KMHD, Mayumi:

The flash trip to Ft. Smith wasn't too bad, it went by w/o incident. Highlights include Dad making scrambled eggs for KMHD (Which is a BFD, he hasn't cooked for us in 10+ years!) and inheriting an 8-track player + numerous 8-track cassettes. I've always respected and admired the novelty of 8-tracks, but never saw myself as an owner of one. Thx to my dad, I am now!

Just a sample:

Me & KMHD, we got out of Ft. Smith pretty quickly, there's nothing for us there. I need to note the immense feeling of relief and happiness arriving back home. Euh, huh? We weren't even gone 24 hours.

Me & ATM made good on what was left of our weekend, we went to the flea market in search of "new" 8-track cassettes (No dice), Supermercado Fresca (Home of 88 cent t-shirts and glass bottle colas), and we tried to go to Jam Rock, a newish Caribbean grocery store, but they were closed. According to my co-worker, they have lots of tonics and potions for vitality & long-lasting boners. Naturally, I'm intrigued. I don't even know what I'd pick up there! Probably not tonics and potions, though.

3-day weekend bliss and it's all for Independence Day. We are going to have a thing @ our home. I've already drawn up a menu & ideas of water sprinklers and shady spots in the yard. I really hope people bring chairs! And libations. And maybe a little food. I'm inviting the usual suspects, all of the precious (& photogenic) folks that I run with. They will make my 4th so attractive!

My favorite glass:

I did myself a huge favor and ordered Kids In the Hall Seasons 1 & 2. Both offa the internets for less than 20$! I really envy you guys -- you'll soon get to hear me dropping KITH quotes all over the place! So's you know, I ain't gonna spread for no roses.

ECLIPSE GLASSES

Eclipse Glasses tonite @ AR Flag & Banner / 800 W. 9th St. $5 + ca$h bar. 8 p.m. -11p.m.

Re: The Seattle post. It won't be ready for awhile, but for very good reason: it's not being thrown together. I've got to do a little recollecting & remembering. I've got to upload photos & try to condense condense condense, even though there's no avoiding lengthiness. I'm still waiting for ATM's bit on our night out in Fremont. I've been too busy @ work to really work on it, but in the end I think it might prove useful to anyone who goes to Seattle & surrounding areas. Well, ha, maybe.

Me & KMHD are working on 'cheat sheets' to take to Spanish-speaking establishments, especially restaurants. It's difficult to tell someone "I am vegetarian" and get desired results unless you speak their language. So, we Babelfished some terms and translated from English to Spanish in hopes of being able to ask for a salsa verde refill and NOT getting any meat in KMHD's burrito. I'd like to learn more than how to order a taco though! I know the Latino community is steadily growing in Arkansas, but it doesn't mean I encounter Spanish-speakers all of the time. In fact, we get the occasional Spanish-speaking person here @ the courthouse or when I go to Las Delicias, but I don't encounter them otherwise. So, an effort does have to be made to learn the language, which I am happy to do. I guess I wonder what all the fuss is over some alien invasion? Amirite? Some people just act crazy/silly when they get the fear.

So, maybe this trip to Ft. Smith won't be so awful. We won't be there long, I'll be with KMHD & we won't be there that long. I'm hoping to do some fine dining.

ATM's band Eclipse Glasses will be playing their first show tomorrow night @ AR Flag & Banner! I think it'll be a good show, I'm looking forward to it. He's so cute, that ATM.

It's Wednesdate & I think we're keeping it simple w/ dinner & DVDs.

Allow me to copy/paste from my AR Rockers profile:

I had such a blast camping w/ Keiko & Rett!  You would think that boating out to an island to camp can't outdo itself, but things HAPPENED, man.  At night, we sat at the very edge of the water and stargazed.  What did we see?  Everything.  We saw more stars that I've seen in a long time.  We saw orbiting satellites.  We saw shooting stars.  At one point, we asked the Greater Powers to show us something amazing, so amazing that it scares us a little.  It totally happened:

This photo does no justice, natch.  The moon came out of nowhere, rising so fast, so bright, so orange.  I couldn't get my camera fast enough!  It had completely risen past the horizon before I couldn run 30 feet to get my camera!  We had gone most of the night w/o the moon, so it was just shocking.  It was beautiful, it was awesome, I'll never forget it.  I wish I could write better to convey how rad it was.

Less talk, more...photos?



This photo is great. There's our firepit, made of crystal. On the cooler, a bottle of Patron. Cute people!:


The boat, the view, the AMD floating on a thingy, and our Captain:


ATM, smoke, moon, moon reflection:

After camping, we all rode into town and ate lunch @ Rolando's.  A note to get the tortilla soup & enchiladas again.

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So, today, MONDAY, passed w/o too much incident, although I did have a wardrobe malfunction.  The zipper on my beautiful pencil skirt gave out on me, but no one witnessed it, thankfully.  I was on my way out to lunch when I noticed it and I was able to change when I got home.  

Me & KMHD are going to Ft. Smith this weekend to visit Mayumi before she goes off to Japan and to visit Dad, help him with the yard work.  It's a one-night stay, so there's no fucking around.  We're going to stay w/ Mayumi.  I doubt we'll go out and experience "the night life", as there really isn't one.  Well, one we can tolerate.  I am totally treating this trip as a dreadful chore, which is, well, I don't know.  All I know is that you shouldn't drink the water.

Got off work a little early with the intent of doing some internets housekeeping -- updating profiles, blogs, uploading photos.  Then I'd do some work work.  Yes, I brought some home!  It's mostly just organizing letters, but it's still work work.  I've accomplished half of what I hoped for, but I'm satisfied.

I guess I'll spend the rest of the evening preparing my bento (leftover shrimp!), showering, tending to my goddamn sunburn, and charging my AiPod for the walk to work!  There's a possibility of a Farmer's Market visit tomorrow.  I've got blueberries, dry-aged beef, and okra on the brain.  We'll see!

Molasses.  It's been quiet around here w/o ATM.  

I'm still w/o le automobile, but I've managed to get out of the house w/ no problems. Yesterday evening, Micah & Donna came over & we walked to Dickey-Stephens to join Matika & Angie & their (cute) babies to watch a baseball game.  (7-6, Travs)  Anne loaned me her car this evening so I could get groceries.  What a rad co-worker, yes?  

Gosh, I am so tired.

$$$600$$$

I laughed when I opened my mailbox and found my government check inside. You know, the $600. Is this for fuxxing real?!!! I wasn't going to believe it until I had the thing in my hand, you know? Anyway, there's something weird, something not quite right about this money. I decided long ago, when the news first broke out that these checks were en route to the people, that if A) It was real and I actually got one that B) I'd be a "patriot" and go on a shopping spree. Fug it, you know? I've been saving and saving and paying off my debts, I need to get more camping gear and some comics, man! Oh, and some clothes for work. And a steak. I need some spoils!

My problem right now is that I've been thinking so frugal, so little, that I'm having a difficult time thinking BIG. Should I get a new computer? I DON'T KNOW! It may just have to sit in savings, accruing interest, until I figure it out.

So, hot shots, what did you spend yr $600? Or did you just put it towards bills, debts, school loans? SISSY!

I'm preparing myself to being alone most of this week. I feel a little sad about it, there's a silver lining in there somewhere, right? O.K., so I'll have a little more bed space to myself. But then what? It's impossible cooking for one! Maybe I'll just go watch a load of awful movies. And I'll go visit KMHD, Zach & General Chang.


FYI: I'm still trying to upload SY footage from the Fville show. Fuxxing Y0u Tu83 is being such a hassle.

I get it.

I'm a slow person. In more than ways than one, I'm a tortoise.

When we returned from Seattle, I realized that I had fallen into the "Arkansas Vortex". It's easy to fall in to and remain forever.  And I don't mean to say it like it's a bad thing -- I know some folks who could happily live in the vortex, no problem. But, there's THE void. In exchange for a low cost of living and parking spaces and awesome camping, we suffer not having bubble tea shops, affordable/delicious coffee [Sorry, Boulevard -- you're not very accessible!], Ethiopian cuisine, and proper music venues -- to name a few. Little Rock/N. Little Rock really tries, and that's why I'm so forgiving, but sometimes I wish we didn't have to work so hard for it. One thing I can say about this town(s) is that we do not take any offerings for granted.  Having proper venues or restaurants or shops are a victory for us, even if it doesn't seem like a big deal to anyone anywhere else.  They're a big deal!

That said, when I post things, it's really a report of things I did or will do or have done.  Big deal or no, it's mostly to share with my little circle of friends, my posse. And it's for posterity.  It's wild to go back on things I've written in the past, I've changed so much!  The blog also serves to keep memories fresh as my memory fails me more & more as the time passes.  I sometimes feel sorry for the random buddy that clicks on the link to this blog. This blog is not the peak of excitement, it's slow. I'm slow! Molasses.  I love it!  It affords me the pleasure of being able to travel and still be impressed & fascinated by very little things.  

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The night before last, me & ATM drove up to Fort Roots (NLR) to get a better view of an electrical storm:

The lightning was non-stop & silent. It felt like a live being, so strange.

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Yesterday, I bought some bento "supplies".  Now I can tote around sides of mayonnaise or dressing or soy sauce or hot sauce or whatever in a cute leakproof bottle or container.  I'm really enjoying Ms. Bento, my latest obsession.  

Me & ATM went back to JTDesigns where I totally scored some new skewers!  Now, there's a little background story to this.  On Friday, we watched an ep of Good Eats, kabobs being the theme.  A. Brown said that the best skewers were nice & pointy, but most importantly, flat.  He flouted what looked like my Xmas present that I rec'd from KMHD a couple of years ago.  Up until Friday, I always thought that she got me a fancy letter opener, which I hung in my bedroom for decoration.  As we watched the t.v. show, I said to ATM, "I think I've got a skewer hanging in the bedroom!"  Totally.  Anyway, we thought it a VERY good sign to find some of similar design @ JTD, so I bought four to join the one at home.  I wrote down A. Brown's recipe for spicy kabobs, so I'm very excited to give them a try soon!  Especially if we're going to make them in the fire pit!

The one KMHD got me is on the far right.
 

We got some past-due yard work done, the exterior looks great!  You know what's missing?  A bird bath & a bird feeder.  I'd like to get those things, this neighborhood has A LOT of birds and I'd like to see them playing & eating in my backyard.  You know what's not missing?  FERNS.  We got two of them for the front porch and they look fantastic.  They really tie the house together.

So, we're going to the lake next week w/ Rett & Keiko & TBA?  I'm very excited about it, I ordered a new swimsuit.  I need a big floppy hat to go with my ensemble, mostly for sun-blocking and then for style.  Too, I need to go through our gear and see what needs to be refilled or replaced.  

I find myself wanting to have some event in our backyard.  I'm tempted to buy a kiddie pool & get a keg & just call people to come over, bring food.  And a chair.  

I found this gem @ The Fresh Market:

Friend or foe? I'm intrigued. I'm taking it to work to try w/ CK, a fellow chocolate-liker. KMHD once linked me to a photo of choco-dipped bacon. I am not afraid. Maybe one day. I guess this candy bar will serve as a primer.

Happy Father's Day, ATM!

I'm watching what has been a disappointing soccer game between Germany & Croatia -- hopefully, things will turn around quickly!  As of now, 2-0 Croatia.

I've spent some time today working on a post about our recent trip to Seattle.  I'd like to document it properly for posterity, but I don't want it to be so long and drawn out.  Oh, but it will be long, that part can't be helped.

UPDATE:  Goal!  Germany!

I got to use Ms. Bento for the first time today!  There's something satisfying about taking a proper lunch to work.  It was leftovers today, no big deal.  I had chicken enchiladas w/ salsa, cantaloupe, & fig newtons.  This evening, when I got home from work, the first thing I did was drain a block of tofu & squeezed out it's water.  Made up a simple marinade and pan fried them.  OM NOM.  They are going to lay on a bed of plain steamed rice.  A side of cantaloupe and a salad and there is lunch for tomorrow!  

I walked to work, too, and I say what took me so long?  I know people who have to walk further than I have to to get to their bus/subway stop.  It's a bit embarrassing that I haven't made this a habit sooner.  We're a car short these days, the OVLOV has been acting strange.  It gives me the fear to think of breaking down on the Broadway bridge in the middle of p.m. traffic.  Anyway, walking is fine, it's a nice route.  I mean, I get to walk over the river both ways!  I brought an umbrella to use as a parasol, but I didn't use it - - I will tomorrow!  I got a tan, but on one side.

UPDATE:  Red card, Germany.  #7 Schweinsteiger.  It doesn't look good.  

UPDATE UPDATE:  Croatia wins.  They are the better team, I saw it.  It should've been 3-1, really.

So, I'm going through a thing right now.  I can't seem to get to it!  I've got things I need to do, you know, some housekeeping, some involved cooking.  I don't know what it is, I mean, I don't feel awful, I am LAZY.  Maybe it's the summerness that's going on outside.  I don't know, maybe I'm just being a knucklehead.  There's nothing wrong, I'm just being lazy.

I want my $600!  It's my money and I want it now!  Amirite?  I'm going to be a patriot and spend the shit out of that government check.  My short list of things I'd like to purchase:  Clothes (mostly for work) & Love/Rockets comics.  Oh, and a fan for the tent.  I guess if there's anything left, I'll put it in savings.  

I'm trying to work up some motivation to run to the grocery store real quick -- I'd like to make some furikake for future lunches.  And a cucumber-tomato salad.  My aunt gave me some beautiful tomatoes in Seattle and I managed to get them home unbruised and they are ripening with a quickness, so it's time.   

Ugh, stifling laziness.