- Life is too short to sweat the small things. Laugh them off, you'll be better for it.
- It's easy to just fall apart. Challenge yourself by soldiering on instead.
- If you care about someone, really care, then tell them now while you still can. You never know when they'll be gone.
- Never forget who you are and how you got here, but don't dwell on all that either. You may miss what's next.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Recent Realizations
Some things I have realized recently (in no particular order):
Friday, July 1, 2011
A Little Story
So, back about 1994, I started working on this vampire novella (I know, right?). I worked on it for several years off and on. One day I just stopped and hadn't touched it until about 2007(?) when I decided to rework the entire thing. I started with this Prologue which I found today and had completely forgotten about. It's really amateur and silly, but here it is for your enjoyment:
Prologue
It's one of those parties that starts with one person inviting several friends then telling them to feel free to invite their friends. Before you know it the word hits the streets in the form of casual happy hour chats, emails and text messages. What ensues is an explosion of friends, colleagues and strangers all at the mercy of a host/hostess that may have bitten off more than he/she could chew. I stand in the corner alone next to a bar and huddle against my glass of chardonnay. I am a friend of a friend.
I am not much for big social gatherings but here I am in a room filled with about 200 and counting Columbia area socialites, all who are dancing, eating, drinking and talking. None of which anyone is doing with me. The party is not what I expected at all. There are a lot of people in what look like Victorian (?) period costumes and I slowly begin to wonder if Julian has drug me to another one of those theater fundraisers he goes to all the time. Don't get me wrong, I am a supporter of the arts, being an artist myself, I just don't have the money or the time to support such things when I can barely support myself.
Two women stop in front of me, neither in costume, both wearing different patterns of the same bubble dress. Both women look like they walked out of a magazine. One has straight platinum blond hair with striking blue eyes that stand out against her pale complexion. The other has curly dark brown hair and gorgeous caramel skin. Her copper eyes flicker in the low lighting giving off an ethereal vibe.
The pale one shakes her head as she takes a few steps back towards me, pinning me between the wall and the bar. "I didn't know this was a costume party! Why didn't you tell me?" she whines.
The celestial goddess leans in toward her, "How was I supposed to know? It's not like Tony told me anything."
Thanks to Blondie's perfume that she apparently bathed in, I sneeze which warrants two sets of eyes to turn on me. I stand there as they scan me. The blond sniffs in my general direction and with a defiant "Hmph" from the goddess, they walk away.
"Hey, I was standing here before you were, Blondie, so can the attitude, " I yell over the crowd. Great, I'm here for not even twenty minutes and already I've made enemies. I step from the wall and search the crowd for my own link to this party, Julian. I spot him in no time standing in the center of the madness talking with a man in an elaborate waistcoat. Julian sticks out like a neon sign in contrast to the man and those around them in his bright blue fitted sweater and boot cut jeans. His outfit shows off that he has been busy at the gym again, not that I'm complaining nor that I have a right to notice.
I excuse my way through the crowd to the edge of the dance floor where he stands and tug at his sleeve. "Hey," I shout over the music.
At a whopping 6' 3" to my 5' 7", Julian has to lean down slightly to speak to me, "Hey! There you are," he smiles, " Took you forever to get that drink."
I try to give him my best agitated-because-you-left-me-behind look, "How late do you want to stay?"
Two sparkling sapphires for eyes peak out between pieces of asymmetrically cut jet black hair, "Oh, come on Chris. Don't be like that already. We just got here," he pleads.
I step back and take into account Julian's pitiful pout. I have been friends with him way too long to know that when he calls me Chris instead of Christine he is attempting to sucker me. It works. I sigh, "No, it's not that. I was just seeing if you were feeling this party or not." His expression lightens, he knows he won. "You know the lack of costumes and all?"
He gives me one of his charming smiles, "Yeah, I didn't know if you would come if you knew it was a costume party."
I feel my left eyebrow raise up in question, "You KNEW this was a costume party?"
Julian turns his back to the man beside him who is already engaged in another conversation, "Not eactly. Nathaniel can be a little...eccentric. You never know what he will do," he explains, "I had an idea but didn't know for sure." I growl and rub my forehead in response. Realizing I am slightly agitated he offers, "I'm sorry, Chris."
I sigh and look up at him. What can I say? I am a sucker for those baby blues. "Okay, okay. You're forgiven but I am going to need some more wine for this," I say. Julian nods and heads off toward the bar. I stand there nervously amongst the people around me in costume. I watch a couple whirl by on the dance floor and am amazed to catch on to the fact that classical music is actually being played.
"Looks like fun, huh?" says someone to my left, startling me out of thought. I turn to look at the man addressing me and recognize him as the man in the elaborate waistcoat that Julian was talking to previously. He smiles, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
I sort of stumble on myself, "No, sorry. You just caught me lost in thought," he looks at me to explain, "I was listening to the music and just wondering why the classical music choice."
The man shrugs, "I thought it would go well with the theme."
I feel my face flush. "You must be Nathaniel," I stammer. The man smiles in response and I feel like I need to change the subject to divert my awkwardness, "Is this the 'Emperor Waltz' by Johann Strauss?"
Nathaniel smiles, "You have a good ear. I am surprised you know it." Doesn't everybody?
"Well, my grandmother taught me to waltz to this song when I was younger," I explain and down the rest of my wine. Why I am so nervous?
"Really?" Nathaniel chuckles. Taking the glass from my hand, he places it on a tray that a passing waiter carries. "Show me," he challenges while taking my hand and gesturing to the dance floor. Never one to back down from a challenge, I let him lead me onto the floor.
*****
Two wine glasses in hand, Julian excuses his way through the crowd only to find that Christine isn't where he left her. In fact, Nathaniel isn't either. Slightly panicked, he stands there and scans the dance floor. After a moment he spots Christine and Nathaniel waltzing by him. Christine acknowledges him with a smile and breaks away from her partner.
"You've returned with my wine!," Christine exclaims, "I knew you were good for something." She gives him a punch in the arm and winks. Julian isn't paying attention to her. He is busy focusing his gaze on Nathaniel who stands behind her looking her over like a piece of meat. Nathaniel looks up at him and gives him a sly smile, causing him to drop his drink. "Julian!" Christine yells breaking the interaction.
Julian looks down to see Christine trying to pick up pieces of glass from the floor. If she cuts herself...he thinks. "Chris," he kneels down to her and grabs her by the arm, "Could you go let one of the waiters know that there was a spill?"
"Sure thing. Are you okay?" she asks.
"Yeah," he stammers, "I think I am actually ready to go. Just tell one of the waiters about this and I will be right behind you."
He can feel Christine looking at him for some kind of inclination as to why he has changed his mind. He forces a nervous smile and concern washes away from her face, "Whatever you say. You're my taxi," she giggles.
They stand up and he watches her walk into the crowd. He senses Nathaniel standing right behind him, "Julian, who's your friend?"
Julian braces himself, "Why do you want to know?"
Nathaniel walks around to face him and Julian can see a flicker in his emerald eyes, "Because she excites me."
Julian glares down at him, "You can't have her."
Nathaniel begins to laugh, "Oh, I think I can."
(c) 2007, Crystal Gleim
Prologue
It's one of those parties that starts with one person inviting several friends then telling them to feel free to invite their friends. Before you know it the word hits the streets in the form of casual happy hour chats, emails and text messages. What ensues is an explosion of friends, colleagues and strangers all at the mercy of a host/hostess that may have bitten off more than he/she could chew. I stand in the corner alone next to a bar and huddle against my glass of chardonnay. I am a friend of a friend.
I am not much for big social gatherings but here I am in a room filled with about 200 and counting Columbia area socialites, all who are dancing, eating, drinking and talking. None of which anyone is doing with me. The party is not what I expected at all. There are a lot of people in what look like Victorian (?) period costumes and I slowly begin to wonder if Julian has drug me to another one of those theater fundraisers he goes to all the time. Don't get me wrong, I am a supporter of the arts, being an artist myself, I just don't have the money or the time to support such things when I can barely support myself.
Two women stop in front of me, neither in costume, both wearing different patterns of the same bubble dress. Both women look like they walked out of a magazine. One has straight platinum blond hair with striking blue eyes that stand out against her pale complexion. The other has curly dark brown hair and gorgeous caramel skin. Her copper eyes flicker in the low lighting giving off an ethereal vibe.
The pale one shakes her head as she takes a few steps back towards me, pinning me between the wall and the bar. "I didn't know this was a costume party! Why didn't you tell me?" she whines.
The celestial goddess leans in toward her, "How was I supposed to know? It's not like Tony told me anything."
Thanks to Blondie's perfume that she apparently bathed in, I sneeze which warrants two sets of eyes to turn on me. I stand there as they scan me. The blond sniffs in my general direction and with a defiant "Hmph" from the goddess, they walk away.
"Hey, I was standing here before you were, Blondie, so can the attitude, " I yell over the crowd. Great, I'm here for not even twenty minutes and already I've made enemies. I step from the wall and search the crowd for my own link to this party, Julian. I spot him in no time standing in the center of the madness talking with a man in an elaborate waistcoat. Julian sticks out like a neon sign in contrast to the man and those around them in his bright blue fitted sweater and boot cut jeans. His outfit shows off that he has been busy at the gym again, not that I'm complaining nor that I have a right to notice.
I excuse my way through the crowd to the edge of the dance floor where he stands and tug at his sleeve. "Hey," I shout over the music.
At a whopping 6' 3" to my 5' 7", Julian has to lean down slightly to speak to me, "Hey! There you are," he smiles, " Took you forever to get that drink."
I try to give him my best agitated-because-you-left-me-behind look, "How late do you want to stay?"
Two sparkling sapphires for eyes peak out between pieces of asymmetrically cut jet black hair, "Oh, come on Chris. Don't be like that already. We just got here," he pleads.
I step back and take into account Julian's pitiful pout. I have been friends with him way too long to know that when he calls me Chris instead of Christine he is attempting to sucker me. It works. I sigh, "No, it's not that. I was just seeing if you were feeling this party or not." His expression lightens, he knows he won. "You know the lack of costumes and all?"
He gives me one of his charming smiles, "Yeah, I didn't know if you would come if you knew it was a costume party."
I feel my left eyebrow raise up in question, "You KNEW this was a costume party?"
Julian turns his back to the man beside him who is already engaged in another conversation, "Not eactly. Nathaniel can be a little...eccentric. You never know what he will do," he explains, "I had an idea but didn't know for sure." I growl and rub my forehead in response. Realizing I am slightly agitated he offers, "I'm sorry, Chris."
I sigh and look up at him. What can I say? I am a sucker for those baby blues. "Okay, okay. You're forgiven but I am going to need some more wine for this," I say. Julian nods and heads off toward the bar. I stand there nervously amongst the people around me in costume. I watch a couple whirl by on the dance floor and am amazed to catch on to the fact that classical music is actually being played.
"Looks like fun, huh?" says someone to my left, startling me out of thought. I turn to look at the man addressing me and recognize him as the man in the elaborate waistcoat that Julian was talking to previously. He smiles, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."
I sort of stumble on myself, "No, sorry. You just caught me lost in thought," he looks at me to explain, "I was listening to the music and just wondering why the classical music choice."
The man shrugs, "I thought it would go well with the theme."
I feel my face flush. "You must be Nathaniel," I stammer. The man smiles in response and I feel like I need to change the subject to divert my awkwardness, "Is this the 'Emperor Waltz' by Johann Strauss?"
Nathaniel smiles, "You have a good ear. I am surprised you know it." Doesn't everybody?
"Well, my grandmother taught me to waltz to this song when I was younger," I explain and down the rest of my wine. Why I am so nervous?
"Really?" Nathaniel chuckles. Taking the glass from my hand, he places it on a tray that a passing waiter carries. "Show me," he challenges while taking my hand and gesturing to the dance floor. Never one to back down from a challenge, I let him lead me onto the floor.
*****
Two wine glasses in hand, Julian excuses his way through the crowd only to find that Christine isn't where he left her. In fact, Nathaniel isn't either. Slightly panicked, he stands there and scans the dance floor. After a moment he spots Christine and Nathaniel waltzing by him. Christine acknowledges him with a smile and breaks away from her partner.
"You've returned with my wine!," Christine exclaims, "I knew you were good for something." She gives him a punch in the arm and winks. Julian isn't paying attention to her. He is busy focusing his gaze on Nathaniel who stands behind her looking her over like a piece of meat. Nathaniel looks up at him and gives him a sly smile, causing him to drop his drink. "Julian!" Christine yells breaking the interaction.
Julian looks down to see Christine trying to pick up pieces of glass from the floor. If she cuts herself...he thinks. "Chris," he kneels down to her and grabs her by the arm, "Could you go let one of the waiters know that there was a spill?"
"Sure thing. Are you okay?" she asks.
"Yeah," he stammers, "I think I am actually ready to go. Just tell one of the waiters about this and I will be right behind you."
He can feel Christine looking at him for some kind of inclination as to why he has changed his mind. He forces a nervous smile and concern washes away from her face, "Whatever you say. You're my taxi," she giggles.
They stand up and he watches her walk into the crowd. He senses Nathaniel standing right behind him, "Julian, who's your friend?"
Julian braces himself, "Why do you want to know?"
Nathaniel walks around to face him and Julian can see a flicker in his emerald eyes, "Because she excites me."
Julian glares down at him, "You can't have her."
Nathaniel begins to laugh, "Oh, I think I can."
(c) 2007, Crystal Gleim
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thunderstorms and Lightning...
I was laying in bed this morning listening to the thunderstorm and I was remembering an old childhood memory.
When I was little, we lived in this two story house in Hummelstown on High Street. It was taller than most of the houses around us and so you had this great view of the sky from any bedroom window. Storms used to roll through a lot in the summer and Dad and I used to sit at the window on the second floor and watch the lightning crack across the sky.
I used to do the whole counting between the thunder and lightning to tell how far away it was. I would even pretend that I could control when the lightning flashed. (Imagine how excited I was when I found out there was a female super hero that could control storms!)
Dad would get out his Canon AE-11 and we would take pictures of the lightning stretching across the clouds. He taught me how to play with the different exposure times and shutter speeds and before you know it, I was a 7 year old photographer of lightning.
As I got older, Dad didn't have time to watch the storms with me. I would just shut myself in my room and open all the windows and feel the air blow through the room. That calm, tingly air right before the sky just opens up and goes crazy. I would lay on my bed and listen to the thunder and enjoy the breeze. I would sometimes get out the camera and take pics. Somewhere buried in a box of memories, I still have a photo album of all those pics I took.
I miss enjoying a good storm with someone who appreciates it as much as I do.
When I was little, we lived in this two story house in Hummelstown on High Street. It was taller than most of the houses around us and so you had this great view of the sky from any bedroom window. Storms used to roll through a lot in the summer and Dad and I used to sit at the window on the second floor and watch the lightning crack across the sky.
I used to do the whole counting between the thunder and lightning to tell how far away it was. I would even pretend that I could control when the lightning flashed. (Imagine how excited I was when I found out there was a female super hero that could control storms!)
Dad would get out his Canon AE-11 and we would take pictures of the lightning stretching across the clouds. He taught me how to play with the different exposure times and shutter speeds and before you know it, I was a 7 year old photographer of lightning.
As I got older, Dad didn't have time to watch the storms with me. I would just shut myself in my room and open all the windows and feel the air blow through the room. That calm, tingly air right before the sky just opens up and goes crazy. I would lay on my bed and listen to the thunder and enjoy the breeze. I would sometimes get out the camera and take pics. Somewhere buried in a box of memories, I still have a photo album of all those pics I took.
I miss enjoying a good storm with someone who appreciates it as much as I do.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Okay, last one
In case you wanted to know more about me...
1. What color is your toothbrush? Blue and white
2. Name one person who made you smile today: H. Wise
3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning? Laying in bed snuggling with Sookie
4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Studying for tomorrow's final
5. What is your favorite candy bar? Skor
6. Have you ever been to a strip club? You betcha
7. What is the last thing you said out loud? "I've lost my mind"
8. What is your favorite ice cream? Turkey Hill Peanut Butter Ripple
9. What was the last thing you had to drink? V8 Fusion Blueberry/Pomegranate
10. Do you like your wallet? It does its job.
11. What was the last thing you ate? Reeses Peanut Butter Egg
12. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? Nope
13. The last sporting event you watched? Soccer game on the screen at BBP.
14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? Move theatre butter
15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to? Casey
16. Ever go camping? Plenty of times
17. Do you take vitamins daily? No but I need to start
18. Do you go to church every Sunday? No
19. Do you have a tan? Barely. I need to lounge in the sun more.
20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza? No
21. Do you drink your soda with a straw? If it is at a restaurant
22. What did your last text message say? "Call me"
23. What are you doing tomorrow? Finals
25. Look to your left, what do you see? Sookie
26. What color is your watch? silver
27. What do you think of when you hear Australia? koalas and Baz Luhrman
29. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Drive thru unless it is too long of a line
30. What is your favorite number? 3
31. Who's the last person you talked to on the phone? Casey
32. Any plans today? Studying for finals
33. How many states have you lived in? 2
34. Biggest annoyance right now? People who aren't honest with me
35. Last song listened to? "It's a Fire" by Portishead
36. Can you say the alphabet backwards? Yes, slowly
37. Do you have a maid service clean your house? No, I clean my own house, thank you.
38. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? My Simple mary janes
39. Are you jealous of anyone? Yes
40. Is anyone jealous of you? Not that I am aware of
41. Do you love anyone? Yes
42. Do any of your friends have children? Yes
43. What do you usually do during the day? Work, go to school.
44. Do you hate anyone that you know right now? Hate is such a strong word. I prefer "dislikes with a passion"
45. Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Yes
46. What color is your car? Greenish
47. Do you like cats? I only have three of them
48. Are you thinking about someone right now? Yes, always
49. Have you ever been to Six Flags? A long, long time ago....
50. How did you get your worst scar? I prefer not to talk about it and actually it's not as bad as it used to be. I think it is fading with age.
1. What color is your toothbrush? Blue and white
2. Name one person who made you smile today: H. Wise
3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning? Laying in bed snuggling with Sookie
4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Studying for tomorrow's final
5. What is your favorite candy bar? Skor
6. Have you ever been to a strip club? You betcha
7. What is the last thing you said out loud? "I've lost my mind"
8. What is your favorite ice cream? Turkey Hill Peanut Butter Ripple
9. What was the last thing you had to drink? V8 Fusion Blueberry/Pomegranate
10. Do you like your wallet? It does its job.
11. What was the last thing you ate? Reeses Peanut Butter Egg
12. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? Nope
13. The last sporting event you watched? Soccer game on the screen at BBP.
14. What is your favorite flavor of popcorn? Move theatre butter
15. Who is the last person you sent a text message to? Casey
16. Ever go camping? Plenty of times
17. Do you take vitamins daily? No but I need to start
18. Do you go to church every Sunday? No
19. Do you have a tan? Barely. I need to lounge in the sun more.
20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza? No
21. Do you drink your soda with a straw? If it is at a restaurant
22. What did your last text message say? "Call me"
23. What are you doing tomorrow? Finals
25. Look to your left, what do you see? Sookie
26. What color is your watch? silver
27. What do you think of when you hear Australia? koalas and Baz Luhrman
29. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Drive thru unless it is too long of a line
30. What is your favorite number? 3
31. Who's the last person you talked to on the phone? Casey
32. Any plans today? Studying for finals
33. How many states have you lived in? 2
34. Biggest annoyance right now? People who aren't honest with me
35. Last song listened to? "It's a Fire" by Portishead
36. Can you say the alphabet backwards? Yes, slowly
37. Do you have a maid service clean your house? No, I clean my own house, thank you.
38. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time? My Simple mary janes
39. Are you jealous of anyone? Yes
40. Is anyone jealous of you? Not that I am aware of
41. Do you love anyone? Yes
42. Do any of your friends have children? Yes
43. What do you usually do during the day? Work, go to school.
44. Do you hate anyone that you know right now? Hate is such a strong word. I prefer "dislikes with a passion"
45. Do you use the word 'hello' daily? Yes
46. What color is your car? Greenish
47. Do you like cats? I only have three of them
48. Are you thinking about someone right now? Yes, always
49. Have you ever been to Six Flags? A long, long time ago....
50. How did you get your worst scar? I prefer not to talk about it and actually it's not as bad as it used to be. I think it is fading with age.
Soundtrack to My Life
I posted this all the way back in February of 2009 and recently shared it with friends.
Soundtrack to My Life
Opening Credits: Rebel, Rebel- David Bowie
Dream Scene: Clair de Lune- Claude Debussy
Waking Up: Mint Car- The Cure
Average Day: Perfect Day-Lou Reed
Date: Regret- New Order
Love or Lust?: Just Like Heaven- The Cure [Love]/ Mouth-Bush (The Stingray Mix) [Lust]
Breaking Up: Pictures of You- The Cure
Getting Back Together: Hit the Ground- Lizz Wright
Secret Love: What Would Happen- Meredith Brooks/ Dirty Laundry- Bitter:Sweet
Love: Such Great Heights- The Postal Service
Life is Good: Never the Same- Supreme Beings of Leisure
Feeling Sexy: Trigger Hippie- Morcheeba
Sex scene that looks like a fight scene: She’s Your Cocaine- Tori Amos/ Laid-James
Fight scene that looks like a sex scene: Spit- NY Loose
Montage: Tear in Your Hand- Tori Amos
Mental Breakdown: Muscle Museum- Muse
Driving: Today- Smashing Pumpkins/ Big Empty- Stone Temple Pilots
Work/School: Ordinary World- Duran Duran
Quitting: Human Nature- Madonna
Learning a Lesson: It’s a Fire- Portishead
Flashback: Glory of the 80s- Tori Amos
Contemplation: Hear You Me- Jimmy Eat World
Party Scene: Tubthumping- Chumbawumba
Hanging out with friends: Let’s Stay Together- Al Green
Karaoke: Brass in Pocket- Pretenders
Slow Dance: Garbo- Stevie Nicks/Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You- Stevie Nicks
Falling Out: Cautioners- Jimmy Eat World/Come Undone- Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
Regret: Never Been to Spain- Three Dog Night
Alone in your Room: Ashes to Ashes- David Bowie
Walking the Streets: Sour Times-Portishead/Man Who Sold the World- David Bowie
Meeting the Love of Your Life: Love Street-The Doors
Happily Ever After / End credits: Drowning- Cleveland Lounge (AK1200 remix)
Soundtrack to My Life
Opening Credits: Rebel, Rebel- David Bowie
Dream Scene: Clair de Lune- Claude Debussy
Waking Up: Mint Car- The Cure
Average Day: Perfect Day-Lou Reed
Date: Regret- New Order
Love or Lust?: Just Like Heaven- The Cure [Love]/ Mouth-Bush (The Stingray Mix) [Lust]
Breaking Up: Pictures of You- The Cure
Getting Back Together: Hit the Ground- Lizz Wright
Secret Love: What Would Happen- Meredith Brooks/ Dirty Laundry- Bitter:Sweet
Love: Such Great Heights- The Postal Service
Life is Good: Never the Same- Supreme Beings of Leisure
Feeling Sexy: Trigger Hippie- Morcheeba
Sex scene that looks like a fight scene: She’s Your Cocaine- Tori Amos/ Laid-James
Fight scene that looks like a sex scene: Spit- NY Loose
Montage: Tear in Your Hand- Tori Amos
Mental Breakdown: Muscle Museum- Muse
Driving: Today- Smashing Pumpkins/ Big Empty- Stone Temple Pilots
Work/School: Ordinary World- Duran Duran
Quitting: Human Nature- Madonna
Learning a Lesson: It’s a Fire- Portishead
Flashback: Glory of the 80s- Tori Amos
Contemplation: Hear You Me- Jimmy Eat World
Party Scene: Tubthumping- Chumbawumba
Hanging out with friends: Let’s Stay Together- Al Green
Karaoke: Brass in Pocket- Pretenders
Slow Dance: Garbo- Stevie Nicks/Has Anyone Ever Written Anything For You- Stevie Nicks
Falling Out: Cautioners- Jimmy Eat World/Come Undone- Isobel Campbell & Mark Lanegan
Regret: Never Been to Spain- Three Dog Night
Alone in your Room: Ashes to Ashes- David Bowie
Walking the Streets: Sour Times-Portishead/Man Who Sold the World- David Bowie
Meeting the Love of Your Life: Love Street-The Doors
Happily Ever After / End credits: Drowning- Cleveland Lounge (AK1200 remix)
And now, a quiz
Found this questionnaire on my LJ blog that I filled out 7 years ago. I decided to take it again and half of my answers have changed.
1. What time is it? 5:00p.m.
2. Name as it appears on birth certificate: Crystal Ann Gleim
3. Nicknames: Blondie, Chris, TAL, Bad Kitty, BK, Babblefish, Gabriel, Lunacat, Delirium, Michiru1978
4. Number of candles on your last birthday cake? 32
5. Pets: Ziggy (cat) and Sookie (cat)
5. Pets: Ziggy (cat) and Sookie (cat)
6. Piercings: one in each ear (I’m so exciting)
7. Eye color: Brown
8. Hometown: Hummelstown, PA
9. Favorite foods: Chicken, pizza, pasta, tacos, burgers, and French fries to name a few.
7. Eye color: Brown
8. Hometown: Hummelstown, PA
9. Favorite foods: Chicken, pizza, pasta, tacos, burgers, and French fries to name a few.
10. Ever been to Africa: no
11. Ever been toilet papering? Yes
12. Love someone so much it made you cry? Yes, three times
13. Been in a car accident? Twice
11. Ever been toilet papering? Yes
12. Love someone so much it made you cry? Yes, three times
13. Been in a car accident? Twice
14. Croutons or bacon bits? Croutons
15. Favorite day of the week: Tie between Wednesday and Saturday.
16. Favorite restaurants: Bucca di Beppo, Cheesecake Factory, British Bulldog Pub, Gervais & Vine, Chilis, Pasta Fresca
17. Favorite flower: Black roses, lilies, orchids, and birds of paradise.
18. Favorite sport(s) to watch: American Football, Baseball, Soccer
18. Favorite sport(s) to watch: American Football, Baseball, Soccer
19. Favorite Drink: Captain and Coke
20. Favorite ice cream flavor: I have two: Mint chocolate chip and Peanut Butter Swirl.
20. Favorite ice cream flavor: I have two: Mint chocolate chip and Peanut Butter Swirl.
21. Disney or Warner Bros? Warner Bros
22. Favorite fast food restaurant? Arby’s, Chik-Fil-A
22. Favorite fast food restaurant? Arby’s, Chik-Fil-A
23. What color is your bedroom carpet? Beige
24. How many times did you fail your driver's test? 1
25. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Either Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, or Frederick’s of Hollywood
24. How many times did you fail your driver's test? 1
25. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Either Best Buy, Barnes and Noble, or Frederick’s of Hollywood
26. What do you do most often when you are bored? Eat, listen to music, watch a movie, read or write.
27. Bedtime? midnight
27. Bedtime? midnight
28. Favorite TV shows: Law and Order (any of them), Deadwood, Arrested Development, anything on Adult Swim, British TV shows....there are too many
29. Last person you went out to dinner with? Myself...I can't recall
30. What are you listening to right now? Music that’s stuck in my head.
29. Last person you went out to dinner with? Myself...I can't recall
30. What are you listening to right now? Music that’s stuck in my head.
31. What is your favorite color(s)? Black, purple and teal.
32. How many tattoos do you have? None, but I have my design picked out
33. Time you finished this questionnaire? 5:09p.m.
32. How many tattoos do you have? None, but I have my design picked out
33. Time you finished this questionnaire? 5:09p.m.
Old LJ Entry
Wow, what a difference two years can make. I am a little different then I was then. Found this "gem" (choke) on my Livejournal blog. It was dated March 9, 2009. Enjoy and try not to laugh too hard :)
Drive Thru
Early in the week, late night:
Early in the week, late night:
The alcohol from the bar I perform at quenches my thirst for anything but water.
I drive on a highway, alone.
At the drive thru, “sweet tea” is a term that flows out of my mouth like a foreign language.
You see, I am not originally Southern.
Nor was I originally Northern, really.
Just a minor technicality.
The one person that got me and understood brought me here.
Sure it may have been for his own reasons but I need to believe that it is because he truly saw me and realized that I didn’t belong there.
He took me away from a place where I couldn’t be comfortable in my own skin.
The ketchup from the burger I asked for drips on my jeans like some tears from a bad memory.
I try to pretend that I am tougher than I am.
Doesn’t everybody?
When in reality I just want to curl into a ball and let everyone know how vulnerable I am.
“Be careful with me. I’m broken,” I beg.
I really am something that can never be fixed.
But, then again, isn’t everyone like that.
How many times does one have to crack before they run out of glue to patch them?
The sweet tea leaves a bittersweet taste in my mouth and I think about the time my best friend and I dared each other to do stupid things like lick a battery.
I think about how I thought those times were perfect. How I was much more perfect compared to now.
Sometimes I want to look at them and spout a blurb I wrote once as an angst filled teenager,
“I’m no Mozart, Beethoven, or Bach
I’m not Vonnegut, Bradbury, or Chandler
I’m no Stevie, although I always wanted someone to tell me I sing like her
I’m no Shakespeare, Dickinson, or Frost
I’m no Marilyn, I can’t be today
So, stop shouting at me that way!
I’m not perfect”
The younger girl leans out the window and smiles, “That will be $6.75, please”
She’s right I owe her. Just like I owe everyone else.
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Day 3: The Smithsonian Museums
In an attempt to not disrupt Curtis’ normal daily routine, I decided to embark on a solo journey to downtown DC, specifically the Smithsonian museums.
Curtis dropped me off at the metro station, where I bought a one-day pass and hopped the Orange Line from Vienna/Fairfax station to Smithsonian station. The ride took about 35 minutes. Once I emerged from the station, I had to get my bearings. I took note of the buildings around me and was surprised how quickly I recalled the layout of the area. It had been years since I had visited The Mall and the museums.
My first stop was at the Smithsonian castle. It is a large information center where you can view a model of the Mall and surrounding area. You can get information on any one of the museums there and can even by tickets for the special attractions. I was all about the free museums.
I took the front entrance from the castle and entered the courtyard. I decided my first stop would be the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery- one of the Smithsonian’s Museums of Asian Art. Their special exhibits were “The Orchid in Chinese Painting” and “Echoes of the Past: The Buddhist Cave Temples of Xiangtangshan.” The latter was an amazing exhibit of sculptures and etchings taken from the cave temples. I cannot express how truly amazing and humbling it was to view such huge sculptures. I stood in front of an about 6-foot tall statue of Buddha and just felt so peaceful. It was a very self-reflecting time for me while walking through the exhibit. Especially in the 3-D rendering of the cave that was shown on three large screens that you stood in the middle of.
After the Sackler Gallery, I walked back through the castle and out onto the Mall. I stopped to take some pics of the Washington Monument and Capitol Building. I then continued the journey to the National Museum of Natural History. If you’ve never been to this museum, it is well worth the visit. It is enormous and you can literally spend an entire afternoon there and still not see every little thing.
Highlights from the National Museum of Natural History included the Hope Diamond, the Ocean Hall and the giant squid they had on exhibit. (Yes, it is dead and preserved), the “Orchids: A View from the East” exhibit, the Live Butterfly Pavilion, and the “Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef”.
After the Natural History Museum, I walked outside and found that the wind had picked up a lot and the temperature dropped significantly. I decided it would be a perfect time to head back to Fairfax and avoid the after work rush on the metro.
Curtis kindly picked me up from the metro and proceeded to get a babbling account of my day. We returned to the house and I enjoyed some wine until Sally got home from work. Dinner was at the house and was cooked by Curtis. The food was yummy and just hanging in for the night was what I needed after a long day downtown.
*Photos from my museum trip are up on my Facebook page.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)