Monday, September 12, 2005
First day of orientation. Started putting together a spreadsheet of current student data. Troubleshot password problems for two students. Scanned in 9 documents for James. Checked in with Stacey about gathering preferred name data. Finalized a printer order for Lucia—we decided on an HP LaserJet 1022. Faxed in the order to Hubert S. Lunch: free leftover box lunch from Orientation: tuna sandwich, a pair of small pears. Met with Susie. Home. Mom Ryan gave me a sweet Mickey Mouse thank you card and gave Patrick a handcrafted paper thank you card. She showed off gifts from AJ's family: snazzy new clothes. She also received a $50 check from the former employer of AJ and Patrick! Bought tickets for a trip to Hawaii—just me coz Patrick is still in school. I'm gonna visit Chris and Nate (and I suppose Mike P as well?), read Harry Potter on the beach, take a bunch of photos. T and D—I'm sorry I didn't get around to doing this sooner! Nine Eleven and Hurricane Katrina and Steve Jobs giving commencement speeches has sort of made me realize that I should plunk down loads of money to do things with my life instead of waiting for more opportune times. I'll never know the Twin Towers in New York City. I'll never know the New Orleans up with which Patrick grew. Joel and I had a conversation about this a few weeks ago. I asked him where he hasn't visited that he would regret if it were destroyed, and he said Dollyland, the Elvis land (I can't remember what it's called—Graceland?), and the arena where his favorite basketball team—the Tennessee Lady Volunteers—plays. I guess I need to make a trip to Tennessee, huh? he said. At least he has seen Liberace's museum. Me: I would regret not seeing my old friend Disneyland again and enjoying an oversweetened Cherry Coke (that'll be five dollars, please) in eighty degree heat while enjoying a pianist belt out Maple Leaf Rag on the nearby upright piano. I would also regret not going to Las Vegas and paying exorbitant sums to see all the Cirque Du Soliel shows one after the other. Particularly O, which many have described as "indescribable." I wonder: did they name the show that because that's what everyone's eyes and mouths are shaped like at the end? What else? There must be more, but I have to think about it. Dinner at home with Patrick and Mom Ryan: leftover orzo with chicken, we also shared a tomato, basil, mozzarella sandwich and Sun Chips and chocolate chip cookie leftover from Orientation. Over dinner, Patrick and I taught Mom Ryan some simple Spanish since she'll be living near the Mission soon: hola, buenos dias, hasta la vista baby, adios. Maybe lesson 2 will be how to order a buh-REE-toe in Spanish. I did work for Corinna: shipping labels outlines. Chatted with Brian Kusler online today about the City CarShare website. I miss working with him a lot because he's so excellent at whatever he's been given to do. When BK is on the job, you know things will get done (or at least there will be a very good reason why they didn't, and he'll have warned you about it a month in advance). Maybe one day we'll work together again... You know it's late at night when the Workrave rest break suddenly kicks in and the unnaturally large breasts on the computer-generated woman doing the neck tilt stretch freak you out. Again. Time for bed.