I was all set to comment on my new-found respect for Jay Leno (who apparently called Giuliani a “fascist” on TV) but I was diverted by the phrase “National Ethnic Coalition of Organizations” in the story. Isn’t that a bit redundant? Shouldn’t it just be the “National Ethnic Coalition”? I mean, why do they feel they need to specify? As a self-proclaimed Grammar Nazi (Hey! Giuliani and I have something in common!), I have very little patience for bad writing.
Author: Kris
Here are three characters… Can you spot the one that’s French? If you guessed the one in the middle, you’re right. (That’s Obiwan and Tigger on top of my computer monitor at work, flanking eMan the crazy-haired Frenchman.)
Joy of joys! Did I mention that I have the BEST boyfriend in the world? While I was running around Chinatown trying to find cabbage, Snookums was tramping around north London with Wee Ben looking for computer parts. I caught up with them in the Trocadero and Snookums handed me a big bag with a present in it: Star Wars: Episode 1 Monopoly! How cool is that? I geeked out big time. So while I was at home, ooh-ing and ahh-ing over my new toy, he put another bag on my lap. It was Mac OSX. He got me OSX! Isn’t he the best? (If an operating system doesn’t sound like a very romantic gift, you’re obviously running Windoze.) I haven’t had time to get it installed yet, what with the egg rolls and all, but I’m hoping to find time early this week. I’ll let you know how it goes…
Korean Feast Update: Well, I couldn’t find the red lettuce, but I got everything else. The worst part was finding “napa cabbage,” which is a very long and leafy green Oriental cabbage. I was sure they had it in Chinatown, but the Chinese of course call it something different. Eventually I found an ancient little shopkeeper lady who was able to point it out to me. Sweet. So now the bulgogi’s in the fridge marinating and all the egg rolls are prepared and ready to fry. Being a domestic goddess is hard work.
In other exciting culinary news, I’m hosting a “Korean Feast” dinner party Monday night as a leaving-do for my friends Kel and BJ. (They’re both leaving London and heading back to the States. *sniff*) Tentatively on the menu: bulgogi (spicy beef), rice, red lettuce, and all the chicken and beef egg rolls the guests can eat. Which reminds me, I need to run to Chinatown for some more supplies. I’d better go while London is still enjoying its weekly quota of one hour of sunlight… 🙂
How excited am I to receive my first order of groceries purchased on the Internet today? VERY. I feel so futuristic. Tesco, don’t let me down!
Artists are funny people. I was just chatting to my sister, who’s readying some sort of exhibit for an art show next week. It involves pigs and neon… and some sort of pitchfork. Here’s an excerpt from the conversation so you can see for yourself:
Amy: hmm. man, i forgot to tell you…my pig mold is destroyed. i can’t make anymore. (i tried to use polyester resin as a medium, and it was old and never hardened. it’s like, impossible to clean out.)
Me: too bad. so you didn’t even get one pig?
Amy: no, i got 2 and a portion of one out of wax. (it broke.) our stuff for the show is due next week, and i already ordered my neon sign. i’m screwed. 🙁
Me: why screwed?
Amy: i wanted 3 to sit below the sign, then another to go on top of this pitchfork i welded. i don’t have any time to re-sculpt the pig and make a new mold.
Me: hmmm… “pitchfork i welded”
Amy: yeah, if i really apply myself, i’m thinking i might have time to sculpt a PIG’S ASS and get a mold made this weekend. then i can pour a few wax ones in time for the show. they can go next to the pigs’ heads. 🙂
Me: what’s, like, the message of this piece?
Amy: i hate school. i hate st. francis. what better way to show it than pigs and asses and a neon sign that says “eat me” ?
Me: hahahaha
Amy: i’m hoping somebody asks me that same question at the show.
Snookums and I watched an awesome movie on telly the other night: Blind Fury starring Rutger Hauer. Here’s the official plot outline from the IMDb: “A blind Vietnam vet, trained as a swordfighter, comes to America and helps to rescue the son of a fellow soldier.” I ask you, what more does a film need? The bad guy is a drug dealer, and the cute little boy is Hobie from “Baywatch.” Awww, yeah, baby. Feel the 80’s love.
Quote of the Night: That’s why Al Pacino gets an award for playing a blind man, and Rutger Hauer doesn’t.
– Snookums expressing his bitterness at the lack of critical respect for this fine piece of cinematic fare.
Last night I went to see “Rent” for the seventh time. Yes, the seventh time. I’m psychotic, I know. But lemme see if I can explain it. When I first got the soundtrack in ’96, it was solely because my roommate Liz and I had seen Adam Pascal performing on Rosie O’Donnell. He was brutally hot. We were smitten. Lizzie would come home from class and put “Glory” on repeat (to the point where she almost killed the song for me). By Spring Break ’97, all of our friends knew it by heart. We saw it that March in Boston from the nosebleed section of the balcony. Eight months later we saw it in Chicago from the front of the balcony. The absolute pinnacle, though, was seeing it in London on the very first day of previews in April ’98. We sat in the very first row and got to see four of the original Broadway performers (including Adam Pascal… *swoon*). It was so fantastic we went back to see it again a few days later. By that point I had seen it four times, and I didn’t think any production could possibly top that first night in London. A few months later, though, I found myself in New York and a friend won front row tickets in the standby drawing. Off I went again to see the show in the original theater. It was good, but by this point my interest was definitely on a decline. I didn’t give it a second thought, in fact, until I arrived back in London in October ’99 and discovered that the production was about to close. I snagged one of the few remaining seats for the last day and watched as the cast laughed and cried and said goodbye. It was amazing. You see, “Rent” isn’t about the production for me anymore. It’s about remembering my best friends and how it became something that we owned. So when I heard that a UK tour was starting up, I couldn’t resist. I dragged along my college friend Kel for an evening of nostalgia. We had the best time, clapping and laughing and mooing and screaming. The production itself was reasonably good, but it was more the invoking of the “Rent” ritual and all our memories that we enjoyed. Oh, and Adam Rickitt was pretty cute too. *grin*