12-22

I love my neighborhood, but I do bitch about it quite a bit. It's mostly a select few who give the whole 'hood a bad rep, but the bitching still ensues. So in the spirit of the season, you know- all of that "be nice and forgive people" stuff- I thought I would share a positive story about my neighborhood.

At the end of the street, an elderly woman, V, lived alone. She had lived there for many years- first with her husband, and then by herself after he passed. She never asked for, nor would she accept, anyone's help after her husband died. Despite her obvious limitations as a frail 80-something year old woman, she did her own yard work, took out the trash, and everything else that comes with maintaining a house. She wasn't completely alone, however; she had adopted a large dog soon after she became a widow. The dog was her best friend, her protector, and her constant companion.

V passed away last weekend. She had no family, so the police took her trusty companion to the pound. V's neighbor, having come home Sunday night from a weekend away, sprung into action. She located the dog and went down to the pound to rescue her, intending on fostering the dog until she could be given a permanent home. Unfortunately, the pound would not release the dog to her, as a rescue group had already placed a hold on her.

This is clearly not one of those fuzzy feel good stories that Hollywood makes movies out of, but the fact that V's neighbor cared enough to spare the dog its demise at the pound- even though she already has three dogs of her own- reminds me why I love this neighborhood so much. Every neighborhood has a collection of token assholes, but they don't all have the generous, kind-hearted people to balance it out. We do, and that makes me happy.

Mad rush drive by

Ahhh! I am way behind on posting, but i've been busy. I'll be back soon, but in the meantime, here are some more lovely pics from the SF trip....

Day three

Well, I thought I would be taking many pictures today. As it turned out, my camera had other ideas. It thought dying would be the best option for a Friday. So no pics. Damn.

I have found my one complaint about this sexy little Nikon...it doesn't tell you the status of the battery until it's about to die. Eh.

Today we went down to Pier 39 and braved the gaggle of tourists (as if we weren't two of them) for some crab and beer. Mmmm....crab. And fresh clam chowder. Good stuff.

After lunch, we visited the Musee de Mecanique, which- if you've never seen it, is a pretty neat little collection of kitschy old coin operated machines. One of the machines was the "Mystic Pen" that supposedly gives you a personality reading. Both mine and Tim's readings were eerily accurate.

Mine says: One of the promintent features in your make up is self-reliance and confidence in your ability to accomplish what you undertake; your courage is strong; you do not hesitate to lead.

Tim's says: You are inclined to be melancholy and brooding, cultured, refined and a natural student, creative mind and magnetic personality.

Yep. That about sums it up.

After Pier 39, we went to the Buena Vista for a few Irish Coffees. No one else makes them like the Buena Vista, and the three I had dulled the pain in my feet for awhile. (yes, I am a wuss. Shut up.) So good. But so small, and so expensive.

This evening saw a journey over to little Italy for world famous chocolate truffles, perusing through a basement stuffed to the gills with crates of records, and a very tasty dinner at a 100+ year old restaurant with fantastic gnocchi.

I love this city. On our way back to the hotel, we witnessed the anti-Prop 8 protest. Only here would you see that. No one gives a shit about gay marriage in Phoenix- at least, not enough to organize something. It's nice to see motivated people who do something other than bitch.

Bits from SF

I haven't taken many pictures in the two days we've been here, but I plan on fixing that today. Promise.

At the UN Plaza, there is a farmer's market every Wednesday and Sunday. I am a huge fan of our own downtown market, but this one is so awesome. It is about 3X the size, and the produce is so great. It is all super fresh and super cheap.

This is an art installation on 6th Street south of Market. If you look closely, you can see that there is furniture hanging out of the windows, off the side of the building, and some crazy paint. Click to get a better view.

These next two are really for my sister's benefit.

Here we have a whole bin of Homies! Homies!! Just think of the collection you could have, Amanda! ;)

And...and...Cupcake Converse!!

11-3

Ah, the eve of the big election. I cannot tell you how happy I am that the day is finally here. Yes, it will suck if "my guy" doesn't win, but more than that, i'm just glad that the BS associated with political campaigns will be over. People turn into such assholes during election cycles, it's amazing. After tomorrow, everyone goes back to being just regular people. Well, I guess the ones who scrape the stickers off their cars and take the yard signs down do- but the point is, the question of who to vote for will no longer be a bone of contention or debate.

What will the media talk about once this is over? Will they go back to front page coverage of Britney Spears' latest crotch shot? I hope not.

Another great thing about today is that I registered for my last classes- ever. They don't start until January and end in April, but I cannot tell you how tickled I am to know that this is the last time I will ever have to debate which class to take, wonder how long before I get burnt out and stop caring, or grumble about assignments I don't like. It feels like i've been working on this degree forever (even though it's only been two years) and it will be so satisfying to have it done and over.

Today must be a really kick ass day because I have yet another great thing. In two days, we will be off to the great city of San Francisco for a week of fun, chilly weather, a TV on the Radio concert, and my dear friend Jen's wedding.

For the grand finale, I leave you with this sign I spotted outside the fair grounds. It took an episode of the Colbert Report to give it meaning for me, but if you follow the election news at all i'm sure it will make sense to you:



Behave while we're gone, and don't give the babysitter any trouble.

My very own fail!

Hee. :)


moar funny pictures

Baking adventures

For Emmalee's first birthday, I agreed to make the cake, as the last cake my sister made turned out...well, just wrong. Of course, I can't just make a normal cake, noooo, that would be too easy. I wanted to make giant cupcakes.

First came the mountain of frosting. There is enough butter, sugar and egg whites in this bowl to supply the entire population of Luxemborg for approximately five years.

From Emmalee's first birthday

Half of that ended up in my freezer. For, ya know, the next time I decide to make a cake.

It took an entire day to get the giant cupcakes made, as they take forever and I thought for sure the mixer was going to die from exhaustion. But here they are...





And of course, we had to have one for the birthday girl...



It was fun, and man- that pan was an investment. Giant cupcakes for everyone's birthday for the next ten years!

Oh Man...

This is funny.

I know I can think of times when this would have come in handy.

Of anger and politics

Holy fuck, I can't wait until November. If I have to hear one more political news blurb or see one more candidate poster I think I might scream. John McCain is a lying bastard, Sarah Palin is a vapid idiot, and I am pretty sure that my days of being enamored with Barack Obama are over. No more...please, no more.

The debates are a joke, with neither candidate really getting anywhere. How useful can a debate be when nothing is said? As if anyone is really still trying to make up their mind at this point anyway, seeing as how the election campaigning has been going on for the last year and a half.

I discovered today that Obama has his own channel on satellite TV. WTF does a presidential candidate need an entire channel for? And why would anyone want to watch a 24/7, dedicated paid advertisement when plenty of shorter ads have been cleverly interspersed throughout prime time viewing? Clearly he has too much money.

On the more local scene, the great state of Arizona will once again be voting on banning same sex marriage. Religious nut jobs just can't get enough of the torture, I guess, seeing as how it got voted down the last time it came up. In the mail yesterday there were not one, but two flyers for "Vote Yes for Marriage". Don't you people have something better to do with your time and money than this?

Same sex marriage is already illegal, or didn't you know?

This issue is like the 21st century's version of desegregation. It's "separate but equal" all over again and it's a bunch of crap. Gay couples are not going to threaten the sanctity of marriage- married people threaten the sanctity of marriage. The last time I checked, the divorce rate hovered around 40 percent.

Sanctity my ass.

Random giggle

Driving down McDowell the other day, I spotted this sign on a telephone pole. I can't help but wonder...is there a reward if the person did find them?

 

Workin' for the weekend

Last weekend, my dad needed some help with a job he couldn't run by himself, so Tim, the dogs and I went up to the boonies to provide some assistance.

This...

 

Plus this...

 

Equals this.

 

Fun times!

Cooper had a blast, as Maggie decided to come home for the weekend when she realized he was there. Apparently, she's run away from home and is involved in a love affair with the neighbor's dog. I thought dogs were supposed to be loyal?

Molly wasn't allowed to run with the big dogs, on account of her size. She did get to hassle the cat and play with a toy twice her size, though, so I think she was okay with that.


For those of you who aren't familiar with the area where my dad lives, it pretty much looks like this:

 

I don't miss living there at all, but I do miss the wonderful "Simpsons Clouds" that glide by every afternoon.

Sarah Palin scares the hell out of me.

I could go on about how incompetent she is, and what a bad selection for VP John McCain made, but I won't. There's been enough of that.

She has no clue what she's doing. None. Take this excerpt from a recent interview with Katie Couric:

" . . . where it is the taxpayers looking to bail out. But ultimately, what the bailout does is help those who are concerned about the healthcare reform that is needed to help shore up our economy. Um, helping, oh -- it's got to be all about job creation too. Shoring up our economy, and putting it back on the right track. So healthcare reform and reducing taxes and reining in spending has got to accompany tax reductions, and tax relief for Americans, and trade, we've got to see trade as opportunity, not as a competitive, um, scary thing, but 1 in 5 jobs being created in the trade sector today. We've got to look at that as more opportunity. All of those things under the umbrella of job creation. This bailout is a part of that."

The whole article

What the hell?
This, coming from a woman who has the potential to land the second highest position of power in the country? She sounds like that South Carolinian beauty pageant contestant talking about maps. Just in case you don't remember, or had blocked it out...



I don't know about you, but I don't want anyone in the White House who could be compared to a stump-stupid beauty pageant contestant.

9.24

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMANDA!!!!

Today is my dear sister's 24th birthday. While we may not always agree and definitely have moments of driving each other crazy, I love her to pieces and I am proud of who she is. Amanda, you're stronger than you think you are, and a great mom. Happy birthday. I hope you savored every last crumb of the cupcakes. :) Love you!

9.18

An old friend from the past came to visit me a few days ago, and while we have known each other since we were two years old, a defining thing about her for me has always been the fact that she could not smell. It sounds odd, even to me, considering I have years of memories from which to mine goofy little anecdotes and stories, but sometimes the oddest things become the most prominent in memory.

At 13, a fall from a trailer into the street put her in a coma for three days. When she came to, she was perfectly normal with the exception of her sense of smell. It disappeared. She could taste just fine, but smelled nothing. No one believed her at first- her brothers would fart and wait for her to wince from the stench, one of her sisters and I would find the most foul smelling thing we could to test her nose. It was finally determined that she was telling the truth- she couldn't smell anymore.

Before her visit, we hadn't seen each other or spoken in 7 years. Distance, awkward stages of development and abrupt departures had severed our friendship completely. Through the wonders of the internet, we've been reunited. It was so great to catch up, to hear about the goings on of her life and her family, to share my little bubble of the world with her.

One thing was nagging me though- I just had to know if she ever got her sense of smell again. Turns out, it returned spontaneously a couple of years ago. What an odd thing to go over a decade without smelling a thing and then suddenly realizing, as she sat in her classroom at a local high school, that the aroma of chicken from the cafeteria was making her hungry.

Anyway, thinking about this made me realize how much I take my senses for granted, especially the ability to smell. I made a mental note to be more aware. On my early morning bike ride today, I smelled more things than I ever remember smelling before. One block was a myriad of scents- from fabric softener to garbage. Then, on my way home an hour later, it smelled completely different. The same street, only the time and temperature had changed. Hm. Things get more interesting when you pay attention.

There really is no point to this story, so if you were hoping for philosophical enlightenment, sorry. Like you'd come here for that anyway.

The trolls. They're stalking me.

Three hours ago, I saw the trolls from the previous post lying in an alley two blocks away. They currently sit on my neighbor's back fence facing our back yard.

NO, I didn't touch them. I have no idea how they made the transition from the discard pile in the alley to being perched on the fence. Too weird.

Random alley shots in the 'hood

Found on the side of a trash bin.

From September08

Where trolls go to die

From September08

From September08

Moving day

From September08

9.4

I am taking a break from my one busy day this month. It's funny how it all works out- there's nothing to do for weeks and then BAM! one day there is more than I can handle and it's all due that day. Psychic powers would have been very handy a week ago. I'll have to work on that.

The upcoming election and the debate over the "experience" of each candidate has been a hot topic lately. Frankly, I am so over it that I am considering not even voting. Maybe election season started too early, but I am so glad that this only happens once every four years because i've had enough. Of all of it. November, get your ass over here.

Speaking of November, we have a trip to San Francisco the first week of the month, and I can't wait to go back. I love that city so much. Even though I have only spent a total of two weeks of my life there, it feels cozy and like home. Living there would be completely different than visiting for a week at a time, but I can easily see becoming a full-time resident. Someday. I have some significant loose ends to tie up before we could ever move, but i'm working on it.

Suddenly it all makes sense.

more the engrish!

Monster!

My darling little monster of a niece came by today and spent a few hours with me. Her mama is whisking her away to Eskimo country for the next week, so it was nice to spend some time with the little booger.

She's a little uh, camera shy. She's burst out crying every single time I have ever pulled the camera out to take her picture. This has been the case since the day she was born. Diana, I don't know how you do it. Because seriously? It was as if I were poking her eyeballs out with a rusty butter knife. My camera= extreme pain, apparently. And here I thought Nikon was a good brand.

I guess today was a good day because I got three before she realized what I was doing.



Mmm...tasty block.



Hey, wait a minute...



I know what that is!

Home Improvement- not for the faint of heart.

A pull switch in the kitchen ceiling fan has needed to be replaced for well over a year. In fact, the replacement switch has been in the junk drawer for so long that the glue on the package was brittle and required only a little bend for the plastic shell to pop off the cardboard. Yeah, I procrastinate. But in my defense, I am not so comfortable with messing around in the electrical elements of my house- and i'm too stubborn and cheap to pay someone to do something that should be a quick fix.

Should be.

I decided that I was tired of not being able to use the fan without the light on, so yesterday I set out to fix it. Gathering several screw drivers and the ladder, I figured it would take 20 minutes- max. Unscrewed the fuse, set up the ladder, and I was off.

I got the thing apart only to discover that the wires were hardwired to the bulb socket, which would require some wire cutting and those nifty little plastic wire connectors. Trouble was, we didn't have any. No problem.

Three stores and two hours later, I finally found a bag of 25 for $5 at Ace. Total overkill for the two that I actually needed, and more expensive than the pull switch itself, but hell. At least they had them.

Four hours after the project was started, I got the fan put back together and working.

At 4:30 AM this morning, the light globe crashed and shattered all over the kitchen.

At least the light works.

8.14

Just like most of the world, i've been watching a ton of the Olympics. I'm not going to lie- I don't watch everything. I watch every second of the gymnastics, but think the swimming is boring, unless it's diving, and I have no idea what steeplechase is. Is there Olympic Cornhole?

The world's attention is on China, of course, and it's funny how all of these criticisms have come out in spite of the fact that the country has devoted years to making this event its shining moment in recent history. Yes, they have terrible smog, and yes they built walls to hide ramshackle houses. But the buildings erected solely for the Olympics are stunning, and Beijing sparkles in a way it never has before. I wonder if the rest of the world has been as critical as the US media have?

There is the story about the little girl lip-syncing the Chinese national song because the real singer was deemed "not cute enough" for TV. The controversy over the real age of some members of the Chinese women's gymnastics team. The former gold medalist who was denied a visa by the Chinese government because of his creation of Team Darfur. (Not confirmed, but completely obvious, in my opinion)

These stories have been plastered all over the news as evidence of China's lack of modernity. But really, are they that different than what occurs here? We have hacks posing as musicians, only they have a studio full of voice altering technology to do the lip-syncing for them. No one ever says a word about that. People lie about their age all the time. Fake IDs, anyone? And as far as denying entry- it happens every day in our country built by immigrants.

So, China, I think you're doing a bang-up job, and I don't even care that you're Communists. I like Commies, actually. In fact, I carry a little communist in my wallet.

You don't believe me, do you?




There you go. Actual size.

8.4

The last few weeks have been hell, but at least my classes are almost over.

Only:
2 4-6 page papers,
1 1-2 page summary,
1 self-evaluation,
1 1 page worksheet/bulletin board post,
and
1 10 page research paper (almost done!)
to go.

All by Saturday. Oy vey. If I seem sleep deprived, it's probably because I am. My body has decided that sleep is for the weak and refuses to let me have any. What an asshole.

Getting all of this done should make the celebration for Tim's birthday Saturday night that much more fun.

7.27

A week ago tonight, my mother left us.

It's hard to talk about and even harder to write. Despite knowing that it would happen, nothing can quite prepare you for the incredible sense of disorientation that occurs when a hole of epic proportions is ripped into your heart.

I am not quite sure what to do now, but that doesn't make me lost. Bearing witness to the entire process of my mother's illness and death has given me a new perspective, but I suspect it will take time to filter out the bitter and painful parts to render it useful.

Poring over cookbooks over the phone, discussing recipes.
Sitting in the kitchen, drinking wine and laughing.
The goofy opera singing in the car.
Knowing that I always had a shoulder to cry on or my biggest cheerleader.

I miss these things, I miss everything. I miss the way life used to be. I miss her.

7.20

In times of hardship, we always discover who our real friends and family are.

It isn't always pleasant, but it sure is an eye-opener.

I'm learning that distance has nothing to do with friendship, and family is just a legal definition.

It's pretty disappointing, but i'd rather know than be misled.

Limbo

At times like this, I envy those who place their faith into organized religion and swallow the lie like hungry dogs. I envy their resolve, their steadfast belief that something bigger than they are is looking out for them and giving a shit about what they are dealing with. I envy the conviction with which they reinforce their notion of an afterlife and the possibility of reuniting with others post mortem. I envy them because I know that it would be so much simpler to believe the lie, to be comforted by the words they live by.

I usually have little more than disdain regarding religion, but today... today I wonder if it isn't so bad to be gullible.

Warning: extreme scissor shortage

What the hell happened here? Did the stylist go on vacation in the middle of the job? Good grief.

I saw three people with a similar (yet oddly more repulsive) haircut today. Why anyone would voluntarily subject their head to this kind of torture is beyond my comprehension, but I thought about it a little and I have a couple of theories.

*There must be a scissor shortage in salons everywhere. This forces the stylists to share, and they never quite get around to finishing the job.

*Indecision. Short, or long? What a tough call. But this way, you don't have to decide. It's the best of both worlds, and you look like a total tool as an added bonus.

I hope these people didn't pay for their head crimes.

Adventures in gastronomy

Ok, so there hasn't been much going on worth blogging about- I mean, I could tell you about homework assignments, or the embarrassing tally of hours spent watching Lost, but really- it would be about as exciting as poking your eyeball out with a spoon.

My dad lost a bet- what the bet was is unimportant- and had to join me for lunch at my favorite sushi joint for a little raw fish action. He was almost off the hook when the server informed us that they really didn't have much in the way of sushi, due to a failure of their refrigeration case. Whoops. They still had the makings for the sushi bento box, so he was a trooper and ordered the stuff anyway, even though I had given him an out.

Taking my dad out for meals is always an adventure. You never know what he's going to say, or how he's going to react to what is served. Some notable incidents include the "there's fish in my chicken sandwich" episode at The Paisley Violin, and the "wow, this is really disgusting- but I finished all of my food and some of yours" evening at the Vietnamese place in downtown Glendale. You just never can tell how it's going to be, so I was a little nervous about taking him to one of our favorite restaurants, and even more nervous about him eating something that we love so much, that he'd never had.

The verdict? The sashimi was "tasteless"- all three kinds- but good with ginger, and the California roll was spoiled by a less than ripe avocado. The tempura veggies were a hit- he even ate the prawns- and the assortment of pickled Asian veggies were pretty tasty.

He said he liked it. I about fell over from shock.

**

I got a wild hair up my ass last night and wanted to make pizza. It's too hot to turn on the oven though, so it had to be grilled. Tim thought I was nuts, because "Everything burns" on the grill, according to him.

A careful eye on the meal and about 15 minutes later, we had pizza.


It isn't the prettiest thing in the world, but it was damn good. Much better than anything that comes out of our oven!

Taking things too far

Seriously?


I had no idea pencils posed such a threat to my health. What's next- gum infused with antibiotics? You know, just in case.

6-10

Last night, I was out on the porch when I saw something scurry by my feet. After a closer look, I realized it was one of these:



Oh, hell no. I moved back to the city to get away from these little fuckers.

6-9

Poking around on the FDA website today, looking for some info on the contaminated tomatoes.

Lookee...



Tomato mugshots!

Only in America does a fruit have the unalienable right to elevate itself to criminal status. I wonder if it will receive a fair trial?

6-4

I am standing in the shower and the water runs over my face. It is nearly scalding hot, but I can't seem to get warm. On days like today, the only place I feel safe is under that scalding water. Days when the sound of sorrow creeps into my dad's voice and we acknowledge in silence what we can't bring ourselves to say. Days when I am certain that the countdown to the end of life as I know it has started, but that I have no idea how much time is left. Days when I can't seem to feel anything other than just sad.


I'd stay under that stream of hot water forever if I could.

5-31

Another week, another weekend. Ahh.

My uncle Joe celebrates his acquisition of a fancy schmancy hard earned Master's degree today. It's kind of a big deal because it's taken him a long time to get here, but he made it. Oh yeah, and he's blind. Karen seemed to think that this was a really big deal- because I don't know, maybe in her world people who can't see don't get educated. I don't see it as a big deal because he's one of the smartest people I know. He does everything that anyone else does, usually a little faster.

Ok, so he doesn't drive. You wouldn't want him to.

I remember when I was a kid, he would come over and ask to play my violin. I would give it to him, along with some basic instructions about how to hold it, where to put the bow and fingers, etc. It used to bother me that he did this, because I was afraid he would break it. Apparently my juvenile mind equated blindness with clumsiness. That couldn't have been further from the truth. In fact, it didn't take long before he had mastered the basic principles of violin playing that most third graders struggle with. I was impressed. He continues to impress me, even though his violin playing days have gone the same way mine have.

Congrats, Joe.

Scarlett does Tom

No, it isn't porn.

So what do you all think about the Tom Waits cover album Ms. Johansson did? Am I missing the brilliance? Perhaps judging her too harshly as yet another actor turned musician? (because that so rarely works out. Exhibit A: Keanu Reeves. Nevermind that he has a shitty acting career too, lots of people like him.)

My take:

All hype. Maybe because she's hot, I don't know.

I heard so many great things about the album before it came out- just glowing reviews and stunning admiration that the girl so famous for her body parts could be good at something else. I heard the songs, though, and all I heard was far too much sound engineering and a sterilized alto voice that could have been so much better left to its own warbling inadequacies. So yeah, i'm disappointed.

If I missed something, by all means- enlighten me. I wanted to like it, really.

5-21

School is back in full swing...T-3 terms and counting. I would have liked to have more than a week off between terms- it was such a fast week- but i'll take what I can get and count down until the next break in twelve weeks.

I have a market research class this term, which I have been really excited about. Unfortunately, it's chock full of group projects. Trying to coordinate a group project between 7 people in different time zones with different schedules is hell at best. Add to that, people who just don't give a crap and it's a recipe for disaster requiring multiple martinis at the end of the day. I better stock up on the Luksosowa and olive juice.

5-17

The Hard Lessons played a great show last night. Sadly, the audience consisted of about ten people, two of which were barflies who just happened to be there. The set was short, but the music was great.

Their promoter needs to be shot. There was next to no advertising for the show- even the venue posters of upcoming events failed to list their show. They likely won't be back to Phoenix, opting for Tucson instead. I don't mind Tucson shows, but it just sucks because Phoenix is a huge city. A touring band should be able to play for more than an audience of ten here.

5-7

This is all over the place. Just a warning.

I had a lovely afternoon with my friend Dee, who hails from TN and has a fantastic little accent. An overpriced, mediocre lunch at the Phoenician (where she was staying), a sweaty hike up Camelback Mountain, and chocolate and espresso gelato at Arlecchino. Perfecto! (minus the lunch, if i'm being honest)

Never having been to the Phoenician before and only having seen it from the top of Camelback, I wondered- what exactly does one get for $400 a night besides a really neat pool and a bed? I found out today. $400 a night buys you real hand towels in the lobby bathrooms, with a little wicker basket to put them in after use. Oh, and a bird's eye view of the Red Hat society tea party. Hoo boy!

It seems as though the Man Flu has settled here again. May it pass quickly and silently.

Mom started radiation today. This will work. This will work. This will work. Come on, say it with me. At this point, that's all i've got.

She got a really random letter from this incredibly annoying former neighbor today. It blathered on about believing in God and everyone's limited number of days and all sorts of other depressing useless shit. Neighbor woman was always weird and oddly childish at inappropriate times, but the thing that got me was that the letter came at all. Mom's name was spelled wrong, the street name was spelled wrong, the city was spelled wrong, and the zip code was only remotely correct. (Hey, 3 out of 5 numbers isn't too bad- it would win you a buck or two in the lottery, I guess.) I know- lots of people can't spell. I shouldn't chide her for that, right? I'd agree with you, if she weren't a former school teacher. Seriously. The former 6th grade teacher couldn't spell the word Mesa. Good thing she doesn't teach anymore. Our schools are in trouble as it is.

In other news, a pleasant surprise came my way today- I have a week off between classes! This is great, because I thought they were back to back. A week is far too short, but i'll take it.

The Hard Lessons will be in town next Friday. Should be a great show!

Good god. Cary needs to get that dog a friend or give him Zoloft. Poor Brian.

Almost forgot- I have a question....

Why the fuck does the Olympic flame need to go to the top of Mount Everest?

Rollercoaster

It began innocently enough, with routine check-ups and nothing to worry about. Two weeks later, she was having emergency surgery. I really thought that would be the end of it- go home, heal, have a couple of apples and some vitamins.

Six weeks later, the MRI delivered bad news. More doctors, more tests, treatments planned. At least she got a couple of weeks at home this time.

Another six weeks goes by, culminating in a 3 am ER visit followed by another emergency surgery, a prosthetic bone, and more time in the hospital.

She's starting to lose her hope, I can hear it. She knows she isn't going to beat this. I know it too, and it breaks my heart a thousand times a day.

She said to me today that a trip needs to be planned- one last hurrah, if you will. She can't decide where she wants to go, because it's a big decision when it could be the last trip you ever take. She doesn't know when she will feel well enough to travel again, and I fear that she won't ever- that the last adventure she wants won't happen.

I'm applying for my passport anyway.

That Bastard.

The hell version of Advertising class is over. I ended up with an 89.7%.

That bastard gave me a B.

I have never had a teacher who didn't round the percentages. Asshole.

4-10

I am shit at posting, which is probably a good thing given all that's been going on lately.


Bad things:

Shitty sleep. Nightmares.
Mom's medical drama that just won't end
burnout
The unknown.

Good things:

Grass in the front yard= finished landscaping!
Good beer for cheap at Costco
Sushi at Hana.
Successful picnic event.
No more friends in the hospital.
New music.
New evap= nice cool summer with reasonable electric bills
Adorable smiles from the niece.
Week 11 of Accounting= almost over!!
Supportive and understanding male counterpart. Very good thing.

I guess I can't complain too much, because the good outweighs the bad at the moment. Weighted, it isn't by much, but i'll take it.

Hrm.

Sudhir Venkatesh's fantastic book, Gang Leader for a Day, has been optioned for a movie.

Not sure how I feel about that.

Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation was made into a movie, but it didn't have much in common with the book. Subject matter was the same, sure, but these characters in the movie weren't in the book. It was a fictionalized account of something very real. It was okay. The book was better, as it almost always is.

Gang Leader for a Day is not a story that can be translated to the big screen without it being cheapened, glamorized and ultimately robbed of it's reality, IMO.

Hollywood needs to come up with some of it's own good ideas. Too many movies are coming from books, and while some are good (No Country for Old Men), many of them have failed to do the book they are based on justice. The Kite Runner, anyone?

Fuck.

Fuck fuck fuckity fuck.

that's all.

3-19

Barack Obama's speech Tuesday.

Amazing. Just amazing.

I can't think of anyone else in recent history with such eloquence in public speaking.

Great speech. What needed to be said, was said. Thanks for not shying away from difficult issues.

(If you haven't heard it, the link is to a transcript. Youtube has the video.)

**

More on Obama....

I remember getting excited for the 2004 election, as a Kerry supporter. But I think it was more of Kerry being the anti to Bush that garnered my support. This time around though, I feel really strongly about Obama. He is a great candidate and he isn't afraid to say things that aren't necessarily political campaign material.

I respect the fact that he did not just renounce Rev. Wright outright, as the standard MO for political candidates would likely have had him do. He stuck to his convictions and explained how it is possible to have a relationship with someone who is at once so helpful and so different. We don't have to agree on everything and believe the same things; we can still be friends.

Maybe he's young and naive. Maybe I am naive for believing that one man could set off a revolution of change. I am not naive enough to think that four years- or even eight- will be enough time to change the world, but it is enough time to be the catalyst.

As much as I want Obama to win, I am afraid of him winning.

I know this sounds weird, hear me out.

His entire platform is change. He promises the moon and then some. It almost sounds too good to be true- but somehow still doable. I'm afraid that if he wins, he won't live up to the expectations that millions of people rallying around him have. I want him to be special, and notable for more than just the first African American president. I want him to live up to the hype. I don't want the most promising candidate in recent history to let us down.

PSA for new parents

Congratulations on the birth of your spawn! You must be thrilled.

While your child is, naturally, the cutest, smartest little bugger ever born, eventually you will realize that baby talk and formula regurgitation do not make for interesting conversation topics. When this happens, you will want a night out to be an adult. Maybe even with cocktails!

Time to find a sitter for your little angel. Maybe you are lucky enough to have a family full of suckers, or maybe you have to pay someone to snoop through all of your drawers and finish that bag of M&Ms in the fridge. Either way, it is important to treat your sitters kindly or they may turn on you. Mutiny!

Your brain is, no doubt, fried from sleep deprivation and Baby Einstein videos. I understand. To make things easier for you, here are a few tips to keep your sitters, and you, happy:

Have a plan. When planning your return to the adult world, don't fly by the seat of your pants. Your sitter has a life too, and likely a bed time.

Be Considerate. If the sitter asks you not to stay out all night, don't do it. This is the fastest way to reduce the pool of potential sitters.

Do not assume. If you are fortunate enough not to have to shell out the bucks for your sitter, do not assume that they will be content to sit in your tiny living room all night while you stand, jaw gaping, (ooh! shiny!) at all of the things you had forgotten existed out there in the adult world. The dynamics change quite a bit when payment is involved, of course.

*ahem*

Anyway. Someone's grouchy this evening.

Gus

This used to be at a run down garage on the corner of McDowell and 15th. The place was dirty and maybe a little sketchy, with a sign proclaiming:

LUBRICATION GUS
OIL CHAINGE

The place had been there for years. It looked to do steady business, nothing terribly busy but enough to keep it open. There were always stacks of tires out front, and usually a little weekend yard sale going on in the parking lot.

They demolished it last summer to make way for an overpriced, tuscan style condo complex that likely will never happen due to the downturn in the housing market and the opposition from the neighbors in the bordering Palmcroft neighborhood.

Instead of a dirty service station where Gus can make a few bucks to feed his family, we have an empty dirt lot that some schmuck from Santa Barbara just had to clear.

All in the name of progress.

Knock her out, Barack!

The next Democratic debate airs tonight. Can't wait to watch the fur fly!

Clinton's losing her grip big time. It's only a matter of time before she pulls a Howard Dean- and we all know how that ended.

Take her down, dude.

2-19

My grandfather got lost at the airport yesterday. He was supposed to be picking up a high school friend who came in to visit for a few days. Three hours after his flight came in, and after he had taken a shuttle to his hotel, he phoned my grandmother to let her know that grandpa had finally shown up at the hotel.

Older people really shouldn't be allowed such unrestricted access to driving privileges, but that's another topic for another day.

My grandfather is 80 years old, 81 in May. He takes his dog for a walk every morning, he's thin as a rail, and has the temper of a paint can set ablaze. But the thing I find most remarkable about him is that he has friends from high school.

I don't even have friends from high school anymore, and I graduated 9 years ago. I can't even imagine keeping in touch with someone for 62 years. The stories they must have. Wow.

2-13

One of the sweetest songs i've heard in a long time can be heard here.
Give it a listen. I promise it doesn't suck, and it has nothing to do with ticks*.

*If you watched the Grammys, you know what i'm talking about.

Ruh-roh.

Apple has introduced games for the ipod, available through iTunes.
Shit! They have Tetris!! I may not get anything done ever again.

2-8

Yikes. Another busy week. Suns game Monday, Roadrunners Tuesday, visit from the sis Wednesday, cupcakes with mom on Thursday, and playing chauffeur today.

Relationships are complicated, sibling relationships are especially complicated. As kids, my sister and I fought constantly. We have very different personalities, and very different ideas about how the world works. I don't know why I thought that the dynamic of our relationship would change when we got older, it hasn't really. I had this idea in my head for the longest time that one day, as adults, we'd be able to put our differences aside and have a functional friendship. The older I get and the more I try, the more I realize that some people just aren't that compatible, regardless of family ties.

You can choose your friends, but you're stuck with the people related to you.

I love my sister, really. It sucks because I feel like we should be closer- like we should have a better bond- but it just isn't like that. Talking with her gives me a headache, and I don't call her very often for this reason. She tells me things she plans to do, and I try to give her advice (in a non-preachy way) on the things that i've been through. It's not that I want her to do things my way, or that I want to control her somehow. It's like wanting to give someone in shorts a jacket when it's cold outside, but they just refuse to take it because they would rather find out themselves how cold it is. It's frustrating to watch.

Some people just have to learn for themselves. I get that. But it just makes so much more sense to try to avoid the break rather than sit around and wait to pick up the pieces.

2-5

Boo hoo. It's Super Tuesday and I can't vote.

Cast your ballots wisely, people.

2-4

Like every other obedient American, I watched the Super Bowl. I don't care for football, as it all seems rather pointless. I watch for the commercials.

In years past, the commercials were awesome- really something worth watching. I don't know when the decline started, but they really sucked this year. Sure, there were a few good ones, but overall I have to wonder who the hell does the advertising for these companies, and why can't they come up with anything better? What happened to witty, creative ideas? Have we really run out of good ideas?

If this year's crop was any indication of things to come, I may just skip it altogether next year.

1-29

The fabulous birthday is over, and mom's out of the hospital. Test results are negative, and the staples come out tomorrow.

Things are good.

Barack Obama is going to be here tomorrow. I'd love to go, just to hear what he has to say. Initially, I didn't intend to support him. Seeing as how my candidate of choice has dropped out of the race and I am not a fan of the other one, I figure i'll give him another chance.

I can't go, as prior commitments have already been made. If you know anyone who does go, get a condensed version of what happens, please?

1-26

Its been a long, stormy week.

She misses her own bed, even more so now that the 50+ year old mattress has been replaced with a stiff, sterile hospital bed. She misses Maggie, but not even the bulkiest disguise could hide that tail for a smuggle onto the 7th floor.

She still smiles though, in spite of the shitty news and shitty situation. She doesn't think of worst case scenarios, she thinks positively.

I am trying to do the same.

1-17

My mom and I had lunch today, with my niece in tow. Mom's been here babysitting niece for the last two weeks or so, and she's looking forward to going home and resuming her regularly scheduled life.

"It's not that I don't enjoy spending time with niece," mom has told me several times this week, "it's just that I... well, I want to go home."

She doesn't have to explain herself, I know what she means. She feels guilty for wanting to go home. She doesn't dare repeat her admission to my sister, because that would surely set off a barrage of snide comments implying that she does not love her granddaughter enough.

As if twelve hour days as a free babysitter for a high maintenance infant would inspire anyone to permanently leave their normal life behind.

Who loves ya, baby?

Lucy is Tim's favorite, and she knows it.

Unleashing the geek within.

As a pseudo-hippie tree hugging commie, I already have several reusable shopping bags- both plastic and canvas. But this one was just way too cool to pass up.



It's about the size of a wallet, and folds out into a full size bag.

I now have no excuse for forgetting to bring a bag to the store.

New Year, New Blog.