I have come to a conclusion: starting Sunday, all of my comments will be "member only." Also, from that point forward, all journal entries will be "for friends" only.
I may go back and friend-only all the old ones too. That sounds like a fucking lot of work though. But that seems to offer me enough privacy for now. So, if you're randomly just "following"...
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I may go back and friend-only all the old ones too. That sounds like a fucking lot of work though. But that seems to offer me enough privacy for now. So, if you're randomly just "following"...
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toothpickmoe:
One of your students find you?

obd:
I figure that as long as there are no pictures of you here and you're not using your real name, you're reasonably safe. Then again, thats the way things have been for me since we've had the option.
I like Amazon.com. A lot. I like that it has every book I'm looking for, that it gives me a nice discount, and that it ships me things for free. I *do* get annoyed at what a cocktease the free shipping is. I ask for free shipping, and my books - all of which are in stock - get pushed back to the end of...
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toothpickmoe:
Exactly. 

obd:
especially now that you're in a small college town. I bet you have some good choices there. 

As promised: pictures and adventures!
My dad and I set out from Moline, IL on July 22. That night, we stopped in Mitchell, SD. At the Corn Palace. But we forgot that camera. Anyway, I was really pleasantly surprised by the Corn Palace. It's basically a working civic center: the high school and local college play basketball there, and there are also concerts. But, in...
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My dad and I set out from Moline, IL on July 22. That night, we stopped in Mitchell, SD. At the Corn Palace. But we forgot that camera. Anyway, I was really pleasantly surprised by the Corn Palace. It's basically a working civic center: the high school and local college play basketball there, and there are also concerts. But, in...
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meatpieboy:
Hey, sounds like a nice trip. I know that route from the Black Hills to Billings - it IS faster than the interstate, but that is a lonely road. Someday you should double back there and check out the site of the Battle of the Little Bighorn, Custer's Last Stand. It's pretty moving. Far more interesting for me than the giant heads, you know?
Glad you're settling in.
Glad you're settling in.
toothpickmoe:
You most certainly don't "need" to, but I hope you enjoy your stay.
Quick update:
1. Drive across the country - survived. (With only one minor instance of gastrointestinal drama. Given the copious shit I've eaten over the last two weeks that, gentle readers, is a motherfucking big time win.) But really, the drive was more than survived - it was relished. My dad and I saw the Badlands and Mount Rushmore and generally had a blast.
2....
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1. Drive across the country - survived. (With only one minor instance of gastrointestinal drama. Given the copious shit I've eaten over the last two weeks that, gentle readers, is a motherfucking big time win.) But really, the drive was more than survived - it was relished. My dad and I saw the Badlands and Mount Rushmore and generally had a blast.
2....
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smithers_jones:
Glad you are getting settled. The new razor will take some getting used to. A few nicks and its a bit more razor-burny, but I think that will pass as I get more comfortable with it. Looking forward to saving lots of money on blades.
madscience:
Sounds like things are great! (other than missing the wife of course). I'm glad things are going so well.
Good-bye Chicago!
I love you dearly. I'll be visiting plenty. Maybe I'll be back someday (I'll be trying my damnedest, that's for sure.)
Hello Helena! I'm excited about this new adventure!*
*Except for the part where my wife is still in Chicago for a year.
Anyway. I'm leaving for the mountains tomorrow. Expect radio silence for a bit. But I'll be back soon, with stories...
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I love you dearly. I'll be visiting plenty. Maybe I'll be back someday (I'll be trying my damnedest, that's for sure.)
Hello Helena! I'm excited about this new adventure!*
*Except for the part where my wife is still in Chicago for a year.

Anyway. I'm leaving for the mountains tomorrow. Expect radio silence for a bit. But I'll be back soon, with stories...
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obd:
enjoy your next stop
salome:
It's not a lot of hot air, you make several good points. People like Baron Cohen and Sarah Silverman walk a fine line between social commentary and being inflammatory for the sake of it. And sometimes, I agree, I don't feel they fall on the right side of that line.
I'm sorry to hear you're leaving the Windy City. Come back and visit us (and your wife)
!
I'm sorry to hear you're leaving the Windy City. Come back and visit us (and your wife)

Movers are fucking *amazing.*
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toothpickmoe:
Next big move, it's on for sure.
runelateralus:
I very much did. I wish I had tickets for Sunday as I wanted to see them, but the prices people were asking for them were too much for me.
I do believe I have hurt myself packing. Not forever. But fuck: my shoulder hurts.
Tomorrow, we take the last load of crap to my wife's place. Then the movers arrive on Friday.
Cannot. Wait.
Tomorrow, we take the last load of crap to my wife's place. Then the movers arrive on Friday.
Cannot. Wait.
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toothpickmoe:
Happens to the best of us. And the worst, unfortunately.
notoriousdug:
Tacos are restorative.
They have magic powers.
They have magic powers.
In the past few weeks, we've been taking advantage of having a car and taking day trips around the area. So we've checked out Crown Point, Indiana (snore), Kenosha, Wisconsin (sad but neat), Geneva, Illinois (fun and cute) and a few other spots. On Sunday, we decided to head to Schaumburg, and pick up some stuff at the enormous Woodfield Mall.
I thought for sure,...
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I thought for sure,...
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salome:
I doubt that Baron Cohen is a colonial-minded Englishman suspicious of Krauts and swarthy East European types -- the man is an observant Jew and went to clown school in Tel Aviv. In Borat, the language he was speaking was not made-up Kazakh, it was Hebrew. That's one of the reasons all the Hitler jokes are so shocking -- they're coming from a man who keeps kosher.
magni:
Well. There is a middle ground. I could stand to make more money but not to lose most of my perishable time on earth doing something I don't like, working for it.
I am trying to get off the treadmill.
I am trying to get off the treadmill.
Was there something in the air in the city yesterday? The humidity? What? Because it seemed like the *crazies* were out.
First, there was the woman on the bus. When we first got on, she was talking loudly about drywalling and getting ripped out. Which made some kind of sense. Then, she started talking about Beyonce dancing for the president, and how Jay-Z had more...
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First, there was the woman on the bus. When we first got on, she was talking loudly about drywalling and getting ripped out. Which made some kind of sense. Then, she started talking about Beyonce dancing for the president, and how Jay-Z had more...
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madscience:
Yep, I'm a big fan of the small house, for so many reasons (less to clean, less expensive to heat/cool, etc). Who really needs a lot of space?? I completely agree that so many people buy the biggest house they can afford (based on what their bank tells them they can afford, not based on their actual budget and standard of living). Don't they realize that almost ALL of their bills are going to go up? So I'm happy to learn that you think like I do.
We're the ones that are going to live nice, comfortable lives and retire early. 


madscience:
I just realized congratulations are in order! I just read about your defense.
CONGRATULATIONS!!
Mine felt anticlimactic, too.






Mine felt anticlimactic, too.
So, here's the weird thing about defending...
First, it's super anti-climactic. I've been working on the dissertation for three years. I've been working towards a PhD for the last six. Fuck, I've know for like the last *ten* years that this was what I wanted. Hence, showing up in a conference room, giving a lame-ass presentation, and then BSing through some questions - well, that's...
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First, it's super anti-climactic. I've been working on the dissertation for three years. I've been working towards a PhD for the last six. Fuck, I've know for like the last *ten* years that this was what I wanted. Hence, showing up in a conference room, giving a lame-ass presentation, and then BSing through some questions - well, that's...
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toothpickmoe:
I was actually doing great until I started writing shit down. That'll show me.
Remember, this is what you've been working towards for years. Well, not exactly this, but you know what I mean.
Remember, this is what you've been working towards for years. Well, not exactly this, but you know what I mean.
meatpieboy:
I dunno. I definitely had a bit of a peak during my actual defense, after the seminar where I was supposedly going to be grilled by my committee. Instead it turned into a very interesting conversation. You know, the kind you wish you had once a week during your graduate career? And you get once, at your defense... and then you leave. THANKS COMMITTEE. But there was a peak, for me. Still, had a lot of writing to do afterward.
You'll get the book done, and realize there's a lot you already have that's good.
You'll get the book done, and realize there's a lot you already have that's good.
Well, shit: that was anticlimactic. But, now I can make people call me "doctor." So, you know, fuckin' A.
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obd:
Congratulations Dr. Noise.

ojaeflo:
Of course...
Today is one of those days where moving hits me hard - in the not-so-good way.
Yesterday, a friend invited me out to a fund raiser at The Long Room. It was a fantastic way to spend a warm Chicago afternoon: everyone there was smart, interesting, hip, fun, and stupidly good looking. Quite a few folks from my program were there. We just hung...
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Yesterday, a friend invited me out to a fund raiser at The Long Room. It was a fantastic way to spend a warm Chicago afternoon: everyone there was smart, interesting, hip, fun, and stupidly good looking. Quite a few folks from my program were there. We just hung...
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_margot_:
Facebook is weird. I hate to love it.
toothpickmoe:
I do not, actually. I've found it's pretty hard to enjoy the other shows after the caliber of dancing that is expected on SYTYCD. Do you watch?