Email sent to Megan:

Do you think that dystopian and post-apocalyptic books are popular now because of the success of books like Hunger Games, or do you think it’s a reflection of something bigger? Like… maybe people feel like the world is headed speedily and inevitably toward some kind of disaster climax, and therefore it’s something people respond to? 

 

And if such is the case – then what does that mean? Is there a subconscious submission to the idea of an apocalypse - and will we then need aerosolized Zoloft for the non-religious masses? Or will the human spirit conquer all?

 

These deep questions I think about, when I should be concentrating on slogans for baby stickers. 

 

Megan’s reply:

I’m not sure why it’s so popular now. But it bugs me because it used to be MY thing. Well, me and Vonnegut. That’s an interesting theory though. Regardless of an individual’s religious beliefs, a world-ending apocalypse is part of the mythology of human folklore, and we’re closer to that event than not.

 

Luckily, I think the human spirit will conquer all, because if we as a world society opt for aerosolized Zoloft, a small percentage of us will inevitably end up as Reavers.

 

And that would be bad.

I just finished Stephen King’s 11-22-63. It only dips a toe into post-apocalyptic literature, but it got me thinking. Great book. Too many swears.

What should I read next?

What you don’t know, because I haven’t blogged about it (or anything else in my life), is that over the course of the last year I’ve acquired pets.

It all started with one kitten that Carlyn got me for my birthday – Greta. She’s a little gray cat with tiger stripes. Then my neighbor asked me to babysit an abandoned russian blue kitten that she’d rescued, and of course, I couldn’t give her back, and named her Freda. The fish happened when my sister sadistically decided that it would be fun to see what the cats would do when presented with goldfish. She named them Goldie and Hawn.

As it turns out, the cats couldn’t care less about the fish except to drink out of their bowl – they like the flavor of the fish food, I think. Fine by me.

Now, the cats – they entertain themselves – thundering around like a tiny herd of elephants. But I worry about the fish. There’s nothing to do in a glass bowl. So I put them by the window so they can see out and get a little vitamin D. But it’s my understanding that they don’t have great eye sight, and besides, my neighborhood is super boring. I could get them a castle to hide in, but – call me crazy – I think medieval architecture is lost on goldfish. So, as with all questions I’ve had since 1998, I Google for alternatives.

First up, to inspire dreams of the Himalayas, we have the Fishscape Fishbowl – by Aruliden. It comes in at a whopping $140. But it’s beautiful, no?

The Bubble Tank by Psalt Design – it’s not on the market yet. Could be good for thrill loving fish – “I’m falling… ahhh… no, I’m not.” But I don’t trust it. Gravity is a hard habit to break.

Fluval Edge aquarium – at Amazon.com – and it’s about $170. I love this one. Look at that foliage! They could play Jungle Fish, hide and seek, and maybe get a little privacy.

See, now this is more along the lines of what I was originally thinking – the Biorb 60 Coldwater Aquarium with LED light – still comes in a whopping £ 155. A few rocks to hide behind, some ticklish water plants, and some bubbles to play with.

For when I want to take my fish on a walk: the Portable Fish Bowl by Michal Shabtiali. (Ok, I just want to point something out about this photograph – look at the hand on this model. Manly, no? It seems like the person in the tights would be a delicate flower, but apparently she might be a he. Ah well, fish don’t judge. It’s one of their best traits.)

The “Don’t Piss Me Off” fishbowl by Roger Arquer. He’s actually got a ton of amazing designs. Poor fish. Threatened. It’ll keep them on their fins.

And finally, the Giona Aquarium – fish bowl by Skitch. It’s so meta and hip. And so expensive – at £261.

Maybe I’ll just keep them in the IKEA punch bowl I have them in now, and see if I can find them a nice plant or some rocks. Or who knows – maybe they love castles.

This isn’t new – taking pictures of water drops. But Heinz Maier has done it so much better than other people. Witness:

Months ago, my friend John sent me a link to an article that he liked, and I cannot for the life of me remember what it was about, but this is the g*chat conversation that commenced.

John:
I want to know the author (of the article)
and have PB and J sandwiches with her on a sunny porch somewhere

Tai
aw nice
and then you’d laugh together…then the bread would get gummed to the roof of your mouth
and the laughing would show the semi-desiccated bread
and that would gross you both out
and there’d be an awkward moment
and when she texted you later
you would pretend you didn’t get it

john
ha! false!
…maybe a little true.

Tai
and later
when you had that cocktail party you told her about

John
oh no, she shows up as someons plus one?

Tai
no, you’d just leave her off the guest list
but later
after the party
you run into her at Whole Foods
next to the olive bar
and they remind her of h’or deurves
and she asks you when you’re going to have your party - and you have to decide
… what to do
and the conversation trails awkwardly
and she says something about paraben free shampoo
and gestures vaguely
you air kiss cheeks goodbye
and THEN
you end up in parallel lines
to check out
so awkward
thank heavens for iphones

John
oh my gosh!
that is the worst ever!

Tai
the only thing that makes you feel better
is that she uses plastic bags
at checkout

John
why would you paint such a horrific scene for me?

Tai
and you realize
you’d never be friends with someone who hated the earth
so it’s all good
disaster averted

John
whew
that does make me feel better
but her article was so funny!
how could I be wrong about her?

Tai
a fluke
she wrote it on mushrooms
it’s the best thing she’s written since her college entrance essay
and it’s the best thing she’ll write until 2017

John
@#$%
people can be so sneaky and deceptive!

Tai
when she does a freelance piece for Teen Vogue on Willow Smith’s beauty routines–
the article is small in scope, but the prose is breathtaking

It’s been so long since I last blogged that I think I might have forgotten how. It used to be simple and uncomplicated – just a few paragraphs shot out and done with, and then repeat the next day. And now I feel like it’s been so long I should have something significant to say, at least an explanation. But I don’t have one, except to say that I think sometimes you need a break, some kind of realignment. Particularly after a change, it takes a while for your focus to return.

I went hunting through photographs this afternoon, looking for something to put here, something that might sum up what little has happened in the last few months, and I came up with nothing. A few camera shots of pretty trees or sunsets, but nothing of substance. But I found this old one – a picture of the New York City sky through the steel shell of the Javitz Center, a completely unglamorous location. But so pretty in an industrial way. Which appeals to me.

I’m still in Utah. But as always, I miss New York.

Local musician Scott Shepard and his band Book on Tapeworm. The song is called Shadow Puppets.

So, so lovely.

From Lonny Magazine - my current fave! I wan this little alcove in my house!

From Thom Filicia – out door space. This picture ties directly into my longtime dream of having a house on the Chesapeake, and how utterly fantastic that would be. I dream of someday living near water.

I have way too many magazines.

In my last post I basically said I was changing my life and moving the blog.

I might have lied.

Not on purpose, I promise. I think I just needed a break – ever since Christmas the house has been sort of in a state of flux in terms of furnishing and design. I would come home from work and just sort of pace back and forth, hating the way the house was set up and feeling like it was never organized enough, never clean enough, and that it looked shabby. But, me being me, it took forever to find the right couch, the right rug, the right bookshelves, the right everything. And now, months later, the house has taken shape, and coming home doesn’t feel like walking into a house sized to-do list, and I can sit on my couch without feeling guilty that I’m not scrubbing baseboards.

It’s like having your homework done on time.

My ultimate barometer of how I’m doing – when people came over for dinner I made a real meal, no shortcuts. Roasted pork tenderloin, linguini with hot red pepper and garlic, a green salad, asparagus with sauteed creminis and cream drizzled over, and to end, peach pie with whipped cream. And this was family, people – so I could have fed them grilled cheese sandwiches and they still would have had to like me.

Anyway, I think things are picking up. I got a kitten too – little Greta is a dark grey tiger striped thing – adorbs!

So, I’ll post pictures of the house and the cat, and until my portfolio site is up and ready, the blog will still be here. Even then, you know – the blog will go on existing. I’ve had this blog since 2006 – I can’t just abandon it!

Until next time.