tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64599122024-03-12T23:58:23.774-07:00Not much incentive to fight fair, now is there?It's been a bad day again.
Except for the part where it wasn't.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.comBlogger408125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-91025290651988894032010-05-25T10:22:00.000-07:002010-05-25T10:28:37.207-07:00Letting Go.I think that the time has come for me to accept that the blog isn't coming back in any meaningful way. I've thought about ways to revive it, and things to do with it, but the fact of the matter is that it's really just a historical record of a certain point in my life now, and I'm ready to close that book.<br /><br />So with that, I am signing off. There will be no more updates to this blog, with the singular exception of letting people know that there's a new one on a certain topic, since writing about my life has given way to Facebook and other social media, leaving this as a half-forgotten project.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: Jack: "Where are we?<br />Christian: This is a place you all made together so you could find one another...Nobody does it all alone. You needed them and they needed you.<br />Jack: For what?<br />Christian: To remember and to let go."<br />Christian and Jack Shephard (John Terry and Matthew Fox), <em>Lost</em>.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-86591664415408716542010-05-13T15:31:00.001-07:002010-05-13T15:46:44.801-07:00"Let's just call it my need to know."So I've jumped back into the dating game.<br /><br />Maybe I should rephrase that--I've jumped back into the dating game in a purely secondary sort of way. I'm not dating anyone except Indie Rocker. That said, I have become involved in some of my friends' love lives in some interesting ways. I'm attempting to set up friends, be their sounding boards, and encourage them to date online/in real life--sometimes all at the same time.<br /><br />It's interesting now that I've been married for over a year and happily to boot, that I seem to have become something of a magnet for advice-seeking friends. It's almost like I appear to have answers, which is kind of amusing and amazing to me at the same time. Clearly, I have no innate knowledge that I didn't have when I was single, but apparently from an outside perspective, relationship success = good relationship advice. Or something like that.<br /><br />Obviously the most fraught experiment has been setting friends up with each other. This little project has both the biggest potential for failure and the most disaster potential. It also has the biggest potential to make people totally happy, and take the scary unknowingness out of dating, especially for friends who are tired of online dating and the weirdos they've been subjected to. One of my friends told me perhaps the funniest story I've ever heard about being slapped during intimacy and realizing that he just wanted to go home and possibly never date again. Awesome.<br /><br />I have realized pretty quickly that the only way two people are meant to meet is if they have something more in common than being single. I haven't been married so long that I've forgotten that. One of my friends asked me this week why I had introduced her to another friend of mine--coming up with valid reasons wasn't easy and they sounded better in my head, but I appreciated the exercise. I liked that she was challenging me to make sure that I had my priorities straight--that is, that the best interests of my friends were my best interests, and forcing them to make small talk with total strangers with spurious connections wasn't a winning strategy.<br /><br />It's too early to say if I'm any good at this or not, but at least everyone appears to still be having fun. If I find myself down a few friends in the next few months, I'll know that I blew it somewhere.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "Women might be able to fake orgasms. But men can fake whole relationships." Sharon Stone.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-87319419515746823902010-04-23T10:05:00.000-07:002010-04-23T10:58:14.118-07:00Less of me.I'm happy to announce that there is five pounds less of me around than there was in 2009. I've been eating better, running several times a week, and generally taking better care of myself.<br /><br />This weight-loss thing has actually been a goal of mine for a long time, but rather than doing something about it, I've generally just felt bad and wanted to do something about it. I'm training for a half-marathon and generally eating less than I had been. I'm still drinking beer and eating pizza, just less of both.<br /><br />I think I'm finally starting to succeed for two reasons--I'm doing it in such a way that I'm still eating things I like to eat, but I'm regularly working out and I'm also paying more attention to what I eat. Mindlessly eating and drinking too much have always been issues for me, so solving both of these problems and losing weight to boot is pretty freaking awesome.<br /><br />I realize that moderation isn't exactly rocket science, but apparently it took me a while to catch on. But now that I have caught on, it feels pretty freaking good.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "Liberty Bell, if you put one more Baco on that potato, I'm gonna kick your little monkey butt." Mac MacGuff (J. K. Simmons), <em>Juno</em>.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-78216076898888255712010-02-18T10:31:00.000-08:002010-02-18T10:55:57.761-08:00Month in reviewSo I started making some monthly resolutions in January when I made my 2010 resolutions. One of them was to stick some money in my savings account and leave it there. For once, this has actually happened. I am kind of pleasantly shocked.<br /><br />I've read a number of articles, like <a href="http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/LearnToBudget/WhyYouNeed500InTheBank.aspx">this one</a> and <a href="http://schmeiser.typepad.com/filthy_commerce/2009/01/on-the-paradox-of-thrift.html">this one</a>, about renewing savings and having a certain amount (in this case, $500) in the bank as a safety cushion. Now that I have that, I'm grappling with the next steps. Obviously, paying down the credit card debt amassed from Christmas and France are the next big steps, and then starting to tackle my student loans, since my grace period ends in April. <br /><br />It's really interesting to find myself in this position, of truly dealing with money in a "grown-up" manner. I like it for a number of reasons, namely that I finally feel like I'm in charge of the money that comes through my household. Indie Rocker and I are saving up to hire an architect to create blueprints for the house renovations we want to start working on; ideally, we'll be able to afford him by May.<br /><br />Obviously, the thought of renovating the house excites me to no end, because it means that someday I might actually be able to live in the house I want, rather than the one I'm currently stuck with. I will admit that I've done a lot with what's currently there, but until we can really dig in and get rid of the crap that the last remodel did to the house, I'm not going to be truly satisfied. We've made a start, and are working towards making real changes, so I'm happy for the time being.<br /><br />I'm still looking for a new job, preferably one that makes more money, so we'll see where that search goes. I definitely need to start devoting more time to it, since I've been side-burnering it forever. I just need to suck it up and do the work, even if I hate it. I mean, really, who <em>likes</em> job hunting?<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "Money is like a sixth sense without which you cannot make a complete use of the other five." W. Somerset MaughamCaptain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-36691346869630105022010-02-16T10:44:00.000-08:002010-02-16T10:53:34.388-08:00Easier than I thought...So in a follow-up to the last post, apparently all I needed to do was tell Indie Rocker that I hate sitting on the couch to eat dinner. <br /><br />I told him all three of the reasons I listed, and we haven't eaten on the couch since.<br /><br />Had I realized that, I would have said something years ago. Go figure.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-64946813352177155152010-02-11T11:31:00.000-08:002010-02-11T12:15:36.127-08:00Francophilia in full effectNow, this isn't a new thing, as I've been a Francophile since the age of 7, which I first starting taking French language classes. However, it got revved back up again after spending the entirety of last week in France, with some layovers in Geneva, Switzerland.<br /><br />I love France. I always have, and I probably always will. I love the language, I like the people, I love the country, and I truly adore the food and culture. French people have gotten a bad rap for a variety of reasons, very few of which I think have any merit. I have spent time in Paris and found Parisiens to be accomodating, polite, and downright nice to me. I found Meribel and Les Trois Vallees to be absolutely no different.<br /><br />My personal biases aside, I have had a series of interesting conversations regarding food and eating both on the trip and afterwards that have me thinking quite a bit about food issues in the US and abroad. We ate so well on the trip, and came back feeling so good that it made me wonder why it's so easy to eat well abroad and so difficult to eat as well here.<br /><br />I think the crux of the issue is really the availability of locally produced, inexpensive, minimally processed food. I don't mean to sound like Michael Pollan, but we spent a bunch of money on food in France, and it was totally worth it. Americans seem to insist that cheap is the norm and that they as a whole are generally totally unwilling or unable to pay more for food. <br /><br />I'll be the first to admit that I don't know what to do with Swiss chard either, but I can usually figure out how to whip something up from a few ingredients. And I live in a place where inexpensive (to me) fresh produce and other locally produced goods are readily available. If I'm really lazy, I can get in the car and be at a supermarket in under 5 minutes. Three, in fact. That's about as far from a food desert as you can get.<br /><br />Now that I've managed to excuse myself into a corner, it's time to back out. I think that the major American excuse for eating poorly is convenience. I do this myself--it's a hell of a lot easier to pour a bowl of cereal in the morning and inhale it than it is to prepare a morning meal like I did this morning: yogurt, slices of Comte cheese, slices of prosciutto, slices of baguette spread with Nutella with fruit and nuts packed for snacks during the day.<br /><br />Disclaimer: I still ate the whole thing standing over the kitchen counter, which no self-respecting Frenchwoman would ever do. She'd have sat down at a table and enjoyed her meal with a cup of coffee, rather than making it to-go like I did.<br /><br />What's also funny to me is how all six of us pretty much ate every single meal abroad sitting around a table talking, laughing, sharing plates, and focusing on the meal, rather than anything else. This scenario is in direct contrast to my house, because getting Indie Rocker to eat a meal at the table instead of on the couch in front of the TV feels like punishment to him. <br /><br />Which is patently ridiculous, and finding a solution to that is driving me berserk. I don't really care how he did things when he lived by himself, but that ship has sailed and I'm tired of eating on the couch. I want to enjoy my damned meal instead of trying to balance it on my knees, eat without spilling all over myself, and yell at the dog to stop begging every 19 seconds.<br /><br />Which leads me to my last point, that stream-of-consciousness rant makes me realize that American food consumption isn't going to change until we change our relationships to meals. Food needs to be more of an experience, and less of a commodity. Meals should be prepared and enjoyed rather than inhaled in between frantic activities. And that doesn't need to be an arduous process--I think there's clearly a place for Mac & Cheese when it's been a ridiculous day and there's nothing else to eat.<br /><br />But for me, I do think that I need to spend a little bit more time and money making sure that my house has a little bit less crap in it, a little bit more real food, and a little bit more time to truly enjoy it. Wish me luck!<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "There is no French paradox, really, only an American paradox: a notable unhealthy people obsessed with the idea of eating healthily. So, relax. Eat Food. And savor it." Michael Pollan.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-90409154428975715352010-01-04T10:38:00.000-08:002010-01-04T11:06:00.921-08:002010 resolutions - sort of.I gave some serious thought to these new resolutions over the weekend, and I decided that I need to have some yearlong goals, but also some smaller, monthly goals as well. I tend to think big, and then the details fall through. Much like my savings goals, which totally have never happened.<br /><br />That said, I have two main goals for the New Year:<br /><br />1. Take care of my back problem, and stop being in constant pain. I was diagnosed with degenerative disc disorder in 2008, and have had lower back pain since then pretty much consistently. I'm always concerned about my back, but since I don't really know what to do about it, I've done nothing. I plan to see another doctor about this, eat better, lose some weight and focus on strengthening my core muscles in order to try and eliminate some of the back pain. <br /><br />2. Get a new job. I applied for a new job at the end of last year, and intend to network, apply for new jobs, and just keep chipping away at this one until I am somewhere I want to be, which is ideally working as a program/project manager working on renewable energy or conservation.<br /><br />My monthly goals for January are a little simpler:<br />1. Put money into my savings account and leave it there<br />2. Work up to a manageable workout program by running a few times a week, going to yoga once a week, riding my bike to work at least once a week, and skiing.<br />3. Put together a budget for the month of January, taking into account that I will be going on a major vacation on the 29th and will need to buy clothes, a ski pass, and some other bigger ticket items. Start putting together a February budget to pay off the credit card bills these items will inevitably incur.<br /><br />I like the idea of breaking down the bigger goals into littler ones. I think working up to a manageable workout schedule is good, because I tend to have these grand goals and throw myself straight into them without regard for the fact that I fail for a reason and it's usually that I can't keep up with the crazy schedule/expectations that I set for myself.<br /><br />So perhaps the model for 2010 should be moderation, since 2009 was clearly the year to go big. Hmmm...<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "Why don't we remember a Goddamn thing from last night?" <br />"Obviously because we had a great fucking time." Stu Price & Phil Wenneck (Ed Helms and Bradley Cooper), <em>The Hangover</em>.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-59108035885417017362009-12-31T11:55:00.001-08:002009-12-31T12:04:33.799-08:002009 Resolutions RecapSo, here's the annual recap of how I did on the year's resolutions. All disclaimers aside, I had a Really Big Year in 2009, so I think that accomplishing anything on my list is pretty good.<br /><br />Anyway, here's the resolutions themselves, and how I think I did:<br /><strong>1. Establish a workout plan that is interesting and consistently maintainable. Currently, my workouts are a little haphazard. That's kind of always been the case. Training for the half-marathon helped, and I'd like to diversify my workouts a little bit. I'm interested in starting Spinning classes again, and taking more Pilates. I'm not crazy about my body right now, and I definitely think I would be happier if I were stronger and worked out more consistently.</strong><br />Yeah, I didn't do this. Again. I started to get on track, and then I'd get sick, or school would get crazy, and I'd be back to square one. I'm currently sitting at square one, having gotten two illnesses this fall that totally screwed up my workout schedule. Oh well. I'm not actually going to beat myself up about this too much, since I can't do anything about it now, except try again next year.<br /><br /><strong>2. Get massages more often.</strong><br />Success! I actually did this, in no small part to the fact that our good friend Deboner is a massage therapist in her spare time and gives cheap massages to her hasher friends. Awesome!<br /><br /><strong>3. Put money in my savings account and leave it there. I have a tendency to have great financial goals and absolutely no follow-through. Argh.</strong><br />Argh indeed--this year was absolutely no different from a follow-through perspective. In my defense, I did have a host of unexpected things I needed to shell out money for, like wedding expenses, etc. That said, I sold my car and wiped out a bunch of debt this year, so I'm thinking next year might actually be the year for this. We'll see.<br /><br /><strong>4. Overhaul the wardrobe with new pieces that work both with the old ones and with new, more professional looks. This one's pretty self-explanatory, but I feel like I haven't been making very strong purchases except for a few in the last few months, and a good chunk of my clothes are starting to wear out. Argh.</strong><br />Actually, I really think that this happened. I don't have a ton of new clothes, but I have been pretty careful about choosing pieces to add to my wardrobe this year, and the ones I've added have been awesome. I got a terrific new dress in Amsterdam, Indie Rocker bought me excellent Frye boots as a grad present, and the sweaters I got for Christmas fit right in. All in all, I'm giving myself a gold star for this one.<br /><br />So I got about half done. I think I can feel pretty good about that, considering the rest of the year. Now I guess I need to come up with something for next year--Ulp!<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "Why a fox? Why not a horse, or a beetle, or a bald eagle? I'm saying this more as, like, existentialism, you know? Who am I? And how can a fox ever be happy without, you'll forgive the expression, a chicken in its teeth?" Mr. Fox (George Clooney), <em>The Fantastic Mr. Fox</em>.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-35970660534071381712009-12-20T12:25:00.000-08:002009-12-21T14:57:57.864-08:00So, definitely not a heart attackI did finally go to the doctor about the lightheadedness, which turned out to be a vigorous bout of labyrinthitis, which does not come with either Muppets or David Bowie. Rather, it's the byproduct of a virus that affects the inner ear and makes you dizzy. I got some anti-vertigo drugs, which were worse that the lightheadedness, so those got taken about three times before I just gave up and waited out the 7-10 days the thing was supposed to last.<br /><br />So on the bright side, that's gone, but I have now caught Indie Rocker's cold. I really, really, really hope (and have been knocking on wood all day) that I caught the mild form, because he has been a six foot tall phlegm factory for almost a week, and I definitely don't want that version. I'm ok with the mildly congested version.<br /><br />Yikes, that was a little more visceral than I intended it to be. Yuk.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "Ah, don't pay any attention to them, they're just false alarms. You get a lot of them in the Labyrinth, especially when you're on the right track." Hoggle (Shari Weiser/Brian Henson), <em>Labyrinth</em>.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-6291854462338117362009-12-06T19:12:00.000-08:002009-12-06T19:14:45.165-08:00Tne what now?So I've been lightheaded all weekend, which gets worse when I lean down or turn my head while lying down.<br /><br />WedMD (which Indie Rocker actually encouraged me to check for once) tells me that it's a sympton of everything from anemia to a heart attack. Awesome.<br /><br />So I'll be going to the doctor this week. I would have gone to the ER, but after slicing my finger open a few months ago, I have no interest in dealing with OHSU again anytime soon!<br /><br />No quote--can't think straight.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-84118737830483580812009-12-01T15:17:00.000-08:002009-12-01T15:30:27.734-08:00Lost in Translation, againSo it seems that I can never seem to keep up the blog, even when I say I'm going to. Oh well. I'm going to need a venting space these days, though.<br /><br />I am very seriously ramping up the job search now, because things have fallen into place at work that make it abundantly obvious that this is a short-term gig at best.<br /><br />I'm not concerned about my job security, but I am concerned about my sanity at my job. I asked for a promotion in my last last review that, based on merit, I should have already gotten. However, I recently discovered that any promotion will be based on arbitrary criteria and most likely won't come with a raise. <br /><br />Armed with that information, I am quite motivated to get a move on, especially in light of my recent scholastic achievement. I intend to pick up my diploma next week, enjoy a celebratory happy hour with friends, and starting doggedly pursuing the next chapter in my professional life. Cheers!<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "The thing about Jim is... when he's excited about something- like the Office Olympics- he gets really into it and he does a really great job. But the problem with Jim is that he works here so... that hardly ever happens." Pam Beesley (Jenna Fischer), <em>The Office</em>.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-86211649904398469362009-10-27T11:49:00.000-07:002009-12-01T15:17:46.364-08:00Whelmed?It's funny, maybe even ironic, that I feel like I'm more disorganized and flaky now that I'm done with school than I was when I had class twice a week.<br /><br />It's almost like I had such a set schedule that I knew exactly when I had time to do things, and when I didn't, and could plan accordingly. Suddenly, I now have to manage my own time all of the time, and it's harder than I originally thought. I think I just expected it to be exactly the same as before I started school, but the more I think about it, nothing's the same.<br /><br />I mean, I had already moved in with Indie Rocker and we'd already gotten The Munchkin, but for some reason, this still feels different. I don't think the marriage part is the reason; I just think the situation feels different, and I can't put my finger on it.<br /><br />Either way, I think having a week to myself after my fab vacation will help me get my act together and feel a little less overwhelmed. Maybe I'll just get to whelmed, which would be OK with me.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: Chastity: "I know you can be overwhelmed, and you can be underwhelmed, but can you ever just be whelmed?"<br />Bianca: "I think you can in Europe." Gabrielle Union and Larisa Oleynik, <em>10 Things I Hate About You</em>.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-75809211107950239632009-10-12T09:27:00.000-07:002009-10-12T09:41:57.431-07:00And a rovin' a rovin' a rovin' I'll go...for a pair of brown eyes. Indie Rocker and I checked out The Pogues last night in Portland, which was both totally awesome, and a little depressing at the same time. The Pogues are famous for two things: 1) being the original, and seminal Irish punk band, and 2) Shane MacGowan. Shane MacGowan is notorious for being so drunk that he often either wouldn't or couldn't make it on stage for the band's shows. It's said that he drank to kill the pain of having bad teeth, which for whatever reason sounded better when I read it than when I just typed it.<br /><br />Long story short, the concert was great because the band was truly brilliant, but their collective brilliance made Shane's drunken messiness that much more apparent. Aside from his total lack of enunciation and severely slurred non sequiturs to the crowd between songs, the crowd could tell that the band had pretty much had it with Shane, and was just sucking it up for one last hurrah.<br /><br />Which is kind of too bad, considering that the rest of the band is a group of seriously talented musicians who could clearly pull off amazing shows if they weren't saddled with an iconic, albeit hopelessly alcoholic lead singer. Spider Stacy, the tin whistle player and occasional lead singer, seemed both bemused and just plain over it with Shane all night, and was the only member of the band with the spotlight on him, a fact that Indie Rocker and I both noticed.<br /><br />They played a wide variety of their hits, from "A Pair of Brown Eyes" and "Dirty Old Town" to "Tuesday Morning," sung by Stacy, and "Sunny Side of the Street." They skipped "Fairytale of New York," which was kind of a relief, actually. I wasn't sure how they could or would pull that off, and I'm glad that they didn't. Mostly because I wasn't forced to listen to Shane slur through one of my all-time favorite songs.<br /><br />Either way, I'm glad that I saw the show, I knew I wouldn't be able to hear today(sorry, Marshall! I forgot the earplugs), and I definitely had a memorable experience. <br /><br />Quote of the Day: "Some cursed, some prayed, some prayed then cursed/Then prayed and bled some more/And the only thing that I could see/Was a pair of brown eyes that was looking at me." <em>A Pair of Brown Eyes</em>, The Pogues.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-91855246182274325032009-10-09T12:37:00.000-07:002009-10-12T09:27:37.591-07:00Trying to be betterI'm trying to be better about updating this thing, but being sick all week pretty much made that impossible, and made me cranky to boot. Seriously, head colds and being stuck in bed? Lame.<br /><br />I am very excited for a mellow weekend, though. I'm looking forward to going to the cross race on Sunday, although unless I can breathe through my nose by then, I'm just going to be a spectator. I'm excited for maybe seeing a movie, the football game on Saturday, and general weekend-y type stuff.<br /><br />It's weird to be so excited to just chill. I think now that I'm done with school, I'm frantically trying to jam things into my schedule to keep myself busy, but what I really need to be doing is enjoying the downtime before I get truly busy again. So I'm going to start this weekend.<br /><br />Getting sick does occasionally help force things into perspective for me, whether I like it or not.<br /><br />No quote--congestion kills the brain cells, apparently.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-74534046300622560862009-10-01T16:30:00.000-07:002009-10-01T20:31:31.532-07:00Dashboard Confessional.While I absolutely detest the band for whom this post is named, it seemed apropos. I am feeling a bit whiny and emo this week. It's been a long, weird, and dramatic week.<br /><br />First, I've been dealing with the deep embarrassment of getting drunk at the wedding I went to last weekend. I had told myself several times over that I wasn't going to overdo it, drank plenty of water and ate tons of food, and still managed to get completely obliterated.<br /><br />I am far, far too old for this shit. I don't think I'm an alcoholic or anything, but I do think I run into control issues in certain scenarios, and I need to deal with that ASAP. I'm going to be around a bunch of drinking this weekend, and it's the perfect opportunity to start taking a huge step back and thinking very carefully about how much I imbibe. I tend to get carried away having fun, lose track of how many drinks I've already had, and shortly thereafter lose the ability to monitor myself. It sucks on a number of levels, and it's totally preventable. So I'm going to start preventing it. I mean, this isn't rocket science here.<br /><br />Second, the Munchkin has been sick all week, which has been a serious strain on both my and Indie Rocker's sleep schedules and collective patience. We had to get up every three hours to let her out the other night, give her a bath, and clean half of the house. I think we've both finally come to terms with the fact that our dog has a seriously sensitive stomach and that we just need to only feed her a severely limited diet. All the time, or we will suffer the consequences. <br /><br />Lastly, Indie Rocker and I have had some tough conversations this week that have been painful, but have ultimately helped our relationship. I talked to my dad this week and he reminded me that even the most idyllic-looking relationships can have their own turmoil and that turmoil isn't necessarily a bad thing if both people understand why it exists and can communicate how to solve the problem.<br /><br />I really do realize that the bulk of my and Indie Rocker's issues stem from miscommunication on both sides. As much as I would like to think I am the world's best communicator, I am not, actually, and could use work just like the next person. That's not always an easy thing to realize, but it's a really healthy thing to realize.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "God has a special providence for fools, drunks and the United States of America." Otto Von Bismarck.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-32653908923764063122009-09-21T15:15:00.000-07:002009-09-21T15:25:10.503-07:00Change of SeasonsI love that fall in the Pacific Northwest frequently means the beginning of a seriously Indian summer. I mean, it's supposed to be the end of summer tomorrow and the weatherpeople are predicting a week of sunny, summery weather. <br /><br />Go figure.<br /><br />School starts next week, for students at public universities in Oregon. It's going to be weird to not have any homework, or stops by the bookstore, or really anything that I need to be doing. I might even be getting my degree in the mail any day now, but I'm not exactly holding my breath for that one.<br /><br />I'm definitely staying busy--there are some opportunities arising that I am attempting to get organized. I have my yearly review tomorrow with my boss, so keep your fingers crossed that it goes well. I think it will, but it will be extremely interesting to hear what she says about my promotion request.<br /><br />I'm starting ski conditioning classes tonight, which are also going to be cyclocross preparedness classes. I competed at the Hood River Double Cross over the weekend, and while I didn't finish last, I wasn't far off. I just think that between cycling, cross-training, some Pilates classes and running, I should be in pretty awesome shape this winter for skiing, and especially for skiing in France. That's truly my biggest focus--I want to be able to do everything on that trip, so I need to be putting in the hours starting now.<br /><br />I'm super-excited for San Fran this weekend. It's going to be sorority-riffic, what with tons of UO girls going to the wedding, and getting to stay with my sorority lil sis and her husband while we're down there. We might even get to go wine tasting! It's going to be a great weekend.<br /><br />So yeah, not so much with the extra free time, but I'm already less tired than I was. I hate to admit that the doctor was right--I wasn't going to get any less tired until I was completely done with school.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "School's out for summer/school's out for ever/school's out com-plete-ly/No more pencils/no more books/no more teacher's dirty looks." <em>School's Out</em>, Alice Cooper.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-1368132203709945082009-09-18T11:47:00.000-07:002009-09-18T11:57:00.588-07:00I have an MBA.Wow, looks pretty good up there, doesn't it? I finished my degree this week, which now means that when I fill out surveys and they ask what level of education I've completed, I can legitimately say "Master's or advanced degree." Or whatever language they prefer to use!<br /><br />We presented to the company on Wednesday, and it went really well. I used two of my dad's "cheats" to help me with my notes--putting them into a 3-ring binder and using my finger to prevent me from totally losing my place when I looked up--and got raves for my performance. I feel like I've truly learned a lot from the whole experience. Aside from that, I got an A on the project, which also feels good. <br /><br />I turned in my self-evaluation to my boss today, which was nerve-racking for a few reasons. She asked me today what my plans were now that I'm done with school. I told her, quite honestly, that I don't really see myself retiring from the company, but that I also plan to rest on my laurels for a bit. That said, I asked for a promotion in my evaluation.<br /><br />In a down economy, and in a nonprofit that's seen a precipitous fall in donations. <br /><br />Which is either incredibly ballsy, or really stupid. I'm going with ballsy, but with good reason. I am doing two people's jobs, which has happened to me before, in my previous job. However, I learned from that, and I want to get credit for it this time. I feel like I've earned the right to a promotion, because they certainly feel fine giving me more responsibilities. We'll see how it goes--obviously, this isn't a make-or-break issue in a crappy economy. I do still like eating.<br /><br />Other than that, it's off to Hood River tonight for some well-deserved chilling with the friends and next weekend it's off to San Fran for some wedding shenanigans with college friends, which is going to be so, so much fun.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "This is our decision to live fast and die young/We've got the vision, now let's have some fun/Yeah it's overwhelming, but what else can we do/<br />Get jobs in offices and wake up for the morning commute?" <em>Time to Pretend</em>, MGMT.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-18294908749197511392009-08-20T13:27:00.001-07:002009-08-20T13:31:29.710-07:00The end of the affair...I do suspect that my love affair with Kate Spade shoes is coming to an end. I'm wearing my wedding shoes today, which I love, but they are not so comfortable in the second part of the day.<br /><br />They were fine this morning, which is starting to make me doubt that Ms. Spade designs shoes that can actually be worn for a full workday by a moderately active woman. <br /><br />Hence, I think I will be taking my designer shoe dollars elsewhere for the time being. Perhaps to Fluevog next? Or maybe Frye.<br /><br />Decisions, decisions! Not that I can afford anything for the next few months anyway, but it's fun to dream.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-38784020227641423662009-08-20T11:19:00.000-07:002009-08-20T11:30:30.303-07:00Starting to relaxWhile I fully intend to devote a good chunk of my weekend to my presentation and accompanying paper, I am pleased to be this close to being totally done with school. It's a nice, calming feeling, and I'm glad to be telling people that I am close, and that I do intend to job search and everything else.<br /><br />Indie Rocker and I have been discussing our car situation, which means that we may even get around to selling one in the near future. That one may end up being mine, which isn't really the worst case scenario. I do wish that I could pin him down on that, though.<br /><br />We've also started to talk about what we need to do with the house. We both know, and have known, that we want to do some major overhauling on the house as the current setup isn't ideal, in the slightest. So we're thinking that will probably be our biggest project in the coming few years. It should be interesting!<br /><br />More than anything, I think we've both gotten to the point where we know that things are going to be changing, and we're getting used to the idea. All of the changes are good, of course, but change is always a little strange to contemplate at first.<br /><br />I think being on the verge of being finished with school, coupled with it being nearly fall, and the constant weather change, has gotten me thinking about a bunch of things--getting back into shape, getting my act together professionally, getting my financial sh*t together, and generally improving my outlook. I think I've been so stressed out for so long that I'm having a hard time believing that I can actually relax in the very near future.<br /><br />I like to joke that I don't know how to relax, but that's starting to not be so funny. I think that I need to figure it out sooner rather than later! Probably starting Saturday morning, as I fully intend to sleep in!<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "You get the car/I'll get the night off/you'll get the chance to take the world apart and figure out how it works/don't let me know what you find out." <em>Car</em>, Built to Spill. They're opening for The Flaming Lips tonight and I'm stoked to see them. Yay!Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-11915752049604122282009-08-12T09:42:00.000-07:002009-08-12T09:52:38.020-07:00OMG! I'm almost done!I have my last night of class tonight, which is seriously so, so exciting. I only have to sit in a classroom one more time. I am still digesting the excitingness of this.<br /><br />I am not done with the program quite yet, as I still have to finish the Capstone project that we started a couple of months ago. We are almost to the first presentation on that one, which is exciting, and we're looking at a late August/early September end date for the whole thing. Which means that I'll be an MBA graduate in just about a month.<br /><br />WOOHOO--I can't believe it's gone so fast, but at the same time, I'm really glad that it's almost over. Craziness.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "Lights that flash in the evening/Through a hole in the drapes/I'll be home when I'm sleeping/I can't hardly wait." <em>Can't Hardly Wait</em>, The Replacements.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-38540182835316213422009-07-15T11:20:00.000-07:002009-07-15T11:33:53.776-07:00Better, actually.So I had a lovely evening of actual relaxation last night. I finished the laundry, took the Munchkin for a walk, baked some banana bread, and played at least an hour of solitaire on my computer. I also booked a flight to Geneva for Chick Ski 2010, which absolutely elated me, so that definitely didn't suck.<br /><br />It sounds like a lot, but if you break it down, it was actually really nice. Indie Rocker was off mountain biking with friends, so it was really relaxing to have the house to myself and not have to do anything. I cooked a really simple dinner just for me, and didn't even turn on the TV.<br /><br />I might be getting it.<br /><br />Indie Rocker did the Creampuff on Sunday for the third time. He didn't finish, which was frustrating for him, but it was a brutal course and he wasn't really ready anyway. We talked about it, and established some goals for the next time he attempts this. I told him that I am tired of the seesaw of "Is he going to finish or not?" I want to know going into it that he is going to finish and that he's going to finish in a reasonable time frame. Initially, I set 12 hours as the max, but he told me that was unrealistic and that he wasn't going to be that fast. I relented, and now 13.5 hours is the goal. He agreed that was doable, and promised to work on his speed over the next year.<br /><br />He finally understands that I want to support him, and that I'm proud of him for doing this, but that I also need him to respect the time and energy that I'm putting into this race. He offered to take next year off and set a goal of 5 hours for completing the Test of Endurance 50 miler next year. I told him we could still go volunteer for the Creampuff, and I'd be right there with him. <br /><br />Either way, we are starting to hit a middle ground that I think we're both pretty comfortable and happy with. He mentioned that Bono was going to start racing cyclocross in the fall, which means that we're going to have a ton of friends out there. It's going to be a blast, which makes me want to start doing more riding so that I can keep up.<br /><br />The next seven months plus are going to rule. I'm so happy.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "I wanted to be a hero. I wanted to be the center of attention. I wanted the glory, I wanted the fame.I wanted the pretty girls to come up and say, 'Hi, I see that you're good at Centipede.'" Walter Day, <em>The King of Kong</em>.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-20972214446725852612009-07-08T16:11:00.000-07:002009-07-08T16:29:12.707-07:00Not shocking, but annoying just the same.I went to the doctor yesterday to deal with the tiredness issue I mentioned a few weeks back, and she said a few things that, while totally appropriate, were kind of hard to hear.<br /><br />First, she said that I was doing too much and that I pretty much wasn't going to get any less tired until I am done with school. Fortunately, that's sooner rather than later, but I guess I was hoping that I could just handle it. Apparently not.<br /><br />Second, she said that while there is nothing physically wrong with me, I do need to find some hobby, like Pilates or yoga or whatever, that allows my mind to turn itself off from time to time.<br /><br />While the doctor didn't say this herself, I came to the conclusion on my own today that I don't really know how to relax. I mean, some people go for runs, some people do yoga, others can just take a hot bath. I just don't know how. The only time in the past two years that I have been really, truly relaxed was in Mexico for our honeymoon. And even then, Indie Rocker had to practically twist my arm, frogmarch me out to the beach, put me into a chaise longue and hand me a trashy novel. I got the hang of it by the end of the trip, but you can see my point--relaxation is not something that comes naturally to me.<br /><br />And that's straight-up unhealthy. I have got to work on that. Suggestions?<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "It is not enough to be busy; so are the ants. The question is: what are we busy about?" Henry David Thoreau.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-66680350797670545022009-06-25T20:46:00.001-07:002009-06-25T20:54:41.991-07:00What a weird-ass week.I will be the first person to admit that my friend Chitown totally badgered me into caring about Michael Jackson's death. That, and the incessant Facebook updates from everyone I know. Craziness.<br /><br />I'm not the first person to think of this, but MJ is functionally my generation's Elvis. We grew up listening to him, he's the King of Pop, he was cool and interesting when he was young, and became batshit crazy and weird as he got older.<br /><br />All of the unsavory child-related grossness aside, he was an insanely talented artist with the bad luck to have spent the bulk of his life in the spotlight. I'd probably be weird as hell too if I'd been in front of the press since I was 7.<br /><br />Either way, I hope that MJ, Farrah and Ed all rest in peace. And that no one else dies for a little while--this is getting way too weird.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "'Cause this is thriller, thriller night/Girl, I can thrill you more than any ghost would ever dare try/Thriller, thriller night/So let me hold you tight and share a killer, thriller, ow!" <em>Thriller</em>, Michael Jackson.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-3238157614593050272009-06-24T20:45:00.000-07:002009-06-24T20:57:30.270-07:00Tired!I'm so sleepy lately, and it's starting to concern me. I'm getting more exercise, and eating better, and drinking less. I am trying to get more sleep, and that's sort of working, but I just feel like I am still tired all of the time.<br /><br />Is that normal? Is it because work isn't terribly exciting right now?<br /><br />Am I spending too much time staring at a computer screen?<br /><br />Could be. I'll try to be more exciting soon!<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "Andy, this is my business, it's nothing to do with you. Go downstairs and do what you do best, patrol the couch in your underwear." Nancy Botwin (Mary Louise Parker), <em>Weeds</em>.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6459912.post-89851037879748551382009-06-10T14:31:00.000-07:002009-06-10T15:18:27.607-07:00Samsquantch 2009, Part TwoGetting up wasn't the easiest thing to do on Sunday morning after dancing until 2am, but the sun beating down on my tent and heating it to approximately 97 degrees by 8:30am made it a moot point. I don't like saunas to begin with, so sleeping in one became really, really unattractive.<br /><br />After changing into decent clothes, freshening up at the bathroom and drinking approximately 2 liters of water and Gatorade, I decided that staying awake wasn't the worst move I'd make all day. Marshall and I decided to hang out and make fun of Duke until he decided to get up and start making us breakfast. This actually took a lot longer than we thought it would, since Duke was apparently determined to work up quite a sweat staying asleep. He finally did get up and made us some rather delicious breakfast burritos complete with coffee and other necessities.<br /><br />Our neighbors woke up after we were done with cleanup, so we razzed them for having serious bedhead as well as staying up late dancing. Around 11am, we all decided we were feeling much better and could start cracking PBRs again. The neighbors' friends came over to join us, and we all sat around chatting before the show.<br /><br />At one point, one of the Canadians came over to chat, but he was apparently actually Alaskan, and from Wasilla, to boot. He then proceeded to tell us a long-winded story about how he, a dentist, hired this hygienist, and how it turned into the weirdest, biggest deal ever because her sister happened to be Sarah Palin. Talk about a serious turn for the weird, eh? Once he wandered back off, we all just looked at each other like, "did you hear that too? OK, just checking." We believed him...I mean, there wasn't any reason not to!<br /><br />Finally we decided to go find the shuttle to take us into the show just in time to catch The Walkmen on the mainstage. After them, Duke and I wandered off, while Marshall set up camp on the grass. So, here's what I thought of everyone:<br /><br /><b>The Walkmen</b>: I love the Walkmen, and yes, I totally did see them on "The OC." I love their song "The Rat," and that's exactly what they were playing as we picked our way down the gigantic grassy field at the top of the amphitheater. It's a large space for a band like that, but I thought they did pretty well. <br /><br /><b>John Vanderslice</b>: Duke went over to the Wookiee stage with me to check out John Vanderslice, who is a staple on KEXP, my favorite Seattle radio station. He's kind of indie-pop, and wore a fan's incredibly silly sunglasses during his set. It was a very nice little diversion.<br /><br /><b>Calexico</b>: I have the album that Calexico did with Iron & Wine, which is pretty good. Calexico just has a nice, laid-back vibe, and they were fun to watch. It also happened to be sunny and warm, and the people-watching was perfect.<br /><br /><b>St. Vincent</b>: I dragged Duke back up to the Wookiee stage to check out St. Vincent, and I was less than impressed. She must have started one song at least four different times, and didn't seem to be happy with the crowd's response. It was really strange, and didn't make us want to stay. So we didn't.<br /><br /><b>The Avett Brothers</b>: These guys were fine, but very folksy and kind of got lost in such a big venue. In their defense, it was starting to get really, really warm, and we were starting to decide that maybe we should look for some shade.<br /><br /><b>Murder City Devils</b>: I saw these guys at Bumbershoot, like, 10 years ago and didn't like them. They haven't gotten any better with age. The lead singer alternately swaggered around the stage screaming lyrics into the mike and screaming obscenities at the crowd. While I couldn't totally blame him for cursing, listening to 45 minutes of it was giving me a headache that even Fat Tire couldn't cure. Fail.<br /><br /><b>TV on the Radio</b>: After seeking shade and food for much of MCD's set, it was nice to get back to the grass for TV on the Radio. I realized that this is one of those bands I keep hearing about, but I have absolutely no idea what any of their songs sound like. Their live show was fine, if a little high-concept for a large venue, and I think I'd like to check out some of their music before seeing them again.<br /><br /><b>Nine Inch Nails</b>: As a '90s teen, I loved NIN for both the music and the rebel factor. Years later, the music is totally holding up, and so is Trent Reznor. I have said a number of times that I have always wanted to see NIN if it weren't for the largely insane and scary fans. This was my perfect opportunity, and I was right--NIN is amazing live. Trent just came out and killed it on every song. I learned that the song "Terrible Lie" is <em>not</em> actually "Down The Line," and I discovered that I didn't really care what NIN played, as long as they kept playing. They wrapped up their set with a truly brilliant version of "Hurt," which I am eternally grateful for.<br /><br /><b>Jane's Addiction</b>: I saw JA in Portland about 8 years ago, just out of college, and I recall being so close to their second stage that I could read Dave Navarro's tattoos during "Jane Says." Fortunately for me, seeing them again was not a letdown. Perry Farrell blew out on stage in a boozy, woozy cloud of smoke, and regaled the crowd with the most random collection of non sequiturs I have ever heard at a show. I am not entirely certain that Farrell knows what is going to come out of his mouth until he says it. Once again, the standards "Been Caught Stealing," "Mountain Song," and "Had A Dad," were included, as well as the killer encore of "Jane Says."<br /><br />I've heard some opinions that NIN should have been the headliner, and I don't totally disagree with that, actually.<br /><br />Once Jane's was done, we slowly staggered back to the shuttle to make our way back to camp. Once we got there, we hung out with the neighbors, watched the Canadians crank the party machine back up, and decided to sit around and wait for security to break the party up, since quiet hours started at 2am, and it was already 12:45am. The neighbors and I did a little dancing, but were considerably less energetic than we had been the night before. Once security did their thing, we all headed for bed, and shipped out very early in the morning for home.<br /><br />Quote of the Day: "I hurt myself today/to see if I still feel/focus on the pain/the only thing that's real." <em>Hurt</em>, Nine Inch Nails.Captain Cooperhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04811802585408520854noreply@blogger.com0