I've been Gilmored

 [click on title for full post]

Today's Think Kit blog post prompt:

Look Outward, Look Inward

 
By telescope or microscope, or no scope at all – what did you discover? A new aspect of yourself? A favorite artist, musician, or variety of cheese? Did you discover something about a loved one? A familiar or new-to-you place? Be broad, be narrow, or be surprising.

Sure I found long-lost relatives in Ireland and spent a month in Tanzania with my godmother, but the first thing that came to my mind when thinking about what I discovered this year: Gilmore Girls.

Between not watching television as a child - one hour a week, always Brady Bunch and The Partridge Family - working a lot of nights, not having cable, and never having a great television, I never considered myself a TV watcher.

Until Netflix streaming came along. I enjoy binge watching shows on my iPhone. I don't care much about how big the picture is, I enjoy listening to programs just as much. And I can carry the phone from room to room and listen where ever I like.

I discovered Gilmore Girls last month when I saw people posting about it on facebook. I can't believe how much I'm enjoying it. The dialogue is fabulous and the stories are just the right amount of silliness.

And I promise that I did discover lots of swell things about myself and the world during my travels....

ummm, hi.

The longer I don't update this blog the guiltier I feel.
Vicious circle, really.

Some updates
- the tree never got decorated, but I did enjoy the lights and the festiveness.
- the holidays were fun, I even had two days in a row off one week.
- I had a blast on New Year's Eve -- and I was the designated driver! Check out the cool party hat Cara made me! It totally made up for the lack of midnight kissing partner.

- I've been working on more organizing and cleaning and purging the house. I made dressing room in the basement and moved all of my clothes down there. Mornings are a lot easier without running back and forth and laundry is a breeze, I just have to reach over to hang up the clean clothes instead of running things upstairs to my tiny closet.
- the closet project moved furniture out of my bedroom and prompted to put my living room television on the curb. I made room for a bookcase in the living room so all of the stacks of books are off the floor.
-I bought myself a record player for Christmas! Woo hoo! I'm enjoying listening to a mixture of nostalgic stuff (Dow Jones and the Industrials anyone?) to new releases.
- I was going to take a season off from bowling, but got talked into doing it again. It is fun!
- I've stepped up my writing gigs. Which is just the opposite of what I said I'd do. I'll have two features and six CD reviews in the next issue of Ghettoblaster, the Buzzing Around Town column is still going strong and I'm writing a monthly feature for NUVO about music radio deejays. I got to actually interview my first subject on the air!

Later gator!

relaxed nora

I dropped everyone off at the airport this morning.
I spent the day wandering, shopping, swimming, napping, watching television and reading.



Everything but writing my column.

I'm staying at a hotel that I love, I discovered it last year. Staying an extra day is a great way to ease myself back in to the real world. I've also learned that it is nice to have a decompression day after six days with the kiddies and parents.

Cable television, pool, wireless Internet access, a bathroom bigger than my bedroom at home and cool furnishings.




I may never leave.

Okay -- I'm going to start writing...now...in a minute...just one more chapter...hey what is on HBO?...maybe I'll just sent my alarm and get up early...

lovely weekend

It was a great weekend. Not only did I go to a wedding, celebrate my birthday and attend a reception honoring my mom and her retirement from St. Pius X Catholic Church -- but I did not work Saturday or Sunday. And for the first time ever I turned in the article I have due for Monday early.
It was a no pressure weekend.
I sure could get used to this.

And now, the icing on the cake -- the season finale of Desperate Housewives!

justin townes earle and miss usa

I've been working on a short piece about Justin Townes Earle this evening.

He is the son of one of my favorite musicians, Steve Earle and is named for his papa's buddy, songwriter Townes Van Zandt.
I was listening to his new album "Yuma" as I was writing.
I was also watching the basketball games (RIP Butler) but was getting too distracted--of course, it is not hard to distract me from an assigned project, I've been know to spend hours looking at salt and pepper shakers on eBay.

Anyway back to getting sidetracked...instead of turning off the television I flipped the channel and landed on the Miss USA beauty...um, I mean scholarship pageant.

I was thinking about the irony of listening to the of the son of Steve Earle, who sings of social justice with one ear--
and listening to the five finalists in their interview session with the other.
One spoke of how cold it is in Minnesota (Miss Nevada) and another talking about how people don't deserve second chances (not sure who that was--the white noise started then).

Anyway, since I was writing about a Nashville based musician I decided that Miss Tennessee should win.
And she did.

Maybe I can have a new career as a pageant coach.
Or an oddsmaker in Vegas.

Click on the title to hear a Justin Earle song. I like him, his voice and songs are warmer and gentler than his papa.