No rest for the wretched...

http://norestforthewretched.blogspot.com/

This is my new column, updated every Monday and Thursday - you might want to join us as I wax poetic on Pop Culture and Comic books.

Top Chef and Jawbreaker

Premiere to look out for –
It’s about that time of year, where the reality cooking shows return in full force. You have Food Network’s “Who will be the Next Food Network Star,” and Fox’s “Hell’s Kitchen” with firecracker (and lookey-likey disarmingly close to my boyfriend) Gordon Ramsey. But the premiere I’m most anticipating is Bravo’s “Top Chef,” with it’s 3rd Season premiere this Wednesday @ 10pm.

"Top Chef" differs from its Food Network counterpart especially when it comes to prize winnings. In “Next Food Network star”, the grand prize is a show on the channel. Charisma, personality and on-screen presence are all vital needs for these potential stars, and are judged just as much as the food that they cook. “Top Chef” does have certain “missions” where personality is a plus, but for the most part this show is straight cooking, as well as displaying leadership or team player qualities which seem much more important in the world of food and running a successful restaurant. That means the meanest, cockiest, most anti-social jerks have a chance of winning it all. And as proven by Gordon Ramsey on “Hell’s Kitchen”, jerks can get their own shows too!
(((<<<===not crying here))
But don't miss "Hell's Kitchen" either, or you will miss a grown man cry! And boy, does he cry a lot!

Season 3 of “Top Chef” is set in Miami, and the addition of Ted Allen from “Queer Eye” is a great move on the show’s part. Allen is one of my favorite judges on “Iron Chef” and is also the author of the book THE FOOD YOU WANT TO EAT.

Bonus if you’ve got HBO and 2 hours to spare – JAWBREAKER is on HBO this month. I stopped dead in my Friday night tracks and watched this entire film last week. It holds up well, and the 90’s soundtrack is nice little blast from the past. See Marilyn Manson sans make-up (but still looking skeevy) and Rebecca Gayheart (Noxema Girl!) and Judy Greer (Kitty on Arrested Development!) play teenagers.
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The Beauty of American Elf

THE BEAUTY OF AMERICAN ELF
James Kochalka may be a name not readily mentioned in mainstream comic book conversations but within the independent scene he is revered as one of the best. Highly prolific with such works as Monkey Vs. Robot, Peanutbutter & Jeremy, and Quit Your Job, he is known for his large output of comics. But he participates in other mediums as well. He shares his namesake with his band, James Kochalka Superstar, a pure rock extravaganza that earned a spot on Rolling Stone’s list of the "Top 100 Songs of 2006" with the super-catchy Britney’s Silver Can (a tune capturing the world’s obsession with Justin Timberlake by repeating his name over and over...and over again). Kochalka also just ended a stint at the Giant Robot Gallery in New York City, that spotlighted his oil painting work.
But this "James of all Trades" illustrates his most profound art with his daily diary comic strip, known as American Elf. Started in 1998, the premise is simple: Kochalka composes a small (usually 4 panels) strip revealing an event that took place that day. This endeavor is not striking in the single day’s strip but in the sum of its parts; the chronicling of what may seem mundane and unremarkable becomes simply amazing with the sheer volume and the universal appeal of it. Writing about his family, his cat, his work, his band, his fears, Kochalka has produced one strip every day for the past 9 years and has shown no signs of stopping.Highly addictive, I plowed through the daunting American Elf Volume 1: James Kochalka’s Collected Sketchbook Diaries in about 2 days, that’s 496 pages of pure comic strip goodness! The 2nd collection came out just last month and while it is considerably smaller (192 pages), it is no less entrancing.
To get a taste of American Elf, check out Kochalka’s web site, there you can view the cartoon for that day. If you subscribe to the site (a mere $1.95 per month) you’ll be given access to the archives of past comic strips. Although I highly recommend picking up the collected volumes, as his comics en masses are where they truly shine. Also available on his web site is links to where you can buy his music, books and other merchandise.Support the Elf Movement today!

Adulthood a new hope

ADULTHOOD : A NEW HOPE - CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF STAR WARS
As a young girl with a mom that was rather fond of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre in film and TV, I was aware of Star Wars at a very young age. Silly me, I thought because my mother enjoyed the trilogy that it obviously wasn't cool enough for me. All this changed the winter of my 16th year, when Star Wars : A New Hope was re-released in theaters.I saw the movie opening night in a packed theater. I couldn't even sit with my friends because we arrived late and seats were scarce. It might have been peer pressure that got me into the movie house that night but after that it was not even an hour into the film before I had an epiphany and professed my utter devotion to everything Star Wars. From that moment on I was obsessed.How obsessed you ask? I support my assertion with 3 items for your consideration:#1 : August 1999, I get my one and only tattoo, the Imperial Symbol (aka The Dark Side!):Though my mom is just as much as fan as I am, it seems her love does not translate the same way. She is surprisingly *not* a fan of the tattoo.I was partial to the fact that usually only the hardcore Star Wars fans are able to recognize the symbol. No regret on this one.#2 : October, 1999, I dress up as Darth Maul for Halloween.True, this is a character from the 2nd trilogy, but you really can't go wrong with any costume that allows the wielding of a double-bladed light saber.Fun Fact - this is a little boy's costumeOh and...my light saber didn't really light up, one of my friends photoshopped this pic. But no worries kittlings, my lack of "light" in the "saber" was eventually alleviated...#3 : January, 2007, my boyfriend acquires a "functional" light saber for my pleasure.My boyfriend does not share my interest when it comes to Star Wars and I am quite sure he finds my utter fangirl-dom a bit strange. Nevertheless the boy saw this Darth Maul light saber at Sharper Image and knew that I would love it. He was right. The realistic hum when this baby is turned on is enough to make me squeal in delight. Out of all of my film props and replicas I possess(and I have quite a few), this is by far my favorite.It's been 30 years since the original Star Wars, longer than I've been alive. I can't say that I grew up with Han Solo and Darth Vader yet I maintain that my most treasured memories of my teenage years as I matured and "came of age" are littered with scenes of Chewbacca, Emperor Palpatine, and Yoda.If anything, the trilogy gave me the grand push into pop culture. Thanks be to Star Wars.++++++++end of transmission+++++++++

Get Your Creep On

6.01.2007

GET YOUR CREEP ON - CHECK THIS OUT
A comic and a film that will give you the willies…I started Sandman a little over a week ago and am once again proud to call Vertigo my favorite imprint, which publishes Neil Gaiman’s masterpiece. Issue # 5 of the series is the scariest and creepiest comic sequential I've ever read. A malcontent with the dream god Morpheus’ all-powerful stone takes over a small town diner and proceeds to torture its patrons with gross distortions of reality. And silly me, I thought this would be the creepiest thing I encountered all day. I was wrong.

Because after finishing up this comic, I went to see Bug.Bug in theaters now and is a Cronenberg-esque thriller with a small cast but even smaller main setting. Taking place in a cramped motel room apartment, the film shows Agnes (played by Ashley Judd) character as lonely, fussy and scared of ex-husband Jerry (Harry Connick Jr) whom we learn has just been released from prison. Agnes earns money by waiting at a lesbian bar where gal pal RC (Lynn Collins) bartends. One evening, RC visits Agnes with a tall stranger in tow. His name is Peter Evans (Michael Shannon, a Jude Law look-alike) and as a Gulf War veteran, he has undergone experiments performed by the government…or has he? Complete and utter madness ensues. The slow vast opening shot of the Oklahoma desolation contrasts sharply claustrophobia that exists within Agnes’ small abode. Based on the play by Tracy Letts (who also wrote the screenplay for the film) and directed by William Friedkin, this is a psychological thriller that will leave you breathless and bothered. In a good way of course!

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You can click above and get my Myspace page...where I blog mainly (in Spain...on the plain)


you can also email me @ maryebrickthrower at yahoo dot com

Adulthood - A New Hope Celebrating 30 Years of Star Wars

As a young girl with a mom that was rather fond of the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre in film and TV, I was aware of Star Wars at a very young age. Silly me, I thought because my mother enjoyed the trilogy that it obviously wasn't cool enough for me. All this changed the winter of my 16th year, when Star Wars : A New Hope was re-released in theaters.

I saw the movie opening night in a packed theater. I couldn't even sit with my friends because we arrived late and seats were scarce. It might have been peer pressure that got me into the movie house that night but after that it was not even an hour into the film before I had an epiphany and professed my utter devotion to everything Star Wars. From that moment on I was obsessed.

How obsessed you ask? I support my assertion with 3 items for your consideration:
#1 : August 1999, I get my one and only tattoo, the Imperial Symbol (aka The Dark Side!):

Though my mom is just as much as fan as I am, it seems her love does not translate the same way. She is surprisingly *not* a fan of the tattoo.

I was partial to the fact that usually only the hardcore Star Wars fans are able to recognize the symbol. No regret on this one.


#2 : October, 1999, I dress up as Darth Maul for Halloween.


True, this is a character from the 2nd trilogy, but you really can't go wrong with any costume that allows the wielding of a double-bladed light saber.

Fun Fact - this is a little boy's costume

Oh and...my light saber didn't really light up, one of my friends photoshopped this pic. But no worries kittlings, my lack of "light" in the "saber" was eventually alleviated...


#3 : January, 2007, my boyfriend acquires a "functional" light saber for my pleasure.


My boyfriend does not share my interest when it comes to Star Wars and I am quite sure he finds my utter fangirl-dom a bit strange. Nevertheless the boy saw this Darth Maul light saber at Sharper Image and knew that I would love it. He was right. The realistic hum when this baby is turned on is enough to make me squeal in delight. Out of all of my film props and replicas I possess(and I have quite a few), this is by far my favorite.

It's been 30 years since the original Star Wars, longer than I've been alive. I can't say that I grew up with Han Solo and Darth Vader yet I maintain that my most treasured memories of my teenage years as I matured and "came of age" are littered with scenes of Chewbacca, Emperor Palpatine, and Yoda.

If anything, the trilogy gave me the grand push into pop culture. Thanks be to Star Wars.
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Please! Bury me with it!

I feel like I was putting everything on hold for news that never came.

On the outside, I’m taking the lack of news pretty well.

On the inside, I want to scream. I doubt I’ll ever get a change like that again—and it seems to be gone. I would be lying if I said it was an honor just to be nominated.

I’ve been living life in slow motion, but swallowing my meds almost like clockwork, making mountains out of molehills, cursing the coward in me, craving cole slaw and crab legs, kissing my boyfriend with the fervor of a Kamikaze, making new friends, trying not to forget old ones, planning diet changes and buying weekly transpasses instead of tokens, hardly saving money, wanting my bike fixed, missing my family, taking pictures of Flat Yasmin, listening to OF MONTREAL and LCD SOUNDSYSTEM any time I can, and silently wishing I had gotten a phone call back from that bloody house of ideas.
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Anyway….
I spent last weekend indoors for the most part:
FRIDAY-Maura, Loretta and I had the 1st Balthazar –OR- Bust Meeting; basically it’s just an excuse to get together, drink and watch BALTHAZAR GETTY movies until our hearts are content. We didn’t end up watching any movies that night however, as we went on a fool’s mission to South Philly—and SUCCEEDED!!! Loretta’s roommates Sprite and Becca made us some amazing chow, we hung out and chatted and drank Canadian Club and Jack Daniels. It was awesome.
SATURDAY-Jacob had to be at the theater early so I got up about 20 mins after he left (9am), washed the dishes, chilled on the internets. Jacob came home with a sandwich for me, then we napped until he had to get up and leave for work again. I went back to mine, showered and got dolled up and went to see the final performance of CABARET, the play that Jacob’s been running light board for. We stuck around after the show and got drinks and food, it was fun.
SUNDAY-Stayed in with the exception of heading to the grocery store for the fixin’s for a pasta salad. It turned out pretty well if I do say so myself. Here is my recipe if you’re interested:
1 box Rotini pasta
15-20 grape tomatoes-halved
15-20 small broccoli florets-halved lengthwise
5 cloves garlic, minced very finely
Parmasean and Cheddar Cheese (as desired)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Newmans Own© 3 Cheese Balsamic Vinegarette (as desired)
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Mince garlic and cook in skillet with some olive oil until browned, cut up vegetables, cook pasta, combine all ingredients and add EVOO and Vinegarette as desired. Cheese and Paramasean sprinkled over top or as desired.

Jacob almost finished Season 2 of LOST, just 2 more episodes I believe and then I’ll start nabbing the 3rd season for him.

Happy Anniversary to Jeffy and Me; it’s been 1 year since we met.

And the one month countdown begins today until I move in with Jacob!!!!

I’m going to see Glengarry Glenross with Carey on Thursday; Friday is a going away get together for a co-worker @ Chickie and Petes, and Jacob and I are going to try to Hit up Jamar Nichols gallery show. Rock and Roll.

HEROES was kinda lame last night. BACK TO FUTURE PART 2 anyone? THE RICHES was good though—that show is consistently enjoyable so far. EDDIE IZZARD may affect an American accent but he’s still funny as all hell.

Yep, that's about it. It's been great weather outside and I"m just fighting that anxious feeling that always haunts me this time of year. So it goes...
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FACTORY GIRL, "live organs" and Hardwood Floors

So on Monday Jacob and I sorta celebrated V-Day with dinner @ HIKARU and a movie @ the Ritz.

I had the Scandanavian Roll and Jacob ordered WAY TOO MUCH sushi by ordering the “tuna platter” instead of a “tuna roll.” We felt bad about the error so we decided to take the sushi with us then just toss it in the nearest garbage can.

As we were walking to the theater we unloaded the tuna into a trash can, but not before Jacob wittingly wrote on the take-out box “LIVE ORGANS” in the hopes to befuddle the next homeless person that went rooting through that particular receptacle.

FACTORY GIRL was a good movie; as Jacob observed it was a bit too factual in its storytelling. Just in the sense that it portrayed what happened…and that’s about it. No abstract stuff going on like in THE DOORS or something like that. HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN did a great job as “the Musician” aka BOB DYLAN, GUY PEARCE was stunning as ANDY WARHOL, and SIENNA MILLER’s EDIE SEDGWICK was pretty damn delightful.

I have been spending more and more time at Jacob’s…it’s nice being there even when he’s not (although I prefer it when he’s there)…I can be totally alone and he is doing a brilliant job in renovating the place for my impending arrival. If all goes to plan then I move in with him in August when my lease is up. His 1st job was to put some sweet hardwood flooring in the living room. This turned out looking fucking AMAZING!!! He is also stripping the paint of the wood in the foyer. Also on the agenda: new tile in the bathroom and kitchen and my DREAM bedroom of semi-Moroccan deep blue with pink trim. The time he is taking to make his apt a home for the both of us is perhaps the sweetest thing ever.

Tonight I’m having dinner with Trey and playing her Nintendo Wii, which I’m psyched about. Also on the agenda is IRREVERSIBLE with Bunny and hopefully we’ll listen to a little NAMELESSNUMBERHEADMAN b/c I think they’re brilliant and want to share them with my boy.

One more full day of work, then a half day, then NYC! While I’m excited about the whole trip I am also not looking forward to doing it w/o Jacob. :sigh: I can’t help it…I’m a sap.
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It's Friday I'm in love.

It’s been WAY to long!!!

So my medical stuffies are over and done with, it is still annoying for various reasons (follow up visits, lack of nookie for 3 more weeks!) but the hard part is over and I’m relieved. Having the few days off was nice too but I didn’t really take advantage of it too much besides sleeping constantly. Yep…that was quite fun.

So last weekend was Jacob’s birthday weekend, he turned a quarter of a century. To celebrate this we went to DAVIOS, a uber-swank North Italian steakhouse up in Rittenhouse. It was RESTAURANT WEEK so we got a 3 course meal for $30/piece (although I got the skirt steak and that was an extra 10$!!! Which they didn’t’ tell us until we got there)…Jacob got the lamb chops, it was yummy all around. I gave Jacob a picture of what his Birthday prezzie will be b/c I couldn’t afford it just yet (Printer Ink! Hooray!) and I made him a cake. I dyed and frosted it based on his favorite painting in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, it is a MARK ROTHKO painting whose name escapes me…but here is the painting:


Haha…abstract cake art at it’s best. I’m no Duff Goldman but I did alright. He lurved it. I was glad.

This week has been bloody hectic in work, glad it’s finally over. On Tuesday Stefan and I went to the Flyers game, courtesy of some free tickets we got through the company. We left as TAMPA BAY tied it up, so we didn’t get to see the Flyers lose, but it was a fun night nevertheless. Check it out.


Oh and of course I got my awesome Darth Maul light saber, my early Valentines Day gift from Jacob, which I love, and also this week was the opening of Bunny’s new play—NERDS!!! Which is a beyond funny show! I loved it, Care did as well and I’ve already made plans to go see it again next weekend with my pal Megan.

I am also planning a drink-up for next Friday. My sister Shacky is going to come visit and everything so that will be fun.

Tonight I’m going to Joe’s for a little photo shoot with some other gals for a comic book that my artist friend Chris Moreno illustrates.

Although I’ve been planning my STEPHEN COLBERT plan of attack, as I’ve found out he’ll be @ the NYC CON, it was this picture/news that really got me this week. I got sent this link 5 individual times from the various friends that know about my HARRY POTTER fascination a little too well. Thanks to everyone who thought of me when seeing Dan Radcliffe in the buff. =)

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My new phone and other things...

So this weekend has been spent playing with my new phone. Here are pictures of me and Little (Jacob's cat) to prove it:

Um...how cute are we?? I used the "SEPIA" and "B&W" effects for both images as well. This nifty little phone has all that, plus a ton more camera options AND the ability to take a short span of video (with sound)that I can email to other phones or other emails! I also downloaded GWEN STEFANI's "Wind It Up" as my ringtone...and PHIL KEN SEBBEN of HARVEY BIRDMAN fame is my wallpaper. Yeah...I'm pretty much obsessed with my lil Samsung.

This weekend was pretty good. Dinner was nice on Friday (Jacob and I hit up Black Sheep during his break and I had some AMAZING crab cakes), as was the few drinks I had with Stefan @ McGlincheys. What was not nice was me totally passing out when I got to Jacob's and subsequently missing him calling me and BANGING on the door for 20 mins trying to get me to let him in. :( Yeah I suck. I went home for a bit on Saturday but then made it back out to the theater to meet Jacob for dinner @ LITTLE PETES, then went back to his house again and successfully stayed awake and let him in w/o any door knocking. =)

Sunday I once again went to my house for a bit, after leaving my phone @ Jacob's by accident. We met around 7-ish and took a cab to his place. It was nice spending the weekend at his place, even if there is no cable. =) I have become obsessed with FOOD NETWORK and DVD's. Although I can't really watch the SOPRANOS w/o having Jacob there with me. It's not nearly as much fun unless you have someone to react with.

Today work is semi-boring but I'm "acting" team leader so I'm not too concerned about my lack of work. It snowed last night but barely anything is left--I want just one real snow so I can take a walk in the quiet city.

I have no plans for the week save for once again psyching myself up for my procedure this Wednesday, have off Thurs and Fri, and totally need to research Jacob's birthday gift so I can hook it up on Sunday. =) Keep your fingers crossed for me. I have lofty ideas and am hoping upon hope I can make this happen.

I got a lot of response on my latest poem. Thanks for the comments guys. I do appreciate it.
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*HARDLY*

Tearing slowly with teeth
At the skin on my lips
Hardly seems a proper punishment
For the anguish I’ve inflicted
Upon your person.

And it hardly seems fair
That I’m tasting my tears
While you’re wasting away
Waiting for the sign of things…
The time to say your lines

In a word: upheaval
I’ve uprooted your life with hardly
A second glance or apology
Cursed you with harshness and
Ransacked your romanticism

Left you with nothing.
A bruised heart torn by terse words
Mangled by insanity and false idol worship
And lost in my arms I grasp you ever more
Tightly…wishing I could make it better…hardly.
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Start Wearing Purple for me now...

MYSPACE has been blocked by my job again...so I am back on blogger during the day. I cannot begin to tell y'all how damn annoying this is.

Anyway, here is a run-down of happenings since Halloween:

WEDNESDAY--Me, Jacob, Vici and Dave (I hope I got his name right! Great bloke nonetheless) went to see LADY SOVEREIGN @ the Starlight Ballroom. What a fantastic show!!! I got my groove on, heck even Jacob got his groove on at times, and the venue is pretty damn nice. The show was short and sweet, much like Vici's skirt (I told her I was going to use this line and she gave her seal of approval! haha). A fun time was had by all.

THURSDAY--Trey and I left work early so I could go to the doctor. I had to undergo some stupid procedure that seriously was the most uncomfortable thing I've had to experience recently, and I was glad to have someone there for the aftermath. We went to Trey's afterwards, she made us yummy meatloaf for dinner and we chiled and watched TV. As I was meeting Jacob later on the evening and didn't want to go all the way home, around 8-ish I headed over to Stefan's and watched MY NAME IS EARL, THE OFFICE and DEAL OR NO DEAL (aka the dumbest show on the planet). I walked to Jacob's theater afterwards and we went to dinner with the cast of MURDERERS which was a lot of fun. MARYLOUISE BURKE is such a sweet lady, she told us stories about being on the set of PRAIRIE HOME COMPANION and we just had a blast.

FRIDAY--I went to dinner with my old boss @ PLOUGH AND THE STARS then joined JD and Jackie @ Maggianos and the Indy. We drank and chilled, Jacob showed up around 10:30pm and kissed me with intensity. JD jokingly said: "Where's my kiss?" to which Jacob responded by frenching him!!! I was scared for a split second that a fight would break-out, but JD took it in stride and it certainly broke the ice! Jacob and I stayed for a bit then went back to his place and fell asleep shortly thereafter.

SATURDAY--I decided to stay @ Jacob's while he went to work and made my way to the LONDON GRILL on Fairmount to get some writing down. I was so prolific I finished one column and started another! Jacob met me for dinner @ LONDON, then I went back to his place and basically just messed around with the net then watched KILL BILL until he got home.

SUNDAY--Jacob and I went into the city and had breakfast/lunch @ Little Petes, then sat in the park for a bit. I took my leave as he went to work his final show, came home and napped. Woke up, ran some errands and had dinner @ Johnny Rockets then went back home and typed up my 1st column.

So all in all, it was a pretty low-key weekend but very nice as well. I am still battling this depression that seeps into my happy world without warning but Jacob is being very understanding and I feel safe even though doubt and conflict still rears its ugly head.

Tonight is a get together for my roomie Care's birthday. We're going to dinner and then to see BORAT which I absolutely cannot wait to see. Jacob may be joining is, he's striking the set (aka tearing that sumbitch down) so his schedule is up in the air right now. Tomorrow we are moving one of the shelves from the set into his house and then hopefully this will facilitate my organization of his insanely large comic book collection. My laptop is going to help me as well, with this undertaking I need all the help I can get.

I also plan to go to my parent's this weekend. It Shacky's birthday weekend. I was going to bring Jacob with me but decided against it.

And that's about it. Ze Wretched...OUT!
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Ryan Reynolds New picture on Myspace = THE HOTNESS

Don't believe my title? Click to see it in all its glory.

I had to put him @ #1 as long as he keeps that suit and beard. WOWZAS! He's a cutie.

I did some updating of my profile...mostly just switching things around in the ABOUT ME and INTERESTS section. Really that's about it.

I like my new profile photo b/c my glasses overshadow everything else. Who needs lips when you have black frames?

I am @ work, bored out of my skull. It has been slow which is just not something that usually happens. This makes my days go by at a snail's pace and for some reason I get very hungry when I don't have any work to concentrate on. Of course, I have no money so food is right out of the question until dinner time.

As of lunch yesterday (where I did manage to scarf down some sausage biscuit sandwiches), my very back tooth--you know, the one that is totally rotting out of my skull--started to really break off and crack. I was tasting pieces of enamel all day. It seems to have stopped as of this morning BUT now I can feel the inside of my mouth scraping against the jagged edges when I talk and stuff. "ew" you might say. Yep...you would be right.

I haven't properly spoken about BALTIMORE. I had a good time. Some highlights:
*I was reintroduced to CASSADAY by Jen (the gal that stayed in my room with me and is also an editor at Marvel), which was cool.
*I met PAUL POPE, and got my trade of HEAVY LIQUID signed.
*Stefan and I did not really hang at the usual lobby bar scene except for a bit on Friday nite. We just didn't have the cash to throw down. We did however take advantage of the hotel pool AND have a fun Saturday nite excursion to FELLS POINT, where we found a local bar with $1.50 PBR drafts and a pool table. After we closed out the bar and headed back to the hotel, we got totally lost and ended up on the wrong side of the river. I snuck under a fence and subsequently skinned my knee. *We took Greyhound to and from. DADDY, you were right! Greyhound is full of degenerates!!! Plus it is totally unreliable. We were an hour late getting down there and 3 hours late getting home.
*I am wondering if I really want to continue writing any journalism related to comic books after my lack of interest in this con. I AM SO CONFLICTED!!!
*I got HOWARD CHAYKIN's vitals, which is awesome b/c he is one kickass guy and communicating with him outside of the con scene could be fucking brilliant.

I am thinking of trying to shop around "WHAT YOU SHOULD BE...", my old column, around to sites. I kinda miss the flexibility that came with it. Either way, I am antsy. I can't decide what I want to do with my creativity that seems to be just under the surface, ready to come out. Somehow dammit, I'm gonna do something soon! Ambiguity is key.

Tonite I'm going to Philly Dave's to chill for a bit, get caught up on 52 and return some DVD's he loaned to me. I also got 2 issues of 52 signed for him by JG while I was at the con, which I'm sure he'll dig.

I got some money/debt stuff squared away last week. I don't want to talk about it too much b/c I feel like that's all i ever do regarding my finances (talk and complain). It's getting done, I am a bit relieved about it, nuff said.

This week started out with a total crash in my spirits, but I'm starting to come out of the haze. I took off monday b/c my stomach and my nerves were so bad. I am going to blame the weather change on my most recent bout with insanity.

I requested my review @ work on Tuesday and it's actually already done. I just need to go in and meet with my superiors for the run-down. But I'm hella glad that they took care of it ASAP. Keep your fingers crossed they reward me for a job well done.

I am going to write some lines now:
It is like a shock
to the system...seeing you smile
from behind fold out tables,
across bar stools,
stealing a glance past cigarettes.

I can't seem
to resign myself
to this state of truth
somehow I am awkward
in the area
that I know best

Remember when I used to shine?
Remember the hours I could manipulate time?
You used my talent
like I used yours.

Now I'm lost
my spell subsided
and broke down.
or else I have
cursed myself with lack of confidence.

Funny how if I just
felt for one second
that you still believed,
I would be able to stand again
and stave you off with not so much
as a sideways glance.

Actually...it's not funny at all to me.
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CABLE UPDATE: HOUSE was good this past week; Dr. House is getting the limp back and popping Vikes again. BATMAN and THE AVENGERS were on HBO yesterday. BATMAN was my favorite film as a child, I know every bit of dialogue, especically the JOKER's lines. And while THE AVENGERS proves to be a pretty awful film, RALPH FIENNES as quintessential british gentleman JOHN STEED makes me a googly eyed. I have never found him as appetizing as in this film. It's gotta be the high-vested suits!
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Links that MySpace won't let me post

Daniel Radcliffe on Youtube

Ja-Hames' movie about him and I

Where is my Tall Boy to be Found?

Round and round and round she goes
Where she stops? Nobody knows
But then everyday her confusion grows
And grows…

I have gotten 3 eppys deep into ALIAS…not a lot but enough to know that I’m a sucker for the sudden ending. It’s a bitch but mos def makes you wanna watch the next episode.

I am meeting some bloke tonight from Myspace. No expectations…just a fellow Buddhist that I’ve been chatting with quite a bit for a few months now and figured it was about that time to put a voice to a myspace message, so to speak.

Have made plans with Ozark, Agent Steve and Stefan for various nights the remainder of this week/weekend. Also plan to help Rachel move on Saturday and to finish the GREAT RECONSTRUCTION…Stefan was a kind enough “big strong man” to help me move around my room yesterday. And get this:

IT LOOKS HELLA GOOD!!! I’m psyched to get it all finished. The point is that the furniture is moved around into making A LOT more space for me to entertain in my room if I’d like (and with the fact that it has A/C—that is a great thing) but I still have yet to organize all the THINGS that infiltrate every part of my life. I am going to divide these THINGS up into 3 categories: Toys, Art/Decoration & Functional. From there the toys will all be going into a toy chest I’m getting from Trey and Yella; the other 2 things are pretty self-explanatory, just a matter of making a coherent layout for said THINGS so that I’m more settled. Woo-Ha! Projects rule.

Shh…keep this a secret but work is hella boring today. I want to go home and watch more ALIAS.

After Friday I am COMPLETELY DONE with my recent legal troubles…well not really so recent considering it’s from Dec. of 2004. But yes, I have a discharge interview and I should be able to call myself a good girl once again.

Haha…yeah right. We all know how untruthful that last statement was.

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The Pirate Rum Diaries--3 mos. later ed.

"Don't worry. I'm takin' it back." <==Randal in CLERKS 2. Check this out: WheelieBlog.Org

It's been an internet-less past week.

But then again I've also been running around like a madwoman. Which of course I am. And what do I have to show for it? This time, confusion, no money, and no more social interaction than if I had stayed home.

B/c honestly, if you hung out with me in the past week, I prolly wasn't really there. Nothing personal against anyone...it was damn nice to see some peeps that I don't usually get to hang with along with my usual crew.

I've had a reunion of sorts with 2 friends (Sausalito and Jonathan), and my only regret is not seeing my Bonny Traitor Jay enough. If anyone would've been able to call me on my personality then it would've been her.

In the meantime I saw alot of films/shows, and would like to talk about them now:
ALIAS--this is currently the new obsession©, given to me by one Philly Dave. I think I watched some season 2 (a few weeks back) and s. 3 (just Saturday) and have been pretty damn hooked. So PD hooked it up and let me borrow season 1. I'm digging on it. A very convoluted plotline similar to LOST that makes it a lot of fun to follow. But as my roommate Care Bear pointed out, Jennifer Garner only looks really hot when she's wearing some funky colored wig and going out to a club.

CLERKS 2--was supposed to go see this with Mister Mike K and friends but him and Brad were still on the road up from Florida and subsequently missed the film. Dave w/Glasses picked me up and we made it to the film which was v. fucking funny...and only a little gay @ the end. Glad I was able to check this out in the theaters and must say that my love for JASON MEWES knows no bounds. But dammit if Randal ain't the man. Hands down, the man. "SHUT UP GO BOT!"

HARRY POTTER AND THE GOBLET OF FIRE--ok, this isn't new (obviously) and certainly not new to me as I saw it twice in the theater and bought it the week it came out on DVD. This is prolly my 10th or 11th viewing of said film. But I must say, that I found one scene immensely satisfying this time around and I think that may have to do with my darkened outlook on people in general. Disdain is a good word to describe it. Anyway, the scene is this: the look that Ron bores into the back of Harry's head when Dumbledore calls Potter as the 4th Triwizard champion is delightfully evil. His eyes are bloodshot setting an amazing contrast to his deep green with envy eyes; you can see his skin burning as if alit with anger.

HOW THE LIGHT GETS IN--[novel]-Shacky Red Handed gave me this book in my dreaded visit home 2 weekends ago, and I just finished tonight. It was a sometimes stirring read, sometimes disturbing (in that awkward and embarrassing sort of way), and a bit of a author trying to hard to channel Holden Caufield. Quick and entertaining read.
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So I've watched the pilot of Season 1 of ALIAS, and have started BAD TWIN, the novel that the character Sawyer is reading on LOST; the manuscript and supposed last work of author GARY TROUP who was lost in the flight of OCEANIC 815. Spooky.

I have to make sure they work, but I also now have HOUSE s. 1 in possession.

I got caught up on 52 this week but then got behind again. Also need to read CIVIL WAR although I heard it was pretty damn exciting.

I'm going to undertake the big project this week and rearrange my room. No going out, save Wed.; oh yeah, I'm going to have to call you back. It's "on".

I run to silence the voices in my head
it's easier to surround yourself with noise
then quiet the inside of your skull.
you try to shut it down
you don't even know what window it is.
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a-DICK-ted

I am certified: 58% addicted to Myspace Are you addicted to MySpace?

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Tagged by Tommy

PITT CON fun...Tommy Castillo makes art of my skin.
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