Monday Mix Tapes: Rat-a-tatting Boombox Moocher

And I would have given anything to be at this Schuba's show. Mike Doughty, I'll bust up a Starbucks with you any day.

(Video is meh, but audio quality good.)


Anyone have his new album? Jay?

On Jealousy.

Genius passage on jealousy from The End of the Affair.

I'm definitely in Sarah's camp when it comes to this subject. Clearly, Maurice Bendrix and I should never date:

“Sarah and I used to have long arguments on jealousy. I was jealous even of the past, of which she spoke to me frankly as it came up – the affairs that meant nothing at all (except possibly the unconscious desire to find that final spasm Henry had so woefully failed to evoke). She was as loyal to her lovers as she was to Henry, but what should have provided me with some comfort (for undoubtedly she would be loyal to me too) angered me. There was a time when she would laugh at my anger, simply refusing to believe that it was genuine, just as she refused to believe in her own beauty, and I would be just as angry because she refused to be jealous of my past or my possible future. I refused to believe that love could take any other form than mine: I measured love by the extent of my jealousy, and by that standard of course she could not love me at all.”

–from The End of the Affair, by Graham Greene.

How have I never read Graham Greene before? He's so good, I can't stand it. The angst! The agony of it all! And the dialogue!

Sarah : Are you on a new book?

Maurice Bendrix : Of course.

Sarah : It's not about us, is it? The one you threatened to write?

Maurice Bendrix : A book takes a year to write. It's too hard work for revenge.

Sarah : If only you knew how little you had to revenge.

Maurice Bendrix : I'm joking. We are adults. We knew it had to end some time. Now we can have lunch and talk about your husband.

'Now we can have lunch and talk about your husband.' Sounds about right. Love stinks, Maurice.

My Dream Woman

It's final: I'm head over heels in love with Alicia Keys. (And her backup singer. Dare I say yum?)



Seriously, though, Alicia Keys is one of my all-time favorite artists. The first time I saw "Fallin'" on MTV (yeah, I actually saw a music video on MTV, once upon a time), I was hooked.



Her voice is so incredibly beautiful. And she's not a bad actress, either. And she's a fox. Want me to keep going?

The Element of Freedom is out December 15. Who wants to buy me a Christmas present?

"Sometimes you just need to start over again in order to fly."

With this stupid pen you gave me.

I’m still writing with
this stupid pen you gave me.
It says “Boston”
It cost $3.99.

(You didn’t even bother to take off the price tag.)

I’ve never been to Boston
and this pen barely writes
but I keep pushing it harder
on the page
hoping it will come out right.

You seem to not know me at all
sometimes
but then you do this:
Give me this silly present
maybe the meaning was lost on you
but the pen is perfect
in all its imperfections

and I’ve never been to Boston
but the pen is perfect
in all its imperfections

and this pen barely writes
but I’m still touched by the stupid, silly sincerity
and insincerity of it all

Even if the meaning is lost.
Even if you don’t know me at all.

I’ll keep writing.
You ran out the door
before I could say anything at all.

Thoughts after my tour of North Milwaukee Avenue.

I left work at The Media Consortium this afternoon (Yes, work, not interning. Don’t use that dirty word in my presence) and braced myself for the headache that would ensue.

I was about to brave traffic at 3:30 on a Monday afternoon. Why would I embark on this silly adventure, you might ask.

Two crucial reasons:

1. Ran out of birth control pills.
2. Needed to exchange shoes at the Gap outlet.

Before you start complaining to your computer screen that I’ve now crossed the line to talking about my contraceptives, slow your roll for a second. Or maybe you’re appalled that I’m not only shopping at the Gap, but mentioning it on my blog.

Either way: Bear with me. For one thing, I like the Gap. I can’t help it. Their sweaters are comfy and brightly colored! Hooray!

Second, and more importantly: the birth control pills. Because I no longer have the luxury of IU health insurance and my fabulous ob-gyn in Bloomington, once my prescription ran out earlier this year, I had to resort to what I did in my poor college days—becoming a patient at Planned Parenthood (PP).

In order to get the sliding-scale cost, I had had to go to the only location in Chicago that still has the funding necessary to make these services possible. (Note that I said the only location. In all of Chicago.) And how lucky for the women of Chicago, this location is in a pretty bad neighborhood that made my K-town bred self a little frightened in broad daylight. Seriously. I felt like a police officer should have escorted me into the building.

Although when I was there, the receptionist took one look at me and argued that I wasn’t eligible for the reduced rate—maybe I was wearing an especially brightly colored Gap sweater day?—after I showed her my miserable paycheck, my situation improved. I was able to get my annual exam, STD testing, an HIV test, three months of pills, and more condoms than anyone could possibly need in a lifetime, all for free. Yes. FREE.

Monday Mix Tapes: You Can't Remember, You Try to Move Your Feet!

My Monday afternoon gift to you.

Eeeeeet, eet, eet.

Isn't she darling?

Magical Moments Waiting Tables: The 6 out of 10 Edition

Thank God for the absolutely ridiculous customers at Logan. If it weren’t for them, I might have to go another day oblivious that I’m a 6 out of 10.

Yes, this is what the middle aged man I was waiting on this evening informed me after we had the following interaction:

“What’s up with these fingers, Alison?” (By that he meant the chicken fingers. Obviously.)

“Umm, I’m not sure…uhh, what?”

“They’re weird. Look at them. They’re weird.”

“Well, we use a black bean breading for them, so they’re a little different from standard chicken fingers.”

“You should have told me that! Why wouldn’t you tell someone that? It’s not on the menu!”

At this point, his friend says, “Actually, it was on the menu.” But this doesn’t stop him.

“Alison, what are you going to do about this? I cannot eat these. You should have told me. What do you think this will do to your tip? What am I gonna do about this?"

Negligence and work and such

My poor, poor blog. It just looks sad and rejected lately, doesn't it? Well, hopefully you all haven't given up on me. The negligence is (mostly) due to my crazy work schedule as of late. There have been so many magical moments waiting tables lately that I really should be sharing! Plus, it's gotten a little crazier lately because I, yet again, have taken on another internship. Except this time I refuse to call it an internship. I'm working part-time for The Media Consortium, which so far has been a great experience.

Not only is it about five minutes away from my apartment, it is also around the corner from my local Starbucks AND...my Thai restaurant. (Yes, my Thai restaurant, Anong.) And, even better, they actually treat me like a human being! I get to do real work! Hoorah!

So, please forgive me for neglecting the rainbow chronicles. Hopefully I'll get used to working two jobs again soon, and can find more time for the important things. Like blogging.

Dance the dance of life!

Because sometimes we should all follow the wise words of Peter Griffin:



That is all.