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Monday, October 8, 2001 Coated in fur: There is no stopping my obsession with the fur-encrusted garment. And so, in lieu of a tirade on the bombig of Afghanistan, I instead tote the existence of the vintage mink-colllared coat I picked up yesterday at Hollywood Mirror. Because it's easier to feel mundane right now. Thursday, October 4, 2001 A Stocky Ski Owl: Looking for an alias? A different kind of moniker? Make an anagram of your name. A hoot for me, har har, the Ass Kick Owl Toy. Wednesday, October 3, 2001 Making it in TV: Ever since being deemed "too shy" for commercials at age 6, I've been vying to break into television. Well, I think I've found my chance. By auditioning for this news organization, I can show the world what it takes to be an intrepid news announcer, turkey-timer style, while showcasing those buried journalistic skillz. But first I will have to practice in front of the Beagle without cracking up. Do you think he'll mind? My birthday is in December. I'm not really a present picker-outter, but this would keep me cuddly warm. Tuesday, October 2, 2001 Hard rock zombies: This auction kicks ass. And so does my sister, who sent it to me. Side note to Megh: here is some info about the threat of getting anthraxed. Monday, October 1, 2001 Aww, bummer: CondeNast, that big ole publisher, is closing Mademoiselle, the magazine with the Native American name, Make You Feel Like Dogshit. But Mademoiselle readers should not be alarmed; monthly dosages of self-image destroyers will be delivered via Glamour. In the interim, I recommend Bitch(feminist response to pop culture). Thursday, September 27, 2001 In between my diatribes about U.S. policy, there have been brief moments of patriotism. And Jon Stewart's opening monologue on The Daily Show from last week eloquently summed up those feelings: condeming cowardliness, celebrating heroism, seeing the woods through the trees. The fact that I can be openly critical of my country also makes me happy. So maybe the phrase "proud to be an American" could be answered with "not always." But glad to be one? Yeah, okay. Thanks to J for reminding me about this. And if the link above doesn't work, you can try it here. Wednesday, September 26, 2001 Cornball crunch: A big hooray because Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are playing the Fireside Bowl in November . . . the 11th I believe. You should go. And muchas gracias to Bittersweet J for being so persistent and finding out these things way in advance. Hoot! Tuesday, September 25, 2001 My sister thanked me for being "militaristic" about the above headline (since changed) but really, I should thank her. The story begins, as it often does, with "There was this boy. . ." Well, said boy treated super-sis like fucking crap, took advantage of her utmost niceness and generally instigated one of those "you're such a great friend" friendships that allows for heavy petting and, consequently, emotional heartache. I am happy to say that she ended this nightmare cycle. Good girl -- if only we could all be as strong. Hey, she's a girl with a surfboard and surfergrrls are generally resilient chicks. Now hopefully she won't cut me off for broadcasting her life on the web. If you like girls that don't take any k-rap (that's crap) and want a date with my sister, e-mail me. Now my role from bitch sergeant to arrow-laden cupid is complete. Friday, September 21, 2001 Judging from the vile, racist e-mails I've received this week, people's reactions to the tragedy are becoming both xenophobic and jingoistic. (You need not look that one up: it means like a jingo; one who brags of his country's preparedness for fight, and generally advocates or favors a bellicose policy in dealing with foreign powers; a blustering or blatant ‘patriot’.) Do I think "war" is the right way to proceed in this? No. And I reason that by asking: war against whom? against what? Maybe we should be questioning the reasons why people are so angry with the United States that they would hijack planes, killing themselves and thousands of others. What? you say, everyone loves the United States. We're big, we're powerful, and gosh darn -- you read that Canadian editorial fwd:ed around like crazy last week. Didn't it make you proud to be American? Yes. I got that editorial. It was written in 1973, by an author who died in 1984 and didn't live to see how our economic sanctions in Iraq have killed thousands of people. He didn't know the CIA would hire bin Laden to fight against our now-ally, Russia, in the Cold War days. Or that peace negotiations between the Palestinians and Israelis would fail, bringing about renewed and daily fighting, much of it in response to our policies in the region. So what kind of force will "wipe out" terrorism? Or is it our force that got us here in the first place? Calls for increased militarization, trade restrictions and "dropping the bomb" can only intensify feelings of resentment and fury of those who support the hijackings. When a large hegemonic power is calling the shots, affecting your life and starving your children, you might be angry as well. Maybe not to inflict the harm, but at least to potentially comprehend the feeling behind it. And now, a tiddly disclaimer. Like most of you, I do not have a degree in international relations, and do not fully understand the complex reasons behind our policies and politics abroad. The information that I spout I find, through my diligent librarian ways, in news sources -- sources which give very little in terms of research, background and historical explanation. However, we need to consider this information -- seek out more facts -- and open an intellectual discourse on the reasons behind terrorist attacks before we demonize those in the Middle East.
I welcome all comments, critical, lambasting, thoughtful, constructive or otherwise to my e-mail. Seriously. I'd like to learn from this as well. Monday, September 17, 2001 Getting your jolly ranchers: Please, please don't ask me how I found this site. But if you have a "notion for motion" you will enjoy. If inanimate objects tickle your fancy, you may enjoy the photo stills. This kid is the coolest. I just want to give him and his brother a big hug. Sorry Beagle, but I have a new boyfriend. It was only after I saw Curry's pick-up-a-chick video, "Tiger (master gold edition)", that my move from dawg to cat would be final. Reverb: All of the Walgreens have patriotic music blaring throughout their stores. Dad called to make sure that the Islamic College (where I park my car) has been hate-crime free. So far, so good. They just put up a flagpole with the "stars and stripes" at half-mast. It makes me wonder if they've gotten any threats or if they feel it is necessary to show some solidarity. Either way it's bothersome that people are using it as some sort of protection -- shouldn't the flag (meaning: the ideas of liberty on which the country is founded) be protecting them? The Chicago Sun-Times printed a full page color copy of the flag on Friday, and copies are plastered in windows. Coming back from "get out of the city" day, I counted 82 American flags just on Irving Park road alone. Almost all gas stations and small businesses had them, less so in residential windows. I've never seen patriotism on such a level, and, truth be told, it scares me.
Thursday, September 13, 2001 Ok. Someone called a bomb threat in to the building next to my sister, so she and H. were evacuated. Likewise, the Empire State Building has also been cleared out and Dad is like, "guess I'm not making it in there anytime soon." His laidbackness freaks me out but reactions to tragedy are all across the board. It is the people for whom terrorism springs racism that I am worried about. Tuesday, September 11, 2001 This site has been set up to post messages if you are alive/ok or looking for someone in NYC. Tuesday, September 11, 2001 Shock, disbelief, anger: Now that I've gotten confirmed reports of safety from just about everyone in New York and Washington, I can breathe a bit easier. Chicago is still on high-alert, pretty much all of downtown has been closed and a bunch of buildings, including the Sears Tower and Hancock, have been evacuated. Right now, I've settled into the disbelief stage of reaction and have turned off the radio just so I could think of something else. Luck, if one could call it that, is on my side. My father was in the World Trade Center just yesterday, checking on radio transmitters (**clarification: he was actually at another transmitter, not in the WTC, I found out later**) and Beagle took an early morning flight from Philadelphia yesterday as well . . . comprehension of what happened and what could have happened is beyond me right now. Tuesday, September 11, 2001 I am not going to be melodramatic about this, but if Angela or Amy happen to pop by this pita while dodging the attacks in NY, could you please e-mail me as soon as possible? You two are the only people I'm still waiting to hear from and I'm freaking out. Saturday, September 8, 2001 Held up:  The above picture was taken from the side of a dunkin'donuts box o' munchkins. Yes, the little donut holes have been anthropomorphized to look like fans in some deep-fried arena. The rest of the box, which I didn't scan in, depicts a soccer game. The contestants -- represented by humans -- are, not surprisingly, donuts v. holes. Which explains the strangely surreal munchkin in the nosebleed seats "holding" the Go Holes! flag. It's teeny tiny on this picture . . . What is that about? Did he stick it in his doughy side? Ahh, I love utter perversity in advertising. Friday, September 7, 2001 Xerox this: We're getting new copiers here in Library Land, and printing has been free while the switcheroo happens. And so, in a fit of goofy spontaneity, I photocopied my face the other day. The machine was out of paper, and I started to feel really stupid. When they replace the paper, will my face be first in line to pop out? Can that happen? Which reminds me of that new commercial, where the lady surrepticiously photocopies her boobs in the office. Bathing beauties: Did anyone notice the pretty ladies that adorn this page? Shown in actual size. I bought them at Uncle Fun when Heather and Hillary were in town, and then did some scanning. Not an easy thing to do with 3-D objects, but I sure am having good times multiplying, distorting and flipping them around.
Thursday, September 6, 2001 I am in love with the Ted Leo and the Pharmacist's new album, "The Tyranny of Distance". It's somewhat nostalgic and songs like "biomusicology" and "parallel or together" would definitely be included on the soundtrack of my life. And it brings back memories somewhere in-between Dazed and Confused and the feeling the Smashing Pumpkin's song 1979 emotes. Not that I was old enough to be really alive, kicking, or getting rolled in an inner-tube at that time, so consider not the actual time period, but rather their representations on video. Mix in some crushed red Matthew Sweet, Elliot Smith and top off with Billy Bragg a'la Back to Basics. Genius. Can't you imagine borrowing Dad's '79 Chevy Impala and cruising to this with the windows down? Listen to some tracks here. Another archived page for the history books, including September 5th . . . hello Manhattan G.Chick! It suddenly became easier to get more diatribal and less "check out this link" by bitching about inane topics. Ahh, the joys of writing. |
i'm back!