she just stood there, counting crows.

buy it for me, here (pretty please)

have been gravitating toward song lyrics as blog entry titles for awhile now. august has seen some Pink, John Mayer, Counting Crows, Boys like girls, True Blood theme song, Regina Spektor, Ani Difranco, Dar Williams & U2. I think it's been a good mix...but bring on September.

Bring on:

Sunday dinners & football games

Fall TV

Changing leaves

Soup

Sweaters & Tights

Socks & extra blankets

Cool fresh, crisp air

Bring.it.on

title courtesy of Counting Crows: Murder of One

you visit me in my sleep

"Sometimes you can see things happen right in front of your eyes and still jump to the wrong conclusions."— Jodi Picoult

I've been a little MIA this week. I took two days off of work before the weekend and had myself a 5-day weekend. It was nice. Lots of sleep, movies & good food, lots of time spent with Keenan.

We saw 500 days of Summer--2.5 stars (eh, didn't like how the female character was written at all), Inglourious Basterds (sic)--4 stars, although it was TOO long, and District 9--3 stars, again TOO long and slow.

I've been feeling off lately...this seems to be a pattern in August. I am not sure why August is such a "downer" every year. Although I have decided that I will make no major decisions in the month of Ceasar Augustus. Major decisions will be tabled, until September.

Had the best dream last night. I fell asleep, unsuspecting that I would get to "spend some time" with my grandma and hug her, for a long time. Of course I wish it hadn't been a dream, but it was so much better than nothing.

title courtesy of Pink: Who Knew?

i wonder sometimes about the outcome of a still verdictless life...

I had a third-of-life crisis last night. It isn't solved. But the only thing that made me feel better was 4 hours on the phone. 1 hour per wonderful woman. Thanks Mom, Tay, Bre & Kate.

"So what, so I've got a smile on me,

but it's hiding the quiet superstitions in my head" -j. mayer

title courtesy of John Mayer: Georgia

do u know you're unlike any other?

join in at category stories

title courtesy of Boys Like Girls: Thunder

when you came in the air went out.

I thought we just might have a perfect Sunday night. The TV was ready (Sunday has some great TV). I made brown rice a new recipe I saw on Oprah: Chef Cat Cora's jerk pork chops ...which was so yummy. I mixed up some brownies, popped them in the oven and just as True Blood was beginning a bat swooped through the living room.

In the moments of my terror I realized a few things.

• I list bats in my top five scariest things. (1. rapists 2. murderers 3. bats 4. interrogation techniques 5. President Sarah Palin). those are not listed in order of most to least scariest, they are just all very scary.
• I am not good in a crisis of terror. I covered my head with a giant giraffe print pillow and screamed repeatedly for Keenan to save me.
• True Blood will forever be more relevant and more creepy to me.

Keenan killed the bat. I am sorry, to all of you who feel that was the wrong thing to do. Frankly, I wouldn't kill a bat in his apartment, but I would kill one in my apartment.

additionally, I did not burn the brownies. they are good.

title courtesy of True Blood Theme Song

and like an idea she came to me.

Things I've done lately...

• enjoyed a Royals win with my sis, brother, stepbrother & fam, Mom & stepdad
• ate my uncle's famous homemade icecream for the first time in 8 years
• went to the theatre & saw Orphan, alone (creepy).
• went to the theatre w/ my nurse friend and saw Julie & Julia (loved it!)
• went to the theatre w/ my bf and saw Funny People (ok).
• went to the thrift store and got 4 NY times bestsellers for 2$
• ate a delicious brunch with Keenan, with lemon merengue pie for dessert
• held my first drama therapy session with a new group of elders with alzheimers & dementia
• painted my toenails (abysmally, albeit economically).

I've been waiting, rather impatiently, to see Julie & Julia. I have always admired Meryl Streep and have been quite taken with Amy Adams ever since Junebug.

The film really resonated with me, possibly because I blog too, possibly because I am a scant 6 months from turning 30 and sometimes wonder what I've really done with my life, and quite possibly because it was about 2 women who were doing something with their lives that had little to do with the men around them. Women don't get to have films like that too often, maybe a woman is a CEO in a film, but the total plotline is how she can fall in love with someone in order to make herself complete.

Right after I saw the film I really wanted to read the book or the blog, so that I could experience more of Julie Powell's Julia Child project. Then I started hearing of all of this backlash against Julie Powell. The funniest bit of critique I heard is that she is self-absorbed. Ha. Of course she is. I would like to call for the previous question here, let's take a vote. Who thinks that bloggers are self-absorbed? Isn't that inherent in blogging? Even if you blog on a topic (celebrities, food, scrapbooking, thrifting, home-design) it's still through your own lens.

Therefore I say (as a fellow self-absorbed vapid narcissist), so what! I am glad Julie Powell was absorbed enough in her project to share it with others. I love that she introduced me to a style of cooking I know nothing about, and that she renewed America's interest in a woman who beat the odds: Julia Child. Lovely film. Bravo, Julie!

yes I know it's just blousy old Hollywood

this estate sale had about 500 dolls

she had every jacqueline kennedy (there were about 20) plus about 5 Princess Di ones

I was tempted to get a couple for my mom but they were too pricey.

my newest & fave thrift store find ever

it lives (happily) next to my bookshelf now

title courtesy of Dar Williams: You are Everyone

watching me like you never watch no one

in with the new

Photo credit: Unicorn Theatre

out with the old
photo by Rachel Brennan Leyh

I've been waiting for the press package for Keenan's new play...basically because I am sappy and like seeing professional photos of him. But really his curls are adorable in the First Time photos. He shaved them all off for an audition for Little House on the Prairie. Which he also is in this fall. He keeps me entertained, what can I say (he even thanks me on the Unicorn webpage, how could I not like him)?

and if your way should falter...

"The words 'I am" are potent words; be careful what you hitch them to. The thing you're claiming has a way of reaching back and claiming you."- A.L. Kitselman

Get on over to Category Stories and play along. This time I chose the prompt: "Stuck in a moment." I was of course inspired by U2's song of the same name. My take focuses on how I work on getting out of the moment I get stuck in sometimes. I am working hard to follow my mom's advice via text one night. "Trust yourself. Move on. Forgive. Feel better."