Two field mice and part of a squirrel

So this last weekend, while I was away in NYC having a blast, I decided it was time to send my car to get its 30K mile check-up. It's a great little car (NOTHING like my former mode of transportation - seriously, don't get me started!), but there were just a few little things I wanted looked at, 1. Squealing brakes, 2. low air-pressure when blowers were on head and feet, 3. a little rattling sound that had just started, but would come and go.

So, no big, right? Yeah. Nothing major. So I went to NY, had a fabulous time (future entry) and came back to pick up my car on Sunday night. We had previously arranged that I would drive the rental back to the dealership, drop the keys in the drop-box and pick up my car w/ my spare key. The invoice would be in my glovebox. So I looked at it and was duly sickened by the amount of money charged by labor, etc., but what really caught my eye was the charge for "Removal of dead rodent from air filter". WHAT?!!?!! I had a dead what in my car?!

Yeah. So the next morning, I call my mechanic and the first words out of his mouth were, "Two field mice and part of a squirrel. I thought about keeping them for you, but I decided against it." Gee, thanks. What a gentleman. So that would explain the low air-pressure from the blowers in my car. Ick. But the question remains...how the heck did they get up in there? And excuse me, but part of a squirrel -PART of a squirrel was found in my air filter?! How the crud did part of ANYTHING crawl up there? My only possible explanation are the cats that hang out in our parking lot...think it's possible that one of them was just being kind and bringing me a gift? There is one that I've made friends with. Perhaps he thought this was the best way to show me he cared. But how did he get in there? According to my mechanic, that's not a very likely scenario.

My only other explanation is that two mobster field mice had been hired to bump off a neighborhood squirrel-bookie and were looking for places to hide him. They must have figured that hiding him in pieces would throw off suspicion. Sadly, they underestimated the effort it would take to pull him up into the air filter of my car and when they got there, they decided to take a short nap... Bad decision, mousies. RIP.


Not so cute when thought of in that way, are they? Hey, no sympathy here! They made my car into a sarcophagus!!

So, ever find anything "out of the ordinary" in your car before? What about your house, etc.? Do tell.

End of the summer ruminations...

(No, I don't mean cud-chewing.)
So another semester began for me recently and I'm forced to ponder the things that I will miss with the advent of homework and night classes. I list them for you below...in no particular order.

• Free time, or what I like to call "Any-time-when-I-can-do-nothing-for-as-long -as-I-like." It could be argued that, because I am an adult, all of my time could fit into that category...but if I start thinking that way then I'll REALLY never get anything done!
  
• Reading all the novels I can get my hands on. This one makes me sad, even if my class reading IS fascinating. There is some mental block that forms for me when I'm told to read a book as opposed to when I choose to read a book. Even if it's a popular novel, when it's made into a "textbook", it becomes a horrible chore to read it. Stupid mental block!
  
• Staying out late without repercussion - unless you call falling asleep at your work desk, repercussion. I just call it nap-time.
  
• Spending money on completely unnecessary things anytime I feel like it. (Oh give me a break...while this might be curbed a bit, let's be honest. This lovely little habit ain't goin' nowhere.)
• Keeping on top of all the latest films in the theater. Well, this one shouldn't suffer terribly until crunch-time begins. I mean, I'll still need to let loose on the weekends, right?
  

What won't I be giving up?

• Well, I won't be giving up my obsession with web-surfing and other various online time-wasters.
  
• Speaking of online time-wasters, I will hopefully not be giving up my blog. I know I've been exceedingly lazy this summer, but I'm hoping that now that classes are beginning again, I'll be blessed with greater determination to blog...as a means of avoiding the homework I have looming above me. I mean, that's kind of why I began this thing. Tools of procrastination are a wonderful thing...kinda.
  
• My recently rekindled friendship with exercise. I've been so good for the last few months, but it's so hard to keep up once homework and classes start taking over...and the fatigue begins to creep in. Gotta make myself go to bed at a reasonable hour and then I might not be battling so much.
  
• I'm also worried about keeping up my slightly healthier eating habits. Sigh. Life-long battle, maybe? But wait, this list is for what I'm NOT giving up...so that settles that.

And there you go. Does the end of summer signify an end or beginning for you too? Do share!

Apathetic, lazy, langurous, indifferent, lackadaisical...

Sigh. Story of my life, lately. I'm so unmotivated...about everything! I am so disinclined to be productive at work that I actively look for ways to be lazy. Yes, I am aware of the contradiction in ideas there. Mine is just another kind of productivity! Surfing around on the web alone provides me with ample places to waste time and tax-payer's money, but then on top of my own time-wasting skills, I have many friends who send me links to other fabulous time-wasters. Gaaaahhhh!!! Enablers! Wanna see how evil* they are? Good, cuz I'm gonna show you.

• This one was just brought to my attention by a friend today. (Curses!) Sift through the various comics...just try and tell me they don't make you giggle! (Ha! Snapes on a plane! Hee!) Here's one that's quite apropos!
• And what about this? I have been exposed to a lot of great new music lately (that'll have to be another post, I think.), so tell me what you think of this one.
• Here's a link to some more new music that has been highlighted on another blog. This just goes to show my level of infatuation with it at the moment.
• And I have to thank** my friend Marin for this one. You can thank her too. I warn you...this will lead to hours and hours of free tv/movie-via-internet-watching. Don't say I didn't warn you!
• And without AsianKeng's help, how would I have know what kind of friend I am?
• And it's only natural that at least some of my recent procrastination should have been Potter-related. Anyone hungry for some Potter food?
  
• This is just plain cool. Ever played Guitar Hero? Well, this person certainly has...and he/she kicks tail-feather! And if you know who Trogdor is, then you're just plain cool too. :)
• And before I go, how about a bit more cool and interesting music that I've been exposed to lately. Dawn is pretty earthy and cool...and she inspires infatuation and near-stalking in some people. Check this one out. And no, not this Jem. Ooo, and just one more. How can you NOT find this absolutely amazing?!

So, there it is. A first-hand look at the lengths this procrastinator will and has gone to. So...anyone else want to enable me further? What are your favorite time-killing sites? Got any new singers/bands you think I should check out? Please share. :)

*Evil = wonderful in their diabolical ability to get me to procrastinate even further
**thank = curse (while secretly being grateful)

"Air" your gripes here...

Where on earth has Christina been? The world has been asking and Christina has decided to finally crawl out of her hole of laziness to respond. ("Hey, it's my vacation, people! Doesn't that mean vegging?") Okay, okay. I'm sorry. I know this kind of absence is just plain unfair to all my fans. (cough!)

I've been suffering from a lack of inspiration lately (and extreme laziness brought about by the effects of summer). I've actually had a post "in the works" for some time now....so I guess I'll just finish that one off and post it. Be forewarned...I began this right after a long trip and I wasn't in a very "pro-airport" mood. And here it is...

Okay, so I recently decided that I hate airports! I love traveling, but I HATE airports! Summer is a big time for travel, right? That's fine, I always plan for delays and what-not, but what I don't understand is being told that domestic travelers must be at the airport TWO hours before a flight departs. Which means, if you're planning for the added hassles of heavy travel traffic, you should likely tack on another 30-45 minutes, just to be safe! RIDICULOUS!! And okay, while I may think the measures which our airports have been taking to ensure our safety are a bit much, I'm all for safety. Okay fine. What I don't understand are those travelers who still act like they don't expect to have to take off their shoes, belts and excessive jewelry, remove their laptop from their bag and make sure their small gel or liquid items fit in one plastic baggy. This is not that difficult, people! You're in line for like an HOUR! Why couldn't you have figured all this out before you got to the metal detectors? AAARRRGGGHH!!

But, in all fairness, this isn't even my biggest annoyance. No, I've actually taken the next step and decided that I hate flying. I'm not phobic. I don't mind the actual flying. That's just fine and dandy. What I DO mind is the lack of leg room in the seating area, the difficulty it is to climb across the other passengers to get to the bathroom (that is, if you're lucky enough to have a window seat...or even cursed w/ a middle seat), the discomfort you may decide is necessary to avoid having to climb over others, the bathrooms themselves. Ugh! What else do I hate? Passengers who seem to forget that we are all sharing the same air space. I recently flew from one end of the country to the other and I realize that that's a looong flight, but why do I have to get stuck behind the guy who decided to share his "travel gas" with his fellow passengers every few minutes? Honestly, people. I almost found myself wishing for a massive change in cabin pressure, just so I could use the air mask! Have mercy!! And hey, here's another one...if you're afraid that your feet may stink...do everyone a courtesy and leave the shoes ON!

So...that was a lot of pent up negativity, wasn't it? Okay, I'll end on a positive note. Several months ago, I was stuck at the international arrival gate in the Dulles airport, waiting to meet a foreign visitor from Japan, and to pass the time to and keep from cursing my lot I decided to indulge in a little people-watching. While I did see my fair share of people I wouldn't wish to meet on a dark street, I was actually surprised with the intimate look I had into people's reunions! I felt a bit like a voyeur, but since it was in public (and I was waiting there FOREVER), I just gave in to the unabashed (if slightly glazed) gazing. It was truly touching to witness the tenderness that some people shared with their loved ones upon reuniting. Some of my favorite sights...

• countless hugs and kisses of every, shape, flavor and intention
• servicemen and women being greeted with applause and looks of admiration and gratitude
• this interchange: Dad picks up son (approx. 6-8 yrs. old) and hugs him fiercely saying, "You got bigger! Two weeks is too long!" Son: "Yeah. It's way too long. Don't go away again, k?" (awwww!)

All this made me think of this.

So, I know I ended on a positive note here, but anybody got a good horror story from the airport that they want to share? I know I'm not the only one whey gripes about this stuff! You can share a tender one too, if you want. Come on...this is universal.

New Blog - Check it out!!

So a few friends and I have started a new blog...to add to my plethora of others. It's all kinds of fun, though. If you're a fan of movies and like to comment on them or even just read about others' comments, please join us at http://fruitysoaps.blogspot.com/.

Our mission statement...er whatever you want to call it, is as follows.

"Movies and other entertainment media fall prey to a myriad of different view points. Thus, it is highly arrogant to assume one person can effectively process and evaluate all the various genres of movies and music in a fashion that respects the full spectrum of movie patrons. So, we give you the Movie Cynics. Sharp wit and quick tongues cut straight to the heart of plots, character development, product placement, and shameless intrigues giving you an honest, well-rounded synopsis allowing you to know beforehand what to expect from your entertainment."

Well put! Come one, come all and let out the movie cynic within you!

Sitting Duck

Duck Beach, North Carolina: not a place, but an experience. (Yes, one more blog about the happenings at Duck...get over it.) Common characteristics of the experience include; great hoards of single, flirting Mormons from all along the East Coast and beyond, sand, volleyball, sunburns, shameless flirting, Deer Park water bottles in excess, a lot more skin than accompanies your average Mormon gathering, an overuse of expletives such as "Fetch!" and "Flip!", and more shameless flirting. I only participated in some of the aforementioned activities.


In truth, this annual Memorial Day weekend trip takes place not only in Duck, North Carolina, but extends to any of the following locations; Outer Banks, Kitty Hawk, Corolla, Nags Head, and Sanderling. Large groups of people rent GINORMOUS beach houses in these and other locations that sleep anywhere from 10-35 people, thus making it an affordable venture. I stayed in a house w/ a total of 12 people (small by Duck standards), but which was RIGHT on the beach in Sanderling. In fact, the bedroom that I shared w/ my friend Becky faced the ocean and we opened our sliding door so that we could fall asleep to the sound of the waves crashing against the shore. Sigh. I miss it.


The weather was absolutely perfect. PERFECT! The temperature ranged anywhere from the mid-70's to the low-80's with a steady, warm breeze. Really, the majority of my time was spent laying on the beach, building upon 30 years of skin cancer. But I'm nice and brown now...if not still a bit itchy. I hate that part.

So, you may have noticed the distinct lack of men in my pictures here...yeah. It didn't end up being my greatest priority to meet new boys while there, but just to enjoy my time w/ my friends, who are primarily girls, and get in as much beach time as possible. I loved every minute of it. I did hit some of the big parties on Saturday night, but as I already knew would happen, I spent my time talking to the people I already knew or the ones I had come with. I'm not social in those situations. I don't like them. Give me a smaller group combining people I know and some I don't and I'm a much happier girl. Give me a group of around 4000 people and I just shut down. Sensory overload. Christina is closed for business.

But whatever, that was just one little part of an entirely fantastic weekend. Spending Friday through Monday at a beach is heaven, pure and simple. A few other highlights of my time there included:

• finding some sweet deals on beach chairs (and treating our fearless driver to one to assuage the ickiness of having gotten a ticket on the way down) :(
• learning that I do, in fact, love long walks on the beach
  
• trying crab legs for the first time and liking them
• driving down to the lighthouse to watch one of the most enchanting sunsets
• learning some new, hip lingo..."Hollerrrrrr"!
• discovering the most evil (read: exquisite) creation made by Nabisco - Strawberry Milkshake Oreo
• searching for and finding some perfect sea shells
• getting caught in a crazy hail storm on our way home and wondering if we would make it home in one piece
• strengthening friendships and striking up new ones - learning to appreciate others for who they are

Now aren't you just jealous?

Irony or Disappointment?

"It's like rain on your wedding day
It's a free ride when you've already paid
It's the good advice that you just didn't take
Who would've thought ... it figures"

Thanks, Alanis. So, irony or disappointment, call it what you will...have any of you ever experienced something along the lines of:

• Getting all geared up for a big game, just to break your leg the day before?
• Anticipating a vacation so much that you actually make yourself ill (or unexpectedly get sick) and then you're unable to enjoy it?
• Meeting a person you have read/heard about or communicated with by means other than face-to-face and finding out he/she is either a jerk-face or a total bore?
• Trying an exciting new food (or even a food you've once enjoyed), only to learn that you're allergic to it?

Unfortunately, I have a story that kind of combines #2 & #4. I had dinner at a friend's house (no hard feelings!) on Sunday and we had some fairly harmless salad. They were build your own salads and one of the available ingredients was mango. Now, I've had mango before (not often, but I have eaten it) and I don't recall any adverse reaction to it. For whatever reason, my body chose to reject it this time....in the form of an itchy rash on my neck and face. So now my once satiny skin has taken on the lovely texture of eczema - lots of little itchy bumpies on my neck and face. I'm gorgeous.

Go ahead...ask me how thrilled I am about this...especially when looking forward to a weekend away at the beach... Thrilled? Oh yes. About as thrilled as I'd be anticipating a root canal. Mercifully, it's really not all that bad...it's itchy, but not unmanageably and it's not really visible. What is most unappealing is the texture of my skin. Blech. So...guess I won't be eating mango anytime soon...or ever again. Grr. Oh and by the way did you know that mango is in the same family as poison ivy? At least I'm not alone. (And no, it is most definitely NOT herpes. No, no, no...I know what a cold sore is...unfortunately very well. Yech.) This is turning into a gross post. My apologies.

Anyway...ever had a similar experience? Tell me either weird allergy stories or sad ironic stories...or any story at all. I'm not picky. I'm just allergic.

A Wynneterview

I know that I recently posted the i8ball quiz, but it seems that I'm not out of the "quiz me" kind of mood. My friend Wynne just participated in a voluntary 5 question quiz from another blogger and since she put the invitation out there, I figured I'd bite. Besides, if you either know Wynne or have read her blog, you know that she is not only brilliantly hilarious, but also deliciously off-kilter (only slightly, though)...so you never know what you're gonna get. (This is also a plug for any and all to read her blog, because it really is wholly entertaining and thought-provoking at the same time. Read it!!)

So...here goes...

My Wynneterview
by Christina Bishop
(get off my back, will ya? I just got off the paper-writing train, so my brain is still on that track, okay?!)

Wynne: Empty your purse/backpack/briefcase (whatever you happen to be carrying these days) and tell us what's in it.

Christina: Are you kidding me? Oh boy...ever since I graduated to actual purses, and when I say purses I mean the kind that you could sleep in if your house burnt down, so I tend to collect more crap than is absolutely necessary in there. Brace yourselves...
Outside pocket = car keys, lipstick, chapstick, pen, scripture-marking pencil, 2 packs of gum, Target gift card (Whoopee, I forgot I had that!), some face-blotting tissues, my business cards and my iPod.
Ginormous inside pocket = little mirror, more face-blotting sheets (it's humid out here, alright?), nail file, cell phone, empty Tupperware container from my lunch, a planner I never use, my wallet, a lipstick case, and (my personal favorite) Hempz herbal hand lotion, which I received as a stocking stuffer from my mom. The best part? It has a picture of a marijuana leaf on the front.
Hmm, that wasn't really all that bad, but oh we're not done yet.
Little inside zipper-pocket = checkbook, deposit slips, allergy medicine, eye drops and the mandatory supply of feminine hygiene products. Ta da! Huh, I guess I don't have quite as much junk in there as I thought! Good, that means more room for me, then. I don't like sleeping in cramped spaces.

Wynne: What is the meaning of life?

Christina: To keep the world amply supplied with cheese.

Wynne: If you could be a superhero, what would your name be, and what superpowers would you have?

Christina: No, no...nothing cheese-related here. Wow. What an amazing question! I'm going to blog-plagiarize here and use this nifty little quiz to answer you. Two of my blogging friends, Jen and Wendi also had recent posts about this very question and given my present obsession w/ the TV show "Heroes", this seems apropos.

Your results:
You are Wonder Woman

Wonder Woman 82% Spider-Man 80% Green Lantern 70% Supergirl 62% The Flash 60% Superman 60% Catwoman 50% Robin 45% Iron Man 45% Hulk 30% Batman 20%	You are a beautiful princess with great strength of character.
Click here to take the "Which Superhero are you?" quiz...

YES! Wonder Woman! I get to have those awesome bracelets that shield me from the inevitable rays coming from my opponents' eyes/guns/whatever. (Frightening, I know.)

Okay, but if I were to choose both my name and my power...I would choose...I would choose the power of hyper-perception (not quite reading minds, but close - reading minds could be a little unpleasant & I think I'd rather not know some things for certain) and telekinesis, although I still think that bending time and space for time travel or freezing time would be fantastic too! Ooo, how about a package deal? And they would call me...The Questionable Elf Pimp? Um, I'll leave that one alone, I guess.

Wynne: What are you most afraid of?

Christina: A worldwide shortage of cheese.

Wynne: How do you feel about cheese?

Christina: Are you really asking a girl from America's Dairyland her feelings on cheese? Well, you see, cheese and I have a very, very special relationship. But I'm not one to eat and tell, so I'll keep it between me and the fromage.


I'm sorry if any of these were totally lame-o answers! I ran out of ideas? Anyway, do you think you can do better or would you just like to give this thing a whirl?

Well, here are the rules:
1. Leave me a comment saying, “Interview me.”
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. I get to pick the questions.
3. You will update your blog with the answers to the questions. (If you don't have a blog, well—I guess you could do it in the comments section of this post, if you really, really want to.)
4. You will include this explanation and an offer to interview someone else in the
same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, you will ask them five questions.

Any takers?

Pop Goes My Heart! Music and Lyrics

A friend's blog turned me onto this little gem. I haven't seen the movie yet, but I thought sharing this bit could be just what people need to get them through a tough day in the middle of finals, work, and life-related stress. I heard that the movie isn't much to shout about, but that this video makes the whole thing worth it. I believe it.

Okay, honestly? They've gotten the 80's video down pat! And my favorite part? Hugh Grant's hip swivel, of course! It was my favorite feature of Love Actually too, so I'm happy to see him utilizing this talent more. Perhaps we'll see him on Dancing With the Stars next. However, that really is him singing AND playing the piano! Go Hugh!

Anyway, so I wasn't one of the "lucky" kids who grew up with MTV or VH1, but I've seen my share of videos from the 80's and 90's. My question to you, is, what is your favorite? What makes it so special? (Please provide a link or URL , if at all possible.) Oh, and does anyone miss Pop-up Video as much as I do? Sigh. I sometimes wish life were like that. I mean, wouldn't your next blind or first date be SO much more entertaining with little blurbs that give you interesting and sometimes embarrassing information about your date? Feel free to also tell us where you wish you could see Pop-up balloons utilized in life.

Ok. Let's hear it!

Magic i8ball

A great big THANKS to Sara, Becky and Michelle, I've decided to do my own version of this fun little survey. It's like those silly surveys that your friends email you with questions like, "What kind of pants are you wearing right now? and Who is the most likely to respond to this email?" Boring. This is way cooler! A friend said that this is like a Magic 8-ball for iPods. Seems fitting. Okay, so I did it twice, because honestly, I didn't understand all of my first round of answers. I'm sure it's technically cheating...but my answers below are a combination of my first and second rounds with this little game. Sorry if I offend any of you iPod Shuffle Gama purists!

Well, what are you waiting for? Follow the directions below and enjoy!

Directions: Put your music player on shuffle. Press forward for each question. Use the song title as the answer to the question. No cheating.

How am I feeling today? This Woman's Work - Pressed in a Book - The Shins (Ugh! SO TRUE! I have a bunch of reading to finish and then more reading to look forward to!)

Will I get far in life? My Finest Hour - The Sundays (Hm, not bad.)

How do my friends see me? #1 Ashes to Ashes - David Bowie, #2 Cruel Summer - Bananarama (So either my friends see me as a dead, reformed drug addict or a cruel summer...uhhh. Neither says much for me.)

When will I get Married? (Both times gave me cryptic answers, you decide what they mean, because they're totally confusing to me.) #1 I Still Feel the Same About You - Ella Fitzgerald & Friends, #2 You've Got a Friend - James Taylor

What's my theme song? You Give Love a Bad Name - Bon Jovi (Ha ha! Maybe that's my answer to the previous question? My second attempt was strange. It's a song in Latvian called Dark Night, Green Grass...hmmm.)

What is the story of my life? Bermuda Triangle - Barry Manilow (Yes, I know. I have Barry Manilow on my iPod. Story of my life, I get it. 'Nuff said.)

How can I get ahead in life? #1 Don't Leave Home - Dido (Okay. So I'm going to become a successful recluse. How nice for me.) #2 Living in Oblivion - Anything Box (Um, apparently I'm not exactly looking toward a stellar future here.)

What is my best feature? Stay - Shakespeare's Sister (Wha?)

How is today going to be? You're the Voice - Heart (Again...wha?)

What is in store for this weekend? #1 Nothing Better - Postal Service, #2 Joy - The Sundays (I had to share both, since this weekend is my birthday! Thank you, oh wise iPod, for promising me a great birthday weekend!!)

What is my life like at the moment? Everybody Wang Chung - Wang Chung (I just think that everybody should wang chung, okay? I'm chunging wang right now, are you?)

What song describes my secrets? Meet James Ensor - They Might Be Giants (So my secrets resemble a reclusive Belgian painter? "...he lived with his mother and repeated himself..." Ooookay.)

What is my current lover like? #1 Missionary Man - Eurythmics (Ha, ha, ha!! Oh I hope not. Well, I mean I hope he's not a missionary right now...I'm turning 30, you see...) #2 Heavenly - Harry Connick Jr. (That's more like it!)

What song will they play at my funeral? Burning Love - Travis Tritt (Okay then!)

How does the world see me? (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman - Aretha Franklin (Awesome. It's nice to know that I make the world feel like a natural woman.)

Will I have a happy life? (Okay this one is equally confusing and disturbing.) #1 You And Me And The Bottle Makes 3 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddies, #2 The Magdalene Laundries - The Chieftains w/ Joni Mitchell (song about an unwed mother being sent to work in the laundries at the Magdalene Convent. I don't want to end up a drunk, unwed mother!)

What do my friends really think of me? Blackbird - Sarah McLachlan (Is that anything like a black sheep?)

Do people secretly lust after me? (Contradicting answers.) #1 I am a Man of Constant Sorrow - John Hartford, #2 Doors of Your Heart - English Beat

Will I accomplish my goals in life? The Stranger - Billy Joel (So...no?)

Will I find true love? #1 Boadicea - Enya (I took this to mean that I will either find true love in Ireland or that it's all Gaelic to me!) #2 Purple Toupee - They Might Be Giants (Hee hee. I just thought this was funny.)

How do I treat others? Thanks a Million - Louis Armstrong (Sweet!)

What's in a name?

"That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet." Right? Hm.

Okay, this is just a continuation of the comments on my last blog...they seemed to be taking on a life of their own, so I put it to you. Have you ever had your name butchered? Why? Is it an unusual name, spelling or pronunciation? Was it accidental? Was it on purpose? What about nicknames?

I have to admit that I never had a big problem with this growing up (other than being called lots of clever names that had absolutely nothing to do with my name by my siblings). I have one of the most pedestrian names around, I think. I like it. I do. It's just pretty un-make-fun-of-able. Go ahead, give it your best shot. The worst a classmate could do when I was a kid was, "Yeah, Christina BIZZZHOP!" Yeah. I'm still reeling from that one. Please. Okay, I know I'm totally asking for it here, but Christina? Bishop? Without being blasphemous or anything...I don't really see it being easy to mock.

Okay, but I will give you my nickname from my childhood. Warning: I do this as an offer of good faith. I do know what it is to be called names, but this isn't an invitation here to do so...unless it's a really good one. So my nickname as a kid was Bina....as in Christina-bina. I was so proud of it, I would introduce myself to people, "My name's Christina, but you can call me Bina!" Yeah. Turning 30 in 7 days has re-emphasized the fact that I'm way over nicknames.

Okay...now I'm rambling. Get on with it. Let's here the name debate. Go.

The English language is NOT a toy!

An encounter with our handyman this week caused me to reassess the value of the English language in my life. I don't know, maybe it's because I got my undergrad degree in Linguistics or perhaps I'm just an English Language Nazi...you can decide, but I value the English language. My question here is, why doesn't everyone else? I mean honestly...where do some people come up with these grammatical putrefactions?

Okay. Let me first explain the encounter that sparked this tirade. It started several weeks ago when I first tried to get our handyman to come and fix my dripping bathroom sink. When he came to take a look at it, he said, "Yeah...that thar needs a new spicket. I'ma hafta run overta hardware store an' pick uppa new one." No, I'm not kidding. Now, I know that Virginia is considered (by some) to be in the South, but in what dialect does a 'g' become a 'k' and why? Vowel sound changes I can understand (mostly) and even enjoy (ah, Wisconsin!) Now this was just a one-time encounter, so I wondered if perhaps I'd heard him wrong. Well, over the course of the next few weeks, through phone calls and his final visit, I learned that the word "spicket" was a hard and fast part of this gentleman's vocabulary. I swear each time he said it, I gave myself a headache from clenching my teeth as hard as I could to keep from screaming, "SPIGOT!! The word is spiGot! With a 'G', you idiot! Or better yet, why not skip that word altogether and just call it a dang FAUCET!?!?!!!" ...deep breath...count to ten...ahhhh. I've found my happy place.

So anyway, in addition to the other embolism-producing mispronunciations that I've heard in my life, this caused me to start pondering regional accents and the strange sounds they encourage. What I've come to conclude is this...if it's a mere matter of regional accent causing the word to sound different to me, I am generally just amused (or bemused) instead of distressed. In fact, I may enjoy trying to learn how to approximate said pronunciation, because I think it's fun. (I did, in fact take a stage dialects class once...SO much fun!) However, when a person deliberately abuses the English language by using an entirely fabricated word...well, this I cannot abide. And when I say they do it deliberately...I mean it. They are deliberately trying to cause permanent damage to my delicate ears. I just know they are.

Anyway, here's a short list of both mispronunciations and accent changes that I've heard over the years. It's not very extensive, because I was drawing a serious blank as I wrote this. See if you can place them (answer key below)...

1. Supposably (supposedly)
2. Suh-um (something)
3. warsh (wash)
4. ward/warm (pronounced like the words 'hard' or 'arm')
5. ungyun (onion - this is one my mom has heard several times)
6. flag/bag (same 'a' sound as in 'age' or 'wage', sometimes as in 'egg' or 'beg')
7. ahnry (ornery - while 'awr-nuh-ree' is an accepted pronunciation, as is 'or-nuh-ree', it's rarely ever pronounced either way. YARRRGH!!!)
   
8. spicket (spigot...I think I've said enough here)

Now before anyone actually does start calling me the English Language Nazi, let me just say this. I know I'm an abuser in my own right. I have and do change, botch, mispronounce, and misspell words ALL the time. Also, English is a living language so it's bound to change and develop...but come on...I mean...COME ON! Some things are honestly just not necessary. Spicket? Really?

So what are some of your mis-pronunciation or accent-related pet peeves? Do you have an accent? Take this little quiz to find out.

Here are my results.

What American accent do you have? Your Result: The West   Your accent is the lowest common denominator of American speech. Unless you're a SoCal surfer, no one thinks you have an accent. And really, you may not even be from the West at all, you could easily be from Florida or one of those big Southern cities like Dallas or Atlanta.
The Midland
Boston
North Central
The Inland North
Philadelphia
The South
The Northeast
What American accent do you have? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Interesting. Does it mean something that my parents are from the West and that I lived there for over 6 years? I think I'm too smart for this test. (ahem)

Answer key: 1. I'm not sure...anywhere, really, but I heard it most in Utah. 2. Utah 3. Oddly, I heard this in Wisconsin, but I think it appears in some of the south and North-East. 4. Utah/Idaho 5. Utah 6. Wisconsin (Midwest) 7. West 8. Virginia (oh I do hope this is the only place!!)

That's right...time for another one

I don't mean to startle anyone by having two posts in a row...I was a little startled myself. However, I felt that these little tidbits had great need of being posted. First of all...to the toast lovers out there. (You know who you are.) I thought you might enjoy this little game. Object of the game? Not to get burned, of course! Who likes burnt toast? Blech! So here's to you toast-lovers...Yeah toast!

All I can say here is Story-ory-o! Ah, Jack Black...you make nearly everything better. Black-a-lee-doo! (I do apologize for the slightly blasphemous script topic. Ignore that part.) I mean, who better than Jack Black to spread love, peace and how to come up with a story? I kind of wish he was teaching how to write a movie theme song, though. A-scroot-a-lee-doo, a-fruit-a-lee-doo...anyone? Anyone else love that movie as much as I did? I expect all who answer this one will be female...it is most unabashedly a "chick flick" and I loved every minute of it. Remarkably, I loved it in spite of the fact that it has Cameron Diaz in it...who most often makes me want to pull out my eyelashes one by one. She was actually alright. If you haven't seen it yet...go watch it. Or come over to my house and watch it with me. I own it. :)

Okay, and one more instructional video. The 80's are officially back. That's right ladies and gentleman...it's time to find that large piece of cardboard you've been hoarding for just such an occasion, put on your finest 80's track suit and get down to it. Come on everybody! Let's make Michael proud! (Oh Michael, you're such a parody of yourself now...but at least you were still black in this video.)

So, what do you think? Do we need to have a game night with a "fight to the toast" followed by a battle of the moon walkers? Anyone with the most believable MJ moves gets equal parts admiration and horror from me. I mean, as much as I've always wanted to know all the steps to his Thriller dance, I kind of feel that the level of "dedication" it takes to learn them might speak to a greater problem. That's all I'm sayin'. On second thought...maybe we could just re-enact this "version" of the Thriller dance. Oh I couldn't not put this one in here. This is for all you fans of bollywood. I haven't stopped laughing yet. (Killer! Killer!)

Exactly 27.5 days left of my twenties

That's right! Can you believe it? Well, I can't. I mean, I swear it was just yesterday that I was dying to get in to my twenties...and now I'm about to leave them. Huh. Odd. When did getting older stop being fun? I suspect it was around the same time that I stopped believing in Santa Claus. I'm not entirely sure how they're related, but it just seems to make sense. But I mean, don't you remember just waiting for the day that you would be "older" so that you could do all the things you weren't allowed to do? Being the youngest of six, I was keenly aware of how being older also meant having so many more privileges. I could hardly wait. So, now that this "getting older" thing is breathing down my neck, you may ask how I feel about this transition. No, go ahead, it's okay. Ask me. Perhaps something like this?

Well to be honest, I think I freaked out more when I turned 29. That may seem a bit strange, but I think now that I've had a year to get used to the idea that I'll no longer be in my twenties...yeah, that's a lie. It's freaked me out the whole time, but ya know, it's just a number. And as I was just reminded of the other day, I don't "look" 30...whatever that means. I mean, I suppose that's a blessing...or will be once I really start getting old (Definition of "old" being relative to whatever you believe is old. Ha!). This may sound cliche, but something my grandma said was that you're only as old as you feel. When she was probably in her 80s or 90s, she told me that she would often walk past the mirror and wonder, "Who's that old lady?" So, if that's true, then I'm really only about 21. Woohoo!! I've got everything to look forward to again! Finishing my undergrad degree...going on a mission...getting my first professional job...starting grad school...etc., etc., etc. Which reminds me...while I was surfing around on the internet for things to link to this message, I found an article that first reminded the reader that, "Unless you make it into one, turning 30 is not a death sentence". I can agree with that. I mean, isn't 30 the new 20? The writer of this article also advised those turning 30 to ignore all of the annoying articles with titles like "100 Things You Simply Must Accomplish Before You Turn 30!". To those articles I say, "Bah! Baloney!" Something that it did, in fact, suggest was to think of all the things you have accomplished in your life by this time and to list them. I liked that idea. So here goes...

• I earned my high school diploma, an Associate Degree in German and a Bachelor's in Linguistics, with a Minor in TESOL and I began my Masters degree in Folklore
  
• I've lived in Wisconsin, Idaho, Latvia, Utah and Virginia
• I've learned new skills like basket-weaving, how to speak using various dialects for the stage, how to speak Latvian and Latvian Sign Language and I've studied a small handful of other random languages
  
• I served an 18 month full-time mission to Latvia for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• I have visited Germany, Austria, Latvia, England, Finland, Lithuania, Estonia, Italy, France and numerous U.S. States
• I have read oh...I don't know some 5000 books (this is a guesstimation, but I'm going for my whole life...so maybe it should be higher. I don't know.)
  
• I have seen some 3 billion films (maybe a slight exaggeration, but it doesn't feel like it)
• I have become an aunt 19 times over
• I have gained many lasting and life-changing friendships
• I have been on hundreds of dates (I was debating whether this was an actual accomplishment or merely a matter of course...jury's still out.)
• I bought my first car (ok, well it almost looked like that)
  
• I traded-in my first car
  
• I bought my first "real" car
• I started a blog
  

Well, that's it, in a nutshell...sorry if I'm missing anything glaringly huge. If so, I'll insert an addendum or something. Now, you may not be as close to turning 30 as I am, but what have you accomplished in your years? Go ahead, toot your own horn for a minute.

And one more thing...any birthdays that gave you cause to pause and wonder...what the? When did I get this old? Good. Let's hear it.

Whistling in the dark

There's only one thing I know how to do well, and I've often been told that you can only do what you know how to do well and that's be you. Be what you're like. Be like yourself.... Well, John and John inspired me to post. If there's one thing I know how to do well it is procrastinate!! Oh yes. Kids, don't try this at home. I am a trained professional.

So, the other day I was surfing around, as I am wont to do when I should be doing anything else, and I ended up watching Yahoo's The 9. Personally, I'd like to poke Maria Sansone with pointy sticks until she shuts up, but I do enjoy many of the links this little show provides. Okay, here's the one that I was enjoying the most right here. But I must warn you...this is one INCREDIBLY addictive little game. Play at your own risk! Fancy pants indeed, eh? Be sure to go to the home of that little page and check out World 1 as well. I haven't yet investigated any other games, but I can only imagine that they're equally as consuming.

Okay, so anyway...hey! You! Come back...you can play the games later! Finish reading this post first! Sheesh!

This is a truly random and yet absolutely engrossing little tidbit. This video is from the French Idol. I don't know what they're saying, (Becky? A little help?) but if I were to narrate, it would probably go something like this...

Narrator: Joseph is 21 and competing to win French Idol for the 6th time...
Jacque: Alright! I rock!
Narrator: Let's see what the judges have to say about him this time around...
Judge 1: How many times have you been here?
Joseph: 6 times.
Judge 1: 6 times?
Joseph: 6 times...I just know I've got what it takes.
Judge: We'll see about that... What are you going to sing for us today?
Joseph: Oh I was thinking of something like this...[commence beat boxing]
Judge 1, 2, 3 & 4: [jaws dropped to the floor - no translation necessary] Oh my gosh! This guy is the bomb! Blah, blah, blah... Did he just use two tones at once?

Okay, I'm stopping here, but honestly, pay close attention to the different tones this guy is using AT THE SAME TIME!! Also, watch the judge in the red sweater. His expressions are priceless! Seriously. I wish I could beatbox. Dang. The real question here is...do I smell a winner? Or does he really belong on the French equivalent of another random reality show? Oh David Hasselhoff, where did you go wrong?

Ok. Well, that's all I've got for now and those are my two cents. Got any good time-wasters? If so...do tell!

Happy (Belated) Women's Day!

So when I was a missionary in Latvia, one thing I really liked was randomly receiving flowers from people on seemingly random days. They had a lot of them...most of them were some memorial day or holiday I'd never heard of. Anyway, March 8th was another one of these "random" days. I know, today is March 9th, but better late than never, right? Anyway, the first time this happened, I learned that I was receiving flowers for the simple and incontrovertible fact that I am a woman. No, it's true! Well, I was not going to look a gift flower in the...(that doesn't work here, does it?), anyway, I graciously accepted them. It wasn't until later that I learned that this "holiday" extended beyond the boundaries of just Latvia. Actually, I learned that the Latvians themselves weren't the ones keeping it going, but the Russians. Hey, all I cared about was getting pretty flowers from friends and strangers alike! But for those of you interested in learning a bit more about International Women's Day... here ya go. And even though you may be a day late (and a dollar short) go ahead and wish all the women in your life a HAPPY WOMEN'S DAY!!

Oh, and perhaps this isn't necessary to say, but I do take pride in being a woman and support the cause for equality of the sexes and while this makes me a feminist simply due to that fact, I hope I am not mistaken to be (oh I do hate this term) a feminazi. I try to stear clear of any heavily one-sided or fanatical belief system...but I fear that I may be opening a can of worms that I had no interest in opening, so let's just leave it there, shall we? I am, after all, a great fan of the male persuasion! So, down with inequality...long live equality!! And...let's just all get along, k?

There's a first time for everything

So. After much prodding and wheedling and connivery (yes, it's a real word), I have joined the massive blogging population. The question now is, do I have anything worthwhile to say? Well, sure. I've got plenty of worthwhile things to say...but will I remember to say them here? I dunno. Time will tell. Perhaps a bit more of that coercion might do the trick.

Well, since I'm here I might as well get down to it, eh? So, as a way of introduction (although those reading this, likely know a bit about me), let me just explain that I'm a graduate student, studying Folklore. Yes, folklore. This statement is most frequently met with several questions.

Number one: What is crud is Folklore? Here, you can learn a bit more about it if you're not comfortable with learning from the pros. Eh. I figure it helps to have more than one definition, since I'm continually explaining what it is anyway. I find it quite refreshing to let someone else do it for me. (Follow the links, people! Follow the links!) So. What does this say about me? In my opinion, my study of Folklore says that I'm essentially an adult suffering from ADD. Okay, I'll be a bit more complimentary...my interests are incredibly interdisciplinary. How's that? Literature, film, theatre, music, art, performance, culture, traditions, crafts, languages, history, sociology, anthropology....it's all in there! Anyway, back to the topic at hand. (See, I'm easily distracted...even by myself.)

Number two: What does one do with Folklore? What do I plan to be when I grow up? Well, besides a lounge singer...I just want to take all of my loves and squash them up into a big ball aaaand call it good. I wanna do that. What? You're not satisfied with my dream of becoming a jane-of-all-trades? (I don't feel much like a Jack.) Okay, fine. Well, as surprising as it may be, earning a degree in Folklore doesn't automatically guarantee me gainful employment. If I had my druthers...I think I'd like to go into either public sector Folklore or something dealing more with the performance aspect of Folklore or Folklife, such as storytelling. I really enjoy doing actual fieldwork, but I also really love the performance aspects of different kinds of Folklore. I find it incredibly stimulating and exciting! So there. Better? Whatever, it's my future anyway. You know, I think that may be the first time that I've actually qualified my plans for the future. (Ha! Qualified...) But honestly? I don't think I know enough to know, ya know? It's too soon to tell. Maybe I'll end up being a plumber? I hear that's a very honorable profession.

Number three: How the heck did you get into Folklore? Well...I think it started when I was a wee one and... Okay, I'll condense. Truthfully, I think I've always had a secret love for Folklore, although I didn't know it. I've always loved stories in any form; written, spoken, projected on the silver screen, hanging on the wall of an art museum, coming from my dad's record player...etc., etc. I love it all. I've always felt some kind of connection to these forms of expression. I'm only now realizing that this connection is to more than just the stories themselves, but to the people who create them or pass them on. I think our abilities to tell stories as human beings is what makes the world smaller, more personal. It connects my culture to yours. It gives me a bridge to understand a society that I would otherwise have absolutely no affiliation with. So, in short, it's about people...and their stories. I love that no matter where you go, or where you come from, you come chock-full of your own brand of folklore...family lore, religious beliefs, occupational stories... It's all so exhilarating! I mean, seriously...isn't that cool? And isn't that what makes people love things like just hanging out with friends and talking or watching a talk show or reading the news paper? It's all about the stories that connect us together!

I hope I'm doing a decent job of explaining what it is that I'm in love with, because I basically get one of two responses from those closest to me..."Oh that's great, honey!" *pat-pat-pat* (said while patting my arm, head, whatever and typically with a glazed look of confused sincerity) or "Wow! That is truly fascinating!" (said with absolute sincerity and excitement for my chosen academic field) I do understand that not everyone is going to jump on the Folklore bandwagon with me, but I'm aiming to get as many to the "Wow! That is truly fascinating!" side of things as I possibly can. Mostly, I just want people on this side so they can at least understand why I choose to study what I do. Because in the end, folks...it's all about me. Well, it's about the individual. (But mostly me.)

So there. That completes my first blog...EVER! Comments are most welcome. I'm totally willing and eager to discuss or dispute anything I've said so far. Bring it on.