Cranky Little Apricot profile picture

Cranky Little Apricot

The doctor is in!

About Me


I'm a profoundly cranky person at a particularly difficult transitional period in my life. I'm a vegan and a feminist. I don't drink, I don't stay up late, and I'm an atheist. I have high standards for my friends and colleagues, but I have higher standards for myself. I am not "babe," "honey," or "sweetheart." I'm a well-behaved girl with a very bad attitude. I won't put up with your shit.
you are darkgreen
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Your dominant hue is green. You're logical and steadfast, focused on figuring life out and doing what makes sense. You value being trusted because you know you're taking the time to figure things out and everyone should just follow you.
Your saturation level is very high - you are all about getting things done. The world may think you work too hard but you have a lot to show for it, and it keeps you going. You shouldn't be afraid to lead people, because if you're doing it, it'll be done right.
Your outlook on life is slightly darker than most people's. You try to see things for what they are and face situations honestly. You'd rather get to the point than look for what's good.

the spacefem.com html color quiz
If you know my history, I'm an open book. Although my life doesn't always measure up to the tragi-comedy of others' more exceptional lives, I'm certain that my own life would make a great after-school special or Lifetime movie. I'm a much calmer person than I used to be, but I still can't tolerate stupidity. My work has consumed my life, but I'm struggling to recover some small part of it. I live a life of the mind, but I'm not sure if it will be enough to feed my body...
I am an Intellectual
Which America Hating Minority Are You?
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Your Quirk Factor: 86%
You're beyond quirky... You're downright bizarre.
You've lost touch with social norms and what's appropriate. And you're loving every minute of it! How Quirky Are You?

My Interests

Cooking, baking, the PPK, vintage clothing, the man who would be Chickpea , playing with my hair (a lot), being difficult, music outside of the mainstream (indie pop and East European composers), tea of all varieties, Eastern Europe, Poland, history, socialist realist poster art , vegan anything (especially Tofutti Better Pecan non-dairy ice cream), the entertainment quotient of faux meat, not believing politicians, imagining how George W. would fare as a poor Muslim woman living in Afghanistan, cats (though Basia is currently my only)...

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I'd like to meet:

If you want to talk to me, have something to say! "Hi, how you doin'?" doesn't cut it. I'm no longer accepting friend requests that come without correspondence. I'm tired of spam.

People who make an effort to learn what I'm about before they send me messages. (READ MY BLOG, DAMN IT!) People who aren't interested in football (American), frat parties, the meat market bar scene, or one-night stands. Women who don't objectify themselves. Men whose myspace "friends" aren't all women in various stages of undress. People who occasionally answer their mail. People who are open to new experiences, enjoy drinking tea, appreciate socialist kitsch, and are willing to put up with my cranky (and yet somewhat melancholy) nature, punctuated with moments of hilarity and perhaps some genuine insight. Good-hearted people who aren't afraid to tell the truth. Someone who will challenge my preconceived notions about anything and everything. Smart, talented people who will patiently teach me about the things they value. In other words, I'd like to meet interesting people who might actually enjoy my company, or better yet, might even understand some of what makes me tick. Do such people exist?

Music:

Today: The Engineers, Great Lake Swimmers, Goldspot, Jose Gonzalez, Death Cab for Cutie, Mountain Goats, Kings of Convenience, Iron and Wine, Rogue Wave, Sun Kil Moon, Neutral Milk Hotel, Broken Social Scene, The Shins, Sufjan Stevens (despite my atheism!), Magnetic Fields, Polish alternative (Myslovitz, Lenny Valentino), The Stills, The Postal Service, Henryk Gorecki, Karol Szymanowski, Wojciech Kilar, Brahm's 4th symphony, and Dvorak's New World symphony (cliche, I know).

Movies:

Man of Marble (and the less good sequel, Man of Iron), Amelie, Seksmisja, Garden State

Television:

I get terrible reception and I won't pay for cable. TV just isn't worth that much to me. I like to watch CSI with my dad when I'm home. I also like The Simpsons, pre- and post-Paige Davis Trading Spaces, and What Not to Wear.

Books:

Favorites: The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, What's the Matter with Kansas, mysteries by Boris Akunin, anything by Chaim Potok. I've recently discovered the joys of Borges.

Heroes:

All my heroes have let me down, so I've stopped having them.

My Blog

To Colorado!

Friday morning I leave for just over a week.  I'll be grading AP World History exams in Fort Collins, CO.  I'm looking forward to a change of scenery, even if it means I have to grade yet mo...
Posted by Cranky Little Apricot on Thu, 31 May 2007 05:42:00 PST

Dr. Apricot

It's done.  I am Dr. Cranky Little Apricot.  But don't let anyone tell you that a defense is an enjoyable experience.  Mine was two hours of excruciating torture.  Hearing about al...
Posted by Cranky Little Apricot on Sun, 15 Apr 2007 04:43:00 PST

Okay, here we go...

I'll be heading off to Bloomington tomorrow (Thursday) after I'm done teaching for the day.  D-Day is Friday.  The appointed hour is 3 pm.  Wish me luck.  I think I'm going to need...
Posted by Cranky Little Apricot on Thu, 12 Apr 2007 05:38:00 PST

Before I die in a blue book avalanche

"The rules are: Once you have been tagged, you have to write a blog with 10 weird random things, facts, or habits about yourself. At the end, you choose 5 people to be tagged, list their names, and wh...
Posted by Cranky Little Apricot on Fri, 09 Feb 2007 04:26:00 PST

New glasses

At long last!  My glasses prescription was from early 2002.  It was time to get new ones, especially because I haven't been able to wear my contact lenses for more than a few hours every day...
Posted by Cranky Little Apricot on Fri, 12 Jan 2007 11:10:00 PST

3 down, 1 to go

Three of my committee members have read the dissertation and agree that I'm ready to go to a defense.  I'm waiting on one to read it.  He promises to have it read soon.  The person I wa...
Posted by Cranky Little Apricot on Tue, 02 Jan 2007 12:24:00 PST

Post-a-thon

I know I've been prolific lately--but this one is good news!I finally heard from my advisor (who's going under the knife for a nasty knee surgery very soon).  She likes my latest dissertation dra...
Posted by Cranky Little Apricot on Wed, 13 Dec 2006 06:46:00 PST

Character, potential, sentimentality

I've become a very bad judge of character.  Well, maybe it's not a question of becoming.  I think the dubious talent I have was always latent in me.  But it doesn't exist by itself:&nbs...
Posted by Cranky Little Apricot on Sat, 25 Nov 2006 03:51:00 PST

Hoop .2

I've finished editing my dissertation draft according to my advisor's whim.  Now I need to print the bastard (218 pages with bibliography) and send it to my committee.  From here I will eith...
Posted by Cranky Little Apricot on Mon, 13 Nov 2006 06:38:00 PST

Sorry, everyone.

It's not you, it's me--really.  Sorry I haven't been communicative.  I'm smack in the middle of a really stressful time in my life.  Some of it's good, some of it's bad, most of it's mi...
Posted by Cranky Little Apricot on Sun, 17 Sep 2006 06:52:00 PST