I'll be 40 on December 5th. Changes (or is it "The Change"?) have made me rather...snippy. So.
Rant Series - ON BEING 40 AND FEMALE
*warning - this may contain some TMI, especially for the male gender. You menfolk may not want to read this entry.
40 is old. Well, it seems old. I've been in peri-menopause for years, sliding down into pre-menopause with horrifying ease.
I've always had bad periods - cramps, nausea, heavy bleeding, irregular periods, headaches, breast tenderness, back aches, irritability, bloating, mood swings, tiredness, vomiting.
Now I've added a whole new batch of symptoms to the list: leg aches, night chills, night sweats, hot flashes, migraines, irritable bowels, smell, taste and hearing sensitivity. And, just for good measure, certain things have grown worse: back aches, mood swings, cramps, tiredness.
Great.
I would like to know how all this contributes to evolution, I really would. Making me hate being female for a goodly portion of every month - making me moody and tired and bloated and vomiting are NOT good ways to attract a mate. The "I have a headache" can only work so much before it becomes tiresome to the male.
This is evolution's way of telling me I should not, in fact, breed. There is something in my biological makeup that is screaming out to be heard: "Warning! Keep away from this female! She is damaged goods! No good genes to pass on!" Seriously. I think all these troubles are an evolutionary adaptation to keep me, and women like me, from breeding. No man is going to put up with this bullshit long enough to mate with us - I barely can, and I'm LIVING it!
And the worst part? It doesn't get any better than this. Every year that passes will be WORSE. Until I can't physically breed anymore. "Post-menopause". Then what good am I? Soylent Green is people!
I went through my whole life for...what? No mate; no love; no offspring; lots and lots of pain and blood.
Hardly seems evolutionary. I should be proud, maybe. I'm ANTI-evolutionary. I'm here to make sure that men breed with other, more genome-fit women, and ones like me die off. Survival of the species at it's best! So, hey. I guess I do serve a purpose. No pain, no gain, eh?
To the survival of Humankind!!
You can thank me later.
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Rant Series - Elections
This is a hot topic, and inspired by a couple exchanges with people over the last few months, in real life and online.
Rant series - ELECTIONS
Shut up. No, really - SHUT UP all of you! Yes, ALL! Even the People For O. I know - it's amazing and appalling, isn't it? I want the Obama supporters to shut up! We all know Obama is The Savior of The United States of America! How can I tell them to shut up??
Because I'm fucking sick of the lot of you.
And by "you", I mean McCain supporters, too, so wipe that smug look of your faces.
I am stating, emphatically, that I don't like ANY of the candidates...at least, the frontrunners. I see the positives and negatives in both, but none sway me. And Palin just outright scares and disgusts me - she's the worst of the four.
However, more than their views and what "CHANGE" they want (because they both want CHANGE), what disgusts and appalls me more is the supporters for each side. The cries of "racist", "terrorist". The oh-how-terribly-urbane-and-sly-am-I "McSame" and "McBush" and "McPalin" word plays.
Mostly what disturbs me is how rabid the Obama people seem to be. If you're not for Obama, you're against the U.S., you're racist, you're..well, just downright ridiculous and stupid, aren't you?
Calling me racist is ridiculous, as anyone who knows me IRL will attest to. I probably wouldn't even care if it came out that Obama is, in reality, Muslim, because I don't believe what the gub'mint tells me about "all" Muslims. Religion should have no place in politics, which is why Palin scares me, and to some extent, McCain.
Discussing Obama with someone inevitably leads to arguing with somebody about Obama, because they can't seem to keep their cool. As soon as you say you're not "for" him, they take it as a personal insult and are instantly on the attack.
Chill the fuck out.
This is why I can't stand talking about politics. The slightest whiff of anti-O, and they're off. They cannot - CANNOT - hold civilized discussions. They resort to name-calling and/or turn around the argument to McCain, who they bash with glee. There is no discussion. It's not possible. They cite all sorts of facts and figures, and then dismiss anything you might counter with. If I say McCain supporters cars were keyed, or signs were stolen, they retort with "And THAT'S supposed to be the same as calling Obama a terrorist?!"
Well, no - I never said it was. I just said that BOTH SIDES ARE WAY TOO OUT OF HAND, and should chill out. I cited instances that I PERSONALLY knew about, instead of reported stories.
So. In summary. I don't like McCain. I don't like Obama. I really dislike Palin. I don't much care about Biden. I won't vote for either candidate, no matter how much that galls you - I actually have the RIGHT (*gasp!*) to vote for someone else! Imagine! The freedom to vote. Whodathunkit?
Now please - don't talk politics with me. Or at me. I think everyone is out of hand and should shut up, and that includes you. And you. And yes - even you.
And me, too.
Rant series - ELECTIONS
Shut up. No, really - SHUT UP all of you! Yes, ALL! Even the People For O. I know - it's amazing and appalling, isn't it? I want the Obama supporters to shut up! We all know Obama is The Savior of The United States of America! How can I tell them to shut up??
Because I'm fucking sick of the lot of you.
And by "you", I mean McCain supporters, too, so wipe that smug look of your faces.
I am stating, emphatically, that I don't like ANY of the candidates...at least, the frontrunners. I see the positives and negatives in both, but none sway me. And Palin just outright scares and disgusts me - she's the worst of the four.
However, more than their views and what "CHANGE" they want (because they both want CHANGE), what disgusts and appalls me more is the supporters for each side. The cries of "racist", "terrorist". The oh-how-terribly-urbane-and-sly-am-I "McSame" and "McBush" and "McPalin" word plays.
Mostly what disturbs me is how rabid the Obama people seem to be. If you're not for Obama, you're against the U.S., you're racist, you're..well, just downright ridiculous and stupid, aren't you?
Calling me racist is ridiculous, as anyone who knows me IRL will attest to. I probably wouldn't even care if it came out that Obama is, in reality, Muslim, because I don't believe what the gub'mint tells me about "all" Muslims. Religion should have no place in politics, which is why Palin scares me, and to some extent, McCain.
Discussing Obama with someone inevitably leads to arguing with somebody about Obama, because they can't seem to keep their cool. As soon as you say you're not "for" him, they take it as a personal insult and are instantly on the attack.
Chill the fuck out.
This is why I can't stand talking about politics. The slightest whiff of anti-O, and they're off. They cannot - CANNOT - hold civilized discussions. They resort to name-calling and/or turn around the argument to McCain, who they bash with glee. There is no discussion. It's not possible. They cite all sorts of facts and figures, and then dismiss anything you might counter with. If I say McCain supporters cars were keyed, or signs were stolen, they retort with "And THAT'S supposed to be the same as calling Obama a terrorist?!"
Well, no - I never said it was. I just said that BOTH SIDES ARE WAY TOO OUT OF HAND, and should chill out. I cited instances that I PERSONALLY knew about, instead of reported stories.
So. In summary. I don't like McCain. I don't like Obama. I really dislike Palin. I don't much care about Biden. I won't vote for either candidate, no matter how much that galls you - I actually have the RIGHT (*gasp!*) to vote for someone else! Imagine! The freedom to vote. Whodathunkit?
Now please - don't talk politics with me. Or at me. I think everyone is out of hand and should shut up, and that includes you. And you. And yes - even you.
And me, too.
Rant Series - News Flashes and News
I have a few rants to get out of my system, but they should be separated, so this is the first one - NEWS FLASHES AND NEWS.
Dear local news (and even cable news, but mostly local news):
There are VERY few things that require a news flash in our little city of Milwaukee. The Falk explosion? Yes. The killing/dying/assassination of a Personage of Note? Sure. Declarations of war or peace? Yes. Tornado coming? OK. 27-car pile up on I-94? Yes. Helicopter crash in the lake? Yes.
"There's a possible fire, maybe in a warehouse, somewhere in the Valley, and you can see the smoke from the freeway!" is NOT breaking news. It's pre-breaking news. It's not even news. It's just pre-breaking chit-chat, perhaps.
When you have details: when you know if people are dead or OK or hurt; when you know the location of the incident; when you know, even basically, WTF is going on...THEN you have breaking news.
As a follow-up, once the news has broken, and you have details, and you have had your "Breaking News" flash that interrupted regular programming, do NOT have a news flash every 5 minutes with every little tiny detail (or even no new details) that comes to light. Save it, and do another flash in, say, a half hour, when you'll probably have even MORE details. I hate seeing reporters and talking heads standing around re-iterating everything that's already been said, and said many times already.
Speaking of reporters standing around - here's another peeve. Weather "news". I like to know the weather as much as the next person. I want to know if there's a tornado in the area, or if flooding rains are expected, or a huge snowstorm is on the way. That's all well and good.
HOWEVER, when you send reporters to different locations to pick up bits of snow and show the camera and say "Oooo...snow!" for EIGHT SOLID HOURS....well, it's a bit much. We live in Wisconsin. Most of us have seen snow - way too much of it, in fact. We know what snow is, what it looks like, that it needs to be shoveled, and that we should be careful driving in it. We have windows that show us how deep it is "out there". There is never a reason for "breaking news" for a snowstorm.
We all know what a crawl is on the bottom of the screen. You use it for tornado/storm watches and warnings. This is sufficient. You can even have the radar on the side of the screen. We don't need more. We don't need reporters and talking heads for EIGHT HOURS talking about nothing but snow. There *is* actual news happening, too, and we'd like to know about that.
Here's an idea. Be the station that only shows the crawl at the bottom and the radar on the side, and get on with normal programming! I bet your ratings will soar, not plummet. "That's a level-headed station, right there", people will say. "They're good because they don't panic, and don't show us snow for eight hours".
This rant is over.
Dear local news (and even cable news, but mostly local news):
There are VERY few things that require a news flash in our little city of Milwaukee. The Falk explosion? Yes. The killing/dying/assassination of a Personage of Note? Sure. Declarations of war or peace? Yes. Tornado coming? OK. 27-car pile up on I-94? Yes. Helicopter crash in the lake? Yes.
"There's a possible fire, maybe in a warehouse, somewhere in the Valley, and you can see the smoke from the freeway!" is NOT breaking news. It's pre-breaking news. It's not even news. It's just pre-breaking chit-chat, perhaps.
When you have details: when you know if people are dead or OK or hurt; when you know the location of the incident; when you know, even basically, WTF is going on...THEN you have breaking news.
As a follow-up, once the news has broken, and you have details, and you have had your "Breaking News" flash that interrupted regular programming, do NOT have a news flash every 5 minutes with every little tiny detail (or even no new details) that comes to light. Save it, and do another flash in, say, a half hour, when you'll probably have even MORE details. I hate seeing reporters and talking heads standing around re-iterating everything that's already been said, and said many times already.
Speaking of reporters standing around - here's another peeve. Weather "news". I like to know the weather as much as the next person. I want to know if there's a tornado in the area, or if flooding rains are expected, or a huge snowstorm is on the way. That's all well and good.
HOWEVER, when you send reporters to different locations to pick up bits of snow and show the camera and say "Oooo...snow!" for EIGHT SOLID HOURS....well, it's a bit much. We live in Wisconsin. Most of us have seen snow - way too much of it, in fact. We know what snow is, what it looks like, that it needs to be shoveled, and that we should be careful driving in it. We have windows that show us how deep it is "out there". There is never a reason for "breaking news" for a snowstorm.
We all know what a crawl is on the bottom of the screen. You use it for tornado/storm watches and warnings. This is sufficient. You can even have the radar on the side of the screen. We don't need more. We don't need reporters and talking heads for EIGHT HOURS talking about nothing but snow. There *is* actual news happening, too, and we'd like to know about that.
Here's an idea. Be the station that only shows the crawl at the bottom and the radar on the side, and get on with normal programming! I bet your ratings will soar, not plummet. "That's a level-headed station, right there", people will say. "They're good because they don't panic, and don't show us snow for eight hours".
This rant is over.
Wednesday, October 8, 2008
Update!
I really need to keep up with my blog. I have the time - just not the motivation.
I closed on my house in New Orleans yesterday. So, that's it. My final anchor to NOLA is gone. I'm happy the house sold, don't get me wrong, but I'm sad, too. It was a beautiful, great house.
When I move back to NOLA, though, I won't own property. Too much heartache. Renting will do.
Signed up for Brightkite today. Seems interesting. We'll see how it goes.
I'm supposed to go to a Twappyhour tomorrow evening at the Iron Horse Hotel in the Valley. Cori is supposed to be there, too, and I think I got Chuck to go, so at least I'll know 2 people. I'm kind of abashed when it comes to meeting new people. Wish I had business cards of my own. I should have thought of it sooner. Oh, well - I'll give out the Via 1 ones, and that'll have to do.
What else? Hmmm.....
Still looking for a "real" job, or at least more Copywriting opportunities. Got just one assignment in the past month, and that's not good.
I sent out the invitation e-mail for my 40th birthday in New Orleans. It's also a combination Tweetup and Fark party. I've rec'd 2 "maybe", 2 "no", and 5 "yes" so far. And that's not including all my friends that are coming that live in New Orleans.
I'm really excited about the hotel group rate I got at Avenue Garden Hotel on St.Charles. First, it's one of my favorite hotels in New Orleans, second, it's only a couple blocks from Lucky's, where the party will be. $69/night is an awesome deal anywhere, but especially in New Orleans.
Hey - anyone reading my blog - you're invited, too. Just ask for "Christin's Party rate" when you book. The party is on Saturday, Dec. 6th. The rate is good from Dec 1 - Dec 8. Avenue Garden Hotel phone number is 504.521.8000.
I like explaining to people outside of New Orleans that yes...when I say the party is all day/all night, I mean it. Lucky's never closes. They are open 24/7/365. I've had a few people express shock at this situation. It makes me laugh.
Oh - I got an early Christmas present. Tickets to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Dec. 11 (I think) in Milwaukee. Awesome! I've always wanted to see them. Mary & Ron bought them for me. :)
I closed on my house in New Orleans yesterday. So, that's it. My final anchor to NOLA is gone. I'm happy the house sold, don't get me wrong, but I'm sad, too. It was a beautiful, great house.
When I move back to NOLA, though, I won't own property. Too much heartache. Renting will do.
Signed up for Brightkite today. Seems interesting. We'll see how it goes.
I'm supposed to go to a Twappyhour tomorrow evening at the Iron Horse Hotel in the Valley. Cori is supposed to be there, too, and I think I got Chuck to go, so at least I'll know 2 people. I'm kind of abashed when it comes to meeting new people. Wish I had business cards of my own. I should have thought of it sooner. Oh, well - I'll give out the Via 1 ones, and that'll have to do.
What else? Hmmm.....
Still looking for a "real" job, or at least more Copywriting opportunities. Got just one assignment in the past month, and that's not good.
I sent out the invitation e-mail for my 40th birthday in New Orleans. It's also a combination Tweetup and Fark party. I've rec'd 2 "maybe", 2 "no", and 5 "yes" so far. And that's not including all my friends that are coming that live in New Orleans.
I'm really excited about the hotel group rate I got at Avenue Garden Hotel on St.Charles. First, it's one of my favorite hotels in New Orleans, second, it's only a couple blocks from Lucky's, where the party will be. $69/night is an awesome deal anywhere, but especially in New Orleans.
Hey - anyone reading my blog - you're invited, too. Just ask for "Christin's Party rate" when you book. The party is on Saturday, Dec. 6th. The rate is good from Dec 1 - Dec 8. Avenue Garden Hotel phone number is 504.521.8000.
I like explaining to people outside of New Orleans that yes...when I say the party is all day/all night, I mean it. Lucky's never closes. They are open 24/7/365. I've had a few people express shock at this situation. It makes me laugh.
Oh - I got an early Christmas present. Tickets to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra on Dec. 11 (I think) in Milwaukee. Awesome! I've always wanted to see them. Mary & Ron bought them for me. :)
Monday, September 22, 2008
A New Blog - Introductions
Hello. I'm X1 (or some form of that name).
I'm going to try this place out.
JournalCommunity changed my password and didn't bother to let me know. Then, after I asked for it a second time, stating that I was "really irritated", they told someone else that I "flamed" them with a second email.
Whatever.
Time to find a new home!
I'll be transferring everything over here, as soon as I can get to my entries.
***
Today is the first day of Autumn, a situation I'm not exactly happy about, as I hate Winter. However, October is my favorite month. I'm just full of dichotomies, and that's just one!
A little about me:
I'm a single (never been married), female with no children. I do have 3 nieces and 2 nephews, and 1 niece that died of SIDS at age 3 months.
I was born in Milwaukee, WI. I moved to New Orleans, and lived there for years - until Hurricane Katrina came and kicked me out - all the way back to WI. I now live in a Milwaukee suburb, and am just passing time until I can move back to NOLA, which is more home to me than any place on Earth. I love and miss my adopted hometown, her people, her culture, her food and everything else. Well...except the cockroaches and politicians (one and the same thing, really).
I'm on gchat, and also, my name is Im_X1 on Twitter. Follow me!
So. Hi. Nice to meet you.
X1
I'm going to try this place out.
JournalCommunity changed my password and didn't bother to let me know. Then, after I asked for it a second time, stating that I was "really irritated", they told someone else that I "flamed" them with a second email.
Whatever.
Time to find a new home!
I'll be transferring everything over here, as soon as I can get to my entries.
***
Today is the first day of Autumn, a situation I'm not exactly happy about, as I hate Winter. However, October is my favorite month. I'm just full of dichotomies, and that's just one!
A little about me:
I'm a single (never been married), female with no children. I do have 3 nieces and 2 nephews, and 1 niece that died of SIDS at age 3 months.
I was born in Milwaukee, WI. I moved to New Orleans, and lived there for years - until Hurricane Katrina came and kicked me out - all the way back to WI. I now live in a Milwaukee suburb, and am just passing time until I can move back to NOLA, which is more home to me than any place on Earth. I love and miss my adopted hometown, her people, her culture, her food and everything else. Well...except the cockroaches and politicians (one and the same thing, really).
I'm on gchat, and also, my name is Im_X1 on Twitter. Follow me!
So. Hi. Nice to meet you.
X1
The Scorecard - Updated
Wow. I didn't pull any punches with my old Scorecard, did I? And since then, my opinions of people have changed, new people have been added, and some fell by the wayside.
Boo and Meg, for example, got married and now live in GA. JT is now Lucky's manager, and I can actually say and spell "Janneke", JT's wife. She still keeps her hair in blonde dreads, but she works for a different hospital now. She's also a rollergirl for BERG, the Big Easy Rollergirls. Her name is "Fleur d'Lethal", but she may change it to "Meggan Groceries".
Jack is still around, but only just realized that we really, really are not dating anymore. Took him a few years. I still care about him, but it is NOT meant to be.
Destiny gave up being a night-time cabbie for United and is now a grade school teacher. She lives with her boyfriend, Johnny, who does construction work. The "marriage" word is in their future.
Rose and Dan are regulars at Lucky's. Debbie still works there, as well, and new bartenders come and go. Karen is still there, and she dumped loser Travis and is now with Angelo, and all is right with that.
A different Travis (AKA T-Love or Big Travis or Big T) is a much-beloved regular at Lucky's, as well.
For the Milwaukee scorecard, we have Dave, the owner of the bar I hang out at, and my friend. Also friends with Chuck, Mike & Beth (AKA Foodlovers), Amy, and Kelly. Daniel, my friend of 21 years, is no longer my friend. His loss.
Other assorted people include: Nancy, Andy, Kevin/George, Chris/Goober, Jackie, and my family members.
Boo and Meg, for example, got married and now live in GA. JT is now Lucky's manager, and I can actually say and spell "Janneke", JT's wife. She still keeps her hair in blonde dreads, but she works for a different hospital now. She's also a rollergirl for BERG, the Big Easy Rollergirls. Her name is "Fleur d'Lethal", but she may change it to "Meggan Groceries".
Jack is still around, but only just realized that we really, really are not dating anymore. Took him a few years. I still care about him, but it is NOT meant to be.
Destiny gave up being a night-time cabbie for United and is now a grade school teacher. She lives with her boyfriend, Johnny, who does construction work. The "marriage" word is in their future.
Rose and Dan are regulars at Lucky's. Debbie still works there, as well, and new bartenders come and go. Karen is still there, and she dumped loser Travis and is now with Angelo, and all is right with that.
A different Travis (AKA T-Love or Big Travis or Big T) is a much-beloved regular at Lucky's, as well.
For the Milwaukee scorecard, we have Dave, the owner of the bar I hang out at, and my friend. Also friends with Chuck, Mike & Beth (AKA Foodlovers), Amy, and Kelly. Daniel, my friend of 21 years, is no longer my friend. His loss.
Other assorted people include: Nancy, Andy, Kevin/George, Chris/Goober, Jackie, and my family members.
The Scorecard - 1/2/05
From JC - The Scorecard - 1/2/05
This is actually relevant to now, as well. I think I'll do a new Scorecard after this one.
Since this is a new diary site, I decided I'd better give a rundown of the "players" in my game o' Life.
Destiny: Cabbie. My best friend in NOLA. Originally from Buffalo, NY. She's older than me by just a few years. She likes to talk, write, and people-watch. She drives her cab at nite in the French Quarter area.
Lucky's: The bar I hang out in. On St. Charles Avenue. It's a 24-hour place. It's got a bar, food, a laundromat, 2 pool tables, a dart board, a small stage for bands, and a quiet "reading" nook with books. You can buy the books for $1.00, which goes to a battered women's shelter. I often donate books there. There's another corner where you can donate clothes or baby goods or foodstuffs, for the women's shelter, but also for the psych ward at Charity Hospital. It also has a porch, so you can sit outside and drink and watch the streetcars go by. It's part of a chain of bars owned by Igor. There's Lucky's, Checkpoint Charlie's, Igor's, and the Buddha Belly.
Boo LaCrosse: The manager of Lucky's. Originally from Wisconsin. He used to work at Buffa's. He dates Meg, who works at the St. Charles Tavern. He's a musician, as well...has played with lots of "big name" people, including the Violent Femmes, the Neville Brothers, and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
Debbie: Weekend dayshift bartender at Lucky's. Also a Notary Public. She's...errr...not quite all there. She's not a really good bartender at all. It's not that she's not nice...she's just...not there. I don't know a better way to put it.
Becca: The weekday dayshift (and Wed nite) bartender. She's a very cool littl riotgrrrl. Originally from Detroit. Very level-headed. Good bartender. Good listener. We often call her "Mama" Becca. Younger than most of us by several years. She dates Don.
Don: Dates Becca. He runs Cafe Reconcile, and is a chef. A big bear of a guy (compared to Becca's 5-ft nothing frame), very genial. Our own local celeb, as he's always appearing in newscasts and in the papers for things related to Cafe Reconcile.
Cafe Reconcile: A restaurant only open for breakfast and lunch. On Oretha Castle Haley Drive...about 2 blocks behind Lucky's. It's basically a halfway house, with a twist. The ppl that work there are all street kids that are in the process of being rehabilitated...ex-gangbangers, dealers, druggies/alcoholics, battered/homeless kids, etc. CR takes these kids and teaches them job skills...everything from cooking to waiting tables to working a cash register. When they are done with the program, restaurants all over New Orleans line up to hire these kids, because they know the kids are good at what they do. Don runs the Cafe.
Buffa's: Bar/restaurant on Esplanade. Destiny and I hang there. Boo used to work there, and used to date Sarah, who is a bartender there. JD bartends there.
Sandy: Thursday day shift and fill-in bartender at Lucky's. Relatively new to the Lucky's scene. She's very cool. Also an "exotic dancer". She dates JD.
JD: Bartender for Buffa's and Checkpoint Charlie's. Dates Sandy. Originally from Washington, D.C. Lots of piercings and ink. Fire-eater. Very cool, intelligent, mellow guy.
Karen: Bartender at Lucky's. 3rd shift weekends. Intelligent. Writes poetry. Most guys love her. She dated (dated? Well, ok...slept with) Jack for a while. She dated Travis and Angelo at the same time, then chose Travis over Angelo.
Travis: Dates Karen. Lives upstairs from Lucky's. Very young, but thinks he has the entire world figured out, and everyone is stupid except him. Knows Karate and Judo. Looks like the typical renderings of Jesus. Alcoholic.
Angelo: Boo's best friend. Divorced. Has 2 sons. Greek. Originally from New York. Used to date Karen. Very nice, very mellow guy. Dangerous, too, but you'd never know it. Was Special Forces in the military, and a bouncer in New York and New Orleans. Could prolly kill someone 20 different ways with a single finger. Good thing he's so mellow.
JT: 3rd shift bartender at Lucky's. Musician. I don't see him much anymore. Married to J. She's from the Netherlands, originally, and her name's hard to spell and pronounce. So "J" will do.
J: Married to JT. She's an OT in the psych ward at Charity Hospital. Likes to sew and do crafts. Originally from the Netherlands. Keeps her hair in blonde dreads.
OTEL: Saturday nite band at Lucky's. They play elsewhere, as well. Nominated for "Best Emerging Band in New Orleans". Paul is the lead singer, lead guitar, and keyboards. Al plays bass and sings backup. Hiero plays second guitar and sings backup. He's from Japan, and barely speaks any English, but is absolutely amazing on a guitar. I forget the drummer's name, but he's not there all that often. I think they're trying to replace him.
Jack: My ex-boyfriend of one month. He used to "date" Karen, too. He's 34. Long hair. Drifter. Couch-Surfer. Talks non-stop. Thinks he's smart...and there may be some intelligence there, but acts more stupid than anything else. Gets his information about women from "Maxim" magazine. Racist. Homophobe. Cheerfully proclaims to be a Redneck Asshole. Nothing is EVER his fault.
What did I see in him? No clue. I was lonely, and he paid attention to me. I've learned my lesson quite well, thank you.
Sean: Lives upstairs from Lucky's with his g/f Arienne and Arienne's son (when her son is not w/his father in FL). Big guy, well over 6' tall. Looks scary but is a teddybear. I love him, he loves me, but he loves Arienne more. Hates most ppl. Wants to go back to Arizona and live in the desert. I think he'll actually do that this year. Prolly right after Mardi Gras.
Dockside: Dockide is a restaurant in River Ridge, where I used to live when I first moved to LA. The owners, Ms. Rebecca and Dan, basically adopted me. I used to eat there 2 or 3 times a week. They (or the waitstaff) taught me how to eat boiled crab, fix Turtle Soup, and the proper way to eat Crawfish. Rogie is a waitress there.
The rest of the scorecard is my family, and lesser players in New Orleans and Milwaukee and elsewhere. People I don't see as often as I should, or some that I know only as "acquaintance"...the barflys and so on.
This is actually relevant to now, as well. I think I'll do a new Scorecard after this one.
Since this is a new diary site, I decided I'd better give a rundown of the "players" in my game o' Life.
Destiny: Cabbie. My best friend in NOLA. Originally from Buffalo, NY. She's older than me by just a few years. She likes to talk, write, and people-watch. She drives her cab at nite in the French Quarter area.
Lucky's: The bar I hang out in. On St. Charles Avenue. It's a 24-hour place. It's got a bar, food, a laundromat, 2 pool tables, a dart board, a small stage for bands, and a quiet "reading" nook with books. You can buy the books for $1.00, which goes to a battered women's shelter. I often donate books there. There's another corner where you can donate clothes or baby goods or foodstuffs, for the women's shelter, but also for the psych ward at Charity Hospital. It also has a porch, so you can sit outside and drink and watch the streetcars go by. It's part of a chain of bars owned by Igor. There's Lucky's, Checkpoint Charlie's, Igor's, and the Buddha Belly.
Boo LaCrosse: The manager of Lucky's. Originally from Wisconsin. He used to work at Buffa's. He dates Meg, who works at the St. Charles Tavern. He's a musician, as well...has played with lots of "big name" people, including the Violent Femmes, the Neville Brothers, and Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown.
Debbie: Weekend dayshift bartender at Lucky's. Also a Notary Public. She's...errr...not quite all there. She's not a really good bartender at all. It's not that she's not nice...she's just...not there. I don't know a better way to put it.
Becca: The weekday dayshift (and Wed nite) bartender. She's a very cool littl riotgrrrl. Originally from Detroit. Very level-headed. Good bartender. Good listener. We often call her "Mama" Becca. Younger than most of us by several years. She dates Don.
Don: Dates Becca. He runs Cafe Reconcile, and is a chef. A big bear of a guy (compared to Becca's 5-ft nothing frame), very genial. Our own local celeb, as he's always appearing in newscasts and in the papers for things related to Cafe Reconcile.
Cafe Reconcile: A restaurant only open for breakfast and lunch. On Oretha Castle Haley Drive...about 2 blocks behind Lucky's. It's basically a halfway house, with a twist. The ppl that work there are all street kids that are in the process of being rehabilitated...ex-gangbangers, dealers, druggies/alcoholics, battered/homeless kids, etc. CR takes these kids and teaches them job skills...everything from cooking to waiting tables to working a cash register. When they are done with the program, restaurants all over New Orleans line up to hire these kids, because they know the kids are good at what they do. Don runs the Cafe.
Buffa's: Bar/restaurant on Esplanade. Destiny and I hang there. Boo used to work there, and used to date Sarah, who is a bartender there. JD bartends there.
Sandy: Thursday day shift and fill-in bartender at Lucky's. Relatively new to the Lucky's scene. She's very cool. Also an "exotic dancer". She dates JD.
JD: Bartender for Buffa's and Checkpoint Charlie's. Dates Sandy. Originally from Washington, D.C. Lots of piercings and ink. Fire-eater. Very cool, intelligent, mellow guy.
Karen: Bartender at Lucky's. 3rd shift weekends. Intelligent. Writes poetry. Most guys love her. She dated (dated? Well, ok...slept with) Jack for a while. She dated Travis and Angelo at the same time, then chose Travis over Angelo.
Travis: Dates Karen. Lives upstairs from Lucky's. Very young, but thinks he has the entire world figured out, and everyone is stupid except him. Knows Karate and Judo. Looks like the typical renderings of Jesus. Alcoholic.
Angelo: Boo's best friend. Divorced. Has 2 sons. Greek. Originally from New York. Used to date Karen. Very nice, very mellow guy. Dangerous, too, but you'd never know it. Was Special Forces in the military, and a bouncer in New York and New Orleans. Could prolly kill someone 20 different ways with a single finger. Good thing he's so mellow.
JT: 3rd shift bartender at Lucky's. Musician. I don't see him much anymore. Married to J. She's from the Netherlands, originally, and her name's hard to spell and pronounce. So "J" will do.
J: Married to JT. She's an OT in the psych ward at Charity Hospital. Likes to sew and do crafts. Originally from the Netherlands. Keeps her hair in blonde dreads.
OTEL: Saturday nite band at Lucky's. They play elsewhere, as well. Nominated for "Best Emerging Band in New Orleans". Paul is the lead singer, lead guitar, and keyboards. Al plays bass and sings backup. Hiero plays second guitar and sings backup. He's from Japan, and barely speaks any English, but is absolutely amazing on a guitar. I forget the drummer's name, but he's not there all that often. I think they're trying to replace him.
Jack: My ex-boyfriend of one month. He used to "date" Karen, too. He's 34. Long hair. Drifter. Couch-Surfer. Talks non-stop. Thinks he's smart...and there may be some intelligence there, but acts more stupid than anything else. Gets his information about women from "Maxim" magazine. Racist. Homophobe. Cheerfully proclaims to be a Redneck Asshole. Nothing is EVER his fault.
What did I see in him? No clue. I was lonely, and he paid attention to me. I've learned my lesson quite well, thank you.
Sean: Lives upstairs from Lucky's with his g/f Arienne and Arienne's son (when her son is not w/his father in FL). Big guy, well over 6' tall. Looks scary but is a teddybear. I love him, he loves me, but he loves Arienne more. Hates most ppl. Wants to go back to Arizona and live in the desert. I think he'll actually do that this year. Prolly right after Mardi Gras.
Dockside: Dockide is a restaurant in River Ridge, where I used to live when I first moved to LA. The owners, Ms. Rebecca and Dan, basically adopted me. I used to eat there 2 or 3 times a week. They (or the waitstaff) taught me how to eat boiled crab, fix Turtle Soup, and the proper way to eat Crawfish. Rogie is a waitress there.
The rest of the scorecard is my family, and lesser players in New Orleans and Milwaukee and elsewhere. People I don't see as often as I should, or some that I know only as "acquaintance"...the barflys and so on.
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