Logic and Proportion have Fallen Sloppy and Dead

Okay ....I'm having one of my Grace Slick is a musical genius moments. And I'm singing along, loudly and with hand gestures (similar but not the same as Jazz Hands), with it. When the hookah smoking caterpillar has given you the call, what else can you do? I've also watched enough live footage of White Rabbit from 1968-1972 that I might be convinced to make a Nancy Reagan Just say No to Drugs commercial based on twitchy eyes and grooming alone.

Ask Me when I'm 10 feet Tall

Or do you want to ask me when I'm just small?

Free to Drink Martinis and Watch the Sun Rise

Goal for New Year's Eve: Listen to the three Sound Opinions podcasts about Bob Dylan from April, May and June of 2011.

I had saved them up to listen to with a friend but we never got around to it and now we're not likely to have the time. Every time I look at my iPod they stare out at me to make me feel like a slacker and a loser of opportunities, so I am going to get rid of them.



Bob's hair is exceptionally ... puffy. Looks like maybe he got a blow out.
I love the giant records on the wall.

Know it Sounds Funny

Wow, this is really weird.

Perfect way to end my evening.
Ovaltine.
1977.
Easy (Like Sunday Morning)

Come on, Sugar part 2

Here's another thing that kills my sex drive. It makes me immediately want to collapse on the couch and groan and not move for about 6 hours.

It also makes me want one bad.



I guess this was a big news deal earlier in 2011 called "The New Luther." Some people are saying it is a burger but the first article I read, and the one I want, is fried chicken and applewood smoked bacon on a glazed doughnut.

I can tell I've been eating healthy crap and doing yoga for several days in a row that this sounds so amazing right now.

Come on, Sugar

Dear Rod Stewart,
You can't just pull leopard-skin hot pants on below your baggy vacation T-shirt and sun visor and think you are dressed like a rock star. Even in 1981.

And for Pete's sake is that pubic hair poking out of this striped speedo?!



I will say, this exercise in Rod Stewart photo gazing did serve it's purpose though. Sometimes I get really bummed about not having a sex life but something about Rod Stewart trying to be sexy really makes me stop thinking of sex.

Ooooh Baby, You are Everything to Me ... But Sometimes I Need More

I know this is totally backwards since 2012 brings in the Chinese Zodiac Year of the Dragon, but I keep thinking of Urge Overkill Exit the Dragon.

This is one of those CDs that I have no idea when/where/how I got it but I've had it for most of the time I was in Denver, I don't think when I was in Hamtramck. Where did it come from. Other than having this CD, I can't think of any other connection or memory with Urge Overkill.







Didn't see any live concert footage of View of the Rain and the only video thing was an AIDS commemoration that was way too depressing for the morning.

Be Careful

Spent some time enjoying The Civil Wars Barton Hallow today.

Love this MJ cover too.

Somebody to Lean On

Just watched the documentary about Bill Withers. What an interesting man. I loved the early segment where he talks about writing songs without introductions or songs about friendship or love songs to grandmothers instead of the expected songs about romantic love.

O Christmas Tree

This year I don't hate having a Christmas tree up. I usually only like it for a few days. This year I think I will wait to take it down until next weekend

I even find myself wishing I could see the lights from my bedroom. They are really comforting and cozy to me this year.

Merry Christmas to Me!

I just had one of the most amazing meals of my life!
I decided to try a new recipe with a new ingredient for me: persimmons.

It was so interesting to be adding ingredients to the pan and have absolutely no idea how it would taste.

Onions and olive oil.
Okay.
Add serrano.
Okay.
Chopped persimmons?
No clue.
Ground ginger and mustard? With that? Really?
And now brown sugar and cider vinegar?
Alright.

That chutney topped off roasted fennel-onion-garlic-walnuts and white bean cakes.

I intentionally did not taste anything ahead of time, I waited until it was plated. I know that did not allow me to test seasoning, but I figured I could do that with the next batch: I wanted the fun of raising a fork to my lips and having no idea what I would get. I'm so glad that on top of that, it turned out to be delicious.

GreensDay

Big Ideas and Big Talker here again.
I have a plan.
I guess I should say I have planS.

Even though I have always failed at every attempt at menu planning, tracking food or calories, making workout plans, training programs, saving, credit card repayment schedules ... just about anything that takes sustained effort related to diet, exercise or financial planning ... hope springs eternal and always lives barely below my surface.*

And, in the midst of my need to save money, lose 30 pounds, eat out less, and replace those restaurant meals with healthy options - I've been inspired. By a pretty picture of bok choy that I tore out of a magazine on the train trip home over Thanksgiving.

I want to make one new "greens" recipe each week in 2012. And I'm going to start early and do it for these last days of 2011.

I'd also like to try two new vegetarian recipes each month. That has been inspired by some of the beautiful photos I've seen on some of the Twitter links I've followed.

I can do that, right?
Right.

The other thing I have decided to is to clean up some of the self-pity in this blog over the past three months so i could potentially share it. Before I moved it, my friend "Lars" had the address. Since I moved it, I have not sent him the link since it moved from fun food adventures into self-pity mixed tape with barely veiled comments to another friend I'm not talking with directly these days.

To celebrate my return to delicious food fixation, I might buy some small, pretty plates so when I take pictures they won't look so drab and similar.

*This is the meaning I've decided to take away from a lesson I mentioned to a friend the other day. Hope and renewal is always so close and easy for me to access. Even in my most cynical and depressed stages, I think I am an optimist at heart. My challenge is to sort through the hope and choose which ones to act on. Choose to nurture the hopes that nurture me and learn to accept reality even in the face of hopes that no longer make sense.

Boot Straps, Stiff Upper Lip, Etc...

Alright already.
This is ridiculous.

Today I'm going to do it.
I'm not afraid of Buffalo Gals.
I'm not afraid of "Hey look, mister - we serve hard drinks in here for men who want to get drunk."
I'm not afraid of broken railings and "Why do we have to have so many kids."
I'm not afraid of "Say, brainless, don't you know where coconuts come from?"
And I'm not afraid of the scene where George gets his suitcase that he'll never use.

Nope.
I'm not afraid and this morning I am going to make myself a pot of tea and watch It's a Wonderful Life.

Don't Lean on Me Man, 'Cause You Can't Afford the Ticket

Suffragette City is one of those songs that,
when it comes on and you are walking down the street,
you stand up a little taller
and your stride gets a little longer
and you look straight ahead.

Strut and sway and slide down the sidewalk.

Play It.

Since I don't think I can watch It's A Wonderful Life this year without turning into a puddle, I decided to watch Casablanca instead.

And turned into a puddle.

Museum of Round

I've got news, creative news, zine news, interaction with people who are not on TV and not on Deep space Nine news ... I have signed up to participate in this event.


Quimby’s Presents Our First 24-Hour Zine Challenge Jan 14th-Jan 15th
Perhaps you were not able to participate in the 2011 Revenge of Print Challenge by getting your zine or comic out. Or perhaps you need some encouragement. Do you work well under deadlines? Perhaps you’re addicted to the adrenal rush of zine crafting?

Well, you’re in luck.

The 24-Hour Zine Challenge is for you. Starting Sat, 1/14 at 7pm and going until 7pm on Sun 1/15 here at Quimby’s, we invite you to come in and make your zine within 24 hours. And we’ll let you crash at our pad. By “pad” we mean on our floor.

We’ll provide: paper, minimal scanner use, zine supplies such as a long arm stapler, some food, power strips, temporary free wifi.

You provide: sleeping gear, ideas, stamina, your computer or typewriter (if that’s your thing)

AND THEN! Want to read from your zine here at one of our events? On Sat, Jan 28th we’ll be having the ZINES MADE AT THE QUIMBY’S 24 HOUR ZINE CHALLENGE EVENT.

Please RSVP to info(at)quimbys(dot)com for the 24 Hour Zine Challenge by Wed, Jan 11th. because there is limited space available. Only RSVP’d zinesters will be allowed in the store between midnight and 6am. Visitors are welcome at all other times. The store will be open until midnight (usually we close at 10pm on Saturday nights).

Get your New Year’s zine resolution resolved before the first month of 2012 is over.

Considering that I do not have even ONE of my Museum of Round issues completed or even half-way completed, I figure I can use some sort of motivation.

Can't seem to Catch Them

I see that Bible of the Devil is playing right down the road at Empty Bottle tonight. I've been wanting to see them for years now (obviously not enough to actually see them though!) and would go tonight if I didn't have to check in at the dumb hospital at stupid 6:45am tomorrow morning.

There was also a MOTH show at Haymarket I could have gone to and I thought about movie night to see Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Young Adult, or that one in 3-D about the French kid who makes clocks. Hmmm, can't remember his name now. Elmo? Malo? Nemo? Crap, whatever that one is.

Listen to me, pretending I would make Monday night plans if only I could. Unlike every other Monday night when I can.

Hugo!

Mixed feelings about not having tickets to this:


Eat to the Beat:
The Beatles Vs. The Rolling Stones.
Thursday, February 9th at 7 p.m. at Nellcôte

Join Sound Opinions hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot for a once-in-a-lifetime event celebrating two of the best things in life: Food and Music. This year's Eat to the Beat dining experience is inspired by the classic rock debate: The Beatles vs. The Rolling Stones.

Jim and Greg have teamed up with two acclaimed chefs to create a spectacular multi-course dinner. In one corner, there's "Top Chef" Stephanie Izard of Girl and the Goat cooking to The Beatles. In the other, there's Old Town Social's Jared Van Camp cooking to the Stones. It all goes down February 9th at Van Camp's new West Loop restaurant Nellcôte.

Your $175 donation per person includes courses expertly paired with wine by Tenuta Santomé. You're also invited to join Jim, Greg and the chefs for a VIP reception with specialty cocktails and Maker's Mark for an additional donation of $75.

All tickets are currently sold-out.
Please check back in January as more spots may open up!


Oh well, I can make my own great food and listen to Rolling Stones and Beatles at home anyway.

Stark Snowy Saturday

Woke up this morning to big, fat snowflakes.
Ready to tackle my kitchen disaster .. I need to clean out my fridge.
I have in my fridge:

1. the remains of two chickens I roasted on Monday night and Thursday night
2. ground beef I need to make into meatballs
3. a giant pot of chili and a big package of bacon that need to be divided up and frozen
4. a ham steak
5. a big tub of cranberries soaking in simple syrup that need to be rolled in sugar for candied cranberries
6. two big tubs of yogurt that need to be put into individual serving cups for next week.

I'm feeling ready to tackle it.

I've had breakfast (finished off the last of the quiche).
I talked to my mom on the phone.
I have apot of Earl Grey tea.
I have my apron ready.
I have my iPod, ready to play Hunky Dory from beginning to end.

Let Kitchen Saturday morning begin!

Freakiest Show

Jesus, what do I possible say about the 40th anniversary of Hunky Dory?



Thank God for that album. I can't imagine the world without it.

Dreams and Rest

What a relief to have some sleep.
Although I had strange dreams last night, strange for me at least.

I had a dream I was in a play, called Swamplandia like the new novel that is out. I had read the play once but never rehearsed. I know the first scene involved a long dialogue and then I had to play a trumpet part. I was nervous about all of that already but when we started to perform, another actor starting doing my dialogue and expecting me to respond. It was nothing like the play I had read but I knew I still had to play trumpet since I had the trumpet in my hand.

This morning, I listened to the NPR podcast that was playing when I fell asleep. There was a segment on the trumpet player Dave Douglas and then a review of the best books of 2011, which included Swamplandia.

I really need to stop falling asleep with podcasts on.

Love, she asked for more, But what I gave only made her poor ...

I forgot to mention that I did decide to get a ticket to Dr. Dog in February.

I am excited... although based on my prior experience with Dr. Dog at Double Door when the vocals were so off and based on listening to a bunch of their live shows on YouTube, I have a feeling that live vocals is a consistent weak spot for the band. I think singer guy's a better studio musician ... the rest of the band is great live though.

Black Keys coming soon too .. but at United Center. No point in that kind of show.

Bleary

Too much Holiday Party!

I've never been so glad to have no plans for the evening.
I think I will come home from work tonight, take a nap, and then go to bed.

"It's 6 a.m., Do You Know Where You Are?"

I forgot to post, although Frank Sinatra woke me up at 3am and told me I was a loser, by 5am I was listening to a reading of It's 6 a.m., Do You Know Where You Are? by Jay Mcinerney. Nothing makes you feel like less of a loser than being in your warm bed and reasonably healthy (physically and mentally) while listening to that character!

Believe it or not, even though I love Carver, I have never read any JM. Not short stories or Bright Lights, Big City.

I need to go back to the text, but there were a few sentences that I heard in my headachy, sleepless morning haze (best way to hear it?) that were so gorgeous they stopped me in my tracks. Or whatever the loafing in bed equivalent of "tracks" is. There is some line, and I can't even remember what it is, but I promised myself as I was drowsy that I would track it down and remember it forever. I can't wait to go to Myopic Wednesday night to track it down.

I think I will hate reading this book based on that character ... but I loved the writing. Funny, all the criticism of other white man short story writers of an older generation I have a hard time understanding. Who cares if they are entitled. Sexist. Have a narrow East coast view of the world? For me it is enough of another time and place that it is interesting. Time travel. Another world.

But a clubster white boy in 1984? It just seems cheap and lame and dated. Just the description of the silk jacket that he trades for bread at the end of chapter one walloped me with cheesy Don Johnson.

I wonder if I can get enough perspective to enjoy?
I'll try.

Like an Actor Out Alone

I'm not a big Doors fan, I like them in small doses, every now and again, well enough.

But tonight I discovered that the perfect way to listen to Riders on the Storm was in the back of a smooth riding sedan, with a stranger for a driver.

That was pretty great.
Thanks, Silly Life, and the outlook I've got to enjoy it

Screw You, Frank

I hate when my insomnia comes with Frank Sinatra, stuck in my head, mocking and insulting me. I only have myself to blame though, I watched all those Vic Fontaine holosuite episodes of Star Trek before bed ...

Chicken, Chili and a Twitter Feed

Sunday cooking day.
I'm making chili in my crock pot, I roasted a chicken for dinner.
I made a ham and bacon quiche for a tea party with Amy in front of my Christmas tree.
And, if I get the energy up, I am going to finish making my candied cranberries.



Also realized this weekend that the Star Trek thing has gotten out of hand. I was listening to Eartha Kitt singing Santa Baby and realized that the male backup singer sounds just like Rom the Ferengi.



Oh, and in my quest to learn about the modern world, seeing as I have this new job that asks me to direct digital initiatives; mentor a smarty pants scholar in a research project involving social media; and, in general, pretend not to be a paper- making, 'zine dreaming luddite ... I have decided to figure out how Twitter works. And learn how to put my Twitter feed into my blog. How do ya like those bits and bytes? Feel free to call me an interim director of digital nonsense.

So Fucking Crazy You Can't Follow Their Rules

I think I'll Netflix stream The Killing of John Lennon tonight. I've never watched it.

Yesterday was amazing

but today was kind of awful and stupid.
What a difference a day makes.
Sigh.

Crossed over one of the river bridges into downtown. Always beautiful, sometimes painfully so in the way that beautiful can be.

What will make me happy tonight?
.... floaty pieces of paper, Angie, Mick Jagger in French.



Doesn't really matter if I can understand what he's telling me. I'm pretty sure it is something about shiny and tight pants and the difficulty of singing in the middle of a smoke machine.

Ryan Gosling Amazing?!

I don't even like Ryan Gosling in any particular way -- have never thought about him, but this site is great.

Librarian Hey Girl!

Culinary Amazing

This night is just filled with greatness!
I want to go on record as saying that zucchini, simmered in leftover Tom Ka soup from Thai Village is wonderful.

I often do spinach.
Today I had a big bunch of harcourt vert. Halfway through I remembered I had a zucchini that was getting past its prime so I sliced it and tossed it in. Yum, Yum!

I just made rice with the last of the soup and cannot wait for lunch tomorrow.

Equally Amazing

but in a speech way rather than a core and upper body strength way.



Link to Hillary Clinton's Human Rights Speech today.

Holy Crap

This is the most amazing thing I have seen in .. maybe forever.

Backup Singers

I've spent the past two days performing an annual holiday tradition: Oh Holy Night.
Multiple versions.
Replaying.
Comparing.
Measuring against Johnny Mathis.

I always end up complaining about backup singers... just like with Something a couple weeks ago.
I'm worried I have issues.

I love to sing along.
I love to sing the backup singer parts!
So I worry when I cringe at them and think of them as fruity 9 out of 10 times.

All this hating makes me need to get back to the source.
Back to the magic.
Back to The Pips.

Not Right Now

Just heard a Miranda Lambert cover of this song ... what's the point?
Eh. It was a bit too perky for my tastes.

Today I'd like to poke around in neighborhood shops for the holiday displays and events, but I really should not spend money. I have been spending like I actually have money rather than credit card debt. I've bought some really great things in the past month though! And I am wearing/using them a lot!

Let's see, what have I been spending money I don't have on:


Paperback edition of Moby-Dick in Pictures by Matt Kish.

And a pretty, simple, silver necklace on a long silver chain that goes with everything; a blue and green cuff bracelet that does not go with everything but has a nice burst of colors I like;a green backpack like bag made of recycled bottles that replaced my falling apart backpack that I was always worried I would lose my keys out of; a cool black purse made out of tire rubber that is the perfect size to carry a magazine.

Not really the hoard that someone who is trying to pay off her debt should have! And drinks and dinners and going to movies and storytelling events is not what I should be doing either. And last night I sat around contemplating how I should get an iPad and even looked at how I could use Pages to work with Word documents for work. The spirit of Consumer Holiday has obviously hit me.

Small Victories

Yesterday was a long and exhausting day but it was so nice to come home and have Friday night. I did spend the night editing a document submitted by a consultant and I do have to go into work for an hour or two today, but it still felt like the stress and pressure of the week stopped at about 5pm last night.

The email that stressed me out was resolved -- and I am pretty sure that the way I gathered information, that involved writing a custom report for Google Analytics -- resulted in more accurate results than had previously been provided. I was ridiculously proud of my ability to figure out how to get access to the stats and then learn to write the report to get the information I needed.

Hamburger Mary and Stories

Had fun at the 2nd Story event -- but cocktails, late dinner at Hamburger Mary's and coming home to an email from work asking me to do something I don't know how to do left me with restless sleep and waking up at 2am.

I look a wreck this morning and cannot wait for the weekend to start!

December

I'm feeling strangely excited about a fresh new month.
I'm happy to leave November behind me, just as I was happy to October in the past. With that track record, and knowing I'm not nearly healed yet, I shouldn't expect to feel in any way different about December when January 1 rolls around, but I'm hopeful.

My first thought this morning was December!
And then I thought about this song: I love the Gillian Welch vocals.



Then, of course, I had to listen to PJ Harvey Down by the Water too and then had to listen to all my versions of:


That video, with CSNY singing poolside to a bunch of muddy hippies, really made me smile.

Happy December to me!