Does The Look of This Blog Describe Me As A Person?

As you can see, I'm looking for a new look. Not that I don't like the same basic design that I've had since 2004, I just figured maybe part of my apathy towards this whole thing is that I'm tired of seeing it.

Now the problem is finding a theme that lines up with me as a person. And since I find it hard to leave the house without changing my shoes (or at least thinking about it) once or twice, it might take some time before I find a theme that I'm comfortable with.

In the meantime, I just now realized that I've had this blog since 2004. Which is a long time, and pretty unbelievable. 7 years. Or maybe 6, since last year it was pretty much in hibernation. Still. Maybe I'm more dedicated to this than I give myself credit for.

I'll also give a shout-out to my first blog. From 10 years ago. It still exists. Although not in the super awesome original format. It looked a little more like the old-timey internet. I was mostly preoccupied with dissing George W. Bush, and finding internet article about science.

So there it is. And judging by my old blog, there it will sit for a long time. Even if I don't do anything about it.

P.S. Some of the links on WigglePuppy still work. Make sure you check out "Paint By Numbers". The username/password for that blog is long lost in my brain so I can't unlink the bad ones.

Here's to Excuses

I've decided that my goal for this week (which relates back to my New Year's Megaresolution) is to get back in the habit of tracking all of my calories. I know this is probably one of the least exciting things in the world to write about. So - my bad.

I was so good about it before I started working two jobs. Then all my healthy habits flew right out the window because when you only have about 20 minutes to eat between jobs, those Golden Arches are pretty quick and convenient. And cheap. I've managed to get in the habit of packing my breakfast and lunch with me to work, but taking three meals was getting a little ridiculous. And, cooking and eating dinner at 10 or 11 when I finally got home was pretty much impossible. Mostly because doing dishes at 11:30pm is pretty terrible.

Those are my excuses. Work, work and more work. I'm not even going to get started on the huge piles of snow and ice and slush on my running route. Because that is a whole different goal for the week, and a whole different pack of reasons why I can't do the healthy things that I should be doing. But that's another (not particularly exciting to anyone but me) blog post for another day.

January 1.0

Last year was a terrible year for this blog. Lost inspiration, lost motivation, but in the end I missed doing it.

So we begin again with the best of intentions.

This is one of the first years in a long time that I've actually written down some New Year's Resolutions. I'm trying my best not to be pessimistic about them. Or cynical about the whole idea. One of those includes updating this puppy regularly. Right now, I'm trying for every two weeks. (Hopefully I can get up to once a week, but let's be realistic.)

Maybe I can get Morsa over there to join in the fun. And then maybe good ol' Bungalow Bill won't be the only one posting away.

Happy New Year and Wish Me Luck

New York Summer

New York Summer
Originally uploaded by transplant

Susan and Her Hand-Held Computing Device

Happy Valentines Day!

(what's the point of having a dog if you can't do silly things like this anyway?)

Tornado*

*Now, with more destruction.

So far I've destroyed a few barns and a few houses. The drawing I'm working on now just has tiny people flying around. I've always been afraid of tornadoes. I think it goes along with my childhood fear of big storms in general, combined with living on the edge of, and visiting family in Tornado Alley. I remember a summer when we visited Chadron, and because there had been a big storm right before we arrived there was broken glass and dented cars everywhere. All the adults were making sure us kids had shoes on when we were playing outside so we wouldn't cut our feet.

These days though I stay up late listening to music and drawing them. I'm pretty sure I've drawn millions of tiny dots by now.

Jolly Holidays

So it went like this....

Giggle giggle giggle. Jokes. Hehehehe. Jokes about us making jokes. Giggle giggle. Hehe. Gin game. (There were well over 10 games of Gin to 250-300 pts.) Fun stuff like taking pictures, going to West Side Story and then sitting in a rotating bar, and making ornaments. Plus more jokes and laughing. And some Trivial Pursuit. Good Times. Especially if you're a Sis.

Giving Thanks at Tom and Jerry's

Giving Thanks at Tom and Jerry's
Originally uploaded by transplant

Halloween

Halloween
Originally uploaded by transplant

Susan

Tornado

Grand Opening

On Sunday the Maple Leaf Bakery in my 'hood opened up with quite a ceremony. There was a whole team of traditional dragon dancers and drummers (with numbered uniforms) plus a table and really long pole with cabbage (among other things) on them, plus a whole crowd of onlookers taking part. The drumming was out of sync, and it took more than a few minutes of organizing and smoke breaks to get started, but they did put on a show! The dragons danced around, also not quite in time with each other or the music, and danced inside and while the owners and their families were stuffed in the corners of the place. It was a funny thing to walk into on your way home from the train and I hope they have good luck with their new venture. I'm pretty sure that's what it was about, since it wouldn't seem like a good idea to tempt dragons into your store with cabbage and shallots and things if they weren't going to help make you successful.

Takin' the Kids for a Bath

It's been a very rainy summer. I think I remember hearing for the month of June it rained 23 of 30 days. It rained more days than it did in Seattle, although it wasn't steady rain really, just a series of never-ending thunderstorms. Which is just fine with me. I also on a couple of occasions grabbed all 12 plant kids from their various shelves and tables and set them out on the fire escape for a shower or two. They certainly seemed to like having all the dust washed off and getting a drink of rainwater. 

Sleeping on the N

Sleeping on the N
Originally uploaded by transplant

Early Career Video Games

Here's a fun distraction. And another one. Ahhh. Memories.

Internet Radio

My friend Jason (that's his tattoo below) grew up in Cincinnati and has been listening to this radio station WOXY since he was a kid. They were one of the first internet only radio stations and are still one of the best indie rock stations around. So check it out for some anti-Clear Channel mega-corporation goodness. 

Sunday Dinner

I try to get my chickens from the Halal butcher down the street. Which, according to some people could be more humane than traditional methods. But of course the argument goes both ways. The reason I like getting chickens from them is because they are never frozen, and not shipped across the country before you buy them. Plus even though it was kind of creepy at first, it's kind of reassuring to be able to look into his little chicken face before you eat him. 

NYC

NYC
Originally uploaded by transplant

(it's a parking garage)

photo.jpg

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by transplant

Susan

photo.jpg

photo.jpg
Originally uploaded by transplant

Susan

Clown Number Two

Clown Number Two
Originally uploaded by transplant

This makes two Working Clown sightings. Strange!