So as many of you know, I live out in the country, 30 miles away from Sushi and reside in a relatively crime free and safe town. Lately I have been walking my dog between 7,000 and 10,000 steps everyday in the morning and we walk up to our local park (which by the way is 4,000 steps from my home one way) This park has it all. A pool, a ball diamond, a kick ass’d jungle gym thing with bridges and ship’s wheels. Everything.
And then there is a public bathroom off the parking lot of this park. They also have one IN the park, but they don’t allow dogs in the park. So I of course respect the rules and dont go in the park proper, we just walk the outskirts of it, peering in. I feel bad for Lu because she is always looking in the park, and looks like she wants to go in there, or maybe that is my personification , and she is just as happy smelling unidentifiable odors she finds on the sidewalk in front of her.
I digress. Getting back to the public bathrooms, there used to be an outside water fountain for all to enjoy off the wall of the bathrooms. Also included was a faucet for people to fill up bowls for their pets (Im assuming) or wash their feet after their long journey across the desert, or fish they caught in the river. I dont know, but it was nice it was there. Now it is gone.
What?
Why?
Why did they do that? And the bathrooms are now locked no matter what time I walk up there. Its summer (still if only for a little while longer) so why aren’t the bathrooms open for the public? I just don’t understand. OK, MAYBE there was, or they ARE anticipating vandalism, but I know lots of public parks in our state and cities that leave their bathrooms open. All year round in fact. No preemptive bathroom or water fountain strikes. What gives? We have a nice community. I cant imagine too many horrible things taking place there. Perhaps I’m just naive.
It makes me grouchy. Sometimes I have to “go” and always hope that my sweating and walking will stave off the urge to pee. Usually it does, but still, it would be nice to have some insurance. Plus I have started bringing water with me, for Lu because (a) she is black and gets extra hot in the sunshine (b) she can’t sweat. God played a cruel joke on man’s best friend. Sorry Lu Lu. Sweating isn’t all its cracked up to be either.
It’s just crummy. Open the damn bathrooms please if you can’t at least hook up the bubbler. What exactly DO my high taxes pay for around here???
August 25, 2008 | Comments (2) | Views (9)
I think it’s time for a fun musical video break.
These things make me smile. And want to dance and sing.
So I thought I would share them with all of you.
The two at the bottom are of “Roy Head” and that guy has legs of rubber it seems. Tell me you are not mesmerised.
August 22, 2008 | Comments (4) | Views (13)
This started out being about the incredible goodness that is “Fuzzy Felt” but it’s gonna end up being about a vintage fuzzy German hat I want to bid on from ebay.
August 21, 2008 | Comments (2) | Views (17)
I just discovered that there exists audio of Anne Sexton reading her poetry. Boy howdy how I love the internet. I requested to be their myspace friend.
I hope they let me in.
I hope I’m cool enough.
This will have to be a CD I purchase in the very near future. Her work is raw, shocking, depressing, with odd bits of hope and beauty softly scattered throughout in the strangest places.
I find not only her work, but her life terribly intriguing and inspiring as well, despite losing her battle raging against the voices inside her head and killed herself at the age of 45.
A friend of mine pointed me in her direction a good decade ago when he read some of the lyrics I was writing in tandem with the paintings I was doing and relating some of the experiences (especially the self doubting ones, the manic ones, and afterwards, the depressing downward spiral ones) I was going through. An obstacle I now recognize and work with. I thank him as it could not have come at a better time for me and gave me a shot in the arm. And most recently I am revisiting her legend and desire to create a boatload of work, despite her obvious mental challenges. She did it anyway.
Basically, she was an ordinary housewife who was encouraged to write poetry to help her manic depression. She was so nervous to do so, that she asked a friend to accompany her to her first workshop.
And then look what happened.
Seems like a good prescription. I think I will continue trying it.
August 19, 2008 | Comments (5) | Views (13)
Well, this weekend, I had the extreme pleasure of going to Chicago to visit my dear friends and I had an absolute blast! They of course were fabulous hosts and showed my all over the place. I am extending my deepest gratitude to both of them for an inspirational weekend.
We went to see a play that was just INCREDIBLE entitled METALUNA AND THE AMAZING SCIENCE OF THE MIND REVUE. They told me it would blow my mind and they were right. I was mesmerized. And I laughed my ass off. Which is always a good day in my book.
We also went to Chicago Comics I acquired some visual and tangible inspirations.
As a sidebar, on the comic topic, I am currently more of a graphic novel person than a comic gal, but my friend Mace really gave me the lowdown into the comic book revolution of modern day and I am becoming quite interested. Right now my favorite graphic novel is Chris Ware’s, “Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth”. It is depressing and quiet. My favorite flavors.
August 17, 2008 | Comments (8) | Views (14)
