As I sit here typing, I notice that I have an extremely awesome farmer tan acquired by spending copious amounts of time in the Black Rock desert. Yes, my friends, it is field school time. What is field school you are asking? Well, allow me to tell you. Field school is basically a crash course in archaeology and the way universities exploit students for free labor.
The site, Sulphur, is an old mining town founded in the late 1800s and abandoned around the 1950s. The first week of school was spent doing inventory. Basically this means walking around and figuring out just exactly what is out there. Each of us was assigned a transect, or a specific course to follow. We stood about 30 meters apart and walked and walked and walked, flagging anything of interest. I seriously had ADD, because I could not stay in a straight line. I would see something cool and run over to flag it, forgetting that I was supposed to stick to my transect. Needless to say, my first run was not a straight line. But, as is usually the case, I got better as time went on.
Next, we defined features. A feature can be anything from the remains of a house, to a scatter of cans left out in the desert. In the end we had over 100 features. They ranged anywhere from a mound of dirt left by people prospecting for gold, to an intact dugout, lined with cardboard boxes.
After defining the features, we set out to record them. My partner is a tall redheaded guy whom I will call Opie. I feel bad for him because he is getting slowly roasted out in the desert. He borrows SPF 70 sunscreen from another student, whom I will call SpongeBob, due to his smashing rendition of the SpongeBob campfire song (more about that later.) He doesn't talk very much, but that is okay because I more than make up for his lack of conversation. We spend the day taking angles, drawing feature maps, and measuring cans. We also manage to chase lizards, particularly horny toads. We have found three and named them Harvey, Tyler, and Roy.
We have been particularly lucky this year to have rain everyday. This, as you can imagine, makes sleeping in a tent quite pleasant and fun!
Due to the intensity of the sun (when it is not raining) we work from 6:30 to 2:30. After that everyone is exhausted and we basically all fall asleep until eating dinner at 5. We have decided that we are running on senior citizen time because we go to bed at 8. The downtime is spent telling offensive stories to one another. I know that you are thinking and they are not all from me!! SpongeBob might just possibly talk more than I do. I know, shocking! I can tell that sometimes he gets on another student, Alaska's nerves. I have taken advantage of this fact to amuse myself. I try, whenever possible, to get SpongeBob to sing the campfire song, just to annoy Alaska. Last Friday they finally figured out what I was doing, to which SpongeBob replied, "Natalie, we are not your playthings." I disagree.
Because this just wouldn't be a blog posting from me unless it discussed the bathroom in some shape or form, I will honor you would more information than you could ever want. The nice accommodations reside at our campsite. We have a nice wooden box with an attached toilet seat residing over a freshly dug hole. The view from the latrine is quite stunning. One morning I was watching the sunrise as I did my morning business. When I stood up I noticed a ginormous black widow centimeters from where my bum had been. It was super disturbing.
The bathroom at the site is non existent. The land is completely flat and there isn't a tree to be found. The guys have it easy. Basically they walk like ten feet away and turn around. The girls have to walk a good ten minutes to find anything big enough to act as cover.
Well, I am off. More next week!
Monday, June 22, 2009
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
The end of it all, possibly.
Yes, I know. It has been a little while since I have bored you all with snippets from my life. This semester started out slooooow and finished extra fast. The difference? Working two jobs in addition to school. Who'd have thought? Crazy.
Today was my last class of the semester, but I am learning that grad school, at least grad school in anthropology, never ends. Instead of getting a nice long summer break, I am supposed to attend not one, but two 5 week digs in the Nevada desert. Yay!!!!
Tomorrow bright and early I have to someone returning artifacts to the museum that have been missing since 1996. I think this is my finest accomplishment during my time in the museum. My job has technically ended there, but I just couldn't refuse their return. :)
Okay, possibly my most boring post ever! But I am in the middle of laundry and cleaning so this will have to do. :(
Today was my last class of the semester, but I am learning that grad school, at least grad school in anthropology, never ends. Instead of getting a nice long summer break, I am supposed to attend not one, but two 5 week digs in the Nevada desert. Yay!!!!
Tomorrow bright and early I have to someone returning artifacts to the museum that have been missing since 1996. I think this is my finest accomplishment during my time in the museum. My job has technically ended there, but I just couldn't refuse their return. :)
Okay, possibly my most boring post ever! But I am in the middle of laundry and cleaning so this will have to do. :(
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Nevada Desert
Owwww, I am so sore! I spent yesterday afternoon wandering around in the Nevada desert with a fellow archaeology student looking for artifacts. 5 hours wandering up and down sand dunes. Not the smartest idea for a fatty like me. But the guy I was with was super nice and waited for me each time I had to butt-slide down a dune. Fine, I was hoping you didn't notice, but I am sure you did. Yes, I went out into the Nevada desert with some guy. I realize this could have been very stupid of me. As in I was clear out in the middle of nowhere and could have easily been murdered. Then in about 10 years, my eerily persevered body would have been dug up by a golden retriever out on a hike with its master. And to complete the circle, a forensic anthropologist would be called in to examine my corpse. But that didn't happen and I am back in Reno and everything hurts.
We went to Bohunk Camp, an early 20th century campsite for Slavic workers on the Carson River. We didn't find anything left of the site, but we did trespass, by uh accident, on a restricted area of government land. Next, we went looking for Chinese pottery to verify that Chinese immigrants had occupied the area. All we found were a lot of cans, broken glass, and WIE. Oh and a lot of lizards. They guy I was with seriously had ADD and had to chase after every one. I think he was just keeping himself amused while I caught up with him, wheezing. But so goes the life of an archaeologist.
Anyway, it was fun to get a taste of what it is like to work in the field.
We went to Bohunk Camp, an early 20th century campsite for Slavic workers on the Carson River. We didn't find anything left of the site, but we did trespass, by uh accident, on a restricted area of government land. Next, we went looking for Chinese pottery to verify that Chinese immigrants had occupied the area. All we found were a lot of cans, broken glass, and WIE. Oh and a lot of lizards. They guy I was with seriously had ADD and had to chase after every one. I think he was just keeping himself amused while I caught up with him, wheezing. But so goes the life of an archaeologist.
Anyway, it was fun to get a taste of what it is like to work in the field.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Week 3
Highlights from my first three weeks back in Reno:
- Returning home to find that my roommates hadn't emptied the garbage the entire time I was gone. Do you know what cabbage smells like after it has sat out for 5 weeks? I do.
- Finding out that my internship at the museum wasn't just brunt work - it was actually running the museum. It is all I can do not to run screaming in a blind panic as I have no idea how to run the day to day operations of a museum. Night of the Museum, my only previous museum experience, did not prepare me for this. Stay at the museum until midnight hoping that it will come to life and help me with the day to day work. Sadly, the drawer full of dead weasels stayed deceased. Extreme disappointment sets in.
- Going to class and learning that anyone who believes that God created the world is a "moron." The next two weeks include such gems as, "I think that eventually speciation will occur as the more enlightened evolutionists segregate themselves from the ignorant individuals who believe that God had his hands in any of this," "Let's drop them off in Antarctica with the bubonic plague and let them pray all they want because it aint gonna save them." I find this especially disturbing coming from anthropologists whose entire goal is to study people different from themselves without bias.
- Hitting a saloon on Friday night and a casino on Saturday.
- Finding my favorite chocolate cake!
- Falling in love with Dean Koontz all over again.
- Analyzing a car in the parking lot. A big ole pimped out Black Tahoe. Concluding that it had to belong to a Caucasian male. Watching a tiny Asian female get in and drive away.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
What list did I get on?
Yesterday I received an invitation to the grand opening of the maternity ward at the local hospital. Today I received an invitation to the local bridal show. Um, what list was I put on and how do I get off it?
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Stolen from Janet's Blog
I got this from Janet's blog and couldn't help but let everyone know some of the cool {and not-so-cool} things I've done.Do it yourself! Copy and paste the list into your blog and bold or highlight the items you have done. Here we go....
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own
I've done 55...you????
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own
I've done 55...you????
More Paper Writing
Ugh, I know I am sick of it too. In order to write a paper, I have to get into the zone. Unfortunately the zone using come the night before. Ugh. I just want to not write papers. I will do anything else, clean the toilet, watch reruns of Full House, amputate my appendages. But writing a paper is just asking too much. I have had 4 Diet Cokes today trying to motivate myself. All it has done is make me hallucinate. Oh zone, where are you?
Monday, December 1, 2008
Humiliations Galore
Okay, I have been avoiding this post. But being the true Noel that I am, a good story trumps all personal dignity so here goes . . .
A couple of weeks ago I was sitting in church minding my own business, when it was the ward choir's turn to sing. As the song was about to begin, the bishop noticed that there were only about 4 people total in the choir. So, he did what he is prone to do and called rows out of the audience to come up and sing. Of course, my row was called. Being the good sport I am, I climbed the stairs and sang my hallelujahs. The song went off without a hitch and I started to walk back to my seat.
Unfortunately, inbetween me and the pew was a flight of stairs. No, you say. That is everyone's worst nightmare, but it is just that a nightmare. Everyone worries about falling down the stairs but no one ever does it. Um . . . yup, it happened to me. I totally biffed it. And it wasn't just a slip, it was a full on nose dive. One minute I was standing at the top of the stairs, the next I was flat on my back and everything was dark. So, I am laying there wondering why the world is black, when I realize that the reason I can't see anything is because my skirt is over my head. Please stop laughing. I was thinking this has to be a dream. There is no way anything this horrible could actually happen in real life.
So now I have two options: I can just keep my skirt over my head and crawl out of the building never to return, or I could pull my skirt back down. I did the latter and noticed everyone in the choir, front row, and bishopric staring at me with a horrified look on their faces. I jumped up as fast as I could and yelled I'm okay and walked back to my seat. I sat through the rest of sacrament meeting, every five minutes remembering that it actually happened and was not in reality a dream.
One of my friends later told me that one minute she saw my head and the next my feet were up in the air. Another friend told me I bounced off the side wall and flipped over. It must have been a sight to behold. I am totally psyched about it because I am offically on first base with about half the guys in the ward because they saw my underwear. And the bishop now knows that I am wearing my garments properly. Sadly, my awesome knee-highs did nothing to protect my knees, so I am sporting some pretty sweet rug burns and have a giant bruise on my bum.
Now because I am an optimist I realize that it could have been much worse. I could have knocked myself out and been laying there with my skirt over my head for some time. I also could have chosen that Sunday to wear my fabulous see-through leopard thong. And finally, I could have landed on someone and taken them out with the fall. So see! It wasn't so bad. True, I am now officially inactive, but that is beside the point.
A couple of weeks ago I was sitting in church minding my own business, when it was the ward choir's turn to sing. As the song was about to begin, the bishop noticed that there were only about 4 people total in the choir. So, he did what he is prone to do and called rows out of the audience to come up and sing. Of course, my row was called. Being the good sport I am, I climbed the stairs and sang my hallelujahs. The song went off without a hitch and I started to walk back to my seat.
Unfortunately, inbetween me and the pew was a flight of stairs. No, you say. That is everyone's worst nightmare, but it is just that a nightmare. Everyone worries about falling down the stairs but no one ever does it. Um . . . yup, it happened to me. I totally biffed it. And it wasn't just a slip, it was a full on nose dive. One minute I was standing at the top of the stairs, the next I was flat on my back and everything was dark. So, I am laying there wondering why the world is black, when I realize that the reason I can't see anything is because my skirt is over my head. Please stop laughing. I was thinking this has to be a dream. There is no way anything this horrible could actually happen in real life.
So now I have two options: I can just keep my skirt over my head and crawl out of the building never to return, or I could pull my skirt back down. I did the latter and noticed everyone in the choir, front row, and bishopric staring at me with a horrified look on their faces. I jumped up as fast as I could and yelled I'm okay and walked back to my seat. I sat through the rest of sacrament meeting, every five minutes remembering that it actually happened and was not in reality a dream.
One of my friends later told me that one minute she saw my head and the next my feet were up in the air. Another friend told me I bounced off the side wall and flipped over. It must have been a sight to behold. I am totally psyched about it because I am offically on first base with about half the guys in the ward because they saw my underwear. And the bishop now knows that I am wearing my garments properly. Sadly, my awesome knee-highs did nothing to protect my knees, so I am sporting some pretty sweet rug burns and have a giant bruise on my bum.
Now because I am an optimist I realize that it could have been much worse. I could have knocked myself out and been laying there with my skirt over my head for some time. I also could have chosen that Sunday to wear my fabulous see-through leopard thong. And finally, I could have landed on someone and taken them out with the fall. So see! It wasn't so bad. True, I am now officially inactive, but that is beside the point.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Ahh, and so begins another week. The theme of this week is 25 page paper. Hasn't that been the theme for the last 3 weeks some of you might be saying. Yes. And I am only on page six. And it is due Wednesday. I feel like I have been having a root canal for the past three weeks. I am sure that some of you do too because you have been listening to me complain about said 25 page paper. The good news is that by Wednesday I have to be done no matter what. They bad news is on Thursday I have to start my other 25 page paper. Wo is me!
In other news, I believe that Mulan has started a laundry business in our apartment. Please do not think that I am falling prey to a common stereotype. She has been using the washer non-stop for about three weeks now, washing a massive amount of things -there is no way that they could all be hers. The other day she was washing 7 parkas. Her hamper is in its usual spot on top of the washer, but is full of sneakers and swimming googles. I have no idea if she plans to wash the googles. This should be interesting.
One of my roommates is moving out at the end of the month. It seems that Mulan's antics were too much for her, and she is getting out as soon as her lease expires. In the meantime, however, her boyfriend has moved in. Last night I walked downstairs in my p.j.'s to see if I could squeeze a load of laundry inbetween Mulan's, and he was sitting on the couch watching tv. My roommate was not in site. It was a litle uncomfortable to say the least. When I came down later to change my laundry, he was cooking with my pan. Yeah for the end of the month!
Well, that is all the time I can spare my little bloggers. I have to go back hell, I mean 25 page paper.
In other news, I believe that Mulan has started a laundry business in our apartment. Please do not think that I am falling prey to a common stereotype. She has been using the washer non-stop for about three weeks now, washing a massive amount of things -there is no way that they could all be hers. The other day she was washing 7 parkas. Her hamper is in its usual spot on top of the washer, but is full of sneakers and swimming googles. I have no idea if she plans to wash the googles. This should be interesting.
One of my roommates is moving out at the end of the month. It seems that Mulan's antics were too much for her, and she is getting out as soon as her lease expires. In the meantime, however, her boyfriend has moved in. Last night I walked downstairs in my p.j.'s to see if I could squeeze a load of laundry inbetween Mulan's, and he was sitting on the couch watching tv. My roommate was not in site. It was a litle uncomfortable to say the least. When I came down later to change my laundry, he was cooking with my pan. Yeah for the end of the month!
Well, that is all the time I can spare my little bloggers. I have to go back hell, I mean 25 page paper.
Sunday, November 2, 2008
Fly Your Freak Flag
My sister-in-law recently announced to the world that she has an unhealthy attachment to cleaning supplies. Her bravery has inspired me to admit that I too have an unhealthy attachment to cleaning supplies commercials. Specifically the commercials where mops and brooms send candy, flowers, and mariachi bands to try and win back their position in the household. I think they are hilarious. For some reason giving inanimate objects human characteristics is my kind of humor. I love to see them anxiously peering around the corner to see if their gift will be accepted. I especially love the broom coming out of the potatoes. And the use of seventies love songs is sheer genius. In fact, I get a little disappointed each time the doorbell rings and there is no flower delivery from Mr. Mop. :(
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Potty Emergency!!!!
I seriously have dreams just like this about once a week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_rLSZQOOG0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_rLSZQOOG0
Monday, October 20, 2008
A Day in the Life
6:30 -7:50 AM: Wake up and immediately start researching origins of agriculture in Africa. Read two chapters in various books about this subject. Panic because I need to have a 20 minute presentation on topic done by Wednesday and I haven't started yet.
8:00-10 AM: Read two chapters from my anthropological theory textbook. Fall asleep several times. Wipe drool from textbook. Highlight random stuff. Forget everything I just read.
10:30 AM: Get dressed and eat breakfast. Chew extra slowly so I don't have to go back to studying. Glance at my pants that only have one leg hemmed. Realize I will not be wearing said pants to class.
10:50 AM: Print off questions that I need to answer about aforementioned chapters and the book, The Nuer, for class today. Run to Jane and Michael Banks' house for study group.
11:00 AM -12:45 PM: Discuss answers for questions from chapters and The Nuer. Frantically try to come up with answers because I can't remember anything from what I read this morning.
12:45 PM: Run to class. Okay, I know. Walk kind of fast to class. See hot guy run by in shorts. Yay!! Listen to Jane and Michael Banks talk on and on and on and on about self.
1PM -4PM: Class. Try to concentrate on group discussion about previously mentioned questions. Can only think of bladder because I drank a huge Diet Pepsi to make sure I was awake for class. Silently cheer because I was assigned two questions that I actually knew the answer too. Try to sound like I know what I am talking about. Fail miserably about trying to sound like I know what I am talking about.
4 PM: End of class. Walk home extra slow to avoid homework waiting at apartment. Instead of going inside, get into car and drive to Ghetto Mart. Meet homeless guy in parking lot. Walk really fast because he is coming to ask for money. Buy bag of Funions. Come home. Face homework.
4:30 - 5:30 PM: Read article about trophy heads in Peru. Learn lots about decapitating people and turning their skulls into ceremonial jewelry. Notify everyone on my blog that I am reading said article.
5:45 -7:00 PM: Work on essay summarizing said article and explaining why this article demonstrates the relationship between physical anthropology and archaeology. Visit people.com, dear abby, and gmail about 700 times.
7:00 -7:30 PM Receive call from Mom. Laugh about youtube video where bride falls into the pool. Look up videos of guys getting hit in the nuts, describe to mom over the phone, laugh. (Yup, my mom is an over sexed pervert, oh wait, that is me.)
7:30-10 PM Complete aforementioned essay. Interesting tidbit: among the skeletal remains they located an urn that depicted people getting their heads cut off and made into ceremonial necklaces of sorts. One of the pictures portrayed a Deity holding a recently decapitated head with the trachea still attached. Can you say Enrichment activity anyone? Sister Noel! What a beautiful necklace! Is that a real human skull? Why yes! We made them in Enrichment. You know Mormons. We are so crafty!
10:00- 10:30 PM Look at huge pile of books awaiting organization into presentation on origins of agriculture in Africa. Feel hopeless. Accept fact that I will be skipping class tomorrow to finish presentation. Start to read books. Realize this information contradicts information read at 6:30 AM. Mentally kick self for not starting presentation sooner. Decide that I am going to work hard and devote all my time to presentation.
10:30 PM: Give up on presentation. Decide my time is much better spent blogging about my day.
10:48 PM: Post Blog
10:49 PM: Look at stack of books about origins of agriculture. Gouged out eyes with a spoon. Make ceremonial necklace from my own skull.
8:00-10 AM: Read two chapters from my anthropological theory textbook. Fall asleep several times. Wipe drool from textbook. Highlight random stuff. Forget everything I just read.
10:30 AM: Get dressed and eat breakfast. Chew extra slowly so I don't have to go back to studying. Glance at my pants that only have one leg hemmed. Realize I will not be wearing said pants to class.
10:50 AM: Print off questions that I need to answer about aforementioned chapters and the book, The Nuer, for class today. Run to Jane and Michael Banks' house for study group.
11:00 AM -12:45 PM: Discuss answers for questions from chapters and The Nuer. Frantically try to come up with answers because I can't remember anything from what I read this morning.
12:45 PM: Run to class. Okay, I know. Walk kind of fast to class. See hot guy run by in shorts. Yay!! Listen to Jane and Michael Banks talk on and on and on and on about self.
1PM -4PM: Class. Try to concentrate on group discussion about previously mentioned questions. Can only think of bladder because I drank a huge Diet Pepsi to make sure I was awake for class. Silently cheer because I was assigned two questions that I actually knew the answer too. Try to sound like I know what I am talking about. Fail miserably about trying to sound like I know what I am talking about.
4 PM: End of class. Walk home extra slow to avoid homework waiting at apartment. Instead of going inside, get into car and drive to Ghetto Mart. Meet homeless guy in parking lot. Walk really fast because he is coming to ask for money. Buy bag of Funions. Come home. Face homework.
4:30 - 5:30 PM: Read article about trophy heads in Peru. Learn lots about decapitating people and turning their skulls into ceremonial jewelry. Notify everyone on my blog that I am reading said article.
5:45 -7:00 PM: Work on essay summarizing said article and explaining why this article demonstrates the relationship between physical anthropology and archaeology. Visit people.com, dear abby, and gmail about 700 times.
7:00 -7:30 PM Receive call from Mom. Laugh about youtube video where bride falls into the pool. Look up videos of guys getting hit in the nuts, describe to mom over the phone, laugh. (Yup, my mom is an over sexed pervert, oh wait, that is me.)
7:30-10 PM Complete aforementioned essay. Interesting tidbit: among the skeletal remains they located an urn that depicted people getting their heads cut off and made into ceremonial necklaces of sorts. One of the pictures portrayed a Deity holding a recently decapitated head with the trachea still attached. Can you say Enrichment activity anyone? Sister Noel! What a beautiful necklace! Is that a real human skull? Why yes! We made them in Enrichment. You know Mormons. We are so crafty!
10:00- 10:30 PM Look at huge pile of books awaiting organization into presentation on origins of agriculture in Africa. Feel hopeless. Accept fact that I will be skipping class tomorrow to finish presentation. Start to read books. Realize this information contradicts information read at 6:30 AM. Mentally kick self for not starting presentation sooner. Decide that I am going to work hard and devote all my time to presentation.
10:30 PM: Give up on presentation. Decide my time is much better spent blogging about my day.
10:48 PM: Post Blog
10:49 PM: Look at stack of books about origins of agriculture. Gouged out eyes with a spoon. Make ceremonial necklace from my own skull.
Decapitation
I am currently reading “Dismembering Bodies for Display: A Bioarchaeological Study of Trophy Heads from the Wan Site of Conchopata, Peru.” Isn't anthropology cool?
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Friday, October 17, 2008
Highlights from Lab with Firedude
Firedude: "Whoa! This bone totally looks like Africa."
Me: giggle, giggle, bat eyelashes.
Firedude: "My hand hella hurts something hard."
Me: giggle, giggle, bat eyelashes.
Firedude: "This lab is sucking my a**."
Me: giggle, giggle, bat eyelashes.
Firedude: "Whoa! All my drawings look like cartoon bones. "
Me: giggle, giggle, bat eyelashes.
Firedude: "What is this?"
Me: "Australopithecus Africanus."
Firedude: "How do you spell ostalopy?"
Me: giggle, giggle, bat eyelashes.
Firedude: "My hand hella hurts something hard."
Me: giggle, giggle, bat eyelashes.
Firedude: "This lab is sucking my a**."
Me: giggle, giggle, bat eyelashes.
Firedude: "Whoa! All my drawings look like cartoon bones. "
Me: giggle, giggle, bat eyelashes.
Firedude: "What is this?"
Me: "Australopithecus Africanus."
Firedude: "How do you spell ostalopy?"
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Sad
Dr. Sensitive Pony Tail Guy: What catastrophic event led to the demise of dinosaurs?
Girl on Front Row: Noah's Flood?
Girl on Front Row: Noah's Flood?
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Edumacation
I have been staring at the computer screen for 30 minutes trying to come up with an abstract for my paper. I have to accept that it may not happen. So, instead I started to blogstalk. About seven clicks in, I ended up on the page of a guy I went to school with. Wow. I now feel old, lame, and slacker-like. Where have the past 10 years gone? Did I actually say ten?
- High School Graduation!
- Internship in DC
- Westminster Freshman Year
- Deseret Book
- Westminster Sophomore Year
- England
- Westminster Junior Year
- Computer Lab
- Westminster Senior Year
- Huge Breakup
- China
- College Graduation!
- The Lending Group
- The Rental
- Mission - El Salvador
- Duplex
- CCHS
- Mt Pleasant
- Hunter's Woods
- Greenwood Ave
- New Zealand
- Mommy's Surgery
- Papa Jay's
- UoP
- Newton's basement
- Reno
- First Year UNR
Thursday, October 2, 2008
JUST PLAIN WEIRD
I can't believe that I have never discussed Dr. Sensitive Ponytail Man, my physical anthro professor. He reminds me of the kid in junior high who tried so hard to be cool and failed miserably. Oh wait, that kid in junior high was me. He constantly name drops all the famous anthropologists he knows. That is like going to the school dance and asking your date which Dungeons and Dragons character is her favorite. This is an intro course. Everyone is there because they didn't want to have to take Biology instead.
I think I am having a cultural issue with one of my roommates, whom I will refer to as Mulan. She leaves everything outside of her room in the common areas. For example, currently outside her door are 6 pairs of shoes, a vacuum, and a huge pile of newspapers. These are a permanent fixture. Not too annoying except for the fact that her door is right at the top of her stairs, so every time I leave my room I have to navigate around them. I just know one day I am going to trip and take a nose dive down the stairs. She also has random stuff all over the house. Like in the upstairs living room she has a computer chair, microwave, laundry bag full of something, and about 8 big boxes. Downstairs living room is filled with a stack of her papers from last year. I can understand if her room is full and she needs extra space, but that is not the case. HER ROOM IS EMPTY. You open the door and it is clean and spotless. So random. Anywho, that is not the purpose of this paragraph. The real reason I gave you all of this information is because she has added a new addition to the living room. Right between the sofa and chair is a basket full of . . . PANTIES. Yup. I have no idea why. I find this highly disturbing. I mean, I can handle the other stuff, but keeping your panties in the living room is just plain weird. How would you suggest I handle this?
"Hi Mulan! I noticed you are keeping your panties in the living room. I have no idea what else to say. That should be enough."
And what is she thinking? Hmm . . I have no idea where to keep my panties. The drawer? No. The closet, too obvious. I know! The living room. It is sooo perfect. Why didn't I think of this sooner?"
So my fellow bloggers, what should I do about the pantie situation?
I think I am having a cultural issue with one of my roommates, whom I will refer to as Mulan. She leaves everything outside of her room in the common areas. For example, currently outside her door are 6 pairs of shoes, a vacuum, and a huge pile of newspapers. These are a permanent fixture. Not too annoying except for the fact that her door is right at the top of her stairs, so every time I leave my room I have to navigate around them. I just know one day I am going to trip and take a nose dive down the stairs. She also has random stuff all over the house. Like in the upstairs living room she has a computer chair, microwave, laundry bag full of something, and about 8 big boxes. Downstairs living room is filled with a stack of her papers from last year. I can understand if her room is full and she needs extra space, but that is not the case. HER ROOM IS EMPTY. You open the door and it is clean and spotless. So random. Anywho, that is not the purpose of this paragraph. The real reason I gave you all of this information is because she has added a new addition to the living room. Right between the sofa and chair is a basket full of . . . PANTIES. Yup. I have no idea why. I find this highly disturbing. I mean, I can handle the other stuff, but keeping your panties in the living room is just plain weird. How would you suggest I handle this?
"Hi Mulan! I noticed you are keeping your panties in the living room. I have no idea what else to say. That should be enough."
And what is she thinking? Hmm . . I have no idea where to keep my panties. The drawer? No. The closet, too obvious. I know! The living room. It is sooo perfect. Why didn't I think of this sooner?"
So my fellow bloggers, what should I do about the pantie situation?
Monday, September 29, 2008
Anthro Dorks Are Not Funny
Wow, today in class was such a change. I am pretty sure that Professor Ahem got lucky over the weekend because he was so animated during class. He spent about 15 minutes with a slide show of anthro jokes. I was laughing so hard. Most of the people in my class just cracked a smile. Lame. So, later on in the class (it is 3 hours long) Professor Ahem cut the cheese. Yup, you know what I am saying. He acted like nothing happened, but I almost snorted I was trying so hard not to laugh. And how did the rest of my class respond? Nada. Come on. Someone farting in class is funny, no matter who you are. And when it is the professor, it exponentially raises the level of hilarity. I laughed the whole way home just thinking about it.
But, seriously, he was a totally different guy. He was hilarious in class. Maybe some happy pills were involved, I don't know. Then he invited us all out for beers after class next week. I will totally go and get a Diet Coke. I am thinking that I am going to tell everyone I am a recovering alcoholic - just to make it more interesting. Or maybe I will tell them that the terms of my probation will not allow me to consume alcohol. That would be really funny.
Now I have to seriously hit the books. I wrote a paper last night, I have to write one tonight, and I will need to write another one tomorrow night. Sob!! I have so much homework for my Wednesday class I am weeping uncontrollably just thinking about it. That class is seriously holding my life hostage. Seriously.
But, seriously, he was a totally different guy. He was hilarious in class. Maybe some happy pills were involved, I don't know. Then he invited us all out for beers after class next week. I will totally go and get a Diet Coke. I am thinking that I am going to tell everyone I am a recovering alcoholic - just to make it more interesting. Or maybe I will tell them that the terms of my probation will not allow me to consume alcohol. That would be really funny.
Now I have to seriously hit the books. I wrote a paper last night, I have to write one tonight, and I will need to write another one tomorrow night. Sob!! I have so much homework for my Wednesday class I am weeping uncontrollably just thinking about it. That class is seriously holding my life hostage. Seriously.
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