Save a little, get a lot.

Yeah - it's been a while. What do you want from me? =)

I'm excited. I just did a little research and found out that when one of my favorite bands comes to town, I get to see them for free. Yes, you heard me. I just signed up to volunteer for Red Molly when they come my way. I sell stuff for them, or usher, or do one of a number of other useful things, and I see the show for free. Also probably meet the band, just by nature of small-ish folk shows. Boo-yah, my friends, boo-yah. My wallet's happy, I'm ecstatic, and all is wonderful with the world. I love saving money and getting what I want in the same round. Hee...

More updates and such forthcoming. For realz this time, I promise.

Walking in a winter cityland.

Tuesday night I had an adventure. The roomies weren't going to be home, and so I decided that what I wanted to do in an empty house was to curl up in my room with a book and some candy. Not just any candy, though. I wanted gummy grapefruit slices and swiss petite fruits. Delicious. Also, as far as I know, only available at Faneiul Hall. So I got home from work, walked to the T, and went. Got my candy, came back, spent twice as much traveling as I did actually getting the stuff, and went to curl up just like I wanted. Pure heaven.

Walking outside in the city was just beautiful. The snow was falling, but not heavily, and the trees still were lit from the holidays as the buildings towered over me and the ancient brick was slowly getting covered in snow. As I left the T station in Government Center, I held the door open for a woman and a small child. The woman was head to toe Gothy - black wide leg pants, black hoodie with a rock band on the front, hood up over her head, black nail polish, black chocker around her neck, and dark makeup on her face. She carried a little girl around her front, an adorable blondie around 2 and a half years old, dressed entirely in pink and purple and with her head buried in the woman's shoulder trying to keep her face away out of the wind. The woman, in turn, had her head resting on the head of the little, holding her tightly and keeping her warm, with such a subtle outpouring of love and affection coming from her stance and expression. It was such a beautiful sight with the two of them walking through the night in the snow, and such an interesting juxtoposition of light and dark and innocence, that it really struck me. If I had been more prepared, I would have had a camera, but who really prepares for random candy runs? Either way, I thought it was lovely, even if it could not be recorded.

Failed competancy check.

So yeah. It's been a while. And this isn't much of a post, but don't worry - I've got a couple of things in the works. In the meantime, here's a funny story.

Once upon a time, there was a girl. This girl rolled over in bed one night in the middle of a lovely dream. There may or may not have been pixies. She rolled over and woke herself up from her lovely dream by solidly smacking her forehead against the wall. Then she had a headache all the next day.

Yes, this is my life. I am that girl. And one day I will learn competance.

Hopefully.

Lovely ladies.

I watched a movie recently in which a character explains to another character:

"In the movies we have leading ladies and we have the best friend. You, I can tell, are a leading lady, but for some reason you are behaving like the best friend."

I used to be the best friend. For year's I was the best friend, which is strange as for the majority of my life, I prided myself on being the leading lady. But sometimes life takes over and knocks you down, and then decides to throw a couple of curve balls while you're down there, and it's just easier to put yourself in the passenger side of the car for a change and be driven around. And it's been fine. But it took me hearing that one line for me to understand why I haven't been as happy lately. I'm tired of the passenger seat. I'm ready for a little limelight. I mean, you're supposed to be the leading lady of your own life, right? I realize that it's taken a while, but just like sometimes you have to fall to stand up straighter, I think sometimes you need to let someone else drive the plot lines for a bit , if for no other reason than to see where you don't want to story to go. I find that I'm rediscovering a little thing called gumption. I gotta say, it's kinda nice.....

Love story and medieval fashion.

I'm becoming more and more convinced that I was born in the wrong century. I recently watched the music video for Taylor Swift's new song "Lovestory."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlbB7qt6v_0

You see the guy (your "romantic interest" for the next three minutes) wearing a very elaborate Victorian-esque outfit. Ruffles at the neck and everything. And I start to gape a little. A few mintues later, he is in a white linen shirt (open at the neck - of course), with light brown trousers and dark brown shin-high boots running across the meadow. And I almost swoon.

So it seems to me that I need to find myself a guy who also appreciates all things medieval. Someone who, if indeed they were born in the correct time period, at least understands the effects of a white linen shirt. Open at the neck. And swords. Oooo.......

Oh, dear. Wherefore art thou, dude?

My new song.

So friends and I used to joke that my song, the song written about me, was Shiksa Goddess from Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years. (Lyrics and YouTube provided below.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJkG7wCv0lI
http://www.soundtracklyrics.net/song-lyrics/the-last-5-years/shiksa-goddess.htm

There is a simple reason for this. As of freshman year of college four years ago, I am a shiksa. E spent about a month with me and determined that I was exactly the kind of large breasted Gentile girl that Jewish mothers spend sleepless nights worrying that their nice Jewish sons would fall for and bring home. That's why she made me a shirt. For Christmas.

Now, I have found, there is a new song to add to the list. I Could Be in Love With Someone Like You. Still Jason Robert Brown, but a new solo CD. Don't you fear, I am still a shiksa. This new song even mentions it in one line. I've just moved from Goddess to Queen. I can live with that. I've put links to the lyrics and YouTube video below. Just take a look and a listen. It's impressive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQDm3ika4v4&feature=related
http://www.jasonrobertbrown.com/music/clothes/lyrics.php?songID=clothes08

Domesticated but not tamed.

Today was a lovely day that starts with last night. Last night I went to a friend's birthday party, staying almost the entire time with a small group of people in the kitchen gathered around the veggies and a delicious mango salsa. Leaving there around 11PM, I got home a little more than a half hour later, where I then proceeded to make myself a cup of spiced cider and crawled into bed with Dune: Messiah for a couple of hours. It's a lovely combination - hot beverage and book - that always leaves me feeling warm and content.

This morning was a long one. I awoke several times to the sounds of the snow storm outside, and curling up further under the blankets, let myself drift again into sleeping, finally getting up after noon. Clearly the weather had made sure that I should not leave the apartment, so I settled into the tasks I enjoy and the tasks I needed to get done. I made breakfast and beer bread, did a load of laundry (which I just finished folding and putting away), caught up on some TV watching, crawled back into bed for some more reading and a nap, and went downstairs to make dinner. Not that bad of a dinner either. Steak with onions, garlic, pinenuts and balsamic, mashed potatoes and broccoli, and the beer bread. Not too bad if I do say so myself. And now I am here, blogging about my simple day while I debate whether or not I want to watch a movie before I crawl once more into bed with my book, and what kind of tea I wish to make myself. For the moment, my worries are put away, to be dealt with. For the moment, I find comfort in the things that feel good. My clean room. My empty laundry basket. My full stomach and the knowledge of leftovers for lunch.

Before I go to bed, I will put the chicken for tomorrow's dinner in warm saltwater to soak in overnight. I have some small Christmas shopping to do, after which I will come home and bake and cook. Tuesday I will worry about packing for the trip to warmness, as I am calling the visit to my parent's new house, for then I will be forced to start dealing with reality again. For now I am concentrating on the simple happiness of the day, of the same expectation for tomorrow, and how lovely the snow looks outside. I'll deal with digging out the car later. Right now, the decision is mighty: chamomile or peppermint?