The Wait is O-V-E-R!

Grey's Anatomy is finally, after a long hiatus due to the writer's strike, bringing us new episodes. I don't think I could have taken it much longer.

I need Derek Shepard.

Seriously.

55 Days and 2.5hrs till the LSAT

One step closer to Madame President

Thank you Pennsylvania! Boy, I am in a good mood today.

Happy Passover!

This picture was taken from one of the many Passover themed emails/forwards I received today. I decided which one to choose while munching on matzah from one of the 3 boxes of it that were delivered to the office this morning.

"i shuddered when i read that thomas kincaid anecdote>who would write a paper in art school re:that?"

"Just read your blog- very clever, informative, & entertaining. I had never read it before so I read the ENTIRE thing while Giselle was napping. We are in a hotel room in Cleveland-yes Cleveland. Tres boring. Every nite we go out for some sort of world experience dinner>tonite=ethiopian, but alas, the city is still mundane."

This is an excerpt of an email from Nicole who was my good friend, fellow SCAD grad, and co-worker at The Olde Pink House in Savannah (pictured above). You know the saying “two heads are better than one”? The opposite is true when Nicole and I are together. Case in point: late one evening while it took us an absurdly long time to realize the man with the long blond hair who reserved his table under the name “Allman” might just be Greg Allman who lives about 30 minutes outside Savannah. Aha! It was.

She now lives in Michigan now with her man and beautiful baby girl Giselle. The Savannah years were defining for both of us and she and I spent many evenings sitting on the porch of her house right off Forsythe Park drinking and exploring all the "how did I get here? What am I trying to do - what did I expect to find here? Will it ever make sense for us?" and of course we talked about art and being broke. She had a palm tree in her front yard which was something neither of us could get over. We would drink the $2.50 bottles of wine you could get at the Kroger and one time her weird pot head neighbor tried to give us this HUGE bag full of kine bud but for some reason Nicole wouldn’t let me/us except. It was like $400 worth of serious weed. We were both poor and could have sold it! Or smoked it. I wanted to give some to my Savannah obsession, Craig, who worked with us at the OPH. Hadass, gets it. She worked with him at Seasons and she had a crush on him but I was full blown in love. I could (and did) literally talk about him for hours at a time. I was 20 so my infatuation was kind of adorable and just a little bit pathetic.

Nicole and I were held up at gunpoint one night after we hit up Goth Night (also bottomless cup night!) at Club One. We were so scared we ran into what we though was a small corner pub but turned out to be gay leather bar. Another time we were on Tybee Island for her birthday where we got drunk on Margaritas at Skipper’s, then played in the ocean fully dressed. What happened next is still kind of fuzzy but I think we lost the person who drove us there and we had to walk from one end of the island to the lighthouse where my friend Maime lived so she could drive us back to the mainland. I remember we got lost wandering around an arboretum… Our bizarre misadventures are countless and we are in talks to taking on Thailand next year.

Nicole rocks. She is an amazing photographer and a kind, sensitive, complex woman. Best of all, she is raising a second generation Aut, Colleen reader. Welcome Nicole!

Happy Birthday Aut! Love, Colleen

My sister Autumn was born on April 14th, 1978 in the City of Philadelphia to Jeanne and Dennis.

You know what that means...

She's the big 3-0!

Happy birthday old lady! You're almost as old as those pyramids!

Keith's His Name and Movies are His Game

This is a reminder to check out my good friend Keith's movie blog to for all his funny and insightful reviews of the films showing at the Philadelphia Film Festival. If you don't know, Keith takes the week off work at highly stressful job at UArts to watch as many films as humanly possible - he doesn't mess around. This year he is a judge which is super exciting!

http://keithsmovies.blogspot.com/

Some of you might remember that around this time last year I ran into Paul Rudd at Starbucks when he was in town for the festival. (Smile and sigh...)

Quack

This brought a tear to my eye.

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-ducklings10apr10,1,2641110.story

Enter Spring

This mix is about as easy breezy (beautiful covergirl) as I get but still has the balance between fast and slow, mixing local bands, old favorites, and new finds. As always, ask and ye shall receive.

1. It's A Fine Day - Jane

2. Radio Nowhere - Bruce Springsteen

"Magic" is one of the best albums of the past year and with this song the Boss still proves that he is, well, the Boss. It has a powerful repetition of lyrics that reminds me of one of my other all time favorite songs, Unsatisfied by The Replacements. I play this song REALLY loud with the windows down in my car on nice days.

3.Lake Michigan - Rough Wave

4. Ok, It's Alright With Me - Eric Hutchinson

Get up and dance!

5. The General Specific - Band of Horses

Band of Horses is one of my favorites so it was hard for me to pick just one song off their latest album "Cease to Begin". I saw them at the TLA a couple months back and they blew my mind. The whole experience was transcendental and left me walking on air for the next few days.

6. Why Do You Let Me Stay Here? - She and Him

My Dad recently purchased their album "Volume 1" so I've been listening to it a lot at work. It makes me smile.

7. Heavenly Day - Patty Griffin

This song is like a warm breeze blowing across a green meadow under a cloudless blue sky...

8. The Pilgiming Vine - Basia Bulat

I have a post about her show at the Tin Angel that I haven't gotten around to finishing. She and I got into a lengthy discussion about Daniel Johnston (who I had seen at the Troc the week earlier) and Lou Reed. I will try to get that one up soon. She is cute as a button

9. My Eyes - Travis

My beloved band Travis delivers once again.

10. Waiting for My Real Life to Begin - Colin Hay

11.Angels Hung Around - Rilo Kiley

Jenny Lewis has a voice as sweet and smooth as strawberry ice cream. In this song she makes peace with her past.

"And I feared the best and loved the worst

And insisted that I go first

And watch your eyes as they poured

And I never really loved you more."

12. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

It doesn't get more light hearted and optimistic than this.

13. The Emergency - Gileah & The Ghost Train

14. Cheer My Up Thank You - New Buffalo
15. Sunny Road - Emiliana Torrini

At this point I am so impressed that I can put together such a sunny CD that I still identify with.

16. My Own Worst Enemy - George Stanford

17. Walt Whitman Bridge - Marah

A local band who has had oodles of critical praise but not the commercial success to match. I think they are amazing and so does Nick Hornby. Another place and another time I think he and I could have really been something.

18. Just Like That - Dar Williams and Patty Larkin

If songs could hug...

If I forgot to...

Invite you to my latest soirée either I'm not that crazy about you or I don't have your email or you live too far away or I forgot so please let me know.

GreenReaper, I'm talking to you!

Arctic Splash!

Ah, Arctic Splash. It’s as essential to Fishtown as pajamas as outerwear or Newports... But, we do have an abundance of hipsters. On occasion they will do something moderately amusing such as organizing costume bike rides where they get about 15-20 people to dress up in crazy costumes and ride around the neighborhood. Fishtown is basically divided into two main groups: the hipsters and the old school Fishtowners who can’t understand why people would spend mucho dough for a newly renovated row home or environmentally friendly condo and have an apparent addiction to a sugary ice tea-esq beverage called Arctic Splash. (I am the exception as I fall into neither category.)

This addition to F-town’s official website is clearly the work of those of the Johnny Brenda loving persuasion and Timmy and I got a good laugh out of the hipster's take on our hamlet's beloved drink. (http://www.johnnybrendas.com/) . Check it out:


http://fishtown.us/image/tid/53
http://fishtown.us/image/tid/55


this picture was taken right outside my house.

No, not that kind of Cat Lady

I like cats. Sure, I do. I even have one. One. One cat. A woman I work with has 13, in a one bedroom apartment in West Philly. Hmm. Well, I guess its better than having 20 beavers.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A58357-2000Dec12&notFound=true

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23612118/

Whatever. Make fun of me. I don't care.

I played with Barbies till I was in 6th grade. Sad, I know but if you knew me in middle school I was a pretty sad character in general. I had full braces, brassy unkempt hair, and a fashion sense that was a little too edgy for Cinnaminson Middle School. Think Clarissa Explains it All but not quite daring and I sure as hell didn’t have the confidence to pull off the look. At least I had clear skin…

In general I would prefer to clear my mind of any memory of 1990 through 1994. Ah, but the 80’s. That is when I really shined. I held court daily in the Rush Elementary School Playground. I danced to The Clash & Michael Jackson records with my mom and spent my days playing with Autumn and Timmy in the back yard. Life was good and best of all I had my Chrystal Barbie. I was devastated when I found out my mother threw away/donated all my Barbies as soon as went to college. So today I decided to go to hit up ebay and bid on Chrystal Barbie.

I am currently the high bidder.

I’ll keep you posted on the status of the auction.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280214611793&ssPageName=ADME:B:BCA:US:1123

Do any of you long for a childhood toy you no longer have. Glow Worm, Weebles, Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Pony? Perhaps a Pound Puppy?