Don't know what you've got 'til it's gone

I've been busy, and now I'm a bit bored. I finally have interior decorating work again this summer, and I'm so grateful for that. On Saturday, I wrapped up my second interior decorating job this summer, and I might have a couple more coming. (Toes crossed so I can type.) The thing about any kind of creative work, especially when you have to take a day job to support yourself, is that it's so easy to fall out of it. You can rather quickly go from being a writer who works at Starbucks, say, to being a Starbucks barista who writes at night, to being a Starbucks barista who *used* to write. I have to work interior decorating jobs around an administrative assistant's schedule. I hope one day I can just be an interior decorator-slash-nothing! But unless you have society connections or were born with money, you get that by putting in your dues, the same as any other creative occupation. I'm grateful for the work, and grateful for a bit of a break, too. L'Ailee told me she's happy I'm home more this week! It's funny how often the absence of most things can make one appreciate them more when they come back.

I am going out one night, though. Tonight my best friend Yemaya O'Reilly and I are going to see Reflection Eternal, Talib Kweli's project, at SOBs. Can't wait. They were at Brooklyn Bowl on Sunday, which would've been more convenient for us, but we had to go celebrate the Summer Solstice that night. We spent more time doing rituals to get what was the Deepwater Horizon oil well stopped and heal the Gulf than anything else, which is probably right. After all, it's not going to be a good summer for anyone until the damned well is capped and the oil stops flowing, and there won't be good summers around the Gulf for quite some time. Seeing summer concerts is much easier on us. They're one of our favorite parts of living in NYC. When we lived in Orlando, Yemaya was the one who urged me to go out on weeknights and taught me how to fake it for work the next morning. We're semi-responsible married thirty-somethings now, and she has a daughter to think about, but occasionally it's nice to revisit those nights.

Growing up as a Florida Cracker, I always resented it when Northerners yammered about how we didn't have seasons. I could sort of sympathize with kids, but adults pissed me off, because it wasn't like they were forced to come to my home state and then complain about everything wrong with it at gunpoint. Of course we fucking have seasons! It gets cooler in late September, cold in late December, and really pretty in February and March. But now that I'm in NYC, I kinda concede that those whiny-ass transplants had half a point. I never liked summer in Florida. I dreaded June, because it would get super-hot. It's pretty hot here right now, too. Now that I'm the transplant, I'm getting teased about bringing my Florida weather with me. But I appreciate summer a whole lot more after dealing with snowstorms and enjoying a cool spring. Even August is easier when I know autumn's not far behind it. Again, the absence of most things can make one appreciate them more when they come back. Even the whole Wheel of the Year thing is easier up here. We had to adapt, adapt, and adapt some more in my Florida coven.

I'm going to be completely shallow for a moment. L'Ailee stopped shaving her head when it got super-cold this winter--it seemed stupid to her to keep doing it when she was just going to wear a cap every time she got the mail anyway. She's now got this cute short, wavy style that looks a lot like Morena Baccarin's, the actress who plays Anna on V. (Yes, I think Morena Baccarin is really quite smoking hot, but that's not the only reason I like L'Ailee's hair right now.) She's tempted to shave it off again as the temperatures stay in the 90s. I'm begging her to hold off, though of course I know it's her decision, not mine. I know that gift only begins with the box. She gave up her right to comment on anything I consider (not that I ever deviate from long-with-bangs-and-natural-amber-color too much) because when we were just starting our LDR, she went from having beautiful black waist-length hair to completely bald and didn't bother to tell me until I couldn't find her at the airport.

You see I don't have a world of substantial things to think about in my own life, for which I guess I should be glad. Sometimes I feel like the news is happening all around us. I know that's not true, that everything affects everyone eventually. But I love how Yemaya signs her e-mails with this good wish: "Stay out of the news!" I completely understand her logic there.

Speaking of news, I have a ton of links:

The Rolling Stone article that caused all the trouble with McChrystal, because I don't want you to have to buy it in public like I did. Last time I bought a Rolling Stone was a year and a half ago, to read a long article about Tony Stewart and look at pictures that weren't online.

It's good for the environment when cities are crowded and noisy.

Speaking of good for the environment, I just learned about an awesome blog called Inhabitat with the motto, "Good design will save the world." They share news about such encouraging things as solar power in the Sahara desert, low-energy air conditioning, and a solar-powered soccer ball that might allow blind people to play. It'll make you feel better about being human.

What do (some) conservatives have against education?

And what does Mayor Bloomberg have against food trucks?

There was recently a full-figured fashion week, and it was awesome!

When will women break into NASCAR Sprint Cup racing?

Finally, I have learned that just because hockey's not played in summer doesn't mean it's all over in summer. Oh, no. There are drafts and trades and schedules to be done. Intent to Blow notes that the NHL kinda likes marketing the Penguins, and I found this hilarious though I'm a Penguins fan who's thrilled to be going to the Penguins/Capitals Winter Classic next year. Also, L'Ailee and I hate that the Chicago Blackhawks won the Stanley Cup a little less now that we know some of them are bringing the Cup to Chicago's Pride parade.