Anyway, blogging seems to have gotten all trendy, kinda going the way of web sites and Harry Potter. I've been keeping one through livejournal.com since April 2003, so for the sake of having at least one regularly updating page, I'll stick it here with the rest of my web toys. For past news and maybe an inkling of who people are, go to kjpepper.livejournal.com
No time like the present. Lets do this.
6 years, 2 months, 22 days, 23 hours. 6,095 Journal Entries, 402 Tags, 123 Memories, 100+ ScrapBook Files, 0 Virtual Gifts, 115 Userpics.
Many people gone but not forgotten. Just as many still walking this crazy life with me.
Time to wrap it all up, store it away, and focus on the new things. Most of the old things will be here if I need 'em.
Closing time - time for you to go out, go out into the world.
Closing time - turn the lights up over every boy and every girl.
Closing time - one last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer.
Closing time - you don't have to go home but you can't stay here.
Closing time - time for you to go back to the places you will be from.
Closing time - this room won't be open 'til your brothers or you sisters come.
So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits - I hope you have found a friend.
Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...Y'all know where to find me should you need me.
Behave yourself, Internets.
![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif?v=88.9)
kjpepper out.
--posted Wed, 01 Jul 2009 14:37:00 GMT
Presented without comment
--posted Wed, 01 Jul 2009 12:46:29 GMT
"Traditioooooooooooooooooon..."
I am watching Fiddler on the Roof. Or rather I was. I paused it at the entr'acte.
I'd actually never seen it before, though I know quite a few of the songs by heart growing up in a musical crazed household and numerous chorus medleys in school. It's nice to be able to put them into context finally, not to mention goggle at the brilliance of Jerome Robbins' choreography. I'd seen snippets of the Bottle Dance before. The whole thing caught me with my jaw down. I'm quite sure something is holding those bottles onto the hats. But I'm willing to think Jerome Robbins is just crazy enough to make the dancers perfect it with just the bottle.
I read a little bit ago that there's a tour of this running until August, and it's Topol's farewell tour. (I would hope so - the man is 73!) I have to wonder what its like for a stage actor to gain stardom in one career defining role, and then find him/herself playing that role over and over and over again? Does returning to the character feel like visiting an old friend, or putting on an old well loved sweater? Or does it become a burden after a while? Yul Brynner played The King almost up until his death; I suppose when Topol passes on, they'll have that conversation.
Debating whether to save Act II for tomorrow - despite its moments of high comedy (there are points where you think the musical should be renamed Tevye: Bitching At God Again, and that scene in the graveyard foreshadowed Helena Bonham Carter in Tim Burton movies by about 30 years) this is not a light fluffy musical. That and it's already 11:25.
--posted Wed, 01 Jul 2009 03:25:02 GMT
OMGWTFROFLMAO
I would just like to mention that this is the reason why I try
really hard not to talk about
cell23 too much. THAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS.
You may thank me now.
--posted Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:39:26 GMT
*inaudible squeek of DO WANT*
It's probably a good thing it's already over, because otherwise I'd be holding up a passport office trying to get one in under 24 just so I could hop a plane to London ASAP. Because really...
Daniel Dae Kim in The King and I? HAWT.
In other news, 9:30am and already 76 degrees. UGH.
--posted Tue, 30 Jun 2009 13:29:22 GMT
Writer's Block: Childhood Firsts
"Sisketti." I was kind of a pasta fiend when I was little.
In other news, back in NY safe, car returned an hour and a half ahead of schedule after a pretty uneventful drive down, and OH MAN IT IS BOILING IN THE CITY OH GOD. MELTING! MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEELTING.... Also i somehow missed that the MTA fares went up on Sunday. I tried to get on the subway at Grand Central and the turnstile went LOLCRYMOARNOOB at me. I also came home and was greeted with Dad holding an errand/shopping list. *sigh* back to life, back to reality, lol.
Now: OMG laundry. And lunch.
--posted Mon, 29 Jun 2009 18:23:11 GMT
meanwhile...
Somewhere in CT.
--posted Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:16:11 GMT
Eye candy
--posted Sun, 28 Jun 2009 23:16:15 GMT
no subject
Oh yeah I said I'd make a real post. It's been a thoroughly lazy saturday - my only plan is to go out to dinner with
cell23,
verbena76 and
aersi a little later. Most of the day was spent reading and vegging in front of the TV. Oh and
cell23 made me bacon wrapped steak for lunch. Nom, dead thing wrapped in dead thing.
I think I managed to cross the Connecticut river six times yesterday. No wait, I tell a lie, 8, because yesterday morning I realized halfway to 91 that I'd driven away from Dunks without my sandwich, so I had to go back. But yeah... there was the ipod cord earlier, then last night after apartment scouting I went back to Northampton to see Sasha and work on her web site with her (also got the aforementioned Set cards, which I intend to play with tonight), and then again still later as I joined the after-work pub crawl
cell23 was on with a bunch of his co-workers. Yet another first - I got to be the designated driver, lol. I must say it is both incredibly weird and yet really really nice having a social life that involves leaving the house for a change. Plus I actually get to get in the car and go see people, which is
fantastic. We likes this precious, it does not get the hose. I am finding that since most of the sheer terror has worn off I'm rather fiendishly enjoying being able to drive hither and yon. It helps that the car I've got seems to have fantastic mpg - I've filled the tank exactly once all week and I think I still have just under half a tank left.
Really yesterday just kind of improved overall after the sun started going down, which makes me thing that the muggy heat had a lot to do with the bleh-ness of earlier. The OMG SO MUCH MEAT salad at the Rt. 9 diner and getting to see
lysscat while I was there definitely helped as well, plus I found that even though I wasn't drinking I had a great time bar hopping last night, especially the last bit just sitting outside by the Northampton railroad tracks with
cell23 and the Smithie that works with him and shooting the shit for an hour and a half. There is something to definitely be said for being social.
Tomorrow there will be a late lunch and hangouts with
captainlove, and then monday morning... *sigh* I gotta go back to NY. It's a good thing there's only one or two trips left between now and actually moving - every single time it gets harder and harder to leave.
--posted Sat, 27 Jun 2009 22:53:06 GMT
Writer's Block: RIP Michael Jackson
I can't pick just one so I'll specify categories.
Favorite song to sing along to: "the way you make me feel" this comes on, it's required by law that I sing it. Especially the "ah-cha-ooh" bit.
Most admirable production work: "beat it". This song is so tight. The guitar solo. The intro. The percussion. It was just so well put together there is no way of improving on it short of a weird al parody, and "eat it" is classic in it's own right.
Song that gets me the hardest emotionally: "will you be there" I tear up every time I hear it.
Best video evar: "remember the time" really Michael has never made a bad video (well okay I wasn't thrilled with "you are not alone") but this one... I don't know. Something about it keeps me watching over and over. I actually think it's one of the ones where he looks the happiest.
Random song moment: "scream" I have to listen to it because it's still so incredibly jarring hearing Michael and Janet drop the f- bomb.
Musically awesome: "don't stop till you get enough" strings, brass, electric guitar. Jizz in my pants.
Best party song: "PYT". Fuck "single ladies" this is the song you play is you want all the ladies on the dance floor.
Favorite all around song: "wanna be starting something" this wins for random lyrics (you ever want to end an insult war on an amusing note say someones a vegetable and a buffet, and they hate you) and because "mamase mamasa mama coosa" is ... It's like pure joy expressed in song.
I had a rather good evening. More when I can type on a real keyboard instead of the Preciousssss.
--posted Sat, 27 Jun 2009 14:49:43 GMT
Apartment hunt so far
So far, the two places in the lead are either Southpoint or Lantern Court. For reasons that should be painfully obvious, I'm sorta leaning towards the second.
In other news, ugh. Its been one of those days... all heavy and oppressive, weatherwise. It feels like it should be 20 degrees hotter. I'm glad it isn't, no lie, but all day, with the running hither and yon all over the valley, all I really wanted to do all day was head back to Sunderland and go back to bed. Alas... miles to go before I do. I'm in Hadley right now, and I still gotta go to Northampton for an appointment at six.
It's been a bad brain day in general. I pulled into the Target parking lot today, parked, and then sat in the lot for about ten minutes trying desperately to remember what I'd gone there for. I still can't, and its bothering me. On the upside, in amongst the running around I got to stop at Hastings in Amherst. Dear gods, do I miss that store. I also plan to swing by A2Z before the appointment - I really really REALLY need a deck of Set cards.
No rest for the wicked. Off I go again.
--posted Fri, 26 Jun 2009 20:48:35 GMT
Whoa.
You know, when I posted my SOS to the world earlier and pleaded for distraction I really wasn't asking for Michael Jackson to drop dead. Holy shitballs, batman! I don't even know how to wrap my mind around that one. I mean, snark and cynicism aside (and there is plenty of both, some of which I admit to chuckling at), the man was a perfect storm of talent and tragedy. And as someone who grew up in the eighties/nineties... Yeah. Understanding what a force of nature this guy was back then almost defies explanation, and even then it's not the whole picture. My siblings are all about the same age as Michael. They literally grew up with the Jacksons. I can't even fathom what today's news must mean to them on that visceral level that mourns lost bits of childhood.
Well, that certainly made for a memorable evening sprawled on
htl_1126's couch. I'm currently sitting in
cell23's driveway, watching the heat lightning and the stars and just marvelling at both the day's events and the ways life works out in the most unexpected fashion possible. The air is charged and warm and a project is pushing its way into my conscious mind. This is it, every moment is a chance to begin anew, one must merely take it. And tomorrow? Fuck tomorrow. It's just another day.
--posted Fri, 26 Jun 2009 02:25:50 GMT
slightly cryptic...
A fair warning and heads up - anything y'all can do to distract me tomorrow will be THOROUGHLY and MASSIVELY appreciated.
So much for saving my mood from the tailspin it was in since late last night... :(
comments screened.
ETA: It's kind of a sick thought... but I think I finally understand why Henry VIII really had Anne Boleyn beheaded. That or I've been watching way too much Tudors lately
--posted Thu, 25 Jun 2009 17:18:51 GMT
Notes
- This is both sad and hilarious all at once.
- Was that sunshine I saw earlier today? It's overcast now, but it was actually sunny earlier. And warm. I think summer is ready to come out of her time-out.
- Wow, after being told by everyone and sundry that 7-0s karaoke night was doomed to be horrendous, it actually turned out to be awesome. It ended up being me, aersi, avalon616, deliriumdeva, cell23 and we were later even joined by verbena76, which was an excellent bonus. Much drunken revelry ensued, and it was pretty much agreed upon by all and sundry that it needs to be a regular thing. I see no problem with this.
- must find a way of resisting warm, sleepy octopus of cuddle in the morning. That or just resign myself to being late every day.
- I think I'm going to avoid the Pike at least until they finish resurfacing the road and put the lines back in. I had a terrifying moment on the way in this morning where I somehow got wedged between two trucks after entering the Pike from 91. NOT FUN AT ALL. On the other hand adrenaline will wake you up far more efficiently than coffee. That and I know I'm not okay with driving it on the way back because the entire road surface is grooved pavement... yeah, no.
- I was dumb and had tonight double booked... D: luckily captainlove was amenable to rescheduling. So tonight I see htl_1126, meet her boy and hang... tomorrow there will be work, more running around with Cara, some work with Sasha... Saturday verbena76 and aersi are attempting to tempt cell23 and I out to dinner, and I think Sunday will be when captainlove and I will do Parthenon and kvetching. It looks like I'll indeed be staying through Sunday night and leaving ass early on Monday to get the car back by 1. *sigh* I really don't want to have to go home at all, but I keep telling myself, one more month isn't that long and I still have shit that needs accomplishing before I come back. So... it ain't all bad.
--posted Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:16:03 GMT
Oh dear gods
There is a burger king less than two blocks away from the new office. D: Note to self - start packing lunch when I move back here, otherwise resign myself to the inevitable and start a correspondence course in Huttese.
I kid.
htl_1126 is already making nefarious plans to kidnap me for walkies during lunches. That and it can't be THAT hard to find a place that makes something reasonably healthy around here. And it could be worse... at least I'm not next door to the purveyors of "Decadent Chocolate Cake" anymore.
--posted Wed, 24 Jun 2009 19:25:20 GMT
MEMES.
survey yoinked from
nounsandverbs:
1. What was the highlight of your week?
Continuous "YAY I'M IN UR VALLEY TERRORIZING UR MOTORISTS" all week.
2. Whose car were you in last?
I guess technically it's Enterprise's.
3. When is the next time you will kiss someone?
Probably later on today. :)
4. What color shirt are you wearing?
I'm not I'm wearing a black paisley dress.
5. How long is your hair?
shoulder lengthish. parts of it are taking their time catching up.
6. Are you good looking?
according to everyone else. Some days I see it.
7. Last movie you watched?
Half of
Kung Fu Panda.8. Who were you with?
Charlie, the youngest Stronghold Monster. He was actually nice to me for a change. Course, he wanted to play with my iPod....
9. Last thing you ate?
I'm about to have some sweet sweet Dunkin Donuts.
10. Last thing you drank?
See #9.
11. When was the last time you had your heart broken?
Lets just leave it as recently.
12. Who came over last?
technically I don't have a place to come over to. I'm sure it was one of Dad's friends.
13. Are you happy right now?
I am this week. I would say I average at mostly content with a side of grumpy whine.
14. What did you say last?
"Hey, where's my computer?" (just got to new office)
15. Where is your phone?
Cell: bra. Office phone: desk.
16. What color are your eyes?
Brown.
17. Are you left-handed?
Yes.
18. Spell your name without vowels:
Nd Rshd Brwn
19. Do you have any pets?
Not currently.
20. Favorite Vacation?
Evar? Probably the ninth grade trip to Disney with mom and crazy sister that went on all the roller coasters despite being five months pregnant with her second. She was also carrying her camcorder.
21. What do you dislike currently?
being chubby, being behind at work, money, people who can't drive in the rain WHICH IS APPARENTLY EVERYONE IN THE ENTIRE STATE. And me, lol, but I can't drive on general principle, lol.
22. What are you listening to?
Getting used to new office noise. Already I like the view out of my window better.
23. If you could have one thing right now what would it be?
The whole question of where I'm going to live in August nailed down.
24. What is your favorite scent?
anything baking. Seconded by the top of
cell23's head. I seem to remember when we first got together telling him he needs to buy his shampoo in bulk.
25. Who makes you happiest?
I've already exceeded the squee quotient for this entry.
26. What were you doing at midnight last night?
Turning off Colbert?
27. When is your birthday?
October 7
28. Who has the same phone as you?
sydneycat, or at least she did when last I saw her. We got them at the same time, except hers is green and mine is black and orange.
29. Last time you went swimming in a pool?
years ago.
30. Do you read your horoscope?
yeah. They're fun.
31. Where was the last place you bought something?
Dunks. No I tell a lie, I had to fill the tank.
32. How do you feel about your hair right now?
It's out of my way.
33. Do you bite your nails?
I don't bite, I kinda chew on them a bit.
34. Do you have any expensive jewelry?
allegedly somewhere.
35. MySpace or Facebook?
Facebook. MySuck is the froo-it of the Devyil.
36. How fast have you driven a car?
I keep catching myself doing 80 on I91, freaking out, and slowing down.
37. Have you ever smoked?
no. I refuse to count two puffs of a cigar once.
38. What was or is your favorite subject in school?
I loved my Shakespeare and Film class at Smith. Reminds me, I really need to see
Throne of Blood again.
39. Do you have Verizon?
No.
40. What type of boy or girl do you usually fall for?
GAMERS. I shit you not, every single person I've ever dated or at least wanted seriously all played some kind of RPG or TCG on a regular basis.
Where is #41?
42. Do you have any hidden talents?
I seem to have an innate sense of how things work and can usually figure out/fix most gadgets and electronics. The only thing that seems to confound me is where the headlights are on cars.
43. Favorite Song?
Too damn many.
44. Do you like to sing at all?
Love it. Am rather thankful that I'm no longer self conscious about it.
45. Dream Job?
Venetian Courtesan, lol.
46. Where does most of your family live?
We're sort of scattered to the four winds, but we're all in the northeast and all converge upon Brooklyn for special occasions.
47. Are you an only child or do you have siblings?
By one reckoning I'm the youngest of six. By another, I have a younger sister.
48. Would you consider yourself to be spoiled?
Sadly yes. I try not to let it get to me much or affect my behavior.
49. What was the first thing you thought when you woke up?
I don't WANNA get up...
50. Do you drink?
Once in a while.
51. Know any other languages?
French (reasonably well, though I'm rusty), Russian (these days it's better when I'm drunk).
52. Ever write a coded message?
My friend and I taught ourselves anglo-saxon futhark simply so the next time our teacher picked up a note we were passing in class he couldn't then read it aloud. I still read and write in it rather well.
53. Have you ever been IN a wedding?
at least five.
54. Do you have any children?
nope.
55. Did you take a nap today?
lol no I've been running since 8am.
56. Who has the same birthday as you?
Desmond Tutu, I think.
57. Ever met anyone famous before?
Yep.
58. Do you want to be famous one day?
eh...
59. Any Pet Peeves?
People who eat with more noise than strictly necessary.
60. Are you multitasking right now?
if you call eating breakfast and gearing up for actual work multitasking.
61. Do you like Britany Spears?
I don't think that's how you spell her name. And... yeah, actually I do.
62. What is your least favorite chore?
Dishes, catboxes, putting things away.
63. Last place you drove your car?
Westfield.
64. Ever been out of the country?
Not yet.
65. Where were you born?
New Haven, CT.
66. Could you handle being in the military?
Hell no.
67. What is your average cell phone bill?
$61ish monthly. Minimum minutes, maximum text messages. Yeah, I know.
68. Who are you thinking about right now?
several clients that need their stuff in.
69. When was the last time you laughed REALLY hard?
yesterday. I was being tickled.
70. How many pairs of shoes do you own?
...five?
71. Are your toes always painted?
Who paints their toes?? Seriously, I almost never do my toenails, though they happen to be painted now.
72. How many piercings do you have?
Three in each ear.
73. What are you doing today?
Working, then karaoke with
aersi,
cell23 and... I forget Melissa's LJ handle.
74. Have you ever been gambling?
No.
75. When is the last time you updated your page?
Read my LJ tagline.
76. Do you like rollercoasters?
Yes.
77. Have you ever been to Disneyland or world?
World.
78. Do you have a favorite cartoon character?
Samurai Jack.
79. Last thing you cooked?
Brunch for Dad.
80. How's the weather?
Muggy and drizzly without being particularly warm. I'm okay with the weirdly cool summer so far, now if we could just do something about the wet...
81. Do you e-mail?
Do bears shit in the woods?
82. What's the stupidest thing you ever did with your cell phone?
... you know, I don't think I've ever done anything dumb with mine.
83. Last time you were sick?
honestly the last time I was in the hospital. I've been pretty good since then. I mean, technically I'm chronically sick, but...
84. What states have you lived in?
NY and MA.
85. Do you wish you could move?
Working on it...
86. Do you take all the QuizPox.com quizzes?
What the fuck is quizpox and is there a vaccine?
87. What is your dream car?
A Ford F150, diesel, painted in purple glitter, single cab, named the Saucy Wench. The license plate would just be "WENCH."
88. Have you ever wanted someone you can't have?
Of course. There was a fair amount of time I had an unholy addiction to unrequited love.
89. If you could be anywhere right now where would it be?
back where I was at 7am this morning, with the associated company.
90. Are you happy with your life?
Overall, yeah, I think so. There are some things I want different or that I'm frustrated with, but I'm slowly making progress on that, and all things considered, I could be doing much much worse.
words from
ggirl:
Dad - Oh man, what can I say about Mr. Browne? lol. As I spend more time with him I notice more and more how similar we actually are, and what an interesting, funny and genuinely kind person he is. He was hard on all of us kids when we were growing up, especially when it came to school, but you know what? All he ever wanted from us was to become the best people we could be, and it's actually really great when we are all together because you can see how proud of his family he is. I'm really happy for the time I've been spending home simply because I'm finally actually getting to know him.
crafts - Since I'm chronically lazy I don't do them nearly as much as I should. I'm always happiest when I'm creating something, bringing beauty into the world where it was not before.
love - has gotten me into more trouble... lol. But I can't remember a time where I haven't been in love, even if it was just with the idea of being in love. It's kind of both the best and the worst thing ever.
Smith - was really the turning point of my whole life. So much of what and where I am today is because I ended up there, in the house I did, with the people I did. A lot of the worst aspects of my personality manifested there, honestly, but it was also where I discovered my own strength. And here I still am, in heart if not in person most of the time. Will fix that.
bike - dear sweet jesus. I really need to get bellenoire fixed and get back in the saddle as it were. I love biking and miss it like hell, as it's really my preferred form of exercise (I hate any form of working out where you don't actually
go anywhere), and since they're connecting up all the rail trails through Northampton, I have miles of possible destinations when I do.
I have finally made it to the new office. I was a little dubious about the outside, but inside? I love it. I have a window I can actually look out of right by my monitor! And the drive down from Sunderland wasn't that bad... of course with all the construction going on in Westfield, finding this place was tricky... but now I know, and as we all know, knowing is half the battle.
There is indeed a belly dance studio literally down the hall from us, like we share the bathroom. I'm going to go in a minute and see what their class schedule and rates are for the fall.
ETA: OMG *swoon fan self* why yes, I most DEFINITELY will be taking classes from
this lady right here. I met her in the hall just now, she is cute as hell!
Tonight - karaoke!!!!! And then Stewart/Colbert, Sano Ichiro, and more beatings with the two by four of lurve, lol...
--posted Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:11:11 GMT
no subject
From
anangelssilence:
Vodka - poison of choice these days. I used to hate the stuff, but attending three parties at the Fortress of Atramoria fixed that. I pretty much drink vodka when the primary objective is maximum intoxication in as little time as possible. Generally the foolproof formula is 12 oz, neat. That's enough to get me stupid drunk without making me sick and with no ill effects the next morning. I've never had a hangover.
Dreads - again, one of life's little surprises. Considering before I could never commit to a hairstyle for more than a couple of months, dreads seemed like an unlikely choice for me. But pretty much, I'd pretty much had gotten tired of constantly fucking with my hair (and black hair requires constant fucking with) so I decided to put it into twists and kinda see where it went from there. Three years later, here we are. I still occasionally get strong urges to shave my head, but now that the dreads are almost all shoulder length and longer I really really like how they look on me.
iPod - my Preciousssss. Nah, honestly, I have had an mp3 player of some description since the first ones hit the market. My first one was a Creative Nomad which was this comparatively huge ass thing... later I got a 2nd gen iPod, then a Creative Zen, then the current iPod touch, which honestly I use more for portable Internet, games, brain/organizational stuff than music, though it's been a godsend in the car. Pretty much I have had some form of music player almost permanently attached to my person since about the 2nd grade - my mix tape making started young. Now we have "playlists."
Memes - I think
morlock's description of them was very accurate. Meme can be read as "Me Me" which is pretty much what they are, an excuse to talk about yourself and what you think. Its funny, I hate to talk about myself or what I think about certain things normally, but love answering questions. Hence all the survey/questionnaire memes. I'm not as big of a fan of the ten question "what (x) are you?" ones.
World of Warcraft - I miss it. I keep thinking about my little Hordeling girls and wanting to go back and play them. I stalled out at level 60 on Kayena, but I don't know if I'll ever go back to playing her at this point, though she's my first toon and therefore will always have a place in my little black heart. Plus making craptons of gold on the AH was wicked fun. I wish I had the same sort of leet money skills in real life.
Long, busy day today... returned my sharps container, met the Foole for lunch and the usual interesting conversation at Thai garden (thai iced tea is still the best thing ever), and then got together with Cara to start the great apartment hunting project. So much driving.... but I'm excited about it and kinda psyched about living with her - we seem to be on the same wavelength about many things living wise. Am now by myself with laptop on
cell23's couch attempting to get some things done... mostly failing though. I'm wicked tired today. I think the past few days of little sleep are catching up with me.
--posted Wed, 24 Jun 2009 00:41:15 GMT
BAYBAAAAAAY!!!
Mostly for
bellarisa - more evidence that most of your childhood can be found on youtube if you look hard enough.
Cast of the Cosby Show performing "night time is the right time"I'd embed it, but this one's disabled. Still, seeing this always makes me smile.
I am sitting in the Haymarket waiting to meet grinninfoole for lunchies. Have laptop, will travel.
And more words, this time from
nounsandverbs:
Brooklyn - I grew up there, but I didn't if that makes any sense. My neighborhood wasn't the greatest (well, okay, it was the 80s/90s, new york wasn't the greatest) and after He I Do Not Talk about's collosal fail at life, my parents got super overprotective of me so I never really got to explore it much and make it my own. The times I did get out of the house without a parent in tow I was in manhattan with my school friends. It's only been this last stay at home where I really got to sort of reclaim Brooklyn as my own, mostly by retracing the hazy maps of memory traversed with various family members. The park was where I hung out with Anucha, Flatbush Ave was where Mom would go shopping, Kings Plaza was, well, The Mall. (I got my ears peirced there.) Park slope was where I first went to school and occasionally went to the movies. So on and so forth. This is really the only period of my life where I've spent more time in brooklyn than manhattan.
YouTube - oddly apropos, lol. I fucking love youtube. It saves me the trouble of maintaining an extensive collection of music videos (cause I did up until three years ago - huzzah for extra hard drive space), allows me to be all nostalgic for shows, ads and other associated TV crap from when I was younger, and considering the batshit things people with no shame and too much free time post, its a source of endless entertainment.
driving - I'm new at it. I'm still bad at certain things (lane changes, left turns, PARKING). But I can now, and now that the paralyzing fear of doing so has worn off I
love it. In between the horrid rain yesterday I was roaring up 91 singing "Life Is A Highway" at the top of my lungs and meaning every word. Seriously, I'm kicking myself for not getting the license sooner.
family - is a loaded word for me. I call a lot of people family, because it's a word that people will recongnize and understand immediately said people's importance to me. Really, it's a poor word - the way I think about my net of relationships is closer to the Russian concept of свой (
svoi, translates literally to "one's/ours"), which can apply to all kinds of close association. Pretty much, there are many I can call "my people." It includes my blood family, all of my exes, many of my close friends, and in a few cases, extends to these people's networks of people.
poly - *chuckle* I am in theory if not exactly in practice anymore. I have said in the past that for me, poly was never an innate thing, but that's entirely bullshit - I as good as dated two boys in high school concurrently until I graduated, and really can't remember any point in time after seventh grade where I wasn't madly in love with two people at once. I think what really happened is that I got settled into my relationship with
sundart as my one and only, and since the process of adjusting from a monogamous state to a polyamourous one was kinda traumatic I kinda forgot about that. I've also come to accept that you can still have jealous/possessive tendancies and still be poly. Plus I've been poly so damn long that I really don't think I'd be all that happy having to focus entirely on one single person and having said person focus entirely on me is almost too much pressure in a way. What I
am enjoying right now is being someone's primary minus the angst, which is quite with the lovely.
--posted Tue, 23 Jun 2009 15:17:50 GMT
Word meme
Comment "WORDS" to this entry and I will comment back with five words I associate with you. Then you post this in your journal elaborating.
Mine from
purpura:
photography - I need to do it more. I've loved taking pictures since one of my sisters handed me an old camera to play with. I think I was three at the time.
ricrolling (might be a cheat!)- I still think it's the best shit ever. But even before it hit the nets, "never gonna give you up" was one of my favorite songs.
cheesecake - honestly not my favorite. I learned to like it fairly recently and even so I'm picky about it. Juniors makes it the righ consistency in my opinion - cheesecake factory's is too squooshy.
Central Park - I actually never hung out there much cause I grew up at the time where the standard wisdom about central park was that every third lamppost had a mugger behind it. Really the only place in central park I've really ever been to is wollman rink which is the best thing since bread sliced with hockey skates.
Prospect park, on the other hand...
Massachusetts - I came here for college because I wanted to go someplace far enough away from home that my mother wouldn't be dropping in every couple of days (NYU was right out) but not too too far away from my city. I ended up going to smith, and while college was full of the academic fail (quite literally) I fell in love with The Valley and ended up staying. I find this funny as before I left I swore I was going to be one of those people that grew up lived and died in new York. (wo)Man plans god laughs.
I'm in the land of sunder. The drive was anything but fun due to torrential downpours but I made it. I am now quite contentedly sprawled on the couch with iPod and Sano Ichiro novels, head pillowed on
cell23's lap. life is good. :)
--posted Tue, 23 Jun 2009 01:40:54 GMT
Mostly for harinezumi's benefit
Fifteen years later and passing Crestwood station on the metro north still evokes a smirk.
--posted Mon, 22 Jun 2009 15:26:17 GMT
Grand central.
Grand central.
--posted Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:47:02 GMT
Almost time to hit the road
Leaving the house in half an hour. I am rather pleased that I seem to be having a cute day, and also that I can get most of my dreads tied back into a ponytail without a headband these days. Hoping all goes according to plan with the car and silently chanting "must not forget Humira" as I run around getting things together. This is challenging as I'm trying to leave it in the fridge until the last possible second. the only thing worrying me is that even though I made sure to get to bed at a more or less reasonable time, I'm still wicked sleepy. I'm going to have to pick up coffee and a nap on the way to picking up the car.
Right... Time to shut down Epeen and pack her network antenna. Off I go.
--posted Mon, 22 Jun 2009 13:19:53 GMT
no subject
Nap had. Trying to light the necessary firecrackers under ass to get ready for the trip. From the success rate, I think the fuses are wet.
ah well. I'm in no huge hurry tomorrow, lol.
--posted Sun, 21 Jun 2009 23:59:41 GMT
Father's Day
Mr. Alfred Browne is well pleased. Two of his daughters are home to entertain him, he very much enjoyed the brunch of cheese/pepper/tomato omelettes, country bacon, home fries and fresh strawberries (sort of continuing the theme of the weekend on my own, lol), and both his cell and the home phone has been ringing off the hook as his children, grandchildren, siblings, lady friends and extended family have called to pay their tributes, lol. I got many effusive compliments on the brunch, so I am well pleased, especially since for a bit it looked like the potatoes were going to be failcakes.
Goddamn it, somehow I still haven't gotten the memo that I am no longer cooking for four people who tend to have third helpings. I'm constantly overestimating how much ingredients I need, and this morning was annoyed because I bought and cut up five gigantic potatoes for the home fries when I really only needed two medium sized ones. Ah well, Dad will have plenty of leftovers for the week.
Am now trying to summon the will to go out and get a car charger for the Preciousssss for the trip tomorrow. I honestly would rather sleep, and Ruthy says I should do it tomorrow on my way to pick up the car, but I know what I'm like, if I leave it, it won't happen. Problem is it's Sunday, and if I'm going all the way to J&R, I gotta leave soon - they close at 6:30. 'Course, the drive from White Plains is only two and a half hours, chances are I might not even need the charger, and once the battery dies, I'll be well within the range of 99.3. Hmm. you know, maybe I'll just skip it - I did have the iPod + iTrip going during the hour and a half I was cooking and only used up a third of the battery... yeah you know what, never mind, lol. I shouldn't spend that kind of money anyway.
You know, with that decided and Dad thoroughly spoiled, I think I'm going to go have a nap. You can really tell you're tired when after three mugs of coffee you still feel like warmed over death through the caffeine buzz...
--posted Sun, 21 Jun 2009 20:16:03 GMT
phone silliness
Still awake. Yeah, this is probably bad, but as long as I get a really good night's sleep tonight and perhaps a nap in a little later, I should be fine for the drive up to MA tomorrow.
I can't say I did anything
productive per se with my night, but I did get something done that I'd been meaning to for a while, which is swap out the bulk of my ringtones. In the process, I discovered to my vexation that my Bluetooth dongle is dying. Crap. yet another thing to the "replace me" pile. *sigh*
Anyway, not that anyone really cares, but here's what my phone sounds like now:
Main ring: Was: Grim Saviour's death metal cover of "Bananaphone." Is now: "Warning - incoming game" from
Reboot.
Work: Was and is still "Code monkey think maybe manager wanna write goddamn login page himself..."
Family (immediate, extended, ex-inlaws): Was: (depending on who) either "The Brady Bunch" or "The Addams Family." Is Now: "We Are Family" by Sister Sledge.
Voice Mail/Text Messages: Was and is still "*FWNNNNNGGG!!* Message for you, Sir!" from
Monty Python and the Holy Grail.Since these three people call me the most, they get their own:
captainlove Is now: "NO ONE TOSSES A DWARF!" from
Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.booboo_berr: Was: Cry Little Sister" by Gerard McMann. Is now "Maps" by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. May end up switching it to "Pain" by Three Days Grace or "Hysteria" by Muse... we'll see.
bluewindkitsune: Was: "Wild" by Poe. Is Now: "Hypnotist of Ladies" by They Might Be Giants.
cell23: Was: "What It's all About" by Girl Talk. Is Now: "Tom Sawyer" by Rush
I also have the beginnings of "Bodies" and "Down with the Sickness" as my new alarm clock alerts - you know things are bad when you can sleep through the "WAKE UP!! GRAB A BRUSH AND PUT A LITTLE MAKEUP!!" bit of "Chop Suey." We'll see if my phone suddenly emitting "OOOOOOH-AH-AH-AH-AH!!" is any better at scaring the snot out of me enough to wake me the hell up in the morning.
OH GOD COFFEE NAU KTHX. and shopping list for brunch - gonna head to the store in an hour or so.
--posted Sun, 21 Jun 2009 11:08:37 GMT
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