On the Write Again

I'm getting closer to writing again, maybe out of desperation, maybe out of looking around at my life and thinking something along the lines of what the fuck am I doing? I even sent out submissions of some things last night, partly thanks to Beth for asking me about an essay of mine. It was one of those nice and bleedingly rare moments when you read some of your old work and you don't need to burn it. Burn it? Nay! This exquisite sample of writing should be alongside the Magna Carta under glass, it so precious and necessary. So I sent it out to some places and contests.

I had a second great moment yesterday. After a second or third beer while watching recorded episodes of Angel on television, I stood up and looked around at my apartment. Let's face it. Generally speaking, I am not the happiest of people, nor the most convinced of my accomplishments and potential. But after those several beers and being a little high on the delightfully satisfying storylines mapped out by Joss Whedon, I looked around my apartment and thought, this is mine. I made this. I pay for it. It's all mine. And then I thought, okay, I might be a little cool. Maybe my life can still be awesome.

And I really want to have an awesome life, but every second seems to push that possibility out of my reach. Every second breathes more concrete into my veins and smoke into the vessels running up and down and across my brain. Paralysis is never immediate.

Top Albums of 2007

I think about music a lot. And even more lately as it seems near impossible to explain things going on in the darkness of my mind. Only music can come near to it, either in comprehension or in the expression of it. God, to be musical would be the thing. That's the real gift of life, the one thing that means more than everything else. Music reaches higher and lower than every other form of expression, and deeper and softer. It's just damn magical. If you don't believe me, just listen to "The Hill" from the soundtrack for Once. If you don't agree after that, you and I have nothing to say to each other.

I'm actually a little surprised I haven't posted this already. Here's my top albums of 2007 (not in order because that's too darn specific for me, though if I had to give you a front runner, it would be between the soundtrack to Once and the Bishop Allen album):

Feist, The Reminder

Once (the soundtrack)

Jens Lekman, Night Falls Over Kortedela

Bishop Allen, The Broken String

Amy Winehouse, Back to Black

Beirut, Flying Club Cup

The Bees, Octopus

Microscopic Phobias

This is all I need to never leave the house again. And by that, I mean never be able to leave the house again:

One use credit card sized microscope, available in 5 packs of 500x to 1000x



Comes with your own isolation pod and vat of antibacterial wipes.

Celebrity Chefs

Exhibit A: Celebrity Chef Michael Symon of Lola's



I like eating. And even as a vegetarian, a breed of eater fine chefs call "grade A celery munchers," I enjoy really fine food. This week I had my first celebrity chef experience. I went to Lola in downtown Cleveland, the restaurant of Chef Michael Symon (see above photo), who is currently competing on the Next Iron Chef. I went for lunch and among the delightful foods on our table, there was beef cheek pierogi, pork schnitzel, lola fries, great lakes beer cheddar soup, and an unbelievable macaroni and cheese. And who was cooking in the kitchen? None other than the cackling Michael Symon himself. I was pretty darn geeked, I don't mind telling you. It took a great deal of reserve to refrain from snapping photos. I really felt quite starstruck.

I didn't take a photo. I was civilized and well-behaved even as Symon walked around schmoozing with the VIPs. And the food? Honestly, it was very, very good.

Exhibit B: Celebrity Chef Anthony Bourdain of Les Halles



In a month, I will be eating at Les Halles in New York, home of Anthony Bourdain who I have more than a mild crush on. Fortunately, there will be little chance of me making a fool of myself as Bourdain is now travelling so much that it is unlikely that he will be in the kitchen. But still, even in his absence, I'm guessing several tourist-like photos will be taken. I can only remain restrained for so long.

My Hair and Scary Mandy Moore Obsessions

Friends,

I would like to do something new with my hair. Yes, this style is adorable. But it is time to move on, go a little darker, maybe slightly lengthier. Here is what I am thinking about, which is really similar to my natural hair color. (Gasp! That's not her real hair color! The horror!)



As I was looking around for a photograph to give to my stylist, I found the above picture of the lovely Mandy Moore and a site with the headline, "How To Be Like Mandy Moore." Now, granted, it's a little hypocritical of me to cast dispersions on those who might follow these guidelines as I clearly want my hair to look like hers, however, I assure, I am a much different breed. Read on.

This is what the site suggests:

"1. How did Mandy get her fame? With her breathtaking voice. If you can sing, take voice lessons and practice. Listen to her music and her singing styles and without copying, try to throw in some Mandy with your own voice.

2. Mandy likes changes, whether it's blonde hair to brunnette or short to long. Be sure you are ready to do something wild about your hair. Look at pictures of Mandy Moore and her hairstyles. Go to your hair stylist and ask them to cut or style your hair the way Mandy does. (remember, now she's into the hippie style hair.)"

Those are just the first two. Here are the last "tips":

"* Watch her movies.
* Listen to her music from the first cd to her most recent one.
* Read more info on mandy for more inspiration.
* Try to meet her in real life."


Above all -- this is Molly speaking here. You can tell from the lack of typos and misspellings -- the site clearly is not interested in teens (their audience?) being themselves. Be Mandy in all things, it suggests. Think Mandy. Sing Mandy. Walk Mandy. Stalk Mandy. Then you will be one with Mandy. ONE WITH MANDY! Awesome! I can't wait to get my hair done!!

In case you were further interested in how to be Mandy, go here: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.wikihow.com/images/thumb/7/7f/Mandy-Moore---2005-Crystal-%26-Lucy-Awards-01-4600.jpg/250px-Mandy-Moore---2005-Crystal-%26-Lucy-Awards-01-4600.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.wikihow.com/Be-Like-Mandy-Moore&h=377&w=250&sz=15&hl=en&start=188&tbnid=ZOrIbt5dgLDzaM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=81&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmandy%2Bmoore%26start%3D180%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Happy stalking.

And you thought YOUR landlord had issues ...

Kansas City Has Gigantic Books

Friends, this is really freaking cool.




For more on the why and the how, go here:
http://deputy-dog.com/2007/11/30/can-you-spot-the-library/