tavie.com

Last night erin and I watched Perfect Strangers before falling asleep and it was an episode where Balki had insomnia. I recalled that I particularly like to watch tv shows where the characters have insomnia, because it helps me sleep.

So I have decided to make a compilation tape of tv shows with insomnia episodes. Help me think of more. This is what I have so far:

MASH - 2.05 "Dr. Pierce and Mr. Hyde"

Family Ties - 4.11 How Do You Sleep?

Perfect Strangers - 2-15 BEAUTIFUL DREAMER

Mary Tyler Moore Show - 7.15 Mary's Insomnia

Odd Couple - 2.10 The Insomniacs

Why are you in Tavie's head? 5:11 PM | shower me with attention

don't know. i never went to a prom or anything, hell, i never had a boyfriend or any of that nonsense, and i never even graduated.

Neither did I, neither did I, and neither did I. High school was a big nothing for me and it ended extremely quickly.

it doesn't make me regret anything i didn't do; actually, i feel like dropping out was the best decision at that time.

Me neither. It was not only the best thing I could do, it was really the only thing I could do at the time.

It's strange that I still feel the repercussions of it from time to time-- like when people talk about their proms or high school reunions or high school boyfriends-- but I also feel a little sorry that kids who are living it at the time don't realize how ultimately unimportant it will turn out to be for them. Of course there's no way they could realize it, because whatever your life is at the present moment is as big as anything could be.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 2:20 AM | shower me with attention

Friday, May 16, 2003

Today my parents took the babies for their first vet's appointment. Apparently the vet, one Dr. Z, fell in love with them, and pronounced them extremely healthy and well-adjusted putty-tats. I wish I'd been there. Mom said he was cuddling them and kissing them and that they didn't cry at all when he gave them their shots.

Now I miss my kittens, so I'm going to go hunt down Spike and force him to cuddle with me. Little bastard chewed through my yarn three times last night.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 4:21 PM | shower me with attention

I figured out how to work around the anthro theory class, which is only offered in the fall so I have to take it next semester, no matter what.

My fall schedule will be very demanding, for me. For one thing, I'll have to be at work by 9 like a normal person, which will kill me anway. I have no trouble getting in at 9:45, but for some reason just getting in on time at 9:30 is unbelievably difficult. Oh, and no lunch break on Mondays or it won't work.

I'll still have Fridays completely free, though. But Wednesdays are gonna break my ass. They are. Work from 9-5, then school from 8-9:40. And what am I gonna do between 5 and 8? Shit. I have big gaps like that every day except Monday. This is why they need to install beds in school. I'll be napping on couches at school for 2-3 hours a day, 3 days a week.

And I'm taking Latin (fuck!), Math (DOUBLE FUCK!) and Anthro theory (YAWN). The only easy class is something called "Color as Communication", an art class I chose to fill the big gap on Mondays. It works towards my minor, although I don't need any more art classes, and anyway I have to use up some more credits. Even after all my requirements are filled, I'll have to get rid of 22 credits somehow. Preferably with bullshit courses, thank you very much, such as "Color as Communication". What can that mean?

Anyhow, I guess it could be worse.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 2:36 PM | shower me with attention

Why the fuck is the last anthro class I need to fulfill my major only available at 2:45 pm? I can't possibly arrange my work schedule around that.

Motherfucker. I really am never going to graduate.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 2:09 PM | shower me with attention

Yesterday we went briefly over the Maya and the Inca for our test on Tuesday. Since I'm going to have to know it (I should be reading those chapters right now), I might as well say here that Maya was the first Mesoamerican state society, arisen from the tradition of the Olmecs, which were a Presclassic complex chiefdom from the Yucatan. The most important factor in the development of Maya society were trade networks and religious ideology, and the Mayan writing system developed around the first century C.E. It developed out of their calendric system. Tikal was an important city. They eventually collapsed after the seventh century C.E. due to population pressures.

As for South America, the Incan Empire was based in the Andes mountains. Their capital city was Cuzco. The most important factor in the development of complex societies in South America was the environment. All of their states developed in deserts, coastal and highland, and El Nino and drought played huge factors in the development of complex technologies and irrigation systems, often theorized to be prime factors in the development of state societies. The Incans did not have a writing system, but rather a complicated counting system which they used for record-keeping, comprised of knots. Yes, knots. This was called the quipa. The Incans were conquered in 1534 by Pizarro. This conquest was facilitated by the intense internal strife between Incan chiefdoms.

Yes, I have a lot of reading to do.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 1:39 PM | shower me with attention

Thursday, May 15, 2003

It's so hard to get out of bed when there's a kitten purring in your lap.

I have been calling her "Little Missy Maya Moo". This must cease immediately, as she'll never learn to answer to "Maya" if I don't call her "Maya". Then she'll be a grown-up cat with the undignified apellation "Little Missy Maya Moo".

I blame Little Missy Rynn, who calls her cat Maudry "Miss Moo".

I can't seem to make myself read archaeology. It's so dull. There's nothing duller than reading about ancient Egypt. I mean it. I learned all this stuff years ago and no one should have to learn boring things twice. It isn't right, it isn't fair. And I'm still three chapters behind and the final is on Tuesday. And the kittens won't read it for me; I asked them. I'm gonna see if Spike and Riley will learn it for me instead.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 9:55 AM | shower me with attention

Buy me this book.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 1:49 AM | shower me with attention

Wednesday, May 14, 2003

Last night was so great. The only thing better than a planned horror-movie fest is an impromptu one. And the only thing stranger than Howling II: Your Sister is a Werewolf is a movie where Ray Milland's head is transplanted onto Rosey Grier's body.

The whole movie was either Rosey and Ray squished together in bed with a sheet up to their necks, or else Rosey running around with a rubber head on his shoulder. They didn't even try.

It's all right to cry, little boys. I know some big boys who cry too...

Why are you in Tavie's head? 11:23 PM | shower me with attention

HAPPY KITANA DAY!!!!!

I can't believe she's 22. I really can't. When we first met she was 16 and we were going to see The Buddy Cole show at stupid, overpriced Caroline's. And now she's 22. How'd that even happen?

Well, let me tell you why I'm proud of her: she's in Quebec right now, in a town whose name I can't remember. She's gonna be there for weeks and weeks immersing herself in the French language. She doesn't even HAVE to do it-- she's just enriching herself. You can imagine how particularly impressive this is to a language-phobic like moi. But that's how Kit is. She's like Hermione Granger and Lisa Simpson, only she's got the unique ability to relate, that compassion that so many overachievers seem to lack, and so you have to love her even more for her accomplishments. That's a difficult balance. It's so difficult that most of us end up going the Bart or the Ron Weasley route instead. But she puts in the effort because that's what makes her tick.

Hello, I'm James Caan, I want to find out what makes you tick.

Huh? I think it's time for me to drink another cup of coffee. This caffeine-deprived insane birthday ramble has gone on long enough.

OH MY GOD, I'M ROBO-ROACH!!!!

Why are you in Tavie's head? 2:36 PM | shower me with attention

How come when I get a hank of yarn it tangles up right away? Andrew is sleeping over tonight and we've been sitting here for the past 3 hours trying to untangle my yarn, and watching bad horror movies on tv.

By the way, may I just say: fucking allergies. Hate the allergies. Who here hates the allergies? Honk if you hate the allergies. Oh, and senseless evil. Honk if you hate senseless evil. You too? Wow!

Why are you in Tavie's head? 1:33 AM | shower me with attention

Tuesday, May 13, 2003

I'm so damn tired. So damn tired. Today is Spring Cleaning in my office and I spent the whole morning doing heavy lifting and kneeling and dragging and tying and the whole afternoon sitting at my desk staring blankly at the computer. I really need to sleep right now. But I can't 'cause I have to go to school.

I've never been this exhausted at work before. I could honestly drop off right now.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 3:46 PM | shower me with attention

"Oh no, I'm not marginalized enough. I wish I belonged to an historically oppressed group so I could wear fancy tee shirts and lecture people about equality. I'm just not special enough the way I am. Ooh, I know! I'll be gay! Or at least admit to having bisexual feelings and use that as an excuse to join a support group."

This isn't anyone in particular, just a trend that continues to irk me.

Will the real homosexuals please step forward and tell the fashionable homosexuals to go have some sex before they bulk-order the club tee shirt?

Why are you in Tavie's head? 3:42 PM | shower me with attention

There they are!!!!

Thanks, erin!

Why are you in Tavie's head? 10:04 AM | shower me with attention

Yo, Gert. Yo! Gert!

I love yogurt.

I would like to spell it yoghurt but I already use up my allotted spelling affectation with all the colour-neighbour-fervour.

I wish I had another cat to name. I would call her Gert. Yo, Gert! I would cry. And when people say, "Why Gert?" I can pretend it's short for Gertie and I'm making an allusion to Winsor McKay. But really it would be an allusion to my favourite dairy product.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 12:46 AM | shower me with attention

Monday, May 12, 2003

Yarn came today from this company, which is a small farm run by a family. They didn't charge me shipping and their prices are fantastic. (Only drawback, they were out of my first two color choices.)

However, I am absolutely delighted with the color I ended up with, which in reality is a lot more golden and less brown than it appears on my monitor. It's beautiful. Of course my needles are at Mint Manor so I can't start my sweater until this weekend. But that's okay, I have to catch up on both my cashmere-lace scarf and my archaeology reading.

I handed in my Research Proposal today a week early. It was our last class, and no formal presentations after all. Whew. I was one of four people out of about 30 who handed in their papers early. Not only that, but, uncharacteristically, I spoke twice in class, both times to offer helpful suggestions to others and both times earning praise from the professor.

Good day.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 9:02 PM | shower me with attention

I had forgotten what it was like to have kittens around, because there hadn't been kittens in the household since Rosie and Lily were babies, and it's hard to remember very well because I was just a kitten myself then. Well, seven.

Here's something about kittens: their little tummies pooch out after they've eaten a meal. I looked it up and it's normal, so I'm allowed to find it incredibly cute. Little distended kitten bellies. You have to kiss them, they're such cute bellies.

The yarn for my long-awaited sweater has arrived, as well as the rest of the yarn for my cashmere-lace scarf, but now all I want to do is knit cat toys.

I'm sorry if this is starting to be sickening, but I have to enjoy it while I can. Before you know it they're grown up.

I've been thinking about them all day. I can't wait to get home and play with them. But first I have to listen to 40 Research Proposal Presentations, and give a brief talk about mine. CONSARNIT.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 4:45 PM | shower me with attention

I just got a call on my cell phone for Tiffany. I haven't gotten one of those in awhile. After 9/10/01, when I lost my cell phone after leaving it in sociology class, I started receiving a lot of calls on the new one I bought to replace the lost one (with the number transferred over, of course) asking for Tiffany. I hadn't gotten one in a long while, though.

This time I asked the person who Tiffany was and if she was the person who had stolen my phone, because I'd gotten a lot of calls for Tiffany since losing it. The girl was very flustered when I hung up on her.

I suppose that was a mean thing to do, as it wasn't her fault that her friend Tiffany is an idiot.

Yeah, that was pretty mean. Oh well.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 3:18 PM | shower me with attention

The office-supply store down the street went out of business and today they were loading an assload of unsold office chairs into their trucks. Someone from my office alerted everyone that they were selling the unsold chairs for $10 apiece. So I went down. When I got there they were $5 apiece. Good chairs: padded, rolly, arms. Far cry from the folding chairs we've been using at home at the computer desk. So I bought one.

I hope I can convince Someone to drop by my office tomorrow and take it to my apartment for me, as it's far too unweildly to roll to class and I can't skip class today. We're presenting our research proposals to the class. Ulp.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 3:04 PM | shower me with attention

Even if the kittens didn't think it was playtime right now, I wouldn't be able to sleep.

I'm trying to sleep on the couch, though, 'cause of the whole kittens-chasing-eachother-across-my-face thing is getting old. Kirsten's lucky they're too small to reach the top bunk.

But my insomnia has been horrible lately. I actually have gone to bed after 5 am and risen before noon every night this weekend, which is very unusual, indicating no make-up sleep for the insomnia I suffered last week. I know that doesn't seem bad, but I generally average 10 hours a night on the weekends to make up for the 5 hours-if-I'm-lucky on weeknights. And I'm a person who needs about 9 to feel right. So I'm tired all the time.

This gets worse and worse. The best nights last week were the ones where, because of the dust from cleaning, I had no choice but to take Benadryl and thus got a good night's sleep.

And I can be so fucking SLEEPY, right up until the point where I close my eyes and try to sleep. I think I've convinced myself, deep down, that I can't fall asleep, and so now I can't. It's gotten insane lately. I'm turning into a freak. I'm turning into Gina. Who at least practices good sleep hygiene.

I need to purchase a mallet and find a person with muscular arms to swing it at my head.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 2:28 AM | shower me with attention

Sunday, May 11, 2003

Paper done!

Why are you in Tavie's head? 9:59 PM | shower me with attention

I've written over half the allotted amount of acceptable pages for my proposal, and I've only written 2/5th of the sections that need to be included in it. For the first time in my life I'm finding the difficulty in paring down. It's hard not to say too much. This never happens to me. Usually I have too little to say, and end up padding. But about this topic, I could go on and on. I actually over- researched.

This is both frustrating and exciting. I can be this interested in a subject?

I'm home now, and no one else is. I wonder where everyone went. I think my mom said something about Tante Joan taking her out for Mother's Day? What's that about? Aren't her children supposed to take her out?

I bought a bunch of toys for my new babies and they're having a grand old time.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 6:59 PM | shower me with attention

I saw a really good short film today called "Helping Joe". It would sort of ruin it to explain it, but you should see it.

Well, you really can't right now because it's a student film, but in a fair world it would be widely distributed and appreciated by the people of the world.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 1:20 AM | shower me with attention

I feel less freaked out about the paper because the hard part is getting in The Zone but once I'm in The Zone I have little trouble writing it. Tomorrow I'm going to go work on it for a few hours at Gina's office.

Now I'm stressed because I just realized that in ten days I have a test on four chapters in my archaeology book and I haven't read a single page of them. It's the furthest I've let myself fall behind all semester. I haven't read a thing since before the last exam. I just want school to be over. The weather's so nice.

I know my workload is relatively light. I keep it light so that I can maintain my grades. It works nicely, except that, at this rate, I'll never graduate...

Anyway. I'm at Mint Manor tonight because it was weird being away, but I do miss the new kitties.

erin took some pictures of the babies today and in one of them she said Inca looks like Smeagol, and he really does, so now I want Inca's name to be Smeagol, but I think it's too late. Poor Inca-dinka-doo. He does look like a little Jim Henson/Brian Froud creation. He's the runt of the litter so his mama ignored him. But I saved him. He's my baby now.

Why are you in Tavie's head? 12:58 AM | shower me with attention