The Steelers just won! I had a football party. Although I don't know whether my football party counts as a playoff party in the traditional sense. It was four female writers and Corey watching football and eating pita and pizza and chocolate. We asked him questions about the rules pretty much without stopping. He was a really good explainer. I had fun.
This means all those dudes I saw Friday night sporting the "bustache" won't be shaving it off any time soon. I wonder what chaos is happening in the streets right now. Llana, who arrived late to the party, said they made an announcement in Whole Foods when the Steelers scored. You know you're in a football friendly place when the granola kids at Whole Foods are announcing the score. I love the team spirit in this town.
Last night I hung out at Ruggers all night with Jenny Lui. The whole Angels team was there, so it was awesome because I knew everyone and Jenn knows most of them. I got numerous free drinks for being an out of towner and supporting the Steelers and then I got a free cheesesteak sandwich. It was altogether a great time.
The streets were teeming with Steelers supporters. People were hugging. I remember Tricia saying in college that she would feel more involved and proud if the Steelers won a superbowl than she felt when we won the collegiate national championship in rugby. At first I was flabbergasted that any woman would feel more a part of something she watched than something she made happen herself, but after seeing the way this town embraces Dem Stillers, I can see why she would feel that way.
The Steelers might as well be a fourth river in this town. I love it!
Sunday, January 15, 2006
Saturday, January 14, 2006
Gist Street Readings
Pittsburgh definitely has a cool ass bohemian/writer scene. Last night was probably the best $3 evening money could buy. I went to the Gist Street reading series to hear Professor Faith and Tim Seibles read. It was such an amazing experience! The readings are all held in the loft of a sculpture gallery. This guy lets us all hang out in his living quarters. First, the first floor is totally filled with this enormous sculpted mural. All three floors are decorated with the most interesting artwork ever. Then, after you pay your $3, you get entered in a raffle to win the artists' books among other things (like freaking Terrible Towels). Your entry fee also gets you homemade bread, many tables full of cheese, pizza, and other snacks the guests bring. Plus, it's BYO Wine.
So essentially, everyone gets good and sloshed and stuffed while we sit around an ancient bathtub, staring at the most interesting living space in the entire world, and then Tim begins to speak and the world stops moving. I don't even really like modern poetry too much, but he made me want to study it for years. His words seeped from his fingers as he closed his eyes and conducted the room while he read. He was amazing.
After, everyone went to a cool bar called Gooskys on Polish Hill. I drank several Cheap Bastard Specials (PBR from a bottle! $1.50!) and enjoyed free ping pong, a gas fireplace, and a dirty room filled with persian rugs and Johnny Cash. It was an altogether satisfying and awesome evening.
Where was Corey in all this?, you wonder. He was supposed to be taking his bike team to Penn State for a training weekend. But since it went from 70 degrees to 30 degrees last night and has been snowing steadily ever since, I think we can all agree it was a better idea to stay home. He went out boozing with the neighbors upstairs. I came home and we played Katamari together. It was awesome.
So essentially, everyone gets good and sloshed and stuffed while we sit around an ancient bathtub, staring at the most interesting living space in the entire world, and then Tim begins to speak and the world stops moving. I don't even really like modern poetry too much, but he made me want to study it for years. His words seeped from his fingers as he closed his eyes and conducted the room while he read. He was amazing.
After, everyone went to a cool bar called Gooskys on Polish Hill. I drank several Cheap Bastard Specials (PBR from a bottle! $1.50!) and enjoyed free ping pong, a gas fireplace, and a dirty room filled with persian rugs and Johnny Cash. It was an altogether satisfying and awesome evening.
Where was Corey in all this?, you wonder. He was supposed to be taking his bike team to Penn State for a training weekend. But since it went from 70 degrees to 30 degrees last night and has been snowing steadily ever since, I think we can all agree it was a better idea to stay home. He went out boozing with the neighbors upstairs. I came home and we played Katamari together. It was awesome.
Thursday, January 12, 2006
That Crazy Corey; Pea Soup
This morning when I got to work, as I was unlocking the office door I noticed a very peculiar thing on my keyring. Rather than leave the soy milk cap thingy in its usual place on the counter, he attached it to my keyring! That crazy boy! I laughed for almost fifteen minutes, sank to my knees and cried. I have to think of something to get him back. He cannot win this prank war.
He thinks he is so clever. He thinks this gets me back for stuffing school pictures of my cousin into every single pair of his socks. Well this does not equal that!
I will now get no work done today as I try to come up with a retaliatory prank...
In other news, I have spilled a pint of pea soup in my new brown bag from Dina. My fabulous bag, which gets numerous complements each day, is now full of garlicy/thymey/bay leafy broth. You wouldn't think a faux suede bag could be so absorbant, but it can. There is broth on the fur trim, it's dripping from the brown piping. It's everywhere. Even worse, I have no broth in my pea soup for lunch. Instead, I have a brick of green gunge. I'm sure it will still be delicious. Would the Goya bag recipe lead me astray?
He thinks he is so clever. He thinks this gets me back for stuffing school pictures of my cousin into every single pair of his socks. Well this does not equal that!
I will now get no work done today as I try to come up with a retaliatory prank...
In other news, I have spilled a pint of pea soup in my new brown bag from Dina. My fabulous bag, which gets numerous complements each day, is now full of garlicy/thymey/bay leafy broth. You wouldn't think a faux suede bag could be so absorbant, but it can. There is broth on the fur trim, it's dripping from the brown piping. It's everywhere. Even worse, I have no broth in my pea soup for lunch. Instead, I have a brick of green gunge. I'm sure it will still be delicious. Would the Goya bag recipe lead me astray?
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Steak with Butter, Hill House
I just finished eating the best food in the whole freaking world. Julia Child knows rattatouile like I know knitting. I can't even explain what was different about her way of preparation that made the flavors explode like they did, but my GOD! That was good food. I can't even say anything about the biftek au buerre or cheesy orzo I made with it. All I can think about is the way the tomatoes disintegrated in a pool of delicious zucchini/onion/eggplant/pepper/garlic goodness. If there is ever anyone I want to impress with some food, that is the dish I shall prepare. I can barely control my impulse to run to the fridge and eat it cold with my fingers. (Although doing so wouldn't be so unusual. Nobody ever said I had willpower)
Today I had my first class in the Hill House. I don't meet the potential workshop students until next week, but I still feel very confused about the class. What am I supposed to teach? How will I be able to make a difference? I also feel nervous that we have to focus on craft. I'm not sure I understand enough about story arc, characterization, etc to teach it to others. If those elements show up in my work, it's purely a result of having read so many books and learning subconsciously. Anyway, I really look forward to meeting the staff and residents next Tuesday.
My belly is so full right now! If I were a good grad student, I would sign off and write my workshop piece until 2am. Instead, I'm going to watch an episode of the Sopranos which I've already seen and probably put in at least 2 hours of Katamari before falling asleep on the sofa. Why??
Today I had my first class in the Hill House. I don't meet the potential workshop students until next week, but I still feel very confused about the class. What am I supposed to teach? How will I be able to make a difference? I also feel nervous that we have to focus on craft. I'm not sure I understand enough about story arc, characterization, etc to teach it to others. If those elements show up in my work, it's purely a result of having read so many books and learning subconsciously. Anyway, I really look forward to meeting the staff and residents next Tuesday.
My belly is so full right now! If I were a good grad student, I would sign off and write my workshop piece until 2am. Instead, I'm going to watch an episode of the Sopranos which I've already seen and probably put in at least 2 hours of Katamari before falling asleep on the sofa. Why??
Monday, January 09, 2006
Sing-Along
So every time I think I left the crazies behind when I left New York City, Pittsburgh proves me wrong. Tonight, at 10 pm when I was miserably waiting in the cold for my bus home from campus, an elderly lady sat next to me on the bench. She began wrapping herself in scarves, hats, gloves, and a red parka before telling me all about how much she enjoys her continuing education classes in the film department. She listed faculty members, asked me what I was doing there, and then said "Do you like to sing?"
This lady then tried to get me to join her political sing-along group that meets Wednesdays and Saturdays on Mount Washington. They already have a piano player and a guitar player, so I would just need to sing if I went. I'm not sure at what stage in life people stop recognizing body language. I had my feet propped up on the glass wind wall, my head hanging back over the bench, eyes closed. I rubbed my cold thighs with my gloves and prayed for my bus to come. I had to cram in between two fat people in order to not sit near her on the bus.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Newman started having terrible back pains. At one point, she had to lie down on the floor and moan. When your 76 year old arthritic, osteoperosis-riddled boss about whom you care very much lays on the floor moaning, you get stressed out. She told me that she often lies on the floor when she is in pain. In fact, she has delivered lectures lying down on stages, holding a microphone to her mouth. "The audience is very silent," she said when I asked what people do.
Can you imagine attending a lecture when the speaker suddenly informs the audience she needed to lie on the stage and moan in pain? I just hope she is feeling better soon because she is flying to Alaska to meet her new grandbaby. The strangest part is that I think Dr. Newman would love to join the crazy lady's political sing-along group. She does, after all, play the bells when she hikes in Wyoming.
This lady then tried to get me to join her political sing-along group that meets Wednesdays and Saturdays on Mount Washington. They already have a piano player and a guitar player, so I would just need to sing if I went. I'm not sure at what stage in life people stop recognizing body language. I had my feet propped up on the glass wind wall, my head hanging back over the bench, eyes closed. I rubbed my cold thighs with my gloves and prayed for my bus to come. I had to cram in between two fat people in order to not sit near her on the bus.
Earlier in the day, Dr. Newman started having terrible back pains. At one point, she had to lie down on the floor and moan. When your 76 year old arthritic, osteoperosis-riddled boss about whom you care very much lays on the floor moaning, you get stressed out. She told me that she often lies on the floor when she is in pain. In fact, she has delivered lectures lying down on stages, holding a microphone to her mouth. "The audience is very silent," she said when I asked what people do.
Can you imagine attending a lecture when the speaker suddenly informs the audience she needed to lie on the stage and moan in pain? I just hope she is feeling better soon because she is flying to Alaska to meet her new grandbaby. The strangest part is that I think Dr. Newman would love to join the crazy lady's political sing-along group. She does, after all, play the bells when she hikes in Wyoming.
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