I think I'm long overdue for a "good things" list. I shall do that later today.
EDIT: it is later today.
GOOD THINGS:
1. MY JOB.
It is epic. I probably won't talk about it too terribly much here, because even though my bosses aren't techies they may still find this and I don't want to be blabbing the details of their business all over the place. Still, the store is absolutely magic, the couple (who created the store, design all of the furniture in it as well as make the candles, run it all themselves. they have two adorable daughters and a fascinating backstory, interlaced with their work with many aspects of the art world) is magic, the job is magic. Yesterday was a big prep/writing day there, and I woke up super anxious that I was just not going to know what to do or how to approach it, but they were preoccupied with their own stuff so I figured out a ton of stuff out on my own and came up with some new ideas that they loved. I have alot of control already, and I think that will only grow (they want to do other things rather than just running the store all the time). I work the counter with them on the weekends and write/do newslettery salesthings on the weekdays. I'm learning about furniture design and arrangement and trendy stuff. I'm so excited and feel so hip, plus I have to dress nice while I'm there and dressing nice always makes me feel cooler than I am.
2. COFFEE.
The great thing about being poor for weeks and not consuming nor having time to make coffee is that once I have it, it hits me damn hard (in a good way). I CAN DO ANYTHING with just a little bit of coffee! I woke up v. early this morning (as I do Mon/Wed/Fri) to go to my Aid job, and on the way over I was dying as I slept so poorly last night for whatever reason. I got to work early, still dying and sagging, and decided dammit, if ever there were a time for coffee it is now. I turned around, counted all of the change I had in my car, and bought a little iced coffee at Coffee Bean (iced so I could drink it quickly-- honestly, I don't know why I'm so sensitive to hot stuff, I can only drink coffee after it's been sitting for about 15 minutes). I turned into a super-heroine instantly, and despite having about 3 hours of sleep, I am still going now on my most productive day in a long time. Haven't had coffee in awhile? Have some. Really, do it.
3. Good music
Song: Conversation 16 by The National
I love the National, but when I sampled their newest album High Violet nothing really jumped out at me. Still, I downloaded a few songs some time ago and they've been slowly creeping into my consciousness. This one in particular is intriguing because while you listlessly listen all of a sudden you catch that it sounds like a story about zombies, and the chorus is "I was afraid/I'd eat your brains." Of course, it's my feeling that it's a pretty deep song about the monotony of Hollywood-type life (yeah the zombie analogy has been done before, but this feels a bit different). It sounds to me like a man has become an undead creature over his service in Hollywoodland (or the like), and either his zombie-ness threatens to zombi-fy a live girl (you're the only thing I want anymore, let's run away, I was afraid I'd eat your brains), or part of his zombiehood is his marriage to a zombie bride (lots of "we's" and we're in this together kind of stuff). Anyway, it's fantastic stuff.
Band: Cloud Cult
One of the few still making concept albums. I really like their stuff, especially "Running with the Wolves" and "There's So Much Energy In Us." I recommend, they're like a cooler sounding, less twee Polyphonic Spree, and the guy's voice is cool.
4. Cold
SoCal is a weird place. Two weeks ago it was flaming hot, almost like summer in Texas. LA had record-breaking highs. And then it got cold, and then it got kind of hot and sunny again, and now it's cold, damp, and cloudy-grey. I like seeing a bit of the sky, but I'm tired of the sun and warmth and all that. Cold! Cold I said! And the clouds heard me and bend to my will.
5. THE WEEPIES
A few nights ago, a few people rallied together to go see an old favorite band, the demure duo called The Weepies in LA. It was a long-delayed Christmas present for my friend Maureen, who has loved the Weepies for forever and introduced me to them. The album Say I Am You was such a huge part of my life, and each song is so special that hearing about 40% of it live (and sounding PERFECT) was mind-blowing and deeply comforting and satisfying. Her voice is so velvety and soft and his voice is like... hot cocoa or something. They are both sweet people and I adored them and urge anyone to hear them live.
6. Happy dogs.
The dogs that my landlords own, two little mutty things named Gaby and Mocha, are precious. They're on the bigger side of "small," thank god, and they're not yappy unless someone is trespassing. Gaby is a fluffy part-poodle part something else (mostly part something else, she's fluffy and cute and not poodle-shaped at all though she does have the curlish poodle fur), an old, tired, sweet dog. She's Mr. V's dog, and very loyal. She doesn't like to do anything when he's not around. As far as Mocha is concerned, I'm not sure what kind of dog she is at all, has a weird thick little body and a sweet face with soft little eyes, but she's mostly precious because she loves everyone, comes to see me when she hears me moving around the house, and runs to the gate when she hears my car come home. She also loves walks, which I try to take her on because I'm nice like that. Anyway. It's nice to have someone be happy to see you when you come home.
7. Remembering weird weirdo things I did when I was younger.
Being surrounded by junior high kids (aid job) reminds me of what a weird kid I was, even in comparison to weird kids. I loved Sean Connery (I remember fantasizing about saying nice things about him at his AFI lifetime achievement thingy the night that it aired. yeah. like talking to the mirror about what a nice guy Mr. Connery was, and what a professional to work with ahahahahaha.... ahahahaha), I loved Judaism (not that that's a weird thing to love, of course, but it is a bit odd for a nine year old raised-Christian kid to perform hours of research about Jewish practices and holidays. I made my dollhouse people into a Jewish family and made them little decorations and accessories out of clay, and I marked all of the Jewish holidays on my calendar and had them celebrate every single one as orthodoxly as possible. I made copies of Jewish factoids from the books I had checked out and made it into my own huge blue Jewish book which I kept for a long time and referred to often), I was into Catwoman comic books and made a weekly pilgrimage to search for them, I started a business of printing off and cutting out those stupid "cartoon doll" things that were so popular when the internet first became really available to kids. Remembering those things are so hilarious to me, and that's just the tip of the iceberg, of course.
8. My ability to cook chicken and various other things.
So. When you run out of options all of a sudden cooking becomes a possibility. I have always sucked at cooking and the kitchen in general because it frightens me, but when left to my own devices I seem to be able to learn. That's kind of a pattern with me. I guess I'm just a hands-on learner with a psychotic fear of pressure from other people. Anyway, last week I started making things even though I couldn't remember for the life of me how to make most of it (what on earth did people use before the in-ter-nets?), but everything turned out alright. I even used a skillet. Skillets have always been particularly scary because I've never been sure as to what makes a skillet different from a frying pan and mostly prefer the microwave for everything. I know, I know, I make you talented cooks very ill. But I am learning! Another good thing.
9. Waking up to "Good Mornin'!" from Singin' in the Rain.
Annoying? Kinda. Worth it? Totally.
Bonus: I was very smug as I watched Glee the other night (stupid glee, why can't i quit you?!) and one of the characters said something like Gene Kelly and Donald O'Connor duet in Singin' In The Rain with the song Make 'Em Laugh. They don't. It is in fact the Moses Supposes song that they famously duet with, along with the Fit as a Fiddle song etc. Make 'Em Laugh was all Donald. Gene just watched and laughed. Faillllllll, Glee. FAIL.
10. Silvery, glitter nailpolish.
That's all. It's just so shiny.
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