Friday Fives

The Friday Five [ http://digitalexpressions.nu/diary/the%20friday%20five/ ]

1. Do you consider yourself a rule-breaker or a rule-follower?
rule follower... for the most part :)

2. List all the trouble you've been in with the police (Tickets, warnings, etc).
I got a speeding ticket in Lockport on the way back from the most horrible long-weekend vacation ever in Cedar Point, OH. I just wanted to get back to TheDentist's house, drop him off, and not see him or anyone associated with him (as in, anyone on that trip) for a long long while. I zoned out, sped in an area where the speed limit drops from 55 to 30... and got nailed for 56 in a 30. I was crying so hard by the time we got the mile and a half to his house I couldn't turn around and go home. This wasn't embarrassing enough - I had to keep it a secret from my parents and show up at his parents' house two more times for court. In the end it was a parking ticket, though.
I had a few random run-ins with the cops at parties in high school... for the most part it was just stressful proving to them that I was not guilty of anything, contrary to their beliefs about high school delinquents. The best was the time that we got questioned about our citizenship rather than the fact that we were all drinking.

3. How many piercings/tattoos do you have?
Each ear has 3 piercings... and I have my navel pierced still.

4. When/where did you lose your virginity?
uhhh I was 16. and I feel a lil slutty about that. but we were in loooooooove (or at least thought we were) and he's a special dude either way you slice it.

5. Do you need to change your answer to #1?
nah. other than that, I generally set my cruise control to 60 (ok, not quite under the limit but close enough) and use a headset when I drive. And I once tried to cheat on a French test in jr high and that didn't work so I haven't tried it since (figured I'm no good at it.) and although I sometimes wear jeans on the weekends to work and I usually have a drink in the cupboard (both against the rules in the lab) I don't break any rules that are major (or intentional.)

Friday Fives

I post on another site from time to time, one that is owned by a friend of mine. One of my fellow posters posts the Friday Five every week and I find it amusing. So here it is, a couple days late.

The Friday Five [ http://digitalexpressions.nu/diary/the%20friday%20five/ ]

1. Who is your best friend?
my sister Larissa

2. How long have you two known each other?
well, she's 23, so 23 years

3. What makes him/her your BEST friend?
she's awesome. we fight, we make up. we laugh together all the time. we have serious conversations without being all pissed off about it. she's awesome.

4. What is your favorite thing to do with him/her?
hang around and maybe get coffee or something. or watch a lifetime movie.

5. Who was your first best friend?
Larissa, or maybe Abby

inspiration

My friend Phil is an English professor, currently in the Peace Corps in China. He keeps a blog where he writes all sorts of fabulous things about his experiences. Right now, he's preparing for the trek to Beijing to see the Olympics on his birthday. And writing fabulous things about it. So Phil, good job, you've inspired me.
The fascinating thing is the way that this truly talented friend can, in the same paragraph, quote both someone famous for being an intellectual and someone famous for being a gangster rapper. I'm pretty sure I can't do that. In fact, I'm 100% sure that wouldn't come out elegant and sophisticated and funny like his references do; it would come out sounding incredibly silly and juvenile if I tried the same trick.
I cleaned my room about a week ago and in doing so, found an old CD with a homemade label on it, in a homemade CD case. What CD could this be? A leftover from 2001 or maybe early 2002, it was none other than TriggerFinger. Ah yes, my friend Matt's band that we all spent many an evening being devoted fans to, despite the fact that they played too loud and weren't all that good when they first started playing. So I tossed this CD in the player in my car and jammed out on my way to work. Much to my surprize, I still knew all the words (well enough to sing along even!) to just about every song on the disk. Again, the talent of my friends amazes me. First, that Matt (and his bandmates) could come up with songs with original music and all those lyrics. Second, that all those lyrics (written by Matt) sounded so fabulously poetic. Third, that those lyrics are all completely over my head. Yeah, I know the words... and I even know (from the lead singer himself) what the songs are about. But if Matt hadn't told me those years ago, I wouldn't have a clue. They just sound nice.
And then there is other creativity that's fascinating... Alex invents computer programs all day that solve real problems. TheDentist, for as much of a tool as he may be, sculpts new teeth for people. Ones that are biologically correct and work for these poor people. Batman creates paintings and elegant photographs from the world around him. Auntie Rose and Katie make nice little cartoons to teach little kids what they need them to know.
So it was either being inspired by what Phil wrote today, or being uninspired by my incredibly boring work which in turn leaves me needing to exercise my own creativity somehow... but here I am at least writing something that I came up with.
On an unrelated note, I got an email out of the blue today from D'youville College about a PhD program in heath care policy. Not really sure if that's still going to be my direction when I finish the MBA... but it's nice to think about what the next step might be. I feel like that might be a nice combination of the raw capitalism of the MBA world and the nobility of the health care world. Plus it would open up the door for higher education (as in, to teach at a university level) someday. It's not like programs like that just up and dissappear though... maybe one day, maybe one day.