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Is my apartment so cluttered that Ivy can't find a clear spot to sleep, or is he simply taking up some new hobbies this summer?
Last week I caught him nestled up with Mathematica. This afternoon, seems he fell asleep reading Marathon! by Jeff Galloway. (Mind the drool!)
It was a weekend of many laughs and much pain.
After one boozeless week of putting only good things into my body, Friday was my chosen night to throw tofu to the wind and indulge on many pieces of Parlor pizza. Thanks to Marcella, we've honed in on a very tasty pizza combination: gorgonzola cheese, basil, black olives, and artichoke hearts. In a word, delicious. I was happy that so many people came out despite the rain, and equally happy that my glass of Fireman's #4 never seemed to go empty. By the end of the night, it was me, Tim, Dave, and Rachel on my porch getting drunk on Corona and listening to Guns n' Roses. I had such a great night, and didn't remember passing out on my bed.
When I woke up the next morning, I had the worst hangover I've had in a very long time. My head hurt so bad that all I could do was take an ibuprofen, lay back down, and wait for the pills to kick in. The headache went away, but my body was sore all over and my stomach was unhappy. It was absolutely miserable. No regrets, though. None! I watched 3 DVDs that day:
Firefly (disk 1) - I got hooked on this show immediately. It's a space-western!
City of God - about gangs in the slums of Rio De Janeiro and one aspiring photographer who wanted something more. It was a very disturbing film but also extremely colorful and riveting and highly recommended by yours truly.
Big Lebowski - Ginger wanted to watch it. The dude abides!
While reading through the NY Times, I happened upon this article about Reinhold Messner, the first person to scale Everest without bottled oxygen, the first to do it solo and the first to conquer all 14 of the world's peaks over 26,200 feet. The article is mostly about his battle with his critics, but it got me curious about the history of mountain climbing. I started clicking around, and became more and more fascinated by mountain climbers. When I think that 1 in 8 people die climbing Mount Everest, I have to wonder what the draw is. It seems to be more than merely the spirit of adventure, but also the challenge of pushing oneself physically and mentally to places normally deemed impossible. Mountaineers are among the most visionary and courageous people I can think of; their primary adversary is their own capacity. I'm awe-inspired by the people who demonstrate what our human bodies and minds are capable of doing. Maybe I'm so fascinated by this because I want to feel like I have potential and strength.
Regardless of my yet-to-be-determined reasoning, I'm going to get to the bottom of this mountain climbing sport. On Sunday, tired of the cluttered internet, I picked up The White Spider by Heinrich Harrer, author of Seven Years in Tibet and the first in a group of four to climb the north face of the Swiss Eiger.
But if links are your thing...
Here's a photo of George Mallory's body, forever entombed on Mount Everest.
Check out this article on Michael Brown's "Farther Than The Eye Can See", the first high-definition account of an Everest climb. It follows Erik Weihenmayer, the first blind person to conquer the peak.
Also on Sunday... got fitted for running shoes at RunTex! Many thanks to Tim for the b-day Asics. That night we tried em' out. For 30 minutes, I ran on clouds.
Dennis' cargo-short wearing robot goes LEGO on We Three Jerks.
I don't like these wet and gray afternoons; they make me so lethargic. My neighbors were supposed to have a garage sale tomorrow, but this weather's made it impossible. Damn, Stacey was going to make sangria, and I was going to make muffins.
When the power went out, I felt like burning my to-do list on one of my lit candles. Instead, I did some dishes, had some tea, and walked around my apartment with my camera for a bit.
It's so warming to see Ivy curled up with Mathematica.
Meanwhile, Tom maintained his post on my porch. Tom is deaf and currently has staples holding part of his skin together, so I don' get too rough with him. Instead, when Ivy longs for the outdoors, I carry him over Tom and down the steps -- FREEDOM.
techseekers.net has posted some "spy" photos of the new apple g5 with liquid cooling. science!
the tickets have been acquired.
tim and I touch down in London on Sept. 2nd 2004 at 9:55 at Gatwick. many thanks to the anonymous donor who fed my tip jar this month. your generosity will not be forgotten.
turns out, i'm not as short as i thought.
Got a call from Charles and courtfitz last Sunday (Happy Summer Solstice). Don't know why, but I got the feeling that something about Charles had changed. I knew exactly what it was: he cut his hair. Everybody's cutting their hair! Is this a sign that everyone I know is getting older and fessing up to harsh real world realities?
Charles has a great stash of photos from the "Happy" Valley days... I'll never forget the failed marker-board art project (failed because I never finished it), or minigolf, or building charles' coffee table. I really miss chuckles and fitz, they're good people and great friends. And I owe it all to MASS 2000.
It was a great culmination to a really awesome weekend. Nothing major happened, it was just wonderfully low-key. I got a sunburn down by town lake, I cleared out my computer and reinstalled everything from scratch, watched Big Fish, got some gym shorts and a book on CSS. I went running. RUNNING. I hate running, but I think I'm going to try to embrace it by easing into it. I am not ashamed by my 13 minute miles.
I'm learning so much this summer about my body (wink wink). What I mean is, I feel devoted full time to getting fit. This means I'm not using the gym as a justification to spend all night drinking beer. Instead I'm using the gym as a justification to eat right and make my workouts as productive as they can be. Coming soon: the Vegetarians Guide to a High Protein Diet.
I was feeling like crap for a long time, I think. I could have spent this entire summer sitting on my porch drinking beer and smoking cigarettes, getting drunk, eating pizza. I think it's time for something good to come out of this past year.
Coincidentally appropriate, Blame It On The Rain is playing on Club 977 right now.
Gotta blame it on something...
If I were to buy another scooter, I think I might buy an Aprilla Scarabeo 500. Someone on campus drives one, and it's a beauty.
At 9:45 ET this morning, SpaceShipOne became the first private aircraft to fly in space. I have never had a religious experience, however, I think traveling in space would change that. Now, time to get rich.
"It is hard for me to talk right now," says Burt Rutan, the brains behind SpaceShipOne.
"There were several times during the flight that in mission control tears came to our eyes because we had reached a specific part of the flight where we had gotten over a milestone...Up there in mission control there were three or four times during the flight everybody was extremely emotional," he said.
"I just can't tell you how pleased I am that the feather, which was our big risk, worked perfect, and how pleased I am that we have a ship that cannot only go to space but it is the first time that a winged-vehicle -- that can make this beautiful landing on a runway -- can make a care-free reentry. That is an enormous thing for safety." [read more]
Last night, Tim and I tried to catch the sunset from Mount Bonnell but were deterred by ominous rain clouds in the distance. Clouds and mosquitos. So many mosquitos. Then I recollected that John's "secret bar" was somewhere in that vicinity.
Turns out, the secret bar is pretty easy to find. And it's still as cool as it was last year. Tim got a Shiner, I got a Miller Lite, and we chilled out on the roof-top patio for a while. There were a few people around, most of them with massive guts despite their decision to drink light beer. So I looked down at my Miller Lite and started thinking: do people decide to drink light beer when they've decided that they can't afford the calories of regular beer but are also unwilling to cut down their total beer consumption altogether? I had always wondered what the appeal was of light beer, but there I was, taking moderate gulps of Miller Lite as if I actually liked the stuff. I bought it because I was worried about the calories I'd consume by drinking Shiner, a delightful beer in comparison! So I decided that's bullshit. I really like beer. I really like good beer. I like to enjoy the taste of beer. Furthermore, I have the willpower to reduce my caloric intake by cutting down the amount of beer I drink. But I shall never again cut the quality! I'm moving to London, for chrissake, beer is to be savored and enjoyed!
In other startling realizations, I kind of want to see the movie, Dodgeball...
I haven't listened to an mp3 in days because the iTunes radio is AWESOME. Often I listen to Club 977 (The 80's Channel -- 'cos I'm a cheese) or Indie Pop Rocks! (exclamation mark included in the title -- 'cos I like music that tastes like crying).
This afternoon, I'm listening to sounds and discussion from my neighbor, Patty Griffin, on LA's KCRW's Morning Becomes Eclectic radio show. If I ever go the other way, it's good to know that I only need to walk a few yards with my heart on my sleeve to learn what it's like to be rejected by a woman.
A plastic tiki idol (that resembles an angry terrier) is placed in the raised middle of a molded, 3d board, where it can rotate freely. Plastic men and multicolored pigs move their explorer pawns up the sides of the mountain along paths and through caves, trying to reach the top of the mountain, retrieve the idol's giant ruby, and take it down the other side to the waiting boat. However, both the idol and volcanic vents throughout the board periodically spit out "fireball" marbles, which physically roll down the mountain, either plowing through explorer pawns and pigs in their path, or toppling triggered bridges as they pass under them.
The game is Fireball Island, and it kicks some serious terrier booty. Michael and Marcella introduced the game to me, Tim, Ginger and Shanti last Tuesday night over pizza and drinks. What can I say? I felt like Indiana Jones.
So, games are cool and I don't play them enough. I love my friends, but we all know that the usual get-drink-and-make-fun/out thing gets old. Board games are a great way to mix things up. I have a great memory of playing Trivial Pursuit with the crew on my 304B porch (oh to have that wondrous apartment back! take me down with its foundation!). My favorite board game is definitely Scrabble and it's been too many months since I've kicked someone's crossword ass.
Since we're on the topic of 3D games from the 80's, my absolute favorite is DEFINITELY Mouse Trap. This site posts the rules, but the images are far more fun.
there was more to last weekend than robot-wearing cargo shorts and gmail tennis. i went to a crawfish boil (disguised as a math party). despite my recent sea food binges, i couldn't really deal with the sights and smells of boiling crawfish. i could, however, deal with the very cold keg of Fat Tire.
i learned that Patty Griffin is one of my neighbors; she lives just down the block from me. she was even at my neighbor's garden party, which i also attended. austin is full of all sorts of cool people, isn't it?
saw Super Size Me. scary scary scary. i thought i knew the whole story, but this movie still managed to shock the hell out of me. Morgan Spurlock consumed over THIRTY POUNDS of sugar in 30 days of eating McDonalds! there were people in the movie who drank over TWO GALLONS of regular soda PER DAY. and somehow, he managed to make this movie with a sense of humor. everyone should watch this film. it's killer.
fun outdoor project of the summer: Tim's garden. i love manual labor. it's so much more interesting and rewarding than going to the gym. what is it about being covered in dirt that makes me feel like i've accomplished something? or am I the only one? i've been wearing these rubber gloves that make my hands sweat and get all wrinkly (picture below by Tim). how hot is that?
today: i actually got to the gymnasium vaguely according to schedule. i've always hated working out in the morning because i'm soooo tiiired and lethargic. even warming up on a treadmill doesn't give me a big enough boost. but i've figured out that riding my bike to the gym makes all the difference. you see, it wasn't the physical energy that i lacked, but rather, my brain hadn't woken up! by riding my bike, i not only get a physical boost, but i'm also forced to make all the minor decisions that come with being on the road which serves to wake me up mentally. fascinating, isn't it? or painfully obvious? i have no idea; i'm a zombie in the morning (or "militantly tired" according to tim). later i continue to learn how to cook like a hippie. this evening i tackle the mysteries of barbequed tofu! and then, uShip happy hour at the crown-and-spank-her. and then an apocalyptic journey as i tackle Fireball Mountain.
My last GMail invite goes to "media strumpet" Dennis Lucey for his wonderful depiction of a cargo shorts wearing robot. I love the antenna.
When I feel down, I listen to Daryl Hall and John Oates, if only to be cheered up by album covers like this.
i have a guilty pleasure, and that's the show Dharma and Greg. if you're unfamiliar, it's the straight couple's answer to Will and Grace. Dharma is a dog trainer and a yoga instructor, Greg is a lawyer. Dharma's hippie parents collide with Greg's capitalist parents. hilarity ensues. love is in the air. i am charmed. this show comes on at 11am, and for the past couple days, i find myself around to watch it. this is a bad sign: it means i've been waking up too late to get out of the house before 11. and if i'm in my apartment at 11, i'll find pretty much any excuse to turn on the tv and have a snack.
say what you will about summer vacation and this probably being my last chance to veg around and watch tv. that's just not my style. for me, 30 minutes in the afternoon might as well be all day, because it breaks my stride and puts me in a slump. i hate "doing nothing". and while i have a ton of *hobbies*, i find this recent lack of structure to be counterproductive. i need a schedule. 'cos when i get a job, i'm gonna really miss having time for my hobbies.
hobbies. that word is kind of cheesy isn't it? my hobbies are needle-point, moonlit walks, and my cat.
speaking of hobbies, i hear London is rollerblade friendly. just typing that sent butterflies of joy through my belly, not filled with goat meat.
anyway, i promised myself i wouldn't use the phrase "moving forward" ever again. so today i made some tasty muffins. the recipe is on my neglected training blog. two words: strawberries and bananas! they barely have any sugar in them so don't make them if you require all of your food to taste like candy.
"Music's been around a long time, and there's going to be music long after Ray Charles is dead. I just want to make my mark, leave something musically good behind. If it's a big record, that's the frosting on the cake, but music's the main meal."
- Charles (Washington Post, 1983)
last night, i decided to take the pouring rain as a great opportunity to train for the apocalypse. (also, i'm a fairly cheesy person who finds things like running in the rain irresistibly romantic.) running in the rain is almost tolerable. i don't get red-face and i can run a longer distance, but still, the best thing about running only sporadically is, every time i do, i realize all the muscles i have that i don't use.
later in the evening, as the sun set, the rain also subsided and the dusky highlight was the coolest shade of yellow i've ever seen; it made everything look like gold. then, the clouds blew away revealing a sunset that looked magical even from the Office Max parking lot.
while this was happening, Prince was kicking off his show in San Antonio. this morning i found this concert review in MySA.com. reading the article requires a (free) subscription, but it's probably not worth it -- the review isn't exactly two thumbs up WAY up. what. ever. i wish i could have been there, if only to hear "Nothing Compares to U" performed live (yes, he sang it during his encore). any adoring fans care to give me their review?
good news: i qualify for BUNAC. London is ON.
depressed? this should cheer you up.
Prince is playing tonight in San Antonio at 7:30pm. Guess who won't be there.
it’s been 7 hours and 13 days
Since u took your love away
I go out every night and sleep all day
Since u took your love away
since you’ve been gone I can do whatever I want
I can see who ever I choose
Eat my dinner in a fancy restaurant, oh yeah
But nothing, nothing can take away these blues
nothing compares, nothing compares 2 u
it’s been so lonely without u here
I’m like a bird without a song
Nothing can stop this lonely rain from falling
Tell me baby, where did I go wrong?
oh baby
I can put my arms around every boy I see, oh yeah
But they only remind me of u
all the flowers that u planted, sugar
In the backyard all died when u went away
ooh baby, I know that living with me baby
Is sometimes hard, sometimes hard
But I’m willing, I’m willing 2 give it one more try
nothing compares (no), nothing compares 2 u
Heartfelt apologies to my miniscule readership for the dearth of posts lately. I haven't felt much like writing. Life is throwing me lemons this summer, when I wish it would throw me limes, a more versatile fruit useful in margaritas, pad thai, and pico de gallo.
First off, it seems that Xeni Jardin of BoingBoing has also adopted the phrase "future husband" in reference to an Indian Commercial Star and some Napoleon Dynamite character.
What can I say? I'm territorial when it comes to my catch phrases.
Less troublesome but more monetarily pertinent is my inability to get a second job. Most of the jobs I've interviewed for have been pretty basic positions that I'm more than capable of fulfilling, and yet I'm rejected in favor of people with "skills that more closely match" those needed for the job. Am I over-qualified? Am I a horrendous interviewer? Am I grossly incompetent? Does my research-laden resume scream NO PRACTICAL SKILLS?! I don't know, and the trouble is, no one can tell me. It could be that Austin is a jobless wasteland at the moment, and I'm stuck in it for the summer like that poor horse in The Neverending Story. I'd like to re-watch that movie. I just found this list of quotes which further convinces me that The Neverending Story is not just a kids movie:
You wish for something, you've wanted it for years and you're sure you want it, as long as you know you can't have it. But if all at once it looks as though your wish might come true, you suddenly find yourself wishing you had never wished for any such thing.
Strangely appropriate, I think.
By the way, in case you're wondering: I am NOT a fantasy geek. I just happen to have dear memories of this movie (and The Dark Crystal). But I don't read books that have unicorns and big-breasted women with swords on the cover. I have nothing against such mystical creatures, but it's just not my thing.
But speaking of mystical creatures (and back to the subject of lemons), the rain has obstructed my vision of Venus' magical dance across the sun. Hopefully I'll be around in 2012 to witness the next transit of Venus.
Now, some good things:
Made some new friends this weekend. It's fun helping people finish off a keg, though I don't really understand this whole drinking-beer-with-a-straw thing. I still have the shadows of a temporary tattoo on my forearm to remind me of all the special moments. I also learned that Old Navy now makes cargo shorts for girls; this is something I've been waiting for for a very long time. The only ones they had left in my size were camouflage. I swear I'm not gay. But I am one size smaller than I used to be, unless Old Navy is fudging the sizes to make women feel better about their bodies. Corporate boosh faces.
Found this program (sorry, programme) called BUNAC: an organisation that gives UK work permits to US students. Now I anxiously await the arrival of the morning so I can call and see if I qualify.
I found "veg-itas" at Central Market, a tasty wheat gluten fajita material that tastes really really yummy in tacos. Meat eaters, don't faint - it's really good! Now: who wants tacos?
Because now he [Bastian] knew that there were thousands and thousands of forms of joy in the world, but that they were essentially one and the same, namely, the joy of being able to love.
i haven't had much time to write lately. i've been busy with... i've been busy.
is the state of employment incredibly bleak in austin or am i really this unskilled? the job search is depressing me something fierce. and it's a strange feeling not knowing how i'm going to pay rent next month. strange feeling fearful? yeah, really fucking strange. it's been a while since i couldn't honestly say "it'll all work out."
still, i'll keep saying "it'll all work out" though. it doesn't help to be fatalistic.
despite my worries, i guess i'm technically not "unemployed". i have an internship. it doesn't pay the bills, but it comes with perks like company happy hours and maybe a free trip to NOLA.
tim turned 27 last tuesday, happy birthday to tim!
my ol' buddy Dave left an incredibly sweet comment for me on his b-log today. it made me blush and tear and smile all at the same time:
Today is the Wolfram picnic -- we're all missing your bright red smiling face.
sometimes I miss Wolfram so bad it hurts. especially in times of employment strife. i had it all there: friends, fountain diet coke, mystery, mayhem, cash, motivation. it's hard to let go.
