October 31, 2009
Halloween party at Cat’s house. Sarah as slutty Jesus, me as a fat man (i.e. your future if you keep eating at Roxy’s), and Xtina as a sexy/crazy cat lady.
it's getting cold in here...
October 30, 2009
I refuse to turn the heat on until November because that’s how we did it in Minnesota, and I’d like to think I’m still that hardcore. Also because I’m cheap. Mostly because I’m cheap. As a result, I have begun showering a little more frequently in an attempt to warm my perpetually icy feet.
downtown (where all the lights are bright)
October 27, 2009
Walking up Virginia on my way to get my hair cut.
It’s like these footprints were just WAITING for me to come along with my camera and my matching shoelaces.
material possessions be gone!
October 26, 2009
I have these moments in my life where I become obsessed with ridding myself of all material possessions. And when I say moments, I really mean all the time, but there are certain times when the urge becomes stronger. Subconsciously I think I associate a lack of stuff with freedom. If I don’t own anything, then there will be nothing to stop me from suddenly deciding to pick up and leave. Never mind the fact that I fear change and have never moved anywhere without careful prior deliberation. The point is, I could if I wanted to. That’s power. That’s control. That’s freedom.
In any event, I’ve been having one of these moments for the past few days. I lie awake at night mentally running through all of my possessions, trying to figure out what I can get rid of. The problem, though, is that I really don’t own very much stuff. This is what happens when you constantly get rid of things. Eventually you don’t have anything left to get rid of. I have clothes. I have books. I have art work. I have art supplies. That’s pretty much it.
Clearly I need the clothes. I mean, I can’t walk around naked, and besides, I have to maintain my image as a hip, artistic, urban 20 something. The clothes are integral to this mission. They have to stay. Then there are the books. Books make you smart. Can’t get rid of those. As for art work… I almost don’t even count art work as a material possession. It’s on a higher plane of existence. What spiritual beings are to humans, art is to physical objects. Plus it makes me happy to look at. Which leaves us with art supplies. This is usually where I go to purge.
Now when I say art supplies, I’m not talking about tubes of paint or paint brushes, although I have plenty of those. No, I’m talking about the entire crate of old maps under my bookshelf, the 2 quart Ziploc bag full of bottle caps, the random pieces of paper I have collected over the years, the press-on-letters, the flattened tin cans, random playing cards, magnets… the list goes on. And the thing is, in my mind I have a specific vision planned out for each and every one of these items. But the reality of the situation is that I am NEVER going to finish (or even start) half of these projects. It’s just not going to happen.
For example, I have an orange plastic place mat that I stole from some fancy pants restaurant in Minneapolis that I went to for my friend Bridget’s 21st birthday back in 2001. Over the past 8 years I have carted this place mat from Minnesota to Iowa, to North Carolina, to Seattle, to Portland, and back to Seattle again. Why? Because back in 2001 I thought to myself, Hmm… this would make a cool book cover if I folded it in half. Maybe I’ll make Rachael a cook book of pie recipes. EIGHT YEARS I’ve been carting this thing around. I don’t even have any pie recipes. Let alone enough to make an entire pie cook book. I’m sorry Rachael. You never knew I was planning this, so it’s not exactly like I’m failing you, but this cook book idea? NEVER GOING TO HAPPEN.
Which brings us back to the here and now, where I’m deciding to try something new: I’m going to give myself permission to abandon some of these projects, thus allowing me to get rid of some of this random shit I’ve been hauling around for all of my adult life. And the projects I’m not going to abandon? I’m going to start right now and not quit until they’re done. Oh, I am so excited to get rid of things!
dinner at the people's pub
October 25, 2009
On the way to the People’s Pub after work for another grilled ham and swiss sandwich with tomato soup. Yum.
walking to the 358
October 24, 2009
Passing the Fremont Kinkos on my way from work to the 358 bus stop on Aurora. Oh, Fremont… you try so hard to be creative and artsy and original, but you only succeed in looking like a hippie threw up all over you.
Outside the number 9 fire station on Linden Ave. Stopping to take a picture of the black cat 9 for my latest photo project: One Hundred.
Kickin’ it on the BF Day School playground. I love old cracked blacktop playgrounds. They remind me of being 8 years old and playing kickball at recess.
french toast and bike rides
October 20, 2009
I managed to restrain myself from eating all three pieces of graham cracker encrusted berry compote french toast this morning at breakfast. Instead, I ate a manageable two pieces, and was thus able to actually ride my bike home from breakfast. Good work me.
lazy monday
October 19, 2009
Venturing across the street in my house pants for a cup of chai and a newspaper. I would just like to note that it is currently 4:37 pm and this is the first time that I have left the house all day.
autumn in ballard
October 18, 2009
Walking to the bus stop after Sunday dinner at the People’s Pub. Dinner tonight was a grilled ham and swiss with tomato soup. Perhaps the best thing I’ve ever eaten.
rain, rain, rain
October 17, 2009
It was raining when I woke up this morning. It poured all day at work. It was fucking monsooning when my shift ended at 3:00. So I decided it would be a good day to go shopping for rain boots. After eating my post-work curry chicken wrap, I took the bus to The Sneakery, but the only rain boots they had in my size were purple. I hate purple. I am now on the hunt for the perfect pair of rain boots.
Walking to work in the rain.
