Wow. Lots of feedback on that last post. And a letter from the editor herself wanting to make it very clear that babyboomers are not their target audience, rather, people who like to “go out and about” in Albuquerque. Unless you like to go do things around the westside. Ok, that was a cheap shot I’m just kidding.

I’m still a chain coffee drinking non-La Montanita shopping westside suburban blogger but there’s an additional non-qualification in that I’m a semi-agoraphobe who doesn’t drive therefore I don’t get “out and about” very often. And when I do it’s usually to some evil corporate chain store or restaurant on the westside (or, God forbid, the Rio Rancho dog park because there aren’t any City of Albuquerque dog parks nearby) and somehow I get this intangible feeling of being judged for that from these folks.

However! One thing that I find very attractive in this new venture (aside from the fact that I was quoted in an article and didn’t notice that before. Thanks Kelly!) is the attempt to focus on positive aspects of Albuquerque. Which could be a great help towards a better general attitude here as long as its a guideline that’s followed. Unfortunately I think there are already some articles that don’t exactly provide a positive unifying attitude.

It’s the elitist (and I don’t mean to encourage anti-intellectualism here I mean the textbook definition of the term) attitudes that people who live in a certain place, eat at certain restaurants or drink fair trade coffee are somehow superior to people who live in another place, eat at chain restaurants or drink chain store coffee that kind of pisses me off - and actually gives me a better perspective on the crazy christian backlash that took place everywhere last christmas.

That whole “Goddammit I’m Christian and there’s nothing wrong with it you big fat pagan slut! Let me celebrate the birth of Christ with the tacky commercial glee for which The Man died on the cross (in a really long violent gross way now available on DVD!) without crazy guilt trips or having to use the more religiously tolerant ‘Happy Holidays’. What I believe in is the only true thing on this whole damn planet and anyone who thinks or believes otherwise is a terrist” kind of commentary that was on shows like crossfire and republican pundit weblogs last December. And while I certainly don’t agree with it I almost understand that level of defiance right now. It’s very similar to the kind of attitude I would take when I was a smoker in a non-smoking restaurant: “I’m a smoker, motherfucker, you got a PROBLEM with that?”

Is there somehow a way to focus on the small, interesting, and/or local without intimating that to support or be otherwise is a bad thing? A way to prove your point without cutting the other side down? Surely there is…

The whole “Alternative Albuquerque” thing is fun. But in some cases it reminds me of my art student days in Alabama where I enjoyed wearing Liberty overalls, but in an ironic way. Or going on road trips and stopping in strange little out of the way barbeque restaurants to eat then would make fun of the redneck patrons when I got back in the car. I had even thought about writing a book called “The Surrealist’s Guide to the South” showing all the crazy roadside attractions, truck stops, and restaurants available to people willing to take the chance and brave the southern highways.

But this was when I was twenty and hadn’t quite caught on to the concepts of nuance and relativism. There’s a very fine line between enjoying the culture-encapsulating weirdness of poppy kitsch and being a derisive satirical snot. Not a line I’m be able to balance very well either, I know.

I’m just as guilty about thinking I’m somehow morally superior to people who drive gigantic SUVs, who don’t spay or neuter their pets, or those crazy superskinny fashionistas. And there’s that whole reading for fun thing. I’ve said it before, we all have our prejudices. And I clearly expressed a few of mine in my last post.

That said, there’s good potential here. An opportunity to make changes in how things are communicated in Albuquerque, to change attitudes and assumptions about people who have pitched their tents in other camps, even if it is the next one over, and possibly to affect actual change to how the city works. I sincerely hope that happens.

And no I’m not saying that because I was quoted there, you damn cynics.

So there’s this new group weblog / online magazine kind of thing for Albuquerque called the Duke City Fix. It looks interesting and already has some good posts. But it definitely is presenting a very specific we’re soooo alternative view of the town. Call me the nitpicking Affirmative Action Head Counter but, as far as I can tell, only one actually grew up here, I don’t think any are Hispanics and, of course, there’s nary a westsider. So, like I said, this is a very specific perspective on Albuquerque.

But, hey, if you live on the east side of the river, particularly in Nob Hill, eat organic food, visit martini bars and art openings, dig 50s Route 66 type kitsch, especially if you are a baby boomer you are their target market. Go read and enjoy.

No, I’m not bitter for not being invited as the singular westside blogger. Am not! Like they’d have my national chain coffee drinking, non-La Montanita Co-op shopping ass. I don’t exactly fit their profile. But I don’t fit any profile. And that’s not by accident baby.

I’ll admit, I actually got a slight thrill when I first moved to New Mexico from that Birmingham Methodist greek fraternity hell liberal arts college where I had been considered a freak for wearing black and being an art major. I actually felt conservative compared to most of the students at The College of Santa Fe. It was such a novelty to be comparatively conservative with the people in the room after being surrounded by Bush Sr voters - especially that night in Kyoto during the interim trip to South Korea and Japan when Clinton was inaugurated and I was the only one in the group, including the professors, who had voted for him. Lemme tell you, THAT was fun. In the end I drank a lot and sang Frank Sinatra songs in the style of Johnny Rotten in the hotel’s karaoke bar.

But when I moved to Santa Fe I never quite felt that I fit in there either.

On a more positive note I have been invited to take part of this really cool woman-goddess-centered group weblog called Every Woman is a Goddess. It’s a fun bunch and the type of posts vary from personal essays to poetry to links. I was totally flattered to be asked to join.

Maybe I’ll change the self-imposed Saturday Quiz and Meme rule to just weekends. Maybe not. Either way this was too fun to wait until next Saturday to post.

Unless you want to shop, in which case, by all means click! Otherwise I’m just working on something here and need these links.

Additional 50% off clearance items at Hottopic.com!

Up to 75% off original price at Torrid.com Clearance

Oh, all right it’s because I wanted to get these for my baby niece and toddler nephew and wanted to grab my paltry commission from the sale. Yes, I’m a Zeppelin fan. The secret’s out. You can just shut it. They used to have a Ramones shirt but I couldn’t find it. I thought about getting the “Cheap Twik” but the falling Icarus image will slightly disturb my sister-in-law - always an added bonus.

Thanks to Pamela for enabling today’s impulse buy.

There’s the episode of The History of Britian with Eleanor of Aquitaine on the History Channel and my first try at knitting lace (a scarf using this pattern) with Rayon Boucle seems to be going fairly well.

All I need to do now is persuade Mr. Man into making a pot of coffee and this will be a perfect Sunday morning. Ok, so I haven’t totally given up coffee I just don’t like to make it myself anymore. Which certainly does cut into how often I have it.

And I found a possible pattern for the scarf Scarlett Johanssen was knitting in Lost in Translation!

Anyone else having trouble with their Bloglines account or have they decided they just don’t like me anymore and shut down my account?

updated something like FIVE MINUTES LATER: oh of course after a good six hours of wondering this to myself now that I posted about it they friggin fixed it.

1. Were you named after anyone?
I don’t think so

2. Do you wish on stars?
Not usually

3. When did you last cry?
Yesterday.

4. Do you like your handwriting?
Not really

5. What is your favorite lunch meat?
Smoked Turkey or honey ham

6. What is your birth date?
7/2/72

7. What is your most embarrassing CD?
um. my copy of the Hatfields and McCoys Game. we bought it as a joke

8. Do you have a journal?
Obviously

9. What do you like best about yourself?
My ability to glean useful information from unusual sources

10. Would you bungee jump?
Oh HELL no

11. Do you untie your shoes when you take them off?
Not if I can get my foot out otherwise

12. Do you think that you are strong?
Not really.

13. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Coldstone Cake Batter (geez people love to ask this question)

14. Red or pink?
Pink

15. What is your least favorite thing about yourself?
Absolute lack of discipline and self control

16. Last person you ate with?
Mr. Man

17. What color pants and shoes are you wearing?
LOL I’m not wearing either ha HA. I’m in a dress.

18. What are you listening to right now?
Liz Phair - Polyester Bride

19. What was the last thing you ate?
Balsamic Vinegar and Sea Salt Chips

20. If you were a crayon, what color would you be?
Prussian Blue

21. What is the weather like right now?
Cold.

22. Last person you talked to on the phone?
Mr. Man at work

23. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex?
Their height

24. Favorite drink?
Aquifina sparkling berry water or Blueberry tea

25. Favorite sport?
spectator

26. Hair color?
Brownish reddish dishwater blondish

27. Eye color?
Hazel

28. Do you wear contacts?
No

29. Favorite food?
green chile cheeseburger eggrolls

30. Last new movie you watched?
Kill Bill Vol 1

31. Favorite day of the year?
The first real day of fall

32. Scary movies or happy endings?
Scary movies with happy endings

33. Summer or winter?
Summer

34. Hugs or kisses?
Hugs

35. What is your favorite dessert?
Pumpkin Spice creme brulee

36. Last concert you saw?
Uh. Bill Maher I think

37. What book are you reading?
The Sunday Philosophy Club

38. What’s on your mouse pad?
I don’t use a mouse pad

39. What did you watch last night on TV?
Kill Bill Vol 1

40. Favorite smells?
Cody’s shirts, The puppy’s fur when she’s been out in the sun, philosophy pure grace

41. Favorite sounds?
water

42. Rolling Stones or Beatles?
Beatles.

43. Furthest you’ve been from home?
Perth is the furthest, I think. If not then Seoul.

44. Do you have a special talent?
Not really.

45. What is your ringtone?
Erasure’s “A Little Respect” and Spinal Tap’s “Big Bottoms”

snagged this from Little. White. Pills

Here’s my exception to the Saturday Quiz and Meme rule: The Friday Random Ten

Sid Vicious - I Wanna Be Your Dog (my randomizer sure loves the Sex Pistols)
Mazzy Star - Blue Light
Terry Jacks - Seasons in the Sun
Diana Ross - Upside Down
Billie Holiday - I’ve Got My Love to Keep Me Warm
George Benson - This Masquerade (Nightmares on Wax JJP Mix)
Hedwig and the Angry Inch - Origin of Love
Bush - Glycerine
A:Xus - Baghdad Cafe (Callin’ U)
Apoptygma Bezerk - Nothing Else Matters

I really liked that photo of Winter in “the meadow” and since I haven’t changed my desktop image since Meomi uploaded their december desktop calendar I thought this might be a good time to have a new desktop image. So I made sized it to fit my desktop. Once up there i noticed the space on the lower left was kind of weird so I just pasted another photo of her face in there as an overlay.

And what could make the exhibition of my obesessive dog mom-ness more complete than assuming everyone else would want my dog on their desktop too?

1280 x 1024
1024×768
800×600
640×480

Update: I’m also going to upload it to Webshots where they already offer a photo of Winter’s Father, Red Hot Chili!

too bad I didn’t notice at 2:22 eh?

Three months? That’s all I’ve saved? Dammit!

as always I praise Quittime.

Yes, I still miss it every day. Sorry.