Tuesday, April 9, 2013
a photo a day
Impromptu snacknic (snack picnic) in the park this afternoon with friends from my cohort! Gorgeous day! Hooray for spring!
Monday, April 8, 2013
i'm going out to houston for two days next week to do a couple things at my new school, but i'll also apartment hunt while i'm there. i called a couple apartment complexes to make sure they had availability for the kind of apartment i want, and to set up a time for me to take a tour and see different apartments. two places told me the weather (83 degrees), but one of those places APOLOGIZED because it's supposed to be cloudy. um, it will be 83 degrees. put your apology away.
i leave new york in 7 weeks. here's what i want to do before i leave:
walk across the brooklyn bridge at sunset and then eat pizza at grimaldi's
go to the world trade center memorial. (stop putting it off because you know it will be sad.)
see book of mormon
see matilda
walk the high line when it's warm and sunny outside
go to coney island
go to the natural history museum
go to the rooftop garden at the met
have another picnic in central park
[new yorkers: what else should be on my list?!]
go to the world trade center memorial. (stop putting it off because you know it will be sad.)
see book of mormon
see matilda
walk the high line when it's warm and sunny outside
go to coney island
go to the natural history museum
go to the rooftop garden at the met
have another picnic in central park
[new yorkers: what else should be on my list?!]
Sunday, April 7, 2013
tofu!
for christmas, my dad got me a gift certificate for two cooking classes at a place in new york that runs lots of vegetarian classes. the only other cooking class i've taken was a baking class in atlanta that was awesome (another gift - from my duke friends), but most cooking classes are meat-centered, and we know that isn't my thing. so good work to dad for finding a vegetarian-friendly place!
this week i took my first class: making and cooking with tofu! if you are not a vegetarian, you probably have no reason to eat tofu, but let me tell you that i think tofu is delicious and will order it whenever i see it on the menu (mostly at thai or chinese restaurants). uncooked tofu tastes like nothing, but when you cook it well it is amazing.
let me first say that we were partnered up in this class to make tofu and then to make recipes, and my partner was a librarian and i am a teacher and we immediately realized our joint desire to make the BEST DAMN TOFU IN THE CLASS. teachers and librarians are rule-followers and pleasers. our tofu turned out the best and we were VERY proud of ourselves.
making tofu is like making cheese: pureed soybeans are mixed with water, boiled, and then an acid is added to them and it splits into what is basically curds and whey!
separating into curds and whey:
packing our curds (tofu!) into a tofu press:
weighing it down to press out the water and push the tofu into a firm block:
my half of our block of tofu! it looks JUST like store-bought tofu, and tastes just as good, if not better.
i was probably the only person getting onto the subway with a block of tofu in a bag, but whatever.
then we cooked with tofu! we used store-bought tofu to cook with so we could take our precious homemade stuff home.
pouring wine to have with our feast:
appetizer: tofu in dashi (that's the broth) with tempura vegetables:
meal! from top left: pressed tofu with garlic and mint and quinoa, spinach mushroom quiche (with tofu instead of eggs - i made this one - SO GOOD), mango salsa, baked tofu with lemon and butter sauce, and spicy hashed bean curd with pepitas (pumpkin seeds).
it was a feast!
the quiche i made isn't going to fool anyone into thinking it's the "real" thing, but it was delicious. that's the thing about vegetarian cooking: if you want tofu to taste like meat (or eggs, if you're using tofu instead of eggs), you will fail. you have to think about your meal differently and then you will be happy.
hooray for a fun cooking class! thanks, dad-o! next week: the second class i signed up for is learning how to make homemade pizzas. perhaps a little more exciting to the audience of this blog!
this week i took my first class: making and cooking with tofu! if you are not a vegetarian, you probably have no reason to eat tofu, but let me tell you that i think tofu is delicious and will order it whenever i see it on the menu (mostly at thai or chinese restaurants). uncooked tofu tastes like nothing, but when you cook it well it is amazing.
let me first say that we were partnered up in this class to make tofu and then to make recipes, and my partner was a librarian and i am a teacher and we immediately realized our joint desire to make the BEST DAMN TOFU IN THE CLASS. teachers and librarians are rule-followers and pleasers. our tofu turned out the best and we were VERY proud of ourselves.
making tofu is like making cheese: pureed soybeans are mixed with water, boiled, and then an acid is added to them and it splits into what is basically curds and whey!
separating into curds and whey:
packing our curds (tofu!) into a tofu press:
weighing it down to press out the water and push the tofu into a firm block:
my half of our block of tofu! it looks JUST like store-bought tofu, and tastes just as good, if not better.
i was probably the only person getting onto the subway with a block of tofu in a bag, but whatever.
then we cooked with tofu! we used store-bought tofu to cook with so we could take our precious homemade stuff home.
pouring wine to have with our feast:
appetizer: tofu in dashi (that's the broth) with tempura vegetables:
meal! from top left: pressed tofu with garlic and mint and quinoa, spinach mushroom quiche (with tofu instead of eggs - i made this one - SO GOOD), mango salsa, baked tofu with lemon and butter sauce, and spicy hashed bean curd with pepitas (pumpkin seeds).
it was a feast!
the quiche i made isn't going to fool anyone into thinking it's the "real" thing, but it was delicious. that's the thing about vegetarian cooking: if you want tofu to taste like meat (or eggs, if you're using tofu instead of eggs), you will fail. you have to think about your meal differently and then you will be happy.
hooray for a fun cooking class! thanks, dad-o! next week: the second class i signed up for is learning how to make homemade pizzas. perhaps a little more exciting to the audience of this blog!
Saturday, April 6, 2013
for those of you who don't listen to this american life, their episode last week about the rise in the number of people who receive federal disability payments is SO interesting and explains how the situation is very complicated. i learned a lot, but don't really know what should be done. it's worth listening to if you've got an hour-long car/plane/train/bus ride in your future and need something to entertain you!
Friday, April 5, 2013
“Happiness is the consequence of personal effort. You fight for it, strive for it, insist upon it, and sometimes even travel around the world looking for it. You have to participate relentlessly in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you have achieved a state of happiness, you must never become lax about maintaining it. You must make a mighty effort to keep swimming upward into that happiness forever, to stay afloat on top of it.”
--Elizabeth Gilbert
--Elizabeth Gilbert
Thursday, April 4, 2013
a photo a day
Mets game this afternoon with friends from my grad school cohort! It may only be 45 degrees, but the sun is out and we're in heaven! Hooray for spring!
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
a post where i will bury the lede
folks, i have a job.
exclamation points everywhere!!
it was an emotional road - great interviews where schools seemed to love me, punctuated by long stretches where i felt invisible. over the past 5 months i applied to about 40 jobs, had about 20 phone interviews, got invited to final round interviews on campus at 2 schools (in houston and seattle)...and got neither of those jobs.
womp womp.
then i spent 36 hours lying in my bed and feeling bad about myself and my life (punctuated by going to class and eating and being a wimp on the phone to my sister). both of the positions i didn't get went to internal candidates. internal candidates are the bane of my existence.
i imagined my life if i didn't get a job. there were a couple alternatives.
option 1: live in my parents' house and work at the dairy queen. except there is no dairy queen in town and the little dipper (our version of dairy queen) closed this year. see, i don't even have a place to work. woe is me!
option 2: live in my sister's guest room and pay rent by cleaning the apartment and preparing cocktails for my sister and her boyfriend when they return home from work every day. watch lots of tv.
option 3: move to hawaii and sleep in a hammock on the beach and practice yoga every day until my savings runs out.
i miiiiiight have been a little dramatic about this whole "can't find a job" thing. people tried to remind me that it was only march, but i was in a funk and just wanted to mope for a while
then i emerged from the funk and was a normal person again. i applied for more jobs and sent follow up emails to some schools i'd applied to but hadn't heard back from.
then the houston school called me again. turns out when they said "everyone really liked you, BUT..." they meant it! everyone really did like me, and when a different position became available at the school they didn't want to interview for it. they just wanted to hire me. and in truth, the position is a great one and after working out the details i have accepted it - i'm moving to houston! i will be one of six deans (my job will be very similar to my last job: i'll do academic advising, discipline, communication with parents, and look out for the general welfare of kids), and the deans at this school are also the college counselors (i have no experience in this, so major professional development will be coming for me in this area!). i really like the other deans that i'll be working with and i loved the school when i visited. the job is a new challenge, and moving to houston will be a new adventure. i'm so excited!
exclamation points everywhere!!
it was an emotional road - great interviews where schools seemed to love me, punctuated by long stretches where i felt invisible. over the past 5 months i applied to about 40 jobs, had about 20 phone interviews, got invited to final round interviews on campus at 2 schools (in houston and seattle)...and got neither of those jobs.
womp womp.
then i spent 36 hours lying in my bed and feeling bad about myself and my life (punctuated by going to class and eating and being a wimp on the phone to my sister). both of the positions i didn't get went to internal candidates. internal candidates are the bane of my existence.
i imagined my life if i didn't get a job. there were a couple alternatives.
option 1: live in my parents' house and work at the dairy queen. except there is no dairy queen in town and the little dipper (our version of dairy queen) closed this year. see, i don't even have a place to work. woe is me!
option 2: live in my sister's guest room and pay rent by cleaning the apartment and preparing cocktails for my sister and her boyfriend when they return home from work every day. watch lots of tv.
option 3: move to hawaii and sleep in a hammock on the beach and practice yoga every day until my savings runs out.
i miiiiiight have been a little dramatic about this whole "can't find a job" thing. people tried to remind me that it was only march, but i was in a funk and just wanted to mope for a while
then i emerged from the funk and was a normal person again. i applied for more jobs and sent follow up emails to some schools i'd applied to but hadn't heard back from.
then the houston school called me again. turns out when they said "everyone really liked you, BUT..." they meant it! everyone really did like me, and when a different position became available at the school they didn't want to interview for it. they just wanted to hire me. and in truth, the position is a great one and after working out the details i have accepted it - i'm moving to houston! i will be one of six deans (my job will be very similar to my last job: i'll do academic advising, discipline, communication with parents, and look out for the general welfare of kids), and the deans at this school are also the college counselors (i have no experience in this, so major professional development will be coming for me in this area!). i really like the other deans that i'll be working with and i loved the school when i visited. the job is a new challenge, and moving to houston will be a new adventure. i'm so excited!
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
yesterday i had a VERY boring class and used the internet to distract me (shh, don't tell), so i have some entertaining links for you! you're welcome.
1. the world as 100 people
2. the changing of the seasons from space
3. jimmy and the chickeneers
4. "what 2000 calories looks like":
(note: i am not so bold/rude as to watch videos in class...i found and saved them until later. professional procrastinator move.)
1. the world as 100 people
2. the changing of the seasons from space
3. jimmy and the chickeneers
4. "what 2000 calories looks like":
(note: i am not so bold/rude as to watch videos in class...i found and saved them until later. professional procrastinator move.)
Monday, April 1, 2013
march: 6, 7, 8, & 9
my reading load for school this semester is lighter than it was in the fall (or i've hit my stride or something), and i was able to more reading this month than i've done in a while - hooray!
the light between oceans, by m.l. stedman (i am a casual member of goodreads, and this was a book they recommended. a couple who can't have children find a baby in a lifeboat on the beach. do they keep the baby, and if so: will anyone discover that the baby isn't their own? a quick read and pretty entertaining!)
mr. penumbra's 24-hour bookstore, by robin sloan (i read this for the awesome book club that i'm in with some atlanta friends. it's kind of a mystery that bridges the old world (books) and the new world (google) - an interesting premise and another quick and fun read. i'm finding that's what i crave these days: fiction that is somewhat effortless and page-turning, but is well-written and has a solid plot. i'd recommend this one, too!)
kindle singles: broken voices, nate in venice, and lincoln's little girl (you know of my love of kindle singles, short stories that you can buy for $0.99-$2.99 from amazon.com. i am also a member of amazon prime, which gives you free 2 day shipping on almost everything on the site and the ability to "loan" some books for free. so! if you're interested in any of these short stories (click links to read about them), i can loan them to you for 2 weeks; recently i bought 7 or 8 of them and these are my 3 favorites. you don't need a kindle - you can read on your phone or computer.)
maphead, by ken jennings (my favorite jeopardy champion's book about maps - i bought it for dad for christmas last year and had been meaning to read it once he finished it. it's readable and very interesting - my favorite fact: we "orient" a map by turning it to match the direction we're traveling, but why is it called "orienting"? apparently in medieval europe maps were printed with east at the top (not north, as they typically are now), and the east = the orient, hence "to orient." i love fun facts like this! i'd recommend this book; the chapters stand alone pretty well, so you can pick it up every now and then without having to remember what happened in previous chapters.)
the light between oceans, by m.l. stedman (i am a casual member of goodreads, and this was a book they recommended. a couple who can't have children find a baby in a lifeboat on the beach. do they keep the baby, and if so: will anyone discover that the baby isn't their own? a quick read and pretty entertaining!)
mr. penumbra's 24-hour bookstore, by robin sloan (i read this for the awesome book club that i'm in with some atlanta friends. it's kind of a mystery that bridges the old world (books) and the new world (google) - an interesting premise and another quick and fun read. i'm finding that's what i crave these days: fiction that is somewhat effortless and page-turning, but is well-written and has a solid plot. i'd recommend this one, too!)
kindle singles: broken voices, nate in venice, and lincoln's little girl (you know of my love of kindle singles, short stories that you can buy for $0.99-$2.99 from amazon.com. i am also a member of amazon prime, which gives you free 2 day shipping on almost everything on the site and the ability to "loan" some books for free. so! if you're interested in any of these short stories (click links to read about them), i can loan them to you for 2 weeks; recently i bought 7 or 8 of them and these are my 3 favorites. you don't need a kindle - you can read on your phone or computer.)
maphead, by ken jennings (my favorite jeopardy champion's book about maps - i bought it for dad for christmas last year and had been meaning to read it once he finished it. it's readable and very interesting - my favorite fact: we "orient" a map by turning it to match the direction we're traveling, but why is it called "orienting"? apparently in medieval europe maps were printed with east at the top (not north, as they typically are now), and the east = the orient, hence "to orient." i love fun facts like this! i'd recommend this book; the chapters stand alone pretty well, so you can pick it up every now and then without having to remember what happened in previous chapters.)
Sunday, March 31, 2013
if you watch game of thrones, let us have a moment of excitement about the season 3 premiere tonight! let us have an additional moment of excitement that for the first time in my life i have HBO (for free - thank you, teachers college!) and can watch it live. yesssss.
if you DON'T watch game of thrones i hope you might still appreciate the show's GORGEOUS intro. the time and energy that went into it are totally appreciated by me.
if you DON'T watch game of thrones i hope you might still appreciate the show's GORGEOUS intro. the time and energy that went into it are totally appreciated by me.
Saturday, March 30, 2013
a photo a day
Doughnuts at 1:45am! I love Charleston! I had one with real raspberry glaze (in the middle of the picture). Amazing.
Best quote from a drunk girl who was in the doughnut shop while we were there: "doughnuts make me doughnut!" No, this doesn't make any sense. And yes, I proceeded to repeat this 100 times in a row.
Best quote from a drunk girl who was in the doughnut shop while we were there: "doughnuts make me doughnut!" No, this doesn't make any sense. And yes, I proceeded to repeat this 100 times in a row.
Friday, March 29, 2013
i'm heading to charleston for the weekend to visit two friends who i worked with in oxford this summer. our plan:
eat
drink
watch basketball
get pedicures
go to the beach, if only to dip our toes in the water
repeat
it's going to be in the 60s there, and i can't wait to get away from this dumb 40s-and-grey weather and relax with friends! bring it on, spring. happy easter weekend, everyone!
eat
drink
watch basketball
get pedicures
go to the beach, if only to dip our toes in the water
repeat
it's going to be in the 60s there, and i can't wait to get away from this dumb 40s-and-grey weather and relax with friends! bring it on, spring. happy easter weekend, everyone!
Thursday, March 28, 2013
a photo a day
This afternoon I went on a Brooklyn Brewery tour and beer tasting with friends from my grad school program. So fun!
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
what i'm listening to right now
"hold on to what you believe," by mumford & sons:
my favorite irish bar in atlanta played (plays?) mumford & sons albums on repeat. i love that.
my favorite irish bar in atlanta played (plays?) mumford & sons albums on repeat. i love that.
Sunday, March 24, 2013
Friday, March 22, 2013
a photo a day
after hours upon hours of basketball watching yesterday, i needed to get out of my building and get some exercise today. it is hard for me to get motivated to go outside when it's so cold, but i managed to take a chilly (39 degrees) walk through riverside park this afternoon. it's still stark and winter-like...
...but with tiny patches of spring emerging!
i feel much better after some exercise. now, back to basketball!
...but with tiny patches of spring emerging!
i feel much better after some exercise. now, back to basketball!
“The future does not belong to those who are content with today, apathetic toward common problems and their fellow man alike, timid and fearful in the face of bold projects and new ideas. Rather, it will belong to those who can blend passion, reason and courage in a personal commitment to [their] ideals.”
--Robert F. Kennedy
--Robert F. Kennedy
Thursday, March 21, 2013
a duke legend, chemistry teacher dr. bonk, died this week. he was my chemistry teacher my freshman year at duke in 2001 (the last year he taught the course)...and he was my dad's chemistry teacher at duke in 1974. yes, we really did refer to it as "bonkistry," and i heard people tell both the "pie in the face" and the "which tire?" story.
the picture in the article is exactly as i remember him, and he impressed me every day (especially now that i am a teacher!) because he taught entirely from memory - no notes. i guess when you've been doing it for 40 years that is possible, but no less amazing.
it makes me sad when people die without a spouse or children, but i also know how special duke must have been to him and that makes me happy. and he was, certainly, very special to duke.
the picture in the article is exactly as i remember him, and he impressed me every day (especially now that i am a teacher!) because he taught entirely from memory - no notes. i guess when you've been doing it for 40 years that is possible, but no less amazing.
it makes me sad when people die without a spouse or children, but i also know how special duke must have been to him and that makes me happy. and he was, certainly, very special to duke.
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
great article: living with less. it speaks to my experience traveling to england the past couple summers with just a small suitcase, and to this year of living in 109 square feet. can you live with very little? YES. is it fun to live with more? also yes. i can't wait to have a real apartment again...
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
a photo a day
11:45pm, waiting for a train. This dude is commuting home with broccoli in hand - in the middle of the night? The things one sees...
what i'm listening to right now
"soldier," by ingrid michaelson:
she's got such a beautiful voice, and the beat of this one makes me want to dance around my little dorm room.
she's got such a beautiful voice, and the beat of this one makes me want to dance around my little dorm room.
Monday, March 18, 2013
Sunday, March 17, 2013
another photo today
Life is good when you can tell your TiVo to record something from your phone so it's waiting for you when you get home. Technology, I enjoy you!
a photo a day
It's spring in DC, even if it isn't yet spring in New York. I love the daffodils, announcing the change of the season! Fingers crossed that this comes to New York soon!
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
i was in a funk, but red wine and the trains game with dominique and justin totally pulled me out of it! in other positive news, i only have one class standing between me and spring break, a spring break that will include a weekend trip to DC to visit fabulous friends, other claire coming into town, the first official day of spring, and an attempt to get $30 tickets to book of mormon (fingers crossed that no one wants to see it on wednesday). and sleeping in as much as i want. yippee!
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
a photo a day
Aww yeah: me + 2 empty seats on my flight back from Seattle = lying down and sleeping the whole way. Probably less than 4 hours of sleep (since it was only a 5 hour flight), but it was something! Thank you, US Air, for not having a popular enough flight to attract more customers.
Monday, March 11, 2013
Something I literally said out loud this afternoon while driving around gorgeous Washington: "this town has a Trader Joe's? Okay, I could totally move here!"
Red eye flight back to the east coast? That might dull the shine, but not by much...
(You know you love my tantalizing posts where I don't quite provide enough information to tell you anything. When there is news, I will share it, don't you worry! Until then, I can't say too much for fear of jinxing it...)
Red eye flight back to the east coast? That might dull the shine, but not by much...
(You know you love my tantalizing posts where I don't quite provide enough information to tell you anything. When there is news, I will share it, don't you worry! Until then, I can't say too much for fear of jinxing it...)
Sunday, March 10, 2013
a photo from yesterday
jacob's pickles is where i had brunch yesterday: literally the best pickle i've ever had (salty, a little sweet, so crunchy), with pickled green beans and half a pickled egg in a yummy bloody mary. (meat eaters: your version of the bloody mary has bacon on it. get excited.) awesome biscuits. great veggie omelet. the background music was jackson five and al green and johnny cash; suffice it to say i was dancing a little in my seat. i have a new favorite brunch place, people, and i can't WAIT to go back!
Saturday, March 9, 2013
a photo a day
It feels like all of New York is out in the streets today because - what's that?! - it's the sun!
I'm soaking up some vitamin D while I wait for friends to meet me for brunch. The rest of the day might be spent in the library, but this part should be really fantastic! And then Duke-Carolina tonight and a chance to share the regular season title. Go Devils!
I'm soaking up some vitamin D while I wait for friends to meet me for brunch. The rest of the day might be spent in the library, but this part should be really fantastic! And then Duke-Carolina tonight and a chance to share the regular season title. Go Devils!
Friday, March 8, 2013
how to get ready for an on campus interview, by miss claire
job-hunting has moved into phase 2: a couple schools liked me enough after our phone or skype interview to invite me to campus!
(i did not walk you through how to survive a skype interview, but it involves skyping with your sister so she can make sure the connection works, moving around furniture to make it look like you don't live in a 109 square foot dorm room, turning on some lamps and turning others off to get the correct lighting, putting on a nice shirt and sweater but wearing yoga pants on the bottom, and remembering to smile a lot. about half the schools i interviewed with did skype interviews instead of phone interviews.)
as soon as they invite you to campus: be really excited and text your sister and willis in all caps to let them know. feel awkward about who you can tell and not make it sound like you are bragging. you aren't bragging - you are being excited. fine line, though.
soon thereafter: back and forth emailing with the school about timing - what day you will interview, when you will arrive and leave, etc. buy plane ticket and reserve rental car. private school code says that schools pay for your plane ticket, rental car, and hotel room, but sometimes you have to pay in advance and get reimbursed.
5 days before: spend far too much time looking at this document that details average salaries for different administrative positions in independent schools. since this would be your first administrative role, you want to get a sense of what you could be offered.
4 days before: try on a million combinations of the clothing you own to find the perfect outfit for the interview and (in this case) dinner with the principal and a couple faculty members the night before your interview. text photos of potential outfits to your sister for her feedback. this is why you have a sister. thanks, mom and dad.
3 days before: force some of your friends who are teachers to help you brainstorm potential questions you could be asked when you interview.
2 days before: brainstorm good answers for these questions.
1 day before: start to freak out. travel to city where interview will take place. explore city, find hotel, enjoy sleeping in a bed almost as big as your dorm room.
the day of: be as awesome as possible. end up exhausted. force your sister and jenny to listen to extended analysis of every detail of the day. make it home. take cab back to your dorm because, man, you deserve it after that day.
every minute thereafter: wonder/worry about whether they will offer you the job. think about what you will say if they do.
(i did not walk you through how to survive a skype interview, but it involves skyping with your sister so she can make sure the connection works, moving around furniture to make it look like you don't live in a 109 square foot dorm room, turning on some lamps and turning others off to get the correct lighting, putting on a nice shirt and sweater but wearing yoga pants on the bottom, and remembering to smile a lot. about half the schools i interviewed with did skype interviews instead of phone interviews.)
as soon as they invite you to campus: be really excited and text your sister and willis in all caps to let them know. feel awkward about who you can tell and not make it sound like you are bragging. you aren't bragging - you are being excited. fine line, though.
soon thereafter: back and forth emailing with the school about timing - what day you will interview, when you will arrive and leave, etc. buy plane ticket and reserve rental car. private school code says that schools pay for your plane ticket, rental car, and hotel room, but sometimes you have to pay in advance and get reimbursed.
5 days before: spend far too much time looking at this document that details average salaries for different administrative positions in independent schools. since this would be your first administrative role, you want to get a sense of what you could be offered.
4 days before: try on a million combinations of the clothing you own to find the perfect outfit for the interview and (in this case) dinner with the principal and a couple faculty members the night before your interview. text photos of potential outfits to your sister for her feedback. this is why you have a sister. thanks, mom and dad.
3 days before: force some of your friends who are teachers to help you brainstorm potential questions you could be asked when you interview.
2 days before: brainstorm good answers for these questions.
1 day before: start to freak out. travel to city where interview will take place. explore city, find hotel, enjoy sleeping in a bed almost as big as your dorm room.
the day of: be as awesome as possible. end up exhausted. force your sister and jenny to listen to extended analysis of every detail of the day. make it home. take cab back to your dorm because, man, you deserve it after that day.
every minute thereafter: wonder/worry about whether they will offer you the job. think about what you will say if they do.
a photo a day
today new york let me know who's boss. "you went to texas and it was 70 degrees and you thought spring was coming? silly girl! here is some snow to punish you for your optimism."
Thursday, March 7, 2013
the high line
on monday my college friend rachel was in town and we went for a walk on the high line, which is a park in new york city that is on an old elevated railroad line. it was really cool! a new perspective on that part of the city, since you're not at street level but a couple stories up. in this photo you can see the old railroad line on your left with the rest of the walkway on your right. in some areas they've built the pathway right on the train lines, and in others (like here) you walk to the side of them...maybe to show you what it used to look like? you can also see, from this photo, how immersed you are in the city. in places you could reach out and almost touch an apartment building.
a particularly pretty graffiti-like mural off the high line:
at one point we could see the statue of liberty in the distance!
the website has a lot more (and better) photos...and i'm sure it's even prettier in the spring and summer, as they've planted lots of trees and flowers on the high line that were sad and barren this week. i will definitely be going back once the weather is nicer!
a particularly pretty graffiti-like mural off the high line:
at one point we could see the statue of liberty in the distance!
the website has a lot more (and better) photos...and i'm sure it's even prettier in the spring and summer, as they've planted lots of trees and flowers on the high line that were sad and barren this week. i will definitely be going back once the weather is nicer!
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Tuesday, March 5, 2013
People! I am having lunch on the patio of a restaurant in Houston, where it is 70 degrees and sunny. I am about to have a big diet coke and veggie enchiladas with guacamole. I am a new woman.
Additionally, I drove on the scary Houston highway and survived. I haven't lost my Atlanta driving skills!
I did have to wake up at 4:45am for the pleasure of doing this, so don't get too jealous...
Additionally, I drove on the scary Houston highway and survived. I haven't lost my Atlanta driving skills!
I did have to wake up at 4:45am for the pleasure of doing this, so don't get too jealous...
Monday, March 4, 2013
a lot of this feels so so true, and i've only lived in new york for 6 months: here is everything i learned in new york city (a little bit not safe for work).
one of my favorite parts:
Summarizing What I Learned in New York Is Impossible
I learned how to live in 200 square feet of space. I learned not to blink at loud noises. I learned what pierogies were, what chicken biryana is, what an egg cream and tagliatelle and knishes and rice balls and fish cakes should taste like....I did not learn how to walk and text at the same time, because if I had, maybe I wouldn’t have dropped and cracked my iPhone (twice). I learned that cats can have supernatural powers of comfort, and that to give someone your full and undivided attention is one of the greatest gifts you can offer. I learned to avoid the subway at rush hour. I learned to tip cabbies and servers well. If you see something, say something. Buckle up. Stand clear of the closing doors.
one of my favorite parts:
Summarizing What I Learned in New York Is Impossible
I learned how to live in 200 square feet of space. I learned not to blink at loud noises. I learned what pierogies were, what chicken biryana is, what an egg cream and tagliatelle and knishes and rice balls and fish cakes should taste like....I did not learn how to walk and text at the same time, because if I had, maybe I wouldn’t have dropped and cracked my iPhone (twice). I learned that cats can have supernatural powers of comfort, and that to give someone your full and undivided attention is one of the greatest gifts you can offer. I learned to avoid the subway at rush hour. I learned to tip cabbies and servers well. If you see something, say something. Buckle up. Stand clear of the closing doors.
a photo a day
Lunch at Chelsea Market and walking on the High Line with Rachie today! And the sun is out - yippee!
Sunday, March 3, 2013
Saturday, March 2, 2013
february: 4 & 5
the age of miracles, by karen thompson walker (i loved this book! i read it because it was my book club assignment for the month, and i'm so glad we picked it. the premise: the earth's rotation starts slowing down, making each day a little longer than the last. people cope differently to these changes. it's told through the point of view of a 7th grade girl, which adds an interesting element - she's growing up as the world is becoming more and more uncertain, and being a middle schooler is already pretty uncertain. i would recommend this one. it would be a perfect spring break read - it moves very quickly.)
to kill a mockingbird, by harper lee (i re-read this for one of my classes - the class is called "words matter," and it's about writing and speaking as a school leader. our professor wanted us to look at atticus as an example of an important leader, and use his words to reflect on our own practice of leadership. [we say things like this in grad school: "practice of leadership." it doesn't even sound weird to me any more. nerd alert.] what a wonderful book, and i loved the opportunity to read it again. aaaaand i got a little teary when atticus leaves the courtroom after the trial, and scout is urged to stand while her father passes by. ugh. so good.)
to kill a mockingbird, by harper lee (i re-read this for one of my classes - the class is called "words matter," and it's about writing and speaking as a school leader. our professor wanted us to look at atticus as an example of an important leader, and use his words to reflect on our own practice of leadership. [we say things like this in grad school: "practice of leadership." it doesn't even sound weird to me any more. nerd alert.] what a wonderful book, and i loved the opportunity to read it again. aaaaand i got a little teary when atticus leaves the courtroom after the trial, and scout is urged to stand while her father passes by. ugh. so good.)
a screenshot a day
i filed my taxes today (with the help of turbotax - how do people do this on their own?!).
thank you, congress, for my $2,000 for being a full time student! yippee!
Friday, March 1, 2013
a photo a day
i'm in philadelphia for a hiring conference and have discovered the reading terminal market, an indoor collection of little restaurants, bakeries, markets...anything you want to eat is probably sold there. it's incredible. i had a fresh mozzarella sandwich for lunch yesterday, a grilled veggie burrito for lunch today, and chocolate truffles for dessert both days. yum!
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
what i'm listening to right now
van morrison, "full force gale":
excellent music to listen to while writing a paper! i might be dancing a little in my chair as i type...
van morrison is from northern ireland, which i learned when i visited belfast a couple years ago. i had no idea! the northern irish are very proud.
excellent music to listen to while writing a paper! i might be dancing a little in my chair as i type...
van morrison is from northern ireland, which i learned when i visited belfast a couple years ago. i had no idea! the northern irish are very proud.
“I wanted you to see something about her – I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin but you begin anyway and you see it through no matter what. You rarely win, but sometimes you do.”
--Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird
--Atticus Finch, To Kill a Mockingbird
Monday, February 25, 2013
More "only in New York" moments...my NPR station is having its spring fundraiser and it has a donation match program this morning - for every $2 you donate, some rich person out there has agreed to donate $1. In Atlanta, I had never heard of whichever rich person would do this on a given day. Here they have just announced that the rich person is Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. OMG.
Sunday, February 24, 2013
Saturday, February 23, 2013
a photo a day
on my walk home from brunch this afternoon...
please note the two little boys in the second story window who are OUT OF THEIR MIND with excitement at a real live fire truck outside their building.
please note the two little boys in the second story window who are OUT OF THEIR MIND with excitement at a real live fire truck outside their building.
Friday, February 22, 2013
little luxuries in the life of a grad student
1. buying a book that isn't required for grad school.
2. reading that book. it feels illegal, frankly...it's such a luxury. i just downloaded the light between oceans onto my kindle and have been reading it before bed and on the subway. move over, group dynamics reading - i've got something more interesting to read.
3. trader joe's coconut body butter. dominique introduced this to me and i'm completely addicted. it smells AMAZING and isn't greasy like a lot of hand creams can be (huge pet peeve of mine). i put it on about 5 times a day and my hands are very happy.
4. i have succumbed to buying the gloves that it seems everyone in new york city has: fingerless gloves with a mitten that comes over the top. the mitten part keeps your hands so warm, but when you want to text or look up directions on your iphone, you can do that without taking off your gloves (hands in gloves do not work on the iphone screen). i love these and am so pleased with my purchase.
5. a bloody mary. any time it is appropriate...so: any time i go out to brunch. i have brunch plans tomorrow and i can't WAIT.
2. reading that book. it feels illegal, frankly...it's such a luxury. i just downloaded the light between oceans onto my kindle and have been reading it before bed and on the subway. move over, group dynamics reading - i've got something more interesting to read.
3. trader joe's coconut body butter. dominique introduced this to me and i'm completely addicted. it smells AMAZING and isn't greasy like a lot of hand creams can be (huge pet peeve of mine). i put it on about 5 times a day and my hands are very happy.
4. i have succumbed to buying the gloves that it seems everyone in new york city has: fingerless gloves with a mitten that comes over the top. the mitten part keeps your hands so warm, but when you want to text or look up directions on your iphone, you can do that without taking off your gloves (hands in gloves do not work on the iphone screen). i love these and am so pleased with my purchase.
5. a bloody mary. any time it is appropriate...so: any time i go out to brunch. i have brunch plans tomorrow and i can't WAIT.
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
“A mature person is one who does not think only in absolutes, who is able to be objective even when deeply stirred emotionally, who has learned that there is both good and bad in all people and in all things, and who walks humbly and deals charitably with the circumstances of life, knowing that in this world no one is all-knowing and therefore all of us need both love and charity.”
--Eleanor Roosevelt
--Eleanor Roosevelt
Monday, February 18, 2013
sunday puzzle
no, it's not sunday, and yes, this aired in december...but i'm just now getting around to listening to it. i look forward to it every year and somehow was lazy this year.
will shortz's annual "new names in the news" quiz - the actual quiz starts around minute 2. i recommend pausing after each name to give yourself time to think. i got all but 1! can anyone get a perfect score?
will shortz's annual "new names in the news" quiz - the actual quiz starts around minute 2. i recommend pausing after each name to give yourself time to think. i got all but 1! can anyone get a perfect score?
Sunday, February 17, 2013
be impressed that i made it all the way to february 17th
today is the day: i'm officially so tired of winter. 22 degrees and a fierce wind as i walked down broadway? NOT AMUSED ANY MORE.
Saturday, February 16, 2013
a photo a day
Um, that's right: I got breakfast in bed. I am never leaving my friends in Boston with treatment like this!
Thursday, February 14, 2013
a photo a day
A week post-blizzard, and the snow is disgusting. At least most of it has melted, so walking around no longer includes slipping and sliding and accidentally stepping in icy puddles!
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
a photo a day
my favorite poet - billy collins - in a subway car!
i LOVE the poems in the subway cars.
and here he is reading it:
i LOVE the poems in the subway cars.
and here he is reading it:
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
how to get ready for a phone interview, by miss claire
some insight into my life as a person who is job-hunting. perhaps (probably?) more than you wanted to know.
1 day before the phone interview: do research on the school, make a list of reasons they should hire you, make a list of questions to ask, do other responsible things.
10 minutes before: listen to a song to pump yourself up while assuming a power stance. this is something i've done this year after watching a TED talk video that a friend in my program told me about. the video's 20 minutes long and is SO WORTH WATCHING. fascinating to learn how body language can shape how people perceive you even if they can't see you. and the take away for me when interviewing: in a research study, people with identical resumes were split into two groups. one did nothing special before a phone interview, and the other assumed a powerful stance for 2 minutes - legs apart, arms in the air in a V, for example. the interviewers didn't know that the groups had done different things at all, yet rated the people who had assumed the power stance as ones they would be more interested in hiring. seriously, watch this video.
8 minutes before: start to be nervous.
1 minute before: convince yourself the person actually isn't going to call because why would they want to hire you when there are so many people out there who are awesome candidates?
30 seconds before: remind yourself of the power stance and calm yourself down.
0 seconds before (these people never call right on time): think about checking to make sure you phone has a dial tone. maybe it's broken! remind yourself that this is ridiculous and checking for a dial tone will only give the person calling a busy signal and we can't have THAT.
3 minutes after: they finally call. you are (hopefully) fabulous.
1 day before the phone interview: do research on the school, make a list of reasons they should hire you, make a list of questions to ask, do other responsible things.
10 minutes before: listen to a song to pump yourself up while assuming a power stance. this is something i've done this year after watching a TED talk video that a friend in my program told me about. the video's 20 minutes long and is SO WORTH WATCHING. fascinating to learn how body language can shape how people perceive you even if they can't see you. and the take away for me when interviewing: in a research study, people with identical resumes were split into two groups. one did nothing special before a phone interview, and the other assumed a powerful stance for 2 minutes - legs apart, arms in the air in a V, for example. the interviewers didn't know that the groups had done different things at all, yet rated the people who had assumed the power stance as ones they would be more interested in hiring. seriously, watch this video.
8 minutes before: start to be nervous.
1 minute before: convince yourself the person actually isn't going to call because why would they want to hire you when there are so many people out there who are awesome candidates?
30 seconds before: remind yourself of the power stance and calm yourself down.
0 seconds before (these people never call right on time): think about checking to make sure you phone has a dial tone. maybe it's broken! remind yourself that this is ridiculous and checking for a dial tone will only give the person calling a busy signal and we can't have THAT.
3 minutes after: they finally call. you are (hopefully) fabulous.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
great article from the new york times about jason (fine, i'll learn to call him jay) williams. and yes, i got teary while reading it. duke won a national championship when i was a freshman, and as a lifelong duke fan it was an incredible experience to be a student when that happened. over the four years i was at duke i went to almost every home game - certainly 95% of them. jason williams and i overlapped for 2 years and it was amazing to watch him play.
end of the those-were-the-good-old-days rant. just read the article.
end of the those-were-the-good-old-days rant. just read the article.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
a photo a day
miss claire's post-blizzard update: the snow stopped overnight. this morning my friends and i went to central park to play in the snow! we definitely got more than a foot, and central park was gorgeous - there were patches of untouched snow. it was very grey at 10am when we were there, so the photos are a little dark...
kiddie hill for babies to sled on:
dominique is queen of the hill!
this dog (like many dogs we saw) was wearing snow booties:
after an hour of playing, we warmed up in ben's apartment and went down to times square to try to get tickets to see book of mormon (they do a lottery every day for twenty-two $30 front row tickets)...after failing at that (sigh), we ate lunch and got manicures. SUCH a fun new york day with my friends!
now i'm warm in my bed and trying to do some reading for school before heading out tonight with talia - the fun continues!!
(mom, the smartwool socks you gave me for my birthday were CRUCIAL to warm feet and today's happiness. thanks!)
kiddie hill for babies to sled on:
dominique is queen of the hill!
this dog (like many dogs we saw) was wearing snow booties:
after an hour of playing, we warmed up in ben's apartment and went down to times square to try to get tickets to see book of mormon (they do a lottery every day for twenty-two $30 front row tickets)...after failing at that (sigh), we ate lunch and got manicures. SUCH a fun new york day with my friends!
now i'm warm in my bed and trying to do some reading for school before heading out tonight with talia - the fun continues!!
(mom, the smartwool socks you gave me for my birthday were CRUCIAL to warm feet and today's happiness. thanks!)
Friday, February 8, 2013
miss claire's 9:30pm blizzard update: still snowing, though not as hard. the roads are relatively clear (i saw a bus creeping its way down the street) and someone is coming through to shovel the sidewalks occasionally. (the photo below is on a side street.) not much more accumulation...we'll see how it looks in the morning! there are central park sledding plans in my future...
a photo a day
Miss Claire's 6pm blizzard update: it's been snowing for a while now and the roads are yucky, even on the Amsterdam, which is a main road. There's maybe 2 inches on the ground. Exciting!
a screenshot a day
that's right: this exists. i can check online to see when my street was last plowed. the internet is magical.
miss claire's 10:30am blizzard update: the weather did not stop the trash truck from making its morning trip outside my window this morning. a rain/snow mix is coming out of the sky, and the sidewalks are slick. plows are coming by pretty regularly, though, so hopefully the roads won't get too dangerous. the library at teachers college is closed because the college is closed, so i'm in the (apparently unheated right now) dining hall with a couple other students, trying to get some work done before i get together with friends this afternoon. with the amount of work we've been given this week it can keep myself entertained for a long long time if the snow keeps up...
Thursday, February 7, 2013
INCREDIBLE - "bones under parking lot belonged to richard III" - all history nerds are required to read this article (dad, i'm looking at you).
i require the history channel to make a tv special about this so i can learn more.
i require the history channel to make a tv special about this so i can learn more.
a screenshot a day
File this under "things I did not see coming." I thought it was just a couple inches of snow?
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
my sleep cycle
when i was in atlanta in january willis told me about a new iphone app that he'd purchased that monitors your sleep. you tell the app that you're going to sleep, then put the phone on your bed for the night. when you turn over or move, the app registers that and thinks you are either (a) in a less deep sleep than before, or (b) awake, based on the amount of movement. after he used it the first night and we pored over the results, i obviously had to buy it. 99 cents! fun information about yourself!
the app rates your sleep from 0% to 100% based on...i don't know what, because sometimes it is wrong. i'll wake up thinking i had been tossing and turning, but the app doesn't care and rates my sleep as very good. who knows. i love it anyway. i think it must have something to do with how long you are in "deep sleep" and how often you wake up...
this is my best night of sleep, according to the app:
it clearly took me like 45 minutes to fall asleep, but somehow that didn't matter...
and this is my worst night of sleep so far:
i didn't get into the deep sleep very much at all, so apparently it was not pleased.
also, let's note that i am kind of the luckiest person ever, because i consistently get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. the reason for this: i never have class before 9am. i'm going to enjoy this life while i can.
you can also tell the app if you worked out or drank caffeine or whatever (you add the options) and then it will tell you if you sleep better or worse after doing these things. the app says i sleep 5% better when i work out and negligibly better if i drink caffeine with dinner, but both are based on just a couple data points, so could presumably change over time.
and that, friends, is probably more than you ever wanted to know about my sleep.
the app rates your sleep from 0% to 100% based on...i don't know what, because sometimes it is wrong. i'll wake up thinking i had been tossing and turning, but the app doesn't care and rates my sleep as very good. who knows. i love it anyway. i think it must have something to do with how long you are in "deep sleep" and how often you wake up...
this is my best night of sleep, according to the app:
it clearly took me like 45 minutes to fall asleep, but somehow that didn't matter...
and this is my worst night of sleep so far:
i didn't get into the deep sleep very much at all, so apparently it was not pleased.
also, let's note that i am kind of the luckiest person ever, because i consistently get at least 8 hours of sleep a night. the reason for this: i never have class before 9am. i'm going to enjoy this life while i can.
you can also tell the app if you worked out or drank caffeine or whatever (you add the options) and then it will tell you if you sleep better or worse after doing these things. the app says i sleep 5% better when i work out and negligibly better if i drink caffeine with dinner, but both are based on just a couple data points, so could presumably change over time.
and that, friends, is probably more than you ever wanted to know about my sleep.
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Monday, February 4, 2013
Sunday, February 3, 2013
a photo a day
when i was in baltimore on friday the whole town was decked out in purple to support the home team. the administrative assistant of the head of school we interviewed gave dominique and i each a bag of pro-ravens m&ms. this was before she drove us the bus station (did i mention that she is awesome?).
done. i will be cheering for the ravens tonight!
done. i will be cheering for the ravens tonight!
Saturday, February 2, 2013
the end of 30 rock
goodbye, liz lemon. what an incredible show, and thankfully one that is just as good in reruns - maybe better, because the jokes are so smart that sometimes i can't fully appreciate them in the moment.
i love this list of the 30 best liz lemon quotes, and i'm especially pleased that their number 1 is also my number 1. i have such good taste.
i love this list of the 30 best liz lemon quotes, and i'm especially pleased that their number 1 is also my number 1. i have such good taste.
a photo a day
on my way back from baltimore on friday afternoon, dominique and i waited 33 minutes (yes, we counted) for a bus alongside lots of other cold bus passenger. ugh. this is definitely something to put in the "con" column for bus travel.
i was wearing impractical shoes, and by "impractical shoes," i really mean "i wasn't wearing socks." i hadn't even BROUGHT socks. i know, i know.
after about 20 minutes of waiting in 27 degree temperatures, i put my gloves on my feet. i still have all my toes, so i guess we can say that it worked.
i was wearing impractical shoes, and by "impractical shoes," i really mean "i wasn't wearing socks." i hadn't even BROUGHT socks. i know, i know.
after about 20 minutes of waiting in 27 degree temperatures, i put my gloves on my feet. i still have all my toes, so i guess we can say that it worked.
Friday, February 1, 2013
january: 1, 2 & 3
a new year, and three confusing new books!
cat's cradle, by kurt vonnegut (while i loved the first vonnegut book i read (slaughterhouse five), this book confused me A LOT. maybe that was the point? and if not - what WAS the point? apocalypse is imminent? something about colonialism in the caribbean? people smarter than me can probably offer some actual analysis. i will defer to them. put this on your "do not read" list.)
everything is illuminated, by jonathan safran foer (again, i thought his other book (extremely loud & incredibly close) was quite good, but this one was...confusing. haha - that seems to be the theme this month. am i dumber than i thought?!? i wasn't really drawn in by the characters or the plot, and just found it an okay read.)
breakfast of champions, by kurt vonnegut (i know you're saying to yourself, "miss claire, why are you reading another vonnegut book so soon after disliking that last one you read?" well, readers, book club waits for no (wo)man. when i moved to new york an acquaintance invited me to join his book club and i was so honored i said yes...and then only read one book in like four months. oops. i did enjoy the one meeting i went to, so i wanted to get back into it, and this was the january book. i liked this one better than cat's cradle, but was still ready for it to end. there's a weird author-becomes-character part at the end that seemed bizarre. i can't wait to see what the other book club members think of this one - maybe that will help me appreciate it more. it's safe to say i'm off vonnegut books for a while now, though.)
please oh please let next month bring better books...
cat's cradle, by kurt vonnegut (while i loved the first vonnegut book i read (slaughterhouse five), this book confused me A LOT. maybe that was the point? and if not - what WAS the point? apocalypse is imminent? something about colonialism in the caribbean? people smarter than me can probably offer some actual analysis. i will defer to them. put this on your "do not read" list.)
everything is illuminated, by jonathan safran foer (again, i thought his other book (extremely loud & incredibly close) was quite good, but this one was...confusing. haha - that seems to be the theme this month. am i dumber than i thought?!? i wasn't really drawn in by the characters or the plot, and just found it an okay read.)
breakfast of champions, by kurt vonnegut (i know you're saying to yourself, "miss claire, why are you reading another vonnegut book so soon after disliking that last one you read?" well, readers, book club waits for no (wo)man. when i moved to new york an acquaintance invited me to join his book club and i was so honored i said yes...and then only read one book in like four months. oops. i did enjoy the one meeting i went to, so i wanted to get back into it, and this was the january book. i liked this one better than cat's cradle, but was still ready for it to end. there's a weird author-becomes-character part at the end that seemed bizarre. i can't wait to see what the other book club members think of this one - maybe that will help me appreciate it more. it's safe to say i'm off vonnegut books for a while now, though.)
please oh please let next month bring better books...
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