I'm not quite sure that many people know this about me, but I have a serious card buying problem. Yes, I said cards, preferably Hallmark, but if I have to I'll go to American Greetings.
I blame my mother.
For as long as I can remember, my mother has been buying cards at Hallmark, she's a card buying fiend. She has the Hallmark rewards card and box to store all of the cards she isn't using. For those of you unfamiliar with people who frequent card stores, like myself, we tend to buy cards for all occasions and not just when we need them. For example, on this most recent trip, I bought a card that will function as a half-birthday card (cause apparently they don't make any) plus a couple pick me ups and a thank you. You never know when you're going to need a card, so I stay prepared.
Most sane people, go get a card when they need it and don't spend too much time looking around at the different card options. I could spend so much time in a card store looking for the perfect card. This is where the problem comes in. I can find a card for almost anything and perfect for almost anyone as well. I think part of that is because my mother has always done a great job giving/sending me cards for every occasion from birthdays and christmas to valentine's day and new years. So I have it instilled in me that cards are good all the time. I send cards for birthdays, thank you's, get well, just to say hi, reminder that I care, and apparently half-birthdays as well.
Now, I went to both American Greetings and Hallmark and asked if they had half-birthday cards and both said no. I was not too surprised, but also sad. Part of me wants to ask why and then say that I would create them, although I'm not quite sure what they would say. I know the perfect card when I see it, but that doesn't mean I can create the perfect card. Regardless, I feel like there are enough people who celebrate half-birthdays that it could warrant a niche market. You could get really creative with it too, only half a card, with writing on each side, or a really small card, or funny things about being half a year older or I don't even know. Maybe it's just me.
So moral of the story, I love cards, sending and receiving, so much so that I think I have a problem.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
A Childhood Passed Over
As I sit here on my computer, approaching August, I think back over the past two months.
It's been a good time here in Oberlin for the summer, though very unproductive with respect to the interviews I was supposed to be conducting for my research. Nevertheless, I discovered the public library here is wonderful and though the first couple of books I checked out were serious, who was I fooling, I didn't want to be reading anything that required thought, I wanted some fun books. Ok, maybe fun is the wrong word, more like, can't put it down cause you want to know what happens next and a really quick read. It turned out that this was going to be a fairly easy task.
As it happens, I feel like I missed out on a bunch of those books that you're suppossed to read as a young adult. This was possibly a combination of poor book choices in my lovely school and the fact that I was probably reading above my grade level for as long as I can remember. I mean, when you're younger all you wanna do is read the same things that your cool sibling and neighbor are reading right? And when they are 4 years older than you, sometimes you miss that necessary young adult time. We did the summer reading program at the library every year, and managed to read books about animals and fun fantasy stuff. So I decided it was time to play catch up.
It started out with me wanting to read all of the Madeline L'Engle time series. I had somehow managed to read A Swiftly Tilting Planet after I picked it up at a used book sale, thinking the cover art was pretty, but said book is actually the last in the four part series, and I wanted to read all four in order. I also decided it was about time that I actually read all seven books of The Chronicles of Narnia, instead of just The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Included in this fun I'm finishing a series that has managed to penetrate my family so much that sometimes people use analogies from the books. And then, in a last moment of fun browsing the young adult fiction section, I found The Giver and Number the Stars.
I've enjoyed every minute of it, staying up late and reading instead of reading on interview techniques (I'm sure my advisor would not appreciate this post if she found it) and passing out on my bed, in my day clothes, on top of the covers, with music playing in the background, only to discover at some odd hour of the morning that Saki has come and closed my computer and turned off the lights. What a great housemate! Sometimes I wonder what I'm going to do without her, but that's for another post.
Hopefully though, I'll be able to accomplish much in the last month and while I'm in Texas, again another post, in terms of catching up on my childhood reading and my research. But regardless, at least I have discovered all these wonderful books that I will only be able to rediscover again in the future.
Although, I think next on the list is a book about running (what? Liz reading a book about running when zie hates to run?) that comes highly recommended from my sibling. Apparently Born to Run was lifechanging on the order of The Omnivore's Dilemma so I thought I would give it a shot. Woot. Maybe I'll have a better feeling towards running when I'm through with it. Maybe.
It's been a good time here in Oberlin for the summer, though very unproductive with respect to the interviews I was supposed to be conducting for my research. Nevertheless, I discovered the public library here is wonderful and though the first couple of books I checked out were serious, who was I fooling, I didn't want to be reading anything that required thought, I wanted some fun books. Ok, maybe fun is the wrong word, more like, can't put it down cause you want to know what happens next and a really quick read. It turned out that this was going to be a fairly easy task.
As it happens, I feel like I missed out on a bunch of those books that you're suppossed to read as a young adult. This was possibly a combination of poor book choices in my lovely school and the fact that I was probably reading above my grade level for as long as I can remember. I mean, when you're younger all you wanna do is read the same things that your cool sibling and neighbor are reading right? And when they are 4 years older than you, sometimes you miss that necessary young adult time. We did the summer reading program at the library every year, and managed to read books about animals and fun fantasy stuff. So I decided it was time to play catch up.
It started out with me wanting to read all of the Madeline L'Engle time series. I had somehow managed to read A Swiftly Tilting Planet after I picked it up at a used book sale, thinking the cover art was pretty, but said book is actually the last in the four part series, and I wanted to read all four in order. I also decided it was about time that I actually read all seven books of The Chronicles of Narnia, instead of just The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Included in this fun I'm finishing a series that has managed to penetrate my family so much that sometimes people use analogies from the books. And then, in a last moment of fun browsing the young adult fiction section, I found The Giver and Number the Stars.
I've enjoyed every minute of it, staying up late and reading instead of reading on interview techniques (I'm sure my advisor would not appreciate this post if she found it) and passing out on my bed, in my day clothes, on top of the covers, with music playing in the background, only to discover at some odd hour of the morning that Saki has come and closed my computer and turned off the lights. What a great housemate! Sometimes I wonder what I'm going to do without her, but that's for another post.
Hopefully though, I'll be able to accomplish much in the last month and while I'm in Texas, again another post, in terms of catching up on my childhood reading and my research. But regardless, at least I have discovered all these wonderful books that I will only be able to rediscover again in the future.
Although, I think next on the list is a book about running (what? Liz reading a book about running when zie hates to run?) that comes highly recommended from my sibling. Apparently Born to Run was lifechanging on the order of The Omnivore's Dilemma so I thought I would give it a shot. Woot. Maybe I'll have a better feeling towards running when I'm through with it. Maybe.
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Packages
Everyone knows that the highlight of going to college is all the wonderful things that your parents will send you because they miss you so much. After 3 years here, I have finally really gotten a sense of what care packages are really all about. Sure I got the occasional mailing of things I forgot or sometimes a package of Filipino pastries from my Aunt, but nothing super special. In the span of a couple of months though, my mother has managed to make up for all those packages she never sent the first 3 years.
I swear my mother spent her whole life dreaming of the day she would have kids and so when she was single and we were little she hoarded just about everything she could manage. This has come in quite handy as I have moved into my very own apartment as previously mentioned in other posts. Towards the end of the school year I notified my mother that I would need her to mail me my comforter for my much larger full size bed. We had talked on the phone about some other things, like a pot she had lying around the house and some things they got at the strawberry festival, which I have missed for 3 years straight after attending it for at least 10 years. Regardless, when the package arrived for me at the beginning of the summer, I was pleasantly surprised to find more than the aforementioned 2 items. The large and quite heavy box included
comforter
"small," but really in fact large, frying pan
2 boxes of maple cookies from tj's
1 box of delicious things we buy from costco
shirt from the strawberry festival
rice cooker
shopping bag
cups
plates
jar opener
mung beans complete with family recipe
Aside from the obvious excitement of finding lots of things that I didn't actually ask for, the best part was probably the notes that were attached to just about everything in the box. The rice cooker was lying around in the garage which I should take good care of so I could use it later, the jar opener was free at the strawberry festival, the shopping bag also free, the plates from when she was single and the mung beans came with both her version as well as my grandma's.
The box was so heavy, I had to ask my friend to drive it back to the house I was staying at. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and everything has come in super handy, especially the rice cooker!
My mother recently sent me another package, this time complete with more of the things I had asked for, like dish towels, bread pans, ear phones, masher for mung beans, and a hair catcher for the shower. Other items included
2 more boxes of maple cookies
3 boxes of ziploc in different sizes
the cutest little 1 oz jam jars
sponges
And again, there were notes to accompany things, though this time only the dish towels. The first note read "These are clean. That is why they're in ziploc bags. These are Costco towels." The second read "These are older never used not Costco towels. I've had them for maybe 20 years." My coworkers thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the history of my dish towels and also enjoyed the box of cookies I shared with them. When I called my mother to inform her that I had received the package, she asked if I could tell the difference between the dish towels and when I paused a little too long, all she said was, "I used to buy such thin towels!" I think I'll have to share this with my coworkers.
All in all, the two packages this summer have made the summer more manageable and the apartment more liveable because now I have actual house items. Though it's a little weird that my mother kept the plates she used when she was single or dish towels that are 20 years old is indeed a little strange, but I'm grateful, cause it meant she (nor I) didn't have to spend the money for all these things, with the exception of mailing fees.
I only hope that everyone could get the exciting and cute packages that my mother sends me.
I swear my mother spent her whole life dreaming of the day she would have kids and so when she was single and we were little she hoarded just about everything she could manage. This has come in quite handy as I have moved into my very own apartment as previously mentioned in other posts. Towards the end of the school year I notified my mother that I would need her to mail me my comforter for my much larger full size bed. We had talked on the phone about some other things, like a pot she had lying around the house and some things they got at the strawberry festival, which I have missed for 3 years straight after attending it for at least 10 years. Regardless, when the package arrived for me at the beginning of the summer, I was pleasantly surprised to find more than the aforementioned 2 items. The large and quite heavy box included
comforter
"small," but really in fact large, frying pan
2 boxes of maple cookies from tj's
1 box of delicious things we buy from costco
shirt from the strawberry festival
rice cooker
shopping bag
cups
plates
jar opener
mung beans complete with family recipe
Aside from the obvious excitement of finding lots of things that I didn't actually ask for, the best part was probably the notes that were attached to just about everything in the box. The rice cooker was lying around in the garage which I should take good care of so I could use it later, the jar opener was free at the strawberry festival, the shopping bag also free, the plates from when she was single and the mung beans came with both her version as well as my grandma's.
The box was so heavy, I had to ask my friend to drive it back to the house I was staying at. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and everything has come in super handy, especially the rice cooker!
My mother recently sent me another package, this time complete with more of the things I had asked for, like dish towels, bread pans, ear phones, masher for mung beans, and a hair catcher for the shower. Other items included
2 more boxes of maple cookies
3 boxes of ziploc in different sizes
the cutest little 1 oz jam jars
sponges
And again, there were notes to accompany things, though this time only the dish towels. The first note read "These are clean. That is why they're in ziploc bags. These are Costco towels." The second read "These are older never used not Costco towels. I've had them for maybe 20 years." My coworkers thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the history of my dish towels and also enjoyed the box of cookies I shared with them. When I called my mother to inform her that I had received the package, she asked if I could tell the difference between the dish towels and when I paused a little too long, all she said was, "I used to buy such thin towels!" I think I'll have to share this with my coworkers.
All in all, the two packages this summer have made the summer more manageable and the apartment more liveable because now I have actual house items. Though it's a little weird that my mother kept the plates she used when she was single or dish towels that are 20 years old is indeed a little strange, but I'm grateful, cause it meant she (nor I) didn't have to spend the money for all these things, with the exception of mailing fees.
I only hope that everyone could get the exciting and cute packages that my mother sends me.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Most likely to grow my own food.
I am living in a two person apartment for the summer and the next year, and I love it (a lot), but I knew that eating by myself all summer was gonna suck, so I decided to eat all my meals with some friends who would all be living together a short bike ride away. It worked out well that their fourth roommate was actually a coworker of mine, so we all bonded and ate and stuff. And then I got a roommate, but she quickly liked my friends and then soon enough 6 of us were eating meals together and answering cute questions about our day like we were a family.
We were recently messing around and came up with summer superlatives. This ranged from loudest to foulest to chattiest. I was awarded most likely to grow my own food, for which I am quite proud. Following that, it may come as no surprise that I really like plants, as the title of this post would suggest. It started at a young age as I spent every summer taking care of my neighbor's extensive garden. Though she had purely decorative plants, through our own backyard I quickly learned the value of growing your own food. In our small suburban backyard we have managed to fit the following trees: orange, fiji apple, persimmons, peach, banana, lemon, grape vine. We also have a variety of herbs and at various times also grew strawberries and zucchinis. The summer and fall seasons you can imagine were quite pleasant with all the fruit we grew. Between my backyard and my neighbors, I developed a love for all types of plants and a pretty good green thumb.
Through three years of college I had managed to gather 3 plants, one of which I was watching for a friend because she almost killed it. And yet, now that I have an apartment, I have managed to bring my personal total up to 10, plus the 5 I'm caring for over the summer and the 3 I recently gave away. Aloe plants are pretty awesome in the fact that they create offshoots with their own root system that you can then easily remove and re-pot and quickly multiply the number of plants you have. This is exactly why I needed to give away 3 plants, my own little way of carrying on an Oberlin legacy.
But anyway, back on track. I was voted most likely to grow my own food and I'm quite proud. Cause you see, I would love to do just that. I want a yard and I want to grow crazy produce for myself and others if possible and maybe for Gio's pay/work as you eat restaurant which would be amazing with delicious homegrown produce. If I could do Oberlin over again, I would spend a summer working on a farm, or I would have gotten involved at the George Jones farm earlier.
Moral of the story. Grow your own food, it tastes better and you save a lot of money. And plants are awesome.
We were recently messing around and came up with summer superlatives. This ranged from loudest to foulest to chattiest. I was awarded most likely to grow my own food, for which I am quite proud. Following that, it may come as no surprise that I really like plants, as the title of this post would suggest. It started at a young age as I spent every summer taking care of my neighbor's extensive garden. Though she had purely decorative plants, through our own backyard I quickly learned the value of growing your own food. In our small suburban backyard we have managed to fit the following trees: orange, fiji apple, persimmons, peach, banana, lemon, grape vine. We also have a variety of herbs and at various times also grew strawberries and zucchinis. The summer and fall seasons you can imagine were quite pleasant with all the fruit we grew. Between my backyard and my neighbors, I developed a love for all types of plants and a pretty good green thumb.
Through three years of college I had managed to gather 3 plants, one of which I was watching for a friend because she almost killed it. And yet, now that I have an apartment, I have managed to bring my personal total up to 10, plus the 5 I'm caring for over the summer and the 3 I recently gave away. Aloe plants are pretty awesome in the fact that they create offshoots with their own root system that you can then easily remove and re-pot and quickly multiply the number of plants you have. This is exactly why I needed to give away 3 plants, my own little way of carrying on an Oberlin legacy.
But anyway, back on track. I was voted most likely to grow my own food and I'm quite proud. Cause you see, I would love to do just that. I want a yard and I want to grow crazy produce for myself and others if possible and maybe for Gio's pay/work as you eat restaurant which would be amazing with delicious homegrown produce. If I could do Oberlin over again, I would spend a summer working on a farm, or I would have gotten involved at the George Jones farm earlier.
Moral of the story. Grow your own food, it tastes better and you save a lot of money. And plants are awesome.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Change is good?
I've come to this point in my life, where things happen suddenly and I wonder if I made the right choice. Thankfully after enough reflection, I realize I may not have handled things in the best way, but I definitely have no regrets.
Life has been quite of an adventure since January in so many ways. School was kicking my ass, the love life was interesting enough, friends were made, others friends weren't seen to spend time in the library, and there were sad goodbyes.
The summer brought a lot of change. For the first time in my life I would not be returning home for the whole summer. Basically, if I follow the trend of the past 3 years, I will be away for 10 months. I have a new job, though I guess it's technically the same office, but still, new skills to learn like interviewing and giving tours, which has been awesome. I've gotten closer to some people, and bonded with my impromptu roommate Saki more than ever. I've been observant, only observant, because there is no more drama in my life. I've also taken to baking a lot, eating well and loving being in Oberlin.
But the change was somewhat difficult at first. It's always difficult to leave your comfort zone, lose friends, not go home, start a new job. I don't think anyone can say that it's easy to leave what is comfortable, but it's necessary. Sometimes we choose to do it as in the case of a new job, but sometimes it's involuntary as in the case of a friendship awkwardly ending.
As all the changes in my life stacked upon each other my mood changed drastically, from positive, to absolute dread, to enjoyment. I guess it just took a little getting used to and acceptance of my current situation and that it's not my fault. Always good to have positive feedback that it's not my fault (Thanks Tommy)
Sure there's part of me that wants to go back to the way things were, just cause it would make life easier at times, but the change was indeed good and I now welcome it.
Life has been quite of an adventure since January in so many ways. School was kicking my ass, the love life was interesting enough, friends were made, others friends weren't seen to spend time in the library, and there were sad goodbyes.
The summer brought a lot of change. For the first time in my life I would not be returning home for the whole summer. Basically, if I follow the trend of the past 3 years, I will be away for 10 months. I have a new job, though I guess it's technically the same office, but still, new skills to learn like interviewing and giving tours, which has been awesome. I've gotten closer to some people, and bonded with my impromptu roommate Saki more than ever. I've been observant, only observant, because there is no more drama in my life. I've also taken to baking a lot, eating well and loving being in Oberlin.
But the change was somewhat difficult at first. It's always difficult to leave your comfort zone, lose friends, not go home, start a new job. I don't think anyone can say that it's easy to leave what is comfortable, but it's necessary. Sometimes we choose to do it as in the case of a new job, but sometimes it's involuntary as in the case of a friendship awkwardly ending.
As all the changes in my life stacked upon each other my mood changed drastically, from positive, to absolute dread, to enjoyment. I guess it just took a little getting used to and acceptance of my current situation and that it's not my fault. Always good to have positive feedback that it's not my fault (Thanks Tommy)
Sure there's part of me that wants to go back to the way things were, just cause it would make life easier at times, but the change was indeed good and I now welcome it.
Friday, July 3, 2009
Are we really free? equal?
Tomorrow is July 4th, aka Independence Day in the US. A day we celebrate our freedom from British colonial rule. A day we commemorate the day the following sentence was approved by Congress:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
Now, I'm sure that is indeed a good reason to celebrate and don't get me wrong, I love picnics and fireworks and blankets and creative uses of the colors red, white, and blue, but let's think about this for a second, are we really free? are we all equal?
I'm sure there's plenty of people who think they are, but there's still a large percentage of Americans who aren't really free. Let's think about the millions of Americans who are questioned every time they come back into the US, or questioned on a regular basis by their peers because of the color of their skin or the way they dress. Let's think about the millions of people who are in this country fearful for their lives because they might get deported or their children might get deported or anyone they know might get deported. Let's think about the millions of Americans who love each other but are not allowed to get married simply because of who they happen to love. Let's think about the millions of people who don't have health care, who don't have access to proper groceries, who don't have access to a proper education? I don't think we're free, or equal, because in order to be free and equal, that must hold for all Americans.
So this July 4th, let's celebrate, but remember there's still a lot that needs to get done.
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.
Now, I'm sure that is indeed a good reason to celebrate and don't get me wrong, I love picnics and fireworks and blankets and creative uses of the colors red, white, and blue, but let's think about this for a second, are we really free? are we all equal?
I'm sure there's plenty of people who think they are, but there's still a large percentage of Americans who aren't really free. Let's think about the millions of Americans who are questioned every time they come back into the US, or questioned on a regular basis by their peers because of the color of their skin or the way they dress. Let's think about the millions of people who are in this country fearful for their lives because they might get deported or their children might get deported or anyone they know might get deported. Let's think about the millions of Americans who love each other but are not allowed to get married simply because of who they happen to love. Let's think about the millions of people who don't have health care, who don't have access to proper groceries, who don't have access to a proper education? I don't think we're free, or equal, because in order to be free and equal, that must hold for all Americans.
So this July 4th, let's celebrate, but remember there's still a lot that needs to get done.
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