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Spent the weekend downstate visiting bluvelvet and roguelibrarian. It may still be Illinois, but it's like a whole other country out there. Gorgeous, yes; full of state parks and natural landmarks and long open stretches of road; home to Bon Appetit's "Best Ribs In America" and what seems like eighteen billion tiny wineries (and I forgot to buy a bottle of the Traminette that...
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I desperately want these boots. Yes, they're $400. Yes, I would buy them if I could even remotely justify the expense right now. ::sigh:: So gorgeous.
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ojaeflo:
I've been to Monterey before (like 15 years ago), and we were in the vicinity of the factory but didn't actually go to it.
I'm just psyched for a change in scenery!
biggrin
apexxx:
yep we had fun! im confident enough to say it was one her best birthdays she ever had! smile
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Over the weekend, watched a screening copy of No Country For Old Men that someone had given us. Gut reaction - WHAT?! HATE. I remember having a similar feeling about Barton Fink the first time I saw it, though to my mind that had a lot more redeeming features. Especially John Mahoney, Faulkner-and-Fitzgeralding it up. (Sidebar: I met him once; sadly, it was before I'd...
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kinto:
That was pretty "advanced" for a 6 year old! Surely beats wanting to be the little mermaid or something.

Haven't seen "No country" yet. Will probably watch it sometime though. All the Coen brothers' films I've seen I did enjoy except for "O Brother" which I thought was neither funny nor particularly clever. It got rave reviews everywhere though. Oh well...
apexxx:
we got the Devils Backbone from NetFlix today. i do beleive it was you who recommended it. looking forward to seeing it! if it sucks i will blame you wink tongue
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I left work early today...

...but I'm going in tomorrow.

Only a half-day...not really looking forward to it, but it'll be a relief come Monday when all that stuff is already finished. I don't usually go into the office on weekends - it'll be blissfully quiet, at least.

My brain is on the verge of shorting out. Have a lovely weekend!

kinto:
eew... working on a Saturday

Here's hoping you have a great weekend nonetheless smile
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Authors I can't believe I haven't read prior to the last few months...I have the same friend to thank for Jonathan Lethem as I do for James Baldwin. They're pretty much opposite ends of the spectrum, but equally (if very differently) brilliant. Currently reading Lethem's Motherless Brooklyn, and I honestly don't think I've laughed out loud this much since my first reading of Good Omens....
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trocc:
Motherless Brooklyn is great stuff - i've since read quite a bit of Lethem's work - essays, articles, novels. my personal favorite is Fortress of Solitude.

if you're obsessive about reading, you might enjoy LibraryThing. it's been feeding my somewhat OCD need to somehow document the things i read and listen to lately... i'm here.
trocc:
oh, i like that song too. i'm going to hold off on a return 80's video right now, though, since Loverboy's "Working For The Weekend" has been on my mind too much lately. it will cloud my judgment.

well, given what i just posted in my journal, maybe it already has. shocked
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Lazy after a long day at work...cut-and-pasting something that I wrote a few weeks ago (when, yes, it was warm enough to have the windows open!)

Just playing with words, here, but I had a good time doing so.




When I went outside for a cigarette, it was so quiet that I could hear a plastic bag caught and fluttering in the chain-link fence across...
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jtemperance:
*looks like a great blog, just not reading it fully now*

Thanks for your wishes. Hopefully, I'm getting over-worried and things are actually okay.
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Is there anything better than a long weekend? Especially a long weekend filled with interesting art, good friends, and a bit of drinking - with some much-needed solitude, reading time, and a fantastic massage thrown in for good measure. Oh, and spending time with my sister, brother-in-law and nephew! It would've been nearly perfect but for the cold, which froze a pipe in the basement,...
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jtemperance:
Kids are amazing. The reality that escapes me as an adult.
trocc:
it's really quite gripping and well done, i'd recommend it - i am only about half way through it, but still... wink

i can't believe i haven't listened to the mix you guys made yet! confused

i'm always so excited when i get all that new music, but then it does sometimes take a while to check them all out. i'm super excited about yours, though - i need to get on that.
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For the first time, I think I understand why people take vacations and do nothing but lie on the beach and drink for a week straight. Tropical paradises have never really appealed to me, but it's currently fifteen degrees here...lying in a hammock in the shade with a book and a cocktail, broken up by the occasional dip in bathtub-warm water, sounds perfectly amazing right...
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apexxx:
ive been thinking about a road trip sometime this spring. but ive never really had a vacation before. my trip to Tampa last spring doesnt count sine it was business related wink
trocc:
i made it out last night, even with the weather how it is. had a good time, many beers and live music, but it was so so cold, though.

i'm staying in with my hangover today. wink
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Lovely celebration tonight - a bunch of people at the house, and we're making chicken enchiladas, and banana enchiladas (everyone seems a bit horrified by these until they've tried them) with homemade mole sauce and the cheese production of a small country. Also lots of wine (red, only red) and champagne.

Dinner's not ready yet; the amount of typos I've had to correct in these...
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jtemperance:
That sounds like great fun! Can't have too much wine and cheese.
apexxx:
i would be among thos horrified by banana enchiladas, but i would be curious enough to try one. smile
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I was looking up something to do with sestinas the other day (why? I honestly don't remember) and found one on McSweeney's which charmed me utterly. I loved A Wrinkle In Time the first time I read it, aged nine or so; I've continued to read L'Engle's books ever since.

Not really a spoiler, just cut because it's pretty long:

SPOILERS! (Click to view)


A...
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trocc:
well bump that first trilogy up your list a bit - it's worth it. smile

can't speak for the movie, though - i heard it kind of blows.
jtemperance:
^^^
I ditto what he says; the Pullman books are fantastic.
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Finally got around to watching The Devil's Backbone...wow.

Last night, I did nothing but lie around with B. and watch Arrested Development. I can't remember the last time I watched multiple hours of TV at once, but I think it was just what I needed - very relaxing.

This week looks like it's going to be very, very long.
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apexxx:
well i dug Pan's Labyrinth, so ill have to put this one on my NetFlix list smile
neovictorian:
There's no way to reply directly to any one comment, is there? Not used to this yet. Anyway - yes, highly recommend The Devil's Backbone. I've been meaning to watch Pan's Labyrinth for quite some time now.

I love The Wire - new season's begun and I have no cable! Damn.

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Ah-ha...just figuring it all out.

Ended up at the SG Chicago CD exchange on Friday, and met some fantastic people. So, I decided to give this a trial run.

Hello!
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neovictorian:
Thanks all - this seems like it'll be a great time!
lancelac:
Welcome. It was great to meet you guys, thanks for coming. Hope to see you folks again really soon. Also, I checked out your hubby's website and his pics are AMAZING! The site itself looks and operates great also. smile