Saturday, April 30, 2011

It's my birthday, and I'll write about whatever I want to...

(like, "It's my party, and I'll cry if I want to," only dumber... but hopefully funnier.)

So suck on that!

Just kidding... kinda.


AAAAAAANYWAY, it is my birthday, and I am officially halfway to 50. (Thank you to my little big sister Nicole, who pointed that out to me. No really, thanks sis. Love ya back. You're halfway to 44, so deal with that. That comeback doesn't look as cool in print as it sounded in my head.)

Already, at only 3am, I feel quite loved-- more so than I thought. One of my best, favorite-est friends phoned at exactly 12 to wish me a Happy Birthday, followed by a slew of early morning messages. I truly have the BEST friends in the world-- and I'd like to a take a moment to apologize for not always being as great to you as you are to me. I'll work on it, in my newly-acquired old age. ;)

Let me start by commenting on this shindig known by the masses as "The Royal Wedding." To be perfectly honest, I care 50% of fuck all about the aforementioned ceremony. I wrote an open letter to the media stating the following: "Unless it involves Lady Gaga, The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, Queen Latifah, or the Burger King, America doesn't give a shit about Royal Weddings." I received a rude awakening upon finding out that actually... loads of people do. What... idiots.

In all honesty, I think a lot of my hostility towards this seemingly ridiculous ceremony stems from my personal feelings to the dire situations occurring across the planet. The last time I (purposely) stayed up all night glued to breaking news was while watching the unfolding extreme tragedy that occurred in Japan. I was in Palm Springs, and I vividly remember flipping to Anderson Cooper on CNN hoping for a diatribe about my life mentor, Charlie Sheen, only to find a breaking report about a devastating earthquake and tsunami warnings in Japan. I couldn't tear myself away from the TV that night as I watched in shock at the live reports depicting the unbelievable catastrophe engulfing the unsuspecting Japanese people. If you've read any of my previous posts, I'm a self-proclaimed insomniac who often turns to the most retarded programming to get myself through the late nights while waiting (literally) for paint to dry. I could've cared less about the royal wedding, until it was on 10 of my "favorite" late night channels last night. I watched it, yet for whatever reason couldn't shake the feeling I had while watching the tragedy in Japan just a little over a month ago. (Also see: devastating tornadoes in the midwest last week.)

OK, ADD girl: I'm watching a Conan rerun in the background right now, and they're talking about lucid dreaming- SOMETHING I DO ALMOST NIGHTLY. Weird. I should write about this. No one cares, but if you've never experienced it-- it's slightly cool but slightly FUCKING scary.

Anyway, my point about the royal wedding: I don't have one. I just don't understand the fascination, and personally (though I've talked about it with people who have views on all sides), I can't get behind it, with all the devastation that's currently happening in the world. Still, before I'm struck down by lightning, congrats to the Prince & his wife-chick. Duke & Duchess? Whateve. Write me off as an ignorant American, I'm cool with that.


BACK TO ME. Duh.

It is in fact my 25th birthday, so I'm gonna go ahead and share 25 facts that you may or may not know about me:

o1. I only learned to write in cursive this year, because I had to be able to sign my name on my prints. I also learned that I can write backwards in cursive easier than I can forwards.
o2. Sometimes, if I'm close to finishing but truly cannot figure out the crossword puzzle, I make up words & subsequent definitions to finish it.
o3. My favorite (embarrassing) song is "Outside" by George Michael. I'm listening to it right now.
o4. My closet is color-coordinated in an OCD style, but mostly on my floor.
o5. My favorite speed to drive at is 96 MPH, because 3 is my favorite number-- and both 9 and 6 can be divided into 3, and made to be six, which can be divided by two to make 3. While it sounds crazy, this formula makes perfect sense in my head.
o6. Most (/all) social situations give me hives. I avoid the agony & anxiety by drinking white wine. (K... almost everyone who knows me knows this. I'm just formally putting it out there.)
o7. When I drink coffee, I drink it black. Always. But I prefer Diet Coke to coffee, even at 6am. And I prefer fountain Diet Coke to that in the can or bottle. And I don't drink Diet Coke because I think it's "better." I just like the taste. So suck it.
o8. I know all the words to Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby." I learned them by playing the song on repeat while on a 10-hour trip to Calgary.
o9. I'm INCREDIBLY superstitious.
1o. I LOATHE it when people abbreviate words to "u," "ur," "2," etc... even in text message. I'm a stickler for proper spelling, pronunciation and grammar... unless it pertains to my made-up words.
11. Barney's is to me as Tiffany's is to Holly Golightly.
12. I've been arrested twice.
13. I'm most productive when the weather matches my mood. Also, I often dress according to my mood.
14. I love the smell of darkrooms & developer chemicals. I consider the darkroom my first home, even if I rarely frequent it anymore.
15. I used to have imaginary pets, including a pony that lived in the guest bathroom, sharks that lived in the pool, and monkeys living in my favorite climbing tree. I named them all after crayon colors.
16. My favorite thing to do is read books with other people's notes in the margin. My second favorite thing to do is leave handwritten notes in the library books that people seldom check out.
17. My favorite food is canned corn. My second favorite food is chocolate ice cream.
18. I spent 6 months eating only canned corn, green beans, and Special K cereal. It was... special.
19. People tell me I'm "wise beyond my years," yet I find myself incredibly immature and irreverent.
20. While I've had many an argument with professors and colleagues alike, I truly do my best work at the last minute, and I perform best under pressure. To this day, I can't figure out why that is, but I know it to be true.
21. My favorite word is myriad. All my other favorite words begin with the letter S.
22. I only cut my hair to prove a point to someone, and I always regret it. While I feel better because I donate it, I feel incredibly insecure until it's grown long again.
23. I can still recite all 15 rules for comma usage, yet rarely abide by them.
24. I compulsively lie about stupid things like taming lions for a living and speaking Antarctica-n, yet absolutely cannot lie about anything having to do with my deeper life or anything I feel is truly important.
25. I'm simultaneously the best and worst secret-keeper I know.


And, in conclusion, a little insight into my personality.

SIDENOTE: I don't base anything I do on astrology, but as it pertains to my personality, it often rings scarily true.

I am a Fire Tiger / Taurus, born 4/30/1986.

The Fire Tiger reads as follows:

Colorful, active and dramatic, Fire Tigers are alight with passion, enthusiasm, vitality and verve. They are outgoing, communicative and optimistic and always ablaze with the excitement of the latest scheme. They have the Tiger's inborn powers of leadership in full portion and a natural ability to inspire other people with their own enthusiasm. They often have a natural wit too and powers of oratory to crown their charismatic and persuasive personalities. Fired with their own excitement and an endless supply of energy, they can even seem melodramatic and they may not be able to understand more cautions or down-to-earth approaches in others.


Add Taurus, reads as follows:

More down-to-earth than other Tigers, these people are practical and will finish tasks they start. They work well under pressure and can maintain their workloads through amazing efforts. They are passionate in their partnerships and provide stability to their loved ones.

See what I mean?


In other crazy personality news, my Myers-Briggs type is INFJ. Less than 1% of the population. Don't know what that means? See here.

Want to find out your own? See here.


In the meantime... wishing myself a VERY MERRY UNBIRTHDAY. And a VERY MERRY UNBIRTHDAY to anyone whose birthday falls within the 365-day calendar year and reads my nonsense. :)

Thursday, April 28, 2011

dear 4am:


LEAVE ME ALONE!!!!!!!!

The only time I bother to watch TV is during this ungodly hour which I'm subjected to because I'm an insane insomniac. Give me something other than informercials and Intervention and I may not complain so much.

In the mean time, GO PICK ON SOMEONE ELSE.

I guess I'm off to search for my Finding Nemo dvd. Someone recommended me to watch Black Swan, but if I wanted that kind of crazy... I'd videotape my own life.

So...
GO AWAY 4AM. AND TAKE YOUR GODDAMN CHIRPING BIRDS WITH YOU.

Love always,
Jackie

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

armadillos.


I just read a headline stating, "Armadillos linked to leprosy in humans." Thanks, CNN. I guess I should reconsider domesticating one.

25 (+) Songs I Enjoy Painting To

I went with the 25 (+) thing because it'd be impossible to pick just 25. I have more than 20,000 songs on my computer, so getting this under 100 is a feat in itself. Old, new... just some of my faves. In no particular order, this is the (first half?) of my #1 painting playlist. Maybe you've heard some, maybe you haven't... I recommend them all. Equal parts madness, anger, depression... and sheer joy. I have an obsession with making "mixtapes" (okay, I know we call them CDs now, but mixtape sounds wayyy cooler) for all my friends, so here is a little insight into what goes on during these tapings:

o1. she loves everybody (steve aoki remix) - chester french (one of my fave songs ever! the remix, not the original. deal with it.)

o2. home - edward sharpe & the magnetic zeros

o3. hey you - pony pony run run

o4. frontier psychiatrist - the avalanches

o5. lisztomania (classixx version) - pheonix

o6. heads will roll - yeah yeah yeahs

o7. moving pictures - the cribs

o8. just like heaven - the cure

o9. wild horses - rolling stones

1o. black swan - thom yorke

11. symphonies - dan black

12. sweet child o' mine - guns 'n roses

13. the kids don't stand a chance - vampire weekend

14. lua - bright eyes (!! one of my faves. EVER.) [also: calendar hung itself]

15. walking on a dream - empire of the sun

16. a praise chorus - jimmy eat world

17. tiny cities made of ashes - modest mouse (also: paper thin walls)

18. bandages - hot hot heat

19. everything is alright - motion city soundtrack

2o. the human touch (sidechains remix) - heads we dance

21. foxtrot uniform charlie kilo - bloodhound gang

22. we will become silhouettes (mexicans with guns remix) - the postal service

23. psychotic girl - the black keys

24. the cave - mumford & sons

25. viva la vida (discotech remix) - coldplay

26. bulletproof - la roux

27. hurricane - something corporate

28. le disko (tommie sunshine's brooklyn fire retouch) - shiny toy guns (also: jackie will save me)

29. mistaken for strangers - the national

3o. come together - the beatles (also: blackbird)

31. fake plastic trees - radiohead

32. loud pipes - ratatat

33. where is my mind? - pixies

34. sleepyhead - passion pit

35. hardcore days & softcore nights - aqueduct

36. banquet - bloc party

37. disillusion - badly drawn boy

38. sympathique - pink martini

39. loosen your hold - south

4o. rebellion (lies) - arcade fire (also: ready to start)

41. lights & music - cut copy

42. sam's town - the killers (also: mr. brightside [jacques lu cont's thin white duke remix])

43. ghetto ways - scissors for lefty

44. 12:51 - the strokes

45. so rich, so pretty - mickey avalon

46. bigmouth strikes again - the smiths

47. don't you evah - spoon

48. enjoy the silence - depeche mode (also: personal jesus)

49. eet - regina spektor (also: everything she's ever recorded!)

5o. nature of the experiment - tokyo police club


I have, like, 9 million more. This is just the first 50 of my playlist. So in other words... 25 x 2... aka the age I'll be if you multiply my life by 2. Get it? HA! Seeya there.

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

I NEED THIS DOG!

No, but seriously. It's Spot's long-lost brother!:



They could be twins! (Except Spot's spot is on the other side. But still, how cute is that little terrorist??)

Someone please get me this dog. PLEASE!


I know most sane people would argue that one terrorist is enough, but I mean... can you imagine that one with this one?:


Since I'm on a roll with the pointless picture thing, here's the most recent ridiculous picture of my dog, snapped yesterday morning. Keep in mind, this picture is NOT staged. This is just what I have to deal with & wake up to on a regular basis:

Also, while I'm on my dog kick, here's a picture of the other cutest dog in America, Rosco. He belongs to my friend Robyn, and at one point we were roommates and essentially ran a zoo out of the house. Rosco is pretty much the size of a small pony, and he often liked to commandeer Scout's bed, as pictured below:

And I will end this with the best picture ever, aka one of the barn kittens riding McGuinness. You're welcome:

Sunday, April 24, 2011

speed bumps. oh, and Happy Easter?


First: Whoever invented speed bumps deserves a special place in hell.

Second: HAPPY EASTER! :
Also, watch this.

note to self:

I really should stop telling people that I "kind of" hate them. There's really no "kind of" about it.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

You know what?

The word OK looks like a sideways person.

Friday, April 22, 2011

Why is a raven like a writing desk? + cool stuff I did today.

Well, why IS a raven like a writing like a writing desk? In the words of the Mad Hatter, "I haven't the slightest idea."

However, I have two fairly prominent ideas:
#1: They were both written on by Poe, &
#2: They both have inky quills.


In other news, cool stuff I did today:

#1: Ran a 6 minute mile for the first time since I hurt my knee (ok, the other 4 were still between 7-8 mins, but STILL),
#2: Tripped up the stairs in my building in front a bunch of people,
#3: Fully brushed my hair & cut out all tar remnants,
#4: Learned how to make books 3 new ways,
#5: Came up with an excellent new idea to patent. I'd tell you, but then I'd have to kill you.
#6: Spotted this little guy while out & about:
Unicorns rule.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The F Word

Perhaps one of the most interesting words in the English language today is the word fuck. Out of all the words in our aforementioned tongue which begin with the letter F, fuck is the only word that is referred to as "the F word"-- it's that one magical word. Just by its sound it can describe pain, pleasure, hate and love. Fuck, as with many words in the English language, is derived from German: specifically from the word 'Frichen,' which means "to strike."


In English, fuck falls into many grammatical categories. As a transitive verb, for instance, "Jack fucked Jill." As an intransitive verb, "Jill fucks." Its meaning is not always sexual, and it can also be used as an adjective, as in, "Jack's doing all the fucking work." As part of an adverb, "Jill talks too fucking much." As an adverb enhancing an adjective, "Jill is fucking beautiful." As a noun, "I don't give a fuck." As part of a word, "abso-fucking-lutely" or "in-fucking-credible." And, as almost every word in a sentence, "Fuck the fucking fuckers."


There just aren't very many words with the versatility of fuck, as shown through these examples describing situations such as:

Fraud: "I got fucked at the used car lot."

Dismay: "Aw, fuck it."

Trouble: "I guess I'm really fucked now."

Aggression: "Don't fuck with me, asshole."

Difficulty: "I don't understand this fucking question."

Inquiry: "Who the fuck was that?"

Dissatisfaction: "I don't like what the fuck is going on here."

Incompetence: "He's a fuckoff."

Dismissal: "Why don't you go outside and play hide-and-go-fuck-yourself?"


I'm sure you can think of many more examples. With all of these multipurpose applications, how can anyone be offended when you use this word? I say, use this unique and flexible word MORE often in your daily speech; it will identify the quality of your character immediately. Say it loudly and proudly! FUCK IT!

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Early this morning,

I took my dog for a walk in the park where we encountered a frog. I stood watching my dog bark at the frog for about 10 minutes, thinking, "Wow, what a dumb dog." I then realized that I'd been standing there for 10 minutes watching a dog bark at a frog. Who's the idiot now?



In other news, someone sent me this, and I enjoyed it, so I'm gonna share it:
Well, I guess that explains it.

Monday, April 18, 2011

the coolest book about making books!


Today I decided I was gonna learn some stuff. With that thought in mind, I headed over to Powell's to peruse the stacks and educate myself on a few new things. (Also, more selfish-ly, because my tar hands have gotten me dedicated to finding a book on solvents.) After reaching a dead end on the former, I scanned some tomes about etymology (the study of words; not to be confused with entomology, which is the study of bugs).

In the end, I ended up with a rhyming dictionary, a book titled "Extraordinary Origins of Everyday Things," and the most AWESOME book about making books I've ever seen! (I always enjoy visiting the book arts section to browse the photos of books made by others for inspiration, and also because I love to say that I'm looking at books about making books. I'm easily amused, what can I say.)


ANYWAY, while in the book arts section, I spied an off-white rebel among its shiny-spined counterparts which I could tell had been not only well-loved, but also hand made. I was genuinely intrigued, and flipped through to find a trove of new ways of binding and putting together books in easy-to follow directions complete with step-by-step hand drawn illustrations. It was made in 1997, but still contains all of the original little books-within-the-book and hidden compartments and messages. I thought that was pretty neat, but I didn't realize how unique this really was until I got to the last page:

When I got home, I googled the book title (it's called "Innovative Bookbinding: Secret Compartments & Hidden Messages," by Shereen LaPlantz) because I was intrigued by this. The note at the bottom of the last page reads: "If the binders have courage, there may be a second edition." After some research, I found that there was in fact was a second edition of 2,000 copies before the author's struggle with cancer and unfortunate death in 2003.

I went into the bookstore to idly browse and ended up finding this true gem that I can really learn from, lost in a sea of books... and I am very grateful to have found it. Thank you, Shereen.


And on that note, I'm off to the studio to play with paper, needles and thread... I mean, might as well put my new knowledge to use immediately!

I don't advise painting with tar. Here's why:


Yesterday I was given a little jump-painting project at the barn. I was asked to help create a stonewall-esque pattern, and was shown the jumps to be painted and told I could use any paint I found in the tool shed (a seriously limited selection, mind you). Though there were going to be a group of us ultimately working on them, I was not riding so I started the project alone. There was only one choice for dark paint, and while I thought the consistency was a little strange, I shrugged it off and got to work. Later, I found out that the "paint" I'd been using was nothing other than specially ordered FENCE TAR. Oooopsie! While I'm no stranger to paint on my hands, this is a little extreme.

Still, the finished jump is well worth the flack I'm going to get for my dirty hands for the next... uh, however long it takes tar to come off? In the meantime, the search is on for a book about solvents... there's gotta be one out there somewhere.

And as usual, the moose tuque made an appearance:

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Here's the thing:


It's not you, it's me. Me hating every fucking thing about you.

Saturday, April 16, 2011

I know there's nothing under my bed,

but you won't find me sleeping with any part of my arms or legs hanging off the mattress during my infrequent slumber.


You go ahead.



I'm not taking any chances.

Friday, April 15, 2011

red dress party

So, tomorrow is the annual red dress party here in Portland. To be perfectly honest, I'm not even sure exactly what it is, but I do know it benefits AIDS/HIV funding & is a big GLBT thing... and I'm wickedly excited for it. AND I have a ticket.

Here's the catch: EVERYONE (and I mean EVERYONE) has to wear a red dress.

After appraising my closet, I found that I do not own a single red dress. I find this puzzling, seeing as I probably own EVERY OTHER PIECE OF CLOTHING KNOWN TO MAN. No, seriously... I could probably wear a different article of clothing every day for the next 5 years if I tried. I stumbled upon this sad realization today while attempting to clean/reorganize the aforementioned closet... the type of closet which could easily qualify for an episode of Hoarders.


ANYWAY, while explaining my red dress plight earlier, someone imparted the following comment about me & my wardrobe. Verbatim, it is as follows: "I'm surprised about that, because devils wear red!"

Thanks. A lot.


UPDATE: Nevermind, I went to the fabric store & am making my own dress. It's gonna be RIDICULOUS. Employing my less-than-great sewing skills to merge a clashing myriad of fabrics... stay tuned.

culmination of last night's epic project:


impromptu art party.


So today my neighbor & good friend Brittany asked me to help her with a little window display project. We came up with the following masterpiece to be a backdrop for a sassy black Dolce & Gabbana cocktail dress from the throes of my closet:


Brittany mixin' some colors...

Splatter painting! (Please note my awesome Nebraska sweatshirt, featuring the ORIGINAL Herbie Husker. GO BIG RED!)

Hanging the masterpiece up to dry...

Footprints in poor garage lighting... brilliant idea though, right?

Aftermath.


Projects like this make me miss being in school. At least I still have a forum to make up random ideas... wait, why do my friends trust me again?