Living vicariously through myself

So I went and had the second surgery for an ingrown toenail in my life yesterday. I was in an out in 15 minutes. If you want the gruesome details, you can ask. Basically it involves 5 shots in your toe, a snip, a yank, some acid and a few days of bleeding. Anyway, there's only a small chance that I'll ever even be ABLE to have an ingrown nail there ever again, so that's good.

Spent most of the day today fighting with the AVID in Chicago over my final project. It's almost complete. I had to come home and shoot some more b-roll, but now I have the shots I need, so whenever I go back in I can drop those in and roll the whole thing off to be graded and be done with Chicago broadcast.

I've also spent a fair amount of time working on my packet for the Kidder Cup this weekend in Ann Arbor. It's a singles tournament that I really don't hope to win, but go to be with a bunch of fun people, more than anything else. It's good to see everyone and get a little competition in too. So I take the train up there Saturday, play Sunday and come home that evening. Fortunately, Mike Philpy has been kind enough to offer up his floor as crash space and offer to take me to and from the station.

Have to drive into Evanston on Friday to tape my parts of the first Medill Reports show with Joseph. Should only be there a couple hours, which is nice. Hopefully no parking ticket this time. That would be a big plus.

Running away? You yellow . . .


What Monty Python Character are you?
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A conversation I saw on a rerun of Deep Space 9 this afternoon.

Dr. Bashear: Out of all the stories you've told me, which ones are true?
Garak: My dear doctor, they're ALL true.
Bashear: Even the lies?
Garak: Especially the lies...

Yes, I managed to hurt myself with breakfast food today. I was making waffles and when one of them came out of the toaster, it was too hot to touch, so it fell down and hit the big toe on my left foot. Normally, this would not be much of a problem. When you have an ingrown toenail in exactly the same spot that you have plummeting waffles, it becomes more problematic. The next thing you know, Aunt Jemima will try to slit my throat in my sleep.

Finally got to go have dinner and drinks with the Medill crew last night. It was great to get out and everyone was in a good mood and we all enjoyed ourselves. We'd been planning it for a week, and everyone was great about accommodating me. I'm going to try to organize a shindig here next Friday night and see what happens. Hopefully people will show up, we'll go to Prairie Rock for food and beer then come back here and chill out. Could be fun.

JANUARY:
Stubborn and hard-hearted -- I certainly can be stubborn, but I'm getting better.
Ambitious and serious -- I absolutely am these.
Loves to teach and be taught -- Truths.
Always looking at people's flaws and weaknesses -- I prefer to think of it as trying to help other people be better.
Likes to criticize -- But tries to be constructive
Hardworking and productive -- No one meets more deadlines than I do.
Smart, neat and organized -- Yes, if you count knowing which PILE something is in.
Sensitive and has deep thoughts -- Probably too often.
Knows how to make others happy -- I'd like to think so.
Quiet unless excited or tensed -- Depends on the company I'm in.
Rather reserved -- Well, they finally got one wrong.
Highly attentive -- I'm always listening and watching -- especially when people don't think I am.
Resistant to illnesses but prone to colds -- Could not be more correct.
Romantic but has difficulties expressing love -- Depends on the WOMAN you ask.
Loves children -- As long as they're potty trained and able to converse.
Loyal -- Once described as my best trait by a friend.
Has great social abilities yet easily jealous -- Alas, a double-edged sword.
Very Stubborn and money cautious -- Yes, I'm fiscally conservative.




What does your birth month say about you?
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I've noticed something about myself over the last couple weeks. It seems I'm good at figuring out other people's emotions and explaining them, but I don't even come close to feeling the whole range of emotions myself most days. I don't cry enough, I don't get mad enough, I don't love enough.

As a consequence, when people witness me doing any of these things, it always seems to take them completely by surprise. Also, it seems to give an air that I'm someone I'm not. I know for a fact that I come off as pretty unfeeling and robotic most days. I'm committed to my work, and people notice, which isn't necessarily bad. But I also make people laugh and I listen to them when they tell me something private or important -- yet this is often overlooked. It doesn't really bother me in and of itself because people still talk to me and let me make them laugh, but it's a strange dichotomy.

So, what seems to happen is that I get ahead with the people in whose lives I am not at all emotionally invested -- bosses, editors, professors, etc, but have a relatively stagnant relationship with the people whose lives I'd like to be more a part of. This is a little troubling at a time when I should start looking for a long-term girlfriend. I have good relationships with the women I know at Medill, but that only goes so far. Most of them are in relationships (usually longer-term, well-developed ones), so it's not like I'm a threat anyway. But I'd just like to be asked to go have a drink after work -- something giving the idea that I'm not perceived as a stiff who does things his own way and lives far away from everyone else (on a number of levels).

I was talking to Megan this evening and I told her that I think I'm finally bored with being single. It was a nice break for a while after having several relationships in quick succession, but I miss having someone to sit and watch movies or listen to music with. It's been a year and a half, and it's high time I find a girlfriend. So I'm now accepting applications...

Listening to the radio on the way in to Evanston today, I heard the song "Living in the USA" by the Steve Miller Band. I was not all that familiar with the song, so when I heard the song's opening refrain of "stand back", it really sounded to me like they were saying "Stamp Act!" over and over. I think the lyrics should be changed.