Only anarchists are pretty...

How is 35 supposed to feel? They did like a whole episode on Sex And The City about how it was such a big deal...but I don't feel any different or traumatized. Some days I don't feel any different than I did at 25. Or 15...

...to GR for the weekend, that is. Will be out and about tomorrow night for brother J's birthday. Get in touch if you want to meet up.

I leave you with my 2 new favorite blogs this week, for your weekend reading pleasure:

-Why Women Hate Men - a compendium of bad internet personal ads.

-Psychotic Letters From Men - a compendium of, well, psychotic letters from men.

Please refer to the above 2 websites (as well as Tool Academy) for a response to any questions as to why I'm single.

...happy 21st birthday to my oh-so-lovely sister Rachel:



I am going to buy you drinks tonight, luv! Whether you want them or not! :)

Taking a quick break from the political ranting (more to come today, no fear), here are some pics from Friday night's Panic/my birthday celebration:



Me, madflowr, MD



Me, C



Me, C, A, D



A, C, me



MD, girlvii, S, strtmyorange, A



girlvii and strtmyorange

...that I have plenty of links and opinions to impart on the RNC, Sarah Palin (see this for my first impressions), the GOP platform, and all sorts of current events, but today is for celebrating my making it on this earth for 34 years. Whew! A thousand thanks to all of the wonderful people who came out this weekend, commented on Myspace/Facebook, called, texted, emailed, gave totally unneccesary yet completely appreciated gifts, and who have just generally made me feel wicked loved. Thanks!

I also want to tell all my Gulf Coast friends that you're all in my thoughts. Hang in there...

...I turn 34 (!) on Tuesday. But I'll be celebrating, as is my wont, all weekend long. Pick your celebration:

( Tonight )

( Sunday )

If you need to reach me over the weekend, use my cell, as my home computer is in a coma of some sort, so I will be internet-less from about 4 p.m. today until Tuesday morning.

-The happiest of happy birthdays to courts828. Can't wait to celebrate with you!

-And happy birthday tomorrow to madflowr. Enjoy your Jubileigh!

-Juno vs. MSCL: The breakdown. (I confess to loving them both.)

-A substitute teacher in Florida was fired for wizardry. Because he did a little sleight-of-hand magic trick in class. Come ON, people! It's 2008, we've gotta stop this bullshit!

-Dear home state of Michigan: WTF?

That's all I've got, kids. Enjoy your weekend, and happy Mother's Day to all the mums out there.

To you today, lil brother:

Happy birthday to my parent, friend, hero and safe haven: Mum jane3tis. I love you, you rock, and I hope you spend all day being selfish, satisfied and smirking.

...a.k.a. cake and cleavage, courtesy of J:



And here's one from much later in the evening, courtesy of kz:



Why yes, that is bradarsenal with me. He, vmydarkstar, kz and E were in it for the long haul, and we were out till 4:30 a.m. ish. :)

So, here we are. Another year older, and a double digit year, no less. Double threes have to be lucky, yes? Perhaps. Perhaps I will make 33 lucky.

I've never really been a conformist. Or, I should say, I've never had too much trouble going my own way when I felt I ought, or going the way of the world if that seemed the right way to go. But the older I get, the less I care about labels or "supposed to" or things people tease me about. Tease away, I'm still going to be me.

So, out of the closet with it then:

-I bought an emerald green velvet cloak (it hasn't yet arrived, though). Not for Halloween, though I'm sure I shall wear it then. Not even because I'm still somewhat goth. Because I've always wanted one, damn it. I also bought matching fingerless gloves.

-I like fairies. Like the ones people draw with gauzy wings and such. I just wish magic was real, and sometimes I think it might be...

-Halloween will always be my favorite holiday. I can't get enough of crisp, spooky nights and haunted houses.

-I've got more vampire books that I have shelves for them. And a ton of films as well. And I just keep buying more.

A thousand thank yous to all the kind souls who came out and helped me celebrate, who made and/or bought me fabulous things, who provided CAKE (photos to come), and who sent well-wishes in any way, shape or form. You guys are the best.

All -

The day of celebration has finally arrived! (Even though my actual birthday is Sunday, Sept. 2.) Here are the details for tonight:

What: Diana's birthday celebration.
Where: Panic, at Darkroom.
When: Friday, August 31, 2007 (tonight), sometime after 10 p.m.
Cost: Free before 11 p.m., $5 after that.

The usual rules apply:
1 - All are welcome.
2 - Feel free to forward this and spread the word, I may have forgotten someone, and all are welcome.
3 - I would love it if you could make it, but I won't be upset if you can't.

The Panic mass message for this month is below, so you can get a feel for what it's like. (Note also the Panic tribute to Tony Wilson tomorrow night at Sonotheque - if I go out, that's likely where I'll be.)

Cheers.

( Panic details )

Just an eensy lil gift to myself:



All hail Zappos, from whom I ordered the above boots yesterday at about this time, and from whom I received said boots about 10 minutes ago (free overnight shipping, no less).

I'm back. Hope to be able to write more tomorrow, but in the meantime, read this mass message I am mailing and posting all over the place:

I think I may have mentioned that I have a birthday coming up this weekend. Here are the celebratory details:

What: Diana's birthday celebration.
Where: Panic, at Darkroom.
When: Friday, August 31, 2007, sometime after 10 p.m.
Cost: Free before 11 p.m., $5 after that.

The usual rules apply:
1 - All are welcome.
2 - Feel free to forward this, I may have forgotten someone.
3 - I would love it if you could make it, but I won't be upset if you can't.

Cheers.


--D

...this was a long week. I am almost out of here to go torture myself for a couple of hours (read: dress shopping), then I shall wander on home.

Wish me luck on catching up on my sleep this weekend, as of course L and his family are still noising it up above us. But at least I have my art to gaze upon (which I framed and hung last night).

In the early-warnings file:

-Next week should be vaguely insane as I prepare to take off to Michigan for 10 days or so. (GR folks: that's right, I shall be around from late on August 17 till sometime on August 26. The 18th and 25th are booked, and my dad's band is playing the 21st [to which everyone is invited and details will be forthcoming], but the rest of the time is to be spent in relaxation. Which I hope means some coffee/cocktails/conversation with you all, if possible.)

-My birthday is coming up on September 2, but I'll be celebrating on August 31 at Panic. I'm giving you a heads-up 3 frigging weeks ahead of time, so pencil it in, eh?

...when all I want to do is stay home and read. (What? I know that's pretty much always true. Shut up.)

But seriously folks, it's hot and sticky out, the sky is consistently threatening rain that won't even cool anything off, and work's rather slow. So the books call to me. Also all the magazines with their mega-September issues. Because you know what's in September, right? Right, my birthday (celebrations for which will be at Panic this year, how fitting). Also autumn, hopefully. And autumnal fashions. It's hard to concentrate with visions of new boots and sweaters and tweed dancing in your head.

Speaking of autumn, I bought some prints from one of my favorite artists, Lewis Barrett Lehrman. These are the 3 I got (all images are copyright Lewis Barrett Lehrman):


Does Anyone Still Live Up At Dead Man's Point?
This one reminds me of Rebecca or Jane Eyre or similar.


The Enduring Mysteries Of The McPike Mansion
A real Illinois haunted house!


There's Always A Vacancy at Hauntley House
I just love this one. I had it as my computer desktop wallpaper all last fall.

The thing I love about Lehrman's work (and indeed most of the work to which I find myself responding), is that I have a longing to step into the painting. So if you like spooky scenes, check out his work. He gave me a coupon for a deal on 2 more prints when these were shipped to me (matted really nicely, too), so now I just might have to get more.

Go on, call me goth all you want, I know what I like. :)

The happiest of happy birthdays today to the best of brothers - josh_vanity:




(Pic art in that last pic by our pal Sue Stanek.)

You rock, luv.

Happy birthday Mum jane3tis! You rock!



* Larry Lorenzoni

What: Diana's birthday.

When: Friday (tonight), September 1, 10 p.m. -ish (actual birthday is September 2, tomorrow, but we're going out tonight in order to impinge less on your holiday weekend).

Where: Gingerman Tavern, 3740 N. Clark (I decided to go with a nice, simple spot that usually has decent music, decent people, a few pool tables, etc. We'll start at Gingerman and see where the night takes us...maybe Neo...)

Come on out, and remember my birthday is, as always, a come-one-come-all event. Pass on the invite, bring whoever you like, anything goes. If you can make it, fabulous, if not, raise a glass wherever you are. Any questions or issues, email me. Cheers.

In other news, it is now September, which to me means that Autumn has begun, so I'm quite happy about that.

Incidentally, I went to Ulta last night to pick up some much-needed girly stuff, and I grabbed a nice silvery shade of nail polish. Only when the clerk was ringing me up did I notice the ultra-fitting name of the shade: Birthday Babe. Fabulous!

...and here, in fact, are those details:

What: Diana's birthday.

When: Friday, September 1, 10 p.m. -ish (actual birthday is September 2, but thought I'd only impinge on the Friday night portion of your Labor Day weekend).

Where: Gingerman Tavern, 3740 N. Clark (I decided to go with a nice, simple spot that usually has decent music, decent people, a few pool tables, etc. We'll start at Gingerman and see where the night takes us...maybe Neo...)

Come on out, tell who you like, bring who you like (dowhatcha like, talkhowya like), you know the drill - my birthday is, as always, a come-one-come-all event. If you can make it, fabulous, if not, I'll forgive you. Any questions or issues, gimme a call or a text (email me for the number if you don't have it). Cheers...