tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72366998633395172082024-03-27T09:44:57.427-04:00The Girl Who Wasn't and IsAnastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.comBlogger227125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-19361459497502838632024-03-27T09:44:00.000-04:002024-03-27T09:44:26.042-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>March 27, 2024</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="font-family: Constantia;">The
manufactured outrage continues: TDOV is on March 31 EVERY EFFING YEAR.
The date Easter falls on CHANGES every year. If anything, Christians are
trying to troll our observance. But I'm inclined to say that the
calendar is big enough to accommodate both celebrations in the same 24
hour timespan. FFS.</span></span></p><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/virginia-county-declares-transgender-day-of-visibility-on-easter-this-year/ar-BB1kzhUW?cvid=f8ecb2a92acb47098a1ae6eac3d10708&ocid=winp2fptaskbarhover&ei=17" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img border="0" data-original-height="726" data-original-width="764" height="380" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOfJXz7fGAy72bQ8IVbpCtOidd_29vyNF7b9CqFQ_MS5GFxPLVX92enMUnd63ASf_Ol3n_urN-hjWUHKRlMqPMhKAxNYs1UrSDhSo8RDaebkydqHM1tu1NLxYN6HCe_cIWeMXOlRzNPlJli2EUYrGudZlEix-fqvg7EPoq4H4dA9tUQDtos1fe8PN1/w400-h380/Screenshot_27-3-2024_93445_www.msn.com.jpeg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-23041429970314734732024-03-22T09:23:00.005-04:002024-03-22T09:23:49.776-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-family: Constantia;">March 22, 2024</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="font-family: Constantia;">Five
years ago today, we were still enduring the racist shitsquall that was
the Trump presidency. The mass-murder-by-incompetence opportunity of the
COVID pandemic had yet to land in his fat lap.</span><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i> <br /></i></span></span></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidn8FZRLU5bkstN-ldEyhi1npcOhdK2mfc7RkpG5BfwKXtHE2kCJQuHG6MGib4X9WUsZ3hqnmJkYmqpLlwWd9yRfN-Vq8yOfqnHBw1kJeN9cNP9j_xAHBuClF7xdyH3xT6fFwx4njq0cibR6mqTOBoLrRStcYd0_J5YQIaSvAb6TQi0-HzByBOvKgD/s800/54523261_10214930466876153_6124358270124556288_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="798" data-original-width="800" height="319" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidn8FZRLU5bkstN-ldEyhi1npcOhdK2mfc7RkpG5BfwKXtHE2kCJQuHG6MGib4X9WUsZ3hqnmJkYmqpLlwWd9yRfN-Vq8yOfqnHBw1kJeN9cNP9j_xAHBuClF7xdyH3xT6fFwx4njq0cibR6mqTOBoLrRStcYd0_J5YQIaSvAb6TQi0-HzByBOvKgD/s320/54523261_10214930466876153_6124358270124556288_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mpq2FEcRW4f5PGMReVWSgPPTyTlHnwO-vTAkgL7TvqPipyCkmUsMJefqXzrBzABp4tGmk-I5vyG85DCPq0C2_Spu4ZZw7OaX721ePDvS81SC5TyLdU4ebmf8pQqaSoRgIGU9KSqiC1oVM83In4hAxaojiRDLKhP2F5Rn1R3xr88D0sx-SobLri6Z/s1085/53855839_10214930532357790_621850142781210624_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="870" data-original-width="1085" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9mpq2FEcRW4f5PGMReVWSgPPTyTlHnwO-vTAkgL7TvqPipyCkmUsMJefqXzrBzABp4tGmk-I5vyG85DCPq0C2_Spu4ZZw7OaX721ePDvS81SC5TyLdU4ebmf8pQqaSoRgIGU9KSqiC1oVM83In4hAxaojiRDLKhP2F5Rn1R3xr88D0sx-SobLri6Z/s320/53855839_10214930532357790_621850142781210624_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></i><p></p><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"></span></div><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><i><span style="font-family: Constantia; font-size: small;">Standing in solidarity with worshipers at the Attawheed Islamic Center in Carnegie, PA</span></i></span></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-5068711177488062742024-02-18T17:18:00.005-05:002024-02-18T17:18:48.493-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-family: Constantia;">February 18, 2024</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="font-family: Constantia;">For
anyone with fantasies of living under an autocratic Russian regime, as
many in the MAGA cult seem to be harboring, I prescribe Shostakovich's
first cello concerto as an antidote.</span></span></p><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmRvayc0wr8iDRAOcQuxUyXrwlIdMLt4geFxyHoE5dW81REoe4D7tcSu8dVnU0t8oULC8r0Aw7PjhguhDnmFRBmX9e79sBAOn2tWbf-g0VoNOiULkljcPkqb7ZuR1xYEcmtMpMyDtXPLkbJp57AQtsTjGQx5rYzrytJschF_uIhe589Cy8z6hCcSc/s1920/IMG_20240218_143247.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1920" data-original-width="1080" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqmRvayc0wr8iDRAOcQuxUyXrwlIdMLt4geFxyHoE5dW81REoe4D7tcSu8dVnU0t8oULC8r0Aw7PjhguhDnmFRBmX9e79sBAOn2tWbf-g0VoNOiULkljcPkqb7ZuR1xYEcmtMpMyDtXPLkbJp57AQtsTjGQx5rYzrytJschF_uIhe589Cy8z6hCcSc/w225-h400/IMG_20240218_143247.jpg" width="225" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-84236097748442017242024-02-11T19:28:00.002-05:002024-02-11T19:28:13.126-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>February 11, 2024</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Two months to the day of my hit and run accident, I'll be dropping my car off at the auto body shop tomorrow for repairs. God bless duct tape.</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_X8vQ9vWBWe183fY7vsHMt0DRRthDwTVIhjZ975XWMPnKjUVVHIbv3MpxwFjSOCbm_VTOasVSU__r6qyAmrW5cDlADHMvU9es292CTaMVQ8SzA5WIi00MFRWX-6tN8nGYHfQrHPaDM2fHvgqooJ5jobjPSDCgkHdrzRXipT_jgpSugHESgWeSUnh/s4160/IMG_20240211_172921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ_X8vQ9vWBWe183fY7vsHMt0DRRthDwTVIhjZ975XWMPnKjUVVHIbv3MpxwFjSOCbm_VTOasVSU__r6qyAmrW5cDlADHMvU9es292CTaMVQ8SzA5WIi00MFRWX-6tN8nGYHfQrHPaDM2fHvgqooJ5jobjPSDCgkHdrzRXipT_jgpSugHESgWeSUnh/s320/IMG_20240211_172921.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-42154498215840383692024-02-11T09:41:00.005-05:002024-02-11T09:41:53.158-05:00<p><span style="font-family: Constantia; font-size: medium;"><i>February 11, 2024</i></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; font-size: medium;">For those keeping score at home, it's 387 to go until I can consider monetizing this silly hobby of mine. </span>π</span><i> </i></p><p><i> </i></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK54_wGSghMiOSvgT-n9S8IH-PJ3pSCEKaICiDd2jotzs8B6VqUPcxU0KXFxN-IW97KNzjeJDAvKiCsxbL1S4QRYyVBsH6DnTN-0kC0_YSjHjDJiSvWu2d3acvGEFzK_YwMLqxWeSWks2tP1SmRPgv2HIzdPiBYX6frwUgpJgNptSBqJb0JXHzv8_I/s1367/YouTube%20subscribers%20as%20of%202-11-2024.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="477" data-original-width="1367" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgK54_wGSghMiOSvgT-n9S8IH-PJ3pSCEKaICiDd2jotzs8B6VqUPcxU0KXFxN-IW97KNzjeJDAvKiCsxbL1S4QRYyVBsH6DnTN-0kC0_YSjHjDJiSvWu2d3acvGEFzK_YwMLqxWeSWks2tP1SmRPgv2HIzdPiBYX6frwUgpJgNptSBqJb0JXHzv8_I/w640-h224/YouTube%20subscribers%20as%20of%202-11-2024.png" width="640" /></a></i></div><i><br /> </i> <p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-3568978097019973462024-01-29T08:14:00.004-05:002024-01-29T08:14:52.406-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>January 29, 2024</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you're talking to your plants and cracking yourself up with your banter, it's passed time to move to an apartment complex that will let you have pets so that you can get a cat to keep you humble.</span></span> <br /></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-19769898925138566092024-01-26T17:13:00.002-05:002024-01-26T17:13:15.043-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-family: Constantia;">January 26, 2024</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="font-family: Constantia;">Celebrating the end of my birth week *ahem* with a rainbow old fashioned (glass a bday prezzie from a friend). π</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH49cnM4VK2GSTeamDEka7eAr7834mxX9GQuHtZfpvQdswsHnrgWB982G-uM_6ivz8x6fkfzdWM2YxtMusTOsbbu1qlcSev13ZJTpXeraKOR0CuJEMm1ixqt6m2tnoW7MtVU5xklS1_Y5nwmmQM-htb-XrMBAHpW4HNBkSLIjelBw_BsNhYeieWll3/s4160/IMG_20240126_170351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH49cnM4VK2GSTeamDEka7eAr7834mxX9GQuHtZfpvQdswsHnrgWB982G-uM_6ivz8x6fkfzdWM2YxtMusTOsbbu1qlcSev13ZJTpXeraKOR0CuJEMm1ixqt6m2tnoW7MtVU5xklS1_Y5nwmmQM-htb-XrMBAHpW4HNBkSLIjelBw_BsNhYeieWll3/s320/IMG_20240126_170351.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><br /></span><p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-8681831594144698412024-01-08T19:46:00.000-05:002024-01-08T19:46:04.553-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-family: Constantia;">January 8, 2024</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="font-family: Constantia;">Post-holiday
dinner this week to ease me out of my vacation withdrawal symptoms:
roast lamb, mashed purple sweet potatoes, and roasted Brussels sprouts.</span></span></p><p><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquZLwuqkVcUIG0KGDq4D10UWDn6bvq6MEtHzCWS1J7RZ4eG8OafC2XJ8z48rE-z1eAt-TXGNPrs86Dj3iLBPCNry-DNSiwtwVevYqsXq8iB-Kt38NTJmpJNcIP3wvUA2CgwUdad7o-V5SG39czR-lj2M7D5OM1l6FdTI7QGis7ZiwTrrjivZzEZO6/s4160/Post-holiday%20dinner%201-7-2024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjquZLwuqkVcUIG0KGDq4D10UWDn6bvq6MEtHzCWS1J7RZ4eG8OafC2XJ8z48rE-z1eAt-TXGNPrs86Dj3iLBPCNry-DNSiwtwVevYqsXq8iB-Kt38NTJmpJNcIP3wvUA2CgwUdad7o-V5SG39czR-lj2M7D5OM1l6FdTI7QGis7ZiwTrrjivZzEZO6/w400-h300/Post-holiday%20dinner%201-7-2024.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <i> </i> <p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-82410155062101072422023-12-22T22:50:00.004-05:002023-12-22T22:50:44.990-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>December 22, 2023</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">Woohoo! <br /></span></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3BlLm6jIroHeGNps7rYZOEIZLzWfmlbbo-xHEk5gNAUJajpDY69drkHg3ONThwROiqoBByFBEyv53amLyuvkF5TwKDi6K1b3KAqloWW4ZuHkeJIGh9DvnK19reH0jTLOavSl8pkUNW_9DrjUtGijA8ecgjHEnYxolfTFVFdCYLWgvuMDlqyfBMvU/s1368/YT%20100%20subscribers%2012-22-2023.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="836" data-original-width="1368" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN3BlLm6jIroHeGNps7rYZOEIZLzWfmlbbo-xHEk5gNAUJajpDY69drkHg3ONThwROiqoBByFBEyv53amLyuvkF5TwKDi6K1b3KAqloWW4ZuHkeJIGh9DvnK19reH0jTLOavSl8pkUNW_9DrjUtGijA8ecgjHEnYxolfTFVFdCYLWgvuMDlqyfBMvU/w640-h392/YT%20100%20subscribers%2012-22-2023.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /><p><br /></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-6720860466430607602023-12-17T22:08:00.008-05:002023-12-17T22:14:15.106-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>December 17, 2023</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">A snapshot of my silly night: sitting on the only comfy chair I own watching <i>The Sound of Music</i> for the nth + 1 time, flossing </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">the bits of collard greens from </span></span><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">my teeth and blubbering during the love scene in the gazebo by the lake. Ah wuv.</span></span> <br /></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-34665409040630165812023-12-12T18:52:00.004-05:002023-12-12T18:52:34.921-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>December 12, 2023</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just discovered that my book is accessible on Google Books. Sort of.</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuABgQEJqRkANHqWVDKRM8a2NlS1OGijZzhKJo9yver-Cu1D4fXhByckINl-6li3uXN2KId_WDhqZZfVKjpnfmgTOp6yOQiLOkNhCd3fmjYlrEUlE7qevCq5k3qSktdMzhQlIRefzrPAK2jskQEBgxvEc-zHO7IHMn9Pk7BraRicDQCqX52iuut85N/s1920/Google%20Books%20screenshot.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="835" data-original-width="1920" height="174" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuABgQEJqRkANHqWVDKRM8a2NlS1OGijZzhKJo9yver-Cu1D4fXhByckINl-6li3uXN2KId_WDhqZZfVKjpnfmgTOp6yOQiLOkNhCd3fmjYlrEUlE7qevCq5k3qSktdMzhQlIRefzrPAK2jskQEBgxvEc-zHO7IHMn9Pk7BraRicDQCqX52iuut85N/w400-h174/Google%20Books%20screenshot.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-79782248490111746662023-12-11T07:44:00.004-05:002023-12-11T07:44:30.264-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>December 11, 2023</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Does seven years on the platform formerly known as Twitter make me a twit? The 20-somethingth anniversary of my first kidney stone is coming up in a few months, I think.</span></span></p><p><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBRiCbOXyhbu9KlZmS-XqsYOiIHfPuzmKohicQov3XWW1v0kJiJXz5PlbKVWW6P6KvYUQBqn3K7AJdAOee7gy_UKNKs6f26nnjAXq98eMYhbwPp36l3Wx6Xn4npw3X_CtPw-wBHrk6bZsRnrDqdtwSj1m8vUMgePAVRbAll2bYemdTDNMPlmInJUd/s754/Screenshot%20(255).png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="736" data-original-width="754" height="312" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEBRiCbOXyhbu9KlZmS-XqsYOiIHfPuzmKohicQov3XWW1v0kJiJXz5PlbKVWW6P6KvYUQBqn3K7AJdAOee7gy_UKNKs6f26nnjAXq98eMYhbwPp36l3Wx6Xn4npw3X_CtPw-wBHrk6bZsRnrDqdtwSj1m8vUMgePAVRbAll2bYemdTDNMPlmInJUd/s320/Screenshot%20(255).png" width="320" /></a><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-58077452506058526432023-12-08T07:19:00.005-05:002023-12-08T07:19:58.169-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>December 8, 2023</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">I find this homescreen promo image from my bank more than a little unsettling. Unless that anatomical model was borrowed from Barbieland (or is tucking), the scene strikes me as a tacit (and weird) depiction of the male gaze in action.</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9Jjd-vsJXj1j8mNv_FYBktW2ktADwd3kUbwyZmW7eFPZyHFpLKLppfge1uQU63gNjfuiGQFltnQoHjY8l-sdqD5WmJaHvTj1UedYBkYOp6N1_xXQRnzj2ugGAEKB3WPWoe-4hE8Y0ZKr_XTS-0s2CxjiSdnBbxkhXUh1-yM6wRPGEMZcmjexUTC5/s1920/PNC%20homescreen.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="751" data-original-width="1920" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9Jjd-vsJXj1j8mNv_FYBktW2ktADwd3kUbwyZmW7eFPZyHFpLKLppfge1uQU63gNjfuiGQFltnQoHjY8l-sdqD5WmJaHvTj1UedYBkYOp6N1_xXQRnzj2ugGAEKB3WPWoe-4hE8Y0ZKr_XTS-0s2CxjiSdnBbxkhXUh1-yM6wRPGEMZcmjexUTC5/w640-h250/PNC%20homescreen.png" width="640" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-84931769604093567252023-12-01T07:46:00.006-05:002023-12-01T07:46:33.936-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-family: Constantia;">December 1, 2023</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="font-family: Constantia;">Every time I watch <i>The Grinch</i>, I'm reminded that Whoville could really do with an in-depth audit of their law enforcement.</span></span></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-19643253757938698562023-11-27T22:00:00.000-05:002023-11-27T22:00:11.765-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>November 27, 2023</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just realized that my copy of this 45 by the Replacements is a first pressing (cuz there's no "Made in Canada" line on the sleeve's back). It also looks like it's signed by the lead singer ("Paul")? I don't remember where or when I bought this. Fun times.</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6qws_lBC1JDko7zFLdCNnhLD-_gu4KELzeGl7HPt8CQdHQYb8yAHK6dQjwWWW8DKsdEZjDEA1TpUOTm3wOm7jTJEvh7EIZTrFvGOSlzLgVEFZIeEqS31YVbv7CJJee01-zw7rSoedbMJPuhDuX158WcNLK1SbBdQ1ADlzG2ywNvU0RATWWaoNb1w/s2291/Replacements%2045%20b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2165" data-original-width="2291" height="302" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR6qws_lBC1JDko7zFLdCNnhLD-_gu4KELzeGl7HPt8CQdHQYb8yAHK6dQjwWWW8DKsdEZjDEA1TpUOTm3wOm7jTJEvh7EIZTrFvGOSlzLgVEFZIeEqS31YVbv7CJJee01-zw7rSoedbMJPuhDuX158WcNLK1SbBdQ1ADlzG2ywNvU0RATWWaoNb1w/s320/Replacements%2045%20b.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-72274847223596640492023-11-20T13:33:00.000-05:002023-11-20T13:33:22.837-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-family: Constantia;">November 20, 2023</i></span></p><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1l90r2v x1swvt13" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id=":rgo:"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">The latest culinary shenanigans Chez Stas: pumpkin praline bars. I used fresh pumpkin instead of canned as called for by the recipe -- a little extra work, but worth it. The frosting is pretty amazing, but cuidado: 3c powdered sugar + 3/4c brown sugar + 1/3c heavy cream [sic]. I had a square for dessert last night and YASSS.</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"> </span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">Overheard afterwards:</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"> </span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">Head: Did you really need that?</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><span></span>Stomach: STFU Head!</span></span></div></div></span></div></div></div></div><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjas793NQLuZXZwtGoS7V-S2nI2fcV_AKwFDESKMO3KaLOHyZZrdNHEFUtrtdGaGWte_T7oSYxNw-dF4MAc-GIxXnd7iAAgQnldVcB8Cdpamd1bunRdk3gHXqmTrD3eqQAF40wAB_cWtT0WfQ4VYjmMHFwzZgg-t9zTsDHFtHhyK9ArKsqRNo_UChs-/s4160/IMG_20231119_220042.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjas793NQLuZXZwtGoS7V-S2nI2fcV_AKwFDESKMO3KaLOHyZZrdNHEFUtrtdGaGWte_T7oSYxNw-dF4MAc-GIxXnd7iAAgQnldVcB8Cdpamd1bunRdk3gHXqmTrD3eqQAF40wAB_cWtT0WfQ4VYjmMHFwzZgg-t9zTsDHFtHhyK9ArKsqRNo_UChs-/s320/IMG_20231119_220042.jpg" width="320" /></a></i></div><i><br /> </i><p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-80491846130582205752023-11-07T21:59:00.000-05:002023-11-07T21:59:12.170-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>November 7, 2023</i></span></span></p><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1l90r2v x1swvt13" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id=":r2qn:"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="font-family: Constantia;"><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">It's Wellness Week chez moi:</div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">(1) Somebunny had her annual boob squish last night. (My left breast still isn't speaking to me.)</div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"> </div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;">(2) Somebunny is having a colonoscopy prep party tomorrow (the main event is Thursday morning). ππΈ<span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od"></span></div></div></span></span></div></div></div></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKXlJmJa4qoffvcRJ-JatWQfC9lC_vHT9FoXyZxvXftVN-6ESny1vSPwgpM0YrK-IzZwRTDVX6Np6IptHMXiM0SjOkf3Lt_1vQaGnemiJt0uPEm-l75px4NjJv6wYPwLIs6S9eGSzwybqpVFK-WuviOj6GoGPgucptKlXEnOPqpbFdbECokZVjrJC/s2592/Boob%20squish%2011-6-2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKXlJmJa4qoffvcRJ-JatWQfC9lC_vHT9FoXyZxvXftVN-6ESny1vSPwgpM0YrK-IzZwRTDVX6Np6IptHMXiM0SjOkf3Lt_1vQaGnemiJt0uPEm-l75px4NjJv6wYPwLIs6S9eGSzwybqpVFK-WuviOj6GoGPgucptKlXEnOPqpbFdbECokZVjrJC/s320/Boob%20squish%2011-6-2023.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8QPxD6eO80qq_wE0Cmw6o1pqq-ZxmrX1WgtgZuTd14wZMbWR9lqF-no40aaN0z4uhpwTChsbXasPwbWkfaHfTYarvw-yfXwjGs1gb6evnBK69dxe2laKgTelsaa5QpEvR0Cz-PKzVgopc25EXiPDx1k2OeVpXei_doBNXlhyphenhyphenqp_7SfQkmW5g-YfH/s4160/Colonoscopy%20still-life%2011-7-2023.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd8QPxD6eO80qq_wE0Cmw6o1pqq-ZxmrX1WgtgZuTd14wZMbWR9lqF-no40aaN0z4uhpwTChsbXasPwbWkfaHfTYarvw-yfXwjGs1gb6evnBK69dxe2laKgTelsaa5QpEvR0Cz-PKzVgopc25EXiPDx1k2OeVpXei_doBNXlhyphenhyphenqp_7SfQkmW5g-YfH/s320/Colonoscopy%20still-life%2011-7-2023.jpg" width="240" /></a><p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-61729523860799278492023-11-05T18:15:00.004-05:002023-11-05T18:20:22.767-05:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>November 5, 2023</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">The skeptical pre-concert selfie notwithstanding, my first PSO concert of the new season was wonderful. The program consisted of three chestnuts from the orchestral repertoire: Mozart's final symphony ("Jupiter"), Tchaikovsky's violin concerto, and Ravel's "La valse." I have to be in the right head space to appreciate music from the "classical" period, including Mozart's, and I wasn't quite there today, but even so the final movement of the "Jupiter" symphony was pretty exhilarating. I've really warmed up to Tchaikovsky in recent years, and the guest soloist, Bomsori Kim, made it easy to like this piece. (I was reminded again how magical witnessing true virtuosity is.) I think it always helps to have at least a little historical and/or biographical context for a piece, and knowing that Tchaikovsky composed this piece in the aftermath of the dissolution of a train wreck of a marriage (it lasted just three months) and a suicide attempt added a lot of resonance to its passion. This point about context was even more a propos where the Ravel piece was concerned. It's a pretty effing amazing piece of music considered simply as a product of the modernist period, but knowing that it was conceived as a tribute to Johann Strauss and the Vienna of the later 19th and early 20th centuries ("valse" = "waltz"), but wasn't composed until right after WWI, turns the piece into a musical depiction of the cataclysmic collapse of an entire world -- a real revelation! It was by far the shortest of the three pieces on the program at just c. 13 minutes, but to my ear, the most impactful.</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7A1pjQ8sfNgKGqOCcD97WSRZVE0MiCajyuDxMRDcW1NKRTbPt-xiaEUS61XL5cEDeGhJ3GYxLezA9lqi8L4rV9MFP72NB-XczBiwAf8-JPbk1UPEa0eYb1KclgbV-bAkWcPHLzBBg0pJUf3ei82teARXY1M1viaGZBYJ92uuyIk5T_w95GdZMOvRq/s2592/PSO%2011-5-2023%20%231.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7A1pjQ8sfNgKGqOCcD97WSRZVE0MiCajyuDxMRDcW1NKRTbPt-xiaEUS61XL5cEDeGhJ3GYxLezA9lqi8L4rV9MFP72NB-XczBiwAf8-JPbk1UPEa0eYb1KclgbV-bAkWcPHLzBBg0pJUf3ei82teARXY1M1viaGZBYJ92uuyIk5T_w95GdZMOvRq/s320/PSO%2011-5-2023%20%231.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ekw1ZtUkbH8XCjQ1x-qBTlCVZiHIwCk1U42lV74X0z1iPnyCKaMG22CdtuJ_Si5PVIBsDw47Eia-p_dLd6cs19JtkxDu3fSiKTRLkty6v1YIzqLfeutuEbxgEjHQvCdextOMD9zCHZ_tjgazlglrUBD_5XMb8qfqGsIvdWlDd3yRdp9Kla9zh4Fp/s4160/PSO%2011-5-2023%20%232.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2Ekw1ZtUkbH8XCjQ1x-qBTlCVZiHIwCk1U42lV74X0z1iPnyCKaMG22CdtuJ_Si5PVIBsDw47Eia-p_dLd6cs19JtkxDu3fSiKTRLkty6v1YIzqLfeutuEbxgEjHQvCdextOMD9zCHZ_tjgazlglrUBD_5XMb8qfqGsIvdWlDd3yRdp9Kla9zh4Fp/s320/PSO%2011-5-2023%20%232.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-78422923105102073832023-10-29T08:54:00.004-04:002023-10-29T08:54:48.021-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-family: Constantia;">October 29, 2023</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="font-family: Constantia;">I
went as "holy" for Halloween this year. I tried to find a halo on
Friday, but would have had to purchase a set of angel wings to go with
it, and that seemed like overkill, and an unnecessary addition to a
local landfill. So I made a paper necklace with a drawing of an angel
c/w a photo of Courtney Love (Kurt Cobain's GF; her band was called Hole
in case you don't get the stupid reference). And I wore a pair of tatty
jeans (holes not pictured) and drew arrows to my mouth, <span></span>nostrils,
and ears -- the holes in my head -- with lipstick (which are pictured
but not clear). As my minimalist costumes go, this one was kinda meh. I
definitely put more work into it than I would have liked.</span></span></p><p><i></i></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><i><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKYH5JMz5PkAjXDBLxpKDKO3ZvpGYttHPT_rcwhskP-lbWsfOn-ulksoQeP6ZryYYmd4TgCDcUG1JMmZNbQetP4V2b9Uv70KzGA8w1hiPLoxD4dnxGVmnhbozpTfOkTj0U15MCXQKw96gkRQwQpVsCMkyyTpQpMuOEAEFYHJZNIf-xFKxHKOo9m4s/s4160/'Holy'%20at%20David's%20Halloween%20Party%2010-28-2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGKYH5JMz5PkAjXDBLxpKDKO3ZvpGYttHPT_rcwhskP-lbWsfOn-ulksoQeP6ZryYYmd4TgCDcUG1JMmZNbQetP4V2b9Uv70KzGA8w1hiPLoxD4dnxGVmnhbozpTfOkTj0U15MCXQKw96gkRQwQpVsCMkyyTpQpMuOEAEFYHJZNIf-xFKxHKOo9m4s/s320/'Holy'%20at%20David's%20Halloween%20Party%2010-28-2023.jpg" width="240" /></a></i></div><i><br /> </i> <p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-73089934102556893382023-10-26T13:08:00.006-04:002023-10-26T13:08:37.294-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>October 26, 2023</i></span></span></p><div><div class="" dir="auto"><div class="x1iorvi4 x1pi30zi x1swvt13 xjkvuk6" data-ad-comet-preview="message" data-ad-preview="message" id=":rm6:"><div class="x78zum5 xdt5ytf xz62fqu x16ldp7u"><div class="xu06os2 x1ok221b"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto"><div class="xdj266r x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">Encore une fois. <span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od"></span><span class="x3nfvp2 x1j61x8r x1fcty0u xdj266r xhhsvwb xat24cr xgzva0m xxymvpz xlup9mm x1kky2od"><img alt="π€" class="xz74otr" height="16" src="https://static.xx.fbcdn.net/images/emoji.php/v9/t69/1.5/16/1f624.png" width="16" /></span></span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"> <br /></span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"> </span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">Dear Anastasia Walker,</span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"> </span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">Thank you for submitting "The Monster in My Front Yard." We were glad to have the chance to read your work and were impressed by your writing. Unfortunately we were not able to find a place for it in the New England Review.</span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"> </span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">Itβs <span></span>an important part of our mission to seriously consider writing by new and emerging writers as well as by those we already know and love, so we read each piece with care. Because we are only able to publish a small percentage of the thousands of submissions we read each year, we often have to turn down very accomplished work.</span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"> </span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">If you haven't already, please consider staying in touch by signing up for occasional emails from NER.</span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">Thanks again for sharing your work with us. Based on our reading of "The Monster in My Front Yard" we would like to see more from you in the future.</span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"> </span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">Sincerely,</span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">The Editors</span></span></div></div><div class="x11i5rnm xat24cr x1mh8g0r x1vvkbs xtlvy1s x126k92a"><div dir="auto" style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;">New England Review</span></span></div></div></span></div></div></div></div></div>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-57571040655988931522023-10-15T08:45:00.003-04:002023-10-15T08:45:42.861-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>October 15, 2023</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">Somebunny went to opening night of Pgh Opera's production of "The Barber of Seville" last night. Excepting some confusing stage business at the end of act 1 (introduced to divert attention from the very 18th century pacing of the aria, I suspect), it was a well done show, and the leads, in particular Figaro and the lovers, Rosina and Count Almaviva, shined, as did the gal playing the maid Berta. Inevitably, I laughed through most of the overture, though I admit I was a bit disappointed that not a single wabbit was killed during the performance.</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf6OUNqFAo0CpI5f76dquk9-X9AMkkqnp_Hs5xRNlv8NsIQxEpMCCDkPMmgpWDr5_mUtEIEMDQ4XgOfcspmtsLfhl3KFNPvIRS5qk4EPI88j7s7R1qs_V17iR7c6JsWpe6bpCjK86xYhyphenhyphenUEjRxJwMw-RkpIrJyW0170131NnYKCTC5Y-Dq0MpNgez/s2592/IMG_20231014_194817.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2592" data-original-width="1944" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPf6OUNqFAo0CpI5f76dquk9-X9AMkkqnp_Hs5xRNlv8NsIQxEpMCCDkPMmgpWDr5_mUtEIEMDQ4XgOfcspmtsLfhl3KFNPvIRS5qk4EPI88j7s7R1qs_V17iR7c6JsWpe6bpCjK86xYhyphenhyphenUEjRxJwMw-RkpIrJyW0170131NnYKCTC5Y-Dq0MpNgez/s320/IMG_20231014_194817.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><p></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzlR3Tzmq26VhbT0eV3w10m32Hl6YY7CQGVVv5UwK5W06mCnNEpe0DCzKU1x4cuWNqhGq1eYh3Qj_-HLs9jU7KYJ7gMxskTqlkItmHLyvaL7vDvIlDKYVIXlFkQXE9EkxxsVxgySJUAd56lZ6Ng_zve7Na1PqF112c7q1qL2RB6QnD5356sQsQvQM/s4160/IMG_20231014_195053_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4160" data-original-width="3120" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSzlR3Tzmq26VhbT0eV3w10m32Hl6YY7CQGVVv5UwK5W06mCnNEpe0DCzKU1x4cuWNqhGq1eYh3Qj_-HLs9jU7KYJ7gMxskTqlkItmHLyvaL7vDvIlDKYVIXlFkQXE9EkxxsVxgySJUAd56lZ6Ng_zve7Na1PqF112c7q1qL2RB6QnD5356sQsQvQM/s320/IMG_20231014_195053_01.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><br /> <br /><p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-57972077521391898752023-10-14T09:03:00.000-04:002023-10-14T09:03:02.041-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>October 14, 2023</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">I now have some necessary though not sufficient evidence that attending a Cello Fury concert at the Oaks Theater in Oakmont keeps the blue meanies at bay on a Friday the 13th.</span></span></p><p><span style="white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjolX6x8pKs2zH7sxBx2AFV2_3u119oRjgYjy2CFN53q56TwQgBAul9jodesKPKaEYWbii9BXbKtFmAsS5wOyXnYc9xnzV6L5hzigQqCe2GRoYdA3z-3j1KG6Q2R944PltZYlOcOIvemBG7JGHd4R5wHWQeqOKoNnCu4t0c5smEwoVlXHZ4G5FAvc/s4160/Cello%20Fury%20with%20Patti%20at%20Oaks%20Theater,%20Oakmont%2010-13-2023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3120" data-original-width="4160" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifjolX6x8pKs2zH7sxBx2AFV2_3u119oRjgYjy2CFN53q56TwQgBAul9jodesKPKaEYWbii9BXbKtFmAsS5wOyXnYc9xnzV6L5hzigQqCe2GRoYdA3z-3j1KG6Q2R944PltZYlOcOIvemBG7JGHd4R5wHWQeqOKoNnCu4t0c5smEwoVlXHZ4G5FAvc/s320/Cello%20Fury%20with%20Patti%20at%20Oaks%20Theater,%20Oakmont%2010-13-2023.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <br /><p></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-39138963510773300732023-10-09T19:08:00.001-04:002023-10-09T19:08:04.765-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-family: Constantia;">October 9, 2023</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="font-family: Constantia;">I
had both the new COVID shot and a flu shot this morning, and am now
weighing the benefits of not having to go back for one of them later
against the fatigue and aching (including pain in the hand of the arm I
had the COVID shot in) that I'm now experiencing. However the math works
itself out, one number is clear: an early bedtime tonight.</span></span> </p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-53557914481523584442023-10-06T20:02:00.001-04:002023-10-06T20:02:14.487-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia;"><i>October 6, 2023</i></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: Constantia; white-space: pre-wrap;">When you're cool enough to walk into a place that's too hip for you on a Friday night wearing a Ralph Lauren tee, khaki capris, AND a mask, ask the impatient backwards ball-cap bro for a recommendation for a beer to be used in a soup, and when he describes one option as a triple, reply, "Triple what?" π</span></span> <br /></p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7236699863339517208.post-17940410156155680012023-09-30T16:14:00.005-04:002023-09-30T16:14:45.608-04:00<p><span style="font-size: medium;"><i style="font-family: Constantia;">September 30, 2023</i></span></p><p><span style="font-size: medium;"><span class="x193iq5w xeuugli x13faqbe x1vvkbs x1xmvt09 x1lliihq x1s928wv xhkezso x1gmr53x x1cpjm7i x1fgarty x1943h6x xudqn12 x3x7a5m x6prxxf xvq8zen xo1l8bm xzsf02u x1yc453h" dir="auto" style="font-family: Constantia;">I
don't pretend that this is the biggest First World Problem, BUT I'm
annoyed that I have to go to Whole Foods tomorrow to pick up some tripe
for the pot of menudo I'm making for dinner this coming week because
neither of the two markets I went to yesterday had it and I couldn't get
into the Giant Eagle I wanted to go to because their underground garage
is being renovated and I've already soaked and cooked <span></span>the hominy and bought the pork ribs and don't have room in my freezer for them so I have to use them this week. Karen sez GRR.</span></span><i> </i> </p>Anastasia Walkerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15353623418221405231noreply@blogger.com0