Monday, February 28, 2005
quizzin' along...
Yea! I should be in heaven!
Thursday, February 24, 2005
i feel pretty...
It's just a very pretty day in the World of Carol. I finally got my hair cut last night, after about a year of serving as Split End Collector for the world. It's still long. It just has less weight and some actual style to it. It makes me happy. As do my newly waxed eyebrows. As I rule I prefer to pluck my eyebrows because it's cheaper (i.e. free) and, frankly, I don't trust many people with them. I'm still traumatized by the awful job done on New Year's Eve 2003. But the wonderfully funky chick who did my hair last night (and in fact had cut and colored my hair last time I had anything done with it) did an excellent job with my eyebrows, making my a happy person.
On top of that I'm wearing my brand new contact lenses. I didn't set out to get contact lenses, they just happened. As did eye exam I had on Monday and the new glasses I'll be receiving in the mail in a few weeks. See, BestFriend works for an optometrist. She's pretty high up on the optometry ladder and thanks to work she's done for other doctors who she doesn't work for directly, the doctors at her office gave me both an exam and temporary contacts free of charge. How sweet is that? As for the glasses, BestFriend got a seriously steep discount and is presenting them as a gift to me, despite my protestations. And all this happened because, while at dinner on Saturday, BestFriend informed me that I was going to go into her office on Monday and get my crooked frames straightened out.
Okay, all this also happened because I am an incredibly fortunate person who has somehow attracted the bestest BestFriend in the universe and managed to hang on to her for over twenty years.
So yeah, with my new hair and eyebrows and contacts and gorgeous blue skirt that I picked up at the Krishna run restaurant in Tucson, I'm feeling like quite the pretty, pretty princess.
Watch out, SoCal Grassroots folks tonight! Here I come!
On top of that I'm wearing my brand new contact lenses. I didn't set out to get contact lenses, they just happened. As did eye exam I had on Monday and the new glasses I'll be receiving in the mail in a few weeks. See, BestFriend works for an optometrist. She's pretty high up on the optometry ladder and thanks to work she's done for other doctors who she doesn't work for directly, the doctors at her office gave me both an exam and temporary contacts free of charge. How sweet is that? As for the glasses, BestFriend got a seriously steep discount and is presenting them as a gift to me, despite my protestations. And all this happened because, while at dinner on Saturday, BestFriend informed me that I was going to go into her office on Monday and get my crooked frames straightened out.
Okay, all this also happened because I am an incredibly fortunate person who has somehow attracted the bestest BestFriend in the universe and managed to hang on to her for over twenty years.
So yeah, with my new hair and eyebrows and contacts and gorgeous blue skirt that I picked up at the Krishna run restaurant in Tucson, I'm feeling like quite the pretty, pretty princess.
Watch out, SoCal Grassroots folks tonight! Here I come!
Monday, February 21, 2005
back at the UofA...
Monday has arrived and I am back at the Connectivity Lab of the UofA, this time on an eMac. How that's different than an iMac I don't know, except the eMac looks like it means business, as opposed to the iMac, which is still more powerful, I suspect, than my aging home PC, but looks like a cute lil' machine playing at Big Important Computer. Except I doubt it crashes when I look at it crooked. Or at all. Again, unlike my home PC.
I've been wandering 'round the campus again after strolling down University Boulevard and Fourth Street. Fourth Street is what is known as the counter-cultural part of Tucson, i.e. organic food co-ops and coffee houses with 100% free trade coffee and blond white guys with dreads. In other words, my kind of place. (Except for the blond white guys with dreads. Cute and all, but wash your damn hair already.)
Later in the day I'll be heading over to BestFriend's place of business, where we will have lunch together and I'll sit and read while I wait for her to finish work (or just head back here - it's not that far away and there's much more to enjoy at the university - man, I so should be a professional student, how do I get paid for that gig?). Then BestFriend, BFHubby, BFDaughter and I will have dinner, whereupon I will be driven to the nearby airport to head home.
I tell ya, this weekend has gone by so fast. I don't usually spend this much time in Tucson. As a rule, I'm here about 2 1/2 days, not including travel time. This time I've been here for a little over three days and it still rushed by. But it's been a great visit, as usual. Friday night was dinner with all four of us at a Sweet Tomatoes (that's Souplantation for you L.A. folks) and hanging out at their home, Saturday was more hanging out, Sunday was a girly day for BestFriend, BFDaughter and myself as we ate at a wonderful vegetarian restaurant run by the Krishnas, then we shopped for clothes, then for books. Which, okay, maybe that last bit is on the dangerous side. I've managed to pick up at least twenty books this weekend, to be added to the stack of twenty plus currently residing on my computer table. Because I haven't even scratched the thin veneer of the surface of all the books I need to read. Later we had to stop off at Wal-Mart, which was weird for me because I despise Wal-Mart with every cell in my being (I got very quiet when I walked in because I was being bombarded by all the negativity inherent in such a horrible business - the entire time I was in the store I felt tense and had to force myself to smile) and so will never spend my money there. But I also completely understand why people shop there - especially people with families - and I don't think I can be all Ms. Judgmental about it.
But, Wal-Mart aside, lovely as this entire weekend has been, Saturday night was probably best of all. Because it was a girls' date for BestFriend and I, having dinner at a yummy Teppan style Japanese restaurant (I'd never been to one before), tea at a lovely Asian teahouse and a night at the theatre watching a fantastic Irish dance troupe that has been around longer than Riverdance and incorporated jazz, modern and ballet dance as well. We managed to get caught in the storm that swept through Tucson Saturday night, watching the lightening, listening to the thunder, getting pelted by both huge, heavy raindrops and pebble-sized hail as we navigated the three blocks from the parking garage to Centennial Hall, attempting to minimize the drenching (thank heavens for umbrellas, no?) despite the ankle-deep rushing rivers that are now city streets once again.
It was an adventure. And fun, in its own rather damp little way. We followed it up by a rain-free brownie hot-fudge sundae at Coco's, with a hot chocolate for me and milk for her, then back on home.
It's no wonder I love these weekends in Tucson. And it's no wonder why I head out here at least once a year, if not twice.
Time to start planning my next visit...
I've been wandering 'round the campus again after strolling down University Boulevard and Fourth Street. Fourth Street is what is known as the counter-cultural part of Tucson, i.e. organic food co-ops and coffee houses with 100% free trade coffee and blond white guys with dreads. In other words, my kind of place. (Except for the blond white guys with dreads. Cute and all, but wash your damn hair already.)
Later in the day I'll be heading over to BestFriend's place of business, where we will have lunch together and I'll sit and read while I wait for her to finish work (or just head back here - it's not that far away and there's much more to enjoy at the university - man, I so should be a professional student, how do I get paid for that gig?). Then BestFriend, BFHubby, BFDaughter and I will have dinner, whereupon I will be driven to the nearby airport to head home.
I tell ya, this weekend has gone by so fast. I don't usually spend this much time in Tucson. As a rule, I'm here about 2 1/2 days, not including travel time. This time I've been here for a little over three days and it still rushed by. But it's been a great visit, as usual. Friday night was dinner with all four of us at a Sweet Tomatoes (that's Souplantation for you L.A. folks) and hanging out at their home, Saturday was more hanging out, Sunday was a girly day for BestFriend, BFDaughter and myself as we ate at a wonderful vegetarian restaurant run by the Krishnas, then we shopped for clothes, then for books. Which, okay, maybe that last bit is on the dangerous side. I've managed to pick up at least twenty books this weekend, to be added to the stack of twenty plus currently residing on my computer table. Because I haven't even scratched the thin veneer of the surface of all the books I need to read. Later we had to stop off at Wal-Mart, which was weird for me because I despise Wal-Mart with every cell in my being (I got very quiet when I walked in because I was being bombarded by all the negativity inherent in such a horrible business - the entire time I was in the store I felt tense and had to force myself to smile) and so will never spend my money there. But I also completely understand why people shop there - especially people with families - and I don't think I can be all Ms. Judgmental about it.
But, Wal-Mart aside, lovely as this entire weekend has been, Saturday night was probably best of all. Because it was a girls' date for BestFriend and I, having dinner at a yummy Teppan style Japanese restaurant (I'd never been to one before), tea at a lovely Asian teahouse and a night at the theatre watching a fantastic Irish dance troupe that has been around longer than Riverdance and incorporated jazz, modern and ballet dance as well. We managed to get caught in the storm that swept through Tucson Saturday night, watching the lightening, listening to the thunder, getting pelted by both huge, heavy raindrops and pebble-sized hail as we navigated the three blocks from the parking garage to Centennial Hall, attempting to minimize the drenching (thank heavens for umbrellas, no?) despite the ankle-deep rushing rivers that are now city streets once again.
It was an adventure. And fun, in its own rather damp little way. We followed it up by a rain-free brownie hot-fudge sundae at Coco's, with a hot chocolate for me and milk for her, then back on home.
It's no wonder I love these weekends in Tucson. And it's no wonder why I head out here at least once a year, if not twice.
Time to start planning my next visit...
Saturday, February 19, 2005
kinda lyin'...
I didn't mean to, though. I don't think I'll do much updating from the home of BestFriend after all. Problem is, this keyboard is a little touchy and tends to miss letters here and there and it just takes too long to type anything out. The much vaunted Taurean patience is nowhere to be seen, as I get frustrated with trying to type the same damn vowel or consonant over and over, with little luck.
If I get to another internet connection with a better keyboard before Monday evening I'll check in. Until then, have a good day, weekend, etc!
If I get to another internet connection with a better keyboard before Monday evening I'll check in. Until then, have a good day, weekend, etc!
Friday, February 18, 2005
university strolling...
Here I am on the campus of the University of Arizona, playing in the Connectivity Lab. BFHubby works for the UofA (I ain't saying which department, though) and has hooked me up on this sweet Mac G4 (or do you Mac people call it an Apple G4? I've just always been a PC person). I've spent most of my time here wandering around the campus, eating, buying books (finally have America (The Book) - yea!) and getting a little lost. It's been fun! I have to go meet BFHubby pretty soon, as we have to meet BestFriend and pick up BFDaughter, but I've been enjoying this downtime despite a total of six hours of sleep over the last two days (including the nap I took on the plane this morning). Having never attended a university and only taken two semesters at a community college in the dark, long-ago days of the mid-80s, I'm always amazed how at home I feel when I'm on a campus, whether it be UCLA, UofA or even Santa Monica College.
Funny thing is it was raining in L.A. when I left this morning and it's been raining off and on in Tucson since I arrived. I'm just a little bundle of gloomy rain bringing, ain't I? Also, with the crowds at LAX this morning, I realized anew why I don't travel on holiday weekends. Crazy, man, just crazy. If it weren't for running into a former writing group member in the security line halfway down ("Carol, you're traveling with me, right?" "Of course I am!") I probably would have missed my flight, as I barely caught it even with arriving early.
(A big thanks to ModelGirl and her hubby for checking in on the cats while I'm here. I wasn't sure I could find someone, but they totally stepped up to the plate. If they need me to help them move bodies, I'm there for them.)
So off I go now. I'll check in with y'all a bit later from the comfort of the sofa of BestFriend and family, which will also serve as my bed for this weekend.
Funny thing is it was raining in L.A. when I left this morning and it's been raining off and on in Tucson since I arrived. I'm just a little bundle of gloomy rain bringing, ain't I? Also, with the crowds at LAX this morning, I realized anew why I don't travel on holiday weekends. Crazy, man, just crazy. If it weren't for running into a former writing group member in the security line halfway down ("Carol, you're traveling with me, right?" "Of course I am!") I probably would have missed my flight, as I barely caught it even with arriving early.
(A big thanks to ModelGirl and her hubby for checking in on the cats while I'm here. I wasn't sure I could find someone, but they totally stepped up to the plate. If they need me to help them move bodies, I'm there for them.)
So off I go now. I'll check in with y'all a bit later from the comfort of the sofa of BestFriend and family, which will also serve as my bed for this weekend.
Thursday, February 17, 2005
a new entry? just maybe?
I'll be winging my way to lovely Tucson way too early tomorrow morning to visit BestFriend and her family. I'm hoping I'll have a little posting time after I get there (BTW, in case y'all didn't quite catch it the first eleventy billion times, I'm BUSY! Because I'm the ONLY busy person in the history of the WORLD!), since BFHubby will be picking me up from the Tucson airport, taking me to his work, and supposedly setting me up at a computer while he's working. The plan is to write a few entries that I've been planning to post and have even written in a notebook whilst on the bus with the plans to transcribe them onto keyboard and computer screen. After all, with my political meetings (on the recommendation of the rather attractive DemDelegate [What? I'm a single gal who likes to look at cute guys! That should come as no surprise!] I'm now on the Strategy Sub-Committee of the SoCal Grassroots Communications Committee - I'm a mover and a shaker, baby!) and that Kenny Club meeting (where I saw, for the first time in over ten years, the lovely wife of GruvLoungeGoth, with whom I was a good friend back in high school and a few years afterwards - we hugged for, like, ever, it seemed) and enjoying an open mic night last weekend (which I've decided I will participate in next month, because the host thought me reading my short stories would be a good thing - some talented musicians there on Saturday), not to mention the hard work getting this writing class locked down is turning out to be and the ever elusive recounting of last week's BookCrossing MeetUp, which might be of interest to anyone who has been following the CuteNerdBoy Saga - which has existed throughout the entire life of this humble blog-- Well, there's lots to tell.
That will, however, depend on if I can keep my head upright and not thunk it on the desk in a dead sleep, delicate drool streaming from my mouth to the top of the desk. Because I'll be getting no sleep tonight as I prepare a few things and I'll be leaving super, super early for a 8:30am flight. (BTW, you know how they say your real friends will drive you to the airport? Sarriah is beyond the real friend level, as she is both taking me to and picking me up from the airport - I may have to give her my first born for this, or at least pay for gas and buy coffee and dinner and wash her car and paint her fence and braid her cats' hair. Then again, they also say a friend will help you move but a real friend will help you move a body - maybe she's got a body she wants me to help move...) After about three hours of sleep last night - which I do not regret, as it involved laughter and religious/political/incredibly personal discussions on the phone for over four hours with an interesting person, never a bad thing in my book - I may not be at my most scintillating. Or, for that matter, awake.
I'll be in Tucson until Monday night. I'm taking Tuesday off work, hoping to use it as a decompress day (and in honor of BestFriend's birthday), but it looks like I'll have to use it to run errands, as several things have popped up and that's the only day I have open to take care of them.
So if I don't show up tomorrow, it's because I'm contributing to the noise pollution of BFHubby's workplace with my snores. I'll try to pop my head in here over the weekend, as I have in the past, but I make no promises.
I hope y'all had a great Valentine's Day, BTW. I spent mine in writing class, which was just fine by me. And here's to a terrific President's Weekend for you American types. For the international folks, have a great weekend in general.
That will, however, depend on if I can keep my head upright and not thunk it on the desk in a dead sleep, delicate drool streaming from my mouth to the top of the desk. Because I'll be getting no sleep tonight as I prepare a few things and I'll be leaving super, super early for a 8:30am flight. (BTW, you know how they say your real friends will drive you to the airport? Sarriah is beyond the real friend level, as she is both taking me to and picking me up from the airport - I may have to give her my first born for this, or at least pay for gas and buy coffee and dinner and wash her car and paint her fence and braid her cats' hair. Then again, they also say a friend will help you move but a real friend will help you move a body - maybe she's got a body she wants me to help move...) After about three hours of sleep last night - which I do not regret, as it involved laughter and religious/political/incredibly personal discussions on the phone for over four hours with an interesting person, never a bad thing in my book - I may not be at my most scintillating. Or, for that matter, awake.
I'll be in Tucson until Monday night. I'm taking Tuesday off work, hoping to use it as a decompress day (and in honor of BestFriend's birthday), but it looks like I'll have to use it to run errands, as several things have popped up and that's the only day I have open to take care of them.
So if I don't show up tomorrow, it's because I'm contributing to the noise pollution of BFHubby's workplace with my snores. I'll try to pop my head in here over the weekend, as I have in the past, but I make no promises.
I hope y'all had a great Valentine's Day, BTW. I spent mine in writing class, which was just fine by me. And here's to a terrific President's Weekend for you American types. For the international folks, have a great weekend in general.
Saturday, February 12, 2005
evening primrose...
Oops. I wrote this on Saturday but didn't finish and publish it. My cats must have flashed something shiny in front of my eyes.
After a Friday evening hanging out with Sarriah, crashing on her sofa, several hours today attending a psychic reading fair in El Segundo (interesting things were imparted to me, much of it confirming things in my career and personal lives that my instincts had told me), more hours traveling via bus and train, I arrived home. I stripped down so that I could relax a bit more - despite my love of clothing sometimes it just gets in the way - and turned on the TV for a short time. I didn't really want to watch TV, but I thought it would be good background noise while I hunted down a CD and its booklet which had been on my mind for awhile.
I found the CD and booklet: Merrily We Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim, whom I think is probably the greatest lyricist and composer of our time, if not of all time. Every person that knows me knows that I believe he is a musical god. There was a song in particular that I've been humming off and on over the last week, so I decided it was time to pop it in and become reacquainted with its lyrics, as I haven't listened to it in far too long.
I sat on my sofa, booklet in hand as I looked for the lyrics, but I decided to take a spin around the cable channels. Maybe something would pop up. I briefly landed on an odd channel, one that sometimes had infomercials, sometimes had community affairs programs, sometimes art programs. And there on the TV screen was the bright smiling face of Stephen Sondheim, laughing and listening.
Of course I put down the remote.
What I had stumbled upon was a conversation between Sondheim and another gentleman who I didn't recognize, but who seemed to be a composer himself. Part of a series of conversations held at the 92nd St. Y in New York, it was fascinating, listening to them talk about the craft of composing for theatre and film. Unfortunately I had missed most of it, but it was still fabulous. Especially since they ended the conversation with songs from Evening Primrose, a strange little piece so rarely performed in any way, but one with wonderful music. It was such a treat to see and hear that.
And now I must freshen up, clothe myself once again and off myself to an open mic night at a nearby coffeehouse so that I may determine if I wish to participate in reading my short stories in public and if this place will be conducive to that.
Yep, definitely feeling driven right now. I working on keeping that driven feeling with me for a very long time. And maybe pointing some of that driven energy in the general direction of cleaning my apartment.
After a Friday evening hanging out with Sarriah, crashing on her sofa, several hours today attending a psychic reading fair in El Segundo (interesting things were imparted to me, much of it confirming things in my career and personal lives that my instincts had told me), more hours traveling via bus and train, I arrived home. I stripped down so that I could relax a bit more - despite my love of clothing sometimes it just gets in the way - and turned on the TV for a short time. I didn't really want to watch TV, but I thought it would be good background noise while I hunted down a CD and its booklet which had been on my mind for awhile.
I found the CD and booklet: Merrily We Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim, whom I think is probably the greatest lyricist and composer of our time, if not of all time. Every person that knows me knows that I believe he is a musical god. There was a song in particular that I've been humming off and on over the last week, so I decided it was time to pop it in and become reacquainted with its lyrics, as I haven't listened to it in far too long.
I sat on my sofa, booklet in hand as I looked for the lyrics, but I decided to take a spin around the cable channels. Maybe something would pop up. I briefly landed on an odd channel, one that sometimes had infomercials, sometimes had community affairs programs, sometimes art programs. And there on the TV screen was the bright smiling face of Stephen Sondheim, laughing and listening.
Of course I put down the remote.
What I had stumbled upon was a conversation between Sondheim and another gentleman who I didn't recognize, but who seemed to be a composer himself. Part of a series of conversations held at the 92nd St. Y in New York, it was fascinating, listening to them talk about the craft of composing for theatre and film. Unfortunately I had missed most of it, but it was still fabulous. Especially since they ended the conversation with songs from Evening Primrose, a strange little piece so rarely performed in any way, but one with wonderful music. It was such a treat to see and hear that.
And now I must freshen up, clothe myself once again and off myself to an open mic night at a nearby coffeehouse so that I may determine if I wish to participate in reading my short stories in public and if this place will be conducive to that.
Yep, definitely feeling driven right now. I working on keeping that driven feeling with me for a very long time. And maybe pointing some of that driven energy in the general direction of cleaning my apartment.
Friday, February 11, 2005
anyone got WD40?
It's cold and rainy in Los Angeles today. I fell asleep on my sofa last night, so I'm tired. And the bones and joints are creaking like...like...well, like old tired creaky things that haven't been introduced to any sort of lubrication since they were young and spry and failing miserably at turning cartwheels but still did the best backwards somersaults in class.
Despite my body's belief that it's about 40 years older than it really is and my brain's inability to think cogently for longer than 15 seconds--
Ooh, a shiny nickle! Look, water sparkles under mini-spotlights! Lint! It's fluffy lint!
Ahem.
Anyway, it's still a neato kinda day. I think I'll treat myself to a little lunch.
Despite my body's belief that it's about 40 years older than it really is and my brain's inability to think cogently for longer than 15 seconds--
Ooh, a shiny nickle! Look, water sparkles under mini-spotlights! Lint! It's fluffy lint!
Ahem.
Anyway, it's still a neato kinda day. I think I'll treat myself to a little lunch.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
bound and determined...
...to break my heart. It's obvious that is the intent of KGDS. For these are the last three songs it has played:
Dar Williams - If I Wrote About You
A Girl Called Eddy - People Used To Dream About The Future
Keri Noble - Falling
Now it's playing Fruit Tree by Nick Drake, about which I've blogged before. And my poor little heart is breaking into teeny-tiny pieces.
C'mon, KGDS, I know ya got something upbeat or uptempo in there somewhere. I mean, I rated Red Hot Chili Peppers and Andrew Bird. Maybe a little Louis Armstrong or Heart or Keller Williams or Cream?
Wait, here's a new song... And it's Pendulums by Sarah Harmer. Fine. No problem. I'll just hunt up a little Super Glue and use it on my heart when you're done smashing it to pieces, you evil personalized radio station.
Dar Williams - If I Wrote About You
A Girl Called Eddy - People Used To Dream About The Future
Keri Noble - Falling
Now it's playing Fruit Tree by Nick Drake, about which I've blogged before. And my poor little heart is breaking into teeny-tiny pieces.
C'mon, KGDS, I know ya got something upbeat or uptempo in there somewhere. I mean, I rated Red Hot Chili Peppers and Andrew Bird. Maybe a little Louis Armstrong or Heart or Keller Williams or Cream?
Wait, here's a new song... And it's Pendulums by Sarah Harmer. Fine. No problem. I'll just hunt up a little Super Glue and use it on my heart when you're done smashing it to pieces, you evil personalized radio station.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
color me not surprised...
I'm not a news junkie. I don't read the New York Times front to back. I don't watch CNN every day. I don't lie prostrate on the floor, my chin resting on my hands as my eyes peer lovingly up at C-SPAN.
I listen to news radio as I get ready for work in the morning. I'll catch a few headlines here and there during the day. And I watch The Daily Show, my chin resting on my hands as my eyes peer lovingly up at my pretty pretty pretend boyfriend Jon Stewart.
That's enough for me. But sometimes it means I'm a little behind on many things that don't appear above the fold.
Luckily there are bloggers out there who are far more conversant with all the little ins and outs of the news cycle. For those of you who aren't familiar with Mike Reed of Man About Murfreesboro, he is a fellow whom I love to read and whom many bloggers and journalers have long cited as their go-to person for all things political. True, he writes with a rather left slant, but he will always cite his sources, which is a must when writing about the news. He was Daily Kos before Daily Kos existed.
He recently wrote about a breaking story which involves a rather suspicious "journalist" the Bush White House seems to rather like. Read about "Jeff Gannon" and a letter from a ranking member of the House Rules Committee.
Elucidation, thy name is Mike Reed.
************************* I have finally joined the world of the enlightened. I have started reading Neil Gaiman's journal. Yeah, I'm a billion years behind. What else is new?
BTW, that Neil Gaiman? Is a cutie pie! He actually looks a little like one of my ex-boyfriends (the one with whom I'm still a friend - actually that ex looks like a combination of Neil Gaiman and Geoffrey Rush).
Yeah, count me in with all of the Gaiman fan-girls. Damn it.
I listen to news radio as I get ready for work in the morning. I'll catch a few headlines here and there during the day. And I watch The Daily Show, my chin resting on my hands as my eyes peer lovingly up at my pretty pretty pretend boyfriend Jon Stewart.
That's enough for me. But sometimes it means I'm a little behind on many things that don't appear above the fold.
Luckily there are bloggers out there who are far more conversant with all the little ins and outs of the news cycle. For those of you who aren't familiar with Mike Reed of Man About Murfreesboro, he is a fellow whom I love to read and whom many bloggers and journalers have long cited as their go-to person for all things political. True, he writes with a rather left slant, but he will always cite his sources, which is a must when writing about the news. He was Daily Kos before Daily Kos existed.
He recently wrote about a breaking story which involves a rather suspicious "journalist" the Bush White House seems to rather like. Read about "Jeff Gannon" and a letter from a ranking member of the House Rules Committee.
Elucidation, thy name is Mike Reed.
BTW, that Neil Gaiman? Is a cutie pie! He actually looks a little like one of my ex-boyfriends (the one with whom I'm still a friend - actually that ex looks like a combination of Neil Gaiman and Geoffrey Rush).
Yeah, count me in with all of the Gaiman fan-girls. Damn it.
coolio, baby...
I know I got some serious postin' and commentin' to be doing, including an account of my first BookCrossing meeting since I instituted the break last summer. I would have written about it last night, but I needed to mentally and emotionally decompress a bit first. Suffice to say for now that I think it was a good thing that I went and this may well be the first step to a new sort of friendship for CuteNerdBoy and me, but it's still going to take time. And I'm going to take it very slowly. I have to, for my own heart and sanity.
I've also yet to write about my first Kenny Club meeting (see end of entry) on Saturday morning - very cool people and very interesting music. I'm happy with that too.
Man, this week has been so crazy busy - especially at work - that I'm just bushed. However, it appears that I don't think I'm busy enough. Because after I got home last night a bug crawled up my ass and has firmly remained lodged. I think it even has built a cute little town home with a nice patch of flowers in the front and a vegetable garden in the back. As a result, today I mailed off an application for Santa Monica College so that I can take a creative writing course that happens to be starting next week.
Yep, if everything goes through okay I will be spending my Monday evenings in a classroom learning how to write all creative-like.
Why have I decided that I need this? Because I've never really taken a creative writing course before. Any writing classes I may have taken were back in the deep dark ages of high school. I've been told that college courses are an entirely different animal. I'm curious about what's ahead.
And I'm venturing into the long neglected world of higher education (I've only had two semesters of college edumacation back in '86 or thereabouts, at Pierce Community College, as well as a couple of UCLA Extension courses in '93) because, as wonderful as the writing group is (I will continue with that as well), I need something a little more structured right now. Luckily GruvLougeGoth had recently taken the same course, albeit with a different instructor, so he was able to give me the inside scoop. Plus he e-mailed his former instructor to get the skinny on the person that will be leading my course and apparently he's a good guy, but a polarizing teacher: students either love him or hate him. It should prove interesting.
Right now I seem to be in a bit of a driven mood, so I'm taking advantage of it while it lasts. I just have to remember to not overload myself.
************************ Two more things:
* If y'all have not yet read Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, do so immediately. By the second page I fell irrevocably in love with it and it is continuing to prove that my deep abiding love is not for naught. Armegeddon? It's a good thing.
* There's a new link in the sidebar - KGDS: My LaunchCast Station. I set it up a long time ago, but due to freaky work and home computers, I never listened to it. Well, my work computer is behaving itself - more or less - and I've been playing it all week. I love it. It's a thing of beauty. Right now I'm listening to Goodbye Love from Rent and recently heard Love and Anger by Kate Bush and Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits. Just a nice variety of music. So if you want to get an idea about the music I love, take a listen. I still have many artists to add, but I've got a good start.
This post ended up longer than I'd anticipated, which is fine, but I'll post about other, more intense subjects later in the week. I promise.
I've also yet to write about my first Kenny Club meeting (see end of entry) on Saturday morning - very cool people and very interesting music. I'm happy with that too.
Man, this week has been so crazy busy - especially at work - that I'm just bushed. However, it appears that I don't think I'm busy enough. Because after I got home last night a bug crawled up my ass and has firmly remained lodged. I think it even has built a cute little town home with a nice patch of flowers in the front and a vegetable garden in the back. As a result, today I mailed off an application for Santa Monica College so that I can take a creative writing course that happens to be starting next week.
Yep, if everything goes through okay I will be spending my Monday evenings in a classroom learning how to write all creative-like.
Why have I decided that I need this? Because I've never really taken a creative writing course before. Any writing classes I may have taken were back in the deep dark ages of high school. I've been told that college courses are an entirely different animal. I'm curious about what's ahead.
And I'm venturing into the long neglected world of higher education (I've only had two semesters of college edumacation back in '86 or thereabouts, at Pierce Community College, as well as a couple of UCLA Extension courses in '93) because, as wonderful as the writing group is (I will continue with that as well), I need something a little more structured right now. Luckily GruvLougeGoth had recently taken the same course, albeit with a different instructor, so he was able to give me the inside scoop. Plus he e-mailed his former instructor to get the skinny on the person that will be leading my course and apparently he's a good guy, but a polarizing teacher: students either love him or hate him. It should prove interesting.
Right now I seem to be in a bit of a driven mood, so I'm taking advantage of it while it lasts. I just have to remember to not overload myself.
* If y'all have not yet read Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett, do so immediately. By the second page I fell irrevocably in love with it and it is continuing to prove that my deep abiding love is not for naught. Armegeddon? It's a good thing.
* There's a new link in the sidebar - KGDS: My LaunchCast Station. I set it up a long time ago, but due to freaky work and home computers, I never listened to it. Well, my work computer is behaving itself - more or less - and I've been playing it all week. I love it. It's a thing of beauty. Right now I'm listening to Goodbye Love from Rent and recently heard Love and Anger by Kate Bush and Sultans of Swing by Dire Straits. Just a nice variety of music. So if you want to get an idea about the music I love, take a listen. I still have many artists to add, but I've got a good start.
This post ended up longer than I'd anticipated, which is fine, but I'll post about other, more intense subjects later in the week. I promise.
Sunday, February 06, 2005
mope mope mopity mope...
So yeah. This morning. Care for a little self-inflicted melodrama with your shower?
That isn't to say my emotions from last night and this morning weren't valid. They completely were. But I'm feeling much better now. I suppose it's hard to remain blue when, as one of the exercises during the improv class, I participated in a 15-2 minute "reunion" with the other class members, all of us speaking nothing but gibberish. The whole class was unbelievably fun and again I reiterate that I have some rather talented classmates. Even the cute - and very married - instructor told us that we were an excellent group. There really isn't much better in the world than performing in front of people. I'm very happy that I'm getting back in contact with that long-lost part of me. And it turns out that my funny decided to accompany me after all, stowing away in my Bag O' Stuff.
Then I trained it out to the San Gabriel Valley to meet with Boychik, whereupon we spent a little time at the.The Huntington Library, enjoyed a proper British tea at the Rose Garden Tea Room, which usually has to be booked weeks in advance. We were pretty lucky there. Then we hung out at his fabulous new guest house, which I dearly love and wish I could have tucked into my purse to take home. The downstairs (yes, a guest house with two floors!) living room was bigger than his old studio apartment in West Hollywood. It's a bummer that he now lives much farther away, but I can get to him via train in about an hour, so it's not too bad.
And now I'm home and tired, ready to get some richly needed sleep, but feeling scads better than this morning.
Amazing how speaking gibberish and having tea will brighten up even an overcast, slightly rainy day.
That isn't to say my emotions from last night and this morning weren't valid. They completely were. But I'm feeling much better now. I suppose it's hard to remain blue when, as one of the exercises during the improv class, I participated in a 15-2 minute "reunion" with the other class members, all of us speaking nothing but gibberish. The whole class was unbelievably fun and again I reiterate that I have some rather talented classmates. Even the cute - and very married - instructor told us that we were an excellent group. There really isn't much better in the world than performing in front of people. I'm very happy that I'm getting back in contact with that long-lost part of me. And it turns out that my funny decided to accompany me after all, stowing away in my Bag O' Stuff.
Then I trained it out to the San Gabriel Valley to meet with Boychik, whereupon we spent a little time at the.The Huntington Library, enjoyed a proper British tea at the Rose Garden Tea Room, which usually has to be booked weeks in advance. We were pretty lucky there. Then we hung out at his fabulous new guest house, which I dearly love and wish I could have tucked into my purse to take home. The downstairs (yes, a guest house with two floors!) living room was bigger than his old studio apartment in West Hollywood. It's a bummer that he now lives much farther away, but I can get to him via train in about an hour, so it's not too bad.
And now I'm home and tired, ready to get some richly needed sleep, but feeling scads better than this morning.
Amazing how speaking gibberish and having tea will brighten up even an overcast, slightly rainy day.
roots so strong...
...they're spreading into the septic pipes of my mind.
More interesting political debate going on in the comments of Friday's entry, but right now I have neither the time or the energy to address it, as this is a seriously booked-up weekend. Perhaps in a few days.
Right now I should be in a shower, getting ready for my improv class, but I'm wondering if my funny will be accompanying me. Whilst out with NewYorkWriter and her husband last night I found out a previously unknown tidbit that has taken root in the rather predominate obsessive side of my brain and refuses to be dislodged. Again, I'm violating journal principles by refusing to divulge the nature of this tidbit, but while it's something I probably need to know, it doesn't make me happy, it's making me want to stay home and stew instead of going to improv class and meeting up with Boychik afterwards and it's causing me to question my previous tentative decision to attend the BookCrossing MeetUp. Various circumstances freed up my usually booked Tuesday and the timing suggested this would be the perfect time to go again, especially since I've been feeling really good about a number of parts of my life thus far in 2005 and I'd been thinking that my good feelings could carry me through an evening which might be slightly awkward.
Now? I'm not so sure.
On the plus side, last night I won ten complimentary passes for Improv Olympics in Hollywood - a $100 value! Comedy outing anyone?
More interesting political debate going on in the comments of Friday's entry, but right now I have neither the time or the energy to address it, as this is a seriously booked-up weekend. Perhaps in a few days.
Right now I should be in a shower, getting ready for my improv class, but I'm wondering if my funny will be accompanying me. Whilst out with NewYorkWriter and her husband last night I found out a previously unknown tidbit that has taken root in the rather predominate obsessive side of my brain and refuses to be dislodged. Again, I'm violating journal principles by refusing to divulge the nature of this tidbit, but while it's something I probably need to know, it doesn't make me happy, it's making me want to stay home and stew instead of going to improv class and meeting up with Boychik afterwards and it's causing me to question my previous tentative decision to attend the BookCrossing MeetUp. Various circumstances freed up my usually booked Tuesday and the timing suggested this would be the perfect time to go again, especially since I've been feeling really good about a number of parts of my life thus far in 2005 and I'd been thinking that my good feelings could carry me through an evening which might be slightly awkward.
Now? I'm not so sure.
On the plus side, last night I won ten complimentary passes for Improv Olympics in Hollywood - a $100 value! Comedy outing anyone?
Friday, February 04, 2005
the end is near...
I've been in a bit of an unintentional news blackout this week, so I just found out something that made entertainment news a couple of days ago:
Enterprise has been canceled.
As reported on TeeVee.org, this will mark the first time in eighteen years that an original Star Trek series will not air. Eighteen years.
I admit I've not been paying attention to Enterprise since its series premiere, despite the presence of Scott Bakula - whom I think is a yummy treat - and the excellent work of John Billingsley. It just never caught my attention. Perhaps it was the progression of the malaise that Voyager inspired in me, though I've always liked Robert Picardo. I'm not sure. But I haven't been a hard-core Trekkie for many years.
Despite this, and the belief that it was definitely time for a franchise break (did y'all see Insurrection and Nemesis? Yeesh!), I do feel a bit of sadness. I've been a Trek fan since I was twelve or so, becoming irrevocably hooked on the original series and falling head over heels for The Next Generation. Though my obsession was on the wane midway through Deep Space Nine, I still enjoyed it and can't wait until that series syndicates again so I can catch the episodes I missed. Though I suppose I can always keep an eye out for DVDs.
Rest well, Star Trek. You have lived long and prospered, but you'll never be truly gone from our hearts, minds and TV screens. Because syndication rakes in the bucks, yo.
Enterprise has been canceled.
As reported on TeeVee.org, this will mark the first time in eighteen years that an original Star Trek series will not air. Eighteen years.
I admit I've not been paying attention to Enterprise since its series premiere, despite the presence of Scott Bakula - whom I think is a yummy treat - and the excellent work of John Billingsley. It just never caught my attention. Perhaps it was the progression of the malaise that Voyager inspired in me, though I've always liked Robert Picardo. I'm not sure. But I haven't been a hard-core Trekkie for many years.
Despite this, and the belief that it was definitely time for a franchise break (did y'all see Insurrection and Nemesis? Yeesh!), I do feel a bit of sadness. I've been a Trek fan since I was twelve or so, becoming irrevocably hooked on the original series and falling head over heels for The Next Generation. Though my obsession was on the wane midway through Deep Space Nine, I still enjoyed it and can't wait until that series syndicates again so I can catch the episodes I missed. Though I suppose I can always keep an eye out for DVDs.
Rest well, Star Trek. You have lived long and prospered, but you'll never be truly gone from our hearts, minds and TV screens. Because syndication rakes in the bucks, yo.
Thursday, February 03, 2005
my oh my...
Well, this has certainly been an interesting exchange of comments. I had no idea what this tiny entry would generate. I would have commented/posted earlier but this has been a very busy week thus far. Frankly, I don't really have time for this, but I'm going to respond anyway.
A few points** :
* Re: whether Bush et al. went against international opinion - both Jim and Chris are right. If you measure international opinion as international governments, then yes, technically international opinion was divided. A greater percentage of the leaders and governments were/are against the Invasion of Iraq than were/are for it, but the percentage for the war was/is not a meager sliver of the pie. To wit:
Actually, looking at that map, I'd say the majority of the international community wasn't/isn't too happy about the war. If we include worldwide protests, even more evidence can be found to show that the US*** isn't exactly inspiring good feelings amongst our international neighbors.
This is not meant to disrespect those countries who have actively put their soldiers where their mouths are, but facts are facts - we went against majority international opinion.
* Let's look at the reasoning behind the Invasion of Iraq and the facts that have since been disclosed. Initially Bush and his advisors supported the desire to go to war primarily with claims of WMDs and links between Saddam Hussein and al-Qeada. As time wore on and investigations were made, it was determined that neither the WMDs nor definitive links were anywhere to be found. Still, this was the basis for the Bush Doctrine, wherein it is stated, more or less, that if the United States determines that another country poses a threat to us, we are within our rights to attack or invade that country. Now, while I do have problems with this on several levels, I can almost understand it. If the United States had proven that its idea of "reasoned preemptive actions" were indeed supported with incontrovertible facts. Not only did the government not do so, it continues to act as though the faulty intelligence it received was just a big "Oops! My bad!" As a result, the odds are not currently in favor of the current administration being any more careful in deciding who it considers a threat. It did a piss-poor job with actual threats against American targets, i.e. Bin Laden and al-Qaeda. These facts make me disinclined to give Bush and his advisors the benefit of the doubt.
(FYI, the actual basis of the Bush Doctrine pre-dates September 2001, and was supported by many neo-cons who are currently in power.)
But the desire to defend by attacking is patently not the same as Manifest Destiny, which was the belief that the entire North American continent was the sole property of the United States. I guess Canada is lucky the US government of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries decided not to push further north.
BTW, if one is going to liken the Bush Doctrine to Manifest Destiny, then one has even more reason to fear the US. Because this suggests that the United States isn't happy with the territory it currently has and is looking to get more, but has decided to use the obfuscating language of the Bush Doctrine to disguise its real intent in its attempt to make it palatable to Americans and the world at large.
* If the United States really cared about human dignity, why has it not helped with the crisis in Sudan? I have my theories, but they are just theories.
* All indications point to the breaking of international law by the United States.
* Might does not make right, whether it be a person or a nation. While this may appear more of a belief than a fact to some, it is nonetheless something that cannot be denied. Else the very dignity of humanity is at risk.
* I do not have the answers. I do not claim to have the answers. If I had, I would run for office or try to insinuate myself with someone with power in a heartbeat. I have gone around in my head and not truly come up with anything that takes all variables into account. And while the current administration is in power, it is highly doubtful that those with viable alternatives will be heeded, because Bush and Cronies are arrogantly positive that they have the only answers.
So, so much more to address. So little time to do so. Now I must get back to my previous work.
** Disclosure - the bulk of my argument is based on Wikipedia's article 2003 War on Iraq. As I said, at this time I don't have time to fully research everything about the Iraq War.
*** Whenever I refer to "the US" and "the United States", I am referring to the government, not its citizens.
A few points** :
* Re: whether Bush et al. went against international opinion - both Jim and Chris are right. If you measure international opinion as international governments, then yes, technically international opinion was divided. A greater percentage of the leaders and governments were/are against the Invasion of Iraq than were/are for it, but the percentage for the war was/is not a meager sliver of the pie. To wit:
Actually, looking at that map, I'd say the majority of the international community wasn't/isn't too happy about the war. If we include worldwide protests, even more evidence can be found to show that the US*** isn't exactly inspiring good feelings amongst our international neighbors.
This is not meant to disrespect those countries who have actively put their soldiers where their mouths are, but facts are facts - we went against majority international opinion.
* Let's look at the reasoning behind the Invasion of Iraq and the facts that have since been disclosed. Initially Bush and his advisors supported the desire to go to war primarily with claims of WMDs and links between Saddam Hussein and al-Qeada. As time wore on and investigations were made, it was determined that neither the WMDs nor definitive links were anywhere to be found. Still, this was the basis for the Bush Doctrine, wherein it is stated, more or less, that if the United States determines that another country poses a threat to us, we are within our rights to attack or invade that country. Now, while I do have problems with this on several levels, I can almost understand it. If the United States had proven that its idea of "reasoned preemptive actions" were indeed supported with incontrovertible facts. Not only did the government not do so, it continues to act as though the faulty intelligence it received was just a big "Oops! My bad!" As a result, the odds are not currently in favor of the current administration being any more careful in deciding who it considers a threat. It did a piss-poor job with actual threats against American targets, i.e. Bin Laden and al-Qaeda. These facts make me disinclined to give Bush and his advisors the benefit of the doubt.
(FYI, the actual basis of the Bush Doctrine pre-dates September 2001, and was supported by many neo-cons who are currently in power.)
But the desire to defend by attacking is patently not the same as Manifest Destiny, which was the belief that the entire North American continent was the sole property of the United States. I guess Canada is lucky the US government of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries decided not to push further north.
BTW, if one is going to liken the Bush Doctrine to Manifest Destiny, then one has even more reason to fear the US. Because this suggests that the United States isn't happy with the territory it currently has and is looking to get more, but has decided to use the obfuscating language of the Bush Doctrine to disguise its real intent in its attempt to make it palatable to Americans and the world at large.
* If the United States really cared about human dignity, why has it not helped with the crisis in Sudan? I have my theories, but they are just theories.
* All indications point to the breaking of international law by the United States.
* Might does not make right, whether it be a person or a nation. While this may appear more of a belief than a fact to some, it is nonetheless something that cannot be denied. Else the very dignity of humanity is at risk.
* I do not have the answers. I do not claim to have the answers. If I had, I would run for office or try to insinuate myself with someone with power in a heartbeat. I have gone around in my head and not truly come up with anything that takes all variables into account. And while the current administration is in power, it is highly doubtful that those with viable alternatives will be heeded, because Bush and Cronies are arrogantly positive that they have the only answers.
So, so much more to address. So little time to do so. Now I must get back to my previous work.
** Disclosure - the bulk of my argument is based on Wikipedia's article 2003 War on Iraq. As I said, at this time I don't have time to fully research everything about the Iraq War.
*** Whenever I refer to "the US" and "the United States", I am referring to the government, not its citizens.
Tuesday, February 01, 2005
only a link...
Not much time to post right now, but I wanted to share a link with y'all:
The Beast: 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2004
I'd say I agree with about 98% of that list.
Thanks for the link, GruvLoungeGoth!
The Beast: 50 Most Loathsome People in America, 2004
I'd say I agree with about 98% of that list.
Thanks for the link, GruvLoungeGoth!
Registered!
This is my blogchalk:
United States, California, Los Angeles, San Fernando Valley, English, Carol, Female, 36-40.
