Mumbling Madly

After much debating, floundering, and general confusion, Josh and I ended up agreeing to sign a lease. But not without some demands:
1. Toilet needs to stop running and be sealed better.
2. Rocks need to be put out front where the grass doesn’t grow. Neighborhood cats have taken over the land as one giant litter box. It’s true, Hobbes probably began the trend, but for crying out loud!
3. High speed internet and cable…yay! No more dial-up. (Which is embarrassing to admit: we have dial-up). I’ll be able to blog twice as fast! The cable I could do with or without. If anything, it’ll help our five existing channels come in better. This means no more manipulating the bunny ears to try and get Dr. Phil.
I think that was all. Admittedly, Josh and I are pretty easy going tenants. It doesn’t mean we’re not going to poke around in January, look and see where to move in the near future. One of my favorite resources is “Sperling’s Best Places.” You can compare cost of living, check out crime in each city (in each neighborhood if you want), and check out the best and worst cities for dating. I highly recommend checking it out. You may discover shocking info about your city. (Like the ridiculous cost to own a home in Seattle).

By coincidence, Josh and I went to the County Cork twice this weekend. The coolest feature is their bar: Underneath the glass are sealed objects of interest and mystery. We saw old keychains, calculators, bullets, Canadian coins, and digital watches that still worked. Regular junk under glass becomes a worthy conversation piece (much like real art in galleries).

On Saturday, Josh and I were treated to a local production of CATS. (It was a dinner theater, so we had strange, white, congealed chicken included as an entree). I had several friends in the cast, and I am KICKING myself for not bringing my camera, because the costumes were phenomanal. Of course, I had a lot invested in their outfits, because the store helped buy their jazz shoes and their shiny, lycra, unitards. Highlights of the show (involving my friends of course):
1. Darren jumped up on a gigantic cardboard tin can and gyrated his hips in true Elvis fashion.
2. Katie played the innocent “White Cat,” and spent some very convincing time cleaning herself and making friends with Grizabella, the old, rejected kitty.
3. Angela rocked her costume, proving that if you have legs that go on forever you can truly own the unitard. She also did some very convincing kitty cat eye twitching.
4. Arlee tap danced, inspiring Darren and I to find a way to insert a random tap number in my upcoming show.
The above folks mentioned will be in my featured “L” Project and I am thrilled. Now I have to buckle down and actually create a show…which I’m avoiding right now by blogging. Damn.

I have to give props to one of my favorite websites: Found Magazine. We have all stumbled across random pictures, scraps, and grocery lists on the ground. Reading and admiring these objects out of context usually gives me a sense of worldliness, a feeling of: “Gee, everyone is connected, everyone is going through the same kind of things, funny,how small and insignificant I really am.” Found Magazine is a tribute to found objects of all types, and I love it. Last August, Josh and I found this grocery list. Here is what we noticed:
1. “Ben” is appearantly in charge of the caeser, croutons, cheese–hell, the whole salad.
2. Whoever wrote the list is sick. Zinc, echinachea, and cough drops can only be obtained at Wild Oats, (no crappy Safeway brand for THEM).
3. Our neighborhood is largely populated by college students, which explains the horrible spelling.
4. My favorite thing about this list is “Avocadoes (if good and cheap).” I’m sure we’ve all had that struggle with buying avocadoes.

I’m becoming addicted to my blog. Yeah, I know, I’m sure this is normal for newbies like myself…but it’s a little alarming. Johnny mentioned constanly editing and writing in his head–’oh! THIS should definitly go on my blog!’ There’s just somehing so rewarding about seeing my little entries pop up on screen, complete and ready to read. Eventually I, like so many, will burn out and go through phases of never writing, never touching the blog…but I don’t see that in the near future. I am thoroughly addicted. Blogging is like one big embellished email, and I love email. There is also something so fancy pants about it all, like “Look at me! Look at me!” And I like to be watched. Perhaps it’s the inner actor within me. (That’s right, ‘actor,’ the word ‘actress’ is dead in the theater community now, didn’t ya know?).
Big weekend plans coming up:
1. Garage sale at Jodi’s.
2. Big Birthday party/closing party for CATS at Angela’s pad.
3. Using my 50 dollar gift certificate at Cira, one of the only hip clothing store’s in town. (Although it’s overrun with itty bitty, butt crack revealing jeans, hankerchief sized blouses, and pointy toed heels…I’m sure I’ll find something).
4. Unloading leftover ice cream cake at Josh’s parents house. (I made my 3rd ice cream cake in a month for Father’s Day, and I’m sick of it…yes, I know! How is that possible?)
5. Contemplating how to negotiate ourselves out of signing another lease. The meeting with the landlord is this Tuesday.
6. Working on my show, The L Project.

So here I am, enjoying some red wine—straight from my new wine rack. This is what I am musing:
1.I am declaring my official love for America’s Next Top Model on UPN, call me weird but I love that show. I’m obsessed with the fashion industry. When I was a kid I was so inspired by an episode of Reading Rainbow regarding the NY Fashion Institute, I designed an entire line of sweaters. Right now they’re showing Top Model reruns and I can’t stand it, I want the new season so bad! Last season was incredibly rewarding: Cleavage, cat fights, anorexia threats, make-up contests, thinly veiled nudity, the models had to hang from the ceiling of a decrepit 3-story warehouse (and that was just one of the daring feats they had to perform), and of course Tyra Banks. American Idol be damned, Top Model is the best reality show I’ve seen yet.
2.Hobbes is running around like a crazy cat bandit, due to a strange case of high-altitude fleas.
3.I’m still waiting for my siblings to call and wish me a belated happy birthday. (Posting isn’t enough, Sammy).
4. The Cross-Dresser called again today. Will he finally put in an appearance at the store again? Will I be lucky enough to meet him? Stay tuned…

I made a special request for this cake. It’s from a French bakery, and has no frosting. It’s made up of white chocolate mousse, sponge cake, and bavarian cream. For my wedding, we devoured three of these cakes (all for the low cost of 110 dollars, way better than a traditional wedding cake).

This is one of my birthday presents. I have had my eye on this hanging rack for a while. It’s perfect for small kitchen living…doesn’t take up too much space and looks really cool when it’s full, (which is my job now that I own it, according to Josh).

Josh treated me to Chinese food for my Birthday, and before I knew it I was drinking out of a coconut.

Here I am as a little tyke…23 years ago.