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Please stay on the line… your call is important to us… your call will be answered as soon as we finish our donuts

Janna — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 14:55:58 +0000

Today I had to spend F-O-R-E-V-E-R on hold, waiting for tech support. I was having a problem connecting and sending e-mail (I could receive e-mail but couldn’t send).
Between last night and this morning, I had to call three times before it all got fixed.
Twenty years ago, I knew nothing about computers. I hated them, and they hated me. We would send each other hateful glances from across the room. If I dared to attempt using one, something rotten would always happen.
Despite six years of college and two degrees, I still had no clue how to work a computer. Then, about 16 years ago, I decided enough was enough. I enrolled in a few classes at the local community college (ironic, considering all the years of college I’d had elsewhere), and finally figured out how to use these lousy things.
We called a truce, and the hateful glances mellowed down to more of an uneasy suspiciousness, which in turn mellowed down to a begrudging respect.
Now, in 2012, I have three blogs (four, if you count the Tumblr blog where I indulge my obsession for R.E.M. and Mike Mills).
So you can imagine my frustration when occasional issues still arise.
I hate having to call tech support.
I hate waiting on hold for a long long time.
But I guess the problem is fixed now.

So now, the computer and I can go back to our suspicious glances, or awkward tolerance, or begrudging respect, or whatever it is we’re doing this week.

Number three will probably happen first

Janna — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 23:21:31 +0000

When I was young I loved winter.
I hated summer.

Now that I’m getting disturbingly old, I hate winter. I actually look forward to summer.

This makes no sense, does it?
I’ve become the opposite of my former self.

If this is true, here are some other changes I can soon expect:

1. I will learn to appreciate rap music. (*shudder*)

2. I will decide that freshly-fertilized farm crops don’t really stink all that bad on a hot sunny humid day.

3. I will decide that it’s perfectly ok to fart while waiting in line a long time at the post office.

4. I will look forward to cleaning the litter box.

I bet the Grinch loves ice cream too

Janna — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 03:11:22 +0000

It’s the night before Christmas and….
And I don’t celebrate Christmas, so it’s just another night for me.
The problem is that I’m craving ice cream.
And of course every place is closed for the holiday right now.
No ice cream!
(*whimper*)

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but…

No, wait.
Never mind.
That’s just some plane flying overhead.
And I bet they’re not even serving ice cream.

I hate the holidays.

Wearing black for no discernible reason

Janna — Sun, 20 Nov 2011 18:22:54 +0000

I am wearing all black today.
I can’t decide whether I feel Amish, or I’m in mourning, or desperately trying to pretend to be elegant.
I suppose it could be all three, if I wanted it badly enough.
I could never be Amish.
Sometimes we just need electricity in our lives, when we need to bake those pizza rolls and microwave those leftovers.
Oh, and it’s easier to blog when the cord is plugged into the outlet.

Doing My Best

Janna — Sun, 16 Oct 2011 23:21:14 +0000

Last week I was reminded that some people in the world are not very nice.
I wish we lived in a non-judgmental world ruled by common courtesy, but alas.
I can’t change the world, but I did attempt to make it a nicer place. Today while going into the store, I held the door open for a total stranger who was not expecting it at all. She sounded so surprised as she said “Well, thank you!”
It felt nice.
Only afterward did I realize that I never made eye contact. People kind of freak me out. Strangers freak me out even more.
Even as old as I am, it still intimidates me to make eye contact with people.
The next time I hold the door open for someone, I’ll try to look them in the eye.
Maybe both eyes.

Music speaks louder than anything else.

Janna — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 02:50:04 +0000

When Kurt Cobain committed suicide back in 1994, Courtney Love gave his guitar to the members of R.E.M, since he was friends with the members of that group.
Also, it’s presumed that R.E.M. was the last music he listened to before he died.
When his body was found, his stereo was on, and R.E.M. was the last CD found in the player.
If I remember correctly, the guitar was given under the stipulation that it had to be PLAYED and not treated as some untouchable museum piece.
R.E.M. agreed, and the guitar was played by Mike Mills.
The piece they did in his honor was “Let Me In”, which seems appropriate somehow. It’s a sad but desperate piece which seems to scream and scream that all we really want in life is to be loved.
Nothing else ever matters.
Ever.
Here’s Mike playing that guitar.
Look at the raw energy he spills out.
.

In case you were wondering what I’ve been doing…

Janna — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 19:44:09 +0000

It’s been awhile since I posted, so let’s squish a big ol’ update here. (Hear the squishy sound?)
(No… the OTHER squishy sound.)

It’s summertime here, so I can now officially begin my yearly regimen of complaining about the heat. And the sun. And humidity. And road constuction.

I’ve lost 106 pounds so far.
I still don’t think I look any different, but everyone is telling me I do, so I have to decide: Would I rather believe them, or believe what I see in the mirror?
The jury is still out.

I’ve always loved the group REM, but lately I’ve re-kindled my appreciation for them and have developed quite a crush on the bass player, Mike Mills. Here’s the thing, though… I love the videos of him from back in the 1990′s and early-to-mid 2000′s. But he’s done something terrible recently. He’s cut his hair.
Yes.
All that beautiful curly blond hair is 100% gone.
I could just cry.
It’s now short and grayish.
Mike, WTF?
Please grow your hair back.

I posted a big long rant about this on Jantrails, after an even longer rant about how disappointed I was with their current album.

UPDATE: Yay! I see from more recent videos that Mike Mills HAS grown his hair longer again. It’s still not curly, but at least it brushes against his shoulders, and seems to be a shade of blond.
That sound you just heard was my soul’s grateful sigh of appreciation and relief.
.

And when can I clone Johnny Depp?

Janna — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 18:49:39 +0000

Here it is, 2011 already.
FEBRUARY 2011, no less.
I am still waiting for my flying car, my jet pack, and my transporter.
Since I’m a reasonable person, I’m willing to wait a few more months for the time machine.

Random Thoughts

Janna — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 18:39:17 +0000

1. Today I had the very first rotten headache of 2011. It would be supremely wonderful if that was also my last and only one of 2011. And, as long as I’m being hopeful, I’d also like to be able to fly and become invisible.

2. I am going to be 41 in just a few days. I still can’t believe it. I never, ever thought I would be this old. When I was a kid, for some reason I was convinced that I wouldn’t live to see the age of 30. I just had a “feeling” that something would happen to cause an early death. Yet, here I am, almost 41. Depending on the day, I “feel” anywhere between 19 and 90, so I guess it sort of averages out. Almost.

3. Tacos are some of the most wonderful things on the planet. I just needed to come right out and say that.

4. I like giraffes. Not in tacos, though.
.

Already? Really?

Janna — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 06:35:16 +0000

It’s 2011 already!
I must be getting old, because the time is just whizzing by like a…
Like a…
See? I’m too old to think of a good comparison example. Soon I’ll be forgetting whether I prefer hot sauce or mild.
Try to remind me that I prefer the hot stuff.
Who are you, again?