Tradition, er... Subscription!

Yes, I am devastated to have given up my decade-long New York Liberty season subscription upon my move to Los Angeles this year.
Yes, I Tivo all their televised games on NBA TV.
Yes, I wore my Liberty jersey to the Staples Center tonight to root them on in the midst of some annoyed Sparks fans (and some supportive unaffiliated friends).
Yes, I am very proud of the 80 to 68 win they pulled off on this Western road trip.
Yes, I am actually considering getting a Sparks subscription to get my bball fix. "Sounds crazy, no? But in this little town of Anatev - I mean, LA. - you might say everyone of us is a fan of the WNBA, trying to scratch out a pleasant, simple game without breaking her bank. It isn't easy. You may ask: Why do we keep going if it's so poorly attended? We go because women's basketball is our own. And how do we keep to our budget? That I can tell you in one word: Subscription!"

Street Legal

I just passed the CA written driver's test. And registered to vote in CA. And registered to donate my organs and tissue should the whole driving and voting in the Golden State thing turn tragic. I have been dreading this day, getting a hole punched through my beloved NY state driver's license, invalidating my Eastern credentials. I'm only slightly heartened by the fact that the CA state reptile is the desert tortoise (gopherus agassizi), easing my transition by way of fond turtle memories of Esmerelda. Although most folks drive hare-like, here...

eight things about me: a meme

Here are the rules...

1. Each player starts with eight random facts/habits about themselves.
2. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules.
3. At the end of your blog, you need to choose 4 people to get tagged and list their names.
4. Don't forget to leave them a comment telling them they're tagged, and to read your blog.

FYI: I did this exercise already back in March of '06, but my answers have changed over time. Plus, how can I ignore a tag from my girlfriend?

1.This is my South Park self:

2. I get migraines sometimes:

3. This is where I grew up:

4. These are my newest niece and nephew:

5. I feel guilty that they're gone:

6. I miss these ladies:

7. I love turtles:

8. I had been wearing these same clothes for 3 days straight:

I tag: Jen, Michelle, Kaki, Zack

Bumpy ride

I left this:

For this:

Ran into this, literally:

Then saw this:

And am now working on this:

But really need this:

Because soon I'll be here:

Working with:

!!!

A word is a thing

"A word is a thing. It is non-visible and audible only for the time it's there. It hangs in the air. But I believe it is a thing. I believe it goes into the upholstery, and into the rugs, and into my hair and into my clothes. Finally, even into my body. I believe that words are things. And I live on them."

-Maya Angelou
(from a conversation with Dave Chappelle on Iconoclasts)

I just needed some inspiration. I always find it in the words of Dr. Angelou - be they extemporaneous, prose, poem or song.

Off to write some more...

Super Cat Mom

It's late. I should be in bed. I'll be there soon. Just can't stop being proud.

It took 4 emails, 3 phone calls, 3 trips to various hardware and plumbing supply stores, 2 pipe adapters, 1 wrench, 1 towel, 1 cut thumb and much determination to install the CatGenie for the impending arrival of my big sweet cat in LA. Don't laugh; a self-cleaning litter box that flushes itself down the toilet is a G-dsend, especially in a small space. I won't miss scooping and smelling the box, but mostly I'm thrilled to be spared the dust that litter dumps all over my apartment and lungs. I am Super Cat Mom.

I also assembled small furniture pieces, cleaned my apartment, finally got paid for an old job and got a new writing gig. And that's just today, just me. My sweetie got an acting gig, too. I'm so proud of her anyway, for everything, really. Pride doesn't feel like a sin today. It just feels good.

Virtual Guilt

For the 10th time in about two weeks someone who I've never met has tried to guilt me into some action. Tonight it was a follow-up on a friend request on myspace. I happen to be obscenely busy at the moment, and this person, who I'm sure is a wonderful human being and worthy of friends/rewards/success in her life and whom I have never had face-to-face or even online contact before, sent me a message basically trying to guilt me into adding her as a friend. Now, that generally makes me want to deny the request, but I replied honestly with my jam-packed life details and said I'd reconsider. Here I am reconsidering; I feel guilty enough that I don't get to spend enough time with my girlfriend and family and real-world friends, let alone with myself, so online guilt trips from strangers just don't rank in comparison. Sorry. Call me a virtual bitch, but that's how my loyalties shake out at the moment. If I'd been asked for advice, I probably would have carved out the time to reply from my precious limited supply. But for a rebuke? Forget it.

On a brighter note, the things I'm busy with are writing jobs. And I think I've figured out how to be in the same place at the same time as my sweetie, and even some of my family. ;-) L.A. is looking up, now that it's not burning a mile away from my apartment.