Thursday, October 23, 2008
Holy wow the boy is just bursting with energy today. He’s definitely caught up on his sleep, but I’m not feeling quite so refreshed. Tonight I plan to re-connect with my couch while watching the most recent Pushing Daisies. I’m a huge fan, of that and Wonderfalls. No idea how I missed out on Bryan Fuller’s other series, Dead Like Me, but I’d really like to see it. Especially since I’m in the grips of a particularly morbid goth/Fall mood.
Bonus: Today I drove by a Minneapolis landmark that I only recently discovered - the Washburn Water Tower. Naturally I stopped to take photos.
Plus: Next stop? The PostSecret Exhibition at the Minneapolis Central Library, running through November 30th.
And: I can totally get behind this Atheist Bus Campaign: There’s probably no god. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life. Amen to that.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Last night the boy was with the ex, so I saved money on a sitter. I met a friend for dinner at Brasa, a friend who then got me into the TV on the Radio/Dirtbombs show for free. But the evening wasn’t without a price. The openers started later than I’d expected so I only stuck around for the first four TVotR songs. Even so I still got the boy to bed way too late. When he doesn’t get enough sleep he gets through the school day all right but then, woah. All unholy hell breaks loose. After school today he was inconsolably cranky. I just wanted to hide out in the world’s most relaxing room until he calmed down. Or send him to such a room. Sadly we don’t have one. And it didn’t help that instead of catching up on sleep last night, I got caught up on Heroes and True Blood. Doh. Hopefully we’ll both get caught up on sleep tonight instead.
Five (or so) good and/or crazy things:
- Coming soon, Art Attack! In NE Minneapolis the second weekend of November.
- A different kind of attack…Attack of the Cat People.
- More in the media on autism spectrum disorders. This article reminded me that the boy’s school only goes up to fifth grade. He’s already in third grade. I need to start looking into options before long.
- WTF broccoli? I buy a lot of Cascadian Farm products and am pretty sure I’ve purchased these broccoli florets, but I’ve never noticed this before. Eep!
- Caught a few new trailers today. Push - which sorta looks like a Heroes ripoff, just with Dakota Fanning. Naturally I’ll see it anyhow. Anything to do with the paranormal (unless it’s straight up horror) and I’m there. But more promising is JCVD. Who knew Jean-Claude Van Damme could be so compelling?
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
We’re nearing the end of our CSA run for the season. The Women’s Environmental Institute will be delivering our “grand finale” boxes next Monday. But yesterday’s batch yielded some goodies. Like brussels sprouts! And more kohlrabi. And a Red Kuri Squash that looks much like a pumpkin.
Tonight I get to see TV on the Radio. I love them dearly but was underwhelmed by their last performance. But I am still super ultra excited because The Dirtbombs are opening, and it’s an early all ages show (which means I’ll get home earlier).
A co-worker is headed elsewhere this evening. From him:
I’m probably going to go to this, if only so I can say “I’ve heard Richard Stallman speak“. You may never again have a chance to see some who is so smart and yet looks so much like a hobo.
(If you don’t know who Richard Stallman is, among other things, he started the GNU project.)
Just stumbled upon filmdrunk’s site. And I’m glad I did! Michael Rapaport as a very special super hero? Apparently he is “a different kind of superhero, one who derives his superpowers from taking drugs.” The trailer looks amazingly hilarious. But this made me remember the time I actually stumbled, physically, right in front of Mr. Rapaport. I was mortified. Good thing I don’t wear heels any more.
Bonus: The extremely expressive communications robot. So cute. Or creepy? It’s a fine line.
Plus: Inside Edition with Bill O’Reilly talking Nintendo circa 1988. Oh sweet sweet mullet - and what a job to have, in 1988!
And: Newly released UFO files from the UK government. Is the truth out there, errr, in there?
Some days I’m prone to weepiness. This morning I nearly burst into tears just watching Ratatouille. So I barely kept it together in the car when NPR’s Speaking of Faith was on. This week’s topic turned out to be Being Autistic, Being Human. We were on the way to the gym so I only caught a snippet of it but plan to listen to the full segment later (after I enjoy some cathartic laughs at tonight’s David Sedaris show).
But the boy has been making a lot of progress. His recent IEP review was reassuring and he’s come a long way in his sessions with the psychologist. Sure, a lot of his social interactions are still awkward, but many more are appropriate and reciprocal. He’s even begun to initiate activities with his peers, like creating piles of leaves on the playground and inviting his classmates to jump in them. Though he’s still too fixated on semi-obscure subjects (like The Jackie Chan Adventures and the Chinese zodiac) and much less frustrated when he remains in his own bubble, without interacting with the outside world. I can relate to that.
Bonus: The fine folks from The Onion have another book out, The Devious Book for Cats: A Parody, and are doing a reading at Magers & Quinn in Minneapolis on November 15th.
Plus: I didn’t watch Sarah Palin on SNL last night, but I did see the highlights - thanks to Geeks of Doom.
And: Since my first visit to Cafe Agri I’ve begun scheming. Thinking of ways to trick my son into eating more essential fatty acids. Like in this avocado-chocolate pudding recipe. Guess I’m not alone in this struggle.
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Sometimes I shoot myself in the foot. Most of my bills are set up to use autopay because it’s less of a hassle. The ones that aren’t sort of fall off my radar. Last night I got home to find the DSL and land line had been disconnected. Doh! I called from my cell to have everything reconnected but it took some time. I had an internet-free evening, which is fine now and again, but the boy kept asking me to look up info for him. Alas, I could not. FAIL.
The night before that I’d meant to stop in to Super Target for just a few things, like a replacement hairdryer (and a Domokun pinata, an essential). Turns out Target now carries the boy’s enriched rice milk so there was no need to head to the co-op. Feeling a little guilty about that. And I forgot to buy the damned hairdryer! Doh.
A day late and a dollar short…yesterday at the U of M Rennie Sparks (of The Handsome Family) gave a talk: Pretty Polly and the Itsy Bitsy Spider, Strange fascinations and mysterious bloodshed in the wilderness of folk song. I would’ve loved it, but the lad might’ve been bored/creeped out. Hmmm.
I missed the Magnetic Fields last Friday, but there’s this little Stephin Merritt interview up on the MPR site. I’m now triple-booked for tomorrow night. Scored guest spots to see Wire at First Ave, my lovely co-workers at Clockwork are hosting another family board game night, and the always enchanting Amy Rice has an art opening.
Tis the season for zombies. I finally started reading The Walking Dead. So far it’s much like a comic book version of 28 Days Later. Then Saturday it’s the annual Zombie Pub Crawl, followed by zombies vs. pirates at the roller derby.
Tonight? Future of the Left and Ted Leo. Yesssss.
Bonus: The 1000 Journals project, now at SF MOMA.
Plus: Starting tonight, Mizna’s 5th Annual Arab Film Festival. And next Thursday Sound Unseen 2008 kicks off. And the Science Museum’s new exhibit, CSI: The Experience is now open through January 9th.
And: Upside Down Dogs. Also 10 Reasons It Would Rule to Date a Unicorn and The 8 Phases of Dating. And I’ve begun posting at Read Comics.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
My brother has been dead longer than he was alive. Today he would have been 38. I wonder what sort of person he would have become. Maybe he’d be like me, leaving behind the scattered carcasses of failed relationships like roadkill. More likely he would have found his one true love and stuck with it. He had a quiet determination about him. While I’ve got more of a complain-y stream-of-consciousness despair about me.
Usually my son hangs out with the ex-husband on Tuesday evenings. But I didn’t want to be alone. So the boy is with me tonight and his joyful exuberance should keep me from moping too much. Until he says something about how we should have a DeLorean, like the one in Back to the Future, so we can go back in time to retrieve my brother to keep him from dying. That gets me straight up weepy every time.
My attention span has been particularly short lately. I reeeeeally doubt I’ll be doing next month’s National Novel Writing Month (tenth anniversary edition!) as much as I’d like to. Strange to think I participated - and managed to finish - in 2004. During the last presidential election. Strolling through the archives from that era got me all nostalgic like. Not for Republican re-elections, of course, but I was at a very different place in my life then. Not better, just different.
In other news, Saturday night’s gathering at Space Aliens Bar and Grill was a complete success. The boy has already asked - a couple of dozen times - when we’ll be returning. The other birthday party we attended that day? Well, the boy didn’t interact with his peers as much as I would’ve liked. But it was a pretty tight-knit group of kids who go to school together. It’s tough to be the odd man out. But it was a beautiful day. And yesterday was decent too, with a trip to the pumpkin patch followed by dinner with friends, at Brasa. Always busy busy.
Random stuff:
- The front of my house was covered with box elder bugs over the weekend. Gross.
- I’ve just discovered the oddity that is Tofu the Vegan Zombie.
- Someone pointed out this awesome mustachioed neck warmer. Etsy is so dangerous. But I figured someone would be selling an adult-sized Owl hat or mask but have not found one as of yet. Trying to go the simple route with my Hedwig costume but I have a feeling I may end up renting a damned mascot outfit.
- Huge internal debate re: tomorrow - early all ages Deerhoof show vs. further Pizza Farm adventures. Leaning towards Pizza Farm, because the weather will be decent and the price of gas has gone down. But I haven’t seen Deerhoof in a spell.
- There’s now an American version of Life on Mars. I watched the first episode but just couldn’t get over how much better the British version is. Sure, I did see that first, but still.
Planning to take it easy tonight, and whip up some foods with today’s CSA produce. Excited about the purple dragon carrots and turnips, and the return of kohlrabi. Though I’m also in the mood to try making a vegan croque monsieur. Must be the weather.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Neil Gaiman is doing a reading in St. Paul tonight. Technically The Graveyard Book is geared towards children, but I doubt my boy would want to stand around in line outside waiting to get in, and then sit through said reading. Damn shame.
Tonight is also the Radio K benefit show with Low, Sims (of Doomtree), Vampire Hands and Dosh. I’d love to be there but there are so many good shows coming up and I’ve got only so much time/money to spare. Having to be picky about it kinda blows.
And? Toilet phone is not ok. I finally took out the SIM card and popped it in my old phone. From that phone I can send text. I am so very annoyed. And too broke to break down and buy an iPhone. Maybe that’s for the best.
So the lad and I have two birthday parties to attend on Saturday. One is outside at a park while the other is at Space Aliens Bar and Grill. Can you guess which is the grown-up party and which one is the kid’s?
Bonus: I get misty-eyed over endeavors like The Oxford Project.
In 1984, photographer Peter Feldstein set out to photograph every single resident of his town, Oxford, Iowa (pop. 676). He converted an abandoned storefront on Main Street into a makeshift studio and posted fliers inviting people to stop by. At first they trickled in slowly, but in the end, nearly all of Oxford stood before Feldstein’s lens.
Plus: In more random photos, I like these bananas in Brooklyn and this grocery bike.
And: A Halloween round-up/PSA: On October 18th there is a MN Rollergirls bout with Pirates vs. Zombies. The last weekend of the month sees the return of Bedlam’s Barebones Halloween. And October 17th the Soap Factory starts up their spookyass Haunted Basement, for its second year (running through November 2nd).
The boy’s psychologist has two main criticisms of my parenting style: 1) I’m too much fun and 2) too often I shield my son from his neurotypical peers, and others who might cause him distress. She’s not wrong. Since it’s just the two of us, the path of least resistance is that much more appealing. Why not just enjoy ourselves and avoid conflict? Well, because that’s not teaching the boy any valuable life lessons. He’s going to need some coping skills, especially with middle school/junior high fast approaching. I get that. I really do. To that end I’ve been trying to set up more frequent play dates with his peers. And I’m working on a simple sticker chart for homework. Following through is where I sometimes fall down. I am the queen of escapism. Speaking of, the exes. They are damn near unavoidable in this town. Makes me want to crawl into my hidey-hole. But that would be admitting defeat. I’ve just got to forge ahead through the fields of awkward, even if I won’t be tra-la-la-ing along the way.
At least I’m not the only one struggling with the strangeness of parenting. Caught up with Mimi Smartypants and can totally relate to her experiences with creepy Kevin and his creepy parents (scroll down to number 4). That sort of thing makes me want to go back into duck-and-cover avoid-y mode.
We did hunker down at home yesterday, so I could take care of business around the house - cooking, cleaning, bills, etc. And I baked the boy a blueberry apple pie. But then we went off to a bonfire with a picnic dinner, and on to Eclipse Records to see friends and friends’ bands play. The fun will continue this afternoon with a return to the Children’s Theatre to see Madeline and the Gypsies. But before then we will sit down with the spelling homework. And it will be great. Groan.
Bonus: Thirty years of Echo and the Bunnymen? Wow. They celebrated by playing just one U.S. show, at Radio City Music Hall, backed by a full orchestra. Another famous Brit is going a different route…John Lydon for Country Life Butter?
Plus: Rotofugi is having a warehouse moving sale. Dangerousity level = HIGH. I want I want I want.
And: I missed out on Thee Oh Sees show at the Turf Club last night, but at least I had La Blogotheque’s Take Away shows to keep me occupied. My fave so far? Man Man.
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Distractions abound. There’s just too much to do/look at/obtain:
And now, to sleep. Perchance to dream? Hopefully not, if it means more nightmares about my kitchen floor being ripped apart. Or creepy dreams revealing that the little man’s unruly classmate is really my other son who I’d somehow forgotten about. Maybe I’ll try thinking about Mohinder and his new abilities while I drift off instead.
