Thursday, October 31, 2002

UJ: happy halloween!

Happy Halloween everyone!!! Today was a good day. We had a halloween party at the community center today and it went really well. I brought lots of candy, which means I won't be giving candy out to kids tonight (hey...i'm a poor kid...). Halloween is just a fun, fun time....

What was I for halloween you ask? Well, I didn't want to make a complete fool of myself and knew I would have to be running around at work. SO....I was an IU Basketball Player. I have my IU t shirt and work out pants on...and then brought a basketball in as a prop. A volunteer painted my face when I got to work...she put the IU symbol on one cheek...and the #11 on the other (Dane Fife's old number..cause he is dreamy!).

Oh...and just in case I haven't mentioned it before.....I am seeing JOHN MELLENCAMP in concert on sunday....whoo hoo! I can't wait...it should be a great, great show!! He's playing in Bloomington at the Auditorium on campus. whoo hoo!

mwhahaha.....happy halloween kids!

Tuesday, October 29, 2002

UJ: 24

24 is hell of a good show....I personally think it is the best show on television right now. Why am I tell you this right now? well...because the season premiere is tonight. I am quick excited...and not just because Kiefer Sutherland is cuter than words. (hummina, hummina, hummina...)

24 is a wonderful show on many levels....it is completely action packed, but without the senseless, reasonless violence. It also keeps you guessing...and you have to try to figure out the puzzle as the main character is. It is also character driven....and that is sometimes quite rare in an action show. Finally, it is shown in real time...which means every show is an hour in the day of Jack Bauer. If you haven't seen it...check it out...

whoo hoo...gonna be making some popcorn and watching some GOOD tv tonight!

plus, tonight's episode is commercial free...even more chances to drool...umm, I mean watch Kiefer on TV.

Monday, October 28, 2002

UJ: daylight savings time....

Indiana is a strange state....why, you ask? Well, for many reasons, but today...I am talking about how Indiana doesn't do daylight savings time. Every other state in the union changes their clocks twice a year, but Indiana....oh no! We don't change our clocks at all. So, while everyone else changed their clocks yesterday....in Indiana...we didn't. What we did do is change time zones. Half the year we spend in Central Time Zone and half the year we spend in Eastern Time Zone. I personally like being on Eastern time zone better, since that is the time zone that my whole family and friends are in on the east coast.

just thought I would share the idiosyncrasy of Indiana and their defunct idea to not take part in daylight savings time.

enjoy your morning!

Sunday, October 27, 2002

UJ: lazy sunday

Hello! It's sunday night....and it seemed like the weekend flew by. I was supposed to work at my second job on Saturday, but I wasn't feeling well, so I called in. You know...if I was supposed to work at Shalom on Saturday, I would have gone no matter how I was feeling....but I just don't care as much about my second job. My second job is all about paying the bills. It feels like work....Shalom doesn't feel like work, it feels like an opportunity, it feels like I am making a difference.

And to top off not feeling well...when I went out to my car on Saturday....and tried to start it...NOTHING!!! It rained like a monsoon on friday, so I had my lights on...and I turned on the inside light by accident and since it was light out when I shut the car off, I didn't notice. So....long story, short...my car battery was dead. I had to call AAA....and there were there within 30 minutes and had my car up and running.

Today...I went to see a movie. I have started going to the movies by myself. I went to go see "One Hour Photo" by myself. I went to go see "Red Dragon" by myself...and today I went to go see "Punch-Drunk Love" by myself. I enjoy going to the movies....and I went often with friends last year, but they don't seem as interested in the kind of movies I REALLY wanna see....so, I have started going by myself. Part of it is liberating...part of it is lonely. But, it's a movie...it's not like you are there for entertainment.

anyways....Punch Drunk Love was good. It wasn't really what I expected...I think the trailers and advertisements for the movie are slightly misleading, but I really enjoyed it. It is definitely an independent movie...it has that edgy quality that I really enjoy in indi features. I also was very impressed with Adam Sandler in this movie. As most people know, I am a huge fan of his work....but in this movie, he didn't play the same character....that makes me laugh out loud with his silly jokes. This movie was a real stretch for him....and he really brought you along with the character in this story. It was quite a change for Sandler....

That's my weekend in a nutshell...so, how did you spend yours???

Friday, October 25, 2002

UJ: 5am....

hey kids, my alarm went off this morning at 5am...ooh...it was so hard to get outta bed this morning. The reason I woke up so early is because we opened the Shalom Center early today. It was so wonderful. A group of about 10 student from I.U. came in and made a wonderful breakfast for the guests (usually breakfast is just a continental breakfast...bagels, donuts, toast, etc). These students were such a gift...i don't know how open I would have been to waking up at 6am and making a breakfast on a friday morning. It was a great way to start my day even though it meant me waking up at 5am....

but now, I am a tad bit tired....so I think I will go take a nap.

Thursday, October 24, 2002

UJ: hmmpf

I'm feeling kinda mopey today....

No real reason why, just feeling mopey.

Wednesday, October 23, 2002

UJ: wednesday already?

It's strange how time can either go super fast or super slow....at the beginning of this week, I thought the week was going to drag, but now....I am quite surprised it is Wednesday already. Time is an interesting concept....it always seems like it is working either for you or against you. I guess I feel that way cause I am a kid who really doesn't know how to live in the moment. I have had a few, very few, experiences of living in the moment, but they don't tend to last for long. I seem to always be thinking about the future or transfixing on the past.....instead of just enjoying the minute of time that I am currently in. I am constantly saying that I hope to be better about that....but so far, no real change.

Anyways....happy Wednesday everyone. I woke up super early this morning. I open the community center on Wednesdays, so that means that I wake my perky little self up at 5:45 am to get to work on time. I could probably get up later, but I like rituals....and my ritual for the mornings is that I like at least a little time to watch either the morning news or a segment of Good Morning American. I don't know why....but it just seems like a good start to my day.

Well...since I am at work, I should get back to it!

*winks*

Tuesday, October 22, 2002

UJ: getting to know you....getting to know all about you!

Here is that forward that my friend sent me....where you fill it out all about yourself.

1. WHAT TIME DO YOU WAKE UP IN THE MORNING? 7:30am

2. IF YOU COULD EAT LUNCH WITH ONE FAMOUS PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? Edward Norton

3. GOLD OR SILVER? Silver

4. WHAT WAS THE LAST FILM YOU SAW AT THE CINEMA? Red Dragon (it was very good...you should go see it). I also saw One Hour Photo recently...you should see that as well.

5. FAVORITE TV SHOW? Alias, 24

6. WHAT DO YOU HAVE FOR BREAKFAST? Hmm...one of three things (breakfast shake, oatmeal or 2 slices of cinnamon raisin toast with peanut butter)

7. WHAT WOULD YOU HATE TO BE LEFT IN A ROOM WITH? Clowns (cause they are evil....)

8. CAN YOU TOUCH YOUR NOSE WITH YOUR TONGUE? Nope, but can't say I have spent a lot of time trying.

9. WHAT INSPIRES YOU? the chance to make the world a better place

10. WHAT'S YOUR MIDDLE NAME? Erin

11. BEACH, CITY, Or COUNTRY? City, I think...

12. SUMMER OR WINTER? With those choices, I would say Winter....but Fall is my favorite season.

13. FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Boysenberry Sorbet

14. BUTTERED, PLAIN, OR SALTED POPCORN? Buttered, but the reduced fat kind.

15. FAVORITE COLOR? Green

16. FAVORITE CAR? Volkswagen Jetta

17. FAVORITE SANDWICH FILLING? Veggies

19. WHAT CHARACTERISTICS DO YOU DESPISE? Hate, intolerance, stubborness, arrogance

20. FAVORITE FLOWER? daisies or bluettes

21. IF YOU HAD A BIG WIN IN THE LOTTERY, HOW LONG WOULD YOU WAIT TO TELEPHONE PEOPLE? Probably immediately call my parents.

22. FIZZY OR STILL WATER AS A DRINK? Still

23. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR BATHROOM? Off white...yep, very boring.

24. HOW MANY KEYS ON YOUR KEY RING? the keychain for work: seven. My keychain: six

25. WHERE WOULD YOU RETIRE TO? oh who knows....since it is a LONG LONG time away!

26. CAN YOU JUGGLE? IF YES HOW MANY? Nope...but would love to learn.

27. FAVORITE DAY OF THE WEEK: Sunday

28. RED OR WHITE WINE? Merlot

29. WHAT DID YOU DO FOR YOUR LAST BIRTHDAY? I don't celebrate my birthday, so nothing really. It was a quiet day at home. I rented a movie and that's about it.

30. DO YOU CARRY A DONOR CARD? Yep

There ya go...now you know a little more about me!

UJ: yawns....

I worked until 10pm last night....this kid is definitely tired.

Ever get those feelings when you are completely exhausted, but also completely wired. That is how I felt last night. I wanted to just jump into bed, but also was quite fidgety.

Oh, one of my friends sent me one of those forwards where you are supposed to fill out info about yourself. I usually don't do those things, but I think I will fill it out and put it here....so, be expecting that!

yawns....

Monday, October 21, 2002

UJ: monday morn...

morning everyone! I heard on the news this morning that someone who may be connected to the sniper attacks in DC was arrested in Virginia. I am hoping this is a huge lead in bringing this attacker to justice. I know people who are in DC...and they are just terified to do ANYTHING!

This whole sniper thing is so tragic and it reminds me a lot of when I was in college and taking a class called Murder One. The class focused on different types of mass murder, including serial killings, mass murders, workplace violence, etc... I can't help trying to figure this sniper out....given the information we have been given. The fact that all the victims seem to be random and that there isn't a specific pattern to the shootings...it all leads me to believe that the sniper is shooting people because of something in his environment. Something in his (and I am using his because statistically most serial killers are male) environment and that the actual shooting of people is some sort of emotional release for this person. Who knows...I could be wrong, wrong, wrong...and I probably am. Lord knows that I am not a forensic psychologist or a profiler. It is all just my hunch.

You know, I should delete all that cause another thing that we learned in class....is that serial killers just love attention and press about their killings. Oh well...I'll leave it up since I hope that the sniper isn't spending his morning reading my journal.

That's my two cents for this morning....

Sunday, October 20, 2002

UJ: pot luck and more....

Howdy....

I guess the new journal is like a new toy for me. I don't plan on writing two or three journals a day on most days, but today.....I just feel like playing with it. It reminds me of Christmas when I was a little kid...when you got this new, shiny toy and all you could do was play with it. I would exhaust myself playing with my new toys on christmas day.... I don't what our fascination in this culture with new things is....and a lot of times we just overload ourselves with new things, until we are just sick of them. I hope I don't do that with this journal.....I don't want my journal to become like that christmas gift that was SO loved the day of christmas, but in a few months was sitting in the bottom of my closet and never thought of again. enough about that, eh?

Tonight I was invited to a little pot luck dinner. I got the invite from this wonderful woman I work with at the Shalom Center. She is a senior in college and just about to graduate. There were a lot of college aged people there and also some professors and adult-types.... Well, it was such a lovely evening....of just chatting and hanging out. It reminded me so much of some of the friends I had in college. Oh...how I miss those friends. I miss Nicole and Jen...and how we could spend hours just talking about nothing. I even miss Morgan even though I don't think I am ready to admit that just yet... I remember feeling such a kindred connection with Nicole...because she seemed to get and understand my connection to social justice issues. *sighs* I miss her...and wish with all that I am, that Vermont and Indiana weren't so far away. I guess the lesson and insight that was brought to me tonight as I smiled and laughed with these women....is how much I miss my friends that I made in college. I wish I could have a little pot luck dinner with them right now....I smile just thinking about it.

I think that is all for now....I just finished watching Alias....one of my staple TV shows...and now I am gonna watch the Practice and head to bed. Nite all...and hope that everyone finds peaceful dreaming...

hugs-

UJ: my new journal....whoo hoo!

Hello everyone and welcome to my NEW journal! I have been looking for one of these swanky sites to host my journal instead of just having it on my website. It's so much simpler this way...or at least I hope so!

Things are going well for me...except for that I am a little sickly. I started feeling like I was coming down with a cold a couple of days ago. Yesterday I went out and bought some more echinacea and I am hoping that taking it will help nip this sickness in the bud. It just seems like a common cold, so I am not too worried about it. Mainly...my throat hurts and my lips are quite chapped.

Things at Shalom are also really good. I think I was meant for this job. Sometimes it seems so much like fate. I didn't start looking for a job this summer until August....and the week after I started offficially looking, the position at Shalom became available. It wasn't perfect...since it was just going to be part time, but the location was perfect. Shalom is a local community center which works with those who are homeless or in extreme poverty. Jobs like this are the reason I wanted to become a social worker. So...I am very happy there and I hope to continue to be happy there.

Ok, that's it for now....and as soon as I get used to how this journal works, I plan on posting much more often.

much love,