Someone left a copy of this book the other day in the ladies' room for the taking. It seemed too much like an omen, but at the end of the day, it was gone.
Thursday, November 29, 2007
craptacular vernacular
Combined with mixing words, like ginormous, it seems like a fun but somehow wrong thing to teach a four-year-old. Or not? At least we don't say that the "vominator left a crapalanche on the table" around the boy.
Someone left a copy of this book the other day in the ladies' room for the taking. It seemed too much like an omen, but at the end of the day, it was gone.
Someone left a copy of this book the other day in the ladies' room for the taking. It seemed too much like an omen, but at the end of the day, it was gone.
Monday, November 26, 2007
back on scarf wagon
knitted this to match Owen's winter coat. 1 skein each of Sheep Shop (Orange & Navy). CO 147 stitches onto 48" circulars and knit up. I get bored knitting the long way, so I thought this would be over faster by knitting long & wide...and I was right! Still took the most part of Thanksgiving, but it's done. Now, on to the hat...
Sunday, November 25, 2007
quote of the day
Owen's holding himself like he has to go to the bathroom.
When asked if he needs to go, Owen replies, "No, my things are sticking together."
When asked if he needs to go, Owen replies, "No, my things are sticking together."
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
we turned out OK
One of the last times I was home, I rescued some of my old books. Among them was this gem that we've been reading a lot. Owen loves it, especially the silly stories. His current favorites are Big Bird's Rhinoceros Rhymes and Pete the Pirate (who's not nasty, but bogus like our good friend Pete always says). It's amazing how progressive it is, with "townspeople" and a woman mayor. How '70s! Then in the New York Times today is a big article about how the Sesame Street of our day isn't appropriate for today's toddlers. Sure, there's some sarcasm in the article, but there's some seriousness too. Some of it is good, and some of it is people reading too much into things. Heaven forbid anyone smokes a pipe anymore.
It amazes me how much of my job--sanitizing books to a certain degree for children's textbooks--I've absorbed. Those scissors are too pointy! Where's the helmet for that kid riding a bike? Look at the udders on that cow! On the other hand, I read and recommend so many fantasy-based and funky picture books that I know we could never, ever use in the reading program.
So what can we do to make reading fun? Another oh-so-cheery article from the Boston Globe tells us that kids are reading significantly less for fun than ever before. The report points the finger at the media, multitasking, and a disconnect in education between the ages of 9 and 17. The most interesting part from the article for me is was: "The poorest Americans who read did twice as much volunteering and charity work as the richest who did not read," (NEA Chairman Dana) Gioia said. "The habit of regular reading awakens something inside a person that makes him or her take their own life more seriously and at the same time develops the sense that other people's lives are real."
Monday, November 12, 2007
is it any wonder?
Finally, a night when I'm not so brain dead that I can catch up on the blog. (if it's any consolation, my yelp reviews aren't faring much better.) I've had Keane's Under the Iron Sea on repeat for awhile.
Work has been awful. The project is grossly understaffed. No one knows what will happen in January. People are leaving left and right. That's all I can say about that. I've been going to sleep with Owen and going to bed straight after. Zero energy left to do much else.
Halloween was fantastic. Owen was Thomas again, but what a difference from last year! We carved pumpkins, he had a great time at his preschool's parade, and we made it around 2/3rds of our neighborhood. We watched the first two songs of Nightmare before Christmas and he was singing them all night. Totally fun.
On the knitting front (slowly but surely. I've been making a few coasters.), I've discovered that old throw pillowcases in canvas that zip make great bags to felt in.
Also been to two shows: Tori on my sister's birthday which was awesome; the Police last night, which was eh. Glad I went, but still feel taken somehow. Which I had a feeling was going to happen. Oh well.
Work has been awful. The project is grossly understaffed. No one knows what will happen in January. People are leaving left and right. That's all I can say about that. I've been going to sleep with Owen and going to bed straight after. Zero energy left to do much else.
Halloween was fantastic. Owen was Thomas again, but what a difference from last year! We carved pumpkins, he had a great time at his preschool's parade, and we made it around 2/3rds of our neighborhood. We watched the first two songs of Nightmare before Christmas and he was singing them all night. Totally fun.
On the knitting front (slowly but surely. I've been making a few coasters.), I've discovered that old throw pillowcases in canvas that zip make great bags to felt in.
Also been to two shows: Tori on my sister's birthday which was awesome; the Police last night, which was eh. Glad I went, but still feel taken somehow. Which I had a feeling was going to happen. Oh well.
Monday, October 15, 2007
celebrity sighting: Stephen King
This morning after we dropped off Owen at school, I saw Stephen King walking into the Transportation Building. Pretty cool! He is very tall, and looks just like he does on the book covers, only dressed really casually. Don't know if he's in town for book stuff or a Sox game.
Sorry I've been off the blog. I finally got an invite from Ravelry, so I spent a night playing around on there. Like a dummy, I signed up as traceybits, instead of tracey2bits. I'd think by now it'd be pretty automatic to type in, and then for me to check it. But no, they won't let you change it once you've put it in. Duh. I've also got some new artwork for a Yelp elite event at the Nile Lounge in Allston on Tuesday, 10/16. The work will be up for a few weeks, which is both excellent and sad because now we have a big blank wall in our house.
Finally reading "Love is a Mix Tape" and I love it. Highly recommended.
Sorry I've been off the blog. I finally got an invite from Ravelry, so I spent a night playing around on there. Like a dummy, I signed up as traceybits, instead of tracey2bits. I'd think by now it'd be pretty automatic to type in, and then for me to check it. But no, they won't let you change it once you've put it in. Duh. I've also got some new artwork for a Yelp elite event at the Nile Lounge in Allston on Tuesday, 10/16. The work will be up for a few weeks, which is both excellent and sad because now we have a big blank wall in our house.
Finally reading "Love is a Mix Tape" and I love it. Highly recommended.
Monday, September 24, 2007
ghost of a fish
James, Owen's Betta/Siamese Fighting Fish, passed on to the big fishbowl in the sky today. He'd been having a hard time the last few days, and for the last couple weeks we tried medicating the tank and carefully checking the pH, but to no avail. I suspect it was something in the brand-spanking new tank, or Mattapan the Cory Catfish (who was the first fish to die) introduced a disease. Owen took it extremely well. He didn't even cry. Or say anything about the empty tank when we got home. Is that OK? He did think we should not put him in the toilet, but in the sink because it was smaller.
This morning I realized there was a bunch I wanted to say in my "I'm not ready for fall" post that I really should have said a couple of weeks ago. It's going to get updated, so please don't freak out. That's what happens when I blog at 1AM.
On a last note, I want to sing the praises of my new Lexie B. bag in the Baja. Yes, I finally broke down and made the investment. We were sitting on the T and I discovered it had a hidden pocket. Shazam! It is huge, stays on my shoulder like a good bag should, and I can find everything in it. Perfect. (And special thanks to Patrice who watched Owen while the super helpful saleslady at Seed Stitch called to make sure it was 25% off.)
This morning I realized there was a bunch I wanted to say in my "I'm not ready for fall" post that I really should have said a couple of weeks ago. It's going to get updated, so please don't freak out. That's what happens when I blog at 1AM.
On a last note, I want to sing the praises of my new Lexie B. bag in the Baja. Yes, I finally broke down and made the investment. We were sitting on the T and I discovered it had a hidden pocket. Shazam! It is huge, stays on my shoulder like a good bag should, and I can find everything in it. Perfect. (And special thanks to Patrice who watched Owen while the super helpful saleslady at Seed Stitch called to make sure it was 25% off.)
Sunday, September 23, 2007
100
Wow, I've reached 100 posts! I've also reached over 100 reviews at Yelp, too.
Saturday I was lucky enough to have Tak watch Owen for a bit, so I got to get to some places I've been wanting to go, and others I haven't been to in awhile. It made me miss how many cool things we used to have near us at Davis/Porter/Union Squares. It also makes me NOT miss having to take a bus everywhere. It seems like so many people are moving or live north of Boston, and that I'm living in one of the least cool places. But I really like my neighborhood, and we're close to a lot of other neat things, so I don't feel like we're missing out too much.
Change is in the air, though. Even though we're having a last taste of summer, the leaves are coming off the trees and there's a chill in the air. I don't think I'm all the way ready. Blueberry beer is still available, but all of the pumpkin ales have been out since Labor Day. The pumpkin donuts are certainly enjoyable at Dunkin Donuts (and if I eat more of them I'm going to head back to Weight Watchers--well, I'll have to do that soon anyway, too many cupcakes and carbs).
Summer flew by, where did it go? I feel like most of it was spent working. We did have some fun trips & visits. We are going to NYC in a couple weeks. (YAY!) Tak's dad is doing really well--enough for us to stay. So I think that will help with the transition into fall.
Saturday I was lucky enough to have Tak watch Owen for a bit, so I got to get to some places I've been wanting to go, and others I haven't been to in awhile. It made me miss how many cool things we used to have near us at Davis/Porter/Union Squares. It also makes me NOT miss having to take a bus everywhere. It seems like so many people are moving or live north of Boston, and that I'm living in one of the least cool places. But I really like my neighborhood, and we're close to a lot of other neat things, so I don't feel like we're missing out too much.
Change is in the air, though. Even though we're having a last taste of summer, the leaves are coming off the trees and there's a chill in the air. I don't think I'm all the way ready. Blueberry beer is still available, but all of the pumpkin ales have been out since Labor Day. The pumpkin donuts are certainly enjoyable at Dunkin Donuts (and if I eat more of them I'm going to head back to Weight Watchers--well, I'll have to do that soon anyway, too many cupcakes and carbs).
Summer flew by, where did it go? I feel like most of it was spent working. We did have some fun trips & visits. We are going to NYC in a couple weeks. (YAY!) Tak's dad is doing really well--enough for us to stay. So I think that will help with the transition into fall.
Friday, September 14, 2007
hooked on felting
it's past midnight, UFC is on, my eyes are bleary from finishing Friday Night Knitting Club. i'm typing with my fingertips, not wearing glasses, my brain is fried, and letting run-on sentences rule. instead of talking about all the boring stuff going on, i'll talk about knitting.
i felted my first clutch, and i'm hooked. knitting something in one piece in a day or two with minimal sewing rocks. throw it in the washing machine 3 times (tucked in a pillowcase) and viola! now i have a way to burn through my stash. i used the pattern from one skein by leigh radford, but i'm working on changing it to a top-down instead of bottom up, and playing with measurements for #11 needles for regular worsted; the pattern uses bulky on #15's.
The Knit Picks interchangeable needle set has been intriguing me for awhile, and I've heard a lot of good things about them. Before shelling out a bunch of money for the whole thing, I tried the #11s just to see if I'd like them. They're very sharp and pointy, which I don't like, but they are smooth like addi turbos and the wire doesn't kink. Since I don't really *need* all the smaller size needles, I'm not going to invest in the set, but if I need larger needles they're more economical than the Turbos.
Friday Night Knitting Club was super slow to get into, and to be honest I only skimmed it until the end. The author goes on and on...just tell the story. Probably one of the few books that will be better served by a movie. If you look over in the sidebar, I've added a link to my goodreads page. (thanks, Devon!)
Speaking of books into movies, who knew I'd find something to knit via Neil Gaiman's blog? Someday I'll be worthy of Ysolda's Coraline sweater.
i felted my first clutch, and i'm hooked. knitting something in one piece in a day or two with minimal sewing rocks. throw it in the washing machine 3 times (tucked in a pillowcase) and viola! now i have a way to burn through my stash. i used the pattern from one skein by leigh radford, but i'm working on changing it to a top-down instead of bottom up, and playing with measurements for #11 needles for regular worsted; the pattern uses bulky on #15's.
The Knit Picks interchangeable needle set has been intriguing me for awhile, and I've heard a lot of good things about them. Before shelling out a bunch of money for the whole thing, I tried the #11s just to see if I'd like them. They're very sharp and pointy, which I don't like, but they are smooth like addi turbos and the wire doesn't kink. Since I don't really *need* all the smaller size needles, I'm not going to invest in the set, but if I need larger needles they're more economical than the Turbos.
Friday Night Knitting Club was super slow to get into, and to be honest I only skimmed it until the end. The author goes on and on...just tell the story. Probably one of the few books that will be better served by a movie. If you look over in the sidebar, I've added a link to my goodreads page. (thanks, Devon!)
Speaking of books into movies, who knew I'd find something to knit via Neil Gaiman's blog? Someday I'll be worthy of Ysolda's Coraline sweater.
Thursday, August 30, 2007
a sorta fairytale
from Storyland to Stardust, it's been quite a week!
We joined our friends Frank, Patrice & Sofia at Storyland, in NH, and I'm so glad we went. It was so fun...like a smaller, less corporate Disneyworld. Owen had a blast! He loved the rides and is still talking about them. He yet again did damage to his cute little face: he ran away from us and tripped into some gravel, cutting his forehead. Not badly, but enough to leave a mark. We had dinner & hung out with F/P/S; the next morning we were in the pool. We played an "evil monster" game that involved "saving;" Frank was the monster (I was the witch/sea hag) holding Sofia, and Owen "rescued" her. Sofia is really into princesses, so of course, they had to get married! It was the running joke all morning. Then somehow, Owen said they needed blood tests--how did he know? We'll see what happens in another 20+ years!
I went to my first Yelp elite event at the Milky Way in JP. Lots of fun...I actually got up to sing karaoke, "Love Shack" w/ Russ S, who is quite an entertainer. Met & matched some people up to their profiles, which was also neat.
Tonight, Owen slept over at my parents & Tak was working, so I took myself to see Stardust, finally! It was really good. If you go in not expecting things to be just like the book, it's very enjoyable. A plus seeing the gorgeous scenery on the big screen, and Charlie Cox is perfect as Tristan. I think I may have been more excited to see the trailer for the Golden Compass, though.
We joined our friends Frank, Patrice & Sofia at Storyland, in NH, and I'm so glad we went. It was so fun...like a smaller, less corporate Disneyworld. Owen had a blast! He loved the rides and is still talking about them. He yet again did damage to his cute little face: he ran away from us and tripped into some gravel, cutting his forehead. Not badly, but enough to leave a mark. We had dinner & hung out with F/P/S; the next morning we were in the pool. We played an "evil monster" game that involved "saving;" Frank was the monster (I was the witch/sea hag) holding Sofia, and Owen "rescued" her. Sofia is really into princesses, so of course, they had to get married! It was the running joke all morning. Then somehow, Owen said they needed blood tests--how did he know? We'll see what happens in another 20+ years! I went to my first Yelp elite event at the Milky Way in JP. Lots of fun...I actually got up to sing karaoke, "Love Shack" w/ Russ S, who is quite an entertainer. Met & matched some people up to their profiles, which was also neat.
Tonight, Owen slept over at my parents & Tak was working, so I took myself to see Stardust, finally! It was really good. If you go in not expecting things to be just like the book, it's very enjoyable. A plus seeing the gorgeous scenery on the big screen, and Charlie Cox is perfect as Tristan. I think I may have been more excited to see the trailer for the Golden Compass, though.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
love is a mix tape
I saw this book in a little while ago, and it just conjured up so many memories. I have a few books in line before I can check it out, but it inspired me to dig through my old mix tapes. Luckily many of the songs are on iTunes. Some of the music I'd forgotten how good it was, like Mind Bomb by The the. Some of it I'm not surprised is hard-to-find (Miracle Legion, Mary's Danish, the Peregrins, 17 relics) and some I'm just going to get used (Bongwater, Edie Brickell, Melissa Etheridge). Now I have to figure out how to transfer the analog to digital (something that has been explained to me many times and it just won't stick in my head). Even the mixes themselves kind of hold up after all these years, too (if I may so myself). It's funny listening to songs that have such a strong place and time association. And last week, I saw my friend Bob, who was in Boston visiting with his family, who I hadn't seen since the end of our freshman year when he moved back to Ohio. So cool. But lately it hasn't been the kind of day that I could bail on work, either, which is huge bummer, 'cause I would have loved to hang out more.
Which reminds me, I have to burn a CD (how times have changed! or not...) for my sister's sister-in-law, who is just starting college. I think it might be stuff she'd like, too.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
No. 9
Here's us in 1998 at the Silver Bell Chapel in Vegas, right after we got married. We'd just been to Comic Con for the first time, our friend Rob was with us. One of my best friends from high school, Michelle, who introduced us, flew out from LA with her boyfriend to watch us get married, too. That was it! (We had a reception a few months later.)
They didn't even ask us for ID when we went to get our license. There was an Elvis in the building, but he didn't walk me down the aisle; we did get a photo with him later.
It was pretty surreal. We left the next day for San Fran, where we hung out and partied with friends up there. (I got the dress in London with Ilona.) Looking back, there isn't much I'd really do over.
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
knitmas in august
Photos of the yarn haul accident I had at Circles are up on flickr. More photos to come, since I think I need some serious stash and needle management in general. I've been on the fence about ravelry.com, between the site getting up and running and my own involvement--even though it looks like a ton of fun. Oh, what the heck--I just signed up anyway. I'm probably pretty far down on the list (which is actually OK with me).
Tak's dad really liked the hat, which was nice. He's going to wait until the fall to start wearing it. (OK, so I did use the bathroom as a backdrop. It has the best lighting at 11 o'clock at night in the house.)
I'm finally knitting a sweater for myself. It's slow going, since I'm pattern & time challenged. All of my #11 wooden needles have chipped at the tips, even my nice Lantern Moon pair. Out of curiosity and novelty (and a sale at AC Moore), I bought a pair of Knit Lites, knitting needles with plastic lights at the tips. Owen immediately began waving it around like a magic wand. I have to admit that I do quite like them, and the tips are quite smooth, although I don't know if I'd actually knit in the dark. They're just a little unwieldy for travel, and they've come on a couple times by accident. I keep eying the Options needle set from Knit Picks, but I really don't need it. I'll keep you posted.
Tak's dad really liked the hat, which was nice. He's going to wait until the fall to start wearing it. (OK, so I did use the bathroom as a backdrop. It has the best lighting at 11 o'clock at night in the house.)I'm finally knitting a sweater for myself. It's slow going, since I'm pattern & time challenged. All of my #11 wooden needles have chipped at the tips, even my nice Lantern Moon pair. Out of curiosity and novelty (and a sale at AC Moore), I bought a pair of Knit Lites, knitting needles with plastic lights at the tips. Owen immediately began waving it around like a magic wand. I have to admit that I do quite like them, and the tips are quite smooth, although I don't know if I'd actually knit in the dark. They're just a little unwieldy for travel, and they've come on a couple times by accident. I keep eying the Options needle set from Knit Picks, but I really don't need it. I'll keep you posted.
Monday, August 13, 2007
surf & turf
It has been a crazy couple weeks. We spent last weekend in Boothbay/Southport Maine, visiting my sister's in-laws with our whole family. It was a gorgeous spot, perfect weather. Ate in Boothbay, toured around the harbor, relaxed. Except when I fell down the stairs at the house where we were staying (I'm OK. The extra padding helped cushion the fall.) I even got a tan! Owen had a great time, too. He did great in the car both ways, considering it was his first big road trip.
Last week I went to my first Yelp event, an open house in a wonderful coffeeshop in the North End. The North End is one of those places that I just don't get to enough. I've also realized that Yelp is totally addictive for me. I think I wrote 5 or 7 reviews in one sitting last week, and stayed up until 3am. Silly me.
Oh! and went with Katie, Jason & my uncle George & aunt Cyndy to see Crowded House a week ago. Pete Yorn opened, and Juliana Hatfield came out and did a duet. Crowded House were very good--I love the sing a-longs. The best show I've seen Neil Finn was in Feb of 2003, it was Neil Finn with a couple other back-up musicians at Avalon, and my whole family went for my dad & George's birthday. The Harborlights/ Bank of America Pavilion show was great, too. The weather was lovely, and it's a great spot to see a show, under the tent and on the water. We all got a little goofy at the end, too.
My hair color is really fading. After doing the whole thing fuchsia, I decided it was too much and did low-lights (dark brown) myself, leaving pink parts in the front and sides. Now it looks closer to light brown and a washed out, light pink. I'll re-color the whole thing brown for a family wedding this weekend. It was fun while it lasted. Heck, I could always do it again!
Last week I went to my first Yelp event, an open house in a wonderful coffeeshop in the North End. The North End is one of those places that I just don't get to enough. I've also realized that Yelp is totally addictive for me. I think I wrote 5 or 7 reviews in one sitting last week, and stayed up until 3am. Silly me.
Oh! and went with Katie, Jason & my uncle George & aunt Cyndy to see Crowded House a week ago. Pete Yorn opened, and Juliana Hatfield came out and did a duet. Crowded House were very good--I love the sing a-longs. The best show I've seen Neil Finn was in Feb of 2003, it was Neil Finn with a couple other back-up musicians at Avalon, and my whole family went for my dad & George's birthday. The Harborlights/ Bank of America Pavilion show was great, too. The weather was lovely, and it's a great spot to see a show, under the tent and on the water. We all got a little goofy at the end, too.
My hair color is really fading. After doing the whole thing fuchsia, I decided it was too much and did low-lights (dark brown) myself, leaving pink parts in the front and sides. Now it looks closer to light brown and a washed out, light pink. I'll re-color the whole thing brown for a family wedding this weekend. It was fun while it lasted. Heck, I could always do it again!
Friday, August 03, 2007
optimus prime
The o-man slept over at my parents' house last night, and Tak & I got to go to the movies before his trip to NYC. We saw Transformers and WHOA it was excellent. Non-stop go go go. Sometimes the special effects were too much so that you don't know what's happening on the screen. Also a couple plot holes/wha-wha-what just happened moments. My friend Sofia has been recommending this to me for the last month and I'm so glad we saw it on the big screen.
My big OOPS for the day was I made Tak's train reservations and scheduled him to be on a train *yesterday* morning. Luckily he was able to switch the ticket over and make his train. Whew!
My big OOPS for the day was I made Tak's train reservations and scheduled him to be on a train *yesterday* morning. Luckily he was able to switch the ticket over and make his train. Whew!
Thursday, August 02, 2007
when the editor needs an edior
I'm finding this to be especailly true like in the long random psycho tailspin post from a couple days ago. I've edited a chunk out. Thanks for the support, too!
Monday, July 30, 2007
my new favorite things: July wrap-up
Haven't done one of these in ages!
Thomas's Blueberry Bagels: OMG. I have to split this in half because they're diet wreckers. Soft bagels. Mmmm...with cream cheese.
L'Oreal Colour Rays One Step Brush-on Highlights/ Fuchsia Flash ($12.99 CVS): Because it's made for dark hair, the color is *very* vibrant (the lightener is 30vol for DIY beauty shop junkies). My hair is pretty gray too, and I obviously ignored the warning on the box. 1 application/box is a waste if you're only going to do highlights, unless you have super-long hair, but it's hard to measure the proportions right. One box was enough to color my short hair--and have leftovers to spare. The applicator is like a big mascara wand that really grabs the hair from end to tip; wash it out and save if for another time. The color is staying put (but then, I haven't been washing my hair everyday either. TMI?)
Almay Smart Shade Makeup (SPF 15/light): This is an amazing base for hard-to-match skin tones. Takes the guesswork out of figuring out if your skin has warm tones, rose tones or whatever confusing jargon the makeup companies come up with. Covers evenly and also does ok masking small blemishes.
Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Mist Sunblock SPF 45: It's not greasy, and yes, fresh and cooling too.
Lexie Barnes handbags: I have the Hermosa 8&1/2" x11" bag and it fits whatever knitting I bring around with me. Found it at Webs 'cause the it's imperfect (aren't we all?), sewn upside down, but you'd hardly know it. ($13.99)
Brooklyn Industries' Heritage Lexy Bag: Mine isn't on the website anymore since I got in on clearance ($36). The print is excellent, the pockets all make sense, and it's roomier than you'd think on the inside. The handles don't slip easily off my shoulders--another bonus. Yep, I'm a bag fiend!
boingboing.net and mcsweeneys.net: Better late than never. Read Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs... last year and loved it; the website didn't occur to me until I saw news on gawker.com. Found Cory Doctorow through Neil Gaiman's blog, and loved Overclocked.
Ok, my seat is sinking in on itself (it's one of those storage stools with a foam top but old and cat-clawed) and it's way past my bedtime. Again!
Thomas's Blueberry Bagels: OMG. I have to split this in half because they're diet wreckers. Soft bagels. Mmmm...with cream cheese.
L'Oreal Colour Rays One Step Brush-on Highlights/ Fuchsia Flash ($12.99 CVS): Because it's made for dark hair, the color is *very* vibrant (the lightener is 30vol for DIY beauty shop junkies). My hair is pretty gray too, and I obviously ignored the warning on the box. 1 application/box is a waste if you're only going to do highlights, unless you have super-long hair, but it's hard to measure the proportions right. One box was enough to color my short hair--and have leftovers to spare. The applicator is like a big mascara wand that really grabs the hair from end to tip; wash it out and save if for another time. The color is staying put (but then, I haven't been washing my hair everyday either. TMI?)
Almay Smart Shade Makeup (SPF 15/light): This is an amazing base for hard-to-match skin tones. Takes the guesswork out of figuring out if your skin has warm tones, rose tones or whatever confusing jargon the makeup companies come up with. Covers evenly and also does ok masking small blemishes.
Neutrogena Fresh Cooling Mist Sunblock SPF 45: It's not greasy, and yes, fresh and cooling too.
Lexie Barnes handbags: I have the Hermosa 8&1/2" x11" bag and it fits whatever knitting I bring around with me. Found it at Webs 'cause the it's imperfect (aren't we all?), sewn upside down, but you'd hardly know it. ($13.99)
Brooklyn Industries' Heritage Lexy Bag: Mine isn't on the website anymore since I got in on clearance ($36). The print is excellent, the pockets all make sense, and it's roomier than you'd think on the inside. The handles don't slip easily off my shoulders--another bonus. Yep, I'm a bag fiend!
boingboing.net and mcsweeneys.net: Better late than never. Read Noisy Outlaws, Unfriendly Blobs... last year and loved it; the website didn't occur to me until I saw news on gawker.com. Found Cory Doctorow through Neil Gaiman's blog, and loved Overclocked.
Ok, my seat is sinking in on itself (it's one of those storage stools with a foam top but old and cat-clawed) and it's way past my bedtime. Again!
weird, random, stupid things maybe you don't want to know or I shouldn't tell you
It's weird being a cartoon character. It's also pretty cool too. Naming myself was the weirdest part. Having your husband ask is weird too. I keep thinking that I should have put together cooler names to choose from. (Marie is my middle name; Campana is a family name, and the last name of my cousin who was in 4 of the 5 Planet of the Apes movies, and her sister was the model on the 60s version of the Nancy Drew books)
Every once in awhile, I think of changing my name to match the rest of my family. Then I realize that I really like my name, and I get my stubborn pants on. Part of me wants to blend in, and part of me fights that urge tooth and nail. I spent so much of high school wanting to be cool (in the Molly Ringwald Pretty in Pink way), trying not to care that I was pretty far from the mark. Then I went off to college and ended up being kind of cool after all. Being part of the beginning of the edgy alt-news weekly was also incredibly cool and DIY and also gave me a purpose and focus I didn't have before. Part of me misses it fiercely, and then I remember how burnt out I was working basically 2 full time jobs by the time I had Owen. I missed a deadline when I went into labor and that was it.
So it's funny running around on Yelp, seeing 1st reviews for places I wrote up years ago. Part of it is nice & reassuring that those shops are still around, and people are getting that jolt of excitement. And it's a high, a rush, discovering someplace special. Another part of me is jealous and missing my old silly self that used to go around exploring neighborhoods for days--that I don't have the time and energy to really do that anymore. That all the cool points I had pre-momhood have been used up, which gets me down, and now I'm trying to put some of the pieces back but they're fitting in a weird way. Not in a pity party/boo-hoo/woe-is-me kind of way, but just that I get the feeling I'm doing something wrong or bad, and I don't know what it is. And no one wants to tell me, either. OR maybe everyone goes through it and you just have to work it through yourself.
Oops. I wasn't supposed to drop off emotional baggage. Too many nights of writing between 11pm and 2am. I was supposed to post pix of the FOs; talk about how crazy Hogwarts Sq was (and being called Tonks!); that I loved Order of the Phoenix; that I colored over most of the pink hair but left the pink shock in the front (and got complimented by girls on the subway and a hair stylist on it). Well, the hormonal post has been brewing for awhile. Sorry. When you all look at me funny next time I see you at least I'll know maybe why. Or maybe you'll tell me your story.
Every once in awhile, I think of changing my name to match the rest of my family. Then I realize that I really like my name, and I get my stubborn pants on. Part of me wants to blend in, and part of me fights that urge tooth and nail. I spent so much of high school wanting to be cool (in the Molly Ringwald Pretty in Pink way), trying not to care that I was pretty far from the mark. Then I went off to college and ended up being kind of cool after all. Being part of the beginning of the edgy alt-news weekly was also incredibly cool and DIY and also gave me a purpose and focus I didn't have before. Part of me misses it fiercely, and then I remember how burnt out I was working basically 2 full time jobs by the time I had Owen. I missed a deadline when I went into labor and that was it.
So it's funny running around on Yelp, seeing 1st reviews for places I wrote up years ago. Part of it is nice & reassuring that those shops are still around, and people are getting that jolt of excitement. And it's a high, a rush, discovering someplace special. Another part of me is jealous and missing my old silly self that used to go around exploring neighborhoods for days--that I don't have the time and energy to really do that anymore. That all the cool points I had pre-momhood have been used up, which gets me down, and now I'm trying to put some of the pieces back but they're fitting in a weird way. Not in a pity party/boo-hoo/woe-is-me kind of way, but just that I get the feeling I'm doing something wrong or bad, and I don't know what it is. And no one wants to tell me, either. OR maybe everyone goes through it and you just have to work it through yourself.
Oops. I wasn't supposed to drop off emotional baggage. Too many nights of writing between 11pm and 2am. I was supposed to post pix of the FOs; talk about how crazy Hogwarts Sq was (and being called Tonks!); that I loved Order of the Phoenix; that I colored over most of the pink hair but left the pink shock in the front (and got complimented by girls on the subway and a hair stylist on it). Well, the hormonal post has been brewing for awhile. Sorry. When you all look at me funny next time I see you at least I'll know maybe why. Or maybe you'll tell me your story.
Sunday, July 29, 2007
yelping away
I've been writing a bunch of reviews on yelp.com, which has been fun. Kind of like what I used to do for the Dig except I don't have a theme or a deadline or manage/find, writers. The word count is short so it helps me try to keep the writing tight and still fun. And I just got asked to be on the Elite team, which feels like being one of the cool kids. The downside is that I've let the blog slide, but I'll catch up tomorrow.
I finished knitting the fugly vest, and I'm going to donate it. Owen refuses to even try it on, and I don't blame him! The trim and the colors are all wrong. Maybe next time I'll use a pattern! Circles knitting salon in JP closed its storefront today, and I "helped" them by buying up some of the stash. oops. Allison, the owner, was very sweet and gave Owen one of the trucks from the kids area. There's also a binder sitting on my kitchen table crammed full of circular knitting needles that need to be inventoried now that I have them all in one place.
I finished knitting the fugly vest, and I'm going to donate it. Owen refuses to even try it on, and I don't blame him! The trim and the colors are all wrong. Maybe next time I'll use a pattern! Circles knitting salon in JP closed its storefront today, and I "helped" them by buying up some of the stash. oops. Allison, the owner, was very sweet and gave Owen one of the trucks from the kids area. There's also a binder sitting on my kitchen table crammed full of circular knitting needles that need to be inventoried now that I have them all in one place.
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