a new do

I went for my first haircut in NYC this week. A friend recommended a guy in the neighborhood who I am now heartily recommending at Vespa Salon on 7th Avenue (for any Brooklyn peeps). His name is Schlome and as my friend says, "he's worth the price of admission." (I hope he doesn't read this...) He was a riot. I felt like I got a haircut and a show at the same time! This picture doesn't reveal it very well, but Schlome gave me quite the layered-do. In the front, he went shorter because (in a heavy accent that I couldn't pick out) "it is sexy and mysterious and what is most important, is to be sexy."
p.s. sorry but I didn't have time to rotate the picture before uploading it. plus, your neck could probably use the stretch from sitting at the computer.

from the mouth of a 4-year old

This note was written to me by a 4-year old girl who I babysit occasionally. It says, according to her translation, "You are not a stupid idiot...and I love you." Thanks, little girl.

don't go brown if you can help it

Last Wednesday

- Ordered new bathing suits* from J. Crew online

- mood: excited!

Thursday - Sunday

- awaiting next week's delivery

- mood: more excited!

Monday

- out for morning coffee with friend Christy

- check online: missed delivery at 9:32 a.m.

- no UPS notice

- called UPS, they said probably the same time tomorrow

- mood: little annoyed, little less excited

Tuesday

- stayed home all morning even until 2:30 p.m.

- no buzz, no phone call, no notice

- check online: failed delivery attempt at 1:05 p.m.

- mood: significantly more annoyed and significantly less excited about new bathing suits

Wednesday

- stayed home all morning again

- no buzz, no phone call, no notice

- check online: (3rd and final) failed delivery attempt at 9:45 a.m.

- mood: UPS SUCKS!!!

Thursday

-will go pick up package myself

- will speak with manager to see if UPS driver hasn't gone insane

- will try on new bathing suits and hope they remove all memory of this frustrating experience

- mood: skeptical about package actually being there for pick-up

* New bathing suits, thank goodness, are not brown.

creative writing at its best

When playing scrabble, have you ever tried to create a story using every word that was played during the game? I did this recently with some friends and here is our amazingly fascinating story (scrabble words italicized)...before you start, a hind (according to friend Christy and my memory) is a small deer.

There was a gap between the wrought iron fence and the trash can that juts out like a giant zit. From that grooved pit the moan of a sane hind attracted a loner to the area. His friend, a doubter of animal friendship but a vet nonetheless, was with him carrying limes and a pie crust. El said to doubter, "Let us wend toward the dune and not stay, lest we fail in the fume of the axle." From the doubter's lip was uttered these words: "We have no coins for this voyage, thus we are tied to this town." Fighting the urge to lob his unsure friend, El decided to fake a smile and remain there. Luckily, there was a tray nearby with all sorts of utensils on it, including a tong...so they made their pie.

Publishers, please create a single file line and have your highest bid in hand.

a strong recommendation

I was fascinated to watch the story of Edith Piaf's life in the new film, 'La Vie en Rose.' After seeing the film and almost weeping over the devastatingly sorrowful life Piaf seemed to have lived, I researched a little bit more into her story to compare with the film; the film was fairly accurate. Piaf's life seemed destined for heartache from the start and nothing seemed able to change its path. I strongly recommend seeing the film for its beauty, its mostly accurate portrayal of such a well-known (though people may not recognize it), talented performer and for the music. The movie ends (almost ironically) with a song that translates "No, no regrets, No, I regret nothing...to hell with the past." In light of all you see in the film, this song cannot leave you sensing that it was possible for her to truly regret nothing.

girl put your records on...

There is just something (a certain "je ne sais quoi") about the crackle of a record that makes me adore it. Yesterday, I uncovered a few record sets that I inherited from my grandparents. From one of them, I played Edith Piaf's "La Vie en Rose" to spark interest in the new movie that is showing (at select theaters near you) which reveals the tragic life of Piaf. Apparently, her life story is similar to that of Judy Garland's, both finally succumbing to addiction and despair. I'm going to see the movie tonight at BAM. It's en francais with subtitles (I hope).

On another note, I scheduled my first one-on-one spanish lesson for next Wednesday. I am really excited to apprener espanol. I probably said that wrong and I'm sure someone will correct me (please?) but I'm only trying to relay my anticipation to you. I love languages and this one will certainly be practical - in my classroom and around the city! I fear that I'll lose my French or Sign Language, or that they'll just become a jumbled-up mess in my brain, so we'll see how it all goes I guess. I'll keep you posted (if you can comprende)!!!