Christmas in Seattle, Day One

I think we may be leaving work early today, so that's cool. However, Joy's not feeling all that well though, so that's like not cool. I hope she feels all better, very soon. Sniffles and sinus problems SUCK.

Christmas in Seattle was a blast. I keep promising myself that it will not be a whole year between visits; this year I fully intend on making good on that. What I'd really like, since Joy wants to visit her brother Brian in Oregon sometime soon, is get it so we can all go to his house, then all three of us drive to Seattle. That, my friend, would be good times. Both Brian and Joy are amazing. My cousin said he'd like me to be there for the Fourth of July. I'd love that.

When I entered Seattle at nighttime on the 22nd, I got the full-on glittering skyline from the south. I knew I'd love that, but I actually found myself getting a little choked up. Down here, I don't exactly feel homesick, but I do miss and very much love my hometown. Anyway, I was amped and needed something to go do before settling in. Near where I was staying was one of my favorite haunts - maybe my number one fave - a fantastic little pub called Fadó. I just love it in there, everyone's friendly and unassuming, it feels fun and comforting. There was a band playing cover tunes, and when I went to go in, the bouncer goes "That'll be a five dollar cover, Miss", and I said "Aw, I'm just going in for a drink and a snack, wow you are so handsome", so the bouncer said, "You just go right ahead, spend your fiver on your drink, sweetie", and I thought, yes, I am home at last. I went in and the sweet waitstaffperson described to me her favorite appetizer when I ordered my beer. It sounded like heaven on Earth, so I ordered it, and it was. Here it is, and I highly recommend you get a Hefeweisen with it when you go:

Chicken Boxty Quesadillas

Our signature boxty potato pancake is richly layered with grilled chicken, melted pepper jack cheese and drizzled with a red chili aioli. Tomato pico, sour cream and salsa on the side.


I listened to the band, watched people, talked to the fun girls at the neighboring table and flirted with my cute, friendly waitress. I savored my food and soaked in the festive comfort of feeling like I belonged (I considered that, that I don't really have a hang-out here in L.A., and I should probably find one) and was really home, safe and warm and cozy in the cold weather. I drained my beer, tipped my waitress with a little extra Christmas cheer, and went to bed down for a long winter's nap.

Tomorrow or Sunday, Day Two.

Christmas Rocked

OMG, I had SUCH a great time! I of course only wished it could have lasted longer.

It's closing in on time to go home (I should have started earlier, :P) but tomorrow I'll tell you the whole story. I just wanted to check in, let you know I got back in one piece, and had a great time with the family.

The Seahawks, on the other hand ... *long, painful sigh.* I'll get to that topic too, and others.

See you tomorrow!

Kevin Quattro!

I read through this guy's blog, and I just really like him. He is a special effects supervisor who is clearly very good at his job - go check out his demo reel. I've linked him on the sidebar.

Check it out, I Vlogged

Happy Monday

I think I might be able to go home after all, I hope so. Keep your fingers crossed for me. I'm a pretty terrible budgeter, but when something's important, I can often pull it off anyway.

I'm really need to get a good headshot so I can audition for real work and start making some more money! I dream of the day I can both fix my financial quagmire and be really excited about going to work (not that I don't adore working with Joy every day - I couldn't ask for better company. But you know what I mean).

I also want to be able to plan a visit with Tony as soon as possible. I also need a bunch of other important stuff, including way better digs and a car, ASAP.

Speaking of listing stuff I want, here is the official Christmas list I sent to Mom:

1) An iPod Shuffle
2) Or, better yet, this phone
3) Phone cards for talking with Tony in Mexico
4-?) Gift cards to various and assorted retail establishments


In other news, the Hawks have hit a slump. They were upset by the 49ers on Thursday, blowing a second chance to clinch their spot. Please think energetic, winning thoughts for them as they take on the Chargers on Christmas Eve. The Redskins won their game Sunday against the Saints (speaking of upsets)!!! Jeff is probably pretty psyched. It's been a rough season for those guys, and they deserve a break. His ticket was a bust, so he's still ahead by only $0.40 . Meh.

How Do I Top THAT?

I was trying to decide how to follow that most recent post, a result of the most spectacularly great news in my whole life, and thought Jeez, what? The Seahawks? Well that is a happy enough topic, I suppose. Nothing will hold a candle to getting back in touch with Tony, so. I might as well start somewhere.

The Hawks play a must-win tomorrow against the 49ers. I have some natural West Coast love for San Francisco, and I otherwise always cheer them on, but NOT TOMORROW damnit.

Aaaauuggghhh! So tense!

I'd love to see us be on top of our division again and be in contention for the SuperBowl. I'd love my hometown to make a habit of it, actually. Last year was SO exciting, and I felt so proud along with the rest of my tribe, especially Mom, Scott and Noah (an excellent athlete in his own right, thank you very much). There were some seriously questionable (and some outright bad) calls last year, and I wouldn't mind seeing a rematch with the Steelers, but whoever. Unfortunately, they missed an opportunity to clinch the NFC West last Sunday against Arizona, which would have been such a relief, but that's okay. They'll do great tomorrow, and of course we'll love 'em no matter what.

Jeff's Redskins lost their game Sunday. The update on that whole situation is that with the ticket he owed me for the previous week, we won $10. So I'm catching up:

(Jeff $ 14.20)
(Cath $.13.80)

Let's hope (fervently, please!) that he ends up owing me a ticket on Friday morning :)

Hi, Tony!

"If you open your mind for me, you won't rely on open eyes to see."

Those lyrics, from Queensryche's Silent Lucidity are a good example of the kinds of things that Tony and I have in common. In talking with him, I've been rediscovering how connected we are, and that so many of the basic and subtle things that make us who we are, are the very same or remarkably similar.

We are drawn to and fascinated by the same kinds of things, develop similar ways of perceiving them and prioritizing what is truly important about them. We are both philosophical creatures, drawn to grow our minds and look deep into the larger contexts of humanity: its growth and evolution, its passions like spirituality/religions (especially those of the ancients) its hierarchy (government, law, and to some extent, politics), its environment, its history, its mind. He loves the bigger picture, just like his mom.

He loves stargazing - his favorite constellation is Orion, the Hunter. I've always loved that one, but my favorite has always been Casseopoeia. We love the sea (I have always identified as a nautical person) - I can't remember where the conversation went when I asked him whether he likes maps, but he does love geography, and I have a feeling he does. Like maps. :P I think we like to be oriented. In as many ways and at as deep a level as possible. Some people just need to know, like a soul urge, where they are, and where their fellow humans are. It's integral, in the minds of people like us, to who we are, have been and are becoming.

Jeez, and these things are just the tip of the iceberg ... I am so excited and happy to be discovering and rediscovering my neat kid. There are already so many things to talk about here that I'm spilling over with them, and I had a hard time deciding which stuff to talk about first.

I wish I had a picture of him to post here, hopefully that won't be too long in coming ...

Yesterday's conversation with him was the first in twelve years. It was wonderful and happy. I couldn't get to sleep because I was still excited, thinking about him and everything we had said and begun to say, and thinking about stuff for the next conversation, and the future with him. I realized I had my little kid back, just big now, and that I get to talk with him - and hopefully soon, hang out with him (!!!) - for the rest of our lives. We like eachother and love eachother, we are like minded and easy going - I am looking forward to my relationship with him! This is something I am free to do now, things I am free to know for sure and plan for. I can share thoughts and music and ideas with him. I get to know and have everything he'd like to share with me. We can ask eachother anything, and not wonder anymore.

I can tell my kid that I love him, and listen to him tell me he loves me. I can hear him laugh. Welcome home, Tony Baloney Balloon. I LOVE YOU.

A Very Buried Christmas Special

So when you are done reading this post, scroll down and check out the cleverly recast 'trailer' for Mary Poppins. So cool!

I saw this very old Christmas special called Santa Claus is Coming to Town, narrated by the always entertaining Fred Astaire, a few of nights ago. At its beginning, I wondered, have I ever seen this? I don't think so, hmmm. I dropped the thought, setting up to enjoy something unfamiliar and trying to pick out when it was produced. I also like to study these things sort of anthropologically, take the temp of some of society's notions and tendencies back in the day. But somewhere about three quarters of the way through, there was a reference to Rudolph - and I recognized it. So then things started coming back to me .... shyte, it's time to go home and I am not finished!!! I will finish this over the weekend, I promise.

Ugh, should have started earlier. :P

*December 12, 2006 - I'll come back to Christmas Specials in the coming days. If you scroll up, you'll discover I have some really exciting news. I'll probably be psyched to talk about that first for a while. :D*

Editorial Genius:

Lazy Blogger, Jeez

I've almost never blogged on a daily basis, maybe for small stretches here and there, but I should definitely post more frequently than I have been lately. I'll try to step it up. It would definitely help and motivate me if you guys LEFT ME LITTLE NOTES IN THE COMMENTS BOXES!!! I love reading and responding to those, and I'll sometimes get ideas from them for future posts.

Today, please go do this: Light To Unite



I'm not an cause-pusher type of person, but this is effortless, quick, and could do some real good. One of my closest friends has AIDS, so this is close to home for me.

I'm gonna put together another post, one more like my usual little musey essays, before I go home today.

Howdy.

I thought of a whole bunch of things to talk about over the weekend, and now I am drawing a BLANK. Well, while I'm thinking here, I can fall back on yesterday's awesome SEAHAWKS win. I wish I could say it was because they played really well, but they'll pick up next Sunday. The season will be getting exciting pretty soon.

Here is a Seahawks blog I found, looks good so far. If it's great, I'll link it at the sidebar. I know it's just you (4-7, depending :P) guys, but you never know when a fellow Seahawks person will Google for other fans. Maybe they'll find me and find my links useful ...?

The Redskins lost what looked for the first two quarters to be a really promising game for them, so disappointing. Jeff wrote this morning to let me know he'd be getting a ticket for me soon. I sent a far too chatty reply, as I realized the microsecond after I hit 'send'. *Sigh*.

What else, what else? Ah, here's something: I just read this fascinating book called Blink by Malcolm Gladwell, which Joy kindly checked out for me at her school library. It's something you would be fascinated by if you are curious or interested in how we read the world, especially faces. He focusses on rapid cognition, or "thin slicing", and explains that we pick up on and put together (and draw conclusions about) pieces of our reality without knowing or realizing that we are doing so, or how. He slows the process down, explains it and gives examples, and it's some cool shit. Some of his material is stuff we are generally aware of, but go on without giving too much thought to; this book reminds us. It isn't perfect, there are a couple not-too-lengthy chunks I found tedious and/or would have approached or exemplified differently (maybe would have been more careful and specific with some of the composition), but it usually sang very well and right on key. So until I can remember and write down some of the stuff I hand on hand to talk about, I'll recommend Blink.

Whining :P

Bummer Alert.

Although I'm happy about a great Seahawks win, I'm attempting to dodge various symptoms of depression today, not too successfully. Ignoring it and focussing on happy shit only goes so far. It's still there.

The big fat trigger lately is going home to no one. I absolutely love and need privacy, but the pain of being by myself has gotten beyond ridiculous. The other stuff that sucks feels like it would all be less overwhelming-feeling and maybe even manageable if I were not alone.

I feel like banging my head against a wall.



My mouse is not cooperating, I feel blurry, and I really miss the Redskins guy. I also think I would love to have the computer Jason made for me, but I really don't until I have a better home than the godforsaken little hole I have at the moment. Also ... stockings will of course happen, but I'm not so sure I'll make it home. That worry is also a big factor in my bummed frame of mind and physiology.

Not Dead

Sorry it's been like 379 years since my last post, and I can't spend any real time right now, but I thought I'd check in and let you know all is well.

*I haven't contacted Tony yet, although I do have a phone card and will talk with my mom about ways to approach this, shortly

*Bernie arrived briefly in L.A. but had to return home almost immediately, basically because airlines are hyperbureaucratic assholes from the seventh circle of hell

*I went to the fashion district to try to find good cheap stuff - verdict: yes to some extent on the 'cheap', not so much on the 'good'. I did come away with a few fun stocking stuffers, however.

*I actually have untouched money left not only in my bank, but (a few bucks just to see how long I can go without touching it) in my savings account. There is a thread (though it remains a very thin one), of me making it home for Christmas this year. Toast me, bitches.

*In the words of the great and admirable David Schmader, Nothing happened today. Laundry, cleaning and possibly a trip back downtown are on the list for tomorrow. I'll talk to you again on Monday from work.

Kotzebue, Alaska Connection!

My father, Robert Taylor Thach, Jr., was born to Robert Taylor Thach, Sr. and Angeline Davidovics in Kotzebue, AK. in 1945. He died of carbon monoxide poisoning in 1979, before I ever got a chance to meet him, so unfortunately. He knew of me and wanted me to stick around, though, arguing to keep me from being given up for adoption in 1968. He lost that arguement but also wanted to be supportive of my mom, Mary. I've seen pictures of him and met most of the rest of my family, but I had never seen so much as seen a picture of his mother, Angeline.

I don't have much time left in my work day, so I'll write more about how this happened tomorrow or Wednesday, but for now, here finally is a picture from the 1930s featuring Angeline (she is on your far right):



From what I understand, Angeline's mom was or Inupiaq and her dad was part or Inupiaq. My own heritage as far as I know (and I'm working on finding out more about my father):

Inupiaq and French on my father's side
Norwegian and German on my mother's side

I don't yet know how the other people in the photo are related to Angeline, but the guy second from left reminds Joy and I of Marty Feldman, and think he would have made a great cartoon character. :)

A few days ago on a lark, I went to the City of Kotzebue website and signed the guestbook, telling about my father and his mother. Yesterday, I got an email from this VERY nice man by the name of Dean Westlake in Kotzebue, who's mom knew Angeline. We ended up having quite a cool and lively exchange, including his sending me the above photo and putting me in touch with my cousin Teddy and his family. We talked about visiting sometime; my mom loved Alaska when she and my brother, and sisters and dad went to live there (my dad was working on the pipeline) and would love to go back. I'd just love to go in the first place, and take Tony there, too.

When I was growing up, I loved learning about Washington State history and felt connected with the Coast Salish - and still do. I love their arts, spirit and history and have always felt proud of it - proud to be from Seattle whose heritage this is. I felt, it's my heritage too. I identified in some key ways with Native American spirituality. It did not surprise me in the least - in fact, certain things seemed to click right into place - when I learned I am Native Alaskan.

I am so happy to have (cyber) met Dean Westlake, who is ushering me into this part of my family! My father's surviving siblings will help a bit too, I'm sure, although it's understandably more old hat to them. I'm not sure how much or how little they know anyway, and I'm not too sure they know Dean - I think that's my own connection!

Pretty cool huh? I'll be writing to my cousin Teddy's family sometime over the Thanksgiving weekend, and I'm sure I'll have a bit more to report later.

Take Off Your Coat and Stay Awhile

Look over at the sidebar and scroll down. If you are bored, you can play Tetris. I'm also trying to find a Post-it note thingy and who knows, maybe some other stuff.

Who, Me?

Favorite Stuff (as of today, anyway):
food:	Usually savory pie
meal of the day:	Lunch
type of pasta:	Bow Tie
desert:	Chocolate
type of meat:	Turkey
vegetable:	Yukon Gold Potatoes
fruit:	Blackberries
kind of salad:	Waldorf
kind of cookie:	Oatmeal Chocolate Chip
kind of pie:	a tie: Pumpkin/blackberry
pizza topping:	Fresh Basil, Mmmmmm, also love artichoke hearts, mushrooms, sausage
flavor:	Amaretto
ice cream flavor:	Haagan Dazs' Mexican Chocolate (can't remember actual name)
snack:	Varies too much
flavor potato chip:	Sour Cream and Onion
drink:	Triple short Americano with cream and sugar
alcoholic drink:	Vodka drinks, I heart Cosmos
condiment (ketchup, mustard, etc.):	Mayo, esp. the herbed kind at Cafe Septieme in Seattle
nationality of food (chinese, italian, etc.):	Varies. Try Ethiopian sometime, Mmmmm!
restaurant:	Here in L.A., so far it's still Canter's. There's a reason it's so popular and has been around so long.
breakfast food:	Cereal, yogurt, fresh fruit
dinner food:	Today? Meatloaf, garlic mashed potatoes, salad and beer
salad dressing:	Honey Mustard
way to eat a potato:	As long as it's a Yukon Gold, any way is dandy
meal to cook:	I like dealing with fish.
flavor coffee:	If I'm getting a latte, almond. I also heart Mocha Valencias.
flavor tea:	Chai
candy bar:	Meh. I'll eat it if it's dark chocolate.
candy:	Chocolate
snack at the movies:	Popcorn, rootbeer, and if I'm at the Arclight, possibly an apple chicken sausage dog.
way to eat popcorn:	Still a fool for butter and salt
ice cream topping:	Dark Chocolate hot fudge, whipped cream and pecans or walnuts
carnival/fair treat:	Puyallup fair scones with fresh butter and blackberry jam, Mmmmmmm!!!!!
soft drink:	Henry Weinhard's, any flavor
koolaid flavor:	Orange
thanksgiving food:	Stuffing! Turkey, Jeez, everything. That's my fave meal of the whole year.
spice (salt, sugar, cinnamon, etc.):	Cinnamon
Everyday stuff
time to get up:	7:30 a.m.
place to shop:	Target, usually. Downtown's good for cheap stuff.
time of day:	Twilight
day of week:	Friday
month:	September, December
holiday:	Merry Christmas!
brand of toothpaste:	Crest Vivid White
brand of shampoo:	Clairol
type of makeup:	Lip stuff
place to be:	Safe, comfortable home
subject in school:	Was Drama, Languages (English, French)
class:	...
teacher:	Several, loved Mr. Pittis
foreign language:	French
historical event:	I'm fascinated by the 1930's and '40's, USA and Erurope
city:	I'll take Manhattan
article of clothing:	T-shirts
item you own:	Cozy sweater
pet:	was Muffin the adorable doggie
animal:	Dogs, but I love all animals
color:	Blue
season:	Still Autumn
type of weather:	Mild
career:	Actor
extra curricular activity (dance, gymnastrics, etc.):	...
sport:	To do? Sail
party game:	...
Dating & love
physical feature in the opposite sex:	Friendliness
personality trait of the opposite sex:	Warmth
place to go on a date:	Dinner and a movie is still a big fave for me, but I love to talk at a cafe (or wherever) for hours, too
thing to do on a date:	Talk, if it's a new person
gift to get from your date:	His presence
flower:	Gerbera Jamesonii, AKA the Gerber Daisy
kind of kiss:	Deep, long and sweet
place to be kissed:	Mouth
place to kiss your date:	Mouth
topic of conversation with your date:	Whatever arises naturally
way to show affection:	Big cozy sweet hugs
way for them to dress:	However he'd like
way to communicate with them (phone, email, etc.):	In person
Music, Movies, etc.
genre of music:	Today? Industrial
band:	So many, Jeez
singer:	Right now, K.T. Tunstall
radio station:	Jack FM
concert you've been to:	Dave Matthews Band
party music:	Rock
romantic music:	Sade
way to listen to music (CD, radio, etc.):	iPod
music to listen to when you're sad:	Soul II Soul
music to listen to when you're angry:	Megadeth, other hard edged music
song:	I miss Jesus Christ Pose
lyrics:	"If you open your mind to see, you won't rely on open eyes to see" - Queensryche
album:	Today? So - Peter Gabriel
song that relates to your life:	"The Rest Is Still Unwritten" - Natasha Bedingfield
quote:	"Only Connect" - usually attributed to E.M. Forster
joke:	Sly in-jokes
actor:	George Eads
actress:	Scarlett Johanssen
comedian:	Jon Stewart
TV show overall:	CSI:
reality show:	...
game show:	Jeopardy
drama:	House, Bones, more
sitcom:	Today? Till Death
TV channel:	CBS
movie:	Today? Shawshank Redemption
genre of movie:	Action/Thriller
place to go to the movies:	The Arclight, or Grauman's Chinese #9, the original big theater
people to see a movie with:	I like going on my own, actually
type of movie to see in a theater:	Big, expensive, popular special effects monsters like King Kong, Star Wars, etc.
All About You
physical feature:	Eyes
personality trait:	Friendliness
way to wear your hair:	Back and up
way to wear your makeup:	Not much
pair of shoes:	The Docs
outfit:	Jeans and T-shirt
thing that makes you smile:	Tony, emails from The Prof
person:	Joy
family member:	Noah
friend:	Joy again
room in your house:	Kitchen
place to be alone:	Anywhere's fine
place to be with your friends:	Their house, wherever they'd like to be
The Internet
website:	The Sixth Notebook
email host:	Gmail
IM service:	Gmail's
emoticon:	:P
online friend:	The Reverend Dr. Neurogeist
blog site:	Joy's
online game:	Tetris
IM/chat phrase:	...
search engine:	Google
font:	Varies by purpose
Travel & the world
type of car:	Mercedes SLK 350
form of transportation:	Trains are therapeutic
state in the US:	Washington State, California, New York
place to vacation:	Hawaii
ocean:	Pacific, although the Atlantic kicks some ass, too
country:	The United States of America
place to travel:	so far, Europe
type of climate (arctic, desert, beach, etc.):	Mild, agreeable
type of surroundings (city, country, etc.):	To live in? the City; to visit? Anywhere but suburbs or boring plains
State Park:	The Olympic National Rain Forest
natural wonder:	Let me get back to you on that ...
body of water:	Today? Lakes
Childhood
childhood toy:	Books
childhood memory:	Reading
childhood friend:	James was pretty cool
elementary school activity:	Dismissal
place to play:	My room
game to play:	Ninny and Esses (ask and I'll teach you)
birthday party (yours or a friend's):	My fifth was cool
food as a kid:	Ravioli, chocolate
way to annoy your parents:	Tried not to, failed miserably
way to get what you wanted:	Got it myself
Take this survey | Find more surveys Bzoink - The Original Survey Site

Tony Marcus Cassani

Dear Kiddo,

if you have Googled your own name, you have probably found this blog entry. Hi! This is your Mom. A Very happy belated 18th birthday to you, Tony Baloney Balloon. I miss you very much.

Mimi called me with the great news that she had managed to find a phone number for you in Mexico, and then called you and talked with you for most of an hour. I was so happy. I want to call you myself, and talk with you for as long as the card holds out ... I'm going to give that a shot next week on Wednesday, just before Thanksgiving.

I've been fantasizing about meeting you for the first time in 12 years, musing on what that could be like. Talking with you was always fun, and it will be again. I loved hanging out with you, such a neat kid. I loved you to pieces when you were little, have every day since, and will love you to pieces your whole life and beyond. I just can't wait to see you and get to know you all over again, this time with all kinds of new stuff.

I know Mimi gave you my email, here it is again: cath68@gmail.com
She also gave you my phone number; call her or email me if you need that again.
If you remember Bernie (I have a little hope that you at least vaguely remember him), he would LOVE to hear from you; once I talk to you, I'll give you his email and phone number.

Be good, baby. One way or another, I will talk to you soon.

Love,

Mama

Jeff/Cath NFL Update

Happy for me, but quite painful for Jeffrey. He owes me a ticket; I'll let you know the results as soon as he lets me know.

Currently, team standings:

Redskins: 3 & 6, PCT .333; Home 2-2, Road 2-4; AFC 2-2, NFC 2-4; DIV 1-3 - last in the NFC East

Seahawks: 6 & 3, PCT .667; Home 4-1, Road 2-2; AFC 1-1, NFC 5-2; DIV 3-0 - first in NFC West

Jeff/Cath standings:
(the most recent update for us was over a month ago - let's hope we get a winner, today!)

As of Oct. 6: "[Your Redskins Scratcher] won $15! You get $9 to add to your $1.20
(Jeff$10.20) , I get $6. to add to my $1.80
(Cath$7.80); you are ahead by $2.40."


I'll have a meatier entry a bit later today. :)


*later, 4:50 p.m.* - Or not, I've ended up preoccupied with stuff today, happily in one incredible case. I will talk about that tomorrow. I haven't heard from Jeff yet today though; I won't pester him about it unless it gets much later in the week with no word. The guy probably doesn't really want to think about football at the moment.

Trading Places

I have a new Seattleite pal on MySpace:



His name is Bill. I think he's using the site mainly for dating, and he seems like a pretty cool guy. He lives in an area of my sweet hometown that I know very well, Ballard. I used to work at the Olympic Athletic Club there, and see bands live in its great little clubs. One of my favorite singers, Chris Cornell, went to school at St. Alphonsus in Ballard.

Bill is from Los Angeles, born and raised within a couple miles of where I currently live, a 90+ year old apartment building from which you could throw a rock and hit The Arclight, A.K.A The Cinerama Dome. He told me just this morning that he and his buds used to sneak in there all the time growing up, and that he went to nearby Hollywood High.

I think it's cool that this guy who lives in a neighborhood I love (and very near where I'm from) found me, a girl who lives very near where he's from.

Wow.

Sometimes hitting "Next Blog" pays off:



I think the author took this photo. Amazing!! Click the image to visit that blog.

Sackalicious

The Hawks did us proud last night, sacking the living daylights out of the Raiders. They smashed 'em into a messy pulp in this low scoring but seriously fun game.

NFC West
Team	W	L	T	PCT	PF	PA	DIV	Streak
Seattle	5	3	0	.625	165	177	2-0	Won 1
St. Louis	4	4	0	.500	180	197	1-2	Lost 3
San Francisco	3	5	0	.375	143	238	1-1	Won 1
Arizona	1	7	0	.125	134	196	1-2	Lost 7

Update

The Redskins won a "crazy game" (quoting Jeff) yesterday against the Cowboys. Lottery tickets shall ensue only if the Seahawks do not win their game against the Raiders tonight, which THEY HAD DAMN WELL BETTER (aren't I a sweetheart, though).

I rather dislike the Raiders.

What else? Speaking of crazy, you must have a look at this:

CockClucker

...and of course catch yourself up on the rest of Joy's blog while you're at it. She has some great Halloween party pics up there.


That's all at the moment, although I could probably use to come back later. Perhaps I shall add stuff here and see you then.

*Rolls Eyeballs Dramatically*

I forgot about the letter "V",



A.K.A., the number FIVE.




This morning while riding to work with the lovely and grape-flavored Joy (her soul is purple), I was car-watching and fantasizing about personalizing the license plates of my future Mercedes SLK 350 (hey, it's MY brain, I can do what I want in there :P), Audi TT, Audi A4 and Jeep [I Haven't Decided Which Model, But Definitely A Jeep]. Some of the less intriguing, but more pertinent ideas:

Cath I, Cath II, Cath III and Cath IV

Thatch I, Thatch II, ThatchIII and Thatch IV

CTT I, CTT II, CTT III and CTT IV

Then I saw a cool car on the freeway, and thought, ooo, I want that one too, so that one would be license plate number Cath VI or Thatch VI or ... HEY, WAIT A MINUTE, THAT WOULD MAKE MY MASERATI 'CATH VII', WHICH IS SEVEN. WHAT HAPPENED?

So, *smacks forehead*, I realized that I had forgotten about the Roman glyph for numeral five: the lonesome letter V. It goes naked for five between IV (4) and VI (6).

But for online notebooks titled in Latin, that just doesn't look good, so what am I gonna do. Americans understandably first (and sometimes only) read "V" as the capital letter V and not the Roman numeral five; people would just think I've named the thing after a (misspelled) brand of feminine hygeine products and a random letter of the alphabet and figure, well, she's off her rocker, let's click "Next Blog" rather immediately.

So I'm just gonna smear the truth around and re-subtitle the blog 'the sixth notebook'. Think of it as a 13th floor (still often labelled 14th floors, which I think is kinda cool actually).

Something Happier...

...to cleanse your palate from the previous post: an enormous pic of my old pal DC with his new(er) band, Pigmy Love Circus. It just occured to me I might find something of him on the PLC MySpace. He is third from left, and below laughing hysterically. Click the band's pic to go see their site.



The Blue Drum God:

Bleah.

When I write out in public, it's usually happy-ish or neutral, it's definitely selected and polished a little. It's rarely been raw me, perhaps it should be more often, I don't know. But I know that the raw me can be both boring and a real bummer, so I'm self conscious. Who wants to bore people and bum them out? I wrote the following, figuring as I did so that I'd just erase it and replace it with something about football or acting or whatever, but I'm not replacing it. I'm lost, I've been pretty lost for a while, and here's me talking about it:

I really wonder how much longer I'll live. I know my kick-the-can life has drastically shortened my life expectancy. Very few important things are going right or well, and although I mostly have a sense of humor about it, today I don't. I get pretty fucking tired. You can't just keep going like this indefinitely. Every so often I've gotten some drastic jolt to happen, hoping for a jumpstart. Well, that method's effectiveness has tapered off a lot with each try, and now it's utterly run its course. I can't do that anymore, and I have no idea what else I can do. A bunch of money all at once would definitely help, I could work with that :P. Where else do I get real hope? It's in this frame of mind where I say, I could use some good news. From outside my own self, that I do not have to manufacture myself. I have too hard a time lately accessing my own (hope and good news), the survival kind I come up with for myself, and even if it weren't such a drag to do, the result's hollower than ever these days. It's like go-through-the-motions hope, not substantive, I-could-be-excited-about-this hope. It isn't real. I can see through it too easily. I am too alone, for too long, my small life is too big of a disaster, and I'm tired.

The Feast of All Saints

This particular phrase has special meaning in New Orleans, especially lately, and most especially after these past few games. Boo-ya for them! They didn't win this most recent Sunday against Baltimore, but they've been doing very well overall. I'm all for raising spirits in that neck of the woods.

What it usually means is the holiday, of course. I love it the best because there are wonderfully creepy, spooky stories in its history that connect disparate cultures and eras. I was brought up in a (very) Catholic household, and I always did appreciate having this sort of thing to cull from that and keep.

A statue and image of Sexy St. Catherine of Sienna, after whom I was named:

A Spirited All Hallows Eve To You

The Feast of All Saints is tomorrow. Spooky mysticism is one of my favorite things to come of my Catholic upbringing, and I love this time of year. The Nightmare Before Christmas is playing at the El Capitan in 3-D, and I'm gonna try to see that soon. Hooray Danny Elfman/Tim Burton :)

Monday, Monday

Everybody's using lyrics for their blog entry posts, so I thought I'd temporarily hop on the bandwagon.

I've tweaked my sidebar a little, most notably better categorizing stuff and adding to Music. I want to add more to Music, and add a Films section. It's not so much a practical thing, as much as enjoying expressing who my favorites are and letting you know me that way. The arts, and especially these arts, are crucial to my life experience.

The Seahawks lost yesterday, ugh. Bad calls were involved, and this is a wee bit embittering, especially if you're familiar with last year's Superbowl. We won that fucking game. Even Roethlisberger copped to miscalls when he was on David Letterman. But the Hawks are good men, and they take it in stride and hang in there. They are currently missing key players that would be helping not only with the quality of their game, but morale and confidence. Phoo.

What else? Joy and Jason and I will be going out for Pho for dinner tonight. They have the best coffee on the planet, and I'm looking forward to it. If we cut into after 8p, I'll just ask Jason to TiVo Prison Break for me. Maybe I can watch that at his house Friday, and finally see the Gary Sinise thing I had him TiVo.

I have been a lazy bum at work today, completing the text of only one report. Bleah. But to end on a positive, I'm in a pretty good mood and Joy complimented how I look :) I have on some frighteningly too-roomy yoga pants on, and they are very flattering. I'm gonna have to tweak them so they stay up better. Also, I have new face scrub I just test-drove this morning, as well as nice clean hair and a fairly cute top.

Numb (Contents of) Skull

I''ve been having a hard time, and I tend to withdraw when that happens - even from myself. I have a private blog that only I see (also a 'Codex', the fourth notebook), and I can guage the state of things by looking at how long it's been since I've made an entry into that. Sometimes I just have a little dry spell or feel lazy for awhile, and that's one thing. But if it's been over a couple weeks, something's wrong. If it were something new wrong, I'd probably let whatever it is happen and settle, then write about it. But if it's the same old damn thing, I'll just turn away from myself, fed up and disgusted. I go kind of numb, and that's where I am lately. Tired, in the big tired-of-life kind of way.

I need some good news. Anything will do, actually. Got any good news? Gno gnus is gnot gnecessarily good gnus.

The latest on my other job: Gilmore Girls on Tuesday, recalled for tomorrow. This is not usually the pleasantest or tightest set, but they did a pretty good job the other day. I love going to Warner Bros. because it is so easy to get to and from.

*Sigh*

I'll post something better tomorrow, I'm just waving hello right now.

The Redskins lost their game Sunday, as did the Seahawks. Bleah. However, I believe that my hunch was right (see entry just below this one). The 'Skins were feisty and played well for stretches of that difficult game, especially the 1st and 2nd quarters. Antwaan El made a spectacular 87-yard touchdown, for a beautiful close to the first half. It was the coolest thing to happen to that team so far this year.

JPB remains ahead by a few bucks, no one buys anybody scratch tickets when everybody loses.

For Some Reason...

I think the Redskins are gonna fight like the world is accustomed to seeing them fight, this weekend. I just have a feeling they'll be coming back to themselves. I think it's something about them playing the Colts ... something'll click.

I get a bit psychic about all the Seattle teams - not for every game, but now and then - when I'm keeping track of them. I'm dead on (or pretty close) surprisingly often. Well, apparently it works not only with Seattle, but any team I'm paying attention to. My hunch was right for the Redskins/Jaguars (W 36-30), and for the Seahawks' loss to the Bears (I dreaded this game, L 27-6); we'll see if I end up three for three. Check back here late Sunday or early next week.

Work Was a Day at the Beach

Yesterday I had the pleasure of hanging out in the general vicinity of Jeff Goldblum, who is just a marvellous person:



Jeez, what a perfectly lovely guy. I've seen a few interviews with him and know that he can be quite eccentric, so I was kind of expecting a picky, sensitive actor. No way, he was very easy, warm and kind. We were at Venice Beach filming a few scenes for mid-season replacement "Raines". Read the comments there, very intriguing. It sounds like yet another winner for the small screen, which is loaded with them these days.

Adorable Paradox

I bought a long-coveted pair of Dr. Marten's Two-Strap Mary Janes, yesterday:

Cute! And sooooooo comfy, a pitch-perfect fit. Docs devotees have always said, "once you get 'em, don't be freaked when they hurt; you'll have to spend awhile breaking them in ", so I braced myself yesterday for an afternoon of pain, blisters and not straying too far from home. This would be the excruciating Part One of what I figured would be maybe a month-long process. But...

These shoes do not hurt me, at all.

That is the least I could say: they were actually a relief from my Adidas, which are a little old now and have never been exactly right for me. I walked outta the store with them on, like an excited little kid, thinking 'hey these feel so good and do such good things for my stride, I have to wonder whether my Docs Devotee friends have been buying the wrong size for themselves.'

Or maybe the Doc is making them differently now than he did back in the day? Anyway, speaking of then, I've really wanted these particular shoes for a very long time, years actually. When I'd see them, in black, in my size, of course I'd be broke; when I had the money, I wouldn't see them or think of them. Or, they'd be all over creation but in the wrong size, wrong color (gotta have black first) or they'd have that freakish punk-geek style sole that I just can't stand.

Yesterday, I still couldn't really afford them, but here's the thing: I did have the money, there they were in black, size seven, classic sole and on sale for $69.99 (they are a $100.00 pair of shoes, $89.00 online). But here's what made the decision: they were the LAST pair of the Two-Straps in the store. Of any size, color, etc. They were the display pair. I thought, The Cosmos Hath Spoken. Today's the day.

In other news, the Seahawks won an exciting, great game against the Rams yesterday. On the other hand, the Redskins LOST to the fucking Titans. Jeeeeez. Poor Jeff. I think the pain-relief lottery ticket is pretty freezing comfort, but it did win $5 and he is still ahead of me by a few bucks.

Winning a Day of Work

I think I'm gonna get a call-in service. I heart Central Casting, but boy is it time-consuming to get through to them. Joy pointed out that it sounds like I'm trying to win a contest at a radio station - that is exactly what it's like. I'm trying as we speak to get booked on The Loop for Monday. Wish me luck.

Jeff/Cath update:

Cath:

Good news for the Redskins - This is who you guys play Sunday:


Jeff:

big money.

Cath:

You sound thrilled :P

Jeff:

nervous, must win that game. must.

Cath:

I know man. I really do. I'll cross my fingers for ya. Just this once, if [the Redskins] lose, I'll buy a couple tickets, because that would just be TOO BAD. Enough of that though, back to optimism: the Skins will torch those "Titans" geeks.


Jeffrey B.
To: me
October 13, 2006 1 hour ago

Seahawks got a tough one against the Rams. I'm gonna watch that, should be good..

Monk Business

Do I just look like a cashier?:



Yesterday I had fun on the set of Monk, with Tony Shaloub.



For whatever reason, they asked me to be a cashier in the shop where Monk and his friend, played by Andy Richter, are buying San Jose Sharks souvenir hard hats. It feels nice to be picked out, especially when you were just sitting around talking to this sweet kid from Dallas and not expecting anything. Anyway, setting up for the first take, Tony Shaloub came into the team store and smiled at me, gave me a warm look. I nodded and smiled. I just love that, love finding out the actors you have fun watching on TV are really nice to meet, pleasant. I watched him talk on his phone a lot, smiling and pacing around. He seemed pretty kicked back, warm. At the end of the day when Andy was wrapped, Tony applauded him and hugged him. None of his communication with anyone (including me) struck me as anything other than easy and genuine. He is not a big-voiced, announce-y actor. He's not 'on', I don't think even between "Roll sound" and "Cut". He's just being himself, then being Monk, and having a nice quiet sort of time about it. Very pleasant, classy, kind. He's a good guy and that was a pleasant set to work on.