Piccadilly Circus? Come ON! How Can You Not LOVE IT?

American Cities That Best Fit You:

65% San Diego

60% Boston

60% Los Angeles

60% San Francisco

55% Denver

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

You know....not that I base any decisions about anything on blogthings quizes, but this is pretty funny, given my recent talk of all things West Coast, and the quizzie even threw in a little bit of Boston...you know, because Boston will always be a big part of my life, even though I'll probably leave, and pretty much never look back (a la The Pass). Now...I know that many cities aren't listed on this ridiculous quiz (there are probably ten. I don't know, I didn't research this). I'd probably be really happy somewhere in Connecticut (where I considered living when I thought that New York would be central to my life), or Rhode Island or Maine. I'd probably be really happy in Portland (which is on this quiz, but didn't make the list). And I've been to San Diego, and I've got to say I was not all that impressed. It wasn't a city I could see myself living in forever; rasing a family, buying a house. It was just...what it was. Los Angeles and San Francisco have always been on top of my list, though (even though I said nasty things about LA for a while. It was situational and had more to do with certain people who live near LA. But LA is big. LA isn't the place where you probably run into people all that often. And if it is? So what? I'm not scared of you. If anything, I'm strong enough now that you should be scared of me), and they remain there, even though I don't think San Francisco is a place I'd raise a family, either.

I can picture myself in all of these places, though, and still...none of them. But I definitely don't see myself staying here. I know that Harvard is my one way ticket to anywhere in the country -- anywhere in the world. But I don't know if I can get in. And I don't know if I'd want to.

I might be a chicken and pull what I pulled with Rice -- not even apply. Then again, maybe I learned something valuable: that there's no sense in not trying. I've got nothing to lose, really (except the $75 application fee). And in terms of grad school, it's only a matter of me putting in 3 1/2 years tops -- not like Alisa and grad school, where she knows she has to put in 5 years plus some post grad work in the area. I think I'd be a little more cautious if I had to put in more time.

Also? I'd really like to end up in London. Even if it's just for a semester. Even if it's just for a year. And London was most certainly not on that list.

Lyrical Guessing Tuesday!

In lieu of actual posting...You know the rules: Song Title and Artist in the Comments, and no Google, that's cheating!

1. What else should I be? All apologies.
2. You may tire of me as our December sun is setting because I'm not who I used to be.
3. That's great, it starts with an earthquake, birds and snakes, an aeroplane -- Lenny Bruce is not afraid.
4. All this feels strange and untrue, and I won't waste a minute without you.
5. Well, if you wanted honesty, that's all you had to say -- I never want to let you down or have you go, it's better off this way.
6. What gives you the right to fuck with our lives? A devil born in paradise, a liar loves to lie.
7. I wanna know girls, don't wanna know men. I'm already stuck inside the head of one of them.
8. Well, the rain is apourin' down in a fury, and the road is lookin' long.
9. I picture you in the sun, wondering what went wrong.
10. Time takes a cigarette, puts it in your mouth; you pull on your finger, then another finger, then your cigarette.
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1. All Apologies by Nirvana (Laura)
3. It's The End of the World As We Know It (And I Feel Fine) by REM (Laura)
4. Open Your Eyes by Snow Patrol (Laura)
5. I'm Not Okay (I Promise) by My Chemical Romance (Laura)
6. He Lied About Death by Stars (Ben)

Not The Solution

And so I'll refrain from the whiney-ass blog posting.

But seriously? Seriously. I'm a little upset.

Alright. FINE, I'll Go Into The Freaking Candy Cave!

Sweetest Thing I Heard Today

Peteamus Maximus: but ill definetly apply to the grad school you are at or planning on going to
Peteamus Maximus: yeah thats my plan

It's More Caffeine Time!

I'm updating from work because I needed a break from this stupid model that's driving me crazy.

I have absolutely NO desire/interest in finishing it. I just flat out don't want to. Unfortunately, my boss came in and thanked me for my time here, told me he'd be more than happy to give me a reference when I apply for jobs (this man sits on the board of one of the most prestigious Architecture schools in the country), and shook my hand.

I had glue on my finger when he shook my hand. And I was gnawing on a toothpick. And don't even get me started on what I look like at midnight after Indian food and nary a cloth to clean my glasses properly and twelve cups of tea....and poo. Responsibility is weighing heavily on my shoulders. Also the desire not to get bad-mouthed all over the place. And really, how can you just screw over a guy who looked at the model you made and said, "It looks great. Now gesso the crap out of it."

I just want to go home. I want to be done with this. Except...the whole "no job again" thing is kind of grating on my nerves. I'm scared and angry and sad and upset and just...aaaaah!

I think it's time for more caffeine. Then, back to work.

Now Listening: Grey's Anatomy Playlist (AKA the "I want to kill myself...oh wait, there's Gnarles Barkley...Ok, I want to kill myself again...Oh, wait! There's Diplo Rhythm!" &tc. playlist)

Nifty Little Illusion

If your eyes follow the movement of the rotating pink dot, you will only see one color, pink. If you stare at the black + in the center, the moving dot turns to green. Now, concentrate on the black + in the center of the picture. After a short period of time, all the pink dots will slowly disappear, and you will only see a green dot rotating if you're lucky! It's amazing how our brain works. There really is no green dot, and the pink ones really don't disappear. This should be proof enough, we don't always see what we think we see.

Found HERE, via Nate via Randie.

PSA -- one that will make you go, "hmmm..."

David Berkowitz, Son of Sam, the .44 calibur killer (all this time I thought it was a .38 -- how blindly I've walked through life), is now a Born again Christian with a website.

I don't know what to do with this information, but if you'll excuse me, I'll probably be spending a lot of my free time this morning reading Berkowitz's journals while they're free.

Yeah, Sock. Me, too.

So, today I was working really hard:

And then, from my bag, the sock was all, "HEY! IT'S A NICE DAY...I WANT TO GO OUTSIDE!!! COMEON!"

And I was like, "Shut up, SOCK."

But then, my boss asked me to go to the hardware store, so the sock got its way in the end. It was such a beautiful day:

And the sock was happy:

And then we saw Greyhounds (THREE. Three Greyhounds):

And Giant Blue Jeans:

And the sock was all, "I'm happy." And I was like, "Yeah, sock. Me, too."

If I get it all down on paper, it's no longer inside me

I feel a little angry. Small and innocent things are crushed underfoot everyday. Most of the time it’s not personal – it’s just nature grinding away. But sometimes small things are crushed by something else. Something malevolent. Sometimes little things never get a chance. That pisses me off. -- found at waiterrant.net

*Sigh* Sometimes just after a healthy dose of "picking myself up off the ground," I read things like this and instead of just reading the passage lightly, I go straight for the gut-wrenching metaphor. And all before my second cup of coffee Irish Breakfast tea. Except, instead of pisses me off, substitute "makes me sad," and instead of malevolent, substitute "wildly out of my hands."

That's how I feel these days.

Like a little sparrow that never got a chance.

(Except unlike that poor little sparrow, I can pick myself up and make my own chances. But today I want to be reflective and sad. So there)

Now Listening: Anna Nalick - Just Breathe (2AM)

Lyrical Guessing Tuesday

You know the rules: No Google (that's cheating!), and leave your guesses for any song you think you know in the comment section with an artist and song title. This week has a bit of a trick song. If you can get the song but not the artist, I'll probably give it to you. We'll see what happens. Go!

1) We're caught in a trap, I can't walk out, because I love you too much, baby.
2) Who the hell are you to tell me what I am, and what's my master plan?
3) The paint's peeling off the streets, again.
4) I can't get to sleep, I think about the implications of diving in too deep, and possibly the complications.
5) Well I can't believe, I'm sittin' here today, pickin' on my banjo with a big smile on my face.
6) Walk blindly to the light and reach out for his hand, don't ask any questions and don't try to understand.
7) Someday I fear I will be rescued from the boredom line, with lack of memory I fail to question why.
8) I never really had a problem because of leaving, but everything reminds me of her this evening.
9) This time, what I want is you -- there is no one else who can take your place.
10) Oooh I need your love, babe, guess you know it's true.
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1) Suspicious Minds (by Pete Yorn!) (Ben guessed Elvis, which is more right than Petey, but not the version iTunes picked this morning)
2) Reject by Green Day (Jenna)
3) Paint's Peeling by Rilo Kiley (Jenna)
4) Overkill by Colin Hay (Laura)
6) I Believe by Blessid Union of Souls (Laura)
9) Take Me Away by Lifehouse (Laura)
10) Eight Days A Week by the Beatles (Laura)

One Down...

I finally finished this pomatomus sock. I chose to do only two repeats of the pattern on the leg, so it's a bit shorter, and I messed up the pattern terribly on the foot, somehow ending up with 31 sts where I was supposed to have 36! I say somehow, even though I know exactly what my mistake was. However, the sock seems intact and even fine. I can't tell where my mistakes really are, so I'm not going to start over.

I have one more to go -- the deadline is mid-June -- and also have a blue sock to finish. Then I can start my own pair of pomatomuses, in a purply colorway I found on ebay.

Never knowing when they've lost the game

"What is that [on your pizza]?"
"Just a toasty bit. Why, did you think it was an olive?"
"Maybe."
"Were you going to fling my pizza across the room?"
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't."
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I bought a muffin this morning. A honey oat muffin. It said nothing about raisins. Starbucks...back on the list you go!

I felt like even though I have to make my cash last for the next few days, since I lost my wallet and all, I needed a pick-me-up in the form of espresso and a muffin. See, today was my last visit with my orthodontist. I don't mean that my orthodontic treatment is finished, just that Dr. Kim is finishing his residency and moving to New York and has left me with some new ortho-resident (and how dare he, I say). Some guy with a midwest accent that may or may not grate on me -- we'll have to find out. I plan on making the best of this; I've been a fan of "fresh starts" in my life these days, and I'll take every one I can get. But fresh starts don't always lead to good experiences, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't more of a "glass half empty" kind of gal, even though there's usually a little bit of, "but yeah, it's also half full" going on in my head. I got lucky with Dr. Kim. I really grew to like him being in my mouth once a month for a little over a year, but how many times can I get lucky? The way my karma has been lately...

I don't know what I did in the last year to piss off the powers that be, y'all. Seriously. I need some good juju.

At least the ipod is working again -- even if it has to be plugged into the wall.

Now Listening: Inara George - Fools In Love

I'm like a ship without a wheel; a touch without a feel

Things have sucked the past few days. But there've been moments:

Amidst the crap, my ipod came back to life, and I found my old TX driver's license - so at least the hurdle of "needing a photo ID" to get some of the things I need is alleviated.

Also, I have really good friends.

And Mad Libs were awesome in second grade, and are still awesome today.

Now Listening: Bread - Lost Without Your Love

I don't care how amusing the arrow in your logo is. YOU SUCK, FEDEX.

Okay, y'all -- I am pissed, and I need to vent. I'm trying really hard to be one of those people who lets things go. It's tough, but I think I've made some progress lately (some is not a lot. It's not even a "good amount," 'k? It's "some"), and then today...just...gah.

So, FedEx made their second attempt to deliver my ipod today. This is fair, even though yesterday was a full six business days earlier than my ipod was to be delivered -- and I had planned this whole thing out so that I would be unemployed/home to accept said package. Heck, even though I missed it, I was thrilled because you sign the little paper and bam! Your delivery is left "without a signature." Awesome. Even though it wasn't my "plan," at least I'd have it today, right?

WRONG.

I've been so anxious to get to the end of today, because my ipod would be there, waiting for me, possibly with some light shining down on it from heaven. I have been so anxious, in fact, that I compulsively checked the shipping status whenever I could, waiting for it to say, "delivered" horray! Well, at 4PM -- FOUR, people -- the status was finally updated to "delivery exception," meaning that, yet again, my package was in Medford instead of my hot little hands. You fail, FedEx -- Eff Minus. Had the status been updated when I checked at 12, 1, 1:15, 2, 2:30, 3, or 3:15, I might have been able to sweetly finagle a dropoff today. As it is, I'll probably have to wait until Monday. That's THREE DAYS FROM RIGHT.NOW.

Now, when I called, I was sweet as pie at first, I promise. I asked what the deal was, and how to get around this. Chris was not helpful. No, this is not Chris' fault*. This isn't Apple's fault. Hell, this isn't my fault. There is ONE, and only one, person responsible for this screw-up and he was not on the other end of that phone but by-God, someone at FedEx was going to feel my pain, anger, and crushing disappointment. I hate you all!

I asked about Saturday delivery, and Chris told me that only if the shipper paid the $12 could they do Saturday (yeah, right).

I "can" wait until Monday. I'm an adult. I was going to wait until the 24th. And this isn't a matter of how long I can wait because I have no control over that. But also, if it's not dropped off on Monday, how am I going to get to Medford to pick up my package? Why am I being punished because some jerk at FedEx can't read/follow simple instructions like he's trained to do/pay attention?!

Is this because I lied to my grandma about eating those thin mints when I was six? Is this about the time I threw up in the sink and didn't tell anyone about it? IS IT? WHAT CAN I DO TO MAKE IT STOP, DEAR GOD, JUST TELL ME!

*whimper*

*Until Chris told me my package weighed 30lbs - then, he was at least a little bit to blame via the "stupidity clause." I tried to tell him what it was, explain that an ipod didn't weigh that much. That "package from Apple computers" did not equal "computer." Then I checked the website just now, to make sure Apple didn't screw up and ship me a computer. They didn't - the package weighs 0.3kg. I don't know what kind of crack Chris was smoking, but it was soooome crack.

True Story

It really is about time

Two people that I know from high school, who have been updating their facebook profiles at least once a week, lately, have finally posted that they're engaged.

I'm very happy for them, but seriously? It's about time! They've been dating since high school, I think -- these are friends of mine from the church (well, Luis, anyway) and they were in band (and I was in orchestra, so we weren't that close), plus Luis is one of Jorge's crew (who, again, I wasn't really close to outside of church and AP physics), but the long and short of this is that what's happened in the last five years is really completely unknown to me, they might not have been together this whole time, but I just assumed they were.

Anyway, I say that it's about time with the kindest intentions. I mean, I'm really happy for them, but not all that surprised. The thing is, they went about a year on facebook with zero updates, then suddenly for the past few months, updates galore -- and every time, I looked for the "engaged to" and wouldn't find it. Letdown!

But now, now I can be happy for them! Except seriously. It's about time.

Attack of Mono Bear!!!

First of all, ignore the time stamp -- I posted the picture at that time, but now It's 7AM, and I will be paying for that today (I also want to try to scanned it so it looks better. That's a digipic of a polaroid).

Last night was the final episode of ANTM. Alisa and I had big plans. Plans that involved KFC (because when we watched ANTM on Tuesday, we said that Tyra had gotten fat because she had been hitting the KFC too hard -- then looked at each other and said, oooh...KFC!).

Knowing that Ben likes ANTM more than as much as we do, we invited him over to watch with us, and have some KFC. I also had that bottle of chenin/sauvignon blanc wine that I have been waiting to tear into (I finally found a substitute for the tishbi chenin blanc from Best Cellars! I am so happy!), and then after that, the bottle of pinot grigio seemed like a good idea, too.

Anyway, we did lots of other things besides watch ANTM and ruin American Idol for Ben (Alisa and I sometimes don't shut up when we're not interested in what's on the TV)...like, we discussed how when Alisa marries her Asian/Black Jew, we're not going to be able to make fun of Asian people, black people, or Jews (which I have to admit will kind of put a damper on any conversation I'll have in the future around Alisa's husband, Fred). We picked our band name (Skin Gives Up) and our first album name (He Sounds Like A Girl), and even our first single (I Like The Sound Its Butt Makes). Alisa poked Ben's head for eight hours (oh, you've gotta love the return of a classic like that one), and I used the white board for an even more awesome purpose than the rules, which was to write "towel is dirty, Ben sucks" after he spilled water all over on the floor, then used our towel to sop it up (like I told him to).

Oh, and then Mono Bear attacked Ben and ate his face (M.B. may have had a little help from Alisa) -- but you already knew that.

Dancing with Myself

Emily was unimpressed with my mad photoshopping skillz, BUT I like the glow that it added. Also, I think that this is an extremely good picture of the four of us, even though at least one of us looks...erm, fairly drunk (redness may have been reduced through the use and fine tuning of several filters). I'll leave who up to your discretion.

Anyway, my iPod has shipped from China! Incidentally, how the heck long does it take things to get here from China...?
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I also never posted about the most existential comment I ever got, when you take it out of context. Seriously. Hilarious.
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Speaking of existentialism:

There was going to be some Kierkegaard and Pushkin on there, and maybe some Gogol, but I thought that the Dostoevsky was enough for now. Especially if I'm to get through Anna Karenina again this summer (there was a Russian theme, at first. It was kind of lost on Salinger and P&P, but those were a matter of getting the free shipping). But seriously? Those shipping estimates? wtf, amazon? Seriously?

Musical Guessing Game!

SORRY! Jessica and her sister came over and threw a wrench in my "Post immediately after work" plan :)

Ok -- you know the rules. Guess in the comments...Google is cheating...Go!

1) We'll do it all, everything, on our own
2) Uh-oh, I'm falling in love again
3) I was staring at the sky, just looking for a star to pray on or wish on or something like that
4) He said you're just as boring as everyone else when you tut and you moan and you squeal and you squelch
5) I'm leaving but don't worry I'll be back again, you're always right here
6) My little third grade hand wrote I love you on a note of yellow paper, and sent it to the front of the row to a little blonde-haired girl
7) Cause its all in my head, I think about it over and over again
8) Baby, you make my heart beat faster, oh baby, you make my heart beat faster.
9) Come together like a foot in a shoe, only this time I think I stuck my foot in my mouth.
10) I hope that I won't be that wrong anymore; I hope that I've learned this time.
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1) Chasing Cars by Snow Patrol (Ben)
3) Paper Bag by Fiona Apple (Jenna)
4) Positive Tension by Bloc Party (Ben)
5) The one You Know by Joshua Radin (Laura)
7) Over and Over by Nelly & Tim McGraw (Ben)
8) Beat Your Heart Out by The Distillers (Laura)
9) Walking Alone by Green Day (Jenna)

Mexican Food and Fiancés

I've been having odd dreams again -- lately, they've been dreams about marriage, or rather, about engagements and fiancés and family. They're...happy dreams, but they're also strange. The boys in question are from my past (which is why I use the term boy rather than "guy" or "man") -- not the men I'd imagine myself marrying. The reason I'm so happy is because they're meeting my family for the first time (also not a true situation for any of the people in these dreams). For once, I'm with Emily -- they mean nothing, but they're weird nonetheless.
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I've discovered the joy of frozen, organic mexican lunches. Burritos, enchiladas...well, that's about it. But YUM. Also, there is lasagna and mac and cheese, but al-so there are burritos and enchiladas. Yes, I'm extremely excited -- you judge all you want, I won't care when I'm stuffing my face with authentic mexican cuisine.
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I realized that from this blog, you wouldn't know much about what's going on in my life these days. Maybe someday after work, I'll come home and want to blog, but I don't tend to, lately. I'm a mid-morning blogger, and this work schedule is killing that. Unfortunately, I can't just let my ruminations simmer for hours and then still have the energy to get them down in any solid way once I'm home. None of this is first rate writing, but I see some of it these days, after it's published (i.e. "too late"), and I realize how poor the quality has gotten since a year ago, when I had time to write, then edit, then write some more.

I apologize, but not really. This is for me, not you. But still -- I don't want to get boring. I would write in a journal if I didn't intend to "entertain" in some way or another.

I'm very excited about my nano. It's scheduled to arrive on the 25th. I hope it gets here before then.

Now Listening: the hummmmm of the computer and the clacking of the keyboard

Damn!

Today is Lyrical Guessing Tuesday!

My iPod, unfortunately, has finally kicked the bucket, and while I'm anticipating a[nother] comeback, it won't matter because this will be arriving on my doorstep soon. That's right, iPod mini - How do you like me, now?

Anyway, that's why no lyrics are up. No tunes. Later today, my darlings, later today. I haven't forgotten you.

That's that, then

If I occasionally backslide into dysfunction, that does not mean that I am a dysfunctional person.

I am not what other people mistake me for, no matter how intelligent or admirable those people are.

I am not my profession, my actions, my writing, my relationships, or my past.

Some of the most amazing people I've ever met have become my friends. This means that I must be pretty amazing, too.
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I seem to have inadvertently given up coffee. Since Emily's birthday, I have had one cup of coffee, and that has put me off coffee for what seems to be for good. It's not, of course. It can't be. You don't go seven years with an addiction and just quit without realizing it -- or making a conscious effort to quit, right? Right?!

Then again, my caffeine addiction is still in full force, it's just that I've had to find other sources (and am much more tired lately). I finally started having to drink my English Breakfast tea from London. It's in a jar that looks like a map of the London Underground, and I've been reluctant to drink it before now because it's delicious and fantastic -- and from London.

Don't think I haven't tried to find a local replacement. I found a decent Irish Breakfast tea (in the "ethnic" foods section at Star, via my Irish coworker over at Austin Architects who used to bring it to the office from, get this, the Indian marketplace that sells 'Irish foods!'), but it's no replacement. I have tried all sorts of different brands of English Breakfast Tea, and none is as caffeinated, or has that right...flavor.

Sigh. I guess I'm just going to have to suck it up and go to England. Of course, that seems to be my solution to everything these days...

Trying to find anything that you can feel; that you can believe in.

I just bought the In The Sun EP. Michael Stipe...singing six versions of Joseph Arthur's In The Sun...it's brilliant! Chris Martin and Joseph Arthur both sing versions with Stipe, and even Justin Timberlake did a mix -- and all six of the mixes are beautiful in their own way.

This was a Grey's Anatomy inspired purchase that was much too long coming. I remember hearing it on the show and then it took weeks to process -- "Wait...was that a live accoustic version?!" It was just an accoustic version, but still. The EP comes highly recommended by me, like that means anything.

You Can't Pick Your Friend's Nose!

I decided that Instead of writing about last night, I'd just let you see for yourself:

Alisa's proving that you can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, and when you're friends with Ben you can also pick your friend's nose.

This would be the obligatory picture of Matt "holding Emily's glass - not drinking." Fortunately there's no pic of later when Matt was not getting sick from bahama mamas in Kristina's room.

Seriously -- why did we go there? I Know I can't CHUG a beer. Jeez.

Awww...Cute. I also remember a discussion about oversaturation and overexposure that I think is kind of funny now. Keep in mind, though, that I'm the one who knows the settings on the camera, but didn't think to check said settings after several pictures came out this way. It's ok -- I really like and underuse that setting. Horray for surprise drunken miracles!

I certainly don't remember the back story to this, but I do remember knowing that I had to have a picture of it because it was funny and I wanted to remember it forever. It was apparently that story about the woman's "jugs" that were actually "buckets" and how her "jugs were huge." Emily clearly thinks this is hilarious even though I know she's heard the story five hundred and sixty four times. Because I've heard it at least five, already.

Egg ---> face.

You know what's embarrassing? Working on a project for three weeks before finally having a courrier correct your pronunciation of the client's name.

And when you look it up, the courrier was right and you wonder why no one else has bothered correcting you yet.

Congratulations, you're stupid.

See, Also: All you can do when your boss walks in the room is smile like an idiot, and if he tries to ask you a question, accidentally take a sip of your tea or start clearing your throat (a la SJP in the Family Stone) until someone else answers, and he goes away. God, I'm retarded.

PS. Laura, Aw - I miss your face, too. I mostly think it's funny how I interact with these people (not the mispronunciation thing, though. I'm hyper-sensitive about that). The weird part is that they told the placing agency I was doing a "really good job," and didn't use the word "awkward" once. That's called tact.

I Also Chose some Journey and Goodbye, Earl -- But Still.

Yesterday was Emily's 21st birthday, so we took her out. Dinner at Tapeo was an inspired idea, Jess. I don't really like the food there, but other than that and Emily having her birthday on the same day as the European Club's outing to Tapeo, the experience as a whole was pretty good. They turned the lights out and had the entire floor sing happy birthday at the end of the evening The waiter got the information when he checked her I.D., so we didn't have to ask him like we were planning to, and that was just awesome of him.

We took Emily to Whiskey's after dinner, where the service and the ambiance have never been fantastic, but this time, the waitress was kind of rude (I mean, her section was slammed, and we were just ordering drinks, so I can see why she was upset, but still -- when we asked her what drink she recommended, she said, "I'm not 21, so I don't drink here," in an annoyed tone. I had people ask me for drink recommendations when I worked at Cheddar's, and I knew nothing about anything and still knew not to answer rudely, and then usually pushed something from the menu, anyway), and the bouncer ended up being an asshole to Jessica -- plus there were the asshole business-men (and one woman) at the next table over who kept looking at the corner where Alisa and I were sitting, maybe because they thought we were too loud? Who knows, but they ended up knocking down our ketchup bottle when they left and didn't even turn around, much less apologize. I said, "Awesome," really loudly, and still -- nothing. I swear...Some people. So we left.

That's where the evening started going terribly wrong in terms of hangover control. Partly because of the terrible experience, and partly because it seemed like a natural progression, we ended up at Cactus Club, where some rather older guy came up to us and told us he recognized us from Whiskey's (and then judged us?! Just kidding, he was nice -- weird, but nice), but it got weirder when he admitted that he recognized Alisa from the fact that she used to have some early class on some day of the week, and would see her walking there two years ago. *Awkward*

Cactus Club turned into Roads, where Emily made us proud. A three wise men, a strawberry cheesecake, (dear God, the Google hits that will come from this:) a stinky pussy, and a [double] kamikaze. Skylar redeemed himself by finishing her sex on the beach, but -- look -- you wimp out at Dim Sum and that's on your permanent record, ok? Redeeming yourself at any point along the way won't stop us from telling the story, only now at the end of the story we will say, "...but then he..." Anyway, the bartender was amazing. He started screaming "Chug! Chug! CHUG! CHUG!" when we were trying to make Emily do her birthday shots. And he made her three very tasty drinks when we asked him to come up with something off the top of his head. He was, in a word, awesome.

So, that was Emily's birthday, from my perspective. Oh, also -- I am not allowed near jukeboxes when I've been drinking, people! What were you thinking allowing this?! Radiohead? The Smiths? Eyes Without A Face?! Was I trying to get everyone in that bar to slit their wrists??

Tuesday is the Day for Musical Guessing!

Okay, y'all -- Here's the deal: Last time I did this was a lot of fun,so I decided that this is going to be a weekly thing. Every Tuesday. Maybe after a certain period of time, someone will be declared winner and there will be mondo-fabulous prizes. Maybe it will just be that you'll be king of the hill in this small little corner of the world -- maybe it will be something else. I don't know yet. What I do know is that here are ten random songs (in the order they played) from my playlist, so guess away. If you know it, leave a comment. If there are to theoretically be mondo-fabulous prizes, there should be written proof that you guessed it correctly (also, no google! That's cheating!):

1) Oh how you sparkle, and oh how you shine; That flush on your cheeks is much more than wine
2) Hello again, your words they make me smile as I drift away in my little room upstairs
3) Every time I look at you, I go blind
4) Through the clouds, a nice surprise, to see the twinkle returning to your eyes
5) This is the moment that you know that you told her that you loved her but you don't
6) You're dangerous 'cause you're honest; you're dangerous, you don't know what you want
7) Wonderful you, the dope you are
8) What you gon' do with all that junk? All that junk inside your trunk?
9) Go on and close the curtains, all we need is candlelight, you and me and a bottle of wine -- gonna hold you tonight
10) I have called you children, I have called you son, what is there to answer if I'm the only one?
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2) Only Lonely by Hootie & The Blowfish (Laura)
3) I Go Blind by Hootie & The Blowfish (Laura)
4) Sparkle by Rubyhorse (Jeff, you big freak)
5) Tiny Vessels by Death Cab For Cutie (Jenna)
6) Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses by U2 (Stevie)
7) Wonderful You by The Dandy Warhols (Ben)
8) My Humps by the Black Eyed Peas (Stevie)
9) Save Tonight by Eagle Eye Cherry (Jenna)
10) For the Widows in Paradise, blah, blah, longest song title ever (lol) by Sufjan Stevens (Ashley)

Personality Test

Take This Free Advanced Global Personality Test
personality tests by similarminds.com

Stability results were very low which suggests you are extremely worrying, insecure, emotional, and anxious.
Orderliness results were medium which suggests you are moderately organized, hard working, and reliable while still remaining flexible, efficient, and fun.
Extroversion results were medium which suggests you are moderately talkative, outgoing, sociable and interacting.

trait snapshot:

paranoid tendencies, irritable, anxious, fidgety, dependent, worrying, emotionally sensitive, prone to regret, depressed, second guesses self, somewhat fragile, dislikes change, prefers organized to unpredictable, suspicious, phobic, craves attention, not a risk taker, low self control, very sensitive to criticism, unadventurous, does not make friends easily, defensive, obsessive, low self esteem

Uh...WOW. Thanks overly-critical personality test. You made my day. Although, I wonder how many of my answers were situational, and how many were generally honest.

These Photographs Keep Me Alive

If you click on the image, you can read the full article. Too bad this doesn't seem to translate the other way. Although I do think there's some sort of sexy vibe from any designer - male or female. No? Just me?

Emily's dad asked me if I liked engineers at dinner the other night, and I honestly couldn't answer that question. I think my ideal mate would have some artistic qualities, and that doesn't have to mean he's not an engineer, but if you generalize...(which I did, btw), then I probably don't like the "engineer" type. Not initially, anyway. I mean, there are exceptions to any rule, and generalizing by profession is a terrible prejudice to have when you're dating. You never know with people.

I'm also not ready to put myself out there again, so this is all just...well, a load of crap, basically. I have an ideal, and standards. Those haven't worked out for me so far. I'm just sayin'.

Also: If you haven't watched Colbert's monologue at the White House Correspondent dinner, yet...whoo...

Um, here's a link.

Now Listening: Joshua Radin - These Photographs

Really Simple Sh*t

I've decided to ditch the Blogroll in favor of Bloglines. I've been making the move slowly (and using it as an opportunity to weed some people out, erm...update my blog list), but I just wanted to put out fair warning for anyone who might use my sidebar as a jumping point for navigating to other blogs. I only warn you because I know firsthand how frustrating it can be to have things like that change one day with no warning. I also happen to really despise changes in my daily routine - and the blogroll has become that and more. I said the same thing about Mozilla, though - and if anyone ever told me I'd only be able to use IE from here on out, I think I'd fling myself off a building (ironically, I think that's the same thing I said about being forced to make the switch to Mozilla).

I think bloglines will be easier in the long run, and with bloglines, I can see if Emily updated without having to check her blog fifteen billion times a day (but really, bloglines will probably only cut the number to fourteen billion three hundred and six - which is still a leap, people! But not really). Sometimes the "recently updated" feature doesn't work - or people live in the freaking Netherlands (ahem), and so because of the time difference or computer malfuntion, the indicator is not there or gone by the time I bother to check. I just usually compulsively check the blogs. Well, with the power of the RSS feed, I don't have to anymore. This is brilliant! I love RSS. I don't even know what RSS is, except that its power is awesome.

I am still working on the sock that won't die. I am waiting, patiently, for my new sock needles. Also, my books from amazon (one order won't ship until the new Snow Patrol CD is released on May 9th, but hello, amazon? Where's my other order, dudes?), my clothes from forever21 (two separate orders again, this time because they messed up the first one), The Game of Life (a vintage copy from ebay), and...probably several other things that I've forgotten about because I did not get INSTANT GRATIFICATION. God! Okay....omeone take my credit card away. It doesn't even know it should drop from exhaustion because there's no swipey motion when I use it on the Internets! Oh -- before my tangent -- I am waiting, patiently, &tc...so until the sock needles get here, I can't start the pomatomus-es-es. I also think I'm dropping the feather and fan stole...and instead knitting THIS. Because I'm already insane, and my brain function is clearly deteriorating and I think I have the time and the sanity to do it.

Never

Second...Sock...Syndrome strikes again. I don't know where I'm going to find the strength to finish this second, never ending sock. This sock that I've been knitting forever. This sock that will Never. End.

Ever.

Pomatomus...socks...gloves...socks!

This is the beginning of the Pomatomus sock. I have a problem. A Big One. I was too eager to start this project, and my size 2 needles were already in use. I have some more size 2 neeldes on the way, but I was all too eager to start this, so I started it on size 1 needles. My sister has a tiny leg, but it's not that tiny. As an aside, though, regarding the color: when I have a good idea, I have a good idea.

Now, I have two options. Frog the thing (rip it, rip it) or make hand warmers! I don't know how talented I am - can I make gloves? fingerless gloves?
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Well, the decision was made for me when, before my caffeine kicked in, I dropped a bunch of stitches and decided I'd rather frog the thing and make socks than pick up the stitches and make wrist warmers. My sister is so not the wrist warmer type. Unfortunately.

Musical Guessing Game

Step 1: Open up whatever MP3 program you use and add every song in your collection.
Step 2: Put it on random.
Step 3: Post the first line from the first 10 songs that play (no cheating!).
Step 4: Post and let everyone you know guess what song and artist the lines come from.
Step 5: Cross out the songs when someone guesses correctly.

Looking them up on Google or any other search engine is CHEATING!
Are you ready???

1) St. Louis, hot summer, got the sudden urge to call my number.
2) Those boon times went bust, my feet of clay they dried to dust, the red isn't the red we painted, it's just rust.
3) I got it, got it, got it in me the scientist always get stuck on always trying this.
4) City's breaking down on a camel's back, they just have to go 'cause they don't know wack.
5) Hey there Delilah, what's it like in New York City?
6) The days are cold and grey, it's hard to be away.
7) Pull the ripchord, the ship has lost its sail.
8) Got your rhymes going round in my head; got your supersonic beats mixing up my Keds.
9) Every time I think of you, I feel shot right through with a bolt of blue
10) This is a song about Susan; this is a song about the girl next door
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1) Whatcha Gonna Do? by Cowboy Mouth (Sara)
3) Scientist by the Dandy Warhols (Laura and Jenna)
4) Feel Good, Inc. by the Gorillaz (Catizzle)
5) Hey There Delilah by the Plain White T's (Emily)
6) I Miss You by The Honeydogs (Ben)
7) Ripchord by Rilo Kiley (Jenna)
8) Roll Over DJ by Jet (Ben)
9) Bizzare Love Triangle by New Order (Jenna)
10) So Much For The Afterglow by Everclear (Laura)

Or there will be no money left for yarn

I need to stop buying knitting books.

Also, I dropped an entire bottle of horseraddish sauce on my toe today. I'm looking forward to taking the nail polish off and seeing the bruise that I can already see peeking out from under the old pedicure. I'll tell people it's the blackness from within seeping out through my toes.

If I'd Only Thought of Something Charming to Say

Happy May!

I finally figured out what to do with the 'army' sock yarn, and I think camo colored Pomatomus socks will be cute, even if my sister probably won't be able to wear them at The Point. It's a little selfish of me not to have thought of it before, but it's because I want a pair of pomatomus socks for myself, and second sock syndrome is nothing compared to the second pair of socks syndrome (SPSS >> SSS). The big problem was that I couldn't settle on a pomatomus yarn for myself, and once it dawned on me that the camo pomatomuses would be amazing, it was hard to persuade myself to find another pattern that might suit the camo yarn. So hopefully the pattern will be fun enough to knit two sets (once I find the right yarn for myself, that is).

A weird part of me is mourning the end of the trellis scarf. I couldn't finish fast enough, and I was bored out of my mind with the pattern (hence ending two repeats early), but really, last night, I pulled out all of my knitting (no kidding - ask Alisa. All of the knitting currently in the house was on the couch or coffee table at one point last night), and just missed that darn scarf. I'm going to need another lace project (the mohair branching out isn't cutting it for me, but I should finish that, too) because all these non-lace projects are driving me nuts.

I also pulled out my Footprints cross-stitch project for the first time in months. I've worked on so many smaller x-stitch pieces since I started the Footprints project that it felt overwhelming again. I don't know if I'll ever finish it, and part of me is okay with that (always having it to work on when I feel like doing x-stitch is somehow comforting), but the part of me that wants a finished product needs to finish (but I'm aeons away from finishing; less than a quarter of the way done--after over a year and a half). It's like this ocean of a project and it's so beautiful I don't even want to touch it [and ruin it] sometimes, but it's for my mom, so I persist.

Knitting To-Do List: [blue] sock, dutch scarf, branching out, army pomatomus, feather and fan stole.

Also, a blue and grey hat (as soon as Matt comes to a yarn store with me to pick out the yarn. and come on - you won't need a hat for months, so it can wait a *bit* - but still, you and Emily find a yarn store in CT, and we'll hit that bitch up for some yarn this summer. Or something less offensive than what I just said).

I'm in a sad mood and I don't know why.

Now Listening: Anna Nalick - Just Breathe (2 AM)