A Myriad of Jumbly-Nothings

Have any of you heard of a band called The Last Shadow Puppets?  I am in love with them.  The band is made up of two very British Beatles-esque hotties named Alex Turner and Miles Kane.   Check it out:

Standing Next To Me

I can’t stop listening to them, watching their videos, reading about them, you know, doing all those creepy fan things people do.  They warrant it though, don’t you think?  They are super cute and their music is super fun.  It appeals to the mod hipster in me.

Tags: crushes, fandom, music

What have I been up to lately, you ask?  I would be delighted to tell you.

Last night I attended one of my favorite 80’s coverbands, Rock Lobster, to rock out to Prince, The Go-Gos, The Clash, and many many more.  I went with Sha Sha, my bestie, and together we carried the place with our liquor-filled plastic cups and front of the stage dancing.  This is one of the bands that both she and I know and are friends with, so between sets and after the show we stuck around to chat and hang out.  I won’t say who, and I’ll be honest, it’s more than just one person, but I swear 40 year old men in rock clothes and eyeliner have an unnatural influence over me that I cannot resist.  Anyway, I made it home (my home, alone I’d like to proudly specify) and passed out with a smile on my face.

The night before I hung out with some friends from work that I’ve never hung out with before.  They are awesome hilarious fun!  We went to a few dive bars, and one of them was going strong with kareoke.  Now, when this night began I was completely sober and they had been drinking for a while.  Sneaky me naturally assumes I can use my non-drunken wiles to get them to sing something.  Oh my.  Silly me.  Two beers and three shots later one of my friends and I boldly belted out Livin’ On A Prayer for all the bar to hear.  I have NEVER sang kareoke before.  I. Rock.

Now, aside from these two fine examples of my debacherous expeditions, I have mostly been hanging out at home reading.  These days I am diving full-blast into: The Ramayana, The Upanishads, the Tao Te Ching, and other Hindu, Taoist, and Buddhist literature.  I’ve also started doing yoga. This stuff is terribly interesting, and the stories are excellent.  The yoga is also an attempt to relieve the massive stress I’ve been feeling from a few snagoos with work and the perpetual list of bills I need to pay constantly hanging over my head.  Anywho, I’m really enjoying everything I’m reading, and I’m hoping to gain some eternal truths from it all as well.  Despite my Christian-ness, I think there is truth in everything, so my exploration is not so crazy as some might think.

I have to work again tonight and I need to do something  productive today, so I shall now away.  Away!!

Tags: books, kareoke, religion, rock

So the title is unoriginal in the election aftermath, but I don’t care.  Yesterday I cast my ballot for Barack Obama, and along with the majority of the United States helped elect him president.  Watching his speech last night was like breathing fresh air after being confined in a damp cellar for eight years.  I was almost moved to tears, I was so happy.  Today when I watched the Hulu video of The Daily Show’s Indecision 2008 special with Stephen Colbert, I actually did tear up as the previous nights events were unfolded to me once again.  I am estatic, overjoyed, excited, proud.  Reading everyone’s status updates on facebook is fun too because you can feel the excitement all your friends all over the country are feeling.  There is a renewed strength among us all.  The number of people who turned out to vote is invigorating.  I just hope that now that we’ve elected the Best Man for the job, we don’t slump back into apathy.  I’m excited for the future, and I hope to be a part of the action.  Love to all!

Tags: awesome, election, president

Yes, history does in fact rock.  Like AC/DC or Guns ‘n’ Roses, History will shred out loud till your ears bleed.

Being the super huge nerd that I am, I decided to start reading about The Vikings last night on the good ol’ internet for fun.  I discovered that they were bad-ass and promptly put four books and a History Channel movie on hold at the library for me.  I couldn’t stop there.  I also put on hold two books about the Brothers Grimm and two books about King Arthur.  :D   Now I am going to spend my sweet days not working out (I really do hate running… I need an alternative) and reading about interesting peoples and cultures.  I am so excited.  If I’m lucky, somewhere in all that mess of knowledge, I will take the time to study for the GRE, you know, learn some geometry formulas or something so I can actually go to grad school for a masters in history and not just lollygag around forever.  Hmm.

In other news, yesterday I completely cleaned my apartment, including parts of Bitty’s room, which she did not like at all.  Whatever, it was necessary.  Now the living room and hallway and kitchen and my bathroom are all clean and organized!!  I feel so accomplished.

Well it’s off to the library and possibly McDonalds for me (mmm egg and cheese biscuit..) so toodles!

Tags: cleaning, greasy food, history

Man oh man, what have I been up to lately?  Well, I have the basic outline of a story I want to write, so here’s to keeping our fingers crossed that it actually gets written.  Also, I’ve been doing some more cartoonin’ lately, and it is a grand ol’ time.  There has also been a Bar Crawl and a Desert Party, and both of them were fabulous fun.  I mean, how can you go wrong with a donkey and Mariachi band following a group of drunkies around to numerous bars? Or a fire, guitar, and jager bomb in the middle of nowhere?  Both are recipes for fun!  Weee!  Today I have to go find new shoes for work (when will the wardrobe changes end?!?!) and finish paying all the things that need paying this month.  Le sigh.  There goes my paycheck.  As always, I have lots of new music to keep me company through everything.  Today, thanks to my friend Matt’s blog mentioning the new Ben Fold’s album being out, I have some rockin’ piano to entertain me.  Time to be on my way. Later!

Tags: art, bills, fun, life, music, parties

Last night I dreamt that I was entertaining a mother who was a friend from work and her two children in the woods just before a storm.  I had with me a stuffed squirrel and I named him Harold.  Harold led the adventure as we stomped through the woods learning about acorns and leaves and nature in general.  It was awesome and the kids loved me.  Of course it was all dream knowledge we learned, but still, I felt pretty impressed with myself.
I slept in way later than I thought I would.  I went to bed relatively early and didn’t fall asleep right away, but even so, I didn’t expect it to be almost noon when I woke up.  I have work this evening at 6:30.  Usually I go in at 6:00, but it has been so slow lately that my in time has been moved back half an hour.  Nuts.  I made a grocery list last night right before bed, but shopping is going to have to wait until I get tips on Wednesday because I am broker than broke.  This means I get to eat a bagel for lunch and a bagel for dinner today, and have my last can of tomato soup tomorrow and then I will be all out of food.  Yippee!!  I still have lots of tea and coffee though (go figure).  I’m drinking some Irish Morning Breakfast tea in my kick-ass Pumpkin Mug right now.  I also think it is high time I post a picture of my pumpkin mug so you can all know what I’m talking about when I reference it.

So there it is.

I had intended to finally get my fingerprint clearance card today, the last step I need to complete before I can officially apply to be a substitute.  Only I slept in late, and Bitty needs to run some errands, and I guess I’ll have to wait until tomorrow.

I began reading Animal Farm for the first time.  I am sure you are all wondering how it is that I have never read this book before, and I am not sure.  I have read 1984 and loved it, but I never had to read Animal Farm for school, and for whatever reason, just never picked it up until now.  I’m excited that I will finally be able to add it to my list of books read.  J  I like George Orwell.

Well, I must be off.

I am sitting in my bedroom listening to The Weepies and feeling…good.  Part of it is probably my musical selection.  The Weepies is a mellow, happy sort of band.  Part of it, I am sure, is also the cooler weather.  The highs this week are in the upper 80’s and the lows get to the upper 60’s.  It is fantastic!!  I want to sit in parks eating sandwiches and drinking cider all day long.  I want to curl up under covers, and I want to carve pumpkins, and I want to light fall scented candles.  I also want to share this with my friends, but no one else here seems to be quite as enamored with the season as I am.  Perhaps I will just have to extend my circle of friends further in order to find some folks who appreciate haunted houses and apple harvests and cornfield mazes and hot chocolate as much as I do.

Today I started reading King Lear by Shakespeare.  I’ve never read this play before, and I am really enjoying it.  Shakespeare has never been a playwright I could just dive into, but this time I am having no trouble getting into it.  It’s nice.  I know it’s a tragedy, and Bits said it is really sad, so my joy of reading it will inevitably be overshadowed by the depressing plot.  Alas, it cannot be helped.  I have also been studying my vocabulary for the GRE.  It has been so long since I’ve had to study anything though, and I have to admit I am a bit out of practice.  Focusing my mind on the flashcards requires more effort than it should.  I’m sure I’ll get into the swing of things before too long, however.  I just have to make sure to attack it every day.

I picked up a New York Times today, and having read most of the National and International section’s articles must say that there are a lot of absurd people doing and saying absurd things in this world.  Many of them, unfortunately, are members of our own U.S. government, and the church.  I honestly don’t feel like getting into it, but I just had to say how amazed I am at how incredibly silly people act when trying to maintain or attain a certain level of authority or power.

I went for a run tonight since it was so nice outside, and I it was a great run.  I didn’t feel tired or sore or anything but good.  This is the first time I’ve had a good run like that.  It’s so encouraging, and I feel so proud of myself for keeping up with this whole exercising thing.  :D  I like running outside as opposed to the gym just because I feel so self conscious when I’m working out around lots of people who are in way better shape than me.  It’s even worse when I’m using the machines to work my legs or arms because I feel so silly.  I guess I’m just going to have to push through it though because I am determined to get fit.

I am just going to take this opportunity to say how thankful I am for all my friends who live so far away, but make me feel so special and loved nevertheless.  I don’t think I would be doing as well as I am here in Arizona if it weren’t for them.  I hope you all know who you are.
I suppose that is enough for now.  I’m going to continue reading King Lear and maybe browse a few more articles before I try to sleep.  Shalom!

Yesterday I interviewed for a Manager In Training position with Abercrombie and Fitch.  Some of you may be wondering why I am applying for a job at a chain of stores that I have quite literally never shopped at, and furthermore have made fun of with a great number of people.  Well, honestly, the only reason I did it was because my friend who works there gets a promotion because of it.  However, after interviewing I find out that if I accept the position (assuming they offer it to me) I make a lot more than I am now, I get full benefits including dental, stock options, vacation time, personal days, and the opportunity to work at any store in the country, Europe, or Japan.  Also, I could be running my own store within a year, and he said he’s never hard of anyone who worked as a manager with Abercrombie who had trouble getting another job later on because the company is known for putting out well trained, competent people.  Essentially, this would look great on my resume.  Le sigh.  So something that started as a favor may end up being a career move for me.  I never ever saw myself working in retail, but I’m broke and I need a job that’ll pay the bills, credit cards, student loans, gas, food, and the occasional splurge on whatever.  It’ll be 40 hours a week, something I’ve never done before, which scares me to be honest, but I guess I have to grow up sometime.  I dunno.  I’m still not sure if I am going to do it.  I’m still gonna try and get the substitute teaching ball rolling.  I still wanna take the GRE this year, and I’m still thinking about grad school, so who the heck knows where I’ll end up.  (Side note: my dog is crazy.)  But that is what’s going on with me.

In completely unrelated news, IT IS OCTOBER!!  I am enjoying my time in my favorite month very much so far.  I have been working out and I’m nice and sore and feeling like I’m making my body a healthier, happier one.  Yay!!  It’s still warmer than I’d like it to be, but the nights are cooler and when it’s windy out, it feels nice even during the day.  I have a couple of fall themed art projects lined up, and I am buying some fall-scented candles for the apartment, and probably some pumpkin flavored foods.  Tee hee!! I’m really pumped.

Tags: choices, fall, jobs, money, pumpkins

Saturday the Georgia Bulldogs kicked Arizona State Sundevil’s asses!!  Well done, Georgia, well done.  Since everyone had been drinking for the big game since noon, after the game I witness at least four fights break out.  I have never seen real fights up close before, but guys walked away with bloody faces, had chairs thrown at them, and all I could do was stare.  It was nuts. I love football season.  It’s one of wonderful signs of fall.

Sunday I woke up more depressed than I have been in months.  I can’t explain why.  I think I may have just been worn out.  I spent the entire day in bed watching Daria.  Something about Daria’s sarcastic cynicism is surprisingly therapeutic when you’re feeling down.  I think so at least.

Monday I woke up feeling infinitely better.  I set up my easel and canvas and began a new painting.  I worked on it most of the day and on into Tuesday.  It still isn’t finished but it should be relatively soon.  It’s a pretty emo-tastic painting, but as I got the idea on Sunday, it isn’t surprising.  It isn’t anything special but it has me painting.  I want to try and do a self-portrait next.  I am pretty terrible at painting faces, which is unfortunate because I love looking at faces.  They’re so interesting and intriguing and full of secrets.

I have also been running and trying to get into shape.  I periodically try this and it lasts a day or two, but I have gone running five times in the past nine days, which is good for me, and I’m going running again tonight which will be the third day in a row this week.  :D  I want to be able to run a few miles consistantly by Halloween.  This is my favorite time of year.  Fall, Harvest Season, whatever you want to call it ( I think my older sister and I may be the only two who call it Harvest Season) makes my soul soar.  It’s a lot different here in the desert though, and I wish it were cooler, but that’s okay.  I love pumpkins and apples and the spicey awesomeness of it all. I love changing leaves and brisk cool mornings (which we don’t have here) and the sensation of change.  There’s a magic about it.

Today is tip day at work, so I’m off to pick up some much needed money and buy some food.  Yippee!!

Tags: art, cartoons, exercise, fights, football, harvest season, paint, therapy

So much has happened in the past few weeks, my head is a blur.  First, I no longer have access to internet from my apartment, which means writing posts is tricky.  Second, my sister’s car got repossessed, so we are officially sharing my car, which has to get new AZ tags and has caused a bunch of problems of its own.  Luckily, my darling Elicia has been a source of great fun during these rough days.  Last weekend I spent drinking and laying in the sun, not to mention going to an exclusive hotel opening where we drank champagne with strawberries.  I ate dinner at nice restaurants and didn’t have to pay for a thing.  Today we are going to the ASU football game and dressing up in knee socks and pigtails and are tail gating in Big B, our friend Timmy’s huge-ass truck.  Life seems to be moving at the speed of light, and I just hope I can keep up with it all.  

Things I am looking forward to: 

Matt Nathanson is playing a show here in October, Halloween, Vegas for Halloween (possibly), ASU/UGA game, and pretty much just every day I am alive and living!!
Well, I have to go now.  E and I are gonna watch Waiting cause I haven’t seen it yet.  WEEEE!!!!

Tags: car trouble, drinks, football, friends, fun