{enjoy more} BLISS

Another new blog

2011-06-20T23:30:00.002-04:00

What can I say, I just get bored... I am now at violetviva.blogspot.com

New blog

2010-08-23T21:29:00.000-04:00

I am here now: 33 etc

Color Inspiration

2009-10-20T22:40:00.002-04:00

I watched this movie last weekend: The Merry Gentleman. I thought it was quite good. But what really struck me was the feel that the background colors lent to the movie. The colors were just gorgeous... lots of grays, blue-greens, blue-grays, green-grays. Moody colors for a moody movie.

Mmmmmmm... I love these colors.

Images via The Merry Gentleman DVD

Busy! Busy!

2009-09-12T23:36:00.002-04:00

Here is a adorable photo of my pup to keep you occupied until I have something better:

The dream shall never die...

2009-08-26T04:54:00.007-04:00

When I was getting my car fixed a few weeks ago, I read Ted Kennedy's article in Newsweek about health care reform and nearly started crying. Right there, in an auto shop waiting room.

People say a lot of things about the Kennedy family but one thing nobody can deny is that they served America. They didn't have to. They were rich. They could have sat on their asses, propped flags up on their porches, bitched about taxes & called themselves "real Americans" (seems to be the litmus test lately). But they didn't. After every tragic event, they could have retreated... but they didn't. They evolved, they compromised, they got shit done. A good portion of them still go into public service or work to improve the lives of a great number of people in other ways. And you don't have to agree with any of them to admire that.

Some people would be happy if America goes backwards instead of forward... and that is just sad. Sure, change is scary. But an inability to evolve never ends well. And personally, I just don't get it.

(sigh)

RIP, Senator Kennedy...

Edward Kennedy, Senate Stalwart, Dies

The Cause of My Life

Me Likey

2009-08-06T21:59:00.002-04:00

Ceramic and Wood Tea or Coffee Set

via nybgshop

Ha!

2009-07-27T11:15:00.004-04:00

Oh, I know it's politics but this quote from Spencer Ackerman just sums up my feelings on Sarah Palin's resignation so well that I had to post it somewhere:

I feel insulted by the idea that I have to take such a transparent maneuver concocted by a Coen Brothers' third-tier character as an actual political event.

via Jezebel

GOOP

2009-07-23T21:54:00.003-04:00

Gwyneth Paltrow has a newsletter... GOOP. Everyone knows this by now, right? Well, if you don't, I highly recommend it for the recipes alone. And now she made a little cooking video! And well, damn, she can come over and cook me dinner anytime.

I like this

2009-06-26T11:18:00.003-04:00

via imgfave

The September Issue

2009-06-26T10:55:00.002-04:00

I'm only gonna post trailers from now on*:

I don't buy Vogue as much as I used to but I adore fashion & documentaries so I see this movie as a win/win.

*just kidding

The Pacific

2009-06-22T14:26:00.003-04:00

What? Another Trailer? Yes, absolutely. This one is from Spanks (That's Spielberg/Hanks, people... get your mind out of the gutter!) and is the long-awaited companion miniseries to the brilliant Band of Brothers miniseries. How long has this been awaited by moi? So long that I'd cursed Spanks for dangling it in front of us, figured they just weren't making it and then, finally, forgotten all about it. And I will probably forget again until it's out on DVD in late 2010 because I don't subscribe to HBO*.

*see also: Grey Gardens, Curb Your Enthusiam, Big Love, and (coming soon!) Bored to Death.

via The Live Feed

Julie & Julia

2009-06-19T10:53:00.001-04:00

This was a really cute book & the movie looks equally cute:

High Line

2009-06-19T10:35:00.004-04:00

I'm terribly jealous of New York's new High Line Park... it looks so gorgeous:

Akron is pretty good with parks but I'd love to see us do more interesting things like this...

All photos from High Line Blog

Oh Look, More Flowers...

2009-06-01T14:37:00.003-04:00

No. 5 and No. 6

Peony Season is almost over... and tragically, about 5 or 6 of mine were destroyed this weekend by the gaggle of unsupervised children who live next door to me. I need a really tall fence.

(sigh)

More Peonies

2009-05-29T23:37:00.002-04:00

Peonies #1 (the one that looks like its been around the longest), #3 and #4.

I'm keeping track of how many blooms I get this year. I love peonies.

Pink Peony

2009-05-28T14:18:00.003-04:00

A Peony (#2) from my garden & a ceramic egg that I hope will sprout a plant sometime in the near future.

8

2009-05-20T14:42:00.004-04:00

I saw this meme and figured, since I hadn't posted in awhile, "eh, why not?"

8 things i look forward to:

Walking with my puppy
Something that's NOYB
Blooming Peonies
Riding my bike
Finished home projects
Sleeping in on weekends
Being outside
Vacation Days

8 things i did yesterday:

Worked
Went to a Lunch & Learn thing
Walked to my brother's house
Took my dog to the dog park
Went for a walk on the Towpath
Went out to dinner with my mom
Watched a SATC rerun
Laundry

8 things i wish i could do:

Make things quiet when I want things quiet
Control a mystical force that smacks people upside the head when they aren't paying attention and they totally should be
Speak 20 languages fluently
Afford to take all the classes I want to take
Afford a new car
Wear flip-flops to work
Magically beam Starbucks drinks to me
Go back in time & write LOST with many, many improvements ;)

8 shows i watch:

LOST
The Office
The Biggest Loser
Better Off Ted
Gossip Girl

(Uh... might be it for new shows. Reruns!)

Seinfeld
MASH
Sex and the City

8 posts i've starred recently in google reader:

My Bike: Part 2

2009-05-03T22:18:00.004-04:00

Remember way back when I promised to show you my other bike as soon as I took a picture? Well, guess what I finally did today?

I picked up this bike at a tag sale last summer for $40 just as a little something different. This is a Columbia Tourist V from the 70's. It's super cute... came with a old school headlight & rear view mirror. It also has 5 speeds & hand brakes where as my other bike is just one speed w/coasting brakes.

I don't have any other bikes... promise.

My Part: Part 1

French Milk

2009-04-16T12:01:00.003-04:00

French Milk by Lucy Knisley

Read this delightful little book last night & loved it. It's like a graphic novel-y travel journal photo journal journal (or something). Makes me want to fly away for my own trip somewhere...

Another great travel journal is Carnet De Voyage by Craig Thompson

Away We Go

2009-04-10T21:29:00.002-04:00

I am feeling like a fool tonight... this trailer totally made me cry. Anyway, it looks really good:

Mmm Mmm Good

2009-04-05T21:02:00.003-04:00

Lately, I have been obsessed with trying new recipes... I always tear recipes out of magazines and bookmark them in cookbooks & blogs. So, I thought it was about time that I dusted off all my kitchen tools & tried some of them. This week I tried:

Parsley & Walnut Pesto (from Cooking Light Magazine)

3 cups fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 garlic cloves, chopped

Preparation: Combine all ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.

I tossed this with whole wheat angel hair pasta and YUM. It was good. Oddly enough, parsley and walnuts are something I only like when mixed with other things. Apparently, I also like them when mixed together. A couple of notes: My food processor left this too chunky for my liking, so I dumped it into the blender and made it smooth. With the leftovers, I froze individual servings (1 tbsp.) in an ice cube tray just like they suggested. Now I have 9 more servings of it in a freezer bag just ready to go. I love this little trick. Now I'm planning on making a traditional pesto & freezing the extra, too.

Next up:

Spiced Lentil Tacos (from Self Magazine)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried brown lentils, rinsed
1 package (2.25 oz) taco seasoning
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, finely chopped (use half for less heat)
2 teaspoons adobo sauce
8 taco shells
1 1/4 cups shredded lettuce
1 cup chopped tomato
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat (2 percent) cheddar

Preparation: Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook onion, garlic and salt until onion begins to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Add lentils and taco seasoning. Cook until spices are fragrant and lentils are dry, about 1 minute. Add broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Mix sour cream, chile and adobo sauce in a bowl. Uncover lentils and cook until mixture thickens, 6 to 8 minutes. Mash with a rubber spatula. Spoon 1/4 cup lentil mixture into each taco shell. Top with 2 heaping tsp sour cream mixture, lettuce, tomato and cheese.

OMG. These were also super delish... I have had these for dinner 3x in 5 days. Notes on this: I cooked the lentils for a little longer (about 40 minutes) because they weren't soft enough for me. The recipe says it makes 4 servings (8 tacos) but I have had 7 tacos and have enough leftover for 3 or 4 more. And I left off the tomatoes because I'm not a tomato person.

That's it, so far. Here are a couple of recipes that I plan on trying in the next couple of weeks:

Spicy Black Bean Burgers
(scroll down to Thursday)
from CJane

Asian Tuna Sandwiches w/Soy & Sesame Mayo
Caramelized Black Pepper Chicken
(scroll down to below the Buckwheat & Banana Pancakes... unless you want to try them too. I highly recommend them)
both from Goop

Grey Gardens Trailer

2009-03-27T11:44:00.002-04:00

I'm excited to see this:

I admittedly could never sit all the way through the documentary... it just felt a little too icky. But I'm interested in this movie because it seems to have more of their back story.

Where the Wild Things Are Teaser

2009-03-25T16:40:00.002-04:00

Oddly, it reminds me of the Marie Antoinette teaser. but maybe that's just because it sorta sucks you in with the music? I dunno...

What I'm Not Buying (Yet)

2009-03-17T22:43:00.003-04:00

I need a water bottle for my bike. Last night, I almost bought a bottle cage at Target but didn't when I couldn't find a stainless steel or bpa-free plastic bottle that fit in it. Then I remembered klean kanteens...

The 18oz one fits most standard bike cages. But who wants 18oz of sweet hydrating water when they can have 27oz of it? Not me. I'll be getting a 27oz klean kanteen & bike cage next month.

image via klean kanteen

Dear Eyewear Designers,

2009-03-17T20:33:00.010-04:00

Look, I know how it is... you wanna be hip, you wanna be cool, you wanna be trendy. But do you think maybe you can lay off trying to make every last pair of eye glasses look "fancy." Some of us just want something simple... something classic. Some of us don't want a 3 inch high "status" logo on the side of our heads. Or white lining the inside of our black glasses. Or the bling... oh dear god, the bling. Maybe I'm being short sighted (haha, totally awful pun intended). Maybe someday, I'll be trapped in the woods & all that will stand between me & a life-saving fire will be the shiny, sparkly bling all over of the pair of glasses I didn't pick. You know, because I could use the bling to reflect the sun into a pile of sticks & dried grass. Just maybe then I will regret my snarky judgments of your designs. But I really fucking doubt it.

The fact is, sometimes you want a change & you sometimes you wanna stick with what works for you. Last year, I settled for change because you refused to give me what I wanted. And so, for the last year, I've been wearing a pair of glasses that are greenish and purplish with paisley on the inside. Oh yes, I said paisley. And they didn't even look bad... they just didn't make me feel as confident as my old pair did. For a year, people have had to hear me bitch about how all I wanted was a simple pair of tortoise shell eye glasses. Like these:

See? There's nothing fancy going on there*. They're not pink inside or (shudder) purple reddish rainbow puke like the only two pairs I could find today that were generally this same style.

Now, I know what your thinking. "Well, Miss Snarkypants, if you liked those glasses so much why don't you just use one of your two previous pairs that looked just like that?" Well, let me tell you. Because my then 8 month old dog chewed both pairs into itty bitty pieces while I slept within 1 month of each other. Is that your fault? Noooo. But it had only been 4 months since I bought the above pair and when I went back to Lenscrafters, this style had been discontinued. In favor of many styles featuring status logos, bling & contrasting colors lining the inside. Gag. And that was your fault. So I tried it your way... your stupid trendy Nine West glasses in a different color (multiple colors even!) and slightly different style. And you know what? I didn't like them. And now I'd like to go back to classic & simple, if you please. Other people? If they like the highly stylized stuff out there right now, more power to them. I'll admit, some people look great in them. But that is just not me. So kindly throw a couple of simple pairs into the mix when you're adding jetpacks to next season's line. Mmkay?

Thanks!

*except for with my hair... how great does my hair look here? (sigh) Miss you, Brett!

Where the Wild Things Are

2009-03-17T14:55:00.003-04:00

I have heard not so great things about the making of this movie which have me worried about it's outcome. But I'm completely in love with the poster:

And since it is based on my all time favorite children's book, I'll definitely reserve judgment until I see it for myself.

via Design Crush

Daytrip Society

2009-03-17T14:23:00.004-04:00

First of all, best. name. ever.

Daytrip Society is a destination for those inspired by the romance of nature and the adventure of travel, founded by native Mainers and ardent daytrippers Jessica Jenkins and Andy West.

Love it. So much great stuff all in one place.

Speaking of daytrips... went on one the other day & have since been thinking of creating a little supply kit for future trips (of which there will be many). I'm all for exploring but damn if it doesn't suck being in the middle of nowhere without a bottle of water handy. Heh.

photo via Daytrip Society

Oh... oops.

2009-03-16T13:46:00.002-04:00

Ha... just realized that I forgot to do my Monday Spending Update last week. That's what I get for trying to remember things on a Monday. Oh well, it happens. To catch up... I did just fine the week before last. Now this week is another story...

Let's just say that I went out 3x, went to the grocery store 3x and bought a little something on Etsy.

:-D

Now, it turns out, that a benefit of being vigilant with your money is that it allows you some leeway those times when you are less than vigilant (go figure). So, I didn't actually do much damage to my budget. As long as I jump back on the wagon for the rest of the month. Which is definitely the plan.

This week I'm planning on spending some money on a new pair of glasses. But the awesome thing about that is: VISION INSURANCE... such a lovely thing to have. So a brand-spanking-new pair of glasses will only set me back about $35 in co-pays. Which I will then immediately get back from my flex-pro account. And what's also awesome is that I just got a new free pair of glasses to replace a damaged pair that were still under warranty. I didn't even know there was such thing! And now I'll have eyewear options! Contacts, glasses, and... other glasses. Fancy.

Other than that extra expense that sort of ends up a non-expense, everything should be back to normal this week.

The Pleasure is All Mine

2009-03-11T11:50:00.003-04:00

I love the idea of this book...

Creating really nice meals... for yourself. I never do this. But maybe I should start.

I have too many cookbooks as it is... I was staring at them the other day thinking how I never use them. I think I will chuck a few of them into the giveaway box and, next time I have an amazon gift card, pick this book up. Perhaps it will inspire me.

The Pleasure is All Mine

via The Speckled Egg

image via amazon.com

Funny Face

2009-03-08T17:30:00.000-04:00

Watching this now:

Simple Sunday

2009-03-08T17:09:00.001-04:00

Sunday is usually my super productive day but a migraine has me way
out of it today. So, I'm making a list of 5 simple things to get done
so that I won't feel that Sunday was totally useless. The rest can
wait.

As for the remainder of my day... rest, water, a rice sock, and lots
of Audrey Hepburn.

spring for a day

2009-03-07T09:45:00.002-05:00

last night i slept with the window open & it was so lovely. earlier
this morning there was a crazy thunderstorm... the first of the year.
and i loved it. today i'm taking my dog for a long walk *and* to the
dog park. i'm going to open all the windows and let air blow through
the house. i'm going to give every bird & squirrel i see a nickname.
i'm going to break out my new umbrella & twirl it around. i'm going to
take the opportunity to get a couple of things done on the outside of
my house. then i'm gonna go for another walk.

today is the first taste of spring... and i'm gonna gobble it up.

Love This

2009-03-05T09:29:00.003-05:00

forest of woods from pen pencil stencil

via Black*Eiffel

Photo No Go

2009-03-05T09:14:00.002-05:00

camera batteries are dead and I'm all out @ home. so photos are on hiatus until i get to a store.

Want. Want Now.

2009-03-02T22:33:00.003-05:00

Oh, to have disposable income... this would be mine (well, Goyle's) for sure:

boston terrier hanging feeder @ these creatures

via Miss Jane

Daily Image

2009-03-02T22:29:00.001-05:00

March 2 - A little birdie looks over my secret project supplies.

Monday Spending Update

2009-03-02T09:58:00.002-05:00

Oh, last week. Last week I didn't do as well as I wanted. First, here's what I spent money on that I was "allowed" to spend money on:

A night out w/a friend

And then, here's what else I spent money on:

Another night out w/friend
A nightcap on a night out w/another friend
$2 on evil vending machine brownies
lunch & latte on Friday (in my defense, I worked through lunch)
Random gatorade purchase

Looking back, even with this week's three nights out, I only averaged one night out (where I spent money) per week. Alas, that is not really what I'm going for. :-D The good news is that if you add up all my other cheating episodes, I spent less than $20 on non-essentials. And that is pretty damn good. Anyway, it's a new month and there are some subtractions & additions to the rules!

So, the original essentials list still applies with a limit to groceries (once a week) & an added miscellaneous category (like postage & other little things that pop up). And here are the exceptions:

entertainment - movies, museums & other activities that add experience to my life, not things (limited to $50 month)
dinner out (or breakfast or lunch or drinks) with friends or family (limited to once a week)
charitable contributions ($50 a month... this should have been added originally)
new brakes (not sure if this should be an exception as not crashing into a tree is probably essential to my life)
file taxes (also essential to me: not going to jail)
art/craft supplies (limit $20... have a new project in the works & will need to pick up a couple of things)
slush fund (limit $20... this is for the occasional treat {latte, lunch when i'm busy, maybe vogue}, it's not for anything else)

All in all, I think the first month of this experiment went rather well. And I'm looking forward to month two.

Daily Image

2009-03-01T21:48:00.003-05:00

March 1 - Blast from the past...

Anyone remember when IKEA had a magazine? I found a couple of issues at my mom's house. It was a cute little magazine.

Daily Image

2009-03-01T21:42:00.003-05:00

February 28 - Lisa Congdon gocco print hanging by my treadmill

Daily Image

2009-03-01T21:39:00.002-05:00

February 27 - Oops... A Friday latte hits the spot.

This Pizza Looks YUM

2009-02-28T17:40:00.003-05:00

In the mood to make pizza... think this one is it.

Bell Pepper, Red Onion, and Goat Cheese Pizza

Image & recipe via Love and Olive Oil

found via Design Crush

Daily Image

2009-02-26T19:14:00.003-05:00

February 26 - Mardi Gras Debris

Daily Image

2009-02-26T19:11:00.002-05:00

February 25 - Deliciousness

(no pic for tuesday)

Daily Image

2009-02-26T18:38:00.003-05:00

February 23 - Project Magazine

(I am playing catch up on uploading my photos)

Monday Spending Update

2009-02-23T11:01:00.002-05:00

Last week...

groceries
gas
dog food
vogue

And one cheat: $2 at McDonalds while running errands during my lunch break.

I think that I am going to the grocery store a little too much. I have ALL the food I need for now so I am going to try and stay away from there this week. And I think I might spend part of this next week making a menu for March. If I plan my meals better, I bet I can cut my grocery budget in half.

I've decided to keep on going with the spending hiatus in March... It's really working out great & I think it's good for me. I'll be coming up with a new set of rules and adding a couple of small allowances. Nothing big... I'll fill you in later.

It looks like I (maybe) may be moving sometime this year. I haven't decided how I feel about that & am just gonna save that thought process until other people clarify their thought processes to me a little bit more. Either way, it's even more inspiration for my "get rid of stuff" goals. So, I'll be starting up a new challenge along those lines a bit later this week.

OK... that is all.

What I'm Not Buying (Yet)

2009-02-23T09:16:00.003-05:00

Love these Jeana Sohn screen printed pillowcases @ Third Drawer Down

image via Third Drawer Down

Daily Image

2009-02-22T23:55:00.002-05:00

February 22 - Is it over yet?

Oscar Live Blog... Part 2

2009-02-22T21:53:00.033-05:00

Beyonce again. Do they use her for everything?

This is a long musical number... but my yummy pasta is making up for it.

Another commercial. Oh hey, Sandra Bullock is making romantic comedies again. Surprise.

Another drawn out presentation... Best Supporting Actor: Heath Ledger. This is, I think, only the second time someone has won posthumously.

Thought they were doing the memorial thing now but it is Documentary. It was the music that trixed me.

Man on Wire was amazing... I'm rooting for it to win.

Bill Maher is presenting. Winner: Man on Wire!!

Now they have to drag the frenchman off the stage.

Short Subject Doc: Smile Pinki

These car commercials smack of desperation.

Another montage. They do so much filler on purpose so that I will tire out & have no energy for snark. I know it's true.

Ever notice that the montage movies are mostly not nominated for anything?

Visual Effects: Ben Button

Brad Pitt looks bloated tonight.

Batman 17 just won... sound effects? Was chasing down my dog... sorry.

More Will Smith... did they run out of stars to present?

Sound Mixing: Slumdog

Oh are you kidding me? The fresh prince is presenting another award. Sound sounding? Um, hold on, I will find out. Slumdog just won whatever it was. Uh... film editing.

A tribute to Jerry Lewis coming up? Huh?

Heidi Klum diet coke commercial followed by Tim Gunn Tide commercial. Guess they have to do something while PR is in limbo.

Did they do the dead people montage yet? I'm calling Paul Newman as the finale on that.

Eddie Murphy doing the Jerry Lewis thing. Is this because he has remade 70% of his movies?

Remember when the Labor Day telethon was a huge deal... I remember being at Rolling Acres one Labor Day & they had a whole section in the mall where you could buy stuff & the money went to Jerry's Kids.

That was sort of a lame tribute, Oscars. Way to pull out all the stops.

To finish the Labor Day story, my mom bought a Neil Diamond record she already owned just because the money went to Jerry's Kids. That was sweet of her.

More music. Thought maybe it was time for the big awards. Silly me.

Flipping Zac Efron again? Best Score: Slumdog

There were only three good songs in movies this year? Whatev... two are from Slumdog & the other is from Wall-E.

Original Song: Jai Ho from Slumdog (that's a great soundtrack, btw)

The only justice for having to sit through so much Efron is that he is clearly the new Kevin Bacon. And how much do we have to see him anymore?

Is it just SO obvious what's gonna happen on Brothers & Sisters next week? I think it is.

I like Freida Pinto's dress.

Foreign Language film: Departures (Japan)

Memorial time... wtf? Why is there singing involved in this? OK, I hate the way they're doing this. I don't like the floaty images... it's all very bad.

I think seriously, or hope seriously, that the final four are up next.

Reese Witherspoon in a very bad dress presenting the Best Director.

Winner: Danny Boyle - Slumdog

Best Actress time... I'm guessing there will be 5 presenters again. Yep: Sophia Loren, Shirley Maclaine, Nicole Kidman, Halle Berry & Marion Cotillard.

Winner: Kate Winslet. She really is great in everything, isn't she? It's about time she won this.

I don't like her dress very much.

But she's awesome.

Moving on... best actor.

Presenters: Robert Deniro, Ben Kingsley, Anthony Hopkins, Adrien Brody, Michael Douglas. Nice group. Mickey Rourke is shaking.

Winner: Sean Penn?!?

Mickey Rourke was robbed. Sorry. I hear Penn was great but damn. Not cool, Oscar voters. It was suppose to be Mickey Rourke. Or Richard Jenkins. Didn't you get my memo?

But another Equal Rights shout out so that's cool. And a Mickey Rourke shout out too... OK, Sean Penn. Since you were so nice. Congratulations. I would like to see Milk.

Spielberg presenting Best Picture. I don't like this montage of current nominees mixed in with old winners. It's weird...

Winner: Slumdog Millionaire

Bedtime... See you next year, Oscar!

Live Blogging the Oscars

2009-02-22T19:51:00.029-05:00

I like to jot down my thoughts on the Oscars as they happen... or you know, make fun of everyone. Except for the three people I like. Here are some opening thoughts while they do the red carpet BS:

I am NOT looking forward to Hugh Jackman being the host.
Amy Adams is too adorable. They should give her an Oscar just for that.
My idea for a Sex and the City sequel: Big loses all his money in the new great depression and Carrie has to sell all her beloved manolo blahniks & move in with Samantha. Haha... my idea, it's not any good. But I imagine anything they come up with won't be either. That is to say: it's played out, people. Just let it go.
Brad Pitt just doesn't do it for me anymore. And Angelina... seriously she's younger than me?
Shit. Valentino looks like a shriveled orange. He can still make a hot dress though.
If you didn't like Slumdog Millionaire, you don't have a heart.
Mickey Rourke cracks me up... I want him to win just to hear his crazy speech.
Speaking of people I don't get... Zac Efron. He just called someone a "great kid." Isn't he like 20?
Robert Downey Jr. is fantastic. And that's all I have to say about that.
Something about Miley Cyrus just creeps me out.
Has this thing started yet?
Richard Jenkins is my second choice for best actor.
I loved Vicky Christina Barcelona & wouldn't mind if Penelope Cruz wins.
I really didn't see very many movies this year so I'm just picking actors & actresses I like... deal with it.
Some of the oscar nominated movies I did see: The Wrestler, The Visitor, Vicky Christina Barcelona, Tropic Thunder, Slumdog Millionaire, Wall-E, Man on Wire
They were all great. Except Tropic Thunder. Which was lame.

Ok, it's starting...

Heeeere's Jackman! I'm wondering... is that new Wolverine movie suppose to be serious because I was cracking up during the preview. And not in a good way. Oh jeebus... so far, no good on this hosting choice.

He is basically doing Billy Crystal as oscar host, only he's not Billy Crystal. And he can't keep a straight face... so he's like Jerry Seinfeld doing Billy Crystal.

I think he's done. Start handing out some awards now please... I want to get to bed by 1am.

Oh wait, now he's kissing everyone's ass.

Is it just me or can Meryl Streep sneeze on screen & get nominated for an Oscar?

Rumor has it that Jennifer Aniston is presenting tonight... $5 they cut to the golden couple when she's up there. Because that is the kind of bastards they are.

Best Supporting Actress time... if anyone starts talking about Marissa Tomei's "comeback" I'm going to puke. She has been around all this time and making pretty decent movies. I don't like this format... do they have to drag this out any longer? Wait, how did they manage to make the oscars even more ass-kissy?

Winner: Penelope Cruz! I can't understand a word she's saying but good for her...

Tilda Swinton would make a great Ursa in a Superman II remake. That is not to say they should do such a thing... because the original is where it's at.

Finally, a commercial. My dog has already passed out.

So far the only thing I like about Hugh Jackman is the way he pronounces process... PRO-cess. Just like my ATM! Hehehe.

Yea! Steve Martin... he would have been a good host. Or Tina Fey. Or both of them together since they are the best thing on this show so far.

OK, original screenplay... Milk.

See even when it's funny, this format is too drawn out. I totally forgot what award they were handing out by the time they got to it.

Yea! Equal Rights shout out!

Adapted screenplay... still Tina Fey & Steve Martin presenting. Slumdog Millionaire FTW!

Jen Aniston & Jack Black... I TOLD YOU SO. At least Angelina wasn't scowling for once.

Wall-E is gonna win, duh... my dog even likes it. I know because he never pays attention to the TV and he just stopped & looked.

Oh yeah, it won. I'm still not over seeing Angelina laugh... she must have practiced. "I will not look bitchy, I will not look bitchy, I will not look bitchy." They just showed them AGAIN. Can we give Aniston a fucking break already? Apparently the producers of the academy of moving talkies (or whatever they are called) are no better than Us Weekly.

Um, something just won for best short cartoony movie... but I was ranting so I can't tell you what it was.

Another commercial... only 7 more hours to go!

Just one more thing & I'll move on... There is nothing remotely pathetic about Jennifer Aniston. So stop implying that, every magazine ever.

Oh hello, Daniel Craig... you are gorgeous. Oh SJP, you're here too. Ben Button just won something... art direction? No, I don't pay that much attention, this is true.

Does everyone get to present two awards tonight? Best Costume Design: The Duchess.

Tired. This guy talks... really... slow.

OMG. I'm not complaining that Daniel Craig is still on my TV but wtf is with them presenting three awards?

Makeup: Ben Button

They are doing some kissy-kissy montage.

Puppy potty break! I'm happy because he let me know he wanted out before the potty break happened. :-D

Haha... OK, Ben Stiller as faux-crazy Joaquin Phoenix is good. Hehehe... Natalie Portman

Cinematography... Slumdog.

Uh, Jessica Beil... I'm gonna take a nap. Wait. Did they come back from commercial just for that?

Pineapple Express? I think that's what this skit is...

Is there an award here? Oh. it was another montage.

Now here's an award. This always seems like a good idea until two hours into the show. Live Action Short... uh, Toyland.

Pasta break... the Heath Ledger award is coming up. I didn't see the movie, I'm sure he's fantastic... but I can't shake the feeling he is going to win just for dying.

Ugh. Another musical number. This post is getting oppressively long... I'm gonna start part 2.

Daily Image

2009-02-22T17:30:00.005-05:00

February 21 - Blue Pox... my dog seems to be breaking out in mysterious blue spots. In other news, I'm missing a pen.

Daily Image

2009-02-22T17:25:00.002-05:00

February 20 - Early Morning Puppy

(been a lazy weekend... apparently so lazy that i couldn't transfer photos to my laptop. i'm catching up now) :-D

Daily Image

2009-02-20T00:16:00.004-05:00

February 19 - Road Reflections

Saw this cool huge reflection on the road when I was looking out my office window.

Yellow Week - Day 4

2009-02-19T23:49:00.005-05:00

I bought this fabric to make curtains for my bedroom... the print next to it is the color inspiration for the room. That is to say, a base of super neutrals (white & grays) with pops of muted brights* (mostly yellows & a little green), plus dark wood furniture. I think it's going to look really great.

The print is Past 12 Months by Josh Cochran

*Is there such a thing as a muted bright? Hmmmm... I think so.

Daily Image

2009-02-19T23:44:00.002-05:00

February 18 - Akron Civic Theatre

(Or maybe it's the Civi?)

Yellow Dreams

2009-02-19T09:16:00.002-05:00

Last night I had a dream that I was desperately trying to take a picture of something yellow. I had my film, polaroid, digital, even my phone camera out everywhere I went. But just as I was about to snap a picture, something would distract me. Taking a picture with my phone? Someone would call & need something. About to use some precious polaroid film? Someone bumped into me and the yellow daffodils I was focusing on would be knocked out of frame. Then that person would want to talk & by the time we were done talking, the flowers were gone. This went on and on throughout the dream... I never did get a picture of something yellow.

Weird, huh?

I wish my excuse was such a madcap adventure. But really, I just got distracted yesterday & didn't stop to notice the yellow in my life. Which is kind of funny because as I sit here and type this... I'm noticing all the yellow office supplies cluttering my desk. Heh.

I did snap a couple of photos yesterday for my daily image, I just forgot to upload one. I will do that plus a little yellow love this evening.

Daily Image

2009-02-17T23:40:00.002-05:00

February 17 - Reflection of flag

The girl scout in me wants them to replace this flag with one that's less ragged on the edges.

Yellow Week - Day 2

2009-02-17T23:34:00.003-05:00

Went to make a smoothie for lunch & noticed something while gathering the ingredients... yellow!

P.S. That is the most fantastic peanut butter ever.

Yellow Week - Day 1

2009-02-16T22:44:00.002-05:00

I have been slowly moving to plain white or clear glass dishes in the past couple of years as I continue to simplify my life. But I have noticed that I've still managed to collect (haha, steal) a bunch of yellow dishes from my mom's cupboard. These are just a couple of them sitting along side of the rest of the dishes. They always make me smile when I reach for a dish...

It's yellow week @ house on hill road

Daily Image

2009-02-16T22:36:00.005-05:00

February 16 - 1960 Edition of The Scarlet Letter

I found this while going through a box of books that I had saved in the basement... I just love the cover art.

Monday Spending Update

2009-02-16T10:06:00.003-05:00

Two weeks down. This week I bought...

groceries - a little more food
dog treats - snausages are an essential for g-dog
cleaning stuff - sponges & spray cleaner
toiletries - deodorant, aloe gel, razor cartridges

That was it. I think I'm doing great. This has actually been a lot easier than I thought it would be.

In the meantime, I'm slowly working on getting my house in order. Many, many things are getting kicked out of my house. I'm so looking forward to spring cleaning trash day.

Feeling very tired today, so this is as good of a post as I can come up with.

:-)

Hooray!

2009-02-16T00:20:00.004-05:00

I bet everyone in the world has had someone in their life they would like to send this card to:

:-D

More great cards @ the beautiful project etsy shop.

image via the beautiful project

Daily Image

2009-02-15T22:28:00.002-05:00

February 15 - Cheshire Cat ornament

Daily Image

2009-02-14T21:52:00.005-05:00

February 14 - Randomly sighted holy relic

Daily Image

2009-02-13T23:30:00.002-05:00

February 13 - Watched Penelope tonight... really liked her scarf.

The Friday Cure

2009-02-13T22:33:00.002-05:00

This is just so awesome...

The illustrated lyrics to The Cure's Friday I'm in Love on a t-shirt...

via Double Takes Blog via Threadless

Valentines

2009-02-13T10:37:00.004-05:00

Stephanie at even*cleveland made some adorable valentines... this one is my favorite:

image via even*cleveland

Elise Blaha Letterpress Tutorial

2009-02-13T09:04:00.008-05:00

Elise at the enJOY it blog is super talented and makes lovely letterpress prints & stationary. I have that print above hanging on my fridge. Today she's posted a fantastic (this must be my new favorite word) letterpress tutorial on her blog...

I would love to take a letterpress class someday. That print she is printing (heh) in the tutorial is my all time favorite (so far) of her work. I must have almost bought it about 20x. Alas, it was sold out in her etsy shop when I finally went back to buy it. But now it's back again! During my spending hiatus...

(le sigh)

Oh, well... that's the way it works sometimes, eh?

Go check out her letterpress tutorial! And to see more of her work, visit her blog & the elisejoy etsy shop

images via Elise Blaha

What I'm Not Buying (Yet)

2009-02-12T23:17:00.008-05:00

I know many, many people think the Keep Calm and Carry On poster is overdone... but I still love it. Could have used one of these at my old job... hahaha, good times. I'll buy one someday. But I'm still conflicted as to what color to get... it changes weekly. Really, it's a great message & everyone should embrace it.

Here's a little history of the Keep Calm poster:
The greatest motivational poster ever?

Buy one at the sfgirlbybay etsy shop

Daily Image

2009-02-12T21:05:00.003-05:00

February 12 - Blood Orange Martini

Tried this recipe. But I suggest using juice of one blood orange & juice of half a lime instead of the other way around. I'm gonna look around for other recipes, too.

Daily Image

2009-02-11T17:50:00.003-05:00

February 11 - Teagle Park sculpture on a gray day

Cheater, Cheater, Vogue Magazine Reader*

2009-02-11T11:12:00.004-05:00

Alright, so last month when I bought Vogue I finally talked myself into getting a subscription again. I let it lapse because... Oh, I don't remember. I didn't have sixteen extra bucks one month? Then I thought that maybe I wouldn't buy it as much. HA! That thought was a big bowl of wrong. So fast forward to last month (pre-spending hiatus), when I was like, "just pay the $16 & you'll be set for a year AND save money." Then I forgot. Dammit! But I wasn't too worried because there are plenty of people Vogue puts on their covers that keep me from buying it. So, I was hoping for a Keira Knightley (Meh) or Sienna Miller (Barf) cover this month. Hahaha... of course, Michelle Obama is on the cover for March:

And, of course, I will buy it. Though, there might be a chance that I can snag both Domino & Vogue the first week of March... then it wouldn't be cheating. Right?

*Yes, I realize this bit of non-cleverness also non-rhymes... I'm off coffee, what do you expect?

Daily Image

2009-02-10T20:32:00.002-05:00

February 10 - "Stop taking my picture & take me for my flippin' walk, Lady!"

Blog Love

2009-02-10T14:08:00.005-05:00

Copenhagen Cycle Chic... I love this blog so much! The images on it are always breathtaking & I just adore the whole philosophy behind it. Their manifesto is just fantastic.

All images via Copenhagen Cycle Chic

What I'm Not Buying (Yet)

2009-02-10T13:49:00.007-05:00

Japanese Colored Masking Tape

It's so much easier not to buy something when the one you want (the 20 pack) is out of stock... but it's still on my wishlist for the future.

image via DWR

Daily Image

2009-02-09T21:43:00.001-05:00

February 9 - Succulent on the kitchen windowsill

Monday Spending Update

2009-02-09T11:12:00.002-05:00

One week into my spending hiatus & all is well... here is what I bought last week:

groceries - enough food to last 2-3 weeks
prescription eye drops
soft paws - unfortunately, I'll have to exchange them for smaller size
nail trim for Goyle @ Petsmart
movie tickets for two
full tank of gas
credit report - to check out my updated credit score after a dispute was settled

And that's it. I think I did pretty damn good for the first week... the hardest part seemed to be the lack of Starbucks. I don't like plain old coffee so the coffee in my office is not good enough (actually, it's not good at all. It's really quite bad). And when you're a little sleepy & bored at work, a nice latte usually hits the spot. What's funny is that I only go to Starbucks 2x a week but not being able to have it at all last week was like torture. Albeit, the spoiled & entitled young American type of torture. :-D

Anyway, that seemed to be the thing that I obsessed over the most. That and lottery tickets... another thing I don't actually buy that often. So, I guess lattes & lotto are two weaknesses. Oh, and etsy... stop making such awesome things, artsy & crafty people! Maybe I will follow other people's lead and do some "what I'm not buying" posts for all the pretty things tempting me on the internet.

This week looks to be even less spendy as I'm all stocked up on food, gas & uh, eye drops. Heh. Also this week, I have plans to fill up boxes with things I no longer want around my house. So, week 2 should be interesting...

Daily Image

2009-02-08T22:51:00.002-05:00

February 8 - At the grocery store... avoiding the apples.

Daily Image

2009-02-08T22:38:00.003-05:00

February 7 - Breakfast in Bed

Daily Image

2009-02-06T19:07:00.003-05:00

February 6 - Bright Lights, Blimp City

(I was leaning out my car window, so please excuse the photo's askew angle. :-D)

Daily Image

2009-02-05T21:33:00.001-05:00

February 5 - Puppy Tracks

Daily Image (+ 1)

2009-02-04T12:31:00.003-05:00

February 4 - "Oh! There's a little tree inside my clementine!"

Daily Image

2009-02-03T20:41:00.002-05:00

February 3 - Lunch in the sunroom

Daily Image

2009-02-02T21:44:00.001-05:00

February 2 - Vintage doll & letter on my sunroom fireplace mantel.

Spending Freeze

2009-02-02T10:23:00.008-05:00

Inspired by Joslyn at Simple Lovely, I've decided to go on a little non-essentials spending hiatus. My plan was to do February but that has been changed to February 2 - March 2. Um, because I forgot to start yesterday. Others are doing the hiatus for 3 months & I am planning on extending mine also. But I'm waiting to see how a few things go. Anyhoodle, here are my rules:

I can buy...

groceries
gas
essential household items (toilet paper, cleaning supplies)
essential toiletries (deodorant = yes, makeup = no)
dog food & treats

I cannot buy...

clothes or shoes
home decor items
magazines & books
dog toys
starbucks or fast food or vending machine snacks
anything else that isn't on the "I can buy" list

Exceptions to the rules...

the soft paws i forgot to order last week for my dog (these will save me money in the long run... trust me)
the final issue of Domino Magazine (my subscription ran out 1 issue too soon)
entertainment - movies, museums & other activities that add experience to my life, not things (limited to $50 month)
dinner out (or breakfast or lunch) with friends or family (limited to once a week)

There are a few reasons that I'm doing this - the two main ones are, I have too much stuff & I need to spend less money. Too much stuff? Hell yeah. And I would really love to simplify but there is stuff everywhere I look. So much stuff that I can't find half the stuff I want when I want it. I never fully unpacked from 2 moves ago & have also had various never-ending construction projects that have moved things around. And so, things that normally would have left my life months (or years) ago are still around. And, it's just ridiculous. I've been slowly sorting through things & trying to organize stuff & getting rid of things. I'll be using this next month to really delve into that. It will definitely be easier to do when I'm not adding to the stuff. As for the spend less money, there are a few things I'm trying to save up for: a trip, a new car, an emergency fund. Plus, I don't feel I am paying off my debt as fast as I could be. I mindlessly roam Target & spend more than my allotted "me" budget... and then that extra money isn't where it should be when I go to pay bills.

And then there the other reasons... which I'm not going to get in to. But the fact is, my current home life does not fit my personality at all. I am not a pack rat (a clutter bug, maybe... but that is not the same thing), I have just been living like one for the past 2 years. Now I'm ready to move on & let my space reflect the real me again.

I think that's it... I will update my blog every Monday to share how this little experiment is going.

Daily Image

2009-02-02T10:16:00.002-05:00

February 1: Window at Michael's A.M.

I'm planning on taking a photo every day in February & posting them here.

Warm Days

2009-02-02T10:01:00.001-05:00

Goyle enjoying the dog park...

Little Village

2009-01-21T22:10:00.003-05:00

I ordered this tiny village for myself for Xmas & it finally came today. Now it is living on my kitchen windowsill... so cute. I wish I could escape to there for a few weeks with my puppy & about 10 books.

from etsy seller TheOakLeaves

Happy Days

2009-01-20T23:47:00.005-05:00

i had this awesome idea for a picture to capture the feeling of today... i was gonna go out to the snow & write:

1-20-09
yeah, that was hope.
soak it in.

but then I realized that (a) i have very little yard that hasn't been trampled by a puppy, & (b) it's not actually all that easy to write legibly in the snow. so, hahaha... i made a smiley face instead.

So today kinda sucked for me on many levels, but i smiled more today than a whole lotta other days. that is to say, it was amazing. I’m incredibly happy & I feel invigorated & inspired. yeah, that was hope. soak it in. :-D

Amazing Quote

2009-01-20T22:06:00.003-05:00

I love this quote from a surprising (to me) source:

My goal is to create beautiful ideas that come from some deep region of my own heart. Sometimes they're funny and sometimes they're more serious, but in any case they're layered, and they're the things I really love and believe in.

- Teller of Penn & Teller

A Girl Can Dream

2009-01-19T23:32:00.004-05:00

So, obviously, tomorrow is a VERY!! IMPORTANT!! DAY!! I decided I better get on it & pick out my dress for all those fancy inaugural galas...

And here you have it... Valentino Spring 2009. I actually saw this in Vogue yesterday & said, "That's what I'd wear if I were going to an Inaugural Ball." Heh... I'm silly, I know.

via Style.com

Loretta & The Muppets

2009-01-19T23:24:00.001-05:00

I rewatched Coal Miner's Daughter tonight and what's better to follow that up than the real Loretta Lynn on The Muppet Show:

Tulips

2009-01-19T13:42:00.003-05:00

I bought myself some pretty tulips yesterday...

(excuse the cluttery table... i was too lazy to move everything out of the way)

2009 Adventures

2009-01-15T23:08:00.003-05:00

Just like the books, I may add more to this list as the year goes on... but here is what I have so far:

Made here

Cool...

2009-01-15T19:58:00.004-05:00

I love that somebody took the time to make this little chart for Wikipedia of Wes Anderson's frequent collaborators:

via Wikipedia

Books to Read 2009

2009-01-02T18:41:00.015-05:00

Here are some books that I would like to read (or finish reading) in 2009...

Books to Finish:

Jane Goodall (Dale Peterson)
The Office & Philosophy (Pop Culture & Philosophy Series)
~~The Creative Habit (Twyla Tharp)~~
~~The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkein)~~
The Intellectual Devotional: American History (David Kidder)

Books to Read:

~~Broken (Daniel Clay)~~
The Lord of the Rings (J.R.R. Tolkein)
The Braindead Megaphone (George Saunders)
Founding Brothers (Joseph Ellis)
Where am I Wearing (Kelsey Timmerman)
Star Wars & Philosophy (Pop Culture & Philosophy Series)
The Geography of Bliss (Eric Weiner)
The Elephant Vanishes (Haruki Murakami)
~~Coal Miner's Daughter (Loretta Lynn)~~
The Future of Freedom (Fareed Zakaria)
The Wizard of Oz & Philosophy (Pop Culture & Philosophy Series)
The Complete Persepolis (Marjane Satrapi)
~~Interpreter of Maladies (Jhumpa Lahiri)~~
~~Unaccustomed Earth (Jhumpa Lahiri)~~
The Last Campaign (Thurston Clarke)
The Beautiful & Damned (F. Scott Fitzgerald)
~~Hunting and Gathering (Anna Gavalda)~~
Food Matters (Mark Bittman)
~~French Milk by Lucy Knisley~~

Psst... if it has a line through it, it means I finished it. :-D

Um... yes, please!

2008-12-30T15:05:00.002-05:00

Pretty, pretty dance shoes @ Bona Drag

via Frolic

thank you!

2008-12-28T23:48:00.003-05:00

I got this, this, this, this, this, this, and also, this and this for christmas from my favorite person. i also used a 2 year old gift card to buy myself this. and got a gift card for here from my very good friend.

more importantly, i got to spend time w/all my favorite people. happy xmas indeed!

Snowmen

2008-12-22T13:47:00.002-05:00

This picture made me smile on this very cold & very busy Monday.

via Grey

Oh, Xmas Tree

2008-12-15T14:52:00.002-05:00

I put up my tree yesterday... decided to make use of my many Snoopy ornaments this year. These were collected over the years from many, many boxes of Whitman's chocolates. There's also a Grover ornament... because who doesn't love Grover?

Wish List: Book

2008-12-12T23:07:00.003-05:00

Wishful Drinking by Carrie Fisher...

I adore Carrie Fisher & hear this is a hilarious book.

Available at Amazon.com