Beef Stroganoff Soup

YUM! Doesn't that sound good? It looks good. It's the soup of the day today at Crema. I should be studying. I'm burnt out. Whenever I do a 10 hour day of studying it burns me out. I did that on Sunday. I'll study in a minute, or two.

Two of my regular spots, Crema and Opposable Thumbs (OT) have decided to react to the large numbers of unemployed people hanging out in their cafes. OT has taped over all outlets that are placed at tables they would rather have people eating at. They have also put little signs on their 4 tops asking you to please not sit there unless you are with other people and ordering food. Crema, as of this morning asks that you please not stay more than 45 minutes if they are busy (GUILTY). They also ask that you don't put your shit down before you order (GUILTY). The thing that got me was that they actually ask people not to bring in their own food or drink (NOT GUILTY). Who does that? I know, poor people who can't afford the internet but need to look for a job or study for school. Still... sit outside and hijack the internet. Anyway, all these limits are forcing me to find new places, spread my wings. I have been frequenting a new place called HEART. They have decent coffee they roast themselves, on site. They have really yummy toast too. They have no electrical outlets. So, if you need your computer, you have about a 2 hour limit. I think this is intentional and brilliant.

I am having birthday present anxiety. Someone is turning 40. They live far away. I have to mail it tomorrow and I still haven't gotten it.

I joined an on line dating site yesterday. Fuck. I'm not done filling out my profile. It was giving me a headache, talking about myself for so long. I'll finish tonight. Fuck.

I still haven't committed to the Olympics. I'm chicken. I haven't been painting. I'm busy. I haven't been writing. School. I haven't been reading. School. What am I doing? Still asking this same fucking question. Only now, today, it's stupid.

I haven't talked to the other half of this blog in weeks. She has a job now and has most likely entered into some kind of normalcy. We text and say hi. We'll talk soon.

I got my first student loan check the other day. I love debt. It makes me feel so good inside. BLAH.

Happy Fat Tuesday everyone. I may have to go order some of that fattening Beef Stroganoff Soup. YUM.

~ Renee

Other Places

I am trying to study but I just keep thinking about other places. Malheur National Wildlife Refuge, in particular. It's probably an 8 hour drive from here. I've been once, about 20 years ago, and I have wanted to go back ever since. I think I will. This year.

The pictures on walls today are glued to found items. I'm at a cafe, of course. Windows, shutters, parts of drawers, old frames. The pictures are just OK, and not even glued on right but the idea is nice and I like it.

The woman next to me is talking too loud. I wish she would stop talking. If you are talking loud enough for everyone in a cafe to hear you, you are talking to loud.

I'm doing the same thing as yesterday. Not doing what I should be doing. At this moment that would be reading a chapter on Ethnicity.

I finally reached out to someone with regard to the music blog in hopes of getting some help getting it set up. Start, stop. Do we like the name Tracks 11 and 12 (www.tracks11and12.com) or is it proper to say Track 11 and 12 (because I prefer that)? The other ideas I had are taken for the most part. I kind of like, From the Top of a Bus as well but it doesn't sound like a music blog. Do I care? Gorilla vs. Bear is one of the top music blogs at the moment, so....

She's talking loud again. I can't concentrate. Another, more annoying person just sat down across from me. Time for cafe dos.

~ Renee

Sunlight on my Wood Floor

So you know those days where you should be doing something else but you don't and then all you think about all day long is how you should be doing that other thing and so you never actually get anything done? No?

Well I do.

It's 60's degrees outside today and the sun is shining on the branches outside my window. It sounds like sunlight outside.

I made a doctors appointment today and ordered some shampoo from Beverly Hills. I miss my shampoo so I ordered some. I don't want to miss it anymore.

A motorcycle drove by just now. See, sunshine. It makes me want to blow all the things off that I am still thinking I should be doing. I'd rather sit on a patio and drink a margarita and pretend that summer is almost here.

I read a book recently called Utterly Monkey. You probably wouldn't like it.

I got my student ID today. The picture isn't horrible but it isn't good either. Why don't they let you look at them before they hit print? I like having a student ID. Now I can get discounts at the movies and on MAC products.

I hear a saw cutting wood outside. It sounds like sunshine.

I think I'll go to the gym now and continue thinking about all the things I should be doing.

~ Renee

Happy New Year?

Ok, so I'm a little, or a lot, late. I was in LA for Christmas and then back in Oregon for New Years Eve and then, BAM, I was sick as a dog. I was in bed for 10 days and still, 25 days later, getting rid of the last symptoms. No, it wasn't H1N1.

Now it's almost February and I am 1 year older than the last time I blogged. Oh joy. Vickie got a job in New Mexico and I started school in Oregon. Two girls in two cities are happy to have some new things happening.

I haven't forgotten or given up on the music blog. It too will be happening. I just need to do some research to get it up and running. I've started that process and it will be coming soon.

I'm still loving it here. The weather has been pretty mild and we've had enough sun off and on that I don't think i'll go crazy, not this year anyway.

I don't have a lot to say right now, which is funny. I've wanted to blog for a week now and kept saying "later, i'll do it later." It never happened. Now I am and I forget everything I wanted to say. So maybe I will leave it at this for now. A nice short & sweet Happy New Year to you all. And I will do my best to actually sign on here and say something of interest next time and sooner rather than later.

Happy New Year. May this 2010 bring you good health and happiness. ~ Renee

Survivor: SEASON 30 - NEW MEXICO

This is just short and sweet and a place to vent :)

So there are these “special” services allotted for Native Americans here like, if you are Native you can file a form stating you deserve a job and you deserve preference based on the fact that you are Native. Forget anyone else who has applied and their qualifications; if you are Native you have the right to request preference.

Now, that being said, I can prove my Native American descent with a long line of relatives right here in New Mexico. However, what people don’t get here is I don’t care to be affiliated with any organization like that; tribal blood or not. It’s apparently quite easy to get your “status”, you just contact the tribe, go to tribal counsel and get consent from the chief! And then what?! He issues me a sari?! Why does that sound like a really sad episode of survivor all of a sudden? I mean, I am Scottish and German too shall I wear a kilt or a lederhosen? Well, maybe with some knee-high doc martins, but really. . . . . I don’t get it, I have no desire to be identified like that just to work the system or make a company hire me based on my ethnicity, not my qualifications.

So look, here’s how I really feel. You know what tribe I belong to? LOS ANGELES. Orale!

Vickie LightandDark

You can take the girl outta LA but you can never take the LA outta the girl. I let New Mexico try for a bit, became a chameleon, tried to fit in without putting any ideals or expectations on this place but when it comes down to it, I don’t need to fit in anywhere, I’ll always be the LA hipster. I need a turntable; where’s my vinyl?

I have come to love Santa Fe, really. . . but I have to admit; It's like someone shot it with a big dose of Botulism right in the eye. It can be monotonous, repetitive; and there is a huge lack of motivation. Is it just me? Maybe it is. . . .

I am not saying it has not been an adventure, it has but the reality seems to be sinking in and it makes me sad and a little scared. Not because I am thinking Santa Fe isn’t the answer anymore it’s that I am thinking more and more I really don’t belong here. I am 35 and single. That’s a bad combination in this sleeping little one-horse town. This is not to say I wouldn’t come back but maybe it’s just not the right time now. I don’t know where I am supposed to be, maybe it is LA or at least near it. Spending the holidays alone made me realize that, as well as do my true deep rooted interests and issues – haha! I find that I am not honing those interests here as much as I thought I would. I think because from a creative perspective, it’s a bit of a cliché here and the last thing an aging LA hipster needs to be is cliché!

Vickie

Right place, wrong time. . . .that’s how I feel every day – Jack White

Here Comes the Sun and a New Blog

At Crema, looking outside at the grey, shitty, dreary weather listening to "Here Comes the Sun," pouring into the room. Kind of ironic. It's a quiet morning here. The gym was this way yesterday. I guess a lot of people are probably already off or out of town for the holidays. I walked in this morning and actually got to say more than hello to my favorite cafe boy. We talked about camping in tree houses and going to the gym. He informed me that going to the gym is not as fun now that he is older. He's turning 29 tomorrow (another Sagittarius), real old. I don't know his name, I call him blue eyes. I'll have to ask him one of these days. He has the bluest eyes you have ever seen. Seriously. They are a kind of see-through-sky blue.

It's busier now. Louder. I like it when it's quiet in here. The ceilings are high and exposed and the music bounces about with the clank of espresso cups in the background and the slight tapping of keyboards can be heard from the next table over. When it's busy it's chat chat chat, chairs sliding along the concrete floors and the microwave heating up pastry after pastry... beeeeeeeep. It's always busy in here about this time until after lunch.

I thought it was going to be sunny tomorrow but now I hear the rain is here to stay. Ah, well.... I'm leaving for LA next week.

I've decided to start yet another blog. A music blog of sorts. I've been thinking a lot about this for a while now. I don't know if you know this about me but I am a music freak.

Twenty facts about me and music:

1. I belong to a paid music subscription service
2. I've been known to spend several hours in one sitting looking for new music.
3. Music is ALWAYS on in my car.
4. Music is almost always on in my house.
5. If I love a record it might stay in my car's CD player for a month at a time with no switching out.
6. If I love a song it might get played several times in a day and possibly several times in a row.
7. I will go to shows alone.
8. I don't like to go to Damien Rice (my favorite artist) concerts with anyone because I don't to like be talked to while he's playing.
9. I have around 5000 songs on my Ipod, none stolen. I would have more if my Mac weren't always running out of space.
10. I love introducing people to new music.
11. Because I have musicians as "friends" on MySpace I often get asked to be the friend of other musicians. I actually go on and listen to all their music before I will accept them as a "friend." By the way, another great way to find music.
12. Strangely, I don't listen to a lot of the classics.
13. I think, put together properly, music and video can create an impression that will stay with you forever, enhance the music and leave you wanting more.
14. I have often fantasized about literally crashing into my future husband at Amoeba, my favorite record store, and meeting him while bent over our pile of dropped CD's. I even have a movie script outline done based on this fantasy.
15. I AM that drunk girl that wants you to listen to ALL THE WORDS to the GREATEST SONG EVER.
16. My favorite genre tends to land in the singer/songwriter category.
17. I own the Bose noise canceling head phones for music listening, not DVD watching.
18. I like my music LOUD so I can feel it inside me physically.
19. I don't know the names of most (99%) of the songs or records I own.
20. Music = Memory

So here is the skinny. I've decided to do a very simple daily blog. To start, I will be posting songs and videos. As it evolves I may write about the artists, songs or videos I am posting. We'll see. Some of the music may be new, some may be old. I want to introduce people to what I like and hope to get others interested in some of the artists that aren't being played on the radio. I'm actually kind of excited about it. I have ideas should I find it growing but am going to take it one step at a time. I haven't decided if it will start now or after Christmas. I want to be diligent about posting daily it so it may behoove me to wait until I get back from LA. STAY TUNED, literally!

~ Renee