Homecoming 2008

Last weekend was IU's homecoming. And in true Hoosier fashion I drug my new husband all the way to Indiana to experience this one of a kind college experience. Rob having gone to SVA never got to go to a college football game. And while IU is not the best place to be inducted to the sport the team pulled off a win, an upset even (as Northwestern was close to being ranked). I think Rob had a good time, although he doesn't quite get the whole band thing. Because geek that I am, of course I play in the alumni band, and as Rob knows no one else, he got to sit with the band.

I think the baffling part to him is that we talk and catch-up with each other and play a little bit, and it all just kind of happens to take place at a football game. Of course thinking you know you are going to lose doesn't make you want to pay much attention to the blood bath on the field. However it was a good game, so once this was realized I started watching...some. I really do like football, it's just that I like my friends who I only get to see once a year a lot too.

In addition to the game we ate a lot. Unfortunately for Rob all the eating and drinking was with my friend's who's husbands / fiances were unable to come. so Rob and four women. Lucky for Rob he's a good listener and lucky for us girls, we don't really notice when he's watching tv. WE hit the best places. Mother Bears Friday night. We've learned you've got to his this one the day BEFORE the game, because after the game it's a madhouse. Then after the game Saturday we went to Nick's. This was also a madhouse and quite a wait, because you can't squeeze five into the tiny booths. So we had to wait 45 minutes or so for a table. (This may also be a madhouse, but since it's 21 and over not quite as bad as Mother Bears - which is family friendly) Then after a little shopping trip to Greetings for our annual t-shirt buying and Urban Outfitters because hey why not, and Rob had an incident (ask him) we headed to Bears. Where Rob tackled the Hairy Bear. I think he's fully inducted as a Hoosier now.

Here are some videos Rob took of the alumni band. Kaylene, Sara, Carrie, Mom - if you have pictures of us can you send them to me please.

Puttin' on the Ritz

song i can't remember the title of

A New Blog To Read

I found this this morning in the New York Times. And you know how much I like words. I'm going to have to check in for the next few days and see if it's any good. Wordplay!

Some recent work by friends

The first is Rob's production group. They have been workign on some short films. The first two are now online.

One Stuck Duck

And another friend recently did this political short. Remember I live in New York now, and no matter what your political affiliation I find it funny.

The Vet Who Did Not Vet

And now I am off to Indiana for some friends, football, and family.

To Dos part 3 (Where I am on Monday)

Here is where I stand on my list from Friday.

1. CHECK - except that there are more from last nights dinner now, i'll do those today
2. half CHECK - we only got around to cleaning 1 of 2
3. organize office - I may never step foot in this room again
4. CHECK
5. CHECK
6. work on personal statement for grad school app - I'm getting to it
7. CHECK
8. CHECK
9. CHECK
10. CHECK

7.5 out of 10 isn't too bad.

How to avoid a To Do list

Well last night I got home early and planned to read for 30 minutes then start on that list I made. But 30 minutes turned into 90 and then Rob got home and took me on a date. We went to this cafe coffee shop down the street that has a Monday - Friday Wine Down Special. So we got a bottle of wine and a cheese plate. Followed up with some chocolate cake. Came home and decided that it had been a long week and went to bed at 9:30.

This morning we slept in then went to the grocery. Item #7 CHECK! Made it home, put a pot roast on in the crock pot and headed to Williamsburg for brunch with the church friends. Brunch was nice. I meant to bring my camera so I'd have a picture to post, but I forgot. After brunch we really didn't want to come home and tackle the rest of the to do list, so we decided to walk through the park on the way to the subway. Then when we got to the station (Nassau G) said - it's a nice day, lets walk a little farther, so we walked up Manhattan Ave. Then I said why don't we just walk all the way up to the 7, like we used to to go to church before it moved. So we walked up Manhattan to Green Street and over to McGuiness and across teh Pulaski Bridge. Now in Queens Rob says lets walk over to 45th road (two stops further on the 7, but not really that far because of teh crazy turns the train makes) and see if we can find the MoMA PS1 that is over there. Up for still not tackling the To Do list I agree.

We walk and find it! And there is no door. But as we are walking around the building, there is a gate. And through the gate is a courtyard with PF1 or Public Farm 1. The summer outdoor exhibing is Urban Farming. There is this elaborate and cool cardboard garden suspended in the air full of herbs and vegetables and flowers. Very cool. Then we went in to the museum. And since the fall exhibits open on Monday, half of the exhibit halls are closed for installation, so the normally $5 admission is free. This is good, so we go in. And PS1 is an extension of MoMA and houses truly modern art. Like all created in the last couple of years, making a social statement that I don't really get, one giant piece per room, modern art. Not really my thing, but an interesting experience.

After the museum, we finally get on the train for the last five stops. Why didn't we walk you ask? Because in my bag I had our subway books, "Harry Potter 4" and "Something Blue" and books are heavy, and I'd been carrying them for over an hour. So on the subway we went, and got home and sat on the couch and took a nap for two hours.

Upon awaking the To Do list must get done. So Rob starts on the bedroom. He got his nightstand and beside (which wasn't even on the list but needed to happen) cleaned. And tackeled the top of the dresser and floor. Number 4 - not quite I still have to hit the chair.

I did finish the dishes - but now we ate dinner so there are more...must do dishes again tonight. But #5 Recycling CHECK. Did this one.

Rob put away the laundry still on the rack from last week, but we didn't get around to doing this weeks load yet. I don't think that really counts. And I put away the make-up, hair stuff, etc. that clutters the bathroom, but that doesn't really count as cleaning either. I did clean off my desk and start a gathering of stuff for grad school, but still have to write that statement.

I am seeing a pattern. Little things to pave the way, and cleaning (sweeping the living room floor, throwing out junk mail) things that always get done. The impression of working hard, yet still not tackling the To Do List. Oh, and I haven't entered the office / my closet yet today. And now. I'm beat, so I think Rob and I are going to curl up on the couch and watch a movie.

To Do List - I'll think about it tomorrow.

To Do List

The things I should do that should get done this weekend. None of it sounds very fun. Maybe I'll convince Rob the apartment isn't a disaster and we'll watch movies all weekend instead.

1. finish dishes
2. clean bathrooms
3. organize office
4. clean off top of dresser and bedroom chair
5. box and take out recycling
6. work on personal statement for grad school app
7. buy groceries
8. put away summer clothes
9. finish sorting clothes to donate
10. laundry

8th Grade Math Class

I took the GRE on Monday. For those who don't know - it's a test, kind of the SAT for grad school. I've been planning this for awhile, so awhile back I got myself a copy of the Princeton Review's Cracking the GRE. And once I scheduled my test date the studying began.
For the verbal section of the test it's all about knowledge of words. I read a lot, but the words on this test were something else. I decided to bank on doing well with sentence completion and reading comprehension, and do what I could with analogies and antonyms. Lucky for me, there are some great strategies for finding the right answer even if you have no clue what the word means.
The purpose of the blog though is the math section, or quantitative section if I want to be really correct about it. As the Princeton Review puts it - most people don't take much math in college so the GRE tests only basic math or what you would learn in 8th or 9th grade. The study book actually says that SAT math is more difficult. GRE math is simple algebra, geometry, and understanding numbers. A lot of the math looks crazy...until you break it down. Then it's really just canceling things out and knowing when multiplying or dviding by a negative number is negtive or positive. Stuff like that.
So I want to say, Thank you Mrs. Cummins. While studying 8th grade math class came flooding back to my brain. Perfect squares, decimal form of fractions 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, 1/5, 1/6...etc..., how to perform operations with negative numbers, the formulas for finding areas of triangles and circles. So many math facts lurking in my brain.
I guess all that math I thought I'd never use again really did come in handy.
And now I am applying to graduate programs where I will hopefully be doing lots of reasearch that will involve data anaylsis and statistics. Much harder than 8th grade math class.

Look what I did.