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Friday, January 6th, 2006
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I have decided to start a blog with a southern Minnesota theme.
Agropolis Now!
Will Write for Comments.
Or Food.
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Comments: Add Your Own.
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Tuesday, December 20th, 2005
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Got a place to live.
Got a cellphone.
Got a bank account.
Now I just have to, like, move.
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Comments: Read 3 or Add Your Own.
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Monday, December 19th, 2005
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Well, I got my driver's license.
In the past month:
1. I've gotten exactly the job I've been wanting.
2. I've gotten a license.
3. I've gotten a car. (Thank you, dad, for your generosity. That's one hell of a princely gift.)
And tomorrow we'll be looking at apartments in Albert Lea. So:
4. I will get a new apartment.
5. I will move out of my parents' house.
Annnnd we can all breathe a collective sigh of relief.
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Comments: Read 5 or Add Your Own.
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Thursday, December 1st, 2005
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My resume and cover letter are done.
If anyone has any suggestions as to where I could apply as a reporter, post 'em.
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Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
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Sunday, November 27th, 2005
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I do SO love the holidays. This morning I woke up with a headache that ranked as probably the fifth or sixth worst I've ever had, definitely in the top ten. Got up anyway, took some coffee (caffeine dilates the blood vessels in the brain and can help headaches; it is one of the two effective ingredients in exedrin). Then I went to lie down, telling my mum I had a very bad headache. She made a sort of scoffing noise and asked if I was going to go to church. I said, "Probably not."
She gives me three ibuprofen, for which I am very grateful, and heads off to start getting ready. I just lay there trying not to move too much (and isn't it unfair to get a hangover when you don't drink?), and later she comes back to do her hair.
"Grandma and grampa both think you're faking it."
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Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
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Saturday, November 26th, 2005
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It's amazing how awful it can be when a bunch of well-meaning people get together to tell you how to run your life. Needless to say, the holidays are a stressful time for many, but the stress can be greatly exacerbated by "helpful" family members who think you've slipped up in your life (or in my case, completely failed in every imaginable way).
Now of course, their suggestions are eminently sensible. So sensible in fact, that I had already been attempting them ("Get a job," and "Get your driver's license.") It did rather make me wonder why on earth they were bothering to elaborate on that particular theme.
The hard thing is keeping my temper, which I need to do because they really do mean well. There's no problem with their suggestions per se, it's just a problem of approach.
Telling a depressed person what to do, and that their moods and perceptions are their own problems, is not helpful. Telling them that they messed up and their debt is a natural result of that, is not helpful. Telling them that they need to get a job (for the millionth time) is also not helpful.
What would be helpful would be some positivity, since a depressed person has a lot of difficulty doing that for themselves. Instead of telling someone (like me) to get a job, for instance, one might say "Goodness, Jen, how about we work on your resume tonight?" or perhaps "Let's go jobhunting tomorrow, we can get coffee afterward." Instead of saying "You need your license," one might take the licenseless person out driving and buy them some hot chocolate. Instead of complaining about someone's odd sleeping habits, one might try to give them a reason to normalize said habits, like going out for breakfast or lunch (granted, one's work schedule CAN make that difficult). Instead of telling someone that their having no friends is their responsibility, their problem, and that they aren't making any effort, one might try introducing them to other people, or inviting them to social events. Instead of agreeing to chaperone dances on someone's birthday, one might oh, I don't know, do something with them on their birthday.
What one SHOULDN'T do, however, is get into a circle with two or three others and start making a laundry-list of everything the depressed person needs to do. Depressed people are easily overwhelmed by negativity or by being given tasks that seem impossible or difficult. Instead, try encouraging, offering help, and above all, being positive instead of critical. The slightest bit of criticism, to a depressed person, is going to be remembered for days, whereas positive things tend to get forgotten right off the bat.
Depressed people often don't feel active. Instead of bitching at them for sleeping all day, try making a point of scheduling things to do with them. Depressed people often feel lonely and mopey. Instead of complaining about sleeping habits, or being critical, try inviting them out to do things that they like. Instead of relentless reminding a depressed person about the mountains of debt they created... well, don't. There's no possible way you can be any harder on a depressed person than they are on themselves.
It isn't that I don't appreciate my parents' financial support, because I do. I am appreciative. They let me move back into their house, they're paying for all the food I eat, and they're paying for my medical bills ($300/month).
This is help, but it is not support. I understand where they're coming from, but I would almost rather not have their money if it meant they could be positive for me. What good is health insurance if you're so miserable no day goes by without a desperate prayer to God that you get hit by a bus as soon as possible?
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Comments: Read 13 or Add Your Own.
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Friday, November 18th, 2005
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Tonight another piece of the Sony debacle has come to my attention.
It was originally thought that 20 CDs had the XCP windows hack included on them.
In fact, fifty-two CDs had it.
Sony is now recalling all of them and sending purchasers new copies without the pernicious software on them. Talk about too little, too late!
Fifty-two, not twenty.
To find out if Sony has screwed you, click here!
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Comments: Read 10 or Add Your Own.
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Tuesday, November 15th, 2005
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I don't know how many of you have been listening to the latest in the war between the record companies and their customers (also known by said companies as "pirates," "online music traders," "copyright infringers," and "victims"), but the latest tactic consists of embedding spyware on the computers of users foolish enough to *gasp!* try to play CDs on their computers.
That's right. Those who try to play CDs on their computers. Not record. Not convert to MP3s for their own use or anyone else's. Not burn and sell pirated copies in foreign countries for huge profits. We're talking anyone who uses their computer as a convenient CD player because it displays the names of the songs and artists and enables them to change the order of the songs easily. A lot of people do this.
It isn't the data that Sony is stealing (and I use the word "stealing" judiciously here), which is a listener's IP address and music preferences (although that is certainly somewhat creepy). The real problem is that these discs (there are 19 confirmed as containing this technology) do not ask before they install the software. Nobody gets to decide whether their data goes straight to Sony's marketing division; they just decide whether to stick the CD in their drive or not. Pretty slick, huh?
But even worse, the software initially did not come off the computer. Not only did it take a Microsoft engineer to find the software in the first place, but that same engineer could not figure out how to remove it. What hope do average users have? In addition, the software essentially hacks windows, burying itself so deep in the code that it's probably easier to remove mildew from your basement than it is to get rid of Sony's little ones and zeros. Plus, the software provides a conveniently wide-open window for hackers.
I have no idea how they thought they would get away with this. I hope that the Class Action suit being talked about moves forward. I also hope that Microsoft itself notices that another multi-million dollar corporation has deliberately propagated a program that hacks the Microsoft software, necessitating a patch of some kind.
And no, Sony, I am not willing to take your word for it that only 19 CDs have the program. I am not willing to take your word for it that the patch you have released can expunge the malignant program you have released, nor do I believe it can make pigs fly, or cure dandruff. In fact, I no longer believe anything you say, although I am a little curious about one thing.
How did you think you would get away with it, anyway?
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Comments: Read 8 or Add Your Own.
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Well, JoseB's visit is going well. Right now he and Jeh are playing Baldur's Gate, but before we played an extremely silly card game that involved making up your own rules, drawing a representation on the cards, and then playing them. It was a lot of fun, and quite, quite crazy. It's kinda too bad there were only three of us, but what the hey.
We also got a whole bunch of fruit, so we've been snacking all evening, but in a healthy way. Peaches and plums and pluots and strawberries, along with some iced tea. I dunno what we're going to do tomorrow; we may go to the Como Zoo, or else to the Sculpture Gardens by the Walker (or as James Lileks calls it, WOK-AR, God of Art That Makes People Feel Bad For Not Getting It).
Still have to get to bed at a decent time because Chris has work tomorrow and I'm still kinda tired from my massive cleaning binge, although I'm very proud I accomplished so much.
Woot.
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Comments: Read 3 or Add Your Own.
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Wrote a short Harry Potter fanfic. The first part is already up; I'll likely put up the second part later today. It's quite short and deals with Salazar Slytherin and the falling-out between him and the other three founders.
The Slytherin Legacy
Reviews appreciated.
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Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
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Wednesday, September 8th, 2004
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Well, it's been forever and ever since I updated this thing, so I MUST have lost my audience by now. If I ever had one to begin with.
But I thought it was worth starting over yet again, as it helps me keep track of what in the world I'm up to.
Actually that'd be a pretty short entry! School. School school school.
THREE of my FOUR incompletes are taken care of. I have one left. I've also registered for classes here at Luther: Ecclesiastical Latin, Wisdom Literature, 1 and 2 Chronicles, and of course, History of the American Church.
So far I adore my Wisdom teacher, she's wonderfully funny and also, has a surpassing interest in feminism. I'm looking forward to hitting that topic.
Had a doctor's appointment today. I'm still on the Lexapro, it's going well. Nothing's wrong with me at all now, yay me!
... I've been drinking coffee so I'm a weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee bit hyper right now, if you can't tell. Figured I'd treat myself to some real coffee at the coffeeshop while I was down there, and also picked up some fresh, delicious, soft, white bread at the bakery. Mmm. Am considering skipping dinner and just pigging out on bread, butter, jam, and slices of muenster cheese (which I found out I liked solely due to the fact that we served it at work--they have definitely broadened my food horizons there!).
Other than that: Nothing much new. People are recognizing me in the halls now, and saying hi, which is cool, but I feel kinda bad that I can't remember anybody else's names, though I recognize their majors and what classes I know them from instead. Bad ole' memory for names, the sole exception being historical names. Evidently I remember the dead better than the living. The deader the better!
Anyway, I'm having a good if very busy (woo homework!) time. Much love, toodles!
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Comments: Read 8 or Add Your Own.
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Tuesday, October 7th, 2003
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"There are two kinds of people in this world. People who divide everything into two groups, and people who don't."
--Prof. Sundberg
-"With that little idea in mind, let's take one glacial step forward..."
--Prof. Sundberg
"We're so dangerous, we're X-rated... Jesus, the name that can't be spoken! Don't say it!"
--Prof. Sundberg
Why the Danish church used laypeople in ordination ceremonies:
"The purpose of the layperson is to pollute the ordination..."
--Prof. Sundberg.
-"This is the faith that lasts. All the rest are cucumbers and melons."
--Prof. Sundberg
-"The only question for Lutherans in Salt Lake City was 'My daughter will not marry a Mormon.'"
--Prof. Sundberg
"There are some things that are more important than Ecumenical unity, and you'd better figure out what they are."
--Prof. Sundberg
"At my age there are only certain pleasures I can get out of life.... having my prejudices fulfilled is one of them."
--Prof. Sundberg.
In the early church:
"Who cares what [Jesus] said, he's coming back soon!"
--Prof. Sundberg.
"I'm not asking you to like it. I don't really care!"
--Prof. Sundberg
On the Montanists, a heretical Christian sect:
"Somebody claims to be the Holy Spirit, you call 911! You don't listen to anything he says!"
--Prof. Sundberg
"Let's get ready, put on our white robes, and climb the mountain! If we have time, we'll carve shaker furniture..."
--Prof. Sundberg
"Walter is a terrible name... but in Medieval Germany, it meant 'horny warrior!'"
--Prof. (Walter) Sundberg
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Comments: Read 4 or Add Your Own.
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Tuesday, September 9th, 2003
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"You're going to be doing a lot of the same things whether you have a yoke... I mean stole... around your neck or not."
-Throntveit
"That would be dumb."
-Fryer
"God always comes down."
-Fryer
"There's nothing any of us can ever do or say that would make us worthy enough to turn that arrow [from God to people] around."
-Fryer
"They say their job is to find the lost. I AM the lost. Every day I need to be converted to Christ."
-Fryer
"In the end, the good guys always win."
-Fryer
"In history, size matters."
-Sundberg
Adults like to prank:
"And he stood up and said, 'Whoever let off that firecracker last night, I damn you to hell.'"
-Sundberg
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Comments: Add Your Own.
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Tuesday, September 2nd, 2003
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We just had opening chapel at Luther today. Now, as much as I hate getting up in the morning, I'd have to say waking up today at 8:15 was well worth it.
"God likes pizzazz" and "Imagination is important" are really things that I can be enthusiastic about.
Of course, I get the impression that a lot of things will be that way at this school. I really think I can do well here.
Must go, the President has an address in fifteen minutes and I don't want to be late twice in one day.
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Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
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Ship of Magic, Robin Hobb
The Moor, Laurie King
The Crucible, Arthur Miller
The Space Merchants, Frederik Puhl and C. M. Kornbluth
The Stainless Steel Rat Saves the World, Harry Harrison
A Stainless Steel Rat is Born, Harry Harrison
The Andromeda Strain, Michael Crichton
The Copenhagen Connection, Elizabeth Peters
The Lovers, Philip Jose Farmer
Rendezvous with Rama, Arthur C. Clarke
The Stainless Steel Rat's Revenge, Harry Harrison
The Stainless Steel Rat, Harry Harrison
Myth Directions, Robert Asprin
The Divine Comedy, Hell, trans. Dorothy Sayers
The Divine Comedy, Purgatory, trans. Dorothy Sayers
The Divine Comedy, Paradise, trans. Dorothy Sayers
Bill, the Galactic Hero, Harry Harrison
Tunnel Through the Deeps, Harry Harrison
World of Ptavvs, Larry Niven
Le Cid, Pierre Corneille
Marat/Sade, Peter Weiss
R. U. R., Karel Capek
Feminist Literary Criticism
Killobyte, Piers Anthony
The King's General, Daphne du Maurier
Everyman and Medieval Miracle Plays
Heart of Darkness, Joseph Conrad
Kindred, Octavia Butler
Ayesha, H. Rider Haggard
She, H. Rider Haggard
Milton's Complete Poems
Myth Adventures, Robert Asprin, which includes the following:
Another Fine Myth
Myth Conceptions
Myth Directions
Hit or Myth
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Comments: Read 8 or Add Your Own.
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Wednesday, June 4th, 2003
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I hope he's all right.
And I would like to be his friend again at some point in the future.
However, I can't be around him again until after he's fallen out of love with me.
Will wait however long it takes.
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Wednesday, August 14th, 2002
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I have the first complete story script for the comic done. It should be about eleven strips long, and involves a coffee shop. (No, it's not an adaptation of the coffee story.)
I would like to get an artist to do this storyline of the comic. (Note: This is not a forever commitment, as the premise of my comic is that one artist does a storyline and another does a different storyline.)
If eleven strips are too many for you, I am also looking for artists to illustrate any of my poetry (well any of my GOOD poetry). That would be a nice one-shot deal for those of you with little time and/or comics of your own.
Feel free to leave a message here, or write me an email at clytemnestraofatreus@yahoo.com.
I have MANY poems to choose from, some serious and some silly, some short and some long. I can send you a collection of them upon request and you can pick which one you'd like to do.
I especially love "realistic" types of art, but really, I'm hardly in a position to discriminate given the fact that there are a million writers and about six artists who don't already have a comic.
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Comments: Read 1 or Add Your Own.
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| Subject: | ARGH. |
| Time: | 11:05 pm. |
| Mood: |  bitchy. | | Music: | "Beautiful Way" by Beck. |
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I hate to use this space to do a rant, because it's supposed to be my writing journal, but maybe it would feel good to whine for a little while.
And now that I've stated my intent, I find it hard to even start.
In one sense, I have no right to complain at all. I've chosen my own friends over the years, and if they aren't good, it's my fault for choosing the wrong ones. However, the question isn't really whether they're good friends or not, it's what kind of good friends they are.
My friends are great friends, as long as I'm convenient to them. Yes, that's exactly what I mean. I'm the convenience food of the great mall of friendship. I have at least three friends who haven't done anything with me since school started, because they are "too busy." Now, don't get me wrong. I understand business. BUT IT'S BEEN THREE MONTHS! You can't make an HOUR of time in THREE MONTHS???
Somehow I doubt that.
I have two other good friends besides those three, though.
One of them calls me up whenever she's upset, and whenever she's really bored. When she's not upset or she can find someone else to do something with, she doesn't bother with me.
The only friend I haven't mentioned so far is my REAL friend, the one who does stuff with me at least once a week, usually twice a week. Fun stuff! And she's come to me when she's upset, and I've gone to her when she was upset. Quid pro quo. We have fun.
So I really shouldn't complain. I have a real, REAL friend.
As for the rest of them... they can go jump in a lake. I'm not a book to be picked up when bored or a movie to be seen when you can't think of anything better to do. I am a HUMAN BEING.
And I am tired of calling and calling to see if you want to do anything only to be told for the hundredth time that you just don't have time for me, unlike your job, your family, your girlfriend, and your canoe. I'm sick of hearing it.
Hey, whaddaya know. I do feel better.
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Comments: Read 2 or Add Your Own.
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jennetsnow's journal
tired.
stressed.
happy.
hyper.
awake.
amused.
hopeful.
