Poison Pen

“Yes, I now feel that it was then on that evening of sweet dreams - that the very first dawn of human love burst upon the icy night of my spirit. Since that period I have never seen nor heard your name without a shiver half of delight, half of anxiety.” ~Edgar Allan Poe

A friend of mine in New Orleans posted the above as her FB status recently and it just fit so well with how I am feeling (in a good way) lately. Not so much the “first dawn of human love” part but, well, the “icy night of my spirit” part. THAT.

I love when this time of year finally arrives and settles in. While it is not a proper winter with snow drifts and icicles, there is still an atmosphere of winter right now in San Francisco. I love this type of winter even more than I adore the transformation from summertime to autumn. I take pleasure in the shortened days and the lengthy chilly nights. I embrace those moments of doing nothing more than staying home and relaxing, being cozy and warm.

It is a split-personality sort of cycle for me, every winter. I go back and forth between craving the cozy lounging about at home in solitude or wanting to be out and about surrounded by festive, socializing others. I cannot do just one or the other – I have to surrender to the mood that seizes me, whichever impulse pulls or nudges.

There are significant drawbacks to this time of year. (There always are, oh yes.) Most of the drawbacks, for me, can be blamed on the holiday shopping frenzy that infects most of the general public. It is curious (and supremely annoying) how a not so subtle shift in the group mind of the general public can be felt in such a tangible way once the Xmas holiday decorations have been vomited out everywhere all at once. There is a certain angsty undercurrent out there, an unwelcome companion to every little errand or every pleasure jaunt, where the most mundane errands or daily transportation needs become arduous tests of manners or challenges to my strength of character. (OH the DRAMA of it all.)

The battling of the holiday madness that takes hold of people as they prepare to “celebrate” the holidays is more eye-roll inducing and irritating than the over-hyped fawning over zombies (so. over. already. please. stop. people.) and the slavish cheerleading of the wonders of bacon (see e.g. previously re zombies). These two pop culture (what other category would apply?) band-wagon trends are cringe-inducing for me at this point even though I have many friends participating in both fads. To each his own, I guess, but at this point I’m so bored with hearing about both of them and sick of seeing whimsical or ironic blogs devoted to them that I tend to avoid or ignore anything connected to them. It has just been so DONE to death already, sweeties.

(Well, that was quite a digression into a pop culture rant, wasn’t it? I guess if I want all those zombie lovers and cheerleaders of bacon to get off my lawn, I should just say so and be done with it.)

So yes, wintertime! The lyrics to one of my favorite Kate Bush songs helps with the evocation:

It's wonderful
Everywhere, so white
The river has frozen over
Not a soul on the ice
Only me, skating fast
I'm speeding past trees leaving
Little lines in the ice
Cutting out little lines
In the ice, splitting, splitting sound
Silver heels spitting, spitting snow
There's something moving under
Under the ice
Moving under ice – through water
Trying to get out of the cold water
"It's me"
Something, someone – help them
"It's me"

The trickle of minutes I have left at the moment is not enough for a properly creative recap.  But here are a few pictures from my fantastic trip to New Orleans for Halloween.  It was spectacularly fun!

 
Undead Family Portrait - Janel, Scott and I.

 
Gwen and I indulge in some picturesque posing

 

 
Me and a flickering candle await mayhem on the porch

 
Elegantly sinister Scott awaits mayhem in the doorway of the porch

 
Poised Janel awaits mayhem in the dining area

 
A few rounds of these for the last couple hours we were in NOLA.  Drunky pantses at the airport!

 
The Erin Rose pumpkin bids us a grinning good bye!
 

Time is creeping by so slowly, it is driving me mad. Scott, Janel and I leave for New Orleans tomorrow at midnight – hurray for red-eye flights! I love them. Unless there are restless screaming children on the flight, it should be quiet and smooth sailing through the night sky. We arrive in NOLA early on Thursday morning and will be in an Oktoberfest Never Never Land state of mind until late afternoon on Sunday. 

I haven’t been this much in the mood for All Hallows Eve festivities in a while. I’m not only looking forward to all the dress up fun and the social gadding about, which includes seeing a lot of missed and loved friends, but I’m also savoring the “fall is hanging the air, winter is a whisper away” pendulum quality that is this time of year.

The weather is warmer right now both here in SF and also in New Orleans (ugh) but everything else about this time of year, the kind of stuff that isn’t beholden to the weather patterns, is evoking fall/wintry sensations, feelings and flights of fancy. During the night, bizarre dreamscapes arrive out of nowhere while during the day, wandering daydreams are laced by vague memories and musings.  

This time of year can be an eerie and evocative interlude, a wonderful twilight time when anticipation and pleasure are at high tide and should be embraced before the other unpleasant holiday chaos begins its ascent. The pendulum will soon swing the other way and so the pushiness of Christmas will grasp everything in a stranglehold of mundane consumerism and enforced superficial gaiety. Then it is all biding time until January 2nd of the  new year can be met with a huge sigh of relief.

But for now we still have the interlude! In keeping with the spirit of this season, month and especially this week - my two favorite portions of The Mewlips by Tolkien:

They peep out slyly; through a crack
Their feeling fingers creep,
And when they´ve finished, in a sack
Your bones they take to keep.

Beyond the Merlock Mountains, a long and lonely road,
Through the spider-shadows and the marsh of Tode,
And through the wood of hanging trees and gallows-weed,
You go to find the Mewlips - and the Mewlips feed.

HAVE A SUBLIME HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

That sums up certain aspects of my weekend in a succinct manner!

Saturday night wine weaving: A cozy outing to celebrate Janel’s birthday and also, basically just a good excuse to indulge in fine wine and a savory cheese platter at:

http://www.hotelbiron.com/index.htm.

Hotel B is tiny and shadowy. It almost feels like a wine cellar that has been turned into a wine bar  and which could be located in a mysterious side alley somewhere in Paris. Lots of brick and wood and distressed embellishments in the décor. The four of us were fortunate to get the alcove room in the back, cradled away from the narrow, busier and noisier front area. When I arrived, the others had already started on what would be several bottles of a delicious cabernet (I can’t remember the name) along with a plate of 3 fancy cheeses, thin segments of baguette, paper thin slices of apple and pear, and a dish of assorted olives. 

Oh cheese fiends – this was a truly glorious array of three: a hard, triangular sliced cheese that reminded me a little of a gruyere and was wonderful when eaten with the slips of apple or pear. We also had a rich and pungent-tart blue cheese wedge that had been drizzled faintly with honey. That may sound nasty, and I was hesitant at first, but oh boy, it was good, and very rich. The third cheese wedge was the most outrageously tasty creamy truffle cheese. It had the texture of whipped brie and was ridiculously awesome. Next time, I’m not sharing THAT wedge with anyone.

This was a lovely, relaxing night in the Hotel B alcove. We could have pretended that we had been transported through a time and space vortex into an unknown yet familiar parlor in an abandoned manor in Europe. The candlelight, comfy furnishings, and the murmur from the front room or people strolling back to peek into the alcove were the only things to remind us we were at a bar in San Francisco. 

And I’ll let the pictures tell the rest:

 

- See the red light rinsing...Wine, wit and Bat.

 

 - One of these nights...Wine, wicked whimsy, and Janel.

 - Lips like sugar...Wine, wistful glances, and Leia.

 

 - Do you speak the lingo...Wine, wishful thinking, and me.

Sunday and someone’s else’s panties!   I met up with Lily LeRouge for some wine at her home. She was finishing her laundry before we headed out to a wine bar in her neighborhood, and I used my iPhone to take the following photo.

 

 - Lily LeRouge contemplates her lace panties.

A great weekend over all and also, I’m really starting to enjoy disciplining myself to take iPhone pics at random moments and then creating a recap around it. Not a new concept by any means, obvs.  Many of my favorite blog reads have been doing this for a long time.  But it's new for meeeeee!  So it's all about meeeeee! 

 

    
PART ONE - Halloween decor cat.  "Do my flashing eyes make me look fat?"



   
PART TWO - Halloween decor cat meets Lola cat.  "Pleased to meet you, won't you guess my name?"



   
PART THREE - Lola cat: 1, Halloween decor cat: 0.



THE END.

Foggy muted morning, view from work window.


Same view hours later, crystalline afternoon.

Many thanks to my friend Tina A for bringing me a copy of the old Rave-Up fanzine that contained this story. I’d completely forgotten about it. I’d written it with input from Jean, Ursula and TJ, the other participants in this little adventure. This was way back in the 1980’s, as will be obvious when you read it - ha! (I’m trying to remember what my hair looked like during this time? Was it still an unnatural red and curly? Or had I already gone to the dark side?) Anyway, here ya go!

There we were, rolling into Reno on Friday, midnight. Zodiac Mindwarp was blasting - Jean with a frozen smile in the front seat was praying for a brain hemorrhage or some Roy Orbison. First stop: The Sands. Drop the suitcases, grab the nickels, beeline to the bar. Lights flashing and nice ladies bringing free rum and cokes. Welcome to Reno!

The next morning Jean snuck out at 8:45, before we could put more Zodiac Mindwarp into the tape deck. Ursula left on a quest for very strong espresso coffee. TJ and I called room service and had them deliver a quart of o.j. and a bottle of champagne. Ursula returned and we were ready to hit the slots. We went to the Reno Street Fair: Food, booths, and live music (bearded 40 year olds singing "After the Lovin"). After a few hours, and quite a few free drinks later, we went back to the Sands so I could get ready for SINATRA. Jean was there and ready, so we put Megadeth into the tape deck. Jean borrowed $2.00 in nickels from me, left and returned 45 minutes later with $11.00 in nickels. That spells America! She was a happy Jean.

Jean and I took the shuttle to Bally's, where Sinatra was playing. Bally's is elegant and plush and LARGE. We walked the length of three football fields to get to the. club. We got more free drinks while in line for seating. We were happy about this.

The door host took us to the LAST TWO SEATS AT THE VERY FRONT OF THE STAGE without us even having to cross his palm with a $20 bill! Then we ordered a magnum of champagne and got settled.

Ole Blue Eyes. He was smooth. He was suave. He sang “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” “Strangers In The Night,” “My Way,” “New York, New York” and much more. And he sang them GREAT. He looked great. He sauntered back and forth across the stage with the coolest, most relaxed confidence. People kept handing him flowers. Jean soaked it all in and I soaked all the champagne in. This was a happy night!

Back at the Sands. Ursula and TJ kept strongly assuring Jean and I that they had seen FIVE ROCKER DUDES, FIVE ROCKER DUDES out there in the night, hanging out. I couldn't move and neither could Jean so they took a pinup of Mike Tramp (White Lion) for inspiration and went to play the slots. According to their story, they would put a nickel in the slot machine, touch the pinup of Mike Tramp, sing a chorus of “Wait” and pull the lever. Every time they did this, they won a whole bunch of nickels. One woman watched them do this for a while and said “If you win the $9,000 jackpot that way, let me know.” And some guy told them they were “very funny girls”.

Next morning:“Planet of the Apes” on television. Then it was Zeppelin, Zodiac, Guns N' Roses and Elvis all the way back to San Francisco. Jean wants to go back and see Mitzi Gaynor…

I heap a thousand blessings upon those responsible for the on demand capabilities and sizeable selection of the in-flight entertainment during lengthy air travel! It used to be that there was one large movie screen per section while everyone had on headphones to watch at the same time (or not) like a regular small movie theatre. That was pretty sucky but at least it was something. Now they have little screens on the back of each seat and you can on demand your heart out to a (usually) pretty vast selection of shows, videos, and movies. At this point, Air Canada should win an award for the most fantastic selection of tv and movies!  At least in my experience, they are way ahead of the other airlines.

During this trip I watched the recent Star Trek reboot movie (SO AWESOME. OMG. I was so absorbed in this movie that I forgot I was on a plane. Also, how CUTE was that Chekov?! And the Spock! So good. I wish I’d seen this movie on the big screen, wtf is wrong with me that I did not?!)

I also saw The Hangover, which was fucking hilarious, seriously.  It was late and everyone else was asleep and I had to keep choking off my laughter into the pillow.  I think some guy on my flight was watching the same movie  b/c he kept guffawing loudly for almost 2 hours.

I also got to see Anvil, the True Story (very funny!), Galaxy Quest (bonus!), Angels and Demons (eh - dull), a bunch of Entourage eps, a bunch of Curb Your Enthusiasm eps, a few Big Bang Theory eps, a bunch of Office eps, a few 30 Rock eps. This was the fastest plane trip ever, both to Paris and on the return flights! Thanks Hollywood!

I also watched a really strange, kind of disturbing Discovery Channel documentary called Factory City. I can’t stop thinking about it b/c it creeped me out a little. The documentary was about a place in China that is literally one HUGE factory. A series of connected complexes owned and operated by one company (EUPA) and this factory city apparently spans an area the size of a small city, with over 17,000 workers/residents. 

These 17,000 plus people live there (housing is provided by EUPA). They also work there and  eat at restaurants that are built-in, kids play in built-in parks and go to built-in schools or built-in day care. There are built-in bars and clubs, built-in retail, grocery, hardware, etc. stores. 

Couples meet, date and get married there (marriages are paid for by EUPA if the couples agree to get married at the same time as a whole bunch of other couples in one big ceremony/reception). There are built-in churches, theatres, sports facilities – the usual stuff you would find in a small city except all of it is part of this factory city owned and operated by EUPA.  It’s a completely self-contained efficient, assembly line hive of humans. 

The factory of factory city makes and ships out griddles and irons and other stuff like that. All of the components of anything this factory makes is also made on site. All supplies are manufactured on site and get delivered from one end of the factory to the other when needed. One of the assembly line rooms where people are working is 4 football fields long. The supervisor needs to bike from one end to the other to monitor things.

The people they interviewed seemed happy, content and satisfied to be living, working, existing there with no need or desire to go outside of the place. Many of them left horrible poverty and other unfortunate situations and feel like they have arrived at a significantly better quality of life at EUPA. It is considered an honor to be accepted there to live and work.

Anyway, I recommend this documentary mainly because the situation is so bizarre and also overwhelmingly impressive how self-contained it is. It made me kind of sad as well. Here’s a link to some pictures on the Discovery website but I don’t know that they will really give you a good enough sense of it all.

http://www.discoverychannel.ca/galleryList.aspx?sid=17038

 

 

My trip to Paris was wonderful! This was my fourth visit to Paris and I am still in awe of that inspiring city, how faded, graceful and lovely it remains. I was also surprised by how comfortable I felt while there - the star-struck newness of my first couple visits has transmuted into a sweetened sort of familiarity.  

Aside from an initial chaotic arrival at de Gaulle airport (that is the most terrifyingly busy and crowded airport I’ve ever been to – including JFK!) and trouble connecting with Amy from different flights, different gates via phone (no WiFi at the airport? Really, Paris?) we had a great first day. We taxied to our vacation apartment rental in the Marais, got settled, went farmer’s market shopping, freshened up and then went out to wander. From our apt we were able to walk everywhere we wanted to visit (except when we were lazy and took cabs). Stopping at cafes or taverns along the way during our travels stretched the hours out most pleasantly.

We managed to exhaust ourselves the first few days by walking up to 5 or 6 hours a day, including wandering some of the endless rooms of the Louvre and another day in the d’Orsay. One of the evenings early in our visit, post 5 hours of walking, found both of us unable to walk properly.

After supper and a brief recuperative nap, we tried to get ready for a night out. We jerked and hobbled about like ancient half-crippled crones!  It occurred to us that even our most alluring, sparkly, evening in Paris ensembles would not be able glamorize our off-balance wobbling while with pained grimaces we silently cursed the treacherous fancy evening heels we brought to go with the dresses.  Laughing but dejected, we decided to stay in and rest for that evening. After all, we had plenty of bread, cheese and wine to see us through (and it did, indeed)!

I don’t wish to recount every thread of the trip, there were so many moments, so many highlights. I should have jotted down notes on the moleskine that was brought along but wasn’t compelled to break reverie or shift away from an experience to begin note-scribbling. I need to re-ignite my focus so that this sort of jotting notes and impressions thing becomes again second nature. It saddens me that I’ve fallen out of the habit and practice.

I also stalled horribly on the photo-taking. I’ve really got to train myself to whip out the iPhone and snap photos. Or rather, train myself to have/develop that artistic urge to photograph.  However, since I plan on going back to Paris as regularly as possible, I can get into the habit and then can catalogue future visits, memorabilia style. This obviously goes for all trips – coming up is New Orleans for Halloween and if that isn’t a perfect opportunity…Anyway, practice begins here at home – there are opportunities aplenty for random, spontaneous photo-taking and the iPhone camera output is pretty damn good.

So there’s a rather lackluster and generic update on my trip. The best sensations, impressions, thoughts, feelings, creative ideas, memories, etc., will stay with me, unscripted for now. This trip was, among other things, a good kick to the creative impulses, to reacquaint with certain creative habits I’ve let fall by the wayside for too long.

 

I'll be on my way to the airport to catch a plane to Montreal and then another to Paris!  I'm meeting up with LJ user nightcircle at the airport, her flight arrives about 1/2 hour after mine, to begin our long awaited and anticipated  vacation escapades!

It's been about 10 years since I've visited the City of Lights - too long.  Through Drawbridge to Europe, we've rented a lovely vacation apartment for the week in the Marais.  Drawbridge to Europe is fantastic.  I've used them almost every time   I've traveled to Europe.

I've been dutifully studying my Rosetta Stone French - how well I will do remains to be seen.  So long as inquiring "ou sont les toilettes?" gets me the right answer -  I think I'll be fine!  I've been there 3 times already with no studying of French and I survived. I'm optimistic!

More travel is coming shortly after I return as Oct. 29 I'm off to New Orleans with two other San Francisco friends to visit for Halloween weekend!  We've rented a great apartment on Esplanade on the edge of the Quarter.  My friends, Janel and Scott, have never been to New Orleans before.  No mercy!  I shall have no mercy, I tell ya!

Anyhow, that's all for this little mini-update.  I'm clockwatching this last 15 minutes at work and then I'm dashing home to pack and try and get some shut eye before the car picks me up at 5:30 in the a.m.

 I tried to resist but I am weak in the face of its overall awesomeness.  I'm getting an iPhone.  Probably tomorrow as I am trapped at work until 8pm today.  First I fell for the iPod.  And oh how I adore my iPod!  Then everyone around me started showing off with their iPhones and still I resisted.  I wanted to remain virtuous, resist the shiny bright beckoning compelling seductive siren song.  It takes great pictures too and my foray into searching for a digital camera was disappointing.  All those do is take pictures.  Oh iPhone, you shiny efficient seducer,  I cannot resist you any longer.  I have succumbed. 

Anyway, I still have time on my Sprint cell contract so I'll keep that phone and number until it expires.  I'll pass along my new iPhone number as soon as I have it.   I hope I can get a 415 area code version of my NOLA number as that would make everything SO EASY and delightful!   In any case,  having 2 cell numbers for a short while can't be all that annoying, can it?  Plus, I really want to have the iPhone while in Paris!  And for all the rest of the time.  So many apps, so many functions.  My heart is beating faster just thinking about it!

It seems like I should feel dirty or something...

This morning I was at an acupuncture appointment before work and I had an unexpected and bizarre out of the body type of experience.

I don’t often fall asleep during acupuncture. There’s not enough time. I’m on my back with a bunch of needles in various points for about 20-25 minutes and then I’m flipped over for another 20-25 minutes with more needles. The needle layout varies. It depends on the circumstances discussed and which specific points get activated.

Today while on my back, I noticed I was drifting into doze territory. In addition, I started having weird random imagery float through my mind's-eye. My thoughts went off on strange tangents. Every now and again I would catch myself and think “what the hell is my brain going on about?” When it was time to be flipped over on my stomach for the second part, I felt kind of spacey and relaxed. Almost like I had taken a valium.

I fell deeply asleep during the on my stomach portion of the treatment. I don’t even remember heading into the pre-sleep doze state. I pretty much just dropped into sleep unexpectedly. The dream imagery I had (and this whole sleep portion could not have been more than 15 minutes at most) was very odd. I was conscious but disembodied, floating in the air, invisible. I did not see myself but I was pretty aware of not being in physical form and of floating around a large dimly lit room.

What I remember of the stuff I saw during this experience: a large room lit by candles. There were low hanging wooden rafters or beams, a mixture of stone and wood walls. There were long wooden benches and tables. There was with a huge stone fireplace with a fire. I could hear the murmur of voices but I could not see anyone.

The scene was reminiscent of some sort of old-timey tavern or pub. My acupuncture doctor had put on some music, some kind of renaissance or medieval-style harp and string music. Maybe lute? That no doubt played a factor in the sense of floating somewhere out of time.

After what could have only been a few minutes (but actually seemed like much longer), there was a swiftly paced succession of images, sensations, impressions, thoughts and ideas. The closest analogy would be taking a deck of cards and shuffling them. The shuffle is how the images and sensations whizzed past while I floated around and observed them.

There was, during this experience, a sensation of rolling backwards in this disembodied but conscious form, rolling backwards in time and space. Maybe I was retrieving snippets of actual cellular or soul memory. Possibly it was all just snippets of something I’ve read or a movie I’ve watched, the images and sensations triggered by the music while in a dream state. Whatever it was, it was extremely potent, very brief and encompassing.

Just as suddenly as I had fallen asleep, I awoke. I felt very disoriented and definitely not quite there physically. My acupuncture doctor laughed and asked, “Did you fall asleep?” I told her I had and that it had been weird. Then she had to leave to go back on a phone all and I checked out so I could go to work so there was no real follow up.

I walked the few blocks to work feeling very disoriented – not unpleasantly, but definitely not in the here and now. At the writing of this entry, I feel totally present again. It was a completely odd experience, not ever experienced during an acupuncture appointment before.

It occurred to me on my short walk to work that lately there have been frequent incidents in my life of strange, quirky and eerie-seeming things occurring. These odd occurrences have a certain feel to them that is directly reminiscent of another time in my life that was peppered by similar occurrences. This was back in the 1980’s, when I lived on Haight Street. I used to have these weird disembodied travel-to-somewhere dreams then too, among other bizarre experiences. This was during a certain highly bewitching time in my life and there were a lot of people and things involved.

It makes me wonder if these odd occurrences are heralding a similar cycle in my life. I'd probably do well to pay a little closer attention since the frequency has increased a bit the last couple weeks. I would welcome the cycle, I think, but I don’t have any idea how it would play out. (Well, I guess that’s the point really.) Oh what the hell, I’m up for it. I accept the invitation!

Curiouser and curiouser…

Long week, this has been and I've been trying to work on some creative stuff - gotten distracted, gotten busy, been waylaid by life, as we often are in, well, life.   As I wrote in cccerberus' LJ comments, I have so many orphan scribblings that need finishing.  So many odds and ends of writings, stuff for my Soundtracks and Substance Abuse project and others unfinished, unedited, languishing. 

I need to realign the way I view my updates.  I don't want to get all mundane and twittery or Facebook status updatey in my LJ but I also don't need to write lengthy screeds every time either.  I should find pleasure in my little orphan scribblings just as much I as feel satisfied about my more thought-out pieces.  I must make an effort to do this.

Anyhoo - That's all I have time for at the moment because icy delicious adult beverages are calling my name ever so seductively.  Ending this work week by relaxing with good friends at the View Lounge is waiting for me.  Best get to it then!

http://www.planetfabulon.com/

(Courtesy the ProjectRungay blog. )

Planet Fabulon is a site filled with sublime images and loveliness - my new favorite!

This past weekend was filled by idle yet savored pleasures and chilly, delicious cocktails!

On Saturday, early morning mists drifted and thinned out, morphing into a breezy day by afternoon.  The sunlight being muted made it all the more pleasant. I started my afternoon  at The Alembic on Haight (www.alembicbar.com/) and had two of their decadent and yummy Blood and Sand concoctions, described in their cocktail menu as:

a classic story of love, desire, and tragic death gave this equally classic cocktail its moniker. scotch whiskey, cherry brandy, sweet vermouth and fresh orange juice served ice cold and up. alluring as rita hayworth, but this femme fatale kicks like a bull. toro!

The best thing about it is the singed orange peel.  Gives the drink a sweet yet smoky bite.  I crave this cocktail. In fact, I want one right NOW.

I met up later with Miss L for a ride in her fantastic vintage automobile while she took care of some errands, and then we picked up Alisha and cruised to the Beach Chalet restaurant for cocktails. The restless ocean looked brutally cold and almost a silver shade as the sunlight began fading. It was late afternoon, the wind was picking up and I could see the fog bank starting its slow, encroaching movement from the ocean into the city. I love the fog! After cocktails with Miss L and Alisha, I headed home to study my French (J’adore Rosetta Stone) and relax.

Sunday was another great day in San Francisco. Although this day was cloudless with a bright blue sky and much warmer and sunnier, it was still wonderful to be out and about. I met up with Janel, Shahasp, Leia and Bat at La Mediterranee on Noe for lunch.  I ran into Scott on the way to La Med who was on his way to Café Flore (www.cafeflore.com/) which is across the street from La Med. Synchronicity! 

Scott was on his way to meet up with Albert for lunch and cocktails. We decided to merge the two groups, post-luncheons. Scott and Albert were to pick us gals up at Lucky 13 on their way to the Orbit Room Café, where we all planned to sample as much of their fantastic chilled cocktail menu as possible. Albert posted a status update to his Facebook, Terrance saw it and joined us at the Orbit Room. Convenient!

We were at the Orbit Room for many hours. It was a blast. The company was witty, sassy, drunky Mcpantsy and all around hilarious. We were loud, I’m sure but the bartender was tolerant of us, probably because we drank many cocktail concoctions and didn’t cause any overt scandal on her watch. 

We did, however, cause a bit of a scandal when we went to Sweet Inspiration (www.sweetinspirationbakery.com/) for cake and other bakery treats to honor Leia’s birthday (a month late but hey, we’re all busy) and in the hopes of soaking up some of the liquor.  (And because dessert sounded wonderful!) Terrance contacted Indra and she and Jeffrey, who live right above Sweet Inspiration, came down to join in the silly Sunday merrymaking.

We were such boisterous juvenile drunks, laughing uncontrollably, sarcastic quips flying back and forth. Then Terrance brought up the subject of Olestra and anal leakage and there was a fairly loud discussion about this and, inappropriately, other bodily functions. This totally horrified the prissy fussbudget Old Gayz that were sitting nearby. Oh how they frowned at us with tight-lipped censure. They finally left in a disapproving huff and we may have been a little contrite at being so disruptive. But then again, maybe not!

After dessert, Indra and Jeffrey went home, Scott and Albert headed to the Castro to be naughty and Leia, Janel, Bat and I headed back to Lucky 13 for a nightcap. Negative Trend was playing at the bar but it was also after 7pm by now.   This was a long day of drinking indeed! Since Mondays loom large and ominous in most of our psyches, we all eschewed a final cocktail in favor of heading back to our homes, eating nourishing, sobering food, and lounging about.

Mmmm...Let's hear it for syrupy summer cocktails!  Tastes like candy...

 

I agree with those on my Friends list (and in other places) that have written how they miss the golden days of Live Journal, mentioning how posts of substance and interest on LJ have dwindled quite a bit. I definitely miss the juicy, drama-filled posts, the contemplative and thought-provoking posts, the posts thick with innuendo, the flame-wars in comments, the erudite rants and the silly rants,  the provocative posts, the hilarious drunken postings and the drunken rants, the dishy/gossipy posts, and so on.

Some have merely relocated to blog at other locations and the content is there, while others have merely left off writing and posting to go about living life. However, I think the noise vortex that is MySpace, the short-attention span/time-suck distraction that is Facebook and the useless chatter of Twitter have been very adept at ensnaring their minions.

I too am guilty of infrequent and sparse posting here on LJ. I recently consolidated to post “writing-type” scribbling on my blogspot. But I am discontent.  I don’t wish to abandon my LJ. I love reading people’s posts, especially when they are substantive in one way or another.

I’ve started to see (read) a bit of a backlash - with the current barrenness of LJ being challenged. Some are addressing the sparseness and are beginning to post substantive, interesting, content- filled posts. I am inspired by these people. I want to follow their lead, trumpet the cause, be a part of the renaissance. I hope that others will feel compelled to do the same, not just in posts, but in comments too.

I’m going to start my LJ’s renewal with a post that will be gossipy, bitchy and innuendo-filled! 

It is quite fascinating to witness the crazed , tragic, unattractive downward spiral of someone (I’ll call her Mlle. R) who, when in her 20’s, was dramatically pretty, charismatic, witty, and who was, for better or worse, very entertaining. Those were Mlle. R’s main good qualities and if you were on her good side, good for you.

If you happened to fall on the bad side of Mlle. R, then melodrama, gossip, public scenes, and public incidents would abound. Those that fell on the bad side of Mlle R were mostly her female friends, those she felt had betrayed her in some way (real or imagined). Mlle R always found a way to forgive or blithely overlook the real or imagined transgressions of the males in her life. (Funny, that.)

While in her 20’s and during her 30’s, Mlle. R. became more popular due to several specific creative associations, including one or two that benefited her personally as well. This time period certainly suited her - she took wing, she soared and glimmered and gleamed in the social spotlight for a bit. However, as with most of us in life, many unfortunate things occurred. Instead of learning from, growing and evolving past these unfortunate events, Mlle R’s looked around for people to blame and her consuming vanity and misplaced aggression took over. (She apparently has not even yet considered that she might be responsible for at least some of her unpleasant fate.)  In the past year or so, Mlle. R’s lovely sparkle began to sputter and fade along with, apparently, her rational thinking skills.

During the Unfortunate Events time frame, Mlle. R sought refuge with numerous friends. These friends gave her unlimited free shelter, fed her, covered most of her expenses much of the time, provided her with emotional, psychological, material and social support. Mlle R has since viciously turned on many of these people, spreading slanted and delusional gossip about many of them (some who are also friends of mine). 

Things continue to get worse for Mlle R, according to latest reports. She is now in her early 40’s, unemployed (and not bothering to look for a job) and couch surfing still (after years of doing so, except when she snagged a love interest with which to live ). She has been bitterly and ruthlessly judgmental about those who were once her friends (myself included) for trumped up reasons, some of which have no real foundation or which had been resolved, but have been conveniently forgotten so that Mlle. R could play the wounded, fragile victim. At this point, Mlle R’s tunnel -visioned narcissism is pretty delusional, or so it sounds from recent reports. 

Although I am angry at how my friends have been treated, and how the slimy tentacles of Mlle. R’s theatrics are attempting to pull my friends back into the cesspool of her chaos, I am also starting to pity poor Mlle R. She was once an interesting force to be reckoned with. Now she is an erratic, victimized, breathless damsel in distress who needs a tolerant, doting male arm (or the healthy bank accounts of remaining friends) to lean upon.  

How terrified Mlle. R must be to be in her 40’s with no place to live and no viable means of supporting herself except to live off of others. She used to be able to use her looks, charisma and youth as bait to acquire advantage. These days, however, she is no longer the most striking woman in the room and she is especially is not the youngest, and won’t ever be again. And while interesting, her psychotic antics cannot be considered particularly charismatic.

The clock tics. The days are slipping by and so are the years. Yet still Mlle. R races around and around in ever tighter downward spirals, cavorting, pleading, spinning, bitching, whirling, accusing, all the while seemingly trying to recapture a glory for herself that wasn’t really all that glorious, merely entertaining.  

Oscar Wilde has some amusing quips that seem apropos to this scenario:

She wore far too much rouge last night and not quite enough clothes.  That is always a sign of despair in a woman.

A man's face is his autobiography.  A woman's face is her work of fiction.

How clever you are, my dear!  You never mean a single word you say.

There is only one real tragedy in a woman's life.  The fact that her past is always her lover, and her future invariably her husband.

Every woman is a rebel, and usually in wild revolt against herself.

We are each our own devil, and we make this world our hell.

 

Horoscopes for everyone!

http://poisonpennies.blogspot.com/2009/07/weird-word-horoscopes-summer-season.html

For those interested in the Tarot, here’s something I wrote a while ago that you might enjoy reading.   It is possible that I previously posted this article on LJ a long time ago but who can remember back that far? Not me!  Now back to the frenetic pace that is my job (and life) these days!
 

http://poisonpennies.blogspot.com/2009/07/twisting-tarot.html