Wednesday December 31 2014

New Years Fire (December 31 2014) (1)[i]

Waking up at 11:30 a.m.


Irish Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Maca Powder, Maple Syrup, Chia Seeds, Blueberries, and Almond Milk. Coffee with Cream and Honey.


Getting my 8th adjustment at the chiropractor.


Thrifting at the CHKD. Found a couple shelves and a black desk for Ana.


Cara, my voice teacher, comes over and gives me an advanced voice lesson. We work on an Italian classic, "Caro Mio Ben".


Grilled PB&J. Potato Chips. Orange Juice. Banana.


Cutting my own hair.


I get called into China Wok for an hour or so – making easy cash before the new year.


I cook up a meal for Ana and I: Black Beans with Kale Sprouts, Red Onions, and Brown Rice. We grab Whitney and her guy friend that’s been staying here and drive over to Elliott's house on 16th Street. Tossing 2014's Christmas trees into the fire of 2015. Popping open bottles of Sparkling Wine and sharing a Chocolate Date treat with everyone. It's a small and humble gathering. Along with my crew are Michelle, Elliott, Will, and a few nearby neighbors. Kurt, Elliott's step-dad, is in a jovial and silly mood.


Will O'Henry (December 31 2014)


Ana and I stand on top of the rings of the fire pit trying to keep our feet from turning into icicles. I hear people in the background begin the countdown. On a whim I pull her in for a kiss that lasts longer than expected and begins before the stroke of midnight.




We keep the fire burning long after midnight. At some point Elliott takes a hose to it and we all go home.


Settling in my room with Ana. I brew us some Ginger Pear Chamomile Tea to warm our shivering bodies. It's nice and toasty in the bed.


Sleep 3 a.m.


[i] Images by me.

Tuesday December 30 2014

Tuesday B-Ball at the Rec (December 30 2014)[i]

Waking up around 12:30 p.m. a little later than normal.


Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Maca Powder, Maple Syrup, Strawberries, Blueberries, Chia Seeds, and Almond Milk. Coffee with Cream and Honey.


Teaching five lessons at Music Makers.


Banana.


Grilled PB&J. Blue Corn and Quinoa Tortilla Chips. Pur-erh Tea.


At the Rec Center for the last adult basketball games of the year.


Back home.

Cumin Chicken Breast with Couscous and a Kale Salad with Tomatoes.

Watching Jade (1995).


Stephanie comes over with Barbie, the poodle. She sent me a couple song ideas for me to help collaborate on with her. We reconnect – talking about her newfound life in California with Marko – talking about where popular music is headed and the kind of genre she's going for with these ideas.


Barbie and I (December 30 2014)


Later, after she leaves, I reconvene at the computer in my room. Lately, I've been hearing somebody coughing incessantly behind the wall. It's our cop neighbor I suppose. I think he needs a cough drop. It's becoming more and more of a nuisance as time goes on.


Learning You're Jovian songs on bass.


Kevin and Leggings (December 30 2014) (1)

Kevin and Leggings (December 30 2014) (2)


Just after 3 a.m. the whole neighborhood awakens to the sound of a car horn blowing off. Kevin runs outside to investigate and it turns out to be Darren's car. He manages to stop it by hitting the horn mechanism with a wrench.


Sleep 4:30 a.m.


[i] Image by me.

Monday December 29 2014

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Waking up at 11:18 a.m.


Irish Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Maca Powder, Maple Syrup, Strawberries, Blueberries, and Almond Milk. Coffee with Honey.


Getting my 7th adjustment at the chiropractor.


Posture (Front View) (Dec 2014)

Posture (Side View) (Dec 2014)


Groceries from Trader Joe's.


Working out at The Escape.


Oat and Almond Biscuits with Peanut Butter and Strawberry Spread. Scrambled Eggs. Tortilla Chips with Salsa.


Teaching a couple lessons at Music Makers.


Fiddling on the guitar.


Shooting some basketball at the Seatack Rec.


Black Beans with Snow Peas, Mushrooms, Onions, and Brown Jasmine Rice.

Watching Gone Girl (2014).


Coming up with chord progressions for melodies Stephanie sent me.


Navel Orange.


Practicing piano.


Sleep 4 a.m.


[i] From Gone Girl.

Sunday December 28 2014

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Waking up at 11 a.m.


Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Maca Powder, Maple Syrup, Strawberries, Blueberries, and Kefir. Coffee with Honey.


All day shift at China Wok.


It's non-stop all day. One delivery after the other. Tips are mediocre and I'm accumulating many stiffs.


Thunderbird Energetica Fig Bar.


Peanut Butter Sandwich with Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels. Pu-erh Tea.


I recite a line from a funny Jesus video to the girls, "Just one moment of peace, please!" They don't get it but I do.


Ana shows up a couple times throughout the night. She left her charger in NC so I charge it in my car using an iPod cord. She's in the process of moving her things into 1435 to take over Darren and Devon's room.


Off work and back home at an ungodly hour.

Leftover Smoked Salmon and Black Beans with Broccoli and Rice.

Watching the rest of Good People (2014).


Making almond milk. Cleaning up a set of four red and black chairs I scored off the street. Fixing the dome light in my car.


Sleep 3:30 a.m.


[i] Jesus Meme.

Saturday December 27 2014

Future Vintage.[i]

Waking up at 10:30 a.m.


Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Maca Powder, Maple Syrup, Strawberries, Blueberries, and Kefir. Coffee with Honey.


All day shift at China Wok.


Banana.


During the afternoon down time I make sure to up the ante on prepping the bags and stocking the sodas so that way Cecily has no room to complain. I stack the bags as high as they can go, enough to last a week of expediting.


Oat and Almond Biscuits with Peanut Butter. Scrambled Eggs. Sweet Potato Chips with Salsa. Pu-erh Tea.


Later on in the night Phil Gray, Cheongah, and Ana all visit at once. Phil and his wife are in town for the weekend staying in the Travelodge at the oceanfront. They all take a ride in the wagon on a couple deliveries.


Finally off work and back home.

Tofu with Broccoli, Carrots, Onions, and Rice.

Watching Good People (2014).

Semi-Sweet Chocolates.


Cleaning out my coffee pot.


Sleep 3:30 a.m.


[i] Future Vintage.

Friday December 26 2014

kitchen-stove-firemy-oven-exploded-and-the-kitchen-caught-on-fire-its-all-in-the-oapkk6z6[i]

Waking up at 11:30 a.m.


Irish Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Maca Powder, Maple Syrup, Chia Seeds, Blueberries, and Almond Milk. Earl Grey Tea with Honey.


For some unknown reason China Wok doesn't want me to come in until 1 p.m. today. When I arrive at work there's at least three orders that came through online before we opened the doors.


Banana.


Peanut Butter and Honey Sandwich. Sweet Potato Chips with Salsa. Pu-erh Tea.


It's a fairly busy day for deliveries. 90% of the time I am in the driver's seat.


Cecily gets super angry at me over something petty and out of my control. I shouldn't even be mentioning it cause I don't want to waste my energy but it ruffles my feathers enough to ruin about 20 minutes of my day.


Jonagold Apple.


Off work at a late hour. Back home.

Lentils with Broccoli, Onions, and Rice.

Watching The Signal (2014).


While cleaning up the dishes in the kitchen Kevin marches in rambunctiously and prepares his usual double ramen dinner. Everything about him is loud and intrusive. Even though I love him like a brother he also annoys me like a brother. For the thousandth time I lecture him on not using the highest possible setting when boiling water on the stove cause the range gets too hot and emits a burning smell.

"I know what I'm doing, Robert!" he exclaims as the water and eggs boil over the edge of the pot creating a flame on the range.

Me: "Dammit, Kevin! How many times do I have to tell you?"

He's a hopeless case.


Sleep 3:30 a.m.


[i] Housewife.

Thursday December 25 2014

Christmas in the Carolinas (37)[i]

Waking up just before 11 a.m.


We brought homemade Oat and Almond Biscuits to share with the Smith household. Patty, my dad's wife, has her sister staying here with her two sons. As well, Jennifer has her boyfriend, Luis, here. Scrambling some Eggs to go with our meal. Sipping on Coffee.


Little Manuel is on this joke kick asking me to tell him jokes. My dad blurts out in his classic wise-guy attitude, "Wanna have some fun? Pull your pants down and run!" I always catch him saying these things I remember him saying to me when I was a little boy. He's got an arsenal of them.


By the Christmas tree we exchange presents. I always try to write out something genuine on the cards I give. I can tell my dad really appreciates his card cause his eyes get watery. And then Ana opens her card and once again, watery eyes. It feels good to know I can make another person feel loved and appreciated. It's the one time a year when there's no excuse. Ana got me a comfy blue-ish purple sweater from the thrift store. I got her three mugs with old horror film icons on them like Frankenstein, a werewolf, and a vampire. It's funny how we both got each other thrift gifts, the kinds of things we know the other will appreciate.


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Ana and I change into workout clothes and instigate physical activity outside. It's a bright sunny Christmas day, a little chilly at first but after getting the blood flowing you can switch to a t-shirt. Jennifer and Ana go for a partner jog around the neighborhood while Luis and I duke it out in a few 1-on-1 games of basketball. Later on, I manage to get my dad off the golf cart and shoot the ball with me. We pretend to play a little bit. It's important to be able to do this with him after all these years. It's like how fishing is considered good father-son time. For me basketball is good father-son time.


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Time to smoke some meat! This is meat country here in North Carolina. My dad is trying to learn how to use this new smoker he got. We put on a tray of Salmon filets and pork chops. Patty cooks up a pot of Green Beans and Rice in the kitchen. It all turns out to be a successful meal.


Across the street my dad's neighbor, Keith, introduces us to his hot rod pride and beauty, a 1934 Ford Coup...


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While Ana and I try to gather our things Manuel continues bothering us with jokes. He's snacking incessantly on these veggie chips.

"When do you stop eating?" we ask.

"When I go to sleep!" he replies.


We hop in our respective vehicles and drive over to Grimesland where my great-aunt Delores and John D live. This is where most of my dad's side of the family gathers for the holidays. Ana takes the wheel for the hour or so drive while I nap in the passenger seat.

...

When we arrive we immediately take a seat in the dining room and indulge in Aunt Delores's infamous Chocolate Cake and sip on Coffee. Aunt Pansy and her husband, Peter, show up. All the women corral at the table talking about crocheting and painting. Over in the living room the men (Peter, John D, and my dad) talk about the housing market and memories from their hey day. My dad recounts an experience he had back in 1974 how him and a buddy of his used to go drinking at the clubs after work. One night they got invited to a house where a lot of pot was smoked. My dad refused the weed but they offered him tiger balm or something like it – apparently they were told to rub it above their eyes and you get some kind of a high or something. They were driving into Columbia when my dad had to pull over cause "something was wrong with the road!" He cackles while describing this story to the other guys. I like to hear little vignettes like this from his past life. One day I'll be able to recount my own stories to the younger ones. Meanwhile, back at the dining room table the little boy, Manuel, starts announcing a series of raise your hand if statements. "Raise your hand if you like ice cream and cream!" "Raise your hand if you like strawberries!" And it goes on and on. He wasn't lying about cream, or rather whipped cream he meant, cause later on Delores squirts a dollop of whipped cream in his hand and he's in heaven.

...

The hour gets later and we need to depart. Before we go Ana and I fill up on leftover Collard Greens.


On the road back to Virginia Beach I take the wheel. Ana and I talk pretty much the whole time about how our bodies have to deal with the cornucopia of food we consume on the holiday occasions – that's all we do when hanging out with family is sit around and eat. We talk about changes coming up in her life when she moves into 1435 with me. We talk about the different perspectives on pornography and how, even though it's clearly a lustful means to an end, it can also serve a function in society (the problem always stems to overindulgence and addiction to it). We talk about our sexual expectations in each other and draw out some new guidelines to keep our sexual life exciting. In conjunction with this I find a secluded parking lot off US-17 for us to enjoy a little backseat love. For a moment we catch a glimpse of the twinkling stars up in the sky. Without all the usual light pollution from a crowded city they are more visible.


Back home. Settling in and reflecting on the day.


Sleep 4 a.m


[i] All images by me.

Wednesday December 24 2014

Christmas in the Carolinas (17)[i]

Waking up at 11:19 a.m.


Oatmeal with Cinnamon, Maca Powder, Maple Syrup, Blueberries, Strawberries, Chia Seeds, and Almond Milk. Coffee with Honey.

Finishing The Guest (2014). I'm really loving this little sect of throwback 80's horror movie genres that almost feel like a spoof.


Fixing a problem with my computer not allowing me to edit tag info on mp3 files.


Getting Christmas cards and gifts ready.


Oat and Almond Biscuits. Lentil Dal Burger Sandwich with Mustard and Tomato. Sweet Potato Chips with Salsa. Pu-erh Tea.


Packing up. Wishing a Merry Christmas to Kevin before he goes off to work at China Wok. Then scooping up Ana from her house.


We drive out to Goldsboro, North Carolina. It was pouring down rain earlier in the day and now it's drizzling off and on. Dealing with the minor annoyances of driving in the dark – other car's headlights blinding me through the mirrors and eager drivers riding your tail because going 70 is simply not fast enough. Ana naps for a long time while I listen to newly acquired tunes.


In 2 hours and 55 minutes we arrive at my dad's house. He's sitting in a chair with a beer in hand right by his new smoker smoking pork shoulders and cabbage. He's thrilled to see Ana and I. I can see it in his eyes that he's been drinking since the afternoon. But he's okay. It only makes him more jovial and comedic. Jennifer and her boyfriend, Luis, are here. Patty of course is here. Her sister and her sister's two boys are here too. The younger one runs around with his Nintendo DS begging Ana and I to snap photos of him. He's a ball of energy.


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There's a big pot of homemade Chicken Tamales on the stove. I help myself to a couple and fix up a Salad to share with Ana. My dad focuses in on Ana and makes sure she gets a hefty glass of Duplin Wine (made in South Carolina) in her hand. I get my own glass. The aroma before the sip is rich and sweet. And so begins the good times. We walk over to my dad's neighbor's house bringing our respective drinks. Ana and I perform a short set of songs on guitar while A Christmas Story airs on the TV above us. At some point we manage to get my dad off his feet and dance during our rendition of "Rocking Around the Christmas Tree". I'm thoroughly buzzed from the wine. After the stroke of midnight we chime in with "Feliz Navidad" appropriately. It's a genuine jolly old Christmas here in North Carolina.


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It seems like the night will never dwindle down. It's 2 in the morning and we're all still awake in the living room at my dad's house laughing and doing stretches on the carpet. A couple other neighbors stop by.


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Sleep at 3 a.m.


[i] Images by me.