Upma, Buffalo does have an airport, it's international even (but only because it flies to Canada). Southwest services Buffalo though, so it might be possible find reasonaable airfare. Your welcome to visit anytime.

I was thinking of going to this Benni Hin convention this evening. I don't think I spelled his name right but he's one of these evangelists that heals people, knocks them over with his healing touch. Someone said the "show" is free but you have to fill out personal information when you pick up you ticket so they can hound you for donations until you leave this earthly world. It could be fun... the masses swaying, speaking in tongues, the hypnois and hysteria....then again maybe not.

Here's some random thoughts. Based on the premise that every good Ska band should have the word "ska" in its name Johnny and I came up with: F. SKA Fitzgerald. Just the other day I thought of the rude boy counter part: oSKA Wilde.

The entrepeneurial skater/rave/punks that opened their own clothing/dj vinly store around the corner from where I live are now building a mini-ramp (a 5 foot half pipe) in the courtyard outside their store. I used to love skating mini-ramps. I don't know what kind of access they'll allow but it might be time for the Buffalo chapter of the Over 25 skate club to open.

Stephanie, I've been reading Ulysses too, but I'm not responsible for the material the way you are, so I'm just enjoying the language.

I think you gals should start another blog that eventually becomes a zine. I don't know if I have much to contribute. I think an intersting but merely impossible aspect of the zine would be to get a somehow candid response from males of their perception on how courtship rituals (how they "pick up" women) work in their repsective culture/ethnic groups. It might tie into or work well with Shelly's article about how men perceive her as something other than she is.

i think a new blog may be a good development ground for a later print zine. i know lots of people i'd like to get responses from but i'm not sure all of them (mine included) would be coherent enough to publish. a discussion style forum may be really good
and may spawn some mini essays. all the people on the blog could be informed that their contributions may be edited into a print format later.
i think, for myself anyway, perceptions of race and ethnicity are such a delicate subject that "talking" about it in a blog may be easier & less intimidating than just sitting down and writing an essay about it. plus we could all invite anyone we know who might have something interesting to say and see what happens.


i can't wait until zach gets here!!!

J.T. - I really enjoyed your flash peepshow. and the new peeps.
Upma - you do have the cutest cat in the world.
Mike - I couldn't follow the link to your site - it just took me to a file not found page.
...packing continues at work - we move into our new building next week. They've brought in food everyday and the halls are a maze of boxes.

On friday night I had a betrayal dream. I've never really had a dream like this. It consisted of me being told about everyone that had (until the moment in this dream) secretly betrayed me. The naive illusion of people and places I cared about completely demolished. It was delivered to me via a sweet lesbian I knew from North Texas in a sympathetic but matter-of-fact kind of way. As she continued to tell me ruinous secrets I moved from one room of an unknown house to the next trying to put on socks and shoes, trying to get out, to run. But with each new revelation I would also realize that the socks I was putting on weren't mine, nor the shoes. So I continued looking for my shoes, my socks and finding out more wretched news. At some pont it stopped, I had MY shoes on and I was running, and running, sprinting, to confornt or to escape I don't know, I woke up sad and out of breath, something I don't think I've ever done before.

That same night my roommate had a friend over who managed to drink an entire 5th of some really expensive single malt scotch only to puke it up later in the evening all over our carpet. Despite my roommates best efforts to remove the stain (and more importantly the stink) it still lingered for a few days. I've never been militant (to others) about my sobriety but it really hurts when I see people do that to themselves.

Saturday I watched some solar/battery powered boats designed by engineering students from various Universities race. I still prefer wind power for boats. I completed my latest sailing model. A two mast schooner. It was Launched on Friday in the shadows of these jerry-rigged solar powered canoes and rowboats.

Sunday went to a street festival that was pretty lame, lots of bad bands on four different stages that were too close together. I didn't stay that long. Buffalo summers are beautiful, they pack in as many festivals as they can into a three month period to make up for the 6 month winter. Summer is unfortunately when most people leave town for some unkown reason. It's too bad nobody stopped by in the spring, I was taking care of several apartments while people were away. One week you could have had your choice of two apartments completely to yourself. It's understandable though, Buffalo is hardly on the way to anywhere.

That's the last few days: the last few weeks

Recovered from June in Buffalo (which went rather smoothly) and my break up with Julia. It isn't so bad (no reason for anyone to be unreasonable or immature), we're still friends, which is occasionly tough for me. Some days are better than others, and more better days than other days now.

I've been learning some software. Some Dreamweaver and Flash, iMovie and a significantly updated version of some real time audio processing software caled MAX/MSP that I use a lot. Working on the PEEP site, you can check that out at:

http://www.pce.net/julia/peep

and my first flash animation

http://www.geocities.com/jtprinker/PEEPS/peepshow.html

I'm learning Flash so that I can help out with these Kids animation camps at the Squeaky Wheel. They start up the 2nd week of July. Working with kids in the 10-15 age bracket. making super 8, video and Flash works. Should be fun.

I've been sewing some. Made a purple corduroy skirt and a few shirts, I'm going to start working on a pair of pants next.

I guess I should be composing some, I've got a few good ideas for pieces but every time I think about them I end up doing something else, usually completely unproductive.

For all of you interested. Squeaky Wheel is doing another open screening called the Pooch and Pussy show. It's three minute shorts (video or film) about Pets or "Animal Behaviour." This sounds like the perfect cameo for Tucker, Upma. I'm going to shoot something for it, but I'm not sure what yet. The screening is August 24th, work is due anytime before that.



While I feel like my month long absence precludes me from having any real say in the summit my projected long-term schedule looks something like this:

January 2002, if all goes well I'll be in Paris for a week with an invitation to IRCAM, staying with friends who will be moving there in August so it might be an affordable trip.

June 2002, June in Buffalo, which will consume me completely.

Depending on how things go I could also be working on my disertation or at least be finished with my comprehensive exams so I will either desperately need a break or have absolutely no time for one.

Location: Hawai'i, North Carolina, Boston, Austin, Houston, Seattle sure, but at the same time if it's some place where somebody lives that assumes a lot of responsibilty for said person -while none of us seems too demanding, hosting our numbers is a bit much to ask. A personal preference: large bodies of water.

Another suggestion which comes out of Shelly's idea about making something or doing an installation (an idea I like a lot): If we're doing something like that and we're going to take some time (as in a year or two) to plan, (as ridiculous as this may sound) we could probably apply for some grants to fund some or all of this expedition.


Sorry I haven't been more active on the blog, hopefully that will change. While reading over this, it occurs to me that I might be doing a few things, but I feel like I'm letting the days slip away.

my building is being pressure washed. i feel like i'm in the middle of a huge storm at sea.

Or Canada - I've never been there.

Upma-there is no way I'm kissing this fucking dog for you.

p.s. stephanie and any other list makers, if you haven't already, rent pillow book and watch its loveliness.

mike, have you heard of neurosis side project tribes of neurot? i think it is ambient music which you could listen to entirely separately from neurosis and it would make sense, but if played in sync with neurosis it expands the sound or something?

steph, nabokov's prose is dense that way too. ulysses is another one of those books i started but never finished but will one day. in the past year i've gotten the fountainhead, atlas shrugged, and lolita off of that list.

Next week my stitch & bitch club is doing iron-on t-shirts. I'm feeling a little bitter so my shirt will probably end up reading "avoid biscuits" in big sparkly rainbow letters.
Shel/Angie - was Leslie Rick the tall girl who maybe dated Ben Rawley for like 10 minutes?
Shel - I have "Pillow Queen" by Cub on a mix tape that was made for me - I really like that song though don't know which CD it's from.
re: the summit, next spring would be nice for me. I'd like to go someplace I've never been before and someplace not crazy expensive. Though I'd save up for Hawaii - that would be so so cool.
(inserting random thoughts here)
I love macoroni and cheese so much - I can't wait to go home and make it for dinner - I wonder if my taste buds have arrested developement? I also got huge zucchini from a friend's garden that I want to marinate in something and grill to go with.
I have so much reading to finish on Ulysses for my (very ambitious) book club. Joyce's sentences are so beautiful but hard to digest great amounts at a time.
I have been on a list-making kick. I made a list for my friends website - 10 standards to date by. I'll let you know when she posts it. Now I'm making a list of things that cheer me up when in depths or the shallow end of despair.Though I don't really feel like I'm in despair right now - more of a bit of a down after all the birthday highs. here they are: old episodes of buffy the vampire slayer (I went and ordered tapes online yesterday), dancing with someone who can really lead (must find time to go out dancing soon), getting lost in a good sci-fi novel (which won't happen again until I make more progress on Ulysses) and talking long distance with friends (which made my birthday so great the other week - getting to catch up with everyone).
what cheers you up?

responses:
ethnicity: i'm in on the zine. the gist of my piece which is still fairly incoherent in my mind: frequently people ask me if i have asian, hispanic, or black heritage even though to my knowledge i'm pretty waspy except for being raised catholic. i get hit on more frequently by ethnic men. why? do they perceive me as ethnically similar or as other or as both? i think i may start interviewing the men who follow me. i wonder if that would turn the power balance? i feel very un-pc talking about this. my sikh friend suneeta has expressed many things similar to what you've talked about, upma.

summit: i can not participate in a summit any time in 2001. sorry, i'm already extended beyond my budget in my travel commitments. i would definitely like to be at a summit. san francisco would be fairly convenient for me. hawaii would be AWESOME. i'd be willing to go nearly anywhere i can afford though i'm broke for money and time off until probably next summer but the beginning of next year minimum. that said i'll do whatever i can to make it to a summit.
what about mexico? we could probably get a group rate at a lot of places and go in the off season and we wouldn't have to go to the shitty tourist places? mexico city is an amazing metropolis or there are beaches that aren't cancun. do we want the focus to be the people or events in the place or both? we could plan some sort of art project while everyone is together? (a film, a sculpture, a zine?) do we want to be somewhere where one of us can play tour guide or go somewhere which is new to everyone? what length of time are we thinking? or does that depend on the place?

i have no matchmaking stories that i can think of.

i had a dream with leslie rick in it two nights ago. no idea why. don't remember the dream.
last night i had a dream that i was having trouble with my wife (?) because we had a terminally ill (or perhaps recently deceased) child. i thought my romantic overtures to my wife would heal and comfort us both. she vehemently disagreed.

i found the bottom half of a female mannequin. instead of feet she has high heel shoes.
the neighborhood was extremely festive for the pride parade this weekend. dykes on bikes were probably the best part. i dressed as my own fairy godmother.

ohmygod. have any of you ever heard of the band Cub? i think they broke up but i heard the cd betti-cola and it is SO GOOD!

i spent the end of the week helping zanetka prepare the set she designed for a kids summer musical presentation of the wiz. i forgot how much fun it is being around a theater.

So I tried playing matchmaker last night but it had diasterous effects. Well, not diasterous exactly. But He spent the whole night talking about his ex-girlfriend. And She spent the whole night talking about men who cheat. So they both had bad experiences in the past. But they had spent my whole birthday party talking to each other. I thought - a group of us going out drinking after work - I'll invite them both and watch the sparks fly. The only sparks flying were from bitterness and spite. I guess it was too soon for both, though they're really none the wiser. Does anyone have any successful matchmaking stories out there?

The Mission is nice enough I guess. I'm not really interested in shops on this trip. i don't need any records or books or clothes (or drugs), so I'd really rather avoid places that sell them. So, besides that, Mission offers little except drugdealers, bums and prostitutes. There are some good restaurants, I'm told, but we haven't eaten out that much yet. The Castro is a little more interesting because it is g-a-y. The Pride parade starts tomorrow so I'm sure its going to get even more fabulous. The whole city has some great art. I love all the murals. I'm jealous that buildings never look like that in North Carolina.

I suppose we should do Haight pretty soon. We tried to eat there (at Axum Ethopian) tonight but couldn't find a place to park. That part of town is cookin' on a Friday night.

We went to the beach today and even though it was very cold, I enjoyed that a lot. I'm hoping to take a day to explore Golden Gate park soon. They have a few flower gardens that I'm psyched to see. Then Bass Lake next week.

The people I'm staying with are all great. Most hail from NC; all have lived there for a least a little while. Last night we went to a show and, I swear half the people there were former Greensboro residents. The band, Lightning Bolt, was pretty great, but I was so hot I couldn't really enjoy myself.

Lisa's dog barfed in this roof and, jesus, it makes me so glad that I don't live with any pets. Whew, stink!

Hooray for resolution. I'm still floundering in Biscuitville but hopefully enlightenment will arrive shortly. If not, I'll take the train to the next town.
A fun weekend is planned. Drinks and dinner and then my friend cara's birthday party tonight (karaoke and nakedness are sure to ensue - well, not nakedness on my part - but there is a history at her parties with other guests - one of the hosts has a penchant for playing his drum set in the nude.) Tomorrow I should leave for Fentress, TX for a weekend of BBQ, drinking margaritas and floating down the river.

Walked through Chinatown yesterday. Saw some neat stuff, but mostly tourist junk shops. i guess they are charming in their own way. we ate at Kowloon. they had a vegan all you can eat dim sum buffet. It was good, but greasy and one or two of the things I got were a little too grody. But, they have this policy where you get charged $2 extra if you don't clean your plate, so we wolfed it all down.

I bought Dad a little terra cotta soldier, because hes always been interested in that thing. I think he's watched a hundred PBS specials on the terra cotta army. Thad, don't tell him, ok?

Lisa is leaving us for the weekend. she's flying back to Charlotte.

Today, we're heading into the Mission area to move some Slave zines. Tonight, we're going to see Lightning Bolt and Last of the Juanitas.

Our flight was really long. We stopped in Austin and in San Diego. Southwest is a budg airline. No meal, no movie. Tons of non-vegan, non-veggie snacks though. and the seats are way cramped. but, it was ok. We saved a ton of money by flying with them.

Audrey, Zach Blue, Vic and Meredith met us at the airport. We got to the house and started making plans for the night's get together meal and movie. The meal was a Southern theme. We had cassarole, salad, greens, cornbread, fried "chicken" and sweet tea. Sorry Weez, I'm not much for food details. then we watched Die Hard (my favorite movie and a popular choice), but john and I were overcome by jetlag and were snoring before the good parts.

today, we head to Chinatown.

more later.

Upma - whine all you want - but you should also buy that pinata and paint it's feet blue and then whack the crap out of it for all the emotional fuckwittage you've been put through.
Ditto the praise on not calling. I've had to unplug my phone and put it in another room to avoid temptation like that.
Weezie - have you read Barbara Kingsolver's latest - Prodigal Summer? - I liked it less than the Poisonwood Bible - but since it's Barbara Kingsolver - it's still really good.
Angie Joe - congrats on having carpet - that reminds me of all the housing mess my good friend Stephanie is going through. Her landlord doesn't believe in leases, just signing a list of her rules. But since Stephanie has moved in (a week ago) - she keeps having to fight with her landlord over fixing things. Like the rotton floor around the toilet (gross, I know), the gas leak in the house that will cost $1200 to fix, no hot water, leaky shower, the list goes on. It makes me grateful that even though I'm paying almost twice what she'll pay in rent, the cost of mental anguish doesn't come cheap. Speaking of mental anguish, I'm going bathing suit shopping tonight. No matter your body type, not a fun experience. But I'm going tubing this weekend and want something fun and new to wear.

Weezie - I'm so proud of you for putting out the olive branch to an ex. I've tried it before with diasterous results. The only thing I learned is that you both should be on the same page or someone's feelings are going to get misread and then hurt. But you sound at peace with it.
I'd love to go to a summit - my travel plans and travel buget fluctuate all the time. But if you come to Austin, come in the Spring or late Fall - otherwise it's unbareable hot, rainy or grossly humid. But spring - the wildflowers in bloom - it's just beautiful. But I guess we have a long time to decide.
Upma - my sister-in-law is actually just half-Iranian and she does have a brother - but younger, like 19, and he's dating someone. But he's funny and nice and lives in Austin.
Thanks for all the birthday wishes. More events (though more lowkey) continue this week as those who were out of town last week are continuing to celebrate with me.
The biscuit is back to being a biscuit. But if he wasn't, I'd have to change his name.

i think we should plan a summit for like 2 years from now. plenty of time to plan etc. angie's got a brand new job and probably no vacation time and i'll most likely be in the same boat soon. a lot of us are in flux right now (moving, finishing school, having babies, switching jobs, just starting or finishing long bank breaking trips)and may be more settled then or would at least have a lot more planning time. plus i'm not the only one who's broke am i?
i don't mean delaying it indefinitely, i think a summit would be awesome and should happen. but i at least need A LOT of lead time to make it happen for me.

We're leaving first thing tomorrow (today, I guess) for San Francisco. I've finished packing but I'm sure I've forgetten something. I don't know what. I'm taking my digital camera so I should be able to mail you all some pictures from my journey. I can't really think to write cause I'm so excited.

Here's the update on the birth week extravangza. Thursday night I went out to dinner with some close friends and then over to the biscuit's house. The biscuit stuck a candle in a plate of BBQ and sang to me in several different languages. Some of his friends dropped by with beer and an impromptu party happened. But it was much fun and he wasn't biscuity at all. After that (so this is a crazy long message - but what can I say - it was a very eventful weekend) Well, let me begin by saying the inside of my fridge is an alcoholic's wet dream. 43 (yes, I counted) bottles of beer, champagne, liquor - there really isn't much room for food in there. and after the goings on of the past few days, the last thing I feel like doing is drinking. let me tell you of the decadence. friday night was my friend jessie's birthday - the night of events from 8pm to 2am. Well, before going out I had to check that the key I'd made for my brother worked since he was getting in that night late. so I've just gotten out of the shower, thrown on some clothes and go outside to try my new key. it's kind of sticky. but eventually I manage to lock the door. the problem arrives when I cannot unlock the door to get back in the house. I start sweating. turning the key this way and that. to no avail. I'm starting to get a blister on my hand from trying to turn it hard. time passes. I look across the fence to a pool party going on next door and contemplate looking like an idiot explaining to the revelers how I've locked myself out of my house with a bad key. more attempts at turning. cursing myself for not having better finger strength. (lightbulb) my neighbors! I rush down to the parking lot to see which cars are there and figure out who is home. I go two doors down and knock. The very nice, 40+ gay man opens the door in his short paisley silk bathrobe and slippers.
"Hi - so I got this key made for my brother and I wanted to try it out and now I don't seem to be able to unlock my door and could you please help me because I have a party to go to and I'm not sure what to do and I really can't open the door and you're stronger than me and please thank you"
(all in one breath)
He shuffles over in his robe, tries the door. Still won't budge.
"Do you have any WD-40?" he asks me.
(now if I did, wouldn't is be IN THE APARTMENT WHICH I AM LOCKED OUT OF!)
"no" I say.
He shuffles back to his apartment and returns with some WD-40. He sprays. Turns the key. It opens.
choirs of angels sing. I rush back inside, finish getting ready and go to jessie's house for the party to begin. We eat appetizers then head downtown. First stop, Mezzaluna. We drink Bellini's. I'm sitting next to her friend jill who is very hilarious and frank. I learn about Jill's vibrator collection. I learn about Jill's current long-distance fling. I learn what Jill had for breakfast. But Jill is much fun. Then we go to the Red Fez. And damn if they don't make their drinks strong. I have been kicked on my ass now. (and that is a really cool place to go - I want to go back when it's less crowded). After the Red Fez, we head to Polly Ester's. (so bad - I know) and dance like it's 1980. I try some hair whips on the dance floor and only make myself dizzy. We dance. whee. I get progressively tired. I go home.
And wake up to my brother speaking Farsi (or is it Pharsi) to me.
"Salam, Stephanie blah blah blah blah"
what the fuck? (oh, so my brother's in-laws are from Iran and he thought it would be cute to speak another language as he woke up his hungover sister - real cute)
He's come in town to watch baseball and take me out. I just want to stay curled up on my bed but really wish someone would bring me my gatorade in the fridge.
He leaves to run errands and comes back to take me out to lunch.
"What do you want to eat," he says.
"soup - please"
We eat, he then offers to go buy me a present. We head to the bookstore. I buy that Ulysses companion book and a sci-fi novel called "Shadow of the Hegemon." Yes, I am a dork. Then my brother says
"Do you want ice cream?"
"Do you want to go get a snowball?"
"Do you need me to take you someplace?"
"Would you like to go to the park?"
"Do you have any errands you need to run?"
"Please, Daniel, just let me go home and take a nap for the love of God!"
And we go home. He turns on baseball, which is like sleeping with your eyes open, so we watch some of the Rangers game. Then some golf. Then he goes home and I get ready for my party. I'm wearing the pink leopard fuzzy-eared headband steph and nathan got me. I'm raring to go. Guests arrive. They bring gifts and liquor. We eat cheescake. A good time is had by all. The last guest leaves around 2am. I stare at dismay at my trashed apartment, do some light cleaning and fall into bed.
Oh, but the weekend is not over yet!
Sunday comes (happy father's day)- more cleaning.
I meet up with Jessie and her out of town guests and go to Barton Springs pool for a few hours. Trashy magazines are read. More gatorade is consumed. Then we go to the Oasis for dinner. Margaritas and fajitas and a beautiful sunset. Then I go home, attempt to finish my book club reading of Ulysses. Fall asleep. And the birth week extravanga ends (well, until I'm supposed to go out to dinner with the biscuit to celebrate again).

the end.

weezie, i think the issue you raise about claiming an ethnicity is really interesting. i have my own ideas/issues with ethnicity that i need to think about more thouroughly before commenting. i really need to mail you that package i promised so long ago with the article about objectification of asian girls and men with asian fetishes. i was going to send it to angie too and have a round table discussion. now you've "met" anyway. maybe i should make upma a copy as well? that was so many months before the blog idea. i really am terrible about actually getting things in the mail.

for the past week and a half i have been meaning to buy father's day cards and mail them. especially because the mother's day cards were late this year and the father's day cards didn't happen last year either. and my family gets a bit dramatic. i don't want sobbing calls from my mom and grandmother about my dad's hurt feelings, AGAIN this year. keep in mind that even last year i DID call dad and grandpa LONG DISTANCE to wish them happy father's day. but that wasn't enough. stupid made-up holidays. needless to say i forgot again this year and it is now nearly midnight on thursday.

yesterday was a REALLY frustrating day. i spent 6 hours back & forth on the bus trying to meet up with some people to critique my portfolio and had one miscommunication after another. today was a really good day. my soccer team lost which means we're out of the championship. we'll still advance up a level for next season.

mike,i'm starting to feel sane again. thanks for the pep talk.

steph, enjoy the rest of birthday week extravaganza.

zach, you'll arrive the 11th? and be here till...? i'm probably going to be working some of those weekdays but i'll point you in the right direction and we'll still have plenty of time to hang out. can you tune my guitar?

thad, how's the beautiful baby girl? i was telling my mom how pretty Grace is (from the picture zach sent). not puffy and red and and gross the way new babies usually look. my mom said that grace must take after her uncle. (i told her that from pictures you and zach look very much like brothers).

angie, upma, keep on truckin' girls.
angie, i want a postcard from SF.

Upma - come to Austin. That would kick much ass. And I know all the places to buy pinatas here.

what about seattle?

Angie Joe - buy a pinata. You will feel much better (especially if you fill it with the things only you like).

Birthday extravaganza plans:
wed. night - girl drinking at a cool bar by Lake Austin with some friends who will be out of town for the real party
thursday afternoon - getting taken out for lunch by work people
thurs. night - (the actual birthday) getting gussied up for dinner with my closest buds in austin
fri. night - tapas at a friend's house, out for dinner, then drinks, then dancing
sat. afternoon - my brother's coming to town to take me out for lunch
sat. night - throwing a housewarming/birthday party at my new place (you're all invited).
sun. afternoon - playing with new presents
Yes, I am four years old. But I can't wait. This week is going to be so much fun. I'm going to the mall at lunch today to buy myself a new party worthy outfit. A birthday tradition I always keep for myself.
Not sure which of these events to invite the biscuit to. I'm kind of playing it safe, so maybe just the big party.

Oh, Upma - I'm so sorry it didn't work out. You are not the stupid one. He is for not realizing he'd be a lucky bastard to even get a chance to go out with you. But at least it was a little fun (maybe) while it lasted. Have a good time with your pinata. Until just recently I had the head of an old pinata (an elephant it was) on my bookshelf like a hunter's trophy, and a reminder of what happens when you date boys who work at record stores.
Angie Joe - I'm glad you're okay. Those flood pictures I kept seeing were unreal. At least with a background in New Orleans, you're used to floods.
Okay, two people at work are out so I need to try and be three people. On a good note, it's my birthday on Thursday and I'm trying to not just celebrate a birthDAY but more like a birthWEEK. The festivities begin tomorrow.

Time to postpone pinata buying. Things seem to be back on with the boy. We hung out Friday and had the just what is going on talk. And I feel much better now. Still apprensive that he's going to flake once again like the biscuit that he is. But slightly hopeful for a better outcome.

i just squirted lukewarm tap water into the sockets where my teeth used to be. I did this so the little bits of french fries (which I should not have eaten) won't get rotty and infect my tooth hole. Boy, I'm not enjoying this.

My brother and I share a favorite joke. Here it is...

A horse walks into a bar. The bartender says, "Hey, why the long face?"

no.

huh. that makes it sound like there has been a lot going on.

Two penguins were taking a bath and one of the penguins says "hey..pass the soap" and the other penguin looks at the first and says "what do i look like?.. a toaster oven?"

two penguins were on an iceberg one day when it split in half with each penguin on a seperate chunk of ice. as the two drifted apart one of the penguin yelled "i guess this is goodbye..." after a short pause the other penguin yelled "chocolate milk!"

ask me if i'm a truck.

hi. i haven't had much to say. mike came to visit. it was tons of fun. i've been busy since but not on anything of note. i watched so many talk shows about bad teen girls and their sexy ways that i decided i had to read lolita even though last time a few chapters in i threw it across the room in disgust.
i'm obsessing over something embarassing and probably irrelevant which i can't discuss just yet.
i applied for a few permanent jobs. i might actually want one of them. i won't hear anything about it until july.
the rundown of the past four weeks: mike visited. went to a baseball game. i voted for allstars with names all ending in z. we had an excellent party except for the guy that we didn't know who wouldn't leave. went to the dentist. went to the nw folklife festival and watched people dance and dance. i wish i wasn't shy and i wish i didn't get hit on. soaked in a hot tub in the rain until five in the morning. went to a bonfire party by mount ranier where last year they exploded couches. went to the science center to look at the huge bugs. hung out with zanetka talking about art and eating ice cream till her cats (or maybe the art) made my eyes start to swell. my soccer team is on the cusp of making it to the championship.

all this love angst makes me uneasy. good luck to you all. i know you'll make it through. i have no sage advice.

my sister just got her wisdom teeth out. zach, you make me glad i've ignored the advice of my dentist for the past 8 years.

i've got to meet upma in person. louise, will you write a personals ad for me?

portland was charming and powells is amazing but i couldn't find anything to do in portland on a weekend night. maybe portland is like seattle in the winter (that is when i was there). here in the winter everyone stays home and drinks and reads or watches movies. i'll have to go back now that it is summer.

the summer solstice parade and naked bike riders coming soon! party to meet my friend hakan's mom from turkey this week. i have a weekend in the eastern part of the state coming up where i may learn fly fishing. i may go to new orleans at the end of july for my mom's birthday and the bridal shower of a friend since 6th grade. eek! one of my friends may be pregnant, again. i have to buy plane tickets to atlanta in september, and new orleans in november and december. i want to go to california to visit my friends in hollywood and journey to their timeshare in mexico. i still haven't been to british columbia, only hours away. i don't have money for any of this.

i have been painting. that makes me happy.

Three guys walk into a bar. The fourth guy ducks.

Saw Moulin Rouge the other night. I really enjoyed it, but then I like musicals. And Strictly Ballroom is one of my favorite movies, so I'm predisposed to like anything Baz Luhrmann does.
I'm sick of feeling like a fool over the boy. I'm throwing in the towel. Well, actually, I'm buying a pinata, naming it after him, and destroying it at my birthday party next week. (I've done this for several past end of relationships, and it is a very cathartic experience).

Pearl Harbor is a deeply silly film.

I wish I had some good words of advice to help all of you feeling your way through love troubles. But, I don't know anything at all about that stuff.

I am not a violent person. But one of the secretaries at work can make this high-pitched squeaking noise that goes "eeeEEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeeee" that probably only dogs can hear. But somehow this noise, this "eeeEEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeeee" flips a switch in my head and I have a urge to become exceedingly violent. Now when the girl in the cube next to me decided to bring in her toenail clippers and have at it at work. clip. clip. clip. I merely passive-aggressived "Hey Linda, opening a beauty parlor over there?" But when Barbara starts up the"eeeeEEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeeee" I want to become a despot and fire her, but first rip out her vocal cords (yet, I am not a violent person). We're moving to a new building soon and I hope her cube is the farthest away from mine because she knows the effect that noise has on us all "eeeEEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeeee"" and once she starts going the complaints start filling the air. eeeEEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeeee"eeeEEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeeee"eeeEEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeeee"eeeEEEEEeeeeEEEEeeeeee"

I am slowly being driven insane.

I had my wisdom teeth removed yesterday. I don't remember any of the operation. Mostly, I've slept for the past two days. I'd kinda like to be sleeping now. That pain medication really knocks me out.

upma - my friend Rose just graduated from law school and as a gift she got a lighter that said "Rose Cohen is a lawyer." I thought that phrase was pretty cool and want a shirt that says it.
So I finally heard back from the boy yesterday. He had been sick this weekend. But still. I'm glad to hear that Elvis may be coming to his senses. Good luck with all that. I too am trying to decide if this blowing hot and cold boy is worth the highs and lows. I know what you mean about being distracted by all this. Sheesh.

Things I learned this weekend:

1. Don't refrigerate fried plantains. You have the same window of opportunity as with french fries - eat them in the 10 minutes they're crispy, salty and hot. After that, hello trashcan.

2. Just because a boy promises that he will call, it doesn't mean that he will. (And is there someone I can promise that I have learned this before and will then stop having to relearn it).

3. I want a t-shirt that says "Rose Cohen is a lawyer."

4. When you clean out your old apartment, you will vow that your next apartment will never get this dirty. But it does.

5. Green chile cheese fries from Shady Grove in Austin send me into ecstasies of delight.

Angie! John and I are going to be in SF on 6/19. When is your flight? Are you leaving out of oakland? Maybe we can hook up at the airport?

Count me back in on the heartache train. Well, or at least the not sure what the hell is going on with "I thought it was a relationship" relationship. Dinner for the boy didn't happen last night from only the vaguest of excuses. And I know I shouldn't get mad until I know all the details, but damn. On the upside, all that frustration fueled the practical complete unpacking of my apartment. And a long run. Though also the not so healthy dinner of a bowl of guacamole.
Angie Joe - major congrats on the job!! I'm so excited for you. I'm in temporary job bliss myself cause I found out I just got a nice raise today.
Upma - any kitty name ideas?
Zach - that's awesome that the show went so well. How often are you guys doing shows these days? Maybe you can get Mike to come to your shows and yell things at you onstage :)
J.T. - I really sorry to hear that things didn't work out. Really sorry.