Yes, I'm reading The Lord of the Rings. Yes, all three books.
What? It's literature, Tolkien's writing is lovely, and I'm totally not embarrassed.
And the thing weighs about 5 pounds.
Friday, July 28, 2006
So Close to Coming Home.
From CNN.com:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Army will keep about 3,500 soldiers from an Alaska-based infantry brigade in Iraq for up to four additional months as part of a plan to pacify strife-torn Baghdad, the Pentagon announced Thursday.
Troops from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team had been scheduled to wrap up a year in Iraq in August. But the unit, which had been headquartered in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, will be moved into the Iraqi capital to crack down on a wave of sectarian killings that has been claiming more than 1,000 lives a month, the Defense Department said.
"The Department recognizes the continued contributions of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team and their family members," a Pentagon statement said. "This extension reflects the continued commitment of the United States to the security of the Iraqi people."
The 172nd Brigade is based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, outside Fairbanks. Its Stryker armored personnel carriers and its training make it the kind of unit Gen. George Casey, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, wants to help secure Baghdad, Pentagon officials said. (Posted 4:37 p.m.)
I guess we'll just have to wait a little bit longer for these guys to come home. Hang in there! And we'll see you sooner than you think!
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Army will keep about 3,500 soldiers from an Alaska-based infantry brigade in Iraq for up to four additional months as part of a plan to pacify strife-torn Baghdad, the Pentagon announced Thursday.
Troops from the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team had been scheduled to wrap up a year in Iraq in August. But the unit, which had been headquartered in the northern Iraqi city of Mosul, will be moved into the Iraqi capital to crack down on a wave of sectarian killings that has been claiming more than 1,000 lives a month, the Defense Department said.
"The Department recognizes the continued contributions of the 172nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team and their family members," a Pentagon statement said. "This extension reflects the continued commitment of the United States to the security of the Iraqi people."
The 172nd Brigade is based at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, outside Fairbanks. Its Stryker armored personnel carriers and its training make it the kind of unit Gen. George Casey, the commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, wants to help secure Baghdad, Pentagon officials said. (Posted 4:37 p.m.)
I guess we'll just have to wait a little bit longer for these guys to come home. Hang in there! And we'll see you sooner than you think!
Thursday, July 20, 2006
Rejection.
(May be filed under Reasons I Hate Being a Girl.)
Yesterday, I took the afternoon off of work to get my car serviced-- nothing too drastic, but I can't do a State Inspection or front alignment myself. I drive a 1996 Jeep Cherokee that I try to maintain and take care of as best I can. My dad taught me basic maintenance and upkeep and if I ever have a question on a part or fixing something I consult my Hayne's manual: Easy, simple, common sensical.
My Jeep is a hand-me-down from my father, who gave it to me upon graduating college. It made the transition from school to real-life easier since I didn't have to buy a vehicle and I'm extremely lucky and grateful for it. Before he gave it to me, he made sure it had a full tune-up and was serviced completely, making sure that he gave me a vehicle in top shape. My car's a '96, but it's in G-R-E-A-T shape (OK, so I need to vacuum the floor mats, but that's it!).
OK, enough about my awesome car. Now, about getting the shaft:
This is what I asked for at the Ox Road Exxon Mobil in Fairfax, VA:
1. Premium Oil Change (I don't know why I didn't get the Standard one.)
2. State Inspection
3. Front Alignment (stupid construction in Fairfax City)
Three hours later I got a call from the manager saying what they had done to the vehicle. He spoke so fast that this is all I heard:
"Oil change...state insepection...sticker...brakes and rotors...
that'll be $490...steering...changed...air filter...oil change...
belt...flush...flush...transmission...sticker anyway...OK" Click.
Panic. Will my basic maintenance cost me $500+?? I know my car doesn't need work done, The most I know it needs is a new air filter and serpenitine belt, if that. I had to call him back because I didn't catch everything he said. "Do not put new brakes and rotors on my car. What exactly did you do to it and when can I pick it up?"
"Putting it into the system now, done in two minutes. You know that sound your car's been making? That means you need new rotors and brakes. That's why we can't do the front alignment because it's your brakes that have been causing it...We only did the inspection and the oil change."
WHAAAT??? My car hasn't been making any noise. And I know, you, mister have not driven my vehicle because it was mechanic dude in the ponytail that drove it into the garage.
OK. Off we go to the Exxon. The manager said he gave me a rejection sticker, you know, the red one with the no smoking circle in it?? Rejected. Because I need new rotors and brakes. I call B.S.
I was pissed. I paid for the oil change and the failed inspection. The only reason I actually paid to have my oil changed is because I don't have any place to store the old oil at my apartment, otherwise I would have done it myself (excuses, excuses).
This weekend I'm taking it out to my parents house to use the garage. I'm jacking it up and taking the tires off to inspect my perfectly fine, non-scored rotors and brake pads ON ALL FOUR TIRES. I'm cleaning out the engine so that it looks beautiful, I'll change the air filter and serpentine belt, I'll even wash it and maybe even give it a wax. My Jeep is beautiful.
This is the list of things they wanted to do to my car:
1. New rotors and brake pads (Nope.)
2. Air filter (do it myself)
3. Serpentine belt (do it myself)
4. Cooling system flush (did it 8,000 miles ago)
5. Transmission flush (did it same time as cooling system, and replaced the fluid and filter)
6 Power Steering flush (ditto)
I wonder if things would have been different had a man took my car to the shop. And had I not worn a, well, we'll call it a booby-blouse.
P.S. Had to put another quart of oil in the Jeep since it takes six and they only put in five.
Yesterday, I took the afternoon off of work to get my car serviced-- nothing too drastic, but I can't do a State Inspection or front alignment myself. I drive a 1996 Jeep Cherokee that I try to maintain and take care of as best I can. My dad taught me basic maintenance and upkeep and if I ever have a question on a part or fixing something I consult my Hayne's manual: Easy, simple, common sensical.
My Jeep is a hand-me-down from my father, who gave it to me upon graduating college. It made the transition from school to real-life easier since I didn't have to buy a vehicle and I'm extremely lucky and grateful for it. Before he gave it to me, he made sure it had a full tune-up and was serviced completely, making sure that he gave me a vehicle in top shape. My car's a '96, but it's in G-R-E-A-T shape (OK, so I need to vacuum the floor mats, but that's it!).
OK, enough about my awesome car. Now, about getting the shaft:
This is what I asked for at the Ox Road Exxon Mobil in Fairfax, VA:
1. Premium Oil Change (I don't know why I didn't get the Standard one.)
2. State Inspection
3. Front Alignment (stupid construction in Fairfax City)
Three hours later I got a call from the manager saying what they had done to the vehicle. He spoke so fast that this is all I heard:
"Oil change...state insepection...sticker...brakes and rotors...
that'll be $490...steering...changed...air filter...oil change...
belt...flush...flush...transmission...sticker anyway...OK" Click.
Panic. Will my basic maintenance cost me $500+?? I know my car doesn't need work done, The most I know it needs is a new air filter and serpenitine belt, if that. I had to call him back because I didn't catch everything he said. "Do not put new brakes and rotors on my car. What exactly did you do to it and when can I pick it up?"
"Putting it into the system now, done in two minutes. You know that sound your car's been making? That means you need new rotors and brakes. That's why we can't do the front alignment because it's your brakes that have been causing it...We only did the inspection and the oil change."
WHAAAT??? My car hasn't been making any noise. And I know, you, mister have not driven my vehicle because it was mechanic dude in the ponytail that drove it into the garage.
OK. Off we go to the Exxon. The manager said he gave me a rejection sticker, you know, the red one with the no smoking circle in it?? Rejected. Because I need new rotors and brakes. I call B.S.
I was pissed. I paid for the oil change and the failed inspection. The only reason I actually paid to have my oil changed is because I don't have any place to store the old oil at my apartment, otherwise I would have done it myself (excuses, excuses).
This weekend I'm taking it out to my parents house to use the garage. I'm jacking it up and taking the tires off to inspect my perfectly fine, non-scored rotors and brake pads ON ALL FOUR TIRES. I'm cleaning out the engine so that it looks beautiful, I'll change the air filter and serpentine belt, I'll even wash it and maybe even give it a wax. My Jeep is beautiful.
This is the list of things they wanted to do to my car:
1. New rotors and brake pads (Nope.)
2. Air filter (do it myself)
3. Serpentine belt (do it myself)
4. Cooling system flush (did it 8,000 miles ago)
5. Transmission flush (did it same time as cooling system, and replaced the fluid and filter)
6 Power Steering flush (ditto)
I wonder if things would have been different had a man took my car to the shop. And had I not worn a, well, we'll call it a booby-blouse.
P.S. Had to put another quart of oil in the Jeep since it takes six and they only put in five.
Monday, July 17, 2006
VMI
Spent the day yesterday in Lexington, Virginia visiting my brother who's spending the month at the Virginia Military Institute for their summer program. He starts his Rat Year in the fall.
And was driving on I-66 eastbound between Centreville and Arlington strange for anyone else last night? Too many cops, construction, an Amber Alert, people driving all crazy-like...it was weird.
And was driving on I-66 eastbound between Centreville and Arlington strange for anyone else last night? Too many cops, construction, an Amber Alert, people driving all crazy-like...it was weird.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Russian Dolls
The highly anticipated (by us, anyway) sequel to l'Auberge espanole is showing at the Avalon in Northwest. Les Poupées russes is a very worthy sequel and I think I may actually like it better than l'Auberge (I know, impossible, right?). I'll have to watch our copy again sometime this week.L'Auberge espanole is available on Amazon for an amazing $6.99!
(Si j'habitais à Paris je suivrais des Romain Duris. Mais oui, et en le suivant, je veux dire fais des bébés.)
That's as good as my French is going to get, but you get my drift. J'aime mon dico.
Light
Last night, Bennett and I replaced my incandescent bulbs throughout the apartment with fluorescent ones. After discovering the hodge-podge of lightbulbs left by (years of) previous tenants, I thought it would be a good idea. And yes, I've been here a year.
Everything was 60 Watts, except the floodlight someone put in the kitchen (aren't those for outside?) and the 175 Watt halogen in the hallway-- which is insane because there's a bulb fixture that surrounds it trapping heat. Glad nothing exploded.
So after installing 75W bulbs throughout the house, the only 60s are in the small lamps in the bedroom, I can see!!!
(And my kitchen doesn't get hot as much--granted, there's still the fridge, the dishwasher, and the stove's pilot light creating heat, but it's not a sauna anymore!)
We'll see if this has any impact on my electricity bill, too.
Everything was 60 Watts, except the floodlight someone put in the kitchen (aren't those for outside?) and the 175 Watt halogen in the hallway-- which is insane because there's a bulb fixture that surrounds it trapping heat. Glad nothing exploded.
So after installing 75W bulbs throughout the house, the only 60s are in the small lamps in the bedroom, I can see!!!
(And my kitchen doesn't get hot as much--granted, there's still the fridge, the dishwasher, and the stove's pilot light creating heat, but it's not a sauna anymore!)
We'll see if this has any impact on my electricity bill, too.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Excited.
Aaron and I just got our tickets for Sleater-Kinney at the 9:30 Club. As they're going on an "indefinite hiatus" after their summer tour ends on August 11th, I'm so psyched to see them one last time.
This will be our third time seeing S-K at the 9:30. Get your tickets if you haven't already, should be a sell-out.
Update: Already sold out. Tickets hadn't even been on sale for an hour!
This will be our third time seeing S-K at the 9:30. Get your tickets if you haven't already, should be a sell-out.
Update: Already sold out. Tickets hadn't even been on sale for an hour!
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