Title refers to today's mail, which just came. I sealed a letter to a friend in China and got out there just as the mailman came. He's a friendly guy, wanted to know how job search was. He went to Quebec City a while ago.
Laptop not broken after all :). It was the CD-rom drive that tends to pop up.
Wanted to take a bath but there are lots of paint boxes in the tub.
Looked at cars on Craigslist. Would be ideal to get one before I start training.
Last night talked to Gramma and Papa. After Mom handed the phone to me, she asked as an after thought, "How does he like Palin?" I wish she would have asked, so I didn't have to hear from him that she's a "smart woman," "our next VP," and that he's voting Republican all the way. ugh. I didn't think about politics much in high school, but it nearly broke my heart (not really) when I learned my closer grandparents are conservative (knew my dad's parents definitely were).
Had somewhat nightmare this morning. Something about people misunderstanding me, involving my cell phone, and I joined a cult! Also a friend from high school was going to meet me in 5 minutes, she wrote in her email, but I couldn't. Woke up at 9:30 but slept more til almost 11:30.
9/17/08
Montpellier
Today Mom, Dad, and I went to Montpellier, former home of James Madison. As it is Constitution Day, the site decided to have their Renovation Celebration today. We heard Lehrer from NPR talk, as well as a Supreme Court Chief Justice. We decided not to see the renovated house b/c there was a long line.
We had a late lunch at a diner. I got the lunch special chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, and corn; it was enough corn for 3 people! I had some of Mom's barbecue sandwich, think the first since I've been back. I love sleeping in cars and trains; that's what I did on the ride back. Dad and I played tennis, and I went for a jog after. That makes 4 days in a row I've jogged. I do stop at times, so I need to work on endurance.
Feel restless. Doesn't seem I can upload files on this comp. So annoying my laptop broke on me! I had it for less than a week with Wifi.
We had a late lunch at a diner. I got the lunch special chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, and corn; it was enough corn for 3 people! I had some of Mom's barbecue sandwich, think the first since I've been back. I love sleeping in cars and trains; that's what I did on the ride back. Dad and I played tennis, and I went for a jog after. That makes 4 days in a row I've jogged. I do stop at times, so I need to work on endurance.
Feel restless. Doesn't seem I can upload files on this comp. So annoying my laptop broke on me! I had it for less than a week with Wifi.
9/14/08
GOOD news
I found my college ring! It was in the front pocket of my orange purse all along (since vacation a month ago). It's always like that: I think I've lost something and then am so happy when I realize it wasn't lost after all.
Today Mom, Kelly, and I went to Good Foods for the first time since it opened. They have ostrich eggs there. We just bought a cookie, 2 cans of "natural soda," rolls, and plums. The cookie didn't have a sign but it was really good: pecans and orange cinnamon. Mom made carrot cake tonight.
Looked at the parakeets play at Petco. Kelly was in there a long time, got cookie-shaped biscuits for Fred.
Am making good progress on Plath: think she's married now. Am also reading "Eat, pray, love."
Today Mom, Kelly, and I went to Good Foods for the first time since it opened. They have ostrich eggs there. We just bought a cookie, 2 cans of "natural soda," rolls, and plums. The cookie didn't have a sign but it was really good: pecans and orange cinnamon. Mom made carrot cake tonight.
Looked at the parakeets play at Petco. Kelly was in there a long time, got cookie-shaped biscuits for Fred.
Am making good progress on Plath: think she's married now. Am also reading "Eat, pray, love."
9/13/08
Friday
Today Fred almost succeeded in opening and eating a small bag of Hershey's Kisses.
I went for a jog and met Christine at Panera. Alison invited me to see "The Women" but we weren't finished with dinner yet. Met up with her at B &N and went with her friend to Friday's, where I hadn't been since coming back from China. Went only 2x I think, the last near the end, on Ladies night (free margaritas). The woman I sat next to had been in Samoa with Peace Corps.
Alison had gotten a bag of freebies from the radio station (at the cinema) and gave them to me. When I got home, my Mom looked thru the stuff; imagine her surprise when she pulled out a cell phone! (Alison's) I do need one, haha.
So I'm glad I was "out" on a Friday night this week.
I went for a jog and met Christine at Panera. Alison invited me to see "The Women" but we weren't finished with dinner yet. Met up with her at B &N and went with her friend to Friday's, where I hadn't been since coming back from China. Went only 2x I think, the last near the end, on Ladies night (free margaritas). The woman I sat next to had been in Samoa with Peace Corps.
Alison had gotten a bag of freebies from the radio station (at the cinema) and gave them to me. When I got home, my Mom looked thru the stuff; imagine her surprise when she pulled out a cell phone! (Alison's) I do need one, haha.
So I'm glad I was "out" on a Friday night this week.
9/10/08
package from Inner Mongolia
Received package I mailed 2 months ago, the hardest one to send. In Hailaer, Inner Mongolia, they wanted me to write my Suzhou address in character; they also wanted to verify the zip code. Two women helped me, luckily. I sent myself 3 suede flasks: a brown smaller flask of Genghis Khan and gray camel flask, and bigger olive-green one.
As a side note, while my dog barks outside to be let in, don't feed a dog (esp. an old one) plums. Dried plums become prunes, and you know what happens when one eats those. I thank my dad for this situation : /.
As a side note, while my dog barks outside to be let in, don't feed a dog (esp. an old one) plums. Dried plums become prunes, and you know what happens when one eats those. I thank my dad for this situation : /.
OCCUPATION!
So I'm pretty happy I got the job offer this morning. I'm not superstitious, but when the phone rang, and I looked at the clock, it was 9:11.
I asked for $1 more, but I'd be happy with what they offered; it's more than normal customer service wage. I was amused my mom's first concern when she heard it's 4-midnight shift was my love life. I'm not concerned about it right now, just need a job! I worried they'd retract the offer if I asked for too much more, but I was, as someone put it, "screwed royally," in my pay in China. I also thought, when bargaining with a vendor in China, he jacks up the price, but you ask for 1/3 of that, because that's (possibly) what it's really worth. Negotiation is all a game. I didn't like bargaining in China but can have an appreciation for it.
The weather is cool today: love it! Reading Sylvia Plath's college years journals.
I asked for $1 more, but I'd be happy with what they offered; it's more than normal customer service wage. I was amused my mom's first concern when she heard it's 4-midnight shift was my love life. I'm not concerned about it right now, just need a job! I worried they'd retract the offer if I asked for too much more, but I was, as someone put it, "screwed royally," in my pay in China. I also thought, when bargaining with a vendor in China, he jacks up the price, but you ask for 1/3 of that, because that's (possibly) what it's really worth. Negotiation is all a game. I didn't like bargaining in China but can have an appreciation for it.
The weather is cool today: love it! Reading Sylvia Plath's college years journals.
9/9/08
WiFI
Today is a historic day--- we have high-speed internet chez moi! I can look at youtube and tv5 French news again, look at people's photos..
This morning I went to the company for the French evaluation. They had given me 4 questions they'd ask, which I prepared last night, but two of those were changed when I got there today; fortunately, they were the ones I didn't like as much. The new ?s asked the favorite gift I've received and a concert I went to recently and enjoyed. For the first, I could only come up with my college ring, which I don't really think of as a gift, but it was on my mind because I lost it on family vacation a month ago. I wasn't sure of the gender of "ring," second-guessed. As for concerts, I said I don't go often, but a few years ago I really enjoyed the quebecois group "Le vent du Nord" (whose name I couldn't remember but managed to before next ?). Hope it didn't seem I was sucking up, since it was a quebecois guy I was talking to on the phone. I should have asked, I didn't know how it'd be set up. I was a little intimidated having 3 people listen and watch me. I probably didn't come off too confident.
Today I went jogging, this time going up the hill. (I'll go one street more each time) Then I did exercise dvds since Dad found the dvd remote yesterday (hallelujah!).
On my way into Target tonight saw my 5th grade teacher coming out. I had seen her past summers when I worked at Ukrop's. She has a slipper on one foot, hasn't taught since January. I suggested we exchange email since I won't see her at Ukrop's anymore!
This morning I went to the company for the French evaluation. They had given me 4 questions they'd ask, which I prepared last night, but two of those were changed when I got there today; fortunately, they were the ones I didn't like as much. The new ?s asked the favorite gift I've received and a concert I went to recently and enjoyed. For the first, I could only come up with my college ring, which I don't really think of as a gift, but it was on my mind because I lost it on family vacation a month ago. I wasn't sure of the gender of "ring," second-guessed. As for concerts, I said I don't go often, but a few years ago I really enjoyed the quebecois group "Le vent du Nord" (whose name I couldn't remember but managed to before next ?). Hope it didn't seem I was sucking up, since it was a quebecois guy I was talking to on the phone. I should have asked, I didn't know how it'd be set up. I was a little intimidated having 3 people listen and watch me. I probably didn't come off too confident.
Today I went jogging, this time going up the hill. (I'll go one street more each time) Then I did exercise dvds since Dad found the dvd remote yesterday (hallelujah!).
On my way into Target tonight saw my 5th grade teacher coming out. I had seen her past summers when I worked at Ukrop's. She has a slipper on one foot, hasn't taught since January. I suggested we exchange email since I won't see her at Ukrop's anymore!
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