Joelle said at some point on January 9, 2007
My property manager recently put a padlock on all of the trash dumpsters in the alley out back. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about it. They say it’s "because of rats", but I think we all know it’s because they don’t want vagrants and homeless digging through the garbage.
From a security perspective, I can appreciate that. The idea of someone going through my garbage and/or stealing my identity because of said garbage totally gives me the heebs. But then, responsible people should be shredding and/or tearing up their documentation (*cough*).
I also kind of think, if Joe Homeless is willing to dig through your coffee grounds, your dog crap, your tampons, moldy tupperware, funky spoiled food and assorted other disgusting items just to scrounge up some cash, who the hell are you to stop him? You’ve thrown it out. Let him have it! If you’re not going to lend a hand, then at least let him sift through your aluminum cans.
I do sometimes wish Joe Homeless wouldn’t leave such a mess while sifting through the dumpsters, but I can’t begrudge someone the opportunity to benefit from my laziness. I win, he wins, the environment wins. I try to keep my aluminum cans and 20oz plastic bottles separate bag so it’s easy for them to find and grab. If my managers/neighbors didn’t get their panties in such a knot, I’d leave them right outside the dumpster for them with non-garbage snacks (tied up and out of the way, of course).
But, for now, I have to abide by the rules. We’ll see how long this lasts before everyone forgets the combination and the padlock gets thrown in the dumpster.
Joelle said in the early morning on January 10, 2007
#322 on Explore on January 10, 2007
This is my typical morning. Vitamins, water, big-ass cup o’ joe in my favorite Orange Mug of Doom. It’s going to be a good day. It is, dammit.
Joelle said in the early morning on January 11, 2007
I was in the alley emptying the garbage this morning and I spotted this high up on the telephone pole across from my apartment building. I had to climb up on a wall (in my pajamas, mind you) to get this shot.
Either a) someone is growing corn in their backyard, b) they’re trying to scare away the ne’er do wells or c) they’re just damn creepy.
Joelle said in the early morning on January 14, 2007
Tonight was my first attempt at a meatloaf, which is currently in the oven. (Wendy told me how to make one.) I can’t believe with all the cooking I do, I’d never made a meatloaf before. This is a blend of turkey and beef, which is why its so light. Of course, its also raw. 
Joelle said in the early morning on January 16, 2007
As my friends can tell you, I love my bathrobe. Hell, it’s practically my work uniform. I have a couple, but this is my favorite. It’s my "woobie robe". Some people have woobie housepants. I have a woobie robe. As you can see it is very woobie-ish.
Joelle said in the early morning on January 19, 2007
... where wolves and sheep and women with doo-rags can live in harmony.
I was accosted by religion this fine Friday morning. I heard someone knocking on my neighbor’s door and assumed it was the apartment manager since my apartment is in a gated building. But it’s not like someone can’t just trespass, all unChristian-like. Would Jesus trespass? Clearly, it seems he would.
Now, I respect everyone’s right to their religion. I really, really do. I don’t agree always, but I respect that it’s someone’s choice to believe whatever they choose to believe. I will admit, and not proudly, that I am sometimes disappointed when I meet cool people and then find out they’re super duper into church or whatever. It’s unfair of me, but it makes me question their reason sometimes. At least I’m honest.
This was the case with the woman at the door. She was lovely. Articulate, sweet, very pretty, friendly… all the things you look for in people at first glance. She was with an older woman clutching a small book, so I knew as soon as I saw them that they were "With Jesus", but the woman was so charming, I actually tried to push that out of my head. When she started in about peace in this world, I hoped for one brief moment that she was a hippie trying to sell me hemp jewelry.
When she said "Jesus", I think she saw my face actively contort because she started talking fast, perhaps afraid I’d shut the door on her. Of course, I didn’t do that, but I did tell her, very kindly, that I would let her keep her large booklet she was going to foist upon me and that while I appreciated her door-to-door adventures and respected her choices, I was not "With Jesus", nor do I intend to be, but thank you very much. She seemed relieved that I didn’t give her the finger.
I let her unload a little religious tract on me instead, smiled and wished her and Grandma Tiny Bible a good day.
Of course, it won’t be a day like that lady is having up there, rubbing a cougar by a creek, but we can’t have everything.
Joelle said in the early morning on January 22, 2007
I do believe my Splenda is hitting on me.
Joelle said in the early morning on January 24, 2007
#329 on Explore on January 24, 2007
I really love grapes. Since I started Weight Watchers again, I realized how much I missed fruit while on Atkins. I have a huge bowl of big fat round green grapes in my fridge for me to grab whenever the munchies strike. Oh, and they strike alright.
Joelle said at some point on January 29, 2007
This photo made Explore at #214 on 1/29/07
While leaving CVS, I was intercepted by this woman in the parking lot. Her name is Michael Lob, pronounced… you got it… Michelob. She said "Michael for short". She was from Austria, was once a teacher, a practitioner of healing arts, and clearly lonely and quite senile. She asked me if I was a teacher because I am wearing a t-shirt that says "old school" and asked me how old my school was (which I found so charming, I could barely stand it).
She was selling these books she’d written and self-published, which were primarily gibberish or perhaps just artistic tangents by someone who has lived a very long life full of many things. Her clothes were mismatched and worn, her teeth were extremely yellowed, but she had so much personality and such kind and determined eyes, that I found myself standing there for 40 minutes listening to her tell me story after story about nothing and everything all at once.
She tried to sell me a book and some of her self-proclaimed "abstract art" (which she is proudly displaying in the photo — she wanted to make sure I got it all in). I knew that book would just end up in the trash or collecting dust on a shelf, so I gave her all the cash I had on me and told her to hang on to the books to sell to someone else, but she wouldn’t hear of it.
She gave me an orange book (not pictured) titled "Human Happenings", then she sang me a song about Easter Island that she wrote, gave me a well-worn cut-out piece of paper listing spices and herbs that heal that had been photocopied since 1972. She also made up a song about my name (something involving French, she said) and included a ‘bookmark’ with an angel on it that she had made from construction paper and a clipping from an old Reader’s Digest.
As I stood with one foot on my car floorboard and one on the pavement, inching ever closer to leaving, I asked if I could take her photo. There was something remarkable about this woman, this immigrant, this elderly eccentric free-spirited teacher that made me want to remember her. I snapped several without her realizing it, as "they don’t make any sound!", but she insisted that she pose, displaying her works and she stood back and smiled, head high and proud.
Despite my desire and repeated efforts to go home and not stand in the parking lot of CVS forever, I stood. I stood and I listened while this sweet, yet slightly crazy woman rambled and laughed at her own jokes. Why? Because she made eye contact with me and there was something there that said, "Please listen."
So, I did. And despite my discomfort, I’m better for it.
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