Saturday, March 30, 2002

I almost forgot--we bought a road atlas at the Berlin Convenience & Deli, and that brook near the sycamore isn't actually a brook at all--it's a small river. The Sebethe River. It looks as if it's the town line divider between Berlin and Cromwell. Ha, I just now observed, looking at the map... if you follow the Sebethe River down, it empties into the Connecticut River. I wonder if we ever see it when we're scooting? Maps are somewhat cool, I guess. I like how this one shows all the cemeteries. The area of Berlin is 27.0 square miles, and the population is 17,197. I have no idea what that means. Maps should include special trees.

Posted at 10:14 PM by Laura W. Petix.

Hey, Oliver Sacks has a new book out?? It sounds good, too.

Posted at 9:27 PM by Laura W. Petix.

We got a CYCAD!!

Posted at 8:48 PM by Laura W. Petix.

Friday, March 29, 2002

There's secretly a lot of rural stuff around here that I never knew about. A whole bunch of little farms with cows (including pretty, soft-looking black ones), and one with llamas, sheep and chickens, too (also a silo with a giraffe on it). And I saw three or four nice sycamores. I went up a really steep hill (Evergreen Road) to look more closely at one of them, then stood there staring... it was so unusually symmetrical. And there's this weird dilapidated hearse on Pasco Hill Road. I rode to Christian Hill Road... went underneath Rt. 91. I could see the sign for the Rt. 9 exit (22N; the one I take) from below, near a little cemetery with very old, worn markers. There's a brook, rushing water. (Or a "kill," in Saugerties/Woodstock terms.) Birds with funny songs. It's all off the edge, into Cromwell. Took some photos of the sycamore near the brook, its bare branches were so white against the blue sky. Right beside it, intermingling, was another tree just beginning to bud, very red. There are a lot of steep hills, but I'm good at jumping off to walk, and I don't mind it, for the variety, and for looking at things. Just seeing. I started reading Pilgrim at Tinker Creek last night. (Thanks to JBB.) Just the first chapter, so far. I love the opening two paragraphs.

Posted at 9:22 PM by Laura W. Petix.

God, Valentine is wonderful. Chapter 16. I'm so in love with him. I'm reading it because I was pretending today is Thursday, and I started thinking, What would Dylan [DeFoe] do in this circumstance? He wouldn't pussyfoot around. Unless it was Charlie, but it wouldn't be Charlie. And what would Edgar do? Edgar would probably pretend not to be home. And Valentine... Valentine would cut to the quick--coldly, viciously, effectively. (Oh, he's too painfully vulnerable... brittle like glass inside. I'm not like that. Not now. I'm blithe.) "The rational part of the soul must be in charge. The emotional part must realise that it is best for the whole soul if the rational part makes the decisions." [Edit: I guess the hard part is figuring out what is rational.]

Posted at 2:07 PM by Laura W. Petix.

What's that white stuff on the inside of orange peels called? Pith? I hope it's not poisonous, because I'm crazy about it. And it makes my lips tingle.

Posted at 2:18 AM by Laura W. Petix.

Assuming they don't cut the musical guests in any way, this is going to be very cool.

1) All the Blues Brothers appearances... all of them!!
2) Brian! Pristine quality!
3) THE BAND!! Never before seen by me!

Also, of course, I get to drive Dean insane by impersonating Mr. Bill.

[Edit: Libby Titus?! (ep. 49), Dr. John (ep. 40), Rick Danko & Paul Butterfield (ep. 80), Dylan (ep. 88). Practically TLW!]
[Edit #2: And Van... how could I have missed Van? Why can't I find any lists of the songs online? My book has it. I didn't know Brian did "Back Home," too! And The Band sang four songs?? ("Dixie," "Stage Fright," "Life is a Carnival" and "Georgia"... *whimper*). I shouldn't have even looked it up. They're going to cut it... I know they're going to cut all this stuff.] [Edit #3: Also, my book says Levon was in the same episode as Dr. John. "Ain't That a Lot of Love." The book does not, however, mention Rick.]

Posted at 1:46 AM by Laura W. Petix.

Thursday, March 28, 2002

There's a big detailed full moon out there, and the sky's the colour of a midnight blue crayon. On Rt. 9 this afternoon, I started playing "Love And Theft" by mistake, and the cars were dancing. Anyway, the thing is, yes, there's the girl element, but there's also the cad element.

Posted at 8:17 PM by Laura W. Petix.

Uncut magazine, March issue:

Interviewer: "How easy has it been, being Bob Dylan?"
Bob: "There've been a lot of tricky parts where you have to assume another character in order to... survive."

Posted at 5:01 PM by Laura W. Petix.

Now I'm completely unable to wake up. Well, it's more of a caught-in-dreams-that-I-can't-get-out-of thing, I suppose. Of course, now I can't remember any of them. One was about Lord Byron (??!), however, and he was really lascivious in an over-the-top and amusing way. I can't remember what his exact behaviour was, but he was quite sexy. (I didn't do anything with him, though.)

Posted at 2:42 PM by Laura W. Petix.

Oh... God. Do I want to see this movie, or do I just want to stare at this picture? 1924. What an apt title.

Posted at 4:17 AM by Laura W. Petix.

Oh man, we'd better go to our land immediately. I'll bet it's all full of frogs' eggs and I'm missing it! April 1st, 2000: masses of jelly, thick, in my hands. April 8th, 2000: tadpoles hatching between my fingers. It's not going to rain this weekend, is it?

Posted at 3:52 AM by Laura W. Petix.

I am too tired to think. Anyway, here's a photo.

Posted at 1:08 AM by Laura W. Petix.

Wednesday, March 27, 2002

Wow! That was exhilarating! My hands are cold and my cheeks are hot and my legs got all weak and my hat nearly flew away. The hill on Berlin Street is a bit killer for the ending, but fortunately there's a long stretchy sidewalk that no one ever walks on (except for me, when I go to visit the sycamore), so I took that back and walked the last bit. Perfect, since there're cars coming back up the hill, but none on the way down. Ahh! My fingers feel like they're on fire!

Posted at 5:00 PM by Laura W. Petix.

I love it when it's sunny and clear the next day after a hard rain or snowfall. I don't know if it really is extra-bright out, or if it just seems that way in comparison to the grey, but it's remarkable. All the crocuses are standing up especially tall and alert, a little field of yellow and purple.

It all seemed better through the window, though. Out there, I acquired a nasty little headache (too bright?), and it's a lot colder than it looks. I couldn't concentrate on the music, and I slammed my hair in the car door, twice. (?!) I can't decide whether I should go for a bike ride or not. It seems like I should take advantage of the day, but I feel pretty inside-ish.

Posted at 4:19 PM by Laura W. Petix.

Tuesday, March 26, 2002

Now I remember what it is I love about Beach Boys fans.

Posted at 8:38 PM by Laura W. Petix.

There is a Starbucks at Corbins Corner. It appeared in front of me out of a blur of rain, and I read the green sign slowly, out loud, not believing it: "Starbucks... Coffee." According to the barista, it's been there since December 15th. How is this possible? It's small and quiet, and my tall vanilla dry cappuccino was perfect. Really, really good foam. Two minutes later I walked into EMS and Robbie was singing "Somewhere Down the Crazy River" and I couldn't help smiling like crazy. Oh, and West Hartford is wonderful even in the pouring rain. Even in the cold pouring rain that I'm out walking around in without an umbrella. (However, if my monitor doesn't stop constantly browning out, I'm going to scream. Not even violence seems to help.)

"You'll only hurt yourself / You don't know what you're doin' / Tryin' to make it all alone / Who you think you're foolin'?"
I love the way Rick sings that part. [Edit: Wow, that line isn't even in the final version?]

Posted at 5:19 PM by Laura W. Petix.

I have LIAD on too low, and it's so delicate and exquisitely painfully dragging that I can hardly stand it. Just barely loud enough, pulling its feet through me. I can't concentrate on anything. Well, anything that requires conscious thought. I finished the entire CD design and printed and cut everything. It's all there, too intense, unreal, quite amazing. But I just can't form actual lucid ahhh... (Well, exactly.) I also seem to have developed an unhealthy fixation on Sugoi.

I found my bike on the web: I think this is it, although mine's not quite that silver. It has slightly more of a champagne-ish tinge, but the colour difference may be because mine is last year's model. It's a Specialized Crossroads 16", in any case. Apparently Specialized brand bikes are quite revered in the Netherlands. Anyway, I just noticed that, weirdly, all the accessories I picked out are also Specialized brand, although I was totally unaware of this at the time and didn't even know Specialized was a brand. I guess I'm brand loyal without even trying. (?!)

Posted at 2:49 AM by Laura W. Petix.

Monday, March 25, 2002

I bought a bicycle! It's beautiful.

Posted at 3:16 PM by Laura W. Petix.

I almost forgot: on the way to Luna, I saw a sign for a car show, in the same spot where they always have the sign for the Berlin Fair. I think the date is April 28th. Is it a classic car show? And, most importantly, will there be Hudsons?? (Would I be brave enough to go? I want to.) Ferdinand the Imposter is definitely my favourite character in a Band song. I only like the unreleased version of "Ferdinand," though; the reissue bonus track outtake demo is all wrong.

Posted at 4:40 AM by Laura W. Petix.

Sunday, March 24, 2002

"The Night Has A Thousand Eyes." I thought of this song just now, when I was looking at some eyes on the doug fir. Weird, because I haven't heard it in ages and don't even remember how it goes. I think my brother(s?) used to sing it to me when I was little (threateningly, to scare me?). "One of these days you're gonna be sorry..."

"So remember when you tell those little white lies / That the night has a thousand eyes..." Hmm, I don't think it really worked. (Although, at the time, it was a vividly terrifying image.) My brother Robert's birthday was yesterday.

Posted at 9:52 PM by Laura W. Petix.

We figured out the name of the tomato instrumental with the unknown title. It's "Tomato Soup." And I noticed afterward, there's even one section where that lyric would fit perfectly. You could stay in a basement all the time and you'd never know whether it's day or night.

Posted at 7:44 PM by Laura W. Petix.

Doug fir trunk bed! I keep singing that tomato instrumental nonstop. It takes exactly 15 minutes to drive from the Cromwell Luna to Shrunkin', get a medium coffee with cream no sugar, and drive back to Luna to pick up the ready and waiting pizza.

Posted at 4:44 PM by Laura W. Petix.