it was kind of a spendthrift month, but I was making tips the whole time (I guess!). Still far from used to living in DC without being austere/ cheap/ homebound. Self-denial and self-restraint coming slightly undone.

'Bout to buy a dozen jeweled Faberg� eggs.

Weird thing: in the past decade three people have said I resembled Liv Tyler, but I didn't think it was a sound comparison at all. The people were all customers from my old restaurant or fellow (drunk) bar patrons, and all were Asian or Asian-American men, for race box survey reference. Then Lamar, the nice manager at my job now, said that immediately upon meeting me. I was still like, huh. But THENNNN on Saturday morning, I glanced at the cover of 'Empire Records'*, looked down at myself, and realized I was wearing nearly the same outfit as her in the cover image. (A longer sweater and with stockings, but same idea.) And then there's the last name (of her character) thing. Has this been in my subconscious for the past 9-ish years (of wearing pleated skirts by choice)?

I remembered watching the movie in 1996, at Marisa's house -- how we all ripped on the lame-o song they sing at the end, how I imagined myself to be secretly tuffff like Robin Tunney character (even though I was more like the Debi Mazar character before she does anything of importance, e.g. agreeable, forgettable, and on the outside of the group), and how she and Caity hated on both Liv Tyler character and Renee Zellweger character for being short-skirt sluttay. I must have hated on it too, but the inner feelings I remember are more just wanting to identify... or have access to a record store CD inventory... or to be acerbic tuff and caustic-tongued...

* = Blockbuster going-out-of-business sale in Delaware, 2012. Dirty/dull DVDs done dirt cheap.