Barb's Burblings

It's currently 11:41 p.m., Eastern

It's currently 11:41 p.m., Eastern Standard Time. My body, however, is still convinced that it's only 8:41. Consequently, I am just full of energy, bouncing around the (very empty) house. However, I have a feeling my body will not be happy come 9 or 10 a.m., when I try to get out of bed. Darn time differences. And one note about trying to chat up guys on airplanes--it really doesn't work when your grandmother is sitting between you and the guy in question.

Okay, I'm going to try to unpack a little. And maybe eat. I'm not sure. I think I'm hungry, but it's kind of late. Geez, my body is going to be so confused after staying up tomorrow night for New Year's Eve. I have this picture of me on Wednesday at work and my body deciding around 11 a.m. that it's bedtime.

Current song in my head:
"Hello, I Love You" by the Doors

Tonight we went out to

Tonight we went out to dinner for my mother's birthday and we went to this German restaurant. They had an accordion player, and when we walked into the room, he was playing "The Chicken Dance." I was excessively amused. Too bad I didn't have any friends with me to do the dance. Becca, it was calling your name.

Anyway, things here are fine. Very quiet, which is nice, though I'm getting annoyed by my grandmother. Which isn't cool, but that doesn't really give me patience, huh? I'm already missing being around young people. I wish Kathy could be here, too. That would make life much more bearable. And tomorrow my other grandmother and her boyfriend(!) are coming over. Peachy. But it's Christmas and they're family. Which is good.

Current song in my head:
"F.N.T." by Semisonic

Here I am, in lovely

Here I am, in lovely Oregon. It actually hasn't rained that much, which is impressive. It's actually not supposed to rain much this week, which is even more impressive. Apparently I brought the sunshine with me. I really like my parents' new house. It's the most modern house they've ever had, and is very open and welcoming. I like it a lot. Travelling was interesting. It involved a lot of lines. While waiting to check in at BWI, I was in front of a nice young man who was in the Army Reserves and was coming home (to LA) from Kuwait. He was quite the gentleman--he helped a woman inch her two large suitcases along. Then, on the flight from Chicago to Portland, I sat next to a young guy in the Navy. He was nice enough, though sadly not at all cute (even in his uniform).

So, here I am, and am pretty damn tired. It's 9:18 p.m., which means it's after midnight on the East Coast. And I got up at 4 a.m. this morning, so I'm a bit sleepy. Which, you know, is why I'm on the computer. *Sigh* But it's nice seeing my parents again. Even though, once again, politics has reared its ugly head and I've already gotten into it with my father. At least he's being civil about it.

Current song in my head:
"Saturday Night's All Right" by Elton John

I've meant to blog more

I've meant to blog more than I have this week, but it's just been crazy. We're all going a little nuts at the office because we have next week off, so everyone is trying to get everything done before the break. This has probably been one of my most productive weeks ever. Even with the multiple parties. Maybe it's all the food that's been hanging around. Anyway, so busy at work, plus the stress of buying Christmas presents and upcoming travel (which wouldn't stress me, but it involves arrangements with my grandmother), plus this stupid accident I was in on Tuesday involving me hitting an SUV that was in a lane illegally. I can show you my diagram of the accident if you want to see it. It's a very nice diagram. Anyway. So, things crazy. But I'm about to leave the office, throw my clothes and presents into a suitcase and head up to Baltimore, and thence to Oregon. Where I will relax and be pampered by my parents and both (!) grandmothers. Should be interesting. I should blog from there, as well.

Anyway, everyone have a great holiday!

Current song in my head:
"The Christmas Song"

You know you're a dork

You know you're a dork when...

You get excited when you get your very own copy of The Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 5th Edition. It's the style guide we use. And it's ever so pretty.

I think my car knows

I think my car knows when I'm thinking I have enough money again. Turns out I have an excessive oil pan gaskey leak. My hood now smokes a little and makes the car smell bad. So on Wednesday I get to turn over my car to Congressional Mazda to get it fixed. Jody, you'll be happy to note that this one is in Rockville! Yay! Only not so much.

Really, that's all I have to say except to comment on the plethora of food on my floor. We're having a cookie exchange this afternoon, someone brought in fudge, Meghan brought in cookies for everyone, and there were Twizzlers in the kitchen. It's all very evil. But in a nummy way.

Current song in my head:
"Christmas Sing-a-Long" from the Sesame Street Christmas album (the ooold one I had growing up)

On Friday a group of

On Friday a group of five people from my division is going to lunch with Joe, our executive director. Two of the people had to cancel for some reason (actually, one of them is Suzanne, who is going to an all-day course that day; darn), so now Meghan is going. And I heard her talking to Krishni and she was complaining about it, but said, "Yeah, the only good thing about it is that Barb is going." So I feel all loved.

I was going to post that little anecdote last night, but realized that would mess up my Monday-Wednesday-Friday pattern. Can't do that. Plus, my eyeballs were about to pop out of my head if I looked at a computer screen much more.

Besides that, I'm being fairly productive today. I don't know whether it's because I have a ton of things to do or because Steve hasn't been on IM all morning. But that productivity will quickly go away in a half hour, when I get to go to a 2 hour lunch meeting. Please, kill me now. Of course, I was telling Jeff (the director of my department) that I would work on a certain, fairly sensitive, project after lunch, and he said something about working on it after having a few drinks at lunch. So there may be hope.

In happy news, yesterday on the Harry Potter email group I belong to, someone mentioned the song "Lily's Eyes" from The Secret Garden. So I downloaded an excellent version, with Anthony Warlow (who used to have absolutely wonderful hair, but then he got lymphoma) and Philip Quast (this is an old site, but it has good pictures; go here if you want something recently updated with a sucky picture on the main page) singing. Dreamy. Oh! I just remembered the Harry Potter connection-Harry's mother is named Lily. Duh.

Current song in my head:
"Lily's Eyes" from The Secret Garden. I thought of it, and now it's stuck in my head. Probably until I get home tonight and listen to it. That won't get it out of my head, but it will be a nice form of release.

For well over half of

For well over half of my life, I've lived within 50 miles or so of New York City. I then moved way the hell across the country to Montana. So naturally, who do I run in to at a restaurant in New York City's Little Italy than someone I knew from Montana? Yup. It was so bizarre. I always though that if I was going to see someone I knew while visiting New York, it would be one of my friends from Connecticut, or even New Jersey. But no, it was someone I was in drama with in Great Falls. It really is a small world.

Anyway, the trip to New York was good. Seeing Ground Zero was…weird. I think I was more moved by all the memorials and objects and greetings from people around the country and around the world. That was just…very moving. When I looked down the streets and saw the huge piles of rubble…saw the remaining standing part of the World Trade Center…I couldn't connect it with the towers. I could look and see the other buildings, see the blown-out windows, but I couldn't comprehend that these two huge buildings once stood there. That there are now thousands of people in that rubble. It's all too much.

Going to Strawberry Fields in Central Park just totally rocked! There was a huge group of people in a large circle standing around singing Beatles song. It was awesome. I really could've stayed there all day.

We also made it to the Empire State Building, which I had managed to not go to despite the many times I've been to New York. When we got to the 86th floor observatory, we looked outside and saw snow. And it was just so pretty. The view was great. Everything looks so peaceful and quiet from that many stories.

The day ended on a somewhat disquieting note. We were heading towards the Holland Tunnel, going south on the West Side Highway, and there were signs to force everyone to turn at the Holland Tunnel turnoff. As we waited to make the left, someone pointed out a sign on the right side of the road. It had an arrow pointing south, and said, "World Trade Center." The road to get there was closed now. And that sign just brought back all the images from that day, the hundreds (thousands?) of people walking uptown, away from the site. The pictures from when the towers collapsed and the smoke and debris rushing down the streets. It made for a very sobering drive back to New Jersey, in the rain.

Current song in my head:
"New York, New York" by Ryan Adams

I was just in the

I was just in the elevator to bring some mail up to the 11th floor and there was this cute, tall guy in the elevator with me. So I instinctively looked at his left hand to see if he's married (he is). But how scary is it that I instinctively looked? I can't believe I'm at that age.

I took that art test again, and changed two answers (different mood today). So I got a different answer! Here's my new one. It also works.

If I were a work of art, I would be Claude Monet's Waterlilies. I am soft and gentle, but very colourful. Although based in reality, I look at the world through a filter of impressions which shape how I see things. Splashes of light help to define my presence and bring an endearing quality. Which work of art would you be? The Art Test

Anyway. Friday. Yay. I have to go churn out more author contracts. Exciting stuff, I know. Only 3 1/2 more hours...this is the problem with going to lunch early. The afternoon takes FOREVER.

Current song in my head:
"Where Do We Go From Here?" from the Buffy musical. I blame it on the fact that one of the authors is named Giles (yes, he is British, complete with accent).

I was over at Becca's

I was over at Becca's blog and she has a link to a test that tells you what work of art you are.

If I were a work of art, I would be Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa. I am extremely popular and widely known. Although unassuming and unpretentious, my enigmatic smile has charmed millions. I am a mystery, able to be appreciated from afar, but ultimately unknowable and thus intriguing. Which work of art would you be? The Art Test

Who knew? I got thrown off when it asked my favorite subject--literature or history. That was hard. Anyway, you should all take it, too.

I was just glancing through my blog's page when I noticed that I seem to update it on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Bizarre. And usually either first thing in the morning or right before I leave work. I'd blog more now, but I need to pay bills, balance my checkbooks, and do Christmas cards. Woo. But hey, I have Christmas songs playing (hey, I found a channel that only plays Christmas carols here, yay!) so all is good.

Current song in my head:
"God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen"

I was driving to work

I was driving to work this morning and while stopped at a red light glanced into my rearview mirror into the car behind me. The sun was shining, so everyone had their visors down. Anyway, I glance behind me and all I can see of the woman in the car behind me is the bottom of her nose and her mouth (and chin, neck, etc., etc.-the point is, I can't see her eyes). And her mouth was set in a frown. But it wasn't a frown like she was upset, it was just that her mouth turned down naturally. It made me wonder. Is she unhappy? Has she always been unhappy? When did her mouth start to turn down like that? I hope my mouth never does that. Even when I'm not actively smiling, the very corners of my mouth generally are turned ever-so-slightly up. Which is a good thing. And I want it to stay that way.

Of course, right now I'm just coming out of my afternoon slump. It usually hits around 2 and goes until 2:30, but for some reason was an hour late today. Maybe because I spent my lunch hour wandering around in the gorgeous 70-degree afternoon and the energy lasted an extra hour. Anyway, right now I'm just amused by the recap for the first episode of Smallville on MightyBigTV. The show is immensely fun to mock and the recapper is great. I'm stuck on this part: "[Lex] says that Clark gave him a second chance. Then, piercingly, he gazes at Clark in adoration and says, 'We have a future together, Clark.' In bed." Hee!

Um, oh, good news! My last dentist appointment was this morning! I don't have to go back until a regular cleaning in March. YAY!!!

Current song in my head:
"Where Do We Go From Here?" from the damn Buffy musical (it was excellent but if I so much of think about it, one of the songs will be trapped in my mind)

I had marked on my

I had marked on my calendar for today to start working on an entry form for a book award. So I fished out the application from my files (yes, I filed something and put it in the right place!), where it had been since, oh, July. It was part entry form/information about the award, and part promo for the association's conference, which happens to be in New York City in May. And it unfolds into a lovely poster of lower Manhattan. Featured prominently, as you must imagine, is the World Trade Center.

The world has changed so much that it really is hard to go back and remember what it was like before September 11. I mean, my day-to-day life hasn't changed, but it's the weird little things. Like finding an invoice dated September 12 and thinking, "Somebody sent out an invoice that day?" even though we were doing business here, as well. Like going to a docent meeting at the Smithsonian and having a 20 minute discussion about security measures. Like figuring out the logistics of bringing Christmas presents to Oregon on a plane. Like having the entire first section of The Washington Post be devoted to Afghanistan. To me the whole war on Afghanistan (oops, I meant the Taliban) seems so disconnected from the events in September.

And that's another thing. It's fascinating hearing how people refer to the bombings. "The bombings." "September 11." "9-11." "The events in September." "The recent events." "The recent tragedies." "Attacks." "Terrorism."

How did the bombings lead to anthrax? How did they lead to bombing the hell out of a country the other side of the globe? How can the United States feel justified in telling a new Afghanistan government what to do? How could we help the Northern Alliance boot the Taliban, then decide we're not sure about them? Are we going to do anything about the suicide bombings in Israel? Will that make the world hate us even more?

And yet...life is going on. I'm still having fun, looking forward to Christmas, going out with friends, enjoying life in general. But life in general has become a lot more confusing.

Current song in my head:
"Show Me the Way to Go Home"