Alright boys & girls, we're gonna give this a go. 

A) First, recommend to me:
1. a movie:
2. a book:
3. a musical artist, song, or album:

(B) Ask me three questions, no more, no less. Ask me anything you want.  (no guarantees I'll answer, but ask away)

(C) Then I want you to go to your journal, copy and paste this
allowing your friends to ask you anything... if you want.

Guess what I did last night!  I pulled 3 or 4 360º spins @ 75mph on I-55 and eventually slid off the road and into the brush.  Why, you may be asking, would I do such a thing?  Well, I was cruising along the interstate, about 2 miles shy of my exit, when the car in front of me swerved to avoid something, which I did not see until I was just upon it.  It looked like a very large fender.  Anyways, I first went to the left and was heading for the neutral ground, decided not to head into opposing traffic and tried to veer to right but pulled a bit too hard and ended up spinning around a few times before sliding off the side of the road.  Here's a pic, but it was 10:30 pm so it was a bit dark:

You can't really tell from the picture, but the driver's side was facing the ground, almost at a 45º angle.  Well I called 911 and they said they'd call a tow truck and send a trooper out to make sure everything was okay.  Super Laurel stayed on the phone with me for 30 minutes until the cops finally showed up.  They let me walk back down the interstate to see what it was that I had almost hit.  Some fucker lost his bed liner and just left it in the road.  Goddamn rednecks. 

Anyways.....I was okay, the car was okay, so you'd think it would be alright, right?  WRONG.  AAA shows up and guess who the driver is.  Cooper, the AAA driver that rescued me twice in as many weeks this past February.  We dated briefly, and it did not work out well.  So his truck pulls up and I let out a big "Noooooooo" and the cop gives me a weird look so I told him I forgot to do some laundry.  Cooper says "Well, wadja do this time?"  I explained it all and he says "So you cain't get it out?" and I told him that I hadn't tried because Laurel and I agreed I would probably end up making the situation worse.  So he tries to get it out but it doesn't work because he says that I'm out of gas.  No way.  I had 1/4 a tank when I left Slidell, and I had only driven the 40 miles to Hammond.  I suggested that maybe the incline shifted the gas away from the pump-thing and he says "Nah, that ain't it."  He hooks my car up to his truck and cranks it out.  He points to the gas meter that is on empty, but before I can say anything it starts climbing back up to just below 1/4 tank.  Of course, I can't say anything about me actually being correct because he did just pull my car out of a ditch and he wasn't going to hit my AAA account for it.  And he's still really cute, if a bit simple. 

So I finally made it home with a dirty but otherwise okay car.  And a really strong urge to call Cooper.  But I didn't.  There are so many things that I really like about him, but there are also some things that will keep 'us' from working out.  It sucks, you know, because while there's not enough compatibility for us to date, there's too much compatibility for us to just be friends.  Alas.....

Aaron just called with some excellent news:  He won tickets to the
Victor Wooten concert at the House of Blues next week and he asked moi
to go with him.  I had originally asked him if he wanted to go,
but I forgot to buy tickets.  I hope there is a good vibe there;
the last show I went to there was Medeski, Martin & Wood and the
crowd was great. 

I'm supposed to move on the 18, but there's a chance Tova will help me
move that Sat/Sun (right?) so next weekend has the potential to be a
very awesome weekend.  Now I just need to buy some boxes and pack
my shit up so the move is easy-peesy. 

Aaron is calling Bingo at the town hall in Abita Springs tomorrow
night, so Lauren and I are going to play.  We will, of course, be
stopping by the Brew Pub before and afterwards, so it should be a good
night.  Pictures of drunk Katy and Lauren with our new senior
citizen bingo-star friends later.

I just talked to my very pregnant friend Shelly who lives in Pensacola, FLA.  Not only was her due date moved up a few weeks ago to July 10, but her doctor won't let her leave town.  So..........she is hoping the hospital will admit her soon so she won't have to fight her way through a hurricane to have this baby.  She's already had two rounds of false labor, but her cervix is not dilating.  She had a nasty first trimester, a rosy-glowing second trimester, and when I asked her how she's been lately she said: "Yeah, I'm done being pregnant."  I'm upset that she is upset; she should be able to take it easy the last couple of weeks.  Let's all hope for the storm to weaken and Shelly's cervix to open. 

I'll be waiting this out at my parents' house, since my apartment isn't nearly as vulnerable as their place.  They're up in Pennsylvania, but they're not getting off easily.  They have to visit my dad's brother and wife on their squirrel rescue farm.  These people actually take in injured squirrels to rehabilitate and then reintroduce them.  I'm not saying squirrels don't need the love, I'm just saying that's weird.  There is a squirrel hospital on the grounds, with squirrels in various stages of recuperation.  Some have splints or casts, some have their rears supported by those boards with two wheels....these squirrels live better than many humans.  They're lucky they are in New York, because down here they'd probably end up in someone's gumbo. 

Here's my first embroidery project:

Pay no attention to the "special" cherry on the right.  I ordered the Sublime Stitching "Stitch-It Kit" and I think I've found a new addiction.  It is so simple, and after wrestling with a mohair lace scarf I am all about the simple.  I've already ordered more packets of patterns.  So far I've been using the split stitch and the back stitch, but tonight we try the French Knot!!! 

Another simple pleasure: The 70s House on MTV.  This show is fantastic, but I can't believe how sheltered these people are.  I'd go without my cell and the internet if I was living for free. 

So......my family is cursed.  Whenever my parents go on a
vacation, some sort of disaster strikes.  They were in Europe when
tropical storm Lilly flooded their house.  Luckily I was
house-sitting for them and managed to save the photo albums and
cookbooks.  My dad took my mom on a cruise for her 50th B-day ( I
guess he figured she'd take it better out of the country and
liquored-up) and their ship ran aground on a sand bar.  Luckily
the company gave them lots of airfare and future cruise discounts, not
to mention lots of free liquor on the shore, so they weren't too
upset.  I was not so lucky, since I had begged off of work and
school and driven all the way down for Mom's B-day, only to spend the
weekend in their empty house.  There are many more examples, but
I'm going to get to the point now: 

My parents left Friday for a two-week trip up the East coast, and now
there are TWO named storms brewing in the gulf and the Caribbean. 
I wouldn't be too concerned since I live on the second floor of an
unexposed building and don't have a pet, but guess who has to take care
of the ole homestead when the storm hits.  Guess who has to go get
Tweedle-Dee and Tweedle-Dumber from doggie summer camp and evacuate if
its one of 'those' storms.  In my little-bitty Saturn.  Not
to mention that I am very busy preparing for the move in two weeks, and
I have have some important plans for the upcoming weekend. 

This is why none of my parents' friends travel when my parents
travel.  Tomorrow, if we don't flood too much, I have to go to
work and pretend to care that it is my boss' birthday.  At least
we ordered a cake from Zoe's.  If you have not had the White
Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake from Zoe's Bakery, you have not
lived.  Drop me a line, I'll try to gank a piece for you.

I'm listening to the new Amos Lee CD, and I seriously cannot think of a
single person I know who would not enjoy this album.  Except maybe
Ben, but he hates everything.  Ch-check it out!

In agreement and response to Scott's post, which was in response to Kristin's post:

I think there also needs to be a major effort to pop this bubble of
isolation within which most citizens of the US spend their entire
lives.  If you live in an urban or suburban setting, you might notice
that it is getting a little hotter each summer, and that there are more
hurricanes and random winter storms coming your way.  But if you live
in a rural area, you notice that the rivers are either too polluted for
use as irrigation, let alone drinking, or the rivers beds are drying up
do to increasing temperatures and diversions used to bring water to the
more populated areas.  You notice that your growing seasons are
shrinking because of the climate changes. 

If you live in the northwest
coast of the US you might notice a lot of smog, which is supposed to be
decreasing, right?  Well, the new industrial giant China has almost no
emission restrictions and their pollution is making its merry way all
the way across the Pacific ocean and contributing to the air pollution
here.  So not only is a belt of pollution being formed that will form a
closed circuit around the globe, the pollution coming from China
contains agents that have long been banned elsewhere in the world. 

If
you are up in Canada and Alaska or down in Antarctica, you notice that
the polar ice caps are melting, which not only causes drastic changes
along coastlines, it also affects weather patterns as well as
introducing incredible amounts of fresh water into the saltwater
system, killing marine animals that need that saline environment,
which in turns kills the predators of those animals.  

The earth's ecosystem is flexible, but only to a degree.  Every
organism on this planet serves a purpose (except for human head lice;
we can do without them) and the removal of a species is detrimental due
to a vast network of interdependence.  The organisms that feed on that
species will lose a food source, and the organisms on which that
species feeds will lose a predator.  This shift in balance can
sometimes be absorbed, but in an already fragile environment it can be
catastrophic. 

We have to take responsibility for our actions because
we are the only species that has control of this situation.  We cannot
continue to take harvests from the earth and expect it last forever. 
This planet is able to replenish itself, but not at the rate we are
requiring. 

Industrialized nations are seeing a decline in population, while
agricultural nations on a path towards industrialization are seeing an
unprecedented baby boom.  (We'll talk about access to birth
control and owning your own body later)  These developing nations
are using the same
methods and technology we used to industrialize, creating the same
horrid effects we created.  While it may seem hypocritical to tell
them
that they cannot use these methods because it will destroy the earth,
we don't have many more options. 

We should be sharing our cleaner
technologies with them.  We should be supporting industries that
use
clean technology (don't even get me started on employee welfare). 
The
earth took quite a beating from the first wave of industrialization;
the effects of a second wave will be devastating. 

You know that saying about not being able to take your toys with you
when you die?  Well, its true, you can't take that stuff with you.  But
you can leave behind a healthy environment for future generations.  The
car you buy today, the method you use to heat your house, the
industries you support, all of these decisions will have a profound
impact on the planet.  So while you can't take anything with you, you
can leave great things behind.

Do you like to read?

Lil' Earl and I came up with a neat idea last night: a book swap!

It would work like this:  Everyone who wants to participate lets me know; I'll send out a list with everyone's address in order.  Then you'll send a copy of a book you feel is vital reading along with a cheap journal to the person listed after you.  You will receive a book and journal from the person listed before you.  You'll keep those for about a month, reading them and putting notes/thoughts in the journal, and then send them off to the person listed after you.  It will be a cycle of education!  You'll always mail books to the same person and receive books from the same person until you get your own book back along with a journal filled with other peoples' thoughts.  We'll have regular mail-by dates, like the 15th of the month or something like that.

So for the price of one book (which you'll get back) and some postage, you get to read many, many books and you'll get to read the journal entries from fellow readers.  If you're interested, email me with your address and the book you think you'll want to send.  This is a bit of a long-term commitment; it will last a month times everyone involed, but just think of all of the great books you'll get to read that you probably wouldn't have tried on your own.  Super-super fun-fun! 

Well, this weekend started out alright.  Mario made a surprise visit from Indiana, so we went to a concert with his mom and her fiance.  It was a "juxtaposition" concert, with a jazz trio and then a bluegrass trio.  It was in a small art gallery downtown and it had a really good vibe.  Afterwards Mario and I went to Casa de Waffles and spent a few hours catching up and drinking many gallons of coffee.

Saturday morning I realized that my lease ends on July 16 and the new lease starts August 1.  My parents had told me that I could bunk with them for the interim, but I have a lot of heavy furniture to move.  I was counting on using my dad's truck, but they are going on a long road trip and will be gone for a few weeks.  I can't drive a standard, so even if I felt like it, I couldn't move by myself.  My apartment has been pre-leased, so I can't stay until August 1, but the new apartment won't be ready this week, before my parents leave for their trip.  Of course, Mario will still be in school in Indiana until mid-August, so he doesn't have to deal with all of this. 

Anyways....I called the management office this morning and they told me that the new apartment will be ready July 16, but I'm not obligated to move in until August 1.  So, I can move in anytime I want after I move out.  Now the goal is to see if I can stay in my place until August 18.  Otherwise, I'm going to have to hire a moving service or get a u-haul and bribe my cousin with beer and chicken wings.  The really frustrating thing is that the new apartment is like, 200 yards away.  This is a really inconvenient time for all of my friends to be living/working/going to school away from here.  Not that I blame you.

I'm supposed to hear back from the office sometime today.  In the meantime, I need to start collecting boxes and packing up the apartment.  I am so not prepared for this move.