Thanks, Aural

Rock on, StarGazer! What's the position like?

(sorry I've been gone so much )

Congrats, AnnaK! There's still life left in the hard-copy industry. Speaking of film, though, I've been trying to find somebody who makes films in order to see if someone wants to put my Bingshot invention into a film. It would make a great fantasy/sci-fi weapon prop because it can actually be built as a working, exotic, never-before-seen projectile weapon (as opposed to my Nerf-firing toy version). I was writing to someone who is an NFFTY (youth film festival) Event Corrdinator in hopes of finding a connection. Know how I can approach the movie guys?

Doodle, yaaaaay on staying away from the cigs! Good on you! Also, I'm really glad to hear that you're continuing to grow as a musician.

Oh yeah, another somewhat recent set of accomplishments of mine is that I've made three (count 'em 3!!!) musical insturments of my own wacky design. One's an electric 2-string washtub bass, one's a giant djembe-style drum, and one's basically like the Blue Man Group's set of PVC tubes, only it's made of cardboard carpeting tubes. We call it the Fug. Three of my buddies and I have been low-talent jamming on them in my friend's garage.

Much fondage to the BUSTies!

Wow, Lore. I didn't realize how creative and inventive you are! Congrats! Good to have you back here posting.

I obtained a fellow position in health psychology. Very excited. Thanks busties!

Wow, good news all around!

Health Psychology, eh? I've always found Psychology interesting. What's your favorite theory?

I have a theory that fun is our built-in reward system for exercizing our minds. It's like orgasms feeling good so that humans will actually want to have sex and reproduce. The good feeling of "Fun" exists as motivation to increase our mental activity. That's why curiosity is connected with fun and why boredom isn't fun.

Heya Ketto!

Oh, and I DID IT!! I visited my parents and brother for 4 days without real conflicts. It's been 2 years since I saw 'em.

Also, I did this for a Father's Day snack:
[img]http://i464.photobucket.com/albums/rr6/Lorewolf/F-DayCookieGang.jpg[/img]

Aw, I cannae see the cookies!

Heya Aural!

Huh... Not sure why that didn't work... The link was correct.

Here's a link to a bigger version: Father'sDayCookieGang

SO CUTE!

I have been offered a book contract for my thesis. It's conditional on an internal review, but still... the offer came five days after I submitted my proposal.

Fingers remain crossed, but still: woot!!

Wow! Congratulations Sybarite!! I hope this leads places!

That's so awesome, sybarite. What you've got must be some heavy-hitting "original contribution to knowledge"! Congrats.

OMG!!!!!! I am so happy for you! I know you will rock the shit at the interview.

:does snoopy dance for Syb:

*~*~book contract vibes for Syb*~*~*

Syb, that's amazing! Congrats!

Thanks all! It is nice to get such validation independently of my advisory committee (my viva was problematic which left me feeling insecure about the work). It is also hugely helpful (to the point of being essential) to establishing an academic career, so there's that

Cheers too for your confidence for my interview SG! My fingers will stay crossed between now and then...

Wow! Awesome, Sybarite!

Just getting a thesis DONE is awesome, but people thought the public should know Awesome!

YEEEEESSSSS! AWESOME! CONGRATS SYB!

Congrats Syb so happy for yo u!

Congratulations syb, that's amazing!!!

On the minor achievement front.... I have finally cleared my work voicemail after ignoring it for 6 weeks

Congrats Persi! An accomplishment is an accomplishment!

I got accepted into the doctoral program !!

Congrats missladyj!! That is awesome, well done!!

(What discipline is your programme btw...?)

Congrats missladyj!

Congratulations Missladyj what an achievement!

Woo and congratulations Missladyj!!

thanks y'all I am super excited! Iwill be going for my EDd in Curriculum and Instruction at Loyola University in Chicago. Now on to worrying about how the hell I'm gonna pay for it.

Congrats!

Holy crap. In six weeks, I will be studying modern Chinese at Southwest University in Chongqing on a full scholarship. Just got the letter today. Holy motherfucking crap.

Congrats, missladyj!

Awesome, epi, congrats! China: WOW. How long will you be studying there?

Missladyj, you'll find a way, we always do when it's important...

One full school year, September to July. I'll be fluent when I get back! I'm thinking afterwards I'll spend part of the summer travelling through China, see some sights, maybe meet up with my mom. She spends a month in Europe every summer. Oh my god. So excited. I can't believe I'm going to China!

Hey epi congratulations!! I'm in Taiwan right now and moving to China this August to teach for 6 months, then travel around in China. I'm mostly just a lurker on the board these days, but if you have any desire to meet up with another Bustie in China I'd be down. I don't know a soul in China so sometimes it's nice just meet up with someone for some sight-seeing for a day or two, if we ever happen to be in the same city at the same time. Anyway, congrats again, full scholarship, that's so awesome.

anyother, epi, i'm jealous. like unspeakably jealous. i've still only been to canada... i'd love to travel, but there's a long list of things that need to be taken care of first. {le sigh}

i got a swell tattoo apprenticeship. i've been looking off and on for years, by this time next year, i'ma be tattooing (assuming i can buy all the equipment i'll need...)

Hi likeanyother!

Congrats to epi, likeanyother, and GT!!

**passes drinks around**

Likeanyother, that'd be awesome! I just realized that you mentioned that in the "What do I want to do with my life" thread in response to my post many months back, I don't think I ever saw that post!

GT, congrats on the apprenticeship! Very glad to see you 'round here again, the Lounge is feeling livelier already!

epiphrine I'm so excited for you!! it's going to be amazing you lucky gal.
congrats girltrouble that's such a powerful form of artistic expression too. i mean putting your ink into someone's skin. that can get pretty profound, huh.

Heeey! Congrats to GT! You'll be licensed to be inkin' peeps! That sounds sooooo fitting for your funky self! Rawk on!!!

After much pain and anguish I'm now bilingual.

Congratulations deschatsrouge!

congrats, deschat. i'm jealous. i've always wanted to learn another language... which is your second?

My Second Language is American Sign Language.

Congrats, on the weight loss, Damona! That must feel awesome. And big props to Deschats on becoming bilingual! The most gruelling, intensive second-language experience of my life is nearly upon me now. I'm at the airport, leaving for China in 7 hours. Forget butterflies - I have fucking bats in my stomach. Let's hope I get through this in one piece! Depending on whether or not China blocks access to the Lounge, I may be MIA for a while. But I'll be having an awesome time, and I'll be back!

do try to keep in contact epi. i am so jealous, lucky duck!

good luck epi! great work busties on all that you do!

Along with my recent Zumba Instructor certification, I can now play two whole songs on the acoustic guitar. "Oxygen" by Colbie Callait and "One Sweet Love" by Sara Bareilles (did I spell those right?). Sore fingers are *totally* worth it!

Wow, there are some really awesome things going on in here. Congrats everyone!

I got into a quite competitive faculty at university this summer, and I had my orientation yesterday. It was amazing, exactly what I've been looking for and I know I've done the right thing in spending the time/effort getting into this. I'll be a certified teacher in 2 years, and already have a hint of a job offer.

Congratulations, foryoursplendor! The next two years will fly by.

thanks, epi and have fun!

there is an awful lot of amazingness going on in here, isn't there? i love it!

i overheard a woman at the local thrift store explaining that she was going to become a foster parent this weekend and asking if they sell used car seats there. they don't (it's illegal, apparently). i happened to have the exact type of car seat she needed in the back of my truck. my youngest has outgrown it. i gave it to her, even put it in her car for her. she was completely shocked, especially since i refused money for it. i mean, what the hey, i don't need it any more, why not give it to someone who does need it? i'm just glad i was in the right place at the right time to help.

((((Busties))))

Having compassion for ourselves and for others in this calvanist world of marching ants is a great accomplishment.

Congrats, foryoursplendor! That's awesome!

I think I've finally started to get around the big second-language learning curve! I just realized tonight that, when I'm hanging out with my English-speaking Chinese friends, I find it easier to communicate with them in Chinese, even when English is totally possible. My Chinese is often really strange because I have to improvise around the considerable gaps in my vocabulary, but I still manage to get my point across most of the time without using English, and making myself understood in my broken Chinese is often easier. I try to only use English when it's absolutely necessary, and that's been gradually decreasing. Last night I spent my birthday with my roommate and three Chinese friends and I was probably only speaking English about 15-20% of the time. There have also been several times when I've been addressed in English and I automatically responded in Chinese, which means I'm learning to think in Chinese!

When I first got here I was totally overwhelmed by the amount of Chinese I had to speak just to do basic everyday things; I despaired that I'd completely deluded myself into thinking I could learn this language. I'm thrilled that in just one month I've made noticeable progress. I don't think I'll be going home fluent, but I should at least be able to communicate pretty comfortably!

congrats epi on your burgeoning bilingualism!

I have had a similar experience with learning American sign Language. I also had to improvise to get around vocabulary gaps. I too had to learn to think in another language.

Don't be afraid to push yourself. I learned much more when I put myself in unusual (but safe) situations to push my linguistic ability. I flirted with some one once and I learned a lot!

Congratulations epi!!! I am so proud of you!!!

So, nearly six months after my last post here, I can confidently say that I have indeed passed that learning curve and my Chinese is improving faster and faster every day! Although I'm far from proficient in terms of vocabulary and reading comprehension (damn Chinese characters), I can converse pretty fluently now - at least with people I'm comfortable talking to. I didn't really feel like I'd improved that much until I finished my beginner class and found the intermediate class I'd been assigned to way too easy - it was the same class I'd been assigned to when I first arrived here, which I switched out of because it was too hard! I've since switched to an upper-intermediate class and I'm having no trouble at all. I've even been talking to people on the phone in Chinese, which has been one of my biggest obstacles. I had a 20-minute conversation with my friends in Beijing the other day and it was a breeze. I've always been above average in pronunciation and tones, and most people tell me I sound like a native. I get a lot of confused looks from people here when I speak Chinese, and I'm frequently mistaken for a Uyghur, one of China's fairer-skinned ethnic minorities. When I was in Beijing, with most of my face protected from the freezing wind by a hat and a scarf, I had several people mistake me for a native Chinese! Several Chinese people I've spoken to have told me my Chinese is the best (or at least most natural-sounding) out of all the foreigners they've met. I've still got another four months here and if I keep improving at this rate I could be going home more or less bilingual!

Also, I've been using chopsticks since forever, so that's nothing new. But I was wolfing down lunch at the cafeteria the other day and I noticed the girl sitting across from me staring. I'm used to that now, so I ignored it and kept eating. Then she asked me (in English) "are you...a foreigner?" I told her I was and she looked shocked, saying "but...you can use chopsticks...very well!" as if foreignness and chopstick proficiency were completely mutually exclusive things which cannot coexist. Apparently I'm so awesome with chopsticks that people question my ethnicity. Haha, score one for the foreigner!

Wooooooo, epi! That's fantastic!