file away for melancholy days.

Walking down 8th Street, belly full of noodles and sake, on this warm April night, tiny drops of rain unyieldingly turned into torrential downpour. I realized the umbrella I was shielding us with was useless, we were drenched. Drenched and laughing hysterically, jumping around, taking in the fun of this moment. There was nothing but the overwhelming joy of that moment. I hopped on the subway back to Brooklyn, dripping water like I had just stepped out of the shower. I am open to the possibility that this was my spring awakening, as it were, in the most literal sense possible. (You know, not adolescent spring awakening, not spring awakening the musical, but simply, my burst of joy after what has been a very tough and long winter.)

Nostalgic for the present.

On a somewhat related non-sequiter (oxymoron, right?):
Lou Reed sat several seats away from me at the latest strange Richard Foreman performance [art] last week. I can attest that Lou Reed, does in fact, look like an old lesbian, even if he makes good music.

Are you in New York City?

Then bring a pillow.

“THE PLAN: Meet up this Saturday, March 22 (wear a Neo-Futurist T-Shirt if you have one, and bring a soft pillow) at the cube in astor place at 2:30. We’ll march over as a Non-Illusory Pillow Fighting Machine to union square. Pillow Fight starts at 3 there.This is part of World Pillow Fight Day. We don’t know if there are winners, but either way, let’s win this thing!”

Who the hell are the Neo-Futurists? They put on Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind.

New York Mass Transit

I'm going to pause here and say: this is about New York, its complex and fascinating (dirty) subway system. If these things do not concern you, my apologies.

A few months ago, the opening story on This American Life was a man talking about committing a cardinal sin: he moved from New York to Chicago or vice versa. Probably from New York to Chicago because New Yorkers can't fathom living anywhere else in the world, least of all Chicago where they have sub-standard pizza and you have to take the bus. You may as well just move to Connecticut! Anyhow- everything the guy said was true, New Yorkers want to tell you how much they like New York and how much you should love New York, and most of all New Yorkers talk about the subway. Here's a SAT prep test question:

Everyone else:weather :: New Yorkers:subway

Oops. Gave the answer away. In any case, people here DO talk about the subway a lot. I am talking about it right now!

All of the subway lines pass through Manhattan except for the G train. Lo, the G train which runs between Brooklyn and Queens.

I know people who deny the existence of the G train. It is a mysterious train. It never runs properly on the weekends. You might wait up to an hour at 3 in the morning on a Saturday (you have a better chance of finding a unicorn to fly you home). The G train is an enigma.

But, despite all the elusiveness of the G train, I still have a soft spot for it. Maybe because it can take me to Greenpoint. A place I find painfully ugly, yet adorable with all of its little old Polish people hobbling around. I can't believe I missed the news that the G train is expanding and to my great benefit:

Yay! Most of you probably have no idea what this means, so let me share with you: IT MEANS THAT I CAN WALK TO A G TRAIN STOP! FROM MY HOUSE!

Truthfully though, I don't know how often I will take the G train. I spend most of my time walking in my own neighborhood or taking a train that actually goes to Manhattan. I AM VERY EXCITED ANYWAYS! And you should be excited with me!

Clouds in my coffee.

Hello from Illinois!

Due to concentrated amounts of caffeine, moonbeams, and serious lifestyle commitments, I am all about all-night rendezvous(es) lately. There is so much to fit into a single day; I am inhaling every moment. Its like that Aerosmith song or something.

So I am home in Illinois and it is effing cold out. Being here has turned me inward, introspectively speaking. I am focusing and re-focusing my gaze, looking for clarity. Trying to understand which battles to fight. Which battles are worth fighting. No clear answers yet. I should tell you, I should tell you...

Pieces of this life have come full circle. Other parts have grown ever so distant. Is it possible for these two to occur simultaneously?

Truthfully: I don't feel I can be as honest in this space as I want to be (in this little corner of my internet). That is the most truthful statement in this post.

Reflective of 2oo7: quiet New Years (barely a whisper), Colorado, sold my car, NYC, work from home, TexasFloridaIllinoisMinnesotaWisconsinPennsylvaniaNewJerseyDelawareMarylandDCConnecticutMassachusettsKansasOhioWashingtonNorthCarolinaSouthCarolinaFrance!, too much, not enough. Nothing new, everything different.

2oo8: Do not move across the country. Wear earplugs. Japan. Eradicating complacency. Vomit on each form of mass transit in the MTA system. Don't get knocked up. Write you a letter that tells the truth. Maintain Zen-like state. More, more, more.

We're just getting started; this is merely the beginning.

I know its cliche, but I hate the winter.

In the depths of winter, I finally learned there was in me an invincible summer. -Albert Camus

On Radiohead's new album:
Swirling love, treacherous love, knock me on the ground love. Its Radiohead, so its certainly not love in any conventional terms. 'Videotape' is sublimely heart wrenching.

On Napkin, my cat:
After two years and a move to our new home, Napkin has decided that she wants to be a snuggly cat after all. She's always been the cat that chills next to the action, but now she's my best coworker.

Everything else:
I was made for the fall. Also, due to a horrific haircut this week, I will be wearing a hat or headscarf for the next four months. Does anyone have any haircut horror stories? Share them please.

My recommendations for things to do in New York City:
1. Broadway show
2. Dinner at the Rainbow Grill
3. Staten Island Ferry
4. See a rock show at Irving Plaza
5. Hang out in Washington Square Park
6. Empire State Building
7. Greenwood Cemetary in Brooklyn
8. St. John the Divine cathedral
9. UCB Theater

Also this:

Friday funny!

Also, here's how my Fourth of July went:
Free New Pornographers show, rain, Mexican food, Killer Flaming Dr. Peppers, blueberry vodka made up holiday drinks, pushing strangers, karaoke, Snape IS the half blood prince (right!), and then being too intoxicated to remember any of it.

All those times I did all those things, remember? Purely a photo post.

Minor league baseball mascots LOVE me. No idea why. Its not my baseball knowledge...


The Statue of Liberty gives me the creeps. She's all green and moldy looking. And from France.


That's Datarock. They're from Norway. They give out shots of wildly strong coffee.


Hey Lily Allen. Thanks for not cancelling your NYC show. I think you're adorable, as always. Love, Jen


Oh hey, remember that time we went to the formerly Polish nightclub and THIS girl dressed in- whatever that is smeared in fake blood danced on stage to the techno music ? Yeah, that was kinda weird.

Words + visual aids.

% Bjork's new album, Volta

% Home made iced coffee + water with lemon and cucumbers + popcicles

% Photos from France

% Summer, summer, I am here to win you over.

% Paying someone else to do my laundry

% GHOSTLAND OBSERVATORY IS PLAYING A FREE SHOW AT MCCARREN POOL THIS SUMMER.

% Watching reruns of old Scripps National Spelling Bees on ESPN2 (Samir! You're my boy!)

% International dance parties (alternately: How I became the United Nations of International Dance Party Friends)

% Smoosh opening for The Pipettes on June 5th!

% Dresses and dressing up

% Not traveling for three weeks (alternately: staying in New York for three weeks in a row!)

C'mon, Feel the Illinoise!

Hey friendlies. I'm here in Illinois. I've been running on "if I stop moving I'll die" mode since moving to New York and being in Illinois hasn't slowed that down ONE TINY BIT. But I love it. I feel good all over- orrrrr that's the 8.5% beers talking.

I can't offer much more than that in words at the moment. But here is a picture of my cat and I gloriously reunited and LOVING IT:

This is exactly how my work days go. LOVE.

La Dolce Vita.

So, let's get right to it. In bullet points, for your reading conveinence and because that's quicker and I'm not feeling particularly literary at this juncture:

*On Saturday, I moved to New York. The city. And despite rain and generally crappy weather, Hi, I love it here.

*I work from home now. And while you might be inclined to think that working from home means watching soap operas and mid-afternoon lawyer shows, it does not. It does mean I can wear my jammies to work (I have not yet) and that I get to have 1 of 2 cats sitting on my lap as I work. Whereas before, putting on clothes and driving to an office meant getting into work mode, now its a mental process. Sadly, I'm even busier now working from home than when I was working in an office. It doesn't make sense, but that's how it works.

*I saw Smoosh last night. They are 2 sisters who are very small and both under the age of 15. And they rock. And I hope you check them out.

*I'm going to be in Illinois next week. And that means two homecomings in as many weeks. And I find that slightly overwhelming. But I generally find the next 1-2 months overwhelming in terms of scheduling. But you know me, and you know that in an eery way, I *like* being this insanely busy.

Okay my darlings, that's all I have for today.