One Girl Revolution

I had a dream last night that the comics I put on eBay sold for a whopping $75. As fab as that would be, I'm currently giving the project a snowball's chance in Hell a low probability of bringing in anywhere near that amount. Frankly, I'm confused - you'd think that people would want to bid on it, given that the opening bid is about 1/3 what the collection could/should be worth. (The individual books are currently selling for $10 apiece on Amazon.com.) How much do you want to bet that if it was something ridiculous and banal that it would already have 20 or so bids on it?

I wait impatiently for the day that America discovers culture, intellect and reason. Which means I should probably run away and join the steampunk movement. Odd that it seems more DIY, more romantic, and more progressive than mainstream punk and/or the hippie movement these days. I've always thought it interesting that things like wind power and natural vegetable soaps have strong roots in the past; many of today's green solutions are just the rediscovery and refining of old technologies. It makes me curious about the possibility of a green movement within this subculture.

But then, I'm probably severely over-thinking all of this.

In a completely mundane aside, the drain in my bathroom is currently running slow, and I'm thinking that there must be build-up along the walls of the pipes. I tried using drain cleaner as a last resort a few weeks ago (trust me - I really, really didn't want to), but it did absolutely nothing for the problem. What has helped is hot water and washing soda, which leads me to believe that it is some sort of grease/gunk build-up in the pipes, most likely from soap. However, the soda hasn't completely eliminated the problem, which is why I really feel the need to try out one of the new TerraCycle products, Drain Maintainer. I like the idea of an all-natural, non-toxic product that technically works constantly, especially since I only have to add a cup of it once a month. Thing is, I have no idea where to buy it - there is a place on the website where you can see where TerraCycle is sold, but it doesn't say which products are sold at which stores. It also doesn't look like you can buy the stuff online. Has anyone seen this at any chain stores?

The weekend ended up being pretty darn cool. Friends came, we went on a walking tour of Ann Arbor proper, and we gave the now-Oprah-famous Zingerman's a big ol' chunk of our business. Fortunately, there was much walking on Saturday. Unfortunately, I still ended up feeling like these two unfortunate souls - surrounded on all sides by good food, but confronted with the possibility of either becoming overly stuffed or killed to death by beautiful, decadent things. Which is a nice way of saying that the food kicked a ridiculous amount of ass, but I'm sort of surprised I'm still alive and fitting into my pants.

HOLY GODS, IT'S REGION FREE.

Man, when that second paycheck comes around...mine. Totally. First paycheck is going toward another 10-pack of buttons so Ann Arbor can know the glory that is theycallmeboy's shop, but after that...oh yes. Niall O'Flaherty and his band of merry Cork pranksters, bringing insanity to my living room's TV screen.

You're only laughing because you're jealous.

Goodness, so much to write about tonight. cammila_radio and I swapped LJ and MySpace addresses, so now we're all friended up and such. I also found another co-worker's LJ, though I won't mention him just yet, in case he wants to play mysterious. I have friended him, so here's hoping he won't come to my cube, demanding to know how I found his corner of the blogoverse.

Work continues to go well, and I keep meeting cool people. It's all sorts of fantastic, and I feel very accepted and appreciated. I fit in and belong! Well, except when it comes to clothes. I'm still a fashion disaster, especially when compared to a lot of the girls. I. HAVE. NO. FASHION. SENSE. I don't know why it vexes me so, as it's not like I lost it or got fat and now don't know how to dress. Hell, I lost weight and still can't find anything that looks good. Oh well. It's just clothes, right? Right?

What is wrong here? When have I ever been concerned about clothes, guys?

Never mind about that - still groovin' on the job. I hope that I can help out with their already stellar coverage; I think this may be where my weird musical tastes might come in handy. I'm eyeing my Winamp playlist as I type, and all I can say is: who else would listen to The Sultans of Ping FC, Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip, Gogol Bordello, Guns N' Roses, Iggy Pop (with and without Stooges), Jeff Buckley, John Lennon, The Pogues, Led Zeppelin, and Placebo in the same sitting?

I should just make a sign for my desk that says, "Don't tell me what genre it is. Just tell me one thing: Does it ROCK?" Because in some way, all of those artists do. I think that's the only requirement necessary for me to give something a go.

***
I think they may have closed the pool at my apartment's club house, which bums me out - I was really enjoying swimming. I can understand why they did it, as there's a tiny bit of the indoor pool that extends outside and would therefore make the water all sorts of cold, but it still bums me. I'm hoping that I'm wrong, but we'll see about that. I did some stuff on treadmills and weight machines instead, so hopefully that counts for something. I need to search around and see if I can find a good Pilates DVD; that can be my indoor exercise in addition to the equipment in the club house fitness room. I feel weird, being out of my work-out routine for so long. Help!

***
trytobegood, I got your book and lovely note. teaandbitchery, I got your wonderful card. Thanks so much, guys. That really means a lot, getting stuff like that in the mail. You're fantastic friends.

Speaking of mail, I need to find a post office I can get to this weekend. I need to mail that package to theycallmeboy.

***
My dad got a new job, guys! I'm so, so, SO happy for him - like me, he's a creative person, and like me, his whole "lack of a good job" was a real bummer for him. He's going to do excellent work, but more importantly, he's going to be very happy. I'm happy for him - good job, Dad! I love you!

Man, all that needs to happen now is for Boy to get his visa and come over here. That would make my...life, really.

God, I miss him.

***
I just sent out a crap-load of pitches to my editor at Scene, so the only thing left to do now is clean my increasingly horrifying room. You know that line from "Protect Me From What I Want," the one that goes, "We open the latch on the gate/Of the hole we call our home"? Well, my room is steadily becoming that hole that Brian was talking about. And, well, that's ridiculous. I'm all sorts of adult now, according to government-issued documents, so I need to act and behave like one to some degree. The room is a big part of that.

Besides, once I make some progress there, I can continue on with the zine! I'm all sorts of eager to get started on that. Almost makes the not-so-fantastic weather we're supposed to have this weekend worth it.

***
Right. This has gone on long enough. Time to e-mail Ireland and get to bed.

But before I do, here's a PSA: You will never be cooler than this woman.

The More You Know. Cue star and rainbow.

Sometimes, theycallmeboy and others ask me why I don't think much of my talents and skills.

Well, when you have friends like this...

I went to college with jou, and I wish we'd hung out more. I always really admired her self-confidence and maturity, especially since I was a babbling idiot my first...entire time I was at Ohio University. jou always seemed to have a direction that I lacked. I knew I wanted to be a writer, but she knew she was going to be a comic book artist. And now she totally is. Lookit her go! I really am quite proud.

( Musings about my thought processes and personality quirks. )

Friday:

-Thanks to a slightly modified version of strangelover's incredible vegan chocolate cupcake recipe and eponabast's fantastic help and expertise, I have come up with the world's first (to my knowledge) Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes What Taste Like Mexican Hot Chocolate. You can thank me later. (And if you want the modified recipe, let me know. If enough people ask, I'll just post an entry.)

-Took the cupcakes to the company picnic. At the company picnic, I discovered that I can no longer handle mass quantities of heavy and/or junk food, especially not in 90 degree heat. Those who had the cupcakes raved about them. This made me very happy.

-Returned from picnic, bought bottled water, a Matisyahu CD, and several things at the local organic food emporium, including a box of frankincense tears. I want to use them in my car, but I need a container to put a tear or two in. It has to have holes in the top; I'd prefer wood. I haven't found anything yet, but I'll keep my eyes open. Maybe craft stores would have something.

-Saw The Simpsons Movie with my dad. Had an OMGWTF moment with Lisa's storyline. theycallmeboy and I are on to you, FOX!

Saturday:

-Cleaned my bathroom. Enjoyed the process. Realized this makes me a Real Adult now. Had five minutes of catatonic shock over revelation.

-Went to eponabast's apartment. Had sushi and watched The Boondock Saints. Came to conclusion that no Irish man can compete with my Irish man.

-Went to The Winchester post-film. Had a Vanilla Fudge (vanilla vodka and chocolate liquor) and a Bailey's on the rocks. Felt extremely intelligent, charming and generous. Apparently spouted hilarious nonsense and attempted to buy eponabast albums to hang on her wall. Thank goodness for honest friends.

Sunday:

-Reveled in the glory of the Apple Muffins of Infamy. Note to self - must get recipe.

-Hiked in nearby park. Talked spirituality, sociology, feminism, Bridge Wars and Exploding Rivers with eponabast. Got soaked by rain, but enjoyed it muchly.

-Bought soup ingredients. Met up with mavra_chang and painted bags, watched Wild Zero and played Apples to Apples.

-Came home and had a nice talk with my Boy. Rejoiced in knowing that my trip is coming up soon!

And now, bed.

I'm starting a new project over at itslittlethings that I hope will be a good resource for others. Basically, every time I get a solicitation from a charity, I check its rating over at Charity Navigator to make sure my money is doing its job (instead of just contributing to the charity's operating costs). I'm not endorsing specific charities, just listing the ones who send me stuff and who get Three or Four Star ratings.

You can check out the post here, if you like. It's an ongoing project, so don't fret. I'm sure there's many more where that came from.

Also, my friend jumpinjessflash is participating in the 2007 Twin Cities Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk For The Cure. In order for her to participate, her minimum fund raising goal had to be $2,200. She's raised $472 so far and needs to raise the rest by August. If you can spare anything, please go to her donation page. The lowest button donation setting is $5, but you can donate as little or as much as you like.

To help her out, I've decided that from now until August 22 (two days before the walk begins), I will donate 10% of anything I sell online to her walk. That's Half.com stuff, Etsy stuff, eBay stuff, Gothic Auctions stuff, whatever. I wish it could be more, but right now 10% is the best I can do.

My Half.com shop is here. My Etsy shop is here. I'll make posts if I add something to eBay or GA, as well as to the Half and Etsy shops. If you find something you like, go for it.

And even if you can't buy or donate anything, head on over and give her a thumbs up. She's a really great person who does wonderful things for others. And that, my friends, is why she rocks.

Don't you hate it when your overdeveloped sense of vengeance (or maybe it's justice) keeps you up way too late? Me too.

Anyway, in continuation of the Rental Refugee post, I wanted to post links to more places I have contacted. If you want to send them stuff too, that's cool - I'm just odd and like keeping lists of things I've done.

Again, please feel free to contact media outlets not just in California, but everywhere. This sort of thing could be happening in other cities, even yours. That means it could happen to your friends, your family or yourself. I'd rather not have that be the reality.

Anyway, here's a continuation of The List:

KCRW
KABC (Meant to contact the TV station, ended up here, figured what the hell.)
KABC-TV (There we go!)
KCBS ("Wha? Another radio station...no where near LA? God dammit!")
KCAL ("Damn Californians, with their damn radio station and TV station call letters that are frickin' identical...")
KNBC
KTLA

I'll see about getting more contacts as time goes on. I'd love to do more, but it's late, I'm tired, and it's been a hell of a week. There will be more, though. This is an outrage, and it needs to be known.

I know it's late, but I'd like to ask my friends across the pond to get involved, if possible. You'll be awake while I'm still in bed, so feel free to Google LA news outlets or contact your own. Any action is better than none.

Ok - seriously. That's all for tonight. They'll find me passed out at the keys in the morning at this rate.

Edit: God dammit, I forgot to contact Boing Boing again. I swear, if my head wasn't attached to my body...

Oh, and unless one of you gets to it first, I'll be writing up a story for IndyMedia. So tell me if you've submitted already. And if you have, send a link so I don't cover the same ground. Thanks much.

I made a pact last night to eat healthier. To be more accurate, I made a pact not to eat ice cream for the rest of the month, but I've decided to extend this into a more generalized, "I'm going to avoid desserts and snacks as much as possible" pact. Why just "as much as possible?" Well, in the event that a dessert gets served to me (as sometimes happens), I'll have some then. This is less about a diet and more about self-control, since I tend to have a bad habit of going, "eh, what the hell?" and serving up whatever I feel like, even though I know I shouldn't. I often justify it by saying it's just a little (and it is - I measure out 1/3 of a cup), but that really shouldn't be an excuse. "A little" can still add up. So that's it - no desserts, and no snacks.

So naturally, my body decides that this would be a plum peachy time to start gearing up for...*drumroll* the monthly...thing. That girls do. I won't go too much into it - I know it can make men squeamish - but I will say that while a vow to avoid unnecessary calories is all well and good, it's also going to be a tremendous pain in the ass. For some reason, I get really, really hungry about a week before the process begins, and consequently I'm tempted to munch on just about anything I can get my hands on. To compensate, I think I may start drinking lots of water, tea, and the occasional cup of Sierra Mist. We'll see how long that lasts.

In more interesting news, I have two orders now for perfume - well, one order and one sample. I'm excited to see that I have some sort of knack for this; I don't expect it to become a full time business, but it does make for a fun hobby. I can't wait to get an Etsy shop going (look for it...mid-March, perhaps), but until then I'm content to just experiment with the craft. And there's a new benefit to this skill that I just realized today: I'll finally have something decent to donate to Sweet Charity. For all the artists/crafties on my flist, here's the deal - once or twice a year, halcyon_shift hosts an online auction called Sweet Charity, where people donate skills or products to be purchased by the highest bidder. The money made from the auction goes to a charity of halcyon_shift's choosing - and yes, she's open to suggestions. If you're willing and able, I'd highly, highly recommend participating. It's for a good cause, and it can help get your name out there as well. Go ahead and contact her for more information.

Hmm...I'll have to talk to theycallmeboy about this. Perhaps he'd be interested in putting a couple things from Forever Fifteen up for bid. Hey, every little bit helps.


Get your own valentinr

Had an excellent time in Columbus with mavra_chang, teaandbitchery, shadownex, and smmenen. Feeling a little tired, and I need to make a list of all the stuff I have to do, but that's alright.

In other news, snow plunges our state capitol into chaos and brings out all of the idiot drivers. And amazingly, it would appear that there's only a dusting of snow here in NEO.

Not much else to report, I'm afraid. Hopefully I can be a bit more exciting soon.

coterie_diaries has been resurrected and repurposed, and now it's ready to go!

The community layout and design (which was generously donated by jou back in the day) has not changed just yet. I don't know if I will do that or not - on one hand, I would like to give the place a new look to celebrate its new life, but I also don't want to discount the time and energy jou put into the initial design, either. I suppose time will tell, or something.

For now, the community is ready to accept new members and head into its new direction, so go ahead and check out the profile, join, have fun, and tell all of your friends. I'm interested in seeing who shows up and where things will go from here.

Thanks to both current and new members for their support, and thanks to teaandbitchery for giving me the idea in the first place. Now, grab your beverage of choice and join the fun!

-The news that mcmillan has had her comic picked up by United Feature Syndicate.

-The links that duffnstuff hooked me up with, because she's awesome and wanted to cheer me up. Between this and the herbalism interest, I may soon acquire enough skills to keep from being eaten if society collapses during the The Arockalypse.

-People stepping up to the plate and condemning the apparently rampid dominionism in the U.S. military.

-This beautiful jewelry made by onceupon.

-The fact that I took a leap and applied for a job that, if I were to get it, would be the fucking Cadillac of jobs. My chances of getting it are probably somewhere between slim and "you've got to be fucking kidding me," but I'm just psyched because I applied. A year ago, I wouldn't have bothered, because I wouldn't have thought myself good enough. That means my self-esteem is slowly rising, and that pleases me.

-theycallmeboy. Because we had a big long talk again last night, and I think I managed to cheer him up. Which cheered me up. And then the e-mail he sent saying that he's going to start a project to keep himself occupied and (hopefully) keep the worries at bay. I especially liked the part where he said I could contribute. This is how we started, and it's come back around to this again. I look forward to collaborating, or at least contributing to his endeavor. It'll be good for both of us, methinks.

The fact that he keeps on trying and doesn't give up just makes me love him all the more, you know? I think as long as we've got each other, we'll be ok.

Thanks for all who provided contacts. It's given both of us a lift.

And theycallmeboy? Thanks for just being you.

ETA: Also, Led Zeppelin's Travelling Riverside Blues. Oh yes.

I just got a button in the mail. A mysterious button that I did not order.

But I like it. It says, "I'm a One Girl Revolution" in that old typewriter font. I love that font.

I don't know who got it for me or why (I can only assume Christmas), but it's hella neat. I shall wear it whenever I am able.

If my mysterious benefactor is reading this, I want to thank them muchly for their generous gift. It's very much fab!

So my last post...yeah. Pretty wank-tastic.

But my flist? Not wank-tastic. Far from it. You guys are quite possibly the best flisties on LiveJournal. And not only because you took the time to read my post, but you also took time to respond. Some of you took lots of time. Some of you said deep things. Some of you just made me smile and reminded me not to take shit so seriously.

But all of you - and I do mean all of you - talked sense into me. And that's unprecedented and most deserving of thanks. So...


tyrell - If zarq is LJ's Finest News Source, then you're definitely its Zen Master. Thanks for being an awesome sempai, talking sense, and making me laugh.

onceupon - It was your initial essay that inspired me to write my own, get all that nasty stuff out in the open, and learn from it. And like your pictures, it didn't kill me. In fact, it made me stronger. And it never would have happened without you. Thanks for forcing me to take a good, long look at where I came from, where I am, and where I could go from here.

suzanna_o - For telling me that you liked the post, because I was worried that it was less introspective personal essay and more "OMG EMO!!!!!11" Just knowing that my story was a valid one to tell made me feel better, so thanks.

jumpinjessflash - For listening. For reading. For caring. And for asking questions instead of just dismissing me. You're smart, you're beautiful, and you are a bombshell in the best sense of the term. Thanks for being my mentor in that regard, and holding my hand on the bad days.

mavra_chang - Presently, for reminding me that it's not me, it's her. For all time, for encouragement, advice, and for listening. And in the past, for driving me to the hospital on the terrible Night Of The Shoulder. I'd still be wandering around my old dorm if it wasn't for you.

mykeamend - You commented, although we're still getting to know each other, and you gave me some sound advice. The fact that you're willing to help out someone who's still sort of an acquaintance means a lot. Here's to hoping we get to be better friends.

trystanknight - For verbally kicking my ass, and being very, very brave in the process. It's tough to talk about these things - trust me, I know ;) - but you did it anyway, and for someone you've never met in person. That's the mark of a real gentleman, so hold your head up high.

clytemenstra - For thanking me for writing this. No, really. Because that means that it helped somehow, and that alone helped pull me out of the issue angst. And also, for sharing your story, because it was short, sweet, and perfect.

lasarina - For giving me a talking to, for talking sense into me, but never talking down to me. And, if you'll excuse the language, for being a fucking incredible mother, because sometimes that's just what I need. You do your family proud, and you helped me wake up. Don't know what I can do to make it up to you, but name it and I'll give it my best shot.

gefingerpoken - For seconding the motion. Sometimes, knowing you're not the only one can make a world of difference.

shadownex - For not killing me when you had the chance putting up with a disproportionate amount of my crap for a disproportionate amount of time, and doing so with a smile on your face. And for not running away when I pull this shit, because you've had to hear me talk about this sort of thing before, which should be outlawed as a form of torture. And this time, not only was it longer, but it was in text form. But you read and commented anyway. And that's why you're my Best Friend.

myz_lilith - For facts, figures, and studies that disprove all the crap that both media and society have used to convince me that I need to be tall, blonde and thin to be pretty. And for making me realize that just as I love him for who he is, he loves me for who I am. It reminded me to have faith, because there's no reason to doubt.

faeriechild - Of all the people on this list, you've know me the longest. (You also know Geoff, thereby guaranteeing that you were the only person here who got the joke.)I about wept when I read your comment, because I had no idea that somewhere, I was being introduced as beautiful. And now that I have a reputation to uphold, how can I think myself otherwise?

So yes, thanks to you all. You're all on my holiday card list now, so expect me to be pestering you for addresses, unless I have them already.

If I could, I'd get a gift for all of you, but I can't afford that. Instead, I will show my gratitude by linking you to the greatest tour rider in the history of rock and roll. And going to bed, as I am sleepy as of now.

Thanks again, everyone. You were just what I needed.

I was a little depressed as I walked along tonight. Halloween is fast approaching, and I realized that I wouldn't have the time to get a decent pirate costume together. Not only that, but I saw a thing earlier today that said that pirates are the hot costume this year. In other words, I'd just be one in a sea (ha!) of pirates. And that bummed me out.

And then the thought occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, I would't go out at all this year. And that made me really sad.

I think I've gone out or dressed for Halloween every year. I don't go out for candy anymore, but I still enjoy dressing up and running around like a loon. And then I got into Trick Or Treat for UNICEF last year, and I was so looking forward to doing Stupid Human Tricks for spare change for the children. But without a costume, it was a moot point.

So I began thinking about what I could do. I can't sew, I don't have a lot of money, and I don't like to buy strictly costume clothes. If I buy something for a costume, I like to be able to use it for more practical purposes later. (The anti-frivolous thing runs on my Dad's side of the family.) So once again, I thought myself a bit trapped.

But then suddenly, a thought popped into my head that was totally unexpected.

I could be a goddess. Specifically, I could be Eris.

Then I realized that this would involve wearing some sort of toga-like outfit, something that is utterly impractical for late October weather in Ohio. Besides, I could just see someone tugging on the thing in an effort to unwrap it, and that's the sort of humiliation I don't need. And I can't reuse a toga. And togas, like every other piece of clothing in existence, would probably make me look fat.

"No!" came the reply from...somewhere. "No, not ancient Eris! Modern Eris! A Discordian Eris!"

Well, um, ok. Still, can I pull it off? I mean, the only other person I know who has dressed up as Eris for Halloween was mavra_chang, and she did a damn good job of it.

"But you would do well too! You have the look of a goddess-"

Ok, no. I'm not nearly pretty enough to-

"SILENCE!"

Shutting up.

"You can do this. You will do this. You have the look of a goddess, and you can update it. Go out, get some fun clothes, something silly you can wear outside of work, or just little accessories to play against your CBGB shirt. Think freedom, expression, power, positive madness. Think punk, think rock, think color and movement. Think of wild abandon, and think of unfettered joy. Think of all that and find clothes that reflect this."

And the apple?

"Spray paint. Plastic fruit. Black marker."

Sounds doable. Um...you do realize that I'll be doing this while I try to collect money for an NGO, right?

"Yes."

So...why dress as the goddess of chaos while raising funds intended to bring order to chaos?

"Who says that chaos must be evil or negative? In fact, why ask why at all?"

Point taken. So, dress wild, make a gold apple, then run around and get money. Um...what do I do if mavra_chang already has plans to dress up as you? And...I'm not all that good with fashion, especially wilder stuff. And what about makeup and stuff? Any advice?

...

Hello?

...

***

So, mavra_chang, are you being Eris this year? And are you free to go shopping at some point, or should we wait for jumpinjessflash to come up, too?

God, I hope I can pull this off. I'm going to be in big trouble otherwise.

...

Well, it looks like you guys get a bit of a reprieve, and I get a change to post more stuff!

I won't be able to make it out to my local Half Price Books today, so it'll have to wait until next weekend. This gives you guys more time to peruse the stacks, find something you like, and make a purchase!

As I've stated before, half of the proceeds from the sale will go towards my getting a plane ticket to Ireland, while the other half will go towards a women's charity, preferably one geared towards education. (It was going to be AAUW, but with only one star from Charity Navigator, I didn't feel comfortable giving my hard-earned money to them.)

If any of you know of some good women's/women's education charities, please let me know. I'll check into their CN score and if they have three or four stars, I'll give them half the profits from this sale.

Click this link to see what I'm selling! Don't delay!

jumpinjessflash, your book is packaged. zarq, I'll hold your book until you formally purchase it from the site.

Lastly, I want to thank each and every one of you for being awesome. It means so much that you guys are there to help me out, offer advice, and just be supportive. I'm blessed!

BEST. DAY. EVER.

No, seriously. Best day ever. I'm not even close to kidding.

Ladies, I highly recommend that you go over and give tyrell some Internet lovin'. He totally deserves it after making this post.

Actually, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank any men who are reading this (and feel the same way as tyrell) for being...well, super awesome. Maybe if enough of you speak up, Hollywood and the rest of the entertainment industry will start listening.

Geez, you embark on a project combining mystic symbolism and musicians, and all kinds of strange shit starts happening. Makes me wonder if I've unwittingly tapped into some sort of spiritual/supernatural energy well.

Anyway, check this out - in a completely random twist of fate, an awesome guy that I haven't seen or spoken to since college got in contact me. Flist, meet smmenen. smmenen, meet flist. Groovy.

Now, had I know this sooner, I would have said something sooner, but I didn't know, so no announcement was made. Well, it turns out that the lad passed his bar exam with flying colors, and is now a lawyer. So now I finally be a gonzo journalist, safe in the knowledge that I have a lawyer-friend who will bail me out of just about any sticky situation.

So, congrats to you, smmenen. You done us all proud. Now, get out there and fight some crime!

I'll be here, languishing in my hideous job and dreaming of rock star interviews and red convertibles.

So, shadownex is a god damn genius. After months of trying to figure out what to get me for my birthday, she's decided to make me something instead. Something really, really, really cool.

Namely, a Rock and Roll Tarot card deck.

Now, I don't know when (or even if) she'll be able to get this done, but she wanted my input, since it's my deck. I have already decided on a few artists/images, but I'm opening up the floor to you fine people for suggestions. Now, please don't be offended if you suggest something that I end up not choosing - I'm going with flashes of intuition and inspiration, since this deck is supposed to be tailored specifically for me. Even if I don't go with your idea, I still appreciate all of your suggestions.

Anyway, tonight we focus on the major arcana.

Bold text represents the cards that I have officially decided upon. If you want me to explain myself, I will.

Italics are for cards that I have ideas for, but haven't firmly decided upon. If you want to suggest something for these, go right ahead.

Plain text is for cards that I haven't had any ideas for just yet. I'd like to stick with rockers for the major arcana, so hold off on suggesting songs, if possible. Those will come later. (One note for any JROCK fans reading this: I really, really, really want to incorporate hide into this deck, but I don't know where to put him just yet. Little help?)

Anyway, here we go! ( Cut to spare your flists! )

The floor is officially open to discussion. Comment, discuss, and bicker away.

ETA: shadownex, I've made a change. Marc Bolan is going to stay in the deck, but not as the Magician. That role will be going to Jimmy Page of Led Zeppelin. (See my comment to rasputins_vodka.)

I realized earlier today that before I start talking about my trip to New York City, I needed to write a prologue. Some people skip over prologues, but this one is pretty important. There's going to be things in here that will help set up perspectives and situations later on, which will ultimately make for a more enlightened (and probably coherent) reading experience. Don't worry - I'll try to make it as exciting as possible. I know you're all looking forward to the good stuff.

( The path that led me to this place: Music, Life, and The Greatest Adventure. )

We now interrupt this journal for a Public Service Announcement. Ok, not really. It's more like a Call For Aid. But not for me. I'm doing fine, but someone else isn't really, and I want to do all I can to help her out.

I was at work this afternoon, preparing some of my normal news links and checking my flist when I came across this. I knew I had to do something right away, because although many of you may not know it, I owe duffnstuff big time.

How did an American girl from the Yuppie Capital of Somewhere In Ohio come to be indebted to a New Zealand native who draws the tinygunners comic? Well, let me tell you.

I met duffnstuff sometime in 2004, if memory serves. We clicked right away musically, and she (along with isilrandir) introduced me to Guns N' Roses. This seemingly small act actually had a big impact, perhaps more so than she knows. As we talked more about music, I began to realize that, well, I really liked talking about music. I discovered that I knew a lot more about it than I thought I did, and even if I didn't know something, I truly enjoyed learning about it. In short, duffnstuff rekindled my love of music - and in turn, persuaded me to return to my original goal of being a music journalist.

In short, she gave me my passion back. And trust me, that means a lot.

I don't think I'll ever truly be able to repay her, but for now, this will have to do. I want to urge every one of you to d