Thursday morning random.

* Evening meetings last night again. I have been thoroughly trained to dislike going out in the evening now, because about 90% of the time it is for duty. (I don't even go to most concerts on campus any more; I'm so busy)

* Lots of "holidays" all bunched up. Tuesday was Shrove/Fat Tuesday, which I did sort of observe; yesterday was Ash Wednesday. (In my tradition, generally we don't do much for the day. I did have one student in my 8 am class who had obviously gone to early Mass: she had her ashes. I guess a few Protestant churches are doing the thing with a service and ashes now; mine doesn't. We more commonly have either a Maundy Thursday or Good Friday service, at the end of Lent).

Yesterday was also supposedly something called "Galentine's Day," allegedly a day to go out with your female friends and do whatever large groups of women do together. (The references to it I saw had sort of a Sex-in-the-City vibe, so I assume it is something like clubbing). I don't know. I've never been one for hanging out in large groups of women: I tend to be the one who doesn't have a lot to contribute to the conversation, my life being different in numerous ways from most women's lives (no children, for example). And also, I find that in a group of 10 or so people, there are three conversations going on at once, and I am trying to hear all of them, and I get confused. I'd much rather spend time with one or two friends, or, if in a group, have it be a mixed man-woman group. I've never been one of those for the "Stupid men!" type of female bonding. Yes, there are some men who do things some of the time that annoy me - but honestly? I've had more problems through the years dealing with other women. I don't know if it's a brain-wiring thing or what but I remember many times as a kid or young teen winding up the "butt" of humor in a group of girls, or the one who gets picked on, whereas if there were boys around, things were a lot cooler, and if the girls aggravated me too much, I could go play kick-the-can or something with the boys. (Also, the two "bad bosses" I've had in the past? Both women. Though I think one of the bad bosses had some serious insecurity issues and that was what made her a bad boss)

This also reminds me of something I was thinking about: pop culture and the various "paths" or "lifestyles" you see, and how the one I lead - long term single, fairly devoted to work and volunteer work, with quiet hobbies - is never depicted. Or if they are, it's as the potential serial killer. You see plenty of randy single girls out looking for boy toys, or women in my age group who are wives and mothers, or you see the bitter divorcees, or, or, or. I fit in better with older pop culture - Miss Marple and the like - than with many depictions these days. And YES, I get that those are totally unrealistic, but it's just a reminder that "society thinks you're weird" every time I go to a modern movie or try to watch a half-hour sitcom. (Perhaps the reason I like crime dramas is that they tend to be more focused on the workplace, and even if it seems some of the characters seem to fall in and out of love (or bed) with each other to a degree I find shocking and not-quite-believable - still, the storyline, the fact that there's something that needs to be done (usually, a killer to be caught) that is the primary thing.)  (Actually, this is one of those things that makes me go take the online "Do you have Asperger's Syndrome?" tests - there are so many things about relationships I don't really understand and that seem illogical to me. And while I come up "neurotypical" every time, still I wonder. And at any rate, it's probably too late for me to learn how relationships work.)

But anyway. I like my lifestyle and it bugs me to think that other people perceive it as "weird" or, even, "deviant." (presumably because I'm not one of those women desperate for a man)

(Actually, my looking at pop culture and seeing no one really "like" me may also be a factor of introversion vs. extroversion. I suspect lots of people who go into the media are extroverts, and some of them may even be the sort who believe that introverts can and should be "fixed," where "fixed" = "turned into extroverts.")

Today, is, of course, Valentine's Day. (They actually referred to "The Valentine's Day Season" on Sirius Pops this morning, which made me growl low in my throat. It's not a SEASON. It's a DAY.) I did get a gift from my parents - a box with a large Bissinger's dark chocolate bar, and some peanut butter rice-krispie treats, and (probably best of all, in my estimation) a bag of homemade noodles that my mom made. (I know how to make noodles; it's not hard, it's just time consuming. But I never do it, because it is time consuming).


Tomorrow is allegedly 1/2-off-chocolate day, but I've been warned that apparently many of the major retailers are now simply scooping up their leftover Valentine's candy at the end of the day today and....I don't know, sending it to Africa like the super-bowl t-shirts printed up for the losing team, or something. That tomorrow if I go, I will find Easter candy and St. Patrick's Day t-shirts. Oh well.  I don't really NEED cheap chocolate, and these days, when I buy it, it tends to be things like the Lindt bars, which don't go on sale.

* There are some disturbing rumors out in Pony fandom. Allegedly Hasbro is planning some kind of spin-off series where the Mane 6 are whisked to this world and turned into human girls. To what purpose, I know not. I'd be cynical and say "It's to learn how nasty junior high school kids can be to each other, and how sometimes friendship is NOT forever, and sometimes it's NOT magic." but I think that would be too dark for a toy company to do. (Also, I thought the Ponies were borderline college-aged? Old enough to run businesses and stuff). I don't know. I can't tell if this is a company just wanting to strip-mine every penny they think they can out of a "property" - if they think lightning will strike twice and they'll have another giant hit on their hands (I think they were expecting that with the Care Bears cartoon, and were disappointed). Or I don't know if they're actively trying to alienate adult fans, going "We really don't like what you've done with our property, with your fan-fictions and your saucy ponies wearing socks, so now we're going to try to turn you away from it." But it makes me sad to contemplate. I don't know if that means the show with the Ponies is going to end and be replaced with another squealing-human-tween show, or if the Mane 6 will zap away somewhere and leave a Ponyville that requires a new cast, or what.(Update: Equestria Daily is claiming that the original show won't end, this will just be a parallel-universe spin-off. Which means I can happily ignore its existence, and I probably will.)

Here's the thing: I like the Ponies partly because they are PONIES. I like the show because it's set in a world different from my own: they have Victrolas that wind up instead of stereos. And apparently their lanterns are fire-fly powered. And that's neat and interesting because it's different. If the characters get zapped into the human world, and it's that typical cartoon imitation of the world junior high/high school kids face - meh. Boring. Though it will probably be a big hit with a segment of the little-girl population, who just wants more barbie-type dolls with hair they can brush.

(A thought - and this relates to my "neurotypical" comment above - there was a time when I was a small child, like kindergarten aged, when I would not read books about or draw pictures of humans - they had to be anthropomorphic animals. So part of this may be my inner six year old stomping her foot and going, "I like ANIMALS. I don't like PEOPLE.")

So I guess I'll buy the Season 2, 3, and 4 dvds as they come out, and watch those. But I'm really apprehensive about what Hasbro may be doing.(Though it looks less dire now)

I guess nothing good can last. Oh well. "They" haven't ruined Phineas and Ferb yet, as far as I can tell. (People say "Trust the writers." I trust the writers. I don't trust the corporations that own the "properties.")

*I guess I have to do my weekly grocery shopping today, ugh. Saturday I'm tied up from 8 am on, because of Honors Day, and also I agreed to do Homebound visitation with the head of the elders after that. (And Friday the piano tuner comes, and anyway, Friday is a pretty awful day to have to grocery shop here.)

If I weren't almost out of milk and frozen vegetables I'd say "forget it" and wait until Monday afternoon, but I don't think I can. Sometimes I really hate grocery shopping.