Friday, October 30, 2009

Halloween 2009

I really don't even want to write about it. I feel like everyone is and everyone talks about it and that's all everyone everywhere is talking about. What are you going to be? What are your plans? Happy Halloween. Halloween. Halloween. Halloween. Puke.

Number one: I love candy (YAY CANDY!!)
Number two: I fucking hate dressing up.
Number three: I'm annoyed by everyone doing sexy blahblahblah. Be a crayon or something. I'm grouchy about this topic.
Number four: I can sometimes be a complete hypocrite.

Last year my Halloween started out like this:


Turned into me dressing up like a pinup. Talk about big hair:


What you can't really see are my lacy underpants over my tights and my huge tan colored heels. Yeah. I know, right?

And then the next morning I looked like this:


The tangles in my hair lasted for days. That's what teasing gets you.

The bottom line is: Where would we be today without my obsessive photo documentation? Bored with nothing to say, that's where.

This year I'm absolutely not dressing up, can't make me won't do it. I'm chaperoning my 10 yr old cousin while she gathers the goods, then I'm going home to watch the exorcist and give myself bad dreams for weeks with the boyfriend. Thing to know: my cousin doesn't like snickers .... MONEY!!

Thursday, October 29, 2009

Boondock Saints II

Holy Mother of God. YAY!!!

So I was scanning the internets just now and saw that YES INDEED - Boondock Saints, the sequel, part two, whatever, is coming out! Or came out... or something. Apparently there has been hubub about where and when the movie will be showing. So who knows if I'll ever be in the know enough to ever catch it in theaters. But let me tell you - Boondock saints, the original - is so one of my favorite movies of all time. And NOT just because it was really cool to say it was back in 2003. No sir. I remember exactly where I originally saw it. It was Kathleen's basement with a bunch of other people (boys included) senior year of high school. It was a movie that someone had said was AMAZING and we were all yeah yeah yeah whatever. But then... it WAS. And after that I went to college and educated many a student on how awesome this movie is. Later I found out the reason it wasn't an amazing blockbuster hit was due to its way over the top violence and how the production of it was right around 9/11 when that sort of thing was being frowned upon I guess. Apparently I am an unfeeling whore, by we already knew that. :)

I'm not sure if the sequel will suck or not. Sequels, in general, are not the most thoughtful of artistic ventures. But I'll definitely go see it if I can figure out when/where its playing. And then I'll let you know what I think.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

You Are My Candy Beard



Plus duh... I can't even begin to SPEAK about how much I love firefly and Nathan Fillion.

The Bold and The Beautiful

I have a flaw. Probably many, but today I'm just going to highlight one so as not overwhelm you completely. So here goes: I like pretty things. That includes people. I mean sure, I do have the ability to look "deep within" but mostly I judge purely on what's on the outside. (please take this with a grain of salt and don't hate me later, I'm sensitive.) So that's the back-backstory.

The regular back story is that all yesterday my coworker and I were discussing how effing FABULOUS Phoebe Snow is. She is this totally sexy R&B singer (And I do mean R&B and none of this Beyonce hullabaloo) from the late 70s early 80s. Her voice is amazing. It makes me want to take off all my clothes and lie on a bearskin rug in front of a fire. For reals. You want a romantic evening? Break out some greatest hits. The only picture we knew of was her album cover:



Check out that amazing fro and that kick ass beauty mark? I mean hello - It's like I totally want to be her for halloween that's how much I love her. And that's a lot. But coworker and I were not satisfied. We wanted to know more. I had only heard her greatest hits album - playing through my parents stereo in my living room while we washed the dishes and danced on the little circle rug - and that's the album we had at work too. But where did all these hits come from? And more importantly - what did pheobe snow REALLY look like? We imagined deliciously curvy. Like a young, much much thinner Aretha (Sans bow hats)... something like this: Hypothesized Image of Pheobe Snow in the Likeness of a Young, Thin Aretha. There was investigating to be done. There were google image searches that needed filling out and clicking. It was going to be a very simple task.

But then.... but then I got really disappointed. I'm not gonna lie - there were some gasps. And I think I even covered my mouth at one point, because the pictures I unearthed should have stayed earthed. Sometimes google tells me things I really wish I didn't know. But now that I DO KNOW, I feel compelled to share with the world. This is Pheobe Snow.


I'm not saying the lady is hideous. I'm just saying - she is definitely NOT the diva I imagined. And this is a giant let down. The sad part is - maybe that's why she wasn't long lasting for the entertainment world (As claire put it - "Who is Phoebe Snow?"), as image obsessed as it is (ahem, present company included). And just to prove to you that it wasn't necessarily old age that did her in, and to also show you her amazing vocals, here is a video of her singing in 1977 - right at the upswing of her career (her greatest hits end in 1981).

Sunday, October 25, 2009

Paranormal In-Activity

All weekend I haven't been able to stop thinking about Paranormal Activity but ya know what? I haven't even seen it. The BF did. He went to a screening at Pixar because he is extra special and knows all the right people. Apparently they have shooting stars on their movie theater ceiling. But that is neither here nor there. Anyways... So Paranormal. He started to tell me about it that night but I was alone in the apartment since claire is off at a wedding in Portland and I made him stop cuz it was too spooky. The next morning, though, I was all tell tell tell. I figured it was light out and I had a whole day ahead of me so I was good, right?

Well the telling of it took a long time because of all the ins and outs and twists and turns so by the time it was all done i was running let and yelling through the phone, "FINISH IT! FINISH IT!" all mortal combat style. So finally I got the full gist and I'm off to take a shower. A little spooked, I can't deny it. But i'm still pretty much alright. No one's home but it's 845 and really, what's scary about 845 besides that I wasn't a sleep? So I jump in the shower (claw foot tub, what what?!) and i start to wash my face and I have a complete spazz out. I'm all hurry hurry wash wash wash rinse rinse rinse because if I keep my eyes closed for too long there is going to be a DEMON waiting for me on the other side of my flower shower curtain. I knew it. I just KNEW it. So I rinsed furiously and then I was thinking, oh no.... do I really want to open my eyes and see it?? Maybe it's better to just keep them closed so I'll never know. The heebie jeebies got the best of me and it may have been the fastest shower I have ever taken. All because the BF told me about a scary movie. A scary movie I haven't seen and probably never will. But you should. Because you probably love that stuff don't you?

So the other funny thing is that BF is having a hard time sleeping now. He can't decide if he can handle having the bedroom door open or closed or the hallway light on or off. It's the boogieman dilemma. Thank fully I'm sleeping just fine... it's just the showers that are causing me concern. But really, how is that much different than usual?

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Ladies Who Lunch

I had a luncheon with my grandmother, great aunt, god mother, mother, aunt, and cousin today. It was kind of awesome. I wish we had taken a group photo. I slacked on that end. I'll share my favorite parts though.

The first thing my grandmother says to me when we get out of the car to walk to the restaurant is: "Are you wearing your hair straight nowadays? I always thought it had a bit of curl in it." And my response, "It's just the cold weather, give me a little humidity and it'll perk right back up."

My amazing ten year old cousin pointedly bee lining right for me and completely bypassing my mother. I totally win the who loves me more war. Ca-ching.

Everyone got the soup and salad combo. It was order by peer pressure. Everyone was up in arms. "Why just a salad? A SALAD?!" I explained it was to keep my figure. Everyone agreed they couldn't find theirs anywhere. I want to hug them all.

My mother and my grandmother arguing over who paid the bill at the olive garden. They each threw a little fit. The women in my family are all so crazy. Present company included.

My grandmother's parting remarks of "Don't get too skinny!!" Bless her.

Thursday, October 22, 2009

Yosemite

One of my most favorite days ever happened only a few months ago. A four hour drive to Yosemite on a total scorcher with Kamel. I was half drugged on benadryl and he had to practically drag me to the car, and it was an 8 hour round trip drive, but it was spectacular. It was a beautiful day, a beautiful park with spectacular natural wonders (i really recommend a visit), but also - this is where I realized I loved Kamel. I had just come back from doing my initial move into my apartment in seattle, I flew back to San Francisco and the next day we piled into the car for an adventure.

There are lots of pictures but only a few videos. And the other day I found it again and I had forgotten how well it captures the day. It's short, and not incredibly interesting. But there is something really sweet and honest about it, something that gives me the warm and fuzzies. Just me in the river while Kamel films on his iphone and you can hear a family up aways splash and play. Enjoy.

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Gadgets

I currently do not have a desk. I am a writer without a writer retreat. I live on my bed and so forth. I do a lot of free hand but when it comes down to it - I have mastered the art of lap-topping. As a verb. In order to prevent laptop from over heating on my comforter I have perfected various hand maneuvers as well as sitting positions that keep one side of my laptop vented. This becomes difficult while skyping, watching movies, or doing anything long term on the laptop. The thing gets heavy, I get uncomfortable, I get lazy, it overheats then freezes and I lose all my work. My life is interrupted.

To be totally fair I think Kamel got sick of dealing with my laptop on his visits. I knew something was brewing when he offered to untangle all of my cords. A pile I generally ignore on one side of my bed. I'm all "sure!" and he's all excited and something about this situation seems wrong. Also we had watched some DVDs and had to take turns holding the damn thing while our hands got crampy and hot. Then on monday I went to work and left the boyfriend to his own devices. He met me around quittin time with a giant giant bag I just briefly glimpsed as he whizzed by me. He said he had gotten me a present.

God I love presents.

Anyways... he said it was just a little thing - nothing too special - and right then i knew it was one of those laptop lap desk thingies!! And in fact it was. From Brookstone of all places. Fancy. It looks like this:


except mine has an orange pillow and it's a little poofier in real life. But SO AWESOME. And SO comfy. Comfy to the point of WANTING it on me. It's really plush, but also has this nice weight. Like a warm cat napping on you or something. The kind of cat that's friendly and purrs in a delicious way. Not the kind that suddenly swipes at your head and then runs and hides under your bed for hours. Not that kind.

I'm not a huge gadget person. I have an ipod, and a cell phone, and my laptop is three years old and whatever. I just make due. I don't need the latest and greatest. But this laptop desk thingy... even though it's not new technology... is making me life SO much better. Yay! Thanks Kamel! You done good.

And just in case you didn't believe me about the GIANT bag part of this story. When we got home I showed it to claire and of course her first response was "That bag is HUGE! GET IN IT!" And I'm easily persuaded. So I did.


What you can't see is how many shots it took to finally get a solid array. Also Claire reminding me "Hold still, hold still BUT DON'T BREATH IN!" And then when Kamel came back into the room she points out, "We're doing things we're not supposed to... playing with giant plastic bags." And we were. We so so were.

Friday, October 16, 2009

Lists

Top ten things not to do while sick

10.) Tell boss at food service establishment you are sick. You will most likely be sent home. No moneys for you!

9.) Do not take sudafed and then decide it will be nice to go for a walk. You will be drooling and shuffling your feet back home in a druggy haze in no time!

8.) Eat greasy bar food and/or boxes of candy. They don't digest well and will probably end up coming back up or causing you one AWFUL night in the least.

7.) Go running. It's ok to take a day off. Otherwise, you may pass out.

6.) Do anything that has your head tilted down for long periods of time. The snot just leaks, people. It just leaks.

5.) Go anywhere, participate in, do anything involving a large room filled with rows of chairs where the temperature is turned up. Gross.

4.) Do laundry. I dunno what it is, but there is something with the hefting and the sorting and the heat and the folding plus putting away that just makes me want to die.

3.) Pack for a long long vacation. Packing always sucks. Pay someone to do it for you when you're sick.

2.) Wear real pants. If you can get away with not wearing pants at all, for days on end, why would you?

and the number one thing NOT TO DO when you're sick is....

1.) EAT SUSHI. It will make you WANT TO DIE later. For reals. Sage advice here people. SAGE ADVICE.

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Puffins!!

Let's play a game. It's called what the eff is lauren eating? Go!

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Generally Speaking

Usually I can find a million things to write about it here. Most of the time I'm having adventures without even realizing I am until I get home and go "woah! can you believe what happened today?!" all in lower case too - shocking. Anyways, what I'm trying to say is - although I am incredibly happy with my life at the moment (seattle, boyfriend, friends, family, lifestyle, you name it), there is one little thing that is really driving me nuts - I never DO anything INTERESTING.

Things I could write about (things I've actually CONSIDERED writing about):

- How my portable closet kept collapsing and spilling my clothes everywhere and so I finally bought a new one from target and it's currently sitting in the hallway still in the box waiting for me to put it together.
- My freelance editing life.
- Being tired.
- Old People and how sometimes when they come into work and they are really sick or just really old and feeble i have a hard time (literally) not bursting into tears right there at the counter while they order their danish because what I'm looking at? Is death. Right in the face. And it really gets me.

I like a good routine. I like knowing when I'm going to work and when I can have my days off and when I can schedule doing laundry and going running. But what happened to the fun stuff? Everyone just sits in their routines and the best they can come up with is TV night on Wednesdays and the occasional happy hour. I thought moving back to seattle would give me a little social diversity since I know so many people and they all can't be busy and boring at the same time, right? Except they kind of are, or they just don't want to play with me. And I'm right there with them. Because what can I write about? Old People. Right.

Anyways. So generally speaking, I can usually turn any situation into something interesting to talk about. But right now, I can't. So instead I'm going to try to drum up some adventure. Somewhere. Hello? Are you out there? So that all my readers don't fall off the face of the earth and at the same time I don't bore anyone to death. New goal: Don't bore people.

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Insomnia

Sometimes I just can't sleep. And I know this happens to LOTS of you. Thank god for facebook and blogs right? For reals. Anyways... I made a list of possible little to unknown factoids about this state of being.

1.) It takes way too long to realize wow, I can't sleep. There is the tossing and then there is the turning and I dunno about you - but I am stubborn, convinced that at any point now, blam! sleep will come. It won't. But no matter, I'm still going to lie here with my eyes closed while my mind races in tens of thousands of different directions that I will trick myself into thinking are "dreams". No good.

2.) Getting up to pee sometimes helps. Not today, but I'm saying, there are times.

3.) Insomnia makes you hungry.

4.) It's also lonely. Unless you can find the random stray who is also online and then you have the whole "what are you doing awake?" "well what are YOU doing awake?" conversation.

5.) Just because you're awake doesn't mean you're not tired.

6.) The memory of those nights where you are asleep the minute you hit the pillow taunts you. Especially when there is no possible position of comfort.

7.) It's these times where I'm kicking myself about possibly going to sleep later. Sometimes being too tired and going to bed too early bites you right in the ass.

I'm trying to make these like "oh, you're right, I've never thought of that" and slightly funny. But I think they're just coming out lame. I can't tell because I'm in that in between zone of not really knowing if I'm going to think this is entertaining in the morning. I wish I was one of those people who became incredibly productive at 2 in the morning. I'd make millions. Instead I'm just lying here refreshing twitter. Fun.

Friday, October 9, 2009

Sunrise

The last few weeks - dare I say a month? - I have become well acquainted with the sunrise. I've been waking up at 6am and out the door for a run by 620. At that time it's dark. Really really nighttime holyfuckwhyamIawake dark. And the trees cast weird shadows in the streetlights and everything is spooky. I do a lot of flinching for no reason. But then the sky starts to turn this light blue and I can see the cracks in the cement better and I, along with the rest of the world, start to feel a little more human.

The best thing about getting a work out in really early is that at least 1/3 of time spent running, I have no recollection of. It's like when you are driving and you space out for a bit and then all of a sudden you're almost there. It's a little spooky but it's kind of nice too. With running - it's fantastic. And then I'm at work hours and hours later and I suddenly remember - hey! I worked out today. And it's like another pat on the back.

So anyways - I'm running and the sky is this bright light blue. Like someone is shining a flashlight through a piece of colored tissue paper. And by the time I get home there are birds and people getting their kids ready for school, and other people walking dogs. But the best part is when I make it back up to the apartment and I roll out claire's yoga mat that she is letting me use and I face my east-sided window and while I stretch the sky turns pink! and orange! and look there is a plane and it's exhaust is a streak of highlighter. And yes, I know that's because of the pollution in the air, blahblahblah but it's beautiful! And I'm sweating and trying to loosen my hamstrings so I can go and stand for 9 hours at work and the tree tops are back lit and I wish I could take a picture but I know it's no use because there is something about replicating this that never ever ever comes out quite right.

Lately I've been feeling rather intimate about sunrises.

Thursday, October 8, 2009

Things, October

I had a physical on Tuesday. This seems normal enough. It took a long time because my doctor is rather thorough. I like to believe she is just incredibly interested in my life but I'm pretty sure she is giving me a wellness psych eval. Either way - she's chatty and enthusiastic. My type of healthcare professional. Anyways - so a physical. Right. Other than having to try NOT TO GIGGLE during my pap (yeah, we're talking smeeaaarrr here) the whole thing went super smooth. But at the end, when nothing happened, no lumps or bumps or nasty moles were found - something about the situation seemed rather odd. I know you're supposed to have nothing wrong with you, but it just seems stupid for me to even go in the first place. I could have told you nothing was wrong, but to verify I had a busy lady who touches a lot of regular sick people poking and prodding and inserting and poking some more just to be like "yup, you're healthy!" I know physicals are preventative. And I'm all for that. But I also think our society is obsessed with healthcare and tests and cures. It is our survival after all. But I'm 24 and I have no complaints so what am i really doing?

I've been wearing tights leggings a lot lately. I got snipped at by an H&M salesperson for calling them tights so... I'm trying to amend my ways. I remember then I first say someone wearing them without a skirt. I was in Illinois and it was the middle of winter and my first thought was WOAH she looks TOTALLY NAKED. I mean - it was Illinois - where I would routinely have to walk to class in below zero weather. And here's this girl prancing around in very thin, stretchy sweat pants (basically). So I was shocked. I've gotten over this but it's taken me about three years? This was my first outing:


It was like wearing PAJAMAS! In PUBLIC! I was hooked! I've been wearing them to work. So warm and cozy. Plus I'm out of jeans. But that's my most recent fashion stretch... haha... get it? Ok nevermind...

I'm silently (well not anymore) fascinated about how fast or slow toilet paper runs out. I know this is weird. But I AM! Ok so I bought a big pack when I first moved to seattle and it JUST RAN OUT over two months later. Seriously - it just happened - this morning!! I know this has to do with how much claire and I go to the bathroom and how often we are home and blahblah but I choose to ignore most of that science and focus on the magic of not knowing how long we can go without having to buy a new pack. And apparently? In this apartment? It's over TWO MONTHS. Fan-fucking-tastic. :)

Tuesday, October 6, 2009

Echo Echo Echo

Wow. It's been a while. Sorry about that. Things have been... exhausting. I've been running around like a crazy at work and then getting home and crawling into a fetal position in bed while my feet throb. But there is something satisfying about a crazy busy day in the service industry. It's a type of physical exhaustion that lets me know i actually did something today.

Also - I totally scrapped the story I was working on and started it all over again. This time I like it much better. So that's where I am with writing. The starting point was nagging at me, and I just kept thinking it was all wrong until I finally listened to myself and started writing it again. I felt relief.

I have a physical today (joy) and some emails to write to people (john!) but I promise there won't be such a long lag in posts anymore. Right when I was getting a nice comfy reader base I go and disappear. What a dummy. A sleepy, feet throbbing, busy bee dummy. Sigh.