i'm pretty sure clean coal isn't real

Ciabatta slathered in triple cream topped with a honey crisp
Fall
Diet Coke with lots of ice
Good neighbors
Socialism
Water
Leaves
Road trips
Spirit on the water


Some people I work with
Gluttony
Not learning from mistakes
Overbooking
Feeling flu-ish
Everything Palin and McCain

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

Ander Monson live
Earplugs
Homemade vegetable soup
Knitting cables
Planning for Christmas
Classic Disney movies


Meddlers
Lame excuses
Housework
November 1
Peeling squash
Heaters that don’t pass inspection
Local political ads

hmpf

MASH
Friday afternoons
chore charts
cash only living
tofu loaf with steamed sprouts and mashed potatoes
clean clothes
not having to go to Meijer



lying, cheating, scamming patrons
incompatible work schedules
being too full
the shower room
feeling blah
snoops
national polls
cars

someday i might want to write sentences again

Mad Men
rearranging furniture
Tres Lobos
robot heaters
friends who want to give you tvs
love buzz
Wednesday afternoons


downers
leaves in my house
guilt
talking on the phone
forgetting to feed Grace
30 degree biking

ps: it was a
pps: thanks for the offer, but we got one from the lesbians last night!

you decide

long passwords
mole
mornings that aren't bad
predictability
heat
leftover stew
legwarmers
dangerously cooked eggs
advent hymns
helping nonlipreading deaf people


douchebags
all of my clothes
underdogs
having to buy a tv
Madonna
cold wetness

anastasia krupnik-style

Things I like:

I Will Unfold You With My Hairy Hands-by Shane Jones
Founders Harvest Ale
Finish lines at marathons
Walking to the mailbox with anticipation that a recently ordered chapbook or journal has arrived
Meeting cool new people at an event I didn't want to go to
Bootleg Series, Vol 8
A half peck of honey crisp apples for $5
Fall light
The Family Guy
The concept of marketing Make Your Own Hipster Boy/Girlfriend Kits
Walking far and getting lost
Unexpected maps
A double-shot Americano in a small mug with no room for cream
My down comforter
Judy Blume YA novels
Kale


Things I hate:

The beginning of the end of market season
Anxiety
Pledge week on NPR
Student loans that I will never be able to pay off, but whose mere existence prevent me from considering grad school
The wrong pen
Chitchat
Unrealistic beauty expectations
Knowing what I need to do, but not doing it
Grace taking up the whole bed
Jealousy
Underwhelming political endorsements
Feeling useless
Biking in the dark
Not being able to have my gmail open at work anymore
Incompatible bus schedules
Big tvs

i think these lists are helping

Things I like:

The sex workers of the yellowjacket world
Shop vacs
A vigorous debate
Lasagna
Diane Rehm
Lovely handwriting
Magic Hat Jinx
Walking to work on a crisp fall day
Getting cocky
Paying bills on time
Faulkner
A reverse Bradley effect


Things I hate:

John McCain’s thumb
Disturbing conversations
People who call themselves plumbers, but don’t actually have a license
Not having enough to do at work
Yellowjackets that won’t die
The abortion debate
Salads consisting of iceberg lettuce
Afghan patterns that require $315 in yarn costs
Islands

maybe i should make a list

Things I like:
Grace
Peter
Grilling earthy vegetables
The curious case of Benjamin Button
Knitting and quilting books
Journals
Water
Sleeping in
Alphabetizing
Spiders
Mozart
The New York Times
Straight hair



Things I hate:
Wasps
Filthy apartments
Lacking motivation
Not getting enough sleep
Not being interested in anything
Being called “extraordinary”
Cheap wine
Full moons
For-profit health care
Slothfulness
Sarah Palin

it takes a firm wrist

Fleet Foxes ruled. So did the Cottage Bar’s Irish Carbombs. And the company.

About a week ago, when it got significantly cooler at night, I went through the apartment and shut all the windows but one. The next day I killed 2 sluggish wasps that were crawling up the big picture window in the back. Since then I have murdered countless of them. I cannot figure out where they’re coming from. I guess it’s possible I inadvertently squished a nest whilst shutting the windows though given the reputation of most wasps being mean mofos I think I would have noticed. I guess it’s possible they’re crawling in through a drain from the-planter-that-hasn’t-been-used-as-a-planter-in-decades. Regardless I’m getting pretty sick of them. Normally I’d be thrilled that the next two days it’s supposed to be in the 80s, but the prospect of nearly dead and cold wasps becoming full of life and vitality makes me think I could be the victim of some horror movie moment.

This might be why I’ve not slept well the past 2 nights.

I got an early birthday present.

Dylan in Kalamazoo 4 days after Obama becomes President and 3 days before my actual birthday.

Maybe this fall ain’t gonna be so bad.

say motorcycle one more time, erin, say motorcycle one more time. so sayeth peter last night in his sleep.

I’ve got a triple shot Americano coursing through my veins hardcore caffeine style. I met my BFF for coffee at lemonjello’s and until I confessed what it was she was under the assumption I was drinking cider.

I realized this morning I am in a constant state of trying to find balance: balance at work, balance at home, balance socially. And when I start feeling like I’m losing control I have a tendency to tip the scales in the complete opposite direction I should. When I should be surrounding myself with positive relatively healthy (or at least struggling virtually the same way I am) people, I either cut myself off from everyone, seek out those that cut me down, or find someone who is so far from stable I dismiss my mental health problems as meaningless. And if I try and control every single aspect of my life I end up feeling empty and hollow and so regimented I lack joy. Intellectually I know what’s happening. Emotionally I always end up going from one extreme to another.

Thankfully? I have a BFF who somehow manages to be feeling the same way at the same time. And once we start talking about it, it all feels manageable.

I am blessed.

I’m also blessed because Bob Dylan is going to be in Kalamazoo 4 days after Obama becomes our next president and 3 days before I turn another year older.

Woot.Woot.

don't tell anyone but i'm getting kinda sick of this whole election thing

• Last Thursday AM Peter and I got up at 5:45am, drove to GR, stood in a long line, got through insane security, and saw Obama. Good times.

• Last Thursday night I tried to watch the VP debates, but had to keep leaving the room because I think I have an allergic reaction to Sarah Palin’s voice.

• Last Friday night an old friend from college came into town for homecoming weekend. Good times.

• Last Saturday I slept until 1pm. Peter and I somehow switched roles as he got up at 8am and went to work.

• Last Saturday night I played cards and won a bunch of times. I also got called a lot of names for said wins. Not good times.

• Sunday I went for brunch with aforementioned friend from college.

• Sunday night I fell asleep during The Family Guy.

• Monday afternoon Neal John VanTil was born. We went to the hospital to see the family. Mama and baby are doing well.

• Monday night I somehow missed supper.

• Tuesday I survived, but skipped the debates in order to watch most of season 2 of 30 Rock. Given the Diane Rehm I heard today I think I made the right choice.

• Tonight I have to moderate a post-film discussion on electronic voting machines. I know virtually nothing about electronic voting machines.

• Tomorrow morning I’m meeting my BFF for coffee.

• Tomorrow night I’m going to see The Fleet Foxes in GR. Yay!

• Friday I’m off. I need to start getting serious about Christmas present-making.

• Saturday I work.

• Sunday I’m hoping to get in some baby time.

How’s everyone else doing?

obama baby