quinnkdotme

And I am ready for a good book, glass of wine, and PJs.  But it’s only 430… so I think I have to do some more work before indulging in my social hermit outposting.

So… this is just a brief posting… letting you all know… all is well.

And a couple of shout outs:

Congrats, Trish on completing your first grants application!  Who-hoo!  More to go!

Congrats, Hunter on acceptance into U. of Hawaii and scholarship!

Congratus, Dad – on successful trip to NY with students!

Congrats, Mom – on discount purchase of the century!

If I have missed anyone, just let me know.

Happy Friday to all, and to all… a happy Friday!

As ever,

K. Quinn

Evidently, I live down the road… actually a bit further… from Punxsutawney, or as the locals call it – Punx.  I chose not to get up at the crack of dawn and join the 5,000+ revelers who gathered in Punx to watch a well-fed and allegedly pampered rodent “see” his shadow.  Frankly, I think if he was truly pampered, Phil would be allowed to escape and live his life according to his own natural instincts.  But that wouldn’t be fun for the rest of us, would it?  And from the direction this blog posting is going, I might ultimately be called the Scrooge of Ground Hog’s Day.  Hmmmm.

Well, according to the stats, Phil is wrong more often than right.  And of course, most of us are hoping he is wrong because we would prefer an early spring.

According to Live Science, Ground Hog day per say has been around since early Christianity (which could explain my initial knee-jerk reaction to not being thrilled about the day)… “when clear skies on Candlemas Day (Feb. 2) were said to herald cold weather ahead. In Germany, the tradition morphed into a myth that if the sun came out on Candlemas, a hedgehog would cast its shadow, predicting snow all the way into May. When German immigrants settled in Pennsylvania, they transferred the tradition onto local fauna, replacing hedgehogs with groundhogs.”

Maybe, I would get into it more if we were using hedgehogs… those guys are kind of cute.   And, for those of you not up on your religious holidays, Candlemas is a Christian holiday celebrated annually on February 2. It celebrates three occasions according to Christian belief: the presentation of the child Jesus; Jesus’ first entry into the temple; and it celebrates the Virgin Mary’s purification (mainly in Catholic churches).  The pagan take on this is that people just hated the middle of winter and needed some sort of morale boost.

Back to Phil, he is “kept alive” as is the holiday by the Punxsutawney Groundhog Club, whose members care for Punxsutawney Phil year-round. (Phil lives in an enclosure in the Punxsutawney Memorial Library along with several other groundhogs.)  Thank goodness Phil has some buddies.   It begs the question, are they all named Phil?  Does Phil have a name tag?  How does one qualify to be Phil? (Apart from being a groundhog)

Actually, I don’t particularly care one way or another, but I figured it was good fodder for blogging this morning.

Finally, thank you Dora!  I doubt she will ever read this, and I don’t need to explain why or what – just that when it comes to career opportunities, she is great.  So thank you!

Wishing you all a very happy Marmota monax Day!  (Threw that in for you Bree, sorta has a nice ring, doesn’t it?)

As ever,

K. Quinn

I am supposed to stop doing pro bono work.  How do the stars know, I ask you?

I have been working on various grants for a couple of friends…and each one has patiently queued up for the attention.  And, as far as I am concerned… it’s great experience; a good way to hone my skills and build a successful track record; and, I’m helping friends.  So unless, we start cashing in on a bunch of grants… I am telling the stars too bad and continuing to do the work.

Other things I continue to do…. mull over my things in storage… do I send them to PA?  wait til I commit to a location?  And what about when to go to France?  Yet, another thing to mull.  I am also mulling over a pair of tan pumps I need to go with a dress I got for Christmas.  Yes, brown would work – but I think my brown shoes are on the order of crazy clubbing, wedge platforms and a pair of dull brown flats to be worn around paranoid, Napoleon-type guys who are under the 5’10” mark.  So yes, a pair of tan pumps could be just what I need.

I continue to cook and work as a personal trainer for my parents.  They consider it a sort of love/hate experience.  The curses my mother isn’t saying to my face when I insist that she can do 32 more leg lifts… they are there.  But homemade flatbread with grilled souvlaki and fresh salad…kind of makes up for it, right?

And I continue to walk my dogs every day to wherever the ponies and horses are so that he can work up a lather barking and hopping back and forth warning them not to come to close, or else.  So far, they have heeded the warnings.

Off to work on yet another grant, despite warnings from the stars – I, unlike the horses, will not heed the warning….hope all is well with you, my friends.

As ever,

K. Quinn

While working on a series of grant applications today, I happened to look out the window which is about eye level, and I found myself staring face to face with a dark grey cat with yellow eyes.  He and I stared at each other for quite a while.  Then he slowly lowered his head below the bottom of the window so that he was out of sight.  About ten seconds later, he rises up from where he was and continues to stare at me.  Then he, again, lowered his head below the bottom of the window.  Ten seconds later, yep, he’s up.  I started to get up to go to the window, and he took off.

He was so strange in his manner.  His inner monologue could have been something like this… “Watching human at 1600 hours.  Oh crap, I’ve been seen!  Remain calm… retreat… re-establish position.  Damn, she’s still there…..remain calm….retreat…. re-establish position.  Damn! Cover has been blown.  Abort mission, I repeat, abort mission!!!!!”

From the above example, clearly I have been buried in too much grant and nonprofit research.  As of this afternoon, I might just be an expert on the need and importance of antique clothing preservation.  I can give you several reasons why preserving and ultimately exhibiting antique clothing and textiles can and will benefit your community.  And, I can probably rattle off for you a budget as to how much it will cost you to properly store Aunt Ethel’s trousseau.  Please, feel free to ask me my thoughts on acid-free paper, polypropylene tubing, and bags and whether it is better to store flat or store hanging.  I would be happy to oblige.

I think I need to get out more.

As ever,

K. Quinn

Just came across an article online about a 17-year-old girl who has had a diet of basically only chicken mcnuggets for 15 years!  She evidently collapsed recently – shocker.  According to the story, her mother introduced her to the nugget and that is what she has eaten ever since.  Now, granted, I think the news must be exaggerating that this girl subsisted solely on mcnuggets for the past 15 years, but even if the nugget was really her primary source of nutrition for that time…. WTF?!?!?!

She was two when this started, and while I don’t have children so I haven’t really been subjected to stubborn food issues – I do have a brother who hates vegetables with the exception of the ever-loving and ever-loved potato… he was forced to eat ‘no thank you’ portions of whatever food we were having while growing up, and he certainly wasn’t allowed to eat only spuds – I don’t think a two-year-old should dictate their eating habits, especially by demanding only nuggets.

What, her mother couldn’t say no?  Really?  And now she has collapsed… the sodium she has ingested is about to give her a stroke or heart attack at 17… and what, I’m supposed to feel sorry for her?  I guess I do, in that her mother clearly couldn’t provide decent parenting when it came to health, nutrition, and diet.  And, because she lived on the nugget, I’m guessing her brain power has remained fairly low – her I.Q. is probably equal to the paltry nugget.

And speaking of things I don’t understand with regard to child-rearing… Bruce Jenner was quoted this week as saying he didn’t think his two youngest daughters needed to go to college.  Right, because that family – particularly his step daughters, but it appears he is right up there with them, – is a friggin brain trust of intellectualism.  Do we really need more stupid people in the world?  Yes, I know college may not be for everyone… but if you have the money, take the time and get a freaking education!  Learn a trade because socializing and hitting the party circuit… I have to believe some day in the future we will all wake up and say – ENOUGH!  We are not paying or paying customer to companies and products that pay to have one of the Kardashians show up at a party and have a drink.

Right, the best thing for those two girls is to skip college and go straight into clubbing, personal appearances, etc.  OK – maybe they can – make a lot of money (or already have done)… but wouldn’t they like to sound like they have a clue?  Wouldn’t they like to use their gray matter before it shrivels up and possibly evaporates from their vacuous beings?

Oh, and let’s get this straight… zero jealousy here!  I would rather be in my shoes than their Prada shoes a million times over.

Alright, well, I guess it’s time for me to head out for the weekend and maybe hit a couple of parties and have a drink.  Too bad I won’t be paid for the appearance….seriously, no.

As ever,

K. Quinn

Well, I ventured out alone tonight… not usually a big deal, but being in State College and really not knowing where much of anything is – not to mention my parents usually want to join -it was something of a change.  So, I headed out to see a screening of a French film put on by the Francophone club of the university.

Thankfully, I had read the plot prior to going, so I knew what I was in for… sort of.  The film bounced around its three languages: English, French and Italian, which made it slightly more difficult to focus on what was being said.  I suppose if I was tri-lingual this wouldn’t be an issue.  Ah, well.

The plot isn’t really worth repeating, but the theme had to do with art and life and what constitutes original versus copy.  Deep stuff, isn’t it?  Unfortunately, the primary action throughout the movie is the bickering and depressing misunderstanding of a couple who may or may not be married and, for that matter, may or may not know each other.  It might work better as a play.  It was slow-moving and there was a long segment in the car which truly almost made me carsick.

My parents had joked that maybe I would meet some cute French professor while at the screening.  Given my previous note that everyone in State College is married, I really hadn’t hoped for anything of the kind.  And, thankfully I had low expectations because I aside from 3 students in the audience, I was the youngest by about 15 years.  Who knew there were so many French-speaking senior citizens in the State College area?

It’s a rainy night, so I didn’t ask the geriatric crowd for a beer after the flick.  Instead, I dashed on home so that I could write to all of you.

As ever,

K. Quinn

And I think it’s affecting my ability to function on all levels.

Truly.

I give as an example,… wow…. just lost my train of thought… AGAIN!

Just went to sushi with my dad… I could barely relate a story I saw on the news to my father.  It was like English was a foreign language to me.

Another thing, I am usually very good at guessing people’s ages.  I have lost that ability.  I can no longer figure out how old anyone is… I can’t even decide if they are older or younger than me.  So rather than assume that my age is the central median age, I am assuming that because I live near a major university EVERYONE is younger than me.

I stared for a really long time at a Latino guy in the restaurant.   He was a reminder of Los Angeles, and I just wanted to walk up to him and say hey.  Because strangely while this campus is incredibly diverse,  the Latino population is not out in full force.  I miss that from LA.

I wrote a paper today… it took me almost the entire day.  I asked my parents to proof it for me.  The response was, “You were tired when you wrote this, right?”

I cannot believe that extended exposure to 30 degree temperatures has frozen my brain.  This is too sad.

Also, I have been trying to lose the same 8 pounds for the past 3 weeks.  I have increased working out and decreased food intake.  And still, no weight loss.  It’s the frozen brain – it’s not able to transmit the “drop the fat” message to the rest of my body.

Ooooooohhhh, it’s so depressing… and so cold!

I would continue to whine about the freezing cold and the freezing point of my brain cells, but having just proofed this blog posting, I think it’s time to stop.  I can only imagine the mistakes I haven’t caught.  I blame the cold.

Wishing for warm sunshine and temperatures above 50.  Bermuda, call me!

As ever,

K. Quinn

My

Well, as many of you may know, Happy Valley is rather sad today because Joe Paterno passed away yesterday.  I am not a super fan, but it has been interesting reading about his accomplishments.  It has also been sad to contemplate the family having to cope with not only with the loss of their father/husband/etc., but to have to mourn the loss with the Sandusky scandal  as the last chapter of his career.

Last night, we could see the lights of the stadium lighting up the sky as part of the vigil held last night.

The weather reflects the mood here today – it’s raining.  It’s also raining on top of 6 inches of snow, so that makes the thought of stepping out of doors unbearable.  So I am hunkered down in the basement over my computer writing letters, emails and the such and researching new opportunities.

As you can see… little to nothing to report today – but as I have been off the blog for a few days – I figured I better let my friends know I’m still alive hanging out in Happy Valley.

As ever,

K. Quinn

Well, the Illini lost, but it was still a fun night out with dad.  I have a few observations from last night’s fun at the Penn State vs. University of Illinois men’s basketball game:

1) Despite forecasted excitement, the new grey jerseys for Penn State did not appear to “generate more excitement,” but I could be wrong – as Penn State won last night’s game.

2) My previous conclusions on the Nittany Lion mascot costume are sustained.  Having now experienced the lion up close and personal…. within 3 feet… it still looks like a moth-eaten, back door costume that was part of a first grade art project…. and no offence to first graders.  Although, he does have the moves – I imagine it’s somewhat difficult to strut around and dance when your vision is limited through the screened mouth of a wild cat costume with 4 exceptionally grubby teeth.

3) I don’t think I ever want to hear a pep band’s rendition of Lady Gaga’s Poker Face again….ever!  And I certainly don’t want to watch the dance team, the Lionettes, dance to the pep band’s version of Poker Face.

4) When it’s snowing outside, do you really think creamery ice cream is the concession of choice?

5) In the student section behind the opponent’s hoop, the students use large cardboard cutouts of celebrity heads to distract the player.  There isn’t particularly a theme other than, “celebrity.”  Betty White, Will Ferrell as Ron Burgundy, and Whoopi Goldberg were among the giant heads that were waved behind the basket.

6) The halftime show consisted of a guy who came out in tear-away workout pants who juggled small basket balls, tore away the pants to reveal Penn State basketball shorts, and then continued juggling.  The music was symphonic which made the whole experience somewhat embarrassing by indicating that his interpretation of his talents was somehow earth moving or cosmic.  There was an older woman in front of me who kept applauding his “stunts” out of either sympathy or possibly maternal pride.  Why else would she be applauding for his ability to juggle 4 mini basketballs?  As the halftime break dragged on, said entertainer pulled out all the stops with juggling pins, hoops and balancing a mini basketball hoop on his chin and tossing a mini basketball into the hoop.  The only stop I enjoyed was the relief I felt as he left the court.

As you may have noticed, I have said little about the game itself and the reason for that is twofold.  One, I really don’t know much about basketball so aside from a general understanding of strategy and penalties… I couldn’t really say.  And, two, Illinois was extremely disappointing and pretty much handed Penn State the game.  To which, my father says the blame can be placed firmly on the coach’s head, as “Webber doesn’t have a clue!”  One fairly awesome sidebar, I discovered that one of my uncles was booted out of a U. of I. basketball chatroom for being too negative.  A dose of reality, and he is booted.  Howell, you rock!

As ever,

K. Quinn

Having spent the past several weeks reaching out to friends and contacts as well as applying for various jobs, it’s easy to lose sight of where I’m supposed to be headed and just feel frustrated.  However, that’s just the point…losing sight.  I have several things to follow-up on this week that have been in the inbox of my mind, and yet I haven’t done them because I have been applying to random job openings.  If I just sit down and  focus on clearing out the inbox… those items might just lead to other jobs.  This is obviously me thinking aloud in front of the universe… but it helps to keep things in perspective.

And also look forward to things in the future.  For example, I have to go to France sometime in the next two months to deal with the house there.  Renters are gone and I need to get the place in shape for vacation rentals among other things.  And my mother is taking me with her to South Carolina to stay with friends for a week or so… so that doesn’t sound too painful.  And at some point, I will make a decision on where I am ending up and be able to take things out of storage and read through my books and continue living life.  This is all very good, right?

I think the other challenge with my current situation is that I miss my friends… I should email them and call them, but it isn’t the same as seeing them.  And while I have no qualms with making new friends… since I don’t know how long I will hang out in State College, there doesn’t seem much point in reaching out and making new friends.  Well, that sounds somewhat depressing.

Truly, I am enjoying the break in the action.  I have a lot of opportunity to be a hermit – which as many of you know is my way of recharging/refueling.  Again, this is all very good.

What isn’t so good is that my parents own a medical scale and I keep weighing myself with depressing regularity.  The scale is right next to the washer and dryer… and surprising as it may be – it’s really not possible to lose weight between laundry loads.  So as much as I would like to see the 7 pounds hanging around me wash away with the whites cycle, it ain’t happening.  I have become a  workout  addict, self-appointed trainer to my parents, and dietician to us all… it still means 7 pounds is slowly dissolving instead of disappearing like those haphazard single socks in the dryer.  Bummer.

Snow tonight – and going with my father to redeem his Christmas gift tonight – basketball game – Penn St. vs. U of I.  My dad is torn over who to cheer on… his alma mater or his employer.  Decisions….and I will probably cheer for U of I out of loyalty to the family.  Random fact which I learned while reading this morning’s local paper:  Penn State is changing their home game uniforms from white to grey in an effort to excite the fans.  If changing from white to grey is a way of generating enthusiasm…. you can pretty much gauge the excitement level here in Happy Valley.  On that note, I’m going to go watch paint peel…

As ever,

K. Quinn