Wednesday February 28 "you wanna be on top?"

MEtRoday: 1239, 3074, 5168, 3284, 1190

It's the day I've been waiting for, my guilty pleasure, the premier of America's Next Top Model, Cycle 8. If you've been living in a cave for the past four years or so (or watching LOST instead) then here's the primer: Supermodel Tyra Banks, gathering wisdom from her many hard years in the grueling international modeling industry, produces and stars in a reality show in which she casts judgement on a ragtag bunch of model wannabes, casting one of them aside per week until the grand runway show finale. The winner is awarded a fabulous modeling contract with Cover Girl worth $100,000, a 6-page photoshoot in ElleGirl magazine (or equivalent) with the world reknown photographer (insert French name here that no one understands except the Goddess TYRA), other assorted goodies and the satisfaction of beating out the other 12 housemate bi-otches who were BFFs several weeks before.

The show is entertaining enough, with Tyra casting judgement and providing freaky pose-like-me-it's-easy stances at the drop of a hat. Other panel members and judgement-casters consist of hot, noted fashion photographer Nigel Barker, 60s Supermodel Twiggy and the I-can-walk-fiercer-in-heels-than-you-can-even-though-I'm-a-boy Miss J. Yes, Miss J is a boy. Don't ask, just watch and it will all become clear. (Judges may have changed for this Cycle, there was no word on the website.)

But why not make it more interesting? Download and print this fun placemat-playable pdf and see how well your skills are at picking out true modeling talent. Call some friends over, order a pizza, have a drink and forget about ever getting that hour of your life back. Follow the simple rules on the playboard and enjoy! I'll post my results if you'll post yours.

Post-ANTM Update: That was fun! Melba and I discovered some tweaks that we need to make to the rules section, both for consistency and for better game play. Ironically, the contestant we both had marked the most, with 3+ points, got the boot from Tyra & Co. Kathleen, the 20-year-old Hair Stylist from Brooklyn: BAH! She took it very well. One down, 11 more to go. At least now we have a feeling for some of the contestants, and will be able to make smarter choices with our points for next week. With this being the first week, we were kind of flying blind having never seen the girls in action before.

Tuesday February 27 madness on the train

MEtRoday: 2067, 2007, 2075, 4005

Today, WMATA, I gladly leave my newspaper in your subway car. Forcing me to sit in a stationary car at PentSit for 10 minutes, causing me to miss my bus at BradRo and therefore be late for work is my just cause.

Found on Metro (a handwritten essay)

[1]
The Secret is the Law of Attraction.
Like attracts Like
You become & attract what you
think about most.

Thoughts Become Things
The Law of Attraction is
"Always Working."
It's an "Ongoing Process"
the law of attraction says whatever
I am focusing on, is what I will
attract.
When you focus—on what I do want—on something with
Passion, it will come even faster
My life is a physical manifestation
of the thoughts that go on in my head
my dominant thoughts

Most of us attract by default
~60,000 thoughts per day
the emotions/feelings are the indicators
they are a feedback mechanism.
Celebrate the good feelings

Your Thoughts & Your Feelings

CREATE MY LIFE

It is importan that I feel good,
the more I will attract

The Creative Process

1. Ask, Make a Command to the Universe
write it out in the presen tense, in
every area of my life.

2. Believe that it is Already mine!

[3]
3. Receive—Feel the way I'm
going to feel when it arrives.

You Have To Feel It!

Do things to help you generate those
feelings. Go to the house, get in the car
call the Mattel Toy Co.

Trust that the next 200 ft are
unfolding PERFECTLY in my life
Don't worry about the rest of the
road, i.e. the next 1,000 ft.

The Universe says Your Wish is my Command!

Powerful Process:
Be Grateful for all the things that I have I
feel good about, bkz that is when
I am practising my feelings

Visualize, when you visualize, then
you materialize
Always dwell on the end

Turn it over to the Universe!

Live in the magic of Life!
It is habitual, a way of life

Decide what I want.
Believe I deserve it
Close my eyes
Visualize it everyday for about 10–15 m.
Get the feeling
Declare what I would like to
have—place my Order—from the catalog of the universe.
Go for the inner joy first in my vision.
Learn to be still, & take your attention
away from what I don't want & place
the attention on what I do want.
There is more than enough for everybody!

Monday February 26 back to real life

MEtRoday: 2032, 3107, 3139, 1130, 5011

Tonight is D13 with Todges. He's cooking dinner again, so that means something tasty, and I get to hang out with him in the privacy of his living room. He said he was going to make homemade pizzas, so that means I'll pick up a bottle of red. Censored update to follow.
CU: I've said it before, and i'll say it again here, the Todger can cook. Tonight: home-cooked bbq chicken pizza with caramelized onions, feta cheese, jalapeno, cilantro and lime. Arugula salad with halved chery tomatoes dressed with balasmic vinaigrette, lemon olive oil, dijon mustard and garlic. For dessert there was apple tart-pie with sour cream, honey and nutmeg sauce. And the best part (ok, maybe not _the_ best part)? Todges gave me leftovers to take home in a white-on-white bag. White is the new black for Spring, y'know.

Over the weekend my friend Mila had to put her cat down. Opita was ten years old, and had kidney problems. She was a beautiful orange and white and I would always kid Mila that Opi looked like a basketball with tiny little front paws to prop herself up. So many people have given me words of encouragement and good feelings since Hum died, and today it was my turn to give out the comforting words. Of course, it took me right back to when Hum died and I even got a little emotional when talking with Mila today. But I realized that I got more time with Hum—who was 15-1/2, and even more now with Rattle—than she got with Opi, and for that I am very, very grateful. RIP, Opita.

Sunday February 25 day 4 manhattan

MtAoday: 6-7639, 1-2281 (NYC)
MEtRoday: 3291 (DC)

"Passive activities, such as reading, relaxing, sunbathing and daydreaming, are also encouraged."

Today begins with a leisurely stroll through Central Park, towards the Guggenheim (which is having its exterior refinished—and by the looks of it, not a moment too soon), down past the Met, back into the Park and finally down to 5th Ave to Grand Central Station. It was peaceful being in the Park, hearing the birds chirp, the squirrels scamper, and having the roar of the city replaced by the sounds of joggers running and talking and panting.

Then it's back to SoHo one more time for some shopping, in hoping to pick up some items but lots of window shopping, too. My feet are getting dead tired by now, so I do treat myself to a nice Mexican meal with a couple of beers to end my NYC trip, before I'm heading back uptown for the return trip home.

By this point I've heard that DC has four inches of snow and it's still coming down. Thinking of the last time in town with mcG, after the Black Hearts Party a couple of years ago when we had to scramble to get out of town, I ponder buying a train ticket but decide to go ahead and stick it out with the return bus. I take the earlier bus and even though we have some traffic on the Turnpike it's relatively a normal trip back. And where is all this snow I heard about six hours ago? It's all gone! Not even a remote hope of being able to have a snow day tomorrow.

It's nice to be home. The Twin™ is all excited to see me and vice versa.

Saturday February 24 day 3 manhattan

MtAoday: 1-1830, A-5294, A-4073, A-3357, R-5570, 1-2229, 1-1869, A-5247 (NYC)

We're going to walk across the Brooklyn Bridge and take photos. The weather is cooperating today, with gorgeous clear sunny skies. But I think there is a need for coffee first.

We took the train over to Brooklyn to walk back over the Bridge. It was cold and windy, but clear skies for taking pictures. Most noticeable from the Manhattan skyline was what was missing: the World Trade towers.

After the bridge we walked up Broadway, into SoHo to meet up with Andrea again. Since Z was dying for one more burrito before going back to Germany, we decided to go to Dos Caminos, a place that Patrick had recommended. They didn't have burritos, but they had tacos asada and fresh guacamole and we literally lucked the bowl clean. Some window shopping in SoHo and then it was time to get Z+K back to hotel to make their flight. It was great seeing them.

After a quick nap I'm off to the first stop on tonight's blarg, pulled together by Joe. It's called Nowhere Bar. Here's the itinerary:

9PM—Nowhere Bar (322 E.14th @ 1st Ave)
10PM—Phoenix (447 E.13th @ 1st Ave)
11PM—Dick's Bar (192 2nd Ave @ E. 12th St)
12AM—Big Lug (85 Ave A @ E. 6th Street)
1AM—Boiler Room (86 E.4th St @ 1st Ave)
2 AM—The Cock (28 2nd Ave @ E. 3rd St)

At the first stop, I'm a little nervous, just because I don't know anybody, although several of the faces look familiar. Joe introduces me to a few people and by the 2nd stop I'm feeling a little more at ease, and talk to a lot more people in our group. There seems to be a lot of us, and I'm wondering what the climate of these bars are before we roll in, when there's maybe five or ten people in them, and then all of a sudden 30 people show up, get a drink, talk loudly, and just as quickly disappear.

Bonus points for best DJ: Big Lug

Negative points for fire stampede threat: The Cock. $10 bucks to get in, (all the other places were free), with $3 coat check. Someone should have called the fire marshall because that place was way overcrowded, to the point of being dangerous. So a few of us bumped over next door to Urge, where it was much more accommodating.

I had a great time on this pubcrawl, and made some great friends. I'd list them here but my stolen internet is down right now. Darn! Linked updates will come soon. Stolen internet triumphs again! Some of the great peeps I met along the blarg are (real names will be hidden in case I need to protect the innocent/guilty/whory) JoeMyGod, ggwoo, Curly McDimple, Ninth Circle of Helen, Cynically Optimistic, Daily Blaque, So I Like Superman and Circle In A Square. Did I forget anybody? I hope not. Some photos can be found below, but if you'd like all the photos I've taken from the blarg, click here (active for the next seven days). Joe has some photos here and CO has a collection of photos here.

Friday February 23 day 2 manhattan

MtAoday: 1-2342, C-4059, A-5364 (NYC)

The sun is up today, which is very nice. Yesterday was gray and rainy, and plus today it covers as a good excuse for sunglasses. It's 9:30 and I'm up, so much for sleeping in. But it's The City, and I can sleep on the trip home. Today's agenda is Apple Store Fifth Ave and MOMA. I'm thinking I might be able to squeeze in some music and gift shopping beforehand.

"Assaulting MTA new york city transit subway personnel is a felony punishable by up to 7 years in prison."

An early afternoon of shopping: $113.68 at Record Runner, then some meandering through the Village and Chelsea, picking up chocolates and such. It's a clear yet windy day in the city, with lots of street vistas that I can't stop snapping photos of.

Later that afternoon I hook up with K+Z and we're hitting the MoMA, which is spectacular, just gorgeous gorgeous gorgeous (both the art and the building). I have to agree with Katie's mom about how spectacular it can be to view a Jasper Johns and spin around and view a Paul Klee or Rauschenberg. After that we're going to architecture bookshops and of course the Apple Store 5AV. Amazing.

At this point it's time for naps for everyone. I sleep a little late, until 10 or so, and Z+K aren't up to going out. I'm still a little tired, too, but try to make the trek downtown. I realize once I get there how exhausted I am, have one cocktail and immediately just jump in a cab and come home. Another early evening, but a full day.

Thursday February 22 i'm off!

MEtRoday: 1177 (DC)
MtAoday: C-4082, 1-2451 (NYC)

I'm leaving for NYC on the 8:30 bus, to return on Sunday. Since I'm hosting this site privately, instead of Blogger or LiveJournal or elsewhere, that means that I will not be able to update from the road. But I will be making entries and taking pix and hope to have them all posted by Monday evening. Have a good weekend everybody, and read some of those ADDIX blogs in the meantime (one of the new navigation tabs up there). Or maybe you can find me here. Cheers!

Post-NYC Update

It's a good thing I packed last night. I woke up in plenty of time to leisurely get ready and out the door to make my 8:30 bus at McPhers. I went online to quickly verify exactly which corner the pickup stop is, and it's at that time I see that the bus leaves at 8:00, not 8:30. It's 7:23 and I've just gotten out of the shower. I bolt into action.

I'm able to make it to EastMark by 7:41, my hopes of having a big cup of Dunkin' Donuts coffee not to materialize. 7:50 at FedTri, I think I can make it. This is reminiscient of the last time taking the bus to NY, with mcG, but that was because I overslept. Then, I check my printed-out reservation receipt and it says the Thursday bus does, in fact, leave at 8:30. WTF? Did I look at the wrong grid in the timetable? Well it's 7:55 and there's no bus, I'm assuming this is a good sign. By then the time I've gotten my coffee (Corner Bakery Cafe), banana and water, people see starting to line up. So I guess I did look at the wrong schedule and i'll make the bus on time. I love the destinations, but hate the process of getting there. Oh! Here comes the bus!

I can't believe it; I'm totally lucking out: the seat next to me is free, I can stretch out! That's a good sign.

"Guinness has only 125 calories. Not on purpose."

In Manhattan: my room this time is thankfully on the lobby level, meaning I'm not going to have to schlep the steep riser-to-tread-ratio staircase at four in the morning. The bad part is that now I'm deep into the building, which means no phone signal. I have to go out in the lobby just to check to see if Zipper's shot me a message. But this room has art!

A quick trip to the local grocery store for staples for the weekend (juice, sodas, apples, bagles, cheese, vodka) and I'm back in the subway to meet up with Z und K. Ja!

The three of is get on the subway to meet Z's friend Andrea once she gets off work. I met Andres a couple of summers ago when she and her HBB (hot blond boyfriend—they're German) were in DC at the same time Z was. We travel downtown, stop into Me-Kong for a cocktail and wait for Andrea there. From there we went to this fantastic restaurant that I can't remember the name of and had two whole grilles full of meat. All kinds of meat: chicken, pork, lamb, flank steak, sausages, seafood. It was so good. From there we stumbled into a bar that , I swear, I was at with mcG there years ago. Called d.b.a. Ring a bell? Several Jagermeister's later, and it was time to call it an early night. Z+K hopped into a cab, and welcomed me to join them, but I wanted some time alone in the city, wandering around and enjoying being a pedestrian. I walked over to the Village, up through Chelsea and then decided it was time to get a cab home to W83. It was a good first night.

Wednesday February 21 even dozen

MEtRoday: 5071, 5046, 5014, 2073, 4040

I was wanting to see Todges before leaving tomorrow for New York, and after last night's txt mssg mxup I was going to have to squeeze D12 in tonight, while I still had to pack and get some things ready for the trip. In addition, I had to pass a new front door key to Goldy so she could come in and look in on The Twin™ this weekend. And after reluctantly turning Melbinger down I believe twice this week for LaLa, I knew I had to invite her too.

Since neither Todges nor myself own vehicles, meeting up is sometimes tricky. For example, when we're going to go somewhere in his neighborhood, I would rather meet him at his place because it's convenient to where we're going and that way we can arrive together. But if we're going somewhere in my neighborhood, it's either got to be very close to my place (which isn't a lot) or otherwise I will meet him at the Metro and we'll both go from there. So that's what I did tonight, sitting there in the EastMarkStat, watching trains go by to see if he's on them, to see if he's going to exit so I can grab him and pull us both on the train without having to wait for the next one to arrive.

Tuesday February 20 get me to the island

MEtRoday: 5012, 2023, 2041, 1259

Ziska and Kilian are in NYC! She texted me at 6:11:59 PM and told me they had landed. They have a couple of days alone together, and then I will blow into town. Our plans are going to be very what-do-you-want-to-do-now, as opposed to trying to plan too much in advance. Just like my Munich trip last summer to visit them. But I did mention the 1984 party @ Pyramid Club, and they seemed down with that. I'd also like to visit the MOMA, especially if one of those afternoons is bitterly cold and windy.

Today I emailed with Patrick, who totally gave me the hookup on the art scene this weekend in NYC. He says there are lots of international art fairs going on this weekend, which could be a lot of fun. He even provided links. Now isn't that a nice New Yorker? The fairs he mentions are The Armory Show, Scope and Pulse. He also let me know of some eateries and drinkeries, and I'm sure we'll be stopping by some of these. And of course you know I'm going to stop by here. And here. And here. And here. And here.

Monday February 19 pin me

MEtRoday: 5071, 3129, 3114, 5085

Melbingerama has discovered that we, as BlackBerry users, can text each other for free. Since each BB device has a unique PIN, messages can be sent via PIN instead of via email, therefore bypassing your carrier's SMS service. Nice! I would post my PIN number here, but I don't know how safe that would be. I mean, you can always contact me just by hitting the become_an_addict tab, so I don't see what the security concern should be, but I'm still afraid. If you want to PIN me, just let me know and I'll send it to you.

If anybody wants to loan me a video iPod for the bus ride up to NYC this weekend, I'd be much obliged. I'd gladly pay you back with a CD-Single import of some British pop band. If you would be so kind as to purchase me a brand new iPod, then by all means I'll get you a full-length album. Take your choice of this, this or this. Just let me know which you prefer when you deliver the iPod. Easy!

Sunday February 18 i've seen the future and it will be

MEtRoday: none

During my visit this weekend, I'm realizing my Mom is not doing well at all. She is in a lot of pain, and due to her advanced ALS it is almost impossible for her to move any part of her body below her neck. This means that getting her out of bed and into the living room is a lengthy and tiring ordeal. Assisting her so she can use the bathroom is both pitiful and humbling. Luckily she has my father and my brother both alive, healthy and able to help. It got me thinking what would happen to me if I were in my Mom's situ 30 years from now. Would anyone be there to help on a daily basis? Family? Friends? Someone I had spent my life with? Is that even possible now, I mean, does it still happen?

Sunday I was able to see my ne[w]phew Will. He's cute and tiny and apparently is eating his body weight in formula every day. Chuck and Jacki were being visited by J's sister Anita, so me and Butch went over there in the afternoon for a winter BBQ before I got on the train. Here's Chuck being goofy. See a family resemblance?

Saturday February 17 blarg countdown

MEtRoday: 1190

Seven days from now I will be blarging. Or on my first blarg. Or being blarged. I'm not quite sure which one of those is most accurate. What is Blarg? I believe it's something along the lines of a pub crawl involving those that blog. I blog, therefore I blarg. Stay with me for a second on this one...

Next week, I'm going to NYC to meet up with Zippy and Kili, who have some airmiles to burn so they're doing a li'l vaca in the 'hattan. They're flying in Tuesday and I'm going up Thursday. They're leaving Saturday and I'm leaving Sunday. That leaves me with a Saturevening all on my own. Now, I can find a fun time on that isle, don't get me wrong. But then I saw that Joe. My. God. was organizing a blogger pubcrawl in the East Village so I asked to be signed up and next thing you know, I'm on his list. Wouldn't that be much more fun than going out by oneself? Currently 22 others are also signed up, and the establishments on the itinerary are: Nowhere Bar, Phoenix, Eastern Bloc, Big Lug, Boiler Room and The Cock.

from-the-train-going-to-visit-family-update: The blue line is now unofficially redubbed the white (trash) line, especially if you're riding it all the way out to Spry-Fy on a Saturday afternoon. In front of me are two children, accompanied by five adults who make disapproving faces at the blue-haired girl waiting at the vDorn stop. Heaven forbid these tsk-tskers step outside of their comfort shell of American flag apparel and mall-hair to realize it's okay to be a little different. I can't even describe the Tonya Harding circus of boisterous out-of-control children climbing on the seats and swinging from the poles behind me, with parents straight out of a Poison video circa 1987, anxious to get home and procreate again. Just keep on going to the end of the line, get in your Chevy and drive deeper into the H8ST8. FoxNews and Wal-Mart are eagerly awaiting your return.

Friday February 16 poon. poon?

MEtRoday: Thursday 3059, 2028, 1191, 5086, 1009, 3041; Friday 5163, 5120, 3066, 1139, 4004, 4033

Last night was Katie Ryann's 2nd anniversary at JoyLuck, so we had a little celebration. In attendance: Katie Ryann, {cluck} Tommy, Ammiiee, Goldy, Judy, Calvin and YumYum. I know what you're thinking. Pretty diverse, right? Well between the ice-skating on the frozen-solid patio and the cakefight that ensued inside, you can assume we had a pretty good time.

Tonight was D11 with Todges. We saw Factory Girl, which is just absolutely outstanding. Two thumbs up from me and Todgie. Sienna Miller plays Andy-Warhol-pet-project Edie Sedgewick in the title role. I had not heard of Miller previously, but she's getting a lot of good reviews and does a great job portraying Sedgewick, especially during the downslide years. Guy Pearce as Warhol is brilliant, too. Oddly enough, when the movie was over we discovered a lot of items patrons had left behind: magazines, skull caps, contact lens cases. After the movie we strolled up to Chinatown for a bite to eat and ended up at the same place we had D3. More dumplings, soups, hot tea and spicy pork poon mein. Then, getting on the 'tro at Gal-Pal* we were getting on red line trains yet traveling in opposite directions, and both of our trains arrived at the same time. Nice, huh? (And a private joke: Todges Word o' the Day: Yuk.)

I was trying to get home this weekend to visit with my Mom and see my ne[w]phew Will, when I found out online that all the southbound trains were sold out. WTF? Is this because of stranded trains in the wintry Northeast Corridor or the holiday weekend or a combo of both? I have never seen these routes sold out, except for maybe Thanksgiving. So, my plans to go home were cancelled. But then MBC (Middle Brother Chuck) suggested that OBB (Older Brother Butch) pick me up at Spry-Fy**. I talked to him today and that's what we're going to do. So I'll come back with lots of pictures from the trip. Getting a northbound train back on Sunday was a little iffy too; only one train avail but it's my usual 80 Carolinian. If you're riding on the Carolinian, say hello and let's grab an Amstel from the club car.

*Gal-Pal: The other day I started making hip-popstar names for all the Metro stops. For example, Gal-Pal would be Gallery Place; Foggy Bottom is Foggy B; Braddock Road is Brad-Ro; Dupont Circle is Dirkle.

**Can you figure out Spry-Fy? ___________

Wednesday February 14 cracks in the pavement

MEtRoday: 3076, 1034, 1035, 3030, 1191, 2072, 5173, 1164

Is this futurejunkie's first all-primary color MEtRoday?

Tonight, of all nights, is D10 with Todges. He asked me what I wanted to do, I said I didn't know, he said why don't I make dinner and I said sure! I brought a bottle of Fumé Blanc and two tarts for desert (one blackberry, one mixed fruit). Todges has a bottle of red champagne and makes moroccan chicken with garlic and couscous with pistachios with sides of broiled broccoli. He also had some strawberries in chocolate so we each had one of those, ending up with double desserts. Neither of us argued about that. (Note to self: T likes blackberries and blueberries.) Todges also has a new haircut that makes him look, as Melbinger would say, hawt.

Tuesday February 13 wintry mix

MEtRoday: 4032, 1232, 1035, 3128, 1233, 3010

My employer, for the first time in ten years, actually stuck to its word on following the Gub'mintz policy on closing early due to inclement weather. So we were able to leave @ 2:00. The huge snowstorm we've been promised by the notoriously-inept DC weatherpeeps of course has not arrived and probably never will. We will get, instead, some ice pellets and other miscellaneous hard things that pelts one's face when one rides a bicycle in said weather. Maybe we'll even get to go in a couple of hours late tomorrow. Let's take a look at today's WaPo's forecast:

The current UV Index is totally linear gradient via Adobe Illustrator 5.5 circa 1993.
There is a very low chance The Terrorists will attack with Pollen.
And finally, today's Air Quality is Moderately Gay. As well as misspelled. Shame (on the misspelling).

Monday February 12 definition

MEtRoday: 3057, 3036, 4035, 4044, 3193

Phorn / fôrn / noun
1. Pornography stored on a cellular phone.

Sunday February 11 no ginger calamari for you!

MEtRoday: Saturday 4002, 3234; Sunday 1015

Last night I met up with Todges for D9. We were going to go to Logan Tavern, but that place was so damned packed. Instead we went to La Villa, a little Salvadorian joint on 14th St. It reminded me of those Mexican places in Houston: La Jaliscience, Spanish Flower. And the food was really, really good so we're going to have to go back there again soon.

Afterwards met up with mcG and Siri at Townhouse Tavern. I gave Siri a Moo card. Siri and Todges seemed to hit it off, discussing color theory and other art aspects. It seems they were both trained by their mothers in the same memory game as a child, the one where you flip cards over and you have to find the match for it, or remember where it was when you turned it over three turns ago. Todges says there is a set with textile images that is really gorgeous. [Update: Todges has left purchasing info in Comments.]

A couple of beers later and it's time to roll. Me and T were going to hit blowoff but it was too damn cold to walk there (it was 32° when I was walking to the 'tro earlier) and we didn't feel like cabbing there and cabbing back, so we blewoff blowoff and called it a night instead.

---

There's a secret project that I've been working on all this weekend for some friends. They will be launching an online venture on March 1st, so stay tuned for that announcement. I can tell you that I've been working on silhouetting some images from a photoshoot they had a couple of weeks ago, so it's been all option-click-drag, command-click-drag, zoom-zoom-zoom, click-drag-click-drag all weekend long. Me and my iMac have become inseparable this weekend. Here's some of the tunes I downloaded from Johnny's 80s blog or burned to crank me through it.

Friday February 09 all of our lives, post-anna nicole

MEtRoday: 1199, 3231, 3088, 3061

You might have noticed there is a new tab on futurejunkie, up there in the nav pane. It's called addix and currently it's a red tab. Found it? Good. It's a place I'm using to keep handy links of blogs that I read on a regular or semi-regular basis. These aren't necessarily people who have become_an_addict, although I presume some of them have. So while it's mainly for me, please explore and see if you find anything that interests you.

Kicked out the House: check out some trax. Beatport has some killer house beats. Plus they provide a three-minute sample of each track, so you can really tell how each track is building, crashing or taking it to the next level.

And don't forget blowoff tomorrow night. U goin'? Do it and shake it out. Say hello.

Currently listening: Blur: Tender (Cornelius Remix)

Tender is the night
lying by your side
tender is the touch
of someone that you love too much

Tender is the day
the demons go away
Lord, I need to find
someone who can heal my mind

Tender is the ghost
the ghost I love the most
hiding from the sun
waiting for the night to come

Tender is my heart
I'm screwing up my life
Lord, I need to find
someone who can heal my mind

Come on, come on, come on
get through it
love's the greatest thing that we have
I'm waiting for that feeling to come.

Thursday February 08 it's alright

MEtRoday: 5158, 2042, 1237, 3052

JoyLuck @ Henry's. Same peeps, but also pHierce Schooler Jen and Katy's mom, mamaJ, were there, and both are always welcome additions. I'm home with the Twin now, she's right by me, saying hello, how y'doin. We'll go to sleep together. It gives me comfort that she needs me near.

And I have to give a shout out to Miss Anna Nicole, a Houston girl who made it her own way. Rest In Peace.

Wednesday February 07 "no, yes, yes"

MEtRoday: Tuesday 3057, 3171, 2013, 3052; Wednesday 4033, 5082, 3107, 5025, 3020, 1173, 1274

Tonight is D8 with Todges. The plans are to have cocktails at Mercury Grille (nee: Carmella Kitty's), then dodge taxis and hit Sushi Taro across the skreet. Full update to follow.

I spoke with Franklin last night, and he brought up some interesting points about aging. When I was in 2nd grade (or maybe it was 6th) I was told that I would live to be 70 years old, the national average at the time. That's it. Seventy. No more, no less. If I were one of the lucky ones. So I've always pictured 70 as being the goal and if I make it to that age, then I won in the big game of Life. Franklin's shooting well past that target. He's referencing cell phones. He says, "Think of the cell phones of 15 years ago, they were as big as a brick. They only made phone calls." True enough. Today I get phone calls, email and text messages; I can retrieve satellite maps of any global location and surf the web on my phone. Cumbersome web pages, but still. Some phones even take pictures, but not mine (insert sad face emoticon). Franklin mentions if this technology is doubling every two years or so, with the iPhone (his reference, not mine) coming out, think of how crazy that shit is going to be 40 years from now. Yowzah. He wants to live to see this and I do, too. Please let me beat the odds.

upD8: We totally scored a Japanese table and I was able to show off my wintargyle socks. I don't know of Todges noticed or not, but it sure made me feel real good. We had a great table and were able to sit side-by-side and stretch out and get comfortable. T ordered a dinner box while I had miso soup, sea eel, salmon roe, and California and Alaska rolls. And I nibbled off of T's plate too. He didn't seem to mind.

Monday February 05 i know what today is,

MEtRoday: 3057, 3026, 3095, 1134

It's February 5th, three months after Hum has died. Is three months long enough to start forgetting? Because this is what I find myself doing. Forgetting. Not that she's gone, because I think of her every day. But sometimes I don't remember her. And then a picture will snap me back to a face that I don't see every day, a meow that I don't hear every day and behavior I don't interact with every day. This is the worst part, that I'm already forgetting.

Please bear with me on this, but I've looked at the calendar, and another three months from now is May, the Twins™ birthmonth. Thankfully the fifth is not on a Wednesday In May, their birthdays. But it will still be a weekly reminder of what was and what is, when Rattle is having her birthdays by herself for the first time.

Also I'm finding that I'm treating Rattle differently now. I guess I have to; it's inevitable. She gets a little more attention from me because she's demanding it more (there's no one for her to play with) and also because my focus isn't divided between the two of them. I'm also giving her the affection that I would have been giving to Hum. This does not mean that I love Hum any less.

Friday February 02 1/10

MEtRoday: 2024, 3270, 4082, 2011, 3124

A brief Mary Tyler Moore update while I'm a sick shut-in {again} watching DVDs: Mary's rent is $125 and Rhoda's is $87.50. PER MONTH. Ahhh, the 70s.

Thursday February 01 all wrapped up

MEtRoday: 5141, 3231, 3078, 4040, 4082

When I left Germany last summer, I gave €20 To Ziska to get me a Euro-only issue a-ha CD that I had seen in the record store a few days earlier. She was going to send it last fall but because she told me she was getting Moo cards printed, I wanted her to wait and send me some of those along with the CD. Then Ziska took it upon herself to throw in some Seba-Med, which she knows I love, as well as some other goodies. Let me see if I can remember everything that was in there: the CD, Seba-Med shampoo, Seba-Med body wash, four Moo cards, assorted chocolates, Toffifee (yay!), clubbing postcards, a Troublespot dogtag (in German), a homemade cookie from Z and Marlene, Gummi bears, end-of-the-year music listings and three Campari mini-bottles. Marlene obviously helped decorate the packaging with crayon artwork, just as she had done with the TV screen before the World Cup game. Thanks Zippy!

Melbinger and I planned to go to La Lomita tonight and it was way overdue! I believe the last time we went was right after Christmas, and they were still remodeling the kitchen so we had to hit LaLa Dos, which was good still, but not our LaLa. So she and I were texting all day long just to build ourselves up for it, even though that wasn't necessary. And then I talked to Todges and he was having a particularly bad day, so I invited him to see if wanted to join us. He did. So that was D7.