Dorkiness personified

*No, the typos do not come automatically with the Claudia font. :)

In which Kaitlin yammers on about random bits of her research.

I was writing a little bit about the episode in part I of the Quijote in which don Quijote and Sancho have dinner with some goatherds, and the don launches into a verbose and random commentary about the Golden Age just because he sees some acorns. (Even the author describes it as unnecessary smack dab in the middle of the text.) Anyway, after his speech, the goatherds offer to entertain don Quijote and Sancho with some singing. When don Quijote asks them to sing some more, Sancho disagrees, telling him that

Bien puede vuestra merced acomodarse desde luego adonde ha de posar esta noche, que el trabajo de estos buenos hombres tienen todo día no permite que pasen las noches cantando.

To which don Quijote replies,

Ya te entiendo, Sancho […], que bien se me trasluce que las visitas del zaque piden más recompense de sueño que de música.

(Chapter 21, p. 102)

For some reason, this passage made me lol, so I thought I'd share. :)

This post is brought to you by.....

Having a degree in advertising makes you exceptionally aware of advertisements. Someone mentioned to me once that I watch commercials with just as much interest as I do when I watch the show itself! Anyway, I was watching Ugly Betty last night, when I came to realize the type of advertisement I hate the most: the product placement.

I know they're trying to ram that idea into your head by making it appear subtle, but it's not subtle. It's painfully obvious. I really started to notice it when Survivor first came out - on one episode, the reward challenge prize was a gift basket full of bathing essentials that was "parachuted in" from Target. The winning team was clever enough to use the parachute (which had a giant Target logo on it) to make shelter, so every time the team was shown on the program, it was an ad for Target. In other reward challenges they would win random snacks of things like Doritos and Mountain Dew - probably the last things I would want after not eating for days, but if they're paying for air time, I guess you eat it.

On this week's episode of Ugly Betty, Betty tries to win back Gio's approval by acquiring some rare Italian cheese for him (he had tried to get some in Rome, but it was confiscated at customs). When it arrives at Mode, Amanda mentions how one slice of the cheese is probably much worse than her whole drawer of Healthy Choice Fresh Mixers lunches. You've probably seen similar commercials: people are whining about the crap they eat at lunch, when someone opens a desk drawer to reveal a whole pile of Healthy Choice lunches. Well, this was the same thing.Another one that annoys the hell out of me is when they do it on Jon & Kate Plus 8. I can't find a clip of it, but one day when they were waiting for something, Jon and Kate pulled out the kids' new VSmile and they waxed poetic about how wonderful it was while the screen showed the kids playing with it. You could tell it was planned because Kate sucks at reading stuff (listen to her monotone voice in the opening bit). I'm willing to bet that those kids don't ask to play with the thing ever again - it probably comes out when Mom and Dad want to make some money.

I'm also guessing that people talking about the awkwardness is a good thing too - sure, Amanda was weird about flashing all those Healthy Choice lunches, but people gawked about it the next day, which spread the name around. That's the weird thing about advertising - ads may be memorable because they're annoying, but at least they're memorable!

Completing the celebrity hat trick

Today's post is brought to you by the letter K, for KEVIN SPACEY.

As you may have read in the papers, Kevin Spacey is the new Cameron Mackintosh Visiting Professor of Contemporary Theatre at my college. He succeeds Patrick Stewart and a number of other prestigious actors in this role.

He gave his first lecture today, and he was amazing. He didn't have the same kind of presence as Sir Patrick, but he was funny and interesting. And the best part of it was, he took the "Professor" part of it to heart.

Throughout his talk he said a lot about how he wanted to meet the students and know what the students want, and I thought it he was just saying what he thought we wanted to hear. But he really meant it. During dinner, he got down from the high table (where the highest-level fellows and prestigious donors were invited to dine with him) to walk among the students, thank them for coming and to just chat with them. I was one of the lucky ones who got to chat with him, but sadly I did not document this momentous occasion on camera. (No one else was doing it, so I didn't want to start something if he just meant to walk around quickly!)

After dinner, Kevin and the fellows adjourned to the Senior Common Room for the usual post-high table gathering - probably port and whiskey and the like. But he didn't want that - he wanted to go to the JCR (student) bar. The fellows and the organizers (the Master's secretary, etc.) looked shocked, but they followed him along.

These things showed me that he takes this position seriously, and not as a pompous way to earn the college money from donors. It was great. I can't wait for his next lecture!

Very rarely do I get them this accurate!

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You are an Audrey!

You are an Audrey -- "I am at peace"

Audreys are receptive, good-natured, and supportive. They seek union with others and the world around them.

How to Get Along with Me

• If you want me to do something, how you ask is important. I especially don't like expectations or pressure
• I like to listen and to be of service, but don't take advantage of this
• Listen until I finish speaking, even though I meander a bit
• Give me time to finish things and make decisions. It's OK to nudge me gently and nonjudgmentally
• Ask me questions to help me get clear
• Tell me when you like how I look. I'm not averse to flattery
• Hug me, show physical affection. It opens me up to my feelings
• I like a good discussion but not a confrontation
• Let me know you like what I've done or said
• Laugh with me and share in my enjoyment of life

What I Like About Being an Audrey

• being nonjudgmental and accepting
• caring for and being concerned about others
• being able to relax and have a good time
• knowing that most people enjoy my company; I'm easy to be around
• my ability to see many different sides of an issue and to be a good mediator and facilitator
• my heightened awareness of sensations, aesthetics, and the here and now
• being able to go with the flow and feel one with the universe

What's Hard About Being an Audrey

• being judged and misunderstood for being placid and/or indecisive
• being critical of myself for lacking initiative and discipline
• being too sensitive to criticism; taking every raised eyebrow and twitch of the mouth personally
• being confused about what I really want
• caring too much about what others will think of me
• not being listened to or taken seriously

Audreys as Children Often

• feel ignored and that their wants, opinions, and feelings are unimportant
• tune out a lot, especially when others argue
• are "good" children: deny anger or keep it to themselves

Audreys as Parents

• are supportive, kind, and warm
• are sometimes overly permissive or nondirective

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy