Oh, please. Oh, please.

This is what I wrote as my appeal to the parking ticket I got in NYC this weekend.

"After arriving in New York City after a 14-hour drive to spend massive amounts of tourist dollars, we parked our exhausted car and bodies in, what appears to have been, a space for Sanitation Dept. vehicles only. After viewing the signs, we all were under the impression that the car was parked in a legal space, though we were a bit confused by the seemingly incongruous signs that we were parked between. After being assured by a local that the parking space that we had chosen was indeed a safe one, we unloaded our luggage and began the 6-floor hike up to the apartment in which we were staying. Upon making the second trip to the car for various and sundry items which we didn't get in the first trek up the (unair-conditioned and steamy) stairs, we discovered the ominous orange ticket under the windshield wiper. We promptly moved the car to another street, where it remained throughout the rest of our visit to the most wonderful city on earth, unticketed and safe.

In conclusion, I'd like to ask, beg, beseech you to consider waiving or decreasing the fine of $95 that is the current balance of the parking ticket. Thank you for your understanding and enjoy your day."

I hope they don't think I'm being a sarcastic, pompous jackass. But I kind of am.

I Hate You, Magic 8 Ball.

Q #1: Should I date Guy #1?
A #1: My sources say no.

Q #2: Should I date Guy #2?
A #2: Answer hazy. Try again.

Q #3: Will I be single forever?
A #3: It is certain.

James Iha Sighting #4089

Last Thursday morning, I awoke as if it would be a normal, uneventful day. At approximately 1 PM that afternoon, the thought occurred to me that perhaps I could make a trip up to New York that weekend. Upon discovering that airline tickets were over $500, I decided to drive.

At 10:30 PM, Mrs. Snow, Jacki, and I hit the road. 14 hours later, we were driving through the Holland Tunnel into New York City.

It was a whirlwind, crazy trip. But maybe one of the best that I've had to New York since the Pratt trip of 2001. (Sidenote: Ironically, on paper, the Pratt trip would seem to be one of the worst ever. Stomach problems on the flight up, nastiest bathroom I have ever stepped [sandaled] foot in, getting soaked by the torrential downpour before our flight back...)

What made this trip one of the best ones? There is nothing I can put my finger on that made it spectacular, except that I had no expectations going into it -- no ambitious goals to meet up with everyone that I know that lives there, no list of things to see, no list of things to buy. It made the trip more laidback and less hurried.

And it wouldn't be a trip to New York without me seeing James Iha, which I did, on the corner of 10th and 2nd.

In 2.5 Days...

my little brother will be married! So weird.

Let the flurry of activities begin.

We're all packing right now, and I have no idea what all to bring. My mad Mary Poppin packing skills will come in handy here, I think.

Pictures will be posted. Stay tuned.

Here's their website, in case you wanna check it out: www.melanieandparker.com

Why, oh why, am I singing "Holla Back Girl"? Darn that Gwen Stefani and her catchy tunes.

Wallow in it.

Warning: If you have a tendency toward depression, you should probably NOT read this post.

Somebody told me once, "Oh, yeah. You're one of those people that listens to really sad songs." I took offense to that. "No way," I said. "I like a lot of fast, rockin' songs. Uh-uh. I don't just listen to sad songs."

I give you: The 25 Most Exquisitely Sad Songs in the Whole World

I have 9 of the 25 on my iPod which, I think, is a pretty high percentage. On top of that, I've listened to three of those today alone. (Which ones, you ask? See if you can guess.) So maybe I am one of those people that listens to really sad songs. Huh.

I would like to add a few to Spinner.com's list, though:

• Joni Mitchell: River ("Wish I had a river I could skate away on.")
• The Smiths: Please, Please, Please ("Please, please, please, let me get what I want. Lord knows, it would be the first time.")
• Aqualung: Good Times Gonna Come ("This is just one of those lonely nights. Good times gonna come.")
• Bill Withers: Ain't No Sunshine ("Wonder this time where she's gone. Wonder if she's gone to stay.")
  
• Wolf Parade: Modern World ("Modern world I'm not pleased to meet you. You just bring me down.")
  
• Weezer: Butterfly ("I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.")
  
• Sufjan Stevens: Casimir Pulaski Day ("In the morning when you finally go, and the nurse runs in with her head hung low, and the cardinal hits the window.")
• Simon and Garfunkel: Sound of Silence ("Hello darkness, my old friend. I've come to talk with you again.")
• Death Cab for Cutie: What Sarah Said ("Love is watching someone die.")
  
• Billie Holiday, Roberta Flack, or any rendition of: Smoke Gets In Your Eyes ("Oh, so I smile and say, 'When a lovely flame dies, smoke gets in your eyes.'")
• The Clash: Lost in the Supermarket ("I'm all lost in the supermarket. I can no longer shop happily. I came in here for the special offer: Guaranteed Personality.")
  
• Damien Rice: Volcano ("You give me miles and miles of mountains, and I ask for the sea.")
• The Decemberists: Clementine ("And we'll find us a home built of packaging foam that will be there 'til after we die.")
• Anything by Elliot Smith ("Got a broken heart and your name on my cast. And everybody's gone at last.")
  
• The Beatles: Blackbird ("Blackbird singing in the dead of night. Take these broken wings and learn to fly.")
• Any Rendition of Cat's in the Cradle ("When you comin' home dad? I don't know when, but we can get together then.")
  
• Leadbelly or Nirvana: Where Did You Sleep Last Night? ("In the pines, in the pines, where the sun don't ever shine, I'll shiver the whole night through.")
  
• Nirvana: Something in the Way ("Something in the way. Ummmmm.")

Okay, my list grew from "a few" to several. What songs would you add?

Ante Up.

I'm concerned about the severe lack of comments these days. What's the deal? What happened to the intelligent and thoughtful discussions in the comment section? Is it me? Are my posts not intellectually stimulating any more? Is it you? Are you brain-dead? Busy? Not reading my posts?

What happened to the "31 comments" days? Huh?

Who IS This Person I've Become?

I looked in the mirror a couple of days ago, and was a little shocked -- for a split second -- to not recognize my own face. I had colored my hair a little darker, I was tan (for me, anyway), and I was wearing (fake) diamond stud earrings (which I never wear). Has that ever happened to you? It was a weird shock to the system.

And today? I am currently wearing 4 1/2 inch heels to do housework.

Also, the jeans I am wearing are skin tight.

Let me explain: I'm trying to break in the shoes I'm wearing for the wedding in a couple of weeks. I have never worn heels this high or skinny. They're strappy, too, so I have to work on my balance. And the jeans? I bought shorts the other day that were size 6. They fit, so I bought a pair of jeans that are size 6 without trying them on. They don't fit. If I lose the 5 more lbs. that I have left to lose, I'll fit into them. But I thought maybe if I wore them enough, they'd get looser and I could wear them. (Because right now, I have no jeans that fit me. I'm between an 8 and a 6, apparently.)

I feel like one of those crazy housewives from the 50s that wore heels while vacuuming.

(Remember this picture?)

UPDATE: After reading this post the next day, I realize that the whole size discourse could be misconstrued as boastful or bragging. But you know what? Maybe it's not misconstruing 'cause, dang it, I'm proud. I have NEVER fit into a 6. EVER. I went from a girls' size 14 to a juniors' 9 in SEVENTH GRADE. And don't worry, I'm not becoming this shallow person. But it feels good to have a healthy self-image for once.

Arcade Fire on FI-YAH!

The Arcade Fire show last night was AMAZING. And I don't even know any of the songs from their new album, Neon Bible.

Sooo good that photos were not taken. So good that even I moved more than my noggin. So good that I would've paid face value for the tickets if I had to. (But I didn't. Ebay, my friend.)

Lexia, you should fly to L.A. near the end of the month. Electrelane is opening for them there.