Where have I been these days?

Submitted entry: Well, most of my computer time has been spent job hunting. Our financial situation is such that I need to find a contract job. After posting my resume on monster.com and several other places, I received a big response. There are several possibilities at the moment, but the most likely ones are: 8 months in Cincinnati (anyone know anything about this place? We’ve never been) and going back to Merck at West Point, PA for twelve weeks. We’re actually hoping for the Cincinnati job - a change of scenery, somewhere new. And not only that we should be able to make a good amount of money so that I needn’t work for a while after that. We also got an enticing call about a job in southern Florida. The disadvantage of that one would be the 18 month duration. The advantage would be that it pays well and at the end of the contract a bonus of a size nearly enough to buy a small house here would be awarded. We originally decided against it, but every once in a while we give it some thought and it sounds better each time.

Of course we’re also hoping for Dublin, Ireland - but that one is a longer shot, of course. We’re giving some very serious consideration to pursuing a year or so in Europe. It could be a great experience for all of us. We’ll keep you posted. One way or another we could be on the road as early as a couple weeks from now.

The Anorexia Rant

I have this sick fascination with books about anorexia, dating from about 11 years old when I saw my first anorexia tv movie. Last year I asked a friend to return some library books for me, and she called me all concerned saying, “Er…I saw these books about eating disorders…do you - is there something about your past that you want to tell me about?” Hee.

Anyway, the reason I love these books and movies is because it’s like reading about aliens from outer space, doing and thinking things that are so foreign to me that every page is a new, bizarre surprise. (Todd heard a 9 year old girl at the pool talking about how she was really thrilled to have lost 3 pounds and that she weighs herself 5 times a day. Aliens.) I vastly prefer the first-person books, though. They’re full of dark, sarcastic humor and at the end the person always says, “God! What a complete moron I’ve been!” while the hideous book Eve’s Apple was from the boyfriend’s point of view, and it was unbelievably tedious. “Maria talked about food. Then, she talked about food. Then, she said she was fat. Then, she talked about food some more. She is so beautiful and fascinating…” Yargh.

So anyway, I found out that Yahoo won’t link to pro-anorexia sites anymore, and that there’s a petition going to have Yahoo link to them again.

Hey, Yahoo, hypocrites, much?

Deenie! Deenie! Deenie!

The young adult books at the library are more interesting and better written than the adult books. I am devolving.

The Idiot Box

We’re borrowing Kitey’s tv while Paul and I get over the flu. The Sesame Street trivia for the day is that Maria’s name is really Sonia, Gordon is really Roscoe, Luis is really Emilio, but Bob is actually truly Bob (what else could his name be, after all). Bob is not, as you may have thought, 84 years old, but just 69. I wasn’t able to confirm my since-I-was-8 suspicion that he is a wild Baptist, though.

On Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood yesterday, the following conversation ensued:

Teacher: Okay, Giraffe, time for your Hoof Organ lesson.

Elephant: What’s a Hoof Organ?

Teacher: Why don’t we show her your Hoof Organ.

[huge piano comes sliding out from the wall]

Elephant: Ooooo, Giraffe, that’s the BIGGEST piano I’ve eeeeever seeeeeen.

Maybe it’s me, but I thought that was a little weird…

Non-Cook Recipe #1

1 everything bagel (or onion or garlic)
1 really fabulous, perfect tomato
mayonnaise Toast the bagel.

Spread it with mayonnaise.

Cut up the tomato and make a sandwich.

It’s a fantastic breakfast, although some might say I’m just sublimating my intense craving for bagels and lox. (Lox? In Missouri? Are you KIDDING?)

I wanna be a French Canadian, ohhhhh, I wanna be a French Canadian…

I found out that I actually like adult contemporary music, just as long as I can’t understand the words. I love French pop. (for more of my weird tastes in music, see Just Off the Square Radio [link broken])

Yikes!

Submitted entry: Well, it all worked out for the best. I didn’t have to go to the client’s site to work. Instead I can do it all from home. Good thing too. The original plan was likely to have put me here. Sometimes it’s best when a plan doesn’t come together.

Job Benefits

Just heard that they expelled a state representative for accepting bribes and kickbacks.

They ALL accept bribes and kickbacks. It’s a perk of being a part of the U.S. government, like health insurance.

And now for something completely different.

Submitted entry: This morning and early afternoon the weather was beyond gorgeous here. Warm but not too hot with a cool breeze. So, feeling inspired, I ran an extension cord out the office window and set up my laptop on the table under a mimosa tree. Before long I was completely set up with my computer, phone, paperwork and coffee all around me. I did feel a bit silly, though after a while. I realized I looked much like John Cleese at the beginning of a Monty Python episode. Now I just need to work on the silly walk…

You’re not a true parent until…

…you’ve experienced the excruciating pain of stepping on a Lego with bare feet. Twice.