Freedom is just another word for nothin' left to lose

Here are a few things that I have noticed lately:

1. If you live alone and oversleep, no one is around to wake you up. You just keep sleeping. Then you are late for work. Again.

2. There is a lot of emphasis on the word Are in my life right now. An example:

Me: hello
them: Oh hi. How are you?
Me: I'm ok
them: Are you? That's great, that's really great. I'm praying for you every day and sacrificing things on your behalf...that is how much of a good person I am. Are you sure you're ok?
Me: Well, besides the fact that people seem to have forgotten that English is my first language, so they don't have to talk slowly...I'm ok. Thanks for asking. Oh, and stop telling me all the time that you are praying for me. It is freaking me out.


or something like that.

3. Men look at breasts first. They just do. I have accepted it. I think that if I went to another planet, and they had an arm in the middle of their head, I would look at it all the time. I think it's sort of like that.

4. The Beatles are awesome. I don't know how I went my whole life without truly grasping this.

5. Fresh food is better. Better tasting and better for you.

6. I don't like women who find their whole identity in their children. I hope that if/when I have some, that I can talk to people about other things and not parade them around as though they are a new handbag, making them do tricks and hug everyone they see. I do not need your kid to hug me. Please don't say "Give Miss Elisa a hug". Don't get me wrong, I love kids and hugging kids...but your kid hugging me is not going to make my life better. Especially when they are being forced to do it. They are not prostitutes...stop treating them as though they are. Hug Miss Elisa and get a treat...gross

7. I love my apartment. It just happened. One day I came home and realized that I really love it.

8. I have great friends. Even when I feel alone, I know that. I wish that everyone had a community that is as wonderful as mine. truly.

9. People read stupid stuff. I look at our bestsellers and am amazed at how much crap is on it. utterly useless, inane crap. The book equivalent of reality TV.

10. I will do anything to avoid working on my screenplay.

My favorite fall things

Apples
Leaves
Bouquets of freshly sharpened pencils
Pumpkins
Hot chocolate
Hoodies
Long sleeved shirts on boys
Pulling out the sweaters for the first time
Wilco (great fall music)
Reading fall books
Soup and Chili
Being outside
Porch time
Walks
Sleeping with the windows open
Red, brown, orange, yellow
the first really chilly morning
Not turning on the AC
snuggling
puppies (ok, they are good in every season)
granola
hiking
boots


I love the fall! i know that this is when things die in nature, but to me it is when things start over and I am so happy. Hopeful.

Enjoy the weekend.

Have a great weekend

random list

My blog has felt too serious lately. So, I am going to keep it light. I was thinking this morning of how fun my little life is. And things I like to do.
Here are some things that I thought of:

1. wearing Tshirts, all the time.
2. Stuffed animals that are subversive and cute.
3. crafting blogs and books
4. feeling cool
5. pink skulls
6. Wilco "sky blue sky"
7. cooler fall nights
8. good wine with good friends
9. sitting at Barnes and Noble in the childrens section under the "magical tree"
10. college campuses
11. Kids who call me 'Sisa"
12. Nathans hot dogs and the people I eat them with
13. Dancing and singing with abandon in my apartment
14. Jamiroqui "Canned Heat'
15. Punk music
16. Reading
17. Sewing
18. My couch (seriously, it is wonderful)
19. using real napkins
20. Charlotte Donlons food

This is just a short list I thought of. Have a happy weekend. Be sure to go here to see how my side project is coming. 6 days and only $3!!

how to be broke 101

I do not make a lot of money. I used to make a lot of money, but now I do not. In 1 year, I halved my salary (by choice). I do not regret this decision, as I am happier and more healthy than I have ever been. However, I have had to change a lot of things in my life. I would like to share the things that I have learned in this tumultous year.
NOTE: I am not claiming that I am poor, because I am not. Not even close. By society's standards, I am probably am, but I am not hungry, am clothes (stylishly), have a car, nice apartment, etc. This is only a tutorial on how to live on less.
Ok, here we go:
1. Don't buy alcohol at bars. This expense really adds up. On that note, usually if you get to a bar early (before 8 or 9), you can get in before they start charging a cover. Then, you can spend the cover money on a beer, or not.
2. The library. It is a wonderful resource. If you are someone who really likes to own books, most of the Jeff. county libraries have a section where they sell book, for 50 cents. I have gotten some really great, new releases and old classics from this section. The Mtn Brook library has a sale on the first Tuesday of the month where books are only a quarter! a quarter!
3. Stop smoking. Ok, this is not something I did, but really, you should quit. It is gross and expensive. so quit today. right now. put down the cigarette.
4. Only buy no name brand non perishable foods. I still buy organic even though it is pricier because I feel it is worth it. But when buying granola, oatmeal, cereal, etc...buy the cheap brand. Most of the time you can't tell a difference.
5. Dumpster Diving. The art of finding really good shit on the side of the road. I do this shamelessly. I have gotten a desk, bookshelves and a table. not to mention buckets, paintings, clothes. Or if you can't handle that: Goodwill. seriously, this is a mecca. for books, clothes, housewares...everything.
6. emusic.com. this is a website/music club that has indie music on it. good indie. everything from Wilco to The Pixies to Ryan Adams, etc. I pay $19.99 a month and get 75 downloads. Not only is this economical, it is green. no packaging. if you must get the actual cd, amazon.com is the way to go.
7. Get a hobby. Better if this is cheap, and even better if it makes you money. When you have a hobby, you are less likely to feel like going shopping, and when you make something, you forget you are broke!
8. Eat at friends houses. No one wants to cook for 1, but going out is expensive. So, eat at friends and then have them over. This really does work, and is a lot more fun.
9. Find cheap things to do. here are some ideas: Go to Books and Company, Joe Muggs, etc and read magazines. If you feel badly, buy a coffee. You can spend hours doing this and you get to read expensive magazines.

And the Final and most fantastic....
10. Become a Freegan. This is a person who eats things that are free. the actual definition is as follows:
Freeganism is the practice of minimising one's impact on the environment by means of consuming food that has been or is about to be thrown away by someone else (e.g., supermarkets). A freegan may obtain the food by asking a retailer for what is to be discarded or by taking it from waste bins, a practice known colloquially as "dumpster diving".

It is Freegan awesome!

I am thinking about Dumpster Diving Whole Foods...whose in?!?

Stayed tuned for:
America and it's proliferation of nail salons and what this says about us