Thursday, June 28, 2007

What?

Yes, yes, I know. Lazy. Whatever. I like answering questions and YOU never ask any. Jeez.

Brenda posted this strange and random question meme thing and I felt the need to chime in. Not because I think you care, but because…I haven’t had anything to post lately. Well, that’s not true, I have things but I haven’t typed them yet. Yeah. That’s it.

Ooh, but I did watch two movies recently. I can hear you. You’re saying if you have time to watch movies why don’t you have time to type and to that I say…they were both pretty decent. I watched Undertaking Betty in the middle of the night because…I felt like it. And I like Alfred Molina (Hey Alfie, call me. Let’s get together!) and it was cute. And strange. And a big ol’ mess at the end but you know, I laughed a little, I watched the whole thing, I even got a little choked up at one part so…it worked. I also finally saw Hot Fuzz. Now, I do adore me some Shaun of the Dead and I was a little concerned that this wouldn’t live up to that glory, but it was good. Not great but not far from great. Better than good but hey, dogs can’t look up, right? So yeah. I’d say see it. I think it probably works better if you are really a fan of those cop/buddy movies that it parodies and I haven’t seen a lot of them. I have seen Point Break but not Bad Boys or Supercop and I really, really dislike The Wicker Man, but…I lost my train of thought…Oh right…um. Hot Fuzz is good. That’s all I wanted to say.

OK, anything else? Um…well, this blog gets a fair amount of it’s hits due to this piece of art:
I don’t know why that is but thank you. I am glad you like it, or are appalled by it or whatever. If you’d like it for your very own it is available at the store in the form of greeting cards and if you want it in another form then you can always email.


Your Middle Name: I don’t want to talk about it.

Age: um…38? Yeah, I think that’ it. 38.

Single or Taken: Well, I am married but I don’t know about “Taken” that kind of implies that I was carried away unwillingly, doesn’t it? Oh…right…taken.

Favorite Movie: Probably Animal House. I never ever get tired of it.

Favorite Song or Album: What ever I have mixed recently for the car. Listening to in the car, not for the car itself. The car doesn’t have ears. The car can’t hear. Oh you know what? It’s currently my “Happy, Happy, I’m so freakin’ Happy” mix that I made for Brenda (after the winter “Melancholy Mix for Brenda” sent her spiraling into misery). It’s really happy.

Favorite Band/Artist: Elvis Costello? Yeah, let’s go with that today. Elvis Costello.

Dirty or Clean: Clean please. Very clean. But…only if I don’t have to clean it. Otherwise…kind of passably clean with some dubious spots. Oh…unless you mean my person…then clean and I will do it. Or if you mean my mind…heh. Well…yeah…pretty dirty. BUT I like to have a clean sink. So…yeah, what are we talking about here?

Tattoos and/or Piercings: 3 holes in my ears. One on the left , two on the right. There used to be more but…eh. And I really want a tattoo but I really am a chicken. So not yet. Maybe later.

Do we know each other outside of LJ/Blogger?
We do not. Well, you and I do not…well…I mean, I have met some people but not others. I think…I am confusing myself here.

What's your philosophy on life?
It’s only life. Just live it.

Is the bottle half-full or half-empty?Well depends on what’s in it, doesn’t it? Whisky? Half empty. Milk? Ew, it’s full. Life? Wait…what?

Would you keep a secret from me if you thought it was in my best interest?
Yes I would, but I would feel bad about it and it would probably keep me up nights.

What is your favorite memory of us?
Oh remember that time when we went to that place and they were all like “HEY! You can’t do that here!” and we were all like, “WhatEVER!”?...No? yeah, me neither.

What is your favorite guilty pleasure?
Hatred. Or probably more specifically, being petty and childish. I know I shouldn’t, but I do anyway. And I revel in it…guiltily.

Tell me one odd/interesting fact about you: There is nothing odd or interesting about me…pretty odd/interesting, eh?

You can have three wishes (for yourself, so forget all the 'world peace etc' malarkey) - what are they: 1) Freedom from financial worry 2) Health (preferably good) 3) Nicholas Cage as my love slave.
No…wait…that was Brenda’s answer. I do NOT want that. Um…a nice little office space to call my very own.

Can we get together and make a cake?
No. But I will totally make you a cake and bring it to you. What kind do you like? I make a wicked chocolate cake with whipped cream cream cheese icing. And some nice vegan “Crimson Velveteen” cupcakes with Velvet frosting.

Which country is your spiritual home?
The U.K. Specifically, Wales.

What is your big weakness?
My arms, but I’ve been lifting weights and they are getting stronger. Oh…um…books. I buy too many books.

Do you think I'm a good person?
Well,as far as I can tell from here…yes.

What was your best/favorite subject at school?
In elementary school I really only liked reading. In high school I loved biology and hated chemistry, and I only sort of liked English class. In college I loved Shakespeare studies, Chaucer and Middle English Literature and despised statistics and American Lit.

Describe your accent: My mother tells me that when I was first learning to speak I was straight outta Brooklyn..but…um…we don’t know why. I don’t have a true New Jersey accent and I’ve never been able to fake it. I’ve always had a tinge of the southern in there but when I lived in North Carolina I learned how to turn a southern accent on and off. Believe me, you get better service at the Taco Bell.

If you could change anything about me, would you?Not a damn thing, you are perfect just the way you…Who are you again?

What do you wear to sleep?
Layers. Lots and lots of layers. T-shirt, sweatshirt, pj bottoms, sometimes a pair of socks or two.

Trousers or skirts? Neither.

Cigarettes or alcohol? Yes please.

If I only had one day to live, what would we do together?
Such a morbid question. And why are you putting it on me? If it’s your last day, shouldn’t YOU decide?

Will you repost this so I can fill it out for you?
Have at it if you want it.

Wednesday, June 20, 2007

Sorry.


I’m sorry. Very, very sorry. I couldn’t help myself. Seriously. I have a ridiculous amount of stuff that I SHOULD be doing but this little image kind of came to me out of the blue and I had to get it out of my head. It is not at all what I intended to do with my time but…well what can you do?

Sorry.

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Ow.

“Ice pick headache.” I think the name pretty much says it all. It keeps happening and then there is a moment of “Oh god, I didn’t think I would die this way!” and then it’s gone. Fun times were had by all. Yuck.

There was no baking this weekend (there were no headaches either, that just started) but baking was received and approved of. Dad likes those brownies and he was kind enough to share his father’s day present with Mom so all is well at the sugar shack. I hope they are eating their vegetables too.

Currently life is moments of sheer panic followed by moments of…slightly less sheer panic. Well, that’s an exaggeration…things are getting tense as the days count down to comic-con. There is much to be done and quite frankly, very little desire to do it. It’s summer! I should be on a beach somewhere with a boat drink and a trashy novel. Wait…I don’t think I have EVER done that. OK, maybe not. But ‘tis the season for freak outs and I know I am not the only who is well on their way. On the upside, my eye hasn’t started twitching yet. So…that can only be good.

But other than that, life is fine. No tragedies that aren’t of my own making. No real problems that I can’t overcome. It will all get done eventually because it has to. Right?...RIGHT?

But late at night, when I know I should be either sleeping or getting a little work done, I have been watching things like “John from Cincinnati” and “Meadowlands.” I liked them both, so now I have one more reason to put things off. Heh.

Oh, one other thing. I brought some left over biscuits and chickpea gravy in for lunch the other day. I find it curious that three people said “Oh, that looks/smells good!’ and one said “Oh my god. What happened on your plate?” it is quite good, actually. But I guess every one’s taste.

Let’s see…anything else? No, not really. Everyone is telling me how hot it is but I’m still in sweaters (although I am wearing flip flops and freezing my toes off out of sheer stubbornness…it’s summer dammit!). Let me just leave you with some entertaining links before I got bang my head into a wall for a while…

The Darwin Correspondence Project. I love to read other people’s letters. Mostly dead people since it would be pretty rude and illegal to open other people’s mail. Darwin is endlessly fascinating to me. So reading his letters…pretty groovy.

Have I shown you this before? The Life Sized Whale? I find it oddly soothing.

Trying to figure out that song at the end of House last week? Try this.

Something I keep forgetting to show Jodi .

And another book site that I wander to occasionally.

And finally, just in case you ever get lost.

Friday, June 15, 2007

Cube.

Nanette is wondering what your cubicle looks like. I am looking for something to post. It’s kismet…or something.

I don’t really have a “cubicle”. I have a half wall. And a large glass window behind me. And another desk in front of me. But I do have a desk. And a heck of a lot of stuff on it.

Here’s the view directly in front of me. If you recognize that website you’ll realize I am looking for plane tickets for my September vacation. Which I am really looking forward to…really, really looking forward to. A lot. And that would be a tiny little hedgehog on top of my monitor. A souvenir from the home of Anne Hathaway, the wife of William Shakespeare. It had a beautiful garden but I didn’t have the time to go inside. The hand shaped thing on the left is my cell phone holder. It used to light up when my phone would ring but I think the battery may be dead. The line of type on the bottom of the monitor is from “Howl” and the stickers around the monitor are…let’s see…well there’s a Batman, Hello Kitty, my nephew, a “Support our Troops, Remember our Veterans” and a fortune cookie fortune that says “Sell your ideas—they are totally acceptable.” It’s not exactly encouraging but it’s better than nothing. Oh and the tiny round sticker at the top just says “No.” I didn’t put there, but I don’t know who did.


Ah, the view to the left…lollipops, Batman, photos of my nephews, a brush for cleaning my keyboard, postcards I have yet to mail, glasses…what else is over there? My page a day calendar, currently on March 2. A small stack of comics, including Hellboy and Buffy, my most recent purchase from etsy.com, (a nicely lettered little thing from here) and my shopping list (blueberries, tomatoes, soy milk, soy creamer, pita bread), and my glasses.

To the right we have Hellboy, of course, and John Hodgman watching over me, the terribly exciting hard drive and telephone and…more Hellboy…some art, an ornament made by my oldest nephew and office info.

And to the right and behind me, the wall…calendar (a Christmas from the BFF), more Hellboy, some cupcakes, Alan Rickman, Eddie Izzard, Mr. Toast, Shakespeare, Sky Ape, a tiny picture of Doctor Who. Nothing but entertainment here.

That’s it. Well, that’s not true, I have a big credenza behind me but it’s kind of a mess at the moment, covered with books, magazines, a paper cutter, action figures a 12” Spike doll, a hamster that dances to “I’m too Sexy” and a lamp with a leopard print shade.


Oh and my plants! You can see my plants in those pictures of my desk. I have three. They are named Monstro, Killer and Teeny. I am trying to grow them into some sort of screen so no one can see me. It seems to be working pretty well.

Wednesday, June 13, 2007

Passion.

I’m all twitchy today and working isn’t working for me. I like my job ok but today…can’t seem to concentrate on it. Which makes me wonder, is there any job that isn’t like that. I mean, you hear people talk about having a job that they are passionate about but, as Brenda has shown us, the passion part still gets interspersed with the book keeping part. Or, if you are passionate about the book keeping part, I am pretty sure that gets interspersed with something else too.

People ask that age old question, “If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?” and…I don’t know. I don’t think I have anything that I am so passionate about that I would not get twitchy doing it at some point. For many years I thought I would be a pastry chef. But somewhere along the way I realized that I never wanted to own my own restaurant or bakery but I sure as heck didn’t want someone else bossing me around in the kitchen (you so do not want to see how I cook, it’s one step removed from total chaos. I just fling things into the bowl until they smell right…seriously. Looking right is good but smelling right is better). Plus you have to stand up all day and for some reason I have this idea that you always have wet feet when you work in a kitchen, I don’t know why I think that but I do. Whatever, I hate wet feet. When I lived in North Carolina I would go through like 5 pairs of socks a day because it rained all the time and…oh, sorry, I am getting sidetracked….um…passion…work…

I once told someone that I would like to own a store that stocked only things that I liked, which is good in theory. I can’t be the only person looking for a pink argyle sweater with tiny skulls in the diamond pattern, right? (Don’t bother showing me one, I have since found it and rejected it because…I don’t really like argyle). I am certainly not the only person who loves stupid gadgets or vintage books or lace gloves…but I really never wanted to run a store. Don’t really want to be a freelance artist, I like structure too much…oh and um…limited talent is a problem there too…heh.

I don’t really know what I would do if I could do anything. Maybe I would read books but then you have to sit through all the bad ones and there are a lot of bad ones out there. Maybe I would be a vet, I don’t really mind the whole arm up a cow’s bum thing but I was never good enough in chemistry to feel confident that I wouldn’t poison some poor creature.

I guess the real question is…is it enough to LIKE what you do? Do you have to feel passion about your job or can you just enjoy it well enough most days? Are you an empty and unfulfilled (and unfulfilling) person if you get twitchy every once in a while and wonder how you might better spend your time? Heck, I really liked selling shoes, it was probably one of my favorite jobs ever, but the pay was crap and the days were long and…well…face it…your feet stink. All of you. Seriously, you should do something about that.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Sweet.

Another weekend, another massive round of baked goods…for other people. There were:
24 chocolate chip brownies
24 home made oreo type cookies
12 beaten biscuits (accidentally vegan)
12 vegan jelly doughnut cupcakes
and
something else that I am forgetting…hmmm. Whatever.

The biscuits were actually partially for me and made a guest appearance underneath some chickpea gravy. Sounds nasty, looks nastier but tastes…really good. Like I took a taste and thought, “eh, it tastes like chickpeas” but under some fluffy biscuits…oh golly that was good. The rest of the biscuits are hanging out in the freezer, looking for an excuse for dinner. And they were accidentally vegan because by the time I finished all my other baking there was only Earth Balance and soy milk left. But it worked. Nicely, I might add. And it’s fun to beat the hell out ‘em as you make them.

Dad will get the brownies and the fauxreos for father’s day. Both seemed to come out fine. I was only going to make the cookies but when I called to ask my mom what she thought of that my dad overheard her talking to me about baked goods and started yelling “SEND MORE BROWNIES!” in the background. So, more brownies it is. I always pack them so they are ready to just go right in the freezer for a day when they might want a treat. I have only just found out that none of my baked goods ever make it into the freezer. Now, I take that as a compliment but I kind of do picture my parents eating dinners of brownies and cookies and giggling how they always made me eat all my vegetables.

In fact, when I took a tour of the U.K. (and Northern Ireland) with my mom a few years ago, I was a little shocked. We did a lot of wandering and didn’t want to spend much time sitting down in restaurants so we would buy a sandwich at a little market, or a pastie from a shop or something quick like that, but as I do love my veggies, I was making an effort to get them whenever I could. One night after a very long walk we stopped at a little cafĂ© for dinner. I was very excited to be able to get a nice roasted vegetable sandwich. My mom had a cinnamon pastry. I made her eat some veggies. And it was like fighting with a toddler. And she had dessert every chance she could. She totally deserves it, she’s worked long and hard and she’s an adult and can have whatever she wants but goodness! I worry that it’s all sugar all the time over there! And before you say anything about how bad I must have been as a child, I never gave her trouble about eating my veggies, well except for green peppers, Brussels sprouts and creamed spinach, but can you really blame me? Everything else was just fine. I did throw fits over Spanish rice though, man I hate that stuff! Wasn’t keen on steak either. Or bluefish, oh and ham steaks…and fish stew…liver…spam...cream chipped beef…I liked the veggies though.

Wednesday, June 06, 2007

Picasso.

Each player starts with 7 random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write their own blog with their 7 things as well as these rules. You need to tag 7 others and list their names on your blog. Remember to leave a comment for them letting them know they have been tagged and to read your blog.

Seven? There’s a lot more random than that about me but ok, seven it is:

  1. I have a cell phone charm of a little bear drinking a bottle of green tea. Why, you ask? Because my husband bought it for me. Why, you ask? Because the bottle of green tea is the same brand as his favorite green tea.

  2. I dislike words that don’t make sense to me. Like when people use “arguably” to suggest that something is the best. Well, that’s not really how it works, I think what you mean that it can be argued that this particular thing is the best, but it doesn’t mean that it is. It’s not so much that the word is misused, but rather that it is overused I think. And I really dislike “inflammable”. That’s not a misuse issue, just a really stupid word issue. I have to agree with Dr. Nick on this one, “Inflammable means flammable? What a country! “ I dislike these kinds of words to the point that they make me angry when I read them. I am (obviously) not particularly fussy about grammar or spelling but stupid words and the misuse of words can make me stop reading a blog, a book, a website, whatever, and NEVER, EVER GO BACK. I try to be very careful with this because I know it will bite me in the butt eventually and I will misuse a word and mangle the language terribly, but I will point out that I have Merriam-Webster on speed dial and I double check what I THINK is the correct usage. OK, not speed-dial, I have a bookmark…and a dictionary…or two.

  3. I love tattoo art but I am terrified to get a tattoo. Don’t like needles, don’t like pain, even though I have a very high tolerance for pain, I am just scared pants less of the very idea of getting at tattoo. I have told myself that I will do it for my 40th birthday, so I have a little bit of time to psych myself up…probably won’t happen.

  4. I am made oddly happy when I hear that a celebrity or a person of note is nice. I know that it is certainly not a requirement for an actor or a musician or a politician be a nice person, but it makes me feel a little better about the world when I hear that a celebrity of some sort was polite or helpful to another person. I guess I just want everyone to be nice and polite and kind and generous and all that, but something inside of me wants to know that some people don’t turn into jerks just because people recognize them.

  5. I woke up with a headache this morning.

  6. I once “owned” a hamster named Bono Jones.

  7. My childhood dog was named Adolph. I did not name him.


Clearly I put number six in there to curry favor of the hamster-loving readers out there so technically it isn't “random” but hey, I am lazy that way.

Oh dear…tagging…I don’t know 7 people to tag! And I am certainly not going to comment on their blogs insisting that they read mine that would be presumptuous of me! (It’s not of you Jodi, you know I read yours so don’t be insulted!). Here, I will just suggest that if Brenda, Mama Min, Joanne, Kari, Eric…um….how many is that? Two more…OH! Felicia and…ok, look there’s only a few people who read this anyway, so just grab it and run with it.

Heh, I am listening to music and my favorite line from "Pablo Picasso" just played:
"Well, the girls would turn the color of an avocado when he would drive down their street in his El Dorado."

Just remember, "Pablo Picasso never got called an asshole."

Tuesday, June 05, 2007

Annoyed.

What to do? All music appears to be annoying me at the moment. I read about the Pipettes and I know I have heard them before but then when I sought them out and listened…annoying. Same with Starsailor. So I went back to some Shins…annoying. Ted Leo…annoying. Feist…extremely annoying. Just seeing the name Joanna Newsome annoyed me…Nothing seems to be doing the trick today. At the moment I have retreated to the relative safety of an hour long Thievery Corporation mix and it’s…kind of annoying. So clearly, this is me, not the music that is the problem and I am willing to accept that but I could use some suggestions. Anyone? Anyone? Something less annoying when one is annoyed beyond all reason?

HURRY…I’ve already given up on Thievery Corp. and been annoyed by Mazzy Starr since I started typing this!

Almost.

This was last week:
I am at the point where I am just powering through. Music on loud and staring at the screen and hopefully things will get done. Hopefully. And that’s WORK, never mind my own stuff…which is just not getting done. And I am tired. Very, very tired. Last week I thought that I was depressed. This week, I’ve got no time for depression! Although I am thinking that the euphoria I am feeling may be related to the tired thing.

Anyway, there was a weekend. A lamp was purchased. Brownies were baked (some with chocolate chips, some with cream cheese swirls), a barbecue was attended and why was everyone insisting that it was great pool party weather and then shivering when they dove in the pool? Not me, no sir. I’ll stay warm thank you.

Next week the husband goes out of town and look, yes, I do love him but yes, I also love time alone. So…I am kind of looking forward to that and all it entails…tofu scrambles, sleeping in the middle of the bed and flipping back and forth between two movies that just shouldn’t be viewed together (maybe something like Dirty Dancing and Dawn of the Dead…DIRTY DEAD!) I keep thinking that while he is away I will get some painting done, get some cleaning done, get a new core exercise regime started but…yeah, I’ll be drinking cheap wine, sleeping too late and watching BBCAmerica.

What I am listening to now: Feist-not sure how I feel about her yet.
What I am wishing I was listening to now: Devo-know EXACTLY how I feel about them!

What I am reading now: Oops, I have like 20 more pages of that The Virgin’s Lover book that I keep not reading. I did read the most recent Carl Hiassen book over the weekend, Nature Girl, it was okay. I think he’s gotten in a rut but you know, it’s a fairly entertaining rut, so whatever.

What I have enjoyed so far today: Vegan pizza, a mini cupcake that wasn’t very good but still make me pretty happy, my brand new Disapproving Rabbit shirt, a picture of teeny tiny hedgehogs…

This is this week (including the weekend):

There were turkey meatballs and homemade tomato sauce. There was a sticky toffee pudding. A new coffee table was purchased as was a new buffet to hide all the booze. I think I have finally convinced the husband that displaying all the liquor isn’t cool if you aren’t in college. Even if it is good liquor. Well…MY liquor is the good stuff. He likes things like Bailey’s. Eeesh. Pan’s Labyrinth has been watched, discussed and researched. It was enjoyed but somehow not as much as expected.

Most work for work was completed and some work for not work was begun. Himself leaves for a week tonight and after that it’s all naps and cheap wine and romance novels…heh.

Annnnnnnyway…I think I am almost there. Almost caught up, almost well rested, almost ready to dive right in and start again…almost.

OH HAY, if you like stuff…and really, who doesn’t? There is all kinds of new stuff in the store! Here are two little bits you’ll find there. I rather like them. Pop on over and check them out of you get a chance. Thanks!