cynthiawambsgans's Xanga

the downhome skinny

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 22:57:45 GMT

this story starts with a bit of a backstory, so let me rewind the clock for a moment and take you backwards timewise.

tock tick tock tick

(the sound of a clock spinning backwards)

three weeks ago, a local community college offered me an interview to be a college geology professor, which seemed the ultimate of ultimate opportunities for a goofy, just-back-from-africa bumbler like me. so, i spent many an hour preparing a bomb presentation about my graduate research and hashing out my thoughts on my teaching philosophy and style and so forth.

the morning of the interview, i donned my professional pants, rehearsed my presentation for the umpteenth time, folded up my googlemap directions, and caught the train out to the university. i knew i needed to jump off the train and walk 1.5 miles to the interview, so i left more than enough time to get there.

well, wouldn't ya know, i walked 1.5 miles in the wrong direction ...then kept going. i guess my nervous energy clouded my sense of time because, glancing down at my watch, i thought, "hells bells! it's twenty minutes to my interview! i should BE there already!"

panicking slightly, i called my ever-gracious mom and asked her to googlemap me (from her office in cleveland, god bless her.)

"cynthia, ah..., you're 3.5 miles from your interview."

holy mother of bleeper.

seeing no cabs or busses, hyperventilating slightly, my mom encouraged zen breathing.

"can you run to your interview? 3.5 miles in 20 minutes?," she asked.

well, hell, even if i COULD, i'd arrive smelling like wild oxen hiene on a swampy african day. not exactly the impression i intended to make.

"well, then, cimmy," my mom soothed, "there's only one thing to do if you want to get to this interview on time."

shittaki mushrooms. seriously? seriously? i mean, catching a lifti to my tanzanian village was one thing, but this? refusing to pass up the opportunity of a lifetime, i swallowed a deep breath, swallowed my pride, and ...

ten minutes later, i bade farwell to ricardo, my new portuguese friend, sighed the biggest sigh of exhale kingdom, and walked into the university's front entrance. thank god for the kindness of strangers. thank god, thank god, thank god.

i absolutely fell in love with the university--the people, the community, and the feel of it. i felt so good about the interview, until a week later when the department head called and informed me that, while the decision was tough, they decided to go with another, more experienced candidate.

well, shoot.

i spent the bulk of last week wrapping my head around the idea of being a nanny. i began working and started visiting apartments in the city, meeting roommates, and checking out various neighborhoods.

"i can do this," i thought. "so what if i'm a nanny with a masters degree? i'll take some time for myself, relax into life, and settle into san francisco. maybe this is just what i need after the peace corps."

i sustained that feeling until thursday morning, when i hopped over to my ring-ringing phone and got a call from the university's department chair. she said they'd been so impressed with my personality that they reallocated funds to create a brand new position with me in mind.

huzzah!

i repeat, with exuberance, HUZZAH!

officially, i am the "director of the extreme science program," working with high school students and teachers through the university to get students excited about science (so they'll eventually pursue science in college). this is *exactly* the kind of position i've wanted for a really long time, and i'm really really excited to begin. i feel a bit dazed and incredibly blessed. ...but mostly really excited.

here's to ricardo!

i start in a week, and i've spent the last couple of days finding a reliable car and a fantastic cozy cottage, both which i found with relative ease.

can anyone say camping trip?

i didn't exactly intend on ending up with an s.u.v. (particularly not after i'd been dreaming of smart cars), but the used car market is flooded with 'em (wonder why in this economy), and i got my new ride for a really good price.

plus, just to top of this happy cake with a cheery cherry (that was a horrible line) i finished another hat:

katherine calls this one the "frasta" since its part french and part rasta. i think its a good bad-hair day hat, made for the nugget of a good girlfriend. unfortunately, i imagine my hat production'll decrease with my upcoming employment, but... who knows?

anywoot, just wanted to share the goods! im a career gal!

hugs to all,
cynthia

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:54:31 GMT

things i've learned in my recent unemployment:

there are alot (ALOT) of unemployed people out there. in ohio, about 700 HUNDRED people applied for ONE janitorial position. we unemployed could start a small, frustrated army, shaking our empty clenched fists at the proverbial man. thankfully, i find myself in good company, and i have several friends with whom i can spend endless hours hashing out interview strategies and retooling resumes.

if i were to scan through my sent mail and count the number of resumes and cover letters sent to prospective employers, i would reach the number (counting...) (holy cow, still counting...) 217. EGADS. after flurrying my resume through the universe, i landed several very promising interviews, donned my most respectable looking pants, and set forth to impress my potential employers with my intelligence and professionalism. unfortunately some didn't impress me back. in fact, one high school principal actually said, "i understand why my students learn mandarin, but spanish? i mean, what? are we supposed to be able to talk to our housecleaners?". i've never been one to hide my feelings well, and i'm still not quite sure how i left that interview without throwing a paper weight at his head. finding myself in the rather difficult situation of having to choose unemployment over a job i knew i'd hate, i held forth, stinking to my standards and paychecklessness.

thankfully, the fates had my back, the stars aligned, and my prancing employment dance proved fruitful, and ive found a great job working as a nanny in san francisco.

ive also found that unemployment is a fantastic time to try new things, such as learning how to rock climb or exploring wine country. on sunday, my gracious californian hosts and i explored the livermore wineries with our picnic basket in tow, and i had a wonderful introduction to bay area wine country. apparently this coming weekend is barrel tasting in sonoma, and i'm really excited to, ah, drink in a little more california culture. :P

when not soaking up the great outdoors, i'm most often found curled up on the sofa, knitting and purling to my heart's content. i dunno WHY i love knitting as much as i do. actually, i do. a nurse in new orleans explained that the brain waves produced whilst knitting mimic those produced by a yogi meditating. something about the constant rhythm of the needles' movement symmetrically aligned in front of one's face produce "alpha brain waves," which prove enormously calming for people with high-stung, type-a personalities. hem, hem. now, i haven't actually googled this to gain any factual support, but i'm trusting this nurse to know her stuff. well... hmm... (pause while googling). yup, turns out she was spot on. http://www.knitmagic.com/5.html apparently knitting staves off dementia, calms ADHD, improves cancer recovery, and alleviates stress. ...Plus you get cute hats out of it.

i finished a blue daisy mae hat for my friend katherine, with little pink stitches running across the brim. ah yes, breaking the mold, one meaningless yet adorable addition at a time! :P

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Sun, 08 Mar 2009 18:15:43 GMT

im currently reading "fast food nation," which is quite a change from my recent david sedaris quippy delight kick. i have a sneaky feeling ill think twice before ordering 99 cent double cheeseburgers again, which is not to say that i WONT order them, just that ill take longer at the drive-up window. ...maybe ill feel differently after ive read more than 7 pages, though. :P

yesterday, i enjoyed the great outdoors with several friends, old and new. we drove up to the summit of mt. diablo, located a bit north and a bit east of the san francisco bay. reaching the summit, we savored a fantastic picnic lunch (turkey, havarti, sprout sandwiches YUM), then picked a moderate trail and set forth. we hiked from the summit of mt. diablo to the nearest peak, absorbing an absolutely gorgeous view of the entire bay area along the way.

after our hike, we ventured back home and enjoyed the most delicious meal i've had in weeks -- swordfish, ribeye, asparagus, sweet corn, and strawberries. after our meal, we sat around the fireplace, clutching coffee mugs against our satisfied bellies, and listening to aaron read poetry. the entire day felt decadently rich, devoid of mindless technological distractions, and shared with delightful company.

this morning, ive officially sprung forward, along with (most) of the rest of the country, and im personally looking forward to a little warm weather. ...not that i really ought to be complaining from california, huh, mom? :)

these boots are made for walking ...and walking and walking and walking

Tue, 03 Mar 2009 17:54:48 GMT

that's just what they'll do.

lemme take a brief pause and say sumpthin. i love my cowboy boots. love my boots. they're my lucky boots. they're my bad day boots. they're my first date / concert on the lawn / dancing at a bar / lasso a bull boots. hell, they're my job interview boots.

they've been to paris, amsterdam, orlando, cape cod, austin, philadelphia, iowa city, new orleans, las vegas, and san francisco. they didn't go to africa with me because i loved them too much. i protected them from tapeworm. they'll thank me one day.

they've seen me through unbelievable late nights and horrible morning afters. they've molded and morphed to my sole, and i feel a kinship with their sweet butter yellow leather.

they're fryes, which (for those not in the know) are the same boots teddy roosevelt used to outfit his rough riders back in the late 1800's. they're historic, they're noteworthy, and goddamn, they look good.

they're also the most expensive shoes i own. actually, second to my computer, they're the most expensive thing i own, period. (im not sure how i feel about that, other than to say that i don't own alot.)

so, you might imagine my major tristesse when last week, hiking through noe valley from yet another job interview, i literally lost my sole. my boot's bottom flapped up and down with every plod, giving the eery impression that my shoe was desperately, yet silently trying to speak.

what was one to do? thankfully, i found myself mere blocks from the gorgeous katerina's home, and i stumbled my way to her door and squeezed my size nines into her size sevens. it wasn't the most comfortable of solutions, but it worked.

with one swift google, i found the "instant shoe stop shoe repair shop" (a mouthful of a name), and i dropped my beloved babies off for some tender loving care.

the swarthy looking cobbler asked if i wanted a leather or rubber replacement sole, and, trying to stay true to my boot's nature, i requested leather. then, i paused and asked him which sole would last longer.

"ah, the rubber one, definitely. it'll see you about 50,000 miles more."

50,000 miles! good god, mister! give me the rubber one!

i don't know if i've even walked 50,000 miles in my lifetime. it's debatable. in any event, my new best friend was promising my boots a long and sturdy life, and i felt more than happy handing over my tired debit card.

40 bucks later and my boots look like they just emerged from their box, newborn cowboy babies ready to rodeo the world. hell, the cobbler even buffed and polished them. 40 bucks well spent. plus, in our throw-away consumer society, i feel like cobbling shoes is a very ecofriendly step. (haha, step.) two points for me.

~cynth

hats are fun

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 04:37:54 GMT

i am a hat making genius! ...and a huge dweeb. :)

i just finished this one tonight. i also did this one on circular needles, although i saved myself a lot of headache and got double pointed needles to finish off the top.

i made a brim on it with a garter stitch, then, just to amp up the girlishness (cause i am, in fact, a girl) i sewed on a cluster of knit daisies. i found a really cool tutorial on you tube here: felted flower tutorial

im debating if i want to felt it or not. ...i think i do. opinions?

i have turned into a knitting fool

Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:05:33 GMT

are you proud of me talia?

:P

after reading a delightfully girlish novel overseas ("the friday night knitting club"), i made a firm decision to learn to knit, and when i returned to the land of good n' plenty, i beelined for joann's and bought my first needles.

an afternoon spent curled up on my mom's cleveland couch, with better homes and garden's "1, 2, 3 knit!" laid open beside me, and i realized that i didn't have alot of natural talent when it came to working needles.

many many hours and miles of dropped stiches later, i feel fairly proficient. granted, im no grandmother, but i can cast on and purl with the best of em. and the odd language of knitting patterns finally makes some sense.

i can at least understand k1yok2tog even though i cant yet DO it.

while in new orleans staying at my clever little hostel, i met a wonderful older woman named susan who'd been knitting for decades. she told me that i ought to be visiting little local yarn stores, rather than patronizing mega craft meccas like joann's, and she gave me a post-it with directions to a small shop in the french quarter. when i arrived at the "quarter stitch," my world exploded. i've always been super interested in other cultures, and little yarn stores specialize in unique and novel materials -- recycled silk yarn made from cut-off remnants of indian saris or fair trade yarn made from banana leaves in nepal.

good thing i've developed a taste for quality yarn because, yknow, money's no object for me.

anyways, ive always been slightly envious of the folk who can post up photos of projects they've done and quip, "heya, lookie what i made!," but now im one of the fortunate few.

hey, lookie what i made!:

that was one of my first hats. i knit it on circular needles, with a stockinette stich, and it has a rolled brim. i gave it to my momma for christmas since she lives in freezing cold cleveland. :P

cynthia

the california adventures

Sat, 28 Feb 2009 17:26:30 GMT

dear friends,

i havent written a blog entry in quite some time, but ive been a busy girl, off on various adventures.

since several months have sauntered by since i've last written, let me give you some general updates.

i spent the last several months wandering around america, working on a book idea, and putting off getting a job. :P after several months spent as a roaming vagabond, i've seen seven states, enjoyed a boat load of new experiences, written over 100 pages, and signed a contract with a fabulous agent at global literary management. "the broken heart tour" is still waiting for the perfect publisher, but i feel good about the project and its prospects.

im currently living in san francisco, california, tooling around for work and spending far too many hours in cozy coffee shops. ah, yes, how life has changed. cynthia's in a coffee shop. shocking. i sincerely enjoy living in california, and i'm doing my utmost to make this a permanent move. unfortunately, finding work in the middle of an economic recession presents, erhm, certain challenges. but ive been fortunate enough to land a couple fantastic job interviews, and ive been traipsing my favorite cowboy boots up and down san francisco hills from one job prospect to another. the next few months should be exciting and full of changes, and i'm really excited to see where life'll lead me.

more later. my mug demands a refill.

my best, to all,
cynthia

ah, and p.s., im trying to find a way to add a list of books i've read (and enjoyed) lately to the side of my blog, but until then...

naked -- david sedaris
christmas on ice -- david sedaris
me talk pretty one day -- david sedaris
(yep, ive been on a kick. he's hilarious.)
neither here nor there -- bill bryson
the lost continent -- bill bryson

finally, another entry

Sun, 02 Nov 2008 01:35:58 GMT

dear friends,

happy november!

it's been far too long since i've written a blog entry, but i've been a busy little kitten these past few weeks. all the plans i made in the peace corps for my stateside return fell apart like a badly knit sweater. but life has a funny way of giving amazing presents in ugly paper. i decided that since i had no obligations to anyone or anywhere i would embrace my freedom and chase a dream i've had since childhood -- i'm writing a book! YAY!

currently, im travelling around america for the next four months doing research for my project, and i'm having a wildly fantastic time. so far, ive explored cape cod and philadelphia -- later, i'm visiting sopchoppy, new orleans, austin, vegas, san fran, and seattle. (you may not be familiar with the bustling city of sopchoppy. it's in florida.)

hugs to all!

xoxox
cynthia

Friday, September 12, 2008

Fri, 12 Sep 2008 16:29:29 GMT

GREAT article. read here.

"sarah palin and her virtual burqa have me and my friends retching into our handbags. she's such a power-mad, backwater beauty-pageant casualty, it's easy to write her off and make fun of her...

she is dangerous. she is not just pro-life, she's anti-life. she is the suppression of human feeling and instinct. she is a slave to the compromises dictated by her own desire for power and control...

she should be a galvanizing point for women everywhere. not to support her candidacy but to rebel against the republican party and take back the respect and equality so hard-earned by the women's liberation movement in the 1970s."

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 20:53:27 GMT

dear all,

well...

*IM HOME!*

YAY! i'm an R.P.C.V.!! (returned peace corps volunteer, homies.) two years in the peace corps -- CHECK. one life goal down!

i flew back from steamy dar es salaam to the even-steamier florida a few days ago, and since then, i've been relaxin with the blue-hairs down in my favorite retirement community. i can't believe it's only been a week since i left my mt. kilimanjaro home, and, truthfully, i feel a bit stunned. life is so different here. i guess i'm a little overwhelmed and still processing. alot of returned peace corps volunteers say that readjusting back to the united states is the hardest part of service, and i can kinda see why someone might say that. i've definitely noticed that people's eyes glaze over a bit when i start babbling on about 'tanzania this, tanzania that,' but i don't really have anything else to talk about.

in other news, i've decided that american squirrels are possibly the cutest thing ever. and, that said, i hereby nominate them to be voted 'national rodent'. seriously. squirrles are the best. i kinda forgot all about them.

also, i've noticed that americans are kinda chubby. dude. i'm not sure what's in the water over here (do we melt butter into it?), but we're a country of porkers. ok. to be fair, i flew into the detroit airport, which might not be as fit a geographic locale as, say, l.a., but still. americans could squash tanzanians.

so... just to preemptively answer the question i've gotten about 34 times already, here's what i'm going to do next:

sleep, sleep, sleep, read, travel (florida - vegas - cleveland - iowa), run a half marathon, get a job, apply to law school, get accepted to law school, study environmental law, rock out a j.d., be the positive change i wish to see in the world, keep it real

oh, and one more thing. or, i suppose, 150 more things. in the peace corps, i read 150 books. yep. call me captain nerd bags. but, i kept a list, since whenever i read the book title, i remember exactly where i was and what i was doing. so, this book list is a MOST EXCELLENT way for me to remember my peace corps service. and, while i put it up here mainly for personal reasons, i thought maybe people would be interested. i bolded the best reads on the list.

i'm off. i have a hot date at the olive garden with my stepdad.

hugs,

cynthia

the broker -- john grisham (read on the plane ride to africa)

extremely loud and incredibly close -- johnathan safron foer (favorite book i've read ... ever)

the lady and the unicorn -- tracy chevalier

white teeth -- zadie smith

the poisonwood bible -- barbara kingsolver

the curious incident of the dog in the night-time -- mark haddon (sublime, comic, endearing)

three junes -- julia glass

brothers and sisters -- bebe moore campbell

hard laughter -- ann lamont

surrender the pink -- carrie fisher

the never-ending story -- michael ende and ralph manheim

the oxford murders -- guillermo martinez and sonia soto

east of eden -- john steinbeck (so good i read it twice)

summers child -- luanne rice

waltzing the cat -- pam houston

angels and demons -- dan brown

the gunslinger -- steven king

the cat and the curmudeon -- cleveland avory

a walk to remember -- nicholas sparks

huck finn -- mark twain

snow falling on cedars -- david guterson

fear of flying -- erica jong (a bit of a pervy read, really)

four sided bed -- elizabeth searle

harry potter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 -- j.k. rowling (i'm counting these all as one ... they're more entertaining than t.v.)

middle sex -- jeffrey eugenides (totally compelling, un-put-down-able; i read it twice)

the perfect elizabeth -- libby schmais

the lifegaurd -- james patterson

cranberry queen -- kathleen demarco

getting rid of bradley -- jennifer cruise (worst novel ever read?)

the eligible bachelor -- unknown author (wait no, THIS is the worst novel ever read)

everything is illuminated -- johnathan safron foer (it's not a book so much as art. i read this puppy twice. he's hands down my favorite author.)

there is no me without you -- melissa fay green

the playboy articles -- playboy magazine

reading lolita in tehran: a memoir in books -- azar nafisi

song of solomon -- toni morrison (this woman doesn't write; she sings.)

where i'm calling from -- raymond carver

the fountain head -- ann rand

the lovely bones -- alice shebold

hamlet -- shakespeare

balzac and the little chinese seamstress -- dai sijie and ina rilke

the lord of the flies -- william golding

the dorthy parker anthology

tell me your dreams -- sidney sheldon (pretty awful stuff)

lolita -- vladimir nabokov (fantastically distrubing)

left bank -- kate muir

the growing pains of adrian mole -- sue townsend

angela's ashes -- frank mccourt (i'm in love with the way this guy writes)

the center of everything -- laura mauriarty

everything you need to be impossibly french: a witty investigation into the lives, lusts, and little secrets of french women -- helena frith-powell (i found this book to be an incredibly useful read in the middle of my little african village...)

the rules for saying goodbye -- katherine taylor

into thin air: a person account of the mt. everest disaster -- joh krakaur

the great gatsby -- f.scott fitzgerald

can you keep a secret -- sophie kinsella

nothern lights -- nora roberts

like water for chocolate -- laura esquivel

flight lessons -- patricia gaffney

artistic license -- julia hyzy

daughter of fortune -- isabell allende

the paino tuner -- daniel mason

running with scissors -- augusten burroughs

seven sunny days -- chris manby

the brothers' grimm fairy tales

1984 -- george orwell

the handmaid's tale -- margaret atwood

cryptonomicon -- neal stephenson

memoirs of a geisha -- arthur golden

the kite runner -- khaled hosseini (this books echoes when you close it)

the grapes of wrath -- john steinbeck (i found interesting parallels between present day tz and depression era us)

left behind -- tim lahaye and jerry b. jenkins

tender is the night -- f. scott fitzgerald

the autograph man -- zadie smith

fortunes rocks -- anita shreve

the girl with the pearl earring -- tracy chevalier

the horse whisperer -- nicholas evans

the zanzibar chest -- aiden hartley

before i say goodbye -- mary higgens clark

summer sisters -- judy blume (one of my favorite novels growing up)

the pilot's wife -- anita shreve

everyone worth knowing -- lauren weisberger

the birth of venus -- sarah dunant

lipstick jungle -- candace bushnell

the devil wears prada -- lauren weisberger

simply divine -- wendy holden

this must be love -- kasey michaels (worst book i've ever read?)

the forger -- paul watkins

bella tuscany -- francis mayes

ten little indians -- sherman alexie

a crowded marraige -- catherine alliot

the surrendered single -- laura doyle (this turned out to be a self-help book ... whoops)

house of sand and fog -- andre dubus iii

candy: a novel of love and addiction -- luke davies

me and mr. darcy -- alexandra potter

master butchers singing club -- louis erdrich

life of pi -- yann martel (beyond good, past great)

the constant gardener -- john le carre

where the heart is -- bettie letts

judge and jury -- john patterson

the valley of secrets -- charmian hussey and christopher crump

falling leaves: a memoir of an unwanted chinese daughter -- adeline yen mah

infidelity for first time fathers -- mark barrowcliffe (horrible book. i feel bad for the paper.)

the silver rose -- susan carrol (so bad it's good? hmm.)

the andromeda strain -- michael crichton

pride and prejudice -- jane austen (although i've been compared to lydia, i still adore adore adore this book (and besides, im totally an elizabeth). it is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife)

one flew over the coocoo's nest -- ken kesey

midnight in the garden of good and evil -- john berent

to kill a mockingbird -- harper lee (picking a favorite character in this book is impossible, since i love them all.)

mao's last dancer -- li cunxin

living single -- holly chamberlin

shopoholic ties the knot -- sophie kinsella

devil in the white city: murder, magic, and madness at the fair that changed america -- erik larson

the quickie -- james patterson (this book was really really popular among my teachers mostly 'cause there was a nakked lady on the book cover.)

the apothecary's house -- adrien matthews

the chosen -- chiam potok

eat, pray, love: one woman's search for everything in italy india, indonesia -- elizabeth gilbert

the bone garden -- tess gerritson

a wrinkle in time -- madeline l'engel (this novel single-handedly shaped how i view spirituality as a child.)

anne of windy poplars -- l.m. montgomery

in her shoes -- jennifer weiner

while i was gone -- sue miller

at first sight -- nicholas sparks

water for elephants -- sara gruen (i'm a sucker for a great story.)

joy luck club -- amy tan

atonement -- ian mcewan (heartbreakingly good; i cried through the end.)

river's end -- nora roberts

the glass castle: a memoir -- jeannette walls

four blondes -- candace bushnell

she's falling apart -- i cant find the author, but i didnt much like this book anywho.

a place called here -- cecilia ahern

rapture of canaan -- sheri reynolds

maybe a miracle -- brian strause

1000 splendid suns -- kahled hosseini

a painted house -- john grisham

'tis -- frank mccourt

you've been warned -- james patterson

the secret life of bees -- sue monk kidd

jailbird -- kurt vonnegut

the shack -- william p. young, wayne jacobsen, and brad cummings

my life with the chimpanzees -- jane goodall

friday night knitting club -- kate jacobs

sweetness in the belly -- camilla gibb

zazoo -- richard mosher

anne of green gables -- l.m. montgomery (gilbert blythe, the ideal man and my first childhood crush)

slaughterhouse 5 -- kurt vonnegut

ella minnow pea: a novel in letters -- mark dunn

my sister's keeper -- jodi piccoult (read on the plane ride back home)