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Ash Wednesday! Playing with Myself: an interview by myself, for myself. A Covid Friendly Interview

11/25/2020

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  1. What is your full name? Ashlen Leia Zaritsky….. Surprise it’s not really Ash Catcher. 
  2. What does your name mean? I am not 100% but I think it has something to do with an Ash tree.. I know its Irish 
  3. Are you named after anyone? NOPE. 
  4. Does your name make any interesting anagrams? ALZ First letter, middle letter and last letter of the alphabet that's cool I guess. 
  5. If you had to change your first name, what would you change it to? Star Girl. Haha. 
  6. Where are you from? Not from your mom, I am from New York originally. 
  7. Where were you born? Port Jefferson, Long Island NY. 
  8. Where did you grow up? All over the tri-state area. NJ, NY, and PA. 
  9. Who did you look up to growing up? My grandparents, they love each other, and live on a lake, couple goals. 
  10. What are your best characteristics? My fucking wit, and work ethic. 
  11. What are your favorite things about yourself? My eyes. 
  12. Which of your parents are you closest to? I am not. 
  13. Which of your parents are you more like? I think I am more like my dad, but I honestly couldn’t tell you. 
  14. Are your grandparents still married? YES! Happily. 
  15. What relative was important to you growing up & why? My Grandma ( dad’s mom) is my saving grace. I grew up with her in my life a lot. She gave me the travel bug. 
  16. What is one thing that you’ve never revealed to your parents? Probably the REAL amount of tattoos I have haha. 
  17. What would your parents have named you if you were the opposite gender? Alec. That's still an A name so that's not that much different. 
  18. What do you call your grandparents? When I was younger apparently I was into hair color, so my grandma is Grandma Brownie, Grandma Yellow, and Grandpa. 
  19. What is your best physical feature? I think it's my hair? But sometimes it's a huge pain. 
  20. What is your biggest accomplishment? To still be alive. 
  21. What is your biggest fear? Complacency. 
  22. What is your biggest regret? I don't have those. 
  23. What is your eye color? I think they’re hazel. 
  24. What inspires you? LIFE, and lots of nature, squirrels. 
  25. What is the most important thing in your life? My passion for creating, something out of nothing. 
  26. What has required the most courage of you in your life so far? Being comfortable alone. 
  27. Who is your favorite actor? James Franco! Or Tommy Wiseu it's a tie! 
  28. Who is your favorite actress? If I had to choose it would be Scar Jo, she is HAWT! 
  29. Who is your favorite celebrity? James Dean, or Humphrey Bogart. 
  30. Who is your favorite musician? They’re an unknown band, I like the ones that have long hiatuses, and break up after 2 E.Ps. 
  31. Who’s your favorite person in the world? What a stupid question. What makes someone above other people. 
  32. What is your favorite childhood memory? Eating my weight in chocolate pudding when I was 3ish years old. 
  33. What is your favorite color? BLACK! 
  34. What is your favorite cultural activity? I like watching Rugby, 7’s and Japanese Olympic Women’s curling is adorable and a visual treat. 
  35. What is your favorite drink? TEA or Coffee, but I am trying to get off of caffeine. 
  36. What is your favorite fairytale? It’s a Russian one, Baba Yaga! 
  37. What is your favorite food? Lemons, I eat them whole. 
  38. What is your favorite holiday destination? California. 
  39. What is your favorite ice-cream flavor? Green Tea Ice Cream has stolen my heart. 
  40. What is your favorite music genre? I like alot of music. 
  41. What is your favorite physical activity? I am a closet runner. Clocked in over 80 miles last month. 
  42. What is your favorite quote? “It’s bullshit, I did not hit her. I did nooot. Oh hi, Mark!”
  43. What is your favorite snack? Hot Fries. That's my go to snack snack. 
  44. What is your favorite song? Anything by My Chemical Romance. 
  45. What is your favorite sport? Sports are for chodes. 
  46. What is your favorite time of the day? Sunset. 
  47. What is your favorite type of clothing? Anything Black 
  48. What is your favorite way to pass time? Reading, I have a huge collection of books, they’re a bitch to move. 
  49. What is the name of your favorite restaurant? Nelli Rae’s Vegetarian Cafe, in Revere, PA. There is an art gallery upstairs too! 
  50. What is your all-time favorite town or city? I love Doylestown, but I like the new town I have been living in for the past few years. It’s semi flattering and bizarre when everyone knows you. 
  51. What is your favorite candle scent? I love this one candle I get at Bath and Body Works, its Pumpkin Pecan Waffles, shit smells like heaven. Not worth 25 bucks so u get 3 at a time on the sale days. 
  52. What is your favorite social media channel? I am more about Instagram, Facebook is for trump supporters, and your parents. Twitter is still for attention seeking whores. 
  53. Where’s your favorite place to take an out-of-town guest? I Love taking out of towner on a hike thru the Wissahickon Park. Then I guess pizza somewhere. I like Franzones. 
  54. What was your favorite subject in High School? I actually really liked Social Studies, I have a photographic memory so it made tests super easy. 
  55. What was your least favorite subject in High School? Math, it turned into a second art class. I still have some doodles that I kept. 
  56. What was your favorite TV show when you were a child? I loved watching Saturday AM cartoons, but I really remember watching the X-MEN cartoon with my dad. 
  57. What do you love about your favorite TV Show? I am one of those culty, one off kinda people- aside from the FireFly franchise, couldn’t get into that. I am not sure there are so many good things about the show Freaks and Geeks. 
  58. Are you scared of heights? Nope, I climb mountains baby! 
  59. Are you high maintenance? Maybe? Was that response high maintenance? I can happily say I have higher standards of the people I am seeing, I don't see that as a problem. 
  60. Are you more inclined to “build your own empire” or unleash the potential of others? I guess both, but I like to do my own thing. I work well with others, and enjoy collars. But I am on my own time frame. 
  61. Are you more likely to avoid conflict or engage it head-on? I avoid it, I am above that shit. 
  62. Are you a dog person or cat person? YES! I SEE mad amounts of dogs at my day job. I try to pet them all. 
  63. Are you a fan of any sports team? NOPE. 
  64. Are you a good cook? I have been told I am. No complaints yet! I watch a lot of baking shows.
  65. If you had more courage what would you do differently in your life now? I would speak my mind more. 
  66. What is good about how you are living your life right now? I am around like minded creative people that push me to become more. 
  67. If you could eliminate one weakness or limitation in your life, what would it be? The need to have food. 
  68. Who has left the most impact on your life?I am not sure but I’ll let you know when I meet them. 
  69. What aspect of your life needs tremendous improvement? My ability to trust others. 
  70. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve seen in your life? Uh… lately it's been a shit ton. 
  71. Who is the best teacher you’ve ever had? My 3rd grade teacher Ms. Versma. 
  72. Who is the biggest pack rat you know? It’s Me. 
  73. Who is the first person you call when something exciting happens? Usually it’s my brother. 
  74. Who is the first person you call when something terrible happens? Also my brother. He is a fucking St. 
  75. Who is the worst boss you’ve ever had? We ended up having to go to court it was pretty shitty, I got half of her staff to leave on my behalf and it was some hardcore human rights issues that had to be addressed. 
  76. Can you close your eyes and raise your eyebrows? Yes but I am skeptical now. 
  77. Can you do a split? I can do a banana split, or two brownie boats at a time. 
  78. Can you touch your nose with your tongue? Nope, literally just tried to do that. 
  79. Can you whistle? I cannot, I am kinda useless. 
  80. Can you dance? Not really, I can artfully sway tho. 
  81. Do you remember your dreams? All of them. 
  82. Do you save old greeting cards and letters? Throw them away? I have a huge memory box. I love cards, I ll prob die knowing I spend my life funding Hallmark. 
  83. Do you sing in the shower? YES! I am sorry to all my roommates, but the car is way worse that's a free for all. 
  84. Do you sleep with the lights on or off? I don't, I need dark and quiet.  And my door locked. Fuck anyone that needs a fan to sleep, you clearly weren’t held long enough as a kid. 
  85. Do you spell the color as grey or gray? I guess it would be grey. Like Jean Grey right? 
  86. Do you take any pills or medication daily? B12 and Vitamin C
  87. Do you prefer kissing or cuddling? I love kissing, but I feel like people my age are just detached and want sex. 
  88. Do you prefer that people shoot straight with you or temper their words? Why? Give it to me straight, don’t pussy foot around an issue. You got a problem with me or how I do things let me know. 
  89. Do you prefer Titanic or The Notebook? Watching Titanic as a kid was both horrifying, and weirdly sexually arousing.  
  90. Do you have a catchphrase? ”Catch ya later” Not very creative. 
  91. Do you have a garden? I did, I had a few. I love tomatoes in the summer, literally nothing better than growing something yourself 
  92. Do you have a hidden dream that you’ve never shared with anyone? I want to live my late 30’s to the rest of my life in some delicious state of drugged out euphoria Fear and Loathing style out in California. 
  93. Do you have a tattoo? I have a few. 
  94. Do you have a whole lot of acquaintances or just a few very close friends? Why? I keep my circle small. The amount of random Dm’s a day I get is staggering. If I respond count ya lucky fucking stars. 
  95. Do you have any allergies? YES! I am allergic to cats and Kiwis. 
  96. Do you have any birthmarks? If so, where? I do my left shoulder. 
  97. Do you have pets? I have plants. I am not home often for a pet, maybe one day. 
  98. Do you carry a donor card? I am not, I like myself and my organs. 
  99. Do you have a best friend, if so, then who? I have a few close friends. 
  100. Do you believe ignorance is bliss? Why or why not? No your stupid to think ignoring something is going to make it go away. It just magnifies. 
  101. Do you believe in love at first sight? I believe you meet someone for a reason, whether it is for love, or a lesson. I have loved everyone I have ever been with, but usually need to get to know them first before any of that mushy shit goes down.     


See ya next Wednesday!
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Ash Wednesday! "Glove Box"

11/18/2020

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"Glove Box"

Written By: Ash Catcher

I'll keep you hidden with me, 
C’mon let's go for a ride. 
Hide that shit deep deep down. 
A place for all the lies. 

Expired insurance cards, parking violations too. 
Every crappy kind of spontaneous art, yea I got that it’s true. 
Deodorant that is glued shut. 
Honestly I am not sure why I keep this stuff. 

Old checks from jobs I left months ago. 
I always move on too quickly. 
If I shove anything else inside this thing, it’s gonna blow. 
I know my car can be a tad bit messy, but I swear that's not a fish stick. 

Open me up when you get pulled over, because Ash you always go too fast. 
Write a song about your laugh, play it off like it’s just a crash. 
I never mean anything to anyone. 
Until I am two states away. 
So c’mon get in lets go for a ride. 
We got some work to do. 

There is much to see, and much to say. 
But in my glovebox I choose to stay. 
Violate my privacy, and let’s see how that goes. 
I can't stand 76’ lack of traffic flow. 

It’s my least favorite part about driving Ky around. 
Pre Owned MINI shaking with sound. 
My speaker may have busted out. 
But I have something else that I keep inside, hidden from the fallout. 

Old CD’s of past tours, my heart still kinda hits the car floor. 
I am not sure if I want to sneak a listen, open that door. 
It’s been closed, and sealed with tape, and more. 
Locks, on locks, call it extravagant. I call that shit hardcore. 

I'll keep you hidden with me, 
C’mon let's go for a ride. 
Hide that shit deep deep down. 
A place for all the lies. 

A glovebox to hold all the junk in my life. 
Extra bra and underwear, and a bread knife. 
Random shit, I don't know why I own. 
My sanctuary from myself, when I travel long distances, and alone. 
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Ash Wednesday! "Windowsills"

11/10/2020

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By Ash Catcher
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The distant park
Was a graveyard of dead stars.
Each streetlight a system of worlds,
So many lives between each mote of light,
Indistinguishable in their unique love,
Bespoke hate, and the drama of the modern age.

Drunk laughter behind transparency
Double doors. Another hotel balcony,
Another cloud behind the canopy
Of marijuana eyes
To unsettle me from the crowd.

She points out, when you look closely
You can see the disorder
Amongst all constellations
Of life and love and litter;
Of discarded Coke cans
And temporary highs.


I wonder what would happen
If we all stood still.
If we all took one moment
To observe the motion
That unfolds beneath
Our static windowsill.

She says this is not a scene
To the bullshit of a present mind,
More to joke at the incompletion of it all. 
Of one thousand to-do lists;
A million reasons why I can't, or I’ll do it tomorrow. 
You should just stay inside. [ One alter says] 

She says you can see the human swell
Of ignorance, our city lights
Blotting out the stars
In a black ocean of broken politics
And irretrievable fault lines-
Divisions between us all. But I think I see a finish line. 
Lives twisted with semi professional smiles

This is just my day job but at NIGHT I am a… 
And eyes lit with stunning indifference.


We are just waiting for our turn to speak. 

Still, I have felt charity, and warmth
On the doorstep of lunatics, and fascists.
I have read the love of life
In faces of those who gave up.
I have recounted countless artists
Who saw beauty in an empty glass. 
In moments that precisely lacked it.

I have spent too many nights
In anaesthesia,
Fleeing each instance of feeling
And terror; all the tremors
That tell me I am still alive.

Continued to stare at the lights
Long after the voice
And the laughter inside had gone.

I always struggled to leave the party. 

Heard waves in the traffic.

It drowns out the domestic violence that I have been hearing. 
A world so large, so expansive,
It can never truly sleep.
Every broken heart,
Every war-torn land,
Every promotion,
Every one-night stand.

I wonder what would happen
If we all stood still.
If we all took one moment
To observe the motion
That unfolds beneath
Our static windowsill.

If we all took one moment
To recover our loss.
The wars that we won,
The feelings, forgot.
The hell we retain;
Our paradise, lost.
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Ash Wednesday! Gains with abstains: What I have learned throughout 2 years of Sobriety

11/4/2020

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Ash Catcher

I  just came up on my 2 yrs of sobriety from alcohol, and I know I should like a broken record but I firmly believe that 
You don't just abstain from alcohol you abstain from the people that encourage you to use it as a crutch. 

And boy have I lost alot of friends over the fact I refuse to use alcohol as a crutch and an escape from my problems and the world's. 

Fuck your safety bubble and crutches there is nothing more empowering then being stone cold sober and seeing people still stuck in these cycles of abusing substances. Dont get me wrong I like to escape now and again too. But I am not gonna down a six pack, I am going to take a walk or a hike instead. 

Abstaining from alcohol was one of the best choices I have ever made. I've finally came to the conclusion I tolerated way too much of peoples disrespect in the past, made excuses for their poor behaviors, and continued to put others above myself. 

I would never do that again. My sobriety has shown me that while I am a constant factor in my life, it was others habits that I adopted as my own that were hindering me from achieving everything I wanted to. 
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​Reality is what you make it so why alter it with alcohol there are literally 1000000 other better things to do with your time. I no longer entertain low vibrational people who refuse to change and address their issues. Its freed up alot of time for me to pursue my art, new passions, and travel. I am most likely never going to touch another alcoholic beverage ever again. 

I'll see you next Wednesday! 
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