Stumps!
She bowled at cricket practice today. She hit the stumps. And for all those of you (my North American friends) who don't understand what that means, (which included me up until about a week ago), basically, I did good (sort of roughly like striking someone out in baseball). And all this whilst dissertating all the while. After Friday at noon I will never use the word "dissertation" or any of its derivatives ever again.
But for now, she dissertated.
- posted by Annie Bergen @ Monday, May 31, 2004

 
AAB, Cricketer.
Today was my second cricket match of all time and my first time up at bat. I didn't get out! victory. I even hit the ball, splendid. Must have been all those days at the park with Gramps when I was just a wee lass. "That's it AAB, just keep your eye on the ball!" And I did. Was also given a shock at the start of the game when captain tells me I'll be in the bowling order as well---shocker. Didn't get up to me in the end, but would have been entertaining, I can tell you. Especially considering it's all still like a foreign language to me, "Watch out for the LBWs! and keep the wicket---and do it all before the overs are over!, etc." Does make your head spin a bit, but is proving to be a splendid cultural experience, am particularly fond of the tea. last week we seriously had this great big tea in the middle of the game with real china and stacks of sandwiches and cakes, I could get used to this.
Alas, University College beat the Merton/Mansfield lasses, twas most unjust. But it was lovely to get some vitamin D after being holed up in my room for days and days just dissertating til the cows came home---and they still haven't come home. They have to be home by Friday at noon though, at which point I'll look forward to some celebrating! ...and then I'll start studying for exams. Am almost a Master though! Twill all be great.
Now, time for some left-over curry. Mmmm, that's what I'm talking 'bout!
- posted by Annie Bergen @ Sunday, May 30, 2004

 
difficult day 2004
so, today is a difficult day. but other than saying that, i'm not going to say anything else about that.
right, moving on then. first of all, i'd like to say thank you to isobel---i'm glad i'm not the only one feeling 55 these days! and the granite city anti-glamour thing was just excellent. can i have a few sentences in the memoir? even if it's just about how we spent a whole day blowing up balloons together? :) oh, but wait, you'd also at least have to mention your stellar streetcar direction and my oh-so convincing blanche!
ok then, before i go and put the laundry in (because that's pretty much the most exciting thing that happens in my life these days apart from dissertating) i'm going to answer my first Friday Five, brought to you in full by Hail Coca-cola:
28 May 2004's Friday Five
1. What was the subject matter of the best paper you've ever written?
well, this does seem to be a very high school-oriented post already, but honestly the first paper that came to mind was one about Thoreau and his "simplicity, simplicity, simplicity" mantra---i remember that being one of my proudest moments when moffett said it was the first A that year. of course, it all went down hill from there...
2. What was the subject matter of the worst paper you've ever written?
too many to list!
3. How do you usually write? Do you outline a lot before hand? Do you write early and revise often?
i just sort of stress and complain for a really long time until panic sets in and then i stay up all night and let my subconscious do the work.
4. What's your favorite quote by a writer? I'm sure you have lots, so pick your favorite of the moment.
well, i'm sure this will let all the intellectuals down, but at the moment it would have to be one by the writers of Friends, when Chandler says, "You know, Donald Duck never wears pants," (Pheobe nods), "but whenever he gets out of the shower, he always puts a towel around his waist--I mean, what is that all about?"
5. What's a topic that you might enjoy writing a paper on in the future?
i think my days of enjoying paper-writing are over

Thanks for that, Sheazi, I might become a regular-- definitely more enjoyable than dissertating. And congrats on finishing your paper!
- posted by Annie Bergen @ Saturday, May 29, 2004

 
in a commenty kind of mood
hmmm. i'm feeling a bit crazy at the moment so thought i might add comments to this post. of course, other than that, i don't really have much else to say so there really won't be much to comment on, not to mention the fact that most people don't know that i am, in fact, now a stack of pancakes instead of a yourstruly.com. i do think the stack of pancakes suits me though, no? you can just call me "stack." or, were we to join monsieur costner in dances with wolves, you could then call me "stacks with pancakes." or possibly "stacks the pancakes" would make more sense. but sense is not necessarily all it's cracked up to be these days so don't worry too much about it.
- posted by Annie Bergen @ Thursday, May 27, 2004

 
unable to cope
so i'm having this problem whereby staring at the wall does not result in a completed dissertation. i'm still not certain as to why this method has failed and so i'm going to continue using it until i find a reason to stop. in addition, messing around on the internet also does not serve up a hot plate of dissertation. i wonder why that is. the internet serves up everything else, does it not? hmmm.
in other news, i've been wondering why, recently, people have ever made any type of cookie/pastry/ice cream/pancake/etc. that was not chocolate or at least mostly chocolate. i mean, it's just completely unacceptable. my wedding cake will be chocolate. and so will my wedding dress.
- posted by Annie Bergen @ Thursday, May 27, 2004

 
series 4, episode 23
well you all know i could recite every Friends episode start to finish because this is how i spend my time whilst dissertating (and whilst doing anything else I've done for the past ten years). i can be quite the multi-tasker when i put my mind to it: friends, blogging, dissertating--all at the same time. unfortunately, i don't actually have a stack of chocolate chip pancakes (yeah, i keep changing my blog name; am very indecisive; but i like this one--makes me happy). that would be nice though (the stack of pancakes). so the Friends. I mean, honestly, could you really be with someone who said someone else's name at your wedding? You know the one, Ross says Rachel's name instead of Emily, the "British chippie" as Phoebe calls her. I mean Emily actually shows up at the airport to go on their honeymoon---yeah, it all falls apart again after that because Rachel is there, but still. Would you even go to the airport? I mean, I just don't think I could spend the rest of my life with someone who said someone else's name at the altar. And you know what else? People need to be true to themselves, because it will all come back to get them in the end. I mean, yeah, I understand why everyone thinks Rachel shouldn't tell Ross that she loves him--but we all know that she is the love of his life! I mean, even if he's deluded himself into thinking that he's in love with Emily--and maybe he even is in love with her on some level---it will never be the level that he had with Rachel. And yeah, I sort of understand that life is not actually a sitcom---I know some of you don't believe me on this point--but still, the writers are real people. They know what's up.
And Sheazi, you're absolutley right. I'm in the homestretch of dissertating--it's due a week friday--and all I seem able to do is blog! Alas, back I go.
PS: I miss my Innocents! Potts and Menace, I hope to see you again when the job's done...of course then I'll start studying for exams. Hmmm, am ready not to be a student anymore.
- posted by Annie Bergen @ Wednesday, May 26, 2004

 
Archives: January-May 2004
In response to some queries, these bloggings and comments are not lost to oblivion. I still have them in my posession, though they are not published on the web anymore. One day I may link them here, but for now I am enjoying the simple life of simple blogging without all the bells and whistles, a recovering blogaholic, if you will.
And then she dissertated.
- posted by Annie Bergen @ Wednesday, May 26, 2004

 
i'm still up
did you know that i'm still up right now? of course you did. else how would you be reading what is written here? well you wouldn't be would you. why am i still up you ask? well, i have absolutely no good reason at all. none. however, i could recite entire seasons of friends if you wanted. right, am off to bed now. tomorrow holds another fun-filled day of dissertating and blogging, blogging and dissertating. oh and maybe some friends-watching to fill in the gaps. hmmm, that sounds sort of funny actually. you do know that i mean the television show and not that i actually spy on my friends, right? Hmmm, that reminds of Rear Window. That was a good flick. Jimmy Stewart was an absolute rocking one, he was. I'm sure you've all seen It's a Wonderful Life. Well, you should add Shop Around the Corner to your repetoire. Ernst Lubitsch has not beeen given the credit he deserves.
Goodnight.
- posted by Annie Bergen @ Tuesday, May 25, 2004

 
back once again, but not necessarily better than before
Well here I am again in blog form. It will probably stick this time. Hmmm, we'll see. Here's the last blog I did which does some explaining:
FRIDAY, MAY 21, 2004
new blog day
well folks, it's the beginning of a new era. my blogging started on the 31st of january 2004 on another site, which i have since shut down as i'm planning on entering the world of responsible working adults soon and i think there was just too much compromising information being linked to my name. i'd have definitely ended up being fired or something and would then be the subject of a big newsweek article on the dangers of blogging.
alas, i can't seem to keep away completely. am writing my oxford dissertation right now and it's much nicer to blog than to dissertate. have also started playing cricket and apparently i'm a natural bowler. my shoulder is killing me. ok, back to work for now. ps: i'm returning to boston mid-july and am definitely looking for employment. if anyone knows my true identity and wants to hire me, please do get in touch. 'tis all for now.

In addition, I have done away with commenting as there were times when I had to go and edit comments to protect people from getting into serious trouble with boyfriends/girlfriends/parents/employers/the government, etc. Now I have less to worry about. Life is much simpler. It is only myself I have to worry about. And that takes up a lot of my time! However, I plan on being a responsible blogger now---none of those 4am postings, etc. that divulge too much information and create all too healthy cringe-factors. For as you see, I am now "all grown up and totally under control" and hard at work on my pension. It will be great. And it will pay for my boat. The boat will have a bed with a fridge, microwave, and grill---all within reach of the bed. Hmmm, bed. Man I'm tired. Hmmm, maybe that's because it's 3am.

PS: those of you who have navigated here from my all too aptly named previous site, note the new address please as I'll not be renewing my lease on the old address!
love to all and to all a good night.
- posted by Annie Bergen @ Tuesday, May 25, 2004