SUNP0045

It is January, thus time for the State of the Union.

Each day with my husband is a learning experience of some kind.  Each day is a little better, and I constantly find out things I didn't know before and adjust myself or ask him to adjust his expectations to make the relationship, the union, work that much better.  Strength is deposited one grain of sand at a time.

The apartment is Very Clean.  The reason: saw tooth grain beetles.  Teeny tiny bugs that live on dropped food and have taken up residence in our carpet and probably entered either in grain foodstuffs (not likely as they are NOT in the kitchen thank god) or on cardboard (more likely as this has been the Christmas of the Mailorder Package).  Not disastrous, not harmful to us, just completely NASTY.  I can deal with bugs on a situational level, (and if I succeed in becoming a physical anthropologist I'm pretty sure I'll encounter them at some point), but a systemic apartment wide thing I just can't handle.  Only self control and rigorous vacuuming have kept me from curling up into a whimpering little ball.  *ick ick ick ick*  Also, we have a table (with sentimental significance, i.e. my husband's father made it...) that appears to have at one point been infested with some sort of wood eating bug.  Luckily all the websites say that beyond the first time, they don't reinfest.  Additional (retroactive) amounts of *ick ick ick ick*

In school news, I love all my classes this semester!!  I'm taking Introduction to Gender Studies, Global Perspectives on Women, The History of the CIA (with my favorite professor), and Forensic Anthropology.

I am way far ahead of most people in Intro, but the prof is one of the ones who took us to Europe this summer, and I love her.  I need the course for my WOST minor, and the readings are quite interesting.  I told her that she can shoot me the "Rebecca shut up" look anytime she wants, and she suggested I have a glass of wine before class.  It's at 8:30am.  *lol*

Global perspectives is incredibly interesting, especially because the prof is a German citizen, and before hearing her talk about her past in this class I never realized some of the prejudices I actually have.  I'm ethnically Belarussian, my Grandmother is a second generation immigrant from Minsk.  For my ancestors, for my inherant cultural identity, my prof's family was "the enemy".  Her Grandfather was a Russian POW for nine years.  Of course many people in WWII were forced to participate by their circumstances, and I know that.  Yet even now, fifty-five years later it's built into the American psyche to look at ethnic Germans as...other.  Something that I did not participate in, that no one I know participated in, that I almost never think of, and even though I identify as "American" becomes so personal.

The CIA class is being taught through literature and movies.  Yup, that's right...Bond, James Bond.  *grin*  Also, my favorite prof did a pre-emptive strike and told me NOT to write him a 26 page paper, 12 will do.  *grin encore*  It's not that this class will be easy, (at least 70 pages of reading a week if not more), but knowing he likes my work helps considerably.

The first day of my Forensic Anthropology class, the prof told us that the last time he taught the class NO ONE passed the midterm.  To study for it, I'm going to have my husband write all the bone names on my skin over the locations of the bones, and take pictures.  I figure if I see it on ME, I'll remember it better than looking at a text book.  The final project of the class is identifying two skeletons through measurements and examination.  This is the coolest class EVAR.

I'm seriously looking at grad schools, and I'm pretty close to concentrating exclusively on Rutgers.  It's program looks great and it has produced two of my favorite teachers.

And I've saved the best news for last: I'm going back to England for a week this summer!

I'm doing one week of a two week Medieval History program at Cambridge.  For the weekends on either side, I'm staying with friends and maybe doing some side trips to Paris or Scotland or Wales.  As you can see, I've gotten over my travel nervousness...  ;)  For a small extra sum, I am having my work evaluated by their scholars.  Tickets are bought, application to the program is sent off with three passport size photos, passport is found and dusted off.  All that remains is finalizing the arrangements with my friends and waiting.  WOOOT!!

Hello my faithful fan(s), all collectively five of you.  Three blogs, five people that I know of who comment.  I love you all.  I'm sure there are probably more peeps who read this, but I'd write even if it were just you guys.

Anyhow, I'm sure you're all waiting patiently for a rundown on the concert.  Well....

It was incredible. 

I'm really not good at describing concerts in terms of 'what happened'.  In my opinion, you've all heard the songs, (and if you haven't there's youtube...), I'm sure you've all been to at least one live concert, and so describing what she sang or the sets or all the flashing lights would be pretty redundant and useless.  Instead I'll tell you what I felt.

Oh, my god, her voice.  She has this beautiful throaty full voice.  Like her vocal cords are made of velvet. 

Also, she exudes sex.  Had I the chance, I would do her in a heartbeat.

The lyrics to Bad Romance and Alejandro pretty much describe my dating history before marriage. Add to that their music, and I want to lay on top of them and roll around on them. 

However, it is difficult to be a more experienced fan, because I know that when you're young and a song 'speaks to you' you really feel a true connection to the artist, like they somehow know you and wrote the song for you.  That's actually a way to tell that an artist is doing their job very well.  Yet being a poet myself, I know that the artist writes for themselves, and the people that the work is about very rarely even recognize themselves in it.  Although she says that her fans mean the world to her, it is difficult for me to put aside enough cynicism to fully accept the faux connection.  Do I think she'd like me if she met me?  Yes, of course I do.  I'm a likeable type girl, and I do truly see the deeper side of her persona, past the fluff of the spectacle.  That does not mean I'm naive enough to think that she likes me now, having never seen me, spoken to me, or even been aware of my existence.  And because I covered the show from the seats instead of from the press box or backstage, there is no reason for her to know me.  And disappointing as that is, it's all right.  For me, the thrill in going must remain in the fact that I got to see my favorite artist do things that are not available on her albums, like a beautiful, jazz tone and tempo version of Poker Face.  If I reach for the connection only to come to a deeper realization of the fact that it's not there, then I would only be setting myself up for supreme disappointment, and I wish to remain happy with my experience.

On a lighter note, it was my best friend's birthday, and we had a wonderful time hanging out, shopping, and watching movies together.  I made a new facebook friend, a teacher who is an absolute inspiration.  He has worked with inner-city children, many who come with severe disadvantages, including homelessness, and he is firm, generous and patient with them.

Also, I flirted briefly with a beautiful, beautiful older man in line at Starbucks.  He looked and sounded like a cross between Mikhail Barishnikov and Gabriel Byrne.  It was a lovely instant chemistry/only lasts a minute/means the world type of encounters.  If the fires of a long relationship burn steady and even, it is the flames like his smile that remind one that one is alive!  I am rather constantly glad for the mutual flirting agreement I have with my husband.*

I bought WAAAAAY too many things, and came home with bags full of books, clothes and chocolate.  North Riverside has the BEST Goodwill store I have EVER seen.  I could spend hours there...

Gave some relationship advice to a friend over the phone, and I hope I didn't in any way damage him.  I'm never sure in these situations.  He's a delightful young man with virtually no ego, which is going to get him into some trouble.  Most people these days are programed to look for the hidden meaning in the actions and words of the opposite sex.  If a girl finds someone who is actually interested in 'doing a nice thing' instead of 'doing a nice thing to get into your pants,' she doesn't know what to do with him and distrusts him anyway as though he's exactly like the other unscrupulous men out there.  With no apparent need to 'be the man' or 'prove himself' he runs smack up against a lifetime of wondering what new chauvanistic load of crap is going to be pulled on one now. *headshake*  Poor guy...I'm doing my best to give him good advice and make sure that life doesn't chew him up and spit him out heartbroken, but unfortunately the best cure for innocence is experience.  *sigh*

Perhaps more later my lovelies.  It's off to dreamland for me in a few.

*We can both flirt with whomever we wish, so long as that's where it stays.  I am an equal opportunity flirt, I use it as entertainment, and playful bonding, and once we came to the agreement, and I knew he was serious and it didn't bother him, I relaxed in my marriage quite a bit.

Okay, yes, I re-bought a ticket.  At more than I originally spent.  So at least I'm still going to the concert.

However, I still. Do. Not. Know. if I will be covering the show officially.  I've been almost constantly pestering the publicist, (or at least his assistant), and today he solemnly assures me that I'm on a list for a return e-mail. 

Now, the show is tomorrow. 

It is even possible, (the publicist being in California), that there is at this moment an e-mail waiting for me. 

I'm going to ignore my school e-mail inbox until tomorrow morning.  Tomorrow is a new day full of fresh possibilities.  I'm getting up at 5:30 to get the train tomorrow, I don't need the knowledge (or lack thereof), dangling sword-of-Damocles-like over my head and effecting my ability to sleep. 

So, I'm going to the concert and I'm taking a camera with me.  I spent fifty dollars today buying the cheapest digital camera w/zoom that I could find.  The Rosemont Theatre doesn't have a camera policy posted on their website.  There is a possibility that they still may search me and toss it.  I'm planning on wearing it in a money belt under my dress.  I'm also planning on showing up early enough to find someone who works there and say, "I'm supposed to be with the press corps, but I never got a confirmation e-mail...could you tell me where to go?"  I won't do that if I get an e-mail saying no, but if there's no e-mail than using guile is fair game.

To be continued...

I came home yesterday evening, (from a night of shopping with my mother...I love her and her dastardly Barnes and Noble gift cards...), to an e-mail from StubHub saying that the seller of my Lady Gaga ticket had canceled my sale!!!

Gaaaaahhh! 

On further exhaustive search, it wasn't the sale that had been canceled, it was the show.

Gaaaaahhh! x infinity

On even further exhaustive search, it wasn't canceled, it was moved from Chicago theatre, (apparently too small to accommodate demand*) to someplace else (I'm not saying where, you can do your own damn exhaustive searching...)

So, it's still on, but because I bought my ticket through StubHub instead of directly through ticketmaster, I have to wait for everyone from ticketmaster to re-buy their seats, and then I have to re-buy mine.  Now, take heed: do not use StubHub, except as a last resort.

I say this not out of malice, though I think things could have been better handled, say, by the agent I spoke to laying off the inhalents to preserve whatever brain cells they had left, but out of concern for others convenience.  My (now invalid) ticket was MUY expensive, and is now invalid because ticketmaster doesn't honor second party sales.  Also, their FAQ section is no help whatsoever, and their agent was thicker than two short planks.**  To be brief, StubHub has been nothing but trouble since I started, the original ticket holder overcharged me by about 150%, and I highly recommend going straight to the source if you can, and thence to ticketmaster, and only thence to a second party dealer.  Also, their phone menu begins by someone shouting "STUBHUB" in a way reminiscent of a painfully annoying commercial that was so painfully annoying I've blocked the product out of my memory.  If I remember, I'll let you know.

To sum up, I am exactly where I began two and a half months ago.  Without a ticket.

*And also, infuriatingly, convenient.  About five steps from the el-train I would use to get there.  The new location is in the ass end of nowhere, both decreasing my chances of being able to get there, and increasing my chances of getting a new ticket because no one else will be able to get there either.

**Admittedly, so was the first person I spoke to at ticketmaster.  The second person I spoke to at ticketmaster was a real doll of a man, who helped me out, was incredibly sympathetic, and who is going to be e-mailed my article if I do indeed manage to get an interview.

*update*

The tickets go on sale to the general public on...January 4.  The concert is on January 8.

I hope this is the universe telling me to shut up cause I'm going to get the interview...

Hi guys!  I've not checked in in SO long, so here's the news from cold snowy mid-west nearly Christmas-land:

I'm still waiting for two grades to be officially reported, but I think it's a 4.0 semester.  I'm quite pleased, as I worked my tailbone to bits this time, and it's (hopefully) the last time I will have to take Chemistry.

I'm leaving behind a few great teachers, my Chem teacher who is sweet and funny, and really likes me, and my History teacher who is going to be on leave next semester, and after that I'll only have one semester left and probably won't be taking any of her classes.  She's the head of the department, and I just love her.

I had a nasty nasty double ear infection which broke one ear drum, that I've just now completely gotten over.  I can hear again!! 

I'm still looking for suggestions on what to write to Lady Gaga's publicist, so if anyone has any, I'd be grateful.

I am looking into a summer school program at Cambridge in August.  It's two weeks, and HUGELY expensive, (okay, not really...but still, I don't want to pay for all of it...) and I'm trying to see if any scholarships are available through my school.  It's on Medieval History, and looks to be FASCINATING!  Plus two weeks in England, a chance to see some of the friends I made while abroad, a CAMBRIDGE certificate on my CV, and a chance to have my work evaluated by some of the top scholars in the world!!!  I HAVE to go.

If I do go, I've already started looking at plane trips.  The cheapest plane ticket has a stopover in, get this, Madrid.  Five hours on the way there, close to THIRTEEN hours on the way back.  Anyone know of anything fun for an American student with no money and less Spanish to do in Madrid for 13 hours?

My idea of staying with a friend and cutting the trip cost in half has been shot down (I didn't really expect it to go anywhere...I'm a total introvert and would HATE to have a house guest for a few weeks...), and so if I go, I'd be staying at the college which would be fab. 

My best friend really doesn't get the concept of facebook.  I see and talk to her brother more than she does even though they're in the same city, and so when she and I talk, I'll comment on something he's doing and she'll pause...and say, how did you know that??  Helloo...facebook.  If he posts it, I see it...*headsmack*  I'm trying to get her to come on board, but she's a little identity paranoid.

I've kept up on all your worlds, even though I've not been commenting lately, and I miss you terribly!!!

If I don't get back before then, Merry Christmas to all of you, sometimes coming here is what keeps me sane.

As referenced in my most recent post, I've heard back from Lady Gaga's publicist, and he doesn't deal with press requests until 7 days before the concert. The concert I'm going to/want to cover is on January 8, so I can't re-pester him until January 1. The way I'm going to look at this is I have a little over a month to write the best, most impressive e-mail possible to get what I want.

And for this, I need some help, having never before made this particular type of request.

So: what I want to do is one of these three things, (or a combination of them):

1. Have a very short (5 minute) interview with her.

2. Cover the pre-concert party.

3. Be part of the press pool/press conference which covers the concert itself.

Ultimately, I want 1, or 2, or both. I bought a ticket for the show itself, so I don't really need 3.

So, my lovelies, can you give me any tips on what to write that would woo her publicist into thinking that Lady Gaga simply must talk to this rather insignificant reporter from this paper with a circulation of about 7000?

Blessings 'pon you all, and hope that you had a good Thanksgiving, (or, you know, not, for those who are not American...)

This is a whiny, pouty, and medically disgusting post, so if you read further, you've been warned.

Ugh. So, last week I had an itsy-bitsy, teensy-weensy cold. Tiny sore throat. Tiny stuffed head. Minor aches, headache, etc. I decided to be proactive and irrigate the living hell out of my sinuses to get rid of the cold germs...love the lovely water pik, flushing the germs out of my sinuses...buh-by germs.

Anyhow, one of the nights when I irrigated, I got some water stuck in my ear canals. And then went to bed. Was fine for a little while the next morning until I decided to take a bath, put my head underwater to rinse my hair, and got more water in my ears. Within a few hours, I had a raging ear infection. Then I had two. Then a trip to the ER where they gave me drops for my ears. I should have been feeling better by Sunday. Guess what? I'm allergic to those particular drops. Like, itchy, burning, pain and death-wish type allergic.

Through all of this I've been taking OTC-NSAIDs. Aleve, Tylenol, etc. And I'm feeling sick. So Monday, I go to my regular doctor, tell her the whole story, she gives me different drops (which are working, thank all the dieties ever thanked), and tells me to take Dramamine for the sick feeling. Which works all right until Wednesday morning, when it abruptly and dramatically stops working. I think the problem is the pain killers, so I'm trying to wean myself off them, but if I don't take them I just want to curl up in a ball with my hands over my ears, whining. I hate whining. And through this all, I've not been able to take another bath for fear of getting even more water in my ears, plus positional vertigo, plus lack of energy.

So, round about Wednesday noon, I become concerned that the NSAIDs have damaged my kidneys, because I'm peeing blood, and I don't have a bladder infection currently. I know what they feel like, and this ain't it. So I call my husband at work, and he hies himself home to take me to the doctor AGAIN. But not my doctor, no, she's out of the office until this coming Tuesday. I go to the local clinic. The doctor there tells me that not only do I have a double outer ear infection, I have a middle ear infection in my right ear. And that I'm right, I don't have a bladder infection, and he doesn't think I've overdosed on Aleve, so he can't tell me why I'm peeing blood, but to be retested in a week, because 'sometimes these things just happen'.

Today, Thanksgiving, I've finally been able to take a bath, but still feel tired, miserable, and pretty out of it. I missed two paper deadlines in classes, two chem labs, a chem test, and the deadline for four articles for the newspaper. I have three weeks remaining in the semester to try to make up all this work, and to finish the work that was there already. I've been grouchy, out of sorts, and unclean. So, today I am distinctly thankful for my parents and spouse who put up with me being grouchy, for being here at all when I know that good and deserving people sometimes don't make it as far as I have, and for the chance that I will eventually regain the ability to hear, as it has currently deserted me.

Also, update on January trip to see Lady Gaga:

I've been in contact with her publicist, who says that he only deals with press requests seven days before the actual concert, and to check back in the new year. I have to wait until January 1 to re-pester him. GAAA! But at least I'm on the radar, so to speak.

I'm going to see Lady Gaga on January 8th!!

A once in a lifetime opportunity, I'm sure!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACm9yECwSso