Deep And Tangential Thoughts On A Cold Grey Morning

Mark by Valerie Kot

I awoke early this morning after another night of lucid dreams that I was not particularly thrilled to return to. I decided to read the new Douglas Coupland book that Con gave me for Christmas, The Gum Thief, rather than try to fall back to sleep. I'm not far into it, but I am enjoying the book immensely, so far.

While reading, I started to cough and realized that I was lying on my side in the exact way that Grandma used to lay to read and coughing, just as she used to cough in the morning. I wondered if her mother or grandmother lay in that position to read in bed, also. I went into a stream of consciousness mode and the thoughts just washed over me. I noticed that I was surrounded by cats, but Grandma never had cats in her bed - Linda did. Then I wondered how Grandma kept the cats out of her bed. Was she unpleasant with them, or did they just sense how much she wished they were outdoor cats? It occurred to me that they were both with me on this cold December morning, and that made me smile. I smiled more when I the thought that they are always with me, and that the ones they loved that I never knew were always with them - and probably with me, as well.

At that thought, I remembered that the heavy trash pick up is today and I went outside in my bathrobe and sweats and hauled the last twenty bags of debris that came from the back yard to the curb, so that I wouldn't have to wake Connor. I would like to say that it was purely altruistic, but he is a teenager home and bored for the holiday, and I really just wanted the rest of the morning to be quiet and contemplative.

Vegetable Soup

Homemade Vegetable Soup by Finijo (and I took the photo, too :) )

After all of the starchy fare during the holidays, I had a craving for vegetables in a big way. I mad a huge crock pot full of homemade vegetable soup. It was really good (I know, I'm humble, too), but it had the odd effect of making us more hungry. We would eat a big bowl of it and an hour later we would be famished. I was off and I found that I wanted it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner - and some snacks, too. It was ridiculous like the subtraction soup in The Phantom Tollbooth. I guess I will have to make it again soon.

Coby Brown and The Coffee House

I have been feeling pretty mellow lately and that prompted me to listen to The Coffee House station on Sirius satellite radio (via Dish Network). I have heard some great acoustic covers of songs that I love and I have heard acoustic songs sung by the the artists that made them hits. The best part of this station is getting to hear artists that I am not familiar with singing songs I haven't heard before. One of my new favorites is Coby Brown. An internet search revealed that he is apparently a favorite of Ellen DeGeneres and also dealt with cancer a few years ago. On The Coffee House he sings "Your Luck is Going to Change." The song brings to mind Mad World (the Gary Jules version) for some reason. It is melodic, but dark.

Sample play list:

David Gray -Sail Away

Alison Krauss - When You Say Nothing At All

Coby Brown - Your Luck Is Going To Change

Seal - Crazy

The Weepies - World Spins Madly On

Damhnait Doyle - I Want You To Want Me

Jack Johnson - Hope

Pete Townshend - Won't Get Fooled Again

Breaks Co-op - The Otherside

Tracy Chapman - Fast Car

Rob Thomas - Getting Late

Train - Drops of Jupiter (Live)

Norah Jones - Chasing Pirates

Chris Isaak - Wicked Game

Jason Mraz ft. Colbie Caillat - Lucky

David Gray - Babylon

Indigo Girls - Galileo

John Mayer - Heartbreak Warfare

Jewel - Foolish Games

Ryan Adams - Fix It

Tori Amos - Winter

Train - Drops Of Jupiter

Norah Jones - Chasing Pirates

Chris Isaak - Wicked Game

Colbie Caillat - Lucky

David Gray - Babylon

Dave Matthews - What You Are

Beatles - Something

David Wilcox - Eye of the Hurricane

The Recliners - I Wanna Be Sedated

Colbie Caillat - Fallin' For You

Dog's Eye View - Everything Falls Apart

Aimee Mann - Wise Up

Del Amitri - Tell Her This

Meaghan Smith - I Know

Goo Goo Dolls - Name (Acoustic)

Jakob Dylan - Something Good This Way Come

Neil Nathan - Do Ya

Fish City Grill

Fish City Grill by Finijo

I met Mike and Bill at Fish City Grill tonight after getting a call from Mike that they had a snow crab leg special. Mike and I used to go to Red Lobster many years ago to eat snow crab, so I knew Mike was looking forward to it as much as I was. I arrived before they did and tried to entertain myself by sending Mike the following text message,

"they ran out of crab legs...table of 5 REALLY fat me finished them off. The owner is pissed."

Carrie at Fish City Grill by Finijo

I was lying, of course, but while waiting for an outraged reply from Mike, I started talking to out server, Carrie, and forgot all about the message. Mike arrived and was quite peeved and it took me a minute to figure out what he was upset about. We got a good laugh about it and had a really good meal and good conversation, as always. They have a catfish special on another night, so I will have to take Connor and let him go nuts.

Trish and Darin Murphy

Trish and Darin - Mucky Duck 12/22/2009 by Finijo

I was lucky enough to be able to enjoy the annual Trish and Darin Murphy Christmas show at McGonigel's Mucky Duck. Caryn and Matt treated Marilyn and I to the dinner show and it was fantastic. Caryn, Marilyn, and I all used to go see them play 20 years ago. Each of us has stories of seeing them perform at different venues at different times. Caryn favored The Ginger Man, I watched them at The Big Easy and Marilyn talked about seeing them at The Bavarian Gardens and other venues. We think the last time we saw them was together more than ten years ago, so it was really a lot of fun to be there together tonight. I was pleased that they played so many of the older songs. We still have their CD's and we still play them. The best part was hearing their new material. We have vowed to get both Trish and Darin's newer CD's. I was pleased to get video of a few of their numbers. The one posted is I Can Make It Rain If I Want To, and it is in the top three songs of theirs that I really love. I posted the other videos on my Youtube site. Thank you, Matt and Caryn, for a wonderful gift of music, the trip down memory lane, and their company.



We were surprised to hear that the dinner of smothered brisket, mashed potatoes and peas with mint butter were all recipes provided by Trish. Very cool - she needs to put out a cook book.

Happy Birthday, Mom!!

Mom and Cake by Finijo

We celebrated Mom's birthday at Olive Garden today. Marilyn's friend, Patty, made the cake and it was both beautiful and delicious. She used a humming bird motif, because Mom is partial to humming birds (and the color purple). A good time was had by all and after lunch, some cake was had by all, also.

Humming Bird Cake by Finijo

It was an incredible homemade chocolate cake and the icing tasted like icing did when we were kids. You can see more of Patty's work on her website, mypattycake.com.

Projects

Terrarium Flowers by Finijo

This has been a month of projects. I have accomplished quite a bit and I have a pretty big list of to do while I am off during the holidays. Connor is also co-opted in to this activity, so he got to clean the top of the refrigerator and clean out the plastic containers in the kitchen. The terrarium now makes us smile, when the dead plants in it only made us frown before.

Wiggy's Private Box by Finijo

Our half-feral, antisocial orphan of a cat, Wigington Weslayan, got a new box to keep her from urinating in the spare room. She apparently can't share a box with the other kitties. One more thing ticked off the list. I still have to clean out the spice cubbord, clean out my tool box, organize my dresser drawers, etc...So much to do to prepare for the new year, but I am up for it.

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

New Furnace by Finijo

Just before the first freeze (and snow) of the year, our furnace went out. We have dealt with this kind of cold before when we were in the apartment and had the same thing happen, so we did what came naturally.

Furnace Replacement by Finijo

We bundled up, snuggled with the cats, borrowed space heaters and slept with baked bricks and stones. I learned something this time around - bricks are better. Stones have moisture in them and they can explode. It sounds like a gun going off in your oven. No harm, no foul - lesson learned.

Furnace Rust by Finijo

The parts and labor were covered by our home warranty, but we still had a hefty bill for incidentals. It was worth the cost to get some heat back in the house. The old furnace was from 1981, so I think it was well overdue to be replaced.

Foggy Morning

Foggy Braes Bayou by Finijo

I took this shot on my way into work. I love this weather. The fog and the cold make me want to write, take photos and paint. I hope it's foggy when I am off work next week.

Through the Glass

Through the Glass 1 by Finijo

While getting a shot of this piece of municipal sculpture, I noticed a window on the building that was painted over. If you are interested, this blog is best viewed by clicking on each picture in succession, to get the best view of the subject.

Through the Glass 2 by Finijo

As I approached the window, I noticed that someone had kept a spot on the glass clear, presumably to be able to look out at the world. I like how the car is centered in the clean part of the window. Serendipitous capture, but I like it nonetheless.

Through the Glass 3 by Finijo

I decided to photograph the window and whatever lay inside the building by taking a shot at each step I took towards the glass. Another incidental capture is the Do Not Enter sign from the freeway exit ramp on the other side of Main Street from this building.

Through the Glass 4 by Finijo

With each step closer, a little more of the interior was revealed, but a little more the world outside of this room was reflected, as well. I enjoyed the way that both the interior and the exterior of the building appear to be viewed through a veil.

Through the Glass 5 by Finijo

As I continued to shoot, the interior became more evident, and a little bit of me was revealed, as well. I did not peek into the building before I began shooting, so the excitement built for me as I continued with my mini project.

Through the Glass 6 by Finijo

The more of the inside of this warehouse that I saw, the more I wanted to know about the occupants. There is a pretty nice couch and chair off to the right, leaving more questions than answers.

Through the Glass 7 by Finijo

I did not realize how big the building was from the outside. Only after I began to get a look through the glass did I realize how cavernous the space really is.

Through the Glass 8 by Finijo

I was relieved to find that the interior was visually interesting. It could have been like Geraldo Rivera's big reveal of Al Capone's safe - completely empty, but it looks to me like the sparse contents of this building are a bit of a mystery - like a story to be told.

Through the Glass 9 by Finijo

This is the full shot of what I could see from the little hole in the glass. Now I'm really curious about the space. Is it being torn down or in the process of being built up. I will post more when I know...

martin zet: necessity

Martin Zet video from Necessity (video by Finijo)

I attended the Martin Zet exhibit at The Station Museum of Contemporary Art and was impressed by the many mediums he uses and the messages conveyed through his work. The video linked above is only one of several videos in the exhibit. This particular video reminded me of video that I saw in an exhibit at the Menil in 2007, A Rose Has No Teeth: Bruce Nauman in the 1960's.

Martin Zet's books by Finijo

Martin Zet is a Czech artist who uses a variety of objects to create his art. This hallway is paved with books. You must walk on the books to get into the rooms where his videos are showing or other parts of the exhibit.

Walking On Art by Finijo

I revere books and words. I was taught as a child not to dog ear the pages or break the bindings. I passed those lessons and the love of words and books on to Connor, so I cannot describe adequately the trepidation and excitement that walking on books created in me. It was so forbidden - for me it was a taboo broken. Both the books and I survived the experience, but it the impact of the experience was close to profound.

Martin Zet's Bile Svetlo photographed by Finijo

One of the rooms entered shows this screen with the words Bile Svetlo projected on to the wall. The opposite wall is like a negative image of the same thing, which you can imagine is almost impossible to photograph. There is another hall of surrealistic photographs by Zet, but because of the plexiglass covering them, I could not seem to get a shot that did not have me somehow reflected in it. In several shots, the effect looked pretty cool to me, but I did not want to post them, because they are essentially altered by my presence.

Martin Zet's books spilling photographed by Finijo

The books spill out of the middle corridor and it is more difficult to walk on the books there, because they are loosely strewn. I could not help but look to see the titles of the books that I tread upon, and was surprised to find several that I had read. What incredible symbolism in this one aspect of the exhibit. Whether it is to tread on words or to travel on knowledge, the mind works in overtime to understand the artist's intention.

Martin Zet's By T Nastrojem photographed by Finijo

At the far end of the hallway paved by books lies this rather large and eclectic part of the exhibit. A bicycle looks like a sculpture, but upon closer inspection it is rigged to light up a neon sign hanging behind it. Sculptures on the floor, videos on the walls and flags hanging from the ceiling.

Martin Zet's red flags photographed by Finijo

Three flags - red and transparent. Barely visible are the markings on the flags. One a skull and crossbones, the middle flag has a circle of stars - the flag of European unity, and the last flag looks like an embossed American flag. Again, Zet's symbolism sends the mind racing in several directions at once. The exhibit is worth seeing more than once and I hope I can make time to go back again before it closes. I was a bit rushed in this visit and I really did not have a chance to absorb all that my eyes were taking in.

Sneaky Scientology Bastards

I begrudgingly have to say that Scientology has made some fantastic commercials. I know this is a cult, but these damn commercials draw me in every single time I see them on TV. After seeing them, I'm aware that I am watching a recruiting tool for an alien cult, but I still feel compelled to watch. The editing is beautiful and the voice over is poetic and powerful. Thankfully, at the last minute the word "Scientology" reveals itself on the screen and the magnetic power the commercial exerts is magically broken and I am once again repelled. I hope they never figure out that they should Amway their way through a commercial, not revealing the name of the organization, but only a phone number. My guess is they would get more response from the forlorn, lonely, disenfranchised demographic they are trying to attract. Great spots, Scientology - but you're never gonna get me!

Great Verizon Commercial

Most commercials are utterly forgettable, but I saw this commercial for Verizon and immediately saw the truth in the message. It didn't hurt that it includes the Island of Misfit Toys characters that I loved so much growing up. I've used several different phone services and Verizon is by far the best one we have had - although the costs could be a bit less exorbitant. No matter, it's a very cute commercial.

Miss Mary

Gothic Dancer by Melia Dawn Newman

I have gotten the following e-mail about six times in the past two years. It is so poorly written (I cut and pasted it directly into the post) that I have to restrain myself from from making contact with Miss Mary, just to see what she will say next. When Miss Mary says"...i just saw your profile it seams like some thing touches me all over my body..." I feel I MUST know exactly what touches her all over her body.

One of these days...


HELLO

Wed, December 9, 2009 12:21:08 PM
From: Mary Badango
To: Finijo

Hi How are you? i hope all is well with you, i hope you may not know me, and i don't know who you are, My Name is Miss Mary, i am just broswing now i just saw your profile it seams like some thing touches me all over my body, i started having some feelings in me which i have never experience in me before, so i became interested in you, l will also like to know you the more,and l want you to send an email so l can give you my picture for you to know whom l am.I believe we can move from here!I am waiting for your mail (Remeber the distance or colour does not matter but love matters alot in life)miss Mary.

What The Hell Is Wrong With Us?

E-mail exchange between Marilyn and I today - start at the bottom:

From: Marilyn

"What the hell is wrong with us?"

I don't have that kind of time, woman. ..

***********************************************************************
On Mon, Dec 7, 2009 at 3:54 PM

From Finijo:

Reading your message, I could only think, "What the hell is wrong with you?" Then I remembered the moment this morning when I thought the same thing about myself. I was looking at the JC Penny's mail out and I noticed several little girls dressed as pretty princesses. I looked at each one trying to figure out which Disney character they correspond to. I thought to myself, "There is Esmeralda, Ariel, Snow White, Cinderella, and Jon Bonnet Ramsey." No lie. I then scanned the photo for my blog.

What the hell is wrong with us?

***********************************************************************
From: Marilyn

Sent: Mon, December 7, 2009 3:47:23 PM

Subject: soo..

I went to the restroom and went to open a stall and buckled and backed out laughing and saying, "GodDAAAAAAMN!" it looked like a mountain lion took a shit. I would have flushed it, but I don't think it would have gone down. I actually took a picture of it like I was going to blog it or something. -- iGerbs

Christmas Parties

Connor at Dave's Party by Finijo

Connor accompanied me to a couple of Christmas parties this weekend. We went to Dave and Jerry's annual office party for CAAG. It is held at Dave's magnificent townhouse.

Jerry and Sax by Finijo

There was a string quartet that played beautifully for the first couple of hours. When the quartet finished playing, Jerry broke out his saxaphone and played beautiful jazz renditions of Christmas carols.

CAAG Party From Above by Finijo

The food was great, and the music was great, and Connor got hit on by a woman in her 30's. A good time was had by all...

The Road

I awoke this morning with a pounding headache that lasted most of the day. After going to the wrong theater, paying for parking, and trying to buy a ticket for a movie that wasn't playing at Edward's, I managed to arrive at the River Oaks Theater shortly after the movie started. I was immediately struck by the darkness of the theater, because I couldn't see well enough to figure out where Matt was sitting. I don't think I have ever seen a movie filmed in color that felt more like black and white. Each frame of The Road is bathed in stark greys and blacks. It was perfectly suited to the subject matter, a post apocalyptic tale of a father and son traveling through a treacherous world where the rule is not simply kill or be killed, it is kill or be raped and eaten.

Matt read the book by Cormac McCarthy and expressed surprise that the movie was not more graphically violent. I felt relief as I watched the film, because there could have been much more gore and torture on the screen. There was certainly enough shown to to make what was left to your imagination gruesome and terrifying. I recognize how good this film is, but it is relegated to my list of films that are one offs. I don't regret seeing it, but it was so emotionally wrenching, I never want to watch it again.

*****SNOW*****

Rice Blvd. Snow by Finijo

It snowed in Houston!!!

Rice Campus Snow by Finijo

I LOVE snow!!!

Backyard Snow by Finijo

It only stuck for a little while, but it was beautiful while it lasted.

Necessary Funny

The Ambiguously Gay Duo @ Yahoo! Video

It's cold, it's wet, and we can't catch a freaking break. In addition to the plumbing disaster that we are sitting on, the AC/heater just went out. It worked a couple of weeks ago, but I tried to turn on the heat tonight to stop the collective shivering of all human and cat occupants of the house, and there was no click - no hum - no heat. Tonight, I will sleep with three feline hot water bottles (family, schmamily - those cats know which side their bread is buttered on). Connor will sleep with Wiggy, as she is feral and his room smells feral, so it stands to reason. Marilyn is on her own tonight. Tomorrow, when she pulls back the soft warm bed covers to brave the cold cruel morning air of our icebox, she will be inspired to call to our home warranty company about the dysfunctional unit. That is the plan for now, anyway.

In the mean time, we are trying to laugh as much as possible to keep our body temperatures up, so I share with you - The Ambiguously Gay Duo.