The Special People Club

We had a Director's Meeting at a nice little hotel in Chipping Camden called Cotswold House. This (number 17...go up a few floors) was my room. I took a long, leisurely bath in my giant tub, with a lovely fake digital fire blazing in the bathroom wall on a plasma screen. Then I went and sat on the leather kidney-shaped chaise, called my folks and read my book whilst cozied up to a nice warm fire. Slept in the plush down comfort of my giant bed. Woke to a knock on the door bearing a warm pot of coffee and porridge (steel-cut oat kind) served with scotch whisky, maple sugar and double cream and a side of delicious local organic sausages. Ate that at my little table whilst I watched the sheep on a morning herd-run in the fields above the neighbouring stone cottages and read the FT. Oh. And we had a lovely dinner on Sunday and a business meeting on Monday, too.

CP is from Brooklyn. I, however, need to be on the other side of the bridge. My results tell me.... You Belong in Soho Although you may not be a professional artist, you do dabble in one form of art or another. And you indie culture of all kinds - from little botiques to art house films. Where Should Your Inner New Yorker Live?

I've always had body in my hair. It's been wavy. Just enough to give me hair that will do pretty much what I want it to. But not curly hair. Wavy hair. Then I moved to England. There must be perm solution in the damn water. That, or little beauty elves are putting my hair in curlers every night. Since I came here, my hair has gotten progressively curlier. We're talking curl-from-the-root, corkscrewy ringlets. It's weird, what since I'm 40 and, other than some grey creeping in (or in my case stampeding like vikings on the pillage). Worse yet, it's made my hair progressively unruly. I haven't had to manage this sort of thing before, so I don't know how. It frizzes. It goes batty askew. When you cut it, be very cautious about the layering or they will give you a giant curl helmet. Which is what I have now. My hair was too long and needed some shape. Went to a stylist recommended by a friend. And she layered it a little too much. I look ridiculous. If I di...

I inherited a vacuum with the house I rent. Amy, the american who lived here before me, bought some appliances and had to leave them behind when she moved since they won't plug in back home, so she gave them to me as a welcome present. I've always known I loved the tumble dry, but hadn't really thought about the vacuum. But yesterday in my cleaning frenzy I gave it a workout. And boy, do I love that dyson. I've used it before...I've lived here for almost two years now, so I've vacuumed a few times. (Stop that snickering. So I'm not a cleaner. Sue me.) But I'd never been able to figure out how to empty the chamber, so the efficacy of the vacuum was lost on me. It worked, but no better than any other vacuum. WELL. Yesterday I decided I was not going to use it until that chamber was emptied. Took me about 20 minutes to figure it out, but I did. And what a difference that made! This vacuum could suck the hair off a dog. And the visible whirlwind chamber let...

It's been a slow couple of days. The miserable cold I caught a month ago is still lingering on, so I took Friday off to go to the doctor. Nothing they can do to help me...I just need to pump Vitamin C and rest. I tried to explain that that isn't possible until November...I have a full time job and finals looming only three weeks from now. Sleep is like chocolate to an anorexic to me. The nice nurse understood, but explained that if I didn't rest I would continue to cough and lose sleep and run at 75%. So I took her advice. Took some effervescent C drink (like alka seltzer, except made with something that tastes like those chewable C tablets.) Drank some innocent drinks supersmoothie with power C. Took a four-hour power nap. Watched some Tivoed versions of the Sopranos and Grey's Anatomy. Slept another 12 hours. On Saturday, I already was beginning to feel much better. So much so, I was sitting in my living room (or lounge, as people of my station call it here in En...

There is a white duck living in my pond now. I've never actually seen a white duck before. In cartoons and things, and in that Ping book about the chinese duck, but never live and in person. I got a little worried that it was a swan mistakenly raised by ducks, and soon it would have a freakish neck and start stalking me, but I looked it up. That doesn't really happen. (The part about ducks mistakenly raising swans, I mean.)

1. You Should Be Dancing - The BeeGees 2. Dancing Queen - Abba 3. Na Na Na Na Naa - Kaiser Chiefs 4. Whistling in the Dark - They Might Be Giants 5. The Fact Is (I Need You) - Jill Scott 6. White Trash - SCOTS 7. Happy (Reprise) - Jenny Lewis 8. The Lodgers - The Style Council 9. Her Dress so Green in the Moonlight - Pete Krebs & The Gossamer Wings 10. Respect - Aretha Franklin

Group tag from dale. Five things you (or most of you) don't know about me. 1. When I was about eight I got suckered into licking metal on a cold winter's day while I was playing outside of our church waiting for my mom and dad. Sheesh. I hate that I'm gullible. 2. I have on truly abiding hatred for a woman who insulted my eyeliner when I was in college. (It was perhaps a bit thicker than was popular at that time, but I was edgy. It was supposed to be.) That sounds dumb, I know, but she was one of those women who thought she was a notch above everyone. And we had a mutual male friend who she thought liked a weirdo like me a bit too much, so she decided the fault was mine...I was a LOSER. And once she decided someone was a loser, she would say snarky things to their face with a cheshire cat smile to make her friends laugh. Hence the eyeliner remark, phrased as a compliment that made the three crows she was with snicker like a pack of Heathers. Her name was Liz. Many of m...

I had two quintessential English traffic jams today. I had an appointment at Cranfield around lunchtime and I took the country backroads. When I reached the village of North Crawley, I had to pull aside to the let thirty horses and about twenty bloodhounds pass. You heard me. Thirty horses and twenty bloodhounds. It's not-hunting season. Since they banned hound use for hunting last year, there are regular displays of hunting support in the villages around the countryside. People openly defy the law, and villagers stand and wave/cheer when they parade through the town. I'd seen pictures, but never actually seen the real thing. They were all smiling and laughing and seemed to be having the time of their lives. I'm not a hunter and I hate horses, but even I wished momentarily that I could join them in their chase. Then, midafternoon, I headed into London for an early evening cocktail/dinner thing hosted by one of our hotel chains. I got into the city just in time to cram ...

We normally save these for Fridays, but the combo of last 10 songs made me laugh out loud and I had to share. There's something wrong with me. 1. Superfreak - Rick James 2. Doublewide (live) - SCOTS 3. Willow - Joan Armatrading 4. Various excerpts from Tosca - the Milan La Scala Orchestra and Maria Callas 5. Why Does it Hurt When I Pee - Frank Zappa 6. There Are Worst Things I Could Do - Stockard Channing 7. Dance the Night Away - Van Halen 8. Amie - Pure Prarie League 9. Sweaters - Lori Anderson 10. Working on a Building - Bad Livers

I am reviewing my Finance Class Test because I'm meeting with my lecturer tomorrow to discuss it. Nothing sinister here. I passed. But I passed with a note that says, "This is a pass, Mindy, but I think we should talk." While it would be nice to think that he is seeking me out for my wit, charm and insight into the fascinating world of finance, it is actually because he is a nice man who is concerned that I got lucky on this test and is fearing a full-fledged hysterical fit during the final exam. A well-meaning preemptive strike, if you will. I have a lot of respect for this lecturer so I don't want to show up at his office clueless, to let him tell me how I should have done things differently without me even trying to figure it out myself. Therefore I am going through the items missed line by line to research my errors...I have two textbooks by my side and the idea is to open them and look up the topics I screwed up so that I can rework the problem and then verify ...

One day late, but haven't had time to blog due to school. 1. No Way to Be - Teddy Thompson 2. Race Car YaYas - Cake 3. Everytime We Say Goodbye - Karrin Allyson 4. No Woman Around - Philospher Kings 5. Clint Eastwood - Gorillaz 6. Top of the World - Shonen Knife 7. Communist Daughter - Neutral Milk Hotel 8. Comin' Back Soon - Crash Test Dummies 9. Soap Star Joe - Liz Phair 10. I Loves You Porgy - Nina Simone

Thursday is telly night. At 9, it's Extras. At 10, it's Grey's Anatomy. At 11, it's the Sopranos. Next week we move from Extras to the next series of The Catherine Tate Show. This season on Extras, Andy gets famous and we find out he's a homophobic hater of homeless sick children. Just you wait. And FYI, tonight's episode IS indeed a finale. Maggie's date is the best yet. Even better when she takes the handsome black man home and tries to hide her Sambo doll. In other news, while I am sitting here watching telly, I am burning new copies of the 40@40. I just sent one off to my friend, Susan, and I finally went back to the list to see who I hadn't seen to give one to when I was home. If you are not Soni, Anne Castro, KC/Kent, KB&D, TC/Kelli, Bethany, or Ben and you want a copy, you should email me and be sure I have your mailing address.

How could I forget THIS song that makes me laugh? Barnes and Barnes = Funny. HA!

Okay. It's 1033pm. Just got home from work. It's been a bit crazy, and it's not going to get better for awhile. As mentioned before, school and work are gonzo right now. I've got a lingering cough from the cold I caught two weeks ago, and I haven't been to bed before 2 AM in well over a week, which is less than ideal for shaking off a cold. I've been crabby, tired, and not particularly pleasant to be around. I came home, I sat down to a crap dinner of cold leftovers, and turned on the computer. Made a cup of tea and assumed my study position, which is on the left side of sofa A, with the iPod shuffling on the table next to me so I can FForward past any song that doesn't strike my fancy or keep up my momentum. (There's a significant dent in the cushions that needs to be dealt with when I stand up.) On with the iPod. Switched it to shuffle (as I'd actually been focusing directly on the albums mentioned in the last post.) First song out of the gate.....

I got a bonus this month, and I treated myself to a bit of music. And I have discovered two of the best albums I've found in some time. 1) The Information - Beck Talk about ass-thumpin' rock and roll. This one has it in spades. It is the culmination of all things Beck. A masterpiece. Every single track is beyond good. Every single one. It starts off with Elevator Music , with a groovy little back beat and a funky little rap remniscent of the fine days of Mellow Gold or Odelay. Moves on to melodic I Think I'm In Love , which has one of the most honest lyrics ever for those of us who are a little heartshy..."I think I'm in love, but it makes me kind of nervous to say so." You get a little dervish jive with Cellphone's Dead. And the hits just keep on coming. My instant favourite was the pressing bass of Nausea , but a few more listens has made it impossible to choose. Beck Hanson is now officially my favourite musician. And I've factored my Elvis Co...

After six months of having a housemate, my guest bedroom is free again. It was great fun having Kat here. We got on well, and considering we both prefer to live alone, I think we got on great. But this place is a little small for two people, I am not remotely neat and Kat is, and it was never meant to be a long term arrangement. So last Tuesday she moved into her new place. It's amazing how quickly I have fallen into secret single behaviours again. Peeing with the bathroom door open. Picking my teeth after a meal. Watching senseless television that a normal person would never own up to. I talk to myself. I read aloud to see what kind of interpretive spin I can add, even if it's only the Financial Times. I recite poetry while I cook. I dance. A lot. The iPod's been getting a workout, actually. We've got three major projects due this Friday, one of which I shared responsibility for and one of which is my own. And there's a lot going on at work so I've had some fr...

This comes from my echotopian tag earlier in the month...I am way too busy in my life and haven't had time to respond yet. But this is definitely something that requires response. One of my favourite subjects...music. 1) Music That Has Changed Your Life: The University of Northern Iowa has a college radio station called KUNI, and sometime in junior high I was looking for somethingnew on the dial and I found it. They were playing Talking Heads, followed by some Clash, then some Police, followed by a little B-52s. This marked the moment when I transformed from misanthropic geek to alterna-chick extraordinaire. Something about the music they played struck a chord (HA!) in me. It made me see that there was a lot going on out there besides cheerleading and playing that stupid kissing train game that the popular kids played at the parties I wasn't invited to. Before I found it, I'd known I was different...I'd been bossy and opinionated and a bit wacky since birth...but I...

I am watching Meet the Press on CNBC Europe. Tim Russert is doing his public debate forum for key races for Senate around the country, and this week it's Minnesota's turn. Congressman Mark Kennedy and Hennepin County Attorney Amy Klobuchar are debating. Mark Kennedy is such an oily bastard. He answers every question by saying something vague that can't really be considered an answer for the question, and then immediately tries to taint AK by portraying her as a waffler who's running away from her positions. Asked directly about running away from HIS positions (he's a 92% Bush supporter who's claiming to be bi-partisan and free-thinking), he says, "Let's talk about Amy Klobuchar's inconsistencies" No, Mark. We're talking about you right now, you smearing, lying bastard. And he is the king of inflammatory buzzwords. I wish there was a way for the TV to go into demonic echo mode when people issue phrases like, "social security payments...

My friend Pam is coordinating a podcast of expat stories... This Ex-American Life . I really want to contribute. If you've been a reader for awhile, please feed back in comments or email on the stories you like best. I will then rework them and submit my entry. If you're new to the blog, check out posts before Jan 2006, back before grad school when I had a damn life.

1. About a Girl - Nirvana 2. Weapon of Choice - Fatboy Slim 3. You Are the Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder 4. The Dance - Prince 5. Boots of Spanish Leather - Bob Dylan 6. Nobody's Fool - Alex Chilton 7. Never Say Never - Romeo Void 8. Rose - Stephen Fretwell 9. Caramel - Suzanne Vega 10. My Slumbering Heart - Rilo Kiley

1) Would you bungee jump? Absolutely, categorically no. There is no reason to bungee jump. If I wanted that kind of adrenaline rush, I'd drive a race car. 2) If you could do anything in the world for a living what would it be? Host a television chat show 3) Your favorite fictional animal? Barnaby, my friend Darlene's teddy bear 4) One person who never fails to make you laugh? ONE??? That's impossible. CP, KB, the Poodle, LarryAldrich, Suebee, Bethy, El Ben, my brother....need I go on? But if you want one, then it's Martha Dumptruck . 5) When you were 12 years old what did you want to be when you grew up? A gonzo journalist who'd scoop stories in the middle east by interviewing terrorists and world leaders and folks on the street. Or Barbie. Either would have been fine. 6) What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? There's usually some sort of profanity involved. Mornings and me...let's say we agree to disagree. 7) Have you ...

Martha Dumptruck is either on malaria drugs or psychedelics. Or maybe it's something for those nagging headaches. But CP is now wrong...she is not Miss Boring Blogger anymore. If only I could leave comments. I live for Martha Dumptruck.

Dale made reference to JustaCoolCat's decision to do a random play of the iPod or other (inferior) music device and then post what comes out for the first ten songs. You know me...I love my music and I love to make others love my music. I'm so going to do this all the time. Sunday, 8 October 2006 Preparing to work on my tables and graphs for Managing Information Techonologies And the iPod says.... 25 December Everything But The Girl Wake Up, Little Sparrow Lizz Wright Town Cryer Elvis Costello Glory Liz Phair King of the Road Roger Miller It's Love Jill Scott Hello Oasis Idiot Voodoo The Suburbs If Only I Could Jack Johnson Hotwax Beck

Hi All. Have not had to to do much reading or blogging due to work, school, and sickness. If I were timely, I would have answered your comments in the comment section, but since I didn't I'm commenting here where people will see it. Thanks for all of your concern and encouragement when I fessed up to being a big mess last week. I really appreciate all of your concern...even though I don't actually know most of you, it really helps. Am no longer in danger of breaking into tears at inappropriate times. Thank GOD! It has been a long week, but things are getting back to normal now. As mentioned the last time I wrote, I had a paper to write on the economic status and prospects of India. Very interesting, but very time consuming. There's a lot going on in India, dontcha know. Duh. Note to self, next time pick someplace a little less complex. Reconciling the second fastest growing economy and its onslaught of able workers with the other half of the country's population t...

I will not have my photo until late in the week for the Little Miss Sunshine Pagean t . Rats. The damn swans are back. Migrating bastards. On the plus side, we have a blue heron in the pond right now, as well. Him, I like. (Or her...haven't really determined the gender, what since I'm not much of a birdwatcher.) I have asked for a quote from an agency to do a garden cleanup and another to do a steamclean of the house. It's a bit grungy around the edges from years of tenants. I have sensitive teeth today. I am losing my battle to find an affordable ticket home for the holidays. I hadn't intended to come, but it is now seeming that it will be better for everyone if I spend it with my family. I am researching India for my Macroeconomics WAC and now I'm craving a curry. I broke my left big toe yesterday when I tripped on some stuff in the living room. It is now all shades of purple, and kind of swollen, too. I also did a number on the right one, but that's mostly na...

Sadly, I cannot participate in the pageant today. My parents need to email me a photo, and due to various unexpected complications we've had other priorities and it just didn't happen. I therefore cannot impress you with my puffy hair, chubby cheeks, geeky glasses and fine collection of Rhoda-like smocks. But I will soon. By the way, may I say that many of you are merely geeky because of your 70's wardrobe, but are emperically beautiful children? FYI, this is not the case with me. Be prepared.