Monday, September 29, 2008

LA's fine but it ain't home...

New York's home but it ain't mine no more.

Oh, Neil! How true, how true.

I finished 'Animal Farm'. A quick but fun read. After my semester-long course on Dystopian Lit for my senior "ILA" (I honestly don't even know what that stands for), I've gotten used to fictional totalitarianism regimes (we read 1984, Brave New World, Farenheit451, A Handmaid's Tale, A Clockwork Orange, etc. etc.), but this one still holds its own. I won't forget it anytime soon. Orwell's prose is just excellent, and the similarities to real-life figures was hilarrrriouuuussss. I felt so bad for Snowball, the swine version of Trotsky who was dispelled from the farm after his inital, peaceful version of the revolution was overtaken in a coup by Napoleon, aka Stalin. Snowball being blamed for the later catastrophic events on the farm, and the back-and-forth between the 2 neighboring farms being friends and enemies, were very similar to plotlines in 1984. Snowball is like their Goldstein, and the two farms their Eurasia and Eastasia.

Now I'm reading 'The Memory Keeper's Daughter'. I feel like it's an Oprah's book club read or something, but my mom recommended it, and if I don't read something she's recommended soon, it will probably hurt her feelings. I'm going to hit 'To Kill a Mockingbird' after that, since it's been since 7th grade.

Finally, my mom was gone visiting her brother all weekend, and when she got home my dad had one of her favorite meals, slow-cooked prime rib, waiting for her. With grilled veggies and baked potatoes. My dad can be a really good guy sometimes.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Heyyy-yoooooo

Currently reading: George Orwell's 'Animal Farm'. I found a box of books in the basement, and found treasures like 'To Kill a Mockingbird' and 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.' All books that fit nicely into my current phase : re-reading classics they assigned us way too early in high school or middle school to be fully appreciated. Who can understand "Gatsby" as a 9th grader? I could smack my former self for rushing through those books and focusing on the vocabulary terms we had for homework. I can't hate on Collingswood schools too much, though. I think it's rare to find those "Dead Poets' Society"-esque teachers that have us jumping on our desks and holding secret meetings for literature. We just had to pass the vocab or 'useful terms' tests.

As I type this, Reese is staring at me with those bug-eyes of his, and it's giving me the willies.

Current hoping : that I will fight off this nasty cold I've had for three days in time to return to yoga tomorrow night. Monday night is the traditional Ashtanga series that I started taking about a month ago, and I am fully obsessed with it! I've had the opportunity to try so many different types of yoga this summer, and I feel like my move to L.A. will only make this better. I was all packed to go to Friday's night's Anusara class, but I was scolded by my parents for potentially exposing my teachers/classmates to my germs. Then I researched "yoga while sick", and found this:

"When we are coming down with a cold or are in the full brunt force of being sick, our body’s immune system is put into overdrive producing antibodies to combat the viruses that cause the cold symptoms. These antibodies are made partially of proteins and amino acid components. The production of these complex proteins requires energy. The more sick one is, the more energy is required to fuel the immune system.
Now consider what happens when we exercise or do Yoga while your immune system is fighting the onset of a cold. The energy highly needed for your immune system is instead being transferred to the muscles to create movement. This energy is depleted from the body either as mechanical energy (movement) or as heat. This transfer of energy strips the immune system of precious energy resources and begins to limit the immune system’s capacity to produce antibodies." (yoga.blogscene.com)

Oops. I've still been 'bad' and going for jogs, though. And I worked last night at the restaurant. I'm not so good at the 'relax and pamper yourself' thing. Maybe that's why my colds tend to last for weeks.

Finally,
CONGRATS TO THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES! 2008 NATIONAL LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!

And,
GO EAGLES!! BEAT THE BEARS!!

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Something else I learned about Fred today...

He has a 'kill book'. When he kills someone, he tries to take a picture and put it in his book, so he can remember it forever.

Monday, September 22, 2008

MMM Wine.

So I've finally broken into the wine stash I have from my graduation party. I am currently drinking a bottle of "Cory's Zucchero Esente", from Plagido's Winery in Hammonton, New Jersey. A gift from Connie Zhu. I'm drinking alone on a Monday night. Since I'm no longer a college student, this may not be acceptable. Ambivalent face.

This weekend, I went to see Shea in New York. It had been awhile since my last visit. I love seeing Shea (and Cat, who watched 7 hours of football with me, God bless her), but being in New York made me feel a little bit sad. I thought I loved that city so much for so long, and now when I go, I just think of the tempermental weather and my blistered feet and the lack of trees and quiet. I never thought I'd be ready for a quieter life by age 22. The only things I miss about New York lately are lunches with Lily and Gio, sleepovers with Allie, my apartment with Mike, and pretty much everything about Sarah Vela. They're gone, and so is my attachment to the city. I really hope that L.A. is a good fit for me, but if it isn't, at least I'll know that the quieter, quainter feel of Old City, Philadelphia will still be here.

Things I learned about my new 30-something co-worker Fred, while working a double on Friday:
*he used to be in a drug gang, and therefore cannot get a 'real job' (he is a waiter)
*he was once stabbed my a machete
*he is not legally allowed to see his son, who lives in London
*he was kicked out of college for writing a racist essay
*he is bipolar, but doesn't believe in taking medication
*he is Nordic, and believes that himself and the rest of his race are natural killers
*he wishes to join Blackwater after working at Houlihan's, because he loves war and was 'born to kill'

Roadtrippers- please know that I miss you tremendously, hope you are having a blast, and cannot wait to see you out West.

Till then, I send my love from the East.

Friday, September 12, 2008

I apologize.

My job (the waitressing, not the writing) has been draining me of all of my vital life energies lately. The constant racism ("don't seat me black tables", they'll say. Or, when someone gets stiffed, "oh, they were black, weren't they?"), rudeness, sense of self-importance (why do people think their bad day/shift gives them the right to be so shitty to people?) , silly corporate-ness (if someone tells me to 'sizzle' something one more time... ), has been really bringing me down. Tonight a much older, much more slightly insane waiter basically robbed me, then called me the 'c-word' behind my back. But the rumor is he might get fired, so I was told by management to not take it personally... still, I would like my $35 dollars, and I resent being called that diry, mean word.

In high school things like this didn't bother me. But I've seen the other side. I've been excited to go to work, I've had the exhilerating feeling of being compensated for doing something I love. Going back to counting down the hours and trying not to scream feels wrong. I thought I did everything I was supposed to do. The studying, the straight A's, the badass internships. Cut me a break, real world.

Okay. Drama queen out. Mad love to my roadtrippers.

Sunday, September 7, 2008

Update

Reese is okay now. He suffers from frequent dietary indescretion, and he had a balloon lodged in his stomach. We are giving him kitty laxatives, and they have worked. Disaster averted.

On another note, my folks and I are flying into Los Angeles on November 5th. I hope you road-trippers will be able to come visit us, and join us on our hike in the Santa Monica mountains!

I'll write my exciting rant on racism in the workplace when I get back. For now, Philly sports.

Friday, September 5, 2008

parenting is hell

Last night, I had a nightmare that Reese had temporarily escaped and came back home bruised and bloodied from the neighborhood cats, and no matter how hard we tried we couldn't fix him up. Some time later, I woke up to my mom telling me that Reese is sick, he's been throwing up/not eating, and his eyes are all oozy.

Guys, he looks a hot mess. This is breaking my heart. He was fine last night, and now he has pus oozing from his trademark huge eyes. I'm taking him to the vet at six, and I might be sort of a wreck until then. Seeing innocent animals sick is too much for me. Too much.

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Oh yeah.

I guess maybe I should comment on the whole Sarah Palin thing since that's been all abuzz lately. I keep hearing a lot of liberals laughing about her intense differences from Hill (like the anti-choice agenda); and I agree that Palin is a poor 'substitute' for Hill since it's obvious that he's trying to reel in her voters. But, that being said, there are boatloads of people out there who really don't read up on the issues and really, really, hate the fact that Obama beat Hill out for the nomination. I happen to know some of them (they annoy me). I hope Obama goes even SLIGHTLY on the attack and points out the subtle fact that Palin has absolutely no foreign policy experience, and she hasn't even served as governer for that long. McCain has been attacking all the dems on their lack of fp experience since the old days when I was still in college; maybe Obama should point out the fact that Palin was mayor of a town full of polar bears and igloos while he was in the senate. As Diddy said, there aren't even crackheads where Palin is from. Geez. Do we want a leader that doesn't even know any crackheads? Even I know a crackhead, and I've never been elected to office.

Last night at work, I waited on a table consisting of two preppily-dressed young men, who pounded away on their blackberries while they sipped on their Stellas during happy hour. They really only looked up to flirt with me a little as I performed my waitress-ly duties. At one point, Rudy Giuliani appeared on one of our numerous jumbo flatscreens to spread his wisdom throughout the bar/lounge area. One of the men at my table used this time to brag to me about how last year he was pretty high-up in Rudy's campaign staff. I opened my big fat mouth and talked about my time with Wayne Barrett (my boss, who, during my time as an assistant, helped bring down Giuliani's campaign with some cold, hard truth). This lovely young man left me $2 on a $42 dollar check. And I am a damn skilled waitress.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Testing. 123.

I created this blog because the road-trippers made one. I want to feel connected to them, my friends, as well as the other people I've had to leave behind since graduating and leaving the city. I respect everyone who is good at staying in touch via phone, but I'm not so using something like this is probably a good idea.

Today I went on Audrey's boat in Batsto for labor day. We talked about how we were doing the exact same thing on labor day nine years ago; swimming in the muddy, cedar water with nooldles while Dick drank beers at the wheel (safe, right?). Then, like magic, "Tearin' Up My Heart" by N*Sync came on the radio, and it would have been a picture-perfect recreation if Audrey's hair were red and not dyed pepto-pink.

Now, since you all are gone, I'm feeling my own cross-country departure creeping up faster than ever. It's scary, but my new freelance writing jobs will be a nice distraction from thinking about change. I love writing, I love editing, I love journalism; but have always lacked a certain degree of self-discipline when it comes to making my own hours and working without deadlines. Let's see how I do.

Friends, I hope Chicago is great. Eat some deep-dish.