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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
I read a funny article today called "Who's Hugh Weaving?" or something like that, talking about how his characters are so well known but he as an actor isn't widely recognized. And he likes it that way.

Hm...now the craving can't be denied. The coffee shop on campus used to make these delicious foccacia sandwiches. I don't think they still do, though.

(All this bread talk reminds me of my days working at a deli. I can't remember half the crazy ways people pronouced "foccacia." Fo-kay-cia, fo-cut-ya, and my personal favorite, fo-crotch-ia.)

Please don't feel bad about it, it wasn't rude at all. It's something I really need to get over, especially if I do end up going to grad school - what kind of a writer can be anything if she won't anyone read her stuff? So, sure, if you want to read some of it, I'd be happy to share.

As far as manga goes, I'm no expert by any stretch, but as I understand it, it's about the same as a comic book or graphic novel. Many of them have anime series based off them, too (or are based off anime series themselves), but that isn't what makes a manga a manga. There's probably deeper cultural significance than that, but that's one Americans take on it.

Would you rather take this to email? Eliminates the need for the MB entirely. Or we could go hijack another thread...

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Originally posted by est120:
I think I read that same article. I saw it on CNN.com.

I love focaccia, no matter how you pronounce it. Well, maybe not "fo-crotch-ia". I guess it is like bruschetta. I have heard broo-shet-ta and broo-sket-ta. I think the broo-sket-ta is actually correct. Oh well. I am just an ignorant American, what can I say? Certainly not much of a Continental. So as a former deli employee, do you find that the best sandiwches are always made by someone else?

Okay. Sometime I would be happy to read a story by Ms. Hound Dog.

A lot of my co-workers are Japanese. I should ask them if there is a cultural significance to manga. In fact, I will try to remember to do that tomorrow morning.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
Hey, I made it!

I always worry that I'm going to mispronounce names of foods, if I'm talking about them or ordering at a restaurant. My not-so-sneaky way of getting around it is just to say it really fast and hope that no one asks me to repeat it. :) Ciabatta especially scares me...it's "cha-batta," right? I think so, but I'm never sure...

Actually, I've never had a sandwich as good as the ones I used to make myself at the deli. Everything just tasted better, down the mayo. Sadly they went out of business, so I'll have to open my own deli if I want to have more. Sigh.

I'll go through some of my stuff tonight and pick out the ones I think won't embarrass me. One I have to turn in next Monday, so I'd love some feedback on it.

And definitely let me know what your coworker/s say about the manga. I'm interested to hear a non-American view on it.

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Originally posted by est120:
Ah. Zippy loading. What a world we live in.

Me too! But I figure that the wait staff and chefs have heard it all so it probably does not phase them much anymore. Ciabatta I have heard a few different pronunciations. One is "see-a-batta" which I think is incorrect. Another is "cha-ba-ta" which is what you suggested and based on my only source for food information (Food Network) I think this is close but not quite. I think the "i" has to get in there so it is more like "chi-a-ba-ta". Anyway, I could be wrong (as I frequently am!). Cha-batta, Chi-a-batta, not such a big difference. So many Italian foods that I am sure I mispronounce. Panchetta, bruschetta, mozzarella. So tasty yet they leave me toungue tied!

Bummer about the deli. :( Perhaps someday you could open your own deli. A writer's deli where you make sandwiches and sell your books. Hold writing contests for free sandwiches and have poetry readings or short story nights. I would go.

Sure. I will give my very non-expert opinion on your stories.

No one is here yet but I will be sure to ask about the manga. I think my Japanese co-workers are sleeping off a night of revelry after basking in the glow of Japan's victory in the World Baseball Classic last night.

I hope your standard busy Tuesday is not so busy.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
Unfortunately, my busy Tuesday was even busier than usual. It's almost 9 pm and I'm just finally get a chance to sit down and do things that I want to do instead of work that has to get done. I did get a lot accomplished today, though, so that's somewhat of a plus.

One of these days I'm going to learn how to say everything properly. It seems like it would be easier to go that route than give them all up. It would be even easier to just hold open the menu and point and say, "that one," but that's so annoying for waitstaff and I can't bring myself to do it. Oh well. Until my enlightenment I'll keep on muddling through the foreign words and hoping I've got them right. Italian is rough, but trying to order Chinese food makes me feel illiterate sometimes...

I've often considered that idea, actually. Not a deli, per se, but a coffee house sort of thing where the emphasis was on live readings of poems and short stories and performing songs instead of on the coffee. I've often wished for a place like that, where people could just go and meet similarly-minded writers who weren't so wrapped up in themselves as "artists" that they forget to enjoy other people's work. (There would be chocolate too, naturally, to keep endorphins flowing. ) Sometimes I think it would be a lot of fun, and then I remember how much I hated working in the food service industry.

Anyway, here's a story for you: http://www.fathounddog.com/saddle.html. I don't like the title, so that's definitely going to change, but any other comments you have, please let me know. I'm thinking about turning it in as an assignment on Monday, so I'd love the help with revisions and such.

Hope you're enjoying your night and not feeling stressed. I think tonight we're going to go out for midnight pancakes to relax and celebrate (roomie's job interview went really well). It's a schoolnight, but sometimes you just have to let loose.

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Originally posted by est120:
I am sorry you had such a busy day. :( I guess it happens sometimes. I had a pretty stressful Tuesday myself. :\ Oh well.

I would love to learn another language. I took French in high school and I still remember some of it. I would love to learn another one enough to become fluent or at least be able to fumble around the native country without getting lost or ending up in a dark alley somewhere. I know what you mean about ordering in restaurants. Those places that only have the name of the dish but no description are the hardest to figure out. Sometimes I have to ask what is in them. You are going to laugh at me, but I have trouble in Chinese restaurants and I am Chinese! Born in the US, but that is no excuse.

Big fan of chocolate, eh? Let me ask you this, have you ever tried the Lindt brand? If not, find a store and go. They make the best chocolate truffles. Maybe someday you will get the opportunity to realize your idea of a writer's coffee house. That would be pretty neat-o.

Thanks for the link. I will try to take a look at your story today. I bet it is great.

How were the pancakes? What kind of place serves pancakes at midnight? Glad your roommate's interview went well. Do you guys have an idea about when a decision will be made?

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
The funny thing about Tuesday is that as soon as it's over I feel like my whole week is over, too. From here til Friday it's smooth sailing.

I took five years of Spanish in jr high and high school and loved it. I took three more semesters of it here at school. I thought I was going to minor in it, but with the double major already it was just too much to take on with any hope of graduating on time. It was hard sometimes, but I really miss it now.

Oh well...add it to the list of extra things I want to do after college. Cooking, Spanish...I'd like to learn Gaelic, too, just for fun.

Oh boy, you know your chocolate! I *love* Lindt chocolate. That stuff is amazing. My mom sent me some for Valentine's Day. The truffles are my favorite, too. They just melt in your mouth. It's like eating heaven. :)

Pancakes were good. Well, the excursion was good (we actually got some people to join us), but I didn't end up having pancakes after all. We go to Eat'n'Park, which I guess is Western PA's answer to Denny's. I've never encountered them anywhere but out here, so I don't know how widespread the chain is. It's open 24 hours though and the service is pretty good, even in the wee hours of the morning. Can't be that!

As far as my roommate goes, I think she was told she can expect to hear on or by April 10th. Until then, she has a couple more interviews, so...we'll see!

I hope your Wednesday goes better than your Tuesday. I hope the weather isn't any indication of how things are going to go today. I think it's actually gotten colder here since Spring officially began...

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Originally posted by est120:
Oh yes, Lindt is the best. Better than Godiva in my opinion and certainly better than the major market brands like Hershey's (even though ChocolateWorld in Hershey PA is an interesting place). I agree. Melt in your mouth. Not sure if it like eating Heaven, but it certainly is very good. I like the mixed bag that has all kinds of different ones. Tasty stuff. Is there a Lindt store near you?

I remember Eat n' Park. There is one in State College where I went to grad school. To be honest, I never went there. I do remember people bringing in those smilely face cookies to work sometimes. I like those. Very "cakey".

It is cold here too, at least, cold for around here at this time of year. I cannot complain too much, though. The winter sure was mild here.

I read through your story. So sad! :( What kind of comments are you looking for? Typos? I did not see any.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
No Lindt stores around here that I know of, but back at home there's a HUGE one. Coincidentally, right across the street from the deli where I used to work. Come to think of it, I've never actually been inside the place. Too overwhelming, maybe. I have this sort of idea of the place as like my chocolate Mecca...don't want to visit it just any old day. :) Yes, I take chocolate very seriously! lol

As far as the story goes, anything that you thought was unclear or that you didn't quite understand, things you want to see more of or less of, places where it felt awkward. Stuff like that.

And now, at 2 in the afternoon, my class day finally begins.

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Originally posted by est120:
Okay, a couple of comments on your story. Keep in mind, I am in no way a literary authority nor am I education in editing in any way.

1. In the first line, the story mentions "my father" but in the rest of the story, he is referred to as "Daddy". Perhaps the first mention of him should also be "Daddy" to be consistent and to emphasize how the narrator views her father.

2. In the paragraph describing how the narrator feels after being crushed by her horse, the sentence "I fell asleep then, sprawled out on the hill, and woke much later in the hospital." Perhaps change the word "woke" to "awoke".

3. Perhaps you could describe the "Hunt" in just a sentence or two. Might help to explain why the narrator is so keen to go.

I realize these are mostly just editorial types of thing and perhaps not incredibly helpful. I enjoyed reading it, though. Thanks for sharing.

I almost forgot! I asked one of my Japanese co-workers about manga yesterday. He said that one misconception about manga is that manga = comic book which is not true. He said manga refers to all forms of media concerning these types of hand drawn or animated characters. TV shows, movies, comic books are all manga. He told me that manga has been around since before he was a child (he is in his 40s now) and that it started off more for children but evolved to include more adult themed stories though children's stories are also manga as well. He also said that manga is used as an outlet for writers who are overly creative since the Japanese film industry does not have the kind of money that the US industry does so in order to produce stories that would be incredibly expensive to do live-action, some people turn to animated films and shows. Anyway, if you have any more questions on the subject, I feel confident he would be happy to try and answer.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
Thanks so much for reading it and giving me feedback. Was it too depressing, do you think? Did you "get" it, or was it too obscure?

Very cool about the manga. You learn something new every day, I guess. Anime, then, must be a sort of sub-category of manga, not it's own thing like I'd always assumed. Don't I feel all cultured now.

Sorry this isn't longer, but I'm so sleepy. I can't think of anything but a shower and my bed. Have a great night, EST!

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Originally posted by est120:
Hm. Need more sleep? I fear most people could use a little more sleep. :(

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
I don't know if I'm not getting enough sleep. I don't think I am, but then I don't know what's recommended to my age group. I do know that I'm happy to see my bed at night and I don't tend to be conscious long after my head hits the pillow. I used to sleep a lot less at night and take naps during the day, but sadly there's not room in my schedule for that much anymore. Sigh. I miss my naps...

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Originally posted by est120:
The older I get, the earlier I get up in the mornings, so consequently, I go to bed earlier now too. My weekend mornings are usually quite busy too so I do not sleep in on Saturday or Sunday. :( One of these days this is probably going to catch up with me. Are you a cat napper or a napper napper? Some people I have known can nap for 5-10 minutes and it does wonders for them. If I sleep during the day, I will probably be out for at least an hour.

So can I ask you a question that you can feel free to ignore? What is your name? I am assuming it is not "fathounddog".

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
During the summer, I work much earlier hours - up at 5:30 or 6am, as opposed to school where my earliest class is 9:25am. I really like getting up that early, but I can only do it if I have a reason to. I'm not one of those people who can just get up and have a lazy morning, unless I went to bed at like 9:30 the night before.

When I do nap, I tend to really nap. None of that crazy 10 minute stuff - I need a solid hour, at least. Otherwise I wake up cranky and the nap is just wasted. I really miss napping. It was a nice way to escape and break up the day a little bit.

Heh...no, my parents did not name me Fat Hound Dog. My name is Cate. And you? Are EST your initials?

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Originally posted by est120:
I like getting up early. It lets me get a lot of stuff done so I can go enjoy myself with whatever else later in the day. Plus, mornings are very nice times to be outside.

Those are some early hours you must be putting in at the horse place during the summertime. Do you end up working a 40 hour week?

Those crazy 10 minute nappers. I have no idea how they do it. I guess people are just born with the ability to sleep for short periods of time and have it be helpful.

My name is Eric and, yes, est are my initials. "Cate" is an unusual spelling. I am assuming it is a shortening of "Catherine" with a "C" not a "K".

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
Mornings are a great time to be outside, I agree. Everything is so beautiful and in the summer it's not too hot yet. I love being the only one up and about at that hour. It feels like it makes the day longer, like there's more time to get things done.

Generally in the summer I put in at least 40 hours a week. Last summer I was schedule for 42 every week, closer to 55 if things were especially busy or we were short handed. I loved working with the horses (the people not so much ) but the money was really bad, partly why I'm not going back this year.

My roommate is one of those 10-minute-nap people - when she naps. Generally she doesn't even nap at all. Weird.

Yup, I'm a Catherine. And depending on who you ask, I'm Cate, Catie, Cat or Cathy, too. Most people call me Cate, though.

Very pleased to meet you, Eric! (Also with a C not a K. )

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Originally posted by est120:
When I lived in PA, I loved getting up early on a Saturday morning after a snow and going out to run in almost complete silence. It is magical. Around here, it does not snow and I live in the 'burbs so there is always traffic noise but I found a nice park with a big lake to run around that is pretty quiet. Not complaining, though. I actually kind of like living in the suburbs.

Ah, I see. You may have told me and I just forgot, but what kind of job are you going to have this summer? Another one involving horses? Working with people that annoy you stinks. :( Unfortunately, it happens sometimes. :\ My summer job is going to look suspiciously like my winter job.

So many variations of "Catherine". I think I would prefer "Cate" if it were my name. Fortunately, there are no ways that I know of to shorten my name. Some of my friends call me "Big E" because I am pretty tall (and used to be a little overweight until I lost it all - fortunately now I am refered to as "slender" which suits me just fine). This is in no way related to former NASCAR driver Dale Earnhardt whose nickname was "Big E" (at least, one of his nicknames was "Big E") before he passed away. And no "K" for my name. Blah. "C" or bust. And what is it with this "CK" or "Q" stuff? Whaha?! Hahaha. Just kidding.

Whew. That was a long and babbling paragraph "full of sound and fury, signifying, nothing". As and English major, do you happen to know where that line came from?

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
I'm a stroller more than a runner myself, but that sounds lovely. Some days if I manage to get up early I like to take my camera out, explore the city before it wakes up. (It must be sad to live in a place where it doesn't snow. Maybe not so sad if you have to shovel it or drive in it, but still...I think I would miss it.)

This summer I have an internship with an online travel directory - EquestrianAdventurer.com. My job is mostly marketing work and editorial stuff. I've already started working for them and I love it. Hopefully I'll get to do some traveling and writing articles, too. I also have an apprenticeship with a local stained glass artist, just because it sounded like something really cool and different. With her I'm going to be helping make a glass mosaic on the front of her studio and learning to make stained glass pieces. Of course, neither position is paid, so I also have to get a paying job to afford rent and all that. Going to be busy, but I'm looking forward to it.

Catherine's a great name because there are so many variations of its nicknames. It's confusing sometimes to know how to introduce myself to people (or to remember what name I've told people), but kind of fun to have so many different names, too, each with own sort of personality. Since college, Cate has become dominant and I think it sounds the most mature, so I stick with that.

What about "Easy E"? I'm a Sublime fan, so that's what comes to my mind. Heh...maybe not the message you want to put out, though. Eric-with-a-C is a good name all on its own. Yay for C pride!

It's from Shakespeare, of course - Macbeth. I love Shakespeare. I'm actually taking a class next semester that focuses on comparing his plays and the movies some of his plays were made into. Should be interesting. :)

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Originally posted by est120:
Sounds like fun. So what does equestrian adventurer provide to customers? Some type of vacation involving horses I assume. A good chance to do some writing too. Stained glass sounds cool. That would be neat to have that kind of skill. Just do not eat any of the lead. I bet that will afford some reall wonderful photographic opportunities. Hm. A paying job, eh? No more working a deli, I assume. So are you staying in Pittsburgh this summer? I wonder, as a college student, if you could do any kind of freelance writing?

I agree. "Cate" sounds the most formal without being TOO formal, like "Catherine". I once found a website named eric.com where erics from all over the world were supposed to connect with other erics. Interesting, if a little goofy.

That is neat about your class on good ol' Bill. I have only seen a few movie versions of his plays. I liked the mid 90s version of Much Ado About Nothing.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
Equestrian Adventurer is a directory where places that cater to riders can list their vacation for people to search through. We have articles and reviews and Q&A and such for people, too. You should check it out...nudge nudge.

Heh...I'll try to avoid eating too much lead. No promises, though...it looks so delicious...

I'd love to freelance somehow. It actually hadn't occured to me. I'll have to look into that. Still need a consistently-paying job, but there are plenty on campus, so hopefully I can land one of those.

Yeah, I'm staying in Pittsburgh this summer. My mom is kind of upset about it, but it's really only for June and July, because that's when I'm working for the artist. May I'll be home, relaxing, unwinding. August I'll be home or up at the lake. Our semester starts super late next fall (August 28), so maybe I'll be able to get three solid weeks up north.

I wonder if there's a cate.com? If there is, it's probably a Cate Blanchett fansite. She's the only other C-a-t-e Cate I know of (known a few Caties, though).

Kenneth Branaugh does really good Shakespeare adaptations. I don't know if Keanu Reeves was such a brilliant choice in Much Ado, but...it's no worst than Mel Gibson as Hamlet.

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Originally posted by est120:
I took a look at the website. Seems interesting. Are you going to be one of the experts that answers the FAQs?

Perhaps one of the local papers would be interested in a freelance college writer. Maybe you can even write a little for your school's paper.

Whew. Sounds like a busy summer for you. Still, sounds like a lot of fun, though, too. Hopefully you do not wear yourself out too much! Summers off are supposed to be for relaxing too!

True. He is a rather wooden actor. Fortunately his part in the movie was pretty small. Of course, if I remember correctly, he was also the brother of the character played by Denzel Washington which opens up a whole other can of worms. My goal is to read all of Shakespeare's plays. I am about a third of the way there.

So any big plans for the weekend?

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
Maybe if they get one I could answer they would let me. That would be pretty neat, getting to play an expert for a while. We'll see! What I really want to do is go on a trip and write an article - because those get published nationwide in horsey magazines and on a ton of different sites and that would be amazing. Unfortunately, the trip means time and money...and this summer I won't have either. Someday, someday...!

I've worked with the school paper a lot. Not so much for writing stories, but I take pictures for them that go with the articles. It's kinda fun to see my pictures in a paper, even if no one really reads it. Plus...they don't pay.

Hehe, yeah, Denzel and Keanu don't exactly have a family resemblance working in their favor. Suspension of disbelief, I guess! I think the rest of the cast makes up for him, though.

What's your favorite play that you've read thus far? I really love Othello...and of course I'll always be partial to Taming of the Shrew - "bonny [C]ate" and all that. My grandfather used to quote those lines to me when I was a baby.

No big weekend plans, homework mostly, movies if I have the time. I have two movies to watch - "M" and "Some Like It Hot" - and another volume of Cowboy Bebop to get through. Plus they're showing "King Kong" on campus tonight and tomorrow, so I'll probably go see that. Tomorrow I have to go solicit local business for donations for an auction one of my classes is helping to organize. Yippee.

Yours? More cooking?

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Originally posted by est120:
So what kind of trip that involves horses would you like to take?

Hm. Perhaps there are other opportunities for freelance writing in the area. Obviously, I have no idea where you would even start looking for something like this, but I hope you can find one.

My favorite play. Hm. That is a noodle scratcher. I think I would have to say King Lear. Othello was good too, I agree. I have never been a fan of Hamlet or Romeo and Juliet. The comedies are pretty good though I do not have a favorite. Not a big fan of the histories.

Are these movies you need to watch for a class? I have not seen either of them. I did not see King Kong either. I guess it looks pretty neat but I just never had any interest, plus it seemed kind of unnecessary to remake that movie. Of course, this is just my opinion. You will have to let me know what you thought of it.

Nothing big for me. No cooking class this weekend. I have some work I need to do and I need to clean. Blah. :(

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
There's a few that look amazing - trips through Costa Rican rainforests, horseback safaris in Africa. I get a big discount through the company if I want to go, but I still need to cover airfare and any other fees. Oh well. I'll get there eventually. If wishes were horses, right?

I don't know where to look, either! I have found one magazine that will pay $100 if they use your stuff, decent money for a poor college student. I'll have to do some sleuthing and see what else I can come up with.

King Lear is one I actually haven't read...although I did see a movie adaptation of it. No telling how true to the play it was, because it was set in ancient Japan (?) with samaurais instead of knights. (Good movie, though.) Mostly I've read comedies and the famous tragedies. And Henry VIII, of course.

The movies result from my Netflix addiction. :) I get two or three every week, that I've been meaning to see or that have been recommended to me. Sometimes they're not so good, but I've seen a few gems that otherwise I never would have heard of. I want to see King Kong just because I like Peter Jackson. I'll let you know if it's worth seeing.

First cooking, now cleaning...you live quite the life. I need to do my fair share of that, too - laundry, vacuuming, etc. And the fish tank needs a good scrubbing out. I guess last weekend was the only relaxing weekend I'm going to get til the semester ends. :)

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Originally posted by est120:
Aside from the possible exposure to a known or yet unknown virus or disease, trekking into the rainforest would be really neat-o. I hope you get to go someday. Okay, question. Name 5 places (in no particular order) that would be dream vacations for you. Not sure if this is my all time, but just some that I have thought about:

China - Hey, I am Chinese. Got to visit the homeland. I would love to see some of the more remote parts of the Great Wall in Western China in the desert.
Machu Picchu - Before they close it permanently.
Antarctica - Well.... cannot really explain that one. I just think it would be cool, no pun intended.
Mount Everest - If I could do it with at least some more assurance that I would come back alive, I would love to climb it.
Cape Canaveral, FL - I would love to see a shuttle launch.

Hm. What samauri movie is based on King Lear? I have never heard of that before.

Well, not much of a "going out" person, so I tend to be a homebody. I guess my life can be a little boring, but I enjoy it for the most part.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
Geez, only 5?

-Africa, on a safari - if it wasn't a place ravaged by civil war where foreigners are hacked to bits.
-Budapest - been there before and loved it, I'd love to go back.
-Romania, anywhere - same as above. I had an amazing time when I went a few years ago, I'd love to experience it again as an older, more mature person.
-Scotland. Kilts. 'Nuff said.
-Patagonia, Argentina - I had a professor who was from there and she raved about it and really got me hooked on the idea of someday visiting for myself.

And, of course as a bonus, our cottage up north, which is a sort of dream vacation I get to take every year.

Nothing wrong with being a homebody. Home is where the heart is. Even when I don't have a lot of work to do and I'm not broke, I like to just unwind at home with a good book or a movie or quiet company. The finer things in life, I guess.

Speaking of home, do you live close to your family? Get to see them as often as you'd like? Or...too often?

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Originally posted by est120:
Like kilts, eh? Hm. Interesting. Lots of European destinations. Sounds like someone needs to take a 3 month tour of the continent.

So let me ask you this. During the school year when you are taking classes and such, how do you finance your fun? Do you work a job during the academic year too? I used to do that when I was in college, but it was not that much fun.

I am not much for noisy, crowded places anyway. In small doses it is fine but all the time is not really my thing. I have had people tell me that I should hang out in bars and such and then I have had other (and in my opinion more rational) people tell me that I should not try to deny who I am and that I should just do whatever I want. Thus, I like quieter, more intimate settings involving fewer people.

No, my family all live pretty far away and by far away I mean I cannot reasonably drive there, even though I just bought a new car. I do not like driving really long distances, especially by myself. I see them about as much as I can handle. Unfortunately, I am not particularly close with my family. It is as much my fault as it is anyone else's. I guess everyone's family is different.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
I don't know about three months, but after graduation next year I'm hoping to spend some time in Europe traveling around and exploring. I doubt I'll get to spend much more than a month (if that), but it's better than nothing. And I can always go back.

During the school year, I pretty much live off what I make during the summer. I know I should get a job during the school year, but...it's kind of nice not having to worry about a job on top of school. Plus I live in on-campus housing, so my student loan covers that and I don't have to worry about paying rent, which is a huge help. My trouble is I always get involved with things I really love but don't get paid for doing. There are worse ways to spend my time, I guess.

I think it's great that you know yourself well enough to know what kind of situations you like and don't like. Everyone has his or her own tastes, no sense in trying to be like somebody else if it's not who you really are. Too much of that going around these days.

It's funny, but I think I've actually gotten closer to my family since I moved away for college. I always thought that I wanted to get far away from them and be on my own - but then I guess most 18-year-olds think that. I think about six hours away is a good distance - close enough to be able to do a weekend trip (if I had my own car) but far enough that they can't just show up randomly. I do miss my dog a lot, though...

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Originally posted by est120:
I can understand not wanting to work during the school year. There are so many other things to worry about and take care of. I cannot imagine you would even have all that much time. :\

True. When I was in college, I thought it was pretty amusing how many students talked about wanting to be on their own and wanting to get away from their parents and yet whenever there was a holiday or a long weekend, they left to go visit their parents. Perhaps for me it is partly because I have been living on my own for a pretty long while now so I guess my family does not always enter into my mind.

I actually kind of liked living in the dorms. No need to cook and where I went to school, the maintenance staff even cleaned for us. No bills to pay (at least, not things like utilities or cable). Fairly sweet deal in my opinion. Do you like living in the dorms? I am guessing you have only one roommate, yes?

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
I don't feel like I do have a lot of time to work. But then again, I know people who work two jobs to make ends meet and that makes me feel so guilty. I dunno...that way I see it, I had a job all through high school and I'll be working for the rest of my life. Might as well enjoy this short time when I don't have to work.

Family is a funny thing. I love my parents and my brother, but it's hard to go back home now. I'm just used to my routine out here, living on my own. Sometimes I get really homesick and I just want to be away from here and back at with them. Just stress, I guess. It's wonderful to get home and see everyone and be pampered for a bit, but I can only take so much before I'm desperate to get back to school. And my extended family is scattered over Florida, Texas and Michigan, so we don't see much of them. It's kind of like a treat when I get to (except my Mom's side - they're mostly crazy).

I don't mind the dorms at all. I live in the upperclassmen dorms, so they're really nice. I just have the one roommate and we share a bathroom with two other girls. Next year, it's us and one other girl with a connecting bathroom, same building, bigger room. I do miss having a kitchen and being able to cook for myself, but not having to worry about bills is wonderful. Nice not having to keep a whole house or apartment clean - just the bathroom and our room. Plus it's right there on campus so everything's close. My first two years of school I was seeing someone who lived off-campus so I practically lived there. It was such a hassle to get up and on the bus and down to class in the morning. I don't have the temptation being on campus. I miss a lot less class now.

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Originally posted by est120:
I understand about your family. I guess it takes some getting used to, being far away from them and being on your own. I was pretty fortunate to have a reasonably smooth transition from college into a more independent existence. I lived in the dorms all my years in college so I had a lot of stuff taken care of for me but at least I became a little more adapted to being away from my family. When I started graduate school, I had to learn how to handle paying bills etc but at least I was used to being able to take care of myself. That is what really got me into learning how to cook. No more cafeteria, so I could either eat out all the time and gain a lot of weight and spend a lot of money or I could learn to cook, gain a valuable skill and spend less. Some people hate to cook and I understand that. Fortunately it is something I enjoy.

Your family sure lives all over the place. I have never been to Texas or Florida. Someday maybe.

Sounds like a pretty sweet deal with your living situation. I did something similar for 2 years in college. We had a shared living room and bath for 6 people. Now you might wonder, "6 guys it must have been a mess!" but fortunately everyone was considerate about keeping the shared areas at least less messy. We all had our own bedrooms and you can just imagine how much those varied.

So another question. Actually, more of a request. Give me a sampling of your movie and music collections.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
I guess I'm fairly lucky when it comes to my living situation because I'm pretty independent from my family already. One of my suitemates can't cook anything that can't be popped into the microwave. I might not know all the ins and outs of renting or owning my own place, but I'm fully capable of living on my own without having a breakdown or getting into too much trouble. A lot of my friends still go home every weekend so their mothers can do their laundry, which I think is kind of ridiculous. Sure I love to see them, but part of the reason why I didn't even consider any colleges in the state of NJ was that I didn't want to go home every weekend. I'm ready to have my own life, go my own way, scary as the prospect is sometimes. I may end up living at home for a while just to save money, but...I hope not. :) With a little luck it will be me and the fat hound in our own place - probably not in NJ, because it's too expensive, but maybe nearby. We'll see.

I really love our building. I do sort of wish we had a kitchen, but at the same time it's nice to just go to one of the dining halls, have somebody else cook for me so I don't have to worry about any of that. We trade off weeks on cleaning the bathroom (and we decorate it for every holiday, which is pretty fun) and keep our own rooms clean. I thought living with three other girls would be kind of a hassle, but so far it's worked out really well for all of us. I'm a little nervous about next year because our suitemate is only living on campus for the first semester (she has to do her student teaching the second half of the year), so there's a possibility someone less clean could move in. I hope not, but you never know.

Let's see...my movie collection is still pretty small. I tend to rent more than I buy, and when I do buy it's generally out of the clearance bin, but I'm working on adding some movies to it. I have Firefly and Serenity, of course, plus a few TMNT episode DVDs, some old Disney VHSs, Braveheart, Dances with Wolves, Spaceballs, Kindergarden Cop, etc etc. I just bought the Hellsing anime series the other day, too. I try not to buy movies unless I'm getting a good deal on them or unless I really love them, just too expensive otherwise.

As far as music goes, I've sort of stopped buying CDs entirely and...um...get songs in other ways. I had a huge CD collection in high school, but I think my younger brother may have gotten his hands on it and now I can't find any of them. On my computer, I have a lot of country, some oldies, classic rock, goofy pop songs, soundtracks, etc. I listen to just about anything so my collection is extremely varied. The last 2 CDs I bought were both soundtracks - Rent and Wicked.

How about yours?

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Originally posted by est120:
I am glad you are capable of doing your own laundry. The first time I had to do my own laundry, it was a little confusing. Fortunately, I kind of have the hang of it now.

Kindergarten Cop is an underrated movie. Arnie was pretty funny in that one. I love it after his first day, face down on the bed. "They're horrible...".

I agree about the prices thing. In all honesty, lots of my old VHS movies and more than a handful of my DVDs are former rentals. Used DVDs are so cheap compared to the new ones and you can really get one that is good as new!

I find that I only really listen to music in the car these days. I just do not get into it at home very often. I will admit, I love Christmas Carols so I will pop some CDs into my stereo during the holiday season.

What is in my collection? Well, as far as movies go, I have seasons 1,2,3 and 5 of Angel (missing season 4), Firefly, Serenity, Lord of the Rings, a few "chick" flicks like When Harry met Sally and Bridget Jones' Diary (shh! ), some action movies like The Bourne Identity and a comedy or two like Major League. What can I say, I used to live in Cleveland.

My music tastes are pretty varied. I tend to go for almost anything. Lately I have been listening to quite a bit of pop music, much to my surprise. I like folk singers like Patty Griffin, standard rock acts like Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, pop singers like Dido and Sarah McLachlan (both of whom I have missed out on seeing live even though I had tickets), alternative acts like Tori Amos and some sort of unclassifiable singers like Tom Waits. Like I said, I also love Christmas Carols.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
I've pretty much always done my own laundry, long before college. My mom kept shrinking things and finally I just put my foot down and did it myself. Now I still shrink things but I only have myself to blame. Plus I like folding laundry, it's very calming.

Kindergarden Cop is an AMAZING movie. Every time I see it, I love it more. I finally bought it a couple of weeks ago. I had a gift card to Best Buy from Christmas, so I went crazy and bought a ton of a movies.

I hate to drive if I don't have music to listen to, but now that I think of it, I don't really listen to it out of the car, either. Sometimes I'll just get in a mood and I want to sing or rock out to something, so I'll put it on. Mostly my roommate plays her crazy Japanese pop music, which isn't my first choice, but it's not as awful as I thought it might be.

Hey, I saw King Kong last night. I was really, really disappointed. I've come to think of Pete Jackson as an amazing filmmaker, but I couldn't wait for this movie to be over. The CGI effects were amazing, but everything else...just no good. Naomi Watts was horrible, Jack Black is usually so funny but it just wasn't a good role for him. Adrian Brody was the only one of them I thought did a decent job. And for a three-hour movie, it felt really, really rushed.

Then again, my roommate loved it, so... To each her own, I guess.

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Originally posted by est120:
Hm. You like folding laundry. Interesting. I can see how it would be therapeutic, though. Nice and orderly and really a quiet time thing to do.

Got to love the gift certificate present. Allows you to get things you probably never would have bought on your own. I got one for my birthday but I still have not figured out what to buy yet.

That is a bummer that you did not like the movie. I had heard such varying reviews of it. I think I will skip it then unless it happens to come on regular TV or something. It just never looked all that interesting to me. Sometimes the movies really are a roll of the dice. Was this at a local second run theatre or does you school show cheap movies? When I was in college, we had the cheap-o movies on campus. A good mix of older movies and newer movies. Sometimes there were some REAL old movies from the 40s and 50s (usually for the film class students to watch) and then sometimes there were movies that had just been in the mainstream theatres. Always fun.

I hope you had a nice weekend. Did you get everything accomplished that you wanted to? I tried my hand at some solo bread making today. It turned out okay so I will call it a win.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
It is very therapeutic - just repetitive motion, nothing heavy, nothing stressful. You don't even have to pay attention to what you're doing. My mind wanders and before I know it, I'm out of laundry.

Gift certificates are amazing. I got two for my birthday and a big one for Christmas. I took myself on a shopping spree and spent $0. My favorite kind of shopping!

I thought it would be great just because it's Peter Jackson, but no such luck. Probably not one I would watch again.

Every week on campus they show a different movie - and it's free. Generally they're fairly new releases or ones that are about to be released. Saturday nights they have a 10:00 showing in one of the social rooms where you can sit on couches and watch instead of in a big lecture hall. It's pretty cool.

My weekend went very well. I got a lot of work done and still managed to find time to watch two discs of Cowboy Bebop (and go see King Kong) and finish my book. Now I face the age-old question of which book to read next... Glad your bread-making went well! Not long now and you'll have your own show.

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Originally posted by est120:
Ah, always nice to get things for free. Well, at least it is nice to get most things for free.

That is nice that the school offers free movies. Probably part of the university's plan to try and curb out of control parties and drinking. So what is showing next week?

Glad you had a good weekend. I have an idea. Since you are not quite sure what to read next, how about we suggest one book for the other person to read. Of course, this would be a fun read and should not interfere with your school work. What do you think?

No cooking show for me. I do not think I would want to do something like that. :\

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
For what I'm paying for tuition, I'd better get some free movies and popcorn. You're probably right that they're intended to keep people from staying out late and drinking. But not many people usually show up, so what does that say about us? Next week I think the latest Harry Potter movie was supposed to be showing, but they already showed that. The order is all jumbled. I guess it will be a surprise!

I actually decided just to read Outlander again. I mean, it's been, what...three months since I last read it. I just can't stay away. But by all means, recommend something anyway. Let's see...I would recommend for you James Patterson's When the Wind Blows. Interesting story and it's Patterson, so it's not a difficult read.

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Originally posted by est120:
I have never gotten very interested in the Harry Potter books or movies. I read three of the books and have seen the movies, but they are just not that interesting to me. My family would say otherwise.

Mystery movie, eh? Sounds like it could be interesting. Who knows, maybe it will be Serenity! Whoa!

Thanks for the recommendation. I will look for it the next time I go to the bookstore. Along the same vein, I will recommend "Postmortem" by Patricia Cornwell. That was fun! I am always on the hunt for new and interesting things to read.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
I've seen all the HP movies, but just because they're entertaining, although that Harry kid is getting on my nerves a bit... I haven't read any of the books and don't think I will. That's practically sacriledge in my house. My whole family loves them.

I hope they eventually play Serenity...but I doubt they will. Oh well. Me and my roommate both own a copy, so we can watch it whenever we want anyhow.

I'm a little ashamed to admit that I've never read anything by Patricia Cornwell. I've heard good things about her, though. My dad's a big fan, maybe he has that book. I'll check when I go home for Easter Break.

Aaah, the joys of going to a Catholic school.

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Originally posted by est120:
Those books are such a phenomenon. I cannot figure it out. Perhaps I am missing something. The movies are entertaining, as you said, but nothing incredibly special in my opinion.

Perhaps you could lean on the people who select the movies to show Serenity. Nothing like seeing it on the big screen. When I went to see it, I remember not really being all THAT excited until the ship made it's first appearance on the screen. Loved that.

She writes your basic crime drama/mystery books. Similar to James Patterson. They are easy reads and good for the beach or a rainy day.

So how many days off do you get for Easter at your Catholic university?

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
That first shot of Serenity is great - I especially love it because she's kind of falling apart. What a way to introduce the title character! And yet...so fitting.

Let's see...for Easter I believe we get 5 days - Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday. Last year they combined Spring and Easter breaks into one and there was quite an uproar. Guess they've learned their lesson now.

After Easter, my semester is essentially over - which is exciting, but terrifying, too, given the amount of work that needs to be (started and) finished before that time. It would be so much easier to get my work done if it wasn't such a beautiful day outside...

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Originally posted by est120:
Oh yes, I love that shot. I love the music too during that scene. Just great and of course, Mal is hilarious. I "dragged" my sister to go and see it and she was quite skeptical but she laughed quite a bit at the funny parts and told me afterwards that she really enjoyed the movie. That is the third time that I have insisted upon a particular movie that she has ended up enjoying (the others being The Mummy and Pirates of the Caribbean). Always nice to introduce someone to something that they THINK they will not enjoy. Not that she is a fan now, but at least she did not think it was a waste of time.

Yikes. That is quite a break for Easter. Though, in truth, it is the most important holiday for Christians, I would argue even more so that Christmas (though Christmas certainly gets the most publicity).

Wow. After Easter, my year..... just keeps going on and on. What about final exams and such? The only semester that I did not dread final exams was the spring semester of my senior year in college because I had almost no finals! I had a final in a psychology class that I pass/failed so I could have not taken the final and still passed (I took it but certainly did not study for it) and a a bunch of other classes that did not have finals. Good times. Well, sort of good times. I was nervous about starting graduate school.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
I think it's good to go see and do things you don't think will be any fun, often you find yourself pleasantly surprised. I went swing dancing with a bunch of friends two years ago and figured it would be horrible but it actually turned out to be a lot of fun. I'm having a hell of a time getting anyone to go back with me, though.

Easter and Lent are big deals on campus. I feel a bit like a heathen not participating in it all, but...I keep telling myself the point of the university is not to convert me, but to educate me. Speaking of things I didn't think I would enjoy, we're required to take at least two theology classes and I loved them both. Open-mindedness is key, I guess.

This is actually my easiest semester yet, finals-wise. I only have 3 finals out of 5 classes (usually I end up having to take finals or at least write papers for all of them). I'm not really worried about them at all, because I did really well on my midterms. My hardest class is one of the ones that doesn't have a final - thank goodness!

I'm starting to wonder about grad school. I mean, I still want to go, but I think I may end up taking a year off before I do. It would definitely be a load off my mind next year and give me time to save up some money and develop a really kick-ass portfolio. Plus, as my advisor told me, taking a year off gives you the chance to get a job you don't like so going back to school seems like a blessing.

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Originally posted by est120:
I see. So I am guessing that you are not Catholic? It is nice that you are open minded and accepting of other people's opinions. Dave Barry wrote once that people who are willing to tell you about their opinions never want to listen to yours.

I think Lent is a good exercise even for non-Christians. Of course, the theological value is diminished if you are not Christian, but the idea of self control and will power is certainly a lesson a lot of people could use sometimes.

Glad to hear your finals will be a piece of cake. I think that certainly does take a lot of the stress off from the end of the school year. You can relax a little, enjoy the springtime weather and laugh at your friends as they go off to the exams. At least, that is what I used to do.

I can understand about wanting to take some time off. You have been in school since you were 6, wanting some time off is not unreasonable and the vast majority of people go into the workforce and do not go to graduate school anyway. Who knows. You may take the year off and decide you are perfectly happy not going back to school because you found a great job. Life takes its funny twists and turns when we least expect it.

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
No, I'm not Catholic. I guess right now I'm kind of...nothing. I was raised Unitarian, though. There are some things I'm not open-minded about at all, but I do my best in most cases. It makes for a much better experience for all involved, I find, no matter what you're doing. I don't claim to know everything, there's always learning to be done.

You have a good point about Lent. It's easy to get spoiled and take what you have for granted. I wish more people took it that seriously, instead of just giving up Coke for a few weeks.

I really only have one big assignment between now and finals. Well, I have others, but this is the only one that I'll need to put a lot of time and work into. It's due April 11th and...hm...I haven't even started it yet. It will get done, sure, but probably not until the last minute. That's just my mood lately, counter-productive as it is.

If I end up living at home for the year in between, I guarantee I will jump at the chance to go back to school - for any degree. I've been having this kind of fantasy lately about renting an apartment from someone with a horse farm - I see a lot of ads looking for people to help take care of the animals for free or reduced rent. That would be great, but who knows? I still have over a year before I even have to make that decision, thank goodness!

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Originally posted by est120:
Hm. If you do not mind my asking, what drew you to a Catholic university? I would agree with you. Most people have at least a few things they are passionate about. Of course, there are the normal moral standard such as not killing people and not stealing, but everyone probably has something else too like their opinion on capital punishment or things like that. I find that sometimes people (including me!) have trouble just accepting the opinions of others as simply that. Opinions. Human nature seems to be trying to convince someone else that our own point of view is correct. I try to accept other people's beliefs and not express my own too forcefully. Unless the person I am talking to thinks it is okay to steal from people.

True. The spirit of Lent is to understand the suffering that Jesus went through to absolve our sins. Giving up Coke does not really qualify (unless a person is so absolutely dependent on the stuff that they go into convulsions or something without it in which case there are other issues at play).

April 11th? You have plenty of time! Almost 2 weeks. Actually, I am usually the type to get things done way in advance. Like my taxes. Sometimes I get my return before the April 15th deadline! I read somewhere once that being early can sometimes be just as bad as being late. :\

That would be interesting, to live on a farm and take care of the horses. Sounds like heaven for you since you love horses so much. Like a kid in a candy store. Would you really take a job like that? Would you continue writing in your free time too? Sounds like a nice farm would be full of inspiration. By the way, did you turn in that story for your assignment this week?

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Originally posted by fathounddawg:
I honestly don't know what made me decide to go to a Catholic university. I mean, I know why I applied here, but I didn't really think about the religious affiliation at the time. If I had to do it all over again, I wouldn't come here - not because it's Catholic, because I've completely fallen out of love with the school. Then again, towards the end of the year I start to get grumpy and start to hate my school, so I'm not very objective right now.

You make a great point about opinions. It's really hard to distance what you think is true from what actually is True - if you're even able to figure out what that is. I guess that's why it's so hard for people to just...get along.

I was on a roll this weekend and got a lot of stuff done early - but the big paper wasn't one of them. Two weeks seems like no time at all, but I think that's because this paper makes me nervous and I don't want to screw it up. Guess I better get crackin', huh?

Sometimes I feel like I'm going into horse-withdrawal. I miss being around them so much. My parents would kill me if I graduated from college and went right back to working in a barn for minimum wage, so I doubt I'll take that route. What I'd like to do is live on a farm like I said and then have a "real" job, too. And, yes, definitely keep up the writing the whole time I'm there.

Yup, turned in the story yesterday! Now it's just hurry up and wait - we don't talk about mine until April 19th.

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Originally posted by est120:
Well, after having spent about 8 years around a college campus (undergrad and grad school combined), I get the feeling that a lot of students become disenchanted with their schools of choice towards the end of their college careers. I think it is a natural thing. Students may have been at odds with the administration over university policies or had an academic issue with a professor or had a paperwork problem create issues with financial aid or preparation to graduate. Couple that with the fact that many students are probably more than anxious to graduate and start their lives. Unfortunately, when you enter into the workforce, those same problems keep coming up. Issues with administration policy, paperwork being lost or held up, professional and personal issues with co-workers or your boss. It never really ends. Of course, this sounds incredibly depressing and I do not really mean it to sound that way, but it is an unfortunate fact of our society. I was discussing our 4 year department review with my boss the other day and he said he will retire before the next 4 year review so he feels good to think this is the last time for him but we both came to realize that no matter what you do in life, no matter what stage you are at, someone is always evaluating you.

Okay, enough of the depressing life lessons. Not like I am an expert anyway!

People sure do have a hard time getting along with other people. I have yet to figure out the root of a lot of these issues, though I suppose it has something to do with the inherent competitiveness that exists in all people. In my field, competition is a very unfortunate side effect of what we do. It is the one thing about this job that I really dislike.

Two weeks! You have two weeks to finish this paper which means you really have 13 days and 12 hours to wait. Hahaha. Of course, this coming from Mr. Early Bird so perhaps you should just ignore me.

Hm. I do not know anything about your school but does the university happen to have an agricultural college? When I was in graduate school, the university had a College of Agricultural Sciences and they had some animals and such. I knew some undergraduates who worked for the department with some animal care and such as part of their work-study financial aid program. Perhaps you can get your horse fix through something like that, especially over the summer.

So this "talk" about your story, is this a talk with the professor or does the whole class discuss your story?

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