Trying my best not to work

I looked up my name in the name dictionary
and these are the results (Thanks, Dennis!.)

Kimberly

The name Kimberly gives you a strongly independent and highly creative nature, with drive and ambition to have experiences and accomplish things out of the ordinary. You can work intently at whatever is new and holds your interest at the moment, but your interest wanes quickly when drudgery and monotony set in. Obstacles to your progress or restrictions on your freedom to act create a sense of frustration which may cause you to feel resentful and even rebellious. You can then become intolerant of others, and caustic and belittling in your expression, thereby imposing stress on your personal relationships. Although you have a clever, quick, capable mind, your progress in life is restricted by instability in your affairs and misunderstandings with people. Your impulsive nature can lead to actions which you later regret taking, or to accidents. Relaxation is elusive, and depletion due to nervous tension can develop to the point where you become subject to moods of depression and morbid thoughts. Nervous tension centres in the solar plexus, with nervous indigestion and stomach ulcers a possible result.

Anyone who truly knows me knows this hits the nail on the head.

"Your impulsive nature..."- Absolutely (I'm thinking tatoo, going to Europe, a really, really impulsive email in bad taste and definite drunkeness that is the source of much embarrassment and several weeks of not speaking to my parents, and almost every relationship I've been in since I've been out of high school...the list goes on and on). Everytime I tell my friends that I need to tell them something, they say "let me sit down first." I'm constantly divulging some new idea I've hatched or some new crazy thing I've done.

"Obstacles to your progress or restrictions on your freedom to act create a sense of frustration which may cause you to feel resentful and even rebellious."- my relationship with my parents. I've never minded going against the grain. In fact, I almost find it's necessary to my sanity...I'm always pushing the envelope. My poor parents...

"...with drive and ambition to have experiences and accomplish things out of the ordinary."- Every morning I try to remind self to never be complacent and to do at least one thing towards my goals.

And last but not least...

"...misunderstandings with people."- Well, we all know how Rudy can get...Although ever since my Buddhist college days, I think I've toned it down a bit.

So begins the feast...

The holidays are upon us. I'm going to get mine started with a bang...going to the Sky Bar Wednesday night with friends. Watch out, Houston...

To the family- if I'm not very talkative nor overly friendly on Thursday, please just hand me a cup of coffee and anything salty.

Goodbyes throughout history

If I think about all the last goodbyes throughout history, I'm sure that our goodbye- in the grand scheme of things- does not amount to earth-moving importance, but it meant the world to me. If I had only known that that was the last time would see each other...

Random Memory

Today we had snack-day at work. I brought a fruit tray, guacamole, and spinach dip. And I ate cookies, baklava, spinach dip, fruit with cream cheese dip, a sandwich, guacamole, kolache, fritos, some fried thingies that I'm still not sure what they were, spinach/artichoke dip...Needless to say, I have a tummy ache. Please let this day be over. My stomach is so talking to me.

Not only do I have a tummy ache- I also have a sugar rush, and I don't want to do my work. So I'm blogging to avoid all the mounds of paper on my desk.

I had this random memory today from my study abraod trip to Germany several years ago. We met these army guys in Bayeux, France, and they followed us to Germany. They wanted to take my friend and me out on a date. Actually, my friend and one of the guys had a love-at-first-sight attraction; myself and the other armydog were more or less 3rd and 4th wheels. So they took us to this secluded castle back in the countryside. We had to drive probably 30 minutes on the Autobahn, and then we drove up this long winding road to the castle. And just like you would imagine a German castle, it was dark and eerie. There was a restaurant that was all foo-foo. We ate. We roamed around. Awkward for me and 4th wheel. We carved our name into a wall while the other two were making out. (No, we weren't vandalizing. Or maybe we were, but there were many more names there before me!) Then we heard music. We followed the sound. It took us way off to the other side of the castle. We ducked under this "Do not trespass" sign. It looked like a motorcycle rally. Lots of really big bikes and big burly people walking in and out of the party. We couldn't quite make out the song (figured it would be some German hit), but it looked like a jammin' party. A big tent with lots of people. Every now and then they would all shout, yell, scream in a festive sort of way. And as we inched closer, we recognized the song- Mustang Sally. And all these people were singing it with a German accent. It was strange. Kind of funny and kind of scary.

XYZ

I just keep finding blogs I love! (Obviously I have nothing to do today- or nothing I am willing to interrupt my personal business for...)

http://ursulasbedroom.blogspot.com- "I am woman. Hear me pour." It's like reading my favorite novel with scenes right out of my life.

My favorite post-

Open Mouth, Insert Foot.
While driving to the parents for dinner one night:
Live In: "Have you given any thought to changing your name when you get married?"
Me, and outloud: "Depends who I marry."
No, that did not go over well.

I've had such an eerily similar conversation. Why, oh why can't the brain keep up with the mouth?

So I just found out that I've had my zipper down this morning...so embarrassing. Where's your best friend when you need her?

I've been trying to get internet installed at home. It's been over a week since I requested it. They say they will get in touch with you 3-7 business days. I've yet to hear anything. So I finally got fed up and gave the "24/7 Customer Service Line- Dedicated to exceptional customer service" line a call. It's like one million different menus- press 1 for English- beep- that was an easy one; press 1 to change an existing appt., press 2 to get xyz that doesn't apply to me, same with 3, 4, 5, and 6. I press 2, then press 5, then press 1. And then there's silence. Nothing. I'm afraid to hang up because I don't want to go through this finger-gymnastics riggamoro again. Silence. Heated Anticipation. More silence and then....a dial tone. Uggghhh. Stupid phone. Stupid internet. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid!

Just had to vent.

Piece of junk. If it didn't belong to my work, I would throw the phone out the window onto the Beltway.

Blogs of Interest

When I'm sitting at my desk at work, bored to tears, looking out at the smog-filled sky, there are very few things that make my eyes light up with joy. Here are a few:

1. Tim with Ghiradelli chocolate and sometimes Tim without chocolate so long as he has a really funny story or thought to share with me. Just an aside about Tim- he thinks up these really long, elaborate analogies for virtually everything. I'll have to try to remember some and share them on my blog. But usually they are so long and involved that I generally zone out a few minutes into the analogy and zone back in as he's TRYING to relay its relevance to my situation.

2. Tim smashing into the wall while on his trek to the shared printer- words do not do justice to the hilarity of this.

3. Stumbling upon interesting blogs while cruising the internet (which is of course against office policy):

http://blogthoreau.blogspot.com/- Daily thought from Thoreau

http://thoughtsonshit.blogspot.com/ - Fellow Houstonian that I have never met but seems interesting and makes me laugh

http://talk2mebaby.blogspot.com/- Really, really funny. I love his line in his profile about tape'o'worms.

http://tedgoestofrance.blogspot.com/- Again don't know the person, but fascinating...is that strange of me to be interested in all these people's lives? Sort of voyeuristic, eh?

http://creativeevolution.blogspot.com/- Another thoughtful commentary that makes me say hmmm

http://troublekiss.blogspot.com/ - Really hilarious. Sort of reminds me of a Sex and the City commentary, except she's a teacher. This one is for the girls. Read the Halloween "wussies" post.

http://thecobaltseason.blogspot.com/- Lisa's brother's blog. Exceptionally well written with depth and openness. Love it.

http://dpnation.blogspot.com/- A foulmouthed, inaccurate, opinionated little southerner. Enter The Nation.- Yet another blog that keeps me rolling. Read the post "Powell's out- Countries to invade." Super-creative, super-sassy! Go, girl!

Borrowing from another blogger...

I thought this was an interesting blog posting. Whether I agree or not, I'm not sure....

And I guess it's futile for me to try to get away from discussing world politics. Sorry.

Die Sonne scheint

Make no mistake, gentlemen, the real war between east and west will not be us against a pack of Muslim irregulars. It will be against China. Anyone who studies demographics and economics honestly will tell you the same. US Army intellegence has estimated this conflict will probably start between 2015 and 2025. There will be no culture war between the West and Islam, because it would not be a war. It would be a slaughter. We are galaxies ahead of them in combat firepower delivery, organization, training and technology. And even if our worst fears are true-that a terrorist organization acquires and uses an atomic bomb to destroy a major US city- long term, it would only damage us, not destroy us. And we would retaliate by wiping whichever Middle Eastern country was even vaguely connected to the incident clean of all non-cockroach forms of life. Sand into glass, in 45 minutes. We are gearing up to fight the real enemy, and this scuffle in Iraq must be understood in this context. It is a side battle, another rogue regime that we are taking out of the enemy's camp before the real deal. We dont want Red China to have many allies when the time comes, and the whole "Axis of Evil" are the most likely canidates for Chinese alliance. I know this sounds harsh, but we have to face up to the facts of Realpolitik.

O Happy Day

Finally, blog is working again. I had to change my format, and my links are gone. But no worries.

Now I can finish telling about my new boots. Very nice. Black leather. Knee high. Very high heel. Typical Rudy-wear. I must find a good club to go to show them off. And big Tony cannot come along. He's wearing on my last nerve these days. After someone offers to have a baby with you and you refuse, there's really no where to go from there.

So I joined a book club. I am such a dork, I know. Our first book is called The Demon-Haunted World. It's about the lack of understanding and the lack of desire to understand science that is leading to an overwhelming interest in mysticism and radical dogmatic views. The author (Carl Sagan, a leading scientist) explains away many popular stories (think the National Enquirer) that (in general) educated people with scientific knowledge realize are totally and completely irrational, but that the dumbed-down masses subscribe to. He purports that the masses want technological advances, but they do not want to understand how or why these advances are so. Thus leading to an unstable society and threatening democratic institutions.

Not really a book I would pick off the shelf. But that's why book clubs are good. They expose you to thoughts, ideas, views that are not anything you would encounter on your own.

I have a secret confession. I've been snapping random pictures of my cats. My friend, Lisa, does this with her guinea pigs. It makes me feel self-conscious. Is this the most exciting thing that I have to do with my evenings? The sad fact of the matter is that yes, yes it is.

Tim is out of Ghirradelli chocolate squares. This could possibly make work unbearable today. My stash of chocolate in my desk is depleted. What to do? Will have to find a gullible guy to buy me chocolate...Will keep you posted.

Blogger Technical Difficulties

Dang you, blog...just work already. I have neither the time nor the patience.

I bought new boots. They are nice. They are going to take me places.

Nothing like a Shakespearean quote for this fine Friday!

"Beware the leader who bangs the drum of war in order to whip the citizenry into a patriotic fervor. For patriotism is indeed a double- edged sword. It both emboldens the blood, just as it narrows the mind. And when the drums of war have reached a fever pitch and the blood boils with hate and the mind has closed, the leader will have no need in seizing the rights of the citizenry. Rather, the citizenry, infused with fear and patriotism, will offer up all of their rights to the leader and gladly so. How do I know? For this is what I have done. And I am Julius Caesar."

-Shakespeare "Julius Caesar"

Laugh and the world laughs with you. Cry and you cry with your girlfriends.

This has made me giggle quite a bit this morning, so I thought I would post it here. Please be forewarned that there is some language.

Thanks, Tim for sharing the joke.


Remember the book "Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus"?
Here's a prime example offered by an English professor from the University of Phoenix:
-=-=-=-=-
"Today we will experiment with a new form called the tandem story. The process is simple. Each person will pair off with the person sitting to his or her immediate right. As homework tonight, one of you will write the first paragraph of a short story. You will e-mail your partner that paragraph and send another copy to me. The partner will read the first paragraph and then add another paragraph to the story and send it back, also sending another copy to me. The first person will then add a third paragraph, and so on back-and-forth.
"Remember to re-read what has been written each time in order to keep the story coherent. There is to be absolutely NO talking outside of the e-mails and anything you wish to say must be written in the e-mail. The story is over when both agree a conclusion has been reached."

The following was actually turned in by two of my English students:

Rebecca (last name deleted), and Gary (last name deleted).

THE STORY:

(first paragraph by Rebecca)

At first, Laurie couldn't decide which kind of tea she wanted. The chamomile, which used to be her favorite for lazy evenings at home, now reminded her too much of Carl, who once said, in happier times, that he liked chamomile. But she felt she must now, at all costs, keep her mind off Carl. His possessiveness was suffocating, and if she thought about him too much her asthma started acting up again. So chamomile was out of the question.
----------------------------------------------------------

(second paragraph by Gary)

Meanwhile, Advance Sergeant Carl Harris, leader of the attack squadron now in orbit over Skylon 4, had more important things to think about than the neuroses of an air headed asthmatic bimbo named Laurie with whom he had spent one sweaty night over a year ago. "A.S. Harris to Geostation 17," he said into his transgalactic communicator. "Polar orbit established. No sign of resistance so far..." But before he could sign off a bluish particle beam flashed out of nowhere and blasted a hole through his ship's cargo bay. The jolt from the direct hit sent him flying out of his seat and across the cockpit.
--------------------------------------------------------

(Rebecca)

He bumped his head and died almost immediately, but not before he felt one last pang of regret for psychically brutalizing the one woman who had ever had feelings for him. Soon afterwards, Earth stopped its pointless hostilities towards the peaceful farmers of Skylon 4. "Congress Passes Law Permanently Abolishing War and Space Travel," Laurie read in her newspaper one morning. The news simultaneously excited her and bored her. She stared out the window, dreaming of her youth, when the days had passed unhurriedly and carefree, with no newspapers to read, no television to distract her from her sense of innocent wonder at all the beautiful things around her. "Why must one lose one's innocence to become a woman?" she pondered wistfully.
--------------------------------------------------------
(Gary)

Little did she know, but she had less than 10 seconds to live. Thousands of miles above the city, the Anu'udrian mothership launched the first of its lithium fusion missiles. The dim-witted wimpy peaceniks who pushed the Unilateral Aerospace disarmament Treaty through the congress had left Earth a defenseless target for the hostile alien empires who were determined to destroy the human race. Within two hours after the passage of the treaty the Anu'udrian ships were on course for Earth, carrying enough firepower to pulverize the entire planet. With no one to stop them, they swiftly initiated their diabolical plan. The lithium fusion missile entered the atmosphere unimpeded. The President, in his top-secret Mobile submarine headquarters on the ocean floor off the coast of Guam, felt the inconceivably massive explosion, which vaporized poor, stupid, Laurie and 85 million other Americans. The President slammed his fist on the conference table. "We can't allow this! I'm going to veto that treaty! Let's blow 'em out of the sky!"
----------------------------------------------------------

(Rebecca)

This is absurd. I refuse to continue this mockery of literature. My writing partner is a violent, chauvinistic semi-literate adolescent.
--------------------------------------------------------
(Gary)

Yeah? Well, you're a self-centered tedious neurotic whose attempts at writing are the literary equivalent of Valium. "Oh, shall I have chamomile tea? Or shall I have some other sort of F--KING TEA??? Oh no, I'm
such an air headed bimbo who reads; too many Danielle Steele novels!"
---------------------------------------------------------

(Rebecca)

A$$hole.
---------------------------------------------------------

(Gary)

B!tch.
-------------------------------------------------------

(Rebecca)

DICK!
--------------------------------------------------------

(Gary)

Slut.
--------------------------------------------------------

(Rebecca)

F__K YOU - YOU NEANDERTHAL!!!
---------------------------------------------------------

(Gary)

Go drink some tea - whore.

**********************************************

(TEACHER)

A+ - I really liked this one. Only group to get an A.

On a more serious note...again! I promise my blog will lighten up!!

Thanks so much to my dear friend, Vanessa. For those who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her, she was my roommate one year in college and more notably a most enlightening friend. When Vanessa speaks, she captivates. When Vanessa writes, she enthralls. She’s what you would call an “old soul”- wise beyond her years. I learned so much from her in the short time we lived together, and I’m so glad she shared her comments with me on my blog. You have all my respect, Vanessa.

I’m also very glad that she provided her view of things from where she stands. It’s so important to hear different views and to truly contemplate on them.

I hope anyone who speaks to me and who reads this blog knows that my purpose in sharing my thoughts is not to “convert” you to my way of thinking but simply to spark thought, to provoke a dialogue within your own self. I have no qualms conversing with others who hold differing opinions- in fact, most of my family (if not all) are probably arch-conservatives and Bush supporters. I don’t love them one ounce less, and I’m sure that they do not love me one ounce-less. The man I love more than any other is vociferously conservative (and a bit too hard-headed about it in my opinion), but there is not doubt in my mind that I love him to death.

My only desire is that you believe what you believe with conviction AND knowledge. I would be the first to admit that I do not know all there is to know on foreign policy or the inner-workings of our government, and I think those people who do know all about these things are few and far between- what is important is the constant pursuit of truth and goodness. And that is something I know without a doubt that my family, my loved ones, my friends all share.

As I told my father, I think we share the same hope for a good end result- we simply disagree on the path to take us there. So let us debate, let us search for answers, let us seek truth. And may we never stop.

Just one last thought/ opinion of mine in response to Vanessa’s comments- I have absolutely no doubt in my mind that the majority of the servicemen and women in Iraq have noble pursuits. My question lies with the nobility of the administration, and I’m not sold on their true intentions. I just cannot connect all the dots, and it raises some major red flags for me.

But I would like to get away from the politics and discuss something more touching to my heart- Vanessa and her sweet babies and her husband, Bobby (also a former roommate of mine for a short while). Hang in there, Chubby Bumpkins! I love you, and I think of you often as well.

Shalom, Graduates!

I had my last class at the Holocaust Museum last night, and we graduate next Wednesday! It's so exciting, and I am so happy that I somehow stumbled upon this opportunity. It has been so fulfilling. Everytime I leave the museum I have this amazing high- my heart is so full with love and compassion.

My fellow docent trainees have been quite enlightening for me . There is one particular gentleman who is quite a character- he's flamboyant, outspoken, and very uninhibited. Every day is an adventure with him! Most people are about my age or a little older. I would venture to guess only two or three in our class are Jewish, but most of the current docents are older, Jewish patrons. The docent coordinator is a fellow Aggie, but she says she hasn't had much to do with A&M since she left school...me and you both, sister!

We have had several Holocaust survivors share their experiences with us, and it is unbelievable how moving their accounts are. But they are so positive and so energetic about life. It's almost counter-intuitive: they saw the worst of humanity, but they persevered and now cherish life. There are those of us (me) who have had very comfortable lives for the most part and moan about life's smallest little stumbling blocks (two posts ago). It puts life into perspective. If we could all take a moment, quiet our inner voice, and give homage to those who have suffered the lessons of history so that humanity may learn from them and move forward.

There were 11 million people murdered during the Holocaust- 1939-1945, 5 million Jews, and 6 million other groups targeted by the Nazi Regime (homosexuals, disabled persons, gypsies, black peoples), 1.5 million children (perhaps the most disturbing statistic)- how is it humanly possible to look into ONE child's eyes and murder him? THERE WERE 1.5 MILLION MURDERED. Take a moment to comprehend those numbers. In just 6 years...It's almost incomprehensible.

For those of us from the Houston area, it would take 30 Astrodomes, full to capacity (every single seat) to hold all the CHILDREN killed. Imagine...

Power is a very strange thing. The Nazis unchecked power led to the annihilation of 11 million people. The power of hope within the Holocaust survivors, when hope seemed so dismal, defied all logic. The power of those single individuals who gave their lives to save one other human life was an extraordinary thing. AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, THE POWER FORFEITED BY THE BYSTANDERS- THOSE WHO TURNED THEIR HEADS THE OTHER WAY, THOSE WHO SAID IT WAS NOT THEIR PROBLEM- IS THE SHAME OF THE WORLD. The Holocaust lives on. Listen to your conscience. We are all tempted to turn our heads and say there is nothing we can do, it's not our problem. It is your problem.

"First they came for the Communists, but I was not a Communist, so I said nothing. Then they came for the Social Democrats, but I was not a Social Democrat, so I did nothing. Then came the trade unionists, but I was not a trade unionist. And then they came for the Jews, but I was not a Jew, so I did little. Then when they came for me, there was no one left to stand up for me."
-Protestant Pastor Niemoller

As docents we try to send a message of rememberance, of hope, and of purpose to the museum's visitors. I invite all of you to join me for a private tour sometime after the new year. It will be something that never leaves you.

Going to hell in a handbasket

Yes, we are.

Not only is text messaging confusing...

I've got this super-duty, industrial strength cell phone from Nextel. I love it. When I drop it down the stairs into a puddle of water, it doesn't even phase it. And we all know that after a night of drinking, it is very possible that both me and my cell phone could take a tumble down the stairs...

But the strange thing is I've been receiving an alert that someone is trying to walkie-talkie me. Nobody knows my walkie-talkie code. What could I possibly have to say to a stranger over walkie-talkie? That would be the most awkward conversation ever! It's kind of intriguing though...my curiosity has gotten the best of me, and I think I will have to answer next time.

So I have this guy friend, Big Tony. He's called big Tony because he's 6'6", and me being a wee 5'3", we sometimes look a little funny hanging out together, but he's pretty cool. He has one very annoying habit that I can't seem to get around though. He uses the words "very" and "really" constantly- in every sentence he forms! And not only that, but he says it multiple times- "I really, really think we should go get something to eat." "This has been a very, very fun evening." "I really, really think the world is going to blow up tomorrow."

So Big Tony gets on my nerves sometimes. But I generally like conversing with him. He talks about history, philosophy, and the PBS channel, and he's very opinionated. So we are hanging out this one time, and Big Tony tells me he wants to have a baby with me. He says we wouldn't have to be together."

Not a good idea, Big Tony. In fact a VERY, VERY bad idea that would REALLY, REALLY piss my parents off for too many reasons to count.