koozie (n) def:

oh this is long. OH. THIS WILL BE LONG. going to be boring boring. warning warning.

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it seems very few people here know what a koozie is (though a few more have heard of a "cozy." way to mispronounce it, you stupid californians). the difference in the frequency of koozie use been my latest insight into the overly-generalized differences i have noted between tx and california. when in austin, i (with di at my side) purchased a koozie for two of my housemates, and received a free one for myself. i have busted mine out at every bar i have hit up during the previous 5 days. and it is a a crowd. please. eeeeeer. and daily i add to my list of reasons why koozies rock, which are not limited to the following:

1) keeps bar colder longer while...
2) keeping hands dry and warm (fantastic for sf-chilly weather)
3) one can always identify one's beer on tables crowded with beer bottles

these may seem obvious, but i have not noticed them until now. for we do not appreciate what we have until it's no longer around, and appreciate it more than is the norm when we find it again.

koozies = zen.

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i started work yesterday. (thank you so much for calling/myspacing, daddy/beth). welcome to the World of Architecture, where one goes into work at 8:30am, thinks they will work until 5pm only to learn at 4:30 that they will get out no later than 8pm. i have worked two "long" days without anticipating it. i mean it's fine, but now i understand what architecture friends everywhere have warned me about. "Don't get sucked in," they say. "Put your foot down from the beginning. Say you will leave at 5 and DO IT." i have let it slide these first two days, but that's because I didn't work M/T so am happy with extra hours (especially that these are PAID as opposed to the americorps postypost).

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mario left yesterday for peh-ddoooo. and i already miss his fairly regular blog entries and our bi-montly letters. and the security of "knowing" that he is in austin, and i can visit him anytime i am around that place. i'm kinda sad about it (which is silly being he's not in sf or anything) - but i heart him a lot and i can feel the increased # of kilometers btw us. but i am really, really proud of him. and excited for him too. good luck, darling. and thank you so much for talking with me/listening to me ramble before you left this country of magic.

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i was sitting around at work yesterday, noting how ridiculous it is that i am so far behind on sleep, painting, show-seeing, yoga, reading, writing and arithmetic. so i promptly checked upcoming shows. and LO AND BEHOLD. bloc party and bss are playing tomorrow. i promptly called rudy. he promptly said "i am down, you son of a bitch." SO I GET TO SEE BLOC PARTY AND BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE TOMORROW. yeeeeeeees. i can finally afford shows, and by jove i'm GO-in.

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and will: i didn't think it was possible, but you've earned my forgiveness. i didn't think it was possible, but you done good, kid. and THANK YOU. van halen??!!?! and have i chatted with you about my recent hitchcock craaaaze. spanks a lot. for realz.

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i have started washing my hands with warm water instead of cold. (i have used cold since childhood due to a) habit and b) fear of scalding water on said hands). and man oh man am i glad i have gone this direction. so much more soooooothing. i feel like a new person.

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i was sitting on my roof on monday afternoon, and a sole yellow butterfly fluttered slowly in front of me - it nearly landed on my nose. i thought of san antonio, and the floods of butterflies that graced that city's skies while i was there. and (silly-ily) took at as a sign of, well, something good. and i missed you. and you too.

(additionally, i had not yet seen a butterfly in this neck of the woods and i swear it was just like the ones i saw in san antone. how's that).

(and i still miss you).

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i love you guys a lot. ugh.