is up on July 1, meaning I am now eligible for sprint $150 rebate upgrade program. Ben is past his mark. So we are trying to combine our plans into one while (1) saving the $300 and (2) keeping our numbers. We went by the store last night. This is a form (a transfer of liability) that is needed and only found at the main stores, not at the dozens of "express" stores scattered about chicago.
It also is serendipitous that wed ben and i leave for a week trip across the us (east for a wedding, west for a family reunion) and so i don't really need my phone but for the next three days. and i can live without it.
Our time in the sprint store reminded me how i really miss simple black and white phone that cost $50. I do not need all the cameras and color screens. I don't even want them. I would much prefer to return to a time where one could replace one's phone without braking the bank (~$250 now days) mid-contract. (I.e. if you wash your phone and need to replace it.) The only perk i want with my phone is blue tooth. We both are probably going to end up with a slightly more expensive phone (even with the rebate) due to that indulgence.
Posted by christina at 6:47 PM | Comments (0)
June 20, 2006
marching bands of manhatten
I occasionally wonder about all those boys that passed through my life. Usually around the time I’m harassing Ben about his ex and why doesn’t he wonder about her. They dated for forever (longer than us at this point) and I am all kinds of curious about her. (Okay I am all kinds of curious about all topics besides sports, hence why I am a perpetual student.)
I have never met her nor has Ben talked to her since the “one last time” drink. I believe some of my curiosity is plain curiosity about Ben before I met him. He was a some what different person when I meet him then he is now. He is definitely a different person than when he dated his ex. I am curious about that person and hence why I want to meet the person the knew him well (if not the best).
Okay, I actually don’t want to meet her because it would be awkward. What the heck does one say?
The subject of boys I’ve gone out with yet don’t keep in touch with appeared the other day when Chris (an “ex” of mine that Ben has both met and talked to) called:
“Guess who Sara and I just saw in the parking lot of Rusuan’s”
After a wave of extreme jealously that two of my favorite people were eating at my favorite sushi place passed, I totally knew he was going to say, and I was right.
I keep in touch with the major boys from my past…well it has been a while for one of them. This one falls into the category of boy I don’t keep in touch with and I do wonder not infrequently how he is doing. My life was complicated when we were seeing each other. Looking back I realize how complicated my life was my last two years of college. It makes me realize that though I loved it then, I love how uncomplicated my life is now. But as I watch my sister live the summer of her 21st year, I am much more understanding having done that myself. It makes me appreciate the calmness of my life – my research, my boy, my friends, my family.
Posted by christina at 3:54 PM | Comments (0)
June 15, 2006
one for the money, two for the show
lots of thesis writing today. it is a by product of having a bunch of down time on my projects today. My short term goal is chapters 1-3 (Intro, Gen. Background, and Project 1) to my advisor by the end of the month. They are all in my editing stages right now. i hate the editing...though the current spread out pacing makes it manageable. I can only productivity edit something once every day or two. The next chapters (project 2, future work, summary) i should have to him by the end of july or so. That leaves us a month for edits, revisions, and extra data. (YUM! data) of course this is all dependent on a million things. it is good to have goals, though.
Posted by christina at 5:33 PM | Comments (0)
June 13, 2006
around here
New York was loud and busy, but we found respite on the north side of the island.
Pete’s show was in TriBecca, I believe. The subways make everything so easy to get to, especially since our hotel was so conveniently located. The show was excellent, as I expected. We then went out with Pete, J, their band, plus some friends to an excellent Indian restaurant. Ben didn’t like Indian food and for that reason Pete picked Indian food. Ben ended up liking Indian food. Dinner conversation was quite amusing, as the drummer got drunk and started talking about going to high school with J.
Saturday we wondered around Central Park and then up to the north side of the island to meet a friend who use to live in Chicago. After the people and traffic of Midtown, the reality quietness of the north side was so welcome. The three of us took his awesome dog for a long walk in the forest preserve (yes, there is a forest preserve on the island). There are hills on the island! There were also awesome views of rivers and bridges. Our friend’s condo was so nice and not any more expensive than wriggleyville. Pete and J pay an unreasonable amount of rent on their tiny three bedroom apartment. It made me think that I could never live in new york. Our friend’s place was big and sun-filled and made me thing, well, maybe. (Ha ha who am I kidding. I could never live in new york. I am too cheap.)
Sunday we headed back to Chicago. The highlight of the day was getting to La Guardia for $2. The only reason that we got to La Guardia at all was through the kindness of strangers. We missed the subway stop because it did not have the same name as was on the map. A nice lady, who didn’t want to pry, asked if we were trying to get to the airport. She gave us directions to Kennedy, but we quickly figured out that we had pass the correct subway stop. Good thing we built in an hour of travel time. We got to the right subway stop. We were then going to take a cab the rest of the way to the airport, but the La Guardia bus was sitting right there..and poof, we got to the airport for $2 in plenty of time. Though one there, we almost missed our flight because we were eating lunch in the gate across the way. For the first time ever, they boarded the plane 30 mins ahead of time and were issuing final boarding calls 20 minuets before the schedule departure time. Crazy airlines, trying to be on time and stuff.
Posted by christina at 1:31 PM | Comments (0)
June 9, 2006
i smile just because / i've got a city love
I have finally made it to New York. It is exactly like i expect - a lot like Tokyo. I suspect most americans do it the other way - new york than tokyo, and they say, tokyo is just like new york. I can't help but thing has we walk down the crowded streets filled with random little stores and people like it is like tokyo, in english.
We're here mainly to see the famous Pete of Pete and J (article here). They are playing at the Knitting Factory tonight, and I am quite excited. I have only seen them at a really intimate venue called the harper's backyard for emma's birthday party.
We got in yesterday, and when you think that your finger might fall off, flying isn't so bad. : )
We saw a little bit of Pete's 'hood (the east village). We are stating right by the empire state building. we found a nice hotel for a reasonable rate (my idea of a reasonable rate had to be readjusted for new york). It is conveniently located near all the "stuff" - mainly our main attraction yesterday - broadway to see Avenue Q. The show was so funny. I recommend it highly to everyone, as long as you are above oh 12 or so.
Posted by christina at 9:06 AM | Comments (0)
June 7, 2006
when you only got 100 years to live
100 days from today i'll have defended.
I've see two of my classmates defend this week.
I'm having one of those days in which i want to be done now. i am reminded today of one of the things i hate about research - the dangers. There are x-rays and acids and high currents. I hate second guessing myself. Yes, every time i open that door i check to make sure the light is off...but did i this time? do my hand look red? I obsess about these things and drive myself crazy over nothing.
Posted by christina at 5:57 PM | Comments (0)
June 6, 2006
thoughts on gay marriage
blog reading today -
"I am sure the troops in Iraq, the forgotten victims of Katrina, the people being gauged at the gas pumps are grateful that President Bush is focusing on the central issue facing our nation: how to bar gay Americans from someday maybe getting the right to obtain a civil marriage license.
Bush first announced Federal Marriage Amendment in feb 2004 – since that day
1,943 American soldiers were killed in Iraq.
Total dead - 2476
Total wounded - 15,271"
Posted by christina at 11:47 AM | Comments (1)
June 5, 2006
you could be my silver spring / blue-green / colors flashin'
emma & ben
Two very weird things happened on the highway while we were driving between chicago and kenosha. When we were headed north we came upon what we thought was an accident that had closed down the interstate southbound. As we passed we did not see an accident, but a line of police cars and police with guns drawn. There was a big guy walking in the middle of the highway with his shirt over his head. There seemed to be several people already on the ground. (not shot, i believe, just waiting to be arrested.) It was quite strange.
When we were headed back in yesterday there was this geo prism that was speeding around everyone. He was in front of us, but not in our lane, when he sideswiped the concrete barrier. Since he was going 70+ miles an hour, it was amazing that he kept it together and continued going in his lane. I really thought he was going to spin out and hit someone. I made ben get in the lane as far as possible from drunk/high dude. Thank goodness, for the prism driver at least, we soon hit city traffic and his speed was reduced to non-fatal.
Posted by christina at 5:10 PM | Comments (0)
June 4, 2006
going to the chapel
There are 10 pieces of wedding cake in our refrigerator.
With october inching closer and closer, i finally got motivated to wrap up the wedding vendors i'd been putting off - rehearsal dinner, cake, and flowers. Since we are having the wedding not in chicago, it has been a bit of a pain to arrange things. okay, not really, but it did give us the excuse to leave the cat and spend a beautiful weekend in wisconsin.
We met with the rehearsal dinner people and got that reserved. I reserved the date for the flowers over the phone (we'll go up in a couple of months to actually pick the flowers). We spent the night in racine, wi, were $100 buck got us the most comfortable bed at the three-star marriot. We tried the happening Japanese hibachi grill in downtown were our meal, instead of traditional miso soup and cucumber salad, came with chicken noodle soup and ice burg lettuce with thousand island dressing. Our steak and veggies were excellent and the grill dude was amusing, so no real complaints.
The cake lady was in Kenosha, which is the bested named town ever. it is also the location of a jelly belly factory. we did not go, much to my sadness. When i made the cake appt, it was just to chat about dates and prices. As we drove from a very large brunch at cracker barrel, we hoped it would not turn out to be the tasting.
We talked shape and design. I am not that bride who knows exactly what she wants when she comes in. i have yet to buy a wedding magazine (though my sister does and looks for stuff for me). i do have a planning book, which is good for when you need to do stuff time-wise. Together ben and i and the example book came up with a good design. We are probably the best couple as we are pretty easy going. All i care about is that the food is yummy and arrives yummy and on time. After we did that we were quite surprise when she handed us a list of the cakes we would be taking home. Hence the 10 slices of cakes in our fridge. It really was the perfect situation as we were not in the mood to taste and now we don't have to go back up there for a tasting. We had out own tasting in our kitchen at home. It was awesome. We have it all chosen. Everything is done for now. Quite happy.
Posted by christina at 7:03 PM | Comments (3)