Month of November, 2003

Quote of the Day

"Glad it all worked out...can't have you running around pantless in NYC."
- Karen, after I explained that Kristen was able to pick up my pants from the alterations place before my trip tomorrow

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Grandma Pierce

My grandmother passed away on Monday, November 17th. She was almost 79 years old. She battled cancer and emphysema over four years. I'm glad she's not struggling to breathe any longer.

Mom and Dad flew to Florida only a few hours after hearing the news. Karen, Kristen, and I left on Wednesday. The funeral was Thursday. I know it was very hard for my mother and her sister, but everything went smoothly and was very nice. The best part of the short trip was being able to speak openly and honestly with the family about my grandmother. It was important that everyone talked about their memories - good and bad. That's what family is for.

When someone dies, there's always a lot of talk about the afterlife - being someplace better. Much of my family is very religious, as was my grandmother. They believe my grandmother is in heaven and that someday they will join her there. It's very comforting to think that the person who died is in a better place. Unfortunately, I don't believe that. I believe that people do not continue to exist after they die.

I totally respect my family's religious beliefs and know that it is very upsetting that I don't share them. I'm not writing this to upset anyone, I just want it to be very clear what I believe. I've thought a lot about dying since my grandmother died. I know that someday, I will die and it's not something that scares me or makes me sad. It's just part of life. However, I know that some people around me will still be living after I die. It's important to me that those people understand and respect what I believed about death. So, when I die, please don't talk about me being in a better place. I believe that my existence is over and that's something everyone should find peace in. Simply share your memories of me while I was living. That's how I want to be honored in death.

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Lucci House Inc.

Looks like South By Southwest Interactive has sold their mailing list. Bummer. Karen and I both used this ficticious company name when registering for SXSW. Scary that they're offering us a credit card.

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Small, Small World

Saturday night, Leia, had a housewarming party. Naturally at one point in the evening, I made my way to the porch to smoke. I started chatting with Lindsay, my temporary smoking buddy. Turns out Lindsay is at the party because he is Leia's neighbor. We chat some more and I learn that he is working on his MBA at the same school I attend! He's only one class behind me in school. We chat a little bit more and I learn that he lives with his girlfriend, but she couldn't attend the party. His girlfriend is a blogger. We laugh that there's so many bloggers on the Internet that I probably hadn't read hers. Her name is Sarah Hepola and her site is www.sarahhepola.com. Wow, it truly is a small world, because I have read her site! I first looked at it when Dave at www.floorpie.net recommended it. I liked it so much that I've visited a few time since. When things got really weird is when Lindsay started telling me about their cat, and I already knew the story because I had read about it on Sarah's site. Weird but fun.

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Stuff in E-mail

Sometimes I get the strangest stuff in email. Today the note said,

Erica,
I went to a Halloween party and I was the only one in Costume.
I took the opportunity to make a movie concept out of it.
What are you up to?

-P

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Bathroom Tile

We've been planning to remodel my bathroom for quite some time. Actually, ever since we moved in, we planned to remodel it. But as such things go, other priorities popped up and 2.5 years later we still haven't done it. Though there's been much more talk as of the past 4 months. We had the contractor give us a bid. I even went tile shopping!

Tile shopping is next to impossible in my opinion. It's hard to imagine a room full of the one piece of tile you're holding in your hand. It's even harder to imagine that room being in your own home. So I struggled. Finally, I picked out what I liked. It was Italian tile...and way too expensive.

So this weekend I dragged Dad to Home Depot Expo with me. I decided I had had enough of looking and I was never going to find that "perfect" tile and still be able to afford to pay someone to install it. It was time for a compromise. I just wanted to pick something and be done with it. It's time to get the show on the road.

The tile I picked is very affordable and it's nice. We can get it laid in my favorite pattern and it will look good with the white fixtures that I already have in the bathroom. (White sink, white counter, and white toilet...we're adding a white bathtub.) I'm excited. As soon as we get started, I'll be sure to post some pictures.

Oh, the tile I like is by Daltile. It's called Terra Antica and the color is Celeste/Grigio. The pattern is vectored.

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"Getting" Radiohead

I enjoyed the brokentype article about Radiohead, Broken-Radio. It made me think about "getting it." Whatever "it" might be. I guess it refers to a certain level of understanding, but isn't that level different for everyone?

I thought a lot about what's the point of getting or not getting Radiohead is. I've always been a fan of Radiohead. I like their music, but it's been ages since I put on their album. I probably wouldn't pay to see them perform live. (Concerts are never a good return on investment, in my opinion.) Though I've listened to them a lot, I can't say that I get it. I have no idea what their songs are about. I have no idea what the point really is. Half the time, I can't understand the lyrics.

But who really cares? It's music. You either like it or you don't. You either listen to it or you don't. You spend time on it or you don't. It makes you think or it doesn't.

Radiohead has never made me think. I never pondered their lyrics trying to understand. But obviously, some people have pondered them. Maybe that's exactly what people are drawn to. Radiohead makes some people think and it makes others forget.

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London for Spring Break

Kevin and I are going to London for Spring Break! We just got incredible ticket prices and will be staying with the Grant's, family friends, while we're there. I can hardly believe it, but I'm very, very excited!

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Spring 2004

I registered for classes for next semester. I'm taking the following:

STRA6201 - Strategic Management
FINA6205 - Finance Theory & Practice
ITOM6224 - Managing Service Operations
MKTG6224 - Marketing Research

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El Paso

Kevin and I went to El Paso this weekend to visit Autumn and Ky. This was the first time the three of them met. It was also the first time I had visited Autumn and Ky in El Paso since they moved there a year and a half ago. Both should have happened ages ago, but at least they finally happened. We all had a really great, relaxing time. I just wish it could have been longer...by a couple of months.

Autumn and Ky live at Hueco Rock Ranch, where Ky works. It is just a few minutes from the Hueco Tanks, a state park known for rock climbing and pictographs. It was a fabulous place and somewhere I'd like to visit again. More about the trip later. For now, there are photos.

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