On a sweet tooth run last night I decided to practice some night photography.
| November 30, 2005 08:08am | 
| opinionated (3)
My new coworkers love to listen to music while they work. Since we are all working in a circular configuration (with our backs toward the center) we have one computer streaming online radio that varies from retro to celtic to modern hits. This morning was a trip back to the 80s.
At my first interview I was dressed up like a million dollar trouper, trying hard to look like Gary Cooper, but they told me that it was a pretty casual atmosphere which is awesome. At that interview I felt a little out of place in my dress shirt so in an effort of support they offered, "If you're blue and you don't know where to go to why don't you go where fashion sits? Puttin' on the ritz." I appreciated that and immediate felt like one of the gang.
After I found out they loved to listen to music, I knew that I had to work there. I seem to remember the interviewer gleefully chiming in, "Marconi plays the mamba, listen to the radio, don’t you remember: we built this city, we built this city on rock and roll." I have yet to meet Marconi but anyone who plays the mamba is okay by me.
I was a bit concerned that I may not have the notoriaty to work at such a large paper, but they assured me, "You don't need money, don't take fame, don't need no credit card to ride this train." I was relieved though getting a bit weirded out with the little rhyming way everyone was talking.
They did have to warn me about the editorial staff. I guess it's boredom city up there and I'm not to be put off by their gruff nature. First time you feel it, it might make you sad. Next time you feel it it might make you mad but then, I guess you just get used to it. I haven't encountered it yet, so we'll see.
It sounds like nights can be a bit freaky around there since that's when the presses get going and deadlines are at a critical. It’s close to midnight and something evil’s lurking in the dark. You think you've got a grasp on everything but all the while you hear the creature creepin’ up behind, you’re out of time. ‘Cause this is thriller, thriller night. Let's just say that I'm glad I work an early shift.
Fortunately I survived the day and didn't have any of that 80s music stick with me after I left the office...
| November 29, 2005 04:45pm | 
| opinionated (1)
I'm feeling way too positive about this new job I'm starting this morning. I've have nothing angsty or bitterly sarcastic to post. Hopefully there'll be some really annoying incident at work to make me wish I never took this job. Yeah. That'd make for some good blogging.
| November 29, 2005 08:12am | 
| opinionated (1)
Why in the name of my creative left pinky are people so predictable? This morning at an "open and affirming" church (i.e. they cater to queers) it was all women in mullets and men with lisps. And, no, I don't consider getting your mullet permed as some grand break from the cookie cutter that stamped you out. I'm in desperate need for some originality. Anyone? Anyone!?!
| November 27, 2005 02:50pm | 
| opinionated (0)
| November 26, 2005 12:52pm |
| opinionated (1)
This just in: I have a part-time job working in the graphics department at the local newspaper! I start Tuesday. I'm so relieved. This will have me bringing in some money, get me out of the house regularly and give me some much needed social contact. What a blessing from God and what a great way to continue all the great things that have been happening for me since I've been here. Let us all breath a collective sigh of relief...
| November 25, 2005 05:03pm |
| opinionated (0)
If I were, perhaps, a person working on a customer's kitchen tile I may not be terribly inclined to be trashing the last client for whom I worked. I may also not be inclined to schedule a day to work on said kitchen and then tell the customer that I could still do it on that day, but it'd involve "more work that I'd like to do." After canceling the first work day, I might also not be inclined to show up an hour and a half late for my next two days of work. But even with all that, I'm nearly certain that while at the customer's house, with the customer there, I wouldn't pee with the bathroom door open.
But that might just be me.
| November 25, 2005 07:43am |
| opinionated (1)
| November 24, 2005 09:51am |
| opinionated (2)
Ethnic Men Shaving. Now there's a fetish you don't hear about every day.
| November 23, 2005 05:25pm |
| opinionated (0)
Does the average American truly prefer their movies/books to have predictable plotlines and cliche endings? Do they want their logos and brochures squeezed from a can? Do they really enjoy having their music mass produced with only slight lyric and label changes?
In spite of mounting evidence to the contrary, I've remained blissfully hopeful that the world at large really prefers creativity, diversity and uniqueness. As a person loathing anything cliche or ordinary I simply can't stand the thought of living in a world where there's a formula for "art" and where the most used/obvious aesthetics are the ones the consumer will choose every single time.
I understand the comfort concept, but am personally offended when watching a movie that has the standard five characters and three plot twists. When character #3 (the angsty street kid who's never known real love) gets killed off by a "shocking" turn of events I want to shoot myself repeatedly with my 2.5 horse battery powered nail gun. When we think all is finally safe, but the evil villian rises once more I want to bludgeon the tv with my rusty pocket-sized collapsable tire iron. And the moment when we find that the villian's side-kick was actually a tormented youth and truly wants to be redeemed... well, that's when I decide to get a sex change, become a nun and move to some remote location where the incessant monotonous drone of the mediocrity of society can't reach my muted vow of poverty.
| November 23, 2005 09:39am |
| opinionated (3)
One very early morning last week, when Curt was getting ready for work, I became fascinated with how the light from the bathroom spilled out around the edges of the door into the dark bedroom. Realizing this was likely some sleep induced delusion, I still chose to get up and have myself a mini photo shoot. For those keeping track that'd be a photo shoot at 6am. I so need to get a life...
This photo contains partial nudity. Of me. If you so don't want to go there, overt your gaze and wander on to more puritan pastures. For those of you a little more daring, no tallywackers or behinds were revealed in the making of this photo.
keep reading... | November 22, 2005 12:44pm |
| opinionated (4)
Save Toby. That's all I have to say about that.
| November 21, 2005 07:59pm |
| opinionated (1)
The sidewalk cement is glittery at night. Can we make it any more obvious that San Francisco is the land of 'orientationally challenged?'
| November 20, 2005 09:29am |
| opinionated (3)
Homer, Alaska
| November 19, 2005 12:34pm |
| opinionated (0)
Yesterday I met with the head of an opera company to see if they could find use of my piano skills. The guy was really slimey. It's hard to describe exactly, but he just came across as a disgusting person. The type you picture slobbering pizza all over his polyester suit coat while trying to sell you a car. This area and the concept of opera so don't go together, but when you see the scary head of this organization it all becomes clear. It's like white trash trying to put on a high class dinner, but they can't figure out where to place the spam fork.
We walked into the paper bomb that is his office, he reclined in his desk chair, threw his feet up on one of the piles of papers on his desk and proceeded to tell me why he is God's gift to the universe. I tried to ignore the hay dangling from the bottom of his size 12 hiking boots. In the process of giving me the disertation on all things him, he deftly trashed every other person which he passed by in the story. A feat worthy of some sort of award, I'm sure.
After I was asked to sight-read some impossibly difficult score - and butchering it appropriately - the director/god-of-the-pizza-stain said they often cast their opera roles cross-gendered. So Juliet may be a guy or whatever (his non-opera example, not mine). I'm not so disturbed with them being adaptive to their resources, but the fact that he seemed so pleased with this gender bending, concerned me greatly. It was at this point I felt the need to slowly back out of the room and not overly excite the plump, crazy man behind the desk.
| November 18, 2005 05:26pm |
| opinionated (4)
The day at the paper went really well yesterday. I had about 10 minutes of orientation before I was put to work. I was surprised with how quickly I could settle in and that I didn't have to bombard my supervisor with questions all day. She was impressed with the ads I designed and extra impressed that they didn't contain any errors. Seems like a basic necessity to me, but who knows who she's had work for her in the past. I really enjoyed the staff as well and would enjoy working there. They are interviewing three other people. Sounds like they've enjoyed everyone who's put in their trial day so we'll see what they decide. They are going to be letting me know about the job next week.
| November 17, 2005 08:28am |
| opinionated (0)
I'm working for a living. Well, at least for the day. I'm going back to the newspaper at which I interviewed last week for a part-time job. I work 8 hours today as sort of a second interview. I was told they are overloaded in the graphics department and to expect to work hard today. I guess that means the chance of slowly easing into things with training is out the window. Ah well. Time to show them what I'm worth.
| November 16, 2005 08:30am |
| opinionated (4)
Benecia, CA
| November 15, 2005 05:28pm |
| opinionated (2)
You know when you tan indoors (aka Fake 'n Bake) you can smell that your skin has been cooking for awhile? No? Just me? Well then, just play along cause it happens. Anyway, I tanned today in preparation for a holiday trip we're going on. It was my first tanning here and I discovered that baked Damon smells very different in California than it does in Alaska. I had no idea that the smell of charred flesh varied by region. Fascinating.
| November 15, 2005 10:30am |
| opinionated (0)
I'm stuck at home again today waiting on the plumbing to be finished in the kitchen. This is the 6th day over the last 3 weeks I've been home bound to get this project done. Curt had said he could work it out to work from home for some of these days, but I can't see having him do that just so I'm free to run and grab a smoothie whenever I feel like it. Well, there are much more important errands than smoothies, but they are all flexible so it makes much more sense that I continue overseeing the project like I have from the beginning. Besides I'm seeking on Oscar for my portrayal of a Californian metrosexual martyr who presses past the oppression of kitchen remodeling to become a beacon of hope to all who would seek smoothie fulfillment.
| November 14, 2005 10:01am |
| opinionated (3)
I had no idea getting fitted for a tux could be such a pleasurable experience. While my encounter wasn't with an Eastern European woman, the patting, poking, and all around manhandling left me feeling quite flushed. I do have to say, however, I was disappointed that the store representative wasn't more obliging with the simple requests I made, directives such as, "move a little lower," "measure more vigorously," "don't stop, don't stop, don't stop..." You know, the standard things. Ah well, perhaps I can expect more cooperative customer service in my second fitting. One can only hope.
| November 13, 2005 06:28pm |
| opinionated (0)
Homer, Alaska
| November 12, 2005 10:15am |
| opinionated (1)
The workers arrived early this morning to install the new countertops. They turned on the radio and began their prep work to the ever loved classic Axel F.
The link is just because I know Lynne hasn't seen enough of that little guy.
| November 11, 2005 09:12am |
| opinionated (0)
We went to dinner at The Helmand in San Francisco yesterday. It was our first venture in Afghan cuisine. I have to say I had an amazing dinner. Parts of the meal reminded me of Indian food and other parts reminded me of Greek. Overall, the menu was unlike anything I'd experienced before.
I started with Ahak: ravioli filled with leeks and scallions, with yogurt and mint-garlic sauce, topped with ground beef and mint. Each flavor seemed to find my taste buds one at a time before settling into this delicious combination.
My entree was Mourgh Challow: Chicken sauteed with spices and yellow split-peas, then sauteed with yogurt, cilantro and curry, served with challow rice. I can't even describe how amazing this was. The flavor of the dish was outrageous and combined with their seasoned challow rice, I honestly couldn't get enough. It was so good that I've have to force myself to try something else next time I'm there.
For dessert I had Bucklawa (otherwise known as baklava): pastry layered with a combination of chopped walnuts, almonds, and pistachios scented with cinnamon and cloves and served with a honeyed caramel sauce. It was far superior to any <insert derogatory tone>baklava I've ever had. In fact Curt had to pull me from my own little haven of bliss to let me know we were going to be late for our after dinner show.
The Zagat review of this restaurant commented, "who knew Afghans ate so well?" and I have to agree. This restaurant has become an instant favorite. In fact, I wouldn't mind finding my way back into the city today for round two. Hm...
| November 10, 2005 09:16am | 
| opinionated (0)
I've been getting quite a few calls lately in response to over 100 letters sent to arts organizations and music teachers. The opportunity of the day: helping tune 75 violins for a school concert. While I love the idea of helping nearly 100 eight year olds produce screeching tones resembling the latest Disney theme song, I'm thinking that offer deserves a big fat stamp of rejection.
| November 9, 2005 11:33pm |
| opinionated (1)
Wanna send your future self some words of widsom or a dirty joke that shouldn't be forgotten? This e-mail time capsule is aimed at helping you do just that. Of course, what's the chance that I'll have the same e-mail address in 20 years?
| November 8, 2005 06:58pm |
| opinionated (0)
Not only do I have nothing but positive things to report about my family this weekend, but I actually enjoyed my time with them. I seriously have no trash to share and no gossip to spread. All the visits went great. In addition to all that... I think Curt is good for me with my family. I certainly feel much more comfortable around them after this trip.
| November 8, 2005 10:09am |
| opinionated (0)
Curt and I are headed to Alaska tonight. We are taking a quick trip up there so he can meet my family and vice versa. Since I don't feel all that comfortable around most of my family (no big secret there) this trip should spur lots of interesting stories. Of course, everyone's gonna love Curt which might ruin what would otherwise be several weeks of perfectly delightful blog rants. The bastards.
| November 3, 2005 08:54am |
| opinionated (3)
I nearly forgot... in addition to yesterday's gifts of two music gigs and a likely design gig (which will end up be an ongoing thing), I also received an e-mail from an Alaska company that wants me to design their annual report and the first yellow pages book was released that includes a listing of my piano teaching business. All within one early day in November (sounds like a song from a bad musical). Apparently the old adage, "when it rains, it pours" applies to good stuff too. As much as I like to bitch about how long stuff is taking to happen, I do recognized how really blessed I am to have this great new life. No worries, though, I'll be back to ranting about the dry beans any minute now. heh
| November 2, 2005 11:45am |
| opinionated (0)
Homer, Alaska
| November 1, 2005 10:53pm |
| opinionated (0)
I was just offered a job as musical director of Kiss Me Kate next May and a job as a pianist for Ragtime next summer. I also landed a meeting with a realty company in town to potentially do some graphic design work for them. My career connections in this area is coming in fits and starts, but it's happening. I'm stoked. Anyone want to join me tonight for some celebration?
| November 1, 2005 01:57pm |
| opinionated (1)