Entries this day: Dream Josephine_pep_rally Maraiah Work halloween maraiah_connection movies

Dream

3:39am CST Thursday 31 October 2002

(dream)

In a hospital, working there, I am made aware by listening in on a conversation between a doctor and nurse that the hospital will make 800 dollars per year on a patient if we are able to perform surgery on her this coming month. We'll be guaranteed $800 per year after that.. The nurse is asked to try and get that surgery 'account.'

I am asked to narrate a filmstrip on stuff at the hospital. I'm presenting the filmstrip to some of my peers, and I don't prepare for it all that well.

The first image is of a bunch of different people's faces (men and women) and all of them are labeled Rebecca.

My audience (3 people) were gossipping, so I turned the sound off on the TV to get their attention.

"I knew that would get your attention."

"Okay," I continued, "this image describes that the hospital on one level takes care of individual patients and tries caefullly to keep each individual alive.

"But on a different level, the hospital as an institution, is trying to make money, and doesn't distingush between the individual patients.

"The institution just wants the money and makes no effort to really get to know the patients.

"We don't, for eaxample, record the patients' favorite color or spouse's names exept for insurance collection purposes. We don't know their pets's name or anything that might be important to the patient. We just want to get them in and back out; we don't teach them anything about how to stay out.

"In fact, it can be argued that the Western medicine culture keeps people sick so the hospitals and drug companies can stay in business."

My friends were pretty surprised at this, but they kept watching my presentation. I flipped to the next slide and it said "mechanical" beneath a picture of a patient and I had no idea what it was supposed to be about.

So I woke up.

Josephine pep rally

8:50am CST Thursday 31 October 2002

Don't have time to write a lot, but the experience of going back to a high school pep rally was interesting. oops gotta go.

Maraiah

5:08am CST Thursday 31 October 2002

Recently Maraiah (who I've 'known' from college for 11 years) sent me a reverse survey, where we tell what we know about the other person. I don't know a lot about her really, but I wrote what I could, plus added funny stuff to fill in the blanks.

She filled out the same survey for me, and it was quite flattering. There's part of me that wants to maybe hook up with her now, but I intentionally included in my reply to her reply that I'm in love with Sally in Cali to lower the chance of Maraiah being interested in me.

I should go back to bed.

Okay.

Work

9:13am CST Thursday 31 October 2002

Pooey at work to start; no one needed help until I got to Doug who's always friendly. Helped them paint, but didn't have good direction to get started properly. Oksana showed me some stuff, but twice I got the wrong sized brush. The first time she giggled because the brush I had chosen was too small, but then when I grabbed one too big it wasn't funny anymore; I felt embarassed and had to remember that there's no reason for me to know this stuff yet; today is my first day.

Then Sergey was all politely telling me that we shouldn't start with the highlighting, which Oksana had started me with. So I went and found the correct color paint and Angelo happened to be near and showed me a tiny bit how they wanted the shading done, but then everyone went on break, so I was like "fuckit" since I thought I was doing less good than good, so I washed off the brushes and buckets and swept the floors in the woodshop area.

12:05pm

Back over at the woodshop side, slight minor tragedy when I ripped some boards (rip = cut (haha ripped = cut as well)) for William, but he didn't specify to rip the plywood and not the pine. He just said 2 5/8ths inches.

I cut one piece into 11 pieces and showed him my work to make sure it was all good. At least I didn't cut more than that.

Cut a bunch of the correct pieces, stacks and stacks.

Also good was that Jah Jah thanked me for offering to help him, and he let me help him with cutting off the top of the stairs, which had been built too tall for the frame on which they were to be attached.

12:14pm

I'm at lunch now with Janette.

12:20pm

Oh hey, we weren't at lunch; we're at the library turning in books and rechecking out The Original Uncut Stranger in a Strange Land so we can hopefully finish reading it before I embark on my western state tour.

2:40pm

Back at work and on break now. I cut my thumb a bit by trying to pry a bolt out of some wood with another bolt. Pinched a little bit of skin on my thumb and it woulda been a good blood blister except that the skin broke.

Been helping Jah Jah mess with these stairs.

7:24pm

Still at work. I got pulled off stair duty to remove the rather large decorations of a palestinian TV station that apparently got raided and all their assets (except for the set) seized under the Secret Evidence Act. The story of 80 armed agents coming in to raid the place amazes me. That's some fucked up repugnant shit.

Jah Jah, Mongu, Karaoke, Ivory, Hector, Vince, Joe are still all here at work. Still working on this big ass stage set that is supposed to be loaded in the truck starting at 8am tomorrow.

8:40pm

Done. Or rather, I'm no longer at work.

I didn't do a whole lot, but helped Baba (that means Honorable Father, which we often call Karaoke) shape the base of the crosses and noted (incorrectly) that the metal frame to hold the base was 20 inches wide and should be 16. So we planned to remove some wood flooring and add metal braces to make it the correct width. I removed the first wood flooring thing (fun because this floor is 13 feet off the ground) and started to remove the second when I realized that I oughtn't assume that all three cross supports were made incorrectly. I found a tape measure and measured the one I was working on. It was 16 inches. I found that all three were 16 inches; we had measured the wrong part of the metal to get 20 inches. So I put the floor back on and just as I was finishing, Janette got there to pick me up.

And I got these pictures of Jah Jah. I mean Jesus.

halloween

8:48pm CST Thursday 31 October 2002

Okay, I've got on Janette's bathrobe and an apron. Ready or not here we come!

10:27pm

Heehee! Went to a few houses. Most had no candy left. One had candy both times that we visited. The second time we visited, she gave me candy and a Coors Lite. Beer. No kidding. Even after I said, "nah, no thanks," when she offered.

maraiah connection

5:00am CST Thursday 31 October 2002

Recently Maraiah sent me a reverse survey, where we tell what we know about the other person. I don't know a lot about her really, but for the record, this is what I wrote:

Re: Survey with a twist

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW ME?

Fill in the blanks about ME and send it back. BUT
FIRST, send a blank one out to all your friends so
they can return the favor for you.

Be honest--or just be as funny as you can!  They're
really cool to get back. Who knows, you just might
learn something you'd never realized...


1. My name:   M-a-r-a-i-a-h

2. Where did we meet?  At Sarah's dorm, or maybe at the Towers cafeteria?

3. Take a stab at my middle name:  Knows What She Wants And Will Get It

4. How long have you known me?  11 years

5. How well do you know me?  Well enough to have gone to see a scary movie

6. Do I have any 'bad habits'?  cocaine, men, gambling

7. Do I believe in God?  probably

8. What was your first impression of me?   cute, but mean

9. My age:  30?

10. Color hair:  brunette

11. Eye color:  green/hazel

12. Do I have any siblings?  yes

13. What do I want to be (if I grow up)?  pediatrician

14. What's one of my favorite things to do?  laugh and tell stories

15. What's my favorite type of music?  hip hop

16. What is my best feature?  smile, brains, determination, honesty, clarity

17. Five words to describe me: (Shy, outgoing, etc.)  cute, smart,
determined, honest, focused

18. Do I have any special talents?  unicycle, juggling

19. What is your clearest memory of me?  phone 

20. Have you ever seen me cry? nope

21. If you could give me a nickname, what would it be?  hiya miah

22. Have I ever been in love?   of course

23. When was the last time we spent time together?   woah.  our date?

24. What's my favorite color?  blue!

25. If, in one hour, I'd be gone forever... what would
you say to me now?

     Thank you for the longest foreplay *ever*...

If I had more than 10 seconds to tell you, then I'll let you know that
I appreciate you having been willing to keep up with me even though
we've never realllly known each other all that much.  I am thankful to
know such a straight-shootin' chum, who's funny and smart and all
that.

	Hugs and Love to you
	- Rob!


https://www.robnugen.com/journal

I replied to her reply, which I found quite flattering. There's a part of me interested in hooking up with her, but I've intentionally tossed _____'s name in there to keep that from happening.

On Tuesday, October 29, 2002, at 11:04 PM, Maraiah wrote:

HOW WELL DO YOU KNOW ME?


1. My name: Rob 'The Bod' Nugen

:-)

2. Where did we meet?  Outside Taub--you walked me to
my car

Oh yeah; I might remember that.  I have a memory that says you knew I was safe because Sarah liked me, or something like that.

3. Take a stab at my middle name: Eunice? 

Close!

4. How long have you known me? 
Wow! 11 years

Wow

5. How well do you know me?
Not biblically...(not technically)

haha

6. Do I have any 'bad habits'?
Abusing your body

?

I jokingly gave a list to you; I actually know of no bad habits that you have.

7. Do I believe in God? 
Benevolent, not the Old Testament

basically correct.   (Who/what/why is God is one of my favorite discussions, if you want to get into such a conversation with me)

8. What was your first impression of me?
"Where the hell are his shoes?!"

:-)

9. My age: 32

yes

10. Color hair: Dark Brown

yes

11. Eye color: Brown?
Too dazzled by your SMILE to notice ;^)

brown / hazel

Awwwwwwwww!  thanks!!  :-)

12. Do I have any siblings?
Probably, but I'll bet they're not half as
interesting!

4 years younger brother named Fred

13. What do I want to be (if I grow up)?
Grow up?! Never!

mu wah hahahaha

14. What's one of my favorite things to do?
"Going where you've never been..."

Very true


15. What's my favorite type of music?
Barry Manilow's Big Band days

close.  Hip hop

16. What is my best feature?
Your *endurance*

*wagging tail* thanks!


17. Five words to describe me: (Shy, outgoing, etc.)
Refreshing, fun, sexy, patient, genuine

:-)

18. Do I have any special talents?
Finding wonder in the little things...

I try hard to do this often.

19. What is your clearest memory of me?
I have two actually: 1) walking across campus one
evening.  We ended up on the HUGE hammock, talking
'til late. 2) DEFINITELY the phone call

Oh my gosh; I totally loved that big hammock!  I slept on that hammock
one night from like 10pm to 7am.  It was basically comfortable, but I
woke up a lot throughout the night to make sure I was okay.

I think I remember hanging out with you there..  Was that on the way
back to the dorms that we stopped there?  I have a sense that we
walked toward the UC, then around the engineering building, then back
through to the hammock.

20. Have you ever seen me cry?
No, I'll settle for 'crying out'

As in needing a friend?  Or in a lust-filled orgasmic way?

21. If you could give me a nickname, what would it be?
Iron Man

You're too kind.

22. Have I ever been in love? 
Yes

yes.  Currently I'm in love with _____ in California.

23. When was the last time we spent time together?
Wow? That long?

It's been a few days..

24. What's my favorite color?
Sunshine yellow

bright primary colors

25. If, in one hour, I'd be gone forever... what would
you say to me now? 

You blow my mind.
Not just the phone call--although that was
*amazing*--but your unique perspective of the world.
The way you live in each moment. Cherish every
sensation. Cultivate friends.

I strive to live half as well as you.  Thank you for
sharing a portion of yourself with me.

I've always been a bit intimidated by you - the way I see you working
hard to get what you want professionally (I remember you working super
lots in security somehow; and really having a plan for your life.
That always impressed me) and having high standards in men.  (I can
imagine you laughing at that, but .. yeah.  I remember you like(d) men
in uniform, such as cops, and I was all, "oooh cops are tough," so I
never tried to compete.  Plus; I wear, let's say... not uniforms.
Still shorts and T-shirts as much as possible, though I'll have to
wear suits at work in Japan) That intimidation has worn off as I have
my own source for inner self-worth, but since you and I haven't hung
out all that much, there is still a memory of that intimidation which
I remember a lot when thinking of you.

I'm thankful for your tight friendship with Sarah; otherwise I would
have lost track of you.

When you have time, I'd be interested to know what's up with you.  We
can plan for a long phone call if you'd prefer.  I'm at 555-555-9555,
which is not *my* number, but the number of the house at which I'm
staying in Dallas until I fly off to Japan next year.

I lost my computer job in June cause we weren't making enough money to
afford everyone, and they knew I was planning to go teach English in
Japan next year so they were all, "we hate to let you go, but blah
blah" and I was all, "WHOOOHOOOOOOOO!!!" and ran out the door and got
rid of my stuff (like all my furniture and my beloved cat (I cried a
*lot* for that) and my apartment) and left Houston.

Got into a fucked up situation involving a pregnancy, and fortunately
for me also involving a miscarriage.  That has taught me to be *way*
more careful in my little adventure here.

I took a 3700 mile roadtrip from Dallas -> OKC -> Tulsa -> Hot
Springs, AR -> Memphis, TN -> Barboursville, WV -> Columbus, OH ->
Oberlin, OH -> Kalamazoo, MI -> Chicago -> Bloomington, IL ->
Columbia, MO -> Springfiled, MO -> Tulsa -> Dallas, to see friends and
family in the US before I zip over to Japan next year.

I'll take a western state trek starting in mid November after I work
some, and attend some church related conferences in the next couple
weeks.

- - - -

I'm intrigued by you striving to live half as well as me..  You must
mean that I live spiritually well or some such, because physically I
live like a pauper or a bum or something.  I've had to give up a lot
to live this way.

I once asked a man how to take an amazing trek like the one I took
recently.  He said simply, "begin to plan it."

	With Love Always
	- Rob

movies

10:29pm CST Thursday 31 October 2002

Jack didn't drive, but went with me as we visited the video store just before the closed. I sped a bit and didn't have a wreck with a car that cut the corner that I was hoping to cut at the same time.

I'm impresed with the cat in the video store who was able to identify the name of the movie with a cover image that shows the back of a girl walking into a party while she's holding a knife behind her, and her hair is braided into a loop/noose shape: April Fool's Day, which we are watching now.

12:00am CST Friday 1 November 2002

Just finished the movie. It's pretty spooky and cheesey and spooky all at once. Eeeek. I promised Janette never to April Fool's her to that extreme. Jack got a phone call during the movie and missed most of it.