Signs I am getting old

So today I got to meet Ginger Spice* from the Spice Girls. She has written a children's series called Ugenia Lavender, and the most recent book in the series just came out, so she was doing a book signing.

I found the whole thing kinda funny for a few reasons. First, there were many people there who were well beyond the target market for the books, and probably had no one in the target market in their lives, but were there to get a book signed anyway. (I was one of them.) Second, the girls who were in the target market for the books were probably far too young to (a) know who Geri Halliwell was and (b) appreciate what it means to have an autographed copy of a book. But Geri was lovely to everyone, so it was nice.

Anyway, my point. I was standing in front of a girl who was in her late teens, early twenties. (I dunno, I'm bad at guessing ages.) When we got closer to the front of the line, I asked her if she could take a photo for me while I was getting my book signed. She turned to her mom and said, "Can you take a photo for this lady?"

I was kind of surprised. Am I old enough to be called "lady"? It's kind of like when they call me "ma'am" at a store. I don't think of myself as "lady" or "ma'am" - perhaps it is because I am still a student - but at 28, maybe I am.

*Ginger Spice is not actually ginger any more, nor is she that sort of strawberry blonde that you see in all of her publicity photos. She's also tiny. But come to think of it, isn't she the one who always wore the massive platform boots in her performances?

I voted today.

And probably not for whom you think.

And no, that doesn't mean McCain.

:)



Edit, 10/2/08, 12:19 am: When I say "I voted today," I mean that I mailed in my absentee ballot, just in case you were wondering.

To answer your question

Choose from the list below:

• That's not until next week.
• You'll have to ask the Lodge.
• Yes.
• It's on the form.
• No.
• Come back later this week.
• They're on the shelf over there.
• You'll have to ask the IT office.
• You'll have to ask the MCR presidents.
• Through the doors, take a left.
• They're the same.
• Those are old instructions, they don't do that any more.
  

Various conversations I had yesterday

Scene: I spent the day in the college office yesterday, handing out University ID cards to new grad students. One of the grad students was a lawyer from Chile, so he and I conversed for a bit in Spanish.

Person nearby: Kaitlin, you're so clever, how did you learn to speak Spanish like that?
Me: Ummm, I'm doing my degree in it...

=============================================================
Scene: Andy and Corwin are helping me move.


Me to Corwin: That box has my plates in it. You don't actually have to be too careful with it, I'd like an excuse to get some new plates.

...a few seconds later...

Me to Andy: That box has my gin in it, please be careful.

Corwin: Well, I can see where your priorities lie...

It's not easy to be green

Dear College,

I know the various housing contracts for the college state that the cost of the room includes "reasonable use of electricity," and that as a college it is not always easy to keep the bills paid. But how do you expect to keep your costs down if your heat doesn't turn off and I have to open my windows and turn on a fan so I don't accidentally evaporate?

Keep on truckin',
Kaitlin