Thursday

5 questions for a girl named Laurie who lives in Branson, Missouri:
1. Why do you live in Branson?
I came here for the my art, which is the theatre. It has also turned out that I absolutely have fallen in love with the area and the people, so I think I'll be here a while.
2. What is the name of your favorite bar?
The Happy Banana
3. Name a food that you can only get in Branson.
A pickle at the snack bar in any show in town. Bizarre.
4. What do you do in your spare time?
See other shows, cook, exercise and laugh.
5. If you could give Branson a color - what would that color be?
Blue, because it has had a calming effect on me.

Wednesday

5 questions for a girl named Lauren who lives in L.A.:

1. Why do you live in L.A.?
i live in l.a. (west hollywood) because of my career--i am an actress. it's good for work. there's a lot of cool stuff about it, but i wanna move back to new york.--or make enough money to live in both places.
2. What is the name of your favorite bar?
my favorite bar is . . .hmm. i have yet to find a bar that i love in l.a. that isn't incredibly "scene-y", but i love a restaurant that has a nice bar called "the little door." in new york, i love a bar called "bar and books" on hudson.
3. What kind of car do you drive?
i drive a jetta volkswagen.
4. What do you do in your spare time?
in my spare time i take walks, take ballet, read, write, am attempting to learn french, keep in touch with my family as much as i can, hang out with my boyfriend and friends, see movies, listen to music.
5. If you could give L.A. a color - what would that color be?
if i could give l.a. a color it would be a pink-tinted brushed silver--sleek and expensive but kinda cheesy.
Everytime I eat Grape Nuts, I get Grape Nuts breath. Its like Doritos breath, but with Grape Nuts. Grape Nuts remind me of a friend from junior high - Heather Jones. I spent the night at her house once, and she made fun of me the next morning at breakfast because I did not put honey on my Grape Nuts (we weren't allowed to put sugar/honey on our cereal) and she did. So she made me feel like and idiot. Then I went home. With Grape Nuts breath.
i would like to start a discussion group on craigslist where people talk about perscription drugs. what they take, why, and how it makes them feel.

Tuesday

5 questions for a girl named Mandy who lives in Girdwood, Alaska:

1. why do you live in Girdwood?
I work and ski and hike and have good friends all in one little town. It is one of the most inspiring places on earth.
2. what is the name of your favorite store?
Its a tie. Ann Taylor and REI
3. What do you do when not skiing?
I hang out with my fun husband, read lots of good books, go running, throw pots, and try to cook yummy food.
4. Seen any whales?
Not in a long time.... but I hear belugas are on their way to the Turnagain Arm!
5. If you could give Girdwood a color, what would that color be?
Definitely green.... for the summer foliage, the people that live in trees (they really do!), the stuff people smoke here, and for my job (Director of Acctg)



[[this is anise: Mandy is the director at Alyeska (the largest ski resort in Alaska.) This picture is something I see everytime I go home. Its an old cabin, outside of Girdwood that was practically swallowed by the earth during the big Alaska Earthquake in the 70's.]]

Monday

5 questions for a girl named Becky who lives in Chicago:

1. Why do you live in Chicago?
because I was placed here for Teach for america. i'm glad i was, it is a GREAT city.
2. What is the name of your favorite bar?
my favorite bar is The Charleston mainly because it is directly across the street from my apartment. They have great live music ...my favorite band that plays there is the Wabsh street Jug Band (which, of course includes a spoons player). they also have fantastic decorations and pool tables.
3. How many times do you go to Lake Michigan?
I go to lake Michigan about once a week when the weather is nice, otherwise, maybe once a month.
4. What do you do in your spare time?
I take dance classes, take my students on field trips, and go to the best movie theatre in the universe called the musicbox theatre.
5. If you could give Chicago a color, what would that color be?
i would give chicago bright green .

Friday

5 questions for a girl named Elizabeth who lives in Amarillo:

1. Why do you live in Amarillo?
Because my husband got a job with the American Quarter Horse Association doing computer programming that paid better than his job in Idaho. Plus, we both get a little ansy (Sp?) after being somewhere for a couple of years. Change is good.
2. What is the name of your favorite store?
Well, I just discovered that one of the grocery stores with a "Market place" in it has chocolate croissants- a favorite of mine from the Patisserie in Rye. The name of this store: United Supermarkets.
3. Have you ever seen an Armadillo?
Armadillo's in Amarillo? Actually I've only seen dead ones- either stuffed in souvenir shops or on the side of the road. I've seen a lot of prairie dogs.
4. What do you do in your spare time?
I'm not sure what you mean by spare time. Darby takes up most of my time. We've been going swimming a lot lately, but what I really love to do is bake desserts, especially cheesecakes. I've got a lot of great new recipes I need to try.
5. If you could give Amarillo a color - what would that color be?
Amarillo actually means yellow in Spanish. Amarillo is a desert on the plains- I don't think it's too green. I guess I'd probably say blue because you see mostly sky and that's more positive than saying puke brown which is what the rest of it looks like.

Thursday

Children of the Fodder - Now introducing my little brother, Geoffrey. He is a 17 year old high school senior living in Alaska, that apparently failed out of spelling.
5 questions for a girl named Becky who lives in Liverpool:

1. Why do you live in Liverpool?
I was awarded a British Crafts Council grant to be Artist in Residence at Liverpool Hope University. My dad is from the area, so I feel really at home here. The city is great, especially living in South Liverpool, all those Victorian houses. The architecture is definitely one of Liverpool's main attractions.
2. What is the name of your favorite bar?
Hard to say, only been here since January, but so far, its Keith's wine bar on Lark Lane.
3. Do you eat chutney?
Occasionally, with cheese sandwiches, it's not in my cupboards though.
4. What do you do for fun?
Read Paul Auster books, listen to Barry White and Lionel Richie, and the Jackson Five, oh and Stevie Wonder! Get on that camel!
5. If you could give Liverpool a color - what would that color be?
Liverpool would probably be purple, because it's the only place in the country that has purple rubbish bins. The council has kind of adopted it as their brand colour. If it was up to me, it would be sage green. I love it that most people have plants on their window sills.


I finally finished The World According to Garp. Whew. Took me long enough! I thought the book was such a great summer read. I suggest reading one John Irving book per summer. In the end - he [Irving] basically summarizes each characters life, after Garp. I don't know about that, I felt rushed. Now I begin the book Kavalier & Clay. I am way excited to read this book, but for one reason or another, was always side-tracked by other books.
Yowser. This girl would like to let you know what she has consumed today. She should definately stay away from this article.

Wednesday

I like to keep up with the Tour de France. Its one of those things that if no one brings up; I fail to mention. Well, I more so enjoy watching mountain biking on ESPN way more than cycling - but I can never find mountain biking shows out here, so I stick to le Tour. Here is some information about the jersey colors:
Yellow Jersey: This guy is the fastest fasty fast you will ever fast. In fact, you eat his bike dust. He is typically white, has a wife & two kids, survived cancer, originates from Texas, and his name usually starts with an L and ends with an E.
Polka-Dot Jersey: This guy is a climber. He has boulders for thighs, and originates from Lucern, Switzerland. Never mind if he starts yodeling. He is gay.
Green Jersey: Meet the sprinter. After a Mary Decker style sprinting injuring, during a national track meet in 2000, this dude's coach suggested he take up cycling to help repair the damage done to his hamstrings.
white jersey - This dude is the youngest. Probably the most pompous too. You might overhear him saying things like "dude - I could have swapped caps with Armstrong on that last hill in Bayonne." or "whatever - I had that guy chewing the leather off my bike seat in Le Tour." or "I'll show oldie what the postal service can deliver. huh huh huh."

I think Tony Hawk and Lance Armstrong should be friends.
They are both:
1. tall
2. blonde
3. white
4. giving media family/wholesome vibe
5. get shit load of money for riding wheeled contraptions.
6. are always thanking their sponsors.

However:
1. one wears spandex/one wears pants down to his knees.
2. one does tricks/one is really fast.
3. one has battled cancer
4. one has his own video game
5. one is from Texas/ the other, California
6. 4 wheels/ 2 wheels.
7. One can go to the Olympics/ the other, Venice beach.

5 questions for a girl named Sherri who lives in Baltimore:

1. Why do you live in Baltimore?
Its very easy, cheap and lots of charm
2. What is the name of your favorite bar?
The Ottobar or the front stoop drinking cans of Natty Boh (National Bohemian for you non-baltimoreons)
3. Seen any drunk sailors?
only in my dreams
4. What do you do in your spare time?
hang out on rooftops and practice my hula hooping skills
5. If you could give Baltimore a color - what would that color be?
a dusty version of baby blue
Do people walk around with change in their pants for a reason?

Tuesday

Friendster T-shirts. O Gawd. {via Gawker}
5 questions for a girl named Jamie who lives in Medford, Oregon:
1. Why do you live in Medford?
We (me, my husband, my sister&Tym and our parents) decided we wanted to live near each other again especially while Simon is young and my sister is pregnant so we compiled a list of things that were important to all of us: community, size, climate etc. and this is where we ended up.
2. What is the name of your favorite store?
Avant Garb (vintage clothing) or Jack and Jill's (where I work :)
3. Do you go fishing?
No- got enough of that in AK
4. What do you do in your spare time?
Spending time with family and friends. I like swimming at one of the local lakes, going to farmer's markets and winery's and shopping in vintage shops.
5. If you could give Medford a color - what would that color be?
light purple
I just found this really cool site called MenuPages.com. It is way convenient for computer sitters who have little else to do but search for what they want to eat for lunch. I entered the first reviews for Bagel and Bean, and my favorite mom and pop owned deli Bagel 54. The reviews are a little shoddy - but I felt sad that both of those tasty joints had nothing to their credit.

**Two hours after this post, I am still fiddling around on Menu pages. It's been entirely too enjoyable entering in all of these reviews for eateries around town. Making up restaurant review titles has been fun too. I have also suggested they add a few restaurants that were not previously listed on the site. Yay. what fun.
Are Busey's teeth real? Every time I try to give "I'm with Busey" a chance, I am scared away by his equine teeth. I imagine that cartoon that was part of School House Rocks!, where the fuzzy, friendly looking brown germ gets on the victims teeth and stays there and the teeth rot away, thus making us kids freaked out by fuzzy hairy germ balls, and wanting to brush our teeth on a regular basis. Busey reminds me of that cartoon sketch.

Monday

5 questions for a girl named Sadie who lives in Milwaukee:

1.Where do you work?
General Electric
2. What is the name of your favorite bar?
I do not have a favorite bar, just depends on the crowd I am with, and if I am in the mood for dancing, hanging out in the beer garden on a nice night, or playing bar games.
3. Gone to any baseball games?
Yes, 3 Brewers games and a Cubs game this year so far.
4. What do you do for fun?
Hang out with friends doing whatever. We usually go to bars at night and festivals, sporting events, or brewery tours by day. Milwaukee has a different ethnic festival every weekend, and several brewery tours ranging from Miller down to small local breweries.
5. If you could give Milwaukee a color - what would that color be?
Green. Milwaukee has many shades, from puke green- the old rundown industrial sections to an emerald green- exciting and beautiful!
So I am assuming that the new addition to the craiglist "rants and raves" was created for people who don't really have anywhere else to put their bitching. be careful - it can be amusing, and highly annoying.
This guy told me about this NYC (LA, San Fran, & London as well) website called Flavor Pill. I am adding it to my links on the side - will try it out a while, and see how and if it helps me decide weekend activities. So far, it looks pretty well organized. Here is FlavorPill.
Brianne Cobain??

After watching the preview of this weeks episode of the Osbournes, I am so shocked to discover, (after mild research) that Jack's girlfriend, Brianne, is Kurt Cobain's half sister! The episode looks crazy - showing Courtney Love running around a house in her underwear. The girl, Brianne is totally hauntingly beautiful and looks a little like Kurt.
Here is an article that I found about the girl:
-------------
In the November 25, 2002 issue of People magazine they did a Q&A session with Courtney Love. Among other things she is asked about Kurt Cobain's 16-year old half-sister Brianne: "I'm working on becoming her legal guardian. She was having a little trouble and needed some stability. The good news is I can give her money. The bad news is I'm [already a] mom." {nirvanaclub.com}
-------------
Okay. That’s enough nonsense stalking for one day.
My Sunday night activity is the comedy showcase Tinkle. Last night, I was looking forward to Eric Drysdale (who was indeed funny) but was shocked to be blown away by musical guest Ted Leo. I've heard a couple songs from his current album - and didn’t really think twice about the whole thing. However. Seeing him perform the song live with his guitar was something worth making mention of. Current fave song of the moment has switched from Melissa to The High Party from his album Hearts of Oak.
announcement:
Also! for any of you city slickers out there - the Tinkle Booze cruise is sounding more smashing by the minute. 60 bucks for cruising around in a boat with a bunch of NYC comedians. Every week Dave Cross announces even more guests. I have to get my ticket next Sunday.
I enjoyed reading Beck's red rocks entry. I am driving my brother from NYC to Arizona in August - I want to attend a concert at Red rocks, if at all possible. Oh shit. I just checked the schedule - Radiohead will be there on the 26th.
About the drive - Joshua and I were thinking about hitchhiking. But everyone that I have approached with the idea of my bro and I hitching our way west has kind of like shrieked in fear. Everyone except our parents... makes me wonder. Anyway. we are not going to hitch. We are driving through the south. Two dumb white Alaskan kids. Yee Haw.

Sunday

Here are the lyrics to the song of the week. Love love love it. I played it like uh, 17 times last night while Nana, Nick, Jessica, and I were drinking vanilla vodka with diet root beer on my roof. At one point they started mocking me - and everyone held up their lighters and howled at the sky. I felt honored. Here are the ever so lovely words of the Allman brothers. (I tried to find an MP3 for all you lovers out there, but came home empty handed.)

Melissa (Gregg Allman)
Crossroads, seem to come and go, yeah.
The gypsy flies from coast to coast,
Knowing many, loving none,
Bearing sorrow, having fun.
But, back home he'll always run,
To sweet Melissa.
Mmmm-hmmm.
Freight train, each car looks the same, all the same.
And no one knows the gypsy's name,
And no one hears his lonely sighs,
There are no blankets where he lies.
Lord, in his deepest dreams the gypsy flies,
With sweet Melissa.
Mmmm-hmmm.
Again, the mornin's come.
Again, he's on the run.
A sunbeam's shinin through his hair.
Fear not to have a care.
Well, pick up your gear and gypsy roll on.
Roll on.
Crossroads, will you ever let him go? Lord, Lord.
Or will you hide the dead man's ghost?
Or will he lie, beneath the clay?
Or will his spirit float away?
But, I know that he won't stay,
Without Melissa.
Yes, I know that he won't stay, yeah,
Without Melissa.
Lord, Lord, it's all the same.
Mmmmm-hmmmmm.

Thursday

This magazine is all about things people have found. If you have found any random notes, cards, pictures - send it to the address listed on the website. I think the magazine is a novel idea.

Tuesday

I know this girl named Melissa. She is currently hiking the Appalachian trail. Two days before she was set to leave on her 6 month adventure, there was a snow storm. During the snow storm, while grocery shopping, she noticed a man wearing gaiters, and approached him in excitement saying "hey! you are wearing gaiters!". Turned out that he was so surprised that she knew what gaiters were, that he asked her out. They went out, and she shared with him her Appalachian Trail hiking plans. He shared with her his love for ice climbing and things about his career as a French chef. She gave him a schedule of when she would be at each post office (on the trail, they call it a "drop") to receive packages.
Turns out that over the past three months, the man has been sending gourmet food packages to every drop. The packaged content has included s'mores with rich dark chocolate, baked packaged salmon, rich breads, and a blank card, addressed/stamped envelope, and a disposable pen. When I asked her what she wrote back to the man - she said "well, I would just scribble a quick thank you because I was so strapped for time and tired."
Right. Okay. so basically what she is saying is that she took 6 months out of her life to go on a hike where she is strapped for time, and constantly tired? I have a hunch that something else was going on. I was looking at her pictures from the trip (she stopped in NYC for a couple days last month) and noticed that 3/4 of the images were of a strange boy. A boy that she kept name dropping with a blush. So I have concluded that she has met this amazing hiker dude on the trail. They are both hiking together, and are totally pigging out on French chef's food. Ha. What a sucker.
The Burning Man festival always reminds me of this hippie I met at a cannery one summer off the coast of Alaska's Aleutian Chain. Her name was Amber. She had dreads, and drew my aura. I still have the pen drawing of my aura. Looks kind of like a seashell. Once, she took me to the shack where her and her boyfriend were living. All the boyfriend could talk about was how he was hitchhiking down to the Burning Man Festival in Nevada. They hitchhiked everywhere. They hitchhiked from Wisconsin to Alaska the previous summer. So anyway. What do we got? We got a girl named Amber with dreads, a pen drawing of an aura, and a boy who wants to hitchhike to Burning Man. Here is the website that spawned this paragraph. Click on the years at the bottom.
So I guess when I get high (hypothetically speaking) on my roof, and feel that paranoid feeling that everyone is watching you... I wasn’t far off. Check this out.

Monday

I just spent about 30 minutes reading the archives page (these kids were busy in June) of the most ultimate frat boy site I have ever never ever experienced. Ladies and Gentlemen, I bequeath to you: a Frat Blog.
My little brother Geo and I used to be obsessed with the WB cartoons Animaniacs and Freakazoid. My favorite part of Animaniacs was the Wheel of Morality. Geo's fave part, was Pinky and the Brain. On family trips to the store (we all used to go shopping together to pass time), or to other relatives houses we would stand around like nerds quoting material from Animaniacs and Freakazoid. Ah, the memory. After I left home I would mail Geo the latest Animaniacs CD's or ask him to tape the shows so I could catch up during my visits home. Okay. So the point of my post is that I want to give a shout out to the writer/composer who is now deceased - Richard Stone. What a genius. As far as feeling sad goes when Famous people die, I think I felt the most sad when I heard he had died. I guess in order it would have gone:
1. Richard Stone
2. Jim Henson
3. Princess Diana
Okay. So here is an excerpt of his great lyrics teaching kids that there are bad preservatives in some foods: (Wakko was an idiot. What was soo cool about that is they gave him a British accent. ha! Who in Hollywood does that??)
Wakko: (spoken) Hey! Let's get some ice cream!
Dot : How 'bout this one? Pistachio Almond Fruit Fudge Butterscotch Delight.
Yakko : Ingredients: Zinc trisodium, aspartate, Sorbitol and bisulfate, Oxide beta carotene, Lactic acid, carob bean.
(music begins)
Yakko : Grade A milk emulsified Malto-dextrin alkalide Silicon deoxylite Lots of sugar...
W+D : Hey, all right!
Yakko : Calcified synthetic salt Artificial barley malt Glycerine and aspartate Folic acid...
Wakko : That tastes great!
YW+D : Monosodium glutamate Dehydrated calceinate Soybean oil, butter fat Caramel center...
Wakko : I'll eat that!
YW+D : Hooray for sugar, 'cause we love it. Chocolate chips- we want more of it. Cakes and ice cream; watch us shove it. Down our throats real fast!
Yakko : Here's a candy bar, you tried it?
Wakko : Hey, let's all see what's inside it.
Yakko : Gelatinized triglycerin Phosphate, soybean, lecithin Deoxylite tri-silicon Dipped in chocolate...
W+D : Bring it on!
Yakko : Citrus enzymes, BHT Powdered milk,
Dot : Sounds good to me!
Yakko : Baking soda, carob gum Carbohydrates,
W+D : Yummy yum!
YW+D : Monosodium glutamate Zinc disodium algenate, Whole grain flour, yeast and fat
Wakko : Time to eat it. I'll do that!
YW+D : We like sweets a lot. But they make your insides rot. So remember! It's your body, and the only one you've got!
Today is the 14th of the 7th month. I am stupidstitious about the number 14, as it is continuously prevalent in my life. Here is a rough list of the role 14 has played in my life:
- born on the 14th. of 77. (7+7=14)
- grew up at 714 Maple drive.
- locker number senior year: 14
- swim team number: 14
- choir robe number: 14
- lost "it" on the 14th.
- first zip code in manhattan: 10014
- current zip code: 10028 (14+14)
- zip code in college added up to 14. 10580
- first time I lived alone my apt. # was 14
- currently live on 14th st.
- social security number has a 14 and a 41.
- GPA: 1.4. just kidding.
- I am 5'9" (5+9=14)
- I have 14 kids.
One year ago I was a housekeeper in East Hampton. During the month of July I was living at the house basically house sitting and getting things ready for the busy month of August. I was just laughing to myself about my schedule during the month of July. It looked a little like this:
- 7:00 wake up. walk/run on beach. yawn.
- make fresh coffee/breakfast. I never really drank coffee until I went to East Hampton. Thanks to Barefoot Contessa.
- read papers, watch morning news
- email friends.
- get some house things taken care of. check things. chat with gardeners.
- lay by pool/beach.
- bike/drive into town and have lunch. run errands.
- email friends.
- around 5, robin the 7 yr. old came home from camp. one duty for the month of July was to teach her how to read. so for an hour, we worked on reading.
- made dinner, or went to various beach shacks for dinners.
- walk on beach.
- email friends.
- watch t.v. last summer I was addicted to IFC, and MTV2.
- 12:00am fall asleep.

Sunday

cool story of the weekend:
I was sitting on my roof listening to music, dancing around, and yelling at the wind. In between songs, I hear:
"HEY!!!"
I turned around to face the yelling.
"HEY YOU!!!"
"ME?!?"
"YEAH YOU! WE LOVE YOU! COME PARTY WITH US!"
oh shit I can't believe people have been watching me. oh well "WHAT BUZZER DO I PUSH TO GET UP THERE!!?"
"5C."
"I'LL BE RIGHT OVER." so I walk downstairs, go to the next building over (the buildings are separated by an alley - thus explaining all the yelling) and was promptly buzzed inside.
Once on the roof - I was offered shots of sweet rum, and met the people who were watching me freak out on the roof. A friend called while he was on 14th street - so I invited him to the party too, and we all hung out until the night ended around 2am.
That is my cool story for the weekend. The end.

Thursday

I was riding the bus home the other day. A blind man got on the bus with his seeing eye dog, and his nurse assistant. After like 10 blocks, the blind man started bossing the woman around. Her response to him was submissive and obedient. Just like the dog. I watched in shock. This was the first time I had seen an angry jackass blind man. As far as I was concerned, blind people have always been nice, intelligent, and for the most part, creative people. Basically, I have never met a blind person that I didn’t like.
Here is an expercience that i have about being blind. It was my first year of college, in Idaho. I volunteered to read for the blind at the local radio station, KRICK. I was given a choice of reading either daily headlines, and obituaries. I chose obituaries. I was placed in a studio room all by myself and read to my audience for a half hour every Tuesday night at 8pm. As I read, I imagined all of these floating sets of ears just hovering in space, absorbing information. Other times I would imagine my audience, old, and blind, wearing brown cords, or polyester floral house dresses, sitting alone by their old brown radios, listening to who had died, while periodically smiling and rubbing their hands together when they recognized a name. I had to wear headphones, making it possible for me to hear my voice for the first time. I remember finding to so soothing that at certain points I would yawn, and say to my audience - "oh. excuse me. big day at school. Anyway - George Clay of Idaho Falls died in his sleep on Wednesday. During his youth George enjoyed...." As so on.
One night, as I was reading I came across the obituary of a baby. I was startled at first when I read what the parents had written about the short life they had shared with the newborn. I started to get upset, and stopped reading. As I sat there in silence, I realized that not being able to see or hear my audience was starting to upset me - I wanted to share the sadness I felt for the parents, but was in turn alone in that recording room. It occurred to me that this is what it must feel like to be blind. I just kind of dazed out, staring at the tape reel. Anyway. The woman in charge finally knocked on the door because I think this went on for like 5 minutes. She asked me if everything was going to be okay. I said "yeah" and eventually picked up the paper and started reading again. I never received any kind of response from the listeners, but I remember leaving and feeling this connection with all of those floating ears. I felt like I knew what it was like to be blind, and knowing this felt invincible.
That’s all I have to say about blind people.

Wednesday

Today I was the subject of some family feistiness. Some cousins want me to join the msn family chat room. One cousin named Dorie stated on the family website: "well if that little shit (that would be me) is on her website all day, don’t you think she could drop by and type a quick hello??"
Well Dorie, that would make sense, but I am at work, and I just don’t feel like filling out all of those msn forms. I am a yahoo girl.
So I sent an email to my other cousin Wendy Jo (Dories sister) to defend myself, and we started catching up on life. I was surprised to discover that Wendy Jo is into Motorcycles. That sounds like fun to me - so I sent Wendy Jo some questions and she was quick to answer!
*I was trying all day to link these really cool biking pictures, but all of them are on the family site. I can link pictures once I have a real server. Sorry readers.

Anise: What do you like about motorcycles?
Wendy Jo: I love to go fast, smell the air and the power below me.
A: What's your favorite kind of motorcycle?
WJ: Harley Road King and Sportsters
A: Have you ever fallen off?
WJ: NOPE
A: What's your favorite color?
WJ: Turquoise and Black
A: Do you watch the show Jackass?
WJ: Yes I have on occasion and loved the movie - favorite part (one of them) was when they dressed up as old people.
A:do you drink (alcohol)?
WJ: on occasion
A: ever ridden drunk?
WJ: nope
A: do you wear gloves?
WJ: not very often, my hands are very claustrophobic.
A: what? how can your hands be claustrophobic, like do you start sweating, or is it just your hands? do you start vomiting? what's going on here.
WJ: It's weird but I can't function, I just don't have enough feeling so I just feel like they can't "breathe" I'm like that with socks too, and when I sleep I like to have my feet out of the covers. See - you aren't the only weird one in the family!
A: thanks, tho something tells me that I already knew that... do you like driving, or holding on?
WJ: both. right now I hold on until I get my own motorcycle.
A: I just read the comment from Dorie referring to me as a "little shit." do you agree with this statement?
WJ: in Dorie's book everyone is a "little shit" it's just her way.
A: Gotcha. Where do you work/live?
WJ: I live in Springfield, Oregon and work in Eugene, Oregon.
A: Doing what?
WJ: I work for an attorney and as a bookkeeper
A: what did you eat for lunch today?
WJ: Bag of popcorn
A: Wendy Jo - you need to eat more for lunch. How far are the motorcycle race yards from your house?
WJ: Not sure, we don't race, we drive for distance.
A: You told me you are going to Sturgis - where is that, and what is the attraction??
WJ: Sturgis is a Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota. Over 1 million people expected are this year.
A: What exactly do you do at a rally? meet people? revv engines?
WJ: We are going for the concerts - and will be staying at the buffalo chip campground. 3 Doors Down, Steppenwolf, Tesla and a few others will be playing. The purpose of our motorcycle group is to hit as many states as we can - our patch is our logo. We get a bead at every state we enter. We will stay at Sturgis for about 3 days then take our time going back as we are in a rush to get home.
A: Did you know my mom was into motorcycles when we lived in Minnesota?
WJ: I think everyone's mom was into motorcycles at one time or another.
A: Really!?! Was your mom into bikes? I wonder when I will be into bikes? hmmm. Maybe it's because you get to wear leather.
WJ: Yes, you get to wear leather. I have a leather vest with our club logo. I have leather chaps, jacket, boots - got it all! And, my mom's second husband rode motorcycles and mom was into Harleys. You aren't a mom yet, maybe you're time hasn't come :-)
A: Something to consider, that’s for sure. Say, do you have any pets?
WJ: Just my pet betta "Freddy"
A: I used to have a beta fish. We called her "Maggie Jo, short for Margret." Turned white one day after I changed her tank water. Anyway. I like asking top threes: name your top three of the following: 1. cheese -
WJ: string cheese, swiss and mild cheddar
A: dog names -
WJ: Rover, Huc, Chamois
A: alcohols -
WJ: Rum, MGD, Rum
A: pick one: sandals or flip flops -
WJ: Flip Flops
A: rocking chair or porch swing -
WJ: porch swing
A: rip or tear -
WJ: TEAR
A: Totally cool Wendy Jo. Do you have any parting quotes, or words of advice for the homeys out there??
WJ: “No matter how hard you try your in box will always be full - so RELAX” – Wendy Jo. 2003

Tuesday

at work we get emails throughout the day from people like Clare Mathis telling me that she will gladly give me a 'doctor approved pill to enlargen my penis.'
Every time those damn emails go through, I can't help myself from thinking how funny it would be to forward them to my friends exclaiming "Hey! Clare Mathis finally sent me the information I need in order to enlargen my penis!" Gets me every time. I guess it’s one of those nerdy lame jokes that will always make me chuckle - like "orange you glad I didn’t say banana." lame. but smirky.
This is the first verse and chorus of my new favorite song from my new favorite band My Morning Jacket.
Bermuda Highway (click the title to hear it ;)
sometimes I walk around town looking at faces
wonderin why their bodies go to silly places.
Walkin past the carpet mills looking in and takin stills,
your ass it draws me in like a Bermuda highway.
Oh, don't carve me out! Don't let your silly dreams,
fall in between the crack of the bed and the wall.
ah ah ah ah ah. (guitar) more ah's


I sat by Jim James once at a show. Look how cute he is.

I felt like bringing a little Caribbean to my desk today - so I went to the beverage machine and got the Pineapple Passion Mango fruit drink. After taking one sip, I practically keeled over from the sweetness. I usually water down juices - so I decided to mix it up with the diet sprite. I then made a makeshift drink umbrella out of some old office memos, and am currently looking for some old Bob Marley to download. Minus the vodka, I feel like I am typing at a dance club in Kingston.

Monday

Check this new blog by a person named Ophelia. Not recommended for those weak of attention. In fact, I think starting this blog may have been a recommendation by her therapist. Either way, there is something about this person that makes me want to meet her. Lades and Gents: Ophelia is sane.

Sunday

I think that people who have outlets seem more normal and well spoken. I think this is because after we have dumped all our shit on someone who listens (an outlet) we feel much better, and can appear to the rest of society as well adjusted. Makes sense to me, because why would you want to go around telling everyone your problem. just tell one person, (or maybe two) and get it off your conscience. It’s the people that do not have any proper outlet that are telling everyone their problems, and calling attention to themselves to feel noticed. So, my conclusion would be that everyone needs an outlet.
Around 3am on the 4th of July, I assigned everyone their beds, and left my barbeque to go hang out with some college friends. I was really in that "feeling great" drunk phase. Before I met up with them I was dancing/yelling on my porch to the Beatles, as my guests were passing out - so basically I was on fire, and should not have been driving.
Once I was in Port Chester, Amber, Jeremy, Dan and I walked around the back streets. Dan and Jeremy set off bottle rockets. I have never experienced a crazier soundtrack to a walk. I couldn’t stop myself from exclaiming "this walk has the best soundtrack I have ever experienced!" and we all kept walking. Port Chester was silent, we were silent. All you could hear was our breathing and footsteps. Dan would light a rocket: 'click, fizz, burr, POP!' no one would say anything and continue walking. We stopped by a harbor. The soundtrack changed to: 'click, splash, blubble, muffled SNAP!' I then started back to the studio, leaving them behind, thus changing the soundtrack to random 'POP'S' getting more silent with each step away. It was one of those moments that I will be happy to look back on (see previous post about our lives being taped) or would like to recreate in a real film.
the end.
I always get nervous when I mix a group of people that have nothing initially in common, except the fact that they know and hang out with me. Why? because I think we all have friends that compliment our different sides and interests. Having all of your personalities in one room, has the potential of being a little to "This is Your Life."
I am always happy when it turns out well.
I am not so sure that eliminating the working class will ever prove successful. Say, we are striving to replace all the workers with computers - with the ultimate being computers making computers. It will never work because there will always need to be someone working the computers.
As people walk by me on the street, I like to make up conversations in my head of what they are saying to themselves, or what they act like at home. I enjoy doing that. Imagining strangers on the street at home cooking dinner for the family, or standing around hanging out with the kids or their roommates. The only group of people that I have a hard time figuring out what they are saying to themselves would be the single 40/50 year old male. It’s a group I never think about, and picture them constantly raising their eye brows and saying "oh well". I know its not like that, but its really one group that makes my imagination freeze.

I also enjoy seeing people say good bye to each other. Like if they just finished lunch, and they are two people that don't really see each other. Its fun to hear them be all "yeah, keep in touch. it was great seeing you."
I used to live in a fratty area - 33rd and 3rd. okay. Upper east side prep school. The residents have just graduated college, they have the big office job, and they are messing around. Dude. Saturday morning/afternoon in that neighborhood was "The Walk of Shame" morning. Everywhere you turned, half drunk/trying to be sober couples are walking each other to their respective trains and saying "yeah, sure I'll see yah.?." so that was always fun to watch. The best Walk of Shame: (one that everyone must experience at least once) the couple had parted, he caught the subway. as the girl was walking away, this huge smile overtook her face, and she kicked the wind, started hysterically laughing, raised her hands over her head and shouted "YAY!!" that was cool. Like a herbal essence moment.

Wednesday

i like this sentence that i just wrote my friend: "while we cook, we will study for the GRE. it will be fun as we learn the meanings of prevaricate, repudiate, and ameliorate."
Yesterday on the bus home from work, I noticed a book stuck in between the seats. The book is Wyatt Tee Walker "The Harlem Preacher... The Renaissance Man" so, I opened the cover, and noticed that the book belonged to Brenda Smith of 115th street. How random is that. I found a book where someone had printed their "please return" address inside. So, I am going to mail the book back Brenda. Actually, the more I thought about it - I think the book may be propaganda, to spread the word of Reverend Walker. Who knows - it kind of worked. I didn't really want to touch the book for fear of the whole germ thing - so its not like I gained any insight into Rev. Walkers life - but at least his name made it onto my website. right? Nice goin' Brenda.
Last night I went to dinner with KRock and her friend Laura. Well, I showed up really late - being distracted by H&M, and SoHo - making me miss dinner - so I was fine with a glass of wine, and some bread. After the huge feast, we went to a little rice pudding café called Rice to Riches. The place is so trendy you could scream (in horror). It's shaped like a grain o' rice, and everything has that orange/neo glow. So we were standing around eating vanilla & cinnamon rice pudding when I mentioned that the placed looked so "sex in the city." then we started talking about last Sunday's episode. Okay - did any of ya'll catch last Sunday's episode? Anyone catch the sequence of scenes with the waiter from Raw, and Samantha?? You know, the one where her legs were flipped over her head, he was sitting on her ass. If anyone has ever done that, please write me immediately. I have never even seen that in "books." I mean, the creative sex position team at HBO really threw us for a loop. Basically, we are all wondering if that is actually possible, and if its um, worth it... I think this may be an inquiry for Jamie at Time Out New York.

Tuesday

Yesterday I paid $115 dollars to take the GRE test on September 13th. I am excited about having something to study for, and also feel like I am actually doing something productive with my life. The only bummer is feeling that old guilt of procrastination. I haven’t really felt that in a while, and am worried that this pit in my stomach will be there until September 13th. Last night, for example, instead of going home and hitting the GRE book, I went tanning, and made plans to see Charlies Angels. After those plans didn’t pan out, I figured it was already too late in the evening to get started, so I watched all 4 episodes of this season's Project Greenlight, then went to sleep. lame-o. at the time it made sense, but then I woke up with this "o shit, one day down the drain" feeling. So - that is something I will need to work on.
I am still in love with HBO direct. Thanks to that, I am now addicted to project greenlight. I was never into the first season, because I felt so embarrassed for that guy making the movie. It was an uncomfortable show to watch. For any of you that are following this season - here are my two cents:
1. I thought it was funny when that one D&D dude was interviewing, and JLo walked down the stairs and he was like "uh, sorry - I am a little distracted by Jennifer Lopez" and Ben of course just smirks.
2. In fact any time Jennifer Lopez made it into the shot, or was name dropped - the camera would go back to Ben's face, and he would be smirking...
3. I definitely do not think they should have picked that directing team. duh. I pick the blond dude.
4. I am not so sure they should have chosen that story either. seems to American beauty to me. It would have been fun to see what that blonde dude could have done with the stripper movie.
5. I like that Chris Moore guy. Chris seems like the type that will search his name on the internet - so; Hey Chris Moore - ask me out. simple as that. Thanks.
Alright that’s all I have to say about project greenlight. I have like four stories that I am working on right now, but they have no endings. Plus, I have to study - so my posting might not be as frequent as it should be. Shame on me.