I'm greedy about odd things - short stories, hand-written letters, pretty photographs, and quotes, to name a few. My friend Stephen also likes "cheesy quotes," and here's one that he shared with me:
"For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."
That was said by the unmatched Audrey Hepburn. Isn't it lovely?
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Vivid Dream - #1
I usually have intensely vivid dreams that make me feel tired when I wake up. Some of them are so fun that I can't them out of my mind for the rest of the day, yet I always forget to write them down. Today, while cleaning my desk, I found a good one written down on a dusty scrap of paper.
I was standing before a turquoise, bungalow-style capsule lab at night. A man opened the door to let me in. Another researcher sat at one of two computers set up in front of a large window that looked into an adjacent room housing a large MRI scanner. The man asked whether I wanted a blood test done before my scan, and I said yes without hesitation. He said I was required to brush my teeth before he could draw my blood. I had left my toothbrush at work, so he got one for me out of a tall filing cabinet. It was orange with slightly crushed bristles. I didn't care too much that it had been used and wondered if he gave this one to all the test subjects that came in. I stepped outside and stared up at the brilliant stars while I brushed. The man poked his head out and said, "You don't ned to brush so thoroughly for a blood test. Finish up and spit on the grass there." I brushed my tongue hurriedly and took in a mouthful of water
My phone alarm went off, and I woke up distinctly disappointed that I'd never find out the results of my blood test. I can pinpoint two things that converged to form this strange dream.
One - I used to sign up to be a test subject for all sorts of studies done on campus. It was good money for a not starving but still poor college student who sometimes had only $20 in her checking account. I've had four or five MRI scans, and all of them were done in a camper-style lab on wheels that really was turquoise and shaped like a pill capsule. The researchers give you foam earplugs and position your head in a helmet-like structure before you slide into the scanner. The whirring and clanging of the machinery is loud inside, but I never minded it. The idea is to compare the brain's response to positive versus negative (even violent!) images, but the noise's rhythmic quality made it hard to stay awake and focus on the flashing images.
Two - I sometimes wonder whether my hormone levels are awry. Is that why I never had a growth spurt like my dad? Is that why I break out, even though I wash my pillowcases too often and angle the phone away from my cheek? Is that why I only get around four periods a year (not that I'm complaining)? A simple blood test could give me a definite answer.
The business school's experiments were usually dry (negotiation scenarios, factors in decision-making, etc), but Neuroscience had some interesting ones. For a sleep study, I had to take a nap in a makeshift "bedroom" furnished with only an Ikea bed and a chair next to it. I slipped under the covers and tried to get sleepy while he stuck on some electrodes. I felt pressured to fall asleep so I could give them some good REM cycle brainwaves, but it took forever. I finally fell into a half-sleep and dreamed that the researcher had come back and was standing in the doorway shining a flashlight on my face. I woke up fully when his voice came over the intercom: "Okay, you can wake up now."
My friend Sara (a terribly smart girl) had designed a few experiments of her own, and she suckered me into being her subject twice. This involved pulling on a swim cap modified with plastic-rimmed holes through which she squirted some sort of gel. There's nothing quite like the feeling of cold gel oozing through your hair and onto your scalp. God, I'm such a good friend.
I was standing before a turquoise, bungalow-style capsule lab at night. A man opened the door to let me in. Another researcher sat at one of two computers set up in front of a large window that looked into an adjacent room housing a large MRI scanner. The man asked whether I wanted a blood test done before my scan, and I said yes without hesitation. He said I was required to brush my teeth before he could draw my blood. I had left my toothbrush at work, so he got one for me out of a tall filing cabinet. It was orange with slightly crushed bristles. I didn't care too much that it had been used and wondered if he gave this one to all the test subjects that came in. I stepped outside and stared up at the brilliant stars while I brushed. The man poked his head out and said, "You don't ned to brush so thoroughly for a blood test. Finish up and spit on the grass there." I brushed my tongue hurriedly and took in a mouthful of water
My phone alarm went off, and I woke up distinctly disappointed that I'd never find out the results of my blood test. I can pinpoint two things that converged to form this strange dream.
One - I used to sign up to be a test subject for all sorts of studies done on campus. It was good money for a not starving but still poor college student who sometimes had only $20 in her checking account. I've had four or five MRI scans, and all of them were done in a camper-style lab on wheels that really was turquoise and shaped like a pill capsule. The researchers give you foam earplugs and position your head in a helmet-like structure before you slide into the scanner. The whirring and clanging of the machinery is loud inside, but I never minded it. The idea is to compare the brain's response to positive versus negative (even violent!) images, but the noise's rhythmic quality made it hard to stay awake and focus on the flashing images.
Two - I sometimes wonder whether my hormone levels are awry. Is that why I never had a growth spurt like my dad? Is that why I break out, even though I wash my pillowcases too often and angle the phone away from my cheek? Is that why I only get around four periods a year (not that I'm complaining)? A simple blood test could give me a definite answer.
The business school's experiments were usually dry (negotiation scenarios, factors in decision-making, etc), but Neuroscience had some interesting ones. For a sleep study, I had to take a nap in a makeshift "bedroom" furnished with only an Ikea bed and a chair next to it. I slipped under the covers and tried to get sleepy while he stuck on some electrodes. I felt pressured to fall asleep so I could give them some good REM cycle brainwaves, but it took forever. I finally fell into a half-sleep and dreamed that the researcher had come back and was standing in the doorway shining a flashlight on my face. I woke up fully when his voice came over the intercom: "Okay, you can wake up now."
My friend Sara (a terribly smart girl) had designed a few experiments of her own, and she suckered me into being her subject twice. This involved pulling on a swim cap modified with plastic-rimmed holes through which she squirted some sort of gel. There's nothing quite like the feeling of cold gel oozing through your hair and onto your scalp. God, I'm such a good friend.
Monday, November 7, 2011
Ann's Misadventures - #2
Sometimes you just need to resist the urge to be nice or gentle and firmly say "NO!" Ann has a hard time with this pretty frequently, and the results are...well, you'll see.
[Ann]
**********
Yeah, The Cure is totally killer. I mean, out of all the bands I listen to, I love killing while listening to them the most.
Wait, whaaaaaaaaaaAAAAA?
Man, the Jew in me WISHES I got everything with a discount. That'd be amazing. And, no, I don't take anything. Sorry to crush your hopes and dreams. Oh, and I'm a freelance writer. Gotta use that energy for something! What do you do?
Damn, girl! You're hanging out with friends? Shiiiiit! Lucky! Actually, that sounds way more fun than my day of doing the laundry, going to the gymbo, and cooking. Wanna switch?
Oh, and I ONLY messaged you because you were a wannabe Jew. Durrr. Wait, you were a wannabe Jew? WTF? Haha! Stop copying my religion!! :D
OK, I'm going back to bed. I'm lame!
Peace,
[Ann]
btw i have a date i couldn't get out of tomorrow night
i'm so not looking forward to it.....the guy's personality is SUPER loud
i just fwded yj a msg he sent me awhile back
i'll send it to you for laughs
just so you know what i'm dealing with
can you IMAGINE me with this type of person
**********
Yeah, The Cure is totally killer. I mean, out of all the bands I listen to, I love killing while listening to them the most.
Wait, whaaaaaaaaaaAAAAA?
Man, the Jew in me WISHES I got everything with a discount. That'd be amazing. And, no, I don't take anything. Sorry to crush your hopes and dreams. Oh, and I'm a freelance writer. Gotta use that energy for something! What do you do?
Damn, girl! You're hanging out with friends? Shiiiiit! Lucky! Actually, that sounds way more fun than my day of doing the laundry, going to the gymbo, and cooking. Wanna switch?
Oh, and I ONLY messaged you because you were a wannabe Jew. Durrr. Wait, you were a wannabe Jew? WTF? Haha! Stop copying my religion!! :D
OK, I'm going back to bed. I'm lame!
Peace,
Michael
**********
[me]
oh my god....
i couldn't even laugh
i'm just cringing
so very cringing....
[Ann]
when he said "and no, i don't take anything" it was in response to me asking him if he's on drugs
i know xtine... i know. what was i thinking
[me]
what do you mean you couldn't get out of it?
[Ann]
this is like all the worst of evan
well i flaked on him twice already...
like two separate dates
but he seemed kinda sad about it?
[me]
i guess it's nice of you to give the guy a chance?
i guess it's nice of you to give the guy a chance?
[Ann]
he texted me after i flaked the first time and said
"i know, you'll have to meet me sometime :( i'm sorry!"
"i know, you'll have to meet me sometime :( i'm sorry!"
which... i mean...........
when you hear that..........
what am i, a puppy kicker?
[me]
LOL
[Ann]
i gotta go...
[me]
no! just when it was getting so hilarious!
[Ann]
oh no i meant i had to go on that date
esp at this point if i just say no he'll be like "wtf did you waste my time"
so i gotta do it!!
watch i end up falling in love with him
i'll invite you to our wedding
Somehow I've forgotten how that date went. Maybe Ann managed to flake one last time and convinced the guy to finally give up the chase.
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