Thursday


Hands Up
September Unsent Text Messages:
+ Slow down my beating heart
+ 32 34 30 31 21
+ I try to delete you. And then I dont
+ Certain dads retire in NJ.
+ Hes no longer funny to me - more of a constantly losing offense.
+ I would have rather watched pigeons eat my four dollars in birdseed at prospect park.

Tuesday

Its just one of those days where I click around craigslist looking for something.

With another head being spared via a 'google search' in Afghanistan, google can now officially say that they save lives. If you didn't see the article - just google something like "journalist life spared via google search" something like that. I am sure you are bound to find something. I am already in a different screen & too lazy to look it up for you. Plus, you probably already read that last week.

Maybe even last year.

My cousin David is being shipped to Afghanistan next month. It ain't no Iraq, but it ain't no Georgia either.

I was finishing up the planning for my camping trip this weekend, and I thought "why all this planning for one night of sleeping outside?"
Seriously.
Stuart IS right - I DO plan my life like an ant.
He say's its exhilarating to be around.
I don't really believe him.

This morning as I was taking a shower all I could think about was the fact that there is no Lord of The Rings to look forward too. For the last three years, there was this additional excitement and "countdown feeling" in the air. Sure, the autumn breezes were nice, but they were REALLY nice knowing that in November I would be going to a warm toasty movie theatre to watch a warm toasty epic.

I have a screening pass on my desk to "i ♥ huckabees". It's not half as thrilling as the prospect of a new LOTR.

Seems fitting that it would rain on the day of the sophmore Interpol release.

Anyway my screening pass is just staring at me. Waiting for me to make plans around it. I am trying my best not to plan. I really don't want to be an ant. I could do with being an aunt maybe in 5 years, but an ant the insect does not interest me. People step on them and don't think twice.
Youch.

Monday

Yesterday I had such a nice little Manhattan experience of chance. I was painting an office on Madison.
Hold on, let me back up.
I lost my cell phone. A few hours later, I called my voicemail, and picked up a message from a girl named Alissia who had found my cell phone in a taxi cab. She wanted me to call her as soon as I got the message. So I called Alissia, and we chatted about losing cell phones.
She told me that she is a personal assistant, and last week her boss lost her cell phone. Once her bosses cell phone was found, Alissia lost her own cell phone. On her way to pick up her lost cell phone, she looked down on the cab floor, and found my cell phone.
Strange things happen sometimes.
I told her good things happen in 3's, and she told me to that she was a bartender at Michael Jordan's in Grand Central. I could pick my phone up there.
So I was in the middle of painting, and decided to take a little Madison Avenue stroll and walked down to Grand Central to get my phone. I figured I should get Alissia something special, so I stopped in one of my favorite shops - the MTA Subway shop, and bought the nice girl a deck of I Love NY cards.
Once I got to her bar, I figured as much that she would offer me a drink. She did. I only wanted water. I drank about 3 glasses. Turns out that Alissia is beautiful. We talked about Minnesota (where she is from) and about boys and taxi cabs and losing cell phones. I felt like in some way I was meeting some kind of kindred spirit.
I did have to get back to painting, so I finished my water with lemon, and said good bye to my new friend - letting her know that I would try to stop by every Sunday evening for the weekend nightcap.
So if you are ever at Michael Jordan's bar in GCT - ask for Alissia, and tell her Anise sent you. She makes a refreshing glass of water.

Sunday

Blogger Scandal!!!

Does anyone know what happened with the "ifoundsomeofyourlife" blog??? Jordan - if you are out there, please write. When you commented on my site, you didn't leave an email address. I was dying to know who the celebrity was. Did some of those kids actually find out about the site? I need answers. It was highly entertaining.

Friday


Jason Schwartzman is starting to look a little bit like Tom Cruise. At least in I heart the Huckabees, he looks like Tom.

Thursday

This lunch break, I went to a Bergie event. I entered a lottery, and am now wearing the latest YSL perfume.
If you see me today, please request to smell my wrist. You won't be disappointed.
After my free cocktail, I was walking around thinking "there's nothing like a stiff drink in the middle of a day". I am not a big fan of alcohol, but I can appreciate.
On my walk around the middle of town, I passed a psychic and considered dropping ten on her velvet curtains. Mona once told me to never spend money on psychics, so I don't. I follow most of her advice because it just seems like she is really speaking from experience, and because she is so diligent about dishing it. However. I walked against Mona's better judgment, and buzzed the psychic on level 2. Blame it on the recent Diana article in VF this month. What I got was a woman who told me to return in ten. I decided like most things in the past two months, that it wasn't meant to be, and kept my ten.
If I had listened with her and had let someone lightly brush my palm - I would have missed seeing Anna Wintour. Looking a little insecure as she breezed by, she is one of those famous people that cause me to automatically punch the sky and say "yyyyyesss!"
So after saying "yes" I continued walking back to my desk, one-drink-in, carting around my ten dollar untold future.
Interview with a negative stubborn copycat:
me: Can I interview you?
them: No. Can I interview you?
me: No. Why can't I interview you?
them: I dunno. Why can't I interview you?
me: I dunno.
Did you know that old NYC subway cars are dumped in the Atlantic Ocean off the coasts of both New Jersey and South Carolina in order to make artificial reefs to preserve marine life??

How cool is that? If you think it is super-cool, you can actually go on a scuba diving trip that will teach you about the whole process. Score 2 more for the Jerse.

Don't you think that Ben Affleck is starting to resemble James Gandolfini??

I tried watching "The Wire" last night. I want to get into another HBO show, because I love the BO so much. I think I am going to have to start at the beginning tho. How about Entourage. What a show. I like it as much as I like watching those VH1 shows about how much Brit spends to get her hair done or how Paris & Nicky & Ritchie go shopping and how they all shuffle through their bags for the nearest credit card at the register - paying not mind to whose is charged.

Tuesday

Among my group of friends, the first New York Baby has arrived.
A big congratulations and warm welcome to the youngest New Yorker I know - Jax Keenan. He was born today at 7am in Manhattan.

The fresh New Yorker's proud parents are Jessica and Jason. They also happen to be one of my favorite couples, and hail from Texas. They have been living in Long Island City Queens, for about 2 years now. Jessica and I went to grade school together in Alaska, and my fondest memory of her would be us staging a "walk-out" in 8th grade in protest to Desert Storm.

I have been very excited about the addition of a New York baby and hopefully J&J will let me take lil' J on strolls in the city in his "I love New York" onesie. I also plan on spoiling my first little New Yorker as much as my rent-deprived wallet allows.
Get used to pics and updates.

Friday

A car like my car, only its not the same color.
I have been thinking about getting personalized plates. I thought it might be tongue-in-cheek to get: MY 1 BMR (my first beemer) but then tongue-in-cheek is so over, so I have decided maybe on just ANISE or ANYC. but ANYC has only been around for like 9 months. I was thinking things like ILIV4SPD or SELLKIDS would be amusing. Lee suggested I get $1BMR. Feel free to drop a suggestion.

Again people. I am going to the DMV on Monday. I need more input on the license plate ideas.
state rules:
1. it can be 2 to 8 characters.
2. you can use letters, A through Z, numbers, 0 through 9, spaces
3. you can also use @, and NY offers the state of NY image.

Thursday

Doug's way of letting Robin know that she is a little hyper, and that she might want to calm down:

ROBIN?! You are acting like a DAMN FOOL.
Last night or rather this morning, all I wanted was a remote controlled window. Or maybe a window with a timer - so it will shut after like 2 hours, once I am fast asleep. If I were married to Wayne Szalinski he would definitely invent something like that for me.
The problem is that I like going to sleep with my window open because I like fresh air and my neighbor sings me too sleep. Good thing.
HOWEVER. I want to get a remote control for that sucker of a window because my OTHER NEIGHBOR (who is probably from Long Island,) has been using her LOUD air conditioner all summer. Even last night in 60 degree weather & I HATE getting out of bed once I am rested.
So yeah, my window needs a remote or a timer, or just Wayne Szalinski will do.
There is a part in "The Garden of Good and Evil" where John Cusack's character plays a tape of NYC street traffic to help him get to sleep. I think I had just moved to NY when that movie was released. I remember seeing that and thinking it was cool. I imagined that one day, I might need a city tape for myself.

Luckily, I am happy to report that falling asleep to the city noise is not something I need or am particularly going to miss. I might make a tape of the city noise for like 4 minutes - but its definitely not going to be my means of falling asleep. As we all know, I do love NY - but its noises and my sleep, definitely were not meant to be.

Wednesday

This past weekend I made my first video. (clip on left.)
I set out with the intention of creating my own version of the mediocre Garden State; so I taped some footage of us driving on the Garden State Parkway, while listening to depressing music. Aside from my giggling in the background - I would say I have a video clip that rivals the Garden State trailer & a Volkswagen commercial. I can't show the video on my blog. (unhappy face) But I can show the video at my desk - so I made Adam watch my video, and he said that it was better than the movie Elephant.

What does that mean? Well. I loved the movie Elephant. I thought it was incredible. Adam however, along with a SLEW of other people HATED the movie. So I took his comment as a compliment. He however, meant it as a put-down.

Thanks Adam. Anyway. I made my first video, and I had fun making it.
Imagine my surprise when I looked out the office window this morning and saw this!
I found this fun interactive map letting you know what the leaves will look like on what weekend in Vermont. I am planning a trip for the weekend of Oct. 2 & 3. I like yellow leaves - so that seems to be the prime time viewing for the yellers.

Tuesday

Its strange.

I have this job where I have to do the same task over and over again. I like my job - (I don't like the fact that its moving to NJ) but I do like my job. I get to do basically whatever I want, in silence at my computer for 8 hours. My point? I was just doing my "task" and found it to be rather... soothing?? I got some actual thinking done. It was like going for a jog in a way.
I have always wanted to patent a scrolling-message-board for cars.
The message board would be located right above both the front and rear bumpers. The board would allow drivers to talk to one another on the road. Like when someone is "riding your ass" (as they say) you would choose from one of the 20-programmed messages:
"Please stop driving so closely to my bumper. Thank you."
Then the message would appear on the screen, and wa-la you have just successfully let the person know behind you that they are inconveniently riding your ass.
I would like to keep the message board polite. I am sure I could think up a slew of funny, off-color messages that we can all type to other drivers, but I would like to envision a freeway where we are all devout Christians w/ that fish symbol bumper sticker, and of course, we all have green grass.

more programmed messages:
Would you please turn your brights off?
Something is about to fall out of your trunk.
You drove off with the gas pump
Why are you flashing me?
You are hot. Praise the Lord & call me: 555-1234

programmed responses:
Thank you
Thanks!
Oh my!
Word.
I am flashing you because you left your cell phone at the gas station.
You are hot too. Lets stop at the next rest area.

Friday

I love New York.
Just want you to know
I love-it soooo much.

I love all that it stands for
I love all that it dirties
I love the sidewalks
I love the transportation
I love the bagel carts
I love the planned parks.
I love the 'I love New York' t-shirts & buy them in bulk.

I. Love. New York.

And this is why I can't help thinking about what happened during this month, 3 years ago. It was a month that harbored the day where New York was silent, the air cold & sky clear.

So in reverence to the memorial on my street honoring a girl my age in tower 2, in reverence to the firehouse in my neighborhood riddled with plaques, in reverence to dust, paper, steel and blood, I would like to focus not on all those "I's" up there in the first 2 paragraphs, but on the times & feelings of that day that we can never forget.
Yesterday was Robin's first day of school. She attends the most progressive private school in the city.
They do yoga during math.
No kidding.
So this year she is in the 3rd grade. This year is supposed to be the year that she starts getting homework assignments. The school has been preparing everyone in her family for this since she enrolled. 3rd grade is the year to start hitting books.
So yesterday I unpacked Robin's back with high expectations. I pulled out her homework folder and it contained a blank piece of paper.
"What is your homework?"
"I have to get my dad sign that piece of paper."
"What? Seriously. That is your homework??"
"Yes. They said I could draw whatever I wanted on the paper - but my assignment is to get my dad to sign the paper."
"Oh my. Doug? You are never going to believe this one..."
So Doug gives a shrug and signs the paper, and Robin started doodling. After about 5 minutes she got bored and we went to the pet store.

Thursday

This is the best thing ever. A girl found a memory card in a taxi cab, and now she is posting the pictures as if she were the owner. God its hilarious & genius. Enjoy the entertainment.
I left work happy to have an umbrella because it properly hid an unexpected fit of tears. Seeing a very dim night ahead of me, I bit my lip, and stuck to my plans of attending an exclusive Vanity Fair/Audemars Piguet party. I don't know how I got the invite - but I did, and it ended up being one of those nights where you look around and say, "This is why I love New York."

And here is my poem:

I asked my home-girl to a party
She accepted.
We dressed like virgins at an art show
We had it going.
On.
We drank Moët
We ate paté
Sugar daddies roamed the floor
marveled laughed giggled gaffed
Franklin showed us the door.
-anise 2004

In closing, I left the party proud & refreshed. I stopped by a pharmacy and bought glow in the dark stars for my bedroom. I thought about sticking them on the ceiling in a heart shape. I got home when I felt like getting home. I jumped around.

And here is my snap:

Wednesday

Apparently I am not the only one thinking that saying the word "Geico" will get me a discount on my car insurance. This is what I received after sending a message asking them if I qualified for some kind of discount...

Dear Sir/Madam:
Thank you for your inquiry.
We greatly appreciate the addiitional advertisement that you
have given GEICO, but unfortunately there is not any additional
discounts that would apply.
Once again, thank you for your interest in GEICO!
Sincerely,
S.M.
GEICO: Internet Sales Representative

Tuesday

If I am ever offered the opportunity to prance around a room and sing to Liesl Von Trapp about a few of my favorite things while she dries her hair after being caught in the rain with Rolf, I would change the words "crisp apple strudel" to "crisp Autumn breezes"
OKay. I am being serious. I seriously just saved a serious amount of money on my car insurance by using Geico. Seriously. Maybe they will give me another discount for mentioning them on my two-bit blog? You will never guess what I am paying, and you will never guess the sweet ride I am driving; so I will just tell you.
1. I am paying 280 every six months, and
2. I will be driving this:

Say hello to the car that Mona & Miles let me drive during my senior year of college. The 2002 BMW TII. We called it "The Beemer".
This car was the car that taught Eric Botell how to drive stick shift in a parking lot. The car that had a crank sunroof and baby-yellow paint job. The car that we would drive around Connecticut during October, because it just seemed appropriate. I had a crush on the car, but alas it was not mine - and we had to part. From that point forward, I was forever thinking about possibly buying a car just like it, upon leaving NYC.
So I emailed Big Miles and was asking him about this other BMW that I was interested in. He emails me back and says: "P.S. I want to sell my car. Do you want it??"
I write back and say he has a deal.
So those 2 things on top of a nice apartment-fixing morning really made Tuesday Terrific.
So I was at a lumberyard this morning because I am building shelves and various things in prep for my visitors in the upcoming months. (Not to mention my ADDICTION to that TLC show called "While You Were Out.") So As I was walking around I noticed that um, all power tools ads feature hot babes. Why is that? You would think those ads would have been put to rest via the marginally effective womens movement in the late 60's. A babe-a-licious scantily clad blonde bombshell holding a power saw? My thoughts about this are similar to Andy Warhol saying: "I am surprised that women are still giving birth."

Friday

New Slang by The Shins

Gold teeth and a curse for this town were all in my mouth.
Only, i don't know how they got out, dear.
Turn me back into the pet that i was when we met.
I was happier then with no mind-set.

And if you'd of took to me like a gull takes to the wind.
Well, i'd 'a jumped from my tree, and i'd a danced like the king of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well.

New slang when you notice the stripes, the dirt in your fries.
Hope it's right when you die, old and bony.
Dawn breaks like a bull through the hall,
Never should have called
But my head's to the wall and i'm lonely.

And if you'd of took to me like a gull takes to the wind.
Well, i'd 'a jumped from my tree and i'd a danced like the kind of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well.

Godspeed all the bakers at dawn may they all cut their thumbs,
And bleed into their buns 'till they melt away.

I'm looking in on the good life i might be doomed never to find.
Without a trust or flaming fields am i too dumb to refine?
And if you'd 'a took to me like, well i'd a danced like the queen of the eyesores
And the rest of our lives would 'a fared well.
In other news.

Thursday

The Canine Chronicles. I have been dog sitting. Here are my thoughts about it.

Yesterday I went home and Kenai the dog was waiting for me on all 4's.

I have been waiting to say that all week.

Actually when I got home yesterday she was particularly HYPER. She immediately wanted to go out. Once I got her leash & treats, I opened the door and she stopped short at the pile of recycling.
poke her nose at the bins - look at me
poke her nose at the bins - look at me
Finally I looked at the pile and realized that she was directing me to get her Frisbee that was wedged behind the recycling bin.
I grabbed the Frisbee and she snatched it out of my hands, and ran down the stairs to the front door!
Once outside she continued to drag me to the park.
As I attempted to drag her to our usual spot - she fought me the whole way. I finally gave up, and she led me through the park.
After about 4 minutes of being led by a dog, I looked up and discovered that we were in a small fenced-in field behind the reservoir path. She dropped the Frisbee and looked at me. I then removed her leash in astonishment.

We played Frisbee for a while, and then I sat on the rocks while she sniffed out random trails of random.

**

I was writing clips for my portfolio. Good music was playing and there was slight breeze through the open windows. I had already taken Kenai for a walk that afternoon, but at about 8pm she started pacing - so I put down my work and took her on another walk. As we were out walking I couldn't help but take in deep gulps of the new September air, and realize that this is what I envisioned when I thought about moving to New York. Slipping on your top-siders to mosey through the park on your writing break, with your yellow dog.

**

Sometimes the presence of a dog makes you realize just how quiet your life is. I talk to her and get no response. The other day as we were going outside, she would take two steps and then look back at me ~ I would look at her and so on.
In that silent exchange - both of us feeling helpless in our communication barriers not knowing what the other wanted - is when I realized how quiet life is sometimes.

**

Again, the dog is smart. I can take her off her leash when we get to her block, and she will go straight to her stoop, and wait for me at the door. She knows her stoop! Gets me every time.

**

Every time an ambulance would turn on its sirens, she would start howling this low gutteral howl. Luckily there weren't many ambulances around (I could see getting tired of that) so I would start howling with her for fun. We would be sitting on the couch watching TV, and howling at the sirens. Thats what I call five minutes of fun.

Wednesday

Hooray for Bloggers!! Elliot's snaps have done it again, and are way too good for words!