Blaze of Glory

Without my consent I was given a five-day break for the Thanksgiving holiday.  Everyone else at work was ecstatic, I on the other hand felt bullied into taking a holiday break. Wishing I could decline this vacation time and carry on with my usual daily activities, I joined the masses and high-fived a co-worker when our boss announced in the morning meeting that we would be out at noon that Wednesday before X-Giving (that's what I'm calling Thanksgiving these days).

The Wednesday before X-Giving I was home by 12:20...  what to do, what to do? What better time than now to paint my apartment! I grabbed my best friend Candice to head to the Ace Hardware with me (She used to work at a hardware store in Maine, and prides herself on navigating around those overwhelming confusing aisles)

I decided awhile back that I wanted a yellow kitchen, as we pulled out the color swatches, my eyes landed on "Firefly" yellow.  We gave the hardware guy my swatch and off he went to get my paint.  As the man in the hardware vest was in the back mixin' up the medicine' I was on the pavement thinkin' bout the government. I pulled out a vibrant red swatch and confessed "I've always wanted one single bright red wall in a house" with that information Candice admitted "ME TOO" as she began riffling through the rest of the color swatches.

Blaze of Glory was the name of the red Candice whipped out of the sea of colors. The name alone sold me, as I shouted "I'm gonna do it!" The man in the vest was back with a can of yellow paint, and a look on his face that knew his work in aisle 12 wasn't quite finished.  We sent him back (wherever it was he was mixing all this paint up) to work.

After the Ace Hardware adventure I drove Candice home and we talked about how liberating it will be to paint one single wall bright red. Coming to the conclusion there must be some psychological factor behind "the red wall theory" she wanted a full report on how it felt to finally paint that wall bright red.

Well I'm here to report it was an experience. I saved the best for last and after I was finished with the yellow kitchen I prepared the red wall with some Ani Difranco on the stereo speakers and broke out the designated paint roller. As the beige wall turned a bright red my speakers decided it wasn't Ani they needed after-all, it was Beth Orton, I obliged switching playlists.  Red symbolizing action, confidence, courage, and vitality, I began to paint one single wall with that emotionally intense color. After the first coat, I stood back and admired my new courageous wall, as my muscles began to ache with the thought of applying the second coat.  Maybe I should have saved the best for first?  Matter overtook mind, and after painting an entire kitchen, my muscles didn't care "how liberating" this experience was intended to be.  Pushing forward I finished the wall. Unable to bask in the vitality of my new living area, I hit the hay and this action seeking gal was out.... in a blaze of glory

And it was all yellow

                      Screen girl appears not to be phased by all this hype

I wonder if any of my neighbor's living rooms contain this much confidence?

Time will only tell

Flo & Her Machine.

I'm making all sorts of friends in my new apartment building.

This unique spot is an old mansion built in 1920's, broke into six different units. Having the mantra: You can't appreciate the sweet without the sour,  I was fully aware of the "perks" of living in a building from the Flapper era. When I signed my lease, landlord Dave advised me on purchasing some space heaters and flashlights. Moving in without those two purchases I quickly discovered the importance of both. Space heaters so I don't get hypothermia and flashlights to see my way through the dark, as I fumble around the scary basement in search of a circuit breaker.  I bought both the next day.

My third morning in my fabulous new apartment as I'm doing my hair for work, and all of the electricity cuts out, Dave's voice instantly runs through my head: "This building is old, so make sure not to run two major appliances at the same time" and then he proceeded with this example "Like a blowdryer and a space heater" Thinking landlord Dave must be some sort of for-shadowing wizard, I ran down to the basement on my way out the door, and switched back on the power for my unit.

I was surprised when I came home that night to a cold dark apartment.  Maybe I forgot to pass the message along to Meadow?  I know how she blow dries her hair while standing in-front of a running microwave...

Making my way down to the basement I was greeted by landlord Dave, he was down there as well, flipping all sorts of switches and dropping crazy amounts of F bombs.  I asked him if everything was okay, and it turned out someone (me) or something, again (me) turned out the power for the entire building that particular day. Being an honest person, and a horrible poker player, I showed land man Dave the switch I hit that morning.

 Yesterday was the perfect afternoon to unload the rest of my belongings from my car into my new apartment. Driving around for three weeks with half of my life in my car, is just the way I roll.  My place is slowly coming together. Owner of the land, Dave, saw I was doing laundry yesterday and stacked the washer up with quarters for me. That nice gesture led me to believe that I wasn't the first Flapper in the building to make that rookie mistake.

Aaahoo! Werewolves of Up-Town.

Snicker's surprises and Reese's peanut-butter treats galore, having those two chocolate delights at your fingertips is reason enough to look forward to the Eve's of Hallows.  This Hallow Evening I met my new landlord, Dave, and paid the man.

I found the apartment on Craigslist with an ad that read:  Live in UPTOWN & Get your FALL SPECIAL 2nd-floor apartment NOW!! Best location in the City, located on the downtown side of City Park and only 1/2 mile from Lodo. The Lafayette Apartments are a great place to live on a very cool historic Victorian block, Come see it this weekend, you'll love living in our building! Nice fenced and gated safe yard with a great barbecue & picnic area too :)

I thought he had me at BBQ pit, but with this picture attached (those windows had me at... HELLO!) I scrolled down to find....

More windows, with a view...

Dave showed me the place yesterday, and I fell in-love.  Craigslist allowed us both the awkward dance of... "I normally don't take personal checks from new tenants" (that's Dave...)
and "Okay, I'm giving you cash to hold the place, but won't have keys until Wednesday??" (That's me)  It was hard to refute either one of our stances, we both had solid reasoning.

However, we came to an agreement and I move in this Wednesday!!  (I'm fairly confident you wont see me on the 6'o clock news, with a craigslist ad that has gone a-rye)

(Side-Bar)

I definitely wont have internet, I'm hoping to have heat, and am not positive on the electricity part (as of yet). So don't hold your breath for updated window pane pictures, but do hold your breath for future tails to-be-told of Tiffany in her new 'Up-Town' digs.  Coming soon!

Nearside Attractions

“Those cowgirls always bitching because the only radio station in the area plays nothing but polkas, but I say you can dance to anything as long as you really feel like dancing.' To prove it, he got up and danced to the news.” -Tom Robbins

Hoppy 67th! or 76?

"The most important things are the hardest to say, because words diminish them"- Stephen King.



After hours of writing, and getting nowhere.
I decided to take Stephen Kings advice.
But first, I had to post the song I've been
playing all day here in Denver, for TQ senior's
birthday. After all, "You're in charge of
celebrations"

In Her Shoes

How do you wish one of the most important people in your life a happy birthday? Um, you can start by writing a tribute, followed by erasing a "tribute", writing...  only to erase everything again. Or you can just erase, and dedicate them a song that once upon a living room moved both of your souls to hit the repeat button for an entire morning.


"But with eyes shut... it's you I'm thinking of" I love you SO much sister-pants- there's not even words (trust me- I've been constructing here for hours!) With that being said. "I think I'm a little bit
Little bit
A little bit in love with you" Happy Day of Birth, Pants!

Good Winter

For Emma... Forever Ago.  "It's about an ancient love"  Justin Vernon, the front man of Bon Iver described his first album, as such.  I'm not sure if it's his hypnotizing voice, or the sheer emotion he puts into his music- but the man has me sprung! I'm starting to worry that I may never listen to anything else. Upon further investigation of my current love (For Bon Iver... Right Now) This album came to creation as he sought solitude in his father's cabin in Wisconsin one winter (relative...) He was tucked away from society for three months only to emerge with this beautiful piece of work. Changing his stage name to Bon Iver (meaning good winter) Facing his demons and uncertanity of his life allowed him to "come out of the cabin" a new man, with a new name.