Data!

Today to prepare for my census job, I read this article that my friend sent:

http://www.economist.com/world/unitedstates/displaystory.cfm?story_id=13145406

I had no idea there was so much political intrigue surrounding the census! I can't wait for my first day on the job. I hope they tell me I'm a spy.

Some additional data that I plan on collecting when I go door to door census taking:

if people are in a good, bad or so-so mood when I get there; if their mood has changed by the time I leave; greetings and closings; use of verbal crutches (like, or whatever, do you know what I mean, etc); what food I think has been most recently cooked in their house based on smell..

Day 8 of master cleanser! Piece of cake. It gets easier every day. Some people do this for 30 days at a time. Not me - two days left. Today I bought some mushrooms and ginger and so much garlic.

A friend is coming over to make and eat soup with me on Friday AM! Can you imagine anything better than a huge thing of vegetable soup with whole cloves of roasted garlic, pearl onions, whole little potatoes, roasted rosemary sweet potatoes, and ginger and mushrooms and collard greens?! I cannot.

Tomorrow it is supposed to rain, so I think I will scrub the bird poop off of my gazebo awning in it. I can hardly wait to sit on my swinging couch in my gazebo after a long day of census taking.
Tonight, I will watch the football movie I got from the library. I heart sports.

Potatoes!

To prepare for my upcoming census job, I took I beautiful stroll through Prospect Park. Flowers are almost ready. So much can happen!

Then I went to Trader Joes for more limes and a bigger thing of syrup. I thought I'd be saving money on this cleanse, but I've been buying fancy syrup like hot cakes! The grocery store in my neighborhood sells a teeny thing of syrup for $8.37. The bottles are unreasonably difficult to open.

I pride myself on my super human physical strength. I am a bohemoth - get out of my way. But after 15 minutes of trying to get at my fancy syrup, I had to run and ask my landlady to try to open it for me. I was super hungry and in a hurry.

She wasn't home, so I asked my new neighbor. Success - but he probably thinks I'm a big wimp/weirdo because I asked him to open another one 3.5 days later. Those syrup folks put their lids on too tight. Lighten up.

The big vat I got today will last me til Thursday and beyond (Day 7 of cleanse!). I also bought some ingredients for the vegetable soup I am going to house on Friday AM! Potatoes. Little, round, different colored ones. Beautiful like stones. I can't wait to roast em.

Tomorrow I'm going to buy some tiny onions. Tonight, rock music at the Delancey.

headband

Today to prepare for my census job, I found a so-so way to mask my hair style. Wait - that picture turned out great! This way is the best!

A pony tail holder bridges the gap between parts A and B, and a headband gets rid of the crazy bangs while covering the purple and blue. I look dynamite!

In further preparations, I feng shuied my apartment a little with incense, mirrors, and a new art work. I made my limes and syrup more accessible by pulling them out of the fridge and into the real world (a.k.a. my spice rack). Making these delicious drinks has Never Been Easier.

(Day 6 of Master Cleanser - what focus! what clarity! I can probably read your Mind!)

Tomorrow - I'm going to make or buy loads of headbands for a professional look.

You smell great!

Day 4 of Master Cleanser was a challenge. I felt so light - like I could have gone aloft. I prepared for census taking by getting some $3.35 silver shoes. I hope we get to wear uniforms, and I hope that we are allowed to wear black, brown or silver shoes with them!

Day 5 is better - half way through the cleanse! I feel grounded and awake. Also everything smells really good. I got a bunch of movies from the library, and I am going to prepare for the census by watching Chinatown.

Here is a link to the master cleanser recipe should you need it:

http://mastercleansesecrets.com/step3.php

It says that you should use organic lemons and grade B maple syrup without formaldehyde, but I use limes and grade A maple syrup with formaldehyde. Lemons are really expensive.

¡No es fea - eso de mode!

Spanish class was challenging today. (Day 3 of the Master Cleanse). I had to translate: "It's not ugly - it's in style."

This is what I will tell people after I survey them. I want each resident I talk to to have higher self esteem when I leave. Luckily, I think everyone will get a little ego boost when I turn to go and reveal the back of my hair!

The good people of Vidal Sassoon still haven't paid me the $200 they owe me for this deconstructionist look. The man on the phone said that it takes 60 days for the paper work to get processed. That is dumb.

Happily the census pays every week!

To further prepare for my new awesome job - I'm going to see my friend sing in Greenpoint.

New Friends!

There is so much to do to get ready for my new job! I want to get to know my neighbors better - I think you can only be a census taker in your own zip code.

Today I played net-less badminton in my neighborhood community center with my landlady. It is so fun there! Ping Pong in one room. Fan dancing in another room-- Regular dancing in another.

In the main room, most everyone was doing Tai Chi except a few of us playing badminton. After Tai Chi was over at 10am, there was couples dance class! I really wanted to ask someone to dance. But my landlady likes badminton only. Plus my hair looks insane. (Day 2 of Master Cleanse!).

At least the people who saw me today won't be so shocked when I come knocking at their door, asking who lives in their house. And maybe they'll be more forgiving of my haircut because they know I am really good at badminton.

I got a job!

I get to be a census taker! 2010 here I come. Training starts on April 6th. I want to be so good at it. I am learning Spanish and doing a Master Cleanse to prepare. Tengo Hambre - and it's only day 1!

Here's a link to US Census Bureau Maps and Cartographic Resources - should you need any:

http://www.census.gov/geo/www/maps/

Now I will try to upload a rough of the hit song Cartographer by my awesome no name rockband to put us in the mood for surveying .

It will be so nice to walk around Brooklyn in the Spring!

It will be so nice to take a break from searching the Craigslist job listings - I get so addicted. I was about to buy a bunch of headshots today so I could be cast as an extra Alien in V the show. Good thing I didn't have any money because that would have been a mistake!