It's a dreary rainy day in Astoria. I just spent the past day and a half studying for midterms, took the tests this morning and now I'm pretty fried so this will be a total stream of consciousness....
~ The Smiths are some of the best rainy day music you can listen to. It's the CD we grab first whenever we have to drive somewhere in bad weather. It just fits.
~ There is nothing I find more rude then when someone draws attention to a blemish. I have the misfortune of being plagued with sensitive skin that will break out at the slightest hint of stress, sticky humid weather, or fluctuating hormones. I have had to deal with this since high school. Believe me, I'm well aware of it which is why I don't appreciate someone pointing out a blemish or asking what happened to my face. I especially don't appreciate it when they do such things in front of other people because then I'm forced to announce to everyone that, yes, I have a pimple. Come on, it's not that hard to figure out, you've seen them before, haven't you? And if you yourself have never had a blemish, well, come closer so I can smack you.
~ There are a few things that pets should
never eat. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, lethal doses are 1 ounce per pound of milk chocolate and 0.1 ounce per pound of baker's chocolate. Many people think this is an old wive's tale claiming that "my dog loves chocolate and nothing ever happens." Yes, it's true you might get lucky and your dog won't have a reaction but, please, for the dog's sake don't risk it.
~ Onions are toxic to dogs and cats. The poisoning will start as gastrointestinal problems but if enough onion was consumed it will lead to hemolytic anemia. Raw, cooked, and dried onions will all have the same effect.
~ Tylenol is extremely toxic to cats and, to a lesser extent, dogs. Cats lack an enzyme needed to make Tylenol water soluble and therefore utilized by the body. It will oxidize their hemoglobin (the stuff that carries oxygen) so that it no longer can carry oxygen through the bloodstream. I probably don't have to explain that that's bad.
~ Finally, this is ArborBoy, the fabulous guy who puts up with me. He's a horticulturist, an anthropologist, an artist and the love of my life. I realize you can't see his face but I like the view this picture affords me.
And, scene.
After filling out a Facebook "note" called 20 Albums I found myself revisiting some music that I had let fall by the wayside, and a happy revisit it was. The note asked you to name 2o albums (duh) that had a profound effect or changed your life. Although I found that description a bit dramatic it still took me on a little walk down musical memory lane. One of the albums that I thought of immediately was Alanis Morissette's 1995 US debut album Jagged Little Pill. I first heard the album during my fall semester as a freshman theatre major while enduring all the typical insanity of making new friends, juggling classes and trying to find out how to get into the keg parties. The angst and rawness attracted me and I listened over and over. 
John Denver and The Muppets' A Christmas Together is the best Christmas Album. Period. I'm sorry but there is no arguing this fact. My sister and I listened to this album every year from Thanksgiving through New Year's when we were growing up. It's surprising that we didn't wear out the album. It was also a Christmas special shown on TV for a number of years. Still don't believe me when I say it's the best? Here's John Denver and Rolf singing my favorite Christmas carol - Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
"Good Woman" from Cat Power's You Are Free album. If this song doesn't make you cry, there is something wrong.
John Mayer's Room For Squares. I never get tired of this album.
"Marianne" from Boys For Pele. I've loved Tori Amos since high school. Nobody does what she does with a piano and a few strange lyrics.
~ The Smiths are some of the best rainy day music you can listen to. It's the CD we grab first whenever we have to drive somewhere in bad weather. It just fits.
~ There are a few things that pets should never eat. Chocolate is toxic to dogs, lethal doses are 1 ounce per pound of milk chocolate and 0.1 ounce per pound of baker's chocolate. Many people think this is an old wive's tale claiming that "my dog loves chocolate and nothing ever happens." Yes, it's true you might get lucky and your dog won't have a reaction but, please, for the dog's sake don't risk it.
~ Finally, this is ArborBoy, the fabulous guy who puts up with me. He's a horticulturist, an anthropologist, an artist and the love of my life. I realize you can't see his face but I like the view this picture affords me.
