Earlier Part of Work Today

Work today was fine.  It dragged a little at the beginning, but at one point I looked at the time and was like "It's 4:30?  When did that happen?"
When I got there, I discovered that someone had decorated the lobby for Christmas. It seems too early still for Christmas, though once I'm on break I'll probably get more into the spirit. It always seems as if the spirit hits me just as Christmas is over, which means maybe I need to start right after Halloween if I want to care on time. But after coming home today, I feel like I'm getting into the spirit of things a little bit more.
When I got to my cubicle, my chair was missing. I usually hang my coats on the back of the chair, and I was totally baffled. I went over to see Mark's office since I'm suppose to check in with him anyway. He wasn't there, but the chair in front of his computer looked suspicious. I went into the boss's office and found my three coworkers, probably having a meeting. I asked if I could borrow the extra chair in his office, and realizing that the chair he was sitting on was usually mine, said okay.

Someone's Got Nice Pipes

Today, I came across this great set of videos depicting a young man who makes PVC instruments on Popwatch.  There are a lot of DIY instruments out there and I absolutely love them.  It takes so much more just to learn an instrument, let alone one that you actually made yourself.  If I had the time (and probably a lot of help) I'd love to build things like this. 
The other fun thing about these videos is that you have to guess what the songs are.  These PVC pipe covers of songs have a nice quality.  I would love to hear these pipes being used with other (traditional or DIY) instruments.  Or you, know, if this guy released a CD on bandcamp, I would totally check that out too. 


Among other things, this video has a much clearer sound.  The cover of "I Just Can't Wait to be King" sounds particularly great.  The instrument fits well for this kind of song. 

Walking and Dancing in the Streets

I went out for one of my walks today.  I have favorite spots I like to sit at to enjoy the day.  At the second place I sit, I sort of twirled around a bit, because I was in an excellent mood. 
As I was sitting there, I watched a young woman lay down on the cobblestone ground and take pictures of two young women, dressed up very fancily, walk towards her.  And every time they tried to get pictures, a car would come by.  By the time they replaced themselves down on the ground, it was already too late, another car was coming. 
Man, I know how that feels. 

Ghana Poetry Project

While doing some research on poetry, I found this cool organization called Ghana Poetry Project.  Basically, this group wants to promote Ghana's poetry to other places around the world.
I only have read work on Africa when it was for school, but I always really enjoyed it.  African writing in general is often ignored by the elite literary critics, just because it isn't Western and sometimes more recent and because of general racism. 

Confusion

On Thanksgiving, I got this tea pot/hot pad thing.  I'm not really sure how to describe it, because no one has ever given me a name for it before, but basically it's a plastic pitcher with a big grand wire in it that you turn on and it heats up the contents of the pitcher.  I had one two years ago, in the summer of 2008, and back then I used it to make tea, which I was drinking with every meal.
Today I turned this new one on and again attempted to make tea.  It worked fine, though it might have damaged the surface of my desk a little.  I don't know what I'm going to do about that, other than try to find somewhere else to make it that won't destroy furniture.  (The floor maybe?  Though I don't want to burn the carpet.) 
Anyway, after the tea was made I went downstairs to pinch some sugar.  I try really hard to drink my tea without, but if it's not a fruity tea I really struggle to make that happen.  This was close enough to English Breakfast that I wasn't going to get far. 
I ran into Susan in the elevator.  "What are you going there for?" she asked, noting my destination. 
"Just going to get some sugar.  I made tea." 
"You're going to put it in your hand?"
What?  "The tea's in my room," I answered, not sure what to say.  Lately people sort of babble at me and say such strange things that sometimes I'm honestly not sure how to answer.  I honestly don't understand what they're saying. 
Then she saw me later.  "Oh, the sugar's in packets," she said.
Er, yes, but now I understand your confusion. 

Satellite Telephone

Found a delightful zine called Satellite Telephone.  I wish I could look at the actual zine, but maybe I will have to pay the seven dollars to get one.  They also said on their website that they take trades in zines.  I do have some of those lying about, so maybe I will send one of those in to them?  I've actually never heard of people trading zines, though I guess that it is the literary nerd equivalent of baseball card trading.  Like, here, I want your awesome collection of stories and poems and art for this one I have here.   
I'm considering submitting here, for obvious reasons. 

Happy Gobble Gobble

I almost said something to Elena about Thanksgiving having a traditional nap as well as a meal.  It seems that she never studies except when I need to do something in the room. 
So I attempted to sleep and faded in and out, but didn't really sleep the way I wanted to.  Even though I was still tired, I gave up. 
And then of course, twenty minutes after I got up, she left.  I feel very much like I can't win. 
Some of my friends invited me to come round and watch the Thanksgiving episode of Friends, which I was actually excited for.  I haven't watched those episodes since last year, and I always enjoy them.
Right before I got there I passed the community table, which is basically where people drop off stuff they don't want anymore.  I got this adorable SpongeBob humidifier.  I don't really need a humidifier, but I just sort of like having this bright sunshine in my room.  He's sitting on the window sill near my bed and it really makes me smile.  I'm thinking if I get crafty with it, I can maybe repurpose to be a lamp.  When Elizabeth and Jenny saw it, they thought it was really cute.  An old lady saw me with it and gushed over it, which surprised me, because I've seen her be really nasty at other people.  I don't think she was familiar with SpongeBob, because she didn't recognize him. 
When I got there they were watching Varsity Blues, which is such a sexist, nasty movie.  Lola really likes the film, though I haven't the faintest idea why, considering how it portrays women and generally stupid it is.  I mostly texted people instead.
We watched the first three Thanksgiving episodes of Friends.  I had a good laugh.
My parents called, and I spoke to them on the phone briefly.  I was actually a little annoyed, since I got off the phone right as third episode was ending and everyone else wanted to go home.  So then it was over. 
I watched a bit of tv.  Paul texted me that he was grateful that I listen to him when he needed to talk to someone.  Earlier in the day I had texted him that I was thankful he put up with me.  I had been thinking about Paul the day before, during a conversation about Thanksgiving and being grateful for things.  The thing I find I am most consistently grateful for are me friends.  And in the last year or so, Paul and I have become really close.  So I found myself thinking about how particularly grateful I am for him, even when I get on his nerves sometimes. 
Later on, Jimmy and I talked, and it was so nice to catch up with him.  I told him about a writing project which I've been considering.  Jimmy told me about how his family has a tradition of "complaining" that a particular dessert needs "more practice."  It sounds like a fun little ritual.  We had a lovely little chat about our lives and plans for the future.  Jimmy is thinking of applying to the same graduate schools I am, which means maybe we'll end up at the same place.  A girl can dream, right?
It might also be good because then they'll be someone around I can trust.  And maybe it'll encourage Paul to come live there, and maybe together?  (Paul and I've been chatting about being roommates for over a year now.  I suspect we have to do it now.)
So it's been a really quiet, though very pleasant, sort of holiday.