Life updates

On another note, school wise I'll be staying right where I am now. It's tad of a let down, but I perhaps wasn't being very reasonable about my chances in the first place. I can make the school am at now work and if might just be easier to receive federal aid since its a public university.

Oddly, I'm not as upset as I thought I would be over all this. I've been so tired this week between work and insomina that I haven't had the ENGERY to be upset.

Work is going to odd though for my last two months. I'll be training my replacement. This is a rather odd thing for me as I've never had train a replacement before. I'm not even sure how to go about teaching/showing her all of the million little things you do as a assistant without thinking. Part of me wishes I was staying, but unless I want to be another three-four years on my degree I need to be able to take classes during the day.

Long weekend and lots to do. Cleaning, cleaning, laundry, and more cleaning. I also plan to finish watching The Key to Time box set(Doctor Who). Or maybe I shouldn't since upon watching the Ark in Space the other night with a friend I declared "Tom has a great bum."

All the cool kids are doing it...

Which Classic Female Literary Character Are you?

You're" Elizabeth Bennett of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen!
Take this quiz

*bangs head against the wall*

Life (and a Doctor Set of Doctor Who DVD'S) have kept me rather busy the last week or so.

Here are some updates on the life of History Geek:

• I'm really starting to re-think my University of choice. I emailed my admissions advisor on Friday letting her know that the correct transcript would be mail on Monday. Today I got a letter of rejection dated: you guessed it Monday. Shoot me.
• My boss is either evil or stupid. Or both.
• I hate the dentist. I swear I don't have any teeth without fillings now!
• I really should not be fancying Tom Baker.
• Because my mother fancies him, and I'm still creeped out over us both having a thing for Sean Connery and young Harrison Ford.
• I really didn't need to know I might have been convinced during a romantic night of Doctor Who and Masterpiece theatre. I really didn't.
• The Little Empress likes fig newtens. Is there nothing she won't steal from me and eat?

Looking up

The trouble with the grade point average has been fixed. All should be will in a few days. I over-reacted it seems. Hell, I tend to always over-reacted


In other news the interview today went very well. If all goes right in a few weeks I will have a new job!

Also is it wrong of me to want the TARDIS (Doctor Who) to land sometime in the regin of Richard II?

Zero to pissed and back again

700pm: I'm so pissed off right now I can't even see straight. I busted my ass to get a C in that damn political science class and the university is telling me oh sorry but now you can't come back to 2007.

WHAT!?!

Since when do a B and a C get you booted the hell out? This is fucking up so much stuff I can't even start. What's even better? I can't even talk to anyone over there because they've all gone home for the day.

I'm so fucked. All that work I did is for nothing because no other U is going to take me, especially not prestigious U.

*makes Hulk smash noises*

745pm: And..and...*takes deep breath*

Okay, mom made me calm down and look at it with out panicking. It seem unlike my old college (where most of my credits are at) they do not automatically replace a D or F with the grade received on repeat. You have to file a letter of intent. Of course my advisor didn't inform me of this when I told her I was repeating the class.

So tomorrow I will call them and see if they will please replace the F with the C. I've already email my advisor at prestigious U telling her that there was an error on my transcript and I'm trying to have it corrected. With all luck this is just a minor speed bump.

For your amusement

Found this over on livejournal and thought some of you would get a kick out of it.



If you mock up do we not...uhm...whisper to each other louder?

Sick day redeux

So here's hoping they call me for a formal interview in the next few days. I did pick up one of the new Doctor Who books while there. Then headed over to half-price books to turn my application in over there. I picked up a few books from the clearance bin and happened upon my prize of the day.

Riverside Chaucer 3rd edition for 14.98.

Sick Day

I'm taking a sick day. When I woke up this morning my throat felt like lava had been poured down it. While I feel better now, there was no way I was going into work today.

So I'm catching up on a ton of things that need catching up on. Laundry for one thing. I'm going to shower and get my ass over to Borders and hope I can catch the manger. If I can land a interview I know I can get the job. I'd really not have to last the summer at work. With some of the things going on I wish I could afford to just leave.

Wish me luck folks.

A very boring post

I really need to finish my K'zoo post, just not right now.

Right now, Geek is going to drink some very cheap wine with some 90sec rice while figuring out how to make up for bitching two of her co-workers out this afternoon.

I have the interview for 'perfect job' on thursday. I need to work up/update my resume before then. Sadly even if I land this job I'll have to stay on at the current job until the first of Aug.

On more pressing matters I need to deicded between re-watching Doctor Who (again), Narina, or P&P (A&E), because TV until about 10 is horrible tonight.

That damn cat

My orange tabby has decided that he wants to go outside today. Every time the front door opens, out he scoots. The last time, as he ran down the stairs to the courtyard he managed to pounce on a little bird. The poor little thing almost didn't get away as I tried to make it down the stairs in time. Luckily, for the bird anyways, there was a gutter spot near by which the little bird hide in.

My cat thought this was a horrible thing as he wanted the bird. He meorwed pitifully at me as a carried him back up stairs and into my condo. Now he's sitting on the balcony eyeing the birds in the trees. He is also pouting again.*


*He was pouting before since I spent the night at my mother's after taking her out for mother's day.

Teaching Carnival 9 and other semi related things

Teaching Carnival 9 is up over at adventures in Ethics and Science.

On a related note this week was Teacher appreciation. I've accumulated more swag than I did at Christmas. Between flowers, gift cards, a purse, cookies, cakes, and other sweets I've brought home my neighbors must be wondering about me.

Well, wondering more since I think they've been wondering since I started playing 'Billy was a mountains and Ethel was a tree growing out of his shoulder' with my balcony doors open.

Some of the before mentioned gift cards were from Borders, so I stopped by on my way home from work. Did I purchase books? Alas, no. Instead I spent seventy dollars on A&E's Pride and Prejudice and Chronicles of Narina (I almost wonder if will see any sessions on CN at K'zoo). Forty of this was covered with gift cards.

none of this as anything to do with my next statement: Applebees must suffer for turning 'Mack the Knife' into a jingle for their steaks. Their marketing department should be forced to listen to their own jingle until the end of time and/or space (which ever comes first).

Persuasion (1995)

I have such a weakness of movies based off Jane Austen books. Even if they aren't the best.

K'zoo Review Part 1

Wednesday night: I decided within minutes of dragging my bags up the hill to Valley I that next year all my stuff WILL fit into one bag! Within the first hour, I already had a list going for things to bring to better survive the dorms next year. I was much too wired to sleep so I finished Birth of Venus by Sarah Dunart* is one go.

Thursday: 8am Meant to wake up to go to breakfast, wound up walking the exhibit hall for an hour.
9am Started off towards Waldo Library for the XML workshop.
920 Still hadn't found Waldo Library.
940 Decided whoever designed the campus was a sadist with a wicked sense of humor.
950ish Found Waldo! Sadly he was more machine than man..
The first part of the workshop was good, though I wish we'd been allowed to stay and work on our exercises longer. Of course, in my brilliance I had started with the exercise for that afternoon instead of the first session. Doh!
1ish The cafeteria food was much better than expected. They also had my weakness Cherry Coke.
130: Went to a session in Valley II. My biggest lasting impression (after the chair were horrible), was that like a lot of things when marrying a heiress or widow in Richard II England it was easier to ask forgiveness than permission. Though it would be more expensive.
330: Back to Waldo for the second XML session. "Yes! What IS x-path?" I'm telling you, he had us well trained by the end. Maybe this says something about me but I would have loved for another session. Once a coder/programmer always a coder/programmer...
Blogger gathering (I sorry this still make me thing we should have had swords and uttering 'there can be only one): Loads for fun, though I wished I'd gotten their earlier and hadn't rambled on about Montessori so damn much. I can talk about other things! I swear!

Part 2 to follow...

*Which I really enjoyed though I had a few issues with it.

Lost Cat---found

My mother stopped by my condo this afternoon to pick up something. While doing so she accidentally let one of my cats out. My other cat is freaking out and I can't find my orange tabby anywhere.

I can't call in tomorrow to look for my cat can I?

Edit 11:17pm : The prodigal son has returned. The little Empress hissed at him too for making mommy worry.

Contracts and new jobs

I need to decided soon whether to sign my new contract or tell my director that no I will not be back for the fall. Granted this isn't the worst place to work, and my pay isn't the worst I've been paid, but it would take much more than they've offered me for me to stay.

I shouldn't have to fight for my overtime pay. The law says we receive time and a half, I shouldn't have to stress out over making them pay. I'm tired of being sick all the time because stay at home mothers thing I'm their nanny and sick-nurse. I think I've ranted on most of this before.

I should be able to quit with a great deal of relief. Only, I'm not twenty anymore, I'm not even twenty three. The thought of not having a job? Of having to relay just on federal aid (which I don't think I qualify for) and loans to make ends meet? Scares the fuck out of me.

Still most of this is academic until I find out if I've been accepted as a transfer. *resists biting nails*

Onto the latter part of the title. I might have a job opportunity. A very nice one. Making possible fifteen dollars an hour and only having to work two or three nights a week. They'd pay me while they trained me. We'll see how things pan our in the next few weeks.

Boggling before bed

Just two things I'm boggling over before I try to sleep (oh the pain of a insomniac).

Unfortunately, we can't tell him to listen carefully to what your teacher says and believe everything she says," he said. "That shocks me."

Two families are suing the town of Lexington, several school administrators and a teacher over the issue of parental rights and children's books about same-sex marriage
Because you know folks, if they read a book about it they'll become gay! In all seriousness, while I can understand parents wanting to be the ones to talk to their children about the issue. At the same time if they're going to be teaching hate as a society do we let them do this?

The book in question is King and King by Linda de Haan, Stern Nijland.

America may be the world's superpower, but its survival rate for newborn babies ranks near the bottom among modern nations, better only than Latvia.

US Newborn survival rate ranks low and State of the World's Mothers Report now available.

Most of the articles out there seem to focus on how bad '3rd world' survival rates are when you'd think they'd be boggling at bit more over how low the US ranks.

Still avoiding that K'zoo review

Procrastination thy name is History Geek. In my defense I have been busy with things like laundry, cleaning, and swimming.

On the latter, my condo's pool is simply smashing. The water was just the right temperature, and it's just long enough for me to do my laps. I also had it completely to myself.

In other news I'm still working on my 'write your recommendation letter from your own point of view' letter. I really don't like boasting or lauding myself to people. Also my teacher let me re-take the final, and has things would have it I took 30 seconds longer than allowed according to blackboard.

Blackboard=Evil.

I'm convinced that I should probably not be eating fish sticks with good white wine. Especially while watching BBC American's 'What not to where'. This ladies can come pay me a visit anytime.

Oh yes! It is Teacher appreciation Week*. My haul so far is as follows: two bouquets, a starbucks card, home-made chocolate chip cookies, and a pretty picture frame.


*This is also know as Guilt Trip For How Teachers Are Generally Treated Week

Not really my Kalamazoo write up

I planned to write up how 'zoo went tonight. Or at least babble on about the people I met, stumbling my way through middle-English in the midst of those with a better grasps than I, and the Malory's Le Morte Darthur reading among other things. I should also try not to giggle like a school girl over meeting Terry Jones and having my picture done with him (he really he a very gracious and kind man). Or you know I should completely 'come out' to at least one person but saying who I talked to for several hours in the airport on Sunday morning.

I do have some thoughts on the blogging round table which I really should put down on paper before I forget.

Sadly this all requires more concentration and keeping my eyes open longer than I'd like. I'm going to stumble to my bed for a few hours. Since it is Monday and I can't miss Almanac or Conquest of History-I, I will stumble back out around 10ish.

Note to self

Or else I'll forget:

There have been three King Richards of England. Two of the three were deposed by a Henry. Both Henrys engaged in a certain amount of propaganda and suppression of varying degrees.

Does the name Richard appear again as the name of a King's Son? Is this deliberate choice? Granted the heir is most often named for his father or his grandfather (and quite often it is the same name), but there is usually more than one son.

Back from the Zoo

Despite my 'minor' melt down on Friday night, K'zoo was great fun. Since I'm odd and cannot go without blogging for more than a day or so, I felt the need to post something when I arrived home.

My cats are thrilled to see me and since my mother is a saint, the cat box is clean.

I'm very glad I went to the Pseudo society last night and then to the dance. Thank you again, Owlfish for letting me have the extra seat, it was much appreciated. At the dance I meet up with some other people I'd met and had great fun drinking and talking.

I will try to write a full report along with thoughts about my first 'Zoo trip when there isn't a cat helping me type.

I think I want to go home now

Maybe I'm just crashing from having a good day. Maybe I'm over tired. Maybe I just hurt.

But I think I want to go home now.

My on-line final which I thought I'd done. Didn't go through so effectively I missed my final. It worth %10 of my grade. I've thrown myself on the mercy of my teacher.

Also, my checking account is giving me lovely red numbers. Which it shouldn't. Which there should be no way in hell that it should.

I can't go to my room since my roommate is likely already asleep and I don't think I could deal with being sniped at again just for trying to open the bathroom door.

I feel isolated, dumb, out-of-place, and all of five.

At the Zoo Zoo Zoo

The dorms are...well dorms. Next time I'm making sure I have single or know my roommate. My roommate has been asleep since 8pm. I'm not sure if I'm jealous or bitter.

The gathering was fun. Hopefuly some of us can get together before the congress is over.

Also the chairs in the Lobby of Valley One? Are very very comfey. Do you think they'd yell is I slept down here? (Kidding)

I'll try to be more coherent tomorrow or sometime before Monday.

Plus so itchy to do some xml.

Packing for K'zoo

Mostly packed for K'zoo. Though the 'how many bags' issue is kind of getting to me.

I'm a one carry on-suitcase type of girl, but there is NO way I'll be able to fit everything into my little roll on. My other 'suitcase' is a duffel on wheels. Is anyone else taking two bags, because that might be my the way I go. Really wish I'd picked up a bigger suitcase from Mom's this past weekend.

Laptop? Bring it or no? I'm attached to the hip to it, but since the computer lab is open to us I might forgo it. I would like it for the plane trip and downtime though, since I like watching movies on it (and if I bring it other-insominaics are more than welcome to come watch moviesat night).

I wish I'd thought of the travel iron while I was at Target (but since I don't even own a regular iron), along with a travel hair dryer.

I did pick a new book (as I don't have enough to read), Birth of Venus. I'm going to be totally evil and return it when I come back from the trip. My mother does this with romance novels when she travels, all the time.

Must haves that I'm taking:
Tea bags
Lipton Green tea
snacks
surge protector (really, I don't trust dorm wiring)


Any advise for the first time K'zoo go-er?

History Carnival with a side of fire and sword

History Carnival Number 30 is up over a ClioWeb.

Also we are in the longest period since 113 B.C. in which no one has crossed the Rhine with fire and sword.

This obviously needs to be remedied. I'll bring the swords, so who will bring the fire and the boat?

Somewhere a group of historians is probably planning this already. After all we've had MIT & MythBusters Take on Archimedes' "Death Ray" , Archaeologist Peter Vemming is working on a 22-ton fourteenth-century trebuchet at Warwick castle in southern England , and the 'Tree canon' myth (and all its questionable history) on mythbusters; why not this?