Sight: Pumba has been glued to the window in Mary B.'s old room, watching birds and dogs outside.
Sound: Birds chirping and kids screaming on loud four-wheelers in the woods.
Touch: 60 Degrees and warm sunshine.
Taste: Ah, sweet tea. How I've missed it!
Smell: Five oil refineries within five miles of my mom's house. Still stinkin'.
and, a bonus FYI:
Fortunate timing: I missed the entire transit strike!
Unfortunate timing: I struck a squirrel in transit. :( It just ran under my car, thumped twice, flopped once and went to climb the big acorn tree in the sky.
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Monday, December 19, 2005
Home for Christmas
I'm headed to balmy South Arkansas for Christmas, so I'll be quiet online for a while. Here's wishing you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!
While I'm gone, I'll be wrangling the Pumbinator through the airport, chatting with Mary B. on our way down to the boondocks, making breakfast for my mom (see the picture), popping curiously strong breath mints so I don't get as many smoking lectures and hugging all my relatives' necks.
See y'all later!
While I'm gone, I'll be wrangling the Pumbinator through the airport, chatting with Mary B. on our way down to the boondocks, making breakfast for my mom (see the picture), popping curiously strong breath mints so I don't get as many smoking lectures and hugging all my relatives' necks.
See y'all later!
Monday, December 12, 2005
A beautiful Connecticut wedding
I had two remarkable experiences this weekend.
Saturday night, I had the pleasure of attending a perfect wedding in snow-covered Connecticut. I'd never been up there, and I went as my friend Chris' pinch-hit date. I'd heard a lot about his family and the small town where he grew up, so I was glad to drop everything and head north for the day. Well, the stories were true: his family is awesome. They all make each other laugh and weren't afraid to break out their moves on the dance floor. (Go Robby, go!!) It was a holiday wedding, and the deep red of the dresses complimented the snow outside. From the uncles who kept refilling everyone's wine glasses to the sweet old married couples who still got up to slow-dance after 40 years of marriage, the wedding was just fantastic.
But another event, much shorter than the wedding party, is also on my mind tonight. I watched Brokeback Mountain on Saturday, right before I got on the train for Connecticut. The movie is beautiful, one of the best I've ever seen. With mountains and valleys as the backdrop, Ennis and Jack fall in love the moment they meet. It's raw and exposed when they're alone, but they live their separate lives in shame and denial, hating themselves for a love they couldn't stop.
I know it's just a movie, but this one left a lingering sadness with me. I walked out of the theater with red, swollen eyes because even though this was set during the 1960s and '70s, it can still be that frightening to be gay today. I have friends who've been with their partners for a decade, but they are still careful about coming out to strangers. Maybe if more people watch Brokeback Mountain and let it live as a love story rather than just the Gay Cowboy Movie, we'll make a little more room for each other.
Saturday night, I had the pleasure of attending a perfect wedding in snow-covered Connecticut. I'd never been up there, and I went as my friend Chris' pinch-hit date. I'd heard a lot about his family and the small town where he grew up, so I was glad to drop everything and head north for the day. Well, the stories were true: his family is awesome. They all make each other laugh and weren't afraid to break out their moves on the dance floor. (Go Robby, go!!) It was a holiday wedding, and the deep red of the dresses complimented the snow outside. From the uncles who kept refilling everyone's wine glasses to the sweet old married couples who still got up to slow-dance after 40 years of marriage, the wedding was just fantastic.
But another event, much shorter than the wedding party, is also on my mind tonight. I watched Brokeback Mountain on Saturday, right before I got on the train for Connecticut. The movie is beautiful, one of the best I've ever seen. With mountains and valleys as the backdrop, Ennis and Jack fall in love the moment they meet. It's raw and exposed when they're alone, but they live their separate lives in shame and denial, hating themselves for a love they couldn't stop.
I know it's just a movie, but this one left a lingering sadness with me. I walked out of the theater with red, swollen eyes because even though this was set during the 1960s and '70s, it can still be that frightening to be gay today. I have friends who've been with their partners for a decade, but they are still careful about coming out to strangers. Maybe if more people watch Brokeback Mountain and let it live as a love story rather than just the Gay Cowboy Movie, we'll make a little more room for each other.
Friday, December 09, 2005
The funniest Amazon in New York
Holy crap! Michelle Collins is The Most Hilarious Woman in the whole freaking city. She abandoned her Jewish roots for a few minutes and wrote the perfect Christmas song.
Just bookmark her site and add it to your daily regimen. You can't find an easier smile anywhere.
Just bookmark her site and add it to your daily regimen. You can't find an easier smile anywhere.
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Warning about the iPod
I've made an unfortunate discovery about using my iPod in the wintertime. Maybe it's the polyester lining in the wool pants I'm wearing, or it could be the long wool coat I just bought, but my iPod has been delivering more than just Sam Cooke's crooning today. Every time I take a few steps, my earbuds shock the inside of my ears with static electricity.
Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts--ZAP!!
Sometimes it's a little shock. (ow?)
But then I shift my bag to get my Metrocard or something, and it pops me for real. (OW!! WTF WAS THAT?!)
I might try carrying a couple of dryer sheets in my coat pockets.... does anyone have a better idea?
At least I don't have it as bad as this guy.
Frankie and Johnny were sweethearts--ZAP!!
Sometimes it's a little shock. (ow?)
But then I shift my bag to get my Metrocard or something, and it pops me for real. (OW!! WTF WAS THAT?!)
I might try carrying a couple of dryer sheets in my coat pockets.... does anyone have a better idea?
At least I don't have it as bad as this guy.
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Not bad for a Sunday night
I've got it good today.
There's a man in my kitchen, whipping up something tasty to share, and I've got Christmas cards to write, Elliott Smith playing in the background and snow outside on the ground. Three cheers for lazy Sundays!
There's a man in my kitchen, whipping up something tasty to share, and I've got Christmas cards to write, Elliott Smith playing in the background and snow outside on the ground. Three cheers for lazy Sundays!
Monday, November 28, 2005
A frosty Thanksgiving
I had a crazy-busy Thanksgiving this year.... I spent Thursday morning drinking Bloody Mary's with Brandi and Megann while we watched the Macy's parade from an office window high above Times Square. Then, I called the whole family and talked about how I wished I could be with them to eat all the olives.
By 3 p.m., I had hopped a train to eat turkey with my adopted family in New Jersey. We watched the Wizard of Oz and stuffed ourselves.
On Friday, I got back on the train, this time with Pumba in tow, and Megann, Brandi and I made our way to Westchester. There, we met Julie, who drove us all the way up New York's backside and across Lake Champlain into Vermont. (Did you know that Vermont is shaped like a "V"? I didn't.) We took over the house for the weekend and tried not to think about how the place must surely be haunted. It's on top of a hill, surrounded by icy water and fast winds. We all told ghost stories after the first night of sleeping there. The place was amazing, though, and I wasn't ready to leave. Thanks for taking us on a mini-vacation, Julie!!
Wanna see the weekend for yourself? Go here.
By 3 p.m., I had hopped a train to eat turkey with my adopted family in New Jersey. We watched the Wizard of Oz and stuffed ourselves.
On Friday, I got back on the train, this time with Pumba in tow, and Megann, Brandi and I made our way to Westchester. There, we met Julie, who drove us all the way up New York's backside and across Lake Champlain into Vermont. (Did you know that Vermont is shaped like a "V"? I didn't.) We took over the house for the weekend and tried not to think about how the place must surely be haunted. It's on top of a hill, surrounded by icy water and fast winds. We all told ghost stories after the first night of sleeping there. The place was amazing, though, and I wasn't ready to leave. Thanks for taking us on a mini-vacation, Julie!!
Wanna see the weekend for yourself? Go here.
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
Gimme a beat!
My rock-n-roll friend Brandi and I don't fight about much. We love hanging out together, even just to run errands or talk shit about the world, and I miss her when we let each other go for too long. We look like opposites---our differences start with my blonde hair and her brunette---but we've got a lot in common inside.
Our musical tastes overlap with Death Cab, Pinback, Badly Drawn Boy and other emo-bands like that. Brandito introduced me to all of those groups, and I admit that I was skeptical when I first heard the name Death Cab for Cutie. (I mean, come on!) But with Brandi's persistance, I finally gave them a real chance to rock, and I've never been the same since. Now that I have an iPod, I'm crazy about new music, and I LOVE discovering bands on my own.
So over the years, Boo-head (the woman of many nicknames) has offered me a lot of insight into new tunes. There's really only one thing that occasionally makes me want to string her up by her own guitar strings: she has no tolerance for great singing if it's not packaged with amazing musicians. Pop stars Joss Stone and Justin Timberlake and all country icons like the Dixie Chicks have all put out some excellent music, perfect for singing in the shower or humming at work, but Brandi WILL NOT give them any love because they are a) too produced, b) not REAL musicians---they only sing, or c) pussy-whipped pop-tart shiite.
Brandi and I have had this fight hundreds of times. It's the only thing we really argue about. I can date loser asshole men and she doesn't have as much to say about it as when I ask her to put "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson on at a party.
So what do we do about this problem? Why, we start a music review blog, of course! Brandi and I, and about eight other contributors, are going to be going head to head reviewing new music at Sound Hound Review. The music begins this week, where we will use 150 words to wrestle each other into admitting that our favorite songs rule and the obviously sucky songs, well, suck.
Come check it out and give props to the reviewer who sees your light. ((My contributor name is Earworm.))
Rock on!
Our musical tastes overlap with Death Cab, Pinback, Badly Drawn Boy and other emo-bands like that. Brandito introduced me to all of those groups, and I admit that I was skeptical when I first heard the name Death Cab for Cutie. (I mean, come on!) But with Brandi's persistance, I finally gave them a real chance to rock, and I've never been the same since. Now that I have an iPod, I'm crazy about new music, and I LOVE discovering bands on my own.
So over the years, Boo-head (the woman of many nicknames) has offered me a lot of insight into new tunes. There's really only one thing that occasionally makes me want to string her up by her own guitar strings: she has no tolerance for great singing if it's not packaged with amazing musicians. Pop stars Joss Stone and Justin Timberlake and all country icons like the Dixie Chicks have all put out some excellent music, perfect for singing in the shower or humming at work, but Brandi WILL NOT give them any love because they are a) too produced, b) not REAL musicians---they only sing, or c) pussy-whipped pop-tart shiite.
Brandi and I have had this fight hundreds of times. It's the only thing we really argue about. I can date loser asshole men and she doesn't have as much to say about it as when I ask her to put "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson on at a party.
So what do we do about this problem? Why, we start a music review blog, of course! Brandi and I, and about eight other contributors, are going to be going head to head reviewing new music at Sound Hound Review. The music begins this week, where we will use 150 words to wrestle each other into admitting that our favorite songs rule and the obviously sucky songs, well, suck.
Come check it out and give props to the reviewer who sees your light. ((My contributor name is Earworm.))
Rock on!
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