Alice goes to work each day and blogs as though she has never left home, I think. Tantalizing us with photos and, now, poetry.
Kim works harder at home than I ever did and bangs out posts that, at first glance, are recounts of her days – but, with deeper reading, one sees that she is blogging from the heart of her family.
Poppy has a dozen jobs and she is at home and she writes at BlogHer, Mamarazzi and on her terrific new beauty page.
Paola has no blog and manages to give each of us glimpses of her life in Positano – through comments alone!
And I? I look back at the archives (occasionally) and am amazed at what I used to do. I used to be creative – I used to be poetic. Just look at October of 2007!
It’s not that I’m complaining – but I do remember that I got many comments when I first went to work: don’t quit blogging! Your blog will be different!
For a while I was mesmerized by what I was seeing each day in my new life. I used to scrounge through my bag for pieces of paper to write observations on so I could post about things later.
Now, I’m tired and, while I’m still taking it all in, I find that things have become ordinary to me.
I sit on the train and do the puzzle. I see the same people every day. (Though there is a guy watching a movie with nudity on his iPhone in the seat across from me.)
Anyway, spring has sprung in Tuvalu – though there is a biting wind today.
Last night we saw the most wretched movie. Wide Sargasso Sea. Do you know it? It was one of those movies where you stick with it, thinking it will improve. It didn’t. And the whole time I was watching I was thinking: can’t they have called the husband something other than Mr. Rochester? Mr. Rochester this and Mr. Rochester that…gosh – such a bore. And then, at the very end? Mr. Rochester turns out to be Mr. Rochester. And his luscious island-born wife? Good lord, I nearly slapped myself in the head.
I burned the roof of my mouth on my soup yesterday. How's that for a mundane detail?
Survivor
Russell, Rupert, Pavarti. That girl with the dark hair.
I don't know. My brother says I'm missing the best season ever.
I do think Pavarti's playing two idols last week was a stroke of brilliance - and we've certainly never seen anything like it.
After Tribal Rupert seems pretty defeated. Russell asks around to get the details. He confronts Pavarti about lying. He's not in control, which I like.
Pavarti is pretty pleased with herself.
Rupert's working another angle. He hope that Sandra will side with him again.
I feel so inadequate watching the ads for garden supplies at this time of year. Our backyard is a wasteland.
Did you know that Hyundais have better quality paint than Mercedes? I didn't and I believe everything they say in commercials (right K?).
K is working this weekend.
Did you know that a commercial for another network show always precedes the return to the network show one is watching?
Russell chats with Candice about voting Sandra out. Then he talks to the others about voting Candice out. But, first, there's a challenge.
It's a shuffleboard game, with three teams. The winning team will go to Robert Lewis Stevenson's home and watch Treasure Island and spend the night there.
It's a slow game but Rupert does pretty well. So does Russell.
Colby shoots last and wins for his team in a very fine play. He and Amanda and Danielle get the reward.
At the reward, the winners are given a tour of the house. They watch the movie snuggled up on a bed but Amanda is completely distracted by wanting the clue for the idol. But Danielle has already found it and there's a bit of a girl fight. Colby says he didn't see what happened and, eventually, Amanda gives the clue back to her.
There's a rain storm on the island the next morning when the winners return. They try to play down the reward but no one is buying it. Danielle tells Pavarti, Jerri and Russell about finding the clue. She reads it to them and Russell finds the idol immediately and hides it from Danielle.
She keeps looking, the rain keeps pouring.
Russell tells Candice he has it and shows it to her to prove she can trust him.
Stick with me, I can take you places, he tells her.
Yuck.
Sandra thinks now is the time to make her move. She talks to Colby. Colby thinks Danielle has the idol. Who should they take out? Russell? Pavarti?
Russell tries to talk to Sandra. He tells her he trusts her - but Sandra is going to flip as it's her only chance to survive. She speaks to Rupert and they will vote for Russell.
Everyone is talking.
Colby says it's time to vote Russell.
The Heroes need immunity.
And it's time for the challenge.
150 wooden tiles must be used to build a house of cards ten feet tall.
It's hard!
Tiles keep falling over.
Jerri does well, as does Russell.
They are neck and neck at eight feet.
Jerri is just ahead...Russell catches up...Russell runs out of tiles...Jerri wins by SECONDS.
30 days down - her first immunity ever.
Sandra says she's taking Russell down.
Jerri is elated. Russell says he's fine with it. He says that Amanda has to go. He tells Candice.
But Candice hears everyone talking about voting Russell out. Will she tell him? She did!
Russell confronts Sandra and Sandra says Amanda is going home.
But is Candice flipping?
Will Russell go home?
Colby says Pavarti is going home.
Is Pavarti the way to go?
It's making me anxious.
Sandra to Candice: TELL ME WHO YOU WANT OUT.
At Tribal, I don't want to hear a bunch of chat. I want the vote.
Will someone flip?
Will the idol be played?
Russell tells the camera he's playing the idol.
They all vote.
Russell plays the idol damn it.
Amanda gets votes, Pavarti gets votes...Amanda gets more...Amanda goes.
Feeling a little frustrated.
I don't know. My brother says I'm missing the best season ever.
I do think Pavarti's playing two idols last week was a stroke of brilliance - and we've certainly never seen anything like it.
After Tribal Rupert seems pretty defeated. Russell asks around to get the details. He confronts Pavarti about lying. He's not in control, which I like.
Pavarti is pretty pleased with herself.
Rupert's working another angle. He hope that Sandra will side with him again.
I feel so inadequate watching the ads for garden supplies at this time of year. Our backyard is a wasteland.
Did you know that Hyundais have better quality paint than Mercedes? I didn't and I believe everything they say in commercials (right K?).
K is working this weekend.
Did you know that a commercial for another network show always precedes the return to the network show one is watching?
Russell chats with Candice about voting Sandra out. Then he talks to the others about voting Candice out. But, first, there's a challenge.
It's a shuffleboard game, with three teams. The winning team will go to Robert Lewis Stevenson's home and watch Treasure Island and spend the night there.
It's a slow game but Rupert does pretty well. So does Russell.
Colby shoots last and wins for his team in a very fine play. He and Amanda and Danielle get the reward.
At the reward, the winners are given a tour of the house. They watch the movie snuggled up on a bed but Amanda is completely distracted by wanting the clue for the idol. But Danielle has already found it and there's a bit of a girl fight. Colby says he didn't see what happened and, eventually, Amanda gives the clue back to her.
There's a rain storm on the island the next morning when the winners return. They try to play down the reward but no one is buying it. Danielle tells Pavarti, Jerri and Russell about finding the clue. She reads it to them and Russell finds the idol immediately and hides it from Danielle.
She keeps looking, the rain keeps pouring.
Russell tells Candice he has it and shows it to her to prove she can trust him.
Stick with me, I can take you places, he tells her.
Yuck.
Sandra thinks now is the time to make her move. She talks to Colby. Colby thinks Danielle has the idol. Who should they take out? Russell? Pavarti?
Russell tries to talk to Sandra. He tells her he trusts her - but Sandra is going to flip as it's her only chance to survive. She speaks to Rupert and they will vote for Russell.
Everyone is talking.
Colby says it's time to vote Russell.
The Heroes need immunity.
And it's time for the challenge.
150 wooden tiles must be used to build a house of cards ten feet tall.
It's hard!
Tiles keep falling over.
Jerri does well, as does Russell.
They are neck and neck at eight feet.
Jerri is just ahead...Russell catches up...Russell runs out of tiles...Jerri wins by SECONDS.
30 days down - her first immunity ever.
Sandra says she's taking Russell down.
Jerri is elated. Russell says he's fine with it. He says that Amanda has to go. He tells Candice.
But Candice hears everyone talking about voting Russell out. Will she tell him? She did!
Russell confronts Sandra and Sandra says Amanda is going home.
But is Candice flipping?
Will Russell go home?
Colby says Pavarti is going home.
Is Pavarti the way to go?
It's making me anxious.
Sandra to Candice: TELL ME WHO YOU WANT OUT.
At Tribal, I don't want to hear a bunch of chat. I want the vote.
Will someone flip?
Will the idol be played?
Russell tells the camera he's playing the idol.
They all vote.
Russell plays the idol damn it.
Amanda gets votes, Pavarti gets votes...Amanda gets more...Amanda goes.
Feeling a little frustrated.
monkey portraits and sample sales
Jill Greenberg
(That's the photographer, not the monkey.)
I signed on to a video chat with this photo today. I was chatting with Middle and he was tickled. Poor Middle, submitting his Freshman Project and sweating out the details and the deadline. In truth, I don't feel too badly for him as I think it's important for young people to sweat over such things. It gets them ready, I believe, for mortgage applications.
In the meantime, I've secured classes for Youngest at Yet Another Prestigious Art School for the summer. I had to do it (as opposed to him doing it himself) as minors could not register themselves. It involved queuing up, via computer, at six in the morning and I was completely nerve-wracked as it is a popular school with very limited registration.
I accompanied my friend J, newly returned from Spain, to a sample sale this morning. I say accompanied because I didn't even bring my wallet. Imagine: boots originally priced at $685 were marked down to $250. Hence the not bringing the wallet.
The sale was utter mayhem. Just as we entered the very large room a woman pulled off her top and tried on a dress ($200, marked down from $600). Women had piles and piles of shoes on the floor in front of them and were trying on dozens of styles. It was one of those sales where it's more fun to watch the shoppers - though I did see a very nice dress which I can only describe as a black flour sack. Lovely, but crazy.
I got my hair cut. Trimmed, actually. I told my stylist that everybody loves my Anna Wintour and he proceeded to cut it in 15 minutes flat. Dried it in that time too, which is a shame as he's not cheap. Anyway, he's good about the fact that I don't let him color it and tend to hack at my bangs between cuts, so I can't really complain. That and the fact that he is the sixth guy I've tried since I've started working - and the cheapest.
K and I are drinking the Limoncello he made. He had to cross state lines to get the grain alcohol and worked hard to get the recipe (Paola's mother's) just right. It's good but it just isn't the same. I suppose it's the setting.
The last time I had Limoncello I was sitting at Paola's mom's kitchen table. We were laughing and a little sunburned and so full of good food. We were welcomed like family and tired from playing so hard. When I smell the soft, lemony aroma of this Limoncello I can feel what it was like that afternoon...eating such good food, laughing so hard with Fabio and Paola, feeling so close to someone else's parents.
She's such a lovely, caring hostess, our Paola.
I would encourage anyone to visit her world.
I was going to color my hair tonight. I have a very clear white stripe at the part.
Alas, it is 8:28 and I'm drinking Limoncello...and thinking of Positano.
Oh, for lunch at Da Adolfo!
textile lust
I work with a couple of women who are avid quilters.
On Thursday, G brought me to her office to see her amazing work. Tiny TINY diamonds of fabric with special paper backing (Wendy will know what I'm talking about) and unbelievable colors and patterns. I was awed by her very fine needlework - all done by hand.
On Friday I spied a little pile of beautiful swatches in another lady's office.
I'm good friends with a couple of blog quilters too - and we have some beautiful commercially made quilts at my house from the boys beds.
I'm always gazing, lovingly, at textiles...
Denyse Schmidt. Beautiful.
Blankets, and a wrap, from Swan's Island.
A linen bed sheet from Pip Squeak. (I'm sighing.)
Some French linen perhaps?
Or, the ultimate: Italian Linen.
I love them all.
On Thursday, G brought me to her office to see her amazing work. Tiny TINY diamonds of fabric with special paper backing (Wendy will know what I'm talking about) and unbelievable colors and patterns. I was awed by her very fine needlework - all done by hand.
On Friday I spied a little pile of beautiful swatches in another lady's office.
I'm good friends with a couple of blog quilters too - and we have some beautiful commercially made quilts at my house from the boys beds.
I'm always gazing, lovingly, at textiles...
Denyse Schmidt. Beautiful.
Blankets, and a wrap, from Swan's Island.
A linen bed sheet from Pip Squeak. (I'm sighing.)
Some French linen perhaps?
Or, the ultimate: Italian Linen.
I love them all.
overheard in Tuvalu
The scene: the living room. Youngest comes down the stairs and sighs:
Youngest: I don't know what to do, Mom.
bb: It's okay. You'll get into a great art school and you'll take all kinds of fabulous courses and something will strike you and, suddenly, you'll know what you want to do!
Youngest: No, I meant, should I watch tv or play a video game...
bb: ...
Youngest: I don't know what to do, Mom.
bb: It's okay. You'll get into a great art school and you'll take all kinds of fabulous courses and something will strike you and, suddenly, you'll know what you want to do!
Youngest: No, I meant, should I watch tv or play a video game...
bb: ...
random
Have some Wes Anderson:
I read something about Wes Anderson. Something about how he always uses the same font and how he has swimming in every movie and always has women smoking cigarettes. I can't find where I read it but I appreciate it. That clip ended abruptly didn't it? There's a set at Middle's school that was built by one of the Art Directors from Darjeeling Limited.
I think I should be shot in slow motion. It's very flattering. Trunks, it would seem, figure heavily in Wes Anderson films.
She smokes.
I love the Wes Anderson American Express commercial too - but this one is my favorite:
Turns out there's a small war being waged in the comments of the Seinfeld AmEx commercial on You Tube - who knew?
Which leads me, somehow, to
I told you it was random.
I read something about Wes Anderson. Something about how he always uses the same font and how he has swimming in every movie and always has women smoking cigarettes. I can't find where I read it but I appreciate it. That clip ended abruptly didn't it? There's a set at Middle's school that was built by one of the Art Directors from Darjeeling Limited.
I think I should be shot in slow motion. It's very flattering. Trunks, it would seem, figure heavily in Wes Anderson films.
She smokes.
I love the Wes Anderson American Express commercial too - but this one is my favorite:
Turns out there's a small war being waged in the comments of the Seinfeld AmEx commercial on You Tube - who knew?
Which leads me, somehow, to
I told you it was random.
it's not all galas
We are nearly done painting our dining room. It's been a job, I'll tell you, and I'm not as young a painter as I used to be. Who is?!
There's one last corner that needs to be dealt with.
K is downstairs making Posole. I'm a little disappointed as the market didn't have any radishes (wtf?) to put on the top of it, but I'll live.
We spend our weekends doing The Big Shop and running errands and it's beginning to get to us a bit. Fortunately, Summer Fridays will begin in a month or so and that will help. (My office closes at 1:00 on Fridays in the summer and K gets to choose four(?) Fridays to take off.) I could use a trip to the beach.
It's been raining all day. Youngest just dropped off a huge pile of laundry and I am having a beverage crisis. My supermarket no longer carries neither the Earl Grey Snapple (which YES, HAS SOME SUGAR AND I DON'T CARE FOR SUGAR IN MY TEA) nor my Ito En tea. I may dehydrate. But WAIT: this just in! Amazon has my tea! Free Super Saver Shipping and only $1.83 per bottle.
I'm a happier woman.
Allergies, though.
I attended a clothing swap at work and came away with a pair of H&M jeans (too big for me), a deep blue short-sleeved button shirt and a matching shrunken cardi. I brought a couple of tops and a skirt and only one of the tops was taken. I think, and I don't mean to brag, that people think I have terrific stuff and were disappointed to see that, in reality, I have regular stuff that I mash up in terrific ways. A Gap tee shirt and Old Navy skirt are pretty boring until you add a scarf and cool shoes.
Ho hum.
It's taken me the whole day to work through this one post! And, also, to be truthful, I wrote a post for BlogHer as I was given an assignment. I love assignments. They've really changed the way BlogHer looks now and I do like it. HeatherB just did a piece on what to wear to the airport and I wish I had read it the last time I went away. I've got the layering thing down - I always wear a cardi and a big pashmina to wrap myself in for a nap or to guard myself from bad smells (true!) but I almost always get the shoes wrong.
What else can I tell you? It was a heck of a week what with the boss not being in London and the painting and all. I'm still tired and tomorrow it starts all over again.
There's one last corner that needs to be dealt with.
K is downstairs making Posole. I'm a little disappointed as the market didn't have any radishes (wtf?) to put on the top of it, but I'll live.
We spend our weekends doing The Big Shop and running errands and it's beginning to get to us a bit. Fortunately, Summer Fridays will begin in a month or so and that will help. (My office closes at 1:00 on Fridays in the summer and K gets to choose four(?) Fridays to take off.) I could use a trip to the beach.
It's been raining all day. Youngest just dropped off a huge pile of laundry and I am having a beverage crisis. My supermarket no longer carries neither the Earl Grey Snapple (which YES, HAS SOME SUGAR AND I DON'T CARE FOR SUGAR IN MY TEA) nor my Ito En tea. I may dehydrate. But WAIT: this just in! Amazon has my tea! Free Super Saver Shipping and only $1.83 per bottle.
I'm a happier woman.
Allergies, though.
I attended a clothing swap at work and came away with a pair of H&M jeans (too big for me), a deep blue short-sleeved button shirt and a matching shrunken cardi. I brought a couple of tops and a skirt and only one of the tops was taken. I think, and I don't mean to brag, that people think I have terrific stuff and were disappointed to see that, in reality, I have regular stuff that I mash up in terrific ways. A Gap tee shirt and Old Navy skirt are pretty boring until you add a scarf and cool shoes.
Ho hum.
It's taken me the whole day to work through this one post! And, also, to be truthful, I wrote a post for BlogHer as I was given an assignment. I love assignments. They've really changed the way BlogHer looks now and I do like it. HeatherB just did a piece on what to wear to the airport and I wish I had read it the last time I went away. I've got the layering thing down - I always wear a cardi and a big pashmina to wrap myself in for a nap or to guard myself from bad smells (true!) but I almost always get the shoes wrong.
What else can I tell you? It was a heck of a week what with the boss not being in London and the painting and all. I'm still tired and tomorrow it starts all over again.
a fine night out
For quite a few weeks I knew about the event.
Would you like to go to the Gala? my boss would ask as we made arrangements for him to invite people.
As it was an expensive event to attend I thought it best that he invite people important to him, or to the company, first. I didn't think much about it - we were very busy trying to get him to London and he, he who is on The Board, would be missing the Gala as he was supposed to BE in London.
Then my friend A started asking me if I would go to the Gala. I could tell she wanted to spend the evening with me but didn't want to push me. (It's always hard to tell if people, any people, at work, truly want to attend an after-work function or if they are being polite...or feel responsible for attending. I could tell that A wanted me to want to go.)
Blahblahblah, busy at work...SOBUSYATWORK and all the while, in the back of my head, thinking of going - or not, to this poetry event. Big stars, lots of poetry, and a cocktail reception following.
The thing about me and poetry is: I usually enjoy poetry well enough but I'm not one of those people who become deeply immersed in it and have never pondered writing it. I'm a casual observer. But, I decided to go.
A and I went for a drink first, which was a good idea as I was suddenly a little nervous about what I'd gotten myself into. Fortunately, the wine soothed my mood as I ended up sitting in front of Darth Vadar (read: a fellow well over 6'5" and 350 pounds) who, though the hall was quite large, had his knees in my back the whole time. (He was also a very loud/heavy emoter - you know the type, hugely loud laughter when most of the audience smiles?)
It was quite an evening.
Ten readers, ranging from elder statesmen, to artists, to - well, Meryl Streep, read three or four poems of their choice.
When I was not mesmerized by what I was hearing I had the additional treat of watching the ten of them sit on the stage in front of me for a couple of hours. Of observing them whilst they listened. But more on that in a minute.
Gabriel Byrne told a wonderful story of how the Irish had traveled from Egypt to Ireland and read in Gaelic before he read in English. What can I say? I love me some Yeats - have always - and what could be wrong with listening to some Gaelic read by Gabriel Bryne.
Rosanne Cash read a very nice After Making Love We Hear Footsteps.
Alan Cumming, with his very fine accent and a utterly fantastic suit, read Cultural Operations which was very good but also Men Talk, which he was perfectly suited to.
Jhumpa Lahiri! Ms. Lahiri read three poems about Cape Cod!
Sting.
Sadly, though I spent most of the evening appreciating Sting from about 12 rows back and have several observations regarding him - Sting read Philip Larkin's The Whitsun Weddings. Long and interesting, but not what I was hoping for. Glad he shaved off that beard though.
Finally, Ms. Streep read The Witch of Coos by Robert Frost and A Cold Spring. The selections were not astonishing - Ms. Streep was.
So. Suddenly it was done. I had sat and appreciated two hours of poetry (poor Kim, eh?).
But then we were expected at the reception. Ushered through the crowd with ten co-workers, to the party. Wine and food and - THE READERS.
I had already watched the readers for a good long time - Sting, for example, who, though he may benefit from all that yoga, is not good at sitting still! ADHD perhaps? Meryl who does that thing with her hands and tilts her head in that way she does in films too! Alan Cumming who sat with his arms on his knees, leaning forward and listening intently, Gabriel Byrne who plays with his eyeglasses as he does on In Treatment.
And Alec Baldwin, visiting, having sat in the front row and who, surprisingly, was much smaller than I thought he'd be.
I'll quickly say that Alan Cumming blew me right off. I had approached him and complimented him on his poetry choices and said that I had very much enjoyed his reading - and he, sort of, waved me off. I don't think he spoke, even.
This put me off a bit and I spent time observing for a while.
Alec Baldwin was very much The Big Star.
I missed Meryl - other side of the room or something.
I heard that Sting was holding someone's hand and people didn't think it was Trudy (must have been!).
I casually mentioned to Jhumpa Lahiri that her poems about the Cape struck me as it is such a special place to our family. She looked positively petrified and fled. (Let me assure you - A was with me for that one and explained that perhaps Jhumpa is not used to one on one attention and told me I was not coming off like a crazy person.)
And then, toward the end of my time at the party, I was standing with my wine and gazing.
And Gabriel Byrne was doing the same - just across from me.
My friend had just walked away - I don't know why Mr. Byrne was alone.
A wait-person passed between us and we were suddenly facing each other AND HE TOOK A STEP FORWARD AND SAID (WITH THE ACCENT AND THE EYES AND THE GENTLE VOICE):
This is a lovely place for a reading, isn't it?
And I did not faint, and I took a breath, and I composed my words...and said:
Indeed it is. And I very much liked your choices.They were wonderful, and it was a pleasure to listen to you read them.
But I was thinkin, he continued, it would be nice to do this in a really small place... (And think of the t's he says, with that accent, will you?)
Well, you just let me know where and I'll come listen. I can bring some friends too, if you like. I did not pass out. I spoke in real sentences.
He took my hand.
Does Christine have your information? My mind raced like a Grand Prix car. Christine? Yep. I knew who he meant.
She does.
Good, then. I'll be seeing you.
I, who am never star struck. I, who like poetry well enough but doesn't breathe and sleep it.
I had a very nice time at the gala.
Would you like to go to the Gala? my boss would ask as we made arrangements for him to invite people.
As it was an expensive event to attend I thought it best that he invite people important to him, or to the company, first. I didn't think much about it - we were very busy trying to get him to London and he, he who is on The Board, would be missing the Gala as he was supposed to BE in London.
Then my friend A started asking me if I would go to the Gala. I could tell she wanted to spend the evening with me but didn't want to push me. (It's always hard to tell if people, any people, at work, truly want to attend an after-work function or if they are being polite...or feel responsible for attending. I could tell that A wanted me to want to go.)
Blahblahblah, busy at work...SOBUSYATWORK and all the while, in the back of my head, thinking of going - or not, to this poetry event. Big stars, lots of poetry, and a cocktail reception following.
The thing about me and poetry is: I usually enjoy poetry well enough but I'm not one of those people who become deeply immersed in it and have never pondered writing it. I'm a casual observer. But, I decided to go.
A and I went for a drink first, which was a good idea as I was suddenly a little nervous about what I'd gotten myself into. Fortunately, the wine soothed my mood as I ended up sitting in front of Darth Vadar (read: a fellow well over 6'5" and 350 pounds) who, though the hall was quite large, had his knees in my back the whole time. (He was also a very loud/heavy emoter - you know the type, hugely loud laughter when most of the audience smiles?)
It was quite an evening.
Ten readers, ranging from elder statesmen, to artists, to - well, Meryl Streep, read three or four poems of their choice.
When I was not mesmerized by what I was hearing I had the additional treat of watching the ten of them sit on the stage in front of me for a couple of hours. Of observing them whilst they listened. But more on that in a minute.
Gabriel Byrne told a wonderful story of how the Irish had traveled from Egypt to Ireland and read in Gaelic before he read in English. What can I say? I love me some Yeats - have always - and what could be wrong with listening to some Gaelic read by Gabriel Bryne.
Rosanne Cash read a very nice After Making Love We Hear Footsteps.
Alan Cumming, with his very fine accent and a utterly fantastic suit, read Cultural Operations which was very good but also Men Talk, which he was perfectly suited to.
Jhumpa Lahiri! Ms. Lahiri read three poems about Cape Cod!
Sting.
Sadly, though I spent most of the evening appreciating Sting from about 12 rows back and have several observations regarding him - Sting read Philip Larkin's The Whitsun Weddings. Long and interesting, but not what I was hoping for. Glad he shaved off that beard though.
Finally, Ms. Streep read The Witch of Coos by Robert Frost and A Cold Spring. The selections were not astonishing - Ms. Streep was.
So. Suddenly it was done. I had sat and appreciated two hours of poetry (poor Kim, eh?).
But then we were expected at the reception. Ushered through the crowd with ten co-workers, to the party. Wine and food and - THE READERS.
I had already watched the readers for a good long time - Sting, for example, who, though he may benefit from all that yoga, is not good at sitting still! ADHD perhaps? Meryl who does that thing with her hands and tilts her head in that way she does in films too! Alan Cumming who sat with his arms on his knees, leaning forward and listening intently, Gabriel Byrne who plays with his eyeglasses as he does on In Treatment.
And Alec Baldwin, visiting, having sat in the front row and who, surprisingly, was much smaller than I thought he'd be.
I'll quickly say that Alan Cumming blew me right off. I had approached him and complimented him on his poetry choices and said that I had very much enjoyed his reading - and he, sort of, waved me off. I don't think he spoke, even.
This put me off a bit and I spent time observing for a while.
Alec Baldwin was very much The Big Star.
I missed Meryl - other side of the room or something.
I heard that Sting was holding someone's hand and people didn't think it was Trudy (must have been!).
I casually mentioned to Jhumpa Lahiri that her poems about the Cape struck me as it is such a special place to our family. She looked positively petrified and fled. (Let me assure you - A was with me for that one and explained that perhaps Jhumpa is not used to one on one attention and told me I was not coming off like a crazy person.)
And then, toward the end of my time at the party, I was standing with my wine and gazing.
And Gabriel Byrne was doing the same - just across from me.
My friend had just walked away - I don't know why Mr. Byrne was alone.
A wait-person passed between us and we were suddenly facing each other AND HE TOOK A STEP FORWARD AND SAID (WITH THE ACCENT AND THE EYES AND THE GENTLE VOICE):
This is a lovely place for a reading, isn't it?
And I did not faint, and I took a breath, and I composed my words...and said:
Indeed it is. And I very much liked your choices.They were wonderful, and it was a pleasure to listen to you read them.
But I was thinkin, he continued, it would be nice to do this in a really small place... (And think of the t's he says, with that accent, will you?)
Well, you just let me know where and I'll come listen. I can bring some friends too, if you like. I did not pass out. I spoke in real sentences.
He took my hand.
Does Christine have your information? My mind raced like a Grand Prix car. Christine? Yep. I knew who he meant.
She does.
Good, then. I'll be seeing you.
I, who am never star struck. I, who like poetry well enough but doesn't breathe and sleep it.
I had a very nice time at the gala.
aruvieor
Don't you hate that? Typing without looking?
So, I'm watching Survivor. Mom brought over some Sole Almondine!
It's been a heck of a week - I was SURE it was Friday on Tuesday, Wednesday and today too.
This morning I mentioned that I thought the parking lot was awfully full for a Friday and Middle say, dryly: Mom, it's Thursday.
People are looking thinner on Survivor, but I've noticed, and mentioned, that food is less of an issue these days. The tribes merge and Pavarti is paranoid.
An aside: I think, this summer, I will wear a Survivor buff as a bathing suit top on the beach.
Of course, it's difficult for me to stay interested in the show as I haven't paid any attention to this season.
I need to write about the gala I went to the other night! It was, quite literally, swarming with celebs.
Me? Me and Gabriel Byrne? WE'RE LIKE THIS (she says holding her fingers in an X).
I have things to say about: Roseann Cash, Sting, Meryl Streep, Matt Dillon and Alan Cumming.
Imagine!
It was a stellar evening! And I'll get to it!
The merged team is eating eggs? Chickens are alive someplace?
Rupert is sick of the Villains after only a couple of days.
He does a huddle with his team and warns people against Russell.
Rupert vs. Russell is, just about, the best match up I can imagine.
The voting discussion is too complicated for me to follow at this point but I'm hearing Rupert warn people against Russell and it thrills me.
Oh, look, a commercial for It's Complicated on DVD! Did I mention that Alec Baldwin was in the room with me the other night? No? I'll tell you about HIM too. But not now.
Who's that other dark-haired girl? Talking to Pavarti?
Sandra is a sneak this time around too.
Oh, it's Amanda - the other dark-haired girl. She doesn't seem trustworthy to me. But Pavarti believes her.
There's a challenge on the beach. The new, merged team is called Yin Yang? I think it should be Eyjafjallajokull.
The Survivors have to stand on notched posts. Lots of people drop out very early in the contest.
40 minutes pass and only four women remain hanging from their poles.
Jerri steps away after one hour and thirty minutes.
Candace, Pavarti and Amanda are the last players.
Candace (Candice?) decides to step down.
Amanda says she'll win because she knows Pavarti has the Idol, so Pavarti steps out and Amanda wins.
Sandra tried to tell Rupert that Russell was running the show but she's feeling stuck with him.
Russell is going to give the Idol to Pavarti, to save her. He has to keep the girls so he can get rid of JT. What he doesn't know is that she has her OWN Immunity Idol.
Pavarti says that Amanda is lying to her when she says they are voting for her. Is she?
We thought they WERE voting for Pavarti.
Mom thinks everyone is lying.
Time to vote. It's "the most important vote" that Russell has ever been part of.
Have I mentioned that my house is topsy turvy?
The dining room is empty. There is stuff EVERYWHERE. The printer is in the living room. Coach is on the Jury!
Sandra seems like such an outsider.
Pavarti feels threatened.
I, kind of, can't believe Colby is still playing.
K is out for drinks.
Middle is on the train.
Oldest had a long day but is okay now.
Youngest is in a snuggly mood.
Russell has voted for JT.
So has Pavarti.
Jerri too!
Rupert votes for Jerri.
How come no one is voting for Russell?
Pavarti plays the Idol.
She gives it to SANDRA.
SHE GIVES THE OTHER TO JERRI!
Hole Lee Cow!
I've never seen anything like this!
Jerri gets four votes that don't count!
JT has two votes.
Three! He goes to the Jury.
"In a game full of crazy moves, that was one of the craziest."
I always appreciate Jeff's commentary.
So, I'm watching Survivor. Mom brought over some Sole Almondine!
It's been a heck of a week - I was SURE it was Friday on Tuesday, Wednesday and today too.
This morning I mentioned that I thought the parking lot was awfully full for a Friday and Middle say, dryly: Mom, it's Thursday.
People are looking thinner on Survivor, but I've noticed, and mentioned, that food is less of an issue these days. The tribes merge and Pavarti is paranoid.
An aside: I think, this summer, I will wear a Survivor buff as a bathing suit top on the beach.
Of course, it's difficult for me to stay interested in the show as I haven't paid any attention to this season.
I need to write about the gala I went to the other night! It was, quite literally, swarming with celebs.
Me? Me and Gabriel Byrne? WE'RE LIKE THIS (she says holding her fingers in an X).
I have things to say about: Roseann Cash, Sting, Meryl Streep, Matt Dillon and Alan Cumming.
Imagine!
It was a stellar evening! And I'll get to it!
The merged team is eating eggs? Chickens are alive someplace?
Rupert is sick of the Villains after only a couple of days.
He does a huddle with his team and warns people against Russell.
Rupert vs. Russell is, just about, the best match up I can imagine.
The voting discussion is too complicated for me to follow at this point but I'm hearing Rupert warn people against Russell and it thrills me.
Oh, look, a commercial for It's Complicated on DVD! Did I mention that Alec Baldwin was in the room with me the other night? No? I'll tell you about HIM too. But not now.
Who's that other dark-haired girl? Talking to Pavarti?
Sandra is a sneak this time around too.
Oh, it's Amanda - the other dark-haired girl. She doesn't seem trustworthy to me. But Pavarti believes her.
There's a challenge on the beach. The new, merged team is called Yin Yang? I think it should be Eyjafjallajokull.
The Survivors have to stand on notched posts. Lots of people drop out very early in the contest.
40 minutes pass and only four women remain hanging from their poles.
Jerri steps away after one hour and thirty minutes.
Candace, Pavarti and Amanda are the last players.
Candace (Candice?) decides to step down.
Amanda says she'll win because she knows Pavarti has the Idol, so Pavarti steps out and Amanda wins.
Sandra tried to tell Rupert that Russell was running the show but she's feeling stuck with him.
Russell is going to give the Idol to Pavarti, to save her. He has to keep the girls so he can get rid of JT. What he doesn't know is that she has her OWN Immunity Idol.
Pavarti says that Amanda is lying to her when she says they are voting for her. Is she?
We thought they WERE voting for Pavarti.
Mom thinks everyone is lying.
Time to vote. It's "the most important vote" that Russell has ever been part of.
Have I mentioned that my house is topsy turvy?
The dining room is empty. There is stuff EVERYWHERE. The printer is in the living room. Coach is on the Jury!
Sandra seems like such an outsider.
Pavarti feels threatened.
I, kind of, can't believe Colby is still playing.
K is out for drinks.
Middle is on the train.
Oldest had a long day but is okay now.
Youngest is in a snuggly mood.
Russell has voted for JT.
So has Pavarti.
Jerri too!
Rupert votes for Jerri.
How come no one is voting for Russell?
Pavarti plays the Idol.
She gives it to SANDRA.
SHE GIVES THE OTHER TO JERRI!
Hole Lee Cow!
I've never seen anything like this!
Jerri gets four votes that don't count!
JT has two votes.
Three! He goes to the Jury.
"In a game full of crazy moves, that was one of the craziest."
I always appreciate Jeff's commentary.
it's poetry month
| Reading Moby-Dick at 30,000 At this height, Kansas is just a concept, a checkerboard design of wheat and corn no larger than the foldout section of my neighbor's travel magazine. At this stage of the journey I would estimate the distance between myself and my own feelings is roughly the same as the mileage from Seattle to New York, so I can lean back into the upholstered interval between Muzak and lunch, a little bored, a little old and strange. I remember, as a dreamy backyard kind of kid, tilting up my head to watch those planes engrave the sky in lines so steady and so straight they implied the enormous concentration of good men, but now my eyes flicker from the in-flight movie to the stewardess's pantyline, then back into my book, where men throw harpoons at something much bigger and probably better than themselves, wanting to kill it, wanting to see great clouds of blood erupt to prove that they exist. Imagine being born and growing up, rushing through the world for sixty years at unimaginable speeds. Imagine a century like a room so large, a corridor so long you could travel for a lifetime and never find the door, until you had forgotten that such a thing as doors exist. Better to be on board the Pequod, with a mad one-legged captain living for revenge. Better to feel the salt wind spitting in your face, to hold your sharpened weapon high, to see the glisten of the beast beneath the waves. What a relief it would be to hear someone in the crew cry out like a gull, Oh Captain, Captain! Where are we going now? Tony Hoagland | ||
| | ||
100 things about me
Like Kim, I don't think I've done one of these in years.
1. I am 50. Five-oh. I'm not happy about it but, now that I'm nearly 51, I'm beginning to accept it.
2. I've been married to K since the beginning of time.
3. I was born in Minnesota because my dad was in the army there.
4. We only lived there for a short time.
5. After Minnesota, we moved in with my paternal grandmother.
6. My paternal grandmother took me to the movies every weekend.
7. She also liked to tell me about people who had been hit by lighting while I cringed during thunderstorms.
8. She colored her hair black - an idea I could not, at 5, fathom.
9. My maternal grandmother sprayed her hair silver.
10. This made perfect sense to me.
11. Looking back, I realize that my maternal grandmother was a bit like Julia Child in that she was tall and hunched and stylish.
12. Cooking was not her forté.
13. My parents were happily married until my dad died 16 years ago.
14. I have two brothers, both younger.
15. I do not have self esteem issues (I am, to some extent, following Kim's list as a guide.)
16. I have never had an eating disorder.
17. Though I have never had an eating disorder, my teeth are terrible. I have four or five root canals, several crowns and dozens of fillings.
18. I have three sons.
19. I thought I wanted a daughter while I was in the middle of that whole having babies period of my life.
20. I do not get angry or upset about politics.
21. I have worked hard to raise good men.
22. When I happen to encounter discrimination first hand, I politely point it out and explain that I will have nothing to do with whoever is involved in perpetrating it.
23. I have one mentally challenging boy, one physically challenging boy and one silent and peaceful boy.
24. Though two of my boys can require a lot of thought and care I tend to believe that everyone has SOMETHING they must deal with every day of their lives. Illness, depression, physical limitations - most people deal with something all the time.
25. I never had post-natal depression. Exhaustion, maybe.
26. I tend not to wish for wealth - even during the times we have struggled I have only wished we had "enough."
27. We have, pretty much, always had "enough."
28. I went back to work 18 months ago.
29. It completely turned my life around.
30. The timing was perfect.
31. I always knew I would go to work again but didn't know when.
32. It was empowering.
33. I am proud to earn money again.
34. My mom lives about two miles away.
35. K's mom lives about 40 minutes away.
36. I have a great relationship with both of them.
37. I'm not sure my mother and I ever had difficulties.
38. I'm pretty sure I couldn't stand her when I was about 15. But I knew I'd grow out of it.
39. My parents were so much fun that it was difficult to resent them as a teen.
40. I like K's mom and enjoy doing things with her.
41. I tend to like old ladies.
42. Our fridge is a mess.
43. When I was at home all day things in our home were more orderly.
44. I'm just beginning to be able to accept this difference.
45. I love sandwiches with loads of fillings.
46. I like noodles very much.
47. It's true, I could eat carbs every day.
48. I like all kinds of food - though I must have a recipe and cannot improvise when cooking.
49. I suppose, in the grand scheme of humanity, that I am a small thin person.
50. I don't see myself that way.
51. But, over the last couple of years, I have found a sort of acceptance with myself.
52. And discovered that two piece bathing suits are very comfortable.
53. So, NOW, I may well be that inappropriate 50 year old woman in the bikini.
54. The alternative? The Naked Beach.
55. Yep.
56. OH, LIKE KIM DIDN'T CONFESS ANYTHING IN HER LIST.
57. I am not especially prone to any physical problems...wait...am I?
58. I don't think so.
59. That was my first cold sore in years!
60. My bra size changes all the time!
61. 32D.
62. Yes, people from work read me here.
63. Am drinking wine as I type and care less, at this moment, about the bikini and bra business.
64. I did not have especially short labors.
65. I always disliked it when, in a group of women socializing, they would discuss their labors - vying for who had it worst.
66. I loved being pregnant and having babies.
67. For a time, I was very sad that that period of our lives was over.
68. Not long after that, I began to appreciate my boys as PEOPLE and not just as my sons.
69. Kim loves tonic and lime. You can add a hefty shot of gin to mine, thank you.
70. I think it is terribly unfortunate that women equate happiness with being a particular size. I don't blame women for feeling that way, I blame advertising and marketing. We have all come to feel that some feature of us is inadequate and that is a shame.
71. I never talk about things like this.
72. I know other women would say that this is easy for me to say because I am small and thin but imagine: I see my self as SHORT AND FAT.
73. I am a tough critic in a restaurant.
74. I rarely go to the movies but must have popcorn when I do.
75. (Kim has younger children than I) I was never a real fan of breastfeeding.
76. Ice cream, in a cup, with hot fudge over it but no whipped cream.
77. Raw veggies over cooked, any kind of leafy greens, salty over sweet.
78. My favorite color is black. It always was, I just had to give myself over to it.
79. I rarely buy magazines.
80. It's the internet's fault.
81. I suppose I dress in a "funky, offbeat manner" but I've always dressed this way.
82. My boys are very conscious of the way they dress - even if it appears effortless.
83. I am a worrier AND an optimist. An unlikely combination.
84. I can be dreadfully honest.
85. I like to travel.
86. I like to rent houses or apartments when we travel as a family.
87. I don't mind hotels when traveling alone with K.
88. Small hotels.
89. NOT bed and breakfasts
90. I think the only thing I collect is rocks.
91. I do not have one outstanding feature.
92. My eyes are a nice green.
93. I like winter over summer and prefer snow to heat.
94. I know how to sew and knit but don't spend a lot of time doing either.
95. When I was little I faked death scenes in my room.
96. A flair for drama.
97. Which I never get to play with as life tends to be dramatic enough.
98. I like the idea of Twitter but have no time to tweet and feel that it undermines blogging.
99. I prefer to blog.
100. I am not fond of animals, fish or fowl.
1. I am 50. Five-oh. I'm not happy about it but, now that I'm nearly 51, I'm beginning to accept it.
2. I've been married to K since the beginning of time.
3. I was born in Minnesota because my dad was in the army there.
4. We only lived there for a short time.
5. After Minnesota, we moved in with my paternal grandmother.
6. My paternal grandmother took me to the movies every weekend.
7. She also liked to tell me about people who had been hit by lighting while I cringed during thunderstorms.
8. She colored her hair black - an idea I could not, at 5, fathom.
9. My maternal grandmother sprayed her hair silver.
10. This made perfect sense to me.
11. Looking back, I realize that my maternal grandmother was a bit like Julia Child in that she was tall and hunched and stylish.
12. Cooking was not her forté.
13. My parents were happily married until my dad died 16 years ago.
14. I have two brothers, both younger.
15. I do not have self esteem issues (I am, to some extent, following Kim's list as a guide.)
16. I have never had an eating disorder.
17. Though I have never had an eating disorder, my teeth are terrible. I have four or five root canals, several crowns and dozens of fillings.
18. I have three sons.
19. I thought I wanted a daughter while I was in the middle of that whole having babies period of my life.
20. I do not get angry or upset about politics.
21. I have worked hard to raise good men.
22. When I happen to encounter discrimination first hand, I politely point it out and explain that I will have nothing to do with whoever is involved in perpetrating it.
23. I have one mentally challenging boy, one physically challenging boy and one silent and peaceful boy.
24. Though two of my boys can require a lot of thought and care I tend to believe that everyone has SOMETHING they must deal with every day of their lives. Illness, depression, physical limitations - most people deal with something all the time.
25. I never had post-natal depression. Exhaustion, maybe.
26. I tend not to wish for wealth - even during the times we have struggled I have only wished we had "enough."
27. We have, pretty much, always had "enough."
28. I went back to work 18 months ago.
29. It completely turned my life around.
30. The timing was perfect.
31. I always knew I would go to work again but didn't know when.
32. It was empowering.
33. I am proud to earn money again.
34. My mom lives about two miles away.
35. K's mom lives about 40 minutes away.
36. I have a great relationship with both of them.
37. I'm not sure my mother and I ever had difficulties.
38. I'm pretty sure I couldn't stand her when I was about 15. But I knew I'd grow out of it.
39. My parents were so much fun that it was difficult to resent them as a teen.
40. I like K's mom and enjoy doing things with her.
41. I tend to like old ladies.
42. Our fridge is a mess.
43. When I was at home all day things in our home were more orderly.
44. I'm just beginning to be able to accept this difference.
45. I love sandwiches with loads of fillings.
46. I like noodles very much.
47. It's true, I could eat carbs every day.
48. I like all kinds of food - though I must have a recipe and cannot improvise when cooking.
49. I suppose, in the grand scheme of humanity, that I am a small thin person.
50. I don't see myself that way.
51. But, over the last couple of years, I have found a sort of acceptance with myself.
52. And discovered that two piece bathing suits are very comfortable.
53. So, NOW, I may well be that inappropriate 50 year old woman in the bikini.
54. The alternative? The Naked Beach.
55. Yep.
56. OH, LIKE KIM DIDN'T CONFESS ANYTHING IN HER LIST.
57. I am not especially prone to any physical problems...wait...am I?
58. I don't think so.
59. That was my first cold sore in years!
60. My bra size changes all the time!
61. 32D.
62. Yes, people from work read me here.
63. Am drinking wine as I type and care less, at this moment, about the bikini and bra business.
64. I did not have especially short labors.
65. I always disliked it when, in a group of women socializing, they would discuss their labors - vying for who had it worst.
66. I loved being pregnant and having babies.
67. For a time, I was very sad that that period of our lives was over.
68. Not long after that, I began to appreciate my boys as PEOPLE and not just as my sons.
69. Kim loves tonic and lime. You can add a hefty shot of gin to mine, thank you.
70. I think it is terribly unfortunate that women equate happiness with being a particular size. I don't blame women for feeling that way, I blame advertising and marketing. We have all come to feel that some feature of us is inadequate and that is a shame.
71. I never talk about things like this.
72. I know other women would say that this is easy for me to say because I am small and thin but imagine: I see my self as SHORT AND FAT.
73. I am a tough critic in a restaurant.
74. I rarely go to the movies but must have popcorn when I do.
75. (Kim has younger children than I) I was never a real fan of breastfeeding.
76. Ice cream, in a cup, with hot fudge over it but no whipped cream.
77. Raw veggies over cooked, any kind of leafy greens, salty over sweet.
78. My favorite color is black. It always was, I just had to give myself over to it.
79. I rarely buy magazines.
80. It's the internet's fault.
81. I suppose I dress in a "funky, offbeat manner" but I've always dressed this way.
82. My boys are very conscious of the way they dress - even if it appears effortless.
83. I am a worrier AND an optimist. An unlikely combination.
84. I can be dreadfully honest.
85. I like to travel.
86. I like to rent houses or apartments when we travel as a family.
87. I don't mind hotels when traveling alone with K.
88. Small hotels.
89. NOT bed and breakfasts
90. I think the only thing I collect is rocks.
91. I do not have one outstanding feature.
92. My eyes are a nice green.
93. I like winter over summer and prefer snow to heat.
94. I know how to sew and knit but don't spend a lot of time doing either.
95. When I was little I faked death scenes in my room.
96. A flair for drama.
97. Which I never get to play with as life tends to be dramatic enough.
98. I like the idea of Twitter but have no time to tweet and feel that it undermines blogging.
99. I prefer to blog.
100. I am not fond of animals, fish or fowl.
works in progress
We may have bitten off more than we can chew this weekend.
Our room is still littered with pilesandpilesandpiles of paper which were sorted for the accountant.
The dog was sick all over the living room and the carpet had to be cleaned.
K has taken down the outside wall of his office to attempt, once again, to waterproof it.
We are painting the dining room, hallway and kitchen ceiling.
So.
The dining room table is in the living room, the dining room has been dismantled and put away, the walls have been scrubbed - as has the carpet. K has fixed all the chipped plaster and we are ready to prime.
Do you know how much I hate priming?
In the meantime: no trip to London for my boss as the Great Ash Cloud shows no signs of improving.
Our room is still littered with pilesandpilesandpiles of paper which were sorted for the accountant.
The dog was sick all over the living room and the carpet had to be cleaned.
K has taken down the outside wall of his office to attempt, once again, to waterproof it.
We are painting the dining room, hallway and kitchen ceiling.
So.
The dining room table is in the living room, the dining room has been dismantled and put away, the walls have been scrubbed - as has the carpet. K has fixed all the chipped plaster and we are ready to prime.
Do you know how much I hate priming?
In the meantime: no trip to London for my boss as the Great Ash Cloud shows no signs of improving.
ten things
Inspired by Kim. Largely lifted from Kim.
- When I was born I was covered with long black hair. I looked like a baby monkey, my mother says, and I was used in the How To Bathe Your New Baby class.
- We lived in Minnesota where my mother learned to drive on a frozen lake.
- I would love to live in Australia, near the ocean.
- I would love to live in any little seaside village.
- I regularly daydream about packing up the family and moving to the city.
- I am fairly convinced that each of my boys will be some kind of artist.
- I get ridiculously worried. Not all the time, but I can make myself sick with it.
- I have a friend from university who was ridiculous. I walked away from her and, a few years ago her mother phoned our house to see if I lived here.
- I have a very skewed mental image of my body.
- I absolutely love being mum to three boys. I cannot fully express how fortunate I feel.
notes from the office
5:48am - woke to hear, on the radio, that all flights into the UK were suspended.
5:49am - realized that my boss, MY BOSS, was leaving for London at 6:40pm.
6:01am - sent off a slightly frantic email to the agent.
6:02 - 8:02am - washed up, got dressed, blahblahblah, got into the office.
8:04am - open email to discover boss and Other Important Person have been emailing re travel to London for two hours.
8:05am - call agent.
8:09am - call agent again. Check flight to UK.
8:30am - call boss. Flight not cancelled YET.
8:40 - 9:07 - do actual office work.
9:07 - start looking around the internet for pictures of volcanic ash.
9:25 - I don't know. Doesn't look SO bad.
10:20 - Maybe "it will pass."
10:27 - Maybe not.
10:35 - boss arrives at work. Energized by the excitement of not knowing whether or not he will be able to leave for London, with all of his luggage in hand, he requests timely "Ash Updates."
10:45 - now dubbed Ash Watch '10, we are jovial about the possibility that his flight will not be cancelled.
10:46 - 12:15 - we proceed with "work as usual" and pretend he is, in fact, traveling to London. Make several calls to agent who is unable to get answers from the airline.
12:15 - 1:15 - lunch.
1:15 - call agent. Use the "I'm not kidding" voice and request, nicely, that she demand airline re-book boss on SOME FLIGHT EVEN CLOSE TO LONDON.
2:00 - agent calls. Can boss fly via Canada on Air India?
bb: is Air India a good airline????
agent: NO.
2:15 - agent calls. Is boss willing to fly west to, finally, arrive east?
2:17 - not for $9000.00.
2:17:30 - and that's ONE WAY.
2:40 - agent calls. Would boss travel through Germany to arrive in London. On Saturday?
2:43 - wait? Did she say Saturday?
2:45 - he would! he can! Is the ticket still available?
2:59 - YES. BOOKED.
3:00 - 3:20 - a period of general hilarity ensues. Many jokes amongst several co-workers re Ash Clouds and traveling through Germany to arrive in London. Energized and feeling victorious, boss buys cookies from vending machine.
3:20 - realize, suddenly, that entire itinerary must be re-typed and printed and hotel and car service and UK counterparts must be alerted to change in plans.
3:25 - 4:25 - emailing, calling, printing, discussing, re-figuring UK meetings with nagging suspicion that boss MIGHT arrive in London and MIGHT NOT be able to leave. Is volcano supposed to just STOP?
4:25 - give boss revised itinerary.
4:26 - 5:15 - have a look at dozens of emails, answer phone calls, sort mail, route contracts, check in with Youngest and K.
5:15 - boss sends me home. He's good like that.
5:34 - arrive at station. Trains cancelled. Trains combined. Trains going local. Text K, text Middle, wait for Middle.
6:24 - depart station on local/combined train and endure seemingly endless ride home - AM SURE IT IS DUE TO VOLCANIC ASH.
overheard in Tuvalu
bb and Youngest are in the car, stopped at a light.
Across the intersection from them is an Audi R8.
Youngest: My god! Do you see that?! It's like a unicorn! Or Dooce!
Across the intersection from them is an Audi R8.
Youngest: My god! Do you see that?! It's like a unicorn! Or Dooce!
when what to mine wondering eyes did appear...
I tell you: I adore the aesthetic of Need Supply. It is not my lifestyle but I luff it.
Jeffrey Campbell shoes are, simply, The Shit (as they say). Inexpensive, terribly fashion-y, and I can, whilst squinting, see myself in these AND hear my grandmother (long gone) praising me for them. They are what my mother would call Orthopedic Shoes.
On the Accessories pages I find myself drawn to many items. And, in truth, these are the only things, beyond the shoes, which I could purchase as I am not 26. Ahem.
This necklace is pretty and should be renamed The Headlights Are On. It troubles me that her bra straps are showing but her smirk belies the irony of the whole shebang, don't you think?
I like this too, even though I feel like I can't SEE it very well.
My fingernails are Haze right this very minute! My toes are Toast. (It may surprise you to learn that it took me years to find my hue preferences for polish, when I do wear it. Or maybe you aren't surprised at all. I'm not great with lipstick either.)
All the shots are cropped. No faces. The list of brands is sublime.
Of course, some items are just a little silly.
And, clearly, we need (more) ink.
Nonetheless, nice browsing.
Jeffrey Campbell shoes are, simply, The Shit (as they say). Inexpensive, terribly fashion-y, and I can, whilst squinting, see myself in these AND hear my grandmother (long gone) praising me for them. They are what my mother would call Orthopedic Shoes.
On the Accessories pages I find myself drawn to many items. And, in truth, these are the only things, beyond the shoes, which I could purchase as I am not 26. Ahem.
This necklace is pretty and should be renamed The Headlights Are On. It troubles me that her bra straps are showing but her smirk belies the irony of the whole shebang, don't you think?
I like this too, even though I feel like I can't SEE it very well.
My fingernails are Haze right this very minute! My toes are Toast. (It may surprise you to learn that it took me years to find my hue preferences for polish, when I do wear it. Or maybe you aren't surprised at all. I'm not great with lipstick either.)
All the shots are cropped. No faces. The list of brands is sublime.
Of course, some items are just a little silly.
And, clearly, we need (more) ink.
Nonetheless, nice browsing.
Sunday
I seem to have missed the window of opportunity for taking the medication for my cold sore and am in a great deal of pain today.
Fortunately, I have a refill. If I knew how to make the word "refill" sparkle in gold and have little fireworks behind it I would.
I'm pretty miserable.
K is doing yard work. Oldest has been working as a painter for a couple of weeks, Youngest is signing up for summer class at A Different Art School and Middle...Middle's life is the MOST exciting.
Middle has convinced the staff of his Art School that Freshman Projects should be very different. Middle and three of his friends have hired actors (which is not especially unusual at Art School) and written a lengthy script and are shooting for days on end (in a distant city) and are producing a much larger film than what is required from freshman. (I'm sorry if I've already given you the backstory on this.) Not only have they undertaken this huge responsibility (and I do wonder if the university awaits their failure) but they have been shooting behind-the-scenes film of all of it which they post on the internet. Even this amazes me. For some aspects of the filming these boys have been lucky enough to call in favors of equipment and rides (I was in town at 10:00 last night picking up Middle and a huge case of equipment) and the kindness of one of the families who are allowing shooting, at night, at their house. Their ingenuity and enthusiasm continually impress me and I have no real gauge as I have been surrounded by this kind of activity for so long, but I believe their level of skill is very close to professional.
So.
Me? Just swallowed two horse pills. Am headed out to the garden to approve plant design. Need to stop at Old Navy. Am having Jerk Chicken for dinner.
See ya.
Fortunately, I have a refill. If I knew how to make the word "refill" sparkle in gold and have little fireworks behind it I would.
I'm pretty miserable.
K is doing yard work. Oldest has been working as a painter for a couple of weeks, Youngest is signing up for summer class at A Different Art School and Middle...Middle's life is the MOST exciting.
Middle has convinced the staff of his Art School that Freshman Projects should be very different. Middle and three of his friends have hired actors (which is not especially unusual at Art School) and written a lengthy script and are shooting for days on end (in a distant city) and are producing a much larger film than what is required from freshman. (I'm sorry if I've already given you the backstory on this.) Not only have they undertaken this huge responsibility (and I do wonder if the university awaits their failure) but they have been shooting behind-the-scenes film of all of it which they post on the internet. Even this amazes me. For some aspects of the filming these boys have been lucky enough to call in favors of equipment and rides (I was in town at 10:00 last night picking up Middle and a huge case of equipment) and the kindness of one of the families who are allowing shooting, at night, at their house. Their ingenuity and enthusiasm continually impress me and I have no real gauge as I have been surrounded by this kind of activity for so long, but I believe their level of skill is very close to professional.
So.
Me? Just swallowed two horse pills. Am headed out to the garden to approve plant design. Need to stop at Old Navy. Am having Jerk Chicken for dinner.
See ya.
some television commentary
1. Sheesh. Those Real Housewives Of New York City are difficult to watch. Stressful. How am I supposed to fold laundry without having an anxiety attack?
2. I'm really surprised that things aren't going well on that Jaimie Oliver show. I would have thought that the people of West Virginia would embrace him - and I would have been wrong. His speech gets to me after a while but his sincerity is impressive.
3. Youngest and I have been watching House together of late which has made for some hilarious comments at recent doctor visits.
4. There is not one single show I like on Food Network.
5. I'm still watching Survivor (observing it is more accurate) but I'm not hooked. I look forward to being hooked again in the future.
6. And, speaking of reality television:
we are TOTALLY hooked on Jen discussing reality television. Reality television AND her new book about reality television, which we may have to read TOGETHER.
2. I'm really surprised that things aren't going well on that Jaimie Oliver show. I would have thought that the people of West Virginia would embrace him - and I would have been wrong. His speech gets to me after a while but his sincerity is impressive.
3. Youngest and I have been watching House together of late which has made for some hilarious comments at recent doctor visits.
4. There is not one single show I like on Food Network.
5. I'm still watching Survivor (observing it is more accurate) but I'm not hooked. I look forward to being hooked again in the future.
6. And, speaking of reality television:
we are TOTALLY hooked on Jen discussing reality television. Reality television AND her new book about reality television, which we may have to read TOGETHER.
informationally speaking
Lifted from the office blog (it's okay, A, right?)
There.
I like it but wish I had taken more time to think over the questions. I was so busy that day!
Now, on to other business.
My WORD people have lots of advice for cold sores/fever blisters. A. Lot.
Where to begin...Let's see...
Many years ago I had a small (thank god) line of Shingles on my FACE. I don't remember the circumstances but it was unbearable. As you ALL seem to know, Shingles and cold sores and Herpes (of one type) are all the same kind of VIRUS and there are dozens of treatments.
What causes people to have flare ups of cold sores?
I'm pleased to report that I have Valtrex tablets (huge! and blue!) and that I'm sure I will be better soon.
As for Oldest...I'm sure he spent some time googling last night and is FINE.
********************************************************************************************
Now I'd like to speak, for a minute, to a couple of commenters:
Dear Anonymous,
I am pleased that you like this blog and happier still that you comment. I don't mind anonymous comments at all - unless they get nasty or threatening. Then I have to revoke the right to comment anonymously. And, believe me, it has happened. And I am not referring to someone who may disagree with my viewpoint, I am talking about people who make assumptions about me or are mean.
Anyhoo.
Comment away - happy to have you.
(I think our pal Paola got herself an ID as I was worried, recently, that I'd have to shut down the anon....)
Kim, Darling,
This tea? My tea? Which I drink ALL THE LIVELONG DAY? Does not have a SPECK of sugar or other sweetener in it. I am not a sugar person.
I
am
a
SALT
person.
Finally, Scot.
Scot, whom I lurve...
Pass the Cuervo.
I remember when I first began my lifelong obsession with style and fashion. I was seven and I started helping my mom pick out her work clothes. Weird, I know, but I always thought of it as a chance to play a part, be a different person, or, as cliché as it may sound, express oneself. My mom’s outfits were important to me (and her) because it made her look the part: her businesswoman persona was entirely affected by the things she wore. Since that time, I have cultivated my own personal style, sometimes in a way few people could understand.
So when I arrived at The Company, a place where creativity flourishes, I immediately knew I was at home. Here, everyone has their own sense of personal style, a style that reflects who they are or what they do or what they love. Personal style is just that, I’ve found. It’s personal. Everyone dresses for a reason. For some, it’s for function. For others, it’s form or design.
With that in mind, on this inaugural posting of one AG, I set about creating a style profile of two chic Company staffers: I asked them to answer the following questions. For some, it may be long but it is well worth the read.
bb
What are you wearing today?
Marni eyeglasses, Hermés sample sale scarf, Old Navy shirt, J Crew pants, Cole-Haan outlet store shoes, M&Co watch, Jeanine Payer ring. L’Oreal hair dye.
What’s your earliest memory of picking out your first outfit? What was the outfit?
Kindergarten picture day. I wanted to wear my Sound Of Music dress which did not even vaguely resemble anything from that movie…but was smocked.
How does what you wear each day affect your personality?
What I wear each day is based on comfort. I have uniforms and choose them based on weather, mood, schedule.
What are your favorite pieces of clothing? Why?
I love my neckwear. I need to have something around my neck all the time.
Where do you like to shop? Which stores? Which neighborhoods? Which cities? Why?
I like to browse all over the place on line and THEN go find something.
Do you really “think” about what you wear?
Yep. I really think about what I wear. Every day.
Who are your favorite designers, if any?
I love Phillip Lim and Ralph Rucci.
What’s your morning routine?
Wake up at about 6, shower and dry my hair, ask K what I should wear, do not wait for the answer, get dressed, put on some makeup, figure out lunch and then, if it’s nice out, hop on the back of the scooter and go to the station.
Who’s your style role model?
I have dozens. Vita Sackville-West, Diana Vreeland, Isabella Blow.
What’s one thing you would die to have, even if you can’t afford it?
Well, I don’t know about DIE but I’d love to have a Hermés Harnais watch.
Glasses or lasik? Tell me about your chosen eyewear or lack thereof.
Glasses, thank you. I’m a little squeamish. Besides, glasses are another accessory opportunity.
Why is personal style important? Or why is not?
It is only important if it is important to YOU. I admire people who don’t care at all about it too.
How much do you hate me for asking all these questions?
I could never hate you.
*****************************************************************************************There.
I like it but wish I had taken more time to think over the questions. I was so busy that day!
Now, on to other business.
My WORD people have lots of advice for cold sores/fever blisters. A. Lot.
Where to begin...Let's see...
Many years ago I had a small (thank god) line of Shingles on my FACE. I don't remember the circumstances but it was unbearable. As you ALL seem to know, Shingles and cold sores and Herpes (of one type) are all the same kind of VIRUS and there are dozens of treatments.
What causes people to have flare ups of cold sores?
- Being run-down
- Drinking a lot of alcohol
- Exposure of the area to strong sunlight
- Conditions that compromise a person's immune system
- Where the body's immune system is not functioning normally
- Prolonged periods of stress
- Fatigue
- Ultraviolet light
- Diet and certain foods
- Another illness (especially with fever)
- Temperature extremes
- Steroid medication (e.g., asthma medication)
- Anything that lowers your immune system or causes local injury can trigger recurrences.
I'm pleased to report that I have Valtrex tablets (huge! and blue!) and that I'm sure I will be better soon.
As for Oldest...I'm sure he spent some time googling last night and is FINE.
********************************************************************************************
Now I'd like to speak, for a minute, to a couple of commenters:
Dear Anonymous,
I am pleased that you like this blog and happier still that you comment. I don't mind anonymous comments at all - unless they get nasty or threatening. Then I have to revoke the right to comment anonymously. And, believe me, it has happened. And I am not referring to someone who may disagree with my viewpoint, I am talking about people who make assumptions about me or are mean.
Anyhoo.
Comment away - happy to have you.
(I think our pal Paola got herself an ID as I was worried, recently, that I'd have to shut down the anon....)
Kim, Darling,
This tea? My tea? Which I drink ALL THE LIVELONG DAY? Does not have a SPECK of sugar or other sweetener in it. I am not a sugar person.
I
am
a
SALT
person.
Finally, Scot.
Scot, whom I lurve...
Pass the Cuervo.
a cold sore as big as the Ritz
OH, the agony.
Really.
My eye hurts, my teeth hurt, my face hurts.
I cannot ingest wine fast enough.
But enough about THAT.
I have THINGS to TELL YOU.
1. I forgot to ask the office blog writer if I could lift his post about me for use here. I will tomorrow, I promise. (Meanwhile, my co-worker, also profiled on the blog, was not as enamored of the post as I was. Pfft.)
2. I cannot eat. Wait. That's not true, entirely. I can eat dark brown potato chips and dark brown chocolate. Apparently DARK BROWN is okay if you have a giant blister on your face. Well, maybe not YOU, but ME.
3. It's breezy here tonight and, I'll tell you, feels downright TROPICAL.
4. I am overwhelmed with shopping for swim suits on line. Why was this person not photoshopped like the rest of them? Who could possibly wear this?
5. Run, NOW, like a crazy person, to Old Navy and purchase these tanks/camis. I have countless tees/dresses which could not, before the procurement of these camis, be worn at the office. Now? FASHION RESURRECTED.
6. DRunk much? Wll, maybe. But my face is effing killing ME.
7. I forgot I had those grey shoes and they went perfectly with what I was wearing today and I got a zillion compliments and even though they do have that seam inside them which irritates my foot they are lovely.
8. You know, when you have a cold sore, how you reach that point in time when you decide it's best to stop APPLYING salve of whatever sort to it and just ride it out and let the thing DRY FOR GOD'S SAKE? I AM AT THAT POINT.
9. The Japanese version of my favorite Ito En green tea is NOT nearly as delicious as the other version.
10. Last night, with my HUGE COLD SORE, I drank four swallows from a bottle of Snapple Earl Grey Tea, which is my go-to if I cannot find my Ito En tea, which is not always EASY. I couldn't finish it and put it in the fridge for safekeeping. And preserving. Oldest, it turns out, was intrigued by the nearly-full bottle of tea and drank it down and came upstairs, just now, to tell me it was delicious. I proceeded to show him the HUGE COLD SORE on my lip.
It didn't go well.
11. There is no 11.
12. Here is a new favorite, from K.
Really.
My eye hurts, my teeth hurt, my face hurts.
I cannot ingest wine fast enough.
But enough about THAT.
I have THINGS to TELL YOU.
1. I forgot to ask the office blog writer if I could lift his post about me for use here. I will tomorrow, I promise. (Meanwhile, my co-worker, also profiled on the blog, was not as enamored of the post as I was. Pfft.)
2. I cannot eat. Wait. That's not true, entirely. I can eat dark brown potato chips and dark brown chocolate. Apparently DARK BROWN is okay if you have a giant blister on your face. Well, maybe not YOU, but ME.
3. It's breezy here tonight and, I'll tell you, feels downright TROPICAL.
4. I am overwhelmed with shopping for swim suits on line. Why was this person not photoshopped like the rest of them? Who could possibly wear this?
5. Run, NOW, like a crazy person, to Old Navy and purchase these tanks/camis. I have countless tees/dresses which could not, before the procurement of these camis, be worn at the office. Now? FASHION RESURRECTED.
6. DRunk much? Wll, maybe. But my face is effing killing ME.
7. I forgot I had those grey shoes and they went perfectly with what I was wearing today and I got a zillion compliments and even though they do have that seam inside them which irritates my foot they are lovely.
8. You know, when you have a cold sore, how you reach that point in time when you decide it's best to stop APPLYING salve of whatever sort to it and just ride it out and let the thing DRY FOR GOD'S SAKE? I AM AT THAT POINT.
9. The Japanese version of my favorite Ito En green tea is NOT nearly as delicious as the other version.
10. Last night, with my HUGE COLD SORE, I drank four swallows from a bottle of Snapple Earl Grey Tea, which is my go-to if I cannot find my Ito En tea, which is not always EASY. I couldn't finish it and put it in the fridge for safekeeping. And preserving. Oldest, it turns out, was intrigued by the nearly-full bottle of tea and drank it down and came upstairs, just now, to tell me it was delicious. I proceeded to show him the HUGE COLD SORE on my lip.
It didn't go well.
11. There is no 11.
12. Here is a new favorite, from K.
news! from Tuvalu!
K is so happy tonight. Van Helsing is on television.
Oh, good, he said, smirking.
I was folding laundry.
I took the day off and brought Youngest for his asthma treatment. He's doing very well thankyouverymuch. I had a sight anxiety attack as the baby in the room next to his had Bronchiolitis and was ten weeks old. I've done that. Not fun. I felt like Kim at the party, I did. I so much wanted to hug the mom and tell her that while THAT sick at THAT age is grim indeed, Youngest is a fine example of how 15 can be. I could feel all the exhaustion of hospital stays and sleepless nights just listening to her as she explained, on her cell phone to her husband, what was happening.
It's damned hot here. 94 F to be exact.
Just as Van Helsing was coming on I tried on some Old Navy swim suits for K to inspect. Crazy bright paisley. I am a small on the bottom and a medium on the top - whatever the hell that means. To my mind, there is nothing better than a $22 swim suit. K isn't convinced.
Middle feels, I think, not quite challenged enough by Art School and I am somewhat bereft. He is amid meetings with his advisor and department chair and I am hopeful but suspect that he is feeling the limitations of Freshman Year.
I hope.
As I was not at work today I was unable to see the blog post about ME. Actually, it's about me and another lady in the office and our style sense. It even has photos of us. Imagine? Perhaps I'll post the text of it here for you...I'll ask the writer for permission.
On more distant fronts I must tell you: MFAO Aunt is doing quite well. I talk to her every few days and, of late, she is reporting that her life is slowly returning to some sense of normal. Small things that one tends to take for granted have become little victories for her - and we rejoice! Today, she reported that she drove ALONE to see her doctor AND walked the long walk to retrieve the recycle bin AND brought it back up the long, steep, upHILL driveway. These small but important steps make me very very happy.
Yes, it was 90F today and I have a rather large fever blister on my upper lip. No. No idea what brought on, though I do have a pile of medication for it.
Anyway, as Kim would say: onward.
Oh, good, he said, smirking.
I was folding laundry.
I took the day off and brought Youngest for his asthma treatment. He's doing very well thankyouverymuch. I had a sight anxiety attack as the baby in the room next to his had Bronchiolitis and was ten weeks old. I've done that. Not fun. I felt like Kim at the party, I did. I so much wanted to hug the mom and tell her that while THAT sick at THAT age is grim indeed, Youngest is a fine example of how 15 can be. I could feel all the exhaustion of hospital stays and sleepless nights just listening to her as she explained, on her cell phone to her husband, what was happening.
It's damned hot here. 94 F to be exact.
Just as Van Helsing was coming on I tried on some Old Navy swim suits for K to inspect. Crazy bright paisley. I am a small on the bottom and a medium on the top - whatever the hell that means. To my mind, there is nothing better than a $22 swim suit. K isn't convinced.
Middle feels, I think, not quite challenged enough by Art School and I am somewhat bereft. He is amid meetings with his advisor and department chair and I am hopeful but suspect that he is feeling the limitations of Freshman Year.
I hope.
As I was not at work today I was unable to see the blog post about ME. Actually, it's about me and another lady in the office and our style sense. It even has photos of us. Imagine? Perhaps I'll post the text of it here for you...I'll ask the writer for permission.
On more distant fronts I must tell you: MFAO Aunt is doing quite well. I talk to her every few days and, of late, she is reporting that her life is slowly returning to some sense of normal. Small things that one tends to take for granted have become little victories for her - and we rejoice! Today, she reported that she drove ALONE to see her doctor AND walked the long walk to retrieve the recycle bin AND brought it back up the long, steep, upHILL driveway. These small but important steps make me very very happy.
Yes, it was 90F today and I have a rather large fever blister on my upper lip. No. No idea what brought on, though I do have a pile of medication for it.
Anyway, as Kim would say: onward.
April
April means so many things to me.
Spring, many birthdays, and the edge of warm weather.
My father's birthday first but others too.
It's National Poetry Month in the US and my boss has signed up each employee (117 of us) for A Poem A Day - emailed to our office addresses. Some roll their eyes, some scoff, but I am touched and impressed that he thinks it gracious to have our emails presented with poetry. It seems to me that poetry is something to aspire to. So very few people become poets or are poets and so many try. Poetry is a difficult business.
So, each day in April, when I arrive at work, a poem is waiting for me and I sit quietly each day and try to absorb them.
My office blog is chugging along. 18 of us, posting together, writing about lunch and shoes and vacations. One day, last week, one of our writers, who leans toward shyness, was scheduled to post. He mentioned to me that he was working on something that was "intimate" and I made a small joke. Intimate is not an accurate description of what he wrote. Heartfelt. Emotional. Liberating. Poetic. His post was all these things and more. I'm quite sure he touched dozens of people in the office with his lovely writing. I imagined scores of us sitting in front of our computers with our hearts in our throats such was his sentiment. This thrills me. This office blog (which is not even live on the internet) has brought people from very different perspectives together with wonderful results. People tell me, in the hallways, that they cannot wait to read it each day. And this, for me, is a new side of blogging as I have only written twice but oversee the posting each day. I love it but am involved in a very different way.
And the blogging business, at work, has opened the community to other group activities. There is now a wine club that meets every couple of weeks and a music club meeting twice a month and, at the end of the month, a clothing swap group. Co-workers with clothing they wish to trade are invited to do so, in one of the conference rooms. Unwanted items will be donated to a local thrift shop. It's a win-win.
I think, if I may be bold enough to assume, that I've brought a social spirit to my workplace that may have been lurking but was not actively present before.
It sounds like a large thing when I read it here - and it may be, I don't know...I am reluctant to assign myself such importance. In the end it isn't so very important. It's subtle.
I suggested we could have a club, of sorts, and this gave others permission to do the same.
I've have had an influence in ways I never could have expected.
People who might never have interacted are doing things together.
Don't worry - I don't flatter myself too much.
Still...it's fun - and it is, sort of, like poetry.
Spring, many birthdays, and the edge of warm weather.
My father's birthday first but others too.
It's National Poetry Month in the US and my boss has signed up each employee (117 of us) for A Poem A Day - emailed to our office addresses. Some roll their eyes, some scoff, but I am touched and impressed that he thinks it gracious to have our emails presented with poetry. It seems to me that poetry is something to aspire to. So very few people become poets or are poets and so many try. Poetry is a difficult business.
So, each day in April, when I arrive at work, a poem is waiting for me and I sit quietly each day and try to absorb them.
My office blog is chugging along. 18 of us, posting together, writing about lunch and shoes and vacations. One day, last week, one of our writers, who leans toward shyness, was scheduled to post. He mentioned to me that he was working on something that was "intimate" and I made a small joke. Intimate is not an accurate description of what he wrote. Heartfelt. Emotional. Liberating. Poetic. His post was all these things and more. I'm quite sure he touched dozens of people in the office with his lovely writing. I imagined scores of us sitting in front of our computers with our hearts in our throats such was his sentiment. This thrills me. This office blog (which is not even live on the internet) has brought people from very different perspectives together with wonderful results. People tell me, in the hallways, that they cannot wait to read it each day. And this, for me, is a new side of blogging as I have only written twice but oversee the posting each day. I love it but am involved in a very different way.
And the blogging business, at work, has opened the community to other group activities. There is now a wine club that meets every couple of weeks and a music club meeting twice a month and, at the end of the month, a clothing swap group. Co-workers with clothing they wish to trade are invited to do so, in one of the conference rooms. Unwanted items will be donated to a local thrift shop. It's a win-win.
I think, if I may be bold enough to assume, that I've brought a social spirit to my workplace that may have been lurking but was not actively present before.
It sounds like a large thing when I read it here - and it may be, I don't know...I am reluctant to assign myself such importance. In the end it isn't so very important. It's subtle.
I suggested we could have a club, of sorts, and this gave others permission to do the same.
I've have had an influence in ways I never could have expected.
People who might never have interacted are doing things together.
Don't worry - I don't flatter myself too much.
Still...it's fun - and it is, sort of, like poetry.
office space
I'm working on a post for my intraweb office blog and took a bunch of pictures of things we may see every day but don't always notice...
I knew, the minute I saw these cardboard things on the floor of the office around the corner from mine, that these were AT-AT feet. It was a simple deduction: the guy's a Star Wars geek, I KNOW my Star Wars stuff and I live with a bunch of Star Wars geeks.
He confirmed it later in the morning and even got up from his desk and put his hands and feet in position to demonstrate for me.
Sometimes we ship mascot costumes. One could be walking down the hall and pass a tremendous elephant head, for example. Or a giant mouse costume might be sitting in a great huge duffel bag in the mail room awaiting delivery.
One of the Art Directors likes to pull pranks on people. I haven't actually touched this item, which appears to be something made of fur, but I've seen it in odd locations and know C has left it to frighten unsuspecting co-workers.
Darth Tater peers into an office. The only way to see him is to sit at the desk of one of the IT guys.
Across the floor from me, M and A's office has this open window at one end of it. No glass but venetian blinds. Why? We don't know.
Everyone has nameplates on their door/near their cubicle/desk - but D's nameplate is over the printer. She sits four feet to the right, FYI.
Signs like this are a common sight - and, as far as I can tell, they are obeyed.
Signs like this are not uncommon either.
What ARE these gigantic books? I have no idea. I suspect that the pages that are flagged have important signatures. And I think I know what department they came from.
T has a Muji city on her desk. It gets rearranged frequently, depending on who sits and works with her. This particular configuration is mine.
Above our heads, in the front hallway, is this industrial sized chain and wheel and valve system. My guess is that it is part of the sprinkler system, but who knows?
Just before the Ladies Room is this six-foot wide photo of Chicago. It makes me happy even though I can't see Poppy's house in it.
There are two plastic containers of these handles in the Design Area. I've been with the company for a year and a half and I have never seen anyone use one of these handles. Their presence is a mystery.
J's office is comfortable. She has a pretty little rug and an intricately patterned throw hanging from her bookcase. She's got beads hanging on her doorknob too...and has a wonderful wool cardi she loans out when I'm feeling cold.
I knew, the minute I saw these cardboard things on the floor of the office around the corner from mine, that these were AT-AT feet. It was a simple deduction: the guy's a Star Wars geek, I KNOW my Star Wars stuff and I live with a bunch of Star Wars geeks.
He confirmed it later in the morning and even got up from his desk and put his hands and feet in position to demonstrate for me.
Sometimes we ship mascot costumes. One could be walking down the hall and pass a tremendous elephant head, for example. Or a giant mouse costume might be sitting in a great huge duffel bag in the mail room awaiting delivery.
One of the Art Directors likes to pull pranks on people. I haven't actually touched this item, which appears to be something made of fur, but I've seen it in odd locations and know C has left it to frighten unsuspecting co-workers.
Darth Tater peers into an office. The only way to see him is to sit at the desk of one of the IT guys.
Across the floor from me, M and A's office has this open window at one end of it. No glass but venetian blinds. Why? We don't know.
Everyone has nameplates on their door/near their cubicle/desk - but D's nameplate is over the printer. She sits four feet to the right, FYI.
Signs like this are a common sight - and, as far as I can tell, they are obeyed.
Signs like this are not uncommon either.
What ARE these gigantic books? I have no idea. I suspect that the pages that are flagged have important signatures. And I think I know what department they came from.
T has a Muji city on her desk. It gets rearranged frequently, depending on who sits and works with her. This particular configuration is mine.
Above our heads, in the front hallway, is this industrial sized chain and wheel and valve system. My guess is that it is part of the sprinkler system, but who knows?
Just before the Ladies Room is this six-foot wide photo of Chicago. It makes me happy even though I can't see Poppy's house in it.
There are two plastic containers of these handles in the Design Area. I've been with the company for a year and a half and I have never seen anyone use one of these handles. Their presence is a mystery.
J's office is comfortable. She has a pretty little rug and an intricately patterned throw hanging from her bookcase. She's got beads hanging on her doorknob too...and has a wonderful wool cardi she loans out when I'm feeling cold.
how our brains work
bb and K are standing in the kitchen moments after K has watched the JJ Abrams Star Trek movie which he is trying to explain...
K: ...So, there was this wrinkle in time so they could make it so Spock's mother died, which was interesting because now they can write the whole back-story differently and can have entirely new episodes.
bb: I'm thinking, because these pants are so loose on me that they look too casual to wear to the office...that's not a problem for Spock, though - he can't feel any emotion, right?
K: No, he CAN feel emotions - he's half human, remember?
bb: So, the pants, too casual, right?
K: We can't afford Donna Karan right now - just so you know.
bb: What, Donna Karan? These were from Old Navy! Fifteen dollars!
K: Too casual.
K: ...So, there was this wrinkle in time so they could make it so Spock's mother died, which was interesting because now they can write the whole back-story differently and can have entirely new episodes.
bb: I'm thinking, because these pants are so loose on me that they look too casual to wear to the office...that's not a problem for Spock, though - he can't feel any emotion, right?
K: No, he CAN feel emotions - he's half human, remember?
bb: So, the pants, too casual, right?
K: We can't afford Donna Karan right now - just so you know.
bb: What, Donna Karan? These were from Old Navy! Fifteen dollars!
K: Too casual.
Spring
I put my Uggs away today.
I was a little sad about it - they are so cozy and I have no Spring/Summer equivalent.
I was pulling them on at the end of the day and wearing them in the mornings. I don't generally like slippers so I'm at a loss. (Note to me: try the Birkenstocks.)
I put away all the cozy things and was happy to re-discover some clothes I had forgotten about and, of course, was instantly disappointed with at least a dozen dingy items. DINGY!
Tomorrow I'll soak them and see if they can be revitalized and I'll order a couple of swim suits for me and Youngest (our suits don't fit us!) and a couple of camis.
It's very warm here now - I didn't wear a coat to work on Friday...AND on Thursday I had a heck of a day and then rushed for the train ANNNNNNNDDDD got on the wrong one. I didn't realize until I was well past the point of no return and had to have K rescue me from a foreign station!
Tomorrow we are going to have some ham with K's family which will be a nice treat as we haven't seen them in a while.
I was a little sad about it - they are so cozy and I have no Spring/Summer equivalent.
I was pulling them on at the end of the day and wearing them in the mornings. I don't generally like slippers so I'm at a loss. (Note to me: try the Birkenstocks.)
I put away all the cozy things and was happy to re-discover some clothes I had forgotten about and, of course, was instantly disappointed with at least a dozen dingy items. DINGY!
Tomorrow I'll soak them and see if they can be revitalized and I'll order a couple of swim suits for me and Youngest (our suits don't fit us!) and a couple of camis.
It's very warm here now - I didn't wear a coat to work on Friday...AND on Thursday I had a heck of a day and then rushed for the train ANNNNNNNDDDD got on the wrong one. I didn't realize until I was well past the point of no return and had to have K rescue me from a foreign station!
Tomorrow we are going to have some ham with K's family which will be a nice treat as we haven't seen them in a while.
a meme from the Crazy Mom
- Do you like bleu cheese? Yep.
- Have you ever smoked? Yes. I sometimes still do.
- Do you own a gun? Nope.
- Favorite type of food? Salty stuff.
- Favorite type of music? I don't have a favorite type of music.
- What do you think of hot dogs? I like hot dogs.
- Favorite Christmas movie? Love Actually.
- What do you prefer to drink in the morning? Decaf cafe au lait.
- Can you do push-ups? I have no idea.
- What’s your favorite piece of jewelry? My engraved ring, I think.
- Favorite hobby? blogging.
- Do you have A. D. D.? Nope.
- Do you wear glasses/contacts? Glasses.
- Middle name? No thanks.
- Name three thoughts at this exact moment: Name them? Describe them? I have a headache.
- Name three drinks you regularly drink: Green tea, white wine, decaf.
- Current worry? I have a headache.
- Current hate right now? Hate? Hate is a strong word. I don't hate anything right now.
- Favorite place to be? The beach.
- How did you bring in the new year? I flipped the page on the calendar.
- Someplace you’d like to go? Tokyo.
- Name three people who will complete this. I'm not passing it on.
- Do you own slippers? Nope.
- What color shirt are you wearing? I'm wearing a dark blue dress.
- Do you like sleeping on satin sheets? I'm a flannel shirt person.
- Can you whistle? Yes. For a taxi.
- Where are you now? In the chair in the living room.
- Would you be a pirate? I just might.
- What songs do you sing in the shower? I don't sing in the shower.
- Favorite Girl’s Name? Eloise.
- Favorite boy’s name? I used them all.
- What is in your pocket right now? Don't have pockets.
- Last thing that made you laugh? The Improv Everywhere post today.
- What vehicle do you drive? A Jeep.
- Worst injury you’ve ever had? I don't think I've had any interesting injuries.
- Do you love where you live? I love my house.
- How many TVs do you have in your house? Let's not go there.
- How many computers do you have in your house? Yeah. No.
- If you changed your job, what would it be?Mailman.
- If you were granted three wishes, what would they be? Monumental wishes? Health, wealth and happiness.
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