At least I was productive.

oh, insomnia
how have i soooooo not missed you
let me count the ways

Picking up where I left off.

Hello, Spring! (Well, "Portland Spring," which of course means it snowhailrained on all the blooming daffodils and crocuses today.)

I have neglected these quarterly goals for a few months. A few months plus an entire quarter, in fact. There have been reasons, mostly good ones too, and I'm fine with my neglect. But it's time to get back on the horse. So to sum up the last (almost) six months:

• write something, anything, every single day - I am certain that I did this, although I cannot vouch for the quality of anything produced outside of work-related writing
  
• reduce my energy bill by $3 every month - November's was lower, I didn't pay attention to December's, and starting in January I cut my energy bill in half, so: check!
  
• re-establish my gym routine - since October I've been eating better, cooking more, and getting various types of exercise but I think I've realized that the gym is BORING and running is BORING so I'm investigating alternatives... all my clothes are still too big though
• anything on The List! - get published: check! New Zealand: check!
  

2Q2012 goals, coming to you a few weeks early, are notably less quantifiable but just as important as any other goals I've developed. Each one is inspired by special people in my life and I hope to be able to report back on success in three-point-five months.

• laugh more
  
• cook more
  
• spend more time outside
  
• anything on The List! I missed #11 again, darn it, but #12 and #30 are looking pretty good... and I finally fixed that pesky #16
  

And here... we... go!

Despite the 2.5 hours of work I put in tonight...

"you have a great life!"
(comment on recent pictures)
i have to agree

My favorite new set change pasttime.

(title: because i (sometimes have been known to) actually DANCE at shows)

portland hipster crowd
i have some important news
i'm cooler than you

(title: a gentle reminder)

present open fun
every single bloody day
lather rinse repeat

(title: thank you for the perspective, electro-pop drummer who screamed this before launching into an Animal-inspired drum intro to a song)

best quote heard this week
"life fucking RULES, am i right??!"
yes, you are so right

________________
The last is brought to you by the drummer from Sun Angles, who opened for Brainstorm last night. After a particularly awful day I begrudgingly dragged myself out just to see Brainstorm. Entry was $5, beer was less than that, I'd seen them before, I knew they were fun and I knew I needed that. I ended up in a wonderful mood.

Both bands are AH MAY ZING live but their recorded stuff is not nearly as interesting, so get out and see them if you can.

And yeah, this life thing? It FUCKING RULES. We are all very lucky, so be sure to live it.

Can I get the icon in cornflower blue?

never a good sign
monday pour on a thursday
tgtif

And crossword puzzles, and pizza, and whiskey...

best birthday ever
rain - wind - sun - hike - beach - sand - snow
thank you, universe

One step closer to Ludditeville, USA.

it's quite challenging
not letting technology
get the best of me

Odes to LA.

snowing this morning
got sunburned this afternoon
air travel is weird

i don't like the mall
but even worse than the mall
is the so cal mall

he won't stop talking
OMGSTFU
god i hate people

punk kids come inside
and pump hand sanitizer
i've seen everything

Friday five.

Lots of interesting "lasts" have happened - or are about to happen - this week. Here are five, in no particular order:

• Last time I will take a moon photo from my stoop.
• Last time I will hear my neighbor hack up a lung at 6am.
• Last time it will take five minutes to walk to Fred.
• Last time I will pay Comcast any more of my money for the foreseeable future.
• Last time with the crazies on the bus ride in, and last time for the free MAX ride home.

And many more to come. Change is good.

I'll take "option C" for 200, Alex.

a wise man once said

"hate the game, not the player"

… i don't like either

Friday five.

I attended my first Festivus party this year and listened to many of the guests air their grievances.  It was amusing and I meant to put together my own list at some point this month...  But truth be told, I don't have a lot of grievances right now, especially not with people I interact with regularly (which is what I think you're supposed to focus on). 

Far be it from me to shirk silly traditions, though.  Over the past week five things did occur to me, and so I bring you five grievances in no particular order:

• the fact that "bi-monthly" can mean "twice a month" OR "every other month"
• people who cancel meeting invitations after the meeting date/time has already occurred and they've already verbally cancelled the meeting
• email confirmations that confirm your request to unsubscribe from email notifications (followed closely by email unsubscribe requests that "may take up to 2 weeks to process" - really? it's THE INTERNET!)
  
• sub-par cookies in the break room
  
• the fine print that no one ever reads, that says you can't use both Groupon coupons for yourself if you purchase two at the same time

So yeah, that's pretty much it. 

Here's to a 2012 filled with exciting changes, adventures and good times - and an even shorter grievance list!  Cheers, friends.

I need a harder list.

I'm going to go on the official record and cross off #31. It's work-related and technically, I published it, but it means I can add professional writing to my resume and that's really all that matters to me.

Next up: #27! Five weeks and counting...

Belated Friday five.

A roundup of five bands I saw (or didn't) this month, in chronological order, begins now. Hold on to your hats!

December's musicpalooza started with Mumford & Sons. The music was amazing as expected, but it was at an arena, the light show was ridiculous (who are you, the Stones?) and the section where we sat bounced. And not in a Crystal Ballroom fun kind of way - more of an "um is this really safe?" way. I can say that I saw them, but I have much better memories of sitting on my couch in my pajamas streaming their various live performances. (Now get off my lawn?)

The next show was my absolute favorite show all year, as I've previously alluded. Astounding energy, great crowd, great venue. Before Time to Pretend, there was this song. And it was good. I will officially follow them to the ends of the earth. As long as the show is in Portland.

I'd halfheartedly gotten tickets to The Joy Formidable and Grouplove the following night but honestly, after the Dandy Warhols, my partner in crime and I were not in the mood. We stayed for a few songs and then spared our ears from the rest.

Finished up with last night's AgesandAges show at the Doug Fir. Always a good time. Always.

Really excited to check out some of this stuff next year. Musicpalooza 2012, here I come...

There is much internet controversy about the last five syllables.

i am pretty sure
this work thing is for the birds
(the really dumb birds)

And then some days, you're the bug...

i know yesterday
cutting and pasting was fun
not so much today

And I've seen a LOT of shows this year.

going on record
the dandy warhols last night?
best show of the year

That run-on sentence in bullet #2 doesn't really suck, either.

Five things that didn't suck today, because it was that kind of day, in no particular order:

• Cranberry roll fake turkey real cheese sandwich with multi-grain tortilla chips. (Yes, I just blogged about what I had for lunch. Sorry, Maggie.)
• Overhearing the boss say "oh wait she's still here let me ask" as I was shutting down at 5:25pm, cursing (not entirely... okay, not at all) under my breath, then learning that the question was to verify that my vacation hours should roll over to next year instead of to ask me about something else I need to do ASAP before I left or the world would end.
• Inside jokes in crowded elevators.
• An impending 5 mile run. (Ed. note: make that 3... but at a 7mph pace to make up for it.)
• Eight-point-five weeks until New Zealand!

Early Wednesday three.

News you can use times three, in no particular order:

• MMMhop, ba duba dop, ba du bop, ba duba dop, ba du bop, ba duba dop, ba du...
• Kermit is a commie! Story at 11.*
• Oregon is AWESOME, in case you weren't aware.
  

________________
* And my one run-on sentence review of The Muppets: I want to watch it again (and again) on DVD so I can fast forward through all the Amy Adams/Ms Piggy crap and enjoy everything else a second time, especially "mee mee mee mo!" (for which I might have to put in a ringtone request).

When it's time to change, you've got to rearrange...

thin walls, loud neighbors,
foreigner, billy ocean -
i will not miss you

The most exciting haikus you will read all day!

(really! i mean it!
okay, that was sarcastic...
consider ye warned)

no more leftovers
excited to get back to
plain old sandwiches

good news this morning:
creepy bus driver's "last day"
(on route or on job?)

silly stupid brain
yoga could not shut it up
maybe wine will help