If you haven't heard, you need to know. http://www.holidayrecords.net

My new band will be releasing some songs through Holiday within the next couple o' months, for now listen to the Acorn Boys songs...they are dreamy.


joanna

Nothing ruins a good bowl of cereal like too much milk.

So I'm on a quest to find one person in the world who genuinely enjoys fruitcake. I am, thus far, failing miserably, which is honestly something of a relief to me.

Sometimes people should just...y'know, re-evaluate traditions and throw out the ones that are irrelevant or just plain gross...fruit cake being Exhibit A in the Just Plain Gross category. Can I get an amen?

What is it about those cookies?

You know, those hard little sugar cookies that come in those tins that everyone gets at their offices around Christmastime. Shaped like pretzels or who-knows-what else.

Why are they so good? Why are they so appealing? 

The answer, of course, is that they're neither good nor appealing, but for some reason in the right context they just hit the spot, man. I mean, right on spot-hitters.

What do you think? What is the madness that draws me to them when I'm sitting at work studying for my next class or grading papers?


joanna


 

Listen people!!!
Tomorrow night. is. the. night.
Ben Folds. 

What am I going to do? 
I am so excited.
I hope I don't get lost in DC.
The end.

Good run today. Made the next mile mark. Too slow, though...

My next big non-running goal is to finish getting all of my photos printed from the UAE. I've been slacking too much on that (well, it's going to cost roughly 387 BILLION dollars. A girl's gotta save up).

I feel really good about life right now. I sometimes trick myself into believing that I don't really need interaction with other people in order to be fulfilled... but I do. Community community community--it's good for the soul. "Happiness only real when shared" (Chris McCandless). In the end, I really think it comes down to this: it's not where but who.*


joanna

*All this, of course, coming from someone (me) who loves traveling and being alone. There's a balance to be struck somewhere here, yeah? 

Favorite Saturday morning tradition:

Up early, run, shower, breakfast + tea, This American Life.

Whew.
Just got back from running "the square". Or half of it, anyway. It's hard coming back after a month-long international trip to a country where women aren't allowed to exercise in public and then a minor injury. BUT...I know the first 9 runs are the hardest. I'll make it.

On a side note, I blush to admit that for my entire life I've thought the word exercise was spelled excercise. I only found out maybe two months ago how to actually spell it. Does this ever happen to anybody else? I've never been much of a speller, but really...this is the first time such a thing has happened to me in .............. years. And how did it go on for so long? I ask you!

Anyway. Cheers to spell check and very good runs, and hopefully to a massage tonight for my aching muscles.


joanna

"I'm not a happy man, Ender. Humanity does not ask us to be happy. It merely asks us to be brilliant on its behalf."
-Ender's Game, Orson Scott Card

I really want to start talking about how much I love Fall, but I should wait until it actually feels like Fall instead of blazing Summer. The weather gods have a sense of humor....it felt more like Autumn two weeks ago. Don't toy with my emotions, man! Don't taunt me with that promise of nip in the air only to be 80 degrees the next day. *shakes head sadly*

Anyway, I've already started knitting scarves. I just can't help myself. I have too many scarves myself so I'm making them for other people. You know, to share the autumn spirit. The autumn spirit is almost as important as the Christmas spirit.

There's so much to be excited about. Leaves changing, cardigans, scarves, bonfires, boots and leggings, which will lead to trench coats, crisp air, visible breath, Christmas trees, maybe some snow and snowmen and hot chocolate with peppermint sticks. 

Geeze, life is exciting. I don't even know what I'm going to do with myself...prematurely excited, again. Sitting here in shorts and a tank top.


joanna


 

There is a little part of me that hates holidays.


joanna

Today is full of glorious possibilities, as every Saturday rightfully is.

I think I'd like to go to North East & search for an old hardcover in one of the antique shops. Or maybe I'll go buy that Ben Folds album I've been meaning to get (seeing him live on the 9/24th--at last!). Or maybe I'll stay home and rent Into the Wild.  

Or I'll go to Borders and drink lattes and read magazines! 

Yesterday was a good day. One reason being because it was Friday, but another because it was a fun day of teaching. Art went really well, and Ez & I have been teaching ballroom dancing for phys ed lately. Fox trot and Cha-cha so far. I love teaching ballroom because I get to pick the music... there are few things I enjoy more than being able to pick the music. (I should-a been a dj.)

The sun has gracefully decided to stay behind the clouds today, so I still have time to go for a run before it gets too hot. Up and at it. Hope you all have a great day.

 
joanna

Today is field trip day! I get paid to frolic around a park with a bunch of highschoolers.

I think I like this job.


joanna

I'm a little disappointed in myself.

Specifically, my knee. I pulled a muscle a couple weeks ago and have had to stop running for a while, which makes me feel rather caged. So this morning I decided to go test the waters, as they say. I could only jog a mile before my leg hurt too much to go on.

On the pathetic side, indeed. But at least I could enjoy the early morning for a little...the fields enveloped with fog so thick you lose the tops of the cornstalks. Hopefully I'll be running again soon. It's the perfect time of year; "room temperature" outside with a slightly cool breeze. Just beautiful. I can't get over how much I love it here, and I hope I never do.

We watched Signs by Shyamalan tonight--one of my personal faves. The man never fails to inspire me. Signs hits close to home in multiple ways, but I also like the fact that he usually (always?) films his movies in PA. Close to home. There's something to be said for going new places, enjoying different things... but there's also value in appreciating & cultivating what is around you.

And well, I want to do both.


joanna

PS My favorite passtime of late has been making a new mix cd: late summer/early september! So much fun. What have been your favorite songs this season?

This episode of This American Life was so on. I've always been a little creeped out by sleep...the nothingness. And the utterly vulnerable and helpless state you put yourself in when you lose consciousness every night. I mean...think about it. Anything could happen, especially if you sleep walk (the TAL episode has some hilarious illustrations of this).

And then there's dreams. Some people say they can control their dreams, but I never could. I used to hate going to sleep because I knew I would have these awful nightmares. This happened until I was about 16 and then I just stopped having dreams. Well, I stopped remembering them anyway. So yeah, dreams definitely creep me out...the idea of them. Your mind just takes over.

I guess it all comes down to this: I like being in full control of myself. This is the reason I really don't like sleep, or dreams, or being drunk, or living with my parents, don't really love the idea of being married, the list goes on and on.

What do you think about sleep?


joanna

man oh man. I love the Olympics.



joanna

I've been doing so much grad school researching on the internet that I've actually had dreams about googling.

Sad. Sad, sad, sad.



joanna

I'm finally at the point in life where I don't have to do anything. There's no script, no set expectations, no road map (if you will).

So...what am I doing?


joanna

I live on one of those backroads that's really good for biking (cycling) because it has some great hills, but also long patches of even ground.

So anyway, cyclers will come out in groups and ride down the road, and they're always talking. Listening to this is so strange, because of course bikes don't make any noise. So all you hear are these voices, rapidly & smoothly approaching, and then quickly fading out again.

It's so unusual (I'm tempted to call it a phenomenon), but only if you really think about it.


joanna