We had such a good time yesterday, but I am soooo sore! Hot tip: Converse All Stars are not good walking shoes! I was hobbling around and referring to my feet as bloody stumps by the end of the day. Anyway...
The train was a lot of fun. We had coach seats for the ride down and business class for the way back, 'cause coach was sold out and lemme tell ya... the extra $7 to get first dibs on anything in the cafe was worth it in itself, but the roomy seats and foot rests were extra appreciated by us weary travelers!
My T routes were perfect, except that we came above ground further away than I planned from Newbury Street, so after walking like seven blocks aimlessly, we decided to give up and push on to the Garment District. As weird as it sounds, it felt good to sort of take charge and lead Barb and Jenn around the T system, 'cause neither of them had any idea what they were doing. They literally would have been lost without me. So yay for me. The leader aspect of my personality emerged yesterday in a big way.
We had lunch at Cheers which was cool, but they claim it's modeled after the Hollywood set and I didn't see that at all. The bar itself maybe, but the restaurant wasn't even slightly reminiscent of the original. Oh well. They had good burgers!
I only have the pictures I took, but the ones Barb and Jenn took will soon be added to the spread. We're actually thinking of doing an scrapbook cataloging all our adventures. So far we have the weekend in Maine and now Boston. I have to say that it's awesome to be able to work with people I like enough to hang out with on the weekends. With past coworkers, I was dying to get away from them by Tuesday.
The cheesy tourists waiting for the train
Horsing around underground
The comfy ride home
The only bad thing I can say about the trip, aside from the aforementioned bloody stumps, is that although we even remarked that it didn't smell like a big city, I am hacking up a lung and totally congested this morning. Must've inhaled much more crap than I realized. Eeeew.
Hope everyone had a great weekend!
Posted @ 9:17 AM
Friday, March 24, 2006
I was bored last night and decided to Google myself (get your minds out of the gutter!) and see what I could find. Some of the shit I unearthed was quite surprising.
Something that kind of struck me was a post in the blog of someone I don't even know who was commenting back when my domain was arcanegirl.com. She said:
Arcanegirl.com (One thing that annoys me here is that NO WHERE in her site does she include her own name... I spent 15 minutes leafing through it with no luck. >:( Rawr.)
I am too lazy to see if I have made this mistake again here, but nonetheless I just wanted to say...
Hi, my name is Erin.
Posted @ 9:23 PM
Thursday, March 23, 2006
I'm so psyched! Jenn, Barb and I are taking a train down to Boston on Saturday to fart around and go to Faneuil Hall, Newbury Street and The Garment District. Being a country bumpkin, a trip to the big city is soooo exciting.
Anyway, just wanted to share. I'm sure I'll have all kinds of lame pictures to post upon our return.
Posted @ 6:45 PM
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
I knew it!! I knew it! My mom told me she was 100% sure that Chickie had killed her, but in my gut it just didn't seem right. She turned up in "the cat room" today, without a mark on her. Evidently, the night my mom thought Merry met her end, Chickie had gone under the house, my mom heard a struggle, Chickie came in covered in blood and Merry did not appear the next morning for breakfast. Chickie is a famous rat killer and cat chaser, so my mom was convinced that she had caught gimpy Merry and done the famous Chickie Neck Break Shake. But here she is, back from who-knows-where. Yaaaaaaaaaaaaay!!!!!!! Not even my cat, but after the TLC I gave her over Xmas, it's hard not to feel attached to her. I'm so glad she's OK.
Hope everyone's having a good week so far.
Posted @ 7:22 PM
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Oh, what a busy weekend it's been. Yesterday I went to Manchester to hang drapes in the condo for George. Then I went to Target in search of curtains, but found none I liked. Same scenario at WalMart. By then, I was sick of driving around and came home.
Today I did the grocery shopping, did six loads of laundry, totally cleaned the bedroom and went through the three foot pile of clothes on the floor, as well as the contents of cardboard boxes long ago split and spilled. I also cleaned the kitchen and did the dishes. Then I decided to go to KMart and buy new curtains, 'cause I knew they had some I like (which turned out to be on sale - bonus!) So my house is clean, my curtains is hung and all is right with the world. Well, all except a couple of things:
I inadvertently melted Jay's work jacket by leaving it in the dryer too long. There was actually smoke. Very lucky I didn't set the whole damned place on fire. Ah, the process to domestication...
On a sad note, the kitten -- Merry -- that I worked so hard to save at my mom's over Christmas got cornered under the house by a dog and ripped to pieces. I am trying to tell myself that she wasn't my cat and shit happens, but part of me feels horribly guilty, because I chose not to bring her home with me. I left her there for fear of upsetting the balance of my own household, knowing damned well she was gonna be gimpy from her injury and at a major disadvantage as far as defenses go and that my mom wasn't going to be able to keep her indoors with all the comings and goings... She would have been safe here. It breaks my heart that we literally nursed this kitten back from the brink of death only to have her violently killed by a fucking dog. I can't dwell on it or I'll cry...
I have been so sad about Merry that I've been driving the Whimkat crazy with lovin'. I think I am drawn to her under the circumstances because she's the smallest of the bunch and the most kitten-like. *sigh* Sometimes I wish I hated animals.
Posted @ 5:19 PM
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Jay and I just watched Hustle and Flow. I have to admit that I often can't identify with movies like it, because I grew up in a snobby 99% Caucasian New England town and have had virtually no exposure to people of color or different cultures. So sometimes I see movies with themes like it and I just don't "get it." Anyway, it was a fantastic movie. Great story, great character development, great ending, great message. I loved it.
One line I especially loved: It ain't the size of the dog in the fight, it's the size of the fight in the dog.
'Nother good quote: There are two types of people: those that talk the talk and those that walk the walk. People who walk the walk sometimes talk the talk but most times they don't talk at all, 'cause they walkin'. Now, people who talk the talk, when it comes time for them to walk the walk, you know what they do? They talk people like me into walkin' for them.
And another: See...man ain't like a dog. And when I say "man," I'm talking about man as in mankind, not man as in men. Because men, well, we a lot like a dog. You know, we like to piss on things. Sniff a bitch when we can. Even get a little pink hard-on the way they do. We territorial as shit, you know, we gonna protect our own. But man, he know about death. Got him a sense of history. Got religion. See...a dog, man, a dog don't know shit about no birthdays or Christmas or Easter bunny, none of that shit. And one day God gonna come calling, so you know, they going through life carefree. But people like you and me, man, we always guessing. Wondering, "What if?" You know what I mean? So when you say to me, "Hey, I don't think we should be doing this," I gotta say, baby, I don't think we should be doing this neither, but we ain't gonna get no move on in this world, lying around in the sun, licking our ass all day. I mean, we man. I mean, you a woman and all, but we man. So with this said, you tell me what it is you wanna do with your life.
Good flick. Very good flick.
Posted @ 9:08 PM
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Posted @ 9:33 PM
Monday, March 13, 2006
Well, the object was to do something light and springlike, but it ended up looking more like a douche ad. On the other hand, douche ads are also meant to seem fresh and springlike, so mission accomplished, I guess. *shrugs* Only me...
Today Indie and I went to Lowes to get a park bench for the porch. I assembled it all by myself, and yes, it's stable, which was Jay's first question - harumph! Anyway, it looks really good and has given me a mad case of spring fever. I bought some pretty plant hanger brackets (can't find a link) so I can eventually put hanging baskets outside. Also got some seeds -- moonflowers, morning glories (my favorite!), sweet basil, broad leaf sage and lavender. I also got a few mini kits for kids: pumpkins, sunflowers and watermelon. I'll probably buy a ton more stuff, but this is enough for now. We're not even out of the woods as far as winter goes.
*yawn* I should go check on dinner. Hope everyone had a lovely Monday!
Posted @ 6:22 PM
Sunday, March 12, 2006
Have you ever found yourself called upon to perform some physical task which you always assumed you'd be able to do easily, only to find it was a struggle? Like assuming your body is capable of running, only to find your legs are like lead and you're out of shape cardiovascularly? (Is that even a word?) Well, this is the only comparison I can make to what I experienced Friday night. Let me explain...
Something that not many people know about me: I am a singer. Not "I can sing," I am a singer. Whether actively pursuing it or not (and it has been "not" since a couple of years after high school), I am still and always will be a singer. Like a writer will always be a writer, a painter will always be a painter, an alcoholic will always be an alcoholic - whether active in these indulgences or not. I sing in the shower, I sing in the car, I sing while I'm cleaning, but that is the extent of my venues.
Jenn and Mike are in a band. I finally went to see them last weekend. The lead singer is straight out of the American Idol montage of shameful performances. I didn't say anything to them for fear of seeming like I had a superiority complex and was just jealous that this girl had a gig. Anyway, evidently their guitar player also received a bunch of complaints after that show, so that opened the window for me to unburden my soul about it. I told her what I thought: the singer is too loud, often off key and in my opinion, holding the band back. The music is very good and Jenn's backup vocals are perfect. I told her this from the perspective of a singer.
Then we (Jay and I) went over to Mike and Jenn's Friday night to eat Chiney Foo, jam for a bit and watch the 4th Harry Potter. I found, much to my dismay, that my vocal cords are totally out of shape. After three or four songs, my voice started to crack and I couldn't hit notes I should be able to. I used to sing constantly in school, so my cords were always strong and exercised. It was so strange to find that they're now rusty and weak! I felt kind of stupid, having given my opinion regarding their singer and then barely being able to pull my own weight. Oh well. I know I'm more than capable, it's just been so friggin long...
In other news, I turned down the Wally's job. The truth of the matter is that I am under-qualified, over-committed as it is, and I don't want to spend the first spring in my new house glued to a computer screen. Could I make time? Yes. Could I learn what I need to know? Yup. Do I feel that I'd be doing justice to my other projects by spreading myself a little thinner? Nope. Would I rather sit in this cluttered office mulling over HTML and Paint Shop Pro than be outside digging up flower borders? No way! So I passed. Thanks to everyone for the encouragement. I do appreciate it regardless.
One other thing I wanted to share is that I friggin love how hearty New Englanders are. Yesterday it reached the mid-50s. It wasn't particularly nice out other than that; it was overcast, slightly breezy, very muddy... Nonetheless, everyone was out. The bikers were out on their Harleys. People were having picnics at Lake Massabesic, which is still covered in ice. Kids were out on bikes; people were out walking dogs, playing basketball. Laundry was out on the line. I bet you southerners would still be inside sitting next to your heaters at 50 degrees.
Anyway, I have stuff to do. Just wanted to stop in and relieve myself of this post. Sort of like pinchin' a big one. Feels just plain good to get it out.
Addendum:
I just talked to my mom. Déjà, one of our childhood cats, so named by yours truly because he was the spitting image of one before him, is going to be euthanized tomorrow after a losing battle with injuries sustained in an attack by some unknown animal. Déjà is one of the most wonderful, loving cats you could ever imagine. He used to lie next to my head and bury his face in my hair and knead. We called it a "scalp massage." He also would walk up to me, put his paws up on my knees and emit the most sissy-boy meow ever, until I picked him up and then he would wrap his little legs around my neck and "hug" me and purr and butt me in the face. I am so glad I got to see him at Christmas. He will be missed.
Posted @ 11:28 AM
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Wally's Pub is on Hampton Beach - New Hampshire coastline. They just opened for the season this past weekend and we were there to join in the festivities. Being a New England beach pub, of course there is lobster. These were in a tank with a device much like the arcade attraction where you put in a quarter and try to maneuver a claw to capture some lame prize. In this case, if you catch it, they cook it. Anyway, I was somehow able to see the humor in this sad lobster.
In other Wally's news: last winter Kenny -- the lead singer of The Bars -- asked if I would be interested in doing a site for Wally's. I gave him a quote (which was wicked low incidentally, because I was doing it as a favor to him) and never heard another word about it. At some point in my cyber travels, I discovered that Wally's had a site up. I didn't think much of it, except that I think I could have done a nicer job. Well, this past weekend, Kenny emailed me to say that the owners aren't 100% happy with the site, had paid 3 times what I asked and would I take over? It's a chance to make some decent money on the side, but...
Here's my issue: I do The Bars, my work site (not liked because I'm not into divulging my exact location to the cyberpervs) and my mom's site because I want to. I do them in my spare time, free of charge -- save the occasional free T-shirt or mixed drink. I do them how I want, when I want. My fear about Wally's is that if I take on a paying, commissioned job, the fun factor is out the window and I lose control because I can't exclusively dictate the terms anymore. I am afraid I would end up hating to design.
Secondly, they eventually want to put up webcams and stuff and I have no earthly idea how to go about that. I also don't know how much bandwidth something like that would require and if their current host would allow it. See, I'd be taking over everything where it is now, outside my familiarity with Tripod (cheap, easy and reliable.) *sigh*
On the other hand, I couldn't ask for a more laidback first job: a bunch of cool people who own a pub on the beach. *sigh*
Any thoughts?
Posted @ 11:01 AM
Saturday, March 04, 2006
OK, so one of the last times I went over to the condo, getting up and down off the ladder non-stop caused me to turn a small tear in my jeans into a huge rip from below my knee to my crotch. (See 1/10/06 post.) Anyway, I was a bit distraught about, because they were one of my favorite pairs. Alas, I have repaired them and gotten a pair of funky one-of-a-kinds in the process. I got some iron-on denim patches to take care of the big holes and then cut out butterflies out of the same patch material and ironed them on with actual decorative butterfly patches. I suppose I could be accused of not dressing for my age, but I don't care. Good jeans are hard to come by and I am not ready to let these go!
I realized that I have no new pictures of me, so here's one I took a few minutes ago. Sorry for the lack of a smile. I had my eyes dilated yesterday and I still can't see shit and I wasn't sure when it was going to snap the pic. I do smile often.
Goin' out to see The Bars again. Life is good. Hope y'all are having a great weekend!
Posted @ 6:36 PM
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Isn't it totally bizarre that this dog shares lots of genetic code with the likes of wolves and Great Danes?
Anyway, this is one of the only good things that happened to me today. Cute Yorkie in a sweater. Yup, bad day when this is as good as it gets.
Note the URL of the wolf pic. It's Erin.jpg. Thought that was kinda cool.
Posted @ 7:37 PM
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
I have a horrid headache. A sinus headache, which no amount of ibuprofen (or Darvocet left over from the car accident) will tackle, short of rendering me totally incapacitated by means of sedation. However, that may be a good route to take at this point.
My schedule as follows for the next three days:
Work tomorrow
Hair appointment Friday morning - cut and higlights
Lasik screening Friday afternoon - the long one with the dilating drops
Jenn's show Friday night (she's in a band)
Who-knows-what Saturday AM and afternoon
Probably going to see The Bars again Saturday night (yeah, I'm a groupie)...
Now the only thing on my agenda is to go curl up in the couch with a cat or two and Jay and watch an all-new Lost.
On a sad note, the kitten -- Merry -- that I worked so hard to save at my mom's over Christmas got cornered under the house by a dog and ripped to pieces. I am trying to tell myself that she wasn't my cat and shit happens, but part of me feels horribly guilty, because I chose not to bring her home with me. I left her there for fear of upsetting the balance of my own household, knowing damned well she was gonna be gimpy from her injury and at a major disadvantage as far as defenses go and that my mom wasn't going to be able to keep her indoors with all the comings and goings... She would have been safe here. It breaks my heart that we literally nursed this kitten back from the brink of death only to have her violently killed by a fucking dog. I can't dwell on it or I'll cry...
