TRIPPYswell

Crap On Toast

2008-01-19T22:23:00.001-05:00

Ten more days till jury duty. Oh, how I do not want to go. Why does it seem like some people never get called, whereas I'm summoned like clockwork, the dreaded document lurking in my mailbox four years and one day after the last time I served? Yeah, yeah, it's my civic duty, I should be honored to serve on a jury, I'd like smart people such as myself sitting in judgement of me if I pushed someone in front of an incoming G train, blah blah blah. It still doesn't make up for the fact I have to be at the courthouse at the ungodly hour of 8:30 AM and that the Kings County Court House sucks. The last time I was there I spent all of two minutes in the waiting room, where I had planned on alternately reading a book and knitting a scarf to while away the time before being called. I was then herded into the tiniest court room I'd ever seen (not that I've seen many, but the number of people they crammed in there must have been against some fire safety ordinance or other) where I was forced to sit pressed up against my fellow jurors-in-waiting. It was rush hour subway cramped and the sweltering atmosphere added to my sweaty discomfort and squelched any desire I might have to spend another minute, much less a week or two, in that room, despite my love of Law & Order and its slew of spin-offs.

I was called back the next day as a potential juror, but I managed to wrangle out of it by asking a few pertinent questions. Lawyers don't seem to like questions, especially when they're coming from articulate women whose native language is English. So I was sent back to the waiting room. Another group was called to serve, me not included. After they trudged off to certain doom, the guy in charge told us we could leave for the day AND not come back the next! What a coup. I hope this year's courthouse adventure will end as advantageously, but somehow I doubt it.

"To Serve Man"

2008-01-01T13:25:00.000-05:00

To me, New Year's Day seems like a pause in time, a twilight zone unto itself, which is probably why they always run a "Twilight Zone" marathon today. After a few hours of watching it, I feel totally unprepared to deal with reality. More unprepared than usual, that is. But it's either this or The Plantet of the Apes marathon I taped last night. Which dystopian view of the future would I rather celebrate at the dawning of the new year? I don't know. Maybe I should turn the damn tv off and go out for a walk.

Btw, Happy New Year. :^)

Day 358: It's Official!

2007-12-14T20:47:00.001-05:00

I am a crotchety seventy-eight year old hag in a thirty-something's body, who dresses like a tweenager and braids her hair into pigtails.

Today I yelled at a bunch of Brooklyn Tech High School students who packed themselves like veal onto the G train one stop before I had to get off. They were all yammering at the top of their lungs and acting generally annoying, as teenagers are known to do. I knew I was going to have to use force to extricate myself from the subway car, but I didn't think I'd have to use my charming personality as well. After politely shouting "Excuse me!" to the first kid who didn't notice me at all (sure, he towered eleven inches over me, but still, that's no reason to be totally oblivious to your fellow man,) I pushed my way out, shoving kids left and right, and climbing over their ridiculously heavy backpacks like a freakin' mountain goat. When I finally got free, I heard myself mutter -- quite loudly, I must admit -- "Fucking kids!"

As I scampered up the stairs I heard one of them comment on how tiny I was, and can you believe she shoved me out of the way!? Sorry kid, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I didn't want to end up in Queens before I could get the hell off.

Btw, how do you like my new hat? I made it yesterday.

Get Yer Kicks

2007-11-26T13:29:00.000-05:00

I love fall. I love the colors of the leaves, I love the crisp breeze. I love fianally being able to wear jeans and sweaters after a summer of sundresses. And I especially love my new sneakers. They're bright as gingko leaves and comfy as an old hoodie.

This photo is surprisingly popular on flickr -- who knows why. Shots that I think exquisitely beautiful get thirty-four hits and others are inexplicably faved and commented on for reasons unknown. People seem to like this one. Perhaps it's the vibrant fallen leaves. Maybe it's the clown-like quality of the shoes. Or it could just be that everyone is ready for fall. It's taken long enough for it to come this year.

I Have Only One Word for You.

2007-11-15T20:42:00.000-05:00

BACON!

Can't Sleep, Taking Tests

2007-10-17T00:36:00.000-05:00

Your Linguistic Profile:

50% General American English

35% Yankee

5% Dixie

5% Upper Midwestern

0% Midwestern

What Kind of American English Do You Speak?

The Movie Of Your Life Is A Cult Classic

Quirky, offbeat, and even a little campy - your life appeals to a select few.

But if someone's obsessed with you, look out! Your fans are downright freaky.

Your best movie matches: Office Space, Showgirls, The Big Lebowski

If Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

What Your Halloween Habits Say About You

The scariest thing on Halloween is you! You definitely don't want any kids in costumes crossing your path - and you're willing to scare away any who do.

Sneaky and devious, people should really watch out for you. You are usually underestimated and forgotten.

Your inner child is stubborn and a bit bossy.

You fear people taking advantage for you. You are always worried about protecting your own interests.

You're logical, rational, and not easily effected. Not a lot scares you... especially when it comes to the paranormal.

You are unique, expressive, and a trendsetter. Your ideal Halloween costume is over the top and one of a kind.

What's Your Halloween Personality?

You Could Be a Vampire... If You Had To

Like most people, the thought of being a vampire has crossed your mind. But you're not sure if you'd do it, even if you could.

Living forever doesn't sound half bad, if you could live forever with the people you love the most.

But do vampires even love? And would the vampire version of you even be you?

It's all too much to contemplate. Luckily, the chances of you ever becoming a vampire are astronomically low.

What you would like best about being a vampire: Living forever

What you would like least about being a vampire: Blood stained teeth

Could You Be a Vampire?

Arty Kid

Whether you were a drama freak or an emo poet, you definitely were expressive and unique.

You're probably a little less weird these days - but even more talented!

Who Were You In High School?

You Are 100% NYC

Congratulations, you are truly a New Yorker. You've seen it all, and you're more than a little cynical.

How NYC Are You?

Your Theme Song is Comfortably Numb by Pink Floyd

"There is no pain, you are receding.

A distant ship�s smoke on the horizon.

You are only coming through in waves."

You haven't been feeling a lot lately, and you think that's a good thing.

The comfortable part is nice... but you should really work on numb.

What's Your Theme Song?

You Are a Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich

You life your life in a free form, artistic style.

You are incredibly creative and at times, quite messy.

Deep down, you are a kid at heart. And you aren't afraid to express it.

Your best friend: The Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Your mortal enemy: The Club Sandwich

What Kind of Sandwich Are You?

Your Personality Is Like Acid

A bit wacky, you're very difficult to predict.

One moment you're in your own little happy universe...

And the next, you're on a bad trip to your own personal hell!

What Drug Is Your Personality Like?

New Toys

2007-05-22T23:30:00.000-05:00

The camera is still off at the shop. I hope I get it back (in proper working order) before we go to Kyle's nephew's wedding. I want to see how well I can take some wedding photos with a "real" camera. Not as well as a "real" photographer, but oh well.

I got some presents in the mail today. The kind of presents that come in a box with a crooked arrow smile, you know, the Amazon.com box. I got Corel Painter X and Adobe CS3. Such fun! I love new software. I have many happy hours of tinkering ahead of me. The new version of Painter bodes particularly well. It's a lot faster than it used to be and there are a bunch of new brushes. I know, I'm such a nerd.

Oh well.

I really need to go to sleep. Wish me luck. I'm gonna need it.

No Rest for the Weary

2007-05-21T00:59:00.001-05:00

Time: 1:38 AM.
Location: My home office.
Action: Sitting on my ass, watching Legally Blonde on TNT.

Clearly there is something terribly wrong with me. Not because I'm watching Legally Blonde, I love that movie, but because I'm wide awake. Annoyingly alert. Absolutely non-somnolent. I guess I shouldn't have taken that long afternoon nap, but who am I kidding? I would have been awake right now no matter what. Can't sleep. Uh uh, no how, no way.

Maybe I should read for a while. Perhaps I should do some work. Or I could have a nightcap. I've got an entire bottle of Ketel One and another of Absolute Rasberry. I'm just kidding about the nightcap. I'm not a drinker. It's weird for there to be any hard liquor in our house, but we had guests recently and they brought the Absolute and Kyle got the Ketel One. I'm thinking of making some Penne alla vodka. I've got the booze and the heavy cream on hand. I made Linguini Alfredo last night and it was excessively yummy, if I do say so myself.

Ugghhh...now it's 1:59...

Withdrawal

2007-05-19T23:19:00.000-05:00

Today is day three without my camera. I had to send it off to the Canon Service Center in New Jersey to have a little underexposure problem fixed. I feel absolutely lost without it, but at least my back hasn't been hurting from lugging it around. Tonight I've been posting old scanned college photos to flickr, mostly ones I scanned a while ago and then never cleaned up. Man, I look young in those photos. So fresh faced. Baby-like. Teeny tiny. It's weird to think I went off to college seventeen years ago. Which means, of course, my twenty year high school reunion is right around the corner. Insane. I didn't even go to the ten year reunion. I would have gone if any of my friends had, but they all live on the west coast and no one wanted to shell out that much travellin' money to go to a stupid reunion. Can't say I blame them.

Jeez, I want my camera back.

And I really wish I could fall asleep before 2 AM.

Write Off? Right On!

2007-05-19T18:29:00.001-05:00

It's upgrade time. Oh yeah. Why is it that every program I use for creating my wonderful freelance illustrations all get updated at the same exact time? Hmmm. I'm thinking conspiracy. Corel and Adobe are in cahoots to get me to drop yet even more money on their career-sustaining products. Oh sure, I could wait. Use the old versions. Maybe I'll just wait and upgrade the next time around. But I know I won't. I need the most current, the latest and the greatest. The best! So here I sit, contemplating my dwindling bank account, and drooling over the new natural media brushes in Painter and God-only-knows-what enhancements to Illustrator. Oh well. If I've said it once, I'll say it again: Thank God for tax write-offs.

Video Surprise

2007-05-03T10:13:00.000-05:00

I'm not real big on embedding You Tube videos, but this is too cool to miss.

Owwwie!

2007-05-03T10:03:00.000-05:00

So -- no reprieve on the limp this morning. I crouched down to put a pan away in a lower cabinet and I nearly couldn't stand up again. I think I'll skip the daily workout. I doubt I'll even walk all that far from my lumpy, uncomfortable desk chair today. Yay! Physical fitness!

Face It

2007-05-02T22:57:00.000-05:00

So I ended up getting a Lensbaby. Surprise, surprise. I've taken lots of sublimely blurry pictures recently. Actually, I've taken lots of pictures, period. I'm doing this thing called "365 Days" in which I take a self portrait every day for a year and upload it to the 365 Days Flickr group. I'm up to day 130. One hundred thirty days of me and (miraculously) I haven't missed a single one yet. I have, however, become absolutely sick of my face. Seriously. I don't always do a portrait, since the concept can be stretched to other body parts. When I'm really lazy I simply take a picture of my hand petting my cat or which socks I wore that day (although I might have to cool it with the socks because the foot fetishists are enjoying that waaay too much.) But back to my face. I really didn't think I would get so freaking sick it. I mean, I see it every day in the mirror. Doesn't bother me so much there. And I've always been keen on taking self portraits. After all, I'm my most readily available human model and I don't usually complain about endless re-takes. It's just really hard to come up with something different every day. And sometimes my hair looks like crap. And sometimes I don't feel like putting on lip gloss, but if I don't I look like a zombie because my lips are naturally the color of death (oh how goth.) And then there's my newly crooked nose. Stupid doorknob, why-oh-why did you have to get in my way? Sigh.

I'm back to exercising and today I did the video that alternates aerobics with strength training. I used three pound weights and now my legs hurt so bad. Muscles I didn't even know I had are singing in pain. I hope I'm able to walk with out a noticeable limp tomorrow. My greatest wish is that this time I will actually lose some weight before I injure myself. Maybe if I tone up I can take a picture of my entire body for a 365 portrait. What a novel idea. I have 235 days left to shape up.

Indecision

2007-04-13T15:06:00.001-05:00

I've been trying to figure out what to get with my birthday money. It's not enough to drop on a really good lens, but it's just the right amount to get something fun. I was vacillating between the Lensbaby 3G or the Fujifilm Finepix F31fd. I love my old F10 and it has served me well, but the lens is scratched. I don't use a point and shoot too much anyway, now that Kyle got me the XTi, but it's a good thing to have when I don't feel like lugging the Canon around. On the other hand, I love the look of the Lensbaby. I rented a Lensbaby 2.0 for two weeks and I got some good shots with it, but it's hard to focus. I heard the Lensbaby 3G is easier to handle and also easier on the hands. Focusing the 2.0 gave me major hand cramps. So after much consideration I think I'm going to go with the Lensbaby. Perhaps. I'm sure my Photostream will soon give you a clue as to which way I went.

Break Out The Candles!

2007-04-10T15:09:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthda -- ah, you know how it goes. Same old song and dance. The march of years, the approach old age. Yadda yadda.

So today I am thirty-five. Whoop-de-doo. I don't really know what that means. I don't feel thirty-five, whatever that is supposed to feel like. Maybe it's because I don't have adult concerns, such as children to raise, or adult worries, like the soaring price of gas. Who knows. One thing though, I'm glad I don't look any older than I did last year. Hooray for sunscreen!

Mmmmm

2007-04-04T13:46:00.000-05:00

Mr Mailman handed me my Tate's Bake Shop cookbook about a half hour ago and now I want to bake at least eight different things. Peanut Butter Bread! Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins! Sour Cream Pound Cake!! And I haven't even gotten to the cookie section.

Oh. My. God. Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies. How sick does that sound? Uhhh...I'm getting fatter just thinking about it. Those chocolate chip cookies I baked the other night are almost gone, which is a sad and scary fact when you take into consideration there are only two of us here eating them. Good thing I did my old-lady exercise video today.

Bakeshop

2007-04-02T23:32:00.000-05:00

As a side note, I undid all the benefits of my early morning exercising by baking a batch of Tate's Bakeshop Chocolate Chip Cookies tonight. These are the best chocolate chip cookies ever. I usually buy a bag of them at Jefferson Market before my weekly shrink appointment, which drives Kyle insane since they cost five bucks for about eight cookies. Now I will never have to buy them again, I can just make them. My thighs will thank me, I'm absolutely certain.

Back In The Saddle Again

2007-04-02T11:09:00.001-05:00

Today, for the first time in months, I got up and did something very unlike me: I exercised. You may remember I went through an exercising jag last summer which culminated in a fractured heel. I had to wear a boot for six weeks (including the steamy month of August), but I promised myself that I would begin working out again in November. That, of course, didn't happen, since I am basically a lazy ass and I'd much rather roll out of bed and drink a cup of tea, eat some cinnamon toast and read my email, than pop in an exercise DVD and get all sweaty. Unfortunately, eating cinnamon toast and sitting on my ass isn't good for my health, so I decided to get back on the horse, so to speak. I chose an easy half hour video (Leslie Sansone - Walk Away the Lbs Express 3-Pack) and even that was almost too much for my oxygen-deprived lungs and atrophied leg muscles. But I stuck it out all the way through the cool down stretch and now I feel infinitely better, as if I accomplished some great feat, like finishing a triathlon. Yeah, I know, I'm a wimp, but maybe someday I can be a slightly healthier wimp.

I Dream of Genie

2007-03-28T00:14:00.000-05:00

I thought it was just a nasty rumor when I read about it in some fashion rag, but they say genie pants are back. How could that be? Are women such fashion lemmings that they'd actually buy and wear genie pants in the year 2007? I mean, I know they all went for those horrendously clingy, cellulite-magnifying, gaucho-capri-pants for the last couple of years, but genie pants? That was one garment I thought I'd seen the last of in 1986. Well, tonight I got actual visual confirmation of this most reprehensible '80s throwback trend. I never thought I'd see the day that those unflattering jersey-knit, hip-volumizing, Arabian Nights pantaloons would come back in style, but alas, there they were, hanging off some bird-like woman I saw while I transfered from the L to the G at Lorimer Street. Genie pants. And they weren't just genie pants, but dropped-crotch, Hammer Time genie pants. It almost makes me pine for the days of nasty, thong-baring low rise jeans and muffin-tops. Almost, but not quite.

Spring Cleaning

2007-03-25T22:07:00.000-05:00

I suddenly became excessively bored with how my portfolio site looked, so I redesigned it. It happens sometimes. I get bored, then I spend a few days fooling around in Photoshop and BBEdit and then I launch a new and improved web site. I think it looks better now, more along the lines of the type of work I like to do. I hope it helps drum up work, which has been exceedingly slow as of late. I hate being unproductive. I hate making no money. And I truly hate not have a purpose. Now my site is fresh and new and I feel a lot better about myself. I guess it was about time for some spring cleaning.

I have one of those little web tracker things on all of my sites that shows how many hits I get and from whence they came. I noticed that a lot of the links I get are from people typing "Angela Martini" right into the search box. Who is doing that? I wish they'd email me or something. Perhaps they're looking for another Angela Martini, there are a few of them out there, although the first four pages of Google search are solidly owned by me. Isn't that weird? I think it is.

No Cats Allowed

2007-03-22T15:24:00.001-05:00

So at first I thought it was cute that Mini had lost enough weight to jump onto the kitchen counter. Ooo, Mini is getting physically fit! She can jump up high -- she must be light as a feather! But soon I would discover her scrounging for crumbs in the sink or licking the Sunday sauce pot as it soaked. The final straw fell last week when she jumped, not onto the counter, but onto the stove. While I was cooking. I almost had a heart attack. I didn't even know she had crept into the kitchen (Lulu wasn't doing a very good job of enforcing the no-cat-zone -- she was probably busy on the couch, eating buttons off a shirt.) So there I was, stirring a huge pot of lentil soup when Mini instantly appeared on the burner next to the one I was using. I shrieked, Mini meowed, and I pushed her past the pot, onto the counter, then scolded her out of the kitchen. Lulu ran in to act as bouncer. When the theatrics were over, I continued to stir my soup and considered feeding some to Mini. Maybe she needs a little fattening up.

Making Nice

2007-02-01T22:20:00.000-05:00

Yes, I'm obsessed with my rotten dog and my new camera. I got this shirt at Target. It's part of their "Urban Rocker" collection. I also got her a matching puffy black hoddie that says "SECURITY" on the back, but -- alas -- it's too small. It must go back.

I signed up for a class, a photography class, that starts next Tuesday. It's at Cooper Union. I don't know if the class will be any good; perhaps I'm too advanced an amateur to learn anything new there, but I figure it will be fun to say "I'm taking a class at Cooper Union." Also, it's good for me to get out of the house. Mingle with other people. You know, be social. My only fear is that I will have a rerun of my Machine Knitting course where the most annoying, energy-suck of a woman attached herself to me for the duration of the class. You know what I mean, one of those people who interrupts the teacher mid-sentence with inane comments, the one who walks in late and expects class to start over from the beginning, the one who tells me way too many graphic details about her sex life while putting her finger in my Whole Foods soup just to taste. The one who got a little "Fatal Attraction" on me when I started avoiding her by going to McDonald's for lunch. Somehow, these are the people I tend to attract -- I don't know why. Years ago I took an "Artist's Way" class wherein a paunchy, very-married guy confided he wanted to have sex with me. This is what I get for walking through Washington Square Park with a stranger during lunch hour. How do my half-hearted attempts to better myself and integrate with my fellow man always end in conversation-stifling catastrophe? There is no easy answer to this question. Maybe there is no answer at all. This time, however, I will try my best to meet some normal people. Perhaps the Goddess of Slight Acquaintances will smile benevolently down upon me. I sure hope so.

Macro Insanity

2007-01-25T16:22:00.001-05:00

If you're in the mood to get a headache, head over to Lord V's Flickr set of 3-D crosseye stereogram macros. You have to kind of blur your vision and cross your eyes at the same time (he gives a good description of this on the main page) and the subject should spring to life. Even if the ocular-acrobatics are too much for you, the photos are interesting in and of themselves.

Spiffy Doggie

2007-01-22T14:57:00.001-05:00

Spiffy Doggie

Cutest. Doggie. Ever.

Sorry I've been gone for so long. I've been all preoccupied with my new camera. I promise to start updating again very soon. I'm sure you'll be waiting with bated breath.

;^)

The Hitcher

2006-12-22T12:02:00.000-05:00

Oh, and speaking of '80s movies, did you see they made a remake of The Hitcher? Can you believe it? When Kyle mentioned it to me I was incredulous. "Who is playing 'the hitcher'?" I shrieked. "How could anyone possibly be a creepier hitcher than Rutger Hauer?" Well, I saw the commercial for the new one tonight. The hitcher is -- get this -- Sean Bean, better known as Boromir from The Lord of the Rings! Wtf! He was a little creepy in that "Iiii'll never telll" movie Don't Say a Word, but I'm sorry. Nothing can come close to the empty, icy stare of a freaky, blond Rutger Hauer.