pearls of wisdom

Fortune from the cookie that came with my Chinese take-out:

"Today is an ideal time to water your personal garden."

semi-Zen driving on a Saturday morning while running errands

8:15 a.m. - play> voices, traffic, shuffle/hustle/bustle, birds, stringband: Public Market.

10:36 a.m. - play> New York - kick-ass cover by Cat Power: more yarn hording for the shawl I'm making. No, I'm not done with The Blanket yet. I'm still working on that, but a girl needs variety, you know.

I've been pretty stressed out lately. Run down. Desperately in need of some time off, away from here. In the car, I can escape, but not really. It puts things in perspective. Things really aren't that bad. I have everything I truly need.

10:58 a.m. - play> Where the Wind May Blow by The Hooters: Wegmans.

I have everything I need.

11:47 a.m. - play> Etta James, Jackson Browne, Lucinda Williams: taking the long way home; the chonk-a-ree of the red-winged blackbirds in the reeds outside the Post Office.

Everything will be ok. I have everything I need.

job perks, part 2

My first job-love is my part-time music director gig. Always has been, always will be. But, since they don't give me health insurance I have to moonlight as a paralegal. This means, because I have such an oh-so-generous boss, I get flowers 3 times a year. Flowers come on my work anniversary, my birthday, and if Boss doesn't forget, Administrative Professionals Day. It's nice to feel appreciated.

every day is earth day

So, what are you doing for Earth Day?

Over the last year or so, Ryan and I have really made an effort to be as environmentally conscious as possible.

We:
...switched all our incandescent light bulbs to florescent ones.
...started using cloth napkins in place of paper.
...started using cloth towels in the kitchen instead of paper towels, for mopping up spills and cleaning counters, etc.
...became compulsive recyclers. I've always been careful about recycling in the past, but now I'm obsessed! I go after things accidentally thrown in the regular trash. Just a rinse and it's fine for the recycle bin.
...try to condense shopping into one trip to cut down on gas usage, and go to the public markets as much as possible.
...kept the thermostat REALLY low this past Winter (58 at night and when no one was home, 63 when we were hanging out).
...utilize our extensive Nalgene collection. We don't buy or use bottled water anymore, even at work.
...use the handy-dandy reusable Wegmans bags every time we go grocery shopping. When we go to the market, I tote along these wicked cool eco-friendly bags.
...use eco-friendly shampoos and soaps in the bathroom and kitchen.
...buy organic food as much as possible.
...pick up trash when we're out hiking or walking around the neighborhood. (People can be such slobs!)
... occasionally share showers. *wink*

There are always more things one can do. I think this is a pretty decent start.

spring has sprung, the grass is riz...

Ah, Spring.

I love your Daffodils and Crocuses; your Tulips and Hyacinths.
I love ripping the plastic off the windows, peeling off the sticky tape, letting the breeze in to relieve the stagnation of old, stale air.
I love not wearing socks and leaving the windows open at night.
I love putting the down comforter in storage until Fall.
I love open-air markets and dancing birds looking for mates.
I love reading outside on my lunch hour.
I love the celebratory first night of outdoor grilling since October.
I love fresh, local strawberries.
I love Spring love.

job perks

Occasionally, the boss will have me research various concerts and sporting events going on around town. He must think I'm a pretty hip, happenin' gal, because often he'll ask me where to go to hear some good jazz, etc. Things like that. So this morning he wanted me to get him some tickets for the Jazz Fest. I got 2 club passes and 2 tickets to the Dizzy Gillespie tribute. It really wasn't that big of a deal, but as a reward from Ticketmaster, I did get 2 free downloads from iTunes. Sweet.

I doubt we'll get any free tickets this year, unlike last year (we saw Jean Luc Ponty, Dave Brubeck, and John Scofield, compliments of my boss himself). This year, it seems the summer is already filling up more quickly than last. There are a few things I'd like to check out, though. I would especially love to hear Robin McKelle, who we heard for the first time at last year's RPO Gershwin Gala. I was totally blown away by her smoky vocals. She's definitely one to keep an eye on.

give me some of that old-time religion

The recent FLDS polygamist-sect scandal has reminded me of my own personal experience with cult religions.

I had a roommate in college for two years who claimed to be a born-again, Pentecostal, religious zealot, whatever. She carried a Bible with her every where she went. She prayed at her desk before every class. She swore she had been slain in the spirit many, many times. She claimed she could speak in tongues. One time I let her lay hands on me. (Nothing happened.) She encouraged me to read her books on satanism. She also encouraged me to open the Bible randomly and pick a passage, which would have a certain special meaning, just for me at that particular moment. At one time, she had me pretty convinced she was for real.

While the dorm room that I shared with this girl was not of considerable size, we did each have our own closets. She would, on occasion, sit on a stool in her closet and quietly murmur to herself. I honestly couldn't say for sure what she was doing. Praying? I don't know.

I do know that she had a boyfriend. I know that she would lock me out of the dorm room while she was in there with this boyfriend. I know that eventually the boyfriend, who also claimed to be a born-again, was arrested and prosecuted on child pornography charges.

So where is Crazy-girl Roommate now? Unknown. The last I heard, she married a marine she met at a gas station after only a few weeks of courtship.

Interesting.