"nothing you say ever makes sense"

Hiya everybody! It's been far too long since I last updated teenytinytidbits, and y'all know the reason behind my absence. It's funny how unprepared I truly was (and continue to be) for grad school, but it's all worth it; at least, it seems like it's worth it at this point in time.

I've been totally immersed in the math econ class in particular, though the last couple of weeks have been consumed by the fascinating subject of TRANSFER PRICING. It's definitely as cool as it sounds but totally not fun trying to explain what it is to my friends and family. The deeper I delve into my studies, the crazier it seems that nobody else in my close circle of loved ones understands what the hell I'm talking about. Yup, I'm becoming that weirdo family member, the one who never seems like she's completely there-there...lately, my Potato Cousin enjoys the following quip about me: "We love you because nothing you say ever makes sense."

Greaaaaaaat! I'll take that as a compliment, thank you very much! I'm embracing this new kind of weirdness and taking it for what it is. I can talk about stuff I'm working on, like how corporate tax rates affect where multinational entities choose to locate legal ownership of their patents and other intangible assets, and whoever is listening to me talk about it has NO idea if what I'm saying is true or just made up.

Anyway, I just turned in my first research paper and it was pretty awful, I really don't expect to get a good grade on it, but it's alright---like I said, it was my first paper. I'll just take it as a...LEARNING EXPERIENCE. :)

So yeah, I guess that's as good a tidbit as I can come up with right now. I will enjoy what remains of my tiny moment of rest. Aaaaaaaaand, here's a picture of whale cupcakes found on Pinterest, just because:

                                                            Source: feeuz.tumblr.com viaErin on Pinterest

This Blog Needs MORE WHALES

And singing whales at that!

Hi everyone, I've been absent for a while, no big deal. Nothing too eventful has happened lately, though I did make really good progress this past weekend in trying new foods. I dunno if I've mentioned it or not, but I have a really hard time eating, and an even harder time eating with my friends. Not only am I a picky eater, but I am also a lazy eater. Most of the time I never finish my meal because I get "tired of chewing." It's bad, and as I've gotten older I've become more self-conscious of this "different" behavior. It's not an eating disorder or anything like that, I enjoy eating when I actually eat, and I don't have any body image issues (other than wishing I was a smidgen taller). But I worry that my behavior might seem "sickly" to others, to my friends and family.

Anyway, my friends had a [post]-Thanksgiving potluck thingy this past weekend, and I told myself I would try new foods. And I did make a sincere effort to eat the food provided. It's not too big of a deal, I guess; it's not like I finished everything on my plate, but I was proud of myself for trying.

It doesn't really matter, I guess, unless my progress and behavior hit a snag or something. Oh goodness, I hope this post didn't come off as being mentally ill or something.

smallness

As y'all know, I had been thinking about dumb stuff earlier this week, and though my thoughts got a little healthier and more positive, I began to grasp just how small we all really are.

We're tiny, you know. I am me. In my room, in my home, in my apartment complex, in my neighborhood, in my city, in my county, etc. etc. There are people above me, people below me. Next to me. Beside me. I drive with so many different strangers on a daily basis, and we might never ever speak words to each other. I might appear in random dreams here and there, as a random person in the background, a familiar face yet so unknown.

Today I learned that seashells are merely skeleton remains of mollusks that, well, once lived. Like seriously, do you know how many mollusks must die every day for us to so casually encounter countless shells on the shore? Remember Coney Island? So many shells. So many small remains. At least some shells are still useful for living creatures, like hermit crabs or whatever. Or for those looking for supposedly aesthetically pleasing and natural souvenirs.

We step on these shells, never giving them a second thought.

We are small. Imagine how much smaller we'd be if we were mollusks. I recently read an article arguing that we are made of so many tiny tiny particles, that we are very complex organisms. My sister once quipped that we are actually made of dead star particles. I like that idea...

Yes, I am small, but it's okay. I like this sliver of space I take up in the universe. I like to think that my existence is worth something, a necessary and essential part that makes the universe continue. And that those I love exist for the same reason.

In all my thoughts and wanderings, I think it's time to share a tiny whale picture:

(courtesy of su-ami)

Dear readers, I like y'all by the way. Have a good weekend my dears. :)

Alarm

So maybe I've been studying a little too hard. Y'all might have noticed it through my negligent writing, my lack of free time, blah blah blah (I sometimes fear that I'm writing too much about the same stuff, but I guess it's because it all has been taking over my life, oh well!)

Anyway, in case there was any doubt, I shall share a dream I had right before I woke up to get ready for work yesterday morning. I just had an exam over this thing called IMPLICIT DIFFERENTIATION, which is basically (in lame-Euni-non-math terms) taking the derivative of a function with respect to a specified variable (like "take the derivative with respect to x" or whatever)---y'all should probably just google this term if you really care about this subject, but anyway, the point is implicit differentiation had been in my mind throughout the day and night.

So, right before I woke up for-real-for-real (i.e. actually opened my eyes and felt fresh and fully awake), I had this dream. I could see an equation in the far off distance. And it was quite LARGE, as in, the "x" component in the function was as tall as me (5 feet 2-3/4 inches). As I got closer to this function, I realized that my morning alarm was on, but it sounded so small and light! I had to climb on the "e" component to reach for the alarm, which was located in the exponent. The function, by the way, is below...I added the good old whale wallpaper to make it more exciting:

This function, I think, was actually in one of my homework problems.

Anyway, by the time I reached the "t" I was fully awake. Have y'all had any weird dreams lately? Feel free to share them! :)

Best July EVER (...so far)

Happy July greetings to all!

I know we've only gone through like one full week of July, but man, has it been good to me. In the span of one week I did the following: signed up for yoga classes again, got a 100 on my latest Calculus exam, and got to drive around a few times by the end of the week (oh, and of course on the 4th of July as well). AND, I successfully drew a brontosaurus (long-neck herbivorous dinosaur) on green felt.

Anyway, enjoy the following pictures, as I do have a few new posts coming up in the next few days/week. I found these whale treasures, by the way, in the ONE DOLLAR SECTION at SuperTarget. (How does Target know that I love whales?)

Whale basket. Needs no purpose other than to be adorable.

I couldn't help myself. I bought ALL the $1 whales they had.

I LOVE WIRROW.

Oh yes, wirrow makes me oh so happy. Go check out his tumblr. So whimsical, nostalgic, and just plain CUTE.

And FINALLY...

MY FELT DINOSAUR. Don't know what I'm gonna do with it yet! :)

lemme just listen to this song instead

Source: photoxyz.com via Euni on Pinterest

I was going to write about a rather abrupt ending to something weird and awkward, but I would prefer not to after all. I don't even want to dignify this short-lived whatever-thing with a post. Not when it unnecessarily started and ended just like that. Let's just say that I hope nothing further happens with regards to this thing, and that I can enjoy my next adventure...honestly, I don't know what's gonna happen next, but you know what? It's okay!



An update on the whole bike riding thing: I'm actually doing fairly well! Learning how to ride a bicycle isn't as hard as I thought it would be...Granted, it did take me about 5 days to learn how to stay balanced and actually continue to pedal, but it feels great! I still need to learn how to stay in a straight line, but I have the rest of summer to master that! I hope y'all have a great weekend! :)

Wishlist

Dear Self,

I'm sorry I forgot my birthday was right around the corner. Sure, I realized that it was May, and in my mind I was like, "Yay, it's my birthday month. Woohoo!" but somehow it didn't quite dawn on me how close I really was to being another year older.

To compensate, I'll share a birthday wishlist with myself.

Ok, I'm sharing it with all my readers and friends, but I'm not doing this to ask for attention or to brag about my oh-so-refined-and-sophisticated tastes (riiiiiiiiiight). And I'm not asking for anybody to buy me any of these items...BUT in the event that someone (ahem, sisters in particular) would love to reward me for surviving yet another year, this wishlist will hopefully be extremely helpful.

1. Whale iPod speaker(s). (Yes, they exist, somewhere!)



I've tried to look for this speaker thingy, or cuter ones actually, but I've had no luck...Maybe somebody else will have better luck?

2. Steve Madden JAZIE COGNAC LEATHER oxfords. I have a soft spot for semi-androgynous Mr. Peanut-y shoes.

The pink adds a wacky feminine touch, I think.

3. Clinique CHUBBY STICKS. All of them, if I could. But one will make me happy.




I don't know how this happened---I was watching some television, minding my own business, not desiring any CHUBBY STICK lip balms, and then this commercial came on. It was a hypnotizing experience: by the end of the commercial I knew that I had to have at least one CHUBBY STICK. When did I become so stereotypically girly?

4. Clothing items with WHALES. (I guess I could have said whale-clad clothes?)

---BASICALLY, ANYTHING THAT HAS WHALES: DRESS, T-SHIRTS, PANTIES, SOCKS, SHORTS, ANYTHING!!!---Whales just make everything better, and I happen to look really good in whale-patterned clothing.

5. Oh yeah, I can't forget...

Paul Krugman's new book: End This Depression Now!

I do love Krugman's clarity.

Anyway, those are the things that would make my birthday awesome. I mean, they're not super important and necessary items, but I wouldn't mind receiving any one of these items. ;)

P.S. A puppy would make a perfect gift too. I love puppies, particularly black labrador retrievers. GIMME PUPPY NOW (please?)!

Music Monday: Girl Sailor

Happy Music Monday!!! I've been in a certain kind of mood...the kind of mood that just wants to listen to The Shins all day long, every single day. Oh yeah, I'm definitely excited for March, when their new album comes out...

Anyway, after all that serious stuff from last week on the economy and politics, I thought it be nice to just enjoy this week peacefully and more lightly. And so.....are YOU READY FOR SOME WHALE TIME?????

Oh yeah, I think y'all are...

I decided to draw whales on my nails. They never fail. *badrhyming*

Whale you be my friend??? (I promise whale puns get better with time!...riiiiight...)

And last but not least....since it IS Monday, after all...

How can it NOT be a great Monday when there is a whale by my side??

Anyway, I hope y'all have a had a great start of this new week! Can y'all believe it's almost February!? I'm ready to fall in love again! <3 :)

P.S. Yes, I'm ready to fall in love again, I can't let myself forget how good it feels to be in love, even if the ending might be unforgivingly painful.

P.P.S. I finally got a new car...Well, it's a Jeep, and it's exactly the one I wanted...I'll talk about it later this week!!! :D

Collage

Wednesday, Wednesday, Wednesday. How is everybody doing!? You know, earlier today, when I was at work, I was actually working on a rough draft for today's Teeny Tiny Tidbit. Why, you ask? Well, because there have just been so many things on my mind lately, and I don't know which thing to write about first: Candyman, Paul Krugman, the Republican candidate showdowns, strange dreams, and last (but most certainly not least), more tales on the fine treasures I keep finding at work.

{Yowza! (lolol) the letter W sure let its presence be known in that paragraph!}

Since it is Wednesday, I guess I'll take the wacky way out of this overwhelmingly underwhelming predicament and share the newest treasures I've stumbled upon at work. You know, in my rough draft, I clearly remember writing, "...being at this new job has allowed me to appreciate the little oddities in life a lot more." Upon further reflection, I think I've always been appreciative of such things---the only difference now is that I document my findings more freely. I like this liberty.

Without further ado, may I present first....THE HORSE PEN:

This horse has some attitude. "NO FEAR."

The funnier part of this finding is that my older sister, who also works at this office, is terrified of horses....due to some unfortunate---ahem---beastly video...On another unfortunate note, while this pen is amazing, the ink has dried out, so I can't enjoy using it all day long. Sadness :'(

Also, for my entire "working" life, I have had to deal with and enjoy THIRTY-minute lunch breaks. I used to daydream about the day when I would have an HOUR-long lunch, and it seemed so strange to me, you know? Well, let me tell you, ONE-HOUR lunch breaks are the BEST thing ever. Oh yeah, not only do I have time to eat my meal peacefully, carefully, and in a timely manner (oh god, have I got to tell you guys about my eating habits and mannerisms...but at a later date!), but I also have time to venture outside and do as I please! The other day my sister and I went to Target (in Rowlett, by the way, I'd never been there before), and I found some really cheap, pretty adorable, rubber stamps and ink...Now, I don't really need stamps at work, but you never know...I like self-encouragement.

My cheap rubber stamp set.

My cheap rubber stamp set at work---in both senses of the word.

Near the end of last week, I also got to do just about the most exciting thing ever: I got to refill the candy bowl that goes in the middle of the waiting area table. Here's the thing, it's a large, glossy, ceramic bowl, and when I encountered it, the poor bowl was bare! I found out where the candy reserves are kept, and found not just red peppermints, but green ones as well! OMG. That's your reaction, right? This was my reaction: (-_-). Yes, that face. I didn't go to college for nothing, you know, so I put my degree to good use and made the bowl stand out with what resources I had available. And so, behold, the perfect combination of red and green peppermints. I call it: ILLUSION OF CHOICE. I hope you know why my work of art bears that name.

True Story: EVERYBODY who waits in that waiting area actually takes candy from that bowl. They didn't before.

You're probably asking, what else could top all these amazing happenings? Brace yourself. If you feel overwhelmed right at this very moment from so much AWESOMENESS, you might want to breathe deeply five times and then scroll down for the finale...

...Are you....RELAXed?????

I swear to you, I am NOT making this up. Totally real.

A note to add to the above postcard---yes, it was indeed a postcard---the back of it stated the following pun: "When you're ready to seal the deal, contact {MEHNEMEH real estate agent}!" Ohhhhh, goodness. And I found this in decade-old sheet protectors! Oh, but that wasn't the only genius postcard I found, here's another terrific one:

You heard this postcard: STOP FEEDING THE RENT MONSTER!

Now, don't think I waste time at work. Believe me, I pounce on all assignments, but since it is January, this is supposedly---and definitely apparently---the slowest time of the year. I guess I should embrace it while I can!

Well, this has been quite a long post, and I intentionally made the pictures above huge, so y'all could enjoy them...to the MAX. I could totally be one of those postcard creators. I hope y'all have been enjoying January (and your jobs, classes, activities, etc.) as much as I have. One more thing, when I got off work today and stepped on out, I was greeted by the late afternoon blue Texas sky. A little unseasonable weather, yes, but I love days like today.

Gorgeous.

Alright, I'll tackle POLITICS, Krugman, and Candyman (my favorite horror movie of all time), in the next few posts, ok? Good night! :)

A Whale of a Week

Good afternoon, friends,

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas (I think I already said that before in this week's Music Monday post, but all the same...) with friends and family. These past few days have been ~*~*~GREAT~*~*~. Oh, I forgot to tell y'all -- I got a new job and I start the first week of January, which is just AWESOME, because you know, "new year, new career" never sounded so true and real to me. I really don't know where this new job will take me, but the way I see it, things can only get better -- there's no time for bad things this coming year, 2012 will be the best year yet in my young life.

The point I'm trying to make here though is the following: since my last day at my previous Bank job was on Friday, I have this entire week off. Granted, without pay, but regardless, it's been good to me. Just yesterday for example, I basically ran over 5 miles during my workout. INTENSE. Oh, and I went to a vintage costume shop with my younger sister, went on a barstool finding adventure with the older sister, and got the OK from the mother to get only the most awesome bath mat ever (a WHALE bath mat from Urban Outfitters). And tonight, if everything goes as scheduled, I will attend my first public yoga class with my younger sister. We'll see how that works out~~~fyi, I'm just ready to stretch and get taller again (#petitewishes).

(Side Note: maybe, just maybe, I might be crazy enough to get my hair cut and styled before this great week is over...)

And now....do you guys remember how I wrote about my whale affection? If you don't remember, you can refresh your memory by reading this whale-post. Well! My younger sister, being the awesome sister that she is, got me the following for Christmas:

• whale faucet cover thingy
• whale bath caddy
• whale panties
• other cool things that didn't have anything to do with whales, but they were still cool

I cleaned the bathroom on Monday, just so I could boast my new whale faucet cover thingy...

It says, "Get ready for a WHALE of bath!"

It's been such an adorable thing to look at when I take a shower, and it's been fun to say to my guests and family, "Have you taken a look at my bathroom? Would you like to look at my bathtub?"

And then....yesterday, after my vintage costume shop adventure with the younger sister, we went to Target to buy some cream of mushroom for my mom's "poulet champignon" (lolol), and guess what else I found????

Whale cup and bowl that say, "I LOVE U THIS MUCH."

These little babies are gonna be a great way for me to enjoy my lunch at my new job. Oh yeeeeeee-ahh! And so, I'll let y'all go for now, but before I leave let me give you guys a preview of the whale bath mat:

This is blurry, but nevertheless, A-DORABLE.

P.S. You know what else is awesome? Watching corny and terrible movies on that horror movie channel, FearNET. Hilarious times....this week we watched Trucks, based on a short story by Stephen King. If you go the IMDb website, you'll see the action phrase "U-turn, U die!" Really, the story doesn't make any sense, but it is something worthwhile to watch, if you want to waste time and not do anything else. Just one bit of advice...KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD. Enjoy! :)

On Whales and other Whales

I like whales. Like, a lot.

Whale drawing by get_ymmot.

I would love to show off my own whale drawing talents, but I've been blogging from my Mac, and I have yet to get a more suitable program for drawing pictures on this thing, (and I'm too lazy to turn on and work on the PC...). However, I have accumulated a few whale items over the years, and at this point in life, I wish to expand my collection....Then I can say I have a WHALE of a whale collection...

(Will I ever tire of that poor joke?)

Anyway, below are a few of the articles of clothing I've found---seriously, all of these whale items have found me...

Adorable whale shorties from aerie.

Whales engulfing this soft summer tank top from Delia's.

My sister found this whale sweater at Urban Outfitters. I looooove it.

While I hope to increase the number of whale items in my collection---not just clothing, but other things as well---I have most recently stumbled upon this AMAZING and cute (and possibly too young for me, but who cares, it's my bathroom, after all) WHALE FAUCET COVER....

It bellows, "I'm cute, watch me make bath time 100000 times more AWESOME."

It's currently in stock at Target, and I'm hop-hop-hoping one of my really cool sisters will include this with my Christmas present. I don't care if it's meant for children's safety---I want it for my own health. I mean, come on, if you were to wake up every morning to this whale in your tub, would your day not be 100000 times better??? Think about it, and you'll find it's true. Just look at the whale. It speaks truth and cuteness. <3

(P.S. I didn't mention the famous WHALE DRESS, but that will be for another day!

P.P.S. What is the probability I'm wearing something whale-y right now???)