"I service society by rocking" written by Chicoschica on estrip.org

10/13/06 09:00 - 43ºF - ID#21226

I service society by rocking

Just one of the things I've enriched my brain with today - Jack Black's School of Rock, hockey games, the Dog Whisperer (how does he DO that?) and other assorted sundries.

Yes we have power up here near the park.

I ventured outside today with el Chico just around the bend (which is where I'll be if I can't get out on the street soon - can you say stir crazy!!). Took some photos...one of them wound up on CNN.com on their "i-reporter" gallery!! woohoo! Pretty swell...

In any case, I can't tell you how totally deflated and depressing it is to see all of the poor trees in our neighborhood alone. I feel SO bad for them - I hope some survive, though I know many won't - like the one in our front yard that split through its trunk into three pieces, one of which is blocking the road.

The real issue is the giant tree blocking the entrance to the circle - we won't get out even if we were to plow from the inside out - it has to be sawed away.

Anyway, here's some photos I took from around Agassiz Circle near Medaille campus today...and from around the house where we live..

the 198 across from Delaware Park...

our landlord's son with a giant snow boulder he made. He is standing in the "street" in front of our house - you can see our tree in the street right behind him...

this is so sad...

Stay warm peeps!!

Permalink: I_service_society_by_rocking.html
Words: 273
Location: Highland Park, NY

10/12/06 08:50 - 33ºF - ID#21225

We made history today!

"The Buffalo Airport had officially received 3 inches of snow
through 8pm. This makes October 12, 2006 the third snowiest day in
October in 137 years of weather records. Six inches of snow
occurred on October 13, 1909 and again on October 31, 1917."

FanTAStic.

Permalink: We_made_history_today_.html
Words: 37
Location: Highland Park, NY

Category: big red balls

09/14/06 11:20 - 62ºF - ID#21224

Buffalo So Needs This!

According to this article in the New York Times, kickball leagues have been sprouting up all over America:

I don't know if kickball is a big deal in grade schools in Buffalo, but I remember it as being great fun, requiring very little athletic ability, and maybe vaguely dangerous -- if a red rubber playground ball could possibly be dangerous. You do get to throw it at people -- sort of a combination of softball and dodgeball. You know you love it.

Anyway, it's a funny idea. I think we need to start a kickball league in Buffalo next spring. Let me know if you're into it!

Nationwide adult kickball association:

A kickball [league] grows in Brooklyn:

enknot writes at 01:04:01 10/13/06 - Comment #12143: Ok, this is madd late in the game for me, but we're not hipsters! Oh..well I guess some of us are, but not really hip...no NO we're not, not at all. You should come out once. We're more hippies than anything else...not even. Well, ok you can't now but you should when it gets better out. Yeah! Dangit!

hodown writes at 03:35:47 09/15/06 - Comment #11432: Ok you so got me cause I cant find the post either. Weird. Anyways refering back to my emails about it, it was dodge ball any way. And no one wanted to do it, because they hate the dodgeball hipsters. And also, yes read my blog, i agree :)

chico writes at 02:57:41 09/15/06 - Comment #11430: OK, I 'fess up, I wrote chica's post (she's having logout trouble and I really wanted to post something about the kickball article.

Of course, I'd been scooped (e:hodown), as always. Hodown, I bow down to you, you rule.

I also went through (e:hodown)'s backlog and while I didn't find the kickball reference, I am reminded how much I've missed reading my favorite blogs on e-strip during the past month. OK, that's it, I'm back, bitches. And if you haven't been reading (e:hodown)'s blog, shame on you. Who else would dedicate an entire post to skorts? Fucking A.

And a shout-out to (e:enknot) for the Buffalo Kickball action, boy am I sorry I missed that post (e:enknot,37) when it first went up on 8/13.

terry writes at 11:59:42 09/15/06 - Comment #11428: Do you really need an excuse for that? Sporty shorts with knee high striped socks is always in! What's your excuse for the soppers, Ms. Ho?

hodown writes at 08:57:18 09/15/06 - Comment #11425: I wrote a post about this a while ago. It's all the rage with the hipsters in Brooklyn. Really it's their excuse to dress up 70s gym style and drink.

paul writes at 12:07:19 09/15/06 - Comment #11423: There is already one. (e:enknot) and his friends are really into to. You should ask him about it, he is always trying to get more peopl einto it.

Permalink: Buffalo_So_Needs_This_.html
Words: 136
Location: Highland Park, NY

09/05/06 09:18 - 64ºF - ID#21223

Where's the beef?

In my apartment, allegedly...

Well, actually, more like buffalo meat.
Chico made some buffalo burgers and made them in the grill pan on the stove and smoked up the whole freakin' apartment.

We opened the windows and turned on the fans - but to no avail.

Now we both smell like MEAT - grreeeeaaaaattttt.....

On a lighter note - today was the first day of the rest of my life - or at least at this new job at Roswell. hehe

It will be a LOT of learning and a LOT of politicking (my first vibes), but I hope it will work out. I'm a science geek by nature (and training) so I want to do what I can to make their research side work well and be profitable for the institute.

Also, it means I need to dress up a bit more than I'm used to - shopping spree!!
It could be fantastically fun except I haven't had a paycheck in a month, so....mix and match is the name of the game, baby! Hopefully no one will notice I'm wearing the same dress shirts and shoes week after week... ha ha!

Also, many happy returns of the day to all the birthday peeps! I know chico and I haven't been around that long yet, but we wish yuz the very best!!

Cheers!

Permalink: Where_s_the_beef_.html
Words: 227
Location: Highland Park, NY

08/29/06 05:35 - 67ºF - ID#21222

Ridiculous-ity

Ok, so I just spent the last half of my afternoon trying to figure out what the HELL I'm supposed to do with this COBRA coverage issue.
And let me tell you - NO one makes it easy...

I worked in NJ and had NJPLUS, which is essentially BlueCrossBlueShield. Now I'm in WNY, where NJPLUS has no doctors. AH! you say, there are doctors in WNY that are in BCBS though. YES! You are right!

However, BCBS of WNY told me that I had to have a "guest membership" in order to choose a physician here. Otherwise if I use a doctor here and I don't have a guest membership, it's considered "out of network."

NJ told me three, count 'em, THREE different stories.
1. It's all out of network once I move out of the state.
2. The NJPLUS plan automatically converts to Empire PPO (which is not even the same type of plan - NJPLUS is an HMO)
3. NJPLUS is still the plan, but it will be administered through Empire Direct HMO, so I should choose a doctor from their HMO list. This one seems to make the most sense, but when I called Empire, they were like, "We won't cover that - you have to call WNY BCBS"

So I spent 2 hours on and off the phone and I still have empty COBRA paperwork that HAS to be filled out or I get NOTHING (like the Seinfeld Soup Nazi but for health insurance).

You know, I would just say "fuck it" and not do any of it, but there's that "you never know" thing in the back of my head, plus I don't want to have a break in my coverage lest it cause an "issue" with preexisting condition nonsense for my new insurance...aaaarrrrggh!!!

I can't even tell you guys how INSANE this is. Though you can guess. All for 2 months of coverage before the bennies kick in at Roswell.

So tomorrow I'm calling NJ Division of Benefits to find out about the COBRA stuff, hopefully once and for all.

On a happier note, here's a photo of me and my niece (Camille, aka, "Munchkin") at her 1st birthday party (right before we moved).
She is the sweetest thing going...I miss her a lot!

Permalink: Ridiculous_ity.html
Words: 379
Location: Highland Park, NY

08/17/06 09:09 - 77ºF - ID#21221

i need a break from boxes!

So I'm sitting here in the living room of our new place playing on the computer while chico is (what are you doing?) - oh yes, collapsing boxes. My estimate is it's about 5 million boxes or so. And only 2.5 million left to unpack - hooray!!

A song just came on the TV/music channel - angel of the morning. You know this one - "just call me angel of the morning, angel..."

God, that reminds me of the 4th grade when we used to have roller skating parties. I had the hugest crush on some 6th grader with freckles and a guy in my own class - Gary Gentilucci (nice name, I know-talk about piasan). I just loved those parties because I could roller skate REAL good - backwards skate? No problemo!

To date, I have not tried roller blading, but I HAVE noticed that roller skating is kind of back in style!! YES! I gotta get me some wheels, baby!

So, if you wait around long enough and stuff comes back in style, does that mean in about 6 years those fluorescent "RELAX" and "WORLD PEACE" T shirts with big, fat hip belts are going to come back? I mean, geez, freakin' leg warmers are coming back - at least if you're a Victoria's Secret catalog model...ugh.

I better go dust off my Duran Duran tapes....

metalpeter writes at 06:43:36 08/18/06 - Comment #10843: I think going to a live rollerderby match or game would be cool and fun. I have seen it on TV, there was a preaty cool reality show about The Austin league. I joined there mayspace group friends list so that when a league is formed and there are matchs I can get a schedulle.

About things coming back i think a lot of things don't really leave, it is just that as you get older they become for a differant generation or age group. But there are some things that come back (often thanks to hot topic). One Example is nightmare before Christmas. Great movie when it had its 10 year aniversy a new DVD came out. Good Charlote where fans of it so all the young teens got into it, spencers had all kinds of products. There is even a lryic in a Blink 182 song can't remember wich one that mentions love like Jack and Sally. (e:theecarey) the jelly braclets are around still. If you go to a pump punk show you will see young girls with those the black one and what I have called sex braclets (not that anyone really has sex with a guy who breaks them). I see that and I think wow I remeber having one black on in grammer school, wow that was a long time ago wow these girls are so young, hey why are they at a concert, what is there mother thinking. There is a new Transformers Movie, they have been hanging around but not as good as the originals. I have heard that styles go in circles floods came back with a new name, so fashion is verry circular.

chicoschica writes at 10:24:51 08/18/06 - Comment #10834: WOW! Such fancy skates!
What makes them such cool skates??

Roller derby is one of those things I've watched on TV - I just figured they'd be fun for tooling around on, though it seems most people blade around the park.

I had roller skates with a white boot and red, translucent wheels - man, did I wear those stoppers/brakes down!

Actually, that is one really nice thing I like about skates vs blades - it's way more intuitive to break by dragging you foot than sticking it in front of you. Seems like it would make you feel like you're going to fall on your ass because of the 'lean back'. It may work for Fat Joe, but on skiis at least- it's a no-no.

zobar writes at 08:01:59 08/18/06 - Comment #10831: Some people are trying to put together a roller derby league around here, the Queen City Roller Girls :::link::: . They've been hosting an open skate at the Rainbow Rink :::link::: Weds from 7-9pm and they're just starting a closed skate Sunday mornings. (e:dragonlady7) is joining, and I, while not allowed in the league [damn you Title IX!], am using this as an excellent excuse to get a ridiculously expensive pair of roller skates.

- Z

dragonlady7 writes at 08:01:41 08/18/06 - Comment #10830: Not nine hours ago I just clicked "buy it!" on a $520 order at :::link:::
Once the UPS Ground shipping gets here, (e:zobar) and I will each have a pair of Reidell quad speed/jam skates with indoor speed wheels and a spare set of outdoor wheels.

I have never owned a pair of skates of any kind in my life, so my enthusiasm for this knows no bounds.

Why?
:::link:::
What better reason to learn to skate than the opportunity to hit other people?

What I find most amusing is that when I tell coworkers my age about this, they scratch your heads, but the coworkers my mom's age, and my mom and dad, are all, "Roller derby! I loved watching that on TV!" And also, "You're crazy!"

But me, I can't wait until I get my ($500 worth of) skates!

theecarey writes at 11:12:11 08/17/06 - Comment #10827: hehe, leg warmers?? I wont be able to control my laughter if they come back in style. I might just have to buy a pair!..and find some coordinating jelly braclets, fushia Chucks/Converse (pre- Nike take over) and toss my hair up in a side pony tail. ;)

anyone game? haha

hmmm, never been much one for roller skating, more of a skateboard chick.. not that I can see myself grinding down a staircase anymore.

On a positive note: Duran Duran *never* goes out of style! :)

mrmike writes at 10:34:29 08/17/06 - Comment #10825: Let me know when you can safety dance on skates

Permalink: i_need_a_break_from_boxes_.html
Words: 227
Location: Highland Park, NY

08/09/06 09:21 - 53ºF - ID#21220

Moving Daze

Hola estrippers!

I would like to formally report from the Sleep Inn in Amherst that chico and I have landed!!

After much nail biting (our stuff didn't fit on the truck in NJ [we wanted the bigger size and got the smaller one] so we were forced to get a second truck..), we arrived in town around midnight Monday.

Yesterday was "move all your crap into the new apartment" day. Me, chico and two friends of ours who were SO KIND to make the trip from NJ and Long Island to help us. (kudos, dudes)

We realized quickly that (1) our office desk will not fit up the stairway. OK, no prob. Picked up by a donation place - we could use a different desk anyway.

OK, but the bed - it's a queen, but doesn't have a split boxspring. In our old place, which was also an old house, we got the thing up over the balcony. In this place, no such luck....

Chico and JS tried to get it up the back stairs, and after (1) lodging it in the stairwell, (2) breaking a window trying to dislodge it, (3) making a HOLE in the wall trying to dislodge it the OTHER way and (4) sawing the f'ing thing in HALF to get it back out of the house, I SERIOUSLY needed a Valium and a moment of silence for the boxspring (jesus, the set cost a LOT of money and it's only 2 years old!). *sigh*

Always with the best laid plans - *raspberries*

the good news, tho, is that our neighbor in the house is real nice, landlord and his wife are super nice and the apartment is big and airy and light.

With apologies to Master Card...

Jettisoned Ikea desk set - $200
Sawed-in-half Fancy schmancy boxspring - $900
Meeting nice people in a new place - priceless

Lastly, I think I speak for me and chico when I say MANY THANKS! to the (e:peeps) for your advice and help about all things Buffalo.

Hope to post again soon, but it's almost time for check out!!
see ya around!

Permalink: Moving_Daze.html
Words: 347
Location: Highland Park, NY

08/02/06 11:05 - 83ºF - ID#21219

If you got time to lean...

...you got time to clean!

And clean we did! Me, sistah and moms - sweating it out in the apartment. It turned out pretty great - though I think I'll have to buy a LOT more swiffers to cover all that floor space - woo hoo!

My mom got this industrial strength fan to blow around the apartment. And what's really funny is that it is REALLY strong - on low it's like an airplane...I mean look at what happened when we turned it on "medium"...

Almost blew me out the window!

By the way - we went to Romeo&Juliet's for lunch - YUM. My sister and I ate a quattro formaggio pizza with spinach and tomato and my mom had some panini with olive focaccia. It was yum-ified. Thanks for the great recommendations.

Here is another photo of me with the clock my father gave to me. It's circa 1920-30s - belonged to my great uncle. It's completely mechanical and I love it. It reminds me of my dad...

Here's a pic of my sister demonstrating how you can crap AND vomit at the same time in our little half-bathroom...

Thanks for that!

And thanks to mom and sister N. for travelling up and working hard and hanging out....
the crew, glistening with sweat, but satisfied with a half day's work:

Permalink: If_you_got_time_to_lean_.html
Words: 234
Location: Highland Park, NY

08/01/06 11:22 - 81ºF - ID#21218

Yeah, I'm in Buffalo

You know it peeps!
Mom, sister and I are going to be skulking around tomorrow he he he. We're going to clean up our new apt (which is fantastically clean already, but you know, gotta put "the touch" on it and make everything smell like Simple Green..)

The drive was great - 6.25 hours with 2 stops. Probably averaged close to 70 mph - not (e:chico)'s record, but I still have time. ;-)

Our apt is HUGE. Methinks if anyone has some info about a place to get some bedroom furniture, area rugs and perhaps a nice LR chair (or 2), that would be fantastic. I'm not shopping on this trip, but it would be good info to have for when we "officially" move up next week!

Another Q for you (e:peeps) -
Where can we three go tomorrow for some lunch that would be sort of inexpensive but yummy? Doesn't have to be sit down - we were even thinking of a pizza joint if there's a good one around. We're around the park/cemetary area, so it's easy to jump on the 198 and get down to Elmwood or Delaware or wherever (I say that like I know where I'm going..HA!).

Come on (e:peeps) - gimme the food!

ps - chico is correct to say I'm 5 foot -- tho I'm the oldest sister, I am *sigh* the shortest. The 29-ish thing was pretty nice though...he he....

metalpeter writes at 07:00:28 08/02/06 - Comment #10476: I'm surprised no one said anything about The Aqua Teen Hunger force picture (good show that I never get to see) it is kinda ironic that you are asking about food. But I will suggest a couple places. I assume you want to eat at a local place and not at a chain like Applebees on Delaware wich is part of the target plaza near by there is an Andersons who don't only sell ice cream and a sub place called quizmos. Havn't been there in some time but Elmwood Taco and Subs ETS might be a choice. If you want more of a sit down place there is always Panos also on Elmwood across the street is a good indain place India Gate if I remember correctly. Or if you are up for some fun you can explore Hertel I know there are a few differant Resturants you could try there.

jenks writes at 06:02:57 08/02/06 - Comment #10475: i've had mixed luck with globe, but it's certainly worth checking out. Not to mention it's right across from our beloved spot. And right next to our beloved larson twins. And the sushi place. I'm not worried about you finding food. :)

sbrugger writes at 12:21:35 08/02/06 - Comment #10468: Maybe I'm just a simple soul....but kids...I've got three words for any new Buffalonian: JIM'S STEAK-OUT!!! (Is that 3 words, 2 and a half, or just 2? who's counting??) It's cheap, and it's Buffalo. 'nough said. ;)

Have fun in the B-lo. I'm playing "portable dive platform" for a couple of new friends out here tonight...we'll see just how much I've mastered the kayaking on the open ocean thing...

mrmike writes at 10:22:39 08/02/06 - Comment #10463: I second or third the love for the falafel bar. Pizza Wise - Just Pizza on Elmwood works with Mr. Pizza being just fine as well.

El Canelo makes good cheap Mexican dishes.

Cecelia's on Elmwood makes great pasta dishes - but its too damn hot for them.

Surprised nobody mentioned Spot for the sandwiches there.

It's Elmwood, you won't starve

imk2 writes at 10:00:35 08/02/06 - Comment #10461: i second the romeo and juliets, get the portabello pizza with gargonzola. it feeds two and is truly the best pizza i've ever had. 1292 hertel ave. :::link:::

paul writes at 09:46:40 08/02/06 - Comment #10459: I would suggest globe market. It is right in the heart of the elmwoodstrip and you can walk around that area. It at 762 Elmwood Avenue right around the corner of Cleveland and Elmwood. Grab an artvoice newspaper while you are there, it will give you plenty of stuff to do. IF they don't have one, you can get one across the street at spot coffee.

zobar writes at 07:45:38 08/02/06 - Comment #10458: +1 for Romeo & Juliet's :::link:::

+1 for Ikea Burlington :::link::: [Bonus: spend > CDN$200 and get your sales tax refunded :::link::: ]

- Z

jenks writes at 06:28:19 08/02/06 - Comment #10457: yeah I second falafel bar (or is that third...)
And as far as furniture- there's a new store called Room on elmwood (near falarel bar actually) that looks cute but I haven't been in. But as far as staples, there Ikea an hour or so away in Canada. I love that place.

leetee writes at 12:31:00 08/02/06 - Comment #10455: I highly recommend Taste Good Chinese :::link::: . It is a total dive, like quite a few strip mall chinese food places.. but the food is very good, very inexpensive (lunch specials, for both myself and Uncut will be less than 10 bucks), and, to make everything even better, then have really good vegetarian choices (i think i recall you or Chico mentioning you're a vegetarian?). I love their vegetarian orange beef and the vegetarian curry chicken is really good too... if you like a wee bit o spice.

I agree with Libertad that the Falafel Bar on Elmwood is good! So is Sahara Grill (even if the service isn't great, the food is not too shabby), on the corner of Elmwood and Bidwell Parkway.

Maybe it's me, but i have never had great luck at Globe... Like having limited choices and staff that can't seem to understand being a vegetarian means i do NOT want the chicken.

Also, if you don't mind a bit of a drive, El Canello :::link:::
has darned good Tex Mex for very reasonable prices.

libertad writes at 11:52:49 08/01/06 - Comment #10452: I always reclean a place that i move into. It just doesn't seem right unless you do it yourself in my book. Food hmmm.

Romeo and Juliets-hertel ave (good sandwiches under $10)

falafel bar- elmwood (great falafel and fish fry)

Globe market-elmwood (fresh and healthy relatively cheap)

Permalink: Yeah_I_m_in_Buffalo.html
Words: 238
Location: Highland Park, NY

07/19/06 02:20 - 75ºF - ID#21217

the end of an era

Well, this is my last week at work, the place where I have spent my time for the last 12 years.

I was just a green 23 year old, new graduate student and in the time I've been here, so much has happened to shape me as a person.

Dealing with my boss has never been easy, but somehow working with the people I work with has made the insanity bearable.

I love my lab not just because I'm surrounded with smart, funny people, but because we're such a mish-mash of people from different countries, races and backgrounds. The times we've spent together chatting at work, outside of work, over yummy food and drinks have been a total blast.

I've learned most of what I know about far away places not from going there (though I'd like to do that someday), but by listening to stories and philosophies of my labmates.

As a matter of fact, I kind of feel less like they're colleagues that I'm friendly with than friends I just happen to spend the day working with. =)

Sorry for the sap, but I'm really gonna miss these guys.

It's not often you find a group of people who really like you and are willing to put up with your shit (and vice versa). That rocks.

Permalink: the_end_of_an_era.html
Words: 215
Location: Highland Park, NY