29 March 2004

some things that drive me crazy:

yeah i love new york city, but there are some things that really make me wanna pack up and move to a small island hut where i can write and read and run all day....but wait, what do i do on the weekends? where's the library? where's the museums? where's the bars, the clubs, the readings, the neighbors, the friends?
okay i'm staying, but here's some things that drive me nuts abt my beloved home.


10. ambulances/fire engines with sirens blaring. the sound is annoying, but that's not what i'm talking about. i'm talking about those people who keep on driving b/c wherever they have to go is more important than someone dying or a house on fire. one day it will be their loved one who has died or or their house that has burned down and their karma will come back to them. theoretically.

9. cell phones. yup i have one and i use it often. but there's a lovely thing called "etiquette," maybe we should call it "celliquette." i can't stand when people talk loud on their phones or drive with their phones. it seems whenever i see a car almost/do something stupid, it's b/c the person is not following the hands-free rules.

8. tourists. they like to take pictures, often my pictures, and take up the sidewalk. ugh go away.

7. subways. yup i love the fact that we are one of the only cities (the only???) with 24 hour reliable service--but i hate when the G train takes FOREVER to come, or the E train has yet another problem.

6. too many hungry people. too many overfed people. (yeah the rich get richer and the poor go broke.)

5. not enough clean air, not enough parks to go running in. and loud noises like buses drive me nuts! well at least it means we're close to airports and other rad things.

4.
okay i admit it: I LOVE NEW YORK. i am willing to put up with this--screaming ambulances who are there within seconds, crazy subways, etc. why? BECAUSE I LOVE THIS CITY, IT'S THE GREATEST CITY IN THE WORLD. (oh yes us new yorkers are mighty "new yorkcentric.") and don't you know what century 21 says, (something like) zagat's rated us the #1 discount store in new york city--AND THAT'S THE WORLD!

20 March 2004

<em>WHAT I DID TODAY:
Or, How Being a Radical Cheerleading is EXHAUSTING!

Today I went to the NYC protest against US occupation and the war in Iraq. It was pretty intense. I was performing and marching with the NYC Radical Cheerleaders. We met up with a small Brooklyn squad from Pratt, and also the wonderful Syracuse System Shakers. It was so amazing!

With cheers with titles such as "Cheney is an Oil Whore," "Capitalism Does Not Work," and "Cheerleaders of the Revolution" we entertained fellow protestors and okay, showed our skirts and butts to many people. Yeah the NYC cops sure had a good time whenever we approached. We got hassled a few times by them b/c everyone was gathered around us to watch us and they wanted us to keep it moving.

But this was the best protest/march/rally I've ever been to. I felt like it was a huge party or a rave in the streets--everyone was dancing. There were Native American tribes dancing and banging away on drums with smoke, and these awesome drum squads and bands of all kinds of all people, it was amazing. We were dancing like crazy. My legs hurt and my throat is so sore right now.

Anyway, what are you doing there sitting on your computer reading this? Get up--get out! Start a revolution! Whether it be stop hating your body or dancing in the streets or saying, "CHENEY IS AN OIL WHORE," you will make a difference.

For pictures of today's protest, check out:

17 March 2004

CONFESSION:
I read Nora Roberts...and I liked it!!!


For my RA class, we devote each week to a different genre. We have a class devoted to Mystery, to Horror, to Westerns, to Multicultural, to Bestsellers, etc. Of all the weeks, I was truly dreading the week dedicated to Romance/Romantic Suspense.

The first week of class I told my classmates, "In my MFA program, genre was a dirty word." I was serious.

I went to my Grandma Ann's and she hooked me up with a large bagfull of books. As Nora Roberts is the benchmark of the Romance genre, I had to read one of her books. My grandma had one book with two separate novels in it. I figured I'd read the first one, "Reflections." The second novel in the same volume is the continuation of the same characters.

"Reflections" is the story of a dancer and her devastating romance to the world-traveled and wealthy (of course) Seth. Of course they have fierce tempers and of course they get together in the end.

And yes, there was sex. It wasn't "erotica" but there was sex.

So I was surprised: it captivated me. It was a fast-paced read, and I read almost all of it on the train ride to school (300 pages the novel was). I couldn't put it down. This morning, I began on "Dreams" and barely noticed my commute. Oh, I'm here already? Damn!

So I like Nora Roberts. I couldn't believe it. I have to read another romance, and if I saw an interesting-looking Nora paperback, I think I'll pick it up.

When I worked at the Boulder Public Library, a coworker, Tara read Janet Evanovich and Nora Roberts. I always thought her book taste was gross. Yes the writing is pretty cheesy and terrible at times, but I laughed at the stupidity of Evanovich's Stephanie Plum and was swept away in the romance of Nora Roberts.

Dear Alex Jai Ash, we were wrong! We love you!

I think I'll still stick with my usual literary fiction, but I am honestly enjoying this class. Once I read in a non-romance books, "Romances are for people who lack romance in their lives." My boyfriend lives in Fl and a cellular phone contains little romance. Therefore, until he moves back (well maybe not that long but maybe I'll read another book or two), Nora will hold me!

*Sigh*

12 March 2004

fake fridays
thursdays are fake fridays. mondays and tuesdays I have class, and wednesdays I run around like a lunatic, doing my laundry and going to the market and picking up dry cleaning and handwashing and going to the library and brushing luna. thursdays I can smell friday. you’re coming, I can feel you…

at my job, everyone says, “happy friday.” apparently someone my boss and everyone else worked with for three months said it every friday and it stuck, I’ve been here since October and I find myself saying it too.

so thursdays. I hate fake fridays, I want friday. do any other cultures have four day workweeks? I’m moving there. then you can have a whole day to write…or paint or rollerblade or take your kitty-cat on walks… can someone please do something about fake fridays?



In Memoriam
Zowie

While you might think the above bunny-rabbit name rhymes with “wowie,” it is actually pronounced as you would the girl’s name, “Zoe.” A black rabbit with a few tufts of white, this soft thumper (yup, she thumped) was beautiful. Zowie Yanek was eight years old, and probably died from old age. She lived in a designer hutch in the backyard of 750 Horatio Avenue, where her hutch featured an screened in porch, a warm bedroom, filled with comfortable and tasty hay, and a bathroom.

WE WILL ALL MISS ZOWIE.
10 March 2004


RECOMMENDATION…

Did I tell you to all go out and purchase immediately KRS-One’s Ruminations? Well, if you haven’t time to go to the store to pick up this phenomenal book, go to and purchase it from there. You won’t be sorry. This hiphop legend has written a book dealing with philosophy, spiritualism, and what it means to be a human. Also included is a CD with some amazing talks. Wonderful!