Thursday, July 21, 2005

Our Other New Guinea Impatiens


Over Fourth of July weekend, my mom bought us a New Guinea impatiens hanging plant. I wouldn't say that Matt nor I have the greenest thumbs, but eventually we figured out that if you water the plant every day that it would magically spring back from a seemingly dead state.





I half-jokingly compared my Grandmother to a New Guinea Impatiens last week. I know it's been awhile since I've posted any updates on her. Last week was not a good week in the story of her life. My parents had to bring her to hospice in Buffalo because she had lost a lot of motor skills and was in a lot of pain. Hospice has a wing where patients are there more to recooperate or get their meds adjusted. When we went to visit my grandma the day after she was admitted, my mom said she was 100% better as compared to the day before. This gave us some hope that the doctors could further adjust her meds and that she could come home by the end of the following week.

The doctors tell my cousin, Valerie, who has been acting a stand-in for my dad when he has to work that they can't seem to give enough meds to make the pain better. On a scale of 1-10, my Grandmother's pain has been consistently around 8 this week. We knew it was likely that we only had until September, but I guess you always hope beyond that. The family conference between the doctors and my parents is tomorrow, so I guess we'll find out more then.

So I've decided that admist this and various craziness where work is concerned that I'm going to do my best not to think about the fact that we don't have time, nor energy, to get a lot done on our house right now. I have other things to be concerned about, like practicing violin in preparation for a performance that I don't want to do, but promised my Grandmother I would when it came time. I still plan to blog about other stuff but if I seem like I'm slacking, there's the reason.

Tuesday, July 12, 2005

Babies Are Cute, But I'm Still Not Having Kids

I had to share pictures of Richard & Kim's little girl, Emily, because she's so cute.















And I have to admit that I like this picture as well of me holding Emily.















Believe me, no maternal urges. Mostly just, "Oh god.. I hope don't break it."

Slipping Into Summer

Every summer I try to make up a mix tape/play list of music to fit the mood of the season. Last year the mix sang the praises of the likes of Franz Ferdinand, Modest Mouse, and The Killers. In 2000, Portishead, XTC, and The Cure spun around in the heat. It was a bit more mellow in 1994, with Sting, Eric Clapton, and U2.

This year I mixed it up a bit. It's inspired by iTunes, WBER, and CFNY. It includes the most misogynist song I've ever owned. If you find a copy of it, listen and you'll understand the humor I found. Here's the list as of today:

Green Day - Holiday/Boulevard of Broken Dreams
Metric - Dead Disco
Arcade Fire - Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
Beck - E-Pro
Chemical Brothers - Galvanize
The Decemberists - 16 Military Wives
Ben Folds - B*tches Ain't Sh*t
Queens Of The Stone Age - Little Sister
Coldplay - Fix You
Gorrilaz - Feel Good Inc.
The Caesars - Jerk It Out
G Love & Special Sauce - Cold Beverage
Daft Punk - Technologic
Gwen Stefani - Hollaback Girl
Bloc Party - Banquet
Ellie Lawson - Gotta Get Up From Here
Green Day - Wake Me Up When September Ends

Thursday, July 07, 2005

Life as a Blog

"If, as you live your life, you find yourself mentally composing blog entries about it, post this exact same sentence in your weblog."

There are many moments when I'm out with Matt and we'll both say, "Oh man, we have to blog this!" Then there are the long entries I compose in my head that remain there. Most of the time those are the entries that belong more in my paper journal than on a public blog. While I don't mind sharing some of my personal life experiences online, there is a line that has to be drawn somewhere.

My Heart to London

My heart goes out to all those injured or that lost family members and friends in today's bomb explosions in London. A quick list of sites with frequently updated information:

Guardian Unlimited
Londonist
Metroblogging London
Flickr: London Bomb Blasts

Wednesday, July 06, 2005

Meme By Necessity

I've been needing to blog, but finding time with the computer is rare lately. So blatently stolen from Heidi:

1. Using your Current Initials, choose a different name for yourself:
Janine Lucretia Calais Hadassa

2. If you were born outside of your era, when would you want to be born?
Edwardian

3. If you ran a store, what would you sell/have?
It would be a coffee shop that featured excellent coffee and teas. There would be wireless internet access, awesome music, lots of books/magazines for people to read while sipping their drinks, cushy couches and cafe style seating.

4. What part in a movie would you love to play?
The voice-over.

5. In your opinion, why do people suck?
Ignorance, lack of awareness of their actions on others

6. If you had your own state, what would you put on your new quarter?
The sign of infinity with the sun and moon

7. What's the oldest article of clothing you own?
A peasant dress from the 1970s or 60s. It was my mom's, but I don't know when she got it.

8.What piece of furniture have you replaced the most?
Couch pillows

9. What instrument do you wish you could be more than great at?
Percussion or piano

10. Record, Tape or CD?
CD

11. What do you think would be the best concert ever?
See this post

12. What is the best part of your favorite movie?
It's not my most favorite movie, but I love the scene in Love Actually where Mark shows up on Juliet and Peter's doorstep on Christmas with his silent message of love for Juliet.

13. What do you think is the most over-rated candy ever?
Hershey's chocolate, even though I enjoy it. There's other chocolate that's so much better!

14. If you were writing out your will, who would you give your CD collection to?
It would all go to Matt, naturally. But if he had no desire to keep it all, I probably would donate the rest to my high school's radio station, WIRQ.

15. If you could only debate two topics the rest of your life, what would they be?
Gay rights and religion

16. Out of your friends, who would you say you are most jealous of, artistically?
Anne has a great sense for coming up with cool gift ideas, wrapping, and crafty stuff. You almost don't want to throw out anything she gives you, even the envelopes on cards.

17. Most jealous of....intellectually?
I'd say Ben as well.

18.What do you collect?
CDs, neat refrigerator magnets

19. What is broken that you have, that you wish was fixed?
Matt's car.

20. What do you do when you're home, sick?
Sleep, watch HGTV

21. Story behind your username?
Muzenews is a combination of music and news; two things that have garnered much of my energy over the years.

22. Current Favorite Article of Clothing?
Jeans and this red/blue/navy/gray striped long-sleeve shirt

23. Line from the last thing you wrote for someone?
"Well, I'll be late for work if I don't send this off, so take care!"

24. A famous person you have met?
Alec Baldwin

25. Favorite way to waste time?
Reading blogs

Cutting to the Scene with the Pixie

Ten years ago, I decided to do one of the most drastic things I had ever done to my hair. I went from a long style (below collarbone) to a p...