Perseverin' Through Hard Times as a Freelancer

With the economy crashing all around us, and the cost of groceries and movies going through the roof, entertainment that requires one to leave their home is considered to be an extravagance, at least for us. Unless I expect
to love it, I won't go. I'm trying to think of the last time i LOVED a movie, it was probably "Iron Man."

While I didn't LOVE per se "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist," it was pretty damn charming, if a little self-conscious (kinda like "Garden State" in that respect.) But the genuine likability and chemistry of the leads, Michael Cera (who I think I'm getting a small crush on) and Kat Dennings carry it. The movie is a kind of love letter to kids growing up in New York. What happens throughout the movie is typical of many a night of any teen growing up in the city, and I loved that just about every shot of streetcorner the movie, I recognized, making me long for college days and money and barhopping for bands...maybe i had less money then, but got more for the little I had. The film's warm city night lights were easy on the eye too. I don't think I'm quite old enough yet to not be able to appreciate these things, and the random magic moments a night in the city can offer.

These days I bide my time alternating between NY1 for early morning news fix, The View for gossip and laughs, the Travel Channel for lunchtime fantasies, and then CNN for hours on end, to send myself into cardiac arrest (or a quick way to make me focus back on my work), because, I'm a glutton for punishment. For work (I work for the Labor Research Association), now that elections are near, I have had to write a lot of union president letters endorsing Obama, or comparisons between Obama and McCain. Strangely I feel I've gotten pretty good at the sell, if I could only sell myself. I have never in my life given as much attention to an election as I have this year, but I feel so jipped for the lack of knowledge I have on the candidates, left with only depressing economy stats. My day ends with a little "Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations" for more fantasies and laughs.

My daughter recently suckered me at a local street fair that had an animal shelter table to adopt a kitten-LIKE I NEEDED ONE! I now have three cats and a cocker spaniel. Little Pepper has quickly gotten acclimated and uses the litter and has begun to cuddle up to us-my younger cat though, (9yrs) Freddy, is a little depressed, I think. I've tried to explain to him that I think of each of my cats as a kind of "life insurance," each giving me a few years more a piece. He just rested his head on me and sighed.

'Night.