The Complete Steps of Packing, Mugwump Style

1. Survey the landscape. 
2. Decide there is too much stuff that is not visible.
3. Move all the "hidden stuff" into view.  This means completely emptying all drawers, closets, cupboards, etc. 
4. Resurvey.
5. Marvel at the giant mess you have just made.  This could be your greatest accomplishment yet.
6. Decide to take a picture of the big mess.
7. Spend thirty minutes swearing about your misplaced camera.  Tear through belongings, ruining whatever system of organization once existed.
8. Find a movie you didn't even know you owned.  Put it in! 
9. Pop some popcorn (for your movie of course).
10. Try on ALL clothing to make sure it fits and you like it.  Create 6 new outfits in the process.
11. Get serious about packing.  Put on your game face, pick up you magic marker and your packing tape, and get moving!
12. Text no fewer than six friends to tell them how hard packing sucks. 
13. Spend forty-five minutes carrying on no fewer than four text conversations. 
14. Time for a break!
15. Throw away exactly one magazine and one take out menu. 
16. Start packing clothes and shoes.  Decide that in the next 4 days you will need at LEAST 12 outfits including the following items: blue cocktail dress, sweatpants, patent leather pumps, green tennis shoes, gym shorts, assorted t-shirts, two sweaters, two pairs of sandals, four skirts, and at least 5 bras.  Forget to save some undies, curse yourself in the morning. 
17. Decide that all of the things that were once prized possessions are now all piles of shit.  Have a burst of anger and get "rid" of half your belonging. 
18. While changing laundry, realize that you really do love that stuff and cry as you rescue everything you just tossed (and more!) from the Donate or Toss piles. 
19. Resurvey the landscape.  Things look about the same, save for the elimination of one magazine, one take out menu, and your underpants. 
20. Make a sandwich. 
21. Sharpen an entire box of pencils in case you lose your pencil sharpener in the move. 
22. Take a shower. 
23. Pack exactly seven books and assorted USB cables that do not appear to belong to any of your devices.
24. Look at all 472 tagged photos of yourself on Facebook.
25. Untag some of those.
26. Make your bed. 
27. Pile all the stuff from your floor onto your bed to "make some space to work" on the floor.
28. Read through ALL your saved greeting cards on the floor.
29. Draw a picture, testing all of your markers.  Throw away the bad ones.
30. Read through old class notes.  Affirm that you have not learned anything.
31. Move some piles from one side of the room to the other.  Stack some boxes for a neater, more accomplished ambiance. 
32. Resurvey the landscape.  You're too tired to get all this done.  Shove the pile on the bed onto the floor. 
33. Restart the movie. 
34. Reaffirm to yourself that you will be more motivated to pack... tomorrow. 

Breaking News?

Something I was thinking since the announcement of the death of Yankee's owner George Steinbrenner:

Is someone's death really "breaking news?"  I mean, they're gonna be dead for a long time now... we could really talk about that at any time, right? 

In fact, tomorrow he will still be dead and I bet we will still be talking about it.  Seems like there isn't that much to say: heart attack.  80.  dead.  So maybe we could skip talking about it today?

P.S.

Just checked Google Analytics for my visits:  Thanks Canada for keeping the international dream of Modern Mugwump alive with your solo visit in the last month.  I will refrain from making fun of your lovely country for approximate 3 days.  Unless someone sets up a REALLY good joke that I have to take.  Just sayin'.

By The Numbers, Worst Blogger Ever Edition

Um, I have no excuses for the way in which I have dropped off the face of the blogging planet.  I bet all my old followers are gone; even my parents.  Awesome.  Well, I will catch you up on the last month with everyone's favorite format: By the Numbers!

2: The number of triathlons I have now completed in my lifetime.  #3 (hopefully) happens Aug. 1, 2010 in Duluth, MN.

8: The number of ladies that traveled to the City of Lakes for a fabulous bachelorette party for a very dear college friend*. 

543:  The miles driven (round trip) to be in said college friend's beautiful  wedding.  It is truly a wonderful blessing and honor to be invited to be a member of anyone's wedding party and celebrate their love.  Plus, a free dance party in a fancy dress is ALWAYS on this mugwump's agenda. 

2,763: The number of words cut from my Masters Project to make it a manuscript.  Publishing? Maybe.  Maybe not. But it's a good experience nonetheless. 

10(ish): The number of weeks I have been in my internship at the City of Minneapolis.  Also, the number of weeks I have LOVED my job at the City of Minneapolis.

7:1: The odds I will place a $2 bet on a losing horse at the races. 

19: The number of days left on our lease in Uptown.  The move is bittersweet.  Excited to be moving in with my sister and brother-in-law, but terribly heartbroken to leave the fabulous women I have been living with for the last 14 months.  Although, as one roommate put it, a physical move at this point in our lives is simply a tangible manifestation of the real moves we are all making: moving towards careers and independence.  Forward motion is always positive, even if it occasionally results in the physical departure from things and people we have held very dear. 

1: The number of golden birthdays we each get. 

12: The number of days until my one and only golden birthday.

Bajillion: The amount of fun (on a scale of 1-10) I plan on having that day.**

* So weird to call people "college friends," as if I were really that far from the time I spent in college. 
** Good, clean, safe fun. 

Office Culture

Update: Love the job still.  Although, I was thinking about it the other day and I've never had a job I didn't at least like a little, and I look back on all my jobs with some fondness.  So, maybe I am just one of those lucky young people that enjoys being productive and being social.  Maybe the weariness of the work world hasn't yet rubbed off on me.

One thing I am definitely having a hard time adjusting to is Office Culture.  It's not (really) the social part, I seem to get along with my coworkers really well and the whole department is a lot of fun.  It's the little things I don't seem to pick up on.

The following are things I still need to learn:

• A meeting scheduled at 2:30 will not actually start until 2:40, even when all the attendants are in the office.  
• The actual meeting won't start until 2:50 because everyone will talk about their grandchildren, dogs, gardens, or window treatments.  Yeaaaaah.
• No one comes into the office at 8 am.  No one.  
• No one stays at the office until 4:30.  No one.  
• You don't really have to be accountable for where you are during the day, as long as work gets done.  
• Outlook Calendar.  That shit is confusing.  Update/Propose a New Time/Tentative/Out of the Office. Gah- where's the "I don't wanna" button?

Alphabet Soup

So sorry for the long delay in postings.  In the famous words of my sister, who was once appalled that she had been asked to help out at the house after earning her first part time job, "Well, I worked all day!"

That's right, kiddies, the ModMug is a working girl.  And oh boy does that wipe a kid out.  Oof dah.  But I do do do love it.

The real news... the juicy good stuff is.... I graduated (sorta)! I still have to defend that thesis, but let's not talk about that right now.

So, sooner rather than later it will be Modern Mugwump, MPH.  Yes please.  And the only thing I keep thinking is how do I get some more letters after that comma?  I think I might be addicted to higher ed.

Perfect (adj.): My Life

Ha, I wrote that title and then it seemed sort of egotistical.  I am sure you, my dedicated and faithful reader, are SUPER shocked that I said something a little self-centered and highfalutin.  Go way back to like, February 2009 and read about how my confidence and pride can totally suck up my life.  Too bad for you today isn't one of those days.

I am currently sitting in my GLORIOUS sun porch on a LOVELY sunny Friday afternoon, finishing up the first draft of my thesis.  Now, is it an awesome paper currently?  Nope.  Does it matter right now? Nope.  That's what revisions are for, and the rainy clouds of critique can come some other day.

And you know what's ahead? Here's what:

Tomorrow: I have no idea.  At all.  This has not happened in like 6 years.  Maybe I will lay in bed and (GASP) read for fun!  Whoa.  Whoa.

Sunday: I am riding with Dad to reclaim G'pa Jim from my aunt and cousins, plus get to see the 'Sconnie* side of the family.

Sunday night: I have made a date with my longest-time best friend (Mom) to watch the Survivor season finale.  My favorites are all out of the running, but I do so love the drama of the show and I think CBS should next do "Survivor: Grad School."  I think it would be much harder and they could call and consult me for some challenge ideas, like 'Try to Get in Touch with Your Advisor in the Next Week' and 'Creative Ways to Extend an 8 Page Paper to 10 Pages.'

Monday: Well, Monday is the big day.  The end of the end.  The beginning of the end.  The beginning of the beginning.  Monday is entirely ceremonial, in which I squeeze my big round head into a square hat and dress like Harry Potter to receive my fake degree.  But... in a few months time, that is going to be a REAL degree.  Hence, this is the beginning of the end, in a good way.  And the beginning of the beginning.  Because This signifies the end of classes and the near end of my degree.  I am pretty pumped.



*"Sconnies" are people from Wisconsin.  This is probably not a politically correct term, but I also call people from Fargo "Fargonauts," so it fits my lexicon very well.

Knowing Someone Has Walked in Your Shoes

Literally 2 minutes ago, my sister and I were discussing thesis writing and setting goals for completion and she said to me "Don't forget to reward yourself.  Go for a walk, talk to a friend, take a shower."  

Shower as reward? So grad school.* 

I know she's been here.

*There has been more than one occasion in the last two years that I had no idea when the last time I had taken a shower had been.  Guh-ross.

"What Have You Been Up To, Katie?"

This is the only way I know how to respond to that question:

 tabulation of m1cat20 

    m1cat20 |      Freq.     Percent        Cum.
------------+-----------------------------------
 0: No data |        146       53.28       53.28
   1: 1-20% |         33       12.04       65.33
  2: 21-40% |         11        4.01       69.34
  3: 41-60% |         20        7.30       76.64
  4: 61-80% |          2        0.73       77.37
 5: 81-100% |         62       22.63      100.00
------------+-----------------------------------
      Total |        274      100.00

. tab1 m1cat50

-> tabulation of m1cat50

    m1cat50 |      Freq.     Percent        Cum.
------------+-----------------------------------
          0 |        203       74.09       74.09
          1 |         71       25.91      100.00
------------+-----------------------------------
      Total |        274      100.00


Love you all!  See you on the flip side of the Masters! :D

Jellyman Kelly

A few points:
1) James Taylor is one of the greatest musicians of all time.  All. Time.
2) If this doesn't make you smile, even a little, you may not have a heart.
3) This is just one of many Sesame Street clips that never get old.
4) Why does Jenny Mulhenny like to boil hot water?  She could use a new hobby.
5) All songs would be better with a line like "Oh yucka yucka yucka uh huh noooooo"



"OOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooooooohh..... "