Sephia's Xanga

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Sat, 24 Jan 2009 15:40:40 GMT

Fenmerian (?) Movie night and Birka planning
Yesterday was further proof that I have, indeed, graduated from college. Believe it or not. Or, better yet, accept it or not. I am still getting the Fenmere emails, so I joined the girls (and two guys! WOW, 2!) for movie night at Danielle's. There were 3 movies we were considering, all appropriately anachronistic: (a)Robin Hood: Men in Tights, (b)Monty Python's Quest for the Holy Grail and of course, the most anachronistic thing ever, (c) A Knight's Tale. We settled on (B) and watched, more or less mouthing all the lines along with the actors since, face it, who doesn't know the Black Knight scene?

It was fun, though somewhat strange for me, since I really had that feeling of, "Yup, this is the kind of thing that so only happens in college." I am not even sure which part I was having that reaction to, since I own the movie and can watch it whenever I want. But... I don't know. There was something there that just screamed "COLLEGE" to me. I miss it. Really. And yet, at the same time, I kind of like being past that part of my life. Yes, it is funny to sit there on grubby college dorm furnishings, eating chips and calling out, "But I'm not dead yet!" along with the 13" tv, but really.... something has changed. Maybe there really is hope for me after all and someday, I will grow up. Doubtful, really, but... well, we shall see.

In happier, and less philosophic, news, Fenmere has 9 people going to Birka! NINE! Yay. The club is really doing well and hopefully it will survive next year, even without Danielle, thanks to the efforts of all the enthusiastic freshmen, who are great. They'll love Birka! I am going to have to find a chemise, since all efforts to make one have been only semi-successful at best. So, I'll try to find one I can actually afford. How much can it be, right? (Yeah, I know... famous last words...)

Well, Birka is just a week away, now. I'll be driving down to Alewife to pick up Eve and then we'll be on our way! I am not sure yet how long we'll stay. I'd love to stay for the Birka Ball, but it will be kind of late and I do want to get home at a semi-reasonable time, so we'll see. That's the nice thing about having a car. I just hope the weather will cooperate!

Monday, December 29, 2008

Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:51:13 GMT

I hate my lungs
So, apparently, something as benign as a temperature change can throw my lungs into crisis. Wonderful. I spent half the night in the ER (where they pumped me full of steroids), am now taking a buttload of asthma meds (more steroids!) and have a prescription for some more meds (Powerful steroids!). Anyone notice a pattern here?

And the best part is, the newest steroids: prednisone!
From wikipedia: Prednisone is particularly effective as an immunosuppressant, and affects virtually all of the immune system. It can, therefore, be used in autoimmune diseases, inflammatory diseases (such as severe asthma, severe allergies, Angioedema episodes, severe poison ivy dermatitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, Bell's Palsy, Crohn's disease, pemphigus and sarcoidosis), uveitis, various kidney diseases including nephrotic syndrome, mononucleosis [Epstein Barr virus], and to prevent and treat rejection in organ transplantation. This medicine may also reduce the sex drive. Prednisone has also been used in the treatment of migraine headaches and cluster headaches and for severe Aphthous ulcer ("Cankersore") outbreaks.

Yup, that sounds like fun! Holy crap, I feel like I'm in an episode of House, since Lupus always makes an appearance, and Epstein Barr often does too!

Immuno-suppressants?! That's what they're giving me? Wow....

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:20:18 GMT

an open thank you
Once again, I am writing a letter to someone who will never get it, to someone whom I have seen once in my life, to someone whom I will probably never see again, and to someone whose name I do not, and probably will never know.

Yet, to this person, I owe a huge thank you.

This is the person who, upon seeing a car accident happen on his street, left the comfort and security of his home to step out into the light rain and to offer his assistance and his cell phone to those who may need it. This is the person who waited with the confused and befuddled drivers until the police arrived to take statements. This is the person who lent his own strength to move a stalled car to the side of the road so that others could pass by. This is the person who made what was obviously a horrible experience a little bit better.

To this person, thank you.

This is the second time I've been in such a situation and once again, I am both awed and humbled by the humanity and kindness that some people display towards complete strangers. If there is any hope for this country, it lies not with the leaders in Washington, but with people like this.

Thank you.

Sunday, November 09, 2008

Sun, 09 Nov 2008 22:49:08 GMT

6:46pm: Writer's Block: Revolutionary Thought

It's the anniversary of the Russian Revolution, marking the Marxist overthrow of the Russian government. Karl Marx once wrote that "religion is the opium of the people." What is the new opium of the people?

View other answers

The post-modern self-conceit which sees the sense of self as supremely important. And of course, the ways we disseminate our own importance--blogs, youtube, and etc.

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Sun, 12 Oct 2008 19:38:15 GMT

4:08pm: Movie Review: Religulous
I am still not sure how to respond to this movie. I went in expecting to roll my eyes. But I ended up laughing. While rolling my eyes. Bill Maher is undeniably funny and some of the interviews (and his comments, both spoken and un-) are ridiculously hilarious, as are the clips. Yet, this movie is all about cheap shots. It focuses mostly on Christianity and Islam, using Judaism only to make stereotypical jokes. There are two Jewish interviewees, nowhere near as many as there are Christian. In general, most screen time is given to Christians, with only about 15 minutes worth of interviews with Muslim leaders. It seems that Maher picked them well--they were all ridiculous and just waiting to be laughed at. The audience, especially in Boston, obliged with both laughter and applause.

All in all, however, I wonder if making cheap cracks, rather than trying to expand the dialogue in any way, is really the best way to go? But then again, this movie is meant to be funny and outside of a five-minute conclusion, which was pretty much a call to arms, it did not take itself that seriously.

It was funny, but it does have to be taken with quite a few grains of salt and I am concerned, since I doubt everyone in the audience got that.

Friday, September 26, 2008

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 00:34:44 GMT

Book Review: The Palace of Illusions
This book is by: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni.

Despite being highly recommended (probably because it's new), this book is not that great. The author clearly has talent; the writing style is simple and elegant and often beautiful. However, trying to compress the entire life of a queen into 300 or so pages is futile. The first 40 pages are lovely--we are sitting in the character's pocket while she goes through a few days. Then, BAM, we are suddenly ten years in the future. We completely blew off a decade, during which the main character obviously must have matured, since she was probably only 16 or so at the beginning, and gave birth to five sons! But, that's not important. let's skip it! Again, the description of an important event and BAM, a few more years gone without a trace. This is not how we write books, people! Skipping time is of course, necessary, unless you want to describe the character's every breath and every passing thought. However, skipping ten years without anything in between is too much. People change over time and a decade is certainly long enough to change anyone. This made the book choppy and nigh unto incomprehensible. Too bad. As I said, the author's writing style is appealing.

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Sun, 21 Sep 2008 16:53:23 GMT

Book Review: Confessions of a Shopaholic
This book is by Sophie Kinsella

I realize that this book is considered chic-lit, and so, any review dealing with substance is probably unfair. Even so, I found the ending to be in very bad taste and just idiotic. Of course, the whole book is not exactly what one would call intellectual. In fact, puerile is something of a compliment. It is, very simply, the story of a financial journalist (who doesn't really know anything about finance, but at least can write (and apparantly bullshit) rather effectively) and he obsession with shopping. It is the story of how her bills add up and how she cannot pay them. It is the story of her mounting debt and her continuation of her habit (which has certainly become an addiction). It is the story of the lucky break which she in no way deserves, but nonetheless gets. And it is the story of how she wakes up one morning (post lucky break) and is suddenly cured of her mania (though not really... she still pays over 200 British pounds for a few pairs of sunglasses). So, then, what is the moral of this story? Don't worry about debt and avoid responsibility-- a lucky break will always come along at just the right moment and save your pathetic, sorry ass. And, magically, you will be (semi-)cured. Yup, that's certainly the message I would want to send to anyone struggling, wouldn't you?

Now, maybe, just maybe, you can make a case for her shopping being an outlet for her loneliness, which is replaced by the new boyfriend she decides to screw. But there is absolutely NO textual support for that, other than the fact that her revelation comes to her the next morning. Was she lonely? It certainly didn't seem like it to me! All in all, while the book is written in a light, readable, fairly entertaining style, the ending, and more importantly, the message sent, is just disgusting. Not worth it. At all.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 20:20:41 GMT

chem joke du jour
Me (reading label on my iced tea): Ok, so this contains Potassium Ace... Acetominophide? Something like that.
Co-Worker: Yeah, if you can't pronounce it, maybe you shouldn't be ingesting it.
Me: I can pronounce it... Look, you can pronounce Potassium, right?
Co-Worker: Yeah. K.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:23:00 GMT

Another year, another headache
My brother turned four. Yay for him. Ouch for me. Since all the kids expected it and have been waiting for it since last year, we once again had two ponies walking around my back yard, giving rides to the kids. They were in kiddie heaven. In the meantime, the adults who weren't supervising and/or lifting the kids on/off the ponies were gathered around the table, drinking wine and eating. Instead of the big, full 10-course Russian meals, we had a plate of cold meats, a plate of cheese, crackers, and fruit, along with the Russian store's catered meat pie thingies and some hors d'oeuvres. That was good. And I am happy in that I finally (finally!!!) found a Brie I like. I loved it in France, but back here, I could never find one I liked. Until today. yay for Trader Joe's.

Now the party is thankfully over and my eardrums are slowly recovering before another party we're hosting this evening in honor of my parents' anniversary. They've survived each other for 23 years.

It's all well and good, in a way, but I miss the weekends when my family went to NH and left me thankfully alone for two days. It was very relaxing, in a way that this most certainly is not. And tomorrow, I get to go back to work. I really need a vacation.

Tuesday, August 05, 2008

Tue, 05 Aug 2008 23:54:50 GMT

Quote of the day
"With all the talk about how to stimulate it, you'd think that the economy is a giant sex organ...the immediate challenge... is how to get the economy engorged and throbbing again."
~ Barbara Ehrenreich "This Land is Their Land"