I found this article through digg, and I had to post about it. I mean... I'm dating Stan, and for those of you who know Stan... well, need I say more?

Highlights:

Worst:

5. Fighting over who gets to finish while looking at the TV when you have sex to the collected works of Joss Whedon - I think this would be me more than Stan (Joss Whedon was the writer-director for Buffy, hahaha).

1. Sincerity
"If there's one thing cool dudes do well, it's insincerity. Which, for a girl who can't take a compliment and would rather make dick jokes than talk about poetry, is awesome. So a geek guy's intense sincerity about anything--including his girlfriend--can be unnerving. Can't we stop talking about our feelings and get back to talking about Rahm Emanuel's latest gaffe?"

Best:

4. Creative Home Problem Solving Is A Pairs Event
"Light bulb up too high to reach? Oven door only stays shut when it's just so?
Get a hot nerd couple together and they're bound to come up with an awesomely creative way to get that shit under control. One nerdy mind can be good, but two nerdy minds working in tandem is pure beauty."

2. Nerds Love To Learn, In Bed and Out

1. Sincerity

"Most geeks rarely lie because they never had to. Deception--outside of a good game of D&D [hahahahahahahah STAN!!!<3] --isn't really in the nerd repertoire, since they know how to get by on wit and smarts rather than skeeving and conning. Any gal who's gone from dating Mr. Cool to Mr. Dork can attest: there's something refreshing about realizing that when your nerdy guy says something, he probably means it. While Mr. Cool may be great at doling out the schmoozy compliments and flashing that winning smile at your friends, Mr. Dork doesn't even have to, because he's genuine just as he is."


Can't say I totally agree with this statement though (sorry, Stan): "He may be a geek, a nerd or a dork, but I'll take him over Johnny Depp any day."

Read the full article.

Labels: articles, Digg, nerds, Stan

I don't mean this to be an anti-boy post. I have lots of guy friends and an awesome boyfriend, but really... when Spring starts and girls start to wear skirts, you're all the same. Can't you at least try to contain the drool? We're not wearing them for you.

Labels: boys, skirts

Yesterday was perfect for the first beach day of the year. I went to Rocky Neck with Stan, Sani & Jeff. AND, believe it or not, Stan, Sani & I went in the frigid, icy, deathwater. Oh MAN was it cold!! (Of course, we knew it would be). We ran in (fully underwater), all of our parts froze, and quickly ran out. So, yeah. We're the bravest :]

I wore SPF 50 so I got barely any tan... but at least I didn't burn my Scandinavian butt off!

Beach count: 1.

Labels: beach, swimming.

GOOD recently published an image that shows how quickly we will run out of a good chunk of essential raw materials (most will take only a matter of decades). Pretty scary stuff. All of this talk of running out of essential goods really has made me take on an heirloom culture stance, where we design things that will last for generation and generation, like watches are known to. I first learned about this approach while compiling newsfeeds at my internship for Compostmodern 09, a design sustainability conference held annually in San Francisco. Saul Griffith, a certified MacArthur genius, spoke at Compostmodern about this very subject.

Check out the raw materials chart on GOOD.

Labels: Compostmodern, Good, heirloom, raw materials, Saul Griffith

Awww maaaan. I'm going to have to take a Summer class, otherwise I won't be considered a junior this fall at UConn. Laaaaaame.

So, I'm taking Public Speaking. Should be easy. :]

Labels: public speaking, school, summer, UConn

So, I'm reading this book called "Bonk" (The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex), which is absolutely hilarious. I'm not quite finished with it yet, but I have never laughed as hard reading any other book in my life. And it's about science.

If you read my previous entry about "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil," you'll know that I'm not a huge fan of nonfiction. Even more, I don't read much outside of textbooks and the occasional article about Darwinism and evolution in the way of science. But Mary Roach has changed my non-nonfiction attitude.

Because I'm not completely finished with it yet, I won't give it an overview or rating, but I wanted to share this experience with you. Yesterday, I decided to write Mary Roach an e-mail just to tell her how reading "Bonk" has changed my reading habits, and that I've highlighted practically half of her book (I highlight quotes that I really enjoy). Now, she's written two other books and I'm sure is one busy lady, but she wrote back to me! Like an hour after I sent my e-mail! And she's on tour promoting the softcover version of "Bonk."

How awesome is that? She even said I made her day. :]

I think she's made a fan for life. ^_^

[Visit Mary Roach's website!]

Labels: authors, Bonk, books, e-mail, fan, feel-good, Mary Roach, nonfiction, science, sex

I tried to check Digg daily, which doesn't always work out for me, but today it directed me to a wonderful article on how much better off the United States would be if we "voted off" Texas.

Highlights include:
-George W. Bush would have never been President.
-Republicans would have a much weaker position in the House.

I don't necessarily agree with Nate Silver on making football part of the Olympics though...

Again, that bias may come from the focus my high school held on football, rather than academics.

Read the full article.

Labels: articles, Digg, George W. Bush, Texas, the south

Just finished reading "Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil" by John Berendt. I have to admit, it was a hard book for me to get through. I don't mean this language-wise, it's just that I don't typically enjoy non-fiction, but I was determined to read this one. (I'm on this kick where I am willing myself to read literary classics and best-sellers... you know, the ones I should have read in high school but didn't because my high school's focus was more on football than actual academics).

Honestly, I'm glad I struggled through it. I was actually an amazing book. I spoiled the ending for myself by looking up Jim Williams on Wikipedia, so don't do this if you're planning on reading it. I do recommend it. I have not seen the movie yet. I'll update when I do.

It begins as a novel about the society of Savannah, Georgia in the early 1980's, and the history of how it became that way. On this journey, we are guided by the author, a man visiting Savannah who ends up staying for almost a decade. We become familiar with Savannah's quirks - the socialites, the hard-headed and sassy drag queen, the ever-calm and gregarious house-squatting and check-bouncing lawyer, the poor and disgruntled voodoo princess, and wealthy antique buyer/seller who quickly becomes the main character, Jim Williams. The story follows Jim Williams' four separate murder trials after he shoots the volatile, manic-depressive young man who performed miscellaneous chores for Jim.

It really is a classic worth reading, though I must say, I'm glad I don't live in Savannah. I don't think I could breathe in air that is so dense with pride.

I give it a 7/10.

Labels: books, Evil, Garden, Georgia, Good, Jim Williams, John Berendt, Midnight, ratings, Savannah, the south, United States

Every time I go to class I feel like I have a test! I had to re-write that last sentence twice because I've been typing notes too much. Ever feel like you type so much that you just can't type anymore? Like your hands are moving too fast?

After work, I am cleaning out my car and getting a car wash. :]

Labels: school, test, Tunxis, typing

Thursday night was just what I needed. I had missed the girls. With less of my time devoted to Apple, I should be able to actually have some semblance of a social life now!

Monsters Vs. Aliens tonight with Stan's family, then hopefully Cranium with Mish & Mickey!

[update 4/17/09: Monsters Vs. Aliens was really cute. Take your kids, nieces, or go with some friends. It's one of those family movies everyone can enjoy.]

Labels: movies, social life, work

I'm going to say it again because I can't stress it enough: I can't wait to get out of Tunxis. Don't get me wrong, I love this school and I wouldn't be where I am today without it, but I need to get out. I'm accepted into to UConn, let's move along this process, eh?

Also, this semester is just shitty, and I'm tired. I've got my job at Apple, my internship, and school, and I just want some breathing time. It doesn't help that I'm taking classes I'm not altogether interested in, with the exception of Abnormal Psychology. My Earth Science class is a joke. I don't know why I'm taking it. I really should have just paid the extra money and taken a lab. At least it would have been challenging. And my Marketing class is just a lot of work thrown on top of what I already am doing.

I know, it's good. It's teaching me about deadlines and getting things done quickly, but to have something as huge as a marketing plan due two says after you assign it?? Good thing we had most of it done already. But, he knew I wasn't going to be in class. He TOLD me I could miss class to talk to someone at UConn about financial aid. So, of course, when I miss class, he assigns this huge project due in two days. Luckily, Sabrina knows what she's doing. I've only been out twice, but she's really great at taking over without me even asking.

I know I have a great team, and we'll do fine (we always do... and then Brassem tell us we overdid it), but I just want to sleep for once!

Labels: homework, school, sleep, Tunxis, whining

Stan's parents get frequent telemarketing calls daily... and I mean frequent. Just so far today, there have been at least seven since we've been up. So, he picks them up and offers them free credit cards. :]

Labels: funny, Stan, telemarketing

Today, I went up to UConn to speak to someone about my "unique situation" and why I have actual need for financial aid. Of course, having only one parent in prison, while the other had to file bankruptcy, gets me nothing but a frown.

Frowns can't pay my tuition, lady.

So, I'm going to have to get pure loans, assuming I can. I'm hoping my dad can get a loan (doubtful), because if he can't I'm going to be paying massive amounts of interest on those loans. I better have a damn good job when I graduate or I'll be screwed.

:[

Labels: financial aid, loans, Mom, prison, UConn

Sometimes, I get lost in the internet.

Labels: internet

I don't want to go to class. I never want to go to class. I know I've been feeling this for a while, even before I got accepted to UConn, and even before Professor Brassem told me I don't belong in this school... I just want to graduate. I need to move on to bigger and better things. I need a career. I need to stop working retail. I need to make some changes, because I feel like I'm stuck again.

Labels: school, UConn, whining