We tried to keep the rest of the weekend pretty chill after yet another whirlwind Philly trip on Saturday. Chooch, we love you, but that drive is so B O R I N G. Most of Sunday was pretty boring and lowkey — I went on walks and then conned Henry into starting an exercise program with me. Then that night, we walked to the Hollywood Theater down the street to finally see Teenage Sex & Death at Camp Miasma!

It was SO GOOD. But first, can I just say that I love supporting local independent theaters and I think that the Rowhouse has really made the Hollywood shine but it is so annoying every time we go there because there is only one person checking tickets and then that same person handles concessions and I don’t know what I’m in such a hurry for but it’s so annoying. This night was especially annoying because we were behind some broad who was having issues and then had questions and then was indecisive, all of these things. I think what it all boils down to is that I hate standing in line and it’s kind of like, what is the point of buying tickets online if I still have to stand in line.

Please  work this out, Hollywood.

I tried to go into this as blind as possible and really only knew that the scenery was painted and knowing this changed my whole perspective. I actually got so teared up over how beautiful it was. I also LOVED the campy, over-the-top kill effects and the lowkey humor.

The only thing I didn’t like was Henry’s heavy breathing! I was calling him Little Death all night.

So good. 2026 has been such a banner year for horror, I can’t believe how many amazing – and wildly different – options we’ve had this year! I think Obsession is still the one that genuinely scared me the most and got under my skin to the point where I don’t think I will ever watch it again (and I mean that in the best way ever).

The next day, I wanted tofu banh mi for lunch for we went to Meet Pho in Oakland.

STOP LOOKING AT MY BLUE COCONUT LATTE, YOU PERV!!!!

LOL, this was a gift for Chooch.

Also, my banh mi was quite satisfying.

Henry got vegan pho and said, “It was good.” I only just asked him now, three days later, because I forgot to ask him then (see also: I didn’t care if his was good because I was too busy beasting my banh mi.)

I was trying to take a picture of the place because it was so cute but Henry ruined it by standing up at the exact same moment. Idiot.

Then we did my favorite activity: post-meal walk-about. Luckily, Oakland is a great place to walk. I was feeling oddly sentimental about the Cathedral of Learning. I didn’t enjoy most of my time at Pitt but I truly did like being in the Cathedral. So any class that wasn’t in the Cathedral was immediately the worst class ever.

I think that Philadelphia is a better city than Pittsburgh in terms of things to do but Oakland as a campus is superior to University City. Sorry Drexel and UPenn but you guys don’t have Cathy up there.

A red door that I liked.

I was telling Henry all of my favorite things about the Cathedral like it was our first date and he didn’t live through the Pitt years with me. Sometimes I can’t tell if he legit can’t remember or if he’s just indulging me, but I always 100% know that I am regurgitating stories and NOTHING CAN STOP MEEEEE.

In other Labor Day News, one of the Sleazy Femme Film Fest filmmakers followed me on Instagram! It made me so happy because her short (Filth Eater) was insanely captivating. And then I saw on their Instagram that they took a picture of the crowd (I must have known because I look prepared??) and I had to screenshot it because it shows how genuinely happy I am when I’m at the Glitterbox. I have spent the last decade or so feeling lost when it comes to community and even though I have only just started going to events here, I feel so comfortable here.

Screenshot

I also love that Henry got cut out of the picture because usually when group photos at events happen, I’m the one who doesn’t make it in! Usually someone moves and blocks me with their head. :( But anyway, this is me in my happy place so now you know :)

Speaking of Glitterbox, there is an event there that I want to go on Saturday if we get back from NJ in time!

We had to go to Henry’s work today to get our car so we could take our rental truck back, etc etc no one cares. But immediately, I cried, “I NEED to take a picture of you posing with the Faygo truck” which turned into several poses much to Henry’s chagrin. You can almost the live version of these photos with him grumbling, “AW COME ON!!”

Anyway, we’re about to watch a move at The Hollywood now so ciao for now

This Saturday is so annoying already. FIRST! I had an 8AM appt at LabCorp for my annual blood draw for work (incentive to get premium health insurance at the lower rate or something; I can’t remember but I know there is a reason I have to do this every year along with pretending to watch health videos and then taking the pop quiz at the end).

So, typically I would go to this one LabCorp much closer to my house. I’d schedule the first appt of the day (usually 7am) so that I could beat morning rush hour and still have plenty of morning time left before logging on to work. But the last 3 years, there has been this AWFUL ginger bitch there. Late 20s maybe, super asshole demeanor, 0 personality. Last year, I was so fed up with her that I left a scathing review.

Then I was like, “Oh shit, now I need to go to a different LabCorp.”

Luckily, I found one that’s not TOO much of a drive and they have Saturday hours! So I scheduled that for today and Henry said he would drive me so that we could get breakfast afterward since I always fast for these things and act like I’m going to pass out.

But then we forgot that it’s also the stupid race that goes past my house this morning! They always block the roads off but we left early enough that it wasn’t an issue—-until we got about a street away from home and I realized I left my stupid lab sheet here so we had to turn around and in that short amount of time, A COP HAD ARRIVED TO BLOCK OFF OUR STREET. Henry just drove around him but even that was enough to piss me off and I muttered, “Asshole” as we drove by.

So then we get there and I’m maybe 10 minutes early, yay maybe they’ll take me back early an a reward. SOMETIMES THAT HAPPENS. But not today! There were already three other people in the waiting room. One of them was sitting on a bench right up against the check-in kiosk and I was like, “Srsly” because there was an entire room of empty chairs but yes please sit in the most inconvenient spot for everyone entering. Even better was that it didn’t recognize my ID for some reason so I had to MANUALLY check in with my arm pit hovering over this bitch’s head because WHY ARE YOU SITTING HERE WHERE PEOPLE NEED TO CHECK IN, YOU STUPID FUCKING IDIOT.

Oh I was ready to go through the roof.

Then!! I sat down and immediately realized how deathly quiet it was in there—no waiting room music was playing, are you kidding me?! Where’s my Richard Marx and Phil Collins?! GINO VANELLI?

Because it was so quiet, I immediately homed in on the guy across the room who was bring so wetly that I started to squeeze my hands into fists. Literally, he was being SO performative with his breathing like he wanted to remind us all that he had been sitting for a while. Then at one point, he made a big production of stretching and then whipping his head back in slumber?! Buddy, please.

Finally, a patient emerged with his arm all gauzed-up and said, “She’s getting there, guys!”

WTF does that mean.

Shortly after that, the oldest working phlebotomist cracked the door and called back the next patient. Shit. This was definitely going too take a while.

I finally got called back around 8:15, so not overly outrageous, but when I say that this could have been Henry’s mom about to draw my blood, I am not being even a little facetious. She looked WELL past retirement age, all hunched over and wearing gigantic glasses. I was very scared.

So, when you’re getting blood drawn pretty much the last thing you want to hear after the needle goes in is the phlebotomist making an “oh shit” gasp.

“…is everything OK?” I whispered.

“Yeah, um…can you just straighten your arm a little more? I lost the vein.”

“……..”

“Does that happen to you a lot?” she asked.

“Um, no, not that I know of,” I chirped like a doomed bird on the edge of a predator’s jaw. “Do you need to start over?” I suggested, looking at the opposite wall while noticing with alarm what felt like a fishing expedition going on inside of the crook of my arm.

“Uh….no. Nope, I got it. We’re good.”

BRO. It’s been hours and I cannot unbend my arm. I’m walking around like it’s in an invisible sling, I am so wounded.

Henry thinks this is all so amazing and asked me after I got back into the car if perhaps I was leaving an acting class and not actually getting blood drawn I guess because of the way I was staggering toward the car, one arm outstretched, swaying from blood loss, like a Final Girl. Wow, ok, thanks for your support.

Honestly this is only several notches down from the CHAINSAW INCIDENT OF 2022.

Then we went down the street to Our Little Secret Cafe which has been there for years but for some reason I thought it was only catering and also it used to be what Lisa and I lovingly called HOME COOKIN’ and I haven’t wanted to go back since that version of it closed IF WE’RE BEING HONEST.

(It was actually called Russitano’s Diner but there was a sign under it that advertised “home cookin'” and for years that is what we thought it was actually called and refused to change our ways even after learning the TRUTH.)

They brought us out a “nipple board” to enjoy while waiting for our breakfast, which I thought was fucking adorable.

OK, calm down.

My favorite part of the experience was when an older gentleman in the booth behind Henry got up and started rummaging through the jelly on the empty table next to ours. “You guys don’t happen to have strawberry over on your table, do you?” he asked, and Henry ONLY GLANCED at the two that were sitting on top and said NO.

I was like, “You dumb bitch, you didn’t even look at what was underneath!” so I started rummaging through all of them and FOUND ONE which I promptly took over to the guy’s booth and his whole breakfast party was like, “OMG THANK YOU. YOU MADE HIS DAY!” and it was so funny—A REAL FEEL GOOD MOMENT that Hallmark is welcome to purchase the rights from me if they knew what was good for them—but the best part was that HENRY didn’t get to be the hero for once. It was me, precious little angel baby ERIN.

SUCK.

IT.

My avocado toast was OK.

Overall, it was a great experience until someone’s fucking idiot bitch baby started SHRIEKING and they did NOTHING about it. Like, take that fucker outside! Some of us have just had a traumatic blood letting experience!!!!

Afterward, we walked over to Michaels: boring.

Then Fresh Thyme. I RARELY go grocery shopping with Henry so I had to spend a lot of time perusing all the new-to-me fancy teas and cold brews and health drinks in the cooler by the door and Henry was like, “Yeah you can tell you don’t come here often” every time I’d coo, “Ooooh, what’s THAT?” Flashy packaging will get me every time. He spent probably double what he normally would because of all the excess PRETTY COLORS stuff I threw into the cart like some blood orange drink that I got solely for the reason that the Luna Park face is on the can.

Last stop: Petsmart to procure picky Penelope pâté.

COULD NOT PASS UP THAT ALLITERATION OPPORTUNITY.

Well, that was all before 11am. Hopefully my weekend gets more exciting, lol.

JFC as if I wasn’t tired enough this week, Henry and I went to see The Odyssey tonight at the Hollywood, god forbid not in elite cinephile IMAX 70mm. Peasants that we are. 

Guys I’m gonna be real. Yes, I’m familiar with The Odyssey for gods sake. So yes I “understood” what was going on. But I thought the movie itself was pretty overhyped THERE I SAID IT. 

I gave it a 4 overall and Tom Holland grew on me by the end, Matt Damon is always amazing in my book, Mia Goth was a pleasant surprise, god bless the CONTROVERSIAL CASTING that had conservatives, racists and bigots qtipping their dick holes, love Zendaya and Elliott Page forever, sincerely can’t stand Anne Hathaway and think she’s so basic, hated that they said “mom” and “dad” and some of the acting in general just felt cheesy. 

I’m being real here. I liked it and I was all in near the end, but I will never watch it again. 

Shifting back to cafes from breweries was such a good move. There is just something that’s so much more fulfilling about stopping into a cafe for a drink and a sweet treat, and then walking around the neighborhood. And Sunday was the perfect day for this – the heatwave had finally broken and it was so perfectly summer. I was able to walk full blocks without my face glazing over with a protective oil sheath.

We initially planned on only going to Sidecar in Oakland. It was a good pick – the barista was so friendly and even though the place was kind of crowded (this usually deters me, I’m so averse to crowds in small spaces, I mean, what sane person wouldn’t be) but he made me feel relaxed and not rushed. I got an iced maple latte and it was perfecto, but the scene stealer of the day was the slice of vinegar pie that Henry and I shared.

Holy shit, why didn’t we each get our own slice?! Ugh, it was so good but I wanted it all for myself. The top crust was so sweet and crispy, like a brittle.

I took one with my phone too because I wanted to have a back-up in case the Charmera version was shit. (It’s hard to tell in the little screen!)

After I ordered this for us, I noticed that there was an entire case of other baked goods and pies that we could have chosen from UGH. Oh well, just another reason to go back!

I don’t know why he looks at me like this—he’s the one who bought me this camera! HE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN IT WOULD BE JUST ANOTHER ANNOYING ACCESSORY TO MY ALREADY ANNOYING PERSON.

The Charmera is very fickle. You have to take the picture and then hold the camera still for an additional second or else you get the above result. I know this too but when I’m taking pictures that have people in it, I get into super stealth mode by default and end up rushing it.

Another comparison between iPhone and the Charmera. The Charmera is definitely not for perfectionists! You have to go into this understanding that the shots you get are going to look like you used a webcam from 1995.

Afterward, we walked around a little while I, FULL DISCLOSURE, cried and whined about wanting to see The Home Team but the problem is that when their tour lands in Pittsburgh, we will be in Chicago for Riot Fest. At first, I was mature about it and said to myself, “Erin, it’s OK. You’re an adult. This is not something to be upset over. You can see them another time.”

LOL yeah right.

Instead, I ended up making myself go from “casual fan” to “SUPER FUCKING SASAENG” (OK, we’re not quite at sasaeng levels, I only know the name of the singer and nothing else!) which turned into coming up with the genius solution of just picking a different tour date to see them. I settled on Columbus, which is smack in the middle of the week in September, right after we come back from seeing BIGBANG in New Jersey, and right before we leave for Chicago for Riot Fest.

Henry was like, “Yeah, that’s going to be a big fat no. Sorry.”

But was he sorry? Was he really?

Anyway, then we drove to Shadyside because I wanted to go to Kawaii Gifts for stationary stuff for my journal lol.

Pissed that this came out blurry but it’s Henry surrounded by Kpop albums at Kawaii Gifts. Two things here:

• they were doing a V8 (Vernon + The 8 from Seventeen!) pop-up event on 7/3 and 7/5 but completely sold out on 7/3 and I was sad because I had planned on going on Sunday since my Friday in the boiling tundra of downtown left me completely zapped of energy!
• now I can’t remember what the second thing was going to be.

Then we went to Kards Unlimited – Henry’s suggestion, probably because he was stalling the inevitable chores that awaited him at home. Walking around Walnut Street brought back a surge of bad memories though, out of nowhere, totally kapchugi, about the time way back in probably 2002 or 2003 when I thought I was positively rolling in the dough with those tightwads at Weiss Meats gave me a Christmas bonus. It was probably like $150, maybe $200 and I stupidly thought this was good. Anyway, I remember going to Walnut Street with Henry that December so I could get my friends “nice presents.” I got my ex-friend Keri some really nice soap and lotion from L’Occitane–it was $$$ for a measly office manager in the early 2000s—and her response was to comment on how she didn’t like how it smelled.

Anyway, L’Occitane is still there as a brick and mortar and obviously people like it because everything is still $$$ so fuck off.

< insert more pouty lips and whining about wanting to see The Home Team in Columbus >

Oh, yeah. Kards Unlimited. Great store as always but there was a group of the most annoying young 20s people (I can’t keep up with the generation names) in there acting like it was their fucking house and they were the only motherfuckers in the joint. I was extremely annoyed. By this point, we had been out in public for over 2 hours and my threshold is usually less than that. I turned down another aisle and there were more loud assholes screaming like banshees at each other even though they were standing RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER and by this point, I was morphing into one of those middle-aged hags that mutters obscenities and threats toward people who are within earshot. Finally I was like, just get me out of here.

Later, we passed BOTH GROUPS on the sidewalk–they had reconvened outside of the store to merge into one large dominating glob of ignorance and I said loudly to Henry, “Oh, I should have GUESSED they were all together.” My inner curmudgeon comes out if I’m not kept well hydrated and fed. I should have had my own slice of pie.

Since we were there, we stopped into Heat Check, which is affiliated sort of with one of the cafes I went to on Friday (The Boredom Set). It’s a vintage + local artisan shop that also has their own cafe powered by The Boredom Set.

“Be prepared to feel out of place and surrounded by Blakes,” I told Henry as we walked up the steps to the second floor. This means nothing to you but the only way I could explain The Boredom Set to Henry was that, after perusing their Insta and seeing the guy who runs it, it just seemed like it was made for the “Blake demographic.” Like, hipster adjacents who wear Carhartt and like sad boi music. I can’t explain it and I’m getting worse at generalizing and categorizing people as I age, I have noticed. But when we walked in, Henry was like, “Oh.” And I think that meant he understood.

All of their denim jackets were like $90 but I wanted one, ugh.

Henry seemed not too annoyed by this place, and then some REALLY LAME OLD PEOPLE came in and suddenly we weren’t the outliers like I had anticipated.

LOL L’Occitane!

I got a cold brew with cornbread cold foam and Henry got the iced banana milk latte. I tried his and can confirm that the matcha version I had on Friday was much more delectable. Banana and matcha just somehow really works.

We looked to see if they had any vintage Seahawks shirts for Chooch with no success.

Then we walked to Jitters because Henry wanted a snickerdoodle but they were all out so he turned and left without asking me if I wanted a cookie?! I mean, there were other cookies in the case! I actually didn’t need a cookie but it felt like a prime opportunity to transform my already pouty attitude into a full-blown tantrum. Then it started raining on us as we walked back to the car so that was very apropos.

(J/K, I didn’t really fully tantrum but I was definitely getting hangry and needed real food not more sugar.)

I did cry about The Home Team the whole way home, though.

But bro, seriously, this song broke me:

Overall, a good Sunday!

Here’s a photo of one of my Buddys from over the weekend. My current favorite thing lately is how Penelope and Buddy will eat “together” in the mornings – Buddy sits on the windowsill eating his walnuts and I put Penelope’s food on the clown buffet, where she can be found most mornings protecting the house from the birds. Anyway, it’s the sweetest thing and it’s actually encouraging her to eat more too, when she sees Buddy eating.

Today, Buddy was impatiently trying to get my attention because he needed a refill so he was climbing up on the window screen and hanging there, looking in the house for me. Penelope sniffed his foot through the screen!

Anyway. This is one of the little joys I have in life right now.

Also #TeamBelgium!!

This is so pathetic but I logged off work today and felt so excited because I have the day off tomorrow and Henry doesn’t so you know what I decided to do?? I’m taking myself on a solo date downtown tomorrow! We’re going to two cafes, taking some pics with the Charmeras (YES PLURAL BECAUSE I HAVE TWO NOW REMEMBER), reading a book, maybe journaling!? I’ll bring it just in case. I am so obsessed with my journal but also very particular about what goes in it.

For instance, I didn’t have any ephemera from Kennywood last week so I was going to just not do a page for that but then I was like NO I WILL DRAW A GOLDEN NUGGET CONE:

Bro, I’m so obsessed with my journal that I even brought it to therapy to show my only friend I mean my therapist. (I am trying to 86 the self-deprecation but this was bred into me so you’ll understand that I am having a hard time kicking the habit. Quitting cigarettes was easier.)

I think I spent so much of my life thinking that I needed BIG EVENTS to look forward to, like big vacations or whatever, but in my older age I am really leaning into the small things and it is really helping to mellow me out I think. I’m stoked to just go see a movie now.

And in that same vein, I’ve been having fun finding fun things to fill my calendar with! For instance, Henry and I are going back to Glitterbox on Tuesday to see some clown from Philly? I don’t really know what it is but I saw “clown” and bought tickets.

We also have two concerts next week: the Summer School tour with HONEY REVENGE (so amped to see them again!) and then the next night is Armor For Sleep! I haven’t seen them since they did their 10 year anniversary tour for What To Do When You Are Dead (I saw that in Philly – two Philly mentions, one post! – with Terri. Really miss her). I had tickets to see them in 2020 and it was canceled obviously and then I couldn’t go to the rescheduled show so I am DUE to see them.

So far in August, we only have one concert (Royal Coda) but September is stacked with BIGBANG, Riot Fest, Four Chord, and OH YEAH THE BLACK QUEEN IS DOING A SECOND HALF OF THEIR FEVER DAYDREAM TOUR AND PITTSBURGH WAS INCLUDED! So, had to do it!

I’m excited to get a second chance to see them where I can be more calm and relaxed!!

But back to this un-holiday weekend, I don’t know what else is planned other than I NEED TO GET ICE CREAM AT SOME POINT. Just a casual reminder that it’s been in the high 90s this week and we don’t have central air in our shanty. Thank god for the A/C in the bedrooms but second casual reminder that I work from the dining room which is basically like sitting in front of an open oven turned on high.

I’m trying to get Henry to build an inground swimming pool for the squirrels. If he doesn’t then I’m just going to use one of his mixing bowls or something from his overflowing kitchen supplies as an above-ground pool for them.

They were like “dafuq this bitch up to NOW” when I popped out the front door aiming my Charmera at them.

OH! Speaking of Charmera, I watched a video on modding them with phone lenses and I am about to order a lens kit and do that shit! FUCK I love these idiot bitch cameras.

Can’t stand Kelly Clarkson (has nothing to do with her singing but I HATE THE WAY SHE INTERVIEWS PEOPLE AND FUCKING CUTS THEM OFF CONSTANTLY LIKE SHUT YOUR FUCKING BORING ASS MOUTH FOR A SECOND, GOOD LORD) but this ATEEZ performance is SO GOOD. I really love this comeback a lot.

In other Kpop news, someone on Threads mentioned that there is a V8 pop-up in Pgh tomorrow and I was like HELLO WHERE so hopefully they answer me because I want to go. I miss Seventeen so much.

Also, Anthrocon is happening this weekend so hopefully I have some pure run-ins with some furries during my walk tomorrow! I don’t ALWAYS miss working in the office but I do miss being downtown for this every year. Sometimes Pittsburgh is pretty cool.

Well guys, my you could bake muffins on my skin right now, I am radiating so much heat just by sitting here. So, I’m going to go lay in my air-conditioned room and stare at the ceiling until I pass out.  Anyway, let’s all collectively put our best most positive thoughts in the PLEASE LET 4TH OF THE JULY BE THE DAY OF THE GREATEST OBITUARY pot. I will fucking hang up an American flag outside my house for the first time ever.

It’s been two years today since Drew died. JFC I really miss her so much. Time is not doing too much to make this hurt less.

8:03am: Just left to return Professor Pout to Philly :( He’s mad because there’s too much weight in the back of the car so we can’t take his bike back with us or something, whatever lame excuse Henry gave him in order to not have to deal with it.

He has literal boxes of DVDs that my mom gave him that he’s taking back with him because he collects DVDs now I guess. Here is a picture of him scanning them all last night – he made some QR code scanner thing so he could scan each one straight into an Excel spreadsheet that can be imported into Letterboxd. Or something. As soon as he started talking about code I shut down.

This week went by so fast. :(

Here’s another picture from yesterday. We had lunch at Mintt and made fun of Henry the whole time. A little slice of normalcy :(

(Or “Borlaug” which js what my phone kept trying to turn “normalcy” into.)

9:11am:

Minecraft pillow from the Children’s Hospital charity walk lol.

9:38am: Kpop Dad Observation: “they have enough songs about ice cream and lemonade.”

11:18am: Listening to Downtown Battle Mountain and feeling some type of way. :( Henry said it makes him feel nothing. No surprise there!!

12:35pm: if Henry didn’t have to stop at EVERY REST STOP TO PEE we would probably be there by now. He forced Chooch to get gas while he goes inside to pee and Chooch is so irritated.

1:52pm: after a weird subway ride, we made it to Silk City and then some old bitch swiped our booth so now we’re waiting. She and her husband said they were going to sit at the counter so the hostess gave them menus to take into the diner part of the place after checking to make sure there was a booth for us, and then when she came back out to get us, that old bitch took the only empty booth AND was bitching to her husband about how she said she didn’t want the drink menus “BUT SHE STILL GAVE THEN TO US,” she spat. What a miserable cow.

The hostess was like, “oh…” when she realized what happened. I don’t mind waiting bc we had a reservation for 2pm anyway and I don’t want to sit outside because it’s hot!

Anyway, here’s a picture from the last time I was here in 1998!

And today!

The bitch is behind him!!

2:54pm: Silk City photo dump!

My vegan breakfast sandwich was really good! Chooch had bananas foster French toast and Happy Father’s Day Man had birria hash.

Special shout out to the hostess there who really went beyond to make sure we were seated quickly and where we wanted to be sat. She was really nice and Henry said he wished he could have tipped her instead of our server but I was like HEY NOW because she was awesome too!!

The bathroom mirror made me feel like I was in a Deeelite video. Also, the floor had a healthy layer of still water on it.

3:07pm: now we’re back on dumb Septa going to Milk jawn and Chooch is being a baby because HE DOESNT WANT ICE CREAM.

Here’s Henry on the way to Spring Garden station after lunch:

LOL. Pretzel Man

Septa fun.

I loved these neon pillar things!

3:53pm: Made it to Milk Jawn!

Vegan earl Grey honeycomb photo series.

Henry got strawberry rhubarb or something, I don’t know. And then Mr. My Parents Force Me To Get Ice Cream got himself a whole pint of vegan mint stracciatella which meant we couldn’t walk back to Drexel like I wanted to because his stupid pint would melt!!

4:38pm: we’re sitting outside of Chooch’s place now waiting for him to answer us because he left his mustard and Carrot Crocs in the car and apparently HE DOESNT WANT THEM.

OMG we just a skateboarding crew and one of them almost fell down the subway steps but caught himself as his skateboard went all the way down. All his friends were like o.O and he was nervously laughing and saying “hoo!!! Hoo!!” You had to be there I guess.

5:00pm: Thoughts on the day: it was a lot of fun traveling around Philly and we were all in a good mood (well, Chooch was neutral) so I feel really happy right now but also sad because we won’t see Chooch until the end of July :(

Also, I took a lot of pictures with my Kodak Charmera so I’m excited to get home and put them on my laptop to see how they turned out. I love that idiot camera. I told Henry today that it’s the best thing he’s ever bought me and he was like “wow.”

8:11pm: bro, Henry made me drive for an hour and he was sleeping so soundly (an anomaly) that I was panicking, trying to feel his stomach moving and eventually resorting to sticker my hand under his nose to feel his breath. I was SCARED. (He’s alive and driving again, fear not.)

Aside from that, I felt really happy today.

9:37pm: just so you know, when I was driving, this was our ETA. Then Henry took over and now our ETA is 10. We could be home right now.

Anyway, I’m signing off.

I was going to finally recap the Dance Gavin Dance show tonight but, for the SECOND THURSDAY IN A ROW, our electricity was out. This time from 1:30 – 6:30 and it was because a utility pole was on fire (thanks CrimeRadar app). I had to work from my phone’s hotspot and I hate that, hate working from just that tiny work laptop but whatever. I was in a mood most of the afternoon and evening.

At 7pm, I had a Zoom check in with my dietician Amanda. Right away she goes to me, “Are….you wearing a Dance Gavin Dance shirt?!”

I said, “YES?! YOU KNOW THEM??”

And she said they’re her favorite band!! I was like OMG GIRL and that totally derailed any nutrition talk for a good fifteen minutes. We talked about Jonny, Kurt, how Tillian became our favorite but goddamn him for what he did, she asked how Andrew was and I was like, “Fine,” delivered on a sigh.

I told her about seeing Kurt at a house show and she told me she went to the 2018 warped tour just for DGD (same!!) and we were just so shocked that we were having this conversation. “No one knows DGD outside of my friend group!” she cried to which I said “well none of my friends like them so this is the most I’ve gotten to talk about them maybe ever!”

Just so crazy. The two ppl in my life I have the most in common with are people I pay to talk to. What even is my life.

This week with Chooch feels like it has been slipping through my fingers and I hate it :( We haven’t done anything super major, just hanging out and getting on each others nerves so it feels like everything is back to normal, even if it’s short-lived.

Monday night, he went to the movies alone (he is a true cinephile, you guys, it’s crazy but also very cool) and saw the AMC “Screen Unseen” which was some army movie that I have never heard of and he hated it. Then his friends Isai and Zakk came over to play board games in the attic and that felt like old times too but HOW ARE THESE KIDS TWENTY YEARS OLD NOW. Sickening!!!

Last night, Chooch and I watched Bugonia at home and that was fun to get to watch something with him since he’s Mr. Movie.

Speaking of!! When Henry and I were at one of the antique shops on Memorial Day, I saw a bunch of laser discs and out of curiosity, looked up The Lost Boys laser discs on eBay. I found a Japanese import and was like, “Well, I guess I collect laser discs now.” It arrived yesterday and I love it so much! I specifically went with the Japanese import because the cover image is different than the US one and I wanted it.

I don’t know what to do with it just yet but I’ll figure something out!

In other non-movie news, I had therapy yesterday which was good because I have been very fired up about my white trash neighbor fighting with his ex in the front yard on Monday. Henry and I went for a walk later that night and my chest was TIGHT from all stress and anger I was feeling, and I just kept doing that cyclical I HATE MEN rant I do every time I witness an injustice toward the female kind, which is exactly what was happening that day. I hate this man SO MUCH. Henry was like, “There are two sides—” and I was like, “Imma stop you right there, cis white male…” because I watched that piece of shit come at her from the back and push her hard enough that he knocked her headphones off her head.

The way I was so ready to come tearing through the screen of the front door like the Kool-Aid Man, but Erin-shaped and way less jolly and sweet!!!! Henry grabbed my arm (gently, he’s not a brute like that WHITE TRASH SON OF SLUMLORD) and quietly said, “Let it go, don’t get involved.”

And I know that was the right thing to do because just yesterday morning, I glanced at the kitchen Echo and saw the headline “Man shot downtown trying to stop a dispute.” It’s always the third party. I did journal a little bit that night though and I will tell you — there really is something very therapeutic about the sound of scissors on paper and using a glue stick. I was sitting here with all my journaling accoutrement spread out around me when Chooch came home from the movie and rolled his eyes at me. :)

Anyway, as I was saying, it was good that I had therapy the very next day because we spent almost the entire session talking about it, how it triggered my manager parts (I think — I get the “parts” mixed up ALL THE TIME but I will tell you that we named one of my parts “The Brat” and another “Noonchi” lol) and took me right back. to when I was dating Psycho Mike and being abused in a plethora of creative ways that didn’t leave physical marks but have stuck with me for 30 years.

She asked, “Did it make you feel like it was happening to you?” and I was like, “You know what? Yes. That’s exactly how I was feeling, like I was watching it happen to myself all over again and I wanted to save her.”

Man, yesterday was a great reminder that it’s never too late to start therapy, even if you think you’re “over” the trauma from childhood, teenage years, your first real job.

It was also fun because I had just gone to see Dance Gavin Dance and just a reminder that my therapist is also a Warped Tour girlie so she knows about all of this stuff and we usually spend a chunk of time fan-girding over music, so when she was like, “I know DGD but not very much about their past” so I was like, “OK WELL THEY STARTED OUT WITH JONNY CRAIG—-” and boiii let me tell you how satisfying it is to pretend like I’m a Professor of Post-Hardcore with someone who willingly signed up for my class.

Except I’m paying her.

LOL.

“I just saw something about Craig Owens and Jonny Craig talking about getting a band back together or something…” she said, and I practically screamed, “ISLES AND GLACIERS! I don’t think it’s really going to happen though because they’d need to get Vic Fuentes to sign on and Pierce the Veil has gotten way too successful for him to risk associating with Jonny Craig again.”

Breathe, Erin, breathe.

Well, that’s my mid-week check-in. I still need to recap the DGD show from Sunday—I have big feeling about that and need to collect my thoughts. Now I think I’m going to go and watch Scream because I just finished reading some behind the scenes book about the Scream franchise and I am feeling very inspired to rewatch them all. (I actually have only seen 1-3 and 6 if you can believe that!!)

Yay yay yay! We picked Chooch up from the train station around 9:45PM on Saturday. Of course, he was like, “Cool mm” as soon as he got in the car and then threw a bag at me.

He was super pissed because he said it was in pristine condition the entire way, and then as soon as he went to get off the train, he crushed it with his suitcase. IT’S THE THOUGHT THAT COUNTS THOUGH! I’m going to cut them out and put it in my journal <3

Please excuse the messy table. Penelope is going through a weird eating phase and prefers her treats to be placed on this emo activity book. At least she remembered Chooch though! Even with his long, floppy hair helmet. (It’s getting cut tomorrow! He refuses to find a barber in Philly and only gets his hair cut at home, even though he is never happy with his haircuts from home.)

Sunday morning, Chooch and Henry went to the flea market. Chooch is super into collecting DVDs now and I had a list of items for Henry involving several house projects. He came home with NONE of those, but Chooch got a fuckton of DVDs and this SUPER DISGUSTING SHIRT which he put on without even washing (at least he has a shirt underneath BUT STILL), and they brought me back this surprise:

Apparently, Henry the Stoop had to ASK CHOOCH if he thought I would want it and Chooch was like “um duh.”

Later that afternoon, Henry and I wanted to Uptown Coffee for, I don’t know, fika I guess. I heard that sometimes Mochi’s Donuts sends their goods to this cafe, and I was desperate for another go at the apple fritter. The donuts were OK but that fritter has been nestled beside G-Dragon in my mind every since I beasted one on Mother’s Day. It was really that good and here I never considered myself to be a fritter bitch but sometimes we just get our calling late in life.

Sadly, they didn’t have anything from Mochi’s but we did get a snickerdoodle to split (they have really good cookies at Uptown!) and a vegan orange oil cake that Henry thought tasted familiar and, around a mouthful of MOIST CRUMBS, “Yeah, like Zenith’s bundt cakes.”

So now we need to get our asses to Zenith soon because it’s been a minute.

Later, a cop rolled up to the house! He went over to SON OF SLUMLORD’S house and I was desperately trying to neb but our stupid street is too busy. Thank god for CRIME RADAR:

First of all…this woman is way out of his league and everything is his fault. I just know it. I need to know her side of the story. I’ve been mostly home all day (aside from going on my daily walks like it’s my nervous tick) and she hasn’t come back.

HOLY SHIT NEVER MIND SHE’S HERE RIGHT NOW AND HE’S BEING SUCH A DICK TO HER SHE’S TRYING TO GET HER STUFF AND HE STARTED MOUTHING OFF TO HER AND SHE WAS LIKE WHY ARE YOU ANTAGONIZING ME I JUST WANT MY STUFF SO THEN SHE PUT HER HEADPHONES ON. I’m Team This Girl all the way.

WELL – she was getting the last of her stuff and he strode the across the yard and pushed her and made her headphones fall off and then threw an empty can at her so I’m ready for my police interview.

Oh, and in addition to this – he has a new mysterious baby that came out of nowhere? I mean, I assume it came out of a birth canal but whose, I’m not sure. Henry asked HNC about it recently and he was just like, “It’s his, but I don’t know who the mom is.” Well, it definitely wasn’t this girl! There apparently was someone in the house when all of this was going on and I heard her yell, “FUCK YOU LAUREN, YOU METH HEAD” so maybe whoever LAUREN THE METH HEAD is, that’s the mom!? I’m so fucking confused. I have a lot of investigating to do.

Guys we just had to evacuate Jergel’s because someone smelled smoke or something!! This is the first time I ever had to evacuate a venue before a concert. (WE’RE HERE FOR COLD BTW!!!)

I guess it wasn’t bad because they let us back in after about 10 minutes but now I feel like I have a headache, my vision feels cloudy and my eyes are kind of burning, and I have a miner’s cough now.

Bonus! Here is what Henry’s hair looked like after he woke up from his pre-concert nap:

Bro I have a major concert hangover, the worst one I’ve had in a long time. Yesterday was IMPECCABLE. So many great things happened and it made me feel so alive. Tons more words later but here’s a collection of Kodak keychain shots to commemorate the daytrip.

Because you need to know what shoes I was wearing.

Happy Dog 🐶

The non alc beers I’ve been having actually slap!

Mercury Lounge bathroom selfie. That venue also slaps.

Barricade for The Black Queen 👑

We just came back from seeing Mother Mary at the Hollywood Theater.

I can’t remember the last time I had such an unenjoyable time at the movies. I hated every second of that movie except for the 5 minutes FKA Twigs was in.

Anne Hathaway does nothing for me (more like ANNE GOAWAY amirite guyz? Guyz??), the story itself was SO BAD, the writing had me cringing to the point of pain. My decade + long streak of loving every single A24 movie I’ve watched has officially come to an end.

Also???? Not a knock to the movie but there is a scene where they show fans in the crowd and some are wearing these sharp ass protruding crowns and I swear if any kpop group adopts a religious theme and fans start wearing elaborate eye-pokers to concerts I’m going to be so pissed.

Just like I’m pissed that we paid to see that big screen slop.

Well anyway what a grand end to an annoying day. Happy to be cuddling with Penelope now.