existentialism / pickles

Recently, the other Megan and I went to this really cool used bookstore in Lincoln Square (does anyone know the name of it? I think it's Ravenswood Used Books), and I bought a book called Dostoevsky Kierkegard Nietzsche and Kafka by William Hubben. It's great, despite an alarming smell.
When my miracle car finally dies, I'm going to sign up for an I-go car and enjoy the amazing luxury of working turn signals. I will drive to Seminary Co-op bookstore almost all the time. Lately, high school kids have been breaking into my car and it smells like pickles, and I smell like pickles. I don't know what they're doing in there, but it can't be good.

I love Alan Alda now

Because cable here is more like "cable," I watch a lot of Home Shopping Network and Public Television. Not only do I crave a diamonique tennis bracelet, but I have discovered that Alan Alda does endlessly fascinating things. For instance, did you know that people who go blind due to macular degeneration will be able to see like robots in the future? It is true. Alan Alda taught me that.

Today, Alan found out he is a supertaster. I'm pretty sure I am, too, mostly because I want to be just like him. Then he was walking on a beach, and I sighed: "That looks like Oak Street Beach. I remember the way the sand halos around your footprint there." It was! Alan Alda was chillin' with science nerds on my fave beach, talking about the cosmos.

I have heard that Hef is setting Bridget and Kendra free. I cannot help but feel that they should probably just go and live with Alan Alda instead.

Come in: We're not ready

A couple of years ago when we were visiting friends in Queens (holla, EggBoy), we met his neighbor, whose name was Jerry. After he left, EggBoy said, "That's Jerry. From 'Grey Gardens.'" And we were all like, "Wha? Who?"

Last night we watched Grey Gardens, and if you haven't seen it, get yo' azz over to the Blockbuster or start manipulating your queue. These two ladies are ca-razy and they live in a decrepit old mansion in East Hampton, and I'm pretty sure they eat cat food at one point in the movie. Also, I love them. So vain. So enamored of tube tops. So tolerant of raccoons eating their walls.

That's Little Edie.

My watch is too smart for me

You guys, I can't set my watch. As far as the instructions say, I tap its surface, and then a magical fairy appears and sets it for me, but I have tapped the face with varying degrees of hardness (including once with my fist) and nothing has happened.

It's a Swatch Touch. I am still wearing it, but I have to remember to subtract an hour every time I look at it.

Everything is adorable

Lots of stuff (like stores and restaurants) here is in old houses, which makes me think of the first time I met Abby's mom. For some reason we had to go out to tea alone together at this place called The Unicorn. It was chock full of twittering fussy old ladies and filled an entire Victorian-style house. I don't know if I'm remembering this correctly because this was in a small town in Iowa, and I'm not sure how they could fill up a space that big with that many women who wanted tea. There's really no story beyond that, other than I felt uncomfortable.

I just had breakfast in a house that over-hollandaised my eggs (hooray!), and last weekend, I went to Boxcar Books (in a house) where I purchased The Coast of Akron by Adrienne Miller and a vegan Indian cookbook. The Coast of Akron is like three years old and is that frothy novel that I was looking for earlier. It is still smart though. I have heard it ends disappointingly. I am prepared for that. But Boxcar is excellent. It's sort of like Quimby's, but all non-profit.

And I am not becoming vegan. And Abby and I had dinner last night with a couple who saw John Cougar Mellencamp out and about. He has enormous hair, they said, and did you know his wife is the Almay supermodel?

I need to visit soon.

Alaska will host the Armageddon

Sarah Palin hates cats!

McCain gets BarackRoll'd

Frances Johnson music video

Some smartypants named "Chioubacca" made a music video of Stacey Levine's book Frances Johnson!

Surprising thing

College students still totally love Dave Matthews. He is practically the new Bob Marley if Bob Marley weren't still so popular amongst the houses that blast the music. And Jimi Hendrix. They love him, too. Still. I haven't heard any Phish yet. I am waiting with ba(i)ted breath. omgwtfbbq I'm punny.

Guidance Counselor?

Did any of you squeal when Brenda walked into the Peach Pit and interacted with both Nat and Kelly? I did. I am not ashamed. My observations are as follows:

1. I am having trouble figuring out who The Steve is. It seems like The David and The Steve have been melded into one character. Also, where’s The Donna? Are we to understand that the play girl is The Brenda, based on her haircut? Except the Kansas girl is clearly The Brenda? Wait, is Silver supposed to be The David?

2. The current Peach Pit/Peach Pit After Dark combo is lame. There is no way Nat owns those places now. He’s been strongarmed into giving away his share in the business without Brandon there to protect him.

3. Clearly that is Dylan’s child. I can’t wait for Dylan to come back, and all of the guitar riffs that will accompany him.

4. Brenda looks ridiculously old. This makes me feel ridiculously old. Actually this whole post is making me feel old. Why does the space in her teeth keep moving around?

5. I don’t know any of the new people’s names except for Silver.

6. Two hours is a long time.

7. My friend Peter has a theory that the formerly-of-Melrose-Place-new-Jim-Walsh-fathered mystery person will be someone we know from before. I don’t think there was anyone in the appropriate age group.

8. I like that The Brenda and The Brando have a connecting bathroom. But, I think that the whole set, except for West Beverly High, is left over from The OC.

9. oh two one oh, what what.

mccain betta whatchit

Old, Grizzled Third-Party Candidate May Steal Support From McCain