Photos

No time or energy to write, but I can share some photos! =D

Even though I've done loads of things and seen loads of things and been loads of places, I think you'll be able to tell what the best part of my holiday is:


Jen and Mya


Surfer dude bubbs
Mac climbing up the auntie... after which he jumps backwards all the way down to the ground

The Bubbs in a 'snort' shovel, at the Lake County Fair

A very long day... on the train ride home
At the Pierogi Fest in Whiting
Always smiling, that's my nephew!
Round and round, up and down!

'Driving' a tractor at the fair

Aren't we cute?

I'm having a great time, if you can't tell.... The kiddos are fantastic, and it's great to be hanging out with Jen and Saum, too. Yay for family holidays! I promise, one of these days I'll write about what's going on.... =D

Slacker

Yes, that's me. I'm so far behind on my once-a-week quota... I'm hoping all those extra ones I posted (like one-a-day a while back) will help some. ;) Seriously-- life is just too busy for me to stop and post just now. And by the time life slows down, I'm too tired to post!

Why is life so busy, you ask? Well, I'm at my sister's-- which means near-constant 'cool auntie' duties towards my nephew and niece. Not that I'm complaining. No sirree! I'm having a ball. And I have stuff to talk about... just not right now. We have to get up early tomorrow to catch a train into the city. To hang out in Millennium Park, and to pick up the Funkee Unkee at the airport, and to meet Saum for dinner before catching the train back home tomorrow evening. Whew!

To be honest, I could have spent the past weekend writing posts and stuff. Everyone else was out of town. But I didn't. I spent it chatting with Barb. And cleaning the house (oh boy did it need it!). And a little studying. Oh, and watching season one of the new Doctor Who on Netflix On Demand.

I told you I was a slacker. =)

Ten Random Things About Me

I got tagged by my friend Amy, over at Yuwie... and I'm finally getting around to this. These are just ten random facts... some more random than others, and you may or may not already know them about me, depending on how well you know me. =)


1. There have been times when I have gone without watching tv at all-- much of college, for instance. And if I were living on my own, I doubt I would pay for one here. But thanks to Kenny, I am currently a TV addict. I watch, on average, four hours a day, I would guess. Of course, 'watch' is a loose term, because I am almost always doing something else at the same time-- sometimes it's something productive, like ironing, and other times, it's online. Right now, for instance, I'm watching a CSI rerun. =)

2. That said, I hate reality tv generally. Well, the ones that aren't based on some kind of talent, anyway. I love Strictly Come Dancing, and Dancing On Ice; I'll watch American Idol to be able to talk about it with my sister. But Big Brother and all the other kinds... no thank you! A waste of tv, in my opinion. Give me a good story anyday.

3. I firmly believe that my Unlimited Cinema card is the best investment I've made recently. Or perhaps in my entire life. It's kept me sane, and brought me joy, and gotten me out of my flat, and given me a reason to live. Okay, that last one is a bit of an exaggeration. But it really is the best money I've spent while I've been here, and I don't know how I would have survived without it. I bet I average two films a week-- and that's including the months I'm in the States and can't use it! I go to a lot of films. And love it!

4. And speaking of films, I really do not like romantic comedies and most 'chic flicks'. There are a few that I like, but more often than not they make me mad, or sad, or disgusted-- something other than happy, that is. Give me action, or comedy, or kids films any day.

5. Coffee is my life. I live off the stuff, and would probably die without it.

6. I love my life in Scotland. It's the first place I've ever felt, well, content with myself. Like I know who I am, as myself and not as how anyone expects me to be or I think they expect me to be. Here, for the first time, I've been happy being single and independent; I am self-confident (except for the thesis, at times) and self-assured; I know who I am, and am able to shape myself into who I want to be. Just as me. Not as any other role or relationship or expectation. Coming here has been the most difficult but also the best thing I have ever done.

7. Following on from that, I sometimes wonder (and by 'wonder' I mean 'worry') that because of how much I love my life now, and how used to being independent I am, that I'll be a terrible girlfriend or wife (if that ever happens). I am too used to not having to really worry about anyone but myself, making my own plans and just doing my thing. Not that I don't think about other people; I do. I have friends, and I have Kenny, and things like that. But I don't have to share My Life with them in the same way I would in a dating relationship. It makes me nervous, at times, because I'd like to be married some day. I'm just not sure I'll be any good at it anymore.

8. I love my nephew and niece, and would do anything for them. Like go broke spending money on plane tickets to visit them. And then having to live on rice and beans for months. But dang, they are worth it!

9. I have a lot of little pet peeves. But the thing that I can't stand, probably more than anything else, is ignorance. Not the kind of ignorance that comes from not having opportunities to be educated, but the kind of willful ignorance that keeps people narrow-minded and small. I see this way too often, and it really angers me. I guess I could say that my prejudice is against people who are prejudiced. That's the kind of ignorance I can't stand. Thinking your way is the only way, and not bothering to see other people's side of things-- whatever the issue might be.

10. It's almost 2pm, and I'm still in my pyjamas. This is a regular occurrence for me. Ah, the joys of being a PhD student! =)


So, those are my deep, random thoughts for the day. Maybe you learned something about me-- maybe this just confirms that I am totally a dork. But that's okay. I knew that already. I've come to terms with it. =D

These Are For You, Jen...

but everyone else will probably enjoy them, as well. I was just chatting with my sister while I was watching a countdown of the best disaster films. We were talking about "Alive", the part where they have to eat their dead teammates in order to stay alive. Anyway, our conversations can be silly and random, and it reminded me of this advert. So Jen, here you go!




And since I've started this, I'll give you a couple more of my fave adverts. Jen, this one is also for you-- you'll see why, I'm sure. I just know I know this guy.... ;)



And just so the guys don't get all the attention, one for the ladies....



There are some other great Impulse adverts out just now, but they aren't on YouTube. Yet. So if they show up, I'll put 'em up. =)

The View From The Top

So I'm a couple of weeks behind on posting this, but better late than never, eh? ;)

I almost never get to see my friend Laurie anymore, now that she rarely comes in to the city from her home in Banchory. I guess being a commuting student will do that... and it does make getting together more of a treat. A couple of weeks ago, Laurie, Kristianna and I got to spend the whole day together-- and boy, was it a treat! Mainly for the company, of course =D but also because we hiked up Bennachie, one of our high points around here.

That's it, right there... we hiked all the way up to the top of that! Let me tell you, it's a long way up. This is taken as we are coming down the other side, but oh well. You get the picture.

Anyway, Laurie drove into the city and picked us up around 9.30 on a Saturday morning. Now, those of you who know me, know that I usually don't even know there are two 9:00s, much less be up that early on a Saturday. I can make exceptions, and I did that day. It was so worth it! Laurie drove the three of us out to Bennachie, which is inland west a ways. We ended up with a beautiful day, with sun and warm temps for most of it, anyway. Even once the clouds came in and it got chilly, we still managed to avoid any rain. Yay! We started out at the visitor's centre

where they even had coffee! Kristianna was very happy about that. We took our 'before' picture here, and then headed off. Or up, as the case may be.

And dang, was it steep! I am used to walking all over the place, but I'm not used to climbing. I climb stairs to my first floor flat, and my second floor office... but that's about it. There aren't even very many steep bits in the city, so a full day of steep climbing tired out muscles I didn't even know I had! I was sore for days... and I was quite slow. Both the gals were very good to me, though, and didn't make me feel bad for holding them up. But this was a common occurrence-- them waiting on me to catch my breath and catch up.

Did I mention it was steep?

Gorgeous, though. This is only part way up. It was so lovely.
Here I am, half-way up...
and that's where I have left to go. See the girl in pink? That's Kristianna.
This is the view over the other side. Big difference from the nicely green and cultivated other side, but stunning in its own way.
The three of us, finally all at the top. Yay us!
We had a picnic at the top, in the shelter of some of the bigger boulders and outcroppings. It was so nice to just sit and eat and visit.... Ahhhhh. The way back down was nice and leisurely, compared to going up-- although it was steep and slippery, thanks to the loose gravel. We made it back down with no falls or injuries (thank goodness!), and drove back into Aberdeen, where Laurie dropped us off. Man, what a day!

My Little World

When I am writing, my world becomes very, very small. I thought I'd give you a little tour of it, while I'm taking a few days off.


Since my room is pretty small, I have to make the most of the space... my shelves are on top of my wardrobe, with some boxes stored behind.
And more boxes piled up between the end of the bed and the wall... since there isn't much room there for anything else, really.

Thank goodness for loft beds, so I can have some drawers, and a desk. And no, I never make my bed these days, as it's too big of a hassle to climb up there and make it. Oh well. =)I have some books close at hand, as well as some photos to keep me company....

My printer currently doesn't work (boo!), but I have plenty of room for other goodies to keep me going.
This is the view of my desktop, which is what I stare at for hours on end....
And since I do most of my initial work longhand, it's good to have the space.
I spend a good bit of time staring at the underside of my bed.... Or out the window...
watching the traffic.

This is what keeps me going. Coffee = Life.
Must. Have. Music!
Incentives, to motivate myself....
Again, the view for when I need some distraction.

Oh, and just to be honest... I play a lot of minesweeper. ;)

Well. That's it. The extent of my world when I am writing, and especially when I'm on a deadline. Which is pretty much where I spent the past month... well, up til Monday. I've been on a much-needed break since then. But I'll be back in my little cave soon enough. Now you know where to find me!

Ah, America....

My Irish friend and officemate, Liam, sent me this today with Independence Day greetings. I laughed so hard...



*sigh* Gotta love America.... =D

Here's hoping y'all are enjoying a fabulous day, whether you are American or not-- and whatever country you might find yourself in!