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Not Your Usual Sort of Princess
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| (no subject) |
[Jun. 11th, 2009|10:29 pm] |
In reading these stories about Baltimore city employees using city vehicles for their commute, there keeps arising mention of a Police Major who lives in Delaware. I've met the Major from my district on many occasions, and while I don't know that he lives in DE, I do know that he does not live in Baltimore City. I also know that he is kind, thoughtful, compassionate and while he's not perfect, I really believe that he's doing a good job. From all I've seen, he takes his responsibilities seriously and he wants things to be better for the residents of his district.
If giving him use of a take home car keeps him working here, I'm more than willing to see that come out of the city budget as part of his compensation package.
It does suck that more police don't want to live in Baltimore City, but they have to make choices for their families, and, considering the state of things here, no one can be blamed for wanting to live somewhere else. There are other considerations as well.
First, a Baltimore City Police is expected to have his weapon on him at all times while in the city. So, if you're a police and you live in the city, you need to have your gun when you're running out to 7-11 for milk in the middle of the night. If you go out to dinner with friends, you're expected to have your gun. That's a pretty serious burden.
Second, this city is rife with gangs and increasingly better organized criminals. If you're a police and you live in the city, the bad guys are going to figure it out at some point. If you live in further out, in Annapolis or something, there's not much chance a runner is going to catch you cutting the grass on a Sunday morning.
So, while I'd like for more police to live in the city, and while it does make me sad that some Baltimore City Police will glady give you a detailed list of all the reasons no sane person should ever live in this town, I can understand where they're coming from and I'm glad they keep showing up for work. |
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| (no subject) |
[Jun. 4th, 2009|10:44 pm] |
I have no words so I invite anyone who can sum up all the reasons that this video makes me happier than a box of tiny kittens is welcome to express their ideas in the comments section.
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| (no subject) |
[May. 24th, 2009|05:13 pm] |
Ah. Memorial day weekend, you are so full of parties that I can hardly stand it. I like Febuary when we're all burried indoors reading books.
Best topic of last night -- why were all of those people in French text books going to the discotheque?
Ou vas tu?
Je vais a la discotheque! Et tu?
Mois? Je vais a la bibliotheque.
Nobody was ever just going to Target which is what seems to happens most weekends these days. Except not this weekend because of the aforementioned parties. Do they even have Target in France?
Furthermore, did I mention that while in London I was introduced to the Eurovision Song Competition? All the European countries submit a song and these are voted on to select a winner. It was ridiculously fun. This from Germany was a personal favorite because there were silver pants:
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| (no subject) |
[May. 22nd, 2009|10:32 am] |
Random Fact.
I can hold my left eye closed and still enough to put on eyeliner without having to use a finger to hold the lid. I have never been able do this with my right eye -- it scrunches up and won't be still. |
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| (no subject) |
[May. 3rd, 2009|09:17 am] |
I've just finished re-reading "High Fidelity" and I swear I will never put myself through that misery again. There has been some development though -- the first time around I was just annoyed with the pervasive man-sulk and the messing around* with nice, single, American girls; this time around, it was the depressing accuracy with which he describes the endless little miseries of being single.
I had wanted to pull out little quotes about the terrible awkwardness that ensues the first time he beds another girl, or about the acres of time that must pass on a Sunday before the average single person actually sees and communicates with another living soul, but I just can't bear the idea of paging through the novel. I should have marked them as I was reading.
It's really to Nick Hornby's credit -- "High Fidelity" would never make me feel miserable if it weren't completely spot-on* and well written. But sometimes hard, honest, and painful truth is the last thing we need.
Besides which, there are always two truths. So, yes, today is a miserable rainy Sunday, I had bad dreams last night and I have no plans for today. I may not have a face to face conversation of any meaning today at all. However, I do have coffee and pajamas and cats. I will probably go to Trader Joes and get the marketing* done and spend more time thinking about what I'm going to wear in London. For lunch, I will probably make another bacon, tomato and goat cheese sandwich. This is not a bad life! There's no need for sulking!
*Pardon the Brit slang. I have no desire to sound like pretensious nerd, but my head just gets infected with it sometimes. Rest assured that sometime durring my trip, I will say "pants" before I remember the alternative meaning and hilarious awkwardness will ensue. |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 29th, 2009|06:37 am] |
Dear Nerds Who Also Loved 80's Gothy EuroTrash,
If you haven't listened to White Lies, you really should. And then post a comment about all the bands they remind you of: "Embedding Disabled By Request" |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 28th, 2009|10:56 pm] |
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Just seconds ago the wind started to blow through window accross my bare shoulders and I remembered one thing I like about hot weather -- that moment when the heat breaks and cool air bursts through! |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 26th, 2009|02:50 pm] |
Curse this weather! Skipping from 40 to 90 has my reverse SAD in overdrive. I admit it -- I've spent the past two days hiding indoors and fearing the sun. I was even late to a party last night specificaly because I decided I didn't want to leave until the sun was setting.
Earlier today, panic and terror set in as I contemplated getting on a plane and flying off to London by myself. But, good news, I may be doomed to a life of traveling alone, but at least it's only in the 60's there.
I just want to hide in air-conditioning and read comic books. How did I get here? How did I manage to do everything wrong? What the hell is going on with the weather?
ETA: I probably won't get to go on my trip anyway. The borders will probably be closed by then. |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 20th, 2009|10:37 pm] |
An immense sleepiness is upon me and I doubt I stand much chance against the very peaceful sounds of the rain. I was just reading through things I'd written some years ago and, as I always do, I find myself just completely knocked over. I used to say some really crazy and interesting things.
I'm not quite sure what happened to that. I'm not even talking about the LJ stuff which has a history of its own, I'm talking about the million little things I start to work on and never finish. Then again, maybe it has everything to do with LJ. Maybe that was the begining of the end -- writing to actualy reach someone instead of trying to be clever as fuck. And then writing to stay out of trouble -- never mentioning anything that might actually mean something for fear of giving offense or attracting attention.
Ah well. Bitch moan, bitch moan. I suppose it's all up to me anyway.
Anyway, here's a sample:
Justified or not, the moral torment of a yuppie is as indulgent as the gourmet coffee in my freezer and much more addictive. The weight of the world does not rest on my shoulders. I am just one in a chain of many. Part of my inner turmoil is linked to biological urges that are telling me to keep moving and keep fighting even though I have nothing left to fear. The rest is possibly a direct result of watching too many X-men cartoons and ABC After School specials – my turn to be a hero, to be a star, to be significant will never come.
This is not an excuse to shirk moral obligations and responsibilities, but a way of liberating myself to pursue them. Spending a million nights with my comrades feeling bad about the world isn’t going to accomplish anything. Realizing that I am one in a great chain gives me the freedom to act in whatever small way possible knowing that act will be no more or less significant than any other.
Dang! I haven't felt that clever in a long time. However, it's all cyclical. I write ten things and love four of them. I put them all away and look at them two years later and think I'm the stupidest creature alive. I wait another few years, and it all looks genius again. I think writing needs time to age.
I need to be less lazy about raiding my archives and turning all of those rambles into something useful. |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 15th, 2009|09:48 pm] |
I almost forgot the best part of my day which happened when, fed up with office life, I wrapped my scarf around my head like a movie star and headed out into the soaking cold rain. I stepped and splashed in big puddles until my flats were flooded and my tights were soaked. Waiting at the cross walk, I saw grim tourists drenched by passing buses and business men scurrying to lunch. I made myself unhunch my shoulders and forget the cold. I let the rain run down my back until it overwhelmed me and I made my peace with it. I walked to the harbor and counted the canons on the Constellation. Walking down the brick pier alongside that old ship, I thought about walking straight out into the water until I laughed out loud at my morbid impulses. I stood there at the edge, in the rain and I knew I hadn't been so happy in a long time. When I finally turned and started to walk back, I had a grin like Christmas and wished "good day" to everyone I saw.
My shoes squished and my clothes dripped, but my floor was empty when I went to my desk to retrieve my gym bag. I took the elevator to one of the basement levels where I could dry my hair in one of the bathrooms that no one uses. When I saw my soaked hair and my face all pink with cold, I knew that I hadn't looked so well in ages.
I was right too -- hair dried and make-up reapplied, I looked profesional, but I no longer looked like me. |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 14th, 2009|10:29 pm] |
I will never not love John Taylor, but I really think he sometimes channels Neil from The Young Ones.
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 13th, 2009|06:37 am] |
I've already made the Facebook announcement, but nothing is official until it's in LJ. I'm going to London in May. For the first two weeks of May, there are round trip flights out of BWI for $504 including taxes and tags. The actual airfare is like $130 and there are $374 of fees, tariffs and taxes. Anyway. Awesome!
I am going to have the best time ever. |
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| Doctor Jack! |
[Apr. 11th, 2009|09:11 am] |
This jeep is in the World War II Museum in New Orleans.
Doctor Jack! I can't wait for this episode to come out!
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| I Call This a Great Friday |
[Apr. 10th, 2009|03:38 pm] |
Me, bravely inside the Sylvia Plath Memorial Crawl Space.
Dad putting up insulation.
Sylvia watching over the project.
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 8th, 2009|10:27 pm] |
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So, thinking of impulsively going to London in May. Thoughts? Crippled_Trees, what are you doing in the middle of May? |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 5th, 2009|08:50 pm] |
As I had guessed, side effects from my antibiotic: Tell your doctor immediately if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: muscle weakness, mental/mood changes, new lump/growth in the neck (goiter), signs of low blood sugar (e.g., shaking, dizziness, blurred vision, unusual hunger).
It's not the goiter I'm worried about, it's "mental/mood changes." I have been extra, extra angsty since I started taking it. I think it's the combination of fighting off the infection and taking the stupid meds. The good news is that it's a five day run so I get to be normal by Thursday at the latest. Hooray! |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 4th, 2009|05:45 pm] |
Today I volunteered to clean up the shoreline at Fort McHenry. Not being much of a joiner, this qualifies as an event. I'm sorry to say that I found only one hypodermic needle. The fellow near me found three and a big bag of junk. Wrapped up, it was about the size of a smaller clementine. I love Baltimore.
Sadly, the way that I love Baltimore is probably not helpful to my career. This activity was partly sponsored by Gigantacorp and so my little team consisted of co-workers. People tell stories about neighbors not cutting the grass and I tell stories about neighbors shouting "F the mother f-ing police" in the street at two in the morning. To me, to anyone who lives in the city, those sorts of stories are funny and strangely endearing. The suburbanites just kind of stare in horror. I'm really going to have to practice making cheerful small talk. Cheerful is just not my specialty these days. Maybe I need to get out of here?
After, I slept for about three hours. Considering the ear infection, a long nap should be completely justified. Of course, I'm a little crazy and so I feel guilty about it. I've never been good at resting. But still, my ear hurts. |
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| (no subject) |
[Apr. 3rd, 2009|06:12 pm] |
Like every good nine-year-old, my cold turned NOLA funk has now turned into an ear infection.
The doctor at McClinic gave me an oral antibiotic for this. It seems to me that the last time I had an ear infection, I got drops for my ears. Anyone have any thoughts about this? I'm sure taking the pills will work, but, in many ways, some sort of eardrop makes more sense.
I may see if I can get my PCP on Monday.
By the way, is it me or is everyone on Live Journal sick or injured?
Let's all get some rest this weekend, eh? |
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| (no subject) |
[Mar. 25th, 2009|09:11 pm] |
Huh. Didn't know that the scammers were on Facebook:
Private Message To MHG's Family's
FROM THE CHAMBERS OF BARRISTER
ALPHA OKORO.
14 RUE DE LA KOZAH BOULEVARD
LOME-TOGO WEST AFRICA
Call me on:00228-985 99 96
Pls Reply to my private email: alphaokoro@yahoo.com
Attn: _Girl,
I am Barrister Alpha Okoro, a solicitor at law, personal attorney to Engr J.B. _Girl, a national Of your country,who used to work as a contractor in Lome Togo. Here in after shall be referred to as my client. On the 30th of April 2006, my client, were involved in a car accident along Kpalime express Road. |
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