More reading, cutting wood

Book #18: Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris. Uproariously funny? Not really. Amusing, I guess. Sonny said it might be better if I listened to some of Sedaris' radio broadcasts. I'll check them out and see. Something about this book brought out PC-ish sensitivity in me that was a bit surprising. The chapter on pet euthanasia bothered me. As did his description of his sister's role-playing, which to me seemed more like someone looking for help. I think I was over-analyzing it, actually I'm pretty sure I was. Maybe that's part of why it was just kinda' there for me.

Book #19: The Women's Migraine Survival Guide by Christina Peterson, M.D. - I've finally gotten around to researching migraine myself before thinking about getting a referral to a neurologist. This book was good, a great women's perspective (and it is something needed for this illness), and it started me thinking about some warning signs and prevention steps. All great. What I didn't like is the heavy reliance there seemed to be on drugs for prevention. She did deal with alternatives a bit, and more than my PCPs have, but the vast majority of her patient examples are people on one maintenance drug, often more. I want to avoid a life like that as much as possible. Now, I'm not in the Cruise extreme group here, I just think that if there are proven natural methods that work just as well, then why the hell not? Finally, I'm actually a bit relieved because, as bad as my migraines seem and they're pretty bad, I think, I'm nowhere near a lot of the patients cited here - some of whom have 3-4 days lost to migraines EACH week. It helps to have perspective.

Started cutting the wood for the pantry. Helping J as he used his circular and table saws was a slight bit freaky, being just days after hearing about our poor Uncle's horrible run-in. Get-well Uncle Al and I'll keep a bit away (far as I can) while J cuts the wood, Thank You.

A night of zombie mayhem makes 9am meetings hard to bear

A 9am meeting on a Wednesday after a 4 1/2 day weekend is bad enough. My brain had to go and make it even worse by limiting me to maybe 3 solid hours of sleep, 2 of which were plagued by a zombie fighting nightmare.
Zombies aren't usually a nightmare of mine. And I'm not into the flicks as much as Sonny is.
Yet, here I was. Interesting that in MY zombie world, the zombies were the epitome of upper-crust, fashionista snobs until they entered the slobbering feeding frenzies. No graveyard dirt or tattered clothes here, but ball gowns, white gloves, Bunny, Tad, and talk of the golf course. Where did THAT come from?
I awoke after I decided that the ultimate Mr T zombie had gone too far in lauding his control over the planet and God decided to blow up all zombies, lairs, and paraphernalia.
Still didn't keep me from checking for my heartbeat after I woke. Or from reliving the zombie fight every time I tried to close my eyes for the next 2 hours until the alarm.

Happy Fourth!

Beyond picnics and summer fun, the Fourth to me is a time to think of the principals on which our country is based. On the struggle of the colonists oh so many years ago for freedom. Of what that freedom means.

To move away from the politics of the moment - to put aside property seisure rulings, gay marriage, right to die, freedom of choice, privacy rights, health care and prescription drugs - all of that mess.

To think of our country and the core of what it means and why it is truly good to be in a land founded on the belief that people have the right to make their own decisions about what and who to believe, about what they want to do with their lives. That people should and can have a say in how they are governed. No matter how flawed the implementation or the leadership might seem to be at times.

Saw a clip of the presidential speech today talking of the efforts of our troops in bringing freedom to others. I praise and support the troops, but today shouldn't be about our military - its actions, its prowess, or whatever. Today should be about the heart and roots of what it is to be American. That strive for what each of us believes is right, for what each of us wants to achieve - our ambition and devotion to ideals (even though we don't all agree, the debate is part of what's good).

Here's to what our country is all about.
Let's set aside what we're trying to prove elsewhere for just a day.

Friends come home, big fish rule

Just received the marvellous news that my best friend from college has purchased a house in VA (was in Japan for several years), is moving back, is having a girl(bambino #2), and is being released from military service (critical care nurse)!!!:)
I liked the idea of having friends in scattered places, should I get the chance to visit those places it's nice to have connections there, but my relief at Kat coming home, and now Lisa - it's nice to have them on the same continent. Most excellent, in fact. I'll need to plan a trip to VA...

On a totally different note, fishermen in Thailand recently caught a 646 pound freshwater catfish!

Imagine that river! Wow.
Reminded me of Megamouth, a filter-feeding shark that tends towards very deep waters and so has bioluminescence in his mouth - only 20 odd examples have been found.
Which then reminded me of whale sharks and basking sharks - much less rare, but awesome beasts (the two largest fish in the world).
Unfortunately the Japanese have killed these beasts, claiming it was self defense - but again, they are filter feeders and wouldn't hurt people.


If I was any good at science, I'd be a marine biologist - geez, I think I've said that several times - just recently when talking about the lion rescuers in Ethiopia.

heat stinks

This heat is horrible. I mean, I like heat but not brutally hot every day, with no cool down at night. I can't wait for Fri-Sun,when it's supposed to moderate a bit....
In the meantime, I read a lot in front of a fan. Hard to get motivated to work out when it's so hot. Hard to get motivated to scrub the bathroom or sweep the house....
Book #17 is done - Fluke, or I know why the winged whale sings - by Christopher Moore - will report on that after book club meets. On to the next.

Books and freakiness

Book #14 - The Alchemist by Paul Coelho - I was about to complain that it wasn't until the teaching notes at the end of this that I found out the boy's name. Not true, it's the first sentence. This was the big detractor and distractor of the book, for me. After that first sentence, I don't think the boy's name is ever mentioned. He is just "the boy". I found that an over-simplification that made it seem almost artificial.
Otherwise, I like the concept of the need to follow your dream. I found the plot satisfying, even though J thought the end was a little too neat.

Book #15 - Strange Pilgrims by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - These are stories of the displaced, no matter how settled they've become in their new lives away from their native Latin America. I found the majority of them powerful, inriguing, and well done. The last, the tale of a new husband who take his wife to the hospital and never sees her again, especially dwelt in my mind. The "why"s and "what if"s. Garcia Marquez is a master storyteller.

Book #16 - The Devil and Tom Walker by Washington Irving - actually a collection of his short works. The short stories were classic, almost fireside, tales. The essays were a mixed bag - some were quite dull. Others, such as the cloisters of Westminster or the ghosts in its library of authors past, could have been developed into entertaining fiction, but weren't. Probably indicative of his time, but I was quite annoyed that every main character got into trouble because he was trying to evade his shrew of a wife - all wives were shrews or nags. Seems a bit bitter to me.

Finally, a rather gross, but just incredibly freaky story that also harks to at least one CSI episode, a Simpsons Halloween episode, and more...

The condition is known as "foetus in foeto", or inclusion twin.
"In this case the foetus of the baby entered into the foetus of the boy and continued to grow like a tumour in the boy's abdomen," gynaecology specialists Nurun Nahar said.
Hundreds of curious locals flocked to the hospital on hearing a rumour that a boy had given birth to a baby.

And the mighty lion roars

In what i think is one of those truly awesome news-stories - the ones I cheer for as much as sports fanatics do news of a great new player on the team or of a critical victory - 3 lions free a young girl in Ethiopia - According to some reports, as many as 70% of Ethiopian marriages are the result of a kidnapping - when men steal young girls and brutalize them until they agree to the proposal. As this fate was rolling out for one young girl, these lions rolled up on the scene, scared off the kidnappers, and guarded the girl until authorities arrived.

Most excellent!!! Lions are so incredibly awesome!
When I first posted about Mireya Mayor, I was inspired about what she's done in what could be for me my "alternate reality career". These lions and Tina's frolicking dolphins make me want to get geared up and head out into the wilderness to study these amazing creatures.

Instead, I sit here rehashing data and having my writing style subject to constant revision requests by someone who just can't absorb the whole story on the page for all the criticism that's done of each sentence..... A bit harsher than I like to be here, but the jungle's looking pretty sweet right now.

Tune in to DIY for...

CW Roelle!! Yes, that's right, Sonny is on for a 1/2 hour episode where he'll show the nation how to make wire drawings! This will be most excellent... Details to follow.

Want to write more but under the thumb of a brutal project. Stay tuned, I'll sneak it in as I can.

Father's Day and movies

Had a good Father's Day - got Dad a Kodak Picture Viewer like this... I'm pretty sure he really liked it... Got to spend some quality campfire time and have some good steak, too.



Sonny and I have both seen Revenge of the Sith. Most excellent! I really felt totally immersed in the Star Wars realm - even if J was trying to distract me. An epoch like the first 2, for sure.

Also saw a trailer for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe. WAAAAYYYY cool - I haven't been in this realm for many years, but I remember longing for a version that was better than the dorky cartoon we used to watch at the babysitter's - much in the same way I wanted a good version of The Hobbit or other Tolkien tales.

I have 2 books to blog about, but my notes are downstairs and I'm being a bum tonight. Mayhaps tomorrow.... Oh, I did hear someone talking about the musical version of Wicked, saying that Elphaba "wasn't wicked at first, just made some bad choices..." I had to restrain myself from screaming "NOOOOO!!!!! You totally missed the point!" (This was in a church, so that would have been bad)

J says hi, btw.
More tomorrow.

Two cool (too cool?) sites

First things foremost, Theophilus (see links to right) has updated their webpage. Pretty classy, with music, and an updated calendar, among other things...

Then, this looks so incredibly awesome, I just can't wait!!! Here's the new Mirrormask trailer - so funky!!!
On other movie fronts, J and I are going to see Batman or Star Wars this weekend. Have heard really strong positives on both and it may depend on my mood or timing. I actually had a pass to a screening of Batman, but by the time Dan and I got there it was already sold out. Bummer!

Theophilus CD release party

Last night, Theophilus feted the release of their first full CD. A lot of effort went into this and it paid off. The party did a great job of showcasing their talent - and the kids enjoyed it, even if they did get a bit goofy. Excellent job, guys!
Next up for Theophilus, the final round of competition for a slot in the Kingdom Bound festival - held at Darien Lake later this summer. Cool stuff!

Book #13 - Bouzi by Jennifer Robin - Liked the flow of the text and the driving concept - the life of those who choose to "live in their heads" - to spend time contemplating life and experiencing it - and refusing to go where society would have them led. Seemed light, tho', and like it could have been explored so much further.

My voice was wearing a trenchcoat, holding a skull, pacing through fog with barbells.

The sytle, with its avoidance of any standard metaphor or simile, ties nicely with the theme. Unlike Kerouac, though, it doesn't carry me away.

Big Bad Voodoo Daddy's back in town

Sonny is here visiting us now and last night we went to see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy in the Park. We got absolutely soaked for about 30 minutes and had to wait a bit until the lightning passed by, but once they hit the stage the rain practically disappeared and the crowd grew and it was a total blast! I got the string bassist's autograph -only slightly rained on and a lot of good pics, plus 1 minute of fun video. Tres cool!

Book #12 - Wicked

Wicked by Gregory Maguire - I liked the character of Elphaba - she wasn't evil, she set out to right the wrongs of politics and society - to recover from the loss of a love. Her sister earned the "Wicked" title by causing harm to support her political religious aims, but Elphaba was simply dubbed "wicked" because people didn't want to face the questions she posed about how they conducted their lives. An excellent book - entertaining with great character development.

(Books #13 and 14 upcoming)

Train to Providence - Something about the rock & rhythm of the movements of a jerky train (should you be so lucky as to actually have it MOVE as intended) brings us closer as a couple - binds us.




Sonny's show was incredible. And a good time. I loved hearing people talk about his work. Should you be in the Woonsocket area, the Blackstone River Gallery is in the same building as a furniture store on Main St (right by the river) and the show is up until July 16...

So much to cover!

I'm going to try to spread this out - so many things!
More details on the trip to Sonny's show in RI, Dan's CD release party, and the 3 books I read this weekend soon. For now, here's some tidbits... (Click here for more on chicken fashions)



UK docs back to basics in fighting crime - interesting the different emphasis in the UK vs US...

French laws in the 17th century decreed that the tips of table and street knives be ground smooth.
A century later, forks and blunt-ended table knives were introduced in the UK in an effort to reduce injuries during arguments in public eating houses.
The researchers say legislation to ban the sale of long pointed knives would be a key step in the fight against violent crime.

And, finally, Mom's baton response...

Total Volume of music files 4.0 K.B.

Last C.D. I purchased was "Theophilus"

Playing right now is "Boom,Boom,Boom" By John Lee Hooker on WMVY internet radio.

Five songs I listen to most are
"Roller Coaster"/ Theophilus,
"Half Acre" / Hem,
"100 Years" / Five for Fighting,
"The Scientist" / Cold Play and
"You Don't Have to go it Alone" / U2.

They call it a job!

Maybe there's some ounce of creativity needed to come up with something to talk about daily. Maybe there's a risk of mental injury from watching every night. I'm not sure, but man - Dukes of Hazzard Institute VP, as it's called just doesn't seem worthy of a 6 figure salary. Seriously - there's artists we could be giving that money to!

Yes, Christopher Nelson's new job, which comes with a $100,000 salary and a one-year contract, will be to watch reruns of "The Dukes of Hazzard" weeknights on the Country Music Television cable channel and write blog postings for the network's Web site.

Here we go! (aka Musical Baton, part1)

A Musical Baton

Jenny has passed me a musical baton. I answer these questions and pass them on...

Total volume of music files on my (work)computer:
2.4 MB - two Theophilus songs - I don't download music right now - Sonny makes me lots of CDs from his stuff

The last CD I bought was:
For J, I rarely buy them for myself - it was Sara Slean - Day One

Song playing right now:
Oh, no, I don't have anything playing, hang on - I need to come back to this in a while anyway...(mad dash to bag - ooh brownies! - CD in, first song) "(What's your) angle?" Andrew Bird's Bowl of Fire

Five songs I listen to a lot, or that mean a lot to me:
"Still in Love with You" - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy (our song, kinda' sorta)
"I believe I can fly" - Me First and the Gimmie Gimmies (a workout song but like the words, too)
"Rebels of the Sacred Heart" - Flogging Molly (a fun bellowing, jumping, head shaking song)
"Last Great Whales" - Solas (important)
"Awaya Baka" - Baka Beyond (such a cool combo)
There's also some Sentimental Favorites, Theophilus, Moxy Fruvous, and even Speakeasy songs I'd list, but they escape me at the moment and I had to pick five.
Of these, I'd say the top 4 are the top tier and the fifth starts the second.

Five people to whom I’m passing the baton:
OK - my blogging buddies are mostly taken, so I'm doing this a bit differently than Jenny did.

Sonny
Danny
J
Mom
Kat'

(J, Mom, and Kat' don't have blogs, but they can email me their responses and I'll post them here. Sonny and Danny better write something, dang it!)

Just when you thought it might be normal... and CW Roelle art news

First things first, opening one week from Saturday - June 4 - CW Roelle's solo show in Woonsocket! site
Mom and J and I are going for the opening - it should be fun!

Second - I can't get the season finale of Alias out of my (currently aching)head. Most of it was an almost normal episode - fighting really big evil but not out of the ordinary for the show, not edge of the seat sort of stuff. Until the very end. WHAM!!! Doubled! I mean - I never thought I'd hear Vaughn say "First of all, my name isn't Michael Vaughn" and then the SUV nails them. Yikes. And now I'll likely have to wait until January or so until it comes back. I'm sure it will be worth the wait....

PS - Reading Wicked by Gregory Maguire - really enjoying it.

More likely to be hit on the head by falling airplane parts

In high school, I did a research report on Marine Life. I had a ton of fun and I think I showed researcher talents at that early stage - because I got a whole boatload of data from almost as many sources. One of my favorite stats was that you are "more likely to be hit on the head by falling airplane parts than attacked by a shark" - same for stung by a killer bee, struck by lightning, and now...

More people are killed every year by pigs than by sharks, which shows you how good we are at evaluating risk.
SECURITY EXPERT BRUCE SCHNEIER, AUTHOR OF “BEYOND FEAR” (SPRINGER 2003), IT CONVERSATIONS 5.2.05

First bunnies, now ninjas!

I've been suffering from 30 Second Bunny Theatre withdrawal of late - but the site tells me there will be stuff available soon!

In the meantime, I've found Tiny Ninja Theatre -

Tiny Ninja Theater is a New York City-based company dedicated to the principle that “there are no small parts, only small actors.” It was founded in 1999 by company director Dov Weinstein. “I had noticed that there were these tiny plastic ninjas in vending machines all across the city,” says Weinstein, “but no one was using them to perform classical theater. Something had to be done.”

This sounds like fun! I would like the job of casting. Except instead of vending machines I'd hit flea markets... (found via Bookslut)

Theophilus on a winning streak!

From an email from Dan:

we competed last night against 5 bands at Bethel
church for a spot on the Kingdom Bound festival at
Darien Lake this year. It was a judged showcase. We
now advance to the semi-finals near buffalo on July 25th.

winners!

Theophilus wins this round - with 61 of 89 votes!!!!:)

I love this stat:

"Studies conducted by Yahoo! and Starcom Media have led to what is being called the “38-hour day,” where women indicate their total time spent on individual activities in one day added up to 38 hours of activity inside a 24-hour period. BRANDWEEK 4.25.05"

No, not math error, the multi-tasking that is so necessary in our lives!

Finally, I think I need to move Episode 2 up in my queue so I can see Episode 3 on the big screen. Our local critic says it's better than Return of the Jedi - I'm highly intrigued!!! These were so integral to childhood for the 3 of us, I'm pretty excited. And word has it Tom Stoppard helped with dialogue!! That's gotta be cool!

Miscellany

Last night I thought to myself "I'm a social soul in a bashful shell" - (I was hitting my head for not actually having a conversation with interesting folks, just giving the short answer, bowing my head, and ducking out the door.)

Sonny's website has been updated!!! More CW Roelle philosophy, and more art! Go see!

I've been a bad sister and I've failed to adequately hype the next round of the Battle of the Bands for Theophilus (Dan). Of course, he could have done it himself, grumble grumble - no it's not a chore, I've just been in a different space. And I probably won't make it (Milestone's 10pm Tonight!) myself, as I am leaving work not on time (although that's not unusual, really) and have a killer day ahead tomorrow.

Out 'til midnight and Guiness and loud music (tho' good) don't mesh with a day holed up in a conference room, trying to pull hundreds of pages of data across 10 different people's areas from 20 different sources into one story to be told on 4 slides.

Well, good luck to all. Here's hoping I survive tomorrow!

And the mood today is....

I feel like the string on a weedwacker - spinning at such an out of control speed that at any moment I could break off and go hurdling through space.......

I have soooo much to do!!!

But it's an 85 degree, sunny day in early May in Rochester and all I really WANT to do is lie on my lawn, occasionally getting up to find more fruit, milkshake, or fruity shakes.....

The sacrifices I make. I have to watch the sugar today, though, cause I'm liable to go into scary hyper mode - fingers shaking so they can't type, head and feet dancing around, trying to create presentations while sitting on my desk because I just can't sit in the chair any more - and typing way too many words that leadership won't want to swim through...

Signs of life in the new yard

Spring! 

I love spring! I know I'll be taking a lot of pictures of the various stages of life in our yard this year, too - very exciting! I really like this one of the little tree (J thinks it's a cherry tree) out front. It looks much less sad with flowers on it!

Speaking of signs of life - how about swimming in a sea of bioluminescent micro-organisms? This sounds way super cool. I would think, though, that the abundance would draw cool predators, but this article doesn't really dwell on that. Whatever - I want to go!

Book #11

Book #11 was Letters from the Flesh. I don't know. It was enjoyable - a short book that pulled along from chapter to chapter, especially with the alternating narratives or letter streams. Let me back up. This book is written in 2 series of letters, one from a dis-embodied alien that lands in Saul/Paul of Tarsus at the time of his name change, the other from a scientist/fruit-fly researcher to her cousin. It was fun and amusing and I was very interested in where it was going ... until it got there.
I don't know. The way it wrapped up threw me off. I don't think I was offended. Disappointed a bit - it seemed to push too far and too neatly? It's hard to say just what it was, but I wandered the house a bit last night thinking "that just wasn't right".

Good deeds and good book

Drop City - I really enjoyed Boyle's tone in this tale of a commune's transition to the wilderness. There are two categories of perspective in the tale - hippie and Alaskan settler - and each captures the essence of those communities. Mainly simply a well-written story to enjoy as you flip through - I did get a sense of the message of "to each his own" - that each person's definition of freedom, peace, living in the wild is a bit different, but that there's nothing necessarily wrong with that. Highly entertaining, some great characters - leaves you wanting more.

For the Day of Caring on Friday I worked on the "Give a kid a healthy smile" campaign - we canvassed a neighborhood in a rough section of the city, getting the word out about the importance of good dental care in young kids, trying to get people to come get their kids' teeth photographed and evaluated. The issue of Early Childhood Carries, or baby-bottle tooth decay, is real and scary. Kids 6 and under with rotting, broken, abcessed teeth - and an 8 month backlog on corrective surgery because demand is so high. A HIGHLY satisfying day and kudos to Moka for organizing this. Typically we do yardwork at a group home and that's nice, they appreciate it. This was on such a different scale, you almost can't compare.

Watch for flying entrails

Man, I would NOT want to be in Hamburg right now. Talk about creepiness!!! What could cause this? I like the evil curse theory, or potentially a pissed off local spirit/ deity better than the "scared by crows" one offered in the article.

I'll talk about Drop City tomorrow - have to run now...

listen up people

if you do anything this week, it will be going to see Kung Fu Hustle, right? right.
trust me. that is what you will do and that will be why this is a good week for you.

Thanks to science ...

I am so relieved to know that the elusive issue of unpopped popcorn has been resolved!!!
"Popcorn breeder" sounds like not your everyday, run of the mill career....

Stairway to nowhere

Sonny took me to a building in Providence. Inside the door, you ascend a few steps to a landing, from which the stairway curves off to the left and right. Only the left stair goes anywhere - the right runs smack dab into the floor of the 2nd story landing. I found this highly curious and it keeps coming back to me since. I wonder if you closed your eyes, took a deep breath and ran up it - would you end up with a concussion and possibly more from tumbling back down after impact or could you possibly bust the illusion and end up...somewhere else? That would be soooooooo cool.

So, the trip to Providence! I had a great time. Sonny was still fighting a cold so we weren't in a frenzy of activity, but we still did quite a bit and I enjoy hanging out with Sonny anyway. Hanging with him, you're almost forced to drop some of the limitations you put on yourself in everyday life - to exist at a more spontaneous level. I actually found myself a little lost when I got home because of that.

We went to two art shows: the one at the Gallery Agniel where Sonny has a piece, and Catherine Hamilton's show at the Providence Art Club. Very cool - both.

Lunch on Thursday at Cuban Revolution - where I had a mango-strawberry milkshake, a cheese empanada, and black beans & rice. Diet schmiet, I was visiting my brother! Yum and fun atmoshpere. Dinner at an Italian joint, Sicilia's - good stuffed pizza and garlic bread.

Thursday night we went to see M Ward. Good show, but a bit mellow for me being so tired. I have to admit I almost dozed a couple of times.

Oh, yeah and we saw Sin City Thursday, too! Quite the movie, and Sonny and I had the theatre to ourselves for it! Not that we wanted to talk much, but it was almost like having a really awesome living room.... Liked the movie, probably would have understood it a bit more if I had read the comics. Definitely wanted to know more about the stories and characters.
With Sin City was a preview for The Skeleton Key - the movie J and I saw filming in New Orleans - it's due out this summer - a ghost/voodoo bayou movie that looks pretty cool....

Friday, we had brunch at Julian's - really good French toast with real maple syrup...
Did some antiquing, visited with Will, hung out and made CDs.

Good trip - as always wish it was longer, but we'll do it again soon...

Oh, and Book #10 was Catcher in the Rye - hadn't read this since high school. Now, it doesn't seem all that outrageous to me, even if he was only 16. Not great stuff for a 16 year old to do, but not really shocking. I'm tending to think about it more from the perspective of why he was so depressed, what might make him happy, if he had that, what would his approach to things be. Has me thinking, that's a good thing.

Gotta run.

feelin better

so i guess that if you stay upp late every night for over two weeks to get work done (by late i mean 2 or 3am) and get up at 7, then you get sick. like i did last week, which was my first week "off". it lasted all week which im sure was no fun for aprille when she was here. we still did a bunch of stuff (sin city, m. ward, goin out to eat, couple a art shows). then i worked a bunch this weekend and went on a long bike ride in nice weather and now i am well(er) and working on pieces for my show coming up in june.
thats all.

Trip part1 - follow the red brick line....

Tuesday and Wednesday in Boston - bummer that the nice weekend weather we'd been having didn't extend to MA for this trip, but a few cold fingers on the way to an awesome supper never really hurt anyone....

Stayed at the Club Quarters downtown. I think of Boston as a "recently quit smoking" town - the 2 times I've been the rental cars and this hotel room have smelled of stale cigarette smoke - the smell you can't quite get out of fabrics after years of exposure. That made me a little ill.

I love the streets of downtown Boston. They twist and turn and the buildings are piled right on top of the curves, so they are really like canyons. I would love to take time to explore more - when it's not quite so cold so I'll be more in a picture taking mood....

Had a raucous dinner at Prezza. Met Kat' for a quick round of catch up at South Station - in life, when decisions are made it is best to proceed boldly and with style - Kat' has done that well and I applaud her. When we were in high school and college, I'd often write Kat' to deal with tough things, to clear my head -it always helped. It was good to have a chance to chat, to see that that same bond still holds, for me at least. Have to do it more often, though.

Then, off to the train and Part2, which I'll write about tomorrow, along with Book #10 and whatever else begs to be typed. 'night

First they take....

Poor Cookie Monster! He'll lose his whole identity!

"Even Cookie Monster is learning to control his cookie cravings," Frist told me by e-mail. "His sage advice opened our eyes to the simple joys of a tasty cookie and now reminds us that moderation is the key to healthy living."

Cookie Monster was not available for comment. (I'm hoping he hasn't gone too Hollywood.)

"We are not putting him on a diet," said his spokesman, Truglio. "And we would never take the position of no sugar. We're teaching him moderation."

It's just soooo wrong - Cookie was all about excess - teaching him moderation is like teaching Big Bird to face the facts that Snuffy isn't "real"!

Poor kids nowadays. Nothing is sacred.

Local flavors, of sorts

This weekend, J and I had some great food.
Saturday afternoon, we went to Simply Crepes for lunch -I had a small Simply Salad (walnuts, blue cheese, strawberries, etc.) and a Raspberry Gulee (yummm) and J had a Smoked Salmon crepe.


Then, we stopped at the Pittsford Dairy - got fresh milk and red pepper/ mozzarella raviolis from the Ravioli Shop (yumm yumm). One thing I really liked about the dairy was that a lot of the "other" merchandise they carried but did not make was made by local small vendors - supporting local food "artisans"!
J also got "home state" pop - Vermont Maple Soda - kinda' freaky, but it's like drinking a whole bunch of maple sugar candy with each sip - sugary fun!

Sunday, we walked up to I Scream - the ice cream parlor near our place - J got a Mocha Malted and I got the full-burn Chocolate Malted with homemade chocolate sauce. The guy there is really cool and makes really good real malteds - I think we'll visit often.

In the vein of supporting local food folks, here's a site to help you find local cafe's with just a zip code.

Book #9 - Drop City by T.C. Boyle - will discuss more after book club....

Off to Boston and a visit with Sonny in Providence tomorrow - taking Catcher in the Rye, Bouzi by Jennifer Robin (a U of R grad), and The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho.

Correction

The tulips weren't stolen - sorry to smear the squirrels.... They coming up strong - also a lot of curious looking bits and pieces sprouting around the yard - can't wait to see what they turn into!

Catching up

Wow, I haven't been able to post in a bit - things are once again, and as always, crazy at work and I don't have time to write. What's been up? Shopping and a visit from Mom, awesome malted milkshakes, Adaptation finally finished, Easter, a leaky window, a dying dryer, mouse #4, Dan's birthday (Happy Birthday Dan!), and other adventures.

It's cool to see the yard again after all the snow. Now starts the adventure of discovering what the previous owners planted that will come back this year. The bulbs I planted in the fall were all stolen by squirrels - nasty rodents....

Book #8 - The Subterraneans-by Jack Kerouac. I love Kerouac's tone and rhythm. At times the long drawn out sentences that carry you back and forth in time, from one event or conversation to another, threatened to sweep me away in the flood of thoughts pouring forth. This flow conveys excitement, passion, regret, despair. It makes the story so much more real. I had to fight a bit of depression at the constant gloom that hung over the city, but Percepied found ways of escaping it that once again swept you along. In terms of the story - I had not realized this was based on an actual affair in Kerouac's life, though I think I may have guessed at it. A sad tale of the inability to trust yourself or your love - of a constant burning desire to be at the center of everything that ends up driving those you truly care for away... Good read...

end o the tour

tonight was the final show of the sentimental favorites winter tour 2005. it was held at the fox point library in providence. mostly, there were little kids there. they went wild for us. so much so that they crawled right up to where we were playing and asked questions during songs and banged on my guitar and took joes brushes from him. it was pandemonium. one girl wanted us to play beatles songs, later, when asked what beatles songs she knew, she confessed she knew none. there were cookies, but they went fast. one of the slightly older kids came up and rapped while joe played drums. we hope to play there again someday. meanwhile, there are plenty of cds and a few t shirts left, anyone who wants some, just let me know. we are huge rock stars and we enjoy ourselves.

Culinary warm fuzzies

Yummmm... Yesterday J cooked a turkey (thanks, Cath'!), stuffed with homemade stuffing, I did a mix of mashed potato/yams, had canned cranberry sauce, and J did some bok choi in a chili sauce. Yummm!!! :) A great meal that filled the house with good smells, filled my belly, left me warm, and a great evening high point, sitting at a well fed table with the one you love... (Sorry, got sappy there)

Other food-related adventures from the weekend -
Found Zapp's Cajun Crawtators in the deli at Pittsford Wegmans! Tasty chips!
Pom Wonderful Pomegranate juice - a bit pricey, but tasty and good for you...
...Even bumped (literally had to squeeze by) local celeb Danny Wegman - all decked out in a white alligator jacket!

Started Drop City by T.C. Boyle for book club - enjoying it.

anti-prom

last night was the second show of the sentimental favorites winter tour, and the kick off show for the fox point leg of the tour. we played in the basement lounge/ kitchen of a dorm at brown university. it was their prom night but this show was at an anti-prom party. it was a small room. we set up against the middle of the longer wall (opposite the door) and faced a half circle of couches. behind us was a makeshift ping pong table hosting a game of beer pong. im not exactly sure what all beer pong entails, but something about if you get a ping pong ball in someones beer cup, they have to drink it. it was really noisy and we had no p.a. joe (our drummer) couldnt hear us much at all so he mostly just practiced some beats while we sang songs. it was really funny, a few times i stopped singing because i was laughing. i thought it was great. there were maybe two or three kids really into the show. im sure anyone else knew we were there.
tomorrow (march 21) is fox point show #2 at 200 transit st. potluck at 7, bands at 8. dont miss it.

Little colored lines....

I spent about 8 hours today with my nose almost against the computer, schooching points on multiple curves up a hair, down a notch - trying to match the numbers. Once I got pretty darn close, I felt like I had constructed a mosaic of the Sistine Chapel.
The brick wall didn't lead anywhere horrible - we've since moved on to more work and more work and more work. Still, there's that feeling of accomplishment, though.

Book #7 - The Prospect Before Her by Olwen Hufton. A rather hefty tome detailing just about every aspect of the lives of women throughout Western Europe from 1500-1800. Despite it's length (which was a bit frustrating when I'm trying to get to 50 books this year), it was fascinating and not a boring read at all. It can be so easy to only look at a slice of this and form theories from there. Hufton goes miles beyond that with her examination from every angle - Protestant/Catholic, City/Rural, by region, by income, by occupation.... She takes all of this and conveys a ton of info, while still finding the space and presence of mind to tell the stories of these women. If you're intrigued about how women's lives evolved and some of the great characters that arose during this period, I would recommend. Just know it will take a while to finish - maybe bite it off in manageable chunks....

J bought two "Shakespeare in a Box" sets today. Gives you the basic necessities to act out the plays yourself. We've already thought of some friends who might enjoy - seems like fun!

WHAM!

I feel like I've hit a brick wall. Except I don't have brick-burn on my cheeks. I've been driving at full speed the last week and 1/2 - more than full speed - to get an assignment done and now, while the analysis might be sound (still some question there), the data might not be.
Thud.

I want to go crawl into bed and stay there a month or so.

A flash, a blur... a brush... and home

The trip to NYC was fun, good to get away from the office, neat places, good food, etc. - but WAY too fast. Because of flight delays, I went straight to the conference (think I saw Craig T Nelson smoking a big stogie) - and got there just as it started. Dinner right after the conference until 10, then to the hotel and 1 drink and then it's 12:30 and I have to get up before 5 for my flight.

A few NYC notes: The NY Yacht Club is an amazing room - if you ever have a chance, go. The Bryant Park Grill has excellent dessert - and a neat view - somehow the trees make the encroaching skyscrapers more distant, less imposing. The Marriott Marquis has awesomely soft beds AND pillows (the pillow thing makes them trump the Sheraton in New Orleans) - too bad I didn't really get to sleep.

I enjoy NYC, though I could never sustain the pace for long -or deal without a drive among the cows and whatnot (a country bumpkin at heart, ya'know). Still, it's always a fascinating place with so many potential stories....

Book #6 - The Marriage of Sticks by Jonathan Carroll. This was great. A fast and light read (in that it was always something to look forward to picking up again - no need to force myself here). It's of a class that I think of as books with good points - they aren't moralistic or preachy but have a good message that blends with, contributes to, and drives a good story - The Family Tree by Sheri S Tepper is another example. In this book, Carroll gives a great perspective and at least I really didn't expect it, so I think the point hit home even more. And I love the reference to Neverwhere, even though just a tiny thing!

One last note, saw "In Good Company" Saturday. Good movie - good performances. Nothing major to comment on, just good. (^shrug^)

tour

the sentimental favorites winter tour has begun. we just got back to providence from baltiomrewhere last night we wowed the crowed at the charm city art space. it was the first show with our drummer joey beats and it went fantasticly well. we had enough dough from the show to drive a ways and then stay at a hotel and then drive the rest of the way and stop in new brunswick to get the highly recamended fat sandwich. the fat sandwich is a regular sub like sandwich with french fries and mozzerella sticks shoved in. the pain i am feeling hours later doesnt make it not worth it. our tour continues this saturday to be with a show in a kitchen somewhere on the brown university campus.

soooooooo sleepy

I feel like I've been running at full speed for days. This latest trip was great but a total energy drain and to come back to a solid day of meetings plus a mass of work - I feel like a videotape that has been so long on FFWD and Play that it's going to rip off the reel - does anyone remember videotapes? going home for a much needed nap.

fruit

tonight i took two apples and a pear and cut them into tiny pieces and then mixed in a bunch of raisins. it was delicious. i also tonight saw "a very long engagement" which was good. i applied for that toy vault job but they haven't called. now im tired and not looking forward to parking cars in the morning.

Bits and Pieces

Been extremely, with no time to write, so here are a few things to catch up, while I have a moment....

1) We're back online at home! I'll post a house pic soon as proof, but J HAS resolved our phone jack issue and I feel more whole now that I know I can get online here again...

2) Travelling to NYC tomorrow for a conference. Not a lot of time to hang out, but there is a stray chance I may get to have coffee with my friend who is back from SE Asia -that'd be super cool. If not, I'll take a moment to shop a bit...
For the trip, I'm taking The Marriage of Sticks by Jonathan Carroll and Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger. We'll see how far I get....

3) We actually watched a whole movie Saturday! - The Big Lebowski. Very fun, loved the counterpoint of the dialogue. I did go in thinking that Donny would die at any moment, because of the Sentimental Favorites song - though maybe Jesus would kill him over a lost game or something. That didn't change my enjoyment of the movie, though.

4)We've finally discussed The Lovely Bones at bookclub. Everyone found it hard to deal with, especially those of us closer to our fathers or our pets. All in all, I liked it though. I think the message of being able to come to terms with your grief, in your own way is important and was well told. We need to deal with it in the way that we each best can, but not let it consume us, because then an even greater tragedy has occurred. Next up for bookclub - Drop City by T.C. Boyle

5) Saw a great follow-up article about the evidence that the hobbit people I mentionned here are actually a new member of the human family, but I haven't had a chance to read it yet because of general chaos in my day. Will bring it up again, most likely.

That's it for now. Could use a vacation like Sonny's, though I do know that drawing is a lot of work. Could use time not in the office, I guess is the thing. Guess I need to plan something.

weak end

so my vacation is really over now, tomorrow morning i will get up at 6:30 and go park cars. i parked cars tonight for a little while but i was by myself and could draw a little. tomorrow will be cold, like the rest of the week. yesterday i worked in the tiny booth at the train station from 9 to 3, then had band practice. then geoff griffin and i ate at the cuban revolution and saw the jacket at the mall, his wife and daughter are out of town. then i did my laundry until 11 and came home and went to bed. today i drew most of the day and went into work early to shave in the bathroom there, the mirror here isnt so good. got out early did some emailing and drawing and jim frain convinced me to go apply at the toy vault tomorrow after work. which i will do. drew a little more and now i am making oatmeal to eat before bed.

chicken

slept in again. but till 9. drew till 2. (ate oatmeanl in there somewhere). went to the gym and wimped out on the last half mile. went to work and proably made up that half mile. then came home, ate chicken and corn and now bed.

yesterday

i didnt do much of anything. i slept in, went to the gym, took a nap, went to work, had dinner and went to bed. the end.

today

on the last day of my 3 days off i finished drawing curly. went to the gym. went to the toy vault (where i may apply to work) got a swedish chef exclusive figure. then came home and watched both death wish and hard times while finishing a wire piece for jon sacks. then watched the daily show and went to go to the sea plane diner with will schaff but it was closed so we went to the olneyville new york systems and i pgged out big time. oh yeah, and somewhere in all that i cleaned the turtle tank.

In the people's own tongue...

I love language - love to explore how it has evolved (and, contrary to the strict grammarians of the world, language evolves and grammar changes based on that), how different cultures and individuals use language to express themselves, etc.

Now, this project lets me listen to the evolution of British accents. After a few seconds, I soon realized I'll have to pursue this when I have more time - you need multiple listens to understand what's being said - but I'm sure it'll be highly interesting!

fell asleep

i fell asleep last night not only before writing an entry but also before watching aqua teen hunger force. im sad by that. but oh well, it is day three of my vacation (and the last full day off) and today, come hell or high water i will finish curly. his shoulder is done, maybe a little over done but that will be resolved like the rest of him. oh yeah, yesterday. yesterday i got up, ate oatmeal and went bowling (finally). bowled ok, best game was a 170. then cashed a paycheck and went to see the print show at gallery agniel. sara (agniel) asked if i wanted to be in a show with a bird theme in april. the best print in the show up now is by neil burke. then i went to the post office and the gym and then home to draw until 6:30, picked up geoff griffin and went to band practice, dropped geoff off after and went to nadavs house for show. then came home read a little and ate spaghetti o's. sometime soon after i fell asleep.

curly's shoulder

so i turned off the alarm clock last night and woke up at 7am anyway. i ate oatmeal and watched the terminal. that was good. then i drew until 1, then to the post office and the gym. then back home, took a nap, got up and drew and listened to the hms pinafore until 8. ate dinner (peas with pearl onions and scallops) and watched the antiques road show. then drew for two more hours then watched the daily show. now i am going to bed. it is snowing and i may go bowling in the morning. tomorrow it official, rhode island (publicly) is smoke free. unless of course you walk by the door of any office building and the sad old ladies are huddled and gossiping, then you get a lung full. i was supposed to finsh drawing curly's shoulder today but i didnt.

Oscars

Maybe it's this quirk I have that makes anything related to Clint Eastwood turn my stomach, but I really think Scorsese got jipped. Aviator was exceptional. I haven't seen Million Dollar Baby yet and I'm sure it's a great film, but I just find it very hard to swallow that that achieved more in terms of a movie accomplishing something than Aviator did....

DK if I like the whole brunette thing. I'd prefer people to go natural or funky, but not try to co-opt another natural color for their own - can't exactly tell what's natural for some of these chics, though, so I'm not sure how annoyed I am on that.

Maybe if I could enjoy snow days in the same fashion as my school teacher friends I wouldn't be so annoyed. Maybe I just need a cookie.... mmmm - Finding Neverland Peter Pan Peanut Butter cookies help all troubles...

- then again, rereading this, I think I just need more sleep.

the woke up got dressed blog

so i was supposed to meet jim frain today at 9am for bowling in east providence, i woke up at 8 and was flipping channels for a few minutes when the phone rang and it was gym at the alley wondering where i was and i looked back at the clock and yup, it was 9 and i then remembered that the alarm was set for for 6:26 (my weekday rise) and when then it had gone off for the second time (6:31) i flipped it off and went back to sleep feeling bad for flipping off my clock and hoping it wasn't mad. but i was late for bowling so i guess it was. but bowling was canceled anyway due to leagues so jim and i went to rue d'lespoir (or whatever) for breakfast (a french place on the eastside). it was good and after i went to the gym and did my usual walk 1/2, run 2, walk 1/2, run 1, walk 1/2. then to the studio to draw until 4:15, then to apsara to get some nim chow and go to work. valleted till 11:30 then went and rented dodgeball and bought some oatmeal for tomorrow. i have this week off from richmond st. parking lot so that i can finish the three stooges drawing.

Vertigo, anyone?

All I can say is, Yikes! oh, and, don't think about chasing anything out of bounds!

Seen on The Guardian's newsblog - The helipad of the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai.

What lurks beneath

The Russians are almost ready to complete a well they started drilling in Antarctica in 1970 - to break through the ice to a lake formed 500 million years ago and without direct contact with Earth's atmosphere for over 500 thousand years.

The lake is full of life despite three kilometers of ice that cover it. The scientist said that there was every reason for living creatures to exist there: the water was not stagnant; oxygen penetrates into the lake through the ice too. Supreme organisms cannot exist under such conditions. However, they did not exist 500 million years ago at all. There was no land life back then, whereas the ocean was filled with such primitive creatures as worms, mollusks and seaweed.

They think "supreme" organisms cannot exist in such conditions - I'd love to see it turn into a thriller flick discovery. The hole is drilled, an eye is placed to the scope that extends through 3,753 meters of ice and a large, dark hulk moves slowly by - the sound of an ancient beast rediscovered, changing history - scaring the pants off of some scientists.
Can't wait to see the headlines!

Winter weekend

J and I went on a date this weekend - saw Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events and had soup, appetizers, and dessert at Thai Taste - most definitely the best Thai restaurant in Rochester, which has a few really good ones.... Good movie - the kind I'd like to get my kids interested in, if I had any. And awesome food: spicy Poh Tak soup (seafood, veggies, spicy broth), fresh veggie spring rolls, and mango with sweet rice for dessert.
Made for a nice weekend....... cozy, happy, warm.

Theophilus wins!!!... and other miscellany

Battle of the Bands round 2 goes resoundingly to Theophilus - what a great show! MP3's of the gig are supposed to go up on the the band's site soon. "Rollercoaster" features the incredible Dan Roelle solo - check it out!
I'll let everyone know when the next round is slated.
In the meantime, a gig from 10-11, a pint of Guiness for supper, and a bit of dancing thrown in = a very garbled 9am presentation for Aprille today... ah, well - how could I miss it?

And now, for my brothers - some gross stuff - don't read this while eating...
Reading The Prospect Before Her, I have become ever more grateful I live in the here and now - with showers, smelly body wash, laundry, and even germophobes...
In the period studied, there were points when people believed that bodily fluids protected one from disease - and so bathing was deemed unhealthy - a simple sponge dab was more common. Some passages that grabbed me:

Consider the record of Louis XIII, born on 27 September 1601. His encounters with water or any cleansing process were as follows:
11 November 1601 - his head rubbed for the first time
17 November 1601 - scalp and forehead rubbed with butter & almond oil, cradle cap extensive
4 July 1602 - head combed for the first time
3 October 1606 - (he was 5 yrs old) his legs were washed for the first time in tepid water
2 August 1608 - (he was almost 7 yrs old) bathed for the first time...

...and he was a King! ewwwwwwwwwwwww!

Worms were another frequent problem. The gut on one 18th century French farmer, when dissected on his death, was found to contain no less than 39 dfferent varieties.

Ick!

Another plug

Oh, and just to put in another plug for That Book Thing. This wonderful org - founded by a friend of Sonny's - that gives books to schools and random people off of the street has been forced out of their space - and is now looking for funds towards the deposit on a new one...
Blog pitch from The Old Hag...(seen on Bookslut, heard from Sonny)

Also a great way to get rid of old books that otherwise clutter basements, garages, etc - I have a few boxes ready to ride with Sonny on his next trip to B-more.

Battle of the Bands - round 2/ round 1 repeated

Theophilus is on tomorrow (Wed 2/16) at 10pm!!

Milestones Music Room - vs High Volume
East Ave
Rochester

This is a popularity contest - we need bodies to come and vote for Theophilus so they can advance to the next round!
If you have the chance, come on out - good tunes!

Happy Valentines!

Wishing all happiness in the relationship realm -whatever that might mean - on this day. Bear hugs to loved ones! :)

I fought past the initial discomfort and have finished Book#5 (man, I was thinking it was #6 -I'm further behind than I thought) -The Lovely Bones. I got sucked in and spent all of yesterday afternoon and most of yesterday evening curled up on our loveseat with the book.
It's always a bit funky when you spend hours inside a book and then get up to make dinner, etc. It seemed weird that it was so dark out. Even the house itself seemed weird - like I wasn't quite sure why I was there....
I'll detail the book after the bookclub meeting.

Disturbed

I started reading The Lovely Bones and man, I think there's a risk I might turn away. Not that it's poorly written or anything, we'll get to all that after the book club meeting, but I find the opening disturbing.

I typically consider myself someone who looks beyond the face value shocker to the whole story. I watch "Law & Order" and "CSI" and all sorts of crime shows and it never really impacts me. But for some reason, as the killer lures her into his hidey hole - narrated in the rear view mirror from heaven, I just get creeped out.

Maybe I need to be safe and secure in a warm blanket in front of a working fireplace to get through it.

I'm not supposed to be here

I was all set for another trip to Boston, then the train to Providence to spend the evening with Sonny -including an art opening, maybe a movie, and then a quiet day tomorrow before making my way home.

Darn snow. Boston is supposed to get 20 inches, last I heard. Messin' up my plans. Not nice.

Congratulations Sonny!

Word has it CW Roelle was awarded "Best in Show" at the Blackstone River Gallery's Juried Exhibition in Woonsocket!
(I had to hear it from Mom - but she's a reliable source)
As a result, he'll have a solo show there this summer - very cool!
Congrats Sonny! :)

Book #4, musings...

Book #4 - The Secrets of Pistoulet by Jana Kaplan
Light reading - I had it in the kitchen for when I was waiting for toast, for the microwave, for water to boil, etc. A culinary journey of discovery into the healing power of food for a person's soul, written in the style of Griffin & Sabine, with recipe cards, notecards, letters, etc. The book itself is very pretty and even had an herby smell (although, that could be because I kept it in the kitchen for a while, or because I was imagining things). The story is rather simple and there's not much to say because there's not much there. It does make me want to make the various soups and teas (most of them anyway), even if not to solve the specific malady for which they are prescribed. It will be fun to play with....

So, I've started a workout - chosing the "lose the flab" goal. I'm not grossly overweight, but would like to be a bit lighter - more svelte - ready to kick butt if needed... Anyway, Saturday was the tough day - first day of the strength moves combined with the killer sprint intervals. I waddled up and down the stairs of the house yesterday, because I was so sore - but it felt good!
Problem is, I made the mistake of weighing myself after just 1 week and I'm UP 2 pounds! Probably noise, right, or it hasn't had a chance to have an impact. Still, as good as I feel about working out after too long away, I can't help but feel a bit fatter, too. I don't quite feel right in my clothes...
The whole thing is evil.

Ivan Noble

Wow. I just found out about his blog today - just read the most recent and very first entries and here I sit in tears and in need of a walk to clear my head.

I don't think I'll ever complain of migraines again.

(Link to blog in this article from the Guardian Newsblog)

Ivan Noble, the BBC News journalist who has been writing about his treatment for a brain tumour for the past two years, has died aged 37.

Just what we need....

I can see it now. A crowded subway. Strangers jostling, trying not to stare at each other, trying not to smell the hygenically-impaired. Up pops Jimbo from his seat, arm outstretched, rectangular grey object in hand. His arm jerks to the pops of bullets.
Jimbo's fighting zombies with his cell. Dang if the angry mob of terrorist-paranoid, stressed-out commuters who jump him and pummel him unconscious in defense of all aboard didn't realize that.

Do we really need people walking around using their cell phones as guns for FPS games? Really?

The Namesake

Now that the bookclub's met, I can put down my thoughts on this.
A good story with many subtleties that make it good for discussion - especially on a cozy couch over good cheese and tea!

One of the really interesting/ exciting side notes is that the Bengali weddings and rice ceremonies described in the book are events my friend Kat' has actually experienced in her Asian meanderings - and she has sent pictures of them, so I could actually translate one to the other!

The misery of Ashima, the mother, early in her American years is palpable, and a bit confusing to me. I understand the yearning for what is known, but to restrict oneself to Bengali acquaintances and food when those are hard to come by seems to be a catch-22. If you don't open yourself up to what's around you, aren't you bound to be lonely? This happened to me in Paris. And Ashima becomes much more content with her life when she makes friends of her own and has fond memories of things they have done that are their version of American customs.

I also hooked onto the idea of the rice ceremony and how it celebrates the beginning of a "lifetime of consumption" and the interesting perspective that might bring. Thinking of it now - I know it's already been explored, but I like the perspective and maybe I can take it in my own unique direction in writing or in life someday.

Pre and Post snow burial

Before being buried in snow...
Went to see Elektra with Kate. Finally, an answer to the question! The verdict??? I think the movie theatre cheated and changed the showtimes a day early - we missed show 1 and show 2 wasn't for hours.
So, we went to see The Aviator instead. Really good! Pretty long, but an interesting story (didn't know the HH bio before) and excellent acting! We enjoyed being surprised by famous faces throughout... It's got to take courage to risk all for an idea and fight off mental illness...

While buried in snow...
Book #3- Borderlines, by Archer Mayor. J got this because Mayor is from Vermont and writes stories about Vermonters. I'm not really the detective mystery type, but the story was a good one. J disliked the style, but I didn't find it as distracting as many others that I've read. I did dislike his tendency to dwell on the depressing aspect of everything -I'm sure there are some very cool things about the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont, some beautiful towns, etc, but he made it sound like a depression era pit. Also, I couldn't help being put off a bit by guys in their 60s lusting after and hooking up with 20-30 year olds. Don't want to show any ageism, but it just didn't seem right.

Book#2 down

Book #2 - The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri - Sorry, wanted to note that I had it read, but want to hold comments until after the bookclub meets 1/24 - then I'll report!

The debate continues...

"Why is it important that there be a kick-butt female superhero?" J asks.
The answer is hard to pin.
"Do you not like male superheroes?"
No, I'm just as much a Spidey fan as the next guy. Well, except if the next guy is Aaron.
I think it comes down to not wanting to see chics portrayed as manipulatable (is that even a word? it's been a long day) wimps. I want to see them stand up, speak out, strike back, and kick some big-time baddy booty! (a really long day)

Couldn't leave, though, without citing these hot news items.
A job for Scooby and Shaggy? Saw this through Neil Gaiman and then elsewhere. The wife of a guy working at this castle is arrested after the owner calls the police for help finding a ghost.
Note to self: keep mouth closed when using nailgun. All I can say is: six days!

Kick-butt chic flicks

Harking back to this post, I'm extremely curious about Elektra.

The reviews are miserable. Apparently the plot doesn't exist and it's "an inert muddle that takes itself too seriously" (per Rotten Tomatoes, where it got a 2% fresh score). But I'm still psyched. Jennifer Garner is so cool and I think a kick-butt chic flick will do me good just about now. I expect to enjoy it just as much as I enjoyed Underworld, maybe a bit more - but any movie where you start dodging and punching in your seat and saying "yah!" along with the hero-chic is good stress relief.

Doesn't mean I don't still yearn for a female superhero that can actually carry a storyline. Sigh. Someday....
Maybe I need to create her. That would be a long ways off!

Ah, the joys of home ownership...

Came home yesterday to find my "retreat" or study, which I've been making steady progress on getting settled - ransacked slightly. Molson had determined that our mouse was in there and had proceeded to pull books off the shelf (yes, there was one true book casualty - Return of the King (a sentimental paperback fave) got the cover and several pages ripped and impaled by cat claws) and piles across the floor.
Molson led me up there himself. He was so proud. Later, when changing to workout, I spotted the furry little cat-food thief and we closed him, us, and the cat in my retreat to end it once and for all.
Molson is an indoor cat - this was his first chance to truly be a rodent controlling beasty - he did a great job - to the detriment of my retreat which is now totally ransacked. We were very proud. Poor little mousey, but I have a limit to my compassion that coincides with the walls of my house - outdoors I'd free ya' in a sec' - in my house, you've asked for it.

So, that was our big adventure last night - and I officially got one piece of furniture placed in the living room this am before work! Yeah!

At this rate, the housewarming will likely be in July - better weather, anyway.

Ewww....

I have a huge pile of things I want to read. I don't want to miss anything, but don't want to take the time to read the paper, so I'll skim headlines and clip the ones that catch my eye to read at a later date.

Because of this "system" (which drives J batty) - I just read an article from 9/03 on Refreshing Power Milk (RPM) and eMoo - both products of Mac Farms, a former school nurse and her biochemist husband who were worried about kids drinking pop at school.
Their solution - carbonated milk.

Yuck!
Seriously, I drink pop at work partly because I find the fizz refreshing, champagne wouldn't be right without it, but milk? I think even fizzy water isn't quite right. Milk I enjoy for it's smooth, silky texture. Make that fizzy and I think I would gag.
Wonder how well it'll sell? Man, it just gives me shivers thinking of it.

50 Book Challenge, Book 1

Hitler's Pope - the story of Eugenio Pacelli - Pope Pius XII -by John Cornwell
Cornwell approached this task from the perspective of an unbiased observer who wanted to report all of the facts, rather than the select accounts from one side or another written previously. By taking this stance, he was granted unprecedented access to documents written from different perspectives.

In the end while acknowledging the complex circumstances Pacelli faced, it just comes down to a refusal to act or voice protest on behalf of the Jews - just crazy when you think of what might NOT have happened had something, anything been said.

I found some of the political details very interesting, some on church politics a bit tedious. I haven't done a lot of reading on early twentieth century intrigues beyond France, the Romanovs, and the Gypsies, so details on politics in Germany between the wars, in Serbia & Austria prior to the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand, and in Croatia in the WWII era - a massacre I had not really been aware of before. (Kinda' scary that a huge hunk of a country's population could get slaughtered and people don't really know about it)
Also interesting that Pacelli fell into Hitler's trap to ban political Catholicism in Germany - if the Vatican says it's illegal, that's huge - which was really the only force that could have held Hitler in check or kept him from gaining power. Pacelli didn't care for political Catholicism (it was outside of papal control) and he was eager to keep Catholic schools in the treaty - he was vulnerable to manipulation.

Overall,I find it very creepy when politicians gain a church's highest office. No matter how devout he was, he was driven by a desire for papal power and that, to me and to those he refused to speak out for, compromises the quality of spiritual leadership he could provide.
Manipulative.
Not really very holy, in my eyes.

Battle of the Bands, round 1 goes to...

High Volume ...

and Theophilus!

Yes, an exact tie in votes means that everyone gets another chance to come, support the band, and vote!

It was a rather meager crowd. Snow to the East and West and threats of worse to come kept many indoors - apparently for both bands. Theophilus was great, though - a good mix of tunes and talented guys. I have to admit that I'm a bit biased, but Dan is an awesome drummer....:) Click for pics and some video. Check out the link to the right for Theophilus' site, which has some sample tracks, too.

Next date - February 16 - don't worry, I'll remind you!

hurry, before its to late

you have to see last years best movie before it disappears from the big screen. you have to. it is called "i 'heart' huckabees". if you miss this movie its your fault. it is the best of the best. after that, go see the second best movie of last year (a very very very close second) "the life aquatic with steve zissou", if you miss this then i have no hope for you. none. dont wait for video. dont wait for the next showing, go now to the nearest theatre and demand it.
after those, go see the aviator, thats good too
thank you

Tidbits

First of all - Theophilus (Dan's band) is playing in a Battle of the Bands - this Wednesday - 9pm - Milestones - $6 cover.
More Info...

I saw on Bookslut reference to a 50 Books Challenge for the new year. I'll post reviews, etc. here rather than at the LiveJournal site - but will accept the challenge. Almost done with #1 - and it's a hefty one. Hmmm - I've never counted before, this could be interesting.

Saw The Incredibles on New Year's Eve! Wow, that was so cool, so much fun! Holly Hunter is excellent as the voice of ElastiGirl. And Jack Jack is just way too cool - you don't mess with that baby! We really enjoyed it and want to own it to watch regularly. Oh - and seeing Mr Incredible in the cube and little car couldn't help but bring to mind friend Fuzzy. There have been times when I've sworn he would throw a weasly little ()&*^(%^&^% through a wall or maybe a ceiling - maybe he's a super after all!

Final thought for today: Made a new recipe from Bon Appetit over the weekend. I really enjoyed it because it's spicy and healthy and uses veggies that normally go bad in my fridge. J thought it a bit weird - he just couldn't reconcile the squash and the spice. See for yourself, here it is:

Butternut squash and noodles with coconut, lime, and cilantro sauce*
*For those who think cilantro tastes like someone's lawn clippings - I put in about 1/2 the amount of the dried substitution and it had no impact on taste - so I say drop it.
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 c chopped onion
1 butternut squash - peeled,seeded, cut into bite size pieces
1 c veggie broth
1 minced seeded jalepeno
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 c canned light coconut milk
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 tsp Thai red curry paste
Joe's Cajun seasoning to taste (my add)
12 oz linguine
1/2 c chopped fresh cilantro

Heat oil in big pot over med heat. Add onions - saute until golden (5 min). Add squash - saute 4 min. Add broth, jalepno, & garlic - boil. Cover - cook until squash is almost tender - 5 min. Stir in coconut milk, lime juice, & curry paste. Simmer uncovered until squash is tender and liquid is slightly reduced - 4 min. Season to taste with salt.
Cook noodles - drain and add to squash mixture (think of this more as a stewy dish with noodles than pasta with sauce). Add cilantro (if you want).

The power of blogging, in my eyes

The Guardian has an article up today with excerpts from several bloggers in Asia. Blogging about their experiences, those of friends and family. Very powerful stuff.

To me, this shows the power of this medium - as a way to make sure your story is heard, as a community of supporters. To let the world know what's really going on, to vent incredibly powerful emotions. As a reader - to hear it in the voice of people living it.

Best to all and Happy New Year!

Prayers of all sorts, heartfelt wishes

I don't know if I can contribute to an aid campaign. I might try. I know, however, that I can offer up prayers that those in Asia can heal. That families can be reunited and get information on those lost to us. That survivors will find shelter, food, clean water, and medicine. That the generation of children now decimated and many without parents can recover, thrive, and remember. That clearer warning systems will be developed, that people will know to run when they see the water rush out to sea. That bitter and bickering nations can unite to support those in need. That resources used to kill and conquer can be turned to healing and rebuilding.

Mother Earth does strange things at times. Sometimes you try to look for a message in it. Sometimes there really just isn't one.

For the love of a pet

There's been a bunch of hullabaloo about the $50,000 cloned cat and whether or not a cat could really be worth that much to anyone.
Molson sure is to me.
Makes me scared of his mortality. At 7, he's aging, but hopefully he has a ways to go yet.

Then last night we watched Hidalgo. Every time they focused on that horse's face and eye, I thought of Molson. Afterwards, I went and gave him several big hugs. He's the greatest buddy ever.

Well, it's Christmas Eve. Sonny and I are at the parents' all ready. Dan will come tomorrow. In case I don't get on tomorrow - Merry Christmas everyone!
Enjoy family, warmth, full bellies, friends, and peace this holiday....

Expression

I haven't gone through this myself yet, but I do have friends whose daughter would not enter a restaurant when small when she found out Santa was in there. Stories abound of the fear of the jolly fellow and this site has created a place to gather pics of the event. I love the ones where the kids are attempting to run away, and also the ones where the eyes get big and the body is stiff with fear. Our society can be so brutal!



The other site I wanted to share today is the site of Simon Faithfull, a British artist travelling to Antarctica with the British Polar Survey. He has a blog where he posts diary entries, current location, and a picture a day. These pics are actually drawings he has done on his Palm. Very interesting - modern technology allowing him to share regularly what he sees, but in a form, that for me at least, harks back to olden day depictions - stark, simple. Compelling.

Ah, the French

Here in the US of A, home to the fast-food phenomenons of McD's, BK, Wendy's, Taco Bell, etc, we protest the idea of fast-food by making movies like Super Size Me and running other such experiments - demonstrating fast-food's evil by consuming a ton of it and showing how messed up you can get.

I think the French method is more entertaining, and you can try some other good eats in the process!

Aiming the hose across the water, they catapulted fresh octopi -- a local delicacy, known here as the "pouffre" -- towards the town's first McDonalds, which had been set to open on Saturday.

Man, that restaurant must be stinky!

Amidst the holiday prep ...

Sonny's dog, Owen, is recovering from an attack by some evil dog a guy decided to walk without a leash. A night in the hospital, some stitches, and an Elizabethan collar. Hopefully he's feeling better. I'll be sending positive vibes...

Holiday baking is so not stressful this year. I'm doing a million and one things and have more yet to do. My cards are pretty late, but that's not so unusual. Wish I was further along on gift wrapping or, as usual, just plain unpacking. But I'm taking/ making the time to make this and than for some food gifts. And it feels right. Maybe because I'm in MY/ OUR house. It'd be even better if there weren't boxes hogging the center of the kitchen, but I can deal.

Small victories

I found the cables to our printer! This may seem very minor, but you need to know the number of boxes coming from the old study that remain unmoved in our living room. I finally got a start on printing our holiday cards. Phew!

Catching up

It's been a week and a half since my last post...I'm suffering from withdrawal! It's been tough of late because work is insanely busy (getting strategies in place for next year) and what time I have on the web has been mostly spent shopping. Add to that the fact that we're still offline at home and you get a bit of blog silence.

Here are a few quick bits and pieces before I have to run to my next meeting.

It's a Wonderful Life - bunny style - is now up at Angry Alien - with bonus scenes! Happy Holidays!

Sunday night I put the lights on the tree (we put ornaments on tonight). I had candles lit throughout the downstairs, carols on the stereo, and it was nice and easy to get the lights on (starting at the bottom is easier than starting at the top, I found). Lit them up, shut off the lights, and called J to see. I nearly cried, I was so happy! Our lights on our tree in our house! Way way super cool.
The tree is set up in the center of the music room. Surrounded by windows and far from the fireplace. You can still sit on the papasan and just absorb the season. I'm psyched.

Last night, our realtor stopped by with a housewarming gift. Very nice of her. But we had so much trouble with her throughout the process and we were trying to cook and all, so we shuffled her right back out the door in less than 5 minutes. Felt a bit guilty afterwards. But I just don't think she's earned a welcome, really.

Last week, there was an incident on our street where a lady got shoved down, hit her head on the sidewalk, and her bag was taken. People poured from their houses. Not the best way to meet the neighbors, but it was very encouraging to see the response to a neighbor in need. At least 3 guys ran after the person and about 3 carfuls of people also gave chase. Beyond that, the police and local security forces also came out strong. I was just glad to see that people came out in their sweats and pjs and stood there until everything was resolved, going over what had happened, what they could do. Maybe when it's warm enough to be outside again we can get to know them better.

Theophilus plays Christmas eve, but I'm not sure where - check their site for details.
Sonny's art has been doing well. There was even an article on him in Providence Monthly's October issue - they don't post all of their articles on the site, unfortunately - but if you can find a hardcopy it's a cool article.

That's it for now. Need hot chocolate before I can go much further....

yummy

Besides all the joys of Thanksgiving dinner (sorry, no pics to post on any front yet - we haven't figured out how to get the phone jacks on the floor hosting the computer to work yet - will post a wonderful menage soon, hopefully) - I've discovered a few new yummy snacks...

Clotted Cream Fudge. Yeah, I know, sounds gross, huh? At least to me it did. It's like a caramel. Our cousin, after a bit of globetrotting, settled in England, keeping busy by authentically restoring really cool old houses.... Anyway, he sent some from Perry's Cider Mill as an "early" Xmas present to Mom & Dad. Good thing they share! It just melts in your mouth.

Rice Krispies Popcorn Crunch. Another of J's impulse buys. Quite amusing, but be prepared for lots of white flaky crumbs....

Movies I want to see:
A Very Long Engagement - Audrey Tautou and Jean-Pierre Jeunet - an excellent team - and Dominique Pinon is always awesome in Jeunet's flicks
Lemony Snicket - I know it's more for kids, but it looks really cool
Mirrormask - premieres at Sundance in January - I hope it does well so I can catch it at our local arthouse....
And of course, the many many many I am behind on....

Happy Thanksgiving!

We're gathering at Mom & Dad's - Sonny, Danny & his wife & a friend, J and I - for our family feast. Happy Thanksgiving all! Happy Turkey Dreams!

Simple things

This house thing is just so frickin' cool! It's silly, but... as I leave work and think "Do I have my keys?" I get excited - they're MY keys to MY house! Every little aspect is MINE - OURS (though J has tried to call dibs, I've told him that's against the rules)!! Even the lawn, which someone was kind enough to rake for us - thanks whoever you are!
This is just so cool. :)Heeeeeeeeeeee

Maybe this weekend we'll find all the computer pieces and I can post those pics I've been promising.

Back in the swing

Well, it looks like the retribution only lasted part of Monday. Things are now back on track. Still a bit of finishing up at the old place. Lots to do in the new to get boxes and furniture where they need to be, do the necessary cleaning before full unpacking, think about painting, appliance, rug, lamp shopping, etc....

I spent last night shifting boxes from the nearest possible setting place inside the door to roughly where they belong, after bringing the second-to-last carload from the old. I love the feeling of settling in! J isn't feeling really well, but when he feels better we'll get into the zone... :) Once we get a bit more settled, we can start having some visitors - those who want to scope out the place or meet Molson before the housewarming (which will likely be after the holidays).

Read all of The Blue Sword on the flight back. Good fantasy story. Nothing really deep to discuss, but good read for escaping or whiling away long hours on a plane.

Return and ... retribution?

Wow. I definitely will return to Alaska. Hopefully with J. Definitely in summer. An incredible trip.

I haven't had the best time since back, though. It's got to be some sort of sign, but whether a sign that I shouldn't have gone or one that I should have stayed I haven't figured out yet.

When I left we were filled with excitement and wonder at our new home and what it meant. Everything was whole and happy and glorious. When I returned, that seemed gone - and short tempers and irritations prevailed. I'm sincerely praying it comes back tonight. It was not pleasant,especially after the feelings I had left behind.

Then, I woke up with a stomach ache and migraine. Ate a little, took some pills, slept a bit more to kick it. Finally ready to get back to the grindstone after a crazy last week and my car doesn't start. Once the guy jumps it, I decide to take it to a shop - to a Nissan dealership in case it's a warranty related issue (the car is only 2.5 years old) - and they basically tell me they'll look at it but doubt they'll even find anything wrong. Didn't get to work until 1.

Maybe I should have stayed there. Maybe I shouldn't have gone. Can I rewind time?

Pictures soon, still no operating PC at home.
PS I just posted what I wrote while on the trip, since I couldn't get to blogger, scroll down for posts back to 11/11 (my first post is just below Sonny's latest, sad note)

Took a longer walk about more of downtown today and again want to come when the weather is warmer. What a neat place!

I checked out the Oomingmak Musk Ox/ Qivut knitters co-op. They make yarn from the soft fur on the underbelly of the Musk Ox and knit it into the softest, warmest hats and scarves I’ve ever felt. Unfortunately, the craftsmanship involved in every stage from raising the Musk Ox to knitting the products results in a very high priced hat. Another time, perhaps.

I’m in Alaska for the annual conference of the American Indian Science & Engineer Society (AISES). Not in either of those vocations and not of Native heritage, I felt a bit out of the loop at times. I am here as an officer of the Native employee network in my company – someone highly interested in the culture and cause. It has struck me here that storytelling and prayer unite and conquer.
Storytelling can make your experiences real for others – no matter how different their lifestyle may be. It brings the mix of experiences we have down to the common human traits that we all understand. It is the power of words to teach a lesson without the audience feeling like they’re being taught. This even was also very spiritual.
Spirituality plays a key role in Native culture. Each major event or gathering began and ended with prayer here. Even though each group might have their own beliefs, even though prayers were often in Native tongues that only a select few understood, everyone participated and felt the reverence the practice leant to the entire proceeding. It sealed the import of the event and the depth of the sense of family.

One of the Elders today told us to “choose your spirituality”. It doesn’t matter what particular belief you choose, he said, but choose it, “do not let others choose it for you”. That was big for me. I don’t necessarily believe in or understand his Nez Perce faith system, but I respect it all the more for valuing my right to decide how and what I feel is true and right to believe in.

First full day

Anchorage is a city of mixes. Cottages mixed with high rises in the downtown. The ocean mixed with mountains. Wildlife mixed with people. Four hours different from home. In an extended network area for Verizon that compels you to use a credit card for cell calls. It feels like another world, a foreign land. And yet, its spirit harks to that of our founding fathers, of the pioneers and of the Native peoples. The blend is fascinating. I’ll need to come back at some point when the streets don’t ice over of an evening. When the sun rises before 11am. When I can maybe spot some whales in the Inlet or the Sound.

Oh, and the Alaskan king crab is mouth-wateringly awesome!

Heart of Darkness

An in-depth look at how man copes in a world of no boundaries. At man’s failures. At the power of personality to overcome the atrocity of deeds, Heart of Darkness misses many opportunities to bring these points home – if those are, indeed the intended points. Most of the book deals with the journey to find Kurtz – the subject of the study above. But that journey is non-eventful. Conrad could spend less time discussing how to maneuver around river snags and more fleshing out this personality that is so key, but of which the reader sees very little first-hand.
I find it disturbing that, despite all the evil Kurtz seemed to have done (the man had heads on spikes outside his house for Pete’s sake), and his realization of it at the end of his life, Marlow still feels compelled to be loyal, compelled to call him friend, compelled to think of Kurtz as a great being. Is this due to Kurtz’s power of voice? Did his words (which comprised so much of his identity) contain such power that one forgot his evil deeds – that one could dismiss them as unimportant in the overall scheme of things? This ability, its roots, its power, its ultimate impact, this is what I’d like to see explored more. Where I think the meat of the novel really lies. And it feels like Conrad chose instead to brush over it.
I’m still disappointed with this purported classic. But it does strike a curious chord to explore if voice can truly have such pull. Maybe I need to do what Conrad did not.

richard kalter

hi, everybody should go to the maryland institute college of art web site (www.mica.edu) and read about my friend richard kalter. there are two really nice things written about him there. richard passed away this week at the age of 79. he was one of the nicest, smartest people ive ever met.

Flying out

1:25pm Rochester time
In the air to Alaska (posted later, of course)

Moving is HARD! Especially with all of the books, furniture, and dust we seem to have! The timing got so messed up with the move that I’ve had to leave J to finish everything himself, with some help from Mom and Dad – for which we are extremely grateful.

I’m hoping that the PC will be up and running in the new house when I return, so I can post some pics both of the house and of Alaska.

It should be a good trip. I just wish I didn’t have a migraine and a sore head from a whack last Sunday that I seem to be really good at bumping on other things.
Can’t type any more. Words are making me ill. I will likely finish quite a few books if I can get over this motion/migraine-related wooziness. It’s going to be a long flight.

We have a house!

Yeah!
After all of that nonsense, we are the proud owners of a new home. We love it - it feels so ... right! The first night there, I was walking around barefoot in the dark, moving boxes - it's like it was meant to be OUR house!
Ahhhhhhh....
Can't wait until the hauling is done and it's just unpacking and cleaning and settling. I ache in so many places, I'm hobbling around today like someone three times my age.

Pictures soon, I just need to find my USB cable/dock....

Should we summon the hero archaeologist? Hmm - primatologist??

A temple in India is under pressure. Perhaps some evil has awoken. Perhaps someone has angered the monkey god, Hanuman. Some 300 children have been attacked outside this remote temple in the last few weeks. Attacked by "blood-sucking" monkeys gone berserk. At least 2,000 monkeys roam near the temple, but only recently have they begun to turn on the children. The poor children. Imagine, running home from school and a monkey drops out of the trees onto your back - knocking you over and takes a bite! Yikes!

This sounds like a case for today's Indiana Jones. Or maybe there's an Indiana Jones of the animal world? Oooh, oooh! I vote for Mireya Mayor! She looks way cool:

I am a thrill seeker with a cause ...to learn as much as I can about our fragile planet and do what I can to protect it. - Mireya Mayor

Alright. J always thought I had it so together about what I wanted to be when I grow up. Don't get me wrong, I love what I do. But I'm finding that last week I wanted to be an archaeologist on the hobbit find and this week I want to be a primatologist solving the vampire monkey problems.

Brush with fame

My friend, Kat', in India at the moment- met the Dalai Lama! Cool....

What do you say to such a man whose religion I do not practice, but clearly is an incredible human (supreme?) being?

Peace be with you.

Afterwards, we all stood for a photograph, careful not to get too close to him. But, he laughed and grabbed the woman to his left and right in a side hug and said "Come closer, I won't break!"

What a day.

Living vicariously....