It's been quite a while since I've posted anything new on here. I stopped working at Page Plus a while back and can honestly say I'm happier, even if I'm broke like a lousy joke.
I started back up at BGSU this semester. At present, my major is still officially Asian Studies, but I'm looking at a few different options for a change. Although I do enjoy learning about Asian culture, languages, and history, I've recently felt as though something is missing.
I looked through some alternate degree programs with my mom the other day and discovered that BGSU has a paleobiology program. After a bit of research, I found myself very intrigued; I've always marveled at the complexity behind the origins of life, but never really considered the possibility of turning that interest into a career. I'm nowhere near dead-set in this yet, but it's certainly something warranting further investigation.
The last few months have been a little turbulent, to be sure, but I'm finally starting to feel human again after learning to let go and take lessons from the mistakes I've made. The future is bright and I'm ready to embrace it.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Monday, December 14, 2009
on excessive bodily fumes
I don't want to sound mean, but I rather feel the need to vent about the obnoxiously pungent odor emanating from somewhere in the desk pod behind mine. I'm not sure of the perpetrator, but I'm strongly considering leaving fun-size deodorant on all four of said desks simply because I'm fed up with feeling the incessant nasal sting of other people's body funk.
There is a common courtesy that most normal people in the workplace observe, and that courtesy is known as good personal hygiene. I know this sounds like a lot to ask for- I mean, my GOD, washing your armpits is such a chore- but if I had one wish, it would be that all who read this take both heed of my words and a long, hot bath.
Paraphrased from wikiHow, here are six steps to smelling good all day:
1. Take a bath in the morning. Nothing beats the cold rush of water that instantly awakes you and washes your sleepiness away. If you want to smell good, your shampoo and soap must also smell good. Wash your face too and dry up with a clean, fluffy towel.
2. Apply deodorant and antiperspirant. If you have hyperhydrosis (that's medspeak for excessive sweating), use something like Driclor or CertainDri.
3. Spray on your favorite scent. Splash your cologne all over yourself. If it's perfume, spray it on the pulse points (on your neck, behind your ears, on your wrist).
4. Spray perfume on your clothes.
5. Be ready with a beauty kit. Stack on these must-brings to save you from sweat and odor:
# Tissue wipes – use this to wipe up any grease or odor from your body.
# Powder – apply on hair (blondes) or body to feel refreshed and absorb sweat.
# Cologne – baby colognes works best to cover up any smell.
# Mints – have no time for brushing? Stack on some mints to avoid bad breath.
# Brush and hair serum – for that bad hair day to go away!
# Oil blotting paper – to wipe all the grease on your face.
# Hair deodorizer - spray it on your hair to cover up the hideous smell of sweat.
# extra shirt - in case you really get smelly.
# deodorant - make sure it is small so you can freshen you anywhere.
6. Excuse yourself and go to the nearest restroom to freshen up. It is best when you're alone.
There is a common courtesy that most normal people in the workplace observe, and that courtesy is known as good personal hygiene. I know this sounds like a lot to ask for- I mean, my GOD, washing your armpits is such a chore- but if I had one wish, it would be that all who read this take both heed of my words and a long, hot bath.
Paraphrased from wikiHow, here are six steps to smelling good all day:
1. Take a bath in the morning. Nothing beats the cold rush of water that instantly awakes you and washes your sleepiness away. If you want to smell good, your shampoo and soap must also smell good. Wash your face too and dry up with a clean, fluffy towel.
2. Apply deodorant and antiperspirant. If you have hyperhydrosis (that's medspeak for excessive sweating), use something like Driclor or CertainDri.
3. Spray on your favorite scent. Splash your cologne all over yourself. If it's perfume, spray it on the pulse points (on your neck, behind your ears, on your wrist).
4. Spray perfume on your clothes.
5. Be ready with a beauty kit. Stack on these must-brings to save you from sweat and odor:
# Tissue wipes – use this to wipe up any grease or odor from your body.
# Powder – apply on hair (blondes) or body to feel refreshed and absorb sweat.
# Cologne – baby colognes works best to cover up any smell.
# Mints – have no time for brushing? Stack on some mints to avoid bad breath.
# Brush and hair serum – for that bad hair day to go away!
# Oil blotting paper – to wipe all the grease on your face.
# Hair deodorizer - spray it on your hair to cover up the hideous smell of sweat.
# extra shirt - in case you really get smelly.
# deodorant - make sure it is small so you can freshen you anywhere.
6. Excuse yourself and go to the nearest restroom to freshen up. It is best when you're alone.
a little background music, part IV
Part IV: Me, myself, and some loose change
[no picture because my face is obviously sitting right on the sidebar]
Erin E. Brooks [the E, they say, is short for Efram, or maybe Emily] is a 21-year-old folk pianist/saxophonist for the band Freezing in the Midwest. She is currently an Asian Studies major at Bowling Green State University, with hopes of becoming either a translator (as she speaks Spanish and Japanese) or a professor with specialization in Asian Studies. For more information, read her profile because she's kind of a lazy bastard when it comes to information provided elsewhere.
[no picture because my face is obviously sitting right on the sidebar]
Erin E. Brooks [the E, they say, is short for Efram, or maybe Emily] is a 21-year-old folk pianist/saxophonist for the band Freezing in the Midwest. She is currently an Asian Studies major at Bowling Green State University, with hopes of becoming either a translator (as she speaks Spanish and Japanese) or a professor with specialization in Asian Studies. For more information, read her profile because she's kind of a lazy bastard when it comes to information provided elsewhere.
a little background music, part III
Part III: Locations
HOME: The lovely (if a little less than spacious) apartment that Sean and I share with our cats. It's cozy without being cramped, and exudes a happy, welcoming vibe to all who enter.
WORK: Page Plus Cellular, a prepaid wireless service. I work as a customer service/tech support representative, spending hours upon hours listening to complaints that are, at least 90 percent of the time, completely the fault of the customer. However, said neanderthals provide me with a job and a paycheck, so far be it from me to complain.
HOME: The lovely (if a little less than spacious) apartment that Sean and I share with our cats. It's cozy without being cramped, and exudes a happy, welcoming vibe to all who enter.
WORK: Page Plus Cellular, a prepaid wireless service. I work as a customer service/tech support representative, spending hours upon hours listening to complaints that are, at least 90 percent of the time, completely the fault of the customer. However, said neanderthals provide me with a job and a paycheck, so far be it from me to complain.
a little background music, part II
Part II: The kitties
Three cats claim residence in our very collegiate-styled one-bedroom apartment: Soviet, Kremlin, and Khruschev. All three are rescue cats; the first two from outside, Khruschev from a friend who was going to send her to the Humane Society, where she would likely have been euthanized.
SOVIET [Russian: Совет] is a 3-year-old Persian mix with mostly gray coloring and a few strawberry-blond patches. Her most distinguishing feature is the irregular hair growth pattern she exhibits, making her look somewhat like a miniature lion (tail poof and everything). She is a very temperamental and fussy cat. She is very fond of us (especially Sean; she's definitely a daddy's girl), but will attack anyone else on Sean's command. Soviet loves having her personal space, but is under constant threat of pestering from Kremlin, one of her younger counterparts.
KREMLIN [Russian: Кремль], also affectionately known as "Gremlin," "Monster Cat," or "Insanokitty," is a 5-month-old kitty mutt with equal parts black and white coloring. She is most definitely a mama's girl, as she has a habit of waking me each morning by shoving her head under my chin and demanding attention. Kremlin is, by definition, batshit insane, but we still love her. She has a tendency to run wildly around the house and clumsily bump into almost everything, as well as a penchant for leaping from tables onto the back of the ever-unsuspecting Soviet. She makes a half-purring sort of noise that indicates whenever she's in the mood to play/be a crazy bastard.
KHRUSCHEV [Russian: (Никита Сергеевич) Хрущёв], as one would imagine, is named for former Soviet leader Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev. The newest addition to the Brooks/Loizou household, Khruschev is a 6-month-old kitty mutt who is mostly black, save for a few white hairs on her chest. She is still very shy and trying to adapt to her new surroundings. She is very leery of being picked up and held, but is extremely friendly and loves being scratched behind her ears. The other cats seem to be taking a liking to her, so I'm hoping with that with some time and TLC, she'll start to blossom a little more.
Three cats claim residence in our very collegiate-styled one-bedroom apartment: Soviet, Kremlin, and Khruschev. All three are rescue cats; the first two from outside, Khruschev from a friend who was going to send her to the Humane Society, where she would likely have been euthanized.
SOVIET [Russian: Совет] is a 3-year-old Persian mix with mostly gray coloring and a few strawberry-blond patches. Her most distinguishing feature is the irregular hair growth pattern she exhibits, making her look somewhat like a miniature lion (tail poof and everything). She is a very temperamental and fussy cat. She is very fond of us (especially Sean; she's definitely a daddy's girl), but will attack anyone else on Sean's command. Soviet loves having her personal space, but is under constant threat of pestering from Kremlin, one of her younger counterparts.
KREMLIN [Russian: Кремль], also affectionately known as "Gremlin," "Monster Cat," or "Insanokitty," is a 5-month-old kitty mutt with equal parts black and white coloring. She is most definitely a mama's girl, as she has a habit of waking me each morning by shoving her head under my chin and demanding attention. Kremlin is, by definition, batshit insane, but we still love her. She has a tendency to run wildly around the house and clumsily bump into almost everything, as well as a penchant for leaping from tables onto the back of the ever-unsuspecting Soviet. She makes a half-purring sort of noise that indicates whenever she's in the mood to play/be a crazy bastard.
KHRUSCHEV [Russian: (Никита Сергеевич) Хрущёв], as one would imagine, is named for former Soviet leader Nikita Sergeyevich Khrushchev. The newest addition to the Brooks/Loizou household, Khruschev is a 6-month-old kitty mutt who is mostly black, save for a few white hairs on her chest. She is still very shy and trying to adapt to her new surroundings. She is very leery of being picked up and held, but is extremely friendly and loves being scratched behind her ears. The other cats seem to be taking a liking to her, so I'm hoping with that with some time and TLC, she'll start to blossom a little more.
a little background music, part I
This is the first in a series of blogs I will be posting to give any readers a little character background on the people/places/things I'll be writing about.
Part I : Sean W. Loizou
[Photo taken 24 Sept 2009, Weakerthans concert, Detroit, MI]
Sean (age 21) is my wonderful, sweet, Cypriot/communist/hippie boyfriend. He is currently a European history major at Monroe County Community College, with plans to finish his BA at the University of Toledo. His main interests include European history (specifically, WWII and Russia), playing his guitar (quite skillfully, I might add), listening to all manner of black metal and folk music, and doing goofball things to me to show his appreciation and love. We've been dating since 25 September 2008 and it's been nothing short of amazing.
The main reason we get along so well? Communication, plain and simple. When we fight, we talk it out. We share our opinions, thoughts, and feelings without fear of rejection. I have had deeper and more philosophical conversations with him than anyone else I know. He encourages me to expand my mind and think critically about situations. We help each other to think about the reasons behind our actions, and we always express our love for each other. I'm easily one of the luckiest girls in the world because of this. To top it off, we've been living together for a year now and it's never really been stressful or annoying- it just feels natural.
Suffice to say, we are incredibly in sync and almost always on the same wavelength. He's my other half and I can hardly wait until there's just one last name on our mailbox. :]
Part I : Sean W. Loizou
[Photo taken 24 Sept 2009, Weakerthans concert, Detroit, MI]
Sean (age 21) is my wonderful, sweet, Cypriot/communist/hippie boyfriend. He is currently a European history major at Monroe County Community College, with plans to finish his BA at the University of Toledo. His main interests include European history (specifically, WWII and Russia), playing his guitar (quite skillfully, I might add), listening to all manner of black metal and folk music, and doing goofball things to me to show his appreciation and love. We've been dating since 25 September 2008 and it's been nothing short of amazing.
The main reason we get along so well? Communication, plain and simple. When we fight, we talk it out. We share our opinions, thoughts, and feelings without fear of rejection. I have had deeper and more philosophical conversations with him than anyone else I know. He encourages me to expand my mind and think critically about situations. We help each other to think about the reasons behind our actions, and we always express our love for each other. I'm easily one of the luckiest girls in the world because of this. To top it off, we've been living together for a year now and it's never really been stressful or annoying- it just feels natural.
Suffice to say, we are incredibly in sync and almost always on the same wavelength. He's my other half and I can hardly wait until there's just one last name on our mailbox. :]
The Hazards of Love, Part II (Wager All) - The Decemberists
This is one of my most favorite Decemberists songs. It is from their newest album, but they've stayed true to their very unique and enchanting style even after being signed to a major record label. Both their vocal and instrumental styles are chock full of soul and emotion; beautiful and almost haunting at times. This song in particular exemplifies the Decemberists' magic.
So, without further ado, here are the lyrics (which means you should go check out the song, hint hint.)
And here I am
Softer than a shower
And here I am
To garland you with flowers
I’ll lay you down in clover bed
The stars, a roof above our heads
And all my life
I’ve never felt the tremor
And all my life
That now disturbs my fingers
I’ll lay you down in clover bed
The stars, a roof above our heads
And we’ll lie 'til the corncrake crows
Bereft the weight of our summer clothes
And I’ll wager all
The Hazards of Love
The Hazards of Love
And take my hand
And cradle it in your hand
And take my hand
To feel the pull of quicksand
I’ll lay you down in clover bed
The stars, a roof above our heads
And we’ll lie 'til the corncrake crows
Bereft the weight of our summer clothes
And I’ll wager all
The Hazards of Love
The Hazards of Love
So, without further ado, here are the lyrics (which means you should go check out the song, hint hint.)
And here I am
Softer than a shower
And here I am
To garland you with flowers
I’ll lay you down in clover bed
The stars, a roof above our heads
And all my life
I’ve never felt the tremor
And all my life
That now disturbs my fingers
I’ll lay you down in clover bed
The stars, a roof above our heads
And we’ll lie 'til the corncrake crows
Bereft the weight of our summer clothes
And I’ll wager all
The Hazards of Love
The Hazards of Love
And take my hand
And cradle it in your hand
And take my hand
To feel the pull of quicksand
I’ll lay you down in clover bed
The stars, a roof above our heads
And we’ll lie 'til the corncrake crows
Bereft the weight of our summer clothes
And I’ll wager all
The Hazards of Love
The Hazards of Love
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)