Celebrity Sistas

Yeah, I don't think so...

Why can't I SLEEP???

It's happening again. I'm up when I shouldn't be and I have a long day tomorrow.

I've been a bit overwhelmed lately while I gather my material to apply for graduate school. I don't remember it being so stressful the first time around. Before the end of the month I have to collect my letters of recommendation, finish my volunteer hours, write my statement of purpose, fill out the application to the program and the university, rework my resume from theatre work and take pictures some clothes I made at AMT. By the end of this week, I hope to have the paperwork done.

When I think about applying to this program, I think about how I haven't wanted to accomplish anything as much as I have wanted this. I'm so afraid of being let down.

On other news, I've been keeping my mind off of school by enrolling in the Onion Fantasy League. It's not your everyday Fantasy Football Team. I mean, c'mon! It's the freakin' Onion! In this particular league, you choose the players you think will muck it all up. You know, the Drew Bledsoes, the Joey Galloways (what a disgrace to the name!), and the entire defense of the 49ers. It all works on a point system, and the person who chooses the biggest losers by the end of the season, wins $500. Love it!

I have also enrolled in the free month trial of blockbuster.com. I added over 35 titles to my Queue so far, and I am planning on adding the first season of "House" because I have only recently become mad-addicted to this series. If anyone has any suggestions that don't suck (and keep in mind that I am picky as hell) let me know. Feel free to reply here or on myspace.

Yep...

Still not sleepy.

I need to get back into yoga again. Walking three miles a day isn't getting me tired any more.

Sew freaking what!

It's two in the AM and I just can't fall asleep.

I decided to search the internet for apartments, dreaming of a spacious place we can comfortably call home. The sad reality is that the rent is just as expensive here as it is in NYC, and NYC is waaaaaaaaaaaaaay cooler than SJC.

I watched Project Runway last night. I'm not a designer. I've never considered myself to have that kind of gift. I know what looks good and how to make someone else's idea or sketch come to life, but I don't have that god-given ability to come up with great ideas. I do, however, know how to apply couture hand-stitching. What stressed me out as I watched last night's show was that most of the designers, once again, can not sew. Vincent was gluing half of his shit together. Yes, I realize that they only had two days for couture, but his dress was not that extravagant. It would not take that long to hand-sew that measly little hem. And, yes, his dress should have been turned around, but it still would have looked like a monkey put it together with a crowbar.

As for Michael, there is no doubt that the man knows how to make a pattern. Handsewing...not so much. I know when I had to start all over learning how to REALLY sew when I was an apprentice at the 'Speed, I was only handsewing bitch-work for almost four months before I was allowed on a machine. I was glad that I was made to do that, because you really have to pay attention to details and learn to work faster to get through the shit work. You grow to appreciate how the inside of a garment has to be as impecable as the outside. Anyone who wants to learn how to sew the "right way" should always learn how to FINISH a garment. I'm not talking about top-stitching with a machine. I'm talking about making the work look invisible from two inches away. Any time my old boss at the 'Speed saw the least little "pick" from a skirt hem, it was coming out. Who cares that it is a circle skirt with 11 pannels, and you only have two inches left. Too freaking bad. And glue...is a four letter word.

Now, if you will excuse me, my left hand is going numb.

Fucking hand-sewing.

RIP O'Rourke's

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day. I didn't really come to this conclusion until I moved to the east coast. One of the places that molded this opinion was O'Rourke's diner in Middletown, CT.

Anyone who has dined there remembers waiting outside in line for almost an hour, sometimes in the snow to take a seat in the tin diner from the 1920s amongst Wesleyan students, old regulars and those who just pulled an all-nighter. The omelet menu on Sundays was five pages, single spaced typing, front and back. You could go there every day for five years and still not have everything on the menu.

Last week, a fire took my favorite breakfast spot and there is doubt that Mr. O'Rourke will continue his business. Although the community is supportive and offering to rebuild the diner for free, Mr. O'Rourke is not making any decisions right away. It would be impossible to replicate the business that has been in his family since 1947.

I'll never forget going to O'Rourke's for their great food, coffee cake and the big kid with the red afro who played the bag pipes there on Saturdays. It's sad to see such an institution go away so suddenly.

Here is a great story written by a loyal customer of the diner about the owner, Brian O'Rourke:

"I work at the school - THE school - and often pull an over-nighter, so over the last five years I'd be in the door at O'Rourke's with the newspaper guy. (That's five AM folks - the time Brian promises the coffee will be hot.) One morning four and a half years ago is current in my mind. On a snowy winter morning Brian was pressing a fresh muffin and a cup of coffee on a street guy. (The guy had wanted money of course.) Suddenly Brian said, "Have you looked at yourself lately? Really? Do you know what you look like, what you're doing to yourself? Go on down to my bathroom. Wash your face and look in the mirror. That's all you've got bud. That's all you've got." The young man - sadly he was young - went to the bathroom. He was gone a while. There was silence in the diner as the two or three patrons were deep in our private thoughts. When he came back to his stool Brian gave him a few minutes to munch, then he came over and in the gentlest voice I think I have ever heard he said, "Look, you want to go somewhere, I'll go with you. One step. You come by here tonight at seven o'clock. I'm closed, but I'll be here. We'll have a cup of coffee and talk. Maybe we'll go down the street and talk to some smart people who've been there. Okay?" And without an answer or a promise Brian went away and left the kid to eat. I don't know whether the young man showed up that night. He probably didn't. But I'll bet Brian did."

Oh, Sweet Computer

I have my laptop back. Finally!!

August was a month of things breaking down on poor little Curly:
1. My car broke down on the ramp of 280S heading towards Oakland off the busiest intersection of San Jose. It was a nightmare.
3 alternators + 1 battery - 1 AC = one pissed off Curly
I think my car is going to shit the bed soon, so I'm looking into buying a Vespa.

2. My coffeemaker broke one morning while I was getting ready for my volunteering gig at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center. Luckily, I aquired a used Mr. Coffee from my old work place.

3. My computer crapped out on me. Hard drive failure, followed by a broken CD ROM provided by the Geek Squad. I finally got my computer back from the manufacturer, only to find out that they had misplaced the AC adapter and battery. F*#@! The nice fella at the counter took care of it and ordered us the new accessory. We recieved it today. All in all, we had no computer for three weeks. :(

Thank you to the Rose Garden Branch of San Jose Libraries for providing me with my daily internet fix. It's amazing how much I rely on my daily dose for survival.