I was in French class last night and we were going over the Passe Compose. In French, certain verbs use the avoir (to have) for the past tense and certain verbs use the etre (to be) verb for the past tense.
Yes, only the French.
Anyway, we were going over it last night. For the most part, I know what verb uses what in the past tense but I know it instinctively now. Yes, I sound like the arrogant nerd of high school but I was a French major in college and did a year of graduate study so I should be able to speak it a bit.
Anyway, there's this girl (okay, woman), in my class. I'll call her Cheryl (because that's her name). Anyway, Cheryl likes to give EVERYONE the answers. She even corrects the teacher and offers "helpful" suggestions.
Can you tell I don't like her that much?
Oh, and she does that thing where, when she answers a question correctly or "helps" the instructor, she tosses her head and looks around to make sure everyone knows she was right.
Well, last night the teacher asked me about a verb and all of a sudden I couldn't remember. You know, when you know the answer but when asked a direct question you don't know. You know? So the teacher starts in on an example to help me remember. I guess Cheryl felt I needed help because at the same time she turns to me (complete with toss) and says, "It's etre."
Pissed off, I shut her down with a loud, "Shhh."
Everyone in class heard and they all like Cheryl and I hate being the bad guy and they'll probably never speak to me again and I'll never be friends with them but OH MY GOD SHE WAS JUST ANNOYING THE CRAP OUT OF ME!!!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
The Fun in Fund Drive
You'd think, because I'm not working, I'd have plenty of time to blog. Turns out, not so much. I've been trying to stay busy and I'm working on some creative writing. I am sitting down with my journal to sketch stuff out. I used to use my journal to vent about my day but it just depressed me. I'm not ready to share the writings yet though. I don't want anyone thinking, "Oh, is she writing about me?" Yeah, 'cause like all I think about is you.
Anyway, last week, I spent 3 days answering phones for a fund drive for a local radio station; WXPN. This is a pretty cool radio station. It is run like NPR so it's member supported but it plays contemporary music - mostly from independent artists that you won't hear on commercial radio. They really support local artists in Philly as well. They have a venue where they bring local and out of town musicians in and they also support gigs all over the city. If you're into cool music, I urge you to check out the website. They stream live so you can get a taste for the music they play.
I had blast answering the phones and I met all sorts of people. One group I like to call the music geeks. They could not wait to tell me about all the different venues where they usher and the artists they have seen. They were so excited to impress me.
I met another woman who is taking a year off to find herself or at least a job she enjoys; very risky in this economy. I started out really liking her until she played the "But I have a better story game." Who knows, it could have been that we were both tired but a U2 song came on and I mentioned that I had tickets to see them until Bono hurt his back. Well, she went on about all the times she had seen them. Like an idiot, I said I had seen them play with some cool people in Ireland. Not only had she seen them in Ireland but at Slane Castle, etc., etc. If I had met Bono, she would have dated him, I swear. I did keep my mouth shut about meeting Adam Clayton though. That's a funny story, I'll tell it to you sometime. Um, meeting Adam Clayton, not keeping my mouth shut : )
For the most part, though, most of the volunteers were good people who liked the radio station. Many were unemployed and it pained me to hear their stories. One of my favorites was a librarian who explained the difference between the Dewey Decimal and the Library of Congress cataloguing systems. It may sound dull to you but I'm the daughter of a librarian and I've worked in a lot of libraries in my time. I'm partial to the Dewey Decimal system. If you're asking that is.
Can you see it though? A short one act play set during a fund drive? Maybe one of the music geeks had an affair with a DJ? The possibilities are endless.
Anyway, last week, I spent 3 days answering phones for a fund drive for a local radio station; WXPN. This is a pretty cool radio station. It is run like NPR so it's member supported but it plays contemporary music - mostly from independent artists that you won't hear on commercial radio. They really support local artists in Philly as well. They have a venue where they bring local and out of town musicians in and they also support gigs all over the city. If you're into cool music, I urge you to check out the website. They stream live so you can get a taste for the music they play.
I had blast answering the phones and I met all sorts of people. One group I like to call the music geeks. They could not wait to tell me about all the different venues where they usher and the artists they have seen. They were so excited to impress me.
I met another woman who is taking a year off to find herself or at least a job she enjoys; very risky in this economy. I started out really liking her until she played the "But I have a better story game." Who knows, it could have been that we were both tired but a U2 song came on and I mentioned that I had tickets to see them until Bono hurt his back. Well, she went on about all the times she had seen them. Like an idiot, I said I had seen them play with some cool people in Ireland. Not only had she seen them in Ireland but at Slane Castle, etc., etc. If I had met Bono, she would have dated him, I swear. I did keep my mouth shut about meeting Adam Clayton though. That's a funny story, I'll tell it to you sometime. Um, meeting Adam Clayton, not keeping my mouth shut : )
For the most part, though, most of the volunteers were good people who liked the radio station. Many were unemployed and it pained me to hear their stories. One of my favorites was a librarian who explained the difference between the Dewey Decimal and the Library of Congress cataloguing systems. It may sound dull to you but I'm the daughter of a librarian and I've worked in a lot of libraries in my time. I'm partial to the Dewey Decimal system. If you're asking that is.
Can you see it though? A short one act play set during a fund drive? Maybe one of the music geeks had an affair with a DJ? The possibilities are endless.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Daniel Day-Lewis and Me
As I was lamenting over the meaning of my life, I was watching Nine, the movie version of the stage musical directed by Rob Marshall. It was fine; some good moments, some yawners. It stars Daniel Day-Lewis as a famous Italian movie director of the 1960's who has lost his way and is trying to figure out who he is. So it was a perfect film for me, as I too, am trying to figure out who I am. Of course, I'm not a famous Italian director who is cheating on my wife with Penelope Cruz (although if she knocked on my door...). And, Nicole Kidman is not my muse, which is totally fine because I'm not a fan. Oh yeah, I'm definitely not Daniel Day-Lewis.
He's delicious isn't he? I would not kick him out of bed for eating crackers. Not only that, ladies and gentlemen, he acts too! Sure, he does some schmaltzy stuff but I'm there anytime he wants to tell me: No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you. Dude, you had me at the waterfall.
Even better, in his off hours, he makes shoes! What a great life - acting and making shoes. I guess he never questions the meaning of his life, huh?
I heard a story about him a long time ago. Round about the time he was breaking into our consciousness as an "eat crackers in bed" kinda guy. Now, I doubt this story is true, in fact there are so many holes in it that it's probably not. But I want it to be true. I want him to be that guy.
I heard this from the cousin of the friend of the woman that it happened to. So we're close to the source, hmm?
Anyway, he did My Left Foot in 1988. This woman, who worked for Miramax at the time, saw the film and told her bosses that they MUST get the distribution rights to this film. According to the story, she risked her entire career on the film. Well, Miramax got the rights and the film, as we know, went on to be nominated for several Academy Awards. As a distributor of the film, Miramax got a couple of seats to the awards ceremony. But does this woman, who risked her career for the film, get a seat? Oh no, they go to some executives instead.
It's Oscar day in Los Angeles and the poor woman is hanging out with nothing to do (apparently), when she receives a phone call from none other than Daniel Day-Lewis. He says, "I heard what you did for our film and I appreciate it. Would you be my date for the Oscars this evening?"
How she got a dress, I have no idea. BUT I guess more importantly is that while her bosses were sitting in the nose-bleeds, she was the "plus one" of the guy who just happened to take home the Best Actor Oscar. She wasn't sitting in no nose bleeds, am I right?
Wouldn't it be great if that story were true? Sure, he may already be an incredibly nice guy but still it'd be fun if it were true.
And, now, I think I know what I should do in my free time. I'm going to become a cobbler.
Go Phillies!
He's delicious isn't he? I would not kick him out of bed for eating crackers. Not only that, ladies and gentlemen, he acts too! Sure, he does some schmaltzy stuff but I'm there anytime he wants to tell me: No matter how long it takes, no matter how far, I will find you. Dude, you had me at the waterfall.
Even better, in his off hours, he makes shoes! What a great life - acting and making shoes. I guess he never questions the meaning of his life, huh?
I heard a story about him a long time ago. Round about the time he was breaking into our consciousness as an "eat crackers in bed" kinda guy. Now, I doubt this story is true, in fact there are so many holes in it that it's probably not. But I want it to be true. I want him to be that guy.
I heard this from the cousin of the friend of the woman that it happened to. So we're close to the source, hmm?
Anyway, he did My Left Foot in 1988. This woman, who worked for Miramax at the time, saw the film and told her bosses that they MUST get the distribution rights to this film. According to the story, she risked her entire career on the film. Well, Miramax got the rights and the film, as we know, went on to be nominated for several Academy Awards. As a distributor of the film, Miramax got a couple of seats to the awards ceremony. But does this woman, who risked her career for the film, get a seat? Oh no, they go to some executives instead.
It's Oscar day in Los Angeles and the poor woman is hanging out with nothing to do (apparently), when she receives a phone call from none other than Daniel Day-Lewis. He says, "I heard what you did for our film and I appreciate it. Would you be my date for the Oscars this evening?"
How she got a dress, I have no idea. BUT I guess more importantly is that while her bosses were sitting in the nose-bleeds, she was the "plus one" of the guy who just happened to take home the Best Actor Oscar. She wasn't sitting in no nose bleeds, am I right?
Wouldn't it be great if that story were true? Sure, he may already be an incredibly nice guy but still it'd be fun if it were true.
And, now, I think I know what I should do in my free time. I'm going to become a cobbler.
Go Phillies!
Monday, October 18, 2010
What Did I Say I Wanted to do Next?
I haven't blogged in a while but I have been thinking...a lot. Does that count? I'm in sort of a funk but my situation could not be more enviable. This past summer when I told the Arden that I couldn't do the show this fall, I expected them to throw me out on my ear. Instead, they understood and said they definitely wanted me to work on a show in the early spring.
This fall, I had expected to be furiously writing cover letters and ranting about the indignity of it all. But no, I'm free until February with kids in school all day and collecting unemployment. Ideal, no?
But what should I do with all this time? I am volunteering, taking singing lessons, running, taking a French class. I'm even, and this is hard to believe, doing some yard work and actually liking it. I'm clearing an old fence, weeds, and the persistent ivy from the back of our property.
The ivy stole our yard....I'm stealing it back.
But then I think, maybe I should be doing something revolutionary or creative? I could make a mark on the world with all this free time.
But what?
And, if I do....will I still have time to get dinner on the table at 6 and kiss my kids good night?
Sometimes, I wish I knew exactly what I should do with my life and other times, it all seems so simple.
This fall, I had expected to be furiously writing cover letters and ranting about the indignity of it all. But no, I'm free until February with kids in school all day and collecting unemployment. Ideal, no?
But what should I do with all this time? I am volunteering, taking singing lessons, running, taking a French class. I'm even, and this is hard to believe, doing some yard work and actually liking it. I'm clearing an old fence, weeds, and the persistent ivy from the back of our property.
The ivy stole our yard....I'm stealing it back.
But then I think, maybe I should be doing something revolutionary or creative? I could make a mark on the world with all this free time.
But what?
And, if I do....will I still have time to get dinner on the table at 6 and kiss my kids good night?
Sometimes, I wish I knew exactly what I should do with my life and other times, it all seems so simple.
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