Although most might think with my time being my own, unemployed and broke - I am far from idle...

In the last few months, thanks to my local library Ive gone through what now seems an astounding number of tomes..

I started out, believing I needed to brush up on my technical skills due to the projects I attempted.

In hindsight, I didnt know what I didnt know.

The subjects covered so far:

Site design

Small business and marketing

Printing production

Page layout, design and typography

art history, design concepts and photography

Money management and investment

textile design

According to the printout I just got - I have taken out close to 65 books this year, reading almost all.

Wow.

And I still have quite a bit to learn.
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Sent out countless resumes these last coupla months, rarely any responses.

And with the holidays being only 10 days away, I seriously doubt that'll improve before next year.

I just sent one out for Dreamworks. Now, THAT would be interesting.

I did get a response, automated, but at least a response.
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This week's horrorscope..

The planets are ganging up in your chart to precipitate long-postponed climaxes. As one of the fringe benefits, I'm betting you'll finally get to utter some magic words you've been waiting an eternity to say—maybe something like "Ha! Now you HAVE to gimme it! So gimme it NOW!" Or perhaps it'll be something a little classier, like "Ahem. I hate to tell you I told you so, but . . . I always knew I'd receive my rightful reward in the end."
Whatever the magic words are, I'm sure they'll ring with vindication, pride, and childlike giddiness.

I dont see it yet.. but gawd, we're hopin over here at Pennant manor.....
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These last coupla days, Ive been getting madd google hits from people searching for news on the rumors that the Fuji 6900 camera (only introduced this summer) has been discontinued.

Apparently there is something to the rumor, according to this forum.

Man, thats the camera I want too.

Apparently, even a 6 megapixel (although technically only a 3+ megapixel camera) is rapidly becoming obsolete with the all the new product coming to the fore. So, it looks like it'll be replaced by an 8 megapixel unit called the 8900z (technically prolly just a 4 or 5 megapixel unit, but hey..)

Myself, I still want one. These cameras are too good to throw away.

Us Fuji camera owners are kinda fanatical. :-)
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Very glad to see Em and Winnie back online (if somewhat shakily) after becoming innocent collateral damage from the Excite@home/AT&T debacle.

Love the new look too, Em.

Sometimes I wonder what kinda cool-aid some of these CEO's are drinking.
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Randoms.. on my daily walks to and from the library





















Ahh, its just a bucolic little place.

I should go. Accept the kind invite, take off.

It would be sweet release.

But if my traipsing around has taught me anything, its that traipsing around with no money in yer pocket is not jest stupid, but dangerous. Not romantic.

And people dont like broke people. :-)

I dont know if I SHOULD go, but I would like love to.

Sometimes a choice isnt a choice at all, eh.
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Fred is a troublemaker. :-)
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I have a deep desire to update the products in the Itinerant store, redoing and adding designs.

Anyways, I standardized the logo and cut the prices to a penny over cost.

Eh. Id rather have people have the stuff (if they like it) and worry less about making a frikkin comission.

(TopCat voice..) So people.. buyBuyBUY!

Its not like Im making bagsfulla cash on this shytte anyway. :-)

(Added a stuffed bear to the collection).

Stuff I read that makes me nod my head, and go, "uh-huh, yep, thas right..."

i took a walk through my neighborhood yesterday, and the street was positively lined with people making and selling stuff on the street... i'm kind of into that, actually. it makes life interesting, and it's infusing new york with a something that's been gone for a while. dunno what it is but struggle and an empty bank account always do infuse a culture with a bit more ingenuity, at least in the beginning, at least before people get broken down a bit... one good thing about new york, it takes an awful fucking lot to beat a people down... obviously, we know this first-hand.
- Dori, going through the same slow-economy shiznit, trying to do something herself.

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Sometimes, I hear it out of the blue. Randomly.

One of the sicilan ladies telling her son : "This is joe.. he is gonna be a millionaire. He is gonna make it big."

Inwardly, I went "Gah!". I openly demurred. I want the expectations kept looooow.

The Cappy sez it from time to time, even as she see's no apparent progress.

Chatting with some Verizon repairmen this morning, hooking up some private fiber connections in the street:
"Youse gots some great ideas. You'll make it." says the younger guy.
I protest, giving examples as to how even good ideas are no guarantee and how much hard work, preparation and having to get past people who think you're crazy..
The older one, retiring in a few days, rebutted: "Nah.. you'll do it."

I thank them.
Sometimes, I even believe it myself.
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Reading RiotGirl's 50 things she loves about New York.
I was gonna excerpt her thoughts on Brooklyn, but instead - this thing about 'power'

Power: Yep. Ugly word to some. But this city gives you strength. I’ve said it before and I will say it again. The city is alive and when it loves you, it makes you the greatest person in the world, capable of doing anything, however large or small. Some days buying a hair dryer is a challenge, but when you manage it, you know you’ve accomplished something. Because you had to work for it. Nothing comes easy here but the rewards of hard work are often…power.

Yep. Uh-huh. Thats right. Lotta hard work.

Ahh, fuckit.. I like the part about Brooklyn too..

Brooklyn. They say 1/4 of Americans have roots there. If that were only true, this country would be a lot better off. Brooklyn has pride. It has glory and sorrow, happiness and danger, all rolled into one big cannoli with a slice of white. It has a neighborhood for everyone. And people who live in Brooklyn are proud to be from Brooklyn. Hell. We got t-shirts. As my friend Gingi says, try shouting “Brooklyn in the house!” in a crowded bar or any large group of people from around the world. Someone will shout “WOOOOOOOOO!!!!HOOOOOO!!!!” As well they should.
After all, it is the greatest borough.

Yep. Although NATIVE Brooklynites will shout "BROOKLYYYYYN!!!!"

Anywhere, anytime.

Heh, especially when LilBro would do it, I used to be horrified, now I go "Uh-huh, yep, thas right".
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Heard on the radio the other night, the Ron and Fez show..

A catholic priest, going over a theological and legal point (ie: Why priests WONT squeal on an admitted murderer or rapist in confessionals).

This priest, Father Frank, you can tell is an Italian FROM Brooklyn, and is IN Brooklyn.

He ends the phone call with:

"God bless youse."

Heh. I found that fuckin hilarious.

I rarely heard 'youse' the first coupla years Ive been in New York.. but now...

I swear, I the farther I get away from Manhattan, the more I hear 'youse'.

It's endearing almost.
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When I got my first private phone, I bought a standalone answering machine for it.
That is the last one Ive ever bought, as looking expectantly for that blinking red light indicating messages left got very ooold.

Now, my mailbox is my answering machine.

Especially when youre WAITING for mail. Particularly the ones that say "YOUVE GOT WORK!"

At least the ones that come in from friends help. :-)

At least THEY leave messages.
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As fred put it..

Sorry I haven't been updating lately. Like someone told me, "Its just too depressing to read your journal right now" Yeah, well, its just too depressing to write my journal right now. These are the good things that have happened over the past few weeks. So, just check in every few weeks. I'll write something and you can choose to read it or not depending on the stability of your emotional well-being =: ).

Way to put it, my sprite-muse. :-)

Why do I mention this? Oh, I had a mild mental snitfit when someone praised how some journallers could be funnyandhilarious instead of all down in the middle of badshit. (*train o' thought*Oooh, I like this joining of words style.. anyhoo)

Sheeyit. Doesnt she know 24/7 brightnessandhilarity in the face of life is a warning sign of insanity?
S'true.
Psychiatrists often tell their patients "If you start feeling happy ALL the time, come see me".

I shit you not.

Plus, Im too GOTTDAMNED old and too GOTTDAMNED broke to be feelin' like $#^#@%$ sunshine all the time.

Now, where were we? Oh yeah... "Havent heard a GOTTDAMNED word from any of the work Ive applied for lately. Sheeyit. Ok, maybe the post office. You can always find work at the Post Office..

Heh. Cranky makes ME feel better.
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Now. One of fred's passions is SUSHI. Big ol' time. :-) (Not a Texas style exaggeration..)

Me.. I gotta say.. Like wine.. I still dont get it.

Its all seaweed and rice and marinated fish to me. :-/

Small ones at that. I gotta go to Burger King afterward to feel full.

But fred loves sushi to death.

Mebbe its because I havent lived in California, that I dont have the appreciation/knowledge/exposure....

A conversation today between me and her:

> >> I know who my real friends are... the ones who let
> >> me steal the end
> >> pieces off the godzilla roll!

> >Godzilla roll? (*crickets of ignance in the background*) Wassat?

> >> and john bought me the rose roll which was out of my
> >> budget. = :)

> >Cooool. Ummm... whats a rose roll?

--- fredlet wrote back:
> well, these are specialty rolls only found in walnut creek, ca.
> most sushi places do their own sort of rolls.
>
> godzilla roll:
> rice and seaweed around a halibut ( I dunno, they won't say what's in
> it) center. Dipped in tempura batter, flash fried (so as not to cook
> the fish inside and make it fishy) and then topped with vietnamese
> ketchup (the hot sauce with the rooster on it with the green lid) and

> unagi sauce.
> yum.
>
> rose roll: (..the best thing on the planet)
> tempura shrip surrounded by rice and seaweed wrap,
> topped with avocado slices, ahi tuna, baja sauce (viet. ketchup
> and soy mayo) flying fish eggs and unagi sauce...
> I'm drooling thinking about it.
> Overall this one has a sweet taste to it... you'd like it actually.

FLYINGFISH EGGS????

Mebbe B was right. Mebbe its the food that is the difference between California and the East Coast.

It sure aint just the water.
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The temperature got below freezing for the first time this winter.

No snow around here, just a thin layer of ice on windshields, the scrapings looking like a light dusting of snow.

I dislike the cold, but I do like when its crisp, clear and mild like this.

As we sat in court this morn, my landlord was telling me it snowed a bit, with some sleet up in his neck of the woods in Somers, NY.. close to the Connecticut border.

Me and him? Oh. Even though he is beyond exasperated with me (The judge responded to my "he's been beyond lenient with me" with a "Hell, I wish *I* had a landlord like yours.."), we do get along, very cordial. I just cant seem to come up with the cash he wants to see.
Its nothing personal.
He has to do what he has to do.

In any case, I do like this kind of weather.

Just as long as it doesnt STAY cold.


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Random signage...





















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This is just for me...

What about the people it takes to build a successful business?
Davis described them as individuals with "a burning desire to succeed, not for the money, but to succeed for the sake of success."
And he named perseverance as his own most important skill.
Orphaned at a young age and having withstood a litany of setbacks and failures in his life as an entrepreneur, Davis today keeps a framed t-shirt outside his office bearing his personal motto: "You Let Up, You Lose."

Cant let up.
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