no more certain than I think I might have been before: uncertainty, con't.

[jess]

Why not take a faster version of number 2 and tell her via email what you feel like the limits are regarding what you could do (that it would just be very general. etc), and ask her if she thinks there is anyone who could do a better/more thorough job? Also suggest that she ask an actual professor (vs grad student instructor) if possible—she may not know that that will carry more weight. If someone still asks you to do it after getting that kind of response, they deserve the totally generic "this person doesn't suck" type of recommendation they are going to get.

[alex]

Good point, I think I'll do that, thanks.

[davy]

I've had folks I requested a rec from ask me to write a short summary of what I planned to study and why to help them fill their letters out. You're certainly within your rights to do something like that.

[nonotyet]

Evan's sister has a gecko named Godzlila that I am totally enamored with. She wants to get me one for my birthday because every time we are over at her house I space out staring at it for long periods of time and they are like "what is wrong with you" and I am like "Godzilla." I am uncertain about this because I have not had a pet since murder fish and do not know if I can be trusted to keep a thing alive.

But really: gecko.

geckooooooooooooo 

[auto-da-fey]

Hey Davy, Andrew (Almanzo, sigh) and his lovely wife Sharon will be at ALA as well! I told him he needs to give you mega high fives for me, and I know he's definitely looking to hit plenty o' music sites.

oh man, I know Almanzo is a perpetually controversial figure, but not only am I with the he's-swell-IRL crowd, also I just saw him drunk in Philly a few weekends ago and that was hilarious. there was a douchebag with a guitar at a party and I wasn't sure if 'manz was seriously wasted and digging his jam or just engaging in savage passive-aggressive encouragement-trolling, but either way (or both), it was amusing as hell.

[silentsigh89]

Not sure what to do about work, internet!

My boyfriend and I just moved to DC and he is working full time for the summer, leaving me home alone all day. There are still some really awesome looking (and paid!) internships that keep popping up that would be relevant and good for my future career, but they won't be getting back to me for a while.

On the other hand, I have interviews lined up with CVS and Safeway tomorrow. I am good at retail and confident I will get the job IF I stretch the truth a bit about how much I can work in the fall. Is it worth it to do that? Do I take a job and then quit in three weeks if I get a good , paid, useful internship? Do I cancel the interviews? Will it look bad if I have an empty summer on record? Will it look worse if my post-college, pre-grad school summer was spent at Safeway?

These are the questions that tumble around in my head all day.

[dumbfish]

Empty summer and CVS summer are both totally totally fine. By the time you're done with grad school, your resume will have lots of more recent, more relevant meat on it than what you did with one particular summer. If someone asks, tell them you sharpened your Russian working on a phone sex line (976-BOOBUSHKA?)
If this is a "how to occupy time" issue more than a money issue, just wait on the internships. Use the next few weeks to get used to DC, explore your library, that kinda thing. Totally worth it.
If it's a money thing, and you don't like the mild dishonesty of applying to CVS, perhaps you could do temp work? If you can type, answer phones, and/or use Excel competently, you ought to have all the work you want pretty quickly. Hell, you'll be a star if you show up on time and in appropriate clothes.

[hannah]

I second the above. I also encourage you to spend one of your free nights hanging out with me... namely, this Sunday or Monday!

[silentsigh89]

I have taken your advice and am applying for temp work!

While a bit of extra money would be nice, I have been saving for this summer for the past four years, and these are very low paying jobs. I think it's mostly a guilt thing. I've always worked! And I feel a bit lazy just sitting around.

Hannah-- yes!! That would be fantastic.

[milesofsparks]

you can always invent your own internship/project if the other internships don't work out.  where of everything in the DC area would you want to work?  pester them until they let you hang out there and they may even give you a little $$ or school credit.

[jess]

Yeah, if you don't need the money, but you want to do something, you could always volunteer somewhere cool. All sorts of opportunities open up if you aren't asking to be paid for them. Also, you can do something like that parttime and also take some time to relax and explore the new city, which I highly recommend. Grad school will keep you plenty busy soon enough.

[peacocks]

empty summers are not worthless. I wish I had more. As for lying to a safeway about not working as much in the fall, don't worry about it! Turn around in those places is so high just quit when you want or if something better comes along. People will either understand or won't care.

[davy]

That's the truth of it.

[Greg Nog]

At that stage where my hair is long enough that I should get it cut, except that I have some vague idea that I should "grow it out a little" without any particular image of what that would look like or if it is any way desirable.

[hannah]

At that stage where I definitely need a haircut. Hair is too heavy for my ponytail holder. And I guess I'm going to have to have Jacob cut it, because I'm flying to Washington D.C. on Sunday and then to Russia on Tuesday.

And, yeah, that's really what I came here to say I'm uncertain about!

I know it's going to be awesome, but fuck if the first few days (weeks?) won't be terrifying. I have absolutely no confidence in my ability to speak this language.

[jebreject]

Someone broke into our apartment today while we were at work. They took my xbox, all my xbox games and a number of dvd boxsets. Stole our change jars. Three digital cameras. Didn't touch the tv, our router, any of my CDs or LPs, or my computer. Or, thankfully, any of my guitars or amps. M's laptop was under the couch so they didn't find that. They didn't take my desktop either. Clearly they were grabbing what was easy to take and easy to unload.

The cop was really awesome, actually. Super nice and took the time to dust for prints and all that, which they didn't do on Sunday when the upstairs neighbors were burglarized. Talked a little shit about the dept which endeared him to me. Apparently there have been about twenty break-ins around the neighborhood in the last few days, and it sounds like they chased down some kids the other day and brought them in but there wasn't enough evidence to keep 'em. They have their prints on file now, so my only hope is that it was the same stupid shits and that they left some good prints behind.

[Little Sixes Little Nines]

oh man, dude, that sucks. i hate the feeling you get when someone's been through your stuff. here's hoping they catch them, and you get everything back - if not, do you have insurance?

EDIT: Oh wow, didn't see the other thread. sorry to rub salt in the wound

[hannah]

Jeez, Jeb, I'm sorry. Damn.

[jebreject]

Hh, they took my fucking Homicide box set!

Actually, it was almost all tv shows that they took, other than the video games.

I'm getting drunk now.

[clare]

Ah fuck, that totally sucks that it happened before you'd got the insurance organised.

[milesofsparks]

Jeb!  that is terrible.  I hope you get your stuff back.

[Ignatius]

I'm so sorry to hear about it, jeb. That sucks.

[jebreject]

I'm drunk

gusy i'm really glad they didn't get my computer or M's computer or my guitars or amps because kI would have really been made if dthe got those things

[jebreject]

mad

[FreddyKnuckles]

You can always pirate some tv shows.  You can't pirate a new laptop. 

Also the xbox and the cameras.  That's a big hit...