pen’s 100

1. a loving-and-not-wrathful God

2. grace

3. you – yes, you

4. e-pals whom I’d be wholly lost without

5. introversion

6. the ability and desire to make personal resolutions throughout the whole year

7. j-lo’s humor, patience and love

8. k-lo’s smiles, stories, imagination, sociability

9. n-lo’s sweetness, humor, quietness, independence

10. the gift of words, however questionable in value

11. family who I love and love me back

12. family who I love and remain mysterious entities – bc now we can ponder human nature in full depth…

13. bender and bailey – oh, bender and bailey! together and apart.

14. trees. hardwoods. branches. their composition against the sky.

15. cloud patterns, infinite

16. hills. mountains. even flat land sometimes.

17. YA novels and other books that are a balm to my soul

18. shows that literally make me laugh out loud. parks&rec, office, newgirl, himym, I’m thinking of you

19. knowledge and its crazy-accessibility

20. forgiveness

21. this blog

22. the revival of our writing group and cath as the hammer

23. my christmas tree, and the personal history of ornaments it contains

24. book club

25. church community

26. baby jesus

27. stars, so many of them – and the fact that I can see them

28. camping

29. ability to connect with friends old and new, far and near, online. miraculous really.

30. pinning

31. tweeps

32. the onion. funny or die. comedy is so not dead.

33. fresh, like really fresh, produce

34. prospective garden

35. this quiet street

36. k’s school

37. n’s school

38. chocolate sea salt caramels and that I got a bunch for christmas

39. an rx that actually works. most of the time.

40. aldi

41. recognizing god’s design, I really see it sometimes

42. music – and so accessible

43. libraries

44. free apps

45. trips

46. the teachers in our lives, both old and new

47. that n-lo’s greatest joy in life is making a new batch of jell-o

48. that k-lo is so much cooler and more socially adept than I ever was

49. cheese

50. that jason segal made a new muppets movie

51. fraggles exchanging a very special rock on their christmas. yes.

52. sunrises that I can see from my kitchen window every day, esp in winter

53. coffeeeee

54. the ability to exercise even if I don’t always wanna

55. opposable thumbs

56. contact lenses – the technology!

57. that I love to cook – this shouldn’t be taken for granted really

58. wine

59. gummy vitamins that don’t make me ill

60. caprese salad

61. samples “lunch” at the price club

62. they still sell i-cees! blue and red! at the gas station up the street!

63. bonfires

64. knowing many people who truly love bonfires

65. holy spirit whispers

66. stained glass, sunlit

67. snark/sarcasm – which to quote lane does not become me but sustains me

68. yoga poses, which I’ll come to know again one day

69. my gift of mercy, developed deeply over the years

70. my educational degrees, however questionable in value

71. this: 2 over-easy eggs on warm/buttered toast with fresh tomato slices on top and a sprinkling of salt, pepper and hot sauce. yes.

72. scarves

73. varying church service styles, learning to appreciate the form and nuances of each – although I’m still resistant to the grape juice thimbles. really.

74. a mailbox with a functional flag

75. clean air to breathe, even deeply when I remember to

76. the ability to cut my own and my family’s hair

77. the word “wonder” and the desire to seek it out

78. that andy on the office had a shelf of carolers like me

79. dwight’s homage to trans-siberian orchestra

80. entertainmentweekly magazine and the unexpected subscription from my longlost brother

81. that j.lo gave me a blanket for christmas bc mine is a complete rag. and that its rag status bothered him waay more than it bothered me.

82. the complete gilmore series

83. fondue, just the fact of it

84. katniss everdeen

85. that leaching is no longer a common practice (i.e. i am grateful for modern medicine)

86. eggrolls, especially the crunchy ends

87. cookie bars, especially the gooey middles

88. goodreads

89. that fall is my favorite season again

90. the prospect of snow

91. the love of spring

92. defying the norm to hate summer

93. running water, the miracle and commodity of that

94. word games with friends

95. rarely having to buy children anything – clothes toys etc they’ve been so covered

96. brilliant authors

97. hope, however full of shadows

98. online photo filters

99. city energy that can occasionally be indulged

100. the sweet feeling of relief at arriving home. even from the grocery store.

101. making it to 100 and feeling like there is more, much more

glow

Additional glimpses, pen's dwelling ~

Penelobells,

As i talk to you there are two guys on our lawn with drinks in their hands talking about my father's packard- as if the lawn was common property and the car on some sort of display. It's too bad my father isn't here otherwise he'd hobble out in a minute to talk to them about the glories of packard or at least dispense with yes, and no, and well actuallies...but come in satisfied that buying the car really isn't a thorn in all our sides. so maybe it's better the parents are elsewhere.

I'm half drowsy with sleep and decided for whenharrymetsally over apocalypto although neither really christmas satisfactory. And before that my dad's tenant came with a package and i had my hair up in a buntrumpador type style- he said, aw, youre sweet. As if arriving at some assessment over long trying to picture what i might be like, and found me amusing. I thought after catching sight of myself in the mirror that i looked ridiculous. And before that the neighbors granddaughter brought their homemade tamales to us in exchange for some shortbread cookies... dessert tamales, spicy tamales, standard delicious tamales. Peripherally I am surrounded by parties, presents and cheer, and despite my fresh baked apple pie, and the prime rib i had last night, i feel it all sort of grazing me but not quite penetrating. My uncle even offered to buy me a laptop offhandedly when i said no, my parents haven't offered to buy me one yet... and i was startled and thankful but it didnt' seem real. It still doesn't.

Maybe i'm in some sort of negativity bubble. It's possible. Suffering under the slog of un-gratitude? The two things i want for christmas, a phone and a job contract and neither have come yet. I'm a tyrant when waiting. I can see that books point exactly- dismissing all the good things one by one like that little girl at the party looking for the one thing that won't come... I had almost escaped the longing of all the presents until sarah was like, no presents? nothing? uh, no. i'm going to have to make jesus a gf cake next year. And determinedly focus on him... and yet what happens when my heart is impenetrable? i mean it's not but you know what imean. when i stop to think about the fudge i'm going to get and that things will change? and the the list and all the rest... it's the stopping and breathing part. it's the being in the present part. yes. that's the thing. Danica's mom was talking about how speaking gratitude and things your grateful for is scientifically now- proven to make new grooves in your brains cortex... new tracks, the good, making them deep and wide, speaking them over and over brings light into being... not for nothing.

well anyway. i turned it back to apocalypto and am rapidly losing focus. goodbye for now and merry christmas dear one.

m.

christmas decor,

hello my darling penelope, i'm up later than i should be admiring how well my manicure is holding up. under 2 top coats. it was a good choice. the pink is softer than i'd like but it'll do. i did it myself of course. oh and yes, did a full treatment of the 'nads'... it worked amazing on my legs, and hurt like hell on my underams but it works like a dream. and i can imagine getting good at it or if i ever have money am now convinced waxing is fun... but it's not great on my sideburns and the dreaded face hair but oh well. it killed a couple hours while i distractedly pasted the goo on and got my fingers sticky. i know you wanted to know. all that talk on the sub-conscious and gratitude...

as suggested: ok, so this is all the christmas cheer i can take i think- though i've even been listening to christmas music if you would buhlieve-- distractedly as i sit by the computer and WAIT. i know its small consolation that you and i are living out advent in real time.

i'm more in love with this tree then i've been in love with anything in a while. i literally smile everytime i see it. i sigh when i turn the lights on. i want to hug it everytime i come near it. love i tell you. love.

you will note the kitty in the tree. mom predicted she would climb it and yes, there she is summiting bravely.

find the kitty...

this is the copper nativity i did- it's small- 1/2 dollar size, and the sparkly star- mmm glitter, mom made the form for. i did not get a good pic of the camels and the wisemen amber did but they were good too. i know, it was, well it all is a shocking display of productivity after months of not much... i do mean months. so the fact i did a couple necklaces, did my nails, made pillows and moved some plants around, and put up lights is saying something.

 mom made these and they're fantastic- amber's idea and then mom expertly executed... she is good at the small christmas gift... and i've just decided my freedom lies in not thinking about what to give whom no matter how much i love them. maybe one day... but anyway onto christmastide and 2012.

dear subconscious,

well I’m glad you’re listening at all times, really – and to so promptly field my complaint of “boring dreams” suggests the potential for exemplary customer service. I’ll put in a word with the Manager. But honestly, I could have done without last night’s series, in which:

• a friend threw me not one but two baby showers (aghhh. no.), two nights in a row. one for in-town friends, one for long-lost friends.
• a guest gifted me a set of spatulas at one said shower, and I’m still not sure whether she was confused about the occasion, or why no one advised her against the purchase, since they all had gone shopping together.
• we hosted a bbq at our house in which random guests appeared – our realtor, Chris K@ttan of SNL and The Middle fame
• Chris K@ttan cried about his life. he wore a red sweater. with a reindeer on it.
• we semi-stalked a gay neighbor couple on a walk one day and stopped by their house, pretending we were regular friends – because we liked their deck. which they were staining. with a giant airbrush-type contraption. and one of the guys new we were imposters but was perfectly fine with our company, but the other guy faked his way through the conversation, pretending that he did know us and that we were in fact long-time friends. but wasn’t mad when we later confessed we weren’t and just wanted to be their friends.
• we scoped their house for architectural inspiration
• we tried to return a pitcher and a cooler at the bbq, but no one would claim them
• it may or may not have been christmas, or a housewarming, at the bbq. I feel like it was both?
• I feel like we weren’t actually hosting a bbq – but ppl showed up
• I drove around on the highway in the town I grew up in. looking for…? taking in the scenery

It’s not that they were particularly stressful. Yet I’m perplexed and wouldn’t mind several more hours of sleep to recover.

xo,

penelope

Gratitude,

Pen challenged me to come up with a list, since we're reading 'the good and beautiful God', which so far reads like a reminder if not a full explanation of very true things. It's a taste, or more like a hint of flavor, a bit heavily watered down but palatable? I don't know. Truth. It's working, generating some conversation- since Pen and I struggle so much in trying to communicate... so here it is. My thoughts on Gratitude...

IT IS an antithesis to expectation. It acknowledges the knowing, and being known. It seems it's heart is suffering, with a soul of God is Trustworthy. But I don't like talking about it. It seems a tender almost too private thing. It's like a gift that shouldn't be given on command or just because. When spoken without the story, it lies idle and dies, pictureless. It's too easy.

I pretty much reject it the minute anyone says that I should just go ahead and list what I'm grateful for like a build up to thanksgiving or as a just think, you could be way worse off- which always seemed to me a warped set of reasoning. I sense that to be obedient and disciplined I'd make practice of looking toward the good like i should. In doing so it protects me from the dark and that navel gazing self-destruction of dissatisfaction. Which i admit, for me has crescendoed this year, in the I can bear it no longer category. But I want to come toward it with sincerity. With feeling. Authenticity? I don't want the pain to be rebuffed, or the questioning either- I've done it, and will to other people, because when there is no answer, what else can you do. Direct them toward the light. It is hard to mourn and grieve with others without going a step further into bitterness. When your heart turns and sets in a brittle way that it was never meant to be- so we sidestep. It's hard to ride the road of the psalmist- with their weary bones, and their beseiged by the enemy, and the cry of Lord, are you with us? Where are you? TO...the final end of the passage when they say, walk and wait in the Lord, because He hears me and He is Good.

Everyone's cup of suffering, I think, is unique to them, and what one can bear destroys another. I guess i don't want my gratefulness to destroy the struggle, the tension-- the journey? I'm going through it. I don't want to stop and list off the things that keep me from drowning, because i don't know- it won't ever be enough to sustain me. It keeps me buoyant and light, with a beveled edge, but like suffering it's only the part and not the whole. Poor gratitude. I want to keep it unacknowledged. And it can be breathtaking- the vista- all the things in life that draw you in and keep you there-  when you look toward them, when you nurture and foster the light and hope of things-- but to me freedom, and that is what i want, contentment in all or inspite of circumstance-- and that is a hard road of leaving behind and arriving, and waiting. It is not an easy trust for sometimes faithless creatures. And sometimes I just need to imbibe it and not express it. I need to keep the still tender and fragile thing there until I can step back from the distance and the long line of time and say, this is the record of God's goodness.

But so far, and for now,

1. the glow of the lights on the christmas tree, the reflection of light on the bulbs. because it's the universe. it's the whole intricate mess of creation.
2. my cats: the instinctual, trust to be built, looking at you and ascertaining, and building over time as the two natures of us and them collide and come together. those eyes. that twitch of the tail.
3. my mom, the sustainer and keeper and signal of God's provision for me. the burden seems heavy and i unworthy.
4. the mountains, sugared with snow, stark and hot against the blue, or dappled in all shades- it reminds me that God is outside of time, that they wait for Him as we wait for Him.
5. prime rib, He created us to taste, and i thank these cows for their sacrifice everytime.
6. my friends, not less important than primerib, but they are a reflection of God's knowing, of his creativity, of His delight. they are my most important relationships. even if i were to be married he would not surpass them in their importance.
7. my car- she's just beautiful. she goes.
8. the reflection of light as the sun comes west- reminds me of magic and of things unseen- of shadows and dancing movement.
9. my garden - God's infinite variety, intricacy, specificity, order and chaos.
10. hot water, demanding i drop what holds me up and knots me in the day
11. my computer, to communicate, i want, and explore
12. television, books, movies... there it is the world, we can't look away
13. praying for people, talking to God, has always been a favorite- there is always so much to say even without a word
14. salt, flavor bursts.
15. sugar, enhances
16. fruit- canNOT get enough. not ever. it's a gift. it's a sign of things to come.
17. the santa ana winds, mystical calling forth, ushering, whipping through, they come unseen
18. el nino- it rains, it does, it will come.
19. the LA river, bird life, reminds me we are literally NOT a desert
20. California, i am of the land, she is in me, and in the fiber of my being
21. my ancestory- the web, how time passes, how things move and seperate, what it creates, the history it leaves in it's wake
22. my hands to type
23. my mouth to speak
24. the phrase: ex abundatia enim cordis os loquitor (out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks)
25. the bible-- what a passage of love, what a saga, what an inspired word
26. Jesus, he was not just a teacher, or a good person, he was both human and divine and he died for us
27. the holyspirit, my communicator, my guide, my counselor, who knows when words and groans cannot express
28. God- there He is. I cannot explain him.
29. the trinity- there they are altogether. it is inexplicable.
30. trees, shade- life, roots and all sorts of analogies. hug worthy alway
31. art supplies- who knew you could render the world in such infinite ways
32. jet planes, because of that john denver song and because of wunderlust
33. glitter- call it dust, call it a sign of all things heavenly
34. just laundered bedsheets, stepping into that newness makes me feel wholly secure and a bit giddy. i'mnot sure why.
35. waterfalls- i imagine it must be what God's glory looks like
36. the beach because it reminds me i am small and a part of something bigger
37. the mountain where i belong and am among and close enough to touch
38. nails, because i love to pick and scratch
39. eyes, hazel, to gaze, to ponder, like ears
40. hymns, at christmas freely express
41. ecclesia's home, that old pagan temple to the gods of entertainment redefined
42. mirrors, but not too closely and not all the time
43. teeth, to play with, like toes, like chin hairs
44. 7 continents, something solid and sure about the map
45. dolphins for making me cry when i see them leaping in the wild, because they are
46. dragons and knowing they must exist like unicorns, for their fierce flyingness and the fire thing that's cool too
47. music in general expresses emotion, come herald the morning with a sweet song
48. the way birds call and sing and fly- how focused, and about their lives they are
49. the lilies of the field, because i know how He cares for them though they live and die in a matter days
50. gardening, helps me stay connected to every analogy of such thingsin the Bible, a deep rooted understanding of stewardship, of caring for the land and the need to care for what is good in life, and the absolute way in which the dark can infiltrate-
51. dreams, God has us sleeping 1/3 of ourlives. makes me think i must be doing something while i'm lying there that has nothing to do with this reality.
52. little bits of things like origami bunnies, metal miniature etruscan horses, walnunts, dried oranges, leather purses, pictures, small bottles, feathers- the fascinating minutia
53. recounting the ordinary, that is where the life is
54. feet and hands, the record of someone so vital it rarely is recorded
55. wax, for candles, for feeling and burning and smelling and tactile loveliness, for polishing and enhancing
56. the sun, how it rises and sets
57. the darkblue glow before dawn, which to me is too pale, and that dark blue of prelight is where i like to live best
58. antiques, because of history, of story, of things that have come and will yet be
59. the written word, what a transaction
60. car washes because they are silly
61. mariokart because who doesn't want to race the world?
62. xbox where in i defeat ultimate evil or a gang of thugs, because that is right and it is good
63. the cello because i cannot play it but love the sound, so one day i will try just to touch it and know what it would be if i could and did
64. french, for the music of language, and how things once foreign can become known
65. it is the same with shakespeare, i can be bounded in a nutshell and think myself a king of infinite... but denmark, is a prison...
66. to the lighthouse- it grabs me that ennui
67. like proust, who goes on and on, and never quite grasps
68. archaeology for people who love to examine layers
69. dinosaurs because they were- it's habitat enrichment for humans
70. snow, for the way it transforms
71. empty city streets, jay walking, rollerblading, idly strolling, pondering disaster
72. the taste of flourless chocolate cake, divine, consuming, rapture
73. hummingbirds because they are too small and they go too fast, but when they take notice of you the whole world stops
74. chapstick and lotion, tending to the lips and skin
75. and gum for when you want to be productive
76. and meditating when you finally decide to rest and give it up to Him who gave you life
77. lists, for all that they are in their tyranny and beauty of there it goes one after the other
78. organization, aesthetic heaven, it's all coming together, the knowing of things
79. the crunch of kettle chips deafen but can't stop making loud sounds because i have to
80. like wind chimes, and bucket drums
81. for the mineral composition of everything in the universe
82. for people who seek impossible things, in delight and not slavery
83. for people who make it better and not worse
84. for carbonation, the fresh bite, the quench ahh
85. like bandaids and aloe plants that heal and cover and protect
86. like the solid front door and the substantial mantle
87. for wood floors that gloss and glide and reassure me
88. anything bbq, and cravings for longisland iced teas and certain types of martinis
89. quotable movies and good comedies
90. finally angels, they must exist, they do, there they are,
91. for the unexplained feelings of things we know to be true but can't record
92. what Love must be
93. what joy signals
94. the shadow of things to come
95. the feeling of finished things, of pushing through and accomplishing
96. the journey because i must
97. my chair
98. my blog
99. the revelation of truth, the shattering of secrets
100. the voice...

Pen-

i'm a bit jealous of your lists. i dont' even want to dip into the horror of 2011. bodo died. shingles. no more govt. cheese. the one shining highlight was Chicago and the fast i think in August. i mean who doesn't love mystical calls written in chocolate and thinking yes, korea! so it's not that there weren't good things? but shudder. (aw what about twist and mortimer, awww.) then i thought, wait, so i relooked at your lists and they're objects, not events so i could do that- but i dont even know if i can remember. did i even read that many books? maybe you could give me some questions re: 2011- the supposed year of transition? did i make that up or was it on a fortune cookie? hmm. i'll get to pics of the decorations... but my phone is on the blitz. when the pic chip is working the center buttons for texting and answering calls is out... can't it just hang on a bit longer. no? meanwhile dad wants me to help him tidy up the new house for christmas money in a gross lack of understanding of my if it could get any worse financial condition. but i will. but only when no one is looking, like an elf. maybe what he means by xmas money is bills? i dont know.

oh and in my self-indulgent malaise- i can't buh-lieve i went through 4 days without mentioning the stellar christmas, i'm at the right-hand of my father in glory, jesus danica got. mine is hanging out in the heart of his ministry. getting dirty and doing what he does best. but her's has the whole world in his hands. pretty amazing.

so what else- eating kettle chips. watching a parker posey movie called partyGirl. she's jobless in new york without parents. lessons learned all around you know.

soundtrack 2011 #wordcloud

books 2011

sometimes I think I don’t take enough time to read, but really, cataloguing the list, that can’t be true. and that is a good thing, since I love books. they’re my favorite. here’s a top 10 of what I read this year, and the rest. book-wise, 2011 was a good year, filled with #goodreads. Heavily themed in post-apocalyptic YA fic (thanks, Katniss). And with several teen-boy protagonists, many of them gay, randomly? (thanks, David Levithan) all of them thoroughly delightful. And (obviously) some vampires/other supernatural awesomeness.

1. The Hunger Games trilogy, by Suzanne Collins ~ was so resistant. but wasn’t it so worth it? yes, yes it was.

2. Ready Player One, by Ernest Cline

3. Will Grayson, Will Grayson, by David Levithan and John Green

4. Once Upon A River, by Bonnie Jo Campbell

5. An Abundance of Katherines, by John Green

6. Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares, by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn

7. Beautiful Creatures and Beautiful Darkness, by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (first and second in series)

8. Matched, by Allie Condie (first in a series)

9. Sisterhood Everlasting, by Ann Brashares (probably belongs higher in the list, but I’m still mad about it. #letsbehonest)

10. It’s Kind of a Funny Story, by Ned Vizzini

11. (Because there can’t just be 10) Beastly, by Alex Flinn

 

also, in no particular order:

• Divergent, by Veronica Roth (first in a series, def reading the rest)
• Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
• Naomi & Eli’s No-Kiss List, by David Levithan and Rachel Cohn
• Evermore, by Alyson Noel (first in a series, will consider the rest)
• Feed, by M.T. Anderson
• Wither, by Lauren DeStefano (first in a series, definitely reading the rest)
• My Name is Memory, by Ann Brashares (better be the first in the series; an across-the-room chucker)
• Boy Meets Boy, by David Levithan
• Awaken, by Katie Kacvinsky (part 1 of a series, will likely read the rest)
• City of Bones, by Clare Cassandra (first in a series, not touching the rest)
• Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, by Lisa See
• Maine, by J. Courtney Sullivan (beautifully written, but a huge narrative disappointment)
• Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick (first in a series, not touching the rest)
• House of Night series, by P.C. and Kristin Cast – through book # 8

 

and, my book club books! which I feel belong on their own list:

The Weight of Silence, by Heather Gudenkauf

Second Glance, by Jodi Picoult

The Help, by Kathryn Stockett (rightful place is in the Top 10)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot

Pomegranate Soup, by Marsha Mehran

 

finally, the “started but didn’t finish” (various reasons)

Crossed, by Allie Condie (was overdue, will check out again soon)

Girl Meets God, by Lauren F. Winner (timing – extremely picky about non-fic)

Modelland, by Tyra (because it sucked. wait, that’s not fair. because I don’t love campy humor and models mixed together.)

The Future of Us, by Jay Asher and Carolyn Mackler (because it was neither as surprising nor delightful as I wanted it to be. and I really wanted it to be)

The Lover’s Dictionary, by David Levithan (will return, esp after winning endorsement from ChiCath - just wasn’t the right time)

a group of “pretty good, but ultimately too young, even for my usual YA fare:

• Every Soul a Star, by Wendy Mass
• Parrotfish, by Ellen Wittlinger
• Black Sheep, by Yvonne Collins

Thirteen Reasons Why, by Jay Asher (saturated in suicidal selfishness)

The Book Thief, by Markus Zusak (because it’s narrated by Death, whose voice is entirely too false-charming)

The Year We Left Home, by Jean Thompson (breach of contract w/ author re: characters)

and one with eggs on the cover, can’t remember the name (because main character insulted Asheville and mountain landscapes in general. we just weren’t going to get along.)

m ~

When did we decide that exercising was completely overrated and possibly unnecessary? Like it doesn’t have any effect. It would be like refusing to acknowledge that mold can grow. Or that short hair doesn’t stay short forever. Which, incidentally, I hope isn’t true, because it’s completely higher maintenance, contrary to popular belief. I battle little sticky-uppies constantly. And they are not easily tamed.

But back to the exercise. No wait, I haven’t really solved that issue yet. Nevermind.

Project this week! Blog project! Blogject: Let’s post pictures of our lovely holiday décor. I mean, I’ve posted a few, and I’ve seen your pics in an email. But let’s put them all here, on this blog. Like the old days. Because since when are we back to plain old email with a little texting thrown in? Shouldn’t the world be privy to our conversation? Right then, let’s get on with it.

And yes, I totally mailed it, and mostly on time. Dec 1 to be exact. And if I remember correctly the open date is tomorrow? I want to hear the result! Demanding photo documentation! The world demands it!

Oh and we’re reading a book together! Which you can have on audio, btw, if we do that itunes file-sharing thingy J.Lo spoke of. I’m becoming one of those cute out-of-the-loop people when it comes to technology, I swear. Because frankly it makes me tired. And why not just ride coattails when it comes to setting up new services and signing up for new accounts and learning the ins and outs of blah blah blah and then it all changes again. But file-sharing. I think I could walk you through? Or else we’ll vid-chat again w/ J.Lo present.

My toes are cold and there’s church tomorrow. So I’m thinking about a nicewarmbed…

love to you,

penny.lo

penausage,

why did we both decide lists and working out are pointless? we might be a little too symbiotically tied together. how did we start syncing together in our destructive qualities? both simultaneously signalling a passage through grief and endless waiting. of things ending. of calling it quits. of wondering when the year of the dragon is going to come thundering on in and blaze up new and good. it beats months of paralysis and plummeting into despair and negative balances.

as i sit typing, my twist sneezed and is chasing a small piece of sausage around the house. she most recently found a way out of the terminally cheap and illrepaired screendoor. i got her back before she got too far since the new passage out of the house had her senses all tremulous and freaked. as a sidenote i left the sausage burning on the stove while i went to get dad a pair of washing gloves for his workers? (it tasted fine anyway) who apparently as he says, never have squares or pencils or basic supplies responsible craftsman have. i guess that's what you get for hiring illegals? or hiring people who hire illegals? no work finesse/nuance?. for instance pedro just dropped off worker x and said, "clean the tiles"... i'm not sure what that involves but there it is. and if the guy knew what he was there for- it goes down to the question of art vs. hashing it out right and getting it done? hack job vs. skilled hands? do you have a love for it...does it matter? i think even small things can translate to love and care. like baking- no one wants to eat bitter lemon bars and hate filled gluten free cupcakes. so that when you say i made this or i built this, was it built with love? or greed? or avarice or lust for frosting? but i digress. did you mail it yet by the way? how is something intangible like love so important in creating things?

so, the job search continues. damon is convinced kang and he will help me find something in jeju if i want, but there are seoul jobs right now. and as we know seoul is out. there's a big warning flag there. but they wont be able to help until mid-january!? which means no job until feb. granted i know december can go fast and as a result january will go just as fast but come on now. jeju himself seems to think this is the case but i think i need to break up with him anyway. he is so not into me. i did just last night manage to get an interview for a job on jeju based on the cover i sent you all on my own!. also apparently jeju is known for it's strong and independent women? hmm. it's a sign right? i dont know have any research done though on how to interview with canadian expats married to koreans so... we'll see.

hmm besides that- i garlanded the house. it's taken me 3 days to accomplish 3 things on the list i made. one thing a day i guess? today and it's only 11 is looking dicey. maybe 1 thing but i can't promise more. saying i'm going to do the lights is probably paramount to a lie. ok, back to my vampire prosecuter korean drama.

m.

blank pages/things i’ve learned 2011

I feel like I’ve managed to talk myself out of the importance of writing it down. Kind of like how I’ve managed to convince myself that exercise is completely unnecessary. Oh, silly human mind. But now that I’ve crossed over to those dark sides, even if they don’t make any sense, it’s a struggle to talk myself back over to truth. Like every single time. I’ve made more work for myself without really doing anything at all.

But I was thinking about things I’ve learned over the course of 2011. Good things. So not everything was bad. It never is.

• I can cut hair. Without much fear.
• I like this quote, a lot. Through to my core. “When one loves, one does not measure.”
• I like school. Not going myself, anymore. When the children go. Me + Structure = Less Floundering
• I want to learn to use a sewing machine. Officially.
• We really are not in control. Cue: unseen deer hurtling into vehicle, leaving fur and cracked/dented everything in its wake. Repeat: never saw it, not once.
• Me + Fewer Options (things to buy, things to do, people to see, movies to watch) also = Less Floundering
• I require firm deadlines. For anything.
• Libraries are the best places ever. (Already knew this, but know it even more.)
• I learned how to can. Specifically tomatoes. Next year: jam, possibly pickles?
• Relationships can often be mapped as a Venn diagram. Best not to forget that whole area-of-overlap. It really does exist. I think. Even if we’re talking about boys + girls.
• I do not enjoy the genres of “camp” or “noir.” See: “Modelland” and “Ringer,” respectively.
• I like peppers. Nearly as much as horseradish.

Um, I can’t think of anything else right now. But maybe we can keep brainstorming this.

For Your Review, novenelope,

at first, i was resistant to this- hoighty LA store for some hoighty now appearing from NY to LA glass company that kerry just had had to go to. i have to say the smile booth made it for me, oh and the free mimosas. i was dressed like a complete slob- because i was finally helping kerry sort her apartment [a year later iou]. she did not inform me of the small intimacy of the opening or all the fashionistas there. i stealed myself, my stained sweatshirt, and my hairy legs to suck it up and toss it all down. i have to say this was our 4th attempt. we rocked it and the 3rd one too but that digital copy got eaten. 

i mean, if i wore glasses...

smiling kitty crocodile.

the things you do for friends really. amber had all these pies she needed to hand out to seniors- costco run and then there they came off the bus. we found out that they found out where we got them and one lady who looked well like she could afford to waste or eat or give away pie went to try and take hers back to costco. all $6 of it? we refused to give her a label and concluded "we just didn't like her attitude"... i swear i'll respect my elders in korea.

divine.

hour and a half at the county clerks office. way to go van nuys. mostly nice people though but no visa? really? and a $1.75 charge fee. could you just say next time- cash only? ps. with only 12 people ahead of me this thing was going like molasses on a winters day.

i am the lion. BE THE LION.

[at the ronald reagan state dept bldg]

mmm organization.

cath says i'm so 80's right here.

what i've been having for breakfast lately.

and some other indulgences.

pre holiday wander with matt, who, though he lived in LA and was maybe 5 minutes from this exact spot, had no idea it was here. oh, hidden LA, you slay me. also this is our "river"... quite a lot of bird life actually.

on the day of, my uncle tries to explain to me how expensive a turkey dinner in 1931 was in silver $1.25. Compared to the cost of it today $25. He started talking about financial things and the gold standard, and then my eyes glazed over. [yes he does carry those things in his wallet as a reminder].

he got me back with this. honey is magical. has healing properties and is apparently highly nuanced. super tasty. of course they lost me again when they started talking about surface tension in boiling water from a microwave.

and this is me leaving the gated community. they're house is in the middle. the community arcs around in a bowl basically. something was suppose to be built in the middle here but wasn't... also i had to slow down bcs of the constantly freshly resurfaced speed bumps... and of course throw my printed guest pass away.

and yes, inexplicably... midnight sale... me and the two contrasting aries types.

their hair got melted in the attic...

and of course this photo is moms. she loves persimmins and apparently weird faces that appear after you're done eating them. no i'm melting.... [note also the bucket of shells i've saved, and no didn't part with- who knows what i managed to get rid of if it wasn't this. but they look so pretty in their glass jars now].

anyway, hope you enjoyed. all and all based on these it was a pretty decent november. no plagues. still direly broke. still with the anxiety and purposeless pacing and money borrowing and the physical listlessness but otherwise- yah, decent. ok, shrug, yah. what else yah got?
** oh yes AND i did get the gold starbucks card. ah yah, bright spot.