Wednesday, March 28, 2007

what folks talk about

I've heard a lot of sad news just recently. News about folks who are moderately sick to gravely ill. News about folks who were killed in "accidents" which were caused by other folks who were impaired. News about lovely folks who have passed away. I've also had to be talking to folks at a monument company about headstones and cemeteries. Not a lot of fun, any of it.

Yesterday at work, we were talking about the things we were afraid of. A couple of my colleagues said that they were afraid of death. I don't really fear death, I mean, I'm not looking forward to not existing anymore but it's not something I spend a lot of time thinking about, my own death.

Perhaps watching all of those episodes of "Six Feet Under" helped me to develop a more healthy perspective on death and dying. Watching Joe die last year helped too. I feel like, when it's time, it's time. I'm just happy to know that when it's finally over, I won't know that it's happened. I guess the very best that anyone can hope for is that they don't have a long, painful, drawn-out illness during their final few whatevers (days, months, years).




Yeah, rather than dwell too much on thoughts about my own demise, I think I'd rather distract myself with musings about Sanjaya's hair last night on 'da idol. You just can't help but love that boy!!

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

lilac time


lilac time
Originally uploaded by Julep67.
not quite huh?

soon, perhaps.

today, in between bits of fog and cloud, it was warm and sunny.

I'm paying way more attention to the weather than is probably reasonable but I really can't wait for it to warm up.

I am also anxious for the storm windows to be removed from my office window. they put them up in mid-September. it'll probably be May before they come down!

Monday, March 26, 2007

objects in the mirror are dirtier than they appear

happy monday kiddos.

I'm happy to report to all that a few weeks ago, my morbid fascination with the Anna Nicole Smith fiasco/death/law suit/situation petered out. I'm not sure why it consumed me for as many days as it did but almost as quickly as it gripped me, I lost interest. Earlier today, when the results of her autopsy were announced, I kind of thought to myself, "well duh!" and moved along with my day. Duh indeed.

In other news, here's a small "hey I'm an idiot" story. Earlier today, I was listening to the first track of a newly downloaded album. When the second song on the album started I thought, "wow, that sounds a lot like Beck." 'bout 1/4 way into the song I realized it was Beck. I'd forgotten that I'd left "shuffle" on. I'm a dork, what can I say.

Friday, March 23, 2007

a good kind of sad


candle
Originally uploaded by Julep67.
I recently heard that Julien Temple had made a documentary about the late, oh-so-great, Joe Strummer (Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten). It looks like it'll be released sometime this May.

I'm very happy that this film has been made because, while his fans know and appreciate what a genius he was, it's never a bad thing to keep reminding folks about who he was. I was struck, to the point of being completely choked up, when I heard that Mr Temple had used tape from Joe's radio shows and other stuff so that Joe himself could narrate big chunks of the story.

It's going to be difficult to watch but I can't wait to see it.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

name that smell


view from the top
Originally uploaded by Julep67.
it's warming up kids. it rained today. as I went back and forth across campus today, I tried to avoid stepping in puddles. I was trying to avoid them because I had dressy shoes on and was going to an event and it wouldn't have been good to show up all damp from the puddles.

part of me really wanted to jump in with both feet and splash the water and not care a bit about it. alas, the other part of me was working at this event and couldn't give in.

I noticed too, on my trips back and forth, that it smells like spring. it's that smell that you tell yourself is the mud thawing out from under the snow but the logical part of your brains knows that it's actually dog shit thawing out. either way, mud or poop, it's what spring smells like!

oh, in other news, I was approached by a South American lady who is writing a book about people's relationships with New York City. She wants to use this photo in her book (as well as another one I took) and I told her yes! I think it'll be kind of neat to have some of my photos published in an actual book. She's agreed to send me a copy after it's published. neat huh? I particularly like that she chose this photo because it has our car in it. Mark was the one who saw our car and had me take the picture. It's not everyday that you can see your car from the top of the Empire State building!!

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

oblivious


inside the claw machine
Originally uploaded by Julep67.
I would like to know why, when I was in high school, in my small town, I never ever (never ever ever) once heard Aztec Camera on the radio yet, at least 1 in 3 times I tune into the 80's music station on our digital tv system, I hear Roddy Frame's lovely voice, singing to me?

This never ceases to strike me as "odd."

Monday, March 19, 2007

snow grains


fun world ferris wheel
Originally uploaded by Julep67.
the forecast currently calls for snow grains.

I don't even think I know what that means.

spring is supposed to officially begin this week but it feels like it's a long way off.

I know that baseball stuff is happening already.

I saw some green grass beside a snowbank yesterday.

those are good signs for sure but still, it's cold. snow grains.

I'm sick of winter.

truly sick.

I long for warmth, for sunshine, for naked toes in the grass and needing to wear sunscreen and wet towels on the deck rail.

soon, right?

Sunday, March 04, 2007

sunday


icy morning
Originally uploaded by Julep67.
hey folks.

the freezing rain we woke up to on Friday morning didn't last too long, fortunately. It melted rather quickly and caused a lot of mini-floods in the roads and streets of our town. because it's been so cold lately, the storm drains were frozen solid. all the melting ice and falling rain just sort of pooled in the streets for a while on Friday. fortunately, the sun came out in the afternoon. big chunks of ice rained down on the ground everytime the wind blew. it was neat to see.

it took us until about 9 a.m. to get out of the driveway so I was a little late getting into work. because all of the local schools were closed for the day, some folks didn't make it in at all.

the weekend has been quiet around here. I picked up a headcold last week that is still dragging me down. because it's all in my head, by the time I'm ready to go to sleep, my head is starting to fill up and it makes breathing tough. I get up frequenly in the night to blow my nose and get something to drink. it's not fun and it's been going on since Tuesday. it can stop anytime it likes.

today I need to get the laundry done but once that is done, I don't really need to do much of anything else. I might even squeeze a nap in if I feel like it. it's nice to have options.

Friday, March 02, 2007

zambonied

our porch, driveway and street, actually, for as far as you can see from our front door, looks like a skating rink.

it's raining right now. the effect of the water on the ice is not unlike that of a Zamboni on a rink.

I'm not embarrassed to admit that going out in that, before it melts, makes me very nervous.

I hate freezing rain.