TIGAF

Class was...well, class. Glad that presentation is over. On to the next one. I am enjoying my Grief Therapy class (funny, but yes, learing about grief can be enjoyable with the right professor), but Appraisal of the Individual is just plain wackadoo. Not what I expected at all...to quote some random film somewhere, "Nobody said there'd be any math on this exam". As my closest friends and family know, I can start a fire using flint and twigs better than I can deal with fractions. The government knows this also, as they had to adjust my tax return this year and give me MORE money than I had calculated. Small miracles...

Just finished a monster Tive catch-up session, and feel the better for it. Some highlights:

- love that Pam breastfed the wrong child. Laughed out loud...hard.

- "Quite a collection you've got going". Halloween decorations - who knew? Laughed very loud - love, love, love Modern Family. Makes me want a modern family of my own.

- "Countless..." Priceless.

- I've been to Orange County. I believe the show to be very accurate.

The weekend is looking good. Mama needs a new pair of jeans, so I'll be escorting her to the (shudder) mall. The good thing is, we always have fun, and she will only buy bootcut, cool, non-mom jeans. She's hip like that, because that's how we Dakota-women roll.

Other items on the agenda: study group, Cherokee with a friend, Jimmy's and Celebrate Fitness. All good things, good times, and good people.

Throw in some sun and warmth, and I'm looking at a genuine pre-Spring weekend.

I am jonesing to see the following movies - may try to squeeze in some viewing this weekend:

Festivus for the rest of us

Festivus - May all your grievances be aired and your feats of strength tested this holiday season. One of my favorite Seinfeld episodes. Ever.

Shortastic weekend. Consisted mainly of working on my two finals. It is a little known fact that take-home finals are decidedly difficult. So now you know, so be warned. I'm four essays into one final with two more essays to go, then it's on to the second final. Uffta.

I did take a break from studies and went out for lunch with a friend to Cooperella, which is my new favorite cafe. Perfect smoothies and the hummus trio plate is delish. We then checked out "An Education" at the Hi-Pointe. Award-worthy? Nope. Good film? Sort of. Rental at the RedBox or Netflix? Most definitely.

I've been slowly adding more music to my iPod, and have dug out some oldies but goodies:

Lemondheads - Lick
Sugarcubes- Life's Too Good
Throwing Muses - Hunkpapa
Richard Thompson - Rumor and Sigh
Ani - Imperfectly

Takes me back to careless college times...

Weekend in review

It was a busy weekend. Fun? Some of it.

If you read my former post, you'll know that I went to see "Paranormal Activity" on Friday night. Very decent. Wings and frosty beverages post-movie made it easier to sleep.

Saturday I woke up super crabby. No, it's not PMS per se, more like a 24-hour bug. I am super pissy for about a day - I don't want to see anyone, or talk to anyone, and god help you if you get in my way on that day. So I had some plans that day and could not back out (they were my plans) so I sucked it up as best I could and plowed through.

Went to the Boathouse for some wine, fire, and photos.

Then went out to my grammy's house for spider duty (thankfully all but three very large ones that resemble the Empire Strikes Back Walkers and felt the doom of my shoe soles).

Returned to Starbucks to exchance my crap in a cup for the Chai Tea Latte that I had originally ordered. They were nice about it but damn, can't a girl catch a break?

Stopped off to run a couple errands in the county as the city has little to offer in the ways of actual stores.

Got home, exhauseted and sick of seeing people, and settled in to my cozy home. Lit some candles, set up my DVR to record some spook shows, and got a call to meet friends down at El Borracho. Shit. Well, it's around the corner from my house, how could I say no? It ended up being fun because I was drinking the best margarita's in a 6 block radius from my house and the music was loud and fiesty.

Sunday my brother came over and we walked the 15 blocks to the dome to see the Rams suck it. We left in the first part of the 4th quarter to hightail it over to Thips for some Thai food, then went Walmarting and headed back to the crib.

Sunday night was delicious - all coziness and comfort, a nice end to a 50/50 weekend.

Monday morning was a completely different story...stay tuned...

Alright Already

I am jonesing for the weekend, and it's only Wednesday morning. I'm in trouble...

Thursday night is Gogol Bordello. Friday night is the BBQ. Saturday night is Greg Laswell.

It can't happen soon enough.

A Quickie

No, not that kind (I wish). And that reminds me of how much I miss lunches.

This is a quickie weekend update.

Friday night went out to eat with a friend, and helped scheme a plot for him to woo the ladies proper. It was fun.

Saturday, went to a birthday party for a good friend. Good times were had by all.

Sunday, ran some errands, jawed on the telephonetic device, and around 9:30, got the urge to work out. Couldn't surpress it, so went downstairs to the loverly in-loft gym and dropped a couple miles. And no, working out so late does not help me sleep. I have bags the size of Berkins under my eyes this morning, good thing I have a kick-ass job that doesn't mind what you wear - clothes, piercings, tats and the like are all fair game.

All in all, an okay weekend. Could have used one more day.

Unplugged

I'm about to ramble. I'm feeling inspired enough to blog but not enough to put any effort into witty one-sided banter. I apologize in advance...read on if you want a boring, plodding update into my little world......but don't say I didn't warn you.

I unplugged this weekend. It felt good. Spent quality time with the trees, streams, rain, sun, stars and good friends. The key ingredients to my successful weekend included:

-kabobs
-whipped cream
-stargazing
-good and bad guitar playing
-morning rain and afternoon sun
-sleeping in
-winding trails

But apparently I missed some very important world news:

1.Susan Boyle did not win Britain's Got Talent, and has a mental breakdown. Which is too bad, because she seemed to be a shoe-in and I liked her. Hopefully she gets some kind of deal out of all the brouhaha she endured.

2. Reese Witherspoon is digging deep for her new role as a softball player. Goody - another over-paid actress does something for world peace.

3. Archie will be proposing to Veronica. Date the blonde, marry the brunette? Good thing my stylist is on speed-dial. Note to self - step it up and get those low-lites.

My weekend mailbox was full of surprises, mostly good ones. I say mostly, because bills are not surprises, right? I got new Fortune, Forbes and Sports Illustrated magazines (I subscribe to 6 different magazines in total, due to a very generous friend letting me use half of his airline miles). I also received a card from a friend, and more music from Kenny the Music Man. I'm now listening to some Viva Voce, and digging it very much. Thanks, KMac.

I went makeup free this weekend, and it was refreshing as hell. I think when you're lightly sunkissed, it makes up for the lack of foundation and blush and your mug doesn't look so barren. I might continue this trend into the work week - we'll see how this attitude fares at 8:00 tomorrow morning.

Another work week looms on the horizon. I should use another term besides "looms", as I like my job, and am happy to have one. I'll go with "shines". And since 4:30 a.m. is looming (correct verb in this instance), I guess I'll shut down this disappointing review.

I promise the next update will be more well-written. Spritely, even. And dare I say, entertaining?

Breaking Bread (Pudding)

It was an interesting night - my ex fiance, Tom, who happens to be one of my best friends, took me out for a beer and some Schlafly's bread pudding. There was a very decent country band playing, and while I'm not a huge fan of pickin', they played all original songs save for a "Wild Horses" cover, and they were good. Kind of set the mood for good conversation.

I'm not friends with any of my ex's - not that I have that many, but I wasn't able to (or in some cases wanted to) salvage any kind of relationship post-breakup. And perhaps that's for the better.

With Tom, things are different. I believe that we were meant to be friends - probably should have only been just friends, but that's neither here nor there. And yeah, we've had our rough patches as we've worked on our frienship - but we've managed to get through them, and have a unique, supportive and fun relationship. He's a very cool guy.

It was good to catch up and be happy for one another. Doing so over the city's best bread pudding makes for a great night.

Oh, and by the way, the picture attached looks EXACTLY like the bread pudding we had a Schlafly. Which is weird, because the last time I had it (around 2001) it was much more rich, with a darker, rummier sauce. I have to say I miss the original...

Ah....Hello Weekend

So glad to see you again. I missed you. It's been almost a week since I've had the pleasure. And I must say, you couldn't have come at a better time.

I have plans. Nothing wild. Mostly wet, by the looks of the gray skies, but that's alright. I'll gaze at the sky on my own time, when I want, as long as I want.

I WANT

1. Hoegaarden - one or six, it doesn't matter.

2. Sushi - this will take place in 1 hour 14 minutes. With saki.

3. A clean loft - halfway there.

4. No more frizzies - doubtful...not happening unless I shave my head.

5. Restitution - for many things.

6. A Swedish massage - if I play my cards right....hey, I'll take a foot rub, dammit.

7. To see a decent national band - if I have to wait for the Riverboat Gamblers or Gogol Bordello, I might scream. Why do most good bands skip the Lou?

I NEED:

1. Tickets to the Yeah Yeah Yeah's - yes, this is a NEED.

2. White chocolate - an I.V. if preferred.

3. To talk to my grandma - she has call waiting now, and just hangs up on people when she gets another call because she doesn't really know how to work it right. So, we need to finish our conversation.

4. Gas - petrol, not the kind that Beano solves.

5. To sleep in - but then I feel guilty for not working out at the crack of dawn. And then I feel guilty for feeling guilty. It's a vicious circle.

6. To make a joyful noise - still working out the mechanics of this one. Don't want to scare the neighbors, so this may need to be relocated.

7. To kickbox - I'm addicted. Thanks Margaret and Keyvan for reintroducing me to a long, lost love.

Reconnected...and it feels so good

I'm back. 48 hours of non-blogging.

Am I the better for it? Who knows.

I did get much accomplished this weekend, being unplugged and all. I cleaned - a lot. I slept - a lot. I played - a lot.

Thanks again Mom (I love getting that kind of mail!), and congrats to my brother Jeff, the doctor, on his new Ortho McDreamy appointment at SLU. Way to go!

Facebook continues to annoy - discovered today that one of my friends is AWOL, and thinking she befriended me (the noiv!) I did a search for her. No luck. I reached out to a mutual friend (who I'm also concerned about as her spaghetti addiction is out of control), and she can't find her either. I fear that she's floating aimlessly in the black hole that is the new FB layout.

I am toying with the idea of going to bed directly after my Rock of Love Bus fix so that I can get up earlier than usual and bike to the gym in the morning, rather than drive. I think I can dodge bullets just as well on a two wheeler as I can in a four....right? My Fuji is nimble and responsive. With enough sleep, so am I. :-)

I found out that when you disconnect, you get behind on very important news. These are some of the top stories from the weekend that I'm JUST NOW catching up on (I feel sooo behind):

1. Bruce Willis got married, and Han Solo and Chupa-Head got engaged.

2. Car fire in O'Fallon

3. Lady GaGa blows the roof off of SXSW

4. Pet food pantries open up to help people/pets in need

Okay, I do like #4. Some people would rather go without a meal than have to not feed their pets. I totally understand this, and support the new pantry efforts. Very nice.

I hope y'all had a good weekend. I'm going to beat feet on the street with my pup before the darkness falls. Later, tater.

Weekend Outlook

I'm going on 3 hours sleep, so forgive any grammatical errors.

Heading to the gym - dedicated, yes. Foolhardy - perhaps. I will stay away from the deep water and free weights. No harm, no foul.

I had some seriously demented dreams last night. Woke up choking once. Every other time I woke up (in the span of 3 hours), I was under the impression that I had to switch positions/pillows or perish. Constant tossin' and turnin' - I was a bad bedmate. Pizza is evil.

This weekend - dinner with friends tonight, and will attempt to win tickets via KDHX to the Folk Festival at the Sheldon for Saturday night (John Gorka will be playing, I'm a fan).

Sunday is my writing day. Hoping I can crank out some decent pages.

Per my previous post, I am beginning my weekend disconnect, starting..............................................

.....now.

The little things mean.....

It was as low-key a weekend as one can get.

Nada on Friday, with the exception of breaking down and setting up some furniture. Finished watching "Milk", which was one damn fine film. I'll review it later. Definitely recommended.

Saturday morning, got up and worked out, tidied up. Lazed about in the afternoon, watched "I've Loved You So Long", another damn fine film featuring Kristin Scott Thomas.

Saturday night, went out to Mangia, had a nice looong and delicious meal. I noshed on seafood risotto, he tackled the sea snapper, we split the veggie toasted rav, and sipped on our favorite cocktails as we played the "what if" game. You know, "what if" you could go back in time to any day and place, who would you meet, what would you do differently, etc. That's always a good way to get to know someone better. What may seem to be a very minor bit of information can actually tell you a great deal about someone.

Met with my girlfriend Mary this morning for our usual weekend coffee catch-up. We sat outside at Soulard Coffee Garden - a bit chilly, but it was packed with hungover wannabe Irish lads and lasses. We ended the morning agreeing that even spending what amounts to sometimes only an hour a week together means a great deal to both of us. It's not the incriments of time, it's the depth of the conversation. She's become an amazing friend, and I'm lucky to know her.

Ran errands this afternoon (I hate malls), and got out on the bike for about an hour this afternoon. I am settling in for a nice evening of "me" time - mani/pedi, über-conditioning the hair, facial and at 8:00 my date with Bret (Rock Of Love Bus).

There's a poppy little show at The Firebird tonight - Cut Off Your Hands,Headlights, Pomegranate, and Gentleman Auction House. Also, if you want to shell out $25, Andrew Bird w/Heartless Bastards are at the Pageant. That is a concert I very much recommend. If it wasn't a schoolnight, I might venture out. I'm so lame.

On a side note, I snagged a copy of the March Spin magazine, and but who do I see as a Band to Watch? The Crystal Stilts! I think I discovered them first, and had even posted a video of them back on February 23rd. I like to believe that I've always got my finger on the pulse of new music, even though I know that's not true. But it's still my delusion, and I'll embrace it for all it's worth, dammit.

Finally, my weekend playlist:

"Prize" - Kitchens of Distinction
"Soul Mining" - The The
"In Circles" - Sunny Day Real Estate
"Anything At All" - Over The Rhine
"Pretty Good Year" - Tori Amos
"Fistful of Love" - Antony & The Johnsons
"Dirty Boulevard" - Lou Reed
"Fake Palindromes" - Andrew Bird

To Sum It Up...plus a playlist

...it was a decent weekend.

Had dinner out at Tin Can Tavern on Friday w/T - surprisingly, they make one hell of a chicken salad sandwich. Great service, good happy hour specials, and the smoke factor was light.

Saturday morning/early afternoon ventured out into the warm, damp belly of North City, downtown and a bit south, and took some interesting pics. Driving down some of the streets off of North Broadway reminded me of some of the smaller towns in North Dakota - deserted, small factories and random vacant lots. But then, out of nowhere, a random tattoo parlor, or a biker bar.




Stopped in at Iron Barley for lunch but the line was long, so we ended up at the King & I. Mmmm hmmmm.

Later that night, while lounging around, caught a very weird movie, Phantom of the Paradise. It was an obvious tribute to Phantom Of The Opera, with some Rocky Horror elements thrown in. Outrageous characters - Swan, Phoenix, Beef (ha!), and the Phantom. It was an oddly captivating, over the top rock opera, with some high-ranking cheese factors, but the music was really special in that 1970's kind of way, and I couldn't turn it off...had to see it through to the end. Brian DePalma directed this flick, who directed classics such as Blow Out, Carrie, Scarface, and Body Double (to name a few), so it's well done. I might have to add it to my collection.



Stayed up way too late on Saturday night, which made for a difficult Sunday. While I'd like to say my lack of sleep was due to fun, it was because of a certain noise factor. Even my poor dog looked hungover this morning, if that's possible. This has to end!!!

I have some reading left to do tonight, and then I plan on finishing a movie I started late last week - Day Watch (not to be confused with Bay Watch). It's like a Russian vampire Matrix - great style, worth a look. I hope to drift off to sleep with this in my head in hopes of stirring up my dreams, which have been lackluster as of late.

Weekend Playlist:

1. "Ghetto Defendent" - The Clash
2. "Rock City Boogie" - Tennessee Ernie Ford
3. "Daylight" - Viva Voce
4. "Do It!" - Clinic (album)
5. "Where Is My Mind" - Pixies
6. "You Spin Me Round" - Dead or Alive
7. "Joey" - Concrete Blonde

Happy Weekend

TGIF.

Good weekend

Overall, it was a good weekend. Outstanding weather helped fuel a lot of it.

Friday night was low-key - was treated to tequila and tacos at nearby El Borracho's (highly recommended), then spent the rest of the evening watching movies.

Saturday was good - ran some very early errands, spent considerable time outdoors, talked to my mom, and had friends over during the afternoon and most of the evening for coffee, spirits, board games and switched off playing DJ. Got a bit nostalgic and brought out the Lemonheads, Sundays, and Beat Happening. It was good to hear those old tunes.

Sunday was slow-going. The morning was lazy and filled with NPR programming (Speaking of Faith, TTBOOK), went to a friend's for lunch, and then it was a dog-day afternoon, literally. Tried out the dog park on Locust (nice!) and then ran around in the park area across from City Hall. Oliver had a great time, but attempted to escape the dog park by wedging himself between the bars of the gate. Good thing he got stuck...he's a fast little dude! Ended the evening having a good conversation with my grandma, and catching up on the news.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed for some good news this week. February looks to be a
"make it or break it" kind of month, so I'm staying as optimistic as possible and thinking good thoughts.