So it goes.

WANTED: Concert Buddy

Mon, 03 Aug 2009 02:41:44 GMT

Job Description

Job Title: Concert Buddy

Summary: Concert buddy for a 29 year-old, music loving, geek girl. A typical day on the job would include carpooling to the selected concert venue, participating in small talk, and enjoying the show. Geek ranting and squeeing like a fangirl over the selected bands is encouraged but not required. Pre-show dinner and/or after show snacks are also encouraged but not required.

Qualifications: Dependability (no last-minute flaking), punctuality (I DO NOT like to be late to anything), reliable transportation, and similar taste in music.***

Experience: At least 1 year of concert going experience at small venues (eg. Toad's Place, The National, The Norva, Rock & Roll Hotel, etc.)

Location: Richmond and surrounding cities, Tidewater, DMV, occasionally NC or Atlanta

Hours: 3-5 hours per week, weeknights and weekends

Compensation: Fun and good company (and occasionally a free ticket)

To Apply: Please comment with name, location, email address, and first date of availability. Multiple openings!

***For examples of my musical taste, please see my last.fm profile: Click Here to view last.fm profile

Those available for the Noisettes show in D.C. on August 12, 2009 are encouraged to apply.

Goodbye to a dear friend...

Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:35:24 GMT

Chris was one of my boys. He was part of that core group of guys that every girl has in her life that mean the world to her. They come along after fathers, brothers, uncles, cousins...but before serious boyfriends, husbands, and sons. They set the bar and they set it high. They are the ones you expect to be beside you always...no matter how many years pass by where you don't see each other.

The last time I saw him was about four years ago. We ran into each other at Walnut Hill Pharmacy, and before that we probably hadn't seen each other since high school graduation. There was no lack of recognition, no awkward small talk...he just gave me that Chris smile and nearly knocked me over with one of those huge Chris hugs, and it was like no time had passed at all. With him, I always knew that it wouldn't matter whether three years or thirty years passed, we would always be cool. I just knew that our friendship would always be as easy as it was in 8th grade when we both went to the Peabody Spring Dance with other people, but spent the whole night talking to each other instead of our dates.

Since that last time I saw him, I've thought about him often...wondered what he was up to. I would always tell myself that I'd try to hunt down his phone number and catch up with him next week. When next week came I'd say I'd do it next week, and the week after, and the week after. The idea that at some point there might not be a next week never crossed my mind. We're not supposed to lose our friends, not yet...but life doesn't always happen the way it's supposed to.

I'm completely heartbroken right now, but I know it was meant to break. If it was whole there wouldn't be a piece that belongs to him, but I'm glad there is. I'm lucky to have known him. I'm lucky to have had the time with him that I did. I will miss him so much I can't even put it into words, but I'll take some comfort in knowing that he's looking out for all of us now.

There are so many things I never got the chance to say, so I just wanted to put this out there in the universe in the hopes that it'll get to him somehow. Chris, I can't see you or touch you or hear you...but you're still one of my boys, you always will be.

Say What Wednesday on Twitter

Wed, 08 Apr 2009 17:06:57 GMT

If you're a Twitter addict like myself, you already know about Follow Friday. Follow Friday is cool, but kind of boring. It's a rare occasion when I actually find someone new and interesting to follow on Follow Friday. I want to start something new. I want to know embarrassing tidbits of information about my friends that I can file away for later use. That's why I'm starting Say What Wednesday. What do you do on Say What Wednesday? You make a confession about yourself. Embarrassing, funny, just plain weird...it doesn't matter. It can be a picture, a statement, or both...just make sure you hash tag it as #saywhatwednesday. Here's mine...

My Say What Wednesday Confession: I own this: http://twitpic.com/309dy and I like it. #saywhatwednesday

Follow me on Twitter! twitter.com/CMitchell317

Writer's Block: Nature Gone Wild

Fri, 14 Nov 2008 03:33:11 GMT

Field mice always sleep facing northwest. Kangaroos can't walk backwards. Female hyenas have penises. Let's face it, nature is weird. What's the strangest thing you know about the animal kingdom?

Submitted By kaley_93

View 500 Answers

What's the weirdest thing I know about nature? Oddly enough, the weirdest (well, not necessarily weirdest but definitely the most disturbing) thing I know comes as an unfortunate by-product of being an Anthropology major and taking Primate Behavioral Ecology. CHIMPS EAT MONKEYS...that's right, they're carnivorous. Actually, they're omnivorous like us (we are all apes after all). They specifically like to hunt and east red colobus monkeys. They'll jump on that like a crack fiend on a loose rock. Growing up, we go to zoos and watch television, we see chimps in captivity and it's all happy happy joy joy...then you become an Anthropology major and your blissful ignorance gets shot to hell! You get shown a video footage from a study of chimps in the wild and your world gets turned upside down. You think those driver's ed car crash videos are disturbing? Sex ed birth videos made your stomach churn? Oh no, you haven't seen anything yet.

Where in the World is Carm...uh, I mean, The Juiceman?

Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:12:55 GMT

Does anyone remember Jay "The Juiceman" Kordich? You know...old dude, insane eyebrows, used to hock juicers before Jack LaLanne came along and stole his thunder. What happened to that guy? Did LaLanne take him out or something? His eyebrows creeped me out, but I kind of miss his juice related enthusiasm. Jack LaLanne never pushed parsley:

Here's Jim Carrey mocking him on In Living Color:

Blatant.Music.Snobbery

Thu, 25 Sep 2008 14:01:32 GMT

Hello Friendly People,

I just wanted to let you all know that I've started a new community called Blatant.Music.Snobbery. It's for exactly what it sounds like...a place for me (and you, if you wish to join in) to rant about musicc. If you too are a music snob, or even if you're not...stop on by and tell us what you're listening to. Link below...

http://community.livejournal.com/music_snobbery/

Weird Survey

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 03:41:01 GMT

*Describe yourself using one band and song titles from that band*
Choose a band/artist and answer only in song TITLES by that band::	Rilo Kiley
Are you male or female::	Female
Describe yourself::	Don't Deconstruct
How do some people feel about you::	Asshole
How do you feel about yourself::	The Good That Won't Come Out
Describe your ex girlfriend/boyfriend::	Portions for Foxes
Describe your current girlfriend/boyfriend::	I Never
Describe where you want to be::	85
Describe what you want to be::	More Adventurous
Describe how you live::	The Absence of God
Describe how you love::	Science vs. Romance
Share a few words of wisdom:	Small Figures in a Vast Expanse
Take this survey \| Find more surveys Bzoink - The Original Survey Site

Bonnaroo!

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 01:25:55 GMT

R.I.P. Digital Camera

Thu, 03 Apr 2008 22:03:06 GMT

That's right friends, this is a sad day. My trusty old Kyocera digital camera died on me. It was only 3.3 megapixels, but we had some good times and took a lot of good pictures. Oh well, I guess it was time for an upgrade anyway. Needless to say, I won't be taking many photographs until I get a new one. I would love to get a digital SLR, but they're so expensive. My skills aren't up to par for that kind of investment. Maybe a manual SLR. I've seen a few things I like in the Lomography shop as well. In the meanwhile, I'll just have to make do with my Polaroid 440 land camera:

It isn't too much of a hassle to find film for it, but finding flash cubes is harder than finding Waldo.

It's good to be home.

Mon, 24 Mar 2008 22:43:54 GMT

Finally! It seems like I've been gone forever...but it has really only been two weeks. I was down in Atlanta, GA training for my new job from March 10th through the 21st. It was fun. I like my boss and the other's in the company a lot. I got to see a lot of my old haunts and swing by my alma matter. Good times...but hotels still freak me out so it's nice to be back. Over the weekend I just watched movies and browsed YouTube. Here's what I've been watching:

This first one is Sara Ramirez singing a song called "Grateful" at the Good Medicine benefit. There's not much I need to say about this one. It's Sara Ramirez...I adore her and her voice is insane. She's so talented it's almost not fair.

This next one features my second favorite singer, Shingai Shoniwa of the Noisettes. I love the album version of IWE, but there's just something so gorgeous and raw about this version...it's incredible (and so is Shingai's voice).

You've got to know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em...

Sat, 08 Mar 2008 04:08:15 GMT

Dear friends and wanderers,

I folded 'em. If you're wondering what I'm talking about by now, I'm referring to my short career as a high school biology teacher. After a long and tortuous six months, I decided to resign...and after what happened at that school today, it looks like I did it just in time. There was a bomb threat and apparently a riot. I got a first hand account from a couple of the kids who were there and it looks like it was a pretty bad situation all around. It's possible that the kids are exaggerating, but based on the things I witnessed when I was there...I don't think so. However, the school system seems to be trying to play it down to the media.

Those kids are out of control and they behave that way because they know there won't be any real consequences. Teachers can write referrals until their hands are numb and all the kids get is a few days of ISS (if anything at all, on several occasions I've gotten the referral back with a note to call the parent first...what do the administrators do then?). What happened to the days of immediate and heavy consequences? They're putting all their efforts into getting these kids to pass the SOLs, but how are they supposed to do that when they're allowed to run wild? If there's ever going to be any hope of gaining accreditation, the disciplinary procedure is going to have to be revamped first. Even the cream of the crop can't thrive in chaos.

I can't say the experience was all bad. A few (very few) of my students were a pleasure to work with and I feel so sorry for them because they have to deal with these types of situations. I gave it a try--maybe in another place it would have been different. I genuinely thought that teaching would be a career that I would enjoy. I truly believed that I'd have students who were interested in learning. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't expecting some utopia...I went to that school and I know better, but I was expecting it to be a lot better than it was. It's a different place from the one I left ten years ago...and it definitely hasn't changed for the better.

That place--that place is crushing. I wasn't happy there at all and I don't believe in doing things that don't make me happy. Life is much too short for that. I took a gamble--I know that. I took a gamble that would have devastated my life had things not worked out. I was confident that I had a pretty good chance of getting this new job, but I didn't know for sure that I had it...but I left the school anyway. I had to. I firmly believe that money isn't everything. Staying there wasn't worth the money...my life, my health, my happiness...that's worth more than $37,000 a year.

I won't dwell on what could have happened...I'm going to focus on what did happen. I got the job I wanted and I didn't even have to take a pay cut for it. I'm off to Atlanta on Monday for two weeks of training...I'm excited to embark on my next adventure. I'll keep you posted.

Later days,

Cherra

It's The Final Countdown!

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 20:42:54 GMT

After tomorrow I will be free. Free from the insanity that is Petersburg High School. To say I'm excited would be an understatement. I would not be upset if January 2nd took it's sweet time getting here. No really, I wouldn't.

In case you didn't know, I love 80s hair metal. LOVE it. I can find an 80s hair metal song appropriate for any occasion.

Anyway, enjoy your holiday!

What Do You Have To Say? - You Make Me Feel Like Writing

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 03:37:52 GMT

What inspires you to write?

Brought to you by HP

View 435 Answers

What inspires me to write? Everything. If I'm being brutally honest, I really have no choice but to write. Words don't come easily to me when I'm expected to speak them out loud. If you're having a conversation with me that consists of more than just one word answers, there's a 99.9% chance that you've known me for years. Writing? Writing is like breathing to me. Words flow like water from my brain, down my arm, into the tips of my fingers, and finally transfer to the tip of my pen. Inspiration is everywhere...it's just a matter of taking the time to put it down.

Trolle Siebenhaar - Sweet Dogs

Tue, 20 Nov 2007 01:28:27 GMT

I'm loving this song (and video) right now.

An Interesting Meme...

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 05:10:01 GMT

1. Take your answer to each question and type it into Google Image Search
2. Post one of the images from the first page of results.

01. The age you will be on your next birthday:

02. A Place You'd Like To Travel:

03. Your Favorite Place:

04. Your Favorite Object

05. Your Favorite Food:

06. Your Favorite Animal:

07. Your Favorite Color:

08. The Town In Which You Were Born:

09. The Town In Which You Live:

10. The First Name Of A Past Love:

11. Name Of A Past Pet:

12. Best Friend's Nickname:

13. Your Nickname/Screenname? (GigoloJane is one of my screennames)

14. Your First Name:

15. Your Middle Name: (this one doesn't make any sense at all)

16. Your Surname:

17. A Bad Habit Of Yours:

18. Your First Job:

19. Your Grandmother's Name:

20. Your Major In College

Flight Of The Conchords - The Humans Are Dead

Sat, 08 Sep 2007 02:51:59 GMT

My new obsession...

Hollywood and the Fat Chick

Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:26:37 GMT

What Hollywood accepts is what we accept when it comes to body image...that's the way it is, and it's the way it will continue to be. So it's no surprise that there's so much hype surrounding (supposed) larger women on television these days (and I'm writing this with Sara Ramirez and America Ferrara in mind). What I do find surprising is the fact that a lot of people seem to think this signals some great change in society. Would they be so accepted if they didn't look the way they do? I seriously doubt it.

More than once I've come across statements about Sara and America only being accepted because they are women of color. The perceived consensus seems to be that big is beautiful among Latinas and African American women. Really? I beg to differ, and so would...I don't know, Nell Carter? Countess Vaughan (pre weight loss)? Margaret Cho? Let's face the facts here; Hollywood is as shallow as it has ever been...and putting Jennifer Hudson or Queen Latifah on a magazine cover doesn't change that.

Other than being "full figured", these women have a couple of other things in common...each is undeniably beautiful, and exceptionally talented (Hudson, Ramirez, and Latifah could blow our collective eardrums out). Sara Ramirez is gorgeous. Period. If she didn't have that hair, those eyes, that nearly flawless skin...would she have still gotten a feature on AskMen.com? Nope. The same goes for America Ferrara--Ugly Betty isn't so ugly off set...in fact, she far from it. Let's be really honest with ourselves, neither Ramirez nor Ferrara--nor Hudson for that matter--are actually fat. I think we have become so used to seeing what Hollywood has forced down our throats for so long that we no longer recognize a healthy and (for lack of a better word) normal body type.

The fact that these women are being put in the spotlight as if their size is the only thing worth talking about is several levels of sad. That bothers me more than the stick-figure Barbie image Hollywood so lovingly embraces. Can someone please talk about how intelligent and phenomenally talented Sara Ramirez is? This is a woman with an actual functioning brain in her head. Who cares about her dress size...what's her favorite book?

Hollywood, I've got beef with you.

World's Greenest City

Tue, 22 May 2007 14:20:23 GMT

Greetings and salutations! I know, I know...it's been a long time, but I have returned. I don't have much to say at the moment because I'm at work, but when I saw this New York Times article, I just had to post it. It's about Curitiba, Brazil...which is apparently being touted as the greenest city in the world (according to Inhabitat anyway. I actually haven't read the entire article yet, but what I've read so far is fantastic). So check it out...I'll be back later to discuss.

Smells Like Green Spirit

Tue, 30 Jan 2007 15:48:28 GMT

As I performed my daily check of Wired this morning, I happened upon this article and it instantly made my day. Wind energy is something I've been doing a lot of research on as of late. Potential noise levels aside, I've always felt that it would be our best fossil fuel alternative (I don't know what it is, but there's something very sexy about wind turbines. Ok, I'll shut up now). You can read the article for you self (I urge you to), but the gist of it is that a start-up company called Wind Energy Systems Technology (WEST) is making moves and doing big things. They're planning to set up wind turbines on old oil platforms off the coast of Galveston, TX. It's small scale in comparison to the Cape Wind project in the works off the coast of Martha's Vineyard...but they have an advantage since they don't have upper-crusters throwing a monkey wrench in the plans because they don't want to ruin their view.

I always thought the midwest would be the best place for wind farms. I never considered the cost of running lines out to users. It makes a lot more sense to put the out in coastal waters. They guys at WEST are truly brilliant. They're reducing carbon emission by maximizing on a green energy source and they're recycling on a large scale by re-purposing decommissioned oil platforms. They've even had the foresight to consider possible hurricanes and are mounting them on hydraulic lifts (also recycled from oil industry equipment) so they can be lowered.

I only have one concern. If coastal wind farms become widespread, what effect will it have on aquatic wildlife? WEST's project only involves repurposing existing obstructions. What effect would new construction have? I have a lot more research to do, but in the meantime I'll be keeping a close watch on what WEST is up to.

I Believe in a Thing Called Love...

Sun, 19 Nov 2006 06:37:27 GMT

I have inadvertently discovered what may be the most awesomely bad movie ever made. Such is the beauty of watching the Sci-Fi Channel at 1:00 a.m. The movie is called Xtro. It's about a British dude who gets abducted by aliens. His wife thinks he has abandoned her and their son. Three years later, an alien creature lands on earth, rapes and impregnates a woman, and she gives birth to the abducted dude...fully grown. This movie is nuts and I'd be typing forever trying to explain exactly what goes on, but there's more impregnation and alien birthing, inhuman powers, death by screaming, and parental kidnapping. Bad acting, cheap effects, random hot French nanny, nonsensical plot...I'm in love.

All it would need to be true B-movie gold is a cameo by Clint Howard or Joe Estevez.

I Wanna Be Your Dog...

Tue, 14 Nov 2006 02:00:24 GMT

I have nothing to talk about, just wanted to show off the coolest dog in the world. He's my aunt's, but I have partial custody or visitation right or whatever. His name's Bandit...

This Apparatus Must Be Unearthed...

Wed, 25 Oct 2006 00:19:16 GMT

Like any self-respecting anthropology geek, I have a healthy interest in sustainable living and conservation. That being said, I thouroughly enjoy creature comforts and modern conveniences...so ideally, I'd like to have a happy medium. I love the energy sucking box I just signed my life away for...

...but at some point I'd like to practice what I preach, so to speak. A dwelling made from sustainable and/or recycled materials, but with all the comforts of traditional construction.

I've had my eye on the Loftcube Project for a while now. It's a smashing idea. How brilliant is it to utilize all that empty space on top of buildings? Instant urban living. Genius. I would love to have one as a vacation home (perched atop a building on the Amalfi Coast would be great);however, I don't think I'd be able to live in one full time (I realize it's designed for transient living, but that is deserving of a standalone entry). It's so small I could see it becoming claustrophobic really quickly. Privacy issues also pose a problem for couples/roommates/travel buddies due to the openess of the space.

Sky City 1000 is something I'm downright giddy about. It's every anthropologist's dream. Why? Because it utilizes vertical instead of horizontal space...building up instead of out. Maximum living space with minimal habitat destruction. Since it's essentially an overgrown apartment complex, it's suitable for everyone including families.

Living in my trendily furnished Sky City 1000 apartment, with frequent vacations to my Loftcube in Italy...a girl can dream right?

For now I'll just have to settle for installing bamboo flooring in the energy sucking box. Now if I could just convince the city to let me put a couple of wind turbines in the back yard...

Somebody Told Me...

Wed, 18 Oct 2006 02:45:06 GMT

Actually, nobody told me anything...but I did discover this lovely video on YouTube so I thought I'd share. The editing is great...and how amazing are the stills? Enjoy!

(The model in this is Ashley Scott, and she just happens to be the former star of my favorite guilty pleasure show...Birds of Prey)

Straight No Chaser...

Wed, 15 Feb 2006 04:02:46 GMT

So it's Valentine's Day, one of the many so-called holidays I don't give a damn about. I didn't remember until I got to work and was bombarded with the sight of flowers and baloons...red and pink everywhere (two colors I hate by the way). The thing I hate most about today is that people tend to pity you for being alone. I'm sorry, I don't subscribe to the I need/want/gotta have a man newsletter. So not my style. I won't deny that the idea of having a more than friendly partner to do things with crosses my mind, but I just can't make it a priority. If it happens it happens, and even then...I'm not traditional relationship girl. I think long distance would work very well for me. Maybe when I go to school in England I'll find some nice British boy who likes Fugazi and Monty Python. We'll hang out every weekend, but once I graduate I'll come back to my motherland and he'll stay in his but we'll visit each other during summers and holidays. The love of my life forever half a world away...and that suits me just fine.

Here Comes a Regular...

Tue, 14 Feb 2006 03:52:29 GMT

Yes, I know the real title of my song. So I've decided I want to start using this thing. I have lots to rant about and I don't like the format on myspace. However, tonight I have nothing interesting to say as I am hard at work on bastardizing someone else's code to make this thing somewhat presentable. I guess I'll be doing lots of Dreamweaver trial and error experiments tonight...so for now I bid you adieu.