Katharine Hepburn, whom I can say without a doubt is my favorite actress of all time, died yesterday at the age of 96. For more info go to the New York Times special section on her life and films. What a feisty broad.

At my parents house doing laundry. It's a Sunday, what's new?

Last night I went to Kerbey Lane with M and we talked about Paris, Spain and all these other places I can't afford to go. Apparently he is going to try for Loyola Law School after his fall sojourn in France at Monet's gardens. Anyway, he told me that his cousin from Houston took her best friend to the airport on her way to Baghdad. Her friend will be working there for a year, making a six-figure salary. He looked at me and said, "She works for some Houston company, I can't remember what. . ." Jokingly, I said, "It's not Halliburton, is it?" He answered, "Yes! That's it!" and I burst out laughing. Although it isn't really very funny.

Sidenote: Kerbey Lane Cafe has the best queso EVER. I'm not lyin'.

No other anecdotes to relate. Although - Genesis' "So This is the World We Live In" just popped into my head. Does anyone else remember the video for that song? I remember it was one of the first ones I ever saw and it creeped me out.

I'm thinking about posting one of my cloud-inspired poems, I just haven't gotten around to it. . .

I'm off to start A Portrait of a Lady now.

I just found the funniest site! With help from D, of course. Here it is: The Infinite Teen Slang Dictionary. You have to look up your name on it. It is so funny. But don't look up Elizabeth. =)

Last night I had a meeting that went from 6:30 to 9pm. I'm glad I had an apple at work before I left, because otherwise, I would feel more guilty about just having ice cream for dinner. Hey! I've gotta have something. I feel strange about the meeting. We only had a third of the board there (a quorum, yet) and we ended up discussing and voting on some BIG issues. I'm wondering how the other members will feel when they find out. . . anyway, I took notes b/c the secretary isn't doing well health-wise right now. I know my notes are not up to par with hers. Ah well.

I started reading The Dive from Clausen's Pier right before I went to bed and am really getting into it. The chapter I just finished ended with the narrator being asked to kiss her "boyfriend-in-a-coma" (well, okay, he's out of it and just had surgery, but I wanted to say it!). His kissing her back was so descriptive, I almost felt it. How strange. I'm also trying to read Portrait of a Lady, but haven't got too far.

No plans for the weekend except to get a car wash. I am hoping I will hear from the apartment complex I visited last weekend soon. I'm on a waiting list and wish I had a more concrete idea of where I might be. I imagine I might hear something after this weekend. As soon as I do, of course, I have to give notice to my complex. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to work it. Moving, you know.

Last night I dreamt that my pal J was in this huge apartment and we were watching some random movie that doesn't exist. All of a sudden I remember she dated Ashton Kutcher two years ago (which in reality, of course, she did not). I tell her, "Isn't it strange that you dated him two years ago and now he's with Demi?" I guess this goes to show that the media inundation is working. Ack! I don't like either of them, since I believe neither can act very well.

Politics - MoveOn is supposed to have results at noon Eastern time today. I'm really wondering if any candidate got over 50% of the vote. But who knows?

As for Strom Thurmond passing, I have nothing nice to say, so I won't say a thing. I could though, I really could.

And the anti-sodomy bill being voted unconstitutional - yay! But as for the justices who said this ruling promotes the homosexual agenda - I have one word to say. Bulls**t.

And that's all about office-worker girl small. for now.

CD of the Day: Guster, KIT - in my car now.

I have been moved to the new Blogger. Whatever that means.

I don't really have too much to write about. K is out of range this week, so I have nothing to dish about. J is deeply entrenched in barbri. I haven't heard from anyone else in a while. Although - apparently M just got back from Paris. I think he is going back again sometime this summer or this year. . . I can't remember. I wish I could go somewhere this summer. The biggest plan I have is V's wedding, which I haven't gotten an invite for yet.

I've got to go somewhere soon. I want to go to Minnesota and see some of my pals from my Americorps days. They are all spread out up there now. R is near Canada and S in Winona. . . but L is still in the Twin Cities area. I miss them all. It has been too long since I've seen them.

So who knows?

The other night I was driving home while listening to FOW's "Halley's Waitress." I looked out my window at the clouds to the west and I just got this homesick feeling. I don't know why. I just felt this rush, as if the clouds reminded me of some good past experience. Anyway, I got to my apartment and wrote a couple of poems, so I guess it was good inspiration. =)

CD of the day: still Guster, Keep it Together. It is great background music, but I should really take it out to my car (I'm still listening to FOW there).

I went and voted on MoveOn today for who I want the PAC $$ to go to. I find it interesting that on the same ballot they say, "who would you ENTHUSIASTICALLY SUPPORT" in the race for Prez. I had to give it up for Dean, Kerry and Edwards. They are the only candidates I can see being enthusiastic about, and I can just barely get excited about Kerry and Edwards. Dean is my man, but who knows if he will get the nomination? I just know if Gephardt or Lieberman get the Democratic nom, I will support them, but I won't be very "enthusiastic" about it. How are they different? They are all the same when you get down to it. The same ol, same ol' Democratic party ain't gonna beat Bush.

On Tom Paine they mentioned a ABCNews poll that shows that Bush's support numbers haven't gone down too much. I am amazed that they are taking this poll so seriously. I learned in school that polls mean diddly-squat where politics are concerned, but our society is obsessed with them anyway.

This day is going by so slowly - the internet was down here all morning. This taught me that I rely way too much on the internet to keep myself occupied at work.

CD of the day: Guster, Keep It Together. I love "Amsterdam". That song is an instant fave of mine. You can hear it on their site. I love the random mention of a Shaq CD. Hee hee!

Oh Oh Oh - I forgot to mention I got my autographed new Guster CD in the mail today! Whoo hoo! I think June is the best month of my year so far, if only for the great album releases. . .

I thought of this song upon receiving an email from a friend and have since had it in my head. I don't think these lyrics I found are completely accurate - I believe the correct lyric is:
"Jesus said Mother I couldn't stay another day longer
Flies right by and leaves a kiss upon her face. . ."
Anyway, the main lyric in my head has been:
"You cast aside the sheets, you cast aside the shroud
of another man, who served the world proud
You greet another son, you lose another one
on some sunny day and always (you'll) stay
Mary. . ."
I added the "you'll". Patty Griffin is an awesome songwriter. When I was on the Campus Activities Board of my school, we tried to get her to come, but she cost way too much for us. Ah well.

The puppy is resting on the floor by the door until the UPS guy comes. It's the cutest thing. Just because she hangs out in the front area where my desk is people who don't know any better assume she's mine. I don't have a puppy yet. I probably won't for a few years.

Is it 5:30 yet?

Two interesting finds today:

First is the American Apology Shirt, made for any current travelersto foreign lands, which states, "I'm sorry my President's an idiot. I didn't vote for him" in six different languages. Buy one for yourself or a friend here.

The second is not such a humorous find. Tom Paine led me to this article that is a basic summary of interviews with a few different American servicemen in Iraq. I haven't had time to finish reading it (lunch is almost up), but am gravely disturbed by what I have read. These men show no remorse for killing innocent civilians. They are fueled by a deep hate.

Well, lunch is up. Perhaps I'll have more time later to discuss this scary find.

CD of the day: the CD D made me. Mellow yellow.

Ok, everyone must see Ann Telnaes' cartoon today - go here. I love her style. Notice the Saddam voodoo doll on W's desk. Ha! Just a nice little added touch.

I found this story, thanks to Alternet. The Washington Post gives an extremely indepth look at what really happened to Jessica Lynch. A quote that standed out to me:
"The doctors are reasonably sure," said Army spokesman Kiki Bryant, "that she does not know what happened to her."
But the American government seems to know. Don't they?

At my audition last night I was hit with the realization that my music-reading skills have much-declined. So I didn't get into the group I wanted to, but instead will be with the huge group that sings oratorios. Mozart's "Requiem", here I come!

Maybe I should move to Canada. . .

Wow, this is faith week for me, ain't it? I am a practicing Presbyterian and I just found out about this story from Tom Paine. The relationship between homosexuals and the Presbyterian Church has always been rocky. As a rule (and as mentioned in the article), gay and lesbian people cannot be ministers in the Church because it goes against the rule that states that a minister must be either married or practicing chastity (ha!). I have tended to be somewhat ambivalent on this issue; I just haven't known what to think. But I think removing a preacher for performing same-sex marriages is going to far. Canada is ahead of us on every front.

Locally, Governor Goodhair (Rick Perry) has officially called for a special session on redistricting. What can be done now? Are the Republicans even listening to their constituents? Ack! Karl Rove, the great puppeteer, is to blame here.

Other than that, my day is going reasonably well. . . I am auditioning tonight for a local choral ensemble. I hope it goes well!

CD of the day: Tori Amos, Scarlet's Walk. L still has my FOW CD. . .

A few months ago I went to the Dallas area to see my pal K. I went to church with my aunt, uncle and cousins that weekend. I had been to their church before, and while it is much different from my liberal-Presbyterianism, it hadn't been too bad when I visited last. This experience was different though. This time we were at "war", and had to pray for the "President". I felt sooo uncomfortable and I think I confused my cousins by my somewhat quiet sounds of dissent. And to top all of this off, Priscilla Owen was visiting! She spoke IN THE CHURCH before the service started, to the congregation, as I wriggled in my seat. At the end of her whiny speech (I'm not exagerrating - she sounded like she was about to cry the whole time she was speaking), the congregation gave her a standing ovation. My cousins didn't know her background or who she was, and they stood and applauded til they saw I didn't. I was the only person in the congregation who did not applaud for this woman. I was so offended that such an obvious political character was asked to speak in church! My aunt apologized afterwards, and I told her it was okay, it just felt so weird hearing somehting like that in church.

I know my experience is not unique. I do attend church regularly, but we never talk of politics. We talk of mission and helping others, we don't discuss court appointees, you know? Priscilla Owen was standing in front of a somewhat-prosperous congregation, exclaiming her difficulties on getting appointed and ASKED FOR PRAYERS for herself and her family.

I was reminded of this experience upon reading this on Eschaton. Please protest the appointments of these ultra-conservative, far from compassionate, judges.

Glad I got that off my chest.

When I was in Americorps and Bush was elected, we knew that he was going to get rid of it. Then 9/11 happened and he advocated community service. I was out of Americorps by then, but still glad that Bush wasn't as anti-community service as I assumed. Yet now I read this on TMW and realize that he really is going to kill Americorps. It will just be an extremely slow and somewhat subtle death. If he is re-elected, Americorps and all of its relations will be gutted. *sigh* I hate that we were right about this.

This weekend went by so quickly. Last night I watched part of my new Say Anything... DVD with the commentary on. Then I went on to dream later that night that I met Loren Dean, John Cusack and Lili Taylor. It was so wierd. I guess I watched the DVD too close to my bedtime or something, because quotes from the movie were in my dream. Of course, I have watched the film enough times to memorize lines, so that may have something to with it. After that dream I dreamt that Tom Hanks and I were like timecops or something - partners travelling through time to stop fraud.

In my "Say Anything. . ." dream, a woman was pulling out of a parking spot and totally scratched and dented the side of the car next to hers. I was in a building on an upper floor and she looked straight at me as she pulled away, leaving no note anything. In my dream I wanted to bang on the window at her, but I knew it wouldn't do any good.

What is going on?

How Iraq posed an unclear and dubious danger.

Is anyone reading my blog at all? I have to wonder. I put these links up for people, but also for myself. Oh well - if you're reading my blog, I hope you're having a good day.

CD of the day: Kim Richey, Rise. Plus FOW in my car still. =)

Ha Ha! You've probably seen them already, but here they are. That's the leader of the "free" world, everybody, having problems with a Segway. Lord knows I didn't vote for him. But that's right -- the majority of us didn't. So now we know: he's a liar, a cheat, and a big klutz. *sigh* Is it 2004 yet?

I LOVE MY NEW FOUNTAINS OF WAYNE CD!!!!! I especially love the "Stacy's Mom" song. I've listened to it way too many times and I still can't get enough of it. CNN.com has an article about them here.

To send free faxes to your senators and representative asking them to find out where those pesky WMDs are, go to True Majority. Then read The Dog Ate my WMDs.

CD of the day: What do you think? =)

I think everyone should take this quiz:Homeland Security Self-Examination.

I just got an email from the Dean Campaign asking me to join MoveOn.org so I can vote to support Dean. That seems a bit fishy to me. But I guess you gotta do what you gotta do.

My day just got a whole lot better - my new Fountains of Wayne CD just came in the mail! I've only heard half of Welcome Interstate Managers and I love it already. I wish they would come to Austin ASAP! Please buy their CD - they represent the best America has to offer! Well, not really. But this CD is damn good. =) So buy it already!

I wrote a poem and a (really) short story last night. I guess I was inspired. I also watched The Best Man which is cute. I liked it. Not good enough to buy, or even see twice, but not bad.

MoveOn has informed us that they are planning on sponsoring a Democratic candidate pretty soon. If you are interested in reading more about it, go to MoveOn PAC page. Who knew I would endorse a PAC on my blog? I tend to think they are evil. I guess there are exceptions. I don't know if I will give them any money, since it isn't tax-deductible.

I just found this commentary by Jesse Jackson. I like the "foreign policy is driven by neoconservative zealots" statement. Tell it like it is, Jesse.

Josh at TPM discusses the WMD here.

CD of the day: BBMak, Sooner or Later. Yeah, yeah. Brit boy band. So what? =)

Yet more about those WMDs: Missing Weapons Of Mass Destruction: Is Lying About The Reason For War An Impeachable Offense? John Dean states, "The absence of any explanation for the gap between the statements and reality only increases the sense that the President's misstatements may actually have been intentional lies." Why is Bush getting away with this?

Go here to read a poignant speech by Bill Moyers.

CD of the day: Dolly Parton, The Grass is Blue. An excellent CD that reminds me of my time in Minnesota and my short time in North Carolina.

I found a pic of the rally. If you look closely in the people sitting, you'll see a girl with a red shirt sitting next to a girl with a green shirt wearing glasses. That's us! Go here.

I've been wondering about the families of those journalists killed by an American tank in Iraq, and here is the current news on them from Alternet: New Reports Implicate Soldiers in Death of Journalists. Why do Americans feel that we can't admit fault? Bush won't admit he's wrong about the WMD, insisting there was a "program" in existence. A program? He told us explicitly that there were weapons. And the American military claims there was a "spotter" in the hotel that they fired at. This is all lies and crap. Why aren't my Democrats getting more fired up about it?

Last night L and I went to see Howard Dean. This rally was unbelievable -- not that I've been to a lot. The crowd was so energized. Once Dean actually got to the stage the crowd would have applauded him for saying two words and leaving. I swan. My sister didn't even know about Dean before Sunday night, but she got totally into it last night. It was a very neat experience, and made me more sure that he is the candidate for me. At the end, he was yelling at the crowd, "You have the power" and it brought to mind the "Simon Zealotes" song in "Jesus Christ Superstar". I was probably the only one to think of that. Anyway - there were tons of people at this rally.

However, I watched KVUE-24 last night because I figured L and I might be on the news. Their story on the Dean rally was more like an ad for Bush. It started out by saying, "Most people don't know who Howard Dean is" with the reporter asking "people on the street" who Howard Dean is. The people on the street spot is such a campaign tool, I can't believe his boss let him get away with it. Anyway, the report showed about five seconds of Dean and 25 seconds of people saying he doesn't have the name recognition. They didn't show the huge amounts of people there, instead choosing to focus on about 4 single faces in the crowd. If I had been Joe Blow watching at home and seeing this "small" crowd for this "unknown" candidate, I wouldn't give Dean the time of day. So there you go - our "liberal" media at work. I'm so glad we have a local media that speaks for us (HAAA!). I never watch that channel since Belo took it over, and every time I flip on it for just a second it disgusts me. ACK! It frightens me that I prefer the Time-Warner run local station to the other "local" stations.

Okay, that rant is over. I'm so glad it's Tuesday.

CD of the day: Sting Fields of Gold. Sting's greatest hits. My fave is "Why Should I Cry for You?".

Monday, Monday.

Unfortunate Coincidence
Dorothy Parker

By the time you swear you're his,
Shivering and sighing,
And he vows his passion is
Infinite, undying -
Lady, make a note of this:
One of you is lying.


Um - no big news, really. I had a relaxing weekend, and my sister is back from Australia. Yay! I got new shoes and a pedicure (J's influence). I ignored the world affairs for the weekend, although I did vote on Saturday. When I went to vote after lunchtime, only 4 people had been to my precinct before me. Now, I do live in an area of town where people tend not to vote, but that is ridiculous.

CD of the day: Putamayo's Cuba. "Cuba. . .ti es mi inspiracion. . ."

I got this off of The Propaganda Remix Project website - it was done by Micah Wright. There is a lot of good stuff on that site. Very scary, but true. Go there and see what you think.

Poem of the day:

Dear Colette
Erica Jong

Dear Colette,
I want to write to you
about being a woman
for that is what you write to me.

I want to tell you how your face
enduring after thirty, forty, fifty. . .
hangs above my desk
like my own muse.

I want to tell you how your hands
reach out from your books
& seize my heart.

I want to tell you how your hair
electrifies my thoughts
like my own halo.

I want to tell you how your eyes
penetrate my fear
& make it melt.

I want to tell you
simply that I love you--
though you are "dead"
& I am still "alive."

Suicides & spinsters--
all our kind!

Even decorous Jane Austen
never marrying,
& Sappho leaping,
& Sylvia in the oven,
& Anna Wickham, Tsvetaeva, Sara Teasdale,
& pale Virginia floating like Ophelia,
& Emily alone, alone, alone. . . .

But you endure & marry,
go on writing,
lose a husband, gain a husband,
go on writing,
sing & tap dance
& you go on writing,
have a child & still
you go on writing,
love a woman, love a man
& go on writing.
You endure your writing
& your life.

Dear Colette,
I only want to thank you:

for your eyes ringed
with bluest paint like bruises,
for your hair gathering sparks
like brush fire,
for your hands which never willingly
let go,
for your years, your child, your lovers,
all your books. . . .

Dear Colette,
you hold me
to this life.

Okay, I started reading Fear of Flying last night, and I think it impacted my dream. My dream was so strange that as soon as someone's rude honking at the gate woke me up early this morning, I went to work writing it down in my journal. Now I'm remembering more about my dream - like my old roommate scoffing me in front of a group of people. Which she never did in real life, it just feels that way.

Last night I also did an interview for MoveOn with a woman in Maryland (D.C. area). I'm so glad I got to talk to her because we have so much in common, even though our backgrounds seem very different. I hope we keep in touch, because she really seems like a grand dame.=) I hope our interview results help MoveOn with whatever they are doing. Our answers to the questions were somewhat similar, so I wonder if other people had the same results we did. I guess we'll see. . .

CD of the day: Aimee Mann, Bachelor No. 2. Good stuff.

Okay, since I found the vers libre page, I've been poring over the poetry on the site. They have "On His Blindness" by Milton to Amy Lowell to Theodore Roethke. Very cool. They are missing out on a lot of poets, I'm sure. I noticed no May Sarton, Grace Paley, or Robert Pinske.

Yesterday when driving home from the gym I almost got hit by a monster truck. There is this spot on Mopac that splits for the 183 exit, and I always get over for that ASAP. I did that and this truck starts coming over into my lane, right next to me. I start honking and keep my hand on the horn as they keep moving over. I honestly think their height kept them from seeing me. I was driving on the shoulder even and finally I passed them. I didn't even start thinking about what had happened until I was on 183. Ack! Monster trucks = bad. I wonder if the driver was on a cell phone - that would explain a lot too. Or maybe he is just a bad driver, period. Whatever, it freaks me out when I think of it now. I don't know what I could have done differently, but I'm here now anyway.

Tape of the day: My mix of Patty Griffin Red, They Might Be Giants Flood and Collin Raye's I Think About You. Selected songs off of all those albums. I found it after my mom gutted my room at the house. Memories of college. . .

Here's a new favorite:

I Knew a Woman
Theodore Roethke

I knew a woman, lovely in her bones,
When small birds sighed, she would sigh back at them;
Ah, when she moved, she moved more ways than one:
The shapes a bright container can contain!
Of her choice virtues only gods should speak,
Or English poets who grew up on Greek
(I'd have them sing in a chorus, cheek to cheek).

How well her wishes went! She stroked my chin,
She taught me Turn, and Counter-turn, and Stand;
She taught me Touch, that undulant white skin;
I nibbled meekly from her proferred hand;
She was the sickle; I, poor I, the rake,
Coming behind her for her pretty sake
(But what prodigious mowing we did make).

Love likes a gander, and adores a goose:
Her full lips pursed, the errant notes to sieze;
She played it quick, she played it light and loose;
My eyes, they dazzled at her flowing knees;
Her several parts could keep a pure repose,
Or one hip quiver with a mobile nose
(She moved in circles, and those circles moved).

Let seed be grass, and grass turn into hay:
I'm martyr to a motion not my own;
What's freedom for? To know eternity.
I swear she cast a shadow white as stone.
But who would count eternity in days?
These old bones live to learn her wanton ways:
(I measure time by how a body sways).

Sonnet
Elizabeth Bishop

I am in need of music that would flow
Over my fretful, feeling fingertips,
Over my bitter-tainted, trembling lips,
With melody, deep, clear, and liquid-slow.
Oh, for the healing swaying, old and low,
Of some song sung to rest the tired dead,
A song to fall like water on my head,
And over quivering limbs, dream flushed to glow!

There is a magic made by melody:
A spell of rest, and quiet breath, and cool
Heart, that sinks through fading colors deep
To the subaqueous stillness of the sea,
And floats forever in a moon-green pool,
Held in the arms of rhythm and of sleep.


One of my favorite poems, period. From vers libre.

Thanks to A.Word.A.Day, this quote was sent to me today. It couldn't be more relevant to our current state of affairs:

When governments fear the people there is liberty. When the people fear the government there is tyranny.
-Thomas Jefferson, third US president, architect and author (1743-1826)

12 Steps to Regime Change for we Progressives who want to kick the ultra-conservatives out. Thanks to Alternet!

This morning I woke up at 2:48 to blasts of thunder and bolts of brightness through my window. It was so bad that I was lying in bed thinking - why don't I have renter's insurance?

I dreamed last night that someone called me and I answered the phone from bed. Then in the shower this morning, I wondered if someone really did call. I also dreamed that I was walking with L and someone congratulated her. Immediately I asked her, "Are you pregnant?" and she put her head down guiltily. What is up with that?!!! She is in Australia right now!

CD of the day (and yesterday too): Fountains of Wayne Utopia Parkway. Their new CD, Welcome Interstate Managers is coming out next week and you should buy it. They so deserve to be rock gods. =)

I just took this test:

My Smiths anthem is... "Shoplifters of the World Unite" Romantic and/or idealistic, you are one of the few on the list who does not spend most of their time absorbed in their own problems. You dream big, even if your goals may be a bit vague at times. You don't hate people, though you may not understand them. You enjoy fighting for causes and don't tend to obsess over love, loss, or being alone. You've got better things to do. "Shoplifters of the World Unite" is from Louder than Bombs or Best...1.

Take the What Is Your Smiths Anthem? Test

Yesterday's quote from my Wild Words from Wild Women calendar:

"I would rather be crowned, like George W." -- Kate Clinton, political comedian, on being asked whether she contemplated running for office

More on those pesky WMDs - this time from Helen Thomas.

I found this on Alternet. I like the quote: "Why do so many eligible singles prefer to sit at home watching other people go out to dinner, walk hand-in-hand, and smooch in bubbling hot tubs than actually go out on dates? When did we start to consider dating a synonym for hell?"

Check out the article: In Contempt of Courtship

I had the strangest dream this morning. I won't go into too much detail except to say that one of the reporters from the "Daily Show" was in it (I don't know his name) and I called him Mark. What am I eating that leads me to have this whacked out dreams?

So the FCC has approved media mergers and monopolies. What a wonderful world we live in. More power to Clear Channel. . .oh boy.

Okay - this is too funny. Well not ha-ha funny, considering the circumstances. Oh - ironic. That would be the term I'm looking for. Thanks, Tom Tomorrow!

Terrorist sympathizers

This weekend went by so quickly. They all seem to nowadays. I feel like I didn't accomplish much, but I was pretty much doing stuff all weekend.

I just found out about the disturbing amount of pollution Kodak is producing in New York. I'm quite sad about it, because I was taught that Kodak makes the best B&W film (TMax). So now I am in a quandry - should I keep buying Kodak film and contribute to the destruction of our environment? Or do I boycott Kodak and find a comparable brand? I honestly don't know what to do. I guess it is a good thing in this case that I don't take that many photos. I'm so saddened by this information . . .

Where are the WMDs? The hunt goes on.

CD of the day: Mozart's Marriage of Figaro. I have the edition with Elisabeth Schwarzkopf as the Countessa. It's a really lovely production.