I will stay positive until forever.

- Anonymous
Julie @ 10:44 PM Permalink |

Tomorrow I will start my new job at CRI. I'll be redesigning their website and sometimes being a receptionist. They seem like a great bunch to work with from what my mom has told me. It also sounds like I'll have a chance to learn some new skills too.

A new job is definately good considering the debt I need to repay and considering I HAVE NO MONEY and no gas in my car, but school is not something to which I'm looking forward. I haven't bought books yet, 8 AM math class - blech. But that is what everyone says, right?

I went to the state fair this weekend with my parents. It was a good time. But the car ride home brought on an incredible feeling of dread about the coming week. Hopefully, this will settle after I have seen a few people and have sat through a few classes.
Julie @ 9:38 PM Permalink |

I want a cab (one of the transportation services I haven't used) to take me to the airport on Saturday, but it seems you can't call to have a cab pick you up (you can call for a $60 dollar car service, cabs to the airport are only $33). You have to hail it on the street. This is a little iffy on our street, on a Saturday morning. It's not like in Manhattan where there are cabs everywhere.


Update: I guess car service is not $60, but rather $37 to JFK. Glad I stopped and asked at the car service down the street. Black Sedan just like Mr. Big and Carrie.
Julie @ 8:04 PM Permalink |

I sold 8 books at the used bookstore down the street. They gave me $6.50 to get rid of all the books I don't (have room) want to pack home. The only thing they wouldn't take was the crappy chick-lit I bought at the Library sale. It is small, easily stuffed into my luggage or left in the of Hotel St. George lobby, hehe.
Julie @ 8:03 PM Permalink |

This little gizmo gives you a visual of where your visitors are from. Mine is mostly MN, but the others are nice suprises.

Julie @ 7:59 PM Permalink |

Current song I'm obsessing about and singing constatly, much to Alex's chagrin:
Spamalot - Find Your Grail

I'm not generally a Monty Python fan, but the end of Spamalot with their sing-a-long won me over.
Julie @ 7:35 PM Permalink |

I started this as a comment on Andi's blog, but it got so long that I decided it was better posted here:

Polo Ralph Lauren to anchor Pinnacle Village Outlets, 21 retail stores to be part of project

Sorry to be such a downer, but this really makes me want to puke.

I admit I've shopped at outlets in the past and once in a while I still stop at one. But I don't see it as an improvement to Bemidji's community.

In my opinion outlet malls sell low quality merchandise, made in foreign countries roundaboutly taking jobs away from Union workers in America

We may be gaining a few jobs locally and presumed style, but at what cost to the city's identity? Are people (tourists/shoppers) going to be sucked out of the downtown area? Bypass the city entirely just to go to the outlet mall which may include a hotel. I don't want Bemidji to be Northbranch. I really don't think we need another altar to consumerism. We are the woods not suburbia. This is urban sprawl at its worst.

I'd much rather see development of the fuckin' empty Union Square area. Damn Kraus-Anderson.
Julie @ 2:49 PM Permalink |

The book I'm reading has over 400 pages and a total of TWO chapter breaks. Does anyone else see a problem with this?
Julie @ 9:40 AM Permalink |

I think I have a job lined up when I get home. As a student worker at CRI (Center for Research and Innovation). I assume I'll be doing meanial menial office duties. Hopefully, I can work at least 15-20 hours a week so I can start paying off my debts from NYC.
Julie @ 7:22 AM Permalink |

I know I'm a big dork for liking country in any form, but I can't stop listening to this song and thinking about singing it with Angi back in Bemidji. Perhaps, its just my PMS. So I have no other choice but to post the lyrics. No, your you're welcome.

Well it's a long way from Star, Mississippi
To the big stage i'm singing on tonight
And sometimes the butterflies still get me
When I'm in the spotlight

And some people seem to think that I've changed
That I'm different than I was back then
But in my soul I know that I'm the same way
That I really always been

Cause a Mississippi girl don't change her ways
Just cause everybody knows her name
Ain't big-headed from a little bit of fame
I still like wearing my old ball cap
Ride my kids around piggy back
They might know me all around the world
But y'all I'm still a Mississippi girl

Well I spent a few weeks in California
They put my face on the big movie screen
But that don't mean I've forgotten where I came from
That's just me chasing dreams, yeah

I miss my stereo
Julie @ 6:51 PM Permalink |

This may be getting a little uninteresting talking about the tourist traps we're visiting, but I don't have much else to say. I haven't been attending any church here and I'm out of my political job now, so this is what you get.

We went to the Guggenheim yesterday. It was a little disappointing compared to the museums to which we have been. The exterior and interior architechture was fantastic, one long spiral to the top. The price was cheap, but we litterally finished in about half an hour and it took fifty minutes just to get there. There were Picasso and Van Gogh paintings, so I really shouldn't be complaining.


Outside, as always in high traffic, tourist areas, there were a bunch of picture/painting and food vendors. I really liked these, they were of the statue of liberty painted on subway maps. "Very Modern" But, being unemployed, money is running low and I already have two other picture/paintings from other vendors. "Money's running out, time to go home."


Today we went to Prospect Park (a free activity for the economically challenged). It's Brooklyn's equivalent to Manhattan's Central Park. We sat and sweated in the (finally unhumid) heat. This is the arch at the entrance to the park. Alex says it was a gift to the City for their service in the Civil War. I don't like laying in the sun where I can't jump in some sort of water, but I'm starting to get really pale in our air-conditioned oasis and the beach is a one to two hour train ride away.

Oh Jeez! I just about forgot to mention we had sixth row seats for Spamalot last Wednesday! We waited in cancelation line for two hours, Alex paid 200 bucks and we got to see Niles sing about needing a Jew to succeed on Broadway!
Julie @ 9:18 PM Permalink |

All over town we see men who fit this description:
"I'm 39 and I still ride my skateboard everywhere."

Now I'm all for saving the environment, but I can't help but laugh when I see them. Can't they get bikes or something?
Julie @ 8:46 PM Permalink |

There is road rage on the subway train, except we're all in the same car. So the comments that normally wouldn't be heard by others are spewed to everyone within earshot. What makes you think YOU shouldn't be the one to wait to enter with your big table? Twice now, angry black men have yelled racial insults to all white people within their view for entire train rides.
Julie @ 4:09 PM Permalink |

This is the Penny Bridge Store. We call it the corner store.


This is the Peas 'n Pickles store. We call it peas and carrots.


Here is the liquor store within our hotel.

Julie @ 10:04 AM Permalink |