...emulating the writers' strike

Not really. I don't like unions. But that's not why I'm here today.

Okay, sorry it's been so long since my last posting. Most of you have already been forced to listen to me gripe about being busy, and in my defense let me just say that I very rarely resorted to exaggeration to get my point across. But I am sorry it's taken me so long to get another entry written down.

And that's all the apologizing I'm going to do.

My Christmas vacation was bracketed by good weather. It was a nice clear calm sunny day when I left London, and there were a few nice days in a row when I left Orange County (although to be fair, the morning I left was so ridiculously fogged-in my plane sat on the runway for an hour or so before visibility improved enough for them to take off. It was bad). But crap London weather followed me back to California, which I then interpreted as a damn good excuse to watch VH1's America's Next Top Model marathon (every season, every episode). "Fierce" is now sadly part of my everyday vocabulary, and I've become slightly concerned with figuring out how to smile with just my eyes while maintaining an otherwise-stoic facial expression. It's silly. And sort of difficult to do. But as long as I don't take the show's participants seriously (or imagine them driving or reproducing), I figure watching it is harmless. And it was sort of a nice contrast to episodes of Arrested Development, which, while extraordinarily amusing and entertaining, requires a lot more attention to get the jokes. ANTM is like autopilot for the brain. Though I wouldn't recommend remaining in autopilot for too long (see above comments on "fierce" and smiling eyes)....

I also returned to my temping roots and did a few days' work as a receptionist and file clerk for a company that manufactures artificial flavors and scents. Due to a raging sinus cold that hit me just after arriving in Orange County, the artifical maple flavoring smell that completely filled every nook and cranny of that building never really affected me. Bueno.

My hammock broke though. On Christmas Eve. As I was arranging myself in it to go to sleep. I would be less broken-up about it if it hadn't been four in the morning and I hadn't been the only one awake in that there was nobody around to take a picture of me, lying on Grandma's back patio with my legs still dangling from the demolished hammock. Lasted a good long while though for something I impulse purchased for $10 while waiting in my car to exit Tijuana and return to the land of drinkable tap water.

Getting my student visa was a nightmare. It was so bad (and I've told this story so many times now), that I don't feel like going into detail about it here. Let's just say I am very happy I don't have to do that all three years it's going to take me to get this degree. Very very very happy.

So now I'm back in London. Back to work. Back to school. Moving at a breakneck pace that has me already looking forward to March and Doheny and a bit of time to relax.

I have an addiction to Vice Magazine's Dos and Don'ts. Check 'em out.

I am having problems reconciling feminist approaches to history and literature. I'm beginning to feel like it just isn't for me. And then I feel horribly guilty and worry other women will call me a traitor. It's not like I'm donning an apron or hoping to get married soon so I can have a man who'll take care of me for the rest of my life. I just don't agree with polarizing things. Seems to me like making a big fuss about women (and only women) is just as bad as previous approaches which only focused on men (and only men). Can't we all just get along?

....But the McDonald's by the train station sells Sausage Egg McMuffins ALL DAY LONG. How could I possibly be upset when I can get my favorite McDonald's breakfast item any time I choose? Still haven't popped in for one, but I'm sure it'll happen one day.....