february 2004

28 february 2004
i somehow ended up on a page that features the 10 most dangerous intersections in the US and the 2nd and 3rd ones are in philly! not only that, they are on the same street -- roosevelt blvd, which if you are familiar with philadelphia, sucks major butt. i have to admit, i felt a little philly pride -- best, worst, it's always good to make a list right?

27 february 2004
as if you didn't already know, bush distorts science.

the leap weekend is upon us... haven't seen a day like feb 29th in about, well 4 years (duh). i am looking for interesting ways to celebrate. in the end, i know i will settle for watching the oscars, if for nothing else to see the political showboating of the liberal actors. michael moore did a number on bush last year in his "shame on you" speech. one can only wonder what will come out of the celebs this election year. i caught a little bit of the democratic debate last night. it was interesting to see how the front runners, Kerry and Edwards, have slipped into their political responses to every question, only pointing the finger at their nemesis, dubya and not at their fellow candidates. what kept my interest, however, were the comments made by Kucinich and Sharpton, who, if i may say so, were keepin' it real. they were the only ones speaking honestly about their feelings on the issues. i guess the saying goes, when you've got nothing, you've got nothing left to lose.

25 february 2004
dubya is trying to create a constitutional ban on gay marriage. he's a big ass. what more can i say?? express your opinion here. if only it were that cut and dry.

i might need to change my can't stop listening to: from weezer to the grey album, it's pretty f-in' good. it's been getting a lot of plays at work. my friend called me today to tell me that she, too, has been listening to weezer (green album) nonstop recently. this would be the second time we synced our musical stylings, the first was with kings of convenience quiet is the new loud. it's kind of cool to be on the same page with a friend who lives in a different city whom you never see.

speaking of music, i am running a little low on music reviewers of late. i don't really write them myself since music is more of an experience that i live, not write about. i have some stuff that needs a good listen and a nice solid review to put out into the universe.

i've been wondering, who is holding the cards?

24 february 2004
today is grey tuesday. check it out now.

23 february 2004
my mailbox was nearly exploding with magazines today, i don't know when i am going to find the time to read them all. i have new york magazines, political magazines, literary magazines, trashy magazines, chick magazines... i don't even know where to start. i think i need to have a magazine reading party.

i received $13.86 in the mail today from participating in the www.MusicCDSettlement.com lawsuit. i don't even remember doing it, or who told me to do it, but an unexpected check is the best kind.

21 february 2004
i've been hearing a lot of reports from the frontlines of san francisco lately... there is some historical news happening there right now -- and that would be lines of gay couples at city hall getting married. i think it's a beautiful thing. in one week since the city began allowing these unions, over 3000 couples have gotten hitched. the right wing is very "troubled" by this breakdown of the american family, the sanctity of marriage, etc. according to them, marriage can only take place between a man and a woman. i think of marriage as a partnership, a union, a commitment and i don't think it is only for heterosexual couples.

friends of mine that live in san francisco have been talking about the beauty and love that has been surrounding this monumental decision. i even know someone who hand delivered a bouquet of flowers to one of the couples. this in addition to the people all over the country who are delivering well wishes and flowers, etc. it's a time of happiness and excitement and waiting for something wonderful that is long overdue. i don't think it's quite as "dangerous" as some lawmakers suggest.

19 february 2004
i caught the last hour of Bowling for Columbine last night. i am definitely going to try and catch the first hour asap. i thought it was pretty great, and extremely thought provoking. it made me want to stop watching the news and move to canada. i hate the culture of fear that we live in. is it hopeless? is that just the way it is now? better not be.

16 february 2004
after taking an online iq test, i have learned that i am a visual mathematician. i thought that sounded pretty cool.

This means you are gifted at spotting patterns — both in pictures and in numbers. These talents combined with your overall high intelligence make you good at understanding the big picture, which is why people trust your instincts and turn to you for direction — especially in the workplace.

i am not sure if that's entirely true, but i thought it was interesting. i was a little disappointed that my iq was lower than i remember it to be. i am either getting dumber with age, or i shouldn't trust a bullshit internet test. then again, i was originally tested in 2nd grade. the only thing i remember about the experience was being asked to draw a picture of my mom. i drew her with curly hair (she used to have a perm) and glasses. she was wearing a blue dress with a white collar that she always wore to church on sundays, with an apron over that because she'd always make a big breakfast afterwards. and for some reason, they said i was smart. what the hell were they thinking? try your luck and take the test yourself.

my creative revolution is on hold. i am once again camera-less. i felt way too guilty about the absurd amount of money put forth towards the last image-taker. don't tell best buy, but i did get to take some pics at the party this weekend -- actually i only took a handful, it was mostly commandeered by the gadget freaks. after looking at these pics and the lovely stripe across the bottom, i no longer have any regrets about this decision. now i just have to find another camera...

13 february 2004
dear makers of viagra, i do not and will not ever need you.. please stop trying to contact me via email. dear hershey's, your sweet valentine's treats have made me quite giddy today, but i also feel a big crash coming on. dear blue sky, thanks for being so blue lately. dear valentine's day, i love all of the hearts and red and pink things, you make the best holiday decorations. dear canon, you make a fine, fine digital camera. dear gothamist.com, i've really been enjoying reading you on a daily basis. dear neko case, thanks for belting it out. dear the author who wrote this article, you are f*&king hilarious! dear you, thanks for reading.

happy valentine's day!

11 february 2004
hot damnnnnn... i got my new camera today and it's niiiiiiice. my old camera was pretty stellar, but it crapped out on me so it had to be replaced. it's amazing what can happen in a year and a half -- you get a whole lot more camera for your money. i was a little worried that this new one was perhaps a little too much camera for me, but then i decided that i had to make it more than enough camera for me. i expect a new creative renaissance to occur shortly. it must be so.

did tom's of maine stop making cinnamint toothpaste? i have been looking all over for it... i would have thought for sure that whole foods would carry it, but even they haven't had it. i shook things up tonight and bought gingermint, which is a nice change of pace compared to the standard pepper/winter/spearmint flavor i usually end up with. but really, nothing beats my cinnamint. if you see it anywhere, please let me know.

10 february 2004
guess what? i have no idea what to do with this stinkin' site. so for now i will just keep making it look different, adding things and taking away. i met the baby boy tonight and he's awfully cute. poor kid was stuck in the hospital for a few days, but now he is safe at home.

5 february 2004
ali had a baby boy today! congratulations!

my friends from the UK have departed, off on another transatlantic flight. they made out like bandits on the shopping front, supported by a very good exchange rate in their favor. coincidentally, a friend of mine from philadelphia was just in london, while the londers were here. she was none too pleased at the short distance that her dollar traveled. in fact, she told me that she forgot to buy film beforehand and 3 rolls cost her $46. i hope for her sake that she took some decent photos!

the last few days of 40+ temperatures have been amazing. thick sheets of ice that have been covering my terrace / veranda / breezeway / concrete hallway have now melted away and down the pipes, only to be replenished tomorrow, if the weather report holds up.

i am sad to report that i am once again without camera. but this could be really great news. i have this awesome service plan at best buy, so it looks like i am getting a full value credit for my camera (oh yeah, it stopped working). i will know the status of my new image taker / maker by mid next week. you will certainly be seeing what i've been seeing soon enough.

re: this page. there's stuff going on behind the scenes, when i find the time, but it's getting closer. i wouldn't say it's anything major, just a new way of managing things. i hope it means you'll visit more frequently. also, stay tuned for some new japanese adventures from michelle. you'll be reading those shortly.

thanks for reading and stay warm.

1 february 2004
for those of you that adore dickies, you will be happy to know that you can get them quite easily at this place on broadway. they retail for the most likely overpriced amount of $29.99. sorry ladies, if you want your very own pair of dickies, you'll have to pay $44.99 for the female version. yeah, that's fair.

some people are just way too nerdy. i do love the jon cusack connection however.