I Want This Wednesday

I really really want an apple picking ladder.  That seems crazy, I know.  In fact, I admit that I have no idea what I would do with it.  Actually, it's more like I have too many ideas about what I could do with it.

I love the idea of using one as a shelf just about as much as I would love to have it in our guest bathroom holding hand towels.  I can also see using two of them on either side with shelves in between the rungs to create a little waist high bookcase or even a three shelf version to go under a window.  I could use one as a table top, covering it with glass and attaching legs, or I could use the ladders as the legs and find an old door for the table top.

Ahhh, so many options, such a ridiculous wish for now.  Can you imagine the shipping fee to send a LADDER from Virginia to Chicago?  Maybe I'll scout the tri-state area for orchards with old ladders they might be willing to sell.  Next summer though.  I've got a bit on my plate for now.

The Problem of Rude

As I sat on the bus yesterday on the way home from work, the long, tedious, though strangely uncrowded, bus, I had occasion to ponder rudeness. 

Don't be "that guy."

This opportunity was presented to me by the tattooed Hispanic woman who boarded midway to my destination.  She had her phone on speaker and was discussing her dog loudly with her phone companion.  She seemed very worked up about what I could only partially gather was a not infrequent (or unwelcome "go ahead, I said, call them.  I don't give  a @&*$") visit from the police.  Apparently her neighbor decided her dog was too loud or too menacing or something (I lost focus after the fifth or sixth f-bomb). 

Most people seem to get on board the bus in a heated conversation, but gradually wind down when they realize they're in close quarters with others.  However, this woman seemed immune from the "are you really doing that here" stare.  I contemplated saying something to the effect of "Excuse me, shut up," but decided I was too sleepy to deal with the threatening attitude she was likely to exhibit. 

Part of the problem?

It did get me wondering, though, when do you become part of the rudeness problem?  If I had confronted her, it seems improbable that she would have backed down meekly, so I would have probably created a bigger fuss than her annoying conversation filled with cursing.  Still, I often feel that we all let rudeness slide when we should point out to people that it is unacceptable.  We now live in an age where we don't blink when people exhibit bad manners.  It is common to see people put their bags or coats on the seat next to them so no one can sit there, to watch kids sitting in the disabled seating not move when a hunched little old woman gets on the bus, to experience inconsiderate drivers at least once on any car trip, and to be subjected to people talking loudly on cell phones in public (to highlight but a few common examples of boorish behavior).

"Bad girl."

I know it is just as impolite to call someone out on their rudeness; however, it feels like we've reached a point where people are often rude because they don't even realize that their actions are inconsiderate.

Maybe if more of us call people on their inconsiderate actions they would happen less.  I don't think I'm ready to be confronted about my failure to RSVP though.

Giving In

So I bought this.  I know I'm supposed to be spending less; I promised Nathan I would "have and hold" my paychecks in preparation for this wedding of ours.

But this went on sale today.  And as much as I've been drooling over shoes, I can usually pass them by relatively easily.  Great shoes are not that few and far between, after all.  But this bathing suit might actually make me feel cute WHILE WEARING A BATHING SUIT.  That seems like magic.  And magic is worth the price, especially when said magic goes on sale for $30 less than it was originally.  Now this suit is about the price a suit costs when you buy it in a store, and that suit was not made especially for you by hand, was it?  AND it is not the suit you remember from your iconic Barbie.

So if there's music to face, I am willing to face it.  Although, I think that once he gets a load of me in this sexy thing, money will hopefully be the last thing on his mind.

Is it wrong that now I kind of want some tattoo sleeves to go with it?

A Recent Conversation #3

Me:  So what do you think of my veil?  (Showing him my Russian birdcage veil.)  Do you hate it?

Him: No....Is that the same stuff as the bag that onions come in?

I'm Almost 30

This secret was on PostSecret this week.    Right now there are some days I could be the sender of this secret, but not all that often.  I look back at my pictures from my early 20's and think, "What in the world was I so self-conscious about?"  I figure I'll do the same when I look back at my pictures from now.

Well, "fuck that!" I'm going to work hard to make this secret mine more often than not these days.

I Want This Wednesday

Good thing these aren't in my size...makes it easy to keep to my promise to cut back a bit on my spending.

Can't decide which pair I love more...        

The tan ones...

Or the green ones...

               

I think my Mad Men marathon this past month (3 seasons in 3 weeks, AND I have managed to watch that much TV while still having a life.  Yay to watching online and cutting out commercials!) is influencing my wardrobe lusts lately.  (To be honest, it is influencing way too much of my life.  I actually found myself cooking away in my grandmother's frilly 50's apron a week ago.  I almost took a picture of myself for the blog before I had the good sense to be mildly embarrassed about how much that show is infecting my brain.)

A Recent Conversation #2

Rarely am I witness to the nice things that Nathan says about me to others (although he assures me that this happens often).  However, the other night I thought it was my lucky day when he had had a bit too much to drink with his friends and the discussion centered on my sports acumen.

Him: Did you know Hanna was a champion jello wrestler her freshmen year of college?  She's always been into the risky sports, unafraid to sacrifice her body.  She was a goalie when she played soccer.  The catcher in softball.  She rock climbs.  She's fearless. 

Me: Oh wow, Nathan, that's the nicest thing you've ever said about my athletic abilities.  Aww, I love you so much!

Him: Yep, she's definitely got plenty of courage.  Skill, on the other hand...

A Recent Conversation

Me: Hello already.
Him: I'm sorry I'm so late.
Me: Yes. You are.  Going on 4 hours now.
Him: You should be mad at me.
Me:...?  Well, gee, that's an unusual angle.
Him: Yeah, I thought about that my whole bike ride home.
Me: And that's what you came up with?
Him: Yup.  But I think it was a success.  You don't seem mad now.
Me: Well played, sir.

I Want This Wednesday

I think this is the most romantic beautiful drawing/painting. It's so ethereal and yet she seems so strong. I LOVE it.  In fact, I love everything  the artist has done.  If I hadn't JUST promised Nathan I would cut the spending down a bit, I would buy this immediately.

Wish I Had Written This

My favorite blogger, Mighty Girl's Maggie, just posted the following article she wrote on her blog.  This piece was originally titled “The Non-Expert: Threesomes” and was published in 2003 over at The Morning News. The Non-Expert series answers questions posed by Morning News readers.  She is the funniest woman I don't know.  I swear.  I love/hate her because I am so in awe of her phenomenal talent.



 A 12-Step Guide to Threesomes


Question: What would it take for you to have a three-way with me?

Answer: First, allow me a moment to admire your subtlety. You are a man who knows how to woo a woman with sweet nothings, ply her with charm. The Don-Juan quality of your, ‘What would it take?’ really gets a girl purring.

I wish I could give you a one-size-fits-all answer, but this is a question that every woman must answer for herself. Therefore, you should be asking a girl who is going at it with some other chick when you open the bathroom door at a party.

Instead, you’re asking me.

Fortunately for you, I’m rather drunk. (Threesome Criteria Numero Uno? Check). In this fictional advice-column world, I’m not yet 25 (Criteria 2), and find myself conveniently single (Criteria 3). What’s more, your particularly horizontal shoulders and ready smile help you meet Criteria 4: You are white-hot.

Also, you look kind of familiar. I think you were in my second-grade class. Yeah! I remember you. Weren’t you the shy one who wore yellow galoshes rain or shine? How funny! You’re so…non-threatening (Criteria 5). And my, how you’ve grown.

Do you still live in my hometown? Goodness, no. You’ve been in China teaching English since college. How lovely. So it would seem we have few, if any, common acquaintances (Criteria 6).

Let us test this theory with a few minutes of banter about where you went to college, where you moved after school, and so on. I name the two people I know who attended the university you attended. You shrug your shoulders winningly and admit there were 30,000 students there at the time. We laugh and order another round of martinis.

But what are you doing in town? Just stopping in. In fact, you’re headed back tomorrow morning, pretty early. It is quite likely that our paths will never cross again (Criteria 7). That’s a crying shame.

You rest your hand on my knee as you leave a tip on the bar. Your skin feels like you must be plugged in somewhere (Criteria 8). Your ring finger is band-free (Criteria 9).

Have I mentioned that you are not an unattractive young man? And just my type. Smart, kind, confident, likes to travel, abs like the wind-blown surface of a calm summer lake.

I’m pondering the dollar-to-yuan exchange rate and imagining romantic walks along the Great Wall when you ask if I have a couple bucks to cover the drink you just bought me. Um…sure. Later, you begin an entirely too-detailed conversation about the track trophies you won in high school.

All right. So China’s out. You aren’t necessarily boyfriend material (Criteria 10). But have I mentioned that you are not an unattractive young man? Yes, I suppose I have. And I certainly have some time on my hands this evening, so how could it hurt to pass that time with you?

I’m buzzed, imprudently young, and pleased by the way you lean forward when you whisper to me. What’s that? What would it take to…what?

Ohhhhhhh.

Ha! Are you serious? You are.

Well. That’s not an entirely uninteresting question. Hell, haven’t I always wondered anyway? I mean, hasn’t everyone?

So how are your papers? In order? Disease-free, psychosis-free (Criteria 11)? Excellent. Do you have condoms on you? You don’t. All right, you make a drug-store run (Criteria 12), and I’m in.

While you’re gone, I’ll go find the other guy.

New Use for an Old Thing

Thought I'd share a few vintage items that I've conscripted for use in ways other than what were originally intended.

These beauties were purchased at a Salvation Army. Labeled coffee, tea, sugar, and flour, I thought they were the perfect thing to have in the kitchen. I hammered some holes in the bottom for drainage and planted low light plants in them. You'll want to choose your plants carefully because the copper tends to inhibit the growth of most plants. This can be combated by keeping plants in their plastic containers inside the canisters or by planting different varieties of Philodendrons, which will survive absolutely anything.

We needed something small to hold the soap in our shower because it was getting slimy. The shelf in the shower is smaller than most, so I didn't want a big soap dish taking up space. When I came across this metal frog previously used when arranging flowers, I thought it would be perfect as a soap drainer. It had very sharp metal spines, so I dragged it across the concrete sidewalk out back a few times until I felt it had been dulled enough not to cause injury to fingers reaching for the soap.






My sisters and I have a hard time passing up the china at thrift stores because growing up we learned that even if vintage bread plates and tea saucers are chipped, etched, or have those spider cracks old pottery sometimes get, they make the perfect base for potted indoor plants. They are a much cuter (and often cheaper) way to catch water than the terra cotta version.

This coated metal plate rack was originally used for storing plates in cabinets, but now we use it as a handy dish drainer next to the sink. It takes up less space than traditional metal dish drainers. The fun thing about the old metal racks like these are that they are easily used in tons of different ways. You could also use this rack to hold magazines, and it could easily be hung on the wall to hold your mail. My sister uses an old potato chip clip rack to display postcards and mail.

Not too long ago, I was given a glass frog, which I rarely use for its original purpose of flower arrangement (who knew there were so many different types and that they had so many other purposes?), but recently I thought to use it on my desk at work as a unique pen holder. Much more interesting than the metal canister from Staples, anyway.

You Should Make This Now

Right now, seriously. Head into your kitchen and mix up a batch because not only is it super easy, it is absolutely the best tasting thing for a hot, busy weekend lunch. I think I am going to crave this regularly enough that I'd better just make sure I always have all the ingredients on hand. Thanks to my upstairs neighbor, David, (and Ina Garten) for the fabulous first exposure to it last night. Yum. (As usual, small t.=teaspoon, T.=tablespoon)

Gazpacho

2 thick slices day-old bread, crusts removed
6 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 T. freshly chopped oregano leaves
2 T. chopped flat-leaf parsley
5 T. red wine vinegar
5 T. good olive oil
1 red bell pepper, seeded chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 red onions, chopped
1 seedless cucumber, unpeeled, seeded, and chopped
4 large ripe tomatoes, chopped
1 (46-ounce) can tomato juice
4 t. kosher salt
2 t. freshly ground black pepper

Place the bread, garlic, oregano, and parsley in a food processor and process until everything is finely chopped. Add the vinegar and olive oil and process again until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a large mixing bowl.

Place the peppers, red onion, cucumbers, and tomatoes separately in the food processor and process until very coarsely chopped. Add to the mixing bowl. Add the tomato juice, salt, and pepper and stir well. Taste for seasoning, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. Serve cold.

Stay Cool and Craft

Recently, I had an idea of a way to give new life to my beat up glasses case. This turned out to be an easy fix for mine, which had scratches and gouges, but this is also a great way to personalize a glasses case that may still be in good condition.

For this project, you'll need spray glue or rubber cement (a combination of the two is a bit easier, but one or the other will work fine), scissors, about a 12" square of fabric, and a hard glasses case.

First, I chose 1/4 of a yard of fabric. I actually needed MUCH less than that amount (basically about an inch more than the width and length of my glasses case when it was open).

I spray glued the outside of the glasses case (or coated it in rubber cement) and applied the fabric to the cased, making sure to leave at least an inch overlap on all sides.

Next, I trimmed any excess fabric because you can only fit a small amount under the inner lining of the case.  If you can remove the inner lining then this step can be skipped, but most glasses cases have an inner lining that is stuck fast.

 

 After trimming, I glued the inside edges and tucked the fabric underneath the inner lining on all the edges.  To do this, gently pull back the plastic lining and add the glue.  Tuck the fabric underneath, making sure to glue on top as well so that the plastic lining will stick.

 

Leave the two corners until you have tucked the fabric in at all the other edges.  Carefully cut down the middle of the fabric directly at the hinge until you reach the case.  Coat the seam with glue so that it doesn't unravel.

Fold each flap under its respective side, carefully overlapping the extra fabric so it all fits under the lining evenly.  You will have some small pleats as a result.  Take one last look around the edges to ensure that everything is glued down tightly.

And there you have it.  A quick easy craft to give new life to an old accessory.

My Life List

I was inspired by a lovely blog I read (Mighty Girl) to create a Life List of things I want to experience, learn, and do sometime in my lifetime.  It's funny, after publishing my list, I have come to realize I've actually already accomplished a few of my entries.  Progress already.  In fact, I'm going to start crossing things off.  And, of course, I'm going to start that list of fruits I've already tasted.  I think I must be able to claim at least 100 so far...

Coming soon to my Etsy Store....

My latest project:

Inspired by the latest navy/sailor style trends...

There are Always the Balloon Animals...

The last couple of months have been difficult ones at work.  I have had more than my share of feeling bored, under-used, and stagnant.  I don't have a clear idea of what my dream job would be right now, so it's hard to set any particular goals when it comes to finding a new job.

However, in my times of future need, I will keep in mind the email I just received from the head of our block party planning committee, where she (in reference to my having done balloon animals for the neighborhood kids at last year's party---thanks to my beloved *heavy with sarcasm* fiancé's volunteering me) asked me if I was interested in making money by offering my "skills" to her "local mom's yahoo group" (500 strong) as the neighborhood balloon animal birthday party gal.

Phew, a backup plan...

Hit of the Picnic

I made this for a neighborhood picnic last weekend.  I chose it because I've really never seen anything with barley in it that wasn't soup.  Turned out to be phenomenal.  It was clearly the hit of the picnic.  This is from an excellent little book called, Picnic.  (I doubled it.  Fed 20.)

Barley Salad

2 1/2 c. vegetable stock
1 1/4 c. barley
2 large ripe tomatoes, chopped and seeded
3 scallions, minced
3/4 c. chopped red, yellow, and/or green peppers
1/2 c. minced parsley
2 T. chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 c, good quality olive oil
1/3 c. red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
2 oz. crumbled feta (or half a container)

Ahead of time (I made it the night before), bring the stock to a boil in a large saucepan.  Add barley, cover, and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.  Refrigerate.
Fluff barley in large bowl.  Add tomatoes, scallions, peppers, parsley, and sun-dried tomatoes.  Mix well.  Pour olive oil and vinegar over the salad and stir to coat.  Place in serving dish and cover top with feta.  Serve at room temp or cold.

A Meal Fit for a McArdle

Nathan and I celebrated our 10th anniversary on Sunday by going to a nearby Korean BBQ place, San Soo Gab San.  We had heard good things about it from numerous people, but the last time we attempted going, we had back luck.

As a result of the last attempt, I was a little nervous about trying to go on this special occasion.  I still remembered rather vividly the last try.  Last time, we called ahead to see if we could make a reservation (no).  Figuring that we would probably be safe with no reservations early on a Friday night, we biked there through the cold of early February dusk only to arrive to find people lined up outside.  Nathan made me go in to check because he's odd about that sort of thing.  (Very non-oldest child of him.)  I checked with the hostess, who was extremely difficult to understand as she really didn't speak English, only to find that there was a TWO hour wait.  We were starving, of course, and unwilling to wait that long.  There is nowhere else to eat nearby either.  I remember biking to 5 other places as we tried to make a decision as a couple on where to eat (probably the quickest way in our relationship to ensure a fight).  We got home something like 3 hours later, having nearly thrown in the towel to just go home without dinner at least once.

Needless to say, I felt like the Korean BBQ option might just be setting us up for failure.  However, the first sign of this choice being a safe bet was when Nathan suggested we drive.  We got there right at 7 pm, which apparently, is the perfect time to eat at this place because we were led right to a large table!  We were seated, brought large menus, and left to our bewilderment: there was a hole in our table, a vent above, and a whole lot of unidentifiable Korean characters on our menu.  Our lovely waitress arrived shortly and asked if we had been there before.  We quickly admitted to being clueless.

Our waitress told us that we needed to order two entrees and very adamantly explained that we would be cooking our own meat, repeating it a few times just to make sure there was no question that we would be doing the work.  We ordered marinated beef short ribs and bulgogi (marinated beef that I was told is a national Korean dish).  Nathan also ordered soju, which is like Korean vodka, "only smoother," said our waitress.    She brought out a 16 oz. bottle and two shot glasses.  I thought to myself that driving might have been a bad idea after all, but she assured us that it had less alcohol content than vodka.  I think our first shot was a cheers to our making it this long, but all the rest, they were to the food.  The food.

We had only just placed our order, but out came a huge tray of side dishes.  This was the reason you must order two entrees.  So you can get the goodies with the meal.  The waiter proceeded to unload dish after dish after dish after dish, until he had balanced 27 dishes on our table in front of us.  Everything from lotus root to kimchi to any number of unidentifiable items.  (One tasted mostly like dried prunes, but felt like I was eating an inside out beetle.  It sounds better to just say eating a beetle, but my nerdy work friends said it wouldn't be crunchy on the inside if it was a beetle since they have exoskeletons.)

Then they brought our fire pot!  And our yummy, yummy meat.  Our delicious, scrumptious, tasty tasty meat.  The short ribs were easier to cook than the bulgogi, but it is pretty impossible to pick a winner between the two.  We also accidentally got some chicken since I started cooking the first dish they brought us, which was another table's chicken, and the waitress wouldn't take it off our grill when she came to fix the mixup.

Everything was great.  Nathan and I decided we would try everything, no matter how mysterious.  (I think Nathan also had an unspoken goal of finishing it all, so he could stack every bowl up next to him, but sadly we failed.)  It was just too much.  And some of those mysterious dishes were tough to finish, so we gave up at the last six.  Later I wished I had left seven because finishing off those last crunchy little dried sardines was much regretted when I could still taste them even after brushing my teeth.  We did, however, manage to finish the last of the soju with a toast to adventuring together.

Here's to sharing the adventure with you on your next visit!

Add it to My List

Oooh, I want to add this to my registry list.

 

You think I'm gross now, don't you?  

No, they're actually lovely.  They're Seed Bombs!  You use them to do guerrilla gardening.  Give them a pre-soak in some water and then toss them in some undesirable, weed-infested or barren landscape, and they will grow on their own!  Each bomb contains lots of different wildflower seeds, so it is a complete surprise.   I can already think of a few spots where I would love to throw them on my way to work. 

 I don't really have anywhere to throw them in our neighborhood because Nathan takes out his nervous/bored energy by weeding the traffic circles and abandoned flowerbeds in the surrounding areas.  (Yeah, yeah, I KNOW.  We ARE meant for each other.  Our weirdness balances.  I am very self-aware that way.)  That's actually a step up from his past compulsion.  He was seriously working out so much his pants were falling off.  He literally ran his butt off.

I digress.  These are fun.  I want them.  I can totally picture myself throwing these out the car window after the wedding when we're on the road heading home!  I think of it like some sort of twisted version of throwing rice at the wedding.

If I Were a Rich Gal

A couple years ago, I stumbled upon a gallery that was displaying the late artist, Sergey Smirnov's, work.  I fell in love with this painting and wanted it so badly I was seriously considering saving my pennies for years and years until I can scrape enough together to buy her.

Once a year or so, I research Alina on the internet to find a gallery that carries the limited edition canvas print just to see if I still like it as much.  So far it has staying power.

Sometimes when I find a gallery, I go so far as to give them a call to check on the price  This year I figured with the economy and the California location of the gallery, the painting/print might be at its lowest price ever.  Sadly, it was still not under four digits, so that is ridiculously out of my price range.  I don't actually know what my price range is for a painting because I've never spent more than $100 on artwork.

Stuck in My Head

Love it.





By the way, these guys are seriously social-media-savvy. Love their website. Go there to get a free download of this catchy song.

One of my best discoveries...

These websites are some of my happiest discoveries.  I've been using them for nearly a year now and, as a result, I have saved over $250 on books alone.  I have gotten books from PaperBackSwap that are essentially brand new hardcovers.  I recently received the newest Imogen Heap CD for just the $2 I spent sending a CD out to another member last year.

It's a pretty easy setup.  Each of these websites work pretty much the same way; they're even linked so they're easy to manage, and you can transfer your credits back and forth too.  All you do is sign up then add the books, CDs, or DVDs you want to get rid of onto the corresponding website.  You add the item by typing in its ISBN number from the UPC code on back.  When someone wants one of your books, CDs, or DVDs you just click that you agree to send it, print out their information and take it to the post office.  You can even buy the postage directly through the site to save yourself that step.  Then you put it in the mail.  When they receive the item, they go into the system and mark that they got it, and you get a credit.  You can use each credit to request a book, CD, or DVD from other members.  Sometimes they're already listed online and sometimes you have to put it on your wishlist and wait because other members are waiting for it too.  It's a great system.  Plus, it gives you quite a bit of faith in the honesty of others because I have not had any bad experiences with this the whole time I've been doing it.  You can even set up exceptions if you never want to get a book from a smoker or if you don't want to accept CDs without their liner notes.  Love it!

The best part of this?  I am consistently getting packages in the mail!  Makes your day brighter to open your mailbox and discover a free book every time.

Making that "The Universe is Against Me" Feeling Beautiful

Though I have a great many things going well in my life right now, I definitely still have that feeling sometimes that the stars are all stacked against me.

I love how this print, "The Stars are Against Me Tonight," makes me feel like having the universe against you is almost a desirable thing.  Do you think anyone at work would make a connection if I displayed this in my cube?

The Delight and Exhaustion of Materialism-The Gift Registry

Oh I wish that Etsy had a registry option because this way is going to be so much more time consuming...Nathan felt pretty strongly about us not actually registering at a store, but he didn't win that one. (Oh, harbinger of married life, you can't wait, can you, Nathan?)  However, out of deference to him, it's a small one at Crate and Barrel (-though that certainly does not mean that's where the items should be bought).  In addition to that "normal" registry list, here are some items we'd enjoy from Etsy.

Love these dish towels! 

and these too...

and I adore that this one will remind us of Scotland.

It'd be nice to have a working, non-electric mantle clock.

I would also like a cut glass bowl (not a tall pedestal, so it will fit in the fridge) to use when I make Tiramisu.  I don't love love the design on this one, but I like the size and shape.

We would also love a footstool.

This is my dream footstool...perhaps someone wants to reupholster a nice solid ottoman in an old printed burlap sack for us as a project?

Man, if I had $1200 to spare, I would...probably still not spend it on an ottoman.  Are you kidding me?  If I paid that much for an ottoman, I'm certainly not going to let Nathan put his FEET up on it.

 

If you don't feel like taking on a project, this one is a cute little placeholder until I can find a good solid ottoman and an old printed burlap sack of my own. 

I will be adding more if I think of anything, but please consider all of these things suggestions of items we'd enjoy-the links and pictures are not the only version of the item mentioned that we would love.  You all have excellent taste and know our style well enough that I know I would love anything you chose for us.