Leaning in your corner like a candidate for wax.
Sidewalk social scientist don't get no satisfaction from your cigarette
It's ten to ten.
Time is running out.
Lock up all your memories.
Get outa here, you know that we can run.
Today can last another million years.
Today could be the end of me.
It's 11:59, and I want to stay alive.
Pumping like a fugitive in cover from the night.
Take it down the freeway like a bullet to the ocean.
Wait until the morning, take tomorrow by the hand.
Take it down the highway like a rocket to the ocean.
We can run.
Today can last another million years.
Today could be the end of me.
It's 11:59, and I want to stay alive.
Hanging on a frequency, burning like a fire.
Boy, you've got the motion down.
It's getting late, I'm tired and I've lost control.
Don't leave me here.
Time is running out.
Take me down the highway like a rocket to the ocean.
We can run.
Today can last another million years.
Today could be the end of me.
It's 11:59, and I want to stay alive.
had a very very bad saturday. i was on call and got a crisis call. was in 3 different hospitals for 10 hours. heard horrible stories and basically was a counselor for the entire day, to someone who doesnt know me and certainly doesnt trust me. why should she? had a little nervous breakdown when i thought i was done for the day and had to go back. havent cried that hard in years.
never been so happy to walk through home's door and see a fucking beagle.
today: state fair. turkey leg, funnel cake, deep fried thingies.
9.14.2008
9.11.2008
latest inspirations
charlotte russe teenage hooker heels- in beige and black
a pink parasol
melaka fray
red nails white tips
oversized black tee shirts
yellow flats
my clients
my art group for the clients
brujas
la faundah my honda and her hot pink duct taped side
elizabeth berg
sushi
water
raspberries
hot chocolate with chili powder
teal
crisp mornings
cool evenings
vic wearing his fave hoodie- fall is almost here!!
a pink parasol
melaka fray
red nails white tips
oversized black tee shirts
yellow flats
my clients
my art group for the clients
brujas
la faundah my honda and her hot pink duct taped side
elizabeth berg
sushi
water
raspberries
hot chocolate with chili powder
teal
crisp mornings
cool evenings
vic wearing his fave hoodie- fall is almost here!!
9.07.2008
politics make me queasy.
or rather, republicans, namely george and john, do.
the movie united flight 93 was on TV- arrg. hard to watch. i started reading up on 9/11 stuff for the first time in years. . . watched the infamous footage of bush sitting in the classroom on 9/11 like a fuckin dumbass . . . then proceeded to watch all the various videos on youtube of bush's fuck ups and absolute stupidity over the past 8 years.
a vote for mccain is pretty much saying you want four more years of bush. . . if any of you are planning to vote for mccain, do NOT tell me this. seriously. it might kill me.
grr.
no one's saying obama's perfect. he's still a politician. but he's the best option we have, and i have some faith in him. plus, i really like albuquerque and dont want to have to relocate to canada anytime soon.
i'm already nervous and its two months away.
the movie united flight 93 was on TV- arrg. hard to watch. i started reading up on 9/11 stuff for the first time in years. . . watched the infamous footage of bush sitting in the classroom on 9/11 like a fuckin dumbass . . . then proceeded to watch all the various videos on youtube of bush's fuck ups and absolute stupidity over the past 8 years.
a vote for mccain is pretty much saying you want four more years of bush. . . if any of you are planning to vote for mccain, do NOT tell me this. seriously. it might kill me.
grr.
no one's saying obama's perfect. he's still a politician. but he's the best option we have, and i have some faith in him. plus, i really like albuquerque and dont want to have to relocate to canada anytime soon.
i'm already nervous and its two months away.
guns are funs
yesterday in santa fe i shot a gun for the first time! a rifle to be exact. i dont think i did very well with it, but we had a blast. i shot one semiautomatic rifle and one with a scope and the pump action thingie. we were in the middle of nowhere shooting at stuff and these guys with fake police hats were there as well. they were pretty creepy, and i expected them to shoot all of us and drive off. scurry!
then we had a lovely dinner at a place called gabriels, where i got pollo con mole poblano- chicken in mole sauce. YUM!
after dinner we went to the casino. . . i promptly lost my allotted $20. . . god i love the casino!
i've been having weird post apocalyptic dreams lately, that leave me feeling lonely and strange every morning.
my goal for this week is to work on a healthy food menu and to STICK to it. this life needs some structure, stat.
the dog next door has the most shrill horrible bark ever, even worse than gabe's. . . i'm off to sulk about it for a bit.
xo
then we had a lovely dinner at a place called gabriels, where i got pollo con mole poblano- chicken in mole sauce. YUM!
after dinner we went to the casino. . . i promptly lost my allotted $20. . . god i love the casino!
i've been having weird post apocalyptic dreams lately, that leave me feeling lonely and strange every morning.
my goal for this week is to work on a healthy food menu and to STICK to it. this life needs some structure, stat.
the dog next door has the most shrill horrible bark ever, even worse than gabe's. . . i'm off to sulk about it for a bit.
xo
9.06.2008
weekend assignment
go to youtube, google "christian the lion." you will not be disappointed. ignore the cheesy whitney houston background music or allow yourself to be guiltily swept away by it. this is one of the sweetest things i have ever seen. i most certainly cried.
last night i got my septum pierced. it was fun! its a little crooked (hopefully just due to the swelling) but i really like it!
today we are going to santa fe to shoot guns with my brother in law, and celebrate reena's birthday. tomorrow, cliff's amusement park! and a lot of house cleaning blah.
have a wonderful weekend.
xoxo sheil
last night i got my septum pierced. it was fun! its a little crooked (hopefully just due to the swelling) but i really like it!
today we are going to santa fe to shoot guns with my brother in law, and celebrate reena's birthday. tomorrow, cliff's amusement park! and a lot of house cleaning blah.
have a wonderful weekend.
xoxo sheil
9.04.2008
massage town
hey ya'll!!
the past couple of days have been just lovely. let's see, saturday anna and i went to the growers market. then we went to the flea market and picked up some marilyn and elvis prints. we made deviled eggs for her sisters baby shower. deviled eggs are amazing and awesome. and easy to make! ali im going to do a blog about them soon! I SWEAR IT!!
sunday we went to an alpaca farm! the alpacas were adorable and had big beautiful eyes. i wanted to take one home with me. alaira could be its herder. herding it around my backyard.
monday we went to zak and anna's for a yummy bbq.
yesterday we played tennis! i havent played tennis since i was a kid in my driveway with my sister. its pretty fun. then vic and i got massages. . . . ahhhh. i think massages are very intense experiences. . . i always start remembering a lot of things that i've buried, just little things, and it's nice. and just the sheer intimacy of it makes me reflect on a lot of things. lately buddha's five remembrances.
I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.
My actions are the ground upon which I stand.
i'm planning to get the whole thing tattooed on me at some point.
friday i'm getting my septum pierced!
and its the fall (pretty much)!! i LOVE fall. GA has the most beautiful fall. . . pittsburgh didnt have much of one. i love love love fall. i love feeling the crispness in the air and looking forward to halloween! xoxoxoxo
the past couple of days have been just lovely. let's see, saturday anna and i went to the growers market. then we went to the flea market and picked up some marilyn and elvis prints. we made deviled eggs for her sisters baby shower. deviled eggs are amazing and awesome. and easy to make! ali im going to do a blog about them soon! I SWEAR IT!!
sunday we went to an alpaca farm! the alpacas were adorable and had big beautiful eyes. i wanted to take one home with me. alaira could be its herder. herding it around my backyard.
monday we went to zak and anna's for a yummy bbq.
yesterday we played tennis! i havent played tennis since i was a kid in my driveway with my sister. its pretty fun. then vic and i got massages. . . . ahhhh. i think massages are very intense experiences. . . i always start remembering a lot of things that i've buried, just little things, and it's nice. and just the sheer intimacy of it makes me reflect on a lot of things. lately buddha's five remembrances.
I am of the nature to grow old.
There is no way to escape growing old.
I am of the nature to have ill health.
There is no way to escape ill health.
I am of the nature to die.
There is no way to escape death.
All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of the nature to change.
There is no way to escape being separated from them.
I cannot escape the consequences of my actions.
My actions are the ground upon which I stand.
i'm planning to get the whole thing tattooed on me at some point.
friday i'm getting my septum pierced!
and its the fall (pretty much)!! i LOVE fall. GA has the most beautiful fall. . . pittsburgh didnt have much of one. i love love love fall. i love feeling the crispness in the air and looking forward to halloween! xoxoxoxo
8.29.2008
omfg i am legend
wow. . .just watched i am legend- i really liked the first half of the movie, and i have seriously not cried so hard in a movie in AGES!!! and if you've seen it, and you know me at all, you know which part i was crying at. like seriously, a nervous breakdown happened.
another campier movie version of the book it's based on is the last man on earth starring vincent price- its on AMC every so often. xo
another campier movie version of the book it's based on is the last man on earth starring vincent price- its on AMC every so often. xo
SO glad its friday
this week was just one of those weeks.
i barely slept at all, just felt out of sorts. . . i'm glad its over AND that there is a three day weekend.
i was surprised by a lovely bday card from elena, who i have not seen or talked to on the phone in at least 6 years. we have pretty much just maintained contact through the occasional email or card- but its amazing to know some things/people just might last forever.
tonight there is a dolly parton inspired exhibit- thinking about going. . .drinking a tecate and really enjoying it. . .
last night anna and andrea, our clinician from PP, came over, and we had pizza and beer. its been weeks since i've seen andrea, and its always fun to have a lively convo with her and anna about HPV and gardasil and colposcopies and all that. i wonder if i would ever end up in the medical field . . .working at PP made me very interested in it, for a time, and seeing anna's success in nursing school is also inspiring. wouldnt that be fucking weird, if one day i became a nurse?! just like mom. . . yikes
its doubtful because i dont think i would have the energy to pursue it, but its neat to think about. id rather just buckle down and make myself into a writer, relying on alcohol and isolation to hone my skills haha.
i got a bunch of stickers off interpunk and decorated lafaundah the honda. . .she looks awesome. she also has a big pink duct tape bandage where her bumper is falling off.
this weekend, i have been in albuquerque exactly one year. WOW!
i barely slept at all, just felt out of sorts. . . i'm glad its over AND that there is a three day weekend.
i was surprised by a lovely bday card from elena, who i have not seen or talked to on the phone in at least 6 years. we have pretty much just maintained contact through the occasional email or card- but its amazing to know some things/people just might last forever.
tonight there is a dolly parton inspired exhibit- thinking about going. . .drinking a tecate and really enjoying it. . .
last night anna and andrea, our clinician from PP, came over, and we had pizza and beer. its been weeks since i've seen andrea, and its always fun to have a lively convo with her and anna about HPV and gardasil and colposcopies and all that. i wonder if i would ever end up in the medical field . . .working at PP made me very interested in it, for a time, and seeing anna's success in nursing school is also inspiring. wouldnt that be fucking weird, if one day i became a nurse?! just like mom. . . yikes
its doubtful because i dont think i would have the energy to pursue it, but its neat to think about. id rather just buckle down and make myself into a writer, relying on alcohol and isolation to hone my skills haha.
i got a bunch of stickers off interpunk and decorated lafaundah the honda. . .she looks awesome. she also has a big pink duct tape bandage where her bumper is falling off.
this weekend, i have been in albuquerque exactly one year. WOW!
8.26.2008
mememmee
10 years ago…
August 1998. Soon I would become best friends with elena and din, two of the coolest people i have ever known. . .
5 years ago...
August 2003. I was living in a shithole on the south side slopes, was behind about 3 months on rent, had 3+ dogs depending on what i was rescuing that week, was in a horrible abusive relationship, and pretty much hated my existence! wow.
5 months ago...
March 2008. Pure misery at planned parenthood. stress galore. however, the introduction of a little scooter into my life came about around this time. big positive.
5 things on my to-do list tomorrow...
1. catch up on my case notes/clients
2. make a basil pesto pasta
3. make a peanut butter pie
4. watch project runway with anna and rachel! (who will be eating the aforementioned dishes)
5. make an appointment for gabo and laira to get their nalls trimmed
5 things people don't know about me...
1. i sometimes cry in the morning because i'm so tired
2. i have incredibly vivid/symbolic dreams, and think about them periodically throughout my days
3. i chew on my thumbs all the time
4. i could eat chili con queso for every meal
5. i get incredibly nervous going into parties/social situations where i dont know anyone, and usually panic and try to figure out an excuse to leave. i generally drink before going into situations like this, thus, it's something you may not know about me. the world is a happy friendly place when i'm a little fucked up.
5 bad habits...
1. my extreme daytime laziness, which leads to my boyfriend having to do pretty much everything around the house
2. my night owl tendencies, which cause me to berate vic for not wanting to start cleaning the house at 11:30 at night
3. Hypochondria. yes. in the past year i have diagnosed myself with a variety of ailments. . . but i'm still kickin, somehow. . .
4. obsessing. over people i miss, people i havent seen in years, experiences that happened years ago, work, conversations that happened in this reality, conversations that happened in my head, etc. its exhausting.
5. eating everything in freakin sight
5 places I have lived...
1. decatur ga
2. pittsburgh pa
3. placitas nm (for 3 months)
4. albuquerque nm
5. hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry (i did my graduate program there)
Tag 5 people...
i will follow ali's lead and tag you all to hell
August 1998. Soon I would become best friends with elena and din, two of the coolest people i have ever known. . .
5 years ago...
August 2003. I was living in a shithole on the south side slopes, was behind about 3 months on rent, had 3+ dogs depending on what i was rescuing that week, was in a horrible abusive relationship, and pretty much hated my existence! wow.
5 months ago...
March 2008. Pure misery at planned parenthood. stress galore. however, the introduction of a little scooter into my life came about around this time. big positive.
5 things on my to-do list tomorrow...
1. catch up on my case notes/clients
2. make a basil pesto pasta
3. make a peanut butter pie
4. watch project runway with anna and rachel! (who will be eating the aforementioned dishes)
5. make an appointment for gabo and laira to get their nalls trimmed
5 things people don't know about me...
1. i sometimes cry in the morning because i'm so tired
2. i have incredibly vivid/symbolic dreams, and think about them periodically throughout my days
3. i chew on my thumbs all the time
4. i could eat chili con queso for every meal
5. i get incredibly nervous going into parties/social situations where i dont know anyone, and usually panic and try to figure out an excuse to leave. i generally drink before going into situations like this, thus, it's something you may not know about me. the world is a happy friendly place when i'm a little fucked up.
5 bad habits...
1. my extreme daytime laziness, which leads to my boyfriend having to do pretty much everything around the house
2. my night owl tendencies, which cause me to berate vic for not wanting to start cleaning the house at 11:30 at night
3. Hypochondria. yes. in the past year i have diagnosed myself with a variety of ailments. . . but i'm still kickin, somehow. . .
4. obsessing. over people i miss, people i havent seen in years, experiences that happened years ago, work, conversations that happened in this reality, conversations that happened in my head, etc. its exhausting.
5. eating everything in freakin sight
5 places I have lived...
1. decatur ga
2. pittsburgh pa
3. placitas nm (for 3 months)
4. albuquerque nm
5. hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry (i did my graduate program there)
Tag 5 people...
i will follow ali's lead and tag you all to hell
8.24.2008
life is a series of unfortunate events
who has read the lemony snicket books??
who would like to discuss them with me??
last week i finished the last book, and now have a void in my heart where the baudelaires used to dwell!
we spent a thoroughly enjoyable day strollin through nob hill. i got some amazing horse greeting cards, a land of the dead dvd, a garbage cd (i have had such a hankering for shirley manson lately), and my sister's bday gift- a memory block
the memory blocks are fucking amazing. . . i plan to spend a ridiculous amount of money on them, that could go towards student loans, medical care, food, etc.
hope you all had a lovely weekend!
who would like to discuss them with me??
last week i finished the last book, and now have a void in my heart where the baudelaires used to dwell!
we spent a thoroughly enjoyable day strollin through nob hill. i got some amazing horse greeting cards, a land of the dead dvd, a garbage cd (i have had such a hankering for shirley manson lately), and my sister's bday gift- a memory block
the memory blocks are fucking amazing. . . i plan to spend a ridiculous amount of money on them, that could go towards student loans, medical care, food, etc.
hope you all had a lovely weekend!
8.23.2008
saturday night LOTR fest
im just chillin at home tonite, watching LOTR and ordering stickers for la faundah, my new honda. . . just thinking about feeling lonely, and missing pgh.
something that contributes to my occasional bouts of homesickness is my eternal (and eternally annoying) longing for an unpredictable life.
i miss going to a show, getting drunk, going to a random party and getting more drunk, talking all night with strangers and never knowing where i was going to end up. i really, really miss that. i don't miss getting my feelings being hurt by my latest crush, or waking up covered in bruises and not quite remembering where i got them. i just feel. . . a little caged and bored. caged out of my own volition.
i've just gotta find a balance to having the life i want to have and the life i "should be" having.
but you know, it would be really fucking nice to just be satisfied, for once. it would make things a lot easier.
vic and i had a lovely evening though. . . we got sapporo and sushi at sumo sushi and cake at flying star for dinner. vic also got contacts, and i'm so proud of him for putting them in and taking them out in under 10 minutes!! its fucking hard at first!
the past weeks have been full of driving clients around all over town- to an immunization clinic, annapurna chai house, old navy, the flea market, the ER, the medicaid office. . . everywhere. it's fucking fun though, i love this job and i only get really frazzled when i hurt my back moving shit, like MATTRESSES, my greatest enemy. mattresses need to learn to move themselves. srsly.
tomorrow we are going to the nob hill shop and stroll thing. . . that's about it. hi to my friends that i have neglected so, love you all xoxo
p.s. viggo forever!
something that contributes to my occasional bouts of homesickness is my eternal (and eternally annoying) longing for an unpredictable life.
i miss going to a show, getting drunk, going to a random party and getting more drunk, talking all night with strangers and never knowing where i was going to end up. i really, really miss that. i don't miss getting my feelings being hurt by my latest crush, or waking up covered in bruises and not quite remembering where i got them. i just feel. . . a little caged and bored. caged out of my own volition.
i've just gotta find a balance to having the life i want to have and the life i "should be" having.
but you know, it would be really fucking nice to just be satisfied, for once. it would make things a lot easier.
vic and i had a lovely evening though. . . we got sapporo and sushi at sumo sushi and cake at flying star for dinner. vic also got contacts, and i'm so proud of him for putting them in and taking them out in under 10 minutes!! its fucking hard at first!
the past weeks have been full of driving clients around all over town- to an immunization clinic, annapurna chai house, old navy, the flea market, the ER, the medicaid office. . . everywhere. it's fucking fun though, i love this job and i only get really frazzled when i hurt my back moving shit, like MATTRESSES, my greatest enemy. mattresses need to learn to move themselves. srsly.
tomorrow we are going to the nob hill shop and stroll thing. . . that's about it. hi to my friends that i have neglected so, love you all xoxo
p.s. viggo forever!
8.13.2008
hihi!!!
its been a while. . . things have been lovely in albuquerque. i am now the proud owner of a 96 silver honda named lafaundah. my first car, ever! my birthday was great. i did cry a bunch that day, from being homesick/overwhelmed by vic's generosity. vic got me a coldstone cake that was pink and red layers (he knows me so well) and an aero garden! and a beautiful martha stewart blue blender! he's a major sweetheart. he also got me a princess crown and hung a birthday banner. i am a lucky one. anna got me a hilarious doll that comes with some kind of water heater/propane tank, and some kickin cowboy boots. she also got me a book of tapas recipes (yay!!) and sparklers and a tiny little sheila handmade doll. that night we all went to dinner at the sushi place down the street. i tried tempura green tea ice cream for the first time. . .it's rad. thanks for all the birthday cards/calls!!
greg and marybeth, his girlfriend, came to visit this past weekend. it was cool, a little awkward, but fun. i had a wonderful birthday saturday with my sister. first we went to the st. james tearoom and had afternoon tea. the tearoom has a trunk full of hats- mine was pink with a big tulle flower, her's was wide brimmed and yellow. it was SO fun. the savories were delicious, the scones and lemon curd to die for, a heart shaped meringue cookie with pomegranate filling. . . . ahhh. the tea was also excellent. reena gave me a beautiful strawberry apron for my bday.
then we went horseback riding at the tamaya resort on the santa ana pueblo. it was AMAZING. 2 hours of riding a spotted white horse named casper all over the mountain side, in arroyos, along the river . . . i felt like i was on another planet. i think i need to become a ranchhand. or a cowgirl. there was also a brown pit bull named stetson who accompanied us on the ride, and at one point jumped onto the guide's horse for a ride. precious.
afterwards reen mike and i went to the casino, i gambled away my savings, and thoroughly enjoyed some nachos.
sunday marybeth and i went to buffalo exchange and i got some fuckin sweet clothes. this week i've been busy with work, but i'm cleaning frantically tonight for susan's visit!!
greg and marybeth, his girlfriend, came to visit this past weekend. it was cool, a little awkward, but fun. i had a wonderful birthday saturday with my sister. first we went to the st. james tearoom and had afternoon tea. the tearoom has a trunk full of hats- mine was pink with a big tulle flower, her's was wide brimmed and yellow. it was SO fun. the savories were delicious, the scones and lemon curd to die for, a heart shaped meringue cookie with pomegranate filling. . . . ahhh. the tea was also excellent. reena gave me a beautiful strawberry apron for my bday.
then we went horseback riding at the tamaya resort on the santa ana pueblo. it was AMAZING. 2 hours of riding a spotted white horse named casper all over the mountain side, in arroyos, along the river . . . i felt like i was on another planet. i think i need to become a ranchhand. or a cowgirl. there was also a brown pit bull named stetson who accompanied us on the ride, and at one point jumped onto the guide's horse for a ride. precious.
afterwards reen mike and i went to the casino, i gambled away my savings, and thoroughly enjoyed some nachos.
sunday marybeth and i went to buffalo exchange and i got some fuckin sweet clothes. this week i've been busy with work, but i'm cleaning frantically tonight for susan's visit!!
8.05.2008
kinda bummed, kinda birthday
the big 26 tomorrow.
honestly, i'm just so exhausted from work that i cant muster up much genuine excitement. . yesterday i moved a client into her new place. it took 10 hours, 5 of which involved lifting incredibly heavy furniture. i am so sore and stiff today that i can barely walk. no joke.
my weekend was more uneasy than enjoyable- i'm needing to find that balance between doing my job and OVERdoing my job.
also, vic's brother is coming to visit this weekend. while i'm excited to see him, the timing really couldnt be worse. i've been working really hard on the house and trying to get things done before susan comes next week, plus all my usual birthday activities- two weekends in a row of visitors! i know how horrible, fun and exciting visits from people you care about!
i think i'm just so frazzled right now that it all seems a little too much for me, even though it will be fine.
i think i'm also just really feelin the homesickness right now. . i miss pittsburgh and my totally wonderful birthdays there, with some totally wonderful people.
ive been throwing all my excess energy into decorating- the color theme of the living room is pink, blue, and red, and its adorable. the bedroom is coming along nicely, it feels like a home, all is well on the homefront other than my lifelong tendency to get inspired around 11:30 at night. which makes for drowsy days.
happy birfday to me!
honestly, i'm just so exhausted from work that i cant muster up much genuine excitement. . yesterday i moved a client into her new place. it took 10 hours, 5 of which involved lifting incredibly heavy furniture. i am so sore and stiff today that i can barely walk. no joke.
my weekend was more uneasy than enjoyable- i'm needing to find that balance between doing my job and OVERdoing my job.
also, vic's brother is coming to visit this weekend. while i'm excited to see him, the timing really couldnt be worse. i've been working really hard on the house and trying to get things done before susan comes next week, plus all my usual birthday activities- two weekends in a row of visitors! i know how horrible, fun and exciting visits from people you care about!
i think i'm just so frazzled right now that it all seems a little too much for me, even though it will be fine.
i think i'm also just really feelin the homesickness right now. . i miss pittsburgh and my totally wonderful birthdays there, with some totally wonderful people.
ive been throwing all my excess energy into decorating- the color theme of the living room is pink, blue, and red, and its adorable. the bedroom is coming along nicely, it feels like a home, all is well on the homefront other than my lifelong tendency to get inspired around 11:30 at night. which makes for drowsy days.
happy birfday to me!
7.29.2008
hai
thank you for the calls and emails. . . it really means a lot.
i am doing better! what else can i do but just go on?
last night i got a million curtains from savers and am making the homestead all lovely.
i'm working, hanging, enjoying my day.
i am doing better! what else can i do but just go on?
last night i got a million curtains from savers and am making the homestead all lovely.
i'm working, hanging, enjoying my day.
7.28.2008
oh koko
after the doom and gloom of my last entry, i wanted to post this really lovely article i found on cnn about mr. rogers. it's touching and wonderful. it's hard to believe he was even real!
Here are 15 things everyone should know about Fred Rogers:
Every one of Mr. Roger's cardigan sweaters was hand-knitted by Fred Rogers' mother.
1. Even Koko the Gorilla loved him. Most people have heard of Koko, the Stanford-educated gorilla who could speak about 1000 words in American Sign Language, and understand about 2000 in English.
What most people don't know, however, is that Koko was an avid Mister Rogers' Neighborhood fan. As Esquire reported, when Fred Rogers took a trip out to meet Koko for his show, not only did she immediately wrap her arms around him and embrace him, she did what she'd always seen him do onscreen: she proceeded to take his shoes off!
2. He made thieves think twice. According to a TV Guide piece on him, Fred Rogers drove a plain old Impala for years. One day, however, the car was stolen from the street near the TV station. When Rogers filed a police report, the story was picked up by every newspaper, radio and media outlet around town.
Amazingly, within 48 hours the car was left in the exact spot where it was taken from, with an apology on the dashboard. It read, "If we'd known it was yours, we never would have taken it."
3. He watched his figure to the pound. In covering Rogers' daily routine (waking up at 5 a.m.; praying for a few hours for all of his friends and family; studying; writing, making calls and reaching out to every fan who took the time to write him; going for a morning swim; getting on a scale; then really starting his day), writer Tom Junod explained that Mr. Rogers weighed in at exactly 143 pounds every day for the last 30 years of his life.
He didn't smoke, didn't drink, didn't eat the flesh of any animals, and was extremely disciplined in his daily routine. And while I'm not sure if any of that was because he'd mostly grown up a chubby, single child, Junod points out that Rogers found beauty in the number 143.
According to the piece, Rogers came "to see that number as a gift... because, as he says, "the number 143 means 'I love you.' It takes one letter to say 'I' and four letters to say 'love' and three letters to say 'you.' One hundred and forty-three."
4. He saved both public television and the VCR. Strange but true. When the government wanted to cut public television funds in 1969, the relatively unknown Mister Rogers went to Washington. Almost straight out of a Frank Capra film, his 5-6 minute testimony on how TV had the potential to give kids hope and create more productive citizens was so simple but passionate that even the most gruff politicians were charmed. While the budget should have been cut, the funding instead jumped from $9 to $22 million.
Rogers also spoke to Congress, and swayed senators into voting to allow VCR's to record television shows from the home. It was a cantankerous debate at the time, but his argument was that recording a program like his allowed working parents to sit down with their children and watch shows as a family.
5. He might have been the most tolerant American ever. Mister Rogers seems to have been almost exactly the same off-screen as he was onscreen. As an ordained Presbyterian minister, and a man of tremendous faith, Mister Rogers preached tolerance first.
Whenever he was asked to castigate non-Christians or gays for their differing beliefs, he would instead face them and say, with sincerity, "God loves you just the way you are." Often this provoked ire from fundamentalists.
6. He was genuinely curious about others. Mister Rogers was known as one of the toughest interviews because he'd often befriend reporters, asking them tons of questions, taking pictures of them, compiling an album for them at the end of their time together, and calling them after to check in on them and hear about their families. He wasn't concerned with himself, and genuinely loved hearing the life stories of others.
And it wasn't just with reporters. Once, on a fancy trip up to a PBS exec's house, he heard the limo driver was going to wait outside for 2 hours, so he insisted the driver come in and join them (which flustered the host).
On the way back, Rogers sat up front, and when he learned that they were passing the driver's home on the way, he asked if they could stop in to meet his family. According to the driver, it was one of the best nights of his life. The house supposedly lit up when Rogers arrived, and he played jazz piano and bantered with them late into the night. Further, like with the reporters, Rogers sent him notes and kept in touch with the driver for the rest of his life.
7. He was color-blind. Literally. He couldn't see the color blue. Of course, he was also figuratively color-blind, as you probably guessed. As were his parents, who took in a black foster child when Rogers was growing up.
8. He could make a subway car full of strangers sing. Once while rushing to a New York meeting, there were no cabs available, so Rogers and one of his colleagues hopped on the subway. Esquire reported that the car was filled with people, and they assumed they wouldn't be noticed.
But when the crowd spotted Rogers, they all simultaneously burst into song, chanting "It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood." The result made Rogers smile wide.
9. He got into TV because he hated TV The first time he turned one on, he saw people angrily throwing pies in each other's faces. He immediately vowed to use the medium for better than that. Over the years he covered topics as varied as why kids shouldn't be scared of a haircut, or the bathroom drain (because you won't fit!), to divorce and war.
10. He was an Ivy League dropout. Rogers moved from Dartmouth to Rollins College to pursue his studies in music.
11. He composed all the songs on the show, and over 200 tunes.
12. He was a perfectionist, and disliked ad libbing. He felt he owed it to children to make sure every word on his show was thought out.
13. Michael Keaton got his start on the show as an assistant. He helped puppeteer and operate the trolley.
14. Several characters on the show are named for his family. Queen Sara is named after Rogers' wife, and the postman Mr. McFeely is named for his maternal grandfather who always talked to him like an adult, and reminded young Fred that he made every day special just by being himself. Sound familiar? It was the same way Mister Rogers closed every show.
15. The sweaters. Every one of the cardigans he wore on the show had been hand-knit by his mother.
7.26.2008
all my exes live in . . . new mexico?
last night i took a particularly hard call on my rape crisis center shift. they are all hard calls. but this one lasted more than an hour, and was so parallel to some of my own experiences, that it hurt me deeply. . . it invaded my dreams. she said that she'll never be the same. she's dead and he killed her. i know.
i see his face on a lot of people. every couple of weeks i will freak out and think that he's found me and lives in albuquerque. i'll search the internet trying to find a trace of him. i'll panic and cry and deal, and forget. then he pops up again, and i'm back where i started. i've learned to shelve away my reaction when this happens. it's PTSD, and it's a fuckin bitch, but i can't flip out everytime i think i see a man that looks even remotely similar to him. this morning anna and i were walking to the grower's market, and a yellow vw van drove by slow as hell, and the guy in there was staring at me. i thought it was him, for sure, this time.
but i brushed it off and we cracked hilarious hippie jokes and continued on, and had a really wonderful day. we went to the grower's market, picking up fresh garlic and shallots and potatoes. i got this amazing goat cheese, and a loaf of moist, delicious bread from my client's friend's french bakery. we went to the library and picked out photography books for the art group i will be starting in august. we looked through vogue pattern books and i got a library card-FINALLY.
my heart was racing from my morning iced java and lack of sleep, so i cleaned all day.
i made little cheesecake mini bites. i had a ham and cheese wrap from punk rock pizza for dinner.
vic and i watched "night of the creeps".
and then i remembered. vic suggested i look him up on the metro court web site. nothing. i looked him up on the district court site. fuck. my heart slammed around in my chest, and i couldn't breathe for a few seconds.
he's in las cruces, dudes. . . he's here.
i'm terrified.
vic asked me gently, what i thought would happen if i saw him. he brought up good points, like how long it's been since we were together, and that maybe nothing would come of it.
his charge is a felony for drug trafficking. last month. nothing's changed.
i knew it, i KNEW i had seen him somewhere. i have felt him, like i felt him at my grad school commencement 2 weeks after he had almost killed me.
and it's not even that he is still in love with me, or anything like that. it's not about that. it's about control- it's about his totally fractured state of mind- and it's about the fact that he probably wouldn't be able to handle seeing me, just like i can't handle seeing him. two different reasonings behind that, but it's a shared truth.
he could be a sober, married, religious, and fucking reborn man, and i would still be terrified. that is what someone takes away from you, when they violate you and abuse you in ways you would never tell ANYONE about- your freedom, your ability to walk down the street without fucking flinching at the thought of them. . . i wonder if i will look over my shoulder for the rest of my life.
i hope it wasn't him. i hope i will never see him again, and i'll abandon my treatment over incarceration stance temporarily so that he rots in jail, for a long time. the heart of me knows that he needs medication and serious mental help, but it's not my fucking problem. i just want to be in my house and marry my boyfriend and LIVE. for years i have quietly believed that he would kill me one day. most women who come out of similar situations live with that dread lurking in the back of their minds, putting a damper on the happiest days; it resurfaces so forcefully sometimes. i'm a fucking survivor and it's going to take a lot to bring me down. but it's always possible.
they move on to the next victim, the next girl they will treat like garbage and defile and destroy. they lock up the precious memory of us in their box of filth and remember us when they want to- maybe to relive a particularly memorable moment we shared. WE don't have that luxury.
we always remember. and we're never gonna be the same.
7.21.2008
monsoon season
its been raining SO MUCH lately!! and poor gabe is about to have a seizure every day, with all the thunder and lightning striking fear into his little beagle heart.
ive watched a lot of movies lately-
cashback- a really beautiful, romantic movie. highly recommend it!!
hellboy 2- decent.
the happening- horrid. if he meant it to be like the twilight zone, then hooray! but somehow i doubt thats what he was going for.
wanted- LOVED it!! the keyboard scene is my favorite part. angelina jolie's appearance just startled me. she is disappearing before our eyes. :(
work has been GREAT. fucking awesome. i love this job.
susan is coming to visit me, and i'm planning all of our activities!
i'm planning to have a big housewarming/welcome susan party, and i'm excited to get the place all fixed up.
i have had a raging desire for green chile enchiladas, ice cream, and los cuates salsa, everyday.
summer here is a lot of fun, but the rain everyday kinda sucks.
this past weekend vic, anna, and i went to the tinkertown museum. it was SO fun. this artist spent 40 years putting the museum together as a hobby, and its full of antiques and oddities and charm. there is such a spirit of individuality, creativity, and heart there. i felt at home. i'll post pics soon.
life seems to be falling into place. . . thats a dangerous statement. . . i hear clients say that right before their lives fall apart. . . but everything feels good right now.
ive watched a lot of movies lately-
cashback- a really beautiful, romantic movie. highly recommend it!!
hellboy 2- decent.
the happening- horrid. if he meant it to be like the twilight zone, then hooray! but somehow i doubt thats what he was going for.
wanted- LOVED it!! the keyboard scene is my favorite part. angelina jolie's appearance just startled me. she is disappearing before our eyes. :(
work has been GREAT. fucking awesome. i love this job.
susan is coming to visit me, and i'm planning all of our activities!
i'm planning to have a big housewarming/welcome susan party, and i'm excited to get the place all fixed up.
i have had a raging desire for green chile enchiladas, ice cream, and los cuates salsa, everyday.
summer here is a lot of fun, but the rain everyday kinda sucks.
this past weekend vic, anna, and i went to the tinkertown museum. it was SO fun. this artist spent 40 years putting the museum together as a hobby, and its full of antiques and oddities and charm. there is such a spirit of individuality, creativity, and heart there. i felt at home. i'll post pics soon.
life seems to be falling into place. . . thats a dangerous statement. . . i hear clients say that right before their lives fall apart. . . but everything feels good right now.
7.13.2008
oh those bbq days of summer
saturday we had a client bbq at roosevelt park. it was really nice minus that part when the grill almost blew up. it was a gorgeous day out, and i wore my new fave orange summer dress.
then that afternoon we headed over to reena's in santa fe for her bbq! it was really fun, and i made queso and peanut butter pie. anna and zak came too, and we enjoyed my sister's newly landscaped yard. and her silly dogs. mike made the best potato salad i have EVER had- russet potatoes, blue cheese, chives, buttermilk, bacon. . . HEAVEN. another guest made ambrosia salad, which consists of some variation of cool whip, a chocolate/toffee bar, and fruit. yumm!! today we saw hellboy, which was visually awesome and SO del toro!! and then i went to the mall. i am extremely happy about my purchases! i spent about $80 and got pants, 2 skirts, 2 tops, a pair of yellow suede flats, and 4 pairs of earrings!! i REALLY needed some more work gear, i'm getting pretty sick of panicking every morning as i pick clothes up off the floor and desperately try to get dog hair off them. i also got my favorite meal of an auntie anne's pretzel and boba tea.
an interesting fact i learned this week: the bite of a brown recluse basically eats away your flesh. brown recluse= evil.
another interesting fact: roaches in jamaica are huge, red, fly, and land on people. jamaica= evil. also evil for the rampant homophobia.
looking forward to my 4th week of work tomorrow! xoxo
then that afternoon we headed over to reena's in santa fe for her bbq! it was really fun, and i made queso and peanut butter pie. anna and zak came too, and we enjoyed my sister's newly landscaped yard. and her silly dogs. mike made the best potato salad i have EVER had- russet potatoes, blue cheese, chives, buttermilk, bacon. . . HEAVEN. another guest made ambrosia salad, which consists of some variation of cool whip, a chocolate/toffee bar, and fruit. yumm!! today we saw hellboy, which was visually awesome and SO del toro!! and then i went to the mall. i am extremely happy about my purchases! i spent about $80 and got pants, 2 skirts, 2 tops, a pair of yellow suede flats, and 4 pairs of earrings!! i REALLY needed some more work gear, i'm getting pretty sick of panicking every morning as i pick clothes up off the floor and desperately try to get dog hair off them. i also got my favorite meal of an auntie anne's pretzel and boba tea.
an interesting fact i learned this week: the bite of a brown recluse basically eats away your flesh. brown recluse= evil.
another interesting fact: roaches in jamaica are huge, red, fly, and land on people. jamaica= evil. also evil for the rampant homophobia.
looking forward to my 4th week of work tomorrow! xoxo
7.11.2008
yay its weekend time!
so week three has ended.
i REALLY like this job. it's a strange new feeling i have never felt before.
tuesday at the dpa even,t i decided to be stupid and have like 6 different types of incredibly strong mixed drinks. i started stumbling and slurring and this was all in front of my sisters co workers! yikes. i then annoyed vic on the ride home by shouting YOUUUUUU!! soulja boy style, and collapsed in bed crying about how sick i was going to be. i think i passed out in about 2 seconds.
last night i had a crazy sci fi futuristic dream with harry potter, ginny weasley, ali, and myself as the main characters. its one of those dreams that makes me wake up with a smile on my face, wishing it could continue on! and also, thinking that i love my weird ass brain sometimes.
you should love your weird ass brain too.
xoxo
i REALLY like this job. it's a strange new feeling i have never felt before.
tuesday at the dpa even,t i decided to be stupid and have like 6 different types of incredibly strong mixed drinks. i started stumbling and slurring and this was all in front of my sisters co workers! yikes. i then annoyed vic on the ride home by shouting YOUUUUUU!! soulja boy style, and collapsed in bed crying about how sick i was going to be. i think i passed out in about 2 seconds.
last night i had a crazy sci fi futuristic dream with harry potter, ginny weasley, ali, and myself as the main characters. its one of those dreams that makes me wake up with a smile on my face, wishing it could continue on! and also, thinking that i love my weird ass brain sometimes.
you should love your weird ass brain too.
xoxo
7.05.2008
cupid draw back your bow
hello all,
things are well in sheila-land. work is scary and exciting and new.
i am way behind on birthday greetings and decorating.
i think i am spray painting my wicker chairs a nice teal.
yesterday i had a lovely4th, giving the dogs a bath and cleaning house. zak and anna came over for my mole potato enchiladas and strawberry shortcake.
its been just fantastic sleeping in the past two mornings. today vic's friend is coming to visit, and i am headed over to beeps in nob hill for some birthday cards.
my arms are sore as hell from lifting a giant hutch into a truck (some donations for my work). like seriously, i am not cut out for manual labor because i have still not quite mastered lifting with the knees and not the back.
it hurts.
ali has been posting some fuckin amazing recipes at yum yum cooking club. please read this, immediately. and rejoice in the splendor that is ali.
this week the drug policy alliance is having an event in albuquerque, so i will be going to that. . .
the person i am replacing will be leaving on monday, so after that i will be organizing the office with all the power that OCD gives me.
its been a good week. . . how's yours?
things are well in sheila-land. work is scary and exciting and new.
i am way behind on birthday greetings and decorating.
i think i am spray painting my wicker chairs a nice teal.
yesterday i had a lovely4th, giving the dogs a bath and cleaning house. zak and anna came over for my mole potato enchiladas and strawberry shortcake.
its been just fantastic sleeping in the past two mornings. today vic's friend is coming to visit, and i am headed over to beeps in nob hill for some birthday cards.
my arms are sore as hell from lifting a giant hutch into a truck (some donations for my work). like seriously, i am not cut out for manual labor because i have still not quite mastered lifting with the knees and not the back.
it hurts.
ali has been posting some fuckin amazing recipes at yum yum cooking club. please read this, immediately. and rejoice in the splendor that is ali.
this week the drug policy alliance is having an event in albuquerque, so i will be going to that. . .
the person i am replacing will be leaving on monday, so after that i will be organizing the office with all the power that OCD gives me.
its been a good week. . . how's yours?
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