I stayed up too late watching women's figure skating. AGAIN. Thank the Lord that's over.
I started my morning off on about, oh, 4ish hours of sleep. I had some sugary deBoer's treat too late at night as I watched the aforementioned women's figure skating. I somehow managed to get Peter up and moving early enough to hit lemonjellos this morning for a biiiig coffee and thus began the single best morning at work I have ever had.
Ever.
I had a fabulous idea for the library that I think is going to come to fruition. I was complimented on my smile. I was personally thanked for being so "sweet" and "understanding." I was told my some of my least favorite patrons that I am their absolute favorite person at the library because I'm so nice. Old men found me charming. Young mothers were eternally grateful for my patience. I honestly thought maybe I had stumbled into an alternate universe.
And despite one incredibly bitchy patron and a really sad wasted man busted for having a half gallon of vodka in the building the whole day hasn't been too bad.
Tonight:
Go through those boxes of personal stuff I really want to just toss, but probably won't because my friends are right they are part of who I am and I will be sad 10 years from now when I don't have them.
Make spicy noodles. Or risotto. Something comforting and noodle-y.
Talk to Rebecca if the stars are aligned.
Watch Old Joy because it's warm and green and a perfect movie to watch on a really snowy night.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Saturday, February 20, 2010
recipe for the best day off
Clean out your closet: Remove every single wire hanger you have acquired over the last 3 months from the laundromat and replace with empty plastic hangers. This will take a while as wire hangers that have dropped to the floor and gotten tangled up with other wire hangers that have dropped to the floor are more difficult to untangle than untangling angora yarn.
Make coffee: Good coffee. Strong coffee.
Sudoku: Start with an easy one. It will make you feel smart.
Take a shower: And listen to Erin and Peter's Psychedelic 2009 mix.
Try on every single piece of clothing in your now de-wirehangered closet: If it doesn't fit put it in a bag. If you haven't worn it in a year put it in a bag. If it doesn't fit, but you remember how awesome it was when it did fit and you think it's possible it might fit in 6 months keep it. You are only allowed to keep 6 items in this category so choose carefully. Weep a little at how much doesn't fit anymore. Resolve to fit into it again.
Make 1st meal of the day: Forget everything that just happened with the weeping and make yourself a ham and brie cheese panini with honey mustard and a side salad with homemade balsamic. Have a small glass of red wine. Don't look at the time. Just have the glass of wine.
Take a knitting break: Turn on the Gilmore Girls and knit. Think about the bullshit that is Rory Gilmore. Anna Karenina in the tenth grade? Proust in the 9th grade?!?! She has dead eyes and you hate her. Text Peter a long rambling (and what you believe to be insightful) text about Rory Gilmore and how much you hate her. Watch another episode and keep knitting.
Bake banana bread: Turn on some NPR. Mix everything by hand. Your arms will hurt. Remember how strong you were when you lifted weights. Vow to start lifting weights again. Everytime you come across a small lump of flour think about the step you skipped regarding sifting the flour. Vow to sift the flour next time. Consider adding chocolate chips for Peter. Remember the weeping. Don't add the chocolate chips.
Clean out the downstairs closet: Consider having to move a bunch of stuff you threw into the closet when you moved last time and never used. Make a big pile for Goodwill. Take back the tent. Take back the lantern. Take back the hiking backpack. Take back the 2 boxes of journals, pictures, and memories you've lugged from apartment to apartment. Think about asking Metafilter or Facebook how long people hold onto the past. Open a journal from your freshman year of highschool. Read one entry and throw it back into a box. Put off going through any of the personal shit until Sunday. This project will take awhile.
Take a break: Sit at the kitchen table in the afternoon sun. Listen to that Press Delete song you love on repeat. Pick up a pen and start writing about how much you've loved this apartment. Remember the first time you used the secret door to get upstairs. Remember listening to Alan Ginsburg read "America" while laying on the couch at an ungodly hour. Remember Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Total Destruction! Remember the patio of truth. Remember the games of idiot, the delicious meals, the deer out back, the flying squirrel, the pilgrim fireworks. Remember reading Infinite Jest. Remember this is where you realized the person you are with was the person you want to be with for a long time. Weep a little. Blame the song. Then realize despite yourself you are indeed a sentimental sap.
Knit: Watch some more Gilmore Girls. Consider calling Rebecca, but realize it's only 5pm in Chicago and she's probably not free. Hate on Rory. Finish a knitting project.
Make meal #2: Thinking that tupperware container on the bottom shelf is full of sauce decide to make homemade gnocchi. The sauce was good. It needs to be eaten. Gnocchi is good. You have time. Use your potato ricer for the first time. As the riced potato sits and cools take out the container and realize it's not sauce, but just tomato puree. Consider forgetting the whole thing. Look at the beautiful pile of riced potatoes. Start making sauce. Use whatever you have. Think about how good clinging sauces are with gnocchi. Pour yourself another glass of wine. Put on Animal Collective. Enjoy every single moment of the process.
Eat supper: Don't read. Don't sudoku. Turn your phone off. Put on the Peter and Erin mix. Savor every bite. Be amazed with yourself. You rule.
Clean up: Don't let things soak. Do the dishes. You hate waking up the morning to dishes. Just do them. You'll feel better.
Watch Strictly Global: Realize you are not a fan of Latvian jazz-inspired Europop. Remember 2 weeks ago when you turned it on and the new Yeasayer single was on. Swear you'll shut off the tv if the next video isn't Yeasayer. Watch 3 more videos. Turn off the tv.
Go to bed: It's only 9:30 and you haven't heard from Rebecca. Consider calling her then, but realize you'll probably get all giddy and excited and girly which is not conducive you to falling asleep. Feel regret you didn't talk to Rebecca. Settle in with All The Pretty Horses. Be in awe of Cormac McCarthy's ability to write some of the best prose ever. Fall asleep with your light on.
Make coffee: Good coffee. Strong coffee.
Sudoku: Start with an easy one. It will make you feel smart.
Take a shower: And listen to Erin and Peter's Psychedelic 2009 mix.
Try on every single piece of clothing in your now de-wirehangered closet: If it doesn't fit put it in a bag. If you haven't worn it in a year put it in a bag. If it doesn't fit, but you remember how awesome it was when it did fit and you think it's possible it might fit in 6 months keep it. You are only allowed to keep 6 items in this category so choose carefully. Weep a little at how much doesn't fit anymore. Resolve to fit into it again.
Make 1st meal of the day: Forget everything that just happened with the weeping and make yourself a ham and brie cheese panini with honey mustard and a side salad with homemade balsamic. Have a small glass of red wine. Don't look at the time. Just have the glass of wine.
Take a knitting break: Turn on the Gilmore Girls and knit. Think about the bullshit that is Rory Gilmore. Anna Karenina in the tenth grade? Proust in the 9th grade?!?! She has dead eyes and you hate her. Text Peter a long rambling (and what you believe to be insightful) text about Rory Gilmore and how much you hate her. Watch another episode and keep knitting.
Bake banana bread: Turn on some NPR. Mix everything by hand. Your arms will hurt. Remember how strong you were when you lifted weights. Vow to start lifting weights again. Everytime you come across a small lump of flour think about the step you skipped regarding sifting the flour. Vow to sift the flour next time. Consider adding chocolate chips for Peter. Remember the weeping. Don't add the chocolate chips.
Clean out the downstairs closet: Consider having to move a bunch of stuff you threw into the closet when you moved last time and never used. Make a big pile for Goodwill. Take back the tent. Take back the lantern. Take back the hiking backpack. Take back the 2 boxes of journals, pictures, and memories you've lugged from apartment to apartment. Think about asking Metafilter or Facebook how long people hold onto the past. Open a journal from your freshman year of highschool. Read one entry and throw it back into a box. Put off going through any of the personal shit until Sunday. This project will take awhile.
Take a break: Sit at the kitchen table in the afternoon sun. Listen to that Press Delete song you love on repeat. Pick up a pen and start writing about how much you've loved this apartment. Remember the first time you used the secret door to get upstairs. Remember listening to Alan Ginsburg read "America" while laying on the couch at an ungodly hour. Remember Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Total Destruction! Remember the patio of truth. Remember the games of idiot, the delicious meals, the deer out back, the flying squirrel, the pilgrim fireworks. Remember reading Infinite Jest. Remember this is where you realized the person you are with was the person you want to be with for a long time. Weep a little. Blame the song. Then realize despite yourself you are indeed a sentimental sap.
Knit: Watch some more Gilmore Girls. Consider calling Rebecca, but realize it's only 5pm in Chicago and she's probably not free. Hate on Rory. Finish a knitting project.
Make meal #2: Thinking that tupperware container on the bottom shelf is full of sauce decide to make homemade gnocchi. The sauce was good. It needs to be eaten. Gnocchi is good. You have time. Use your potato ricer for the first time. As the riced potato sits and cools take out the container and realize it's not sauce, but just tomato puree. Consider forgetting the whole thing. Look at the beautiful pile of riced potatoes. Start making sauce. Use whatever you have. Think about how good clinging sauces are with gnocchi. Pour yourself another glass of wine. Put on Animal Collective. Enjoy every single moment of the process.
Eat supper: Don't read. Don't sudoku. Turn your phone off. Put on the Peter and Erin mix. Savor every bite. Be amazed with yourself. You rule.
Clean up: Don't let things soak. Do the dishes. You hate waking up the morning to dishes. Just do them. You'll feel better.
Watch Strictly Global: Realize you are not a fan of Latvian jazz-inspired Europop. Remember 2 weeks ago when you turned it on and the new Yeasayer single was on. Swear you'll shut off the tv if the next video isn't Yeasayer. Watch 3 more videos. Turn off the tv.
Go to bed: It's only 9:30 and you haven't heard from Rebecca. Consider calling her then, but realize you'll probably get all giddy and excited and girly which is not conducive you to falling asleep. Feel regret you didn't talk to Rebecca. Settle in with All The Pretty Horses. Be in awe of Cormac McCarthy's ability to write some of the best prose ever. Fall asleep with your light on.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
so it's february
Reading: Game Change. HiLARIOUS book. It's all on deep background so who knows what's true, but man oh man it's a hoot. I feel like I'm reliving the 2008 race from the inside. And, huge surprise, the inside is a disgusting display of overblown egos, too much money, and crazy people. The wise man who lent the book referred to it as the political equivalent of sausage making. Everyone loves to eat the sausage but no one wants to see how it's made. Except for junkies like me.
Also reading: Cannery Row. I'm coming off the Michael Printz award winner from this year (Going Bovine. Good ya book) and tried reading Youth in Revolt, but abandoned it when I realized I just wasn't getting enough out of it not being a 14 year old boy and all. Cannery Row was next to the bed and is a perfect collection of character snippets. Steinbeck is still a god to me.
Cooking: Chili! Sunday was the first official/unofficial chili cookoff between the lesbians, Travistina and us. I went with two small batches of different varieties. I actually loved them both. One was black beans, poblanos in adobo, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and the kicker: broth with negro mole. So it was really spicy and chocolatey and delicious. Topped with oaxacan cheese and served with honey cornbread. The second was a green chili with roasted garlic, pinto beans, tomatillo salsa, jalapenos, cilantro and broth with green mole. That one was topped with crunchy corn tortilla chips, more cilantro, lime, and queso fresco. Now originally this was going to be a competition. We were all going to vote and a chili genius would be named for a year. Alas, some may have taken it a wee bit more seriously and all declared everyone a winner. Secretly? I declared myself the winner. The leftovers of the black bean chili made for amazing enchiladas and this morning I finished off the green chili with eggs.
I am the chili god.
Other news: we've put in an application for a new apartment. Yes, yes indeedy it is time to leave the barn. We've looked at 2 and fell in love with one. It's on W 14th St almost directly behind the library which means what? ERIN WILL BE FREE AT LAST! I'd be within walking distance of work no matter what the weather or what time of night it is. I'd be within walking distance of the farmers market. I'd be within walking distance of downtown Holland where all my favorite places exist: Full Circle, Lemonjellos, Readers World, The Windmill, and Butchs. It's an upstairs apartment with high ceilings, a full size stove (!!!!), and big windows. Keep your fingers crossed, send good vibes, or pray this works out. Our application went in on Monday and we have no idea when we will hear.
More other news: I love the new Yeasayer, we're contemplating 3-day Pitchfork passes this year, I'm almost finished with my first Christmas present for 2010, I have a top secret running budding with a goal in mind for June, and The Wire may be the most consistently good show I have ever seen.
Life ain't bad.
Also reading: Cannery Row. I'm coming off the Michael Printz award winner from this year (Going Bovine. Good ya book) and tried reading Youth in Revolt, but abandoned it when I realized I just wasn't getting enough out of it not being a 14 year old boy and all. Cannery Row was next to the bed and is a perfect collection of character snippets. Steinbeck is still a god to me.
Cooking: Chili! Sunday was the first official/unofficial chili cookoff between the lesbians, Travistina and us. I went with two small batches of different varieties. I actually loved them both. One was black beans, poblanos in adobo, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and the kicker: broth with negro mole. So it was really spicy and chocolatey and delicious. Topped with oaxacan cheese and served with honey cornbread. The second was a green chili with roasted garlic, pinto beans, tomatillo salsa, jalapenos, cilantro and broth with green mole. That one was topped with crunchy corn tortilla chips, more cilantro, lime, and queso fresco. Now originally this was going to be a competition. We were all going to vote and a chili genius would be named for a year. Alas, some may have taken it a wee bit more seriously and all declared everyone a winner. Secretly? I declared myself the winner. The leftovers of the black bean chili made for amazing enchiladas and this morning I finished off the green chili with eggs.
I am the chili god.
Other news: we've put in an application for a new apartment. Yes, yes indeedy it is time to leave the barn. We've looked at 2 and fell in love with one. It's on W 14th St almost directly behind the library which means what? ERIN WILL BE FREE AT LAST! I'd be within walking distance of work no matter what the weather or what time of night it is. I'd be within walking distance of the farmers market. I'd be within walking distance of downtown Holland where all my favorite places exist: Full Circle, Lemonjellos, Readers World, The Windmill, and Butchs. It's an upstairs apartment with high ceilings, a full size stove (!!!!), and big windows. Keep your fingers crossed, send good vibes, or pray this works out. Our application went in on Monday and we have no idea when we will hear.
More other news: I love the new Yeasayer, we're contemplating 3-day Pitchfork passes this year, I'm almost finished with my first Christmas present for 2010, I have a top secret running budding with a goal in mind for June, and The Wire may be the most consistently good show I have ever seen.
Life ain't bad.
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