Still settling in

So I've moved most of my belongings to my new apartment. I am slowly settling in. It's nice to have the time to settle in. I am picking up bookshelves tonight to bring over to my apartment. I hope that they will be sturdy but not too heavy. I need a lot more bookshelves, so I am picking up two of them tonight.

I will be really happy when I'm all through with unpacking and I'm over at my new place. It's really hard being in two places at the same time, mostly on an emotional level. I hate facing the fact that I'm leaving Juliane's. It makes me sad. I know she'll only be a twenty minute drive or a phone call away, but still it makes me sad that she won't just be around to chat/hang out with. I'll miss living with her.

I know that I need to focus on the fall. I have to start prepping my materials for TAing. I really ought to give everything a read through before September. I also need to do more research and focus my project. I'll have to research more and see what's out there and pick a few select topics, maybe tying health care into IP law somehow. We'll see.

#14 - Jim Rice

I was pretty excited today to be one of the many fans that were present to see baseball legend Jim Rice's number be retired at Fenway Park today. #14 will no longer be available for wear, as it will always be up on the high, right field ledge along with a handful of other famous Red Sox numbers.

It was great to be there to witness a man who spent his entire career with one team. It was even better knowing that this man was so extremely talented, powerful, and a fierce competitor to boot - all without the use of performance enhancing drugs.

I remember watching Jim Rice play in the 80's. I used to watch the games with my Memere, my grandmother. She loved the Sox and watched every single game. She enjoyed watching Jim Rice play and I enjoyed watching him play, with her. I wouldn't quite understand the depth of his talent until later in my life.

Jim Rice, along with other Red Sox greats like Wade Boggs and Dennis Eckersley were inspiration for my baseball-playing years. I always wished that I had a woman to model myself after, on the field; what I didn't know is that I had excellent role models for my game, unlike the children of today. I played baseball through my sophomore year of high school. I was the only girl on the team (or in the league) for the last two years that I played. I held my own most of the time, especially with hitting.

I am grateful for players like Jim Rice who served as a beacon of true talent. I wish that today's players would take a lesson from him. Congrats Jim - you deserve it!

Proper Manners

When did society become infused with selfishness and people who either don't know or don't care to abide by proper manners and social niceties? For instance, when did it become acceptable for people to suggest more of a guest list, when the invite said that it's going to be a "smaller celebration" and that the event is "invite only"? It really just never ceases to amaze me that some people are so socially inept as to consider it ok to approach the host/planner and insist that more people be invited.

I am thinking the best way to deal with these requests is to ignore them or tell these people that I'm sorry they seem dissapointed and leave it at that. I would like to just disinvite these pesky people as well. It would be akin to a "no contest" clause in a will. If you contest the will, whatever was willed to you is deemed voided. Thus, if you ask for another guest to be invited, in this case, your own invitation will be rescinded. I think turnabout is fair play!

Don't these intruders of good manners understand that perhaps you aren't at liberty to say why a certain person isn't invited. Or, perhaps, you just don't care to share the reason why that person isn't invited. There is usually GOOD reason if someone doesn't make it on an invite list.

Furthermore, in this particular case, I wish that these ill mannered invitees would realize that not everyone likes their friends and sometimes those disliked friends aren't invited. Not everyone has to be friends or ought to be friends.

It seems that society is advocating for a change in social rules; it seems that you have to be nice to everyone and not hurt anyone's feelings. I advocate for propriety and cordial manner when it's necessary, but some people would be better persons if there was a hurt feeling or two...or if there were public shaming by friends...or if there were intolerance of ridiculous, selfish behaviors. Let's not all be walked over by those who are selfish and improper - stand up and demand respect people!

Ok...end of rant.