Today’s high: 95degrees
Today’s low: Self indulgent sadness and regret
(Car’s location: Under the blazin’ Minnesota Sun)
After work I listlessly plodded to the parking lot. The smells and sounds of downtown, amplified in the still air, couldn’t penetrate my apathetic mindset as I climbed into my car. Heat? What heat? Despite the extremity of the temperature and the fact that the condition of the car’s interior made breathing a concern, I just couldn’t snap myself out of the melancholia.
::leans way back in the seat and has a look around::
I am waiting for you, Vizzini. You told me when a job went wrong, you went back to the beginning.
::wonders how *far* back I’d have to go to completely start over now::
...so it's the beginning, and I'm staying till Vizzini comes.
::waits::
...I will not be moved?
::feels incredibly foolish::
I sigh and shake my head, reaching for the ignition. One hand is on the shift, one foot on the brake- in unison, my body turns so I can glance out the back window as my other arm begins to drape around the wheel. Reversion to childhood in:
…5…
…4…
…3…
…2…
…1…
Contact
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHhhhhhhh!!
OH-MY-FREAKIN-GOD!!!! THE STEERING WHEEL IS MADE OF HOT LAVA!!!!!!"
... ;)
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Why thanks universe.
Hi somewhatamused,
I am writing to let you know that one of your photos has been short-listed for inclusion in the eighth edition of our Schmap Seattle Guide, to be published late July 2009.
Entering our website, you can:
i) See which of your photos has been short-listed.
ii) Submit or withdraw your photo from our final selection phase.
iii) Learn how we credit photos in our Schmap Guides.
iv) Browse online or download the seventh edition of our Schmap Seattle Guide.
While we offer no payment for publication, many photographers are pleased to submit their photos, as Schmap Guides give their work recognition and wide exposure, and are free of charge to readers. Photos are published at a maximum width of 150 pixels, are clearly attributed, and link to high-resolution originals at Flickr.
Our submission deadline is Wednesday, July 1. If you happen to be reading this message after this date, please still click on the link above (our Schmap Guides are updated frequently - photos submitted after this deadline will be considered for later releases).
Best regards,
Emma Williams,
Managing Editor, Schmap Guide
So that's neat, right?
Monday, June 22, 2009
Today I learned how not to cry at work
Which is probably a blessing all things considered.
But the night *before*...
When I leave on extended vacations, I have my friend Stephanie watch over wee Norman for me. This is a mixed blessing as #1. Norman adores her and probably cares for her company more than mine but #2. her catering to his little cat tantrums makes coming home to him an absolute nightmare. Since returning from Montreal, Norm has taken to screaming his fool kitty head off at our front door. Presumably he wants to go out in the hallway and sit two feet from the door, tense and nervous, for some reason or another until he feels ready to come back in (about an hour later). Stephanie would go out there and sit with him. I will not- especially not at 2am on a Monday morning when I have to be up at 5.
Norman has had one bath his entire feline life and the encounter was such that I haven’t since even considered repeating the experience. When he’s bad- I spray him. With a little misting bottle. This worked out to my advantage for quite some time as he’ll do anything to stay dry. But then...
Norman hid it.
I’m not kidding. I know I’m one of those people who anthropomorphize their cats but just hear me out... Ok, since I’ve ‘lost’ the bottle I’ve been keeping a glass of water on my headboard. When he goes into his rendition of CATS I run over and flick water on him. Welllllllll... last night I was hella tired. So instead I uhm...
Ok. So I threw the whole glass on him. But really- I was driven over the course of the week to that. Just saying. He deserved it. I swear. I did feel really bad though when some went up his kitty nose and he kept snorting and shaking his head as he shot me hateful glances. Feeling bad, I chased him about to try and dry him off and love on him in general to make up for it. He wasn’t having any of it and I thought it might be a good idea to reload my glass and keep it handy- just in case.
A little bit later, as I lay in bed just drifting off- I felt him jump on the bed and walk up towards me. I smiled to know I was forgiven as he walked directly into my outstretched hand for his stoke, purring all the while. He didn’t break stride from this as he stepped over me, onto the headboard. Putting one little furry foot into the glass there, he tipped it over directly on my face.
I'll admit. A part of me was proud of him.
But the night *before*...
When I leave on extended vacations, I have my friend Stephanie watch over wee Norman for me. This is a mixed blessing as #1. Norman adores her and probably cares for her company more than mine but #2. her catering to his little cat tantrums makes coming home to him an absolute nightmare. Since returning from Montreal, Norm has taken to screaming his fool kitty head off at our front door. Presumably he wants to go out in the hallway and sit two feet from the door, tense and nervous, for some reason or another until he feels ready to come back in (about an hour later). Stephanie would go out there and sit with him. I will not- especially not at 2am on a Monday morning when I have to be up at 5.
Norman has had one bath his entire feline life and the encounter was such that I haven’t since even considered repeating the experience. When he’s bad- I spray him. With a little misting bottle. This worked out to my advantage for quite some time as he’ll do anything to stay dry. But then...
Norman hid it.
I’m not kidding. I know I’m one of those people who anthropomorphize their cats but just hear me out... Ok, since I’ve ‘lost’ the bottle I’ve been keeping a glass of water on my headboard. When he goes into his rendition of CATS I run over and flick water on him. Welllllllll... last night I was hella tired. So instead I uhm...
Ok. So I threw the whole glass on him. But really- I was driven over the course of the week to that. Just saying. He deserved it. I swear. I did feel really bad though when some went up his kitty nose and he kept snorting and shaking his head as he shot me hateful glances. Feeling bad, I chased him about to try and dry him off and love on him in general to make up for it. He wasn’t having any of it and I thought it might be a good idea to reload my glass and keep it handy- just in case.
A little bit later, as I lay in bed just drifting off- I felt him jump on the bed and walk up towards me. I smiled to know I was forgiven as he walked directly into my outstretched hand for his stoke, purring all the while. He didn’t break stride from this as he stepped over me, onto the headboard. Putting one little furry foot into the glass there, he tipped it over directly on my face.
I'll admit. A part of me was proud of him.
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Found poetry
I carry around this little purple notebook I received as a gift from a coworker. When I opened it for the first time, I was pleasantly surprised by a whole pageful of little wantings- faithfully remembered and written down by the giver. The idea, you see- is to write down all those things I mention doing but haven't gotten around to yet. I always talk about these things- some are big and obvious (road trip to the grand canyon), others are small and personal (listen to the entire discography of Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis). The notebook helps me realize that neither big nor small takes precedence- all have the same validity... the important thing is to actually start *doing* these things.
Anywho.
My friend Stephanie is a bit strange. It's okay for me to say this as I am too. She will occasionally ask me to complete vague and random sentences of hers just for... well, I have no idea what she gets from my responses. But she does it quite often and makes me write down whatever might come out of my mouth during her inquiry.
After getting back from Montreal I pulled out the notebook because I could cross some things off that I had done over the weekend. Flipping through, I found this between the pages:
INTERLUDE
I forgot the day was only 24 hours and planned a hundred lifetimes.
and I felt very alone.
If you were to cut him out in little stars, he would make you SO fine.
trembled because I wanted it yet didn't want it to be him- but if I disregarded it, would it come again?
like a heartbeat, like powwow drums and the quest for love.
Revert back to base forms of communication.
feel like people have gotten it wrong.
The icy blue of someone's eyes.
I want my daughter to be.
...and I found it kinda relevant and pretty.
Anywho.
My friend Stephanie is a bit strange. It's okay for me to say this as I am too. She will occasionally ask me to complete vague and random sentences of hers just for... well, I have no idea what she gets from my responses. But she does it quite often and makes me write down whatever might come out of my mouth during her inquiry.
After getting back from Montreal I pulled out the notebook because I could cross some things off that I had done over the weekend. Flipping through, I found this between the pages:
INTERLUDE
I forgot the day was only 24 hours and planned a hundred lifetimes.
and I felt very alone.
If you were to cut him out in little stars, he would make you SO fine.
trembled because I wanted it yet didn't want it to be him- but if I disregarded it, would it come again?
like a heartbeat, like powwow drums and the quest for love.
Revert back to base forms of communication.
feel like people have gotten it wrong.
The icy blue of someone's eyes.
I want my daughter to be.
...and I found it kinda relevant and pretty.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Actual conversation at work today.
SNRP: Hey Kell! How was your vacation?! You look tan, did you have a good time?
Me: :D Hellsyeah. It was fantastic.
SNRP: Did you go to that wine bar I was telling you about!?! (SNRP is obnoxiously enthusiastic ALL THE TIME.)
*Note: SNRP is somewhat of a compulsive liar who always has some relevant yet obscure ‘knowledge’ that will one-up whatever you might have said. Whilst smoking one day outside, I was explaining to my coworker that I was stacking up quite a collection of wine bottles and might even become a wine snob by default as I refuse to have two of the same bottles for aesthetic purposes. SNRP then jumped in to our conversation exclaiming the best wine was the kind he made- with hemp and hops. It was so good and so popular that a bar in Thunderbay bought cases upon cases of it.*
Me: Erm... Hun, that was in Thunderbay. I was in Montreal.
SNRP: And..?! Come on Kell! That’s your excuse?!?! It’s only like 2 hours away!
:-o <-- br="br" me="me">Me: Uhm... no. It’s not.
SNRP: Oh yeahyeah! Sure, that’s right- I was thinking of Manitoba! Manitoba’s the second largest city in Canada! Rightright- I knew that!
:-o <-- br="br" me="me">Me: Wha..? Do you mean... are you seri- you know what? Nevermind.
I let him babble on for another minute or two then walk away...
My Canadian pride was a little offended.
It would have been gratifying to throw some Tim Hortons on him.
