I mentioned this was a trial thing, right? And that we were still working out the kinks and trying to figure out what exactly my voice is and how it's heard?
Well, that's what's going on. Turns out, I don't feel like writing epic posts all the time. But then I was feeling bad like, oh, I should be producing so much more material because I have all these thoughts rolling around and I should be funnier and should be more this or that because that's what people expect.
But, then I reminded myself that, currently, no one is worshiping or hanging onto every word I say, waiting for me to write the Next Great Interesting Thing so that they can fawn all over it and it'll change their lives. For someone that doesn't really have an ego issue, I think I do have one in regard to writing. Like, I'm going to be so fucking funny and insightful and witty and charming that people will lose their minds over it and, when I don't deliver that all the time, I feel like I've let myself and people down. But that is A) false and B) dumb.
So, from here on out, unless I start getting paid for the bullshit I'm writing and people actually do form a cult and throw me in as the False God of said Cult (to which I will humbly thank them and take full advantage of that situation, at least for a little while because they were dumb enough to incite said cult to begin with. Getting ahead of myself a little? Maybe?), I'm going to write what I want, when I want at whatever length I want and stop apologizing for what I am/am not/have/have not/am going to write. Not everything people produce is always going to be a gem, so I think it's probably a good lesson in humility, how to be humble and also how to improve your (my) writing skills. Sometimes the best written bits are just a few words or sentences. At least that's what I'm telling myself, so I'm gonna go with that. Good? Good.
So, now that that little spiel is out of my system, let's move onto today's topic:
Mel. Fucking. Brooks.
Let's show him some respect. He is 85 today and I think he deserves a nod for A) lasting that long and B) for being one of the first real comedic influences in my early life.
One of the first CDs that I ever bought from one of those mail-order places was "The 2000 Year Old Man" with he and Carl Reiner (Ed Side note: Reiner wrote for the Dick Van Dyke Show, one of my favorite shows when I was little, along with Bewitched, I Love Lucy, The Munsters; Essentially the whole old Nick at Nite lineup. My mom's favorite movie when she was a kid was Mary Poppins, so of course I was inundated with it from a very young age and, hence, fell in love with Bert the Chimney-sweep (apparently someone else did, too). So, imagine my surprise when BERT HAD HIS OWN SHOW, but did not speak with a Cockney accent, which I was very confused by. Also, that he was not a chimney-sweep anymore. But I digress). Because of him, I was introduced to one of my favorite comediennes of all time Madeline Fucking Kahn (I learned from her that girls can be pretty AND funny), Gene Wilder (who knew he could do stuff other than be Willy Wonka?) Dom DeLuise, Rick Moranis (WTF happened to him?), John Candy (R.I.P, sadface), Richard Lewis, Dave Chappelle and a bunch of others. I learned from his movies that comedy is based on well-written and/or bad puns, politics, controversial topics, spoofs, crude humor, sometimes a one-liner, sometimes sweet lovely-dovey stuff and, sometimes, is just straight up silly for no reason other than it's simply funny.
Now that I'm older and have dabbled in writing and thought extensively about writing comedy, I love that he wrote for one of my favorite shows ever as a kid, "Get Smart," (See: Nick at Nite Lineup reference above; also, I was dying to be 99), he wrote screenplays and a contributed to a bunch of other game-changing comedies during the 1950s and 1960s.
And can we talk about Young Frankenstein for a minute? This may be my most favorite Mel Brooks Joint. Gene Wilder, Marty Feldman, my beloved Madeline Kahn AND Peter Boyle?! I can't even see the word "abnormal" without thinking "abby-normal." Blazing Saddles, Spaceballs, History of the World (Part I), The Producers, Robin Hood: Men in Tights and a ton of other stuff I'm sure I'm missing.
So, today, Happy Birthday, Mr. Brooks. My formative young years as a child understanding comedy and my funny bone that has evolved over the years would not have been the same without you.
To end, here's the bit that started it all for me: "The 2000 Year Old Man:" Part One, Part Two, Part Three.
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Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Saturday, June 25, 2011
Friday in Fotos
Apologies for no long post today, I didn't get a chance to edit it because I was busy doing these things for the last 12 hours:
Picking green and yellow beans at the CSA.
Picking Lavender at my CSA.
Having awesome seats at the O's vs. Reds game.
Taking pics of players from our awesome seats.
Watching fireworks at Camden Yards after the game was over.
Mojitos & nachos (mom's favorite) from Little Havana.
Now, going to bed.
More tomorrow, fading out,
-A
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Picking green and yellow beans at the CSA.
Picking Lavender at my CSA.
Having awesome seats at the O's vs. Reds game.
Taking pics of players from our awesome seats.
Watching fireworks at Camden Yards after the game was over.
Mojitos & nachos (mom's favorite) from Little Havana.
Now, going to bed.
More tomorrow, fading out,
-A
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Thoughts About Being 29 and a Half
Today, I have decided that I am grateful for almost being 30.
That may sound a little weird, but hear me out.
I have passed the milestone of 27, so apparently I am not destined to be a rocker or tragic hero, as I so pictured myself in my youth.Live fast, live hard, die young. Apparently I maneuvered past that at some point, so, yay me.
I have survived college, barely. Not because of lack of smarts, but quite the opposite. I had decided that I was too smart for that bullshit to have to continue to attend and someone should just give me a degree because it was a waste of my valuable time. Thank you, Overblown Ego. I made it through after much kicking and screaming. I even took additional college courses (which I swore, after I graduated, that I would never do again) in Accounting and Graphic Design by my own accord. I'm even fairly certain that Grad School is going to happen in my early-to-mid-thirties. I think I'm finally going to break down and get my English degree, but that's another topic for another day.
I have survived my first real love and subsequent broken heart. And feeling feelings about other relationships. I'm still licking my wounds from time to time, believe it or not, but it's made me a much better person (and not nearly as passive).
I have survived my own interpersonal relationships with others, falling apart, becoming fractured, breaking and mending over the years, including my family and people I considered close friends. On the other hand, I've rebuilt relationships with people I hadn't talked to in years and things fall into place, like they never changed.
I've been a borderline alcoholic, addicted to diet pills, a smoker, a stoner, in therapy, on medication and in treatment for many of my potentially fatal flaws over the years, but much of that was a learning process and, for that, I am grateful. I've reached a point where all of those things have either fallen off my radar or adjusted to a manageable level. Yes, I'm kind of a head case, but aren't we all? The only difference is that I own up to it and make great effort to keep my shit together and off of other people's plates.
I have a house, a car, rad friends, a (fairly) stable job and a few pennies to rub together. Not many, but a few. I'm not affluent by any stretch, but I don't live in desolation. I often rob Peter to pay Paul, but I never don't make it work or don't pay my bills. I have a tight sense of budget, diligent work ethic and definitely know the value of a dollar.
I've weeded out most of the people from my life who are not good people and are toxic and destructive to myself and others. I've chosen to surround myself with positive, supportive and, mainly, hysterical individuals whom I keep very close to my heart and they help keep me sane. I am grateful for them and their ridiculous senses of humor and fantastic company constantly.
I think what spurred all of this is that I actually saw someone today at Target that I used to consider a close friend, but have since learned that he is an addict and a liar and I, along with others, were fooled. Without going into detail and berating an individual within an inch of his life, seeing him made me grateful that he's not in my life anymore and that I don't have to be concerned with that interpersonal relationship. It is a breathe of fresh air and it reminds me how far I've come in my 20s and how I feel that, upon entering a new decade, I've laid a lot of the groundwork for success in the years ahead. It came with a lot of blood, sweat and tears, amongst other things, but it's here and I look forward to starting that new chapter of my life and leaving my 20s behind as memories and lessons learned.
Senses: June 21, 2011
Sounds: This morning it was the Decemberists. I just wanted to listen to some epic, concept albums in the background while I was working. I ended up listening to "The Crane Wife," "Hazards of Love" and the newest, "The King is Dead." I left my iTunes on random much of the afternoon and then started listening to an old Nerdist podcast (#37: Live at Bumbershoot, in case you're interested) to finish up the work day. Previously, I had only been listening to the Nerdist when I was at the gym because most of them are 45 mins - 1 hour and I stay engaged because it's new, but I haven't been to the gym for a while and I have a million to go through, so I gave in this afternoon. I listened to some Thao with the Get Down, Stay Down in the car on my way home ("Know Better Learn Faster"). I turned on Pandora when I started writing and my station, which I had spent months crafting, was MIA. Hopefully, this is only a temporary blip and it will be restored. So, instead, I listened to the Classic Indie Station (seriously? There's "Classic Indie?) and it immediately played The Cure, who I hate. Robert Smith haunts me, for some reason. He looks like a batshit crazy, old queen and I always think he sounds like Azrael Abyss in my head.
Sights: Obviously, that Bastard that I saw in Target was a sight today that spurred this outpouring of thoughts about my place in life and apparent need to self-validate the last ten years of my existence and what they mean to me today. So, I guess that is turning lemons into lemonade, eh? (I just turned Canadian, did you see that?)
Taste: Today, I enjoyed my lunch of leftovers greatly, which consisted of chicken Parmesan that I made with my dad on Father's Day, paired with leftover squash and zucchini from dinner last night that reheated in a lovely fashion and were, again, delicious. I love squash. I also had tomato soup (Campbell's, canned, Healthy Version, made with skim milk instead of water) and a weird grilled cheese and turkey pepperoni sandwich that I made with the ends of bread. I didn't eat until after 9:30 tonight, so I figured that was an acceptable dinner.
Touch: Today, it was raining outside when I left the house to go to work and I appreciated it, because it meant I got to wear my favorite rain hat (I don't really like umbrellas, I always fuck them up in some manner or another), so that was okay. I did note, as I walked outside this morning, that even though it was the beginning of a humid day that I thought the light rain was nice.
Smell: No particular smells today. My sinuses are still kind of fucked, though, and I've been blowing my nose all day, but I think the thing that resonated the most today was the grilled cheese and soup I made. Even though they're not super distinctive, they always are comforting and remind me of when I was a kid.
Daily Recap: A little humble, reflective and slightly melancholy, but feeling hopeful about the future. I have a lot to do tomorrow, so my goal is to stay as focused as possible to complete all tasks at hand. Focus, focus, focus. I did revisit Keri Smith's blog today and it reminded me of how much I love her. She's very whimsical and makes fantastic books that aim to bring out the creative side and kid in all of us and to learn how to play again in such a stoic, adult world. Her books and Patton Oswalt's book ("Zombie, Spaceship, Wasteland") are next in my line to buy.
Time for Quiet,
A
Editor's Note: Not all my entries will be so reflective. I think it's just where I am right now, so if you power through it and stick with me, I promise they'll get funnier and broader. I'm not apologizing for anything I'm writing, but I just want the new reader to know that I have the capacity to be much more entertaining and smart and witty and funny. Just not today. Today is a day for reflection.
That may sound a little weird, but hear me out.
I have passed the milestone of 27, so apparently I am not destined to be a rocker or tragic hero, as I so pictured myself in my youth.Live fast, live hard, die young. Apparently I maneuvered past that at some point, so, yay me.
I have survived college, barely. Not because of lack of smarts, but quite the opposite. I had decided that I was too smart for that bullshit to have to continue to attend and someone should just give me a degree because it was a waste of my valuable time. Thank you, Overblown Ego. I made it through after much kicking and screaming. I even took additional college courses (which I swore, after I graduated, that I would never do again) in Accounting and Graphic Design by my own accord. I'm even fairly certain that Grad School is going to happen in my early-to-mid-thirties. I think I'm finally going to break down and get my English degree, but that's another topic for another day.
I have survived my first real love and subsequent broken heart. And feeling feelings about other relationships. I'm still licking my wounds from time to time, believe it or not, but it's made me a much better person (and not nearly as passive).
I have survived my own interpersonal relationships with others, falling apart, becoming fractured, breaking and mending over the years, including my family and people I considered close friends. On the other hand, I've rebuilt relationships with people I hadn't talked to in years and things fall into place, like they never changed.
I've been a borderline alcoholic, addicted to diet pills, a smoker, a stoner, in therapy, on medication and in treatment for many of my potentially fatal flaws over the years, but much of that was a learning process and, for that, I am grateful. I've reached a point where all of those things have either fallen off my radar or adjusted to a manageable level. Yes, I'm kind of a head case, but aren't we all? The only difference is that I own up to it and make great effort to keep my shit together and off of other people's plates.
I have a house, a car, rad friends, a (fairly) stable job and a few pennies to rub together. Not many, but a few. I'm not affluent by any stretch, but I don't live in desolation. I often rob Peter to pay Paul, but I never don't make it work or don't pay my bills. I have a tight sense of budget, diligent work ethic and definitely know the value of a dollar.
I've weeded out most of the people from my life who are not good people and are toxic and destructive to myself and others. I've chosen to surround myself with positive, supportive and, mainly, hysterical individuals whom I keep very close to my heart and they help keep me sane. I am grateful for them and their ridiculous senses of humor and fantastic company constantly.
I think what spurred all of this is that I actually saw someone today at Target that I used to consider a close friend, but have since learned that he is an addict and a liar and I, along with others, were fooled. Without going into detail and berating an individual within an inch of his life, seeing him made me grateful that he's not in my life anymore and that I don't have to be concerned with that interpersonal relationship. It is a breathe of fresh air and it reminds me how far I've come in my 20s and how I feel that, upon entering a new decade, I've laid a lot of the groundwork for success in the years ahead. It came with a lot of blood, sweat and tears, amongst other things, but it's here and I look forward to starting that new chapter of my life and leaving my 20s behind as memories and lessons learned.
Senses: June 21, 2011
Sounds: This morning it was the Decemberists. I just wanted to listen to some epic, concept albums in the background while I was working. I ended up listening to "The Crane Wife," "Hazards of Love" and the newest, "The King is Dead." I left my iTunes on random much of the afternoon and then started listening to an old Nerdist podcast (#37: Live at Bumbershoot, in case you're interested) to finish up the work day. Previously, I had only been listening to the Nerdist when I was at the gym because most of them are 45 mins - 1 hour and I stay engaged because it's new, but I haven't been to the gym for a while and I have a million to go through, so I gave in this afternoon. I listened to some Thao with the Get Down, Stay Down in the car on my way home ("Know Better Learn Faster"). I turned on Pandora when I started writing and my station, which I had spent months crafting, was MIA. Hopefully, this is only a temporary blip and it will be restored. So, instead, I listened to the Classic Indie Station (seriously? There's "Classic Indie?) and it immediately played The Cure, who I hate. Robert Smith haunts me, for some reason. He looks like a batshit crazy, old queen and I always think he sounds like Azrael Abyss in my head.
Sights: Obviously, that Bastard that I saw in Target was a sight today that spurred this outpouring of thoughts about my place in life and apparent need to self-validate the last ten years of my existence and what they mean to me today. So, I guess that is turning lemons into lemonade, eh? (I just turned Canadian, did you see that?)
Taste: Today, I enjoyed my lunch of leftovers greatly, which consisted of chicken Parmesan that I made with my dad on Father's Day, paired with leftover squash and zucchini from dinner last night that reheated in a lovely fashion and were, again, delicious. I love squash. I also had tomato soup (Campbell's, canned, Healthy Version, made with skim milk instead of water) and a weird grilled cheese and turkey pepperoni sandwich that I made with the ends of bread. I didn't eat until after 9:30 tonight, so I figured that was an acceptable dinner.
Touch: Today, it was raining outside when I left the house to go to work and I appreciated it, because it meant I got to wear my favorite rain hat (I don't really like umbrellas, I always fuck them up in some manner or another), so that was okay. I did note, as I walked outside this morning, that even though it was the beginning of a humid day that I thought the light rain was nice.
Smell: No particular smells today. My sinuses are still kind of fucked, though, and I've been blowing my nose all day, but I think the thing that resonated the most today was the grilled cheese and soup I made. Even though they're not super distinctive, they always are comforting and remind me of when I was a kid.
Daily Recap: A little humble, reflective and slightly melancholy, but feeling hopeful about the future. I have a lot to do tomorrow, so my goal is to stay as focused as possible to complete all tasks at hand. Focus, focus, focus. I did revisit Keri Smith's blog today and it reminded me of how much I love her. She's very whimsical and makes fantastic books that aim to bring out the creative side and kid in all of us and to learn how to play again in such a stoic, adult world. Her books and Patton Oswalt's book ("Zombie, Spaceship, Wasteland") are next in my line to buy.
Time for Quiet,
A
Editor's Note: Not all my entries will be so reflective. I think it's just where I am right now, so if you power through it and stick with me, I promise they'll get funnier and broader. I'm not apologizing for anything I'm writing, but I just want the new reader to know that I have the capacity to be much more entertaining and smart and witty and funny. Just not today. Today is a day for reflection.
Cultivating an Empire
Hello, Friends and Foes.
So, now that you've stumbled your way into my world, Alice, please feel free to explore.
This current Blog is a culmination of many failed attempts at Blogs and writing that I've experienced during the past few years. Things that I haven't written down when I wanted to. Thoughts that I've had rattling around in my brain as I spend at least an hour per day in my car. Lists that I make, written or mental.
This is me, for better or worse. These are things that I think about and like. Or don't like. And, if you don't like it or don't agree, you can either leave me little love notes in the comments section or feel free to leave and move on with your life.
I'm almost 30 and, at the end of the day, I've learned that even though I love for people to read what I write and listen to what I have to say, not everyone will agree and that's okay. Because I have my philosophy and that's what I've learned is the most important thing that I could have.
If you choose to stay, thank you and please feel free to share your feedback or own experiences or thoughts, positive or negative. I would love to hear what you have to say and, with some luck, hopefully you'd like to come back and keep reading these silly words that I type and think.
I'm still tweaking and working things out, so let's see how this goes. As of 11:44 PM on Monday, June 20, 2011, I haven't told anyone my plans because I'm still trying to find my voice, as well as my balls. It's scary letting the world have a little piece of your inner brain. Or, at least, it is for me. So let's give this a go and see where we land because we have a lot of shit to cover, my friends.
One thing that I did in my old Blog was record my senses from the day. Once you start reading and you learn more about me and the way that I operate, you'll find that I always have a soundtrack to my days, which is one of the main things that has kept me afloat through this world. I also hope you like music, because there's going to be a lot of that talk as well. I think that, overall, it's a good exercise to make yourself more cognizant of the world around you and take inventory of what you actually noticed as you wove your way through the doldrums of regular life and work.
Senses: June 20,2011
Sounds: This morning, I was fixated on Flogging Molly. I finally got around to listening to "Speed of Darkness," and, it's okay. It's not striking me as hard as their earlier stuff did, but they still sound great. I can't tell if it's just my mood or they've become more generic in their own right over the years. It's no "Swagger" or "Druken Lullabies," I'll tell you that. Otherwise, it's been a lot of iTunes random today and the radio. I wasn't feeling particular this afternoon. David Bowie is playing right now, as I type this, and that makes me happy ("Starman" is on WTMD, currently).
Sights: The best thing I saw all day was as I was driving down the street to my house, coming home. There was a kid on a bike, probably 12 or 13, that had a cast on his arm and was rapping and popping and locking at cars as he was rolling down the street. I genuinely giggled at him as I drove by and we made eye contact. He didn't break at all.
Taste: Coffee, for the first time in a week, which was glorious (I had contracted The Black Death last week and had been staying away from loads of dairy, which is how I take my coffee, so I had been drinking tea instead). Leftover broth + accessories, which amounts to lots of greens from my CSA, stock, ham & rice, which looks like this when it's done:
My roommate, Anna, also made dinner which was lovely and consisted of sauteed yellow squash and green zucchini (my favorite) that we had from the CSA as well, in addition to shelled peas and some leftover chicken and pepper kabobs. You'll learn more about my love affair with my local CSA in the coming weeks (check it out in the "Things I Dig" part).
Touch: Still happy about washing all textiles on my bed from over the weekend and its glorious texture. I love clean sheets and linens. They make me swoon.
Smell: My standout smell of the day is garlic. Anna used it in the squash and also roasted pita chips tonight, which smelled delicious.
Daily Recap: Overall, not too bad. Took some time to revamp and streamline the Blog and some other publicly-viewed pages so that everything has just about the same information. One of my biggest fears is having weirdos looking at my information, so I'm trying to keep what is accessible about me at a happy-medium. Also, took the time to dream a bit today about all the possibilities of writing again. Today, I believe it's good to dream.
Thank you for reading my ramblings. I hope you got some enjoyment out of them.
You alright, baby. You alright, still.
A
So, now that you've stumbled your way into my world, Alice, please feel free to explore.
This current Blog is a culmination of many failed attempts at Blogs and writing that I've experienced during the past few years. Things that I haven't written down when I wanted to. Thoughts that I've had rattling around in my brain as I spend at least an hour per day in my car. Lists that I make, written or mental.
This is me, for better or worse. These are things that I think about and like. Or don't like. And, if you don't like it or don't agree, you can either leave me little love notes in the comments section or feel free to leave and move on with your life.
I'm almost 30 and, at the end of the day, I've learned that even though I love for people to read what I write and listen to what I have to say, not everyone will agree and that's okay. Because I have my philosophy and that's what I've learned is the most important thing that I could have.
If you choose to stay, thank you and please feel free to share your feedback or own experiences or thoughts, positive or negative. I would love to hear what you have to say and, with some luck, hopefully you'd like to come back and keep reading these silly words that I type and think.
I'm still tweaking and working things out, so let's see how this goes. As of 11:44 PM on Monday, June 20, 2011, I haven't told anyone my plans because I'm still trying to find my voice, as well as my balls. It's scary letting the world have a little piece of your inner brain. Or, at least, it is for me. So let's give this a go and see where we land because we have a lot of shit to cover, my friends.
One thing that I did in my old Blog was record my senses from the day. Once you start reading and you learn more about me and the way that I operate, you'll find that I always have a soundtrack to my days, which is one of the main things that has kept me afloat through this world. I also hope you like music, because there's going to be a lot of that talk as well. I think that, overall, it's a good exercise to make yourself more cognizant of the world around you and take inventory of what you actually noticed as you wove your way through the doldrums of regular life and work.
Senses: June 20,2011
Sounds: This morning, I was fixated on Flogging Molly. I finally got around to listening to "Speed of Darkness," and, it's okay. It's not striking me as hard as their earlier stuff did, but they still sound great. I can't tell if it's just my mood or they've become more generic in their own right over the years. It's no "Swagger" or "Druken Lullabies," I'll tell you that. Otherwise, it's been a lot of iTunes random today and the radio. I wasn't feeling particular this afternoon. David Bowie is playing right now, as I type this, and that makes me happy ("Starman" is on WTMD, currently).
Sights: The best thing I saw all day was as I was driving down the street to my house, coming home. There was a kid on a bike, probably 12 or 13, that had a cast on his arm and was rapping and popping and locking at cars as he was rolling down the street. I genuinely giggled at him as I drove by and we made eye contact. He didn't break at all.
Taste: Coffee, for the first time in a week, which was glorious (I had contracted The Black Death last week and had been staying away from loads of dairy, which is how I take my coffee, so I had been drinking tea instead). Leftover broth + accessories, which amounts to lots of greens from my CSA, stock, ham & rice, which looks like this when it's done:
Touch: Still happy about washing all textiles on my bed from over the weekend and its glorious texture. I love clean sheets and linens. They make me swoon.
Smell: My standout smell of the day is garlic. Anna used it in the squash and also roasted pita chips tonight, which smelled delicious.
Daily Recap: Overall, not too bad. Took some time to revamp and streamline the Blog and some other publicly-viewed pages so that everything has just about the same information. One of my biggest fears is having weirdos looking at my information, so I'm trying to keep what is accessible about me at a happy-medium. Also, took the time to dream a bit today about all the possibilities of writing again. Today, I believe it's good to dream.
Thank you for reading my ramblings. I hope you got some enjoyment out of them.
You alright, baby. You alright, still.
A
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