blogger?

This is my third attempt to post today. What the hell blogger?

Playing dress-up

We are having a Halloween costume contest at work. I can't decide if I want to play or not. If I do play, I don't want to spend a dime. Last year I went as an artist and wore all black with lots of eye makeup.

And here are some quotes to ponder:

"I find it very concerning that you would rather use Microsoft Office or Excel because you get frustrated using the typewriter. Sometimes you need to step up to the plate and face a challenge. Improving your typing skills ON THE TYPEWRITER will make you a better person."

Me: Oh your jewelry is very classic.
Her: I prefer Classy, yours is very urban.

Me: Have you tried doing the St. Joseph thing to sell your house?
Her: No if Jesus can't sell it nobody can.

90210

Now that the art show is complete and the guts of the soundtract are done we can start filiming!

After my second cup of coffee I will set up the stage and the actors will start running their scenes.

So exciting. My goal is to have the trailer up on YouTube in a couple of weeks just in time for the dvd box set release.

Go Fug Yourself had an image of Tori and her husband, they referred to Tori as Horsey McBoobjob. Of course Matt would like to find a horse and place her torso on the horse legs, I put my foot down. But only until I can locate where I put the extra Donna and Brenda.

Artwalk

Saturday morning


Matt helping set up


All done


brushes and stuff


middle of the table


eggs and boxes


For the first time ever I made PROFIT! Exciting.

840+ staples

Today at work I stapled. 840+ because I have not quite completed the row of staples and there are 210 per row.

Tomorrow I hope to find a way to read some articles I printed while staple.

There are still 7 or 8 cases of papers to be stapled. I did 1.5 cases today. I think it might be a long week.

New deadline for job satisfaction is February. For some reason stapling and sorting for 3 weeks straight isn't keeping me simulated in the head. Which really hasn't been that bothersome until this week since I was preoccupied with the art show.

Next post art show.

Artwalk

Today is day one of the Brewery Art Walk. I am nervous and excited.

Yesterday I went to Starbucks at 4:00 to get a coffee. I don't really like starbucks coffee, it usually upsets my stomach and causes gastric distress. All except their light roast. So I waited in a 10 person line and then ordered at tall light roast. The coffee jerk, I know they prefer barista, but the soda jerk has a long history that has morphed into a coffee jerk. So he tells me that they don't have the light roast brewed. Would I like a regular roast and he could water it down for me? Gee wiz. Why would pay $2.00 for a watered down coffee?

I asked rather than give me a watered down version of something that will make me sick, could he just brew a pot of the coffee I ordered. He informed me that they had reached light roast quota for the day and all he can offer me is watered down regular roast. I left and went to 7/11.

If you order a diet coke and they bring you a watered down regular coke, does it make it diet? Watered down dark roast coffee doesn't equal a light roast coffee.

Outsourcing

I pretty much hate calling the customer service people because A. the lie and say they are in Memphis or something. B. I can't understand more than half of what they are saying. C. they suck in general and I don't want to be routed to India to speak to the bank.

Today I called and they needed to speak to my husband, well he isn't available and I don't care if his name is listed first. So I hung up and called back and said my name is Matthew. She clearly didn't believe me and kept asking if she should call me Mr. or Ms. I said just call me Matthew. I got the result I wanted and now I don't have to call ever again.

Picture pages, picture pages now its time for picture pages

The Captain Kangaroo / Bill Cosby picture pages song is on regular rotation in my head. So here are my picture pages for today. No need to grab a pen or a pencil.

my desk


A street in Beverly Hills. I drive it everyday so I can see the sunrise over the palm trees.


Matt and I last weekend before going to Cirque Du Soleil.


Jewelry in the works


More


So far. I had a really difficult time picking beads to go with the main piece. I hope it turns out ok.

The vet

Chase-er-meow-meow went back to the vet today. She isn't really improving and I don't want her to go deaf or anything. The dr said for her to go on a different medication and a steroid for a couple weeks. He thought that he might need to put her under to do a deep cleaning of her ear. I said not yet, that I would like to try a different med and see how she reacts. He agreed and said that they'd use a waterpic to get down into her ear and clean it out if she would let them. Being the perfect cat that she is, she sat still and let them shoot high powered water down her ear.

Of course they told me that I MUST get her teeth cleaned. They always tell me that, but this time the Dr. Asked if I was concerned financially. Of course I am, but come on it is a cat after all. When I asked cousin Tom in Alaska if his vet requires the put them to sleep deep teeth cleaning, he said that the Alaska folks would laugh them out of the state.

I'm sure that it is probably better to have clean teeth, but is it really necessary? The doctor quoted all sorts of studies and talked about the vet worlds view on clean teeth and how pets are happier and live longer. For real?

I wonder if Deborah will take Lincoln to get his teeth cleaned once a year. I know Molly doesn't get her pretties teeth professionally cleaned. Slambo? Anyone? Do I have another guilt trip to add to my bad mothering?

I am a bad mom

Last weekend I took kitty-kitty-meow-meow to the vet. She had been favoring her ear and keeping it low to her head. It also seemed her inner ear was coated in black wax.

Bad mom part one, I love the way she cuddles up to me in the vet. So much that I could probably take her there weekly just so she will snuggle right up under my chin for protection. I guess her fear level isn't as high at home as she never is that much of a cuddle monkey. Fortunately she just has a yeast infection, an easy fix with drops for 2 weeks.

Bad mom part two, reading directions. The drops require refrigeration. After a week of using the drops, at room temp, the poor kitty would cry every time I'd give her the drops. And the black goo was back. So I looked closer at the bottle and saw the giant sticker requesting me to keep the medication in the refrigerator. I suppose the 100+ temps we've had for the last 2 weeks wasn't helpful.

I called the vet and they recommended that I come in for a new prescription. So 4 days into the new medicine, Chase just cries because I'm putting drops in her ears, not because putting rancid drops into her ears. Poor little meower.

Matt response was "at least it wasn't a baby".

not a good title

I got a flyer in the mail for a 21 day fitness study at the popular woman's only 30 minute workout place. They measure you at the beginning and end and work out with you 3x per week for 3 weeks. I decided to do it. They are 2 blocks away, it is free and I need to do something.

Today was my first session. Is it wrong that I prefer the people who are motivating me and training me at the "gym" to be fit? There were 3 people working today, 2 girls behind the counter and one "trainer". The trainer is a member of the gym and helping out in exchange for membership bucks. All of the woman were way fatter than I am. Probably in the eyes of charts and percentages clinically obese. It makes me wonder if this 30 minute workout deal works. I know I shouldn't judge, but still I can't help it.

I took today off work to work on some projects for the art show. I had big plans to go purchase fancy handmade paper and complete the journal books I am making. Yesterday when Matt and I went out for gelato, we checked the times at the paper store. Today there was a sign on the store that they are closed today. I wish that sign would have been there yesterday, as I would have planned my day differently.

Instead of making the books with the fancy paper, I am making a fancy chicken curry dish that has been simmering away for numerous hours. My home smells like India without the bad smells, which I imagine are plentiful. You know with all the cows and stray animals and all those people without regular baths, not those types of smells.

Tomorrow I will go to the bead store, or so I plan. Maybe instead I'll try the paper store once again. I'll also plan to take some pictures of my weekend craftiness.

Random thoughts

There isn't enough to keep me busy at work. The solution is to have me do filing for everyone that actually has work to do. This is my second full week of doing mind-numbing filing. I totally understand that this type of shit needs to get done, I'm not to "big" to file. For real. But damn, the day is sooooo long when you are trying to make filing last 8 hours so you can be busy.

Pros:
They pay me well.
They purchase my lunch daily.
They have an incredible benefit package, like 3 weeks of vacation.

Cons:
My supervisor and her silent treatment. I'm still trying to determine if silent treatment is better than being yelled at.
No stimulating work 2 out of 3 months of the quarter.

In other news the good things I posted about the family trouble will soon turn to very, very bad news.

I am excited for the art show next month. I took a couple of Mondays off to get ready.

good things

Matt talked to his sister last night. He said it was the best conversation he has had with her in a long time. Things with both her and her son are looking much better than they have in a while. We really couldn't be happier. I can not tell you what a relief it is to hear positive things about our nephew. Therapy, accountability, remorse, acceptance and gratitude. Things are still yet to be determined in regards to the future, but isn't that true for all of us?

I am going hiking and having a picnic with some of my co-workers weekend after next. My supervisor will not be in attendance. I was also invited to the annual end of summer BBQ at the home of one of the head honchos. I imagine they have have a pretty nice house on the beach in the fancy part of town.

I've pretty much decided to stick it out with the job. Mostly because I'm lazy and don't really feel like looking for a job and I like being home early in the afternoon. The supervisor just pretty much keeps to herself. No more chit chat in the morning. It will really suck when the other co-worker leaves to go to her home department. Whatever, they pay really well and feed me.

DOOL

So the Days gossip is....

Austin and Carrie have been fired. Jack and Jen leave at the end of summer, Jack fired Jen quit. Shawn quit, last shoot was on Monday he has been re-cast. Victor (Jennifer Aniston's dad) had a heartattack and is in the hospital. Both Patrick and Frankie have also been fired.

So that means that Bo will raise Patrick's baby with his wife Hope, leaving the door open for Patrick to come back at a later date. Sami will either end up with Lucas or EJ, I hope for EJ just because Lucas has weird facial hair, shave man.

Philip is also leaving, so I would think that Mimi would soon follow. Matt wishes that Bonnie and Bart would become a couple. He loves Bart.

What up with the hand? I hope that the new writers will move the story line along faster, really 2 weeks for one stinking day?

And yesterday when Hope said that they missed 2 years of Zach's life, I almost thought WHAT you are pretending that New Year's Eve, the night he was run over by his half sister in a hit and run, was 2 years ago? Then I remembered that he was switched at birth and that other couple raised him for those 2 years. A while Hope had found in Zach's backpack a valentine's day card for her that he made in school. I don't know any schools that start valentine cards at christmas, so they do like to screw with the timeline.

Next up Survivor and why I'm not a racist, or am I?

Tuesday

I don't know what it is about Tuesdays and blogging.

I was not accepted into the Lines into Shapes art show in Estes Park. I do, however, have an invite to the opening reception, so if you live in or around the Estes Park area let me know and it is yours. It is a pretty crappy invitation, it isn't even cut straight.

I didn't really expect to be accepted (self fulfilling...). I do believe that the judges of the juried art world don't consider polymer clay to be a valid artistic medium. Maybe it is the whimsy and the popularity with the kids they skews their mindset. I would have been sad to see the piece go, so maybe it was a self fulfilling prophesy. I should probably look for shows in LA then I can see my art in person!

I am super excited about my new website! I can't wait to see everything so pretty once it is done. I am taking semi ok pictures, and Katrina is working her mad photoshop skillz to make them look beautiful! K8 will use her own skillz to make it all flow on the internets.

I have been in a creative slump for a while and now I have so many projects I don't know what to do! 90210, make new things for ArtWalk, the website!

The 90210 progress is GREAT! We (Matt) have the "trailor" backing tracks almost done, it runs about 6 minutes. If that goes well we will do something longer. I'll have to ask if Matt can put in the "I choose you, its always been you" scene into the current mix. That is my most favorite scene in the whole 10 year series. If it doesn't make it into the trailor we'll just have to do more later. I can't wait to start filming. Labor Day weekend is looking damn good!

So until next time I will be enjoying looking at this until I am accepted or it is sold elsewhere.

TGIF

We are going to eat Indian food tonight. Sometimes I want to get curry because it gives me wild dreams, but Matt isn't a fan. I think I will get some for myself, I will sleep poorly and wake up in the middle of the night smelling of curry. The service is crappy, but the food is great and we walk there so that is always nice.

I am having a new website done for http://www.jjmhandcrafted.com , I'm excited about the new look. I am taking loads of pictures tomorrow in my homemade lightbox/90210 set.

Matt is going to start working on the 90210 movie! He will transfer all of the dialog we have and make them say dirty silly things! We have some great clips, lots of Donna talking about her prudish sexy ways. Andrea saying that she dates all types of men, black, white, even a republican! I hope this project is fun and not a fight. Sometimes I'm bad at directing Matt with what I want and that frustrates him. I hope I am better at communicating my desires.

I wish that someone had indexed all of 90210. That would make it super easy to script, currently we just pick and choose sentences and hope that they string together.

Sunday we are going to http://www.niseiweek.org/ Matt will eat sushi, I will eat edemame and rice. We will both eat mochi.

I hope for a good weekend. No drama, no death, no worries!

Hair

I got it cut!

Fun filled day

Yesterday Matt and I got up early to go meet some people from my work for a hike. We drove out to Topanga Canyon Blvd and got a bit lost. Why are there 2 streets with just one letter difference? One ended in A, one in O. We took the masculine O and didn't find our destination, making us a few minutes late when we finially found the feminine version of the street 5 or so miles down the road. Stupid.

The hike was pretty challenging. The pace was faster than I normally walk, and it was a straight incline, about 500 feet every half mile. After a short rest near the top we made it to Eagle Rock and sat and chatted about the world in general with my coworkers. The VP of my area planned the hike and one of the fund managers and another person who assits the main guy joined us.

After completing the four mile round trip hike we went out for lunch. Lunch ended up being just my boss, Matt and I; the others bailed for other committments. My bosses wife joined us shortly after we arrived. She is 6 months pregnant and wasn't up for the hike. The four of us had a lovely long lunch at one of the most romantic places in all of Los Angeles. It was really, really nice. For some reason, my boss even paid!

We came home and napped for a bit then got ready to go to dinner at Ian and Deb's place. That was also a great night. Matt was roommates with Ian many years ago and they have a great connection with music. I get along great with his wife; we sit outside while they work on music and chat. They have a great mission style 100+ year old home in the Mid-City area of Los Angeles. With a great back yard and a home studio. They also have 2 boys with loads of energy.

Today will be a bit more quiet. Errands, cleaning and laundry.

Gang bangers

My neighborhood has an ebb and flow of various people. Across the street is a retirement type place, filled with 99.9% Russian Armenian old people. There are old buildings with style and new ones that look like every other new apartment building. Some might call them project like, not me but I can see why they'd think that.

There was an urban development study completed and it was determined that my hood was ripe for development. That means more places to eat, more things to do, more traffic, more people. So good and bad. I like my neighborhood. I tend to really "live" in it; I shop, eat, play all within a few miles.

But.....

What the hell is up with the influx of gang bangers? Today after work Matt and I took Emma for a walk. We either go for a walk or go to the park everyday. Sometimes I think that Emma gets more exercise walking around a few blocks than peeing on every tree in the park. We walked about halfway around the block when we encountered a group of shaved, shirtless young men. They happened to be fighting with other shaved, shirtless young men. At first we just crossed the street, then I thought to myself, if they have guns we probably shouldn't walk right by them. Matt must have had the same thought because we just both turned around and walked back the direction we came. Then when we were crossing the street to go home, we came across a very intimidating new group of shaved, wife beater low rise long shorts wearing young men. They gave us the stare down as we opened our gate and walked up our stairs.

I no longer will go to the super shitty convenience store. I suppose that fact it is a super shitty convenience store is reason enough, like expired dairy products 3 months after the fact, to not go. But I can't go there anymore because of the "barber shop". They don't exactly cut hair so much as perform laundry services for snazzy Cadillac escalade driving black men. The laundry mat next door is strictly for washing clothing. They creep me out, probably cause I know they are looking at my booty and let me know as such. Sometimes we'll walk by that corner on the way to the nice convenience store one more block, they sell Ben and Jerry's for 3.99! Last week there was a whole crew of men drinking 40s at that corner, they'd give you the "what the fuck you looking at look" when you walk by.

The tagging has also increased. They cracked down about 5 years ago and most of the tagging disappeared. So what is up with all the new gang tags? Cops, come patrol. With all the construction there is lots of space for tagging. All of those jumbo garbage bins, all of the boards advertising the financing and construction, it is all covered in graffiti.

Aside from the gangs we do love living here. I like Los Angeles. We pay rent that is way, way low. Rent control + moving in when things were cheap = lucky me. I hope that once the "development" is complete the neighborhood will improve. How can the young, full head of hair, business casual wearing men not move to my hood? 25 minutes to downtown, free parking? A public transportation hub?

Thank goodness Emma is a 95 lbs rott mix. She sometimes make them cross to the other side of the street!

Again, it's Tuesday

The 90210 movie is on hold for a tiny bit. There are some other pressing items on Matt's agenda. I'm sure we'll have the backing dialog and music soon.

The pressing item is a gig for Ape Has Killed Ape. I'm really excited about Matt playing for 2 major reasons. 1. It makes him happy to play a gig with people who don't give him grief. 2. Katrina is coming to see the show and stay with us for 3-4 days!

I'm a little bit more excited to see Katrina. Mostly because Matt spends much of his free time getting the music down for his show, leaving me to entertain myself. Come next Wednesday or Thursday you will find Katrina and I on the couch watching tv, creating art, shopping for fabric and having loads and loads of girl talk. Can. Not. Wait.