While waiting for the next episode of OZ to load...

ACHOO!

I'm quite sure I'm coming down with a cold. Sore throat the last couple of nights which I attributed to the weather changing, but with the onset of snot today, I'm thinking I'm in some familiar rhinovirus territory. I blame Mitch. He blames the followspot he's been leaning over for his current job. We should blame our hand-washing habits.

I have a job interview tomorrow with this company. I'd be looking to be a telemarketer for them. Not an ideal job, but something part-time and NOT in food service. Pretty cool little niche they've got - and definitely one I have interest in. They posted a notice on Craigslist.

Attending a reading of a play Tuesday night which I was asked to come to a callback for. This callback part is SMALL. Like, miniscule. I have more to say about this, but at another time. I'm not sure if it'll be better or worse in the case I'm not cast...

Butch Walker called me a "lil thing" in response to a tweet I tweeted (...) at (?) him. OMG HE KNOWS I EXIST!!! Not likely. Still made my heart beat faster. But not in a creepy way. OK, maybe a little creepy.

A weird video, but a song worth hearing. Ignore the stupid hipster crap at the beginning and end.

IT'S YOU! IT'S ME! IT'S DANCING!

Hello!

Mitch is training for a marathon.

I hate my job and so am looking forward to stopping working early/mid-June to go "summer" in Michigan - and by Michigan I mean Lansing and by "summer" I mean get paid $100 a week to be in a play and have lots of free time.

We want a dog.

We're currently eating chips and salsa.

I got my mom flowers for Mother's Day (also my parents' 31st wedding anniversary which was this last Wednesday) and that's the first time I've done that so that's cool of me.

Penny is trying to eat a tortilla chip but she can't fit her mouth around it. Stella is lounging. They're still good.

OMG CONCLUSION OF 'GROOMER HAS IT.'

A funny story

So on March 14 a favorite musician-type of mine named Butch Walker played Webster Hall here in New York. Ariel and I went - this was the weekend of The Grampus and Friends, so Mitch was otherwise occupied. I was really excited; I've liked him for a long time but never seen him before.

So Ariel and I get dinner before and then show up like, perfectly just in time before he's about to go on. The ballroom space there is really very lovely; a big first floor and a balcony that goes around up top with these little individual booths around. Which aren't great for a show like this when everyone wants to see the stage, but I could see how they would work when it's more like a nightclub. We go up to the second floor and find a not-too-crowded booth where we can stand behind the people who've already staked out the railing but still see pretty well. There are these two girls who like like twins, three friends - two girls and a flamboyantly gay Italian type, and a mother and daughter. No one's really talking to people outside of their own groups, but we're all getting along quite well. The two girls with the guy leave to go get more drinks and Ariel and I hold their place while they're gone but give it back when they get back, because we are nice people. Ariel orders a beer. ($7 for a Coors Light? Yeah, New York!)

So Butch comes out. He's wonderful. We can't see him as well as I'd like all the time, but we're really pretty set up. And he's great to watch and I'm having a good time - and so is Ariel, who's just started listening to him and likes him and is liking the show. Then, a little bit into the set, one of the girls who was with the other girl and the guy leaves. Ariel goes up to where she was at the railing - kind of like holding the spot again? And to get a better view briefly - and she looks down and there's this empty spot in the crowd down below. Girl puked over the railing. People are looking up at this booth, all pissed off, and rightfully so. The girl who threw up, her two friends are equally trashed and totally oblivious. No, worse than oblivious, they know it's happening and they try and pretend like it's not their problem. Like, they go into the same mode the rest of us are in, like "oh my god did she just do that for real?" when clearly they know her and have been drinking with her and wouldn't you at least go and see if she's ok?

She comes back. She's bought a merch t-shirt and is wearing it over her first top. For two reasons I can think of - she vommed on herself and that's gross, or she's disguising herself. Which turns out to be smart because AFTER SHE VOMITS OVER THE RAILING FOR A SECOND TIME, this real tool comes up to the booth and is all "who vomited on my friend? You gotta pay for her dry cleaning!" Vomit girl, after vomiting the second time, has disappeared again. This guy is very confrontational with Vomit girl's friend who of course doesn't really know what to do. Just tells him to get away and it's not her problem and she'll go get security because he's kind of scary and stuff. So they walk away eventually and she tells security this guy is trying to hurt her and then he's all like "woah, ok, never mind." Ariel got in there a little too, telling the guy we all paid to enjoy this show and he's ruining it for us. Which the whole situation kind of is. I mean, now looking back it's hilarious but at the time of course I'm all anxious about the sick girl and the confrontation and I just want to ogle Butch Walker.

(See, very ogle-worthy)

Vomit girl comes back. She sits on the booth thingie VERY close to where Ariel and I put our coats. I go move mine. I care a little bit that maybe she'll realize that I'm moving my stuff because I don't trust her not to throw up on them and that maybe will hurt her feelings, but I don't care that much.

BECAUSE SHE VOMITS AGAIN! Yes, third time's the charm. Not where our stuff had been, but in the opening between the two curved booths so we're essentially trapped. By vomit. Which smells, by the way. Even in a club full of kind of sweaty people who smell like booze, you can still smell vomit. Especially when it's SO CLOSE TO YOU ICK. So when one of the waiters comes around and finds it - and they send someone to clean it up and man oh man I don't ever want that job - they get the manager or whoever and escourt her out. Her friends stay of course. They don't.. really care. Too busy "woo"-ing and taking pictures of themselves which I hope I'm not in because I was right behind them. Whatever. I hate those people.

So it was an eventful night. And Butch really was great, I just wish I could've given him my undivided attention. One good thing that came out of it tho - Ariel went to the bathroom at one point and seeing the waiter who had served her her $7 Coors Light - who remembered her because she's a good tipper - she tells him all about it and gets a free beer out of it! Which we shared, so that was nice. I wasn't drinking too much because the night before I'd gotten really drunk and had to pee so bad I almost went on the sidewalk I swear it was so bad, but that's a different story. But it was just Coors so you know, only 2.7% alcohol anyway.

In conclusion. Butch = good and I hope to see him again soon. The Webster Hall = a pretty cool venue even if security weren't great and kind of dumb and after the show (it was early) the whole downstairs started to fill up with losers who came in from Jersey to partay it up in the city and oh my gosh I hate New Jersey. But I would go back. Especially if it was a night which didn't also have a club night going on.

Vomit girl = very bad.

To the St. Catherine's Alums -

How many/are any of you all going to the reunion this year? Clare B. wanted to and convinced me as well, but neither of us really want to go to the like, actual reunion. She wants to see teachers and some people associated with the boarders; I'll take the weekend away. Are any of you going to be in Richmond that weekend?

I'm assuming M.C. will not make it back from where, France? for it. Also, isn't that like a stipulation of the Wilson? You must not touch your feet to your patria for a year-ish? Maybe? Did I make that up? Can I ask some more questions now?

Nope. No, I can.

EDIT TWO SECONDS LATER: "No, I can"?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!

WHAT, JULIE? I'm tired.

So that picture down below was very sad, so here are two happy ones! I was trying to get a shot of Penelope, but, you know, she's not gonna sit still. Ever.





And just to prove that I love them equally, I grabbed Stella and got one with her too. You can probably tell from her face, but she was making this noise like "meeeeeeeeeew."

Update #1: About that Princeton show

Hello faithful reader(s? Do I flatter myself)! Let us go back in time. To a magical place called Princeton. And by magical I mean a-two-hour-train-ride-from-New-York-place which therefore sucks my butt.

So Allen (who works for Hopkins Theatre Dept. and Princeton and who hired Mitch for the Princeton Summer Theatre job this past year) hired Mitch to stage manage for this show he'd been hired to tech for. An undergrad had gone to her department, Slavic Languages and Literatures (ugh, Princeton, really?) and got some money to put up a showcase of two one-acts, Unveiling by Vaclav Havel and her adaptation of The Bedbug by some Russian dude named Mayakovsky. Her name is Nadia. She originally planned to cast from the Princeton community but ended up having trouble finding enough people so Allen gave her my name, we talked, I took the part playing the wife of a crazy married couple in Unveiling. She knows I'm in New York so, while tech week won't be fun, we'll only have three rehearsals - one each Saturday - before then for this little play.

The play is short, but very wordy. It's gotta go fast or everyone will fall asleep. They repeat things like they're crazy people. They're consumers showing off all their tacky crap in their tacky apartment but the play was written in a Communist world so ISN'T THAT INTERESTING. I'm pretty excited; it's a good part. BUT this guy she found to play the husband - hmmm, are you familiar with New Jersey? And those guys who live there who work out a lot and pay too much attention to their facial hair. Well this guy was kind of like that. He sounds OK but he clearly doesn't have a lot of experience - though enough enthusiasm - and he's not someone I would be friends with in real life. The third member of the cast is a lovely young man in his first year at Princeton; we quickly become bffs when I'm not making him uncomfortable. Somehow.

First rehearsal goes OK. For the second we need to have memorized the first half of the show. I do this. My husband...does not. He comes to the rehearsal and he's all like "Yeah I've been working on this so hard and I'm like dreaming about it even but it's so hard but I've been really trying." Also, at the first rehearsal he'd suggested the two of us try and get on the phone and run lines during the week since we don't have a lot of rehearsal together and then he doesn't call. And texts saying he's not ready yet. I'm not liking this guy. He just...doesn't get it. The importance of being word perfect? Not so important or maybe possible for him. We schedule a rehearsal for Wednesday. Things are still not good. Nadia, the director, calls me afterwards on Wednesday and is like, "Should I fire Paul?" And I'm like, "Ummm that's not my call but yeah he's pretty bad but I've never been in this situation before and can someone else do this in a week and a half?"

This is dragging so, long story shorter, we do end up finding a replacement actor - I have no idea how. His name is Ben and he is both very tall and a Mennonite and living in New York like me. I like him quite a bit and he really pulls through for us. Though when he wasn't off-book Monday (after having been cast Friday night) Nadia was all "I HATE HIM he's a professional I SHOULD FIRE HIM?" but yeah, girl was way overwhelmed with this project. First time she's ever directed anything. Mitch tried to give her help as stage manager, but in addition to that job he was also doing sound design and he and Allen were the only two people like, um, building the set, so he was busy. And tech week wasn't fun. Our show turned out great but the second one - I still don't know what it's about. I know they danced to Madonna and there were red masks and elbow-length gloves. And we ended up only doing two performances so it felt a whole hell of a lot like, not worth it, you know? But it was a good part for me, something nice for the resume; got me out of the city; got to hang out with Allen and his girlfriend Liz; met Ben who is now a friend; got paid $100 and reimbursed for my travel (yay?). So overall for the experience: a C+, maybe?

Also, I hate Princeton. After the show was done at about 9 on Saturday night Mitch wanted to dash over to see a production of A Streetcar Named Desire some friends of his from the summer were in. (They don't have a theater major there either, but you can apply for a "certificate" which means you do a "thesis" your senior year which is like "a big deal.") So this was the senior certificate project of a girl Mitch knew over the summer who very much had a crush on him and let's just say he didn't hate her - totally his physical type, I knew that when I saw her, don't get angry Julie - but he wasn't going for her, but for two of his really close guy friends who were playing Stanley and Mitch. ANYWAY, it wasn't great. But oh my god, the money there? The production value? Incredible. For this shitty undergrad show. Oh, a professional director? Yeah, got one of those. This is at the McCarter theatre too, which is really quite a prestigious regional theatre and yeah, it's just ridiculous. I got so jealous for so many reasons. But I was reassured that I am a better actor than the girl who shall remain unnamed. When I play Blanche - which I will - she will not be a drag queen.

And on that note, The End.

This is what I look like after I've been crying.

A brief note.

So the agent at Gersh who Bill Butler's assistant called at told me Bill was handing me over to finally got in touch with me. Well, I shouldn't say "finally" because I'd really pretty much given up hope and "finally" implies kind of like I was waiting impatiently, but man was I ECSTATIC yesterday. For a bit at least, till I had to ride on like 7 million different trains and they all fucked up somehow or another. Public transportation is not my friend, but I can't badmouth it too much because I'm just about to go out and use it again so, hey, it's my best friend! So I'm meeting with Randi Goldstein not this Thursday, but the next. I don't know what will come of it, but I know I'm so lucky to even have this meeting, I'm just peeing in my pants. I should prepare something to do for her. Hmmm.

Anyway, I have to go because I have to leave at about 2 to get to Penn Station to get on a 3.01/7 train to Princeton for a 5.30 line-thru/6 pm call. I will be so glad when this commuting is over with. I'm staying the night down there tonight and hopefully will be enjoying the atmosphere of Triumph after the show and getting a bit tipsy with my boyfriend who, though I've seen him every day this week, I haven't seen in a week.

AAAH Penny is being so cute. Must dash though. God I hope the 6 is running again.

Future Blog Entries

1. I am extremely disappointed with this season's Top Chef. Also, I used to love Casey from season 3 and now I HATE HER.
2. Princeton Play Craziness. Part of which is keeping me from writing full blog entries right now because, you know, lines. Play opening in a week. Lines. Etc.
3. Really? I only have two? I was sure I had more than that. Well, this was worthwhile.

Today I thought Penny had gotten out into the hallway because I was shaking the treats and calling her name and the place isn't that big, so where could she be? And I got so scared and panicky and I started to heat up, but then she was hiding under the futon. PENELOPE!!! Then I gave her a treat and told her to never leave me again.

I am stealing this from Mary Frances.

But before I begin, a quick question: how does one pronounce "meme?" Mitch has said "meem," but I've always thought of it as "meh-meh." Which I think is cuter and therefore superior. My pronunciation also reminds me of Professoressa Meme Irwin from Hopkins, which is always a good thing.

I will post a real blog soon, but with all these lines in my head - my spite was only hurting myself, you were right Emily - there's not much room for anything else. OK, on to the meh-meh! (It's about one's current relationship, so if you don't want to vom, you can stop reading now).

What are your middle names? Mine is Melton (my mom's maiden name) and Mitch's is Scott (his dad's first name; also, funnily enough, my dad's middle name; ALSO ALSO, my mom is Jane and his is Jean - crazy, no?)

How long have you been together? It's going to be three years soon. Feb/Mar is as close to an anniversary as we come.

How long did you know each other before you started dating? About a year a half. We met close to the very first day of college - well, maybe the actual first but I don't remember - in our Italian class (taught by Professoressa Irwin, btdubs). And we were both in the same Italian class all of freshman year and we saw each other doing theatre things too.

Who asked out whom? I told Mitch I liked him first. Right before Christmas break of sophomore year. He didn't reciprocate - was actually with someone at the time - but did ask if we could remain friends. Then, after Christmas, we were both in the Witness Intersession full-length. I'd gotten over it over the break. I knew I had to since we were going to be in this play together, and the break was pretty stressful with dad getting sick with diverticulitis and all. But anyway, we spent quite a lot of time together that January and the night of the cast party of the show, he said that, crazily enough, he liked me now. He was very concerned that I didn't think he was messing with me/really apologetic that he was asking for what he'd turned down before. But of course I was like OH THAT'S OK HUG PLEASE and then we went from there.

How old are each of you? I'm 22 and he's 23. June and January of '86, respectively.

Whose siblings do you see the most? Since I do not have any siblings, let's say all four of Mitch's.

Which situation is the hardest on you as a couple? Being apart is hard for us. Like this fall, when I was in Jersey doing the two plays and he was in Cleveland staying with his parents. We're good at talking on the phone, butwe definitely don't like it and it can be hard sometimes. Also, sometimes we don't "get things out" very well so issues linger below the surface and become a bigger deal than they ever were to begin with. We're too considerate of each other; also, I don't like talking much.

Did you go to the same school? Hopkins, yes. High school, me at St. Cat's and him at Shaker Heights High in Cleveland.

Are you from the same hometown? Nuh-uh.

Who is smarter? This is a tough one. Mitch knows a lot of trivia, but I really hold my own against him in Jeopardy. And I think I can safely say I'm better at Wheel of Fortune. He's definitely a better creative writer than I am, but I might have him in analytical writing - or at least I enjoyed it more, so that means I'm better? I'm a faster reader. He's a better cook. He's also much better at waking up than I am. However, I'm going to have to say it's a tie.

Who is the most sensitive? Another tough one. Mitch is, as he says, "a man with feelings." And as I said above, I'm not much for talking. But I am a sensitive person more apt to be the crier. Gosh, but it might be him though. Yeah, maybe Mitch.

Where do you eat out most as a couple? Oh my goodness anywhere and everywhere. I love eating out. It's like my preferred method of food-getting. In Baltimore we regularly frequented all the Charles Village eateries - One World, Tamber's, Donna's. Here in New York we're enjoying the diners of our neighborhood especially - Gracie's and Midnight Express. But yeah, I'll go anywhere and since I'm usually buying, Mitch more than gladly tags along. We both love food. But I'm really trying to not go out so much. We've got a full fridge and that food must be eaten! Also, money.

Where is the furthest you two have ever traveled together as a couple? That'd be London, England - Intersession of our junior year with Peter.

Who has the craziest exes? Mitch has more and yes, I call them all crazy/flawed/insufficient/worthy-of-hate in one way or another.

Who has the worse temper? Probably Mitch, but it doesn't come out very often.

Who does the cooking? Mitch, and I love it. Though I have been doing a bit more lately. I can make food for myself, but even if I come up with the idea for dinner, Mitch is going to be the main executor.

Who is the neat freak? Me moreso than he. I get into little fits of cleanliness every once in a while. We're kind of borderline slobs though. Well, no, we're better than we used to be.

Who is more stubborn? OK, I'm getting a bit tired of this (haven't eaten yet) so I asked Mitch who was more stubborn and he says, and I quote: "You. Because you're so bad at realizing when I'm right. Which is always." Then, more seriously, "Both of us are pretty stubborn, more stubborn than people would realize."

Who hogs the bed? Mitch is bigger, but I spread out more. And when he gets up I move to his pillow, so, yeah, me.

Who wakes up earlier? Haha, that's a good one. Mitch, of course.

Where was your first date? I really don't remember. But I just asked Mitch and he said "Cafe Q" - where I first told him I liked him, which is SWEET - but I guess maybe that cast party.

Who is more jealous? Me. Though he doesn't like it when I kiss boys in plays.

How long did it take to get serious? It happened quicker than either of us were anticipating. All of a sudden we were just kind of spending all our free time together. We pretty much lived together the summer between sophomore and junior years, which was about four months-ish from when we first started dating. Maybe it's kind of always been serious.

Who does the laundry? Me. But he'll help fold.

Who's better with the computer? Mitch I'd say. He's definitely more into it, at least - making it work well and discovering new things and stuff like that. I just need my facebook.

Who drives when you are together? More often me, I'd say. But it's kind of circumstantial, like I had the Zipcar account in Baltimore, so I had to drive; in Jersey when he would come to visit, I'd just keep driving my mom's car. If we're in Cleveland, he'll drive. On long trips, we split it up fifty-fifty.

www.thegrampusandfriends.com

You really have to go check it out now because the most recent post is about our KITTIES! They will soon be internet-famous. You can say you knew them when.

Back to cleaning the apartment.

Oscars tonight. Pretty dresses! Lights! Shininess! Gorgeous rich people! I will sit and eat my left-over chicken and rice and then fall asleep.

Lines

Watch me not learn them! Just watch me!

Top Chef tonight. Woo!

I've been comparing myself to others too much lately.

And you know that never turns out well. Things just haven't been going as smoothly as I hoped. I've been in New York what, a month? And I still haven't been discovered. LE SIGH.

This city is hard on me. It's loud and dirty and there are people everywhere. I'm not pushing myself as hard as I should be, and that's a hard thing to realize. Why aren't I? I just get so scared, I think. Of everything. And I'm lazy too - I'd rather sleep late than do anything else. I've been having more "down" days since I've been here than I have in a while. And maybe they've been harder than usual to pull myself out of.

I don't like all the uncertainty. Bill Butler's assistant called me last Thursday I think it was, apologized for not getting back to me sooner (busy with the Golden Globes and all that), and told me Bill had given my name to another agent at Gersh who was going to give me a call. And she hasn't yet. And I didn't quite catch her name so I can't call a leave a message with her, even if I should do that. And if she does call, then what should I do? What should I be doing to prepare? I mean, I do want this, all of this, don't I?

'Unveiling' at Princeton started rehearsing yesterday. This is going to be a lot of individual work on my part - we're only doing two more rehearsals before tech week (probably largely due to me, since it's so far for me travel).

But back to the subject. I've just been feeling a little less than everyone else. Less intelligent, less funny, less fashionable, less driven, less talented, weighing more, less interesting. I know this is not a road I want to go do, but I just don't know quite yet what will help me snap out of it.

Since Mitch is writing a blog entry, I guess I will too.

To fill the time while I wait for him to finish so we can go out for a walk. It's lovely here today - sunny and warmer (52 degrees) and, the best of all, windy. When my weather.com widget just says "windy" for the day.. oh my heart it goes all pitter-patter. Remember when you were a little kid, and if you could be an "element"/superpower/whatever, I would always choose wind. Or air, depending on the game. Well, sometimes water if it was summer and I was in love with swimming pools. Incomprehensible tangent completed, I think we're going to go into Central Park, so we'll go east and then south. We're due east from the big Jackie O. reservoir; and a whole lotta east, don't forget that. Maybe I'll get a hot dog.

So yes, Mitch has a blog now: www.thegrampusandfriends.com. It's to promote the showcase of his plays two NYU students are putting up - they all know each other from the Princeton Summer Theatre last season. Mitch is kind of the producer for it, and he had this idea to make a website to solicit donations for it. You should check it out. I'll even give you a preview of the next post - Hawaiian music!

This is my new favorite celebrity couple. Hm, what was my last favorite celebrity couple? Posh and Becks? We'll go with them. So of course I would very much like to see Uncle Vanya, even though it is not a favorite play of mine. But maybe that's because I read it in, what, Acting/Directing I? And saw snippets of it acted then and so, of course that won't leave good memories of it for anyone. I very much liked Mr. Sarsgaard (I'm going to start writing in the style of the New York Times - no first names EVER) as Trigorin in The Seagull; a favorite part and a very good production and he was very, very nice in it all.

Other things I need to see: The Cherry Orchard and A Winter's Tale, both at BAM. English and American actors in this crazy repertory-like company doing classics - very good. So that's two. Will Ferrell's one-man Bush-impersonation extravaganza? Eh, maybe not. My friend Danielle's show, Amadeus, at the Heights players in Brooklyn. Hedda Gabler? Though that's not received stellar reviews.

Speaking of all these things that require money, hopefully I'll have a job soon. I'm going to do a trial day with Jo and little Arthur tomorrow, so we'll see how that goes. Also, Lauren, whom I met with a while ago about afterschool pick-up for her daughter (but who went with a friend of someone, so how can I compete with that), got back to me and asked if I could meet again. So two possibilities.

We went out to Cafe D'Alsace last night to enjoy some Restaurant Week (read: month) cheap eats. Lunches for $24.07 and dinners for $35 all over the city. This place is very close to us, so we went the easy route our first time out. It was very lovely. He had the potato salad topped with oozy goat cheese, the fettucine with duck, and profiteroles and ice cream. She had the warm leeks, the filet mignon and frites, and the cheesecake with delicious fruity sauce. They shared a half-bottle of red wine. They believe their waiter was a struggling actor. They tipped him well. She slept till 1 today.

Ugh, Mitch isn't done yet. He's also breathing kind of heavy so I'm worried he's stressed out. Oh well, no help. IT'S JUST A BLOG ENTRY, SWEETIE. (We're sitting next to each other on the futon; maybe he'll see that; ooh, or maybe I hope he won't.) Well, I guess I will do some breaking of the fast in preparation for the walk. And some more reading of Les Mis, of which I am on like page 1340 of 1440. It's very exciting. Except for ALL the historical digressions, it's a wonderful story and I've very much enjoyed reading it. Except for the digressions. Nearly a 100 (or something, I don't know, felt like 100) pages on Waterloo? Really, Victor? No thanks.

I love Liz Lemon.

Someone did not tell New York City that Punxitawny (I'm not looking up how to spell a groundhog's name) Phil saw his shadow today. Well, actually, we've received the news now, but earlier it was bright and sunny and at least 50 degrees (that's farenheit, Miz W). Mitch and I went out on our lovely fire escape and looked around the "backyard." The house right across the way has a chainlink fence with that round barbed wire stuff on the top like at prisons surrounding its pitiful little concrete lot. It makes me wonder.

But tonight it's going to snow! Or rain/snow.

This post isn't going well. But instead of just deleting it and trying again, I'll go with what I've got. I just won't continue the horror. I typed "horrow" first. Wow. As Liz Lemon would say, "shut it down."

Some things have changed since we spoke last.

This is where I live now:



This is the living room. Everything is so nicely furnished - not because I've been struck by the interior decorating bug - but rather because the lovely young woman from whom I am subletting is very fashion/pretty things-conscious. Please note Mitch's new Hilti drill gun in the red case by the window.



This is from the other side of the living room. The first picture was taken in front of the door to the hallway. That's our half-a-kitchen in the far middle. Please note coats HANGING UP on the pantry door (not dropped on the floor; Mitch and I are tidy now; really) and of course Penelope on the ottoman.



The bedroom. Not obscenely large, of course, but a good size. Through that barred window is our own little fire escape, which is very cool. We're on the fourth floor of a walk-up, by the way. That's not fun, but it's very good exercise. Very good.



The bathroom is not large. But the blue is a relatively nice color. Also, weird, the hot water knob in the shower gets SO HOT when it's on. You will give yourself second-degree burns if you grab it, so regulating water temperature becomes a deadly game of turn-knob-briefly-with-thumb-and/or-forefinger + sizzle + curse-word-of-your-choice + try again.



Looking down from the door of the bedroom through the apartment to Mitch standing in the entrance to the kitchenette. Bathroom on the right.



Stella - demure and beautiful as always. Also, hard to photograph, as always. Mitch's very late Xmas present from my mom draped over the back of the couch - navy blue J. Crew sweater.



Penny is not overly pleased. Maybe because it's not a great picture of him. The red bag is Mitch's Granny's Xmas present to me, which also arrived fashionably late (last Saturday when Mitch got here and the first time we'd seen each other since Xmas). It now holds quarters for laundry.



And that's us. Me a retard with no eyebrows and hair parted down the middle and Mitch, tall and dark and handsome and making us dinner.

Signing off for now. Tata!

This post is funny in relation to the subject of the last post.

I WANT A COCA-COLA SO BAD.

Why are there no caffeinated beverages in this house? This house is no home of mine. Yes, we have Cherry 7Up downstairs but you know, I really don't think that's going to cut it. I need my bubbles AND my energy. I would be tempted to run out to Taco Bell or something to get one - a drive-thru would mean I would not have to put on real shoes - but Jeopardy starts in 15 minutes and that's just not enough time.

This is so hard. If blogger had emoticons, I'd totally do the sobbing one. And maybe also the one that slowly turns red and pounds its fists.

Even Mountain Dew would do/dew/due...

At least I didn't have any cavities.

Alright, clarification. It's not that I'm dreading 2009 or being grumpy or whatever, it just kind of felt like just another day. Yeah, I watched the ball drop - by the way, seeing Dick Clark like that is just sad - but eh, January 1 always feels just the same to me as December 31. Also, I've spent New Years the past four or maybe even five years alone with my parents; it's not a favorite holiday for that reason.

I went to the dentist today. It took longer than I would have liked. People should not talk so much. Please, just clean my teeth, inspect them, then let me get out of there. Also, they did a panoramic x-ray today - I guess you're supposed to get them done every five years and now was just my time - but since I don't have insurance right now, it was pricey. Like $250 for the whole visit. And I didn't even know you could say no to something like that; I thought if the doctor tells you to do it, then you do it. But I guess that's not the case. Especially if you don't have insurance.

Dad's in Pensacola till Thursday, so it'll just be mom and me. I'm going to go crazy, I'm sure. And she's coming with me to Chicago this weekend - reading of Glossman's adaptation of Connecticut Yankee for City Lit - and sometimes I just feel like I REALLY need to get out of here. Like I should go to Cleveland until Mitch and I can make it to New York. I know she means well, but well, if you're around anyone too much, they can really start to piss you off. And you know my mom.

She's on the phone with grandma. Grandma's not doing well. I have very mixed feelings about this. Maybe - if I can keep this up, which I will, it's a RESOLUTION - I'll talk about that here.

Happy 2009!

I guess.