...not to hijack your celebration of how great it is for YOU to be alive, but seriously, how would I get through moments like this:
ring ring ring ring
Me: [Unnecessarily long necessary greeting incl. name of company and time of day.]
Pt: Hi. [displeased] I guess I need to talk to your account manager.
Me: [pause] Like, just someone who handles [trepidation] patient accounts?
Pt: Uh, Kshhyeah! [as in helloooo I just took a break from tanning in my bikini to make this call what other kind of account manager is there no duh!]
And I was lucky enough to be able to think, "Oh I gotta write 2 of 1 (as I've newly dubbed you & I b/c it is more apt) about this." So thanks for being born. That gigantic gaping hole in my soul if things had gone differently is inconceivable.
Comments on your celebration to follow.
6.7.08
To be fair, it started in Brooklyn. And Friday WAS a holiday. But I knew I had no business being wrecked with CC in the first place. I couldn't even stand properly to leave at a decent hour. So we watched Cool Hand Luke and made sandwiches in the snackster. When I finally got home, it was way past my bedtime, so I turned on Psych and fell into bed laughing.
When I awoke next morning, I stumbled through the bathroom motions of splashing water in various places and rubbing goo on my teeth to get the gunk off. I looked at my toes and realized the nail polish was chipping off. And as I fiddled with bra straps that wouldn't untwist, it became clear that I did not get up early enough to pull off wearing a dress to work. So instead of completing the look, I shoved my huge feet into skull/crossbone themed slip-ons, then tied a piece of old t-shirt to my head, pretending it was a bandana. At least it matched the dress.
At work, everyone was super cool. While I'm studying for this massive test I have to take, Paolo comes to tell me a manager needs to see me downstairs, stat! I'm all nervous until I realize there is not, in fact, a problem. Only a cupcake. Which I couldn't finish, so I shoved it into my locker. I even took it with me after work when CC and Duchess took me to American Apparel after work. Not that I found anything I wanted, but fun times were had trying on hoodies and staring at the mini-vid of the girl making fifteen outfits out of one slinky dress.
The problem was this: everyone asked where I was going to hang out. I didn't have an answer. I got numbers and made vague promised to launch a massive text campaign after dinner. Josh and his dad meet us at Benihana. Tati and Jesus join us for festivities cause there is nothing more fun than chatting away while a chef tosses shrimp tails into his hat with a knife. It's sweet of Josh's dad to take us out to dinner and we're having such a good time, we invite him to come along for drinks. This is only awkward after I realize that I have nine-hundred text messages to send and I don't even know the name of the place we're going.
It doesn't help that Tati decides now would be a good time to tell me she's gay. I'm all thinking she's messing with me again, talking about some breakthrough with her therapist. Nope. She was late to dinner because the girl she was making out with is so awesome, they lost track of time. I'm looking just ahead of us to see if Josh's dad is hearing any of this as she explains the liberating feeling of having sex with a girl.
When we get to the bard, I spend the first half hour clambering to keep up with the text conversations I've started, while keeping the vibe with the people sitting in front of me. Emily shows up with someone who's heard an awkwardly disproportionate number of stories about me. We hug and I try desperately to remember what she'd said his name was. Luckily Jonathan shows up when dude goes to the bathroom so I don't have to look like a fool introducing them. Emily cuddles with Josh, we tell stories of practical jokes gone awry, Shauna shows up and all seems well with the world.
Tati's been working thirteen days straight so she's gotta go home. Then CC says she's not comin' out. Which I respect, seeing as how she bought me lunch. But I was looking forward to hanging out. The waiter goes home so we have to settle the tab and start ordering from the bar. I end up putting in $30 to cover my own drinks. Now, it's not like I ordered a round of $10 shots, so I just shell out. Jesus feebly offers to give me twenty bucks, but by then what am I gonna say? On your birthday, friends will usually take the check away from you. If that doesn't happen, it feels a little cheap to be like, "Gimme a twenty to cover part of what I just paid..." While everyone else avoids eye contact because they don't wanna pay any more than they have already. Cause Josh took us to a mid-town bar that charges 3.75 for a flipping Sprite.
Then Chad shows up, ready to party. So we keep drinking even though I can tell everyone could prolly call it a night. But Birthday means obligation, so Shauna buys me a car bomb and Josh puts his dad in a cab. Then, of course, Emily informs me of her plans with Josh. Which start with an F and end with brains out. As she's leaving to move back to London in a couple of weeks, I say "More power to ya!" and promptly order another whiskey.
Once Emily took Joshua home, we decided to blow that popsicle stand and head uptown. Funny how we end up at Sip!, Tati's bar. She finally gets a break from bartending, and we go to her place anyway. This was fun times. Chad and Shauna both live uptown so we're not far from home. Shauna and I got shrimp and Chad shared the Tzaziki that came in a bowl the size of his head. We laughed until they closed at 4 and Chad covered the drinks cause he makes more money than either of us. When we finally rolled out it was pushing 5 and the sun was threatening to show itself. I left the two at my corner and assumed they were going home.
Josh buzzed in sometime later but I didn't see him. My head was still a little spinny and it was all I could do to press the buzzer. What got me up at 11am was the sudden and irreversible urge to pee! I heard the shower come alive behind the closed bathroom door and I knew I couldn't wait it out. I trotted up to campus and went to the student center. I got juice to nurse my hangover, and only then do I check my phone. It's been on silent since the last bar and there's one new text message. It's from Chad: "I have to wake up at ten. It's almost like what's the point..." Sent at 5:20am. Too bad I didn't get it till noon. FAIL.
So now I'm on my way to work for a meeting. Maybe some insight before all hell breaks loose Friday. Just had to share the events of the evening. I don't even quite understand it yet. You'll prolly understand how I feel about the night. I do feel like to dropped the ball there at the end. Sigh. All I've got to show for my weekend is Cool Hand Luke on my phone. CC put it in my iDisk. Thank heaven for the public folder. Paul Newman makes me feel better about my own failure...to communicate...
26.6.08
Blog needs some PICTURES!
Calling all halves! Now accepting photo submissions! Find below: "Guinness, Staircase, & Soccer" as well as "Nate at The Local"
Surreptitious Shot of Soccer fans and bartender. I wish I had a better photo of this guy--he ran out at one point and took Nate's drink saying, "This beer has WAY too much head. I apologize. Let me fix this for you." Wow.
Surreptitious Shot of Soccer fans and bartender. I wish I had a better photo of this guy--he ran out at one point and took Nate's drink saying, "This beer has WAY too much head. I apologize. Let me fix this for you." Wow.
4.6.08
Hey, I can HEAR you snorting 'loser', y'know!
I do not like this thought upon waking: "Wow. I should definitely have SHUT UP way way sooner than I did last night." I am not sure if that feeling is made better or worse in instances where I went to bed already thinking, "Wow. I should really have shut up." I would like to say that I am a person with patience, someone who has a sense of decorum, someone you might describe as graceful. I would like to be charismatic and energetic enough to win people over to my way of thinking. I would like to be described as effective.
Instead, I sat at a birthday party for my friend last night, drinking too much beer, eating food that I didn't want, yelling about the failure-to-workings of my office. Saying things like, "I'm glad to be leaving," when I really meant, "I'm still frustrated that I haven't done all I could to MAKE it work." The faces of the people I was talking to SHOULD have shut me up. They were reflecting an impatient, imprudent, impudent, cad. A complainer. A psycho. Though I had no choice, it was a real act of bravery for me to rise from bed this morning. It was made no easier by the fact that I was lucky enough to be perfectly spooned against ncd's back and drooling all over his freckles.
I was so happy sleeping. Sleeping transformed a guy who was one of my main stressors yesterday back into the beloved. After all, if her were not so near and dear to my heart, he would not have the ability to be such a pressing source of anxiety, right? Gosh, makes you want to write a love song, right? Something along the lines of "you put my sanity and self image in a garbage compressor just to test it's metal..." I know--pure genius.
So that was Tuesday. Tuesday is normally quite calming what with its being yoga day and all, but when that is what happens when you ditch yoga for drinks.
Have abandoned this post, but thought I should post what I have and then I'll start afresh this week. I think that should be the theme of this week: start afresh...again and again and again if necessary (and it will be).
7pm tonight I'm supposed to meet "the Crew" people at Boca Chica in STP because Sarah Perry is in town. Was in an organizational mood and ready to keep up the 3-week tradition of listening to a stack of records and seeing what it produces, but I'll gladly ditch that for a margarita and SPerry.
ncd is at the MOA with his class today. b went with. I really wish I could see that. Just before his birthday, one of ncd's students asked him if he was going to bring cupcakes and he said he didn't think so, but anything was possible. Said student then went to ncd and said, "Your brother's bringing us cupcakes for his bday." So amused was b that he did, in fact, bring in cupcakes later that week. Ha-sucka!
And for now I'll leave you with this image: last night, I didn't go to sleep until just after 1 am when I finally put down my book, Crispin, after finishing the last of the beer I was drinking. Is that wrong? It felt grrreat!
Found out yesterday that Michael went with my misunderstanding. When I originally wrote him the note telling him we'd probably have to move out (this was at the beg. of May), I stated that we'd be leaving at the end of July. ncd informed me that our lease is up at the end of June, but when we talked to Michael yesterday, he said he was counting on the end of July. This is good in many ways (buys us all some time, for example), but makes the end of July/beginning of August ridiculously busy.
Happy Monday. I cannot believe it is only the time it is.
Instead, I sat at a birthday party for my friend last night, drinking too much beer, eating food that I didn't want, yelling about the failure-to-workings of my office. Saying things like, "I'm glad to be leaving," when I really meant, "I'm still frustrated that I haven't done all I could to MAKE it work." The faces of the people I was talking to SHOULD have shut me up. They were reflecting an impatient, imprudent, impudent, cad. A complainer. A psycho. Though I had no choice, it was a real act of bravery for me to rise from bed this morning. It was made no easier by the fact that I was lucky enough to be perfectly spooned against ncd's back and drooling all over his freckles.
I was so happy sleeping. Sleeping transformed a guy who was one of my main stressors yesterday back into the beloved. After all, if her were not so near and dear to my heart, he would not have the ability to be such a pressing source of anxiety, right? Gosh, makes you want to write a love song, right? Something along the lines of "you put my sanity and self image in a garbage compressor just to test it's metal..." I know--pure genius.
So that was Tuesday. Tuesday is normally quite calming what with its being yoga day and all, but when that is what happens when you ditch yoga for drinks.
Have abandoned this post, but thought I should post what I have and then I'll start afresh this week. I think that should be the theme of this week: start afresh...again and again and again if necessary (and it will be).
7pm tonight I'm supposed to meet "the Crew" people at Boca Chica in STP because Sarah Perry is in town. Was in an organizational mood and ready to keep up the 3-week tradition of listening to a stack of records and seeing what it produces, but I'll gladly ditch that for a margarita and SPerry.
ncd is at the MOA with his class today. b went with. I really wish I could see that. Just before his birthday, one of ncd's students asked him if he was going to bring cupcakes and he said he didn't think so, but anything was possible. Said student then went to ncd and said, "Your brother's bringing us cupcakes for his bday." So amused was b that he did, in fact, bring in cupcakes later that week. Ha-sucka!
And for now I'll leave you with this image: last night, I didn't go to sleep until just after 1 am when I finally put down my book, Crispin, after finishing the last of the beer I was drinking. Is that wrong? It felt grrreat!
Found out yesterday that Michael went with my misunderstanding. When I originally wrote him the note telling him we'd probably have to move out (this was at the beg. of May), I stated that we'd be leaving at the end of July. ncd informed me that our lease is up at the end of June, but when we talked to Michael yesterday, he said he was counting on the end of July. This is good in many ways (buys us all some time, for example), but makes the end of July/beginning of August ridiculously busy.
Happy Monday. I cannot believe it is only the time it is.
2.6.08
The Truth About Cats & Dogs
So, I just had a walk through the twilight of my adolescence.
Janeane Garafalo versus Uma for the adorableness incarnate that is Ben Chaplain.
Sigh!
What's funny is how I couldn't turn it off. I must've seen this film like seven times at the 99 cent theater in Dale City. That and French Kiss. But unlike Cats & Dogs, French Kiss didn't give me that feeling in the back of my throat like my tongue was actually a rope that slid down my esophagus, so that every time I swallowed I felt a yank on the knot that tied it to my stomach. The scene where they decide to get shitfaced and see what happens, both of them vying for his affections? I'd be a different person if my early HS years weren't characterized by that peculiar sensation that comes when you realize someone is indifferent toward you because you're not...you know, someone else.
Josh always says he would love to go back to seventh grade, armed with the knowledge he has now. You know, to show those bastards what he's made of. To fuck with them a little here and a little there. I fundamentally disagree. If I awoke in the hell that was my seventh grade, I might actually just hitch-hike to Seattle and find Nirvana. Just to say I saw a show. I'd follow the Dead for awhile before Garcia died. If anyone asked why, I'd say "Just because I can". I might convince my parents to buy stock in Microsoft for ten years, then sell it to buy stock in Apple. But I damn sure wouldn't be concerned with the girls who pulled my hair, calling it weave. Or the boys who called me names. The teachers who hated my potential because they figured I'd never live up can kiss my ass. Just like the ones who gave me the wink-and-nod to go forth into greatness deserve my undying respect and affection. But never do I dwell on such stale trauma. Perhaps Josh hasn't had anything major to throw him into existential crisis lately. Perhaps his last point of such crisis was adolescence, and so it's where his story fodder lies. Whatever the case, I find it amusing that he craves to thumb his nose at his pubescent aggressors. While I would much rather fall to my knees in humble prayer, thanking the good Lord that I made it through, limbs intact.
11.5.08
27.4.08
25.4.08
I Ate
...but first I drank beer at the Herk. I must say that I enjoy Herk beer more than most any other beer I have ever had. It is the only beer that I actually find myself craving...almost like it's a comfort food.
...and then we picked Ceara up and walked around Lake Calhoun before our 8:30 reservation at King and I Thai. As we picked up Ceara, we saw our downstairs neighbor, Barbara, all gussied up and going out somewhere. Where? To King and I Thai to benefit The Aliveness Project for people living with HIV/AIDS. Ha!
Here are the photos from our lope.
We saw Babs again at King and I. I had a delicious basil and cucumber martini.
...and then we picked Ceara up and walked around Lake Calhoun before our 8:30 reservation at King and I Thai. As we picked up Ceara, we saw our downstairs neighbor, Barbara, all gussied up and going out somewhere. Where? To King and I Thai to benefit The Aliveness Project for people living with HIV/AIDS. Ha!
Here are the photos from our lope.
We saw Babs again at King and I. I had a delicious basil and cucumber martini.
23.4.08
not much...but hey!
i'm walkin to work and there this was right outside the store. sheesh, right? i mean wha? how beauteous & weird!
21.4.08
Trying to hold on to some concentration...
We left after work on Thursday for Chicago and got in around 11:20p, had a beer with Mike and Liz Espinoza and then fell into a very deep sleep in their basement. On Saturday, the plan was that Mike and Nate would go stand in line at Wrigley to get good bleacher seats (we had tickets, but they're general admission so it's worth waiting to get a good spot). In the meantime, Liz would take care of some business and I would go to breakfast with Sarah (Justin was working). However, Sarah called Saturday morning sick with a stomach bug. So I happily waited in line in the gorgeous weather, watched batting practice, and actually stayed engaged with the game (it really makes a difference when I'm close enough to any sport that the players are clearly animated instead of specks). Here is a photo of Nate, my diastema, and me (seriously, I ain't seen suck a gap since that one model--what was her name?--and I was thinking the other day, Would she get a modeling job in the Extreme Makeover era? I couldn't decide.)
Right after the game, we took the L back to Mike and Liz's house, then hopped in our rental Mazda 6 (which provided Nate with endless driving fun)and set off for the rehearsal dinner in historic downtown Naperville. The dinner was delicious and it was so exciting to see Anna. Although she and I only spent a few hours together when she lived in Minneapolis I found her vivaciousness totally enchanting and feel much closer than our acquaintance probably justifies. I met her sister, Mary, who is the way coolest. I get the impression she helped a LOT with the planning since Anna and Scott live in D.C. Complete and utter charm clearly runs in the family since I would totally look Mary up to entice her to hang out when I'm in the Chicago area in the future.
Overall the rehearsal dinner was a little awkward. Nate was not in small talk mode and I was not feeling charismatic enough to overcome the fact that I was the 'and guest' part of our connection to the couple. The looks I got from the Oles upon introduction clearly showed that the last time they saw Nate he and Kelly were together and I was an object of novelty and youth. I'm so completely old (ass)hat that I found this both amusing, but my amusement wasn't really shareable since they didn't say anything. The other funny thing about the rehearsal dinner was the clear deliniation between Scott's friends who all grew up on the east coast and were super posh, and the Oles, who were clearly midwestern. For example, the east coasters wore their suits all evening. They are clearly comfortable in suits, wear 'em to work every day, and have nice ones. The Ole men mostly removed coats, like, "Dude, we WORE it here, that's totally good enough." I agree. After the dinner Nate and I spent a little time chatting with people at the bar next door, but most of them went home and eventually ended up in a corner with beers chatting our ownselves up.
We drove back to casa d'espinoza and waited for Adam and Trisha to arrive. They arrived around 12:20p and slept downstairs with us. We got up in the a.m. and donned our wedding get-ups (Trisha was showing off a sweet bandage under her nylons where she scalded the crap out of herself in the morning on her drive to work). We set forth to find somewhere to kill time before the ceremony and feed ourselves at the same time. We headed up to Aurora/Wheaton/Naperville where the wedding was and by some stroke of luck, drove by a billboard for Walter Payton's Roundhouse which bore a flag stating it was one of Esquire magazines best bars of 2008. When I suggested this to Trisha over the phone she passed it on to Adam whose reaction was ecstatic. Apparently he and Cantus once stayed in the hotel nearby and he was familiar with the place. It did turn out to be great--they have a blonde chocolate beer that has a more intense chocolate taste than any dark choco beer I've ever had--totally stunned me! (p.s. Trisha was telling me that she had a comparable beer mixed into a MALT when they visited Oregon once. Sign me up!)
The wedding happened at 2 at Anna's childhood church.
We went to the hotel afterward to check in. Trisha and I took a nap while Adam and Nate watched basketball. The reception didn't start until 6 and it was in a gorgeous house at an equestrian center. Cocktail hour was in the house and a combination of Oles and hired hands played in a string quartet while we drank whiskey and chatted much more easily with all assembled than we had the night before. For dinner, we were ushered through a windowed hallway lined with candles in hurricane glasses of varying sizes. The reception hall was a square and the walls were all windows. The colors of were Tiffany's aqua and white--tres fresca! The ceiling was wood and hung all about with wires that had 2 or three lights like candles glowing through frosted glass on. The speeches, all three, Glen's (Anna's Dad), Jeff's (Scott's best man), and Mary's(Anna's sister) were fantastic: funny, touching, but never uncomfortable or schlocky. The acquintances I amassed and Nate deepened include Jonathan Smith and Amanda Smith (nee Johnson) who live within sight of the new Yankees stadium. Jonathan strikes me as someone you would get along with quite immediately and he has a band...don't remember the name of it, but if you get a chance you should go to a concert and say hi. Or maybe you already know him/them?
Yesterday Nate and I set off around 10 and made it back in time for his softball practice. I walked Aoife (Ben and Jamie's wheaton terrier) around Lake Nokomis and then returned to my unit plan. Yeah, the unit plan basically explains why I've been such a crackpot at communication this week. In fact, instead of writing a blog at work I should be making little lesson plans, but I ain't. I'm puttin' you first even if it is to tell you that I probably won't be able to phone before Thursday. In the words of Kris & Jen, "Don't be mad." I didn't realize this dang thing was due this week until last week's class and I have NO idea how I'm gonna finish it. I spent part of our drive down ('til it got dark) and most of our ride back working on it and it is still a wee fledgling and looking sort of mangled as if someone is using tongs to birth it. Only this week's class, a bunch more work to get ready for next week's class, and then that is it for classes that I have to take before student teaching. Just don't let me forget to take the Praxis II, okay?
So I guess here I go to get back to it. Forgive me for not proofreading this. And here is a parting picture of Adam, Trisha, Mary, and Nate.
Right after the game, we took the L back to Mike and Liz's house, then hopped in our rental Mazda 6 (which provided Nate with endless driving fun)and set off for the rehearsal dinner in historic downtown Naperville. The dinner was delicious and it was so exciting to see Anna. Although she and I only spent a few hours together when she lived in Minneapolis I found her vivaciousness totally enchanting and feel much closer than our acquaintance probably justifies. I met her sister, Mary, who is the way coolest. I get the impression she helped a LOT with the planning since Anna and Scott live in D.C. Complete and utter charm clearly runs in the family since I would totally look Mary up to entice her to hang out when I'm in the Chicago area in the future.
Overall the rehearsal dinner was a little awkward. Nate was not in small talk mode and I was not feeling charismatic enough to overcome the fact that I was the 'and guest' part of our connection to the couple. The looks I got from the Oles upon introduction clearly showed that the last time they saw Nate he and Kelly were together and I was an object of novelty and youth. I'm so completely old (ass)hat that I found this both amusing, but my amusement wasn't really shareable since they didn't say anything. The other funny thing about the rehearsal dinner was the clear deliniation between Scott's friends who all grew up on the east coast and were super posh, and the Oles, who were clearly midwestern. For example, the east coasters wore their suits all evening. They are clearly comfortable in suits, wear 'em to work every day, and have nice ones. The Ole men mostly removed coats, like, "Dude, we WORE it here, that's totally good enough." I agree. After the dinner Nate and I spent a little time chatting with people at the bar next door, but most of them went home and eventually ended up in a corner with beers chatting our ownselves up.
We drove back to casa d'espinoza and waited for Adam and Trisha to arrive. They arrived around 12:20p and slept downstairs with us. We got up in the a.m. and donned our wedding get-ups (Trisha was showing off a sweet bandage under her nylons where she scalded the crap out of herself in the morning on her drive to work). We set forth to find somewhere to kill time before the ceremony and feed ourselves at the same time. We headed up to Aurora/Wheaton/Naperville where the wedding was and by some stroke of luck, drove by a billboard for Walter Payton's Roundhouse which bore a flag stating it was one of Esquire magazines best bars of 2008. When I suggested this to Trisha over the phone she passed it on to Adam whose reaction was ecstatic. Apparently he and Cantus once stayed in the hotel nearby and he was familiar with the place. It did turn out to be great--they have a blonde chocolate beer that has a more intense chocolate taste than any dark choco beer I've ever had--totally stunned me! (p.s. Trisha was telling me that she had a comparable beer mixed into a MALT when they visited Oregon once. Sign me up!)
The wedding happened at 2 at Anna's childhood church.
We went to the hotel afterward to check in. Trisha and I took a nap while Adam and Nate watched basketball. The reception didn't start until 6 and it was in a gorgeous house at an equestrian center. Cocktail hour was in the house and a combination of Oles and hired hands played in a string quartet while we drank whiskey and chatted much more easily with all assembled than we had the night before. For dinner, we were ushered through a windowed hallway lined with candles in hurricane glasses of varying sizes. The reception hall was a square and the walls were all windows. The colors of were Tiffany's aqua and white--tres fresca! The ceiling was wood and hung all about with wires that had 2 or three lights like candles glowing through frosted glass on. The speeches, all three, Glen's (Anna's Dad), Jeff's (Scott's best man), and Mary's(Anna's sister) were fantastic: funny, touching, but never uncomfortable or schlocky. The acquintances I amassed and Nate deepened include Jonathan Smith and Amanda Smith (nee Johnson) who live within sight of the new Yankees stadium. Jonathan strikes me as someone you would get along with quite immediately and he has a band...don't remember the name of it, but if you get a chance you should go to a concert and say hi. Or maybe you already know him/them?
Yesterday Nate and I set off around 10 and made it back in time for his softball practice. I walked Aoife (Ben and Jamie's wheaton terrier) around Lake Nokomis and then returned to my unit plan. Yeah, the unit plan basically explains why I've been such a crackpot at communication this week. In fact, instead of writing a blog at work I should be making little lesson plans, but I ain't. I'm puttin' you first even if it is to tell you that I probably won't be able to phone before Thursday. In the words of Kris & Jen, "Don't be mad." I didn't realize this dang thing was due this week until last week's class and I have NO idea how I'm gonna finish it. I spent part of our drive down ('til it got dark) and most of our ride back working on it and it is still a wee fledgling and looking sort of mangled as if someone is using tongs to birth it. Only this week's class, a bunch more work to get ready for next week's class, and then that is it for classes that I have to take before student teaching. Just don't let me forget to take the Praxis II, okay?
So I guess here I go to get back to it. Forgive me for not proofreading this. And here is a parting picture of Adam, Trisha, Mary, and Nate.
16.4.08
Taxes done!
Now all i gotta do is erase the fibro from my weary bones and get crackin on that screenplay....but here's a pic from the subway. just a moment i noticed between strangers. they always sit on opposite ends of the bench. never fails.
14.4.08
...and another thing
Happy Monday Back on the Horse
For your viewing amusement, here is a picture I found of me at graduation. I remember when I had Justin shavey shave it off that I was convinced it would grow enough before our next Ole Choir concert (graduation) that it could pass as just 'very short'. Seems awfully short, but that Dr. A didn't mind, as you recall, just said, "Girl, whatdjou do to your hair?!" Ha!
Happy Monday. I'm 2 hours in and 6 to go, baby! Oh, and my computer is telling me that perhaps I already used my iWork trial so is that bad? I'm I still gonna be able to just feed it the numbers and download it or will you have to actually mail me the software?
Lovies!!!
Happy Monday. I'm 2 hours in and 6 to go, baby! Oh, and my computer is telling me that perhaps I already used my iWork trial so is that bad? I'm I still gonna be able to just feed it the numbers and download it or will you have to actually mail me the software?
Lovies!!!
19.2.08
yes, i am a sucka. it's written right here:
so tali sends me this and i feel like it's a pretty good barometer for life and general mood.~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Four jobs I have had in my life:
1. server, shmerver--it was a diner, i was a waitress
2. managing a glorified concession stand, perfecting pizza
3. before/after school teacher for K-6 graders, believing children are our future
4. mac specialist at the apple store, thinking different...ly
Four movies I would watch over and over:
1. Serenity
2. Empire Records
3. As Good As It Gets
4. Angels with Dirty Faces
Four places I have lived:
1. Hoodbridge, VA
2. Northfield, MN
3. Twickenham, Surrey, England
4. The Big Bad Forking AppleFour TV Shows that I watch:
1. Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (who knew)
2. Pushing Daisies3. Chuck
4. Psych/Bones (if i watch on the interweb, does each count as half?)
Four places I have been:
1. Italy2. Holland3. Mexico
4. Wall Drug (i know, "where the heck?", right?)
Four of my favorite foods:
1. Indian! (yes and yes)2. Wasabi (let's be honest here)
3. Haagen Däzs Rum Raisin (yes i'm intolerant. BLÄST!)
4. Sweet Potato Paté (think that outs me as a closet vegetarian?)Four places I would rather be right now:
1. St. Paul, MN
2. on the beach with my face in the water
3. in a writer's room
4. the grassy knoll. 1963. with an HDV camera.
(and the witness protection program waiting w/ open arms)
Four things I am looking forward to this year:
1. making a living
2. a new president
3. pictures from Tali's trip to Italy
4. writing a ton & a half and seeing a fraction of it make it to video
15.2.08
Whoa, get a load of THIS
TWO posts before I have even received comments on post numero UNO. Happy Valentine's Day, my sweet, sweet other half!
First things first: on Tuesday, Trisha announced to Kris and me that she and Adam are getting married (summer '09 or so?). Rad. Apparently, they really decided last summer, then she said,
"Okay. So we're gonna do it. I don't wanna know anything from here on out."
They went up north last weekend and were the only guests in a hotel by Split Rock Lighthouse that is made out of boxcars (the hotel, not the lighthouse ehehehe). More details upon request,and perhaps I can convince her to cough up some of the pictures so I can post them here.
Actually, that's it for now. Just wanted to update you. More later. I love you!
First things first: on Tuesday, Trisha announced to Kris and me that she and Adam are getting married (summer '09 or so?). Rad. Apparently, they really decided last summer, then she said,
"Okay. So we're gonna do it. I don't wanna know anything from here on out."
They went up north last weekend and were the only guests in a hotel by Split Rock Lighthouse that is made out of boxcars (the hotel, not the lighthouse ehehehe). More details upon request,and perhaps I can convince her to cough up some of the pictures so I can post them here.
Actually, that's it for now. Just wanted to update you. More later. I love you!
12.2.08
Who's Lame?
I am. I know. But now I will make up for it, with the sun blazing in my eyeball through the window at 4:29pm (i LOVE that) by posting some pictures for your perusal. Some of these are repeats of the ones at chicketycheckitout.blogspot.com, so don't be mad. Some are recently new, though.
On the Wednesday before my birthday, on the heels of work, then class, then preparing a lesson to deliver for the 7:25am class at SLP HS (which meant I would have to leave the house at 6:30am on Thurs), then the Louis XIV, Hot Hot Heat, Editors concert at the Fine Line (we got tix for Xmas)...we arrived home at 12:30a.m. and ncd said, "My brothers both texted today to see what we're doing for your birthday." I freaked out stating that I was in no mood, as an introvert who was away from her house for 17+ hours and was looking forward to scant sleeping hours, even, to plan a birthday and that if someone ELSE would like to plan such an event then they jolly well could, otherwise I'd be looking forward to staring at a wall and not having a task list 10 miles long! SO, after this hissy fit, ncd calmly says, "Well, I was just thinking about having b+j, and e+b, and maybe trisha and adam over for dinner."
"Oh," I said, "Well, that seems like a fine plan."
Arrive Saturday. b+j, e+b, trisha+adam, doug+raedean arrive for dinner as well as susie and colin whose presence i requested. And then Karla who brought, as she styled it, "some shitty lotions that my coworker gave me for Christmas" as well as a Velveeta cheese cuber. Then Doug and Rae brought me cleaning products. People continued to arrive. By the time that Kris and Nels showed up at 10, I realized I'd been tricked into a surprise party. And what was more, I thought people were just finally getting smart and giving me some cool shit (like their old copies of Atonement and Saturday), but slowly began to realize that Nate had instructed them "recycled gifts only". But seriously...it took me forever to figure it out. I just accepted everything--the increasing amount of people showing up at the front door, the awesome gifts...and I kinda like that about myself. I'm quite merry and I think this proves that I'm still easily contented (even though I seem like a crazy bitch freaking out over every little thing because I'm over-scheduled). Anyway, some pictures:
Susie and Trisha doing dinner dishes--now THAT is a champion thing to do for a girl's b-day!
Assorted Assembled watching some of the directors' videos ncd got for Christmas from my 'rents. Michele Gondry is what is captivating the masses right at this moment, I believe.
The weekend before the surprise party, ncd arranged to have bday celebration with Mom who was here chillin' clm the younger out. here is a foto of us in our finery after our foray to the Guthrie for Robert Bly's translation of Peer Gynt!
Below is a picture of clm the younger and Mom in clm's new bed from Ikea (spending clm's xmas gift cards there in attempt to get her organized and reduce the "crack house" appearance of her room was a key element of Mom's 'chilling out' process).
And in between that, just to throw yer inner timeline off a little more (just stay on the roller coaster with me) was Give Kids A Smile day. We stay extra on Friday and the hygeniests and docs do free dental work for anyone who wants to sign up and show up. It's always fabulously chaotic. Standing up is Patty (the one who teaches me yoga--which, incidentally, I am now waiting around the office for)and the dds doing this kid's exam is OUR AGE...and has a husband and new baby. And we have another guy who is our age and has a wife and a baby. How DOES one manage to pack all that into just the years we have under our belts?
And here is a picture of your other half as Sweet Bear who reminds you to brush every day, twice a day, and to eat sweets only in moderation. Matt R. once starred in a DVD about this bear. Perhaps I'll find a copy to send you.
And finally, from before the birthday, before Give Kids a Smile, before Guthrie night, but during Mom's visit at the end of January (I think)...there was this visit to Brit's with various people you might recognize (the one sitting next to Susie is her sister...the one sitting next to Justincredible is Colin, her fiancee (don't know if you've met him, but you'd love him):
Speaking of that, did you know that Susz's former roommate, Brenna, and PKO are getting married on the same day as Colin and Susz? C+S are getting married in British Columbia, however, and it is out of the question for me to miss that (for various reasons). Ncd and I are contemplating a split-up to attend both. We should talk about this on the phone.
So, there. Those are all the worthwhile photos on my camera right now. Is it silly to tell the other hemisphere of oneself, "I love you"? If not, I love you.
On the Wednesday before my birthday, on the heels of work, then class, then preparing a lesson to deliver for the 7:25am class at SLP HS (which meant I would have to leave the house at 6:30am on Thurs), then the Louis XIV, Hot Hot Heat, Editors concert at the Fine Line (we got tix for Xmas)...we arrived home at 12:30a.m. and ncd said, "My brothers both texted today to see what we're doing for your birthday." I freaked out stating that I was in no mood, as an introvert who was away from her house for 17+ hours and was looking forward to scant sleeping hours, even, to plan a birthday and that if someone ELSE would like to plan such an event then they jolly well could, otherwise I'd be looking forward to staring at a wall and not having a task list 10 miles long! SO, after this hissy fit, ncd calmly says, "Well, I was just thinking about having b+j, and e+b, and maybe trisha and adam over for dinner."
"Oh," I said, "Well, that seems like a fine plan."
Arrive Saturday. b+j, e+b, trisha+adam, doug+raedean arrive for dinner as well as susie and colin whose presence i requested. And then Karla who brought, as she styled it, "some shitty lotions that my coworker gave me for Christmas" as well as a Velveeta cheese cuber. Then Doug and Rae brought me cleaning products. People continued to arrive. By the time that Kris and Nels showed up at 10, I realized I'd been tricked into a surprise party. And what was more, I thought people were just finally getting smart and giving me some cool shit (like their old copies of Atonement and Saturday), but slowly began to realize that Nate had instructed them "recycled gifts only". But seriously...it took me forever to figure it out. I just accepted everything--the increasing amount of people showing up at the front door, the awesome gifts...and I kinda like that about myself. I'm quite merry and I think this proves that I'm still easily contented (even though I seem like a crazy bitch freaking out over every little thing because I'm over-scheduled). Anyway, some pictures:
Susie and Trisha doing dinner dishes--now THAT is a champion thing to do for a girl's b-day!
Assorted Assembled watching some of the directors' videos ncd got for Christmas from my 'rents. Michele Gondry is what is captivating the masses right at this moment, I believe.
The weekend before the surprise party, ncd arranged to have bday celebration with Mom who was here chillin' clm the younger out. here is a foto of us in our finery after our foray to the Guthrie for Robert Bly's translation of Peer Gynt!
Below is a picture of clm the younger and Mom in clm's new bed from Ikea (spending clm's xmas gift cards there in attempt to get her organized and reduce the "crack house" appearance of her room was a key element of Mom's 'chilling out' process).
And in between that, just to throw yer inner timeline off a little more (just stay on the roller coaster with me) was Give Kids A Smile day. We stay extra on Friday and the hygeniests and docs do free dental work for anyone who wants to sign up and show up. It's always fabulously chaotic. Standing up is Patty (the one who teaches me yoga--which, incidentally, I am now waiting around the office for)and the dds doing this kid's exam is OUR AGE...and has a husband and new baby. And we have another guy who is our age and has a wife and a baby. How DOES one manage to pack all that into just the years we have under our belts?
And here is a picture of your other half as Sweet Bear who reminds you to brush every day, twice a day, and to eat sweets only in moderation. Matt R. once starred in a DVD about this bear. Perhaps I'll find a copy to send you.
And finally, from before the birthday, before Give Kids a Smile, before Guthrie night, but during Mom's visit at the end of January (I think)...there was this visit to Brit's with various people you might recognize (the one sitting next to Susie is her sister...the one sitting next to Justincredible is Colin, her fiancee (don't know if you've met him, but you'd love him):
Speaking of that, did you know that Susz's former roommate, Brenna, and PKO are getting married on the same day as Colin and Susz? C+S are getting married in British Columbia, however, and it is out of the question for me to miss that (for various reasons). Ncd and I are contemplating a split-up to attend both. We should talk about this on the phone.
So, there. Those are all the worthwhile photos on my camera right now. Is it silly to tell the other hemisphere of oneself, "I love you"? If not, I love you.
4.2.08
the hat they barely made....
i swear the underdog hats are never as cool as they should be.cause you know, when there's a game like this, the loser "champions" merchandise goes straight to poor kids in africa.
NOT THIS ONE!
25.1.08
it's not that i haven't been paying attention....
but i have been lacking in the, you know, actual posting dept. what would that be? postage sounded right in my head but now...not so much. anyhoo, you should know i'm not as much a slacker as i seem. here's what i've been doing...
Gotta have somethin' to show to the people, eh? Cause i sure as heck ain't directin' any strangers to this corner of the intergalactic net. But anyhoo - we should also have a web gallery. in which we can both post pictures for the other to download in full-sized glory, which, incidentally does give me a sense of resolution. so there, Alanis! put that in your pipe and scream at it... it occurs to me that this reference, if not explained, may feel ten or so years too late. but i assure you, i hear gems off of jagged little pill every day of my current, supposedly new-millenium existence. some people. it's like you can take the girl outta the 90's, but you can't take the 90's out of her playlist. ("her" being my reference to the Goddess of alternative retail music. who could be a God for all i know.)
sigh.
my,
i
miss thine.
for mine,
though inclined
to unbind
my smile,
after a while
make the miles
seem like files
stacked in piles
that stretch higher
than any fire
they'd sire,
making dire
the choir
of "why"s
that belies
my wise
eyes,
chiding
hiding
abiding
7.1.08
Thoughts from today's walk
I was going to record them here, but I can't remember them with all the static in my head right now. I am participating in "online discussion group" for my interim class. Only about 30 minutes of discussion left, then I have to read the packet for next week because next week I'm the one facilitating. There are so many of these things right now that seem like hoops that I just can't wait to get through and be done with. So much of this seems like it wouldn't have to be done if the screening process for the intellect, sensitivity, and open-mindedness in the teaching field was better. Not that I have any suggestions worth mentioning.
Anyway...what was I thinking??
OH--that my new iPod (can't wait to tell you the name of it, but it's a verbal thing that wouldn't make much sense here) might actually be sensing my mood and might do that even better if I only ever play it in "shuffle" mode.
OH--and then I thought up a good stump for a story. My coworker, Marie, saw a woman standing on the "high bridge" in St. Paul the other week. She remembers wondering to herself what this chick was doing. She saw her throw a rock over the edge. She pondered the fact that the high bridge is a destination for suicide (well, the river below more than the bridge, really). She noted "people don't just stop on that bridge, especially in the winter...I mean, you see people walking over it in the summer, but..." The next day she read in the newspaper that a woman had committed suicide the day before. She doesn't know whether it was the woman she saw...or what she would have said as she drove by.
So I'm thinking as I walk up to another bridge over the Mississippi today--but what about weirdos like me who actually do stop on the bridge in the winter? Then I thought, wouldn't it be great to write a story that began with someone standing on a bridge wearing a t-shirt with the following printed across the back: "I am not going to jump. I just like to watch the river."
Love you.
Anyway...what was I thinking??
OH--that my new iPod (can't wait to tell you the name of it, but it's a verbal thing that wouldn't make much sense here) might actually be sensing my mood and might do that even better if I only ever play it in "shuffle" mode.
OH--and then I thought up a good stump for a story. My coworker, Marie, saw a woman standing on the "high bridge" in St. Paul the other week. She remembers wondering to herself what this chick was doing. She saw her throw a rock over the edge. She pondered the fact that the high bridge is a destination for suicide (well, the river below more than the bridge, really). She noted "people don't just stop on that bridge, especially in the winter...I mean, you see people walking over it in the summer, but..." The next day she read in the newspaper that a woman had committed suicide the day before. She doesn't know whether it was the woman she saw...or what she would have said as she drove by.
So I'm thinking as I walk up to another bridge over the Mississippi today--but what about weirdos like me who actually do stop on the bridge in the winter? Then I thought, wouldn't it be great to write a story that began with someone standing on a bridge wearing a t-shirt with the following printed across the back: "I am not going to jump. I just like to watch the river."
Love you.
4.1.08
Productive, but short-tempered
^that would be me description of myself today. The people who call me are being insane, but that could be because I stayed up until 2:30am cleaning the kitchen last night. That was okay mostly, though, because I had my new ipod nano to sing to me the whole time. I was a tad concerned that my temporary headphone-induced deafness might be causing me to be excessively loud and it occurred to me several times to take an ear bud out thinking I might be missing my downstairs neighbor rap, rap, rapping at the door to tell me to shut the hell up.
Much love. Will write more soon. Ncd and his mama arriving today after drive from Arizona. Neato. Pretty sure the 5 hours I spent chiseling pre-Christmas fudge mess from many kitchen surfaces obliterates any chance that I'll have the house (and thereby, my brain) in order before their arrival. Oh well, at least the refrigerator's so clean it's empty, right? Aaand that makes 2 paragraphs about cleaning...which makes me feel like a freak. Alright. Ciao for niao.
Much love. Will write more soon. Ncd and his mama arriving today after drive from Arizona. Neato. Pretty sure the 5 hours I spent chiseling pre-Christmas fudge mess from many kitchen surfaces obliterates any chance that I'll have the house (and thereby, my brain) in order before their arrival. Oh well, at least the refrigerator's so clean it's empty, right? Aaand that makes 2 paragraphs about cleaning...which makes me feel like a freak. Alright. Ciao for niao.
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