Harrumph

Packing is now an official pain. I am out of boxes, which is sad because I thought I had plenty. This means I have too much crap to put in those many boxes...and from what I can tell, the collection frenzy only gets worse as you get older/settled/richer, etc.

I was discussing the proposition with my roommate the other night that someone brave enough should take the Two Month Challange. Neither of us is that brave soul, but it would be an interesting experiment. The rules:

1. In one two month period, document everything you own that you actually USE -- a lot, a little, no matter.

2. At the end of the two months, if you haven't used it...chuck it.

3. There are obvious exceptions and caveats: photo albums and stuff like that should be exempt. Photos and pictures on the wall...do you "use" them because they are hanging there? I say yes. Then again, this is not a reason to keep that snow globe from the Florida vacation in 1986. Be discerning.

I suppose people could adapt this to any time period they want...one month for the really ascetic, maybe a year for those who really want to be sure. Perhaps the next move I make will involve a more rabid going-through of my belongings. Until then...boxes.

Last.fm

I have joined the revolution...all the bloggers are doing it. While I don't consider myself a *real* blogger (yet), I decided to be ahead of the curve on this one.

Hence, you can now see whatever I play in iTunes...though I think they only show the full tracks played, which is an issue because I skip around a lot. Oh well.

There is also a "label page" where you can preview (and soon...download) stuff from my own CD. Yesssssss.

http://www.last.fm/user/janapo/

A Reese's Review

According to Ashley, my new food reviewer, the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup With Caramel does not improve on the original. Take it away, Ashley.

"I am of the religion of eating the chocolate around the peanut butter before the peanut butter. So it gets in the way a fair amount. But there's more chocolate around the peanut butter (or less peanut butter/caramel) to keep it from leaking."

Final grade? B-

Cute People

I was perusing my old emails, because Gmail lets you keep them FOREVER. I heart Gmail. I found one called "Quotables" I had sent to Beth when I was in Seattle the last time. It consisted of cute things my nephews and niece said. I will reprint them here.

Philip: I tried to burp the alphabet and I got up to B.

Philip: (gigantic belch down the hallway)
Patrick: Can you do that again, Phil?
Philip: No, my burp-o-meter is not high enough.

Patrick: I don't like showers, they creep me out.

Philip: When I say I'm choking, then give me some root beer.

Phil (in a whisper): Jana...I changed my computer password. The password is...winter. And the hint is...."the season after fall."

Heather: Patrick and Philip are really happy you came but when they found out Beth was not coming they got MAD.

Heather: I can chew mashed potatoes...with my TONGUE.

Jana: Can *I* go to Boy Pioneers with you?
Patrick: No.
Jana: Well why not?
(pause)
Patrick: Because you're not a boy.

Amazing

African Guitar 1
Originally uploaded by Czech Girl.

My good buddy Steph is now back from the Peace Corps after two years of me not shutting up about it. Yaaaaaaaay! I can't believe it's been that long...and then sometimes it does seem like forever ago.

So Steph, in all her glory, brought me back a present. She had one of her students in Malawi MAKE this guitar. I'm not exactly sure how old he is, but he's not that old. Grade school, k? It's no prop guitar, either! Everything works on it! The detail is amazing. All I could think of when I got it was that if you asked an American kid to make you a guitar, he would laugh and hand you a credit card. Or something. It's amazing. That is all.

Worlds Collide

I was wandering the streets today and decided I needed some caffeine, so I popped into Starbucks with the intentions of getting a tall cinnamon dolce latte, because that flavor is like coziness in a cup. Standing in line, I note that a lady in front just got a Venti something, with one of Starbucks' "The Way I See It" quotes on it. And I see in tiny print (because I am oh so observant) that the quote is from Mary Chapin Carpenter. No way. MCC on a Starbucks cup.

I need that cup.

So I have like now quadrupled the amount of caffeine I am consuming, and while the cinnamon dolce is still an option, it is about 50 cents more across the board because it is "limited" and "special." So I opt instead for the GiantAss (TM) and cheaper almond latte and walk home proudly with my Mary Chapin Starbucks cup. It is now washed out and sits on my desk. I am a tool, but a happy one.

The Way I See It #52

"True Story: Recently I eavesdropped on a conversation between two twenty-something employees at a local Starbucks. I listened as the barista mused about his taste in music. Then the cashier asked him if he had ever heard the song "Strawberry Fields Forever." After a pause, the barista answered, "No, I can't say I've ever heard that one before." That's when I knew there really was such a thing as a generation gap." - MCC

Authors. Really.

DH Lawrence Ranch 09
Originally uploaded by Czech Girl.

This weekend my buddy Jamie and I decided we wanted to drive somewhere, and picked a spot on the map that happens to be Taos. We have a fascination with hippies and communes and all things 60's, and Taos is good for that. The weather is freakishly warm for January (or October, even) so it was lovely.

Jamie is an uber-learned English major and took a course in Brit Lit, so we decided a trip up to the D.H. Lawrence Ranch was in order, as well. D.H., while a famed British author, apparently fell in love with New Mexico in the 20's and spent a bit of time living/writing at this ranch. Upon obtaining some literature, we found out that the chapel memorial on the ranch was built by Lawrence's wife after he died. It turns out he had 2 other women who, according to the biography, "competed for his attention" living at the ranch as well. How this worked out, I don't know. His poor wife.

So anyway, after he died in England, he was cremated. His wife had the remains shipped to New Mexico to be with her at the ranch. Apparently, the other two women (dare we call them mistresses?) thought D.H. should be scattered out over the ranch. The wife disagreed. So vehemently so that she is rumored to have taken the ashes, thrown them in a wheelbarrow full of wet cement, and used the cement to make this little altar in the chapel...saying, "Let's see them get his ashes NOW!" What people will do for love. Or jealousy. Or both.

God Bless America

So it has come to my attention that the newest in Starbucks flavored goodness is the cinnamon dolce latte. Hello! Sign me up. I'm going to go get one today. I think after years of coffeehouse hanging out, and many an inconsistent latte (oddly I have had the wekeast latte ever and the much-to-syrupiest-ever at the same place), I appreciate Starbucks because it's so regimented and well executed. Giant chain? Yes. Same mocha every time? Yes. Some might call it unadventurous, but when I pay 3-4 bucks for it, I want to like it. And there you have it.

Music Mania

PC290645
Originally uploaded by Czech Girl.

Even though I was hit hard by an oh-so-snarky-and-timely head cold (at it's worst on New Year's Eve? Come on...), and have spent a good deal of my life in bed or on the couch as of late, much has been done in the past week that I can cross off my list.

- a new website is in the works, which corresponds with:
- the new ALBUM (finally!), thanks to my beloved guitarist Ben who is mixing with skill:
- which means I'm designing cover art and liner notes...it's more fun than I thought:
- and I also bit the bullet (where did that expression come from?) and bought a new acoustic guitar. Mmmm. After having my other one fall into a bit of disrepair, I realized any serious acoustic guitar playing gig warrior should have two. I should probably sell my firstborn (which I don't have yet) or something. Oh well. That's what graduation money is for!

Still more to do...posted I will keep you.