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Courtney

Sir, I've inspected this boat, and I think you ought to know that I can't swim.

About Me

I just became a recess lady for a local elementary school. Basically I'm the mean lady with the whistle who used to tell you not to run on the concrete. Though it seems to me there's a lot more rules to enforce now than when we were all in school. Basically, if I had a theme song it would be Clay Aiken's "If I were Invisible" (not that I'm a Clay Aiken fan by any means) cause that's what I am to some of these kids they listen that well. But it pays the bills and is entertaining...

My Interests

Nerd at heart that I am I love history, perhaps that's why I majored in it. I love to read, however, since graduation/thesis I've yet to beable to devel into anything historical that isn't also based in fiction. Traveling, riding, movies, yada yada yada all interest me (if you know me you can insert interest for corresponding yada).

I'd like to meet:

Are we talking like the famous/dead person question? I would like to meet my Grandmother, Nana, for I feel something is sorely missing in not remembering her. As for famous people, or famous and dead, I'm afraid that I'd be destined to be disappointed. As for on here....anyone really. Old friends, current friends, or new friends. Oh, and anyone named Bob... width="425" height="350" ..

Music:

I know everyone says everything, but if you looked through my mishmash of burned and actually paid for cds, the former greatly outweighing the latter, you might say that it's really true. I have country, blues/jazz, classical, rock, classic rock, punk, and thanks to my freshman year college roommate, even some rap. In my opinion everyone needs a little Creedence, and a few cds that are tucked away and never listened to, yet you still, ashamedly own. Mine would be Ace a Base and....the Spice Girls. Ok, it's out.

Movies:

As I have benefited from my sister's enormous DVD collection (she's amassed some 550 movies) and her knowledge/enthusiasm for films, I know my movies and will watch almost anything. I love the classics like Citizen Kane and Casablanca, foreigns like The Umbrellas of Cherbourg, and have been known to watch such movies as DodgeBall, Anchorman, and Napoleon Dynamite more than just a few times. The list goes on and on...It has often been said in our family that if we didn't have movie lines to quote half of our conversations would never happen. Pretty much if you want to watch something get shot or blownup, laugh, or watch people fall in love, I'm game.

Television:

Since I'm at a time in my life where I only know what day of the week it is by what's on tv, it's needless to say that I watch my share of television. Current favs: Arressted Development, Lost, Grey's Anatomy, House, and Prison Break. I tell ya, if Michael Scofield (i.e. Wentworth Miller) could be my cell mate, I'd go to prison. I've also been known to watch more than my share of The Family Guy, Robot Chicken, and Seinfeld. Let's just say, I'm desperately in need of Tivo.

Books:

The nerd in my loves historical and sociological books, such as A Fast Food Nation and Nickeled and Dimed. Historical fiction rings my bell as well, but I'm not completly a nerd. Personal favs: Hamlet, Utopia, The Heart of Darkness (I think I'm one of the only people who enjoys this novel), Animal Farm, Yevgeny Zamyatin's We (follows the same lines as 1984), anything by Allison Weare or Philippa Gregory, Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials Trilogy, and anything by Kurt Vonnegut. More current good reads include: The Life of Pi, The Devil Wears Prada, Middlesex, the Chronicles of Narnia, Night Watch, and Until I Find You by John Irving. Scariest book I've read lately: Rats. Scary in a dirty, creepy, they can climb up the pipes into your toilet type of way. Oh, some of you might point out that I haven't listed Albert Camus anywhere on my list. Camus? Don't ask, he and I aren't on speaking terms again yet, despite the fact that I own a copy of almost everything he wrote. It's a long road ahead.

My Blog

Yet another survey...sigh...

TELL ME ABOUT YOURSELF - The Survey Name: Courtney Allison Shaver Birthday: August 26, 1983 Birthplace: Portland, OR Current Location: Sandy, OR Eye Color: Blue/Gray Hair Color: Blonde Height: ...
Posted by Courtney on Sun, 25 Dec 2005 06:56:00 PST

Curiosity killed the cat

Over the years, I have turned housesitting into a fairly lucrative business. Yesterday I started housesitting for an ex-coworker of my Mom's that I've frequented many times. It's actually one of the...
Posted by Courtney on Thu, 15 Dec 2005 02:20:00 PST

Au Revoir

In honor of my imment departure from this fair city, Chicago, I have decded to create a small quiz.  Each of the the photos contained within this blog will show a Chicago landmark that has been ...
Posted by Courtney on Sun, 04 Dec 2005 01:04:00 PST

It's a jolly holiday....

It's coming on Christmas, they're cutting down trees.  I wish I had a river I could skate away on..." Ok, that's enough Joanie Mitchell for now.  I'm just in a Christmasy mood sitting h...
Posted by Courtney on Wed, 30 Nov 2005 09:48:00 PST

Singing with Mary Poppins

So, what do you do in Chicago the day after Thanksgiving?  Shopping?  Oh no.  You go to the Music Box Theatre with about 200 other people, sit in the dark watching Mary Poppins and sing...
Posted by Courtney on Sat, 26 Nov 2005 07:46:00 PST

Let it snow, please!!!

Well, I had a true Chicago experience today.  I stood outside in 40 degree temperatures with wind that made it feel like 35 just to get a hot dog.  As some of you may know, Chicago is know f...
Posted by Courtney on Thu, 24 Nov 2005 10:30:00 PST

Bonjour from Chicago!

Welcome...To the land of random thoghts, thoughts on life (though most likely not deep thoughts), and sometimes just pointless conversation about things I find interesting. I don't know how often I'll...
Posted by Courtney on Tue, 22 Nov 2005 05:14:00 PST