Archives for category: miscellany + errata
This kind of reminds me of the time my friend Cecile, who is sweet and kind and totally inoffensive (and smaller than me, even!) got smacked across the face so hard her glasses flew off, on the El, by a guy to whom she’d just innocently offered a spare plastic bag to put his copious (and gross) food trash into. Her glasses clattered down the aisle of the car, the jerk got off at the next station (left his chicken wing bones everywhere), and no one helped her or said a word.
One of my biggest fears is random violence, exactly because it is random. It’s a big fear, but I actually don’t stress about it too much, because, I mean…there’s no point in that, is there? But I’ll have fleeting moments of ‘oh my God that guy is totally going to drive right into me’ (which has happened before) and ‘holy fucking crap that dude is going to knife me’ (which hasn’t).
20 Life Lessons From “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead”. I loved this movie so much when I first saw it. I think the last time I watched it was…wow, years ago. Anyway, Josh Charles is also in it as the adorable nice guy who has to clean out the fatty fat vats. And David Duchovny plays a really slimy co-worker of Swell’s. Highly recommend.
via angie
Today’s Swackett forecast for my hometown:
…a little snow?
be sure to rollover ‘notes’ to see photo captions!
November 2–7
Mom flew into LAX Tuesday night, so I picked her up after class. The next day we went to brunch at Bea Bea’s, hung out for awhile at Maria and Clayton’s, then went to Warner Brothers to wait in line for the Ellen Show. The show was so much fun and we got Portia de Rossi’s book (her segment was pre-taped but we got to see it) and a 3M Shoot ‘n Share—a little digital camcorder and projector in one! We also got to be there for the pre-taping of Mario Lopez’s segment. Dinner at Gindi Thai with Maria, Clayton, and Megan.
Went directly from class to Maria and Clayton’s so I could hang out with Mom. Took her to Sweetsalt for lunch and hung out in the afternoon.
Friday morning class was cancelled, so picked up mom and drove to the Huntington. Had the English tea buffet by the Rose Garden and it was completely delightful. Finger sandwiches, scones, pastries, salads, cheeses, fruits, teas! Wpent the next three hours wandering the grounds—the Japanese and Chinese gardens were gorgeous and the Desert Garden was shockingly vast. There were so many hidden little places, complete with a little bench to read/nap on. Hit the gift shop, then drove to the Griffith Observatory for sunset. I showed Mom the highlights of the observatory (seismograph, vapor chamber, Foucault pendulum, periodic table, Tesla coil) and we got to see the city lit up at night. I have her a quick tour of my apartment, then we met Maria and Clayton at Malbec in Toluca Lake for Argentinian steaks! Back to their apartment and tried to watch a movie, but U-verse died a slow terrible death before our eyes. Probably should’ve been a boring, disappointing night, but between the AT&T customer service guy and Clayton and Mom’s jokes, it was actually really fun and entertaining.
Saturday Mom and I took a quick day trip to Santa Barbara. We ate on the wharf, saw the Old Mission, and walked along State Street. Mom had her first Yogurtland! Back to Burbank for Diwali dinner at Sid and Deepti’s. Deepti’s parents are in town, and Deepti and her mom made a CRAZY DELICIOUS feast for us. Afterwards, we looked at some photos of Deepti when she was little, and photos and videos of Sid and Deepti’s wedding…and they announced that Deepti is pregnant! A lovely evening.
On Sunday Mom and I had breakfast, then before I took her to the airport, went to Trader Joe’s so she could smuggle some contraband back to the QC.
Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love, for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is perennial as the grass.
Take kindly to the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
Max Ehrmann c.1920
via angie
Did I ever tell you guys about my wisdom teeth debacle? I got them removed when I was a freshman in high school. The procedure itself wasn’t painful—I was under full anesthesia—but when I started to come out of the drug-induced fog, I had the uncontrollable urge to cry. I wasn’t sad, or upset, just physically needed to cry. My mom told me she experienced something similar when she’d had general anesthesia for her tonsils, so I didn’t panic too much. Actually, I was still way too drugged up to experience any strong emotions.
Recovery sucked. I couldn’t eat solid foods and quickly got tired of herbed mashed potatoes. I was in a lot of pain, and the painkillers I was prescribed made me extremely nauseated and I had to resort to Advil or something, which did NOT cut it. Eventually I healed up a bit, my face wasn’t swollen anymore, and no one else could tell that I had big stitched up wounds inside my mouth. I went back to school; things seemed to be going well. Then, at least a week after the surgery, when I felt great and pretty much healed and everything…
I was on stage rehearsing our fall play, “Charlotte’s Web”. I hadn’t done anything unusual—hadn’t gargled acid or gotten punched in the face—I was just standing there on my marks. And then. My mouth FILLED WITH BLOOD. A gushing stream of warm blood was coming out of one of the upper wounds (which I had thought was healed). I had to run off-stage to the bathroom to spit out my mouthful of blood and shove some toilet paper up in the oozing hole and wait it out.
I don’t really remember the immediate fallout of the mouth o’ blood incident, but I do remember that for months afterwards, when I sneezed or inhaled with my mouth just so, I could feel cold air going in my mouth, up through the hole in my gums and jaw, through my sinuses and out my nose.
Everything is fine now (well, mostly – have I mentioned the possible problem with one of the nerves in my face?), but when Ellen sent me this animation, I couldn’t help but experience some very strong sense memories. Maybe next time I’ll tell you about the other time I ended up with a mouth (and throat) full of blood. Fun times!
tomorrow I leave for illinois, and I’m staying with cecile for one night. sadly, I won’t see this little cutie, but I WILL get some irazu, so I suppose that will have to do.
