The lad wore his fantastic frog costume four days in a row. At home, at school, at Mitrebox and out trick or treating. Which means I too wore my squid costume for four days in a row because really now, how you can you have frog without squid?
Now it is November and I am maybe taking on too much again, but I look forward to it. Yesterday we had a fairly typical Sunday, despite falling back for daylight savings. We went errand-running and swimming. But I also packed up some necessities for the boy and dropped them off with his bio-dad and got a good start on my werewolf cop novel for National Novel Writing Month. This morning I saw my son off on the school bus, as usual, only I won’t be picking him up from the school bus stop until next Monday afternoon, a week from today. We’ll see what kind of crazy adventures I get up to in between. My friend is on her way over to retrieve me right now and then we begin our cross-country trek in her little truck which she affectionately calls Manny the Tranny. I do hope to make a few updates from the road and have a little mini photo project planned for our stops along the way.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
It’s “Spirit Week” at my son’s school. A designation he is largely ignoring. And that was just fine on Monday aka Pajama Day. He hasn’t worn PJs in years and I couldn’t very well send him along in his boxer shorts (especially in this chilly Minnesotan climate). Yesterday was Crazy Hair Day which did appeal to him. He was tickled to go to class with blazing blue hair, as seen below. Today’s theme is a more standard school pride schpeel - students were asked to wear the school colors or a t-shirt or sweatshirt emblazoned with the school’s name. “Nope” said my child, with complete disinterest. But a big yes to tomorrow, and the school’s somewhat sad annual Halloween alternative. They celebrate Book Character Day because someone’s uber religious parents complained about Halloween being a satanic holiday or some such nonsense. But my point to all of this is that my son does not feel the need to acquiesce to peer pressure. He has always been on his own trajectory. He only participates when the plans and interests of others intersect with his own. He is not being willful or contrary. It is simply a function of his atypical autism. Something that has been on my mind even more lately as we’ve just gone through his annual IEP Review and have yet another evaluation of some sort tomorrow. Thankfully he has been making huge gains from year to year, academically and with regards to his social behaviors. Though we’re still working on the little things, like the tying of shoelaces (damned Skechers with velcro!) and encouraging him to eat with silverware. Surely enough his hand creeps back into the scene, sometimes even picking up food from his plate only to place it on a fork or spoon. But he is finally washing his face at school after lunch. In the past he came off the school bus every afternoon with PB&J filth smeared on his cheeks.
I digress. Back to the big picture I think that we, as a society, are grappling to come to terms with the rise of autism. Or the rise in cases diagnosed. Or both. Which means that the topic is going to crop up more frequently in various forms of media. First the news outlets ran with the autism-vaccine scare. And autism has even been mocked by The Onion in this info-graphic: “Autism More Common Than Thought” And, inevitably, it’s been ending up as a poor plot device in bad TV shows. The latter generally reinforces an unfair expectation, that all people with autism should be savants of some sort lest they be uninteresting. And sure, there are well known savants, like the jazz musician Tony DeBlois. Or the artist Stephen Wiltshire, who can recreate every detail he sees after brief helicopter rides over major cities. But they are the exceptions, not the rule. Anyhow, I’d like my ramblings to be a gentle reminder that we all perceive the world differently. Sometimes the differences are subtle. Sometimes they are striking. But there are and always have been different ways of being. We are all better off when we are mindful of that reality, without inflating it. And so ends my public service announcement for today.
Bonus: Morrissey is on the mend and returned to the stage last night at London’s Royal Albert Hall.
Plus: Sometime in the near future, when the craving strikes, I will give in by making a veganized version of this corn dog recipe. It’s been too long. Also on the recipe to do list? A vegan butternut squash spaetzle. And hey, vegan candy corn! Tis the season and all.
And: Tomorrow in the Twin Cities, Punch has a $3 “Return of the Dead Pizza” coupon offer, good for these “dead” pizzas. Ooh, make mine cappricciosa or quattro stagioni!
Oh dear, I just played with the Soulless Victorian Dress-Up Doll. I guess I really do have a problem. The affliction? A love of satirical steampunk. I devoured Gail Carriger’s book in one sitting (alas, the sequel, Changeless, won’t be out until March). I suppose there are worse things to do with one’s Saturday night. But I keep missing out on epic shows of late. Last night I could have taken my dear son to the early all ages P.O.S. / Slapping Purses / Moonstone show at First Avenue but I knew it would be jam-packed and the sensory overload would have been too much. Instead we went for a late afternoon swim at our Y, enjoyed dinner at Midori’s Floating World, and browsed at Border’s. Later in the evening I wished I’d procured a sitter for the Paul Metzger / Thunderbolt Pagoda / Sadhu Sadhu show at the Milford Amusement Center. At least I have my foot soldiers out in the world, documenting these happenings for me. And I vow to make it to the upcoming Mount Eerie show at all costs.
This morning I am lazing when I should be actively preparing. A week from now I will be departing on an epic adventure, all while attempting to kick start my next novel. I’ve never tried to get my 2000 words a day written while on a road trip. This should be all kinds of interesting. But I’m getting ahead of myself again. Before that, I need to get the house, my son, the cats and myself ready for my absence. And before that, get everything all ready steady go for Halloween - the most important of all holidays in our little household.
Bonus: Utterly ridiculous. “Nanny State Warns British Biscuit-Eaters of Potential Peril… Killer Cookies in UK?”
Plus: Morrissey collapses on stage during concert. I do hope Moz will be all right.
And: Seven years ago today I remember waking up, in a hotel in Chicago, and going for a solo walk / coffee acquisition expedition. My ex was still sleeping. An elderly couple struck up conversation with me at a park near Lake Michigan. When they found out I was from Minnesota they said “well, it’s just awful, isn’t it?” I had to inquire as to what, as I hadn’t seen a newspaper yet. But they were referring to the deaths of Paul and Sheila Wellstone. So sad.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
The days are growing shorter and colder (and we haven’t even fallen back yet) and my body and brain threaten to slip into hibernation mode. Currently I’m curled up on a couch with a blanket, and one of the cats keeping my feet warm. But I’ve been forcing myself to keep on top of the day to day tedium. This week I managed to get the recycling and trash out on time, keep the kitchen tidy after making various vegan comfort foods, get loads of laundry washed, and to get the boy to complete his new and more difficult homework assignments. The only thing he likes less? Visiting the doctor. But tomorrow I need to take him in for his annual physical. There will be shots involved. Ooh boy, will that ever be good times.
Five actual good things:
I don’t follow many celebrities on twitter. I tend to stick with people I know in the real world. But couldn’t resist the mighty triumvirate of my favorite Spaced alum - Simon Pegg, Edgar Wright and Nick Frost. Witnessing their conversations unfold with one another can be highly entertaining. And often informative. For instance, from Edgar Wright: I’m a special guest at BUG: The Evil-ution of Music Video – Halloween Horror Special! That would make for a seriously fun All Hallows Eve. If I could get to the BFI Southbank in London.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
My strangely brilliant son woke up at 5am, wanting to get back to work on one of his projects. This time he’s recreating the Dr. Seuss classic, Green Eggs and Ham, page by page. Manic compulsions run in our blood. I totally get it. But I begged him to go back to bed, if only for a little while. Perhaps that was a mistake. I fell back to sleep and experienced one of those very vivid early morning fever dreams/nightmares. In it I was attempting to reconcile with some old friends (who I lost, in real life, when emotions were running high just after I lost a pregnancy in 2003). Somehow my son was standing too near their fireplace and his shirt sleeve caught fire. At first it seemed he’d only gotten a bit singed but then there were blisters and burns on his face and arms and it was completely awful and then I woke up. Yippee, what a fun way to start the day! And it’s a gloomy one at that.
In happier news…ahoy there fellow Twin Citians! First, a PSA. Second Harvest is seeking volunteer apple gleaners. Help out if you can. Do it for me. Alas, they’ve only scheduled times that conflict with my schedule. Secondly, something exciting is happening tomorrow night, October 22nd, at The Cedar. It’s the debut of International Novelty Gamelan’s original film score to The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) a feature length animated film by the German animator Lotte Reiniger (the little man and I saw it years ago at the Walker, very cool). The amazing Paul Metzger opens.
Bonus: One Nation Under God? Yowza! This work of “art” embodies everything I abhor about the notion of American exceptionalism. I am thankful for this parody of it.
Plus: A much better representation of what it means to be an American. 86-year-old WWII vet on gay marriage: “what do you think I fought for in Omaha Beach?”
And: Yet another take on Americans, and mankind, in general…this H.P. Lovecraft Chick-like Cthulu tract, Why We’re Here.
I return rested and recharged. Our long weekend was lovely and best described with photos. In Duluth, outside of the Glensheen Mansion and in the Great Lakes Aquarium and out about in Canal Park and other random spots. Or back in St. Paul, when Matt and Carrie got married.
And now, a little more than five good things:
- One morning in Duluth my son woke up at the hotel and mentioned that he’d like a t-shirt with Abraham Lincoln on it. Well, ok then. So I tweeted about it and Joe Eastham suggested this one, with Abe fighting Bigfoot.
- My teenage goth girl dream: “How would you like to have vaulted ceilings in every space, at the small cost of having a graveyard instead of a lawn?” Countryside Church Building Converted into Luxury Home. Other cool conversions can be seen via that site. Silos, old schoolhouses, etc.
- Flawless hustle! Amazing.
- Pixies are touring again, with some fabulous openers like No Age and Jay Reatard, but the closest they are coming to my town is Chicago. Alas I just can’t pull that off next month. Thankfully Fuck Buttons and Growing are playing here, at the Triple Rock. Now I just need a sitter. Also music-related, been listening to the new Flaming Lips (Embryonic) and the new Thao Nguyen (Know Better Learn Faster) and enjoying both releases immensely.
- Because of the little man, many people point out autism-related stories to me, but I hadn’t seen this one until just now. A boy with autism (Jason McElwain) gets into the game (basketball) and scores like crazy. The crowd goes wild.
- Where do I find one of these? Random image sent to me by a friend of animal hoodies with sharp teeth on the elbows.
- I love Jane Lynch (but I’m way behind on Glee. The uncomfortable squirm factor is HIGH, particularly with the character of the wife with the hysterical pregnancy).
- For the home…order this fine alien abduction lamp. Or how about this? Burning cities firescreens make horrible tragedies downright cozy. Or my personal favorite, the squid attack shower head.
- A man after my own heart (but he doesn’t want to eat my heart): The Great Monster Uprising Will Not Be Televised by A. Lee Martinez.
This week should be all slow and low (that is the tempo) with the real crazy kicking in Saturday, then continuing throughout the next few weeks. When it becomes too much I will breathe deeply and remember Duluth.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Today my brother Tom would have turned 39. Unfortunately the poor kid never made it to 19. In his short lifetime he didn’t have the opportunity to travel much, but he did enjoy our visits to Duluth, MN. And I have fond memories of our times there together. So much so that I’ve returned again and again. Instead of visiting his grave today I’m opting to head to Duluth with my son, to celebrate the memory of my brother in a place where we were happy.
Bonus: Duluth natives (and one of my all-time favorite bands) Low will be collaborating with dancers for a series of performances.
Plus: My brother enjoyed Halloween just as much I did. I’m sure he would have gotten a kick out of these 10 Epic Halloween Costumes.
And: When we were kids there were still 7-11s in Minnesota, but they’ve been gone for years. I have to admit, I got a little giddy when I realized…I’ll be in California again next month, just in time for the Domo at 7-11 Dark Horse promotion! I don’t think I much like slurpees, but I LOVE Domokun.
Before I left for a wedding shoot Friday afternoon I was preoccupied, running around the house, getting things ready to go. While I was ticking off items on my mental To Do list I heard my son say “I just kissed a cop and he died!” Buh? It took a moment to register. He was playing the character of Poison Ivy in Lego Batman on our Wii. Okaaaaay. The rest of our weekend was fairly quiet, but yesterday included more superheroes and villains at FallCon 2009, which was quite fun. We arrived early enough to receive free swag bags and we met up with a couple of friends. It was a pleasant way to spend the morning. We headed home for lunch, with our Stay Puft Marshmallow Man in tow, and didn’t leave again. Nothing could separate me from my couch. Especially with the cats pinning me down. They’ve gotten much cuddlier since the weather turned cold. That I like. This early snow? Not so much. The little man is particularly dismayed, concerned that the snow will negatively impact his trick or treating on Halloween. Hopefully it will all melt before then.
Another thing keeping me from going anywhere…I picked up FlashForward, the novel. Having watched a few episodes of the TV show - very loosely based on the book - it’s been interesting to compare and contrast. They are worlds apart and I’m pretty certain neither will reveal spoilers about the other. I like how the very seed of an idea (in this case, some unknown event causing all of humankind to simultaneously black out for a couple of minutes) can grow into such different things. A notion that is particularly relevant to me as I prepare for another bout with National Novel Writing Month, and wonder which angle I’ll end up working with my nascent plotline.
Bonus: Royal de Luxe and their extreme awesomeness, this time in Berlin.
Plus: Crop art is for everyone!
And: Apparently a seven foot gnome was born in my neighborhood over the summer. I’ll have to drive by later…
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
It was a strangely uneven day. I felt well enough to go back to the office but still sickly-ish. The sun came out after several days in hiding. A photogenic friend asked to barter goods for my services (of a photographic nature). Hotlanta called to chat - and made me rather jealous, that he is seeing A Place to Bury Strangers tonight at the Drunken Unicorn - and another dear friend called later on, telling me I’m like a big sister to him. Aww. But I was floored by an unpleasant surprise…at the post office, of all places. Thankfully that was tempered by some most excellent news. I’ll be helping a friend drive back to LA next month, then flying home to the Twin Cities. This is just the thing. I’ve been in need of a change of scenery and some good girl talk. Bring on the Grand Canyon and various roadside attractions! We haven’t plotted our route just yet but I wouldn’t mind dropping by Denver’s Watercourse. Feel free to suggest other stopovers - particularly of the quirky must-see type or the to-die-for vegan-friendly variety.
Five more good things:
I’ve got enough on my plate for this weekend but was just reminded that the St. Paul Art Crawl is also happening. And it is so very close to home. But I don’t want to run myself ragged trying to cram too much onto my dance card. Things are going to be GO GO GO starting Friday and continuing for the next several weeks. There goes my downtime. Oops.
These ongoing illnesses have been frustrating. And OH SO BORING. To bring up or to hear about but dammit all, they are affecting my quality of life (and the quality of my friends’ lives who have also been ill). I’m currently all bundled up in the Lady Cave at home, attempting to get some work done while inhaling vapors and sucking down hot tea.
Five good things when lots of other things suck:
Speaking of, there are some quality shows coming up that really flip the nostalgia switch. Yo La Tengo tomorrow night (really doubt I’ll make it) and Murder City Devils in the main room Sunday night. Hoping to be there, and to crossover to the 7th Street Entry to catch some of Red Pens, Teenage Moods, and The Bombay Sweets.
