A couple of weeks ago OldhaMedia posted this crazy, CRAZY photo of her, her daughter and a swan that lived on a lake they were visiting. The swan's expression (and close proximity to their faces) was unbelievable. As the days went on she continued to post photos and I have to say... it was an amazing set to see. I think of Swans as heartless bastards that like to blind people. But OldhaMedia showed me a new way to look at these winged minions of Satan.
Today's post by DRP (SigOther of OldhaMedia) just really hit the whole series out of the park. If that doesn't sum up the swan / woman relationship.... well, truly, then, it can't be summed up.
I really like this photo. Enough to want to use an expletive in place of the "really" in the previous sentence. But I'm on Tuesday night best behavior.
Holy hot damn, that is such an awesome photo.
Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Sunday, June 26, 2005
rebel watches my boyfriend
Today was a good day.
One, I got two -- count them two testimonials in Flickr. I suppose that stuff shouldn't matter to me, but I'm a sucker for the pat on the back, I tell you! So, it was really a great way to start the day.
Two, I finally kicked some ass on a project I'd been dragging my heals on. I worked on it all weekend, and then, this morning realized I had lost my content document. You don't understand: I don't do things like that. I never lose a file. Probably the last time I lost a file of this magnitude was 5 years ago. Either that or I have suppressed the other memories. :) Anyway, I think because it was all so fresh in my mind I was able to repurpose existing content. PHEW! And still get a lot of work done. That was brutal, but turned out okay in the end. (Richard, if you are reading this, I left that part of the info out this morning.).
Three, Dan and Slogrl just popped by. I was supposed to be off doing something else, but that fell through. So I was around when they stopped by. Very nice to hang out with them. :)
Four, and this is a great way to round out the day, one of my photos (this photo, right over there in the top right portion of this post) was spotlighted (spotlit?) on the Utata.org blog. :) With the amazing talent that lives over there, I was pretty much blown away that one of my photos was chosen. I tell ya... things like this just spread the smile right across the face, don't they? :)
Utata.org is a new group blog that I am going to be a part of. It's in its infancy, but I highly recommend everyone to bookmark it now. It's going to be a group photoblog with lots of content and columns and excellent photography. Sure to be a hit. It's still getting rounded out, but do go and check it out. It is brought to you by the Utata flickr group, but is the brainchild of Catherine Jamieson and the blood, sweat, and tears of Irina Souiki (god love 'em).
One, I got two -- count them two testimonials in Flickr. I suppose that stuff shouldn't matter to me, but I'm a sucker for the pat on the back, I tell you! So, it was really a great way to start the day.
Two, I finally kicked some ass on a project I'd been dragging my heals on. I worked on it all weekend, and then, this morning realized I had lost my content document. You don't understand: I don't do things like that. I never lose a file. Probably the last time I lost a file of this magnitude was 5 years ago. Either that or I have suppressed the other memories. :) Anyway, I think because it was all so fresh in my mind I was able to repurpose existing content. PHEW! And still get a lot of work done. That was brutal, but turned out okay in the end. (Richard, if you are reading this, I left that part of the info out this morning.).
Three, Dan and Slogrl just popped by. I was supposed to be off doing something else, but that fell through. So I was around when they stopped by. Very nice to hang out with them. :)
Four, and this is a great way to round out the day, one of my photos (this photo, right over there in the top right portion of this post) was spotlighted (spotlit?) on the Utata.org blog. :) With the amazing talent that lives over there, I was pretty much blown away that one of my photos was chosen. I tell ya... things like this just spread the smile right across the face, don't they? :)
Utata.org is a new group blog that I am going to be a part of. It's in its infancy, but I highly recommend everyone to bookmark it now. It's going to be a group photoblog with lots of content and columns and excellent photography. Sure to be a hit. It's still getting rounded out, but do go and check it out. It is brought to you by the Utata flickr group, but is the brainchild of Catherine Jamieson and the blood, sweat, and tears of Irina Souiki (god love 'em).
monday after live oak: two great girls, two great friends
plans just changed which means I've got time for a blog post
Oh man! What a week. Everything has changed; nothing has changed.
So, it was great having Rebel and Heather in town. Monday, home from Live Oak I found myself feeling so incredibly light and happy.... It's not that I want to sustain this feeling forever, but you gotta understand how fucking heavy my life has been for the last year, year and a half. And truly, tho this is melodramatic -- easily the last two years.
Two years ago my dad was diagnosed with cancer. Inoperable cancer -- not totally, but the operation would have been so extreme and dangerous that it was worse to try to go for the surgery. (Sorry, Dad, if you don't want me talking about this online.).
There is nothing like looking at the imminent death of a family member. And I am so close to my parents.... [shaking head]... I realize we are all mortal and that some things are inevitable, but that doesn't mean that facing those things is any easier.
So, my dad was sick for a long time. And he's pulled through — flying colors, say his doctors. But it was a long haul.
Then, last year, four people I knew died, one right after the other in about four months time. Of the four, I was close with one, and aquaintances with the other three... yet... still.... It just seemed and felt like a snowball, especially on the heels of what my dad had gone through.
Needless to say, the past few Live Oaks, while they were good, I was not good. I was sad. I was devestated (and I didn't even breach the stuff at the former place of employment which was... soul sucking).
This Live Oak, things were just better. Lighter. Easier.
And Monday I found myself really basking in the all of it.
The thing is, I'm not sure that it is too much to think that you can have that lightness and happiness on a regular basis. I mean, what if you could? I think you could. Not to suppress the sadness or madness or frustration that is a natural part of life.... but what if there is more happiness than what you are feeling right now?
Man, thinking back to how down I was last year, and let's not pull any punches, I was depressed, it's amazing that I can say how happy I was this week. Last year at this time, tho putting on the stiffest upper lip I could muster, I think I cried every day.
I'm pretty thankful not to be crying right now.
For me, I really think it comes down to two things: purpose and accomplishment. And you have to realize, I am someone who is pretty comfortable doing the free-floaty whatever hang out session. I'm not really Miss Ambition 2005. But truly, when I am happiest is when I feel like I have a purpose and I feel like I am accomplishing something. Anything. It doesn't matter.
One more thing, and I only bring this up cuz Rebel already wrote about it on her own blog. Sometimes, when people open up to you with their real shit, it can help you grow too.
Rebel landed in SLO town the Thursday before Live Oak none to happy. She'd missed her original flight -- it just simply slipped her mind. Her second flight? She was minutes from missing it and only made it by the luck of the draw. She didn't arrange to have anyone pick her up at the airport; I don't even think she knew where she was staying. When she landed in SLO (I'd gone to meet her plane) her first words to me were "I don't want to be here."
I didn't take that personally. In fact, I totally, 100% understood.
Her actions leading up to leaving Peru are my normal way of life and I tell you: I think it all has to do with committment. Committment to moving on from where you are now. Committment is a tough one for me, but c'mon: you gotta commit. Commit to what you are doing, commit to where you are going, commit to your friendships, to your family, to your lover, to yourself. And by commit, what I really mean is engage.
Patrick Sweeney, one of my Buddhist teachers says, "as long as you have an escape route, you aren't committed."
Welcome to the girl who always has an escape route.
When I heard those words just two days before Rebel's plane landed I rewound the tape and played again. And again. And again. I got nailed. He nailed me.
So, when Rebel showed up at the airport, well, really, there couldn't have been a more perfect person to pick her up. Cuz, I really understood where she was coming from.
Missing flights? I'm the QUEEN of missing flights. Not arranging to have anyone pick me up the airport? I RULE that behavior. Not wanting to leave where I'm at? Hello? Marya? Not ready to go on to the next step: Paging Ms. Emdot.
And I realized, the difference between me and Rebel? This is a temporary thing for her. She'll shake this off in a few days or weeks and be back to her tail-wagging self. Me? This is my neighborhood. This is my M.O. These are my standard operating procedures.
But hanging out with Rebel that day I relized: they don't have to be. It's just a choice.
It's like an old CEO of WA used to say "Agree and Commit or Disagree and Commit." That always stayed with me. Only now it's time to commit to it.
Anyway: Purpose and Accomplishment, people. I'm telling you: it's a magic elixir. Friends and Live Oak don't hurt either. No they don't.
Oh man! What a week. Everything has changed; nothing has changed.
So, it was great having Rebel and Heather in town. Monday, home from Live Oak I found myself feeling so incredibly light and happy.... It's not that I want to sustain this feeling forever, but you gotta understand how fucking heavy my life has been for the last year, year and a half. And truly, tho this is melodramatic -- easily the last two years.
Two years ago my dad was diagnosed with cancer. Inoperable cancer -- not totally, but the operation would have been so extreme and dangerous that it was worse to try to go for the surgery. (Sorry, Dad, if you don't want me talking about this online.).
There is nothing like looking at the imminent death of a family member. And I am so close to my parents.... [shaking head]... I realize we are all mortal and that some things are inevitable, but that doesn't mean that facing those things is any easier.
So, my dad was sick for a long time. And he's pulled through — flying colors, say his doctors. But it was a long haul.
Then, last year, four people I knew died, one right after the other in about four months time. Of the four, I was close with one, and aquaintances with the other three... yet... still.... It just seemed and felt like a snowball, especially on the heels of what my dad had gone through.
Needless to say, the past few Live Oaks, while they were good, I was not good. I was sad. I was devestated (and I didn't even breach the stuff at the former place of employment which was... soul sucking).
This Live Oak, things were just better. Lighter. Easier.
And Monday I found myself really basking in the all of it.
The thing is, I'm not sure that it is too much to think that you can have that lightness and happiness on a regular basis. I mean, what if you could? I think you could. Not to suppress the sadness or madness or frustration that is a natural part of life.... but what if there is more happiness than what you are feeling right now?
Man, thinking back to how down I was last year, and let's not pull any punches, I was depressed, it's amazing that I can say how happy I was this week. Last year at this time, tho putting on the stiffest upper lip I could muster, I think I cried every day.
I'm pretty thankful not to be crying right now.
For me, I really think it comes down to two things: purpose and accomplishment. And you have to realize, I am someone who is pretty comfortable doing the free-floaty whatever hang out session. I'm not really Miss Ambition 2005. But truly, when I am happiest is when I feel like I have a purpose and I feel like I am accomplishing something. Anything. It doesn't matter.
One more thing, and I only bring this up cuz Rebel already wrote about it on her own blog. Sometimes, when people open up to you with their real shit, it can help you grow too.
Rebel landed in SLO town the Thursday before Live Oak none to happy. She'd missed her original flight -- it just simply slipped her mind. Her second flight? She was minutes from missing it and only made it by the luck of the draw. She didn't arrange to have anyone pick her up at the airport; I don't even think she knew where she was staying. When she landed in SLO (I'd gone to meet her plane) her first words to me were "I don't want to be here."
I didn't take that personally. In fact, I totally, 100% understood.
Her actions leading up to leaving Peru are my normal way of life and I tell you: I think it all has to do with committment. Committment to moving on from where you are now. Committment is a tough one for me, but c'mon: you gotta commit. Commit to what you are doing, commit to where you are going, commit to your friendships, to your family, to your lover, to yourself. And by commit, what I really mean is engage.
Patrick Sweeney, one of my Buddhist teachers says, "as long as you have an escape route, you aren't committed."
Welcome to the girl who always has an escape route.
When I heard those words just two days before Rebel's plane landed I rewound the tape and played again. And again. And again. I got nailed. He nailed me.
So, when Rebel showed up at the airport, well, really, there couldn't have been a more perfect person to pick her up. Cuz, I really understood where she was coming from.
Missing flights? I'm the QUEEN of missing flights. Not arranging to have anyone pick me up the airport? I RULE that behavior. Not wanting to leave where I'm at? Hello? Marya? Not ready to go on to the next step: Paging Ms. Emdot.
And I realized, the difference between me and Rebel? This is a temporary thing for her. She'll shake this off in a few days or weeks and be back to her tail-wagging self. Me? This is my neighborhood. This is my M.O. These are my standard operating procedures.
But hanging out with Rebel that day I relized: they don't have to be. It's just a choice.
It's like an old CEO of WA used to say "Agree and Commit or Disagree and Commit." That always stayed with me. Only now it's time to commit to it.
Anyway: Purpose and Accomplishment, people. I'm telling you: it's a magic elixir. Friends and Live Oak don't hurt either. No they don't.
Thursday, June 23, 2005
Two animated cats
I am in love with this image. I can't tell you why, but it just gets me. Funny, too, hm?
Tuesday, June 21, 2005
that's right — back from live oak
Tonight is Solstice, aka Vernal Equinox. Only we got Rebecca Verner in town and are damn happy about that and so we are celebrating the VERNER EQUINOX tonight, people. Seven o'clock at Dan's. Be there or be square.
Friday, June 17, 2005
Dan and Me
What's better than this pic? Rebel and Dan at last year's Live Oak.
Reb just flew in from Peru yesterday. We'll be heading down to Lake Cachuma in about 2 hours.... Dan and Jim got there last night (it rained here last night, so here's hoping there's no rain there) to stake out a camp spot.
In case you didn't read that too quickly a minute ago, lemme repeat: IT RAINED HERE LAST NIGHT.
What is that all about? Crazy!
Anyway, Like Oak people! Wahoo!
Wednesday, June 15, 2005
Jeff and Rebel at Brunch
Live Oak's Camp Happy Facers Begin the Stirring
This morning has got me running around crazily as well. Work -- yes -- will start in five minutes. But meanwhile I had to deal with camping logistics. My camping gear was the victim of some nasty rain and some accompanying mildew. Am tackling situation as I type. Everything's been through the wash (except for the thermarest). Now everything is spread out all over my back deck and driveway. The tent has been temporarily erected (it seems to have escaped the rain and mildew problem -- but I have to air it out and double check) as well.
Lexicon de los Amigos
My friends and I have two formal phone signs off. The friendly one simply goes like this:
Person one: "Okay. Love!"
Person two: "Love!"
-click- -click-
The still friendly but cloaked in double meaning is this:
Person one: "Okay. Love you."
Person two: "Okay. Okay. I'll call you later."
-click- -click-
Somehow "Love!" means you are great and this has been a great conversation; talk to you later." and "Love you" means, dude I gotta get off the phone. Now.
From Rebel:Meanwhile, I'm Getting Ready, Too
Um...so, I thought that I was supposed to fly out this morning at 1am yet, when I consulted my itinerary while packing my bags last night, I realized that I was going to be 24 hours late....as a result, flight has been rescheduled for this evening and I arrive in SLO at about half past one tomorrow afternoon at which point I will make my way in the general direction of the Stab where, if it is okay, I will dump my monster bags and stumble off exhausted and looking for sustanance at Gus´s...therefore, lets postpone Gus´s beverages until then, shall we? Can´t wait to see you rat bastards one and all! I come baring homemade tamales with me that I made with the house mum here, Lucy! Any takers?
details...
Thu, Jun 16: AMERICAN AIRLINES, AA 3003
From: LOS ANGELES, CA (LAX) Departs: 12:35pm
To: SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA (SBP) Arrives: 1:39pm
This morning has got me running around crazily as well. Work -- yes -- will start in five minutes. But meanwhile I had to deal with camping logistics. My camping gear was the victim of some nasty rain and some accompanying mildew. Am tackling situation as I type. Everything's been through the wash (except for the thermarest). Now everything is spread out all over my back deck and driveway. The tent has been temporarily erected (it seems to have escaped the rain and mildew problem -- but I have to air it out and double check) as well.
Lexicon de los Amigos
My friends and I have two formal phone signs off. The friendly one simply goes like this:
Person one: "Okay. Love!"
Person two: "Love!"
-click- -click-
The still friendly but cloaked in double meaning is this:
Person one: "Okay. Love you."
Person two: "Okay. Okay. I'll call you later."
-click- -click-
Somehow "Love!" means you are great and this has been a great conversation; talk to you later." and "Love you" means, dude I gotta get off the phone. Now.
Tuesday, June 14, 2005
teh zoom omg, 432mm
my first flickr pal is back
Janne was my very first flickr friend. I liked his sense of humor with his phone cam, shots of his commute to work were always interesting and smile inducing. On top, he is very clever and insightful and gives great book recommendations. He was off flickr for a while but recently purchased a new camera. So fingers are crossed that he'll be posting at least for the rest of the summer and into the fall. From what I've heard, Sverige doesn't provide much to photo during the winter months (tho Steffe proves this theory wrong), so.... let's just shoot for summer and parts of fall.
Check out his photo stream at inoneear and take a tour through Norrköping, Sweden.
Janne was my very first flickr friend. I liked his sense of humor with his phone cam, shots of his commute to work were always interesting and smile inducing. On top, he is very clever and insightful and gives great book recommendations. He was off flickr for a while but recently purchased a new camera. So fingers are crossed that he'll be posting at least for the rest of the summer and into the fall. From what I've heard, Sverige doesn't provide much to photo during the winter months (tho Steffe proves this theory wrong), so.... let's just shoot for summer and parts of fall.
Check out his photo stream at inoneear and take a tour through Norrköping, Sweden.
Monday, June 13, 2005
Emdot Favorites Slideshow
Quick before I use up all my flickr time allotment! Must blog these. This is one of the photos in my Flickr Favorites. Click the photo see watch my faves as a slideshow.
» Watch the Emdot Favorites Slideshow
overheard
ann, bill, steve and nancy are going to take swing dancing lessons. i mention that i want to go and that you don't need a partner since you have to rotate partners.
ann: no one will want to dance with me.
marya and steve, in jinx poke: true.
steve (singing the who): nobody knows what it's like...
marya and steve in jink poke singingness: to be a sad Ann....
ann, bill, steve and nancy are going to take swing dancing lessons. i mention that i want to go and that you don't need a partner since you have to rotate partners.
ann: no one will want to dance with me.
marya and steve, in jinx poke: true.
steve (singing the who): nobody knows what it's like...
marya and steve in jink poke singingness: to be a sad Ann....
Peter Gabriel, I love you.
I just had to get that out of my system. Listening to Growing Up off of Up. God damn I love Peter Gabriel.
If you have any story about how he is an asshole or not nice or an ogre, please, do not tell me about it. I love the PG I have inside my head and flowing through the earbuds of my iPod.
I just had to get that out of my system. Listening to Growing Up off of Up. God damn I love Peter Gabriel.
If you have any story about how he is an asshole or not nice or an ogre, please, do not tell me about it. I love the PG I have inside my head and flowing through the earbuds of my iPod.
Sunday, June 12, 2005
one of the sweetest interviews i've ever heard
Kit Armstrong, 13-year-old concert pianist. Listen, anyone who writes a chicken sonata ("it's a sonata dedicated to chickens and about chickens"; the movement featured is called "Chicken Parade" and inspired by Armstrong's own two chickens, named nitrogen and carbon)and says he loves math "tremendously" and giggles gently at himself when he flubs a few notes on a national radio show... well... what's not to love?
I'm not really a classical music person and have been known to turn off my radio in the afternoons in a huff cuz that's when all the expletively incessant classical music comes on. But I kind of chalk my classical-non-love up to not understanding classical music. I love going to the symphony (especially when played outside on a warm summer night), but it grates on my nerves when it's on the radio. YET, yet, a sweet 13-year-old prodigy won my heart, or at least a brief part of my attention span, today on the radio. Listen, listen. It's only 10 minutes long and will put a big smile on your face.
» Listen to the Kit Armstrong interview
Kit Armstrong, 13-year-old concert pianist. Listen, anyone who writes a chicken sonata ("it's a sonata dedicated to chickens and about chickens"; the movement featured is called "Chicken Parade" and inspired by Armstrong's own two chickens, named nitrogen and carbon)and says he loves math "tremendously" and giggles gently at himself when he flubs a few notes on a national radio show... well... what's not to love?
I'm not really a classical music person and have been known to turn off my radio in the afternoons in a huff cuz that's when all the expletively incessant classical music comes on. But I kind of chalk my classical-non-love up to not understanding classical music. I love going to the symphony (especially when played outside on a warm summer night), but it grates on my nerves when it's on the radio. YET, yet, a sweet 13-year-old prodigy won my heart, or at least a brief part of my attention span, today on the radio. Listen, listen. It's only 10 minutes long and will put a big smile on your face.
» Listen to the Kit Armstrong interview
picking fish out of clover
Bella shows us the view from our room. when she speaks her voice is an orgy of accents. "My stepfather is the arr-she-tekk," she tells us. "He designed the windows so you feel the water. You will see," she says, "the house is cool." Her vowels and consonants are all off — trying to understand her is like picking fish out of the clover and goats from the ocean.get up off your knowledge
— Melissa Bank, The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing
Pull the trigger. Get up off your knowledge and do something with your life. Lives move by trends and momentum. If you begin to do different things, whether that means exercising, giving your feelings a voice, going back to school, praying, or applying for a new job, your actions will gain momentum. You'll meet new people; new possibilities will occur to you. Soon enough, you'll discover that your life is no longer the same song, seven-thousandth verse. You'll realize that those old sayings have long lives because they're true: "You can't get a hit if you're not swinging"; "You don't catch a fish if you don't put your hook in the water." This law is about getting you to swing the bat, or cast your line. It's about putting some verbs in your sentences and action in your life.
— P. McGraw
shut down. open up.
There's another story that you may have read that has to do with what we call heaven and hell, life and death, good and bad. It's a story about how those things don't really exist except as a creation of our own minds. It goes like this: A big burly samurai comes to the wise man and says, "Tell me the nature of heaven and hell." And the roshi looks him in the face and says: "Why should I tell a scruffy, disgusting, miserable slob like you?" The samurai starts to get purple in the face, his hair starts to stand up, but the roshi won't stop, he keeps saying, "A miserable worm like you, do you think I should tell you anything?" Consumed by rage, the samurai draws his sword, and he's just about to cut off the head of the roshi. Then the roshi says, "That's hell." The samurai, who is in fact a sensitive person, instantly gets it, that he just created his own hell; he was deep in hell. It was black and hot, filled with hatred, self-protection, anger, and resentment, so much so that he was going to kill this man. Tears fill his eyes and he starts to cry and he puts his palms together and the roshi says, "That's heaven."
There isn't any hell or heaven except for how we relate to our world. Hell is just resistance to life. When you want to say no to the situation you're in, it's fine to say no, but when you build up a big case to the point where you're so convinced that you would draw the sword and cut off someone's head, that kind of resistance to life is hell....
Life's work is to wake up, to let things that enter into the circle wake you up rather than put you to sleep. The only way to do this is to open, be curious, and develop some sense of sympathy for everything that comes along, to get to know its nature and let it teach you what it will. It's going to stick around until you learn your lesson, at any rate. You can leave your marraige, you can quit your job, you can only go where people are going to praise you, you can manipulate your world until you're blue in the face to try to make it always smooth, but the same demons will always come up until finally you have learned your lesson, the lesson they came to teach you. Then those same demons will appear as friendly, warmhearted companions on the path.
— Pema Chodron, The Wisdom of No Escape
Saturday, June 11, 2005
There's no accounting for what you like
I am working tonight. I am missing a goodbye party for Leif and Sarah. I'm working. I'm working cuz I didn't work much this last week. I'm working because I had a little wake up call about getting my shit together. I'm working until 11:30 and then I'm going to pick my mom up from the airport. She's flying in from Pennsylvania, land of the skin-choking humidity.
I'm researching and writing right now — all about acne. Pretty interesting. And I'll get back to that in a minute. But the whole impetus for writing was because I put on some music.... I'm doing the kind of writing that lets me listen to music with words. (If you write much you probably know how hard it is to do real writing while music with words is on.... your mind drifts to the words and you start to sing along or daydream or... Or — hey! write in your blog — so maybe I should not be listening to music right now).
Anyhow, I've had Robbie Robertson on for the last hour. I have talked about my RR lurve more than a handful of times since the dawn of this blog's life. I LOVE ROBBIE ROBERTSON. And you know what? I couldn't tell you why. I cannot tell you why. All I know is that I respond on a cellular level to Robbie Robertson.
Current song playing that inspired this blog post: Take Your Partner By the Hand off of Contact from the Underworld of Redboy.
Ten years ago it was my birthday (so technically, nine years and nine months ago). It was my birthday and my mom and I went to Nepenthe in Big Sur as we do almost every year for either of our birthdays. I was working in the Bay Area at the time. Living in Palo Alto and working in Sunnyvale. I had spent the weekend camping with my (then) boyfriend Carlos and his friends, which is a good story in and of itself and captures me at my zenith of bitchiness, but I will save that unfortunate story for another day.
So, anyway. It's my birthday. I'm with my mom. We are in our collective favorite store in the entire universe, the Phoenix (giftshop at Nepenthe), which is fabulous not just for the eclectic mishmash of this-and-that that it purveys, but for the location, for the view, for the surroundings, for the delicious smells wafting up from this corner and that, and for the people of all nationalities that are sure to be hunting and gathering throughout the stores aisles.
And we are wrapping up our shopping spree, getting ready to head upstairs for a $13 burger and an $8 beer and a $10 piece of pie. We are waiting in line and this music comes on. And this music, when it comes on, takes its ethereal hand and reaches right into my soul and holds on tight.
"What! Is! This?" I ask the clerk when I finally get up to the counter, but with seriously subdued exclamation points — more like explanation points — which I've toned down, but are still very much in my question. I had to have it. It was one of those CD moments that you hear it and you stop what you are doing and go directly to the record store without collecting your $200. "Robbie Robertson," said the clerk. "Ineeditrightnow," I said, and she happily added it to my purchase. My purchase which was purchased by my mom, cuz it was my birthday and all.
That CD was Music for the Native Americans and it remains one of my favorite CDs to this day. And that is the day Robbie Robertson won my heart. I've been unshakingly faithful all these years. Tonight I am listening to Music for the Native Americans, Redboy, and Storyville. Sigh Storyville. Don't even get me started.
Okay, best be getting back to the acne. But before I do, let me share a little acne wisdom with you that I, myself, just learned tonight.
Acne is most often caused by hyperactive sebaceous glands (glands found in follicles and pores of all mammals). The sebum released from the glands gets stuck inside the follicle, often with dead skin cells that get trapped as well. Because acne's cause is from below the skin surface, special care you may take on the top of your skin probably won't influence the acne one way or the other. In fact, if you are too agressive or if the cleanser you use is too irritating, you can actually make the acne worse. If you, or someone you love, suffers from chronic acne you really need to see a dermatologist — or even a plastic surgeon. There are new kinds of drugs, as well as light treatments, that can heal the follicles and sebaceous glands, attacking all that extra sebum and stopping the acne from spreading or persisting. FYI.
— oooh! just started: peyote healing. great great song. slobberlylovefesting on rr tonight. you should, too. —
I am working tonight. I am missing a goodbye party for Leif and Sarah. I'm working. I'm working cuz I didn't work much this last week. I'm working because I had a little wake up call about getting my shit together. I'm working until 11:30 and then I'm going to pick my mom up from the airport. She's flying in from Pennsylvania, land of the skin-choking humidity.
I'm researching and writing right now — all about acne. Pretty interesting. And I'll get back to that in a minute. But the whole impetus for writing was because I put on some music.... I'm doing the kind of writing that lets me listen to music with words. (If you write much you probably know how hard it is to do real writing while music with words is on.... your mind drifts to the words and you start to sing along or daydream or... Or — hey! write in your blog — so maybe I should not be listening to music right now).
Anyhow, I've had Robbie Robertson on for the last hour. I have talked about my RR lurve more than a handful of times since the dawn of this blog's life. I LOVE ROBBIE ROBERTSON. And you know what? I couldn't tell you why. I cannot tell you why. All I know is that I respond on a cellular level to Robbie Robertson.
Current song playing that inspired this blog post: Take Your Partner By the Hand off of Contact from the Underworld of Redboy.
Ten years ago it was my birthday (so technically, nine years and nine months ago). It was my birthday and my mom and I went to Nepenthe in Big Sur as we do almost every year for either of our birthdays. I was working in the Bay Area at the time. Living in Palo Alto and working in Sunnyvale. I had spent the weekend camping with my (then) boyfriend Carlos and his friends, which is a good story in and of itself and captures me at my zenith of bitchiness, but I will save that unfortunate story for another day.
So, anyway. It's my birthday. I'm with my mom. We are in our collective favorite store in the entire universe, the Phoenix (giftshop at Nepenthe), which is fabulous not just for the eclectic mishmash of this-and-that that it purveys, but for the location, for the view, for the surroundings, for the delicious smells wafting up from this corner and that, and for the people of all nationalities that are sure to be hunting and gathering throughout the stores aisles.
And we are wrapping up our shopping spree, getting ready to head upstairs for a $13 burger and an $8 beer and a $10 piece of pie. We are waiting in line and this music comes on. And this music, when it comes on, takes its ethereal hand and reaches right into my soul and holds on tight.
"What! Is! This?" I ask the clerk when I finally get up to the counter, but with seriously subdued exclamation points — more like explanation points — which I've toned down, but are still very much in my question. I had to have it. It was one of those CD moments that you hear it and you stop what you are doing and go directly to the record store without collecting your $200. "Robbie Robertson," said the clerk. "Ineeditrightnow," I said, and she happily added it to my purchase. My purchase which was purchased by my mom, cuz it was my birthday and all.
That CD was Music for the Native Americans and it remains one of my favorite CDs to this day. And that is the day Robbie Robertson won my heart. I've been unshakingly faithful all these years. Tonight I am listening to Music for the Native Americans, Redboy, and Storyville. Sigh Storyville. Don't even get me started.
Okay, best be getting back to the acne. But before I do, let me share a little acne wisdom with you that I, myself, just learned tonight.
Acne is most often caused by hyperactive sebaceous glands (glands found in follicles and pores of all mammals). The sebum released from the glands gets stuck inside the follicle, often with dead skin cells that get trapped as well. Because acne's cause is from below the skin surface, special care you may take on the top of your skin probably won't influence the acne one way or the other. In fact, if you are too agressive or if the cleanser you use is too irritating, you can actually make the acne worse. If you, or someone you love, suffers from chronic acne you really need to see a dermatologist — or even a plastic surgeon. There are new kinds of drugs, as well as light treatments, that can heal the follicles and sebaceous glands, attacking all that extra sebum and stopping the acne from spreading or persisting. FYI.
— oooh! just started: peyote healing. great great song. slobberlylovefesting on rr tonight. you should, too. —
Friday, June 10, 2005
Utata Train Project
Check out this fun flickr project I participated in, hosted by the prolific Catherine Jamieson.
» TRAINS
» TRAINS
Inteview Questions
Three Interviews Doled Out
Okay folks. When I did my interview last weekend I put out a call: anyone who wants to be interviewed by me, drop me an email. I had three takers, Linus in New York, MsCapriKell in Morro Bay, and SloGrl, from where? SLO Town, that's where.
Each of them have interview questions below. Interviewees, please answer the questions on your own web site, include the instructions and offer to interview others. May the meme never die.
Can't wait to read what these three have to say. Should be good.
Here is my interview with instructions for you to follow at the bottom
Okay folks. When I did my interview last weekend I put out a call: anyone who wants to be interviewed by me, drop me an email. I had three takers, Linus in New York, MsCapriKell in Morro Bay, and SloGrl, from where? SLO Town, that's where.
Each of them have interview questions below. Interviewees, please answer the questions on your own web site, include the instructions and offer to interview others. May the meme never die.
Can't wait to read what these three have to say. Should be good.
Here is my interview with instructions for you to follow at the bottom
Linus: Interview questions
Questions for Linus
(aka Corporal Tunnel on Flickr):
1.) The ubiquitous superhero question. You are a superhero. What are your three powers? What is your costume? What is your theme song?
2.) A friend from faraway is coming to visit. Name three things you must show this person so that they fully understand the greatness of where you live and why.
3.) You get one month off from work fully paid, but the catch is that you are required to travel the entire time. Where do you go?
4.) What are three things that would surprise people to learn about you?
5.) Time Travel time. Do you pedal backwards to a bygone day or shoot forward into the future?
(aka Corporal Tunnel on Flickr):
1.) The ubiquitous superhero question. You are a superhero. What are your three powers? What is your costume? What is your theme song?
2.) A friend from faraway is coming to visit. Name three things you must show this person so that they fully understand the greatness of where you live and why.
3.) You get one month off from work fully paid, but the catch is that you are required to travel the entire time. Where do you go?
4.) What are three things that would surprise people to learn about you?
5.) Time Travel time. Do you pedal backwards to a bygone day or shoot forward into the future?
MsCapriKell: Interview Questions
Questions for MsCaprikell:
1.) The ubiquitous superhero question. You are a superhero. What are your three powers? What is your costume? What is your theme song?
2.) This was asked of me in my interview questions and I thought it was a good one, so I pass it on to you. Name five things you cannot love without. (That's right -- love, not live.)
3.) Who was your first crush?
4.) What is your favorite childhood memory?
5.) What is your plan for the summer, or what three things do you plan to do?
» Her answers are up!
1.) The ubiquitous superhero question. You are a superhero. What are your three powers? What is your costume? What is your theme song?
2.) This was asked of me in my interview questions and I thought it was a good one, so I pass it on to you. Name five things you cannot love without. (That's right -- love, not live.)
3.) Who was your first crush?
4.) What is your favorite childhood memory?
5.) What is your plan for the summer, or what three things do you plan to do?
» Her answers are up!
SLO Girl: Interview Questions
Questions for slogrl:
1.) The ubiquitous superhero question. You are a superhero. What are your three powers? What is your costume? What is your theme song?
2.) You are chosen as the next Hollywood Big Thing. You get your choice of movies and roles, but the catch is, the first one must be a remake. Which movie do you pick and which part do you play and why?
3.) What are three things that would surprise someone to learn about you?
4.) You just won the lotto (and our officially my best friend!). What's the first thing you buy (besides me a new wardrobe)?
5.) You're in the big white dress, there's no turning back. But you still must make your decision. When it comes to the celebrity wedding who're you going to be: Mrs. Clive Owen or Mrs. Brad Pitt?
» Her answers are up!
1.) The ubiquitous superhero question. You are a superhero. What are your three powers? What is your costume? What is your theme song?
2.) You are chosen as the next Hollywood Big Thing. You get your choice of movies and roles, but the catch is, the first one must be a remake. Which movie do you pick and which part do you play and why?
3.) What are three things that would surprise someone to learn about you?
4.) You just won the lotto (and our officially my best friend!). What's the first thing you buy (besides me a new wardrobe)?
5.) You're in the big white dress, there's no turning back. But you still must make your decision. When it comes to the celebrity wedding who're you going to be: Mrs. Clive Owen or Mrs. Brad Pitt?
» Her answers are up!
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
Seraphim's New Trick
Oh man! Oh man! I can't decide if this is a great act of bravery or ultimate foolishness. "Woman loses lips to swan, Film at 11." OR... maybe this swan is really connecting? There is something special here?
Um.
I'm not sold.
Most dangerous trick ever. Kids, don't try this at home!
Um.
I'm not sold.
Most dangerous trick ever. Kids, don't try this at home!
anne bancroft
Anne Bancroft died? I didn't know. She was great, wasn't she? Amazing life. I'm bummed. And she was young. In the grand scheme of things, she was. 73 is not old. Too young to die. Tho she'd been playing those iconic "older" roles since I was born. Great American actress. Actor. And can we talk about those eyes? Those cheekbones?
Anne Bancroft died? I didn't know. She was great, wasn't she? Amazing life. I'm bummed. And she was young. In the grand scheme of things, she was. 73 is not old. Too young to die. Tho she'd been playing those iconic "older" roles since I was born. Great American actress. Actor. And can we talk about those eyes? Those cheekbones?
Sunday, June 05, 2005
could this be more perfect or true?
» Today's Dilbert
These about the power of the male british accent were pretty good, too:
» May 31
» June 1
» Today's Dilbert
These about the power of the male british accent were pretty good, too:
» May 31
» June 1
The Interview
The Interview
Beth at An Imperfect Life sent me five interview questions. This is a meme, so instructions and rules are at the bottom of this post, if you wanna play, too.
. . . . . . . . . . .
1. The question that won't go away: You are a superhero. Choose three superpowers, a costume and a theme song.
a.) To wiggle my nose and to immediately be in another country. I could spend weekends in europe, evenings in brazil....
b.) To create money at a snap of the fingers.
c.) To speak any language I needed to.
The costume would be something understated and easy to travel in, natch, as I'd be landing in all these marvelous other states and countries. Theme song.... The Passenger by Iggy Pop! Perfect for my super power.
2. What is your most regrettable '80s fashion choice?
Fashion is NOT what I regret most about the 80s. I don't regret anything I wore in the 80s. Whoa. Can that be right?
3. What do you typically eat for breakfast?
Granola and yogurt or eggs and toast. You will rarely, if ever, see me pour milk on cereal. I almost always eat it with yogurt, which you will either think is cool or totally gross. Best yogurt for cereal is maple, with vanilla running a close second. Bacon features heavily if I go out to eat.
4. Name five things you cannot love without. (I meant to type "live," but "love" makes it so much more interesting.)
Humor. Connection. Smarts. Respect. And an elusive fifth thing you can't name but can feel in your gut. :)
5. What pair of shoes in your closet is getting the most wear these days and why?
Flat black sandals with a little strap that goes across the base of the toes.
. . . . . . . . . . .
For anyone who wants to play, here are the Official Interview Game Rules:
1. If you want to participate, send me an email (my address is in the top-right corner of this web page) saying "interview me." Offer closes at 11:59 PM, Monday, June 6, Pacific Time.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. Each person's questions will be different.
3. Update your journal/blog with the answers to the questions.
4. Include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, ask them five questions.
Beth at An Imperfect Life sent me five interview questions. This is a meme, so instructions and rules are at the bottom of this post, if you wanna play, too.
. . . . . . . . . . .
1. The question that won't go away: You are a superhero. Choose three superpowers, a costume and a theme song.
a.) To wiggle my nose and to immediately be in another country. I could spend weekends in europe, evenings in brazil....
b.) To create money at a snap of the fingers.
c.) To speak any language I needed to.
The costume would be something understated and easy to travel in, natch, as I'd be landing in all these marvelous other states and countries. Theme song.... The Passenger by Iggy Pop! Perfect for my super power.
2. What is your most regrettable '80s fashion choice?
Fashion is NOT what I regret most about the 80s. I don't regret anything I wore in the 80s. Whoa. Can that be right?
3. What do you typically eat for breakfast?
Granola and yogurt or eggs and toast. You will rarely, if ever, see me pour milk on cereal. I almost always eat it with yogurt, which you will either think is cool or totally gross. Best yogurt for cereal is maple, with vanilla running a close second. Bacon features heavily if I go out to eat.
4. Name five things you cannot love without. (I meant to type "live," but "love" makes it so much more interesting.)
Humor. Connection. Smarts. Respect. And an elusive fifth thing you can't name but can feel in your gut. :)
5. What pair of shoes in your closet is getting the most wear these days and why?
Flat black sandals with a little strap that goes across the base of the toes.
. . . . . . . . . . .
For anyone who wants to play, here are the Official Interview Game Rules:
1. If you want to participate, send me an email (my address is in the top-right corner of this web page) saying "interview me." Offer closes at 11:59 PM, Monday, June 6, Pacific Time.
2. I will respond by asking you five questions. Each person's questions will be different.
3. Update your journal/blog with the answers to the questions.
4. Include this explanation and an offer to interview others in the same post.
5. When others comment asking to be interviewed, ask them five questions.
Friday, June 03, 2005
visiting with eli
visiting with eli
I hadn't seen eli in oh, i don't know, three or four years. Or it felt like three or four years. You know I bet it both was and felt like three or four years. Anyhow, it'd been a long time.
And you know how it is: friends move away, friends move on, and it is so easy to get out of step, to lose track, etc. Plus, I'm pretty lousy when it comes to keeping in touch (with the exception of email and even then i'm inconsistent at best). So, E and I fell out of touch.
So thank god for the good graces of Flickr. Flickr is like a friendship elixir -- lickity split everyone's back into the friendship fold. So Eli (who lives in the Bay Area) was cruising down the coast headed for an all-surf three-day weekend and stopped in the SLO Town to pick up some stuff and have lunch with me.
It was fun. (That's eli on the far right of the photo in this post, by the way). And filled with overheards.
overheard: one
mar: I mean nobody wants to go through life being mediocre. Well. Some people do.
eli: Yeah, but Playstation took care of that.
overheard: two
about two friends who used to be in a very cool potential-packed band... (one of whom has made it pretty big and the other who deserves to be as big)....
eli: they had a falling out. they don't even talk anymore.
mar: yer kidding?! kyle is such the lennon to matt's mccartney.
(okay, maybe you had to be there for that one, but i was quite pleased with myself).
holy guacamole! the days are PACKED!!
So good God the days have just ramped up with events. Work and work and more work (which is good and good and more good). Friends popping out of the woodwork and fun fun fun things to do that necessitate being away from the computer (thank the lord!). (What is with all these religious references? I swear I'm still buddhist.).
Yesterday, the Fifth Annual Bike Happening (photos on flickr). Tonight, SambaDa benefit concert for the bike coalition (I'm missing it but it is sure to be a doozy). This weekend: Fiesta Days (or are we calling it la fiesta?) and the Baywood Fest. I practically need an assistant to keep up with it all.
Summer. Good!
I hadn't seen eli in oh, i don't know, three or four years. Or it felt like three or four years. You know I bet it both was and felt like three or four years. Anyhow, it'd been a long time.
And you know how it is: friends move away, friends move on, and it is so easy to get out of step, to lose track, etc. Plus, I'm pretty lousy when it comes to keeping in touch (with the exception of email and even then i'm inconsistent at best). So, E and I fell out of touch.
So thank god for the good graces of Flickr. Flickr is like a friendship elixir -- lickity split everyone's back into the friendship fold. So Eli (who lives in the Bay Area) was cruising down the coast headed for an all-surf three-day weekend and stopped in the SLO Town to pick up some stuff and have lunch with me.
It was fun. (That's eli on the far right of the photo in this post, by the way). And filled with overheards.
overheard: one
mar: I mean nobody wants to go through life being mediocre. Well. Some people do.
eli: Yeah, but Playstation took care of that.
overheard: two
about two friends who used to be in a very cool potential-packed band... (one of whom has made it pretty big and the other who deserves to be as big)....
eli: they had a falling out. they don't even talk anymore.
mar: yer kidding?! kyle is such the lennon to matt's mccartney.
(okay, maybe you had to be there for that one, but i was quite pleased with myself).
holy guacamole! the days are PACKED!!
So good God the days have just ramped up with events. Work and work and more work (which is good and good and more good). Friends popping out of the woodwork and fun fun fun things to do that necessitate being away from the computer (thank the lord!). (What is with all these religious references? I swear I'm still buddhist.).
Yesterday, the Fifth Annual Bike Happening (photos on flickr). Tonight, SambaDa benefit concert for the bike coalition (I'm missing it but it is sure to be a doozy). This weekend: Fiesta Days (or are we calling it la fiesta?) and the Baywood Fest. I practically need an assistant to keep up with it all.
Summer. Good!
Wednesday, June 01, 2005
Squared Circle: Bubble
I called the bubble!
{warning: I have been writing all day long and I think my brain has short circuited when it comes to grammar and spelling, so go easy on my run-on sentences and poorly crafted strings of words tonight; thank you.}
I got a really cool email today from a woman who works on the Marketplace web site. Marketplace is a public radio show that focuses on business news. Today they featured a piece on the housing market -- specifically on the potential of a housing bubble -- and they used one of my flickr images to illustrate the web page about the segment. Thassright: an emdot image!
The cool thing is that my image was able to be used because on Flickr I use a Creative Commons Copyright. I really believe in Creative Commons and have such wonderful sites such as Flickr and boingboing.net to thank for letting me in on the goodness which is the CC usage rights.
» Learn about Creative Commons here.
The other cool thing is that I have been crowing about the housing market for more than two years. I am astounded that more people are not up in arms about the amazing inflation that has taken over our housing sitatuation. That's right people, I'll use big-I word and I'll do so because it is true. Inflation is running rampant in our neighborhoods and the only reason I can think of for people not going into anaphylactic shock over it is because of the amount of money homemakers are making on this disgusting trend.
So, I feel proud that my image is being used to illustrate an issue that is near-and-dear to my lowly renter's heart.
» Check out the Marketplace web page featuring my humble bubble.
{warning: I have been writing all day long and I think my brain has short circuited when it comes to grammar and spelling, so go easy on my run-on sentences and poorly crafted strings of words tonight; thank you.}
I got a really cool email today from a woman who works on the Marketplace web site. Marketplace is a public radio show that focuses on business news. Today they featured a piece on the housing market -- specifically on the potential of a housing bubble -- and they used one of my flickr images to illustrate the web page about the segment. Thassright: an emdot image!
The cool thing is that my image was able to be used because on Flickr I use a Creative Commons Copyright. I really believe in Creative Commons and have such wonderful sites such as Flickr and boingboing.net to thank for letting me in on the goodness which is the CC usage rights.
» Learn about Creative Commons here.
The other cool thing is that I have been crowing about the housing market for more than two years. I am astounded that more people are not up in arms about the amazing inflation that has taken over our housing sitatuation. That's right people, I'll use big-I word and I'll do so because it is true. Inflation is running rampant in our neighborhoods and the only reason I can think of for people not going into anaphylactic shock over it is because of the amount of money homemakers are making on this disgusting trend.
So, I feel proud that my image is being used to illustrate an issue that is near-and-dear to my lowly renter's heart.
» Check out the Marketplace web page featuring my humble bubble.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)