picked a handful of violets in my name

Lots of snow, but we didn't lose power. Ellie and I have spent most of the weekend cleaning the house. This included trying out our new Laundry Pod (which we got at a pretty steep discount from Fab.com for Christmas), for washing nice wool sweaters and delicates. It is pretty much a giant salad spinner with a drain hose, but it seems remarkably effective as long as you don't over-fill it with clothes. My bras and tights rejoice at the gentler handling.

I bought a lot of groceries a week ago and have been succeeding reasonably well at feeding myself. The only failures have been one under-flavored curry and a poor understanding of how fast the baby bok choy would go bad, meaning I didn't get to use it (and want to replace it before making my first attempt at at-home shabu shabu).

I have taken over the email newsletter for the local historical society.

Planning to do Mardi Gras nails for Tuesday. I have a decent collection of nail polish but I don't wear it very much. I am unskilled at painting my nails and, because I work with my hands a lot of the time, it chips quickly.

Signed up for SuperBetter. I think gamification will help me form better habits.

Hater-Free Wednesdays is a new tumblr aggregating reviews and stories about comic shops to help people find local shops that will not shit all over their gender/race/etc.

I bought a ticket for Fall Out Boy's Boston show in May! Very pleased to have them back. I'm not exactly in bandom any more - I am hardwired mono-fannish, and got into the Avengers thanks to the movie (and then I slid sideways into ALL THE MARVEL COMICS EVER, sort of, so that's a huge canon and fandom) - but I miss going to concerts.

stultiloquentia: Fictions and Elsewheres

Yesterday on the train I read Scientific American's special report on parallel universes. Briefly: they ain't science fiction. They're theoretical, of course, but at least some of the theories are at this point pretty darned solid and make sense of increasingly huge heaps of data.

...

Why should fandom care? Well, mostly because science is cool. But also? It means our stories are real. Quite literally. Every course of events and configuration of particles, every decision and every outcome you can possibly imagine is, in an infinite universe, occurring right now. Kurt and Blaine? Somewhere, incomprehensibly far off, they're as solid as you and I, and muddling through snowstorms and love. Somewhere slightly off to the left, they've already been married for eighty years. We'll never meet them, and nor will our descendants, because, among other problems, the multiverse is expanding faster than it's possible to travel though it. But they're out there.

They're making up stories about you.

I knew there was a reason I made an entire religion in Auriel whose cosmology says that everything is stories and god is a writer. (Well, a reason besides ego. Heh.)

Recently

MCR show in Boston was great! I was one person back but used a couple of crowd surges during Thursday's set and the break before MCR to wedge myself into a little opening on the barrier. Ellie came late, so we met up afterward and went to IHOP because we were both starving. (I had to bail on tuesdaysgone and skip the Philly show because I was so exhausted, and because some combination of lights/noise/hunger gave me a terrible headache.)

Boston Slutwalk! I met up with a bunch of people I know mainly via Mob. We marched (super powerful experience! Almost an altered state, with an abnormal boost to my lung capacity akin to what I experience at concerts), there were some amazing speeches (finally got to hear shadesong give a survivor speech. I put myself at the front of the crowd pretty much directly in front of her, because she had posted about feeling stressed about this particular speech and I wanted to guarantee a known-friendly face in case that would help), and then it started raining, so I went with two friends to the workshop space, where we took the responsibility of setting up chairs and enjoyed some relaxation time. I stayed for three workshops before I had to bail for food.

thefridayfive

( questions about love and marriage )

Plans

I need to pack tomorrow. On Monday, I fly into Baltimore (arriving around 3:15). Concert Tuesday, then back to Boston on Wednesday.

I am not thinking about August until I get back from D.C. (I cannot; I am too scatterbrained to hold that many plans in my head at once), but I am determined to celebrate our anniversary either by dragging Cory to Boston or schlepping myself to Grand Forks again, which involves lots of scheduling and stalking the internet for best airfare.

Notes

I already have a few ideas of things to post. If there are things you would like me to post about, then prompt me. (No guarantees, since I will be offline for 5+ days, but I will try.)

Questions meme!

( Long-overdue )

Links

( 2 links: Portal fanart and criticism of rape culture )

Plans

Finish up my semester (my last semester of undergrad omfg), MCR concert, Capture the Flag in Franklin Park, play party.

(Assuming, of course, that I get in. I mean, I am sure that I will! But I will also be worried about it until I actually do.)

Application to Simmons is basically done. I am letting my statement of purpose rest for a few hours. I'll read it over some time tonight, upload it, and send everything in.

My parents are going to keep supporting me through grad school, which I am enormously grateful for. Bestest parents ever!

On the subject of something that is not school-related at ALL: I have a friend who is looking for one ticket to the Boston MCR show. PM me with leads pls???

Aw, you guys! MCR is playing in Boston as a graduation present for me!! Their show is the night before commencement (which I have decided not to bother with).

I want to go to as many of their shows as possible. Definitely New York (which is on Mom's birthday and makes me so fucking sad they're not going to New Orleans), maybe Philadelphia (can do by bus but would rather have a ride); other possible shows that require I make buddies with a car-owner include Montreal, Sayreville, and D.C. Who out there will be driving to shows, preferably departing from Boston, and has room in their car for one tiny person who will chip in for gas, food, and lodgings?

I am sad that the Minneapolis show isn't a few days later; with no classes Tuesday and Friday plus Monday the 18th off, I could make it out there and introduce Cory to that side of myself. I am even sadder that Mom doesn't get a show. She might combine the Atlanta show with a visit to Fiona, Dan, and Maddie, but it's in the middle of a school week, and she's not going to drive to Texas.

Daily Song (right-click): Thursday - Resuscitation of a Dead Man
Since I'm heading off to Worcester to see them tonight, and all.

( links )

Thanksgiving was good. solarcat, Marina and Leroy came over.

We had duck gumbo. Ellie, in her determination to use the entire duck, rendered a whole bunch of fat to make the roux (too much; we now have a little container of duck fat in the fridge for future use), and made duck stock.

We also had rice dressing, apple pie, and cookies.


Friday, I was pretty exhausted. Ellie and I flyered for Slutcracker. We drove to Central Square, ate at Fourburgers, and went over to The Donkey Show.

Having been offline for a while by that point, I didn't have advance warning that Amanda Palmer and Neil Gaiman would be there. In retrospect, this was probably good. Much as I joke about how the fourth wall doesn't exist for anyone any more, I appreciate a sort of meatspace fourth wall - I'll go to signings and meet-and-greet events if my companions want to, but that's not an experience I seek on my own.


On Saturday, solarcat and I went to see Cobra Starship. It was a Boys Like Girls show, technically, but we were there for Cobra and we had m&g with them. solarcat had them sign her Harass Gabe shirt. I went with "something random" - the back of a 6x8 canvas board. I will twitpic some photos of the finished painting, as that seems to be the best method of getting them to the band.

*hands*

I was going to go to a dinner-and-a-lecture by a history professor I had my freshman year, but I procrastinated on getting a ticket, and now it's the day of the event and Ellie is sick (and required a thermometer today. Yesterday it was cough suppressant and cough drops) and I needed to meet 1001cranes downtown to hand over my ticket for The Used, since I can't go to the show because Ellie and I are leaving for Vermont Friday afternoon, and I'm hanging out with solarcat tomorrow evening (LOTMS whee!), and hopefully taking Ellie shoe shopping tomorrow afternoon, and I still haven't packed for the weekend in Vermont.

Speaking of Vermont! Ellie and I and two carloads of her friends are going to the Translating Identity Conference. I will probably be offline, but I am taking my laptop in order to maybe do some writing when I run out of cope.

Safely arrived in Boston. I haven't unpacked yet but I have opened all my mail, at least. I also need to deposit some checks, mail my mom the bath bombs I added to my own order from Lush, and leave feedback for some stuff I bought on ebay.

My left ear isn't properly depressurized, but it's a lot better than it could be considering I think I caught Dad's cold right before I left.

The flight was really delayed, you guys. :( But that did give me a chance to pull up all the parts of jezrana's BBB, A World So Small, featuring sickly Frank and reclusive Gerard in the historical-type setting she does so well.

Anyone who caught my tweet about dinner last night - we had Japanese food because Ellie made a decision for us. (My initial idea was Indian, but Dad doesn't like one of the spices.) We ordered two entrees for four people and it was exactly enough food.

I got tickets to see Blink-182, but I'm going to need to find a ride. (Also Green Day, but I can get there on the T.)

List of things I need to buy soon: table, halogen worklight, easel, canvas dropcloth. I think that's it. Mom gave each of us a little extra money, and our family friend Liz gave us some, too. That should be more than enough to cover everything I need.

Ellie is going to help Jordan run an errand, and then they might get dinner. And I might be invited. IDK. Will keep my phone handy.

In really fucking ridiculous news - started listening to Blink-182 again. That band, especially Take Off Your Pants and Jacket*, is always going to remind me of Meghan, my Catholic school bff and probably my first crush-on-a-girl** and maybe even my first crush-on-a-real-person-not-a-fictional character.

I kind of want to see that tour when it comes to MA, but I would want a ride from somebody.

* She had a copy of that CD. I borrowed it, failed to return it, and still actually have it somewhere in my room.

** My first crush-on-a-girl ever. I didn't realize that was an element of the friendship until years after I lost touch with her.*** The first crush-on-a-girl where I actually realized it at the time was on a girl I went to middle/high school with, whose name I hesitate to mention because we're facebook friends and this thing syndicates to my profile.

*** Somebody tell me not to look her up on facebook. Seriously.


In conclusion: ask me things you have always wanted to know, things you thing you should know, and things you're surprised you don't know! I am working on a ten-things-you-should-know-about-me post and only have 7 points, some of which suck.