ok, i'm lame... i promised a picture of the lovely handiwork sent to me, but i am now proven a liar. i'll post it soon, promise! now, for the news:
1. i turned in a paper and got a decent grade!
2. i created and performed a research proposal presentation and did okay! even though public speaking makes my voice and legs shake!
3. someone wants to buy my apartment and i'm going to let them!
4. that means nate and i are really looking for real for a new place to live!
5. i can walk again! my calf muscle is healing, and i've even gone to the gym and used the stationary bicycle for a few minutes!
6. it's feeling like spring! about time!
7. i started flossing my teeth again!
Apr 23, 2009
Mar 20, 2009
the belly of the muscle
last night i was getting my groove on in dance class and had a freak accident ripping my calf muscle. the name of the muscle is the gastrocnemius, the large and bulky muscle in the back. the doctors tend to call it the "gastroc" in conversation, which of course sounds much cooler. i like to think they are really saying "gastROCK!"
the injury is in the belly of the muscle, which also just sounds ridiculous. but yeah, right in the middle where all the magic happens, that's where i tore it. the upshot: i'll be crutchin' around for about a week, and after a weekend of icing the muscle, avoiding weight on it, and generally acting protective, i'll switch to heat and start some gentle stretching. by gentle stretching i mean, flexing and pointing my toes. after i can do that well and without a problem, i can start standing on a stair with just my toes and use gravity and resistance to work the muscles more.
i am really not patient enough to be a good patient. however, i could get used to the white-glove-five-star-hand-servant treatment i'm lucky enough to get from nate. this alone helps me want to treat myself better. this much effort and energy into assuring i rest up and do right by myself from someone else would be such a shame to waste. i was even loaned ninja pillow this afternoon - he's been watching over me as i rest and nap and stay out of trouble.
here's my not-so-secret secret: i am pissed off. it's the first day of spring for crying out loud. it's beautiful and glorious and i want to be riding my bike, and i want to be enjoying the blue sky and the fresh breeze in the air with a spring in my step. my step is decidedly unspringy right now. leaden is more like it. certainly there are so many worse things that could have happened, involving long term rehabilitation and physical therapy, even surgery. so all in all, i'm not doing too shabbily. so when i feel a bit bummed i just think about the belly of my muscle and how seriously dumb that sounds, and it makes me crack a smile.
plus, i am totally going to enjoy the crap out of the rest of this year. once i have two working legs i'll be walking and springing and skipping and biking and street-funking and yogaing all over this piece. so just watch out. i will seriously gastROCK all over 2009, so don't say i didn't warn you. in the meantime, can you hand me the remote so i can watch my programs?
(p.s. - next time i post here i'll show y'all a picture of the awesome needlepoint that miss dirtyboots sent me. handmade! quite a saucy renaissance woman, that clare.)
the injury is in the belly of the muscle, which also just sounds ridiculous. but yeah, right in the middle where all the magic happens, that's where i tore it. the upshot: i'll be crutchin' around for about a week, and after a weekend of icing the muscle, avoiding weight on it, and generally acting protective, i'll switch to heat and start some gentle stretching. by gentle stretching i mean, flexing and pointing my toes. after i can do that well and without a problem, i can start standing on a stair with just my toes and use gravity and resistance to work the muscles more.
i am really not patient enough to be a good patient. however, i could get used to the white-glove-five-star-hand-servant treatment i'm lucky enough to get from nate. this alone helps me want to treat myself better. this much effort and energy into assuring i rest up and do right by myself from someone else would be such a shame to waste. i was even loaned ninja pillow this afternoon - he's been watching over me as i rest and nap and stay out of trouble.
here's my not-so-secret secret: i am pissed off. it's the first day of spring for crying out loud. it's beautiful and glorious and i want to be riding my bike, and i want to be enjoying the blue sky and the fresh breeze in the air with a spring in my step. my step is decidedly unspringy right now. leaden is more like it. certainly there are so many worse things that could have happened, involving long term rehabilitation and physical therapy, even surgery. so all in all, i'm not doing too shabbily. so when i feel a bit bummed i just think about the belly of my muscle and how seriously dumb that sounds, and it makes me crack a smile.
plus, i am totally going to enjoy the crap out of the rest of this year. once i have two working legs i'll be walking and springing and skipping and biking and street-funking and yogaing all over this piece. so just watch out. i will seriously gastROCK all over 2009, so don't say i didn't warn you. in the meantime, can you hand me the remote so i can watch my programs?
(p.s. - next time i post here i'll show y'all a picture of the awesome needlepoint that miss dirtyboots sent me. handmade! quite a saucy renaissance woman, that clare.)
Mar 13, 2009
jon stewart & cnbc mayhem
i watched the first daily show clips of jon stewart going after cnbc, and i watched jim cramer's appearance on the show, and then i read the new york times article about the entire brou-ha-ha.
it kills me that both jim cramer and the new york times missed, or ignored, the point jon stewart was making.
cramer attempted to cover his ass, essentially by saying no one can see the future and he should have done a better job, but didn't. and i don't blame him for his defensiveness, since cnbc basically threw him to the wolves on this one (hey - that cramer fellow, he's funny and acerbic, he'll be able to take on stewart! yeah, let's send him to do the clean up!)
alessandra stanley spent most of column space talking about the way stewart "act[ed] out a cathartic ritual of indignation and castigation" with cramer during the interview. she seemed to find most interesting stewart's use of embarrassing footage of cramer.
come on - really? that's the best each of these people could do? stewart repeatedly and continually uses his show as a forum to ridicule the sad state of affairs in news media: that should be a hint. stewart even admitted that it was a shame that cramer now had to be the face of cnbc in this public 'feud' since his point isn't that it's just cramer (although he is part of the problem):
it's the ethos of cnbc, which bills itself as the place to look for financial information, in that they are in the business of entertainment more than they are in the business of helping the regular joes and josies figure out how to protect their financial resources.
stewart's point, which cramer couldn't see during his sacrificial place in stewart's spotlight, and stanley didn't bother to write about since it's not the more entertaining hook to her coverage of the segment, is that cnbc lets its reporters get away with not being reporters and they have just as much responsibility as any other news media source to check their facts and sources, build their cases, and report the truth behind the PR talking points.
the daily show and stewart make their living from criticizing what and who makes the news. like any good jester, stewart mocks the power players and tells more truth than any one in the court. the fact that he and his team actually do a better job as journalists/reporters within the confines of their comedy show says way too much about how the news is told today.
they aren't going up for any pulitzer prizes, but the way everyone else goes about the business of telling news, it just looks like that wouldn't be such a far-fetched idea. the daily show has more credibility than any of the rest of them, and that's just sad. and that is the part that gets jon stewart the most angry.
it kills me that both jim cramer and the new york times missed, or ignored, the point jon stewart was making.
cramer attempted to cover his ass, essentially by saying no one can see the future and he should have done a better job, but didn't. and i don't blame him for his defensiveness, since cnbc basically threw him to the wolves on this one (hey - that cramer fellow, he's funny and acerbic, he'll be able to take on stewart! yeah, let's send him to do the clean up!)
alessandra stanley spent most of column space talking about the way stewart "act[ed] out a cathartic ritual of indignation and castigation" with cramer during the interview. she seemed to find most interesting stewart's use of embarrassing footage of cramer.
come on - really? that's the best each of these people could do? stewart repeatedly and continually uses his show as a forum to ridicule the sad state of affairs in news media: that should be a hint. stewart even admitted that it was a shame that cramer now had to be the face of cnbc in this public 'feud' since his point isn't that it's just cramer (although he is part of the problem):
it's the ethos of cnbc, which bills itself as the place to look for financial information, in that they are in the business of entertainment more than they are in the business of helping the regular joes and josies figure out how to protect their financial resources.
stewart's point, which cramer couldn't see during his sacrificial place in stewart's spotlight, and stanley didn't bother to write about since it's not the more entertaining hook to her coverage of the segment, is that cnbc lets its reporters get away with not being reporters and they have just as much responsibility as any other news media source to check their facts and sources, build their cases, and report the truth behind the PR talking points.
the daily show and stewart make their living from criticizing what and who makes the news. like any good jester, stewart mocks the power players and tells more truth than any one in the court. the fact that he and his team actually do a better job as journalists/reporters within the confines of their comedy show says way too much about how the news is told today.
they aren't going up for any pulitzer prizes, but the way everyone else goes about the business of telling news, it just looks like that wouldn't be such a far-fetched idea. the daily show has more credibility than any of the rest of them, and that's just sad. and that is the part that gets jon stewart the most angry.
Mar 12, 2009
Feb 27, 2009
huh?
today at 1:28 pm, the following quote from President Obama was posted on the white house website as part of a larger story:
so, the question on my mind, perhaps taking dave's recent post into consideration, is when did we start a combat mission in iraq, and what happened to the war?
"Let me say this as plainly as I can: by August 31, 2010, our combat mission in Iraq will end,"
so, the question on my mind, perhaps taking dave's recent post into consideration, is when did we start a combat mission in iraq, and what happened to the war?
Feb 24, 2009
i just saw this video posted at d*s - it's beautiful and simple. just lovely. and it doesn't hurt that the vocals are reminiscent of neil halsted. all details about oren lavie and the folks involved with the making of the video can be found at orenlavie.com.
Feb 13, 2009
for artists, book-lovers, design junkies, and nerds
designsponge worked with the new york public library and artists in nyc to put together a short video series that follows the artists (who use various media) as they draw inspiration from the collections at the library. this is a fun and neat look at artists' processes, the breadth of the collections in the libraries, the accessibility and versatility of research, and cross-polination of ideas. (not to mention, the total awesomeness and rocking of librarians and librarianship.)
check out the video series from start to finish (posted in reverse chronological order)
check out the video series from start to finish (posted in reverse chronological order)
Feb 3, 2009
Jan 28, 2009
snow. plows. waking up. my brain.
snow was already deep on the ground by the time i woke up this morning. another white blanket of sound-dampening softness blah blah blah. there's so much snow this winter i might be all tapped out. i'm losing my enthusiasm for packing snowballs and being the first to tromp through an undisturbed patch. i keep getting all crotchety at the state or the city or whomever is supposed to keep the roads clear: winter has never managed to surprise us. it comes every single year. how come the unpreparedness in dealing with it? why do roads still close down, and how is it that with all the plows and salt there are days the snow is left uncleared on major roadways? but this morning is different. i woke up this morning cranky and in no mood to start the day. (truth be told, this actually happens to me quite frequently, i'm no morning person despite various attempts to train myself otherwise.) so here i am, all out of sorts and brain not fully working at maximum capacity, eyes not opening to maximum wideness, etc. and i realize i'm that person who can't get prepared for the same thing to happen over and over and over. i should be more crotchety with myself about not being ready for morning, or, i should be more understanding when winter come and the roads are a disgusting mess of dirty slush and there's mayhem all over the streets. of course, i could just go to bed earlier. what's their excuse?
Jan 17, 2009
Dec 28, 2008
unchaining hearts
it's been a day for hearing about friends' relationship tumult. just on cue, ray charles is on my stereo moaning to have his heart unchained. his phrasing, tone, and emotional conveyance is all spot on. and i'm thinking of past aching, the kind that can come back to haunt my heart with phantom pangs of my emotional frailty - the way my knees twinge in winter weather reminding me of my physical brittleness.
i hope joy, comfort, and salve is not far away. that current pains turn one day to nothing more than scarring: proof that battles of love have been survived and created even stronger lovers.
i hope joy, comfort, and salve is not far away. that current pains turn one day to nothing more than scarring: proof that battles of love have been survived and created even stronger lovers.
Dec 7, 2008
noga
noga is my new practice of not making it to yoga classes. although i may go down in history as the person responsible for identifying, perfecting, and perhaps even perpetuating this practice, i am confident i'm not the only one who has made this practice part of their routine.
Nov 19, 2008
LC
a co-worker of mine recently went on a business trip to south africa. she spent her own money to buy little mementos for the people she would meet there, over $200.00 to make these new far-off colleagues feel appreciated. in part of her presentation she showed an image of our new president-elect and his family, to great cheers in the room. many folks wanted to congratulate the people of the U.S., saying they didn't think we would ever be brave enough to elect a black man as president. apparently they had some really interesting conversation. she came back with great big wide eyes, stories told excitedly of her time there, and little trinkets for all of us. she has many strengths and interests, but above all she cares greatly about the world around her and treating people well and with respect. she makes that clear with every decision, every comment, every act, every thought. i think i've found another hero.
Oct 25, 2008
Oct 23, 2008
Oct 20, 2008
mo distractions
i find it really hard to concentrate on the multimedia software package that supports the statistics textbook we use in class. every time one of the animated activities come on it is narrated by someone who sounds exactly like mo rocca. which is awesome, but highly distracting.
Oct 14, 2008
walnut grove on the banks of the dordogne river
nate and i went to france in late september - we spent a week biking in the south, and then a couple of days in france. on the second day of our trip we left a town called gourdon in the bouriane region and headed towards vitrac, located in the dordogne river valley. nate had to try a fresh walnut from this grove.
Oct 3, 2008
enough of that other sarah
two SP posts in a row? inconceivable. on to other subjects - ones that don't raise the blood pressure so high.
nate and i enjoyed a very mellow day recovering from our latest international travel adventure: almost two weeks in france. in short, we had a wonderful time. we each have plenty of photos and anecdotes that will slowly leak into our normal lives. rebalancing the pressure between life at home and life on vacation always takes a bit of time, moving those images and stories into the airspace around home.
today was about a full night's rest, buying groceries for our pitifully empty kitchen, doing a few loads of stinky laundry, cleaning, cooking, and running a couple of errands. all in all, we managed to catch up to our normal frequency in time for the weekend.
on my plate for the next two days: homework, crafting, napping, and meeting up with my cousin, maggie, who is in town for a friend's wedding. if i'm lucky, maybe even some more bike riding and other bodymovin'.
oh yeah-
a BIG shout out to veronica whose help with round-trip airport transport (and support in the face of baggage claim delays) was invaluable to vacation peace of mind.
nate and i enjoyed a very mellow day recovering from our latest international travel adventure: almost two weeks in france. in short, we had a wonderful time. we each have plenty of photos and anecdotes that will slowly leak into our normal lives. rebalancing the pressure between life at home and life on vacation always takes a bit of time, moving those images and stories into the airspace around home.
today was about a full night's rest, buying groceries for our pitifully empty kitchen, doing a few loads of stinky laundry, cleaning, cooking, and running a couple of errands. all in all, we managed to catch up to our normal frequency in time for the weekend.
on my plate for the next two days: homework, crafting, napping, and meeting up with my cousin, maggie, who is in town for a friend's wedding. if i'm lucky, maybe even some more bike riding and other bodymovin'.
oh yeah-
a BIG shout out to veronica whose help with round-trip airport transport (and support in the face of baggage claim delays) was invaluable to vacation peace of mind.
Sep 17, 2008
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