3rd Tokyo Argumentation Conference

I just found out that I received a summer research stipend, so I get to go to Japan in August!!! Woo Hoo!

And now I can spend the summer concentrating on reading, writing, interviews, and simulation.... not necessarily in that order. Regardless, it's wonderful news, and it makes me even more aware of how right the decision to come to St. John's was. This is a good place to be a teacher and a scholar.

I need to get a gun

Or a machete of some kind. And canned food. Lots of canned food.

54%

Strikes against me:

1) Apparently, people living in big cities with dense populations are especially screwed in the case of The Undead Apocalypse. So, that's no good, really.
2) No car. Stupid Zombie-infested public transportation.
3) Over-reliance on grocery delivery.
4) Lack of weaponry.

Things in my favor:

1) Good situational reasoning.
2) Abiding love for All-Things-Zombie (and the associated knowledge accompanying that minor obsession).
3) Physical fitness (people probably think I started running in order to look better in a swimsuit, Ha! it was all for the zombies).
4) Good sense of direction.

Monte Sano

My friend, Andrew, just posted this picture to his facebook profile. We were seventeen, and it was summer. That was a good day.

Que Hora Es

This made me laugh and laugh and laugh. (M, your recs are always wonderful.) I took Latin in high school (thanks, Nerdo!), but I remember my best friend, B--a very Southern, very Republican, Tennessee fan with whom I am still friends, against all odds--regaling us in the lunch room with her Spanish phrases. There is nothing as delicious as this phrase "El gato es muy grande" spoken with a thick Southern drawl.

It. Is. Awesome.

Words of Advice from a Just-Turned 33 year old

First
I just had one of the best birthdays ever. And I say "one of" particularly because nothing will ever compare to my tenth birthday: roller-skating party that morphed into a slumber party. It. Was. Awesome. Also, that year I got both a phone and a stereo, so distinctly I remember lying on my bed, talking on the phone, and listening to Kool and the Gang feeling very, very cool and grown up. This birthday, however, was a close second or third for these reasons:
a. I got to see my dear godmother. I haven't seen her in years, and she is wonderful. She was the person who introduced my parents to one another, and I am named after her--so she's kind of a big deal. She was in town with several members of the family. We went to Canal St. and got yummy knock-off purses (I got "Dolce and Gabbana" and "Prada").
b. Canal St. is an interesting place. There are secret ninja rooms above and beneath and behind the storefronts that various people will take you to. At those rooms, you will either be sold a handbag or into slavery (ooooh, that zeugma is for you, debbie hawhee).
c. Then we went to see "Mamma Mia," the Broadway show featuring (I kid you not) Abba songs. And it was super fun. After the show, I got to take a picture with some of the cast members because I rock like that.
d. Then I came back to Bayside, and another dear friend took me out for dinner and drinks. I wore these shoes:














And it was a yummy night all around...

Second
I love astrology and personality tests almost as much as I love my godmother and shoes. My dear friend, AWS just blogged about the Meyers Briggs. He is an INTJ. I am an ENFP. Think what you will about Leos and Aquarians and ISTJ's, but this is super cool stuff to roll out at parties. People LOVE hearing about themselves, and if you want to impress someone, you can totally do it by talking about various and sundry personality measurements. For realious.

First, the Hot Zone

And now this. This is a clip I should never have watched.



See? I fucking told you... Monkeys are scary.

This is my New Favorite Picture in the History of the World

And this is my new favorite adventure.