Ok, got bored/ irritated with the cute refrigerator-theme thing. To the
point where i didn't wanna post. At least not with any semblance of
proper grammar.

Was at a party yesterday. Wesley (large, tattooed, reckless) was
plotting to pants me and throw me in the lake,  and everyone else
was like " nonono, that's a BAD idea, you don't want to make Annie mad."

Ah, yes, I am small yet carnivorous. Fear me!

I was talking to my girl Ryan (small, lacy, sex kitten) at the party,
who I haven't seen in a while, and we caught up on some things. It got
me thinking when she said, "Hey [hotstuff], where have you
been?" Aside from an immediate impulse to pinch her bottom, I was
pondering  how I haven't been keeping anyone updated, and all
these things have been happening so fast I don't know where to begin.

I have about three more weeks of school left to teach, and then I will
no longer be able to claim instant glory as an Art Teacher
Extraordinaire. The truth is,  I partially took the job as a
source of instant karma, to justify my paltry little 20-something
existence with a noble occupation, but also for the  perks. Like
free access to art supplies. On june 16th, I need to find something new
to keep myself busy, and save money.

Thinking about painting some murals. I basically jazzed up my art classroom this year, and I've done a few projects with Kerri,
and there was that little criminal typography internship a few years
back with a crew in harvard square, so I think I'm more than qualified
to paint on anyone's wall. I got a lead last monday on some guy in the
burbs who has a motorcycle shop/ showroom, and is looking for some
graffiti murals to spice up the place. Big walls. Lots of paint.
Ka-ching.

Still battling it out with the landlords over the holey-tub issue, which is maddening. I don't want to think about it. Feeling too vicious. Might kick somebody.

There are two little birds outside of Bryon's window who have been
busily making a nest for the past week. They found a good spot just
under the eaves of the house across the way, chirruping at one another
and hopping around. They've got it totally figured out, little nest
architects. They're taking a break at the moment, doing the flitting
around and preening thing, looking pretty happy.

Bryon and I have been checking out San Diego, and looking at the
possibility of settling there. I'm amiable to just about anything as
long as I don't have to suffer through another winter in this city, and
I'd like to see New Mexico again, or spend a year or two in the Pac.
Northwest, or live near a beach in Cali, so I'm just waiting for the
Hedgehog to make up his mind about it.  He graduated a week ago,
and is starting to cope with everything that entails. He's already
consulting at two architecture firms, and has to decide which of the
bazillion other offers he has to reject.  He says this is just
because he's lucky, but everyone else knows that it's really because
he's awesome. Aww, little heart- thing.

At any rate, we're sticking around here for a while, and in the fall
we're either gonna ditch town and  head west like modern pioneers,
or find a little temporary nook for ourselves under the eaves
somewhere.

Chirp.

Mojito!

Ice
6 ounces light rum
12 mint sprigs, or spearmint, 8 roughly broken apart
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 tablespoons sugar
Club soda
4 slices lime

Place ice in beverage shaker then add in the rum, 8 broken up mint sprigs, lime juice and sugar. Shake well and serve over ice in a high ball glass. Top off each glass with a splash of club soda.

Garnish each with a slice of lime and a sprig of mint.

http://www.foodtv.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_17225,00.html

We got ze lions, only in Kenya! Goin to kenya? We got lions!

Love rolls like thunder.
Woken in a flash of light;
Rocked again to sleep.

There was this great party.  I was there, but you weren't. I stood around in the kitchen, totally crocked, wearing pigtails and a purple shirt, and talked to some guy about anthropology. I didn't even know I knew so much about it. Bryon was at the party too, because he lives there and he usually plays bartender. He makes a killer Mojito in a plastic cup. You also missed out on that. We danced a whole bunch and the shingles on the house were rattling, and then we went outside to cool off. It was great. Too bad for you.

Bathtub Banshee

Oh, did I mention there is a gaping hole in my bathtub? And that it has been there for months, seriously inconveniencing my bubble-bathing habits? And that although my boyfriend ( "El Destructo") accidentally put it there by bumping his knee against the side of the tub while reaching for the soap one evening, causing a flood and a massive cave-in? And that I'm pretty sure bathtubs, at least not crappy defective ones, are supposed to randomly give way under such circumstances? And now my management company, to whom I pay inordinate sums of rent despite the fact that they have still not made basic repairs to my apartment, have been aware of said hole for months and still not done anything about it? And are now threatening ME with an attorney because I have not been forthcoming in forking over further ridiculous sums of money, nevermind without a contractor's itemized estimate,  to have the bathroom repaired (more like renovated, ha) for something that is clearly not my liability.  

an excerpt from an email i sent to them last night, upon recieving the third threatening message from them in a week (but hmm...there still a hole in my tub?!):

".....I am more than willing to have someone come and fix the tub, considering it has been months since the problem was brought to your attention and I had expected it to be addressed considerably sooner. Frankly, I am finding it a little frustrating that I have to play phone and email tag with you in order to make these "arrangements", when maintenance could have simply come over in the first place and at least made a temporary repair to the bathtub.

Allow me to be very clear with you on the point regarding any cost of repair. I absolutely do not feel that I am liable for any damage to the tub itself, the floor beneath, or anything else having to do with damage to the bathroom caused by flooding or water leakage. First of all, I do not feel I should  have to pay for the hole in the bathtub, seeing as it was obviously defective or poorly installed in he first place. If anything, your company, the landlord, or the contractors who installed it should be liable to me, considering my boyfriend could have been seriously hurt when the tub caved in. Secondly, any damage caused to the floor underneath from the initial flood is not my responsibility, for the same reason outlined above. I would also add that any water damage, however nominal, which resulted from any delay in repair on your part is hardly my responsibility either. Nor would I consider paying for any damage, even if it was my fault, without first recieving a written estimate from a licensed contractor which explicitly outlined any structural damage done as well as an itemized list of repairs to be completed. So if you are concerned about getting any "$" to fix the bathroom, you will have to seek an alternate source.

I am sorry if this makes the situation more difficult for you. I feel I have been more than patient in this matter, considering this is the second time during my lease that your company has not been forthcoming in making critical repairs.

thank you,

Ann R "

Not to mention that I checked out the creepy basement under my apartment, and I found a huge pile of scrap wood from the last renovation piled on the dirt floor, among other trash and crap, right beside the two gas furnaces which heat my building. Now, I'm pretty sure that's hardly up to code. I think I shall be making a few nasty phone calls today.

Yeah, don't f**k with the Annie.

Ebay loot (for looking faboo):

Hehe, I'm sitting in the Pathfinders classroom at work watching the kids color in Dragon Ball Z pictures. I just learned that the Eternal Dragon never can die. Like, ever. For eternity. And there can only possibly ever be seven dragonballs. I have no idea what a dragonball is exactly, but whatever.We're making comic books later.

I have a big bruise. It's very pretty, actually.

Ok, here goes. One thing at a time.

Boobies

(I might be lumpy, but at least I still have arms)

I heard from my doctor today, and it turns out the lump in my breast is just that, and entirely benign. I would say that I am relieved, but I wasn't really too worried about it in the first place. Except for the fact that I now have a freaking hole in me from the biopsy and my boob is all funny bruise-colors. Yes, you're welcome, and i like sharing. Anyway, word is that young chikkies like myself aren't particularly prone to the dreaded B.C., and I have a particular family history of just lumpy boobies. I am lumpy. Lumpy lumpy lumpy. Lumptastic. Woo.

 School

You know, I don't really feel like writing about the big art show. Later on I'll post some pictures, but in reality I'm just glad it's done. Don't get me wrong, the whole thing kicked ass and my kids made some really beautiful things, but I feel like it's about time I don't have to think about it anymore. At least for a while. We might have an auction later on for some of the bigger collective works, in which all the proceeds will benefit the program, but we'll see.

What I am really excited about is some of the art my kids have been doing this week. I showed them some photos of works by Andy Goldsworthy, who has recently become one of my very favoritest things ever.  Since the weather was so beautiful, I challenged them to come outside and create sculptures from the things we could find. We talked alot about our artworks getting destroyed by wind and weather and the tribulations of the sandbox, and they seemed to revel in both the challenge and incertitude of the project. Sometimes it's good just to make art just for the moment you're occupying, and I feel like a lesson was learned. By me, too- all of a sudden I feel passionate about environmental art. It's funny how I spent four years at art school holed up with my charcoal and watercolors, and somehow never really developed a love like that for anything.  Now that I am teaching art to these little monkeys, i suddenly find how much I love this stuff.

Bryon

I would just like to take a moment to announce that Bryon is the best thing that has ever happened to me. We've both been so busy lately with all of the things going on - art shows, reviews, his thesis, small crises, etc- that I haven't gotten to be with him, just for the sake of it, in such a long time. But somehow, he's always present. I would just like to say how proud I am of him, since he just kicked ass in his architecture review last night. The visiting architects were completely enraptured with him. He's just so incredibly talented, brilliant, and sincere, and has worked so hard for everything he has; it never ceases to amaze me what an incredible person he is. That, and I've never known anyone who fit so well into my life, both as a best friend and creative partner. He gives me crap when I need to be pushed, and he gives me love when I need to be comforted.

Awww. I love my hedgehog! And he knows how to build stuff, too.