we shall not cease from exploration

I Think I Might Start to Write in This Again.

2008-08-06T20:10:00.002-04:00

Did I capitalize my title correctly?

Recently I have been feeling the impulse to write in this blog again. I don't want my other blog to feel bad, but seriously, that one is only for my educational endeavors. The last thing I wrote was personal and it just felt wrong to put it in that blog, you dig?

I'm not completely certain about this yet, and I don't have any time right now to write anything that's gonna blow your mind. Yeah, I gots things to do, y'all. Karaoke things. It's been waaaay too long.

Remind me to write about the dogs.

I've been spending more time with dogs these days than with humans. No, that's not true. Maybe the same amount of time.

Okay, peace.

Not much

2007-08-13T22:30:00.000-04:00

to say about what's going on in my life that can be written online in a blog with any shred of integrity other than this:

Dear Tobias,

Don't you DARE ever do this to me again. 36 hours is 36 hours too long.

xoxo,
Jen

Blogstipated~

2007-07-27T04:35:00.000-04:00

I'm seriously backed up here.

I've been travelling quite a bit all summer long and have had countless adventures - all of which I have not documented to my satisfaction in their entirety. (I will, indeed, carry out this task. I made a vow to someone that I would.)

My narrative/editorial-or-whatever "voice," I guess it's called, seems to have declared its independence from the state of my mind. This voice lives with my mind, but only comes out of it's room to be fed when we're both on holiday.

You may have noticed that I just used the term "on holiday." Clever, my dear Poirot! AAaaaagh! I did it again!

So you know how if one is fluent in a language (let's say it's French), if one is in France (or French Canada or Senegal or whateves), one will start to think and dream in French? One's mind unwhittingly encourages metamorphosis and you become Frog.

Well, I think I have realized just now that I am fluent in British because, God help me, I'm thinking with an English accent. I'm saying things like "lift" and "rubbish" in my head and it won't let up!

This dodgy "voice" of mine has gone all Union Jack on my arse!

Here's why this may be embarassing:

1.) It seems my brain has uploaded from my own subconscious ALL of th UK-isms I have ever heard without discrepency causing the voice to over-UK all of my thoughts, transforming me into an obnoxious caricature of British culture.

2.) When I speak to anyone I have to so very carefully and, with utmost focus, and with American accent.

Let's go back to the French language scenario: you're fluent in French, you got to France, the metamorphosis occurrs, you BECOME a Frenchie, BUT you are, for some reason, embarrased to show it, so you have to translate everything back into English. I'll bet you 10 quid you'll be speaking English with a French accent.

I feel as if I am affecting an American accent.

I sound like a British actor in a terrible communtiy theatre production of Steel Magnolias.

3.) I feel like Harry Potter psychophant.

SO here's my proposition:

Can we make a public decision that while we travel, we may administer a "when in Rome" attitude to accents as we try to do with languages? *

* It is of dire importance to mention that if one were in a French-speaking Country, one would only speak French if one KNOWS THE LANGUAGE. While minor grammar slip-ups and misinterpretation of slang is common among those who are learning to actively speak their second language, complete diregard and the subsequent mutilation of the language is unforgivable and should be considered a national offence. In other words, don't be a jerk: adopt an accent only if you can do son unoffensively.

WHY AM I IN THE UK??!!!

Hands Off 2007: A Theremin Symposium

If there's WiFi at the school where the symposium is taking place, I will blog about it. But not here.

Here:

www.thereminjen.wordpress.com

Cheers for now!! I leave you with a photo of last nights meal, cheese and biscuits:

No, I said BLOGstipation.

More from Summerstage

2007-07-23T11:04:00.000-04:00

Here's a snippet of "Careless Whisper."

Summerstage

2007-07-20T13:25:00.000-04:00

So, last night, this happened:

What is that?

Oh! THAT's Stickerbook. Performing at Summerstage in Central Park, NYC.

More photos on the way.

Stealthy

2007-07-13T16:49:00.000-04:00

Tobias, what exactly is going on in that little furry feline head of yours?

Baby Week!

2007-07-05T15:19:00.000-04:00

This week, I was invited upstate to my best friend's husband's family farm to visit with them and their nine month-old twins.

As soon as I got to the farm, they shoved a glass of red wine in one of my hands, a bowl full of mush in the other and told me to shove food in one of their two-toothed baby mouths. After that, they kicked me and my Goddaughter outside and told me it was photo time.

Two days later, she shoved her little finger in my eye and told me in not so many words, "Today, you will be temporarily blind in one eye HAHAHA! What fun!"

We're still friends, but the incident allowed me to feel less uncomfortable about laughing at her when she does silly little baby things, like falling over backwards onto a huge pile of pillows while she's playing.

HAHAHA! What fun!

Funny Friends

2007-06-28T17:49:00.000-04:00

Let's face it. I have funny friends. Funny friends from my band, from my time here in NYC, from high school, from college . . .

Here are some from college:

Ginsberg

2007-06-20T15:39:00.000-04:00

Doing some research for a larger piece I've been thinking about writing, I finally emailed the Allen Ginsberg Trust to find out if they new anything more about my apartment other than that what's written on the plaque outside my building.

For those of you who aren't "in the know" about current living situation (ie, you are OUTTA THE LOOP MY FRIEND), I'm fortunate to live in an east village apartment that was inhabited by Allen Ginsberg from 1958 until 1961. He wrote the poem, "Kaddish," while living here.

I got an email response less than an hour later in which he included a pdf file from the book "Bill Morgan's Beat NYC Walking Tour." Here's what it says:

I don't know if it's illegal or not to have posted that. Let me know if it is.

Where my Golden Compass nerds at?

2007-06-17T18:01:00.000-04:00

My daemon will be fixed in 12 days, so if you agree or disagree with this daemon for me, follow the link and comment IMMEDIATELY!

Time is of the essence.

This new computer

2007-06-08T07:11:00.000-04:00

should be a reason to get a'bloggin, eh? Well, okay. Maybe. Instead of blogging, I guess I've been taking a lot of pictures of my cat.

I got a free printer/scanner with the computer so that should come as SOME kind of blogging incentive, right?

Right.

You can make movies on this thing, too!

Birthday!

2007-04-23T11:02:00.000-04:00

Celebrity Wednesday!!

2007-04-04T22:20:00.000-04:00

How many times does something happen before it becomes a pattern? Three times?

Last Wednesday, I saw Carisa from Top Design.

Today, in Chelsea, in the pouring rain, I was waiting to cross the street and a fella stepped out in front of me and crossed through the slowly moving traffic. When he got to the other side, he glanced back at me and looked me straight in the eyes for two full seconds.

That fella was Ethan Hawke.

But not only did I get eye contact. After the two seconds I got something even better. I got an awkward quirky Hawke from Reality Bites facial expression. I guess he was embarrassed to be caught a-glancin'!!

Man, my ass must look sweet in sweatpants.

Too bad my face caused that reaction.

Anyway, last year around this time, I had a Robert Sean Leonard eye contact moment in the subway.

So, if THREE times a pattern makes, I can assume that next Wednesday I will have a celebrity siting completely unrelated to Carisa and Ethan AND I can assume that next April, I will see another Actor/Actress from either Dead Poets Society or Tape.

Let's do this, universe!

PS: This is a completely separate subject.

Lately, I've been watching a lot of The View. (That's right, my fellow daytime TV friends.) (Natasha.)

Here's what bothers me.

The series, "I can't believe a kid did it."

Yesterday, the child actress, 10 year-old Kelsey Fowler, from the Broadway musical Grey Gardens was on the show. She sang, she danced, she was adorable. Rosie gave her and her family a Disney Cruise.

Today's show was a rerun, but there was a kid on the show who was awesome at skateboarding -- 10 year-old skateboarding phenomenon Mitchie Brusco. His reward? Mitch and all his friends went over to the ESPN Zone to eat in their luxury suite skybox and then enjoyed a shopping spree in their store along with unlimited game cards to use in their fantastic sports arcade!

Why do these kids get MORE prizes when they got to go on TV and show off the fact that they were born with a crapload of talent??!! Kelsey is starring in a Broadway musical!! That's already a lot of people's DREAM!! Why do Mitchie and his friends get to go to ESPN Zone??!! Mitchie is already a famous person!!

So many exclamation marks!!!

Should prizes should go to people with no talent? NO!
It's just that people with talent already get prizes. It confuses me when they get rewarded twice.

It's like saying, "You won!! . . . so you win!!! . . .so you win more!!!! . . .so you win even more!!!!!," Exponentially.

Isn't it?

Right Hawke-eye?

Imaginary conversations with a "Celebrity"

2007-03-30T13:02:00.000-04:00

Imaginary conversations I had with Carisa from Top Design, who almost got on my bus the other day:

#1
Me: How come, in the last month, the only celebrities that I have seen have been you and Michael from Top Design and both in proximity to time I have spent on a NYC bus that carries the Top Design ad on the side?
Carisa: We have designed ourself into the city.
Me: Wow, that's deep.
Carisa: Do you want me to design your apartment for free?
Me: Sure!

#2
Me: 'sup.
Carisa: You recognized me.
Me: Yep.
Carisa: You are the only person who watches the show.
Me: Oh.

#3
Me: Are you guys legally obligated to keep the outcome a secret until it airs?
Carisa: Stop talking to me, you stink. Take a shower after you go to the gym. And, what do you think you're wearing? Grey sweatpants and a bright teal jacket? TEAL. Seriously.
Me: You know, I'd imagine that you'd be living a more glamorous lifestyle after your show. Still living in the East Village? Still taking the bus? LOSER.
Carisa: I'm visiting my teminally ill friend in her apartment that she can't leave because she's crippled. And every day, I have been bringing her a design element to cheer up her stale and cramped apartment. See this green rope swing? It's perfect and maybe now she will live.

#4
Me: Are you guys legally obligated to keep the outcome a secret until it airs?
Carisa: What are you talking about. You live in my building, don't you?
Me: Shit. For some reason, I thought you were Carisa from Top Design.
Not Carisa: No.
Me: See you 'round the building!

#5
Carisa: You look like you might like to have your apartment re-designed for free.
Me: Sounds great!

"Tiny Tobias," Take II

2007-03-22T09:28:00.000-04:00

Aaand ACTION!

"God bless us , every one!"

Tiny Tobias

2007-03-19T23:44:00.001-04:00

"Merry Christmas every one!"

Tobias had a rough weekend. Friday, he had some mystery accident that left him with a fractured leg and a rupture achilles tendon. He had surgery on Saturday. Then, on Sunday evening, we learned that his favorite vittles, Iams Kitten chicken chunks in gravy, is really bad for his kidneys! Look at that adorable blue cast. It's not a hard cast so I couldn't sign it. Meowboo. I did, however, put stickers on his radar collar.

I am happy to report that 'Bias is completely unanware of his condition~

Muffin Time!

Advanced Voice Class

2007-03-15T09:04:00.000-04:00

I haven't had voice lessons since high school. So you might imagine how excited I was to enroll in a class at school called "Advanced Voice."

HOLY Shit this class is my dream class.

. . .not for the singing

Here's the cast of characters:

(I don't remember everyone's name, so I'm going to make up some of the names.)

(I sort-of hate myself for exploiting some of these dear, sweet souls. Sort-of.)

(The suspected ages of these beautiful people are necessary for the story.)

Professor Johnson: Sweet, beautiful lady. Long white hair that she pulls back into a youthful bun/ponytail. Soft spoken. Excellent singer. Has an enormous repertoire of songs. Maybe in her early 60's??

Accompanist: Let's call her Amy. She's either a grad student or an alumni of Mannes. She's probably my age. Thank God for her sense of humor. Excellent pianist. She also accompanies an "old people's theatre group."

Rachael: Cool chick. There's something about her that reminds me of a camp counselor or an older sister or babysitter. I have no idea why she's in this class. She's a good singer with a precise, clear tone. She seems to enjoy the array of characters as much as I do.

Lorraine: Married, but a little too old to be a housewife. Maybe she's in her 50's? Always complains about "terrible translations" of the text in the Italian and French songs and prefers to sing in their original languages, which only leads me to assume that she's a foreign spy.

Dawn: Beautiful black soprano, probably in her 60's. She soars through the high notes.

Della: Early 70's. Brown bob haircut. Lazy Eye. (Oh, God forgive me!) She, too, has a beautiful soprano voice.

Morris: Late 70's. Hearing Aid. Loud. Not tone deaf, exactly -- Hearing impaired is all. In order to get his attention when he's not looking at you, you need to tap him on the shoulder, or yell, "MORRIS" at the top of your lungs while waving your hands in front of his face. Never is he discouraged by his condition, he is always equipped with a witty retort.

Kevin: Early 20's. Gay. Black. Composition student. Sometimes he can't contain the giggles in reaction to Morris and Morris's general state of Morris.

Okay, so we sing some Italian songs, and maybe one French number, several folk songs and a few turn-of the century art songs. The rest of the songs are songs written between 1947 and 1973 from obscure musicals such as Mother Wore Tights, Me and Juliet, and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. There are a few recognizable ones. One of my fave's is called "Dearie." Above the first stave, it says, "Soft-Shoe Tempo."

Here's a sampling of the text:

DEARIE, do you remember when we waltzed to the Sousa band?
My, wasn't the music grand?
Chowder parties down by the seashore every Fourth o' July.
Test your memory, my
DEARIE, Do you recall when Henry Ford couldn't even fix
A running board under a Chandler "Six?"
DEARIE, life was cheery in the good old days gone by.
Do you remember?
If you remember, well, DEARIE you're much older than I!

So, I adore this class. Did I mention it meets for TWO FULL HOURS every Wednesday?
It's adorable. All we do is sing. There's no technique involved, so to speak. All of the songs are difficult to sing, with strange chord progressions, difficult arpeggios, or challenging time signatures. Thus, it is Advanced Voice.

My favorite part of the class is when, inevitably, after we sing through a love song, someone begins a discussion as to whether or not they agree with the sentiment. It started one day when Kevin decided to tell us all that he agreed with the line, "I'd rather be lonely than happy with somebody else," from the song, "Love me or Leave Me" (Copyright 1928). Ever since that day, the class has become an open discussion about love. People don't usually talk about love in a sentimental way the way we do in this class. It's literally dreamy! Most of these singers have had much more experience on the subject than I have had. BUT - all of my sentimental ideals have been justified and I am happy to announce that I know now that I am on the right track, as far as love goes and I intend to stay on this track as long as humanly possible.

Same class, different subject - This is what happened yesterday:

We're singing through the olde English folk song "Barbara Allen." Before we begin, Morris screams, "CAREFUL! THERE'S A DIRTY WORD IN THIS SONG!"

We all sing though it, eager to find the word, "Cooter" in the middle of an olde English Folk song. We all came up empty. Rachael says/ screams while asking Della to tap him on the shoulder, "Morris!! Where was the dirty word?!!"

"I GUESS NONE OF YOU HAVE BEEN KEEPING UP WITH THE NEWS!!"

We are clueless.

"IN LONG ISLAND!! THOSE GIRLS GOT IN TROUBLE FOR READING A PLAY CALLED THE VIRGIN MONOLOGUES!!"

There is silence.

Oh dear.

Amy starts to say, "Morris the name of the play-" until she cuts herself off after glancing out at the class full of stunned and bewildered faces.

Della, it seems, is just as clueless as Morris, because she says, "Oh Yeah! I heard about that! 'The Virgin Monologues.'

We all sat there in silence for about two minutes before collectively deciding not to correct him.

It was all we could do to stop a hearing-impaired 73 year-old man from screaming the word "VAGINA."

Another BLOG??!! WTF.

2007-03-06T12:53:00.000-05:00

I'm not leaving this blog, but I started another one that's about my adventures in school as a theremin major.

It's called Theremin Major. Duh.

Again, don't freak out. I'm just compartmentalizing my blog life. Now my theremin friends don't have to hear about the neverending muffins that Tobias makes, my friends friends aren't burned with my pitch-arm vibrato woes, and my REAL friends can subscribe to both and HANG ON EVERY WORD THAT I WILL EVER WRITE EVER. No pressure.

Okay. In other news, I'm on Spring Break. WOOO HOOOO!!! HA. OR in theremin language, WOOO WOOOOO!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!! Margarita's anybody? Seriously. I had one last night and I'd like to have at least one every day until Monday when the madness begins again. I'm hanging out in my bathing suit all week. In my apatment. With Tobias. The cat. I have a blender! Just bring over some tequila, triple sec and frozen lime juice concentrate. I'll do the mixing and we'll all do the drinking. HOLLER!!

Oxfords, Penny Loafers, Bookbag: Check!

2007-01-31T07:41:00.000-05:00

Goin' Back. Back. BACK, back to school again.

I've been in school for a week and a half.

Yesterday, I think I made a friend.

Her name is Irene, she's a clarinet major, and she's probably 18. I don't know if she is yet aware that I'm "approaching 30." We're going to hang out on Thursday and go get our email addresses, which, inconveniently, is a process that takes place 75 blocks south of Mannes College of Music.

When Irene realized that we were in two back-to-back classes together on Tuesdays and Thursdays, she started speaking to me.
I thought she was an undergrad. I thought a lot of the kids in my classes were undergrads. Turns out they are not, they simply aren't going to go to college. This diploma is all that they're going to have. That's cool! Liberal arts shmiberal arts! Who needs to take an anthropology elective if you know you're gonna rock it out on your Oboe for eternity?

My classes are made up of students who are either 18 and who are over 40. I have seen, maybe, two people who seem to be in the middle, like me, but I have not spoken to any of them. So far, Irene has really kinda been "dissing" the over 40 crowd.

"Jen!," She stops me by slapping me on the bookbag as I head down the stairs, "That lady who was sitting next to me in theory needs to chill the f-out! She doesn't need to answer all the questions. There are other people paying to take this class too!" Then she pauses and becomes a high school student, "I don't want to go to Music History."

Truth is, that lady and I were both answering all the questions. In high school, I didn't participate in class because I didn't always know the answers, and I didn't really understand why I was learning. In college, I didn't participate in class unless I knew my answer was brilliant, which happened very rarely. In both cases, I ended up feeling like a passive observer instead of an active and enthusiastic class participant. The teachers either didn't see me at all, or grouped me in with the slackers. In college, this was devistating, because I really did have a passion for what I was learning. Except for Modern Electronic Technology, which I dropped after a week of listening to the professor explain how bar codes worked.

My point is: In the past I have held a reeeal steady resentment towards any overly-active class participant. That f-ing brown-noser who sits in the front row of class and talks to the TA for 15 minutes before and after class has been #1 on my shit list. Why did she get an A in the class!!! That IDIOT didn't really get it! I GOT IT. . . I just didn't talk to anyone about it. like only douchbags do.)

Until now. I have decided to be that douchbag. Actively. And I love it. I did pay to take these classes. So, I'm taking a front-row seat. I'm interrupting the professor when I don't understand. They all know me. I'm the theremin player.

So, Did Irene not notice that I was being as obnoxious as that loathsome lady? Maybe she was trying to "learn" me the ways of Mannes. Maybe she looks at me and thinks I have Pink Lady potential, but I just need to proove it to the rest of the kids at the senior carnival. In all seriousness, though, what the crap did Sandy ever get from Danny, other than a lifetime (and even that is wishful thinking) of greased-up boot-knocking? (Sure, they defied science in that last scene when the "lightnin' " took off into space, but look at us, 50+ years later with no flying cars.) I bet Patty Simcox is a Nobel Prize-winning neurosurgeon who spent 5 years in Uganda with the Peace Corps and who, now, in addition to her career, runs 3 non-profits while training for triathalons with her best-selling novelist husband, while her kids maintain an organic soybean farm in Rhode Island and raise Triple-Crown-worthy stallions.

My response to Irene's, "I don't want to go to Music History, " lament?

"Why not? Come on! It'll be interesting!!"

Irene, if you google me and find this blog, please don't take offense. You're awesome. And not only because you gave me your locker combination and told me we could share. (For reals, My back is killing me and I really needed a place to store my amp at school. Thanks!) But you're awesome because you play the clarinet and you have helped me actively choose to become a mature student. See ya Thursday!

What Happens in VEGAS . . .

2007-01-24T09:04:00.000-05:00

Stays in Vegas.

Right, Wycleff?

I got tagged. Now I have to tell you 5 things about me that you don't know.

2007-01-17T11:25:00.000-05:00

Eliza did this to me. Evidently, this is a blog game.

OKAY! I'll play! Stop poking me.

If you are reading this and have heard one of these 5 secrets of mine, you are one of maybe 2-5 people IN THE WHOLE WORLD that knows these things, so please don't call me out on it. . .

Here goes:

1. ) This is something I just found out yesterday: The kidney stone that I had in August never passed and now it has grown. It was 2mm in August. Then I ran a marathon and it grew to 5mm. So, I'm just sitting around at home with some percocet ready, drinking water, and waiting for it to pass before I go to Vegas this weekend. HOORAY!!

2.)When I was a girl of 5 years or so, my parents got me a pupply. A shi-tzu puppy. The breed of dog was not my decision, nor was the name. My father named this poor pooch Dr. Wellington Koo after the "Finance Minister of China during the Chiang Kai-shek regime. " That was the quote I used to explain the name from 1983 until the poor pups passing around 1991 or so. My paternal Great Grandfather, Wilbur Hammaker, was a Bishop in the Methodist Church. His many years as a missionary in China with his lovely wife Willamina is what, I assume, inspired my father to name the dog in such an uppity fashion. Wellington stunk because of terrible skin problems but that didn't stop my mom taking him everywhere with her in the Oldsmobile.

3.) Speaking of China, I am currently eating leftover Chinese food.

4.) When I am home in Atlanta, I watch the TV show Charmed almost every day. It comes on from 8am to 10am, weekdays on TNT. I don't always catch the full 2 hours, because I will only watch the show if no one else is in the room (out of obvious embarrassment) and my parents wake up between 9am and 10am.

5.) Someday, hopefully before I'm 40, I want to have a huge family -- meaning a husband and more than 2 kids. And I want to live in a noisy house where the doors are always open to visitors and the kitchen is always fully stocked. I guess what I'm saying is, I may have eclectic tastes, but I want to live a typical American life. Someday.

Now I will tag 5 people.

Natasha
Becky Y.
Frannie P.
Ashley
Amanda

Go to it!!

Countdown to Vegas: 7 days

2007-01-12T16:33:00.000-05:00

I'm going to Vegas in 7 days. Three of my friends from high school and I will be spending a weekend in "Sin City" to celebrate the year that we all turn 30.
Some of our plans include:
* Seeing Cirque du Soleil!
* Eating a fancy meal!
* Eating a buffet-style meal!
* My 2nd trip to a SPA!
* Going to see the fancy-ass stage show, Jubilee!, complete with a cast of hundreds and headdresses!
* Dancing at a trendy club.
* Not gambling very much!

But, before I go party my twenties away, I have to audition for the extension program at Mannes School of Music. I have convinced the director and assistant director of this program to open their minds and their school to me and my theremin. If accepted, I will be a classical theremin major and I will begin my studies as soon as I get back from Vegas.

I can't help but view this trip to Vegas as a real ending to my 20's. I don't actually turn 30 until April 22nd, but 30 years ago on January 22nd, my babymomma was beginning her 3rd trimester, so I was a little girl already fo sho.

My feelings on the matter are as follows:

I'M SO GLAD MY 20's ARE OVER!!

I spent my 20's trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. It took me 10 years to figure this out. If I hadn't fallen on my face so many times, humiliating myself and those around me, I would never have figured what I want to do: play an impossibly obscure instrument and attempt to do so in a way that may bring me great scrutiny from real-time musicians!

It is only because I have failed doing several other things during my 20's that I am able to venture forth into unknown territory without fear.

So please keep me in your thoughts on Tuesday as I audition for this music school. If accepted, I will be a pioneer in my currently non-existent field of study.

If I am denied, well then, I'll just begin my 30's on my actual birthday, April 22nd, 2007.

Oh! And if anyone has been to Vegas lately and has any itinerary suggestions, please let me know!

Happy Birthday, weirdo.

Countdown to Vegas : 9 days

2007-01-10T17:42:00.000-05:00

Observations and information on January 10th, 2007:

Hey Whoopie, what's with the stoner shades? I've never seen you look through them. That's not some kind of metaphor.
I am hopelessly obsessed with my cat, Tobias. I've never felt this way about a cat before. Sorry Ludlow. It just wasn't the same and, quite frankly, you seemed to be able to move on so easily! Professor: If you can actually read, congratulations. You have far surpassed my expectations and I am to blame for that.
I just saw The Queen. She is a fantastically complex Lady and I admire her. She reminds me of my mother.
Speaking of my mother, she just had her second CT scan and the results are astounding. She has only 10% of her tumors left. This news defeats the odds, is quite extraordinary, and proves that anything is possible. Thank you all for your kind thoughts and prayers.

December, 1975

Thanks, Christmas!

2007-01-03T10:52:00.000-05:00

The good news is: I will be back in NY on Friday.

The better news is: I have had a vastly fulfilling experience in Atlanta!

I really won this year in the Christmas present category.

Yes, I'm bragging. I am fantastically blessed.

For Christmas, I asked for some "help" from my parents because I am going to Vegas with 3 of my high school friends. What I got was:

1.) Plenty of "help."

We all know what this means. I usually HATE to ask for help and consider it bad luck. This time, it was different. I've been home for almost a month and during my time here, I have been working almost constantly. The errands I run for my parents are similar to the errands I ran at the Palace of Employment. I return items to department stores. I get supplies (groceries). Instead of filing, I've been scanning and archiving 30+ years of photos. Instead of putting together an office cocktail party, I threw a Holiday party for my mom AND did most of the cooking. I tolerated living in my parents house for approximately four weeks - a walk in the park in comparison to what I put up with from some of my former co-workers on a bad day. Also, I'm a much better employee here than I was at the Palace because I spend much less time idly surfing the internet.

2.) My Holiday Bonus: A new theremin.

3.) And, last but not least, from my best friend and her husband, I got:

A Goddaughter: Lucy Ann (in pink).

This year is already trumps last year.

Happy Holidays From All Of Us.

2006-12-25T00:24:00.000-05:00

By "All Of Us" I mean me 20 years ago at Disney World.