anyone feel like offering me some free food?
I'm hungry.

let's scare away all prospective students, shall we?
I went to the MU homepage this morning and found that it had changed to a warning about terror alerts on campus. I'm sure I caught the page at a glitch in the system, but for a second there, I thought interim chancellor Deaton had freaked out.

my poor macs
My komputer karma is really bad right now. It looks like Jack probably won't be getting a flatscreen facelift after all because the broken base can be replaced without having to purchase a whole new display. That is, if the moving company ever gets on the ball and pays for it. I'm getting tired of an upside-down display, which makes iTunes Jack's only useful function.

My gorgeous, week-old G5 at work really had a melt-down this week; turns out it had an errant processor. So, I've been stuck on an old, slow iMac. Not exactly the prettiest computer to work on. At least the work is fun.

parley voo francy?
Tuesday's $1.25 flick was in French: Love Me if You Dare. I'm oh-so cultured. It got me onto a French kick again. I'm thinking of getting language tapes from the library for my hour-long commute to refresh my French education. Then I'll be swearing at the idiot drivers en Français.

the 51 is backed up and too slow
Highway driving in Phoenix is going to turn me into a vicious person. The other day I actually had the urge to flick a fellow motorist off. I resisted, but I think that's a first.

i really miss my friends
Tomorrow I'm going to a baby shower. I'm going to pretend the people there are my friends, not just co-workers.

The new home. 

More pictures here.

error Something is very wrong with my computer at work right now. That multi-colored square in place of the Apple logo at start-up? Yeah, that's not supposed to be there.

ha I have a funny story to relate about a girl named Wendy. Now that I've told you it's funny, you won't find it so. So I'll just laugh and keep the story to myself.

Anyway. This girl, Wendy, works with my cousin here in Phoenix. Brooke (my cousin) wants to schedule a happy hour for the three of us to get together and she will introduce me to Wendy. I feel like I'm getting set up on a blind date.

That was not the funny Wendy story.

it's august 18. do you know where your diploma is?
Mine arrived yesterday. Now what?

oh, the humanity!
The man next to me answered his cell phone in the middle of the movie last night!

HWJV
"It would be a surprise to a lot of folks to discover that there are some very faithful, regular church attendees who aren't going to vote for Bush." - How would Jesus vote?

i had an awful nightmare last night I dreamt that I got engaged. If that weren't bad enough, I couldn't remember the name of the guy I was engaged to. I spent the night trying to figure out his name so I could locate him and renege on my acceptance of his proposal. It was a very stressful dream.

"instead of giving candy to the kids this halloween, we'll pass out bible tracts" A lack of a social life means that I have been able to catch up on my movie watching. Three days, four movies:
Pieces of April
Starskey and Hutch
Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban - the IMAX version!
Saved! (finally)
The average price of the two movies I saw in theaters yesterday was $8. Not bad, until you realize that the IMAX film was $14, and Saved! was $2. I think I'll be visiting the "previously viewed theater" more often than the IMAX. Tuesdays, all movies are $1.25! Don't call me Tuesday evenings. You'll know where I am.

if you ever think you don't own anything, move Mom and I finally finished unpacking boxes yesterday. The last boxes were all the little knick-knacks and odds n' ends. Basically, things we never use, but can't seem to get the heart to throw away. We've accumulated a ton of coffee mugs, most of which say something to the effect of: "a teacher touches the future." The two of us have decided we're never buying any gifts for each other ever again. Instead, we're going to set up a bank account and for holidays and birthdays, we'll deposit what money we would have spent on a gift into the account, and then once we've saved up enough, we'll take a mother-daughter trip somewhere. That's so much better than a dozen mugs.

remember "the animal song"? I've heard it on the radio twice today. Other than that, PHX radio stations are pretty darned o.k. I've even got a favorite already: The Edge 103.9

and i thought i wouldn't know anyone in this here town Guess who lives here. Everyone's favorite Myke. I told my mom and she just about died with glee. He was her Summer Welcome leader and she loved him. The first few months of my freshman year, she'd start our phone conversations thus: "How are you? (my answer) And have you run into Myke? How is he doing?" My dad might have to watch out.

jumping right in I attended a MUAA local board meeting last night. I thought it was just an alum club meeting/social. Turns out I am now on the Valley of the Sun MUAA alum club board. Met Mark Mast there. (He was the one who told me that Myke was in town. So is Sam Babalo-whatever.) I had heard his name around Greek Town a couple of times; he was in FarmHouse and graduated in '02. Good to put a face with a name. I am now going to be helping him plan a GOLD (Graduates Of the Last Decade) football watch party in a couple of weeks. I am determined to have friends outside of Ken & Hildie. Last night showed signs that my plans may be working.

for your reading pleasure; or, because I want to make this post extra-long Tomorrow begins The Job, and thus, today is the official end of my summer. So, as promised, here is this summer's edition of Funny Sentences in My Inbox*, Leaky Cauldron, of Sorts-style:

but, all in all, it's lots of fun and i'm glad i signed up for this summer of ulcer-generating unpaid labor.

but elizabeth, alicia and our new photo editor meredith are a lot of fun to work with and accepting of their art staff's screaming fits, crying jags and diva-esque, chilled-diet-coke-in-a-champagne-flute-demanding outbursts.

if i would of been in the States i would have totally come and hung out with you~ oh well...

I was just looking through your photo albums (as your tracker indicates), and I came across you with your family, and you look SO MUCH like your sister, I can't get over it! I know how annoying this is, having four of my own sister whom I look nothing alike, but you two, I was taken aback. Whoa.

Let us know how you're doing! visit us here and partake of the moist but loving embrace that is the missouri summer. or, if you landed that high-profile job in new york, send money.

Anyway, I want to apologize profusely on behalf of all of humanity for having to be in a FIG with (name censored). That is all.

it just seems I don't have free time at home, but a lot of time to spare when it's a slow day at the office (funny how that works). But of course I wouldn't CALL you on company hours! No, I'll just write you an email from my Mizzou account, which is highly discouraged at NASA (sshhhh...)

Anywho, I think I'll get some good clips here, learn a lot from the way they do things, meet some neat people and enjoy myself all the while. I know that sounds like a Hallmark Card. Man, I'm speaking like a director of Greek Life.

I don't have to work today because this evening we are going backpacking out at Fern Lake. I still can't believe I'm going to get paid while I'm sleeping. Fern Lake is where some guys were camping last year when one of them woke up with his head in a bear's mouth and they both got mauled. So I think I'll refrain from using my green apple shampoo today.

Well, it's 3 in the morning...bed calls my name. Good luck with job hunting/moving/repeated viewing of "Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban" (only in theatres.) I'm sure you'll do great with all three.

We landed in Sydney with 15 minutes to get from one gate to another. When we arrived at Christchurch and were standing in line to clear the immigration check-through, we heard our names called on the loudspeaker and instructed to report to the baggage enquiries office. When we got to the office, they said that they thought that one of the suitcases had not made it. Well they were half right. Neither bag had arrived.

No one should be denied getting a postcard commemorating cow-plop bingo.

I hope you're feeling better, and I'm sorry if my voice made you hurl. I've been told I have that effect on women.

I had the MOST HORRIBLE DREAM last night that you died! I was devestated when I woke up this morning, but I was then happy and thankful to see your email.

Love you, miss you. Don't die, please.

Interesting...for birthdays it is tradition to push the persons face into the cake and then serve the cake!

I really hope you all are having a great summer. Don't forget to drink some lemonade, float in a pool and eat sweet corn. (editor's note: I did all three yesterday)

i mean, why would anyone want to live in london, travel all over western europe, and meet tons of cool people when you could live in LARAMIE WYOMING!!! woo hoo!! there's so much to do here; like driving, talking on the phone, eating food, and even snowball fights (but only in the winter)!

Plus, since getting a gmail involves insider access at this stage, it's a bit of a geek status symbol.

They enjoyed turning up their subwoofer and inviting small armies of people into their 2 bedroom apt. My favorite part was listening to them justify it, saying things like "The BOSE subwoofer won't go any quieter!" and "Don't make me call my lawyer" to which the cop just smiled and wrote them a $150 ticket.

Talking is good. Talking is necessary. We should do that: talk.

But everything is done, and I'm now a doctoral student. A few more years and I might actually have a job that pays above the poverty line.

A new salon is opening in Chelsea, and I got a press invite to go 'n' get a free haircut. Apparently they do spa therapies like 'hair sandwiches' and 'scalp wraps.' It just makes me hungry.

Supposedly he looks a lot like I did at that age, which means he's the most adorable person in the entire universe (no conflict of interest here, I promise).

The cat (named Thunk for its initial inability to take corners very well) requires attention, the girlfriend (named Brigid) requires food, and I need to go swimming in the pool.

10:30 means bed, in Megan Is Now A Working Girl Who Must Rise In The Early Morning Hours World

its so great to hear youve found something. you didnt wait too long did ya? punk.

*trademark, Fiscus

adventures in unpacking The moving van was a day late. But as the rain came down that morning, we decided all was for the best. It hardly ever rains here. That night, we slept on newly carpeted floors in bare bedrooms. Camping indoors. It certainly beat the hotel floor on which I had been making my nest.

So far, unpacking is going well. Our home is coming out in pieces and parts, reassembling itself and making the rooms a little more comfortable. My computer monitor also came out in pieces, but not like it was supposed to. Jack the Mac's face is sitting in my dad's office belly-up, whinging: "fix me!" It's really pretty fix-able; only the stand is broken, but it gives me a reason to search for a flat screen replacement. I say that is good news.

at least they left me the important piece I had a minature nativity set in my top dresser drawer that the movers packed. Apparently Mary and Joseph have abandoned baby Jesus; they are nowhere to be found.

yum My new swimsuit looks like Neopolitain ice cream. I had Neopolitain ice cream for dessert last night. Is there a correlation? Maybe.

today, i went out and got me a job
That's right, folks, I'm really going to start pretending I'm an adult now. I even negotiated a raise and an extension of my "settling in time" until I start (though not a long time). So, Aug. 16, I begin DESIGNING for a NATIONAL GLOSSY MAGAZINE. Next Wednesday, I'll start with three half-days of work. (I need to ween myself away from vacation.) So, here's the scoop on the job:

title: Hiatus
genre: travel/timeshares & separate pubs about pools/spas
duties: designing feature and department spreads, learning about pre-press process until current art director goes on maternity leave. Then guess who's in charge...
staff size: itsy bitsy, lending to the opportunity for me to do a lot for them
duration: long enough, not forever
benefits: yup (including a company vacation; a cruise was mentioned)
pay: sheesh, you're nosey (but let's just say that the editor said he wants to make sure that I have some cash to be able to travel)

Hoppa!

LOCATION: Chandler, Ariz.
DURATION: Until life moves me elsewhere

short-term chandler to-do list
+ Make many phone calls
+ Write many e-mails (I'm really behind, sorry to those of you on the long list)
+ Congratulate Megan & Pat
+ Discover where Tuttle has disappeared to
+ Contact editor of Desert Living
+ Learn how to clean the pool
+ Contact Mizzou alum club in Phoenix
+ Buy ASU t-shirt
+ Research DVD players for Mom
+ Finish The Feminine Mystique
+ Read last month's Details
+ Purchase Ofoto pictures from this summer
+ Compile my edition of this summer's "Funny sentences in My In-Box"

long-term phoenix to-do list
+ Buy a new car to replace the awful green minivan I've been stuck with (Ally's already taken the MU sticker off Charlie's back window. Jerk.)
+ Join some kind of rock-climbing/canoing/mountain hiking/outdoorsy club
+ Go sky-diving
+ Get a killer tan
+ Take a continuing education class at the ASU School of Design
+ Move to an apartment
+ Find a church where there aren't just grey-haired people sitting in the pews
+ Attend a Diamondbacks game & and a Mercury (WNBA) game (preferably one when Minnesota visits so as to see K-State's Nicole Ohlde play again)