I thought the @ symbol in the title is quite appropriate, given the amount of e-mails I had to always sort through. I'm trading in e-mails for research papers and a BIG, FAT dissertation.
While some people may dread papers, I'm really excited to utilize my brain again, as answering loads of e-mails can be mindless work.
It's been 16 months working at my current university. It's been real. It's been a bit boring (truth). It's been fun (at times). And now, it's time to say adieu.
I've stil been on a kick watching old wildly popular shows on Netflix. Ally McBeal was one of those shows that had me wondering, "what was all the fuss about?"
The first two seasons of Ally McBeal? Pure FREAKING magic. Ally starts off adorably neurotic and obsessed over an old love, Billy. When she gets a job at a new law firm, she finds out Billy works there too (eek!) and is married (double eek!). The basic plot appeals to everyone's human core--jealousy, temptation, love and heartbreak.
The cherry on top is Ally's co-workers, who have catch phrases: "Snappish!" "Bygones!" and even do song and dance numbers, lest you forget John Cage dancing to Barry White. Ally McBeal had everything going for it. It was lovably quirky, but not over-the-top. It even had dancing babies.
And then...
*SPOILER*
The show made the biggest mistake I have ever seen a show make. In season 3, they kill off the most crucial character in Ally's world. Billy dies from a brain tumor...er, aneurism? Who cares! It's the dumbest plot twist I have ever witnessed in a popular TV show. What ensues is a mad dash to fill the plot with another character for Ally to love; but alas, the writers had spent so much time building up Billy, no one else could replace him.
I read later that Gil Bellows (Billy) left the show in pursuit of a movie career, as they allowed the cast to have short contracts. Whatever the case, I really started to hate a show I once loved, as I felt obligated to watch every season to give a proper review. And the show only lasted 5 seasons. Guess other people started to hate it too.
If you're going to watch Ally McBeal, do yourself a HUGE favor and stop at the end of Season 2! Not even Barry White was able to save such a mess of a show.
Did you watch Ally McBeal? Were you still a fan after Season 3?
A few silly pictures to make you laugh on a Monday morning if you've got a case of the Mondays like I do! (Even though it's my last week at work, I still have a case of the Mondays!)...
My British friend Jackie once said the above phrase when heading to the market. It was something along the lines of: "I need to pick up some bits and bobs." I suppose the best American equivalent to this phrase is 'things' or 'stuff.'
Ours is less cool.
I thought this would be a good title for all of my random posts in where I want to string together many random unrelated things! Er, I mean, bits and bobs!
First, you should check out this guide to British Slang.
Recently, 2 people have told me that I look like Marion Cotillard:
WE HAVE REACHED THE END OF THE MUSIC CHALLENGE! It only took me a year and a half...
I'm too lazy to figure out what I was diggin' 'this time last year.' So, I give you one of my favorite artists from the past few years:
Tarkan is one of Turkey's most famous artists (oddly even reaching a large fan base in Latin America). There's always gossip over whether he's gay in all the Turkish magazines. It matters not, because this man has a voice like pure butter...
There's something about Turkish music that immediately transports me back to Turkey--nostalgia at its best. And honestly, Tarkan is one of Turkey's best.
These past two months have the busiest in my life, but I think it's finally starting to slow down enough where I can relax a little. And believe me, I have been taking advantage of the relaxing part by sleeping and eating cinnamon rolls and sleeping some more. Hello, love handles!
I think it's time to get moving again, as I am still waiting for my visa to get approved and there's no sense worrying about it...I have a feeling all will be well, even though secretly I'm itching at the thought of uncertainty.
I've realized that I should be taking advantage of all the sunny days in San Diego before I hurry off to rainy London. Although, if you've followed my blog for awhile you'd know that I absolutely adore the rain! Might be a match made in heaven?
Well anyway, here's what I've been up to lately:
Hanging with Smokey Robinson at the Hollywood Bowl. My kinda night! It was especially fun to see Smokey do an impression of Stevie Wonder.
Getting makeup done for my buddy's wedding. I don't think I've ever had this much makeup on my face (think layers and layers). It's fun for a day, but I don't understand how celebrities do this kind of thing on a regular basis...ugh!
Chopping off quite a few inches...of hair!
And admist booking my one way ticket (eek!), skyping with "programme conveners" (essentially the dude running the department), gathering all my stuff to move, taking Churro the dog to vet visits AND putting in my two week notice at work...
I've still given myself a little time to soak up the sun.
A few months ago, I felt stuck. Do you remember my posts? I was in a job I hated, and my world seemed dreary and small.
It's funny how filling out a few forms can wildly change your circumstance. In the past month, I've filled out all the forms needed for a visa, and now I'm just waiting for the approval to pack up and move to the United Kingdom. If everything goes smoothly, I'll be there in just over a month. Filling out those forms helped realize the power I have to change my life if I so choose. With a pen and a smile, I've signed away for a new life.
I feel empowered.
Often times when I'm feeling stagnant, I find I'm spending too much time on the couch and not enough time in the world. Today, I got in the car for what was supposed to be just a grocery trip, but just kept driving instead. The wind was just right, and Death Cab for Cutie sang to me as I cruised by the bay. I stopped by the airport and watched the planes fly over my head, thinking about all the possibilities...
In a month, instead of taking off in my car, I'll be on a jet plane--still trying to seize all those possibilities. Because there's too much of the world to see to stay on that damn couch.
