Nibbles & Horace have joined the party

Nibbles & Horace

Life, right?

It’s been almost a year since my last update. I suppose social media stuff makes it seem a bit redundant, but I started to notice I’m making less connections these days because I stay in my bubble and am trying to work on that. I keep things semi-private, because I am more concerned with not hurting the feelings of people I am purposefully keeping at a distance –even if I am doing so for my own well-being. It’s time to get over it. Demons out, luck in!

In May I moved into my own place, and shortly after my family moved in too. (It’s cool; I needed more towels.) In somewhat recent history, there was a hurricane and an absurd flu outbreak that knocked my office out of whack. I turned 34, and because I am a sucker I fell in love with a handsome beastly jerk and a living Pokemon and adopted them.

They don’t like each other. Horace grew up on the street and cannot be convinced that the food bowls will be refilled on a regular basis, so he gets into everything that might possibly be edible. He likes the counter and the sink and the trash can, and whatever you’re holding and basically, everything you so much as look at. I am not entirely sure he wouldn’t attempt to snack on the other cat if they were left alone for a while. Nibbles on the other hand, is wider than she is tall, with short legs and approximately six inches of tail, and cannot jump up on anything too high or keep him from bullying her away from her own food dish. She looks like she was painted in pastel watercolors and is just as soft to the touch. She walks around going, “reh reh reh.” As my brother says, you can’t look at her without smiling. She’d been at PAWS since April endearing herself to the volunteers and staff but oddly not finding any luck with potential adopters. I don’t get it, but I’m glad it worked out because she’s mine-all-mine.

Fun Nibbles facts: when you scritch above her tail she reflexively licks the air keeping time with your motion and it is the best thing ever. I kept her shelter name because it suits her so well; she pulls each piece of food out of her dish, onto the floor and eats them individually. It takes her a half hour to eat a quarter cup of kibble.

Horace was a new face at the shelter that I clicked with immediately. First of all, look at his beautiful swirls and stripes, and secondly his name was Horace. He’s very affectionate, and I admit that the first time we met was my best makeout session of 2012. He bites when he’s annoyed and also when he’s excited, and anytime he feels like it. We have a special connection — deep inside a part of me is jealous of his free expression. I can’t just knock shit over when I’m pissed. Or chomp on everything that seems potentially delicious. Horace is truly living the dream. Cats are cool.

Here’s what I’ve been into lately that isn’t Nibbles & Horace related:

  • Growing out my signature bangs because I have an actual hair goal in mind for a change.
  • Watching nearly 700 hours of anime since I moved. (Yes, over 25 days worth in under a year.) I have a lot of things to say about this, and plan to. 
  • Add the time spent on Korean television dramas to that, and, no. Please don’t.
  • Going on OkCupid adventures and making a ton of friends. The trick to OKC is to filter out all the straights. (You’re welcome.)
  • Attempting to keep my 2013 New Year resolution to only talk about work in my nightmare addled sleep. The NDA makes not talking about the actual work super easy, but in turn you find yourself talking about all of the non-project-related office inanity. It’s a work in progress. 

(Word count:  666.)

one more thing

Let’s see if I can remember all of the things that have happened since the last time I made one of these update lists:

  • Was hit by a car while walking to work. (I’m doing ok! Bruises/torn ligament? Not too big a deal.)
  • Saw Peter Murphy.
  • Got a promotion / suddenly feel good about waking up and going into the office.
  • Spent Thanksgiving alone, which was kind of awesome. Grilled cheese and tomato soup! No travel/traffic!
  • One of my friends gave me a tv he was getting rid of and I ordered a Roku player — changing my life. (read: addicted to Miss Marple & Columbo)
  • Spent a weird week and a half, feverish and mostly sleeping. Woke up and decided it was time to look for my own place.
  • Promptly got sick again? Currently have the sorest throat because my room warps into a dry riverbed at night that I flop around in gasping for breath. Yes, like a fish. Picture one of those fancy egg shaped goldfish with the black ruffly fins. Spooky and sad.
  • Oh and check this out, I managed to reach Reader Zero in the same week I hit Inbox Zero at the office:

Reader Zero screencap.

And now a mix:

out damned spot from surpluscats on 8tracks.

  1. Performance, Tones On Tail, Everything, 1998
  2. But I’m Not, Cocteau Twins , Garlands
  3. Dancing, Bauhaus, 1979-1983 Vol 1, 1986
  4. Dive In Deep, Red Temple Spirits, If Tomorrow I Were Leaving For Lhasa, I Wouldn’t Stay A Minute More…, 1989
  5. The Dog-End of a Day Gone By, Love and Rockets, Seventh Dream of Teenage Heaven, 1985
  6. I’ll Fall With Your Knife, Peter Murphy, Cascade, 1995
  7. Witness ( to a Scream), In The Nursery, Prelude 1983 – 1985, 1989
  8. Broken, The Creatures, U.S. Retrace, 2000
  9. Dead City, Patti Smith, Peace And Noise, 1997

Good pizza, I will find you.

We meet again, Internet! I … didn’t forget you, I’ve just been a strange combination of lazy and sick and out doing things.

First things first, I am on a quest to find the best pizza joint that delivers to my neighborhood. So far I’ve done ok, with only one atrocious misadventure. (Q: How do you royally screw up a cheese pie and lose a customer in less than 2 minutes? A: Deliver it vertically, with confidence!) I’m still not convinced I’ve found the best place, but it could just be because I’m just outside South Philly and have a decent grasp on statistics. (If you live near me and have a joint you like, tell me about it.)

A couple of weeks ago, while digging through one of the many bins that are the sum of my belongings here with me (everything else is still in Vermont) to find something to wear I finally snapped and decided to go buy some actual furniture. I’m a long-term temp and not feeling entirely secure in my employment, however, I can’t stand living like a squatter anymore in my big beautiful freshly painted room with the fancy remote-controlled fireplace. I mean, really! Settle down!

So I went a used furniture shop that is either a cool charity or a front for something shady, and bought a great old all-wood dresser and desk. No assembly required — they are solid. They hooked me up with a delivery service that had them in my room in three hours. Ever since, the first thing I do each morning is check to make sure they’re actually there and weren’t just a beautiful dream. (So far they’ve stuck around.)

Yes, this happened.Here’s a list of things that’ve happened since I last updated:

  • Finally saw Black Swan with my girl gang and it was … perfect.
  • My crappy phone died freeing me to enslave myself to a BlackBerry. The phone is dead, long live the phone!
  • Made a bunch of new friends all because I went out by myself one night. This is not to be confused with a tale of self-confidence and putting-yourself-out-there winning out. More like, when you want a beer, you should go get a beer because good things happen to those who don’t deny themselves the simple things in life… mostly beer. (A theory that requires more testing.)
  • I was the most violently ill I’ve ever been for two and a half days straight, and not entirely right for at least a week and a half — probably due to pizza related food poisoning? Still #1 in love with pizza though.
  • Caught the World Cafe Live show/taping with Kurt Vile, and was really into it. I like that I’m walking distance to WC and can sneak over during lunch for cool free shows.
  • Found some key elements for my personal style goal for 2011, which J so aptly described as “summertime urban goth.”
  • My pretend big brother and his girlfriend had a baby girl in February. I’m a fake auntie!
  • Finally saw Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure on a big screen. What’s left to do in life, really?
  • Changed the layout here while I was upgrading WordPress.
  • Saw The Ex at the First Unitarian with J, and we decided it was the greatest show we’ve ever seen and nothing will ever compare to it …so that’s kind of a drag. But no regrets!

Elmyra forever.This weekend was one of the best despite being cold and ending in a hangover that went next-level three bites into the most delicious brunch. Between all of the good people I got to see this weekend… a birthday beauty and revelers and out of towners and proud-new-cd-releasers (rightfully so, too!) I spent most of it in a super excited daze wondering how life got to be so fucking fantastic. I just want to squeeze all of my friends until they run away like all of the cats I’ve seen lately tend to. (Elmyra forever.)

Do you like my new pic?:  <3_<3

23 til 32

Hey Internet! I’m doing great! I survived a long drive by myself in an unfamiliar, uncomfortably large SUV on a mission to feast with the Vermont portion of my family and retrieve some of my belongings stowed at my mom’s. I now have more than a suitcase of clothing!

I also rescued my dearest friend from his prison at the bottom of a stack of plastic storage bins. He’s on the left, in green.:

His name is Freddy. As you can see we go way back. Yes, it rhymes with teddy — but he’s named after my uncle who sent him to me from Germany before I was born; the very first Lizmas present! I know a lot of Freds and all (but one) are the coolest. But especially this one. (I have to say that because he knows all my secrets.)

Before I forget: here’s a mix to get you in the Lizmas spirit. I hope you listen to it while drinking a cup of unaltered coffee and drumming on your desk with pencils, Liz-style.

 

23 til 32 mix

  1. 1978, Liliput, Kleenex/Liliput, 1993
  2. Off Morning, Sort Sol, Dagger & Guitar, 1983
  3. This Perfect Day, The Saints, Eternally Yours, 1978
  4. That’s When I Reach For My Revolver, Mission of Burma, Signals, Calls, and Marches, 1981
  5. Undone, Rowland S. Howard, Teenage Snuff Film, 1999
  6. Dark Entries, Bauhaus, 1979-1983: Volume One, 1986
  7. Disorder, Joy Division, Unknown Pleasures, 1979
  8. Speak My Language, The Cure, Join The Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978-2001 [Disc 1], 2004
  9. The Strange Boutique, The Monochrome Set, The Strange Boutique, 1980
  10. Double Standards, Action Pact, Mercury Theatre: On The Air!, 1983
  11. Dark Park Creeping, Mo-Dettes, The Story So Far, 1980
  12. Gehry, Babyland, The Finger, 2004
  13. Night, Zola Jesus, Stridulum II, 2010
  14. Stars, Warpaint, Exquisite Corpse EP, 2009

22 more days of Lizmas shopping and my obnoxious birthday zeal! Here’s my unreasonable wishlist:

  • electronic drum kit
  • 55 gallon aquarium w/1 fancy goldfish named La Contessa.
  • a houseplant that doesn’t require much direct sunlight
  • a cup that never runs out of fresh delicious iced tea
  • that nail polish gadget the receptionist in Total Recall was using

That’s all. Really.

hideous icky

I can’t have a good dream without it morphing into something horrific (my definition, not necessarily yours) or it being promptly followed by a nightmare. I know it is tedious to read about dreams so I will just give you the sick details because it is also a fairly complete list of things that I find unbearably gross.

  • a karaoke diner
  • the cook was ladling sausage gravy all over the place
  • birds were flapping around inside, their feathers landing in the sausage gravy mess (also: bird tracks in puddles of sausage gravy)
  • no one was wearing shoes or socks
  • all of the surrounding conversations were about surgical mishaps
  • strangers wearing wool kept bumping into the bare portions of my arms
  • at some point I got glitter in my eye
  • my wallet fell out of my back pocket and into a toilet (one of my greatest fears)
  • my toothbrush cuddling with other toothbrushes
  • a drinking fountain filled with milk. “Eco-friendly” recirculating milk.

You know what? I have to stop right there and die a little bit faster.