Annie In Astoria

School's Out For Summer

2008-06-30T10:59:00.002-04:00

I wish I was a camper...swimming twice a day, a snack of icecream in the afternoon and lots of running around and playing. At daycamp in Brooklyn, I started my first magazine with my best friend Yuki Sow. Her parents owned the fish market down the street from my grandmother's apartment. Yuki and I knew all of the camp gossip; so our magazine chronicled the dating lives of elementary school kids. We handwrote our magazine and sold it for 25 cents. I guess I was always meant to be in the media business.

In high school I released one edition of the The Fountainhead - an alternative rag. I just didn't have the discipline to continue. I remember making tons of photocopies at my dad's office and my friend and fellow Fountainhead writer stealing some samples of laxatives.

Another wonderful thing about the summer - about camp - was having a crush. From camper to camp counselor, there was always a boy (sometimes many) that gave a certain energy to the hot days. It was lovely, but not always so innocent in my teenage years.

Dare I?

2008-06-26T19:17:00.002-04:00

I won't apologize for not blogging for several months. Though it's crossed my mind once or twice, I can't really say that I've missed it. I find my life as an adult is filled with more change than my life as a teen or obnoxious, hard-drinking 20's. Welcome 30's - a brain that is often forgetful and cloudy yet so painfully sharp at moments that I'm shocked by my own acuteness. A body that is full-fledge plus-size, but still filled with curves and a flair of sexiness. An appetite for sex that had significantly dimished since my youth, but a newfound respect for pleasure and sensuality in a totally different emotional regard. A career that can blossom and fizzle out in a week, but a good reputation, to boot. A checking account that has grown by leaps and bounds, but a savings account that putters quite quietly on.

As a teen there were some constants...friendships with a group of absolutely adorable girlfriends that could see heaven and hell in split seconds. Being horny. Looking, deeply searching for fun (sometimes at any cost). Having a new crush. Imbibing, indulging, hallucinating, puking - all constants.

I wait for Dan to get home - glass of hearty red by my side. Pugs walked. Coffee pot washed. Lily Allen playing followed by the trusty Rolling Stones. He will make eggs tonight because it's muggy and we're so tired. I no longer cook as I did in Ithaca - it's been months since I've picked up a pan. I think I like it.

From Perez on Heath

2008-01-30T14:26:00.000-05:00

It's sad that the entertainment media fails to remember that this actor has a family who is suffering. I'm disgusted - as much as I love seeing people do drugs. Perhaps because Heath Ledger was cool people and it's a shame that he's being disgraced.
______________________________________________________________

Oh, boy!
This is not good.
PerezHilton.com has exclusively learned that one of the entertainment news shows is going to broadcast an explosive video of Heath Ledger at a drug-fueled party.
"I'm gonna get so much shit from my girlfriend," Ledger is seen saying in the vid.
Why, he's asked.
"We have a baby together…matilda matilda rose."
The tables at the party are filled with drugs, one person who has seen the tape tells us.
Ledger also talks about his drug use and other not so pretty things are seen.
"I used to smoke five joints a day," Heath reveals. And that's not the only thing. It's being reported that Ledger also battled addiction to heroin, cocaine, alcohol and prescription pills.
Sad.

Updates

2008-01-28T12:51:00.000-05:00

My dear Andrew has been in the hospital for more than a week now suffering from a collapsed lung. Let's all send our mental best wishes that he recuperates fabulously from his surgery this week.

My beautiful Kimmee is still at home recuperating from her severe ankle injury. I seriously miss your daily emails. Seriously. You are my absolute favorite person to email with.

My pain in the ass, but much beloved kid sister Amy is home suffering from muscle spasms in her back and shoulders. I miss you and really want you to take better care of yourself.

Cloverfield with Stay - good movie.

The Number 23 - BAD, stupid, dumb movie.

Barack taking South Carolina.

Seeing Francea's mom after 15 years... Priceless

Working on weekends. SUCKS.

Cheese fries from Bel Aire Diner on 21st Avenue...Yummy.

New client meeting on Saturday. On fire.

Rock of Love with Bret Michaels on VH1...Guilty pleasure.

Prelief over-the-counter acid reducer, urinary frequencey controlle. Kicking interstitial cystitis in the arse.

The Clintons taking getting fucked up the rear in South Carolina. Excellent.

The Boys getting a much-needed bath. Puppy love.

Still reeling from Heath Ledger's death. RIP.

Stoddard, New Hampshire, 1980s

2008-01-22T22:25:00.000-05:00

Granite Lake - home of gum-chewing bullfrogs

Heath Ledger 1979-2008

2008-01-22T20:17:00.001-05:00

Great Actor, Sad Story

2008-01-16T11:31:00.000-05:00

Brad Renfro dead at 24

See People Magazine article today

Kids Don't Like Clowns

2008-01-16T11:30:00.000-05:00

Click on title of post for results of new study.

Happy New Year

2008-01-15T09:48:00.000-05:00

OK, so I haven't blogged in almost a month. Here's a rundown of everything that happened over the holiday.

Christmas was good. Really. This was the third holiday without my mom and it wasn't so painful this time.
I got some fabulous gifts for Christmas. I gave some fabulous gifts for Christmas.
I took a week off and slept. After a super busy fall and holiday season, I needed some serious R & R. Dan and I were zombie-like.
We saw the following movies: I AM Legend, Juno and something else I just can't remember right now.
I started to read a book. After a several month hiatus from reading, I am currently enjoying The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold.
I picked up new business. I will be well-paid until April. WooHoo.

Recently:

We purchased a chair this weekend for the library. That room will hopefully be ready for entertaining soon enough. Dinner parties to come.
I'm not sleeping well. My interstitial cystitis is beginning to wreak havoc on my life - particularly during sleepy time. Yes, I've missed meetings. I discovered that one of the foremost experts on this disease (?) is based in Long Island.
I have a growth on my face that is getting bigger. Dermotologist on Tuesday.
I realized that I am one of the cheapest billing freelancers in metro NY - time to raise fees on all new clients...
I spent all day on Sunday organizing my office. I get cranky when I'm not organized. Time to buy yet another bookcase.
I get depressed in January. I miss my mom.

Tis the Season

2007-12-21T10:50:00.000-05:00

SO...

Dan told me that I'm getting this for Christmas. (Click on word "this") if the hyperlink color doesn't clearly come thru.http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/uncensored.shtml)

Kim had ankle surgery on Wednesday. She's off the morphine and is being discharged today...after she checks in at the psych ward.

I finished most of my Christmas shopping with Sandra last night...though I realized that I bought Dan and my Dad the wrong dress shirt size. I did buy another pair of red shoes for myself...and a sweater...and some undies...

I'm off for a few days...HOORAY

I'm going to dare to brave the post office again today.

My kitchen table is completely full of gifts that need to be wrapped.

Columbian food for dinner tonight with Stay.

Chris and Francea over tomorrow night for dinner. Hopefully we can see Walk Hard.

Chilling.

Our landlady converting her garage to a studio. Bummer.

and a partridge in a pear treeeeeeeee

The Word

2007-12-19T09:38:00.000-05:00

Poor Kimmee broke her ankle during the bad weather of this past weekend. Today she's supposed to have surgery...

Britney Spears little sister Jamie Lynn is preggers. Mama Spears book on parenting indefinitely delayed. Thank God.

The holiday PR season is dying down. Hallelujah. I'm fucking tired.

A bit of shopping tonight with AZ at The Carlyle.

Holiday shopping...3 more gifts to go. Hoping that all my packages get here by the 24th.

My wonderful sister Amy decides to give me her Christmas list last night. Sorry, Kiddo. No luck on the Ray Ban Aviators this year.

No therapy for two weeks. Hiatus.

Lily Allen pregnant.

Pam Anderson disturbed and addicted to getting married. Long live Kid Rock.

...and a partridge in a pear tree.

America's Most Lustful Cities

2007-12-18T11:37:00.000-05:00

Click on the title of this post for the Forbes.com article

While you are on the Forbes site, read about Most Murderous Cities and their ther "Most" lists.

Reuse or Elimate

2007-12-17T17:44:00.001-05:00

Here's my request for 2008...

If you can't reuse plastic bags to line trash bins, for lunch, doggie poop...then please consider bringing a reusable bag in NATURAL FIBERS to the grocery store and to run other daily errands. Plastic bags hurt marine life and take a very long time to biodegrade.

See this video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l4GoBsfwTM

Desperation

2007-12-06T21:34:00.001-05:00

I'm having trouble keeping up with my 5 email accounts. It's an attention destroyer. Sometimes I spend time just monitoring them and clicking send/receive.

I signed an author this week for a very short campaign. It's a meaty project and I've already scored three interviews for her since Tuesday. This makes me very happy.

I've had some anxiety as of late - mostly due to two particular work-related things and my uncle Frankie who likes call me drunk and talk about committing suicide. I got pissed this week. Second week in a row when he's called and disrupted me during the business day with this nonsense, which I do not need. I decided to tell him so. I decided to tell him to show me a little fucking respect. Then I cried.

I saw the movie The Mist this weekend and I found it terrifying. There is something about desperation. There is something about the pack mentality. Scary - scary shit. Marcia Gay Harden was awesome and Thomas Jane is pretty cute.

I recall reading the novella when I was a teen deep into Stephen King books. I spent a summer on IT when I was probably 13 and the following summer reading Carrie, The Shining, Pet Semetary and other short stories. Now IT scared the beegeezus out of me, but I remember feeling anxious, unsettled and deeply uncomfortable after reading The Mist. These feelings are my horror.

This weekend we will buy our Christmas tree and do some more holiday shopping - of which I feel hopelessly behind. I will enjoy a Kris Kringle dinner sponsored by my new/old friend Francea on Saturday night at a restaurant I can't fucking remember right now. And tomorrow I will visit Stacy and hopefully we can see the movie Juno, which I'm dying to see.

I am having trouble sleeping again. I'm am also very close to a diagnosis of interstitial cystitis. After a zillion trips to the urologist, a recent gynecology visit to rule out feminine issues (or syphillis) and several tests, the doc thinks he has the answer. I'm very thrilled to know that I'm not nuts, that my bladder won't fall out and that I can still keep both of my kidneys. What sucks is that the foods I may eat may very well effect the frequency of urination and pelvic pain. I may also have to have a minor surgery called a bladder distention or something. Aces.

My cousin Amanda got a baby bulldog. Her name is Luca...she lives on the second floor.

My grandmother was awful last week for her birthday. We took her to Greek, but she wanted Colombian. We wanted her to sleep over, but she feared the snow. We sent her in a car service back home, but she wanted us to drive her. We had wine for dinner, but she wanted a cocktail. We picked her up in the evening when whe wanted to come over in the afternoon. The calamari she ordered didn't have tomato sauce and the pieces were too big. The lentil soup was good, but I didn't tell her that the tripe soup had so much tripe in it as she would have preferred that. Dan didn't give her any olives when he served her Greek salad. The bread didn't come with any butter. If I pay for her car service again, she's not going to visit me anymore. So we take her to the best Greek place in Astoria, but it's just ok. Never again.

Yes, this is my grandmother...the one my mother didn't talk to for years.

Indiscretions

2007-11-29T09:34:00.001-05:00

I've hit a wall this morning. Too much work and dealing with this very strange cold/laryngitis. I can't get into my groove yet. So much phlegm and mucus...disgusting.

FINALLY got some money in this week so was able to pay the bills and put some cash in me pocket. Cash flow issues keep me up at night and I'm not certain how to deal with getting people to pay me in a reasonable amount of time.

I've become increasingly disturbed by the amount of times I'm hearing the word "divorce" during the week from those close to me. It's incredibly sad to see couples grow and thrive and then hit this bump that leads them in completely different directions. I always hope that there is some way to errr, find the light? How can couples connect to that seeded core that made them grow and tick.

What's more amazing to me is how humans have created more problems for themselves. A big obvious for couple destruction - an affair - had parameters. Meetings at discreet locations. Uninhibited sex wrapped up with shreds of guilt. Sneaking phone calls. Stolen kisses. At least sex-filled affairs had some cruel honesty. There's some conviction in that.

Today, people have all these ways to "correspond" outside of their marriage. The digital age has led to indiscretions via chat rooms, email, social networking sites and - aghast - text message. The lines between right and wrong are so blurred, so iffy and uncomfortable. How does one react? How does one constitute? How does one recover and learn to forgive?

Delightful

2007-11-26T18:12:00.000-05:00

What a delightful holiday weekend. Too bad I had a few bitchy people who feel they need to spew their unnecessary bullshit in emails.

Anyways, Wednesday night we feasted on lomo and chorizo (the cut of steak not the sausage) at Chimichurri Grill, a lovely little Argentinian restaurant on 9th Avenue in midtown with Francea, Chris and a brilliant gentleman who owns a production company. This clever clever man came up with a name for my business. Get Red PR. The domain is AreYouRed.com. For those who have seen my logo artwork so far, it makes such beautiful sense. I'm thrilled and Lewis Creative is completing the logo.

After our rare steaks and hearty Malbec, we went to see the Macy's Day floats get blown up, but we were too late. So off to a bar on Broadway for a couple of beers. It was too packed for my taste, but it was a good time.

Thursday we got to sleep in and be lazy. We headed off to Dan's Aunt Binky and Uncle Ari's house for the T-Day feast. I passed out on the couch very shortly after my meal. I got to see Baby Sophia - a beauty - and she just confirmed my need to reproduce sooner rather than later.

We watched a few movies that night - Night At the Museum and started to watch All the Little Animals with the brilliant Christian Bale. He's a teen in the movie.

Friday is a bit of a blur. I recall going to Marshalls where I got some egg nog coffee. I recall my office phone starting to ring at 9:30 and feeling forced to wake. I recall working until 1:30 on my day off. We hit a wonderful restaurant on 21st Avenue in Astoria on Friday night called S'AGAPO. We thought it was a tavern, but it was (of course!) a Greek restaurant. I had lamb fricassee (sp?) with artichokes; It was the BEST lamb I ever had. The staff were friendly and professional, but the price was a little higher than our regular greek place, Uncle George's.

I can't for the life of me remember what I did the rest of the night.

Saturday we hit Bloomingdale's outlet in Elmsford and bought a nightstand, which was marked down from about $650 to $99. Yeah, it's scratched up, but a runner will cover that shit right up. We also hit Syms in Elmsford, a most unusual place. I got some tights, pantyhose and a remarkable emerald green sweater marked down from $150 to $40. I can't remember who the designer is right now. We also hit TJ Maxx on Central Avenue for some lamps for the library.

That evening we went to Sean's house for steaks & risotta washed down with a few bottles of wine. We watched Ratatoille and Layer Cake (yummy Daniel Craig) on his million dollar high-def TV. Layer Cake was one of those movies that I always missed - glad I finally got to see it - fucking brilliant.

I didn't sleep Saturday night and Sunday I woke up with a sore throat. By the time I crawled into bed at 2:30, my throat was raw and voice raspy. It didn't help that me Brittany and Shannon had two bottles of wine at home and three drinks at the bar. Dan and I organized the library a bit better and prepared for our guests. I felt lousy and didn't think I would make it through the night, but good company is a wonderful remedy and by the time we hit Joe Shanghai's for dinner in Chinatown, I was in wonderful spirits. Brittany got to experience the craziness of Chinatown and she purchased her first knock off - Dolce & Gabbana. Good girl. After the girls shopped themselves out, we headed back to Astoria where we drank a bottle of Cab then went off to the Beer Garden - WHICH WAS FUCKING CLOSED. So we went across the street to Sparrow, which was small, dark and just fucking perfect. We caught up on gossip and drank ourselves silly. Back home we rapped some more (Brittany's great-grandmother recently had her stomach pumped for drinking a whole bottle of tequilla) and drank more. I finally had to put myself to bed. Tossed and turned most of the night and started working by 9:30.

The monday after a holiday sucks.

A Little PR Speak

2007-11-21T14:45:00.000-05:00

Without naming names, I would like to do a little publicity for a few of the projects I'm working on.

If you are doing a lot of holiday shopping, please consider bringing your own bags do help reduce plastic bag usage. Plastic bags take a really long time to decompose and they hurt marine life. If you can't get use to the idea of bringing your own bags places, then reuse the plastic.

If you are looking for ideas for holiday including jewelry for teens, the eco-conscious, food, gift arrangments, give a call. I have some great products that "do good" with portions of proceeds going to charities.

If you are in Westchester and want to catch a holiday show go to AmericanTowns.com and search for holiday concerts on December 15. You'll find info on the best barbershop chorus in the Tri-State Area.

To one and all - have a Happy Thanksgiving.

The Rest of My Week

2007-11-20T18:40:00.000-05:00

Tomorrow

Work on all of the fabulous projects currently kicking my ass
Go shopping with Francea at the secret spot

Dinner with Francea, Chris and Dan

Wednesday

Eat copious amounts of turkey and drink my share in vino

Pass out due to a food hangover

Wake up and consume pie

Make a stop at Cliff's new pad, which is fucking awesome

Friday

Pretend like I'm not working when I really am

Hunt down the people who haven't paid me this month

Prepare for my final week of November, which is a nightmare

Go to the movies

Give Dan the blow job I owe him

Saturday

Sleep-in and let Dan walk the dogs (yeah)

Buy a pair of gloves

Fix up around the house for tomorrow's company

Go to Sean's for dinner and to watch Ratatoille on his awesome tv (or is this Friday night)

Sunday

Shannon and Brittney come for a vist

Make sure Brittney eats the following: hot dog, pretzel, bagels, Chinese food and pizza.

Make sure Brittney washes it all down with beer from the Beer Garden - oops wait - she doesn't like beer - Make sure Shannon and Annie drink plenty of beer at the Beer Garden

Law Suit

2007-11-20T18:36:00.001-05:00

Saw this one coming. Click here to read how the Chili's are suing Showtime and the creator's of hit show Californication.

Hot and Durrrty

2007-11-15T20:39:00.000-05:00

Julia is a lezzie. Christian is an escort. Kimber and Matt are crackheads...and Sean's actress girlfriend pooped in the hot tub. Only on FX.

Cool Animal

2007-11-15T20:38:00.000-05:00

Click here for info on Sgt. Podge, a most fascinating cat.

On the Phone

2007-11-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

Ridiculously long day. Hate driving around Brooklyn. I'm on the phone with my sister and we're talking about notches on the bedpost. She tells me that some of her friends have slept with 15+ people. Say Wha???

Brilliant Weekend...Still Sick

2007-11-12T12:27:00.000-05:00

So I'm awaiting a call from the nurse at my urologist's office to see if my urine culture came up bad. I had a few bouts of nausea this weekend and last night I was up about 5/6 times to pee-pee. We had dinner at Uncle George's, a wonderful Greek place on Broaday, with Dan's mom on Saturday night and some patrons sitting next to us ordered whole fishes. The smell was excruciating. I thought I would hurl on the table. I seem to be experiencing lots of symptoms of pregnancy, but the fact that I've abstained for the past month due to this pesky infection (and I've had my period!)...it just can't be so.

Friday, over some wine and pizza I caught up with Francea - who is brilliant, clever, beautiful, confident and refreshing. I love the fact that I've had a chance to re-meet one of my dearest friends from childhood. She rocks.

Saturday we went to see Lions for Lambs. I short move (1.5 hours) where Cruise, Redford and Streep pontificated over the atrocities and virtues of the Iraq War. Our friend Sean said he heard that it should have been a TV movie - and I think I agree with that. Cruise was good as a pro-war Republican Senator; Streep shoulda saved her skills for a meatier role; and Redford - well - anyone could have played that role. (S - skip this movie.)

Tom Cruise has fucked career up the ass and it's unfortunate because he's so good.

Dan's mom came over with a homemade carrot cake on Saturday night. That woman can bake like nobody's business.

Sunday - me, Dan and Sean hit up No Country for Old Men. Josh Brolin nailed his role. total Oscar nods. Brilliant acting...strange, strange movie. Javier Bardem - what a wonderful wack-job.

More Greek food for dinner at Olevia on 30th and then some Desperate Housewives, which entertains me so this season.

3 Months

2007-11-07T19:01:00.001-05:00

...in a new location and still no new business cards. This naming of my biz is hard. Every domain I've come up with has been taken.

So I went back to the urologist today and as usual he doesn't know what's wrong with me. It makes me feel like everything I'm feeling is imaginary. I would like for him to have my bladder for a day. Hey Buddy - why don't you wake up five times a night to take a wizz?! Isn't it just great when you sneeze and laugh and little bit of pee comes out?! So increased doses of meds to control the frequent urination (I've already been on it for 2 weeks) and antibiotics again with lots of refills. If I'm not better by Monday I'll need to have a CAT Scan.

I'm in a PR slump. Lots of projects out there, so few hits. I'm up to my ears in work, but I still feel like I'm failing. Going to put my chicken pot pie in the oven. Dan working late tonight.

Get it on Netflix

2007-11-06T09:13:00.001-05:00

I do so love Steve Carell though. Juliet Binoche is beautiful. Dane Cook - I don't like him.

See It

2007-11-06T09:12:00.001-05:00

Been Long Time

2007-11-05T13:16:00.000-05:00

Bad dream last night and into the bathroom to pee about four times...Something is certainly not right with me and the thought of traveling to Mt. Kisco again to see the urologist is pissing me off as my week is tight.

The second anniversary of my mother's death was 10/26 and I spent the day with my aunt, cousin and sister. We had brunch at the diner, went to see Dan in Real Life and hung out at my place watching TV and eating pizza. It was so good to be with them. So good. Certainly made the day easier. I decided to wait to scatter her ashes. I went back and forth trying to figure this out - what to do - where to go...I feel a bit mad like Meridith in Grey's Anatomy who kept her mother's ashes in her closet and then dumped them in a Ziploc and brought them to work. Maybe over the summer I'll be ready for this. I am still lonely without her, which is something I can't seem to shake.

My sister stayed for almost a week and I just love having her around. She's maturing; so am I. We went to Chinatown one Sunday and she bought two little turtles on the street. We named them Flea and Frusciante. They're adorable.

The family is slated to move around November 15. This will be a great thing for all of us. Maybe we'll all be able to spend time together again.

*break* have to go pee...

Friday we went to eat at Sac's, an Italian restaurant on 30th Avenue that makes great coal oven pizza. The problem is that their Italian food is not all great even though the place is always hopping. I had papardelle pasta that we probably the worst I've ever had.

Saturday we went to Mario's in Westport, Conn. for Dan's grandma's birthday. I haven't had a steak since Buenos Aires and it was phenomenal. The problem with eating steak is that you feel so heavy thereafter. Coupled with two glasses of Cabernet, I could have fallen asleep on the restaurant floor.

During my time in Ithaca, I spent most weekends at a movie. Two indie theatres were less than 5 miles away and I soaked up as much as I could. At these theatres I could also get apple cider and homebaked chocolate cookies for .75 cents each. I miss that. I miss going to the movies by myself. So when Dan said he wanted to go to Sean's to watch football on Sunday, I had my chance! I went to see Gone Baby Gone all by my lonesome and it was fabulous. Casey Affleck is a cutie. Ed Harris was spectacular as usual (and very sexy). Props to Ben Affleck (whom I used to love) for revitalizing his career.

And now I go back to work.

Venus

2007-10-17T18:26:00.001-04:00

Dan's in Ithaca today and I'm a bit jealous. They didn't put him up at the Statler Hotel on campus though. He's downtown at a Hampton Inn overlooking Wal-Mart. All I want is some produce from Wegman's.

My kidney still hurts. Day 4 on antibiotics. I think I've drank like four bottles of cranberry juice. Can't mix vitamins with the antibiotics.

I still have yet to shower.

I still have yet to leave the house this week. I need to get my nails done. Luckily I'm waxed.

I watched the movie Venus last night with Peter O'Toole and it was a truly wonderful film.

O'Toole does look a bit like that fucked up person/thing in the Hannibal Lechter movies.

I've watched massive amounts of TV during my sick days...Private Practice, Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives, LA Ink, SVU. Love it.

Shannon - is it true that LOST isn't starting untilFebruary?

My oh so fabulous graphic designers - Lewis Creative - have put together an awesome first look at my logo. Too bad all the domain names I've wanted...AMPR, AM Communications, Rise PR, Rise Communications are all taken. What to do. What to do.

T.I. is an asshole. Machine guns? Really.

Gigi James on Playboy Radio

2007-10-16T14:19:00.000-04:00

Touting her novel I Didn't Sign Up For This!, Gigi will be on the Afternoon Advice Show on Playboy Radio (boo-ya) this Thursday at 1:00p.m. PST/4:00p.m. EST.

Playboy Radio is heard on Sirius channel 198. For non-subscibers, you can activate a 3 day trial.

Visit playboyradio.com or sirius.com for more details.

Loopy

2007-10-16T10:52:00.000-04:00

I have a kidney infection and it sucks. I went to the urologist yesterday. The nausea I was experiencing last week is due to this. Last night I took Nyquil pills to fall asleep and I'm all fucked in the head today. Seriously out of it. The Lunesta is not helping so much these days.

I think I'm over my burrito kick.

I've been reading a lot of magazines again. My newest fave is Fast Company. I just ordered a subscription.

Coffee tastes like shit today. I've made two pots, but nothing will satisfy. My tastebuds must be off.

This weather is oh so beautiful and fabulous. Too bad this month seriously sucks.

My dad found a place to live. Hooray. It's near Peter's high school in that god-awful town of Shrub Oak. At least Peter doesn't have to switch schools again. It'll be nice to have a place to go to chill with my family again. Amy's freaking out that Dad and Dogface will still continue their relationship. She told me if that's the case she's going to try and get a restraining order. Now I don't know the legalese involved with such a thing, but I do know my sister, and if Dogface comes on Amy's turf she will be attacked. My sister will fuck her up. No doubt.

I guess my Dad has been sleeping in Amy's bedroom of late and has moved a majority of his stuff in. Amy has been staying with Andrew as a result. It seems as soon as he signed the lease on the new place, Dogface allowed him to move back in. She obviously plays games. BUT WHY WOULD HE MOVE BACK IN? Argh. My sister is bugging out with fear that he and Dogface will be on again and she will be sleeping over the new place. I'm trying to get Amy to not freak out, but I do see her concern.

Gettin' All Political

2007-10-12T13:06:00.000-04:00

A few years ago I rather begrudgingly voted for Gore...I don't know, he's a bit Hollywood and Tipper bugs me...then Kerry...I wasn't even close to being in love...and now I'm totally behind Barack Obama even though I know in my heart of hearts that he's going to be left in Hillary's dust. This country is far more prepared for a woman president than a Black one. Please - as two female authors blogged yesterday - what's up with the noose again?

Anyway, Gore's Nobel Prize win has the Democratic Party with their fingers crossed that he will announce his presidential run in the eleventh hour. I would really like to hear/see it. Bottom line, I don't want Hillary as president...though I truly believe she will be one.

I'm petrified of Giuliani and he like married his cousin. Mitt Romney is frankly too waspy. And McCain is just crazy. And then there is the Law & Order guy with the "I don't want to be called a trophy" wife.

What the hell happened to Howard Dean? Did that funny shriek he made really ruin him forever?

My Living Will

2007-10-11T14:08:00.000-04:00

Last night, my friend and I were sitting in the living room and I said to her,
"I never want to live in a vegetative state, dependent on some machine and fluids from a bottle. If that ever happens, just pull the plug."

She got up, unplugged the TV, and threw out my wine.

She's such a bitch...

And THEN There Is This Bullshit

2007-10-08T15:11:00.000-04:00

My ultimate man- Anthony Kiedis - and he knocks-up a 20-year-old who is just O.K. looking. She had the baby. I believe it's a boy. Her body language reminds me of my sister's.

I miss her

2007-10-08T10:41:00.000-04:00

We're all beginning to feel it. There is a certain sadness to my aunt these days and yesterday I got a call from my Uncle Frankie (in Aussie) who told me he's feeling very depressed of late. He can't stop dreaming of her.

Yesterday I was angry and hostile. I yelled and bitched. I seem to have this unshakeable crankiness these day.

My sister spent the last week here and left on Saturday. I miss her too. It was nice to wakeup and have someone here. She's maturing. It's nice to have an adult relationship with her even though I still try and hold her hand when we cross the street. I still jump into her bed in the morning when she's sleeping and wrap my arms around her as if she is this little-bitty thing. To feel that sorta love for someone is crazy. Our relationship grows in different ways and it's so refreshing to have her to talk to. My relationship with my mother had changed significantly before she died. We could talk about so much for hours. And I finally felt after all of those years that I wasn't a disappointment to her.

The Highs and Lows of a Busy Week

2007-09-28T18:54:00.000-04:00

High: Gigi James on KISS' Wake Up Club (and she fucking rocked)
Low: fighting with Dan over a handbag

High: Putting a "currently not within my budget" red Marni handbag on layaway
Low: Putting a "currently not within my budget" red Marni handbag on layaway

High: Buying a really expensive Marni change purse for the bargain price $5
Low: The realizatoin that a deal like that will never happen again

High: finishing a bylined article for NY Enterprise Report by deadline with no major edits
Low: cab fare in Manhattan yesterday totalled $40

High: finishing an 1300 word article for Tweens and Teens News without major edits ( I got an extended deadline)
Low: Meridith's divorce papers are ready

High: Oktoberfest at the Beer Garden on Saturday
Low: Turdy eating Moo's poo during the short 30 seconds of time it took me to get the cleaning supplies (Yes, I now have Shitter and ShitEater.)

High: Finished two press releases today (record writing week)
Low: having to cancel my plans with Stay in order to have a sit-down about the purchase of my "currently not within my budget" red Marni handbag

High: having fabulous (and much needed) sex on Sunday
Low: wanting to strangle Dan on Thursday night (and not in a BDSM way)

High: Gossip Girl
Low: That fucking a-hole Spencer Pratt on The Hills

High: Dirty Sexy Money
Low: That fucking idiot Jason Wahler and his ugly 19-year old girlfriend on The Hills

High: Private Practice
Low: The fear that Private Practice will not last.

High: Facebook profile
Low: Facebook profile (yet another one of these social networking profiles that occupy my attention for 15 minutes)

High: wonderful brunch spot on 30th Avenue
Low: bloating

High: The entire cast of The Hills
Low: The entire (dumb as stumps) cast of The Hills

High: holding the most beautiful Chloe handbag in my hands that so screams "Annie" my knickers got all in a twist
Low: not being able to have that handbag because it's triple the amount of the red Marni handbag that is "currently not within my budget"

I Would Have Loved to Have Been There

2007-09-24T17:05:00.000-04:00

I've taken the liberty of highlighted all the redick remarks this asshole made in his hateful speech at Columbia.

From the Associated Press via Yahoo! News

Ahmadinejad questions 9/11, Holocaust

By NAHAL TOOSI, Associated Press Writer 21 minutes ago

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad questioned the official version of the Sept. 11 attacks and defended the right to cast doubt on the Holocaust in a tense appearance Monday at Columbia University, whose president accused the hard-line leader of behaving like "a petty and cruel dictator."
Ahmadinejad smiled at first but appeared increasingly agitated, decrying the "insults" and "unfriendly treatment." Columbia President Lee Bollinger and audience members took him to task over Iran's human-rights record and foreign policy, as well as Ahmadinejad's statements denying the Holocaust and calling for the disappearance of Israel.
"Mr. President, you exhibit all the signs of a petty and cruel dictator," Bollinger said, to loud applause.
He said Ahmadinejad's denial of the Holocaust might fool the illiterate and ignorant.
"When you come to a place like this it makes you simply ridiculous," Bollinger said. "The truth is that the Holocaust is the most documented event in human history."
Ahmadinejad rose, also to applause, and after a religious invocation, said Bollinger's opening was "an insult to information and the knowledge of the audience here."
"There were many insults and claims that were incorrect, regretfully," Ahmadinejad said, accusing Bollinger of falling under the influence of the hostile U.S. press and politicians. "I should not begin by being affected by this unfriendly treatment."
During a question and answer session, Ahmadinejad appeared tense and unsmiling, in contrast to more relaxed interviews and appearances earlier in the day.
In response to one audience, Ahmadinejad denied he was questioning the existence of the Holocaust: "Granted this happened, what does it have to do with the Palestinian people?"
But then he said he was defending the rights of European scholars, an apparent reference to a small number who have been prosecuted under national laws for denying or minimizing the Holocaust.
"There's nothing known as absolute," he said.
He reiterated his desire to visit ground zero to express sympathy with the victims of the Sept. 11 attacks, but then appeared to question whether al-Qaida was responsible.
"Why did this happen? What caused it? What conditions led to it?" he said. "Who truly was involved? Who was really involved and put it all together?"
Asked about executions of homosexuals in Iran, Ahmadinejad said the judiciary system executed violent criminals and high-level drug dealers, comparing them to microbes eliminated through medical treatment. Pressed specifically about punishment of homosexuals, he said: "In Iran we don't have homosexuals like in your country."
With the audience laughing derisively, he continued: "In Iran we do not have this phenomenon. I don't know who's told you that we have this."
Bollinger was strongly criticized for inviting Ahmadinejad to Columbia, and had promised tough questions in his introduction to Ahmadinejad's talk. But the strident and personal nature of his attack on the president of Iran was startling.
"You are either brazenly provocative or astonishingly uneducated," Bollinger told Ahmadinejad about the leader's Holocaust denial.
During his prepared remarks, the Iranian president did not address Bollinger's accusations directly.
Suzanne Maloney, a foreign policy fellow at the Brookings Institution, said Ahmadinejad's softer tone on Israel in this speech may reflect backlash in his own country.
"There's been widespread commentary in Iran, even on the far-right, that Ahmadinejad's position on Israel has hurt the country's diplomatic relations," said Maloney. "The fact that he was frankly unwilling to go as far as he has in the past suggests there may have been some consequences for him at home."
President Bush said Ahmadinejad's appearance at Columbia "speaks volumes about really the greatness of America."
He told Fox News Channel that if Bollinger considers Ahmadinejad's visit an educational experience for Columbia students, "I guess it's OK with me."
Other American officials were less sympathetic.
On Capitol Hill, conservatives said Columbia should not have invited Ahmadinejad to speak. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said "there is a world of difference between not preventing Ahmadinejad from speaking and handing a megalomaniac a megaphone and a stage to use it."
Sen. Joseph Lieberman, I-Conn., said he thought Columbia's invitation to Ahmadinejad was a mistake "because he comes literally with blood on his hands."
Thousands of people jammed two blocks of 47th Street across from the United Nations to protest Ahmadinejad's visit to New York. Organizers claimed a turnout of tens of thousands. Police did not immediately have a crowd estimate.
The speakers, most of them politicians and officials from Jewish organizations, proclaimed their support for Israel and criticized the Iranian leader for his remarks questioning the Holocaust.
"We're here today to send a message that there is never a reason to give a hatemonger an open stage," New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn said.
Protesters also assembled at Columbia. Dozens stood near the lecture hall where Ahmadinejad was scheduled to speak, linking arms and singing traditional Jewish folk songs about peace and brotherhood, while nearby a two-person band played "You Are My Sunshine."
Signs in the crowd displayed a range of messages, including one that read "We refuse to choose between Islamic fundamentalism and American imperialism."
____
Associated Press writers Karen Matthews and Aaron Clark contributed to this report.

Here are a few other comments made by Ahmadinejad.

"People in Iran are very joyous, happy people," he told a National Press Club audience that questioned him about the arrests of students, journalists and women. "They're very free in expressing what they think."
He said women in Iran were "the freest women in the world ... They're active in every level of society."

Sorry!

2007-09-21T09:13:00.001-04:00

Bad publicist. Listen to Progressive Radio Network - right NOW-

http://www.prncomm.net/index.php

Please Listen

2007-09-21T08:53:00.000-04:00

For New Yorkers at 9a.m. tune in to Shelton Walden's program on WBAI-FM (99.5) to hear Gigi James tout her hilarious novel, I Didn't Sign Up For This!

For the dirty south friends (eh hem, Shannana) go to http://www.wbai.org/

Stay tuned for Gigi on KISS next Thursday. Hot Damn.

Toxic

2007-09-19T11:33:00.000-04:00

What kind of drugs do we think Britney is using? Does she like to pull from the bong? A little bit of skiing? A drop of E and some pole dancing? All of the above?

Oh Britney, I've always loved you. You're hot and you're music is pure pop wonderulful-ness. Even when you shaved your head, you still looked pretty in that "Girl Interrupted" sorta way. The problem here folks is that rehab ain't gonna cut it. No, No, No. A cocktail of Lithium and some other antipsychotics and a stint in a mental ward will probably due the trick.

Why can't we feel bad for this girl? She's obviously sick.

Ok so Baby keeps eating acorns on the street. It's like he forgot that he was brought up in the suburbs. Dumb, dumb animal.

I slipped in a strange puddle in the subway yesterday and my legs and ankles are in pain. Why am I so clumsy?

Hot

2007-09-18T02:39:00.000-04:00

Kat Von D. of LA Ink. She's a sexy, sexy woman. Watch it on TLC.

Not

2007-09-18T02:38:00.001-04:00

Snatcher...ewww

Sleep Deprived And Pissy As Hell

2007-09-18T01:42:00.000-04:00

A bunch of West Coast activitity kicked my ass last week. My head felt foggy (probably due to these fucking allergies) but I plowed through. A fun weekend - I had. Stacy on Friday; chivitos with the Matos Family on Saturday (whadda meal!); Chinatown with Chris and Francea on Sunday (whadda meal - Joe Shanghai - yum - almond cookie ice cream). I slept not a wink Sunday night and tonight I'm having the same problem. I even took my last Valium - to no avail. I must check the cabinets for Nyquil.

I'm afraid of the creeping of the Fall - that familiar swirl, those nips of wind - are getting to me. It's my witching season. The season of new beginnings and tragic endings. I'm starting to feel caught up again.

I cancelled therapy tonight...my therapist from Ithaca-whom I love-is kind enough to do phone sessions with me...but tonight I worked and was brain dead. The thought of talking for an hour did not appeal to me.

I keep thinking about people who are influencers vs. followers. How often do we emmulate those we admire? It's so hard to find original people these days. I'm bored with people. I'm becoming far more intrigued with pictures. I have to start reading more - again.

I'm stuck on this stupid Angels and Demons book by Dan Brown. Those books don't interest me despite all of the snippets of knowledge and culture packed in. They just don't hold any literary value. But Dan told me it was better than the Da Vinci Code and I was mildly amused by that, so I figured I would give it a try. Some 200+ pages in and I'm starting to scan. I have a good book waiting for me in our library. (One day I'll take pics of our new apartment.)

Just finished watching Less Than Zero - Andrew McCarthy and Robert Downey - the loves of my life as an adolescent. I still get teary when Downey dies.

I have to give props to a few people who are making or have made some incredible changes in their lives: Mer - my soon-to-be-divorcee - you continue to amaze (and shock) me. I love it. I hope at some point we can meet up in the same state. Who woulda thunk things would turn out this way? Kristin - many congrats on your new position- though I wish I had the money to hire you as a full-time writer. Gigi - let the writing flow in your new phat home in New Jersey with the boys.

I need a new pair of red shoes.

Oh and we bought a big orchid this weekend. It's a beaut. Also, another big sheep skin for our bed - ahhh so obnxiously cozy.

Hey Hey What Do You Say

2007-09-07T08:11:00.000-04:00

So I get these leads from Profnet and look what showed up last night.

4. HEALTH: Suicide -- Star Magazine
I am looking for a psychiatrist who specializes in suicide and a surgeon who has treated patients who attempted to commit suicide. I need them to first look at two photos. Background: This particular individual was admitted to a hospital after reportedly attempting to slit his wrists in a suicide try. The two photos, taken just eight days afterwards, appear to show no scars, scabs or bandages whatsoever. My question is, is it possible, based on these new pictures, there could be any way this person had tried to slash his wrists eight days before? Even if he only scratched at them deeply, would there be at least some scabs or bandages?

On to other news...

A dear friend likes to write erotic short stories. She's good too, and I think this is hot. What's even hotter is she types up a page and slips it under her husband's pillow each night. I mentioned this to Dan and his eyes bulged and I think he sprung a boner. He said why don't you do that for me. I told him I could very easily slip a press release under his pillow every night.

Tell me - since I've been out of the NYC radio market for some time I need to know what people are listening to in the morning. Tell me the names of the shows. Yesterday I got a call from THE hip-hop station for Gigi's book and I'm salivating...but I don't want to miss any other beats.

Must get manicured and waxed today. I'm Amazonian these days.

Watch: Survivorman with Les Stroud. I love that show.

Could It Be Wednesday Already?

2007-09-05T09:09:00.001-04:00

Superbad = very amusing

Friday night at Opa! Discovery that one of Dan's best friends is dating my childhood best friend...and they met through Match.com. As Rick said, "a computer algorithm put them together." Wish mom was around to hear this one.

Watched all episodes of Californication this weekend. Soooo fucking good. He's a filthy minded, immature, train wreck of a man...writer...and just plain hot. Hasta La Vista Mulder.

Caught up on movies this weekend: The Sentinel (enjoyable) and Into the Blue (entertaining/Paul Walker). Got Inland Empire on my player - can't wait. Catching up on second half of season of Entourage.

New accounts in the bag; meetings next week; and money on the way. Pitchers of Hoegaarden with a friend/colleague at the Beer Garden last night. Doggie strolls and laughing with Shannon on my cell (if only she hadn't bought a house in Georgia). Andrew and Footballers' Wives on Friday. A book signing and wine/cheese party with my fabulous client Gigi James on Saturday. The purchase of a new shirt at Banana Republic last week. Wearing sexy new heels in the City last week and getting cat calls. Gosh I love being back.

Laughing

2007-08-31T08:42:00.000-04:00

http://www.nypost.com/seven/08312007/news/nationalnews/britneys_ex_isnt_worth_a_fed_c.ht

NY Post referred to Britney Spears as a Pop-Tard. I think that is beyond hysterical.

What happened to the week? It flew by. Exciting new prospects for the fall including writing the website for an Eastern European winery. Interesting...

Today I will take off early to bring Peter back to that hell house he lives in. Our Dad is still looking for a place - not much luck so far.

Right Now I Am Feeling _______________

2007-08-29T10:22:00.000-04:00

Last night Peter and I hooked up with Gigi and her son to see the movie WAR with Jason Statham and Jet Li. Jason Statham is a sexy, sexy beast. He just gets my knickers all in a twist. I've never seen a Jet Li movie before. I mean we're not talking film here, but it was entertaining.

My family birthday party was a lot of fun this weekend. My grandmother got a bit loaded of cheap wine and she's always talking about death. Amy spent most of the time sleeping. Other than that, no real complaints.

I made my first venture into Brooklyn this weekend and got seriously lost. I drove through the neighborhoods I grew up in. What unbelievable changes. I got a car service for Grandma on the return.

The summer is coming to a close and soon we'll be without houseguests. I guess this is payback for Kimmee and Jay housing us for 2.5 weeks. I'll bring Peter back on Friday afternoon and then prepare for our Rick, Emily and Yoda's arrival from Cleveland.

Next week is back to the grind - the fall will be busy, busy. I hope my brain wakes the fuck up.

Who has been keeping up with The Hills? Is that Spencer guy an asshole or what? So is Brody. It's nice to see Lauren come out of her shell a bit and show some expression on her face. As for Audrina's boyfriend - I find him rather attractive depite the fact that "homey wore combat boots to a beach party." Regardless, was that a relationship completely without dialogue. I'm confused. If they don't talk, at least show them having lots of sex!

Save the lots of sex for Big Love - the dirtiest Mormons around. I love it.

We Have a Nice Little Saturday Planned

2007-08-24T09:10:00.000-04:00

These weeks have been flying by. To think I've been living in Astoria for 24 days and I've only been out to dinner once! Well, we go to Neptune Diner all of the time, but that doesn't count.

Last night we hit up Aliada a Cypriot and Grecian restaurant on Broadway that we used to frequent when Dan lived in his first apartment in Astoria. Aliada has made some upgrades: the horiatiki salad no longer has those thorns in whatever green they serve and they no longer have those annoying metal chairs outside that I used to slide off of. Their falafel is still wonderful. I've been eating lots o falafel since I've been back in Astoria. It seems to grow on trees here.

We went to Home Depot so I could by some plants and a light fixture for the bedroom. It seems all of our light fixtures are gone and I can not stand the bare bulb look. One light fixture I actually broke very shortly after moving in. Tried to swat a big mother fuckin' mosquito.

Anyway, did I mention that the family is coming over tomorrow: Grandma, cousin Ally, Amy, Peter, Andrew, my aunt and uncle. Hopefully my cousin Amanda will make it too. Dan is going to cook up a storm. My bro is going to stay for a week. I have to make it to Brooklyn tomorrow to picks Grams up. Bets on how badly I will get lost?

Tonight - more Cosco to pick up my birthday cake and some cheese for tomorrow.

Today I Am 31

2007-08-23T09:06:00.000-04:00

After a trip to the ENT doctor yesterday to figure out why I feel like shit all of the time, I came home with a few prescriptions to hopefully calm down my allergies. I don't recall having allergies before, but I do recall having something done to my nose when I was little and walking around with a big bandage on it. One of those things you wish you had your mom around to remember.

As most of you know, I tend to get lost wherever I drive. So yesterday as I was driving through the Bronx and I asked a very tall, very good looking Black man for directions. Turned out he was deaf, but like the Marlee Matalin kind of deaf where he could speak a bit. He was helpful. What are the chances?

Stacy - I finally watched Whale Rider. She's such an adorable little girl. Can't believe she's a teenage mom now.

Kristin - I will take pictures of my apt...and you and Ben are welcome to come stay ANYTIME. Sorry I haven't written you back. I've been out of the office a lot. Check went out in the mail today.

Kim - I sent some stuff in the mail for you today (I finally purchased some stamps yesterday), but I didn't have the discs. My sister will bring them this weekend - hopefully.

I honestly want to crawl back into bed right now, but there is writing to be done. Cheers.

Much to Say Today Today

2007-08-21T08:42:00.001-04:00

OK - so I'll fully admit that I really liked the movie Rent. I've never seen the Broadway show, which I'd like to now...that's if it's still on Broadway. As most of you know, I'm the girl who fell asleep during Les Miz because I was bored to tears. I'm not too in to musicals...oddly enough, Dan is VERY into musicals. He was singing along to the movie. Queer.

Anyway, I think Rosario Dawson is really hot. From the young slut in Kids to the cool fast food restaurant owner in Clerks II, she's come a long way...SO we are adding her to the hot list. Yes, women will now be on the hot list - BECAUSE - well, it's my motherfuckin blog and I like to look at pretty women even though I'm hetero.

This weekend we were all over the place. We went to Dad's house in Shrub Oak to: drop off Amy, bring some boxes and assess the size of the highboy chest of drawers. We were able to fit half of it into the car. Highboy dresses are usually built in halves. This of course meant that we had to go back the next day to get the other half. At almost 8 feet tall, the dresser, which was my mom's and once owned by the Vanderbilts, it extraordinary. It's now Dan's.

We hit Home Depot, Marshall's, National Wholesale Liquidators (scary), Home Depot and Cosco.

We only have two more boxes left to unpack. Phew. Getting this home settled is taking so long. Normally I'm quick, but I wanted Dan to be more a part of the process this time.

Anyway, interesting article in The New York Times today about city kids taking longer to graduate from high school http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/21/education/21highschool.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin.

My sister and I talk about this subject often and I started to think about the point of forcing a kid to go to school who literally has the capability of walking out the front door whenever she wants and cutting class. Amy told me she just didn't think she could go back to high school again. She can't "deal with that shit." We talked about her getting a GED. She said 75% of colleges accept them.

Sometimes I think we need to just accept things for what they are. This is a kid who just can't do high school. Does that mean she can't go to college. Does that mean she's not going to be successful in life? The statistics are certainly against her, but a lot of things have been against her, and she's managed to survive. Then again, I don't want her just to survive. I want her to be ahead of the curve. How is it possible that a kid in AP English in an upper class school district fails to graduate?

I suppose we are all to blame, but what's the point now. How do we help?

A Little of This and That

2007-08-16T09:08:00.000-04:00

so yesterday i reached out to and eco-fashionista to see if she would outfit a client in some green attire for the Emmy Awards. i spelled the designers name wrong. hehe. the publicist promptly called me out on it.

i'm having constant sinus issues and must see a doctor. i've been sick way too many times the last few months. nyquil is a strange med. it's like instant retardation.

my sister is starting the sleep all day, up all night thing again. it's not driving me crazy, cause i'm holed up in my office, but i see how her habits form and i worry. i'm cutting her a break because summer camp is over and she needs to catch up on sleep as she worked really hard. her only incentive to wake up in the morning is money. i realize some people are just not cut out for school, but how do you get them to accept that some things just must be accomplished.

so i gave my sister my car and my dad had two simple tasks. register the car in his name and put my sister under his insurance policy by 8/15 when my insurance policy ended. i filled out my half of the paperwork and left it in the glove compartment. of course he didn't do it, and i know the car is still sitting on Dogface's property with the plates on it. very bad.

my sister and i watched The Fly last night. [I currently have Starz, HBO, Showtime, Max, TMC all on demand] Geena Davis is awful in that movie. just awful. Jeff Goldblum = fantastic. he's certainly one of those men that gets more attractive with age.

andrew - we need to set a date soon.

so my dogs are taking their new environment very well. Baby does this thing on the street where he stops right in front of where a person is walking and looks up at them. this morning he saw a man cleaning out his car and tried to jump in. if he sees people sitting up on the front porches he will walk right up to them. he did this tuesday night and I said, "Come on Baby. Let's go." This prompted the man on the porch to say, "Ok. I'm coming."

Introspection

2007-08-14T11:18:00.000-04:00

My horoscope today asks me, "What exactly has been the point of all that introspection, you ask?"

It is true that each day I wake up, I feel entirely different, though my routines are solidly in place. My head has all sorts of new thoughts and I feel completely unlike myself yet I'm calm and confident.

Yesterday, my couches were delivered and my sister held down the fort while I was at a meeting in Westchester. Right before the meeting began, I gave her a call to remind her about the tip I left on the kitchen counter and she told me they were at the apt. already, but the couches wouldn't fit. The delivery men tried to pull one over on her. Basically, they really didn't want to work to hard at getting the couches through the doors. So they told her they were going to leave them in the parking space out back - they also mentioned "no refunds." So she quickly called Dan who jumped in a cab back home. Being the bratty, bitchy girl that she is, by the time Dan got here those couches were settled in the living room. I have to give props to my girl. When I left the meeting, I called Dan and he gave me the story details. Basically, he said Amy did awesome. She told those mother fuckers what to do. I have to add - she has a terrible cold and fever.

It was nice to sit on the couch and watch TV with my sis last night. I also got to pull out the cow hides Dan bought in Buenos Aires. While our flat still needs a good amount of work - like a serious paint job and some light fixtures - things are coming together nicely and I think I'm feeling comfortable. I like being on one floor again.

Some time in the fall, I will get a prescription of Ritalin and a case of beer and let Kimmee loose in my apartment with a can of paint.

Simonetti/Nieves Family Updates

2007-08-08T12:49:00.000-04:00

So many of you might know that the relationship between my father and Dogface (also known as Hogface) is on the rocks - surprise, surprise. Dogface seems to have a bad case of OCD, absolutley despises by sister, thinks my brother is retarded and insists on keeping our family dogs locked in one room all day. To put it mildly, Bitch is Wack. She has her own food shelf in the refrigerator, refuses to get air conditioners in the house and hates my sister's BF - literally one of the sweetest kids on the planet. I've probably mentioned at some point in Annie Goes to Ithaca that Dogface smokes like a fiend and looks like one too.

While I can easily say things like, "I told you so," "If you had only listened to me," and "This woman was bad news from the get-go," I won't because my father is finally waking up and I have to support him because all of the shit he's done, all of the guilt, is going to hit him like a ton of bricks and it's going to hurt badly. If anyone is gonna pick him back up, it's going to be me. Not some other idiot, enabling, emotionally needy, bad souled woman, but me - the girl he decided to raise when she was just five years old. The girl he's told almost everything to and the girl that all he has to do is give her a look and she understands exactly what he's thinking.

I am the woman of my family and it's time I had my family back. Fortunately, today, my father agrees.

On another note, Baby puked in my bed this morning.

I Love Him, I Do

2007-08-07T12:44:00.000-04:00

...though I don't think he reads my blog. Happy Anniversary Dan. xoxoxoxoxxo

TV Deprived and Pissy

2007-08-06T18:05:00.001-04:00

I am in my apartment in Astoria. Dan is back from Georgia. Dan has started work at PWC. The pugs are here with us. We have air conditioning. This is the way life should be, right? I mean, the Ithaca thing was just a hot minute of change to get a better life, right?

Why is it that I feel so strange?

What comes to mind first is that I'm PMS-ing. The second thing is that I'm severely exhausted. I have not had a decent sleep since last Monday. I have bruises all over my body from lifting, moving, shuffling, banging, tripping, cutting corners, etc. My cuticles are all cut up and I have knicks all over my fingers. My calves are tight and I have some foot/ankle pain.

Then Dad calls me last night and tells me I need to take Amy for like 2 weeks. Then Dan tells me that I'm killing him.

And tomorrow is our 6 year anniversary. I haven't thought about a gift or a card.

Today, things are just not working. Like Microsoft Outlook and my two emails accounts housed on Outlook Express. Then there is my new HP all-in-one printer. And the fact that my much-beloved shower caddy fell this morning.

And what happened to the plumber or dishwasher guy that was supposed to come and fix what's broken. My tub is not draining properly and the remnants of my (continuoulsy) dirty feet are collecting around the drain. Isn't it a new pump that they should be installing so that the dishwasher will drain?

What's going on in Big Love, Entourage, So You Think You Can Dance, Falcon Beach and Footballers' Wives?

Why can't we fast-forward to Monday when my lovely new couches will arrive and I can curl up with my legs under my tush and sink headfirst into the many channels of wonderful, beautiful cable.

It's time to eat meat.

Ramblings

2007-07-30T17:17:00.000-04:00

A new season of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations starts tonight on the Travel Channel. I love this man. (I wish Dan was here.)

Check Gigi's brilliant blog about dating outside of one's race. (FYI - "brilliant blog" is actually a link.)

Shout out to Shelton Walden, host of WBAI-AM Walden's Pond - a great show about books, health, science and politics. Shelton is also a videographer so if anyone needs a good man for a wedding, def. give me a call and I will hook it up.

Lobsters at the beach tonight. Cheers.

Praise Target, Allelujiah

2007-07-30T11:17:00.000-04:00

So Kimmee and I hit up Target on Saturday for new stuff for my apartment. Nearly $300 later I felt a high of sorts and my mind was scrolling through households items I just needed to have: lamp shades, shoes organizers, shelving paper, tupperware, candles, bleach...ahhhh. Make it stop.

So I went to my apartment yesterday to drop off all of the goods, including a new air conditioner, mass amounts of cleaning products, a new desk chair (Dan threw my last one out because the movers couldn't fit it in the storage unit), and a tower fan. Of course, I forgot my screwdriver - so I couldn't put anything together. Fuck a duck.

Yesterday was muggy and disgusting and I perspired through my entire outfit. Stupidly, I bought Baby with me - and he looked as if he was about to have heat stroke. Bad Mama.

Anyway, I'm stoked about the new apartment, but the floors in the bedrooms need to be redone and the entire place needs a desperate paint job. I don't know how to buy paint and I would probably walk out of Home Depot with a cans of turquoise, Big Apple red, baby pink and black high-gloss paint. Kim said she would help. I'll probably hold her to it. If you've ever been to her house - you know the detailed painting she has done.

Seems I got a hit in Instyle today for a client, which pleases me immensely - though I still can't seem to find it.

Did I mention that Dad and DogFace are on the outs? She's got OCD and despises my brother, sister and the dogs. She was expected that my father would kick Amy out when she turned 18 (yes!) last month...but, alas, my father's balls suddenly grew back. DogFace has taken to labeling her food in the cabinet and designated a shelf in the fridge, appropriately labeled "DogFace's Food."

Bets on when my father finds another DogFace Jr.?

My Last Entry for Today

2007-07-27T13:08:00.000-04:00

So I'm not exactly in Astoria yet.

I'm currently staying with Kim and Jay in Mastic - a town pretty far out east in Long Island. We've been having a good ole time eating, rapping and drinking as former college roommates like to do.

Despite the fact that my one pug (Baby) thoroughly enjoys pissing all over their rugs, they've been gracious hostesses to me and Dan. (And the bed in the guest room is really comfy.)

Cheers.

I Didn't Sign Up For This!

2007-07-27T11:42:00.000-04:00

My new client, Gigi James, rocks. She's a first time author with wit and sarcasm to boot and is not afraid to tell it like it is. Girl after my own heart.

Right now she has a promo in motion before the release of her first book this September, I Didn't Sign Up For This!, called the Summer of Love contest. Women and men can write in about their worst first day experiences or the summer they fell in love.

Visit http://www.gigijames.com/ and share your Summer of Love story. Also, advance copies of the book are available at Barnes & Noble online and Amazon.

Sexy, smart and witty Jillian Moulton seems to have it all─a great career as a physician assistant, a healthy son with twins on the way, a five-bedroom home in Long Island, a Benz, and a stunningly handsome Jamaican husband named Tony, who loves to dote on her.

But Jillian’s reality quickly unravels with the discovery of the audacious affairs her husband has with not one, but four women. The young mother is torn between her contempt for his unacceptable behavior and the undeniable comfort and draw of her "perfect" husband and the fantasy lifestyle he represents.

After continuous confrontation, a nervous breakdown and a few nights of sizzling resistance, Jillian learns that love doesn’t conquer all, but that her life is still worth living even without Tony.

I Didn’t Sign Up for This! is a touching and laugh-out-loud novel that travels through Jillian’s often outrageous memories of family, race relations, Caribbean life, happiness, heartache and, ultimately, survival. This memory lane rollercoaster takes you to the edge and back so that every time you think you’ve figured it out it throws you for another loop.

I Have a Lot to Say

2007-07-27T11:32:00.000-04:00

Here it is in a nutshell:

left Ithaca and cried a bit
while in my car down to the city I leisurely placed by PDA, my lifeline, into the dogs' cup of water
didn't sleep for two days
boarded a plane to Puerto Rico for Rick and Emily's wedding
had a great time there, but it was hot as balls. was left sitting in dive bar for 3 hours waiting for the rest of the bridal party to show up
left Puerto Rico, headed down to New York and boarded an Aerolineas Argentina flight to Miami
Some fucking stupid mother fucking truck drove into the plane while on the runaway and we had to deboard
after waiting for three hours a baggage claim, my Samsonite luggage came out sopping wet
my drycleaned cashmere sweaters wet
picture frame of mom wet
Annie cried
Stuck in a Miami airport hotel at 3am - no food and wet clothes
Dan pissed - spends next day battling with Orbitz and Aerlineas Argentina for our money back as have booked the next flight out on American Airlines
Get on a flight (still sans refund) to Buenos Aires
Narcolepsy kicked in a long time ago and I sleep soundly on every flight so far
Arrives in Buenos Aires, check in to The Cocker, and sleep soundly for the rest of the afternoon in a little rest nook with lots of pillows and furry blanket
I'll skip all the in betweens, but basically we ate lots of steak, drank lots of red wine, bought lots of leather
I was so relaxed
Dan and I were so in love
Missed the pugs but new they were in great hands
Still hate being back
Dan started work this past Monday
We move on Wednesday (Yippee)

Coming Soon, Bitches

2007-07-25T22:25:00.001-04:00