Below are the 20 most recent journal entries recorded in selina's LiveJournal:

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Sunday, November 22nd, 2009
6:58 am	facebook is kind of freaking me out. I don't like posting things there and I don't really like seeing what random people from my past post. High school was fine, but I am friends with the people I am meant to be friends with still and don't feel a need to find many others. It's been neat to get in touch with 2 or so people, but other than that, I'm a little weirded out. I found it helpful to ask two friends questions just a minute ago, but I could have waited and called them. I guess I just like the idea of not knowing what people are doing, having a couple reunions throughout life and calling that good. Maybe I'll get rid of my account. In other news, It's 6:42am and I've been up since about 4am. This has happened maybe 3 times in the past several months and before that happened maybe twice in my whole life. My bed is not comfortable for me because it's pretty broken in and Kevin weighs more than me so it causes me to lay slightly lop-sided. It's like if I was camping it wouldn't be a big deal because I would know that it was only a night or two that I would be sleeping lop-sided, or I could move the tent around. But this is where I sleep every night and it makes my back hurt and I get cranky. It's Kevin's bed and I lent my bed to Meredith who's bed was growing mold (I reeeeally hope my bed doesn't grow mold. She's perpetually dehumidifying. So sick of mold. May there be no mold in the Midwest!). My friend with a truck volunteered to help me switch the beds, but it's been hard to coordinate and now it's a month until we move. I think I still want to take the time to change them. I don't like waking at 4am and not being able to go back to sleep. I attempted to sleep on the couch, but its really just a love seat and though I am short, I am not that short. And to wrap it up with good news, I have two places to go meet people at for Pilates teaching jobs in Milwaukee. Both sound promising, I just need to go meet the people, check the place out and probably give a sample lesson. The one will be very intimidating, the other less so. The more intimidating place would probably be a better place for me to work though. It's intimidating because the owner and other instructors have very good certifications and hold there studio to a very high standard. I would grow and keep improving there for sure. I am also going to apply at the zoo which excites me tremendously. If we get the house we want, we'd be about a 15 minute walk from it. To be a zookeeper there, you do not need a zoology or biology degree, but one needs 6+months working with animals other than pets. I got that at g-father mount. I figure I will continually apply there until I get a job. I want to work with animals. Sometimes zoos make me sad. Like the cute hippo in DC. I believe her name is Happy. But I don't know that she was happy because her pool was not much bigger than her and neither was her dry area. She made me very sad. I love her. Anyway, if the conditions are good, a zoo could be a good life. I could be a part of giving enrichments that give the animals new smells and tasty treats and puzzles, etc. They also have summer positions that involved showing animals to guests. I'm guessing they are farm type animals and stuff which I would also love. If I don't get a keeper position (which I do not anticipate), and if I need to pick up some part time work this summer, I will try for a summer position. Guess that's it for now. (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, November 12th, 2009
6:54 am	my belly hurts and i don't want to go to school, but now is not a good time to be missing school. (Comment on this)
Wednesday, November 11th, 2009
5:10 pm	well, today is the day i've been waiting for and guess what Kevin found out from T for A? He's on a wait list. They don't know how many members they need because of budget constraints, etc. so, he may still be accepted and they'll give him updates in January, March and May or something like thta. Well, that means we're moving to Milwaukee!!! I'd be more excited, but I have a teeerrrrible stomach ache. It's like the one I got in Scotland from Sheep poo, but not nearly as bad. Still bad enough to skip school though, very uncommon for me. So, we found a lovely place that we'd like to rent with a fenced in yard for Petoskey, but we need jobs first! Kevin submitted his resume to a couple places that are hiring teachers and I sent mine to a place looking for a pilates teacher. There is another place that says they're hiring and I'll likely get on sending my resume to them next. If we don't get jobs right away, we'll go hang out at my mom's 'til we do. But, I'm thinking we better get some stinkin' jobs! I have been reaally liking the idea of Milwaukee and I am so very glad that it is our plan now. I can apply for jobs without wondering if I'll have to say, oh never mind, I'm not moving there anymore. Guess that's it for now. I could carry on, but I might as well submit my resume to this PIlates studio. Hope people will want to visit us in Milwaukee. Lake Michigan here we come!!! (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, November 9th, 2009
7:34 pm	I just had some fun on facebook, first that's happened, I think. Here is some other news: My car is officially dead. I would like to buy a new(old) one. I saw Bruce Springsteen from the front row and it was amazing. If I'd written on here there would be an entire post on it. I'm keeping it more internal now. Wednesday Kevin will find out if he is accepted into Teach for America and if so, where he will be placed. I am more anxious about this than he is. Fingers crossed for whatever the right thing is. He'll have 3 days to accept or decline his placement. I sent my resume to a place in Milwaukee. It's for a Pilates Instructor position. My record for oldest client (massage) has been broken. The new record is 93 and he has come twice and has another appointment in two weeks. I like him a lot. we chatted the second time and he told me about his life. I enjoyed his stories. He used to work for Morton Salt. I was the Morton Salt girl for Halloween. Three years ago today, Petoskey was found at grndfthr mtn (i don't want it to come up on their google alert) and it was our first night together. I love that guy. He's lost a lot of fur do to allergies:( He's not bald, just thinning. Had a bunch of tests and stuff due last week. Glad last week is over. Looking forward to holidays. Already bought a couple christmas gifts... (6 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
7:42 am	sap story of the week My beloved car has lost the ability to go. I am really sad about it. I mean, I have heart ache right now thinking about it. I love my Honda. She's beautiful inside and out. She feels good to ride in. The tape player still works. She's 19 years old and has driven over 260,000 miles, but you wouldn't even know it. About a year ago (or was is longer?), Kevin and I changed the radiator. All went smooth, except we had bought a faulty radiator (my brother says that is common with inexpensive parts. He used to work at a parts store). The new radiator caused the radiator and transmission fluid to mix which is really bad for your delicate transmission. So, the parts store gave me a new radiator and payed for my trans to get flushed. After all that, I noticed the car shifting hard (by the way it's an automatic transmission). Well, for Labor Day weekend, I drove up to Michigan in my beloved Honda for a much needed family visit. On the way back to NC, I noticed a change in how it was shifting. It seemed to be shifting smoother. I thought it was a good thing... Until about a month ago when it started having trouble going in and out of 2nd gear. I would help it along by manually downshift on hills and around tight curves. Then, yesterday, it all came to a stop. I slowed for pedestrians in the busy Boone traffic, right on King St, the main drag. When I attempted to speed up, my car simply revved. I am so sad. A nice man helped me by pushing her into a parallel parking spot as I steered. He even at some trans fluid. Reverse is all she has power to do. The thing is, I there is life left in there! I bet another 50-100,000 miles! This Honda Accord is a great car. I love the shape of the car, I love the color, charcoal grey with grey interior, the gas mileage. I have told Kevin repeatedly that I wish that could be my forever car. I love it. And now, she's immobile. The repair will be around $1100. I don't especially have that to put into a car right now and I kind of feel like if I did, I should instead put a down payment on a new (to me) car and have a month or two worth of payments from the same amount of money. I just wanted my car to last a few more months. Just until I was done with school and had a job. ho hum. Current Mood: glum (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
10:00 am	since there are a couple of Twilight fans out there... In my last hour of procrastination, I was inspired by an advertisement with Edward on it to check out some Twilight stuff online, something out of character for me for the most part. But, I'm glad I did, because I read on Stephenie Meyer's site that Midnight Sun is her next project and it will eventually get published:) This was written by her editor (I think) in June of 2008, so maybe other people know this. I don't talk with many folks who keep on these types of things. Anyway, I hope it does happen. I'm not going to read what is online from it. Okay, enough fantasy, to the school work!!! (1 Comment |Comment on this)
Monday, October 12th, 2009
12:02 pm	For fear of carbon monoxide poisoning, I took my car into the shop this morning. Kevin said a bit ago that it smelled of gasoline and it has gotten to the point of burning my eyes and needing to have the windows down. I hope it's not too much to fix:( When I get a full time (or maybe multiple part time?) job, I will get a new car, unless I don't need a car. Then, maybe I'll get a motorcycle with a side car for Petoskey. he ran away for a bit yesterday and I took it a little personal. He hasn't been getting the exercise he needs and he may be a little mad at me for it. Dogs are big responsibilities. I can't imagine kids. You can't just leave your kids while you're at school or work for 6 to 8 hours and expect them to be alive and happy to see when you get home. I walked to campus in the rain from the car place. Thought it would take longer, that is why I am now able to LJ. Thank goodness for rain boots. Kevin and I went shopping yesterday to buy him a suit. He found a stylish one that he likes and fits pretty well. He said he feels like he's going to a fashion show in it. I told him it's okay to be stylish for an interview. That's what he got it for. He has career day at schoool which he is required to go to for his major and the next day is his final interview for Teach for America. This semester is flying by. I have yet to write more than my two page introduction to my 25-40 page paper... This week is fall break, we have Thursday and Friday off. Thursday will be spent doing that paper! Someone who has a Victoria's Secret card gets stuff mailed to my address from them so every couple of months I get free panties. This pleases me greatly. I never knew there was much difference in cheap vs expensive panties. I now know because I have 4 or 5 free victoria's secret panties that they are quite comfy. guess this stuff doesn't matter much so I'll stop here. Two months 'til graduation. Crazy. (3 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, October 9th, 2009
8:38 pm	I'd really like to consider moving to Hawaii, but I will not have Petoskey fly as cargo and it looks like a ship isn't very viable:( Current Music: Built to spill and someone's fireworks (Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 29th, 2009
10:50 pm	I found this interesting TED is great. You should check out more if you like this. (Comment on this)
10:42 pm	North Carolina is making it illegal for plastic bottles to go into a landfill, they have to be recycled. This is shocking to me, though I know it is absurd how much waste that adds up to and that it should be recycled. Landfills can be fined $15,000 for not recycling them. This means all landfills will have to sort the in coming trash. from what I understand, these jobs have most often been done by mentally handicapped people. I just don't know how I feel about that. On one hand, people are being employed and finding community within there employment. On the other hand, it's a job that other people won't do because of how awful it is. Sorting through people's food scraps, band-aids, used condoms, barf even. It's incredibly gross. Individuals need to take it upon ourselves to recycle so people don't have to sort through our waste in order to find it. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, September 28th, 2009
7:32 pm	alright active LJ community, I could use some help This is my last semester and I need to do my "capstone" project. The only guide lines really are to write a 25-40 page research paper. Of course it needs to be in the field of appropriate technology, but other than that, we're set loose. I have come up with two ideas. Idea #1: Outline what it would take to get something like CCAT (Campus Center for Appropriate Technology) at Humboldt State. See http://www.humboldt.edu/~ccat/ (I don't understand how to put things in as a link). Basically, this is a live-in demonstration/educational and research facility. At CCAT, 3 students live there and take on responsibilities that include teaching workshops, organizing workshops, organizing volunteers, etc. There are gardens on the grounds, there was a grey water marsh system (may be gone because the house moved since I've been there), dual flush toilets (used to be composting), blown in recycled material insulation, and many other appropriate technologies and examples of sustainable living. I would look at funding options, what the University would need for such a project to get started, possible locations, ways of implementing the center into curriculum, look at what other similar places have done, etc. This seems like a good project, and I'm liking the idea again as I write about it, but the negative things are (as dumb as some may be): 1. don't know if I'll do the project justice. I just don't care much this semester. 2. it's BIG. too big? maybe better than too small... 3. I lack obvious guidance- this is my own fault, i need to go see a librarian and stop thinking my teacher is going to be helpful. My second idea is this: Living sustainably strengthens community. That would basically be my thesis. I would look at some eco-village communities in the area and other communities that have implemented appropriate technologies, etc. I'm already bored writing about this idea. Maybe it's because I've already written this much about school. I thought it'd be fun to do surveys on community and people's sense of it and see how things vary, but I don't think that is actually feasible. Plus I have a hunch that people who are more sustainably minded may simply be more community minded in general than other populations. So what would I really be proving? It actually feels kind of good to be at the library. It's buzzing. I'm not on the quiet floor and I like it tonight. Might go on a night hike with a friend, but she may call about it too late. I can't be out too late tonight. I would like to go get a milk shake though. Any thoughts on my schooling? (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Saturday, September 26th, 2009
1:13 pm	Lots of fresh posts to read, I like it! I'm at work, between clients. My last client was great, maybe my favorite kind of client.My favorite kind of client is someone who has a specific complaint (not that I like people in pain) but does not want deep tissue. I get in plenty deep in a problem area, but DO NOT like giving full body deep tissue work. It's raining. We had a two day break from the rain, after 1 week of it. It's back, probably for another week. Weather is all goofy. My first client didn't come today. She called and was obviously sick:( I am the only one here today. I like it when I'm the only one here. It doesn't happen often. I worked on some Appalachian Music homework. Excellent class. Well taught. Informative and fun. Well my client will be here soon... (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009
10:40 pm	I just finished the Twilight Saga. I am not disappointed. (10 Comments |Comment on this)
Monday, September 21st, 2009
10:15 am	yesterday Kevin started looking at the pets on craigslist who are looking for homes. There was one named Flint and I thought it would be funny if we had two dogs with Michigan city names. Today, when I was thinking about it, I realized they're both named after stones too! Ha. I saw Up last night for a dollar on campus. I reeeeeeaaaally liked it. Once in a while I wish Petoskey had a collar that allowed him to communicate in English, but me and Kevin just talk for him. It works out, though there is no way of checking the translation. One of the dogs in the movie was named Dug. I think that is cute. The little boy named a giant bird Kevin and I thought that was cute too. Kevin (in the movie) turned out to be a mommy:) I like dinking around in the morning, but I guess I should prepare for my day now. (Comment on this)
Thursday, September 17th, 2009
2:08 pm	I have to do a final project, or thesis paper this semester. Last week, when I was told I had to have a topic, I chose to design and figure out how to implement a live-in research and demonstration site on campus for appropriate technologies and sustainable living. It's a good idea and should be done, but I think I have change my topic to something I was thinking about doing last semester. I want to look at the social side of things and the loss of community in mainstream society and see how living sustainably and appropriate technologies can (and do) bring people "back" together. The quotes are because not all communities are lacking, but I'm looking at American, possibly western society. I tried to talk to my teacher about it after class and he was barely any help. He ALWAYS ALWAYS turns everything into what he has done, who he knows, blah blah blah. And I hate how he has referenced sex the past 3 classes, at least. He must not have a well rounded married life. GAh!!! I hate that I am driven to say things like that. Anywho, I'd like to take a look at that sort of thing, do a bunch of surveys, travel to different places included eco-villages and write 25-40 pages about. Never written anything that big, but I suppose most college seniors haven't by this point. I'm going to go daydream now as I explore on the internet. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 16th, 2009
10:18 am	yesterday in class I once again felt like I don't belong. It's a been a while since these emotions have been strong enough to frustrate me, but they were yesterday. Today they linger in the form of hope, excitement for things to come and wanderlust mixed in with slight agitation for the conventions of this world. "This world" may be this country, this society, the ideology that seems to penetrate the masses... Kevin and I have talked about building a gypsy caravan and traveling to art fairs and festivals, me doing massage out of the caravan as he supplying the music to draw people in and accompany the massage. It's funny, the way I start thinking sometimes. It goes a little like this: Well, that can't happen for a couple years because we both need to get out of school debt and I don't mind embarking upon such an adventure with little to no money, but we cannot have debt following us. But when will we have babies? If in a couple years I and 28 and traveling the country, or maybe other countries, earning a living being a nomadic massage therapist, when will I have babies? a couple years after that I suppose. But when will I get my farm? After the traveling grows old and we want to settle, I suppose. And will we have money to purchase land? Well, if we were paying no rent for a year or two... living minimally.... but what about wanting to get rich to pay off my mother's house? when will i help my mother? well, she will come live on the farm that we nurture and that nurtures us after we have payed off our debt and traveled the country and others. It goes on. that kind of makes sense, that last little time line. Shoot, rereading that I feel the excitement grow!!! I have school in 2 hours. Appalachian Music is my first class of the day. Excellent class. Not only is it interesting, but it's taught well too. Very organized, great use of class time. Can't say that about many of my classes. (I know similar thing have been said before, but...) Do other people feel like the biggest thing their degree says about them is, "Hey, I stuck this out. I can stick out other things too"? Just wondering. I've been gaining knowledge, I know. and I'm sure I'm more prepared to "go out there and get a job" than I feel I am but Really, What kind of job do I even apply for? I don't want an office job and I don't want to install things. What the hell do I want to do? I want to be a natural builder. I want to be a farmer- preferably of animals. Dairy, eggs, fibers... What has my schooling taught me? I have a greater awareness of most things energy, I could probably do some calculations to tell someone how much solar energy would fall on there property/collector. Hey, that could be cool. Travel around, be outside, record simple observations, do some simply calculations. And then I'd need to install. I guess I wouldn't mind working for a solar panel company. You know, solar thermal is where it's at. FOr water or space heating. Not too expensive (maybe $7000 for an ave residential system) and relatively quick return on your money. In NC there are incentives that could bring that cost down around $2300! I want to get one for my mom. Her roof is E/W though so it would take extra thought about placement. MI doesn't have the best solar potential, but it could offset some cost of heating water, which I believe she does electrically now. Okay, I feel smart enough and like I have learned some things in these past 2.5 years in school. I should get to others things. Thanks for reading. I like feeling in touch, even if it is just a feeling. Current Mood: mixed (5 Comments |Comment on this)
Tuesday, September 15th, 2009
9:23 am	Last night I had a dream that the Mervas were opening a coffee shop and it was in a really neat little building that had lots of windows and angles. I feel like everyone was on roller skates- this was during the set up, it wasn't open- and they had to decide what coffee beans to use and they had big bags of beans from when they had opened up a coffee shop before and they had to take them canoeing to see which ones were the best. Thanks for starring in my dream guys:) Then, I had another dream that I was going to see the Suicide Machines somewhere in Detroit, it was similar to the State Theater but much bigger. I went to go to the bathroom and a guy was about to go in to the mens room at the same time and we walked in and it turned out both doors went to the same room with two toilets and a little table between them. We uncomfortably started to use the toilets. He left and I just could not go pee, though it really felt like I needed to. Then a lady came in with her kid and left and then Anne came, who I can't even say I actually know- Andy's good friend. Lansing folks know her. Anyway, she was like: "Hey! What are you doing here?" and I decided no pee was going to come out so I left the bathroom with her and went to where she was sitting, but I wanted to get closer so we went through this little mini attic like door and ended up outside and before we realized it, we were in some big outdoor shopping center and Anne was Kevin. I got a phone call and it was from this fella I used to date and he said he was at X Fest, and I was thinking: IS this X Fest? So I said I was there soon and he talked about something like we were dating and how he would be less busy in April and be able to see me more, but I knew I was in love and with Kevin so I didn't care at all. I got off the phone and this guy in a truck pulling a trailer lowered this crazy personal vehicle from the trailer and it was like it was alive, like a pet miniature car and it's what he used to go shopping in. We talked with him for a minute and it was like the thing was hard to control. I wanted to get back to see the Suicide Machines, I could here them playing, so Kevin and I walked toward the giant State Theatre as I asked him what in the world that vehicle was. (7 Comments |Comment on this)
Wednesday, September 9th, 2009
4:22 pm	I feel good about my listening skills and attention span these days. Sleep, I believe, is a big contributing factor. When we don't sleep enough, we just can't pay attention well. (2 Comments |Comment on this)
Thursday, August 27th, 2009
9:53 pm	I'm teaching a 1/2 hour Pilates mat class at a fitness center on Saturday and I'm really excited about it. It's free and I'm hoping that some people will want to take private mat classes from me after getting a sample. The "going rate" for such lessons are $40-$45, and if I do it there, my clients will all have to be members there, so they'll already be paying a monthly membership fee of $20. Will people want to pay me for what I have to offer? Also, I really want to tell a bit about the method at the beginning of the class so people know where I and the method are coming from and what they method helps to achieve. Is 5 minutes too long to talk at the beginning of a movement class? I just tried it out on Kevin, but it's hard to get much of a reaction out of him at 9:30pm... Classes started tuesday and I have some cool ones: Solar Thermal Technology, Contemporary Problems in Appropriate Technology, Materials and Processes (I get to do wood working and metal smithing), canoeing, Appalachian Music (Cathy- you would love this class. We listen to 5 tunes per class starting with Native American stuff, going into Ballads, spirituals, blues, early country, a whole section on the Carter family, bluegrass, labor movement songs, folk, etc. Though you probably already know so much...), and Computer Modeling for renewable Energy Systems. I think it will be a good semester. It's good to see my tech building buddies and be in the metal shop again. We started forging today. I really like forging steel. I'd like to tell a bit about summer at some point. I stayed in Boone, but a lot happened. To sum it up, I got certified to teach Pilates, Kevin moved in, I took summer school, Thee Makeout Party! came and played, I went tubing, grew some food, Petoskey struggled with fleas again, and Kevin and I visited the Outer Banks for the first time. It was great. We camped walking distance to the beach and played in the water like children, rode a tandem bike, ate ice cream, bought tarot cards (having fun learning to read them, they are Medicine Woman cards!), cooked some great camp food, looked at the stars, boogy boarded, took a ferry trip, and probably so much more. Maybe I'll post a picture here. I look like my mother in the last one. She never has her eyes open in pictures. Current Mood: cheerful Current Music: Kevin on guitar (4 Comments |Comment on this)
Friday, August 21st, 2009
5:11 am	I'd like peoples input on where to live the latest on the list of possible places to move is Milwaukee. The most exciting and enticing part of this option is the proximity to home. I've been away four years now and I just don't like being a 12 hour drive from my family. Milwaukee would be about 5.5 hrs according to mapquest. I'm sure that is with proper timing around chicago. The ferry to Muskegan is expencive! Especially if you take a car. That can be what we do when we have lots of money. Another appeal, of course, is Lake MIchigan!!!! If you have an opinion about Milwaukee, please discuss in "comments". Other possibilies include: Baltimore Philadelphia Wilmington, DE (random, right?) Boston maybe DC? Those are the highest on the list, almost in order of preference. But I don't really know my preference, or Kevin's. Last on the list is somewhere in Michigan, maybe Ann Arbor. I used to want to live there when I was a kid. I think I might want to settle down in the Traverse City area eventually. DO you know anything or have opinions about any of the above listed locations? I'd love to hear it. (13 Comments |Comment on this)