Good Friday always makes me think back to the First House of Clocks. One of the more notorious parties we had there was the Be Bad on Good Friday Party. We crucified Ian and played Pin the Nail of Jesus. I remember someone shouting "the beer's on fire!" and rushing to put out the flames. You know it's a real party when you have a beer fire.

We had music in the old tinfoil covered playroom. The old playroom was crazy. I mean, really crazy. Tinfoil walls, strange paintings along with random items screwed into the ceiling. I had written on the walls and the floors. Blissfully hopeful things and abysmally awful things. The pictures on the walls didn't match up spatially with their frames. A Twister mat was the table cloth. It was me. Me then. Strange, cluttered, mismatched, bright, stark, broken, glowing, and scary. I'm different now. I am no longer that room. I am breaking out of a chrysalis, not sure yet of what I have become.

I'm strongly considering deleting the house_of_clocks community. It's been a while since the demise of the second House of Clocks and there will not be a third. The community dates back to the first House of Clocks, but there doesn't seem to be much in the way of nostalgia in the community and I doubt that anyone will ever have use for it in the future.

It appears that I might be going clubbing tonight. What's more, a goth/industrial/fetish night (those three things seem to always go together). I haven't gone to any club in a long time and I've long since stopped being "goth". However, I really need to get out. I've been stagnating and stewing in my out mental juices too much. This will be good for me.

I'm going with Victor, an old friend and ex-roommate from the first house_of_clocks.

I've been holding off posting this until the lease was signed so as not to jinx things. However, getting everything done by snail mail between California and Massachusetts has been taking a bit longer than we anticipated, and I can't stand not to mention it. So at the risk of jinx, I post this anyway:

purpleglitter and I are moving in together at the end of the month. We're moving into one side of a wonderful duplex in an historic district of Arlington. We're near the bike trail and a stream. I'm going to be able to see a good variety of birds just sitting on the back porch. The place is idyllic. I'm very excited.

I will miss the house_of_clocks. Unlike last time, I will not be taking the clocks with me. Last time the household moved, this time it is individuals moving. It's the end of an era for me. Perhaps those who are in the house after me will continue the tradition, perhaps not. I hope they will, as it would make me happy if the house_of_clocks still existed.

Things are changing so fast. You'd think I'd be used to rapid change by now. Perhaps I am, and I'd just have to experience a period of time without rapid change to notice.

Looking back through my old paper journals, I found a wonderful photo of purpleglitter taken at one of our parties at the old house_of_clocks in 1999.

As I stated in an earlier post: the old house_of_clocks, which due to its dilapidated condition was sometimes called the Crackhouse of Clocks, was completely renovated and turned into a condo a couple years after we moved out. purpleglitter and I went to the open house today to check the place out. The layout of the place was virtually the only thing that was familiar. The place is astounding, wonderful. I'd love to move back in if I could afford it. Even if I could afford it, however, the housing market is poised on the verge of a giant bubble burst and now would definitely not the time to be buying.


( tour of the renovated old house of clocks )

Out of curiosity yesterday, I did a search on Google for the address of the old house_of_clocks. First I tried "1261 Mass Ave". Nothing. I tried "1261 Massachusetts Avenue" and found the building. Finally, trying a combination of both approaches with "1261 Massachusetts Ave" I found the old house_of_clocks being listed for sale as a condominium. Having passed by the old house_of_clocks in Arlington Heights many times recently, I knew that the old apartment was being sold as a condominium, however it was interesting to read the description given of the place:

Arlington – $409,900 Spectacular renovation in 2004. This top floor 3 bedroom unit features new kitchen with granite, stainless appliances, ceramic tile floor, and new baths with ceramic tile floor. Hardwood floors throughout, spacious living room, private W/d, rear porch, large storage area, and deeded parking for 2. Windows, heat and hot water systems new in 2004. Steps to the "t" & shops. Don't miss this one! Listing Information Amenities and Features Listing ID 70332410 Near Public Transportation Price $409,900 Swimming Pool Bedrooms 3 Tennis Court Type Condo Walk/jog Trails Sq. Ft. 1,256 Baths 2

The apartment I remember is quite different. It was billed as a 4 bedroom with 1 bathroom. It definitely didn't have anything like stainless appliances, ceramic tile floors, or a granite kitchen. The building had neither and still has neither tennis courts and swimming pools, I imagine that the references to those in the listing are meant as "nearby" as is with the bike trail and public transit.

When we lived there, the entire three decker was completely run down and neglected by an elderly landlord that was in over her head trying to manage her many properties. Due to the dilapidated condition, we used to jokingly refer to our place as "the Crackhouse of Clocks". purpleglitter is making arrangements for us to look at the place as "potential buyers". I'd really love to see the changes. I doubt I'll recognise it at all. Just from the times I've passed it, I can see how much it's changed. The white picket fence in the neatly trimmed front yard advertises the new nature of the place. Time moves on.

IN THE OLD HOUSE OF CLOCKS

photo by purpleglitter

I had the oppertunity to pass by the original house_of_clocks today. There were several cops in front, walking up to the portch. Ah, just like the good ol' days.

i miss the playroom at the old house_of_clocks
it was such a representation of me
i had all sorts of things written on the wall
the writings were all pieces of me
angry and happy
resilient and giving up
my tinfoil room
odd things screwed and nailed to the ceiling
plastic eggshells, pictures, etc.
gave it a odd feel
it was shiny
my tinfoil room
i'd see shapes in the walls
everything was bright
either reflective or colorful
or often both
the room was where i spent most my time
i miss that room
it was crazy like me

I have a unilateral solution to the dish problem in the house_of_clocks. Every time I go in the kitchen I will clean at least 4 dishes, and any silverware on them until all the dishes in the kitchen are clean. I did this at the old house_of_clocks with success. After the dishes are all clean, I will start on the rest of the kitchen. Cleaning something every time I enter it. Then the bathroom. In this manner I will slowly clean the whole house, over maybe a week or two. I get overwhelmed by big projects very easily, but if I break it into bite size chucks, I can do it.

i'm so very tired
i took 2mg of ativan to help me sleep
but then had the sudden urge to wash some knickers
they're in purpleglitter's sink right now
i have to stay up until i'm done cleaning them
but the ativan is kicking in
pulling me down
i want to sleep

today was a good day
spent the entire day sober
first time in a couple weeks
good to do that
was becoming too much of a pothead
i'm not giving up pot
i just don't think i'm going to smoke as much as i have been
it's gotten too out of control

just eight more minutes and i can take my knickers out of the sink
and go to bed
ah bed
i'm writing this post to stay awake
i want fresh knickers when i wake up
not soggy ones that have sat in the sink all night

i drank way too much coffee today
three cups
i'm supposed to limit myself to one cup a day
but i need caffeine
i'll try to cut down tomorrow

a skunk once saved my life
a couple years ago
i was going to kill myself
i had left during neitherday
(neitherday is the time between days
when it is no longer today
and not yet tomorrow
usually between 3am and 4am)
back to the story
i left during neitherday
i walked down the empty streets to the bike trail
i had a bottle of pills in my hand
a large prescription bottle with the word "EXIT" written on it
it was full of a mix of pills
every pill i could find
but on my way to the bike trail i ran into a skunk
the skunk saw me and stomped up and down on it's front legs
i've seen them do that on nature shows
it's their final warning before they spray
i turned around and ran in the opposite direction
back home
but i couldn't get in
i hadn't brought my keys with me
wasn't expecting to need them again
i didn't want to wake anyone in the house
but i thought merryperseis was still up
(she wasn't)
i looked for some small rocks to throw at her window
but i couldn't find any
so i threw the pills (but not the bottle) at her window
the pills failed to catch her attention
i ended up being forced to knock
luckily my initial gentle knocking was enough to get her attention
she let me in
and i went to sleep

sleep
sounds good to me right now
it's time to take the knickers out of the sink and head to bed
good night

electricube (formerly quiteodd) came over to visit today. She took me to the Chai Café for lunch, after which she crashed out on my bed for some time. After her nap we took a walk around Spy Pond as the sun set. It was beautiful. I love living so close to something so wonderful.

On her way out, I gave her the ouija board I made. I put a lot of work into that board. I originally gave it to Kerry (a former roommate) as a present for Yule in 1999. She left it behind when she moved out of the old house_of_clocks and it became mine again. I loved it, but lately it's given me bad advise (like one time telling me to stop my meds were poisoning me and another time tell me to kill myself). I don't really want it anymore. I think it would do better in the hands of someone else. I just seem to channel the wrong spirits. I hope electricube gets a lot of good use out of it.

Until today, we didn't know how to turn on the chandelier in the playroom. We thought it must be broken. However, today, purpleglitter noticed a small knob on the side of the chandelier. No one had noticed it before. I turned it, and it fell off. Fell right into a glass of cider. And since the knob is solid brass, it made quite a splash. I put it back on and turned it the other way. The chandelier came to life.

-----

I received two letters from vagrant in my post office box. I'm very excited to hear from her, and I hope she gets out of that place soon. It doesn't seem like she will, but I can still hope for her. I plan to send off a letter to her Monday.

I should have received her letters several weeks ago, but I haven't been checking my post office box very frequently. I should direct people send mail to my home address from now on. The post office box served a purpose before we moved. The mailbox at the old place wasn't very secure, and we had numerous instances of disappearing mail. However, here at the new house_of_clocks, that isn't an issue.

-----

After dropping off Mitzi in Davis Square, purpleglitter and I went to the Salvation Army Thrift Store on Winter Hill. I picked up several exciting new outfits. Everything I bought was half off! The most expensive article of clothing cost me only $2!! It was a very happy shopping experience.

I can't deal with the piles of crap in my room. I'm trying to find anything, I'm sifting through endless piles of boxes and bags. It driving me nuts. I hate my fucking room. I should have never moved. I should have just stayed and haunted the old house_of_clocks.

The computer is about to be moved. There is no internet connection yet at the new apartment, so the number of posts I make will probably drop considerably over the next several days.

Did badly much of last night. Slept in dan4th's old room, because it felt really safe there. Shakey now. Something has changed recently. Things are not as they were. More freakout than good now. Don't know why. Things changed bad. Don't like. Don't like.

Going to make breakfast for purpleglitter and riga_mortia now.

purpleglitter, riga_mortia, zarthon, and I are giving the house_of_clocks a dancing goodbye.