Only losers vote. So I decided to skip this one. I'll vote in the next one...
I'm just kidding. I voted. Jesus, I'm tired of people telling me to vote. It's like having someone come up to you and telling you to do your dishes, when you're already totally planning on doing your dishes as soon as you get home from work and have a gin and tonic. Get off my fucking back, voter police! I will say that I was pleasantly surprised in that it took me about 15 minutes to walk to my polling place, vote, and walk home. Zero line. It did rain as I was walking there, though. Also, I was harassed by the polling staff. But they calmed down as soon as I put my underwear back on.
Last night we had a company meeting for CSC, although there weren't as many people there as I thought there would be. But I still managed to get all nervous and bumble my way through my portion of the meeting--forgetting what I was going to say, lots of half sentences, etc. I think that any sort of social skills that I might have had in the past have gone away somehow, perhaps from lack of use. The only time that I spend any time with someone other than Jeannie is at work, and work has consisted of 6 years of saying basically the same 5 sentences over and over again. Anyway, I'm having a hard time around people.
Daddy update: he started his drip yesterday and everything went fine. No side effects. Woo-hoo!
I just got a call from my boss that they just caught this little bitch of a shoplifter that I've been wanting to catch for awhile. I really hated her because she was a normal college kid, totally has money and no obvious drug habit to support, just stole stuff cause she didn't want to pay for it. Jeez, if you're gonna steal stuff, at least sell it for drugs.
Tuesday, November 04, 2008
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Addendum
An over-excited Schlueter has caused me to add that the new and exciting information mentioned in the previous post is not, in fact, really new and exciting. It is in no way cross-country move related or baby related. It has to do with changes to the way the theatre company is currently structured and set up. Exciting, no?
My Dream Last Night
So here's my dream last night:
CSC was performing Romeo and Juliet at the St. Louis Municipal Opera, known to those in the know as The Muny. For those not in the know, The Muny is a huge, 10,000 seat outdoor theatre in St. Louis, which performs mostly musicals of the Oklahoma! and South Pacific variety. And in true Muny fashion, CSC's Romeo and Juliet had a 200 member children's chorus, a huge balloon release, and 10 minute scene changes. BJ was there, and during the long scene changes, members of the cast would come out into the audience and we would all hang out. Some folks from grade school and high school were in the audience. Pat played the role of Balthasar, although in his final scene he was beheaded, which I don't exactly remember happening in the real play. Anyway, Pat's final scene, in my dream, was a filmed version of his beheading, and then his beheaded head saying his final lines. I remember thinking to myself that Pat's final, beheaded lines were the best performance that I had ever seen. By anyone. Ever. Unfortunately, because of the long scene changes, most of the audience had left by the time Pat's final scene rolled around.
Well, anyway, it was good to see the Beej and the folks from St. Louis. I wish I got to see more of my friends in places other than dreams.
CSC was performing Romeo and Juliet at the St. Louis Municipal Opera, known to those in the know as The Muny. For those not in the know, The Muny is a huge, 10,000 seat outdoor theatre in St. Louis, which performs mostly musicals of the Oklahoma! and South Pacific variety. And in true Muny fashion, CSC's Romeo and Juliet had a 200 member children's chorus, a huge balloon release, and 10 minute scene changes. BJ was there, and during the long scene changes, members of the cast would come out into the audience and we would all hang out. Some folks from grade school and high school were in the audience. Pat played the role of Balthasar, although in his final scene he was beheaded, which I don't exactly remember happening in the real play. Anyway, Pat's final scene, in my dream, was a filmed version of his beheading, and then his beheaded head saying his final lines. I remember thinking to myself that Pat's final, beheaded lines were the best performance that I had ever seen. By anyone. Ever. Unfortunately, because of the long scene changes, most of the audience had left by the time Pat's final scene rolled around.
Well, anyway, it was good to see the Beej and the folks from St. Louis. I wish I got to see more of my friends in places other than dreams.
Not too much else going on. The J-Dog is finishing up 4 days off work, the lucky duckling. On Thursday I had the day off as well, and it was a beautiful fall day, so we decided to drive around looking for some adventure and autumn color, and ended up at Catoctin Mountain Park out near Frederick, MD. Walked around a little bit in the woods, saw a little waterfall that probably would've been more impresssive in the Spring.
Got a CSC company meeting tomorrow night, at which I will be presenting new and exciting information. Lookout!
Got a CSC company meeting tomorrow night, at which I will be presenting new and exciting information. Lookout!
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Funnies
Thanks to OAA for posting several things over the last few days that have made me laugh out loud.
(oh, and the audio is probably not appropriate for the workplace.)
(oh, and the audio is probably not appropriate for the workplace.)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
How the Day Sounds
At work we listen to a lot of the same music over and over again. For the last two months or so, we've had a CD in rotation called Three Flights From Alto Nido by a guy named Greg Laswell. It's generally agreed that it's the only CD that we've been playing that the music dept. employees can still stand. I think the song "How the Day Sounds" is pretty damn solid.
My dad had a meeting with his oncologist to find out the results from the bone marrow test and CAT scan from a few weeks ago. It looks like there's no cancer in the bone marrow, which is a very good thing, and the doctor didn't have the results from the CAT scan. Which I don't quite get, but my dad doesn't seem too worried, because he said they did a CAT scan when he first went in with the kidney stone and they only saw the tumor in his abdomen. So who knows. But the bottom line is that he starts treatment on Monday with some drug that I've forgotten the name of but have written down, and it's some sort of drip. And he'll do that for three days, then go in the next week and get it for one day, and then the week after that, etc. for like 4 or 5 weeks. Then they evaluate. Anyhoo, that's the plan.
Strange thing: the kidney stone that my dad orginally went to the hospital for seems to have disappeared. Neither passed (that he knows of, and from what I've heard about kidney stones I get the idea that you can usually tell when you pass them) nor showing up on any sort of scans.
I feel a bit distant tonight. Wouldn't mind a G&T, but I think I'm going to abstain. The J-Dog is whipping up what smells like it will be a delicious veggie lasagna. I did help a little, but I've abandoned her to come fart around on the internet in the living room.
My dad had a meeting with his oncologist to find out the results from the bone marrow test and CAT scan from a few weeks ago. It looks like there's no cancer in the bone marrow, which is a very good thing, and the doctor didn't have the results from the CAT scan. Which I don't quite get, but my dad doesn't seem too worried, because he said they did a CAT scan when he first went in with the kidney stone and they only saw the tumor in his abdomen. So who knows. But the bottom line is that he starts treatment on Monday with some drug that I've forgotten the name of but have written down, and it's some sort of drip. And he'll do that for three days, then go in the next week and get it for one day, and then the week after that, etc. for like 4 or 5 weeks. Then they evaluate. Anyhoo, that's the plan.
Strange thing: the kidney stone that my dad orginally went to the hospital for seems to have disappeared. Neither passed (that he knows of, and from what I've heard about kidney stones I get the idea that you can usually tell when you pass them) nor showing up on any sort of scans.
I feel a bit distant tonight. Wouldn't mind a G&T, but I think I'm going to abstain. The J-Dog is whipping up what smells like it will be a delicious veggie lasagna. I did help a little, but I've abandoned her to come fart around on the internet in the living room.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Effluvia
This morning I woke up with the word "effluvia" in my head, and I had no idea what the word meant, so when I got to work I looked it up. Feel free to view its meaning here.
I was off work today, except that I had to go in this morning for our weekly Monday-morning manager's meeting. This week's was especially painful. People seemed to be in their grumpy pants. Plus, I was going to use this week's meeting to start lobbying to get the right people working in my department for December, but because everyone was in their grumpy pants, my lobbying was not as successful as I would've hoped. I will continue my efforts throughout the month of November.
It was an overcast, gray day today. And after the meeting I went to the gym, and after the gym I came home and took a nap. And then my girlfriend came home from work early and we napped together. We both had spent the weekend working, so it was nice to get a little together-naptime in.
Tonight, we made our plans for our anniversary celebration, which will be happening in a few weeks. On the actual day of our anniversary, the J-Dog will be in her physics class, so we are celebrating on the following day, a Friday, and we're gonna go dancing at an American Legion hall. On a "50's and 60's" night. The website looked absolutely batshit crazy, so I'm both nervous and curious.
I was off work today, except that I had to go in this morning for our weekly Monday-morning manager's meeting. This week's was especially painful. People seemed to be in their grumpy pants. Plus, I was going to use this week's meeting to start lobbying to get the right people working in my department for December, but because everyone was in their grumpy pants, my lobbying was not as successful as I would've hoped. I will continue my efforts throughout the month of November.
It was an overcast, gray day today. And after the meeting I went to the gym, and after the gym I came home and took a nap. And then my girlfriend came home from work early and we napped together. We both had spent the weekend working, so it was nice to get a little together-naptime in.
Tonight, we made our plans for our anniversary celebration, which will be happening in a few weeks. On the actual day of our anniversary, the J-Dog will be in her physics class, so we are celebrating on the following day, a Friday, and we're gonna go dancing at an American Legion hall. On a "50's and 60's" night. The website looked absolutely batshit crazy, so I'm both nervous and curious.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Thomas Tallis
I do enjoy sitting on our couch in the evening and listening to some relaxing music while watching the birds fly in loops above the houses and church dome across the street. There usually seems to be bunches of birds around in the evenings. Today's listening is The Tallis Scholars Sing Palestrina, which I borrowed from a guy at work and have been enjoying for the past few days. I think it will be a good November-Winter album. It's chilly in our apartment and the tip of my nose is cold.
Had an inventory at work last night, and a relatively painless one at that. We were done at around 1am, early enough that Abbey and Dan P. and myself had a couple of beers after we were finished. A good time. Work is better when you hang out outside of work every now and again. I don't necessarily know if that's true across the board or if that just happens to be true for this particular job at this particular time.
It's been a long week. I'm looking forward to a day off, but it won't be arriving until Monday.
I straightened up our apartment when I got home from work and made our bed. I am slowly (finally?) discovering the pleasure of making your bed on a (at least semi) daily basis. It just feels good to get into bed at night and have all the sheets and blankets be cool and heavy and smooth and cover your entire body, instead of having them bunched and twisted and trying to figure out exactly how they're twisted so you can stretch and pull them the right way to at least get your ass and legs covered enough to be warm.
It's just about dark outside.
Had an inventory at work last night, and a relatively painless one at that. We were done at around 1am, early enough that Abbey and Dan P. and myself had a couple of beers after we were finished. A good time. Work is better when you hang out outside of work every now and again. I don't necessarily know if that's true across the board or if that just happens to be true for this particular job at this particular time.
It's been a long week. I'm looking forward to a day off, but it won't be arriving until Monday.
I straightened up our apartment when I got home from work and made our bed. I am slowly (finally?) discovering the pleasure of making your bed on a (at least semi) daily basis. It just feels good to get into bed at night and have all the sheets and blankets be cool and heavy and smooth and cover your entire body, instead of having them bunched and twisted and trying to figure out exactly how they're twisted so you can stretch and pull them the right way to at least get your ass and legs covered enough to be warm.
It's just about dark outside.
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Domingo
Havin' most Sundays off with my lady friend ain't a bad deal at all.
Although we didn't do that much today, really. J-Dog did a lot of physics problems, and I was on call as a consultant. So I read a lot of IJ. And we went to the farmer's market this morning and bought a lot of vegetables, which vegetables I then spent the evening chopping and peeling for a vegetable-roasting extravaganza which will probably take place at our place sometime this week.
Got an inventory this week at work, which I never look forward to, but I'm always glad to get 'em done. And a production meeting tomorrow night for The Country Wife, which will be going up in February. Not exactly sure what my job will be yet on the production (maybe designing, probably building) but perhaps I will find out more at the meeting...
Although we didn't do that much today, really. J-Dog did a lot of physics problems, and I was on call as a consultant. So I read a lot of IJ. And we went to the farmer's market this morning and bought a lot of vegetables, which vegetables I then spent the evening chopping and peeling for a vegetable-roasting extravaganza which will probably take place at our place sometime this week.
Got an inventory this week at work, which I never look forward to, but I'm always glad to get 'em done. And a production meeting tomorrow night for The Country Wife, which will be going up in February. Not exactly sure what my job will be yet on the production (maybe designing, probably building) but perhaps I will find out more at the meeting...
Thursday, October 16, 2008
I don't know what to title this one.
My dad got the results back from Monday's test, and the thing growing in his abdomen is, in fact, his old lymphoma. Back again. So that's the bad news. The better news is that it's stage 1, which is the slowest growing type, and most easily treated. So the plan right now is that he'll try some sort of drug that has apparently had some success treating this type of cancer. No chemo, no surgery, no radiation. So that's the plan, unless some of the other tests that he had yesterday and today show that the thing has spread or anything. And if the drug doesn't do anything, then I would imagine that chemo is probably the next step.
Anyway, I talked with him this afternoon, and he sounded both disappointed and relieved. He did use the word "crappy," which is a word I don't think I've heard him use before. "Crap" yes, but not "crappy." Anyway, I guess I'm feeling disappointed and relieved, too. The results could have been better, but they could have been a lot worse. So that's that, for now.
I got contacted by Maya Dimova on Facebook. It's good to hear from her.
I just tried to eat something that I thought might have been part of a stale chip, but it turns out it might have been part of my shoe.
Anyway, Maya Dimova, yes. She's married and living in Italy and has two sons, 6 and 2. Crazy Maya Dimova who used to work at The Blimpie. Now employed by Teatro alla Scalla. Wonderful.
To those who have at some point worked where I currently work: someone got fired from where I currently work, and I don't want to be super gossipy by mentioning this person's name, but I will say that he/she had worked there a long time, he/she knows where Osama bin Laden is, and he/she apparently routinely had his/her car's tires shot out.
Ok, Jeannie just got home from class. Yay! So I'm gonna hang with her now...
Anyway, I talked with him this afternoon, and he sounded both disappointed and relieved. He did use the word "crappy," which is a word I don't think I've heard him use before. "Crap" yes, but not "crappy." Anyway, I guess I'm feeling disappointed and relieved, too. The results could have been better, but they could have been a lot worse. So that's that, for now.
I got contacted by Maya Dimova on Facebook. It's good to hear from her.
I just tried to eat something that I thought might have been part of a stale chip, but it turns out it might have been part of my shoe.
Anyway, Maya Dimova, yes. She's married and living in Italy and has two sons, 6 and 2. Crazy Maya Dimova who used to work at The Blimpie. Now employed by Teatro alla Scalla. Wonderful.
To those who have at some point worked where I currently work: someone got fired from where I currently work, and I don't want to be super gossipy by mentioning this person's name, but I will say that he/she had worked there a long time, he/she knows where Osama bin Laden is, and he/she apparently routinely had his/her car's tires shot out.
Ok, Jeannie just got home from class. Yay! So I'm gonna hang with her now...
Monday, October 13, 2008
Perhaps it might very well indeed do a body good?
It is a beautiful autumnish day, and I am off work.
I had a dream last night about hanging out with K-Torr and his kid (perhaps as a result of leaving a Facebook comment several days ago about hanging out with K-Torr??)
There is a mouse (or some sort of animal) scurrying about in one of our living room walls. I am glad that it is stuck in the wall and not in our apartment. Nonetheless, the scurrying sounds are not enjoyable.
My dad starts his 3 days of tests today.
My dad has not been to a dentist for roughly 40 years. And never has any tooth-related problems. He says it is because he drinks a lot of milk. And he does drink a lot of milk, usually a glass or two a day. And since I have started dieting and stuff back in June, I have also started drinking a lot of milk (of the fat-free variety), about a gallon a week. And back before I started drinking the milk, I had been having some pain in one of my teeth, but since that time the pain has gone away. And so, long story short, I think my dad is right and that drinking milk is good for your teeth.
(or my tooth has become so rotten that the nerve inside is finally gone.)
Last night I ran to the B&N and then made it halfway home before I had to stop running and start walking. While I was running, I was thinking to myself that surely this had to be well over 10 miles, that I could easily run a half marathon, etc. Then I got home and Google-mapped it and it turns out that I only ran about 8-point-something miles. Which is good, and I'm pleased, but not nearly as impressive as the pain in my legs made it feel.
Laundry. Dishes.
I had a dream last night about hanging out with K-Torr and his kid (perhaps as a result of leaving a Facebook comment several days ago about hanging out with K-Torr??)
There is a mouse (or some sort of animal) scurrying about in one of our living room walls. I am glad that it is stuck in the wall and not in our apartment. Nonetheless, the scurrying sounds are not enjoyable.
My dad starts his 3 days of tests today.
My dad has not been to a dentist for roughly 40 years. And never has any tooth-related problems. He says it is because he drinks a lot of milk. And he does drink a lot of milk, usually a glass or two a day. And since I have started dieting and stuff back in June, I have also started drinking a lot of milk (of the fat-free variety), about a gallon a week. And back before I started drinking the milk, I had been having some pain in one of my teeth, but since that time the pain has gone away. And so, long story short, I think my dad is right and that drinking milk is good for your teeth.
(or my tooth has become so rotten that the nerve inside is finally gone.)
Last night I ran to the B&N and then made it halfway home before I had to stop running and start walking. While I was running, I was thinking to myself that surely this had to be well over 10 miles, that I could easily run a half marathon, etc. Then I got home and Google-mapped it and it turns out that I only ran about 8-point-something miles. Which is good, and I'm pleased, but not nearly as impressive as the pain in my legs made it feel.
Laundry. Dishes.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Kachunk. Kachunk. Kachunk. Kachunk.
Today I rode my bike to work. And I haven't ridden it for a few weeks, and it's been sitting outside the front of our place (which is where our bikes live), and the chain has gotten kinda rusty. And so every time I pedaled, the chain would slip. Which made for a very annoying ride, indeed.
When I got home I oiled the chain which seems to have helped.
Not much else going on. The Jeanners and I went dress shopping this evening. The mall on a Friday night is a scary, scary place.
Started work on a new song last night. I'd been playing around with some chords and very sketchy lyrics for the last few weeks, and last night I was able to record a nice solid foundation, now I just need to come up with something to make it all interesting.
Tonight we watched part II of the seven part HBO miniseries John Adams. The second part was better than the first (but seemed longer -- was it longer?) and it's getting engaging. We'll see.
The reread of IJ is going well. I'm around page 180. Kneser, are you hanging in there?
When I got home I oiled the chain which seems to have helped.
Not much else going on. The Jeanners and I went dress shopping this evening. The mall on a Friday night is a scary, scary place.
Started work on a new song last night. I'd been playing around with some chords and very sketchy lyrics for the last few weeks, and last night I was able to record a nice solid foundation, now I just need to come up with something to make it all interesting.
Tonight we watched part II of the seven part HBO miniseries John Adams. The second part was better than the first (but seemed longer -- was it longer?) and it's getting engaging. We'll see.
The reread of IJ is going well. I'm around page 180. Kneser, are you hanging in there?
Monday, October 06, 2008
Here We Are Now, Entertain Us
Wow, listen to those stocks fall! You can almost hear them whistle as they fly by! I listened to This American Life on Saturday, and the show was all the about the "current economic crisis," and basically just tried to explain what the hell is going on, and how it happened, and possible outcomes and/or solutions. It's pretty scary. And a little exciting. Although I'm guessing that if I had children, a home, or any sort of responsibility it would be less exciting and just scary. But anyway, it was a good program, and worth listening to online if you're at all interested in economics (which I usually am not, but still found the program interesting).
I have started rereading Infinite Jest (and have already, at page 77 or so, been reminded of why it is the Greatest Book Ever) and it has got me thinking about entertainment, and what type of entertainment I like, and I'm realizing that without a TV and with very limited exposure to movies, the entertainment I've been enjoying is a lot different than what it used to be. (It just took me like 5 attempts to try and type 'different' correctly). My current top pieces of entertainment (and maybe I would so far as to call these things 'art'): DFW stuff, Savage Love, This American Life, and Car Talk. And I think there's a definite common thread among them all, and it probably has something to do with the narrative tone and the word conversational.
But then who cares.
BJ called me on the goddamn telephone the other day. A mere one day after Schlueter and I had decided that we were writing him out of our respective wills because he is a non-answerer. So he's back in the will. TO BJ GAILEY I BEQUEATH: ONE SMALL-TO-MEDIUM SIZED BAG OF SNACK CHIPS TO MAKE UP FOR THE BAG I ATE.
For those who haven't heard: we think that the J-Dog got the highest grade in her class on the ol' physics test last week. She got like 160+%. She's a hard worker.
I have started rereading Infinite Jest (and have already, at page 77 or so, been reminded of why it is the Greatest Book Ever) and it has got me thinking about entertainment, and what type of entertainment I like, and I'm realizing that without a TV and with very limited exposure to movies, the entertainment I've been enjoying is a lot different than what it used to be. (It just took me like 5 attempts to try and type 'different' correctly). My current top pieces of entertainment (and maybe I would so far as to call these things 'art'): DFW stuff, Savage Love, This American Life, and Car Talk. And I think there's a definite common thread among them all, and it probably has something to do with the narrative tone and the word conversational.
But then who cares.
BJ called me on the goddamn telephone the other day. A mere one day after Schlueter and I had decided that we were writing him out of our respective wills because he is a non-answerer. So he's back in the will. TO BJ GAILEY I BEQUEATH: ONE SMALL-TO-MEDIUM SIZED BAG OF SNACK CHIPS TO MAKE UP FOR THE BAG I ATE.
For those who haven't heard: we think that the J-Dog got the highest grade in her class on the ol' physics test last week. She got like 160+%. She's a hard worker.
Friday, October 03, 2008
A Look At Yesterday
7:15am --Alarm goes off. Hit snooze once. Shower. Leave for work.
8:30am-11:30am -- Work.
11:30am-12:50pm -- Drive to bus station at the Maryland Travel Plaza. Get required passes for parking, pick up bus ticket, wait for bus.
12:50pm-4:30pm -- Ride bus to the Port Authority bus terminal in NYC. Listened to some DFW readings, latest David Byrne/Brian Eno album, et al.
4:30pm-7:30pm -- Arrive at the Port Authority bus terminal in NYC. Walk around Times Square a little bit. Buy some beers and a bag of Doritos. Walk around a little more. Get approached by a man who asks, "Is your name Augustine?" Take beer and Doritos and hunker down across the street from the back door of the Letterman show. For some reason, this is my absolute favorite place in New York. It's a good place to people watch, and it's out of the way. I saw, in order: Bill Hader, Calista Flockhart, various Late Show band members, Alan Kalter, and Paul Schaffer. Then walk to Schlueter's hotel, just around the corner.
7:30pm-10:45pm -- Schlueter arrives at hotel, we walk to restaurant in neighborhood. Some type of pub. I get my steak, have beers. Schlueter gets a wrap of some sort, has beers. We talk about lots of things. Good time.
10:45pm -- I check my phone and see that my bus leaves in 45 minutes. Pay tab, quick goodbye on 8th Avenue.
10:45pm-11:20pm -- Run down 8th Ave. a few blocks to the Port Authority bus terminal, which is large and confusing. I ask the person at the information desk if she knows where my bus will be leaving from. She says Gate 74. I find Gate 74 with a few minutes to spare. Above Gate 74, one of the destinations listed is the Maryland Travel Plaza (my destination), so I figure I am in the right spot. There is no bus and no people there. I wait for the bus to arrive.
12:15am -- Still no bus. I ask a Greyhound baggage dude walking by if he knows when the bus will arrive. He tells me that my bus left from Gate 78. He says that the next bus will be at 3:45am and that it will take me to downtown Baltimore, not the Maryland Travel Plaza.
12:15am-3:45am -- Fitful sleeping on the floor of the Port Authority bus terminal. Buzz from beers going away rapidly and unpleasantly.
3:45am -- Board bus to Baltimore. More fitful sleeping on bus.
5am-ish -- Vomit in bathroom at back of bus. Thank god for gum.
7am -- Arrive at downtown Baltimore bus terminal. Wait for transfer to Maryland Travel Plaza.
9am -- Arrive at Maryland Travel Plaza.
9:45am -- Arrive home. Poop.
So it was good to see Schlueter. Would I do it all over again? Yes. I would probably just have the Doritos, though, and not the beers before dinner. And I would ask someone different where I was supposed to catch my bus. But other than those 2 things, it was a really fun trip.
8:30am-11:30am -- Work.
11:30am-12:50pm -- Drive to bus station at the Maryland Travel Plaza. Get required passes for parking, pick up bus ticket, wait for bus.
12:50pm-4:30pm -- Ride bus to the Port Authority bus terminal in NYC. Listened to some DFW readings, latest David Byrne/Brian Eno album, et al.
4:30pm-7:30pm -- Arrive at the Port Authority bus terminal in NYC. Walk around Times Square a little bit. Buy some beers and a bag of Doritos. Walk around a little more. Get approached by a man who asks, "Is your name Augustine?" Take beer and Doritos and hunker down across the street from the back door of the Letterman show. For some reason, this is my absolute favorite place in New York. It's a good place to people watch, and it's out of the way. I saw, in order: Bill Hader, Calista Flockhart, various Late Show band members, Alan Kalter, and Paul Schaffer. Then walk to Schlueter's hotel, just around the corner.
7:30pm-10:45pm -- Schlueter arrives at hotel, we walk to restaurant in neighborhood. Some type of pub. I get my steak, have beers. Schlueter gets a wrap of some sort, has beers. We talk about lots of things. Good time.
10:45pm -- I check my phone and see that my bus leaves in 45 minutes. Pay tab, quick goodbye on 8th Avenue.
10:45pm-11:20pm -- Run down 8th Ave. a few blocks to the Port Authority bus terminal, which is large and confusing. I ask the person at the information desk if she knows where my bus will be leaving from. She says Gate 74. I find Gate 74 with a few minutes to spare. Above Gate 74, one of the destinations listed is the Maryland Travel Plaza (my destination), so I figure I am in the right spot. There is no bus and no people there. I wait for the bus to arrive.
12:15am -- Still no bus. I ask a Greyhound baggage dude walking by if he knows when the bus will arrive. He tells me that my bus left from Gate 78. He says that the next bus will be at 3:45am and that it will take me to downtown Baltimore, not the Maryland Travel Plaza.
12:15am-3:45am -- Fitful sleeping on the floor of the Port Authority bus terminal. Buzz from beers going away rapidly and unpleasantly.
3:45am -- Board bus to Baltimore. More fitful sleeping on bus.
5am-ish -- Vomit in bathroom at back of bus. Thank god for gum.
7am -- Arrive at downtown Baltimore bus terminal. Wait for transfer to Maryland Travel Plaza.
9am -- Arrive at Maryland Travel Plaza.
9:45am -- Arrive home. Poop.
So it was good to see Schlueter. Would I do it all over again? Yes. I would probably just have the Doritos, though, and not the beers before dinner. And I would ask someone different where I was supposed to catch my bus. But other than those 2 things, it was a really fun trip.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
The Internet is Not Dead, Bitches!
I am getting a cold. Perhaps acquired from my father (who had a cold this weekend), perhaps acquired by swimming in the ocean when it was probably too cold to be swimming in the ocean. I went to bed last night at 6pm and woke up this morning at 6am. I drank a half gallon of juice throughout the day at work today. Must kick this bastard in its johnson. What the hell, "johnson" isn't in Blogger's spellcheck dictionary? How the hell can one compose a decent blog post without "johnson"?
My parents arrived on Friday evening and we drove up to Wildwood, NJ when the Jeanners and I got home from our respective jobs. We spent the weekend going to the beach, exploring the Jersey shore, swimming in the hotel pool, eating at various restaurants, and driving. It was a good time. Although Jeannie and I did have an argument. Which was definitely the low point of my trip. Thanks a lot, Jeannie! Sheesh! It makes me want to buy some new shoes and get a divort.
My parents ended up staying in our place on Sunday night, which was not planned but worked out fine. It's weird to have your parents sleeping in your bed (not while we were in it, of course. We were on an air mattress in the living room).
Found out some shit about my dad's stomach tumor. I'm gonna call it a tumor, because although nobody knows quite what it is, I'm pretty sure you can call pretty much any unexplained growth a "tumor". So anyway, he showed my the report he got from when they gave him a CAT scan for the kidney stone (which still hasn't passed, by the way), and from the report I learned that the tumor is not in his stomach (the organ), but rather his abdomen. And it's 11cm X 11cm X 8cm. Which is bigger than I had imagined it to be, and seems big. So it's concerning. And his tests are scheduled for October 13th, and it'll be like 3 days of tests, and I'm sure just not very fun. But we had a good chat about it (in the jacuzzi at the hotel) and he seems ok with it, and ready to face whatever is on the way. And of course, there is still a chance that it could be nothing. So we'll see...
Thursday I am going to take a bus up to NYC after work and meet Schlueter for a fabulous New York dinner (I think I'm gonna have a steak, goddammit) and then bus back late Thursday night. Looking forward to it. Headphones, reading material, walking around New York, Schlueter, dinner, headphones, reading material.
My parents arrived on Friday evening and we drove up to Wildwood, NJ when the Jeanners and I got home from our respective jobs. We spent the weekend going to the beach, exploring the Jersey shore, swimming in the hotel pool, eating at various restaurants, and driving. It was a good time. Although Jeannie and I did have an argument. Which was definitely the low point of my trip. Thanks a lot, Jeannie! Sheesh! It makes me want to buy some new shoes and get a divort.
My parents ended up staying in our place on Sunday night, which was not planned but worked out fine. It's weird to have your parents sleeping in your bed (not while we were in it, of course. We were on an air mattress in the living room).
Found out some shit about my dad's stomach tumor. I'm gonna call it a tumor, because although nobody knows quite what it is, I'm pretty sure you can call pretty much any unexplained growth a "tumor". So anyway, he showed my the report he got from when they gave him a CAT scan for the kidney stone (which still hasn't passed, by the way), and from the report I learned that the tumor is not in his stomach (the organ), but rather his abdomen. And it's 11cm X 11cm X 8cm. Which is bigger than I had imagined it to be, and seems big. So it's concerning. And his tests are scheduled for October 13th, and it'll be like 3 days of tests, and I'm sure just not very fun. But we had a good chat about it (in the jacuzzi at the hotel) and he seems ok with it, and ready to face whatever is on the way. And of course, there is still a chance that it could be nothing. So we'll see...
Thursday I am going to take a bus up to NYC after work and meet Schlueter for a fabulous New York dinner (I think I'm gonna have a steak, goddammit) and then bus back late Thursday night. Looking forward to it. Headphones, reading material, walking around New York, Schlueter, dinner, headphones, reading material.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Doesn't Anybody Care About Long Turds Anymore?
A few interesting DFW links I have come across in the last few days, especially interesting if you've read Infinite Jest:
http://theknowe.net/dfwfiles/pdfs/Wallace-Amherst_Review-The_Planet.pdf
and
http://www.granadahouse.org/alumni_letters.htm
Also, purchased the Dolly Parton album Jolene yesterday and have been totally enjoying it. If you've ever thought that maybe you might enjoy a Dolly Parton album (and I know you have), I would definitely recommend this one as a good place to start. There's a bonus track where she sings a song called "Cracker Jack" that's about her childhood puppy (the titular Cracker Jack), and I know you're thinking, "Jesus Christ, Dolly Parton singing a song called "Cracker Jack," and it's all about her childhood puppy -- that sounds like my idea of a very very bad thing," but it's really not. And two main reasons it doesn't completely suck are A) subtle production and B) Dolly Parton's vocals. She can sell the songs, and she does it by honesty.
I had a dream about The Beej last night. I think he had come to town to see some sort of CSC production. It was nice to see him, even if it didn't really happen.
Both Jeannie and I were sleeping very very soundly this morning when the alarm went off. It's not often that we're both sleeping well. And 5:45 felt far too early.
My parents are still planning on coming for their visit this Friday. Daddy-o has not passed ye olde kidneye stone. But left a message today saying that he feels up to the trip.
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that I'll bet that this is the first blog post that ever talked about David Foster Wallace and Dolly Parton. Two great tastes that taste great together.
http://theknowe.net/dfwfiles/pdfs/Wallace-Amherst_Review-The_Planet.pdf
and
http://www.granadahouse.org/alumni_letters.htm
Also, purchased the Dolly Parton album Jolene yesterday and have been totally enjoying it. If you've ever thought that maybe you might enjoy a Dolly Parton album (and I know you have), I would definitely recommend this one as a good place to start. There's a bonus track where she sings a song called "Cracker Jack" that's about her childhood puppy (the titular Cracker Jack), and I know you're thinking, "Jesus Christ, Dolly Parton singing a song called "Cracker Jack," and it's all about her childhood puppy -- that sounds like my idea of a very very bad thing," but it's really not. And two main reasons it doesn't completely suck are A) subtle production and B) Dolly Parton's vocals. She can sell the songs, and she does it by honesty.
I had a dream about The Beej last night. I think he had come to town to see some sort of CSC production. It was nice to see him, even if it didn't really happen.
Both Jeannie and I were sleeping very very soundly this morning when the alarm went off. It's not often that we're both sleeping well. And 5:45 felt far too early.
My parents are still planning on coming for their visit this Friday. Daddy-o has not passed ye olde kidneye stone. But left a message today saying that he feels up to the trip.
I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that I'll bet that this is the first blog post that ever talked about David Foster Wallace and Dolly Parton. Two great tastes that taste great together.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Update!
Well, there really isn't much of an update. My dad went to the oncologist on Friday, and the oncologist said, "Yes, we should perform tests on whatever this thing is in your tummy that showed up on the CAT scan for the kidney stone." The semi-good news is that the oncologist did not seem like the tests needed to be performed immediately and said that my folks could come out here for their visit and then get the tests when they return to the Lou.
So, now I'm just hoping that my Dad passes his stone (ouch!) before they come out here, we have a grand ol' time, then he gets his arse back home for tests and everything turns out hunky dory.
Other updates:
I ran 10 miles the other day. Jeannie knows all about it.
Eating less fat makes for very long turds. There, I said it.
Schlueter might be coming East! Possible NYC rendezvous in the works...
So, now I'm just hoping that my Dad passes his stone (ouch!) before they come out here, we have a grand ol' time, then he gets his arse back home for tests and everything turns out hunky dory.
Other updates:
I ran 10 miles the other day. Jeannie knows all about it.
Eating less fat makes for very long turds. There, I said it.
Schlueter might be coming East! Possible NYC rendezvous in the works...
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Me Pap
So I got a call from my sister this evening, who told me that my Dad went to the emergency room this morning, and the long story made short is that he has a kidney stone. And the other part of the long story is that they found a "mass" in his "stomach."
Now, we don't know what the "mass" is, and we don't know if "stomach" means the actual organ or what my dad calls the area between his boobies and his pants. So he goes to his oncologist (my dad had lymphoma back in the day, when I was like 8) tomorrow, for tests and probes and pokes and who knows what else.
(sigh.)
I just got off the phone with him a few minutes ago, and he sounds fine. He sounds like the thing he's most concerned about is trying to get my deposit on the hotel back if they have to cancel their trip. We are all professing the belief that we shouldn't worry until we actually have something to worry about, and at the same time I'm sure that we are all worried.
Now, we don't know what the "mass" is, and we don't know if "stomach" means the actual organ or what my dad calls the area between his boobies and his pants. So he goes to his oncologist (my dad had lymphoma back in the day, when I was like 8) tomorrow, for tests and probes and pokes and who knows what else.
(sigh.)
I just got off the phone with him a few minutes ago, and he sounds fine. He sounds like the thing he's most concerned about is trying to get my deposit on the hotel back if they have to cancel their trip. We are all professing the belief that we shouldn't worry until we actually have something to worry about, and at the same time I'm sure that we are all worried.
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
The Day
Feeling better. Woke up this morning and felt as though a little bit of the fog of the past few days had lifted.
Things of the day stuck in my head:
1. An old man and his wife came into the department this morning. I asked him, "How are you?" He said (in a cute, smiley old man French accent), "I'll have to go into deep communion with myself in order to answer that question."
Five minutes later, he walked by and said, "So-so."
Five minutes after that, I took he and his wife to find a Pete Seeger cd and he said, "Fantastic."
Then, five minutes later, as he and his wife came to pay, he said, "Overflowing with happiness."
I don't know. That little snippet doesn't do justice to the guy. I just liked his answers. They weren't standard "How are you?" "Good, thanks." answers. They had thought behind them. Which is more than I can say for my questions, and as a result I put a little more thought into my interactions during the day.
2. At about 11:30 this morning I confronted a shoplifter who was trying to steal some blu-ray DVD's, and when I told him that he needed to give me the DVD's back, he said, "ARE YOU ACCUSING ME? ARE YOU ACCUSING ME OF STEALING? CAUSE IF YOU ARE I WILL FLATTEN YOU!" And then I said, "Yes. Yes, I am accusing you, and I need you to give me those DVD's back. And I was very genuinely scared, because this was a big guy, about 6'3", muscular, 220 lbs, and an asshole. And a thief. So I was scared, and he tried leaving so I followed him out of the store and then down the street, and I asked him where we were walking to, and he said, "Someplace quiet so I can kick your ass." And I said, "Oh, OK," and kept following him. And I don't really know why I kept following him, because I really seriously thought that he was going to at least punch me in the face. And I was still scared. But for some reason (and I will interject here [in admittedly stolen DFW fashion] that a weird reason that I kept following him had something unexplainable and very much in the back of my mind to do with how my head has been screwed up over DFW's suicide, and getting my ass kicked really didn't sound all that bad at 11:30 this morning) I kept following him and trying to annoy him by asking his name and making stupid small talk, making him painfully aware that I would follow him wherever he decided to go. And after a little bit of that, he eventually took the DVD's out of his cargo pocket and threw them over his shoulder, and I got them and went back to the store. And for the first time in a very very long time, I felt brave. And I felt good.
I have two days off starting tomorrow, and I'm hoping to get some laundry done, but other than that I don't know how to spend my time. Cleaning? Working on music? Running?
or E) All of the above?
Things of the day stuck in my head:
1. An old man and his wife came into the department this morning. I asked him, "How are you?" He said (in a cute, smiley old man French accent), "I'll have to go into deep communion with myself in order to answer that question."
Five minutes later, he walked by and said, "So-so."
Five minutes after that, I took he and his wife to find a Pete Seeger cd and he said, "Fantastic."
Then, five minutes later, as he and his wife came to pay, he said, "Overflowing with happiness."
I don't know. That little snippet doesn't do justice to the guy. I just liked his answers. They weren't standard "How are you?" "Good, thanks." answers. They had thought behind them. Which is more than I can say for my questions, and as a result I put a little more thought into my interactions during the day.
2. At about 11:30 this morning I confronted a shoplifter who was trying to steal some blu-ray DVD's, and when I told him that he needed to give me the DVD's back, he said, "ARE YOU ACCUSING ME? ARE YOU ACCUSING ME OF STEALING? CAUSE IF YOU ARE I WILL FLATTEN YOU!" And then I said, "Yes. Yes, I am accusing you, and I need you to give me those DVD's back. And I was very genuinely scared, because this was a big guy, about 6'3", muscular, 220 lbs, and an asshole. And a thief. So I was scared, and he tried leaving so I followed him out of the store and then down the street, and I asked him where we were walking to, and he said, "Someplace quiet so I can kick your ass." And I said, "Oh, OK," and kept following him. And I don't really know why I kept following him, because I really seriously thought that he was going to at least punch me in the face. And I was still scared. But for some reason (and I will interject here [in admittedly stolen DFW fashion] that a weird reason that I kept following him had something unexplainable and very much in the back of my mind to do with how my head has been screwed up over DFW's suicide, and getting my ass kicked really didn't sound all that bad at 11:30 this morning) I kept following him and trying to annoy him by asking his name and making stupid small talk, making him painfully aware that I would follow him wherever he decided to go. And after a little bit of that, he eventually took the DVD's out of his cargo pocket and threw them over his shoulder, and I got them and went back to the store. And for the first time in a very very long time, I felt brave. And I felt good.
I have two days off starting tomorrow, and I'm hoping to get some laundry done, but other than that I don't know how to spend my time. Cleaning? Working on music? Running?
or E) All of the above?
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
More DFW
Haven't really known what to write. This DFW thing has messed with my head a little more than it probably should. Work for the past few days has been incredibly slow, so I've had about 6 hours a day to do nothing but stand around and think about it, and feel bad, and wonder, and be scared, and sad. I think that it's a pretty ludicrous reaction to the death of somebody you never knew, and I'm embarrassed to be writing it, but there it is.
I watched this yesterday, and it didn't help at all, but I'm glad I watched it. It's long, and it's from over a decade ago so there's a distance there, but I like it.
"What the really great artists do is: they're entirely themselves. They're entirely themselves, they've got their own vision, their own way of fracturing reality, and that if it's authentic and true you will feel it in your nerve endings." (27:08)
That's the last I'm gonna write about him, for now.
I watched this yesterday, and it didn't help at all, but I'm glad I watched it. It's long, and it's from over a decade ago so there's a distance there, but I like it.
"What the really great artists do is: they're entirely themselves. They're entirely themselves, they've got their own vision, their own way of fracturing reality, and that if it's authentic and true you will feel it in your nerve endings." (27:08)
That's the last I'm gonna write about him, for now.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
R.I.P. DFW
I just read that David Foster Wallace was found dead in his home on Friday night. Jesus fucking christ.
Friday, September 12, 2008
Let's Get Physics-cal!
Well, it's been over a week since I've written, but Jebus Christ, nobody else has been writing, either, so I don't wanna hear it. Thanks to OAA, who I can always count on to save my daily shit-checking regimen from being a complete wash.
Here's what's been happening:
1. Working with the J-Dog on her Physics. It's harder than I remember it being. It's really been a long time since I've had to do any math harder than say, well, addition. But we seem to be making progress.
2. I ran six miles the other day. And I've been telling Jeannie about it every day since. Pray for her.
3. My parents are coming out for a visit at the end of the month. We're going to drive to New Jersey and stay here. Hopefully it will turn out to be as enjoyable as their visit last year.
4. Jeannie found my toenails. And she was, as predicted, grossed out. And seemed a little pissed, despite the fact that she already knew, from reading this blog, that they were hidden somewhere. Sheesh!
5. There seem to be rotting tomatoes everywhere in our apartment.
6. The first stage of my secret project is done.
7. Work has been b o r i n g. But the holidays are looming with their dark, evil loominess.
8. J-Dog and I may go on a date tonight! Maybe dinner, maybe see the new Coen Bros. flick.
9. Gonna go give myself a haircut.
Here's what's been happening:
1. Working with the J-Dog on her Physics. It's harder than I remember it being. It's really been a long time since I've had to do any math harder than say, well, addition. But we seem to be making progress.
2. I ran six miles the other day. And I've been telling Jeannie about it every day since. Pray for her.
3. My parents are coming out for a visit at the end of the month. We're going to drive to New Jersey and stay here. Hopefully it will turn out to be as enjoyable as their visit last year.
4. Jeannie found my toenails. And she was, as predicted, grossed out. And seemed a little pissed, despite the fact that she already knew, from reading this blog, that they were hidden somewhere. Sheesh!
5. There seem to be rotting tomatoes everywhere in our apartment.
6. The first stage of my secret project is done.
7. Work has been b o r i n g. But the holidays are looming with their dark, evil loominess.
8. J-Dog and I may go on a date tonight! Maybe dinner, maybe see the new Coen Bros. flick.
9. Gonna go give myself a haircut.
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Alone
I'm spending the evening by myself tonight, as the Jeanners has a late night with her Physics class and then lab. So she won't be getting home 'til around 11 or so. A long day for her. So I'm sitting here, and I just finished a couple of veggie burgers for dinner, and I went for a run earlier, and now I'm a little bored. So I'm listening to Bill Evans' cd Alone and trying to find some inspiration somewhere. Inspiration for what, I'm not exactly sure. Just something to put a little bit of my energy (or what's left of it) into.
Lordy, Lordy, tonight I've decided that I really, really hate politics. I think it brings out the worst in people. And I think that I hate politics because at heart I prefer inaction to action. C'est la vie.
I've been reading a Kerouac book lately that I first read a long time ago and didn't like. Visions of Cody. When I first read it, it was pretty easy to dismiss as gibberish, but now I'm finding it to be really good. I think the key is that it's not meant to be read like a normal novel, it's meant to be read in a series of short (usually, luckily for me, bathroom-length) bursts. It doesn't really have much of a plot, it's more just a series of impressions. But they're very detailed, very richly described and perfectly written impressions. But then again, maybe I just haven't gotten to the part that sucks yet. I think it's gonna take me a long time to finish (hopefully I won't be bitching the whole way a la "Mason and Dixon"), and I might give up midway through, but I'm enjoying it for now. The original unedited scroll of On the Road recently was published in paperback and I'm interested in getting that...
Korn's last day at the B&N was Tuesday. She's headed off to Jersey to have a real life. I'm happy for her, and glad that she's taking steps in the right direction (away from the B&N), but I will miss her at work. The one rule of B&N: everybody leaves. Anyway, we had a good little gathering at the Rec Room where I had one goddamned tasty muthafuckin', juice-drippin' burger and kept my beer drinking under control so I didn't make an ass out of myself. Or at least no more of an ass than I usually am. I did drink a lot of Sprite though. Sprite is good!
Earlier this evening a good portion of our apartment smelled like Vicks Vap-O Rub. The smell seemed to be coming into the apartment from somewhere outside (?) (!!) I think it is one of the signs of impending apocalypse when your city starts smelling like Vicks.
This cd is not quite as moody as I thought it would be. But maybe I'm just not listening closely enough. It is pretty good, though.
Lordy, Lordy, tonight I've decided that I really, really hate politics. I think it brings out the worst in people. And I think that I hate politics because at heart I prefer inaction to action. C'est la vie.
I've been reading a Kerouac book lately that I first read a long time ago and didn't like. Visions of Cody. When I first read it, it was pretty easy to dismiss as gibberish, but now I'm finding it to be really good. I think the key is that it's not meant to be read like a normal novel, it's meant to be read in a series of short (usually, luckily for me, bathroom-length) bursts. It doesn't really have much of a plot, it's more just a series of impressions. But they're very detailed, very richly described and perfectly written impressions. But then again, maybe I just haven't gotten to the part that sucks yet. I think it's gonna take me a long time to finish (hopefully I won't be bitching the whole way a la "Mason and Dixon"), and I might give up midway through, but I'm enjoying it for now. The original unedited scroll of On the Road recently was published in paperback and I'm interested in getting that...
Korn's last day at the B&N was Tuesday. She's headed off to Jersey to have a real life. I'm happy for her, and glad that she's taking steps in the right direction (away from the B&N), but I will miss her at work. The one rule of B&N: everybody leaves. Anyway, we had a good little gathering at the Rec Room where I had one goddamned tasty muthafuckin', juice-drippin' burger and kept my beer drinking under control so I didn't make an ass out of myself. Or at least no more of an ass than I usually am. I did drink a lot of Sprite though. Sprite is good!
Earlier this evening a good portion of our apartment smelled like Vicks Vap-O Rub. The smell seemed to be coming into the apartment from somewhere outside (?) (!!) I think it is one of the signs of impending apocalypse when your city starts smelling like Vicks.
This cd is not quite as moody as I thought it would be. But maybe I'm just not listening closely enough. It is pretty good, though.
Monday, September 01, 2008
Don't Let Me Into This Year With an Empty Heart
Jeannie and I got back last night from Caretaker Farm, which is in the northwestern corner of Massachusetts, outside a little town called Williamstown. We visited our friend Katie, who has been working as an intern on the farm since April, and will continue her internship until November, when she may return to Baltimore or continue farming.
I am not one to throw around superlatives lightly, and I am not really a touchy-feely, wishy-washy type guy, but I have to say that the place was really special and in a way, life-changing. I was really blown away by the friendliness, coolness, and quiet sense of pride and satisfaction that the small group of people who worked there seemed to have. And of course the place was beautiful.
We had planned on camping, but instead ended up staying in a common room for the 4 interns on the farm. It looked like this, and it was pretty cool:
The common room is built over the part of the barn where the pigs are kept, so at night while you're trying to sleep you can hear the pigs rustling around underneath you, as well as the mice scurrying around in the ceiling above you, and then in the morning the cows start mooing right outside the window once the interns start milking (also right below the common room).
It was a great trip, and wonderful to see Katie, who showed us around the beautiful area (the farm is located in the Berkshires), took us hiking, and introduced us to everybody and made us feel perfectly at home. The "visiting friends in interesting places for vacation" policy has once again proven itself to be a wonderful thing.
Last night on the way home Jeannie and I stopped at a cute little diner called the "Penn-Can" in, I believe, someplace called Birmingham, Pennsylvania. The place looked like someplace out of a Tom Waits song and served food that would have made the folks at Caretaker Farm wince -- all fried and greasy and guiltily delicious. It was a nice little truck stop type place.
Today the J-Dog and I spent a good part of the day studying physics for her class. Trying to get the basics mastered so the rest doesn't suck. I'm so glad I'm not in school anymore.
I am not one to throw around superlatives lightly, and I am not really a touchy-feely, wishy-washy type guy, but I have to say that the place was really special and in a way, life-changing. I was really blown away by the friendliness, coolness, and quiet sense of pride and satisfaction that the small group of people who worked there seemed to have. And of course the place was beautiful.
We had planned on camping, but instead ended up staying in a common room for the 4 interns on the farm. It looked like this, and it was pretty cool:
The common room is built over the part of the barn where the pigs are kept, so at night while you're trying to sleep you can hear the pigs rustling around underneath you, as well as the mice scurrying around in the ceiling above you, and then in the morning the cows start mooing right outside the window once the interns start milking (also right below the common room).
It was a great trip, and wonderful to see Katie, who showed us around the beautiful area (the farm is located in the Berkshires), took us hiking, and introduced us to everybody and made us feel perfectly at home. The "visiting friends in interesting places for vacation" policy has once again proven itself to be a wonderful thing.
Last night on the way home Jeannie and I stopped at a cute little diner called the "Penn-Can" in, I believe, someplace called Birmingham, Pennsylvania. The place looked like someplace out of a Tom Waits song and served food that would have made the folks at Caretaker Farm wince -- all fried and greasy and guiltily delicious. It was a nice little truck stop type place.
Today the J-Dog and I spent a good part of the day studying physics for her class. Trying to get the basics mastered so the rest doesn't suck. I'm so glad I'm not in school anymore.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Into the Bush
Tomorrow morning J-Dog and I are leaving for our little end-of-the-summer mini-vacation, which will consist of us camping on a farm in Massachusetts. Please water our plants while we are gone.
While I was writing the title of this post, I was reminded of a dream I had the other night: In the dream, I was looking through a stack of old photos that my parents had from the 70's. It looked like my parents owned and operated a swanky nightclub in the 70's, because everybody was decked out in leisure suits and had big swanky collars and looked generally coked to the gills. And then as I was flipping through the stack of photos, I came across a picture of Ava Gabor's bush, and my mom said, "Oh, we'd better get rid of that one." That was my dream.
Over this past weekend, I must have been attacked by a swarm of some sort of industrial strength, mutant swamp mosquitoes, as I have about a hundred bites on my legs that have been itching fer days.
While I was writing the title of this post, I was reminded of a dream I had the other night: In the dream, I was looking through a stack of old photos that my parents had from the 70's. It looked like my parents owned and operated a swanky nightclub in the 70's, because everybody was decked out in leisure suits and had big swanky collars and looked generally coked to the gills. And then as I was flipping through the stack of photos, I came across a picture of Ava Gabor's bush, and my mom said, "Oh, we'd better get rid of that one." That was my dream.
Over this past weekend, I must have been attacked by a swarm of some sort of industrial strength, mutant swamp mosquitoes, as I have about a hundred bites on my legs that have been itching fer days.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Loose Ends
Many things have been happening and jumping:
1. The most wonderful and amazing thing is that PKP and T is gonna have a baby! Woo-Hoo! I am excited by this news.
2. I got stung by a bee!
3. I went to court about a week and a half ago cause I got subpoenaed for the shoplifter. I didn't really have to do anything because the shoplifter sort of plead guilty. But court was boring and interesting at the same time. It was interesting to listen to other people's cases. It was also interesting to watch the State's Attorney, the Public Defender, and the Judge, all of whom seemed to know their jobs very well. It was funny because everyone talked VERY FAST all the time.
4. Jeannie and I are going out of town this weekend on a super-secret semi-impromptu-but-not-really vacation. We're gonna camp. Theoretically. Unless I wuss out and decide I want to stay somewhere with a hot tub.
5. I guess the Schluetermetz' should be arrivin' in Oregon right about now? Or soon?
6. Korn is moving away. Which makes me sad. But I'm happy for her because I think her life will be more exciting and interesting once she moves.
7. I ran 4 miles the other day.
1. The most wonderful and amazing thing is that PKP and T is gonna have a baby! Woo-Hoo! I am excited by this news.
2. I got stung by a bee!
3. I went to court about a week and a half ago cause I got subpoenaed for the shoplifter. I didn't really have to do anything because the shoplifter sort of plead guilty. But court was boring and interesting at the same time. It was interesting to listen to other people's cases. It was also interesting to watch the State's Attorney, the Public Defender, and the Judge, all of whom seemed to know their jobs very well. It was funny because everyone talked VERY FAST all the time.
4. Jeannie and I are going out of town this weekend on a super-secret semi-impromptu-but-not-really vacation. We're gonna camp. Theoretically. Unless I wuss out and decide I want to stay somewhere with a hot tub.
5. I guess the Schluetermetz' should be arrivin' in Oregon right about now? Or soon?
6. Korn is moving away. Which makes me sad. But I'm happy for her because I think her life will be more exciting and interesting once she moves.
7. I ran 4 miles the other day.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Goodbye O, Hello O!
Well, in a few days, the Schluetermetz' will be leaving Ohio. Truly the end of an era. Poor Ohio, which I have long held to be the suckiest state in The Union, now has no redeeming qualities. And although I definitely have great memories of hanging with the cool kids in Columbus and Bellefountaine, I am feeling surprisingly un-sentimental about their upcoming move. I really think that the good times haven't even started yet, that the West will treat them well, and they will enjoy it. And we will enjoy visiting them.
Still though, I'm always a little sentimental, especially at nighttime, so I've uploaded a few songs about Ohio and one about (I think) Oregon and the Northwest. Looking back and looking ahead. Although I will admit that the Too Much Joy song "Goodbye Ohio" has little to do with Ohio, except the title. But the Damien Jurado is pretty damned good...
I stink.
Goodnight!
Still though, I'm always a little sentimental, especially at nighttime, so I've uploaded a few songs about Ohio and one about (I think) Oregon and the Northwest. Looking back and looking ahead. Although I will admit that the Too Much Joy song "Goodbye Ohio" has little to do with Ohio, except the title. But the Damien Jurado is pretty damned good...
I stink.
Goodnight!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Just About 80 Percent...
...of the cd's I've bought in the last year have been jazz cd's. Do I like jazz more than pop these days? Jury's still out...
...of the atmosphere at the B&N tonight was composed of my farts.
...of my dinner was my own chest (I hope) hair.
There's a little bit of a chill in the air tonight. It feels good. I can feel a little breeze blowing across the floor onto my bare feet.
The Jeanners signed up to go back to school today (I'm very proud of her, and I told her so), and yet she strangely didn't want to rent Rodney Dangerfield's 1986 laugh-fest Back To School to get her in the mood (which saddens and disappoints me).
...of the atmosphere at the B&N tonight was composed of my farts.
...of my dinner was my own chest (I hope) hair.
There's a little bit of a chill in the air tonight. It feels good. I can feel a little breeze blowing across the floor onto my bare feet.
The Jeanners signed up to go back to school today (I'm very proud of her, and I told her so), and yet she strangely didn't want to rent Rodney Dangerfield's 1986 laugh-fest Back To School to get her in the mood (which saddens and disappoints me).
Thursday, August 14, 2008
My Big Day, or The Year of the Roach
Yesterday was an important day, for two reasons:
1. It was my 31st birthday.
2. I fucking finished Mason and Dixon. And this is what I have to say:
Had a good, low-key birthday. Worked in the morning, went to the gym, went to dinner at a place in Little Italy [where, when the waiter came to take our plates, a cockroach scurried out from either on or underneath my plate. Woo-Hoo!], and then watched an episode of The Tudors while lounging in bed. The Tudors is still bad and nowhere near as good as Rome but damned if we aren't a little bit sucked in.
Spent a good portion of the day working on music and the rest of it on the phone with Verizon trying to fix our internet connection after it mysteriously stopped working. Every time they kept trying to transfer me to someone else, so I eventually hung up and somehow got the thing working myself. Or rather, it started working despite my efforts to screw it up even further.
Thanks for all the Facebook birthday wishes! Sorry for all the bad language!
1. It was my 31st birthday.
2. I fucking finished Mason and Dixon. And this is what I have to say:
a) Fuck that book. Fuck it in its A S S.
b) Fuck Thomas Pynchon for writing that book.
c) And finally, and definitely not least importantly, fuck BJ Gailey for recommending that book. Fuck him with a big fat cock. Or at least 2 medium-sized cocks. (Together, not one at a time).
Had a good, low-key birthday. Worked in the morning, went to the gym, went to dinner at a place in Little Italy [where, when the waiter came to take our plates, a cockroach scurried out from either on or underneath my plate. Woo-Hoo!], and then watched an episode of The Tudors while lounging in bed. The Tudors is still bad and nowhere near as good as Rome but damned if we aren't a little bit sucked in.
Spent a good portion of the day working on music and the rest of it on the phone with Verizon trying to fix our internet connection after it mysteriously stopped working. Every time they kept trying to transfer me to someone else, so I eventually hung up and somehow got the thing working myself. Or rather, it started working despite my efforts to screw it up even further.
Thanks for all the Facebook birthday wishes! Sorry for all the bad language!
Monday, August 11, 2008
Not Tired
It's starting to get late but I'm not tired. I mixed myself a big G&T when I got home from work this evening, and I'm still working on it. I've been reading through some old blog posts and realizing how glad I am that I've been keeping this here bloggy-blog. I don't look back at old posts too often, but when I do there's usually something back there that I don't remember writing that makes me smile.
I've been missing folks a lot lately. I listened to some Emmylou Harris at work the other night ("Sweet Old World"), and it made me miss Seanyboy. What it really made me do was look forward to one day having the songwriting visit that we talked about when I was visiting Alaska. We decided then that our next visit would be a songwriting visit rather than a recording visit. So I'm looking forward to that.
And I've been missing the Beej because he's leaving his podcast, and I feel like I haven't seen him in awhile, and I don't know when I'll see him next. Whenever I'm at work and I have nothing to do, I often feel the desire to call him up and shoot the shit. But I don't because A) Inevitably, as soon as I pick up the phone to call someone while I'm at work, 10 customers will walk into the department and I'll have to get off the phone and do my goddamn job, and B) BJ is a bitch and doesn't answer his phone.
And of course, the Schluetrmetz', cause they're moving and have some major changes coming up, and I wonder how our lives will intertwine in the future. Will we end up in the same place? Where is that place? What the fuck will we all be doing? I am beginning to realize that they have a profound effect on my phsyche: 1) I quit smoking after a visit to the Schluetermetz'. 2) I quit eating like a piggy after a visit to the Schluetermetz'. 3) I feel rejuvenated and creative after a visit with the Schluetermetz', and am somehow able to come home and start working on songs again.
Somehow they help me transition out of any ruts I might be traveling in...
(I have just hidden some toenail clippings somewhere in our living room for Jeannie or myself to find at some point in the future and be entirely grossed out. And now I've probably grossed you out, too. Sorry. But it seems like a fun game? No?)
And today I was playing on the guitar that Rich made for me, and I can't pick the damn thing up without wondering how he's doing, and I hope he's doing well. I hope that he gets a chance to come out and visit at some point this year. That reminds me, I need to send uncle Rico an e-mail and ask his advice...Rico is one of a kind.
And jeez, I've been missing people who live right down the damned road. I haven't really seen Pat all summer, haven't seen anybody from CSC, haven't hung out with A-Train. I think there's something inside me that hibernates during the summertime, and I don't know why, exactly. And I really hope that it is just during the summer, and that I'm able to come out of it during the fall, and get off my ass, and make the effort to go see people when I can.
I was listening to some of my songs on the way to work today, and I decided that my favorite line that's in any of them is a pretty simple one: "When will I see you again?"
So, when will I see you again?
Alright, I should go attempt some sleep. Eye doctor appointment tomorrow!
I've been missing folks a lot lately. I listened to some Emmylou Harris at work the other night ("Sweet Old World"), and it made me miss Seanyboy. What it really made me do was look forward to one day having the songwriting visit that we talked about when I was visiting Alaska. We decided then that our next visit would be a songwriting visit rather than a recording visit. So I'm looking forward to that.
And I've been missing the Beej because he's leaving his podcast, and I feel like I haven't seen him in awhile, and I don't know when I'll see him next. Whenever I'm at work and I have nothing to do, I often feel the desire to call him up and shoot the shit. But I don't because A) Inevitably, as soon as I pick up the phone to call someone while I'm at work, 10 customers will walk into the department and I'll have to get off the phone and do my goddamn job, and B) BJ is a bitch and doesn't answer his phone.
And of course, the Schluetrmetz', cause they're moving and have some major changes coming up, and I wonder how our lives will intertwine in the future. Will we end up in the same place? Where is that place? What the fuck will we all be doing? I am beginning to realize that they have a profound effect on my phsyche: 1) I quit smoking after a visit to the Schluetermetz'. 2) I quit eating like a piggy after a visit to the Schluetermetz'. 3) I feel rejuvenated and creative after a visit with the Schluetermetz', and am somehow able to come home and start working on songs again.
Somehow they help me transition out of any ruts I might be traveling in...
(I have just hidden some toenail clippings somewhere in our living room for Jeannie or myself to find at some point in the future and be entirely grossed out. And now I've probably grossed you out, too. Sorry. But it seems like a fun game? No?)
And today I was playing on the guitar that Rich made for me, and I can't pick the damn thing up without wondering how he's doing, and I hope he's doing well. I hope that he gets a chance to come out and visit at some point this year. That reminds me, I need to send uncle Rico an e-mail and ask his advice...Rico is one of a kind.
And jeez, I've been missing people who live right down the damned road. I haven't really seen Pat all summer, haven't seen anybody from CSC, haven't hung out with A-Train. I think there's something inside me that hibernates during the summertime, and I don't know why, exactly. And I really hope that it is just during the summer, and that I'm able to come out of it during the fall, and get off my ass, and make the effort to go see people when I can.
I was listening to some of my songs on the way to work today, and I decided that my favorite line that's in any of them is a pretty simple one: "When will I see you again?"
So, when will I see you again?
Alright, I should go attempt some sleep. Eye doctor appointment tomorrow!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
SMARTIES! Part Deux
Seriously, I think I have given myself diabetes with the number of SMARTIES that I have eaten in the last two days. When I was finished tonight at work, I had filled about half of a standard-sized office waste can with discarded SMARTIES wrappers. But dammit if they didn't make the night better.
I'm gonna go ahead and post the rough draft of this song I'm workin' on. The vocals are pretty much just gibberish I was singing so that I will remember a possible melody when I actually try to come up with real words. I think it's a good start, definitely similar to 'The Ring' but maybe different enough...we'll see what happens with it.
Do you want some golden fried jumbo shrimp? Or is it just me?
I'm gonna go ahead and post the rough draft of this song I'm workin' on. The vocals are pretty much just gibberish I was singing so that I will remember a possible melody when I actually try to come up with real words. I think it's a good start, definitely similar to 'The Ring' but maybe different enough...we'll see what happens with it.
Do you want some golden fried jumbo shrimp? Or is it just me?
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