A

Home.

2007-11-04T01:20:59Z

I moved into my new home today. It will be a pleasure to be out of the hotel. Although, it hit me that I'm here in LA for good and I'm not quite sure how I feel about that. A friend mentioned to me that she always misses the place where she isn't. I wonder if I, too, am like that.

Anna's new Starflite

2006-06-29T15:24:32Z

Anna's new Starflite,
originally uploaded by adetskas.

My latest purchase:
Can't wait to get it!!

Road Rage

2006-04-29T20:31:52Z

DSCF0007,
originally uploaded by annai.

On my way to work today, I guess I pulled in front of the wrong guy. He followed me to my office. Cussed me out and then spit upon my car (as depicted by the yuckiness in the center of the photo). Thankfully, I remained calm enough to get his plates. Kinda weird having the cops show up at your office. Thankfully the faculty wasn't around...

Flickr

2006-04-20T03:41:24Z

This is a test post from , a fancy photo sharing thing.

New Car

2005-12-17T18:53:06Z

I found out earlier this week that the car accident that Todd and I were in resulted in my car being considered totaled by the insurance company. Nothing adds stress to life like having to find a new car in a pinch. After spending way too many hours test driving vehicles, I am now the owner of this Mazda Tribute:

I will admit that I feel a small amount of guilt for purchasing an SUV, but after the accident, I really felt that I needed something that I felt safe in. Honestly, having AWD and ABS in MI seems like a necessity. I kinda feel like a house wife in it, but I don't so much mind. FYI, when going to purchase a new vehicle, make sure that you play up the whole stereotype about being a naive female. I some how managed to con thecar dealer that I bought it from. I got it used (it is a 2005 with under 13000 miles on it), but it has nearly a 3 1/2 year, 38000 mile warrenty left. The sticker price on it said $18,000. The retail price is $19,000. I got it for $15,000 w/ a free cargo net that is being ordered for me, a new windshield (their was a tiny nick in it), and 2 free gas fill-ups. The finance guy showed me that they actually paid $14800 for it, which means that they ended up losing a lot of money on the sale. I rock!

Anna Updates...

2005-11-16T16:01:21Z

School

I'm not being very productive this semester, but my plan was to make it through this time without drowning. I'm actually doing very well. I'm glad I made the decision not to take classes, the "me" time has been a saviour.

Marriage

In my mind it is over. I've changed so, so much through all of this, and in everyway it feels as if it is for the better. It is hard to accept that someone you loved so much could bring you down, but I realize that perhaps things weren't healthy between us for a long time. He is coming in on Monday and we are driving back east for the week of Thanksgiving. I'm not excited about seeing him. He has been very confrontational over the phone and refuses to discuss any of the "issues."

Mr. Cutie

Continues to be a great source of fun. Things are moving very, very, very slowly, which is nice. So far, we've had a coffee date and a lunch date. Last night we went kinda crazy and actually spoke on the phone. It is fun to laugh. I've discussed in detail with him the situation with my marriage and he has been amazingly supportive. Before I began seeing anyone, I informed Todd that I thought that I needed to date. Upon telling him about Mr. Cutie, Todd told me that I would never be able to find anyone as good as him. What an f'in joke! Sure Todd is smart, funny, and cute, but he has proven to be the biggest jackass I've ever met. I guess it helps to ease some of the guilt that was riding on my shoulder. Mr. Cutie seems to be a truly nice person, which is so refreshing. I've admitted to myself that I'm sure that part of my interest in him is simply that I am enjoying the "game of dating," but I feel that as long as I'm honest with all parties involved, I deserve to have a good time.

Gotta love the Target clearance rack:

2005-10-07T14:34:48Z

$12

$6:

$4: (kinda like this only mine is tan with gold threads)

Monday night fun!

2005-07-12T15:12:07Z

Had friends over for wine, a movie and kittie playtime. My cuties stole the show as usual. We drank a decent Zinfandel and watched:

which was marketed as an Andy Warhol documentary, but more showcased life in the small Slovakian town where his parents were from. It was a RIOT. Seriously one of the funniest movies I've seen in a long, long time. It is a must, must see!!

Movie & my munchkins...

2005-07-07T21:39:35Z

Still very much in love with my new "kids." I've somehow managed to wait nearly 27 years to be a pet owner. I sure have been missing out. Last night we cuddled and watched:

It was simply horrid!! Perhaps even the worst movie I've attempted to watch all summer. Mister P, Miss Lucy, and I were all asleep a third of the way in and had no desire to finish it. I *heart* Jude Law and skinny black ties, but just couldn't stomach the constant monologue...

Movies

2005-07-02T15:13:27Z

I usually like Reese just fun, so long as she is playing a ditzy blond. She was a complete mess in this movie. Her accent was somewhere between British, Australian, and Southern and it changed from scene to scene. I've been abit low the past couple a days and figured a period piece romance might cheer me up. Instead, I fell asleep. The plot was way scattered if there was one. Except for the fact that Reese looked super-cute prego, this movie was a disaster!

This was a documentary oof the terrorist attack of the Israeli Olympic team in 1972. It felt like watching the history channel rather than a movie, but it was still well worth watching. A very moving story. Would highly recommend it too anyone, but it is a very, very heavy movie that you have to be in just the right mood for.

Neato article for all of the food history buffs out there...

2005-07-01T16:52:54Z

How American are you???

PASS!!

2005-07-01T16:50:58Z

Thrown my way from jennnk . I'm trying to get rid of it 'cause it is sooooo HOT!

Yeah for the APA!!

2005-06-30T18:15:04Z

Psychologists against Cruise:

http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Movies/06/27/cruise.psychiatrists.reut/

I/O Psychology makes the news!!

2005-06-30T13:35:32Z

MSNBC.com

Obese shoppers say clerks not helpful
Study suggests sales clerks discriminate in subtle ways

The Associated Press

Updated: 6:01 p.m. ET April 10, 2005

HOUSTON - Even though she's been a model, an author and small-business owner, Catherine Schuller said some sales clerks still only see her as an overweight woman who is out of place in their stores.

“I was once in a store and asked for the plus-size section. The clerk said, ‘Why would I know that.’ It's like I was insulting her,” said Schuller, who runs CurveStyle: Reshaping Fashion, a New York consulting firm. “I tend not to want any help from sales associates.”

A small Rice University study details some of the unpleasant experiences of women like Schuller and other overweight shoppers. The study suggests sales clerks subtly discriminate against obese shoppers unless they think the customer is trying to lose weight.

But the world's largest retail trade association said the study proves only that some sales clerks are rude.

The research, conducted over five years, was done in three phases and focused on a large Houston mall. The shoppers visited smaller stores; no department stores or restaurants were included.

In the first phase, 10 white women played the role of a customer in four scenarios: casually and professionally dressed average-weight shoppers, and casually and professionally dressed obese shoppers. Those posing as obese participants wore a prosthetic that made them appear to be a size 22.

The obese shoppers reported greater levels of interpersonal discrimination, with the ones casually dressed facing the most rejection. The subtle forms of discrimination included less eye contact, more rudeness, hostility and unfriendliness, said Eden King, one of the study leaders.

“That kind of subtle discrimination is more challenging and potentially more harmful,” said King, a Rice graduate student in psychology.

In the second phase, seven women acted as either obese or healthy-weight shoppers. They also carried either a diet cola or an ice cream drink and told store employees whether or not they were trying to lose weight.

Obese shoppers with the ice-cream drink reported the greatest amount of discrimination, King said.

The third phase of the research involved interviews with 191 white women, who were not involved in the study, about their shopping experiences in general. Obese women said they faced more discrimination, spent less time and money in the store and would probably not return.

But Scott Krugman, spokesman for the National Retail Federation in Washington, D.C., said he doesn't think the study clarifies whether the store employees were actually discriminating against the obese shoppers or whether they were just rude across the board.

“Discrimination happens in all walks of life, and it's wrong,” he said. "If this behavior is happening, retailers want to know."

Krugman said the women carrying drinks might have been treated poorly because the store may have forbid food or beverages.

However, Chris Crandall, a psychology professor at the University of Kansas who has tracked attitudes toward the overweight for the last 20 years, said the Rice findings are typical.

“To reduce anti-fat prejudice, we have to tell people how much the problem is due to genetics and physiology and how it has less to do with willpower,” he said. “But that flies against the American way of thinking about things.”

Allen Steadham, spokesman for the International Size Acceptance Association in Austin, said the study's findings should be a call to action.

“Overweight people feel embarrassed when discriminated against and they want to forget it. We as consumers have to connect with the businesses and make our needs known,” he said.

My new family

2005-06-30T13:18:30Z

I suppose that Lilly wasn't meant to be. While there seem to be a number of dogs that call my apartment complex home, only cats are allowed. I'm sure that I could have gotten away with getting a dog, but I didn't want to deal with the constant fear that Lilly could cause us to be homeless. Rather than get too down about not being able to adopt her, I decided to adopt these two lil' munchkins:

MISS LUCY

Lucy is a little princess and very independent. She likes to sit by the patio door and watch the cars in the parking lot. She also is a big eater and tends to bully her brother. I believe that she is about 4-6 weeks old. Not sure if you can tell by the pics, but she has a really short tail that she likes to stick up in the air. She isn't as affectionate as her brother, but still a sweetie pie!!

MISTER PASQUALLE

Don't ask about the name. I let Todd name him so that he could be part of the process, so he picked the silliest name he could. I think I'll call him Mister. Mister was brought into the shelter on our anniversary, so it seemed like he just HAD to be part of the family. While I think he is about 8 weeks old, he is very, very scrawny. He really is an attention whore and loves to be played with and held. I think he might be a handful!!

I've never been a cat person, but I really am falling for the little rascals. I went to the local animal shelter and my hard just broke. They were overflowing with cats. I planned on getting a lazy older cat, but I new as soon as I saw Lucy and Mister that they were meant to be a part of my home!!

Mister decided that he had to sleep with me last night and Miss Lucy slept under the bed so that she could be close to us. I have a family!!!

Sorry for the delay on this, Judy...

2005-06-29T03:03:07Z

Directions: List 10 celebrities that you find attractive and then tag 5 of your friends.
In no particular order...

Johnny Depp (ala "What's Eating Gilbert Grape")

Ethan Hawke (ala "Reality Bites")

John Cusak (ala "One Crazy Summer")

Joel (formerly of the Mr. T Experience)

And because I've had a mad crush on all newscasters since childhood, I present:

So, I guess that isn't 10...

For all of you who have yet to participate, please join in!!

Runnin' behind on this...

2005-06-17T14:57:17Z

Name five (5) things you enjoy, even when no one around you wants to go out and play. What lowers your stress/blood pressure/anxiety level?

1. Daydreaming about the future whilst sipping a good cup'o joe
2. Crawling into a made bed (although it can be a rarity) and reading mindless fiction
3. Hearing the sweet sound of my husband's voice
4. The feeling you get after having a great workout
5. Spending the day window shopping all by my lonesome

Friends only!

2005-03-01T13:05:55Z

Given all of the crazyness with the WC, I think it is time to make this journal friends only. I welcome new friends! Leave me a note and I'll add you to my list.

Monday morning.

2005-02-28T13:17:05Z

I had a very nice weekend, though not as productive as it should be. Still REALLY struggling. I watched "Duplex" by myself with pizza and Cinnabon popcorn on Friday night and it was a fabulous time. Saturday I did a bit of shopping and worked for a few hours. Sat. night I went to S.'s and watched "Before Sunset." Yawn..... Yesterday I spoke to the husband about 10X, which is always wonderful. I'd so much be in a LDM than be stuck in a relationship with anyone else!

I go to talk to a counselor this morning. I'm VERY nervous. Half of me wants there to be something clinically wrong with me so that I can deal with it and get on with my life, and the other half is scared to be labeled as having some sort of disorder. Uggg...

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

On life.

2005-02-24T03:57:17Z

Most of my posts of late (though they have been few and far between) have been very surface level. Honestly, I think I'm scared to see my true thoughts and feelings staring back at me from the monitor, but I finally feel the need to let it all out.

I have come to the realization that I hate graduate school. It hasn't gotten to the point where I want to drop out, as the degree means so much too me, but I have to somehow figure out a way to make my life more bearable. I get up every morning at 5:30 (although I feel guilty for not getting up at 5 when my alarm goes off), shower, and rush to get to my office. When I get there, I have a complete mental break and can get nothing done. I putz around on the internet for an hour or so and then try to make myself get something done. If it is writing that I have to do, I stare at the screen for about an hour thinking about how I'm too stupid to write anything of value (though I know this self pity is really just a procrastination tool) and finally am able to write a few paragraphs. This goes on all day everyday. I can't get ANYTHING accomplished and I have soooo much to do. I kid you not, I can't think of the last day where I got anything substantial accomplished. If and when I finally get something finished, it turns out being crap because I spend more time thinking about not wanting to write it than actually writing it. It is such a vicious cycle, and it is KILLING me!!

I just got a review back from a paper that I submitted and the comments were right on target. The piece was shit! I know that I am capable of doing good quality work, so why can't I do it? How can I possibly be so lazy? I know, I know, you'll say I'm a hardworker for sitting in front of the computer all day everyday, but I'm really not getting anything done. What the fuck is my problem?!?!?!

The question is, how do I break myself out of this routine? I've tried varying my schedule, working in "just me" time, changing my environment, locking myself in a room with my laptop (minus internet connection) and a stack of papers, and I STILL can't get anything accomplished. What am I supposed to do???? I'm really at my wits end here. I feel like such a failure... I'm sure that everyone else who has ever been in grad school has gone through similar periods, but I've been stuck in this rut for nearly 6 months now, and I am so SICK of it!

I'm having a meeting with my adviser tomorrow and I think I'm going to let her know exactly how bad things have been for me. My faculty are so not the type you should have this sort of discussion with, but I have to talk to someone about it. I need to know whether I'm cut out for this whole grad school thing (or not) so that I can get on with my life. I feel so beaten down. I just need to hear some external validation of my worth. As a law, my faculty do not give any feedback at all, and I think I'm going to force my adviser to tell me how she thinks I'm doing in the program. I need to know one way or the other whether I'm cut out to be here. Better to find out now than dwelling on it 24-7.

Why is it that I always make life more difficult than it has to be?

I cut off all of my hair and dyed it dark brown!!!

2005-02-22T15:45:55Z

Ipods, eggs, and the need for zzzzzz

2005-02-16T03:54:14Z

In an attempt to make this as coherent as possible given that I just worked a 16-hour workday (6:30am-10:30pm) and I have a lot of updates, I'm gonna try for bulleted lists rather than paragraph form.

Weekend

Had a smashing good time with the husband
Rode on a motorcycle for the first time ever (though it was only for 10 feet)
Had dessert (or soup in my case) with Sara and Taber which was fun.
Fell even more madly in love with my husband

V-day

pink mini iPod for me (I'm soooo addicted to this thing now)
Godiva chocolate for the husband

Roommate issues

my flight got delayed on Sunday, so she had me take a taxi, which cost $30
she ate my special organic eggs and replaced them with the cheapo variety
I have the place to myself this weekend!!

School

Stress
Stress
Stress

neatgrlie @ 2005-02-03T14:48:00

2005-02-03T19:49:13Z

I have two gmail invitations to get rid of. Let me know if you'd like one.

neatgrlie @ 2005-02-01T21:59:00

2005-02-02T03:13:24Z

I actually had a reasonably productive day. I wouldn't go so far as to say that I got everything scratched off of my list(but then again that really isn't humanly possible!), but I do feel rather accomplished. The thesis is really moving forward (it is about freakin time) and I have high hopes of proposing next month. I may actually get my MA degree one of these years.

I cleaned my bedroom last night and got the best sleep I've had in weeks. I moved my bed so that I'm holed up in the corner again and I really think it makes a difference.

I spoke with my little brother last night. He seems to be doing really well. He dropped out of high school a couple of years ago and moved to Seattle. He got a job managing a restaurant, bought a car, and is about to move into an apartment in a really nice part of town. Not bad for being 19! I really love that kid! He is such a dear. He told me again how glad he was that I married Todd. I think he was actually more excited about the marriage than Todd or I. He was also saying how he felt as if he were the failure in the family. I told him how Todd was turning 30 this year and still didn't feel as if had accomplished anything in life, to which he replied that Todd got to marry a wonderful girl like me. So sweet!

Enough rambling. The bed is calling my name!

Toiling away at nothing...

2005-01-29T15:58:56Z

I've really got to start de-stressing the way I approach life. I had a relaxing evening of "Cheaper by the Dozen" (Steve Martin shoulda stuck with "Parenthood"!) and Chinese take-out. What the hell is wrong with this area that you simply can't get decent ethnic food. I didn't think it was possible to screw-up beef with broccoli, but the place managed to pull it off in grand style! I woke up early this morning and had to watch "Rudy" as I was sooo in love with Sean Astin as a kid. I stopped by the leasing office to pick-up a coupla packages that I didn't have time to get during the week.

Purchases:

My latest purchase related to my new obsession with working out:

I searched far and wide for a spice rack that I liked and ended up with this one:

I'm off to the gym and then I have to work on updating my C.V. as my adviser is hounding me for citations for everything we've done together. I reflected on why it is that I'm so demotivated and I realized that could be due in part to the 17 book chapters, tech reports, conference submissions, and/or journal article submissions that I was an author on in 2004. What the fuck is my problem?!?!?!