Thursday, February 23, 2012

Handy ma'am

Having an unusual upbringing has its highs & lows.

When people find out that I was raised without media influences they are very interested and have a ton of questions.  It's a great icebreaker and I'm happy to answer any and all inquiries.

I've been writing down and collecting the questions, many of which are hilarious, and I'm going to start posting them soon.  I'll be interested in your reaction.

The bad part of people knowing my background is they think I'm disabled in some way.

Last night at a gathering I was using a match to light a table candle and the burning match head stuck to the tip of my finger, right under the nail.  I yelped and shook my hand like crazy -- It hurt so bad I wanted to cry.  One of my classmates came over to attend to me and, after I told him what happened, he explained in great detail the proper way to strike a match.

I was very irritated by this, but I didn't let on -- after all, he was just trying to help.

I have a lot of practical knowledge... and I know how to use a match.  I'm very handy, probably more handy than most!

Friday, February 17, 2012

My laptop

I haven't been keeping up with my blog because my laptop went on the fritz.

I don't know much about computers and mine overheated because I was blocking the vents with a pillow I had placed on my lap.  Why do they call it a laptop if you can't put it comfortably on your lap top?

I took the Blue Line down to Best Buy and let their Geek Squad take look at it.

I asked one of their Geeks if it was true that computer technicians look at naughty pictures off of girl's computers.  After looking at me for a long time the guy said, "Yes."

He went on say that it has even happened at that very store.  And what's more one of their former technicians even installed a camera on a girl's computer that could look back at her.  I guess he was getting his jollies watching her without her knowing.

My laptop is fixed now, but I can't help but stare into the webcam and wonder if someone is looking back at me.

It's unsettling.

I've never once thought that someone was looking back at me from the pages of a book.

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Hayride

As you can probably guess I don't have a lot of experience with men. Although I had a boyfriend back home before we both moved away to go to school.

We used to go on hayrides. Yes, America, country folk actually go on hayrides! When I tell people about that they think I'm using a euphemism, but I'm talking about actual hayrides.

I'm not exactly lonely but my mind keeps drifting off thinking about boys. It's got to be hormones because, from an intellectual point of view I know bringing someone into my life could cause a lot of problems, and is that really worth the risk?

From a purely statistical point of view, young men are the most dangerous animals on the planet.

Some of them sure look dreamy, though.


Saturday, February 11, 2012

The cult of celebrity

When I tell people that I grew up on a farm without computers or the Internet or newspapers they immediately think I was in a cult.

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, my parents raised their children outside of a cult - the cult of celebrity.

My parents, who are both wonderful people, decided to go off the grid and raise their children outside the influences of movies, TV and the Internet.  Their concern was that Western culture encourages the worship of false idols, i.e. celebrities. 

That's not to say that my parents were religious fanatics either - they're not.  They just wanted the right kind of influences for their kids.  This came in the form of book learning and practical experiences.

So when I see an actor I am not unconditionally impressed just because the media tells me I should be.  I am much more impressed with people with actual achievements; literates, scientists, teachers, etc.

I'm not dismissing actors out-of-hand, but worshiping someone who pretends to be someone else is just kind of silly, isn't it?

Friday, February 10, 2012

Stepping off the high dive


I read a lot of blogs, but the best by far is Talk to Strangers. The blogger, Fletcher, made a vow to overcome his inhibitions toward talking to strangers, and he writes about his experiences meeting new people. How great is that idea?

As he points out in his blog it's not just an idea, it's a lifestyle change.

I wrote in a comment on Fletcher's blog that I tried his experiment but chickened out. I noted that it felt like stepping off the high dive. It really did. I walked up to a stranger in Trader Joe's to ask if they knew what the letter classification on maple syrup meant and I just couldn't do it.

I ended up getting no maple syrup at all, which is pretty lame, I've got to admit.

My transition from the farm to the city has gone well so far, but it would be SO much better if I could just get over this social anxiety problem. Practically everyone in this city is a stranger to me and if can't bring myself to meet them I'm never going to "pop the bubble" and get the most out of life.

I've got a lot to learn from Fletcher, and you probably do too. Go read his blog.

And please keep reading mine.


Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Jack in the Box

I was just at a Jack in the Box restaurant in Granite City where I had a bacon-flavored milk shake.

It was good and surprisingly smoky.

Brrrr!

It's cold out today.

My hands itch when it gets cold so I wear gloves, sometime even when I'm inside.

People think that's weird, but otherwise my fingers feel like icicles!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

TV

I've been spending a lot of time watching TV. I grew up without one so, I have to say, it's completely fascinating to me.

I've been watching a series on HBO called Luck. It's about horse racing. I love horses and it has such good characters I'm totally hooked.

I'm also hooked on watching commercials. I know it's advertising but I can't get enough of them.

Watching TV is much easier than reading - it doesn't require any effort!

Monday, February 6, 2012

Tall girl

At school tall girls get a lot of attention so I go to great lengths to make myself less noticeable. I wear flats, granny sweaters, my hair pulled back, virtually no make up and, of course, my giant glasses.

I go through this routine because I'm shy at heart and a little insecure since I hardly know anyone. I just feel more comfortable blending into the background.

But while on break today I started feeling very sorry for myself because no one looked at me or talked to me.

Lo que en el mundo?

I'm going to go to go to the library and check out a book on personality disorders, because that can't be normal.

Am I doing this right?

Like most everything else, blogging is new to me. I've been posting my day to day activities and random thoughts whenever the mood strikes me. Is that more appropriate for Facebook or Twitter? I'm sure I shouldn't be on My Space, even I know that's old fashioned.

I'm honestly trying to get with the program so if anyone has any suggestions please leave a comment.


Sunday, February 5, 2012

Coffee

I had coffee for the first time this afternoon and I just realized I've been blogging like crazy ever since. Sorry to talk your virtual ear off. I had no idea it was SUCH a powerful stimulant. I have to say that I love the flavor and bitterness of coffee but I'm feeling awfully jittery right now.


T-Rex knows the score

I know I'm posting too much but this place (the museum) is really exciting. I just drew a pretty good Tyrannosaurus (I copied it again, but this time from a poster in the gift shop window.) I was going to draw the skeleton mount but it's SO complicated!


Off subject: A large man in a football jersey just impatiently ushered his family through the exit.  He was whispering into his mobile phone the score in the word balloon above.  Wouldn't that be funny if it turned out to be the final score of the Super Bowl?

Lion sketch

Okay, here's my lion sketch. I have to admit I cheated by looking at a placard here at the museum. I seriously couldn't look at the Tsavo lions without getting uncomfortable.


Don't laugh, I'm trying!



Ghost & the Darkness

I'm at the Field Museum (which I adore.) Here are the stuffed likenesses of the Ghost & the Darkness, the legendary “man-eating lions of Tsavo” that terrorized a railroad camp in Kenya more than 100 years ago. They ATE about 35 people.

I was going to sketch them but they keep staring back at me!

First day

Did you know that Sunday is the first day of the week?  I always thought it was Monday.

Anyway, my Mom always says "Today is the first day of the rest of your life! Go out and make it special!" and that's exactly what I'm going to do.  I'm going to go to the Field Museum today and sketch.

I can't draw very well but I'm trying to learn!

If you're at the museum today and you see a tall bespectacled girl drawing dinosaurs come by and say hi!

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Saturday!

It's Saturday!  School has been exhausting so I plan on relaxing this weekend.  I got invited to a Super Bowl party but I don't think I'm ready for that yet.

This may sound silly but when I go to functions -- and I don't know anything about the basic point of the function -- I can come across as being snooty. The truth is I'm pretty shy.  And I'm tall for a girl (5' 10") so I stand out like a sore thumb... a sore thumb with giant glasses.

Instead of going out I'm going to stay in and finish my book or watch TV.  When I go out and talk to people they think I'm kidding about not knowing the things I don't know.  I'm not.  My first 17.5 years were spent growing up on an organic farm with no computers or TV or even newspapers.  I wasn't being shielded from life, though.  My parents encouraged me to learn but they wanted it to be the hard way: through actual experience and reading books.  So yeah, maybe I am a bit of an oddity.

I promised myself that I'd learn something new about this big, bold new world everyday until I wasn't SUCH an oddity.  If anyone has advice I'm all ears.  I'll treasure your comments and take them to heart.

Friday, February 3, 2012

McDonalds

I just tried McDonalds for the first time.  Hmmm... maybe it's an acquired taste?

And now my stomach is rumbling!

I don't know...

My new blog!

This is my first entry and I have no idea what I'm doing.  I'm 18 and have been home schooled without computers of any kind; just short of being Amish (sorry Mom & dad!)  So please bear with me!

My name isn't really Sue Donymous.  That's kind of a joke because pseudonymous means anonymous, sort of.  My name is Sue D. though and I'm happy that you're reading my blog.

I love science and art, good books and horseback riding.

Now that I'm living on my own  I'll be posting my experiences in a strange new world - one with TVs and computers!