Tuesday, January 29, 2008

I really like this idea called Every Monday Matters. Maybe this will help lift me out of the "I don't want to go to work funk." Although, the funk doesn't just occur on Mondays...I suppose I have to start somewhere :).

Thursday, January 24, 2008

I've been listening to music I want to try out by having you tube videos play (but I'm not really watching...I find music videos sort of boring). The interesting thing is that many of them are actually clips from TV shows (Grey's Anatomy, Prison Break, etc.) that people have put together with the song in the background. And there are thousands of these - apparently lots of people make montages of their favorite shows with a sort of related song. What's up with that?

Thursday, January 17, 2008

The Ultimate Cheesy Mixed CD

Last night I was driving home from tutoring (yet again!) and found myself singing loudly along to Peter Gabriel's "In Your Eyes." Now, this is a very cheesy song, I realize, but I happen to really, really like it. It's all wrapped up in something to do with the over-the-top lyrics and its inclusion in "Say Anything." It got me thinking about songs that I am slightly embarassed about enjoying, because they are terribly corny or silly or whatever, but not so embarassed that I would change the station to hide my enjoyment from people around me and thus miss hearing the rest of the song.

So with that as the intro, may I present to you, Rachel's Ultimate Cheesy Mixed CD:

Beach Boys - Wouldn't It Be Nice
Christopher Cross - Sailing
Cyndi Lauper - Time After Time
Berlin - Take My Breath Away
The Cars - Who's Gonna Drive You Home?
Peter Gabriel - In Your Eyes
The Ronnettes - Then He Kissed Me
Dadoo - Making Off (Generiq) (I know none of you know this one, but in the spirit of full disclosure I had to include it. It's French rap. Don't judge me.)
The Corrs - What Can I Do?
Sophie Hawkins - As I Lay Me Down

Which ones have I missed?

Monday, January 14, 2008

The Weekend in List Form (hello, lazy!)

Bob and Edith's French toast with coffee, catching up with Ryan about life after law/grad school.

Double, double, toil and trouble...do it yourself beer brewing here. Tried something called a chocolate donut stout, which I was a little skeptical about but it was in fact delicious.

Much, much tutoring. Spanish and world history. The subjunctive and the scientific revolution. I'm going to be so glad when mid-terms are over (but not as happy as the students!).

Such good movies! Finally finished "Once" (was already lovin' the soundtrack), and PBS' Masterpiece series is doing all Austen for the next few weeks (swoon!). This week was "Persuasion," next up is "Northanger Abbey."

Attempted some cooking, but forgot to buy the major ingredient for my intended lunch for the next few days. Oops. But was solaced by the almond/bacon/cheddar spread from the cookbook Holly gave me for Christmas (drool).

Hope your weekends were good too!

Tuesday, January 08, 2008

Thai Food for Dinner

I had really, really strange dreams last night. Including a leak in my room ceiling, but it wasn't my actual room so much as a combination of all of the bedrooms I have ever had, and it had this weird plastic ceiling that sort of resembled the one in the yoga studio in Waxahachie. And then I was going on a trip with some friends from college (reminiscent of the cruise?) but my mom had my luggage and everyone kept trying to leave without me.

I blame the penang curry.

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Hmm

I have never participated in a strike. I don't really have much of an opinion on them, to be honest. I assume that the people striking feel that they have one or many grievances that need to be addressed, and that they would like to be taken seriously.

So why, I ask you, do they do very silly things while striking? I was also listening to NPR this morning on the way in (as I admit to doing every morning...my nerdiness was established long ago on this site, so no shame) they were covering the writers' strike in LA. And what do I hear in the background? Singing. And not just any singing...I'm thinking I've heard this before...ah, yes, the song from "Remember the Titans" (everywhere we go...people want to know...who we are...so we tell them...). Granted, one of the picketers probably wrote that song, but it still didn't come across as particularly dignified. And the chants are usually stupid too (hell no, we won't go!). I mean, really.

In DC, they have this huge inflatable rat that they camp out in front of the building where I assume the Man and his friends reside. But it's like a communal union rat, because I've seen this same rat all over town, and for different unions and causes. I wonder if the AFL-CIO headquarters keeps this rat and then lends it out, like a library book? I wonder if they'll let me check it out?