Anniversaries of a sort

Today marks 7 years since I started at my 1st big-time employer. It is an interesting anniversary of sorts. I'm now 2 jobs away and probably happier career wise than I've ever been. It just took a few years of...major frustration...to earn some stripes and create the kind of career that started making me happy. Mostly. Still, I can reflect on my time in big 5 with a lot of fondness and humor. And, it helps me look forward to where I want to go...I still have a lot ahead of me. Also, I've made a month and a half with the current company. And I'm loving it. Yea! It makes life much happier to actually enjoy your work AND employer.

Another anniversary is John's bday. Tomorrow he'll be 37. This weekend his mom came out to Chicago to surprise him for his 37th birthday. We had a great time surprising John by going out to his cousin Laura & Chad's house for the dinner/night. John didn't have any idea his mom was going to be there - so the surprise part was a success. We had a fun time - and John's godparents were there, too, which was very fun. This is Emma and myself spending time with the dogs. Emma was great learning how to make the pups sit/lay down/shake/high five. She loves animals - which clearly shows in how much she loves spending time with Ella & Tycho. Barb also enjoyed seeing the granddogs. I'm pretty sure she enjoyed her time with us, too, though I feel bad because we drug her to about 10 hardware stores looking for the perfect lighting fixtures. Barb was a trooper and we had a great time. Barb also helped advise on the wall color (Ralph Lauren's Linconshire Olive) and on my choice of fingernail polish (OPI's "Romeo and Joliet" looks too black). It was a bonding and educational time.

The other chaos in my life right now- renovating the condo and LSAT class- both seem to be at a peak. The kitchen is completely impassable as we're waiting for the stain/finish to dry on the floor. The wall between the kitchen and dining room was demolished and a hole is sitting there waiting to be filled with cabinetry and a granite breakfast bar. It actually looks really great - I can't wait for it to all come together. We should get appliances on Friday and granite on Saturday! Yea! Order returns! My oven currently is sitting next to the front door...and the fridge is in the dining room. It's just a mess. Don't even get me started on the master bath- cause it's not pretty. It's one big war zone. Suffice it to say that concrete/tile technique of the mid 20th century is...quite...thick...and hard to remove. I look forward to the pretty finished bathroom I have pictured in my head... (Gracias a Marco, Luis y Juan por todo el trabajo).

LSAT prep goes fine- I am delaying until February. I plan to study more (ha?) and take the class over again to reinforce all of the theory. I have found I love the logic games, hate the logical reasoning...and I get very tired by 10pm. I am old.

Tonight I skipped the 2nd half of the class (it was a "jam" session and not an actual lesson...) and did a couple things in anticipation of John's bday...and now I'm sitting in the guest bedroom spending with the dogs. This room is now their doggie jail until the condo is complete. Tycho is pacing around- Ella is sitting under me and is shivering. Ah, dogs. Update: now Tycho is chewing on Ella's front legs....now he's making some sort of head shaking maneuver. now he is boxing. now he's eating fish food. Now he's trying to get in my lap. Back to chewing Ella.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. I may post again soon- my parents will be in town for a couple nights, with brother in tow. Should be a good turkey day for all parties involved...as long as I actually have a real kitchen in time. Stay tuned.

PS- thanks again to Barb for the weekend...and for the photos. You were so fun to have here...and you've made my blog more interesting thanks to the pics.

Shelfari Sucks

See below for the text of an email I sent out to all of my contacts in my gmail account. (If you are reading this, you probably got this email...). I joined Shelfari and thought I was inviting a few friends to the site. It has a feature similar to Linkedin that allows you to see all of the contacts you have already in the site. Except, when you invite those friends, you will also invite ALL of the contacts in your email box unless you catch it.

I am incredibly frustrated and also embarrassed I fell for it AND it sent to all of my email contacts. All of them. Business, friends, frenimies, Amazon.com customer service...AGHHH. How very frustrating.

------------------------------------------

Good morning,

I apologize for the emails you may have received inviting you to join "Shelfari" from me. I received an invitation earlier this week and joined with the intent to invite a few of my friends with whom I discuss books. Instead, Shelfari invited all of my email contacts.

Shelfari offers a "friend friend" service which imports your email address book to a) determine who else of your email contacts is on Shelfari and b) help you invite those who aren't. This is similar to other networking sites, so I took them up on this. It found a couple of my friends who were signed up and I clicked on the "invite friends" button before realizing it had imported my entire gmail address book and it was sending to ANY and ALL of my email contacts.

At the time I was embarrassed and horrified. I do not appreciate random forwards or invites, I don't believe anyone does. I consoled myself thinking "No terrible harm done, one email is generally forgettable and perhaps I'll reconnect with some people."

Then yesterday, it came to my attention that a "friendly reminder" was sent on my behalf for anyone who had not signed up for the service. Shelfari began to spam on my behalf. I am personally mortified. I had no idea they would begin to spam ALL of the contacts in my email.

Therefore, I write this email as an apology and a warning. I apologize for the emails from Shelfari. It was not my intent to spam, and hopefully this will be the last email on the subject. If you do sign up for Shelfari, do not choose the "find friend" option without "deselecting all." This was a sneaky trick on Shelfari's part and I fell for it. Please google "Shelfari spam" for more information if you are interested.

Again, my apologies.

Regards,

Kimberly

FYI: To protect yourself and prevent any future Shelfari invitations, go to http://www.shelfari.com/actions/emailoptout.aspx.

We'll make great pets

Many of you are familiar with my two beloved dogs Tycho and Ella. I have posted a couple times about my freakish and lovely goldfish. I have recently added 18 pets to my condo. 17 of them are fish and one of them is a vacuum cleaner.

The 17 fish are community tropical fish- some betas, a pleco, a flying fox and some tetras. They are very cool and I love them. I picked them up last week and have been watching them every night which very quickly puts me to sleep. They are a lively bunch but peaceful, and I don't believe anyone is eating anyone else, which is very important.

The vacuum cleaner is Roomba. I love Roomba. If I ever become a professional athlete, I would court Roomba's sponsorship. If you want a pet but don't want the mess of a dog or cat, get a Roomba! I got Roomba thanks to my friend Emily- who was extolling the virtues of her Roomba which she bought off of woot.com. She emailed me a couple weeks ago saying Roomba was on Woot...so I emailed John to confer about buying one. We bought one. And now, I don't have to vacuum anymore. Instead, I turn on Roomba and he* does it for me. So, right now, Roomba is cleaning my dining room. Yea! I love robots!

As for me & life...this week was stressful but ended well. My job is awesome. I am so glad to be out of G and into consulting again. Seriously. I couldn't be happier working for a client, having the satisfaction that I'm doing good work for them and then getting feedback that I am delivering what they want from me. Yea to consulting.!

The LSAT prep is going well. I should be studying right now, but I spilled water all over my lesson 1 and 2 books. So- I'm letting it dry a bit and then back to logic. The class is really breaking my brain and how I tend to think- so I find myself doing this:

If you are Ella, you hate Roomba.
If you are Roomba, you hate dirt.
Therefore, if you are Ella, you hate dirt.

This doesn't actually work because Ella loves dirt and rolling in it...but according to the LSAT logic...I think this is correct...at least I hope.

John is in CO- things are going well for him...more on that front later. I should go check on Roomba - it is beeping at me. And I should go check on Ella. She hates Roomba so she is sequestered in the back bedroom. Otherwise she chases and bites Roomba...funny to watch, not so efficient for cleaning my floors.

-kksw

*This is very important. Emily is of the firm belief that Roombas have genders, and hers is male. After watching mine a couple times...I have to agree.

I'm writing posts. Readers, where'dya go?

So, I've been posting like a madwoman. Especially compared to the first few months of this blog. But...I'm guessing from lack the of traffic, comments from friends, emails from family and paparazzi outside my door that I have an audience of maybe 2. And that would be me checking my own witticisms at work when I'm bored and Courtney. Hi Courtney! Miss you!

So - a coupla comments tonight. Firstly, Baptiste Yoga nearly killed me tonight. I didn't realize I could sweat quite that much. I need to replenish, replenish, replenish. I may not pee for a week.

Secondly, check this: http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/14.11/sixwords.html. Lifting directly from the article "Hemingway once wrote a story in just six words ("For sale: baby shoes, never worn.") and is said to have called it his best work." So Wired asked a bunch of authors to do the same. I am now trying to come up with a story for the title of my goodbye email. (See ya later, I'm outta heeeerrreeee...Woman returns to mountains, less oxygen...Yes, I'd leave regardless, shouldn't you?...Don't love a job, love yourself....)

Thirdly, things going on at work are really...crazy...and just goes to show how little you can trust corporations. I learned this lesson less than a year after I started working as a corporate stevedore when my beloved company laid off most of my friends, and this was less than a month after 9/11. I know I am about to start working for yet another corporation, albeit this one is much smaller. However, my suspicions are confirmed, you can only trust yourself in the corporate world and you should never, ever sacrifice yourself or time with family for a money making machine. The machine doesn't care. Ever.

I'd like to close this on a happy note...with a little shout out to Boxer Rebound. If it wasn't for the wonderful people at Boxer Rebound, we wouldn't have our sweet, handsome boy Tycho.

If you are in Chicagoland, Illinois or southern Wisconsin, and you're considering a dog, or know someone who is considering a dog - please check them out. They will match a dog with your living situation, with your personality, with the personalities of your other pets and possibly with the personalities of the other pets you are considering. They have hearts of gold and are saints to do the work they do. Personally speaking, my life was pretty good before but has become incredibly enriched with my boxer boy.

Just look how HANDSOME he is! (Not to mention goofy, lovable, patient, stubborn, hilarious...just the best!)

Have a great rest of your week. Oh, and Happy Autumn!

Outside looking in?

Just finished watching The Devil and Daniel Johnston a fascinating documentary about an outsider artist/musical genius (?) plagued with mental illness and unrequited love...which has me thinking again about outsider art and what makes a person an outsider or an insider in the art and music world...and also checking out Daniel on iTunes...the most interesting cover of his music was performed by the Eels...quite fitting. E gives it the best of his gravely, haunting voice. In fact, as I was watching the movie, I kept coming up with different artists I wanted to hear covering his music. Don't get me wrong, Daniel does a fine job...but his voice can get a bit...tiring...even it is part of his genius.

So, then, outsider art...had me thinking about late greats like Wesley Willis and Henry Darger (both Chicagoans) who were appreciated more after their deaths than before. I was browsing the Daniel Johnston website and was looking at the art, half serious about purchasing just based on how much his art may appreciate in the future. But then...do I like it enough to hang on my walls? Is it art?

It's just an interesting question - one that I know there are phds and curators and collectors will all "answer"...what is art, what makes it outsider, and how is talent really defined...or does talent have to even be there for it to be art? What gives it that edge that helps it leap from drawing on notebook paper to $1200 masterpiece. What makes someone like Willis, Darger, Johnston or Tiny Tim an acceptable commodity?

Anyway...after some time on iTunes listening while contemplating outsider musicians...I would recommend checking out the "Outsider Music" collection on iTunes...and introducing yourself to my new favorite - the Langley School Music Project. Super surreal to hear them singing Space Oddity...

And, speaking of outside...we had a building yard sale this weekend! We sat outside for 2 days selling all of our crap at crazy discount prices. John and I made enough to pay for a movie and 2 dinners this weekend. 25% of proceeds were donated to our building...we raised over $100...enough to pay our electric bill for a month. Thanks to the neighbors who participated for making it a success. We're looking to return again in a month to sell some of John's outsider art he keeps housed in Indiana...and by outsider art I mean t-shirts and old frying pans...and maybe this little hooligan....

Secret Obsession

My Sunday morning ritual is...get up, get dogs out, begin tea ceremony and then shuffle in to the office to check Postsecret which is updated every Sunday. John likes to make fun of me because of this obsession, but personally I find it to be a comforting ritual. I'm not the only person in the world with secrets and also that my secrets aren't that uncommon. (Don't ask what they are, then they wouldn't be secrets.)

So - I have also enjoyed this page LolKitties (or something like that). I love the phrasing...and how each of the kitties has some sort of odd accent...at least when I read it out loud to myself.

So- some genius put THIS together! Ta-Dah! http://lolsecretz.blogspot.com/ Brilliant!!

Enjoy.

Also - I just made the connection that the singing telegram girl in the movie Clue is also in the Go-Gos. Go figure.

Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes

Hi. I realize that no one will really be reading this because I haven't updated since June. Embarrassing. So, I will write to my imaginary audience, much like I used to DJ for an imaginary audience when I was a college radio DJ at Drake. However, we were not radio DJs because our station was on the TV...and hence why no one listened to us...it's not like we were VJs playing videos...and no one wants to turn on the TV to listen to college...um...radio.

Anyway, there are a lot of changes going on in my life...and I thought I might as well record them somewhere...I hope you (imaginary audience) are sitting down. And that you have provisions...this is a long post.

Here goes...

a) "Cha-Cha-Cha-Changes" is how I entitled my farewell email when I left the big bad Big 5 consulting firm (Big A) and started working for the big bad MRO supplier company (Big G). I may steal it again as I'm leaving the big bad MRO supplier company for a small, hopefully good local consulting firm (Smallish S). I start October 1...but that doesn't mean I'm not spending time reading up on my new client- located in downtown Chicago!

b) John and I have decided to move. We've chosen the Boulder, CO area. John has an interview the first couple weeks in October...and knock on wood he will knock them dead...or better put knock socks off...or something. Regardless, next spring we'll be loading up our possessions and dogs...after having successfully sold the condo (hopeful thinking)...and we will go west. This will hopefully lead to much less stress and much more time at home...

3) Eventually, I will be going back to school...probably Law School. I went to the LSAC Forum this week - a college fair for Law Schools (on crack). It was crazy. People in suits, resumes flying, bullshit all over and a general feeling of pandemonium. I start my LSAT class on September 29th (2 days before I begin a new job...can I do it all?? Stay tuned and be patient..I'll probably post again in Septovember.

iv) John "went green" and bought a Prius. Wheee. The car is completely silent, doesn't need a key and shifts thru a joystick. It's crazy. I have also ordered a new car...I don't know quite what we're thinking...except both of our cars needed to be replaced. My therapist told me not to worry...just to think "it's ok...the money will be there."

e) Tycho has mange again. He also has an ear infection. We medicate twice a day which is lovely. He's also managed to eat half of a rotisserie chicken, a slab of french Boucheron goat cheese (with plastic wrap) and half of my lemon meringue tart (that happened tonight. i am still bitter).

f) Ella is a trooper. She is fine.

g) The fish are not so fine. Only Hari (the celestial) survives. I lost Steve Zizzou & Lil Elvis/Pricilla back in August (fittingly Lil Elvis died on the 30th anniversary of the King's passing). Yesterday, Pabst went to join her fellow goldies. Hari was lonely, so we brought home Mr Sprinkles...Sprink is a calico fantail. We're letting the big tank sit empty for a while...then we'll probably get some neons and other less emotionally involved fish. Don't laugh...goldfish are really...personable.

8) I think that is all the news that is fit to type. Except maybe I could talk about all the time I'm spending on celebrity gossip sites...or conspiracy theory sites...but I don't need your pity.

8.5b) I won a gift basket this weekend when I was at Ravinia with my darling hubby and my dear friends Chandra & Venus to celebrate Chandra's birthday and see the beautiful and talented Emmy Lou Harris. There was a raffle sponsored by a new Westin that just opened in the area...I signed up...and won a Heavenly Robe, 2 Heavenly towels and some Heavenly bath product. Heavenly! The Starwood gods shone upon me. I am most excited for the robe. (again, I need no pity).

Thanks for listening. Until Octobuary...

Post

My friend Jackie told me this past week that I was a bad blogger. She said she didn't want to be rude or anything, but she was checking in on me thru the blog...and I haven't updated my blog in way too long. So...she's right. Here is an update...

Something I really enjoy is a good postcard. I should be better about sending them...and I'm not- but getting a postcard in the mail is about the best thing ever. It means, to me, someone cared enough to stop looking at the beautiful surroundings on their vacation, or saw a postcard stand at Borders...or whatever- and just wanted to drop a "hello" note that is generally free of any negative connotations. Postcards usually have no anger, no guilt trips, no "hey, i've got incurable TB," no "You're awful- wish you were here." It's just a nice unabashed way to say "hi." My friend Jen Hopper has sent some awesome postcards, Venus is a queen of postcard sending, John has started sending me postcards from his fires (sometimes the location of the fire and the postcard don't match...but that adds to the mystique). I think my love of the postcard started with my Grandma. I remember having a photo album with some photos and postcards in it...and me being so proud of it her telling me that she liked postcards a lot, too. I remember wanting to send her one...but, sadly, I don't remember actually doing it.

So- speaking of postcards, one of my Sunday morning habits is to check PostSecret.com as it is updated weekly with new postcards that have secrets on them. There isn't an archive of the new postcards- so you have to catch them while they're available. The secrets vary from the extremely happy to the extremely tragic...and they're always an interesting read. Today one of the postcards really hit home. It was a woman in a yoga position...the card said "I purposely do poses incorrectly in my yoga class so my teacher will reposition me. Otherwise I would never have any human contact. I miss being touched." Ok - so I do get touched on a regular basis - John, hugs from friends, my dogs (not human, close enough). However...having felt and now missing those helpful nudges in Yoga class...making the pose better, connecting with another human being. I miss that, too. I've been doing a good bit of yoga at home...by myself. It is a great class led by instructors at YogaToday.com where they post a NEW yoga class EVERY DAY for FREE. I love the setting (Jackson Hole, WY), I love the classes and I love the challenge. What I'm missing is that human contact/instruction... *sigh* So- this postcard...hopefully will inspire me back into actual classes with actual people. It's hard though...I hate being self conscious in front of other yoginis.

And, speaking of postcards...my dear cousin Meliors has started an art happening/project that I plan to take part in today. I am not supposed to post about it BEFORE I complete the project - so this is a teaser. Courtney has already beaten me to the punch...so I have some catching up to do. However, as Jackie pointed out, I'm a terrible blogger...so it may be July before you get the update. Keep your fingers crossed...and I'll try to update on this project before too long.

Why I hate fire

So, Global Warming is causing our planet to die a very untimely death. You can watch Al Gore's Oscar-winner, you can read about it in the Economist...or hell the Wall Street Journal...you can feel it when it hits 85 degrees in early May. However, the way that I experience the pain of global warming is as the wife of a Wildland Firefighter.

I never really knew I'd be so well versed in fire. As a former Coloradan, I was at least aware of wildfire because we're a semi-arid climate and fire is always a threat. Forest Fires and the fire danger that Smokey talks about- always top of mind, especially in the Summer when you go camping or hiking or you're just driving in the mountains.

Well, now as an Illinoiseian...I wouldn't really care as much about wildland fire, except I married into it. And...it seems to be closing in on us. This past week, John went to the UP to fight a Fire called the Baraga Bump fire. It wasn't that big of a deal...they got it contained quickly...and I foolishly hoped he'd get sent home. No deal. Now he is in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA) and he's fighting the "Ham Lake Fire." Check this out for more news and info about wildland firefighting: http://www.inciweb.org/.

Both of the fires John has been on this year are far from here. So, we all have a false sense of security. However, I'd like to remind everyone of a very baaaad night in Chicago and Wisconsin history. No, not the night Chicago died...but when we burned. October 8, 1871 was a bad night for Chicago when a cow (or a drunk) started a fire and everything burned down. That is why we have so many frickin fire hydrants taking up valuable parking real estate. However, just north of here in Peshtigo, Wisconsin an even deadlier fire started the same night. Conditions were windy and dry (similar to the weather here...and in the upper US). I could retell the story, but that is not my point. My point is...I think we may start to see Wildland fire creep closer and closer to our metropolitan areas if we continue to have the experience ever-worsening drought conditions. And why is it so dry? Because of global warming. We're all screwed. Thankfully I live close to a lake.

But that isn't why I hate fire. Fire can be really great for our forests and prairies. I hate fire because it takes my husband away for weeks at a time and plops him in the middle of the wilderness with no cellphone coverage. So, as I sit here and type and try to ignore the whining of my boy dog...I curse global warming for making this fire season start so early and with such a bang.

P.S. Please keep the safety of John and all the firefighters in your thoughts...it's a risky business.

terrible fertility

Right...I am terrible. I haven't posted in over a month. I have an infant blog that has been languishing without much attention. Occasionally, I will look at my blog and think "I need to update...I have no witty links or photos to post" and I hang my head in shame...I'm a terrible blogger.

But- I do have interesting news. Sadly...I had to euthanize a fish...and then my goldfish had babies...twice! I am new to the world of amateur aquarium hobbism...but everyone I have told about my goldfish babies have a small aneurism and usually ask "are you sure it isn't guppies?" No! My goldfish are very fertile and frisky!

Here is the story...my favorite Goldfish (Klaus) had a swimbladder problem, which meant she swam upside down all of the time...it was tragically funny, but she was still healthy and eating, and obstensibly enjoying life. Well, then she got an open sore on her belly, and she wasn't eating or enjoying life...so we decided to send her to the big pond and end her suffering. It was pretty heartbreaking to lose her. Klaus was a great fish, named after one of my favorite Wilem Dafoe characters. Well, not 3 days after we lost Klaus...I was looking at the tank and thought I was seeing some floaties...and they turned out to be BABY fish! Crazy. Goldfish Fry? Can they be real? Well, they are. And there are 8.

So, to save the babies, we moved the remaining big fish into a smaller tank. Then we moved the big fish back. And, then, last night...what did I see...but goldfish eggs in the small tank! So...this means that the one male, Steve, has been very prolific...and the ladies (Pabst, Pricilla or Hari) have fallen victim to his lady-fish killer ways.

I will keep you all posted on the fish developments. And by you all I mean perhaps the one or two who might maybe be checking my blog because they've got nothing else to do. Maybe I will put photos up at some point...exciting.

I have stories of Easter and our dogs enjoying Wisconsin, tales of eating my weight in sugar, a deepening of my yoga practice...and how much work sucks. REALLY sucks. But, I'm mostly excited about the baby fish. I know. I'm a geek. It's fine. I'm learning to be content with my inner fish-geek. :)

Fish Fridays

Happy Friday, everyone. I seem to have just wasted a vacation day just laying on the couch and sleeping. Originally J and I were supposed to travel up to Madison and then on to Rib Lake, WI to take part in the Timm's Hill Trudge. However, we are wimps and when we heard about the potential "blizzards" forecast ed for upper WI...we opted out of adventure and exercise...and decided to stay home. But, a weekend of adventure is still in store as my friend Steffie who was joining us for the snowshoeing will be instead joining us in Chicago for a pedicure/Art Institute/Spanikopita filled weekend. Yea!

J still went up to Madison today (he had an interview...keep fingers crossed), so I stayed here to catch up on life. I should have worked as I have a million change plans to write...but I didn't. Instead, I spent time with the puppies and the fish.

Background: In September of 2005, I set up a 37 gallon aquarium in my apartment. My friend Venus helped me get set up and educated on the art of owning fancy goldfish. I selected 5 baby goldfish for my tank, with plans to bring 2 or 3 more into the tank. These goldfish were tiny. They were the size of a quarter. They were so cute. One looked like Elvis. Two had huge read Brain-heads. One had pom-poms over her eyes. And the smallest, she could only look upwards. And, no one expected them all to survive. At least, that's the feeling I got when they warned me not to name them...yet. (But I did...Lil Elvis, Girl, Steve Zizzou, Klaus and Hari)

Now it is March 2007 and I think it is safe to say all 5 are still living and swimming. They inhabit a total of 92 gallons in the condo after we added a tank so they could spread out...and each goldfish is the size of a small fillet. I remember as a kid, whenever we'd go to a fancy restaurant with an aquarium (I always thought it was fancy if there was an aquarium), invariably there would be an Oscar the size or a dinner plate...bleakly oblivious to his surroundings and the fact that all the jokesters entering the restaurant would point at him and say "Look, it's dinner. Har har." Now I live with 5 of these creatures, and thankfully for them I don't eat fish.

They have been through some harrowing events...first the move to the condo. Then being left alone for 5 days in an unconditioned condo in July. Then the power outage in August. 2 of them actually were upside down... but I brought them back to life. Unfortunately for Lil' Elvis, he lost his sideburns and became Lil' Priscilla.

So, Fish Friday takes on a very different meaning for me than it would my Catholic friends...I've been cleaning the tanks, watching the fish float and bump around the tank, and contemplating why goldfish create such copious amounts of waste. It's been productive and relaxing. As Venus says, it's very meditative to give your tanks a good cleaning. Ok, she may not say it exactly like that...but, however she says it, she's right.

February Dreamin'

I've been in a big movie watching mood recently...and have finished off some real gems recently (e.g. The Queen, Elizabeth I, The Departed). Over the course of the weekend, John and I started The Science of Sleep by Michel Gondry. Gondry has directed many amazing music videos as well as a coupla my favorite films (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and also Dave Chappelle's Block Party.)

Anyway...The Science of Sleep was not only a beautiful movie, but it really messes with one's dream sequencing. Especially if you fall asleep while watching the movie...it may screw you up for days. And, seriously, when you finish the movie...you have no idea where you are between reality and dreams...John said "Everything seems so dreamlike right now..."

There is something about Gondry films that are so lovely and simple, but with certain devastating heartbreak lurking in the corners. It's that feeling you get when life is so sublime and perfect, and then you realize it's not real but you're in a very realistic dream. That sad in-between moment when you want nothing more than the dream to keep going even though you know it's incredibly fleeting. (Usually that moment occurs for me at 4:45 and I languish in the bittersweet pre-dawn quiet for a couple minutes before the damn alarm goes off.)

The movie has done two things to me. First, I'm already a very active and prolific dreamer...and the movie only intensified my dreamworld for the past couple nights. Second, I've been thinking and rethinking some of my favorite movies that mix dreams and reality...including Waking Life, the aforementioned Eternal Sunshine, Neverending Story, Labrynth (aka David Bowie in hotpants), Akira Kurosawa's Dreams, Eraserhead, Run Lola Run and more recently Pan's Labrynth (AMAZING!). I would recommend any and all of these movies, especially if you're looking for some interesting fodder to dream about.

g'nite.

Early spring on the tundra?

What a beautiful image of my fair city found on msnbc.com this morning. The groundhog may have predicted an early spring, but personally I predict a lot of weather chaos. Maybe general chaos will be status quo for the next couple years, and that's really what this blog will cover. I am no genius, I'm only moderately clever, I'm opinionated but lazy, and I am not starting this to chronicle a particularly brave or exciting feat. This will be more a journal of chaos made somewhat palatable by pretty pics and occassional witticisms. At least, that is my hope.

Today, John and I were going to see Bodyworlds 2 at the Museum of Science and Industry with his cousin Laura and her family...but predicted blizzard activity has postponed our plans. So, instead, we're considering our musuem options here in Rogers Park or Evanston. And...that is how we happened upon this happy place. Not exactly the MSI, but still interesting and in our own back yard.

Tomorrow, if we're snowed in, I might have to relive my New Year's soup extravaganza by making some Tomato Bisque. Nothing better than a complicated soup to make the time pass.

Dog update: Tycho and Ella are both doing great. We took them to a dog park today, had a small incident with a rat dog and his rat owner...but the kids wore themselves out playing and being goofballs. When we returned home after so much activity, fed the kids, settled down...and then Tycho promptly peed on the hall carpet. Joy.

wait for it...

as much for myself as for anyone else...i plan to get el blog soon. until then, just think of this as a big empty apartment with so many possibilities. I'll try to get a futon in soon.