Home Means Nevada, part 4.

So, Reno is not exactly the class capital of the world, but I think there are certain aspects of this town that really exemplify the city's stranger aspects. On the surface, Bizarre Guitar seems like it should probably just be your typical if mildly seedy independent guitar/drum type of music store. You know, it's in kind of a grungy building in a kind of grungy area and the employees all seem a little sketchy and like they probably all have criminal records. But still, nothing too special. But there's more! I'm bummed that their website (www.bizarreguitar.com) doesn't reflect the more interesting aspect of their business, but this here video does. The first bit is the ad they air in Reno, and is really the main bit that's worth watching.

I don't know if I'm the only person who finds this incredibly amusing, but in addition to selling all their guitars and whatnot, they also have a large selection of guns. I guess judging by the owner's appearance, this shouldn't be all that surprising. Nonetheless, I think a store dealing in guitars and guns is a pretty distinctly 'Reno' thing. Pretty cool, huh?

Do shut up.

Megan Fox, please leave Scarlett Johanssen alone. I can't really be bothered about finding quotes and sources on this right now, but I've stumbled across several articles in which Megan Fox is quoted  as criticizing Scarlett for pulling out every SAT word she knows in order to make people take her seriously. What. From what I can gather Miss Johanssen is a very intelligent lady and, y'know, there are people who use an extended vocabulary without thinking about it. They exist. I think she should be applauded for not dumbing herself down for the public. Megan Fox seems to have some strange ideas, I think. I do not approve and I want her to go away and stop complaining about smart people.

*grumble*

Despite all my efforts over the past years, I'm not really that much of a geek. I'm not exactly sure what criteria I'd be required to meet in order to achieve geek status and I'm too lazy to find out the exact specifications, much less actually live up to them. Anyway, that's not the point here. The point is, I'm not a huge geek and more importantly, I'm not a huge Star Wars geek. (Plus, everyone knows that Star Trek is vastly superior.) I love the original movies, yes, but the extent of my Star Wars knowledge comes pretty much only from repeated viewings of Episodes IV-VI. Anyway, none of that is the point either. All I'm trying to say here is that despite my lack of geekiness or dedication to the world of Star Wars fandom, few things annoy me more than reading "Hans Solo." It's Han. Yes, when you say "Han Solo" it sort of sounds like "Hans Solo," but let's not make excuses here, people. Get it together.

...again with the Klingons!

I've returned from my trip to Germany and Holland. It was the first time I'd been to continental Europe in about 12 years. I mostly just spent all my time there visiting family and friends, which was sort of nice but it would have been cool to see some more sights. That's ok! Loafing and eating is a nice way to spent a few weeks, especially because it meant a whole lot of hagelslag, stroopwafels, krokets, various types of cheese, brötchen... all sorts of stuff. Mmmmhmmmmm. I think my brain has started to rot a little, though, because I can't think of anything interesting to say at all. That being said, German television is amazing because every show seems to have musical interludes. I was watching this cooking show that kept taking breaks for bad music videos (sort of) with this woman singing to mustachioed gentlemen. When she wasn't singing she seemed to be sampling food. Patrick Lindner (this German folk singer guy) was on this show also. Yeah. I was also watching this show called "Verstehen Sie Spaß" which basically seems to be a German version of candid camera, also with musical interludes. I wish I had something enlightened to say, but I think I just need some sleep instead. First, here are some good things that happened today:

- Got my 14g nose ring back in without having to stretch it again. Nice and pain-free!

- Saw Star Trek again! And then had lunch with Amy and her mom.

- Watched some Simpsons for the first time in weeks. Weeks.

Also:

auf Deutsch:

cockroach = Kakerlake.

It's over!

I didn't want to write about finishing up school-related things until they were all finished. And now they are all finished! These last few weeks have been insane, but I am now all graduated. My thesis and papers are all finished and my award ceremonies are all over, as is graduation. I feel like all the stuff I've had to do over the past couple of weeks has all led up to a really anticlimactic conclusion. This past weekend, however, was really terrific. My parents had a little get-together for me out at their house on Friday. Then graduation was on Saturday, followed by more time at my parents' house and then to another party. That night a few friends and I went to Trader Dick's, which is this silly sorta-tiki bar and got trashed on colorful drinks. Sunday was my bassoon teacher's going-away party, which was also fun times with lots of food.

Graduation was extremely silly because as we all marched into the Quad, I had to carry this goofy banner and that was so big I couldn't see out from behind it. At least I got to sit with Jen and Amy, and we got to sit in the stage. I was the first person from my college to walk, and I sort of led everyone in the wrong direction. It was really funny and only mildly embarrassing. All in all, graduation only lasted like 2.5 hours, which isn't too bad at all.

I leave for Germany in around... I don't know... 28 hours? I haven't even begun to pack. Oops!

It's not hopeless!

12 hours to go and...

Title page, signature page, table of contents, acknowledgments: check.

Abstract: not yet... how long can that take, though? 

Intro chapter: check, minus a concluding paragraph.

Regina chapter: check.

Eugene chapter: 1/3 check.

Formatting: check. (this was a bitch, so it gets its own heading)

Bibliography: check.

Stolen printer card so I don't have to pay to print this thing out: check.

Stolen binder clips because it'll be too thick to staple: check.

Star Trek XII: So Very Tired

I knew this would happen, and yet I did nothing to stop it. I am being forced, mostly due to a really virulent combination of procrastination and writer's block, to write the bulk of my thesis in a weekend. I'm supposed to have my "final" draft in on Monday. I had had done quite a bit of research as well as a chunk of writing previously, but today I have been locked in my room all day attempted to squeeze about 20 or 25 more pages out of my brain. I'm happy to report that I've finished one whole chapter, leaving me with about a chapter and a half to write, plus my abstract and acknowledgments. I've also done a good bit of the formatting. I don't know if I will have this done by Monday, but I'm sure going to try. Right now the writer's block is kicking back in and I have ceased to be productive. And my butt hurts from sitting all day. Owww...

...must...keep...writing...