Dirty Dingus McGee

VOTE!

2004-10-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

I love Oregon's vote by mail. I already voted and am sending my ballott off tomorrow. (Would be today, but I forgot stamps!!)

Everyone VOTE!!!

....for Kerry.

;)

Back in Blogtown

2004-10-01T13:46:00.000-07:00

Heyyyy!!
My blog account decided to let me back in! I couldn' log in for a while there, but I guess it decided to be nice to me again.
So, Mt. St. Helens exploded today, which caused a pretty nice distraction at work. You could see it from the window! It wasn't serious - just a steam explosion...they don't really think the ash will make it down here. That Nature is a crazy bitch.
Started on my last term of anatomy & physiology today. Bones are hard. I mean, yes they're physically hard, but learning them is hard too. And our T.A. in lab is an incompetent doofus.
Oh P.S. Another volcano exploded in Mexico today. I think the world may be ending, but I'm not sure.

Scooterin'

2004-07-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

I got a scooter!!! I'm in love! It's a 1985 Honda Aero - gets up to almost 40 mph. And the beauty is, I don't need a motorcycle endorsement on my license - just had to get plates and tags for it and I was ready to go!! It runs great, but is a little bit of a fixer-upper. Someone must have had an accident on it on the left side, as the left side body panel is missing. So...I'm working on tracking one of those down. We already replaced the left turn signal and brake handle for super-cheap.
This is a picture of the same scooter I have, but one that this random guy restored:

http://www.devnull.net/~pogo/images/honda1.jpg

Birthday Shenanigans

2004-07-12T15:21:00.000-07:00

Went to the Voodoo Lounge for my 23rd b-day! Weee! Rented out the Blue VIP Room...blue walls, carpet, couch, pillows, and a 200-gallon fish tank with a black light. Drake made cheesecake, we ordered many drinks and yummy food. There was a bachelorette party happening in the Red VIP Room - Heather and I took a peek at the stripper, but he seemed to take forever getting his clothes off and we lost interest.
Phil got drunkenly riled up when he saw a patron showing a video of a dog fight to the bartender (yeah I don't get it either).
We then moved on to Southpark and I tasted the best drink EVER: Mangopolitan. I highly recommend it. Then Phil started talking about Coke Stevenson and how he's the founder of Texas...but he did it VERY LOUDLY and wouldn't SHUT THE HELL UP. He apparently thinks the story is pretty amazing. But I just wanted to eat my fried chick peas and hummus and not listen to Texas history.
It was a super fun night and I wore really uncomfortable shoes..and they were red. Yay!

Fahrenheit 9/11

2004-06-30T08:48:00.000-07:00

Saw the movie last night...it's hard to find words to describe how it made me feel. I laughed at some parts, was in disbelief a lot of the time at the stupid shit our president has said. I was also in tears for some of it - as I saw US soldiers in Iraq talk about how fun it was to kill Iraquis to music they have playing in the tanks or on their headphones. I just couldn't believe what I was hearing and seeing. I can't believe we started a war with a country who did nothing to us. I CAN believe that our president is so selfish that he would start a war in Iraq just for oil. It just makes me so upset.
Anyway, fuck Bush. See the movie.

Gracie!!

2004-06-16T10:05:00.000-07:00

I got a cat yesterday!!! Her name is Gracie and she's 6 years old and weighs in at a whopping 14 lbs. 11 oz. Yeah..I got her some diet food. :) Got her from the Humane Society. She's a total sweetheart - cuddly, purry, and curious. Check her out!

http://www.oregonhumane.org/adopted/detail.asp?AnimalID=16952

Girl you know it's..girl you know it's...girl you know it's...

2004-06-15T09:14:00.000-07:00

Went to karaoke last night, was going to do Milli Vanilli, but come 1:00 I had to leave since I actually have to be somewhere in the morning. But I successfully completed Mr. Big's To Be With You with Drake, Phil and Nina and Beastie Boys' Get It Together with Joe. It was excellent. Signed up for Roxette's It Must Have Been Love with Laurel but, again, had to leave. Same for PM Dawn.
It was Nina's last karaoke night at Chopsticks before she leaves for the NYC on Thursday. It's the end of a freaking era!! She knows SO many people..the place was packed. Had a great time slow dancing to some dude singing Pat Benatar and breaking it down to some Nancy Sinatra and Madonna. Damn I love karaoke..why don't I go more often?

2004-06-10T09:13:00.000-07:00

Good news!! I got my updated salary!! $4000 more a year! Yayyyy!!
I told my mom, though, and apparently she thinks I should be a millionaire by now, because she wasn't thrilled. Says I still "need to get it up there." I just graduated from college a year ago! I'm doing really well!!! Damn!!
Anyway, other than that, Curb Your Enthusiasm is hilarious, I talked to Margaret Bryant the other day and it was awesome, and someone needs to take my credit card away from me because I can't stop online shopping.

Tennesee...boooo!

2004-05-25T12:56:00.000-07:00

Here's a little summary of my trip to TN:

Dinner in Chattanooga with lobster bisque - yummy and fun.
Walk around Lookout Mountain and learning about the Civil War - pretty cool.
Being attacked by my dad and aunt and having them tell me I am being manipulated by my mother - shitty.
Justin graduating - excellent.
Tour of the Jack Daniel's distillery - the best. (Did you know his real name was Jasper, he was 5'2" and he died of gangrene from kicking a safe that wouldn't open?)
Relations with my family for 3 days - strained and crappy, many tears involved.
So, I'm glad to be back.

Tennessee...wee!!

2004-05-19T13:55:00.000-07:00

So I'm leaving tomorrow for good ol' Tennessee...at 6:40 AM (boooo!). My brother is graduating on Saturday and then leavning TN to live with his 36 year old boyfriend in Southern California. Did I mention my brother is 18? Hmmm...
My mom is coming, along with my dad, his sister and mom. My dad's side of the family is currently feuding with my mother and I'm pretty much caught in the middle. It's a huge mess and I'm NOT looking forward to any of this. I'll just have to bring lots of books and keep my nose buried in them. Or I can bring my anatomy text and use the excuse that I have to study. Ick. I wish Drake could go with me and be a buffer, but...c'est la vie!
I'll let you know how it all turns out!

Urine, Whales and Shoes

2004-05-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

Back in the library studying for a test I have Monday. It's on the urinary system, water/electrolyte/pH balances, and metabolism. I really don't spend that much time here..it only seems like it because when I get bored with studying I write a blog to pass the time. Aren't you glad??!!
Yesterday before coming here I got the cutest shoes at Nordstrom Rack. They're cream colored sandals with a flower on each. Not sure what to wear them with though...crap. They're probably one of my first pairs of non-black shoes...since black goes with just about anything. Sex and the City watching on Friday night inspired me to branch out.
Watched Whale Rider this morning. It was wonderful! Loved it!! Now I'm maybe even looking forward a bit to when my dad lives in New Zealand and I get to visit him and see all that beautiful scenery - and ride some whales.
Off to start the metabolism chapter.

2004-05-14T15:46:00.000-07:00

It's kind of eerie how quiet it gets around the office on a Friday afternoon. Everyone just kinda slips out early. I was going to, and then I realized I couldn't walk, and now I don't really want to get out of my chair.
On the plus side, salad rolls and peanut butter Kudos are good. Not together or necessarily in that order.

Knee News

2004-05-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

Soooooo, I had an MRI yesterday at 7 AM (blehh) and got the results 2 hours later. My meniscus has partially healed, but most of it has retorn. So, I have to have surgery again. I guess the good news is that I don't have to be in a huge brace and on crutches for a month again, but it's still surgery and it's still crappy.
Work has been insane today. I somehow took over this one study for someone who doesn't work here anymore, and a monitor came to look over all the books and I'm stuck with correcting all the mistakes the other girl made. It's very frustating...looking through patients charts and trying to read doctor handwriting. Ughhh.
Other than that, things are SUPER!!!
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
I like my new format thing.

Zzzzzzzzzz

2004-05-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

So tired!
Mom was here for the weekend to celebrate Mother's Day with me and other family who lives out here. It was all pretty good, though I ate way too much. She had a mini break-down Sunday and I'm totally emotionally drained today. Have Justin's graduation in TN in a couple weeks and I'm not sure if I want to go. He's being a jerk, being mean to Mom. She probably won't go because he doesn't even want her there. It's a freaking mess and it all gets dumped on me. On the plus side, Mom got me an early b-day present - an awesome coffee table!!! It's mahogany stained and Asian-inspired. Sweeeeet.
Drake gave me a hickey on Saturday night. I got mad at him...we've been together for over 3 years and I think this is the first hickey I've gotten - the weekend my mom is here!!! I had to wear my sleeveless turtleneck thing to brunch...and again today to work. I've got to start getting creative. It's huge!!!
Simpsons last night was awesome.
Gotta get back to work! :)

Crap.

2004-05-03T15:37:00.000-07:00

I totally fucked my knee again. The knee I had surgery on in October, that the doctor supposedly fixed, but I was never convinced. It just started hurting over the weekend, and now I can barely walk and it's the size of a grapefruit. I need to talk to someone about malpractice suits. Crap crap crap!!
On the upside, Drake took me paddling in the canoe! It was awesome. I think I'm a natural born paddler. If I do it on a regular basis I'll be totally yoked. Plus I got my first sunburn of the spring/summer. We saw lots of Canadian geese and a blue heron, paddled by some house boats, etc. It was sweet.
Anyway, I need to go elevate my knee and overdose on Advil.

In the liberry...

2004-04-25T15:43:00.000-07:00

Stuck in the library again, studying for an A&P test I have Monday. Bleh. It's SO freaking nice out. It's at least 80, which it hasn't been since...last summer probably. Drake and Phil just bough a ghetto $60 canoe from a guy on craigslist. They're probably out on the river right now!! I mean...it has no seats. It's awesome! They had to go buy some paddles, but there's an REI right downtown, and the river, which is right downtown...so..yeah. They suck, since I'm stuck in here and they're floating in the Willamette.
I just tracked down my best friend from high school. She and I had a major falling out..we were super close and then it kind of ended. I found out some things about her (that she lied a lot for the most part) and of course there was a guy involved (isn't there always?). But I still found myself thinking about her and the good times we had, even today. So I was SUPER lame and went on classmates.com, and I was able to email her (if I paid them $8, which I did). And she emailed me back the other day!! She said she thinks about me a lot too. So, long story short, she's in Australia with the love of her life and had a son 4.5 months ago named Joshua. Whoa. Basically, there are no words...
I'm waiting for another email back from her to here more about what's been going on with her. Should I trust her though? Does she still lie? She sent me a picture of Joshua and I have to say he looks a lot like her. I hate not trusting people. Maybe I'll just give her the benefit of the doubt..it's not like I'm going to talk to her or see her really.
There's a weird older guy in the study room where I'm studying, and he asked me where the light switch was, and I knew, but I didn't tell him because I liked it with the lights off and the natural light coming in through the windows. What a douche.
OK - back to studying. This time it's endocrine, respiratory and digestive systems. Weeee! Kill me..

I Rock!!

2004-04-21T13:15:00.000-07:00

Hey! I'm getting promoted!!! Yeahhhhhhhhh!!
I knew that a few study coordinators were leaving, so I emailed my boss and told her I was interested in moving up to that position and wanted to chat with her about it before she hired someone. So she replied and said, sorry I forgot to tell you this earlier, but we're interviewing people right now for your position so you can move up!
Weeee!! So I already have a few studies that I'll be coordinating. Right now I'm writing a consent form for this follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma study that involves a drug and vaccine. It's kind of anxiety-producing, but I think I'm doing OK. A bunch of people have to read it and revise it before it gets approved, and only then can the patient read and sign it. So I'm pretty psyched. And I'll get a major raise too!! Good thing...because I have NO MONEY.
I also got a 9 on my last lab quiz!! And the one I got wrong she thought she may have worded poorly so she may toss it. Yeehaw! I have another quiz tomorrow which I haven't started studying for. I probably should if I want to do well again.
As Bugs Bunny says, Bon Voyag-ee!

Back by popular demand...

2004-04-15T08:59:00.001-07:00

I still can't get over that people read these.
Anyway...last night was most excellent. I attended a combinaton birthday party for 2 of my fabulous coworkers. There were only 5 of us, but we played 2 rousing games of Cranium and I haven't laughed that hard in a while. Seeing one of my coworkers act out "missionary" was, needless to say, hilarious. Throw in some pizza and beer and you've got a great evening!!
I have a anatomy quiz in lab today...identifying endocrine glands under a microscope. God..it seems like my life is just quizzes, class and work. Oh well..at least I'm busy. I feel pretty worthless when I just come home from work and watch Dharma and Greg.
Talked to Drake yesterday. He was telling me about the bathroom in this old duplex he might be fixing up eventually in St.Paul...the lady who lived there before had painted the bathroom a color of pink that he didn't think existed in paint color. And there were exposed pipes that were painted blue. I'll see if I can get a picture of it up here eventually...I might not be that computer savvy though.
Talked to my dad...he's in New Zealand now. I hadn't heard from him for a week and thought he was dead somewhere. He just talked and talked and talked. I think he was a bit lonely. He even told me about the types of lettuce and potatoes they have in the grocery stores there. Wow.
Dude! Kill Bill Vol.2 comes out tomorrow. Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!! Vol.1 was only like the most amazing thing ever..I'm super psyched to see Vol.2. But I think I might have to wait until Sunday when Drake gets back. Booooo.
Off to do some "work!"

Someone reads these!

2004-04-09T10:09:00.000-07:00

My friend Kathleen let me know that I was falling behind on my blogs. Someone actually reads them! Yay!! I haven't had much exciting to say for a while I guess.
Had a quiz in lab yesterday and got a 7/10....would have gotten an 8 had I not changed hyaline cartilage to fibrocartilage. Crap!
It's Friday! It's going to be an awesome day..77 degrees and sunny. I'm going out for sushi with my aunt tonight and then probably taking it easy. I feel so old on Friday nights...tired from working all week..all I want to do is read or watch Futurama or something. I'm reading The World According to Garp. I love John Irving. It always blows my mind how people write books - really long books with lots of characters and tons of plot twists. How do they do it? It's crazy.
Drake is going out of town Tuesday to go help is mom move to a different house in MN. He'll be gone until Sunday! I'll be so lonely! But I'll get a lot of studying done. The endocrine system is hard..and it scares me. I'll also get to watch more Sex and the City. Yay! Season 3 here I come!
My dad left for New Zealand on Monday. He'll be there for 7 weeks trying to find a job and a place to live. I guess I have mixed feelings about it..he'll be really happy there and it will be an AWESOME place to visit, but he'll be so far away!! I'll probably rarely get a chance to see him. :(
Other than that...not much going on! Hope the weekend turns in to something exciting. Last weekend Drake and I went to the coast and went on a great hike, but we'll probably stay in town this time. TTFN!

The B- Heard 'Round the World

2004-03-24T09:33:00.000-08:00

I got a B-!!!! Yayyyyyyyyy!!!!! Normally, the minus would upset me, but everyone I've talked to who has taken this class has gotten a C. So that's pretty awesome.
Drake and I watched The Virgin Suicides last night. It was OK...I bet the book is better.
Also, I got a B-.

I'm boring!

2004-03-23T10:56:00.000-08:00

It's been a couple days...I guess I just have nothing to top meeting Matt Groening.
Weekend was nice...I didn't have lab on Saturday!! And I never will again!!! I signed up for a Thursday lab, and that starts up again on April 1. I find out my grade for this quarter tomorrow. I'm scared!!
So I've decided that I'm going to nursing school in Hawaii. Wouldn't that be awesome? Go to class, go swimming, go to class, go snorkeling, go to class, lay on the beach, go to class, drink a mai tai. Yeah dog. Yeah.
My friends Heather and Todd just got back from Hawaii. They got married over there on the beach at sunset. She just showed me pictures...they're so awesome! :) She brought us back some chocolate-covered macadamia nuts shaped like boobs...not on purpose..but they're just stuck together and look boobish. Yay!
So, now I have to go get stamps so I can mail my "delinquent" medical bill from when I had my knee surgery in October. Oops. I'm a bad bill payer. Crap.

Oh my god...

2004-03-19T08:36:00.000-08:00

I met Matt Groening last night!!!!
Here's the story:
Drake and I went to the lecture featuring Lynda Barry and Matt Groening. They've been best friends for 30 years and went to Evergreen College up in WA. Matt grew up in Portland, so I guess he wanted to speak in his hometown. Anywho, the lecture was awesome. Lynda Barry was great and I would suggest looking in to some of her books. Matt was great...he even showed like 10 minutes of clips of his favorite Simpsons moments, a French Simpsons commercial for laundry detergent, and a 10 minute clip of a never-before aired episode! And then, when it was over, I stormed the stage, but he had already gone backstage. But he came back out! And this little kid next to me was like "Matt! Can I have your autograph?" And Matt said, "Well I really can't because if I give you one then I'll have to give everyone one and there will be a huge line." So the kid just settled for a handshake and walked away. Then Matt felt bad and was like, "Where'd that kid go?" and started signing a piece of paper. Then he drew Homer, signed it and said to Drake, "This is for you." It was SO COOL. Then, he was like "Give me your poster," to me (since I had my huge Simpsons poster), and he took it backstage and drew Bart saying "Hi Kristen!" and signed it!! And I shook his hand!! And he gave me his Sharpie!!! I'm not sure why. But it was great and he was nice and it was awesome and we were like the only people who got autographs!
Wow. OK...I'm so happy. Yay!

March Madness

2004-03-18T11:44:00.000-08:00

Have I ever cared about March Madness and the NCAA? No. But ante up $2, fill out a bracket with no knowledge of the teams whatsoever, and I'm succumbing to the madness! The madness has taken hold of me!! Texas Tech and Manhattan have won so far, which I predicted. 2 points for me!! UTEP better not fuck up in the last minute of this game..but they will. No point for me on that one. I think I have a gambling problem.

Matt Groening day!!!

2004-03-18T08:19:00.000-08:00

It's like Rex Manning day from Empire Records...but with Matt Groening...and in real life.
I volunteered last night (www.dovelewis.org) and one of the gals who works there brought her dog in and we watched him while she gave a tour of the clinic. His name is Lion and he's 13 years old and part Rhodesian Ridgeback and part something else. He was really cute and had separation anxiety because his first owner left him when he was about 6 years old. But we gave him treats and lavished him with affection and he was fine. I need a dog!! I need like 10 dogs!! And 5 cats!!! Geckos don't cuddle all that well...but I do love Isabella.
Anyway...Matt Groening day!! Yayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!

My Cat's Breath Smells Like Catfood

2004-03-17T11:51:00.000-08:00

Oh my god. So, I just called the place where I'm going to see Matt Groening tomorrow, because my ticket said general admission and I wasn't sure if all the tickets were general admission or what. So the lady said there are going to be some reserved seats in the very front, but other than that it's all general seating. So I'm going to be extra dorky and get there really early so I can sit up front and then meet him!! I'm so excited!!! I feel really nerdy swooning over Matt Groening though. :)