dear self,

Horrifying moments, one.

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Tue, 14 Nov 2006 17:52:35 -0800

This morning I could not focus, what with the internet and tv to be watched and so on, so I relocated myself to the closest Starbucks with comfy chairs and proceeded to pump out four thousand words of research-y writing. I was there for seven hours, and finally, my head buzzing from too many macciato's and my neck sore from hovering over my laptop, I returned home and had a nice hot shower and a nap in bed with my hair still wet. AND THEN THE DOORBELL RANG. I did not think to check on my slept-on fuzzy-sort-of-wet hair, I wasn't really aware of the pillow creases on my face, and I didn't note that I was wearing a giant sweater of J's and stupid capri bottoms with palm trees on them. I became suddenly aware of all of these things, though, when I, thoroughly horrified, greeted MY HAIRDRESSER at the door. Handing out promotional flyers for his new salon. He didn't recognize me at first. I think I need to die now. And get a new hairdresser.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Vox Hunt: Morning View

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 14:26:58 -0800

Show us the first thing you see in the morning.
Submitted by The Gaping MAW.

Some mornings I walk to campus (other mornings I sit in front of the tv watching Daily Show reruns and eat Cheerios). This is what I saw yesterday morning.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Le premier novembre

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 07:47:54 -0800

October 2006 003

November is for the first heavy, wet snows; pumpkin pie; looseleaf blueberry tea from the last market of the season; roasting vegetables, nuts, seeds; putting in the last few runs down crunchy wilderness paths before mitts, hats and downy coats come out. Mixing bowls full of leftover Halloween candy, quiet evenings with quiet music and warm baths, hours under the covers with a laptop and a stack of books.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Vox Hunt: Great Pumpkin

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 16:48:25 -0800

Show us a great pumpkin.

Pumpkin2006

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Vox Hunt: By Yours Truly

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Tue, 24 Oct 2006 07:20:02 -0700

Show us a self-portrait.

Excavating

On the last day of the dig, I found myself alone on the far side of the site, wondering why I hadn't gotten a single shot of me digging yet. No one was around to take a photo, so I set the camera up on a rock. I pretty much have this exact same photo of myself from every dig I've been on (although usually someone else takes it!). Shortly after this was taken, I uncovered a stone floor worn smooth with use, and I have to say, that stone floor was one of the only things yet that has really made my breath catch, made me run my hands over it and think, "people walked over this. Two thousand years ago".

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Vox Hunt: In Motion

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Mon, 23 Oct 2006 07:22:40 -0700

Take a photo of something in motion.
Inspired by Meg.

Sofia, Bulgaria at night. As big a city as Sofia was, I felt very comfortable there. There is nothing particularly amazing about it; or, I guess there is, but when you compare it to so many of the other large cities in the world, it pales a little. But, the people were friendly, and there was an interesting mix of upper-class international business people and the destitute (who inhabit most of the rest of Bulgaria).

It was quiet while I was there, hovering in that perfect time after the rush of tourists, right before autumn creeps in and frosts take over. The leaves were starting to change and settle on the pavement, and in the early mornings the side streets were blocked with markets, which cleared out in time for morning rush-hour traffic. The city is big, and tall, and soviet buildings loom overhead ominously, wetting the ground with hundreds of individual air conditioning units that hum loudly in the afternoons.

When it rains in Sofia, you can walk down the cobbled historic streets and watch puddles form in the sunken indents where graves are located. You can eat at cafes that use sections from early Roman columns as tables; walk th rough a squat, square soviet apartment complex to the courtyard, and you'll find a 3rd century bathhouse, surrounded by clothes lines and mothers keeping a careful eye on children that clamber over the dilapidated ruins. A pedestrian tunnel under a major throughway uses the original city walls as supports; commuters tread over impossibly smooth-worn stones that have been tread already for thousands of years. The history is there, in Sofia, it's just lived in, on, around.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Oh god, not more?

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 18:15:41 -0700

So, I've kind of got the whole grad-school hunt going on. Not somewhere I ever thought I'd be. But, see, I'm kind of getting the feeling that I'm going about it with the wrong idea: basically I want to go to grad school so I can live somewhere exceptional for a few years.

Here's the shortlist, even though it is highly unlikely that I will ever get in to any of these. I can always daydream:
- University College of London, England
- University of Cape Town, South Africa
- University of Auckland, New Zealand
- Ludwig-Maximillian University, Munich

I do actually have a realistic list going, but I'm still totally applying to the University of Cape Town (and UCL, which is actually a top choice on the 'realistic list'). And, really, even thinking of grad school at this point is a little premature -- but, yeah, pretending like I can look forward to two years in Cape Town? Is just about the best kind of pretending there is.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

Stars, Set Yourself on Fire

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 16:02:02 -0700

It's been a miserable day, though there is something satisfyingly appropriate about the cold, hard rain that's barely let up at all for the past week. I was up all last night, shivering and sick in bed, alternately tearful and frustrated that I wasn't sleeping. This morning, confronted with dark clouds, a cold apartment, mounds of papers to write and work to go to, I had a difficult time convincing myself that it was worth getting out of bed, ever.

Set Yourself on Fire

Fortunately, though, I've made the amazing if belated discovery of this album, Stars' Set Yourself on Fire, which I've found to be full of the most perfect get-you-through-the-day songs. I'm usually one for lyrics, and terrible lyrics will inevitably ruin an artist forever and ever for me (example, Rhett Miller, who I thought had some fun pop-y music until I actually bought the cd and realised his lyrics make me want to gouge my eyes out with forks (ie: "sex in wartime is sweeter than peace/ yeah, it's the one sweet thing about war")). Stars, they may have some moderately cliched lyrics here and there, but the rest makes up for it. So much so that I've had it on repeat for about a week, and I'm not tired of it yet. I can see why they were up for (did they win?) a Juno.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

QotD: Good On A Cold Day

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Sun, 22 Oct 2006 14:25:50 -0700

What food or drink do you love when it's cold out? (Recipes and recommendations, please!)

Chai tea. The good stuff, when the teabags have been boiled on the stove in milk with a lot of sugar. I also have an unfortunate weakness for incredibly buttery mashed potatos. It's imperitive that either of these be consumed while under a heavy duvet in bed, or cuddled on the couch.

Read and post comments | Send to a friend

QotD: Weekend Plans

nobody@vox.com(Anne) — Sat, 21 Oct 2006 19:44:21 -0700

What are your plans for the weekend?

Studying, always studying. Except, not really, because look! Here I am messing around with this vox thing when I should really be thinking about Malinowski!

First post - test?

Read and post comments | Send to a friend