Girassol

Teaching in a rural high school is awesome

"Señorita, can I get my work for tomorrow?  I won't be in class."

"OK, why not?"

"Because my Animal Science class has to help Mrs. F. castrate the piglets."

Speaking clearly, or not so much

So the other night I watched this movie called "Feel The Noise." (I thought there would be more fun dancing involved, but instead there was all this stuff about sampling Puerto Rican frog noises into reggaeton music, and how The Man wanted to take out all the flava from the music and then sleep with the main character's girlfriend, causing her to kick him in the cojones and run away and sleep on a park bench, yet wake up the next morning looking strangely fresh-faced and conveniently right along the route of the Puerto Rico Day parade so she could reconcile with her boyfriend before his Very Important Performance.  But that's not really here nor there.)

Anyway, the main character had this annoying habit of using the filler, "You know what I'm sayin'?" in between all the rest of his lines.  Except it sounded like, "Younoamsan'?"  I get that a lot of people really do talk like this, and I get that it was supposed to lend authenticity to his role and all, but you know what, movie character?  I don't know what you're sayin', because you're not really sayin' anything since in between everything you're actually sayin', you keep sayin' "you know what I'm sayin'?"   

I find this to be one of the strangest filled pauses... I get "um" and "uh" and "well" and even "you know," but really, "You know what I'm sayin'?"  If the filler is so long you have to trim it down unto something completely unintelligible, that kind of defeats the purpose of a filled pause in the first place, which is basically to buy you time while you think of what to say next.  I'd be thinking about making my filler sound right instead of thinking about my next point, and then I would need to employ a new filler while I remembered what I was trying to say in the first place.  You know what I'm sayin'?  

Home

Because I am feeling uncreative about what to write these days, I present another little meme.  I saw this one over at Miss Hass' blog and thought it was cool in a sort of voyeuristic way.  There are people you think you know, people you know pretty well, and people you know everything about, but I bet most of the things in this meme are not things you would know about anyone but your own family, although they are some of the most mundane things -- the kind of things you never pay attention to, but which really do tell you something interesting about people.  Enjoy this proverbial peep through my windows.  Does anything here surprise you?

What kind of soap is in your bathtub right now?

I just finished a bar of soap this morning and have not yet replaced it.  I have a whole basket of soaps in my bathroom and am undecided about what to use next.  I am considering Milk soap from Whole Foods, or else this delightful Lemongrass and Chamomile soap that I got at Christmas.

Do you have any watermelon in your refrigerator?

No, and why would I?  I live by myself, and it's not July.

What would you change about your living room?

I really like my living room, actually.  It's purple and red, which are my favorite colors.  There is a lot of velvet in my living room.  I also have a piano, which thrills me to no end.  The only bad thing about it is that it is located at the front corner of the house which means it is a full six feet from traffic noise and sometimes it is drafty because I have a mail slot in the front door.  And I've been sort of hesitant about my chandelier ever since my sister insulted it.  I covered the bulbs with these paper shades to which I glued multicolored beaded fringe that I thought looked so cute.  She said it looked like a lamp from a whorehouse.  My question is, HOW WOULD SHE KNOW?

Are the dishes in your dishwasher clean or dirty?

I don't have a dishwasher, which means the dishes in my sink are usually dirty.

What's in your fridge?

Milk, orange juice, a bottle of Martinelli's, some ginger ale, my Brita pitcher, pizza sauce, yogurt, string cheese, Gruyére, mozarella with sun-dried tomato and basil, deli turkey, raisin bread, eggs, fruit salad, applesauce, apples, baby carrots, celery, fresh salsa, minced garlic, ketchup, mustard, relish, barbecue sauce, Miracle Whip, Salsa Lizano, apple butter, lime curd, Annie's Naturals Goddess dressing, Annie's Naturals Shiitake and Sesame Vinaigrette, butter, tooth whitening gel, spare batteries, and a box of Arm & Hammer.

What is on top of your refrigerator?

Cookbooks, a box of recipe cards, my roasting pan, and an onion.

White or wheat bread?

Wheat for sandwiches and raisin bread for toast.  I'm not a big bread person in general, though.

What color or design is your shower curtain?

Multicolored stripes, with a clear plastic horizontal panel at eye level so you can see out.

How many plants are in your home?

One philodendron.  It has lived with me for about six months without dying.  This is amazing.

Is your bed made right now?

Yes.  I don't like getting into an unmade bed.

Comet or Soft Scrub?

Old Dutch cleanser.

Is your closet organized?

Yes. Shelves on the left contain my purses and sweaters, which are in storage containers with little cedar balls to keep the moths out.  Then from left to right I have jackets, dressy shirts (satins and velvets and that kind of thing), button shirts (short sleeved, then 3/4 sleeved, then long sleeved), dress pants, short skirts, long skirts, short dresses, long dresses, one suit, and one spring trench coat which is lavender and looks kind of like a medical lab coat but I love it and can't get rid of it yet even though I haven't worn it in a couple of years.  My shoes are on the floor on a shoe rack.  Also, all my hangers must face the same way and all like items are hanging the same way on those hangers.

Can you describe your flashlight?

I bought a pack of two, which are both grey and red.  The smaller one is in my nightstand and the larger one has a heavy-duty magnet so it hangs on the side of my refrigerator.

Do you drink out of glass or plastic most of the time at home?

A Nalgene bottle for water, and if I drink something else, it goes in a glass.

Do you have iced tea made in a pitcher right now?

No.  Ew.

If you have a garage, is it cluttered?

I don't have a garage, but I do have a little vestibule between my kitchen door and the back door, and I recently bought one of those chrome shelving racks that has a shelf each for my food storage, painting supplies, appliances that don't fit in my tiny kitchen, extra boxes and bags, and sports equipment.  For a week or so after erecting the shelves, I would periodically open the kitchen door and just stare happily at the organized little corner.  Would someone please find me a boyfriend so I can stop spending my evenings staring at my organized vestibule?

Curtains or blinds?

I vastly prefer blinds.  Although I do have some fun multicolored patchwork curtains in my living room that remind me of stained glass.

How many pillows do you sleep with?

Two.

Do you sleep with any lights on at night?

Two night lights. One in the kitchen and one in the bathroom.

How often do you vacuum?

Whenever the house needs it, which isn't often since I'm rarely there and don't have much carpet.  I sweep much more frequently.

What color is your toothbrush?

White and green handle with blue bristles.

Do you have a welcome mat on your front porch?

I don't have a front porch, just a stoop.  The stoop has a mat, but it doesn't say welcome.  I have a new mat for the back door (which is the door I use most).  It has this cute little lawn gnome resting under a mushroom.

What is in your oven right now? 

One oven rack and an oven thermometer.

Is there anything under your bed?

The window fan I use in the summertime.

What chore do you hate doing the most?

Anything that involves paper -- grading, filing, paying bills, sorting the mail, etc.

What retro items are in your home?

Basically everything I own.  All my furniture, with the exception of a papasan chair, my piano, a butcher block cart in the kitchen, and those chrome shelves in the vestibule are either secondhand, antiques, or hand-me-downs from friends or family.  I like the quality of older things, I like that they have a history, and I like the quirky, mismatched look they bring to my house.  The house was built in 1843 so it all sort of works in a house like that.

Do you have a separate room that you use as an office?

Yes, and I LOVE IT!  That was a non-negotiable when I was looking for my own place.  I need my bedroom to be a paper-free haven.

How many mirrors are in your house?

Six.  Small, dark rooms look bigger and brighter that way.

What color are your walls?

Royal Plum in the living room, Peapod Green in the dining room, Sunflower Yellow in the kitchen, Ladybug Red in my bedroom, and the office, spare room, and bathroom are white.  I LOVE that my landlords let me paint!

Do you keep any kind of protection weapons in your home?

No.  Unless you are a stalker or robber, or other type of creep who happens to know where I live, in which case the answer is an uzi and a pitbull.  And a very scary Hell's Angel boyfriend.

What does your home smell like right now?

I don't know.  Me?

Favorite candle smell?

I like fruity candles.  Vanilla is OK.  I can't stand anything with cinnamon in it.

What kind of pickles are in your refrigerator right now?

Just relish.

What color is your favorite bible?

My English one is burgundy, my Spanish one is red, and my Portuguese one is black.

Ever been on your roof?

No, but if the damn squirrels keep running around and mating on my roof in the middle of the night, I will go out there with my uzi and pitbull and take care of them once and for all.

Do you own a stereo?

Yes, but a CD recently got stuck in it and I can't fix it.  I listen to my iPod on the dock a lot, though.

How many tv's do you have?

Two.  One that I watch movies on, and another that my sister and brother-in-law passed on to me that is sitting in a corner because I get no channels so I have no reason to plug it in at the moment.

How many house phones?

None, just a cell.

Do you have a housekeeper?

Seriously?

What style do you decorate in?

I like bright colors and I like mismatched old things and stuff I bring back from my travels. 

Do you like solid colors in furniture, or prints?

Solid.  You can make a tan couch work in any room.  And I like wood for pretty much everything else.  Then I can paint the walls whatever color I want and when I get sick of it, it's a lot cheaper to change.

Is there a smoke detector in your home?

Yes, 3 of them.  And I just changed the batteries!  Go, me!

In case of fire, what are the items in your house which you'd grab if you could only make one quick trip?

My journals, photos, and laptop.  They're the record of my life.  Everything else is replaceable.

2007 in places

I've seen this meme on a couple of blogs I read and because I am a fan of traveling, I decided to think back over this past year and the places I spent at least one night.

• Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
• Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania
• Seven Valleys, Pennsylvania
• the parking lot of a Rutter's along US-30
• the parking lot of a Sheetz along US-15
  
• Baltimore, Maryland
• Rochester, New York
• Corolla, North Carolina
• Orem, Utah
• San José, Costa Rica
• Monteverde, Costa Rica
• Rincón de la Vieja National Park, Costa Rica
• Playa Panamá, Costa Rica

Overall 2007 was a pretty decent traveling year, but I hope to visit a few more exciting places in 2008.  Now that I have no summer classes to take and no thesis to write, I hope to get some hardcore roadtripping in, and perhaps even a new international adventure.  I'm thinking Mexico.  It is sad that I teach Spanish, for several years lived mere hours away from Mexico, and yet am the only member of my family to have never set foot South of the Border.  I hope to remedy this in 2008.

Officially the last remaining single member of my family

My younger brother recently got engaged, and asked me to help them with the wording on their wedding invitations.  In celebration of this, and because I have now spent 30 spinsterly years scrutinizing OTHER PEOPLE'S ANNOUNCEMENTS and developing many a pet peeve regarding their presentation, I now share with you my Top 10 List of Do's and Don'ts for wedding invitations and announcements:

1.  Don't list where you are registered, and don't even include those stupid cards in the envelope. It is tacky and rude, and smacks of gift-grubbing.  If people want to know where you are registered, they will ask you or your family, or they will assume Target and Bed/Bath/Beyond since everyone registers there anyway, and will look up your registry online if they are smart people.  (Way around this:  Set up a wedding website with The Knot or someplace, and at the bottom of the invitation say something like, "visit the website of the happy couple at www.blahblahblah."  Those websites always have links to the couple's registry.  Plus you can post 10,000 cute pictures, a story of how you met, and whatever else you want.)

2.  Don't say "Bo-Bob and Gertrude Smith, and Jim and Ann Jones announce the marriage of their children."  It sounds like the bride and groom are cousins. People don't like to buy presents for inbreds.

3.  Be consistent.  If you name her parents as Dr. and Mrs. Beauregard Robert Smith, then say Mr. and Mrs. James Cletus Jones.  If you go with Bo-Bob and Gertrude Smith, go with Jim and Ann Jones.

4.  Don't put your picture in an oval, and don't use that misty filter on Photoshop around the edges of the picture.  It makes it look like a funeral remembrance card.

5.  Don't wear matching shirts in the photo, especially if they have a stripe across the chest.  It makes you look like the two-headed monster from Sesame Street, albeit slightly better dressed.

6.  Don't pose while sitting on opposite tracks of a railroad, while not touching one another at all, or even looking at each other.  This is your wedding announcement.  People EXPECT it to look like you are fairly fond of one another.

7.  On the flipside, don't do that hokey "girl's left hand on the guy's chest to highlight sparkling diamond" pose.  Obviously you're engaged, which is why we're receiving the picture in the first place.  Nobody cares about the size of the ring.  That pose is just tacky and cheesy.  Who stands like that in real life?

8.  Don't make retarded inside jokes in the invitation or say things that sound juvenile.  I once read an invitation that said, "Frank and Alice Parents are thrilled to FINALLY announce the marriage of their daughter..."  As if the daughter doesn't feel crappy enough already at being a commitment-phobic disappointment with shriveled-up ovaries.  Another one said, in the directions to the reception, "Keep driving down a yucky dirt road until you see a lot of deer and trees and stuff."  Seriously?  I don't think I even need to comment on that one.

9.  If you're going to use a vellum overlay, for heaven's sake, tie it with something classier than YARN!!!  Did you REALLY just decide this morning, "Oh gosh, better get those announcements out.  Now what can I tie them with?  Good thing I'm knitting this scarf -- crisis averted!"

10.  Don't include double envelopes, PLUS multiple paper inserts including separate invitations to the ceremony, directions, and registry information, PLUS a response card with separate envelope.  This is just a massive paper cut waiting to happen.  Figure out a simpler, less tree-killing way to get the information out.

11.  Spell, capitalize, and punctuate everything correctly.  (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, for example.  I know that's a tough one.  I mean, there are hardly any places where you can check the correct spelling of that.  It's not like it's on your Sunday School manual, or mission nametags, or on the Church website.  That is really so unfortunate.  Somebody up at Church headquarters really needs to get on that.)


So it's actually my Top 11 list, but suffice it to say that after all the roommates, mission companions, friends, neighbors, and work colleagues I have known who have gotten married in the last decade or so, I have amassed quite a collection of announcements.  Some of these are now my "steal their good ideas" pile, and some are in my mockery pile.  When my time comes, it will likely take me all of five seconds to draft something up.  And trust me, it will look and sound AWESOME.

So the new school year is going OK

We are now in the fourth week of the school year.  HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?  It is only September and I am already freaking out about how fast the year is going!!! 

I have a good group of kids this year -- about half of them are kids I've had before, and half are new.  I got very spoiled last year when a new teacher came and doubled the size of the Spanish department (from 1 to 2!) and I got to keep all the upper level kids and had NO freshmen and NO new names to learn.  It was blissful. 

It is incredible how much growing up teenagers can do when you don't see them over the summer.  They look physically different, of course, but even more noticeable are the social and emotional changes they make.  Sophomores walk in with a spring in their step that says, "Not being a freshman anymore is so SWEET!"  Juniors have turned into upperclassmen with attitudes and ambitions and the exuberant independence a driver's license can bring.  Seniors have a look in their eyes that is half "I have so totally arrived, and my friends and I are going to rock this place" and half "Holy crap I have to figure out what I'm doing with the rest of my life FAST."   

One of the things I like the most about a new school year is reconnecting with my students and seeing how their personality, and especially their sense of humor, develops as they get older.  On Friday afternoon during a test, the following exchange happened between Jiggywidit (a very white boy who wishes he were from the hood, and who is funny but not as funny as he thinks he is), Brainiac (a tall, awkward kid who is known for being a brain and NOT for being funny), and myself:

Jiggywidit:  Señorita, I'll pay you five bucks if you tell me all the answers.

Me:  Jiggy, dude, I would never sell my soul to you for a measly five dollars.

Brainiac:  How about ten?

Not bad, brain boy!  Cracked everybody up, especially since he was the LAST kid in the class who would have needed the answers anyway.  The best part about it was the look on his face when he realized he had just successfully, and with spot-on timing, had a class clown moment.  So great!

Then, the fire drill bell rang and everyone had to evacuate the building and so they probably all compared answers anyway while they filed outside.   

I am a curmudgeon

You know all that nice stuff I said in my last post about the treats I hear through my windows sometimes?  I hereby take it all back.

I live across the street from an Irish pub, which hosts an open mic night every Wednesday from 9 pm - 1 am. This seems like a very random night to host such a thing. It is also highly unpleasant for me tonight, as I go in for my first day back at teacher in-service tomorrow morning at 7:30.

It is currently past midnight and not only can I hear the band playing inside the pub perfectly well, but the next act is practicing in the street outside my window. The noise is like unto that of many screeching alley cats.  There is a growly lead singer.  There is a harmonica involved.  I cannot put in my ear plugs or I won't hear my alarm clock in the morning and will be late for work. I am greatly perturbed. And tired.

Updates:

12:10 am - The guy singing inside the pub is doing the honky-tonk yodel.

12:13 am - I just heard the singer use the f-word twice.  This is getting more and more delightful.

12:15 am - He is now doing a very Metallica-esque version of "Crazy" by Gnarls Barkley.  What kind of schizophrenic band is this?!

12:20 am - Three more f-bombs are dropped by the lead singer.  Two by people in the street.

12:21 am - Another Big F from the band.  Very creative, guys.

12:33 am - Time for more harmonica and a Johnny Cash song.

12:42 am - "To All the Girls I've Loved Before."  Oh, please, make it stop.

12:46 am - "Me and Bobby McGee."  Much hooting and hollering ensues.

12:50 am - "Honky Tonk Women."  The fact that I have just had a reason to use the phrase "honky tonk" twice (oops, make that three times) in less than an hour is nearly as alarming to me as the fact that I am still awake.

12:53 am - The singer announces, "We ain't done yet."  Inside the pub, the crowd shouts with joy.  Inside my house, I whimper with frustration and exhaustion.

1:00 am - Still going strong, they are playing "I Love This Bar."  Obviously, I disagree with them completely.

1:10 am - "I've Got Friends in Low Places."  Because it was only a matter of time.

1:43 am - Wasn't this thing supposed to be over 43 minutes ago?

1:51 am - Sweet, peaceful silence.  It's ABOUT.  DANG.  TIME.

They're sharing a drink they call loneliness, but it's better than drinking alone

I live in a historic house that predates the Civil War.  It's charming and quaint, sure.  It's also old enough that certain modern conveniences, like air conditioning, are out of the question.  The house is not built for it.  Not even for a window unit, as the electrical wiring won't support it.  So during the dog days of a Pennsylvania summer (90°and 69% humidity at lunchtime yesterday), I pull out the fans and sweat it out. I also live downtown on a street that gets enough traffic to send a good coating of dust through my windows daily.  The front wall of my house is right on the sidewalk, and with the windows open it is downright loud most of the time. I've gotten quite good at tuning out the dust, heat, and noise, and going about my business. 

Sometimes, though, things happen out on the street that I would never be aware of if I didn't live in this old house with the windows open, and it feels like the universe has just sent me a treat.  Like this morning.  I'm sitting at my desk, checking my e-mail, when I become aware that the traffic outside has stopped at the red light, and I can hear loud music blasting from someone's car.  Normally it's rap with the bass turned up so loudly that my windows rattle, or Nickelback.  The people in my traffic are exceedingly fond of Nickelback.  But this morning?  Billy Joel.  Specifically, the song "Piano Man."  Accompanied by some driver who is singing along with reckless abandon.  In a Jetta, with the windows down.  He's sitting at a red light, singing a Billy Joel song with his head thrown back and his eyes closed.  Singing badly.

You know the saying, "Work like you don't need the money, love like you've never been hurt, and dance like no one's watching."  I'm going to add to it, "Sing like no one is listening."  Because that just made my whole morning.  Jetta Dude, we're all in the mood for a melody, and you've got us feelin' alright.

I have been looking forward to this moment for five years.

Pages: 113

Paragraphs: 434

Lines: 2,530

Words: 29,840

Characters (with spaces): 188,936

Being able to finally say that I have officially turned a complete draft of my Master's thesis in to my committee chair for editing:  PRICELESS.

Three Things

Three Things That Scare Me:

1. bats
2. the future
3. not being good enough

Three People Who Make Me Laugh:

1. Conan O'Brien
2. Bill Bryson
3. my family

Three Things I Love:

1. old school PacMan and Tetris
2. sunflowers
3. traveling

Three Things I Hate/Severely Dislike:

1. when people spell things wrong on purpose to be cute, or when people who can't spell don't use spell check, or when people think that spell check will catch problems like their/there/they're -- basically, crappy spelling really bugs me!
2. feeling misunderstood
3. cinnamon buns (actually, anything with that sickeningly strong cinnamon smell)

Three Things I Don’t Understand:

1. time management
2. bigotry
3. males' obsession with physical attractiveness, and how otherwise intelligent, spiritual, together men can turn into rude, immature, base horndogs at the sight of a huge rack -- and how they don't seem to realize (or care) when it's fake, and that most women do not naturally look like Pamela Anderson, AND that so many of these same males are not particularly attractive themselves, yet they all think they deserve a woman that gravity-defyingly hot and see no problem with holding women to a much higher standard than the one to which they hold themselves.  This all makes zero sense to me.  (Whew... That's been waiting to spew out for a while now.)

Three Things On My Desk:

1. my Nalgene bottle, full of water
2. lots of piles of paper, books, and files
3. an hourglass that a glassblower friend in Brazil made me

Three Things I’m Doing Right Now:

1. blogging
2. enjoying the sunlight and the breeze coming through my window
3. taking a break from writing my thesis

Three Things I Want To Do Before I Die:

1. get married and have kids
2. drive the Panamerican highway
3. ride the rails in a boxcar

Three Things I Can Do:

1. speak three languages fluently
2. play the piano
3. cut hair

Three Things I Struggle to Do:

1. math
2. lose weight
3. keep deadlines, whether I set them myself or they're imposed on me

Three Things I Think You Should Listen To:

1. music that speaks to you, regardless of the genre, its age, or its degree of popularity
2. people who have your best interests at heart
3. your conscience

Three Things You Should Never Listen To:

1. people who have a selfish agenda
2. people who tell you it's not possible
3. your own fears (easier said than done, I know!)
   

Three Things I’d Like To Learn:

1. Japanese
2. drums
3. how to drive a motorcycle

Three Favorite Foods:

1. ice cream
2. potatoes, any style
3. rice and beans

Three Shows I Watched As A Kid:

1. Sesame Street
2. Little House on the Prairie
3. The Cosby Show

Three Shows I Watched As A Teenager:

1. My So-Called Life
2. Beverly Hills, 90210
3. Saturday Night Live

Three Shows I Watch Now:

1. American Idol
   
2. Lost
3. What Not To Wear (and everything else on TLC)

Three Things I Regret:

1. lost friendships
2. not finishing my thesis sooner
3. all the times I've done or said something hurtful to someone else and not realized it

1. bats
2. the future
3. not being good enough

Three People Who Make Me Laugh:

1. Conan O'Brien
2. Bill Bryson
3. my family

Three Things I Love:

1. old school PacMan and Tetris
2. sunflowers
3. traveling

Three Things I Hate/Severely Dislike:

1. when people spell things wrong on purpose to be cute, or when people who can't spell don't use spell check, or when people think that spell check will catch problems like their/there/they're -- basically, crappy spelling really bugs me!
2. feeling misunderstood
3. cinnamon buns (actually, anything with that sickeningly strong cinnamon smell)

Three Things I Don’t Understand:

1. time management
2. bigotry
3. males' obsession with physical attractiveness, and how otherwise intelligent, spiritual, together men can turn into rude, immature, base horndogs at the sight of a huge rack -- and how they don't seem to realize (or care) when it's fake, and that most women do not naturally look like Pamela Anderson, AND that so many of these same males are not particularly attractive themselves, yet they all think they deserve a woman that gravity-defyingly hot and see no problem with holding women to a much higher standard than the one to which they hold themselves.  This all makes zero sense to me.  (Whew... That's been waiting to spew out for a while now.)

Three Things On My Desk:

1. my Nalgene bottle, full of water
2. lots of piles of paper, books, and files
3. an hourglass that a glassblower friend in Brazil made me

Three Things I’m Doing Right Now:

1. blogging
2. enjoying the sunlight and the breeze coming through my window
3. taking a break from writing my thesis

Three Things I Want To Do Before I Die:

1. get married and have kids
2. drive the Panamerican highway
3. ride the rails in a boxcar

Three Things I Can Do:

1. speak three languages fluently
2. play the piano
3. cut hair

Three Things I Struggle to Do:

1. math
2. lose weight
3. keep deadlines, whether I set them myself or they're imposed on me

Three Things I Think You Should Listen To:

1. music that speaks to you, regardless of the genre, its age, or its degree of popularity
2. people who have your best interests at heart
3. your conscience

Three Things You Should Never Listen To:

1. people who have a selfish agenda
2. people who tell you it's not possible
3. your own fears (easier said than done, I know!)
   

Three Things I’d Like To Learn:

1. Japanese
2. drums
3. how to drive a motorcycle

Three Favorite Foods:

1. ice cream
2. potatoes, any style
3. rice and beans

Three Shows I Watched As A Kid:

1. Sesame Street
2. Little House on the Prairie
3. The Cosby Show

Three Shows I Watched As A Teenager:

1. My So-Called Life
2. Beverly Hills, 90210
3. Saturday Night Live

Three Shows I Watch Now:

1. American Idol
   
2. Lost
3. What Not To Wear (and everything else on TLC)

Three Things I Regret:

1. lost friendships
2. not finishing my thesis sooner
3. all the times I've done or said something hurtful to someone else and not realized it