meg and steve

weekend highlights

2012-01-30T07:41:00.000-08:00

Exactly two years after putting it up, we tore our wall-mounted headboard down. Wall by wall things are coming down. Room by room things are being sorted in to piles - keep, sell, donate. It's more emotional than I thought it would be - we worked so hard to make this house our home. Fortunately there's plenty to be excited about, and the excitement does a good job of beating out the sad parts.

Speaking of excitement... while getting crickets for Poco, I discovered that dog sweaters were on sale. For $5 I HAD to get one and he's painfully adorable in it. Best purchase ever.

Another weekend highlight involved the bet Steve and Ashley made on the SF/NY game. SF lost, so Steve got to wear this sign to Sunday dinner. Inspiration for the bet came from this ESPN commercial.

Downton Abbey

2012-01-23T18:00:00.000-08:00

[ via +, but beware of spoilers ]

We'd heard it mentioned in podcasts and seen it frequently appear on suggested Netflix lists, but hadn't bothered to investigate it any further. However, trust me, it only takes an episode or two before you realize that you're so freakin' hooked.

It involves in depth conversations about the laws of inheritance, it has no nudity or cursing, electricity is considered bold technology, no one bursts into song and even though we’re less than halfway through season 2, it’s safe to say that there are no aliens or zombies in sight. If I haven’t lost you yet, how about this for the kicker – it’s on PBS. Are you reaching for the smelling salts yet? - Reuters

By all means, it shouldn't be as awesome as it is. Except it IS that awesome! It's a fantastic exercise in escapism. And oh my heavens...

...the hair,

the clothes,

the frivolity,

the drama,

the romance,

and the accents!

Stream season 1 of Downton Abbey on Netflix and then watch season 2 online at PBS.

Aziz Ansari.

2012-01-23T08:44:00.000-08:00

Aziz, in town for Sundance and eager to try out new material for an upcoming tour, decided at the last minute to do three shows this weekend at Wiseguys - Trolley Square. Three. It was MAYHEM - all of them sold out the day they were posted.

The night of the show, we (Steve, Brian, and I) got there as soon as the doors opened - two hours early, just to ensure we got decent seats... and because we were too excited to do anything else.

Those two hours passed quickly thanks to mountains of french fries, burgers, chicken strips, beverages, and the NY/SF football game. Steve decided to harass Ashley M. via text and wound up betting on the outcome of the game. If the Niners won, Ashley would have to be the "Fart King of Sunday dinner." If the Giants won, Steve would. Ha!

Eventually Aziz took the stage and holy crap, the man is good at what he does. Hands down - my favorite show I've ever been to and just a great night all around.

Pad Thai

2012-01-19T09:14:00.000-08:00

Lately it seems like the majority of my DIY projects, dinners, and life decisions can be traced back to something I saw on Pinterest. Last night's Pad Thai was no exception. Oh. My. Word. I may never eat anything else ever again. Pad Thai for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. I'm in love.

Though I will say that next time I make it (and if you decide to try it yourself): ditch the scallions and instead add some sugar snap peas, carrots, and/or chicken.

maron

2012-01-16T14:31:00.000-08:00

Marc Maron, SLC, 1/14/12

At our house we have two lists. A must-see comedian list and a must-see band list. Stand-up comedy and live music are our bread and butter. And actually meeting the comedian/band and having them turn out to be exactly as awesome as they are in your brain is like fifteen loaves of bread and twenty tubs of butter... which judging by this picture I seem to have eaten/stored in my cheeks.

the next big thing.

2012-01-12T22:04:00.000-08:00

While I've mentioned that Steve is taking CPA exams, I may not have mentioned one minor detail about them...

That's no typo. He's taking them for California, because here's the thing.

We're moving to San Francisco.

[ photo taken by Steve in November, 2011]

Why? Steve got offered a really awesome job there.

When? Probably this summer or fall. We won't know an exact start date for a couple more months.

Are you crazy? Maybe. We've each only been to San Francisco once, and not with each other. My trip was in 2003 for a school science thing (nerd alert). Steve's trip was last year for his job interview. We have no idea how to do this or what to expect, but we're going for it anyway.

And as far as the other questions we've been getting...

Yes, Baxter is coming with us.
Yes, housing is expensive. We'll be grateful for whatever few square feet we're able to call home.
Yes, we know gay people live there.
Yes, we know there will likely be earthquakes.
Yes, we are aware that San Francisco public transportation and other city programs may not be as robust as those of Chicago or New York. Thank you for pointing that out. We're going to move there anyway.
Yes, visitors (at least those willing to sleep on the floor of a shoebox-sized apartment) will be welcome.

Anyway, we're excited, and a little freaked out, but mostly excited.

better days.

2012-01-10T08:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was one of those days that you tell yourself just get home, just make it home first. Then you do and the meltdown happens. And there are tears involved, pajamas, and talk of running away. And so you go to bed really early because Monday just needs to be over.

On the bright side, Steve took his first CPA exam yesterday. We find out in March if he passed, which I'm sure he did. One down. Studying for exam number two starts today. Yippee. Then tax season. Then exams three and four. If we're still alive come July, it'll be a miracle.

staying in

2012-01-08T11:05:00.000-08:00

Discussions of an evening out never solidified into actual plans Saturday night.

Instead, we broke out our new Scrabble board, watched old episodes of HIMYM, and drank heaps of chamomile tea (my new favorite thing).

Despite it sounding a bit lame, it wasn't... at least not to us. It's nice that even after five years of being together, we don't have to try very hard or go out to have a good time.

We did decide, however, that our next Scrabble game will involve some level of cheating and made-up words.

looking forward

2012-01-05T08:41:00.000-08:00

[ via +]

Here's the deal. I was sick during Christmas and New Years, so my enthusiasm for both was really lacking. But the end of a year deserves at least some sort of recognition, so here it is.

2011 was the year we...

drove 1680 miles for a concert.
spent many a night playing card games and eating too many sour cream and onion potato chips.
drove off the lot in a brand new car. (a first for both of us).
gulped down entire seasons of tv shows on netflix while lounging on the couch, a concentrated mass of cuddling and blankets and dog.
faced those horrible monsters, the GMAT and CPA exams.
decided who we were and what we wanted.

And now onward! 2012 is going to be a crazy year for us, but hopefully it will be good-crazy. Either way, there's bound to be heaps of planning and plotting, adventure and newness. And really, if you're going to live, why not go all out, take risks, and make it count?

half-joking/half-serious

2011-12-28T13:58:00.000-08:00

It was kind of a weird Christmas for me this year. There were the usual elements - presents, food, family, friends, etc., but the thing I can't get over was not exactly a traditional holiday moment.

Grandpa, sporting mummy-like head bandages, had just been to the doctor to have cancer removed from his ear. (It seems like it wouldn't be Christmas with our family unless cancer was in some way involved). They grafted skin from his neck to replace the chunk of ear they'd removed, so his entire head was like one big bandage. On top of that, his being on blood thinners caused what little skin was visible to be a dark purple bruise. All morning Lindsay kept saying "poor Grandpa" and we all agreed. Poor Grandpa.

Near the end of the day he half-joking/half-serious requested I change his bandages, surely expecting me to be too grossed out. But I accepted, curious to see what was actually underneath all that gauze.

I think the "gore" of it bothered everyone in the room to some degree. Lindsay especially didn't like my "your neck looks like they stitched up raw hamburger" comment. I did my best to cover everything and tape it securely but comfortably. The only reason I can think of for my not being bothered by that kind of stuff are the EMT trainings my dad taught. Some nights I'd get to go with him and if I wasn't playing in a wheelchair, I was browsing the training manuals, looking at the pictures of a man with a pencil sticking out of his eye, or a metal pipe coming out of his side, or third degree burns, or broken legs. The existence of pain and injury has always been a distorted sort of normal.

Anyway, that night I looked up what it would take to become an ER/trauma nurse or something similar. Half-joking/half-serious.

take that, christmas.

2011-12-19T14:09:00.000-08:00

All work and family holiday parties have been attended.
All presents have been purchased and wrapped.
All treats have been made and delivered.

five.

2011-12-16T14:08:00.000-08:00

Five years later... and I've never been happier.

the difference ONE word can make.

2011-12-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

A pair of French researchers propose that adding the text “loving” to a collection box almost doubled the amount of money raised:

Some [collection] boxes had this additional text in French just below the money slot: “DONATING=LOVING”; others had the text “DONATING=HELPING”; whilst others had no further text below the slot. …. The text on the donation boxes made a profound difference. On average, almost twice as much money was raised daily in boxes with the “donating=loving” text, as compared with the “donating=helping” boxes and the boxes with no additional text.

Why?

Guéguen and Lamy think that the word “loving” acts as a prime, activating related concepts such as compassion, support and solidarity, and thereby encourages behaviour consistent with those ideas.

via bobulate

99% Invisible

2011-12-14T15:20:00.000-08:00

[via +]

Thanks to a few hours of data entry at work, I'm on another podcast kick that has resulted in the discovery of a new gem of a show called 99% Invisible. My favorite episodes being about the invention of the teddy bear and the Feltron Annual Report. I cannot and will not be able to get the Feltron reports out of my head. Ever.

a nice surprise.

2011-12-11T08:30:00.000-08:00

Yesterday afternoon we found a little neighbor boy out front, shoveling away. By the time we discovered what he was up to, he'd already cleared our entire sidewalk by himself and was moving on to our driveway. I have no idea what possessed him to spend a part of his Saturday doing that for us, but it sure melted my heart.

hermits

2011-12-09T08:13:00.000-08:00

I miss being able to tinker on projects in the garage or sit on the back lawn with Baxter and read a book. We haven't gone on a walk in months. I talk myself out of running errands, because I dread sitting in a cold car and journeying across frozen tundra parking lots... and we don't really need milk or bread or other dietary staples. Not when it's this cold. I'm a pansy and a bit dramatic, but I really do dislike Utah winters more than anything.

The cold is a major factor in our seasonal hermitage. Another factor this year being the CPA exams. It's Steve vs. four of these beastly tests and he's decided to take on what is commonly thought of as the worst/most difficult one first. He studies for hours every single day while I daydream of a time when we'll be able to be "normal" people, exam- and studying-free. A time which probably isn't too far off, perhaps even less than a year. Fingers crossed.

What little time we do have at our leisure we've been spending in the kitchen. In the last few months we've embarked upon many a culinary conquest - trying our best to recreate recipes found on Pinterest. A handful of these have turned out insanely well and make me wonder what we ate before discovering Pinterest. (Some of our new favorites: Chik-fil-A Nuggets, Beef and Broccoli, Cajun Pasta, and Buckeyes.) It's been fun and delicious, just ask my significantly tighter-fitting pants.

The end.

[W]e discovered...

2011-12-06T13:24:00.000-08:00

[W]e discovered that in any interaction, the person with the higher status uses I-words less (yes, less) than people who are low in status.

Further fascinating, Pennebaker can predict people’s college performances (and perhaps other future performances?) by analyzing college admissions essays. The use of nouns suggests people are categorizers. Using verbs and pronouns suggests people are storytellers.

via bobulate

huzzah.

2011-12-05T14:46:00.000-08:00

I love marketing. I got a degree in it. And as of last Thursday, I'll now get to actually do it in real life. This is beyond exciting to me... just ask Steve. He's had to listen to me talk about it nonstop for the last five days.

To better illustrate my zeal, just consider my reading list between last Thursday and today: half of Good to Great, some applicable chunks of The Art of Focused Conversation, three planning workbooks from a sustainability conference (with three more to go), and a sizable stack of printouts with titles like "Nonprofit Marketing with Purpose." I have pages and pages of hastily scribbled notes and questions and ideas.
I love it.

I'm sure I'll calm down here soon, but I feel like I've finally found that sweet spot - still doing some technical, brain-melting web design, but also getting to do some creative, big picture marketing.

Love!

voice mail previews...

2011-12-02T07:27:00.000-08:00

I don't know what a "slot hang" is or what "banner my panties" means, but I love Microsoft Speech Technology for creating this gem in my inbox this morning.

watercolor

2011-12-02T06:50:00.000-08:00

Last night I spent an hour tinkering with watercolors. It went much better than previous times and resulted in a little mediocre portrait. I'm excited to throw it out and start over this weekend, because I know I can do better.

Last night also brought with it the delivery of my Christmas present to myself. I commissioned a watercolor from Deek and am beyond smitten with my adorable little owl. I would happily urge anyone who appreciates these kinds of things to request your own painting from him.

Why do we remember...

2011-11-30T14:26:00.000-08:00

Why do we remember what we remember? When most of it’s forgot, then why just this warehouse of just these things? Maybe the memories that stick around want something from us. Or maybe, more than just something, they actually want us. What I mean is that the stuff of memory competes for us, claims us, takes us away from what is present. And yet we’re present in the memory. Who are we now when we’re present then? I’ve been wondering lately, when I’m staring at the walls, if the stuff of memory isn’t made of the same stuff of dreams.

via b. hockey j.

thanksgiving

2011-11-27T11:58:00.000-08:00

Our Thanksgiving break began with a few family pictures in the front room. And while I hopped into a few of them, none will be posted since I was suffering from a serious case of fat-face. This stunning portrait of Steve and Bax, however, couldn't not be posted.

The next few days were a blur. Highlights include...

A couple sewing sessions with Evelynda. I have a lot to learn. Thankfully she is the most patient person on the planet and helped me along as I sloooooowly muddled my way through my first attempts at making things from patterns - a dress for Lily and a vest for Easton.

There was also, of course, football in the front yard.

And gingerbread houses... and gingerbread dinosaurs.

There was also plenty of lounging, crocheting, and movie-watching, and a quick trip to the Park City outlets. Also, not to be forgotten, the pre-Thanksgiving dinner at Sizzler where I challenged Dallan to a shrimp-eating duel. (We tied at 53. However, he also ate his steak, french fries, and ice cream with no trouble.)

Things

2011-11-18T10:32:00.000-08:00

My shirt order got cancelled. I guess they ran out before they could fill my order. Major bummer. To make up for it I bought ankle boots last night. They're perfection and make me tower over everyone.

Every so often I come across a blog that instantly makes me want to be best friends with the blog's creator(s). Most recent case of this: hisampersandhers, oh my word.

[via +]

The last few days Steve has been able to have lunch with me. I'm going to miss it when tax season picks up and that's no longer able to happen.
Baxter is insanely needy lately. How do you make a dog understand he doesn't need your full attention every second?

At Deek's obnoxious insistence, I've been dabbling in watercolors. He kindly gave me a quick lesson and even forked over one of his drawings for me to practice on. For me, thus far, watercolor is an interesting mix of about 1/4 relaxing and 3/4 infuriating.

This weekend, while the snow falls all it wants, I plan to hide away, spending hours cooking warm comfort food, watching Netflix, crocheting scarves, attempting watercolors, and reading. Perhaps, should our jigsaw puzzle that we ordered from Amazon arrive, we'll do that too.

bargained.

2011-11-15T15:17:00.000-08:00

Once upon a time we went to California. In our party was an enterprising young man who was exceedingly and effortlessly and consistently snappily dressed. His chambray and denim combo outfit has plagued my very soul - causing me to want, nay, need a chambray shirt of my own.

Embarrassingly, I've spent several months scoping out chambray shirts online and wrestling with the idea of forking over as much as $98 for a single shirt. Though on our budget it was more like faux-wrestling, because it was never really an option.

Anyway, my lurking skills paid off today when I stumbled upon a suitable option on super sale at Delia's. Huzzah!

Not convinced of the awesomeness? Behold.

Yay for small victories and silly pick-me-ups.

19 Years Later

2011-11-07T16:49:00.000-08:00

A year or two at a time I've been slowly scanning all the pictures from old family photo albums. It's funny how much and how little changes over time.

SF

2011-11-02T08:54:00.001-07:00

Steve gets home from San Francisco today... and not a minute too soon considering...

how quickly the familiar house settling noises turn ominous when you're home alone. And Baxter is no guard dog.
I don't know how to operate the tv/apple tv/sound system nightmare.
even after I am able to get Netflix up (after calling Steve for help), I make the mistake of trying to watch things that I normally wouldn't if Steve were here... which results in 1) a lovely documentary on Bill Cunningham, New York Times photographer, and 2) being totally scarred by The Business of Being Born, which I'm definitely not mature enough to watch.
everyone knows that cooking for one is pointless.
the lonely silence that even the best Spotify playlist cannot begin to fill.

The puh-thetic part is... he only left yesterday morning. Yep.

twenty-six.

2011-10-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

As of yesterday I'm twenty-six... which means I'm now closer to thirty than twenty. Not sure how I feel about that. Actually I am - I don't particularly care for it.

Anyway, Steve managed to make it pleasant and memorable despite my lack of enthusiasm and our tight budget (thanks, unexpected hard drive recovery costs), just by being his sweet, thoughtful self. A craft project gift, complete with inside joke, and breakfast - bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits. The man did good. The evening was spent looking through old pictures and eating birthday cake with Mom and Lin. It was mellow and uneventful - exactly what I wanted this year.

I'd post pictures, but I didn't take any. Not even one. So that's that.

- - -

Onward.

The next few weeks are going to give us what Steve has coined as "actionable information." All the planning, prepping, studying, and interviewing will start producing results. Lovely, fantastic results. Positive or negative, it almost doesn't matter, at least it will be something.

- - -

Finally, photographic evidence of the completion of my most recent endeavor. Via online tutorials I've been teaching myself how to knit and crochet. Some day I'll pick one hobby and stick with it, but for now I figure I might as well try them all.

The best.

2011-10-23T12:28:00.000-07:00

The couch. These two. A couple beverages. Halloween candy.

Yup.

2011-10-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

I came home for lunch and found a surprise note from a cute boy.
It's pretty great to be married to your best friend.

Lin's Bday

2011-10-12T06:46:00.000-07:00

Love her.

Camaro

2011-10-12T06:36:00.000-07:00

Steve built a model car the other night. He's cute.

Pretty Things

2011-10-11T08:07:00.000-07:00

Been a bit miserable for the last while. In an effort to stay positive, here are some things that make me happy. Click on the picture to be linked to the source.

Failure.

2011-10-08T15:18:00.000-07:00

I woke up in a sour mood, having spent the night dreaming about Baxter dying.

My mood didn't improve when I discovered this morning that my 1 terabyte external hard drive failed. Like an idiot, I'd used that hard drive to store everything - and I mean everything. Every movie/song, every document, every thing I'd ever designed, and worst of all every single freaking picture I'd taken since 2004, both personal and for clients. We're talking pictures of my dad and I, every picture of our lives since Steve and I were married, everything. NONE of which were backed-up, which admittedly is absolutely idiotic on my part. The ironic thing is that I discovered it had failed because I was going to start backing those files up today. Hilarious.

I spent hours troubleshooting, crying, and trying not to throw up. Steve started calling data recovery companies, but I don't see that being a viable option based on what I've read about their cost ($1200?!?!). I hate myself for being so stupid and potentially losing things that were invaluable.

As a last-ditch effort, I ordered a tool that will hopefully allow me to do some DIY recovery... if there's anything left on it to recover. I have a feeling that a power surge may have fried everything beyond saving. The tool will be delivered on Tuesday, so until then I'll be a total basket-case. And if it winds up not working, I plan to walk in front of the nearest oncoming bus.

Back-up your stuff, people. Now.

10/8 Update: Was too impatient to wait until Tuesday, so I found a similar part at the Best Buy in Ogden. We drove there, picked it up, drove straight back, and tried it. No go. Hours of research later, seems as though taking it to a professional tomorrow is our only option. Steve says we'll do a payment plan if we have to. I say where's the nearest bus?

10/10 Update: Delivered it to a data recovery company in Salt Lake. They'll look over the drive and determine whether any files can be saved. It takes 48-72 hours for them to let you know. So at this point it's just a waiting game.

10/11 Update: Just got the diagnostics email. It's apparently a mechanical and logical failure -double whammy. $1400.

10/13 Update: They were able to save everything. And while it sort of feels like blackmail to pay such an exorbitant amount of money to get your own stuff back, I'm happy it wasn't lost forever and will be taking extreme measures to ensure it never happens again.

Mantis

2011-10-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

Found this dude in our backyard after this afternoon's rainstorm.

He was soaked... and seemed pretty pissed. He was totally frowning and glaring.

But eventually he cheered up.

The end.

Walking the Dog, More Snakes, and Autumn

2011-10-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

Trying to enjoy what's left of this beautiful weather by spending as much time as possible out in it.

The Great Pizza Endeavor

2011-09-27T18:15:00.000-07:00

The reasoning.

The perfect pizza could be a very delicious secret weapon in my arsenal.
Numbered are the days that I will continue to buy those little pressurized cans of dough that scare the hell out of you when they pop open and send doughy shrapnel flying everywhere.
Meal planning isn't fun, and declaring it a "Pizza Day" means one less day to figure out.
Who doesn't love pizza?

The endeavor.
Discover the secret to making a masterpiece like the Fat Kid at home.

Last week was attempt #1 - my first experience with making dough from scratch. It was VERY basic, but it was sort of edible and you gotta start somewhere. And here I'll do a shout out to turkey pepperoni, because yum! (Added bonus: it's about half the calories of regular pepperoni, for those who care about such things). And another shout out to Brian and Steve, who were forced to eat that disgusting pizza.

This week, I move on to a recipe from my mother-in-law. I have high hopes for this one. :)

"I tired of the routine of eight years in one afternoon."

2011-09-26T13:03:00.000-07:00

Love...

...books that require highlighting and dog-earing, because they have somehow managed to express exactly what it is you've been failing to put into words all this time.
...pursuits of the perfect homemade pizza.
...the noisy, goofy company of brothers(-in-law).
...that calming sense of purpose that comes when you decide on a plan.

Not a bad weekend. Saturday was productive. Sunday was relaxing. My favorite hour was spent lounging in the backyard - Steve and I reading, Baxter sunbathing. It was one of those times when the rest of the world could cease to exist and we'd be too busy being perfectly content to even notice.

Social

2011-09-22T07:01:00.000-07:00

Remember that part of your life when people told you what to do and you never had to make any difficult decisions? Lately, in a way, I sort of miss that. There are a lot of parts of being grown up that are awesome, but there are also lots of parts that kinda suck.

Tuesday night we attended a social for one of the big four firms. Spouses were invited, and so ended my nights of being a stay-at-home cheerleader. There was networking, Mt. Dew (thank goodness), an information overload, and pointed use of the term "tax widow" (which I detest for several reasons). After the meeting, we had a bit of a DTR discussion, except it was more of a Define the Rest of Our Lives (DTROL) discussion. Decisions, decisions.

We'll figure all this out and when we do, I have to believe, it will be so worth all the work, stress, and frustration. If it's not... I'm gonna be pissed. :)

Project Kitchen Table II

2011-09-20T16:05:00.000-07:00

Almost exactly one year after attacking our kitchen table the first time, I got fed up with it again and went for a second round. This time my frustration was due to its being counter-height and all the issues that come with that (i.e., no one being able to touch the floor, worrying about kids falling and breaking their heads on the tile below, etc.).

Unwilling to part with the stupid thing, I decided to hack off a bit of the legs. Even in my head, this didn't seem like a good idea. But I went with it anyway, because why let commonsense stop you, and surprisingly it worked out incredibly well.

From a towering 38" to the standard 25".

The tall chairs were promptly garage-saled... garage-sold (it's a word). But now the two-tone table looked too Little House on the Prairie next to the new modern (shorty-short) IKEA chairs, so I removed the glazed gray paint and stained it the same color as the top.

Done...

again...

for now...

:)

Weekend Recap

2011-09-19T07:56:00.000-07:00

Sooo much Breaking Bad. Seriously. So much.
Impromptu campfire in Green Canyon by ourselves. Roasted a couple s'mores, then promptly returned home, chilly and happy.
A bit of thrifting. Highlight: two pairs of knitting needles for $2.
Finished round two of the kitchen table makeover. More on that soon.
Saturday morning run in the cool, post-rain outdoors.
Sunday evening run - Baxter's first time joining us, and a full minute quicker than Saturday.
Lunch with grandparents - Grandma's 78th birthday.
Relocating mom's snake friend from her garage to a nearby field, since no one else would go near it.

Yay for trying new things.

2011-09-15T08:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a madhouse around here with meeting after meeting for big four recruiting. Food (and basically everything else) has been banished to the bottom rung of the priorities ladder. Bleh.

[ img via + ]

A small victory was had in the kitchen this week, however, in the form of almond milk. Having tried vanilla soy milk and been unimpressed, I had low expectations. But it's definitely a winner - I've been snarfing it with cheerios and banana slices every morning. So good! Even better, it's apparently something you can make at home. Peace out cow milk.

Flying Solo Tonight

2011-09-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

I'm about to go listen to the most amazing playlist I've ever compiled while I mow the front lawn. Then I'm going to take a long shower. Then make chocolate chip cookie dough. Then maybe cuddle up with Baxter and get lost in Jane Eyre. (Thank you Han, for inspiring this latest reading endeavor).

Not a single second will I spend stressing about finances, worrying about future plans, or just feeling plain old overwhelmed by life. For tonight at least...

Because, hey, I already have everything I'll ever need.

To Buy or Not To Buy...

2011-09-08T16:15:00.000-07:00

Came across this little beauty on Amazon today. I was left speechless, of course, as that's the only possible reaction for something so... so... just... wow.

And while I absolutely understand that $19.99 is a bargain for such a work of art, I must admit that it is more than I was planning on spending this year for Baxter's Halloween costume, which this year (and every other year) is rocking a $0 budget.

But look at it. Seriously. Can this even be NOT purchased?!

So brace yourself for some major justification. Ready?

1. It seems like a pretty versatile garment that could be worn year-round. What? It's rainy outside, but we still want to go for a walk? No problem. Raptor raincoat. Boom.

2. I'm already sure that it'll fit (despite Baxter's stumpy legs and absurdly long body), thanks to fitting via Photoshop. See? He's even pulling his best raptor face.

3. It would drive him insane.

4. It would provide an opportunity for raptor versions of mustache mania. Can you picture it? Here, let me help...

Seriously.

This is not a fluff piece.

2011-09-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

This is not a fluff piece. This is truth: there ere are a bazillion photographers in the safe little ‘status quo’ bubble that will keep the status quo quietly marching along. So many that, in fact, it will be just fine without you.

Which is precisely why you should leave it behind.

What does that mean? It means take a chance. Or Three. Charge away from convention. Break shit. You can always go back to the status quo if you get scared or get knocked around a bit, because the reality is that it’s not going anywhere. You’ll be told that they won’t take you back if you leave, but that’s a scare tactic. In reality, they’ll take you back in a second, because… the SQ voice depends on numbers. If you don’t have what it takes, it will always be there waiting with open arms saying, “We knew you’d be back” or “I told you so.”

But the funny thing is this: I’m banking that when you push it, when you leave the status quo behind, and make some new in-roads, some new habits, that you might just get comfortable with the new you, and lo and behold you’ll be ready to push it again. That’s when the magic happens. That’s what we need. That’s what–I’m guessing–you need.

via chase jarvis

Laguna Beach and Disneyland

2011-09-05T07:10:00.000-07:00

After our Vegas mischief, we continued on to our destination, making a quick stop at Laguna Beach.

The Parks!

Highlights:

debut of The Little Mermaid shirt
I was the rebel spy on one of our Star Tours trips
a picture with Dale
first time on Grizzly River Run
dinner at the Blue Bayou
World of Color
a drawing lesson from a Disney animator

The World of Color Water Show was amazing. Here are a couple clips. Be sure to watch the second one - it was unreal.

Unfortunately, as all good things are wont to do, the trip eventually came to an end. California gave us a nice sunrise send-off as we started the drive back home.

Be interested in a lot of things.

2011-09-01T07:59:00.000-07:00

Be interested in a lot of things. Some questions are designed to test your command of a set of facts, and some leave little room for interpretation. Once in awhile, a question might even permit a “yes” or “no” answer. But often you’ll be dealing with open-ended questions, ones about which there is much to say and from many angles. Recognize that most open-ended questions range across academic disciplines and areas of interest, and do your best to develop a good grasp of the world around you. Good question-answerers read widely, talk to their peers and professors, attend on-campus events such as plays and concerts, and (I’m guessing here) subscribe to PBS and NPR. Good question-answerers also listen. If you know a little bit about the world around you and make an effort to experience your immediate environment, you may be surprised by your ability to add outside knowledge to your answers. Broad experience equals (or at least increases the chance for) serendipity.

via bobulate

You cannot protect yourself...

2011-09-01T07:55:00.000-07:00

You cannot protect yourself from sadness without protecting yourself from happiness.

via jonathan safran foer, extremely loud and incredibly close

Vegas - An Aquarium and a Concert

2011-08-20T17:31:00.000-07:00

On our way to California, we spent a night in Vegas. I'd heard that the Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef Aquarium was amazing, so we checked it out.

The scariest, weirdest, coolest critter there had to be this guy... a long nose saw shark.

That evening we met up with Jon and went to the Death Cab for Cutie concert at the Cosmopolitan.

Thanks to good ol' dumb luck we had won tickets to this concert and holy crap was it a good one. First, the Cosmopolitan is an awesome venue. They empty out their rooftop swimming pools for the shows. Second, Vegas is so fantastically warm outside in the evenings. Third, Frightened Rabbit opened - awesome. Fourth, Death Cab is great live.

[via +]

We need to remember...

2011-08-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

We need to remember the value of nothing. It’s like breathing: you can’t inhale all day.

We need to learn to make peace with the information we don’t know, to embrace the zeroes, to relearn the pleasures of hunger, need, interruption, restraint. We need to work up our ignorance muscles. We need to organize our internal absences to create meaning. We are responsible, in other words, now and forever, for our own deletionism.

via Sam Anderson on swissmiss

Thumbs Up // Thumbs Down

2011-08-05T13:50:00.000-07:00

// THUMBS UP //

Crazy, Stupid, Love. And not just because of Ryan Gosling's abs, I swear. :) Speaking of which, this movie prompted a discussion between Steve and I regarding attractive celebrities. Very insightful. Actually, not insightful at all, really. He already knew my list - which we'll not go into here. And he, after I provided him a plethora of lovely lady options, remained indifferent on the subject. Boo. No fun.

Flight of the Conchords. Just finished up Season 1. Why it has taken us so long to watch these?! I don't know. So funny.

Knitting. I'm determined to teach myself how. Armed with youtube tutorials and several skeins (see, I already know words like "skein") of yarn, I'll be in touch with my inner grandma in no time.

Project Runway, Season 9. I love this show and am so happy to have a fresh weekly fix.

Haircuts. I chopped a lot of length off this week. I think maybe I'm ready to be a normal person when it comes to hair - regularly scheduled trims, fewer dye jobs, etc... just as soon as I look into a temporary crazy neon pink... or purple... or blue streak. :)

// THUMBS DOWN //

Bossypants. At the risk of being lynched by everyone else who has read this book, I must admit I was disappointed. As a fan of Tina Fey's, I wanted to like it. I had high hopes of it being either hilarious or insightful - perhaps even both. But alas, I was the only person on the planet who was disappointed.

Summer Storm

2011-08-05T07:47:00.000-07:00

In bed, about to turn off the light and go to sleep, we heard some rumbling. Neighbors bringing in their garbage cans? Nope. Way better.

As our bedroom lit up in flashes, I flew out of bed, grabbed my camera, and set up in the front yard. I could have stayed out there for hours, tinkering with camera settings and clicking away. It was a beautiful show.

A bit of craftiness...

2011-07-27T13:15:00.000-07:00

While Steve toiled away at his LAST 8-page paper (on the tax implications of the Health Care Reform Bill on small businesses - surprisingly interesting stuff) for his MAcc, I hauled out all of my old scrapbook paper packs and made this little ditty.

I have mediocre feelings about it, since I got the idea from this one that looks much better. I'll probably re-do it with more colors and smaller/taller triangles. We'll see.

The Decemberists (Round 2)

2011-07-22T07:07:00.000-07:00

In February we drove to our first Decemberists concert (in San Diego, over 800 miles away). It was completely worth it. Last night we drove 90 miles to Salt Lake for our second Decemberists concert. It was probably not so much worth it.

It was a pretty lame crowd, more concerned with smoking pot and talking to each other than listening to the bands. Which makes total sense, right? Why would you go to a concert to listen to bands? Idiots. Amidst the puffs of weed-smoke, I was visually assaulted by all manner of scantily clad women (heads-up, a sports bra and a skirt is apparently acceptable attire now), annoying twelvies with ugly feathers hot-glued to their scalp, and oh-my-hell the skinny jeans.

A friend of mine hung out with us for a bit and relayed the following story. Apparently at a previous concert in the park he and a friend witnessed a young lady in a skirt squat down and pee right there in front of them. So hey, at least that didn't happen this time.

After fighting to hear the music for about an hour (and from what I could tell, it was an awesome set list including some of our favorites... The Rake's Song, The Bagman's Gambit, Crane Wife, Down by the Water), we left early.

Better luck next time.

SETLIST - 7/21 - Pioneer Park - Salt Lake City, UT

Apology Song
Down by the Water
Calamity Song
Rise to Me
We Both Go Down Together
The Bagman's Gambit
The Rake's Song
Won't Want for Love (Margaret In The Taiga)
The Crane Wife 1 & 2
The Crane Wife 3

(We left...)

All Arise!
Rox in the Box
16 Military Wives
This Is Why We Fight
--
Raincoat Song
The Chimbley Sweep
--
June Hymn

Happy 28.

2011-07-20T16:37:00.000-07:00

We'll be celebrating Steve's birthday this evening... as soon as he's done with homework (pffft)... so more pictures are sure to come. For now, please enjoy this photo montage wherein I try to convince Baxter that he likes party hats.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, STEVE!

Weekend Update

2011-07-18T07:33:00.003-07:00

As far as the weekend goes, it was wonderfully lazy. Taking full advantage of Steve only having a bit of grading to do, we set about enjoying the freedom of it.

Our first stop was Men's Warehouse. Steve was beyond due for some new suits and since there are likely going to be more and more suit-y (it's a word) occasions in our future (weddings, college and professional interviews, etc) we bit the bullet and got him two. It's an interesting experience for a wife to watch some random chick grab at your man's legs and crotch, even if she is just "measuring."

We spent Saturday evening with Sarah and the nieces at Whittier Park. That park is insane. I would have lost my little mind had it been around when I was a kid.

We were also able to log a few hours at the pool. Interesting tidbits from that: the 40+ year old man who jumped ahead of the line, ran across to the other side of the aquatic center (causing the lifeguard to blow his whistle and yell "no running") just to get a table and chairs. Everyone else (including small children) casually walked to their spots around the pool, but not this guy. What a go-getter.

We also got in a run (3.18 miles in 38 minutes) at dusk. I tried to do some interval type stuff, but don't really know what I'm doing. Basically I'd jog, walk, and sprint randomly throughout the run. I'm guessing there's more to it than that. Time to do some reading up on it, I suppose.

And today in Kate's Corner...
Yes to green smoothies! 4 cups of spinach, 1 banana, 1.5 cups OJ, and 2 cups frozen peaches, pineapples, and mangoes. That right there is the best thing you'll ever drink.

And we're fans of MiO, despite it being a tad pricey at $4 for a less-than-two-ounce bottle. (On the bright side, I guess that means you can take a few with you through airport security). The pomegranate flavor is by far my favorite because a) it tastes awesome and b) it's strong enough that you don't have to use as much per glass as the other flavors.

The thing about a pound.

2011-07-13T12:38:00.000-07:00

One pound doesn't sound like a lot... because it's not. However, let me assure you that when talking in terms of baby spinach, it turns out that one pound is an obscene amount. I would know; I've been working at this Sam's Club monstrosity for days now.

I don't think I can handle another salad for lunch. Ever. Heeeeelp.

It'sHereIt'sHereIt'sHere!

2011-07-11T15:45:00.000-07:00

Raspberry Shake @ Bear Lake

2011-07-09T15:56:00.000-07:00

That's one summer must-do done...

The thing about running.

2011-07-08T08:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I needed a victory. Stuck in the middle of a whirlwind of things I can't do anything about, I needed to feel like there was some aspect of life that I could control. So I drove home at 4:30, let Bax out, and put on my workout clothes. The victory wasn't in the time (obviously) or in the distance (though I'll always be proud that I, a terrible runner, can run that far at all). The victory for me was purely in the fact that I was in absolute mental and physical control of those 38 minutes. Nothing else existed.

Years ago, when it would get to the point that I couldn't stand to be in my own home, I would go to the high school track at night and run my frustrations out - run until I couldn't. Run away from everything. Run because of everything. Run an extra lap, because if I did that, without stopping, maybe my dad wouldn't have cancer anymore. Run with my ipod so loud with music so angry that I wouldn't be able to hear the nagging logic that that extra lap would do nothing. There was and is something about running that's beyond just physical exercise. For me at least, it's 98% a mind game, a mental battle, a free and gritty form of therapy.

Look at This Stuff, Isn't it Neat?

2011-07-06T13:14:00.000-07:00

Last night while Steve studied, I ordered this. "Stoked" does not even begin to describe it. I mean, I'm wondering whether I should've bought two, ya know, one for day and one for night... or one for wearing and one for admiring. :)

The jury is still out as to whether this shirt is as cool as the one I had in Kindergarten. Neon paint splats? You best believe it. Now all I need is a Ninja Turtles backpack, acid-wash jeans, and a heinously poofy hair bow to completely relapse into my six year old awesome self.

Holiday

2011-07-05T13:42:00.000-07:00

Lately everything revolves around one thing: the GMAT. Short-term, long-term, doesn't matter - everything falls into place around that test. Our holiday weekend was no different and involved nothing of the usual July 4th business, except for picking up the neighbors' firework remnants from our lawn. Our non-traditional weekend had a couple highlights.

We declared Saturday evening a study-free zone and headed to Riverdale for our first drive-in movie (a double-feature of Cars 2 and Pirates 4). Turns out that drive-in movies don't start until it gets dark, which is laaaaaaaaate. And when there's not one, but two movies, you don't wind up getting home until about 4:00am. And we are old and don't recover from crazy long nights as easily as we once did. It was the most fun I've had in a long time, though. Even if it did turn me into a zombie for a couple days afterward.

We also wound up doing something semi-crazy on Monday afternoon, but that's another story...

Our Tennis Team

2011-06-27T08:05:00.000-07:00

Some of our best summer evenings are spent playing tennis at the modest courts located just a medium-sized walk away from our house. I say "modest," because there are only two and one has several gaping cracks running across it that will often send tennis balls veering off willy-nilly. That's right, willy-freakin-nilly. That constitutes modest in my book. However, one great thing about being terrible at tennis is that gaping cracks don't really affect your game that much, so we don't mind it.

Anyway, the other night we took Bax with us and he was in puppy heaven, patrolling the court while we played, seeking out shade near the net, and even returning a few balls for us. One of my favorite nights ever.

Can't Win 'Em All

2011-06-27T07:41:00.000-07:00

If having a yard full of weeds is an art (and I assure you, it is), then this beauty is certainly my magnum opus. I'm six feet tall. This weed (not counting the root) was even taller. Not just anyone can grow something this magnificent.

Further proof of my landscaping prowess: this poor turd of a shrub didn't even make it a year, having only been brought home in September. But, as you can see in the bottom left corner there is still a hint of green. Perhaps there's hope for him after all?

Rainbow

2011-06-08T23:48:00.000-07:00

A beautiful end to the day.

Steve's Muskie

2011-06-01T20:04:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty sure the only reason Steve goes fishing is because he knows how much I (and Owen) enjoy it. These types of outings seem to be time he endures as opposed to enjoys.

Perhaps this will eventually change, seeing as how tonight he nonchalantly reeled in the biggest tiger muskie any of us had ever seen.

And thank heavens Owen was there to do all the dirty work, because there was no way in hell Steve or I was getting near that thing...

... except for a quick photo op. (Steve declined the opportunity, which was probably wise judging by the state of my fingers after I held it). :)

After some coaxing (thanks again to Owen), Steve's muskie swam away... even though I thought we should keep it. Stuff it. Mount that ugly sucker on the wall. Oh well.

05-28

2011-05-28T12:00:00.000-07:00

The First Step is Admitting It.

2011-05-27T19:30:00.000-07:00

There are worse things to be addicted to, right?

Hyde Park

2011-05-26T19:28:00.000-07:00

It is seriously gorgeous out here.

Lunch

2011-05-23T19:25:00.000-07:00

Turns out I like cucumbers and alfalfa sprouts.

Recipe from here.

Austin, TX

2011-05-14T10:03:00.000-07:00

Steve and I took a much-needed vacation last week to Austin, TX. Kind of a random destination, but it will make sense later. Anyway, here are the highlights from the trip...

Day One

We arrived on Saturday afternoon and immediately set out to find Bananarchy, a spirited little frozen banana stand. Since we were smack-dab in the middle of re-watching all three seasons of Arrested Development, we tried the only dessert suitable for such an occasion: "The GOB." It was fantastic.

While there, we happened upon our first squirrel. Turns out, they're everywhere in Austin... to the point that local bookstores sell underwear for them.

That evening we caught a movie at the infamous Alamo Drafthouse. This place is a movie-goers dream: huge theaters with unnaturally comfortable chairs, amazing food that you order and eat during the movie, awesome pre-movie entertainment (you-tube videos, weird 80s commercials, music videos, etc), and on and on. They even do quote-along nights with popular movies like The Three Amigos. So fun.

[ img via + ]

After the Alamo, we drove into downtown and did our best to get a lay of the land. We wound up on the top floor of a parking garage on the campus of the University of Texas - Austin. A cop was also up there, lurking in a corner, so we didn't stay long.

It was so warm and so gorgeous that we continued our nighttime wandering at the Texas State Capitol. It was pretty late, but there were still families, runners, and bicyclists out and about. I imagine the warmer it gets, the more activity there is in the evenings.

Day Two

On day two we ventured into the city once again and were able to appreciate it a bit better in the daylight. :)

We wandered around downtown and wound up on 6th street for the Pecan Street Festival. Lots of booths. Lots of sun.

Once the heat took its toll, we hopped in the car and headed for San Marcos, a town made almost entirely of outlets... a town of which I am definitely a fan.

[ img via + ]

Day Three

First thing Monday morning we returned to the 50-billion acre campus of UT-Austin... and proceeded to walk its entirety. There were several things I found impressive.

1. They have an Urban Outfitters on campus. (Technically it's probably not on campus, but it basically is). Just sayin'.

2. Their big water fountain appeared to be full of Mountain Dew, which I took as a sign that they must have known we were coming.

3. Their business building had a stock ticker, which means they are wildly legit.

Anyway, we spent the morning chatting with a very nice lady about their Accounting PhD program. (I suppose this is an announcement of sorts). Turns out it is more competitive than we had anticipated. Last year ~150 students applied and 4 were accepted. Gotta love reality checks, but overall it was an informative and encouraging discussion.

That afternoon we drove up to an area of Austin called Wells Branch. It had been recommended to us by a few different sources as a nice area to live. After walking through a couple apartment complexes, I can see why. It's gorgeous and mellow and only about 15 minutes away from downtown.

Though I have my doubts as to whether we'll actually wind up in Austin (as we plan to apply to several different schools across the country), it's nice to know exactly where we'll live if we do. ;)

[ img via + ]

It was a great time, filled with many silly adventures... like almost dying in the ghetto, renting the most horrible car on the planet, happening upon a major Dillard's sale, and more. By Wednesday we were both ready to get back home... in part because we missed it... and in part because we were ready to start making this PhD thing a reality.

When it Rains, it Pours...

2011-04-20T07:02:00.000-07:00

I was honestly secretly confident we'd be able to stay on top of things (the water table mostly) well enough to avoid having to rip up carpet. But alas, even with our second sump pump, 'tis not so...

Yesterday being the day after tax day, Steve got the day off... which he was going to use on homework, but instead spent it dealing with this and other house/yard things. I'm so glad he's able to take charge when crap like this happens. I am so clueless.

So far we've only had to tear up two areas, the living room and one of the bedrooms. With any luck, that will remain the extent of it. I really, really hope.

Meanwhile, the rest of the house looks worse than it ever has. Some of the mess is simply in an effort to get things to higher ground. The rest has just built up because I'm too exhausted from dealing with this flooding stuff to care. So for example, as of this morning, I have not one, but two pairs of my dirty socks on the kitchen table. May not seem like a big deal, but it kills me to have things so out of place.

And last night we discovered Steve's sunroof won't shut properly. How perfect an automotive issue is that for a week with a forecast like this. Lovely.

April Showers

2011-04-19T06:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I came home to water coming up through the cracks in the foundation of our house. This unfortunately wasn't exactly unexpected. With all the melting snow and crazy amounts of rain, our sump pump has been running non-stop for the last week or so. Since the pipe from that pump terminates in the middle of our front yard, we've been trying to use a couple garden hoses to get the water away from the house. This wasn't cutting it, so Steve rigged this massive pipe to it and that immediately fixed the front yard swamp issue (for now).

Last night we wound up buying a second sump pump and about 100 feet of hose. The first one just couldn't keep up. So now a hose runs from the second pump, through the downstairs living room, up and out a window, through the garage, down the driveway, and finally into the gutter. It's pretty much a work of art.

Below is what our backyard looked like at about 7:00 last night. It was unreal. Once everything was hooked up I decided there was only one thing left to do... splash in the puddles.

Friday Tunes

2011-04-08T12:49:00.000-07:00

Here are a few favorites from my current playlists. Anything by any of these artists is golden. If you don't listen to them, you should.

One Down.

2011-04-06T17:53:00.000-07:00

One school loan down.

I think I might frame every single one of these notification letters.

Weekend 12

2011-04-03T12:24:00.000-07:00

Steve and I took to the pavement. We've got some work to do if a 10K is going to happen this year.
I finished up the wreath I started on Tuesday at Deb's house. It's made out of scrap fabric and a wire hanger. Total cost = $0. Love it.
Friday afternoon was spent outside with Bax. Fetch, chase, walks. He's a happy pup.
Every window covering was pulled back/up to let the sunshine in. Our kitchen gets some stellar light. Also, as far as my hair goes - I want to shave it all off.
One of many culinary adventures were Turkey Feta Spinach Burgers. Though they looked a bit sketchy, they were surprisingly delicious - and bonus points - healthy!
I discovered an unexpected love of hot sauce thanks to the turkey burgers. Yum.
My first batch of biscuits made from scratch. Note: I didn't know I needed a biscuit cutter. So I resourcefully used a heart-shaped cookie cutter.
Snow. Again.
Ate up every single word from this documentary on advertising. Love it.
Played a few rounds of Words with Friends against Steve. :)
Slept in 'til 8-9.
Got 100% caught up on dishes and laundry. Unheard of.

Don't Ask. Don't Judge.

2011-03-30T21:46:00.000-07:00

SOMEONE is a bed hog.

And here is what that SOMEONE would look like with dark brown hair styled in a beehive on top of his head.

As you can probably guess, Steve is still at school. It's almost 11:00pm. So this is what I resort to. Don't judge.

Where we're going, we don't need roads.

2011-03-26T21:30:00.000-07:00

The bike is sold. It seems like the end of an era... of sorts.

Testing, testing...

2011-03-22T07:04:00.000-07:00

5 minutes of my evening was spent making these in the hopes that I won't mess up as bad when making this...

How I made mine...

Decide what shape/size coaster you want. Cut out two (identical).
Cut the same shape out of heavy cardstock, but about a 1/4" smaller.
Stick the two cork pieces together (self-adhesive sides facing each other), with the cardstock between them.
Use the leftover outlines from scrapbooking stickers as stencils.
Brush acrylic paint on the cork and let it dry... or use the cool setting of a hairdryer to speed things up.
Remove the sticker stencil.

Other tutorials...
Linen | Stitched | Fabric | Felt

Literary Conquests

2011-03-18T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I started a new book. 80 pages into it and I can already tell it's going to be a favorite.

A dress shirt. Quite literally.

2011-03-16T19:40:00.000-07:00

Forever ago, while photographing a wedding, I became smitten with a dress being worn by (if I remember right) the sister of the groom. It was blue and adorable and I neeeeeeeded it, but I was too shy to ask her about it. As luck would have it, the planets aligned and I found it in a Delia's catalog a few weeks later and triumphantly bought it.

But oh man, it fit me so poorly... like when-is-the-baby-due poorly, that a raincloud of disappointment immediately appeared over my head and I had no choice but to stuff the dress into a dark corner of the closet and forget about it for months and months.

Don't worry, this is a happy story. Last night, I finally attacked the dress with a seam-ripper and came away with something I'll actually wear: a blouse... with none of those awful prego-pleats at the waist.

(Sorry for the poor quality Photo Booth pic... and for being a wrinkly mess. You win some, you lose some).

Holga: Film Roll #1

2011-03-14T08:19:00.000-07:00

I took a photography class in high school in 2004. That was the last time I shot film. The instant gratification (and cost effectiveness) of digital photography won me over.

Saturday morning, digging through a closet downstairs, I found my old Canon EOS. In the zippered pocket of the camera case was a single roll of film that was at least five years old. I wasn't sure if film that old was any good, but I put it in my new Holga and set to work. I figured my first Holga roll wouldn't turn out well either way - quality film or not.

I was so wrong. The film not only worked, but wound up capturing some of my favorite pictures of all time.

It's easy for me to see why there is a cult following of these little pieces of plastic. Part of the draw for me is the simple mechanics of the camera - the click, the manual winding, the technical limitations. There's also a certain charm in the imperfections - the blurs and light leaks. And then there is the experience - the anticipation of receiving that packet of prints.

I'm so, so hooked.

And, for good measure, here is a silly one (testing out multiple exposures)...

a good weekend.

2011-03-13T06:51:00.000-07:00

This was one of those weekends that makes you wish weekends lasted forever. We spent Friday evening in Salt Lake - the first half of the evening at the Gateway, the second half at the comedy club. Our Gateway scavenging was dubbed incredibly successful by yours truly due to a couple key purchases.

1. A 16x16 canvas wrap of this print, aptly named: Deer Wearing Gym Socks. It currently hangs in a spot of honor above our laundry hamper, a spot which I thought was incredibly appropriate considering the subject matter.

[ via + ]

2. A Holga 135 camera. Knowing absolutely nothing about these kinds of cameras (besides the fact that I wanted one), I somewhat impulsively purchased this one because it was on sale. Later, upon further investigation, I've decided this was a good decision because it takes regular ol' 35mm film.

[ via + ]

Other great things about this weekend:

Steak night with the boys - always delicious and fun. I cooked asparagus for the first time. It was edible and even tasted like asparagus, so I count that as a win.
Steve and I watched Chocolat, which was (in the immortal words of Sydney Fife) "just delightful." As is only appropriate to do during such a movie, we enjoyed some Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory delicacies - pecan clusters, a "peanut butter bucket", and some chocolate-dipped oreos.
And Bax got to go for a long walk thanks to a warm spell.

Orangette

2011-03-11T13:20:00.000-08:00

"Now, before I go any further, you should know one thing: Brandon is a hot sauce fiend. As of this writing, our refrigerator contains eight bottles of assorted hot sauce. That’s three more than five, and only two less than ten. We are the only people in this house. That means that hot sauce outnumbers us four to one." - Molly Wizenberg via Orangette

Within just a few minutes of browsing Molly's blog, Orangette, I knew it was going to be a favorite of mine. Not just because it is filled with beautiful photographs and insightful posts. But also because I can relate to so much of what she's writing about. She's even written a book, A Homemade Life: Stories and Recipes from My Kitchen Table, that was created (at least in part) because she lost her father to cancer.

"I needed to write about my father. There were so many details and moments and stories that made up who he was to me, and I didn't want to forget. I needed to write about him to assure myself that I would remember. But I also needed to write about him so that I could start to let go of some of the harder moments of his illness and his death. In putting them down on paper, I got to take them out of my head and store them somewhere else. I didn't know it until I was deep into the book, but I still had a lot of grieving to do, and writing helped me to do it." - Molly Wizenberg via Amazon

It probably goes without saying, but I will be purchasing said book.

Can't You Tell? I'm A Pro At This.

2011-03-09T17:25:00.000-08:00

Sometimes Bax is cute, so I'll grab my camera and try to get a couple pictures of him. One of the first "rules" for taking better, more interesting pictures is to move around, change angles, and get down on your subject's level. But it never fails, as soon as I crouch down around Bax, "stay" has no meaning. His only purpose in life at that point is to knock me over and get pets. So, my attempts to "coax" him to remain where he is are all for naught... and these are the pictures I'm left with.

A Follow-Up Photo Essay

2011-03-07T17:38:00.000-08:00

QUESTION. What do you do with twice-mangled running shoes that aren't quite bad enough to throw out?
ANSWER. Grab a needle and thread and make do.

I realize now I could have cut that pointy part off and just rounded the corner out, but let's face it - either way this shoe ain't winnin' any beauty pageants. At least the foam part is contained and they're still good enough for treadmilling downstairs.

I was due for new ones this summer anyway, but have discovered I'm oddly sentimental about these... at least what's left of them.

A Photo Essay Entitled "Why We Can't Have Nice Things."

2011-03-02T16:29:00.000-08:00

Remember how I mentioned that I was going to let Baxter have free-reign of the upstairs? Yeah... it's OVER.

Monday.

Victims: My Asics running shoes. The pillow cover I handmade.
Damage Assessment: I'll still wear the shoes to workout in the house and I can fix the pillow case. No big deal.

Wednesday.

Victims: Two brand-freakin-new (as of LAST WEEK) pairs of shoes. My Asics (again!). A box of Kleenex. Steve's hat. A bar of soap (you heard me). All of which were apparently brutally and maliciously murdered on our bed.
Damage Assessment: Are you kidding me?!?!

I have to admit, the bar of soap made me laugh... in between rage blackouts.

Snow.

2011-02-21T17:44:00.000-08:00

Just when things were warming up, boom, more snow.
As much as I hate to admit it, it can be pretty.

Saturday Night Shenanigans.

2011-02-20T10:04:00.000-08:00

Last night we had the boys over for steaks, mustaches, and some pool. Here are a few of my favorites...

San Diego: The Recap

2011-02-17T08:30:00.000-08:00

The Beach.
I can't even imagine what it would be like to have the California coast at my disposal.

(Awkwardest pose ever).

The Food.
Eager for some legit Mexican food, I was beyond stoked to try out La Puerta on Saturday night. Turns out, despite their claims of providing a "mexperience", the food was not what I would call authentic. It was, however, amazing. I will never forget that spicy little Surf 'n Turf burrito filled with steak and shrimp and heaven itself.

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I will also never forget the hilarity that ensued due to the loud atmosphere and our intoxicated booth neighbors.

"I'm so excited for the food!"
"Hot dogs? Wrapped in bacon? TJ dogs?! ... Yeeeeeeahhh!!!"
"There is not an [effing] shark in the bay!!!"
"5 Hour Energy shots!"

I also must mention the bacon chocolate we bought in an attempt to be adventurous. Yep, chocolate with chunks of actual bacon in it. It was weird.

The Shopping.
Our hotel was tucked away on a hill in the Gaslamp Quarter area of San Diego, which allowed us the opportunity to walk to a bunch of restaurants and shops. Within walking distance was the Horton Plaza, a multi-level outdoor mall. Near an escalator we spotted some Invader street art. This was a particularly fun surprise, since we'd just recently learned about the artist while watching Exit Through the Gift Shop, a documentary about street artists.

We also hit up the Fashion Valley mall and the Las Americanas outlets. The outlets were quite literally on the border. The parking lot was partially fenced by 'the fence'... numbered panels and all. It was the closest Steve and I had ever been to Mexico.

The Concert.
First things first: Colin was as dashing as ever. :)

The biggest surprise of the show for me was how playful the band was with each other and the crowd. During Military Wives, Colin led the crowd in singing the chorus as loud as possible, quieter, down to a whisper, "now just think it", then, "My turn. You guys don't sing. Just me." During Chimbley Sweep, the band fell into a "blues vortex" that entailed Colin taking over drums for John Moen, who proceeded to lay on his back (with his feet in the air) on stage and improvise blues vocals.

The highlight of the evening was Mariner’s Revenge, during which the crowd was (at the appropriate time) encouraged to scream like they were being eaten by a whale. Colin suggested that those members of the audience who had previously been eaten by a whale might instruct those who had not on what it should sound like. This was the song I drove from Utah to hear and it didn't disappoint.

At this point, I was mentally and physically exhausted. My feet were destroyed from walking all over San Diego in ill-fitting Chuck Taylors. My leg muscles were revolting from hours of sitting in a car. But I honestly could have stood there and listened to them forever. Such a good weekend. Such a good concert. Such a good band.

The Setlist.
The Infanta
Down by the Water
Calamity Song
Rise to Me
July, July!
We Both Go Down Together
The Bagman's Gambit
Won't Want for Love (Margaret In The Taiga)
Apology Song
January Hymn
All Arise!
Rox in the Box
This Is Why We Fight
16 Military Wives
The Chimbley Sweep
--
Eli, The Barrow Boy
The Mariner's Revenge Song
--
June Hymn

speaking of books...

2011-02-16T10:30:00.000-08:00

When it comes to good books, I prefer to be an owner as opposed to a library checker-outer. I like having them around. However, there are a couple of obvious drawbacks to doing things this way. First, it can get pricey. Second, there are bound to be duds that don't need to be a part of the collection.

I can't remember how I came across Swap, but it has been a very happy accident. This website, as the name suggests, is a big online swap-meet. You post all the books (and video games, movies, etc.) that you no longer want, set up a want-list, and then get trading.

Yesterday I received my first book and today I'm in the process of two more trades. It's oddly addicting. I'm excited to bulk up our little at-home library.

you received this

	The Queen's Fool Philippa Gregory
condition	very good Slight wear.
format	Print

you have shipped this

	Half Broke Horses Jeannette Walls
condition	brand new Mint condition. Hardback.
format	Print

we came... we saw... we swooned.

2011-02-15T06:59:00.000-08:00

We got back from our Decemberists weekend last night. There is much to be said, but for now, my brain is still recovering from the 26+ hours spent cooped up in a car. Suffice it to say, it was a good time.

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A trip to the pet store...

2011-02-09T10:52:00.000-08:00

The other night, while getting crickets for Poco, we came across an interesting critter... and almost bought it for no other reason than its kick-ass name.

However, Steve's ~~dislike~~ unbridled hatred of rodentia (which is a word I thought I made up, but is actually real) won out. So no ROBO DWARF (I mean c'mon. Seriously?!) for us. Boo.

Weekend Recap

2011-02-07T16:20:00.000-08:00

Our Pathfinder's running boards finally bit the dust. Rust had completely eaten away their undersides and they literally disintegrated while Steve was unbolting them. Good riddance, I say.

We also browsed the local antique shop, where I scored a pair of silver candlestick holders for $3 and a birdcage for $9.

The tarnished silver candlestick holders match my serving tray clock perfectly, so they're safe. The birdcage, however, is probably going to wind up spray painted. Maybe.

In Baxter news, we've started letting him have free reign of the upstairs while we're at work during the day. Surprisingly, he has not (yet) desecrated/harmed the furniture, carpet, tile, curtains, etc. in any way. Pretty sure that it's thanks to stuffing his Kong full of bread before I leave in the morning.

He's a cute weirdo.

A Prime Lens

2011-02-02T07:03:00.000-08:00

After selling my D70, I decided to use part of the money for a new lens. It arrived yesterday and oh mercy. There are very few things as rewarding (and addicting) as photography.

a thought.

2011-01-27T08:08:00.000-08:00

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Dinner

2011-01-26T21:31:00.000-08:00

Steve said he'd make dinner tonight, since I'd been feeling under the weather... so we went with fettuccine alfredo. Easy peasy.

Boiling water? Check.
Pasta? Check.
Cool whip container labeled "Poison"? Check. Wait, what?!

Victory.

2011-01-23T14:17:00.000-08:00

I seriously love fishing. Enough to wake up at 7am on a Saturday (after going to bed only four hours earlier). Enough to brave the freezing cold and not leave even though I've long since lost any feeling in my hands and feet.

This weekend I beat my record by hauling in a 16" whale. It was an absolute blast.

A Mid-Morning Walk

2011-01-17T09:42:00.000-08:00

Ice Fishing

2011-01-17T06:51:00.000-08:00

On Saturday we went ice fishing with Owen and I had the two biggest catches of the day... which I was not at all humble about.

Photobooth Attack!

2011-01-12T20:27:00.000-08:00

Baxter was sleeping. I was bored.

He was not amused. I (obviously) was.