outliers

I really want to read this book Outliers.

When I went to email someone to ask if they had it, I wanted to refer to the author as well, and I couldn't remember his name. This is so frustrating, because I knew it.

As usual, I was appalled at the retrieval area of my memory. I told myself sit there until it came to me instead of googling the author. How will my brain ever learn otherwise? It probably took a full three minutes.

As I sifted through the possibilities, I wrote them down to help myself recall his name.

I feel like it's a really weird way to remember something (I remember learning this an off-beat philosophy of language class), but it has helped me in the past.

Redman

Dave Redman

David Sedaris

Malcolm

Malcolm Doyle

Malcolm

Malcolm Gladwell

Malcolm Gladwell.

audrey

The top ten reasons Audrey is an awesome baby name.

1. It's a classic.
2. It's cute but not cutesy.
3. It's a serious name.
4. It works for a baby, a high school freshman, and a grandma.
5. Names that start with vowels generally rock.
6. It's only two syllables.
7. Nobody ever hated Audrey Hepburn.
8. It's not a deathly common name.
9. People know the name.
10. It's awesome.

kids are cute, from a distance.

For two years, I had the most awesome Saudi friends. Before I went to London, they returned to Saudi. I really liked their four kids, but I also realized how okay I am with not having kids at this juncture in my life. So much work!

In one afternoon, when I was watching the three youngest, my list of never-have-I-ever's shrunk considerably.

* I let the four year old scale a parking lot handicapped sign. What's it going to hurt? He didn't fall.

* Endured a crying fit from the young'un because he didn’t want to leave his sister

* Heard the best mis-speak from the nine year old, “But we don’t like to go there. We’re like… scary cats…”

* Asked one of them to lick his hand clean because it had melted chocolate all over it, and then finished the job by wiping his fingers on his shirt in the absence of napkins

* Prevented them from trolling out the window with a yoyo on the drive home

Bless their mother.

dear maryland.

Dear Maryland,

I'm going to be frank. Why don't you install some street lights? There aren't sea turtles for 100 miles.

-me

best kids books EVER

babar

miffy

madeline

if you give a mouse a cookie

frog and toad

i'm such a geek.

I found this youtube video on how to identify fonts by the shapes of their letters. And I'm finding it interesting.

to whom it may concern.

Do you still address letters "to whom it may concern"?

If you don't know specifically whom you're addressing in a cover letter what do you put?

I'm applying for jobs. Loads of resume drafts and cover letters. If only there were more time in the day! I keep getting too bed late and still not getting enough applications done.

today's preferences

I’m the first generation to grow up with household computers being the norm.
Now in my twenties, I’m a demanding reader.

I am a NLTLOWSAPOIP.

I-need-little-text-lots-of-white-space-and-plenty-of-images-person.

I tried to make the last bit of increasing font size and boldness, which I did in Word. But I am not savvy enough to know how to do on blogger.

m foods.

.
among these are mustard, mushrooms, and mayonnaise,

_________ which are disgusting.

optimism.

At this juncture in my life, I feel as though I have moved to a postmodern (things aren't getting better and better) view of things. I have stopped making lists and goals and aspirations. Except I did make one fun goal, recently. But only one.

It's more like take it as it comes right now. Which isn't usually me.

Instead of being eternally optimistic, I really grab on to when things are really good. A really good day. A simulating conversation. Actually reading a book.

Yesterday was the first day in a long time when I felt energized and enthusiastic. The first time in probably weeks. It was terribly exciting.

It carried over a bit into today. Stunning. Let's see about tomorrow.

on what I'm doing... at the moment.

... so happy to be here in London right now

... making lots of lattes and cappuccinos. Hardly a day goes by without my consuming some manner of coffee, or tea, now that I'm in England

... meeting lots of people where I work

... trying really hard (and usually failing) to enjoy just the moment

... spending more time messing with photo software and thinking about blogging more. To what this all turns, I know not.

... thinking a lot about what I will do come August. See item no. 4

still waiting.

Hi there, ideal self.

I am still waiting for you to arrive. I thought maybe when I arrived in London. But somewhere across the Atlantic, you must have fallen behind.

As the new year approached, the beginning of a new term of work, I thought how it would be really sweet of you to appear. Nothing.

I am ever hopeful, though. I am sure you are coming, a fools hope. But humans are so illogically and irrepressibly hopeful, me not excluded. I am sure you will come, if I work a little harder. I know it's possible.

Do you think, you will be able to come, in this life?

on the unpredictable.

I grew up in a highly structured house, for which I largely have my mother to thank, or blame, for (hi, mom!). Naturally, growing up that way, I figured that it was not only completely normal but also that it was the way the rest of the world also functioned.

It appears not. Now, being out on my own, I am constantly finding that if I want any structure, I must largely manufacture it for myself. The world is full of chaos but seeking order, perhaps?

Thankfully, things like jobs and classes aid in the breaking of time into units and provide basis building parameters of time. "Fixed" events help me schedule and manage my time better than a carte blanche day.

My car has been consuming the lion's share of my time, which is infuriating. But I must sell it, and I must invest the necessary time to do so. My week is hurriedly running out, though, and my room, though a mess, is most certainly not packed.

But I must have some boundaries! Packing must happen. I already have some mandatory errands, though, so I shall have to content myself with trying to devote half the day to my suitcases.

In the mean time, I'm trying to do this flexibility thing and at the moment am consoling myself with a break from the car and doing laundry while watching A&E's "Pride and Prejudice" (the only real version).

soularium

I've used it before, and it can be a useful tool.

Should I buy a set of Soularium cards to use while I'm in London?

If I end up working at the arts center, it might be something I could get regular use out of. They are artisty and can be a great conversation catalyst.

appreciation

I'm kind of grumpy this morning. My personal term for this state is "disgruntled", but not everyone knows what I mean when I say this.

It started this morning when my alarm went off. Usually, I shut it off, stretch and awake up for exactly two minutes and then bound out of bed. This morning, I couldn't will myself up until ten minutes after it had gone off.

When I ventured out of the bedroom's double doors, the wonderful feature that gives Bethany and I extra privacy, every little thing annoyed me. That one roommate had left the couch disheveled, the lamp wasn't working, and, disastrous of all, my already-prepared breakfast was missing.

The evidence of me making it last night was there, so I'm not psychotic, but it was gone. Either I slept-walked and ate it in my sleep or someone else ate it or I was dillustional in my search this morning and I'll find it stuffed somewhere when I get home. Weird in any case. I'm usually very methodical.

Funny of our (my) state of being well relies so incredibly much of schedule and detail and how one or two things can derail me for the entire day. Don't tell me humans aren't fragile!

In tandem with my feeble efforts to manage my own life, here is my plan to get me back on a smooth mental/emotional course for the rest of the day:

:: Work hard.

:: Go running after work and before class if I can possible manage it

:: Work on my support letter for London

:: Read The Hobbit on my lunch break. I finally borrowed it from the university library!

:: Think about happy things like french brackets, typed words, and sylfaen and georgia fonts.