rachelpink rides the bus

Leap Day

It's leap day, so I don't think it counts.

Reading in Action

In Glut, I read about the Roman memory practice called the Method of Loci. I'll bet you've heard of it. It's a way of memorizing long lists by placing the objects comprising the list in a room or rooms in your mind.

So here's what I did. I needed to pick up soap, hair dye, and toothpaste from CVS. Not a long list, but it's the small lists that ruin me. If I didn't write it down, I'd definitely forget one of the 3 things. And sure, I could have pulled out some paper and a pen--but the subway was elbow-to-elbow crowded. Instead, I put the objects in a room. I imagined a huge pile of soap bars sitting on our couch. Then, astride the soap, I imagined Cupcake the kitty dying her hair. And while she dyed it, she brushed her teeth.

15 minutes later I checked off the items as I mentally walked my way through the scene. I knew I wasn't missing anything, and every time I pictured the cat on the soap with the hair dye and a toothbrush I laughed.

Try it next time you need to pick up brownie mix, marshmallow fluff, and Nesquick.

Meg is a Star!!

Set your DVRs--my friend Meg will be crafting with Martha Stewart tomorrow! Meg is on to promote the gorgeous book she edited--Sock and Glove. You can see a quick preview here.

Funniest SNL Commerial Parody Ever in the Universe

Another Damn Hat

Made myself a hat. Finished it tonight. I've been wanting to use that button for ages. It's a blue resin flower and oh so cute.

OK, OK, but this all brings me to a question. Am I just doing too much lately? Reading 100 books, making stuff, volunteering, cleaning, working like a nut. . . all that and I'm still not getting enough done. I'm not going to the gym. Oy.

Anyway, I think the hat is cute, even if I have a goofy air about me in the picture.

Training Day

I spent my day at Barnard College learning more about New York Cares. It was the annual Team Leader Conference, and I thought it would be a good thing to do since I'm a brand-spanking new team leader.

There were so many cool, neat-o people there--too many to count. And I'm even more inspired to volunteer as many hours as I can. Next week I'll try out a new computer-training project in my neighborhood. AND--the big news? I signed up as a team leader for Hands-On New York Day on April 12th.  Kids, I need people for my team! You don't need to do anything but sign up for team Unicorn Chasers. I'll take care of the rest. I need to recruit 10 people. It will be fun--did I mention that??

Library-palooza

Here's what I picked up today at my lovely local library:
The Long Tail
Take the Cannoli
Get Back in the Box
The Wisdom of Crowds

With the exception of Cannoli, these books were all recommended at TOC, the nerdy awesome publishing conference I attended last week. Me hungry for nerdiness! Hungry hungry!

Oh

I think my train hit a person tonight. There was an abrupt stop that rattled the car. Then an announcement: Everyone walk to the front of the train. We did. On the platform a mix of curious riders, cops, and MTA folks swarmed. A little later came the firemen and then, a paramedic with a stretcher. Still, it's hard to figure out what happened. The Gothamist news map says that someone was under a train at Queens Plaza at 8. If they're right, then yeah, I was in a train that hit someone. That's a creepy weird feeling.

UPDATE: My suspicions were correct--the train did hit a man. He's in serious condition. You can read about it in the Times.

Funny

We're watching a show on The History Channel about the history of jokes. It's extra-interesting having just finished Steve Martin's bio about his stand-up years.

We've been chuckling here and there, but Brian Posehn KILLED me with this line: I look like a bunch of farts put on a man costume and decided to go to a restaurant. Oh Brian Posehn, that's silly. 

Robin Williams, my idol back in the stand-up comedy camp days, is atrocious. Unfunny and pretentious and making me uncomfortable. George Carlin rocks, and Lewis Black is doing a so-so hosting job. Wish there was more Penn and Teller.

Anyhow, after 5 straight hours of Law and Order, I'm grateful Chuck found a show without murder.

A Sunday Wedding

Chuck's good friend Rachel got married yesterday, and I was delighted to attend in my new $20 sparkly black dress. Rachel looked so pretty and happy. We had a great table with Chuck's friends (even Kenny and Julee! they came in from L.A.), the food was outstanding, and the band had two trombones, an accordian, a clarinet and more. At one point I was sucked into the center circle of the horah and couldn't get out. This was, surprisingly, the first Jewish wedding. The service was so lovely--great rabbi, and I loved the whole shebang. Rachel's 5-yr. old nephew gave the cutest toast in the universe. Seriously, it was a moment of complete brilliance--and I wish I could remember the whole thing. At one point he said (echoing an earlier toast)--"From baby to toddler, from toddler to kid, from kid to adult. . . . it goes by so fast." Rock star.

A great big congrats to Rachel and Ivan!

Subway Stories

Oh what a busy Saturday. Out of the apartment by 10. And hour of computer work at Panera. A three hour training (I'm officially a team leader with a certificate to show for it) in midtown. A pit stop at Jamba Juice for a late lunch.

And then I headed down to the subway in the direction of home so I could meet up with Chuck and run some errands. Having finished Sarah Vowell's RADIO ON this morning, I was psyched to start reading Steve Martin's BORN STANDING UP as I maneuvered myself into a seat on the E. Reading while carrying two bags and balancing a Jamba Juice was trouble. I noticed a kind-of-adorable guy across me with almost as many bags. He pulled out his laptop, a Mac, and started typing. I figured him an out-of-towner with the bags and the typing and the camera around his neck. I thought to myself, "Don't make yourself such a target! Put the laptop away!"

I thought that while I put my book away because the balancing act of the juice and bags wasn't working. Mac man got my attention and gestured in the direction of my put-away book.

Mac Man: Do you like it?
Me: The book? Yeah, I do! It's actually kind of great.
Mac Man: A friend of mine liked it. Said it was good, but I don't always trust him.
Me: Well, you can trust me. I'm a little ways into it and it's so good. He's smart. It's funny.

And so we talked across the span of a pretty packed subway. He was reading Ernest Hemingway. I told him about my 100 book challenge and he was impressed and started throwing out authors and books. We talked about the books he'd read, and how fast we could read. It was such a good and surprising conversation that I missed my stop and I had to transfer at Roosevelt Ave. and I didn't mind at all.

Headed back in the direction of home, I read some more. Two teenage boys stood near me and did they ever give off vibes of guilt and trouble. My instincts told me to get up and away from them. I did, and moments later they took off and ran to the far end of the subway car. Not a second later, "BOOM." They'd lit off a firecracker, a small one, but STILL. Everyone, everyone was stirred and annoyed and nervous--but no one said anything to the boys. They laughed and ran and I'm sure they did it again in the next car.

I got off, mad and annoyed at the aimless thoughtless boys, and spied two girls running to catch the train. They caught it, but in the process lost one of their cell phones. Poof, down it slid between the platform and the train door. Gone gone gone. And there was nothing they could do but get on the train and go.

Latest Library/Loan Haul

Meg lent me the book on the right. The library lent me the others.

A Random List of Thoughts

This weather is atrocious.

I got my first bingo on Scrabulous this week. The word: aroused.

Old friends and new friends--I want to hug them all.

Cupcake has a sparkly silver collar and she likes to sleep on the windowsill.

Brooke Shields is positively Amazonian.

Kelly, of the Biggest Loser, should stop crying before I make her stop.

Sometimes I wish I was an assistant.

If you can believe it, I finished knitting a Christmas present today. For Christmas 2008.

I had no idea that Monday is a holiday. Woohoo!

Having soup and bread and wine with Meg and Anna on a rainy day is happy-making.

Almost 300 people joined the Save RIF Facebook group. 300 requests are pending.

Vince and I went to Murray's after work. I paid $15 for honey on the comb made by Italian honeybees.

I am dreadfully behind on everything and anything.

Puppies!

Oh there were so many puppies at the shelter today. 13 in all! 10 were rescues from a puppy mill in Missouri. I did a little research, and learned Missouri is puppy-mill central. All bad. It wasn't a smart thing to research, because now my heart strings are close to snapping. Poor little guys.

On a happier note, these are some gorgeous, playful puppies. Oh yeah, and puppies--puppies are messy. We moved three of the pups (the ones who have been at the shelter for a month or so) and they went nuts licking, biting, and nibbling our faces, fingers and ears. It took 20 minutes to clean out their icky cages. In that time, they trashed their temporary cage. Oh puppies. Silly.

I spent a little time with Cupcake's sister--Cupcake 2. She's a cutie, but I'm certain that I chose the right Cupcake.

Were You a RIF Kid?

I was. The highlight of elementary school was RIF day.

Today I read a press release about RIF that made me sad. Bush wants to cut its funding. Ass.

Here's what you can do to help.

1. Go to the RIF site--they'll help you send emails to your local government officials.

2. Join my Save RIF Facebook group. Strength in numbers!

3. Tell everyone you know that reading IS fundamental.

Thanks for indulging me--and for helping. Without RIF, I wouldn't be the book-loving nut I am today.

Crazy Lady on the Train

That crazy lady was me.

Picture this:

Rachelpink in a brown/red/black plaid raincoat with a homemade teal/rainbow colored knit hat wearing blue/green cowboy boots and clutching a giant red plastic sack(containing my blanket), a black tote bag, and my usual bright and cartoonish messenger bag all while reading a paperback book called, "Cat Vs. Cat.

Crazytown. . . I have arrived!

Blanket!

It's here--my blanket--and I'm all wrapped up in it as I write. It's soft and made of memories and flannel. As you can tell, Samantha is a big fan. She's already taken a nap on it so it's flecked with kitty hair. I hate to love a material thing this much, but I can't help myself.

An Independent Question

I haven't received a single phone call or piece of mail relating to today's election. In New York state, independents can't vote in primary elections, so today I didn't pull a lever.

Since first registering as a voter (15 years ago!), I've marked myself down as independent.  In the beginning, I did it on my mom's counsel. She told me I'd get less junk mail if I didn't choose "democrat." That sounded like a good enough reason to check "no affiliation."

And time went on and I didn't really care about voting and I lived here and there and elections happened. I was unconcerned and flaky.

Then one year I voted for Nader. I did. I admit it. And I wish I had given it some more thought, because it was really an emotional vote. Politics didn't speak to me. Partisanship made me frustrated and angry and I didn't know how to articulate it. So I voted for Nader and felt smug and self-satisfied for no good reason.

When I registered to vote in NYC, I kept my independent box checked. Would I ever vote republican? Nope. But I'm hopeful that the parties will get a little more fluid and a little less black and white. Am I a little bummed that I didn't get to go to a polling place today? Sure. It's history in the making. It's exciting and important. Lots of people (like Stanley Fish) think I'm a lame-ass for being independent. I disagree, Stanley Fish. I'm independent and it feels right. And, well, it's my call. That's the American way, right?

And to all my (many) Obama-loving friends, he likes the independents. He likes us. So I just might like him back if(when) I get the chance.

Kitty Bowl

Yes, we watched a good bit of the Super Bowl. Go Giants! But the best TV of the day wasn't on FOX, it was on Animal Planet. If you haven't seen the Kitty Half-Time Show or the Puppy Bowl, you're missing out. Someone over at Animal Planet has a wicked-good sense of humor.

The 100--January

January challenged me. I spent too many days sick or mad or sad. What a grumpy month.

My 100 book challenge started off strong. I read 11 books in January and my brain loves me for it.

The Partly Cloudy Patriot
The Soul Thief
Foreskin's Lament
Little Stalker
Drown
The Principles of Uncertainty
The Abstinence Teacher
The Burn Journals
And Then We Came to the End
The Amber Spyglass
The Subtle Knife

My 100 pound challenge? Not so delightful. All the grumpiness lead to lots of cookies. And all the sickness meant lots of skipped workouts. But I'm not despairing because there are 11 months left, and I have a lot of faith in myself.

Here's to a better, stronger, lighter February.

Hello, Cupcake!

Hi. I'm Cupcake. Rachel saw me at the shelter today and said, "That cat is coming home with me. Today!" She filled out some papers and now I'm her official foster cat. We went underground on the subway, walked a few blocks, and then I found myself in her apartment. There's another cat here, and a guy who really loves the other cat. They're both a little skittish, but they'll adjust. I'm really liking the bedroom here. And the food seems pretty good. All in all, this is a pretty good Sunday for me. I really didn't like all those dogs at the shelter.