Nov 30, 2002 7:22:02 PM

It's amazingly foggy right now. I just drove to the Broadway Market to try to buy tickets for the Drunken Puppet Revels at the Re-Bar but they didn't have them. It looked so cool outside that I just wanted to walk around and watch the smoke swirl.

I spent rather a lot of today fretting over Tablet. The new theater editor is a real micromanager and is completely uninterested in the ideas I pitch to him. When I called to ask why my most recent idea (a Christmas show) didn't fit in "with what I'm doing," that being a revue of Christmas Show reviews, he got very defensive, then I said I was giving him way more troubles than all of the other writers were. We continued to have rather an antagonistic dialogue before he basically cut me off (and ran for cover). For Chrissakes, if you're going to be an editor you have to expect people to give you some pushback, especially if you run your program like a private fiefdom designed to maximize your opportunities to print your own stuff and promote only the groups you're interested in.

Otherwise we took a long walk in West Seattle with the dogs this afternoon and did little else, and now we're getting ready to eat dinner and then watch "You Only Live Twice." I have a tension back ache, and I wish I had tickets to Beck tonight. Only - they cost too much when they came out and I still wouldn't want to spend $70 to be there tonight.
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 30, 2002 7:22:02 PM [Link]

Nov 29, 2002 3:33:36 PM

This quote in the Seattle P-I's photo book review really resonated with me. It's from a book about Gary Winogrand.

"I look at the pictures I have done up to now," he wrote in 1963, "and they make me feel that who we are and what we feel and what is to become of us just doesn't matter. Our aspirations and successes have been cheap and petty. I read the newspapers, the columnists, some books, I look at some magazines. They all deal with illusions and fantasies. I can only conclude that we have lost ourselves, and that the bomb may finish the job permanently, and it just doesn't matter, we have not loved life."

That is the exact opposite of how I want to have lived my life. I am trying to stop and smell the flowers every day. My ideal is expressed in today's Mutts pretty well.

PS: If you came here doing a Google search for G.W., my apologies for not having more about him here. These are just my personal reflections on this day in my life. But consider this the impetus for YOU to write something on G.W. and put it online. A lot of people are looking for information about him!
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 29, 2002 3:33:36 PM [Link]

Nov 29, 2002 3:14:58 PM

Ooh, look, the New York Times did an article about blogging.
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 29, 2002 3:14:58 PM [Link]

Nov 29, 2002 3:10:02 PM

Slack slackety slack slackers. The only thing I can think to do this weekend is play more Carcasonne with Nina (I'm a "Carc-head") and probably wash dishes, no doubt strip the bird. But what we did was sleep until after ten, then skip the traditional pumpkin pie-and-ice cream breakfast in favor of waiting in line at Glo's. Lo, only 30 minutes after our arrival we were seated, and a mere 40 minutes after sitting down our food arrived, we received our meals, which were devoured in about 5 minutes.

Given the nice weather, we felt like a stroll up to Bailey Coy books was in order ... preceded, of course, by a trip to Twice Sold Tales. Then we dropped in the Coffee Messiah, where they were celebrating "Buy Nothing" day, and I traded a chocolate pecan tartlette for a large Morning Glory chai. Yum. We chatted with Nathan on the way out, and lo, it was after 2:30 and we were engaging in Do Nothing Day 2002. We were going to go to Elliot Bay and continue the search for Bungalow Bathrooms (a book that I thought might enlighten us as people who are not considering constructing a bathroom the size of our kitchen), but it can wait until Sunday. In the meantime, it looks like it will be Die Another Day and Carc-ing for the evening. A day well wasted, I think.
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 29, 2002 3:10:02 PM [Link]

Nov 28, 2002 11:59:05 PM

Ooh, the Seattle Times did an article on our turkeys. Only 1000 were sold over the nation! I feel lucky.
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 28, 2002 11:59:05 PM [Link]

Nov 28, 2002 11:15:37 AM

11:16 T-DAY

Turkey: OVEN ENTRY SCHEDULED FOR 14:30
Stuffing: TURKEY ENTRY SCHEDULED FOR 14:00
Dining Table: STILL IN BASEMENT
Living Room: FILTHY
Serving Dishes: NOT EVEN A CONSIDERATION
Pots and Pans: FILTHY, SINK IS FULL
Cook: FILTHY, SHOWER SCHEDULED FOR 12:00
Sweet Potatoes: NO FURTHER PROGRESS MADE
Father: RECEIVED PHONE CALL FROM HIM AT 10:15
Webcowgirl: MADNESS at 20% and RISING (still half-awake)

(all further entries at "link"/"more")

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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 28, 2002 11:15:37 AM [Link]

Nov 27, 2002 11:22:13 AM

11:25 T-Day -1

Bread crumbs: TOASTED
Chocolate pecan pie: COOKED (!)
Giblets and neck: BOILING AWAY MERRILY
Parterre: MOSTLY COVERED WITH DIRT
Webcowgirl: MADNESS at 35% and RISING

(all further entries at "link"/"more")

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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 27, 2002 11:22:13 AM [Link]

Nov 27, 2002 9:37:41 AM

I got up really early (for me) today -- just after nine o'clock. I guess I've got a lot to do: make stuffing, bake pie, clean up the living room, keep up on dishes. And it's sunny. I'm still planning on going to Pilates at noon, though, and then hitting the meeting some of the neighborhood folks are having with Seattle U about the bookstore development. And we're mah jonging at 9 as usual.
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 27, 2002 9:37:41 AM [Link]

Nov 26, 2002 11:22:59 PM

So after an incredibly stressful lunch at 711 Pine with the recruiter who got me in the ATT job, I came home to find a message from her on the answering machine saying that it turns out ATT is not requiring drug tests for every candidate ... only if the manager requires it. I had told her that I wouldn't take the job over lunch. Now, though no doubt I will regret it anyway, it looks like I am stuck with my "yes" from earlier. So I will be starting work again December 9th, but without the final humiliation. Guess I'd better get an oil change.
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 26, 2002 11:22:59 PM [Link]

Nov 26, 2002 11:02:11 AM

I just found out that in addition to a "background check," ATT wants me to do a piss test. How insulting. It's like saying, "Now that you've chosen to do work that will make your life miserable, we'd like you to wear a little dunce cap every day." What I wouldn't give for something, anything, so that I could turn this job down.

After thinking about this for another ten minutes, I am so mad that I am about spitting tacks. Please read my personal fortune cookie fortune at the top of the page. Do you think I should take this job or not? Add a coment and tell me what you think.
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 26, 2002 11:02:11 AM [Link]

Nov 25, 2002 7:56:07 PM

Okay, I've got the Slow Food turkey and a substantial amount of the grocery shopping taken care of. I still need to get pecans and such at Trader Joes. Tonight, my plan is to start on the stuffing (drying the bread) and to (wow!) thaw the ham. Oh, and I'm supposed to finish cleaning the fridge. And take a bath. Will the dogs ever get walked? I had a nightmare last night that someone had killed Shadow by tricking him into walking off of the edge of a building. I was glad to see him sitting in his bed when I woke up.

The pilates class today was a lot of fun, although it pointed out what bad shape I am in. I really enjoyed myself and I would have gone back for a second class today if reality didn't call. But I can do the springs class tomorrow at six. I think exercise was doing a lot to keep me chipper this spring. That, plus the weather kept getting better, and we were way over the pit of the shortest days.

(Garden info available at MORE.)


[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 25, 2002 7:56:07 PM [Link]

Nov 25, 2002 11:40:13 AM

Oh, this is so familiar. It's a few days before Thanksgiving and I am ripping through all of my recipe books, looking for a good wild rice stuffing. What in the world did I use last year? I wish I kept track. Fortunately, the sweet potatoes with honey and rice, 1789 "Heartstopper" stuffing, and pecan chocolate pie recipes have surfaced, so I'm making progress.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 25, 2002 11:40:13 AM [Link]

Nov 24, 2002 11:52:52 PM

OK, for tomorrow I need to pick up the turkey and do my Thanksgiving grocery shopping. I'm going to try to hit a free Pilates class at noon. I bet I'm going to feel very busy.

The card party was a lot of fun. I learned how to play Spades and 500, and I taught two people how ot play punto. We're going to have a game night at our house on the 21st. It's the earliest night of the year, why not stay in and play games (= rot your brain)?
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 24, 2002 11:52:52 PM [Link]

Nov 24, 2002 4:06:11 PM

It's been a fantastically beautiful day outside. Right now (as the sun prepares to set) a rose-gold light is filling the living room. I'm going to get back into it as soon as I finish this entry and finish planting as many of my bulbs as I can.

We had dim sum (one of two goals for the day, the other being cards at 7 PM) at Top Gun today with Chris, Maurie, Rachel, Jennifer (her friend, who had just got her hair cut), Rebecca (of SuperTrump), and Molly and her husband. I got panicky at 1:50 when no one else had shown up yet for a 1:30 lunch (we were instantly seated, how often does that happen?). But the Seahawks game had made parking in the ID an incredible nightmare. The thing to do was to park under the bridge in the special ID parking lot, and tell them you were going to a ID restaurant. Only $2, and a really good deal after you had been driving around for 20 minutes looking for a place to park.

Chris has posted pictures of his house-to-be online, if you're interested in seeing what it will look like.

The sun is hanging somewhere over the projects on Yesler right now ... I'd better get out there!
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 24, 2002 4:06:11 PM [Link]

Nov 24, 2002 1:21:16 AM

Ew mah, we just played four games in a row of Carcassone. We tied once. We ended with a whomping. It was great! And it looks like my neighbor on the corner is selling someone some drugs. Nice! You see the craziest things at this time of the morning.

The play was great. The playwright not only has an incredible grasp of the natural use of language, he also was able to hit a lot of very human areas without making the mistake of turning them into the topic of the play. For example, one character was gay, the other straight (both characters are male, and the playwright is gay). But was that the focus of the play? No, it was just part of the characters, and it was really no big deal. What a nice change from plays that either are all about being gay (a million aids era plays) or are about the conflict between the gay and straight world(Laramie Project comes to mind here).
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 24, 2002 1:21:16 AM [Link]

Nov 23, 2002 6:40:09 PM

Last night was so perfect, except for the part where I didn't get to eat out at the restaurant I was very much hoping to go to (oh, Shalimar!). The Nacho Duato dance company made all of the Seattle choreographers I've ever seen look like a bunch of losers. If I worked at PNB, I'd run away to Spain after seeing these folks. The choreography was so original it made me embarassed for American modern dance choreographers (except for Merce Cunningham, he's a god), and the integration of the spirit of the music (as well as the music of the music) with the dance blew me away. Afterwards, we went to 611 Supreme and hashed over the show while eating crepes and ice cream. This makes me love my life.

I got my hair done today, and to my extreme horror it seems my hairstylist has become a member of one of those direct marketing cults. This one does "vitamin supplements." She looked for entree after entree to either sell her products to me or to get me to sell her products for her. This was not a good thing when you consider that I had to be there for over two hours. Thank god her kid was acting up and she had to keep running off to take care of him.

Tonight we're off to see a little play W.O. lit. I'm wanting to play Carcasonne instead. I'm obsessed!
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 23, 2002 6:40:09 PM [Link]

Nov 23, 2002 12:18:48 AM

Today's highlights are supposed to be lunch with Theo at Koraku and the Compañia Nacional de Danza at Meany Hall tonight (which I am SO excited about ... I wish I could go twice!). Other things to do are: dishes, gardening, essay writing. I actually met a "real writer" last night while we were in line at the Showbox, and he was kind of an inspiration as far as making a career of writing goes.

Showgirls was an amusing night, helped by running into Missy K. Bennett and her Krewe. As for the flick, I'm glad that Dave cut out the gang rape scene. Although he called it the worst movie of all time, in fact I'm sure I've seen worse. This just had a very big budget. And so very much nudity! And so very much not sexy sex! Geez, to think of all of the professional dancer girls who submitted to performing topless for this movie ...
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 23, 2002 12:18:48 AM [Link]

Nov 21, 2002 4:27:41 PM

It's 4:21 and I'm writing in near darkness. The mist creeped out of the sound today and never fully pulled back. The city was still completely shrouded at noon. I can see West Seattle now, but it's a very deep grey out there.

I had lunch with Rachel and Jen and Sandrine today at the Indian food place in Fremont. Afterwards we walked around and stopped in a couple of stores. Fremont is such a yuppie crap mart. I can't believe they actually have a store selling $200 dresses and $300 handbags. What a joke! However, it hasn't changed all that much in my mind since 1992 ... if you ignore all of the construction near the canal (that hasn't added to the amount of yuppie crap, just the yuppies). I left and hit Freddie's to get the flowers I needed to finish the garden. After I got home, Gus and I talked about the meeting last night and how folks went into NIMBY overdrive. Gus was worried that us non-NIMBYites would get frustrated and leave because of the parochialism. Now I'm drifting off into nappy land. I guess I'll plant tomorrow.

Tonight we're looking to go see Showgirls at the Showbox and then hopefully do karaoke at Mandarin gate. I'm also kind of waiting for final word on the ATT job. I don't feel too inspired to write today otherwise.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 21, 2002 4:27:41 PM [Link]

Nov 21, 2002 12:20:47 PM

Of course they offered me the job in Bothell. Won't some other company please save me?
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 21, 2002 12:20:47 PM [Link]

Nov 20, 2002 4:07:54 PM

Wow, I have done so much today. Or at least I feel like I have, especially since it's 4 PM and I'm planning on doing dishes as soon as I log off. I took the dogs for a walk around 11, then had some food (I was thinking about taking advantage of the "25 for $25" and going out to 727 Pine, but then, I didn't have a good book to read so why bother), then worked on the garden. Now it seems I've run out of bulbs to plant ... all I have left is some Camas and some hydrangeas (CORRECTION - hyacinths - ed.), and I'm seriously thinking about getting some more daffodils for the planting strip. Yep, I'm all done, and now I'm ready to buy more flowers!
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 20, 2002 4:07:54 PM [Link]

Nov 20, 2002 9:54:13 AM

It's fabulous out today and I feel motivated to do a million things today ... walk to the museum, finish my garden, et cetera. I'm sure glad the sun is shining because I am in sore need of a mood elevator and this is doing it!

Also, the Pilates center near my house is giving away free Pilates and Yoga classes for the week of Thanksgiving. I could imagine myself going almost every day ...
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 20, 2002 9:54:13 AM [Link]

Nov 19, 2002 2:13:26 PM

I managed to get an hour out in the garden right around noon when I realized that the fact that there was no raindrops on the front window meant that I should get my act in gear. So I haven't made it anywhere yet, although I still want to do stuff like get cat food and stop by the grocery store. I'm waiting to hear back about the icky Bothell job - they were supposed to make up their minds by today. And I just discovered the Experimental College class I wanted to take in December is full. Thank goodness I didn't finish off that book I was reading last night.

I'm thinking that tonight would be a nice night for a roasted duck. We could go see a movie, too ... Men In Black II is at the Crest. Doesn't that have mindless fun (or just mindless) written all over it? Maybe we should check out the Kurosawa movie at the Varsity instead.
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 19, 2002 2:13:26 PM [Link]

Nov 19, 2002 11:33:06 AM

Yep, I think going to an art museum today would be a really good thing. Especially since Repro Depo in Burien is now online only, as of YESTERDAY! The friggin' nerve! I really wanted to get some of this Roundup fabric to do curtains in, but I wanted to get it in Ivory, which they say is sold out. MAN! And it's definitely getting darker outside as I type.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 19, 2002 11:33:06 AM [Link]

Nov 19, 2002 12:25:53 AM



Crap, here it is Monday and I have nothing to do! And the sad thing is that the day will be over and I'll go, look, I did nothing! I mean, I've been up for two hours and what have I done? Nothing! Well, I made some pancakes and bacon, read the paper, and made a great GIF showing progress on my garden (more attractive than actually working on the garden given the weather outside ... misting and breezy). My options for accomplishments for the day include: dishes, mopping, folding laundry, studying Japanese, gardening, and painting. I could also go for some more transient goals like walking the dog and taking a shower. Hot DAMN my life is so exciting! I sent a letter off to a recruiter at WaMu I was working with MONTHS ago (we're talking back in the spring now), which means I'm close to exhausting my options there. Just wait, I'll get a job (some day!) and I'll find I won't have time for all the stuff I could be doing now ...


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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 19, 2002 12:25:53 AM [Link]

Nov 18, 2002 11:41:05 PM

(Written around midnight) I was right, I didn't get much of anything done today, and I've felt mopey all night long. I managed to call Judy Nicastro's office and bug her about the whale park in the afternoon; otherwise I popped around between blogs and email and got into a book I bought in Fairhaven Saturday. Finally at 4:30 I thought perhaps I should do a tiny bit of gardening, and so I got some leftover tulips, the Shakespeare tulips, and the bag of species tulips and mini daffodils planted near the lilacs. It was crappy all day, not blowing too much but overcast and misting at the least. The one day brightener is that Spire is back at the Comet. I suspect I'll be heading back there a few times a week again.

I decided to bag off my Japanese class (I just couldn't get motivated to go or to study for it), and when Worthy Opponent came home he suggested we go out for slices and happy hour to get me out of the house. I saw the wisdom of his proposal. We stopped by Cort's with his birthday present, hit the bank, then went to Hot Mama's (still the best pizza in Seattle after all these years). The theater editor from Tablet was there and I asked him what happened to my story. He was kind of evasive. I got the feeling I was dropped because Karla was angry that I'd chosen to do the opera story after she had declared it not something Tablet readers would be interested in. (This is getting long so I'll move on to the "more" section.)
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 18, 2002 11:41:05 PM [Link]

Nov 18, 2002 1:34:39 PM

I finally found the article about the heritage breed turkeys that I read on the New York Times last year. Man, I'm getting hungry all over again! Oh, yeah, and the Monteverdi opera got favorable reviews in both the Times and the PI. Good news indeed!
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 18, 2002 1:34:39 PM [Link]

Nov 18, 2002 1:05:30 AM

Had about 9 people show up: Nina, Dug, Rebecca (BecBec), Rachel, Jennifer (R's friend), Matt, Corinna (the blond), and us. W.O. taught Euchre (at around 6) while I cut apples and cheddar, then showed Nina how to play pinochle. When we got a few more people (around 7) we broke off into a Elimination Hearts table and a Euchre table. It was nice and lively. BecBec brought an awesome gouda and potato quiche, and I got some ice cream from Rachel. I think we all had enough to eat! Of course there's lots of dishes to wash now.

Question (from Rachel): What do you have planned for the week?
Me: On Wednesday, I have an EMG meeting. Afterwards I'm playing Mah Jong, then going to Karaoke. I might be getting my hair done.

Technically I'm waiting to hear back from ATT, too. But I really want some other job to open up and save me ...

Oh yeah, and I'm planning on finishing the planting this week.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 18, 2002 1:05:30 AM [Link]

Nov 18, 2002 12:48:58 AM

There was a post here, but the poodles ate it. I think this bit's the summary field.

I'm gonna have to guess at the seriously weird file format this thing uses, but my guess it that this'll fill in the body field.

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 18, 2002 12:48:58 AM [Link]

Nov 16, 2002 8:29:36 PM

Worthy Opponent's dad came over today and we drove up to Bellingham to do the Chuckanut drive. It wasn't nearly as fun as going with my brother, though. Jim had no interest in stopping by the gouda farm or nearly anything else other than seeing Fairhaven. We did get lunch at the Burlington Cafe, which was excellent as I had hoped. Now I get to spend the night by myself, since The Boy is working a show.

Our first stop for the day was before Jim even showed up. W.O. and I drove to West Seattle to pick up ... our new sofa! It's a beauty, huh? She was a heavy mo fo though. The great thing is that I got a free chair in the bargain. It has crossed rifles on its side. They're both in the basement now. All I have to do is make new curtains, do some seat covers, and re-upholster the rocking couch, and voila! Cowboy hideaway.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 16, 2002 8:29:36 PM [Link]

Nov 15, 2002 4:46:30 PM

I just came home from stickering the seats at Town Hall, and I got quite a shock when I walked in the door. The house looks ... clean. And it doesn't smell bad. Thank goodness there's a sinkfull of dishes to help me feel like I'm actually in the right house.

The opera tonight is getting a lot of coverage. There's an article in the Times as well as an article in the P.I. It's no consolation for having Tablet can my article, though. Well, it's supposed to be online, but since they aren't going to get in online until after it's over, what's the point?

OK, I'm going to take the dogs to the park and then get my pretty opera clothes on.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 15, 2002 4:46:30 PM [Link]

Nov 15, 2002 11:40:19 AM

I did go out last night, but I came home before 11. If you want to read about it, it's on the other blog. It was nice to see The Boy at home when I came back. Indeed, it was a motivation to leave early. I hope he finally got enough sleep last night.

I'm so not excited about his dad coming here today. I want to yell at him for being an asshole instead of trying to keep a semi-pleasant smile plastered on my face. I feel like by not calling his shit for what he did to The Boy for his birthday that I'm falling into his dad's trap of Getting Away With Being An Asshole by Making You Feel Bad About Calling His Shit in Public. Conceptually I'm trying to Be Good Company instead of Being A Bitch but I think that whole thing is what made Worthy Opponent's mom so bitter. When you play by the rules around someone who uses your good nature in order to facilitate their selfish behavior, you either have to slowly transform yourself into someone who is no longer a nice person or someone who hates themself for being a nice person and getting treated like a doormat. Plus I need to spend probably about an hour cleaning today to "welcome" this weasel to my house ... on top of the money already spent on a real housecleaner and the money spent getting the dogs cleaned.

Whatever. I am going to Town Hall at 3 to put seat stickers on the back of pews. Dinner is at 6, the opera is at 8. Then the night will be over. Tomorrow (after the Horror with the In-Laws) I get to go to a game night at Cort's, and we're supposed to have a game night of our own Sunday. So I should be looking forward to a nice weekend, but strangely enough I'm developing a knot between my shoulder blades. Maybe it's from fretting over the possibility of getting a job with an hour commute.

[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 15, 2002 11:40:19 AM [Link]

Nov 14, 2002 8:44:07 PM

Hmm .. I thought nothing would happen today, but in fact Adam read my blog and invited me to lunch. I was in the middle of making Potato Chowder (anticipating the arrival of Worthy Opponent, who wanted me to drive him to First Hill for rehearsal) and said no, but when Dug called to invite me for coffee, I said yes, figuring I could surely make a 2 PM since W.O. had to be at Town Hall at that time. But no. I was half an hour late for my meeting with Dug. I felt bad seeing him there doing his checkbook ... how bored could he have been? I did get half an hour in the garden while I was waiting, though. And I ate.

I've decided against a movie tonight and am heading out to the Mandarin Gate to Karaoke with Celine now. I've actually been fighting falling asleep for hours. Damn those early sunsets! I hope the many activities of the weekend make up for what a drag this week has been.

I looked up how long it would take to get to the job I interviewed for on Monday on the bus. An hour and ten minutes! Damn! I'll never go to the gym again ...
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 14, 2002 8:44:07 PM [Link]

Nov 14, 2002 10:11:21 AM

I have absolutely zilch planned for today. No lunch with anyone, no night time plans. I guess some people would call it a day of absolute freedom but I think humans like structure better than its opposite. Maybe I'll go see Sanjuro tonight at the Varsity if someone will go with me. Or I'll go by myself.

The community meeting last night wasn't completely boring, but I'm glad I was late. I guess we need to do some serious thinking about where we want to put some parks in our neighborhood. Afterwards I came home and tried to make my whale park web page work again (the image for plan D wasn't showing up ... Worthy Opponent figured it out last night, apparently FTP wasn't converting it to the correct format when it sent it off to the server) and then dashed out the door to go to MahJong, grabbing a slice of pizza on the way. I played with Rebecca (the silver haired lady) and Matt for an hour or so, then W.O. showed up fresh from rehearsal and we got in one round of four people. I called Mah Jong first every time but didn't win ... Matt got more points. We wrapped at about 11 and then The Boy and I stopped by the Sea Wolf for a drink and a song. Erin and her girlfriend were doing "Riding on the Metro" when we showed up ... they were so cute! I guess Lorenzo is through giving me free drinks ... we had to pay last night! But at least he still likes me.
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 14, 2002 10:11:21 AM [Link]

Nov 13, 2002 10:40:54 AM

Joy is working on cleaning the house right now, yay! Meanwhile, I'm busy waking up. It's a full time job. I was up at around, well, let's just say that the alarm went off at 9 and I felt like I hadn't got nearly enough sleep. But that was when I got out of bed. I'm still in my sweats now (and why not, it's cold!), but I'm going to be putting on my contact lenses in just a minute and, I think, working in the yard again since it's dried up and sort of sunny.

Updated!
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 13, 2002 10:40:54 AM [Link]

Nov 13, 2002 12:43:16 AM

Whew! What a powerhouse I just was! After waking up to a WALL of grey, rain on the front window, and a strong breeze, I noticed at 11 that suddenly there was a patch of blue sky overhead and the rain seemed to have stopped. So I ran outside with my shovel and The World's Best Dog® and got through yet another section of the parterre, from plant pulling to digging to layer of newspaper and final few scoops of dirt to hold it all down. I even got all of the strawberries pulled up (and replanted) in the last square! All of that only took an hour and a half, and now I find myself thinking longingly of some fresh-baked oatmeal cookies. MMmmmm. And there's some butter just waiting to be used ... I'll do that as soon as I eat my Thai food leftovers (sorry, W.O., they were too good to pass up ...).
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 13, 2002 12:43:16 AM [Link]

Nov 12, 2002 10:14:17 PM

Wow, what a storm we've had tonight! Well, what a storm by Seattle standards. Lightning struck at least three times, and it hailed! And here the dogs are looking at me wondering why we haven't gone for a walk.
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 12, 2002 10:14:17 PM [Link]

Nov 12, 2002 12:05:26 AM

Well, of all things, in addition to having the ATT interview this afternoon I got a call from Onyx about a job I applied to two weeks ago. What a surprise! He had about forty questions for me, but I think we only got to 15 or so of them. Here were some notable comments he made when I asked him whether or not I seemed to be qualified for the job.

"You seem to have worked with bad leadership in the past. Can you move beyond that?"

"It came out during the questions that you have a strong personality, so I'll flag that for the team you'll be working with to see if you would fit in with them."

I'll update later on the ATT job. For now I'm going to try to get a few quick minutes in the yard since it's not raining.

Updated!
[more]

Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 12, 2002 12:05:26 AM [Link]

Nov 10, 2002 1:28:15 PM

Spent part of the morning at the house my brother put a bid on yesterday. Well, actually, he accepted the counter offer, so it's way more than a bid. The house was right around the corner from the Scarlet Tree and a bunch of other stuff on 65th and Roosevelt. He would have a lot more fun walks around the neighborhood than I get. Unfortunately this all took place too early in the morning for me and when I got back home I had to go back to bed for a while. I mean, jeez, I introduced myself to the real estate agent as "Chris' brother." I KNOW I didn't get enough sleep.

My day is going to be totally absorbed by preparations for the concert tonight. 3 PM, putting stickers on pews. 5 PM, fundraising meeting. 8 PM, show, I get to watch the CD table during intermission. I am hoping I can get a few more bulbs planted before I head out for the first errand.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 10, 2002 1:28:15 PM [Link]

Nov 9, 2002 3:04:03 PM

It was sunny this morning, so after a good snoozing in (hello, we got THREE phone calls this morning ... more than I often get in a week!), I made sausage biscuits and gravy, and we went out in the yard for a while (actually until just now, I think we were out there for about two hours). The Boy pulled ivy and cut laurels, I got another quadrant of the parterre done (and pulled the rest of the dahlias ... sad but they're going mushy anyway). My brother and his girlfriend are coming over for dinner and cards tonight, yay! So no wondering about going back to the ballet or seeing The Boy's new show, we get to stay home and have guaranteed fun.

Tomorrow, not only am I going to be putting numbered tags on the seats at Town Hall at three, but I'm going to a development meeting at 5 at the Rosebud, and then the concert's at 8 PM ... EMG is taking over my life tomorrow. With any luck I'll get at least one more section of the garden in tomorrow morning. As for today, I'm hoping to get the dishes finished, and then do a general pick-up before the guests arrive. We're going to have the yummy chicken with cilantro dish, possibly the vegetable curry, and good old daal and rice. I think they'll like it!
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 9, 2002 3:04:03 PM [Link]

Nov 9, 2002 12:16:58 AM

It's about time for my neighbor Kevin to call about our lunch date. We're both fighting the isolation issue, and going out to lunch with folks is a great way to do it.

Short list of things to do today: clean birdcage, do dishes, send out Thanksgiving invites, write story for Tablet, send out job applications. The cat box should be attended too, also. And I already did some laundry, plus I wrote thank you cards to the big kahunas that interviewed me last week, just in case they don't hate my guts. Otherwise I'm feeling a profound lack of reading material. I finished Naked last night, and there's nothing waiting in the wings to take its place.

Tonight we're going to the ballet gratis. I'm excited about that. I wish I felt like going out to dinner was a good idea. Crepes afterward should work, though, and cost half as much (as long as we lay off the hooch). Dinner is going to be home made potato chowder instead, which sounds good but conducive to a long winter's nap instead of going out.


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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 9, 2002 12:16:58 AM [Link]

Nov 8, 2002 4:30:28 PM

I just got back from a walk with the dogs at the Whale Park. The sun made a brief appearance and I thought, man, I've got to get out of the house! I had actually been out of the house when I had lunch with Kevin, but this was more fun since it wasn't spitting down rain anymore. I saw my neighbor Chris out with his dog, and we talked about the development plans for the park. BLAH BLAH BLAH I sure wish I'd had the pictures with me!

When I came home I got a call from Hall Kinion and they now have me scheduled for a 3 PM appointment Monday in Bothell for the ATT job. Let's hope I don't screw this one up. Now I need to wrap up my Tablet story and get ready for the ballet ... ooh, and not forget about those clothes in the dryer.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 8, 2002 4:30:28 PM [Link]

Nov 8, 2002 12:03:43 PM

Well, after finishing my Planter's Punch at the Mandarin Gate tonight, I am pretty sure that I got way too excited about the possibility at working at Getty. I was fantasizing about taking lunch-time walks with Rachel, driving in with The Boy, going to all of those fun places for lunch and working with a bunch of cool people. It's just a recipe for disappointment to think of things like that. So much better to think of the ATT job Lisa told me about: ooh, working in Canyon Park again, how exciting to have only a forty minute commute to a warehouse wasteland. Or, yay, I would just LOOOVE to be driving to Redmond every day. That's the attitude I should have about every job I interview for: focus on the negative. I mean, I'm not looking for a lifestyle choice, right? I'm just looking to make some money. So what if my soul withers to a peanut and my body turns into a mass of blubber and the only time I'm outside all day is when I'm walking across a parking lot. That's how most of America lives, right? And why should I expect any more?

At least that tingly teary feeling I was having today has gone away.

Is this how my mom became an alcoholic?

My Karaoke set is on my other blog.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 8, 2002 12:03:43 PM [Link]

Nov 7, 2002 5:00:31 PM

Jared called. I guess we'll be going to visit them for their wedding in May. He's got a web site that I'm planning on poking around on later.

Kevin invited me over for tea today. It was funny to be trading email with someone who lives across the street. I think he's a little lonesome for human interaction, too. I gave him the teapot I won when I worked at Coffee Plantation. It goes with his house much better than it does mine, and I've got plenty others that I use more than that one.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 7, 2002 5:00:31 PM [Link]

Nov 7, 2002 11:49:38 AM

In the space of two days, the flaming orange mass in my back yard has turned into a withered old lady with a few strands of hair on her head and a huge pile of leaves on the grass. It's funny that when I was working on the yard Monday I couldn't find enough leaves to cover four square feet of dirt. Now the holes I left unfinished on Tuesday are invisible, buried beneath two day's leaf fall.

I didn't get the job at Getty. But I had a really great night yesterday. I did a consumer study for $75, played cards a mere two blocks from my house (I got my ass kicked but it was a good fight), then went to karaoke at the Sea Wolf 'til all hours. I finished on a triumphal note, with "Break It to Me Gently." The KJ was swooning, and the rock star boy in the audience whistled for me. It was gratifying.

I'm afraid this is going to have to be the month where income must exceed expenses. I'm really going to have to focus on reducing our debt load since I've been unable to increase our income. Sigh. I'm glad we were able to get free tickets to the opera and the ballet this Friday.


Ooh, look, the Times did an article on blogging.

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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 7, 2002 11:49:38 AM [Link]

Nov 7, 2002 12:12:20 AM

It's noon, and the monorail stands at 54,500 for, 50,000 against (52.15% vs 47.85%). So for all that the country is going to go to hell in a handbasket the next two years, with a reduction in civil liberties, environmental protection, and care for the poor, with any luck us here in Pinkoville will be building our monorail. And with a lot of luck, we'll be building it to Tukwila.

It's raining again, finally, and I don't feel very inspired to work in the yard. I'm seeing dishes and letter writing on today's final list of accomplishments.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 7, 2002 12:12:20 AM [Link]

Nov 6, 2002 2:12:45 PM

I can't believe how dark it is in my kitchen right now. And it's the middle of the day! I'm going to light candles to do the dishes by. Why aren't I spending my days under the joyous florescent lights of some office building?
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 6, 2002 2:12:45 PM [Link]

Nov 5, 2002 10:20:03 PM

Just absolutely not a damn thing about the job today. My latest: I think they'd be dropping happy hints to Rachel if they had liked me. Their silence is discouraging. I'm going to emotionally unentangle myself from this one and work on "my next move." Poop.

I spent hours and hours at Worthy Opponent's work today, helping them recover from what I would term a major disaster. I probably got a good three hours of work in during the six hours I was there. Losing 10% of their business would be a bad, bad thing, especially since they've been making my mortgage payments for over a year now.

Now I'm going to hit "refresh" on the election website to see how the monorail is doing while I read and make some hot chocolate.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 5, 2002 10:20:03 PM [Link]

Nov 5, 2002 10:34:43 AM

Worthy O's company's servers took a crap yesterday and are apparently limping along as we speak. Since they host not just their own web site (could get around problems with phone sales) but also other company's projects on their servers, not working is VERY BAD. Suddenly PVCS and good quality assurance practices seem like not such a bad idea, yes? At any rate I'm going to go in and dig through whatever they want me to look at today, I presume just testing the bejeezus out of whatever they've got as they attempt to roll back code in a big ugly way (plus converting ASP to Perl - yow!).

My big plan for today had been lunch with Irene, and I guess that's still on. Loot was cancelled since I couldn't get free tickets. I had a fun time reading last night anyway so I don't really care. Oh, and I need to write up "E-news" for Early Music Guild.

Oh yeah, still nothing on the job.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 5, 2002 10:34:43 AM [Link]

Nov 4, 2002 4:56:54 PM

Well, for goodness sake, it's 5 PM and not a word about the job. How frustrating! Is it because they're waiting to see if the OTHER candidate will take it? I'm giving up for the day and I'm taking the dogs for a walk.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 4, 2002 4:56:54 PM [Link]

Nov 4, 2002 11:31:36 AM

Voila, my new winter boots, waterproof and all. What with my "tell a friend" (I had one email address tell another) and "join now" promo discounts, I dropped the price by 20% from what I would have paid at the Bon ... plus they're actually in my size, the color I want, and I didn't have to pay sales tax (or shipping). Let me know if you want to "be my friend" and I can "tell" you, too.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 4, 2002 11:31:36 AM [Link]

Nov 4, 2002 10:14:50 AM

I got up SOOO early today ... 9 AM! That's because the sun was BLINDING me coming in my bedroom window. Now I'm going to work in the yard for a while ... with the phone outside on the table, again, waiting to see if I'll get that call!

Maybe if things are looking good I can go for a bike ride later. Today I don't have any plans bigger than going to the grocery store before the toliet paper runs out ... well, that and practicing my hiragana before class tonight.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 4, 2002 10:14:50 AM [Link]

Nov 3, 2002 5:13:01 PM

Male menstrual syndrome. What is its cause? What are its symptoms? Is there a cure? Please, donate to the W.O.M.M.S fund today. We'll all be happier if you do.

It's 5:05 on November 3rd and the damn sun has set. I'm sort of torn between rage, rage against the dying of the light and the overwhelming gratitude I'm sure I should be feeling because the sun has been shining for all of the last week. OK, it's going to be rage, because I'd be out doing something right now if the sun hadn't given up. This means, what, 48 days before the winter solstice ... it will be about the tenth of February before the days get longer than this current crap situation? Gah.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 3, 2002 5:13:01 PM [Link]

Nov 2, 2002 11:51:46 PM

Actually managed to buy tickets while standing in front of the Paramount tonight, so we got to see Swan Lake after all. It was packed inside - the most people I'd ever seen in there. And it was quite the Bellevue crowd, very much dressed to impress, although the women seated two rows below us (in third balcony row Y for Christ's sake) looked like they were fresh from their jobs working the cowboys at the saloon. Anyway, the music was great, the dancing seemed good, but the choreography wasn't particularly inspiring. They changed the role of the "Evil Sorcerer" to the "Evil Genius/Fate," who does a lot more dancing with Odette/Odile and is clearly controlling the prince's fate. But I was longing for Arianna by the end of the night. The work of the corps was really good, though, and a nice change after all of the rigidly symmetrical stuff that Stowell craps out. I'm looking forward to the new PNB show next Friday.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 2, 2002 11:51:46 PM [Link]

Nov 1, 2002 11:44:35 PM

While noodling around downtown Seattle today, I discovered that you can now buy socks with unicorns on them. Surely a sign of the last days. I was of course obliged to buy a pair, once I saw they came in black, too.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 1, 2002 11:44:35 PM [Link]

Nov 1, 2002 11:01:51 AM

I love a lot of things about this time of year, and the part I don't like (the rain) is taking a break, probably pal-ing around with my favorite rain coat, which is also AWOL. The little maple tree in our back yard is completely aflame with yellow and red leaves now, and when I walk into the kitchen or the bathroom, the walls are orange from the color bouncing off of the leaves.

I'm planning on spending today working in the backyard, digging up my garden and putting in my bulbs. Worthy Opponent is supposed to come by at around 1:30, when he will take me to the Y downtown and I will cancel my membership. I also would like to run by the Paramount and get tickets for Saturday's Swan Lake. And I am hoping not to think about the job in Fremont. It will bum me if I don't get it as things stand. I don't want to get excited and get my hopes up at all and then get even more disappointed.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 1, 2002 11:01:51 AM [Link]

Nov 1, 2002 1:09:55 AM

I was unable to get motivated to stand outside of the Paramount trying to scam a cheap ticket to the ballet when I knew I had some utterly entertaining options easily available to me that did not involve spending a lot of time on a sidewalk in the bitter cold. So we had dinner here (chile and cornbread), getting a grand total of two trick-or-treaters (I figured it would be bad, which is why I bought extra Almond Joys today instead of something that I wouldn't find tempting), then went to Mandarin Gate to meet Sleen in our charming costumes (me, can can girl, him, Ozzy). We got in about two songs each, then headed to Mercury, but not before seeing some guy jump out of his car just before it got to Pike on Broadway, letting it (coasting but not turned on) slowly drive into a parked car that, unhappily, was occupied. Worthy Opponent suspects it was a lover's spat of some sort. Over an hour later, the cops were still there and one of the cars was being towed away. Big fat drag!

Mercury wasn't very exciting, I was fine with leaving at midnight. I was however sad that we didn't go to R Place, since supposedly the flock of chicken-men had taken roost there and I was very eager to get a photo of them.
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Posted by webcowgirl @ Nov 1, 2002 1:09:55 AM [Link]