Monday, January 29, 2007
Rugged Laundrette
Okay, I have a laundromat fetish. I blame movies for romanticizing them (think Ethan Hawke's Hamlet), but I have always wanted to live in a dumpy little walk-up on the lower east side where I had to drag my laundry down to the corner. The books I'd read, the tunes I'd jam to, the cool-crazy-hot people I'd met or flirt with. Not to mention the economies of scale (well, for time, not cost)! Running eight loads at once! LAUNDRY CARTS!Before tonight I had only been twice before, and both in college. [Another thing I failed to do in New York.] The first time Grace, Hoopera, and I went for a late night run so we could do everyone's at once. We went to a gleaming Hyattsville establishment that shone like a beacon on a hill from all the florescence--I wish I could remember the catchy name. I still have great memories (and the pictures to back them up). The second time was when Big Floppy DD's (I seriously suck at this pseudonym game) mattress was a victim of constant 8709 wars, and we tried to find a place that could take the entire garlic fermented, muddy, waterlogged bed. Like an I Love Lucy skit, it erupted from every industrial washer we crammed it into.
Tonight, I got my first urban laundromat experience. And as you can see, I'm sporting ten days of rugged not shaving. Still, it was less than I expected. I'm happy to save the massive frontloading machines easily took my comforter and mattress pad (the Speed Queen was such a bottom), but the place was generally dingy, the clientele was not hot, and the raging drunk made for an uncomfortable atmosphere. I can't believe this alternate world exists but two blocks from my apartment. Still, for $14, those two loads were a steal, and all in under 90 minutes.
[p.s. - I've never gone this long without a shave. Even if MOSI hates it, we're going to have to wait until he can bring clippers and fight back the bush for me.]
[p.p.s. - Is MOSI such a bad pseudonym? I could call him Mighty Mouse. Or conojito. Those would make even less sense, right? At least you can search the history of MOSI. As long as he isn't complaining, it stays.]
*Did I mention that the "24 Hour Laundromat" closed at 9 p.m.?! Thus the reason I was racing around to get there in time. I mean, that's its frigin NAME, 24 Hour Laundromat. This irks me beyond belief. Maybe because no laundromat can be hip if it isn't open 24 hours. A bar would have been nice too. At least a pool table. Maybe I just don't like liars.
Sunday, January 28, 2007
"...a monkey that wandered out of the jungle and asked for a gin-and-tonic"
Caught Notes on a Scandal tonight with Glow, and found it to be wonderful. It was a bit of a mess, though, with three overlapping story lines: a marriage unraveling, an affair with a younger man, and secret hints at a forbidden (and somewhat imagined) intimacy. It provided plenty of fodder for the walk home. The trailers were equally evocative, especially Black Snake Moan and The Namesake.
For a long time now, I have figured that I was doing pretty well. I remember how great spring of 1998 was--I was an RA, rushed the fraternity and got in, and got my first taste of man-man love and intimacy. And had a great GPA. Really, life was turning around for once.
And for the years since then, with the requisite ups and downs, things have progressed as I suppose they do. The end of that first relationship was a bit of a setback. Becoming a full-fledged adult was another. The second relationship brought a lot more comfort, and the end of that one tinged more with an air of familiarity.
Well now I'm officially tired of being old. If you talked to my roommate, or boyfriend, or most friends, you'd learn that I don't have much of a memory. But I seem to have quite a good sense for remembering emotions. Now I wonder if I don't have too many years of emotions to reflect back on. Maybe I'm just tired of Sunday nights. ;)
For a long time now, I have figured that I was doing pretty well. I remember how great spring of 1998 was--I was an RA, rushed the fraternity and got in, and got my first taste of man-man love and intimacy. And had a great GPA. Really, life was turning around for once.
And for the years since then, with the requisite ups and downs, things have progressed as I suppose they do. The end of that first relationship was a bit of a setback. Becoming a full-fledged adult was another. The second relationship brought a lot more comfort, and the end of that one tinged more with an air of familiarity.
Well now I'm officially tired of being old. If you talked to my roommate, or boyfriend, or most friends, you'd learn that I don't have much of a memory. But I seem to have quite a good sense for remembering emotions. Now I wonder if I don't have too many years of emotions to reflect back on. Maybe I'm just tired of Sunday nights. ;)
Liquid Ladies
So it's a shitty camera phone. Still, don't the girls glow? Okay, MOSI thinks they look hungover and, well, they are. I'm happy to say I conserved last night at the big Megabert birthday bash, which allowed me to fully partake in the unlimited liquid brunch this morning. Makes me a little reminiscent of NYC, lemme tell ya. Time to start job hunting. No, not that.Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Are you busy?
As the last comment suggested, I spent part of this past weekend in Pittsburgh. The decision was spur of the moment, and I rented a car for what turned out to be a very pleasant four hour drive.
I was exhausted, but that soon passed, and I was finally treated to SNOW (we hadn't had our little blizzard yet, so it was still novel). It actually snowed while being sunny for over an hour. Otherwise, it just looked like above.
I was exhausted, but that soon passed, and I was finally treated to SNOW (we hadn't had our little blizzard yet, so it was still novel). It actually snowed while being sunny for over an hour. Otherwise, it just looked like above.
It wasn't even dark when I reached Pittsburgh. I tried to send this image to MOSI to break the surprise, but he didn't receive it until Monday morning! Verizon, Cingular, why can't you be friends?
I got up in time on Friday for the main event, which was a public lecture by David Adjaye, whose work was intriguing but whose presentation style was little more than mumbling through a series of slides describing the elements of several unrelated projects. Even though the presentation was accessible to the public, his architect speak was also grating. If I heard him call one more window a "portal capturing light from the facade" was out of there.
Worse for him, I was able to stay through Saturday evening's lecture by Liz Diller, of Diller, Scofidio, and Renfro. Diller, who is also an artist and a theorist, blew Adjaye away. DSR are MOSI's favorite architects, and for good reason. I was thrilled that her presentations--which articulate, warm, and even eloquent--ended with a discussion of the NYC High Line, something that always fascinated me from a far.
I had a great time. Being back and going to twelve hours of conference lectures Sunday morning until today was that much less of a drag because of it.
Thursday, January 18, 2007
Pick-me-up
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
Good Houses
It is moody* this morning in the District--cloudy, colder, windier. As anyone who know me would be aware, I'm prone to obsessive repeating of new songs that I like--and to always have music playing.So this morning, I'll share that I'm listening to Good Houses by Madeline, and waiting patiently for its release, as reviwed here by Slate. You too should get the podcast of All Songs Considered.
apologies given to thin air can't listen
the vibrations don't hit ear drums
all the hands that deserve this
the useless excuses
it didn't work but we really tried
A good reason for waking.
*Okay, to be exact, I think I was moody, while the district was just dreary.
Labels: Music
Monday, January 15, 2007
I Have No Gag Reflex
It's Mid-Atlantic Leather Weekend, and that means the roommate and I have been busy appreciating the sights that have descended upon our great city. The Washington Plaza Hotel is packed with scenes reminiscent of Tom of Finland, although perhaps not as sexy.If you're interested in Tom of Finland, which arguable popularized the very leather culture we were experiencing, and don’t want to view erotic art at work, you can read about it at Wikipedia. If you're not at work, you can check out the Tom of Finland Foundation, their Online Gallery, or just check out two of my favorites: Reading. That last one reminds me of MOSI, but you don't get to know why. ;)
Besides just noticing a distinct change in who has been walking our streets this weekend, we hit up the Leather Exhibit Hall with DG and another friend, where I bought a shirt proclaiming: I Have No Gag Reflex.
As that story goes, a few years back I was at my dentist of 15+ years when my dental hygienist commented that I had lost my gag reflex. "I haven't had any complaints," I retorted, but then quickly recovered by asking what she was referring to. It seems that when I was younger and needed dental work, I had quite the gag problem. It was one of the few things they had put on my chart, apparently. Anyway, problem gone.
By the way, my reference to the quiet Complaint Department went unnoticed, as a short while later I was asked several gender-neutral questions about my dating life ("Are you dating anyone?" "Where did you meet them?") followed by an indication of just how oblivious she was: "What's her name?" Ug. "Lydia," I coughed up. At that point I tried to change the subject, but she kept coming back to it. When she announced the happy update to my dentist, I couldn't speak (with his fingers in my mouth) and he simply gave a skeptical nod.
Fast forward to this morning, when I was having my teeth cleaned by the less-oblivious hygienist that I favor. Talking about cities, I mentioned Pittsburgh, that I was dating someone, and that HE lived up there. She took that in stride, and soon after commented that either I was finally listening to her about proper teeth hygiene or this relationship was getting serious! It's wonderful how less gum inflammation will win over a dental hygienist's heart.
A bit later she came back to the topic: "So, is this a...NEW thing?" "Uh uh," I declined. "Going on about eight years now, although only eight months with him. We don't usually get to the more personal stuff in our brief sessions here," I followed. "Well, as long as you're happy, and safe, that's all that matters."
So, she's a nice enough lady, but "and SAFE"!?!? I hadn't just told her I have a proclivity for being gangbanged by Manilan streetwalkers, I said I liked boys. No one ever told me to be safe with "Lydia." Bless her heart for trying her best to roll with it, but its going to take a couple of hours with a ball gag, a hood, and a leather whip to get over my frustration with such a double standard.
Tuesday, January 09, 2007
They Got a Pepper Bar!!!
Oh Nostalgia! Today, with my iPod on random, I came across the We Like Da Moon song, staring those adorable Spongmonkeys of 2004. Well, I realized with the joys of YouTube I can now display this classic here, both in its original form and its Quiznos reincarnation.
We were pretty big freakin fans of this back in the day. I miss you CDCD! Come back to me Carolx2!
We were pretty big freakin fans of this back in the day. I miss you CDCD! Come back to me Carolx2!
Monday, January 08, 2007
Freedom
On our return from the "deep south" of "North" Carolina, this was how we were wished farewell:
Gotta love it! Thanks so much to Fabs for organizing an amazing trip.
What next for our superheros? I'm back at work, and MOSI leaves Friday. It didn't help that I watched Closer, The Break-Up, and Children of Men this weekend. Thoughts of infidelity, breakups, and an infertility apocolypse swirled through my mind until I got my act together.
I have not much else to say, so here we are aimlessly on the OBX beach the afternoon we left.
I'll leave you with an image from New Years morning, showing how crazy the night before was.
Gotta love it! Thanks so much to Fabs for organizing an amazing trip.What next for our superheros? I'm back at work, and MOSI leaves Friday. It didn't help that I watched Closer, The Break-Up, and Children of Men this weekend. Thoughts of infidelity, breakups, and an infertility apocolypse swirled through my mind until I got my act together.
I have not much else to say, so here we are aimlessly on the OBX beach the afternoon we left.
I'll leave you with an image from New Years morning, showing how crazy the night before was.
Monday, January 01, 2007
Happy New Year!
Let this image be my excuse for not blogging. MOSI and I got here on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Saturday, along with DJ Glow, Meg, Fabs, and 14 other of our closests (or at least newest) friends. The house is amazing. Nine bedrooms and baths has even given us some privacy amidst the chaos. Last night was a riot, including a hot tub with far more people than designed. If everything continues like this, we'll take it easy here and make it back to the real world sometime later this week.Happy New Year!
