Thursday, May 15, 2008
Random Thoughts Thursday
An "Alanis, barista, catalog and Disney-whining" edition
* Didja catch that in the edition name up there? ... A... B... C... D ?
* Yeah.
* OK, I loves me some Alanis, but have you noticed when she sings, sometimes her head motions mimic Guy Smiley?
* Alanis, doll, again, I love you, but... Blair Warner circa 1980, Miss Piggy circa 1979 and Sarah Jessica Parker circa several episodes of "Sex and the City" called -- they want their hair back.
* I started an uproar at the trendy coffee shop. I told Naomi, my favorite barista, she makes my drink the best. Manager had a cow: "Is everyone else making your drink correctly?" Yes, Bardista. Calm down. She just makes it better. I can't explain why.
* Picture it: every time I go there now, each barista who isn't Naomi measures everything exactly.
* They're good, but she's better. Could be the way she mixes it -- some people are just better at it than others. Could be her super-sunny personality. Hard to say.
* Upon hearing she's my favorite, New Guy says, "I hope I can be your new favorite."
* It's good to have goals.
* Got a catalog today called "Living XL." On the cover: a beach chair that looks like every other beach chair, but can hold up to 650 pounds.
* *picturing that* ... *probably wearing a bikini as I've seen way too many people who shouldn't wear bikinis (and that's most people) wear bikinis*
* Apparently, whoever sold my name to this place (probably Penneys, dammit) doesn't realize I just bought new shorts for summer, another size smaller.
* Pretty soon, I'll disappear, or give that sickly Olsen twin a run for her money.
* Hyperbole!
* Who read that as hyper-BOWL?
* *shaking head*
* I am becoming sickened by the Disney-izing of Broadway. That Mermaid, I think I saw Mary Poppins, there's already the Lion King, etc. The problem: if kids see Disney on stage, the kids who grow up to be playwrights will write MORE Disney-like crap.
* Where are the visionaries? The legacy of Jonathan Larson and the crazy minds that gave us "Urinetown" and "Avenue Q"? Write more!
* I'd even take more Fosse-, Fosse-, Fosse-inspired dancing. Just STOP WITH THE MOUSE COOKIE-CUTTER CRAP.
* I caught a bit of that Miley Cyrus show. Apparently, America's standards and expectations are extremely low. I haven't seen acting that bad since "American Anthem."
* *le sigh*
* I'm at that bread shop and somebody just burned something... ew.
* When I walked into my apartment after being out, it smelled like my perfume. Ahhhhh. I think I'll go sniff it again, to get rid of this... smell. *cough cough*
* At least it's not burned popcorn. That's the WORST.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
* Didja catch that in the edition name up there? ... A... B... C... D ?
* Yeah.
* OK, I loves me some Alanis, but have you noticed when she sings, sometimes her head motions mimic Guy Smiley?
* Alanis, doll, again, I love you, but... Blair Warner circa 1980, Miss Piggy circa 1979 and Sarah Jessica Parker circa several episodes of "Sex and the City" called -- they want their hair back.
* I started an uproar at the trendy coffee shop. I told Naomi, my favorite barista, she makes my drink the best. Manager had a cow: "Is everyone else making your drink correctly?" Yes, Bardista. Calm down. She just makes it better. I can't explain why.
* Picture it: every time I go there now, each barista who isn't Naomi measures everything exactly.
* They're good, but she's better. Could be the way she mixes it -- some people are just better at it than others. Could be her super-sunny personality. Hard to say.
* Upon hearing she's my favorite, New Guy says, "I hope I can be your new favorite."
* It's good to have goals.
* Got a catalog today called "Living XL." On the cover: a beach chair that looks like every other beach chair, but can hold up to 650 pounds.
* *picturing that* ... *probably wearing a bikini as I've seen way too many people who shouldn't wear bikinis (and that's most people) wear bikinis*
* Apparently, whoever sold my name to this place (probably Penneys, dammit) doesn't realize I just bought new shorts for summer, another size smaller.
* Pretty soon, I'll disappear, or give that sickly Olsen twin a run for her money.
* Hyperbole!
* Who read that as hyper-BOWL?
* *shaking head*
* I am becoming sickened by the Disney-izing of Broadway. That Mermaid, I think I saw Mary Poppins, there's already the Lion King, etc. The problem: if kids see Disney on stage, the kids who grow up to be playwrights will write MORE Disney-like crap.
* Where are the visionaries? The legacy of Jonathan Larson and the crazy minds that gave us "Urinetown" and "Avenue Q"? Write more!
* I'd even take more Fosse-, Fosse-, Fosse-inspired dancing. Just STOP WITH THE MOUSE COOKIE-CUTTER CRAP.
* I caught a bit of that Miley Cyrus show. Apparently, America's standards and expectations are extremely low. I haven't seen acting that bad since "American Anthem."
* *le sigh*
* I'm at that bread shop and somebody just burned something... ew.
* When I walked into my apartment after being out, it smelled like my perfume. Ahhhhh. I think I'll go sniff it again, to get rid of this... smell. *cough cough*
* At least it's not burned popcorn. That's the WORST.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
A rambly ramble 'bout the Internets
I will ignore the child crying like a fire engine while his mother pats his back with one hand and shoves food into her mouth with the other. I also will ignore the woman who sat alone at the table next to me, almost sideways in her chair, and continues to stare at me as she eats her pastry.
I am at that "bread" restaurant people have raved about, for the first time. I'm enjoying a soda and a cheese pastry. And free Internets.
Free. Internets.
I have canceled the Internets at home, due to Schmerizon's poor performance. Since I moved here, I have had many weeks without it, and have gotten used to not having it. So why pay them? For the price of a soda/tea I was gonna buy anyway, I can sit and surf and sigh. Ahhhhh.
I'll use the money I save to reimburse myself for the shoes I bought yesterday, $25 a pair for three pairs of sandals (two dressy-ish, one not-so-dressy-ish). I did so need them! What I didn't need, but couldn't refuse, was the $45 pair of Converse sneakers, low-tops, blue. Very cute. I'm going to price check, though, at other stores (online, of course), but I'm sure DSW is hard to beat.
Or I could put the savings toward the texts for the classes I'm taking starting this summer at a local university (go Wildcats!).
Or I could buy books, you remember them -- a major source of entertainment pre-Internets. Oh, how I loves me some books. The words! The paper! The smell of new, untouched, un-flipped-through pages! I even get excited about the textbooks smelling new. That helps to ease the pain of paying a car payment or two for the pleasure of owning them, new.
But for now I'll sit back and enjoy the conversation of the two brothers next to me. They're currently complaining about the child's whining cry.
"Makes you not want one, eh?" one says to the other.
My inner critic agrees.
"Do they come with an off switch?"
It's a small price to pay for free Internets and not having to deal with the whining Schmerizon repair man, who, it seems from my lack of service so many times, does more harm than good.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
I am at that "bread" restaurant people have raved about, for the first time. I'm enjoying a soda and a cheese pastry. And free Internets.
Free. Internets.
I have canceled the Internets at home, due to Schmerizon's poor performance. Since I moved here, I have had many weeks without it, and have gotten used to not having it. So why pay them? For the price of a soda/tea I was gonna buy anyway, I can sit and surf and sigh. Ahhhhh.
I'll use the money I save to reimburse myself for the shoes I bought yesterday, $25 a pair for three pairs of sandals (two dressy-ish, one not-so-dressy-ish). I did so need them! What I didn't need, but couldn't refuse, was the $45 pair of Converse sneakers, low-tops, blue. Very cute. I'm going to price check, though, at other stores (online, of course), but I'm sure DSW is hard to beat.
Or I could put the savings toward the texts for the classes I'm taking starting this summer at a local university (go Wildcats!).
Or I could buy books, you remember them -- a major source of entertainment pre-Internets. Oh, how I loves me some books. The words! The paper! The smell of new, untouched, un-flipped-through pages! I even get excited about the textbooks smelling new. That helps to ease the pain of paying a car payment or two for the pleasure of owning them, new.
But for now I'll sit back and enjoy the conversation of the two brothers next to me. They're currently complaining about the child's whining cry.
"Makes you not want one, eh?" one says to the other.
My inner critic agrees.
"Do they come with an off switch?"
It's a small price to pay for free Internets and not having to deal with the whining Schmerizon repair man, who, it seems from my lack of service so many times, does more harm than good.
Thursday, May 08, 2008
Random Thoughts Thursday
An "I'll take Hodge Podge for $200, Alex" edition
* It's allliiiiiive! My Internets is working! I was without it for a week, which included four calls to tech support (in a variety of foreign countries, I think), and a novena.
* OK, I didn't pray, but I might as well have, considering how, um, "helpful" tech support was.
* Got a credit for the week I had no Internets. The amount: $6.66.
* Why am I not surprised by that figure?
* I have stopped trying to sing tunes with a beat that keeps time with the throbbing in my tooth.
* Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.
* The Rx says to take it with food. I chose Jelly Krimpet (tm) Tastykakes.
* My geraniums are thriving!
* My one birthday balloon is still floating in my living room (that's almost a month later, for those keeping score at home).
* I channel surfed passed and so tuned into that "talent" show for the first time. I saw a very pretty boy with dreadlocks, a talented young woman, a David with a very bad haircut, and a David who isn't very Articu-letta. I see I'm not missing much.
* There are other things a-foot, but this is just a catch-up for the moment. It's time for another Krimpet, er, my medicine.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
* It's allliiiiiive! My Internets is working! I was without it for a week, which included four calls to tech support (in a variety of foreign countries, I think), and a novena.
* OK, I didn't pray, but I might as well have, considering how, um, "helpful" tech support was.
* Got a credit for the week I had no Internets. The amount: $6.66.
* Why am I not surprised by that figure?
* I have stopped trying to sing tunes with a beat that keeps time with the throbbing in my tooth.
* Ow. Ow. Ow. Ow.
* The Rx says to take it with food. I chose Jelly Krimpet (tm) Tastykakes.
* My geraniums are thriving!
* My one birthday balloon is still floating in my living room (that's almost a month later, for those keeping score at home).
* I channel surfed passed and so tuned into that "talent" show for the first time. I saw a very pretty boy with dreadlocks, a talented young woman, a David with a very bad haircut, and a David who isn't very Articu-letta. I see I'm not missing much.
* There are other things a-foot, but this is just a catch-up for the moment. It's time for another Krimpet, er, my medicine.
Thursday, May 01, 2008
Random Thoughts Thursday
A "please excuse Tara from not blogging as the Internets was broken" edition
* Yes, of course, the incorrect spelling/grammar was done on purpose. I'm a writer, people.
* So, Schmerizon has decided their technicians miss me. It's been, what, four months since the great phone-out of Christmas 07 (I didn't have telephone or Internet for more than a week), when new people moving into the building and getting telephone service meant mine stopped working.
* Yes, someone new moved into my building this week. I should totally place a pre-emptive call to Schmerizon when I see a moving van outside.
* When I called the number to get help (as if), the annoying automated voice was so helpful: "If you're having trouble with the Internet, visit our web site..." Are you kidding?
* The boy who tried to test my modem wanted me to unplug things and try the other jack in the bedroom. Uh, no. I've done all that as I'm an expert at this now. What does the error message that you're getting say? Something you've never seen before? Great. Just put in the tech call.
* What can I say: another week, another credit. They keep this up, they'll have to pay me every month to keep the service.
* Sans Internet for a couple of days, I've had extra time to clean like I've been meaning to and read more than 60 pages of a book I sacrificed to surf the web.
* The Internets is a huge time sucker.
* There, I said it.
* Anyhoooo....
* My bard-ista (looks like Shakespeare in the pictures/drawings where he's good-looking) is a flirt. The other day, I asked for extra sweetener in my tea. He says, "If it's not sweet enough, just dip your finger in it." I said, "Awwww. I already gave you a tip."
* The official month of me has come to a close. Tara-bration 08 is over. There was much singing, laughter, cake-eating. I loves me a birthday month.
* What's next? Why, Tara-palooza, of course. A concert of, well, not-so-grandiose proportions.
* Actually, that happens almost every day in my living room. Today was Broadway day. "Urinetown."
* Yes, it's the worst-named musical. But funny. It's so funny, I almost... nah, I can't do it.
* I got my electric bill down to $30. I was hoping to go even lower before summer arrived... last week. That's so not going to happen now.
* I don't leave lights on, my TVs are on power strips that are off when the sets are off (which is most of the time), I turn my computer off every time I'm done using it, and I don't run appliances unless I have to.
* No, I don't have The Clapper(tm) for my lights. Imagine if I did and had my Tara-palooza, and was doing an 80s homage to John Cougar (Mellencamp). "Jack and Diane" alone would have my lights flashing like a strobe at a disco.
* *imagining that*
* Four words: Arby's. Popcorn. Chicken. Shakers.
* Mmmmmmmmmmm.
* Yes, that was quite the 180. I don't know how I got there either.
* But I enjoyed the ride.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
* Yes, of course, the incorrect spelling/grammar was done on purpose. I'm a writer, people.
* So, Schmerizon has decided their technicians miss me. It's been, what, four months since the great phone-out of Christmas 07 (I didn't have telephone or Internet for more than a week), when new people moving into the building and getting telephone service meant mine stopped working.
* Yes, someone new moved into my building this week. I should totally place a pre-emptive call to Schmerizon when I see a moving van outside.
* When I called the number to get help (as if), the annoying automated voice was so helpful: "If you're having trouble with the Internet, visit our web site..." Are you kidding?
* The boy who tried to test my modem wanted me to unplug things and try the other jack in the bedroom. Uh, no. I've done all that as I'm an expert at this now. What does the error message that you're getting say? Something you've never seen before? Great. Just put in the tech call.
* What can I say: another week, another credit. They keep this up, they'll have to pay me every month to keep the service.
* Sans Internet for a couple of days, I've had extra time to clean like I've been meaning to and read more than 60 pages of a book I sacrificed to surf the web.
* The Internets is a huge time sucker.
* There, I said it.
* Anyhoooo....
* My bard-ista (looks like Shakespeare in the pictures/drawings where he's good-looking) is a flirt. The other day, I asked for extra sweetener in my tea. He says, "If it's not sweet enough, just dip your finger in it." I said, "Awwww. I already gave you a tip."
* The official month of me has come to a close. Tara-bration 08 is over. There was much singing, laughter, cake-eating. I loves me a birthday month.
* What's next? Why, Tara-palooza, of course. A concert of, well, not-so-grandiose proportions.
* Actually, that happens almost every day in my living room. Today was Broadway day. "Urinetown."
* Yes, it's the worst-named musical. But funny. It's so funny, I almost... nah, I can't do it.
* I got my electric bill down to $30. I was hoping to go even lower before summer arrived... last week. That's so not going to happen now.
* I don't leave lights on, my TVs are on power strips that are off when the sets are off (which is most of the time), I turn my computer off every time I'm done using it, and I don't run appliances unless I have to.
* No, I don't have The Clapper(tm) for my lights. Imagine if I did and had my Tara-palooza, and was doing an 80s homage to John Cougar (Mellencamp). "Jack and Diane" alone would have my lights flashing like a strobe at a disco.
* *imagining that*
* Four words: Arby's. Popcorn. Chicken. Shakers.
* Mmmmmmmmmmm.
* Yes, that was quite the 180. I don't know how I got there either.
* But I enjoyed the ride.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Random Thoughts Thursday
An "I'll try to stop rubbing/scratching my nose long enough to type" edition
* Allergies. Ugh.
* From "The Idiots Guide to Getting the Girl," chapter 3: What's important to the young lady = important to you. and Being thoughtful makes a lasting impression.
* His birthday text (ugh) arrived at 11:59 p.m. The Last. Possible. Minute.
* Me = "You are the weakest link. Goodbye."
* Dating is entertaining.
* Twizzlers. Mmmmm.
* I now have geraniums on the patio. Yes, I will water them daily (as required). Yes, I sincerely hope not to kill them.
* Mom sees iron on desk (don't ask): "Is that plugged in?" Answer: "Yes, but the hot plate is plugged in under the bed, to keep my sheets warm."
* :-)
* Report: I'm breathing comfortably through my nose and it currently doesn't itch. I shall enjoy this respite while it lasts.
* Pass the tissues, just in case.
* Allergies. Ugh.
* From "The Idiots Guide to Getting the Girl," chapter 3: What's important to the young lady = important to you. and Being thoughtful makes a lasting impression.
* His birthday text (ugh) arrived at 11:59 p.m. The Last. Possible. Minute.
* Me = "You are the weakest link. Goodbye."
* Dating is entertaining.
* Twizzlers. Mmmmm.
* I now have geraniums on the patio. Yes, I will water them daily (as required). Yes, I sincerely hope not to kill them.
* Mom sees iron on desk (don't ask): "Is that plugged in?" Answer: "Yes, but the hot plate is plugged in under the bed, to keep my sheets warm."
* :-)
* Report: I'm breathing comfortably through my nose and it currently doesn't itch. I shall enjoy this respite while it lasts.
* Pass the tissues, just in case.
