What is it about office supply stores that make me so happy? Sure, they’re overpriced most of the time, but wow… everything is just so efficient.

I found myself in a delirium of joy last night, wandering through the aisles in search of sharpies, filing folders, and various supplies. I don’t know why the idea of filing my bank statements and bills in pretty colored folders makes me smile, but at least I am trying to stay ahead of the blizzard of paper that takes over my desk at home.

I’ve lived in my house for 1 1/2 years, and I feel like only now do I really live there. One roommate and I are considering the purchase of a rodent of some kind…probably a gerbil. I haven’t had a furry pet since my rabbit in high school, and I tend to kill fish after a while. Maybe with another person helping we’ll manage to have a pet with a decent lifespan.

I also enjoy the efficiency of a 24-hr post office, and feel rather spoiled in that regard. There is something beautiful in the streets of Chicago’s Loop at 7 pm…silence. 🙂

Now if only I could figure out a way to fit my clothes in a closet that is much too small for the amount of stuff that I try to put in it…

At last count we were at 5 weddings upcoming for the 2006 season. Everyone…on your mark, get set…GO! I love watching this whole process from the sidelines. Do I get to cheer people on? I’d like to develop jerseys and little flags to wave. bwahahaha.

Some of my friends in Atlanta made a video, and you have to see it. They are in a competition and are going on to the next round.

A Meditation on the Speed Limit

I drank eggnog tonight from Oberweis, it felt like a sin. mmm. I used to hate the stuff, but I come home to my parents house and it is calling me from the refrigerator:

“Shooooleh, come drink me, I’m eggy and sugary and oh-so-yummy!”

Then it giggles maniacally.

I’m taking my little sister to see the new Harry Potter movie this weekend. I won’t deny it: I’m excited.

I don’t like the holidays (too much materialism, and I don’t celebrate Christmas), but I do like how things are all decorated at the stores. Stores should be decorated year-round. But then I guess it wouldn’t be special, would it?

1. I learned that the pollution is so bad that it can affect your skin.

2. Shopping is fantastic.

3. Flowers bloom in November.

4. The Pacific Ocean at sunset is awesome.

5. You can wear flip-flops in November.

6. It IS possible to think and stand on a rock at the same time.

I am eating pistachios and drinking doogh (yogurt soda).

yee-haw. (That was the southern part of me coming out.)

Hello, 22, how are you?
I’m just fine
writing a rhyme
when all I want to do is party.
I’m leaving home
but I won’t be alone
I’m going to eat something tasty!

(Forgive the horrible poetry, I just woke up and am trying to get out the door.)

I danced like a maniac last night at the conference. Today has promising things on the horizon.

that I love avocado smoothies. They make me happier than almost anything except flan. Oh, and I really, really like puns. Yes, I do. I am sorry if this makes you not want to be friends with me.

It has been proven in several scientific papers that my puns get worse the more tired I get. Therefore, one can measure “Sholeh Tiredness” by how royally awful my puns are. I’m serious.

I am looking forward to biking again…something about the freedom I have when zooming around town…phenomenal.

Why do I sometimes get the feeling that I am alone?
Alone in my love for the strange, the green,
the disliked members of the family of vegetables!
Oh, broccoli, okra, and brussel sprouts,
fried, baked, boiled or raw,
how very misunderstood you are!
————————————————————–

It is true, you know. Some of you have seen me sit contentedly with a bowl full of brussel sprouts drenched in lemon, salt, and butter, and be completely happy with this as my dinner. mmm.

My long bloggy silence has been the result of after-finals stress relief, planning a conference (coming up on Friday, eek!), and hanging out with wonderful friends. This summer promises to be very busy with Baha’i conferences, weddings, and work (note how work is listed last, haha). But seriously, I have a feeling it will be great.

Bed, perhaps? Yes.

Go here for Andrew’s story of what happens when a deer hits a car…

Took two finals in the last 24 hours, I’m so tired! One more tomorrow, and I’m DONE. whee! Summer can’t come soon enough (although the weather is currently hovering at 43 degrees F).

Sholeh + Neda + Dubious Estate Sale = Hilarity. We had way too much fun.

I really couldn’t even figure out what some of these knicknacks were!

There was a random head sitting on a table…and it thoroughly freaked out both of us.

Me: “Ramez…you do realize that we’re really big nerds? We’re sitting in the computer lab, when each of us has computers at home.”

Ramez: “Ah, that’s true, but we don’t have the luxury at home of sitting in chairs with approximately three semesters worth of farts in them.”

I just about died laughing. Now I am debating whether or not to post this entry, but have decided to, because humor is not something I normally put on this blog, and figured that everyone needs a laugh at least once a day. So, I’m considering this a service to humanity. yeah. heh.

Have you ever been walking down the street
in your business slacks and heels
with a snazzy purse on your shoulder
makeup done perfectly, not a hair out of place
striding down the sidewalk with
an emphatic click on each step
when suddenly you trip and nearly fall
and all of the morning commuters look
on with barely concealed amusement?
———————————————–
Speaking of the morning commute, my dad sent me this article. I need one of these.

“After the snooze button is pressed, the clock, which is equipped with padding and a set of wheels, rolls off the table to another part of the room. Each day, the clock finds a new place to hide.

When the alarm sounds again, simply finding Clocky ought to be strenuous enough to prevent even the doziest owner from going back to sleep,” New Scientist magazine said on Tuesday.

I wonder where my friends are. I wonder why people read, but don’t leave a comment saying hi.

I know you’re out there, blog-lurkers. Silent readers who visit the page and whisk themselves away before writing me a little message.

I have become sad.

[Read all of the above with an English accent. I am, however, quite serious about comments. At least just this once, say hi. Or leave a joke, or a funny combination of words. Please? At least for the little smily face woman below.]

Current awesome band: Royksopp. My sister gave me their cd, and I’ve had it on repeat while typing my papers. Also, King of Woolworths is rather fun, trippy musical entertainment. Another sisterly gift that has saved me from insanity.

I may actually be allergic to theological discussions.

Hear me out.

I was at our Baha’i Youth Desk meeting here at my house when some people started on a tangent about something. I don’t really know what they were saying, because as soon as they started on the tangent, I started sneezing uncontrollably. Not quiet little sneezes, either, but explosive ones that shook the couch. I ended up having to leave the room, at which time my sneezes stopped. This happened twice.

I currently have a cold, which is interesting because I always get a cold at this time of the year. I should just write it into my calendar.

“I have estimated the influence of Reason upon Love and found that it is like that of a raindrop upon the ocean, which makes one little mark upon the water’s face and disappears.” -Hafiz, Persian poet

I want to learn more about Iran.

PS: Congratulations to Myk & Lacey, who got engaged tonight. This is couple #6 that is getting married this summer out of people I know. In the majority of cases, I know both bride and groom. I’m happy for you two.

If you don’t know Sarah L, orignally from in Minnesota but now residing on the East Coast, you totally wish you did. I will even give you examples:

Sarah: ugh, i am sick of england
Me: ??
Sarah: this is a problem, because it is the first of 4 countries i have to write about in this paper
Me: aahh
Sarah: and also is by far my favorite
Sarah: haha
Sarah: ok, i’m skipping to france. at least things are funny there.
(a few minutes later)
Sarah: i’m already having more fun

——————–
Sarah: i actually had to leave the emo show because it was making me too sad
——————–

Sarah: haha, we should start a group chat called “worlddomination”
Sarah: or something
Me: LOL
Sarah: i’m seeing potential here
Me: me too
Me: it would be fun
Sarah: I’ve just learned all about the components of a successful revolution
Sarah: in my latin american politics class
Me: rock!
(conversation continues with discussions of who would be good to have on our team, etc. somehow we reach the following question.)
Sarah: so the question is
Sarah: do i want to download MSN in the name of world domination?
Me: yes!!!

i don’t know what to blog about
my muse fell off a cliff
and bounced on the sharp rocks below

(making cornbread from my own recipe and baking chocolate cupcakes. you know you’re jealous)

Chance of flurries tonight. Whenever I hear that, I think of ice cream.
“”””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
I don’t need to make a statement or alter the shape of the universe. Well, at least not in my blog. You see, my friends, is that it really doesn’t matter what I do here. Chances are, I’d probably make more people upset than anything else. This is an amusing space, but I’m not here to change the way people think or force something on people that don’t want to be involved. I’m just here.

Having had a blog in one form or another for 4 years…you figure things out. You figure out that your audience is not something that you get to choose. You are not in your own private universe, playing God. And you don’t always have the luxury of having the same kinds of conversations that you have in person.

I am ok with that. Because no matter what I think the effect of my posts are, the fact remains that if I choose to play God (or psychologist), I can’t guarantee that people won’t get hurt. And I can’t guarantee that backbiting will not happen. I do not want this blog to be the catalyst for that.

“… Each of us is responsible for one life only, and that is our own. Each of us is immeasurably far from being ‘perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect’ and the task of perfecting our own life and character is one that requires all our attention, our will- power and energy.

(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 92)

Some people may not realize this, but I love lists. I write everything down. When a professor is droning on about histograms and normal deviation, I make lists of errands I have to run, emails I need to write…whatever! These lists were written in Business Stats.

Things I Love About My School:

1) The doodles on the desktops are either long political treatises or notes in Urdu. The same applies to the bathroom stalls.

2) I can still get a cup of coffee for under $2.

3) A cell phone is considered to be an extension of the human body, not merely an accessory.

4) Watching plainclothes cops search my 60 year old Marketing professor in the hallway before class…and then my professor stepping into the classroom and saying “The fuzz got me, sorry I was late.”

5) Listening to the same professor’s jokes twice a day (morning class and afternoon).
—————————————–

Things I Love About My House:

1) Assigned chores every week and month. (“Who has the blessing of assuring the cleanliness of the kitchen this week?”)

2) The chalkboard on the wall (I get excited when there is a new message on the board…unless it is for the bills).

3) In-house washer & dryer.

4) Parties!!

5) Angela’s art projects on the dining room table.

We don’t know what it is, either. It appeared suddenly in the living room one evening, and of course was immediately experimented with.

Shannon tests it out.

Gavin & Shannon turn into an alien. “Are we done taking pictures yet?”

We rearranged the living room tonight. I’m proud of us.

School is hectic so far, but I love 2 of my professors so far. One of them tells awesome jokes and makes side comments to me (I sit in the front row so I don’t fall asleep).

After a long wait, I’m getting my wisdom teeth (all 4!) removed in 9 hours. I’m sure it will be lots of fun.

It has been suggested by unnamed sources that I make them into a necklace. 😀

Therefore, I won’t be writing emails, reading blogs, answering phone calls, or being at all social for a few days. Just in case you’re wondering why I’ve fallen off the face of the earth.

I was making mashed potatoes tonight in preparation for all of this, when I discovered that the potatoes had something against me. They were attacking me, flying all over the kitchen, landing on the floor, jumping on my face. It was a mess. I was also receiving phone calls from friends. I managed to bend a fork beyond recognition, as well. Angela was gettting a kick out of watching me drop things and clean up splattered potatoes.

Wish I had taken pictures. 😉

I got to roast marshmallows with my little sister. Haven’t done that in much too long! mmm fire…

Apparently I’m more of a “spontaneously funny” person. 🙂

(Thanks to Kelsey for the pic, yes that is me in the bag. Angela is next to me.)
————————-

“Therefore I hope that whether you be in the east or the west you will strive with heart and soul in order that day by day the world of humanity may become glorified, more spiritual, more sanctified; and that the splendor of the Sun of Reality may be revealed fully in human hearts as in a mirror. This is worthy of the world of mankind. This is the true evolution and progress of humanity. This is the supreme bestowal. Otherwise, by simple development along material lines man is not perfected. At most, the physical aspect of man, his natural or material conditions may become stabilized and improved but he will remain deprived of the spiritual or divine bestowal. He is then like a body without a spirit, a lamp without the light, an eye without the power of vision, an ear that hears no sound, a mind incapable of perceiving, an intellect minus the power of reason.”

(Abdu’l-Baha, Baha’i World Faith, p. 262)

Another confirming quotation from the Writings. This is why I strive.

And now I bring you…funny scientific article names:

The uncertain blitzkrieg of Pleistocene megafauna (apparently the megafauna were not as sure about their attack as they should have been)

Amphibian road mortality in response to nightly variations in traffic intensity (no, Fred, don’t cross the road! It’s not worth it!)

From species to supertrees… (trees with capes and powers)

Bias in the mean tree model as a consequence of Jensen’s Inequality (Those trees have really got to stop being so rude)

Response of birds to thinning young Douglas-fir forests (ok, so they’re going bald. It doesn’t mean you have to reject them so coldly!)

I would love to see these as The Far Side cartoons.

My housemate Angela brought home a caterpillar from work a few days ago. He lives in a container on our kitchen table and his name is Chewy…because he chews on things.

He is dark grey with black spots, and watching him eat a piece of spinach was one of the most fascinating things I’ve seen in a long time. It is nice having a pet, even if he is only a bug.

I didn’t know we even HAD a pet…I thought the jar was just a nice flower arrangement. 🙂

I wore a white denim jacket today.

Yes, I did. AFTER LABOR DAY.

What are you gonna do about it, huh?

And I will probably continue wearing white articles of clothing. The seasons will not restrict MY style.

A twisted ankle, however, will. I can only wear flip-flops because my foot is swollen and bruised. hmph. Be aware of basement steps.

On the road and around town:

THE JOY BUS. “Come Join Us!”

Heartbreak Towing Truck (driven by a very large man with a very long gray beard)

A family playing baseball in a parking lot in the middle of Michigan

AVOID HELL. JESUS SAVES. REPENT TODAY. (billboard)

A freshman with orange hair with a matching orange shirt…that he seems to wear every day.
————————————

3 days until my birthday! Saturday night, y’all. I’ll be at Persian Conference. Party to be determined at a later date. There WILL be one.

*whispers* Guess what? I have NO IDEA what’s going on!

*panic sets in*

Oh well…I’ll just wing it.

*hops on bike to start a glorious adventure*

I bought 7 goldfish a couple weeks ago, and a Betta. There are now 2 goldfish and the Betta still lives (although it does not eat as much as my last one). The other fishies went belly-up, one by one.

The security guy at work told us that a lady had a little dog in her shopping cart, and apparently she walked right past me at Guest Service without me seeing it. People that carry their little doggies in a purse or something…ugh.

I caught two boys playing baseball in the sporting goods aisle today. That seems to happen a lot. I also picked up a bottle of bath bubble soap that turned out to be VERY slimy and leaky. eww.

Other Items I Found Today:
– chewed lollipop stick
– bandaid stuck to the floor
– candy wrappers
– dead lightbulb
– a nice little collection of used tissues in Toys
– green marbles on the floor

What happens when you wash jelly beans in a strainer?

Not a whole lot. They lose their smooth outer coating and look strange. Don’t ask why we washed them…they were dirty, apparently.

And the heat lamps on the L are finally on! *dances* Hey, I get excited about these things. They’re the best invention ever.