Birdmen, body odor and boring entries
I write really mundane things here now. I feel like this has become some kind of extended Twitter, rather than an actual diary/journal thing. I think a lot of that comes from the fact that I linked my LJ to my facebook (though my friends-only entries don't show up on there). Also, I feel funny about some of the people who read this thing now. I should probably do a friend-cut but I don't feel like the dramaz.
In the interest of keeping this thing Twitter-like, here are short sentences about what's going on in my life:
-I went to Urban Outfitters and sushi and Target with my friend Susan today. Urban Outfitters always feels like "an indie department store" (how I described it to Susan) to me...even though I like their stuff, the place just kind of overwhelms me. And I feel like I'm not hip enough to be there. I ended up buying t-shirts, headbands and workout pants (which I'm lounging in right now) at Target. And some amazing Biorè warming face wash that promises to clear up the epic blackheads that have taken residence in my nose pores.
-I really want to know who, if anyone, keeps searching for me on Reunion.com. Please stop. Just shoot me an email or something.
-I worked at a health fair for my work this past weekend and it was really rewarding and much more fun than I thought it would be. Possibly helped that we had a Wii at our station and I got to watch ladies in their 20's-70's play boxing.
-Ravi's uncle had a massive heart attack. He's doing much better now. We went to visit him in Slidell and ended up hanging out with Ravi's family for 5.5 hours which, despite the terrible circumstances, was actually kind of fun. And had Indian food. And cheesecake-filled King Cake (oh, the decadence!)
-Ravi. shaved. his. beard. I am not allowed to take photos.
-Ravi and I went to see Andrew Bird this past weekend and ended up being four rows from the stage and practically right in front of Andre Bird. And then he played "Imitosis" off of Armchair Apocrypha and I actually squealed. Thank you for being AMAZING, Andrew Bird.
Okay, I have to share two (three?) funny stories about New Orleans here.
Edit: I started explaining this whole day, but let me sum it up...Andrew Bird was playing in New Orleans. Parking in New Orleans was particularly hellish due to a parade, Ravi and I got in a big argument in the car, in which I almost threw our navigation system out the window and I ended up driving backwards down a sidewalk in Decatur to park my car because I wanted to be OUT OF THE CAR. We ended up grabbing some fries at Arby's because the parking situation had nixed any time for an actual meal before the show. While we were there, our friend, B, texted a gullible friend of his and said, "Andrew Bird is eating a Big Montana in Arby's!" We were all laughing about our joke when we stepped out of Arby's and started walking back towards my car (to drink some beers that we had gotten to "pre-game" before the concert). As we're walking down the sidewalk, ANDREW BIRD IS WALKING TOWARDS US. We all kind of did that thing where you nod and keep walking then, before he barely passed, we all looked at each other and said "OMG THAT WAS ANDREW BIRD." Hi Mr. Bird. We would like to buy you a "Big Montana" (I have no idea what that is. I don't eat at Arby's ever.)
Also, when we got to the House of Blues, we noticed there were some spots up towards the front of the stage, so we made a run for it. As soon as we got situated, I caught a whiff of some TERRIBLE B.O. I turned to Ravi, who was making a disgusted face and said, "Do you smell that?" and he replied, "I think its those chicks in front of you."
Guys. GUYS.
I have been to many concerts/shows. I have been to Bonnaroo, not once but TWICE. An outdoor festival in which people sleep in tents in the middle of an open field in June. I have been to other festivals. I have dated big sweaty men. I have lived with men who did not shower on a regular basis. I live in one of the hotter places in this country with legendary humidity. What I'm saying is, I'm familiar with B.O. I get it. It happens. I don't get disgusted by it. But this was THE WORST B.O. I HAVE EVER SMELLED IN MY LIFE. PEOPLE. I ALMOST THREW UP. AND THE PLACE WAS HIGHLY AIR-CONDITIONED.
So, I kept trying to deal with it and then they would shift ever-so-slightly and it would hit me again and I turned to Ravi and said, "I just don't think I can TAKE THIS. I think I'm going to go to the back again." But I didn't want to give up my choice spot, so I turned back around and tried to keep my head turned to the side. Just then, one of the girls raised her arm to put it around the other girl. When I whipped around to face Ravi, our friend B burst out laughing. He finally managed to choke out, "You look like you just saw someone hit your dog. You look like you just saw a horrible accident." Eventually, the girls walked off. Ravi said they probably heard my comments and, its true, they probably did. Normally, I'd feel horribly guilty about making them feel bad, but my relief and ability to breathe trumped my guilt reflex. I am sorry, ladies. I didn't mean to make you feel bad, but please look into deodorant. Or SOMETHING.
-On the way back home, B sliced pieces of a king cake we had bought on the way down to NOLA and handed them out to us in the car. It was all a very coffee cake and bridge type of affair, except B was balancing a king cake in his lap and I was swinging "New Orleans lefts" all over the place trying to get us back on the interstate. Then we all ate with our fingers.
-I've been listening to a lot of Simon and Garfunkel lately. I'm continually amazed by the poetry of their lyrics.
-I've been having near anxiety attacks lately. The other night, I had to ask Ravi to come lie down with me for a little while, because I couldn't fall asleep without feeling "safe."
-I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow and I'm really nervous about it. My hair is also super greasy, but I don't want to wash it because washing my hair twice in 24 hours makes it super dry.
-Lately, I really enjoy the people I've been working with, especially my direct supervisor, who treats me more like a colleague than her underling, which I am. I also like the added responsibility, even though I'm scared to take it on sometimes.
-I feel like I'm lacing in creativity lately, mostly because I won't push myself to do anything. I need to make myself write some poems.
-I have a bump in my right thigh that won't go away and that has been sore for the past few months. I know I need to get it checked out, but like most people who work in health care, I have a pathological issue about going to the doctor unless I absolutely have to do so. And I'm scared. And I don't feel like people accusing me of being a hypochondriac.
-I want to take a trip somewhere. Ravi and I are looking into a few places.
-The only thing I really wish Andrew Bird would have played that he didn't is "Gris Gris." Sir, how did you come back to New Orleans and not play that song?
-I love Mardi Gras season.
In the interest of keeping this thing Twitter-like, here are short sentences about what's going on in my life:
-I went to Urban Outfitters and sushi and Target with my friend Susan today. Urban Outfitters always feels like "an indie department store" (how I described it to Susan) to me...even though I like their stuff, the place just kind of overwhelms me. And I feel like I'm not hip enough to be there. I ended up buying t-shirts, headbands and workout pants (which I'm lounging in right now) at Target. And some amazing Biorè warming face wash that promises to clear up the epic blackheads that have taken residence in my nose pores.
-I really want to know who, if anyone, keeps searching for me on Reunion.com. Please stop. Just shoot me an email or something.
-I worked at a health fair for my work this past weekend and it was really rewarding and much more fun than I thought it would be. Possibly helped that we had a Wii at our station and I got to watch ladies in their 20's-70's play boxing.
-Ravi's uncle had a massive heart attack. He's doing much better now. We went to visit him in Slidell and ended up hanging out with Ravi's family for 5.5 hours which, despite the terrible circumstances, was actually kind of fun. And had Indian food. And cheesecake-filled King Cake (oh, the decadence!)
-Ravi. shaved. his. beard. I am not allowed to take photos.
-Ravi and I went to see Andrew Bird this past weekend and ended up being four rows from the stage and practically right in front of Andre Bird. And then he played "Imitosis" off of Armchair Apocrypha and I actually squealed. Thank you for being AMAZING, Andrew Bird.
Okay, I have to share two (three?) funny stories about New Orleans here.
Edit: I started explaining this whole day, but let me sum it up...Andrew Bird was playing in New Orleans. Parking in New Orleans was particularly hellish due to a parade, Ravi and I got in a big argument in the car, in which I almost threw our navigation system out the window and I ended up driving backwards down a sidewalk in Decatur to park my car because I wanted to be OUT OF THE CAR. We ended up grabbing some fries at Arby's because the parking situation had nixed any time for an actual meal before the show. While we were there, our friend, B, texted a gullible friend of his and said, "Andrew Bird is eating a Big Montana in Arby's!" We were all laughing about our joke when we stepped out of Arby's and started walking back towards my car (to drink some beers that we had gotten to "pre-game" before the concert). As we're walking down the sidewalk, ANDREW BIRD IS WALKING TOWARDS US. We all kind of did that thing where you nod and keep walking then, before he barely passed, we all looked at each other and said "OMG THAT WAS ANDREW BIRD." Hi Mr. Bird. We would like to buy you a "Big Montana" (I have no idea what that is. I don't eat at Arby's ever.)
Also, when we got to the House of Blues, we noticed there were some spots up towards the front of the stage, so we made a run for it. As soon as we got situated, I caught a whiff of some TERRIBLE B.O. I turned to Ravi, who was making a disgusted face and said, "Do you smell that?" and he replied, "I think its those chicks in front of you."
Guys. GUYS.
I have been to many concerts/shows. I have been to Bonnaroo, not once but TWICE. An outdoor festival in which people sleep in tents in the middle of an open field in June. I have been to other festivals. I have dated big sweaty men. I have lived with men who did not shower on a regular basis. I live in one of the hotter places in this country with legendary humidity. What I'm saying is, I'm familiar with B.O. I get it. It happens. I don't get disgusted by it. But this was THE WORST B.O. I HAVE EVER SMELLED IN MY LIFE. PEOPLE. I ALMOST THREW UP. AND THE PLACE WAS HIGHLY AIR-CONDITIONED.
So, I kept trying to deal with it and then they would shift ever-so-slightly and it would hit me again and I turned to Ravi and said, "I just don't think I can TAKE THIS. I think I'm going to go to the back again." But I didn't want to give up my choice spot, so I turned back around and tried to keep my head turned to the side. Just then, one of the girls raised her arm to put it around the other girl. When I whipped around to face Ravi, our friend B burst out laughing. He finally managed to choke out, "You look like you just saw someone hit your dog. You look like you just saw a horrible accident." Eventually, the girls walked off. Ravi said they probably heard my comments and, its true, they probably did. Normally, I'd feel horribly guilty about making them feel bad, but my relief and ability to breathe trumped my guilt reflex. I am sorry, ladies. I didn't mean to make you feel bad, but please look into deodorant. Or SOMETHING.
-On the way back home, B sliced pieces of a king cake we had bought on the way down to NOLA and handed them out to us in the car. It was all a very coffee cake and bridge type of affair, except B was balancing a king cake in his lap and I was swinging "New Orleans lefts" all over the place trying to get us back on the interstate. Then we all ate with our fingers.
-I've been listening to a lot of Simon and Garfunkel lately. I'm continually amazed by the poetry of their lyrics.
-I've been having near anxiety attacks lately. The other night, I had to ask Ravi to come lie down with me for a little while, because I couldn't fall asleep without feeling "safe."
-I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow and I'm really nervous about it. My hair is also super greasy, but I don't want to wash it because washing my hair twice in 24 hours makes it super dry.
-Lately, I really enjoy the people I've been working with, especially my direct supervisor, who treats me more like a colleague than her underling, which I am. I also like the added responsibility, even though I'm scared to take it on sometimes.
-I feel like I'm lacing in creativity lately, mostly because I won't push myself to do anything. I need to make myself write some poems.
-I have a bump in my right thigh that won't go away and that has been sore for the past few months. I know I need to get it checked out, but like most people who work in health care, I have a pathological issue about going to the doctor unless I absolutely have to do so. And I'm scared. And I don't feel like people accusing me of being a hypochondriac.
-I want to take a trip somewhere. Ravi and I are looking into a few places.
-The only thing I really wish Andrew Bird would have played that he didn't is "Gris Gris." Sir, how did you come back to New Orleans and not play that song?
-I love Mardi Gras season.