Anticipating November

November is shaping up to be awesome already, I think!

Next Wednesday, I plan to attend a comedy night. The reason this makes headlines is because it came SUPER highly recommended by a producer friend of mine who said "This is one of those 'I SAW THEM BEFORE THEY WERE FAMOUS' shows. This is probably the best, most original character-driven comedy I have ever seen." I have no idea what it's about, but I don't think I can miss this. I must know. I must have a riotous Wednesday evening.

Then, upon reading my daily dose of cracked.com, Dan O'Brien convinced me to go to my first ever comic book convention called Comikaze. It's only $12 (I'm only going for one day). Read this and tell me you're not super jealous of my choice!! I already bought my ticket for Saturday, so if I have any readers that I know who live in LA and want to join me, there is a 40-50% chance I'll be going alone (unless cracked is as persuasive to Corina as it is to me). And while I usually LOVE doing things alone, this might actually be kind of sad...

Still, I'm SUPER pumped!

Lastly, I just signed up to volunteer at the LA Food Bank with people from Present Pictures (the people who gave me the gift of The Perfect Family) on Nov. 19. Absolutely r-excellent!! There is nothing better than a crisp, fall morning of volunteering, followed by some snacks and a chat with people you haven't seen in a while. It's a feel good activity on almost all of the possible levels.

Of course, Thanksgiving also occurs in November. My dad will turn...41? 42? on Nov. 16. Amy will turn 24 as a married woman on November 30. Natalya's birthday is Nov. 27.

Whatever. That's all about November.

Also, this is my 498 blog (on this website...). Maybe I'll make a special one for #500. Probs not, though.

Pre-trip Babbling

I am SO excited to drive that rental car on Saturday! I'm even more excited about other parts of my trip, but... that's what I feel like expressing. Especially because MY car is giving me grief again. Physically it's in regular shape (still waiting on rusty muffler companion piece), but now I have to deal with the registration. I recalled, with the help of my mother, that my registration is up this month. So I need to switch my car insurance, plates, and possibly license. And I don't want to be bitter about this, but I swear they make it almost COMPLETELY impossible. Why is the DMV not open on Saturday?!! I would GLADLY (well... we'll say that although in an alternate universe in which the DMV WAS open on Saturday, the real adverb would probably be closer to "begrudgingly." But pressing on...) wait at the DMV all day on a Saturday, but taking the morning off is just the worst. This is doing absolutely nothing for the reputation of government run agencies, I'll tell you that. It's not even a good story because I've NEVER heard anything nice about the DMV.

The point is I stressed about this for a week and a half, then promptly decided that it simply can't be done. I simply can't get the registration switched before the end of the month. I pray that no cops pull me over in the week or two (hopeful estimate) of November when I'm trying to work it out. I love the relief that giving up gives you. Like when you're running late and you start going CRAZY, praying, cutting corners on time. But then after you realize there is no way for you to be on time, you instantly relax. It's done now. There is no hope. I can just plan for the consequences now.

Things to be done:

1. Laundry. Bummer.

2. Buy a specific thing for Amy that I don't think you can get in CO.

3. Pack

4. Find camera and charge battery

5. Make sure I can park at the airport.

My MAIN goal for tonight was going to be to write my speech. I had every intention of going home tonight and pounding it out like a paper. However, last night, as I was wandering around my apartment my brain just started giving an imaginary speech. After 5 minutes I realized that I should write this shit down!! and bolted to my room. 2 hours later, speech complete. Well... it's good enough that I won't be ashamed to read it as is, but I've made some changes throughout the day.

I'm having a bit of a fling with Monty Python. I wouldn't call it a full blown obsession. A mild flirtation. But I bought their autobiography for $6 (with shipping) on amazon. Mostly so that I don't go into an awkward spiral in which I only read Ella Enchanted over and over every day. The abuse that book has taken is evident. No one would be surprised if said spiral was already taking place, by the looks of it.

Bah! It will be so weird to leave California! I will not have daydreams about them refusing to let me back in once I've stepped out. I will not.

Another Weekend Summary

Pretty good weekend.

On Friday I went to an improv show at UCB! Even though I think of myself as a consumer of improv, I'm not enough! Knowing 20 episodes of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" does not an improv connoisseur make. Mostly I was just extremely impressed. Although there were occasional extended moments of zero laughter that made me feel terrible but I'm pretty sure it's just an inevitability. I had to force a chuckle on occasion, but for the most part it was riotous. I went with my high school friend Darri and a friend, and we met up with yet another friend later in the night for some Italian food at a VERY quaint Italian restaurant on Melrose. I'll go back if I remember what it was called. Very cute outdoor garden in the back.

Saturday I woke up early to get the mechanic at 8am (lame). But when I got there, he didn't have the part. I am in love with my mechanic, but he could've called. But whatever. I didn't go back to sleep and instead watched Drive (which I own due to job perks (when I have job perks, they are the BEST!)).

It was good. From the beginning it was clear that they were trying to bring an 80s vibe to it via the soundtrack. It reminded me of a Less Than Zero or True Romance (although that was 93), even though I don't EXACTLY remember the soundtrack for either of those films. It was fine, except that the acting was too good to correspond with such jolting music. There was definitely a scene in particular with Carey Mulligan where the music and scene were so off that it was more like listening to the movie in mute and letting the loud neighbors next door provide the tunes.

Other than that, it was stellar acting and casting (Albert Brooks!!), a pretty straightforward plot, and an annoying ending (but it seems like all movies like this have an annoying ending). Mostly, it was ABSOLUTELY worth watching for the Gosling alone. I was literally groaning aloud every time his mouth twitched to a grin and I rewound frequently to get a second helping of certain looks exchanged between Gosling and Mulligan. Plus, he was a mostly silent character, which means that his suave, altruistic, mysterious appearance was never tarnished with shitty dialogue.

ANYWAY

Then I watched Miss Congeniality and spent the remainder of the daylight hours rereading Ella Enchanted. The latter was especially excellent, even though it's a children's book and I basically know it by heart. If I had to make an HONEST list of my top books, it would still be in the top 5 (assuming Harry Potter is counted as one book...). Then I had some friends over... so at least I did something...

Sunday I got a hair straightener for the wedding. I'm not sure if that was a life changing purchase since my hairstyle is what I lovingly refer to as "hangover hair," even though I never actually have a hangover. For now I haven't even opened the straightener because I have neither a blowdryer, nor the willingness to devote 15 minutes to hair in the morning. Lotion Regime has taken that time slot and I prioritize moist skin above straight hair. For now.

I also refilled some paint colors, got a couple of canvases, and scoured a Vogue I bought several months ago for new painting ideas while watching the extended version of Forgetting Sarah Marshall. I LOVE that movie. LOVE.

Plus, I finally tested out my solar, cool white Christmas lights. PERFECT choice. Cool lights are so elegant and unobtrusive and give the fairyland impression that I love. Very pleased.

Wedding next weekend!

A Mundane Day (Detailed)

The weekend was pretty good.

Went to a 9-year-olds birthday party. Yes, while I actively avoid going out to drinks (I'm working on it (but not really...)), I will absolutely jump for a chance to attend a child's party. It has all of my favorite elements: free pizza, karaoke machine (although I didn't utilize it), a bouncy castle (again, not utilized due to a revelation I had 3 years ago: bouncy castles are HARD y'all. I can take 30-90 seconds before I fall straight to sleep (and bouncy castles maintain the warmth and comfort for the kind of instant unconsciousness that suggests narcolepsy (presumably the downside is the abundance of tiny feet jumping on your face, but I'm pretty sure I could take it))). Most importantly, such parties have a plethora of the shortest, funnest, most scatterbrained tiny humans running around and asking you where they put the cake (because everyone over 5 feet is MOSTLY just a cake supplier to a 9-year-old).

ANYWAY,

The next day was mechanic day. I had to be there at 8am, which was lame because I had to wake up earlier than I do on a work day. Whatever whatever. I brought the car over and my mechanic (/lover?) told me to call back in the afternoon. So I have a minimum of 4 hours to kill.

Went to my old shopping center (the one I used to park in for 2 hours per night, talking on the phone to Kevin, when I lived with Davida) and immediately headed for Denny's. Got an OKAY breakfast burrito. I'm a harsh judge of breakfast burritos now that Corina and I have made it our mission to find the best breakfast burrito establishments. One of the many, highly productive goals our roommate-ship has wrought. One hour down.

Next, I get a pedicure at the same shopping center (all of this tale will be at the same shopping center). It was pretty good, although I hadn't shaved my legs because I didn't have that much foresight so... that can be awkward, but it was okay overall. Although I have to mention that for the most part the lady and I weren't really chatting and mostly I just vaguely watched what she was doing through sleepy eyes. But when she started the leg and foot massage she started making really intense eye contact, really gauging my face. I can really only describe it as feeling like I was on the receiving end of a blow job. And I won't lie-- I was being seduced a little bit. Although not enough to pay for extra time (happy ending?). Anyway, another hour down.

Then I decide to make some calls, but my phone has only 2 bars so I have to make them count. A short one to my mom (depressing and also confirming that I will NOT be returning home for Christmas), a slightly longer one to my brother (13-years-old and thus useless on the phone), and finally one to a friend from high school whom I haven't spoken to in 5 years (Steph).

3 hours down. And one battery nearly dead.

I call my mechanic, an HOUR after I technically could call him, and he told me that it would be ready around 3 or 4pm but he would call me. Naturally, I spend 10 minutes praying that it's ready at 3pm.

Then I get some soup. Get some chai latte. Read some Bridget Jones' Diary (I unfortunately left my Hunger Games companion book at work). No call at 3pm.

Listen to some Mitch Hedberg. Listen to my music, which was amazing because I realized that I haven't heard a song in good quality for a LONG time (because my car gives me.... more like a SHADOW of a song). Informed by this revelation, I listen to Whitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You." Then Whitney and Mariah's "When You Believe." Then a shit-ton of Mariah.

At 4pm I'm about to cry (it's been 8 hours!). I don't want to call and be annoying (and thus upping my bill (in my brain)) but I'm about to kill myself. I decide to walk back to the mechanics and hope he calls en route. When I get there (4:15pm), I see my car on the sidewalk. No one is working on it so they're either finished or... they haven't started (?!). So I go for the annoying and call. And my car is ready! But when I talk to my mechanic he tells me that he's given me a new muffler but since my car is old and from the east coast (weather damaged), the stuff around the muffler (?) is rusty and needs to be replaced. I have to go back next Saturday. NOOOOOO!!

It's okay. It's an exercise in patience. Although I asked him if my headlights and oil change went okay and he admitted that he forgot about the headlights. He did it in a hot second, so I don't care, but it does make me reconsider calling him "my mechanic (/lover?)."

I have to say, I told this tale twice, and to both recipients I mentioned that I was glad I told them my story because then I won't be tempted to write a blog about it. I feel like my longest blog entries often detail the most mundane days. Well so much for that...

Sunday was less eventful. I went to Kohl's which is QUITE a journey from my house, but I got some extras for my wedding ensemble and a new shirt, sweater and nightgown. I WANTED to get one of those fancy olive oil containers that you use to pour oil onto a plate and dip bread in (so... Bertucci's...) but alas, they had none. Probs best because I bet I can find one cheaper than whatever they would sell at Kohl's. I also perused the luggage section. I'm kind of scared to buy luggage because it's so expensive and I'm not POSITIVE of the features I'm going to need throughout my life. I'm not even sure of the ideal size-- I know what's ideal in my HEAD (small (but important-looking)), but not so much what I'm going to want to bring on my future business trips (so far, imaginary). So I'm going to put it off for now.

I DID have a bit of an episode later in the evening. Corina came home and we became less-than-sober, which is noteworthy because I started telling her about how I'm not going home for Christmas and then I just burst into tears. Corina is so lovely and one of the most empathetic people I know, so naturally she started crying with me. It was good, I guess, but I had such a time trying to even us out again. I tried a joke(ish) to recover, but that came off as pathetic, which I could see in her eyes. Then I just announced my difficulty in leveling us out again, which didn't really help either. Finally, I just prayed to be distracted enough to not worry it anymore, which worked, I think.

The important thing is, I seem to be pretty upset that I'm not going home. By Christmas it will have been 2 years. The silver (golden) lining is that I am already booked for housesitting at that time. Yes, that's right. I've already forgotten that I'm sick of housesitting. Or more accurately, I've become suddenly shocked that my checking account numbers are no longer doubling regularly. Plus it's the huskies that I love, which is truly a treat.

Good Weekend (Boring Title)

Excellent weekend.

1. Got to see Julia for the first time in... impossible to estimate the time frame. "Long-ass" is my best approximation. It was magnificent.

And on a side note, I really want to find a bar near me that's casual and only costs $3.50 for a Sam Adams like Rancho (her preferred dive bar). I just can't make the journey to Altadena every time the mood strikes.

2. I basically did nothing on Saturday. This point is emphasized by the fact that I spent approximately 45 minutes walking around my living room with my pajamas and heels on, whistling. Not cleaning or waiting for something or thinking hard about a vexing situation. Just whistling. Mostly I had pre-forgiven myself for wasting a day because on Sunday...

3. Corina and I had Nesting Day. Our apartment has looked like we just moved in since... we moved in. In July. We picked this day several weeks in advance and we had 5 goals.

Goals:

a. Breakfast burritos-- We weren't THRILLED with our burrito vendor (we had to pay extra for cheese and bacon), but it was delicious.

b. Christmas lights- we were anticipating more of a struggle on this, but Target has an INCREDIBLE selection of Christmas lights. Presumably it was serendipitous timing, but there were seriously boxes of JUST purple Christmas lights. And solar powered lights!

Corina got a box of blue and a box of purple for her room. I got a box of red for mine (I'm not 1000% confident about my choice, but I haven't hung them yet-- we'll see). We got a box of colored for the living room and 2 boxes of solar powered, cool white lights for our balcony.

c. mats/rug - since we planned this day forever ago, we fully intended on getting our things at garage sales and thrift stores. However we quickly learned that rugs are expensive. Really expensive. Like... $100. So we've temporarily abandoned the idea of a rug in favor of mats. We got an outdoor welcome mat and a kitchen mat at Lowe's and we got 4 rugs that are all awesome and slightly different from Osh (I'd describe them more, but I feel like in this case, my words will never give you an accurate picture. Better wait and photograph it). We'll wait on the rug until we're certain we know what the forever color scheme of our living room will be.

d. Dining table - Again, we really hunted. $150 for a decent one at a garage sale. $200 for a good one at a thrift store. More than $200 at the unfinished furniture store. We finally went to Ikea where we found a very basic table for $70. The chairs were $20 each, so we only got two. What I'm saying is, if you eat at my house, you will be sitting on patio furniture. And depending on the size of the gathering, it might not even be a chair.

Corina and I assembled our table and chairs to the music of Eric Whitacre until our fingers became enflamed.

e. Pizza - We prepared the box of pizza dough mix that my aunt gave me and made a pizza topped with pesto, basil, tomato slices, sun dried tomato slices, pieces of fresh mozzarella, pieces of feta, and garlic. Cooked on the pizza stone that my aunt sent me. It was a wildly delicious (and slightly redundant) pizza!

For posterity, I must add that... I felt unwell in ways I will not detail this morning. I feel strongly that this is not a coincidence. But if I still had more of that pizza in the fridge, the knowledge of its consequences would not deter further consumption. It was worth it, is what I'm saying.

We ended the day with some apricot beer and Grosse Point Blank.

The Best Things In Life Are Free (maybe)

I was right about the rain!! It's been pouring since I woke up! I know I'm bragging about my weather-predicting prowess, but I have to. I'm so pleased that I'm getting better at reading the signs. The signs that the weather is changing. The signs that my body needs a little more attention. These are things that have almost always escaped me in the past.

I got another AMAZING gift. My boss knew that I've had the same cigarette case/wallet forever and that it's broken but I wanted another cigarette holder and I like asking for them as a gift because then it's extra special-- I'm just not into wallets. A month later (today), she brings me a new holder!! What an angelic boss I have!

Plus, it confirms my suspicions that if you wait, the things you want come for free! I know this probably isn't monumentally true, but did I not want a bed? A bookshelf? A side table? Did I not specifically want a chair and trashcan and then get them a few days later? Have I not been talking about my ipod desires for ages? And now the wallet?! I'm a very lucky lady.

For posterity, I did get a cold. However, I seem much better now than I did this morning... so hopefully it will be short lived. I just get scared when I start coughing up large pieces of mucus because... it takes forever to go away. And I run through my supply of fast food napkins that I keep in my glove compartment. And I can't sing. And I won't skip work unless I'm immobile (has never happened, obviously). But I'm optimistic at this moment!!

Sudden Temperature Drop / Hunger Games

Yesterday I went to work in a sleeveless dress that didn't even reach my knees. No sweatshirt or even a cardigan.

Last night I sat on my balcony in my thick slippers, my winter Boston hat, and my sweatshirt pulled tight around me. For the first time, I had to close my door before going to bed.

This morning: coat.

Plus, and I HATE to say this, but I know I'm getting a cold. I'm going to try REALLY hard to stifle it, but we'll see. I have the throat tickle, but no pain (yet?).

What just happened? Maybe the change snuck up on me because I was in unfamiliar houses for so long. It's hard to tell it's getting colder when you don't know how warm the place was before. Or else the season actually changed last night. And I know what this means-- rain! Soon! It's made me recognize my error in choosing a suede shoe for my brown outfits. I do have the spray to protect them, but surely in the actual rainy season no amount of spray will protect them.

In other news, while I'm still caught up in The Hunger Games, this second book is forcing me to see many more flaws. Actually, just one big flaw that's driving me nuts. I feel like Suzanne Collins is rushing through the books. It's lacking description. I don't really want to give things away, but why do I not know what the separate districts look like, what they're responsible for, as we're touring them? Why don't I get to hear DETAILED accounts of how Katniss' family and friends felt watching her during moments of the games? I love that the television aspect gives you an extra level: her being aware of being watched, her watching herself. But instead of hearing her own perspective twice, let's hear what others thought! And for god's sake, isn't this geared towards ladies? Why have I read the description "he told me how much he loves me" or "he proposed" so many times? WORDS! I need the WORDS!! What did he say??!! What did his face look like?! What the FUCK!

Also, even though Katniss isn't NEARLY as annoying as Bella in Twilight (sorry, but I'm rating this on a scale of Twilight to Harry Potter...), she sure doesn't pick up on verbal cues very well. If I'm reading from her perspective, why do I seem to know more than she does? At least about the people around her.

But I am enjoying it a lot! I like the levels that television adds. I like that I sincerely can't choose between her two boyfriends. I like that no one ever alluded to the fact that she couldn't win because she's a girl. That no one has been given lower odds because they're a girl. Plus, even though I think each book needs to swell with description to at least double it's current size, I can see the movie VERY clearly. If they do it right, and I think they will because I remember how HUGE it was when they started casting this, I think it could be really great.

In other other news, my mom sent me the BEST package:

1 inhaler

1 ipod

1 tub of eye cream

All of my favorite things! Although she did wrap the ipod around the eye cream box with medical tape to prevent it from breaking (this is a used ipod that she had around the house, btw). The medical tape made me feel nostalgic (at my house, medical tape is the tape you use. It's the tape available), but it also left the sticky residue on the ipod. I don't really care though, because I'm too excited about having an ipod again. I hope I learn to work it quickly. It looks a LOT like an iphone and it has a touch screen. I won't waste typing lamenting over touch screens or the fact that it might technically be able to get internet, which scares me.

Mostly, I'm just glad that it works! Although it has less memory than my old one and I had to go through my itunes unchecking 3GB of individual songs that I don't need. It was pretty boring. Plus, I had to decide whether I was going to take this opportunity to listen to some things I never hear, or if I'm going to stick with tunes I know and love. I chose the latter. I'd love to listen to new things, but I bet I won't. And I can always change things around if I'm feeling inspired.

The last thing I want to say is that while I was reading on Sunday, I kept getting the feeling that perhaps my days of being able to spontaneously abandon a whole day of activity in favor of reading a book may be limited.

Absorbed

I have been absorbed.

Saturday was regular. In fact, I woke up and decided to write down a list of what my perfect Saturday looks like (for that particular Saturday-- not monumentally). I did everything on the list:

- Got my Hunger Games books from the post office.

- Deposited my money and got quarters for laundry

- Went to target and got new sheets and a few other supplies (and I indulged in a new pillow... I love having like... 90 pillows on my bed even though I don't sleep with one under my head).

- Finished Zel (a favorite young adult book).

- Made a call.

Regular shit, is what I'm saying.

Sunday was SUPPOSED to be similar. I had laundry and grocery dreams. Returning library book dreams.

But instead I got ABSORBED by The Hunger Games. I ended up reading it cover to cover from 11am to 8pm. I sat on the balcony the entire time and as a result, I have an ass injury. I actually sat so long that it hurts to bend over. It probably doesn't help that the chair is plastic. This is impressive since I sit all day at work-- my ass should be able to take the long hours. (I did reflect on the uselessness of spending one of my only days that I COULD be moving around, sitting and reading-- exactly what I do at work)

Regardless of how good it is (better than Twilight, less annoying than Twilight, but closer to Twilight than Harry Potter in brilliance.. which is just fine with me), there is nothing better than an addictive book series. All of yesterday I thanked my fate that Katherine bought me these books because waiting to return to the library would have been torture.