I'm a jerk. I realized the other day that I haven't been to e:strip in a very long time. Much has happened, as expected, but not going to give my usual laundry list of new stuff. I still keep in touch with a few of you through MySpace/Facebook/Live Journal, but haven't seen many of you in a very long time.

This year is almost half over and I find that I feel better with each day that goes by. I was in a LTR for 4 years, we got engaged in December and broke up in April. After spending yet another set of years on someone else, I've decided to focus on myself for a while. I'm figuring out what I enjoy and what I need to work on. I'm enjoying every step of the process.

I'm still in college and loving/hating it. Last semester was mostly methods courses, which teach you techniques for teaching. It was, as I say each time I describe it, the semester from hell. I'm a Junior now, looking forward to finishing this school thing...at least for a year or two--then on to a Masters program! *cringe*

So, hope everyone is well and hope to see some of you around!

~Dana the Long Lost estripper.

I've been intrigued by old photographs of the area for years. I love anything having to do with the Pan American Exposition from 1901 and finding out the background information on photos and maps of the way things used to look.
I recently found this picture.



I was amazed when I saw it and at first thought it might be a fake. I think I stared at it for a full 5 minutes without realizing it.
Needless to say, I was compelled to find out more about it.

An acquaintance of mine posted it with only the information, "NY, 1942, accidental shot". I figured it was from NYC, so I started trying to look it up there. I quickly learned that it is a famous picture from 1942 by I. Russel Sorgi, who worked for the Buffalo Courier Express. It is known as "The Genesee Hotel Suicide" or "The Despondent Divorcee."

I continued searching and found an explanation by the photographer:

"I snatched my camera from the car and took two quick shots as she seemed to hesitate...As quickly as possible I shoved the exposed film into the case and reached for a fresh holder. I no sooner had pulled the slide out and got set for another shot than she waved to the crowd below and pushed herself into space. Screams and shouts burst from the horrified onlookers as her body plummeted toward the street. I took a firm grip on myself, waited until the woman passed the second or third story, and then shot." Sorgi 1942

After learning about the situation surrounding this captured second in time, you begin to notice details aside from the main subject. Notice the police woman (maybe a meter maid?) running in the front door of the Hotel. Notice the man sitting in the window of the coffee shop, wondering what is going on. Imagine how his life changed the second after this picture was snapped.
It's crazy to think about.

I found that The Genesee Hotel sat at 530 Main Street from 1882 to 1922. Not sure what is there now. Knowing Buffalo and all the wonderful architecture here, it's probably looks quite similar to this photo. Anyone know? Maybe I'll remember to check when I'm in the area.

This is my new mixer:





I <3 my mixer. :D

It makes fabulous dough for wheat bread, as seen here:




And then today I had the bright idea to make these w/ my new mixer:


^^in pans for the second rise


^^Lots of cinnamon rolls


^^Cinnamon rolls on macro.


I had one..and it came back up. Stupid me--it's only been 5 years since stomach surgery. One would assume I would know how to eat. . Duh.

I just realized that I haven't posted to e:strip in a while. "A While" in my world being almost an entire year.

So what has happened in this almost-year?

Not much.

Still in school full-time and getting awesome grades. yay!

Still working in my soul-sucking swing shift job that pays WAY too well, and therefore, retains employees. However, I am planning on quitting after this coming semester is over. I will have the last 2 classes I need to get my Teacher's Aide certificate, so I will be able to get some experience in my field while completing my degree.

Hmm... Made it out to a few concerts over the summer and saw some e:peeps, think I made it out to one or 2 PMT get togethers, went to NYC last May and was ready to go back the minute we left. (you really can't beat staying on the Upper West Side, 1 block from H&H Bagels)

Got together with friends far too little. Yet another side effect of working swing shift. The dinner at J.P. bullfeathers tonight is a prime example. meh.

Err...Hmm... My daughter was finally diagnosed with Asperger's Disorder, after years of incorrect diagnoses. I fought w/ the school system/Committee on Special Education for months and finally had to get a lawyer before they would listen to me, but she's finally in a setting where the teachers work with her instead of against her.

Several friends/acquaintances had babies, effectively turning up the volume on my own biological clock at a very inopportune time. :p

Spoke to a mortgage broker (last week) and am *hopefully* going to start the home buying process shortly.

Yep....that's my "year away from posting to e:strip" in review.

It's my first day off after a 7-day stretch (+ school Tuesday and Thursday) and I am stir crazy and want to do something SOOOOOO bad, but 3 days ago a pesky cold bug decided to take up residence in my head and my head feels like it's going to 'splode.

A few tips for this lovely cold/flu season:

* Don't bother taking Airborne if you already have a cough. --I usually take it at the first sign of a cold, since e:theecarey got me turned onto it a year or two ago. I haven't had a full-blown cold till now. unfortunately this time I was too busy to notice the symptoms and caught it too late. :

* Don't bother taking DayQuil caps. They suck now. --Thanks to the backyard/basement/closet/trunk of the car meth lab retards, DayQuil removed any trace of a working decongestant from their product. Had I known this yesterday, I wouldn't have spent $7.00 on a box of it, only to be stuck at work till midnight with a 'splodey head. :

* You pretty much have to go through a body cavity search to get any product with pseudoephedrine in it now. --At Rite Aid you have to take a slip of paper to the pharmacist and they need to see your license, get your name, address and phone number and then you have to sign a form. (I was expecting them to request a stool sample next.) I finally got my illicit drugs and now I feel marginally human, though not well enough to spread my plague about town.


Hope you all have a better weekend than mine!! (I'll be asleep on my midnight shifts.)