Obstacle 1

I've been recently fighting a perpetual time crunch. Suddenly, deadlines transformed from laudable mechanisms to force me to complete my work into real and binding things. Since Wednesday morning, I feel that I'm constantly tense, constantly staring at the computer, and constantly fighting this wave of nausea. The physical manifestation of this stress is the worst. For instance, since beginning to lift weights I've developed these bulging veins in my hands, and they seems to throb every time I think of what I have to do.

I had a presentation on Friday. To call my performance "craptastic" would be unduly generous.

What has made this week interesting is the purported presence of Drew Barrymore. Apparently, she is shooting her directorial debut in Ann Arbor (thanks US Weekly!). I've never met a real celebrity, which I think is unfair given my obsession with them. Oh, and I read Little Girl Lost. Thus, I've been staked out on Main Street, hoping for a sighting. So far the only notable sighting was my old crush and his girlfriend eating dinner at Cafe Felix. It was so bloody awkward, although I'm engaged and the entire episode took place years ago. His back was to me and his girlfriend saw me and whispered to him. He turned around and saw me, but I, oh sly one, was acting like I was texting someone although in reality, I don't text because it is too expensive on my plan. HA! So we all acted as if we didn't see each other. It was on this date when I choose to pair my adorable khaki shorts with a plain gray SWEATSHIRT FROM MEIJER. It always seems that I run into people when I look like a schlub.

Now I'm back on Main Street, working on my paper for APSA. I'm actually enjoying my work. In fact, I love it. It is just the stress that gets to me. As I type this I wonder if perhaps I'll see a famous person. Ellen Page? Marcia Gay Harden? Drew Barrymore? I'm not picky.

Bisous Cat's Q & A, Courtesy D. Smith

I ran the idea of Bisous Cat hosting a Q & A show on public television past David. In response, David provided this absolutely perfect script of how such a show would progress. Please note, Raffi is my parent's ambiguously gay cat. He has a British accent and heaven knows how he ended up in Kentucky. Isabel is my sweet, darling, loving cat, who happens to rub against anyone and everyone. Snickers is Cassie's long-haired cat who may or may not be fatter than Bisous Cat (and Bisous Cat is huge).

Voici David's masterpiece: 

BISOUS CAT: Please welcome our wegular guest, Isabel.

(APPLAUSE)

ISABEL: Meow . . .

BISOUS CAT: Shut up Isabel, no-one's intewested. Go and find a lap you haven't sat on yet. If you can. All the way fwom Kentucky, Waffi!

(APPLAUSE)

RAFFI: Yes, it's, er, charming to be in Michigan. I say, is there a decent bathhouse anywhere around here?

BISOUS CAT: Why don't you just lick yourself like evewyone else?

RAFFI: Er, well, it's not so much the cleaning aspect I'm looking for. . .

BISOUS CAT: And speaking of cats who don't clean themselves, please welcome Snickews!

(APPLAUSE)

SNICKERS: None of you have any fashion sense to wear your fur long.

BISOUS CAT: And none of us have our fuw wecognized as a national park.

RAFFI: Oh, MEOW!

SNICKERS: Or have our ass recognized as a planet. Oh, wait, I believe NASA's trying to contact you now. . .

RAFFI: Oh, this is going to be FUN. Someone bring me a martini. . .

Nous Partons Allez Viens!

I am working at Espresso Royale, looking up British candidates for my dissertation. Ah, the dissertation. My raison d'être. I feel so ridiculously inferior to my peers. I used to think I was making good progress, but in a quest to improve my own webpage, I saw how much my colleagues have accomplished. In comparison, I feel like I've accomplished nothing. I take that back. I am very good at sudoku, something I would never have accomplished without attending graduate school. In other words,  hello Wayne State! Yet I am unable to pinpoint what I would do if I wasn't an aspiring political scientist. I was a very good waitress at Sonic. Unfortunately, I am too old to do that now (there is nothing sadder than a carhop over 20, and you can quote me on that).

On another note, tonight should be fun. Dan and I are going to Cassie's for dinner. Kate and Michael are also attending. I'm really looking forward to it. My friend's dad's band is playing at the Firefly Club tonight and I will attempt to convince everyone to join me in attending tonight. 

Nobody's Perfect

I am in the reading room in the Union. Across from me sits an uptight girl who has a conniption every time anyone makes a noise. What really strikes me as bizarre is that she appears to be listening to her iPod. How can she hear these low-volume sounds?  I swear, the expressions she makes and the speed at which she snaps her head to see what could be the matter are far more distracting than the sounds of a chair screeching or my munching on some nutritious celery. 

But beyond that, life is grand. This past weekend Dan and I travelled to Bowling Green to spend time with my parents. Mel was there and she brought her two friends! We spent every waking moment eating salsa and chips and drinking. It was grand. The only low point of this weekend is listening to my parents and their über-conservative friends discuss politics. I did not say much until I was pushed to the breaking point with regards to state formation. I immediately regretted saying anything, but Dan said that he loved it when "I put him [my parents' friend] in his place." I used to voice my political views loudly and constantly but I've since tried to keep them silent. Not only have I been largely been successful, but I would argue that I've been much more pleasant as well. I suppose it was the copious amount of wine I drank or the length of the conversation that broke me. I wonder if I had been a man would I worry so much about speaking my mind? Or should everyone avoid discussing politics, full stop?

In my spare time, I finally read a non-school related book, A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah. Perhaps you saw it on sale at your local Starbucks? Yes, well, if you enjoy reading about death over coffee than by all means, pick it up and read it while you sip your latte! I had nightmares. 

Speaking of nightmares, my stress has reached record levels. I must return to the tasks at hand.