PR ep. 2 and 3

I am getting slammed by the last essays of the season in fifty minutes, so here goes:
Pushing Daisies at nine...totally acceptable when it is preceded by Dr. Seuss. All became clear when I flipped over to see what was going on. Now, I know Pushing Daisies can be uneven, but as so many have said about other shows, I feel that its unevenness is still better than almost any other TV on right now. Seems like it's returning to its regular time in two weeks, which is a great relief.

PR...During PD commericals, I checked in on the last PR episode...not enough to see all the outfits on the runway, but at least some of their composition. I didn't love any of the outfits either, as Carrie posted in her previous comment. Some of them really seemed to catch the Bitten idea, though, which is good. Like Carrie, I also favored Ricky's dress. But I thought the judges made the right decision on who to cut.

This week's decisions disappointed me. Well, I don't know about the loser. Not finishing a shirt is a pretty big problem, so Carmen's auf was justified. But I was REALLY hoping Kit would win. I thought her fleece jacket would look awesome on Tiki Barber. It would be very flattering with his shoulders and neck. For once I didn't hate Christian's look this week, though I didn't think it would look as good on Tiki as Kit's. Steven's look was also interesting, with what looked like an ascot. People on the "rate it" thing don't seem to like it, but I thought it was pretty. Jack's outfit, while reasonably complete, was sort of boring. I'm sure I've seen shirts with bias-cut placards and what not, and I honestly didn't know why the judges loved that so much.
I am getting a better feel for personalities at this point; Kit is sort of in the lead for me. I think Jack and Chris seem nice, but I don't really find them engaging. Also, I may be talking out of turn here, but the lisping going on with so many designers is ridiculous. Has anyone else noticed this? I can handle such a thing in small quantities, (people have mentioned Tim Gunnn's slight lisp in other blogs) but SO much of it is driving me nuts. I don't associate it with gayness, as some do, because there are numerous ways in which such a thing could be picked up; people sometimes say that it results from being around girls so much, but girls don't talk like that! At least, not the ones I hang with. It really does make me want to cry hearing it so constantly. I've belabored the point enough.

So. Hardest challenge ever, I think, but also a lot of unnecessary whinging going on. I am getting a little tired of, "Everyone, I have a special guest..." and so on, and I hope that the celebrity drop-ins die down. That's just not my thing. I know SJP is a big fan of the show and all, and that's cool, but enough is enough.
Right, essays in the house. Rock it.

Wednesday Mix-It-Up

Maggie said something in her last post about canvas grocery bags, which reminded me I forgot to mention that I bought five of Meijer's blue canvas grocery bags, which henceforth will live in my trunk and be brought out for my shopping. They are extremely roomy and seem stain-resistant, unlike normal canvas. I am most excited about them.
One of my goals when I went home was to buy a black dance sweater just like the one I have in blue, which I got as a present many years ago, probably from Dance Distributors. I intended to purchase said article at Bottoms Up, a lingerie-dancewear store. Alas, no sweaters they had were long enough to cover my hips and rump like my blue sweater, so I had to console myself with pretty new warm-up pants. I almost consoled myself with these, in black, which would have been on sale, but the only pair they had left were 8s.
The good news is that the heels I ordered from LaRedoute,which were on backorder and thus which I was unsure of receiving, shipped, so they will be in my loving arms in a matter of days.
Yesterday, a student told me I was the best English teacher she'd ever had, that she wasn't scared of writing anymore, and that she found herself teaching others what she learned in our class.
I had bad dreams last night, probably due to digestion, but that pizza/wings/breadsticks/Greek salad dinner were SOOOOOOO good.
I finally finished putting away clothes! You can see my dresser and my floor now! (mostly).
Sadly, I am an idiot--or Time Warner is a jerk. I got Pushing Daisies all right, but stupid me forgot that stupid Bravo changed from channel 74 to 30 so I got an hour of static instead of Project Runway. The rerun is on tonight, of course, but for unfathomable (to me) reasons, Pushing Daisies is on at 9. If it stays there, that's going to put my Pushing Daisies-Ghosthunters-Project Runway watching into a tizzy. Also, despite the TV Week's claim that Supernatural would be on, Hilary Duff was instead, so in effect I got 1 out of 3 shows I tried to record. Someone please tell me Ghosthunters was a rerun or I'm really going to be mad that I didn't record it.
Anyway, my nose is running, I'm eating leftover pizza, there's hockey this weekend, and I'm going to read A Christmas Carol before I get slammed with essays tomorrow.
And possibly kill some fruit flies.

Weird things I'm grateful for

Obviously, given the awesomeness that is my family, my home home, and even my apartments home, among other things, I have a lot to be grateful for. But sometimes it's good to be grateful for the little or odd things in life, too, to give them some appreciation. Here are five of mine:
1. Peripheral Vision. I spent most of my child and teenagerhood in spectacles, and every once in a while, driving down the road with my contacts in, I experience afresh the miracle that is clear peripheral vision, being able to see shapes and colors out of the corner of my eye.
2. Strawberry Frosted Mini-Wheats. Honestly, I don't know what I did before these were in my life. And if you want to know whether I trail-mix these, some Cheerios, some honey-roasted peanuts, some Craisins, and maybe some chocolate chips in a bowl and read literature in the Harry Potter region, wrapped in blankets, when I feel like being snuggly and warm, well...yes.
3. A Christmas Carol, re: Scrooge's House: "it must have run there when it was a young house, playing at hide-and-seek with other houses, and forgot the way out again."
4. Chessie Cars
5. Driving along, listening to "Harvest Moon" and then passing a sign for the Harvest Moon Cafe.

From the Department of Awesome

Over the speakers of Munn Arena several times during the hockey game (and, as I hear tell, Spartan Stadium, and probably the Breslin during their respective games):
"SPARTANS! WHAT IS YOUR PROFESSION?"
The crowd: HA-OOH! HA-OOH! HA-OOH!

As Carrie points out, how can there be any doubt on who the best mascot ever is? Especially one that was, while skating during the break, grousing and pointing at either a: a kid in a Minnesota jersey, or b: my mother and me, trying to take a picture of him with her phone instead of showing proper spirit. We don't know how much MSU paid for licensing on that tidbit, but we like it. We like it a lot.
GO STATE!

PR the first

I've been gently reminded that I neglected to do a Project Runway blog last week, and here it is already next Thursday and, since I had to record it this week, I figured I better get it out of the way now.
I liked the winning dress; it was my favorite (the picture on the website is totally not representative of the color, which made my reviewing a little confusing). Onscreen, the subtle gray was beautiful and I think was a particularly good choice for running across a lawn and grabbing something...it seemed like the kind of fabric that might be overlooked. I was also extremely attracted to the bottom of that deep purple charmeuse or satin dress...it was an incredibly rich color and moved like water. Finally, as simple as it was I would totally wear Steven's outfit. I wouldn't be caught dead in Christian's, but I also can't stand him. I call attention to him here only because the judges liked his piece. The ones they called out for being bad were for the most part on.
What I didn't like was, really, any of the designers' personalities. I realize it's a little early to judge, but these people so far all seem intensely prickly and grating in their own ways. I couldn't pick someone to champion, which I can usually do early, as with, say, Alison. Now, obviously we haven't seen much of anybody, but there just doesn't seem to be anyone NORMAL that the everyday girl can get behind. I'm hoping that someone emerges as my favorite soon because otherwise I'll be so turned off by everybody that I'll just turn the volume off when I watch. Obviously, that's not much fun.

Here's to another ring on the tree of my life.

Another birthday come and gone.
It was a unique and busy birthday experience. Here's the rundown:
12ish to 2:30ish: Dancing in the ice arena and refolding everything in my dance bag.
2:30 to 3:30: Library, checking mail, a huge number of facebook messages, and opening a couple of birthday cards.
3:30 to 5: Faculty meeting
5 to 5:45: Journey to Poco Piatti to pick up my carryout dinner (lamb chops, green beans, cheese and olive plate, pumpkin gnocchi)
6 to 6:30: Try to eat dinner and open presents at the same time. Fail. Get through a bit of dinner and a few presents.
6:30 to 9:30: Ice arena, Hockey game. Watch BG beat Northern Michigan. 2 out of 3 of my past and present students played. Go Brian and David!
9:30-???: Cosmic bowling. Glow in the dark. Drink Bud Light, as tradition demands. Lose spectacularly (69 and 74 were my scores), mostly because laughing so hard.
??? to 1:30: Go to Steve and Liss's, eat delicious apple cake made by Carrie. Almost play new Cranium, but instead argue about who is the better actor, Damon or Depp...or something like that.
Sleep
Saturday, I squeezed in grading, stopping by the big Thanksgiving/football extravaganza to coo at babies and Michigan State, stopping at school, getting groceries, opening the rest of my presents, and then zooming back to campus for the hockey game (BG lost, sadly, and only one of my past students played...but Go Tommy anyway). Then more grading.

Sunday settled down, but I have to say, I'm still pretty exhausted. I did manage to get through all my grading, in time to watch The Village last night and take a bath.

Thanks everybody for helping make my birthday awesome, and making me laugh (which I sorely needed) and for fun presents and cake, and for being my friends!

Best Laid Plans

Have you ever just evaluated your plans or success at meeting them on a day-to-day basis?

Despite the simplicity of my plans yesterday, I actually only did laundry and graded homework...and I barely did that, since it was thunderstorming and I, much like my friend Stirfry, was hiding in a dark and cozy space (ie a blanket). Eventually, it got done, and that was about it. I didn't even put it away, since I need to winterfy my closet.

Actually, this isn't quite true, since I only said I was going to rent Muppets, and that I did. Didn't watch it, just rented it. No Muppet Babies, though, which was a shame.

Tonight, I plan to watch House, and possibly Muppets. And try to figure out something to eat. And do my closet and drawers.

P.S. Supernatural last week? Hilarious.

Day off = day off for once

Right on.
So...it's been a busy weekend in avaciousland. Winter Wheat has come and gone for another year, and I am pleased to note I got a few interesting poems and poem beginnings out, including a couple about the behavior or cicada killers, and for once I got to attend almost all the workshops aside from when I was teaching. I also got to spend two hours in my car with a good friend of mine from grad school, talking about deep ideas and experiences, which fed my poetry soul. I also got all my drafts and revision done and now have only to apply myself to the stack of homework I've been ignoring for a month. I am awesome.
I am celebrating Vets' day today by doing laundry, getting groceries, and renting some dvds of the Muppet Show and, if I can find some, Muppet Babies. Why? I'm not sure, but Muppet Babies in particular has been on my mind lately. And given my upcoming Natal Celebration Day, I figure it might be nice to remember this happy piece of my childhood. I want to giggle a little. I believe I shall also have a bath.
I am also excited that I got to sleep in today, and when I say sleep in, I mean wake up several times, realize I have nothing important to do, and deliciously drift back into a drowsy haze. It could only have been better if I had good dreams, but I really don't remember any. Maybe something about zombies. Not like yesterday morning when I had a really kind of romantic dream with somebody handsome, although the beeping of my phone telling me I had missed a call at 7 am was sort of intrusive. I mean, who calls me at 7 am? Was it YOU?
Anyway, more on my birthday plans later in the week, because I know you want to know all about my exciting day. I'll give you a hint...it includes hockey.

Thursday Wrap-Up

Yes, I am still alive.
Yes, I have a tremendous headache.
Yes, I have been reading too many essays too fast, in an effort to get rid of them before the bulk of Winter Wheat.
Yes, I was sad that Pushing Daisies was not on last night, because I'd done so much work I was actually contemplating a two-hour break for PD and Ghosthunters. As it is, there was only Ghosthunters to interest me, and to be honest it wasn't as interesting as I'd hoped.
Yes, I have to record Supernatural tonight and watch it...I don't know, sometime.
Yes, I'm actually going to try to be done with all the rough drafts currently in my possession by the time Winter Wheat festivities start at 1 pm tomorrow. Revisions can just sit there until Sundayish, because I hate doing them.
Yes, I need a hug. And clean socks. Without holes in them.
Yes, plans for my birthday are bigtime in the works. I plan to be selfish. And go to hockey games. My Princess Sparkle T-shirt is ready to party.

Hockey weekend

To bring you up to speed, the Falcons won both of their games this weekend, both in overtime. Friday they were at Western, so I had to listen on the radio; this is very frustrating, of course, but I snuggled up on my couch and ate some dinner to try to chill out and keep the nerves down.
The game was a battle from behind as BG tied it up twice, and then my current student scored the gamewinner in OT, which was exciting. On the whole, it sounded like BG was playing well in general, getting lots of shots off, just not getting them in the net, and power plays weren't going well, as usual. But then, when the Broncos got a penalty in OT, you could just feel it--BG was going to make them pay for it.
Saturday night here in BG the Falcons scored 4 in the first two periods, before the Broncos, in the third period, got going and tied it up too fast. BG is struggling around minutes 30 to 50, in several games so far, but they did get their energy back, and then took it into OT. They wanted that game, and if you'd seen one of the Falcons literally jump over a Bronco to get to the puck, then you'd know what I mean. I have to say, it was extremely satisfying watching our guys get some pucks in the net, and some on very clean and speedy plays, when everything comes together at the same time.
Disciplinewise, Friday night was better, because the Falcons let the Broncos' inclination to get scrappy take them into the box. Saturday night, the Falcons got angry too many times. At one point, five of ours and four of theirs were in the box, which is as full as I've ever seen boxes anywhere. To some degree, you do have to assert yourself, but it was better Friday when BG drew Western into penalties. A couple of 5 on 3s hurt us, and even when it's 4 on 4 we come off worse. A couple of our penalties were definitely unfair, though, for instance one that resulted from one of our guys getting straight up whacked with a stick after the whistle; he didn't retaliate at all, but the ref seemed to think he did, which led to a 4 on 4.
Anyway, it was good to be in the arena and watch the Falcons win.
On the downside, after eating too much on Friday I didn't eat enough on Saturday, and even though I had about the same amount of caffeine as normal, without the food to absorb it I was in rough shape. I nearly passed out twice when we scored. On top of this, it seems like everyone I've talked to in the last two days has looked at me like I'm crazy or like I should just stop talking. I can't figure this out and it is making my nerves very jumpy indeed.