Cincinnati is home to the strangest tourist attraction in the Northern Hemisphere. For a mere $59.95 you can climb the Purple People Pedestrian Bridge. (And wear a snazzy purple and yellow jumpsuit! Awesome!)

That picture might not look very scary, but trust me, it to really scary. You might be hooked up to $2000 worth of safety gear per person but I personally refuse to do anything like this unless I am hooked up to at least $4000 worth of safety gear. A little hand rail and a harness do nothing for my peace of mind.

I was near the Purple People Bridge this weekend and watched some of the climbers from below. I was getting vertigo just watching them. Although I did squeal with glee everytime I saw their purple and yellow jumpsuits scuffling along the top of the bridge.

Apparently this is the first bridge climb in the Northern Hemisphere. I think there are one or two in Australia/New Zealand and one in South America. So if you're in the Cincinnati area this summer (visiting me?) Be sure to reserve your climb. I'll wave to you from down below on the safety of the shore.

I'm having a love affair. It's lasted for 11 years. I think Todd should know. My beau? Stephen Merrit and The Magnetic Fields. They reached a new level of fame in 2000 when they released the 69 Love Songs album. (Interestingly, most of the 69 love songs are actually about heartbreak and unrequited love.)

Todd has left me alone this Friday night so I tried playing countless games of free cell and watching America's Got Talent, but I still feel restless. I got out my pretty little iPod (which is wonderful, Emily, you are right!) and fooled around, not quite knowing what I wanted to listen to.

Of course, when nothing else cures the itch, you have to go with the Magnetic Fields. And not just any album, The Wayward Bus/Distant Plastic Trees. My older sisters introduced me to the Magnetic Fields when I was about 11 years old and I can honestly say that I have not ever stopped liking them. I have consistently listened to that particular album for the last 11 years. Half of my entire life. It never gets old. I remember sitting on the computer in my basement listening to the album over and over, repeating whatever song I was obsessed with at the moment, Old Orchard Beach, Falling in Love with Wolfboy, 100,000 Fireflies, etc. If you do not have this album, do yourself a favor and buy it today. While you're at it, pick up "The Charm of the Highway Strip" and "Holiday," too.

The Magnetic Fields have a song for every occassion. Even though the lyrics and be off the wall and trite, you are always able to find just what you are feeling at that moment.

I love you Stephen. If you weren't gay and ornery I would want to marry you.

I was leaving work a few days ago and I was in the elevator with one of our new volunteers. We were making small talk and she asked me what church I went to. (that's a Cincinnati question for ya!) I was slightly embarrassed and didn't know how to respond, so I said that I didn't go to any church. I suppose it was a nicer thing to say that "I'm an atheist." It bugs me that I even feel like I need to apologize for my religious beliefs but I'll save that for another day. This woman, (who is a lovely person) was visibly surprised and said, "Oh my goodness, I wouldn't have guessed you just have this spiritual apostolic glow about you. What church did your parents attend?" Okay, at this point I was thinking, nosey, nosey... "They were Catholic...I was raised in the Catholic church but I don't consider myself Catholic." At which point this woman couldn't seem to contain her surprise and squeaked out "Catholic?!?!?" Uh huh.

I don't quite understand her point other than she must think that Catholics are joyless and not spiritual as I seem to be. Interestingly anybody who knows me knows that I am so not spiritual. I don't do anything that could be considered spiritual; I'm surprised that I give off that vibe. Maybe it's because my boss has created such a strict dress code at work I am forced to dress like a pilgrim...or at least one of those really strict denominations of Christianity. Maybe that's why she thinks I'm religious.

1) My Blue Hawaii - The Future Bible Heros
2) Fill your heart - David Bowie
3) Holland, 1945 - Neutral Milk Hotel
4) Sweet Spots - The Fiery Furnaces
5) One Man Guy - Rufus Wainright
6) Wasted and Ready - Ben Kweller
7) Nothing can change this love - Sam Cooke
8) That'll be the day - Buddy Holly
9) Fear - Sarah McLachlan
10) Tres Bien - Le Tigre

I'm so incredibly pissed right now. I mean, I had a GREAT day yesterday, so I'm even more upset that my mood had changed so drastically. You may be wondering why Kim is writing about being pissed at 5:30am. EXACTLY.

I received a phone call from the work hotline at 3:45am this morning. Even though I am NOT on call tonight. I am on call tomorrow night. The idiots who answer the hotline can't seems to understand how the simple calendar works. ARRRGGGGG. I'm so annoyed and I can't get back to sleep. I might as well have just gone to the damn hospital because I'm done sleeping tonight. I don't mind putting in a few extra hours at work, but this is what the week is looking like so far:
Saturday: at work 7:30am-1:00pm
Sunday: On call 6:00pm-6:00am (At the hospital from 12:30-7:30am Monday morning)
Monday: At work Noon-9:00pm
Tuesday: At work 9:00am-9:00pm (Damn phone call from work at 3:45 waking me up and ending sleep for the night.)
Wednesday: At work 9:00am-9:00pm then on call until 6:00am Thursday
Thursday: Hopefully a day off finally - On call 6pm-6am
Friday: At work 9:00am-5:00pm

ARG! I mean, I love my job, but I was really looking forward to a full night of sleep tonight since I will be working 12 hours tomorrow and probably up all night for the next two nights.

I don't think words can properly describe how annoyed I am at this moment. I'm going to be a super pissed camper tomorrow.

UPDATE: I'm going to Chicago! Oh my god, I'm so excited! I'll be there Tuesday - Friday next week. What should I do? Any museums or neighborhoods I should check out on my free evenings? Whoopideedoo!

My office at work is a dump. I should clean it up, but I am updating my blog today. I am going to be working for 12 hours today. You got a problem with me slacking off a bit?

I wonder if I can close the door and take a nap. I guess I'll just listen to my iPod. I'm still tired from yesterday night.

Here's what's playing:

1) Blister in the Sun - Violent Femmes
2) Funky Days are Back Again - Cornershop
3) You were Made for Me - Sam Cooke
4) Something better beginning - The Kinks
5) Now At Last - Feist
6) Drive my car - The Beatles
7) Bathtub - Sean Lennon
8) Cause a rockslide - Badly Drawn Boy
9) Kissing the Lipless - The Shins
10) Big Tall Man - Liz Phair

I'm still waiting to hear back from my boss, but I MIGHT be in Chicago almost all of next week for a conference. Woohoo! I hope I can go, keep your fingers crossed for me.

I was on call last night. I received not one, not two, but THREE calls. Two of them were hospital accompaniments for women who had been raped.

I went to the hospital from 12:30-2:00 then I went home fell asleep for an hour and at 4:00 I received ANOTHER hospital call. I didn't get home until 7:30am.

I am sooooo tired this morning.

Soooooo tired.

I went to Columbus yesterday for my networking meeting/workshop of sexual assault prevention. There were some great presentations and now I am all inspired to make changes and add programs to my job responsibilities. Isn't it awesome that I can just go to my boss and say, "hey, I got this idea, can I do it." Then she will look at me funny and "say, of course, do whatever you want. Anything you need from me?" God, I HAVE AN AWESOME JOB.

Today I get a day off work since I've been working until 9 every night this week and coming in on Saturdays. Even though it's my day off, I've spent the last hour sending work related e-mails.

There were two instances that soured my workshop experience. When I arrived at the meeting, I signed in and randomly sit down next to somebody. We started chatting, as is required of these things. She asked where I was from and I told her where I worked in Cincinnati. She immediately made a face and said "Ew, that's such an ugly city." Excuse me? That is such a rude thing to say. Of course, I had to defend the 'nati. "You really think so? I think it is such a pretty city. I can see how you would think it was ugly from the expressway but it undeniably beautiful if you go into the city." "Well, I had a boyfriend there so I used to spend a lot of time there. It's so dirty, I hate it." Okay, bitch, I've tried to be nice. "Well I think it has a lot to offer and I think it is one of the prettiest cities I've ever been to." Later on, another woman (from the same place as the first woman) asked where I was from and I told her, Cincinnati. She made a face and said "Uhg, you couldn't PAY me enough to live there." When I attempted to defend the city, she just shook her head at me. Well, bitch, the feeling is mutual. I wouldn't want to live in Fucking New Philadelphia, Ohio. Where is New Philidelphia Ohio, you ask? MY POINT EXACTLY. Apparently people in New Philidelphia, Ohio haven't learned basic manners.

On my way back to Cinci I stopped at an outlet mall. Please note that this outlet mall has an SAS shoe store. If you don't know what that is, it's fine, I can't really explain. It's just the most popular brand of shoe at the Cobbler Bench. Keep in mind that the clients at the Cobblers Bench tend to be between the age of 35 and death so you can imagine the glorious styles that we sold.

The outlet mall also had a BIBLE OUTLET. I am not joking. I cannot make this stuff up. What exactly do you find at the bible outlet. A bible missing the Old Testament? Ooops, this one has an 11th commandment. Hey, this one says it's OKAY to be gay, better send it to the outlet! Now I kind of wish I went in to check it out.

Ohio, you are so funny sometime. I am so amused.

For the record, Cincinnati is NOT ugly. Dirty, maybe, but not ugly.

I'm in the middle of volunteer training for work (and just a side note, what a spectacular group of volunteers this time!) so I have been working crazy hours. Okay, okay, not to crazy. They actually resemble the hours I used to work at Ye Olde Cobblers Bench. I've been waking up at my usual time and making the most of my mornings off work to run errands and go to the gym and such. Tomorrow I am heading out to Columbus, Ohio for the day for a workshop on teen dating violence prevention. I was thinking of staying for the evening and exploring the city a bit but I must be back because I have my book club meeting and BRITNEY SPEARS is doing an interview with Matt Lauer and I HAVE to see that train wreck.

I have this manical glee at seeing her in the media lately. I am convinced that she is setting herself up for an image comeback. Stacey and Clinton are going to come busting into her life once baby #2 is born and promptly comb her hair, give her a proper bra and put her in a tweed blazer or something. Just wait for it.

Yesterday while I was at work late Todd thought it would be nice to add over 500 songs to my iTunes. Yes, it was a nice thought, but now I feel like ever other song played on my shuffle mode is a Todd song...or the Kinks.

Here is your daily shuffle playlist:
Situation Vacant - The Kinks <---Todd Song
How it should Be - Ben Kweller
Eleanor Put Your Boots On - Franz Ferdinand
Swap - Talking Heads <--Todd Song
Red Vines - Aimee Mann
Sugar World - The Magnetic Fields
Children of the Revolution - T. Rex
Inside and Out - Feist <---Todd Song
Twilight in Boston - Jonathan Richman
Maxwell's Silver Hammer - The Beatles (I love this song!)

I think I made a friend at the gym. I think she is about my age and I don't know her name. We were taking the class together and we keep running into each other around town and saying hello. Today I was walking out of the gym as she was walking in. Maybe next time I will suggest that we exersize together or something. She seems very kind.

www.findyourspot.com

I've lived in Cincinnati for nearly a year so the rolling stone in me is getting antsy and wants to move. Of course we won't move for a few more years but in the meantime I have found this website to keep me occupied.

According to find your spot I should live in one of the following cities:
1) Sheboygan, WI
2) Hartford, CT
3) Worcester, MA <---Tanya lives there! (When she's not in Bangledesh or India)
4) Milwaukee, WI <---Amy Elliott lives there!
5) Providence, RI
6) New Haven, CT
7) Eau Claire, WI
8) Oshkosh-Appleton, WI
9) Danbury, CT
10) Boston, MA
11) Baltimore, MD <---I've always felt drawn to this city
12) Medford, OR
13) La Crosse, WI
14) Kenosha, WI
15) Chicago, IL
16) Corvallis, OR
17) Eugene, OR
18) Champaign-Urbana, IL
19) Madison, WI
20) Greenbay, WI
21) Salem, OR
22) Bend, OR
23) Charleston, WV
24) Cape Cod, MA

Hmmm, I'm beginning to suspect that this website is sponsored by the State of Wisconsin. If that's not the case then I am supposed to be living there now. Forget Minneapolis, Wisconsin is calling for me!

Look for me in the next few years in a city near you. I guess I would have to change my blog name, though.

This morning Todd can storming back into our apartment after he had left for work. I was still asleep and he was furiously swearing up a storm. I asked what was wrong and he said "I was shit on!" My first reaction was "oh my god, was somebody throwing poop out their window?!?" Ahhh, no, it was a bird. Not too much better than my first reaction, but at least it wasn't human!

I had a long IM conversation with my friend from high school, Ryan. Turns out that he is in a serious relationship with a woman with a daughter. They live together, so it's like he is a dad. Bizzaro-world. (In a good way, I'm happy for him.)

Top 10 songs for today:
Emperor's New Clothes - Sinead O'Connor (You have a problem with that?)
Lets go Crazy - Prince and the Revolution
Hopeless - Future Bible Heros
Pretty Good Year - Tori Amos
Farwell Song to Rocky Dennis - Jens Lekman
Shadowboxer - Fiona Apple
I'm sorry that I love you - The Magnetic Fields
Rhythm Bandits - Junior Senior
Good Feeling - Violent Femmes
You had time - Ani DiFranco

The thing about Gay Pride Parades is that they are so delightfully predictable in their stereotypes.

I had a great time at the Cincinnati Pride Parade. There were lots of little kids and we had some huge bags of jolly ranchers we were passing out to the kids. One man was so desprate for my "Lesbians Rights Now" sign that he offered to pay $5 for it.

We saw men wearing leather chaps, wiccan lesbians in velvet capes, middle-aged lesbians with mullets wearing shorts and drag queens wearing crowns and the highest platform heels ever. Of course we heard dance beats pumping through speakers, "We are family" and "I'm a slave for you."

And, because it is fun, here are the first 10 songs played when I put my new iPod on shuffle mode:
Send me some Lovin' - Buddy Holly
Sabbath Bloody Sabbath - The Cardigans
I think I need a new heart - The Magnetic Fields (This song is now on a dog food commercial.)
Sun King - The Beatles
Hollywood Freaks - Beck
One Evening - Feist
You had time - Ani DiFranco
Meet me in the Bathroom - The Strokes
I saw her in the Anti-war Demonstration - Jens Lekman
Butter for the Soul - Cornershop

Do you want to know why Todd is a top notch fellow? I am the VP of the local chapter of NOW and every year NOW perpetuates the stereotype that all feminists are lesbians and marches in the Cincinnati GLBT Pride parade. The President was worried about a small contingent of NOW marchers and asked if Todd would come and march (I think she might have been joking), but Todd said he would march in the parade with us. Todd, who isn't a woman or a member of NOW is marching in the GLBT Pride parade with us. My privileged, hetero, white male fiance! He's so great, I couldn't have found a more wonderful partner.

My 30GB Video iPod arrived today! Hurray!

When I put it on the shuffle mode these are the first 10 songs that play:
Maple Leaves - Jens Lekman
Mystic Lady - T.Rex
Poor Places - Wilco
Mystery Juice - Sean Lennon
I can't win - The Strokes
Pink Bullets - The Shins
When I was a young girl - Feist
All Good Things - The Robot Ate Me
Bang! Bang! - Le Tigre
I thought you were my boyfriend - The Magnetic Fields

What are the first 10 songs that play on you iPod shuffle mode?
No cheating!

I have to admit, since most of my CD's were stolen most of my music is stuff that Todd had that I like. I have to give him credit for a lot of those songs. I'm also surprised, what happened to all the angry women with guitars?

I was walking to work yesterday and I overheard the funniest conversation while standing on a street corner waiting to cross. The players in this conversation are an older (60's) black man and a white male parking meter maid on a bicycle (slightly younger, in his late 40's).

Older Black Man- Kids these days, they just don't have any respect for us.
Meter Maid - Uh huh
OBM- They need to start respecting us adults because we've been around, we know what we're talking about.
MM- I absolutely agree
OBM- But, ya know, kids these days they only listen to the rapper, like Biggie Smalls, Flava Flav and 2 Live Crew. That's all they care about! Those rappers!
MM- Oh yeah!

I nearly died laughing. 2 Live CREW? Flava Flav?!?! You just know this man has been having the same conversation for the last 15 years. I doubt this man has even had a conversation with a teenager in the last 10 years. Unless, of course, he is speaking about Flava Flav's short lived comeback on VH1's Surreal Life (and I doubt it) Flava Flav hasn't influenced anybody to do anything in a very very long time.

This week I've had an urge...more of an obsession. I HAVE to get an ipod.

This is strange because I've never taken much of an interest in ipods before. Todd has had one for a year and a half and I usually scoff my nose at the little 40 gigabyte mini-computer. Nevermind that all my CD's were stolen from my car in January, so even if I get one it is going to be empty.

It's hot in Cincinnati - like record breaking temps in the 90's with the heat index hovering just under 100. At work the air conditioner for the entire 7 story building is in a closet attached to my office. Good lord is it LOUD. It makes the wall behind me rattle, I'm going insane. I need something to distract me from the noise.

I am planning to place the order tomorrow for a white (should I get the white or the black?) 30GB color screen video/music ipod. How awesome is that? I'm excited! I'm even going to get one of those fancy armbands so I can use it while exercising.

Come to me little ipod deary!