Not a bad lampshade... Found it at target for about $16.



(followup to (e:heidi,52761) and (e:heidi,52973))

This is an anti-Kissling Interests rant. ((e:peeps), no need to read, it's just for potential Kissling Interests renters.)

Do not rent from Kissing Interests. Do not rent at 131 Allen Street, the Aldor Apartments. Kissling is a money-grubbing evil corporation. If you are not an absolutely perfect person and tenant, you will pay lots and lots and lots of extra money. They do not repair important things like WATER LEAKING INTO YOUR APARTMENT. My apartment leaked for two years and they gave me $100 off one month's rent for it. That barely covered all the extra laundry costs I incurred. Thank goodness none of my electronics were near the windows. I cleaned the apartment thoroughly when I left - it was cleaner than when I moved in, it was clean enough for someone else to move into immediately, it was spotless, and they still took $40 out of my security deposit, and if I want to contest it, I have to hire a lawyer. I had a parking spot in a lot at 175 North and once they towed my truck without notifying me because they were repaving, not because I hadn't paid or was in violation of any lease provision. The lease does NOT say that no dogs are allowed on the premises. Nisha came to visit and I got charged $250 and was not allowed to keep her there at all. My apartment was very cute, but overpriced for the amount of space, amount of noise on Allen and the lack of maintenance. There was no way to control the heat so my windows were wide open in the middle of winter. Once a window shattered on my head while I was trying to open it. I got charged $180 AND got an eviction notice when I didn't pay within three days. They charge tenants $50/mo extra to have an air conditioner in their windows - according to the notice it's to defray extra costs, but tenants pay for electric!! Cats are allowed but only with a NONREFUNDABLE deposit. This is why the building was more than half empty for over a year. For comparison, the apartments above Colter Bay at Delaware & Allen have central air, controllable heat, are much more spacious, have modern large kitchens, allow dogs & cats with no deposit, and are fully rented, even with the same noise issues.

KISSLING INTERESTS SUCKS. Don't rent with them.

Love,

Heidi

Went to Griffis Sculpture Park back in September with the queer women's meetup. I loved it and can't wait to go back.

The 2010 Blossburg Fall Festival sponsored by Blossburg V.I.B.E. was very successful this year. I didn't get any good shots of Keith's hayride.

Jill's husband Shane, my brother Josh, his girlfriend Wendy, and my/Jill's/Shane's office manager Kelly staffed the V.I.B.E. hot dog contest registration table.


Dave & his blond son Tyson


Kelly's triplets - Emily is the one facing the camera, the boys are avoiding me.


Mikki & Kelli painted pumpkins


Hannah painted pumpkins


Dave (one of Shane's workers) & Gordy (one of Shane's relatives) waiting for the hot dog eating contest to start.


Winner's brother


Timothy Jackson (one of Shane's numerous cousins) - note Tommy Mac's face in the background!


Gordy


Skynner


Skynner stopped to take a call.


Jill tallied number of hot dogs each contestant ate.


Winner!! He's actually not related to any of us, he's from out of town! He and his brothers and his mom came to the contest from several counties away.


Brothers & Gordy


First place guy, second place Bryan "Big Sushi" Kinat (another of Shane's relatives), and third place Gordy


Blossburg's Top Dog. He got a trophy, a shirt, a medal, and $50.


Parents of one of my high school classmates eating leftover hot dogs.


I used to co-coach the Battle of the Books club with my friend Robin, an English teacher at the high school.


Sue makes filipino food and people are very intrigued.



We had a country/rock band.

Shane's cousin Michael is the drummer.






My high school classmate Annie's son Jarrod cooked baked potatoes for the Boy Scout troup.


Jarrod & his Boy Scout pals.


My dad trying out pies. Jackie coordinated the pie-baking contest...

That my mom & aunt took second & first prizes (respectively).


Yet another cute kid.


More pix at

More info at

Next V.I.B.E. project that I'll be photographing: Light Up the Holidays contest.

9 minute video about the Pittsburgh protest against the Marcellus shale producers conference Wednesday. The conference featured Karl Rove as the keynote speaker, telling the gas companies that now we'll see an era of "sensible regulation". That's what Rove called the banking regulations before the banks took down the global economy.

The video includes several minutes of Gasland filmmaker Josh Fox. He's saying civil disobedience is going to be necessary to protect our homes, water, cities and forests. One person on a email list I manage called this "inspirational"... I'm sitting at my kitchen table crying because we're so fucked. The PA governorship is now held by Tom Corbett, who raised nearly $1M from oil & gas companies during his campaign. Thanks, Supreme Court, for Citizens United. Fuck you very much. The PA House, which passed severance tax legislation in the last session, is now held by Republicans, who are virulently anti-tax and pro-gas drilling, mostly unconcerned about the environmental and community impacts. The PA Senate was already held by anti-tax Republicans. PA Dept. of Environmental Protection already doesn't have sufficient staff to monitor gas wells and other gas infrastructure. With the US House turning Republican, it's really unlikely the FRAC Act will pass. The FRAC Act would make hydraulic fracturing subject to the Safe Drinking Water Act and give the US EPA authority to regulate fracing, eliminating the "Halliburton Loophole". Oh yeah, and Obama just came out for expansion of natural gas drilling as a concession to the new House majority.

The gas companies evidently think/hope we'll all move so they'll have unfettered access to our lands. Us pesky water-drinkers.