blowin' in the wind

i was walking to work yesterday and saw a girl doubled over on the sidewalk. i thought she was either barfing or crying. as i got closer, i saw she had a camera. and then she asked if she could take a photo of me for the newspaper, in regards to it being windy and all.

so today i was on the front page of the local section, and she was neither crying nor barfing.

i was a teeny bit nervous that the photo would look awful since wind and skirts don't mix, but hey, it's not so bad!

Going to a themed party tonight (my favorite kind of party, in fact)

What's the story, Edward Gorey?

christmas is ovarrrrrr!

some of my favorite shots from last nights gift exchange with the little siblings:

a toy magnifying glass for a curious little creature named James.

a poltergeist-ish moment with the t.v.

and even better, today is Pushkin's first birthday!

my favorite non-human bit of creation, right there, little Pushkin. woman's best friend. trusty guard, faithful companion, always happy to see me, has only ruined one computer chord, has peed on every pair of boots, graduated puppy kindergarten knowing exactly 3 tricks, has a slight problem with humping, but otherwise cute as a button and a blessing in my life!

it's 57 degrees WARM outside... i can't wait to walk around tonight. pretty pumped about seeing this movie, too.

It's going to be a fun week of movies, and friends, and new years, and music, and oh wow everything else! i experienced a movie moment on Christmas eve, and I've got hopes for a movie moment sometime in the coming week... I've also got hopes for a nice spooning/nap session with my pets. meow.

2008 goals, met and unmet. my recovery year.

" If only I can preserve, not to falter in spirit,

 and preserve the strength and purity of my heart. "

merrrrry christmas pets!

Pushkin Clause 

St. Freddy Mercury

one of many photos where either the pets are blurry, one is missing, or totally out of the shot looking for treats.

and here is the final one i used for christmas cards and such. look at that pet love connection!

merry christmas dear friends and/or readers. 

photo credits: vanessa. thanks!

yakkity yak, don't talk back

there is just one thing i hate more than apples: INJUSTICE.

i went to the DMV today to contest a ticket that was returned to me on a fluke. i ended up in front of a judge who said "ignorance is as bad as breaking the law" because i misunderstood a commonly misunderstood paper (his words), i was sent to him by 

the supervisor who agreed i didn't need to pay a fine... ok, here's the back story: i had a headlight bust this summer, i was pulled over and the officer says "no worries, no fine, just get it fixed and send this ticket to us in 24 hours". i did all of the above. turns out the ticket was ignored and sent back to me saying all my lights were out and i need to go to court... yadda yadda yadda, i get more papers in the mail saying "you owe $60, you owe $85... your license is suspended". i go to the DMV today and say "i got the light fixed, whats up?". here's whats up: i get humiliated in front of a judge and other traffic violaters

, i start crying, i keep crying, the lady at the desk calls Albany and describes me as a "poor little girl" (felt pretty good to hear at that point, honestly)... but because i didn't come sooner, i have to pay $115. for WHAT? for not pointing out their mistake soon enough... so i have to return, and explain it to another judge sometime in February. not worth it, i think. i'll end up coughing up the money. despite my clean driving record, despite sending the ticket it on time, i am still guilty? 

i walked out of the DMV with puffy eyes and a face as red as my hat. i bought a full pack of cigarettes, a diet coke, and yelled "FUCK YOU DMV. SUCK MY -something i don't have- " in the parking garage. 

i felt so bad for the folks in there. most of them looked like they couldn't really afford to pay the outrageous fee's $115, $215. Some poor lady had to transfer funds at the last minute, and I saw she had a waitress uniform on. I'm sure there were people present that were truely guilty of dangerous driving, but everyone was treated the same: it's your fault; the more you talk, the more you pay up, sucker!

and now i must move on to better feelings. i'm going to the Old Toad for Dryden happy hour... gonna sip some hot mead and chat with friends i really enjoy... and knowing me, i'll tell this story to about 5 people, each time making it more and more dramatic... telling them i started a fire in the dmv and a giant middle finger was evoked (see above).

snow day

it's incredible how quick misery crosses over into beauty, and vice versa... 

"it's amazing just to know you're alive".

even this snow storm: miserable, beautiful. even me, even you: miserable, beautiful, 

miserable, and beautiful again, and then miserable again.

i have my first snow day since school days. i came home and put records on.

i finally put the imported russian sugar cubes in the little jar i washed weeks ago 

(they are just like american sugar cubes...just russian...maybe less sweet?)

i'm listening to the Nana Grizol record, LOVE IT LOVE IT, for the second time. i saw them when elephant six came through,

i'd say nana grizol is my favorite new band of 2008. i believe everything they sing. and it sounds really good when i play it

really loud. it helps me forgive myself and assures that my secret hopes are good ones. i want you all to hear it, maybe

you'll come over one by one and we'll listen and drink tea with some of those russian sugar cubes i mentioned. sounds nice.

i put up my first window message just now. i'm cooking chickens legs in the oven.

i'm afraid this blog is sounding sad, just like when the person on the other line says

"you sound sad" but "i'm not really that sad, i just feel like kissing for 2 days straight".

"at least right now it's OK to take life in smaller doses"

i'm writing a new song and i feel pretty good about that.

#1. be brave

the brooklyn gals

Tiff and Heidi are coming up for the holidays! We lived and loved in Brooklyn together... some of the best memories of my life were in that little brownstone apartment.





Oh! A reunion will be just GRAND, we visit each other separately, but haven't been together together for over a year. After Brooklyn Heidi moved home to Minnesota then to Philly, Tiff moved to Rochester then to Portland, and I did the whole Rochester-to California- to Uganda- to Rochester again thing. We've all arrived at this point, and I don't just mean our locations... Oh man, the kindred three together again!





Here's a photo in our BK apartment, celebrating with Absinthe I brought back from Paris.
Ooh La La!



And an old video I just found... ordering from our favorite deli, Sunset Bagel (key words: Sunset Special, and Flagel)... it appears to be the morning after one of our parties (pardon me, I'm looking a little rough, yikes), and one of the many times when we spoke in accents for weeks on end (Heidi, why didn't you order in an accent?)


Christmas 2009 just got better.

"and i am waiting for you"

A to B: "I noticed your eyes are kinda green"

B to A: " I noticed you're noticing my eyes"

I think I might put messages in my window to encourage people; to inspire them. Messages of Love and Grace and Poetry and "someone out there loves you". Why should all wonderful things only be said between two people, or between people that know each other? I want to tell strangers that they should'nt give up on dreams, and that they should say "I miss you " to the person they miss with all their heart. 

One time I wrote messages on the sidewalk for a someone I loved. I wrote "to me, you are a dream" and "love me till my heart stops" and something else. It's hard, but I like to be brave. I think being brave is something I could never, ever regret. 

That'll be my first window message: Be Brave 

It's 2:38 a.m.

entertain the shop girl

I've been working at the shop all day ...it's Christmas time... it's retail... it's been a long, long day.




One of the students, Stefan, brought my a Bust magazine. His girlfriend works as an editor for them in NYC (uber wow). Bust is a modern feminist/fashion/craft/lady mag, and I need a subcription... not only for the "one handed read" in the back pages (ahem).


Anyway, I happened to read about Lily McElroy, it brought quite a bit of personal entertainment to this shop girl. I thought I'd share the link for your enjoyment, too.


Lily is a performance artist, as well as photographer, as well as comedian. Her videos are all funny, but her photo series "I throw Myself At Men" (figure A) is my favorite. She goes around and takes photos of herself, jumping into the arms of male strangers... what commentary, what silliness, what a great idea!



Check it out: http://www.lillymcelroy.com/

Figure A. Here's Lily in action. Wa-Bam!

Also in the issue, is comedian John Roberts. Emily told me about him at Knitting Brigade the other night. Jackie and Debra (figure A), as well as Mothers Day take me off on a ROFLCOPTER... but not at work, obvi...gotta stay grounded.

Figure B

bunch of mopes

I'm feeling pretty mopey today. I've been walking around like Charlie Brown (see figure A)- head down, dragging my boots, shoulders slooped, I even caught myself making a puppy dog sad face (see figure B). I managed to burn the outsides of the scones, but left them raw inside. And my boots soaked right through because I was dragging them in the snow. Now my socks are all wet. Mopey. Mopey. Mopey. Most Likely has to do with this and this.

(Figure A)

(Figure B)

Braids

A hair tribute to  Yulia Tymoshenko, the Prime Minister of my motherland! 

( a little side by side, shall we?)

Key leader in the Orange Revolution. whattawoman. What. A. Woman.

drink sang-gray-ah in the park

When the time is right, we'll act out Perfect Day.

Film Record for November

Quote of the Day, from a boyscout at the museum shop: (pointing at photography book, and yelling) I really found a naked lady!

Phone Call of the Day: Hi, Olga? This is The Church of Scientology...


Purchase of the Day: from Thread, my favorite candle scent, purchased as a room spray, to be used as body spray. Santiago Huckleberry, from Voluspa. it's heavenly.


Outting of the Day: Pat's Coffee Mug, then Openface, then Thread, then Goodwill with Miss Karrah.



Random Info of the Day: There's an I Love Lucy museum, one hour south of Buffalo.


Anticipation of the Day: Jon Moses, Oxford Collapse, and Spinto Band play Bug Jar tonight.

(movie journal)


I started a movie journal earlier this year, in which I chronicle and breifly discuss every film I see that month. 2008 (easily into 2009) is The Year of the Film... at least in my calendar... Anyway, in November I saw 22 films. Most of them were at the Dryden, unless otherwise noted... there are many details left out here (ie, director, year, genre); left for my personal journal . And so, in very particular order, here's all the movies (+/- 1) I saw in November of 2008.

1. Tugboats to Polar Bears: Short Films of Matt McCormick

2. The Photographer, His Wife, and Her Lover

3. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

4. An Evening w/ Don Hertzfelt featuring: I Am So Proud of You

5. Pinocchio

6. The Exiles (but I walked out half way)

7. Flow: The Love of Waters

8. Dumbo

9. Diary Of A Lost Girl (silent cinema, in accordance w/ my class)

10. Synechdoche (@ The Little)

11. Rachel Getting Married (@ The Little)

12. Bambi

(rentals)

13. The Decameron (top pick. A Pasolini film!)

14. Cinemania (top pick. documentary about cinephiles)

15. Best of Colbert Report (I know, I know it's a show)

(misc)

16. Tropic Thunder

17. Shadows of Our Forgotten Ancestors (top pick)

18. Heathers

19. The Immigrant (top pick, Chaplin)

20. The Bell Boy (w/ Arbuckle and Keaton)

21. Steam Boat Bill Jr (top pick. Keaton)

I really fell in love w/ Chaplin and Keaton this month, as well as animated films (Disney, Hertzfeld). I meant to watch an Orson Wells film but I couldn't get through it... Decameron took about 2 tries, but was well worth it. Can't wait to watch Salo. Or maybe I can.

My December list has already started.

There are about 52 girl and boy scouts in the shop right now... Rob said he learned to tune out the sound of mass children and babies crying when he was the giraffe at Toys R' Us. I'm working on it.

Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes

What a Day. What a Night.

I love to walk because I never know who I'll run in to, where I'll go, how long I'll go for...

Strangers, friends, old friends, new friends, people I see all the time but we never speak... An adventure.

This morning we (puppy and I) left the house just shy of

noon and spent the entire afternoon out and about until 4 pm. I picked up a hot tea @ the Classy Cookie Deli, and made my way down Park Ave. Picked up a paper and sat in the little park bench area near Barrington Street. They decorated a pine tree with all sorts of Christmas glam. That's nice, isn't it? Public decorations for the enjoyment of everyone, anyone. Mellissa called and I met her @ Piatza's, where she ate a giant slice for two. We sat on the sidewalk, talked, laughed, reviewed the holidays. We parted, and I walked on, to Utter Clutter. The nice man @ Hogans wasn't there today; we chat everyday while he pets the dog.

Mellissa and baby Jack (in belly)

At Utter Clutter, I picked up a vintage black slip with beautiful lace straps. The kind you wear around the house when you drink martini's and listen to old love songs. I picked up a sweetheart locket, and a pair of clip on glass earring from the 1920's. I've never seen earrings like these...

I picked up a few good records, too!

1. Aretha Franklin, Two Sides of Love (listening to it now) *soul, mo-town*

2.Marvin Gaye, Midnight Love * sexy time r&b*

3.Jan & Dean, Surf City *vintage surf rock*

4. The Best of Little Anthony and The Imperials *doowop, mo-town*

5. The Singing Nun ( I collect these and give them away) *a nun singing in French...pop music?*

6.Joni James, Je T'aime * old french pop*

Sara (owner of said store) and I shared a cigarette and chatted. She's one of my favorite people in Rochester, top 5 in fact. She was one of the first people I met when I moved back this February, and her store has helped me decorate my little boudoir. I made friends with a nice boy in the store, too. He was there the night Elephant Six played @ Bug Jar, and he too met Jeff Mangum. We gushed, and further found out we have mutual friends and similar interests. Complete strangers, now friends. His goal in life is "to be a mountain man"! I wonder what my goal is...

You read that last Wednesday I had a strong urge to see live classical music, right? Well last night Nicholas and I saw Stephen Hough play @ Kilbourne Hall. There was a moment of utter perfection and I cried two tiny tears. A professor (in contradiction) once described music as "cosmically indescribable", I felt that last night. I also felt overdressed. People were in jeans and sweatshirts! I'd still rather wear nice shoes and a cocktail dress. Nicholas told me about a script he's been working on, and I dreamt part of it last night. I wonder if we dream things people tell us, even before they tell us.

Yikes it's getting late, I have to walk to work now. 

PS: check out this awesome picture Michael Neault did of me (by hand!) for the Croquet site!

WINK ( I was totally winking before Sarah Palin, btw)