gina_r_snape

I went with my friends BE and KS to Mara's Homemade last night. We thought it was going to be their last night, but the owner has decided not to give an official date.

I've discovered I have a deep deep love for char grilled oysters. And they go exceptionally well with Pimm's. Mara's recipe calls for Pimm's, lemonade, Sprite, and mottled mint and cucumber. I could suck those babies down all afternoon. And it'll be my new summer drink, I've decided.

If only summer weather were closer. Today it's 37F with a constant misty drizzle that occasionally gathers the strength for rain in NYC. A part of me wants and needs the sun, because I'm feeling melancholy. But a part of me takes comfort in contemplating how much the weather reminds me of London and Edinburgh. I threw caution to the wind and wore yoga pants and a zip-up sweatshirt to work today.

I made one "April Fool's" prank at work - wrote a fake agenda for our meeting with a discussion of client issues. It took my staff a minute to realize it was a fake, too. But eventually they figured out that Lindsay Lohan isn't coming in drunk and attracting press, Dan Radcliffe doesn't need a pass for his evening job, and Muammar Gadhafi is not trying to rally troops to start a client coalition.

Speaking of sucking things down, I (SPOILER ALERT) inhaled Downton Abbey ( in two sittings )


So, if you've watched Downton Abbey and wish to discuss in the comments, please do. I think I'll be making today an endless-cups-of-tea sort of day. I long to be curled up on my couch with my cats.

So I went to University yesterday and did a training on EndNote. It's a bibliography software that I've struggled with using in fits and starts over the past few years. My academic advisor gave the instructional session, so I decided to try one more time. I think it's finally sunk in, how it works, and I'll give it a go.

It's been ages since I stepped foot on campus. As I'm not teaching this semester, I've had no reason to go there except for occasional use of the toilets library. How warmly I was greeted by so many!

I sat in the doctoral lounge in the afternoon and attempted to get work done. Actually, I did get work done, in an interesting paradox. When I'm alone on my own, I find I seek out forms of distraction. But when other people interrupt me, I get frustrated and strive to concentrate harder.

This photo of the Boosh boys is for drfardook's amusement after a conversation we had last night, but seems ( oddly apropos )


At any rate, after spending time in my department, I went to the NYU Bobst library where I miraculously still have access. Having first grown used to that library during my undergraduate days, I still flinch when I walk in and see display cases where the card catalogues used to be. It feels like a missing limb. I truly am in some ways still a product of the 20th century, of another age.

I wanted to copy one chapter of a book that my University does not have in its holdings. I discovered that Bobst only has an electronic version, much to my annoyance. And the "ebrary" won't let you print it out. Call me old fashioned, but I want a hard copy! I want to be able to highlight it and mark it up - and :gasp: read it in a cafe or a pub and NOT on the computer. I struggled with whether this makes me the product of another age, or if it's a tangible need that will endure as we further progress into the electronic age and the myth of the joys and efficiency of a paperless society.

One of my exes used to chide me for keeping hard copies of CDs when electronic backups would do. I used to say I liked having them. I still miss playing records and rolling joints on gazing at album covers. In Being Human, one subtle way they showed Mitchell wasn't as he appeared was his stack of records, tapes, and antiquated but still operable stereo. But the fact is, I do now only listen to music on my iPhone, the iPod hooked up to my stereo, or directly from the iTunes library on my computer. I threw out a stack of old games on CD Tuesday. Perhaps it's time to do the same with my CDs.

Er, yeah, so, I wound up having a surprisingly emotionally upsetting experience yesterday followed by nausea for several hours - and hence not much work done. Soooooo, I went ahead and ordered the damn cape. At least it was on sale?

I'm still feeling a bit queasy today and not entirely sure why. But I seem to be keeping down bagels and coca-cola (an achievement only made late in the day yesterday). So off to work I go. And by off, I mean "stay at my desk and read academic work." I'm certainly not putting on real clothing and heading outdoors. Why did NYC get so frelling cold out?!?! It's bloody freeeeeezing.

Been meaning to ask - has anyone on my flist watched Downton Abbey? It's on my "to watch" list. And has anyone heard anything about a second series?

Well, the dress sold without me. There was no way I'd have been able to afford it. The final bidding was pretty intense too. It jumped steeply in the last 7 minutes, and even jumped from £4,100 to £5,600 in the last 70 seconds. And it's all for charity, which is just lovely.

I have consoled myself by finishing a project drfardook and I started a few weeks ago. Behold - 18:06 seconds of Howince goodness with a splash of homage toward Noel's Wuthering Heights performance. (FWIW, I put Vince in red before we knew anything about the red dress. He's meant to be wearing something like his outfit from The Strange Tale of the Crack Fox. drfardook made Howard. You'll have to ask him about Howard's outfit).

Anyway, enjoy the video!



It was a lot of fun to make. If you are curious about the ( how to... )


I know it's terribly amateurish, but nevertheless I'm well chuffed. I plan to post it on booshslashhaven and to DeviantArt.

For those of you who work or live in NYC:

CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture) are a great way to get fresh organic produce into your diet and support local farmers.

Just Food has hooked up a number of CSAs in the city with the food stamp program through the Just Food/Wholesome Wave CSA Share Subsidy Program to make local food available to low income families.

If you are interested, or know anyone who might qualify, they can contact Program Manager Paula Lukats at paula at justfood dot org or ring her on 212-645-9880 x233.

The deadline to apply is March 21st.

For those who are interested in CSAs just in general, you can also access the Just Food website to locate a CSA near you, by zipcode.

x-posted to newyorkers

What can I say? Ovaries and brains are exploding at my flat right now.

Enjoy.


Well done, lads. Well done.

I'm going to Albany on Tuesday! Homeless Services United is organizing a lobby day and I'll be driving up with 3 staff members. We're going to try and convince our state senate and assembly persons not to cancel funding for housing homeless NYers. The Governor wants to not only cancel the "Advantage" voucher programs, he wants to retract funding backdating it to the beginning of the year. This would mean thousands of formerly homeless clients would wind up back in shelter as their subsidies would be canceled. Section 8 is currently closed in the state and NYCHA (NYC Housing Authority) has a waiting list of years. Senior housing (Section 202) has a waiting list of years as well. Rentals are through the roof, such that "market rate" means even I would not be able to afford to live alone. I barely make my rent as it is, and it's well below market rate as my flat is rent stabilized. (Think $2500 to $3k for a one-bedroom and you'll get the picture for non-regulated market rent). Most clients in shelter are poor. Any client who brings in more than $1k a month has been encouraged to rent a room. Most of our clients who do so (and that's maybe 9 out of 88) are either working full-time in a new job or receiving social security retirement benefits after working decent-paying jobs. The vast majority of our clients receive public assistance or a combination of social security, disability, and supplemental security income, workers compensation, or some other pension and would not be able to afford a room rental without a subsidy as they tend to go for at least $500 a month or $125 a week for some of the seedier places.

My staff have never participated in a lobby day. I think this will be a good way for them to get involved in the political process as they can speak firsthand to the impact such a funding cut will have on clients, service delivery, and life in NYC for thousands of people. I predict street homelessness will rise, frankly. The city shelters are already above capacity (the census has risen by the thousands in the past year to 8,822 single adults in the system last night 8,364 families with children and 1,31 adult families (no children) according to the DHS website). It's not pretty.

Anyway, enough of that. I want to talk about ( Glee! )


So, is anybody else on my flist still watching the show?

Forgive me LJ, it's been 4 days since my last entry. If that sounds oddly like a confessional, maybe it's because of the news I heard this morning. Governor Cuomo is being bashed by religious leaders for living with his girlfriend out-of-wedlock. The news this morning was all about Cuomo's refusal to meet with the Bishop of NY. I am greatly amused. I must admit, I have come to dislike Governor Cuomo in recent days. I sense he holds deep hatred for either NYC, Mayor Bloomberg, or both. But his refusal to meet with a religious leader to discuss his "moral failure" gave me a bit of respect for him.

In other news, I am still drowning in my own fluids. But a little bit less so. Coming back to work this week has been nothing short of exhausting. But yesterday the shelter doctor gave me prescriptions for two inhalers. So now I'm all lightheaded and loopy and phlegmy, but at least a small amount of oxygen is making it to my limbs. I've now had this cold for 14 days.

I'm still not completely finished unpacking from Gallifrey. There are bits and bobs to put away, and my corset needs washing but I am not sure whether to use Woolite on it. Last night I felt vaguely optimistic that I might get something done. I came home, put the cat food away, ate a modest dinner, then promptly passed out on the couch for 1 1/2 hours. So, still no Gallifrey pics. That's ok. I still haven't posted the Wizarding World portrait pics from Infinitus yet. One day...

I missed the deadline for submitting presentations to a conference in October. And I wasn't able to apply for that position in Portland. I try to concentrate on my literature review and my head is just swimming. The good news is, I still have time off. 1 sick day, 2 holidays, and 5 vacation days remain until July 1st. I need to plan them wisely and pray the lurgy doesn't become a lifestyle.

And now that I'm done whinging, I wish to bring your attention to the inimitable fidelioscabinet. In light of recent attacks on the right to collective bargaining on the state level, she has started a series of entries on labor history. First one here and the second one here with promises of more to come at irregular intervals. They are extremely interesting and I encourage you to read them. It should come as no surprise to anyone that I favor taxing businesses over cutting health care benefits, laying off workers, etc. And during this time of increased strain on the state level, it does not surprise me that history is repeating itself. Is it any wonder I spend so much time on YouTube watching silly interviews with Noel Fielding and tv shows like Victorian Pharmacy. I yearn for a time when everything seems possible, not impossible. Watching the Daily Show the other day was almost too much to bear.

I am alive, and almost well and have photos to upload. I met some amazing COSplayers, got to catch up with some old friends and make new ones, spent the day as Waris Hussein's lady in waiting (he was the super surprise guest of my dear friends in Podshock), and generally got away from the computer and from everyday life. Though I did go waaaay over my text message allowance (220/200 with 21 days left to my billing cycle) and forced my account to unlimited this afternoon. LOL

Alas, I also came down with a cold that I think was set in motion days before flying. :( So today instead of unpacking and posting pics, I slept and ate comfort food. Tomorrow work, unpacking, snuggling under a blanket with a certain someone and maybe rewatching An Unearthly Child. But I promise, I will post photos. There were so many great COSplayers and I know you want to see them all. But for now I leave you with three of me that were uploaded by others to FB. I give you Queen Victoria, and her nighttime counterpart Burlesque Victoria (alas, it was too cold to take her out for a grander spin). Middle photo courtesy of fiendish_thingy and last photo thanks to ( my friend JD )

Oh, and before I pass out again I just have to say - elrina753 is the best DW con suite mate evar. ILU BABE!