I would like to take a moment to remind my readers that Sharyn Morrow isn’t just a D-List internet personality. I am a real live person! This public service announcement is mainly for those who know me in the real world, but seem to keep up with me via this blog and twitter and flickr only. As much as I adore the internet, online social networking is not a substitute for actual interaction. Something I was reminded of after a particularly lonely weekend of non-stop single parenting (aside from an all too brief game of Zombie Jesus Day bowling with friends). So please remind me that I’m not speaking into the void. Give a girl a shout! If you don’t have time to hang out, at least leave a comment here or drop me a line to let me know what’s up in your world. This can be a two-way street. Thank you.
Five good things for this decidedly mixed Monday:
Also? Today marks the birthdays of two lovely men, who are friends, and happened to have been born on the EXACT SAME DAY. Spooky. Happy Birthday Dave and Nils!
Memory is a funny thing. I’ve threatened to perform under the Angry Butterfly moniker before (my novelty solo noise band) but realized something just the other night. I was reading a book to my son - Miss Nelson is Missing, one of my absolute favorites as a kid - and in it there is a line about a swarm of angry butterflies picking up and spiriting away an entire car (if only my anger were so powerful). That little gem must have become embedded in my consciousness and was just waiting for me to pluck it out.
Five good things:
- Wednesday night I made it to the Turf Club for the White Mice / Blank Dogs show. It was great to be out among friends, even if it was on a school night. My photos are here.
- Other friends are opening up an all vegan cafe! The soft launch of Old Arizona’s Greenway Cafe will be next Wednesday, the 15th. Initially their hours will be 11am-9pm on Mondays, and 11am-7pm Tuesday through Saturday.
- Sheela’s been making Spring cupcakes, which look awesome, but even better? There will be an all new Vegan Cupcake Saturday in St. Paul!
- I’m a sucker for time lapse photography projects. Their circular life: a lovely interactive project that looks at 5 places in Italy over a 24-hour period.
- In movie news…The Room looks absolutely ridiculous. But now I kinda sorta want to see the so-bad-it’s-good acting for myself. Though I’m far more interested in the reunion of Diego Luna and Gael GarcÃa Bernal in Rudo Y Cursi - a comedy about two soccer-playing brothers who work at a banana plantation. And in Sunshine Cleaning, whose plot was taken straight from an old episode of Michael Moore’s TV Nation - about a couple who started a lucrative crime scene cleanup business.
The week’s gone by at a breakneck pace and suddenly it’s a not-so-good Friday. Drove my son across town this morning to his secular/public school child care program only to discover it was closed. For Good Friday. A heads up for the non-religious would have been helpful. Sigh. Hoping the rest of the weekend is a bit better. It should be. There will be bowling for atheists Sunday afternoon! Umm, after I give my kid his vegan chocolate Easter bunny. Mixed messages, I know.
Our manic Monday had us diving headfirst back into the regular routine, after the lad’s Spring break ended. And I managed to submit my application for the McKnight Fellowship (for photography) with just 58 minutes to spare before the deadline. Go me! After work I engaged in hectic errand-running before the big Morrissey show. He is still quite the showman. The crowd was inspired to remain standing for the duration. Thankfully my much taller companion traded places with me so I had a better view when Morrissey ripped his shirt off - the second time. Our seats were so close I could even see the buttons flying. I concur with another friend who said: “The stage rushers really made the night complete for me, especially the one that went tumbling off the stage with the security guard.” Good fun.
Yesterday was a bit off but not in a bad way. The lad is usually with my ex on Tuesday nights but we switched it up this week (so I could see Morrissey). The boy is so used to having Pizza Luce every Tuesday that I acquiesced to his demands. After dinner it was playground time which saw us swinging side by side in the cold sunshine. We warmed up at the co-op on the way home. Back in our hood I noticed some Xcel Energy trucks on our street and knew that the power was out. Again. My son just wanted to kick back with some Netflix Instant on our big TV. When he realized that wasn’t an option he was all “awwww man, what am I gonna do now?” But he brightened upon finding his Nintendo DS was still charged. Kids these days. I enjoyed a bubble bath by candlelight but was disappointed I didn’t have enough light to read by. Naturally the power returned just as I was ready to crash for the night.
Five good things:
Hopefully I can quell the urge to crash early tonight. I’ve secured the services of a sitter so that I may attend some of tonight’s highly anticipated shows. Sad to skip Fucked Up and Quintron & Miss Pussycat but the Midway corridor is calling to me. Blank Dogs (so excited!) and White Mice at the Turf Club and Burning Star Core and Paul Metzger at Big V’s. But I’m all achey, like I’ve been roughed up. Though I don’t recall any such thing happening. Guess it’s just life roughing me up. I’m opting to treat myself to a massage for Mother’s Day. I deserve it.
Life has taught me to keep my expectations reasonably low. But that hasn’t prevented a string of crushing disappointments, on all fronts. If only I had Amazonium cufflets, to deflect all manner of assault. Ducking and covering just doesn’t work. I attract these sticky situations like superglue. Nothing is ever straightforward or simple in my life. On top of the single parenting struggles and the relationship woes, my current critical complication is housing-related. I’d already given up on the dream of selling my house, to relocate closer to where we actually spend our time. I’d come to terms with the fact that the housing market sucks beyond belief. But I thought I’d be able to refinance my original FHA loan and roll in the two home equity loans. That bubble burst after the appraiser dropped by. He thinks my house is worth just a little more than I paid for it. TEN YEARS AGO. And tens of thousands of dollars later. I’ve replaced the roof, the boiler, the hot water heater, the front steps, all major appliances, the kitchen floor, had the exterior repainted and more. But it was all for naught. Well, all the work has turned the house into a better home for my son and I. But it’s a home I can just barely afford these days. Refinancing could ease some of the pain, and keep me from hunting for a suitable roommate (I’m not convinced such a creature exists). Now I’m left wondering just when I became a debt zombie and whether or not there’s a cure.
Bonus: Alien squid vs. giant robots in tourism videos! HELL YES! Seriously, sign me up. And speaking of cephalopods, feel free to purchase this pendant for me.
Plus: A side effect from watching so much Dead Like Me? I seem to have a minor Mandy Patinkin crush. And there’s my continued Tim Roth crush, especially after watching back to back episodes of Lie To Me last night.
And: Currently enjoying the music of Blank Dogs and wondering if I can maybe get to their show Wednesday night. Even though I’m already seeing Morrissey tonight, and I have the evening off from parenting on Friday (with three shows to choose from). Too much all at once as always.
Spring break has been a mixed bag. We came home early due to a combo of sickness and boredom.
Day one: On Wednesday we managed to avoid the Dells. Sure, we checked into our motel but then jumped back into the car and took off for Madison. Which was just the thing. The first leg of our journey had been bleak and sleet-filled but as soon as we approached Madison the clouds parted and all was bright, sunny skies. We arrived in late afternoon with time to wander the Atwood neighborhood before dinner. And just so happened upon a vegan-friendly chocolatier where I picked up this amazing chocolate bunny RIDING A ROOSTER?! Lao Laan-Xang was as splendid as I remembered from my last visit (in 2005). I had a flavorful curry while my son was able to get bland sides - steamed veggies, fried tofu and rice - just the way he likes it, and for less than half the price of an entree. Sadly it all went downhill when I subjected myself to the dreadful Bedtime Stories (the only Adam Sandler film I’ve ever enjoyed was Punch-Drunk Love). Back at the motel we turned in for the night, only to find the bed about as stable as laying atop a jello mold. Much more noticeable when sharing a bed with a squirmy nine year old. And most hotels have those wonderfully heavy blackout drapes over the windows. Not this one. Our room’s window was at the end of the driveway so every time headlights flooded the room I had dreams I was floating towards the light. Bonus? The boy was coughing up his lungs half the night.
Day two: On Thursday, sleep-deprived and cranky, our first full day at the Dells was spent mustering up the energy for Mount Olympus. A proper breakfast may have helped him but the kid refused to eat the hotel’s vegan buckwheat pancakes. Because they weren’t like mine. I’d be flattered if it weren’t so frustrating. Vegan breakfast options = the main reason I chose that place. Anyhow. First we hit up the indoor water park, Then, after resting up with the Cartoon Network, we returned for a moderately amusing evening at the amusement park.
Day three: Friday was full of promise. We woke to better weather and piled in the car. Destination, Spring Green and the strangeness of the House on the Rock. The creepiness factor would have scared the bejeesus out of me when I was a kid, but the boy seemed as intrigued by it as I was. And he was fairly patient, only urging me a bit when I took up position in any one place for too long with my camera. Unfortunately I’d forgotten to recharge the batteries for my external flash. And even worse? By the end of our self-guided tour it was obvious, he was feeling truly unwell. A sure sign? He only ate half a granola bar for lunch. We completely skipped Taliesin and the drive back to the motel was quiet. There was more resting. He perked up some when we ventured out to dinner at the strangely vegan-friendly Cheese Factory. But he perked up the most when, over dinner, he asked if we could go home. And I said yes. So we packed up and headed home last night. I raced back without a single stop and had us tucked into our own beds by 10pm.
I wouldn’t say the trip was a complete failure (though I did fail to pack his Nintendo DS or any art supplies) but it wasn’t one of our best. And now we’re both vaguely ill and lethargic. Skipping this evening’s art openings and friends’ birthday celebrations by pretending I’m still out of town. Opting to lay in bed, listening to Alien Lanes, while catching up on some To Do list action items, contemplating a shower and looking forward to watching a new episode of Bones later on. Oh the excitement.
Bonus: Daydreaming of future - and hopefully more successful - travel plans. I am still on board for ATP in NY but the lineup for All Points West is also most tempting. If only I had infinite resources/time/a full-time traveling nanny. Oh what a wonderful world it would be!
Plus: Two people who are very important to me are both away at the moment. One is in Atlanta for a job interview (which I have mixed feelings about) and hopefully a visit to the Cyclorama. The other is on a road trip around the upper midwest, following Morrissey. And we’ll be seeing his show in Minneapolis Monday night. Hey, something to look forward to. Whadya know.
And: There are just 48 days until the next World Beard and Moustache Championships. The kid has shown a newfound fascination with facial hair but I don’t think he’ll be a contender. This year.
Some sad news. Actor Andy Hallett, who played Lorne on Joss Whedon’s Angel, died at the age of 33. New York street photographer Helen Levitt has also passed away, but at the ripe old age of 95.
Five pick me ups:
I use only a handful of iPhone apps regularly but as we’re going on a road trip through the backwoods of Wisconsin…Vegan Xpress (via Marty) becomes much more useful. It provides lists of vegan-safe offerings at various chain restaurants. Places we only frequent when on the road. Speaking of the trip, earlier I threw together a mix for the drive - So Run Down. Hopefully I won’t feel so run down after a few days of R&R. And maybe I’ll even recapture some creativity. My new blog has already been languishing. Sure, I’ve been posting to sharynshoots.com but only once a week if that. And no one has been commenting. Still, I’m not worried. Inspiration will strike. It always does.
Bonus: Obama Depressed, Distant Since ‘Battlestar Galactica’ Series Finale
Plus: I have no problem admitting…I enjoy Peter, Bjorn and John. And I wouldn’t mind seeing them when they come to town. But the Fine Line? One of my least favorite venues in town. Boo hiss.
And: Sheela has extra ultra amazing cupcake flavors this week - while I’m out of town! It figures. Oh well.
Some problems have no solutions. Sulking doesn’t exactly help but is sometimes necessary. I’m giving myself a couple of days to mope before leaving town for the Dells. Even if other parts of Wisconsin Dells were on fire yesterday…which is somehow fitting. But there will be no crying on waterslides. Epiphanies only.
Five (or more) good things for this mopey Monday:
- A “musical archaeology of the raddest order” - an eccentric soul revue. The five sample songs are just the thing for today, and make me want more.
- Beloved British director Edgar Wright is blogging right here. Another favorite Brit - Neil Gaiman, at age 15.
- Luigi Serafini’s Codex Seraphinianus may have been inspired by Ulisse Aldrovandi’s Monstrorum Historia. I have a copy of the former but alas, not the latter. The pangolin and the dugong seem like creatures that could be included in either, but they are animals that still live in the real world…not just in the demented imaginations of deranged artists.
- Happened upon this Bay Area photoblog and I like what they’re seeing. On the other coast: The Lost Tribes of New York City, Inanimate Objects Find Their Voice.
- Just pre-ordered a copy of the amazing-looking On Tender Hooks from Isabel Samaras:
Drawing her influence from classic TV shows and paintings by the Old Masters for example riffing on Géricault’s Raft of the Medusa by replacing the figures with characters from Gilligan’s Island Samaras has created a witty erotic and surreal body of work. This fresh and dazzling volume includes a three-way interview between Samaras and fellow low-brow artists Shag and The Pizz as well as delightful and enlightening commentary from gallerist Justin Giarla and art writer Colin Berry and an erotic short story by Lucy Blue.
And lastly, yet another shout-out to Giyen, whose experiences so often parallel my own. Like her, I opened myself up to the unknown this year, hoping for happiness. But that also opened the door for heartbreak. For now I am like Sad Panda (”life isn’t all bamboo and blog love”). But I’m hoping to have Rude Bear style party times before long.
The boy is already in Spring break mode, happily declaring “I don’t have to do homework for a whole week!” Technically we’re not going on vacation until Wednesday, but this weekend I’ve gotten a jumpstart on the lazing. A chunk of my Saturday was spent stretched out on the front porch couch, in the sun, reading City of Glass. I just can’t resist paranormal drama.
Other good things:
Not a good thing? The flooding in the Fargo/Moorhead area. These photos show how crazy it is.
Still fighting the tide. After work the other night I took my car in for an oil change. My lovely boy availed himself of the TV in the kids’ corner while I sat next to him, on a child-sized chair, reading an article written by another mother of a son with autism. A son who is nothing like mine, now, but maybe once was. Before he grew into a violent young man. The monster inside my son is a horrifying read. I can’t imagine such a fate for my sweet boy. My child who still hugs me daily and never tires of repeating the same silly knock knock jokes and curls up with me to check out the latest on cute overload. His psychologist has been prepping me for changes that may come as he matures but hopefully nothing so extreme. Hopefully nothing more than some surliness and power-eating. Those I’ve been getting glimpses of and am prepared to deal with.
Our Friday was a mixed bag. We were both looking forward to seeing Monsters vs. Aliens on opening day, in 3-D even, and the boy asked who was going to join us. I rounded up some lady friends for an early evening showing. It was most enjoyable. Afterwards I’d planned to see Cryptacize but they canceled at the last minute. So I opted to stay in for the evening, despite other happenings happening around town. My heart wasn’t in it, thanks to the same old frustrations weighing heavily on me in the romantic realm. How many different ways can I say the same thing? If he didn’t get it the first half dozen times, why would he now? I took some risks and I’ve been paying for it. So I’m finally throwing in the towel. For real this time. But I prepped for this bout by watching Redbelt last night. Nothing like a David Mamet film to remind one of how bad choices can be amplified and go spectacularly wrong. And now I will be shadow boxing my way into (or maybe out of) a different kind of fight.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
For a brief period last night I felt content and moderately hopeful. But those feelings had slipped away by morning. Minor aggravations added up all a.m., getting under my skin despite my best efforts to dispel them. One such irritant? Listening to NPR I learned of a study linking pediatric anesthesia and learning disabilities. My child had multiple early doses, with three surgeries by the age of five. None of the reporting mentioned autism specifically, but my son has attention-span issues in general. Thankfully my ex still has a calming influence on me. He mentioned that much of the medical reporting that makes it into the mainstream media is later discredited anyhow. Which just makes me want to cover my ears and scream “LA LA LA LA” even more than usual.
A few other factors helped salvage my day. My sitter confirmed for Friday night, so I can join the cosmic sing-a-long with Cryptacize at the Triple Rock. After school my son was in a great mood and enjoyed himself at the Y’s childcare program (unlike his visit a couple of weeks ago) while I worked out. After the gym we shared a lovely meal at Midori’s Floating World Cafe. At home we were greeted with packages (new pants for the kid, City of Glass for me). After homework-time we were equally excited to watch the trailer for Where the Wild Things Are, and we read the book at his bedtime. For my own bedtime I have to decide between 1) starting in on the newly arrived book, or 2) picking up where I left off last night, with season one of Dead Like Me. Not the worst dilemma to be faced with.
Bonus: This week in cupcakes. Don’t miss the bit where Sheela says: “St. Paul vegans rejoice!” I am rejoicing, for sure.
Plus: I bet I could veganize this Chocolate Banana Lumpia recipe. And I should. Soon. But these recipes for crepes are already vegan-style, thanks to VeganYumYum. Perhaps this weekend.
And: One more food-related tidbit…miracle fruit turns sour things sweet? Hmm.
