Good Things

-Two Chik-Fil-A chicken biskits for breakfast.

-Keaton Simons' song, which I bought yesterday, contains these lyrics:

"You are my Undertow... caught in a Riptide... and I am Currently in love with you."

I love the ocean. And blues. And love songs. Triple threat, right here. It's called "Currently".

I listened 3x before work. 

-Bypassed the Shell station ($1.82) in hopes of cheaper gas down the road. Found gasoline right next to work, for $1.79. Filled the tank. When I left for lunch? It had gone up to $1.89. Triumph.

-Got to work on time. Early even.

-Bobby Wayne came in for lunch and left me a great tip.

-The sight of my newly nearly-black hair is still a bit shocking-- but I like it.

-Plane ticket purchased for under $400.

-Many sweet calls and messages from friends.

-81 degrees.

-Ate a big ol' BBQ Pork sandwich for lunch.

-Pre-dinner line up outside, in the midst of the glorious 81 degree-ness.

-Spent majority of dinner shift laughing at Vinny and/or looking at sexy furniture.

-Reheated delicious leftovers that I cooked yesterday and ate them for dinner.

-New issue of Real Simple came in the mail, so I won't be real bored at work tomorrow.

-Talked to my ridiculously handsome boyfriend on v-chat. And even though he tried to stir up some sauce, and make me mad-- he danced his way out of it. ;) Won't be the last time, I'm sure.

-New facewash.

-New mixtape for the car tomorrow.

-Going to sleep sans big comforter and with the windows open.

-My Hero, no longer bound by a broken body, met Jesus earlier yesterday morning. Finally, she is whole. And home.

Sassy Giraffe

I worked a wake at the restaurant yesterday afternoon. The mother of the very first chef Tom ever hired had passed away. Her friends and family explained throughout the afternoon that she was very proud to be half Cherokee and back in the day, she had been a Vegas entertainer who maintained a reputation for being the mother hen over all the cocktail waitress showgirls. She allegedly once slapped Sammy Davis Jr. for grabbing one of the girls asses.

Anyway, this woman left a lot of stories and a lot of porcelain dolls behind. Her ashes were "displayed" in a black box, within a glass box, surrounded by a bunch of candles and dolls dressed up like Native Americans and biker chicks. There were also various dreamcatchers and other woven Native American things draped around the Blue Room.

Anyway, her son Dirk, was terribly nice and wonderously composed in light of the situation. Actually everyone was very composed. Most of the friends and relatives were very kind as well, even if they really took advantage of the "open" bar. (Tom, who owns Saffire as well as TomKats Catering, paid for everything.) But, like every family (I mean I think they were family?), there were a few who were just a bit... off. Just enough to keep the afternoon interesting.

For example… yes, wear black to a wake. But a plunging black v-neck dress with a GIANT blingy rhinestone brooch set just below the Girls, who appear to be one sudden movement away from making an inglorious guest appearance? Not so much.

One group in particular was very... colorful. At first glance, I guessed they were Hispanic, but when one of the women (she looked around 20) asked me what pico de gallo was, and utterly butchered the pronunciation, I was inclined to think otherwise.

I also think kids are pretty awesome, so when this one little 12 year old girl went ambling through the restaurant like a baby giraffe in giant heeled, suede boots that were clearly not her usual choice of footwear, I kind of smiled adoringly and looked at her like she was—well, a baby giraffe.

But when I got to the table and the baby giraffe copped an attitude with me because she hated the buffet we'd provided and wanted instead another Sprite and steak well done with some French fries? I may have accidentally looked at her like she was a baby cockroach running across my kitchen counter.

I really don't have a problem with customer service OR the restaurant business. In fact, I'm largely fascinated by people and their quirks. But I cannot suffer bitchy children. That is just WRONG. And her mother was sitting right next to her, trying to be her friend instead of telling her, "No! This restaurant is not your own personal kebab van and Juliette is NOT the kebab van genie, indentured to grant your every wretched culinary wish."

OOOO. Not. Right. (sigh)

I mean, I got them some Coke and some French fries. But I made 'em wait. I served all the grown ups first. Don't try to get saucy with me, giraffe, you will make the crazy come OUT.

Genteman... so that's what you fellas look like.

How amazing is it when you meet someone who brings all the best things out of you? 

Someone who sees what's in you, sometimes before you do, and calls you to be more.

Someone who inspires you, quietly, consistently encourages you, to use your unique gifts and become the best version of yourself.

Someone who challenges you.

Someone who believes in your abilities and capabilities simply because they know your heart.

Someone you can live next to in your own skin and be comfortable with. 

Someone who doesn't leave you constantly deciding which mask to wear to be accepted. 

Someone with tremendous hope to share; a seemingly impossible pragmatic idealist.

Someone respectful, compassionate, responsible, perceptive, passionate... and absolutely hilarious.

Someone to run beside you, who you can pace with, but also look up to.

Someone you can trust. Completely. With things that are important. Not because they're perfect and infallible, but because they have both of your best interests at heart.

Someone who wants to protect you and encourage you and engage you about everyday life. 

Someone strong. Someone brave. Someone who makes your face hurt from smiling so much.

Someone you would never want to not know.

Someone who wants to pick you up.

It seems I've always been able to believe... for everyone but myself.

Now?

:)  :)  :)

That's putting it mildly.

"For I KNOW the plans I have for you.

Plans to prosper you, and not to harm you.

Plans to bring you hope, and a future [beyond your wildest imaginings]."

I'm walking through every day with unspeakable gratitude and tremendous joy.

:)

Waiting.

Why is the right side of my facebook wall now covered in all these pictures babies with too many eyes? Whose brilliant idea was that?! It's disturbing, though not quite as disturbing as all the pictures of disgusting teeth that keep popping up as well. The way I feel about pictures of teeth could be compared to way a lot of people feel about clowns or the way my roommate feels about sleeping in socks. Sick and wretched and disgusting. Maybe a little scary, but mostly gross.

Yesterday, someone at one of my tables asked me if I used to be Miss Tennessee. Is this a compliment? Do I exude an air of washed up celebrity/pageant queen? I certainly hope not. If I used to be Miss Tennessee, I would HOPE I wouldn't have to go back to waiting tables... then again, these are hard times.

A different man on a different day at another table once told me that I looked like a female prince. I looked at him like he was dumber than a bag of hammers and said "You mean like, a princess?!" To which he replied, "No-- no, I mean like a female Prince. As in Artist Formerly Known As." To which I replied something like, "Oh. Ohhh... okay, that's-- not as dumb."

There's something simple and beautiful about catfish. When I taste it, there's this nostalgia about the flavor. Carefree, comforting, refreshing, simpleness. With just a hint of mud. It reminds me of drinking out of the hose in the summer when I was a kid. Clearly, you shouldn't make a habit of drinking out of the hose. You probably shouldn't go around eating catfish all the time either. But tonight, I ate one and a half pieces, fried, with mashed potatoes and lentil hash, (which tastes much better than it sounds). It was like sticking my face in a sprinkler in Texas in July. And I loved it. 

Also, when she was a kid, my roommate Joanna used to catch catfish with her brother in the lake by their house and nail their heads to wooden posts to kill them. She's so darling. I've never been fishing... and I could keep it that way.

Slacking...

Currently Reading: Kingdom Come by Alex Ross & Mark Waid and Bird By Bird by Anne Lamott (slowly, because I keep stopping to write)

Currently Listening: The Best Mixtape Ever: Comprised of everything from Stevie Wonder to Dave Barnes, Matt Wertz to JT, Mutemath to Copeland and Jon Foreman. I can't turn it off!

Currently Watching: LOST Season 5, Scrubs Season 5 and Chuck Season 1.

Currently Writing: A vignette that I can't decide whether to adapt for screen or narrative.

Currently Waking Up At: 8:30. On a regular basis. Just cause

Currently Eating: Chocolate Pumpkin cupcakes. Mmmm. 

Currently Drinking: A lot of hot green tea with honey and lemon

Currently Living: In a movie. A fantastic, daring, romantic blockbuster of epic proportions.

Currently Feeling: Like eleventybillion dollars. Encrusted in diamonds. And chocolate syrup.

:)   :)   :)

Snapshot of the American Music Industry

AKA the Grammys: Cacophonous Fusion Extravaganza of 2009 

Timberlake and Rev. Al Green. A good idea. Shakily executed at first, but it worked itself out. Plus, Justin is so freaking adorable that it doesn't matter. 

Taylor Swift and Miley Cyrus. I see the logic. And while I'm not a Taylor Swift fan-- she came across as incredibly mature tonight. She did a great performance and she's a good writer who totally gets her demographic. In contrast? Miley Cyrus just kind of makes me want to wrap my face in Saran wrap.

Kanye West and the Afro-Mullet. A resounding NO.

MIA and the Rap Pack was the most ridiculous and abrasive thing I've seen since/heard... since Katy Perry descended to the stage in a banana and proved once again that she is the worst performer EVER.

I can't even talk about Stevie Wonder and the Jonas Brothers. I don' t even know where to begin. Pairing Legend with Fad is such an icky, uncreative marketing ploy.

Paul McCartney & Dave Grohl?

Okay, that one worked.

JT, TI, Drumline and The Cello Girls weren't bad. I liked Justin's  scarf. And the cellos. 

Smokey Robinson, Jamie Foxx, Ne-Yo and Duke Fakir... were actually very good. It was a nice tribute. And Ne-Yo really surprised me.

Mad props to Sugarland and Adele, who totally deserved their accolades for being phenomenal with little to no visible effort.

And to Coldplay-- who are adorable. And very talented.

Also, props to 

• Queen Latifah and Jennifer Hudson, for looking like sleek, beautiful, old-school jazz singers.
  
• Kate Beckinsale, for being gorgeous and classy.
• Alison Krauss' amazing purple dress.
• Jack Black, for having a hilarious face.
• Moses Martin, for letting his dad borrow his shirt to wear to the Grammys.
• Adele and McCartney's drummer for blatantly chewing gum on stage.
• Jason Mraz, for attractive facial hair. And a very handsome hat.
• Carrie Underwood's rockin female guitar player.
• Radiohead, for bringing a marching band onstage.
• Christina Aguilera's Target Superhero Comic commerical
• The quartet of diversely talented guitarist gentlemen (including Keith Urban, John Mayer and BB King)
• And Justin Timberlake.

It's not over. But I'm done!

BANG!

Figured I should end the month with one.

Tonight? Fiction Family concert. 

AKA my first Jon Foreman adventure of the year.

First of all, I got to go with my amazing friend Kara and her brother Josh, which was great. We nabbed front row seats to the show at the historic Belcourt theatre, which is a really awesome, 

intimate kind of venue. But after the first few songs, Jon decided that rugs on stage really made the place it feel like a living room... so he invited the people in the front to jump up on stage and chill in the "living room" for the second 1/2 of the show.

I was on my feet before he finished his sentence.

I spent the second half of the show on stage, sitting at Sean Watkins' feet, feeling very much a part of Fiction Family. :) Not only did they play a song (that's not on any of the albums) that I requested them to play via a blog comment, but they did a few really good covers too, including Radiohead's "Idioteque", Arcade Fire's "Keep The Car Runnin" and a bluegrass version of Weezer's "Pink Triangle" which was hilarious.

The show ended, and I was delighted-- but not done. And without Tyler there to hold me back ;) I decided to wait around and see if anyone would venture from backstage. Josh and Kara ran across the street to grab something to eat and I... dawdled. I texted, I listened to messages, I made small talk with some girl who liked my headband...

...until a flash of white shirt and long blonde hair caught my eye.

Beeline.

Wait for it... wait for it... breathe... stop shaking... stop staring!... wait for him to finish talking to his extended family... girl at my right better not even THINK about stepping in front of me... breathe... breathe some more... no, dark-haired girl, don't tell him that Dave's pulling the car around! I need to do this! Wait for it... let him put his iPhone away... one more second...

"Jon?"

Eye contact.

"Hey!"

Stop shaking! Stop grinning like a fool!

"Hi! I'm Juliette."

Shakes my hand. 

"Nice to meet you, Juliette."

"Youtoo!Ijustwantedtosaythanksforplayingthecowboysongbecauseiwassooooohopingyouwouldplayitandirequesteditonyourblogtheotherdayandsothatwasawesomeandtheshowwassogoodandyouaremyfavoritelyricistofalltimeandijustappreciateeverythingyoudosomucheverythingyouwritejustspeakstomysoulblahblahblahandifyouevergettiredofjustwritingamazingmusicandplayingshowsandyouwanttowritethelibrettoforastagemusicalyoushouldcallmeandwewilltotallycollaborate!

"You write musicals?"

"I'm working on it. I'm going to write one."

"That's great! Musicals are awesome. Well hey, I gotta run but thanks for coming out tonight, and for sitting on the stage! It was so great having you guys up there. Etc, etc, farewell pleasantries."

Still grinning. Like a fool.

It's gonna be a good year. :)

p.s. somewhere in there, there was also a "Could I get a picture?" Fortunately, I'm pretty good at the one-armed thing, but then I realized I might be shaking and it might come out all trembly, and then he put his hand on my shoulder and I went to put mine around his waist but he's married and I have way too big a crush on him to do that without feeling awkward. So... I don't remember whether I did or not. But this happened.

:)  :)  :)