The Way I See It # 556: A Series of Unfortunate Events

Unfortunate Event # 1:

As Lisa was absentmindedly doing her makeup and listening to Ratatat ("Lex", if you want to be specific), she realized that her black eyeliner had wandered out of sight. Unable to find it, she resorted to plunging her hand into her makeup bag to scramble around for it.

Fast forward to 5 seconds later, Lisa is cursing loudly and running her hand under running water. She has sliced her hand on a misplaced razor.

How unfortunate.

The Way I See It # 555

I just made dinner.

I repeat. I just made dinner.

I don't cook, anyone who knows me knows that cooking is one of the things I never got around to doing. It was Kara's things, scary, and wasn't necessary for me to learn in high school. But now, living in Richmond for the summer, things are changing, and change tastes good.

I'm starting a couple of my goals for the summer tomorrow. I plan on hitting the gym sometime (I'm already slipping) tomorrow. The usual agenda to apartment hunt also continues.

I'm so tired of calling people and seeing apartments. I really hate moving/apartment hunting. I wish I had all the money in the world, that way this would be easy....

Currently watching Brian Regan. He's really funny, but only by inflection. A lot of comedians are like this. Dane Cook is like this, but Dane Cook kind of sucks. His material is comprised of saying things in a funny way and making up words.

I met Dane Cook once. You're damn right he remembers me.

Lately I've either chosen not to write on this blog, or what is happening at this moment occurs: everything I wanted to say is drained out of my brain. I'm notorious for ending my blog entries on a random, brief, and anti-climatic note.

Things I would like to do:
1. Underwater Archaeology Field School
2. Urban infiltration/exploration
3. Rock climbing
4. Spelunking
5. Road Trip


Wouldn't that be neat? Wouldn't that be fun?

The Way I See It # 554

I guess it is a good thing I'm staying busy. I'm not sure how the boredom would work out here in Richmond.

This morning I'm seeing more apartments, I have to work from 1-5 and then I'm seeing more apartments after that.

I worked only 3 hours yesterday, but it was the worst three hours I have ever worked. I had to do a bunch of transactions that I had never done before, and when I called the cash room for help everyone's tone indicated that they thought I was under qualified. I had a return for over $100 so it wiped my drawer, and when I asked for a loan, it took them half an hour to get it to me as I had to struggle with customers paying with cash.

I really hate working at the bookstore. Everyone talks down to me, I'm constantly being watched on the cameras, my manager always has an exasperated tone when she talks to me, and I feel like all I have done is tried my best.

I hope I find another job soon, because I can't stand the bureaucracy of that place.

(OBVIOUSLY these are not the views of my employer and are solely my own)

The Way I See It # 553

I am currently apartment hunting for my next place. The process is slow, stressful, and all together a huge pain in my ass. I have a budget, I have things I want, and I like working alone or with my mom, or possibly with a future roommate. What I don't need is a friend who consistently says they hope I get a great place, especially since all the other places are probably snatched up by now. Or that all the good places are gone. I don't need someone that sends me craigslist postings telling me "Oh, I know it's expensive, but I just absolutely love it" (it was $100 over my budget without including utilities) or "If you got another roommate, this would be great." (A 4 bedroom house, when I don't even have one solid roommate yet).

I saw those craigslist ads and did not pursue them for a reason. I don't need your meddling, and while I understand that you're bored in Northern Virginia, why don't you call to hang out instead of throwing this apartment shit in my face? I don't care that you got a "Fantastic" deal, and really I could give a fuck about who you think I should live with.

Suck it, hard core.

The Way I See It # 552

My Thursday nights are usually comprised of either 1. working, 2. romping about Richmond in the early hours of the evening with Michele (Which usually consists of finding Mexican food places down Broad St., Buying things at Target, or zooming around Richmond listening to either "foux de fa fa" or "Wildcat") 3. Spending time with Zane, and playing with the Kittens, and 4. the obvious appearance/socializing at Guild.

However tonight is different. Here I am, sitting in bed wearing a fleecy robe I was given as a Christmas gift an obscene number of years ago. It is navy in color, but this is hard to tell from all the lint that has accumulated on it. It's broken in, it is warm, it smells weird, and I never used to like it, but being home now without much to wear for bedtime, this robe is a comfort, and I'm going to bring it back with me to Richmond. I often avoid wearing a fore mentioned robe because, once again, it is fleece, and this shit is a bitch to clean without somewhat electrocuting yourself.

I'm in bed, dozing off. I had to relocate from my mom's room because I was a threat to her comforter. My mother recently bought a new bedspread, and she become morally offended if anything remotely stain-inducing approaches the bed. So me approaching with a delicious ice cream cone (Drumsticks) was the exact thing she could shoo away. Also there is the fact that I was actively (or passively?) falling asleep on her bed made for a red flag that I should head to MY room and get out of HER room. I'm exaggerating, but then again I'm not.

So I am back, and I'm blogging about stupid things wishing I was at guild where I would be enjoying good music, a good 40, and good people.

But instead I'm here in an old robe, surrounded in the atomic bomb that is my bedroom, half-awake with ice cream on my face.

gross.

The Way I See It # 551: Blog of Note

Okay, okay, this blog is not one of Blogger's Blogs of Note, BUT on May 1st it was a relevant blog that had the honor of receiving such a title!

Skulladay.blogspot.com documents/ed the musings of Noah Scalin, an artist who one day decided to make a skull a day for an entire year. That year has come and gone and blog posts daily renditions of fan art related to skulls and to Noah Scalin's art.

I thought this was really cool. What was even cooler was when I found out, through the blog, that some of his 365 Skulls will be in a show right here in Richmond from July 3-August 22 at Quirk Gallery (311 W. Broad St.) Imagine my excitement when I found out that he not only is based in Richmond, but also developed a class on socially conscious design for Virginia Commonwealth University!

you can read more about Noah Scalin here, and visit his blog here.

The Way I See It # 550

Starbucks is great. I like it a lot, but it's really predictable, in a bad way. The music is always this generic smooth jazz and recognizable Ella Fitzgerald and Louie Armstrong (just like Barnes and Noble), the products they offer encourage you to be at peace with yourself, such as a journal that has daily reminders to be kind to yourself and make that extra effort to be a good human being. The place always smells the same, the sounds are the same, the people are the same, and in Nothern Virginia it's moms who constantly gush about their children, old people, and little kids knocking things over while they clutch their milk boxes (Which Starbucks so generously provides for 'little ones').

However, I had gotten a lot done, as it is apparent that while sitting in this type of place I get a lot of work done. Maybe that is false, and it's just the caffeine that is making me more productive. Sometimes I wonder how much I would get done if I actually took a focus drug, like aderal or Ritalin. We sell something called "Nodoze" at the bookstore which is basically caffeine pills. I know a lot of kids who take Aderal and other things to help them focus/study, but I'm sure that they all have ADHD or ADD. I don't, which is probably why I've never encountered focus aids.

That was off topic, what I meant to write was that I've been productive and I have been apartment hunting all morning. I'm going to see apartments next monday, which is a great first start. Even if kara doesn't come to VCU I'm still going to get an apartment. I guess if she doesn't come to Richmond I can join someone else in a apartment... I didn't even think about joining in on an apartment rather than getting one and finding a roommate.

I don't know my plan for the rest of the day. I've been here less than 24 hours, and I'm already stumped as to what to do. Last night I got dessert with Zane, as our time in Nova overlapped for one night. It was nice, we went to Amphora and then did some exploring. I climbed a tree over in one of the office parks. I think I'll go back there sometime. He also showed me a new artist studio down near the caboos which was neat, though it was closed. It is also a coffee shop. I might wander over there sometimes this week as well.

I thought about heading over to Tysons to shop around, but honestly I don't have the money. I feel like there is so much I need to buy, but I just don't have the funds for anything. Once I get back to Richmond my two main goals will be to land another job somewhere and to get an apartment squared away. And get in shape.

I want the leg magic. (maybe I am ADD). I heard it works, and I'm a sucker for exercise equipment that looks easy. Like I said I have no money. Anyone want to pitch in and get one?