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To celebrate, I am going to Vegas with So. Africa to meet my family and go to some show.
WOO.
I am really excited except for the we’re leaving at 4AM. Gross. I went to “bed” at 8 and just woke up, hoping that will give me TEH POWERS to press on through to the other side.
Today was a v. traumatic day.
Since I am going to Vegas and will be gone for a little over 24 hours, I’ve asked my apt Manager to come check on Sebastian, because it’s JUST long enough, he could use a visit and I will rest better knowing my bebe is cared for.
Now, I wondered if I should trim Sebastian’s claws for her visit. I’ve been meaning to forever. They are beyond long and don’t even retract anymore. He just walks around: click-click-click. The other day, he jumped up up the middle of a cement wall, then just held on like spider, by the power of this saberclaws.
My friend Fairy just took her kitty to this pet shop down the street. She liked it because it wasn’t one of those Huge Chain Store. I’m all for helping local businesses and with her recommend I decided I’d go down there.
I felt really, really, really guilty about it. Sebastian has been very good with his claws, unless I get caught on him, he never scratches people or furniture and loves climbing trees.
Still all I could imagine was my Manager sticking her hand and playing rough with him (like she does) and getting maimed.
So—off we went. Sebastian in his little kitten house.
We arrive and some guy takes me to a back room. There, there are all ready three dogs in various stages of groom—one just out in the tub. There’s also some machine running which is really loud and sounds like a dryer.
Needless to say, Sebastian was NOT HAPPY.
The guy takes the carrier and dumps Sebastian out.
Then he tells ME to come over and hold him down.
Hello?
I took my cat to a groomer person because I DIDN’T want to hold down my cat.
The guy makes me scruff Sebastian really hard while he clips the nails.
Then some woman walks in and the guy starts talking to her—in the middle of this yowling cat exercise! I’m still holding Sebastian, but I guess I relaxed my grip or something, because the guy reached for something and Sebastian lashed out at him.
The guy LEAPS out of his skin (why? It’s not like Sebastian has claws any more) then YELLS at me to hold him down. I try and the guy says, “No, like this!” and keeps shoving Sebastian’s head down harder. I was trying to scruff Sebastian but the guy was flipping out and Sebastian was really unhappy and now all the dogs are going and there’s some random woman watching.
Finally the guy is like, “here. Grab his paws.”
And I’m thinking, “wtf.” I could have pinned my cat and held his paws at home! That’s the HARD part of trimming cat nails. In fact, I HAD done it and it was about 10,000 times less traumatic then this. I went to pay someone else to do it, because I don’t like to trim his nails!
The guy gets the last front nail and I told him to stop, I didn’t want him doing any more.
Sebastian was still going after the guy, yowling and meowing, but I was happy when Sebastian let me pick him up without turning on me at all. It was directed towards this guy.
Then as we’re leaving, the guy has the gall to say Sebastian is a nasty cat.
HELLO. Lock a cat in a noisy room with three dogs, one lose, pin him to a table and start cutting his nails off—I am pretty--
OMG IT’S MY BIRFDAY! Wee.
-- Sure most cats aren’t going to be happy in the situation.
Anyhow to this I say: F U small business.
I am going to Petco next time, if I go any where at all again. I think I might just let Sebastian keep his claws.
In the meanwhile, I have to find out what the HELL happened when Fairy was there. Did she get the same treatment? Raedances says to report them to the better business bureau, I think I might. That was just a horrific trip.
Needless to say, Sebastian is fine. We came home and went on a big walk. We met Maddie the dog, his friend.
Today Maddie was walking with HER friend, Monty the Yorkie. So Sebastian sniffed both his doggie friends and it was so cute and I told their owners about how I graduated. Then we went into the courtyard and visited both Serta, the Manager’s cat, cam phone pic!
Then we went up the stairs and saw Jane, his girlfriend and move exciting, I have a neighbor who just got purebred Siamese kittens. Bizarre gremlin looking things!
So we went into the apt to visit them. My neighbor was all, “what will Sebastian do? He’s 500 times the size of them.”
ME: Um, he’s really good with animals, is on leash and currently has no claws, I think he’ll be fine.
And sure enough, Sebastian was fine.
SEBASTIAN: What ARE they?
Limp as a noodle, whereas the little kittens were all puffed up and hissing!
Hee.
All in all, fun time adventures.
Now it’s my birthday and I have to get ready for Vegas.
My kitten is orange.
suddenly i was @ 03:10 am
(600 love birds)
So yesterday was basically one of the best days ever.
Ever.
I figured I’d start off my summer deluge of entries with this all-important fun one, which I must commit to memory for the rest of my life.
My day started off at 7AM. When a loan consolidation company called about my student loans.
7AM, graduation day, I get this call.
Awesome.
It wasn’t so bad though, because I had to get up. My friend-- god, I can never remember her LJ nickname, so I’ll rename her Fairy. She was my acting partner a year ago with adventure. Anyhow!
Fairy and I had plans to get our make up done. Since April we had been preparing for graduation. I never had a prom, so I lived it ALL through this ceremony. We both scoured the internet for dresses. I wanted some really special, because I’d be meeting So. Africa’s family. I didn’t want it to be some dress anyone could have and ended up finding this dress, retail 460 dollars, off ebay for less than one fourth of the price! I was happy because it was blue, So. Africa’s favourite colour and it would match my locket. The day before graduation, these shoes came in the mail. My FIRST HEELS. The night before I pin curled my hair and by 7AM, when that loan call came, I was READY TO GO.
Fairy and I drove out to Encino to find this makeup place. The lady did up Fairy first and she looked great. I came second, I was afraid because I never wear lots of make up. She did things in a way I had never seen before—tell me if I am wrong or old fashioned. I thought you always put on foundation things first, then eye powders… she did our entire eyes first though- THEN foundations.
She gave us both smokey type eyes. I was SO afraid I had too much on, but my skin looked amazing. She hid EVERY imperfection. I heard tales make up could do this, but never ACTUALLY had red marks and bumps disappear before my eyes.
After that, I took my ring-pin-curled, made up self back home where I was determined to not move for a few hours until I had to get to school to be robed.
My family made it up from Newport, where they are staying in a time-share and Sebastian was feeling particularly obnoxious that day for the occasion.
I grabbed up my robes and we were off to campus!
It was so weird, because it literally does seem like yesterday when I first showed up there to register for my first classes. I cannot believe it has been two years.
I walked my family up the stairs to the commencement tent and that’s when I saw my pretty boyfriend, So. Africa all smarted up with his black shirt and slacks and silver tie walking to the robbing room.
“So. Africa!” I called and ran down to him, “This is my family!”
And that’s how So. Africa met my family.
I then walked with So. Africa to the little tiny library room where they dressed you in your robes. I never had a robe for my Bachelors degree, it was an art school—we didn’t CONFORM to society’s standards—that said, I was REALLY excited to have one this time. First you put on your big black gown, then there was your master’s hood. Our looked something like this something like this (box elder bug much?) when all folded, except ours were red and black (PS sometimes I want another high degree because their robes are even more complicated, how wrong is that?).
Anyhow, you were hooded and caps were fitted. Then we were shuffled off to take the big class photo, all of us in our gowns.
I think my favourite part of the entire day was running for this photo, holding So. Africa’s hand thinking, “how neat is it to do this with your sweetheart?” both in ridiculous gowns and hoods and caps and tassles.
It was a beautiful crystal blue day and in the 70’s. I couldn’t stand by So. Africa because the height difference was too great and I couldn’t be on the back row, by I stood with Fairy.
Snap! Went the pictures and we were off to line up.
I was really, REALLY happy with the line up. It was alphabetical by discipline. I was fifth from last, so we just had a tiny row, but it went: I., me, Canada Lad, So. Africa, Fairy and W-Bird.
COMPLETELY SATISFIED.
I couldn’t stop giggling between those two boys and I couldn’t ask to graduate with a better group of people.
Then the music started and it was so over the top and huge I was mortified.
It sounded like a 5,000 piece orchestra playing the March.
As I. said, “music to make love to.”
Finally we were all seated.
The ceremony was to be short, basically they give three honorary doctorates and traditionally those are given by “big name” people, then a class representative speaks, giant grants are awarded, then diplomas.
This is where it gets fun!
First, we had been told nothing about the guests and we were all about one hundred percent certain no one interesting would be there.
I have forgotten the honorees’ names, but they were really interesting people. One was a lawyer, who basically went through many incarnations job-wise, before ending up at AFI, where he nurtured and supported film students like: David Lynch, among many others! David Lynch actually ended up being his speaker. Lynch gave an amazing speech, which was funny and very sweet: talking about how he got to AFI, what a big surprise it was, what he thought it was and how, through this man’s support—ended up making Eraserhead there (The last honoree was the current CEO of Sony who has led an amazing life, from being a documentarian of the Viet Nam war, running CBS News back when news was actually something important and not so commercialized and he’s also the head of AFI’s board of trustees. James L. Brooks was his speaker. James L. Brooks has done everything from create such shows as “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Taxi,” to produce, “The Simpsons,” “Jerry Maguire” and “Say Anything,” to directing, “As Good As It Gets.” In 1983 he won best screenplay, best picture and best director for “Terms of Endearment” – Only ONE of his achievements could make for the career of a lifetime for any one normal person. He gave an amazing speech, awarding this honoree his “Casablanca Fantasy Award” – aka, this person was the person he would most like to take to Rick’s in Casablanca, get him drunk and hear his life story. Brooks was funny and amazing… I mean, look him up on IMDB, a speech by a person involved in all his projects… it would be impossible to be anything short of great.
So I am sitting there thinking, “this is really cool, I didn’t think it would be this neat.”
Suddenly Brooks finishes off his speech, by saying what everyone has to remember most are the surprises life throws at you.
Then, out of nowhere, bagpipes start playing. Everyone looks at each other, “wtf?” No one had a clue what was going on and I heard someone like Canada Lad whisper, “Are we supposed to stand for this?”
Suddenly, back in the seats, this HUGE gasp-cry and applause goes up. At this point I’m really confused and for a split second I thought it was like the circus coming up or something, then—I see. Coming up the aisle with a bagpipe procession and wearing a kilt is SEAN CONNERY.
HAHA.
I: My mom just creamed herself.
ME: So did my mom.
Everyone applauded and the CEO on the stage was about to fall over, he was so surprised. Sean Connery gave a great speech, which used the theme of “crack” as a pun word. He claimed it meant “talk” over in Scotland and Wales. So he would say things like: “There is one thing you have to do in your life: crack. “ – and of course random jokes like, “Excuse me, I have a frog in my throat—my French wife.” He also said we students reminded him of a little education foundation he founded in Scotland except, “they would wear kilts; which begs the question: what do you have under those robes?”
Finally the CEO spoke and his speech was also quite great. He said, though while he is thankful for his CEO and business life, if you asked him what happened 6 weeks ago, he’d never remember—but if you asked him about one day back in the 60’s or 70’s when he was filming, he’d remember everything, down to the detail. He talked about a time when he filmed some Bosnian soldiers doing target practice, shooting cans off each other’s heads—and the film was loaded into his camera wrong. So it was the scene he shot, that no one would see but he’d always remember. Or another time, on the way to shoot some wedding, he saw Arab women grieving over their dead husbands in a grave yard. He could have shot it, but didn’t. The shot he never made, but would always remember: the women in their dark burkes against the pink gravestones.
He then described a scene from a documentary about the boat people over in Vietnam of Cambodia. How one of his crew members, after watching all these people trying to swim to shore, jumped into the water and started lifting them out. He said it was powerful and real, but what the world never saw was after the boat people were pulled from the water they thought his colleague was Muhammad Ali. He said, “it takes away from the drama of the situation and brings the humanity back in” and that was what we were supposed to remember to do always in our story telling.
By this point, I was pretty moved by everything.
Our class speaker came up, she’s a really nice girl; a cinematographer who’s deaf. I totally was convinced she wouldn’t give a good speech, I must admit. I thought they chose her to go up there and talk about being a filmmaker with a “disability” and other people thought so too. She proved ALL of us wrong though and rocked the speech.
She joked and filmed us with a tiny 16mm camera. She told stories about our first classes with the writer of Walk the Line. Then she told a story about when her parents divorced and her dad was leaving their home. She said he told her three things, he loved her, he’d be there for her and she had to remember to see the magic in the world- then he drove off in a taxi. She said the first thing she saw was an oil slick from the taxi. Then she cried and cried forever, “drooling like a houndog in summer, snot all over the place” but then, “after being dehydrated with all that snot loss” the sun was beginning to set and hit that oil slick and she swore she “saw magic and beauty” and that was a moment she’d never forget and hoped we’d remember that same advice and continue to look for magic and beauty in everything we do.
Then was the award ceremony. We ROCKED it this year and won all the grants and scholarships (not like last year when their class lost all of them to us). I didn’t win the big 15,000 dollar grant for writing, but my pal from workshop did! And he was on my short list of people who could win it and I was so happy he did.
He was right in front of me and when they started saying, “This writer graduated from North Carolina University…” he jumped in his seat. Canada Lad and I, both in his workshop, grabbed his shoulders and shook him. I. leapt up and hugged him. I was really, really glad someone SO talented and so deserving won it.
Finally our names were called. I was nervous I’d fall over, but I zipped across the stage, right past Lynch and Connery and all those guys and said, “thank you” a million times when I was handed my diploma folder.
I. asked that I scream for him and he’d scream for me, so I did and I clapped and clapped for So. Africa.
Then it was the “victory march” led first by the honorees, then the faculty (all in their old robes) and finally us—again, with “music to make love to” blaring.
Then it was the reception. No words could describe the joy of all of this. Everyone was there, all my friends, all their families, my family.
I saw So. Union’s family and they had thick Russian accents and I saw where he gets his humor from.
SO. UNION’S MOM: Could you take a picture of my son and I?
SO. AFRICA: Sure.
SO. UNION’S MOM: Make me look 17, and no to showing my second chin.
SO. UNION: Mom, he’s taking a picture, doesn’t have a special effects unit.
I saw Shades’ girlfriend and her sister. They came up and hugged me. “CONGRADULATIONS.” – And then I met Shade’s father who sounds exactly like him.
ME: I heard all about the Magic Flute marionettes!
Sunburn brought his parents over. I went over and met Adventure’s parents from Wales and his Canadian girlfriend was here.
Writing Partner had his mother here and I took a picture with him and So. Africa, both over 6FT and me looking like I had the two baddest-assed bodyguards ever.
I saw W-bird and we both told our moms: “Look, it’s the other red head, vegetarian, writer who worked at Jamba Juice!” and snapped photos and said we were hot because we had the same colour dress.
I saw Fairy and we took a million pictures of our dresses and pulled her dad over, an actor who my mom knew from “Repo Man.”
I saw my Producer and his family. His little daughter remembered who I was and his wife is 6 months pregnant with another girl!
I went up to So. Africa’s family and his mom pulled me over and kissed my nose and gave me a card.
I saw Glinda and we hugged each other and complained about shoes.
The Dominatrix, remember, my teacher? She came up to my mom and I and said, “there’s my favourite! I can say that now that class is over!” – Apparently she really loves me! She told me she’d give me a recommendation or anything any time and it meant a lot coming from someone who is SUCH a hard teacher! To impress her means a lot.
I saw another teacher, who always met So. Africa and I at Starbucks. He told my father this was his favourite class ever to come out of AFI and I was a favourite student of that class.
I even found the Puerto Rican director my dad first met the week we were looking for apartments. My dad thought he was a student when he saw him and struck up a conversation. For months after he’d ask if I had met that kid again—and I did. So for this reception I knew my dad had to meet him again.
I can’t even remember what else. My sister talked with everyone and really loved So. Africa’s family. So. Africa’s mom had a huge diamond ring on.
SISTER: Look at her ring!
SO. AFRICA: Oh, here dear.
(Hands sister the ring)
(My sister puts on the ring)
SISTER: I DO!
In fact, my whole family loved So. Africa’s family. Our moms got together and were TMI-giggling over the fact they both have June babies (My sister and I have June birthdays in the same week, So. Africa and his brother have June birthdays in the same week) and Fall bdays—aka, meaning the babies were the result of birthday celebrations 9 months earlier. A fact—I had NEVER FIGURED OUT UNTIL THIS MOMENT.
Gross!
My mom also ran up to me talking to Adventure’s family and says, regarding So. Africa’s mom: I think she’s a Libra!!
Oh and So. Africa, my dearest sweetheart! We walked everywhere in our robes and hoods and took so many pictures. At some point in the evening, I found these huge palm leaves, which were on a table. I picked one up and ran over to him.
“Let me fan you! Are you hot, master? Don’t be hot, master. Let me fan you”
He was laughing so hard.
ME: What would you do without me to embarrass you at top volume every single day?
SO. AFRICA: I DO NOT KNOW.
We literally closed out the place, almost everyone was gone. By the end my feet were in SO much insane pain from the heels. The shoes were fine, but walking on my toes! The balls of my feet were numb, I wanted to cry. I was also so drained, I just couldn’t think.
So. Africa’s family and my family were going to have dinner, but his mother hurt her back, so we parted ways.
I went with my family to a little restaurant down from my house and had a modest dinner. We laughed and battled over cake. After dinner it was homeward bound. My parents had to leave and drive back to Newport, then home. That made me sad. I wanted my family to stay here longer, but they left.
I was dying from exhaustion, but there was still one more activity.
When AFI first started, someone organized a meeting at a local pub called “The Cat and the Fiddle.” To be circular-like, my entire class met there again. At the end of all things.
I went with So. Africa. The pub was overrun with us, but there was a small group in back, so we sat there and I mercifully took off my shoes for the first time in hours. So. Union, Glinda, Grant-Winner were also all back there. It was great fun. The Critical Canadian wants to read the sitcom So. Africa and wrote for class. LOLLERSKATES.
Finally So. Africa and I went home. I told him I loved him and was happy we graduated together. Also, tomorrow is our one-year! Woot!
All in all it was a wonderful, wonderful day that I’ll remember for forever. I couldn’t have graduated with a better class and am glad for all the people I have met.
GO, GO, AFI CLASS OF ’07!
suddenly i was @ 11:11 pm
(no feathers)
Wee, Masters! I get a hood and everything.
Such a backlog to share with you. Basically a YEAR'S worth, but I will have all unemployed summer to tell you about the dolphins, the bug fair, the pervert at the store, my last AFI class, the Magic castle and meeting So. Africa's parents from South Africa- yes?
GRADUATION.
I am so excited.
Pee.
suddenly i was @ 04:21 am
(no feathers)
I haven’t written in so long and still have notes on the Al Pacino lecture which I intend to type up someday, but NOT TODAY.
Today this entry is all about MY KITTEN.
Sebastian.
And the fun, fun, fun time adventure we had on our walk today.
Sebastian gets very excited for walk times, which is at about 6-6:30. He starts reminding me at 5:30 that it’s almost time for walkies.
HIM: MEWMEWMEWMEWMEWMEW.
After a while he starts running and jumping up against the windows or up to the door know which he rattles with his paws.
Today was no different.
So I get the leash and say, “walkies!” and he runs to the door. I belt him up and we step out.
The first thing we see outside is a father and his little toddler daughter in a stroller. The second she sees Sebastian her face lights up and her father says, “A kitty! Look, a kitty!”
So Sebastian and I run up to visit. Sebastian steps up on her stroller and she giggles and giggles petting him.
Then: MAWR, MAWR.
Another meow sounds behind us!
We look at it’s Big Kitty, the GIANT stray cat Sebastian is in love with and my entire neighborhood feeds.
Sebastian hurries and runs to Big Kitty. I have to pick him up, because I’m afraid Big Kitty might have fleas, but I pet Big Kitty then Sebastian and I run into the courtyard.
Now, FUN things were happening in the courtyard.
3 days ago, Sebastian found something really special in one of his favourite trees.
Here. I’ll show you.
How cute is that? It’s a momma hummingbird! Everyday we go out and see her. When Sebastian first found her, I called over some neighbors and every since, more and more people have found out.
So when Sebastian first came out, we saw our outdoorsy neighbors (they are always biking or backpacking or testing equipment in the courtyard) fiddling around. They had a camera with a huge lens and were wandering around, spying on the mommy bird.
Sebastian and I were trying to stay out of the way, when another neighbor a tiny, old Japanese woman came down the stairs. Whenever she comes, because she can’t bend over, Sebastian stands on his hind legs to say hello. So he stood up for her and she said, “hello!” and commented that he’s getting darker. It’s true, my cat defies orange. He’s practically red now!
My outdoorsy neighbors then called down to me, “Do you want to come see?”
“Sure!” I said. And Sebastian and I ran up the stairs, because they were on the second floor.
I peeked through the telephoto lens and saw the little itsy bitsy bird. The nest is so tiny. Maybe a fourth of my palm. I am SO excited for there to be babies. I am going to watch the nest everyday.
Sebastian was on the move though! So after looking at the birdie, he was quick to move up to the third floor to see Jane, his secret girlfriend.
Jane is a tortoiseshell calico, mostly black with orange. She’s about a year old, so a little older than Sebastian, but that doesn’t matter. She’s completely in SMIT with him. Jane has the hugest crush. Sebastian visits her almost everyday and they sniff at each other through the window. Jane’s owner is almost never home, so I usually let them look at each other. Today however, we ran up there—and the owner was there!
She opened the door and said, “Do you want to come in and see if they like each other?”
She pulled Jane over and Sebastian scooted right up. Not one hiss, or growl and they sniffed noses!
Jane’s Owner, Wendy I think her name is, kept saying, “Oh she usually hisses! She likes him.” It was so cute. Sebastian then would get a little shy and walk away--- but he would come back a second later and they would sniff again.
Still, Sebastian is busy and things were a foot below, so Sebastian ran back down to ground level and stood under the hummingbird tree. My outdoorsy neighbors were up to something. They had a HUGE claw thing—and were preparing to hang up a hummingbird feeder! Sebastian and I watched, the two outdoorsy neighbors and the newest apt resident, a really tall artsy guy who is getting two Siamese kittens were all out watching the feeder. I have been wanting to hang a feeder for ages… hoping it would bring more hummingbirds so Sebastian could watch them—but they aren’t allowed! The person who actually owns my apt building, is terminally weird. I can understand not hanging stuff all over the building, but she doesn’t allow doormats! She said no, no, no to hummingbird feeders on the building. Of course, we all wondered if hanging it way high in a tree would be a loop hole in her rule, but Alex, my manager’s BF (also a manager) wasn’t sure when he showed up on his bike.
While they talked, ANOTHER neighbor came home. Sebastian loves her and she likes Sebastian because when she was little she had an orange cat named Sebastian. She came out and wanted to know if it was ok if she let her kitty Gigi out.
Gigi is a big strawberry blonde cat. She is a bit of a bully though and sort of terrorizes all the other cats of the courtyard. I said, “Actually, I think they are ok with each other.” So she went over and let Gigi out. Just then my phone rang and I was so distracted looking at it—I didn’t even notice Gigi run right up to us!
Usually I keep Sebastian back, but there they were, touching noses!
I couldn’t believe it!
And again, not a hiss, not a growl!
Gigi had her moment then turned back and sauntered into her apt. Her owner was so excited, she ran to her husband inside saying, “Sebastian and Gigi just touched noses!”
By then the hummingbird feeder debate had heated up between my manager’s BF and the artsy neighbor. My manager’s BF went up to ask my manager in their apt what she thought.
More fun! I’m sure Sebastian thought.
Sebastian took off after to say hello. Alex gave Sebastian a pat and I told him how he and Gigi just touched noses. He couldn’t believe it either! - But Sebastian wanted to look INSIDE their apt, not talk, because that’s where Serta lives. Serta is my manager’s cat. They are also friends. I could hear the outdoorsy neighbors say, from inside their apt next door, “Come in, it’s a cat theme park in here!” when my manager said, “Hello!”
I stood and talked to her while Sebastian went between doors. My manager kept saying about Sebastian, “We doesn’t he have a TV show?”
Sebastian looked at Serta, who watched from her perch. She also likes Sebastian, but knows that he will go on her toys if she gets up, so she stayed put.
Sebastian and I then said goodbye and trotted down the stairs where one last neighbor, a nice lady with red hair was coming home. “There’s my buddy!” she said, while Sebastian ran over to watch her get her mail.
Sebastian and I then went inside, after about an hour out and about. Sebastian has now retired himself to his favourite chair and I am about to throw up from watching this and this. Laughing so hard, that is.
I love my little kitten so much! So. Africa and I were talking about him and even though he is a giant brat, he is one of a kind and they broke the mold 65 million times after him. I love that he has friends all over the neighborhood—not featured in this story are also Maddie and Pia, his puppy friends. He likes running up and following those dogs on their walks. He’s quite well known, obviously in my apt complex. I’ve been invited to TWO parties because of him. Late on St. Patrick’s Day, there was a party at my neighbor’s. Sebastian kept peeking out the blinds and I could hear the people talking to him. Finally a knock came at the door. I opened it up and everyone out there wanted to know if I wanted to come to the party and Sebastian was invited as well. Another time, Gigi’s owner came over and asked So. Africa and I over for drinks—I met her because of Sebastian.
- Outside the apt complexes Sebastian has a few friends. People in the houses up the street like to come and pet him. People in the apt building next door. Sometimes I get cat-called from the street, “It’s a cat on a leash! WOOO!” And just this past week, someone came up to me at school and said, “Hey, I saw you walking your cat!”
So yes. Naughties, but I like him because he is special and I am glad he is my bratty, kitten who loves people and animals so much!
suddenly i was @ 01:12 am
(no feathers)
I am sitting around defiantly not doing my work. I think I finally have collected enough fun stories to compose an entry.
Sorry this place has been so stagnant. In addition to nothing really happening, low entry levels also happens around graduation times. JUST YOU WAIT for the influx of entries after graduation… in my post MFA jobless stupor.
ANYHOW.
Let’s tell some good time stories.
VALENTINES.
Now, I don’t believe in Valentines Day. It’s such a candy company Hallmark manufactured holiday. Not to mention the endless years of my life that day has made me feel completely useless and alone. So when this Valentines rolled around and I actually HAD a sweetheart, I was in a conundrum, kind of. Not really. He asked if we should do anything on Valentines, which would be difficult because we had class and I said, “meh. Let us not really. Valentines is lame” to which he replied: “yea verily.” Also, I am very, very poor these days, so I don’t have any money to spend.
Later, however, I started thinking. I know So. Africa has a history of bad Valentines—as it’s the anniversary of the day his best friend was killed in a car accident. I thought then, I would like to do something nice for him, just so he could have some happy Valentines memories as well.
One thing I knew with certainty, I wanted to give him something special and different. I had wanted to start a hollow book, so that seemed like a good gift.
I went out and bought a pretty book for cheap. It had a nice hard cover and gold leaf pages AND a ribbon bookmarker.
And then I started away at it.
PEE ESS Guys I will never make another hollow book. I can’t cut straight and repetitive precise tasks like cutting out 800 pages? INSANITY. One night I got so upset because I cut a bunch of pages crooked I just cried and cried.
I started to want to add some more things to the book. Like what surprise could I hide inside? I had an idea to take pictures of signs outside to spell a message. If you look at my last entry, those were some of the pictures! I took a day and snapped a bunch of pictures around Hollywood and Glendale. What I made for a card here, was just part of the message! While out I also bought some brocade to line the inside of my book box.
This is where things get cool. I remembered back to before I had decided on a gift, I was talking with Glinda about what would make a fun Vday present. I said it would be funny to tell your boyfriend something like, “here is a good snuggle movie to turn off the lights to and enjoy together” and just when they are thinking, “Christ, Bed of Roses” you could give them “Aliens” or something like that. Glinda said, “do it, do it!”
And maybe it was a the outside air, which I never breathe these days, but I drove down to Amoeba Records which is this HUGE warehouse place which sells used and new movies and music. I thought I would like to get So. Africa Alien or Aliens, because those are two of his favourite movies. And there—GET THIS: I ended up getting both—FOR NINETY-FIVE CENTS. That’s 95 cents for the two together, not 95 c. for each. I was SO PROUD.
At this point, I was really, really excited because in my wallet I discovered a gift credit card from Christmas, which I hadn’t used. It was one of those things, you could buy anything you wanted with it types of cards. And I knew what I wanted!
Flowers!
I know flowers are a typical Valentines gift, but I love flowers and by now I had a new plan forming.
I had actually looked into flowers earlier, but they were so expensive, there was no way I could purchase them. BUT with the advent of gift credit cards—I could and it would cost me nothing! So I ran back to the flower place and made an order for an arrangement centered around “blue” which is So. Africa’s favourite colour.
By now, I was SO excited. I had the flowers set to be ready by the 13th. I went home, printed all the sign pictures, printed them on FINE photopaper, had them cut and packaged. Lined my box. Wrapped the DVDs.
Then I started writing some notes.
I decided to do a treasure hunt! I was going to leave little gifts all over the place.
I called a friend who lives in So. Africa’s building and asked if he could let me in. He could.
So I went picked up the flowers and got let into his building. The flowers were beautiful by the way. All blue!
I went up by his door and put the floor right there on his threshold with a little note marked “<3” which said: “look under your car!” Then under his car in the parking lot I hid the movies with another little note marked <3 which read, “Look in your mail box at school!” Then I drove to school and hid his book in his mailbox with another note: “come find me in class!”
See, this was the crux of my whole plan. We had class Valentines. So when he went to leave for class on the 14th, he would open his door find the flowers, definitely get to his car AND school!
WOO.
The last gift was just a love type letter I wrote for him.
I was so excited at this time. I seriously didn’t think I would sleep.
I waited and waited and eventually a call came and I could tell he found his presents!
I love giving So. Africa gifts because he’s always so, so, so surprised anyone would give him anything it makes the gift giving really rewarding. It made me so happy—
He found the flowers and the movies and when he found the book he honestly thought I had just marked a poem, so he opened up and was surprised again when photo messages spilled out!
He said he couldn’t wait until class to see me, so in the afternoon he came over and this time it was MY TURN to be beyond surprised, because he brought me a dozen pink roses and a little tiny gift. I didn’t expect anything after I told him, “VALENTINES IS STUPID, let us do nothing.” When I opened it, it was a little tiny ipod shuffle! I was so surprised I cried!
It was a very sweet gift.
At that point it was time for our evening class, so we went. NO ONE was in class, ha. We didn’t want to stay for the whole class (which runs until 10:30 at night). We thought we could watch the film, then go (it’s this stupid international film class, don’t get me started on how boring and bs-iful it is) but then the teacher—OF ALL NIGHTS, complained about how people left in the middle of class and if you were going to get up and leave early, he’d rather you leave before the film began.
So. Africa and I looked at each other…
Ok.
And we left.
We went back to my house and I made dinner, which was fun and nice. I’m vegetarian, but vegetarian type foods upset his stomach, so I made this chicken cutlets. You roll them up with swiss cheese and tie them up, then cook in spices and white wine. I also made a salad and potatoes and peas. MMM. For dessert we had pomegranate icecream.
The COUP DE GRAS, however?
We had dessert in front of that Desmond episode of LOST. Basically PROOVING it was a great day, because that episode is the only decent one of this season!
Anyhow, it was a great day.
I spent so long typing this up, I think I will cap the entry here and pick up later with my other stories.
COMING SOON TO THIS JOURNAL NEAR YOU:
Shades’ Bday/Soviet Union Annoyance
Science Mentor
Pushing Story
Sebastian walks: doggies, nose snuzzing and his girlfriend Jane.
Those are the most important. Though I guess I can talk about 300 or my thesis and other suches if I want to as well.
suddenly i was @ 04:50 am
(no feathers)
I saw one dead skunk, which made me sad.
But then I saw another live skunk walking around, so that made me glad.
I also had a hawk fly right up past my face chasing some prey. You know how in a city, when a pigeon flies up in your face, narrowly escaping taking off your nose? That was what happened! I could see its pupil. This huge… red hawk maybe? No! Western Red-Tail. See here. I remember the big yellow eyes. Later, I drove down the hill and I saw the big bird perched up in a tree, ripping a tiny bird to shreds and all the down feathers, fluttering down in the air.
Also that day, in class (with the Dominatrix)—my idea for a new script (this one I call a watered down Brokeback for kids) went over well, but the praise came in an interesting manner.
DOM: Well, R. and Me, we just have you two left. R… I can’t seem to find your file, but that’s ok. I remember my comments. The story was really good, I really liked it. It was the one with the two brothers, but the one is sexually ambiguous…
ME: Wait, that’s mine!
DOM: Oh--!
Haha, she thought someone else’s story was mine.
After that, I ended up meeting So. Africa to see “Children of Men.” I was SO excited to see this film. I thought the trailer looked amazing. At the film though, we ran into three other AFI people! How’s that?
Has anyone else seen this movie?
It wasn’t as good as I would have liked, there were parts I considered down right clumsy. It was well-made and I loved the second half, but yeah. It would be a, say, three stars out of four for me. I was really surprised though, when we left the theatre and everyone else thought the movie was BRILLIANT.
I always feel stupid in those situations: when I am the only person who doesn’t think something is really, really good. I feel like I am missing out on something or I am not smart enough to grasp how DEEP something is.
Also, this is stupid—but I was TOTALLY annoyed by Michael Caine’s character. I didn’t understand why there were still hippies in 2027 and I really didn’t like that it was like watching John Lennon. When I mentioned to the group, I didn’t like the John Lennon figure he played everyone told me I was nuts. He wasn’t a John Lennon figure, it was just because I liked the Beatles that I thought such.
Argh! That comment annoyed me so much.
I came home and looked up screen caps and interviews with the director I feel the need to share here as well:
An interview by Alfonso Cuaron.
AC: Michael Caine -- ever since we were writing the script, we used to refer to Jasper as the "Michael Caine" character.
Cinematical: I didn't even recognize him until I saw his name in the credits.
AC: (laughs) His own wife didn't recognize him! One time he was dressed up in character, and his wife walked into the room
and asked for Michael, and he was right there next to her. And that's when he knew, this is how he wanted to play this
character. He wanted Jasper to be like an older John Lennon – he was friends with Lennon -- and he wanted the body language
and the nasal voice and the cadence of how he portrayed this character to reflect the way he said Lennon used to talk. And
then after we shot some scenes, I saw some old footage of Lennon and it was identical.
He actually mentions it in other interviews too: "That is so alien to what he is. It's just that he is such an amazing actor. We did
make-up tests and costume tests. We were in his place and he mentioned from the get go, he says 'I want to play this like John
Lennon' because he was friends with Lennon. And then he started to tell me how Lennon used to talk like very nasal. And if you
see the way he performed the whole thing, he speaks in a very nasal kind of way."
Lennon 1968.
And old photo of the Michael Caine character.
Yeah. I’m just a Beatles fan with a fetish. WHATEVER.
I think I ended up annoying So. Af. by sending all this via email, but whatever. I really like proving my point and he’s pretty, so I think we are ok. <3
Oh, speaking of So. Af., did I tell you guys about the salad party?
That’s a nice story.
Well—oh, I didn’t tell this either. So. Af. has a couple of friends at AFI, very nice people, though older than I am and married. When those guys found out he had a GF they invited both of us to a dinner party. I was really scared about the dinner party because, though I think the two AFI guys are nice, I didn’t think I would have independently become their friends. Also, since they are all a older and married… I didn’t feel like I had anything to really talk about…
Still So. Africa was SO excited about it, you can’t even imagine.
ME: Ok, I’ll go.
SOAF: I AM GOING TO WRITE THEM AN EMAIL NOW.
The dinner party ended up being really nice. The one couple, though nice, was a bit I don’t know—too something for my taste—the other two though, So. Af.’s best pal and his wife (let’s call the pal Tex), were awesome! Tex’s wife was so funny and open—I never would have thought she and Tex would be married, because Tex is so quiet and methodical in the way he talks and such.
Anyhow, after the dinner, they wanted to play board games (gah, I don’t like board games). One game was called, (“Does that say queef?” says Tex’s wife) Quelf and the other one… I can’t remember. But in the second game, you would ask a question. Then everyone would write down an answer, someone would collect up the answers and you would have to guess who wrote what.
One question asked, “On a scale of 1-10, how hip are you?”
The answers were like: 7, 5, 6, 11 and 11 baby!
So. Af. and I were 11 and 11 baby!
ME: I KNEW there was a reason I liked you!
Also in the game there was a thing called “reversal.” That meant if you landed on such a spot, only you would answer a question then everyone else had to try and guess what you wrote down. So, the key was to try and be REALLY general in your answer, so everyone could guess it—otherwise, you’d be stuck on that place forever.
So I land on one of these reversals and my question is, “What doctor would you least like to visit?”
So, I write, “The Lady Doctor,” because what girl LIKES to visit the gynecologist?
Everyone writes down their guesses and it goes like this:
Gyno.
Gyno.
Gyno.
Gyno.
The vet.
The last one was So. Af’s guess. This will never fail to make me laugh. It got even better when he had a huge reasoning behind it. As Raedances of LJ once said, “Anyone who answers ‘the vet’ to that question is ok in my book.”
ANYHOW. That was a long tangent. Tex and his wife threw a salad party about a week ago. Basically it was a tiny little dinner party, but everyone brought a salad. I made a green apple salad with spring greens, goat cheese, vinaigrette and candied pecans—and well, obviously, chunks of green apples.
I spent most of the evening with So. Af. and Tex, because we were the AFI peeps. Everyone else there were Tex’s wife’s co-workers or neighbors and I had no idea what to talk about with them.
It was very nice though. Tex and his wife live down on Venice beach, which is quite a drive. After the salad dinner, we walked down to the water. It was so cold outside! Below 40 degrees! Though I didn’t realize it was QUITE so cold at the time.
SOAF: It’s so cold.
ME: You’re weak.
SOAF: I’m from Africa!
ME: That’s no excuse.
SOAF: I know it’s an explanation.
ME: That’s no explanation.
SOAF: … I have nothing to say to that.
ME: I win!
We got down to the water and I took off my shoes and ran around in the sand. I even ran to the wet part, where the waves were rolling in. It was pitch black dark and it was such fun. I would run all over the place, then run back to So. Af.
Walking back to the walkway though, I realized how freezing it was. My feet started to hurt and then went numb. By the time I got to the sidewalk, it was like trying to flop a piece of dead meat back into my shoe. My feet felt so fat! My arches even felt like they fell. By the time we got home, my toes were bright red.
It was such a lovely time running around that beach at night though.
Sigh, I’ve been typing up forever, I think I shall be done.
You know, I actually started writing a post about when I flew home, I should find this.
P.S. I’m training my kitten to walk on a leash!
suddenly i was @ 12:54 am
(no feathers)
I pour a bowl of cereal and...
the milk had spoiled.
5 days before it should have.
WHAT MORE WILL TODAY HOLD?
suddenly i was @ 10:52 am
(no feathers)
I just got back from the dentist. I am slightly freakish in that I seriously enjoy my dental visits. I really wanted to ask about whitening my teeth, for even though there’s nothing really non-white about them, what if I wanted them REALLY white—but yesterday a whole ton of money was spent on my person, so I refrained.
Yesterday was really fun—I always feel completely superficial saying that.
I GOT LOTS OF THINGS YESTERDAY AND IT WAS FUN.
But it’s the truth, sometimes it is fun to get things.
Yesterday I went shopping for pants. For those who know me, it’s well known that about 1.5 years ago I suddenly discovered I was female. This led to the wardrobe makeover which is now referred to as, “OMG SKIRTS WEE!!1!”
I had no pants.
No. Pants.
It’s not a huge deal. I don’t like pants because they always tend to accentuate what skirts seem to mask. I have, I guess, an hour-glass figure. My hips are quite literally, slightly more than double the width of my waist. It is IMPOSSIBLE to find pants to get over my hips, which fit my waist. I don’t even know if tailoring would be an option, because if I make them fit my waist, I’ll never get them over my hips! Let’s not mention, either, I have some sort of stubby leg or something syndrome, because I always end up with Fred Murtz pants (aka pants up to your breasties) or knee-crotch (pant crotch at your knees). In addition, I just watched “The Devil Wears Prada” and stupid as it might be all I could think about was how Ann Hathaway and her size 6 was considered the fat girl and how I would sit there and ponder which would be better 8 or 10 for my hips. I realize, it was supposed to be a joke within the film, but still. Ann was a good role model and whittled her massive frame down to a 4 so all little girls could realize, even if you’re not really fat as a size 6, you’ll be SO MUCH PRETTIER if you can shrink a size or two down.
THANKS FOR THE NORMAL GIRL REPRESENT, ANN.
Diatribe.
Anyhow, I eventually found two pairs of pants. I really like them and they are a low cut, which I have never experienced. The STILL have that gap at the back and I’m constantly pulling at it. Seriously, is there anything to fix this problem?
My mom and dad also got me my first belt. It’s this awesome brown leather one with silver studs.
Coupled with my awesome pants, I found a nice WWIIish dress and two pairs of shoes! Ballet slippers, brown and red. I can finally pretend to be Dorothy Gale once again!
I can’t believe I got to replace or finally purchase every item of clothing I have desperately needed or wanted for the past year. I can’t TELL you how pretty cool it is to own pants again, even if there is a gap at the back still.
Christmas was much fun this year. I think I had the most fun giving my dad his gift: a new iPod shuffle which we had engraved to read: WE LOVE YOU, DAD! He really, really liked it! He spends all the time on the computer now downloading from iTunes and making sure the iPod is charged. He was super, super excited about the engraving.
After the gift openage, we went over to the home of friends of the family’s for a Christmas lunch deal. That was a kick in the head. It’s all my dad’s coworkers, but they all have babies now and I LOVE those kids. I know I’ve written about them before—one is a little girl, 5. Her dad is this big DUDE, her mom is a tomboy and she has a little brother and SHE is the biggest GIRLY GIRL alive. Her parents claim they have no idea where she came from.
For the luncheon, they were trying to get her dressed and out the door. They told her she could wear her sweats because everyone was going just to be comfortable and she told them, “I DON’T WANT TO BE COMFORTABLE, I WANT TO LOOK CUTE.”
5, guys.
At the party, she was showing all of us her new Fisher-Price camera which she kept in a case with her lip gloss. My mom found an old bottle of perfume and gave it to her. She was so excited she lifted it to her mom and said, LOOK MOM, PERFUME. FOR ME!
She cracks me up. She always runs and gives me a giant hug.
Her other friend is a little boy who turned 6 on Christmas Eve. This was kind of his bday party. The little girl’s baby brother (not quite a year old yet) loved this older boy. The old one would take a ball bounce it on his own head, then wiggle around and pretend to fall. The baby thought this was so hilarious he would laugh and laugh and laugh until he was so red in the face I thought his cheeks would burst. Eventually the baby was laughing so hard, he couldn’t even stay standing.
My sister brought her boyfriend. I don’t know how he tolerates these things. He’s survived more of my family’s outings—
Oh. That reminds me. I never talked about a few things last entry.
Thanksgiving
(More importantly) THE DINNER PARTY.
Memo to self there.
After the friends’ house, we went over to my aunt’s where we capped the evening. It was really fun.
I think the best, best part of the day for me was right before going to lunch. My phone rang, which never happens and I ran to grab it. It had some huge long number which I couldn’t figure out—
ME: San Francisco?
I picked it up.
SOAF: Hi! Happy Christmas.
My knees just gave out on the stairs! I was so surprised. I couldn’t believe So. Africa would call from, well. South Africa! I’ve never talked to someone from so far away before on the phone. It was really nice and seriously had to have cost 65 million dollars. It was very fun and I told him all about every stupid thing I had done and American’s Next Top Model and he laughed and laughed which made me happy.
So it was a very good holiday I should say, INDEEDLES.
suddenly i was @ 11:57 am
(no feathers)