The past year or so, big changes have been afoot in the area around my alma mater. I never even knew until I saw in the local paper that "The Flying Tomato" (I can never think of it as JUST The Tomato, as its been known for the past decade or so....it's a habit.) was having to close.

UNT, in Denton, Texas, is famous for its music school, its art school, Mean Joe Green, Phyllis George, Larry McMurtry, Norah Jones, Don Henley...and other talented folks.

I spent a good portion of my life here, from 1984 through 1987, and then I returned from 1994 through 1998, when I finally graduated (I was on the 7 year hiatus plan). My days were full of studying, a pop into the Sound Warehouse in 85 for the edgiest in New Wave vinyl, coffee drinking, hanging with friends, beers and darts at Riprocks or Cool Beans, consuming a quick slice before class, chilling with a Bailey's on the Rocks on the roof of Cool Beans absorbing Renaissance architecture before my next test, or enjoying the wacky Denton musical scene at Fry Street Fair. Fry Street Fair is now a piece of history. The founders are not continuing it.

Recently, a prick developer from Houston purchased the historic properties at the main intersection of town, and is intent on tearing them down, one by one. He bought them, he has already torn down Mr. Chopsticks (the spot for a killer bowl of chicken rice soup on a cold day), and now he's getting rid of The Tomato (a landmark since the early 80s) and multiple other businesses in that block.

Anyone who has attended school here knows and loves the corner of Hickory and Fry. Say goodbye folks. It's going going gone. And I couldn't be more depressed. So many memories, so much history, so much amazing culture (buildings are from the 1920s)....and they are being razed for more Starbucks and other corporate crap.

The students attending UNT from now on will never know the funky, quirkyness of Hickory and Fry ever again.

Pictures of what we're losing:
http://www.savefrystreet.com/photos/main.p...

get some fatigues from the military surplus store, and dress them up with little wings that you decorate with yellow mirabou feathers.

Our own TexasThoughtCriminal did this for our party back in '04 and carried it off just swimmingly!

Well, I hate to do it, but reprehensor and I are going to have to cancel the party this year.

As you know, my health took a turn for the worse last year with the MS diagnosis, and the last few weeks have been difficult ones for me. I seem to be having an exacerbation, which has caused a lot of dizziness and achy neck problems. (Imagine Stevie Wonder waving his neck as he talks-- that's what it feels like inside my head a good deal of the time now)

I'd been trying to see if I could ride out the problems, but I have had virtually no energy to do anything the last few weeks, from housecleaning to cooking to anything else. I'm lucky just to get to work and home every day with a long nap to see me through.

I'm sorry ya'll, but I wanted to give everyone a chance to find an alternate party to attend if you get any invitations.


Your sad former Ghoulapalooza hosts,
fsc and reprehensor

And I love it!

I was wasting away at my old one, stuck in a stupid department hierarchy and HATING life.

Them laying me off was the best thing that ever happened to me.

At this new place, I am the lone writer, and I've been handed a batch of awful documentation that I get to make pretty. This process will take a LONG time.

That's why I've been so scarce the last week or so...


fsc

So once again, thanks to all the DUers who made the party such a raging success!

This year's was even better than last year's!

Outdoors:
The graveyard (made better this year by solar lanterns on the tombstones, and strategically aimed flashlights!)


Barlow, our vampire.


Our front porch (unfortunately, it was too dark at night- had to wait until morning for a good shot)


The back gate:


Indoors:
Fud--




Close-up of the cake




The lovely YellowDoginTexas with Fargo the Hellhound


The "outed CIA Agent"


Vlad the Impaler, Frida, and a referee


YellowDog (the voodoo priestess), ginbarn (Katherine Harris), and derby378 (Tom DeLay)


reprehensor (Ash from Evil Dead)


me


Wish we'd gotten pics of everyone, but we were busy socializing!

fsc

Yes, it's true. I made it through 5 years of uncertainty at my job, and got laid off very spur of the moment today.

You know what? I'M ECSTATIC!

I've been utterly, completely miserable at this job for at least a year...waking up in the morning was a drudge, I hated my life, I hated my boss, I hated most of my coworkers (fundies and Bushies, most of them), the MS was starting to take its toll on my mental faculties for such a technical job, I creid constantly, and I was hating life. PERIOD.

2 Fridays ago, I was really glad I had no sleeping pills in the house. Because I would not be here right now. reprehensor was at his wit's end, begging me to get on some anti-depressants. I don't need them now.

This is the best thing that could have happened to me. They eliminated my position, so I get full benefits, severance, continuation of coverage, the whole shebang!

When my boss told me it was effective immediately, it was all I could do not to jump to my feet, yell "HELL YEAH!" and hug her. I was like, "You mean I can leave her right now and go play today?"

I haven't completely lost it. I know I'll begin looking for a job soon(there's a non-profit training program I want to take some classes in); but this unscheduled little break is going to do me a world of psychological good.

Thanks to my wonderful aunt, who left me a goodly sum in her will recently, we were able to pay off all of our credit cards, and all but about $3000 on our car (it's a 2003 Honda Civic). So we're doing OK.

I get to sleep in tomorrow!
FSC

PS- Sorry for the copycat, Priyanka-- it just fit!

on our first anniversary at a fu-fu wine tasting dinner at the Hotel St. Germaine in Dallas. (July 2001)



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I can never be without a Pyr again. Fargo is cuddly, and goofy, and an amazing watchdog. NOTHING happens in the immediate vicinity of our house without him knowing about it.

He's also a good latchkey dog. He can hang out all day waiting for his people to get home and not stress about it too much.

I adore my baby.
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Bathing Beauty Fudge about 67 or 68.