January 2003 Archive

Wednesday, January 29, 2003

First I headed east on the St. Charles streetcar to Canal. Walked down Canal, very NYC. First, the aquarium. Upon entering, I read that I was just 15 minutes shy of the 11 am penguin feeding. I dig penguins. I pined to have a pet penguin as a child. I headed straight to the penguin exhibit and planted myself with my camera. There was tons of small children piling in to see the feeding. The penguins must know that the large crowd means they are getting fed. They turn into hams, posing in front of us. Gajillion not-so-good pictures of slippery, fast penguins taken.

After watching penguins chow down, I explored more. I touched a tiny nurse shark, a limpet, a star fish, sea urchin. In the coral reef exhibit I asked a family of three to take my photo. As I handed over the camera, I said, "It's my birthday photo." The wife, taking the camera, brightened up and said, "It's my husband's birthday too!" Two Aquarians at the Aquarium. (I only thought of that Aquarius/Aquarium coincidence today, not a forethought.) A few minutes later, while I was hunting the elusive puffer fish, the wife came back over and asked me to take their photo. I was happy to oblige.

After the aquarium, I wandered the French Quarter. While I was in Jackson Square talking a picture of Jackson himself, an older gentleman asked if I wanted my picture taken. I took him up on the offer. We shared some nice small talk and when I walked off, he called out, "Do you like muffeletta sandwiches?" I turned around and said, "Sure." So, he pointed the way to Central Grocery.

At Central Grocery, I got my muffeletta sandwich and headed to the back counter. Shortly, I was joined by four government administrators on exports here on an annual budget meeting, who were lovely enough to introduce themselves and share some lunch conversation. Muffeletta was tasty, conversation lovely.

More wandering in the French Quarter. It was a cool, quiet day. Lovely. I made sure I took a picture of a Burgundy street sign for my sis, Burgundy. Took pictures of an assortment of Technicolor doors along the streets. Clicked a photo of a one-eyed cat sitting on a porch fringed with Mardi Gras beads.

I realized it was close to the time to reconvene with Larisa, so I hightailed it to Cafe Du Monde for my obligatory cafe au lait and beignets. The curtness of the waitress was offset by the signing and playing and singing of Hack Bartholomew. After singing A Wonderful World, in response to the tepid applause, Mr. Bartholomew said, "And the crowd went wild!" So I hollered, "Whooo!" It was not appreciated by the musty old folks looking all cranky at the Cafe, but I enjoyed it.

Filled to the top with beignets, I wandered off to get some souvenirs. Proud to say I know own a silver ring with a +1" scorpion on it, and a shirt that says, "I'd rather be masturbating." I want to wear the latter 24/7.

The St. Charles street car brought me back to Larisa's and we were off to a short stint at Tulane. Still kind of stuffed with fried dough, I slowly wandered the bookstore and business school. So many very serious looking students. Larisa tells me that she feels very separated from her fellow students, who are all youngin's straight from undergrad, hyper-competitive and treat school like a life-or-death situation. Weird.

Larisa and I headed to Lyle and Artak's for dinner. The threesome all met there first semester at Tulane, where they were in the same intensive class together. It was fantastic to get to peek in on their rapport for an evening, acting like husband/husband/wife in the best possible way.

Larisa and I topped off this epic, great day seeing Ingrid Lucia's last set at the Ritz Carlton. Delightful.

*Pow* Whattabirthday!!

Going home to soon, but can't knock a great visit. I'm booked at Chez Larisa for Mardi Gras next year.
posted on 1/29/2003 11:37:17 AM

Monday, January 27, 2003

Larisa and I talked nonstop for several hours. Then when it came to doing what sightseeing when, I asked, "Can we see burlesque?" Boy, did we see burlesque! Despite my Sunday through Wednesday chunk of time in the Big Easy, I saw a Sunday night 10pm show of the Shim Sham Burlesque Revue featuring the Southern Leze-Belles.Larisa and I splurged for a table in front. 200 non-flash photos and one Shirley Temple later, completely entertained, we left. The Jeze-Belles were fantastic!

Welcome to New Orleans, Brandy.

Today I venture off to Audobon park on the St. Charles streetcar, while Miss Larisa studies law. Then we're off to Blaine Kern's Mardi Gras world. How glad am I that I bought a 128MB memory stick for the camera?

Very glad.

posted on 1/27/2003 10:53:57 AM

Saturday, January 25, 2003

Har De Har Har
The day improved when me and my bandmates confabbed. Plans are being made, look out for a square dance near you (if you're in Chicagoland). And just wait until we release our comedy album. We are cut ups.

Hoping to dissuade Anthony from telling this joke every time I see him, here's his favorite:
Q: What's brown and sticky?
A: A stick.

And Ethan's original gem from 2nd grade:
Q: What's the best part of being a pioneer?
A: The fringe benefits. [brushing the imaginary coat fringe]

My all-time fave:
Q: Where does Napoleon keep his armies?
A: In his sleevies.

I don't have a non-epic, or non-had-to-be-there quip from Anne or Zebulun.

Posted on 1/25/2003 12:58:34 AM

Friday, January 24, 2003

This week can bite my ass. Most plans with people I like have fallen through, while people I don't like are coming out of the woodwork. Incredible.

At least I like my new haircut and color.

Off to let off some steam!

posted on 1/24/2003 11:25:24 AM

Friday, January 20, 2003

Dating Brandy Postscript
My date with myself was splendid. Since I bought dinner, I thought I should put out at the end of the night - neither of me was disappointed.Adaptation was so contrived and self-referential that I was surprised that I got as absorbed as I did. Really enjoyed it. Chris Cooper and Meryl Streep kicked my moviegoer ass as usual. And I've got to admit I was fascinated with Cooper's lack of teeth - a couple quick movie references confirm that it was prosthetic. *whew* Very convincing.

The Hours
I went to see the Hours with my good friend Alise tonight (my yearly, pre-Oscar movie binge) and was entranced. Boy, was this a movie about the inifinte expressiveness of the human face. Incredible. So many of my favorite actresses, throw in some great actors and even children who are emotive and not cloying.

It was a movie that made me want to go home and make art - one of the best possible effects of seeing art.

posted on 1/20/2003 10:53:56 PM

Friday, January 17, 2003

I got to her page after bookalooka pointed to Winchell's MP3 of Helen Gurley Brown's Love Lesson #2: How do you find a man if you're not pretty? Wow, makes me thankful up and down that I was born in '74, not earlier. But I suppose there are gobs of "modern" women who prescribe to this. *whew*

Dating Brandy
Tonight I decided I'm going on a date with myself. I'm going to buy barettes at Claire's, eat stir fry at my fave place and go see Adaption. I like me.

posted on 1/17/2003 03:50:16 PM

Thursday, January 16, 2003

Huh?

posted on 1/16/2003 09:52:46 PM

Wednesday, January 15, 2003

We expected people to get into it, but we were knocked over with how into it people got. Later in the evening, we had a circle dance , Bingo, with a hundred folks into it. It was at that point that Zebulun gave Anne the moniker of "The B.F. Skinner of Square Dance." She played both good cop and bad cop effortlessly - she both called people out on mistakes while dispensing praise.

This was my first concert since high school. At a certain point I realized I was inaudible on accordion, which got me quite down. I was more hood ornament than accordion player. Live and learn.

If you're in the Chicago area and you need a square dance band for your big party, I know just the folks...

TeeVee & DeeVeeDee
My most concrete new year resolution is to lessen my television consumption by 95%. Basically, this means no teevee other than Charlie Rose and Law & Order dispensations. Cable-B-Gone. I had megacable for 18 months. Many movie channels to feed my cinemaphilia. And while I watched plenty of good stuff, I watched loads of crap. The TV became the constant noise machine. So, in a effort to put more silence, space, and focus into 2003, cable was removed.

To satiate the cinemaphilia, I bought a DVD player and signed up for Netflix. So far, so good!

Full of Beans
Like my October inventory of white glue, today I realized just how many lima beans I had.

Due to a much needed client downpayment, anticipation of a blizzard, and a very empty pantry, I ordered $250 of groceries from Peapod. That's a lot of food for one girl. I am set. I could hunker down for a month no problem. I didn't order any lima beans, but filled the coffers made me realize just how many lima beans are in my home. One 16 oz bag in the freezer, three 15.25 oz cans, two 8.75 oz cans. Must go to Epicurious for lima bean recipes...
posted on 1/15/2003 12:51:13 PM

Thursday, January 09, 2003

Earlier I was on the Red Line south to rehearsal and I was listening to Stevie Wonder's Sir Duke at full volume. My accordion case was my ottoman as I reclined in the train seat. I was deep in thought, excited that dancers would be at our rehearsal. I just happen to look up and look straight into the Northbound train from the Loop. Filled with solemn faces tired from a day's work. I was not where they were at, or going where they were going at all. Not in the slightest.

Rehearsal was good, but tiring. Since we had dancers, it was all square dances. It's awesome to watch people dance, but my accordion contribution is extremely repetious. Dinnerless, I would catch myself yawning too much or staring up at the ceiling. I will be properly fed on Saturday. Saturday is going to be super.

Came home to a futon full of those 11 loads of laundry. Will be sleeping on the guest bed. Ahhh...

Ok, dinner/midnight "snack" in done. Better toddle off to bed...

posted on 1/9/2003 01:17:16 AM

Holy Poop!
It is fifty-seven fuckin' degrees out. The sky is a jaw-dropping shade of lilac. I have done 11 loads of laundry today. Even the toilet seat cover is kleeeeeen. I am very happy today.

And I just finished the most KICK ASS New Year's greeting EVAH! Here it is Don't fret if you we correspond by email and you haven't seen it. I'm still working through the address book. But now, I'm off to rehearse...

posted on 1/8/2003 4:49:31 PM

Monday, January 06, 2003

Favorite Quotes of the Weekend
On the topic of Sweden
Anne: I'm a medium in Sweden!

After finishing a song at rehearsal yesterday, in preparation for the Barn Dance on Saturday, complete with hay bales, chili...
Anthony: If that doesn't make people go and fuck...
...there's just something wrong with the world.
Brandy: We'll set aside a corner for folks.
Anne: We'll hang sheets to make sections.
Anthony: You want to roll in the hay?

Progress!
I'M REALLY, RILLY HAPPY RIGHT NOW! My designer's block cleared and I'm working on the snazziest New Year's greeting EVER.

posted on 1/6/2003 10:38:51 PM

Thursday, January 02, 2003

Quick Programming Note
I'm rebuilding Mission Control here. Somewhat preemptive, someone reactionary. Been burning archive cds for days. Harddrive reformatted, Windows and most hardware resolved. Back online. Critical software reinstalled. Address book rebuilt after much tearing out of hair. Still haven't reintegrated the archived Sent Items and Inbox folders - that's kind of scary, kind of liberating. Uber-pissed that my computer won't read the disk my hundreds of Internet bookmarks were on! LOADS of files to copy over to the clean, lonely harddrive.

But - now I sleep. Conference call bright and early.

posted on 1/2/2003 11:18:29 PM

Thursday, January 02, 2003

Social Butterfly
My holiday season isn't quite over. I've had a marathon of noshing, laughing, loads of good conversing. Being an information design zealot, I made this:
Time Allotment of Brandy Agerbeck from December 20 through December 29, 2002

posted on 1/2/2003 12:17:14 AM