Friday, January 26, 2007

Listening To Myself Talk

This is an entry from my personal journal. I very rarely go back and read old stuff, with this one exception. I need to hear it every few weeks or so. I wish I were better at following my own advice:

Apples to Zen

I thought last night: when you really improve your life, it won't be out of anger or disgust with yourself, and it won't be due to a moment, no matter how remarkable, of inspiration. It won't emerge like a phoenix from a really deep black mood nor be propelled any more than a few feet out of a happy one. It won't even come of being on the right career path or making peace with your past. It will come of making everyday decisions that are in your best interest from the time you wake up until you go to bed at night. Right Action. Since it's tricky to remember what to do and why, since the big picture is not displayed for you when you wake up in the morning and your motivations are so easily lost in the moments of the day, design a way keep them at the forefront of your consciousness. Keep bringing what's important back to your attention. Get something up on the wall here at home, figure out a portable version to take with you. But don't be pissed, don't bother. Really. Get it out of your system. Zen out. Don't just hope for a happy morning, expect it or get it that way. Attitude is everything. Find the motherlode for your sense of humor so you don't lose it when your down like this. And tomorrow? buy a giant sack of apples.

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

movies/SPORTS

I saw Pan's Labyrinth on Saturday, and some thoughts on that are forthcoming. I have to bring some stuff from my own computer to here at work, including that, writing stuff and a few other entries from my personal journal.

What else? Ah, football. Well, first of all, congratulations to 2007 AFC Champs The Indianapolis Colts and 2007 NFC Champs The Chicago Bears.

I know I'm supposed to be going for my own league, but I have to say my heart is with the Colts this year. I was stung kinda hard by that last loss, maybe harder than usual. First of all, The Hawks hadn't really been doing well, but there was a little energy there toward the end so I got my hopes up for a full-on rally monkey. No monkey. Second of all, Joe Montagne kinda killed my buzz. I was watching the news, and they were filming outside Taste Chicago - my all time favorite pizza place so far in life, FANTASTIC rich, tasty pie. And there was it's proprietor, Joe Montagne, like him, he's cool, so I'm checking out the festivity and hoping he talks about his joint, his hometown and his team. And of course I expected a bit of the usual sort of trash talking on the Seahawks. Well he definitely did that last part, but then he had to go on to also dis SEATTLE. The city itself, my beloved, spectacular hometown. Hmph, I thought, I'd never rag on Chicago THE CITY (As it happens, I don't even boo opposing teams,only cheer my own, but that's just me. I do get it. I mean, there it is, all part of the game). So I felt pretty sore about that, which has bled into my feeling pretty sore about his team. Which of course is not right, so I am in the process of getting over myself. In the meantime, two words, baby:


GO COLTS!!!

Monday, January 15, 2007

Eating Crow

http://www.flashfumetto.it/files/immagini/Professionisti/Nicoletta%20Ceccoli/crow.jpg%202.jpg

I was crushed, man. But we put up a good fight, forcing overtime and only letting the Bears win by a field goal. Heads up high, guys. You are a great team, and this was a kick-ass season. Looking forward to next year!!

Friday, January 05, 2007

Interesting Eye

I was hunting around Quattro's blog to see if I could find an image of him, so I could either tell him I think he's really handsome, or lie and tell him I think he's really handsome. A bit of advice: All good men, all gentlemen, all husbands charming and not, everyone's brother, son and dad, all favorite uncles and male cousins, co-workers and fellow bloggers are handsome. No matter what.

This is a slight variation on (and extended remix of) the male half of some advice I got at about age eight:
"
All wives are lovely; all husbands are charming."
"But....!", I began to protest.
"Shhh - no matter
what!"
"Oh", I said.

The truth is, if Kevin is any taller than me (not hard for most men as I am 63 inches tall), has either most of his hair or none at all, has friendly peepers and a warm smile, I will almost certainly genuinely think he is handsome. The question arises in the first place from the comments under this blog post.

Anyway, in clicking around, I found his online portfolio Optic Chaos. He is a car guy! Here are my favorite images from that:

MMMmmmMenMenMen (this top one is my very fave, the rest are in no particular order):


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opticchaos.070

opticchaos.091

I wonder what kind of plant this is?:

opticchaos.028

Q has a keen sense for architecture, this shot had the coolest color:

opticchaos.052

Tr
รจs Moderne:

opticchaos.072

So SoCal:

opticchaos.081

opticchaos.040

Cutest girl in the world:


opticchaos.030

opticchaos.031

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

...Panda Hippo Gnu Deer

I dug my New Year's wish from last year, so I thought I'd dust it off and hang it up again:

I wish you the very best that 2007 could possibly have to offer you!

May you have peace, health, happiness, dreams dreamt and come true (or begun to), good sleep, good eats, fun times & safe home.

May all of you drive carefully and be surrounded by polite, friendly drivers.

May you all have plenty of money and all the stuff you want and need.

May your loved ones have what you wish for them and more.

May your non-fake plants stay alive in your care.

May your pets frolic and love you to pieces.

May the world, your friends, the cosmos and your favorite person/sweetie love you to smithereens and be wonderfully good to you.

May you take joy in old friends, deepening your bonds, and may you make marvellous and fantastic new friends.

May you see magnificent movies and talk about them for hours after.

May you drink excellent coffee and have at least a few really fabulous meals with people you enjoy deeply.

May you have love, sweetness and light, all the way through 2007 and far beyond.

With all my love to all of you,

Happy New Year!!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Also, know your blogger better in 2007:


Some things I live for:

The anchoring presence of family (Hi, Tony!) and friends, giving love and being loved

Affection and affinity, being touched physically, bonding non-physically

Being nourished, moved and surprised in experiencing real life

Being nourished, moved and surprised in experiencing the arts

My great big hopes and dreams

All that is natural

Including that which is contrived (contrivance is natural to humans)

Contributing

Creating

Movement and excersize

Enjoyable, fulfilling challenges

Work, action, change, learning

Talking

Thinking

Sunshine

Coffee, chocolate and other favorite foods and drinks

good sleep and other comforts

My favorite people, living and dead, acquainted with me and not

My favorite ideas and topics

My favorite other stuff

You

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Most of Day Two.

I'll put things in a nutshell - 'tis the New Year, time to move on!

On the 23rd, I rented a car, which would be a miracle except that I am WAY smart, yo. First, I went to a rental car agency and the guy said, in Down Town Seattle right before Christmas?? You will NEVER find a car; you MIGHT if you go to the airport. So what did I do? I slid right into the lobby of the Westin, sidled up to the concierge and and asked if she could please hook me up with a car. I heart concierges. She not only did, but the nice lady from Advantage Rent-a-Car
came to pick me up from this swank hotel at which I was not staying. Which the concierge knew. Neato, huh? If you ever need stuff, just ask your friendly neighborhood concierge.

So then I went up to Broadway and tried to shop for a bit, coming up empty handed but having a good time anyway. I should have gone to The Market and spent that time getting souvenir stuff for the folks in L.A.; hindsight is 20/20 :P. I called Padraic as scheduled (Buying a house anywhere in the West? Call Padraic Joseph Jordan; he is an even better real estate guy than he is a Handsome Irish Bartender - and he is a DAMN GOOD Handsome Irish fucking Bartender. Just ask me for his contact info), and we had a magnificent little lunch date at a Pho joint in Seattle's Chinatown, known there as The International District. He gave me a bottle of his gorgeous homemade Irish Cream, hugs, kisses and good wishes for the New Year. Then Mary Pat called back (I had talked with her dad earlier), and she asked if I'd go have dinner with her usual bunch at Claire's Pantry after Mass. I always love seeing her and her family and the few family friends that get together every weekend at Claire's for dinner. Mr. Henwood treated me, and I knew there'd be no use arguing.

Then I got on I-5 and went up to Mom's. Hi, Mom!

More later.