Coincidences February 5, 2008
Posted by Katie Oh in : Such As , add a commentmy life recently has been marked with this series of silly, coincidental events. many are not even events: i just so happen to run into someone in the caf, and we get food together. not a fluke by any means. but i had one that, in my cold-medicine-addled brain, was nothing short of a miracle.
i went to get my laptop fixed at the apple store in soho. to do this, i had to catch the c train to spring street, and then walk a few blocks. i got lost wandering for a bit, finally made my way there. and of course, my laptop would not make the same mistake it had made to warrant my taking it. i was disheartened, it was raining a bit, i was generally surly. i left apple vowing to kill my campus’ internet (which i am now convinced is what’s wrong with my baby laptop) and meandered back to the train station.
i hopped on the c, which was crowded as could be. of course, this, while i am carrying my damn laptop on my hip. i fixated on keeping it close to my body. all i kept thinking was “i don’t even Like the c train! why can’t the a come to this station too?” the train kept going.
and then, he got on the train. you know when you’ve just had a shitty day, and someone attractive shows up on the train and you’re just like “that’s what i needed. thank you for standing there, sir.”? that’s what this guy was for me. i wanted to actually thank him right then, but a man pushed behind me (? even though i was half a body-width away from the doors) and i went into laptop-safety mode.
this guy was carrying a book, something with a black and white cover and i swear i came near close to breaking my neck trying to simultaneously read what the cover said and keep my laptop close to me. i wanted to be more confident in that moment, ask him what book it was, would he recommend it, would it give me bonus points at pretentious art school? the train stopped again and he had to move closer to accommodate more people, and i still couldn’t read the title.
alas, i said nothing. i vowed to approach him at hoyt-schermerhorn, aka “catch the g train here and try not to hate your life because you have to do so” and ask him the book title. alas, my insatiable book-curiousity was Crushed when he got off the train at jay street, one stop away from hoyt. i seriously sighed aloud when the doors closed behind him.
i got on the g and pulled out my notebook, scribbled a few lines of description as to what he looked like. i ended up with the most base details known to man. “brown hair. 6 ft maybe. messenger bag. book w/ complicated cover. multicolored nikes (?) w/ neutral tones, maybe orange?” i got off at clinton-washington. of course it was raining. i ran to the pi shop, got myself a coffee. sat down.
i logged on to craigslist. “missed connections” seemed relevant. i ended up with
C to Jay St tonight 7pm – w4m
i just wanted to thank you for being on the train. you were tall, brown hair, messenger bag, some book in your hand whose cover i couldn’t read. you were very attractive, and i just wanted to thank you for being on the train — you were a sight for sore eyes.
“okay,” i thought, “there, it’s off my chest.” i posted it, with hopes that he might stumble across it, and maybe it would make him smile, like he made me smile on the c. with such a vague description, half of manhattan could have said “aww, how nice of someone to write about me!” (sidenote: okay i seriously sound like such a total TOOL in this post. but bear with me, maybe.)
i got two emails that were stupid right off the bat. an “irishman” wanted to have dinner with me. i myspace’d his email: he was 38. not quite, buddy. what makes this story even funnier is that another guy emailed me: a guy who was standing two people away from me on the train. i almost called the coincidence-happening a day. it was just a nice craigslist posting, right?
well, not quite. sunday night, at the height of my sickness, when i was hopped up on cold medicine, i got an email regarding my posting.
i opened it and scanned the text. “could the sight for sore eyes in question have been me?” “points for sentence structure!” my brain said. he had attached a picture. i glanced down.
It Was Him.
i ended up sending him back a really toolish email (cold medicine, i’m telling you people) and he ended up being very cordial, considering that i was, essentially, telling him that he was hot stuff in a very awkward way.
given all of these hilarious coincidental happenings (what if my repair had actually happened? what if an earlier c had come? what if i had had to fill up my metrocard?), i have but one lesson to impart to you all: just talk to them! don’t rely on coincidence! and if a bunch of coincidences collide, well… you never know.
god, you guys, that was anticlimactic. i hate colds and cold medicine. i’m done.
oh, and ps: if you don’t already, you need to listen to more wilco. i’m on a wilco-binge and it’s fantastic. maybe i will see jeff tweedy on the subway…
Deliciousness January 25, 2008
Posted by Katie Oh in : Such As , add a commentthese past few days have been positively delicious. or, at least, remind me of delicious times.
on wednesday, i had a vegetable quiche from the cafeteria. even though it’s become painfully obvious that they stuff the food with some sort of laxative [i’ve been getting mad stomach cramps, it’s a bitch!] i needed to eat that quiche.
quiche is my father. back home, every weekend he would make one glorious, huge breakfast. occasionally this would be a quiche. quiche is my favorite. my father is a fly-by-the-seat-of-his-pants cook: if something in the fridge looks like it could be potentially delicious in his concoction, he throws it in. a good 50% of the time, i don’t like what he makes [i’m not a meat-and-potatoes girl, so a lot of his stews are just kinda ‘ehhh.’] but when he makes quiche… dear lord, i could eat the entire pan.
yesterday, a gaggle of us placed an order with an american apparel wholesale store online. this was a multiple-hour ordeal, but we’ll all have stylin’ wardrobes soon. i bought $50 worth of stuff: two teeshirts, four pairs of leggings. it’s fantastic.
we decided to take a break in the middle of ordering, and we walked to unnameable books, a space in north park slope that’s filled to the ceiling with books of every kind. it’s absolutely fantastic; the owner agreed to let us use the basement of his space for readings, should we ever need a venue.
i got home at 11, and checked my email, and voila: we officially have permission to put on a production of the vagina monologues at pratt. i am the official coordinator, as well as the director and perhaps an actor, if i wish to assume that role as well. it’s all very exciting.
the people in my program, my friends, have rallied around me: everyone is so enthusiastic about helping out with this production. everyone wants to do something: take tickets, bake cookies, act, do budgets, design programs, anything i need them to do. it’s really fantastic.
i love this support that i’m getting. when you’re at the right place with the right people, it’s amazing how good that feels.
Three Day Weekend January 21, 2008
Posted by Katie Oh in : Such As , add a commentthis weekend has been fantastic! fantastic.
saturday, i locked myself in my room with the intention of cleaning all day. this was mildly accomplished. i ran into amanda in the hallway and we went and got cheap [& delicious!] sushi and then watched law & order: svu for like two hours. amanda hails from florida, and lives down the hall from me. we both love barnes & noble and sushi, so we’re a good match.
sunday morning, i woke up and went to interview adrian, a fellow writing major, for a feature writing assignment. adrian’s roommate recently dropped out, so her room has become this tiny comfortable place — she pushed the twin beds together to make one big bed, and covered her roommate’s desk with a piece of cloth, creating an instant breakfast nook. it is cozy. we chatted over some delicious food [home-made granola, pear cider, tea] for about two hours, then i moseyed back over to pantas to continue working.
i ran to get lunch in the caf, and i was intercepted by robert. “we’re going to williamsburg soon!” he exclaimed “you should come with us!” i, of course, was down. i inhaled my laxative-laden cafeteria food [shrimp with rice and carrots] and a group of us hopped on the g train shuttle headed to williamsburg.
it seemed as though we all were newbies to williamsburg — none of us had the navigational skills to, uh, not get lost. we walked around in a circle [who knew grand st. is cut in half by the bqe?] for a while, before finding our way into actual williamsburg. we thrifted for a bit [the purpose of the trip was to fetch winter coats for a few in the group who needed them] and got delicious cheesecake at the only cafe that seemed to be open. i realized that i needed to get back by six and it was about 5:45. whups!
we literally ran onto the g shuttle and got back to campus at 6:15. i ran to the pi shop to meet jenny and amber so we could get on our way to the ballet. after i ate and sophie rejoined us, we hopped back on the g shuttle and got ourselves to the ballet.
i realized that i am not really a fan of the ballet. it’s interesting to watch for a bit, but i got confused and a bit bored. i do admire dancers, though — the way they contort their bodies is pretty amazing. i would love to have the body of a dancer — all muscle and flexibility. so glorious.
today, emily and i ventured into manhattan to find her a copy of amy hempel’s ‘reasons to live.’ we stopped at starbucks [it never ceases to amaze me how crowded starbucks in manhattan are] and filene’s basement, and meandered about, discussing screenplays and student loans and apartments. it was really great, very relaxing.
and now i am back, unwound and sleepy-eyed. i’ve been sleeping ridiculous amounts recently [think 10-12 hours a night.] it’s ridiculous, but very nice.
Home January 17, 2008
Posted by Katie Oh in : Such As , add a commenti am home. brooklyn is a large warm blanket that drapes over my shoulders. i am not cold here. here is perfect. i missed the little things: the sparkle in adrian’s eyes when she laughs, jenny’s eyebrow furrow, amber’s inquisitive looks. gillian’s funny faces, lyndel’s compassion. i have little lists of things i love about the people here.
the past week or so has been filled with new classes and fun. i am typing this before i leave for another poetry reading. this time, i’m not going to read. i am going to sit and relax and just be in awe of this amazing place and how much i missed it.
i am arranging a production of the vagina monologues at pratt. coming here, i just assumed that such a production would naturally be arranged; that it was on the books and that everyone would just know. alas, i was met with some confused stares, but also an overwhelming amount of enthusiasm. i mentioned being worried about little things, such as the report that the v-day organization demands you compile after the performance. four people volunteered to take the task on since i was too scared to do it myself — four people, and we don’t even know what the report entails. this is what i love about here versus old home. wherever old home is.
with the new semester comes new professors — and the customary question is to ask where you’re from. i, honestly, do not know anymore. i am confused as to if “michigan, by way of pittsburgh” is correct, or “pittsburgh, by way of michigan.” it’s a strange feeling, that this so-new place of this city is what really feels like home.
in other news, i miss my kitten. i find myself cold at night. she used to lay on my feet, trying to gnaw at my toes through the comforter, and keep me warm.
The Lavelle Clan December 29, 2007
Posted by Katie Oh in : Such As , add a comment“i read your blog,” jen said to me last night. “are you going to mention the lavelle christmas party?”
“i already did,” i replied, “i described the lavelles as catholic, liberal, and sassy. except for you. i said we thought you were only economically conservative, so we forgave you for it.”
“i’m socially conservative too,” jen said, “but thank you for separating me from the liberal crowd.”
the lavelles are quite the experience. i believe everyone should meet them. my aunt linda is oftentimes confused with my mother (although she is taller and dons glasses most of the time). her daughter, jen, is the aforementioned conservative. she and her mother sass me about my lack of capital letters in my blog. my uncle patrick and aunt cheryl are in love with classic rock — not like pink floyd, more the beatles and rolling stone set — especially bruce springsteen. they have two daughters and a son. lisa, the oldest, and her husband bobby run marathons in their spare time. nicky, the next oldest, and her husband brian love books, and have the cutest baby in the world. they gave me a volume of lawrence ferlinghetti poetry as a graduation gift– “a coney island of the mind” — a perfect gift. the youngest, sean, has apparently given the same grab bag gift two years in a row. it makes me laugh. my other uncle, jim, is consistently m.i.a. from family shenanigans — he always lives too far away to make it.
the lavelles are bookworms and movie nuts. the most popular grab bag gift, prior to the banning of gift cards, was the ever-present $25 to barnes and noble. this year, scene it showed up [“is that the pittsburgh version?” “there is no pittsburgh version.” “if there were, it would be called ‘scene-ed it ‘n’ ‘at’.”] and a booklight with tea. it was a pretty glorious grab bag this year. i ended up with an bag that included bailey’s, an irish mug, and a tin of irish coffee [sean’s gift, allegedly the same one given last year.] you can never go wrong with irish things and lavelles. especially if they are irish and involve liquor somehow.
after the grab bag came “apples to apples,” which, for those of you who have not played, involves matching nouns to adjectives, in a humorous way. combinations: “talented – regis philbin” “crazed – rush limbaugh” [jen: “i wish i had ‘voting democratic’ in this round”] “intelligent – the kkk” [not really, but bobby thought it should have been, haha.]
there is something so glorious about this clan. everyone should meet them.
The Family We Make December 27, 2007
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gratuitous pictures of kittens are for winners, obviously. hey scout. she has taken to trying to eat my fingers.
the holiday season is so much about family. it’s interesting, if not a bit depressing for me this year. my family has shifted and is not what it used to be. it’s been stressful.
however, i have come to appreciate the family i’ve had — or, rather, the family that has been made for me. polly and fuddy in particular — they are the most interesting family relationship i have, due to our not being related by blood.. or even, really, related at all.
polly and fuddy are my half-brothers’ grandparents, and, really, i’ve come to just call them my grandparents. their daughter, nancy, is/was a bit crazy. my father married nancy when they were young and, uh, dumb, and he grew close to her parents. they divorced, and polly and fuddy seemed to be closer to my father than their own daughter. as they were my brother mikie’s grandparents, we kept on visiting them. now, it’s even more absurd — my father is slowly seeming to edge out of the picture, but my mother and i are still very close, in location and relationship, to polly and fuddy. we have no genes in common, but i am closer to them than a good portion of my blood relatives.
speaking of the blood relatives, my mother’s side of my family [actually, my only family -- my father never kept close to his family] is having their get-together tomorrow. i am very excited. it involves grab-bag gift exchanging and chasing after lots of small children. it will be glorious, i am sure. the lavelles are interesting people — irish, liberal, and sassy. well, liberal except for my cousin jen, who, from what i can gather, is only economically conservative. we’ll forgive her for that.
my father is coming to take me coat-shopping on saturday. i am wary. i saw a cute rocawear coat at gabriel brothers today [for those of you out-of-towners, think a low-budget tj maxx. if you don’t have a tj maxx... think a super-ghetto target, minus the cleanliness, and with cheaper and less match-y things.] but, alas, they only had one, in a small. i was seriously bummed. i hope they have the same coat wherever he takes me shopping. i love rocawear. anything to help jay-z build his empire. but, yeah, my dad. it’ll be awkward, i’m sure. eugh.
all in all, despite the general bummed-outedness of this holiday thusfar, i am thankful for the family i do have — the one i was born into, and the one i have made.
Meet Scout December 23, 2007
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i am such a bad blog-updater. i apologize. having said that, please meet scout. she is my new kitten. she is painfully adorable. her claws are still intact, though, which makes her a little painful to cuddle with. also, i promise that i am not choking her in that picture. she was squirming. also, she is all-white and, allegedly, part siamese. she’s very smart. i am a fan of her.
i had my last few days in michigan last week. i managed to see just about everyone i really cared about (or cared to see, for that matter.) it was interesting. by the end, i just wanted to get the hell out of there. i read a quote the other day that feels oh so right in this circumstance: “Every true New Yorker feels like people who live anywhere else are in some way kidding.” – John Updike. while i would not go as far as to dub myself a “true” new yorker, i do echo the sentiment. i feel like i am kidding any time i’ve lived anywhere else. new york is just so right.
i am excited for christmas. i got my kitties little catnip-filled mice. i got my momma a linus blanket and a charlie brown christmas tree. what did you guys get your families?
Leaving Brooklyn December 14, 2007
Posted by Katie Oh in : Such As , add a commenttomorrow morning, i am catching a cab at 5:15 am and in two hours, i will have left brooklyn for the start of a month-long stint away. i do not know how i feel about this.
last night was open mic night at tillie’s. it was also my last class with ryan chang, a fellow writing major who decided that pratt was not quite right for him. it’s a little heartbreaking, to have those tiny everyday interactions with someone for over three months and then realize that it may never happen again. he played guitar and sang at the open mic. he’s extremely talented. i will miss him.
word is that both lyndel and gillian will be leaving at the end of the year. i am closer with them, and it will hurt more, i am sure, but i have until may to figure out how to say goodbye. i saw the weakerthans with gillian and i eat dinner with lyndel four days a week. i quite enjoy both of them. it will be depressing, i am sure.
oh, to be away from brooklyn for a month. it will be interesting, i am sure.
Why I Love Pratt December 7, 2007
Posted by Katie Oh in : Such As , add a commenti do bitch about this school a lot. it’s run in a very unorganized manner. the financial aid seems to suck. no one seems to know what the hell anyone else is doing. i have to ride the damn g train. [har har har.]
but i really do love it. i choose to believe that i would not meet anyone like the people i’ve met here anywhere else. amber, a spunky feminist from tennessee who is always fun to talk to. emily, who i can really only describe as very business-womanly, she almost went pre-med in virginia. robert, who appreciates literary lolcats, a breezy guy from oregon. stephanie, from “the bad part” of maryland, who could beat my ass both physically and in a formal debate. sarah, from scranton, pa, who writes limericks about our science class. gillian, a longislander, who loves the weakerthans and has the cutest purses. lyndel, a floridian, who spent two weeks in switzerland making out with a british boy, met a guy who fly her out for a date in their private jet. jenny, from colorado, who is perhaps the smartest person my age i’ve ever met. these people are all amazing. they are the people who i have made my stand-in family here.
and, oh, the work i’ve done here. i’ve written mostly sad pieces since i’ve been here, and i can honestly say that between the new adjustment and the stuff i’ve had to deal with from my family, this will have been the hardest semester i’ll probably ever take. but i love the things i’ve written. i’m working on making chapbooks, my triad of short stories that was my final project for studio. i should have them with me when i come to mi. because i am poor, i am going to sell them for $3.
and brooklyn is, well, brooklyn. i will always prefer manhattan [something about being in that rush all the time, so exhilarating!] but brooklyn isn’t too shabby. there are more characters here. myrtle ave and bergen bagels. so amazing.
in short, i love it here. it is perfect for me. you should all come visit so you can experience it, too.
On Being a Television Addict November 29, 2007
Posted by Katie Oh in : Such As , add a commenti’ll admit: television is probably the least stimulating way to waste time, save for taking a nap. and yet, i am addicted. why?
i’ve struggled with this so-called-problem for quite a while now. there’s something so very pathetic when aids comes up in a discussion [okay, it was a sex discussion, welcome to college] and the first thing that comes to mind is “one time on csi, they proved who murdered some chick via the strain of hiv in his system matching the strain in hers.” it’s like this ALL THE TIME. the slightest detail relates to csi, or law and order, or grey’s anatomy or — really, i could go on forever.
really, despite the general mindlessness associated with television, i think it serves a real purpose, even to me as a “writer” [which some people, for some really silly reason, assume means “pompous intellectual.”] really, it takes a lot, with action and dialogue and the lack of both, to get you to care about a character — which is what i am essentially trying to do.
so maybe watching tv isn’t as intellectually stimulating as, say, absorbing some melville or joyce. but really, with such entertaining and well-crafted shows, why not watch?
plus, nothing beats that moment when someone asks “what was the first name of the captain on law & order?” while working on their crossword puzzle, and in less than a second, you reply “anita.”