shards!

it's the time of the week to unload all the little things that aren't blog-filling on their own.  but here, the whole is definitely greater than its parts.  friday fragments, from half-past kissin' time!  (click on over there to link up and join in, if you aren't already a part of the movement.  we're taking over the world!  or at least the blogosphere...)

~ the title of this post is actually one of my favourite curse words (mild one, of course) from one of my favourite series of books-- the pern novels, by the late anne mccaffrey.  some of them are better than others, and they go on for ever and ever, but i love the characters.  and the language.  and the dragons.  obviously.

~ the iron in my hotel room doesn't work.  at least, i thought it didn't work.  turns out, the dial is just wonky.  when it's pointed to 'rayon', it's off.  when it's pointed to 'acrylic', it's on high.  and unless it's on high, any water in the steam chamber just streams out of the holes.  not very nice.  i figured it out in the end, at least.

~ why, oh why am i such a procrastinator?!  i wanted to go on an adventure today, since it's my last full day on my sorta-close-to-the-beach holiday.  but no.  i have an application due on monday, and i have to finish my cv, my personal statement, request my transcripts, and ask people to write letters of recommendation.  luckily those last two don't actually have to arrive by monday.  i don't think.

~ i don't even really want that job.  i just feel like i have to apply.  is it wrong to hope i get offered it, and get offered something i want more so i can turn it down?  i'd much prefer that to not being offered it.  i get that way too much these days as it is.

~ i gave up talking about people in negative ways for lent.  on the third day, this is already proving to be harder than i thought.  i'm not so good at keeping my mouth shut.  i'm also not sure that i'm willing to include this blog in that... what else would i talk about here?  a girl has to vent, right?

~ i know it's a security issue, and i'm not an idiot, but i wish the windows in my hotel room could be opened.  it's been absolutely gorgeous out, but i've had to sit inside and not experience it, because i'm tied to my laptop for getting all this job application stuff done.  at least i would have liked to enjoy the breeze, the smell of the storm, all that good stuff.  but nooooo.  stupid security.

~ honestly, wendy's-- if it's not chocolate, it's not a frosty.  full stop.  stop asking me what flavour i want when i order a frosty.

~ you know those thingys that you use to poke the little triangle holes in the can of hershey's syrup or sweetened condensed milk?  what are those called?  they aren't really can openers, or bottle openeres.  they're more like hole-pokers.  and they do not work very well for opening a can of tuna.  did that yesterday.  or rather, mangled that yesterday.

~ i really like doing daily pages over at 750words.  i already keep a *real* journal, but doing this first thing in the morning helps me get my brain going and stuff.  and you get badges for being awesome and writing and stuff.  you should check it out.  you might love it, too.

~ that's all i have for now, i think.  i need to get to working on my stupid application stuff.  the quicker i get some of that done, the quicker i can spend friday night at the beach!  happy friday, y'all.

hotel complaints

largely, this place is okay. but i can always complain...

the curtains, for instance, don't actually come all the way to the bottom of the window.  so the parking lot lighting, the walkway illumination, the sun--everying comes right in and makes itself at home.  especially where it bounces off the top of the shiny a/c unit.

the good room i was first given (bigger, with better stuff in it, like a full size fridge!) didn't get wi-fi.  if i stood right outside the door, i could pick up one bar.  once inside, nada.  the crappier room has good wi-fi, though, so i took it. 

having an 'efficiency' suite with a microwave so small even a tv dinner only fits in on an angle is less than helpful.  same with having a fridge that has not a single bit of freezer space.  even my dorm fridge was better than that! 

all the supplied glasses are juice size.  really?  i have to refill them constantly. 

housekeeping shortsheeted the bed.  i had to practically remake it to get the sheet and blanket to come up even to my chin.  that's just too much work when you arrive already tired and ready for sleep.

the fitness centre windows open out on to the parking lot and main road-- a major us highway.  not really very encouraging me to go and use the elliptical with all the world watching me. 

the staff and other guests apparently think it's okay to stand on the walkways outside the rooms and yell to each other across the parking lot, pool area, etc.  even early in the morning or late at night.  really?  because we all want to hear your conversation.  yeah, right. 

because the shower curtain is on one of those bowed out rails, to give the illusion of more space in the tub, it means there is actually a pretty big gap.  either i flood the floor on one side, or the other-- there is no way of covering both sides.  either get a straight rod, or buy a bigger curtain, people. 

they gave me two little bottles of washing up liquid, but no dishcloth or sponge or anything.  i'm using a spare washcloth.  similarly, there is no drying rack or tea towel-- i end up stacking the wet dishes on the edge of the counter til i have them all washed, then dry them with an extra hand towel.  *sigh*

that's all  i can thin of just now.  there might be more later. 

that's just rude pool behaviour

for instance:  taking up two seats when the rest of the seating area is full and someone is standing there looking for a seat is just rude.  you don't need to have your stuff on one that someone else's bum could be on.

why sit on the only steps in and out of the hot tub, when there are both people in it who will want out, and people out of it who want in?  then we have to just scramble around, and that's not nice.  and in my case, not pretty-- my fat rolls and other larger-ness was on way too much display, thankyouverymuch.

plus, ordering pizza for delivery at a full pool is not kind.  unless you share, which they didn't.

also, you simply should not cannonball into a small pool when you are a very large man and there are people sitting around reading in the tiny area full of chaises.  they obviously didn't want to get their bodies or their books soaked, you jerk.

ah, holidays.  gotta love 'em.  pffft. 

fragmented

every week mrs4444 hosts 'friday fragments' over on half-past kissin' time.  this week, i'm joining in (a day late, naturally). 

~ i hate wet peanut butter.  just lick the knife before you leave it in the sink. otherwise it gets all white and... ugh.  gross.

~ i can't find the first book (uk version) of my harry potter series.  all the others were packed together, and my list says that one was with them. but it's not.  where in the hell is it?!

~ sometimes i can't help myself;  i just have to say it:  i love u2.  seriously.

~ i am already tired of all the hoopla that surrounds every election we have these days.  it's not even the politicians themselves (though i'm less than impressed with any of the potential choices on any side, thus far).  it's all the people who get so self-righteous, so condescending, so hateful to anyone who doesn't agree with them.  that's the point of having a democracy-- not everyone has to agree on every single issue.  we all get a say, and we all are allowed our opinions.  that does not make yours any more valid than mine, thankyouverymuch.  so shut up already, jerk.

~ the scent of white rain unscented hairspray takes me back to jr. high summer church camp.  but i've always thought it odd that things are called 'unscented' when they obviously have a scent. 

~ why in the world would someone hire a profession to do something, and then not let them do it?!  there's probably a post on that alone, coming soon...

~ i am so annoyed that the only rbs six nations rugby match to be shown by bbc america this weekend was postponed due to bad weather in france.  actually, i'm not annoyed about the weather; they can't help that.  i'm annoyed that it too bbcam a good half an hour to mention anything about it.  i spent that time wondering why in the world they were still showing reruns of 'top gear'. 

~ i think that's all i've got for now. 

wait... you're quitting?!

i am a scotland rugby fan, in good times or bad (which, to be fair, there are far more of the latter). 

we played the auld enemy on saturday in the six nations tournament.  we should have won.  instead, we gave the game away.  it was quite sad to watch.  moments of sheer brilliance followed by moments of utter incompetence.  england didn't win;  we lost.  simple as. 

the biggest blow, sure, was probably the try scored thanks to a botched clearing kick (i'm not naming any names here...).  that was five points, gifted away (not to mention the following conversion).  honestly, yes.  that was bad. 

but that was not, by a long shot, the only problem with our game.  we couldn't hold on to the ball.  we gave away silly penalties.  we simply did not capitalise on our (very good) opportunities.  in the end, i wasn't even all that bothered by the loss (not like in the world cup) because we did it to ourselves. 

it wasn't just the fault of one person, no matter how rough a game he had. 

you wouldn't know that from the reaction of fans, who reportedly were so bad that said player had to have a police escort in order to safely leave murrayfield.  and on social media right across the board, so-called fans have been calling for his head-- for him to resign, be fired, or (in some extreme cases) be executed. 

i mean, really, people.  what good is it to blame one person who had a spectacularly bad day, to be sure, when there were another fourteen people on the pitch who did not do much to contribute to a win, to be fair?  it is a team sport, and the team let the nation down-- not just that one man.  but we have to have a scapegoat, don't we?  we always have to look for someone to blame.  yes, it was a devastating loss considering we had every reason to expect to win... but you can't blame one man.  not for the entire thing, anyway. especially when he has also done a lot of good for our side, bringing us points (and occasionally even winning points) and winning man of the match more times than any other current player.  hold him accountable for his mistakes of saturday, of course-- but don't lay the entire fault on him.  it wasn't all him. 

i've been bothered by the responses of *fans* to this.  i have not heard such horrible things said about one man in my time of following scottish rugby (which, granted, has only been a few years now).  i've been really disappointed by that, to be honest.  bad form, scottish nation! 

and today, what is the first thing i see when i get online?  headlines all over my homepage, that said player has announced his retirement from international rugby, effective immediately.  in other words, he quit. 

quit?!  really?!?

unbelievable.  yes, you had a bad game.  yes, the fans are very vocal in their (let's call it what it is) fury and hatred.  but this does not sound like a reasoned and well-thought out response.  this sounds like a gut-reaction from a coward.  i do not think you are a coward;  why are you acting like one?  to quit after the first game in a six-game tournament, because you had a (really, really) bad match?  to leave your team like that?  sure, maybe you shouldn't start the next week.  and no one would blame you if you retired at the end of the six nations.  but... to just up and desert like this? 

no.  i'm even more unhappy about this than i was about the result on saturday.  this is just not on, sir.  bad form! 

but that's not what the rule says

so i'm watching this show called dancing on ice.  it's one of those 'pair a celebrity with a professional and make them compete against a bunch of other celebrities, getting scored by judges who may or may not know what they are talking about, and let the public decides who goes or stays,' and is, you probably figured out, based around ice dancing.  i have generally enjoyed it in the past, but i'm not so thrilled with some of the format changes that have been made recently.  that's neither here nor there for the point of this post, however. 

it goes like this, usually:  each couple skates.  the judges score them.  the public votes.  the two couples with the lowest public votes have to skate again.  the judges decide between them who goes and who stays.  the rule in the skate-off is this:  previous performances are forgotten;  skaters are judged solely on the skate-off itself.  solely. on. the skate-off. 

except this past week, that didn't seem to happen.  and it really made me angry, despite the fact that the celeb who got booted out was, actually, the worst skater so far in the competition.

he hadn't really put in the hours to even work on his basic skating skills, and was pretty wobbly on his feet compared to everyone else.  he also hadn't done very much to endear himself to the voting public, coming off as a bit of a whiner, and arrogant to boot.  undeservedly arrogant, on this show, anyway.  so it wasn't surprising he was in the skate-off;  it was surprising it had taken a few weeks for him to end up there.  i was sure, before they skated, that he'd be going home.  if he didn't get saved by the public, there was no way he was going to be staying.  that's what i thought. 

and then, they skated.  he's not the best skater, as i've said, but he skated his routine even better than he had in the first show-- no wobbles, hit all his (limited) tricks, really sold it.  i was impressed.  still, the other woman up against him was a far better skater.  i was happy for him that he would, at least, go out with a good performance. 

and then she skated.  and messed it up.  she didn't fall, but she wobbled--a lot-- and missed her steps--a lot-- and just generally made a hash of it.  i think everyone was surprised, and the coaches and hosts and all (i think) thought she had just blown her own chances of staying in-- because you are judged solely on that performance.  and although she's the better skater over-all, she did not put in the better performance just then. 

so they go to the judges, and only one of them (the head judge, who actually does know what he's talking about) saved him.  the other two?  obviously were not judging on the performance just given but on the overall potential and talent of the skaters.  WHICH IS NOT THE RULE.

i was furious.  i didn't want him to stay in before that, because he's not that good and he's a bit annoying-- but after their skate-off performances, he DESERVED to stay in.  because he pulled it out, and she didn't. 

what's the point of having rules if you are just going to vote for who you like?  i used to think this way of doing it, to let the judges have the final say on who went home and who stayed in, was more fair than leaving it up to the public.  now?  obviously i was wrong about that. 

They Are... The Most Interesting Couple Alive

or so they obviously think. 

i went with a friend (whose husband is out of town) to a wine and snacks get-together with a new couple in her neighbourhood.  actually, it's the woman who lives in the neighbourhood.  the man lives elsewhere.  but that's another story.  or, actually, part of this story, but that comes later.

anyway.  it was my friend c, me, and this couple.  they were nice, and served all the wine we could drink (i only had two glasses, though they gladly would have kept pouring me more), and we were there til nearly one a.m. 

mostly because they just never. stopped. talking.  about themselves.  constantly. 

it was quite funny to me, to be honest.  i mean, i know i've done some cool and impressive things--i've lived great places, holidayed in amazing global spots, achieved academic success and rankings, all kinds of interesting stuff.  but i don't think i'm all that cool.  i've had some cool experiences, and i've loved them.  but it doesn't make me any more or less interesting than other people.  well, maybe a little more than some people, but not just by default.  everyone has interesting things they've done, and everyone has entertaining stories to tell, and everyone has something to contribute to a conversation. 

not with this couple, though.  they are the coolest people they've ever met, and no matter what else you might have done, it's only interesting to them for about three mintues.  after that, it's back to them.  because they are...the coolest people alive.  ever.  and they want to make sure that you hear all about every thing they've ever done or thought.  repeatedly. 


for instance.  'when we lived in chicago'... 'when we visited bermuda'... 'when we went to her high school reunion'... 'when we were so drunk we'... on. and on. and on. 

they've been dating for more than a decade.  years.  that's a pretty long time.  'it's either the best one-night stand, or the worst one-night stand, depending on your perspective,' she says, 'because it just keeps going, forever.'  honestly?  that just doesn't make sense to me.  at some point, you either say 'let's spend our lives together' and move in or get married (i personally lean toward the latter, but i respect that some people do not) or you say 'this has been fun, but...'   apparently, fun is enough for them.  they both own their own homes, and have no intention of moving in together.  they move where the other moves, as far as jobs allow (which is how they wound up here, where i am).  they consider each other's family their family (to a degree... i'm not sure he likes being grandpa to her kid's kid, because he's not that old, really).  they do pretty much everything together.  except make any kind of commitment.  i honestly just don't get it.  but they think that's part of what makes them so cool. 

that, and they drink like fishes, even at ages where drinking like a college student is no longer all that attractive (if it ever is, to be fair).  they have more stories about dumb things they've done under the influence than i've heard in a long time.  like driving 110 mph on the highway, but it was okay because they had a state trooper friend along.  they have nice professional jobs, and they are nice professional people-- except for the partying.  i like a drink, don't get me wrong-- but i'm not at all interested in getting drunk on a regular basis.  or ever, honestly.  apparently, though, that's another part of what makes them so cool.  

i dunno.  i liked them okay, i guess.  there wasn't anything to particularly dislike.  they weren't arrogant or rude, they were funny and friendly and all that.  it was just... i had to laugh, to myself.  my friend c got to talk more than i did, which was fine, because she's the one who met them and got the invite.  i was her plus one, since her husband wasn't in town.  but still.  even she didn't get to speak much.  because they find themselves too terribly amazing.  i think i spoke for all of ten minutes total the whole night, which lasted about five hours.  that's got to be some kind of record for me. 

i'm all for good self-esteem and loving your life.  but i'm also for getting to know other people and sharing your lives together.  apparently for them, that means other people listening to them share. 

at least there was wine.