i'm busy. the world trade organization (wto) is coming to seattle in november. this is an ugly, unelected governing body that has what seems to be absolute power in overriding the people's laws (including environmental and labor legislation) for the benefit of "free trade". being unelected, they have no checks and balances and we have no way to vote them out or reign them in. read: we're fucked. what's that curse about "may you live in interesting times"? it's amazing to see all these little political groups of different size and focus turn their attention to the wto. everyone is concerned and, well, plotting. paul and i are involved with a bunch of different efforts and i have been to more meetings in the last two months than i have ... ever. -- i was watching "willy wonka and the chocolate factory" in the store a few weeks ago and realized that this film is an allegory about anarchism. paul and i are now working on an essay detailing why. -- there was an electrician guy in the store last week. i think they're working on a new lighting system for our store. i was sitting behind the monitor and he and the man were standing in the middle of the floor looking over my head. electrician guy said, jokingly: and i think we should arrange a spot light to feature this lovely woman. i struck a pose with my hands around my face and wide open, blinking eyes. electrician guy laughed and the man mumbled: yeah. but she has her own glow. : - 0 i think he may be smoking the drugs or something. that completely knocked me on my ass. freaky. -- my dad, mom, sister and grandma are coming in early november to have an early thanksgiving with me and paul. it should be fun, but my father has already started nagging me about cleaning my kitchen so my mom will feel comfortable. (my mother's kitchen is like an operating room.) i tried to be accommodating without completely bending over. i told him we intend to clean before they come but that my house will never look like theirs. because it's mine. he kind of relented, but said "yeah, but there was a spill in your refrigerator last time. if it's like that again, your mom won't cook." which is an exaggeration, but why the fuck didn't anyone tell me there was a spill? it's not as if refrigerator spills are a decorating choice on my part. i complained to my sister about it on the phone later. she commiserated with me, paused and said "but your place really was dirty." apparently, she found some dust. (SHOCK!) at that point i really wanted to punch all of them in the throat. i'm sure my house would be a lot neater if i had a HOUSE CLEANER who came every week, as they do. my father is an utter mess on his own. he himself has been known to say "yep! i can fill a car with crap in under an hour." i have to wonder what their place would look like if my mother wasn't a relentless tidier and they didn't have the cash to pay someone to clean. but now, all of those voices are in my head and i'm fretting about their november spot inspection. two days before their visit i'll turn 29 years old. will i never have the courage to feel adequate? -- movies i've seen over the last two weeks which you must see too: robert altman's "images" monte hellman's "two-lane blacktop" (i saw this at the seattle art museum. monte was there. after his talk, while he was signing autographs, i gave him a tiny rubber frog. for no reason. he looked at it, thanked me and said "wow. it's so realistic".) "hands on a hard body" (a documentary) and king vidor's "the crowd" -- i've taken to playing utah phillips' music while i work. the cd i usually play consists mostly of people's music...worker's anthems and so forth. there's something magical about watching the man strut around there and hearing utah sing "dump the bosses off your back". i wonder if the man notices? -- monday . october . twenty five . nineteen ninety nine i'm relatively cranky today. it's an: i-don't-want-to-work-anymore / give-me-a-million-dollars-'cause-i-said-so / why-the-hell-hasn't-that-publisher-gotten-back-to-me / why-in-the-hell-did-i-give-up-eating-red-meat / i-miss-the-cartoon-channel / i-don't-understand-why-we-allow-capitalism-to-contine / i-want-glow-in-the-dark-monkeys-of-some-kind / i-miss-my-friends-in-california / would-you-please-stop-telling-me-to-see-"fight club" / i'm-so-busy-i-don't-want-to-do-anything-at-all / i-never-realized-how-touching-that-phone-company-commercial-is/ i-wish-i-could-have-a-puppy / i-would-kill-a-loved-one-for-a-flintstone's-chewable-morphine-and-a-chocolate-cake-RIGHT NOW kind of cranky. yes, friends. it's that special time of the month and i am NOT pleased. special irritants include: marie osmond graphic design cramps and the way ginger ale loses it's special bubbles way too fast. -- i was watching this commercial today for some kind of gum. i've seen the commercial before and have wanted to try it. the commercial makes the assertion that your mouth is too hot (98.6 degrees, to be exact) and if you chew this gum, it'll cool you down. this idea apparently appeals to me, though i confess i haven't tried the gum yet. but i was thinking about it today and realized that, your ass is also a "sweltering" 98.6 and i don't think most people are going to pay for cool as ice suppositories.   kill me now.