R.I.P. Brittany Murphy

Brittany Murphy is gone. I can't believe it. She was so cute and funny.

I remember what a weirdo she was in Clueless. And I loved her in Little Black Book. Man, sadness.

Get the scoop.

Fortune teller

I'm a kid at heart. I hope to always be this way. The other day, my friends and I were out at Villard Street Pub for a little trivia. While I was there, I made this little fortune teller. It was fun. It took me back to the early years when I would sit around and dream about my future.

In the past few months, life has seemed complicated. I've been obsessed with the future and what's going to happen after grad school. The truth is that I won't ever really know how it'll turn out. Worrying about it certainly doesn't help. I think living is supposed to be about the ride. Thinking too much about the future ruins the adventure.

So that's where I am right now... trying to live the adventure.

Me, the Housesitter

Housesitting is fun. It's nice to walk around a full house instead of my one room studio apartment. There's an actual kitchen...a washer and a dryer...and even a house cat.

This is what the cat an I do all day...
1. We watch Entourage on DVD.
2. We eat mini oranges (clementines).
3. We sit on the couch.
4. We look for things to eat in the fridge.
5. We look at our facebook pages (I actually almost made the cat a facebook page but thought better of it as, after all, she isn't my cat!
6. Channel surf through cable TV

Consumerism

I remember when I first came back from Ukraine. It was the holiday season and people were shopping every which way. I was shocked. I didn't know how to deal with constant consumerism, the need people had to buy more things. It was terrible. Culture shock hit a lot harder with the consumerism of Chrismtas.

It's two years later. I'm a grad student, living off loans, and I constantly find myself wanting to shop...either at Fred Meyer when I pick up a few groceries or during my breaks at the Duck Store. I am a major consumer! It's horrible. I think I'm a few shakes away from becoming Sophie Kinsella's Becky Bloomwood.

Oh man.

Albino turkey

Shanna and Shane cooked the Thanksgiving turkey this year. This is what it looked like. It was extremely white, not golden like usual. It still tasted like turkey...it just was white...really white.

Please note: Shane and Shanna are very good cooks. I enjoyed their cooking a lot.

Please also note: I hosted Thanksgiving in 2006 at my apartment in Ukraine. I cooked the turkey. It was horrid. I never want to cook a turkey again. Should I ever get married, my husband should note that I will not be in charge of cooking turkey...maybe a ham but no turkey!

A few Christmas top 5s...

I'm tired from a long day at work. However, I've decided to record a little bit of Sharece's Christmas favorites for a little cheer!

Top 5 Christmas movies of all time:
1. All I want for Christmas
2. It's a Wonderful Life
3. Holiday Inn
4. The Christmas Shoes
5. Home Alone

Top 5 Christmas Songs:
1. The Christmas Song
2. Away in a Manger
3. Surfin' Santa
4. Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree
5. Silent Night

Top 5 Christmas treats:
1. Chinese noodle cookies
2. Grandma Friberg's fudge
3. Turtles
4. Hawaiian shortbread
5. Chex mix

Top 5 Christmas Books:
1. Well, the portion of the Gospels of course
2. The Littlest Angel
3. A Pirate's Night Before Christmas
4. The Best Christmas Pageant Ever
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas

Other Christmas greats I forgot to mention...
* Gluhwein
* Eloise at Christmastime
* Muppet Christmas Carol

I love Christmas...

Dear Santa,

I know it's early, but my Christmas wish might lighten your load on Christmas Eve. If it's not too much trouble, could you help the Ducks win tonight. We could really use the good cheer.

I've been very good this year. I didn't drink too much, I lost a few pounds, and I am a volunteer intern at the local NPR station in Eugene. I also talk to my mommy and daddy a lot. They think I'm a good kid.

So please, Santa, help the Ducks win.

Thank you very much.

Respectfully submitted,

Sharece M Bunn, age 26

Christmas ABCs

Yes, yes. I still have three papers to write. However, it is vital to stay alive and well. Thus, I am going to blog about Christmas. Here are MY ABCs of Christmas...

Absolutely fabulous presents, I mean company!
Beatles music. Something about the Beatles just screams Christmas to me.
Christmas carols
Dancing around the Christmas tree
Everybody gets together for the holidays
Festive cheer
Gluhwein
Happy faces
Ice
Jolly Ol' St. Nick!
Kris Kringle
Laughter
Music...lots of it
Nog as in Egg Nog
Offspring have to visit their 'rents
Prayer before the meal
Quietly sneaking to see if St. Nick is real.
Red
Sleigh bells
Tinsel on the tree
Uniform Christmas gifts...no kid gets more than another at the BBJ house
Very Merry Christmas Disney sing-along
Winter Wonderland
Xciting times
Yule tidings
Zzzzs since the old farts are too old to wake up early for presents these days

little gnomes

I like gnomes. I have a few. Three lawn gnomes now decorate my parents' front lawn. My mom doesn't like them. My father tolerates them, I'm sure when he sees them, he thinks of me.

This past weekend, I went to Dayton to visit my parents and take a litte "vaca." It was great. But while I was home, I realized that my parents don't care much for the gnomes in their yard. The beach gnome pictured on this blog was knocked over. It looked as if he had been lying on his side for a while. It was horrible. Okay, to be honest, this is the one gnome I haven't named yet. I don't really know what to call him. I mean, he wears shorts every day of the year. Who does this? It's not as if we live in Hawaii.

If anyone has any ideas of what the gnome should be named, please let me know.

Anyway...

I think lawn gnomes are cool. But if I ever end up living in a house with a hundred cats and a colony of lawn gnomes in my yard, I totally give you all permission to have an intervention.

Top Ten Things About Thanksgiving...

1. The green bean casserole

2. Hanging out with family

3. Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV

4. Playing board games and card games

5. Turkey...the only time of year I'll eat turkey...I don't like that kind of bird.

6. Decorating for Christmas and listening to Christmas music suddenly becomes okay.

7. Chex Mix

8. The "I'm Thankful For" Speeches (which we totally skipped this year)

9. The Veggie tray

10. The prospect of great sales on Black Friday (even when I don't have money to shop

Thanksgiving weekend...utterly stuffing!

It seems that every time I visit my parents in Dayton, I end up eating too many sweets, drinking a whole lot of sugared soda and forgetting to eat anything of real substance. Lucky for me, yesterday was Thanksgiving and we ate turkey and other totally awesome food. My favorite was the green bean casserole. Yummy!

This was my first family Thanksgiving since 2003. For the past five years, I've celebrated with friends and colleagues. Yesterday was all about the family. I played Scrabble with my brother's partner and read my British chick lit while we watched holiday films.

It was a fantastic weekened. I love turkey day and all it brings to me.

COW boys at OSU

I did a story a couple of weeks ago. It was on the radio. I was proud of it because it took so much work to complete.

Here's the link to my story on KLCC's website.

Keeping my Sanity

Today I realized that my life is a bit busy. It'd be so much easier if I could just sit around and watch TV all the time, but when I do that, I feel lazy. So I go to school or I go to work. It's a good way to be, a good thing to do.

HOWEVER...

On occasion, I allow myself to just watch TV and not do stressful homework. This past weekend was one of those times. Instead of finishing up my big project, I took a little bit of down time. I watched Dawson's Creek, Season Three.

It was awesome! I was able to escape from my homework and focus on the trivial lives of fictional East Coast characters. I got annoyed with Dawson. He's too much of a cry-baby. And I was hoping for Joey and Pacey to get together way before it actually happened. I even looked up some of the episodes on Wikipedia just to relieve any stress I felt over not knowing what the characters would do.

Ah. It was a nice weekend.

Note: The way I feel about Dawson and Pacey is much the way I now feel about Jacob and Edward in the Twilight series. Originally (when I was in high school), I wanted Dawson and Joey to get together. Now, I find Dawson to be a complete moron and I cheer Pacey on. The same is true for the Twilight characters. In the beginning, I was a huge Edward fan. Now, after re-reading New Moon, I find Edward to be a total jerk. And Bella is stupid for crying over him so much. Jacob is SUCH the better bet. Plus, he's funny. Oh...if I ruled the world, these stupid match-ups would never go down.

If I weren't studying...

I'm not such a fan of studying these days. I do it, though. It's not as if I've started to slack off or anything. It's just that I would rather be doing other things. Studying isn't so fun anymore. I end up thinking too hard. I'm not supposed to be an analytical thinker. And that's what I have to do at school. Ugh!

As I'm taking a 20 minute break from studying, I've decided to share a list of things I'd rather be doing...if I weren't forced to study, that is...

1. drinking tea with Baba Masha...oh to be able to complain about my school work to that sweet old lady. I miss her so much!
2. watching Dawson's Creek...I know. Totally lame. But the high school drama requires no brain power. The problems they face are so tiny compared to my HUGE grad school issues. (ha!)
3. Wandering through the Christmas decorations at Fred Meyer or Target.
4. Reading my British chickLit!
5. traveling...anywhere really.
6. taking pictures for fun
7. sleeping
8. reorganizing my cupboards or bookshelves (seriously, I sometimes get a high from this!)
9. drinking a glass of wine...I'm sure I haven't had any wine since week 2 of school! Ah!
10. Going back to Dayton to see my closest friend from the Dayton years.

Too bad. I have to go read more about the Political Economy of the Media. Wahoo?

Belated Halloween Post

I was a nurse for Halloween. I'm pretty sure it was the most comfortable Halloween costume ever invented. And now I can use the scrubs as pajamas. AMAZING!

I went to a party with cousin Penny on Friday and then on Saturday, I worked the U of O football game.

This all happened a week and a half ago. And right now, my apartment is decorated for Christmas. Wahoo!

the DITCHER

I like to travel. I like to go to new places. And I like to meet new friends. Since I graduated from high school, I've been the one to move away and find my way. I've been the ditcher, not the ditched.

UNTIL NOW.

Tonight, I went to trivia night to interview Trivia Keith. When he had to start his show, I sat at my corner table and wrote. I observed the bar and wrote down what details I found important. At nine, I had been hoping that some of my friends and classmates would show up to do a little trivia. It didn't happen. I sat through a round, which was actually kinda fun, and then I left and went on a short shopping spree in Market of Choice.

When I sat, waiting for the bus, I recalled the time this past year when I was ditched by THREE friends in one night. Tonight, I had nine potential trivia friends and none could make it. Hmph. It's a little sad, but I think it's okay. I put on deodorant this morning. It couldn't be that I stink...or could it?

Just kidding. Anyone who started to believe that I could smell anything but spectacular is awful!

Poka, peops!

History of an English Nerd - NNU Essay circa 2005

Here is another college essay I found yesterday. I'm a nerd. I'm a writer. I guess that's why I'm a journalism student, eh?

Sharece Bunn
February 28, 2005
EN 498: Senior Seminar

The History of an English Nerd

I have always been a nerd. There is no other way to explain it. How else would you describe a first grade student who stayed in from recess to write in her journal? Or a little girl who would sneak out of bed at night and hide in the bathroom so she could finish reading the book she checked out of the library. Where did this passion come from? The truth is that I have no idea how I fell in love with reading and writing. I’ve always just known that both were such an important part of me.

The writing side of me has never changed. I’ve always loved it. In second grade, I told my friend, Josh Bohl that I was one day going to be a writer. I had forgotten about this until we were juniors in high school, talking about what we wanted to do when we grew up. I told him about my dreams of becoming a writer and he actually reminded me that I had told him that almost a decade before.

My journals and letter-writing abilities are probably what kept my love for writing alive. I used to take my journal with me to my oldest sister’s basketball games to write about my silly boy crushes with my friend Abby. As for the letters, I wrote to my cousin Jenny all the time. I also set-up mail boxes for all my immediate family members in our hallway, writing each of them a letter every hour and then waiting impatiently for responses, as if the letters will magically appear. Thinking about it now, I realize just how much of a nerd I always was. Even now, I do some of the same quirky things, like checking my mailbox more that two times daily, itching for more mail.

My love for books must have grown out of my desire to write books. I went through various phases of reading based on a certain series or books my teachers read aloud in class. It took a while for my interests in reading to expand, but I have finally reached a point where I will at least start reading any book a good friend of mine recommends, but it must be said that recommendations for great children’s books will make it to the top of my reading list.

Time as an English major at NNU has only increased my nerdiness. I have written in an average of at least five journals per year, complete with random pictures and significant e-mails I have received. And whenever I can scratch up the time, I will read the random books on my shelf that have been dying to be read by me. The way figure it, I will always be a nerd. I’m okay with that. I feel like embracing the nerdiness because if I don’t and if I try to deny my passion of reading and writing, who knows what will happen to me.

Autobiographical notes from Oxford circa 2004

Here is something I found on my old harddrive. I wrote it while I was studying in Oxford and shared it in front of a group at our "Talent Night." Enjoy.


What makes me unique
By Sharece Bunn

I am unique.
It’s true
My mommy sometimes even looks at me weird. But usually, it’s just the other kids I’m around. But they all think I’m fun and they like being my friend.
The worst part was when I was in high school. The student teacher in my consumer ec. Class told me that I was the “strangest leader ever.” So basically, he couldn’t figure out how a weird slacker like me ended up being so involved in FFA and student council and basically every other thing there was to get involved in. But I was okay with that. I sort of took it as a complement.
But when my family started telling me how strange I was, I was a little thrown off. They all love me of course, they just know that I’m not what people usually expect to get out of such an intelligent being.
But as for why I am unique, I must admit it is because I am just me.
I am a kid (at heart at least).
I’m on a strange diet since the summer which will actually be a lifestyle choice for the rest of my life so that I will not have cholesterol issues like my big brother Shane.
I go through weird fads, like when I decided to become a vegetarian for a month or when I decided that I was going to let my 80s fetish go hard-core with the pins on the jacket for a month. I love crimping my hair and will crimp it in the middle of writing a paper or just when I am by myself at the ‘rent’s house or in my apartment at school.
I used to stay in from recess in 1st grade to write in my journal.
I was always the teacher’s pet. I had a star badge every year of grade school and I was always one of the students who got student of the month.
I was the Valedictorian.
I was the student of the year.
I was hard core FFA chick in junior high, wishing for a belt-buckle for Christmas more than anything else.
When I got that belt buckle a few years later, I never wore it, as I was burnt out of the whole hick thing.
I love going to the St. Paul Rodeo but I would never want to dress up like a hick to go.
I love wearing plain white t-shirts best.
I love peace.
My favorite necklaces are multi-colored.
Purple is my ultimate favorite color. Whenever I buy something new, I usually have to think twice if it is not purple, but if it is purple, I will usually buy it pretty fast.
I have been obsessed with England for a long time, believing it to be the ideal place for me to live.
Since I’ve come to Oxford, I have decided that England is cool, but it’s just not me.
I don’t know exactly where I want to live when I grow up.
I once had a crush on JTT.
I have the same best friends from high school.
I have a serious princess complex. Yes, I was a princess in high school but I don’t know that I have ever gotten over the fact that now I am a grownup and I am not married to a prince, which means that I am no longer princess material (even though Shane thinks I will meet one of the princes while I’m here).
I’ve given up my dream of meeting a hot British boy here to marry. (yes, there are 8 weeks left but how ridiculous is that…to never have a relationship and then for the first one date someone I’m separated from by ocean).
I like jewelry.
I have a weird thing for guys in bands.
But I’ve never had a boyfriend. And I’ve never had the guts to actually let a guy know that I’m interested in him. And in all actuality, guys kind of scare me (although I have some closer guy friends here than I have had in a LONG time).
I wear holey socks.
I have a weird thing about matching my shoes to my belt (although I can’t do it here because not all my shoes are here).
I broke my umbrella and am too cheap to buy a new one even though I’ll spend money on ridiculous candy jars because the brand is “Bob’s your uncle.”
I always peel the labels off of my chapstick.
I picked Jell-o! as my camp name.
I usually HAVE to wash my sheets every two weeks but since I’ve moved here I haven’t even washed them (and its been five weeks).
I am random.
I am creative
I like to say things out of the ordinary just because that’s what I’m thinking about.
I usually drift off when people talk to me about serious things because I usually don’t know what they are talking about.
I sometimes nod my head when people ask me if I know what they’re talking about because I figure it’s not important to know anyway.
I pronounce words wrong ALL THE TIME.
I use words I learned as a child incorrectly because I never figured out what they actually mean or how they should be used.
I relate the most to Phoebe.
I can also relate to Joey quite a bit (during some of his dumb moments).
I really like things to be clean, at least in neat piles.
I used to have OCD (with my hands and the washing bit).
I had three ear related surgeries.
I sometimes forget to clean out my belly button.
I have a weird obsession with piercings (although I don’t know what else I would REALLY want pierced).
I want a tattoo but not enough to actually do it.
The pitt name (our hangout spot) was named by me.
I love photography.
Writing is a serious obsession with me but I keep getting writers block.
I write more in my journal that I would ever actually tell a human being.
God is my homeboy.
I need to go to bed.
Sincerely,
Recey 12:44 AM wed, the 13th of October in the year 2004!

Radio Sister

I've been on the radio TWICE in the past week. I'm so excited. I like my internship a lot. That said, I have a lot of homework. This post is going to be really short.

Poka! That means "later" in Ukrainian.

Stress

Stress.

It gets to me. I don't like it, but it gets to me.

This weekend was stressful. I worked on Saturday at the football game. I went to work in nurse scrubs (it was Halloween) and had two fake vampire bite marks. I was a vampire victim through and through. But my boss wasn't impressed. My co-worker helped me turn myself into a nurse vampire with some really gross, cream makeup. It was a pain. And my skin got pretty irritated.

Today wasn't so bad. The stressful part was this: I didn't get to make my bed right after waking up. I had to wait for a few hours. My sister was staying with me and so I couldn't make it all nice and tidy. I know, OCD, right? And then my clothes didn't dry in the dryer enough and have to air dry.

Okay, I get it. I'm a nutcase. Yeah. I really need a vacation.

life directions

How'd you end up here? It's a question I never really know how to answer. Is he asking if I walked or drove? Or is it why I came to Eugene? Or why I decided to come to grad school for journalism when my passion is so obviously fiction and celebrity gossip?

The truth is that I choose not to focus too much on how I got where I am. I'm always sorta focused on what I'm gonna do next. I'm a big dreamer. I love to think about future plans. Dreaming about my future job and my eventual turn to coffee shop life (owning one, not just hanging out at one all the time).

I suppose if I wanted to be a shining light of success I would try to figure out my true calling and focus on becoming the very best in my field. But I'm not too concerned about this. I have a sweet enough face that I look like a shining light (Funny, right?) and I have amazing dreams that will lead me in a good direction no matter what.

Que sera, sera. I get it.

Supergirl

I've always wanted to be like supergirl. It's true. I loved that she was a blonde superhero. I could be like her.

Now, at 26, I realize that I'm not able to be a superhero. I can't fly (well, not without a plane) and I can't do a million things at once.

It would be nice to be a superhero. Maybe I'll be more like one when I become a mother. They really have to multi-task.

For now, I'm just trying to live... without getting too overwhelmed.

(NOTE: The picture on the right is of me. It was at least 21 years ago.)

Fall Walk

Walking helps me. I get to breath the fresh Oregon air. And my feet get moving. Some days, I walk to stamp out aggression. Other days, I meander home on foot to tire myself out for an early bedtime. This video is from a day this past week. I walked just to enjoy the fall colors. And I taped my feet as they cut through the crisp leaves.

SPJ Conference Reflection

Today, I went to a conference for the SPJ (Society of Professional Journalists). It was pretty amazing. Here's what I wrote about it for class:

Inspired. That’s how I felt after listening to Jack Hart and Anna Griffin. I was inspired to write again. I wanted to explore the narrative and make every piece I write matter.

Since moving to Eugene this summer, I’ve become busy. I’m busy with work, my internship, and class work. It’s my life. It’s busy. And somehow I’ve become lazy in my writing. I get it done on time, I write the essentials, but my heart hasn’t been in it. I’m not writing the sort of work that I, myself, feel proud of. Instead, I am turning in mediocre versions of Sharece’s writing. Maybe I’m over-thinking my writing too much. It might be okay, but if I’m not satisfied, it’s highly likely that someone else who reads it may feel the same way.

When I sat in room 221 and listened to Hart and Griffin share their tales of finding story, I remembered why I came to the University of Oregon. I want to write. And although I continue to blog in true “Sharece style,” my reporting stories have lacked some of my voice. This is my new initiative. I will write like me again.

During the lunch break, after eating a few pieces of pizza, I approached Hart and his assistant at his table of books. He was eating a piece of pepperoni pizza. When he saw me, he set down the half piece of pizza and began to wipe his hands on his napkin. “You probably don’t want pizza grease on your new book, right?” A strange laugh came out of my mouth. I showed him my nametag for proper spelling of my name. After writing, “To Sharece,” he stopped. “So, Sharece,” he asked, “where are you going with your career?” I was dumbfounded. This is the question I’ve been trying to figure out since starting graduate school on June 22nd of this year. Just where exactly am I headed? The truth is: I’m not sure. I came here knowing that I want to write and edit. I wanted to become a better writer and to learn the skills needed to edit a magazine in Seattle. But since arriving here, I have realized that there is no definite path for me. My life is ever changing, ever evolving. I truly believe that I will do something amazing. I may not win a Pulitzer Prize or another fancy award, but I will do something great. This may be as small as volunteering to help kids learn to read or writing an article that impacts one person. Whatever it is, I think I’ll be okay. And although I’m pretty sure Jack Hart thought I was a bumbling idiot after our small chat at his book table, that short conversation helped me recommit to my writing.

Life...as a party

I had an interesting conversation with my father today. He's a very wise man. He's lived a lot. He's dealt with a lot of different people. I used to think his advice wasn't that good. I figured I was a little smarter than he was since I'd studied at Oxford. (Ha! Funny, right?) But recently, I've realized how smart he really is. He gets me thinking about things. And although he and I don't always agree on politics or the world around us, we can have a good conversation and talk about things that matter.

It'd be nice if in America there was a middle ground like the one my dad and I have found. I wish we could live in an America without political parties. I wish we could all live in harmony without imposing our beliefs on those around us. If only America could be more like Eugene. It's a community that allows people to live the way they want without pointing fingers. Jaywalk as long as you do it responsibly. Loiter in public places as long as you don't make it unsafe for passersby. I like the idea of everyone just being nice.

I once had a friend in high school (his name was Nic) who told me a world without war and violence would be boring. You see, I wanted peace and harmony. But Nic said that wasn't possible. But why not? Wouldn't it be nice to live in a place where people said hello and really meant it? Or maybe it wouldn't. I've been known to create my own drama. Maybe we're not supposed to all get along. I mean, we grow from our difficulties, if life was easy, maybe the world would be dull. Hmm... I guess I don't know the answer.

Christmas time is coming

Christmas is but 64 days away. Sure, Halloween hasn't exactly happened yet, but still. CHRISTMAS! What could be better to think about? It's what's getting me through my tough classes.

What ever happened to writing well?

Annoyed. That's what I am right now. I'm annoyed by the way Twilight author Stephenie Meyer butchers the English language. The first time I read the books, I was engrossed. I couldn't stop reading. I even ignored my family members to keep reading. But today, as I was listening to Twilight on audio, I became irritated. Where did she learn to write? Come on!

Okay, and I know that on occasion, I write poorly as well, but seriously, I'm not making millions of dollars for my mistakes. She does. Gross!

a few tears

Yesterday, I lost it.

I was in the presence of the most magnificant professor in the entire School of Journalism and I started to tear up. He saw the tears and said with his fabulous British accent, "Now Sharece, you've got yourself all worked up." And when I started to really cry (no sound, just water in the eyes) he said, "And now I've gone and made you cry."

Never in my life have I been more mortified. Not only did my delightful professor feel bad for my tears, but he thought it was somehow his fault.

The truth is that I have too much on my plate. There are breaks in my crazy schedule when I come home and COULD be stressing over more homework or assignments, but those are the times when I take a break to maintain my sanity. It is during those times that I relish in the laziness of nothing. I sit. I do art. Anything to keep my mind working while keeping away the stress-induced-zits that seem to be popping up everywhere.

I'm hoping my stress will cool down a bit. My "fun" class on Monday nights is over now, so I guess now I have three extra hours free to work on projects. I'll be okay. That is, as long as I can avoid crying in front of my brilliant British professor again.

I think my hair is under attack!

Today was my day off. I didn't want to do any homework. I wanted to go to the movies, work on my Christmas letters, and do artsy things at home. With this plan from the beginning, I didn't plan on dressing up nice or trying a nice hairdo for my morning at the movies.

When the movie was over, I walked through the mall towards the exit closest to World Market. On my way, I heard a voice, "Excuse me." I thought the young woman had a question about the mall so I stopped for a second. It was a young blond woman with too much makeup and a fake tan. "Do you style your hair? Ever?" Shocked at the saleswoman's stupidity, I laughed, said no, and started walking again.

I guess I could have been really offended, told her to shove it, and walked off in a huff. But truly, I found the situation funny. I'm 26. I was wearing pigtails in my hair. Does she really think I'm going to try out her little products she's selling? Probably not. I mean, it's not as if Tina Fey wants me to guest star on 30 Rock. (For that gig, I just might get a consultation on my appearance.)

I had a good day. I like relaxed Saturdays. And quite frankly, I loved my hair in pigtails. I kinda go for the messy look every once in a while...

Hmm...

Deadlines, deadlines

I'm heading into a career in journalism. Deadlines are going to become a part of my daily life. Right now, I'm fighting against my class deadlines, getting my work finished on time. I'm stressed. I haven't slept my required eight hours in days. And I'm pretty sure I will run out of underwear for lack of upkeep in the laundry department. I think I need a house husband, someone to take care of me while I'm in school.

Any thoughts?

clip

Check out my first "clip" in four years.

Eek! My Life is Running Away from Me!

"Time is more valuable than money.You can get more money but you can't get more time." --Jim Rohn--

Since September 29th, my days have been getting more and more busy. I get stressed out. I'm not quite sure what to do about it. I mean, I brought it all on myself. I purposely signed up for just ONE more class. I'm the one who wanted my internship. It's really MY FAULT. But that's okay. I'll live. I always do.



I miss 1989. Back then my hair fit in cute ponytails. I was shy enough not to say too much. I hadn't gotten any cavities. And the world was still unknown to me.

That was twenty years ago. Today, I'm just the cynical yet fun, strange girl in the flannel pajamas.

FAQ about Ukraine

Note: This was done for a class I had recently. Just wanted to share some of the things I do in my fabulous life as a grad student.

Frequently Asked Questions about Ukraine
By Sharece Bunn, Returned Peace Corps Volunteer, Ukraine

When I tell someone that I spent 27 months as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ukraine, I usually get asked many questions. Not many people I meet know a lot about Ukraine. Some don’t even know where Ukraine lies on a map. To help clear this up, I have answered a few simple questions about Ukraine. These answers are based solely on my personal experience and readings I may have done while I lived there.

Where is Ukraine? Is it in Europe?
Ukraine is in Eastern Europe. Ukraine is just north of the Black Sea. It borders on Moldova, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Poland, Belarus, and Russia. Some people wrongly assume that Ukraine is just a part of Russia. Ukraine gained independence in 1991.

What are Ukrainian people like?
Ukrainian people vary in personality, just like they do any place in the world, but Ukrainians tend to share several traits. In public, Ukrainians often have a stoic, stern expression, scaring visitors. But this reserved public appearance changes the moment you make contact with the person and engage him or her in a conversation. Most Ukrainians are very hospitable. It would not be uncommon to meet a random Ukrainian on the street or at the market, chat for a few moments, and be invited into that person’s home for a meal.

What language do they speak in Ukraine?
Ukraine’s national language is Ukrainian. But most Ukrainians also speak Russian. School children are required to take language courses in both Ukrainian and Russian. Ukrainian is more melodic than Russian. In western Ukraine, the language tends to be a mixture of Polish and Ukrainian. In central Ukraine, people speak Sergic, a combination of Ukrainian and Russian. In Kyiv, which is the capital of Ukraine, Crimea, southern Ukraine, and eastern Ukraine, people speak predominantly Russian. In these regions, speaking Ukrainian may seem nationalistic to the locals, who remain loyal to their Russian neighbors.

What’s the weather like?
Ukraine has four distinct seasons. The winter tends to be extremely cold. The winter of 2005-2006 was reportedly the coldest winter in 30 years which temperatures below 20 degrees Celsius. Spring was moderate. Summers were very warm which led people to swim in the polluted rivers. Fall was gorgeous and tended to have a crisp cool air on mornings when there was no rain.

What do Ukrainians think about Americans?
Depending on their exposure to Americans and American culture, Ukrainians have different views on Americans and life in America. Many young teenagers imagine that American life is similar to that of life on the original Beverly Hills 90210 television show. Thus, many students believe that America is merely Hollywood. I was often asked if I had met Angelina Jolie which to me seemed preposterous.

Although most Ukrainians I met saw America as a rich land full of opportunity, there were also those who were well educated on the politics and economy of America. One such person challenged the true prosperity of America. With such high national debt, he wondered if America should be considered a rich country.

How do people dress? Are they interested in fashion?
An old Beatles song has the words, “Ukrainian girls really knock me out.” Ukrainian woman are traditionally thin and beautiful. As long as girls keep their figures, they can shop for the tight-fitting shirts and rhinestone jeans which dominate the clothing market. Dressing up is essential to going in public. Although it may be appropriate to wear sweats to the neighbor’s house to buy a jug of milk, once Ukrainians hit the main drag of town, shoes ought to be shined and pants and shirt had better be clean.

How does the standard of living in Ukraine compare to that in America?
Ukrainians are on a different scale of living than Americans. A middle-class American family would be a rich family in Ukraine. Although more cars are headed on the road in Ukraine, families would never have two cars.

In 2007, women who worked in shops in small towns in Ukraine made one hundred hryvna a week, a total of 20 dollars. My one bedroom apartment cost me 20 dollars in rent per month. Many older homes and some newly built homes do not have indoor plumbing. If people build their houses in stages, they may have to wait to do plumbing until later and will often make do with relieving themselves on the street while they wait for the house to be complete.

What are some common hobbies? What do they do for fun?
Children in Ukraine like to play soccer. Boys often want to be like Andriy Shevchenko, their star “footballer.” Other common interests include reading, embroidery, and watching TV. Friday and Saturday nights are reserved for Ukrainian parties, when friends gather at the disco to drink vodka and dance.

What kind of work do they do in Ukraine?
Ukraine is called the breadbasket of Europe. Agriculture has always been a dominant trade. Jobs in Ukraine are similar to those in America. There are teachers, lawyers, bank tellers, postal workers, shop keepers, preachers, cooks, retirees, you name it. Ukrainians generally have a very strong work ethic. Various difficulties in the country’s history have made them this way. It’s quite common for people to work past the normal retirement age. In an attempt to lower cost of living in Ukraine, Ukrainians also grow their own food in gardens.

List girl

I am a person of lists. My mom is probably the one who taught me to be this way. She used to write things in a list that she'd already done just to be able to check them off. And I make a lot of lists: shopping lists, goals for the year, homework to do, people to call or write, upcoming concerts, etc.

Here is a random list for your viewing pleasure...

Things to do before 2010 hits:
* Dress up for Halloween
* Finish fall term with fabulous skills (of course)
* Download Christmas with Weezer
* Write my Christmas letter
* Visit Idaho to see Sister
* Buy black boots
* Watch New Moon with friends
* Go to a corn maze
* Finish bookbinding class and then bind books for fun
* Apply for summer internships

Yeah, making lists can actually be a little crazy. Why do I make lists of these things far off (in some cases) when I really don't even know what'll happen tomorrow. Hmph.

Living as a Bunn

Growing up with the name Bunn was such a chore. In grade school, I was afraid that the kids would mix up my name with butt or bum. Whenever I had a new crush, I would try out my name with his name, eager to get rid of the horrid name of Bunn.

In high school, I had an idiot of a biology teacher. He asked me why my parents didn't name me hotdog or hamburger. Seriously, he was an idiot.

In college, I had a friend who never called me by my first name, but always called me, "Bunn." And a friend at Oxford added an "s," dubbing me "Bunns." Somehow, through all that, I started to like my last name.

Today, as I was purchasing something at the Duck Store, I had to spell out my name. "It's Bunn. B-U-N-N, like the coffee maker. The people behind the counter were clueless. Perhaps Bunn coffee makers are over.

One of my favorite Bunn moments in the past week was when my interview partner asked me, "What kind of a name is Bunn?" He was actually trying to ask about my heritage but I answered, "Well, I don't know. It's a weird one, I guess, but it's my name."

Being a Bunn is fun. I don't really mind the jokes I used to fear. This afternoon, a friend actually asked me if when my mom was pregnant with me if they joked about having a Bunn in the oven. I laughed. It IS funny.

I like being a Bunn. My name is fun. Granted, it ties me to some crazy right-wingers, but that's okay. It's just life.

Homework haze

Today was supposed to be my day for homework. I wrote it on my calendar. Since class got over on Thursday, I have been planning to use today to complete all the reading and writing I must do. It's 4:54 PM on my computer. I have yet to begin the required reading for class. Where has my Sunday gone? This is not good.

So, my friends, wish me luck because I am going to pore over my very intense readings in just a few moments.

Brothers & Sisters

In the past 24 hours, I have discovered what I consider to be a great TV show. It's a show about family, politics, and family fighting over politics. I'd heard of it before it started. I'd read about it in People Magazine, but I wasn't living in the US, thus I couldn't start watching the show.

The show is called, Brothers & Sisters. It's a show starring Calista Flockhart, Rob Lowe, and Sally Field. I wanted to watch it because Flockhart was so great in Ally McBeal and I figured her return to television would be great. I was right.

Family dynamics in the show are sensational. They remind me a bit of my own family and the fights, both political and personal, we have between one another.

Sunday night at 10 PM, the drama continues. If I can manage it (homework done and ready for school and work tomorrow), I will most definitely tune in.

Days of Fashion

"Fashon is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months."
--Oscar Wilde--

On occasion, I wear something so great that I actually receive compliments for my fashion sense. More often, I find myself complimenting others after which they give me a once over and keep tight-lipped, not giving me a compliment in return.

I'm not a fashion girl. Living a total of 32 months in Europe didn't turn me into a fashionista. If anything, it made my need for comfort 30% more important.

I'm considering starting a best and worst dressed wall for myself somewhere in my apartment. I would take pictures of myself in all interesting outfits and place them on either side. This would at least make me more aware of what I'm wearing.

But this might take a lot of work. Perhaps I will try this in 2010. It could be quite a fun project.

Thoughts of Oregon

I was born in Oregon. And although there have been times that I have moved away from my beloved state, I have continued to come back time after time. Recently, I have heard a lot of people in my JSchool (what we call the U of O's School of Journalism and Communication) classes talk about how unique and almost arrogant Oregon is. I'm not sure how I feel about what they are saying. Yes, Oregon is a fantastic state. It's beautiful. There are tons of things to do here. We have mountains, the ocean, great sports, and interesting and "weird" cities to explore. I enjoy the fact that people are starting to recognize this, but I don't want my state taken over by a people wanting to exploit Oregon for all its greatness. This is what my colleagues were referring to when they speak about Oregon's arrogance. I suppose we like our independence here. We like to be relatively unknown. Although I like that new people move here and fall in love with the Oregon culture, I don't want EVERYONE to know about it. I mean, wouldn't it be horrible if Oregon became completely overpopulated? I sure think it would be terrible.

But on a lighter note, in May, I drove through my birth city. LaGrande, Oregon is a pretty cute city. It's dry. The lack of green is quite disturbing, but other than that it's a pretty great city. And I was born there. Hmm...that might make it one of Oregon's greatest cities!

all work, no play

Every once in a while, I use a drill at work. It's kind of fun. I prefer the actual sewing of the booklets, but the drill comes in handy when people congregate around the sink and chat about the placement of the recycle bins. The loud drill sends them back to work.

Life as a grad student is getting more and more complicated. Thus, this is short. I must read for class.

First Day of School

My mom stayed at home with me until I started first grade. She treated me as her sidekick. She took me everywhere with her and probably shared too much about the family finances, etc. with me, her little girl. Example, as a first grader, I was deeply concerned with the prospect of paying for college. Taking out loans didn't make sense. If I didn't have money, there was simply no way to pay for college.

Lucky for me, I didn't turn into a complete worrywart. Instead, I became a cute little girl in bright neon pants. My mom and my aunt picked out this outfit for me to wear on my first day of school EVER. I had stayed home for kindergarten. Thus, first grade with Mrs. Corona was my first experience with public school.

My sister, Shelli, also had to wear the neon clothes that year. She didn't like them much. I LOVED them. That outfit is probably what turned me on to my love of really intense colors. I need color to survive, thus the variety of colored objects found throughout my apartment.

I was a shy kid back in first grade. I had a crush on a boy in my class and would never speak up about it. My parents convinced me that liking boys should not be a priority, so instead of talking to the boys or telling my friends about my crushes, I lived with all my feelings inside. That's just no good on a little girl. No wonder I'm so confused in relationships.

Today was my first day as a full-time grad student. I have some pretty cool classes and an incredibly full schedule. Sometimes I wish I could be like the shy girl in the bright neon pants in the picture. But I can't. I'll just have to keep being the crazy girl with black and green glasses trudging through life in Eugene.

Chillin' at the Beach

Stress isn't fun. To keep stress away, we often need to get away and experience a change of scenery. Today, my two bosses and and I left work early and headed to the beach. It was nice. I hadn't planned on going to the beach, but the spontaneous trip made the day-before-school-starts a fabulous day.
My friend (and boss) Brenda decided to play Baywatch while we were walking. She kept running in slow motion and tried to get Audrey and I to join in. I finally did and during my fifteen seconds as a baywatch girl, my hat flew off and my coat started to float away. It was crazy!

I still think I might want to live on the coast when I'm a "real" adult. Okay, I know I'm an adult now, but I feel as if going back to school has taken away some of the adult responsibility. I'll get there. Three more terms of classes, an internship, and a huge project and it'll be time for me to settle down!

Sand relaxes people. Walking in it usually causes people to slow down a bit. The desk sand boxes in offices help people calm down after stressful meetings. Sand is just awesome. And there is a lot of it at the beach.

"You've got to take the bull by the teeth."
--Samuel Goldwyn--

My dad is a take charge kind of guy. He's very direct and honest, sometimes making waves and hurting feelings as he moves. I like to be direct as well. But my life gets difficult when I try to tell people things without hurting their feelings. If I seem to be saying something, it's probably true. I don't like to fake feelings, but I also HATE hurting other peoples' feelings. This can leave me in a tough spot. Is it best to hurt someone's feelings with my honesty or should I continue to get annoyed by a person's inability to get my subtle message?

Hmph.

Christmas dreams in late September

It's getting close to Christmas. I know, I know. Technically, Halloween comes first, but in Sharece's world, Halloween is just the opener before Christmas season really begins.

To start out my "Holidays," I put up the three Halloween decorations I own. I also got a head start on my Christmas card/letter list. That's right, I already have begun writing addresses on my Christmas cards. It's exciting and fun. I won't write the letter until after Halloween. (I hope.) I've been itching to write my Christmas letter for weeks, but I feel that things are sure to get exciting in October. If nothing else, I need to at least start classes before jumping into my Christmas letter.

I'm contemplating watching a Christmas movie tonight, but I could also watch some more Grey's or the BBC mini-series, The Pallisers. Oh, decisions.

Happy (early) Holidays, folks!

Little Miss Chatterbox

A few years ago, I bought the small book, Little Miss Chatterbox. My mom and sister thought it was the funniest thing ever. Why would they think this was so hilarious? Well, it was because they thought of me as a Little Miss Chatterbox.

It's true, I suppose. I like to talk. Today, when taking the bus to Gateway Mall, I actually talked to TWO fellow passengers. This isn't normal for me. Often I try to appear disinterested, but today I felt incredibly chatty. It was nice.

Finding this Little Miss Chatterbox at Target today made me incredibly happy. I'm considering buying it for myself. I mean, seriously, I have a cabbage patch doll on my bed. This cute pink thing would fit right in!

I suppose I should quit being chatty blogger now. Thanks for reading!

the Rumor Weed

A few weeks ago, I went to spend time with an old friend. We made soap together. But in the time when we weren't making soap, we hung out with her kids. They were so cute and adorable. The older kid told me about the rumor weed. They talked about the rumor weed at Vacation Bible School this summer. The rumor weed is the worst weed. It chokes people and hurts everyone.

I talk a lot. I'm not always sure what I talk about, but I know that I talk a lot. I hope that I'm not just a rumor spreader. I don't want to be like Michael Scott on a recent episode of The Office. I think I'm better than that.

Ketchup Queen

As a child, I disliked ketchup. It tasted yucky. It wasn't until I was in late grade school that I started to taste the red sauce. Maybe I thought it looked too much blood. Or I could have thought it was too salty. All I really remember is that it was a girl named Abby who got me to eat the ketchup. Our church kids' group went to McDonalds for special outings and Abby ALWAYS had ketchup. I tried it once, wanting to be as cool as my new brown-haired friend. It was okay, I guess, I have been a ketchup person ever since. But better than that, I've stayed friends with that ketchup-loving cool girl. We ended up hanging out in school. We were even best friends in high school.

It's crazy how food can meld a memory and bring people together.

Apples and such

"An apple is an excellent thing - until you have tried a peach."
--GEORGE DU MAURIER--

In high school, I loved VeggieTales. My Bible study watched some of the movies. We talked in depth about the messages in the films and how they applied to our lives.

My favorite parts were the Silly Songs with Larry. My favorite song was the cheeseburger song with Mr. Lunt. I showed the song to my dad. He hated it. He thought the subliminal message was to forget about our "bacon and eggs" and head for the cheeseburger. Basically, he thought the song condoned cheating. I was shocked. To me, the song was just funny. I mean seriously, it was a song about a cheeseburger. A vegetable was the singer. Was this really something I needed to analyze?

I like apples. They are my favorite fruit. Sure, on occasion, I'll buy a peach, but it will always be second to my solid, gala apple. I couldn't ever buy a peach unless I already had an apple for lunch.

I believe in honesty and loyalty. I'm sticking with my apple, no matter what.

Caprice and me

CAPRICIOUS: (adjective) impulsive, like when you change your mind on a whim, or unpredictable, like when you're teetering on the edge of disaster

My Ukrainian host mother, Alya, once told me that I was capricious. What? I wondered. I didn't know the word in Ukrainian. We had to look up the translation. At first, I was shocked. I know my own mind, I thought. Why would Alya think that I was such a flake?

It turns out that this word describes me more than I would think. It's not a horrible thing. It's not as if I can't make small decisions and rely on other people to help. Instead, I tend to make decisions quickly and on a whim. My check book has always suffered from this part of me. I'm what my mom calls an impulsive shopper. It's sad, I know.

Before coming to the U of O, I actually had a bit of a mid-twenties crisis. I couldn't decide whether or not to attend. I asked so many people for advice. What should I do, I asked. In the end, it didn't really matter what they said. I decided to come here because I fell in love with the program, or the idea of the program at least.

I'm hoping that my capriciousness doesn't hinder me in some way. Example: meeting some guy on a trip to Vegas and getting hitched because I "feel the spark." Not a good idea. We'll see. I never know quite how my life is going to turn out. And that's a good thing, I think.

sister of England

"No people have true common sense but those who are born in England."
--CHARLES DE MONTESQUIEU--

When I was in high school, I started to beieve that I had been born in the wrong place. I thought I belonged in England, that I should have been born there. My inability to catch a high school boyfriend led me to develop a crush on Prince William. This crush extended to all boys with British accents. Upon graduation, I planned to move to England, permanently, and to find my prince.

Things didn't turn out quite how I had planned. Instead of going to England, I went to Idaho. I felt it was a good choice. It was my two sisters that drew me to college at NNU. During my four years at NNU, I spent five months living in England. I liked it, but decided that I didn't want to live there forever. Perhaps the truth was that I didn't feel scholarly enough to live there forever. Nonetheless, I ended up back in the states.

These days, I am starting to long for England again. I miss her rich history and the beautiful underground. Hopefully, I'll be heading back there before I hit 30. I have a few years. It could happen.

Date Night

Friday nights are fun nights. Couples go home, dress up, and head out for an evening free of work and chaos. Some watch movies. Some hang out in the bars. Others go to friends' houses. But basically, Fridays are the day to celebrate and enjoy the start of the weekend.

Tonight, I had a lame Friday night (date night). It wasn't due to not having a date (which I didn't have because at present I have no boyfriend). Nor was it because I didn't hang out at a bar or restaurant with my Eugene friends.

My night was lame because I called the dell guy. For 30 minutes, I waited on the phone for someone to answer. During this time, I sliced some bread, wrote a thank you card, and wrote a complaint on facebook. Then, Nicolas in Florida answered the phone. For an hour and fifteen minutes, Nic and I tried to figure out what is wrong with my computer. We had no luck. When he was working with me on the computer, everything seemed to be fine. Talk about embarrassing. He had a cute voice so of course I was a little embarrassed. But now, as I sit here typing, my keys continue to fail me.

My date with Nic was unsuccessful. My computer is still a little edgy. She's mad about something I'm sure. And I'm pretty sure I'll never chat with Nic, my dell date, ever again.

what ice cream should be

Ice cream should be flavorful. This is one lesson I have yet to teach my parents. These two sixty-somethings think that vanilla is the best and only flavor of ice cream. What could they possibly be thinking? What about Goo-Goo Cluster? Peppermint? And cheesecake ice cream? There are so many kinds of ice cream.

This morning, my mom bought pumpkin ice cream for me. I made a big deal about the kind of ice cream we were going to eat at our barbeque. It should be good. At least it's not plain, boring vanilla.

Movie girl

Movies. I absolutely love movies. I think that going to a movie is one of my favorite things to do for fun. I suppose it has something to do with my family. That used to be what our family did together. We'd go to the movies for New Years or sometimes even on Christmas day.

Today, I went to see All About Steve with my best friend's mom. It was pretty good. I laughed so hard through the first half. It was so crazy and ridiculous. And then the movie's ending was just as it should have been. I'm probably not going to buy it, but I imagine netflixing it in the future.

Band of Horses

When I was in Ukraine, I started getting into music. I discovered Death Cab and realized that there was an entire part of loving music that I was missing. My concert experience had been extremely limited. Since the end of 2007, I have been trying to fix the problem. I go to concerts. I listen to music I love. I'm starting to try bands I kinda know. I did that tonight.

Tonight, Band of Horses came to Eugene. I bought their newest CD a few weeks ago, to get ready for the concert. It helped to know a few of the songs, but I still think I could have loved the show had I not known any of the tunes.

Here is a video of one of my favorite of their songs. It's the first song of their second album, the one I currently own.

I'm hoping to check out some other bands and music around Eugene this fall. If you have any suggestions, please share.

Ring, ring

Dayton is a small town. Just about everybody knows the names of everybody around them. New people don't take long getting acquainted and finding their footing in the community.

In junior high, I broke out of my first shell. (I would say I have had more than one shell because of the VARIOUS changes I've gone through in my life.) I was loud, I was outgoing, and I was easy to talk to. At the beginning of my eighth grade year, I became the new girl's first best friend. We had P.E. together. I'm sure she picked me because I could fill her in on all the gossip. I've always been good at juicing up stories. Nonetheless, the two of us became good friends. I realized this when she called me every day to talk on the phone. "What do I say to her?" I asked my mom. You see, I didn't like talking on the phone. It seemed like a waste. I didn't understand the purpose. If we wanted to talk, why not just hang out at the Pirate's Den?

My opinion on phone talking changed when I moved to England. The first time, when I studied in London, I would find the red telephone booths and call my mom from them. They were so cool. I refused to call her from another type of phone. When I lived in Oxford, I came to enjoy the phone even more. I would call my mom or my sister, Shanna, to find out new news and see what was up on the homefront.

The real phone-talker in me came out in Ukraine. I called my mom once asking her to give me a wake-up call. At the time, I didn't know how to set my phone alarm. Later, I would call my sister, Shanna, because there were people shouting at me outside my windows at 2 a.m. Although I enjoyed my life in Ukraine, it was essential for me to keep in contact with my people back home.

In the past few years, I have tried to become less of a phone-talker again. Unfortunately, I can hardly go a day without talking to my mom on the phone. There is always a really good story to tell her. And my sister, Shelli, lives all the way in Idaho. The only way I can keep up with her is via telephone.

Today, I talked to my seven-year-old nephew, Spencer, on the phone for a few minutes. After telling me a few things about school and his new teacher, he told me that his mouth hurt so he couldn't talk anymore. Um, that's just funny. How many times have I wanted to tell people that my ear or my hand is killing me? I'm a dork. I know it. Before, I've positioned my phone to rest on the same pillow as my head so I didn't have to work at talking on the phone. Perhaps I should invest in one of those headsets for my cell phone.

Phones are okay. They keep us connected. I just like to chat too much. Phones COULD become a real problem. If that ever happens and I have to go to AA-type meetings regarding phone use, you'll still probably be able to find me active on facebook. I'm just THAT kind of social!

Losing Touch

Many times in my life, I have left the people closest to me. Usually it was for good reason, I was going to college, it was time to study abroad, or my Peace Corps service was starting. I've just always been the one who leaves. And those people who I was close to asked me to "keep in touch." I'm good at keeping in touch. I write letters, I blog, I even send out a Christmas letter.

But there have been a few times when my attempt to "keep in touch" has felt a little strange. After a year or two of not speaking to someone, I have in many cases whipped out my stationary and drafted an informative and friendly letter. The recipient receives the letter and wonders, "what is going on? I haven't heard from her in forever. Why is she writing now?" Was the request to keep in touch insincere? Is it bad to try to maintain old friendships?

I understand the priciple of losing touch. If I lived in the days of wagon trains and five pound bags of flour, I would have left my parents' house once and never have seen them again. I'm glad I never endured that kind of a parting.

I like to be the one with the wordy letters. Writing is fun. Why not send a letter to a person I grew up with? Isn't it better to send a note than to wonder what could have happened should I have kept in touch?

I like to write. This is how I keep acquainted with old friends.

Headaches and weakness

During my sophomore year at NNU, a guy I kinda knew died. My friend, Nicole, was really broken up about it. The two of them were in the outdoor club together and spent a lot of time talking and becoming good friends. His death was caused by a brain aneurism. I had never heard of such a thing before, but if he died because of it, I wanted to avoid such things happening in my head.

In the past three years, I have become somewhat obsessed with the show, Grey's Anatomy. I like the stories. The drama between doctors is much more interesting than my life. But the one thing that makes me cry and causes my hidden emotions to come out are the sad moments. The moments of death, the second things go wrong.

I try to shut off my emotions. My dad raised me to believe that tears are a sign of weakness. I've never liked to cry. I find it embarrasssing. Showing my empathetic side to people I don't know or don't care about makes me physically ill when I have ever cried in public. But enough about my emotions.

Hypochondria is something I could develop. I'm pretty sure I have a small case of it now. Every time I get a headache, I text my mom to inform her that my aneurism may cause my death. I'm not trying to be disrespectful or anything, it's just that I know that pain in my head isn't natural. Shouldn't it be a good thing to inform someone of my pain.

I have such a headache today. It's not a big one. I'm sure it'll pass. Most likely it is a symptom of dehydration. I'll drink more water. Don't worry. I'm pretty sure I'll be okay. But if I don't post something tomorrow, you might need to check on me!

Weird is a weird word

"The only normal people are the ones you don't know very well."
--JOE ANCIS--

Unique. This is a word I use to describe myself. In every way, I strive to be more unique than other people I am around. Following the crowd frustrates me. I don't like to be clumped into big groups. Standing out is somewhat exhilarating to me.

Today, I watched a fabulous movie (Post Grad) in which the mom worries about her son being weird. After voicing her concerns, her mother-in-law (Carol Burnett) responds that, "Weird indicates a creative force." I believe it. It feels good to be weird.

Music writing

"Writing about music is like dancing about architecture-it's really a stupid thing to want to do."
--ELVIS COSTELLO--

When I first watched the movie, Almost Famous, I was 21 years old and I lived in Oxford, England. There was only one more semester of college left and I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. I thought about joining the Peace Corps. It seemed like a good idea. Living abroad suited me. But then I watched the movie. I thought it was awesome. I started to see visions of myself as "the enemy," writing for Rolling Stone magazine.

I didn't follow through with Rolling Stone. Joining the Peace Corps was a much easier path to take.

The thing about writing for something like Rolling Stone is that with that publication, writers are sure to get personal with the musicians. It's not like one of the other music magazines in which writers steal material to create new articles, completely bastardizing the words and theories of the musician.

And now about music. I like music. Going to concerts and listening to new bands has become one of my things in the past few years. Besides writing about that, I probably would feel like I was dancing about architecture.

Up late

"Whoever thinks of going to bed before twelve o'clock is a scoundrel."
--SAMUEL JOHNSON--

When I lived in Ukraine, I spent many a late night at the disco-tech. It was part of my weekly ritual. My friend, Yana, really liked to go and as I was a young person, it was pretty much expected for me to go. It was fun. I went just about every Friday night from December 2006 to March of 2007. That's when I grew out of it. My students went to the disco and I found it weird to be in that environment with them.

Here in Eugene, I've started to have a bit of a night life as well. I LOVE trivia night and am bummed every time I miss it. 80s night is also fun. I find the dancing rather hilarious. I dance like a nerdy teenager and don't usually stay too late.

This week, my allergies have kept me in my apartment. I have loved this staying in so much that I know I have become an old lady. I like my apartment too much. But that's okay. My friend and I are living up our twenties and will hopefully dancing to some Madonna tonight.

I'm sure that when I'm young, I'm supposed to enjoy staying up late, but I really just like to sleep. I mean seriously, sleep is awesome!

death of a Kennedy

When I checked my e-mail this morning, I stumbled upon the Yahoo! headline. Senator Ted Kennedy was dead. It's sad. I like the Kennedys. I still think that I would have voted for JFK or Bobby Kennedy had I been alive when they ran for office.

In the afternoon, I listened to an NPR interview with Senator Kennedy from 2006. He spoke about being a father figure to his kids after his brothers were assassinated. How tough of a job would that be? Could you even imagine dealing with your siblings' extremely public murders and keep a clear head to help care for their kids?

I'm sure Ted Kennedy will be remembered in a variety of different ways. Some might see him as a fun hero. Others see him as an American optimist. I see him as one of the great Kennedys.

Poka, Ted.

Cow Tales

"To control your cow, give it a bigger pasture."
Roshi Suzuki

My dad has cows. He first invested in cows while I was living in Ukraine. I found out when one day my mom called to say that my brother convinced my dad to buy two cows at an auction for a total of $3,000. I was shocked. Immediately, I started to visualize all the things I could buy with that kind of money. My monthy stipend from Peace Corps was about $300. Spending ten times that on cows didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.

By the time I moved home, my father had expanded his herd. I never got into the farm work while I lived with them so I never got the total count. But before anyone starts to assume that I just ignored the beasts, let me remind you of a day I spent in Dayton, Oregon. It was a sunny day. I was getting ready to drive to my mom's office to take her the car when I noticed about six cows standing in the front lawn. I freaked out and called her. While on the phone, I noticed that none of the cows had tags "so they must not be Daddy's," I told her. She suggested calling him anyway to see where the cows came from.

After stepping outside to take some photos, I called my dad. "There are cows on the lawn, but they can't be yours because there aren't any ear tags." The shouting on the other end could have made me cry had I not already been incredibly irritated.

Since my dad had driven to Salem, I was the only person around to get the cows back. As I got some feed and lured them back through the gate, I muttered obscenities under my breath.

When I finally thought I was done, a neighbor walked onto the road to say that a cow was in his lawn. As I had already closed the cows' gate, I locked the remaining cow in the shop area. I prayed for it to poop on my dad's tools as a sort of retribution for his leaving TWO fences open.

Cows aren't usually my gig. I still want to try milking one, but other than that, I suppose cows oughta stay out of my way.

Dreams in ill health

"Sleep is te only source of invention."
--Marcel Proust--

I often have very vivid dreams. I either wake up in the middle of the night during a scary dream or wake up in the morning feeling as if I just had the best time catching up with an old friend. Sometimes I feel as if I may be experiencing deja vu because I had lived the experience in my dreams before.

Tonight, I have a runny nose. My head feels stuffy and I'm semi-exhausted. I'm curious to see if when I feel like this my dreams become more or less exciting.

$$$Money$$$

"Money is the root of all evil, and yet it is such a useful root that we cannot get on without it any more than we can without potatoes."
--Louisa May Alcott--

When I was in first grade, my older brother, Shane, was starting to look at colleges. I remember how he and my mother would slave over brochures and try to figure out what he could do to pay for his education.

At age 6, I tended to worry a bit more than was healthy for a 40-pound-girl and started to cry, claiming that I was never going to be able to afford college.

In junior high, I started to raise animals in the FFA. It was so exciting to have shopping money. But instead of saving the money for college or even towards a car, I spent it buying Christian CDs and Jesus fan-fiction at Touch of Heaven, the local Christian book supplier.

Sure enough, when I went to college, my savings were down to nothing and I was forced to student-loan myself through college.

During my 26 years on earth, I have struggled with money. I have spent too much of it, had too little of it, and loathed the very thought of it. It would be nicer if we could go back to the old days when people traded their goods for other goods. But I wouldn't do well in a prairie skirt and there is no way I'd be a good woman in those days.

Instead, I will have to fight against the money that disgusts me. I'll keep to my budget and try not to become as careless with my money as politicians can be with their power.

Luckily, my future will be in writing and not in managing one's purse or working at the bank.

Word for word

I love California: I practically grew up in Phoenix.
--Dan Quayle--

We, in America, like to make fun of our leaders. Shows like Saturday Night Live and 30 Rock thrive on the mockery of the people we in America voted for. As a member of the future press, I am learning about the reality we live in. To be famous, to be a celebrity figure, one must get used to the daily spotlight. Jennifer Aniston has become a sort of icon for bad relationships. Barack Obama is depicted as both a Jesus-type figure, coming to save us all and as a non-American. The press has the ability to shape the minds of Americans. We print what we want to print and even if we try not to, we often put our own slant in our work.

Dan Quayle was vice president from 1989 to 1993. During those four years, I was in the first to fourth grades. I didn't know about his politics. All I knew was that my parents liked him a lot and my dad read his book. Quayle is a fine example of someone who shouldn't talk to the press. His reputation for saying the wrong thing earned him the reputation of a nitwit of sorts. I mean, look at the quote above. Taken word for word, it makes him look like an ignoramus.

I'm glad I never chose to go into politics. If I had, all the old letters I have written would resurface and I would surely be written about in an unfortunate light. It's good to be me. I can say what I want and nobody writes it down for others to see.

Tarantino and his Inglourious Basterds

Dulce bellum inexpertis.
War is delightful to those who have no experience of it.
**Erasmus**

At 12:30 this afternoon, I experienced my first Quentin Tarantino film. The Kill Bill movies were hits when I was in college, but I was too busy reading or watching TV on DVD to pay much attention. My blindness was put to an end thanks to Facebook. About a month ago, I saw a post on BJ Novak's fan page about Inglourious Basterds. The Office's Ryan had finally made it into the movies. After watching the trailer, I decided I had to see this off-kilter depiction of World War II.

The movie was truly fabulous. Not only was Brad Pitt's acting superb, but I believe Tarantino was able to get at least 4 of the 7 emotions out of me in the 153 minutes I sat in the theater.

I have no doubt that I will soon be sitting in the theater yet again, picking out the interesting details and different stories in the film.

Today, I might have become a Quentin Tarantino fan. My queue on Netflix has been consulted on the matter. I will be watching his previous films early this fall.

Bugs are taking over my life!

Just under five minutes ago, I saw a black creature crawling across my ceiling. Being the unsimpathetic spider-killer I am, I reached for my flip-flop to end its life. The spider wouldn't take my abuse and jumped from the ceiling to an unseen place behind my bookshelf. I don't like bugs. I never have.

For the past few weeks, I have been encountering ants throughout my apartment. First, I found the small army that had overtaken my box of cheerios. Next, I found the spot in the carpet where the ants were hiding. And this morning, a rogue ant was spinning in circles on my kitchen floor

I can't get rid of bugs. Perhaps I can lure them out of my house by having a picnic in the courtyard of my apartment complex. If I fall asleep among the sandwiches and fruit perhaps the ants would carry me away.

Tonight, I'll just try to fall asleep, hopefully without any dreams of crazy bugs trying to take over my world.

I ain't no Julie or Julia

My father is a chef. He doesn't do it for money. In fact, after a tough day in the kitchen, the most he usually gets are a few words of praise and a satisfied stomach. If he had the money, I am sure he would enroll in Western Culinary Institute's Le Cordon Bleu program.

I have not been graced with my father's love of food, either the preparation or the consumption of certain delicacies. As a child, I ate hamburgers without the bun. I felt that since my last name was Bunn it was inappropriate to ingest an item with the same name. And although I have been known to snitch food on occasion, it hasn't made me any more adventurous when perusing a menu. Instead, I am a few pounds heavier and have cavities to prove that chocolate and sweets aren't necessarily beneficial to one's health.

For about a week in high school, I considered becoming a chef. I had been watching Friends non-stop and had decided that it wouldn't be so bad to be like Monica, so long as I was married to my own Chandler in the end.

Tonight, I was almost inspired to come home and cook myself an Italian feast. I say almost because in the end it didn't happen. Not only do I not have a stove or an oven, but I still can't figure out how to use my George Foreman grill to cook my chicken. The chicken has been defrosting in my fridge for three days. I'm thinking that it is going to go bad before I get the guts to grill it up right.

As to my inspiration, that was due to the fabulous movie, Julie & Julia. I went mid-afternoon and was surprised at how many people went to watch the movie. The amount of 60 and 70-somethings reminded me a little too much of my Grandma's funeral. I imagine Wednesday might be date night for the sexagenarians or maybe they get an "old-foggie" discount.

The movie made me laugh and it made me cry. One young gentleman leaving the theater claimed, "I can't believe they never met!" to which I say, that's life. Life is messy. It can get ugly. We can be doing what we love and become so narcissistic that we completely forget about the people around us who support us through it all.

Julie & Julia gives us a glimpse of two regular, yet extraordinary women. It shows that no one can never truly know what lies ahead. Each day we much face the world and challenge ourselves to become our own version of greatness.

I might not be like either Julie or Julia. I'm not planning on becoming a great cook. I don't know that I'll ever get married. But I can do what I like. I will continue to blog and prove to myself that I am, in fact, a fabulous writer.

Stand By Me Adventure in Brownsville!

I first watched the movie Stand By Me when I was in eleven or twelve. I remember developing a crush on Gordy. He also played Wesley in Star Trek: The Next Generation. I think I liked the movie because it spoke so much of friendship. I love that true friends stick with us through all the crap we go through in life.

Throughout my life, I've had different groups of friends, all of whom I have depended on from time to time. I know that as we move and discover new places, so our friendships change. I'm lucky to be developing new friendships in Eugene. Hopefully, when I get stressed out from classes or other things, these friends will support me.

Yesterday, my friend Courtney and I took a little trip to Brownsville, Oregon, where we participated in the Stand By Me Festival. It was great. We checked out different spots from the movie, witnessed the pie-eating contest, and drank lemonade from a real roadside lemonade stand. It was a great day. I love small towns. They're at least fun to visit, for sure!

Before we left, I kept singing the song...Click here to check out a rad video of this song.

Weekend at Home in Dayton (8/7-8/9)

Last weekend, I went home to Dayton. The bus ride was nice and then I spent some time in the Amtrak station contemplating future excursions while I waited to be picked up. I love the drive from Salem to Dayton. If we take Wallace Road into Dayton, we pass a lot of farms of people I used to know. It's fun to chat with my mom and ponder about what my former classmates are up to and if they are still in town.

The weekend was a hit. I swam each day. I got to eat cake for my brother's birthday party, and I got to see a very dear friend.


My mom and I met my friend, Chris, up at Stoller Vineyards for As You Like It with Willamette Shakespeare. It was truly fabulous. The vineyard was the perfect spot. The trees framed the stage in such a way that I really felt like we were in the forest of the play.
I've come to love Shakespeare even more than when I studied his works in college. The comedies bring such a light-heartedness to life. I wish that I could live in a play, if only for a day. My life has become so busy. I know that I have filled it with fun and friends, but I relish the times when I get to sit back and escape into a play production. And wandering around the streets of Eugene sooths my soul in a way.

Reporters' Life for Me

I'm liking this reporting thing. Basically, I will be able to write and talk for a living. What better was is there to live?

Anti-bacterials are bad!

I've been getting on my family for the past few years about anti-bacterial lotion and gels. I had read an article about their ineffectiveness and wanted to share my inspiring knowledge. Unfortunately, my family didn't listen. To see why antibacterials and a few other chemicals are evil for yourself and the world around you, click here.

Go Ems!!!

Tonight, I got to spend time with some really great people. The fabulous duo of Mr. Pennington and Senora Guthrie brought down a couple of family members and we all went out to pizza and went to see the Emeralds play a ball game. I had SO much fun. It was great to just chill out with Leona during the game and chat it up and dance. Should anyone from up north choose to visit me, please feel free to do it when there is a baseball game going on. It's cheap and EXTREMELY fun!

Movies and movie stars

Movies are amazing. I'm sure my love for movies could be seen in a bad light, but I don't care. I love movies. I always will love movies.

When it comes to favorite movies, it's tough. There are so many. But I do know my favorites of the past. As a kid, I had a crush on Macaulay Culkin. I loved every movie he was in, including the tragic My Girl.

I just found out what happened to Anna Chlumsky. It's interesting to know where our old favorites have gone, isn't it?

Nerdy Me, I edit as I walk

Last week, I finished my first class of graduate school. It was a course in news editing. I've always been a bit of a nerd. I go crazy when people make errors like the one in the picture here. This past year, I tried to teach my students the difference between "your" and "you're" as well as the three theres (there, their, they're). I wasn't quite as successful as I had hoped but perhaps in a few years, they'll have a new teacher who teaches them the difference and they'll remember, hey, Miss Bunn tried to teach us this!