There was a room in the house i grew up in that we called the game room.  It was basically our living room but it had a pool table, a foosball table, 2 pinball machines, a jukebox, and a sweet stereo system in it.
When i was a little girl there were a lot of nights where my dad and i would hang out together in the game room with the lights dim and listen to Paul Harvey on the radio.
When i was 5 my family got a puppy that i got the honor of naming.  I named the dog Harvey as i imagined if the dog could talk he would sound like Paul Harvey. 
Harvey the dog died when i was 23 years old.  He lived to be 18, which is an exceptionally long life for a dog.
I was sad to hear that Paul Harvey had died today.  He too lived a long life as he was 90 years old, but i always imagined that if anyone could live forever it was Paul Harvey.

I got tagged by Jose

Seven Things I'm Dying to Tell You
The rules are simple. Write seven (surprising or amusing) things about yourself and then tag seven people, link to their blogs and ask them to do the same.

1. I am surprised Trunk Space has made it this long.

When jay and i first decided to create the Trunk Space i gave it 6 months, i felt like it was such a huge thing, and even if we made it six months i would be proud.  I was pretty aware that an all ages performance venue/art gallery isn't a huge money maker, especially in Phoenix. 
10 days after the trunk space opened jay and i were in a car accident.  It totaled Jay's van.  We both got a little insurance money from it since it was the other guys fault.  The first year the Trunk Space was open it survived on that insurance money and the money we made on hardcore shows.  At a hardcore show a girl threw a chair at a bunch of people and we ended up calling the cops.  At that point i said "no more hardcore shows." I was not sure how we were going to survive without that money coming in (hardcore shows would draw at least 50 people every time) but it didn't matter, at that point i felt like i would rather close then deal with that chaos anymore.  But we managed. I am still constantly amazed that we do it, and every year i think - is this it? is this the year we throw in the towel.  This year in april trunk space celebrates 5 years of being in business.  Soon we will have had 1,000 music shows.   I am very very proud.  I have said this before, but without the people who have constantly supported trunk space we couldn't have done it.  Trunk Space is family to me.

2. I have been mildly obsessed with Richard Simmons for years.
It's true.  My very first crush was Richard Simmons when i was 5.  (Well, him and the priest at my church).  I still find him utterly amusing.  He can do anything and get away with it. My cousin and i use to sweat to the oldies when we were kids, and i have found memories of watching deal a meal infomercials. He is so ridiculous and l think it is awesome.

3. I hate my smile
I got teased when i was a kid, and i am still self conscious about it.

4. When i was a kid I wanted to be Luke Skywalker when i grew up.
My cousin wanted to be a teacher, my best friend Robbie wanted to be an astronaut, i wanted to be Luke Skywalker.  Not an actor, not princess leigh, not a jedi night, i wanted to be THE Luke Skywalker.  I got teased pretty maliciously by both my cousin and robbie about this.  My cousin works for Chevron, Robbie is a locksmith, i run trunk space.  I think i got closest.

5. I love palindromes. 
Palindromes are words or phrases that are the same backwards or forwards.  My birthday is a palindrome.  2/12.  "a man a plan a canal panama" is a palindrome.  I see patterns in things and palindromes are kind of the ultimate in patterns.

6. i am probably not going to give birth to children in this lifetime.
It's ok though, i don't feel like it is my calling.  I like kids, and there are a couple of kids i love like crazy right now, but i feel like me not having them is right.  I can save that love for other peoples kids.

7. I want 2009 to be the best year yet.
I feel like this year has a lot of potential.  2007 and 2008 were both hard years.  Not necessarily bad, just really hard.
When i was about 12 my dad told my brother and i that if we dug a big hole in the back yard he would build us an underground fort.  We both started digging and got about a foot down and hit hard clay that you find in the desert.  I was convinced i could dig through it so i took a pick axe and numerous tools and tried to get through it, but couldn't .  I spent months trying to do this because the idea of an underground fort sounded awesome.  We ended up moving (or I might still be trying to dig that hole) and my dad told me that the clay was probably 2 feet thick and there was no way i was going to get through it.  My dad thought it was pretty funny.  I feel like 2007 and 08 have been like that.  Trying to dig through something 2 feet thick with hand tools.
I turn 33 this year.  It is a palindrome year!  I am hoping that all the hard work over the last few years will pay off this year.  I really want an easy and rewarding year.  Please universe give me an easy and rewarding year.

Here are the people i am tagging:

Kevin

Ryan

Fran

Brian

Emily

Kim

Leslie

It is going to be awesome! You should come.

I am part of an art exhibit in Himaji, Japan right now. Here is my artist statement in Japanese:

I am showing 5 brand new photographs at the Third Annual All Photography show. The opening of the show is this friday, January 19th from 6pm - 9pm.
If you didn't know i got into this Trunk Space business threw showing my fine art photography downtown. The Trunk Space takes a lot of time so i only get a chance to show my work about once a year, and that once a year is now!
One of my best friends is showing with me - Steve Jansen, and he isn't just in the show because he knows somebody, he is in the show because his photographs are beautiful.
I also invited 3 other righteous photo dudes - Aaron Abbott, Scott Lizama, and Pete Petrisko.

So i got the floor in the studio sanded and stained. It needs two coats of pollyurithane and to sit for 24 hours and will be done. Woohoo! Stuff can't be moved into the studio until i am done painting it and the floors are done so i am happy that i made this progress, it is also about 80% painted.

I think i lost some plants in the freeze which makes me sad. Hopefully they will recover. I love this weather, but i don't have to live outside at night like the plants do.

Current Mood: accomplished

Jason Anderson is playing the Trunk Space on March 27th, i am sooooo excited!
I want john thill to come back too. I wish he would just move here.

Current Location: TS
Current Mood: excited
Current Music: Tom Waits

I started to empty the storage today. Everything seemed exciting today, this american life was fun and the adventure of rediscovering my belongings was great. i found a lot of my dishes and pots and pans. We went grocery shopping and i enjoyed using the new little carts that safeway has. We made vegetarian BLTs and they were delicious. The house is starting to feel like a home. Next week is really lite at TS, and school is out for winter break. I am looking forward to just focusing on the house.
Thing i would like to get done before the end of the year:
1. Closet built in spare room.
2. Siding up
3. attic finished
4. storage emptied

Things i would like done by february 12th:
1. Living room painted
2. living room floor refinished.
3. living room ceiling painted.
4. doors put up in spare room
5. remaining plants planted.
6. walkways made.
7. house cleaned.

Maybe we can make it after all.

Current Mood: happy

On top of it being the most beautiful day of the year weather wise. I got my stove! i got my stove! I got my stove! I have been waiting since may and they were finally able to deliver it today. It is cute as a button and looks like it belongs in a dollhouse. It was made in 1955 and looks perfect next to the 1950s fridge. Here is a picture from the net of the model i got:

Now i just have to get my pots and pans out of storage.
the weather today was amazing. it was rainy and dark, it was simply lovely.

Current Location: TS
Current Mood: bouncy
Current Music: treasure mammal

I wrote this to share and hopefully get people to go to these places as it seems that a lot of cool places in phoenix close because not enought people go. There are more, and i may update it at some point, but it is what i came up with in a couple hours. Also i wrote locations from memory and some might be a little wrong.

Stephs best of phoenix:
Best vintage restaurant: McAlpines. Mcalpines was a drug store in the 1920s and 30s, and then a soda shop and now a restaurant with all its classic charm. Located on 7th st just a few blocks north of McDonnell.

Best drive thru guy: the guy at the taco bell drive thru at 3rd street and McDonnell. He usually works in the evenings, if you get him you will know it.

best breakfast burrito: chico's tacos. I think Chico's lunch burritos are mediocre, but they egg and potato burrito is awesome. you got to get there before 11am monday thru friday to get one though. chico's is on the corner of 7th st and mcdowell.

Best Diner: Mel's Diner. The sign was used in the opening sequence of the tv show Alice. It is a great little diner, good prices and real diner folk. Mel's is on Grand avenue south of mcdowell

Best Indian Food: Udupi. Almost everything at Udupi is vegan and everything i have had there is amazing. Udupi is located in scottsdale on scottsdale road north of curry.

Best Cheep Indian Food: Copper Kettle.Copper Kettle is on lemon and terrace in tempe and you can get lunch buffet for $7. The atmosphere is less than spectacular but the food is good.

Best Cucumber Salad: Zen 32. Zen 32 is an awesome sushi restaurant with great atmosphere and really good food. i love their cucumber salad. Zen 32 is at 32nd st and camelback.

Best place to eat breakfast outside: the farm at south mountain. Enough said.

Best place for fake meat: Green. Green is an all vegan restaurant, i am a huge fan of the drunken mushroom chicken bowl, and the veggie burger. Green is north of curry on scottsdale road.

Best Chef: Mario!

best waffles: lolo's chicken and waffles. LoLo's is southern food, it is rich and delicious, but far from healthy. LoLo's is on central and yuma.

best place to run in to a bunch of cool people: The Willow House. The Willow House is an old house located on 3rd ave and McDowell. They serve a quality cup of coffee and there are always a lot of great people there.

Best sandwich in scottsdale: The Orange Table. This place has some rockin' sandwiches. Located across the walk from the scottsdale center for the arts.

Best place to buy odd books: Perihelion. Perihelion has all sorts of books that you can loose yourself in, along with amazing art. located on the corner of Grand and Roosevelt.

Best place to find old records for cheep: Sunnyslope books. This is a great little book store with a huge selection of cookbooks and home decor books from the 1960s along with an extensive record collection. All records are $1. Sunnyslope books is on 7th ave just south of hatcher.

Best used bookstore: Bookmans. There is a bookmans in mesa on southern and country club, and one in phoenix on 19th ave and northern. both are huge with a little of everything.

Best place to buy a washboard: Larry's antiques.
Larry's is in Glendale a little off the main street. Larry's has a little of everything and the prices are usually very fair. Right now they are only open on Saturdays because business is down. If you need a washboard, or an old fashioned kiddie ride, or a can of marbles this is the place to go.

Best place to get old windows: Cucumbers. Cucumbers is another great antique shop. They have lots of furniture and architectural features taken out of old houses. Cucumbers is on 7th avenue south of Camelback.

Best Place to see chickens: Pratt's. Pratts is in downtown glendale on glendale ave. It is a feed store that sells chicks and ducklings.

Best Nursery: Bakers, this title would have gone to terra's garden but the city of phoenix did not see the value in having a nursery downtown so second place has become first place. not to say that bakers isn't awesome it is. they have a great selection of plants and are very helpful and friendly. bakers is located on 40th st south of indian school.

Best place to buy photostuff: bhphotovideo.com - i wish i could say that there is a good photostore in phoenix, but their isn't, that i have found. the local stores have a bunch of pretentious jerks working for them and a slim selection, and their film is usually over priced. so bhphotovideo.com is a great place online to order photo stuff.

Best photography day trip: Globe. Take the 60 east for an hour and a half and you will end up in Globe, also near globe there is superior and miami. All great place to take pictures.

Best dive bar: bikini. Located on the corner of grand and roosevelt the bikini is named after the bikini islands, it has been around longer then the bikini swimsuit. Cheep beer and fun people.

Best place to get yelled at: the newsroom. A fun little dive bar on filmore and 4th street. Pete - the guy that owns the news room will yell at you. He is like the soup nazi of phoenix.

best place to get music equipment fixed: Field Services, Matt from field services rocks. He works magic on broken PA's and speakers.

best place for a house party: Xanado, it is kind of a secret place but for sure to be fun times if you ever get invited to a Xanado party

best place to feel like you are not in phoenix: Bobby C's. Bobby C's has live jazz on sunday and monday nights. It is like a little bit of chicago in downtown phoenix. It is a great place to unwind, have a cocktail, and eat some Southern food.

Best place to feel white trash: phoenix greyhound park. Watch them doggies run! Located on washington and about 40th st.

best place for off track betting: Ham's. Ham's is a Cheers style bar that serves bar food and has off track betting. The regulars will make you feel right at home on your first visit. Plus they have off track betting. On 24th street north of Thomas.

best place to feel the mellow: Japanese friendship garden, The friendship garden is a great place to just chill out and enjoy a little nature in the desert. It is on 3rd avenue between roosevelt and mcdowell.

best place to wander around on a saturday morning: phoenix downtown market.

best place to take out of towners: mystery castle

best place to see lots of kitties: the boat house at encanto park

best old motel that i have never stayed in: log cabin inn on van buren. If this place ever gets torn down i will probably move away from phonix.

best place to find old video games: Cory's house

best place to buy dry ice: Excell ice cream: Excell is the place the ice cream trucks goto to get their ice cream and snacks. When you walk in the door the smell of sugar is overwhelming. You can get about 100 different types of ice cream, along with dry ice, candy and snow cone ingredients. Excell is located on Grant just west of 15th avenue.

best place to go to a festival: Heritage square

best place to buy craft supplies: Diane Ribbons and Notions: this place is hard to find, it is north of mcdowell near the I-17 at 2319 W. Holly St. It is like Michael's on steroids. They have everything a crafter could ever ask for.

best place to find roadside attractions: roadsideamerica.com

best place to find famous dead people: findagrave.com

best place to buy appliances: Camps. Camps is on South Central. Leon Camp is 79 years old and is still there every day. Everything is used but he makes sure that it is in good working order before selling it, you can get some great deals and Leon is like a sweet old grandpa.

best thrift: goodwill clearance. If i told you where it was i would have to kill you.

best auction: City of phoenix auction. This auction happens about once every 3 months and you have to drive by to see when the next one is happening. The yard is located on 15th avenue just a little north of grant. They auction off everything from retired police cars to vending machines.

best place to be naked with friends: Tonopah hot springs. This is the closest real hot springs in the phoenix area. take the i-10 to 475 ave, then go south to thomas and you will see the signs. Each tub is in its own private area and it is $10 per hour per person. best back yard: Johns house


Best place to go ice blocking: Kiwanas park. There is no snow here in phx, so we gotta do it az style. Go get your self a block of ice and a towel, and find a hill. Set the towel on the block of ice and sit on it then "ski" down the side of the hill. guaranteed to leave bruises. Kiwanas has great hills, it is located at mill and southern in tempe.

Best place to look at fake stars: The planetarium inside the Phoenix Science Center.

Best place to take a date: Sandalos at doubletree ranch. Located at 7500 E. Doubletree Ranch road, have a wonderful Italian dinner while the servers serenade you and then go to the lake for a Gondola ride.

Hey suzie,
me too.


and i share a birthday with him.