I am ...
 
 

 

Reading
I'm The One That I Want by Margaret Cho. I was so disappointed that I couldn't make the book fair at UCLA last weekend with my friend Tracey, so she thought to buy the book for me. I missed the one-woman show when I lived in New York, but Tracey and I went to see the film last fall in Santa Monica. If you want to know how much my friends rock, Tracey even had it autographed:

Erica
Good luck in New York!
-Margaret Cho

. . .

I'm also still reading Simple Indulgence: Easy, Everyday Things to Do for Me by Janet Eastman. I'm such a dork, I keep reading the quotes and ideas, but not doing the journalling portion.

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"..." "Someday we'll find it
the rainbow connection
the lovers, the dreamers and me
alllll of us under it's spell."

-Kermit THE Frog

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Listening
Stuck in my head:
"Boogie-oogie-oogie get down."

Thank you, Disco Stu! (My favorite Simpsons sight gag-cum-character.)

 


I heard Britney Spears' "Bottom of My Broken Heart" while making a selection from the feminine hygeine aisle at Wal Mart and exclaimed, "Fucking Britney Spears...Gah!"

That's one of the videos I had to watch about a million times to select snippets for the web site and the enhanced CD single. Ever hearing it again is too much, too soon.

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Watching
The Simpsons, The Sopranos & Armistead Maupin's Further Tales of the City. I didn't even realize there were making another one, I just happened to see it listed. I'm going to have to finish the book series now, as I think I've only read through the fourth book and this mini-series is based on the third book.
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Webbing

While you're visiting the Gallery of Regrettable Food, don't miss Meat!. This one in particular made me laugh until I couldn't breathe. "Sometimes meat likes to dress up and feel pretty." Swanson Parade of Lost Identity -- women who, in probably their only 15 minutes of fame, were for the most part known only as Mrs. HisLastName.

. . .

Co-Author of The Rules to divorce! So you can't manipulate a man into marrying and staying married to you? Perhaps you have to come into it as two individuals and show who you really are from the beginning? I guess this means that no amount of growing your hair long, pretending not to be smart or funny, and "training" a man will make for a happy marriage.

. . .

Ever wonder where that dollar bill's been? Mine was in Chicago two months ago.

. . .

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Dreamin' is free

Another Elvis dream (I'm doing the Memphis section of my color scrapbook now, but I haven't got to Graceland yet), this one cannibalistic.

What started out as an autopsy to discover THE TRUTH, turned into Elvis Stew. It was rich and beefy. Ewwwwwwwww!

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Thinking
Why is it that the same personality quirks are taken as crazy and stalky by some, while loveably wacky by others? Is there some litmus test for this, so I stop wasting my time?
__________
What's cookin? now I'm blogging what I'm eating, whoa.
Still literate as of 9/29/2000 12:20:01 AM
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This sucks! just what I needed...another dorkblog.
Jeepers, creepers, I last used my peepers on 9/29/2000 12:24:59 AM
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This rules! My trip photographs, they're better than expected. Now to get them all organized, it's only been a year!

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Saturday, September 02, 2000

1:23 AM
I am...one of those women with a firm belief in putting things in The Safe. That's right, my bra. I don't even realize I do it. I just reach in and make a deposit, so I don't have to fumble with a bag. I don't like carrying purses, sometimes I don't feel like carrying a big bag, I don't like putting money in bags not on my person and so often women's clothes have no place for my chain wallet.

What's a bitch to do? A woman I worked with in NY lost $50 in a bar once and said to me, drunkenly, "I never should've trusted 50 bucks to these," pointing to her chest. I have entrusted up to $1,000 with no problem. At night, when I'm undressing, it's like Vegas.


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Thursday, August 31, 2000

9:50 PM
I am...wont to reread my old entries and often am amazed in hindsight at how good they are, since at the time I think I'm just blathering about nothing. It's not that they're Pulitzer-level work, but they're great little time capsules. I found this entry via a Stinky Linky search/entry for "ennui,+pictures," which is amusing unto itself:


Anyway, John told me to hang in there, spring is on its way. How he knows exactly what I want to hear is uncanny. I didn't think I'd make it through the winter...[snipped my commentary about the increasingly good weather during my first visit to NY] the tulips bloomed. I'll never forget that. It was such a simple, beautiful thing. I find myself searching for signs of renewal, for life poking out from under the dreariness.

That is such a perfect snapshot of that "darkest before the dawn" time, just two weeks before I was laid off and thought I'd never get out of that job with any shred of my sanity or talent intact. It seems so long ago. Other than missing a handful of my old coworkers, it's completely for the best. I am having problems with my mother, problems that will probably never be resolved as only one of us sees them, but it's just for 3-5 hours a day and weekends. A lot of that will be alleviated when I get my own place, which shall be soon.
...
By the way, there was no birthday dinner today because my mom went to dinner with friends. Tomorrow The Boy has soccer practice again, so maybe, finally on Thursday. The other option is skipping the practice and taking my damn self out. I'm seriously considering that.

(should've been posted 8/29 around 10 pm)


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10:34 PM
I am...stuffed silly with my fabulous birthday dinner Claim Jumper is known for its gigantic portions, so there is much food left over. Unfortunately, I completely forgot to take my camera, so you shall not see the fat, yummy potato skins we had, my fabulous Whiskey Chicken or the mile high mud pie The Boy and I shared.

Nor shall you see the antler-covered chandelier that hovered above us or any of the other faux-rustic Old West decor. Upon first sight, my mother said, "I hope that doesn't fall." Well, me neither, it was as large as our booth.

Both my chicken and mom's liver came on platter-sized plates, while the boy's fettucine with chicken and broccoli came in the most gigantic of bowls. All I'd had all day was a large blueberry muffin and three crackers, so I was happy for the mounds and mounds of deliciousness.


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10:51 PM
I am...trying to reconcile all these parts of my life. Today it dawned on me that The Boy is off school in September. Whoever invented year round school hadn't a clue. This means, of course that I cannot take classes in the mornings while he's out of school, nor in the afternoons once he starts back.

What I can't figure out is how my mom is so upset about this and yet wants me to get a full time job. Wouldn't I then be unable to see him off in the mornings, be there when he returnsi n the afternoon and be around all the time when he is off in September (and again in February)?

I want to help, really I do, but I also have to take care of myself at some point. I don't care what she says, I'm not going to be a fucking secretary again, if there is any other option in sight. I've looked at jobs and that's all I can find that I'm qualified for without a degree or experience doing anything else. I can't go back, it's like going back to prison and I just can't bear the thought of it.


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Wednesday, August 30, 2000

12:16 AM
I am...terribly impressed that Dora actually underlined the names of a play and a TV show on the post card she sent me from New York. She is most definately a grammar queen, I love it!


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5:37 PM
I am...delighted and surprised to learn someone has a crush on me!


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6:21 PM
I am...trying to register for classes today. Several of the courses I need aren't offered at all this semester, some are offered only at satellite campuses, some only at night (I don't think the buses run late enough) and on and on. It looks like I'll be going to classes 7 days a week, three in another city.

I just hope the certificate program I'm looking into gets approved by the state, as I'm sure unemployment will require the program to be improved. Personally, I think there should be more inclusion of traditional arts and graphics courses as well as extras like advertising and business in the program I'm interested in. I just think "Multimedia Specialist" sounds more impressive than "Computer Publishing," a certificate program that does combine some of those other disciplines. Wish I could design my own program. I have this silly feeling like I know better, which is pretty arrogant for a student-to-be.

I also hope to take a couple of academic courses each semester, so I can transfer to a CSU or, preferably, UC campus to finally finish my BA. When I look back on all my adventures over the past 10 years, not finishing my degree is the only real regret I have. Luckily, it's easily repaired.


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8:38 PM
I am...happy to report I got most of my classes, though I'll have to go to the location in another city for two days a week. Also, my early class there is impossible for me to get to in time, what with being here until my brother leaves for school. If it was the same time at the main campus, it would not be a problem. Unfortuantely, it requires two buses that aren't that well coordinated. Maybe I can learn to drive in the next week. Ha ha!

Although the schedule seems sucky, it's not that bad. It would be great to only go 2 or 3 days a week for four hours, but it's not as easy to do that for a certificate program as it is with general education courses. First of all, there are fewer required classes and, secondly, there are fewer sections of each course offered.

Naturally, this resulted in an argument with my mother. I made sure to take courses that allow me to be here when my brother leaves for school, when he gets home, when he has soccer practice and when he has soccer games, because I knew she'd have a tantrum otherwise. Of course, she had to find something wrong with it, anyway. Her opinion is that it doesn't make any sense that I'd go to classes six days a week, running up more debts, when I "should" get a job. Yes, the six days a week thing does suck, but I'll finish the Friday and Sunday classes at the end of October.

I guess that whole conversation we had in which I stated that the entire point of me coming home, other than being there for my brother, was to go back to school to train for web design was completely lost on her. I surely could get a job and pay off my bills, in theory, but it hasn't worked out thus far, has it? I have the rest of my life to be in debt. Instead of dropping out to get a "real job" to pay the bills, as I let my parents pressure me into doing four years ago, this time I intend to finish.

Going to a community college, by the way, won't result in more debt, as she assumes (I am taking the equivalent of four courses, costing just $152, $33 per additional class added, plus the cost of books...about 1/12 the cost when I transfer to a public university) just in not earning enough to pay them off. Sure, I could get a secretarial job and make a decent living, but the last thing I want to do is fall into that trap again and wake up with another five years of my life having been wasted and no more of my goals accomplished.

I also told her that I wanted to remain on unemployment until I did complete this sort of training. What sense does it make for me to work 20-30 hours a week while trying to go to school, just to earn the same amount I already do on unemployment? This is especially true because this tactic is completely acceptable under New York's unemployment program, as long as I am training for a specific (or, as the woman said on the phone, a "pacific") occupation.

I'm just trying to figure out which of us is speaking Martian, because I'm sick to death of getting chewed out when I've already made my plans clear. I want to be part of my brother's life, but the threats, put-downs and overall nastiness are absurd.


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Tuesday, August 29, 2000

12:05 AM
I am...not able to say:

Happy Blogday to me...

any longer. It was good, bad and ugly. Now I'm going to bed.


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2:15 AM
I am...a Ravenclaw? Though a bit disappointed that Griffyndor wasn't my first house, I was relieved that Slytherin came in last. I don't have much use for Hufflepuff, either.

Like Star Wars before it, my brother thinks it's "tight" that we share a fondness for Harry Potter. Tomorrow, I'll show him this, so he can find out what house he belongs in. I needed a bit of silliness after yesterday.


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4:32 PM
I am...not particularly inspired today. Please bear with me until later tonight, or tomorrow, or the first of Never.


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4:35 PM
I am...curious as to the connection between Pamie's journal and the yummy frozen drink machine at the Quik-E-Mart on The Simpsons.

Speaking of which, a long-lost high school friend told me I'm responsible for getting her hooked on Pamie. Happy to share the love, baby.


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9:26 PM
I am...jealous of my little brother, who is a Griffyndor. Coolio. (Thanks Jes, you have me saying that all the time now).
...
How did I miss the Real World Mardi Gras episode last week? It's not like I'm really busy of late.


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9:34 PM
I am...going to scan in some more pictures, I'm in love with the B&Ws I took in NY and DC. I may not get another entry in tonight, though I probably will.
...
Was too damn lazy to run any of my errands today. For one of the apartments, the one really close to school, I was told to just show up and given a security code. Hmmmm...aren't there squatter's rights in this state.
...
Wow, I miss New Orleans, but I'd probably not accomplish a thing if I lived there. Maybe I'll go for Mardi Gras next year. I can't believe those spoiled bratty brats got to go to Anne Rice's house for dinner. Feh!


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9:39 PM
I am...wearing my black velvet pants, just like in this picture:

really not trying to look tough on the Upper West Side

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9:53 PM
I am...very amused that the cat likes chicken. He gets all up on us when we have some. Is it dogs or cats for whom chocolate is poison? I worry when he jumps for my just-finished ice cream bowl and have been erring on the side of caution, chocolatewise.


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Monday, August 28, 2000

12:01 AM
I am...Twenty fucking nine! When did that happen? It seems like only yesterday that Dorothy and I moved into our apartment in college. It was, in fact, 8 years ago, on my 21st birthday. How strange yesterday to see all the old haunts.

It's not the age that bothers me, nor any misguided desire to be anywhere else. I just don't know where the time went and I have so much else to do! I've never made one of those "30 things to do before I'm 30," but if I did, I'd have to do something every 3.65 days. Of course, I've done a few of them and I don't think it's possible to finish my degree by then, but I'll be well on the way.
...

Saturday, August 28, 1971

I was born on a hot Saturday night in Indianapolis, Indiana. Nixon was president...he had not yet fulfilled his campaign promise to end the "police action" in Vietnam...gasoline was 44 cents per gallon...it cost 8 cents to send a letter first class...personal computers and global communications networks were sci-fi fantasies to all but a few...

Top News Headlines This Quarter
FIVE HUNDRED U.S. FORCES AT FIRE-BASE CHARLIE 2, FOUR MILES BELOW THE DEMILITARIZED ZONE, TURN THE STRONGHOLD OVER TO SOUTH VIETNAMESE TROOPS. AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND ANNOUNCE THAT THEIR COMBAT FORCES WILL BE WITHDRAWN BY THE END OF
THE YEAR. THE LRV, A SORT OF LUNAR DUNE BUGGY, TOOK A SOLO JOY RIDE ON THE MOON.

Top Songs for 1971

Knock Three Times - Dawn
One Bad Apple - Osmonds
Me And Bobby Mcgee - Janis Joplin
Joy To The World - Three Dog Night
Brown Sugar - Rolling Stones
It's To Late - Carole King
I Feel The Earth Move - Carole King
Just My Imagination - Temptations

Prices
US President Richard Nixon
US Vice President Spiro Agnew

House: $42,500.00
Car: $2,700.00
Milk: $1.32
Gas: $0.44
Bread: $0.25
Stamp: $0.08
Avg Income: $9,111.00

Academy Award Winners
Best Picture: The French Connection Directed By William Friedkin
Best Actor: Gene Hackman for The French Connection
Best Actress: Jane Fonda for Klute

Deaths

0430 St. Augustine of Hippo, 76, the great early Latin Church Father and one of the outstanding theological figures of the ages. It was St. Augustine who wrote: 'Thou hast made us for thyself, O Lord, and our hearts are restless till they find their rest in thee.'
1818 Jean Baptiste Pointe du Sable trader, founder of Chicago, dies
1879 King Cetshwayo, the last great Zulu King, was captured by the British
1955 Emmett Till kidnapped & lynched at age 14 for calling a white woman "baby," in Money, Mississippi.
1961 Thomas Connolly 1st baseball umpire elected to hall of fame, dies
1964 Gracie Allen Mrs George Burns/comedian (Burns & Allen), dies at 62
1967 Paul Muni actor, dies at 71
1968 Nick Castle choreographer (Dinah Shore, Judy Garland), dies at 58
1985 Ruth Gordon actress, dies at 88 suffering a stroke in her sleep

I knew about Emmett Till, which is tempered with the knowledge that his murder was a major impetus for the civil rights movement...the "I Have a Dream" speech occured 8 years after his death and I was born 8 years after that. I'm also sad to hear about Gracie Allen and Ruth Gordon, who starred in my favorite film, "Harold and Maude"

Events in history

1609 Delaware Bay explored by Henry Hudson for the Netherlands
1645 In Poland, King Vladislav IV convened the Conference of Thorn. Through it he sought to bring reunion among the 26 Catholic, 28 Lutheran and 24 Calvinist theologians in attendance. Discussions continued through November, but no satisfying theological fusion was achieved.
1655 New Amsterdam & Peter Stuyvesant bars Jews from military service
1776 Battle of Long Island
1789 Sir William Herschel discovers Saturn's moon Enceladus
1867 US occupies Midway Islands in the Pacific
1884 1st known photograph of a tornado is made near Howard SD
1907 United Parcel Service begins service, in Seattle
1916 Italy declares war against Germany during WW I
1917 10 suffragists arrested as they picket the White House
1921 2nd Pan-African Congress meets (London, Brussels & Paris)
1922 WEAF in NYC airs 1st radio coml (Queensboro Realty-$100 for 10 mins)
1938 Northwestern U awards honorary degree to dummy Charlie McCarthy
1949 Riot prevents Paul Robeson from singing near Peekskill NY
1953 Campus Crusade for Christ was incorporated in Los Angeles by founder Bill Bright. Today, CCC is an evangelical organization training Christian leaders in over 90 countries around the world.
1957 Sen Thurmond begins 24-hr filibuster against civil rights bill
1963 Evergreen Point Floating Bridge connecting Seattle & Bellevue opens
1963 200,000 demonstrate for equal rights in Washington, DC
1963 Martin Luther King Jr's "I have a dream speech" at Lincoln Memorial
1964 Race riot in Philadelphia
1968 Police & anti-war demonstrators clash at Chicago's Dem Natl Conven
1973 6.8 quake centered in Oaxaca State in Mexico kills 527
1977 NY Yankee Ron Guidry faces just 28 men & beats Texas Rangers 1-0
1981 John Hinckley Jr pleads innocent in attempt to kill Pres Reagan
1981 National Centers for Disease Control announces high incidence of Pneumocystis & Kaposi's sarcoma in gay men
1983 Israeli PM Menachem Begin announces resignation
1990 Iraq declares Kuwait its 19th province
1991 5 die in a NYC subway's 3rd worst accident
1991 Red Tom Browning vs Expo Dennis Martinez both perfect game pitcher
1996 Prince Charles and Diana divorce...she died 1 year and 3 days later.

Scary that Strom Thurmond is still serving 43 years later (or does it just seem like he's still serving?). A lucky day in 1977 for birthday boy Ron Guidry! The bad: Strom Thurmond (is he still serving 43 years later, or does it just seem like it?), AIDS, 3 different riots, earthquake and the first commercial ever.

Holidays

Note: Some Holidays are only applicable on a given day of the week

England, Channel Is, Northern Ireland, Wales : Bank Holiday - - - - - ( Monday )
Hong Kong : Festival of Hungry Ghosts
Jordon : Arab Renaissance Day
Mauritius : Ganesh Chatturthi
Hong Kong : Liberation Day (1945) - - - - - ( Monday )

Religious Observances

Orth : Falling-Asleep (Assumption) of Mary (8/15 OS)
Luth, RC : Memorial of St Augustine of Hippo, bishop/doctor

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1:45 AM
I am...So relaxed and feeling slinky and sexy. What a great way to start a new year!


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2:32 AM
I am...proud to share my birthday with:

1592 George Villiers duke of Buckingham, royal minister to James I
1749 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe Frankfurt, social philosopher (Faust)
1774 Elizabeth Ann Bayley Seton 1st American Catholic saint
1831 Lucy Ware Webb Hayes 1st lady
1833 Sir Edward Burne-Jones England, Pre-Raphaelite painter/designer
1878 George Hoyt Whipple US, astrophysicist (Nobel-1934)
1889 Charles Boyer France, actor (Algiers, Fanny, Barefoot in the Park)
19-- Marla Adams actress (Gotcha, Secret Storm, Young & Restless)
19-- Sonny Shroyer, Valdosta Ga, actor (Dukes of Hazzard, Enos)
19-- Steve Whiteman rocker (Kix-Hot Wire)
1905 Sam Levene actor (Demon, Gung Ho)
1906 Sir John Betjeman poet laureate of England (Mt Zion)
1916 C Wright Mills sociologist, writer (The Power Elite)
1919 Ernest Martin [Markowitz], producer (Feuer & Martin-Chorus Line)
1921 Nancy Kulp, Penn, actress (Beverly Hillbillies)
1924 Peggy Ryan Long Beach Calif, actress (Jenny-Hawaii Five-0)
1929 Roxie Roker Miami Fla, actress (Helen-Jeffersons)
1930 Ben Gazzara NYC, actor (Run for Your Life, QB VII)
1940 Richard Sanders actor (Les Nessman-WKRP, Berrengers, Spencer)
1943 David Soul Chicago, actor (Starsky & Hutch, Here Comes the Bride)
1943 Lou Pinella Yankee manager (1969 AL rookie of the year)
1949 Hugh Cornwell rocker (The Stranglers-Dreamtime)
1950 Ron "Louisana Lightning" Guidry Yankee pitcher (Cy Young 1978)
1951 Wayne Osmond Ogden Utah, singer (Osmond Brothers, Donnie & Marie)
1957 Daniel Stern Stamford Ct, actor (City Slickers, Wonder Years)
1958 Scott Hamilton Toledo, figure skating champion (Olympic-gold-1984)
1960 Emma Samms [Samuels], London, actress (Colby's, General Hospital)
1965 Julie Brown MTV VJ (approx) (Yes, but which one?)
1966 Jerry Fehily rocker (Hothouse Flowers-Don't Go)
1969 Jason Priestley Vancouver BC, actor (Brandon-Beverly Hills 90210)
1971 Janet Evans US swimmer (Olympics-1992)

I had no idea about C. Wright Mills whose "Power Elite" is one of the most influential political science books ever written. Wow. Also news to me are: Janet Evans (we're twins!), Scott Hamilton, Daniel Stern, Julie Brown ("downtown," I assume), Goethe, Roxie Roker, Richard Sanders (Les Nessman!), Lou Pinella, Ron Guidry, Charles Boyer, Sonny Shroyer (Enos from the Dukes of Hazzard, cool!), Nancy Kulp (again with the sitcom) and Wayne Osmond (who could be my daddy). They left out Donald O'Conner, born in 1925. Two years ago, I spent my first birthday in NY and met Antonio Fargas ("Huggy Bear" from Starsky & Hutch) in Times Square, but restrained myself from telling him it was mine and David Soul's birthday.


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2:35 AM
I am...sorry that my mother reminded me that it's also Shania Twain's birthday. Can't I have anything without a Zomba/Jive connection (however convoluted)?


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7:58 AM
I am...never happy to awaken to screams, let alone on my birthday.

It's not really my birthday until they make me cry

Unfortunately, you can't choose your family. You can, however, choose to realize they are determined to be fucked up and get the hell out of the picture. No matter how much I want to grow and be the best me there is, I can't make that rub off. No matter how I try, I'll never be smart, pretty, successful or perfect enough to make my mother stop seeing me as her biggest mistake. I resolve this year to stop trying, because my birth was not only not my fault, but was also not the great ruiner of lives I've been led to believe.

If she chooses to see me as a piece of shit she never wanted, I cannot influence that decision. Make no mistake, it is a choice, as every delightful moment I spend with Dorothy, John, James, Pete or anyone else who appreciates me for who I am reminds me.

I am glad I came here and realized that all the screaming, beating and hatred were not a figment of my imagination, as I'd always been told, and as my mother's aptly-named "Creative Memories" albums would indicate. If there's anything worse than the way I was treated, it is being told I made it all up. I refuse to question my sanity ever again.


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7:59 AM
I am...sorry about all the broken graphics. I know they're there, but today would not be complete without email problems, psychotic relations and inexplicable server issues. I'm just loving the big, scary "Forbidden" message when you try to visit any of my pages. Oh yeah, baby, feel the love.


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3:15 PM
I am...thankful for birthday greetings from Jennifer -- one of my best friends from high school who I just got back in touch with, Ana -- my new bitch bud and Dora...whose return is another great birthday present.


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10:11 PM
I am...ashamed to tell you I burnt my birthday cake. Of course, I can't believe I had to bake my own cake, nor that my mom thought it was cute when she said she couldn't be bothered. She got all pissed because I wanted to stop for ice cream because the cake, though not burned on the inside, is a bit dry. Why I'm surprised is a good question.

It was a long day, though, because it was The Boy's first soccer practice. Mom didn't sign him up until Saturday, so he's already missed a few and she didn't want him to miss another one. I thought she said we could still go out for my birthday dinner (though not to the place I wanted, because it's out of the way) if we were ready to go right when she got home. She again got all pissy, instead of just telling me I misunderstood. Why would I think we had to rush if we were just going to pick up food in a drive-thru? We got to the park over an hour early and , after stepping over condoms to get to a horribly rotted picnic table, we had to fight off flies. Maybe we wouldn't have had time for a sit-down dinner, but perhaps we could've eaten inside a restaurant where the food is ready in one minute, no? It was truly a farce.

The boy had fun at his practice, though and his suggestion was adopted as the team name. Pretty coolio and the uniforms are cute, too.

Here I am with my cake. Managed to get it all over my shirt, Guess I wasn't paying attention. Oh well. Photo by The Boy.

Photo by The Boy...I got icing all over my shirt while taking this picture

I love Red Velvet cake. People don't know what to make of it. It's bright to deep blood red, so they expect a fruit flavor, they screw up their faces, rack their brains and then it hits them -- chocolate. I made it for Fang once in the shape of a black heart...almost as appropriate for her as the cemetary cake the following year.

Mmmmmmm...Red Velvet Cake [/Homer]

...
I received this lovely postcard from Dora today. It's of a mural in the East Village. Wow, do I miss the Village.

Dora East Village postcard

Off now to catch up on Dora's five new journal entries. I've had serious Dora withdrawal.


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11:15 PM
I am...delighted to receive emails like this one from former coworkers:

How the hell are ya, BITCH (and you know I mean that in the nicest way!!)

Erica, I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but it's taken 3 people to do the job you did and everyone knows you were not managed properly. I hate when that happens, but you're probably better off. You would probably be doing a stupid Steps or N'ync web page, rather than something more creative.


It was especially nice to read after having such a shitty start to the morning.

My poor little brother actually hugged me and patted me on my head for several minutes before he left for school today. He can be so bratty when he wants and I need to remember he's only 10, but there is such a great, sweet boy inside there and I love him.


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Sunday, August 27, 2000

12:27 AM
I am...officially a nitwit. I spent $80 for books and supplies at the school bookstore yesterday that were not related to any of the courses I'm taking when what I really should be doing is pinching every penny for to get my own apartment. I guess I realize that once I finish this last Harry Potter book, I've got to go back to the grown up stuff. I wanted to at least get the guitar book, but it was on back order.

I didn't look into the other books, as I don't register for classes until Wednesday. There's no point in buying all the books and having to go through the hell that is returning books at a college book store while they're still giving 100% back. One year I was so broke, I copied my philosophy books in their entirety and returned them before I officially added the course (the bookstore inspected the schedules of students returning books). It's funny now to remember it was for a philosophy class...so much for ethics.

As I walked around campus, so many memories came back. One building alone held the classrooms where I finally passed Geometry (after failing it in 10th grade) and Algebra II (third time's a charm!) and where I met E2 in a field botany class. Young love and sunflowers just can't be beat. I stopped by to see if the amazing man who was able to defy the laws of the universe and teach me Trig has an office, but I guess professors aren't back yet. I know who I'm taking for calculus this semester!


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12:32 AM
I am...going with Dorothy for our spa day, so I will probably not be able to do an entry until late tomorrow evening. I bought her a package deal last month for her bridal shower with a body wrap, body polish and facial and am adding a massage when we get there.

I'll be sure to take a picture of my glowing, dewey skin afterward. Maybe Dorothy won't mind posing for a few pictures as well.

I hope to pump her for suggestions as to what to get her for her bachelorette party and the wedding, as well as suggestions for an appropriate dress. It's in three weeks, which is a short amount of time for that amount of shopping, as unmotivated as I am to leave the house lately. This heat has really got to break, but soon.


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12:53 AM
I am...prone to wonder things like, "Whatever happened to Limahl?"


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1:39 AM
I am...a big goofball.


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2:05 AM
I am...proud to say I finally figured out how I screwed up my permalinks. Now that they are fixed, you should be able to cruise the archive with no problem. Bloggerheads, please forgive me for losing faith. Blogger good, careless editing of template bad. Can I get a daily archive, though? Otherwise, I'm completely devoted.


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11:53 PM
I am...convinced I should get paid for this:

AOHell

The judges would have accepted:
"Which Celeb Do You Admire?" (a question) or, alternatively, "Which Celeb You Admire!" (a statement made after AOL successfully analyzed a poll to find the rich, spoiled, waste of space the masses most enjoy).
...
Dorothy and I went for our spa day today. Wowza...perhaps princesses have it at least half-right. With the ever-more pressing need to get an apartment (plus books, fees and a wedding present coming up this month), I started to ask for a refund for these services, but now I feel all cleared out and relaxed. So, yes, of course, I know I'm rationalizing, can you blame me? It felt good.

First, we had an incredible, all-you-can-eat lunch at a Japanese restaurant in the Orange Mall called Todai. Dorothy had raved about it and I was open to just about anything, which happened to be their specialty. Plus it was my birthday treat!

We had to wait for a table for about 20 minutes, so we fell rather behind, but it was well worth it. One side had hot dishes, the other cold dishes (including sushi), with additional areas for salads and desserts. It wasn't one of those buffets in which the food looks as if it's been put out, put away and reheated four times. Not only was the food fresh, but it was well-presented, even garnished, fresh and delicious.

I had chow mein, shrimp cocktail, tamago, sesame fish, teriyaki chicken, baby back ribs that were a cross between Chinese spareribs/Korean BBQ/American BBQ, California roll, eel roll, crab roll and my personal favorite -- teriyaki salmon. Dorothy had almost the exact same thing.

We followed up with a gorgeous selection of dainty deserts which included pumpkin pie, bananna cream squares, strawberry squares, cream puffs, a pastry topped with assorted fruits, teeny-tiny eclairs and tiramisu. The small plate had one strawberries and cream crepe with warm apricot sauce:

Todai dessert

Having fully gorged ourselves, we were almost 30 minutes late for our appointment. Bad, bad and inconsiderate. About half that time was spent going to the wrong location, which called me to confirm last week and which I took the opportunity to ask for directions, unfortunately. As it turns out, the location we wanted was about a block from where we had lunch. That just ain't right.

Before

Dorothy before

We each had a facial, body scrub, body polish and one hour massage. I could just as well have just had the body scrub and massage, as the facial wasn't as deep cleansing as I've had before and the body polish was just so-so. It's not everyday you get wrapped up in sheets, towels and blankets, like a giant burrito. I started with the massage while Dorothy had the body polish and facial. Next for me was the body scrub, which consisted of sea salts in a mixture of aromatic massage oils. It scrubbed off the rough skin and left the rest tingly, hydrated and glowing. I showered that off and switched places with Dorothy.

When we switched rooms and again at the end of the treatments, they insisted we have cookies and water because, you know, getting pampered for four hours was terribly taxing and we had to keep our strength up.

After

with Dorothy after

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Dorothy has been really stressed with work picking up at the same time as the wedding plans have escalated, so it was just the thing she needed. As for myself, I just spoil me. The bride and the birthday girl.
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Meanwhile, her fiance was kind enough to start building a computer for me from an assortment of parts we had between us. If all goes well, I'll just have to buy a CD drive and a monitor and I'll have a compute rthat can keep up with what I'm doing. It would be great not to freeze so much and to be able to load a web page in a decent amount of time. What a guy.
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Also received my first birthday card from Dorothy, with this Ecard from Jes a close second. All in all, it was a fab day. Don't hate me because I'm beautiful.

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Images and text © 2000 Erica Jackson. All rights reserved.
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