I may not know much...

... but I still feel compelled to write a how-to.

Some of my favorite bloggers do these how-to's regularly, and I've always found it to be interesting reading.


Two or three topics come to mind today, all springing from the past 24 hours or so.

In chronological order, because there is otherwise no connective thread what-so-ever, except maybe you could say the theme centers around "breaking all the rules".

How To Ride A Bike Wearing A Skirt Or A Dress

This morning, my mom really wanted to know how this is possible. Really, shorter is better, until a certain point, I'm sure. I guess I mean: avoid long or voluminous. I ride in dresses frequently, because I like to wear dresses and skirts. Jeans are difficult when it's hot out and I like jeans that are on the tighter side, anyways, so they just aren't that great when I'm riding. When you are cycling, I doubt if anyone really sees anything, but be prepared for hoots and whistles (best to just smile and ignore; you don't want to let it distract you, lest you lose your balance).

If you are going to wear a skirt with a little more volume, like I did to my archaeology meeting yesterday, what you do is straddle the bike before you sit down. Then pull the skirt to one side and use the opposite side's hand to hold it down to the back of your thigh where it comes close to your body, while the other hand holds the rest of it up and to the side. Then, while your hand is on your leg, fold the skirt that is up and to the side behind you, under your ass, and sit down on it. Now you have a shorter, tighter skirt which is perfecto. Not going to get caught in your non-danish bicycle.


How To Not Be A Bitch To The Guys That You Like

You might get a lot of feedback from the girls you know who say that the only man worth dating is one who is going to rearrange his entire life to shower YOU with attention (I seriously have had girlfriends tell me to ditch someone I was seeing because he had his own life in addition to the time we spent together), but I hope you put that idea aside for a moment and listen to what I have to say.

That is asking for too much. My goodness! Would you want someone to ask that of you?? Really? And it's the kind of thing that can be addictive, but it's definately not healthy. The giver gets worn out and the recipient grows numb.

To not be a bitch, all you have to do is treat others with the kind of respect you expect to be treated with yourself, and to not ask of someone more than you know you can give, without giving too much. That means that personal boundaries are PERSONAL. I'm not saying that you won't naturally develop closeness with someone you spend time with, but I'm saying that you don't have to try to infiltrate like you've been hired by the Dept of Homeland Security.

Also:how can someone be interesting to you if all they like is you? And, how can you expect that a normal human being won't be interested in dating other awesome people too? Aren't you dating other people too? Exactly.


How To Discuss Religion With An Evangelical Christian (Without Arguing)
Translate what you have to, in your mind, so that their points make sense to you on your own level.

Mention that you don't want to "put God in a box". They will understand this terminology.

Nod, when you somewhat comprehend. Sip your coffee and neutrally state that you don't understand when something is beyond your sphere of understanding or intrest.

If you have NO acceptance for ANY version of God/Infinite Wisdom/Universe, then you might want to not attempt this one at all! :-P

I'm home from my archaeology meeting

... and feeling pretty excited. I've only ever worked on paleontology digs, but pretty soon I will be getting some practical experience!


My boss, Bill Hemme, and the director of social sciences at SPC are both in my corner about getting this work classified as "co-op work experience", too, so I'll be earning credits at the same time.


Oh, yeah, and I did about 15 miles today. woo.

a work in progress

Look at my new back-rack! I have not only mobility, but carrying-power!!!





Brian was so very sweet to not only deliver the part, but to install it, too. And, the install ended up requiring modifications (bending/drilling various spots) since my bike is such an old cheapie. After we got drunkish, and before he got really serious at making it work, he suggested something about maybe not needing to modify, but just getting a new bike for the new rack! Haha, very funny (rolling eyes).

In it's defense, the bike is functional, and was practically free.

One last thing: would it be wrong to mention that hot guys are hotter than normal when they are fixing something for you?

nerd alert

I got 102% on my history exam from last week, woohoo! And I, the most perpetually late person ever, turned in my colonial paper for that class a week early.

Actually, I am not behind in any of my classes, and my grades are pretty good, so far.

But, combined with work and the kids school stuff... it has been a grueling week. On Monday night, in Chem lecture the man next to me fell into a dead sleep, and there is nothing that could make someone want to sleep more than Dr. Herod's powerpoint lecture and a sleeper to the left of you. I caught myself nodding a little, and had to exercise extreme self control.

I REAAAALLy wanted to skip on Tuesday and go back to bed, or at least skip Trig, my 9:30 am class, because I was running on a total of 9 hours sleep over three days. But I dragged myself there. And it was rough. But it's a good thing I was there, because we discussed graphing tangent and cotangent waves, and LET ME TELL YOU, that is not as easy as sine and cosine waves!



What made me go was that:

1) In the spring I was so lazy and wasn't able to complete Statistics, which I am still embarrassed about.

2) I really want to go to field school in [insert most awesome wilderness here, because I don't want to announce more it until it's set in stone], and if I fail now, I'll mess that all up.

3) Working in the Math/Sci dept makes me interact with my prof's more (3 of my 5 prof's are in Math/Sci), so skipping to sleep seemed like more of a bad idea than it normally would.

Abba Oil and the Angle of Death

My mom ran out of anointing oil from the Holy Land. Not 'The Holy Land' in Orlando, where you can walk through Bible stories and buy caps and tees emblazoned with Judeo-Christian slogans. I mean the Holy Land everyone fights about.

Anyways, that neither here nor there.

So, she ran out (PROBABLY BECAUSE SHE'S CONSTANTLY ANOINTING MY CHILDREN) and I did a "nice thing" and ordered her another little bottle.

We'll call it My Good Deed of the week.

After that, sadly, she and I had an argument that had nothing to do with religion and everything to do with me being capable to manage simple things in my life, and for my kids. I believe the real root of the fight was that I need exercise in order to feel like a real live human being, without it I feel awful, like I just want to lay around and feel sicker and deader.

So, tonight, I a long ride (9 miles), ad it gt me in the mood to apologize to her. But not before I had to leap into bushes from the bike. Yes, I leapt. Into bushes. Instead of dying (or probably just skinning my knees).

See, I picked up a lot of speed coming down Gulf to Bay from Hillcrest (which is at the top of a hill, of course). The sidewalk is great on that stretch of my route, until the Angle; 90 degrees and narrow AND bordered by a high curb. And at the bottom of a hill.

And do you know Ms. Mitchell, my chem lab prof WARNED me today that something bad might happen, after Greg and I were giggling, devilishly, about a psychological trial involving titration with burets holding ONLY WATER, Mwah HAHAHAAHAHA.

Can you tell I love titrating? And Greg, my upgrade-lab-partner, is color blind!

Well, the Angle of Death is what happened to me. Photo to come, if I can manage it tommorrow.

...ever the student

I finally met Bonnie tonight, and I believe she accepted me as an acolyte/apprentice. She gently reminded me that we place our shells facing upwards, open, on the Mesa, but otherwise said mine is lovely (it really is) and that I am doing everything I need to.

In a couple of weeks I think we're going to have more time to sit down at my Mesa and do some actual work, since tonight was busy. Lot's of people there, at Sacred Lands, for the get-together, but only 5 mesa-carriers, including myself.

Oh, and Cora was SO mad at me afterwards when I mentioned to her that the guest musician was singing cool traditional Sioux songs... She loves this sort of thing!

Oh, yeah... they are having an archaeology event next Saturday evening, too, if you are interested. That will not be a night of meditation, as far as I know (in case that kind of thing scares you off). It's going to be pretty educational... oh, yeah, forgot to mention: I was invited to come work with this team, the Central Gulf Coast Arch. Society. It was even suggested that I try to get school credit for the internship!

Anyways, far as my Mesa practice; well, it's quite likely that you now think I'm totally nuts, but I guess that's how it is sometimes. ;-)


In other news, this week is going to be fun and different and everything like that.

Con is (most likely) starting preschool tommorrow, which is good, since I work and go to school 5 days/week. We ended up picking a very Christian preschool, of all things.

I am really happy with the choice, though. It's true that Harry is an athiest and I am "other", but this school is so great. A perfect fit for us, even though he will be going to chapel and whatnot.