Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Relevant Updates

1. Clay Aiken finally came out of the closet!

2. Oh, so did Lindsay Lohan (and her girlfriend has an odd ability to either look really hot or really BAD).

3. Some McCain supporters made shirts that imply that fetuses have the right to vote, or something. It's just weird.

Monday, September 22, 2008

DO THIS NOW

Go to facebook, click on "English" (or whatever language you use) at the bottom left, and pick "English (Pirate)"

YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED

Friday, September 19, 2008


that is all

cross your fingers for me!

I just applied for a job up at the Women's Media Center in NYC--and I got Amy Richards to write me a little recommendation! SO EXCITING!

Today was my "first" shift (if you don't count the years I worked there in HS) at the Grandin and it felt really nice. Very relaxed, lots of time to knit and read, hanging out with Jason and some really nice new faces too.

The low-down on what happened for the rest of my trip is still coming, swear!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Also, Read This!

Not surprisingly, Jamelle over at the United States of Jamerica has a fucking hilarious (and damn insightful) post about the differences between the McCain and Obama financial plans for our country. I think that what has struck me most about the McCain campaign is exactly what Jamelle points out: THEY THINK WE'RE STUPID! They think they can blame questions about Palin's experience (ahem, or lack thereof) on the fact that she's "a Washington Outsider"? NO! It's because she's not qualified!! They are running now on a platform of "change"--sorry, the real change would be CHANGING PARTIES! Etc etc.

I am adding Jamelle to my blogroll and hope you all will read his blog--because it's awesome.

FINALLY!!

So we all know it's time for an update that is looooong overdue (right Tamar?). The reason I've kept mum about the last ten days or so is because some of the time, I avoided people. Some of the time, it was really awkward. Some of the time it was really fun of course, but overall there are people I wish I could have talked to, hung out with, or said things to that I just couldn't. So it's been hard to sort all that out and convince myself that all the decisions I made were what's best for me, and if that makes me a selfish bitch, whatever, and if that makes me a human, fine.

So starting LAST Tuesday, here's what I've been up to:

Tuesday
Left from Roanoke and drove (the family van) to Charlottesville. Met up with Jen after she got off work and went to Rachel's house for DELISH vegetarian lasagna. At 8 we went to CLAW, which was really hilarious and entertaining and awesome, but in the back of my mind I was thinking of the FIFE dessert party, which was from 8:30-9:30. In the interest of stopping by there and also because the crowd was making me feel a bit woozy, I left CLAW at around 8:45, stopping only briefly to say hi to Harrison and forgetting to say hi/bye to Lauren (sorry Lauren!!)

The dessert party exceeded my wildest expectations. There were tons of people, and all of them were engaged and talking and having fun. My arrival was a bit of a surprise, and I was excited to cause a little stir, but things got back on track quickly and I got to say hi to old and new FIFErs alike. It was fabulous. Afterwards I got to spend time with my favorite protege, one miss Nora Eakin, and I really had been missing that. So it was good.

That night I slept at Joe and Jen's ("The Big Chill!!") and had lunch with them the next day (LEMONGRASS!!!!!)...

Wednesday
...then headed out to PHILLY to see my [Explo] friend, Jay. I found my way to Penn pretty easily--although the traffic was CRAZY--and after I arrived we got some Hummus for dinner (the place is actually called Hummus) and then took his residents (who all think we're dating) to a gelato place, where the oh-so-generous Ivy League school bought me (and all of us) tasty gelato! It was pretty bizarre to be talking to his residents, who were freshmen, because they are the same age as my little sister and it made me feel old and crap, but whatever. They were really nice. Then we went back to campus and took a little tour, and hung out, etc. It was really fun. Jay has a very comfy couch.

Thursday
In the morning, Travis called me to confirm our concert plans for that night, and said that the earliest he could meet me in Old Chatham was around 6:30, which meant that I was going to drive up there veryyyyyy slowly, pack lightning fast, and then when he arrived, pack the van and RUN! That was the plan, at least. What really happened is that I drove up slowly, did some business in [Regular] Chatham (paying off my late video fines, grabbing some stuff at the CVS, giving the lady I was going to work for at the bakery a card thanking her for being so kind and helpful), then went to the farmhouse around 5pm and said hi to Maude and then ran upstairs and tried to pack as quickly as possible. It was hard; I have a lot of shit. I also was filthy. So I showered and packed everything up into boxes, most of which were too heavy for me to carry. The whole time I was thinking about how bad I felt about leaving, but slowly a sense of relief was creeping up...the only thing I still feel bad about is that now I don't live an hour from Rachel Cummings, who is one of the most awesome people I've ever met. (I'm sorry Rachel!)

Anyway, we packed up the van, and by that I mean, Travis packed up the van and I assisted, and soon we were heading up to Albany for the Felice Brothers concert!!!!! We found the place, parked, I locked my keys in the van (eek!), but we put that aside and got into the venue just as the opener was playing his last couple songs. Like the true seat vultures we are (yes, there were seats, not standing, weird huh?) we scooted up to the front rows, asking around for spots that were open, and snagged some FANTASTIC seats about four rows back on the side of Simone, the drummer, who is super intense and super handsome. Their set was great, there was some dancing (both on stage and off), and it was overall a great time. When it was over, Travis and I went back to the vans and remembered that one (mine) was locked, with the keys inside. I then had to go through the humiliation that is calling AAA, joining AAA, and asking them to come save you from being an idiot. A half-hour of dilly dallying later, the AAA guy came and unlocked it in a microsecond. Meanwhile I had called my sister to have her google the location of the nearest IHOP, because what says post-concert meal like pancakes and coffee? Well we drive all the way out there and guess what? IT WAS CLOSED!!! Yes, that's right--the IHOP. Was. Closed. What the fuck? Angry and hungry, we condensed into a single van (left mine in a mall parking lot, because it was too crammed with stuff to fit two people) and drove down some random roads--and found a Denny's! Sweet, sweet Denny's.

**this is getting really long! sorry!!**

Friday
We rang in everyone's favorite day of the week over pancakes (I ordered four, but bluffed that I could eat 8, to which Travis replied that if I ate eight pancakes he would write me a letter every day for a year, but of course I couldn't even eat 4, or 3 even) and coffee. A few hours later we went back to my van and looted it for blankets and pillows, stuffed everything into Travis's van, and fell asleep. I woke up around 9 and had to pee, so I went in the mall. When I got back T was still asleep (what is it with boys and sleeping??) so I woke him up and we went for more coffee (are you noticing a theme here?) and also wandered around in a nearby Halloween store, which was fun until we got to the awkward Sexy Police Officer/Hogwarts Student/Nurse/Fairy costume section. Ew. Oh Halloween, why must you be so gendered? In revolt, we planned to go as a pimp and ho--Travis being the ho of course.

Then we were sort of tired and lazy, so we saw Burn After Reading, which we both enjoyed a lot. Then we ACTUALLY ate at IHOP. Then we parted ways.

I was headed to Brooklyn, but as I was (a) in the van and (b) it was filled beyond the point of any rear or side visibility I decided I didn't want to drive INTO Brooklyn. So instead I drove to Lyndhurst (sp?) NJ, took a NJTransit train to Secaucus, transfered to a Penn-Station-bound train, hopped on the downtown C, transferred to the F at Jay St, got off at 7th and 9th and walked ten blocks to Steph!!! That was a really fun (but too short!!) visit, although I was worried about my Van O' Belongings the whole time. Steph's roommate was nice, and gave me and Steph one of the best compliments I've gotten re: friends, which was that we are "perfectly matched" in pace, the way we talk, etc. Which is so true! It was great. Even though I'm annoyed that you will probably get that PP job, Steph, you know I <3 you.

Okay, this is ridiculously long. If you've gotten to this point, you deserve an award. Saturday, Sunday, and Monday will come later.

LUFF to anyone who comments!!

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

job search update!

As I prepare to embark on my trek to more northern climes, where I will reclaim all my worldly possessions and possibly marry Simone Felice, I am also starting to search (somewhat frantically) for a "real" job. Now, don't get me wrong, Jason Garnett already put me back on the employee list at the Grandin, and I understand how fortunate I am to get to work at a job in which absolutely nothing is expected of me and I get to eat free popcorn and watch free movies. But something is still missing...

It might be a place of my own. It might be any amount of money over minimum wage. It might be a sense of purpose.

Whatever it is, I've gone back to reading the daily idealist.org digests and today I found out that...

CTY IS HIRING OUTREACH COORDINATORS aka cheerleaders/recruiters. Um, yes please.

So I'm applying to that, and I also applied for a job at the VA Skyline Girl Scout Council, and I have an interview with them next week. I'm also hoping to at least be interviewed for a job I wanted at PP in cville, but someone I know also applied for that and she is pretty amazing and they would be insane to not hire her.

Wish me luck!!

Monday, September 8, 2008

I'm cured!!

Hello faithful readers (haha),

Well it seems that I'm well on the way to being mended from my bout with the big Pneumonia! Woo! Yesterday I left the house and went to the church play, and the day before that I got a milkshake with my friend Andrew and then went to Meg and Mary's for [a super delish] dinner.

If all goes as planned, here's what's up for this week:

Wednesday- drive to Philly and hang out with my awesome Explo friend Jay
Thursday- drive to the OC, load up my belongings, and head up the extra 30 mins to ALBANY for...

A Felice Brothers concert!!!!!!! Woo!! Okay so in case you don't know, I have loved the Felice Brothers since I saw them open for Bright Eyes last November in D.C. They. Are. Awesome.

Here are some youtube videos I've been watching to get myself even more pumped:

her eyes dart round (ps. I have a huuuuuge crush on simone, the one in the stripes)
waterspider
where'd you get your liquor (yes, that guy's playing the washboard)
whiskey in my whiskey

and of course, a cover of my absolute favorite tom petty song EVER that they did while on tour with bright eyes:

"some things are over, some things go on,
part of me you carry, and part of me is gone.
but you've got a heart so big, it could crush this town.
and I can't hold out forever; even walls fall down."

<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3

Thursday, September 4, 2008

RNC, etc, etc

I feel a little better but I don't think I'll be leaving here for at least another 4-5 days (maybe longer). So YES that's a call for VISITORS of all kinds--please come see me in Roanoke. We can go to the movies! Or...okay well that might be the only outing I can do. But still. Movies. You can pick any of these.

In other news, Sarah Palin. What the hell, lady? Comparing hockey moms to dogs--how very NeW of you ("intellectual catfight" anyone?) I have to admit two things about how I feel when I watch the RNC:

  1. I find myself strongly strongly disliking all the people who are there. HOW, HOW can people be supporting the Republican Party right now? They don't give a shit about the environment, about women, about the poor, about anyone who isn't white (check the racial diversity of the crowd--it's non-existent), health care, or about ending this ridiculous war. They are a bunch of assholes.
  2. I keep on waiting for whoever is speaking to just start laughing and say "Hahaha, just kidding. Oh man we totally had you fooled didn't we? You thought we were serious about all these terrible policy ideas, our anti-choice bullshit, and our love of all things old, white, and male." and then everyone will throw away their fucking sexist "Hottest VP" buttons (btw Rudy et al, weren't you just laughing about Hilary Clinton nutcrackers like 15 months ago? STFU about sexism against Palin) and go vote for OBAMA. But that's not going to happen. Because these people are soooo serious. Frighteningly so.
So that's it. I'm a mean, awful, stereotypical, Republican-hating feminist Dem. The cat is so out of the bag!

And Cindy McCain looks like a deranged Barbie.