no, i did not make out with swine in mexico

what I have been doing:

being a union man
skipping groove walk
going to detroit with the bff for the noah and the whale show
not enjoying olive kitteridge, the latest pulitzer winner
enjoying independence day by richard ford
helping friends through various crises
preparing for tulip time
watching poe’s poll numbers drop
catching up on sleep
wondering how some people manage to tie their own shoes let alone hold a job
listening to the new dylan
crossword puzzles

if blitzen trapper isn't my new favorite band i don't know what is

It’s cold, rainy, and damp. I’m nursing a headache (weather-related?) and at work until 9pm with a union meetin’ after that which means I most likely won’t get home until after 10 and I have to work tomorrow at 8. I have never gone to a union meeting, but we’re renegotiating the contract and for the first time I actually care. In fact, I care enough I put my name in to be on the negotiating team. This could be an epic mistake as no matter what the contract outcome I’m sure I’ll hear plenty of opinions on how it turned out. But I’d rather be in there getting my hands dirty than not.

Let the games begin.

National Record Store Day was a success: Dylan 7", Tom Waits 7", Blitzen Trapper 7", Dan Auerbach's solo album, a used copy of Infidels for $5.99, and the new Brian Wilson which was thrown into our purchase for the cost of me giving our LRS proprietor a pen. It sounds like the day was a success and I hope it continues to be an annual thing. Next year I promised baked goods to Steve.

The blessed union of Grace and Poe continues. They are now capable of sitting in the same room with minimal growling and hissing. I consider this progress. I’ve taken to calling Poe “Miss Fancypants” as she has a tendency to parade about. Man, that cat is plucky. And a purr factory. Grace doesn’t seem unhappy unless Poe invades her territory. The look on Grace’s face when she hears Poe scratching on her scratchy box is priceless. Mostly Grace works hard at pretending Poe doesn’t exist.

This weekend:

Friday night: Peter is working. I will most likely be going for a ride as the weather is finally supposed to change back to spring
Saturday: go for a ride in the AM; bake Xtina cookies and deliver to various interested parties; attend Groove Walk downtown on bike
Sunday: Head to Detroit for Noah and the Whale with the BFF at the Magic Bag which sadly means missing Melissa's bday extravaganza in GR. Ways to make it up to her are in the works.

Don’t you all wish you were here?

no one likes a pedant

Things I grow weary of:

pirates
kitty litter in the tv room
ridiculous work drama
not having my bike in working order
waiting for the new Dylan
definitive tones
gmail being funky
cds
patrons not getting the concept of what a library is
self-righteous people
the tulip time parade right to life float flap


Things I look forward to:

noah and the whale
smothered pork chops, roasted asparagus, garlic mashed potatoes
60 degree temps
green being the new rust
two well-adjusted kitties peacefully coexisting
record store day
bike commuting
new windows
the first hike in the dunes
weeding
finishing fortress of solitude
my tax return money
reading the translation issue of poetry
chicken milk

getting to know you

What we did in Grand Rapids:

Ate at Marie Catrib’s: It was good, but not outstanding. Excellent homemade sausage and rye toast though. Homemade sausage may be in my future.

Wandered around Eastown: Argos rocked, Redux sucked, and I somehow misplaced Mulligans.

Hit up Purple East: When did it get so…unlike what I remember Purple East to be like?

Wandered around downtown: The Schuler is pathetically small, Scavenger hunt was pathetically overpriced, but Vertigo came through with a decently priced LP of Summer in the Southeast. Plus the plethora of homeless guys hanging out on Division were just cool.

Went to Brick Road Pizza Co for lunch: Daaaaaang. Vegan Philly Cheesesteak sammidge, vegan mac and cheese, and a piping hot vegan chocolate chip cookie. Super cool atmosphere and super cool staff.

Wandered into Literary Life bookstore: say whaaaaat?! There’s a bookstore out there that stocks just the books Erin wants to read?! I might have bought some David Foster Wallace. Maybe.

Stopped in at The Art of the Table: was underwhelmed until I found 3 different kinds of cheese from the Cowgirl Creamery. Is $25 too much spend on that, Kevin?

Ended at Founders: Yum. Just. Yum.

The best part was wandering around the city on foot for the most part despite the cold temperatures. GR is small. It’s smaller than it seems when one is in a car. I really think GR is poised for…something. There are all of these really old empty storefronts just waiting for thrift stores and coffee shops and restaurants and bookstores and galleries and the like. I only wish I could get a job there as I’d move in a heartbeat. I love Holland, but GR has this incredible potential and a pretty cool unique small neighborhoods thing one could compare to Chicago. I got all excited about it until Peter reminded me that it would probably cease to be cool once it got all cool and he’s probably right. Still there are good things happening there. And I aim to spend more time doing those good things.

nappy cats and sad blowjobs

Poe is in the house, yo.

In less than 24 hours she went from refusing to leave her kitty carrier to doing lines of nip on her new scratchy box and rubbing all up against you when you walk in the room. Food has been eaten, litter has been used. Grace is less than thrilled to be banned from the tv room, but aside from a little (terrifying!) growling she mostly seems to be looking at us with this “Hey. HEY! I’m not sure if you guys are aware of this or not, but I think there’s ANOTHER CAT in that room!” expression. I think tonight is the night we do the big introduction. Peter and I will be armed with squirt guns and water bottles if things get out of hand.

So…State beat Connecticut. Huh. 8 minutes from the end Travis and I got all nervous as UConn looked like they might pull it together and State looked like they do when they’re about to fall apart. But they pulled it off. With lots of fouls, but they pulled it off. I could only stomach the first half of the UNC/Villanova game (in the first 3 minutes UNC managed to score the same number of 3-pointers UConn did…the whole.game.) as I wanted to enjoy the win just a little bit longer before the reality of State having to take them on Monday night sunk in. We have some things going for us: we’re the Cinderella team, we’ve got the hometown crowd, and we really really really really need this. But UNC looks so well rounded. Great defense, amazing outside shooting, and they don’t seem to ever miss foul shots (a personal pet peeve of mine. You’re 12 feet from the basket with no one’s hand in your face. You should be able to make that freaking shot with your eyes closed). They’re a classy team. But you know what? We’re hungry. We’ll take nothing for granted. And we will find their weaknesses and destroy them.

Ahem. I really want us to win Monday. Bad.

Tuesday night if you’re in GR (5ish maybe?) you should come to Founders and hang out.

i'm starting to wonder if i might not be turning into a republican

Tomorrow is Friday. This is good.

Spring cleaning is happening this weekend. Spring cleaning means there will be shop vac-ing. There will be shelves emptied and wiped down. Items will be examined and their usefulness determined. There is talk of a mass book-weeding. Various dust bunnies will meet their tragic end under the bed.

Also this weekend:

Move Poe
Make food
Watch State game
Eat birthday cake with Travis
Work Sunday

Tuesday I took the day off to spend the day with my BFF hanging out the Grandest of Rapids like tourists. The butterflies will be seen, Vertigo will be visited, and a trip to Founders should just about make that a practically perfect day.