Trying to see the room through the keyhole

lifeessence @ 2008-06-30T10:35:00

2008-06-30T14:37:42Z

Let's say you're driving down a street, absolutely enjoying life. If you knew that in 2 blocks someone would crash into you and you would die, would you change your course?

CSA Week #1

2008-06-24T16:44:51Z

This past weekend marked the kickoff of the Greenpoint-Williamsburg CSA season. I received:

1 dozen farm fresh eggs (they're almost orange inside, when cooked)
bunch of cilantro
2 stalks rhubarb
2 overflowing pints of strawberries
1 bouquet of edible flowers
5 garlic scapes
1 head of Boston red lettuce
1 head of green lettuce

A gallon bag of each:
baby kale, mustard greens, sugar snap peas, and bags of other greens whose names I can't remember right now.

Needless to say, I'm going to be eating a LOT of salads this week.

The strawberries were so ripe they were on the verge of rotting, so I threw them into a strawberry-rhubarb cornmeal cobbler that same day.

This past Sunday I took a pickling & preserving class though, so the next time I get rhubarb I may try to pickle it. From the class I took home a few recipes as well as a jar full or red onion & garlic scape pickles and a jar of rhubarb preserves. I've been using the preserve for breakfast, on some toast with bananas and almond butter. It's sooo delicious and uber healthy and quick too.

lifeessence @ 2008-06-22T22:46:00

2008-06-23T02:46:57Z

When someone knowingly makes an agreement but doesn't respect it, and in addition brings me other problems (aka, drugs, police, and causing fights in my family), I am not inclined to treat them kindly. I'll be happy as soon as they get their shit out of my house.

For the knitters

2008-06-12T15:50:55Z

http://www.wwkipday.com

We're celebrating in NYC, and I'll bet people are celebrating in other cities too. Props to STL for kicking off the celebration. )

lifeessence @ 2008-06-09T14:00:00

2008-06-09T18:08:41Z

I watched Sex and the City (the movie) last night and it was so good! I love it because its not a bunch of ditzy 20something NYC women, running around from guy to guy with nothing but a shitty fashion industry to cling to. No, it's well-seasoned 40 and 50 year old women who know themselves well; who have lived the lives they wanted; had the careers or family or fashion they wanted. Parts of the movie hit too close to home for me - whether or not to move in with my boyfriend (and lose the security of having "my own place" with legal rights), and of being a young woman coming to NYC looking to define myself. Not to mention the kicker - Louise, who saves the day in the movie, is a CS grad from St. Louis! Hell yeah!

The movie was pure girly fun, something I used to have back in my all-girls high school, something I didn't realize how much I missed until I saw it again. It's about that part of you that should know better, that does know better, but oh hell you know its still fun to girl out sometimes.

Shakespeare in the Park NYC: Hamlet

2008-06-06T14:41:51Z

Went to go see Shakespeare in the Park last Wednesday. This year it's Hamlet, with Sam Waterson and Andre Braugher. It was the most high-production SitP show I've seen to date. I thought we'd get rained out but actually it was perfect. At the beginning of the play, when late King's ghost appears to the guards in the dead of winter, it was softly raining. Then the weather cleared up for the rest of the play until the closing scene when everyone tragically dies, when it started raining softly again and got slightly chilly.

lifeessence @ 2008-06-05T21:23:00

2008-06-06T01:28:48Z

Admission from the United States government itself, that the link between Iraq and 9/11 was fabricated. That the public was blatantly lied to so that the President and his cronies could follow their personal agenda.

Oh, say can you see
by the dawn's early light

What so proudly we hailed
at the twilight's last gleaming?

And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof through the night
that our flag was still there.

lifeessence @ 2008-06-03T10:43:00

2008-06-03T14:44:59Z

And... another roommate moves out. AKA, another month of my life with no social life since I have to spend it showing the house to random CL'ers. And another month of financial uncertainty. And another month of knowing I can't visit my family or go on vacation this year. Fucking wonderful.

Did I mention I hate this house? And my roommates for doing this to me?

lifeessence @ 2008-05-30T10:25:00

2008-05-30T14:40:52Z

My updates in 60 seconds:

- I'm gearing up to get a "new" (to me) bike. I'd like to see if I can eliminate buying an $81 monthly metro pass, even though at $81 (pre-tax) its still way cheaper than owning car and paying for gas.

- The telectroscope is pure steampunky awesomeness. DUMBO actually reminds me a lot of St. Louis - bricks, warehouses, river... though I think its a bit more quiet? here. Not sure how to describe it. The air is different here. I've realized I absolutely love Brooklyn though. Manhattan is a place to work, but not a place to live. Brooklyn is... everything - home, comfort, entertainment, character.

- I've been watching waaay too much Battlestar Galactica. I actually dropped a few "fraks" in public. No good.

- Got to meet the NYC Burners at their weekly happy hour last Wednesday. I'm still waiting to see how my finances will shape up, but so far I think I may actually get to go this year. =D

- Bought tix to go see my Mormon brother out in Salt Lake for July. He just ran his first 5K. I'm so proud! He's also expecting his second baby in August, so it should be a crazy time.

- SEX IN THE CITY this weekend! w000000000000000000000t Hanging out @ Journelle tonight for the after-movie party.

lifeessence @ 2008-05-23T20:03:00

2008-05-24T00:04:59Z

And, finally, in the 11th hour: BOTH ROOMS HAVE BEEN RENTED!!!

Thank the gods.

Now I can quit my part time real-estate job and get back to my regularly scheduled life.

Top 20 Women in the Game Industry

2008-05-22T19:26:14Z

It's great to see an article like this, if only because it shows that yes, there actually are women in the games industry, and hopefully that will be encouraging to other young females debating whether not to enter our field. And it's also good to see that newcomers are recognized, not just 20+ year industry vets. But what disappoints me is that no programmers were recognized by the survey. Is that because we don't have any super-talented femme programmers out there? Or is it because programmers are the anonymous worker drones that never get the recognition they deserve? Either way, still disappointing. :(

Eff this house

2008-05-07T18:53:58Z

Charlie came into town this weekend and we had an awesome time. We saw the weird hanging/exploding cars at the Guggenheim and the pack of wolves crashing into a transparent glass. I also finally saw Fellini's 8 1/2, which is a discombobulated but great movie. I think I need to watch it again though in order for it all to come together, especially since I fell asleep for a lil bit in the middle (come on, anyone who knows me should be proud - I was actually awake again by the ending!)

I'm going crazy again trying to deal with finding new roommates. I can't take this house anymore. Every 3 months or so I get super stressed by this process. I had a feeling I was going to get screwed over with this responsibility when we signed the lease, and lo and behold look what's happened. Never again. I'll live with maybe 1 other roommate, but never again will I make the exception of living with people that aren't on the lease. So now I have to find 2 new roommates to fill our 2 smallest rooms, in the 2 hottest months of the year, and the other girl on the lease is off somewhere traveling around Europe. My other roommates are not helping with the Craigslist inquires, nor helping at all to find replacements. Fucking awesome.

lifeessence @ 2008-05-02T16:01:00

2008-05-02T20:02:21Z

Charlie comes into town today!

lifeessence @ 2008-05-01T09:16:00

2008-05-01T13:16:31Z

Dinner & a drag show! Meet me tonight at Lucky Chang's, @8pm. Show starts at 8:30. Give me a heads up for the reservations tho ;D

Get Bent

2008-04-24T18:02:53Z

At the Bent Festival.

Raquel's update in 10 seconds

2008-04-21T19:22:14Z

1. Started volunteering at the Culinary Center of NY. (Cooking skills +10.)
2. Am working on getting a band to play at my house for my birthday (either the StumbleBum Band or maaaybe MSI??)
3. Am going on this stupid lemonde detox diet tomorrow, because hey why not, I could use a detox.
4. Am unhealthily obsessed with MSI's new album.
5. Actually have stuff to do again at work. Yay!
6. Will be done with War and fucking Peace, finally. (Reading skills +20, Patience skills +200)
7. Have come to terms with the fact that Tina Fey is my long lost twin.

lifeessence @ 2008-04-11T11:50:00

2008-04-11T15:50:46Z

No longer looking forward to the birthdays.

Dammit. *slams head on desk*

Yay, spring.

2008-04-09T14:44:08Z

Some how every spring I always get caught by surprise. One day I look up, and all of a sudden the trees are blooming.

lifeessence @ 2008-04-04T10:53:00

2008-04-04T14:53:11Z

The Global Gaming League has announced a Tournament for Frontlines: Fuel of War with $15,000 and a trip to play live on TV in New York City up for grabs. Check it out:

GGL LAUNCHES $15K TOURNAMENT FRONTLINES: FUEL OF WAR

The War of the Future Begins TODAY! GGL Global Gaming is proud to announce the launch of a 4v4 tournament for Xbox 360 players.

WHO: GGL - The Leading Media Company for the Expansion and Culture of Videogames

WHAT: GGL’s Frontlines: Fuels of War 4v4 $15,000 Tournament (http://frontlines.ggl.com/)

* Overall prize purse of $15,000.
* Ladder Format - Join anytime, for your chances of advancing!
* Final two teams (8 players total) receive Round Trip to New York City, NY, for live Final, from May 9 – 12, 2008, including round trip coach airfare, hotel accommodations for two nights/three days, ground transportation between airport and hotel, and $100 spending money.

WHEN: NOW!

* Register between February 26 – April 6 by 8:59 PM
* Play from February 26 – April 6
* Finals on May 9 – 12

WHERE: Online Ladder (http://frontlines.ggl.com/) - Finals in New York City

lifeessence @ 2008-04-03T14:09:00

2008-04-03T18:09:53Z

I can't stop laughing about this. Oh, god, make it stop. Bwahahahahahahahahaha......

Heavy Metal in Baghdad

2008-04-02T12:39:06Z

I REALLY wish I could go see this tonight. Unfortunately its not something my mom would go for, her not being metal and all.

lifeessence @ 2008-04-01T08:47:00

2008-04-01T12:50:55Z

Mom is in town, and I'm half way through the visit and still surviving. For those of you that know my mom, you know how amazing that is. I checked out the Met over the weekend, yesterday we did the mother-daughter thing at Macy's and visited this German-Austrian museum. Sunday I had a family reunion of sorts - my bro Frankie and my aunt came out to Williamsburg (first timer) to meet up my mom and Sid. Today I'm gonna swing by Jacques Torre's chocolate shop, followed by a trip to Chelsea Market, and the Guggenheim if time allows!

lifeessence @ 2008-03-26T18:28:00

2008-03-26T22:30:33Z

An occasional restuarant. As in, occasionally they exist and occasionally they don't. Just depends on what the owner feels like. Brought to you by Brooklyn, of course.

lifeessence @ 2008-03-24T15:29:00

2008-03-24T19:30:00Z

Can I has free taxes plz? thx.

A Saturday Well Spent

2008-03-23T21:28:48Z

Hung out at Dangerous Mathematicians yesterday for about 5 hours. When Karen, the store owner, found out I was a programmer she just about flipped. I ended up doing some modeling for her and will have some pictures posted on the website and inside the store. Her store rocks! Its loaded with fun, sexy clothes, framed by mathematical formulas with physics books littered about the store. I spent the afternoon playing dress up and drinking wine, basically. It was awesome!

Apparently Stephen Hawkins's co-author on A Brief History of the Time wandered in there by accident one day. He was lost at night on the lower east side, saw a place called Dangerous Mathematicians and figured he could at least get directions out of someone there. Imagine his surprise when he walked into a women's clothing store! Karen has a picture of him staring up at the math formulas and rubbing his chin, deep in thought (or maybe thoroughly confused).

Another really cool thing is that Karen is going to start tutoring some local kids in the back part of her store (ironically located next to the lingerie). Outside of the designer boutiques and over-priced restaurants, the L.E.S. is a pretty economically depressed area. A lot of kids there don't get the education they should, so she plans to offer deeply-discounted tutoring.