Coincidence? Perhaps not.

On Sep 28, 2010, at 7:14 PM, B F wrote:

on my 15 minute break. 

There are tables across the street from the store, and as it was a beautiful day I sat at one of these tables. A table for four, by myself. a few minutes after I sat down, I saw three young women looking for a spot to sit, and commenting on how crowded it was - probably because it was such a  beautiful day. 

I offered, You could sit with me for four minutes, and then have the table as I have to go back to work across the street. 

They thanked me and joined me. We chatted, and to make conversation, I asked if they worked together. 

They did. It was the woman who does visuals for Anthropologie, and her two interns. 

We chatted for so long that I was late getting back to work, but I did explain that you sneaked photos of the your store and they told me that Anthro has changed it's policy, and people are now allowed to take pictures in the store. You may have already known that. 

But I thought of you as I was walking back to work. 

B

On Sep 28, 2010, at 7:18 PM, bb wrote:

Can I post this?

DID YOU ASK THEM ABOUT THE FUCKING HORSE?

On Sep 28, 2010, at 7:20 PM, B F wrote:

I didn't think to ask about the fucking horse. And yes, you can post this. 

b

Survivor

Members of the Old Tribe venture out to look for food where the howler monkeys eat. Jimmy The Coach becomes a monkey whisperer and makes friends with the monkeys. But some tribe members aren't so captivated by his presence. Fish are caught but arguments are made for letting him go. The beaches sure are nice.

At the Young Tribe dudes are getting "tingly" whilst making fire. Fabio tells us...wait...what's he telling us? What a dope. Some are not amused.

The Old Tribe eat their rice and learn about the found Immunity Idol. Jimmy T is pleased and cheers Marty on. Tyrone doesn't trust Marty but Jimmy T continues to cheer for him. I'm not so convinced though, as Marty tells us that the Idol can only belong to one person.
The team is wet, cold, tired and hungry. At least Danny is. (Is that his name?)

The Young team are hanging out on the beach. Alina feels like she is in a bad position, with Kelly B (and her prosthetic leg).
I don't know who any of these people are.
Naonka I know.

Tie for a challenge!
Race out into a field to retrieve barrels, toss sand bags into the barrels (10) and win.
The reward? Sauces, spices, fruit and herb plants.
The Young team vote not to use the Medallion of Power and the race is on.
Barrels must be rolled over all kinds of terrain.
It's pretty even.
The barrels are set and the teams start tossing bags.
Still pretty even.
The Older Team pull ahead!
The Younger team tie it up, and pull ahead and win.
They pick up the reward and Kelly B and Nay find the next clue in the basket and wrestle for it back at camp. AND she smushed the bananas.
We don't like Naonka very much - though we do understand competitive spirit.
She's not going to be nice to someone just because they have one leg!
Nay shows the clue to Brenda and they work on it together.

At the Older camp Jill recaps for us. The Other Jimmy feels like his talents are being wasted. He makes a good case. Tyrone defends his actions in the challenge. Coach Jimmy explains his choices. Marty is looking forward to Tribal Council.

Suddenly, I realize three things:
too many clues
no Exile Island
I hate the Medallion of Power

Marty is worried about Jimmy the Coach and wants to remove him. He starts to spread the word. Jill thinks Danny, Coach and Marty all all equal threats. Dan feels it's between him and the Coach. Marty agrees. It looks like a sweep. The two blond women at the campfire appear to be interchangeable. One of them is Jane and she doesn't want Dan or Coach to go. (As an aside, I'd mention that these over-40 ladies are in great shape.) Tyrone isn't sure he'd vote for Coach.

At Tribal Council Jeff asks Marty what happened. He talks to The Other Jimmy. It's been a week and Jimmy explains that he has wasted his time. Coach Jimmy talks about what he does for the team. But are the two Jimmys friends? Not really. There is some conversation about Dan's abilities. Then Coach Jimmy says that he is one of the weakest players.
They vote.
Coach Jimmy goes home. We aren't surprised. Win a million bucks he tells them as he leaves.
Can they?

notes from the commute

There's a guy, about three blocks from the station, who sits on a folding chair swaddled in blankets. He has a bucket on the sidewalk in front of him with bottles in it and flags. I imagine he's a veteran but have no proof. The block he sits on is popular with homeless people and between him and a younger man, who sits with coffee and cigarettes, there is a fruit vendor.
I mention this as I often wonder about the fruit vendor. There he stands with a huge cart of food amidst hungry people. Are they hungry? Or just sleeping on the street? Do they even sleep on the street? I don't know but I have seen the fruit man, twice, bring fruit over to the man in the blankets (it is not cold here). Today I saw him bringing something else - rose petals. He had a handful of orange rose petals and he was crushing them up a little, in his palms and offering the scent of them to the man in the blankets.
It changed my whole morning.
I decided to walk through the flower district instead of my usual way and saw mums and cabbages and boxwoods lined up tightly against the street. I saw sunflowers with bright yellow centers and a woman wearing those shoes that look like toes and dozens of tiny pepper plants with bright red peppers.
Men were loading a mini steamroller onto a truck and the smell of fresh tar wafted around. Two men walked past me wheeling topiaries. Huge ones!

I turned the corner and saw the tailor bent over her work. She's not small, this lady, and she wears her hair piled up on the top of her head as she sews and she always has a huge floppy bow that hangs over part of her face. Sometimes she's on the phone. In tiny slippers.

The wedding dresses sparkled as I walked quickly past them. I like to pick one in each window. The biggest, the frilliest, the one with the most beading.
Four good songs in a row on my iPod. I'm walking pretty fast at this point.
A man passed me with a trolley full of clip-boards and water bottles. He has a sign that reads Beach Clean-Up. Where could he be headed?

There's an empty store-front on the next corner. The windows have bright blue tape in big X's over them. Inside, new floor boards are piled high, waiting to be installed and a purple sombrero sits on top of them.

The last store I pass is the Halloween store. I start to feel anxious about seeing the window displays full of ghoulish fiends and this year's speciality: dead-looking babies crawling around with blood on their little hands. But, just as I reach the window and avert my eyes, I pass a lady with a goofy looking baby strapped face-out on her front. The baby is waving and smiling and she looks happy.
It's just enough.

every waking moment

I'll tell you (and who else would I tell?) I'm having a hell of a time right about now.
I'm working my ass off, K has five irons in the fire, Oldest's girl has left him (Oldest is an incurable romantic), Youngest is wandering his way into Junior Year and Middle, well, Middle always keeps me wondering.
It's a particularly busy time at my workplace where I am celebrating the anniversary of my second year of employment. I am still learning my way! Why do we book my boss into that mingy hotel in Germany each year? Awful! Must he attend the Thursday morning meeting? No! That time may be better used elsewhere!
Plus, I had forgotten how emotionally wrenching K's freelance world can be. Why would G hire him again? Why wouldn't he? Who can speculate on these things?

I was so melancholy at dinner tonight. I sang a song, in Japanese, that my dad taught me and was telling Oldest how angry I am that my dad died on Halloween because a Halloween store has opened near my office. I tried to explain how Halloween seems to mock my sadness, all these years later. I tried to tell him (the only grandchild who knew my dad) how irked I am that his death and Halloween have been inextricably linked for all this time and he gave me new perspective.
Don't you see? he said, it's totally hardcore that he died on Halloween. It's like he's saying bring it on Halloween, I can outdo you!
And, even though that's just bullshit, I cheered up a little.

talk

What people younger than we are talk about: Glee, Mad Men, musical performers I have never heard of.

What people older than we are talk about: their teeth, not being able to sleep, musical performers I have never heard of.


Here's a pretty-looking commercial for Anthro. Have a look and then let's talk.



A couple of things bother me about this little film.
I think it's mostly that I feel boxed so tightly in their demographic when I watch it. It makes me feel a bit like a foregone conclusion. The Amelie-esque music, the fact that the actress is not 20 - or even 30 and the outfit she starts out in has me picturing the concept meeting. I'm always picturing the concept meeting. In this one the writer/director says: We'll have her reminiscing, and she'll talk about things that make women want to shop at Anthropologie...and we'll have spoons hanging in trees, they love seeing stuff hanging in Anthropologie, and we'll have that plinky Amelie music! And everyone nods and smiles and people rush off to find the right spoons to hang in the trees. And they make sure that the actress has a slightly crinkly face and wispy hair. The voice-over has the merest hint of an accent that's difficult to place and speaks of the cosiness we've lost over the years and my father lifting me up high on his horse?
There.
See?
Now I'm aggravated.

they were ospreys

I haven't mentioned the hawks in a while.

They've left their nest. Abandoned it just before that huge storm.

Some in our house believe they abandoned it during the storm, but I hadn't heard their incessant screeching for a while before it, so I am right. (As usual.)

Yesterday morning we awoke to that beeping sound that trucks employ when reversing. It was 7:48am.

It was continuous until 9ish when Oldest came upstairs to say: do you think there is a switch on that truck so they can shut that sound off?
We laughed a little about it going all afternoon but we went about our business, joked about it at dinner and then, at 7:30, Oldest said: This is nuts! and I agreed.

I had thought they were paving the parking area of the police department around the corner from us. That's where the nest is, at the top of the cell tower in the police department.

I'd had just enough wine to be brave and off I went.

(I needed a driver's manual for Youngest too.)

I got myself buzzed into the building and went to the window.

I have two questions, I said, now nervous around four policemen.

Yes ma'am? (Only policemen can call me ma'am and get away with it.)

Now feeling a little more shy...are there any driver's manuals? There are none out here.

I'll go have a look in the back, said the big one.

And the second question? asked the bigger one.

Are you guys having work done in the back? There's this noise...

Yes ma'am, they're dismantling the osprey nest as it's been abandoned.

Oh! Ospreys! My gosh they were so loud!

Yes ma'am, but they're gone now so we're removing the nest.

Did they leave because of the storm?

No ma'am, they had left some time before that. You are very patient, they'll be working until eight and then half a day tomorrow.

I looked around the back of the building as I left and there they were - four guys and a huge scissor lift - which beeped every time it went up or down.

Those birds were here last year too but I don't remember them dismantling the nest.

I can only imagine what neighborhood noise will possess me next.

always bringing the funny, and rearranging things - I'm good at rearranging things

I cleaned up the cabinets. There were lots of expired crackers. For example.



I was tired of looking at the ice cream machine.



Youngest got in on the act.



It's not world peace or anything, but I de-bookcased one end of our room.



And bookcased up the other end.

I spy, with my little eye...a wooden cow that was Oldest's when he was a baby...my Play-Doh set from BlogHer, my favorite monkey, Middle's musical penguin, all my jewelry.

Hey! C'mon over and rob us!

That's OX. Relaxing on our bed. (The special edition all-black OX.)(From Ebay in the UK.)

Youngest's room continues to be a Fortress Of Solitude. Which is good because Youngest is a deep thinker. Oldest's room is gorgeous too, of late, but I am not responsible for its wonderfulness so I don't have any photos.



Isn't it nice to see Totoro in the corner?

Look at this great tableau I've put together downstairs -

it combines the beauty of the modern world with antiques. And Crappe.

This shot captures, perfectly, my stunning arrangement of "silk" flowers from Middle's shoot, the weekend paper, my wonderful napkins from Eurolushieface, and WINE.

As for me,

I'm wearing sandals WITH SOCKS.

Anthro continues

to

kill

me.

this stuff writes itself

Survivor

What a week. You wouldn't think I'd be complaining on a Wednesday night, but you'd be wrong.

I'm complaining!

On the other hand, I'm in the early planning stages of my company's holiday party, which we are calling The Winter Solstice Party, and I'm having a lot of fun with it.

My mom brought home-made chicken soup, we had some of K's Coffee Heath Bar Crunch Ice Cream and we settled in to watch...

I'm sorry, I'm always going to laugh at The Medallion Of Power.

Jimmy Johnson already seems like a cliche.

I'm awfully glad Wendy went home.

It's night three.

Holly feels like she's on the outs.

I think that's the least of her problems. She obviously has some kind of social ineptitude. Is that a word? Ineptitude?

The Old People aren't sleeping. I wouldn't sleep and I think I've pointed out that I'd be on the Old Team. They try to organize and build a new shelter. Coach gives them assignments and three people want to go fishing. Jimmy T. resents Coach Jimmy's direction.

On the Young Team Sash has a lovely smile. At least that's what we are told. Will the "Asian Sensation" bond with the others? What happens if Kelly B's leg falls off, a teammate asks.

On the Old Team there's a rift over eating snails. One team member fills another person's shoes with sand and drowns them.

The next morning Dan's alligator shoes are missing. He tells everyone and they all act shocked.

Holly confesses and everyone realizes how crazy she is.

Day five for the Young Tribe and Naokona is missing a sock - after telling everyone and raising a stink, she takes "Fabio's" socks. And it's all good because she "doesn't like him." Much discord at their camp.

Holly and the Coach Jimmy talk about her leaving the game. She breaks down but Coach Jimmy works to get her through it. He tells her the team needs her and she buys it.

Time for a challenge! In mud!

Race through the mud into hay, looking for a ball. Find all four balls and then bounce them into a barrel. They play for a reward: tarp and rope or fishing gear. Worth playing for?

The Medallion of Power team will start with one ball already found and one person sitting out.

The Old Team use the Medallion and the Young team sit someone out as they have more players.

Dan sits out...and they start squirming through the mud.

The Younger tribe has a slight lead. The artificial leg does not hold Kelly back!

The Older Tribe falls behind!

They catch up!

Balls are being bounced into barrels and it's hard to tell who is ahead.

It's raining. We are under a severe storm warning and, after last week's weather events we are wary!

The Older Tribe wins!

Do they want a tarp or fishing gear? Fishing gear wins.

The Old Team rejoice. Holly is so glad she didn't leave and the team hopes she'll keep it together. They inspect their fishing gear and find a clue for a hidden Immunity Idol. They work to solve the clue and start digging. Jill figures out the clue pretty quickly and gives the info to Marty. Marty and Jill find the idol.

At the Young Camp Nay is amazed that Kelly B. did not use her fake leg to her advantage. Some people are flirting. Some people are swimming. Some people are wearing those damn high socks. WHY?

Shannon is annoyed by Jason - and Brenda too. There are alliances I can't even understand but two guys seem to think Brenda should go home. Who IS Brenda? Chase is caught between two alliances and I don't know who Chase IS.

Naonka wants Fabio out and Shannon out more. I can't understand these girls - they seem to be speaking in text message. Sounds like Shannon is going home.

I have to tell you, it's way too early for me to know people's names. Chase(?) wants to keep the girl in the yellow bikini. But the yellow trunks guy says nothing is what it seems. I haven't a clue what's going on.

They go to Tribal Council.

Jeff welcomes them and asks Shannon how hard it is.

He says it's hard and talks about his teammates very frankly - Chase and Brenda.

There's arguing and accusations. And it's so early. For me, this spells way too much drama way early, and Jeff sees it too.

Shannon starts asking team members if they trust him and gets himself into trouble. It gets ugly. People! IT GETS UGLY.

It's so early for people to bicker like this and it really makes me wonder about 20-somethings and how they react in a situation like this. Kelly B. says she'll base her vote on how to help her tribe the most. All I know is that they'd better get rid of someone. The tribe is a mess.

Who goes home? Shannon. Which is fine because Shannon is not the name of a GUY.

(The truth of it is, he dug his own grave at Tribal.)

men are TOAST

TOAST has sent me their new catalogue. It's the debut of their men's line.

And, so, I present to you, The Men Of Toast.

The Colonel, Little Jimmy, Rattcliffe and Young Will.

No one had told poor Rattcliffe that he should choose: one either goes with the Hipster Fro or the High Drama Facial Hair. Not both.

Never both.

Adding the wingtips only compounded the problem.


Young Will was outstanding in his field, but he was always perplexed...did he use the right fertilizer?

And had he chosen the right place for the driveway?

He was on his way to town to find out.

Young Will was an artist. A complicated artist whose work was often mistaken for, well, walls of speckled cement.

Though the ring never fit, he always wore it, because, in his world, all that really mattered...

was the cleaning schedule.

Little Jimmy thought about the cleaning schedule as well.




Alas, he had larger issues.



He could often been seen, wandering, murmuring, three buttons? four?

It was The Colonel who held it all together for them.


And not only with his vast collection of string.


Nor was it the lint that he had amassed over decades and painstakingly catalogued that would make a difference.

It was the burned clay-ware and pipes that would save them all.
They were worth a fortune to countless store display teams across several continents.
And The Colonel knew where to find more...

blackbird's two minute movie reviews

Open Water 2: Adrift!

In which six stupid people jump off a luxurious yacht without dropping a ladder.

Do you have a prescription for Xanax? You're going to need it!

Who will live? Who will die?

Can I even watch the whole thing?

It's easy to think of solutions from the couch. I would have been dead in the first ten minutes.

weekend surfing*

I had a Shoe Crisis.

Une crise de chaussure!

Did I already tell you about this?

I've worn my delicious black ballet flats to shreds, my Palladium sneakers are white, my adorable boots from AllSaints wear my feet to shreds and I walk two miles a day.

What to do?!

First: stare at thousands of shoes on the internet.

Determine the needs - black, nothing ridiculous, platform/wedge or flat - no heels.

Pretty. Maybe too. Do they scream Victorian Dress-Up party?

I hadn't realized that they show you both boots when the left and right are each over $500.

Speaking of over $500...

I'll have one winning lottery ticket and a pair of these in 6.5, please.

You'll probably be ashamed of me finally choosing something so mundane after showing you such lovely things, but the truth of it is, my Palladiums served me so well and were cheap.



Two miles is a long way in shoes that pinch.

What else did I see whilst shoe shopping?



Wonderful nail polish.
(I can only think Roy G. Biv. Am I supposed to?)

(The Chanel Fairy sent me a package of gorgeous colors.)

I've always liked Built By Wendy but had no idea their dresses were $300.

Oh, such a woeful-looking anorak. And I could use an anorak. But this one is so very sad.



I'm all in for stripes. This one is nice but my wide strip H&M ($12.95!) is nicer.



I exchanged the jeggings with the waistband at my bra and gotthetightones. And now I look like she does.



It was a tornado. Two, in fact. One where we were and one at the other end of town.

Nice manifesto, Aardvark.

Nice manifesto.

hello darkness my old friend

I absolutely love AllSaints.

I do.

I love the clothes and the shoes and the boots and the bags and the store.

It is, however, very very difficult to shop both online and at the store. One has absolutely no idea what one is looking at. Things are flimsy and hang strangely on the hangers, the lighting in the store is alternately bright and shadowy and most things look like an unfinished hem of black fabric, which is why the Lookbook is so handy.

Or would be so handy if it wasn't so damn funny....

You see, the women in the Lookbook seem to have some drama in their lives.
And the men?



Look like beaten puppies.

David. I've told you a thousand times to pick up your socks.

Sigh. I know. It's true.

Is that shave cream in the sink?!

It seems to be. But we both know I don't shave.

Hmm. He has a point. Uh oh.

I was certain Stephen rinsed the sink after he shaved last night...

...she's got something going on. With someone else. Sniff.

Never mind! It must have been me. I'm going out!

Whose panties are THOSE?

Meanwhile, back at the ranch....