Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Transperformance was last night, and as usual, everyone rocked and were hilarious, the kids were dancing and goofing around the whole night, and I had a great time. I took a bunch of photos but only 6 were good enough to upload. You can see them all here.

Something inside of Blogger is screwing up the link above. If it doesn't work, you can copy and paste the url: http://chowflap.com/gallery/main.php?g2_view=core.ShowItem&g2_itemId=669

Friday, August 24, 2007

I played croquet on Tuesday evening for the first time in more than 20 years. It was good times. I played regularly in the summer when I was a lass, and here's photographic proof:


kidcroquet


kidcroquet

These were taken at my late grandparents' house in Center Harbor, NH, on July 4, 1976 (making me almost 4 years old). No, I don't know which one is me, though if you go by the parent-enforced color coding system, I'm the one with the red mallet. Which makes my sister the one with the very poor form in the second photo. Click my "some of my photos" link on the right, and look in "General photos", for larger versions.

No movement on the job front, though I have been doing plenty of "networking", i.e. talking to all of my friends about my plight. And I flipped through a book of cover letters, and had my boss look at a draft of my resume (it needs work). I also talked to a former co-worker who told me that since she's been freelancing (after getting laid off in an identical situation two years ago) she is much happier, but not making as much money as she did when she was full-time. Which is worrisome. I still have time to think about all of this, though.

Wednesday, August 22, 2007

So. I've been laid off. The new financial boss decided that killing our magazine would give him such a big bonus, he couldn't not do it. We will be officially employed until the end of September. We heard the news yesterday morning, and I'm just now able to really think about possible outcomes without bursting into tears. A lot of the outcomes involve me selling my house at a loss (still figuring out how much of a loss), renting somewhere cheap, and taking on a more adventurous job or jobs. I would be heartbroken if I lost the house. For some reason, and I know it's irrational, I'd feel like a failure. Or, I could find a not-so-attractive job doing technical writing or something that paid well, but which would mean a long commute to Hartford or some similar hellscape. I could put my severance pay towards a Prius, maybe (it's not enough dough to buy one outright). And that way I could keep the house.
...

I just got off the phone with the realtor that acted as my buyer's agent. She gave me some numbers, so I have a better idea of what selling my house would mean for me financially. I guess it's up to me now... I have some big decisions to make in the next few weeks that could radically change my life. Stay tuned.

Saturday, August 18, 2007

I hadn't been to my garden in a few days, so I had a big harvest today. And I took some photos.
Here are my zinnias, which I grew from seed and are now taller than I am.

zinniagarden

Here's a macro of a pink one. I love the scales under the petals.

pinkie

And my prolific eggplant. It has been feeding me well.

eggplant

I found this tomato, which a fox/cat/raccoon had taken a bite of and then decided it wasn't for them. After I snapped this I found another bitten one (but uneaten) on a different plant.

bittentomato

One of the gorgeous heirloom tomatoes I picked today. Yum...
bigred

Here's my winnings for the day. That's a little bag of basil tips.
harvest

And a pretty macro shot of the striped little guys.
stripey

Friday, August 17, 2007

Our team took third place last night, not too shabby. I was responsible for two right answers (ghee and Cats). And then we decided at the last minute to go see the 12:01 showing of Superbad. The theater was a sea of baseball-hatted teen boys, with a smattering of girls and people in their 20s. We figured we were the oldest people in the theater. Before the movie started, the boys would yell at every familiar face that walked into the theater. How they can tell themselves apart is beyond me. Like with butterflies or penguins, maybe you have to be one of them to notice the subtle differences between each member of the group. Anyway, the movie was very funny. I feel like I have gotten a generous helping of cock and blowjob jokes which will stay with me a long time. Seriously though, the movie seems like this generation's Risky Business, or 16 Candles, except rated R and funnier.

I got home at 2:30, and was in bed at 3, where I tossed and turned for about an hour. I had eaten a small popcorn by myself with no water or soda -- this after the two Jack and cokes at trivia -- so I was stupidly dehydrated. I got up and drank some water and managed to sleep for a few hours. I did manage to have a disturbing dream in which I had been burdened by a large number of tiny newborn puppies. I was trying to figure out how to drown them (so easy to stuff into a sack and throw it into the river!) or otherwise get rid of them in some way that wouldn't destroy my mind with guilt. The idea of trying to raise them at home until they were old enough to adopt out seemed too impossibly time-consuming and work-heavy. If I brought them to a shelter I'd have to pay a fee for each dog they took in (this happened to me in real life about 12 years ago, with two kittens I saved from certain death and nursed back to health), and since I had, like, 17 puppies on my hands, it would cost me a lot of money. So the puppies would just have to go, secretly, and without me telling anyone I ever had them in the first place. But, through various wacky and unpleasant adventures, I was unable to get back to the puppies until they outgrew their hiding place, scrambling out and charming everyone with their antics while I tried to act surprised.

Right now I feel almost human again, though I'm about to go out to eat with friends and then go back to that same bar to play pool, and I might end up at the Elvis tribute show around midnight if I don't crash by then. Normally I'd take tonight off but I have to jump on the party train when it comes through town, you know? Sleeping will have to wait.

Sunday, August 12, 2007

Last night I had a dream that I was in a relationship with Huey Lewis. He was older than he was in the 1980s, but still probably not as old as he is now. Regardless, I was thrilled to be with him, and we seemed to get along well. Today I was working on the crossword puzzle in the Advocate, and there was a Huey Lewis-related clue (answer: Huey). I do not know what the universe is trying to tell me. That it's hip to be square? I knew that already. Thanks, universe -- or should I call you "captain obvious"?

Saturday, August 11, 2007

I am about to run out to a bar after staying in last night (didn't even attempt to go out, I was content to stay at home). How am I? Alternately lonely, happy, sad, petulant, confident, awkward, and hopeful. More later.

Friday, August 03, 2007

Have you ever started eating a new food just because you're heard it's so good for you? Something like kale, maybe. You buy it at the farmer's market, thinking, this doesn't look like something that will be delicious, but it will make me feel so healthy and good that maybe I won't mind the taste. And at first, you only eat it because you know you really should. But then, once you get to know kale, you start finding new and delicious recipes, and eventually you realize that, even though this food is packed with vitamins, low fat and high in fiber, you love it. You taught yourself to love kale. Sandy, chewy, good-for-you kale.

Yeah. That doesn't work when it's with people and not food.