On Michele Bachmann, briefly

"As a state legislator, she was filmed hiding in the bushes at a rally against her same-sex marriage amendment. She once brought people into the Minnesota Capitol to pray over the desks of lawmakers who opposed her. Highlights of her time in Congress include the uncomfortably long embrace of George W. Bush after a state of the union address. More recently, her opposition to energy-efficient lightbulbs garnered jeers and notoriety."

This is from a Star Tribune article from 2008, just before the presidential election. We knew these things about her two years ago...so how did she get re-elected in District 6 yesterday? SERIOUSLY? Seriously.

TFMM- The Minnesota Life

"Just came from a celine dion tribute and a casino!!!!!"

my response: "Damn mom, living the life! Heh."

TFMM- Spotted

"Saw a lisence plate, male in a truck, mc hot e! Do u still watch greys anatomoy?"

TFMM- Proof she's cooler than me

"The dog days are over. Even Florence and the machine knew sq* went home! I miss her."

*sq being Squeegee, obviously

Yes, she quoted Florence and the Machine unaided.

Talking it out

Jordan: it sounds pretty complicated to me.

me: eh, yes and no

ha

so, i guess yes, hah

Happy Poppie's Day!

Texts From My Mom (TFMM), Edition the first

Her first text, November 19th: "Hi are you proud of me"

And another to prove there may just be something to this--

The unintended dig: "Limited has skinny stretch jeans 70.00 and I just sent you coupons from there. They have a curvy fit in the hips. Love you"

HTC/Verizon/Android update conspires against me

My lovely friend Jay and I had planned to have a phone date when he was driving a 7-hour trip Friday night. We had a lot of catching up to do, and he had a lot of time on his hands, so he asked me to call him once I had some time. My phone had just let me know of an update that it needed, so I figured I'd download and install it before I called Jay. Little did I know that this whole ordeal would take over an hour, and that when I finished, all of my contacts would be renamed "Unknown." Suddenly, my phonebook of over 500 numbers was 90% of the way to being unchanged, yet 100% useless. Thankfully, after about two hours and a trip to the Verizon store (where they basically told me, "Wait,") the contacts started to return. I checked for Jay's number and sure enough, his name popped up with the familiar digits I remembered from high school. I immediately called, even though it was late by then and I thought he might have already reached his destination.

This was the exchange that followed:
me: "hey! are you still in the car? or have you arrived?"

him: "...what?"

me: "are you still driving or have you arrived?"

him: "...where?"

me: "um...i don't know where you were going"

him: "...claire. this is jason."

me: "....god damn it."

Guest Post: It's not every day that a dog gets mail...

...but every dog has her day!

It says my name...

...but are you sure this is for me??

Hmm....this smells like grandma and grandpa's place...

What is it!? What is it!?!? Must sniff sniff sniff.

It's from grandpa!! I gave it a little lick just in case he could feel it. It sure did smell like him.

Me and my new poster! Squeegee Squad!

On car vs bus commutes, and yelling

suzanne.jarosz :the only thing i can do is sing along to the radio, and eat. both things that do not add to my quality of life.

5:03 PM me: NOT TRUE!

oh my goodness, if you knew how much i miss singing to music

particularly in the car, when you feel in control

5:04 PM living in the city, in an apartment building, there are very few opportunities for making noise

http://ihaveanidear.blogspot.com/2009/07/yelling-rooms.html

5:05 PM suzanne.jarosz: hahaha. you could make noise, but the question of being heard is different.

me: exactly

suzanne.jarosz: omg. i am totally on board with the yelling rooms

5:06 PM my version: the pillow scream.

equally effective. it got me through college

5:09 PM me: hahahahhaa

ill have to try that

might still freak Alex out, but that's about it, hah

5:11 PM suzanne.jarosz: years ago, rian asked me how i stay so calm and i responded "pillow scream"--that moment changed her life...and little did our roommates know, but they had double pillow screams happening almost every night.

5:13 PM me: hahahahahahha

that's fantastic

On growing up

claire: i think i need to buy some makeup

face makeup. i don't own any.

Jordan: good lord. how do you not own face makeup

me: concealer, foundation, the whole bit

hahaha

Jordan: probs because you have good skin

me: i just never wore it

not great skin, by any means

i have a lot of weird rosiness, but i just distract from it by wearing blush

(in the right places, hah)

otherwise, i just never gave enough of a crap

8:10 PM like, i cared, but it felt like i was fighting a losing battle

8:11 PM i don't like wearing makeup that you can SEE im wearing makeup

for the most part, anyway

8:12 PM Jordan: get bare minerals

at Ulta

i love it.

you hardly wear any of it

but it gives you a polished look

8:14 PM me: i've almost purchased it multiple times

but im such an idiot, i dont even know the order of things

isn't there one other kind of face makeup?

foundation, concealer, and....

Jordan: they do free tests on yoU!

they teach you how to do it

if you go to an Ulta store.

me: there's one right on Powell street

8:15 PM Jordan: go try it

they'll do a lil makeover

me: i got a free sample on the street two weeks ago

8:32 PM me: but i think it was just the mineral powder

er wait

the thing that goes on top, whatever the hell that is

ha

Jordan: mineral veil

awesome stuff.

8:35 PM me: im excited :)

i feel like i'm growing up, hah

8:36 PM Jordan: lol...let's see? you're married. you moved to San Fran. you bought a dog. NOW you feel like an adult? because you're going to buy makeup?

me: hahahahahahhahaa

fair enough.

I'll be asking the questions around here.

It's interesting that in a time in my life that my livelihood depends upon my ability to impress someone in an interview, I'm also spending most of my (paid) time interviewing others.

I have painfully little training in interviewing, and yet more than anything else (except perhaps writing,) it is the skill that is most often drawn upon by those seeking my help.

I think it's time to brush up, no?

The Life I Draw Upon, Now with 100% More Friends!

me: i need to shower

Alex: yes you do

always listen to that voice

(There was always someone) Carrying Cathy

I've reached the age where the death of older family members feels almost constant. In the past three years, I've lost my grandpa and my great aunt and uncle. In the past 7 months, Alex has lost his grandma and grandpa. I know that my world view has changed, but I'm not quite sure yet exactly how. I only hope that it hasn't made me more callous or cold.

Momentary Musing

I had a thought tonight, and that is we are always in survival mode. I sometimes think of the way Alex and I are living is a product of being in survival mode. Yes, I'd like that can with the dent that's 35 cents off for purely cosmetic reasons please, thank you. But in reality, we're ALWAYS in survival mode. For the rest of my life, I'm going to be dependent on me. I'm going to pay my rent/mortgage. I'm going to buy my food. I'm going to have these responsibilities without pause. I need to build this into my life the same way I build eating and sleeping in--otherwise, this life will get very tiring.