people

tires cost too much

How does anybody meet anybody?

I'm really only aware of my height
in three instances:

When I crack my head against lintels;
when a man even taller walks by;
and when I'm out in the world.

There, my height is an object
to be studied and commented on.
Some people suppress their double-take,
but others are openly aghast, fascinated,
perhaps a bit frightened. They come up,
attempting to deflate the awkwardness
of the situation with humor. "Ha ha,
I'm sure you're asked all the time, but..."

Or "I have a bet with my friend ..."

Or they just say it:
"Do you play basketball?"

I used to let my personality drive
these encounters. I'd give my height
in centimeters, or make up a basketball team,
or in some other way make a sport out of
these public intrusions.

But few figured out what I was saying --
they didn't realize I was making a joke
of their intent fascination --
so I'd leave feeling agitated, misunderstood.

Now I feel nothing when someone stops me
to ponder how far the top of my head is
from my feet. I just count down the seconds
until the conversation is over.

This habit has left me, in some ways,
socially stunted. (ha! a 6'10" man
stunted!) And when I'm taking a walk,
and pause to duck under a low-hanging branch,
(at least it's low-hanging to me)
all the cars passing by,

("Honey, you'll never believe it. There was
a really tall guy walking down Amherst today."
"Oh yeah, I've seen him! He must be
at least seven feet."
"Ha ha! At least!")

I have no words.

I haven't posted to this group in a while, but here are some shots for you guys. I've been playing a lot with textures, let me know what you think. Do you like them, are they too distracting, do they enhance, etc.? I really prefer these guys a bit larger, but don't want to bog down your internets, if you click on them they'll take you to flickr where you can blow em up. Thanks for looking and feel free to check out my website www.gretchendrewphotography.com


( 4 More Behind Door Number 2 )

OMFG!!!
DALLAS ISD why don't you jsut be done with it and say 'hey in kids in school passes automatically whether you do jack shit or not'.
What's next/ Teachers requited to take the TAKS tests for the kids?

New Dallas Grading Rules

The highlights for me are any flunked test gets to be re-taken and late-work is now ok.

WTF.
DISD and education, I'm begining, to think are a mutually exclusive concept.
This ins't jsut lacking in normal education, but in social education as well.

Hugs to my father who has to go back and teach in this mess -_-


IN OTHER NEWS (that relates to my Dad,
I posted yesterday about my dad's shop and got asked a question by an anon, and then told the anon was "me"

Sadly, the work computer still did not let this person log in, so I figured I'd just answer the question here:

Was his store located in Dallas? How long has he been in business? Do you have a photo of his store?

Was his store located in Dallas?
My Dad's comic store was around the Casalenda section of Dallas Texas. I don't actually recall the exact address.

How long has he been in business?
Dad was in business from sometime in the 70's through the rpesent sorta.
He does not; however, still have that store.

As I was explaining to yazzydream, the landlord made dad move to the next door location, and sold the old location to peopel who painted all the windows black, installed a slidey peephole on the door and admitted really unsavory looking people at all hours.

Dad wouldn't re-open his store next to whatever the hell that was, though he did try for a short while. Last I heard the new store location was storage, but the rent may ahve been too much and possibly he's sold it.
He sold out of an antique mall for a while, until that closed, and you can now find him from time to time on Ebay.

I think the user name is Neto27, but I'll have to double check on that.
it was always more of a hobby for him, his primary job is teacing math in the DISD (Dallas) school district.

Do you have a photo of his store?
0.o You know, I do not think so. I'd have to ask my parents, but off I don't think so. I wish we did!

When he told me his sad story
I had to hold back my laughter.
It wasn't a cruel laugh, but a
grateful one, because things
could be so much sadder. Was he
aware of that?

But I think he was looking for
sympathy, not gentle humor.
So I kept my face as ironed out
as possible -- flat, warm.
When he saw my look he thought
I was holding back tears,
and immediately offered, "It's okay."

At that point I did laugh.
I excused myself from the room.
His look of concern curdled.
"What the hell is wrong
with you, Mike?" I waved him away,
trying to catch my breath.

I don't understand why he got
so angry. After all, what thing
is one thing alone?

Hey there folks - more hard-copy papers being cleared out. I'd rather they go to good homes than get recycled. Papers are from 1978 - 2000; some are hard to find if your library doesn't keep old journals.

Same deal as before: just pay postage and they're yours (sent from UK). Comment below to reserve.

Note: First author only listed; titles have been truncated; citations are in the form [volume page numbers].

Tryptophan hydroxylase and sound stress

( Boadle-Biber papers )

( Other topics (mainly serotonin-based, some dopamine) )

I just read on G4 that homecoming is being pushed back to november. That sucks.

Recently I've made another Sirry doujinshi and here's the cover art.

( ART: Picnic. Harry/Sirius. G )

By the way I'm wondering if I can join this year's Sirry Secret Santa 2008 at sirry_slash. I couldn't participate last year due to my RL schedule and I regret it much. Mmm.

Brooklyn Army Terminal...

Brooklyn Army Terminal...

It's great to have a project that you can't wait to start work on. It gives you direction, and is often much like that first little mote of sunlight you see before the sunrise: it reminds you that there really will be a day to wake up for, and that, if you really struggle and think and work and pray, three's a slim chance it may not be all bad.

This is the only kind of hope I know how to have.

And thanks to everyone offering suggestions in the post below. Please keep them coming! They're making me think, and today that is a good thing.

In one hour I will take my six-foot tall thirteen year-old to register for eighth grade.  This is his last year of middle school.  This time next year, I will be taking him to register for high school.  I remember when he was a tiny baby and pooped on me.  Where does the time go?

On a side note, my fall semester starts next Tuesday.  I'm taking twelve credits, which is technically full-time.  I've got Intro to Literature, Abnormal Psychology, Intro to Mythology, and Environmental Issues.  I'll also still be working thirty hours per week.  If I vanish a bit, you'll know why.

Dragging ass and drowning in paperwork.

Send help, STAT.<sup>+


+</sup>Help here meaning beautiful men.

Abandoned dormitory in Moscow.
On Kodak Portra 160VC film.

( ++++21++++ )

MY BLOOD! HE PUNCHED OUT ALL MY BLOOD!


P.S. Add me. A/S/C?

In New York, riding the subway is the default mode of transportation. It's buying a car, finding parking for it, and so on that takes effort. Most other places, driving everywhere is the default and using mass transit is what takes effort. I would have to struggle a lot harder to be a good hippie if I lived somewhere like that.

I am back home; will write about the rest of the trip eventually, I suppose.

Прикольная штука.