My Day: Part I: Transportation

Today, I headed up to Roseville to attend our annual family canoe trip (more on that in My Day: Part II). It wasn't particularly eventful getting there or back, but it took FOREVER so I had a lot of time to think.

I left my apartment this morning at 5:15am to be there in plenty of time for the 5:45 bus from St. Olaf to Minneapolis. I remembered everything but a towel this morning, but it turned out I didn't really need it, so it didn't matter as much. Impressive for waking up at 4am after getting less than 3 hours of sleep.

Anyway, as the bus left Olaf in the dark of the morning, with traces of light beginning to highlight the clouds, I noticed how annoyingly bright the St. Olaf streetlights are. They also contribute greatly to light pollution. I actually closed my eyes because they were so bright. This, of course, would normally make me fall asleep like nothing else. However, I had had some coffee, so I just stared out the window and watched the day wake up.

Then I took a few Metro Transit buses to get to my aunt's house. On purpose, I got off the bus right next to another aunts house who lives about half a mile away. I got me some golden retriever loving on my way there. However, one of her two goldens scratched my arm a bit, getting what I hope was mud on it. Ah well, they're darling.

Anyway, my mom and one of my cousins met me halfway down my aunt's road. It was nice to see them coming toward me. At my aunt's house, more dogs! Her husband's two beagles, and her giant Great Dane/Black Lab mix (appropriately named Moose) sniffed me up and down until I went to the bathroom to wash off the dog spit and mud from my other aunt's house. Gosh, I love dogs. Must love dogs: one of my requirements in a partner.

Anyway, I'll go on about the canoe trip in the next post. I'm just getting all the transportation themed news events together in one post.

So, on the way home, I caught the Northfield bus from St. Kates. I am not particularly fond of Northfield Metro Express buses, and waiting to be picked up from St. Kates is one of the reasons: Every driver stops at a different corner. I never know where the bus will park, or what direction it will be coming from. Super annoying. Luckily, I didn't have one of the douche-y drivers who barely stop when there's no expected pickup. He actually parked where he's supposed to, and pulled up to me when I saw I had a boarding pass in my hand and was headed to him. Thanks, Cheech.

Anyway, the bus ride home was also uneventful. The sun set as we left downtown Minneapolis. Then something weird happened. I was listening to a song, and suddenly I started crying. I guess this is a song that has always gotten to me, and I must have been so tired and sore and sunburned that the emotions welled up more easily. The song is Cancer by My Chemical Romance. It's a short song, but one that is emotionally poignant to most people, I think. I've put a link to the lyrics at the end of the post.

Anyway, I got home safely after a long, awesome day.

Cancer - My Chemical Romance

Turn away,
If you could get me a drink
Of water 'cause my lips are chapped and faded
Call my aunt Marie
Help her gather all my things
And bury me in all my favorite colors,
My sisters and my brothers, still,
I will not kiss you,
'Cause the hardest part of this is leaving you.

Now turn away,
'Cause I'm awful just to see
'Cause all my hairs abandoned all my body,
Oh, my agony,
Know that I will never marry,
And baby, I'm just soggy from the chemo,
We're counting down the days to go
It just ain't living
And I just hope you know

That if you say (if you say)
Goodbye tonight (goodbye tonight)
I'll ask you to be true (cause I'll ask you to be true)

'Cause the hardest part of this is leaving you
'Cause the hardest part of this is leaving you

It is 5am...

And you are lisssstening to Los Angeles.

It's actually 4:45am, but that just doesn't have the same ring to it.

Why am I up at 4:45 am? I am going canoeing. We probably won't start canoeing until after11, but I have to get from my apartment in Northfield to my aunt's house in Roseville first. Considering public transportation and walking are my sources of transportation today, it then makes sense that I need to get up at 4am. Yay public transit!

Anyway, I'm not exactly dressed for the weather, but here's hoping it's warmer outside than they're predicting. It's bad decisions and lack of forethought like this that make me feel like a teenager again.

We are all in some way or another going to Ricida, someday, to die.

The Music of the 90s

Man, the 90s were great. I'm watching Top 100 Songs of the 90s, and it always makes me nostalgic for the 90s music scene. I'm sure in a decade, I'll miss Beyonce and Eminem and Jay-Z and Green Day---wait.

Just kidding. They were around in the 90s and are still around today. But seriously, that was a unique decade for music. The emergence of hip hop (yes, I know it was around before 1990, but it wasn't as mainstream) and grunge, and the new direction of pop music was a really experimental time which allowed for individuality.

I don't think the same thing can be said today. There are some gems, of course, but I feel that is more segregated. Or maybe that's just because I watched a lot of MTV and VH1 in the 90s, and had a grungy older brother, so I was exposed to a wider variety of music. And since I was a kid, how could I say I didn't like something? Besides that song "You're still the one," which annoyed me. I didn't like that song. The rest I liked. (I like it now, but then, you couldn't get me to stay in the same room as that song)

Maybe I'm just too laid back to have tastes. And by laid back, I mean that I'm uptight, but easygoing. I thrive in stressful situations, but I roll with the punches. In any case, I rarely dislike music. It's a form of art, and self-expression. Even if it doesn't move me as much as other songs, how can I dislike someone's inner soul? Or even if they just write it for money, how can I hate something that moves someone else? Even if it physically moves people (try not dancing to Baby Got Back)

There are exceptions, of course. I dislike music on the basis of lyrics. "Fix You" by Coldplay made me hate Coldplay, for example. Arrogant bastards. Also, I like Rage Against the Machine, but only 1 song at a time.

I hate country western. I like country, and bluegrass, and folk, and most pop country. I guess I like bluegrass, folk and female country stars. Dolly Parton, Shania Twain, Reba McEntire, Jewel, even Taylor Swift. I have a lot of respect for women in such a sexist and male-dominated industry. Especially those who mean what they sing, wrote what they sing and/or play their music while they're singing it. Most country western songs involve this cowboy losing his little lady because he drank too much and it made him sad, so he's drinking more. Yeah, can't empathize or sympathize with you, deadbeat alkie. Get some help and face the consequences.

Granted, most mainstream rap isn't much better. Drugs, bitches, guns and cars. I could care less. I love meaningful rap that isn't bragging about how they're so G, and so real because they disrespect women, do a lot of crack, and shoot people. Can't stand it. Grow up. Even angsty emo kids singing about how they hate their dad are more real than they are. It's all a front, imo. They aren't impenetrable macho gods. They're just as experiential as the rest of us.

Anyway, this was probably enough topics for like 10 posts. Ah well. I don't have many opinions about music, and yet, I have as many as anybody else, I guess.

Proper Post

I don't have to work tomorrow, so I can properly explain my awesome Pride and non-Prideful but still Pride Weekend where I worked all day.

I left my apartment Friday morning, laden with everything I needed for the weekend, plus a tent, 2 tote bags of St. Olaf Swag, and a sign. Then, I took the bus to downtown Minneapolis, and took the train to Anoka. I arrived about 3 minutes before a storm. Lucky me!

It was scary looking, and its weird to drive in pouring rain, but there was a poor, senseless man on a motorcycle. He wasn't wearing a helmet, and it was raining sheets. He was shielding his eyes from the rain and everything.

Anyway, I went to sleep in my bed at Mom's house, which hasn't been slept in for quite a while (this becomes important later, so remember that).

I got up at 6am, and caught the bus back to Minneapolis, taking everything with me, plus a collapsible chair for us to sit on. The bus driver let me ride the handicap ramp off the bus because my cart was heavy and burdensome. It was kinda fun. Luckily it was a Saturday morning and I was the only person on the bus, so I didn't slow down traffic at all.

Anyway, long story short, I set up the St. Olaf booth, and tabled most of the day, until 5ish, when Teddy came to join me so we could go see Ellis! It was actually a village people concert, but it started raining during the second group, Electric Avenue, so Teddy and I headed to the 90s instead after a couple songs by the third performer, CeCe Peniston. Seeing Ellis was great, though. I lurve her. We invited her to Olaf in October, so she'll be performing at some point that month. Excited!

Anyway, 90s. One of Teddy's friends has good connections, so we got front row seats reserved for the drag show. I love the 90s queens. They're so lively and awesome. Anyway, there were also $3 Bacardi cocktails, so I spent $6 on heaven. Dragonberry and 7up? Awesome. Razz and Sprite? Equally awesome!

So, at 2:30 am, Teddy and I headed back to Northfield. Bed at 3:30, up at 8:30 to shower and go to campus. I noticed as I got ready for bed a strange splotch on my upper thigh. I figured I just scratched myself somehow. The next morning I noticed another one underneath my bra strap by my collar bone. Must just be some skin irritation. I ignored it, and just went to campus.

You see, instead of going to the Pride Parade, I babysat during a wedding for a couple of Ole alums. Another girl and I hung out with 5 kids, ages 17months to 10 years. It was hard to keep them occupied, but apparently 10 year olds are into this thing called Club Penguin. It works. The 17 month old was really fussy, so she occupied herself by crying herself sick all over the other babysitter. Poor dear. At least we got paid $35 for the 2 hours.

After, I went to my first shift of work at Target. I cashiered for 4 hours, and I'm pretty good at it, if I may say so. After, I came home and crashed, dead tired. I noticed a few blotches on my shoulder before I went to bed. Weird. Oh well, right?

I got up this morning for Day 2 of work, and my shoulder and back were covered in red splotchy welts. So I made an appointment for after work (which went well. Theres a lot to remember for salesfloor, but I'm sure I'll get it right eventually). My doctor examined the bumps for a while, in awe over this weird rash.

We eventually decided it was probably some sort of bug bites that my body was not reacting well too. Most likely spiders (you know, from my bed at Moms which I haven't slept in for quite some time? Told you that you should remember it!). So, she wrote me a prescription for a stronger allergy medicine than Target-brand Claritin, and told me to pick up some hydrocortizone for the itching. So far, my sinuses are really clear, but thats the only difference.

Anyway, the lesson learned from this weekend: (1) Pride is awesome, even with rain. (2) Sleep is important. (3) Keep your room clean and spider-free!

Will work for French Toast

A friend of mine on campus called me tonight, as I sat on the couch, recovering from an intense walk earlier in the day (and by recovering, I mean eating chocolate Malt-o-meal!). She was moving her stuff from the 9th floor of Larson Hall to the 8th floor of Mohn Hall and had to move by tomorrow morning, and would I help her?

Well, considering I was just sitting on the couch, and she's a good friend, I said "Sure!"

Ohmaigawd she has soooo much stuff. We probably moved 20 storage bins and 10 giant garbage bags and several boxes and 2 mini fridges and other stuff. Luckily, she has no furniture, there are elevators, she has an SUV and found a dolly somewhere. Plus, she took me to Perkins afterwards.

Totally worth it. : )

5 cups of coffee and 3 french toast for a couple hours of going up and down an elevator? Not bad at all!

By the way, I will not be going to bed anytime soon. Why did I drink 5 cups of coffee at 11pm again? hahahaha. Good times.

Anyway, about the intense walk... I went to the grocery store to pick up some things (remembered everything but malt-o-meal and wild rice!), thinking it wouldn't rain until 3 or 4. Nope, it thundered and started raining at 12:30, right when I left the store.

"Oh no!" I thought, "I left the window open right by the power strip and my laptop!" (dumb, I know). I started rushing home, with a backpack full of canned goods, and two tote bags full of food. Easier said than done. Luckily, it didn't rain all that much until the end of my walk, when I had given up rushing, and was trying to cool down. No water reached the power strip or my laptop. Thank the wind currents!

Also, I realized that I've only eaten breakfast food for the past couple days. I had eggs, hash browns, facon, green beans and yogurt for lunch yesterday, French toast for dinner, a PB sandwich for breakfast, Malt-o-Meal for lunch today, and French toast for dinner again tonight. Goodness. I should really stop typing this now, but I HAVE SO MUCH ENERGY!!!!!

You know where this energy could be productive? Studying for my GRE. Or playing Pokemon. Hmmm........... I'm starting to get nervous for my GRE. I take the test on Monday. Luckily I'm taking it early enough where I can take it again if I suck ass. But I am trying not to suck ass because the test costs $160, which is ridiculous, but less so than the test prep classes, which cost $500. I think I'll skip the classes and study on my own. I'll just read the dictionary, or maybe learn Latin and Greek this week. That'll help with the vocabulary.

OOH! I bought my ticket to go see the Village People today. They're playing at the Twin Cities Pride festival this year, and tickets are only $10! And one of my favorite singers is playing too, Ellis. She's an Ole alum who is awesome and funny! She's also gluten intolerant, in case you were wondering. And she has the best laugh ever. Her music is pretty kickass too.

By the way, all of this was written in like, 10 minutes.

Jetlag!

Wow. It's 9:20pm. I am just nodding off at this point. I have been on a 9-to-9 sleep schedule. It's really really weird. I suppose it'll get better a few days out, but I have been unable to sleep past 9, and unable to stay awake past 9. This is unusual for me. So much so that I am not making sense. Well, I am making sense, but I am being redundant. Goody.

Anyway, watching the Grammys at the moment. I think pop music is finally back. Mainstream music sucked this past decade, imo. I mean, there were good bands and good albums obviously, but there were a lot of bad bands and bad albums too. I think the bad ones are finally weeded out. That nasty spell of pop-punk is mostly over, and the ultra-patriotic cowboy country is pretty much over and now the music industry has improved. Now we have good dance music with the new gay icon Lady Gaga. Granted there are a lot of bad popular songs still out (Miley Cyrus, for example) but no more Hillary Duff or Fall Out Boy.

Anyway, my uninformed, half-thought out music rant is over. I assume people disagree, but ah well. It's my blog. I can post all the half-formed illogical opinions I want! So there!

I just want you to know that I am really excited for Tuesday. Not only can I caucus quickly, but it's the premiere of season 6 of LOST! Also, I get my new boxes of contacts so I don't have to wear glasses all the time. Kick ass! Yea! Whoo! Tuesday will rock!

I think I'm going to bed. It's 9:40pm/4:40am so........ I'm tired. I will close with a short list of things I missed while in Europe:

Bitter MN cold
Sweatpants
Rice
Microwaves
Getting mail
Reading the newspaper
Meals that don't cost $30
friends and family

Things I will most about Europe:
Music channels that actually play music videos
Humanely-raised meat
Tasty and cheap fruit
Integrated diversity
Long relaxed meals