The Lost Art of Letter Writing

A friend of mine recently moved to Michigan to go to grad school. Before he left, he had a going away party, at which he became exceedingly intoxicated. He walked/danced/stumbled me to my car when I was leaving, and in his drunken state, declared that he wanted to write to me.

"A real letter," he slurred. "That's so ROMANTIC and old-fashioned, don't you think? Like Kerouac! Send me your address and I'll write to you." I agreed, lest he puke on me or pass out under the wheels of my car before I could drive away. I was fairly sure he wouldn't remember any part of our conversation anyways.

The night before he left, I called to say goodbye and he once again promised to write if I sent him my address. I complied, and a few weeks later, a letter - handwritten! - showed up in my mailbox.

If I haven't ever mentioned it, I LOVE MAIL. I go through my mail with an eagle eye each day, sorting it into piles: trash mail (junk mail, mail with other people's names on it, past due bills), shred mail (anything from a credit card company that has my full name on it, because I'm paranoid), interesting mail (sales at my favorite stores, free samples, pornography), and REAL MAIL (the most rare mail of all - something addressed just to me, not machine-generated, from a real person). I even shake out the trash mail just in case a piece of REAL MAIL might be hiding inside of it.

So it was pretty freaking exciting to get the letter. Of course, instead of quickly reciprocating, it took me a month to write him back, because I'm a dick. In the ensuing wait for a second letter from him, I became impatient and had to call, despite our agreement to try the writing thing for the sake of...I don't know, being Luddites? We've since been in touch on Facebook and occasionally over email, but he did FINALLY send me a second letter which arrived today.

While it was typed, instead of scrawled in longhand like the first letter, it elicited the same squealing happiness as before (perhaps even moreso, since the entire thing was actually legible) and I giggled at his stories, imagining him making faces and gesticulating wildly as I read. Is there anything better than a letter from a friend?

My favorite part of the letter would be that he signs off "Sincerely", except that this time he had to use butterfly and bumblebee 41 cent stamps, which made the letter a thousand times funnier. Man, I miss that kid.

So This Made Me Feel Better Today

Yes, We WILL

Because today, as joyous and wonderful and unbelievable as it has been, is not the end of our journey - it is only the beginning.

Here's to our President-Elect Barack Obama and to all of you who made it happen. Our time for change has come at last!

The Accidental Vegetarian

I just realized I haven't consumed any meat since Saturday night. (Of course, in a fit of protein-deficient mania that night, I ate a Wendy's hamburger [and a Krispy Kreme donut] but still, it was three whole days ago!)

I'm not on a diet or anything. I actually don't do diets, because they make me crabby and hungry and sleepy, which, come to think of it, is how I usually feel, only moreso. However, I am trying to eat healthier and have discovered I really like salads, so I'm eating them once or twice a day. I make them at home using copious amounts of baby spinach and lots of vegetables from the farmers market, plus sunflower seeds because they are the best thing ever on salads.

Without realizing it, I've actually started eating less every day and sometimes finish a salad and don't have something else for my "real" meal. (Originally, I would start with a salad and have a small portion of something else - a sandwich or some pasta.) I've also been having oatmeal for breakfast every day, mostly because my cholesterol is still higher than it should be, and eating a piece of fruit or two most days.

I haven't gone crazy with this health kick - I still have something sweet every day, even if it's just a couple of miniature chocolates - but I am excited that I've lost five pounds without trying, or even exercising. (Which is kind of sad, because I really want/need to exercise. I've been busy and admittedly lazy.)

Anyhow, it's sort of cool to realize that I am eating a lot less meat. I feel better and I think I look healthier and best of all, I'm reducing my carbon footprint. Yay, me!

The Hammer Is My Penis

YAY for Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog being available on MySpace! It's pretty much one of the best things EVAR, and certainly one of the best things anyone has made just for the interwebs. I love Joss Whedon and Neil Patrick Harris.

Also, how awesome is it that it's brought to us by the National Crime Prevention Council? Irony much?

Oh My Goodness!

Food critic and writing demigod Jonathan Gold likes my Yelp reviews! I'd heard about this from a couple of friends who know him, but to see it in writing for myself was quite exciting. Okay, he actually says he likes the energy I bring to my reviews, but I'll take that to mean I'm obviously next in line for the Pulitzer. Oh, happy day!

Lip-Lickingly Luscious

The first time I ever tried pat bing soo was in Dallas, of all places, courtesy of a Korean friend I met thanks to Yelp. Let me just say, those Koreans know what they are doing with the frozen desserts.

For the uninitiated, pat bing soo (or patbingsu) is a popular Korean dessert of shaved ice and red beans with sweetened condensed milk, covered with sliced fruit (usually kiwi, strawberries, and bananas) along with mochi. The best kind, in my opinion, incorporates (vanilla) ice cream as well. I do not like cereal on it, as I learned when we ventured to a place in Koreatown that served it with melty strawberry ice cream and Fruity Pebbles. Yuck!

Anyhow, fortunately for me, I found a little slice of heaven right here in Pasadena. Sandwich Story serves pat bing soo, and while it didn't have ice cream on it, they said could totally work that out for me next time. (I am in love with this place already.) I am very happy right now.

Would You Get Down On Your Knees And Scrub Me?

I remember the summer night I first heard this song. I was seventeen and hopelessly in love with my very first real boyfriend and every word reminded me of him. I even sang this to him over the phone.

He's still my favorite person in the entire world and the one I think of when I hear songs like All I Want Is You by Barry Polisar (which is actually his ringtone on my phone).

Anyhow, I was thinking about the Lemonheads yesterday and remembered this song, one I hadn't thought about in ages. I wanted to post it because after all these years, he still makes me so incredibly happy. I love you, Ken.

The song is Being Around by the Lemonheads.

Proof That God Loves Us

The LA Wine Fest had more than just wine. The beer pours were generous and we found a few we really liked.

Good: Firestone Walker Brewing Company Double Barrel Ale

Light on the palate and easy to drink. Caramely but not too sweet.



Better: Coney Island Albino Python White Lager

Brewed with ginger, orange peel, fennel, and coriander. You can smell and taste the ginger right away. Nice summer beer.



Best: Green Flash Brewing Company Imperial IPA

Super ultra hoppy, fresh and clean tasting. Smells good enough to smoke.

Comfort Me With Curry

Everyone has their own special comfort food. Of course, I, being a fat ass, have myriad comfort foods: homemade tortillas with butter (or even better, refried beans); chicken soup of almost any kind, though I really like it best with either rice or kreplach or both; toast (I know, kind of weird); pot roast with lots of potatoes and carrots (it should be illegal to serve it any other way); and the most recent addition to the list, the yellow curry from Daisy Mint.

I order this probably 90% of the time I eat at DM. In fact, I called and ordered it tonight and picked it up on the way home from working out. (Yes, their number is totally programmed into my phone.) It's not that it's the best item on the menu - though there are so many good ones, it would be hard to pick a "best" - but rather that it's just perfect no matter what. It's spicy, but not overly spicy; the chicken is fall-apart tender; and you can cut the carrots and potatoes with the gentlest push of your fork. John, the owner, told me that the curry stews all day, which is why I love to order it for dinner (even though I often order it at lunch as well). I've had yellow curry at a lot of places, but this is the only one I crave regularly. Somehow the stress of my day just melts away whenever I savor this dish.

Today wasn't really a long or bad day, but my sinuses were/are driving me crazy and my hamstrings are sore and I just needed a pick-me-up. My Daisy Mint yellow curry, which I've been eating while writing this post, already has me purring. All I need now is a hot shower and I think I can curl up and go to bed happy.

Exhausted But Happy

So I am finally home...home being a relative term.

When I am in Indiana, I am home.

When I am with my family, I am home.

When I am in Los Angeles (or Pasadena), I am home.

You know the drill - it's where the heart is and all that jazz.

At any rate, here I am, back in my California home. Literally at home today as well, since I am working at my kitchen table once again. I was hoping to be in my office today after a long absence, but the Enterprise rental car branch I am using SUCKS BALLS and I wasn't able to rent something this morning. I'm working with my usual branch now and should be able to get into a car by this afternoon.

I am so tired - I could sleep for days, I think - but I had the best time. I'll write more about it later, but as a quick summary: I drove over 1,000 miles while I was there, shuttling back and forth between the homes of my siblings and my parents. I saw a Cubs game and my nephew's senior drama, stayed up late gossiping and giggling with my sisters, took care of my brother after he had outpatient surgery, and took about a billion pictures. My arm throbbed every single night (I couldn't take my meds during the day because I had to drive) but it was totally, absolutely, 100% worth it.

I miss them all like mad already.

Yum!

Dear Corazon:

Thanks so much for coming over last night and bringing dinner! Those hot dogs were delicious. I am so happy I finally got to use my grill! (I actually used it again to make hot dogs for lunch today.)

You are the best!

xoxo
City Elf

'W' Is For 'Wine'

I am enjoying wine with Corazon and cannot be bothered with a long post tonight. Appreciate what you get and don't complain!

'P' Is For 'Pre-Qualified'

Oh my God. I am on the road to homeownership!

I have been pre-qualified for a home loan. I have a realtor. And I am looking at listings.

It's exciting and terrifying all at once!

I'm still at the beginning of things, but I can already highly recommend Elizabeth Dillon at CLS Financial Services to get you started on the loan process. She's been a dream and has helped answer every single question I've had, which, given how little I know about homebuying, has been about ten million so far.

Baby, We Were Born To Run

Wow, this was nice news to read first thing this morning.

Springsteen Endorses Obama

Bruce Springsteen, the rocker who made "Born in the USA" a signature of working-class pride, endorsed Democrat Barack Obama for president today.

"He has the depth, the reflectiveness and the resilience to be our next president," Springsteen said in a letter posted on his website and distributed by the Obama campaign. "He speaks to the American I've envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems, a country that's interested in its collective destiny and in the potential of its gathered spirit, a place where 'nobody crowds you, and nobody goes it alone.'"

Bruce's letter announcing the endorsement is on his website.

Obama-Springsteen '08!

Today's post brought to you for the letter H, for very, very Happy.

All Thumbs

Today's post brought to you by Sony and the letter T.

When I was in college, we called it Sega Thumb. We played Sonic until our hands twitched in our sleep.

Now I suffer from PlayStation 2 Thumb. It doesn't roll off the tongue quite as nicely, but it's definitely the same problem: hot pink, overworked, pulsating thumbs.

The Ex upgraded to a PS3 and was charitable enough to pass along his old console to me. Given how hot it was today, I decided to stay indoors. Thus, I spent a good part of the afternoon playing Jak X, one of my favorite games ever, and now my thumbs are incredibly sore.

But oh, they hurt so good! I garnered my Red Eco cup in one sitting.

(Is it weird that my lips hurt from pursing them together so hard while I play?)

Under the Wire

'N' is for 'Nick of Time' - I just got home from the Yelp Elite event at 3 on 4th, featuring mixologist Frankie Oley showing us how to make four different delicious drinks.

Surpisingly enough, I can still type coherently (though it's not easy) and can share with you that Tuaca, Butterscotch Schnappes, and cinnamon taste AMAZING together.

Yay for free booze!

I Wanna Be Wild

This post brought to you by the letter B...for BRUUUUUUUUUCE!

I'm going to see him tomorrow night at the Pond! I can't wait. The show I saw in October was incredible.

I am very fortunate to once again be the date of my fabulous firefighter friend Masa, the biggest Springsteen fan I know. (He's going to see him on Tuesday night, too.) Not sure what I did to deserve this, but I plan on taking him to a very nice dinner before the concert to say thanks.

35 Days and Counting

Today's happiness brought to you by the letter V, for vacation.

I'm going to visit my family next month for a week. Yay! I can't wait!

A Certain Fondness

The Ex drove up on Sunday to see me. After we enjoyed a late breakfast at Andy's, he chauffeured me around town to look for a grill. We went to three stores before heading back to Target (the first store we visited, of course) to buy a Thermos Patio Chef Grill. 410 square inches of cooking surface and 26,500 BTUs, on sale for $80 this week - woohoo! It came with a free cover, but unfortunately, without a propane tank, so we had to drive back to OSH to buy one. D'oh!

We returned to my place and spent the next two hours building the damn thing. Who knew a grill had so many pieces? I was so glad he helped me, because I don't know if I'd have been able to assemble it alone. (I probably would have called Michael and begged for his manly assistance.)

At any rate, after all we've gone through over the past year, spending a day like this together was just...nice. My sister often says she has no idea how or why the guys I date tend to stick around for years after our breakups. (She found it hilarious that I had Easter dinner with the Ex and my besty, who's also an ex.) I wonder myself sometimes, but mostly, I just feel lucky.