irrelevant

Rereading my posts has helped me realize the extent to which I dwelled on the open sewer on the ground floor so I should probably mark the closure of that chapter in the life of the rat's nest by saying that it did eventually get closed up sometime in the spring. Now they are about to tile over the whole mess, so hopefully when I get back home it'll be but a distant memory. I never did take a picture, but just take my word for it: it was nasty. We have a new super so hopefully the rat's nest building is on to bigger and better things.

BLUE FUNK

This from the sickie ward:

Speaking of funk, cutie doc just walked in and said it's gonna get real funky in here because we're going to have to keep it 100% sealed pretty soon. I think I've mentioned that my roommate can get a bit ripe. But I guess it's like the Nastoul Phenomenon. When you're in the room and grow with the stink, it doesn't smell to you, just to the people who walk in from the fresh air. Serves 'em right for being healthy.

So you read the title of the post and prepared yourself for one of my usual curmudgeonly diatribes. No need, for I plan to do some askhseis epi xartou (so to speak) and plan ahead to a year of being healthy. I will make one life goal for each of the next twelve months after I'm out of quarantine. Some of the goals are smaller and some are more involved. In no particular order:

1) Make a specific plan to move to the countryside.
2) Realise my dream of getting a dog.
3) File all my American back taxes for the last ten years. (No need to worry, I haven't made enough money to be taxed!!! The joys of poverty.)
4) YOGA YOGA YOGA
5) Remodel the bathroom of the rat's nest.
6) Remodel the kitchen of the rat's nest.
7) Travel to Chicago.
8) Apply to grad school or stop dreaming about it.
9) Learn how to drive stick. This is a big one.
10)
11)
12)

I'll keep working on it.

HACKNEYED,

c'est moi. Cancer chic(k?) writing from the hospital during chemeo (sic). No insights, but there are plenty of other blogs where you can get those. Actually, I have one insight. Having blood taken out of an artery in your wrist to measure the amount of oxygen is extremely painful. I don't recommend it. So aqui (imagine accent mark) je sit, on Day -7, tired but wired. I just want to get this over with and get back to my life if possible.

In the past few years I keep getting hit over the head with the idea that most people are really unclear on the concept. They place so much value on stuff that doesn't mean shit (eg money*) and don't respect or love people, animals or the natural world. I guess the old fart still amassing money after age 80 really does think he can take it with him. Now y'all know I'm not a believer, not a person "of faith", but if I believed in heaven and hell, no way would you catch me exploiting people and the environment in a zillion ways for a few million bucks. All I'd be able to think about would be those flames licking my ankles and rising upward. *Do not get me wrong about the money thing. I have been quite poor at times in my life and would probably still be considered poor by many people I know. When I say money doesn't mean much, obviously I'm not talking about putting a roof over your family's head and a meal in their guts, paying the bills, etc.

If you're healthy, you have the energy and physical ability, the clear mind to make things happen. You can find ways to change your life and realize your aims. All the cash money in the world isn't doing any good when your scans come back positive, man. And you might be able to pay for the best doctors, but even they may not be able to help you. And then it's just you and your conscience. And if your conscience is telling you that you could have fed some village for a year for less than you pay for your mani/pedis in the same amount of time, then heaven help you.

Sta be for now. good enou'.

still bad, after all these years

This from the Priests' Hole:

A poem of sorts is taking shape in my head. Maybe I'll figure out how to write it down and do so here. Until then, I will publish these two previously only narrowly-known gems, written over twenty years ago, for a bet with Mr Oetter the English teacher, which I won.

Greeting the kitchen wallpaper
I see you every day
But you never say hello.

Greeting the kitchen wallpaper II
I see you every day
But you never shake my hand.

Earth hour

was kind of disappointing.

this from the rat's nest:

I happened to be on the trolley for most of Earth hour. My opinion on the event is, dude, just turn your lights off. Don't be the curmudgeon (Jiora) who refuses to deal for one tiny hour with a couple of candles. Some people had their balcony lights turned on, as if in defiance. Stores and banks had their lights blazing as usual. The Parliament building was dark, though. That was kind of cool. Supposedly we had the highest national percentage of people who were going to participate. I wonder if that all panned out in practice.

I feel like I have to write follow-up questions as per the teacher's book I'm writing these days at work: How did pupils spend Earth hour, with family and friends or alone? Did they participate? Do they believe that efforts like Earth hour can help make people more sensitive to the problem of global warming? and so on. Don't you hate the word pupil? It reminds me of the life cycle of the butterfly. 2nd grade? Mrs Larson?

HEY, that huge open sewer hole is still there!!!!!!! Since before Christmas! It's like living on the banks of the River Ganges, except there's no dead cows, just dead (and living) cucas. And those little black dusty bugs that I've already mentioned. I promise that some day I'll take a picture of it. Or call some TV stations to film it or something because it is absolutely incredible. There just doesn't seem to be much hurry because hey, it'll probably be here for a few more months.

When I was talking about things you shouldn't buy in the store, but get from the source, did I say honey? Honey's a big one.

We need to think of a name for K's new apt. I live in the rat's nest, Lou and Jim are on the perch, G's in the pumpkin house...hmm... we have to work the religious angle because she's amidst about a zillion priests, here in the priest ghetto...a play on words, perhaps? Also, it's hot as Hades in here all the time because the radiators are burning hot almost 24/7. So I've given you something to work with. The "bell tower" or "steeple" is out because it's not high enough.

I've got it!!!!!

Priest (pronounced Praste!!!) Pond!
Isn't that what it was called in the Emily Books? Priest Hollow?
We have to think of how "pond" fits in to the whole thing, though.

Fruit and Veg

straight from the perch:

If you really want to leap onto the roof in a single bound, despite ICY conditions, doctors recommend five fruit and veg daily. And if they're not giving them to you, you gotta find ways to get it for yourself. I mean it.

It might mean getting wet or dusty. Sta be.

In other perch news, I'm making a quilt out of pieces of old blue jeans. Will post pic if anything materializes from this idea.

There's news about the plumbing sitch at the rat's nest, but that's for another post.

Haz Mat

The following from...

the rat's nest is a health hazard. Maybe not the actual nest, but that hole in the ground-floor hallway that gurgles up (raw?!?!? haven't actually gotten close enough) sewage has got to go. Why don't people care about it? Somebody's kid is going to fall in that hole, get sick from the sewage, and worse. They've got a couple of planks sort of covering it up. Lots of those black bugs swarming around. And the stank? You can smell it from the street. World's best birth control: Live in a building with effervescent, uncovered sewage right by the elevator door. You won't be inviting anybody in. Promise. But since I'm apparently the only person that thinks this is barfy (there's probably some of that in the hole, too), it'll most likely be around for a while. Maybe I'll post a picture of the hole because you probably think I'm exaggerating.