Friday, October 30, 2009

Travel


1950 travel style
Originally uploaded by myvintagevogue
I really don't like getting ready for a trip. It's the fear of what will I forget. And then I start on with the what will I miss. My bed, my pillows, making my own coffee in the morning. I am a mess when I have to get ready for a trip. There's scattered piles of clothes and whatnot in every room. Then I feel I have to totally clean the whole house and do every project I've been putting off - raking or polishing the floor. Stupid stuff

Miss Lady has a nice worried expression. She's about to abandon her luggage and try to make it through her flight in that tiny waisted dress. I'll be more comfortably attired but as equally worried about my luggage and what oceans are between Minnesota and Phoenix. Shut up - I'm bad at geography.

Then I'm on the trip and I'm used to the new routine and all is well.
Then comes the end. I have to pack up all my dirty clothes and I don't want to go home. I'm used to hotel or gas station coffee and getting food by hunting and gathering (or going to weird places). I come home and it's not where I want to be even though I didn't want to leave in the first place.

But I'll get the itch again, I'll start dreaming of my next road trip and I won't remember any of the angst. Until the day before, among the piles.

Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Technicolor Yawn

I woke up at 5 am and and I am so tired. My world looks like a Sid and Marty Krofft show. The overbright colors and weird creatures. And nothing making sense. I've tried watching H.R. Pufnstuf as an adult and I just don't get it. It was easier to watch it in the 1970s. Was it because I was young or because it was the 1970s? I am not understanding any thing today. Not a thing.

If you received a coherent email from me today, it was an anomaly.

Saturday, October 24, 2009

Gifts

I love giving gifts. I really do. The best is when you get someone something that really want or need. I would love to buy a friend a birthday cake like this I don't know if they'd freak. Maybe it will just be a small but great cupcake.

One of my favorite gifts was to Caroline. We were out road tripping and I had an alarm clock with a white noise generator. I'd wake up and be so freakin' scared that Caroline was dead. She was out. OUT. I was holding up mirrors to see if she was breathing - that kind of shit. She'd wake up so happy that she slept so soundly. I found a similar clock and sent it to her - unbeknownst to me, her neighbor had begun well drilling or jack hammering and it was making Caroline crazy. The white noise clock arrives the jack hammer - gone. How did I know? I knew she totally dug it a month before while we toured rural Texas. And she still uses it.That's the best, if it's something you totally wanted, or needed. And not a waste of space.

Friday, October 23, 2009

Mickey's Diner, St Paul, MN

Carrie, we need to go to Mickey's NOW. Get your quarters, and I'll bring mine because we need to get burgers, coffee and play Patsy Cline's "Crazy" until we break the juke box. I'll see you there.

Wednesday, October 21, 2009

Map with notes


Map with notes
Originally uploaded by Debora Drower
You know those old movie slates. As a director, you yell, “Action” and clap the slate. It shows what scene is being filmed and was used to sync up the sound and picture. I like to pretend I’m a big time movie director when out shooting. I do yell, “Please clear the shot” but no one ever does. I have dreams of moving annoying power lines or lampposts but my crew never seems to pull the right permits.

The picture is my old way of note taking when I’d go out shooting . At first, I didn’t write any notes – I knew I’d just remember. Ha! Then, I used this old map to record notes of signs shot, not shot, the time. Now with a digital camera, the date and time (no GPS for me) are embedded in the shot. Since I can just empty the camera disk, I have endless shots. So I started shooting the name of the town before I’d grab the sign. And after. I have fun trying to find the name of the town on a great sign. I have a whole laptop filled with images that are in one great big iPhoto event that just says “trip to Albuquerque” And no town names. I’m going back and separating them into each town. Luckily with Google maps, you can make sure that both you and cool motel sign know where it is.

Monday, October 19, 2009

Girl in a white fur coat

It's been a crappy day. I drove 1000 (seriously) miles this weekend. I am TIRED. It's sunny out again, and I'd really like to be out shooting the shit but I'm stuck in my windowless cubicle. I have a case of the mean reds (take that how you want) To make matters worse, a meeting was called at work. The meeting leader was constantly burping and talking about stupid stuff. My dear teacher, Echo, would sometimes tell us to wear a big protective white coat to ward off the bad vibes. Or evil spirits. I sat in this meeting, not only imagining a white coat, but there was white turtleneck, white fisherman's sweater, white gloves, plus the white fur (if you're a tree hugger - then yours can be fake) It kinda helped. A matching white Russian would really help.

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Ball of Confusion


Ball of Confusion
Originally uploaded by Thomas Hawk
That's me. Ball of confusion.

I have this great piece I'm writing in my head but I just can't make it work on paper. My house is an utter mess. Things are falling off of shelves, onto my feet and yet it gets messier. I decided to organize my movie collection, I put all the movies on the floor and then got bored and walked away. It's too hard to think. I'm not sure why I'm so foggy. I should find a good reason, a good person to blame this on.

All want to do is watch old SNL episodes or respond to Facebook chat Both are fun and silly but it's not getting the dishes done, or paying the bills or making lunch. It's nothing of any substance.

I'll probably flit away to check on my Facebook status, or email, or find a goofy picture of my Jesus ashtray. All at once.

What I need is a good grounding - either to my room with no toys or something to keep me from floating away.

Thursday, October 01, 2009

I gotta little black...

Debora and James

"I gotta little black dress in my closet (closet)
Got a bag, got a toothbrush and a comb…"

It's dark and rainy and I'm singing Pink Floyd. I’m a bit down because James has gone camping and I do have a very cute little black dress in my closet. And in the photo. In a month, there’s an ice cream convention I must attend. In Phoenix. So there’s no big sweaters, no sweatpants I can hide under. Not in Phoenix.

Trying to find some diet and exercise inspiration, I was rereading Lyle McDonald’s Bodyopus pages where he was following a low carb diet and trying to get really cut. He became ketogenic guru of sorts (he hates being called that) and even wrote a book on it. His diaries were funny and well written. The Ketogenic book, while it’s a ton of knowledge, it’s not a ton of fun. It has none of his personality. It’s rather dry--it reads like a research journal.

I thought I’d go hard core low carb in the hopes of dropping a few lbs. I’m looking at those diaries again and I find out Lyle's written more books. I’m looking through the sample chapter of this one book the Rapid Fat Loss Diet. And it’s written like the Body Opus journals and I’m liking his style, dude. It’s an interesting diet using low fat protein and essential fatty acids. He also has some tips on some supplements. I am going to give it a try. I’m a bit apprehensive – long ago I followed a low fat diet (Snackwell's, anyone?) and it killed me. But I ate tons of sugary things (yes, like Snackwells – they were fat free you could eat the whole box – right??) But this looks interesting and I mostly eat low carb anyway. It’s just a minor adjustment.

I am so hoping that in a month, that little black dress will fit again. And I have a glowing letter to send to Lyle Mcdonald.