dear 2006

Three years ago, after my worst year yet, I wrote a letter to 2003. I like this tradition, so here goes. Dear 2006: You have a lot to live up to, I’m afraid. 2005 has been quite a year. I have named it the Year of Coming to Terms With All That Bullshit You Thought, Foolishly, You Were So Over, or at Least Over Last Year. Some of it has been a bit redundant, and it’s getting boring, so 2006, you and I will do some new things. Some very new things. Painfully new. Humblingly new. Just really new, okay? Let’s figure out the neat, interesting things about me instead of only reviewing the dark, ugly parts in therapy. 2005 brought me new friends in a most excellent writing group, fun times with the SFlickr crowd, a superb trip to Ireland and...

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Posted on 30 Dec 2005 | 3 comments

winter cleaning

Wednesday I spent cleaning my desk, which is now in top shape. I started dealing with a backlog of several hundred paper statements for various things, which carried over to Thursday, when I was able to file everything away properly. Then I cleaned out my medium-sized shelf; Inkbot and I left it outside on the sidewalk with a bunch of other little things we were getting rid of and within two hours everything was gone. I also cleaned out my small shelf and moved it to the other side of the room, so it is no longer partially blocking one of my windows. Candles, photos, journals and graphic novels were nicely arranged on it. Later today I will tackle the other side of the room, which involves moving my clothes hamper and chair, and going through my closet. ...

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Posted on 30 Dec 2005 | 2 comments

not much

One of the most amazing things about days off spent at home is that I manage to get things done. Not a lot, but still impressive. I might even not talk myself out of getting a neighborhood parking sticker tomorrow, especially since the office is only a mile from my flat. The MSG and I discovered a wonderful TV show quite by accident when we went to visit his family for Thanksgiving. It’s called “Dirty Jobs” and all about those sorts of jobs you didn’t know existed, most of which involve host Mike Rowe wading through quicksand-like bat guano or getting slapped in the crotch by a baby shark. If you get the Discovery Channel, please try and catch an episode. It’s warm and witty and interesting and often hilarious. My family and...

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Posted on 28 Dec 2005 | 2 comments

links for 2005-12-24

Flickr.mov (video/quicktime Object) Brilliant holiday movie from Jonathan Coulton and some Flickr folks. (tags: video holidays creativecommons flickr humor)

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Posted on 24 Dec 2005 | 1 comment

eve eve

I lazed about the quiet flat today, enjoyed it being a 23, and also had coffee at dusk. My cat and I took not one, not two, but three naps together. I finished my holiday shopping and I’m not going to sulk about it a second more. My mom has a much better attitude about the holidays than I do. Soon I will go to the MSG‘s and play some EQ2 and oops I forgot to mail my holiday cards. DAMMIT. No sulking. Just frantic mailbox-finding. Honest.

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Posted on 23 Dec 2005 | Comments Off

links for 2005-12-23

Documentary On Japanese Sushi – Google Video Very informative! (tags: video humor sushi food japanese culture) Why You Should Blog I’m not sure I agree, but it’s interesting reading nonetheless. (tags: weblogs writing) To Mr. Aisle-Seat Jackass One of my favorite “best of craigslist” postings. (tags: humor airlines...

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Posted on 23 Dec 2005 | Comments Off

still getting over

It is humbling and important to realize that not only am I not half as fascinating as I once thought I was, I bore you. I remember being not exactly what you wanted. I remember hoping you could learn to love me anyway. I remember finding out you couldn’t, and I remember rehearsing in the rear-view mirror just how I’d tell you off. I never did. I wouldn’t do that. I wouldn’t do a lot of things, like sit down, shut up, pretend it was all okay. The transit strike is unstruck, the world is full of heretics (thank God), and I’m still getting over you, you pathetic little lump.

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Posted on 22 Dec 2005 | Comments Off

but a lie

I have always been two people. I lived for a decade in one place, and a decade in another. The places were very different. I was not different. I was the same. One part of me swam downward and the other up. That has always been true. I love being two people. City mouse, country mouse. I didn’t always. On the train between the two places, I would cry and press my fingers against the cold window and feel sorry for myself. I would make up stories about who I really was and I would act out those stories and, for a time, I wouldn’t be anyone but a lie. Lying was a small sin that could get big very fast, a snake you never saw the tail of. Step carefully, with two feet, one belonging to the city and the other to the country. Gently dance over what...

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Posted on 22 Dec 2005 | 1 comment

links for 2005-12-22

Google Modules Spruce up your personalized Google page with these handy modules. (tags: google portal) Gadgets » The top 10 weirdest USB drives ever I think the shrimp is my favorite. [link via Robbie] (tags: hardware weird) Boohbah Okay, so while in Dublin last October, I discovered this bizarre kids show and promptly fell in love with it. Today I found a link for its utterly trippy website. (tags: television flash) Why you should continue to date me A series of charts and graphs. (tags: humor...

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Posted on 22 Dec 2005 | Comments Off

merry dithermas

I don’t like shopping, but I love giving gifts … but most people cringe at homemade gifts. Plus I don’t really know how to make any. I could probably figure out how to crochet bookmarks, but I mean jesus. Crocheted bookmarks. Am I 80 yet? Giving gift cards has been called “cheesy” by some folks I know, but I rather like receiving them. I can never remember who eats chocolate or doesn’t, drinks coffee or doesn’t, likes flowers or plants or NASCAR or raccoons or doesn’t. I’m known for giving books, because I am around so many and can usually place them appropriately. But I imagine people who are not me might be tired of books. And once you’ve given someone a fountain pen, I think it’s sort of...

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Posted on 20 Dec 2005 | 2 comments