Owner: Shouting to Quiet the Thunder URL:http://www.quietthethunder.blogspot.com Join Date: Thu, 06 Mar 2008 20:13:59 -0600 Rating:0 Site Description: Sassy and smart 20-something reveals all: her life, her loves, her failures with wit, wisdom, and no sense of personal dignity. Enjoy! Site statistics:Click here
We Ethnic: A Play in One Act 2008-03-09 14:19:00 SettingHallway of university drama department situated in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Several classrooms line the hall. Female seated in hallway, early 20's, long dark hair in a braid, dark-rimmed glasses, wearing all black, studying a script. TimeYear 2000, mid-afternoon. Classes are in session as girl waits outside for session to begin.(Two African-American males exit a classroom, heading in girl's direction. Begin whispering to each other and stop to talk to her.)MALE #1: Hey girl, what's your name?GIRL: Me?MALE #1: Yeah, you the only one here!GIRL: Milena.MALE #1: (Whispering loudly to his friend) See, I told you... (To the girl) So, where you from?GIRL: Troy, Michigan.MALE #1: Naw, where you really from?GIRL: Uh, I was born in Royal Oak, Michgan.MALE #1: (exasperated) Naw, where's your name
No Ma’am, I’m Not Reading a Book 2008-03-06 22:02:00 Damn it. Foiled again by Reading
Deprivation. I only remember not to read blogs since I’m always in front of a computer. But I’ve been sneaking pages of “Fatherless Women” which I haven’t yet finished.I am realizing some more things as I go through this horrendous assignment. I read because I need to verify the validity of my thoughts and feelings. Reading is a treasure hunt for approval because I don’t really trust myself. I don’t think I can make a decision on my own. I sometimes want to relegate my life decisions to my husband, which is so old-school, but I can see how a woman who gets married could fall into that role easily. She's lost her parents, she doesn't trust herself, and she's got a new man in her life. But I don't feel comfortable doing that. It's not fair to my
Mixed Media 2008-03-06 21:55:00 I keep reading the first 5 sentences of blogs before I remind myself I’m not supposed to be reading them.Yes, I’m trying “Reading Deprivation” again. You ask, “But Milena, why? It’s a stupid exercise that made you horribly depressed the last time you tried it…are you a glutton for punishment?” No, I’m not a glutton for punishment, just curious about what is on the “other side” of a week of reading-lessness, and I joined this little web-group that is going through The Artist’s Way together. I figured some hand-holding would do me good.So – instead of reading I’m working on a new top secret project. Well, it’s not so top secret. I told a friend of mine and my husband, but I don’t want to make a big deal in case anyone finds out what it is and tells me it Read more:Mixed
I Met This Guy on Facebook 2008-03-06 06:09:00 I know, I know, sometimes I've got funny that just won't quit. But what would you say if I told you this guy was a fake? Not because his beard screams "wannabe" but because he is a manifestation of the hyper-realist sculptures of artist Ron Mueck? The latter would win you the daily prize! My adoration. Just for the day.So click on over to some other sites displaying his work, and prepare to be truly amazed.Entertain Your MindKavefishCubeMe Read more:Facebook
6 Things I See Rich People Do 2008-03-04 17:23:00 I know a lot of rich* people. They may not even know my name, but I work in an industry where the sole purpose is to help the rich create and manage their wealth. *For purposes of this post, I’m defining "rich people" as those who generate high levels of income on an ongoing basis. I don’t necessarily mean people who amass wealth over time by pinching pennies and living modestly, which is a great thing, but not what I’m talking about.This is what I’ve learned about what it takes to get there:1. Rich People Define Their Goals and Don’t Complain – I have not heard one rich person whine about their life or waffle about their goals. Sure, they’ll have a meeting to hash things out, but they are eager to lock in a plan of action, don’t dwell on minutiae, and don’t deviate unles
Not Exactly A Retraction, But... 2008-03-03 22:11:00 I know my earlier post poked fun at the Big D, but the reality is, the Metro Detroit area has charm all it's own. Other "miserable cities" included L.A. or New York, which people flock to all the time. So I don't think the rating score holds all that much weight when you factor in other benefits of the cities, like the fact that they are situated on major trade routes by land, air, and waterways. In fact, I've had the unique experience of diving into the Detroit River on New Year's Day. If you are really interested in how human reflexes work, I suggest trying that.I know a ton of musicians and artists that call Detroit home. Everyone knows it's the home of Motown and Techno, artists ranging from Aretha Franklin to the White Stripes. (Or my own band, En Passant!) In addition to playing out Read more:Retraction
Thanks For Making Us #1!!! 2008-03-03 17:39:00 I almost can't believe it. We did it. We really did it. I wasn't sure it was possible, but Forbes.com awarded the metro area where I reside with:America's Most Miserable CityWow. As if the fact that the state of Michigan having the highest depression, obesity, and suicide rates wasn't enough of a dream come true...zeroing in on the Metro Detroit area itself as being the worst possible place to live in the U.S. really makes my day. I suppose the fact that I'm not 400 lbs., suicidal, or shot in a drive-by is a monumental victory, huh? I shouldn't be so hard on myself faced with these kinds of odds:No. 1Detroit, Mich.Rank (out of 150)Commute Times 80Income Tax Rates 87Superfund Sites 135Unemployment 149Violent Crimes 150 Misery Measure 696 (Does this have anything to do Read more:Thanks
Organ Donation: One More Small Thing 2008-03-02 16:16:00 If I were a better blogger I'd know how to make that pic an HTML link, but you get the idea...Mike and I registered on Michigan's state website to be organ donors, obviously signing the backs of our license's achieve the same goal, but we don't have fine tip permanent markers.So, I urge anyone out there (who's religious or personal beliefs allow them to of course) to consider becoming an organ donor too, and registering online is one extra way to ensure your wishes are fulfilled. If you are a minority, organ donation is particularly critical, as finding minority matches can be next to impossible.Obviously this is a tough subject, we all hope to live a long time, but in the event that we die healthy, wouldn't it be nice to know we might help someone else do that? I cannot urge people enough Read more:Donation
, Small
, Thing
A Lesbian Feminist Any Straight Libertarian Could Love 2008-02-29 20:56:00 Photo courtesy Reid MartinHearts and kisses to the fabulous Camille Paglia, who, on second reading is a new favorite writer in my roster. I don’t care what she is talking about, and clearly neither does she, it’s all so fabulously written, punchy, true, lighthearted and fierce all at the same time.Mike suggested I read her stuff after I quizzically asked him what he thought about feminism. Kate Hutchinson’s posts often present the topic so I’ve been dipping my toe into the online feminist offerings. I still don’t entirely understand the “feminist position."Feminism seems to range from extremists who have abortions under the guise that they are saving the planet, calling motherhood selfish and babies parasites, which are stupid and tired attempts to shock people; to women who sm Read more:Straight
, Libertarian
Yoga School Drop-Out 2008-02-28 19:33:00 In response to my angry rant post, Sare-Bear wrote, “Have you even TRIED yoga?”I laughed out loud at that one. Yes I have, but yoga and I have a long, complicated history.My sister has practiced yoga for a long time. She has a calm and peaceful disposition which I always thought she was born with, but perhaps there is something about her I don’t know.In high school she introduced me to my first pose, a kneeling torso twist. I complained it hurt, she encouraged me to be patient, and only go as far as was comfortable. But I felt upset and didn’t know where it was coming from, started crying and ended up walking away from yoga for a few years.In college I decided I to try yoga again. I attended a liberal school and I thought perhaps yoga would give me something brilliant to say at the Read more:School
The Journey, Not the Destination 2008-02-28 05:44:00 My last post chastised Rebecca Thorman for prodding people and being too positive. I woke up on the right side of the bed this morning and decided to give a shot at answering one of her uncomfortable questions earnestly.She says,"And now the challenge...The discussion surrounding Generation Y should center on how we can leverage our weaknesses into strengths and how we can use our unique talents effectively in our professional development, entrepreneurial, social, public policy, and philanthropic endeavors.So please, tell me:How can Generation Y show respect and learn from previous generations so that we may fully engage in meaningful interactions to our mutual benefit? How can we work together to fulfill our dreams?Really, I want to know the answer."First to clarify, I think people might Read more:Journey
, Destination
I'm Shouting, Can You Hear Me? 2008-02-27 17:26:00 Rebecca Thorman, of Modite, says she feels like she is in a movie when it comes to her job. In fact, she wrote a post in response to my urging her for more info. She loves her job. And I'm truly happy for her.But because I’m a cynic I immediately wonder what percentage of the time she feels like that, thinking, “Without that information there is no way for me to adequately measure my life against hers…” And this is where my glaring problem shines in all it’s, uh, brilliance.I sometimes feel like I’m in a movie too. As it relates to my marriage, there are times when I’m in a sweeping love story, my heart full of adoration for a man who was lunatic enough to love me back. At times I feel I could die right then and there, fulfilled. However, as a friend of mine recently noted, "
New Look to the Blog 2008-02-24 10:38:00 So my husband was kind enough, after an evening of carousing to help lift my post-B mood by teaching me how to use Adobe Photoshop until the wee hours of the morning.He is truly a wonderful man.The fruits of our labors can be seen in the revamped Shouting to Quiet the Thunder look. So if you start to see some rather psychadelic things happening, you will know why, I'm testing my design legs.I've also been begging him to contribute to the blog because he's a lot funnier and less fatalistic than I am, so I thought it could be sort of refreshing. We'll see about that..."
Nesting 2008-02-23 21:57:00 I just got around to reading the February issue of domino magazine, the guide to living with style. I have not been reading it religiously, as anyone who has visited my home might guess, but I have been whipped into a frenzied sort of state by the tromp l'oeil custom made wallpapers from Iksel.com.There is one called "Kubilai's Tent" (no pics though!) which is wallpaper and ceiling application made to look like you are inside of an old dirty, striped, desert tent. Fucking cool. I want it. Read more:Nesting
There's No Crying In Grad School 2008-02-23 20:06:00 So I think I got a B on my last exam. Boo f-ing hoo. My teacher is inconsistent and his exams are poorly written, but to be totally honest, I'm beat up and didn’t study as hard as usual. Sleep evades me, I'm frequently emotionally crippled by visions of my father's last days, my mother’s financial position is precarious and I spend my time imagining multi-million dollar businesses or CEOships I could eventually win to save her and the rest of my family from the wayward legacy of my father’s inadequacies as a provider. He was a wonderful, benevolent man who gave every ounce of himself, so it is easy to forgive him for going bankrupt and not quite crawling out of the wreckage.But if anyone out there wonders why I ever turned from an opera singer to a financier, there’s your whopping Read more:School
I Love Foreigners 2008-02-20 16:50:00 I’m a xenophile. I get excited when I hear a foreign accent. Something about it makes the person seem more exciting, more intelligent, or more mysterious, sometimes dangerous; all depends on the country or ethnicity. I love that joke about heaven, hell, and all the different cultures. It's cheesy, but you've got to admit it's funny.I called a customer service line today and no doubt was connected to a call center in Bangalore. An Indian female with a British-tinged accent answered. After she politely (with impeccably timed elocution) asked me my name, she referred to me as “Miss Milena” for the duration of the call. Swoon. I felt like I was on that Spaceship Earth ride at Disney World, seeing the electric synapses firing all the way to India and I feel like I’m part of the global r
Nothing Like Ethnic Fighting on Your Summer Vacation 2008-02-18 19:51:00 I hope to God, for all parties involved that the Kosovo declaration of independence goes well. There is so much mixed up history, numerous atrocities on both sides (Christian and Muslim), that I'm not well-versed enough to claim to have a position other than cautious.Mike and I have been planning to visit Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina this summer. For anyone who wonders why I'd want to go to an area that is still recovering from war and possibly on the verge of another one - it's my father's homeland. They are wonderful places, rich with culture, people, stories, experiences. I've been there twice before, I love it, and part of me calls it home too.And unless there is a civil war in Serbia, I'm pretty sure we're going. I mean, we bought our tickets, but thank God for travel insurance. Read more:Nothing
, Fighting
, Summer
, Vacation
How to Get Your Own Attention 2008-02-13 16:35:00 Penelope Trunk just wrote a post on happiness and self-discipline. She believes self-discipline is hard to come by. I wrote an angry sort of rant about Darfur in the comments. I know, I don’t always make sense.I agree with her to a point. I don’t think it’s having self-discipline that is the real hard part. Self-discipline comes naturally to those who are genuinely excited about a goal and see the outcome as attainable. It occurred to me that a lot of my problems with achieving self-discipline has to do with remembering to be do things. I’m a pretty motivated gal, and hence, ridiculously busy. I work full time, go to school part time, work part time, work out part time, you get the idea. Discipline is not usually my problem. My biggest obstacle is that most of the time I can’t re
The Seven Year Shift 2008-02-07 06:21:00 The seven year shift. I didn’t believe in it. As a 12 year old girl who didn’t know the meaning of a wrinkle, when my grade school Spanish teacher ran into her classroom bawling I didn’t know what the hell was wrong with her. “The Seven
Year Shift
!” She started screaming. We had no idea what she was talking about. So she issued the same warning, “The seven year shift... it happened, this morning!” Blank stares met her eyes full of fear and sadness.See, Miss Kozewski was planning her wedding this school year, she’d post pictures of wedding dresses for us to vote on, and when a classroom full of 6th graders didn’t choose the one she wanted she just said, “Oh really? Well, I like the first one anyways.” She elaborated on the seven year shift without saying anything that
How to Become Quiet 2008-02-01 21:45:00 Whoever searched for this is not at a loss for words, but I am.I don't know how to solve a problem like not being quiet enough. I'm not loud. I don't think. Actually, now that do think about it, everyone that sits by my cube at work has recently started shutting their doors. To get some peace and quiet. I tend to yell a lot at work. You know, the whole "Shouting to Quiet
the Thunder" thing...But seriously - someone out there wants to know how to be quiet. I'm going to take a stab at it.1. Time Yourself. Maybe you need to build up a tolerance for it, like learning to hold your breath under water. Start with small increments, like 30 seconds, 1 minute. See how that works.2. Hold your tongue, literally. I know this is sort of a slimy option, but it's very hard to talk while holding your tongu Read more:Become
You're Searching for What? 2008-02-01 21:42:00 I'm always amused by the list of keyword searches that lead people to my blog. A few all time favorites:How to Become QuietThunder Vegetable"How I Met My Husband" "Jesus"So, in honor of all the poor souls searching for answers only to find my blog - I'm going to dedicate a series of posts to them.
The Little Things 2008-03-12 18:09:00 Today was a good day because:1. As I walked in my house tonight, my husband was in a growling match with our dog. He'd ferreted out where Kiynago was protecting a stash of rotten steak he'd absconded with after ransacking our garbage. Watching Mike hover over Kiynago in a 5 minute stare-down made my heart swell with pride that I have a man who will bother while a rugrat postures against him, and I think this in some weird way proves he'll be a good dad. Or least be able to find our kid's drug stash and yell at him until he repents. It was one of the funniest things I've ever seen and for only that moment I wished I was one of those people with a cell phone video camera.2. My mother, who reads my blog and still loves me, sent me an e-card from "Tut's Adventurers Club" with a picture o
Fake Writing 2008-03-12 05:52:00 I may have to disappear for a few days as I attempt some "real" writing for my International Finance class. The most disappointing thing is that this paper is simply a composite of facts and figures from various sources with a few personal observations peppered in. I keep leaning towards political and economic policy positional arguements but have to slap my hand from typing away...this is a research report. Impartiality.The reality is though, the subject matter is near and dear to my heart and helps me deepen my understanding of the places I refer to as "the homeland," Serbia, Croatia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina. In short, they've gone through a rough time, but with the help of the international community they are starting to come around, getting retrained and new technology in place
Blog Bot 2008-03-14 17:10:00 My husband informed me that the person who left a really long comment on my "Fake Writing" post was a Fake Writer him or herself! Ironic huh?Here's a snippet for those who don't care to go find it...Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH.Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it.I'm very gullible. I mean, someone wrote it, so I'm not entirely stupid. I figured it was a cut and paste deal.
Website: Son of a Citation 2008-03-14 06:38:00 Okay - for those who are in school I came across a website that has proven quite handy:Son of a Citation
MachineHallelujah. You plug in all your source info, and it cranks out the in-text and works cited formats for four different styles.My citing skills were rusty...althought I'd be interested if anyone out there could vouch for it's accuracy. I plan on checking an actual style guide to make sure, but this helps. Especially since a lot of my research was taken from web pages of foreign governments.
Life Support 2008-03-17 19:49:00 I’m in grad school. Does my mother really need to check my research paper for grammatical errors and awkward word pairings? I think to myself, practically stomping my feet down the hall.I’d sent my completed (on Saturday, hah!) paper to my mother, thinking she’d be proud of me and enjoy the topic.Fast forward to Monday night, I’m at work late about to send it off to my professor, but before I do I’m compelled to call her and say, “I’m turning my paper in!” Why did the child in me want to run to her mom for approbation? I’m not even going to hide it, there is no psycho-analysis that needs to be done, it’s blatant.She had offered to correct some of my grammar mistakes over the weekend, but I had to call to let her know I fine-toothed it myself, and tell her it’d be f Read more:Support
Recommend Site To A Friend
