August 23, 2009

the process / I basically laughed through the whole thing / the result

(Special thanks to Taylor for gorgeous photos. Click through, already.)

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August 19, 2009
A couple weeks ago, my moral support for the day told me, “You’re not going to be able to stop staring at it.” Truth. And yes, it felt like white-hot razor blades alternately being dragged and sliced across my skin (which is to say, it hurt both more and less than I expected). If you haven’t heard the story of why-this (not that you can even tell from a Blackberry photo), ask if and when you next see me: we can’t waste all our good ones on the internet.

A couple weeks ago, my moral support for the day told me, “You’re not going to be able to stop staring at it.” Truth. And yes, it felt like white-hot razor blades alternately being dragged and sliced across my skin (which is to say, it hurt both more and less than I expected). If you haven’t heard the story of why-this (not that you can even tell from a Blackberry photo), ask if and when you next see me: we can’t waste all our good ones on the internet.

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August 17, 2009
“ The concern is way overrated with “Mad Men”, because their numbers are still low, and I imagine the density of the narrative runs most stupid people off. But this is always going to be a problem with any attempt to insert political and cultural musings into entertainment. You either make your intentions really obvious to calm concerns like the ones about, and say, when Don Draper does something sexist, bring the narrative to a screeching halt and use graphics to draw a big red circle around the offending behavior with flashing red letters that say, “Violence against women is rooted in sexism, and both are wrong.” And the second you do that, you give up on the smart audience, who goes off to find some entertainment that doesn’t treat them like they’re feeble-minded infants.
Pandagon. Last night (after another “Premiere later! Excited! Blah!” outburst from me) a co-worker (who does not yet watch the show) said, with a straight face, “I don’t watch shows that glorify misogyny and alcohol abuse.” I stared at him for a few seconds, and then laughed. But honestly, even though “we” are all watching this show, not that many people are: none of my co-workers are, my mother’s not, her co-workers are not. And while I agree with what Amanda writes here, that it’s impossible to find a perfect balance, I feel they handle it as deftly as can be expected. •
August 15, 2009
These dudes, man. Respecto is, was, and forever shall be the best thing my little comedy nerd heart can imagine, and all it needs. Never stop reuniting every summer, guys. I should probably set a life goal to (by next summer) have a job that doesn’t require me to work weekend nights, so I can attend more of the marathon.

These dudes, man. Respecto is, was, and forever shall be the best thing my little comedy nerd heart can imagine, and all it needs. Never stop reuniting every summer, guys.

I should probably set a life goal to (by next summer) have a job that doesn’t require me to work weekend nights, so I can attend more of the marathon.

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August 13, 2009
“

There won’t be much good on SNY between now and October 4. There will be more of this: this void, this emptiness, this whole lotta nothin’. This is what rooting for a bad team is like. This is what it will be like for the next 54 games. Every last one of them, even the wins, will be something like this. There will be no larger point to it except that it’s what you’ve always done, it’s what you always do, it’s what you’ll someday say you always did when it’s not like this — when you persevered as a Mets fan no matter how bad things got in August of 2009.

That day of well-earned hindsight can’t get here soon enough.
Faith and Fear in Flushing •
August 9, 2009

That was a fun two hours and forty minutes or so. Wait, I can’t do understatement right now: shit was fucking ridiculous and perfect.

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August 8, 2009
…I think I overbought at the Greenmarket (Union Square) earlier. Not pictured: Hawthorne Valley Farm oatmeal cookie (the best), serious dent I already put in those Fantasy Farm berries. Maybe if I stick to Grand Army Plaza on Saturdays, the less overwhelming selection will help me buy only what I need? Or maybe it’s just August and I should embrace it. (If anyone else is seeing Harvey Danger tonight at the Bell House, you’re invited over for dinner beforehand.)

…I think I overbought at the Greenmarket (Union Square) earlier. Not pictured: Hawthorne Valley Farm oatmeal cookie (the best), serious dent I already put in those Fantasy Farm berries. Maybe if I stick to Grand Army Plaza on Saturdays, the less overwhelming selection will help me buy only what I need? Or maybe it’s just August and I should embrace it.

(If anyone else is seeing Harvey Danger tonight at the Bell House, you’re invited over for dinner beforehand.)

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August 3, 2009
“ In preparation for what is likely to be a furious debate, Mr. Schumer has called on Democrats to show that they are serious about immigration enforcement and is even asking them to stop using the term “undocumented” to refer to immigrants who are here illegally.
Oh, Chuck. Where to begin. •
And then there was that time we (after waiting in line for hours and hours*) admitted defeat: we would not be getting into Dan Deacon/Deerhunter at Brooklyn Bowl, and didn’t care enough to attend the late show. Walking to Max’s and making ravioli from scratch** was a far, far better idea. Then today at work my boss told me, “You take things really seriously, and that’s a good thing. I like that.” Why yes, there was a caveat! In short, “Focus on these things, don’t stress about these.” Better prioritizing of stress, my new life plan. *Personally, I only waited two.**She already had the dough prepped, but! Pictured: pasta machine, ravioli mold!

And then there was that time we (after waiting in line for hours and hours*) admitted defeat: we would not be getting into Dan Deacon/Deerhunter at Brooklyn Bowl, and didn’t care enough to attend the late show. Walking to Max’s and making ravioli from scratch** was a far, far better idea.

Then today at work my boss told me, “You take things really seriously, and that’s a good thing. I like that.” Why yes, there was a caveat! In short, “Focus on these things, don’t stress about these.” Better prioritizing of stress, my new life plan.

*Personally, I only waited two.
**She already had the dough prepped, but! Pictured: pasta machine, ravioli mold!

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July 21, 2009

Related: Yesterday I told a co-worker that I’m 26, and didn’t realize my error for a good ten minutes. “Not for another week!” I told her. She said, “Aww!” Thankfully, she’s older, not younger, and therefore gets it.

As much as I don’t want to rush anything, I’m more comfortable with this birthday than I have been in years. Last summer I went so far as to schedule my party the weekend after my birthday, to delay things as much as possible; this year, I’m completely fine with celebrating the weekend prior. I’m still solidly “mid-,” I can handle this.

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