Monday, December 15, 2008

I Can Has Dee Jay Nite?!

Cozy Like Cats // Cats Like Cozy

Extra Special Holiday Season Interstate Travel Edition!

Thursday December 18th
@ Local 121's Tap Room
Free!

The 121 Puma Girls (Lara and Carla)
and Tim O'Keefe
Proudly Present:



Lara and I take requests, but it's best to let us know beforehand... Send me a message and I'll get your tracks on the setlist. Even better - I'll cue it up to play as you enter the glamorous Tap Room. Hottne$$.

xoxo
Puma Girl

P.S. Super special thank you to Storm Davis for yet another dope Cozy Like Cats flyer.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Excellent Blogs




These two blogs are my new favorites:

Letters from Johns

Letters from Working Girls

It's been a while since I've posted about the sex industry. One of the main reasons I moved to California was to become more involved in sex workers' rights movements that are kicking ass here in the Bay Area.

I've been making contacts that will hopefully prove valuable. I'm just so broke now that I've had to put the social justice issues on the backburner while I try to find work to pay the bills (without working the red light).

love to love to love ya
'la

Strange Dreams




I've been having very vivid dreams of late, and last night I had two that were especially unsettling.

In the first, I was the worst waitress on earth, completely neglecting my tables and I made no tips. This was probably in response to the fact that I'm totally broke and the serving gig I have now isn't cutting it. I had an interview elsewhere earlier this week. Let's hope for the best.

In the second dream I was sledding and playing in the snow with a close friend and a few other friends and dogs. We were near a library and a school - the area reminded me of the old Marvel Gym on Brown University's campus in my old neighborhood. My close friend was playing with two translucent color wheels, trying to match up the perfect color for me. I started singing Run to the Hills and at that moment he found the right color for me, and realized he cared very deeply for me.

so... that happened.

love,
carla

Friday, December 5, 2008

Updated: Providence Music

I miss it, and I want to share some of it with you...



CAROLINE COTTER
My best friend since childhood who is a world traveler and folk musician. Her music is raw, unadultered, and honest (trust me). Her voice is gorgeous. And she's super nice. Her CD makes a great holiday gift, if you're into supporting indie arts.



MAHI MAHI
Two foxy dudes who get everyone dancing. I love these men (for many reasons, including Julian's and Ziggy the cat) and I love these heavy electro tunes. Just enough creepy and dark to keep it standing apart from a lot of other electronic music.



VVLTVRE
These two former coworkers of mine lay it on with layers of filth / creep / dark. They would be paid to work on the soundtrack for my film (if I were ever to make one). Listen to it, and if you like it, come do scratch tickets with me and Anna Purna during my visit home.



HOWL
Three dudes and a badass chick who are blowing up step by step... They tour often (CA soon?) and party with the best of us. Catch them around PVD working in your local Grocery or Corporate Chain Eatery, or boozin' at the favorite spots.



SAINT JUDE
Self-described as "metalheads playing hardcore with a punk drummer." They throw a mean show (Vincent has a nice scar to prove it). Brendan just got a The Big Lebowski tattoo. Vegans and Athiests and Cyclists and Babe Magnets. I love these boys so much it hurts! Get in there and throw some loving punches.




WHAT CHEER MARCHING BRIGADE
Do you ever get the feeling that you just wanna jump into the street and start dancing? Thanks to the WCMB, summertime in Providence now means spontaneous parades, tree climbing musical merriment, gorilla costumed percussionists, and huge motherfuckin' dance parties in the city streets past midnight. Support their touring! Support the marching bands! (R.I.P. Decatur Lounge)




POORLY DRAWN PEOPLE
Independent hip hop collective. Tight as that rope on which the industry is walking. They don't perform as much as they used to, but don't miss the tunes which are well-produced and intelligently written. Delivered correctly. Fresh. My BFF Lara and I (and some spiced whiskey) did some of the back up on "Storm Davis Fucks Like a Puma," which has turned into a cult classic (of mine and Lara's). Catch them hanging at Providence's local taprooms and strippys.

Miss you / kiss you.

xoxo
la la la

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Providence People




Go to Local 121 tonight to see a documentary about the local food movement!

6:00 speakeasy doors open
6:30 optional dinner for $12 (made with local foods, silly goose!)
7:00 'Tableland' plays on the dope a/v system, discussion following

Tableland is a culinary expedition in search of the people, place and taste of North American small scale, sustainable food production. Director Chris Noble argues for the re-location of North American food systems and a return to fresher, healthier ways of feeding ourselves. From the orchards of British Columbia, the inner city gardens of Chicago to the Napa Highlands and everywhere in between, Tableland celebrates the successful production of tasty, local, and seasonal food from field to plate.
-PDD

Personally, I feel that a lot of unrest and displeasure in this society is caused by how we consume food instead of nourish ourselves. I lot of life change can happen when one begins to eat with (personal and global) mindfulness. When a lot of lives change, we get a community shift, and then a societal trend, no?

Forget having the status symbol of a pristine green lawn... Grow food in that plot of land and cook with the fruits of your labor!

Eat, drink, think local!

<3
Former Local 121 Employee

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Best Idea Ever!

Lily and I are going to Mexico or Guatemala - for free!

there's only one catch...

hahahahahahah

xoxo
c

Starbucks, GOOD, and Consumption...




Oh, hi there!

On Sunday afternoon I was walking around downtown San Francisco with two friends. One wanted Starbucks brand coffee (no other coffee would suffice), so we stopped in one of 6 Starbucks within a 5 block radius, and while he was up at the counter I stumbled upon a free publication called GOOD SHEET. It's a small folding leaflet that is created by the consumer zombie machines (I mean editors) at GOOD.

GOOD is a total facade for a group of greenwashed lying corporations that appease both the zombie consumer and the not-so-harsh critics for being edgy, trendy, hip, and eco-friendly (hey - it's published on 45% post-consumer recycled paper, and the offset their emissions!). It is self-described as "a collaboration of individuals, businesses, and nonprofits pushing the world forward. Since 2006 we've been making a magazine, videos, and events for people who give a damn."

The GOOD SHEET No. 011 (Nov 20-26, 2008) was a post-election look at the US holiday economy. It states:

"The winter holidays: a time to join with family and friends, give thanks, celebrate, and get out the plastic and cash. We are a nation of consumers and we consme the most in November and December - in those two months, the retail profits come rolling in."


It has a bunch of great receipt-inspired graphics that give facts about what consumers are consuming in the holiday season (131 million pounds of eggnog, 67 million turkeys...) and the amount of debt it causes the consumer (12.8 billion in new debt in 2007).

But it treats it as normal, and beyond that - as a great way to stimulate the economy in these uneasy times of recession.

How long can we continue to support this failing system of beg, borrow, and steal? I know I'm the paranoid idealist anarcho-feminist conspiracy theorist who is always struggling with living in a world full of contradictions... but I know I'm not alone in feeling like I want to watch it all crash and burn!

Maybe...
...I read too much.
...I'll build my off-the-grid hut in the woods, be a farmer, and make bicycles and babies.
...I should become a barista at Starbucks, or work at Whole Foods (ha!)
...You should help me light some fires to get this crash-and-burn started!

xoxo
'la

through rose-colored lenses

I was reading Jesse's blog and was simultaneously impressed and horrified by his latest post about Sekai Camera, which is a mind-blowing app for iPhone.

I was on a date the other night (hubba hubba) and the dude's friends kept checking their phones and looking up directions to a place around the corner (literally around the corner). I kept turning their phones over and telling them to enjoy life (real life) because we only get one (in my opinion).

But I guess very soon "real life" will be considered one through rose-colored lenses, brought to us by some techno wizards for a pretty penny.

<3
carla

p.s. now I have 'send me an angel' stuck in my head...

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Oakland Info from Wikipedia

Rand McNally named Oakland as having the best weather in the United States.

According to the 2000 U.S. Census, Oakland and Long Beach, California are the most ethnically diverse cities in the United States, with over 150 languages spoken in Oakland.

The Black Panther Party was founded by Merritt College students Huey Newton and Bobby Seale as a response to police brutality.

The Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club's Oakland Chapter began to grow into a formidable organization in the 1960s. By the 1980s it was the most feared and respected of all Hells Angels chapters. Its Oakland Clubhouse still sits at 4019 Foothill Boulevard in East Oakland.

The 1970s saw the rise of drug operations topped by drug lord Felix Mitchell, whose activities helped push Oakland's murder rate to twice that of San Francisco or New York City.

In 2008, Carla moves to Oakland's Lake Merritt neighborhood and scores a job waiting tables at Levende East where she hopes to make million selling wine to thirsty people.

(almost all info taken directly from wikipedia)

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

David Segal...

...you are my hero right now.



Thank you for sharing this in the PDD.

xoxo
Carla

Art

Please watch 50 50 by Oliver Laric.

Thanks to Jesse for this.

I owe you big time.

xoxo
Carla

I <3 Yogurt!

Madzoon (yogurt) is one of my favorite foods on the planet. Being middle eastern means cooking with lots of yogurt - from appetizers, to the main course, to dessert!

I've never made my own yogurt before, but I'm going to start. It's cheaper and more environmentally friendly to make your own than to buy a big plastic tub of it every week at the market (if you eat as much as I do). Wish me luck in my experiment!

Yoghurt was first introduced to the United States by Armenian immigrants Sarkis and Rose Colombosian, who started "Colombo and Sons Creamery" in Andover, Massachusetts in 1929. Colombo Yogurt was originally delivered around New England in a horse-drawn wagon inscribed with the Armenian word "madzoon" which was later changed to "yogurt", the Turkish name of the product, as Turkish was the lingua franca between immigrants of the various Near Eastern ethnicities who were the main consumers at that time. Yoghurt's popularity in the United States was enhanced in the 1950s and 60's when it was presented as a health food. By the late 20th century yoghurt had become a common American food item and Colombo Yogurt was sold to General Mills in 1993.
-wikipedia

Yogurt is tasty and has medicinal uses. Use it to treat infections and an upset tummy. Always use plain yogurt with live and active cultures. Add your own flavors with fresh fruits, nuts, herbs, and spices. For a healthy snack I add uncooked oats or spelt flakes to yogurt with raisins, walnuts, and fruit preserves. So much better than ice cream! Keep the high fructose corn syrup and dyes out of your yogurt!

Love,
Shameless Yogurt Lover

Monday, November 10, 2008

Jesus <3s Fools



Yet another reason why I don't subscribe to organized religion, despite the importance it holds for my Armenian culture.

Participate by actively not participating in all foolishness.

Example.

Thanks to the PDD for the Armo video.

xoxo
Sarkis Diarbian
(aka Carla)

Maybe I want to love my dream that will never come true...

Farmers Market at the pier.  Jack London Square, Oakland

I'm here in Oakland living with Lily, Kiernan, and Gabriel. The weather is lovely, the hills are hilly, and the excitement is blossoming.

All I need is a job and I will feel a lot more calm. And for my boxes to get here from home (c'mon, mom!).

My neighborhood is called Lake Merritt and reminds me of Pawtucket, RI. There are a lot of working-class families in this residential neighborhood. Corner stores for lottery tickets and 40oz beers. Beware of Dog signs and frontyard vegetable gardens full of tomatoes and lettuces. Kids playing, palm trees, and the occassional street walker or drunk stumbling man. A nice balance of reality and fantastic California imagery. California isn't home, and I don't want it to be. I just want it to be the place where I live for now. Nothing trumps my real home.

Loneliness is a factor here, but as long as I stay busy and put energy into meeting high-quality lovely people, I'll be ok. My father calls me a Friend Magnet. I love friendship, and I live for friendship. (I miss you, Providence people!) Phone calls are very helpful. I am going to try very hard to make my phone calls on a regular basis. Call me, too. I need that. I feel that there is going to be a lot of sifting through of crappy people in this city. But I'll find the good ones.

:: disclaimer - I'm about to get all emo ::

I have also been missing the feeling of being in love for quite some time. I thought I had it, and it passed, then came back, then passed, then came back all of a sudden in the week before I left. I'm pretty sure it's a one-sided unrequited love. I'm pretty sure I'm being used and led on, but like the song says, "maybe I want to love my dream that will never come true."

Maybe it's easier to be hopeful and curious and obsessive about love than it is to actually put in the effort to be in a healthy relationship. I haven't been single for this long since before 8th grade. I'm freaking out. Somebody marry me, FAST! Then again, I don't think I've had feelings this strong in a loooong time. Well, good thing I just moved 3,000 miles away from the person I love. Perhaps this will give me perspective on why it's best not to love someone who can't commit. Or perhaps I should just accept that I want to elope and be a swinger.

In a nutshell:
I'm lonely and happy,
excited and exhausted,
sober and scared,
poor and imaginative.

Come visit me. It's beautiful here.

Love,
Carla

My new neighborhood was once a sewer, and later the nations first Wildlife Refuge.  Notice the dope birds (ca-caw!)  Lake Merritt, Oakl

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Ugly Sweater Bike Ride Pub Crawl!

Yo Yo Yo !

Carla is turning 24 years old on October 24th and she's moving to Oakland, CA on November 6th!

The party is Saturday October 25th!

Ugly Sweater Bike Ride Pub Crawl!

Please wear a very ugly sweater.
Examples:
Photobucket

Photobucket

Photobucket



We will start at my parents house on the East Side for Armenian food and a few beers.
My mom and aunties are the best cooks in Providence.
Brace yo'self!
Here's a map of where they live:
View Larger Map

Then we will ride bikes to our favorite saloons, pubs, dives, and discos!
(Examples: Wild Colonial, Local 121, Wheels, AS220, Trinity, Julian's, Avery, E&O, Scurvy Dog...)

Can you handle it?

No gifts, please.
Well, maybe one of these...
I can't afford to ship a lot out to Cali.
And your presence alone is a gift!

If you choose not to bike, please don't drink and drive.
We can arrange for sober drivers!

I love you all very much!
Please let me know if you're coming so I can tell the Armenian Womenfolk to cook tons of food.

xoxo
<3
Carla

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

I Am Somebody!



xoxo
c

Benedetti Poems

From one of my favorite movies, El Lado Oscuro del Corazon:



Rent the movie, please.

Olbermannnnnn

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Too $exy for PA



Woman teaches dance classes.
People in charge hate on her sexy moves.
Read on...

“This is in every way a dance studio,” Mr. Walczak said. “The only reason they don’t want her here is the township commissioners just don’t like some of the dances she teaches."...even though the dance instruction did not involve nudity and there would be no audience, the dance styles were “provocative” and involved sexual “innuendo.”



I'm really getting pumped about moving to the Bay Area and working with places like BaySwan, SWOP, and St James.

xoxo
'Lita

Cozy Like Cats // Cats Like Cozy Part 3





Hooray!

Special thanks to Storm Davis for the flyah.

Monday, September 1, 2008

Well, That Happened




I want things like this to keep happening to the McCain/Palin team...

Their platform is amazing:

kill more brown people!

don't worry, oil will last forever!

Pregnant? No problem! Babies for everyone!

and don't forget... win more Beauty Pageants!

Home Sweet Home


View Larger Map

November 6th is fast approaching.
I will be living here (second floor) with Lily, Gabe, and Kiernan.

Sooooooooooo excited!

Now all I need to do is secure a job out there.

and pack.

and move everything cross-country.

hmmmmmm

xoxo
Cali Lita

Sunday, August 31, 2008

I Have No Words...

...except FTW!?

?
c

Sex Workers are People, Too.

Dear New York Post,

Fuck you.

Love,
Carla

Yogurt!

I love yogurt so very much.

Hot, cold, salty, sweet, with dill, with garlic, with honey, strained, or liquidy - I could eat it at every meal. Sometimes I do.

This video is on point and I want you to watch it.




Did I really just blog about yogurt? Inspired by the PDD.

Love,
Yo Yo Ma

Wake Up, America!

The video below made me cry not only because it's a powerful speech, but also because it made me really worried about the future.

What if McCain wins? I'll probably need to renounce citizenship and move far far away. Seriously.

What if Obama wins? Will things change? It's all such a game and I'm sick of it.



xoxo
c

Monday, August 18, 2008

Bike Hippies

I love bike hippies.



I also love the Bay Area.

xoxo
c

thanks, nick!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Olneyville Needs You!


Every August I send an ask letter for donations to a specific cause. This year I am asking you to donate to English for Action, a 501(c)3 in the neighborhood of Olneyville in Providence, RI. My birthday is coming up, and I'm moving to California in November. If you were thinking of getting me a gift, please donate to EFA instead.

I have worked at EFA for two full years. I was hired as the coordinator of the arts-based child-care mentoring program (Nuestra Escuela / Our School) for the children of adult English learners. My weeknights for the past two years have been spent sharing wisdom, knowledge, and art with amazing youth in my community. I have never worked in a more peace-filled and imagination-inspired child-care program in my 12 years of experience. It's more than work - EFA is family to me now.

It was recently discovered that the organization was in a serious financial crisis. Federal and State budget cuts to education programs have dramatically affected our income, and the income of our major funders.

With the jarring news that EFA might have to lay off the entire staff and possibly close most or all services, the Staff, Board, and Learner community took immediate action. We did some rearranging of positions and roles. We cut our budget by 1/3. We created clearly defined financial goals for the next year. We rallied the support of our grassroots sister organizations in Providence. We have all been volunteering our free time to ensure that the few paid staff members remaining don't burn out. My new position at EFA is the Interim President of the Board of Directors, and my major duty is acting as a pro-bono Development Director to seek grant money.

While we are all busy working nights and weekends for the financial stability of EFA, we are simultaneously planning for another year of high-quality programming, including Participatory-based adult ESOL classes, arts-based child-care, native language literacy, health services, a food bank, free library, the action committee, and other blossoming partnerships with community organizations. The Action Committee (formally recognized by peer organizations as an outstanding group) recently had a very successful grassroots event to raise money, food, and basic supplies for the families of ICE detainees here in Rhode Island.

Our classes operate evenings at a nearby elementary school which has a beautiful saying painted along the entire exterior wall: "It Takes a Village to Raise a Child." We all know that nobody can truly succeed without love and support from a community of friends and family. The same is true for EFA. We cannot continue our necessary and passionate work without your financial support.

I have a personal goal of raising $1,000 through friends and family by September 9th. This money will go directly to the ESOL program expenses, including supplies, books, trainings, and ensuring that it is staffed. Staff members are dedicated lovers of education who come from all walks of life, and strive to apply the holistic mission of EFA to the ESOL program while constantly improving the measurable outcomes of the program.

Our methods are proven to be effective, and our mission is unique. We are a valued and valuable organization and we need your help!

Please donate via this link, or by mailing a check to the address below.

English for Action
PO Box 29405
Providence, RI
02909

Sunday, July 20, 2008

It's Official



I just bought my one-way plane ticket to Oakland, CA.

I'm going to live with my best friend ( and future baby mama ) Lily.

So in between now and then, I'm going to be getting rid of a lot of my stuff and trying to have the most memorable and fun summer / fall in Providence (the city in which I was born and raised).

Your help is needed with all that fun-making!

I'm also planning a giant going away / birthday party for myself with food and drinks and djs and whatnot. It'll be in between my birthday (October 24th) and my departure date (November 6th). You're invited.

I am so full of adrenaline right now!

xoxo
'la

Wednesday, July 9, 2008

INOPERAbLE in NYC

My very good friend Nick is hosting this dope event:



I might take a rideshare to NYC after work tomorrow and stay up all night with the Austrians and then catch a train back to PVD to be back at work at 11am.

here's some more info:

„INOPERAbLE in Nü York"
July 10th, 6pm-1am, ONE NIGHT ONLY
Alphabeta, 70 Greenpoint ave. Brooklyn
(Greenpoint Stop on G, or Short walk from Bedford Stop on L)

We are going to welcome our clever foreign friends (can pockets on lederhosen?) with a bang, so we're giving them the good ol' hot dog and beer suckerpunch.

What you can expect:


* An art show and installation of work by street and graffiti artists you've never seen on this side of the pond.

* Live painting in the huge outdoor back area 6pm to 11pm, featuring Nychos, Maggot, Knochen, Holy Sin, DNM, I Love Ally, & Franke

* Ultra cheap hot dogs (til Midnight) and BEER (forever), like we promised.

* GRL (yes, graffiti research lab has an Austrian contingent) killin it live with their 'Drip Sessions' at 11:30pm.

* DJ Stereotyp and Boundless' own Tes Uno on the decks, ALL NIGHT LONG.

* Room to dance if you wanna, because you will.

* A silent auction on the artwork.

* Photos by the infamous Texas from the New Pop.

* The flyer image was made into hand screenprinted, numbered posters by Atzgerei, and you can buy one at the party for cheap if the art is too spensi for you.

* It's walking distance from Bedford, really...


Whats not to love? Come chill with the paint splattered family, discover new art and see Brooklyn's only spot to buy cans.

All you gotta do is RSVP here and show up. There is a $5 suggested donation at the door, but you get a ticket good for a beer or a hot dog FREE if you throw down, and it's an optional show of support.

21 and over get a wristband and can drink. 21 and under get dogs and hugs. We'll be there all night kids.

Spray paint sponsored by Plutonium G. Special thanks to Anonymous gallery.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Since They Asked So Nicely...



Hi Carla,

As you may know, this month we are trying to reach every nonprofit
organization in the country to invite them to post their jobs and
volunteer opportunities on Idealist.org.

The biggest challenge we face in doing this, is that after 12 years of
promoting Idealist solely by word of mouth (we've never had any money
for advertising or marketing) we are suffering from a classic 'network
effect' - in some places we are very well known, while in other places
no one knows us, and therefore no one knows us…

At the bottom of this email you can see the number of nonprofit job
postings we’ve had so far this month, state by state. As you can see,
we could be doing better in Rhode Island :-)

And this is why I am writing you: to really jumpstart Idealist in
Rhode Island we need your help.

Are there any mailing lists in the state where you could post this
message? If you blog, or if you use Facebook or Twitter or any other
networking tool, can you give Idealist a plug and invite your friends
to join us?

Lastly, if you want to do more, let me know and we'll put together a
team of people who want to help share Idealist in Rhode Island.

Thanks in advance for your support, and all the best!

Ami Dar
Executive Director
http://www.idealist.org

Job postings on Idealist.org, June 1-17, 2008

NY - 1816
CA - 901
MA - 855
DC - 719
IL - 334
WA - 323
MD - 260
PA - 254
VA - 201
OR - 157
NJ - 146
TX - 116
FL - 111
MN - 86
OH - 84
CT - 78
CO - 74
NC - 70
AZ - 60
GA - 60
WI - 58
MI - 45
MO - 36
ME - 34
IA - 32
LA - 30
VT - 30
TN - 25
NM - 25
KS - 24
NV - 24
DE - 22
Rhode Island - 21
AK - 18
NH - 18
OK - 18
MS - 15
MT - 15
IN - 13
SC - 8
UT - 7
KY - 6
AL - 6
NE - 6
WV - 4
ID - 4
AR - 4
HI - 3
SD - 2
ND - 2
WY - 1

For more details, here is two-minute video about why Idealist.org is a
great place to post a nonprofit job.

Mark Your Calendar!

cars are for idiots!



Nick is in town from Vienna, where he has his art gallery, INOPERAbLE!

He is hosting a show of some Austrian artists in NYC. I'm having trouble finding a flyer for it, but when I do, I'll let you know.

bikelove,
Cyclocross Carla

P.S. That's him bike-skiing in the video.

P.P.S. The revolution will not be motorized.

Monday, June 16, 2008

These Beats Are So Fresh!


For Father's Day, I'm taking my dad to a concert:

The Silver Beats
Lupo's
Downtown Providence
August 6th
$15

This Japanese Beatles tribute band is guaranteed to kick ass.

Check out the NPR review.

And for the real thing

xoxo
la la la

Coming Soon...



...a reflection on Lil Wayne's new album, "Tha Carter III"

The most anticipated album has dropped.

Please have a listen.

I need a little more time to gather my thoughts.

"If hip hop is dead I am the embalming fluid"

Weezy is on some other shit.

xoxo
lil c

Milk and Cheese


Years ago Jesse shared Evan Dorkin comics with me. Milk and Cheese quickly became my favorite.

These "dairy products gone bad" had some of the most thought-provoking and subversive concepts to which I had yet been exposed. I was 14 years old and in 9th grade.

Evan and his wife Sarah Dyer do some other pretty cool stuff, too. Educating kids about pop sub-culture via Nickelodeon? Badass history lessons.

Sarah is also a bomb-diggity artist with the cloth. Through her I found Spoonflower, a DIY craft group that will print your designs on fabric (if you're invited). Check them out, DIYers!

As you might know, I am a nerd. I have a baby comic book collection including some great Archie comics from the 1960's. I recommend going into a comic book store this week and checking it out.

Try new things!

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Rideshare Wanted





I'm going to NYC Saturday to see a bunch of cats, including:

Jesse (he's hosting arts and crafts on Saturday),

Howl (Providence Metal band),


Christiane
(college roommate),

Sip Sak (bomb diggity Armenian-Turkish restaurant),

and quite possibly Nick (old friend visiting from Austria).



I was going to take Amtrak (I love trains), but I thought I'd post a rideshare about it.

Is anyone going to NYC this weekend?
Would you like to have company?

I will bake snacks and pay for gas.
I'm also a kick-ass co-pilot.

Holler atcha girl
Lady Rideshare

Monday, June 2, 2008

The Rock-afire Explosion



I just saw this on Jesse's blog. Amazing. Thanks for sharing, Jefferson!

“The Rock-afire Explosion was an animatronic robot band that played in Showbiz Pizza Place restaurants from 1980 to 1994. The show was created and manufactured exclusively for Showbiz by Creative Engineering, Inc. in Orlando, Florida. In later years, the show was sold to other restaurants and entertainment centers. The characters in The Rock-afire Explosion were various animals ranging from a dog to a gorilla. They would perform medleys of classic rock, pop, and country music, as well as original compositions.”

This dude Chris Thrash (who is he?) has reprogrammed them to perfection.

And don't worry, they do Usher, too.

xoxo
lady animatron

bee. b. e. e. bee.




Tonight 8pm!

There is a spelling bee at AS220!

$5 to enter the competition, but free to watch.

There will be snacks.

I am a huge nerd and I love spelling. I don't know if I'll have the courage to enter. It's been a while since I've been in a spelling bee (I was in the final round in my school-wide bee in middle school when I was in 6th grade).

So I get out of work in Olneyville around 8:15, and then I will ride my bike straight to AS220. I hope to see you there!

love,
poindextress

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Art and Life


The world's biggest self-portrait, by Erik Nordenankar

Some bloggers claim it to be a hoax. I still think it's dope.

Thanks for the link, Pablo.

Also:

The Tape Art Collaborative here in Li'l Rhody did a similar installation in Manhattan using Google Earth to map out their art works around the island. Peep it.

That's what's up.

xoxo
Carlus

Monday, May 26, 2008

The First Step is Admitting You Have a Problem...


I'm completely exhausted today.

Perhaps it's from working between 50-70 hours every week (except for my lovely vacations). But I think it's the lack of sleep I've currently come to accept as part of the serious condition I've diagnosed myself with: The FOMS

Fear
Of
Missing
Something

The FOMS started for me in the summer of 2000, when I worked as a counselor at an overnight summercamp. For 8 weeks of the year for three consecutive summers, I and a group of 50 other people my age lived in close quarters on a gorgeous property in northwestern RI. We were all between the ages of 16 and 22. After the campers were tucked into bed, those who didn't have "night duty" went out and caused mild mischief.

It's a church-camp, after all (disclaimer: it is not at all like this garbage).

Being a counselor is an exhausting job. The days were hot and long. Sometimes you just didn't feel like hanging out with kids and going to chapel, or eating the same old iceberg lettuce and chicken wings for dinner.

Those were the days that turned into the most memorable nights of my life. I should have gone right to bed. I should have slept and gained the much-needed rest for the upcoming day's work.

Nope.

The FOMS kick in around 10pm.

Dress in black as to not be seen. Raid the walk-in fridge for Sysco brand canned pineapple. Beat up an old appliance in the woods with a baseball bat. Send each other on scavenger hunts in the pitch dark. Skinny dipping. Pranks. Visit your lover. Light something on fire (there were contests based on pyromania). Write sweet notes for your coworker who didn't give in to the FOMS and is sleeping peacefully. Stargaze. Watch Orgazmo again and again.

Giving in to the FOMS proved to always be worth it in the past.

Now at age 23, with giant busy days filling my week, I find myself getting home from a 10 or 12 hour workday with a serious itching to go out and have big fun every night.
I barely use my Netflix account anymore (and my queue is kick-ass!). Should I give in to the FOMS or should I resist?

Hi. My name is Carla and I have the FOMS.

Am I alone on this?

xoxo
Restless With The FOMS Right Now

Thursday, May 8, 2008

I'm Bartending at Finlandia!


Finlandia is having a fundraiser ('tis the season) and yours truly will be slingin' drinks for the happy hippie folk!

Saturday May 10th
(after EFA Cup, of course!)
8pm - the cops come a few times...
116 Waterman Street

The theme is "A Dark and Stormy Night"

We'll be drinking homebrewed ginger beer with rum (Dark and Stormy) and Sake!

"Prizes for top three costumes as judged by a panel!
Suggested costumes:
1)pirate
2)Wench
3)sexy pirate or wench
4)Dark and Stormy
5)Japanese Rice Wine
6)Adam B"

Quoted from the facebook invite.

Come let me pour you some magic, and remember to tip!

xoxo
Workin' for Tips

EFA Cup Saturday May 10th 9am-5pm @ Donigian Park in Olneyville!


You're Invited to the 6th Annual EFA Cup!

Saturday, May 10th, 2008 from 9:00am-5:00pm

Location: Donigian Park (on Valley Street in Olneyville) Providence, RI

FREE ADMISSION, DONATIONS ACCEPTED

The EFA Cup is our organization's largest annual fundraising event. This year the EFA Cup will feature a 16-team soccer tournament, trophies for the winning teams, prizes for best uniforms, a health fair, a multicultural food and crafts festival, live music, games, raffles, children's activities, and community-building with wonderful people! The EFA Cup is an amazing opportunity to celebrate and strengthen the Olneyville community, as well as raise funds for the educational programs of EFA.

Bring your family and friends!

Visit me!

xoxo
Carlita

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Cibo Matto


So tonight I arrived home after a 16 hour work day at the restaurant (Local 121).

I love cooking, and I do pay attention to what happens in the kitchen when I'm at work with the professionals. It was a childhood dream of mine to own and be executive chef of my own restaurant (bonus points of you can tell me the name of the restaurant I designed when I was 7). Now it looks like I'm leaning more towards Brothel and / or Fine Dining Restaurant management...

anyways

It's 4:15am and I just made myself some bomb-ass Carla-Style Huevos Rancheros with black beans, avocado, eggy weggs, oatmeal toast, tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella.

If we're ever hanging out and I get the urge to go to the market and then cook for you --- let me!

It will be a pleasurable experience for all of us.

I know I'm a feminist, and I know what that means to me... and it surely includes cooking and cleaning and making you fat and happy.

So next time, when I say "Don't go to Haven Bros. Take me to the 24-hour Stop & Shop and I'll cook for you," believe me, and roll with it. Unless you got a hot date and you ain't got time for Huevos Rancheros (or vegan stir fry, or sauteed seasonal veggie panini on focaccia... et cetera).

Healthy delicious snacks and meals made with love by yours truly.

xoxo
Lady 'La

Thursday, May 1, 2008

Thanks, Tatyana.


Government Health Warning:

Do Not Swallow Your Bubblegum!

Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Drop Science, Not Babies.


"The same Xerox lab that brought us Ethernet, the GUI and the mouse has demonstrated paper that can be reused after printed text automatically deletes itself from its surface in a day. Instead of trashing or recycling after one use, a single piece of paper can be reused up to 100 times."
slashdot.org

"The paper contains specially coded molecules that create a print after being exposed to ultraviolet light emitted from a thin bar in a printer. The molecule readjusts itself within 24 hours to its original form to delete the print, or heat can readjust the molecule instantly. Xerox developed the molecule."
computerworld.com



Oh, word?

I wish my job involved "developing molecules." Tonight we wrangled a group of twelve kids aged 1 to 13. My favorite part was asking the whole group of kids running around outside "Quien tiene moco?, porque tengo papel si lo necesitas." and having them all approach me so I could help them blow their noses. Gross and cute.

Sometimes I feel like a mom with way too many kids. Other times I feel like I wanna live on a polygamist commune and be a baby factory. And wear those great paisley frocks.

I guess being a baby factory is kinda like developing molecules at Xerox... except babies don't disappear after 24 hours.


xoxo
Lady Nerd Face

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Vaya con MTV



Thanks to the Daily Dose for posting this one. I didn't have cable growing up, but my aunt did at her beach house. My brother and I would be sneaky and stay up late to watch Ren and Stimpy and Beavis and Butthead.

Time to spend another Sunday afternoon at the EFA office. At least there will be food.

xoxo
Sleepy

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

She's a Kiwi!


Carla Doughty <3s Jill Taylor

This woman is incredible.

If you ever have the opportunity to have a drink with her (or take a class or lecture of hers), please do.



xoxo
Carla

p.s. Now interviews with me have appeared in the New York Times, Brown Daily Herald, Birthright Armenia, and Simmons Alumnet. If you would like me to comment on anything, please ask. Then publish it. I'll use you to get famous, thanks.

Monday, April 21, 2008

Bistro!


What's got me so smiley lately?

the weather?
romance?
relaxing vacations?

I'm pretty sure it's the fact that I'm cat-sitting for a few weeks.

Bistro is old and loves to sing along to Bing Crosby. Feel free to come over and visit her. She's mighty snuggly.

What kind of a landlord won't allow cats? They're a great anti-depressant.

also: go to the library and read millions of cats.

xoxo
cat lady

Sunday, March 30, 2008

Say it with a lisp!

I'm in Barcelona until April 7th!

Hooray!

xoxo
lady

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

R-E-A-D-A-B-O OK?!?!

Anyone want to start some sort of a book club?

I have so much I want to read, but with no deadlines, I am not getting it done.

Anyone?

Beuller?

<3
poindextress

Make it Work

Please stop driving.
Just make it work for you.
What a waste of money it is to have a car!
What a waste of resources it is to have a car!

I'm 23 years old and I've never had a license and never driven a car.

Why?

  • I grew up in Providence where I either took the RIPTA bus or walked 3 miles to and from high school. Uphill both ways.
  • My family didn't have money, so I knew not to expect a car on my 16th birthday. Instead I received a blender from my parents.
  • I never signed up for drivers ed because I was too busy being cool and subversive (smoking pot on the regular while maintaining honor roll).
  • My mother was in a near-fatal car crash when I was 6 years old. She was hit by a drunk driver and underwent experimental surgery having several of her vertebrae fused together, leaving her bedridden for 6 months and in chronic pain for the rest of her life (don't drink and drive). So perhaps there's also a psychological element to my lack of desire to operate a motor vehicle.
  • I went to college in Boston where it's totally lame to have a car. I am a subway expert and fanatic.
  • I had a serious boyfriend who I basically lived with when I wasn't in Boston. We would carpool almost everywhere. He was always Designated Driver, and for that, I owe him a lot (I'll repay you somehow, Harold!).
  • Back in Providence since 2006 and walking has never been more pleasant. The architecture of this city is brilliant and I love looking pedestrians in the eyes and saying hello when I pass them on my walks cross-town. Community building.
  • I have two jobs. Since I don't drive, I have to make strategic decisions about where I love and work. Each job is no more than a 20-minute walk from my apartment, and an even faster trip on the bus or bike.
It has become so normal to have a car in the society we have constructed for ourselves, and hopefully we all realize that we cannot maintain this lifestyle without doing harm to our global and personal health. Consider leaving the car at home sometimes. Go for a walk. Bike! Use public transportation. Take time to experience your city or town from the perspective of a pedestrian. Or even from the perspective of the natural world.

If you biked to work instead of drove, you would save money on gas, cut down on your contribution to pollution, and get in shape in no time. Hug that tree, get physically fit, and save money while doing it.

Consider a lifestyle change that feels soooo gooood.

xoxo
carla

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

Listen to Ween's "Puffy Cloud"


I got dumb on vacation.

It might be a week or so until my brain cells regroup and realize that happy hour by the pool is over.

So if you interact with me and I'm a total dumdum, please be kind and give me a second chance next week.

xoxo
'la

Hey Baby, Let's Cross Pollinate


People we know are living and doing some great work around the globe. Let's share information!

Providence
We've got talented and friendly local musicians, cycling, energetic politicians, artists, farmers, and labor organizing, immigration justice work, beer-brewing, and pride... (we also have this great waitress and child care provider with a special interest in sex work and birth control methods)

Boston
Another fine (in looks and quality of mind) crop of Simmons Women are about to graduate (with a speaker much less vagina-rific than mine). I recently had the chance to spend 9 days with a small sampling on Vacation #1. PR, Marketing, Art, Arts Administration, Photography, and a start-up grassroots social and cultural activist hive "Kinetic Artivist Collective" that will be coming together in South Africa in January '09.

NYC
Alicia just worked the WE LEARN Conference (she's a board member and coordinated language access for the entire event!). Excellent work, amazing women, and clip art. Fordham University has an article about WE LEARN, focusing on women and wealth. NYC is also home to a million cool graphic designers and contemporary hipster bohemian types. One of them is a dear friend named Jesse.

Barcelona
My sister from another Mister, Caroline, is tearing it up folk-style. Please check out her tunes and then buy them. You won't regret it. I'll be over there soon to hug her for you.

Argentina
Nick Mahshie is painting up a storm at Residencia Corazon with distinguished title of "El Primer Yankee."

South Africa
See Kinetic Artivist Collective above. Brought to you by Erica Bowman and Jazz. Get in touch with me if you have interest in the KAC.

Armenia
People are doing all sorts of work over there, despite the current events. Tamar's website seems to be having trouble, but you can check out ArtWorks Armenia via her father's coffee shop in Sacramento. Dual-citizenship legislation has been passed in Armenia!

* * * * *

I think my long-term plans include being everywhere.
Care to come with?
Let's plan trips together!
I have free time this summer, and for the rest of my life.

xoxo
carla

p.s. I'm trying to volunteer at an urban apiary this summer... any suggestions?

Friday, March 14, 2008

Kissimmee

I've been in Kissimmee, FL (south of Orlando) on Vacation #1 since Saturday the 8th. I will climb back in the minivan on Sunday morning, and I will be home Monday the 17th just in time to pretend I'm Irish.

Florida is a strange place. We'll talk about that when I get back to Li'l Rhody. I would hate for the State of Florida to overhear me.

This whole vacation experience has been very relaxing (a little fuzzy at times) and also a bit uncomfortable. I am not good at being idle for very long. To keep busy I've been cleaning around the (amazing) 8-person suite (2 kitchens, jacuzzi bath, 2 bathrooms, 2 porches...). I've also started chainsmoking while idle. I will probably be a bit jittery from nicotine withdrawal when I get back to my set schedule of work and work and work and play.

Highlights of the trip:
  • trying not to work all week (I failed)
  • making time for mid-day bikini bubble baths with friends
  • happy hour:
    • happy hour at the poolside bar is from noon-3pm
    • happy hour at the upper level bar is from 5-7pm
    • happy hour at the bar by the resort entrance is from 10pm-2am
  • sunbathing with a favorite book
  • wearing a skirt or dress every day
  • inspiration to write a Zombie movie screenplay!
I have a lot on my mind, but I'm letting myself get fuzzy and relaxed this week.

We're going to check out the lesbian scene in Orlando tonight. I'm expecting some Disney kink.

Sorry my vocab and general composition skills are lacking. Like I said, I've been fuzzy in the brain all week.

xoxo
carla

p.s. dear wayne coyne: stop selling your songs to range rover please. sincerely, carla

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

Linking NAFTA and Immigration (Part 1)


After some immigration debate with my father (the former RISD student and rock musician has matured like most Boomers) over apple pie and ice cream at my regular Doughty Family Dinner last Sunday, I've decided to compile some immigration / migrant worker / remittance / etc information.

As you probably know, I coordinate a child-care program for a non-profit in Olneyville, Providence that (to put it simply) provides English classes for Spanish-speaking immigrants. While my personal politics may differ from many of my coworkers, there are some undeniable truths about our responsibilities to human rights and our responsibilities to recognize our own power and influence as causal factors in this wave of immigration from south to north.

Here's some food for thought.

"During the NAFTA debate in 1993, advocates assured the U.S. and Mexican people that it would greatly alleviate unauthorized immigration by increasing employment opportunities in Mexico and closing the gap between U.S. and Mexican wages. But the promise of prosperity has been a mirage for millions of Mexicans: the value of the Mexican minimum wage dropped 23 percent in NAFTA's first decade; 19 million more Mexicans are living in poverty than 20 years ago, and today, one quarter of Mexico's population cannot afford basic foods."
-Linking NAFTA and Immigration by Ted Lewis for The San Diego Union-Tribune

Today is a conference in DC entitled:
Linking Agriculture, Development, and Migration: A Critical Look at NAFTA, Past, Present, and Future

Global Exchange has done a great job putting this information together, and they have a petition to Congress that you can sign online if you'd like.

Please realize that building a fence is not going to solve our problems.

xoxo
Carlita

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Media Democracy in Canada

PRESS COMMUNIQUE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Adbusters Demands Canwest, the CBC and the CRTC Stop Blocking
Citizen-Produced Advertising

On Monday, February 18, Adbusters lost its court battle against two of Canada's television networks that refused to sell airtime for its commercials. Adbusters claimed the CBC and Canwest Global had violated its right to free speech under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms by refusing to sell air time, but the court decided that the Charter does not apply to private corporations.

"It's outrageous that the fast food, oil and automobile industries can buy as much TV time as they want in order to promote their agendas, but citizens are not allowed to talk back," said Adbusters Editor-in-Chief Kalle Lasn in response to the ruling. "Canadian democracy will not work properly until we the people have the same right to buy airtime as corporations do."

The rejected Adbusters ads pointed out that over 50 percent of the calories in a Big Mac come from fat, called for an end to the age of the automobile, and promoted Buy Nothing Day. While Court Justice William Ehrcke ruled that private broadcasters have the right to run whatever ads they like, Adbusters feels the case raises some troubling questions.

Firstly, why are Canwest and the CBC selling as much time as they possibly can to corporations, while fighting expensive legal actions to keep citizen-produced messages off the air? Why does the CBC call itself "Canada's Public Broadcaster" if they won't sell airtime to citizens?

Secondly, why is the CRTC not standing up for public access? When they grant licences to broadcasters, why is the right of Canadian citizens to access their own "public" airwaves not being guaranteed? Thirdly, why is our freedom of speech being suppressed? Why can corporations buy airtime while citizens cannot? Why doesn't the Canadian Charter apply to the most powerful social communications medium of our age - television?

"This case goes to the very heart of what our democracy is all about," says Lasn. "A healthy society allows its citizens to walk into their local TV stations and buy airtime under the same rules and conditions that corporations do. Adbusters has been given 30 days to challenge the ruling. This legal battle for media democracy will go on."

To talk to Kalle Lasn, or Ryan Dalziel, our lawyer, about the case please contact Lauren Bercovitch (lauren@adbusters.org)

EDITOR'S NOTES

For more information about Adbusters and the global media democracy movement visit www.mediacarta.org and www.adbusters.org

[1] Canadian Media facts:

Three corporations (CanWest, Quebecor and Torstar) control 70 per cent of the country's daily newspaper circulation.

Five major media acquisitions in Canada have been approved by CRTC in the past year: CHUM was purchased by CTVglobemedia for $1.4 billion, which then sold five CityTV stations to Rogers Communications for $375 million; CanWest purchased Alliance Atlantis for $2.3 billion; Astral Media bought Standard Broadcasting for $1.2 billion; and Quebecor bought the Osprey Media newspaper chain for $414 million.

[2] Facts about Media Democracy:

More than 30,000 people have signed the Media Carta www.mediacarta.org, to voice their concerns about the way information is distributed in our society.

In the past year, a growing number of grassroots media activist groups have been formed in Canada to express a dissatisfaction with the continued consolidation of the country's media:

DemocraticMedia.org

MediaReform.ca

MediaDemocracy.ca