2. I ran across this youtube video of snails racing. How do people come up with these things? The creation of the racetrack must have taken some effort. Although in some scenes it looks less like a race and more like an orgy. How did they get snails to move about on an oval?
3. My congratulations to those of you who wrote a novel in the Month of November. You rock!
4. Next fall I will need to renew my driver's license and decide what state I am voting in. Illinois or New York?
I am so clearly not a New Yorker that it seems deceptive to make the switch. My Midwestern-ness is so firmly ingrained. However after my visit to Seattle I wonder whether this coast is starting to rub off on me. Seattle was lovely. The people were soooo friendly. But so laid back. Way too laid back for me. Working out there was at times frustrating. I did not raise my voice. But I thought about it more than I should have.
5. There is something excessively, disturbingly virtuous about Seattle.
6. I did not see the Space Needle or the Pike St. Market while it was open or the ocean or anything else. I did not go shopping, although everyone recommended shopping as the thing to do in Seattle. I don't think I even had seafood. I did walk around a little part of the downtown area passed some little teriyaki joints. And as chance would have it, I stumbled upon a venue, The Crocodile Cafe. There was a sign on the door that said that they do not tolerate bigotry, sexism, or racism. This sign prompted me to go in even though I didn't know who was playing or what kind of music there would be. Back when I was in a booking collective, we had long discussions about putting up a code of conduct or a similar kind of sign at our shows.
So in I went for to see: PWRFL Power, Facts about Funerals, and The Elephants. I missed The Birthdays.
I did not meet any of the cute boys in the cute bands.
Instead, I met L. She and I chatted, danced to the music, had beers, and exchanged phone numbers at the close of the show. Years and years ago that would have been me and BBFK. We would have been out at a show, dancing to the tunes. Rather, years and years ago that would have been BBFK. She's the one who would talk to strangers.
The lesson learned here is that I am apparently a creature of habit. "Went to the show, did X, went to the show, did Y."
The Crocodile Cafe is the type of venue that I love. It's not The Empty Bottle or The Milestone, still, were I in Seattle long term I would probably while away many an evening there.
7. At one point someone out there told me that I did not seem like a New Yorker to them. I had no accent and for all intensive purposes could be from the Northwest. It was, I think, meant as a compliment. It didn't feel like a compliment but I can only assume that it was meant as one.
I was so happy to come back East and contend with my cranky grumpy irritable New Jersey cab driver. I could have hugged him.
And today, a stranger grabbed me by the arm and saved me from getting hit by a car that was running a red light. Brooklyn saving my life again.
8. I work with French woman who is tireless and whose work is impeccable. Her habits and attention to detail are impressive. She attends to the smallest things imaginable. And while you might think that they do not matter, you would be mistaken in thinking that way. She says that she likes to wear both belt and braces (aka suspenders). I didn't understand this until now. You wear belt and braces to make doubly sure that your pants don't fall down.
At one point I was labeling positioned items to ensure that the banquet staff did not move or clear them and she told me that I was now wearing belt and braces. Which from her I took to be a great compliment.
I laughed and told her that someday, if I was to do this for long enough I might take to wearing a jumpsuit with my belt and braces.
9. With regard to wireless access at airports, SEATAC sucks compared to ORD and STL because at SEATAC AT&T will provide you with wireless if you get a monthly subscription by which they can bleed you continuously whereas Boingo gives you the option of subscription or paying too much for a one day wireless pass at ORD and STL. The committment-phobe in me prefers this one day overpriced option.
10. Recently I met up with a friend from high school who I have not seen for 14 years. And this evening I got to see a friend who I have not seen in about 10 years. Having done this long lost friend thing twice I've got to say, I really like this. RR and KD have each gotten more beautiful and fabulous with the years. And it is such a pleasure to behold.
11. Today, I lost the train game. I fell asleep on the way home and woke up in Coney Island extremely disoriented and had to ride the train back 15 stops.
12. As might be appropriate, I read a few chapters of Joseph Stiglitz's book "Globalization and Its Discontents" on the flight from the Lou to Seattle. And it made me so furious.
13. My Dad told me that there is a Korean belief that a pregnant woman must have any food that she craves. If she does not, the child will be born with one eye smaller than the other. My Mother craved foods that she loved as a small girl in Japan. She craved Natto.
(Brung to you from the ramblingspoon)
Which just looks like the grossest thing ever. My mother couldn't buy Natto at the stores back in the day in Buffalo, NY. So she improvised. She bought soybeans and wrapped them in foil and put them on the radiator under a damp towel for some days. It was close but not quite right. And there were consequences to this.
Y'all may not know this but I have two different prescriptions for my eyes, one of them is lazy and will wander off to look at random things of it's own accord, and one of my eyes is smaller than the other. *insert spooky music*
Kat E, do not deny yourself anything your heart, stomach or palate desires.
3 comments:
Judging by my indulgence at the dessert table at a party this weekend, this baby's eyes are due to be perfectly symmetrical.
I shudder at the thought of any recipe that includes a radiator and damp towels... ;)
If a cute boy recommends that you read a book, there are four approaches you can take:
A) Say you were too busy reading something more important-sounding, but you'll get to it... eventually.
PRO: If he falls for it, you'll be able to assert your intellectual superiority early in the budding relationship, with no actual effort on your part.
CON: Could backfire and convince him that you're out of his league, or don't take him seriously, causing him to give up the chase.
B) Read it.
PRO: If you seem to have enjoyed it, he'll feel flattered. If you manage to make some insightful comments, he'll find you fascinating. If your opinions match his, he'll be head over heels.
CON: Reading is boring, and if you don't present any keen insights while discussing the book or contradict his interpretation, he might think you a dumbass. Plus, he'll no doubt hand you *another* book to read in the near future.
C) Read the preface and first chapter, then come up with some dismissive or flippant reason why you didn't bother to read the rest, e.g. "It was just a pale imitation of [other author you're more familiar with]" or "I'm sorry, I just find [author's philosophical or stylistic school] categorically worthless."
PRO: Some guys consider arguing a sport. If he's one of those guys, and you can defend your position, this might turn him on. Also, if he's an insecure schmoe, he might just change his own opinions and agree with you.
CON: If you can't defend your comments, there's a chance he might think of you as a close-minded, half-educated twit. Otherwise, you might find yourself arguing a position you don't actually support, and will no doubt be exposed as a liar by the third or fourth date.
D) Don't even pretend to have read it, or tell him you skimmed it, or only got through the preface.
PRO: Some guys feel threatened by women who are smarter than them - if he's one of those guys, this might make him feel more secure in his intellectual superiority.
CON: He might write you off as a total ditz, and lose interest.
kat e: *whew* that's a relief.
EH: Your thorough analysis makes me think the life of a nun is really not so bad.
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