the rain is coming down in sheets right now. we slogged through it for a half an hour to get to the internet cafe. the roads are either packed with people or totally closed off for the royal wedding. yes, i had no idea that the Prince of Spain was going to get married during our visit.
it has been total chaos since yesterday. we strolled by the Royal Palace and the Cathedral, watching the masses of papparazzi and media elbow each other for the prime viewing spots. you cannot watch anything on tv without it mentioning "la boda real."
geez, everyone from Hilary Clinton to Placido Domingo to Prince Charles to Nelson Mandela are in attendance. too bad they´re getting soaked too heh.
so, it looks like once this wedding is over, everyone in this city of 4 million will be able to go on with their lives; it´s like a ghost town our hotel´s neighborhood. and once we dry off, we´ll head to the Prado and the Reina Sofia museums. i´m very psyched to see Picasso´s Guernica at the Reina Sofia and to wander through the numerous galleries at the Prado, filled with works from Goya, Velasquez, and El Greco.
on monday and tuesday, we´re scheduled for daytrips to Segovia and Toledo. we are gonna stay bizzeee...
hope everyone is doing well...will blog soon! hugs
Saturday, May 22, 2004
Thursday, May 20, 2004
Hi Guys
Can´t believe we´re finally in Madrid. It´s held such mystique for me for years, and now we get to see the country. We were so bent ouf of shape from trying to sleep on the plane...skinny seats, but not skinny butts. We´ve only begun our big 2004 adventure. Maybe we´ll have some fun travel stories to share. there´s a green parrot (computer assist) that keeps telling us we´re running out of time. Aren´t we all. so enjoy your hours hour by hour.
cheers
cheers
a quickie from madrid...
we´re finally here. the trip on the two planes was far from painless. our first flight to philly was delayed by 20 minutes and we didn´t get there until 50 minutes before our connection. so....after frantically rushing from one concourse to another, we boarded the other plane and sat there for another hour forty before we took off. sheesh. our asses were seriously tired even before the plane took off.
the flight to madrid was a bit better though. we were lucky enough to get some seats that were behind the crew´s sleeping area, which meant no one slamming into our knees at all. the onboard movies were great (big fish, the last samurai, school of rock, mystic river, and that looney tunes one). so, we settled in for another eight hours. lois was majorly uncomfortable though...
the hotel we´re staying at is a three star w7 nice amenities, although it´s a bit small. we found this internet cafe after quaffing a few beers and stuffing ourselves full of tapas at a cerveceria (brewery...but more of a beer garden). argh. it is so hard getting used to these keyboards...the keys are different.
anyway, i´m gonna let lolis blog for a few minutes before our time runs out! so...see ya!
the flight to madrid was a bit better though. we were lucky enough to get some seats that were behind the crew´s sleeping area, which meant no one slamming into our knees at all. the onboard movies were great (big fish, the last samurai, school of rock, mystic river, and that looney tunes one). so, we settled in for another eight hours. lois was majorly uncomfortable though...
the hotel we´re staying at is a three star w7 nice amenities, although it´s a bit small. we found this internet cafe after quaffing a few beers and stuffing ourselves full of tapas at a cerveceria (brewery...but more of a beer garden). argh. it is so hard getting used to these keyboards...the keys are different.
anyway, i´m gonna let lolis blog for a few minutes before our time runs out! so...see ya!
Wednesday, May 19, 2004
da plane...da plane
does not leave for another ten hours. and i still have not packed. no big deal though...after 20 trips out of the country, i can do it in 10-20 minutes; got the routine down pat.
been reading up some in my new guidebook that i bought at tattered a few hours ago. this time, i purchased a Rough Guide...which i haven't used since my last trip to Guatemala in '95. they're excellent guidebooks that contain excellent history and transportation info.
other guidebooks that i have relied heavily over the last 13 years are:
Lonely Planet...although prices aren't always up-to-date, one of the best guides w/ the most destinations. heavy as a brick though...
Footprint...comparable to LP guidebooks, but usually tall and bulky.
Let's Go...a guidebook based in the U.S. (the above titles come out of the U.K. and Australia) that provides some unique, if not quirky, info for the traveler. this title was started by Harvard students in the 60's.
Frommer's...not for the traveler on the cheap, but at least it's updated annually.
so, what do i typically take on a three week trip?
2-3 pairs of pants
1 long sleeved shirt
1 windbreaker
2 polo shirts
1 light jacket
5-7 t-shirts
2 pairs of shoes
1 pair of sandals
20 rolls of slide film
1 deck of cards
music
2 guidebooks if i haven't done my homework
1 crossword puzzle book
2 cameras (1 SLR and 1 point and shoot)
all this kee-rap usually fits in one small suitcase and a daypack. if i'm traveling to a warm climate for two weeks, i can survive w/ just one carry-on duffel bag and a fanny pack. a cold climate? throw in long johns, another long sleeved shirt, a couple candles (you'd be surprised how you can raise a room's temp. a bit w/ candles), a hat and maybe some gloves.
often, i'll take pretty ratty clothes if i'm going to a third world country...for two reasons:
1. thieves won't even consider me as a target if i look poor. granted, i don't dress in tatters, but it sure ain't flashy ;)
2. i can leave most of the clothes in the hotel room at the end of a trip and use the extra space for souvenirs. the hotel workers can either use some of the clothing or know someone who wouldn't turn it down.
well...we're looking at t-9.5 hours now ;) perhaps my next post will come from an internet cafe in Madrid...provided i don't oversleep and miss the plane LOL. i swear, it's too weird to take an afternoon flight. i know it's more convenient for Europe and South America because you'll get there the next morning, but i am so used to taking the 7AM flight to Mexico or Central America; i'd be leaving for the airport about now and asleep on the flight in no time ;)
been reading up some in my new guidebook that i bought at tattered a few hours ago. this time, i purchased a Rough Guide...which i haven't used since my last trip to Guatemala in '95. they're excellent guidebooks that contain excellent history and transportation info.
other guidebooks that i have relied heavily over the last 13 years are:
Lonely Planet...although prices aren't always up-to-date, one of the best guides w/ the most destinations. heavy as a brick though...
Footprint...comparable to LP guidebooks, but usually tall and bulky.
Let's Go...a guidebook based in the U.S. (the above titles come out of the U.K. and Australia) that provides some unique, if not quirky, info for the traveler. this title was started by Harvard students in the 60's.
Frommer's...not for the traveler on the cheap, but at least it's updated annually.
so, what do i typically take on a three week trip?
2-3 pairs of pants
1 long sleeved shirt
1 windbreaker
2 polo shirts
1 light jacket
5-7 t-shirts
2 pairs of shoes
1 pair of sandals
20 rolls of slide film
1 deck of cards
music
2 guidebooks if i haven't done my homework
1 crossword puzzle book
2 cameras (1 SLR and 1 point and shoot)
all this kee-rap usually fits in one small suitcase and a daypack. if i'm traveling to a warm climate for two weeks, i can survive w/ just one carry-on duffel bag and a fanny pack. a cold climate? throw in long johns, another long sleeved shirt, a couple candles (you'd be surprised how you can raise a room's temp. a bit w/ candles), a hat and maybe some gloves.
often, i'll take pretty ratty clothes if i'm going to a third world country...for two reasons:
1. thieves won't even consider me as a target if i look poor. granted, i don't dress in tatters, but it sure ain't flashy ;)
2. i can leave most of the clothes in the hotel room at the end of a trip and use the extra space for souvenirs. the hotel workers can either use some of the clothing or know someone who wouldn't turn it down.
well...we're looking at t-9.5 hours now ;) perhaps my next post will come from an internet cafe in Madrid...provided i don't oversleep and miss the plane LOL. i swear, it's too weird to take an afternoon flight. i know it's more convenient for Europe and South America because you'll get there the next morning, but i am so used to taking the 7AM flight to Mexico or Central America; i'd be leaving for the airport about now and asleep on the flight in no time ;)
Saturday, May 15, 2004
argh...
so lazy right now. it's gonna be a somewhat busy afternoon. for one, i am in DIRE need of a haircut. if i don't i'm convinced that those paranoid rent-a-cops at the airport will stop me for WMD in my hair - it's THAT bad.
also need to get to the library so i can find a spain guidebook or two for the plane. the two that i own are still quite good, but they're also about five years old. plus, it might be a wise decision to go to the library because i have a book that is due today.
and if i don't crash my car on the way back, i can spend a few hours with dad while mom and susie go to a (rescheduled) Mother's Day awards ceremony that the Col*rado Ch*nese Club sponsors every year. unfortunately, this is an annual outlet for my mom, since she was the inaugural 'Mother of the Year' in 1999. i've nothing against the award or the recognition that it affords to some local mothers and the years of toil that they have had to endure raising their children. that's cool. i know that i'm too much of a wimp to be a mother.
the one thing that i don't like about the club is many of their members are just extra lame flakemeisters. and that their gatherings are another opportunity for mom to bask in the 'spotlight' that she so desperately craves.
BUT...since i love my mother (don't we all) off i go to get the locks chopped.
also need to get to the library so i can find a spain guidebook or two for the plane. the two that i own are still quite good, but they're also about five years old. plus, it might be a wise decision to go to the library because i have a book that is due today.
and if i don't crash my car on the way back, i can spend a few hours with dad while mom and susie go to a (rescheduled) Mother's Day awards ceremony that the Col*rado Ch*nese Club sponsors every year. unfortunately, this is an annual outlet for my mom, since she was the inaugural 'Mother of the Year' in 1999. i've nothing against the award or the recognition that it affords to some local mothers and the years of toil that they have had to endure raising their children. that's cool. i know that i'm too much of a wimp to be a mother.
the one thing that i don't like about the club is many of their members are just extra lame flakemeisters. and that their gatherings are another opportunity for mom to bask in the 'spotlight' that she so desperately craves.
BUT...since i love my mother (don't we all) off i go to get the locks chopped.
Wednesday, May 12, 2004
snazzy...
looks like blogger has fancied some things up for us. a few more buttons and easier roaming (sounds like a phone commercial).
as you can see, i've added a weather pixie to my blog. i always liked Cindi's, so i had to have one too ;) now, while it's not as informative as going to weather.com, it still serves its purpose. btw, for the time being, i've set it to the weather at Madrid's Barajas Int'l Airport until we get back on the 7th; you'll get a general idea of the weather we'll be experiencing.
as you can see, i've added a weather pixie to my blog. i always liked Cindi's, so i had to have one too ;) now, while it's not as informative as going to weather.com, it still serves its purpose. btw, for the time being, i've set it to the weather at Madrid's Barajas Int'l Airport until we get back on the 7th; you'll get a general idea of the weather we'll be experiencing.
too anxious...
to even type.
we leave for Spain in a week and i have not even planned an itinerary. i think we're going to split the trip into mostly two and three day stays, with the exception of Madrid...
so here's a rough itinerary:
Madrid - 4 nights (including day trips to Segovia and Aranjuez)
Bilbao or Santander (same general area) - 2 nights
Santiago de Compostela - 2 nights
overnight train to Sevilla
Sevilla - 2 to 3 nights
Córdoba - 2 nights
Granada - 2 nights (gotta see the Alhambra!)
back to Madrid for two more nights
somewhere in there, we have an extra night. we're considering Toledo, but it's so close to Madrid. i wish we had an extra week or two. it would be awesome to view the Rock of Gibraltar...spend some time in Portugal...or even get a couple days in Morocco. 'course, that all takes even more money that we lack ;) if we get to see some castles, moorish architecture, the Prado, the caves at Altamira, and drink some good wine, we'll be content.
with dad in the rehab facility, it has been hard to concentrate or to even get anything done. i've been meaning to get new rear brakes and a new CV boot. argh. money? it barely has enough time to sit in my sweaty palm...
Cindi mentioned that she popped into Anthony's for some pie. sigh. last friday, after watching the cat for awhile, i stopped at the Famous Pizza on B'dwy and Bayaud for a slice of sausage. yummm. i forgot how much better this one is compared to the colfax store (the sheridan store is still good though). anyway, just by gorging on that slice, it only reaffirmed my 20-year loyalty to Famous... it must be the crust and the slightly sweet sauce.
i'm just about drooling.
there's a NY Pizzeria a half block from the Brakes Plus that i patronize on occasion. they too, have great crust - hot and slightly chewy; a perfect excuse to take my car to Brakes Plus ;)
some major competition across the way though. on the other side of Leetsdale is Papou's, which serves Connecticut style pizza. i know you're saying, "Conne-wha?" yep. i don't know what makes Connecticut style pizza, but this place has won best pizza in westword two years running. so, cindi, that means you and me...at Papou's...soon.
talk about jumbled thoughts...
went to see Secret Window at the cheapies last saturday. Johnny Depp is always great. the movie was unexpectedly tense and creepy...
a better blog later...
we leave for Spain in a week and i have not even planned an itinerary. i think we're going to split the trip into mostly two and three day stays, with the exception of Madrid...
so here's a rough itinerary:
Madrid - 4 nights (including day trips to Segovia and Aranjuez)
Bilbao or Santander (same general area) - 2 nights
Santiago de Compostela - 2 nights
overnight train to Sevilla
Sevilla - 2 to 3 nights
Córdoba - 2 nights
Granada - 2 nights (gotta see the Alhambra!)
back to Madrid for two more nights
somewhere in there, we have an extra night. we're considering Toledo, but it's so close to Madrid. i wish we had an extra week or two. it would be awesome to view the Rock of Gibraltar...spend some time in Portugal...or even get a couple days in Morocco. 'course, that all takes even more money that we lack ;) if we get to see some castles, moorish architecture, the Prado, the caves at Altamira, and drink some good wine, we'll be content.
with dad in the rehab facility, it has been hard to concentrate or to even get anything done. i've been meaning to get new rear brakes and a new CV boot. argh. money? it barely has enough time to sit in my sweaty palm...
Cindi mentioned that she popped into Anthony's for some pie. sigh. last friday, after watching the cat for awhile, i stopped at the Famous Pizza on B'dwy and Bayaud for a slice of sausage. yummm. i forgot how much better this one is compared to the colfax store (the sheridan store is still good though). anyway, just by gorging on that slice, it only reaffirmed my 20-year loyalty to Famous... it must be the crust and the slightly sweet sauce.
i'm just about drooling.
there's a NY Pizzeria a half block from the Brakes Plus that i patronize on occasion. they too, have great crust - hot and slightly chewy; a perfect excuse to take my car to Brakes Plus ;)
some major competition across the way though. on the other side of Leetsdale is Papou's, which serves Connecticut style pizza. i know you're saying, "Conne-wha?" yep. i don't know what makes Connecticut style pizza, but this place has won best pizza in westword two years running. so, cindi, that means you and me...at Papou's...soon.
talk about jumbled thoughts...
went to see Secret Window at the cheapies last saturday. Johnny Depp is always great. the movie was unexpectedly tense and creepy...
a better blog later...
Saturday, May 08, 2004
what is up...
with the tagboard? guess i haven't been writing much of anything worthwhile, so it doesn't matter if i have one or not ;)
been at the cat's house for a couple hours. he's out frolicking and crouching low, like he's big game hunting, when dogs or people pass by. it's interesting to watch him - so alert.
i've something to admit...i've been eating pasta at another woman's house. whimper* yes, i was getting a cuppa tea when i spied some farfalle and jars of natural pasta sauce (she pretty much shops at Wild Oatz and Whole Fudz).
and i just lost it...
it has been a few months since i've made pasta in the house. lois has pretty much stayed away from it since November...which is a good thing. the diet that her kinesiologist has her on has been working; she sleeps better; has had fewer problems with her joints; she's hovered around a 20-lb. weight loss for a while now.
you know, i've been good and not even mentioned the 'p' word, even in casual passing ;) moreover, i've resisted from making surreptitious batches of pasta and marinara late at night.
so...it looks like i have turned to eating mongo bowls of pasta at other people's houses - i feel so ashamed. what's next? using their deodorant? ewww....
been at the cat's house for a couple hours. he's out frolicking and crouching low, like he's big game hunting, when dogs or people pass by. it's interesting to watch him - so alert.
i've something to admit...i've been eating pasta at another woman's house. whimper* yes, i was getting a cuppa tea when i spied some farfalle and jars of natural pasta sauce (she pretty much shops at Wild Oatz and Whole Fudz).
and i just lost it...
it has been a few months since i've made pasta in the house. lois has pretty much stayed away from it since November...which is a good thing. the diet that her kinesiologist has her on has been working; she sleeps better; has had fewer problems with her joints; she's hovered around a 20-lb. weight loss for a while now.
you know, i've been good and not even mentioned the 'p' word, even in casual passing ;) moreover, i've resisted from making surreptitious batches of pasta and marinara late at night.
so...it looks like i have turned to eating mongo bowls of pasta at other people's houses - i feel so ashamed. what's next? using their deodorant? ewww....
Friday, May 07, 2004
meester tarantino
finally went to see KillBill Vol.1 at the cheapies last night. good thing because it was the last day; it has been replaced by 'The Butterfly Effect.'
did you guys see it? i thought it was pretty good. you just hafta laugh at the egregious amounts of spraying blood. gore can have a cathartic effect on some moviegoers (sick ones like me ;). ever see Dead Alive (aka, Braindead)? there's some major blood flyin' in that flick. and believe it or not, it was directed by Peter Jackson...about nine years before he directed Lord of the Rings.
if anyone is intrigued enough to go rent Dead Alive, make sure that it's the unrated version. the R-rated version is 19 minutes shorter and lacks the full effect and humor. at least the unrated version is only cut by seven minutes. and if you actually like it enough, i can lend you my uncut copy :) and Sam Raimi's Evil Dead 2:Dead By Dawn is a great cult movie with copious amounts of blood too.
back to KillBill though. Tarantino is a master with the use of flashbacks. Pulp Fiction is his flashback masterpiece. and although he didn't direct it (but was the writer), Natural Born Killers incorporated flashback almost seamlessly.
i was surprised by how many people attended the movie though. i thought i would be one of a handful of viewers since vol. 1 came out in october. instead, there must've been at least 40 people...
i wonder if some people walked out of the theater, completely hating the movie. i think when it comes to Tarantino, you have know what movie genres he prefers to fully appreciate his filmmaking efforts. in Kill Bill, he borrows heavily from HK martial arts (especially Shaw Brothers) movies from the 70's (aka chop socky...even though i hate that term), spaghetti westerns of the late 60's (think Good/Bad/Ugly), blaxploitation flicks of the 70's (Superfly, Shaft, Across 110th St.), and Samurai movies. oh yeah, he's also a huge fan of Bruce Lee...whom he pays homage to with Uma Thurman's yellow and black jump suit (same style used in Lee's last film, Game of Death).
i also think it's cool that Tarantino used past stars such as Gordon Liu, Sonny Chiba, and even David Carradine. why not honor these hardworking actors, who were once huge stars, with a role. after all, look what Pulp Fiction did for John Travolta's career. prior to Pulp, he was stuck doing the Look Who's Talking movies with Kirstie Alley and bombs like Staying Alive and Perfect. in fact, in the ten years before Pulp, he was in nine movies...but the ten years after Pulp, he's been in 19 movies...many of them blockbusters (sprinkled with some piles of poo too though ;)
of course, all this rhetoric is only relevant if you give a flying fuck about the movie or Tarantino ;) but hey, his moviemaking is better than 70-80% of the stuff out there. i mean, really, how many people flocked to see the Full House twins in their latest movie? too many, if you ask me.
did you guys see it? i thought it was pretty good. you just hafta laugh at the egregious amounts of spraying blood. gore can have a cathartic effect on some moviegoers (sick ones like me ;). ever see Dead Alive (aka, Braindead)? there's some major blood flyin' in that flick. and believe it or not, it was directed by Peter Jackson...about nine years before he directed Lord of the Rings.
if anyone is intrigued enough to go rent Dead Alive, make sure that it's the unrated version. the R-rated version is 19 minutes shorter and lacks the full effect and humor. at least the unrated version is only cut by seven minutes. and if you actually like it enough, i can lend you my uncut copy :) and Sam Raimi's Evil Dead 2:Dead By Dawn is a great cult movie with copious amounts of blood too.
back to KillBill though. Tarantino is a master with the use of flashbacks. Pulp Fiction is his flashback masterpiece. and although he didn't direct it (but was the writer), Natural Born Killers incorporated flashback almost seamlessly.
i was surprised by how many people attended the movie though. i thought i would be one of a handful of viewers since vol. 1 came out in october. instead, there must've been at least 40 people...
i wonder if some people walked out of the theater, completely hating the movie. i think when it comes to Tarantino, you have know what movie genres he prefers to fully appreciate his filmmaking efforts. in Kill Bill, he borrows heavily from HK martial arts (especially Shaw Brothers) movies from the 70's (aka chop socky...even though i hate that term), spaghetti westerns of the late 60's (think Good/Bad/Ugly), blaxploitation flicks of the 70's (Superfly, Shaft, Across 110th St.), and Samurai movies. oh yeah, he's also a huge fan of Bruce Lee...whom he pays homage to with Uma Thurman's yellow and black jump suit (same style used in Lee's last film, Game of Death).
i also think it's cool that Tarantino used past stars such as Gordon Liu, Sonny Chiba, and even David Carradine. why not honor these hardworking actors, who were once huge stars, with a role. after all, look what Pulp Fiction did for John Travolta's career. prior to Pulp, he was stuck doing the Look Who's Talking movies with Kirstie Alley and bombs like Staying Alive and Perfect. in fact, in the ten years before Pulp, he was in nine movies...but the ten years after Pulp, he's been in 19 movies...many of them blockbusters (sprinkled with some piles of poo too though ;)
of course, all this rhetoric is only relevant if you give a flying fuck about the movie or Tarantino ;) but hey, his moviemaking is better than 70-80% of the stuff out there. i mean, really, how many people flocked to see the Full House twins in their latest movie? too many, if you ask me.
justforfeet
is going bankrupt and has been liquidating their inventory for a month now. we went to the stapleton store and found four pairs and some insoles...all for $110. everything is at least 50% off and the selection, although limited, is still good.
lois got a pair of black walking shoes for Spain, a pair of comfy sandals, and some casual slip-ons for work. i found some volleyball shoes for the indoor season. i still have a gift certificate from DSW that i'll use for some cross trainers though. it's just that there's NO such thing as a sale on v-ball shoes unless you order online through a company such as spikenashbar.com my last pair was $60...so getting these for less than $30 was definitely a steal.
speaking of steals, W*l-Mart has men's sandals (soccer slides) for $2.77. sure, they're not quite as comfy as the soft, nubby ones that i got at T*rget a couple years ago for $12.99...but i'm savin' that extra ten bucks to exchange it for 8.25 Euros...gee.
lois got a pair of black walking shoes for Spain, a pair of comfy sandals, and some casual slip-ons for work. i found some volleyball shoes for the indoor season. i still have a gift certificate from DSW that i'll use for some cross trainers though. it's just that there's NO such thing as a sale on v-ball shoes unless you order online through a company such as spikenashbar.com my last pair was $60...so getting these for less than $30 was definitely a steal.
speaking of steals, W*l-Mart has men's sandals (soccer slides) for $2.77. sure, they're not quite as comfy as the soft, nubby ones that i got at T*rget a couple years ago for $12.99...but i'm savin' that extra ten bucks to exchange it for 8.25 Euros...gee.
Thursday, May 06, 2004
Bug-B-Gone
just got a yellowjacket trap at wally world at the recommendation of Nelle. can't wait to put it up. for the past few years, my parents' house has had big time buzzin' problems. this baited trap, which is enhanced with a little apple juice, seems like it'll be a lot easier than waiting until nightfall to spray the nest ;)
Monday, May 03, 2004
cat poop...
it not a pretty sight, nor is any animal coprolite.
i'm stopping by a friend's house a couple times a day to check in on her cat while she's in Greece. his feline highness, Nimbus, is a 17 lb. behemoth. he's thirteen or fourteen, is charcoal colored, missing a few teeth, but is a pretty easygoing cat.
it has been awhile since i watched a cat for someone. my brother, steve, had a psycho diabetic cat that was pretty much incorrigible. that was the last time i 'cat sat.' so Nimbus is a breath of kitty litter fresh air...
and yes, i have an aversion to picking up or cleaning up poop. i can handle blood, but there's something about a hot, steamy log that makes my face wrinkle up. ah well. better dry and dusty from litter clumping, than freshly wet and slimy from the big guy not reaching his pan in time. poor thing. i wonder if he feels a bit embarassed.
must be nice to have yer poop scooped on a daily basis...
yes, yer highness. a tummy scratch and a can of food before you let me leave your kingdom for another day...
i'm stopping by a friend's house a couple times a day to check in on her cat while she's in Greece. his feline highness, Nimbus, is a 17 lb. behemoth. he's thirteen or fourteen, is charcoal colored, missing a few teeth, but is a pretty easygoing cat.
it has been awhile since i watched a cat for someone. my brother, steve, had a psycho diabetic cat that was pretty much incorrigible. that was the last time i 'cat sat.' so Nimbus is a breath of kitty litter fresh air...
and yes, i have an aversion to picking up or cleaning up poop. i can handle blood, but there's something about a hot, steamy log that makes my face wrinkle up. ah well. better dry and dusty from litter clumping, than freshly wet and slimy from the big guy not reaching his pan in time. poor thing. i wonder if he feels a bit embarassed.
must be nice to have yer poop scooped on a daily basis...
yes, yer highness. a tummy scratch and a can of food before you let me leave your kingdom for another day...
Thursday, April 29, 2004
i just don't get it...
how can someone so brilliant be such a packrat? i'm referring to my mom, the once child prodigy who skipped grades in China and went to college at the age of 14...
what gives?
for the past week, susie and i have been at the house, rummaging through piles of stuff that she has bought, forgotten about, and bought again. a small list of items:
28 mugs
seven boxes of envelopes...totaling 670 that she won't use in this lifetime
three or four dozen photo albums...all unused
a dozen assorted picture frames
ten boxes (150 ct.) of sandwich bags
eighteen rolls of aluminum foil
120 cassette tapes of Chinese operas that haven't been touched in 15 years
taxes from 1982
letters that were forwarded from 1722 Lafayette, where they lived until 1963
after assessing the situation, susie and i decided to move some stuff into the garage, which lacks the space to fit their car anymore because of:
400 canned goods...bomb shelter anyone?
eighty rolls of paper towels
at least 200 rolls of t-paper
30 boxes of laundry detergent
another dozen rolls of aluminum foil and plastic wrap
fifteen boxes of garbage bags (at least we'll be using those up ;)
i think you get the idea...
i'm not here to air any dirty laundry, but geez...it just blows yer mind after awhile. funny that even though i'm not in field, cleaning my parents' house is like excavating without the elements and dirt. nothing old enough to date with carbon samples :) or worthwhile for soil samples, but i still can do some stratigraphic studies as well as seriation (a relative dating method derived from cultural regularities of style or frequency...knowledge of sizes and styles of automobiles over the years is a good use of seriation).
so far, i believe we have filled about 20 lawn size trash bags in the past week - about average. over the past 15 years, susie and i would always look for a window of opportunity to clean...usually when mom & dad were out of town. it was always easier to do it on the sly than fighting with mom about why she utterly has no use for up to 100 long, styrofoam chinese takeout boxes. unless you have a new found passion for sculpture or public art, these stacks gotta go - NOW!
i forgot to mention that, in the process of the demolition, i came across some nostalgia of my own...the ninth grade photo used in my '84-'85 yearbook...a cassette tape from the early 80's with some music that i recorded off the radio (Pop Muzic by M, Twilight Zone by the Manhattan Transfer, Andy Gibb's Shadow Dancing, Coming Up by Paul McCartney and Wings, Heaven on the 7th Floor by Paul Nicholas, Sister Sledge's He's the Greatest Dancer, This Is It by Kenny Loggins, and even Answering Machine be Rupert Holmes (the guy who did Escape [aka, the Piña Colada Song], yep...THAT guy.
i also found one of my old cintas, a cassette tape that we had to make on a weekly(?) basis for two years when i took Spanish 4 and AP with Ana Garcia. oh god...i hadn't thought of those stupid things in 15 years!!! of course, these monstrous creations covered topics of the day or fantasy things. in fact, this tape was the 'Si yo fuera un animal en el parque zoológico...' (If I were an animal at the zoo...). after fifteen years, i can honestly say that my spanish has vastly improved, especially its diction and cadence. man, i sound like a freakin' robot on this tape LOL
catharsis...i guess that's all what it comes down to...the house needs to be less cluttered for my dad when he gets out of the rehab facility next tuesday...mom has to simplify and figure out that more is not always better, even though it exemplifies the 'American way'...susie has to stress less about dad's condition...and i am so damn glad to have found that stinkin' Spanish tape because i will relish stomping on it heh
what gives?
for the past week, susie and i have been at the house, rummaging through piles of stuff that she has bought, forgotten about, and bought again. a small list of items:
28 mugs
seven boxes of envelopes...totaling 670 that she won't use in this lifetime
three or four dozen photo albums...all unused
a dozen assorted picture frames
ten boxes (150 ct.) of sandwich bags
eighteen rolls of aluminum foil
120 cassette tapes of Chinese operas that haven't been touched in 15 years
taxes from 1982
letters that were forwarded from 1722 Lafayette, where they lived until 1963
after assessing the situation, susie and i decided to move some stuff into the garage, which lacks the space to fit their car anymore because of:
400 canned goods...bomb shelter anyone?
eighty rolls of paper towels
at least 200 rolls of t-paper
30 boxes of laundry detergent
another dozen rolls of aluminum foil and plastic wrap
fifteen boxes of garbage bags (at least we'll be using those up ;)
i think you get the idea...
i'm not here to air any dirty laundry, but geez...it just blows yer mind after awhile. funny that even though i'm not in field, cleaning my parents' house is like excavating without the elements and dirt. nothing old enough to date with carbon samples :) or worthwhile for soil samples, but i still can do some stratigraphic studies as well as seriation (a relative dating method derived from cultural regularities of style or frequency...knowledge of sizes and styles of automobiles over the years is a good use of seriation).
so far, i believe we have filled about 20 lawn size trash bags in the past week - about average. over the past 15 years, susie and i would always look for a window of opportunity to clean...usually when mom & dad were out of town. it was always easier to do it on the sly than fighting with mom about why she utterly has no use for up to 100 long, styrofoam chinese takeout boxes. unless you have a new found passion for sculpture or public art, these stacks gotta go - NOW!
i forgot to mention that, in the process of the demolition, i came across some nostalgia of my own...the ninth grade photo used in my '84-'85 yearbook...a cassette tape from the early 80's with some music that i recorded off the radio (Pop Muzic by M, Twilight Zone by the Manhattan Transfer, Andy Gibb's Shadow Dancing, Coming Up by Paul McCartney and Wings, Heaven on the 7th Floor by Paul Nicholas, Sister Sledge's He's the Greatest Dancer, This Is It by Kenny Loggins, and even Answering Machine be Rupert Holmes (the guy who did Escape [aka, the Piña Colada Song], yep...THAT guy.
i also found one of my old cintas, a cassette tape that we had to make on a weekly(?) basis for two years when i took Spanish 4 and AP with Ana Garcia. oh god...i hadn't thought of those stupid things in 15 years!!! of course, these monstrous creations covered topics of the day or fantasy things. in fact, this tape was the 'Si yo fuera un animal en el parque zoológico...' (If I were an animal at the zoo...). after fifteen years, i can honestly say that my spanish has vastly improved, especially its diction and cadence. man, i sound like a freakin' robot on this tape LOL
catharsis...i guess that's all what it comes down to...the house needs to be less cluttered for my dad when he gets out of the rehab facility next tuesday...mom has to simplify and figure out that more is not always better, even though it exemplifies the 'American way'...susie has to stress less about dad's condition...and i am so damn glad to have found that stinkin' Spanish tape because i will relish stomping on it heh
Friday, April 23, 2004
her name was Ashley...
she shuddered as i put a warm towel around her, drawing her body close to mine. i swept her wet hair from her eyes and gave her a tender kiss on her forehead as her hot breath mixed with mine. gingerly, i picked her up and proceeded to the bedroom, where we would lie in front of the space heater, clutching each other as the cold drizzle trickled relentlessly outside.
cheating on lois? nah. when i got to the house after a visit with dad, the neighbor's dog greeted me. it looked like she had been outside in the rain all day...this little shih tzu was drenched. i could tell she was happy to see me, since John wasn't home yet.
she happily trotted to the front door and i let her in. luckily, lois and the girls had gone on an errand...i wasn't sure how annie and coco would initially react to the young visitor. after all, they had never seen Ashley. rather, they had always greeted each other through the brick wall with a snort, some sniffs and a few sharp territorial barks (the neighbor just moved in recently).
as she ran roughshod in the house, i went next door to see if he was home (since he could have parked in the garage instead of the front). nope. no signs, although i could hear his three other dogs barking inside...
so, i traipsed back to the house and tried to calm Ashley down with a doggie treat, bowl of water, and a couple warm towels. she had just realized that it wasn't her house - how cute - and wasn't about to trust this goofy looking asian kid who let her in...but, boy...it sure is warmer in here than outside!
doggy treat...ooh, thanks! my tummy was growlin'
bowl o' water...thankyouverymuch. water all around and not a drop to drink...
warm towel...ahhhh. okay, you can touch me. so what are we havin' fer dinner?
thought so, dogs know when they got it good. that's why annie and coco have never run away...
after three warm towels, treats, more water, and cuddlin', she was okay. good thing because she was shivering BIG TIME when i put the first two towels on her. by the time we got a fire started, Ashley had already jumped on the sofa...like she OWNED the house ;)
so Ashley got to stay for dinner and hang out for a couple hours until 8:00, when John got home. it was good timing too because the delivery that we had ordered from a new chinese restaurant on Colfax, had just arrived. we just got their take out menu in today's mail. not bad. decent egg rolls (hot and crispy), VERY good hot & sour soup (a sure sign of a worthwhile restaurant is if they know how to season soup), okay ham fried rice (mine's better, but it always tastes better if you don't have to cook ;), and a tasty roast pork and vegetables (although a bit salty).
looks like we'll probably order from the chinese restaurant (China Star) again. and we're hoping that Ashley comes over for another visit...her underbite is precious.
cheating on lois? nah. when i got to the house after a visit with dad, the neighbor's dog greeted me. it looked like she had been outside in the rain all day...this little shih tzu was drenched. i could tell she was happy to see me, since John wasn't home yet.
she happily trotted to the front door and i let her in. luckily, lois and the girls had gone on an errand...i wasn't sure how annie and coco would initially react to the young visitor. after all, they had never seen Ashley. rather, they had always greeted each other through the brick wall with a snort, some sniffs and a few sharp territorial barks (the neighbor just moved in recently).
as she ran roughshod in the house, i went next door to see if he was home (since he could have parked in the garage instead of the front). nope. no signs, although i could hear his three other dogs barking inside...
so, i traipsed back to the house and tried to calm Ashley down with a doggie treat, bowl of water, and a couple warm towels. she had just realized that it wasn't her house - how cute - and wasn't about to trust this goofy looking asian kid who let her in...but, boy...it sure is warmer in here than outside!
doggy treat...ooh, thanks! my tummy was growlin'
bowl o' water...thankyouverymuch. water all around and not a drop to drink...
warm towel...ahhhh. okay, you can touch me. so what are we havin' fer dinner?
thought so, dogs know when they got it good. that's why annie and coco have never run away...
after three warm towels, treats, more water, and cuddlin', she was okay. good thing because she was shivering BIG TIME when i put the first two towels on her. by the time we got a fire started, Ashley had already jumped on the sofa...like she OWNED the house ;)
so Ashley got to stay for dinner and hang out for a couple hours until 8:00, when John got home. it was good timing too because the delivery that we had ordered from a new chinese restaurant on Colfax, had just arrived. we just got their take out menu in today's mail. not bad. decent egg rolls (hot and crispy), VERY good hot & sour soup (a sure sign of a worthwhile restaurant is if they know how to season soup), okay ham fried rice (mine's better, but it always tastes better if you don't have to cook ;), and a tasty roast pork and vegetables (although a bit salty).
looks like we'll probably order from the chinese restaurant (China Star) again. and we're hoping that Ashley comes over for another visit...her underbite is precious.
Thursday, April 22, 2004
dad is improving...
he left the hospital on tuesday and is now at a rehab facility near the house, less than five minutes away. since he's only been there three days, no one is quite sure how long he'll be there; it'll depend on his progress with the physical therapist. we'll find out more when we go to a meeting tomorrow afternoon, although i'm thinking one to three weeks.
nevertheless, i can tell you that he's looking much better than the three days in the hospital. he was able to go for two short (PT) assisted walks today...his color is better...his demeanor is more 'dad-like'...and he has at least six people checking in on him during the second shift (3-11 PM) - an LPN (Amaelia), PT (Lila), three aides (Ruby, Elsie, Novela), and a phenomenal nursing student named Jo. if he gets some attention, enough food, and some time to watch AMC and ESPN, dad's one happy camper.
sure, the food ain't great, but it's filling and more than edible. my brother, scott, was telling us horror stories of another care facility (food-wise) that his mother-in-law had to endure for four weeks, after she had a knee replaced last year. we've already asked dad what chinese stuff he wants us to sneak in while he's there ;)
yay...i forgot to mention that dad'll get a haircut on saturday, which was skipped when susie had to take him to the hospital last saturday. yep, he gets a free haircut and shave during his stay. good thing because any member of the Wong family with bedhead is truly a traumatizing sight...
nevertheless, i can tell you that he's looking much better than the three days in the hospital. he was able to go for two short (PT) assisted walks today...his color is better...his demeanor is more 'dad-like'...and he has at least six people checking in on him during the second shift (3-11 PM) - an LPN (Amaelia), PT (Lila), three aides (Ruby, Elsie, Novela), and a phenomenal nursing student named Jo. if he gets some attention, enough food, and some time to watch AMC and ESPN, dad's one happy camper.
sure, the food ain't great, but it's filling and more than edible. my brother, scott, was telling us horror stories of another care facility (food-wise) that his mother-in-law had to endure for four weeks, after she had a knee replaced last year. we've already asked dad what chinese stuff he wants us to sneak in while he's there ;)
yay...i forgot to mention that dad'll get a haircut on saturday, which was skipped when susie had to take him to the hospital last saturday. yep, he gets a free haircut and shave during his stay. good thing because any member of the Wong family with bedhead is truly a traumatizing sight...
speaking of cool movies...
amidst the problems w/ dad (update to follow), lois and i went to see the Triplets of Belleville on saturday. WOW! there's a keeper...i'm gonna order a copy when it comes out on may 4th!
from Amazon.com's Editorial Review:
Words cannot capture the delights of The Triplets of Belleville, an astonishing animated movie from the mind of French director Sylvain Chomet. In fact, there are only a few spoken sentences in the entire film; most of the soundtrack is a mix of squeaks, barks, and the jazzy music of Benoit Charest. A bicyclist is kidnapped from the Tour de France by mysterious gangsters; his grandmother travels to the city of Belleville (which has a sardonic version of the Statue of Liberty in its harbor), where she tracks him down with the help of a musical trio gone to seed, the Belleville Triplets. This hand-drawn movie is unlike anything you'll see from Disney; every scene mixes the silent comedy of Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton--in which the world of objects subtly fights with living beings for mastery--and the bouncy hop of Betty Boop. Unique and mesmerizing.
i've always been a fan of animated film. haven't we all been utterly mesmerized by the humor and simple beauty of something like Looney Tunes or Tom & Jerry? and the stuff that Disney and Pixar are putting out? pure genius. the Triplets of Belleville is on a different level though. sometimes you don't want perfection and accurate rendering (i want that when i'm reproducing pottery sherds or reconstructing vessels in lab). no, if you watch the Triplets, the magic is in the story and the rendering of the characters and their human (canine in one case) imperfections; the grandmother has one leg that's about 5" shorter than the other...the dog is corpulent...the triplets (who are very much a french version of the Andrews Sisters) are washed up has beens who live in their world of reminiscence. THAT'S what makes the animation so cool... i think you'd all enjoy it immensely! if you can't see it (this may be its last week at the Mayan, unless it moves to the Chez Artiste or Esquire), definitely rent it!!!
from Amazon.com's Editorial Review:
Words cannot capture the delights of The Triplets of Belleville, an astonishing animated movie from the mind of French director Sylvain Chomet. In fact, there are only a few spoken sentences in the entire film; most of the soundtrack is a mix of squeaks, barks, and the jazzy music of Benoit Charest. A bicyclist is kidnapped from the Tour de France by mysterious gangsters; his grandmother travels to the city of Belleville (which has a sardonic version of the Statue of Liberty in its harbor), where she tracks him down with the help of a musical trio gone to seed, the Belleville Triplets. This hand-drawn movie is unlike anything you'll see from Disney; every scene mixes the silent comedy of Jacques Tati and Buster Keaton--in which the world of objects subtly fights with living beings for mastery--and the bouncy hop of Betty Boop. Unique and mesmerizing.
i've always been a fan of animated film. haven't we all been utterly mesmerized by the humor and simple beauty of something like Looney Tunes or Tom & Jerry? and the stuff that Disney and Pixar are putting out? pure genius. the Triplets of Belleville is on a different level though. sometimes you don't want perfection and accurate rendering (i want that when i'm reproducing pottery sherds or reconstructing vessels in lab). no, if you watch the Triplets, the magic is in the story and the rendering of the characters and their human (canine in one case) imperfections; the grandmother has one leg that's about 5" shorter than the other...the dog is corpulent...the triplets (who are very much a french version of the Andrews Sisters) are washed up has beens who live in their world of reminiscence. THAT'S what makes the animation so cool... i think you'd all enjoy it immensely! if you can't see it (this may be its last week at the Mayan, unless it moves to the Chez Artiste or Esquire), definitely rent it!!!
must try to win...
been keeping track on a vhs version of Scotland, PA on eBay. are you familiar w/ this movie? it's an indie that came out a couple years ago. basically, it's Macbeth set in a 1970's fast food joint in a fictitious Scotland, Pennsylvania. if you haven't seen it, i highly recommend it. talk about hilarious!!! James LeGros, Maura Tierney, and Christopher Walken are spectacular in this crazy adaptation...
i was outbid a few days ago, the price is just $1 more than my highest bid. i'm hoping to slide in a desperation bid in the next three minutes, when the auction ends.
lately, i've been looking for tapes of things that aren't available on DVD yet. most recently, lois and i have been checking out old Carol Burnett shows, which are actually a hot commodity...
argh!!! i slipped and couldn't quite get the last bid in. ah well, that final price i was contemplating was probably too much...and who knows if i would have topped the other bidder. i've only won a bidding war a couple times in the last four years anyway.
oh well, as i was saying, the Carol Burnett vhs tapes that were put out by Columbia House in the late 1990's are commanding some serious prices. just a couple weeks ago, we were prepared to pay about $49 for seven tapes that someone was offering on eBay. the bids were fast and furious...i think the winning bidder paid nearly $70 - too rich for us.
so, we're just keeping an eye out for cheap tapes. unfortunately, i just realized a few minutes ago that i let one auction of 4 Carol Burnett tapes lapse. and of course, no one bid on them ($.99!!!). and now that the auction is over and the items will be relisted, someone's gonna find it and want to pay more than me...
btw, Denny, how goes the truck search?
hmph, there are some cheap DVDs of Scotland, PA. maybe i'll try my luck on those...
i was outbid a few days ago, the price is just $1 more than my highest bid. i'm hoping to slide in a desperation bid in the next three minutes, when the auction ends.
lately, i've been looking for tapes of things that aren't available on DVD yet. most recently, lois and i have been checking out old Carol Burnett shows, which are actually a hot commodity...
argh!!! i slipped and couldn't quite get the last bid in. ah well, that final price i was contemplating was probably too much...and who knows if i would have topped the other bidder. i've only won a bidding war a couple times in the last four years anyway.
oh well, as i was saying, the Carol Burnett vhs tapes that were put out by Columbia House in the late 1990's are commanding some serious prices. just a couple weeks ago, we were prepared to pay about $49 for seven tapes that someone was offering on eBay. the bids were fast and furious...i think the winning bidder paid nearly $70 - too rich for us.
so, we're just keeping an eye out for cheap tapes. unfortunately, i just realized a few minutes ago that i let one auction of 4 Carol Burnett tapes lapse. and of course, no one bid on them ($.99!!!). and now that the auction is over and the items will be relisted, someone's gonna find it and want to pay more than me...
btw, Denny, how goes the truck search?
hmph, there are some cheap DVDs of Scotland, PA. maybe i'll try my luck on those...
it's comin' down...
yes, more springtime snow. glad it's only sticking to the grass. saw some footage on the news of cars wiping out on I-70 earlier this afternoon - downright treacherous. this storm is expected to bring in 12-30 inches in the foothills and mts. rollinsville and pinecliff have already recorded 8" and 12", respectively. definitely good news for the handful of ski resorts that are still open. arapahoe basin and silverton (which still has a base of 100") will be seeing diehards until june and july 4th...
Monday, April 19, 2004
no freakin' wonder...
things have been strangely awry the past couple weeks for me, lois, and probably everyone around us (Dad's in the hospital, Denny's in a funk, Nelle is getting prize winners for clients, obnoxious moochers are finding their way into Rachel's cupboards, and Lois and Derbs have birthdays ;). yes, people, Mercury is retrograde...
here's an excerpt from Astroprofile.com... whoops, can't copy and paste on the page, so you had better click on the link and come back. aw, fuck it...i'll just type some of the details so you won't all hafta go back and forth. god knows there's enough confusion on this planet ;)
Mercury is retrograde...meaning it appears to move backward (in its rotation). this phenomena usually occurs 2-3 times a year for roughly a period of three weeks. Mercury retrograde times call for the rechecking of everything, the anticipation and planning ahead, and to relearn lessons unlearned since the last retrograde cycle (which was from 12/17/03 to 1/6/04).
It's a good time for review and completing ongoing projects. It is NOT a good time to start something new. Mercury energies involve the mind, mental processes, communication, travel, speaking, and writing.
Some of the things that Mercury retrograde times are notorious for:
* Communications go awry - phone calls, letters, e-mails, etc. are delayed, misinterpreted, blocked. Recheck everything like appointment times, spelling, wording, and your choice of words.
* Anticipate detours - memory lapses, confusion, failing to listen, failing to confirm, negotiation failures, or changing of plans.
*Avoid signing documents. Hopefully it can wait three weeks.
* Expect travel delays, car trouble, delayed flight schedules, "misplaced" reservations, or transportation difficulties of all kinds.
* Expect problems with messages, books, letters, magazines, documents, and even yer neighbors!
* Back up your computer files. This is a prime time for crap to happen!
* Expect the phone lines, cable lines, and power lines (you don't hafta tell Denny twice!) to have problems.
Steven Forrest, author of The Inner Sky, describes Mercury retrograde well: " Mercury retrograde isn't bad...it just takes some planning to cooperate with the energies. It's meant to be spent assimilating experiences, reviewing the past, and redoing, in general. Matter of fact, if you really want to get the most out of a Mercury retrograde, confine your activities as much as possible to those that have "re" attached to the beginning of the word. Reschedule appointments, repair vehicles, return to the past, rewrite documents and agreements, and so forth."
i don't take all of the above too seriously. however, i do believe that i must be influenced by this occurence (even you need to know your natal chart to be sure). whenever Mercury is retrograde, "weird shit always happens to me...like I am some huge SHIT magnet." - Margaret Cho.
really though. remember the asshole convenience store attendant? this nut didn't mention to us that he closed at 11PM, when we arrived at 10:58. all we wanted to do was use the john, and fill our tank. well, while i was in the 'facilities', lois had come in to give him the credit card (since they were old pumps and lacked the pay at the pump). as she prepared to pump, he had turned out all the lights (like we were gonna attract half the automobile traffic on west colfax) and turned off the pumps as well.
i had just come out of the bathroom when lois came back in and told the guy that she wasn't able to pump the gas. so, meester joikoff acted like she was a fool and prepared to go out there and prove it. red flags all around... well, we nicely asked for our credit card back and he took offense, asking if she had a tough/bad day. yeah, i know you guys would have chimed in, "WELL, WE ARE NOW YOU POMPOUS, DISRESPECTING MFKKER!" what is with some people nowadays? from the way they act, it's like the whole world dumped on them. sorry pal, you ain't the only one...so save yer shit and fling it in yer own house.
and of course, that was when we headed south on sheridan and found a Sinclair (w/ old pumps too...like there's some pattern here). of course, super psycho stupid christ figure was there harassing everyone. AND the guy was getting in Lois' face...saying that he was the grandson of JC (THAT'S a good one!). man, i had to hold Lois back, she was cussin'/hollerin' and ready to swing. the punk ass kid looked truly scared.
well, he went out to his mongo huge car, a white, early 60's whale, and was acting strangely, when he came back in and started talking about honor and Samurai. the poor dumbass was going off the deep end...
of course, he's trying to preach religion w/ lois, who taught Sunday school in Texas (Baptist) and Colorado (Methodist) for many years and rap Samurai w/ me (something i taught at the art museum for two years) - bad move. i know we should have totally shown how much of a mental midget he really is, but they sometimes resort to violence because they have no answer for your brilliant retort...so ya gotta humor the dumb beast.
so monkey boy (i shouldn't lump them w/ this lame excuse for a human though)...let's call him Stegosaurus boy instead (it's nicer than pea-sized brain) came in and wanted me to shake hands like a Samurai. of course, being the 'honorable' Asian that i am, i told him that i had no idea what he was talking about since i wasn't Japanese. he assumed that i was Korean...nope. so he resorted and retreated, saying (in his best Beavis&Butthead), "...but you're oriental (try Asian, you asshat)." and you're fuckin' stupid and high...GO AWAY! geez, what is it? the proverbial woodwork must be pukin' creeps and joiks!
one more joik today. the person that came to take my dad for an MRI was totally clueless and impatient. he unplugged the hanging IV stand to which my dad was attached, and believed that he could carry the box and bag and chaperone my father with his walker. WHAT are you thinking? just get the nurse and a gurney!!!
of course, to his brainless chagrin, we get the nurse and gurney. dad is unhooked and we help him into the gurney. full knowing that he had lost 'control' of the situation, the then goon ordered me to get dad's pillow...AND snapped his fingers. GRRRR...that set me off.
little man, you have no right to snap your fingers at anyone, especially when you are the least qualified to do so! it may be appropriate for your kids (god forbid you would procreate *shiver*) or your misbehaving dog, but that's totally out of line in a hospital setting. are you there to help or to prove your idiocy? if it's the former, you should find another job. and the latter? well, give that man a raise...
you know, you were pretty lucky to have gotten such a caring position. i saw the hospital employment ad, asking for a warm body that's just a notch under a total waste of space. yep, you were definitely the most qualified. either that or St. Joe's was completely desperate to fill the position because i know some unemployed (and extremely qualified) people who are looking for jobs in the health care industry and have been passed over or not even considered.
you sir, should play chicken (blindfolded) w/ an 18-wheeler...or here, you can juggle these (a chainsaw, a beaker of hydrochloric acid, and an elephant with weak bowels).
i feel SO much better...
btw, i want to add another facet to Mercury retrograde. in addition to awry communication and general delays, dickheads come out of the woodwork. so look out for the shit magnet until mid-morning April 30th, when Mercury retrograde ends...
here's an excerpt from Astroprofile.com... whoops, can't copy and paste on the page, so you had better click on the link and come back. aw, fuck it...i'll just type some of the details so you won't all hafta go back and forth. god knows there's enough confusion on this planet ;)
Mercury is retrograde...meaning it appears to move backward (in its rotation). this phenomena usually occurs 2-3 times a year for roughly a period of three weeks. Mercury retrograde times call for the rechecking of everything, the anticipation and planning ahead, and to relearn lessons unlearned since the last retrograde cycle (which was from 12/17/03 to 1/6/04).
It's a good time for review and completing ongoing projects. It is NOT a good time to start something new. Mercury energies involve the mind, mental processes, communication, travel, speaking, and writing.
Some of the things that Mercury retrograde times are notorious for:
* Communications go awry - phone calls, letters, e-mails, etc. are delayed, misinterpreted, blocked. Recheck everything like appointment times, spelling, wording, and your choice of words.
* Anticipate detours - memory lapses, confusion, failing to listen, failing to confirm, negotiation failures, or changing of plans.
*Avoid signing documents. Hopefully it can wait three weeks.
* Expect travel delays, car trouble, delayed flight schedules, "misplaced" reservations, or transportation difficulties of all kinds.
* Expect problems with messages, books, letters, magazines, documents, and even yer neighbors!
* Back up your computer files. This is a prime time for crap to happen!
* Expect the phone lines, cable lines, and power lines (you don't hafta tell Denny twice!) to have problems.
Steven Forrest, author of The Inner Sky, describes Mercury retrograde well: " Mercury retrograde isn't bad...it just takes some planning to cooperate with the energies. It's meant to be spent assimilating experiences, reviewing the past, and redoing, in general. Matter of fact, if you really want to get the most out of a Mercury retrograde, confine your activities as much as possible to those that have "re" attached to the beginning of the word. Reschedule appointments, repair vehicles, return to the past, rewrite documents and agreements, and so forth."
i don't take all of the above too seriously. however, i do believe that i must be influenced by this occurence (even you need to know your natal chart to be sure). whenever Mercury is retrograde, "weird shit always happens to me...like I am some huge SHIT magnet." - Margaret Cho.
really though. remember the asshole convenience store attendant? this nut didn't mention to us that he closed at 11PM, when we arrived at 10:58. all we wanted to do was use the john, and fill our tank. well, while i was in the 'facilities', lois had come in to give him the credit card (since they were old pumps and lacked the pay at the pump). as she prepared to pump, he had turned out all the lights (like we were gonna attract half the automobile traffic on west colfax) and turned off the pumps as well.
i had just come out of the bathroom when lois came back in and told the guy that she wasn't able to pump the gas. so, meester joikoff acted like she was a fool and prepared to go out there and prove it. red flags all around... well, we nicely asked for our credit card back and he took offense, asking if she had a tough/bad day. yeah, i know you guys would have chimed in, "WELL, WE ARE NOW YOU POMPOUS, DISRESPECTING MFKKER!" what is with some people nowadays? from the way they act, it's like the whole world dumped on them. sorry pal, you ain't the only one...so save yer shit and fling it in yer own house.
and of course, that was when we headed south on sheridan and found a Sinclair (w/ old pumps too...like there's some pattern here). of course, super psycho stupid christ figure was there harassing everyone. AND the guy was getting in Lois' face...saying that he was the grandson of JC (THAT'S a good one!). man, i had to hold Lois back, she was cussin'/hollerin' and ready to swing. the punk ass kid looked truly scared.
well, he went out to his mongo huge car, a white, early 60's whale, and was acting strangely, when he came back in and started talking about honor and Samurai. the poor dumbass was going off the deep end...
of course, he's trying to preach religion w/ lois, who taught Sunday school in Texas (Baptist) and Colorado (Methodist) for many years and rap Samurai w/ me (something i taught at the art museum for two years) - bad move. i know we should have totally shown how much of a mental midget he really is, but they sometimes resort to violence because they have no answer for your brilliant retort...so ya gotta humor the dumb beast.
so monkey boy (i shouldn't lump them w/ this lame excuse for a human though)...let's call him Stegosaurus boy instead (it's nicer than pea-sized brain) came in and wanted me to shake hands like a Samurai. of course, being the 'honorable' Asian that i am, i told him that i had no idea what he was talking about since i wasn't Japanese. he assumed that i was Korean...nope. so he resorted and retreated, saying (in his best Beavis&Butthead), "...but you're oriental (try Asian, you asshat)." and you're fuckin' stupid and high...GO AWAY! geez, what is it? the proverbial woodwork must be pukin' creeps and joiks!
one more joik today. the person that came to take my dad for an MRI was totally clueless and impatient. he unplugged the hanging IV stand to which my dad was attached, and believed that he could carry the box and bag and chaperone my father with his walker. WHAT are you thinking? just get the nurse and a gurney!!!
of course, to his brainless chagrin, we get the nurse and gurney. dad is unhooked and we help him into the gurney. full knowing that he had lost 'control' of the situation, the then goon ordered me to get dad's pillow...AND snapped his fingers. GRRRR...that set me off.
little man, you have no right to snap your fingers at anyone, especially when you are the least qualified to do so! it may be appropriate for your kids (god forbid you would procreate *shiver*) or your misbehaving dog, but that's totally out of line in a hospital setting. are you there to help or to prove your idiocy? if it's the former, you should find another job. and the latter? well, give that man a raise...
you know, you were pretty lucky to have gotten such a caring position. i saw the hospital employment ad, asking for a warm body that's just a notch under a total waste of space. yep, you were definitely the most qualified. either that or St. Joe's was completely desperate to fill the position because i know some unemployed (and extremely qualified) people who are looking for jobs in the health care industry and have been passed over or not even considered.
you sir, should play chicken (blindfolded) w/ an 18-wheeler...or here, you can juggle these (a chainsaw, a beaker of hydrochloric acid, and an elephant with weak bowels).
i feel SO much better...
btw, i want to add another facet to Mercury retrograde. in addition to awry communication and general delays, dickheads come out of the woodwork. so look out for the shit magnet until mid-morning April 30th, when Mercury retrograde ends...
Sunday, April 18, 2004
missed opportunities...
bleh. missed all four Margaret Cho shows at Comedy Works. i knew she was passing through...in fact, it was announced on her webpage three months ago. i put it off...forgot about it...put it off some more...until i called yesterday and found out that the non-smoking show was sold out. double bleah. i considered going to one of the smoking shows tonight, but i knew that lois would be hatin' it (you know how vehement ex-smokers get when they're around cigarette smoke ;).
so...i reconsidered and foolishly attempted to call and see if there were any seats left for tonight. of course, Jared, who handled my call, informed me that both shows were now sold out. at least he kept a straight face and didn't wildly cackle on the phone...
dad is in the hospital again. all week, he's had bouts with dizziness and a bit o' sweating...more sure signs of a minor stroke. so, back to St. Joe's it was... this time, they're going to adjust/change his medications and he'll have to stay in rehab for a week, which should benefit him. poor dad. he's too cute and funny to be in a hospital bed.
i know i was going to finish the story about our dinner with yani...i just don't feel like it. let's just say the jekyll side of it was from trying to buy gas on Sheridan. DON'T go to the quickmart-type convenience store on colfax & sheridan...especially at 11PM. the guy behind the counter is a super muthafukkin' asshole who needs to get his teeth kicked in...whattajoik. ooh, i wanna wish some bad things on him...grrr.
and watch out for the Sinclair station on 10th? 12th? although the east african owner is very nice, there's a super annoying, preaching, tattooed, punk ass kid in his early 20's who thinks he's Jesus. it would be amusing if he didn't get in yer face and call you names. funny, he's not the tolerant JC that we read about. methinks someone was either tripping on some crazy stuff...missed a dosage of his medication...or both. what a loon!
gawd! WTF happened monday?!? people, full moon isn't until the 4th! why don't you go back to your holes until then...geez!
tuesday was better...
went to bob & wanda's. i think i mentioned them before... wanda went to grad school with lois. she's the one who worked for the CIA in Greece and was duped into saying, " Thank you for coming tonight. Did you enjoy the food? I sincerely hope you fart all night..." by a Greek co-worker who volunteered to help (wanda) with some Greek phrases and farewells.
anyway, their daughter just left for Chicago yesterday. she's on her way to Bulgaria for her first Peace Corps assignment, so we had a little going away dinner for her.
for appetizers, we munched on hummus, pita, tzatziki sauce, crackers, and pistachios. dinner was a massive portion of Nicoise salad. and dessert was simply strawberries and coolwhip. not the fanciest of dinners, but shore convenient since we didn't have to lift a finger ;) we did bring a huge bottle of german wine tho' - crisp and slightly sweet.
what a great visit! we're hoping to visit Kirsten before her two years are up; Bulgaria is not exactly yer usual american tourist destination ;) i think i'm gonna do a Lowa and start a blog for her...and then we could all hear about her two-year Bulgarian adventure. yeah!
so...i reconsidered and foolishly attempted to call and see if there were any seats left for tonight. of course, Jared, who handled my call, informed me that both shows were now sold out. at least he kept a straight face and didn't wildly cackle on the phone...
dad is in the hospital again. all week, he's had bouts with dizziness and a bit o' sweating...more sure signs of a minor stroke. so, back to St. Joe's it was... this time, they're going to adjust/change his medications and he'll have to stay in rehab for a week, which should benefit him. poor dad. he's too cute and funny to be in a hospital bed.
i know i was going to finish the story about our dinner with yani...i just don't feel like it. let's just say the jekyll side of it was from trying to buy gas on Sheridan. DON'T go to the quickmart-type convenience store on colfax & sheridan...especially at 11PM. the guy behind the counter is a super muthafukkin' asshole who needs to get his teeth kicked in...whattajoik. ooh, i wanna wish some bad things on him...grrr.
and watch out for the Sinclair station on 10th? 12th? although the east african owner is very nice, there's a super annoying, preaching, tattooed, punk ass kid in his early 20's who thinks he's Jesus. it would be amusing if he didn't get in yer face and call you names. funny, he's not the tolerant JC that we read about. methinks someone was either tripping on some crazy stuff...missed a dosage of his medication...or both. what a loon!
gawd! WTF happened monday?!? people, full moon isn't until the 4th! why don't you go back to your holes until then...geez!
tuesday was better...
went to bob & wanda's. i think i mentioned them before... wanda went to grad school with lois. she's the one who worked for the CIA in Greece and was duped into saying, " Thank you for coming tonight. Did you enjoy the food? I sincerely hope you fart all night..." by a Greek co-worker who volunteered to help (wanda) with some Greek phrases and farewells.
anyway, their daughter just left for Chicago yesterday. she's on her way to Bulgaria for her first Peace Corps assignment, so we had a little going away dinner for her.
for appetizers, we munched on hummus, pita, tzatziki sauce, crackers, and pistachios. dinner was a massive portion of Nicoise salad. and dessert was simply strawberries and coolwhip. not the fanciest of dinners, but shore convenient since we didn't have to lift a finger ;) we did bring a huge bottle of german wine tho' - crisp and slightly sweet.
what a great visit! we're hoping to visit Kirsten before her two years are up; Bulgaria is not exactly yer usual american tourist destination ;) i think i'm gonna do a Lowa and start a blog for her...and then we could all hear about her two-year Bulgarian adventure. yeah!
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