You are viewing [info]quarklop's journal

About this Journal
Having finally figured out how to type anything in this box, I now have no idea what to write in here. Oy, well that's probably consistant with all the entries in here anyway.
Current Month
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
May. 22nd, 2008 @ 04:34 pm sorry the links don't work, but I couldn't get the attach link feature to actually attach links...
Current Mood: excitedexcited
This is my long-winded tiara story:

Okay, so I originally thought (and still don't quite disagree) that buying an expensive piece of jewelry I am unlikely to wear after the wedding is positively absurd, especially considering our limited wedding budget.

So...how did it occur that I was looking at tiaras? you ask.  Well, I am wearing my mom's wedding dress, but I don't like the headband she used with her veil.  I was looking for ideas--window shopping on the net, if you will--when I found some tiaras by a woman who does Renaissance and Lord of the Rings style jewelry and sells them on ebay.  Some of her work is really pretty.  The tiara I liked the most is this one:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Celtic-Wedding-Renaissance-Ivy-Headpiece-Circlet-925_W0QQitemZ180219674314QQihZ008QQcategoryZ105518QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem

But that price is really beyond the pale.  But I thought this one was also nice, and almost affordable:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Simple-V-style-Celtic-Headpiece-Band-with-Moonstone_W0QQitemZ180172719903QQihZ008QQcategoryZ105517QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosting

I showed this to Mike, assuring him of my conviction that spending $50 on a  tiara of all things is absurd.

A day passed by.

I wistfully admired the picture a bit more, and remarked to Mike that I would really like a tiara...  Mike observed that I wasn't entirely happy with my spending-$50-on-this-would-be-ridiculous notion, and pointed out that it's my wedding and if I really want a tiara, go for it.  He did seem slightly alarmed when I remarked that I like the $160 one better and pointed out that he prefers simple anyway.  So when I asked him if it would be okay to order the moonstone one, he said it was.

However, because of the candle/stinky lotion fiasco (I found a unity candle online for way cheaper than ones I've seen in stores...don't ask) and because Mike was willing but not incredibly thrilled, I was more cautious this time.  

Mike had asked what other people do.  I wasn't quite sure, so I went browsing the Internet to find out and to prove to myself that I really did want the moonstone tiara (and to establish that $50 really isn't that absurd). In my search for pictures of brides and for prices of wedding hair thingees, I found a site with tiaras I considered acceptable (most of which were $80+) and was copying the links in an email to Mike.  

Suddenly...I noticed that one of the tiaras whose link I had copied was $49, which was a few dollars cheaper than the moonstone one.  I looked at it again, and decided I kinda liked it, even though it wasn't silver and definitely wasn't Renaissance-y: http://www.princessbridetiaras.com/newsite/pbt_products/No214B.shtml

So I deleted the other links and started writing down the advantages of this one over the moonstone one instead.  By the time I had written them all down (looking at the respective pictures a few more times in the process), I had persuaded myself.  When I asked Mike what he thought, he said he likes this one and actually seemed to mean it this time.  So on Friday I ordered it:

The primary concrete reasons for choosing this one are the following:
  • This one will go better with the gold wedding rings.
I have a pretty gold locket my grandma gave me when I was baptized (and Mom let me keep when I was confirmed).  So that means
  • We'll have jewelry from both sides of Mike's family and both sides of mine present at the wedding. (The engagement ring is from Mike's dad's side, his wedding ring is from his mom's side, my wedding ring is from my dad's side.)
  • Now I don't have to find a necklace to wear.

And then today the tiara arrived.  It is dainty, ethereal, and positively gorgeous.  I am very glad I went looking for other ideas after finding the original tiara!
About this Entry
giraffe tongue
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Feb. 18th, 2008 @ 04:59 pm (no subject)
Some guy who says his name is Rufus called, saying he wants to work at Maynard, a foundry we work with. When I asked him what kind of work he does, he said "foundry work." Since we specialize in skilled trades, we don't have a whole lot of jobs for "anything." So I suggested he apply directly to the Maynard. I didn't really want to give him anyone's name to talk to, so I suggested he look up the phone number in the phone book. He was incredulous.

some time later...

Rufus called back. He wanted me to give him the number because he has neither a phone book or a computer, and in face, he's almost homeless, and really needs a job. So I looked up Maynard's main number on the internet (which did indeed turn out to be the regular number we have) and gave it to him. This was very difficult and confusing for him. I started with 414... and gave him time to write it down. "41-? is that the area code?" After a little more difficulty with that concept, I went on to 645. "Wait, wait, let me write that down!" But otherwise, there wasn't too much trouble with those three digits. Actually, those were by far the easiest. Then I said 0440. "0044"? No, 0440 (more slowly this time). "00-" No, 0440 (even more slowly and clearly). "0404?" No, 0440 (exasperation plus slowness and clearness). "0404?" No (increasingly exasperated) zero, double four, zero (pause) So that's zero, four, four, zero. He didn't say what he was writing down this time and I chose not to ask. So we hung up. Liz was laughing and I asked if I could bang my head into a wall.

I'm dearly hoping he doesn't call back, but I bet he will.
About this Entry
giraffe tongue
1 comment
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Jan. 22nd, 2008 @ 04:31 pm Engaged!
Current Mood: lovedloved
I doubt anyone will see this, since I so seldom post anything, but hey, might as well announce to whomever notices that I'm getting married!

If anyone wants details about the proposal, they can email me, since I won't necessarily notice if they post replies on this site.
About this Entry
giraffe tongue
2 comments
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Oct. 1st, 2007 @ 04:36 pm missing month
Current Mood: workingworking
Oh dear. I completely missed September.

Well, I did my first fieldwork in a private high school downtown on Thursday and decided that the fieldwork report form is terrible and to be avoided and I accordingly no doubt wrote about three or four times as much as I needed to. I bet it still took less time than me trying to answer all they're specific silly questions.

My geometry one-on-one class is proving to be quite interesting, even though the actual math is all but the least of it. I finally read Flatland and had to write a report on how I would use it to teach geometry. Well, the report is almost done. I hadn't realized that Flatland is not about the math. I found it really quite fascinating that while the geometry is merely a vehicle for a satire on society, the geometry is also correct. Bizarre! Excellent craftsmanship.

I'm still minding E's frogs and neither of them has died yet, which is a good thing.

Mike and I went to Cyrano at the Rep last weekend. We intended to get there an hour before the play started to get rush tickets, but of course we got there a half hour after we meant to. We had just got in line to inquire whether there were any tickets left when a woman came up to us and asked if we had tickets. We said no, and she was very pleased and said she couldn't use these, and handed Mike two tickets. While Mike and I were each considering whether we ought to offer her anything for them, she walked away. So we got $73 worth of tickets for free! That was so nice of her.
About this Entry
giraffe tongue
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Aug. 29th, 2007 @ 03:10 pm school
As of Monday, school has started again. This, at least, shouldn't be nearly as death defying as the six-week summer semester squash. But I think I am going to be quite busy nonetheless. And just think, at the rate I'm going, I'll never be done with school--I'll just transition (hopefully smoothly) from student to teacher. Oy vey.

My coworkers were simultaneously remarking today that the year I've been going out with Mike thus far has flown by and threatening to handcuff me to my desk and give people horrible references next year when I leave to student teach. Nice to know I'm appreciated. I think.
About this Entry
giraffe tongue
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Aug. 16th, 2007 @ 09:04 pm walking with camera
I took my new camera for a walk this evening. The weather is gorgeous. I took pictures of houses and flowers and a couple of the sky.



After I took this one, I realized that if this were art, viewers might suspect this picture had an underlying Christian theme, with the cross shape of the fence and the royal purple flowers. I like it, even if any success I experience in the photographs I take is accidental.



I liked how the tree silhouettes turned out. For one thing it is nice how many more mega pixels this camera has than my old one. (My old one has 4; this one has 7.1.)
About this Entry
giraffe tongue
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Aug. 15th, 2007 @ 06:55 pm new camera
I bought a new camera, which will hopefully work better indoors, especially seeing as I intend to use it for documentation in my education classes. It certainly is a far more convenient size, unlike the huge galumphing camera I still have also. This new one is about the size of an ordinary wallet.

While I realize that this entry is lamentably brief, considering my long absence, it will have to do since I don't have time for more.
About this Entry
giraffe tongue
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
May. 31st, 2007 @ 03:36 pm (no subject)
Current Location: Institech
Wow, I can't believe it's been over four months since I've posted anything.

Last week I started my first education class, a combination of child and adolescent development and diversity. I start two other classes on June 19 and if all goes well, I should have a teaching certification in Wisconsin within two years.

A few weeks ago, I succeeded in taking the Praxis I test (to get into the education program) and also arrived at the WLC graduation ceremony (several of my friends were graduating) afterwards very nearly on time without even speeding. Much.

I am still working on methods to keep my hamster from waking me up at 5 in the morning. I have corrugated cardboard bumpers on almost all of the movable objects in her cage (water bottle, wheel, oatmeal box house) but she still climbs on top of the wheel to noisily gnaw the wire screen roof, and when I took the wheel away this morning she proceeded to find a new way to thunk the oatmeal box against the wall of her cage. So now she is stuck with a raisin box. Poor Puma.
About this Entry
giraffe tongue
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Feb. 20th, 2007 @ 01:01 pm neighbors
I know very little of my neighbors, but lately I've been becoming curious. There is an elderly lady who lives next door who has a cat that roams the hallways, but is terrified of people and zings into her apartment if he sees you come around the corner (20 or 30 feet away is too close--but I think I actually got within 15 feet once). I spoke with her for the first time a week or two ago. She was carrying a snowball inside to her apartment while I was coming in from work and she told me her cat likes snowballs. And her cat also likes the rugs in the hallway, so she wants to get one when they go on sale this spring. She pointed out his favorite and she said he likes mine too. And then she seemed concerned that I might not like her cat sitting on my rug. I assured her a little cat hair wouldn't hurt it and she assured me he doesn't chew it. Too bad it's not summer; I'd keep an eye out for rugs for her at rummage sales. But I didn't think to ask her name or her cat's name.

There is a tiny apartment just on the other side of the woman with the cat that I looked at first, but refused to live in on grounds of the refrigerator being in the closet, which you must walk through to get to the bathroom? Well, it's been empty since before I moved in, but last Sunday while I was doing laundry there was a couple who looked like parents moving a huge TV box up the stairs. It made me think of move-in day at WLC. And now there seems to be a young guy living there. I think. There was a mid-twenties guy taking out his trash who said hi to me while I was headed to my car to go to work yesterday morning. So I was discussing with Mike the possibility of inviting the new guy over for dinner next weekend or something and telling him he can bring a friend (i.e. his girlfriend if he has one) so he won't be outnumbered. I wonder if I will get up the nerve to ask and if he'll accept if I do.
About this Entry
giraffe tongue
5 comments
Leave a comment
Permanent Link
Feb. 19th, 2007 @ 12:09 pm (no subject)
Current Mood: contemplativecontemplative
For someone who'd never considered herself remarkably interested in going to formal dances (no, I never went to prom), I have definitely gone to Winterfest more than my share--this year being the fifth in a row. On the other hand, going with a real date improves it drastically.

And I do believe it is now time for that dress Maria gave me sophomore year, the first time I went, to be retired. The zipper seems to have kicked the bucket at last.

I have been trying to figure out how to get out of administrative assistanting (which in general has never proved to be particularly mentally stimulating) into teaching high school math. Teaching college is still a long term goal, but from people I've talked to it sounds as though teaching younger persons first would be excellent practice and after all, math teachers are hot commodities. I think. It would probably be easier/more fun to just get a Masters in Math Ed...but it is looking more likely that I could actually get a job with a teaching certification. Problem is that it's looking like I'll have to quit work to go to school to get it. The nice thing is that I'd probably be able to do that in a year of full time. The finances, however, remain a pickle. We shall see.
About this Entry
giraffe tongue
Leave a comment
Permanent Link