There's been a ton I need to update about, but for your amusement I said awkward things about Twitter on local tv: http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local&id=6858739

And yes, I know I really don't videotape well. If it's any consolation, I was restraining myself from running up to the front of the room going "Twitter is not the enemy, Twitter is your friend. See the nice blue bird? It's friendly!"

This month I have:

*Gotten officially unemployed, complete with complicated IL unemployment procedure.

*Moved in with my boyfriend and his roommate, which is awesome. However, I am still not unpacked and have to keep my alter in his room as I have no space (ridiculous).

*Started processing some very old family issues. Good for me but very very hard to take.

*Am about to turn 27. I'm feeling kinda old, but am being distracted by an amazing awesome weekend that I am super excited about. Today's big events are a mani-pedi and a big rollicking party at the drag queen martini bar. Tomorrow is more quietness and reading my new book on the quiverful movement and maybe some rockabilly bingo. And then I will feel so old.

June, I will be job hunting, merino tank knitting, and reunion going (eek!) What are your plans? Who else is reunioning???

I'm not quite packed by I have 3.5 hours before folks show. Let's hope the rain holds off until we've moved the majority of stuff.

I am having some issues. One of my biggest roadblocks recently has been eating with my boyfriend. We used to just do take out, but now that I'm unemployed and we eat together five or six meals a week instead of one or two, that's really not working so well. This leads me to cooking which is the real problem. Left to my own devices, I eat a lot of whole wheat couscous and quineoa or um, don't eat at all. The bf eats a lot of home-made mac and cheese and a lot of take out. Together we don't really have a coherent cooking whole- I find myself eating a lot of normal pasta, which isn't ideal (at home I eat flax/whole wheat stuff). Does anyone have any awesome not-too-pricey not-too-long-to-cook recipies? Some caveats- he doesn't eat any piggies, even bacon (sadness in my life and my awesome bacon pasta sauce); he also doesn't like to eat a lot of beef; I don't eat eggs or anything overly eggy (I do eat baked goods, but I don't think that's our issue either); I'm picky in general, but I'm pretty good at modifying for what I do eat. Also he has high-blood pressure. I am willing to eat stuff I fucked up, though I would prefer we not mention the overly-sweet onion soup I made yesterday.

Another issue has been getting organized. Last week I tipped out all of the contents of my desk and now it's a place of wonder, though the rest of my living room has suffered from the project. I'm having a hard time keeping my to-do list organized. Since I'm doing all this networking etc, there's a lot of details that I feel like I'm always playing catch up on (and USPS YOU ARE NOT HELPING. Deliver my Thank Yous the FIRST time please). I know that there's a lot of feelings about crap out there with the four-hour work week, but I'd like to know what everyone else does to stay on top of stuff without being overwhelmed.

In a non-issue topic, I had my informational interview last week. It was amazing. The company is awesome, doing crazy interesting work with smart, fun people in a beautiful space. So exciting. The only down side is that it really is more quanty type work. But it's so cool and they are so devoted to staying close to the "real" situation of people that I feel okay about that too. EEEEEE. (There will be more intelligent statements on this place once I stop eeeeing!)

Oh, one more "participate at home"- what do you feel about the concept of "realness" online- how do you chose to stay "real" or not online? I'm trying to gear up for a week long blog series on my pro blog and I'd love to hear everyone's feelings (I'm thinking about things like the BBC warning about fake David Tennants, fake company profiles and the suggestion that Twitter could make money by verified corporate accounts, and the reacent fandom outings and how that doesn't make the fans in question any more real).

I keep telling myself, "today is the day I get organized"; "Monday, I'll get my shit together." And every day and every week, it just doesn't happen. But having your Is dotted and your Ts crossed isn't life. Being organized isn't life, life is what happens when you aren't organized, when you aren't in control, around being organized.

That said, I really wish I had some things organized.

I am pleased to announce that I have a lay-off date, April 1. I am excited! (also scared). I also have an informational interview this Friday with a company I would give my eye-teeth to work for. They have told me to not dress up and I have no idea what I'm supposed to wear. What is nice but casual and good for 38 degree weather? What is the magical thing I must do so that they will love me forever and ever?

Things that have been surprising about being unemployedish: how really very busy I am; how excited I am about doing my own projects/research; how weirdly depressed I am on the circumstances of my unemployment; how much I really have to tidy up before I can move.

This weekend was also a real learning experience. Everyone there was very very nice and really didn't know or get me at all (e.g. I was warned that they often swore and that I should be scandalized about it). I find it interesting that, on the surface, I come across as this good little girl. It may be due to me staying quiet and hiding in corners, overwhelmed by all the people who didn't know me but did know each other. I'm certainly very very bad at pushing myself into groups and becoming part of the conversation. My natural inclination is to hang back until I feel like I know people. Thus, this weekend was, all things considered, maybe not the best choice for me, even though everyone was really really nice (they gave me an award! we raised tons of cash for a food bank and there was a sleigh ride). I'm just not naturally a person who can go "look at me, look at me" over and over. There are people like that, in fact a good chunk of the people there were like that (maybe I should spend time interviewing them on how they do that.) I am not that person. And you know, I'm okay with that. Maybe I'll get to know people more before I go next year, maybe I'll just drive myself 12000 miles out of my comfort zone again.

Side note: Mac people- are you going to the reunion? If so what events are you going to? If you just live in the Twin Cities, would you like to get together anyhow? I will be coming up, bringing infamous boyfriend (who does even less well with large groups of strangers than I do so we should all be very very nice), and bunking down with Will and Charlotte.

Edit Meeting moved to next week. Sad but gives me more time to plan!

Would you go to a mini-con for three days where you know absolutely no-one (but the people running it are awesome people that you love their writing and are being really friendly?)

-I updated my "real" blog wonderlandkat.wordpress.com about my lay-off
-I don't actually have an official lay-off letter
-I am working from home tomorrow and I am looking forward to clearing out all of the work crap from my place.
-I just got tax paperwork for the class I took. Completely didn't think about the tax benefit of that!
-My marketing class is kicking my ass in a great way. We spent two hours talking about McNuggets last night.
-I am constantly and pleasingly amazed by how supportive most people in my life have been. I owe so many thank yous and I am so touched.

I need to clean out everything in my life, I've really been thinking about how the mess my apartment is really mirrors the mess that I've let my life become. I'm looking forward to refreshing everything and really refocus. There will probably be some posting on that once I finish ruminating over everything.

How is everyone else's week going?

I know I've been quiet and boring recently, but I've been swamped. And I've been swamped with what you ask?

*Work, constantly and always work. We're trying to write a huge (5y $8M) grant so things have been even higher tension than usual, if that's even possible.

*Travel. I went home for a week which was lovely and then to Portland to see my boyfriend's sister get married (she was already married, but this was the temple service) which was lovely except: 1) I really hate flying Southwest; 2) HOLY GODS does he have a lot of family members who I can't keep straight (like 100+ people at the wedding were his "family"); 3) I got a really bad cold on the return, which leads to

*Sinus Infection! I've been fighting off this killer sinus infection for the last week and now I'm trying to hide from the weather (-17 out) because it sets off the worst coughing fits. Since I've already coughed up blood this week, I'm trying to be nice to my throat (that's probably tmi, but I don't care).

*Class. I've been taking a marketing class at the continuing ed center of the university. It is completely awesome and completely kicking my ass. It's pretty much a semester class compressed into a month. Yeah. My teacher worked on the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty as support and now she's running the McCafe launch (minus the bus ads in Chicago).

*Job searching. Doing less well on this. The people who were interested in me went with an internal hire. I'd be lying if I didn't say I was super disappointed. I'm just eager to start doing good work for someone. Also, it seems like I've pretty much started "the rest of my life" as it were except for work. I feel like it's holding me back from maturing and going where I need to go next. So I need to come up with a super good plan and make myself have the time and energy to execute it.

*Physical stuff. The idea of moving in with someone with all my mess is making me really stress out. I have a while as we're not moving in until October, but now just thinking about my stuff makes me crazy. It doesn't help that I've been so busy that, until yesterday, there wasn't a square bit of carpet visible. I've been getting rid of some books through amazon and paperbackswap (reminded of its existence by my marketing text; obviously doesn't reduce volume of stuff, but at least it's stuff I want, right?).

*Teeth. As some of you might remember, in 2008 I had two root canals (and at least six fillings). I am, however, nearly done (only one filling and one filling replacement left!) I've also made significant progress on my gum inflammation (I know, I know, more tmi), reducing it by over 2/3 in the last six months. However now they want me to floss twice daily. This kills me just a little as I am the only person I know who regularly flosses at all.

*Money. I have been going through money way too quickly. Part of that is the aforementioned dental work which was very pricey. I also go out eating/drinking way too often. I need to figure out some way to stay on top of this if anyone has any suggestions.

*Boyfriend. Time consuming but awesome. I feel so lucky to have him in my life; he's super awesome and the most amazingly supportive person I have ever met in my life. He also challenges me in a lot of ways that I never expected to be challenged by anyone but myself, so that's been really great for me in terms of dealing with some issues that I have, becoming a more flexible and trusting person, etc.

*Miscellani - Knitting, paperwork, figuring out how to roll over my old 403(b) into my new one (which I haven't figured out). etc, etc. Welcome to adult life!

So that was really long and probably boring. Sorry! So how is everyone else doing? What's going on in your lives? What have I missed being so self-centered? (and, um, apologies for that! I will try to be better with the contact, I swear)

I am back from seeing my boyfriend's sister get married in Portland and all I have to say is he has entirely too many family members. And at least three of them have the same exact facial hair.

Also I think Southwest is horribly inefficient, Velveteria is amazing, Yarnia is amazing, and Voodoo Donut, while good, was not as amazing as I hoped (although I managed to trick two cars of his family members to go with me, which was awesome in and of itself).

What do you consider to be the four bases?

Does it change when comparing different sexualities?

How much do your feelings about baseball affect your definition?

I have really funny, timely ones this year!

Send off your addy to wonderlandkat gmail to get one!

Also silver sharpies are the bomb!

and by that I mean I'm trying to buy boots, again.

My boots from last year are still good, but I do feel like I should have more than one option for all winter, plus I making a ton in freelancing.

Evil temptation:
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/47160489/c/1141.html (in red, yes)

I think the heel is too high on these, but I like the idea
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/45468888/c/328.html

The "adult" option
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/47137600/c/173648.html

Maybe these
http://www.zappos.com/n/p/dp/46205540/c/6.html

Or something else? (suggestions)

In related but separate news, I really hate that it's nearly impossible to find anything classic that's nice anymore. Everything is so trendy and I can't understand why you would pay so much for something that is going to be out of fashion so quickly, this from the girl thinking of red patent leather boots, I know. But seriously, open-toed boots? WTF. And I am still unable to find a pair of jeans I like (GAP reconfiged the boot cut and it's not what I was hoping). I did used to dress like a club kid in college (a lot based on the urging of my then boyfriend) but now I just want nice, clean-line, not super-preppy clothes with the odd interesting detail that come in my pretty normal size. Arrrg!

So what is everyone hoping to get for the holidays?

Also is anyone else feeling like the entire season is going way way way too fast?


(I have asked for a cashmere hoodie- I wear my current sweater hoodie a LOT. I also want sock yarn, some trashy paperback mysteries, and the first season of Pushing Dasies on DVD)

Yes, that is a reconstruction of one of the Lizzie Borden murders.

I am really so very tired right now.

And I lost a scarf I made and I'm really sad about it- not the scarf because I can make another one, but the fact that I started it when I was on vacation and I liked to think that it was a little bit of happy sunshine that I could take with me.

BREAKING NEWS : Scarf has been found!

I finally gave away my old couch. The family who took it just had a fire and I guess their kids lost all their stuff. The guy who was going to pick it up if they didn't just got divorced and doesn't own anything.

This put a kibbosh on anything else I really wanted to say, although I did finally update my other blog (wonderlandkat.wordpress.com)

Where do you buy your jeans?

Explanation: I haven't bought jeans in nearly two years. A week ago the last pair gave up the ghost while I was wearing them and I ran into Unexpected Jeans Hell aka the Gap to replace them. I ended up with a pair I don't like that now becomes too big after wearing them thirty minutes. Buuut I've always bought my jeans at the Gap and I've never had problems before now. (I'm a size 14, large thighs, have no interest in either skinny jeans or $200 ones).

Okay, so Joe's plumbing business is making at least 250k a year, right? And that's profit not gross? Which sounds like it's doing well and it's not just a guy with a wrench in a beat-up truck. So a) if he doesn't want to pay more taxes on his pile of money, can't he invest in his business (raises, new drain snakes, fancy radio jingles- at least to a point) and b) if he is already spending tons of money on building his business, isn't he already doing way better than the average American?

I'm just not understanding this Joe situation. All of my mum's handmen-people have made like 28-65 k a year (all of them either work for themselves or in pairs). So how is Joe making all this money? I am seriously curious about the logistics of the Joe situation. I read the TimesOnline article and it says that owning the business would increase his earnings to over 250k, but that doesn't really answer my question.

We gave up on the debate a little after when McCain was whining about things that pro-Obama people had said about him. When a pastor introducing you shit talks the beliefs of Hindu, Muslim, and Buddhist people and you aren't deeply and patently embarassed by that, you've lost all of my respect. Too bad because I agree with him about the ethenol subsidies.