January 2012
1 post
I’m not normally one to buy into the hoopla of New Year’s resolutions. The year may increment, but resolutions just seem to add unnecessary punctuation to the natural flow of my life, so I’ve never been a big fan. BUT, with that opening sentiment, I’m sure you’ve guessed that this year, I’m jumping on the bandwagon and setting some goals to achieve in 2012. So,...
December 2011
1 post
A poorly written tribute
My grandfather passed away in May of 2011. I never really talked a lot about it because it affected me, and continues to affect me, more than I care to admit to my friends. My grandpa Zane was always my #1 fan, and always the man who convinced me I could do anything I wanted without saying a word. I played ASA softball from age ~9-14. The competition level, my skill, the games: that’s not...
November 2011
3 posts
comfort
This boring everyday situation happened to me: I found a comfortable balance of pillows to prop myself up to work on my laptop for a bit while I was home sick. Just when I got comfortable, I realized I needed to reach over and grab my power cord. There was a moment where I stopped and mourned that I had just gotten comfortable, and debated if I could go without power for just a little while...
“What’s funny is that people who aren’t hipsters generally express distaste for...”
– The Hipsterfication Of America : NPR (via desnoise)
“I urge you to please notice when you are happy, and exclaim or murmur or think...”
– Kurt Vonnegut
October 2011
1 post
WatchI love this video AND this song. Amazing.
redasparagus:
Do yourself a favor and go to Barcelona.
And listen to the rest of this song.
Que Sera-Wax Tailor
August 2011
1 post
You are not enough people.
This quote from Kurt Vonnegut popped into my head yesterday, so I thought I’d post the excerpt from his book, A Man Without a Country:
Most of us, if we get married nowadays, are just one more person for the other person. the groom gets one more pal, but it’s a woman. The woman gets one more person to talk to about everything, but it’s a man.
When a couple has an argument...
July 2011
3 posts
I’m gonna be honest, here: I have a thing for lists. I love writing them even more than I love reading them (which is a lot). Newest list for me: Top 5 ways you know I’ve given up on life in general.
5. I use LOL! in an Interwebs post in a non-ironic way. I know that makes me sound like a hipster, but eff you. If I post “OMG guys I just got pregnant and the dad is like so cool...
music + valerie = emotions!
There’s something about David Bazan’s voice that makes me incredibly homesick. Maybe because my Pedro the Lion love affair happened while I was still in Iowa. Maybe because I just feel like I need to feel something when I hear him. In this instance, the song Options did me in. So I started thinking (yep.. it happens) about how some songs remind me of specific events, make me feel a...
June 2011
1 post
A letter
At one point in my life, I was a bipartisan activist for Iowa PIRG. While I lean pretty heavily to the left, my only concern during that time was this: get young people to vote. For the first time since then, I felt as though I needed to take action. When I saw this terrible video that Turn Right USA produced to speak against Janice Hahn, I was appalled. So appalled, in fact, that I stopped what I...
May 2011
2 posts
Future Cat Ladies of the World UNITE
There’s been a trend developing in my life: the neighborhood cats show me an increasing amount of affection. They run timidly away from strangers, but they love me. I’m sure this is mainly due to the fact that I don’t necessarily like cats (I don’t dislike them, either), but I think there’s something bigger here, lurking under the pavement. I think these cats are...
Oh, how I've ch-ch-changed
In general, I think the changes in my life have been positive, but there’s one thing that bothers me immensely about how I’ve changed. Somehow, over time, I’ve accepted objectification. I’ve accepted being treated like a piece of meat that men can verbally harass without consequence. Along the way, I traded my no-shavin’, no-makeup-wearing ways for a mini skirt and a...
April 2011
2 posts
a blog post about a blog
That’s right. I’m blogging about a blog. It feels 5% meta, 95% embarrassing. Why? Oh, you’ll know when you click the link. I’m so young, so naive, and thought I was so in love. Here’s some important background details:
I was an assistant manager at DQ (I know you’re jealous).
Brant was my first serious relationship. Ever. We dated for about a year.
The...
on life
Shh, don’t tell anyone.. but sometimes I write serious blog posts. I’m not a wise person, and I really haven’t experienced as much in life than may other, probably wiser people. But, here’s why I feel I’m qualified to write the following post: <life resume>
I’ve made mistakes
I’ve been filled with regret
I’ve been in love
I’ve had my...
March 2011
8 posts
2 tags
on running
I’m obviously not an expert on running. I’ve only run 5Ks, a few 10Ks, and a lonely marathon. And I’m not fast, either. I finished my most recent 10K in 1:06, which is about average for me. I ran my marathon in 5:00.12. So, you know… super fast. Because of this, I have never really thought of myself as a serious runner. A turtle, maybe, crawling through the course just...
why i love bartenders
Dan: I'm not from Austin. What's good here?
Bartender: oh I'd recommend the 512 IPA.
Me: that's what I told him to get!
Bartender: she's a keeper.
Winning.
1 tag
“Listen: We are here on Earth to fart around. Don’t let anybody tell you...”
– Kurt Vonnegut
3 tags
Sometimes my coworkers don't understand jokes
Developers hovered around a computer near me: Well, I don't know what we should call this function? cacheTests?
Valerie: You could call it valerieIsAwesome if you always wanted it to return TRUE.
Most of the developers: *laughter* *chuckles* *hrrrrrumphs*
Pleated Jeans: We're not going to call it that. No one would know what it did.
http://www.bicycling.com/training-nutrition/nutriti... →
I teared up reading this. Amazingly inspirational.
StrengthsFinder 2.0
When I transferred into my new group at work, my manager had me take the StrengthsFinder 2.0 test. It helped my manager learn more about me and really helped me learn a lot more about myself. Here’s a bit about it:
The Clifton StrengthsFinder measures the presence of talent in 34 categories called “themes.” These themes were determined by Gallup as those that most consistently...
Your shoes are ugly
If I don’t like your shoes, I’m not going to date you. I might sleep with you, but I won’t date you. Obviously, I have really high standards. When I thought about how ugly shoes are a dealbreaker for me (crocs, for example, will never earn you a date or a sexual favor), I kind of realized I was shallow. Then I didn’t care. Then I thought about other dealbreakers. Bask in my...
January 2011
1 post
I was having a bad day
but I stopped and decided to be awesome instead.
July 2010
2 posts
Drunk conversations with Brooke
Brooke: only the person with the Bing bong can talk.
Me: Bing bong?
Brooke: beeang bog? Boeng bag?
Me: bean bag?
Brooke: yes!
June 2010
3 posts
Common Interest on a Sunday Night
old dude: hey, you're a new singer, eh?
me: yep. first time tonight.
old dude: oh, you'll get in quick.
me: sweet.
old dude: so, whatcha singing, sweetheart?
me: *hesitation*
me: Don't You Want Me
old dude: Why, yes I do but I'm too old for you.
late night texts are the best.
Ben: I would stalk you. Me: That’s creepy. Explain. Ben: You have stalkable yellow unitard. How could you blame me?
May 2010
5 posts
http://www.etsy.com/listing/43242970/handlebar-must... →
AMAZING.
for the typography nerds: HYPERACTIVITYPOGRAPHY.... →
there’s a guy in my office who looks like a ginger teen wolf. i just needed to get that off my chest.
the internet
turns out it’s not a fad. first, twitter. now, tumblr. i think i’ll be addicted to you soon, interweb.