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Recent events:
I finished my coffee passport.
I learned how to remove, clean, and put back together the ball bearings in the middle of a bike on Tuesday. Plus, Gayle and I picked out the cruisers were going to build!!!
I closed at Starbucks for the first time on Wednesday following another session at the Practice Tee that left me in need of massive amounts of Tiger Balm.
Yesterday, Gayle and I went to Tubac. We went to the mission, goofed around just a little in the shops (they were closing), and ate lunch at the country club. My favorite part of the day was watching the ducks harass all the ridiculous people at the restaurant.
And I finally obtained a copy of Female Chauvinist Pigs for Femme Book Club. Emma went with me to pick it up since she spent the afternoon with me at Dad's doing laundry and homework and taking a break to skinny dip.
I think that will be all for now. I'm really, really tired.
Since Gayle faxed my immunization information yesterday, I was able to register for classes last night. I was able to add the courses in Women's Studies, but I have to stop by Latin American Studies here in a bit to try and add the last course.
I spent the morning at the mail library getting a few books for my thesis, which I need to finish in two weeks. I've decided to not go as in-depth as originally planned. I just really want to be "finished," especially since I'm gearing up for the transition into graduate school. I just have to pick up a few more books while I'm here at the fine arts library (instead of dinking around on the internet) and really get rolling.
Between libraries, I stopped and got a CatCard. And, when they asked for my student id#, I finally didn't have to look it up because it's finally been committed to memory.
Also, Take Back the Night is this evening at Armory Park. Gayle and I will probably walk over. I'm excited about the event, but I'll have to head to bed soon after because I open both days this weekend. Yuck.
Right when Gayle was set to move out of her house, her neighbor found a baby turtle on its back on the opposite side of the fence from Gayle's large turtle enclosure. The little turtle was super dehydrated and born out of season. So, of course, I became attached. For days the turtle didn't do anything that would indicate that it might have a chance of survival- I thought we were definitely in for Herbert II (the fall/winter baby that forgot to be alive). However, one day I convinced Gayle to try joint force feeding, and the turtle perked up. A few weeks later now and it's eating regularly (strained green beans and cat food) and enjoying daily vitamin baths and small excursions outside to soak in the sun. Yesterday, we filled the tupperware with dirt and rocks so that it can burrow. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that Oedipus makes it through.
Today, I...
Checked tire rotation off my list (one tire had two nails and a chunk missing);
Cleaned the tar and oil off my car;
Ate too much cheese;
Took myself in to get a second MMR immunization;
Changed loose ball bearings on a "special" racer at BICAS.
Aided Emma in her fundraising efforts;
Checked out the local AFSC in hopes of volunteering with their programs;
Ate pho with Gayle, Terry Penland, and Mary Goethals;
Went to a meeting at AFSC about a campaign for a new report being released;
Met Bebe at Time Market for lunch, a zip over to Starbucks, and lots of chatting;
Slept through the Femme Pirates gathering (due to opening at Starbucks);
Helped in Gayle's moving effort next to Aida and Coach Deb;
Got my hairs cut by Lynn at Gentleman's Choice;
Was lucky enough to be Emma's +1 to see Brandi Carlile in Studio C;
Wiped up Emma's drool at the Rialto when we went to see Brandi Carlile;
Wacked out chunks of grass at the Practice Tee while trying to learn how to golf;
Sipped the finest elderberry currant tea at Chantilly with Gayle while munching on finger sandwiches and scones;
Witnessed my first official roller derby bout- Vice Squad v. Copper Queens;
Explored the uppity shops of the Lost Barrio;
Took at musical tour of Europe with the Tucson Youth Philharmonia.
And tonight...
I start a build-a-bike class at BICAS!
Feminist Movement Theory (WS 539): Required for the program.
Queer Theories (WS 696G)
Political Ecology (ANTH 524A)
Contemporary Latin American Economy (LAS 595E)
History of Women in Latin America (HIST 569)
Globalization and Preservation of Culture (AIS 697B)
I also have stars next to Development of Federal Indian Policy, Language in Culture, and Issues Along Borders.
Only bummer is that I have to wait until the summer to register because I have to find out what I'm doing for the department first.
Most days have gone really well the past week. I learned how to make cold drinks, grind and brew coffee, sort out coffee of the week, mark cups (there's a dice game with a practice cup), ring people on the register, make product, and use the industrial dishwasher. I've opened two days, and both times the shift supervisor was late, which bummed me out because I'd like to have stayed cuddled up in bed longer. Actually, I had a fairly easy time getting going on those mornings, even though I was up at 3:30am. My job was putting out the morning pastries in the hour before the store opened to the public. And since things don't get rolling right away when the store opens, Torrey made time for everyone to do coffee tastings for their passports. Yesterday was the only day I really felt stressed out when I was working; I had a couple super grumpy people come in and only two people were in the store when we got really busy. I keep my spirits up by just remembering it'll only last a couple months. Tonight I do my bar training, so I'll officially know how to make all the drinks (hopefully). I'm also excited about getting tips!
The past nine days:
* I pulled out my thesis to stare at and hopefully work on. I need to make revisions before May.
* Alana came over on Friday night and we made sushi and ate big bowls of miso.
* Gayle and I went to Sabino High on Saturday to watch part of the winter line competition. Some of the performances were really well done, and I thought Tucson High did a great job. Dashiell really is a multi-talented guy.
* Saturday was also the THMS Centennial Gala at the TCC. Thankfully, the program didn't drag on, and the food was great. The caterers even brought me a huge plate of fancy fruit for dessert. Dancing was my favorite part of the evening, though. The music wasn't the easiest to dance to, but the company was great. Amy Rusk and Mary Goethals looked fabulous spinning around the dance floor in their sparkly dresses. And I managed to only step on Gayle's feet a few times in my high heels.
* I finally opened a credit union account, and I'm going to get rid of my Wells Fargo account asap.
* A lot of time this past weeks was spent going with Gayle to look at houses for her and Dashiell to live in since their house closes on April 6th. She ended up finding a fairly nice place on 8th Avenue downtown, and now they're getting set to move next weekend.
* I've spent a lot of time reading the Believer and browsing Craigslist.
* Amy Richards and Jennifer Baumgardner spoke at the UofA to kick-off the feminist make-over of the Women's Resource Center. Although the information wasn't new, I'm always interested in the way conversations take place at such events and how people hear each other and respond when discussing feminism.
We also had Gayle's birthday celebration yesterday. The two of us went to Ghini's for lunch, and we ate the best calamari I've ever had. In the evening, a big group of folks went bowling at Lucky Strike. The party took up three lanes and was a ton of fun. Amy (who had never bowled before) and Margaret were the only two to drop their balls and have them roll backwards. Gayle beat everyone, generally being a very serious bowler, except when she's trying to impress people with her Flinstone move. I did about the same as usual- just under one hundred. After the bowling, pizza, and beer, the party moved to Something Sweet for dessert. Arianna pulled out a game called Fact or Crap, which was a hilarious game of esoteric statements that players have to decide are either fact or crap. For example, "Queen Elizabeth II started paying tax in 1998." Crap. She actually started in 1993. The game and the desserts were good, but the tea and coffee were mediocre. However, the night as a whole turned out to be incredibly fun. I was bummed that none of my friends were able to come (with the exception of Amy, who I decked out in pink argyle socks for her first bowling experience); we'll have to try the co-mingling another time I suppose.
And today we didn't do anything big for St. Patrick's Day, but we had corned beef and cabbage for dinner and ran around in green for awhile. The "Erin Go Bragh" shirt Kelly got me shrunk too much in the wash, and so it now belongs to Gayle. No leprechaun sightings, and no green beer. Back porch dancing to the Mollys may ensue later, though. At least I threatened.
January 22nd-February 5th: Corrales, New Mexico
Highlights of the trip include spending copious amounts of time with my family (especially my niece and nephew who are so cute I could eat them!), learning how to use my sewing machine thanks to Jason, watching my first John Wayne movie (the Cowboys!) and Out of Africa, developing an addiction to Doctor Who, going to ballet class with Aurelia, spending sister quality time with Kelly at Ojo Caliente while bathing in arsenic, taking part in tea time complete with sugar-free carrot cake, and visiting the organic farm and the art/history museum.
February 8th
Dr. Croissant from the University of Arizona Women's Studies Program called to say I'd been accepted to start a master's degree in August. Emma and I went to La Parrilla Suiza for lunch to celebrate. Gayle took me out to Feast for dinner and gave me a bag-in-a-box from Timbuk2, the perfect graduate school present. She and I followed up dinner by going out to Skate Country, which has a surprisingly diverse clientele on 18 nights. Neither of us fell on our faces, but my legs were really sore the next day.
February 9th
Emma and I drove to Tempe so she could audition for the Operafestival di Roma. She found out on Tuesday that she was cast!!! But now she has to come up with the $6,500 to pay tuition.
February 16th: Vagina Monologues
Gayle and I went to the Vagina Monologues at the Fox Theater. The cast was the most original I've seen so far, even though some pieces were less than spectacular.
February 17th-26th: Spain!
Gayle and I officially took our first trip together. Barcelona was fabulous!!! We went to the market every morning to gather fruit, cheese, bread, and occasionally a pile of olives. The markets also had weird things like gummy eggs/waffles/brains/toothbrushes, penis pastries, peeled goat heads, etc. The later part of our days walking through all the neighborhoods with small shops ranging from cafes and gelato places to luggage and hardware/paint stores. We got art passes to go to all the major museums and spent two days riding the double decker Bus Touristic. A short list of the places we visited: the chocolate museum, the national art museum of Catalunya, the Gaudi apartments, Park Guell, the Picasso Museum, Fundacio Miro, the history museum of Catalunya (with an exhibit on the European witch burnings), Fundacio Antonio Tapias, the contemporary art museum (with the Killing Stories installation series), and La Rambla (complete with street performers and parakeets). We ate tapas, paella, pizza, baguette sandwiches, waffles, chicken tandoori salad wraps, yummy honey dressing salads with warm cheese, and falafel (at a place where you can pile on tasty toppings like garlic mayo and olive spread). And we stayed at a noisy hostel with a disco next door that started around 2 or 3am and went until 10am. One day we even rode the regional train down to Sitges and caught the children's Carnival parade. Also, Gayle and I picked up scarves because everyone in Spain wore really great scarves and we wanted to blend in with the Europeans. Other neat things: feminist book store, running into a protest of orange pickers at the state building, the mercury fountain at Miro, and tons and tons of public art.
Pictures:
As far as flights go, we went through Chicago and Munich to get to Barcelona (from Phoenix), and our flight was cancelled out of Frankfurt on the way home so we were rerouted through San Francisco.
Upon returning from Spain, I came down with the flu. I haven't been really sick since I was a kid, usually I get bugs that go away in a day or two or just contract annoying colds. All I did was read, sleep, and take baths for almost a week.
March 2nd: Women's Studies Recruitment Weekend
I tricked myself into thinking I wasn't sick and went to the UofA for the Women's Studies recruitment weekend along with other potential M.A. students. I enjoyed getting to hang out with the current grad students in the department and meeting entering students. We had breakfast (including sugar-free pumpkin muffins), went to the farmer's market, and ate lunch at Gentle Ben's. Midway through the day I ran into Alana on campus. Plus, a second year student let us sit in on an Intro to LGBT Studies class they were ta-ing for this term. Most of my questions were answered, and the department made a good offer in terms of financial aide. Even though I didn't make it through the whole event because my lungs felt like they were on fire, I definitely accepted their admission into the program. I'm really excited about starting in the fall. Plus, I really want to read some of the things current students are working on if I get a chance. For instance, one student is doing research on feminists who keep blogs about weight loss.
March 7th: LunaFest
WOSAC hosts LunaFest at the UofA, which is a film series "by, for, and about women." Unfortuantely, I only caught the end of one film that looked really interesting, but I learned a few things. There were a quite a few films, including one done by someone locally, about U.S. adoption of girls from China.
March 8th: THMS "Songs of the Century"
Tucson High had a centiennial choir concert with a song or two from each decade in the last hundred years performed. The event was great, but lasted a really, really long time. Highlights: Dashiell dancing around like a madman in a dashiki and a gigantic afro wig and Gayle drawing a face on her hand and singing along with the students. My choir teacher from Doolen was there along with my 8th grade algrbra teacher who apparently was the choir director at THMS for a couple years. At the end of the night, alumni choir members (including Amy!) joined the rest of the students on stage for a song.
March 11th: Galey's Birthday and the Renaissance Festival
I'd never been to the Renaissance Festival in Arizona before. Dashiell took three of his friends in my car, and I rode with Gayle in her Jeep. We didn't get there until almost noon, but Gayle and I stayed until the end of the day. We watched a bunch of shows, like the Wylde Men and London Broil, but my favorite part of the day was the glass blowing demonstration. When we got back, Gayle made the world's best sandwiches from Spanglish. Mmm...I've been thinking about them ever since.
March 12th
Robyn and I ate at Athens on 4th Avenue (I'd never been there before), and she introduced me to the first red pepper dish that I really like.
March 13th: Mount Lemmon
Emma, Kegan, and I drove up to Mount Lemmon to celebrate spring break. We went all the way up to the ski area, only lingering breifly at Windy Point Vista and a snow bank close to the camp. We wanted to stop for pie and cheeseburgers, but the restaurant was super expensive. So, instead the three of us made our way back into town and ate a huge pile of nachos and Bob burgers at Bob Dobbs. After finishing, Emma did laundry, I played on the pogo stick, and Moy napped. Then we all played with Gayle's turtles, spent time on the porch swing, drank adult beverages, and played Apples to Apples (I won the first round even though Gayle cheated, and Emma won the second).
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Not much else is going on in my world. I start at Starbucks tomorrow. I'm waiting to hear more about registering for classes this fall. I'm still procrastinating about making revisions to my thesis. I've been spending a lot of time playing on the pogo stick and gazing at all of Gayle's turtles. I haven't been reading as much as usual, but I'm putting a list of the few books I did get through below. I also started the Namesake (again) and A Man Without a Country, which I pick up when I'm stuck in traffic.
Recent Book Reading
We Came All the Way from Cuba so You Can Dress Like This?
The Farming of Bones
Behind the Mountains
The Miss America Family
