Just Nonsense

It's Friday bitches! You know what that means... it’s Just Nonsense time!

To avoid being a movie cliché and carrying a box full of my personal belongings out of my office, I am slowly starting to take my shit home in preparation for my early August departure from [redacted]. Do you know how much useless shit not only on my computer but in my desk drawers I’ve collected in the almost five years I’ve been here? An embarrassing amount of nonsense. I have 2 candles, a roll of toilet paper (?), a toothbrush, toothpaste, a Frisbee, 2 headbands, hand lotion, hand sanitizer, face lotion, a grilling kit, a brown paper bag, 47 Ready Made Magazines, 1 Pink Emergen-C packet, 1 Liquid Emotion by Bobbie Townsend CD, 400 salt and pepper packets, a picture of 2 interns and the list goes on… Why I have any of this stuff is really beyond me. I’m guessing about 98.6% of it will be in the can very shortly.

I enjoy the Fourth of July. I, like everyone else in Pittsburgh, am obsessed with fireworks and parades. I’m pretty sure Pittsburgh can’t celebrate an event without either fireworks or a parade and I think that is fantastic. I will watch a parade that is 5 minutes long celebrating pierogies just because it’s a parade. I will also watch fireworks regardless how long the show is. Yes, I will complain about how short it was after, but during those minutes the sky is being lit up, I will be happy. Despite the fact that I like fireworks and parades, the main reason I like the Fourth of July is because of the picnic food. Similar to any kind of dip, I will eat the hell out of picnic food. Potato salad? Yes! Corn on the cob? Yes! Baked beans? Yes! Hot dogs? Duh! Cheeseburgers? Duh again! Should I go on? Watermelon? Yes! Watermelon soaked in vodka? Do I really need to answer? I mean I can’t think of a better food category than “picnic food”. All I know is the party I’m going to has all the tools to be fantastic… pool, booze, me… the one thing I’m not sure about is the quality of picnic food. So they better get their shit together and have all my favorite picnic food and not ruin my Fourth!

Monday starts my “quit being lazy and start working out” regimen. I stopped working out over a year ago and have missed it dearly. For whatever reason I couldn’t bring myself to work out in any way, shape or form. I’m ready to change that. So Monday I’m going to start running, taking advantage of the gym in my building and find a yoga studio to sweat to death in. I’m making all sorts of changes that will hopefully align the way I want them too. Also I need to keep this rock hard bod in mint condition in case I’m walking down the street and the sexiness happens.

SONG OF THE DAY: The Nationals & St. Vincent - Sleep All Summer (just in case)

THIS TIME LAST YEAR: Just Nonsense


This week in survival tips...

How to Take a Punch in the Stomach
1. Tighten your stomach muscles. A blow to the gut (solar plexus) can damage organs and kill.
2. Do not suck in your stomach. Doing so increases the risk of internal injury.
3. Shift slightly so that the blow hits your side, but do not flinch or move away from the punch. Moving away only give the punch more momentum. Try to absorb the blow with your obliques, the set of muscles on your side that wraps around your ribs.

The Break Up

I just broke up with someone I've been dating for almost five years... my job. We both knew it was coming and was for the best, but it didn't make it any easier. Especially when they started to cry which caused me to cry a little. I am the biggest sissypants ever. I can't help it though because despite the fact that every day I stepped into my office a small part of my soul died, I still liked taking a nap on my desk. What?!? I never did that future employers. That was a joke...

This break up was what I was talking about in that last post. I know how I thrive on being ambiguous and vague. It's just a part of my mystery. Or not. Or whatever... The break up finally sealed the deal on the previous chapter of my life and started the "Adult" one I'm eagerly yet skeptically stepping into. It's good though because its helping me out of the rut consumed of self doubt I was in. I'm slowly returning to the confident mother fucker so many have grown to love.

Since I'll now be a permeate resident of Pittsburgh, I've become obsessed with interior design. I have a particular style of doing things and that particular style require butt loads of money. Meaning it is serious. Meaning it is so serious in fact that I can't afford it. And that makes me sadcakes. So now I'm going to have to get creative to make my pad a little slice of heaven because since I thought it was only temporary is so boring I die. It's fairly big. And fairly plain. And a fairly clean slate to start my new chapter in.

I'm open to suggestions...




SONG OF THE DAY: Miike Snow - Song For No One

To Dream... A Not So Impossible Dream...

You know how when you're a little kid and dream about being an "adult"? You think you'll be driving a pink corvette and live in a mansion and be married to a really buff G.I. Joe. So far I am batting 1000 on those dreams.

Looking at those dreams now though, I don't even recognize them. Those were never my dreams. I've kind of always been like that. Creating dreams for other people. I remember in first grade we had to write down who'd we like to meet if given the chance. I wrote Mickey Mouse because it's Mickey Mouse for fucks sake. Who wouldn't want to meet Mickey Mouse? Almost every other girl in my class wrote down Patrick Swayze. I didn't even know who Patrick Swayze was but I changed my dream for other people. I've been doing that for so long that I can't even remember any of my own dreams. And I think it's about time I change that.

Over the weekend I finally achieved adulthood. There are many reasons for this, but tons of things happened to let me know I finally made that transition. I'll always have on sillypants so don't you worry. I also still enjoy doing things that are clearly not classified as "adult" but that is part of my charm right. It's just that I finally decided to stop trying to please others and start pleasing myself. In all senses of the form...

SONG OF THE DAY: Lupe Fiasco feat. Matthew Santos - Shining Down

Just Nonsense

It's Friday bitches! You know what that means... it’s Just Nonsense time!

Yes, I’m going to talk about Michael Jackson. Yes, everyone is talking about Michael Jackson. Yes, I know you’re tired hearing about him. Yes, I don’t care.

Anyone who has been a steady reader of this blog knows my love for Michael Jackson. I’m pretty sure if I’ve only just met you, you’ll know within 37 minutes of my love for Michael Jackson. There are only two people I will always dance anytime their music comes on, Michael Jackson and Justin Timberlake. I will dance my ass off to either. Try it. It’s fail proof.

For me, memories and music have always gone hand and hand and Michael Jackson is tied to more memories than I can actually remember. I’ve talked about Michael Jackson 14 times on my blog. I have always and will always never get enough of Michael Jackson.

Ask any child born in the early 80s and they’ll tell you a similar tale about a dancing machine with the voice of an angel who moonwalked straight into their heart. I remember not being able to watch Thriller because it scared the shit out of me. I remember the first time I saw the sidewalk light up in Billy Jean. I remember wanting a flip knife so I could be a dancing gang member like in Beat It. I remember how amazing Smooth Criminal was the first time I saw this. I remember how every Michael Jackson video was an event. I remember buying the tape “Will You Be There” not only because I loved Free Willy but because it was Michael Jackson. I remember taping The Jackson’s: An American Dream so I could watch it over and over. I remember spending countless hours in front of a mirror trying to move like him. (If you’ve ever watched me dance, you can clearly see who’ve I’ve stolen my swagger from.) You know how his music makes you feel and if you don’t well I feel sorry for you. I’m especially sorry for all the people who won’t get to see the man in action, in his prime, doing what he did best… entertain.

So when I say my heart is sad, I’m not lying. I’ll be moonwalking every where today. Shamon. Shamon.



MY TOP FIVE MICHAEL JACKSON SONGS:
5. Will You Be There
4. The Jackson 5 - I Want You Back
3. The Way You Make Me Feel (probably my favorite to dance to)
2. Billy Jean
1. Rock With You

BONUS TRACK: Hot Street (Tysaun Alexanderic Heat Mix)

I also write here...

The Savvy Grouse

Summer Days...

Guess who just finished her last summer class? This girl. Do you know how fantastic it feels to look at my calendar and not see one thing I have to do? I haven't had a break longer than a week in a year. I need this 2 month break more than anything. To take a few steps back and just breathe. I haven't had time to just breathe in a very long time.

I plan on sitting. A lot during my time off. I plan on reading the 10,000 books sitting next to my bed in parks. I plan on biking to random destinations in the city to draw things. I plan on spending countless afternoons doing nothing but enjoying my surroundings. It's going to be fabulous.

If I get tired of doing all this "relaxing," I plan on volunteering somewhere. Where or who that lucky place will be, I haven't decided yet. I have a few ideas, but no solid leads as of yet. We'll see where this summer breeze blows me, but I have a feeling it's going to be an adventure where ever I end up.



SONG OF THE DAY: The Gossip - Vertical Rhythm

Be back to a regular posting schedule next week because I'LL BE DONE WITH SUMMER CLASSES... until then... here's to tonight.

Lykke Li - Tonight from Lykke Li on Vimeo.

A Simple Kind of Life...

Why do people take pictures at concerts? What is the real point of that? I have 10,000 pictures from 10,000 concerts I’ve attended over the years and do you know where they all are? Either in a box somewhere or on my computer somewhere. Never once have I ever put one of those bad boys in a frame.
Never once have I ever done anything with any of them. Do you think this ever stops me from being obsessed with getting to the front of the stage to take pictures of an artist? No. No it does not. I am right up there with all those other camera-wielding folks trying to snap the perfect picture to prove to something everyone already knows… that I’m completely awesome.

I only started wondering about my obsession for concert pictures after No Doubt last Saturday. I took about 150 pictures. Why? In between jumping and trying to not pee my pants, taking pictures captured my focus. I mean I got a lot of great shots considering I was in the pit. Five feet from Gwen Stefani. And her ridic body that I would cut off my right hand for. Jealous?

I have a weak spot for No Doubt. They were my first concert ever. It was May of 1996, Tragic Kingdom was just starting to get really big and it was raining. I’ll never forget what it felt like to hear them the first time. It was pure 9th grade ecstasy. Best birthday present of my life really. It was the same feeling last Saturday. Nothing can describe the pulse that runs through your veins when you hear one of your favorite bands playing live. And being that close to them was just icing on the cake.

The whole concert was a surreal and strange experience for me though. I’ve never been to a concert where I knew so many people in the audience experiencing the same show, feeling maybe the same feelings, but were so far away from where I was. Usually you go to a concert and are with friends or whatnot. You immediately get to experience the shouts of joy when favorite songs are played and share in the signing along, but this concert made me step back and wonder what those 17,000+ people were feeling. What it felt like for them… for us… to be in this magical simple kind of life moment together in between all the flashing cameras.


SONG OF THE DAY: Bloody Feathers - On A Holiday

Just Nonsense

It's Friday bitches! You know what that means... it’s Just Nonsense time!

Another week without my mug in the the explosion. I am sorry, but I really just need to throw my camera off the ground in a rage or on purpose whatever so I have a legit excuse to buy a new one and start taking pictures of myself again.

Driving home from work yesterday I thought of 97 things I needed to talk about today. Do you think I remember any of them at the moment? You're right. I don't. You win a handshake.

Give me a second… it will come to me.

Ooooook….

So you know when you start a new job how you try to not look like a complete ass until at least 6 months in? (Worst sentence ever) I mean you don’t want the whole office to know you’re [insert something ridic here] right when you start. Is this just me or do others pull down their freak flag until they’re put in a situation where it is likely someone else in the office will be drunker then them and expose their "hidden talents"? I’ve been trying to rein in my weird at least on Mondays and Wednesdays in fear I would quickly be labeled the “Strange & Sarcastic New Girl That No One Understands.” I think I’ve done a pretty good job avoiding that label thus far. I’ve gained control of my frequent random swearing. I’ve repressed the nonsensical nonsense. I haven’t once relayed something idiotic I’ve done while boozed up. I’ve done well. That is until I was asked to join the office dodge ball team. This is going to end badly. I can feel it. Mainly because I was that girl in high school who tried to hit people in the face with dodge balls. I was also the girl who was so competitive that I actually yelled at people a few times for getting out so easily. I’m pretty sure I was well hated on dodge ball days. Or every day. Same difference. So this should go really well for me. New office friends here I come.

On my drive home while I was making a mental list of nonsense that I wanted to chat about, I almost died… trying to take a picture of a Delorean. Sadly, after I almost caused a ten car pileup, I discovered Michael J. Fox was not driving and only came away with this. Too add to that disappointment Funkytown came on my iTouch instead of Power of Love. Uh for someone, Barry - my iTouch, who acts like he knows what mood I'm in he sure did drop the ball on that one.

Tomorrow at this time I will be in class wishing I didn’t go out the night before. Can you say priorities? But Sunday at this time I will hopefully (fingers crossed) be a part of Gwen Stefani’s family. I’m going to see No Doubt on Saturday and since I’ll be in the 5th row singing perfectly along with every song, Gwen Stefani will be mystified by my enchanting voice and immediately welcome me into her family. Also I plan on giving her "the eyes" you know "the please adopt me because I'm fantastic and it would be totally cool eyes."

Instead of working on my business plan last night, I decided to visit a friend and then grab a drink with another friend. I had every intention of doing homework. Really. I mean going to a bar for a quick visit, then agreeing to drink the second drink your friend buys you and then arriving at your homework destination as it's closing is very conducive to productivity right? It was then that I decided the night was a wash and just went to the bar to catch up with a pal of mine. This is the kind of pal that I get lost in conversation with. The paths that led us on our journey last night were more random than ever I think, but it made for a perfect evening. He is the kind of pal that I cannot see for months; years even, and pick right back up with conversation as if it never ended. That's the kind of pal that despite any distance you hold on to because there are not many people that fit like that.


SONG OF THE DAY: Florence & The Machine - Cosmic Love (just in case)


THIS TIME LAST YEAR: Just Nonsense & Who Thought Grad School Was A Good Idea?


This week in survival tips...

How to Deal With a Charging Bull
1. Do not antagonize the bull, and do not move.
2. Look around for an escape route, cover, or high ground. Running away is not likely to help—bulls can easily outrun humans. If you can reach and open door or some other safe haven, make a run for it.
3. If the bull has noticed you but you cannot escape to safety, remove a piece of clothing. Use this to distract the bull. It does not matter what color or size the clothing is.
4. If the bull charges, remain still and then throw the clothing away from you. The bull should head toward the object you have thrown, and you can escape in the other direction.

I also write here...

The Savvy Grouse



SONG OF THE DAY: Jay-Z feat Santogold - Brooklyn Go Hard