montpelier, idaho

transcript of this audiopost coming shortly.

sorry for the poor audio quality. i had to call from here



because mobile service was nonexitant in that area.

tulsa, ok

see you in seattle!!!

our internet connection gets cut off today and leff and i will be offa line until sept 3rd. sept 3rd?!??! holy crap!!!

anyway, in case you didn't know, we're moving to seattle on monday. HOORAY!!! and all that!

we'll be moblogging (ew! ugliest word EVAH!!) our way across the u.s. to our new home!

what that means is audioposts here starting on monday.

lots and lots of real time cameraphone images here.

and some movies available here.

as you've probably noticed, i've turned off comments for the duration. it's just to safeguard against spam. if you'd like to drop me a line before i turn comments back on, you can reach me at rakkadeer [at] gmail [dot] com. i won't be able to read any email until sept 3rd, but i thought i'd give you an option. because i love you.

see you in seattle, kittens!!

hello kitty roller rescue

i *heart* little girly games. i'm not ashamed to admit that. they're cute, they're bright and you can get a contact sugar high just from picking up the box!

here's the next game i'm going to get. (after "we love katamari damacy", of course.) it's "hello kitty roller rescue"!



you get to roller skate around with a magic wand. and you get to eat cake to restore your energy. AND there are clothes. LOTS AND LOTS OF CLOTHES to wear!

how. frickin'. awsome!!!

tony has a posse

tony is groc's newsagent in worthing. he has a posse.



please feel free to print this and distribute in whatever way you deem appropriate. you can use mine or make your own from the source material.

paperwork shirts

out of all the boxes that i've packed this particular one would make the best beck lyric, hand's down.

holy fucking hell! it's actually raining!!

lovely little droplets of rain on my filthy, filthy window!

about damn time too!

one week = seven days

i've got one week left in memphistown, tender vittles. it's hectic but i'm very excited. serenity now! and all that.



k, now that i'm feeling all grounded and such, i'm off to pack hangers. have it told you how much i loathe clothes hangers these days?

we love katamari screenshots

King
Originally uploaded by blueberryjam.

blueberry jam has uploaded screenshots from the new "katamari damacy" game!

he says that the king is in the new game a lot more frequently. it also looks like you can play as different characters! and the king gives you really cool presents!

in this picture? ms. strawberry is standing behind a giraffe!! *eep!!*

i can't wait to play this game when it gets to the states!

chicken tikka dance

leff and i bought our traveling food today. and a box of chicken tikka mix.



i heart chicken tikka. i heart it so much that i made a video.

before you watch it, please note that i don't claim to be able to sing. at all.

also, in the video? i was imitating someone. i just...uh, i just don't know exactly who it was that i was imitating...

web access will terminate in t minus 5...

dear loyal reader, (i won't include an "S" since i'm sure there's really only one of you.)

my tiny little site will be without textbased posts starting in 5 days. leff and i have to turn off our web connection in memphis sometime on friday.

as i've previously mentioned, we'll be moblogging our way across the states. that will be reflected here in the form of audio posts. i'll also repost the links to flickr and textamerica sometime on thursday if you'd like to play along.

internet connection will resume in seattle the day after we arrive. god, i love seattle.

anyway, just thought i'd give you a head's up.

much love, chicken tenders,

rakka

foxy lady

i r0xx0r your s0xx0rs in my f0xx0r b0xx0r!

(faux)flyer of the vanities

*read this in a falsetto voice* (why? just do it, okay?!?)

oh nooooo!! i don't have time to do anything! i have to paaack!!




*eyeroll at self*

(ok, you can stop with the falsetto voice now. seriously, stop. it's annoying.)

make your own.

t minus 10....

10 more days until we load the moving van, cinnamon swirlies! (note: cinnamon swirlies is the nickname for a type of cinnamon sticky bun that dr. fusbender and i used to eat in knoxville, tn. thanks, the management)

wonderful, wonderful leff! he's fixed it so we can get cable and, more importantly, the INTERNET CONNECTION up and running by our second day in seattle! we're going to be without a home connection in memphis longer (3 1/2 days) than we are in zee emerald city.

this does not surprise me as memphis sucks the big one, as it were.

at times i can't believe that seattle is real. par example, you can set up your utlities online. also, the city provides canvas, reusable recycling bags to apt dwellers (if the apt complex participates in the program.) (not like baltimore's "blue bag" system where you had to fight people at the safeway to get the fucking blue grocery bags to put your recycling into. or memphis' nonexistant program for people that don't own their own home.) (another brief sidenote: i think that i hated living in baltimore more than living in memphis, if that's humanly possible...)

anyway, seattle. city of the future? or just one that understands and utilizes the internets? i'm hoping both.

i heart ms peel

*warning!! cat photo!!*

this is what i see first thing when i wake up. (that is, if i manage to get some sleep.)



awwww! peel! i can't believe that she let me take her picture!

dance floors and talk shows/hot dogs, no doz

my insomnia is back hardcore.

i've been feeling it creeping around late at night but i'd kept it at bay with melatonin. however, last night, even after two of those lovely pills, *BAM!!* thar she no dozes.

i must have been grinding my teeth like crazy too because my molars are KILLING me this morning. and i feel all tweaked. kind of like the christ figure in this stoner bird photo.



in good news, i've learned how to say "we love katamari damacy" in japanese! "minna daisuki katamari damacy"! so, hooray for that!

and, this just in!! leff found more boxes!!!



EEEEEEP!!!

when will the hurting stop?!?!

twelve days until we load the moving van, kittens, and i'm suffering from moving meltdown.

it always happens right about this time every damn move. i'm overwhelmed. there are too many to do lists. i'm out of boxes. i'm covered in sticky goo from reapplying floor tiles in the kitchen. all of my clothes are either packed or dirty. we're eating the tins of "emergency food" that we don't usually eat just so we don't have to travel with six cans of kidney beans and a box of flan. (why is flan emergency food?!?) the house is a fucking mess! AAAAAARGH!! AAAAARGH!!! ARRRRGH!!!!!

fuck it. i'm going to drink for a while.

h.r. fluffnstuff

here's the fluff:



and now for some stuff. stuff from oxford, that is!



jeremy dennis sent me a kick ass cd with a *eeep!* ruby gloom notepad! (for some reason my medium version of this photo is busted on flickr. *shaking fist!!!*)

and it came in a box with this drawing on it!



i heart that drawing!

14 days is 14 days too long

how long until i move??



that's right, 14 days.

i'm going batty. there's too much to do but too little. i haven't got time for anything and then there's nothing to do.

GAH!!! ACK!!! ARGH!!!!

maybe i'll just take a nap.

elvis vigil 05

leff and i went to the vigil at graceland tonight.



neither of us are into elvis. in fact, having lived in memphis has made me almost despise the man. but still. the vigil. it's weird.

my photoset. leff's will be up soon.

so yeah, the vigil. you've really got to do that once in your life. oh, the candles are free.

pressies!

north carolina loves me today. i got two great surprises from two of that state's fair citizens!

here's the group shot.



that includes a set of agriculture cards, a wxdu button and a shakeshimmystomp cd which kicks the ass all from bunchofpants. and a card from greg (through postcard exchange) of elvis' kitchen. and what timing! it's here on death day!

here's a closeup of the button that pants designed. i laugh every time i look at it. but then again, i am very mean.

britannia rules the (air)waves

the local weather channel plays classical music while showing radar maps. guess what song was just on? "rule brittania"! what an odd choice!

happy birthday, julia child!

bon appetit!

death day

happy elvis death day.



thankfully, this year i've missed most of the elvis freaks that have descended upon memphis. (i've stayed inside, locked the doors and not opened them for ANYONE!! esp if they happen to be wearing a spangly jumpsuit and mutton chop sideburns.)

i'm contemplating heading out to graceland tonight to get picures of the vigil since it'll be my last chance. (because i'd rather be destitute than move back to memphis again.) but i have a feeling that i won't go since i have this overwhelming apathy about all things elvis. you would too if you if you ever resided in memphistown.

ugh...i'm depressing myself. here are some weird hello kitty pics to make us all happy again.

this is me at target.



and here is a strange random hk/cat toy mashup that i saw on the floor of my apt. (i moved it to a place with better lighting for the photo.)



*whew* ok, i feel much better now!

video moblog

i've just opened a textamerica account to store the crappy, boring videos that i make with my cameraphone.

why text america? only because it's free, sweet breads. the page layout is crap, it has ads and i don't really like textamerica as a company/web site but it'll be where you can see all the travel videos i make when i move.

right now there's a test video of my cat fujiko. you can watch it if you want but i'm telling you right now that it's dull. really dull.

new phone audioblogger test

my first cell phone

i've told everyone that i'm a luddite but some people refuse to believe me. will you believe me now that i tell you that this is my very first ever cell phone?



it is! (that's not to say that i haven't shared a phone with leff. because we did have one cell between us there for a while.)

but now i have my own phone to personalize! how freakin' cool!

viva destructo!

el destructo stopped by casa rakkaleff last night to drop off some boxes for us. (thanks, e to the d!) we had a smallish party where i got "a slow punch in the face" to quote the always quoteworthy destructo. (rakkas haven't been partying enough lately choosing to instead packpackpack *sheepish grin* note to self: must drink more.)

anyway, party remnants. (yes, i still smoke. but only occasionally at parties. nasty habit, i know...)

clifton and luigi

Clifton and Luigi
Originally uploaded by kate*.

i can't stop laughing at this photo that kate took!

pink elephants

i found my pink elephant drink markers. YAY!

it's silly but...

...somtimes the internet blows my mind.

like, right now? i'm talking to someone in the u.k. while listening to someone else dj a radio show in north carolina.

my internet is t eh r0ck!

it's good to know...

...that i'm not the only one obsessing about the move. look at this doodle leff made on the cable bill.



does that not look like all pacific northwest native american style to you? HAHAHA!

plush you!

can our timing be any more fortuitous? guess what else is going on when leff and i roll into our new city? the plush you show at schmancy toys!!

(found via not martha)

book report

you know i'm a book geek. i'm not totally hardcore as to have a lot of first editions (although i do have some) simply because i don't have that disposable of an income.

anyway, i was just trying out the seattle library's home page again. did you know that their search feature is ON THE FRONT PAGE WHERE IT SHOULD BE?!? go on, try it! now compare it to the memphis public library's home page. after that ratshit graphic of theirs has loaded (it typically takes FOREVER!!) TRY to find a book. i dare you.

and look! it's my new branch library!! they closed the one that i used to walk to in memphis. god, i hate memphis.

in summation, seattle has better everything. even books. 20 days and counting and i'll be on my way.

ring a ding ding!

leff just got us cell phones with seattle numbers! *excited w00tings*

and that's not all! they're camera phones! with video capability! HUZZAH!!! we can moblog the trip to the emerald city! (you know, seattle's nickname? the emerald city?)

(groc may commence making "wizard of oz" jokes......NOW!)

rubba dub dub, there's no leak in my tub!

one month after reporting the VERY large leak (actually a steady stream of water) in our tub, the problem has been fixed!

adios, slum lords! 21 days and counting until i leave this mismanaged shit building behind!

emdot's right!

we WILL be in seattle for bumbershoot!

although whether or not we'll be cognizant at that point remains to be seen!

i'll try though since lemony snicket is playing on saturday (and lots of the rest of the mcsweeny's crew will be there too! sarah vowell i *HEART* you!! you too dave eggars!!) and the brazillian girls are on the lineup for monday!

wow! what fortunate timing on our part! (thanks, emdot!)

seattle eateries

i found a link to the last article penelope corcoran wrote for the seattlepi through seattle bon vivant.

blue c sushi, goldberg's deli (which reminds me! i can eat lox and bagels again!! mmmmmm!! i'm drooling at the thought!), salvadorean bakery (1719 S.W. roxbury st.),seven stars pepper szechuan restaurant (1207 S. jackson st., ste. 211), szechuan noodle bowl (420 eighth ave. S), sahara restaurant (4752 university way N.E.) and taqueria el riconsito (15101 ambaum blvd. S.W) all look really fantastic!

do any of you prior/current seattlites have any recommendations as to your favorite place to chow down? particularly those in the queen anne, freemont, ballard areas with a veggie option available? (although we'll eat anywhere in town! food = good!)

stace-a-roo says there's a really great indian place in queen anne but she can't remember the name. any ideas as to what it might be called? (sorry, i don't even have a street address.)

thanks in advance for any help/suggestions!

i am the flickr princess!

witness my crown of flickring lights!

(god, i need to stop packing boxes......)

prep work

here's some gum porn for your sunday.



(thanks, kk. i'm chewing this stuff nonstop now!)

we've made lots of progress on trip preparation! yesterday we planned our route and leff reserved the moving van and the koa kabins where we'll be staying.

i can hear you. "koa kabin?!?" you protest. calm yousleves, puff pastries! it's all part of the plan. koas are built for rvs. which means that a moving van towing a car will have plenty of room to park. this is not always the case at standard hotels/motels.

also, koas are pet friendly. their only stipulation in their pet clause is that you not bring obnoxious dogs with you. (the regular kind of dogs and cats are fine.)

so what if i have to walk to a different building to shower? it's worth it!

all right, packing to do. more updates as they become available.

SEATTLE, HERE WE COME!!!

warning: caps lock in 3....2....1....*caps lock initiated*

LEFF AND I GOT THE APARTMENT WE WANTED IN SEATTLE!!!!! WE'RE MOVING IN APPROX THREE WEEKS!!!!! I'LL NEVER HAVE TO SEE MEMPHIS AGAIN!!!!! (well, 'cept for when katty kat has her baby, but that's ok.)

*SOUNDS OF CRAZY EXCITEDNESS!!!* *MUCH W00TING!!*

*caps lock complete*

ah, i'm so happy!!

oh, here's another mammal in the high life of mammals series. (i know, it's so stupid, but i need simple diversions like this right now, ok?)

the high life of mammals

leff and i have been watching david attenborough's life of mammals. we just finished disc two of the four disc series.

there is some incredible footage in this documentary. and lots and lots of mammals that i knew nothing about. (particularly those in south america. i'm woefully ignorant about the flora and fauna of south america....)

in my enthusiasm for the series, i've decided to photo plastic mammals living it up. the "high life of mammals", as it were. here's a panda in a swimming pool.



more to come...

GOVERNMENT CHEESE!!

HOLY OF HOLIEST CRAP!!! steffe found a page of government cheese mp3s!!!

gov cheese was a regional band when i was in high school in eastern tn! they broke up and i lost the tape that i had. but now! NOW i can listen to fish stick day and mammaw drives the bus whenever i want to!! w00t!!

thanks, steffe!!

just.... wow...

Just.... wow...
Originally uploaded by Nanimo.

can you believe this?

a froth drawing of kiki from kiki's delivery service!!

i'm in love! with a cup of coffee!

(is that legal in the state of tennessee?)

interestingness

you already know about flickr explore, right?

i don't have to explain interestingness to you? good.

so, you know, head over there. it's where everyone is today.

we're all a bit crosseyed from the image overload.

shrine on you crazy diamond

memphis has more churches than gas stations. that's a fact, turkey treats. i can't make that sort of thing up.

it was inevitable that i'd end up doing something jesusy before i left town. my three options were 1) the al green church 2) the first church of the elvis impersonator or 3) the crystal shrine grotto. (i could also visit the baptist compound but those people scare the, uh, bejesus out of me.)

al green's church is, well, actual church and i'm not having that. (besides, he's not there very often) and, upon further investigation, i found that the first church of the elvis impersonator had closed. (although the shrine is in goner records, a place i would actually recommend visting.)

so i was left with the crystal shrine grotto.

i'd been to this...er, thing, once before with ma famille but i had the flu and a really high fever at the time. (all i could think was "take me HOOME!! STOP!! IT'S ABUSE!!").

this last time, however, was quite enjoyable. leff and i arrived quite early and all was quiet at the cemetary except for the sounds of cicadas and the large machinery digging fresh graves.

no, i'm not kidding.

anyway, here's the outside of the shrine.



doesn't it look remarkably like a termite hill? most of the area called cave hill is landscaped with weird crap like the grotto. even the garbage cans are made to look like cement tree stumps. it's absolutely fascinating.

inside the weirdness continues. the cemetary commissioned several artists to make site specific pieces chronicling the story arc of the jesus fable. here's a photo of one of the last pieces.



and leff has a hysterical movie of the entire interior.

outside of the grotto is a lake (a lot of the koi had died since the last time i'd been there.)and "god's garden". (but, er, you can't climb there.)

the crystal shrine grotto is truly a bizarre place and it's gratis. so if you don't mind cemetaries and can tolerate a bit of campy god stuff, it's a great place to waste a half hour!

did i mention that they have a guest book?