good morning

Strange dreams that I don't remember. I do remember waking up in the middle of the night, and all the lights were on for no reason.

My roommates irritate me in how much they consider "necessary" for living. Granted, I'm not much of a minimalist, with my computer and my eighteen different flavors of soap. But Caller ID, Call Waiting, Call Waiting ID, Voicemail, Digital Cable with hundreds of channels, and constant climate control are not that important. One can live without every phone option known to mankind, and cable is pretty obviously a luxury item. Granted, there are times when having AC is very good in Texas, but it doesn't need to run all the time. Someone said last night that we need a second phone line, and I wanted to strangle her. My friends make me feel old sometimes, like a parent. Not just because I find myself cleaning up after them, but because of their attitudes about life. They take way too much for granted, and sometimes don't seem to have a clue in the strangest places. Which disturbs me, in that I have thought them to be relatively smart cookies.

It just irritates the hell out of me when they just don't think.

Back to campus I go, to retrieve letters and have rambling conversations. It's nice to listen to Keith talking on the phone, slipping in and out of Czech. He's going to have to switch to Spanish or German to find something I don't understand now. Maybe I will lay in the grass outside of Calhoun and take a nap today to unwind. I have this headache, and I've been asked to drive someone to the airport. A thankless job, being a mom to someone else's kids.

Maybe I'll come home this afternoon and the apartment will be quiet. I can get some things done in that quiet. right now, I need some caffiene.

(no subject)

UNITED STATES: JUMPING FROG JUBILEE

The Grand Finals of the International Frog Jump are held at the Calaveras County Fair in California. An estimated 45,000 people attend this annual event on the third weekend of May. More than 3,000 frogs are entered in the contest. The event was inspired by a short story "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County" by Mark Twain.

Official site of the Jumping Frog Jubilee:
http://www.frogtown.org/

Learn more about the Jumping Frog Jubilee:
http://www.visitcalaveras.org/f_jubilee.html

soap and academia

Been listening to one Counting Crows song over and over lately, for no discernable reason. I can still hear it in my head. Seems like I am so much more sensitive to sound today.

Drove Karen to the airport this morning, and wished so much that it was already next week. I am not overly fond of actually flying, as I don't believe in physics and all that science mubo-jumbo. But I do like big modern airports and the expectant feeling they have. I like to travel, and I love the speed but God do I hate taking off.

Talked with Hana today about my excitement. It's strange how I look at her sometimes and see someone my own age but inifinitely wiser. She just doesn't look like she's twenty years older than me at all. Cate has something similar as well. I think it is something in the way they speak, a youthful grace to their voices. I want to grow up like that.

I was telling Hana about my soap collection, and how I couldn't decide what to take with me. She smiled and told me about this wonderful place where she buys soap every year, all about the kiwi soap, the strawberry soap, the lemon soap in big blocks like cheese, and these little chamomile soaps. She promised to take me first thing that week, so we could buy beautiful soaps. Oh, what a wonderful thing. In nine days I will be buying soap in Prague. Just another reason why I like Hana so much.

I'm tempted to stay and do my PhD here, for a couple of reasons. There is of course the cost, and the simplicity of the idea. But more importantly, Texas has quite a Czech community. We have unique opportunities for research, for scholarships and such things. I'm often told that Russian is what I should get the degree in, but perhaps if I do it here I can work the Czech in as well. The Slavic department is much like other such departments around the world, yet I know these people. I feel something inspiring here. Maybe I'll travel a lot, spend a semester or two at Princeton, at Charles, in Moscow or Budapest. There is time for so much, and so many chances. If an incredible offer came from another place, I might go. But I like this place, even if the city is not everything I want in the world. Austin has been my home for fourteen years now, and I think a part of me will always want to come back here.

It's astounding to think that I will live somewhere else for six weeks. Maybe I'll fall in love with Prague and never come back. Maybe I'll come back and run away again. There is so much ahead of me, I can't fit it all into my skull. Which means I should go back to working on my personal essay and try to get that done.

(no subject)

Watching Providence is one of my few guilty television pleasures. I like the show, especially when Sid talks to her dead mother in her dreams. Something about the characters and the stories appeals to me. I'm almost ashamed to admit the proposal scene tonight made me teary-eyed. Hiding under my cynical shell is a romantic.

The Nielsen people gave me $5 to write down my tv habits for a week anyways. So I'm putting down lots of IFC movies, the Food network, PBS and stuff that I probably won't even watch. I would watch if I had infinite time to waste in front of the tv, but I just want to skew the demographic. Hah!

survey fun

Razorart quiz

1. What is the name you *wished* you were born with?
When I was in fifth grade I wanted my name to be Cassandra Daniels for some reason. I'm getting used to my name, but sometimes I wish I was named Hana, Katya or Amalthea.

2. What feature of the opposite sex do you hate the most?
Hmm. I like to think I'm an equal opportunity hater.. but I hate the arrogance certain men have towards women.

3. What feature of *your* sex do you hate the most?
The foolishness, the ignorance, the stupidity that too often they won't let go of.

4. Give me your list of annoying occurrences:
Dirty public places, obnoxious people on cell phones, obviously stupid people in my classes, general stupidity.

5. Who do you hate the most out of everyone you know/ever knew and why?
Probably the person who destroyed my world when I was 16. But I'm working on forgiveness.

6. Which celebrity deserves to be boiled in oil?
Most of them!

7. Do you have a voodoo doll?
I should get one.

8. Have you ever harbored murderous thoughts? Why?
Oh lord, far too often. Mostly because I've known some terrible people who caused terrible pain, and I'm fierce about the people I care for.

9. What is the best song to strip to?
Hmm. "Do It" by The Reverend Horton Heat

10. Have you ever dabbled in witchcraft?
Umm, I think an awfully long time ago. Like elementary school.

11. How many one-night stands have you had?
a few

12. Have you ever had an abortion?
no

13. Who do you hate most of all on Live Journal?
I don't know. I've seen some annoying people, but I don't actively dislike anyone.

14. Who could you see yourself having sex with on Live Journal?
Gracious, there are far too many beautiful people here to answer that!

15. What is your dream job?
Professor at a beautiful college, perhaps in Europe, with bookshelves and time to tell stories to my students.

16. Have you ever been issued a summons/sued/arrested/been in jail?
no

17. Are you a sadist or a masochist? Give some examples.
Probably more of a masochist, but I'm ruthless sometimes. I've had bruises that made sitting down at work a difficult thing.

18. What religion were you brought up to be? Do you still practice it?
I was raised atheist, but I'm a Catholic now. Go figure.

19. Do you like to give or receive hugs?
To quote Cate, "Both, and often."

20. Do you rejoice in any bodily functions?
Hmm. Um. I like to breathe an awful lot. Breathing is nice.