I Am One... Are You?

Caring for Your Introvert - Magazine - The Atlantic

This is seriously the most awesome article I've ever read about myself. I laughed out loud a few times, and nodded my head to nearly every point. Preach it, Jonathan!

I'd love to hear what y'all think, introverts and extroverts alike....

Funny Men

I'm not usually a huge fan of Johnathan Ross, but I happened to find his guests last night quite entertaining. 






I just had to share.  They cracked me up. 

Sicko

Boy, oh boy.  I've gotten off pretty lightly this year on the under-the-weather scale.  I've had some doozies-- last summer/fall, and a bit over January. But two weeks ago... that's when the stuff really got me.

I thought  my head was going to explode, face first.  My ears were near to bursting just with breathing.  The pressure was so bad it even hurt to move my eyes.  Couldn't breathe.  It was baaaaad.

And I couldn't even take anything for it, because of my other meds.  I inhaled some Vicks VapoRub (a nice little steamy bowl of hot water and a spoonfull of the smelly stuff), which didn't really do much good because I couldn't breathe in the first place.  And I took ibuprofen, which might have helped with the pain if it wasn't caused mainly by the pressure.  Wowzer.  I was in trouble. 

I got nothing done that week.  I barely made it to the classes I'm paid to go to... at home, I was laid in my bed, or laid on the sofa.  I couldn't even read, so I either listened to my iPod softly, or the tv.  Not watching it, just listening. 

Luckily, that's over now.  Except that now I'm running a low fever.  And I can't get it to go away.  It's wiping me out, man, even though I don't feel bad otherwise.  Where is this settled in that it keeps my fevery but I don't feel it?!  Grrrrr.  Last time this happened, it turned into tonsilitis eventually.  My sister had hers turn into strep.  So... I'm plugging along and hoping this doesn't actually turn into anything. 

Sorry for whining.  I just had to complain a wee bit.  Yes, it actually does make me feel a little better, just to complain and get it out.  =)

Pancake Day

Mardi Gras?  What's that?  Around these parts, it's Pancake Day.  Why?  Well, I asked Wikipedia, and she told me this:

"Pancakes and doughnuts are associated with the day preceding Lent because they were a way to use up rich foodstuffs such as eggs, milk, and sugar, before the fasting season of the 40 days of Lent. The liturgical fasting emphasized eating plainer food and refraining from food that would give pleasure: In many cultures, this means no meat, dairy, or eggs."


I invited Aleithia and RitaBekah over for a pancake supper.  I have some Krusteaz mix, and we made three kinds:  banana (with raspberry jam on top), chocolate chip (with powdered sugar), and plain (with golden syrup).  They were so yummy.  I hadn't made them for a while, but I'm not sure why when I enjoy them so much.  And it was fun, hanging out and chatting with the girlies who were in town.  I missed Liz and Paige, but oh well.  That's life, isn't it?  And, of course, silly me-- I forgot to take a single picture.  Again, that's life.

Six Nations

I love this time of year.  Whether it's on tellly...

Or, even better, in person at Murrayfield with Paige...

That's Chris Patterson about to kick for goal up there.  All our nine points came from him.  I swear, he never misses.  We did lose to the French, mostly through silly mistakes and throwaways, but it was still so much fun to be there, live and in person.  It was a very last-minute decision to go, but we still got good seats and had a blast.  I sang the Scottish anthem in the midst of a standfull of French fans (yikes!) and cheered my wee heart out.  I can't wait to go again some time.  Brilliant

The next weekend, I watched on tv while we were beating Wales... and then it all went wrong.  It was a heartbreaking lose, and three of our men went down with some serious injuries.  One of them had to have surgery to fuse bones in his neck... luckily, he is moving his arms and legs now.  They will all three be out for the rest of the Six Nations Championships, and in at least the case of one, the whole season.  You can read about it here, if you're interested.  So the last weekend of the month, when we pick back up, who knows what will happen?  But overall, we've been playing so much better this year.  And even if we weren't, I'd still be cheering. 

I. Love. This. Game. 

If you are interested, you can go here for some fun stuff about this year's support campaign:  We Are Scotland.  It's really good stuff, if I do say so myself. 


Nevermind that it's for the autumn test matches;  it's still good for now.  =D

The Light Box

After six weeks away, I can tell.  I was sceptical, but it really has helped my SAD this winter.  So I'm glad to get back to it for the rest of the winter.  For those of you who can't really picture what I'm talking about, here you go:

I get to sit for half an hour or an hour, for a total of five hours a week.  I read my book club book, or write letters, or just listen to music.  It's my 'down time', and it's great.  I can make coffee or tea, or bring in my lunch, or whatever I feel like.  And it really has made a difference.  I haven't noticed the darkness having the same effect on my mood (which still isn't great to begin with, so it could have been so much worse...), and I haven't  been as much under the weather (until this last month when I've been away from the light box).

Oh, yes.  I am now a believer.

Park... or Car Park?

Union Terrace Gardens is under attack.  If you have lived here, or visited here, then you may well remember the Gardens in the City Centre.  They are a favourite spot on nice days for all kinds of people, and they are beautifully landscaped year-round.  To turn them into a carpark would be worse than just a tragedy.  Please, if you can, even if you don't live here now, read the information and go vote 'no'.  I would appreciate it greatly! 



'A public consultation is now underway on Sir Ian Wood's vision to concrete over Union Terrace Gardens to create a Civic Square and 3 acres of underground real estate.  The cost is £140 million+ of which at least £70 million must come from the public purse. 

This consultation is NOT allowing the public to express their views on anything other than the City Square.

There is an alternative...

Peacock Visual Arts' scheme for a major new cultural facility in the Gardens has full planning permission and 75% of its funding in place.  It allows the Gardens to be retained and regenerated at a fraction of the cost to the environment and the public purse of Sir Ian's scheme. 

The Civic Square involves the felling of around 100 trees (including elms up to 200 years olf) and the loss of an historic park.  It will be impossible to plant mature trees on the Civic Square as there will be nowhere for their roots to grow. 

The Civic Square violates all guidelines on planning and green public spaces.  It would potentially require compulsory purchase orders for Belmont St properties.

It has a £90 million + funding gap and may need to introduce a new local tax to cover its costs.

Peacock's scheme will welcome over 200,000 visitors per year and bring £5 million annually into the local economy.  Peacock is a local charity, their new arts centre would retain the gardens providing disabled access, baby changing and cafe facilities as well as activites for including dance, music, art, education and community activities. 

If you support the Gardens and the Arts Centre please visit the website www.thecitysquareproject.com and say 'No'  to the City Square on the questionnaire, and sign the petition at www.iloveutg.org.' 

(from a brochure handed out on campus by the Iloveutg group)

january hermit

Paige was kind enough to let me use her flat as my writing hermitage for pretty much all of January.  She's been home in the States, so I've been keeping the wee flat cozy.  I had hoped to have a full draft done by the time I left here;  I'm close, but not quite.  I got a lot of work done, though, and it was good to have some time and space completely on my own.  I needed that.  (Sorry, Dillon and Thomas.)  Here are just some shots of what my time here has looked like, and felt like.  A couple of times sick, several times very productive, you've already heard about the fun with Liz... that's it, in a nutshell.  My Januaray. 

January. It was a good month.

Snow and Darkness

It snowed in December.  A lot.  It was great!  I loved it.  And I got some photos of it around campus, and even in the Bridge of Don.  Because we had a Darkness Party at Liz's--me and Aleithia and RitaB and Liz, of course.  To celebrate the shortest day. Because what reason is there to complain about the dark?  It was a good party.  As they always are when those girls are involved.  And the snow... and the bus came... and it was great!  The snow pictures weren't taken all on one day, but during the same extended snowfall.