Productivity and Priorities

The photo is of Etlatongo, a village in the Valley of Oaxaca. This was supposed to be the topic of my night. The villagers were closely involved with the Olmec centers. What is the nature of their interaction? I have no idea. I haven't read the book and it is due tomorrow. Let's move on....

Lately I have been listening to a lot of Jazz. I went to the library and rented Billie Holiday, Ornette Colman, John Coltrane, Miles Davis, Sonny Rollins and Mary Lou Williams to start me off. And I checked out Jazz is by Nat Hentoff which is an amazing depiction of the beginnings and nature of jazz through big names.

Jazz is amazing. It is so passionate and spontaneous and fucking free. I always had wanted to get into it, roll around in it, love up on it,but I really had no help. I tried in high school, but really just ended up downloading Miles Davis "take five" and some popular Coltrane. I think I just didn't have the attention span in high school because I didn't download much after that.

But lately Nick has been talking about Jazz and he knows his shit. BOOM. I came into jazz like it was my business. I added about 5GB to my itunes and my computer can't keep up.

Ornette Coleman is one of my favorite sax players. Nick let me listen to Shape of Jazz to Come and the first time I listened to it, i wasn't blow away. It was off setting to listen to something not all in tune. But the second time I really noticed how fucking amazing it is. Its completely free and unself-conscious. Then I listened to Change of the Century and loved it just as much. GOD. My fav song on the album is Una Muy Bonita.


Of course I have been listening to Miles Davis a lot, as well. And Billie Holiday. Jesus. Every song is so passionate. Etta James is enchanting as well. I cant get over her songs Sugar on the Floor and I'd Rather Go Blind. I can't wait to see jazz live, it is supposed to be a completely moving experience. But since I have $5.03 in my bank account, it might have to wait until post graduation.

Anyway listening to all this jazz made me want to make a super sexy playlist. Because making playlists is the most rewarding activity. It took about 2 hours of playback, and tweaking but I am convinced you will be completely willing to take your clothes off when you put these tunes on.

You Go to My Head- Billie Holiday
Blue in Green- Miles Davis
Village Blues(shout out etlatongo!)- Coltrane
Just for You-Ornette Coleman
There is No Greater Love-Sonny Rollins
Very Thought of You-Billie Holiday
Wise One- Coltrane
All Blues-Miles Davis
I can't Believe you are in love with me-Billie Holiday

I will obvi change this later. This is just based on what I have so far. And my collection will grow. Zin.

Bluish

When you claw me like a cat, I'm beaming
I like the way you squeeze my hand
Pulling me into another dream,
A lucid dream.

I'm getting lost in your curls
I'm getting crushed out on the things
that only I should see
not for boys, they're just for me
Hurry to talk, from far away

Put on the dress that I like
It makes me so crazy, though I can't say why
Keep on your stockings for a while
Some kind of magic in the way you're lying there


Why wasn't this song written about me? I have curly hair. And I love cats. Seriously, I think this is the most adorable song ever written about a significant other.

I don't know why there hasn't been an entry in months, probably just because we are lazy. But expect something soon.

KFC me throw up

Monday I woke up pretty late and didn't eat any lunch. So when my roommate Jess asked me if I wanted to go to dinner I was pretty excited. I had a little extra cash and she was going to be driving. Zin. Where are we going? KFC. Colleen Rachel and Jess always talk about the glories of KFC and how delicious and filling it is. When I was growing up we went to KFC maybe twice. And both of those times the food was free because they sponsored my brother's baseball team.

The idea sounded perfect. WHY have I never gone to KFC on my own? Delicious crispy chicken? Endless possibilities for side items? There seemed to be no flaws in the dinner decision.

So I blew off my night class and we drove to North Oakland. I decided on crispy chicken breast potato wedges and mashed potatoes. Carb heavy but I was at KFC, its not like I was following a diet.

I inhaled my food with a smile. In less than 15 minutes all of our food was finished, including two big boxes. Let me tell you there is nothing attractive, or even humane about eating KFC. Whatever you are eating you look like a beast devouring your prey between your fingers. The beast-like eating mentality is encouraged with your rationed prepackaged dining set with a 1/2 ply napkin and a fork.You inevitably leave with grease stains on your pants. As for the food, the mashed potatoes are liquid, the butter squeezes out of a ketchup package and the potato wedges have human fingernails in them (that could be false).

No one moved for the next thirty minutes until we got back into the car.It hurt our stomachs even to speak. The car was definitely driving a little lower to the road with our fat asses in there, adding about 20 pounds since the ride to the restaurant.

I went to class after and thoroughly regretted my dining decision. Why does it take an hour to realize EVERYTHING you ate was fried. I had to go to the bathroom twice during a class I didn't even arrive to on time. And now 5 and a half hours later, I still feel like I am going to throw up. This is why I never went to KFC, and why my mom never encouraged it. It is disgusting, and it makes you feel like shit. How is KFC still in business? I hate myself.

Reunions! Riots! Runbelievable!

We are back at Pitt for our spring, final semester, and things are WONDERFUL. If we forget about our student responsibilities (which have already been neglected in writing this blog), life is perfect in Oakland. Last weekend we visited Pixie Dino at Garage Door. It was an epic reunion filled with love and heatlamps, but not too many photos. Luckily this weekend for my birthday, I took 156 photos, most of which cannot be posted, because we look like we descended from mutants.

The weekend went like this: Nick came over Friday night right as Kelly, Catie and I finished off 2 margaritas at Mad Mex and went to a Polo party at Mike's house. Lindsay sadly did not come out because of the Young Dryas temperatures that are going on in Pittsburgh in 2009 AD. Party was fun, but I didn't get too drunk since I had an interview at the Mattress Factory in the morning. I woke up a little late, and in my laziness almost didn't go. Wow. But I went and I had a class with Nicole, the director, and I got the job! Its unpaid but I will be in charge of the annex building on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Sweet Life.

Saturday Nick and I saw Milk. I sobbed. I loved it so much. Then we went to dinner and had a laugh off later that night.

Sunday ruled. We woke up LATE in the afternoon. I am talking 4pm. And we made mac and cheese and chicken patties and ate like children, sitting indian style on my floor. Nick and I watched six feet under and wailed together. Then he tried to leave for work and band practice, but I coaxed him into staying. Everyone was watching the Steelers game, so Nick and I went over to Kelly's and ate pineapple pizza and cheese fries from a little place called SAY CHEESE. We took a couple shots, watched a few bloopers and made our way to the streets arund 1030 to catch any victory riots from the game. There were a few hollers in the street, but no madness. So we went into Hemingways and met Catie and ordered some drinks. Then we notice the crowds on the street. Nick, Kelly and I dont care about football but the second our feet hit pavement of Frobes avenue we were screaming death threats at Eagles fans and starting singing Steeler songs.

Nick compared the event to Lord of the Flies. The minute you were in the street you were screaming KILL THE BEAST! SLIT HER THROAT! Literally Kelly and I started the chants "BURN IT!"and "Light it on Fire!" and "TIP THE FUCKING CAR!" Some people had Philadelphia flags out their windows, and everyone tried to throw snowballs into their window. Also a guy SCALED the building to grab and destroy the flag. Ha. But then as we were patiently waiting for a towel to be lit on fire, the same Philly fans poured a bucket of water on all three of us, mostly affecting Kelly.
Then we got SUPA serious about drinking and met up with a lady love I call LINDSAY WRIGHT. We took shots and pictures and it was so funny to have Floor 20 reunited! After Hemingways we went to Garage and saw Sarah Powell. The reunion continues. This is ONE picure that is acceptable of us. Even though its really just elbows and red eyes.

Oh YEAH remember this DREAM? Everything was perfect living under giants in 204H. So the rest of the night we just took ridiculous pictures and laughed and swammied each other.

Monday Nick and I woke up without a worry in our hearts, as he called off work and we laid in bed until 2. Then we had lunch at the cheesecake factory with Wayne and Val and I stole a flask from Urb. My babes Lauren and Amy came to visit and I got to show them around my apartment and Lauren got me an OBAMA tshirt. Loved it. Nick tried to end the glory by leaving me too soon, but it continued on with MLKJ day crafts at Kelly's and fuel and fuddle food that could feed a small family with Catie and Kelly. IT FEELS GREAT TO BE PACK IN PITTSBURGH (even without a real bed or any furniture)!

Back in PGH

An Open Letter to les Sans Abri of Paris

Excusez-moi, de vous deranger.... but could you not show me your penis?

Hey. I know its tough to live in a city that is below freezing, and to not have a house. I know vous voulez logement comme toute le monde, but what is going on? I got on the metro today and was pleasantly surprised when the first car was almost empty. Sweet, I can have a seat and relaxing nap during my commute to school. This was not the case. I hopped into the metro and immediately smelled giant horse droppings and cat litter. What is this nasty odor? Well I look to my left and there you are. Laying on the floor of the metro, with your pants down. I can hardly comprehend how a human smells this foul. But the smell isnt repulsing enough is it? No you had to go and show me your weiner. Pull your jeans up, tuck your balls back in and get off the metro. There a plenty of churches you can get some new clothes and change your life. If you are not into relgion, pretend to be a student. Invest in a backpack and then you can take naps on campus. Invest in a dog and take up a hobby like playing a flute. These ideas will make you some money and get you out of the cold. So please get the fuck off the metro, so I dont have to hold back my vomit and snuggle in my scarf to breathe.


THANKS,

ally

a la mode

I just came back from Les Arts Decoratifs where there was an exposition on Sonia Rykiel. We went with Thierry, my Haute Couture professor. He is so cute. He always wears fitted suits with a nice tie and a wool trench coat. He says things like "ta ta!" and glides when he walks. But the exposition was amazing, much different from Valentino's earlier in the semester. And the photos from Dominique Issermann were beautiful. Rykiel was a famous french designer for a couple of reasons; she was the first to put the seams on the outside of the clothing, she had amazing knitting skills and her fashion house was on the left bank (holla!) rather than the right, like other designers. She opened her own line in 1968 and most of the dresses and hats we saw looked like they were inspired by the 1930s because of the flower prints and knee length dress. I guess her fashion shows were different from others too because the models were having more fun with it and moving, rather than being sassy and pouty. And she hung out with Andy Warhol. AND A big theme among her collections over the years was stripes, which reminded me of Carrie Bradshaw's ensemble in An American Girl in Paris and I looked it up online and I was right! Which means I am an aspiring fashion critic or I watch a sickening amount of S&TC ( leaning more towards the latter).

I want to wear designer clothes. Why isn't this an option for me? I actually like my fashion class, and I thought I would would be critical of it. Because I'm sorry what is the relevance of fashion in the real world? When our professor asked us for a 6 page paper on the pea coat, I scoffed. Take a look at your life, its fashion: a hobby. That is like writing a paper on food, it exists and everybody needs it but don't write papers on vegetables. But once I stopped being a bitch, I realized that fashion, especially Haute Couture is more like fine art or sculpture. It is expensive but it can be worth it according to your taste. And these evening dresses that are covered in sequins or feathers can take years to create, and require skill. And the way it fits on the model and the movement of the fabric can be quite remarkable. Even Hemingway wrote in Moveable Feast, in Paris you can either be into art or fashion, there is not enough money for both. Do I sound pretentious yet? Hum ho.

Also did some Christmas shopping and picked these up for Nick. Shh it will be a surprise...Haha WHY would those EVER be okay. And what woman would be comfortable sharing a bed with a man in tights under his SHORTS. Casual wear.

So anyway here are some Christmas ideas for me, Linds if you are still searching for ideas...
Skirt
Adorable Cardigan
Cocktail dress for Erie
Day Dress
Clutch

And of course liposuction because I don't think they have pret-a-porter for the morbidly obese, comme moi.

I am going to the independent wine vineyard expo again today, to find a future husband who makes a smooth Bordeaux red wine. ta. ta.