1. How was your trip to New York last weekend?
2. I'm in Houston right now, are you jealous?
3. Have you gone to any of those MeetUps that I signed you up for?
4. Have you started hearing from PhD programs yet?
5. When can we make a time to Skype? (I'm in Houston then Charleston until Sunday night so after that.)
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Week 4: ...and Amy
1. Should we be numbering the weeks on the blog consecutively or keeping true to the number of weeks you have been in Massachusetts? (I am in favor of keeping true to the number of weeks, gives a better track of time.)
I don't have a strong opinion, and you post first, so I'll follow what you do. The number of weeks does give a better track of time, and when we inevitably post less often, it maybe won't be so obvious.
2. What's been the coolest thing you've done (not learned or seen, but actually done) at your internship so far?
Hum. I haven't done much, honestly -- I'm still training. I'll be leading some anger groups soon, which ought to be cool. And I got to sit in on a meeting where staff discussed with a partner agency how they're trying to start and study a new, hopefully more effective batterer intervention group. "Holy crow!" I thought, "That's only EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY CAREER!!!" It's actually kind of lucky that I didn't know folks better, because if I had been more comfortable I probably would have done something embarrassing.
I did get to go to jail the other day. That was cool.
3. Have you gotten to bike in snow?
Yeah, a couple of times. Scott called it, I need goggles. I also got to bike when it was -6 (according to my phone). It's really awesome to bike when it's cold. It's cold, of course, and I'm still perfecting my clothing strategies, but it's such an awesome feeling. Also, even when it's -6 degrees, I still sweat when I'm biking.
4. Any lingering stories from the road trip that you're dying to tell us?
The first one happened in the great town of West, Texas, at the much-beloved Czech Stop. I was standing in line to get some kolaches (as you do), and the young woman ahead of me ordered, like 12, super-confidently. She remarked to me that she went there all the time, and thus knew exactly what she wanted. Which was made comical in the next moment when she then said, "Oh, they have danishes!" She was forced to admit that, while she had been there often, she hadn't been there for quite a while. Busted. Anyway, she was nice. I made agreeable, small-talky sounds at her, and she responded in kind. We were friends now.
We get up to the counter, and I'm paying and she's lingering (probably because she had ordered a thousand kolaches and they weren't all ready). So she overheard me when I asked if they had any ibuprofen, because I had a headache. The nice man behind the counter said they didn't, but my new friend was all, "I have some!" She then dashed out to her car and came back and gave me 2 800 milligram, prescription-strength (and indeed, it was a prescription bottle) ibuprofen. I put them in my pocket, thanked her, and we went our separate ways.
I know, I know -- don't take drugs from strangers. Especially not while on a road trip, and especially especially when you're driving. I did, though. First, I resolved to be alert to whether I started feeling at all unusual. Then I looked at the pill, and it looked like it COULD be 800 milligram ibuprofen. I took the chance, and it both made my headache go away and didn't make me feel funny, so I'm pretty sure that's what it was. We all like to have adventures, right?
The next one isn't really a story so much as a sentence: I was at a McDonald's drive thru in Little Rock (don't judge me), and there was a rooster in the parking lot. I mentioned it to the woman taking orders, and she was entirely unimpressed. The rooster is coming over to me, all rooster-y, and I'm ordering, and I say, "do you know you have a rooster in your parking lot?" No response. She reads me back my order, and asks if it's correct, and I'm like, "yes, but what about the rooster?" I guess she knew about the rooster, and didn't feel like he merited much discussion. She had orders to take.
5. What feels like the biggest contrast between Central Texas and Western Massachusetts right now?
Hm. The cold, I think. It's such a great feeling to know that it's cold and it's going to stay cold for a while. I was always a little sad during cold fronts in Texas, because I knew that sure, it may be 30 degrees now, but it'll be 80 again by the end of the week. It's comforting to know the cold has staying power here.
People look different, but it's subtle. I can't quite put my finger on it, and maybe it's all my own projections, but I feel like there are slight differences in facial features between people from here and people from the south. The accent is definitely noticeable.
The assumptions and expectations are different. The blue state-ness is noticeable, if not incredibly in-your-face, and not without exceptions. One disappointing fact I learned today from my upstairs neighbor: apparently it's now state law that all school classes must be taught in English.
I don't have a strong opinion, and you post first, so I'll follow what you do. The number of weeks does give a better track of time, and when we inevitably post less often, it maybe won't be so obvious.
2. What's been the coolest thing you've done (not learned or seen, but actually done) at your internship so far?
Hum. I haven't done much, honestly -- I'm still training. I'll be leading some anger groups soon, which ought to be cool. And I got to sit in on a meeting where staff discussed with a partner agency how they're trying to start and study a new, hopefully more effective batterer intervention group. "Holy crow!" I thought, "That's only EXACTLY WHAT I WANT TO DO WITH MY CAREER!!!" It's actually kind of lucky that I didn't know folks better, because if I had been more comfortable I probably would have done something embarrassing.
I did get to go to jail the other day. That was cool.
3. Have you gotten to bike in snow?
Yeah, a couple of times. Scott called it, I need goggles. I also got to bike when it was -6 (according to my phone). It's really awesome to bike when it's cold. It's cold, of course, and I'm still perfecting my clothing strategies, but it's such an awesome feeling. Also, even when it's -6 degrees, I still sweat when I'm biking.
4. Any lingering stories from the road trip that you're dying to tell us?
The first one happened in the great town of West, Texas, at the much-beloved Czech Stop. I was standing in line to get some kolaches (as you do), and the young woman ahead of me ordered, like 12, super-confidently. She remarked to me that she went there all the time, and thus knew exactly what she wanted. Which was made comical in the next moment when she then said, "Oh, they have danishes!" She was forced to admit that, while she had been there often, she hadn't been there for quite a while. Busted. Anyway, she was nice. I made agreeable, small-talky sounds at her, and she responded in kind. We were friends now.
We get up to the counter, and I'm paying and she's lingering (probably because she had ordered a thousand kolaches and they weren't all ready). So she overheard me when I asked if they had any ibuprofen, because I had a headache. The nice man behind the counter said they didn't, but my new friend was all, "I have some!" She then dashed out to her car and came back and gave me 2 800 milligram, prescription-strength (and indeed, it was a prescription bottle) ibuprofen. I put them in my pocket, thanked her, and we went our separate ways.
I know, I know -- don't take drugs from strangers. Especially not while on a road trip, and especially especially when you're driving. I did, though. First, I resolved to be alert to whether I started feeling at all unusual. Then I looked at the pill, and it looked like it COULD be 800 milligram ibuprofen. I took the chance, and it both made my headache go away and didn't make me feel funny, so I'm pretty sure that's what it was. We all like to have adventures, right?
The next one isn't really a story so much as a sentence: I was at a McDonald's drive thru in Little Rock (don't judge me), and there was a rooster in the parking lot. I mentioned it to the woman taking orders, and she was entirely unimpressed. The rooster is coming over to me, all rooster-y, and I'm ordering, and I say, "do you know you have a rooster in your parking lot?" No response. She reads me back my order, and asks if it's correct, and I'm like, "yes, but what about the rooster?" I guess she knew about the rooster, and didn't feel like he merited much discussion. She had orders to take.
5. What feels like the biggest contrast between Central Texas and Western Massachusetts right now?
Hm. The cold, I think. It's such a great feeling to know that it's cold and it's going to stay cold for a while. I was always a little sad during cold fronts in Texas, because I knew that sure, it may be 30 degrees now, but it'll be 80 again by the end of the week. It's comforting to know the cold has staying power here.
People look different, but it's subtle. I can't quite put my finger on it, and maybe it's all my own projections, but I feel like there are slight differences in facial features between people from here and people from the south. The accent is definitely noticeable.
The assumptions and expectations are different. The blue state-ness is noticeable, if not incredibly in-your-face, and not without exceptions. One disappointing fact I learned today from my upstairs neighbor: apparently it's now state law that all school classes must be taught in English.
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Week 4: Questions
1. Should we be numbering the weeks on the blog consecutively or keeping true to the number of weeks you have been in Massachusetts? (I am in favor of keeping true to the number of weeks, gives a better track of time.)
2. What's been the coolest thing you've done (not learned or seen, but actually done) at your internship so far?
3. Have you gotten to bike in snow?
4. Any lingering stories from the road trip that you're dying to tell us?
5. What feels like the biggest contrast between Central Texas and Western Massachusetts right now?
2. What's been the coolest thing you've done (not learned or seen, but actually done) at your internship so far?
3. Have you gotten to bike in snow?
4. Any lingering stories from the road trip that you're dying to tell us?
5. What feels like the biggest contrast between Central Texas and Western Massachusetts right now?
Monday, January 21, 2013
Week 2: ...and Amy
1. How are things going???
Pretty well, all things considered. The dominant exception to that, of course, is that my grandfather died two days after I arrived. I say "died," but really, I think that's inaccurate. I think he decided to stop living. He was just shy of 94 years old, and up until 6 months ago or so, had rarely even been ill. Of course it's sad that he's gone; but he had an incredibly full life, and he died, as he lived, on his terms. I can't begrudge him that. Below is a picture of him and his first wife, named Dot, my biological grandmother. She died when my dad was just a teen; I never met her. He is survived by his second wife, the woman I consider my grandmother. It's a little confusing, and led to my having uncles that are the same generation as I am (8 and 11 years older, respectively), but I suppose few families are truly "normal" these days. Anyway, I love this picture (this is a picture of the picture, since I didn't take the original home with me). Below that is a more recent picture of him. He was an institution for me. I'm going to miss him.
...So that led to me flying back to Houston and driving to Monroe this past weekend, and arriving home this morning at 4 AM. Which was absolutely necessary, of course, and I'm exceedingly glad I did it -- but also not the most fun thing ever.
Other than that significant 'but,' life is good. I'm loving the winter, and the internship is, so far, as awesome as I had hoped.
2. What's the most absurd thing that happened during the move? (getting out of the Austin apartment counts as part of that)
Getting out of Austin definitely ranks. You were there, but for our adoring audience (Hi, mom! Hi, Jess!):
First, I was vacuuming, as one does when one moves out. I had previously taken the cover off the vacuum to check the bag, because it didn't seem to be clogged, but also did not seem to be 'vacuuming' so much as 'going over the dust and kitty litter, driving it into the carpet.' And then of course I couldn't get the cover back on, which made it all the more dramatic when the bag exploded, getting dust and kitty litter all over me and the surrounding environs.
So we bailed on that project, and moved on to the kitchen. You did an admirable job of cleaning the fridge; I tried, and failed, to clean the oven. I've never cleaned an oven before, and also I occasionally lack common sense. So I skimmed the instructions on the Easy-Off, and it seemed to suggest that one should line the bottom of the oven with newsprint. I did so.
A few moments later, you pointed out that the newsprint was catching fire.
Of course it was, it was essentially on top of the element, which was on. We (you -- I think I was still insisting that the directions said to do it that way) quickly removed the smoldering paper and extinguished it. A closer inspection of the instructions clarified that the newsprint is for the floor below the oven. Oops. The Easy-Off wasn't so easy, anyway, in that it wouldn't spray. So I abandoned the project. I had joked before about lighting a match and throwing it over my shoulder while I walked away, but I really didn't mean to burn the apartment down!
There are some other stories, but you'll have to ask more questions to hear them.
3. A four-day drive with cats: as bad as you expected or not?
Not, shockingly. I'm sure the drugs helped considerably. They mostly hung out silently in their carriers. Towards the end of the drive every day Clay would start telling me about how he didn't like this so much. That was it. And they were surprisingly decent in the motel rooms. The worst part of it was that I didn't think to put the kitty litter scoop where I could find it, so I had to throw out all of the litter each time, and clean the box and such. This is not so easy to do in a Motel 6 room. I left large tips for the cleaning staff and hoped for the best. They've been surprisingly decent in the new place, too (the cats, not the cleaning staff. The staff, so far, has not tracked me to my new home). Partly I think they're still traumatized, but this is also a larger space than my Austin apartment, and I think them having more 'territory' to split between them helps considerably.
Clay had some crazy reverse tolerance with the sedatives -- at least they hit him more quickly than I would have expected. He was loopy within 20 minutes the first morning, and 5 the second morning, of dosing ("dosing," in this case being me trying to get him to swallow it, and him spitting it back out, enough times that it turned to powder, at which point I smeared it on his face. Not the best approach, maybe, but it seemed to work).
4. Have you met any new friends (or potential friends)?
Given that the unexpected travel means I've been here less than a week at this point, no. Except that some of my co-workers seem nice. One of them gave me a great tip about parking in Boston that saved me quite a bit of money over parking at the airport. I'm hoping she'll be my friend.
5. What do you like best about your new apartment?
It has a bathtub! You didn't ask what I liked least, but here it is: thus far, there has not been enough hot water for me to take a bath. I'm hoping this got rectified today. Apparently it has something to do with the...boiler? Furnace? The thing I had to pay an assload of money to put oil in. There are whole apparati involved in this winter thing I'm unfamiliar with, it seems.
Pretty well, all things considered. The dominant exception to that, of course, is that my grandfather died two days after I arrived. I say "died," but really, I think that's inaccurate. I think he decided to stop living. He was just shy of 94 years old, and up until 6 months ago or so, had rarely even been ill. Of course it's sad that he's gone; but he had an incredibly full life, and he died, as he lived, on his terms. I can't begrudge him that. Below is a picture of him and his first wife, named Dot, my biological grandmother. She died when my dad was just a teen; I never met her. He is survived by his second wife, the woman I consider my grandmother. It's a little confusing, and led to my having uncles that are the same generation as I am (8 and 11 years older, respectively), but I suppose few families are truly "normal" these days. Anyway, I love this picture (this is a picture of the picture, since I didn't take the original home with me). Below that is a more recent picture of him. He was an institution for me. I'm going to miss him.
 |
| Jimmy and Dot Jones, my grandparents. I like to think they're together somewhere now. I don't know that I believe it, but I like to think it nonetheless. |
 |
| My grandfather and my then-youngest nephew. At the time of the photo, they were the oldest and youngest Joneses in the family. This was on my grandfather's 92nd birthday. |
Other than that significant 'but,' life is good. I'm loving the winter, and the internship is, so far, as awesome as I had hoped.
2. What's the most absurd thing that happened during the move? (getting out of the Austin apartment counts as part of that)
Getting out of Austin definitely ranks. You were there, but for our adoring audience (Hi, mom! Hi, Jess!):
First, I was vacuuming, as one does when one moves out. I had previously taken the cover off the vacuum to check the bag, because it didn't seem to be clogged, but also did not seem to be 'vacuuming' so much as 'going over the dust and kitty litter, driving it into the carpet.' And then of course I couldn't get the cover back on, which made it all the more dramatic when the bag exploded, getting dust and kitty litter all over me and the surrounding environs.
So we bailed on that project, and moved on to the kitchen. You did an admirable job of cleaning the fridge; I tried, and failed, to clean the oven. I've never cleaned an oven before, and also I occasionally lack common sense. So I skimmed the instructions on the Easy-Off, and it seemed to suggest that one should line the bottom of the oven with newsprint. I did so.
A few moments later, you pointed out that the newsprint was catching fire.
Of course it was, it was essentially on top of the element, which was on. We (you -- I think I was still insisting that the directions said to do it that way) quickly removed the smoldering paper and extinguished it. A closer inspection of the instructions clarified that the newsprint is for the floor below the oven. Oops. The Easy-Off wasn't so easy, anyway, in that it wouldn't spray. So I abandoned the project. I had joked before about lighting a match and throwing it over my shoulder while I walked away, but I really didn't mean to burn the apartment down!
There are some other stories, but you'll have to ask more questions to hear them.
3. A four-day drive with cats: as bad as you expected or not?
Not, shockingly. I'm sure the drugs helped considerably. They mostly hung out silently in their carriers. Towards the end of the drive every day Clay would start telling me about how he didn't like this so much. That was it. And they were surprisingly decent in the motel rooms. The worst part of it was that I didn't think to put the kitty litter scoop where I could find it, so I had to throw out all of the litter each time, and clean the box and such. This is not so easy to do in a Motel 6 room. I left large tips for the cleaning staff and hoped for the best. They've been surprisingly decent in the new place, too (the cats, not the cleaning staff. The staff, so far, has not tracked me to my new home). Partly I think they're still traumatized, but this is also a larger space than my Austin apartment, and I think them having more 'territory' to split between them helps considerably.
Clay had some crazy reverse tolerance with the sedatives -- at least they hit him more quickly than I would have expected. He was loopy within 20 minutes the first morning, and 5 the second morning, of dosing ("dosing," in this case being me trying to get him to swallow it, and him spitting it back out, enough times that it turned to powder, at which point I smeared it on his face. Not the best approach, maybe, but it seemed to work).
4. Have you met any new friends (or potential friends)?
Given that the unexpected travel means I've been here less than a week at this point, no. Except that some of my co-workers seem nice. One of them gave me a great tip about parking in Boston that saved me quite a bit of money over parking at the airport. I'm hoping she'll be my friend.
5. What do you like best about your new apartment?
It has a bathtub! You didn't ask what I liked least, but here it is: thus far, there has not been enough hot water for me to take a bath. I'm hoping this got rectified today. Apparently it has something to do with the...boiler? Furnace? The thing I had to pay an assload of money to put oil in. There are whole apparati involved in this winter thing I'm unfamiliar with, it seems.
Saturday, January 12, 2013
Week 2: Questions
1. How are things going???
2. What's the most absurd thing that happened during the move? (getting out of the Austin apartment counts as part of that)
3. A four-day drive with cats: as bad as you expected or not?
4. Have you met any new friends (or potential friends)?
5. What do you like best about your new apartment?
2. What's the most absurd thing that happened during the move? (getting out of the Austin apartment counts as part of that)
3. A four-day drive with cats: as bad as you expected or not?
4. Have you met any new friends (or potential friends)?
5. What do you like best about your new apartment?
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Week 1: ...& Amy
1. How are you feeling now about moving to western Massachusetts in the middle of the winter?
I'm excited about it. But I really have no idea what I'm getting myself into. I'm from the south -- I've only ever visited winter, I've never lived in it. I will say that my bike ride in to work this morning from the mechanic's was lovely, and it's currently 39 degrees.
2. How would you rate your progress towards moving (on a scale of "all set" to "totally F#&#ed")?
Oh, I'd say pretty close to totally F#&#ed. On top of the packing I still need to do (most things are sorted but need to be boxed), I had to take my car back into the shop this morning. Also, my air mattress is leaking, so I need to send a strongly-worded letter to the vendor and find something else to sleep on.
3. Do you think you will actually keep up with this blog?
If the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, I give it three weeks. But I will try very hard, and also do 10 pushups every morning and clean out the litter box every day. These are my resolutions.
4. Do you think I will actually keep up with this blog?
If there is any hope at all, it is with you. You're marginally better at this than I am, and much of my success in the past (not that it was great success, mind you) was because you pestered me to update. No pressure.
5. Do you think anyone else will read this or are we just talking to ourselves?
My mother probably will. Your partner might. Other than that? Hard to say...
I'm excited about it. But I really have no idea what I'm getting myself into. I'm from the south -- I've only ever visited winter, I've never lived in it. I will say that my bike ride in to work this morning from the mechanic's was lovely, and it's currently 39 degrees.
2. How would you rate your progress towards moving (on a scale of "all set" to "totally F#&#ed")?
Oh, I'd say pretty close to totally F#&#ed. On top of the packing I still need to do (most things are sorted but need to be boxed), I had to take my car back into the shop this morning. Also, my air mattress is leaking, so I need to send a strongly-worded letter to the vendor and find something else to sleep on.
3. Do you think you will actually keep up with this blog?
If the best predictor of future behavior is past behavior, I give it three weeks. But I will try very hard, and also do 10 pushups every morning and clean out the litter box every day. These are my resolutions.
4. Do you think I will actually keep up with this blog?
If there is any hope at all, it is with you. You're marginally better at this than I am, and much of my success in the past (not that it was great success, mind you) was because you pestered me to update. No pressure.
5. Do you think anyone else will read this or are we just talking to ourselves?
My mother probably will. Your partner might. Other than that? Hard to say...
Week 1: Questions
1. How are you feeling now about moving to western Massachusetts in the middle of the winter?
2. How would you rate your progress towards moving (on a scale of "all set" to "totally F#&#ed")?
3. Do you think you will actually keep up with this blog?
4. Do you think I will actually keep up with this blog?
5. Do you think anyone else will read this or are we just talking to ourselves?
2. How would you rate your progress towards moving (on a scale of "all set" to "totally F#&#ed")?
3. Do you think you will actually keep up with this blog?
4. Do you think I will actually keep up with this blog?
5. Do you think anyone else will read this or are we just talking to ourselves?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)