January 31, 2012
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I’m bringing Xanga back
Facebook is annoying, and I miss blogging and having a community of readers/friends. Let’s rally.
Update (with cleverly organized and oh-so-original bullet points – the ROUND kind!):
- Ok, first? *facepalm* for what I’ve written already. I’m really sleepy but also highly caffeinated.
- I’m definitely regretting the lack of posts all of last year. I feel like I can’t remember a damn thing that has happened. That stops this year, both because my memory blows and because I need a healthy outlet for my feelings.
- I spent the first 2 weeks of January taking a grad-level course in Human Trafficking. We’re talking an entire semester crammed into 9 super-intense days. The class was incredible, but I kind of wanted to kill myself by the time it was over. HT involves some of the shittiest human beings in the world, and hearing in detail about what they do to their victims is heart-wrenching, gut-wrenching, every kind of wrenching. (I aced the class though – silver lining.)
- On December 16, 2012, I AM GRADUATING FROM COLLEGE!!! Yes, me, the person who has been bitching about working full time and going to school since August of 2005. It’s finally going to happen. I have my classes this semester to get through (Art & Craft of Writing, Prejudice & Discrimination in Contemporary Society), then an independent study this summer in Feminist Blogging (how amazing is that?!), then just one more class and a 1-credit weekend thing to deal with and I’m done! Just thinking about this lifts me up when life is feeling stupid.
- In my spare time (*scoff*), I’m on the planning committee for the Colorado Teen Literature Conference. I’m using social media to get the word out, crafting and sending press releases, etc. My official title is “Social Media Maven”.
- I haven’t been singing with the chorus because I just got way too ambitious last year and then felt completely overwhelmed and couldn’t handle one more thing going on. I may or may not sing this year, either, because I know I’ll be going 900mph until graduation. I do miss singing though, and I’ll consider going back to the chorus if 1) there isn’t any stupid drama going on, and 2) I can’t find a higher-caliber chorus. It’s great that all skill levels are represented, but honestly I want something a little better. I’m not a pro, but I can read music and hear perfect pitch, so I don’t want to be dragged down by people who aren’t there yet. (Not meant to be a bitchy comment, but no matter how I write it, that’s how it seems.)
- Things at work are busy, ridiculously so. I’ve gotten to that point where the wonderful things about working here (the people in my unit, the freedom I have to do my work without being micromanaged, a wonderful and laid-back boss, continuing education from tech experts, steady work and paid holidays) are just barely evening out the things that I hate (bureaucracy, declining wages for the last 5 years, no opportunity for advancement, not working in a field I’m truly passionate about, truly unrealistic work load that keeps increasing). I went from supporting 2-3 people to 13 people to 14 people plus babysitting an incompetent admin and taking on nearly a quarter of one of our consultant’s job duties. I keep wondering when the hell it is going to be enough. My pride and work ethic won’t allow me to not meet goals or get things done no matter how much I resent it, but there’s a part of that believes if I just put my foot down or started doing half-assed work, I wouldn’t get asked for things as much. Then again, it could get me fired, which is terrifying in this job market and economy.
- I’ve become a real stay-at-home person lately (well, even more). I’m SO happy just being in my apartment with peace and quiet and the freedom to do whatever I want. Since Nick is in South Korea (next stop: the world) for several more months and Robert is wrapped up in a pyramid scam/cult and never calls, it’s pretty much me, Jen, and Ash. In the past I might have felt abandoned by this but I’m really OK. I see Greg and Paige when I go to Ft. Collins sometimes too, but really it’s only a few times a year these days. In some ways it’s good though, because we are glad to see each other and we don’t get on each other’s nerves (they have recently gone gung ho with being Catholic, which clashes with my atheism if we don’t keep ourselves in check).
- Speaking of G & P, they introduced me to the best. game. EVER. over Christmas: Kittens in a Blender. Seriously, go buy it now. I love it more than Clue, brie, and Daniel Radcliffe (but not as much as Scrabble, feta, or Robert Pattinson, OBVIOUSLY).
That’s all for now. Ta-ta, toodle-ooo, and tut-tut, it looks like rain.
Comments (15)
congrats to this coming december-you’re finally graduating. that is just awesome and i am really happy for you. you’re a smart woman!
i’ve become a home-body as well. i would rather eat cheese curds, drink wine, and watch shows/movies on my laptop then go out. my friend kiley says that i am boring and i never do anything anymore and i don’t care!
kittens in a blender. oh my!!
glad you’re back. how i’ve missed you. xo
p.s. facebook is really annoying. i’ve been on twitter lately.
Graduation…haaaaaaaaay. Good luck with your last year! I’m very much a home-body. Monetary reasons and basically my energy level after work leaves no room for extracurricular shit.
@sheshe143 - Yay, thank you! And seriously, who cares if you’re “boring” as long as YOU are happy.
@Emancip8 - Those are good reasons, LOL. I totally identify with that lack of energy issue after work. It’s like, home, pajamas, couch, zzzzz.
Congratulations on your upcoming graduation. The time will have a crazy, stretchy quality, and seem to alternately fly and drag. You’ve got SO much good stuff happening; I’m excited for you.
I do NOT think you’re bitchy for wanting to sing with other women of your caliber or better. I really, REALLY resemble that remark.
I am so excited for you that you’re almost done with school!! YAY!!
I am also really glad you’re back on Xanga! Maybe one day when I have something other then Brady to talk about I will post something.
I do miss blogging with a strong circle of friends. The circle is still there, I’ve just not been a very good blogger. I can’t say what I want on FB because of too many family members. I don’t want to be bitching all the time, which is what my blog turned into IMO, so I am kind of at a loss. MORE VIDEO GAMES I suppose. LOL
And congratulations on almost being done with college! WOOHOOOO!
I completely miss the outlet of Xanga and the nitty-gritty details of all our lives, our heartaches, our joys. Welcome back! Congrats on your upcoming graduation, too!
And since i can’t say this on FB – my daughter has done a lot of research into human trafficking and runs into some of it on her new job. I was kinda hoping that class was online – she would LOVE it.
So happy to see you back on Xanga again!
Soooo glad you’re back!! I was getting lonely over here. I’ve realized ALSO that I can not live without blogging. FB is boring and annoying. I’m really tired of all the marriage proposals, baby announcements and “LOOK AT HOW CUTE MY KID IS!!!” I know I occasionally post pics of Haleigh, but I mainly just do it for my dad, since he never gets to see her. OH OH OH!! I wanted to ask you if you wanted to start a book club on Good Reads?!! That might be fun, huh?
@Mom_with_a_Chainsaw - That’s actually a perfect way to describe the way this year will be…stretchy.
@PrincessMegan - That would be awesome. And thanks for sparing us the “my kid shits gold and is sooooo much better than your kid” posts. LOL.
@teefahknee - It sucks you can’t really say what you want. New account?
@OneBadMother - I would be glad to send her the sources I used, my notes/research, etc. if it would help. Why bother learning if you can’t also spread around what you’ve learned to others?
@pretendprincess - YES, I feel the same way about FB. I will still use it to post news and all that, but not as much as I did before. Plus the redesign took a LOT away from how good it used to be. A book club would be fun. My time is limited because of school, but I usually do read a personal book at night before bed, so if we gave ourselves plenty of time to finish it and it was something everyone was actually excited about reading, it could work.
Yessssssssss! I’m so glad you’re back on xanga! Here’s my reply, in bullet form:
<li>That human trafficking class sounds heavy. I realize that being in a hard science insulates me from many social ills. In some ways, I feel like I have such a deep understanding of the world around me: how most technology works, why most phenomena happen, etc. But in other ways, I’m totally ignorant of that same world.
<li>CONGRATU-FUCKING-LATIONS! You’ve worked so hard, and you totally deserve a big, fancy cupcake with a smaller, fancier cupcake on top. !!!
<li>One thing I’ve always admired about you is your dedication to literacy and access to literature. I just googled “maven,” and it’s totally appropriate.
<li>It’s okay to take a break from singing. I still consider myself an amateur poet even though I’ve only written 1 piece of poetry in the last year. Time is a precious resource, and I don’t think anyone could accuse you of wasting it.
Okay. I’m done. See you around xanga!
@jim_the_american - YAY!!!!!!
I feel the same way about the science side of things. Also, thank you! What should I do to celebrate? I feel like it definitely warrants something, but I just don’t know. And I love that you Googled maven.
@sheshe143 - you’re on twitter? Me too…
Good to see you back!
@Miststueck - Thanks, it’s good to BE back!