So we're T-minus three days until Santa comes. I'm ready to get on with it. I'm ready to spend Christmas eve with much-loved friends, begin our wrapping extravaganza that night, and tear everything open the following morning. The kidlets are going to be excited, they're getting a Wii. The artsy daughter is getting a creative caddy—I've filled a crafting caddy with all sorts of crayons, pencils, markers, glue, glitter, you name it. The Son is getting a remote control truck just like his daddy's. It's going to be a great day. Daddy already got his gift, a new receiver for the tv. What's Mama gettin?
A Cadillac. Yep. Mama's gettin a Cadillac for Christmas.
Wait, before you question how old I really am, know that Cadillac is really revamping their image. They have some really sharp cars out now. I'll be sporting an SRX. It's the crossover/SUV. It's beautiful. Not the one I wanted, as I wanted the CTS sport model with a 6-speed manual (NOT the CTS-V; it's a great car, but would be roughly $500 more a month for me to drive, between fuel consumption, insurance and payment increase), but the Husband wanted me in an SUV again. Truth be told, we need the room with the kidlets and their respective activities. We need something comfortable to ride in. And a quiet vehicle to travel in. Roomy. This thing has a moonroof that feels like a convertible when open. And despite being a "girls' car," she actually has the boy motor, the 4.6 V8. My favorite part? Navigation. Oh, to not be lost and anxious!
My Saab was an amazing car, but it's time to let her go. With the announcement last week from GM to shut down Saab, it's value plummeted. Even though it's got EVERY option available. She has over 106K miles on her, needs new tires, a full set of brakes and rotors, and the entire rear end needs to be dropped to fix her leak in the axle. Oh, and we're leaking oil from somewhere. So, add that all up, and the necessary repairs are now costing more than half of her value. And in reality, if she breaks next week, we're up a creek. She served us well for three years. Now she'll go to auction.
In honor of bringing home a Cadillac, I must share this oldie-but-goodie. But don't worry, I won't disgrace her with gold plating and all that crap.
It's My Cadillac (Sorry, embedding not allowed on this one.)
I do still think my rendition of "I want a hippopotamus for Christmas" being "Mama's gettin a Cadillac for Christmas....only an SRX in black will do...." is way better. The Husband thought it was funny as I sang it to him last night as he was falling asleep.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
Thursday, December 10, 2009
A Sad Goodbye.
Yesterday, I had a terrible decision to make. A few months back, our cat, Tucker got into a fight with some sort of animal outside. And lost. We took him to the vet, but upon inspecting his vet records, I didn't realize that his rabies shot had expired. I thought he had a three-year booster that expired in January 2010. Big oops. We were sent home under orders to quarantine him and give him medicine. If the incident actually happened in Rhode Island, we would have had to put him down immediately. (They are very strict about preservation in that state.)
Fast forward to last week. I'd noticed some rather unusual behavior from Tucker. He endlessly allowed me to rub his tummy (which he HATES and will usually attack your hand), his eyes were glassy, and he seemed to not understand how to control all his legs. Tucker was 8, but he was very healthy until then. We monitored him for a few days, and the symptoms grew. His personality seemed to have left him, he slept all the time, he wasn't eating or expelling. He just wasn't himself. But we don't have many options. At this point, there's not many vets that will touch him, simply because of his bite. And we were worried, because if he bit someone, namely our own children, well, we could lose them. And have serious legal issues.
Growing up, I can't even tell you how many rescue animals we adopted. Some we saved, some were beyond saveable. Most all of them lived into their late teens. But I never had to make the decision. But now, Tucker is in heaven. The kids took it relatively well. The Son is having a harder time with it, he doesn't get that Tucker won't return from heaven. But he knows he's gone.
I miss that little cat. I don't really like cats too much. Tucker was my first. The Husband grew up with cats, and this was essentially "his cat." We always joked that we stole him. We found him outside a 7-11 one Sunday evening. He was in good health, about 5-7 months old, and jumped right into the Husband's arms. And home with us he went. He was an energetic kitten, as most are. He and the dog have always gotten along really well. They even matched! He was personable, most of our friends who also don't care for cats LOVED Tucker. He seemed to also have an affinity for people that are severely allergic to him. A sixth sense, I guess.
Rest in Peace, Tucker. You will always be remembered and loved. We'll send you a balloon message to heaven when we need to talk. At least you're not suffering anymore.
Fast forward to last week. I'd noticed some rather unusual behavior from Tucker. He endlessly allowed me to rub his tummy (which he HATES and will usually attack your hand), his eyes were glassy, and he seemed to not understand how to control all his legs. Tucker was 8, but he was very healthy until then. We monitored him for a few days, and the symptoms grew. His personality seemed to have left him, he slept all the time, he wasn't eating or expelling. He just wasn't himself. But we don't have many options. At this point, there's not many vets that will touch him, simply because of his bite. And we were worried, because if he bit someone, namely our own children, well, we could lose them. And have serious legal issues.
Growing up, I can't even tell you how many rescue animals we adopted. Some we saved, some were beyond saveable. Most all of them lived into their late teens. But I never had to make the decision. But now, Tucker is in heaven. The kids took it relatively well. The Son is having a harder time with it, he doesn't get that Tucker won't return from heaven. But he knows he's gone.
I miss that little cat. I don't really like cats too much. Tucker was my first. The Husband grew up with cats, and this was essentially "his cat." We always joked that we stole him. We found him outside a 7-11 one Sunday evening. He was in good health, about 5-7 months old, and jumped right into the Husband's arms. And home with us he went. He was an energetic kitten, as most are. He and the dog have always gotten along really well. They even matched! He was personable, most of our friends who also don't care for cats LOVED Tucker. He seemed to also have an affinity for people that are severely allergic to him. A sixth sense, I guess.
Rest in Peace, Tucker. You will always be remembered and loved. We'll send you a balloon message to heaven when we need to talk. At least you're not suffering anymore.
Sigh.
So, being all excited about embracing the idea of skinny jeans and tall suede boots, I went to DSW on my lunch break the other day. Because who doesn't like shoe shopping on the fly? Well, the boots I wrote about in my last post were there. And I tried them on. As well as about fifty other pairs of boots. The bad news? Apparently playing sports for all of my life, minus the last eight years, has given me "wide calves." NONE of the boots I liked fit. Not even on bare leg. But I did figure out that Kenneth Cole Reaction Wide Calf styles fit me. Not sure how much skinny jean will fit in there with my calf, but I'll try. And I did find an adorable pair of purple snakeskin-like Steve Madden flats, just like what I've been looking for. (Only better, they're way cute. And a little more $$$ than I would like to spend, but perhaps there will be coupons in my future?)
Shopping for shoes is supposed to be easy. Shoes = happiness, right?
Shopping for shoes is supposed to be easy. Shoes = happiness, right?
Monday, December 7, 2009
My holiday wish list.
I've been a relatively good Mama this year. It's been a rough year for all of us. But just in case you're wondering, here's my list:
A new pretty magenta scarf.This one is from Old Navy (linky) and is only $7. It's soft cotton acrylic—I don't like wool scarves—and pretty. I did see one a few months ago at the Calvin Klein outlet in Wrentham, but it was much longer. (And only $30—usually on sale, too). The longer one sorta scares me, since both of my winter coats are knee-length, I'm worried with a long coat and a long scarf that I'll end up looking like a tiny girl dressed in oversized clothing. Especially since one of the coats is a down slim-styled puffer. (I swear, it's slimmer, I promise). I'm just too cold up here in New England to go another winter without one. But I love the brightness of this magenta. I'm not at all a pink girl, but I tried on the teal and the bright purple—both which were nice, too—but this one actually looked best on my skin. I'd really love to find a matching crocheted skull cap too.
The Calphalon Dutch Oven.
I know, I look at this thing every year. And previously, I wanted this exact one, the 8-quart oval, because not only would it make great soups with me, but it could cook corn. But then, we tried corn cooked on the grill. And I don't think I can ever go back to boiled corn. EVER. Seriously, if you haven't tried it, you should. You'll never look back. I do love the versatility of a dutch oven. I've been into making soups lately, and I think it would be a great addition to the kitchen. But I would like one that's at least 5-quarts. I'd like a round one. And honestly, I'd be fine with one from Marshall's, it doesn't have to be Calphalon. I just think I'm ready for a cast iron dutch oven. However, I would like to replace my pots with Calphalon pots, as the Husband pointed out. In due time...
Alright, the next one, I'm giving in. I'm scared, but I'm going to embrace it.
These are the Steve Madden ones and are on sale for $49 at Finish Line. I am somewhat worried about them looking a little too Robin Hood, but I think being in gray will help. I used to have a pair like these when I was a little girl, when suede boots made their debut in the 80s. Mine were a bit lower, though. Of course, I'd love the top boots in gray, that would be my ultimate. Anyhow, I think these paired with some Stella Skinny Leg Jeans from Express. I think Express would be my best bet at skinny jeans looking good on me, since I'm not, well, skinny. Of course, I'm not really sure what I'd wear on top, I'll have to ask my fashion guru, The Missus.
This one's more of an upcoming necessity:
A new pretty magenta scarf.This one is from Old Navy (linky) and is only $7. It's soft cotton acrylic—I don't like wool scarves—and pretty. I did see one a few months ago at the Calvin Klein outlet in Wrentham, but it was much longer. (And only $30—usually on sale, too). The longer one sorta scares me, since both of my winter coats are knee-length, I'm worried with a long coat and a long scarf that I'll end up looking like a tiny girl dressed in oversized clothing. Especially since one of the coats is a down slim-styled puffer. (I swear, it's slimmer, I promise). I'm just too cold up here in New England to go another winter without one. But I love the brightness of this magenta. I'm not at all a pink girl, but I tried on the teal and the bright purple—both which were nice, too—but this one actually looked best on my skin. I'd really love to find a matching crocheted skull cap too.
The Calphalon Dutch Oven.
Alright, the next one, I'm giving in. I'm scared, but I'm going to embrace it.
I'm ready to try the trend: Tall suede boots and skinny jeans. I love the ruffle on the side of these, it's feminine but still cool. And these are only $79 at DSW, not bad! I think a flat boot would be better for me, as I'll likely wear it more. And hopefully be less clumsy. However, I think I actually want a gray pair. Like this pair:
This one's more of an upcoming necessity:
The Crumpler 7 Million Dollar Home. I need a larger bag for my camera equipment. I also like the 8 million and the Brazillion, but this one fits my budget a little better. However, I'll likely buy it off ebay anyhow. I love Crumpler bags, I have the 4 million, and it's great for days out with the fam, but I can't carry lenses and a flash. Or anything else. And I need to be able to. I found another bag that I could use with my current one, but I think one bag for everything would work. And if I'm doing events, where you don't really get to set your gear down, a messenger works better, since some of these events are semi-formal and formal. It's easier to access on the fly, too. I also like that these bags don't generally look like camera bags, they're much more stylish.
Alright, that's pretty much it. Unless Santa is going to bring me a new sleigh in place of Katarina, but that's saved for another post. What's on your list?
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Reason #732 why I dislike shopping with the kidlets...
It was time for some new underoos. The Husband has decided instead of waiting, he's taking the Son and they're going to hang out at Best Buy. I've got Daughter duty to shop. Which doesn't sound so bad, right?
We're at the mall in the underoo store, and I'm picking out my dressing room pile. The first fun thing that happens, is she grabs a red "nightgown" off the rack and says, "this is pretty mommy, you could put this on later when we have friends coming over!" She's incredibly proud of herself because she knows I love red, and yes, some friends whom I've taken their wedding photos are coming over later to review them. I tell her that it's not clothing appropriate for other people to see. She's a little confused, but she hangs it back up and moves on.
Later, we're in the main room with more practical underoos. She's all excited because she notices the size letters on the drawers. I show her which one I'm looking for. Now, I'm not a "big" girl, but I'm no size zero. She holds up a pair out of my drawer and says, "wow, mom, those are bigggg!" Great, so I've just been given a complex by my 6-year-old, thin-as-a-rail daughter. And I want to stuff a sock in her mouth. Of course, immediately following, there is the inhale of other women awaiting my reply. I tell her, "that is not nice at all, and you need to stop." She cowers. We move on. I continue, but she's over looking at some underwear that's hanging on the wall. She turns around, across the room, and says, "Mommy, these should fit you, they're big!"
Makes you want to take them everywhere, eh?
We're at the mall in the underoo store, and I'm picking out my dressing room pile. The first fun thing that happens, is she grabs a red "nightgown" off the rack and says, "this is pretty mommy, you could put this on later when we have friends coming over!" She's incredibly proud of herself because she knows I love red, and yes, some friends whom I've taken their wedding photos are coming over later to review them. I tell her that it's not clothing appropriate for other people to see. She's a little confused, but she hangs it back up and moves on.
Later, we're in the main room with more practical underoos. She's all excited because she notices the size letters on the drawers. I show her which one I'm looking for. Now, I'm not a "big" girl, but I'm no size zero. She holds up a pair out of my drawer and says, "wow, mom, those are bigggg!" Great, so I've just been given a complex by my 6-year-old, thin-as-a-rail daughter. And I want to stuff a sock in her mouth. Of course, immediately following, there is the inhale of other women awaiting my reply. I tell her, "that is not nice at all, and you need to stop." She cowers. We move on. I continue, but she's over looking at some underwear that's hanging on the wall. She turns around, across the room, and says, "Mommy, these should fit you, they're big!"
Makes you want to take them everywhere, eh?
Saturday, December 5, 2009
I've been upstaged...
by my daughter. Back a few months ago, the family went to Boston. On that trip, I gave the daughter my small camera. I tried to make sure that she took photos on her own, not just copying me. And she did. And it appears that one of her photos has been selected to appear in the Boston Schmap guide! If you're not familiar with Schmaps, it's a cool application meant for mobile devices. So if you're lost in the city (which, we lost our map, if you'll recall, this would have been so helpful), you can access your schmap app and it will not only have directions, but photos of where you're at and reviews. Cool, eh?
So check out the photo! I did put my name as the credit, since she is a minor. =)
So check out the photo! I did put my name as the credit, since she is a minor. =)
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
It's all the little things...
I read in some magazine years ago about relationship advice that in order to maintain a healthy relationship, you need to let go of the three top pet peeves—the little things that drive you crazy. And honestly, it's great advice, albeit easier said than done. My pet peeves seem to not apply to me. I can't stand messiness, but would rather not pick up after myself all the time. I CAN'T operate with a messy desk. CAN'T. And right now, my desk at home is a disaster. Granted, my dead iMac sits on top and I don't sit at it right now, but if I did, I'd have to clean it before I could get anything done. I hate little repetitive noises. I've always had an amazing sense of hearing. Now that my eyesight is not what it used to be, my hearing has strangely gotten more keen. I have a hard time filtering out things. Well, the fact that I'm nosy doesn't help.
There's this loose bolt caught under my driver's seat in the metal base. It comes and goes, but it seems to become active when I'm upset or pissed off. I'll be all upset about something in traffic or whatever, and I hear this little bolt rolling around. My first thought is usually, "that stupid effing bolt!" The Husband won't fish it out because it requires unplugging a bunch of stuff that will have to be reset at the dealership, and I'm fresh out of warranty.
In the two-plus years' relationship I've had with Katarina (my car), I've tried to let go of the peeves. But some days, she makes it really hard. I've put a crapload of miles on her, and she needs an entire new set of brakes, among other work, but all in all, I'm still on the fence as to what to do with her.
But every time I hear that stupid little bolt, I want to scream. And stomp my feet. Even if I'm trying to let go.
There's this loose bolt caught under my driver's seat in the metal base. It comes and goes, but it seems to become active when I'm upset or pissed off. I'll be all upset about something in traffic or whatever, and I hear this little bolt rolling around. My first thought is usually, "that stupid effing bolt!" The Husband won't fish it out because it requires unplugging a bunch of stuff that will have to be reset at the dealership, and I'm fresh out of warranty.
In the two-plus years' relationship I've had with Katarina (my car), I've tried to let go of the peeves. But some days, she makes it really hard. I've put a crapload of miles on her, and she needs an entire new set of brakes, among other work, but all in all, I'm still on the fence as to what to do with her.
But every time I hear that stupid little bolt, I want to scream. And stomp my feet. Even if I'm trying to let go.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Oh Dear, I'm afraid Fall has passed me right by!
Okay, so life has been at a running pace lately, and I'm just trying to keep up. There's so much goin' on 'round these parts, I don't even know where to begin. So how 'bout some pics?
First, Fall came:
This was the first image I took with my Series E 50mm lens. It's a manual focus lens, I love old school stuff. My old SLR was a fully manual camera, oh how I miss it. I sold it to finance my DSLR, and there's not a day that goes by when I'm out shooting that I don't miss it. DSLRs just have so many options, and I don't know how to change them all. Crazy, I know. But I knew my old machine inside and out. And I shot infrared, which I miss dearly. I can do a conversion, but it's pricey. I may look into it, that was really my niche. Anywho, this photo wicked grainy, but I love it. It may end up being a Christmas present for someone. We'll see.
I had my first ever week-off vacation. Only it wasn't really a vacation. It was an insanely busy week, which should be no surprise. First, Columbus day, the Daughter was in a parade. Here's her with two other girls on her Cheerleading team.
Yes, she has her tongue out. And being the great photographer mother I am, I didn't get any good photos of the actual float, because I was too busy looking for her on it. (Hey, they all look the same in their uniforms!) Anyway, they won "Most Beautiful in Parade" I cried, of course.
That Friday, the Daughter turned 6. I can't believe it either. I made my first cake with fondant icing. In an insanely annoying pink. (Hey, the coloring stickers were WAYYYY lighter, so this was a bit unexpected, but she loved it just the same.)
What, you didn't get your name written in Helvetica on your birthday cakes? Well, I guess that's the upside to your baker being a graphic designer. She was very excited about it. Although, I did flavor the icing with an orange flavor, and I didn't care for that, but homemade fondant is awesome. It's pretty good and so much cheaper.
For the next day, the party, I did a cupcake tower. The kids were so excited! The Daughter didn't see the cupcakes until right when I had them on the tower, she was delighted. The kids couldn't wait to devour them. And those, were GOOD. Had I not caught my nephew eating three of them, I'd probably have one left. But I had none. Seriously.
I fabricated the stand out of a ginormous box my mother sent birthday gifts in. Approximately 14.2 minutes before people started showing up at my house. So I didn't get to cover the risers in foil. Oh well, it looked great and the kids were excited. The Husband had to work that day, so yes, I had something like 18 kids and their entire families in the downstairs of my small half-duplex. I was okay until the neighbor's kids came uninvited and began yelling at my Daughter on the steps. Yes, I kicked her out. Ugh.
Then came Halloween. Let me preface this. I hate Halloween. This holiday could just go away, and I'd be thrilled. First of all, there's no real cheap way to get out of Halloween. My kids aren't really into being "characters," so it's up to me. I waited, hoping it would be terrible weather so we could just have a movie night at home. But that wasn't the case, so the day before, we went to iparty. The Daughter picked out an "Asian Princess" costume. She called herself a Karate Princess. I was better with that, since the Husband thought she was a "Geisha" (read: escort). Whatever. It was cute. The Son wanted to be Superman. And there were no Superman costumes to be found. So I whipped out the Threadbanger.
So I found the Superman logo online and printed it out, cut it out of red and then again in yellow and sewed it all together. Then I made the cape. I also made a mask that he's wearing. And I then printed the logo out on some screen-print iron-on paper. Only, then, he had only one clean blue shirts, so I turned one inside out and ironed on the chest logo. He was so excited.
In the end, it wasn't that bad, they got us some good candy and they wore out around 7:30. Then we had to visit the fam and all that stuff. So it was a tiring Halloween. Though, I'd be super happy for Halloween to be on a Saturday forever.
Moving on to November, I was able to photograph the Joey Fund Film Premiere. My work had a small part in the event, we did all the banners and posters. We also do the tshirts and the bags every year, so it was quite nice to see everything come together at the event. Here's my favorite shot:
I love the Bokeh. We didn't do the table tents, but we did do the logo on them. =)
So, that's been my past few months. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a Daughter who has had a 102 fever for two days and I need to get to the grocery store to purchase the Thanksgiving Day shenanigans. And yes, T-Day is two days away. And I've decided to do everything homemade, from the stuffing to the gravy to the green beans with toasted almonds. Even though I reallllllly love Stove top stuffing. Oh well. I'm most excited about the homemade cranberry sauce and the pumpkin cheesecake. So I need to get on with roasting my sugar pumpkins so I can create this divine masterpiece that calls for four (yes, 4!) bricks of cream cheese.
Alright, until next time!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
Things I love Thursday
There's a few items that I've come across that I absolutely love. Care to hear what they are? No? Too bad.
Vinegar. I know, I'm always raving about this stuff. But seriously, what other item can get my laundry clean, make my floors sparkle, and make my soup and pasta dishes "pop"? Exactly.
My kitchenaid mixer. I love this thing, and I know that you know that. I'm not the naming type and find it a bit strange when some people ask me what her name is. She doesn't have one. But she is getting flames painted on her soon! (Thanks to the cousin) Anywho, not only does this mix like a champ, but it makes ice cream, shreds anything except paper, and hopefully soon will roll out pasta. It's the ice cream part that excites me the most, but you knew that, too.
Coco Willy shampoo and conditioner. I haven't found this stuff in about fifteen years. My mom and I used to use it, and then it disappeared for a couple of years. When we came across it in a grocery store, we bought all the bottles on the shelf. (Yes, we asked if they had any in the back, too.) I don't like coconut, but this stuff was awesome. Should you find any, you MUST send it. I'll bake you a pie. But I can't promise what the postal service will do to it.
Palmer's lotions. In a past life, I was a bartender. A bartender that constantly had her hands in dishsoap and sanitizer, because we were perpetually running out of glasses. And it killed my skin, especially in the winter. Then I found Palmer's cocoabutter. And I love it, but recently, I found the olive butter lotion made from olive oil. It's great in the kitchen for a day of baking, but it doesn't leave you oily at all. And none of them smell like most cocoabutter lotions, I promise.
Yankee Candle Clean Linen Scent anything. One of my favorite scents is clean linen. (Yet I hate doing laundry... I don't get it). Matter of fact, I make my own detergent and had to finally scent it because the strange smell of the soap base was making me cringe. I don't like most of the food-smell candles, it just gets to be too much. But I never get tired of the clean linen scent. I've also recently found honeysuckle, and recall loving that scent as a kid. And as a side note, why can you not get the Wedding Day candle at the store? Wouldn't that be the right place for it? Yeesh.
White Sheets. I don't know what it is, but there is nothing like climbing into a bed with white sheets. It's too bad that I only have one complete set of white sheets. Sheets are just one of those things I never buy for myself.
Purple or blue mascara, currently L'oreal HIP blue. It's not overtly Madonna-blue, but it's enough that when I wear it, people notice my eyes. And I have very blue eyes. Not like the daughter's blue eyes, but more of a steel-gray-blue. This stuff has great color, but it tends to wear down during the day and I notice my face wears it after a few hours. I haven't found another blue one that I like, but of course, I'm too cheap to go to Sephora. I do keep getting coupons for Ulta, perhaps I should check them out.
Alright, this is all I can put together right now. I'm sure I will come up with all sorts of additions while I'm on my way to work tomorrow, but then I'll forget them again.
Vinegar. I know, I'm always raving about this stuff. But seriously, what other item can get my laundry clean, make my floors sparkle, and make my soup and pasta dishes "pop"? Exactly.
My kitchenaid mixer. I love this thing, and I know that you know that. I'm not the naming type and find it a bit strange when some people ask me what her name is. She doesn't have one. But she is getting flames painted on her soon! (Thanks to the cousin) Anywho, not only does this mix like a champ, but it makes ice cream, shreds anything except paper, and hopefully soon will roll out pasta. It's the ice cream part that excites me the most, but you knew that, too.
Coco Willy shampoo and conditioner. I haven't found this stuff in about fifteen years. My mom and I used to use it, and then it disappeared for a couple of years. When we came across it in a grocery store, we bought all the bottles on the shelf. (Yes, we asked if they had any in the back, too.) I don't like coconut, but this stuff was awesome. Should you find any, you MUST send it. I'll bake you a pie. But I can't promise what the postal service will do to it.
Palmer's lotions. In a past life, I was a bartender. A bartender that constantly had her hands in dishsoap and sanitizer, because we were perpetually running out of glasses. And it killed my skin, especially in the winter. Then I found Palmer's cocoabutter. And I love it, but recently, I found the olive butter lotion made from olive oil. It's great in the kitchen for a day of baking, but it doesn't leave you oily at all. And none of them smell like most cocoabutter lotions, I promise.
Yankee Candle Clean Linen Scent anything. One of my favorite scents is clean linen. (Yet I hate doing laundry... I don't get it). Matter of fact, I make my own detergent and had to finally scent it because the strange smell of the soap base was making me cringe. I don't like most of the food-smell candles, it just gets to be too much. But I never get tired of the clean linen scent. I've also recently found honeysuckle, and recall loving that scent as a kid. And as a side note, why can you not get the Wedding Day candle at the store? Wouldn't that be the right place for it? Yeesh.
White Sheets. I don't know what it is, but there is nothing like climbing into a bed with white sheets. It's too bad that I only have one complete set of white sheets. Sheets are just one of those things I never buy for myself.
Purple or blue mascara, currently L'oreal HIP blue. It's not overtly Madonna-blue, but it's enough that when I wear it, people notice my eyes. And I have very blue eyes. Not like the daughter's blue eyes, but more of a steel-gray-blue. This stuff has great color, but it tends to wear down during the day and I notice my face wears it after a few hours. I haven't found another blue one that I like, but of course, I'm too cheap to go to Sephora. I do keep getting coupons for Ulta, perhaps I should check them out.
Alright, this is all I can put together right now. I'm sure I will come up with all sorts of additions while I'm on my way to work tomorrow, but then I'll forget them again.
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Recovering from September.
September has been a crazy busy month for us. Everything has come up, from the first day of school ever (well, she went to preschool, but still), cheerleading, swimming lessons, mental preparation for a breakdown at swimming lessons, family birthday parties, and beginning holiday planning, to the weekend where we had two weddings, one Red Sox game, one Fashion Show and two friends visiting from out of town. I still feel like I need recovery, since I've also been stuck in laundry hell for the past two weeks.
Fall is my favorite season, it's like spring with less rain. And I have learned in the three (!) years we've lived in Massachusetts, there is no fall like a New England fall. The colors are beautiful, the apples are, well... available. I'm not a huge apple fan, but suddenly I have more apples than I know what to do with. I've even made my first pass at canning this past month. It was a little messy, and I learned that when the instructions say leave 1" at the top, they mean it. Oh well, what can you do? I guess I'll be safe in that the cans of pie filling that I made will be stuck to the shelf they're on and won't fall off at least. It's something I will definitely be doing in the future, when I find the time.
Summer and fall are also my busiest times with freelance work. The company I do a bulk of my freelance for is a book publisher, and there's always the fiscal year push followed by the end-of-year push. It's nice, but combined with all the other things already on the schedule, I'd really just like to clone myself.
What else has gone on? Well, to start with, right when we fired up the deep freezer for the winter and loaded it, the condenser died. And subsequently leaked two gallons of homemade chicken stock all over the basement floor. For four days. Oh, and there were three whole chickens in there that I got on a really good sale. Figures, right? Then, the receiver for the television died it's slow and painful death. And now the plasma tv is on the fritz and the Husband is about to have a fit. (I swear, I have nothing to do with this. Other than it lives in my house, and you know how we've discussed how electronics run screaming from me.) And now we have a resident skunk living somewhere in the vicinity of our shed, which is located roughly 20 feet from our back door. And is smelly.
Anywho, fall is still a favorite time for me, despite its busy-ness. There's the return to the kitchen, which I really never left since we got gipped on summer. But I'll be trying my hand at homemade pasta—butternut squash ravioli to be exact. We'll have that with a smoked gouda sauce. I can't wait. And I'll be pulling out my famous fall recipes (because I like to pretend I'm up there with Alton Brown and Paula Deen), from stuffed chicken to shepherd's pie to yummy desserts. And probably a meatloaf for the Husband. Because I like to keep him happy since he cooks most nights of the week.
And looking ahead, we have the Daughter's sixth birthday in two weeks, she's decided out of her choices, she wants to go to Michael's Arts & Crafts for a party. Yay! And another family member is getting married, I'll be photographing that wedding, too. And then there's the fundraisers for cheerleading and school, get-togethers with friends, work, and soon upon us will be the holidays. I'm already tired thinking about it. Wonder if I could hire someone to come in and do my laundry and dishes? Anyone work for freshly baked apple pies? Anyone? Bueller?
Fall is my favorite season, it's like spring with less rain. And I have learned in the three (!) years we've lived in Massachusetts, there is no fall like a New England fall. The colors are beautiful, the apples are, well... available. I'm not a huge apple fan, but suddenly I have more apples than I know what to do with. I've even made my first pass at canning this past month. It was a little messy, and I learned that when the instructions say leave 1" at the top, they mean it. Oh well, what can you do? I guess I'll be safe in that the cans of pie filling that I made will be stuck to the shelf they're on and won't fall off at least. It's something I will definitely be doing in the future, when I find the time.
Summer and fall are also my busiest times with freelance work. The company I do a bulk of my freelance for is a book publisher, and there's always the fiscal year push followed by the end-of-year push. It's nice, but combined with all the other things already on the schedule, I'd really just like to clone myself.
What else has gone on? Well, to start with, right when we fired up the deep freezer for the winter and loaded it, the condenser died. And subsequently leaked two gallons of homemade chicken stock all over the basement floor. For four days. Oh, and there were three whole chickens in there that I got on a really good sale. Figures, right? Then, the receiver for the television died it's slow and painful death. And now the plasma tv is on the fritz and the Husband is about to have a fit. (I swear, I have nothing to do with this. Other than it lives in my house, and you know how we've discussed how electronics run screaming from me.) And now we have a resident skunk living somewhere in the vicinity of our shed, which is located roughly 20 feet from our back door. And is smelly.
Anywho, fall is still a favorite time for me, despite its busy-ness. There's the return to the kitchen, which I really never left since we got gipped on summer. But I'll be trying my hand at homemade pasta—butternut squash ravioli to be exact. We'll have that with a smoked gouda sauce. I can't wait. And I'll be pulling out my famous fall recipes (because I like to pretend I'm up there with Alton Brown and Paula Deen), from stuffed chicken to shepherd's pie to yummy desserts. And probably a meatloaf for the Husband. Because I like to keep him happy since he cooks most nights of the week.
And looking ahead, we have the Daughter's sixth birthday in two weeks, she's decided out of her choices, she wants to go to Michael's Arts & Crafts for a party. Yay! And another family member is getting married, I'll be photographing that wedding, too. And then there's the fundraisers for cheerleading and school, get-togethers with friends, work, and soon upon us will be the holidays. I'm already tired thinking about it. Wonder if I could hire someone to come in and do my laundry and dishes? Anyone work for freshly baked apple pies? Anyone? Bueller?
Saturday, August 29, 2009
The Birthday Wardrobe.
So I decided that for my birthday, I was taking my earnings shopping for some much-needed new clothes. I did buy a lot, but I promise you, I really did not spend a lot. I bought everything on sale and had coupons that made it silly cheap. But I'll stress, I needed some new threads. My closet is really starting to show its age/quality. I did buy some stuff at H&M and Forever 12 over the past year with the intention that the quality really isn't the best, but it's what I can afford for now. Without further ado, I give you, my purchases:
Okay, not exciting, but I seriously needed some simple dress tops. From left, the first is a white and blue striped top, the middle is a white with a blue box stripe, and the right is a white top with a texture to it. Simple enough to go with so much. You'll see what all I bought them to go with. Next:
The left top is one of the short sleeved tops on sale at Express this week for $19. I bought one in black and one in a plum color. I also have a royal blue one. The next is a blue sweater. I bought it specifically to go over the tops above. The right is a blue knit top with flowers on it. I should mention I also bought a blue and a black fabric flower for embellishment. Cute, eh? Now here's the real deals, the tops I bought at NY & Co, the one on the right here and the three above, I purchased as part of the buy-one-get-one 1/2 off sale. And I had City Bucks, so alltogether, I paid $50. Yes, $50. The Express tops, I had coupons with, so I paid $10 per top. It gets better. Just wait.
Then, I did some layering pieces:
The first on the left is actually a bright pink ribbed sweater shell. I wasn't going to wear it solo, as pictured, but over some of my tops, namely the black one above. The next is a double breasted vest. I've been debating buying one of these for over a year, and finally I bought this one. Honestly, I liked the gray one better, but haven't been able to find it in my size. This one is more brown, but I am happy with it. The next is a sweater vest/cardigan. I actually bought this in gray, and it's close to this one, but I couldn't find the one I actually bought. The sweater and the vest on the left were both bought with coupons, the sweater was part of the bogo, and the vest was used with a 20% off coupon. The cardigan was purchased at Forever 12 (as I like to call it), so it was only $13. Although, now that I see it in red, I may have to get it. More:
Alright, I need your imaginations here. The left, obviously a shirt dress. I actually bought a black one with 3/4 sleeves. But I couldn't find it. The right is a high-waisted skirt that I bought in black, not this ridiculous coffee-bean pattern. It's not actually high-waisted, but it does carry that look. I hate high-waisted anything, and despite the fact that this skirt does have pleating, it looks really cute on. The dress was on sale for $35 and I had a 20% off coupon. The skirt was 60% off and was bought with the 20% off coupon. So the dress came to something like $28 and the skirt was... under $9. Who can pass these deals up?
Here's the stuff I couldn't find anything remotely close to photograph. I bought (to go under the gray sweater vest) a yellow ruffled top from Forever 12. Yes, yellow. Before you send the fashion police, know this. It's a light top, with a texture in the fabric. The ruffle lays flat and is actually quite flattering. I'm going to wear it in yellow as long as I retain my summer "color" on my face. Then I'm going to dye it red, because I think red suits my skin tone better than yellow. This way, if it comes out more orangey, it will still be a hue that I can wear. I also bought two knit v-neck tops (my signature top) from Express. One in white, because most people I know are still on the quest for their perfect white tee, and one in plum, because, well, I have a hard time passing up plum. Exp is having a buy-one-get-one free on knit tops, and I had a 15% off coupon, so this ended up being $17 for the two shirts. I adore Express and the way their clothes fit my body, regardless of my body shape, I feel good in the clothes. All my jeans and dress pants are Express as well.I did also buy a black chino pencil skirt from Old Navy. It's a much more casual skirt, but nice with flats for fall.
Now I have to say, Forever 12 is just a daunting store. I hate shopping in there, but honestly, some of their stuff can be cute and is ridiculously cheap. I like that because if I'm not sure how much I'll like something that's cute, but out of my comfort zone, I don't have a problem paying $15 for a top that I only wear a few times. Rest assured, I don't go near their bottoms or dresses, because lord knows I am not shaped like a stick. I think it's all in how you wear something, and I've gotten lots of compliments on some of the items I've bought from there. Of course, rifling through their website and sorting tops that are labeled "dressy," I understand now why so many teenagers look so trampy when they are out with their friends. Someone needs to pare down the designers at that place, they are just out of control.
I am so excited for my new clothes! The husband is quite happy that I really didn't spend as much as he thought I did, but that's smart shopping. I'd feel terrible if I spent that kind of money on only a portion of the clothing, because I would start to wonder whether I should put that money to use elsewhere. But no doubt, I got a great deal on all my stuff. And I know what you're thinking, that's an awful lot of blue hues, but honestly, I know what I look good in. And this way, I can mix and match more of my stuff. And honestly, some of the yellowish/green tones out this fall do not at all complement my skin. But this royal blue color carries through nearly every season and blues are my best colors. I still carry my red purse (the blue Michael Kors one I purchased is on sale at ebay, I just couldn't do such a big, slouchy bag everyday), so that's another splash of color. Also, I've upgraded a lot of my jewelry and accessories, thanks to a friend who works at a company that makes them. (F-R-E-E!!!). I feel much better about my style (the fact that I have a style, not just covet one) and who doesn't like to feel and look good?
In true me fashion, there are still a few things I am watching and hoping go on sale, you ask? This:
it's a wool herringbone coat. And this photo doesn't do it justice. It was lust at first sight. I have a few coupons, so if they have a good outerwear sale, I am on it! Well, we'll see. I do need some photography equipment for an upcoming wedding I'm shooting. But I'm going to watch it and drool.
What are you buying this season?
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Who wants to cook?
I love to cook. Growing up, my mother was always cooking on Sunday. I'm realizing, as I rush to the grocery store this morning to stock up on butter (because it's on sale for $1.66 a pound) that I am turning into her. Except that I still don't like pleated pants and on occasion, I do leave the house on Sunday. Truth be told, looking back, my mother was always more than happy to teach me about cooking, but my attention span was... well, not there. Plus, she was always cooking, so why would I need to know?
Fast forward to when I live on my own. Cooking? Somewhat of a necessity, no? I love it now. I try not to buy what I can make, and one thing I promised myself years ago was that I wouldn't return to Top Ramen unless we are destitute. And now, I'm here to Make you a cook. Check me out!
Fast forward to when I live on my own. Cooking? Somewhat of a necessity, no? I love it now. I try not to buy what I can make, and one thing I promised myself years ago was that I wouldn't return to Top Ramen unless we are destitute. And now, I'm here to Make you a cook. Check me out!
Monday, August 17, 2009
Our trip to Boston
Yesterday, in celebration of my birthday, the Husband and I took the kids into Boston. The plan was, ride the train in, ride the swan boats, and stop at a cupcake shop for cupcakes. So upon searching and mapping out our day, we were all set. We ride in on the commuter rail, which the kidlets were overly thrilled about. Where we live we can hear the train when it passes, and so they were ridiculously excited to finally get to ride one. The only down side was that the windows were so dirty on the outside that you couldn't see out of them. And the kids reminded us of this every ten minutes or so. It was a hard day, I'm not going to lie. It was in the 90s and sickeningly muggy. Also, we're not used to that much walking. Boston is a walking city, if you're not familiar. The Husband and I spent two nights in Boston before we actually lived up here, so we had some sort of a grip on things. If you're looking for a good city guide, the Not For Tourists guides are the best way to go. More on this one later. The day starts out, we get off at the wrong rail station (Ruggles) and end up hiking for like six miles to get to the Common. If you don't know me, I get really anxious when I'm lost. Which is also why the Husband and I have decided that our next vehicle will be equipped with Navigation. Anywho, after what seems like forever, we get to the common. Not without stopping at the Pru to visit the skywalk. Well, until we get to the top and discover it's going to be $40 to see a hazy view of the city. I'm sorry, but we're on a budget. We stop at Maggiano's to eat lunch. Not where we really wanted to stop, but at that point, we were STARVING and needed some nosh. Surprisingly, it cost us less than what the skywalk would have cost, and that was some Good Eats. I had half a spinach salad, the Husband ate half an order of linguine with red clam sauce, the Son had mac & cheese, the Daughter had her favorite, naked pasta with butter. It was one of the best meals we've had in a LONG time. We venture over to the Common, and the kids have a good time. I'm amazed at the wildlife and how accustomed the animals are to being close to people. This one little squirrel just stood close to us looking at it like "what? You've never seen a squirrel before?" It was really fun. We rode the swan boats, and as fun as it sounds, it was also disgustingly hot and muggy. I know I've said this before, but I just can't explain to you how gross it was. Strangely, the kids hung really well. Even the daughter had on flip flops (like me) and still did really well walking all over. When we were done, I had decided I wanted to indulge in my cupcakes. We exit the Common and start to regroup, when we learn we have somehow now lost our NFT guide. So imagine our situation, where even with the guide, we've walked for two hours around the city, lost. And now we have no guide, but an address and two cross streets. So we carry on. We've passed like five bookstores, so I figure if we walk up Newbury Street, we'll find another, we can just pop in and buy another guide, right? Yeah. Well, Urban Outfitters and Marc Jacobs don't care to tell you how to get around the city. So we walk the fourteen blocks to Mass Ave, we're hot, sticky, tired of walking, and want to just go home. But we press on to eat cupcakes at Sweet. Not to be confused with Sweet of Worcester. The kids are excited, the cupcakes are adorable, we pick out four regular cupcakes and one mini. And it's $14.75. Holy $hit, batman! That's almost half of what we spent on lunch! Now I've done my research. I love me some cupcakes. I've perfected a few recipes of my own. But I'll gladly buy yours if they're good. Sweet in Boston comes highly recommended. I gotta be honest, I really didn't like the cupcakes at Sweet. They really sucked. I had a mini of the Dark Chocolate with vanilla buttercream. It was... mehh. I had a regular size cappuccino cupcake. It really wasn't great. The cakes seemed very dry, and the frosting wasn't anything great. It was almost like pre-packaged, overly-flavored buttercream. The Husband had a Dark chocolate with chocolate icing, the son had the bubblegum, and the daughter had the pink lemonade. No one could finish their cupcakes. And the Husband and I were quite disgusted at the fact that none of us even wanted to finish them, but we paid almost $15 for them. As soon as we left, the Husband looks at me and says, "Your cupcakes are far better than those." He knew I was upset because I hate spending money on something I don't like. Now, I would have loved to be able to make the trek to KickAss Cupcakes, mostly because they serve fried cupcakes, and I have a hard time thinking of something better than that. If you're in the Worcester area, that Sweet is FANTASTIC. We compared on the way home, as that shop has the giant cupcakes, and I am pretty sure they were even cheaper than what we just had. I highly recommend them. So we got home, dead tired, gave the kids baths and decided to finish painting spots in the house that needed touch up. I'm not really sure why, but that's what we did. And I'll be making my own cupcakes that we'll eat with tomorrow for my real birthday. I feel the need to put cream cheese on top of something. If you'd like to see the photos I took yesterday, visit my photostream on flickr. I'll be uploading the daughter's photos later, as I let her carry my small camera.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Apparently, I'm in love with Jessica Simpson.
I'm not really sure how it happened, either. Okay, let me explain. It's been a terrible week for me. There have actually been some good parts, but it's the crap that I recall the most. First, my car rolled over 100,000 miles. I know, doesn't sound drastic, but I had a Certified Saab, which is covered for 100,000 miles. So my warranty is up. And my axle is leaking now. Of course. The next day, I broke my favorite wine glass. I have one left, but really, what good is one wine glass? They are crystal, and I bought them as a 21st birthday gift to myself. Strange that they lasted me almost exactly ten years? Oh well, what can you do? Thursday, I drove the Husband's truck to work. Upon jumping out of the driver's seat, I broke the heel to my red shoes. Truth be told, I only liked that they were red. I think they were a little dowdy, but they were the right price at the right time. More than a year ago. So I had to go out on lunch and buy a new pair of shoes. Enter a pair of adorable Jessica Simpson booties. I couldn't find a photo, and I don't feel like dragging out the camera, as my ass has made a perfect indentation in the couch. Now, I don't usually give a second glance, but they were really cute. They're a beautiful black leather, and really, she loves Louboutins, so they can't be that bad, right? They're actually built much like Louboutins, where the platform is hidden inside the shoe, so the heel isn't so ridiculous. Because as much as I love a 4" heel, those who know me know that my gracefulness usually shows through at the perfect time. It's this reason that I have sworn I will no longer buy cuffed dress pants. Anywho, I'm at DSW, and these shoes are on the sale rack. I had to do the math three times to make sure I didn't screw up, these shoes ended up being $21.00. Seriously. Actually, it looks like there's something (paint?) on the inside of one of the heels, but I have some black shoe polish that I am sure will take care of business. If not, I have tons of Sharpies. But let's be honest, I am going to kill these shoes sooner or later, so why not buy them with a flaw? Then I won't be so upset the first time I trip over a curb. You should have seen me, though, I was all "hide them so no one else will take the box while I'm still shopping." I ended up going back on Friday to purchase a pair of Nine West 3" black heels, a staple I've sorely been missing in my wardrobe. I digress. Let's back up to Wednesday. I shuffle the kidlets out of the house and am herding them into the car. My sunglasses are on my head, and I go to buckle the son in. And whack my head on the door frame. And crack my glasses. My Oakley XS Fives (yes, they are kids, stop laughing) that I've had for six years. I've always bought Oakleys since I was in high school. They always had a smaller face frame that fits me well. Because honestly, I have a narrow head and really can wear kids glasses. And I've gotten used to their brown iridium lens. Tear. Actually, it hurt really bad. So today, I stopped at the Outlets to check out the Oakley Vault. And to stop by the Vans Outlet to get the son a new pair of kicks—only to find they were closed. Sigh. I found a pair of Oakleys I liked, but not a pair that I love. I'm picky, I like tortoiseshell glasses, as I think black frames are too severe for my skin tone. And the styles out right now for women don't ususally fit on my face. I look like I'm trying to fit in my mother's oversized glasses playing dress up. Or I look like a fly. We leave and head to the mall. I park at Macy's, and we walk in to accessories and Coach. I peel myself away from drooling on the new Parker bag and peruse the sunglasses, not expecting to find much. And in the end, I fell in lust with these: 
They are adorable, no? A pair of slightly rounded, narrow-fitting Jessica Simpson sunglasses with brown lenses. It was love at first sight. But I didn't buy them. Yet. They weren't on sale, they were $45. EVERY other pair was, except the JS ones. Of course. So I asked the lady in the Coach section (I was told they were the only saleswomen who could help) if by chance she had a coupon I could use. She turned on the attitude and was all, "Uh, no. We mail those out to our PREFERRED customers." I felt like I was suddenly at a Mercedes dealership asking if they could cut me a deal on an AMG, cause I'm on a budget. WTF??? My mother shops at Macy's quite often. Her favorite thing to do is go home and add up what her purchases should have cost her, since she uses specialty coupons and apparently holds the cashier hostage until she's paid only $23.47 for approximately $679.65 worth of accoutrements. Usually, if they have a coupon out, they will just scan one for you. Normally, I make sure I'm near an old lady while I'm asking because you know they have like six extras and will lend you one. Instead, here I stand, facing Cruella. She simply places them on the counter in front of me like she's teasing, leans against the back of the opposite counter, looks at me and says, "well, you can open a Macy's account, you'll get 15% off, and make payments on these glasses. I resist the urge to choke her. I don't want to make payments, I want 30% off, like every single other pair! I look up and realize that my children have tried on every Sunday's best hat and have left them on the floor, and are running around with berets on their heads. I look straight at her and say, "Daughter, Son, let's go, we're going home!" Because it would be a shame to pinch this woman's head off and risk getting that beautiful white leather bag dirty behind her. Incase you're in shock, I'm not the type that leaves my kids' mess behind. Matter of fact, when we go out to eat, the Husband tries to remind me that I am no longer a waitress and need to stop stacking, scraping, and aligning all the table items for easy pick-up. But this woman is lucky I didn't strangle her with a removable shoulder strap.
They are adorable, no? A pair of slightly rounded, narrow-fitting Jessica Simpson sunglasses with brown lenses. It was love at first sight. But I didn't buy them. Yet. They weren't on sale, they were $45. EVERY other pair was, except the JS ones. Of course. So I asked the lady in the Coach section (I was told they were the only saleswomen who could help) if by chance she had a coupon I could use. She turned on the attitude and was all, "Uh, no. We mail those out to our PREFERRED customers." I felt like I was suddenly at a Mercedes dealership asking if they could cut me a deal on an AMG, cause I'm on a budget. WTF??? My mother shops at Macy's quite often. Her favorite thing to do is go home and add up what her purchases should have cost her, since she uses specialty coupons and apparently holds the cashier hostage until she's paid only $23.47 for approximately $679.65 worth of accoutrements. Usually, if they have a coupon out, they will just scan one for you. Normally, I make sure I'm near an old lady while I'm asking because you know they have like six extras and will lend you one. Instead, here I stand, facing Cruella. She simply places them on the counter in front of me like she's teasing, leans against the back of the opposite counter, looks at me and says, "well, you can open a Macy's account, you'll get 15% off, and make payments on these glasses. I resist the urge to choke her. I don't want to make payments, I want 30% off, like every single other pair! I look up and realize that my children have tried on every Sunday's best hat and have left them on the floor, and are running around with berets on their heads. I look straight at her and say, "Daughter, Son, let's go, we're going home!" Because it would be a shame to pinch this woman's head off and risk getting that beautiful white leather bag dirty behind her. Incase you're in shock, I'm not the type that leaves my kids' mess behind. Matter of fact, when we go out to eat, the Husband tries to remind me that I am no longer a waitress and need to stop stacking, scraping, and aligning all the table items for easy pick-up. But this woman is lucky I didn't strangle her with a removable shoulder strap.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The Photographic Mama, better explained...
Some of you may or may not know, this past Christmas, the Husband gave me a Nikon D60, my first Digital Single Lens Reflex Camera. The rest of the story is that I sold my traditional (read: 35 mm film) SLR on ebay to further finance a DSLR. One of my goals when we moved up here was to get back into photography and shoot more often. After all, I minored in photography in college. Now, I'm trying to remind myself to take my camera with me everywhere. That's always been my biggest problem. Life happens, and I don't have my camera to chronicle it. Now, I was hopping around the blogosphere and found MCP Actions, specifically the post of which I swiped borrowed this: 
And this is exactly how I feel every time someone makes this comment. Like MCP and many of the bloggers that commented, a camera is solely a tool. Yes, there are people out there that can simply snap great images. But it takes talent to consistently create amazing images using composition. Is it easier to achieve Bokeh? Yes. Can a better sensor pick up more detail? Yes. Does that make everyone with a DSLR a photographer? No. Anyone can shoot in Auto mode. To quote one commenter, "Did people admire Julia Child for her oven?" No. Hey, I own a ton of pencils and paint, but that doesn't make me a fine artist. Matter of fact, Daddy would be so proud if he knew that the caliper he gave me makes me an Engineer. Are you with me? When I used to shoot with film, I worked with infrared film. I preferred Black and White infrared because I could develop and handle it, as working with color infrared meant I would have to send it out for other people to do my finish work. And that is precisely why I no longer shoot BW infrared—the lack of access to a darkroom requires I send out my film. That, and the fact that infrared film is $$$. Anywho, the camera I used was a Nikon FM10. The most basic, fully-manual SLR. To answer why, I once shot a wedding, and the uncle with his "Mac Daddy" Canon came over and asked me what I use. He made snide comments about my camera, to which I told him, "My camera can do anything that yours can. The difference is that mine doesn't have an auto setting." I still don't think he understood. Part of being a professional at anything is fully understanding what you are doing and how to use all your tools. I own plenty of wrenches, and while I have more understanding of vehicles than most women, there's a reason you don't find me fixing them. (Hint: read my last post). So to sum this all up, it's not the camera that takes great images. And yes, I want to wring a neck every time I hear how my camera takes great photos. I have, after all, won awards for photography.
And this is exactly how I feel every time someone makes this comment. Like MCP and many of the bloggers that commented, a camera is solely a tool. Yes, there are people out there that can simply snap great images. But it takes talent to consistently create amazing images using composition. Is it easier to achieve Bokeh? Yes. Can a better sensor pick up more detail? Yes. Does that make everyone with a DSLR a photographer? No. Anyone can shoot in Auto mode. To quote one commenter, "Did people admire Julia Child for her oven?" No. Hey, I own a ton of pencils and paint, but that doesn't make me a fine artist. Matter of fact, Daddy would be so proud if he knew that the caliper he gave me makes me an Engineer. Are you with me? When I used to shoot with film, I worked with infrared film. I preferred Black and White infrared because I could develop and handle it, as working with color infrared meant I would have to send it out for other people to do my finish work. And that is precisely why I no longer shoot BW infrared—the lack of access to a darkroom requires I send out my film. That, and the fact that infrared film is $$$. Anywho, the camera I used was a Nikon FM10. The most basic, fully-manual SLR. To answer why, I once shot a wedding, and the uncle with his "Mac Daddy" Canon came over and asked me what I use. He made snide comments about my camera, to which I told him, "My camera can do anything that yours can. The difference is that mine doesn't have an auto setting." I still don't think he understood. Part of being a professional at anything is fully understanding what you are doing and how to use all your tools. I own plenty of wrenches, and while I have more understanding of vehicles than most women, there's a reason you don't find me fixing them. (Hint: read my last post). So to sum this all up, it's not the camera that takes great images. And yes, I want to wring a neck every time I hear how my camera takes great photos. I have, after all, won awards for photography.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
The truth about me and electronics.
I've come to a point in my adulthood when I need to finally declare that electronics and I just don't mix. Even with a father that is an Electrical Engineer, I cannot be salvaged, I am afraid. Terrible, right? Can you feel his pain?
Here's the thing. Growing up, we could rarely afford to replace things. Especially since my father had the know-how to fix everything. I'll save the tales of his frugalness leading all the way to reusing nails for another posting. But he raised me to always take care of the things you have, as my parents worked very hard for everything. And I believe I do. Apparently, all my appliances disagree, somehow.
I tear through vacuums. I moved out of my parents' house twelve years ago. I'm on my fourth vacuum. Yes, I have two kids, a husband, two cats, and a dog. But really, I don't buy stick-vacs, so aren't most normal vacuums made for this? I don't suck up stuff that I shouldn't. I just want all the hair and dirt gone. But I guess that's asking too much. My current vacuum--if I had the money to spend on a new one, it would be at the curb. My old roommate, who is quite possibly the messiest person I know (Danielle, if you are by chance reading this, you know I love you, but I speak the truth). She has had one vacuum since we first lived together. We picked it out ten years ago. After I killed her mother's Kirby. She still has that same vacuum. It's just not fair. However, if anyone from Dyson would like to send a sample my way, I'll promptly use it, break it, and send it back to you so that you can tear it apart and see what has gone wrong. Anyone? Anyone? Shall I beg?
I'm also on my fourth set of washers and dryers. In 11 years. (The first year, I made nice at the laundromat. They probably rejoiced the day I left.) In all truthfulness, the third set we sold with our last house as a ploy because I wanted new front-loaders. But don't worry, we made up for that—I'm on my second motor for my current dryer. No, I don't overload. I don't shove an entire sheep in there. I swear.
Think it's still a fluke? I've killed two refrigerators. And my mother's brand new french-door refrigerator broke one weekend after my wedding, where she hosted the rehearsal party. I don't even know why, but electronics simply run screaming from me. Even though I still take care of everything I own, as I work my ass off for it.
The latest casualty? My iMac. I know, I'm trying not to cry directly over the keyboard to my MacBook. We bought it back in 2004, when I finally convinced the Husband to go Mac and never look back. I ridiculed him when he bought a Toshiba laptop in 2006 and it needed to have its operating system reloaded after nine months. And twice since then. I've always babied my iMac, and it has been a true workhorse to me. I gave it more RAM when we moved, as I knew I would be doing more freelance and needed the power. My boss upgraded it to Leopard 10.5 last year so I could sync it with my MacBook and use my new Creative Suite. And now, I'm afraid it needs a new midboard, as there's no video card for an iMac. I really want to fix it, not replace it. I'm going to perform a few more diagnostic tests before I take it off to the Genius Bar, but it is considered a legacy Mac. (= more $$$).
Until then, I will try not to break anything. Although, I will say, something in the house usually breaks right after we get the "project starter" coupon in the mail from Lowe's. It hasn't shown up yet, so let's hope everything holds together.
Saturday, August 1, 2009
What to wear to a wedding.
The Husband and I have to attend a wedding today. After looking high and low, I have found the perfect dress, from New York & Company. When I tried it on, the salesgirl kept telling me it looked fantastic. Instantly, I did love it, the shape is perfect. I'll show a photo, but I couldn't find the exact dress, this is similar and is in the same color. I wanted a print, but settled for a solid, as the only print was black and white, and I really didn't want to buy another black and white dress. It's an odd color, but when I told the girl the short story, she agreed I should wear it and not be nervous of drawing attention.
The truth: we really don't want to go to the wedding. The Bride and Groom have broken (yes, broken. Way past burnt) many bridges along the way. I won't discuss the Groom's antics. The Husband has been friends with the groom for many years. Not close friends, as the groom can never be counted on. Ever. So when we moved up here, mutual friends of ours knew them, too. They've had a tumultuous relationship, been unfaithful, but have been together for something like 12 years. No one's really sure why they are getting hitched now, but whatever.
Months ago, the bride came to me to design her invitations. Since this is what I love to do, I agreed. I made a custom invite for her, and it was a nice set. Honestly, she didn't pick the concept I would have, but to each their own. She agreed to everything, and told me to go ahead and buy the paper to print them. So I did. I spent $145 on paper and got to printing. After about 25 invites, I ran out of ink and had to stop. The Husband and I weren't in a great financial place, so it had to wait a few days. I let her know the total cost of materials, I wasn't charging for my time.
Three days later, I get an email that she has now decided to make them herself. She thought going with me would be the cheapest option. Enter my rage. I didn't even answer her. I'll spare you the details of her greedily-planned shower that you had to purchase tickets to attend. (!)
I was able to take most of the paper back, save for about $30 worth. So imagine my surprise when we got an invite. The Husband says, "We're not going, right?" I answered, "The Hell we aren't! Honey, they're serving Prime Rib. The least they can do is buy us dinner." He agreed. So we'll go to the wedding. And I'll be the one in a blood orange dress:
Yay!
Edit: When we arrived, ALL the women were in black. Everyone. We went to the lounge, had a beverage, and I had two women tell me how beautiful my dress was. I had one girl that was all "Seriously, can we switch in the bathroom?" The Husband and I ended up seated next to them, which was fun. During the wedding, four other women told me how nce/sexy my dress was. Oh, and the Husband loved it, too. Score!
Yay!
Edit: When we arrived, ALL the women were in black. Everyone. We went to the lounge, had a beverage, and I had two women tell me how beautiful my dress was. I had one girl that was all "Seriously, can we switch in the bathroom?" The Husband and I ended up seated next to them, which was fun. During the wedding, four other women told me how nce/sexy my dress was. Oh, and the Husband loved it, too. Score!
Thursday, July 16, 2009
This is the one...
...where I tell you about my funny surgery story. I had an outpatient procedure yesterday, and it all went well, thank you. I still feel hungover from it, but I do feel a nap in my future. But let's get to the funny.
So I'm in the surgery center, and while I'm not in the first round (read: 6am), I'm in the second round of surgeries. So patients are leaving, patients are coming, doctors and nurses are mulling about. Before they bring the Husband in, I'm noticing a few young doctors in the area. We're at a teaching hospital, so I'm pretty sure they are interns or residents. I notice one in particular. A tall, tanned, toned, young male doctor. Perhaps even younger than me. (gasp!)
The Husband comes back, where we sit for an hour. And another hour. And wait. The nature of my visit requires a specific table, and the first surgery was running late.
In the mean time the anesthesiologist, with his sidekick my hot doctor come to discuss knocking me out. The Husband is giggling as he walks away, knowing I was blushing. My surgery happens, I recover, and the Husband returns to retrieve me. We're waiting on discharge, and the young doc comes over to visit. He asks how I'm doing, I say I'm as fine as I can be in recovery. He asks if anyone told me about my rash? Umm, no...
He says, "you got a rash across your stomach during the surgery, likely from the anesthesia, but it went away. If it comes back or anything, just call your doctor. Feel better!" and he's off. The Husband's first words to me?
"HA! He saw you naked!"
Sometimes, he's just so rotten.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Why I am in charge of the "stuff" around here...
For the past two weeks, the Husband has been working on a trailer. We got it free, but it needed some work. Specifically new lights and wiring. But with our crappy weather, he's only been able to work on it in spurts. Saturday, it was a nice day out, so he decided it was time to wrap it up. He gathers all his tools from the nether regions of the house, takes them outside and spreads them out. Now, he's looking for his two containers of connectors, wiring parts, and such. Can't find them.
He stomps all over the house. I am working at the computer (I swear, it really was work), and he stops to ask me a handful of times whether I have seen these containers and if I have touched them. Each time, I say no. I ask if he's looked in a few specific places—you know, where they SHOULD be. Of course, answer is no. He's convinced it has been stolen, either from our driveway or from the back deck (lest I remind him, these containers belong in neither of these places). Stranger things have happened, but I can't help but recall Bill Cosby's stand-up routine where he's convinced someone "Came in my house and done stole my remote!"
The Husband huffs and puffs and has now declared that he must make another trip to Lowe's because not only is he now out of electrical tape, but one of the side-marker lights was in there. Off he goes. An hour later, I am called to the driveway to help test lights. Yay, they work!
Fast forward to this evening. Husband is getting home from work, gathering all his uniforms, as new ones are being issued tomorrow. If you haven't guessed yet, the Husband is the messy one around here. He sheds clothing and tends to leave it. This makes me want to burn his clothing and yell and scream and stomp my feet. But if I did that, the Daughter's behavior would be blamed on me, and I can't be having any of that. Anywho, he is collecting shirts out of his truck. And finds the containers INSIDE his truck. Under a pile of clothing.
His words to me? "Well, if you drove my truck more often, it wouldn't be so messy. I wouldn't have lost them." I can't stand driving his truck because it looks like he's homeless. Which is also precisely why I hate him driving my car—he always leaves remnants of his day behind.
This is why I remain "Keeper of all things."
Saturday, July 4, 2009
I won!
It was like Christmas at my mailbox today! Well, actually, I didn't check the mail, it was on the table. But whatever. A week or so ago, I entered a contest over on SimplySweeter and I won this fabulous cupcake cookbook! Yay! I can't wait to try some out. A quick six-degrees-of-separation: I found Anne's blog through a search for Ovations for the Cure, a non-profit you should be supporting. I thought the cakes she does are great, and her writing is hysterical, so I stuck around. Come to find out, the company I work for designed the website for David Paul Salons, where she works outside of the kitchen. How funny, right? Here's where I divulge strange information. I actually don't own that many cookbooks. Crazy, right? I am a book designer, but I just don't buy cookbooks. Truth be told, over the past year, I have been given five cookbooks—and I don't know that I would have ever bought them on my own. Why? Well, let me tell you. And have your wine ready, my stories aren't like Cliff Notes. I have one cookbook that I refer to. It's the Joy of Cooking. I'm on my second copy, as my first copy was chewed on by my dog when he was a puppy and then the spine fell apart over the years. It was my first cookbook, I bought it when I first moved out of my parents' house. I love it, because it tells you the basics. How to buy potatoes and then bake them. How to filet a fish. How to purchase produce. How to make a Hollandaise sauce. How to assemble a dinner party table. Everything. Now, I don't usually follow recipes, but it's a great guide, and helped me back when I had no idea where to start and what to do. I bought it for a few friends who were struggling with the "I just moved out, now what do I eat?" delimma. And I bought one for a friend who has lived on his own for more than 18 years and couldn't cook much more than rice. (I wasn't being mean, he met a girl and wanted to know where to start to be able to cook for her.) A friend actually said hers is riddled with notes about the recipes, and I gasped because I didn't think I could bring myself to write in a book. I replaced my copy two years ago and made myself write my notes in there. It's hard for me to do it, but just the other week, I made my first note in pen (it was on the pancake recipe, which I think is too thin and boring). However, I realize I am like my mother—I live with my recipe box. My mother never had a cookbook. And she cooks All. The. Time. My mother will clip recipes and put them in her box. She still has the Nestle Toll House wrapper from the semi-sweet morsels in her box from the first time she made them. And she pulls it out every time she makes a batch. Her box isn't organized, but these clips being on all sorts of papers is how she knows what to look for. I got her a new box a few years back, but I think she still has her red plastic one somewhere. So, back to my story. I use one cookbook. I actually have the Gourmet Magazine's cookbook, but I hate it. It's not written for the everyday cook. But I keep it because I think it's designed beautifully. And, it stands opposite Joy to hold up all my copies of Everyday Food, where most of my other recipes come from. This year, I was given I'm Just Here for the Food by Alton Brown, whom I love; and Cookwise, an informative cookbook that I don't use, namely because I like Joy better. But they are books and I can't give them away. Perhaps when I have more than two readers I will do a giveaway. Because I am not even sure those two readers will read anytime soon. Wait, I lied. I do use another cookbook. The Donvier Ice Cream Cookbook. Most of the time, I wing it. But, the company I freelance for is the publisher. So a few years ago, when I was in the office, we did a reprint, and the manager ordered enough books for everyone in the office to have one. But again, I don't think I would buy it. I'd rather wing it. How do you cook? What books do you use?
The Wonder Drug...
Okay, not exactly a drug, but it could be. In our house, I use a lot of distilled vinegar. By a lot, I mean I go through a gallon roughly every two months. But there's a million uses for it. I have been using it in my laundry for over a year, and it does well with dingies, but also acts as a fabric softener/static repellent. But, I do this religiously since I also make my own detergent.
I also use vinegar to clean my tile floors. At one time, I did wonder as to whether it actually gets them clean, but then I tried it. It does. I've used it to clean windows for years, actually with a coffee filter (no streaks, no shredding). I clean my coffee pot with it as well. But, while I was avoiding doing some work, I was over on the Pioneer Woman's blog. And I totally forgot about her use--washing her hair! She, like many small-town people—us included—has hard water. And she washed her hair and it worked wonders. So I tried it tonight. I can't believe how my hair feels! It's like I deep conditioned it, but I only used the vinegar. Okay, well it had been over 36 hours since I showered (don't judge), so I did wash my hair first. But I didn't condition. I can't wait to see my hair when it dries, I hope it's back to shiny! I can't use the hairdryer, because the whole house is sleeping. The Husband was laughing at me because I keep playing with my hair.
Scared yet? Just you wait, I am full of useless knowledge. Like how vegetable oil can get sliver splinters out. And.. never mind. So go, take your shower with vinegar!
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Just... Can't... Stop...
Every year around this time, I start debating whether it's time to hang up the apron for the summer. It's normally hot (which it's not right now), and incredibly muggy (which it is), and usually I can't bear to be in the kitchen for that long. But then I was somewhere in the interweb and found these:
They are ginormous icing tips from BakeItPretty. These babies are the size of my palm. Now I'm going to have to go ahead and buy the large cupcake pan that I've been debating on. And they are packaged so nicely and I got free gift tags, too. I'll definitely be shopping there again. I may just have to purchase a kit for a baker-friend. I also ordered some pretty polka-dot liners and a megaphone cookie cutter to make some cheerleading cookies for her team. I can't wait to whip something up. Oh, wait, it's morbidly humid in my house. The best part, it's going to be in the high 80s and morbidly humid this weekend. And I have a TON of work to do. I can hardly wait.
They are ginormous icing tips from BakeItPretty. These babies are the size of my palm. Now I'm going to have to go ahead and buy the large cupcake pan that I've been debating on. And they are packaged so nicely and I got free gift tags, too. I'll definitely be shopping there again. I may just have to purchase a kit for a baker-friend. I also ordered some pretty polka-dot liners and a megaphone cookie cutter to make some cheerleading cookies for her team. I can't wait to whip something up. Oh, wait, it's morbidly humid in my house. The best part, it's going to be in the high 80s and morbidly humid this weekend. And I have a TON of work to do. I can hardly wait.
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Why GM won't die.
Those of you (my four loyal readers) who know me, know that I have been a lifelong GM fan. I was raised that way. Well, truth be told, my father loved his Mopars, but their transmissions suck, so we went all GM all the time. With the exception of 10 or so Nissan 300zxs. But, that happens when your mother works for a Nissan dealership. And while I've owned a Nissan and two Hondas, the rest have all been GM vehicles. And I am proud of that.
I am sad that GM had to file bankruptcy, but I know it is for good reasons. They need to restructure. The UAW needs a lesson. No one is getting a raise in America right now, yet the UAW tends to think they are entitled to one. I think unions were a great idea in their day, but that day has changed.
So what this means is that GM will restructure. They will emerge stronger than before. And sadly, that may mean they will have a future without Saab. I understand the logistics, but am sad that should I purchase another one, it likely won't be a GM Saab.
Lesson for today: Buy American. And if you must go for imports, go for European. Because not too long ago, Europe went through this whole economy thing, and we all have a better appreciation for the things we make and love. I don't think the other big exporters are there yet.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
There's a lot goin on around these parts...
Namely, baking. I know, it's almost summer and I've yet to shut down the oven. But I can't. I got a fabulous chocolate buttercream recipe that I could seriously make a batch just to eat it. And, next week, I start my Wilton Method classes at my local Michael's. I am well aware of how the Wilton Method is all about using Duncan Hines and such for consistency. I'm looking for techniques to make my own. Plus, course 3 is the fondant and gum paste course, those are what I am really looking forward to. While jumping around the blogosphere, I came across a divine creation—cake balls. And so I made some into cake pops. And let me tell you how divine they are indeed. I brought them to a cookout last weekend, and they were gone in minutes. Of course, if you top anything in chocolate ganache, it will likely be snarfed in record time. I had some left over and decided to use that instead.
Why all the baking? A good friend and I may be starting a new venture of getting into a side business together. Doing cakes, cupcakes, chocolates and such. I am not quite sure when I'll actually have the time for this stuff, since it's the busy season for my freelance design work and I have more than I know what to do with. But I look at the cake business as something I can do for a lifetime.
So right now, I'm supposed to be doing some freelance, but instead I made a batch of mini-cupcakes with dark chocolate icing. And I have a head cold that is kicking some serious arse, so I'd really like to just go back to bed. But I am reminded that I actually do have to save for school clothes and supplies this year, so I need to work instead. I guess it never really ends.
Why all the baking? A good friend and I may be starting a new venture of getting into a side business together. Doing cakes, cupcakes, chocolates and such. I am not quite sure when I'll actually have the time for this stuff, since it's the busy season for my freelance design work and I have more than I know what to do with. But I look at the cake business as something I can do for a lifetime.
So right now, I'm supposed to be doing some freelance, but instead I made a batch of mini-cupcakes with dark chocolate icing. And I have a head cold that is kicking some serious arse, so I'd really like to just go back to bed. But I am reminded that I actually do have to save for school clothes and supplies this year, so I need to work instead. I guess it never really ends.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Product Review: Help, I have oily skin!
I have ridiculously oily skin. Normally, I don't even wear makeup because it just slides down my face by 11:00 am. But it's also sensitive, so my options are slim and expensive. However, I read about Boots No 7 Mattifying Makeup Base on a blog that I can't seem to find again. A few months ago, I decided to grow up and buy some adult face wash, and I have since been using Boots' face wash and toner, so I was so excited to read about this stuff. The just of it: it's a base that will soak up the oil in your skin, leaving your makeup on your face and not clogging pores.
So I venture out to my local Mecca to pick some up. Imagine my surprise when it's on clearance for $4.98! Oh, how to make a Mama cry! I also purchased some Boots Botanics Eye Gel, Botanics Toner and No. 7 pressed powder, all on clearance! Yay!
How does it work? I love it. You put on your moisturizer and then this stuff. You're not supposed to touch your face for a while, as it's a bit flaky until it starts soaking up the oil. But I shot a fashion show in Boston a few weeks ago, I put this stuff on at 6:30 am, the show was at 2:30, and I met friends out after the show for drinks. Around 1:30, I dabbed a paper towel on my skin (I lost my oil absorbing sheets), but my makeup looked fine at 7:00pm, as I was on my way to catch the T. I highly recommend this stuff!
I can't say much for the Botanics line, I don't think the eye gel is helping much, but I'll know more when I run out of my No. 7 toner and start using the Botanics toner. So go get your Boots!
Monday, May 11, 2009
It was a great Mama Day...
Mother's Day was a nice one for us, the Husband let me sleep in (by sleep in, I mean long enough for him to corral the kids into signing their card and down some pop-tarts), I got an adorable singing Hoops and YoYo card—whom I love—and the shredder/slicer attachment to my Kitchenaid stand mixer. Now, some of the Mamas out there feel that appliances and their parts are a no-no for gift giving. Personally, I am all about praciticality. That said, a treadmill should never show up on my doorstep as a "gift." But the Husband knew I was eyeing this attachment, as I already have the ice cream maker attachment (also known as the best $60 I have spent on an appliance E.V.E.R.) So what did I use it for first? To make my own laundry detergent. Yes, you read that correctly. I made my own laundry detergent. I used my shredder to shred a bar of soap. And this excites me to no end. My cost should end up somewhere around $.03 per load for detergent. I also made felted wool dryer balls so I no longer have to use dryer sheets. I wouldn't say those are a money saver, as I spent almost $15 on the yarn (I don't have scraps of yarn laying around), but considering I think most dryer sheets are too potent, this is a great alternative. I rounded out the day by making the most divine homemade brownies ever. Oh, how I love Martha and her recipes. I made her fudgy brownies, and Oh. My. Goodness. I could have eaten the entire pan last night. Fortunately, I waited until tonight to polish them off. The kidlets were fantastic, I even got some work done and finished the laundry. It was a good day, and I hope all the other Mamas out there had a great day, too.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Why "the mama in red"?
Well, even when I was little, I wasn't into pink. I liked my steno notebooks to be red. I loved red. I didn't like pink through school, but I may or may not have worn a pair of magenta tights to a "rave" party to benefit school. And then I went through the pink stage a few years back like everyone did—and am amazed at how much stuff I have left over from that phase. But now I'm back to red. I love red. I have a red purse that I carry every day. My lunch bag is red. My camera bag is red. I have two pairs of red shoes, for which I am known for wearing. Oh, and I am a mama to two kidlets, the Daughter is five going on fifteen and the Son will be three next month. I am a wife to my best friend, the Husband. I am a graphic/web designer, who dabbles in video editing during the day job, I have vowed to make use of my degree and get back into photography, thanks to the Husband who also made the decision for me on my spiffy new camera; I love to sew and am a Threadbanger, and I love to bake and cook. I'm all about homemade, I make my own breads, cupcakes, icings, cakes, and anything I can alter on the stove. But let's not forget that recently I have picked crocheting up again. Only, the first time I tried it, I never learned how to turn my work, so I could only crochet straight foundation lines. So if that's not enough, I am going to try to find my voice again with a new blog on a new platform. I can't first express how excited I am to break out my web skillz and design my own template without having to host it on my own. But we'll see how long that takes me. A jill of all trades, you know.
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