Sunday, May 30, 2010

LISTENINGS

I've just been listening to the new Dodo's session (featuring Magik Magik Orchestra) on daytrotter. I guess you have to pay for downloads now? I'm a bit confused, on this one you can download it for free but at a lower quality? But on the new Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin you have to buy it. There is a bunch of music I want to get, such as the new New Pornographers and Avi Buffalo in addition to other music to rebuild my itunes. Its kinda nice to start new even if its just for organizational purposes. My mom just came in, they are going on a hike and then going to Costco. I want to go but Keighley is supposed to call me to meet up in a bit and I don't want to miss that... [she and Matthew are riding to Carbondale on bikes and I am going to meet them after as of right now. I wish I had a bike to ride with them but of course all of ours are MIA. Its annoying]... they don't have a schedule according to my mom so she doesn't want me to go and then not see her. Which is very sweet of my mom. I still feel guilty and really would like to get out and do something active. They are going to look at cameras at Costco, apparently they have the Pen P1 (the newest is the PL1 that I was looking into... but I don't think there is much of a difference). My dad told me they have $900 in Costco bucks and he wants to get one too... they are on sale for $490 that means my dad and I could each get one with the Costco bucks and just have to pay a little bit more. I don't know if that is a plan. My mom tiredly told me that it would be my birthday present if she got it for me. Which is great of course but I feel super bad and guilty now for whatever reason. Sigh. Why did I have to be dumb and loose my little digital camera. I loved that thing, it was my high school graduation present from my grandma and it still worked fine. It was also just good to take everywhere... its just so ironic that it would make it through drunk nights, one handed bike riding, bars, traveling, and so on only to be lost at the last possible minute. I regret not being more anal about looking for it. Of course K said there may be another cheapy digital that she has laying around somewhere that I could use, which would be marvy. But we'll see. So anyway. Back to music. After re-reading the Joanna Newsom article that K found on New York Times Magazine I really want to go to her town, Nevada City. It sounds fantastic. Finally, Russel Brand is on the cover of this months Rolling Stone, I am about to start the article.

MAC IS BACK

I am writing this entry on my huge MacBook! It is back with a new hard drive (5 gigs!), more ram and new OSX. It is amazing how big this computer seems now. I love it so. Of course one of the best parts is... PHOTO BOOTH! Ian finally brought up this roll of black and white prints I have been wanting another look at/to scan from Denver along with my computer. Photobooth was flashing them blue unless I took them in b&w...Lets see what else... I have a French movie from Netflix to watch soon and need to catch up with mail, reading, journaling and the like and have a few new recipes to try out. [I've been cooking a bit lately in addition to baking.] We are also starting a garden in the front yard that I am excited to plant and watch grow. I've always enjoyed plants and growing them. I also want to take a trip to Denver to see Botts, Jesse, Jordan and Brandon with a stop in Boulder? And want to go camping. This would all me more of an option if I wasn't leaving in just a few weeks for another month in Europe. Crazy how time goes. Keighley and Matthew are here for the weekend which will be lovely and fantastic. The last weekend K was here we were contemplating septum piercings. Its something I have been considering for a few months now, ever since Prague [part one] before spring break. At this point it almost just seems like a matter of time. We'll see though, my parents would REALLY HATE it. I want to get another tattoo as well. I'm still thinking about an owl [it was decided at the castle that an owl was my spirit animal] on my ribs [side] but also like the idea of something simple in my inner bicep. Anyway, just quick ramblings. I wonder how Janine is doing!? She is off on her Alaskan adventure. I love that girl.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

LINKS

I finally went through the many links that my dad had sent to my email and there are a few good ones...

Click
Click (This is one of the places in Europe I never made it to... I really want to take a trip there)
Click
Click (I would also like to go here!)
Click
Click (They make all kinds of things)

I've been watching Little Miss Perfect on WEtv. It is about the Little Miss Perfect child beauty pageant. Its really weird but also really interesting. The program director is this weird gay guy who always sings this cheesy weird song.
and


That's all for now folks.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

MY ELECTRONIC DISEASE

The Baby

So the baby has been acting up and claims to be infected with a virus, or spyware or something that makes it unhappy. It wanted me to activate anti-virus by paying a good chunk of money but I decided to do what I always do with an electronic crisis, call Ian. Its a good thing that boy knows so much about computers. Apparently his brother's net book just had a similar thing happen. He told me first to NOT PAY and to download this other anti-virus software since my computer was still functioning, just being annoying and popping up windows every five seconds about something being infected and making me nervous about the doom that was about to happen. After I downloaded it Ian directed me to go into "safe mode" with networking which is where I am right now. Hiding out and running virus scans with my new software. Everything looks pretty old school (the name of what that is called Ian told me and I already forgot... I think binary but that is not right) especially the virus scanning, its just black with white bits in computer rather than English. So... I'm not entirely sure if the scans worked or what is happening but I am just waiting here, in safe mode until I know what to do next. It has to be a good sign that it is still alive and functioning and that this is even an option, so I am going to be optimistic. That said... WHAT THE FUCK ELECTRONICS!? All I do is love you and you ALL DIE! Or something bad happens. Sigh. My big computer will be returned to me this week however, with more RAM more harddrive (a whole new one with 5times more space then my old one) and new OSX! So I guess that worked out in my favor in a way. I just need to get that damn apple key that sticks up fixed. It may be more trouble than its worth though. In other news, I have been babysitting a bit lately and have been doing activities such as: Making dandelion crowns

Swimming (T in her tiny weenie yellow polka dot bikini)

Face paint. (Anna made me Frankenstein and I made her Frankenstein... and then a dog.)Today while I was driving home I watched the shadow of a bird skip across the pavement. I would like to capture it in a film. Fingers crossed that the baby recovers.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

INDIAN CAVE

Today I woke up and went home in my pajamas to eat something and change to go on a hike with my dad. We decided to head to Sweetwater to explore the Indian cave that is hidden there. It is a gorgeous area with a great name that was made all the better by the feeling of summer that was lingering about. We had stopped to get vegetarian subs at Chomps:

Provolone
Avocado spread
Sun dried tomatoes
Mozzarella
Sprouts
Toppings (I got tomato, onion and mustard)

They were tasty and consumed at the trail head. It was a nice mellow trail that cut through a lot of good forest, including a gorgeous patch of Aspen trees that had just popped. Needless to say I had my Diana mini and finished off a roll of film and started another. The cave was tucked into a mountain side up a little incline that took you over most of the trees. There was a info sheet tacked onto a box that contained a guest book. The cave was used by Ute Indians for storage or religious purposes ("such as births" my dad pitched in) and there are still remnants of cave drawings on the wall. There was also a lot of vandalism by people who wanted to leave their names on the cave wall as well, which is a shame but it was also interesting due to the fact that some dated back to the 1880s. We had brought headlamps so we could see how far back the cave went and set about exploring it. Coco did not like being in there and started to whimper a bit once we left natural light behind. There was one point where we had to clamor over some boulders that she could not and she was forced to wait for us on the other side. Directly after there was a hole that led to a short drop into another cavern. There was a rock climbing rope tied leading down that you could use to repel. My dad went first and I followed holding on to the rope and slowly making my way down by finding foot holds. The drop ended up being much shorter than we anticipated and once we were in the next room it seemed to be a dead end. We looked around for a bit before climbing back up and reuniting with Coco who couldn't wait to get out of there. It was a open cave that wasn't to intense or scary. Caves are interesting and amazing but completely terrifying and foreign at the same time. If you stop and be quiet in a cave there will be no sound. Its like how I imagine space would sound. There is also complete darkness if you turn off your light, it is like being in a vast expanse of nothing. Christine and I went to the fairy caves while she was here and I recognized the wet smell and had a bit of a desire to explore a bit more and slide through some things. Nothing too small and intense, just something a bit more off the beaten track. Its just good to experience things like that sometimes. After we headed down and stopped a few times to look out over the lake and the trees. We had dinner at the Brewpub and my dad got some Hanging Lake Honey Ale that I rather liked. Now I am at the dog house for the last night. I'm excited to see how my photos come out. (I may post photos from my dad's camera in the meantime when I have access to them.)

Thursday, May 20, 2010

THINGS FROM THE DAY

I'm blogging like mad lately, as tends to happen when I actually have time. I had a somewhat interesting day that started with me having to pick up Kir from surgery. She was getting a cell tumor removed from her finger and needed someone to drive her home. I arrived to find her sitting on a doctors bed with a gown on drinking water through a straw. We had to chat while waiting for her goody bag of Vicadin, gauze and so on before sitting through a talk by the surgeon which included the phrase "I did a good job." Then everyone left and told her she could change and I stood up not knowing if I should leave or not when Kir asked me to untie the robe, I did and before asking if I should go she was half naked and I was helping her get dressed. It was unexpected but slightly humorous as I was getting her foot through the leg hole, it reminded me of when I have to dress her daughters. Speaking of which I am taking T to the pool tomorrow which should be fun. There is something great about carrying around a little chubby baby/toddler in a bathing suite through the water. Of course the goal of this swimming trip is to tire her out so she'll be wading around on her own too. I started getting back into making mail, I'm catching up on replying to a bunch that I got while Christine was here. I have been going through the fantastic pile of old children's books from Keighley's garage sale. Some wonderful titles include: The Official Boy Scout Handbook, I Learn About God's World: A Rainbow Activity Book: Dinosaurs, Blaze and the Indian Cave, Pages of Adventure, The How and Why Wonder Book of Rocks and Minerals, May I Come In? And more. One page that I plan to include in a letter is titled: Let's Imagine Funny Things... Can you imagine a hen with a pen? a cat who can bat? a pig with a wig? Hopefully my penpals will enjoy them. Speaking of books, I went to the library today with every intention of checking out The Windup Bird Chronicles having called before and been told that they had it... however upon arriving it couldn't be found. I ended up with nothing that I had gone in there for but a book of short stories and a copy of The Virgin Suicides (the book) to read through. I was very close to getting the second Twilight to re-watch but in the end left it behind. I will have to enjoy the awkward embarrassing repeat some other time. I keep ending up with more things at this house. Tonight I have my pillow, complete with cowboy pillowcase, its going to be a good sleepover.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

WOODY AND BISBIE


I am now dog sitting. Its a bit strange to sit in a house alone for a while that isn't your space. I think it makes me feel more alone because I am not surrounded by my things. Jane might come over later since the house is just down the street from hers. The two dogs I'm watching, Woody and Bisbie are these weird little things. I keep stopping whatever I am doing (mostly internet) related to watch them in slight confusion. They both hobble around somewhat, especially Woody, its like he has a peg leg. They also do a strange licking thing where they put their tongues straight in and out. Woody went outside and sat in the rain for a bit and when he came back in he couldn't really shake and ended up sort of falling onto his butt. He is just dysfunctional when it comes to moving. Bisbie stared at me for a while when I first got here and made weird noises. They are just weird.

DUTCH PEOPLE ARE WEIRD

Another something from Arianna's blog. This is a song that I danced to during Carnival... a huge Carnival hit if you will. Actually, Arianna has summed up Carnival really well its worth a read. I just keep finding extras after I post.

MORNING RAMBLINGS

I have been interneting all morning rather than doing something more productive like letters, cleaning up, eating, reading and so on. It all started because I am trying to deal with this loan for my Prague summer program. Its better if I don't think about how much I am getting that I do not have. So after many conversations with them and getting locked out of esigning my application, I now have to fax them a copy of my social security card, a copy of my drivers licenses and a copy of my birth certificate. So I will be going to the middle school after the kids leave and after I pick up Kir's car from Carbondale to use the fax machine. I am dog sitting this week and have to sleep at the house at night. I don't really like the dogs they are annoying and kinda like... deformed, but its not grotesque. I'll have to post a pic via cell phone due to not having photobooth or my digi anymore (so sad). They changed their lock code to my pin number so I can get in easily. Maybe I'll see if Jane wants to come over for a movie and some baking or something. The nice thing is that the house is close to town. I tried to go to the library yesterday to get The Windup Bird Chronicles and some of the movies I have on a movie watching list but they were closed for renovations. So maybe I'll do that today. I think I may start Under the Banner of Heave next which is a book my dad read that is about these extremist Mormons. There is a blurb on the cover that says: On July 24, 1984, a woman and her infant daughter were murdered by two bothers who believed they were ordered to kill by God. The roots of their crime lie deep in the history of an American religion practiced by millions... These things are extremely interesting to me. Its like the stuff with the family and Charles Mason. Anyway, I have been reading through Arianna's Europe/summer blog starting will all the bits at the castle that I missed. Its extremely entertaining and has given me a few gem videos. (Notice the size! Thank you K) (As well as the European montage from Rules of Attraction because that is kinda how Europe is. Maybe a little less crazy... not so much sex.) My dad also sent me this link which is interesting. I tied a gold feather bead to my phone last night and woke up with it missing, I knew the knot wasn't too good. I hope it turns up soon though, my phone looks a little silly with just yellow, orange and green string tied to it.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

OH, AND...

Keighley just informed me how to fix up my videos so I will have to start playing around with that. And I also forgot to add a few other links that I liked.

ONE
TWO
THREE

I rather like the recycled postcard wedding save the dates in two.

LITTLE GIRLS

So I managed to stumble across this:

You can go here to see them do "Single Ladies" as well...

Monday, May 17, 2010

A WEEKEND WITH K

K came to visit this weekend which was something I needed. Just to see her was really great and I realized after we watched the New Twilight giggling over the awkward embarrassing bits and cooing out to poor little Jacob the werewolf how much I loved her. This happens every so often, I have little moments where I sit back and think about how much I love some of the amazing people I am lucky enough to know. Something as silly as how we were watching that movie just shows how well we do together and how much we can relate and so on. We are just a good pair. And its always great to live at her house for a three day sleepover. We went to Jeff's new amazing house and marveled at it while catching up with Zeb and Jeff. It was good to see them. And that house, it has a effing recording studio in it. We watched Avatar which is Pocahontas but with the CGI and more violence and Mother Willow didn't talk or sing. I guess they didn't really either... sing that is... and the John Smith character actually learned their language and became one of them and so on... it was also a bit of Fern Gully and other movies in that vein. Funny because I was just looking for the "you are like a baby" scene and found this: We also took some potentially wonderful multiple exposure Diana Mini photos and listened to the new Joanna Newsom a lot. It is amazing. K gave me burned versions of the CDs that I have been listening to since I got home. I really like this song quite a bit, though I should note that some of the lyrics are off by a letter every now and then. Actually, this also might be a good time to note that most of my youtube videos are cut off a bit on here, so you may want to click on them and watch them on youtube itself to ensure you are seeing the whole thing. Finally, after seeing a commercial for the new Olympus pen cameras I have been looking into them and have decided I would like this one. Its expensive though so I'm not sure if or when I will get it... maybe my parents will pitch in for my birthday or something... I do still have my gift card for B and H too, so we will see. I am going through some of my things, trying to get rid of some of it. I managed to put six bags into the thrift store pile. Getting money potentially for them is good incentive to give things up. Of course I did get a box thing at Misers today while K and I were dropping off a few bags of her things to sell. She got a matching one, though its a bit bigger. It seems its a never ending cycle of getting rid of things and getting new ones. I think I'm being better at consolidating and such though. I am off to find a sewing needle and to make some mail and things from a huge wonderful pile of old children's books I got from Keighley's family's garage sale. It was a good weekend, which began of course with a great week with Christine. (I will be back in a bit to go over the details of that when I have a little more time.)

Friday, May 7, 2010

12:12 AM

So having cleaned my room recently I rediscovered the glorious gift cards my sweet mother gave me for Christmas including:
A) $100 for B and H Photo
B) $75 for Lulu's
Thank you mom! Of course this has started the internet window shopping experience. Sometimes it is very difficult for me to make up my mind. I was considering using the hundred toward a new point and shoot digital camera since my was tragically lost in Appeldorn, but I found the same camera with a 2 gig card included for the same price on Costco's website so I may just wait... there is some great film that I could buy instead such as Instax mini film and various lomo 35mm that does interesting things. Like tints and cross processed colors... as of right now that is extremely appealing to me. Actually... quick side note. I went to Target today to get two rolls of film developed, including a diana mini roll (!)... actually double side note... this was an extreme impulse buy that was super fantastic. While in Amsterdam (after just buying a Brownie holiday camera from an antique mart) we walked through a fantastic section of small shops when I spotted a entire window filled with every lomo camera PLUS an instax. Needless to say I freaked out and ran inside only to be surrounded by the greatest photo store EVER. (Writing this makes me hope I still have the receipt... so I know its name and such.) One wall was photo paper, another film, and then on top of it all lomo cameras everywhere! I practically kissed the man who worked there. I picked up a diana mini plus flash and asked him how much it was. Seventy five euro plus two free rolls of film! I bought it and had a lovely conversation with the man about lomo and film and the greatness of the store and left jumping around with absolute happiness and excitement. I think its safe to say that I am a lomo addict at this point. And really just a camera addict. Anyway, Target. So I waited around for an hour and gave them an extra 15 minutes just because I know they don't always put them in right away and went back inside only to hear the guy tell me that the photo machine was acting up and the lady who knew how to fix it was coming in at 3 so they would be done later. It was 1:30. Why this guy didn't tell me that it wasn't working earlier... I had handed my film to him... is beyond me. So I had to leave the photos to be picked up when I go pick up Christine from the airport. I guess I did see Chelsea (K's sister) and buy a copy of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (which I have been craving) for nine dollars. After I picked up Evan and brought him to the mall so he could go to Zumies. He bought a new pair of jeans and some Vans that I like. It was quite an ordeal though. He was short cash and I only had thirty dollars that did not quite cover it, so we went to my car, counted all the change, including two dollars in pennies only to find Evan had thought the sum was less than it was and finally had to go to the bank, call my mom for Evan's account number and withdraw money. He didn't know his social or have an ID but luckily the teller was nice and let him withdraw by telling her his information such as his birthday, address and the like. So when we went back to Zumies to try to pay for the third time we finally got the stuff. The bit with the spare change was really quite funny and we got it converted into six actual dollars. This gay kid who worked there came over and asked me where everything I was wearing came from, including my jewelry so I had to stand there and point at things "thrift store, grandma, gap? my mom gave it to me one Christmas, urban renewal, marc jacobs, some jewelry place in Boston" and so on. I was wearing a floral print (what I think of as cowgirl) dress with a metallic belt, leggings and my white ankle cowboy boots. Plus a three quarter sleeve long gray sweatshirt/sweater and rings. It all started with him telling me he liked my boots. It was a bit ridiculous and ended with a conversation about Buffalo Exchange. I ended up leaving Glenwood without accomplishing any of the errands that I had wanted to due to silly obstacles. Back to online shopping... after browsing Lulu's and deciding that I would really like a pair of oxfords. I discovered that the tan only came in an 9 and the other models were sold out. There is a pair in black but I'm not sure if I can rock black shoes or not. Its annoying when you come to a decision of sorts to only have to go back through things again. I also like this dress and this belt... though not together... anyway, opinions? Can I do the black oxfords? I suppose I can always return things, but that is just such a hassle. I have started to read Watchmen which is interesting so far. I've read two books since being home and want to keep the trend going. I'm trying to be reading consistently through the summer. I've made it a goal. Actually my summer goals include:
1) Read
2) Make/save money
3) Practice guitar
4) Learn to sew (on a machine naturally, I'm not the best as of now...)
5) Be active, get in shape
6) Cook
7) Go through my things, get rid of some of them
8) Bellydance
9) Make things, art, mail, knitted things
10) Go camping/be outside often (can include potential bike rides)
So there is that. I have been craving sesame tofu quite a bit lately for whatever reason. Ho Palace does a good rendition. It reminds of a time where Lorraine and I ordered it and ate it in her bed watching something. Who knows where Ian was or what he was doing. I still remember the cool summer night that surrounded the house and peeked in the windows. There were a few good evenings spent in that bedroom, such as when Sofa and I went through a bunch of her old things she was getting rid of. I ended up with a shawl made of thick yarn that I used as a scarf and Sofa took home a vintage night gown. I think we each got a pair of earrings as well. This remembering leads me inevitably to Student Filmfest which is tomorrow night. I don't think I am going to be able to make it though which is ridiculous and terrible of me due to the fact that I agreed to babysit before I knew. The one year I'm actually home in time and they not only have only one night of screenings but I can't attend. There is the possibility I will just bring the kids, but that may be too much too. I would like to be back for shortfest one of these years as well. That was always fantastic. I have been trying to catch up with reading everyone's blog. I like to go through everything and be totally read which always ends up taking a while but is interesting none the less. Livi is coming to visit June 9th until the 16th and we are going to a MGMT concert at Red Rocks with Dave and the singer from his band, Ben. A summer full of visits! Anyway, enough of this. I had pics I was going to include by that would require getting them from my phone via bluetooth and I would honestly rather go to bed. Maybe I'll post them later.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

SHARE

I'd like to you to click this because it is pretty wonderful. Also I am listening to all kinds of good music that I have recently accumulated. But I went through a quick dance bash clubish playlist that made me think of one America Night where Joey and I danced our hearts out to "Memories" by David Guetta and Kid Cudi. It is a song that will always remind me of Barcelona and those last few drunken splendors at the castle.

This is not the actual music video... this is... but it won't let me embed it sooooo. David Guetta is kinda creepy and weird. But I guess he makes good club music? Hah. The video is really kinda bizarre. There is also this Rhianna video:

ODDS AND ENDS

Another lovely part of the castle was the bike I rented, Friendship. It was olive green with a light and a rack. It was fantastically vintage looking and so much fun to ride. Every time I got on it I loved my decision to rent it. I miss riding it around town and exploring the forests and sand dunes that were scattered around the town. I became much more confident riding a bike and can now ride without hands which is something I never thought I would be able to do. I think that my bike is still messed up from Evan doing something ridiculous on it but I have been craving a ride through Glenwood canyon once it is more summer like. Luckily it seems it be warming up and all the snow around my house has melted.And considering that my porch used to have 8 inches on it, I'm glad to see it go. I'm hoping that the warm weather will keep up while Christine is here so we can go camping. Jane might come along which would be fun. I am really excited to sleep in a tent again. I have been making one piece of mail after another due to the address list I have accumulated this semester. I always start out sending a lot of mail and end up with just a few pen pals. Its a good way for me to make things and use up magazines that I have laying around. My hands are covered in gold paint pen and it has resulted in paper scraps covering my floor.