Sermon prep

8:55 AM: Roommates to class.
8:56 AM: Decide to drink the last cup of coffee. Open fridge to find soy milk frozen.
8:57 AM: IM Tripp to ask about the wisdom/possibility of microwaving frozen soy milk for my coffee.
9:00 AM: Microwave frozen soy milk for coffee.
9:01 AM: Power blows on my side of the suite - a first.
9:02 AM: Pour coffee.
9:03 AM: Convince computer to restart on battery power.
9:04 AM: Wander downstairs to find receptionist.
9:05 AM: Call maintenance from receptionist's desk, since own phone is plugged in to charge.
9:06 AM: Maintenance promises to check breaker.
9:08 AM: Return upstairs. Open sermon file.
9:12 AM: Power comes back on.
9:13 AM: Wireless comes back on.
9:14 AM: IM Tripp to apologize for cutting out mid-conversation.
9:15 AM: Close conversation in a civilized manner.
9:16 AM: Begin to learn sermon.
9:17 AM: Maintenance and buddies come upstairs to test suite's fire alarms.
9:18 AM: Fire alarms begin going off.
9:20 AM: Fire alarms stop going off.
9:22 AM: Fire alarms go off again.
9:25 AM: Fire alarms stop, maintenance leaves.
9:27 AM: Yodabeth blogs to ask, Does this mean God doesn't want me to preach without notes tomorrow after all?

Because you care deeply about these things...

I have been instructed to inform you that our trash now contains three or four Starbucks/Peet's cups in addition to the half-pound or so of coffee grounds.

You Might Be a Grad Student If...

at least 50% of your apartment's trash is coffee grounds.

Best. thing. ever.

I so took a ballet class tonight!

I finally got up the nerve to go here tonight and take a class. I was a little freaked out by trying a new studio, and a little more freaked out by the fact that the woman on the phone told me to take a level II class,* but she turned out to be right. Level II is exactly the right class for me right now. It was fantastic. I can't wait to go back - the trick now will be keeping myself from spending too much money on classes now that I have them to take.

*The studio has five teen/adult levels: I-IV and Adult.

Are you sure?

I just got a parish survey from my sponsoring parish, with a note from... someone whose name I can't really read, maybe the chair of long-range planning? which thanks me for responding. I had already decided not to do so, since most of the questions don't really apply to me:

*How many of your five closest friends are members of St. Paul's? Well, none of them, but that's to be expected when I haven't attended regularly for the past 8 years.

*Please indicate the primary reasons you attend St. Paul's. I don't.

Etc.

But now I feel like I ought to do the survey, since I've been personally asked to, so I guess I'll just skip some of the questions....

My Aristocratic Title

Via Tripp

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Grand Duchess Beth the Flavoursome of Giggleswich Lanken Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

Note to self

Even when typing quickly, "purity" and "putridity" should not be confused.

Meme? Meme? Ok!

Go to your music player of choice and put it on shuffle. Say the following questions aloud, and press play. Use the song title as the answer to the question. NO CHEATING

How does the world see you?
"Silence on the Line" - Chris LeDoux

Will I have a happy life?
"Moment of Forgiveness" - Indigo Girls (Is that a yes or a no?)

What do my friends really think of me?
"Good King Wenceslas" - Church of the Ascension (um?)

How can I make myself happy?
"Strange Fire" - Indigo Girls

What should I do with my life?
"At the Zoo" - Simon & Garfunkel (well, that's a no-brainer. few places more zooey than the church)

Will I ever have children?
"Someday" - Flipsyde (Does that mean "someday, on the flip side?" I'm hoping for someday this side of death....)

What is some good advice for me?
"Mr. Zebra" - Tori Amos (Does that mean that I should be taking acid?)

How will I be remembered?
"The Gathering Storm" - Children of Eden (oh, dear)

What is my signature dancing song?
"Alive" - Jekyll & Hyde (I hope not!)

What do I think my current theme song is?
"Yes It Is" - The Beatles

What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
"A Medley: For Sentimental Reasons, Tenderly, Autumn Leaves" - Natalie Cole (If this is true, y'all, explain)

What song will play at my funeral?
"Freedom Medley" - Peter, Paul, & Mary

What is my day going to be like?
"How Can I Keep From Singing?/Hallelujah, the Great Storm is Over" - Peter, Paul, & Mary (Can I call that one in tomorrow? that wasn't my experience of today, though I suppose the day isn't over.)

and one more question from Ice Floe:
Should I publish this meme?
"To Zion" - Lauryn Hill (I'll take that as a yes...)

Addicted? Us?

Thanks to Barnes & Noble's current 2-for-1 TV box sets sale, our suite has drastically increased our stash. Kay acquired seasons 2 and 6 of Gilmore Girls, completing her set of the series (so far as it's been released.) Jenny Jo acquired season 3 of West Wing, completing her set. And I acquired seasons 5, 6, and 7 of West Wing, completing my set. We're now prepared both to supply our own addictions and feed the rest of the campus's - indeed, my new season 7 has already left the premises, so that Les and Kristin can finish watching the show and join Jenny Jo and me in mourning and overanalyzing. Hooray!

If I had a hammer...

... I'd hit construction workers over the head with it. Except not really, because I don't do that, and they're often wearing hard hats anyway, though probably not the guys who are up here now.

But it's 8:20, and I have yet to get access to my bathroom this morning. I got up and Roommate 1 was in there; then she came out but the Construction Men came up into our hallway, so I decided to dress first instead of going out in my pajamas; then as soon as I was dressed, Roommate 2 got in the shower. I am hoping that she's a very quick showerer, but I suspect I will not get access before Morning Prayer starts at 8:30. I'm not opposed to using one elsewhere in the building, but that one won't have my toothbrush and toothpaste in it.

I am trying to remember that I am glad the construction workers weren't fixing these fire alarms during GOE's, rather than getting angry that they had to start doing so at 7:30 this morning.

Fifty Things

From Hugo Schwyzer.

1. When you looked at yourself in the mirror today, what was the first thing you thought? That's not too bad.

2. How much cash do you have on you? On me, personally? None. It's in my purse.

3. What’s a word that rhymes with “DOOR?” Boor.

4. Favorite planet? Earth is a pretty nice one.

5. Who is the 4th person on your missed call list on your cell phone? My assistant director for camp this summer.

6. What is your favorite ring tone on your phone? Pier Gynt.

7. Do you “label” yourself? Yes. I think words are helpful that way.

8. What shirt are you wearing? A gray stretch long-sleeved tee with a slight v-neck, over which I can wear my Ohio State fleece vest.

9. Name the brand of the shoes you’re currently wearing? Socks.

10. Bright or dark room? Sort of dark-ish.

11. What do you think about the person who took this survey before you? Articulate, interesting, and helpful.

12. What does your watch look like? Two-tone gold, small, with an oval face. Guess.

13. What were you doing at midnight last night? Sleeping.

14. What did your last text message you received on your cell say? "Hope all is going well. good luck. ring if u need something" - from the first day of exams

15. Where is your nearest 7-11? Probably Dempster and Dodge.

16. What’s a word that you say a lot? Indeed.

17. Who told you he/she loved you last? My mom.

18. Last furry thing you touched? Hmm... probably Howie or Tar, coming home from lunch on Saturday.

19. How many drugs have you done in the last three days? Um. I've had a couple glasses of wine... but I think that's it.

20. How many rolls of film do you need developed? One, and it's old and of dubious quality.

21. Favorite age you have been so far? Hmm. I liked the roundness of 25, and it was a pretty good year overall... I'm fairly certain that 3 was excellent... 19 was pretty damn good, actually, as was 22.

22. Your worst enemy? Dunno. I don't really think in terms of enemies.

23. What is your current desktop picture? A collage of Ohio State stuff.

24. What was the last thing you said to someone? "Indeed. I say indeed a lot."

25. If you had to choose between a million bucks or to be able to fly what would it be? Flying. No question.

26. Do you like someone? ? Like, have a crush on someone? Does Keira Knightley count?

27. The last song you listened to? The last one I can identify was Great Big Sea, "Lukey"

28. What time of day were you born? 6:09 pm, EDT

29. What’s your favorite number? 16

30. Where did you live in 1987? Berea, OH

31. Are you jealous of anyone? Of course.

32. Is anyone jealous of you? I'm told so, but I imagine they're few and far between.

33. Where were you when 9/11 happened? I walked into the Smith Center in Hamburg just as the second plane was hitting the tower.

34. What do you do when vending machines steal your money? Tell the nearest person that the vending machine is stupid. Scowl.

35. What’s your life motto? Ummm. Don't know as I have one.

36. Are you touchy feely? Preferably, but I restrain myself a lot - people tend to misinterpret touchy feely a lot when it's coming from a single woman.

37. Name three things that you have on you at all times. College ring, glasses, nose ring.

38. What’s your favorite town/city? Hmm. I've come to love every place I've ever lived. For eats, I love Northampton; for roots and nostalgia and opportunities, Cleveland area; for fun, Evanston/Chicago.

39. What was the last thing you paid for with cash? Charging my transit card yesterday. Someday, they'll realize I'm not lying about my zip code and let me have the permanent kind....

40. Can you change the oil on a car? Like Hugo's, my ability to take my car in for an oil change is impressive.

41. Your first love: what is the last thing you heard about him/her? "Teaching too much"

42. How far back do you know about your ancestry? Umm... around the beginning of the 17th century on both sides, I think.

43. The last time you dressed fancy, what did you wear and why did you dress fancy? Depends on how fancy... the last time I dressed really fancy was the black silk dress I wore for Matriculation banquet in October.

44. Does anything hurt on your body right now? Right hip, back, neck, left jaw. The life of a former dancer and current student... also I just bit the inside of my cheek.

45. Have you been burned by love? Yes indeed.

46. What living person whom you’ve never met do you most admire? Madeleine L'Engle, maybe.

47. What character trait would you most like to rid yourself of this year? Arrogance.

48. What one human flaw would you eradicate if you could? Cruelty

49. Where was your first kiss? My parents' front stoop.

50. What actor/actress do you most resemble? I don't, really... though sometimes when I look at myself in my pajamas without my glasses, I look a little like the actress that played the fiancee in 13 Going On Thirty. But I think it's mostly the pajamas and the hair. Also I've been told Jennifer Westfeldt, a little, but I think that's not so much physical appearance either.

Brain dead

How done is Beth?

So done!

So done, yes, that I'm thinking on the level of a 2-year-old. Not really sure how coherent that last answer was, but it's printed and turned in now.

Pre-test test

Find your own pose!

Some of you will not be surprised to hear that question three, about the animals, freaked me out... but otherwise it's a pretty decent quiz.

Soon, soon

It's come to my attention that not only does this blog still have readers, said readers actually prefer that I post. I apologize for my silence of late, and I will aim to fill these windows more often in the coming weeks, as I start my full-time field education here. For the next week, though, I'm likely to continue in absentee mode, because I'll be busy taking the General Ordination Exams. (Church-geeky readers who want to see the exam schedule may go here.) Prayers and good-wishes for all those taking the exam around the country are welcome. After exams are over, though, I'll try to do better about posting.