erratic evolution

Things I did on Sunday that I forgot to write about

So I actually did a few things on Sunday that I forgot to write about.

I went to church for the first time in a few years. It was a UCC church, and based on the text of the sermons posted on their website, I was worried that it was a little too Bible-lite for me. After going to the service, I think I like the environment, but I'm not totally sold. However, I'll definitely keep attending to see if I like it.

The one thing is, for all the church's proclaimed diversity... it's like a polar bear in a snowstorm. >_>; Maybe I'm just blinded by the sea of white, but... yeah.

A coworker of my mother's, who was a (UCC?) minister, once said something to the effect of, "Ever notice how the more 'liberal' the worship service is, the more conservative the church actually is? The churches who play the organ music are usually the most liberal." That's definitely true in this case. Solo pianist for the hymns, very traditional selection, but very liberal church. Pretty music, and I liked the more restrained atmosphere. Sometimes, at the church I grew up in, the worship was like a three-ring circus. Made me very uncomfortable.

When the service ended, I grabbed some free literature. For a moment, I felt guilty because there was a little sign asking for a donation in return, and I didn't give during the offering 'cause a) I'm visiting, and b) I make no money... except for my job which I totally didn't think about at the time! But I don't feel guilty anymore. Next time I'll give.

Afterwards, I went to 'wichcraft, which is a gourmet sandwich shop opened by Tom Colicchio, that dude from Top Chef. Since I wasn't sure if I would like the food, I got the cheapest hot sandwich, melted gruyere with onions on rye, despite the fact that I'm not a rye fan - the smell puts me off. The sandwich was pretty good. :) Next time, I'll go all-out and order the meatloaf sandwich! I saw some of the "big" hot sandwiches go by me on trays, and they look huge! I ate by myself and studied Chinese.

In the corner of the shop there was a little three-set jaz band playing. So stereotypical, I know, but it was kinda nice to see the way the guys talked and joked in between songs.

Then I went to Kmart and bought stuff. Went to help run a program for the LGBT Office. I (and another person) did the Intro and the Gender sections. The Intro isn't bad, but I've never given the Gender section without an office staff member. As I was talking, I was like, "Oh my God... I'm babbling and I'm losing these people" because the audience members had the deer-in-the-headlights look. >__>; I guess that it was more of a look on intense concentration because the Gender section is pretty heavy and conceptual. The other facilitators said I did a good job of it, so I don't feel so bad. Still, practice makes perfect, eh?

Ooh, yeah, on Friday I got an interview with NYU Med, which is on Nov. 17th! I scheduled a practice interview with the career center on the 8th... we'll see how helpful that really is. All the stuff around this situation is a whole 'nother entry... so much drama! I have got to beef up on my reading so that during the interview, if I get asked about how to save the world, I've have some idea of what I'm talking about.

Life is busy!

2006 election vote

I'm glad that I checked my mail today, because my absentee ballot came. It was probably sitting there since yesterday.

I have to get it to the county office of elections by Friday, so I panicked and voted before looking any of the candidates up. >.>; I already knew I was going to vote for Casey instead of that nutcase Santorum, so that was a no-brainer. For governor, I ended up going with Rendell. (After visiting both campaign websites, I'm not totally sold on Rendell, but Lynn Swann's was just crazy, so.) Locally, I went Republican - our representative for the general assembly was running unopposed, so no-brainer there. I also voted for the incumbent for U.S. Congressman, though after some investigation that might have been a mistake. Oops-maybe.

The moral of this story is that you should at least have SOME idea of who you're voting for before you do it.

I also looked up all the due dates for the rest of the applications that I have to do. Hoo-boy... I'm running up against some deadlines. Hopefully I actually get considered.

A long weekend

So, I started writing this entry on October 7th... which was a long time ago.

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I <3 my sister. When she sent me a Friends request on Facebook, she wrote for the details (year omitted for privacy): "You met in 19xx. It just so happens that we live in the same house." XD I laughed for like ten minutes straight. Kinda like the first time I saw the buttsecks owl.

I seriously think I forgot how to do calculus. I'm trying to figure out how to normalize a function, and I canNOT get the answer, which I looked up in the textbook. Wtf.

I'm becoming paranoid. Lately I feel like everytime I go to use my toothpaste, it's in a different place and the tube's in a different shape than how I left it. This makes me feel like my roommate and maybe her friends are secretly using my toothpaste. It grosses me out, but at the same time, I realize that I'm probably just being neurotic. But it ain't neurosis if they really ARE using your toothpaste, is it?

Please tell me my neurosis is charming. Otherwise I won't know what to do.

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After a fit of essay editing, I up and decided to turn in my secondary application for Cornell. I double- and triple-checked for mistakes, so I hope it turns out right.

Please, please, please... I just want to get into UPitt! Por favor, Dios mio!

Hurray for the new D album. Ben will roll his eyes, but whatever. I've been listening to An Cafe's "Smile ichiban ii onna," and after I looked up their new single "Snow scene" on Youtube, I really that one, too. It looks like I'll have to get their new album that's coming out.

Ah, Youtube, jukebox for the poor. Seriously.

I spent the whole weekend working on my Social and Cultural Analysis midterm essay. If it's not good, I'm going to feel really ridiculous for doing all that work and making all those statements.

I no longer think my roommate is using my toothpaste. Or maybe I'm just too tired to notice. o.o;

There's definitely something wrong with my second left lobe piercing. This is the second time around trying to heal this bugger, and I'm running into the same problems. I decided to change jewelry in the off-case that the ring was causing the aggravation - now I have my old barbell back again. I cannot figure out why it won't heal, especially considering I healed two cartilage piercings during the same period of time. Maybe I need to start using the phone on my right side. Or maybe I ought to let this heal closed and then take a 10-12g dermal punch to it!

Tough luck, Dan...

You're wicked good, and everyone knows it. :D I wish I was that awesome.

Just be glad they haven't invented brain-stealing machines yet, 'cause when they do, I'm looking at you! *squint!*

(I'm so proud of myself for hunting that image down and GIMPing it. *puff*)

Actually, you know, I take that back. I'm GLAD I'm not that awesome. There's a kid in my department who's the chemistry equivalent of Dan. It totally sucks for him around exam time 'cause people come beating down his door while he's trying to study because they want his help for their exams. Because I'm a softy, I'd try to help, but at some point, I'd be like "GERROUTOFMYHAIR!"

First med school interview request!!

This weekend has been so eventful, and it's only half-over!

The first eventful thing was Friday, when I was so tired that my lab supervisor was like, "You're tired, right?" >___>;; I was hoping I wasn't so obvious, but I guess that didn't work so well. I was hoping to get out around 4 PM so I could go home and sleep before the Outspoken party-thing, but I ended up getting out around 5:15, so I just went home for a half-hour to check mail and freshen up.

The Outspoken shindig was pretty cool. Eating Chickpea food was very yummy, as were the chocolate chip cookies, chips, salsa, and cheese-salsa. Foooooooood... yummy yummy fooooood. It's funny - the meeting was supposed to be for everyone to get together and meet the new and old people they didn't know, but it was like basically faces from training.

Then, after I went home and got a shower, I checked email and discovered that George Washington decided to put me on hold. BOOOOOOOOOO! I was really freaked out when I got that email because I didn't know what it meant, so I went to the forum-that-I-said-I-wouldn't-visit-anymore-'cause-it-tends-to-freak-me-out and discovered that being put on hold means, "We're not going to invite you to interview, but we're not going to reject you, either." Getting that message shattered my confidence, so I spent the rest of the night moping.

I didn't wake up until noon, when my cellphone's alarm went off. When I checked my email after lunch, I discovered that UPitt sent me a request to interview! I was so excited, but I was also like, "WTF I haven't sent in my entire application and you want to interview me already?!" I was afraid it was a prank, but when I logged into my secondary application, I could schedule an interview. Originally I was gonna hold off on setting a date, but the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday (which I was thinking about scheduling for) disappeared before my eyes. I panicked, called my mum, and quickly scheduled for December 15th, the first day of finals. That way, I'll at least have reading day to travel. I'm hoping that I won't have any final exams so I can just pack up and leave for good, but we'll see.

I'm feeling a lot better about myself. It's pretty clear to me that the reason why GW put me on hold was because they don't think I'm serious about the school. I'm also a little weirded out about getting an interview with such a good school like Pitt when my application isn't complete - I'm really hoping this means that they really really want me, because I really really would like to get in.

The repair shop called me on Wednesday to tell me that my guitar was ready, but I couldn't make it out there until today. IT WAS A TOTAL DISASTER. With all the weekend service advisories and the resulting confusion, it easily took me one and a half hours to travel into Brooklyn, and then the same going back. I ended in the wrong part of Brooklyn twice and probably switched trains more times than I have fingers. NEVER AGAIN - if I ever have to go out there again, I'm going on a weekday, school and work be damned.

The good news is that my guitar definitely plays much better - bar chords are easier to manage, and now I really believe that with some solid practice, I'll be able to do it. I'm still getting used to the sound of the strings - they sound brighter and more tinny, but maybe with some playing that'll go away. I also got a compliment from one of the shop owners about my guitar - he said he was curious about it, so he looked the manufacturer up. He said that it sounded like a more expensive instrument, so that's pretty good in my opinion. :D Second in-the-know person who's liked my guitar given the price.

Now that I have this interview for Pitt, I am going to do EVERYTHING in order to get in. I sent a thank-you email for the interview invitation, and I'll send an update letter-of-interest come November. I also got a great idea for rewriting the troublesome essay of my secondary application, so I'm excited about that. Just admit me already! Please!!

Ben and I aren't getting along.