"How big a pile was this?" written by Tinypliny on estrip.org

11/02/08 11:31 - 42ºF - ID#46472

How big a pile was this?

From
The search for a missing Buffalo girl came to a happy ending Saturday night.

Police combed the neighborhood after the girl's mother reported her missing from their Sweet Avenue home Saturday afternoon.

It turned out Reid was home all along.

The six year-old was found sleeping under a pile of clothes in the house.

One has to wonder...

Permalink: How_big_a_pile_was_this_.html
Words: 69
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: e:strip

11/01/08 01:59 - 47ºF - ID#46460

E:Strip: The Written Word

Thank you SO MUCH for the party, (e:paul), (e:matthew) and (e:terry)! I LOVED seeing you all. (e:peeps), ALL OF YOU ROCK!

The humble comment bubble rose from the footnotes this Halloween and carried out its alphabetized vendetta.

The armed attack of the comment bubble extracted some arbitrarily awesome sweet personal, political and candy-raver responses!!

I don't think any other bunch of folks can quite randomly turn a last-minute hastily-put-together costume into such a rich and varied interactive real-time experiment. It speaks volumes about us as a community.

Step out from your virtual pixels and claim your real comment bubbles by dropping virtual ones. :)

Indeed!

(e:hodown), you are hands down miles and mountains better than the Joan character. I am positive she cannot make those figs-from-heaven that you made. Nor can she ever look as awesome as you did!

Get over it! ;)

Yeah, and I will see you in hell.

I will leave you with this powerful message.

Thanks for the pen (e:paul). I think I lost it...
Sorely missed:

(e:imk2): Are you feeling better???? I missed you. :( How did (e:limsey)'s show go??
(e:boxerboi): You! You! You m&m! See you on Monday. ;)
(e:mrmike): You are probably the world's only handsome zombie!
(e:gardenmama): I can't wait to meet you!
(e:theecarey): Did I miss you????!!!
(e:leetee) & (e:uncutsaniflush): Hope you had an awesome Halloween!
(e:lilho): Good wishes for getting better!
(e:ladycroft): Wish you were here!
(e:Chico): Missed you as well.
Other (e:missingpeeps): Have an awesome weekend!

Permalink: E_Strip_The_Written_Word.html
Words: 338
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: the odes

10/28/08 09:57 - 38ºF - ID#46398

Survey is in the air...

Okay, quick and random 4-point (e:strip) behaviour survey:

1. Have you ever ignored people intentionally as a sort of getting back at them for ignoring you in the past?

2. Did you feel guilty about it?

3. Did you care more about your guilt and give up your ignore-stance?

4. Or did you care more about your vendetta and continue ignoring till the end of time?

Please answer with a yes/no, at least. Thanks for your time! (In advance).

-TP

metalpeter writes at 07:22:08 10/30/08 - Comment #41334: In terms of (e:strip) no

Have I ignored people, sure at work all the time or you just drown people out who talk about stuff you could care less about everyone does that, but the answer to your question is no because I have never done it to someone because they did it to me.

tinypliny writes at 08:52:43 10/30/08 - Comment #41272: Okay, I think I have made a decision. I am going to kill the albatrosses of non-interaction and disinterest that have somehow crept into my life.

I don't feel guilty any more.

tinypliny writes at 06:28:25 10/29/08 - Comment #41223: Wow! That's a ton of answer, I am going to have to statistically analyze all of those now. (And of course decide on my vendetta/guilt/ignore question, that is harder. :()

More responses and thoughts are still welcome!

libertad writes at 02:00:19 10/29/08 - Comment #41208: 1) I don't think that I have every done that

2) If I did I probably would feel guilty about it if they were trying to communicate with me and I refused.

3) I would probably care more about my guilt

4) I tend to forgive even the most heinous violations eventually.

When I was younger I was very vengeful and did some things that I now find pretty shameful as a way to make them pay for what they did. Now I believe that they will get theirs when the time is right and I really don't need to do anything.

ladycroft writes at 12:34:26 10/29/08 - Comment #41203: 1. not as a way to 'get back' at them. just because they disgust me at the time.

2. nope.

3. nope.

4. i've never been able to ignore someone forever. when i think it's time, i'll connect with them again. if they don't want me, smell ya later!

hodown writes at 09:07:51 10/29/08 - Comment #41195: Ok I just read Paul's responses. My thinking is along those same lines. My favorite is: "I never feel guilty about retribution".

hodown writes at 09:06:18 10/29/08 - Comment #41194: 1. Yes. Many times when I was younger.

2. Not at all.

3. Nope.

4. Yep. I tend to be vindictive. I could go into stories from my younger years, but we'd be here a while.

jim writes at 08:42:54 10/29/08 - Comment #41191: 1. You have to know when to cut your losses, but also not ruin friendships that are salvageable. So, sometimes, yeah, I do this.

2. No, not usually.

3. If the person is a good friend, sure.

4. Nope.

janelle writes at 08:31:33 10/29/08 - Comment #41190: 1. No. I find it really hard work to be mean or get back at people. I do ignore people if they in general bother me and I don't want anything to do with them. But I tend to ignore them politely, if that makes sense.

jenks writes at 11:41:57 10/28/08 - Comment #41179: 1- I have had to force myself to TRY to ignore people, but I am nearly always unsuccessful. e.g. "how long will it take for him to notice I haven't called?" -> i rarely make it past about 24h before breaking down. So I guess that's not really retaliatory, but it's definitely reactionary.

2- guilty, no.

3- if i felt guilty about it, I would give up. I don't handle guilt well at all.

bottom line, i am too attention-hungry to ignore much of anything.

conversely, ignoring me is probably the NUMBER ONE way to make me totally insane.

But the bigger question- who are you debating ignoring, and what did they do to you?

gardenmama writes at 10:49:36 10/28/08 - Comment #41174: Oh, excuse me, did you say something? I wasn't paying attention... hahaha

1. No - I usually figure if they're ignoring me it's because I probably was rude to them and/or otherwise pissed them off somehow. Of course, that doesn't stop me from going out of my way to make them have to pay attention to me.
2. No - feeling guilty is way over rated.

Actually, the only place this planned ignoring may ring true is in the case of my teenage daughter. Sometimes it's very necessary and self-preserving on my part. They will try you endlessly sometimes.

zobar writes at 10:38:53 10/28/08 - Comment #41173

Not really, but that's not to say I don't ignore people. If I see somebody I haven't seen in a while and I'd like to keep it that way, and I can tell that they don't recognize me, I'll slink away.*

If I see somebody that I owe some work that I'm invariably procrastinating, I'll usually try to avoid them but it never works very well.

- Z

_______________

At my ten-year high school reunion I totally walked into an entire bar filled with people like this.

news writes at 10:31:17 10/28/08 - Comment #41171: 1. No - ignoring is not vendictive enough.
2. No - I never feel guity about retribution.

heidi writes at 10:17:48 10/28/08 - Comment #41169: 1. No
2. But I would feel guilty if I did.

I hope if someone felt ignored, they'd tell me. I tend to be oblivious.

Permalink: Survey_is_in_the_air_.html
Words: 80
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: the odes

10/27/08 02:39 - 44ºF - ID#46360

Deepavali ki Haardik Shubhkaamnaayen!

Aap sab ko deepavali ki haardik shubkaamnaayen!*

Hearty well-wishes to you all on this day of the festival of lights.

Permalink: Deepavali_ki_Haardik_Shubhkaamnaayen_.html
Words: 23
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: tourism

10/26/08 03:43 - 58ºF - ID#46351

A Sequence of Haircutters

With this latest haircut, I have had 18 of them in Buffalo. Some of them have been more memorable than the others.

My first one was all the way up at North Plaza. For want of a better sense of direction, and the gleeful excitement of having a "metro" train service within walking distance once again, I took it all the way up to south campus and was quite disappointed when the driver announced that it was the last stop. I don't know what I had been expecting but I do remember wondering whether it would come out in another city's downtown.

Somehow this seems so appropriate, not to mention way cooler. Downtown to downtown - symmetric underground and overground sections. Like a light rail but also like a tube. The romance was killed brutally at south campus.

So back to the main story, that trip was memorable not only for the huge metro asymmetry disappointment but also for the near hysterical haircutter. She started carelessly whacking my hair off. I don't really ask too much from my haircutters. I just want it all off and a decent non-eggy looking outcome at the end. But I got more than I paid for.

She told me the whole in-detail story about how she was going to call her wedding off because she had just found out that morning that her fiance had given her a fake golden ring with a fake diamond pasted on it. She also sniffled into my hair. I didn't mean to be insensitive but.. Geez. I never went back.

The second haircutter had moved his shop from Utica to the basement of an old people's home on Main Street. It started out okay but I was the only one below 60 in that room and one of the old ladies was bitterly complaining that her new hair colour was not purple enough.

It unsettled me. Oh, and that place smelled really funky as well.

A few haircuts at not-very-memorable-places later, I met this haircut lady!

I swear she must have been a drill sergeant in her past life! She yelled at everyone in the shop - customers and employees alike, and gave me something very close to a military buzzcut. I was too scared to say anything and slunk out!

Then I met the best haircutter ever - LaShawn! I don't think anyone ever cut my hair so well as her. My hair didn't grow out of shape for a whole month! It was as if she had sprinkled magic dust on my hair and bullied it into behaving.

Unfortunately, she went on maternity leave after I had that haircut and I haven't seen her since.

The next one was downright freaky. While cutting my hair, he casually mentioned how his dream career was to become a mortician! Nice way to boost confidence levels in a client.

The last really interesting haircutter was an indophile.

He was covered in so many tattoos, it was hard to tell what kind of clothes he was wearing! He told me that his boyfriend usually tried out unique designs on him first and that's how he ended up with so many. I found that what little I know about Hinduism was very deficient compared to his encyclopaedic knowledge!

I seem to have knack for meeting the most bizarre haircutters and going to the weirdest of haircutting settings.

dragonlady7 writes at 11:50:55 10/28/08 - Comment #41182: I laughed out loud at this post!!

Your fantasy of a subway to another city could be answered more or less by taking the real train to another city. Amtrak goes to Toronto (which is an actual city, like a mini-New York with fewer smell issues), Rochester (which has, um, buildings!), Syracuse (full of concrete!), Utica (which is almost like a city!), Schenectady (come for the whores, stay for the crack!), Albany (home of our corrupt state government!) and New York City (which doesn't really need explaining). Also, it's a very scenic ride along the edge of the Mohawk River, and you get a sweeping panorama of some lovely towns like Herkimer (home of a Rev. War general) and Canojaharie. Lots of lovely old Victorian houses, and some older Federal-style buildings too.
Anyway.

I haven't had a haircut in years. I just keep not getting around to it. But I now have 3 hair stylists in my roller derby league. Pummelina, of the Suicidal Saucies, works at Style Lab on Elmwood. I don't know where Cha-Cha Wheels works now, but I could find out. And Beauty School Knockout, a rookie this season, manages a big spa and salon out in the suburbs somewhere, I'd have to find out the name. Cha-Cha especially has done some really great work with people's hair in the league. And she's funny as hell.

Your adventure stories are great.

gardenmama writes at 10:21:23 10/27/08 - Comment #41010: Two women I work with go to a stylist on Kenmore Ave. near Elmwood. They are both happy with her and said she only charges $12. I can get her phone # if you are interested.

pmrk writes at 09:35:23 10/27/08 - Comment #41008: I have no idea what he charges for a haircut. If I see Patrick this week, I will ask him.

tinypliny writes at 11:03:06 10/26/08 - Comment #40998: @(e:gardenmama): I need a haircutting relative!!!!

@(e:pmrk): I need to check this salon out. How much does he charge for a simple haircut sans shampoo?

pmrk writes at 10:04:47 10/26/08 - Comment #40994: My friend and neighbor Patrick owns East End Salon on Allen Street near Main. He does an excellent job on my husbands hair which can be difficult as its very thick and kinda curly. I also recommended him to (e:Matthew) but I don't know if he went to him or not.

gardenmama writes at 09:08:34 10/26/08 - Comment #40992: This post was very funny. But it can be really difficult finding someone you are happy with. I went to one guy for over 20 years, and loved his work, but he moved to a shop way out in E. Amherst (almost to Lockport) and his prices are so high I just couldn't justify going to him anymore. I go to my step-sister now and I'm usually pretty happy with what she does - and she charges me really discounted rates. Regular haircuts aren't really her thing though - she specializes in hair replacement.

Permalink: A_Sequence_of_Haircutters.html
Words: 578
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: music

10/24/08 10:18 - 51ºF - ID#46313

It's a wild world... of awful covers!!!!

If you need some aural self-punishment, look no further. Just push play!

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

This is one of the 400+ covers from hell, painstakingly sung with acoustic shredding prowess by none other than proud Frenchman - Grum Lee!

Another mind-blowing cover: Grum Lee's smooth... er.. Rough Criminal! If Michael Jackson were dead, he would surely be moonwalking in his grave if heard this. So should you, even if you are alive, BTW.

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

And nothing is ever complete without a complete destruction of the Final Countdown. Yeah finnnnnnnaaaaall couuuuuunnnttdown!!!! Yeah.

::DOWNLOAD SOUND::

Permalink: It_s_a_wild_world_of_awful_covers_.html
Words: 94
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: eating in

10/23/08 11:55 - 42ºF - ID#46290

Whoring Peppercorns. Since early 1600s

In response to (e:zobar)'s profound question: "What kind of deranged individual shakes whole black peppercorns onto their food? ", I present some over the top derangement from Palakkadu and neighbouring Thalassery. :)

~~~~Theyyam.~~~~

~~~~Fresh Peppercorns!!!~~~~

~~~~Dried Peppercorns~~~~

~~~~Pongal~~~~

~~~~Ravai Kanjeevaram Idly~~~~

~~~~Pongal, Bonda and Rasam~~~~

~~~~Tiiru Chadam (Or Seasoned yogurt rice)~~~~

Yeah, we are completely deranged about food, colour and spices, down south. :)

More Thalassery ->

dragonlady7 writes at 12:49:43 10/26/08 - Comment #40978: I use whole peppercorns in my cooking, yes, but I don't just sit at the table and shake whole peppercorns over my food! I put the peppercorns into a grinder and grind them over my food before i eat it.
That's what (e:zobar) was referring to, I think. Sure, cooking with them-- I'd expect you would, especially if you lived somewhere they grow. (How awesome would that be, incidentally? This native North American of European stock is totally bowled over by the thought of just going in the backyard and picking some peppercorns. Wow! I routinely get bowled over at the thought of doing the same with lemons or limes, incidentally.)
But you don't just shake them over your plate, such that you would need a shaker-top dispenser on your container of peppercorns.

tinypliny writes at 05:44:58 10/24/08 - Comment #40909: MAN!!! WHY does EVERYONE get to go home except me????? I am SO JEALOUS!

chaibiscoot writes at 12:06:30 10/24/08 - Comment #40884: I had to comment! I am going to be home -Bangalore - for 6 months doing fieldwork in slightly over a month from now and cannot wait to indulge the south indian in me. Btw, I regularly use whole peppercorns in my cooking.

jbeatty writes at 11:52:35 10/24/08 - Comment #40883: I love food porn!

james writes at 10:48:00 10/24/08 - Comment #40878: Jesus Christ Tiny. You can't put up pictures of delicious food without making me some.

theecarey writes at 10:40:20 10/24/08 - Comment #40877: my tummy is growling after looking at these yummy looking, I mean, "Deranged" food pics. Take me home with you. hehe

zobar writes at 01:00:43 10/24/08 - Comment #40865: Sure, just pop 'em like Tic-Tacs.

- Z

tinypliny writes at 12:19:37 10/24/08 - Comment #40863: I need to make all these more often. Though I can't deep fry at home, I can steam/season. Thanks to (e:zobar), I remembered many things I have stopped making just because I don't recall what they taste like, over the past couple years.

I miss home. I need to complete this proposal and visit home as soon as can. :(

gardenmama writes at 12:01:01 10/24/08 - Comment #40859: This food all looks great!

Permalink: Whoring_Peppercorns_Since_early_1600s.html
Words: 104
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: eating in

10/23/08 08:46 - 46ºF - ID#46287

Addicted!!

I confess (and most bitterly). My recent addictions have gone to unhealthy excesses. I am officially and hopelessly addicted to:

a)

b)

I need a quitline for these two, pronto!!! :/

Permalink: Addicted_.html
Words: 35
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: music

10/22/08 09:26 - 37ºF - ID#46263

Musical Miscellany!

Click on their pictures to reach musical bliss!! :)

1. Maria Dolores Pradera

2. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

3. Adrian Barilari

4. Boney M!

5. Vanden Plas

6. Ennio Morriccone (played by Yo-Yo Ma)

7. Deep Purple

8. Scorpions

9. Joaquin Rodrigo Vidre

10. Wynton Marsalis

Who are your top 10 this fall? Get those posts up and post 10 recommendations (and links) of your own!

Permalink: Musical_Miscellany_.html
Words: 91
Location: Buffalo, NY

Category: opinion

10/21/08 11:18 - 34ºF - ID#46243

"Certified Loon" or Rational Human Being

Half an hour back, I had no idea who Cindy Sheehan was. I now think she is an awesome and spirited woman with the energy and guts to pursue her ideals and convictions.

How many among us -- obscure civilians, with no "power" to speak of, would channel our grief at the loss of a loved one to campaign tirelessly against corruption, greed and lies, fearlessly crossing party lines??? I am guessing the answer is no-one. We are too comfortable in our lives, in our jobs, in our little niches gasping at atrocities and pointing fingers at people who actually step out of their comfortable homes to make a difference and take on the establishment. It's so easy for us to judge these fine brave warriors of change and label them as loons when they do something intrepid that the complacent among us don't even want to think about.

I cannot help but admire her for her will power, her ardent support for the truth and her activism. She has dared to do what one in a ten million do -- raise from a "normal" unprivileged existence, and attempt to use a personal and powerful experience to shape not only her future but the future of millions caught up in the aftermath of a meaningless war and economic misjudgements.

Her platform is her vision for reform.

Sheehan is running on a platform of Single-payer health care, media reform, overturning all free trade agreements, repealing the Patriot Act, renewable energy, nationalizing oil and electricity, ending the War on Drugs, legalizing Cannabis (drug), ensuring all talks in the Middle East are fair to all parties, ending torture, closing Guantanamo Bay detention camp, Overseas commitment to cleaning up Superfund sites, ending deregulation, ending No Child Left Behind, legalizing gay marriage.

The French revolution had a weaker platform. Isn't it time we re-evaluated all our positions and appreciate the fact that some of us are willing to do what it takes to shake us all out of this iron-wrench of an oligarchy?