Archive for February, 2010

Celebrating Other People’s Birthdays: John Cross

Wednesday was John Cross’ birthday. I’m not surprised if you don’t know who he is; people in his o-week group don’t know who he is. The only reason I do is because he was roommates with Josh Langsfeld and consistently did ridiculous things in an unassuming way. Rachel and I brainstormed many ways to best celebrate his birthday, but eventually just decided to eat soft serve, text people annoyingly, and tell our favorite John Cross stories long into the night. So like every night, but with talking about John Cross. And so, I bring you a tribute to John Cross, and every ridiculous thing I can remember about him.

Ragnarok
The thing most people remember about John Cross is how he played Ragnarok pretty much constantly. I know you hear that a lot about people at Rice, how they play WoW all the time, but with John Cross I really mean CONSTANTLY. I was always surprised when he stopped for food. He certainly didn’t stop for class. Sure, if you asked him if he’d gone, he’d say “Yes” despite still being in the same position as when you left, and still in pajamas, but we all knew the truth. There was even a facebook group for awhile called something like “I’m John Cross: I’m too baller to go to class” whose tagline was definitely “I don’t even care that I got a 32% in Physics”.
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Things I’ve Made: Spaghetti and Meatball Cupcakes

Because I managed to buy two packs of Ferrero Rochers right after Valentine’s Day, I decided it was time to try one of the cupcake decorating ideas in my Hello, Cupcake! book.

Unfortunately, I made the mistake of snipping the hole in the piping bag too large so the “noodles” ended up being gigantic.

They still taste good though

They still taste good though

The “sauce” is really just strawberry preserves.

Top Cocktail: Chocovine Edition

Oh, Chocovine. As its tagline claims, it mixes the taste of dutch chocolate and fine red wine. You can buy it at Harris Teeter for about $7, so I knew without even tasting it that it would be magical. So magical that it would need its own Servery Challenge.

Then I remembered I can’t do Servery Challenges anymore, so I waited to bring you a Very Special Valentine’s Day Top Cocktail Special.

Special thanks to James Fox for his MSPaint Skillz

Special thanks to James Fox for his MSPaint Skillz

Four Competitors! Ten minutes! … and one bottle of Chocovine!

See the entires and the results here:
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Nostalgic Lists

I recently uncovered a notebook I kept I think sophomore through junior year of random lists. I feel a little bit like an Egyptologist since the handwriting is tricky to decipher and half the time I don’t know what I’m talking about.

Made up Positions I’ve Given Myself
Wiess Resident Expert in Speculative Zoology
Wiess Breakfast Rep
Wiess Mr. Potato Head Rep
Co-comics Rep
Resident Witch Doctor
Wiess Librarian
Interior Decorator to the Presidential Suite (after we wallpapered Hiren’s room with water colors, mostly of him being eaten by monsters)
Hairologist
Apprentice Mad Scientist
Wiess Zombie Attack Consultant
Awkward Breakfast Conversation Rep (I still am this)
Wiess Astrologer
Chief Phallic Symbol Recognizer
Wiess Soothsayer
Official BFF to James K. Polk
Noted April Fool’s Day Victim
Noted “the crazy” of the sophomore class by Doward
Wiess Pieologist
Inventor of the Snake Warmer
Wiess Egg Salad Rep
Official BFF to Stephen Hawking

I did so much for Wiess. No wonder I got that award.

Things I’ve Done Instead of Going to Class (first semester)
Homework for that class
Homework for another class
Sleep
Crossword puzzles
Watch movies
Talk to Michael Curtis
Eat lunch
Stare at people from 2nd Floor Fondren
Read
Buy interesting hats
Watch the rain
Have a dance party
Listen to Rocky Horror Picture Show and sing loudly
Leave anonymous love notes for Steven Wiggins
Look up lame pick up lines online
Have consumption
Flirt outrageously

I assume this was first semester sophomore year, since first semester freshman Patricia was MAD conscientious. Also, Steven Wiggins was IN my class, so it would’ve been hard to leave secret love notes. These notes, by the way, would always say things like “If I said you had a corpus bellus would you hold it against me?” He would usually just correct my Latin.
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Dreams I Had Last Night

Last Night’s Dream 1
So I was apparently going to UNC’s library science grad school… but at Rice, and living off campus, but eating dinner in the servery. I was sitting at a table with Rob, Rachel, and Bova, who were talking about a Spanish quiz that they had all apparently failed. I looked down at my plate and realized that the salad I had gotten had turned into three slices of chocolate banana cream pie, and went on a rant about how I shouldn’t have to buy a meal plan when I didn’t even go to Rice anymore. Bova agreed that it was stupid that she was required to come here and take Spanish when she lives in Indiana now, and Rob suggested we all just drive to Mexico instead, “for Spanish credit”. I agreed to drive, as long as I could also control the radio.

Interpretation
Clearly the fates want THE 434 back together again, and are telling me to make it so though my dreams. Also, my subconscious wants me to eat more salad.

Last Night’s Dream 2
I was outside Harris Teeter loading large pallets of yogurt into my car (apparently I had just bought their entire supply for some reason) when I got a phone call from Andrew Fox, who said he wanted to wish me a happy birthday. I said my birthday was in four months, and he said he was really busy so he was trying to knock out the easy things on his to do list early. He then apologized for not illustrating the children’s book about ducks I gave him (that part is actually real), and when I sarcastically said, “I KNOW, GOD, slacker,” he yelled at me for calling him at school. Just before he hung up, I heard the old sound the bell at my high school used to make, so I assume he was attending classes at St. Pete High for some reason. Then I realized while I had been talking to him, someone had stolen all of my yogurt.

Interpretation
The yogurt represents my childhood dreams, and my vain attempts to shelter them from the onslaughts of the real world. Clearly my subconscious is trying to tell me that Andrew Fox will play an unwitting part in their destruction. TOO BAD, Andrew. I am going to FIND Pangaea and its chocolate milk rivers, and you and your confusing phone calls will never stop me!

Yeah, I was pretty sure I could find Pangaea Indiana Jones style, and that it would have chocolate milk rivers. But if that doesn’t pan out, I think I could become a dream interpreter pretty easily.

The Book Twilight WISHES It Could Be

Yesterday was Thursday, which I detest. However, this Thursday I can hardly remember any of the bad parts because I was so engrossed in the book I started that morning and finished around midnight:

This cover has almost nothing to do with the plot

This cover has almost nothing to do with the plot

The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore. I have made a check list for comparison.

1. Main character: Sylvie Davis v. Bella Swan

Sylvie Davis

Imagine a tutu instead of a cheerleading outfit and snarkiness instead of 80s hair

Imagine a tutu instead of a cheerleading outfit and snarkiness instead of 80s hair

Backstory: 17-Year-Old international ballet sensation until the tragic accident that broke her leg. She’s better now, but with mom remarried she is forced to go spend the summer at her dead father’s family’s plantation mansion in Middle of Nowhere, Alabama.

Hobbies: Wishing she could still dance, talking to her adorable dog, solving mysteries, gardening, fighting the undead, historical research, being a reincarnation of an Ancient Welsh princess

Secret abilities: MAGIC, seeing dead people, and being from an Old Southern family

Growth throughout the book: She changes from a depressed, slightly snobby New Yorker into a ghost-fighting, mystery-solving True Daughter of the South.

When the going gets tough, she: runs headlong into the haunted woods totally ignoring her limp or personal safety.

Bella Swan

If I crease my forehead, it will look like I have emotions, which is more acting than you're doing, Robert

If I crease my forehead, it will look like I have emotions, which is more acting than you're doing, Robert

Backstory: When her mother remarries, she moves in with her father in Middle of Nowhere, Washington. That’s about it.

Hobbies: fulfilling the traditional woman’s role, falling down, EDWARD EDWARD EDWARD

Secret abilities: fainting, construing abuse as love

Growth throughout the book: She changes from a vapid, personalityless shell to a vapid, personalityless shell with a defining characteristic! Unfortunately, that’s dependence on a sparklepire.

When the going gets tough, she: swoons and then patiently waits for a big strong man to save her

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Winterpocalypse Notebook: IV

And as I walked through the woods
Behind the dumpster
Watching deer tracks and raccoon tracks
Dog tracks and squirrel tracks
I came upon a fallen herd
Of apples

Terrified
I looked around
For the Twilight photoshoot
But there was none

apples_in_the_snow

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