It’s official. I’m abandoning NaBloPoMo. I call it NaBloPoMoNoMo!

I thought it seemed like a good idea to hand in my resignation before the Blog Quality Control Squad (BQCS) shows up and revokes my Blogging License…

As someone who is both conscientious and a little bit stubborn, I like to finish the things I start. But what happens when I don’t? Does that mean I’m a quitter? or that I’ve given up?

Those aren’t labels I like to attach to myself in regards to projects I’ve started, so I prefer to use the word “abandoned.” It’s a more positive word that puts me back in control of the project, rather than vice versa. Whether or not it’s entirely accurate, it sounds as though I consciously chose to stop doing a project, rather than that it was a helpless or hopeless situation.

So without further ado, following is a list of Projects I’ve Abandoned:

1. 101 Things in 1001 Days (the 1001st day was last Thursday, but I abandoned it long before that)
2. New Year’s Resolution 2009: watch AFI’s top 25 musicals
3. 15 Things I Plan to Do With My Tax Refund

I was going to add NaBloPoMo to the list… but I guess by posting this, I haven’t abandoned it quite yet.

Around 2:30 this afternoon, I was really wishing that today was National Take Your Pillow to Work Day. Since I’m responsible for the success (or failure) of the online course registration system, I’m the lucky person who gets to field phone calls from students who think they’re encountering problems when the web opens for registration at 7:00 on their designated day.

I think the most common type of phone call I received yesterday morning was from juniors who thought they were seniors. I only wish I were kidding. (Seniors register on Monday, juniors on Tuesday, etc.)

I tend to be a night owl, so the past couple mornings I’ve gotten to see things I don’t usually see. And since misery loves company, I captured a few moments to share with you.

(That’s pretty much the Worst Picture Ever, but I didn’t exactly allow extra time for a photo shoot in my car.)

Two early mornings down, two to go. Try not to be jealous.

This morning I walked over to the post office at work to buy a sheet of first-class stamps. The lady behind the counter whipped out three different options and laid them in front of me.

I glanced at the stamps. None of them captured my attention. I know… they’re postage stamps. They only need to be functional, not aesthetically pleasing. But still, I wanted to choose the best ones. I scanned my eyes over the stamps again.

Did I want the Liberty Bells? No. They were so boring that they weren’t even in the running.

How about the King and Queen of Hearts? Seriously? With hearts and the word ‘love’ scrawled on them? Too mushy.

I use so few stamps that if I went with the Christmas stamps, I’d still be seeing Frosty the Snowman in July.

“Hmm. I guess I’ll go with these.” I reluctantly reached for the King and Queen of Hearts.

“No, wait!” I said suddenly. Liberty Bell => Philadelphia => another town near there => an amazing man who calls that town home => happiness => “I’ll take the Liberty Bells.”

This evening I went over to my friend Joy’s house for a hotdog roast that I just found out about last evening when she posted an open invitation on Facebook:

Soon after I arrived with my chips, salsa, and apples, Joy’s husband Tom asked, “So I hear you’re a Phillies fan now?” I smiled. Gossip sure gets around!

“Well, at least I’m a fan of a fan,” I clarified. “I’ve only ever watched one game, so I guess at this point I’m mostly just a fan by proxy.”

I’m well aware that the Phillies did not win the World Series, which means this isn’t exactly the most ideal time to be posting this picture, but this photo from last week is just too much fun not to share with you.

Dear 11 people who voted that I should participate in NaBloPoMo,

What were you hoping I would tell you about?

Sincerely,
The Least Inspired Blogger Ever

—

Dear 6 people who voted that I should NOT participate in NaBloPoMo,

Why weren’t there more of you?

Sincerely,
The Lamest Blogger Ever

This morning I dialed into my voicemail where I usually find messages from co-workers about things related to higher education, but instead I heard the voice of the man I’m dating. “Hi Rachel. It’s four o’clock in the morning…”

Readers take note: If you ever find yourself awake in the middle of the night and want to say hello to your favorite blogger, by all means, please feel free to go right ahead and call her at work instead of at home. She’ll thank you in the morning.

The other day I overheard a student tour guide from the undergraduate Admissions Office describing the Registrar’s Office to a prospective student during a campus visit. “We do all of our registration online now, which is great, because we used to have to get up at, like, four in the morning to be sure we got all the classes we needed.”

Really? Four in the morning?

Think it’s just coincidence that everyone but Rachel is up and about at 4:00 in the morning? It’s not.

The poet Rives did a fantastic TED Talk about 4 a.m., and it’s definitely worth nine minutes of your time. If it doesn’t suit you to watch it now, maybe you can check it out next time you’re awake at four in the morning.

Just don’t call me at home to tell me about it.

I had three potlucks on the calendar for last weekend, so on the way home from work on Friday, I stopped by the grocery store to pick up some ingredients, including one little lightweight bulb of garlic. I usually throw away my receipt without even looking at it, but for some reason I laid this one on my desk to… throw away later, I guess.

It’s a good thing I did!

Erin McKean is more excited about dictionaries than probably anybody else on the planet, which is why the following TED talk is one of my favorites.

[UPDATE: Actually, I take that back. Since posting this, I've thought of some other TED talks that rank a lot higher than this one. I'll try to dig them up and post them soon. Meanwhile, you have to admit that this woman's lexicographical enthusiasm is pretty astounding.]

“Erin McKean redefines the dictionary”

Now that the polls have closed, here’s a cute little Election Day story for you:

A man was getting ready to go vote and asked his three-year-old son whether he wanted to go along. The kid responded with an overly-enthusiastic YES! So they drove to the polling location and voted, but the little boy looked confused.

“Come on, kiddo… we’re done voting. Time to go.”

“But Daddy, I didn’t even get to see the boat!”