Marlowe

I've put off a post about Marlowe for a long time now, because I didn't feel up to it. On September 23, I had him put to sleep, after his pneumonia became too advanced to be treated.

I still miss you, Marlowe.

These are the last pictures I took of them, with the camera on my cell phone. He was naturally a cuddly, affectionate rat. In his last few months, however, when I would let him out of the cage, he would often want to come rest on my pillow or, if I was also laying on my bed, in the crook of my shoulder.

Let's Go Out Tonight: Ferretstock '09

I meant to make this blog post many months ago. I got lazy. Oh well!

For the past few years, my mom, her friend Susan, and I go up to Maryland for Rocky's Ferretstock. In case you're not in the ferret enthusiast community (or are related to someone who is), then you might not know of the wonderfulness of Ferretstock. Or the weirdness of it, at any rate. Ferretstock is an excuse for ferret lovers to get together in rural Maryland to eat, drink, and win (ferret-related) prizes. People come from all over, many camp on site. All of the money that is raised from the event benefits Rocky's Ferret Rescue, a shelter in Baltimore County, Maryland. So you know you're eating and drinking and raffling for a good cause.

This is Barb here, in the blue shirt. She runs Rocky's and she's a very sweet and awesome lady.

You might ask what in all goes on at a Ferretstock. Well...there's a cake walk (cake not pictured in this blog post).

There's raffling.

Usually for ferret-related things like this cute little wooden box.

And of course, a fundraising event for a ferret shelter usually has adoptions for adoreable little ferrets. This little boy will learn a very important lesson here.


Which is that ferrets are very, VERY slippery.

Wouldn't you want to take one of these critters home?

I mean, their bodies are just as long and tubulars as the tubes that they like to crawl through and play in.

My mom took pity on whoever made these ferret costumes and put a raffle ticket in. She won. Hers was the only ticket. We haven't had the heart yet to put one of our ferrets in the costume.

Oh yea, I forgot to mention before. There's beer. And a LOT of it. And it's free.

And there's food, from this here food booth, appropriately called "Cafe Fuzz".

My lunch consisted of potato chips and a strawberry daquiri (very strong). Probably not the smartest or healthiest idea.

However, the thing I love best about Ferretstock is that it's a goofy, but really fun way to spend time with my mom. Because I love my mommy. She's the shizzle.

Top 5: Cover Songs

Yes, yes, I've been lazy about blogging again. I apologize. It's a shame, because there are plenty of things I could be blogging about, but I'm just too plain lazy! However, I was letting my mind wander at work and starting thinking of cover songs. I go crazy for cover songs. I don't know why. I love seeing what another artist will do with a piece of music. Hearing a different spin or different interpretation of something. Seeing how one song can have many layers of meaning. So I compiled a list of my top five favorite cover songs.


5. The Mountain Goats - "One Fine Day" (Carole King)



The lyrics of one fine day tell a tale of unrequited love, but Mr. Darnielle strips away the doo-wop poppiness of the original track and what we're left with is raw emotion and more than a little desperation.

4. Nirvana - "Where Did You Sleep Last Night" (Leadbelly)



Nirvana's haunting version of a classic Leadbelly song becomes a classic in and of itself. I've heard several covers of this song and Nirvana's is probably my favorite.

3. The Afghan Whigs - "Creep" (TLC)



Greg Dulli is a genius at covers. He takes something unexpected...say, a TLC song, and completely makes it his own.

2. The White Stripes - "Jolene" (Dolly Parton)



In the original version, Dolly Parton pleads with a woman to please not take her men. Jack White does the same...except his plead comes out as a desperate yowl.

1. Johnny Cash - "Hurt" (Nine Inch Nails)



No offense to Trent Reznor or anything...but I honestly think Johnny Cash's cover trumps the original. I find it much more moving, at least. Cash's version is more sparse than the original, and sung with the somberness of a man approaching the end of his life.

Let's Go Out Tonight: H Street Country Club

I always like to find new and crazy things to do in the DC area. So, when I heard word this past summer that they were opening up a bar on H Street in NE with skeeball AND put-put, I could not say no! Mallary and I paid it a visit way back when to test out their epic mini-golf course.
Behold, dear readers, I bring you...the H Street Country Club.

Why yes, you CAN drink while playing put-put at the H Street Country Club!

All of the obstacles on the course are from DC landmarks or reference DC history in some way. This one recreates the famous "Awakening" statue...in the likeness of former mayor Marion Barry.

These "lawyers" were particularly hard to get around.

Though, strangely enough, not as tricky as the Lincoln Memorial. Curse you, Lincoln Memorial and your deceptiveness!

And then, of course, there were the zombie presidents, arising from the grave.

And one mustn't forget the Iowa Jima painted on the wall...WITH actual plastic toy soldiers!

The "Mixing Bowl" they have here is just as treacherous as it is in real life!

Mallary and I survived the put-put course, unscathed and WAY over-par, and lived to see another day. And hopefully next time there will be an epic game of SKEEBALL.

Adventures in Vegan Cupcake Making - Part 1

I've been so busy the past month with moving to a new apartment and other general life things that I've been too lazy to post on this blog. Sorry! So, to ease myself back into the habit of posting, I will share with you one of my more recently acquired pasttimes - Vegan Cupcakes!

I thought I would give vegan baking/cooking a try after several visits to Sticky Fingers, a bakery in the neighborhood of Columbia Heights in DC. I admired their delicious confections and discovered that you don't have to use milk, eggs, or butter to make tasty baked goods.

This brought me to the book Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (of Post Punk Kitchen fame) and Terry Hope Romero. There are over 75 cupcake recipes in that book and over the course of this summer, I'm determined to try making many of the amazing-sounding recipes in this book. So here are the first few attempts. I'll keep you posted.

Batch 1 - Chocolate Cupcakes (Made with Agave Nectar!) with Vanilla Buttercream Icing, Topped with Berries.

Batch 2 - S'mores!

Batch 3 - Margarita Cupcakes!

Batch 4 - Cookies & Cream

Anyhoo, those are all the vegan cupcakes I've made for now. I'll keep you posted as soon as I try some of the other crazy recipes in that book. Stay tuned!

Top 5: YOU Pick.

I hope you alls is enjoying my 'Top 5' posts. I've come up with a bunch of lists lately in my ennui. However, for my next installment, I'm going to try something a little different. Post your idea for a good 'Top 5' topic in the comments below. I'll pick my favorite one and use that for my next 'Top 5' post. Or, if all the topics are awesome, I might just do all of them. I'm an indecisive person. So...ready, set, GO!

Top 5: Weird Crushes

I'll admit it. I have weird taste. And I am turned on by odd or quirky things. Thus, I'll give you my top 5 weird crushes. We all have them. Come on, I know you do.

# 5 - Lindsey Buckingham

Actually, I think it's safe to say that Mr. Buckhingham of Fleetwood Mac fame was kind of a dreamboat in the 70s and 80s. He's still got that hot, a little-wrinkled-around-the-edges older man thing going for him these days I think. And I think he's arguably one of the best guitarists of all time. I still tell people sometimes that I had a crush on him when I was younger and wanted us to get married so that we both could be named Lindsey Buckingham. I still think it's an awesome idea. It would confuse the crap outta people.

# 4 - PJ Harvey

One of my favorite female musicians of all time. Her look has evolved considerably over the years, but there has always been something strangely alluring about her. She's got odd, androgynous features and she's not afraid to make herself look a little weird or "ugly". I think she used to take great pleasure in doing herself up sort of like a drag queen sometimes. No matter what she does though, I totally dig it. She's ballsy and awesome. I love the song/music video she did for "Henry Lee" with Nick Cave. Mr. Cave, I forgot to put you on this list, but you're one of my weird crushes too. Sorry!

# 3 - Crispin Glover
Mr. Glover I fell in love with after seeing him as the Creepy Thin Man in the Charlie's Angels movies. This deepened after Willard, Bartleby, and, of course, Back to the Future. I also got his album The Big Problem ≠ The Solution. The Solution = Let It Be, which will have the weirdest cover of Nancy Sinatra's "These Boots Are Made for Walking" that you will ever hear in your lifetime. No one understood my love of the very unusual Mr. Glover until I met Marianne, a fellow Crispin devotee. And that is how we first bonded. Crispin Glover is the fine example of a weird crush I have on someone because of their weirdness or whose weirdness I find really hot. Also, you should go on Youtube and search for "Crispin Glover and David Lynch make a movie". If you're a Glover or Lynch geek, it's pretty hilarious.

# 2 - Patrick Wolf
Musician extraordinaire, mutli-instrumentalist, and wearer of crazy, unusual, outlandish outfits. He's got a young David Bowie-ish kind of thing going for him. I'm still incredibly, incredibly bummed I missed his DC show a few weeks ago. I think he's one of the most talented and interesting musicians out right now. And one of the most colorfully dressed on any given day.

# 1 - Trent Lane

Anyone who came of age, so to speak, in the late 90s/early 00s and who watched Daria on MTV ...you totally had a crush on Trent. You understood Daria's infatuation. Don't even pretend like you don't know what I'm talking about. You know you did. You would've gotten your bellybutton pierced too if he asked you to.